Starving and Bored

2011-08-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

While We Are Waiting. . .

2011-08-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

These are the photos I took for the boys' visas to China. By taking them myself and going to Target (they have a photo id program on their photo terminals), I saved about $30 :-). I highly recommend doing this if you have the time. The program on the terminal makes it super easy to make the 2X2 pictures you need for passports, visas, etc.

Well, no news from China this week. No news from the U.S. either. We are waiting for our visas to China to be approved. We are also waiting to find out if our Article 5 was picked up. When that has been done, the CCAA can issue our travel approval. Of course, the average wait time is still over 3 weeks from Article 5 to travel approval. So, we are waiting. . . and waiting. . .

I am feeling sorry for the handful of people who read this blog because there is no new news :-(. Not much happening :-(. Oh well, I was very encouraged by what another sister in the Lord wrote. She wrote, "God is never late!" I will trust in that.

In other news, Matthew and Nathan have started up their Chinese classes again. I can't say that they are loving it, but they sure are learning a lot. I think of how far they have come since last year at this time when they knew virtually NOTHING in Chinese. Now they can understand so much, can speak and write and read more and more as time goes on. My hope is that they will be able to converse with their baby sister in a few weeks!

Zucchini Soup

2011-07-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I admit that I am my mother's child and I could eat soup 5 or 6 nights a week and never tire of it. This recipe is great for those cooler summer nights and a great way to use up those 10lb zucchini that hide in your vegetable garden. The original recipe is Karen Bishop's, but since I'm my mother's child, I have made a few changes/adaptations. My additions will be in (parenthesis).

Zucchini Soup
-a small batch, but you get the idea for ratios-

1.5 c zucchini, chopped
1.5 c chicken broth
(1onion, or some leeks, chopped)
dash nutmeg
2T butter
2T flour
1 c milk

(slightly saute onion and zucchini in soup pot)
Cook zucchini in chicken broth until soft
Add a dash of nutmeg
Slightly cool then blend until smooth with immersion blender or in small batches in your regular blender.
Pour into large bowl, set aside

In same pot melt butter. Whisk in flour until thick. Slowly add milk, whisking until it's all incorporated and not lumpy. Add zucchini mixture back into pot and stir together with milk mixture. Heat thoroughly, add salt & pepper to taste.

I serve this with homemade croutons and sometimes some shredded cheese. It would also be great with grilled cheese sandwiches or chicken salad sandwiches.

God's Granola

2011-07-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

Here's the official recipe for the granola from WCC this year. I ate at least 2 bowl fulls at breakfast everyday and plan on making myself a batch or seven to get me out of the breakfast dullddrums.

God's Granola

(makes 5lbs. also, the kitchen used a convection oven so if you don't have one, you may have to adjust the heat (25 degrees higher) and cook for slightly longer)

2c canola oil
2c honey
2.5 lb rolled oats
3/4 lb walnuts, halved
1/4 lb coconut
1/4 lb sunflower seeds
1c sliced almonds
2t cinnamon
1/2T cloves
1/2t nutmeg
1/2T allspice

1. place oil and honey in a sauce pan, heat up until it starts to come to a boil
2. in a large bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well
3. once oil/honey is heated up, add to dry mix and incorporate until all dry ingredients are well mixed (no dry spots)
4. spread evenly onto several sheet pans lined with parchment
5. bake at 275 degrees for 30-40min
6. allow to cool for a couple hours before storing

NOTE: I made this today. It ended up being 3 sheet pans full. I used the convection setting on my oven (for the first time) and it turned out great. I didn't have 2c of honey, so I used 1c honey and 1c maple syrup. It turned out AMAZING! When I store it, I'll probably mix in some raisens, craisens or other dried fruit.

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

2011-04-28T16:43:00.001-07:00

Here's a pantry raid meal for you that tastes much more sophisticated than a typical semi-homemade dinner. I got it from www.ourbestbites.com a favorite recipe/craft site.

12 oz bag tortellini, prepared according to package (i didn't have dry tortellini on hand so i used
some frozen ravioli that i had)
4 oz bacon chopped up and cooked (i used leftover easter ham that i had, and just added a bit of oil for the next step since i didn't have the rendered grease)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
(2 Tbsp oil/butter/bacon fat)
2 Tbsp flour
2 C milk
salt
pepper
1 1/2 t dried basil (i used a cube of frozen chopped basil from trader joes)
red pepper flakes
1 lemon, zest & juice
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
3/4 C grated mozzarrella cheese, divided (i used 1 cup cheese total)
3/4 C grated parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown bacon to a crisp in a skillet. remove bacon and drain. Reserve 2 Tbsp bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest (or add 2T fat to pan at this point). Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant. Add flour and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with a whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to sa simmer

While sauce is heating, use a grater to zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice. Add 2 t zest and 1 T juice to sauce. Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Drain tortellini and place back in pot. Add bacon to pasta. Add spinach, 1/2 cup of each cheese. Add sauce and stir to combine. Place pasta mixture in baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melty.

Enjoy!

Bacon Tomato Cups

2011-04-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

These are what I made this morning for Easter Brunch.

8 slices bacon, cooked crisply ( I used Kirkland bacon bits)
4 roma tomatoes
1/2 small onion
6 oz. shredded swiss/baby swiss cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, jack...whatever)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (it will say Flaky Layers somewhere on the can)

Preheat oven to 375. Coarsely chop the bacon, tomato (don't use the seeds) and onion and mix with all the other ingredients except the biscuits. Set aside. Pop open the can of biscuits and separate each of the 8 biscuits into 3 thinner biscuits. (Some may be a little thinner or thicker than others but this is OK) Use a non-stick mini muffin pan and lay each of the separated biscuits over the mini muffin cup and press down to shape. Fill each one with the above mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Makes 24

Baked Oatmeal

2011-04-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

I thought I should add something before the year is up. This is my new steal from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I think the main complaint against oatmeal is that it is too mushy. This takes care of that problem. It is more like a giant oatmeal cookie.

6 cups oatmeal, either quick or old-fashioned
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I think less could be used)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups milk
4 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with milk and/or fresh fruit.
The recipe can be easily halved and baked in an 8X8-inch pan.

Chicken Parmesan Subs

2010-05-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

This one is for those ones of you who roast two chickens each week and are looking for new ways to use the leftovers. If you don't roast two chickens, that's okay, just cook any kind of chicken for this recipe!

Cheater Chicken Parmesan Open-faced Subs

2 c (? depending on how many servings you're making) cooked chicken: shredded or cubed
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 c or so of bread crumbs
shredded mozzarella cheese
sandwich rolls (or loaf of french bread)

simmer the chicken in the pasta sauce until heated through. stir in the bread crumbs and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens a little bit.

split open the sandwich rolls and spoon the chicken mixture onto each half of the rolls. sprinkle with shredded cheese and put under the broiler until the cheese melts and turns a little bit brown. serve open-faced and enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken

2010-05-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

I made this meat for the 5 de Mayo lunch at work and it was a HUGE hit and super easy. I got it from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (the same place the pb recipes came from for that April birthday party)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Coat the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) Serve in tacos or however your little heart desires.

Since I had to bring it to work with me I was a little nervous, but it worked perfectly. My mom cooked it for me (just dumped the things in the crock pot) then put it in the fridge - pre-shredding. When I got to work I turned it on high for a little bit to warm it up then literally just wiggled a fork around in it and it fell into shred. Then I left it on warm for a few hours until we were ready to eat. All of the juice was completely absorbed (but it wasn't dry at all) and, for those of you with non-tomato eating families, you can't even tell there are tomatoes.

French Dip Sandwiches

2010-05-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

Bryana turned me onto a meal planning website called E-Mealz.com that has super easy, family friendly recipes and corresponding shopping lists. They even have specialized meals based on different grocery store sales (not Safeway yet) and meals based on diet points, etc. Although I haven't yet signed up for the service, they allow you to print 3 sample menus from each category- I think there are like 8 or 10 categories! The first meal that I tried was from the "Any Store" menu and it was these delicious French Dip Sandwiches....

1.5lb chuck roast
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can beef broth ( i only had chicken broth so i used that instead)
1 loaf french bread ( i had french sandwich rolls on hand)
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Combine beef broth and onion soup mix in crock pot. Add roast. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove meat to slice or shred. Slice bread in half lengthwise and add beef (and shredded cheese if you want*). Slice. Serve with bowls of au jus for dipping.

* if you choose to add cheese, wrap the sandwiches in foil and heat @ 375 for 25 min to melt everything together.

Now really, wasn't that the easiest recipe ever!

Yummy Leftover Ham

2010-04-06T13:25:00.001-07:00

Just a friendly reminder that there are TWO amazing recipes on here that use leftover ham! Click the "ham" tab on the right side to see the recipes....

And while you're there, maybe you have a recipe or two that you should add :)

Moroccan Beef Stew

2010-03-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

I made this the other night and it was a hit. It was fun to play with different flavors for a change without being too drastic. It's super easy and could be made vegetarian (as if you would want that!) I served it over couscous and it was deeee-licious.

Moroccan Beef Stew (serves 4 but could easily be added to to feed more)

1T oil
1 1/4 lb beef steak cut into stew sized cubes
1 c chopped yellow onion
2 carrots chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2t paprika
2t cumin
2t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 c beef broth
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained (if vegetarian, add another can)
1 c pitted kalamata olives, drained and halved (i use black olives b/c dylan doesn't like any other kind)
1/2 c raisens (golden or regular)
1/4 c chopped cilantro

1. heat oil over med-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides. You may need to do this in batches so it browns, not boils (i speak from expecience here!). Remove beef from pan and set aside.

2. add onion, carrots and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add spices and cook for 1 minute. Return beef to pan and add broth, chickpeas, olives and raisins. Bring to simmer then reduce heat to med-low and continue to simmer until beef is cooked through (5 min or so). Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and serve over cous cous.

3. i used a carton of beef broth and since i only used just over half of it for the stew, i used the remainder in my couscous to make it extra flavorful.

Baked Manicotti

2009-11-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

This is my altered recipe from Americas Test Kitchens. Not that their recipes aren't perfect, I just found a few shortcuts and added a vegetable.

1 jar TJ's Marinara sauce 28 oz
2 tubs of low fat cottage cheese 16 oz each
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped spinach - I used frozen that I defrosted first
black pepper
No boil lasagna noodles

Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broiler safe baking dish, ( I used a sheet pan so I could soak 6 at a time) then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. (I had to soak them twice with boiling water) Remove noodles from water and place on a plate one at a time.

Spread bottom of 13 X 9 inch baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Bake at 375 for 45 min or until pasta is tender.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

2009-11-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

4-5 small pork chops
1/2 chopped onion
4-6 small apples or 3 -4 large Apples, Peeled & Chopped into small pieces
3 Tbsp of butter
1/4 Cup of brown sugar
Few splashes of OJ
Few shakes of Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Sear the pork in a hot pan. Brown outside to seal in moisture. Transfer into crock pot. Add fresh apples, chopped onion, brown sugar, orange juice,butter, seasonings, salt & pepper. Cook for 2-4 hours. Cook side of garlic mashed potatoes if you can.

Beef Teriyaki

2009-11-02T15:28:00.000-08:00

Americas test kitchen Beef Teriyaki, reminded me of PF Changs Mongolian Beef. Very tasty.

Beef TeriyakiFrom America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin, sherry, or white wine
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds top blade steak, trimmed and sliced 1/4" thick (you can also used 1 1/2 pounds of flank steak if you can't find top blade steak)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 scallions, sliced thin

Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sherry/wine), ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes together and set aside.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the meat, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and meat.

Briefly re-whisk the soy sauce mixture to recombine, then add to the skillet. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Return the meat with any accumulated juice to the skillet and toss to warm through. Transfer the meat and sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions.

Tuscan White-Bean Stew

2009-10-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

I hear there's no copyright laws I'm violating by posting a recipe from Cookie Magazine, so here it goes.... it comes from a section in the October edition entitled "peasant food."

Tuscan Ribollita
Serves 6 | 20 minutes active time | 1 1/2 hours total

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 ounces pancetta or ham, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
3 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans,
drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
Grated Parmesan

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the first five ingredients in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the beans, broth, and rosemary. Simmer, covered, until the beans break apart, about an hour.
Add the kale and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more. Stir in the bread crumbs and serve, drizzled with the remaining olive oil and sprinkled with the cheese.

TIP: If you don't have a Dutch oven, use a shallow metal baking pan covered with foil.

My customizations to this recipe are that I used prosciutto once and normal ham another time. I also recommend doubling the carrots and celery. After you serve the soup (it's very thick) in bowls is when you drizzle on the olive oil. It makes for great dipping if you also have a baguette. Oh yeah, and it doesn't really serve six. I doubled the recipe and it served 5 adults and 4 kids.

Homemade sloppy joes

2009-09-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

3 C shredded leftover pork or chicken, OR 1 lb ground meat browned
14 oz can petite-cut diced tomatoes (or not petite-cut)
1/2 C ketchup (I think I'll use maybe 3/4 C next time so it's messier!)
1 T dijon mustard
1 t liquid smoke
1 t dry basil or 1 cube TJ's frozen basil
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 C frozen corn kernels
1 C frozen chopped bell pepper or 1 fresh pepper

kaiser rolls to serve

In saucepan, combine meat through black pepper, waiting to add corn and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add veggies and simmer 5 minutes more until heated through. If you like your veggies softer then just add them in the first place and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon mixture onto warm rolls and serve hot.

Stove-top macaroni and cheese with ham

2009-09-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 C sour cream
1 1/2 C milk
3 C shredded cheese, mix and match
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t salt
1/8 t nutmeg
1 C diced ham

optional: dry bread crumbs and grated parmesan, about 2T each

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large bowl. While still hot, stir in sour cream and set aside. I would wait about 1 minute after it's in the bowl.

Scald milk by heating over medium heat until tiny bubbles just appear around the edges, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, mustard, pepper, salt, and nutmeg and simmer until the cheeses melt, stirring gently and constantly. Fold the cheese mixture into the pasta, along with the ham, and transfer to a serving dish.

Optional: combine bread crumbs and parmesan, then add to a dry skillet and set over medium heat. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until both are golden brown. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni and serve.

Also optional: I browned the cubed ham before adding to macaroni because it tastes better that way.

Tortellini Salad

2009-05-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

We had this at Emma's birthday party and it was a hit-at least among the people that eat salads or pasta with more than one ingredient ;)

It's great to make ahead and tonight, I didn't have all of the ingredients so I improvised a bit and it was still delish.

6T olive oil
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, minced (I used some minced red onion this time around since I didn't have a shallot)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 lb asparagus trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (I had to leave these out this time since I didn't have any :( )
2 9oz pkgs of fresh cheese tortellini (you could probably use dried ?)
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I added extra this time since I didn't have asparagus)
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

1. whisk oil, basil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper together in the bowl you will make the salad in

2. cook asparagus in boiling, salted water unti ltender (3 min). Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon (don't dump cooking water) and run under cold water until cooled off. toss with dressing.

3. return water to boil, add tortellini and cook until tender. drain thoroughly and toss while hot with the asparagus and dressing. refrigerate until chilled.

**** if you're making it ahead of time, stop here****

4. just before serving, add pine nuts, tomatoes and parm. (if you made the salad the day before, you might want to freshen it with a bit more oil and lemon juice before serving)

Beef Stroganoff

2009-05-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

I forgot how good this is!

1 lb beef -- cut into bite size pieces or use ground beef, season with s&p
1 onion, chopped
8 or so mushrooms, cut (I use Cremini)
2 packages brown gravy (dry)
2 C water
1 C sour cream

Start cooking onions in large pot with some oil, butter or mixture. When they start to turn translucent, add the meat and cook thoroughly. Add mushrooms at any time depending on how soft you like them. I add them when the meat is nearly cooked. Add brown gravy mix and two cups of water. Bring to a boil and lower heat, cook intil thick and opaque. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Stir in about 8 oz of cooked wide egg noodles.

Very easy, very fast

Southwestern Pasta Salad

2009-04-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

So this recipe is a takeoff from Jamie's Southwestern Salad recipe. I didn't have enough fresh ingredients to do a salad justice, and Grandma doesn't really do well with lettuce so I turned it into a pasta salad. I think it's delicious!

1lb pasta
1/2 c frozen corn (fresh would be better)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Some cubed cheddar cheese
Cooked Chicken cut into pieces
1 c or so fresh salsa (jarred would probably be okay too)
Ranch dressing

Make pasta. In the last minute or so of cooking, add in frozen corn
In large bowl, mix together some salsa and ranch dressing until desired flavor and consistency. Add in beans & chicken.
Drain pasta/corn and add to dressing mixture.
When it's all mixed up and cooled a little bit, add in cheese chunks and stir those in.
Mix up and enjoy room temp or cold.

Note: fresh vegis are always better so you could add cucumber, fresh tomatoes, fresh corn, fresh bell pepper, cilantro, etc and this would only get better!

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

2009-04-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

24 dinner rolls
1 lb ham
1 lb sliced cheese
1 cup buter
4 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP Worcester sauce
2 TBSP poppy seeds

Cut ham and cheese to fit inside buns. Place close together in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter, brown sugar, Worcester sauce, and poppy seeds together. Pour mixture over the sandwiches. Cook in oven on 350 until cheese is melted.

Philadelphia Cheese Steaks

2009-03-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

Another super easy and good weeknight dinner...

2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 medium bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
2 large soft baguettes
1 1/2 lbs. sliced roast beef (such as all-natural Applegate Farms)
6 slices provolone cheese, (or you can always use Philly's favorite, Cheez Whiz!)
1/4 cup ketchup, or to taste, for serving (optional)
2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and peppers, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and the onions are starting to brown, 8 - 10 minutes. After about 5 minutes, put the baguettes in the oven to warm them.

Transfer the onions and peppers to a bowl, cover them, and set them aside. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Cut the roast beef into thin strips and sauté it in the oil, stirring frequently, until it is heated through, about 5 minutes. (Meanwhile, make the smoothie, if you are serving it.)

Remove the baguettes from the oven and slice them lengthwise, cutting them most of the way through. Line the bottoms of the sandwiches with the cheese, and top it with the beef, onions and peppers. Cut each baguette into 3 sandwiches, and serve them warm, topped with the ketchup and hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Polenta mash with roasted tomato salsa

2009-03-07T15:19:00.000-08:00

I made this this week for the first time and it was really good, the kids loved it too. I didnt mash the polenta but left it cubed.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
18-24 oz. prepared polenta (sold in a tube with grains), diced into 3/4-inch cubes
15 oz. canned cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup mild roasted tomato salsa
1/2 cup nonfat or low fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare the guacamole, if you are serving it.)

Add the polenta and beans and cook them, flipping gently and occasionally, until the polenta is softened, about 5 minutes. (At this point you can mash the polenta with the spatula or a potato masher, if desired, or keep it diced.)

In a measuring cup, combine the salsa and sour cream, and add it to the polenta mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the sour cream won't curdle. Stir it gently until it is warm throughout. Top the polenta with the cilantro, if desired, and serve it immediately.

Lasagna in 30 minutes- seriously!

2009-03-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated The Best 30 Minute Recipes book. It's your basic lasagna ingredients, but made in a skillet on the stove top. It cooks in 30 minutes AND you only have 1 pot to clean. This recipe is a suggestion but you could do your own flavorings as you like. Pretty amazing if you ask me!

1 lb ground meat (I used Light Jimmy Dean sausage b/c that's what I had around, but you could
use turkey, beef, or any combo)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 t red pepper flakes
6 oz (8 noodles) curly edged lasagna noodles, broken in to 2-inch pieces. Do not use no boil noodles.
1 26 oz jar tomato sauce/marinara sauce
2 cups water
1/2 bag frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 c grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
3/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c minced fresh basil (optional)

1. Cook meat in a large 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Drain fat out of meat and return to skillet.
2. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 t salt and cook over medium high heat for about 30 seconds.
3. sprinkle broken noodles into skillet, then pour in tomato sauce and water over top and add in frozen spinach. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping at a vigorous simmer until noodles are tender (about 20 minutes)
4. Turn off heat, stir in half of mozarella and parmesan cheeses. Dot heaping spoonfuls of ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt (3-5 minutes)
5. Sprinkle with basil and eat up!

Mexican Breakfast Shake

2009-02-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

Milk
Uncooked oats
Banana
Orange juice
Other fruit (i like berries)
Honey

Put them all in a blender with whatever proportions you feel like and drink up! It's Mexican because it is what Luz drinks every morning.

Shredded Pork Tacos (Bonus Recipe!)

2009-01-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

I made Bryana's Rosemary Dijon Pork Tenderloin for dinner this week and we had a pretty big chunk of pork left over so I shredded it up and put it into tacos. You could make this recipe completely from the beginning by roasting any type of pork and pulling it apart/shredding it when it's done cooking.

(all of these measurements were eyeballed)
1 lb (approx) shredded pork
1/2 onion chipped pretty small
T canola oil
4 oz (half small can) on tomato sauce/paste
T cumin
T chili powder
3 T worcheshire sauce
1 small red bell pepper diced small
(red pepper flakes, chili paste, or other spice optional if you want some heat)
corn tortillas/taco shells

Saute onion in oil until soft. Add in tomato sauce and saute until thickened a little bit. Add in spices and worcheshire sauce and saute for a few minutes until flavors are all melded together. Add bell pepper, shredded pork and some water and simmer covered for 5 or so minutes until the bell pepper is soft. Add more water if needed and simmer on low uncovered for 10 more minutes or so until the sauce is thickened a little bit and the pork has absorbed the flavor.

Serve in taco shells with sour cream, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce.....

Calzone

2009-01-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 calzones

1 pizza dough
flour (for dusting)
olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
4 cloves garlic (peeled and finely sliced)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup butter
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
11 ounces spinach leaves
8 ounces mozzarella cheese

*You can use a store-bought pizza dough or make your own. I added chicken when I made these.

1. Preheat oven to 450 to 500 degrees F.
2. Make 4 balls of dough from the uncooked pizza dough. Roll each ball out on a floured surface, making them roughly circular, about the thickness of a silver dollar, and about 12 inches across.
3. Pour a large glug of olive oil into a hot frying pan.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Fry until mushrooms are cooked.
5. Drop in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the tomato sauce to the pan and stir. Cook for a few minutes, then add the spinach in batches and stir again.
7. Simmer away the liquid until you're left with a thick mixture that's not too moist (otherwise it will burst through the dough when you're cooking the calzone).
8. Divide the mushroom and spinach mixture evenly between the 4 pizza bases and spread it out nicely.
9. Top with mozzarella, salt and pepper.
10. To make your calzone, carefully lift the far edge of the pizza dough and pull it over the top towards you--you basically fold it in half. Pinch the edges so none of the filling can spill out.
11. Place the calzones side by side on a floured baking sheet or pizza stone.
12. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on the bottom of the preheated oven until the dough is puffed up and golden on top and the filling is hot.

Enjoy!

Greek Chicken Sandwiches with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

2009-01-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

*We tried this recipe last week and I really liked it. I dont do cucumbers so I left those out and added tomatoes, I used the flatbread from TJs as its softer than pitas.

This is a summery meal with cooling cucumbers and creamy yogurt. For a vegetarian alternative, use garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) in the sandwiches instead of the chicken. Serve it with Greek-Style Green Beans (you can also peel, slice and serve the 1/2 cucumber that wasn't used in the recipe).
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or canned garbanzo beans, if using the beans, drain and rinse them
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 cup plain nonfat or lowfat yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt
1 tsp. minced garlic, (1 - 2 cloves)
2 tsp. fresh oregano, mint or dill, chopped
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 cucumber, peeled and finely diced or shredded (1 cup total)
4 whole wheat or white pita breads
1 tomato, diced
(If you are making the green beans, start them first.) Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch wide strips and toss it with the oil, salt and pepper. (If using garbanzo beans, warm them in the microwave or on the stovetop with the oil and black pepper, and omit the salt.)
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, turning occasionally, 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium serving bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, oregano, mint or dill, honey and cucumber.
Warm the pita in the microwave or conventional oven (10 - 15 minutes at 300 degrees, wrapped in foil) to soften it.
Assemble the sandwiches at the table by stuffing or wrapping the chicken (or garbanzo beans) in the pita pockets and topping it with the yogurt sauce and tomato. Serve the sandwiches warm.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use lots of fresh herbs in the yogurt sauce, and season the chicken with freshly ground black pepper before cooking it.
Tip:
If your market carries a range of yogurts, look for Greek yogurt, such as Fage, which has a much richer and smoother taste and texture than American yogurts.

Rio Grande Black Bean Soup

2009-01-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
15 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. whole tomatoes, with their liquid
15 oz. tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 dash ground cloves or cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Marsala wine, or 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice or quinoa
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, for serving (optional)
1 cup nonfat or low fat sour cream, for serving (optional)
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cloves or cinnamon and wine or vinegar. Bring it to a low boil and simmer it for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rice or quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Test the rice to make sure it is tender, and serve it topped with cheese and sour cream, if desired.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Double the chili powder or use chipotle or hot Mexican style chili powder. Serve the stew with hot sauce.
Tip: Quick-cooking brown rice is a great way to get whole grains in your family's weeknight meals. Another quick-cooking whole grain alternative is quinoa, which has a light flavor and texture and is a great addition to stews.

* After I made this I was thinking you could add a lot more veggies to it- red pepper, corn etc

Rosemary Dijon Pork Loin

2009-01-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

Lots of us have rosemary growing in our yards; here is a great recipe for it:

4 lb boneless pork loin
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T chopped red onion
2 t kosher salt
1/2 t coarse black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T coarsely chopped rosemary leaves
Equipment: roasting pan or broiler pan...something to keep it from sitting in the drippings

Preheat oven to 350 F. Trim excess fat from pork loin, leaving a thin layer on top.

Mix other ingredients together except for rosemary; rub evenly and well into pork, then sprinkly rosemary on top. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce temp. to 300 and roast for another hour or so.

Goes great with potatoes and salad :)

***See bonus recipe: Shredded Pork Tacos***

(Salmon) Corn Chowder

2009-01-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

Joy and I made this for our mom's birthday dinner. We used fresh Salmon instead of the canned that the recipe called for. I'm sure it would be delicious without the fish also. The soup was hearty and a big hit and most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Salmon Chowder, serves 8, ready in about 45 minutes
3 T butter
3/4 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1 t garlic powder
2 c diced potatoes
2 carrots, diced
2 c chicken broth
1 t salt & pepper
1 t dried dill weed
2 cans salmon (we used approx. 1 lb fresh salmon, cut into small cubes)
1 can evaporated milk
1 can creamed corn
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

1. melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper and dill. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
2. stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn and cheese. Cook until heated through.
3. ours didn't seem very thick when we were done, so I added in some dissolved corn starch and it helped thicken it right up

Notes: this soup didn't taste "fishy" at all. The salmon flavor didn't really meld into the soup so when you had a bite of soup, if you didn't get a salmon piece, you might not even know that it was fish chowder at all. If you want it to be more fish flavored, you could add fish stock or clam juice instead of the chicken broth. Also, if you used the canned salmon and didn't drain the liquid out, it would add a little more of that flavor.

Thai Chicken Pasta (or rice)

2009-01-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

This dish seems a little complicated because it has a lot of ingredients but you dump them in all at once and I usually have all of them on hand, except for the half-and-half...and please don't try to use whole milk and cornstarch instead, it does not work!

Everyone in my family loves this and, even though it seems special, it takes hardly any time to make.

Ingredients:

1 pound any kind of noodle (or you can serve over rice)
enough chicken to feed your family, shredded/cubed/or however

Sauce:
1/2 C chicken broth
1 T minced ginger root OR 1/2 t ground ginger
3 T soy sauce
4 T peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
3 T honey
1-2 t hot chili paste**
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C half-and-half

Cook pasta until al dente or rice according to package. Drain. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan combine all sauce ingredients. Cook and whisk over medium heat until mixture is fully incorporated and heated through. Add noodles and chicken, toss to coat. I top mine with chives if I have them and chopped peanuts "for a nice crunch!" (little food network reference there)

**In the ethnic foods/Indian section of the grocery store I found a jar of Patak's Original Vindaloo Curry Paste "hot" It says to use within six months of opening but I didn't read that until just now and I've been keeping mine in the fridge and using it for at least a year now with no problems :)

Southwestern salad

2009-01-08T17:43:00.000-08:00

Seems like there are a few recipes with these ing already, but here is a new twist

Lettuce- we use spinach
1 can corn
1 can black beans
few chopped tomatoes
shredded cheese
tortilla chips
low fat ranch
salsa

Add the first 5 ing to the bowl. Mix the low fat ranch and salsa. Smash tortilla chips up as a garnish.

Balsamic chicken with noodles and tomatoes

2009-01-08T17:35:00.000-08:00

*disclaimer, this is a very lose recipe as I make it different every time and never write anything down.

Chicken Breasts
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar
Noodles
Basil
Salt
Pepper

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook the chicken breasts in a frying pan over med heat until done. Once they are done take them out and deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar- about 1/3 cup?? Get all the flavor off of the bottom of the pan. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, add them to the vinegar along with the cooked chicken and basil. Cook for a min or two just to warm the tomatoes. Serve over noodles.

** I use the frozen basil from TJ's and whole wheat angel hair pasta. You can also serve it with fresh parmesan cheese.

Chicken Fajitas, BBQ Chicken Pizza

2009-01-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that is easy, fresh, and delicious. You could also substitute the chicken for shrimp or steak. The leftovers can be morphed into bbq chicken pizza later in the week.

1-2 lbs chicken cut into strips
2-4 bell peppers, a variety of colors, cut into strips
1 med-large onion, cut into strips
taco seasoning
T oil
lime juice
salt
pepper
toppings
tortillas

In a large bowl, combine ingredients. Add any spices that you think would be tasty. Let sit for at least 10 minutes but up to 1 hour.
Heat large grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add fajita stuff and cook, stirring occasionally. When chicken is cooked through and vegis are tender, you're done. (if you're using a grill pan, you should get nice char marks!)

Serve with guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, beans, rice, fresh lime juice, etc. Roll up into a warmed tortilla and enjoy!

Bonus Recipe:
Use leftover fajitas and create bbq chicken pizza

Pizza dough
Fajita mix
BBQ sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out pizza dough onto baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread bbq sauce over dough. Sprinkle with leftover fajitas, cheese and green onions. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Easy shredded chicken

2009-01-03T15:28:00.000-08:00

In a large pot, lay as many chicken breasts as will fit snugly in one layer--with or without bones is fine. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, minced garlic (one clove per piece), sliced onion, and any other spices you like. Tip: if you plan to use in mexican food, season with cumin, mexican oregano, red pepper flakes, etc. For italian use greek oregano or mixed italian seasoning..., you get the idea. Press the seasonings down into the chicken, then carefully pour one can of chicken broth over the chicken, then add water just to cover.

Bring to a boil on high, then partially cover and reduce to low so liquid just simmers. Simmer for 7 minutes, then cover completely and remove from heat. Let chicken cool, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from liquid and hand shred.

You could freeze in one or two cup portions and use in Julie's Chicken Tortilla Soup, or I often use it in enchiladas and taco salad.

Easy Mini Meatloaf

2009-01-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

I love meatloaf, but I seldom plan ahead enough to have it ready for dinner by the time we need to eat. Perhaps that will change now that I'm meal planning but, until I get into the swing of things, I make mini meatloaves in my muffin pan that takes 35 minutes to cook instead of 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Ingredients:
meatloaf mix (recipe suggestion here that uses a bag of stuffing mix)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray inside of twelve-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Make meatloaf mixture. Scoop and form into balls and place inside of muffin cup. Bake for about 35 minutes!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-01-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup shredded or cubed chicken
1 jar of salsa
1 can of black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
*1 cup cooked brown rice optional
*1 can diced tomatoes optional
tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado for garnish

In large pot, brown corn over medium heat (5 minutes).
Once corn is browned, add other ingredients and simmer 20+ minutes. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and avocado.

Notes: We eat this soup A LOT. It can be spicy or mild depending on the salsa that you use. We use a southwestern salsa that is kinda sweet and has corn in it.

In the beginning

2009-01-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

Hi Girls (and anyone else who stumbles across this blog),

In 2009, I have resolved to cook for my family. Well, I already do that, but now I'm on a strict budget and am attempting to meal plan. I figured that once in a blue moon I have a good recipe or dinner idea that I'm dying to share and you might too. So, this blog is one that you can post to whenever that lightbulb goes off in your head and help combat starvation and boredom at dinnertime.

After you post, you can write labels for your recipe at the bottom ("labels for this post") and include key words that will help us to search for your recipes in the future.