I'm making these two recipes. I counted and I have 24 small and 12 large goodie bags to make!
Puppy Chow
My kids love this stuff. It goes for $4 for about a 3 cup container at our County Market grocery - and it's so easy to make at home. My friend Maggie calls it Trash because she coats it with powdered sugar in a trash bag. I have my eye on a 1XL Glad bag to do my mixing this year. I'll likely make 4x this recipe in two batches.
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Butter
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
9 cups Crispix cereal
1-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1. Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave for one minute then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir well.
3. Pour over cereal. Coat with powdered sugar.
Buckeyes
My friend Judy from Chicago calls these diabetic coma cookies. When I was growing up in Ohio these were a standard at holiday parties. Once my girlfriends and I made a game of counting how many one of the mom's at the party ate. It. Was. A. LOT. These freeze perfectly.
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
1/2 c. soft butter
3 c. Rice Krispies
dark chocolate or whatever you prefer
Put peanut butter and powdered sugar into bowl. Melt butter, blend into peanut butter until smooth. Add Rice Krispies and combine. Cool for a bit for easier handling. Coat hands with butter and form mixture into "small" balls. Return to refrigerator to re-cool.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Once balls are cooled, insert a toothpick as a "handle" and dip 1/2 of peanut butter ball into chocolate. Place onto waxed paper and allow to cool. I have NO idea how many batches of these I'll make, probably at least three.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Perhaps I need to get out more?
Two cool things I came across at lunch today.
One - from a children's Hannukah cookbook - grate the potatoes for your latkes over a colander and let them drain. Amazing! I just never thought of this.
Two - from a co-worker's plate of holiday goodies - she took a picture of the plate then put on labels for all the items, printed it out and taped it to the cover. Amazing again! Like a map of a box of chocolates.
Two cool cooking things in 1 hour! Fun!
One - from a children's Hannukah cookbook - grate the potatoes for your latkes over a colander and let them drain. Amazing! I just never thought of this.
Two - from a co-worker's plate of holiday goodies - she took a picture of the plate then put on labels for all the items, printed it out and taped it to the cover. Amazing again! Like a map of a box of chocolates.
Two cool cooking things in 1 hour! Fun!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Three (or more!) Cheese Lasagna
This is a hit at potlucks with kids.
12 pieces dry lasagna (NOT the "no-boil" kind)
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce
1 medium container cottage cheese
1 medium container ricotta cheese
shredded mozzerella, provolone, maybe a little cheddar to make 8-16 oz. - depending on how cheese-y you are feeling.
1 egg
These are the bare bones ingredients. I usually doctor up the sauce with by sauteing some onions, garlic & mushrooms in olive oil first, and adding some wine or balsamic vinegar.
Mix all the cheeses except for about 4-6 oz of the shredded, with the egg. You could add a little parsley too if you wanted.
Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Ladle in one cup sauce (A 1 cup ladle is a MUST in any kitchen!) Line pan with uncooked lasagna, breaking pieces to fit as necessary. Top with ½ of the of the cheese mixture. Top with 2 cups (approx) of the sauce. Repeat with lasagna, cheese & sauce. Add one more layer of lasagna and sauce and top with reserved cheese.
THIS IS THE KEY TO THIS RECIPE: Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray. Tightly and completely cover the pan with the foil. You can make ahead and refrigerate at this point.
Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 to 1 ½ hours. Remove foil and broil a couple minutes if you like your cheese browned.
For potlucks - this is a nice non-meat dish that kids love. If just the family is eating - I would add some ground sirloin to the sauce - browning with the onions, etc.
yum.
12 pieces dry lasagna (NOT the "no-boil" kind)
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce
1 medium container cottage cheese
1 medium container ricotta cheese
shredded mozzerella, provolone, maybe a little cheddar to make 8-16 oz. - depending on how cheese-y you are feeling.
1 egg
These are the bare bones ingredients. I usually doctor up the sauce with by sauteing some onions, garlic & mushrooms in olive oil first, and adding some wine or balsamic vinegar.
Mix all the cheeses except for about 4-6 oz of the shredded, with the egg. You could add a little parsley too if you wanted.
Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Ladle in one cup sauce (A 1 cup ladle is a MUST in any kitchen!) Line pan with uncooked lasagna, breaking pieces to fit as necessary. Top with ½ of the of the cheese mixture. Top with 2 cups (approx) of the sauce. Repeat with lasagna, cheese & sauce. Add one more layer of lasagna and sauce and top with reserved cheese.
THIS IS THE KEY TO THIS RECIPE: Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray. Tightly and completely cover the pan with the foil. You can make ahead and refrigerate at this point.
Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 to 1 ½ hours. Remove foil and broil a couple minutes if you like your cheese browned.
For potlucks - this is a nice non-meat dish that kids love. If just the family is eating - I would add some ground sirloin to the sauce - browning with the onions, etc.
yum.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Getting Ready for the Holidays
Just thinking about cooking for them them is fun for me. This is what I typically make - recipes to follow throughout the next couple weeks:
Cheddar Jalapeno Crackers - from my single days
Poor Girl's Turtles
This is what the kids love to make - although Seth wants to try something "real" this year. Cover a pan with mini pretzel twists. Top each with a Rollo. Put in oven for 3 minutes on 300 - watching very closely. Remove from oven and carefully press a pecan half into each one. Cool and enjoy! Make WAY more than you think you will need. Unwrapping the rollos is a highly recommended activity for kids ages 4-ish on up. Just give them a limit of how many they can eat while unwrapping.
Buckeyes - cause you know, you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can't take the Ohio out of the girl.
Sugared Walnuts - both this and the fudge are recipes my mother and I always made
Fudge - always always dedicated to my maternal grandpa Ray Wheeler
Potato Latkes
potatoes
onion
carrots
oil
egg
salt & pepper
flour
grate potatoes, onion and carrot. If you want to get all fancy, place them all in an old dish towel and squeeze the moisture out. This involves help from your husband and makes him feel all strong and macho. If you don't want to be all fancy, just add into bowl and use the technique described later. Add in egg(s) salt & pepper, and a little flour.
Heat oil. Fry one latke first to ensure the oil is hot enough. This is one for the trashcan. It never turns out right. I find that smaller latkes work the best. Fry latkes and place on an oven-proof plate in layers of paper towels. Place on low/warm in the oven. Serve with applesauce and sour cream. We like to have horseradish in our sour cream.
If you do not remove moisture from the potatoes, quite a bit will accumulate in the bowl. I tilt the bowl and try not to get too much of it in the latkes when I scoop out the potatoes.
Puppy Chow also known as Trash - a delightful combo of chex mix, peanut butter, chocolate and powdered sugar. A recent discovery and a new fav of the kids.
Seth and I are looking for cookie recipes to add to our holiday favorites. Any ideas?
Cheddar Jalapeno Crackers - from my single days
Poor Girl's Turtles
This is what the kids love to make - although Seth wants to try something "real" this year. Cover a pan with mini pretzel twists. Top each with a Rollo. Put in oven for 3 minutes on 300 - watching very closely. Remove from oven and carefully press a pecan half into each one. Cool and enjoy! Make WAY more than you think you will need. Unwrapping the rollos is a highly recommended activity for kids ages 4-ish on up. Just give them a limit of how many they can eat while unwrapping.
Buckeyes - cause you know, you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can't take the Ohio out of the girl.
Sugared Walnuts - both this and the fudge are recipes my mother and I always made
Fudge - always always dedicated to my maternal grandpa Ray Wheeler
Potato Latkes
potatoes
onion
carrots
oil
egg
salt & pepper
flour
grate potatoes, onion and carrot. If you want to get all fancy, place them all in an old dish towel and squeeze the moisture out. This involves help from your husband and makes him feel all strong and macho. If you don't want to be all fancy, just add into bowl and use the technique described later. Add in egg(s) salt & pepper, and a little flour.
Heat oil. Fry one latke first to ensure the oil is hot enough. This is one for the trashcan. It never turns out right. I find that smaller latkes work the best. Fry latkes and place on an oven-proof plate in layers of paper towels. Place on low/warm in the oven. Serve with applesauce and sour cream. We like to have horseradish in our sour cream.
If you do not remove moisture from the potatoes, quite a bit will accumulate in the bowl. I tilt the bowl and try not to get too much of it in the latkes when I scoop out the potatoes.
Puppy Chow also known as Trash - a delightful combo of chex mix, peanut butter, chocolate and powdered sugar. A recent discovery and a new fav of the kids.
Seth and I are looking for cookie recipes to add to our holiday favorites. Any ideas?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sick Mom Crockpot Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - frozen is okay (of course we use Marketday)
1 box rice pilaf
several splashes of your favorite zesty italian dressing
spray crockpot with Pam
put in chicken and splash with dressing
add 1 cup water
put in pilaf and seasoning packet
add another cup water and splash again with dressing.
Cook on low all day. Splash with some more dressing if it seems to be getting dry.
This was a hit with the kids and not just cause I served it with whole cranberry sauce. I used the dressing to keep the chicken moist - mostly cause that's usually what I marinate it in and the kids love it. The pilaf comes out sort of risotto-y. Very comforting when you are sick.
After I put this on to cook I took some Nyquil and slept all day. I was SO HAPPY to have dinner all ready to go!
1 box rice pilaf
several splashes of your favorite zesty italian dressing
spray crockpot with Pam
put in chicken and splash with dressing
add 1 cup water
put in pilaf and seasoning packet
add another cup water and splash again with dressing.
Cook on low all day. Splash with some more dressing if it seems to be getting dry.
This was a hit with the kids and not just cause I served it with whole cranberry sauce. I used the dressing to keep the chicken moist - mostly cause that's usually what I marinate it in and the kids love it. The pilaf comes out sort of risotto-y. Very comforting when you are sick.
After I put this on to cook I took some Nyquil and slept all day. I was SO HAPPY to have dinner all ready to go!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Chicken Tortilla Soup
I had some at the new Houlihan's a month or so ago and knew it was something I could re-create at home. Both the kids love this.
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion - chopped
1 small can of those little peppers found in the hispanic food aisle (the real name is TOTALLY escaping me at the moment.)
2 T olive oil
3-4 ribs celery chopped
1 pattypan squash (I threw this in cause I had some on hand from the farmer's market - totally optional)
2-3 cloves garlic - put through press
brown onion, celery, garlic, peppers in olive oil. Add in cubed chicken about 1/2 way through.
Add: 1/4 - 1/2 c white wine and a squirt of lime juice
Add: 1 of those huge cans of chicken stock - or homemade stock (which I am out of - guess what I'm doing NEXT weekend...)
Simmer for 1-4 hours.
Add in: 2 large flour tortillas sliced into thin strips.
When ready to serve slice up two more tortillas, lay on baking sheet and spray with olive oil spray. Cook at 375 until brown (watch closely).
Ladle piping hot soup into bowls or mugs. Add in: 1 T fat free 1/2 & 1/2 (Optional - again - I had it on hand). Sprinkle with tortilla crunchies and shredded cheese (if you like!)
This is going to be great later this week when it gets cold here. The leaves are changing, fall weather is almost here. This is why I love the Midwest and will never leave.
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion - chopped
1 small can of those little peppers found in the hispanic food aisle (the real name is TOTALLY escaping me at the moment.)
2 T olive oil
3-4 ribs celery chopped
1 pattypan squash (I threw this in cause I had some on hand from the farmer's market - totally optional)
2-3 cloves garlic - put through press
brown onion, celery, garlic, peppers in olive oil. Add in cubed chicken about 1/2 way through.
Add: 1/4 - 1/2 c white wine and a squirt of lime juice
Add: 1 of those huge cans of chicken stock - or homemade stock (which I am out of - guess what I'm doing NEXT weekend...)
Simmer for 1-4 hours.
Add in: 2 large flour tortillas sliced into thin strips.
When ready to serve slice up two more tortillas, lay on baking sheet and spray with olive oil spray. Cook at 375 until brown (watch closely).
Ladle piping hot soup into bowls or mugs. Add in: 1 T fat free 1/2 & 1/2 (Optional - again - I had it on hand). Sprinkle with tortilla crunchies and shredded cheese (if you like!)
This is going to be great later this week when it gets cold here. The leaves are changing, fall weather is almost here. This is why I love the Midwest and will never leave.
Obsessed
I know - I've made challah 3 times in the past 5 weeks or so.
This is the original recipe I've always used and it's really the best one I can make. This is "Scott's" recipe - from the News-Gazette and it pre-dates me - so it's from before 1995!
Scott's Challah
7 - 7 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 T active dry yeast (I use 2 packets)
2 c water
1/4 c sugar
1/4 margarine
2 t kosher salt
3 eggs
1 egg
raisins, popppy seeds, sesame seeds (optional)
Combine water, sugar and margarine in a saucepan and heat until just barely over body temp (a tip from Alton Brown I recently tried. Apparently I had always heated my water too hot!)
Meanwhile - mix 3 c flour and yeast in stand mixture with hook. When water mixture is just hot enough add to flour and mix well. Add in 3 eggs. Add in flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is moderately stiff and elastic - mixing for 6-8 minutes.
Place in clean oiled bowl and let rise until double. Divide dough into thirds and each third into thirds again. Work in raisins at this point if you are using. Braid into three loaves. If it's a holiday - make into a round loaf. Otherwise you may leave straight. Let rise until double again. Brush with beaten egg and top with seeds if desired. Bake in 350 - 375 degree oven for about 28 minutes. Knock on loaf when it looks done - if it sounds hollow - it's done (a tip from Cathy Holcomb.) Cool on wire rack.
This is delicious. My kids could eat nothing but this with butter for days when it's fresh. It also makes wonderful french toast when it's not so fresh. (mix egg, 1/2 & 1/2 or milk, vanilla, a splash of oj. Soak slightly stale slices of challah and grill until golden brown.)
This is the original recipe I've always used and it's really the best one I can make. This is "Scott's" recipe - from the News-Gazette and it pre-dates me - so it's from before 1995!
Scott's Challah
7 - 7 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 T active dry yeast (I use 2 packets)
2 c water
1/4 c sugar
1/4 margarine
2 t kosher salt
3 eggs
1 egg
raisins, popppy seeds, sesame seeds (optional)
Combine water, sugar and margarine in a saucepan and heat until just barely over body temp (a tip from Alton Brown I recently tried. Apparently I had always heated my water too hot!)
Meanwhile - mix 3 c flour and yeast in stand mixture with hook. When water mixture is just hot enough add to flour and mix well. Add in 3 eggs. Add in flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is moderately stiff and elastic - mixing for 6-8 minutes.
Place in clean oiled bowl and let rise until double. Divide dough into thirds and each third into thirds again. Work in raisins at this point if you are using. Braid into three loaves. If it's a holiday - make into a round loaf. Otherwise you may leave straight. Let rise until double again. Brush with beaten egg and top with seeds if desired. Bake in 350 - 375 degree oven for about 28 minutes. Knock on loaf when it looks done - if it sounds hollow - it's done (a tip from Cathy Holcomb.) Cool on wire rack.
This is delicious. My kids could eat nothing but this with butter for days when it's fresh. It also makes wonderful french toast when it's not so fresh. (mix egg, 1/2 & 1/2 or milk, vanilla, a splash of oj. Soak slightly stale slices of challah and grill until golden brown.)
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Weekend & Baking for Rosh Hashanah
This past weekend I hosted my parents in for a quick trip from Ohio. The kids love to see them and it was all the more fun because Seth won third place in the state-wide Town & Country Art show. We were all thrilled.
Sunday they left early as is their habit. I spent the day baking for Rosh Hashanah and doing laundry. I made two recipes from the Smitten Kitchen, Challah and Honey Cake. Deb is my new hero. Next time I am putting either raisins or chocolate chips in the honey cake - just to see. Maybe do a loaf with both? It would also be tasty with apples, as in one of her comments.
L'Shanah tovah.
Have a sweet new year.
Sunday they left early as is their habit. I spent the day baking for Rosh Hashanah and doing laundry. I made two recipes from the Smitten Kitchen, Challah and Honey Cake. Deb is my new hero. Next time I am putting either raisins or chocolate chips in the honey cake - just to see. Maybe do a loaf with both? It would also be tasty with apples, as in one of her comments.
L'Shanah tovah.
Have a sweet new year.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Isn't This What EVERYONE Does With Their Saturday?
Yesterday I bought 5 lbs of ground sirloin. HOW FUN!
I made:
Meatballs
2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T Italian seasoning
salt
pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs (I threw some pieces of almost stale french bread into the blender)
2 eggs
Mix well and form into balls. I baked mine this time b/c the stovetop was full. This made approx. 70 meatballs.
Chili
1 1/2-ish lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion chopped
3 pressed cloves garlic
3 stalks celery chopped
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can whole tomatoes
3 cans of beer
1/4+ cup chili powder
1 can kidney beans (I would have put in another if I had one on hand!)
Brown meat with onion, garlic & celery. Drain any grease.
Add everything into dutch oven and simmer the heck out of it for 3+ hours. Mash whole tomatoes with potato masher after 2 hours.
We eat Cincinnati style - spaghetti, grate super sharp cheddar, crackers. Maya just has the pasta and cheese!
Empanadas
1 1/2-ish lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion chopped
3 pressed cloves garlic
3 stalks celery chopped
2 T chili powder
1/3 cup dried fruit - I had cranberries. You could also use raisins
Shredded sharp cheddar
refrigerated biscuit dough
Brown first 4 ingredients. I actually did the chili meat and the empanada meat together.
Add chili powder and cranberries.
Fancy way (for when the queen comes to dinner) roll out rounds of biscuit dough. Place small amount of meat and cheese and fold over. Seal with fork. I did about 10 of these, got bored and placed the rest of the biscuit dough (I used almost all of 4 small cylinders) into muffin tins (the tin I used is somewhere between mini & regular sized). Smash meat mixture with fingers. Top with cheese. Bake @ 350 for about 20 minutes. I had 10 regular and about 24 muffins. We ate the regular and I froze the muffins.
Now I have a bunch of meals in the freezer! Yay for me!!!
I made:
Meatballs
2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T Italian seasoning
salt
pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs (I threw some pieces of almost stale french bread into the blender)
2 eggs
Mix well and form into balls. I baked mine this time b/c the stovetop was full. This made approx. 70 meatballs.
Chili
1 1/2-ish lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion chopped
3 pressed cloves garlic
3 stalks celery chopped
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can whole tomatoes
3 cans of beer
1/4+ cup chili powder
1 can kidney beans (I would have put in another if I had one on hand!)
Brown meat with onion, garlic & celery. Drain any grease.
Add everything into dutch oven and simmer the heck out of it for 3+ hours. Mash whole tomatoes with potato masher after 2 hours.
We eat Cincinnati style - spaghetti, grate super sharp cheddar, crackers. Maya just has the pasta and cheese!
Empanadas
1 1/2-ish lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion chopped
3 pressed cloves garlic
3 stalks celery chopped
2 T chili powder
1/3 cup dried fruit - I had cranberries. You could also use raisins
Shredded sharp cheddar
refrigerated biscuit dough
Brown first 4 ingredients. I actually did the chili meat and the empanada meat together.
Add chili powder and cranberries.
Fancy way (for when the queen comes to dinner) roll out rounds of biscuit dough. Place small amount of meat and cheese and fold over. Seal with fork. I did about 10 of these, got bored and placed the rest of the biscuit dough (I used almost all of 4 small cylinders) into muffin tins (the tin I used is somewhere between mini & regular sized). Smash meat mixture with fingers. Top with cheese. Bake @ 350 for about 20 minutes. I had 10 regular and about 24 muffins. We ate the regular and I froze the muffins.
Now I have a bunch of meals in the freezer! Yay for me!!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Dinner Tonight
I'm home with Seth, who is sick. You may have heard me whine about this already today.
So tonight for dinner - what are you making? Here's mine
Beef & Bean Enchiladas
1/2 lb of some kind of cheap steak. I'm marinating it in olive oil, garlic and red wine (WHINE) vinegar as we speak. I'll cook this slowly in the oven with some onion and then shred
1 can black refried beans
1 large can red enchilada sauce (I would prefer the green but the store didn't have any today)
2 cups cooked brown rice (Since Scott is not home to see me cook - I'm sneaking in the brown that he doesn't like as much of the white) Cooked in microwave in a Pampered Chef rice cooker - BEST. EVER. RICE. COOKER.
salsa - I have like 1/2 jar in the fridge.
grated cheese - we like sharp cheddar
whole grain tortillas
Mix together shredded steak and onions, beans, rice & salsa. Maybe add in some chopped pickled jalapenos. Stuff tortillas with bean mixture and cover with enchilada sauce. Bake for about 1/2 hour and then add cheese and back for another 10 minutes or so and broil at the end.
Serve with: sour cream - Maya, avocados - the rest of us.
Not too fancy but I know everyone will eat it! We some great honey crisps - so I'll serve those on the side.
So tonight for dinner - what are you making? Here's mine
Beef & Bean Enchiladas
1/2 lb of some kind of cheap steak. I'm marinating it in olive oil, garlic and red wine (WHINE) vinegar as we speak. I'll cook this slowly in the oven with some onion and then shred
1 can black refried beans
1 large can red enchilada sauce (I would prefer the green but the store didn't have any today)
2 cups cooked brown rice (Since Scott is not home to see me cook - I'm sneaking in the brown that he doesn't like as much of the white) Cooked in microwave in a Pampered Chef rice cooker - BEST. EVER. RICE. COOKER.
salsa - I have like 1/2 jar in the fridge.
grated cheese - we like sharp cheddar
whole grain tortillas
Mix together shredded steak and onions, beans, rice & salsa. Maybe add in some chopped pickled jalapenos. Stuff tortillas with bean mixture and cover with enchilada sauce. Bake for about 1/2 hour and then add cheese and back for another 10 minutes or so and broil at the end.
Serve with: sour cream - Maya, avocados - the rest of us.
Not too fancy but I know everyone will eat it! We some great honey crisps - so I'll serve those on the side.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Kids & Food
Is your child picky?
Read this. And the comments. I find them so interesting. I am a bad mother. I don't push things I know my kids won't eat. I ask occasionally.
Seth - I started to write a list of what he *will* eat and then realized it was pretty comprehensive. He will not eat most veggies however. I try to fill in with fruit and he will eat raw veggies over cooked. He refuses anything "fuzzy" (soda) and love milk and lemonade. He loves sushi, pate (a direct result of his trip to France this past summer). He is not big on sauces (on his chicken nuggets, pasta sauce, etc.) He will eat beans in any form: chili, hummus, black beans with his tacos, you name it. Often he tells me he LIKES something (such as mushrooms) but he's just not in the MOOD for it right now....
Maya - would willingly live on mac & cheese (she likes Easy Mac the best! Better than Stouffers!!), grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, cheese pizza. You get the picture. She would rather die than drink milk, however. She LOVES soda. Ugh. She does realize when she has eaten too much cheese or sweets and will self ration at times (No more sweets today, Mom. No cheese until Tuesday!) HOWEVER, she will eat other standard things we have a lot, with not *too* much fuss. And, she will always pick the apples at a fast food restaurant over fries. She also loves Greek food.
They will both eat Chinese, Thai - any Asian. We took them for Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) and they were both in heaven. They love any type of berries and will pick those for a treat over candy at the grocery .
SO - I know I need to push the veggies more. When I was growing up, we always had carrot and celery sticks and if you didn't eat the vegetable served with dinner, you ate those. I need to start doing that!
Scott and I eat Indian, Greek, Asian, sushi, lots of veggies, spicy food, a broad range. I love to cook (obviously) and try new recipes and we love to try new restaurants. In the winter we eat a lot of soup. I think this food electicism (is that a word) is rubbing off on my kids. They are always willing to at least try new types of foods, or foods they like cooked in a different ethnic way, and for that I am happy. This is not to say they don't eat pasta with butter & cheese at least once a week. Cause they do. And they love it.....
Read this. And the comments. I find them so interesting. I am a bad mother. I don't push things I know my kids won't eat. I ask occasionally.
Seth - I started to write a list of what he *will* eat and then realized it was pretty comprehensive. He will not eat most veggies however. I try to fill in with fruit and he will eat raw veggies over cooked. He refuses anything "fuzzy" (soda) and love milk and lemonade. He loves sushi, pate (a direct result of his trip to France this past summer). He is not big on sauces (on his chicken nuggets, pasta sauce, etc.) He will eat beans in any form: chili, hummus, black beans with his tacos, you name it. Often he tells me he LIKES something (such as mushrooms) but he's just not in the MOOD for it right now....
Maya - would willingly live on mac & cheese (she likes Easy Mac the best! Better than Stouffers!!), grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, cheese pizza. You get the picture. She would rather die than drink milk, however. She LOVES soda. Ugh. She does realize when she has eaten too much cheese or sweets and will self ration at times (No more sweets today, Mom. No cheese until Tuesday!) HOWEVER, she will eat other standard things we have a lot, with not *too* much fuss. And, she will always pick the apples at a fast food restaurant over fries. She also loves Greek food.
They will both eat Chinese, Thai - any Asian. We took them for Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) and they were both in heaven. They love any type of berries and will pick those for a treat over candy at the grocery .
SO - I know I need to push the veggies more. When I was growing up, we always had carrot and celery sticks and if you didn't eat the vegetable served with dinner, you ate those. I need to start doing that!
Scott and I eat Indian, Greek, Asian, sushi, lots of veggies, spicy food, a broad range. I love to cook (obviously) and try new recipes and we love to try new restaurants. In the winter we eat a lot of soup. I think this food electicism (is that a word) is rubbing off on my kids. They are always willing to at least try new types of foods, or foods they like cooked in a different ethnic way, and for that I am happy. This is not to say they don't eat pasta with butter & cheese at least once a week. Cause they do. And they love it.....
Friday, August 29, 2008
Trader Joe's
Who can tell me why we don't have a Trader Joe's in Champaign? That, in addition to the rumored SuperTarget off the new Curtis Road interchange, and I could die a happy woman. We are reduced to gigantic shopping trips at the one in Kettering, OH, minutes from my folk's house. Here's what I usually get:
Annie's Organic easy mac
roasted red peppers
pitted calamata olives
roasted red pepper dip
orzo (SO MUCH CHEAPER)
dried tortellini (again with the cheap-ness)
frozen pot stickers
frozen artichoke hearts
Two Buck Chuck - 6+ bottles (I use the white for cookin' and the red for drinkin')
dried fruit
dark chocolate - if in bulk
marinara sauce
feta cheese
goat cheese
frozen tuna burgers
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
peanut sauce
mango chutney
Indian shelf stable entrees
Laughing Cow garlic & herb light
various chicken sausages (last time I got chicken andouille which is so hard to find)
some type of fun beer.
Since we go so rarely - I buy in bulk - usually at least two of everything but the vinegar & oil.
Annie's Organic easy mac
roasted red peppers
pitted calamata olives
roasted red pepper dip
orzo (SO MUCH CHEAPER)
dried tortellini (again with the cheap-ness)
frozen pot stickers
frozen artichoke hearts
Two Buck Chuck - 6+ bottles (I use the white for cookin' and the red for drinkin')
dried fruit
dark chocolate - if in bulk
marinara sauce
feta cheese
goat cheese
frozen tuna burgers
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
peanut sauce
mango chutney
Indian shelf stable entrees
Laughing Cow garlic & herb light
various chicken sausages (last time I got chicken andouille which is so hard to find)
some type of fun beer.
Since we go so rarely - I buy in bulk - usually at least two of everything but the vinegar & oil.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
health?
Have you ever had vertigo? I hadn't until Monday. All I can say is yuck. I thought there was something SERIOUSLY wrong with me. Luckily (?) the verdict came back inner ear infection. The really really FUN part is the medicine they give you for the vertigo. Knocked me on my ass for about 32 hours.... Am finally coming out of the haze. Back to work tomorrow? We'll see. Oh! and the OTHER fun part, if anxiety makes your already borderline high blood pressure go up, you should see what it does to you along with feeling like crap. I suspect the doc visit today is mostly a BP check. I am not vertignous (?) anymore. I don't think. It's so hard to tell when you've been sleeping practically since Monday night. And when I say sleeping, I mean in a coma.....
Cheers!
Cheers!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Summer Cooking
This summer I feel like I've been making the same things over and over.
Dish #1
Potatoes, squash or eggplant, onions, sometimes tomatoes
chop 'em all up
drizzle with olive oil
garlic or garlic powder, maybe some salt and pepper
cook on grill in cast iron skillet.
Dishes #2 & 3
Potato Salad & Baked Beans - I almost always make these at the same time
See potato salad recipe in post below.
Baked Beans
1-2 large cans of Bush's Vegetarian Beans
catsup
mustard
hot sauce
brown sugar
cook in crockpot for a good long while (doesn't heat up the kitchen!)
Dish #4
Little Bits of Things on Baguette.
Go to Schnucks olive bar. Purchase the onions, the mushrooms, feta & olives, buffalo mozzerella, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, maybe some artichoke hearts. Serve with hummus
Eat on deck - take a long time to finish.
This is actually a huge hit with everyone. Seth loves hummus. Maya loves feta. Scott and I love everything else and we ALL love baguette!
Dish #5
Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless from Marketday)
Marinate in italian dressing, Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce, whatever. For some reason my kids are LOVING these this summer.)
Dish #6
Pudding Cups (not very highbrow!)
2 packages instant pudding - we use chocolate & vanilla
bunch of oreos
2 cups cool whip
2 cups milk
Make pudding with 1 cup milk and 1 cup cool whip per package.
Let each of your 2 kids smash 8-10 oreos in a zip lock bag
Put one oreo in medium sized dixie-type cup. Layer with pudding and crushed oreos - 2 layers of pudding - three of oreos.
Freeze until firm. Let your kids go wild. Bath children or at least wash faces. With these I figure they are getting SOME calcium, etc. It's a good thing to have in the freezer on hot summer nights.
I'm off to the farmers market this weekend. Inspired by the folks @ Sweet Juniper!
Dish #1
Potatoes, squash or eggplant, onions, sometimes tomatoes
chop 'em all up
drizzle with olive oil
garlic or garlic powder, maybe some salt and pepper
cook on grill in cast iron skillet.
Dishes #2 & 3
Potato Salad & Baked Beans - I almost always make these at the same time
See potato salad recipe in post below.
Baked Beans
1-2 large cans of Bush's Vegetarian Beans
catsup
mustard
hot sauce
brown sugar
cook in crockpot for a good long while (doesn't heat up the kitchen!)
Dish #4
Little Bits of Things on Baguette.
Go to Schnucks olive bar. Purchase the onions, the mushrooms, feta & olives, buffalo mozzerella, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, maybe some artichoke hearts. Serve with hummus
Eat on deck - take a long time to finish.
This is actually a huge hit with everyone. Seth loves hummus. Maya loves feta. Scott and I love everything else and we ALL love baguette!
Dish #5
Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless from Marketday)
Marinate in italian dressing, Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce, whatever. For some reason my kids are LOVING these this summer.)
Dish #6
Pudding Cups (not very highbrow!)
2 packages instant pudding - we use chocolate & vanilla
bunch of oreos
2 cups cool whip
2 cups milk
Make pudding with 1 cup milk and 1 cup cool whip per package.
Let each of your 2 kids smash 8-10 oreos in a zip lock bag
Put one oreo in medium sized dixie-type cup. Layer with pudding and crushed oreos - 2 layers of pudding - three of oreos.
Freeze until firm. Let your kids go wild. Bath children or at least wash faces. With these I figure they are getting SOME calcium, etc. It's a good thing to have in the freezer on hot summer nights.
I'm off to the farmers market this weekend. Inspired by the folks @ Sweet Juniper!
First Family Pic in a Looong time!
All gussied up for MIL's 70th b-day party at Jupiters on 8/17/08.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Curry/Chinese Chicken Salad
In an effort to save money, i've been trying NOT to purchase expensive "special ingredients" which is HARD for me! I get our usual "pantry" items and go with those. (Hence the Pantry pasta salad, etc.)
Also this weekend we bought a smoker at a garage sale ($5! Friend price from my dear friend and neighbor Jenny - came with delivery too!) For our first experiment we did: a brisket, some salmon and a whole chicken. Okay, THOSE were "special ingredients" but so worth it, we've used, or have plans for every single delicious bite! Most of the brisket (w/ BBQ sauce) and salmon were eaten Saturday night along with another batch of pantry pasta salad and grilled potatoes (done in my new lovely square cast iron skillet with "grills" on it. $4.98 on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond!) We even had enough to provide my jet-lagged MIL her friend with dinner.
So - here is Pantry Chinese Chicken Salad
2 cups shredded chicken from a smoked chicken. (a store done rotisserie one would work well too)
1/4 cup mayo ('cause that's all that was left!)
1 T lime juice
1 T honey
1 T soy sauce
½ t curry powder
1/4 cup water
4 interior stalks of celery with fronds - sliced thin
1/4 of a large vidalia - cooked until brown in 2 t canola
1/4 cup sliced almonds½ cup sliced red grapes (green would be fine or dried cranberries or even mandarin oranges)
cilantro for garnish
So - these were all things I had on hand. I made the dressing in the mayo jar to get every last drop of the scant 1/4 cup I had left - shook it up and dressed the salad.
How do you say delicious in Mandarin?!
Also this weekend we bought a smoker at a garage sale ($5! Friend price from my dear friend and neighbor Jenny - came with delivery too!) For our first experiment we did: a brisket, some salmon and a whole chicken. Okay, THOSE were "special ingredients" but so worth it, we've used, or have plans for every single delicious bite! Most of the brisket (w/ BBQ sauce) and salmon were eaten Saturday night along with another batch of pantry pasta salad and grilled potatoes (done in my new lovely square cast iron skillet with "grills" on it. $4.98 on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond!) We even had enough to provide my jet-lagged MIL her friend with dinner.
So - here is Pantry Chinese Chicken Salad
2 cups shredded chicken from a smoked chicken. (a store done rotisserie one would work well too)
1/4 cup mayo ('cause that's all that was left!)
1 T lime juice
1 T honey
1 T soy sauce
½ t curry powder
1/4 cup water
4 interior stalks of celery with fronds - sliced thin
1/4 of a large vidalia - cooked until brown in 2 t canola
1/4 cup sliced almonds½ cup sliced red grapes (green would be fine or dried cranberries or even mandarin oranges)
cilantro for garnish
So - these were all things I had on hand. I made the dressing in the mayo jar to get every last drop of the scant 1/4 cup I had left - shook it up and dressed the salad.
How do you say delicious in Mandarin?!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
My Parents....
This is what I think of when someone says "Potato Salad". My mom is a good cook with some core recipes - this is one. She didn't really learn to cook as a child and didn't have the time raising the three of us, working (usually FT) and getting her masters when I was in high school (ahem - ALL A's!) My dad came later in life to cooking as well. With the scientific things (like perfect eggs), he is the master!
Marjie’s Potato Salad
5 large Yukon gold potatoes (or your preference) scrubbed well
2 T salt for boiling water
½ Vidalia onion very finely minced
3-4 stalks celery finely chopped
¼ to ½ c. dry white wine
2 T butter or margarine
½ - 1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's Olive Oil mayo lately)
3-4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
Paprika to garnish
1. Bring large pot of water to boil and salt liberally. Chop potatoes into large chunks and cook on a low boil until a fork slides into one easily.
2. Drain potatoes, place in large bowl, and immediately (while the potatoes are HOT) dot with butter and sprinkle wine over them. Let wine and butter soak in.
3. Add rest of ingredients in bowl and mix well – taking care not to mash the potatoes. Add ½ cup mayo and see if it’s wet enough. If not – add ¼ cup at a time until it’s how you like.
4. Sprinkle with paprika if the queen is coming to dinner. You can also save one egg and scatter the slices atop the salad & then you will be very fancy.
5. Serve hot if you like (we do), warm or chilled.
Paul’s Hard Boiled Eggs
Put eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Let boil about 1 minute and then turn off heat. Let sit in pot on burner for 15 minutes. Douse eggs with cold water and peel. These will be beautiful (no green ring) every time.
And no, Linda, probably not too points-friendly. Sorry!
Marjie’s Potato Salad
5 large Yukon gold potatoes (or your preference) scrubbed well
2 T salt for boiling water
½ Vidalia onion very finely minced
3-4 stalks celery finely chopped
¼ to ½ c. dry white wine
2 T butter or margarine
½ - 1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's Olive Oil mayo lately)
3-4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
Paprika to garnish
1. Bring large pot of water to boil and salt liberally. Chop potatoes into large chunks and cook on a low boil until a fork slides into one easily.
2. Drain potatoes, place in large bowl, and immediately (while the potatoes are HOT) dot with butter and sprinkle wine over them. Let wine and butter soak in.
3. Add rest of ingredients in bowl and mix well – taking care not to mash the potatoes. Add ½ cup mayo and see if it’s wet enough. If not – add ¼ cup at a time until it’s how you like.
4. Sprinkle with paprika if the queen is coming to dinner. You can also save one egg and scatter the slices atop the salad & then you will be very fancy.
5. Serve hot if you like (we do), warm or chilled.
Paul’s Hard Boiled Eggs
Put eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Let boil about 1 minute and then turn off heat. Let sit in pot on burner for 15 minutes. Douse eggs with cold water and peel. These will be beautiful (no green ring) every time.
And no, Linda, probably not too points-friendly. Sorry!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Susan's Hot Sauce
1 medium Vidalia onion
2 large (or 4 small) roma tomatoes (I would probably get regular red tomatoes with the stems on about now!)
1 green jalapeno
1 red jalapeno
3 cloves garlic
Cilantro (if desired)
Chop onion into quarters and skewer all the veggies. Spray or coat garlic with olive oil.
Grill for 10-15 minutes.
Peel peppers (and de-seed if you wish) and throw everything into blender or food processor. Blend until chunky. Add in ¼ - ½ cup white vinegar and pinch salt. Blend and taste to correct seasonings. Add cilantro and blend again.
YUM! We like on eggs and hash browns, chips, with guacamole, on just about anything!
2 large (or 4 small) roma tomatoes (I would probably get regular red tomatoes with the stems on about now!)
1 green jalapeno
1 red jalapeno
3 cloves garlic
Cilantro (if desired)
Chop onion into quarters and skewer all the veggies. Spray or coat garlic with olive oil.
Grill for 10-15 minutes.
Peel peppers (and de-seed if you wish) and throw everything into blender or food processor. Blend until chunky. Add in ¼ - ½ cup white vinegar and pinch salt. Blend and taste to correct seasonings. Add cilantro and blend again.
YUM! We like on eggs and hash browns, chips, with guacamole, on just about anything!
Pantry Pasta Salad
½ package dried cheese tortellini or more if you have a whole package!
1 cup orzo (cooked separately)
1/4 chunk feta crumbled
3 green onions chopped
1 roasted red pepper chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
20 slices turkey pepperoni sliced
½ cup salad dressing (I used light ceasar)
1 T brown mustard
Mix cooked hot pasta with all ingredients. Eat warm or chilled, as you prefer.
Add in whatever catches your fancy in your pantry or fridge - cubed cheese, chopped ham or turkey, fresh or sundried tomatoes, Vidalia onion, Parmesan, artichoke hearts ( I meant to put these in but forgot!)
Great for lunches when you are sick of sandwiches - LIKE ME!
1 cup orzo (cooked separately)
1/4 chunk feta crumbled
3 green onions chopped
1 roasted red pepper chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
20 slices turkey pepperoni sliced
½ cup salad dressing (I used light ceasar)
1 T brown mustard
Mix cooked hot pasta with all ingredients. Eat warm or chilled, as you prefer.
Add in whatever catches your fancy in your pantry or fridge - cubed cheese, chopped ham or turkey, fresh or sundried tomatoes, Vidalia onion, Parmesan, artichoke hearts ( I meant to put these in but forgot!)
Great for lunches when you are sick of sandwiches - LIKE ME!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
10 Things to Like Today
1. I'm off Friday afternoon.
2. The Lawyer slept last night
3. The kids L*O*V*E their new day camp
4. Fern has been sleeping with me (she hates the C-PAP)
5. We are having a garage sale on Saturday, even though it's a lot of work
6. Monica and I remain friends through everything
7. My new library friends too! And Jenny!!
8. I'll be with my family at the Holcomb Adventure Weekend & Kelly & Fred, etc. on 7/3.
9. *I* slept last night!
10. My new allergy pills seem to work - at least until I get home from work.
Kinda boring - but some days it's the little things......
2. The Lawyer slept last night
3. The kids L*O*V*E their new day camp
4. Fern has been sleeping with me (she hates the C-PAP)
5. We are having a garage sale on Saturday, even though it's a lot of work
6. Monica and I remain friends through everything
7. My new library friends too! And Jenny!!
8. I'll be with my family at the Holcomb Adventure Weekend & Kelly & Fred, etc. on 7/3.
9. *I* slept last night!
10. My new allergy pills seem to work - at least until I get home from work.
Kinda boring - but some days it's the little things......
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Cookie Pizza
Happy Memorial Day!
The kids and I made this delicious cookie pizza. It is from a Betty Crocker kids cookbook. It was a huge hit at our BBQ!
Okay - I know my picture links are not working - but this old clunker computer isn't very cooperative! Click on them to get to flickr.
French Onion Soup
This is a family favorite - traditionally had on Christmas Eve. Credit my SIL Cathy for asking for seconds.... (WHY didn't We think of that!)
I now make several pots a year. I'm the only one at my house who eats it so I eat it every meal for several days. Good crusty bread, smoked provolone, Fiestaware dish and a few minutes under the broiler. Heaven...
Marjie's French Onion Soup
3-4 cans Campbell's Beef Buillone
2 cans water
1 can dry white wine
5 large sweet onions
a buncha butter
worchestershire sauce
pinch of sugar
Slice onions into rings. Over low heat sweat the onions in the butter & sugar until they are soft and transluscent. Seriously, the last time I made this it took 2 COMPLETELY WORTH IT hours. Add in liquids and simmer for a couple hours.
To serve - put in ovenproof bowl, top with crusty bread and smoke provolone and broil. I like my cheese broiled to brown spots!
Merry Christmas!
where to begin?
I've been inspired by Lisa at Champaign Taste to start blogging again. So stay with us and see where we've been. Thanks Lisa!
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