Thursday, December 16, 2010

Pasta Salad

2 pkgs. rotini noodles(the colorful variety), cooked, drained and cooled
1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1 red onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 can of black olive(optional, I hate olives so I don't add them)

Combine all this together in a large bowl. Pour the following sauce over top:

1 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. light olive oil
1 1/4 c. vinegar
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. parsley

Shaken together in an air tight container until well incorporated. Toss with pasta, chill for 4 hours or more then serve.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 head cabbage
1 bunch green onions
1 c. blanched slivered almonds
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 pkg. oriental flavored ramen noodles
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Boil the chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly. Shred cabbage, slice the green onions break up the ramen noodles and add all the dry ingredients. Cut up chicken and add. In an air tight container combine the follow ingredients for the sauce:

3 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. light olive oil
the ramen flavor packet
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
sesame oil to taste(1-2 Tbsp)

Seal the container, shake until well combined. Pour over salad and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve later cold.

Cream Cheese Bars

1 cake mix(yellow, lemon, chocolate, strawberry...)
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
2 eggs, used separately
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. almond extract(lemon juice for lemon cake mix, strawberry extract, cocoa etc.)

Mix together cake mix, oil and 1 egg until crumbly. Save 1 cup of the mixture and pat the rest into the bottom of a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl whip the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar, egg and extract. Whip until incorporated. Pour over the cake crust and sprinkle the rest of the cake crumbs over top. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Stuffed Shells

My Mom's recipe

24 jumbo shells
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar of spaghetti sauce or 26 oz. homemade spaghetti sauce
1/4 c. water
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese spread(chives and onions)
1 egg
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1 1/2 c. 5 cheese Italian blend

Boil shells till al dente. Remove and separate. Cook ground beef. Mix sauce and water together. Pour 1 c. in the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Mix cream cheese, egg, parmesan and 1 c. of the Italian cheese blend. Combine with ground beef and mix well. Scoop mixture into the shells and line the stuffed shells into the pan. Pour remaining sauce on top. Cover with foil and cook at 350* for 40-45 minutes. During the last 10 minutes remove the foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue until cheese is melted.

Ham and Cheese Crepes

Your favorite crepe recipe or

2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Beat the eggs well, then beat in the milk, salt, flour and butter. Cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes(i haven't found this step entirely necessary). Heat a 7 inch skillet or crepe pan until moderately hot then film it with butter or shortening. Use a ladle or small cup and pour in several tablespoons full of batter then quickly tilt the pant about so that the batter spreads evenly in the thinnest possible layer. Cook for a few more minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and the edges are easy to lift from the pan. Flip it and cook the second side for a few minutes. Remove and repeat.

1 package deli ham(thinly sliced)
2-3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1 pckg cream cheese
about 4 sticks green onion, chopped(can easily be substituted with minced onion)
1ish Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
dash or two of cayenne pepper
parsley flakes(opt.)

Mix all the ingredients until well incorporated aside from ham and cheese. Assemble the crepes by laying open the spotty side of the crepe. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the majority surface of the crepe. Place two thin slices of of ham spanning the length of the crepe. Sprinkle on the cheese and roll up the crepe. Repeat until all the crepes are rolled. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with cheese(as much as you'd like). Cook at 350* for 10-15 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.

Peanut Butter Bars

A Spencer(and now Bennett) family favorite!

1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream together butter, sugars and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Add flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Spread into a greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Press the chips into the dough. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Remove bars and prepare icing:

1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. milk

Pour over bars and let cool

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Sweet and Sour Chicken

My Mother's recipe

1 lb. chicken
1 T. oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 8 oz. cans pineapple chunks
1/4 c. vinegar
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ginger
6 servings of jasmine or brown rice, cooked

Cute chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Brown in oil. Reduce heat to low. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Add carrots and green peppers. Combine remaining ingredients. Stir, cover and simmer 10 minutes longer. Serve over the rice.

Potstickers

My dad served a mission in Taiwan and this recipe he brought back is a family favorite!

1 lb. ground beef or ground pork
3/4 lb. cabbage chopped
2 Tbsp. green onions(4-5 sticks) chopped
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
wonton wraps

Mix together all ingredients. Place a little dollop in the center of a wrap. Pinch the wrap together(in a triangle shape if using square wraps). Flatten the bottom of the wrap by patting it in some flour. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil. Add enough potstickers to fill the bottom of the pan. Fry until the bottom is golden. Add about 2/3 c. water. Cover and cook until the water is evaporated. Shake to loosen up the potstickers and dump onto a plate. Repeat.

Banana Bread

1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. mashed bananas

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs. Add in smashed bananas. Add the remaining ingredients. Bake at 350* for 45-50 minutes

French Bread

My Mom's recipe

2 1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. oil
6 1/2 c. flour

Combine the warm water and the yeast, let sit until you see some bubbles. Add the sugar, salt and oil. Add the flour, mixing constantly, about 1 cup at a time. Cover and mix every 10 minutes for an hour. Form into two loaves and place on a baking sheet. Cover and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake at 400* for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and rub a stick of butter over the top of the loaf.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Chicken Stew

This is a healthy and fairly easy throw together recipe and feeds a lot

1 rotisserie chicken
1 onion
3 carrots
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp bay leaves
1/2-1 tsp. dried thyme
4-5 Idaho potatoes
4 cans chicken broth
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste

Pull apart all the meat off the rotisserie chicken into shredded pieces. Chop up your onion. Dice the carrots and potatoes all into relatively small bite size pieces. Saute the onion and carrot in about 3 Tbsp. EVOO. Add the bay leaves and thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and continue to saute until the onions are translucent. Pour in the chicken broth and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are softened. Add chicken, peas and corn. Taste test, add more salt and pepper if needed. Return to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until corn and peas are heated through.

Yummy Potatoes

or Cheesy Potatoes or Funeral Potatoes(thought not quite). But whatever you wanna call them this is a long time family favorite. Through my constant need to improve recipe's(taste and healthiness) and my love of garlic I have changed up the family recipe a bit to suit our taste.

6-8 medium Idaho potatoes, boiled or steamed(the microwave works too, i usually do this to save on time)
1/2(or more) of a medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Cream of Chicken Soup substitute:
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. chicken stock/broth
1/2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c.(ish) sour cream
1/4-1/2 c. milk to help make the right consistency
3 c. sharp cheddar, shredded

Cook your potatoes. For the microwave scrub the skins of the potatoes and stab multiple times with a fork. Place all potatoes on a microwave safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook until they are soft in the middle(about 10-15 minutes), remove plastic and let cool. While those are cooling prepare your cream of chicken substitute by melting the butter in a pan, add the flour to make a roux, add the milk and chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium heat until thickened. In a large bowl(or 9X13 if you don't wanna waste a bowl) combine the chopped onion, minced garlic, cream of chicken substitute, sour cream and milk. Mix together until completely combined. Add the cheese a bit at a time to make sure you don't add too much. Peel the potatoes, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch squares and mix in with the other ingredients. Make sure you don't add too many potatoes, it should be well coated in the mixture and not look dry(but you don't want it too wet). If it looks like it could use more cheese then add what you need to. Cook in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes to an hour depending on hour done you want the cheese(crispi-fied or just melted).

Monday, November 8, 2010

Shortcakes and Kiwi Ice cream

I brought this for dessert at the in-laws and it was a big hit!

For the "shortcakes" as I felt like calling them I just made cupcakes out of a yellow cake mix, easy enough.

Kiwi Ice cream:

6 kiwi's
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4-1 c. sugar
1 lime

Remove kiwis from the skin and mash up. Add the 2 tbsp. sugar and let sit in the fridge for an hour. After an hour in a separate bowl add the sugar(I felt like a cup was a little much so somewhere between 3/4 and 1 c.) and a bit of the heavy cream. Whisk together until the sugar and cream are incorporated, whisk for about 30 seconds. Add a little more cream and whisk again for another 30 seconds. Do this a couple more times until the cream is all added. Add in the kiwi, zest from the lime and juice from the lime. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow those instructions. Pour into a air tight container and freeze if using later. Scoop over the cupcake and serve

Monday, November 1, 2010

Creamed Peas and Potatoes

about 8 medium sized red potatoes
1 c. peas
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp chicken granules
pinch paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2-2 c. whole milk

Clean potatoes, dice and bring to a boil. Last 5-10 minutes of boiling add peas. In a separate pan melt butter. Add garlic powder, onion powder and chicken granules. Add flour to make roux. Add milk stirring constantly. Add paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until thickened. Drain potatoes and peas. Pour gravy mixture in and stir well.

Pumpkin Blackbean Soup

Did you know that pumpkin is a giant source of vitamin A? Also a good source of fiber.

1/2 can pumpkin puree
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
about 1 c. water
2 cans black beans
1 c. corn

spice measurements are rough estimates:

1 large palmful of cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
garlic and onion flavorings to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together, except corn and simmer for 30 minutes. Add corn last 5-10 minutes

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Pears for babies

10-12 pears, washed and diced
1/3 c. water

Clean your pears. Leaving the skins on cut up the pears and place in a crockpot, with the water, on low heat for 6-8 hours or until the skins are almost dissolved. Puree in a blender. Scoop into ice cube trays and flash freeze. Put in a ziploc bag labeled with the contents and the expiration date.

Monday, October 11, 2010

No Meat Chipotle Chili

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed bay leaf
1/4 c. cranberry juice
1 can beef broth
dash of allspice
4-5 cloves garlic
1(15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1(15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
1 small can green chili's
3 cans beans(pinto, red, dark red kidney are what I used) drained and rinsed off
about:
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp.(or more) chili powder
1/2-1 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste

In a stock pot add the oil, shredded carrots, chopped onions and bay leaves . Saute until carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cranberry juice and about 1/2 the can of beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about another 5 minutes or until carrots are soft and tender. Pour into a blender and puree until entirely smooth. Return the the pan, pour the rest of the beef broth into the blender and swish around to loosen any of the remaining pureed mixture. Pour into the pot. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Take out 1 chipotle and chop it really fine(remove seeds if you don't like spicy), add to the pot. Add the green chili's, rinsed beans, and seasonings(add about 1/2 c. water if the chili is too thick for your liking). Stir well, return to a boil and simmer for about 30 more minutes. Serve with sour cream and tortilla chips.

Caramel Crispy Treats

1 c. butter(2 sticks)
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 bag of marshmallows
around 6 c. puffed rice cereal aka rice krispies

In a large pot melt butter. Stir in sugar. Add marshmallow and stir over heat until the marshmallow is all incorporated. Remove from heat. Add your rice krispies, as much as you'd like, and stir well. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and let sit...or eat out of the pan if you so desire!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

White Chicken Chili

I did not write down this recipe so all these measurements are approximates but I think with stuff like chili's it is better to prepare to your taste anyways. I just taste test as I go!

1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cartons low sodium chicken stock or broth(and more to add later if needed)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans green chili's
3 cans of northern beans(you can use dried beans if you'd like)
1-1 1/2 c. white corn
1 c. milk(I used 1 % because that is what we had)
juice from 2 limes

Recommended toppings:
Sour cream or plain yogurt
cheese
low sodium tortilla chips(like from Good Earth)

In a large stock pan saute the onion and near the end add the garlic and the seasonings. Allow to saute a little longer so the flavors can deepen. Add the stock/broth and bring to a boil. Throw in your chicken breasts, thawed or frozen, it does not matter. Boil until the chicken is cooked through(20+ minutes possibly more if frozen breasts are used). When the chicken is cooked all the way through remove from the pot and cut up into little chunks or whatever size you are comfortable with sticking in your mouth. Return to the pot. Now add the remaining ingredients and adjust liquid to your desired thickness or soup-y-ness. I added the milk b/c I was out of stock and wanted a little more liquid but didn't want to just water it down. Add more seasonings if desired. I know some recipes call for oregano but I chose not to use it. Stick it in at this time if you want to use it, maybe a couple pinches. Return to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.

*This is a great meal to freeze. Simply scoop somewhat cooled soup into a gallon freezer ziploc bag and double up. Lable the bag and freeze like a brick. When you are ready to unfreeze it place it on a plate and heat for about 6 minutes. Once it is loose enough pour it into a microwave safe serving bowl, heat it through the rest of the way and serve. Chili's freeze really well and maintain a lot of it's original integrity. So cook in bulk freeze and save time later :)

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

If you dig spicy like I do then this recipe is worth a try. I love hot sauce!!

about 1 1/2-2 c. elbow noodles(or any hollow noodle)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
ranch seasoning pack
1 carrot skinned and shredded
2-3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch nutmeg
tabasco sauce

First off get your noodles cooking according to package instructions excepting you'll want to remove them just short of al dente. In a medium skillet saute the shredded carrots in extra virgin olive oil until they are softened, remove from pan. Cut the chicken into small cubes(about the size of the macaroni noodles and sprinkle with some of ranch seasoning packet to your desired taste(lightly coat). Add more oil to the pan and cook chicken through. Add chicken to the set aside carrots. In the same pan melt the butter and whisk in the butter to make a roux. Add the milk, whisking constantly until the roux is well mixed in. Add seasonings and continue whisking until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add your desired amount of hot sauce, I like a lot, and mix in well. Make sure to taste test so you know if you want more heat. Add the carrots and chicken and cooked noodles and return to a low heat. Continue cooking until the noodles have reached your desired tenderness and they have soaked up most of the cheesy gravy.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Applesauce for babies

10-12 of the sweetest apples you can find ie: gala, fuji
1/3 c. water

(babies aren't going to like applesauce that is really tart so sweet apples are the way to go that way it's natural sugars, if you have more tart apples laying around then add a Tbsp. of sugar for every tart apple you add. I had 3 granny smith apples that I needed to use so I put in 3 Tbsp of sugar.)

(I got the idea for how to cook the applesauce from this blog). Pull out your crockpot and turn it to low. Wash your apples well with a fruit and veggie wash, look here for an easy at home substitute. Dice the apples up leaving the skin on(unfortunately apples don't have very much nutrition unless you eat the skin). Place your apples in the crockpot with the water and sugar if you are adding any. Now you just play the waiting game. For like 8-10 hours adding a half hour very every time you open the crockpot...if you don't want it to take longer resist temptation and don't open that lid(if you are like me it is incredibly difficult to do that). When the apples are nice and soft set a collander over a bowl and pour the apples into the collander. Once drained put the apples in a blender and add as much of the liquid as you think you'll need to puree the food. I used a 1/2 c. of water and ended up not need some of the liquid so I changed it to 1/3 c. of water. So it's likely you'll need all the liquids but pour them out just in case they are too much. Puree the apples until they are entirely pureed. Place into ice cube trays, let cool, flash freeze and place in a ziploc bag labeled applesauce and expiration date: 3-4 months from when you made it.

Freezing Pizza

Last night I was making Pizza and decided to make enough dough to freeze a couple pizza's. You will need:

Your favorite dough recipe adjusted to be able to make 3 or 4 pizza's
Your favorite sauce ie: regular pizza sauce, spicy marinara, ranch, alfredo, creamy garlic, garlic oil...etc
Your favorite toppings
Lots of shredded mozzarella cheese

Combination ideas:

Ranch dressing with diced cooked chicken, diced roma tomatoes, minced garlic(I just put it in the dough) and bacon(blech, but some people like it)

Spicy marinara with cooked spicy italian sausage and ham

Aflredo with grape tomatoes(halved), spinach and cooked chicken

Regular pizza sauce with cooked sausage, chopped onion and chopped green peppers(one of my favorites) and/or any toppings you like

Preheat the oven to 450. Roll out your dough to the size of your pizza dish. Spray your pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Make sure you rolling pin is well floured and so is the dough and roll the dough around the pin. Transfer to your pizza pan and unroll the dough onto the pan. Go to town and fork the pizza crust so it doesn't get bubbles. Cook the dough for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with a light layer of cheese(this will help in keeping the dough from getting soggy when you freeze it). Return to the oven for another minute or so to help the cheese melt to the dough. Allow the pizza dough to cool. Once cooled put on the sauce, topping and then cheese. Lay out two long pieces of plastic wrap next to each other. Gently remove the pizza from the pan and wrap in the plastic wrap. Use two more sheets of plastic wrap to protect pizza from getting freezer burnt. You can do more layers too if you'd like. Lable the pizza to be cooked at 450 for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden(this does not require you to defrost the pizza, stick it in the oven straight from the freezer). Enjoy the time saved next time you wanna have a pizza! If you want to cook one of the pizza's right away there is really no need to pre-cook the crust, just assemble the pizza like normal and cook.

Lemon frozen yogurt

1 tub vanilla yogurt(any brand works but if you get brown cow you wont regret it)
2/3 c. sugar
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 2 lemons

Mix all ingredients well, pour into your ice cream maker and voila, healthy and tasty frozen yogurt!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Butternut Squash for babies

Like I said in regards to the sweet potatoes making baby food is incredibly easy and squash is no exception. You'll need:

1 butternut squash
water
1 deep cookie sheet
2 ice cube trays
extra liquid if needed

Start off by preheating the oven to 375. Wash the outside of the squash. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards. Lay the squash open side down and bulbous side facing out in a deep cookie sheet. Pour water into the cookie sheet(about a quarter to a half an inch up the squash). Cook in the oven for about 45 minutes. When it is nice and cooked very carefully remove from the oven so as not to spill the water on yourself or in the oven or perhaps on your child or something(don't worry, I didn't do that that was just something I worried about as my pesky 2 year old came running at the sound of the oven opening). Let the squash sit for a bit. Pour some, or all of the liquid from the pan into a blender. Scoop out the meat of the squash and add to the blender. Puree until really smooth. Separate into ice cube trays, flash freeze, and consolidate into one large freezer back labeled Butternut Squash with an expiration date somewhere between 3-6 months after you prepared them.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Honeybaked ham

This one was a good one!!

1 spiral slice, bone in, pre-cooked ham
6 Tbsp. softened butter
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground clove

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl, stick in the microwave for a few seconds to make more spreadable. Place the ham on a cookie sheet that is well covered with aluminum foil, meat side down. Brush glaze over ham. Cook in the oven for 1 1/2-2 hour brushing more glaze onto the ham every 15-20 minutes. The last 5 minutes turn on the broiler to caramelize the glaze(opt). Let sit for 5 minutes then serve.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Sweet Potatoes for babies

Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest items in the produce section. So this is an ideal meal for those little growing babies. The key to making healthy baby food is to buy the fruits and veggies that are in season, prepare them in a way that will retain an optimal amount of nutrition, prepare a bunch at a time, flash freeze them and use them within 3-4 months of freezing.

4-6 sweet potatoes(or yams it really doesn't matter)
water or vegetable infused water leftover from steaming veggies like carrots
Aluminum foil
ice cube trays
ziploc bags

Preheat the oven to 350. Wash all the sweet potatoes and jab with a fork a few times. Wrap in the foil and place in the oven for about an hour or until the meat of the potato has become entirely soft. When done remove from the oven and remove from foil. Cut the sweet potatoes in half length wise. Using a spoon scoop the meat of the potato from off the skin. Place in a blender and add a bit of liquid to help smooth out the mixture. Puree until it has become entirely smooth. Add liquid as needed keeping in account that when you defrost the cubes in the microwave a little liquid should be added. Pour sweet potato puree into the ice cube trays. Flash freeze for an hour and place the cubes in a ziploc bag labeled with contents and expiration date. For young babies it is good to start with only 1 veggie at a time. For older babies feel free to puree this with any other fruit or veggie.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Roasted vegetable and balsamic glazed meatloaf

My inspiration for this dish is found here. Thanks to Bobby Flay I have been inspired to make this amazingly delicious meatloaf. Because I put my own touches on this recipe I am going to go ahead and write my version down here.

1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 carrots
1/2 large onion
1 Tbsp. of garlic made into a paste(about 5-6 cloves mashed with salt)
salt and pepper
3 lbs. ground beef
2 c. cooked quinoa
3 eggs
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley(opt.), or a few Tbsp. fresh parsley(opt.)
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 c. ketchup(no high fructose corn syrup)
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes divided in half



Start off by preparing quinoa, 1 c. water and 1/2 c. quinoa bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Start chopping the veggies, shredding the carrots and mashing the garlic to a paste. Saute in a pan with a few Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil. Saute for about 5-10 minutes or until a little before it's soft.While the veggies are cooking combine your ketcup, balsamic vinegar, paprika and a pinch of the garlic paste and half the red pepper flakes, set aside.

When the veggies are done put them in a separate bowl and put them in the fridge to help them cool.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with the thyme and parsley

Now combine everything in the bowl + 1/2 c. of the ketchup-balsamic sauce

Mix together until everthing is entirely incorporated

Split into 4 loaves and form onto a super greased foil lined baking sheet

Cook on 425* for 30 minutes and turn down to 350 for 30 more minutes


Serve with potatoes and veggies.

Rating: So seriously this meatloaf was so tasty. I know I varied from the original recipe but Bobby Flay still deserves the credit. This meatloaf didn't have the prettiest presentation because it was super moist but if presentation doesn't matter to you then this is a great meatloaf. The balsamic glaze was absolutely divine on this and very critical to the overall taste of the dish. I opted to do carrots in place of zucchini because really zucchini isn't that good and doesn't contain to much nutrition. I also added onion because I think they pack important flavor for something like meatloaf and meatloaf just wouldn't be meatloaf without onions. I also opted to use quinoa as opposed to bread crumbs. I think it was an excellent decision and it's healthier then bread crumbs. If you wanna know more about quinoa google it. It is a seed that is a protein. Over all I would give this recipe a 9.5. I cannot give it a 10 because I know I could improve it. But it was great and I would make it again(when money allows of course).

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Sami's chicken corn chowder


This one was seriously a good one. SO good.

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 savory rotisserie chicken(we used lemon pepper)
3 medium sized Idaho potatoes
3 medium sized carrots
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 qt. container half and half
3-4 c. fresh corn(cut off the cob)
salt and pepper to taste

Chop up the onion into relatively small bite size pieces. Place in a large pot on medium high heat with the olive oil and saute. Chop up carrots into about 1/4 inch pieces and add to the pot. Continue sauteing for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. About the last minute add the garlic and stir so it doesn't burn. Pour in the all of the chicken broth. Dice the potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the pot. Add salt to taste. Bring the stock to a boil. At some point while it is boiling add the thyme. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are tender to the fork.

While the pot is boiling in a separate sauce pan melt the butter. Once the butter is melted add add the flour to make a roux. Whisk for a bout a minute and add the half and half. Stir until the half and half gets warm and then pour into the pot. The chowder should now look really creamy. If you haven't already remove the corn from the cob(probably about 6 ears of corn) and add to the pot. Remove the meat from the breast of the rotisserie chicken, shred and add to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the chicken and corn heat through with the rest of the contents for about 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately. This would be good with some crusty french bread.

Because this was inspired by two recipes I found on the food network I'm going to go ahead and rate this. You can find those inspiration here and here. I love that I added chicken to the recipe. I think it is great. I really haven't had corn chowder before this but I was completely in love with this dish. I think I'd give it a 9.9. I hesitate to give anything a 10 unless it is absolutely the BEST thing I ever ate of that particular dish but I don't think there is to much I could personally do to improve this. I loved it.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Oven roasted potatoes(one variation)


1 pound of potatoes scrubbed and diced(bite size)
extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic
oregano
red pepper flakes
salt

Blanch diced potatoes til less firm but not completely done. Drain and place in a 9X13 pan. Cover generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with all the above ingredients to desired taste(go sparingly with the red pepper flakes, trust me). Mix well and bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes. Goes well with this chicken recipe

Simple Roasted garlic chicken


3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
about 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
about 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
honey
about 2 tsp. oregano
a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic minced

Place all your halved chicken breasts in a 9X9 pan. Salt and pepper. Drizzle with honey then olive oil and then white wine vinegar. Sprinkle with minced garlic, then oregano then red pepper flakes. If you want you can divide the seasonings and flip the chicken to season both sides. Bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes. Serve with oven roasted potatoes and a veggie like green beans.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Homemade baby food

If people realized how simple making your own baby food is we'd probably do it rather then waste all our money on pre-packaged baby food. It's not quite as convenient and involves more effort but isn't that worth saving money and feeding your child healthier more nutritious food? I want to start with the basic rice cereal. Did you know that you do NOT need to purchase the pre-packaged stuff? Let me tell you how simple it is to make your own.

1 cup brown rice
2-2 1/2 cups water
about 6 oz of breast milk or formula(depending on how thick or thin your baby requires)

Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, stir and return to a boil. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes. When the rice is done put it in a blender with the breast milk/formula and blend until smooth. You can make more or less following these basic guidelines. If you want to make more and freeze it just make the initial mixture a little thicker, place it in ice cube trays, flash freeze for 1 hour and place in a ziploc bag. When you are ready to serve it defrost the cubes, add milk or formula and serve, just remember that the consistency may change a little more rubbery. You can also use basmati or jasmine rice.

Alternately you can actually grind the dry rice grains to a powder using a blender or a food processor. You can grind as much as you want and store in an airtight container. When you want to serve just get 1 cup of water, bring it to a boil, add 1/4 c. of the rice powder, stirring constantly, and simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat, cool, add breast milk or formula to reach desired consistency and serve. Veggies/fruits can also be added at this point. Store the rest in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Wanna make oatmeal cereal? Using the previously mentioned method just grind rolled oats to a powder and use the ratio of 1/4 c. oatmeal powder and 3/4 c. water. Proceed as directed above.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Packaging freezer meals

Ziploc bags are probably the most frugal thing to use. They work great for stuff like soups and sauces, marinating meats, shredded meats, potstickers and roll dough. They are money savers as well as space savers. For things like sauces, soups and shredded meats make sure all the air is out of the bag and flatten like bricks and stack.

Make sure to label everything...you don't want to get stuck with something that you have no idea what it is or how long it's been in there. Label with the date and/or the expiration date, the cooking time and the temperature ie: cook at 350 for 60 minutes.

For casserole dishes we just use foil pans. They are inexpensive, they can go in the dishwasher and they usually come in packages of 4 or more

Buy the costco size plastic wrap. It's good for wrapping the foil pans or pizza crusts or doughs.

Supplies that will be useful:

-permanent markers
-ziploc freezer bags, quart and gallon sized
-plastic wrap
-a large bulk pot
-a large bowl

A personal discovery

I have found that when freezing individual portion sizes of a meal that the cheap ziploc tupperware are not a good idea. If dropped they often shatter and more often then not when trying to open the lid it will also break or shatter. Look for tupperware especially made for the freezer like the ones used for freezer jam or more heavy duty ones. For things like soups and sauces using a freezer ziploc bag placed inside of another ziploc bag works really well and stacks nice and flat in the freezer. Always use a second ziploc bag for added leakage protection.

What freezes well and what doesn't?

What freezes well?

Cooked rice, bread dough, pie crusts, cookie doughs, rolls, burritos/taquitos, waffles, shredded cheese(it needs to be shredded), soups, pastas sauces and other sauces, cooked ground beef(of course raw ground beef too), fish, grapes, broccoli(any veggies that you can buy in the frozen section at the grocery store), nuts, potstickers, marinated raw meats(you can put them directly in the freezer but if you are just going to marinate them later then why not freeze them in their marinade, they will become more tender and pack more flavor and it will save you time when you want to cook them up), shredded pork or beef or chicken with some of it's flavor juices...

What does NOT freeze well?

Water based fruits and veggies like lettuce, celery and watermelon, cheeses unless they are shredded, mayonnaise, custard based pies/tarts and frostings do not freeze well, fully cooked noodles will become soggy when defrosted. If you do desire to freeze noodle based dishes only cook the noodles about 50-70% of the way(depending on the dish) or for dishes like a lasagna it is not necessary to cook the noodle at all(though bear in mind it will be a firmer noodles but if that is what you like then it is great. If you are going to freeze pan fried food like chicken tenders just remember that if you don't want them to be soggy then you will need to reheat them in the oven.

Utilizing YOUR freezer for meals while saving money, time and reducing waste

I have crossed quite a few people lately who have been interested or semi-interesting in freezer meals and I am more then happy to share what I know with people but often talking about it isn't enough. So I've decided to write what I know down here so I can send people here to get info on what I can share about utilizing your freezer for dinners. And if I forget I can always come back here and look too.

Here are some reason's why freezer meals is a good idea:

-you can save money each month by shopping in bulk and wasting less and with meals in the freezer you are less likely to eat out.
-cooking your own freezer meals is healthier then buying stuff like tv dinners or other packaged and preserved meals
-It is very nifty for when you have sick or pregnant friends or friends that are just unable to make meals for themselves or their families.

Sounds great right? Well with my experience this isn't quite as easy as it sounds. It does take a lot of discipline and effort. Are you disciplined enough to spend the amount of time needed to cook in bulk in order to save money and make the time spent to freeze to meal worth it? Are you disciplined enough to eat what you have and not necessarily what you want or are craving at the time? Do you have enough freezer space? How good is your knowledge of what freezes well and what doesn't? These are potential stumbling blocks that if you can overcome it will open up a world of frugality with your time and your money.

So how long do things last in the freezer? Because we aren't using preservatives to make stuff have a longer shelf life we are limited in how long things last in the freezer and retain their nutrition. This sounds disappointing but things actually last for a good 2-6 months depending on what it is. Here are some general guidelines:

Breads and doughs- 2 months
Frozen desserts and drinks- 2 months
Main Dishes- 3-6 months
Salads(not water based), sides and soups- 3-6 months

Stuff will last longer in a freezer compartment that isn't exposed when the freezer door opens. Stuff stored in the door wont last as long.

So what freezes well? What doesn't? Find out in the post entitled What freezes well and what doesn't? Or click the link.

p.s. I'm by no means an expert in this stuff. What I know is what I have experienced and learned along the way. If you want to learn more from a person who has been educated in this check out this website. This woman is a native Utahn and has made appearances on Good Things Utah, Studio 5 and KJAZZ. She also does classes at Thanksgiving Point. For recipe's designed just for freezing I would purchase one of her books.

Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

If you couldn't already tell I have an obsession with Mac and Cheese. I pretty much love it a lot. This version was meant to mimic Broccoli Cheese Soup. I think it was quite successful :)

1 small-medium onion
2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 large head broccoli
2 cups or 1 lb of any hollow pasta
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 c. water or chicken stock/broth
salt and pepper

Start by finely chopping the onion. Saute with the oil over medium heat. While the onions are cooking chop all the ends off the broccoli(unless you like them) and then chop up the broccoli into relatively bit size pieces. And really don't make the effort to cut them nicely and in their tree shapes, just give it a nice rough chop. Add the broccoli in with the onions. At this point the broccoli will start to soak up the rest of the oil so somewhat quickly mince your garlic and add it to the pan and salt and pepper the broccoli to taste. Mix it around so the flavor really start to incorporate and then pour in the water or chicken stock(more if you think it needs it) and proceed to steam the broccoli until it reaches a nice tender but not soggy state(unless you like soggy). For this particular meal I think the flavor is better if it is taken farther then the tender crisp state like in broccoli cheese soup. But do what you prefer. At this point go ahead and start your pasta to the manufacturers instructions.

3 Tbsp butter
3 somewhat heaping Tbsp. flour
3 cups whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
a pinch or more or cayenne pepper
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese

After the broccoli mix is done steaming dump it into a bowl(it's ok if some of the onions and the flavor/oil from the onions and broccoli is left in the pan, it will be good for more flavor). In the same skillet melt the butter and mix with the flour to create a roux. Let some of the flour flavor cook out(about a minute or less) and slowly start adding the milk stirring constantly. Add the salt and pepper and cayenne pepper and stir constantly until the gravy becomes thick. Once thickened but before starts to bubble add the broccoli and onion in and let the flavors blend. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Stir until the cheese has entirely blended with the gravy and it is completely smooth. At this point add in the noodles that you cooked til just shy of al dente and continue to heat over a simmer until the noodles have soaked up a little of that gravy and have reached your desired tenderness. This stuff was good. For a more nutritionally complete meal feel free to add some pre-cooked(store bought or done yourself doesn't matter) diced or shredded chicken.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Fiesta Macaroni and Cheese

This was a recipe that we had a lot growing up. It's ALWAYS been one of my favorites. It's actually a quite simple meal and very tasty. Growing up it was always a can of this and a can of that. Well I decided to make it more homemade and healthier. I found SUCCESS! It is creamier and cheesier and more fresh tasting. I love it!






1 lb. of ground beef(opt.)
1 red pepper, diced finely
1 green pepper, diced finely
1 medium-small onion chopped super fine(or dried chopped onion works too)
2 Tbsp oil

If using meat cook that in the pan now, drain excess fat. After the beef is cooked add the rest of the ingredients and saute for about a minute or two. If you don't use the meat quickly saute the last four ingredients in a pan and remove the chunks(it's ok to leave the oil in)

3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
3 c. whole milk
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3 c. sharp cheddar cheese
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 1/2 c. elbow noodles cooked til slightly shy of al dente

In the pan used to brown meat and/or saute the peppers add the butter and melt. Add the flour to make the roux. Mix well for about 30 seconds to a minute. Slowly add milk stirring constantly. Add all the spices and keep stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and add the cheese and stir until it's all melted and incorporated. Add the sauted peppers and return to heat to mesh the flavors.Add the tomato sauce and the peppers and ground beef. Return to the heat and stir until well mixed and has a creamy orange consistency. Add the noodles and simmer until the noodles have soaked in the sauce and reached your desired firmness. This meal is a nice twist on macaroni and cheese and will create a fiesta for your taste buds!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Mini pepper and onion frittatas

1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1/2 medium-small onion
1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
7 eggs
1/4 c. milk
fresh basil, chiffonade(optional)
salt

Finely dice peppers and onion. Grate the cheese. In a bowl whisk together eggs really well. Add milk and whisk some more. Pour the eggs into a large measuring cup and from the cup pour the egg mixture into a super greased muffin tin, filling about halfway-2/3 of the way full. Take some of the onion and peppers and place in muffin cup. Proceed to fill the rest of the cups with the peppers and onions. If you want to add the fresh basil chiffonade it and do it now. Top with some salt and a sprinkle of cheese. Bake in the oven at 325 for about 25 minutes. Immediately upon taking it out of the oven place a cookie sheet or a cutting board on top and flip the mini frittatas over onto the tray to cool for 5 minutes.

Banana Waffles

This one's simple

1 banana
1/2 c.(or more if you want) chocolate chips
1 recipe of waffles

Mash the banana in the bottom of the bowl. Pour on all the ingredients to make waffles, we just use bisquick cuz we are lame, maybe some day I'll find a better homemade recipe but until then I'm ok with being lame. Mix it together. Add chocolate chips and mix again. Cook on the waffle iron. Serve with syrup or nutella of whatever you like to top your waffles with.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Tomatillo Soup

I found this recipe on a website that I happened across that focuses on healthy dinners. I've tried a few of the recipe's and this one is by FAR my favorite. I think tomatillos are so under-appreciated. They are so delicious and I really enjoyed this recipe. You can find the recipe here. It is suggested to serve with avocado which we did not use because I hate them and Mark is mildly allergic to them. But we did serve with pico and instead of tortilla strips we used tortilla chips because we like the crunch. We also gave it a nice dollop of sour cream which really goes well with the tanginess of the soup. I would rate this soup a 9.5. I don't give it a 10 because I think it is possible that I could make some improvements to it.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Honey Balsamic Glaze

This is a fairly healthy and low calorie meal, it's good for those days where you just feel like something light but tasty

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup balsamic vinegar separated
1 bunch asparagus
1 small head of broccoli
1 carton cherry tomatoes
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. honey
2-3 T. brown sugar
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper

About 4 hours previous to when you prepare the chicken marinate the chicken(in the fridge) in 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar and the oil. When the chicken is done marinating pull it out of the bag and pat dry(toss the remaining marinade). If you are grilling on the grill make sure to get it nice and hot before you prepare the chicken or if you are using a george foreman like we did plug that in like 5 minutes before you are ready to cook the chicken. Salt and pepper the chicken and grill until reaching a minimum internal temperature of 165*. While the chicken is grilling put the remaining balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Add the honey, brown sugar, garlic clove and a pinch or two of pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. While that's simmering and chicken is grilling steam the broccoli and asparagus to a tender-crisp state. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half length wise. When the balsamic glaze is done remove from heat and add the tomatoes. Let that sit for about 5 minutes. To serve place the chicken and veggies on the plate and pour the glaze and tomatoes over top of all of it. If you aren't so concerned about low cal then you can serve the chicken over angel hair pasta(or a similar thin pasta).

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Cinnamon, banana and nutella panini



Any sort of bread that you would use to make toast
nutella
bananas
butter
cinnamon

Mix a few tablespoons of softened butter with some cinnamon. Spread this on one side of one slice of bread. Place this side down on your panini maker/grill. Spread the side facing up with a generous amount of nutella. Place desired amount of sliced bananas on top of the nutella. Spread nutella on one side of another slice of bread. Place that side down over the bananas. On the side facing up spread more of your cinnamon butter. Proceed to grill your panini until it reaches your desired crispiness.

Turkey, apple and brie panini's



Sliced loaf of artisan bread
1 granny smith apple thinly sliced
Deli turkey meat sliced to your desired thickness
Brie cheese
Dijon mustard
Mayo
Butter

A while back I was watching Studio 5 and they were having a panini segment and this is one that I remember them doing. This was actually a pretty tasty and filling meal. I am unsure how I feel about the brie...I'm really not a cheese lover. I love cheeses like cheddar but beyond that I am quite picky. Next time I may try a different cheese besides brie. I may even try just spreading one of the insides of the bread with some mascarpone cheese...or maybe try some white cheddar. I dunno.

So basically you will butter one side of two slices of bread. Lay one slice butter side down on your panini maker or stove top grill(we used our george foreman because that's what we have). On the side facing up spread the mixture of mayo and dijon mustard(equal parts) and place your meat on that. Then place your sliced apples on, top it with the brie and put the other piece of bread on top butter side facing up. If in a panini maker or george foreman press the top down. If on a stove top grill put foil over the top slice and place a heavy pan on top. After one side is browned flip it and do the same. Cook until cheese is melted and bread reaches desired crisp-ness. We served this with fresh carrots and a cinnamon banana and nutella panini.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

BBQ burgers

2 lbs. of ground beef
1 yellow onion, separated
BBQ sauce, separated
salt and pepper
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk(I did half yogurt and half regular milk)
peanut oil
kaiser rolls or hamburger buns(I prefer the rolls toasted on the grill)

In a medium sized bowl combine the ground beef, about 1/4 of the onion(cut the onion off the direction that leaves rings b/c we'll be making onion rings with the rest) chopped up real fine, about a tsp of salt, a tsp of pepper and a Tbsp or two of BBQ sauce. Dig in and combine together well. Score the beef into 8 equal chunks. Form the burgers making the middle curve in(concave) so when the burgers cook they have the opportunity to cook through in the middle(when they cook they will plump and no longer be curved in). Either in a skillet or on the grill cook the burgers over a medium heat(maybe about 4-6 minutes on each side) until they are cooked through. While the burgers are cooking it's time to prepare the onion rings. Slice the onions about 1/4-1/2 inch wide making rings. Mix together all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. Dip the onion in the wet, then dip in the dry and fry in oil until they are a nice dark golden brown. To assemble the burgers place a burger on the bun then top that with bbq sauce, a couple onion rings and the top of the bun. Enjoy!

Macaroni and Cheese hotdogs

Pretty much it's just what it sounds like. Macaroni and cheese on top of a hot dog. I'm not a fan of hotdogs really so I figured if we are going to do them we are going to do them right. Here's what you'll need:

homemade mac and cheese omit the ham, ground mustard and add cheeses like swiss, extra sharp cheddar and gruyere. We added sharp cheddar and gruyere. When melting the butter saute some chopped green onions. We also shook it up by using some gemelli pasta. Cavatappi is also fun but for money's sake elbow noodles are just fine
hot sauce
hot dogs
hot dog buns

Make the mac and cheese(you'll have a lot left over for leftovers!! this is a good thing!). Cook the hot dogs how you desire(we grilled on the george foreman). Toast the buns on the grill as well. Assemble hot dog by placing the hot dog in the bun putting the hot sauce over top and then placing the mac and cheese on top of that. This was pretty bearable to eat considering I hate hot dogs :)

Friday, August 6, 2010

Green Chicken Curry

Because this recipe isn't mine and I didn't alter it to be my own at all I will just link you to the recipe here.

I thought I would also take the opportunity to rate all the new recipes I try on a scale from 1-10 with a little explanation as to why.

Ok, so I have never actually tried real Indian food before so this was a first. I have nothing to compare it to so I am rating this with my immature(Indian) pallet. I was actually pretty unsure looking at the list of ingredients as to how this recipe would turn out but I was pleasantly surprised with how well everything worked together. Every ingredient in the green curry was there to compliment the other ingredients. None of the flavors overpowered the others with maybe the exception of the cilantro being the most noticeable flavor. That being said the spices were a little strong. Eating to much of this at one time would probably be to much for me and make me sick. So did I like the meal? Yes. Will I make this meal again anytime soon? Probably not. Mark and I agreed that if this were to be served over basmati rice it would probably be an 8 but we had it with flatbread(naan) so we are giving it a 8 1/2.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Chili!!!

I need to preface this recipe with the fact that it is not a precise art. All these measurements are estimates and are adjusted according to my constantly taste testing through the process of making the chili.

1 lb. of ground beef
1 medium onion
4-6 cloves garlic
1/2 c. cranberry juice
1 can beef broth or 2 c. beef stock
a dash of allspice
1 whole fresh bay leaf or 1 tsp. dried bay leaves*note if a whole fresh leaf is used it should be removed after it fulfills it's purpose in flavoring the chili
1, 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1, 15 oz. can tomato sauce(more may be needed depending on how thick or not thick you want your chili to be)
1 can of black beans
1 can red beans(this is just my prefer combination of beans, it can be whatever beans you want) add more beans if you feel it needs it
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. pepper(more if you prefer)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper seasoning(opt)

This all happens in one pot so make sure it is large enough. Brown ground beef adding chopped onion at the end. Continue sauteing the onion and beef until the onion become a little translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Pour in the cranberry juice, 1/2 of the beef broth, bay leaf and allspice and bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. If the bayleaf is whole at this point you'll remove it. Add the tomatoes, sauce, rest of beef broth and bean and stir together. Now go to town with your creative juices and use your taste buds as your best recipe. Add in all the spices, taste, and adjust accordingly. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Feel free to experiment. I have been wanting to experiment with maybe some chili de arbol or chili in adobo and other various chili spices or chili's in sauces.

Chili Corn Casserole

Growing up, when my dad was in charge of making dinner a lot of times this is what he would make. I think I was the only one that liked it because non of my siblings liked chili(I think a lot of their pallets have changed now though). For me this is just a quick throw together meal that tastes good especially when done with homemade chili. I think it's just one of those comfort foods for me.

If you are making this with homemade chili here's the recipe:

2-4 cups(or more, doesn't really matter) of leftover chili
1-2 c. corn(again depending on how many leftovers you have)
tortilla chips
cheese(opt)
sour cream or plain yogurt(I prefer plain yogurt for this particular meal, I feel the tangy-ness of the yogurt compliments the chili well) but just use whatever you have

It's that simple! Spray the bottom of a pan(what size of pan will depend on how much leftovers you have) and cover with a layer of tortilla chips. Mix corn in with chili and scoop over the chips. At this point you can put cheese over the chili if you so desire. Then put another layer of chips on top and stick in the oven on 350 for about 30-45 minutes until the chili is bubbling. If you put cheese on it you may wanna cover with foil for half of the cooking time so as not to burn it. Serve with sour cream or yogurt.

If you are just making it with cans of chili like what my dad did growing up here's the recipe:

4 cans of your favorite canned chili con carne
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1-2 c. corn(to your taste preference)
tortilla chips
cheese(opt)
sour cream or plain yogurt

Mix together chili, onion, tomatoes and corn. Assemble the rest of the dish as explained above.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Chicken Ceasar Salad Sandwiches

This recipe is really as easy as it sounds

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
chicken seasoning and/or salt and pepper
1 caesar salad kit
a loaf of focaccia or some other Italian herbed bread

Season thawed chicken breasts. Fry them up in a skillet with some evoo until it reaches an internal temperature of 165. While those are frying assemble your ceasar salad minus the croutons. Cut the bread like a sandwich. When chicken is done slice it up and place it on the bottom of the bread. Pile ceasar salad on top. Place the top back on, slice up and serve immediately.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Macaroni ham and cheese

2-3 cups elbow noodles(really you can use any noodle you want) half wheat, cooked to slightly before al dente
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 c. chicken stock
2 c. whole milk or half and half
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
a couple shots of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper
3 c. sharp cheddar
leftover ham or deli ham cut into small pieces

Cook noodles to slightly before al dente. In a large skillet melt butter. Add flour and whisk together to make roux. After about 30 seconds add chicken stock and stir well. Slowly add the milk or half and half and continue stirring. Add all the seasonings. Continue to stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until melted. Add the ham. When noodles are ready, drain, add to the skillet. Place the skillet back over the heat and simmer until the noodles have reached your desired tenderness. Enjoy the creamy comfort food.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Shepherd's Pie(not tomato based)

Leftover roast cubed or shredded(maybe like a cup or a cup and a half's worth) or ground beef if roast is not available
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 medium onion
3-4 cloves garlic
1 can(2 cups) beef broth
1 large carrot(or two not so large), diced
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. frozen peas
1/2 can green beans
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water
mashed potatoes made with sour cream, garlic and sharp cheddar

Chop onion. Add to butter and saute. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add shredded roast beef and cook for a minute or so(it should start coating the bottom of the pan). Add the beef broth and de-glaze the pan. Meanwhile dice your carrots. Add to the pot and simmer until the carrots are softened(if the meat is tougher this will be a good time for it to soften too). Add the thyme and basil(and salt and pepper if it needs it). When the carrots reach the desired tenderness add the beans, peas and corn. Mix together starch and water making a slur, add to the pot and stir until hot and thickened. Place in a greased 9X9 pan. Cover with mashed potatoes and if the potatoes are warm stick under the broiler on high until the peaked of the potatoes become brown. If the potatoes have been in the fridge and are cooler cook on 350 until the dish starts bubbling then turn the broiler to high until the peaks are brown.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 cup jasmine or brown rice

Cook with 2 1/2 cups of water(to package specifications)

Cream of chicken soup substitute:

6 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. flour
1 c. chicken broth/stock
1 c. milk(whole is preferable)
salt(sea salt) and pepper to taste

You can use 2 cans of cream of chicken soup if you want but it isn't nearly as healthy and in my opinion not nearly as good. The best part is the simplicity of the ingredients.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Boil until cooked through or pan fry in butter and oil until no longer pink(about 6-7 minutes per side using foil over top if necessary)

1 medium sized onion
1 head of broccoli
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt(sea salt) and pepper to taste
2-3 c. sharp cheddar
1/2 c. wheat germ(opt.)


Chop up the onion and broccoli. If you fried the chicken use the same pan to saute the onion adding a little more oil or butter if needed. Add garlic and seasonings. Add broccoli and saute for another couple minutes. Add 2/3-3/4 cup of water and place the lid on the pan. Steam for about 10 minutes while so the flavors and combine and enhance. While the broccoli is steaming shred the cheese. Dice the chicken into small bit size pieces. Combine everything in a bowl and mix well. Spread into a 9X13 pan. Sprinkle with the wheat germ if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until done.

Just one way to make a beef roast

1 beef roast
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. grape or cranberry or pomegranite(or a mix of any of those) juice
1 c. beef broth
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Pull out the slow cooker. Give the meat a generous rub of salt pepper and garlic. Place meat in slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for 6 hours. Serve with yummy potatoes and veggies.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Amazingly delicious balsamic bbq sauce

3/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3/4 c. ketchup(preferably the stuff with no hfcs)
1 1/2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1-2 tsp. liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced by 1/3(about 15-20 minutes). It should be brown and thick. Enjoy this tangy, sweet and spicey deliciousness! Serve on chicken or steak, use as a marinate(add water to make it not so thick), or use as a dip for chicken nuggets. Cook the chicken in the oven or just Grill It Baby! For steak cook on the grill. The best method for the grill is to cover lightly with bbq sauce, stick the meat on the grill and periodically place more coats of bbq sauce on top. Enjoy!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Carrot cake waffles

1 reciple of bisquick waffles or favorite waffle recipe(be a little skimpy with the liquid)
1 carrot shredded
roughly a Tbsp of cinnamon
roughly 1/2 Tbsp of nutmeg

Mix all the above ingredients together. Really just do cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, those were just rough estimations. Serve with favorite topping like syrup, nutella or really make it like carrot cake and serve with cream cheese frosting.

Grilled Pork Tenderloins

2 pork tenderloins
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 loves garlic
salt and pepper

Marinate the tenderloins in the vinegar, butter and garlic for at least 2 hours. Grab your man to grill the meat, salt and pepper to taste before placing on the grill. Should be more cooked on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside.

Shredded Beef Enchilads

2(ish) cups of meat liked shredded beef/chicken
1 can of tomato based Enchilada sauce
1 can of refried beans
1 pack of medium sized soft tortillas
Cheese sauce, recipe follows

Lay a tortilla shell flat. Place refried beans, shredded meat and cheese sauce in the tortilla lining the middle of the shell. Roll up, fill a 9X13 pan. Pour Enchilada sauce over top and cook on 350 for 30+ minutes.

Cheese sauce:

1 tsp butter
1 tsp flour
3/4-1 cup of half and half(or milk or cream if that's what you have)
1-2 cups of mexican blend cheese(add cheese to taste)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Melt butter, stir in flour til blended well. Let cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Add half and half. Stir til thick, remove from heat. Add cheese, stir well. Add in spices and salt and pepper to taste. If the consistency is too thick add more half and half or milk until it's the desired consistency.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Creamy tomato soup

1 small onion or 1/2 a medium onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, shredded
4 cloves of garlic minced

In a pan saute these ingredients until the veggies are tender.

28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
14 oz can of chicken broth(reduced sodium is better)
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of sugar
dash of pepper
1 palmful(roughly a tablespoon) of basil
1/2 palmful of oregano
1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
half and half

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and bring to a boil, all the while breaking up the tomatoes. Simmer covered for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. When blended return to the pan, or put in a soup pan. Gradually add half and half until you reach your desired creaminess. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.