Two years ago, the only item on my Christmas wish list was that at least ONE family member would cook a meal at least ONE night a week. I didn't mean someone just saying "What do you want me to do to help you?" (Although that would really be nice, too.) Nor did I want to hear, "What do you want me to cook?" My desire was that someone would totally plan one meal, add the ingredients to the shopping list, prepare it and I could come home from work to a cooked meal.
Last Saturday, Moriah discovered a Food Network magazine that I brought home from work (thank you Chris K!) She poured over the recipes, selected two, helped me with the grocery shopping and...yes! Christmas happened Wednesday at our house! Moriah made a gourmet three cheese and sausage mac and cheese. The dish smelled heavenly when I walked in the door as she was simmering sauteed chicken and green chile sausages in apple juice before she added the cheese. (The recipe called for apple-chicken sausage, but Sunflower had these instead.) The dinner was delightful - certainly better than the old Kraft fake stuff. Moriah also was shocked at how long it took to prepare a meal.
So, who will plan and cook one night this week? Moriah has a stack of recipes she has torn out of the magazine and would like to try, AND Sawyer just said he would cook on Wednesday. Can it be Christmas two weeks in a row?
This week's menu:
Friday, 9/2 - Baked beans, grilled bratwurst, sliced cucumbers
Saturday, 9/3 - chicken fajitas
Sunday, 9/4 -greek salads (add a little leftover chicken)
Monday, 9/5 - perekedel ayam (Indonesian chicken fritters with shallots & garlic) with vegetable fried rice
Tuesday, 9/6 - pork kebobs with peanut glaze, grilled bell peppers, tomatoes and onions SAWYER IS COOKING!
Thursday, 9/8 - Spinach/ricotta pinwheels (a vegetarian meal)
Friday, 9/9 - Grilled halibut with ???? Post a comment and give me ideas for a low-carb side dish
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
How do you define yourself?
Last week I was in Denver for a school conference but had two opportunities to spend a little time with relatives.
I thoroughly enjoyed several hours chatting with my Aunt Elaine. She is my mothers "little sister" and reminds me so much of my mother that being with her is a somewhat bittersweet. We briefly discussed my cousins and little family news there was. Then we talked about anything and everything under the sun. I marvel at her awareness (she is 70) of pop culture and snicker at some of the things she knows about that I find unexpected.
Then I had an hour late one afternoon to meet up with Cousin Pam. She politely asked what was new and I began talking about the school that had just ended (she is also a teacher). She quickly said she didn't want to hear about school. So I launched into the trips Sawyer was on. She brusquely said I could tell her about the kids, but first she wanted to hear about ME.
Wow. That made me stop and think. What could I tell her about ME that didn't include my work, my children, my husband, the dog, my cooking, etc. I struggled. It was quite eye-opening.
So I am now spending a few days contemplating ME. Am I really at a time in my life when I am only defined by my relationship with others? I challenge each of you to think about this in the upcoming week.
For those of you who have asked about the menus, I am back. May and June were hectic, but I am getting back on the meal planning schedule. I just finished updating 3 months of our family budget and am shocked and dismayed at how much we spent on take-out or eating out. It stops now!
This week:
Penne with grilled chicken, asparagus and grated Parmesan cheese
Grilled Italian chicken with roasted corn
Mustard/shallot marinaded beef kabobs (onions, zucchini, orange bell peppers and tomatoes)
Oriental salad (shredded cabbage, broccoli, carrots, pea pods and chicken)
What else? I'm not sure. I will be at the farmer's market tomorrow morning to see what I can find. I may also re-subscribe to Bountiful Baskets our local co-op. (I quit 2 years ago when I just couldn't bear getting up at 6 on Saturday mornings to help distribute the baskets.)
I thoroughly enjoyed several hours chatting with my Aunt Elaine. She is my mothers "little sister" and reminds me so much of my mother that being with her is a somewhat bittersweet. We briefly discussed my cousins and little family news there was. Then we talked about anything and everything under the sun. I marvel at her awareness (she is 70) of pop culture and snicker at some of the things she knows about that I find unexpected.
Then I had an hour late one afternoon to meet up with Cousin Pam. She politely asked what was new and I began talking about the school that had just ended (she is also a teacher). She quickly said she didn't want to hear about school. So I launched into the trips Sawyer was on. She brusquely said I could tell her about the kids, but first she wanted to hear about ME.
Wow. That made me stop and think. What could I tell her about ME that didn't include my work, my children, my husband, the dog, my cooking, etc. I struggled. It was quite eye-opening.
So I am now spending a few days contemplating ME. Am I really at a time in my life when I am only defined by my relationship with others? I challenge each of you to think about this in the upcoming week.
For those of you who have asked about the menus, I am back. May and June were hectic, but I am getting back on the meal planning schedule. I just finished updating 3 months of our family budget and am shocked and dismayed at how much we spent on take-out or eating out. It stops now!
This week:
Penne with grilled chicken, asparagus and grated Parmesan cheese
Grilled Italian chicken with roasted corn
Mustard/shallot marinaded beef kabobs (onions, zucchini, orange bell peppers and tomatoes)
Oriental salad (shredded cabbage, broccoli, carrots, pea pods and chicken)
What else? I'm not sure. I will be at the farmer's market tomorrow morning to see what I can find. I may also re-subscribe to Bountiful Baskets our local co-op. (I quit 2 years ago when I just couldn't bear getting up at 6 on Saturday mornings to help distribute the baskets.)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Family Traditions
As I sit to write the week's menu and head to the grocery store, I am reflecting on past years and what I have done for Holy Week. Our family tradition for Easter is pretty much -- we have no family tradition! Some years I allowed myself to be consumed by the events of Holy Week and have felt drained and exhausted by Easter Sunday. Most years I planned the "normal" family activities like dying eggs, decorating the house and filling baskets. One year Wyatt and I made an Easter Pinata in the shape of a bunny head for Sawyer & Moriah because nothing says Happy Easter quite like beating a bunny head with a stick until it spills it's candy! For several years I planned the Seder meal for 50-70 people at church - boiled all the eggs, made the charoset, found someone to cook the lamb, assigned readers, etc. And then there were the years I wanted nothing to do with any part of Holy Week. I remember the year we discovered there were NO pizza places open on Easter Sunday (I think we ended up with tuna sandwiches).
I know many people love ham for Easter dinner, but one member of my family doesn't care for it. I usually make prime rib or turkey. Prime rib is not on sale this time of year, but I often buy two at Christmas. We have one for New Year's dinner and I freeze the other to cook for Easter. This Easter, dinner will be prime rib, grilled asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes and Caesar salad. Yum... I can't wait!
What are your family traditions for Easter or Passover? Share a comment, please -- I may borrow your ideas!
This week, I will hopefully be decompressing from AIMS, creating new units for cells, the fall of Rome, rise of Christianity and Islam. Because it will be crazy at school (oh, and there is a full moon!) I am trying to keep meals as simple as possible.
Saturday - shrimp scampi with angel hair
Sunday - hamburgers on hoagies with baked beans
Monday - fish tacos with cabbage slaw
Tuesday - spinach / cheese pinwheels *recipe below
Wednesday - chicken schnitzel & salad
Thursday - philly cheese steak sandwiches with peppers & onions
Friday - who knows?
Saturday -
Sunday - Prime rib, grilled asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes & Caesar salad
Spinach / Cheese pinwheels
Cook lasagna noodles, drain and let cool.
Cook/thaw 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, drain.
Mix spinach with 1/2 cup of ricotta and 1/2 c shredded mozzarella & 1/4 c parmesan cheeses, 3 cloves minced garlic & fresh chopped basil
Spread spinach mixture thinly onto lasagna noodles, roll up into a colorful pinwheel.
Spray cooking spray in a baking dish. Place pinwheels into dish, pour tomato sauce over, top with additional shredded mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake @ 350 until heated through.
I know many people love ham for Easter dinner, but one member of my family doesn't care for it. I usually make prime rib or turkey. Prime rib is not on sale this time of year, but I often buy two at Christmas. We have one for New Year's dinner and I freeze the other to cook for Easter. This Easter, dinner will be prime rib, grilled asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes and Caesar salad. Yum... I can't wait!
What are your family traditions for Easter or Passover? Share a comment, please -- I may borrow your ideas!
This week, I will hopefully be decompressing from AIMS, creating new units for cells, the fall of Rome, rise of Christianity and Islam. Because it will be crazy at school (oh, and there is a full moon!) I am trying to keep meals as simple as possible.
Saturday - shrimp scampi with angel hair
Sunday - hamburgers on hoagies with baked beans
Monday - fish tacos with cabbage slaw
Tuesday - spinach / cheese pinwheels *recipe below
Wednesday - chicken schnitzel & salad
Thursday - philly cheese steak sandwiches with peppers & onions
Friday - who knows?
Saturday -
Sunday - Prime rib, grilled asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes & Caesar salad
Spinach / Cheese pinwheels
Cook lasagna noodles, drain and let cool.
Cook/thaw 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, drain.
Mix spinach with 1/2 cup of ricotta and 1/2 c shredded mozzarella & 1/4 c parmesan cheeses, 3 cloves minced garlic & fresh chopped basil
Spread spinach mixture thinly onto lasagna noodles, roll up into a colorful pinwheel.
Spray cooking spray in a baking dish. Place pinwheels into dish, pour tomato sauce over, top with additional shredded mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake @ 350 until heated through.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
What's in your pantry?
I remember my mother telling me I should always have "staples" in the cupboard and freezer. Her staples were flour, sugar, crisco, canned tomatoes, canned peaches (both home canned, along with her wonderful garlic dill pickles!), frozen corn (local grown, which she cut off the cob and froze) and frozen hamburger.
I have staples too, but I'm never sure if I have flour or sugar in the cabinet. I am lost if my pantry does not have whole grain pasta in interesting shapes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, various oriental sauces, canned tomatoes, black and white beans, onions, garlic, and tuna. My refrigerator always has a lemon or two. At least two boneless skinless chicken breasts are in the freezer or I run to the store.
I know I can always whip up a meal with what I have in the pantry. Pasta with olive oil and fresh chopped basil from the back yard is an instant meal. If I have a few roma tomatoes to chop then I add them as well. If I have a few strips of bacon (I always cook the whole package and freeze it in packets of 3-4 pieces) or ham or sausage, I can quickly make a carbonara. If I have a red sauce or tomatoes, I can dice a chicken breast and simmer it with garlic and herbs for a quick red sauce for pasta.
Two cans of tuna offer many ideas beyond the "normal" tuna salad sandwich with chopped onions and celery. Mix the tuna salad, add curry powder, chopped apples and halfed grapes to serve in whole wheat pitas. Make an Italian tuna/bean salad in minutes. Pile mixed salad greens on a plate. Top with flaked tuna (drained and well-rinsed), add canneli (white kidney) beans (drained and well rinsed). Add diced red onion and fresh chopped basil. Drizzle with whisked olive oil and lemon juice (2 TB each).
What do you always have on hand? What are your quick meals to whip up?
This week's menu should look like this:
Saturday - White chicken chili. Since today was a cold and rainy day, I grabbed a couple of those boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I simmered the chicken, several cloves of garlic and a chopped onion in chicken broth and a beer. When it was cooked and tender, I shredded the chicken, added canneli beans, salsa (I had no diced green chiles for some reason), roasted corn and a little sour cream. Done!
Sunday - The kids will be gone so Russ and I will eat left overs or sandwiches.
Monday - Crock pot curried chicken in coconut milk that I didn't make last week. I'll serve it with steamed brown rice. I'll make extra to use in fried rice tomorrow.
Tuesday - Sweet and Sour pork - quick and easy to make with green bell peppers, pineapple and red onion. Fried rice with egg, peas, carrots, and onions.
Wednesday - Grilled burgers topped with basil and served on crispy hoagie rolls.
Thursday - Hot crispy chicken salad (greens, crispy chicken strips, corn, black olives, celery, tomatoes topped with ranch mixed with Frank's hot sauce.)
Friday - Fish tacos that I didn't get made last week either!
Enjoy your week - for those of you who are educators or have students in AZ -- have a great week of AIMS testing!
I have staples too, but I'm never sure if I have flour or sugar in the cabinet. I am lost if my pantry does not have whole grain pasta in interesting shapes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, various oriental sauces, canned tomatoes, black and white beans, onions, garlic, and tuna. My refrigerator always has a lemon or two. At least two boneless skinless chicken breasts are in the freezer or I run to the store.
I know I can always whip up a meal with what I have in the pantry. Pasta with olive oil and fresh chopped basil from the back yard is an instant meal. If I have a few roma tomatoes to chop then I add them as well. If I have a few strips of bacon (I always cook the whole package and freeze it in packets of 3-4 pieces) or ham or sausage, I can quickly make a carbonara. If I have a red sauce or tomatoes, I can dice a chicken breast and simmer it with garlic and herbs for a quick red sauce for pasta.
Two cans of tuna offer many ideas beyond the "normal" tuna salad sandwich with chopped onions and celery. Mix the tuna salad, add curry powder, chopped apples and halfed grapes to serve in whole wheat pitas. Make an Italian tuna/bean salad in minutes. Pile mixed salad greens on a plate. Top with flaked tuna (drained and well-rinsed), add canneli (white kidney) beans (drained and well rinsed). Add diced red onion and fresh chopped basil. Drizzle with whisked olive oil and lemon juice (2 TB each).
What do you always have on hand? What are your quick meals to whip up?
This week's menu should look like this:
Saturday - White chicken chili. Since today was a cold and rainy day, I grabbed a couple of those boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I simmered the chicken, several cloves of garlic and a chopped onion in chicken broth and a beer. When it was cooked and tender, I shredded the chicken, added canneli beans, salsa (I had no diced green chiles for some reason), roasted corn and a little sour cream. Done!
Sunday - The kids will be gone so Russ and I will eat left overs or sandwiches.
Monday - Crock pot curried chicken in coconut milk that I didn't make last week. I'll serve it with steamed brown rice. I'll make extra to use in fried rice tomorrow.
Tuesday - Sweet and Sour pork - quick and easy to make with green bell peppers, pineapple and red onion. Fried rice with egg, peas, carrots, and onions.
Wednesday - Grilled burgers topped with basil and served on crispy hoagie rolls.
Thursday - Hot crispy chicken salad (greens, crispy chicken strips, corn, black olives, celery, tomatoes topped with ranch mixed with Frank's hot sauce.)
Friday - Fish tacos that I didn't get made last week either!
Enjoy your week - for those of you who are educators or have students in AZ -- have a great week of AIMS testing!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Surviving Spring Break
I have to say that while I am sorry to see Spring Break come to an end (I will HATE my alarm going off at 5:15 tomorrow morning) I am not going to miss doubled meal preparation! Having the whole family home for a week meant that I was in charge of not just 7 dinners a week, but lunches and an occasional breakfast as well. We managed to make it through most of the week without resorting to restaurant fare. YEA for us!
The week looked something like this:
Saturday - Lunch - picked up frozen tangerine beef @ costco - added stir fried asparagus. Dinner - Meat loaf and mashed potatoes at the request of the kids.
Sunday -Baked banana bread for breakfast. I don't remember lunch, but the kids were at Youth Group so Russ and I ordered BBQ Chicken pizza. It wasn't as good as I had hoped. So much for a night of not cooking!
Monday - Dijon pork chops and potato salad (thank you, Russ, for cooking since I was at work all day)
Tuesday - Dinner - Beef rouladen (German beef rolled with mustard, onions & a pickle. Slow cooked) Served with toasted barley with garlic.
Wednesday - Dinner -
Thursday - Lunch - KFC because we were running errands.... Dinner - Spanakopita
Friday - Pork roast on the grill, corn (TJ's roasted corn is the best!), applesauce.
Saturday - Lunch Dinner - Lemon/herbed turkey tenderloins, grilled asparagus with strawberries for dessert.
Sunday - Lunch - chicken salad or green salad. Dinner - left overs!
This week I will try Curried chicken in the crock pot, fish tacos, and Wyatt's bbq beef rolls. (another of the kids' favorites) I'll post that recipe for those of you who follow and have little ones. I think Wyatt started making it when he was about 10 years old.
Wyatt's BBQ Beef Rolls
Brown a pound or so of ground beef. Add BBQ sauce and stir it together like sloppy joe's. Unroll a package of Pillsbury crescent rolls and flatten them together on a cookie sheet so there is one large rectangle. Add the meat, chopped onions and shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella) . I have added green peas or thawed chopped spinach, but the kids prefer it without. Top with a second can of crescent rolls, pinching to seal the edges. You can sprinkle the top with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown. The kids still inhale this!
But they also have more mature taste buds and love the spanakopita as well.
Spanakopita
1 pkg frozen phyllo dough, thawed. Layer 6 or so layers into a baking pan, brushing at least every other layer with either melted butter or olive oil. Mix together 1 lb frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and excess water squeezed out), 1 c feta cheese, 1 chopped onion, 1 TB dill weed, 1 c either cottage cheese or ricotta, 3 minced cloves of garlic and 2 beaten eggs. Add on top of the phyllo layers. Add another 6layers of phyllo on top. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (30-40 minutes).
Enjoy your week!
The week looked something like this:
Saturday - Lunch - picked up frozen tangerine beef @ costco - added stir fried asparagus. Dinner - Meat loaf and mashed potatoes at the request of the kids.
Sunday -Baked banana bread for breakfast. I don't remember lunch, but the kids were at Youth Group so Russ and I ordered BBQ Chicken pizza. It wasn't as good as I had hoped. So much for a night of not cooking!
Monday - Dijon pork chops and potato salad (thank you, Russ, for cooking since I was at work all day)
Tuesday - Dinner - Beef rouladen (German beef rolled with mustard, onions & a pickle. Slow cooked) Served with toasted barley with garlic.
Wednesday - Dinner -
Thursday - Lunch - KFC because we were running errands.... Dinner - Spanakopita
Friday - Pork roast on the grill, corn (TJ's roasted corn is the best!), applesauce.
Saturday - Lunch Dinner - Lemon/herbed turkey tenderloins, grilled asparagus with strawberries for dessert.
Sunday - Lunch - chicken salad or green salad. Dinner - left overs!
This week I will try Curried chicken in the crock pot, fish tacos, and Wyatt's bbq beef rolls. (another of the kids' favorites) I'll post that recipe for those of you who follow and have little ones. I think Wyatt started making it when he was about 10 years old.
Wyatt's BBQ Beef Rolls
Brown a pound or so of ground beef. Add BBQ sauce and stir it together like sloppy joe's. Unroll a package of Pillsbury crescent rolls and flatten them together on a cookie sheet so there is one large rectangle. Add the meat, chopped onions and shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella) . I have added green peas or thawed chopped spinach, but the kids prefer it without. Top with a second can of crescent rolls, pinching to seal the edges. You can sprinkle the top with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown. The kids still inhale this!
But they also have more mature taste buds and love the spanakopita as well.
Spanakopita
1 pkg frozen phyllo dough, thawed. Layer 6 or so layers into a baking pan, brushing at least every other layer with either melted butter or olive oil. Mix together 1 lb frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and excess water squeezed out), 1 c feta cheese, 1 chopped onion, 1 TB dill weed, 1 c either cottage cheese or ricotta, 3 minced cloves of garlic and 2 beaten eggs. Add on top of the phyllo layers. Add another 6layers of phyllo on top. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (30-40 minutes).
Enjoy your week!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Kitchen Experiments
When the kids were little, I was one of those weird moms that let the kids play with their food. Wyatt's grandma was a bit appalled when he smeared pureed beets around on his highchair tray or munched the kitty kibble from Smokey's and Bandit's bowl.. Years later, Moriah dropped eggs on the kitchen tile and I watched her daub the yolks around before cleaning them up. My niece and her friend, Sara, still talk about watching Sawyer and Moriah learn to catapult grapes with a spoon and knife during dinner. Where has all of this experimenting led? The kids are still trying new things -- this week they investigated what happens when you put Peeps in the microwave!
I also think exploring with food has made them comfortable around food and willing to encounter new experiences, culinary or not. Both Moriah and Sawyer enjoy eating calamari and trying unusual treats from a dim sum menu at a very authentic Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. Moriah wasn't hesitant at all about trekking to New Zealand and Australia with total strangers last year. She tried traditional food (kangaroo does not taste like chicken) and lived with roommates with whom she had little in common (and sometimes didn't like so much). Sawyer is trying his hand in the kitchen more and more. I love watching him find new recipes and cook them. He is also excited to be traveling on his own more this year (another school trip to Disney, school trip to Washington, DC and a youth group mission trip to New Orleans.)
I am not going to claim that letting them shoot grapes and peas around the kitchen has made them adventurous, but I do think it shows that it is okay to try new things even though some of them need to be "cleaned up." (High-fiving with spray whipped topping on your hand will spatter quite a long way!) They are learning that life is sometimes messy and mistakes need to be fixed. I am proud of them.
This week's recipe:
Apple-Mustard Chicken
Boneless skinnless chicken breasts
Marinade of --
1 c apple juice
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 TB honey
2 TB yellow mustard
1 tsp tarragon
chopped shallots
fresh ground pepper
Mix all marinade ingredients until well blended. Marinate chicken 2 hours in the refrigerator. Grill.
I served with mashed sweet potatoes (I almost melted a Peep on top just for my investigators) and a mixed salad.
I also think exploring with food has made them comfortable around food and willing to encounter new experiences, culinary or not. Both Moriah and Sawyer enjoy eating calamari and trying unusual treats from a dim sum menu at a very authentic Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. Moriah wasn't hesitant at all about trekking to New Zealand and Australia with total strangers last year. She tried traditional food (kangaroo does not taste like chicken) and lived with roommates with whom she had little in common (and sometimes didn't like so much). Sawyer is trying his hand in the kitchen more and more. I love watching him find new recipes and cook them. He is also excited to be traveling on his own more this year (another school trip to Disney, school trip to Washington, DC and a youth group mission trip to New Orleans.)
I am not going to claim that letting them shoot grapes and peas around the kitchen has made them adventurous, but I do think it shows that it is okay to try new things even though some of them need to be "cleaned up." (High-fiving with spray whipped topping on your hand will spatter quite a long way!) They are learning that life is sometimes messy and mistakes need to be fixed. I am proud of them.
This week's recipe:
Apple-Mustard Chicken
Boneless skinnless chicken breasts
Marinade of --
1 c apple juice
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 TB honey
2 TB yellow mustard
1 tsp tarragon
chopped shallots
fresh ground pepper
Mix all marinade ingredients until well blended. Marinate chicken 2 hours in the refrigerator. Grill.
I served with mashed sweet potatoes (I almost melted a Peep on top just for my investigators) and a mixed salad.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Do something for yourself this week.
Last week was long and a bit stressful. I discovered how great a friend a co-worker is when she demanded I do something for myself on Monday. She came into my room at 4:30 to see if I was going downtown to Zumba for our usual class. I said I really couldn’t because I had too many papers to grade. She did not listen to me, but rather asked for a stack of papers, jumped in and graded a math test. She said if I didn’t make time for myself, no one else would, either. Thank you, Anjolic, for that reminder!
Keeping that in mind, I am doing more for myself this week. Last night I met three dear friends, Sarah, Heather & Michele, for an evening of simple socializing. Today, Sawyer and I went to church and I actually sang! (Something I used to enjoy even though I may not have a voice my family appreciates.) Then, Moriah and I went to the gym (my arms are still quivering). Tomorrow is Zumba with Anjolic and Roseanna. Tuesday I WILL walk Karma around the block after Moriah’s basketball game. What should I do for Wednesday? Maybe I will be able to make it back to the gym Wednesday evening.
I read somewhere that it takes 90 days of doing something for it to become a habit. If I want to do something for myself and make that a lifelong habit, I need to commit to taking care of ME for 30 minutes a day, for 90 consecutive days. Here’s to my next 90 days!
This week’s menu:
Saturday: Grilled pork chops and sautéed green beans.
Sunday: Salad with carrots, radishes, hard-boiled egg, feta, peperoncini and grilled chicken on a bed of mixed greens (make extra to have for lunch tomorrow)
Monday: Wild rice and chicken casserole (crock pot)
Tuesday: Tuna sandwiches
Wednesday: hard shell tacos
Thursday: Salad with pears, apples, pomegranate, pecans and chicken on a bed of mixed greens
Friday: Gingered chicken with quinoa (it didn't get made last week)
Saturday: Grilled steak with bruschetta and Caesar salad
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Recovering from restaurants!
After last week's four-day trip to San Diego, I feel like I have eaten out more than I truly wanted to. We did have the most wonderful curries at Royal Thai in the Gaslamp District next to Petco Park. Wyatt also took Moriah and I to Hodad's at the beach for incredibly decadent burgers and onion rings. Now, however, I need to flush all of the sodium out of my body.
I have made sure to drink many cups of green tea this week and now am mixing non-sodium sparkling water with cranberry and pomegranate juices. I am also back to planning and cooking healthier meals. Hopefully the sun will stay out this afternoon so I can grill some boneless skinless chicken breasts to use during the week (and get some vitamin D at the same time.)
This week's menu:
Saturday - Caesar salad with grilled chicken
Sunday - Oriental Chicken salad for Moriah to take to the team's Superbowl party (the team & mom's requested she bring this dish again - it is always a hit with teens.)
Monday - Sesame Beef & Asparagus stir fry with brown rice
Tuesday - Ginger/Orange chicken with quinoa & steamed carrots
Wednesday - Pasta? Leftovers? (I will be at late night parent-student-teacher conferences so the family will have to fend for themselves!)
Thursday - Terrace potatoes & pork chops
Friday - Beef tips (crock pot) with noodles & green beans
Kay's Oriental Salad
ADD these to a salad bowl --
1 head of Napa cabbage (chopped)
1 head of Romaine lettuce (chopped)
6 carrots (shredded)
1 can water chestnuts (chopped)
Grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
You can get creative and add other ingredients to the salad - I have added pineapple, fresh bean sprouts, pea pods, etc.
SAUTE the following in 2 TBS butter --
2 pkgs crushed ramen noodles (discard the flavor packets)
1/3 c slivered almonds
1/3 c sunflower seeds (shelled)
Add the noodle mixture to the salad. Toss with the following dressing --
MIX together
1/2 c salad oil
1/3 c sugar (more or less according to your tastes)
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 TBS soy sauce
I have made sure to drink many cups of green tea this week and now am mixing non-sodium sparkling water with cranberry and pomegranate juices. I am also back to planning and cooking healthier meals. Hopefully the sun will stay out this afternoon so I can grill some boneless skinless chicken breasts to use during the week (and get some vitamin D at the same time.)
This week's menu:
Saturday - Caesar salad with grilled chicken
Sunday - Oriental Chicken salad for Moriah to take to the team's Superbowl party (the team & mom's requested she bring this dish again - it is always a hit with teens.)
Monday - Sesame Beef & Asparagus stir fry with brown rice
Tuesday - Ginger/Orange chicken with quinoa & steamed carrots
Wednesday - Pasta? Leftovers? (I will be at late night parent-student-teacher conferences so the family will have to fend for themselves!)
Thursday - Terrace potatoes & pork chops
Friday - Beef tips (crock pot) with noodles & green beans
Kay's Oriental Salad
ADD these to a salad bowl --
1 head of Napa cabbage (chopped)
1 head of Romaine lettuce (chopped)
6 carrots (shredded)
1 can water chestnuts (chopped)
Grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
You can get creative and add other ingredients to the salad - I have added pineapple, fresh bean sprouts, pea pods, etc.
SAUTE the following in 2 TBS butter --
2 pkgs crushed ramen noodles (discard the flavor packets)
1/3 c slivered almonds
1/3 c sunflower seeds (shelled)
Add the noodle mixture to the salad. Toss with the following dressing --
MIX together
1/2 c salad oil
1/3 c sugar (more or less according to your tastes)
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 TBS soy sauce
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Shopping this week and Crustless Quiche
As I wrote earlier, last week turned out to be a week of running from school to basketball games and not getting home until 8:30 p.m. That is definitely not an ideal time to cook. I did prep a shepherd's pie for Sawyer to pop into the oven on Monday when I had a late meeting. But -- we ran to Culver's after a game one night for burgers and Friday night after watching both JV and Varsity, we stopped for quick Italian.
The plus side to eating out last week is that I have very little I need to purchase this week for groceries. Then the dilemma of where to go to shop. As much as I do try not to have store loyalty, if all things ($$) are equal, I will shop local, which means Basha's. Today, however, I need produce and a beef roast. I could pick up good produce for a fairly reasonable price at Sunflower. They also carry Harris Ranch beef, which we love. But I am sticking the beef in the crock pot so it doesn't need to be a top of the line cut. So I will run over to Food City for REALLY inexpensive meat and produce. Owned by Basha's, Food City caters to the Hispanic population so I can also pick up good tortilla, pinto beans and chorizo for this weekend's project.
This weekend's project is to make sure the kids have a good, hot breakfast before school. I will spend a few hours tomorrow morning cooking ingredients for more breakfast burritos (the dozen or so I made two weeks ago are gone). We form an assembly line for everyone to layer their preferred ingredients into the warmed tortilla, fold the burritos and wrap them in plastic wrap. I create labels of ingredients so the kids can choose "their" burrito to reheat before they head out the door to the school bus/ride. (Hint - this was a good fundraiser for Moriah's trip to New Zealand last June - she sold breakfast burritos to many of our teacher friends.)
On mornings I don't want the carbs in a burrito, I grab a Crustless Quiche. I don't remember where I first found the recipe, but it was most likely a South Beach cookbook. I have tweaked this recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray silicon muffin cups lightly with cooking spray. Layer your choice of chopped veggies, meat and shredded cheese. Add a little beaten egg white (ie Egg Beaters) until cups are 3/4 full. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the egg is set and golden brown. Freeze and reheat for breakfast! Ingredients I like to use are chopped zucchini, red bell pepper, Canadian bacon and dill. Or chorizo, green chiles, and frozen spinach (thawed and drained well). I have also made the "crust" with shredded cooked potato (the kids like it this way) The combinations are as endless as your imagination!nn
Enjoy your week. Find time to do something for yourself! Fifteen minutes of morning meditation is a wonderful way to start your day!
The plus side to eating out last week is that I have very little I need to purchase this week for groceries. Then the dilemma of where to go to shop. As much as I do try not to have store loyalty, if all things ($$) are equal, I will shop local, which means Basha's. Today, however, I need produce and a beef roast. I could pick up good produce for a fairly reasonable price at Sunflower. They also carry Harris Ranch beef, which we love. But I am sticking the beef in the crock pot so it doesn't need to be a top of the line cut. So I will run over to Food City for REALLY inexpensive meat and produce. Owned by Basha's, Food City caters to the Hispanic population so I can also pick up good tortilla, pinto beans and chorizo for this weekend's project.
This weekend's project is to make sure the kids have a good, hot breakfast before school. I will spend a few hours tomorrow morning cooking ingredients for more breakfast burritos (the dozen or so I made two weeks ago are gone). We form an assembly line for everyone to layer their preferred ingredients into the warmed tortilla, fold the burritos and wrap them in plastic wrap. I create labels of ingredients so the kids can choose "their" burrito to reheat before they head out the door to the school bus/ride. (Hint - this was a good fundraiser for Moriah's trip to New Zealand last June - she sold breakfast burritos to many of our teacher friends.)
On mornings I don't want the carbs in a burrito, I grab a Crustless Quiche. I don't remember where I first found the recipe, but it was most likely a South Beach cookbook. I have tweaked this recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray silicon muffin cups lightly with cooking spray. Layer your choice of chopped veggies, meat and shredded cheese. Add a little beaten egg white (ie Egg Beaters) until cups are 3/4 full. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the egg is set and golden brown. Freeze and reheat for breakfast! Ingredients I like to use are chopped zucchini, red bell pepper, Canadian bacon and dill. Or chorizo, green chiles, and frozen spinach (thawed and drained well). I have also made the "crust" with shredded cooked potato (the kids like it this way) The combinations are as endless as your imagination!nn
Enjoy your week. Find time to do something for yourself! Fifteen minutes of morning meditation is a wonderful way to start your day!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Spicy Orange Chicken
This week's menu has morph'ed -- just like all plans must sometime change.
Last night was spicy orange chicken, served on a bed of wilted spinach with green peas and pot stickers on the side. (For a week night when I don't have much time, I use either the pot stickers from Trader Joe's or from Costco. I try to keep a bag on hand in the freezer.)
Spicy Orange Chicken
Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips. Marinate in the following:
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c Sriracha hot chile sauce (Thai food aisle)
1/4 c honey
1/2 c orange juice
2 TB canola oil
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 TB (or more) minced fresh ginger
Other ingredients:
Frozen peas
Fresh spinach
Sliced green onions
Peeled and sectioned mandarin oranges (cuties)
While the chicken is marinating, wash and de-stem fresh spinach. Warm it in a large frying pan (or wok). Add 3 cloves crushed garlic. Transfer to a platter when spinach is wilted, not thoroughly cooked. Warm 1 cup of frozen peas. Arrange on the platter. (Keep warm)
Saute the chicken until golden brown and juices run clear. Add to platter. Top with sectioned oranges and sliced green onions.
Tonight's meal - I hate to admit it but I have a frozen pizza in the oven. Life happens. Who know what tomorrow will bring!
Last night was spicy orange chicken, served on a bed of wilted spinach with green peas and pot stickers on the side. (For a week night when I don't have much time, I use either the pot stickers from Trader Joe's or from Costco. I try to keep a bag on hand in the freezer.)
Spicy Orange Chicken
Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips. Marinate in the following:
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c Sriracha hot chile sauce (Thai food aisle)
1/4 c honey
1/2 c orange juice
2 TB canola oil
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 TB (or more) minced fresh ginger
Other ingredients:
Frozen peas
Fresh spinach
Sliced green onions
Peeled and sectioned mandarin oranges (cuties)
While the chicken is marinating, wash and de-stem fresh spinach. Warm it in a large frying pan (or wok). Add 3 cloves crushed garlic. Transfer to a platter when spinach is wilted, not thoroughly cooked. Warm 1 cup of frozen peas. Arrange on the platter. (Keep warm)
Tonight's meal - I hate to admit it but I have a frozen pizza in the oven. Life happens. Who know what tomorrow will bring!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Multi-tasking to make the week easy.
I know this will be a crazy week, but I do NOT want to stop and get take out. So I spent three hours today preparing for the week. I know it will make life much more simple in the long run.
I shopped yesterday and spent just over $130. to feed the family all week, plus I fed 18 hungry teens at Youth Group tonight and made a dozen breakfast burritos for the freezer. Here's what the week will look like and how I prepared much of it today.
First I stuffed a turkey breast with oranges and pears, seasoned it and put it in the oven to roast. This will provide sandwich meat for the kids for two weeks, at least. I will also have some for turkey and cranberry layered enchiladas at a later date (maybe Friday). Russell and I also had wonderful turkey sandwiches on seeded whole grain bread for dinner tonight.
I browned a 2 lb packet of ground beef, peeled and boiled some Yukon Gold potatoes, browned a pound of chorizo. Stoves do have 4 burners, so why not use them all at once? While the stove was busy, I grabbed the blender and made the sauce for the Youth Group dinner (see bottom of this post). As items on the stove were done I set them in the refrigerator. (Please remember basic food safety.)
Half of the ground beef went into a casserole (yup - still can be a casserole queen when I need to be) with frozen mixed vegetables, onions and sauce. I mashed part of the Yukon Gold to top the casserole for a Shepherd's Pie. It is resting in the refrigerator and Sawyer will pop it in the oven for dinner tomorrow. (I'll be at a late meeting and probably Zumba.) I seasoned the rest of the ground beef for taco salad for Thursday and popped it in the freezer.
I cooked three packets of fettucine for the Pasta in Spicy Peanut Sauce for Youth Group. Thank you Sawyer for helping!
Then I heated up a few breakfast sausages, grabbed the chorizo, cooked some egg beaters, shredded some cheddar, opened a can of green chiles and found some left over refried beans in the refrigerator. I now have 14 breakfast burritos individually wrapped, labeled with the ingredients and in the freezer.
I sliced the turkey and it is in bags in the refrigerator waiting for the kids to make sandwiches. It is so much better than the salty, deli turkey.
So while I feel like I lived in the kitchen this afternoon (at least I could watch the Packers while I cooked!) I know I will be providing nourishing, healthy meals instead of stopping my Sonic.
This week:
Monday - shepherd's pie
Tuesday - I do need to grab something quick and take to Pinnacle HS for the basketball games
Wednesday - Turkey with cornmeal dumplings
Thursday - Taco Salad
Friday - Grilled fish tacos with cabbage and cilantro.
Saturday - Italian Sausage and polenta with fresh vegetables
Sunday - Turkey and cranberry layered enchiladas
Pasta with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Blend together 4-5 cloves of garlic with about 1/2 cup of vegetable stock. Add juice of 2-4 limes, 3-4 TB lite soy sauce and thai red chili paste to taste. Add 1/2 cup (approximate) peanut butter and blend. The amounts can be varied depending on your preference as well as how many you are serving.
Saute vegetables, tofu (or chicken) -- I usually use carrots, tofu, peas, and broccoli. Cook pasta (I use what ever shape I have handy or let the kids choose the shape). Toss the veggies with the pasta and sauce. Top with chopped green onions, chopped peanuts and juliened cucumbers.
I shopped yesterday and spent just over $130. to feed the family all week, plus I fed 18 hungry teens at Youth Group tonight and made a dozen breakfast burritos for the freezer. Here's what the week will look like and how I prepared much of it today.
First I stuffed a turkey breast with oranges and pears, seasoned it and put it in the oven to roast. This will provide sandwich meat for the kids for two weeks, at least. I will also have some for turkey and cranberry layered enchiladas at a later date (maybe Friday). Russell and I also had wonderful turkey sandwiches on seeded whole grain bread for dinner tonight.
I browned a 2 lb packet of ground beef, peeled and boiled some Yukon Gold potatoes, browned a pound of chorizo. Stoves do have 4 burners, so why not use them all at once? While the stove was busy, I grabbed the blender and made the sauce for the Youth Group dinner (see bottom of this post). As items on the stove were done I set them in the refrigerator. (Please remember basic food safety.)
Half of the ground beef went into a casserole (yup - still can be a casserole queen when I need to be) with frozen mixed vegetables, onions and sauce. I mashed part of the Yukon Gold to top the casserole for a Shepherd's Pie. It is resting in the refrigerator and Sawyer will pop it in the oven for dinner tomorrow. (I'll be at a late meeting and probably Zumba.) I seasoned the rest of the ground beef for taco salad for Thursday and popped it in the freezer.
I cooked three packets of fettucine for the Pasta in Spicy Peanut Sauce for Youth Group. Thank you Sawyer for helping!
Then I heated up a few breakfast sausages, grabbed the chorizo, cooked some egg beaters, shredded some cheddar, opened a can of green chiles and found some left over refried beans in the refrigerator. I now have 14 breakfast burritos individually wrapped, labeled with the ingredients and in the freezer.
I sliced the turkey and it is in bags in the refrigerator waiting for the kids to make sandwiches. It is so much better than the salty, deli turkey.
So while I feel like I lived in the kitchen this afternoon (at least I could watch the Packers while I cooked!) I know I will be providing nourishing, healthy meals instead of stopping my Sonic.
This week:
Monday - shepherd's pie
Tuesday - I do need to grab something quick and take to Pinnacle HS for the basketball games
Wednesday - Turkey with cornmeal dumplings
Thursday - Taco Salad
Friday - Grilled fish tacos with cabbage and cilantro.
Saturday - Italian Sausage and polenta with fresh vegetables
Sunday - Turkey and cranberry layered enchiladas
Pasta with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Blend together 4-5 cloves of garlic with about 1/2 cup of vegetable stock. Add juice of 2-4 limes, 3-4 TB lite soy sauce and thai red chili paste to taste. Add 1/2 cup (approximate) peanut butter and blend. The amounts can be varied depending on your preference as well as how many you are serving.
Saute vegetables, tofu (or chicken) -- I usually use carrots, tofu, peas, and broccoli. Cook pasta (I use what ever shape I have handy or let the kids choose the shape). Toss the veggies with the pasta and sauce. Top with chopped green onions, chopped peanuts and juliened cucumbers.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Spicy Shrimp with Lime/Cilantro Rice
This was a hit with the family tonight, and it took 20 minutes to cook which made it a winner for me!
Cook white rice according to directions. Add juice of 1 lime and lime zest after rice is cooked. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro (or 2 cubes of frozen cilantro)
While rice is cooking, clean, de-vein and rinse shrimp. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan. Liberally sprinkle the shrimp with ground cumin and minced garlic. Saute the shrimp. When the shrimp are cooked on one side, turn them over. As the shrimp finish cooking, add a can of diced green chiles and 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn.
Serve the shrimp over the rice. Squeeze additional lime juice over all as desired. You can also add several grape or cherry tomatoes as you serve the dish.
Cook white rice according to directions. Add juice of 1 lime and lime zest after rice is cooked. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro (or 2 cubes of frozen cilantro)
While rice is cooking, clean, de-vein and rinse shrimp. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan. Liberally sprinkle the shrimp with ground cumin and minced garlic. Saute the shrimp. When the shrimp are cooked on one side, turn them over. As the shrimp finish cooking, add a can of diced green chiles and 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn.
Serve the shrimp over the rice. Squeeze additional lime juice over all as desired. You can also add several grape or cherry tomatoes as you serve the dish.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Getting started
I have been asked by several friends to start a blog about food. For many years now, I have tried to create healthy meals for my family while not spending a fortune. There are some weeks I succeed and some that, quite frankly, it is too much work because life has a tendency to throw some curve balls our way.
On a good week, I grab the Wednesday paper on my way out the door in the morning. During lunch I look over the ads and see which stores have the best deals. I try NOT to have any store or brand loyalty! I grab my trusty 3 section spiral notebook and start taking notes in section #1. I make a heading on the page of each of the 4-5 grocery stores where I may be likely to shop. It might look something like this
Basha's Sunflower Fry's
tomato sauce (s) (c - contadina) berries ($2/pt) berries (1.50/pt)
I write down things I will likely buy and if one store has a killer deal, I will compare other items at that store to see if it is worth my time and gas to go to more than one store. I mark which items are on sale (s) as well as any items for which I have coupons (c). YES! This is can be very time consuming! I have made a game of this -- I challenge myself to see how much money I can save. I love it when the clerk smiles and says, "Thank you for shopping - your total is $65.92 and you saved ....wow... you saved $98.40!" Okay -- that doesn't happen every week, but it has happened!
The next step is to plan the weekly menu. Yup. PLAN, just like our lesson plans, folks. We have an idea what we are going to do, we gather our materials (groceries) and we try to stick to the plan! The menu goes into Section II of the spiral notebook. (That way, if the store is out of a crucial ingredient, I can see which day I need to adjust, quickly make a change at the store, and not have to order pizza on that night.) If I am ever stuck for something to cook, the first place I look is at past menus.
This week's menu (going back a bit since we were out of town):
12/29/10 Cheesy corn & potato chowder with bacon
12/30/10 Baked squash stuffed with apples & pecans, pork chops topped with onions &
lemons *** bake 2 extra chops
12/31/10 Lunch (yup - on days everyone is home, I try to plan and cook a healthy,
inexpensive lunch, too) Ground Beef & Barley Stew
Dinner - our News Year's Eve tradition of appetizers. (Junk food allowed) Nachos,
coconut shrimp, etc.
1/1/11 Pasta and chicken in spicy peanut sauce
1/2/11 Lunch - leftover barley stew & pasta
Dinner - Chicken fajitas (homemade marinade)
1/3/11 Chili - I cooked it at the same time I cooked the Barley stew as it has several
ingredients that are the same.
1/4/11 Shrimp with peppers and corn, served with lime rice
1/5/11 Red lentils & pork (cooked it when I did the Barley Stew, cut up the extra pork chops
and onions from 12/30 and added them, then popped them into the freezer. Just heat
up!)
1/6/11 Parmesan chicken breasts with salad and mandarin oranges.
1/7/11 Spicy orange chicken with potstickers. (frozen from Trader Joe's or Costco. -- I have
made my own, but didn't have time this week.)
The third section of the notebook -- is where I keep copies of the receipts (you need a feel good moment on occasion - look how much you are saving!) I also keep track of the monthly food expenditures. Sometimes I also just write down notes about what was good and what didn't go over so well with the family!
I will post tips and recipes later. I hope you find this helpful.
And my disclaimer - I am not a nutritionist. I am not a financial adviser. I am a busy, working mom who is trying to make ends meet.
On a good week, I grab the Wednesday paper on my way out the door in the morning. During lunch I look over the ads and see which stores have the best deals. I try NOT to have any store or brand loyalty! I grab my trusty 3 section spiral notebook and start taking notes in section #1. I make a heading on the page of each of the 4-5 grocery stores where I may be likely to shop. It might look something like this
Basha's Sunflower Fry's
tomato sauce (s) (c - contadina) berries ($2/pt) berries (1.50/pt)
I write down things I will likely buy and if one store has a killer deal, I will compare other items at that store to see if it is worth my time and gas to go to more than one store. I mark which items are on sale (s) as well as any items for which I have coupons (c). YES! This is can be very time consuming! I have made a game of this -- I challenge myself to see how much money I can save. I love it when the clerk smiles and says, "Thank you for shopping - your total is $65.92 and you saved ....wow... you saved $98.40!" Okay -- that doesn't happen every week, but it has happened!
The next step is to plan the weekly menu. Yup. PLAN, just like our lesson plans, folks. We have an idea what we are going to do, we gather our materials (groceries) and we try to stick to the plan! The menu goes into Section II of the spiral notebook. (That way, if the store is out of a crucial ingredient, I can see which day I need to adjust, quickly make a change at the store, and not have to order pizza on that night.) If I am ever stuck for something to cook, the first place I look is at past menus.
This week's menu (going back a bit since we were out of town):
12/29/10 Cheesy corn & potato chowder with bacon
12/30/10 Baked squash stuffed with apples & pecans, pork chops topped with onions &
lemons *** bake 2 extra chops
12/31/10 Lunch (yup - on days everyone is home, I try to plan and cook a healthy,
inexpensive lunch, too) Ground Beef & Barley Stew
Dinner - our News Year's Eve tradition of appetizers. (Junk food allowed) Nachos,
coconut shrimp, etc.
1/1/11 Pasta and chicken in spicy peanut sauce
1/2/11 Lunch - leftover barley stew & pasta
Dinner - Chicken fajitas (homemade marinade)
1/3/11 Chili - I cooked it at the same time I cooked the Barley stew as it has several
ingredients that are the same.
1/4/11 Shrimp with peppers and corn, served with lime rice
1/5/11 Red lentils & pork (cooked it when I did the Barley Stew, cut up the extra pork chops
and onions from 12/30 and added them, then popped them into the freezer. Just heat
up!)
1/6/11 Parmesan chicken breasts with salad and mandarin oranges.
1/7/11 Spicy orange chicken with potstickers. (frozen from Trader Joe's or Costco. -- I have
made my own, but didn't have time this week.)
The third section of the notebook -- is where I keep copies of the receipts (you need a feel good moment on occasion - look how much you are saving!) I also keep track of the monthly food expenditures. Sometimes I also just write down notes about what was good and what didn't go over so well with the family!
I will post tips and recipes later. I hope you find this helpful.
And my disclaimer - I am not a nutritionist. I am not a financial adviser. I am a busy, working mom who is trying to make ends meet.
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