Fancy Chicken

This is my husband's traditional birthday dinner, and, since his birthday is today (Jan. 30th), I'm going to post this yummy chicken dish! It's a crowd pleaser for both kids and adults; it can be doubled effortlessly and cooks, unattended, for 3 1/2 hours--perfect for a party since you can attend to other things while it cooks. We serve it with rice becaue a wonderful gravy forms.

• 8 slices bacon, partially cooked
• 8 chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless)
• 1 jar dried beef, beef cut up in small pieces
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. sour cream

Wrap chicken breasts with bacon and put in a large baking dish (like a 13x9-inch). Sprinkle with beef pieces. Mix soup and sour cream together and pour over chicken. Bake, covered, at 250 degrees for 3 1/2 hours.

Serves 8 amply

"The" Pound Cake

This is a recipe I married into; I actually made it the first time when I was engaged and will be making it this afternoon for the 8th year in a row. This is my husband's birthday cake, a recipe passed down from his grandmother. He always wants this simple, old-fashioned, basic pound cake (were I to be picking my birthday pound cake, I'd pick a cream cheese pound cake or something equally decadent, but I have to admit that the simplicity here is delicious).

• 3 sticks softened butter
• 2 1/4 c. sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 c. milk
• 3 c. flour
• 3 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. mace (optional, but I always put it in)
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 t. vanilla

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Beat 20 minutes all together. 
3. Pour batter into greased and floured tube pan.
4. Put in cold oven. Turn oven to 350 degrees. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes (toothpick test).

Pickled Vegetables

This is another Chinese recipe from my friend Katie. It reminds me, though, of the pickled cabbage that was served as a garnish with EVERY meal I ate in the Czech Republic (I spent three months there in the spring of '95). So, I make this with cabbage mostly. It's a nice way to introduce these veggies to your kids: they're sweet, cold, crunchy, and refreshing.

• 4 c. any combination of the following, cut into bite-sized pieces: bell-peppers, broccoli (florets and/or stems), cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Chinese radish
• 2 t. salt, preferably coarse (such as Kosher)
• 2/3 c. vinegar
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. water
• Optional: slices fresh ginger, fresh or dried chili peppers, white or Sichuan peppercorns

Toss vegetables of your choice with salt and let stand for 30 minutes in the mixing bowl. Drain salt water. Add the vegetables to a jar along with the sugar, vinegar, water, and optional seasonings. Cover the jar loosely so any gas bubbles can escape. Allow 24 hours and then enjoy the pickles. Store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator; keeps at least a year, although they're so good, they probably won't be around that long!

Chipotle Chicken and Rice

Recipe from Take-Out Tonight!

• 1 t. olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c. long-grain rice
• 1 chipotle en adoba, chopped
• 1 can (8-oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 c. water
• 12 pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
• 1 c. frozen peas

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and chipotle; cook 1 minute. Stir in the chicken, tomato sauce, water, and olives; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peas and heat through.

SErves 6

Yogurt with Honey and Walnuts

This is a nice, cooling dessert--perfect for Indian or Greek meals.

Recipe from Take-Out Tonight!

• 1/2 c. walnut halves
• 2 c. yogurt cheese*
• 6 T. honey

*to make 2 cups yogurt cheese, spoon 1 quart plain yogurt into a coffee filter or cheesecloth-lined strainer; set over a bowl and let stand in the refrigerator 2 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast, shaking the pan often, until the nuts are fragrant, 6-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board; cool and coarsely chop.
2. Spoon the yogurt cheese in each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with the honey, then sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.

Hummus

Recipe from Take-Out Tonight!

• 1 can chickpeas
• 4 t. tahini
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1 t. grated lemon rind
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/8 t. cumin
• 1/8 t. salt

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas, reserving 1/3 c. of the liquid; set aside.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, lemon rind, garlic, cumin, and salt. With the processor running, gradually add the reserved chickpea liquid through the feed tube and process until smooth.

Smoked Turkey Sandwiches with Chutney Mayonnaise

This is one of my husband's favorite sandwiches--and it's a Weight Watchers recipe! It's a great way to add in some produce to the lunchbox....

Recipe from Take Out Tonight!

• 1/4 c. fat-free mayonnaise (we use regular)
• 2 T. mango chutney
• 8 slices pumpernickel bread
• 6 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey
• 1 1/4 c. thinly sliced English cucumber
• 2 c. alfalfa sprouts
• 12 grape tomatoes

1. Combine mayo and chutney in small bowl.
2. Divide and spread the chutney mayo on 4 slices of bread. Layer the turkey, cucumber, and sprouts over the top. Cover each sandwich with a slice of the remaining bread. Serve with the tomatoes.

Serves 4

Crockpot Orange Pork (or Chicken)

Recipe from The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook

• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1 t. dried minced onion
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 2 T. white wine
• 2 T. orange juice
• 1/4 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. Tabasco sauce (about 2 shakes)
• 2 pounds boneless center-cut pork chops
• 1 navel orange, pierced 12 times and cut in half
• 2 T. chopped fresh chives, optional

1. Grease the slow cooker crock with the butter (leave excess in the crock). Add all remaining ingredients, except the orange and the pork chops, to the crock and stir to combine.
2. Add the chops and stir to coat with the seasoning mixture. Push orange pieces down into the seasoned chops.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When done cooking, garnish with the chopped chives, if desired.

Serves 4-8

Marinated Herb Roasted Chicken

Another take on herb roasted chicken in the crockpot.

Recipe from The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook

6 c. water

1/2 c. kosher salt (less if regular salt)

1 t. black pepper, divided

2 t. rosemary, divided

2 t. thyme, divided

2 t. oregano, divided

3- to 4-pound young chicken, rinse, with giblets and neck removed

cooking spray

2 T. olive oil

1. In a pitcher, stir together the water, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon oregano; whisk to combine. Set aside. Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag; pour reserved liquid mixture into the bag and seal. Place the bag into a large bowl and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
2. When ready to cook, coat the slow cooker crock with cooking spray. Drain and discard the marinating liquid, and place the bird into the slow cooker. Rub the bird with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Turn the bird breast-side down in the crock.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours; check doneness with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 170 degrees). When done, let the bird rest in the covered slow cooker for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Lemon Roasted Chicken

This is another crock-pot roasted chicken, not as moist as the Rotisserie Chicken, but tasty nonetheless.

Recipe from The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook

cooking spray

3- to 4-pound young chicken, rinsed, with giblets and neck removed

2 lemons

2 T. olive oil

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

1. Coat slow cooker crock with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Pierce each lemon six times with a sharp paring knife. Slice lemons in half.
3. Rub the entire chicken with olive oil and sprinkle the outside with salt and pepper. Place the lemons in the cavity of the bird and place the chicken into the slow cooker crock, breast-side down.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours; check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 170 degrees). When done, let chicken rest, uncovered, in the crock for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

For lemon rosemary chicken, crush 3 tablespoons dried rosemary between your fingers, then rub 1 tablespoon of it into the chicken cavity and sprinkle the remainder on the skin with the salt and pepper.

For lemon basil chicken, roughly chop 1/2 cup fresh basil. Slide 2 tablespoons of the basil under the skin of the chicken breast, and place the remainder into the chicken cavity.

Chicken-Pecan Quiche

This is a manly quiche; that is, it's hearty, filling, and a touch spicy (and one of my husband's favorites). It's quite a bit of work unless you think ahead a wee bit and make it later the same week that you make Chicken Enchiladas (the ingredient list is very similar--I'll post that recipe sometime!). If most of your ingredients are prepped, it's a snap to throw together, works well for dinner and then leftover as breakfast, and is also a great dish to take to people who are moving, just had a baby, etc. because it can be eaten for any meal of the day! And, if your New Year's resolution was to go on a low-carb diet, this is the quiche for you! (It's NOT low-calorie or low-fat by any stretch of the imagination, but worth every last little calorie.)

Recipe from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. chicken broth (can use water in a pinch)
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
• 1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c. minced onion
• 3 drops hot sauce, optional
• 1/4 c. pecan halves

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Add oil; stir well. Firmly press mixture in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep dish pieplate. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Combine sour cream and next 3 ingredients; stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken, 1/2 cup of cheese, onion, and hot sauce, if using. Pour chicken mixture over prepared crust. Arrange pecan halves over chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until set (mine usually takes a bit longer). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
   

Makes 8 servings

Menu Planning on the Fly: Toddlers and Leftovers

I used to plan my menus every week fairly meticulously, especially when we were on a really tight food budget. Now, with two toddlers and a preschooler, planning them meticulously is merely a lesson in frustration and wasted food. So, I'm learning to make plenty of the dishes that can be reused in multiple ways, make less of food that won't reheat well, and eat leftovers for lunch while my kids eat PB&J. You just never know when they're going to love something and eat all of it, or decide they're simply not hungry that night. I don't cook for my children's whims of taste/hunger; I cook regular meals that my husband and I enjoy and that the children can physically eat (and frequently which include ingredients they've previously eaten with gusto). I don't expect them to love super spicy foods, but otherwise, it's their choice whether to eat what's in front of them. If they don't like it, then they can wait for the next meal and I won't sweat it. Thus, my days of planning nice, weekly menus are over. What do I do now?

I make a list of 3-5 meals that I plan to fix; one or two meals will give guaranteed leftovers, and at least one of those is a meal that can be held until the following week (perhaps the ingredients are frozen or pantry staples or they can be used in lunches or breakfast meals--something like quiche or spaghetti, etc.). I also keep dried and canned beans on hand, frozen vegetables, pasta, canned tuna and salmon, meat in the freezer, and miscellaneous fresh vegetables. Then, I can whip something up without going to the store if we've actually eaten all the meals I planned for!

Below is our menu from the previous two weeks. We had a lot of leftovers from a fondue party to work with (cabbage, leftover slaw, rice, broth, various meat), a lot of potatoes from a science day hubby led at a local school (he'd bought a 10 pound bag and we had a lot leftover!), a thawed turkey we'd planned to eat with our neighbors, and at the end of the first week, my father-in-law gave us a 4.5 pound pork loin! We served my in-laws at the beginning of the week, our neighbors the turkey dinner, more neighbors the wild rice and turkey soup, and 10 friends for the fondue dinner. I went to the grocery 1 time for this entire amount of food/menus because I just kept using what we ended up with (except a box of salad mix and a bag of oranges we picked up at Sam's)! I'm even coming out way ahead for January's food budget.

• Friday: Fondue Party for 12 (kids ate hot dogs or something like that)
  
• Saturday: Free Fondue Soup (for lunch and dinner); bread; leftover chocolate fondue (kids ate ?)
  
• Sunday: Roast Turkey with all the fixin's for lunch(we did turkey, gravy, green beans and the last of the chocolate fondue; they did mashed potatoes, stuffing, and bread); Free Fondue Soup and turkey sandwiches for dinner. (we stayed home from church with sick kids, so that's why we got to do the big dinner for lunch!)
  
• Monday: lunch was turkey sandwiches; dinner was more Free Fondue Soup and miscellaneous turkey dinner leftovers; chocolate fondue for dessert
  
• Tuesday: Broccoli and Meat stir-fry (using leftover pork from fondue night--frozen the night of the party--and leftover broccoli from fondue night); lunch was leftovers of some sort
• Wednesday: Potato Soup; Cuban Bread
• Thursday: Potato, Cabbage, Sausage soup (using more potatoes, cabbage left over from fondue night slaw, and frozen kielbasa); leftover cuban bread
• Friday: Light and Easy Italian Chicken; mashed potatoes; frozen green beans; bread
• Saturday: at in-laws to celebrate grandmother-in-law's 85th birthday. Dad sent us home with a 4.5 pound pork loin, so you know what's on the menu for the coming week!

Lunches for the previous week included leftover light and easy italian chicken stuffed into mini pitas, topped with grated cheese, and run under the broiler; turkey sandwiches for hubby; leftovers undisguised; pb&j; etc.

Week 2:

• Sunday: Pancakes and Sausage
• Monday: Roast Pork Loin (some of it I froze; I cooked about 3 pounds), salad, can't remember what else?!
• Tuesday: Turkey and Wild Rice Soup (mmmmmm... using frozen turkey stock and turkey meat) with bread and salad
• Wednesday: Turkey and Wild Rice Soup, bread, salad
• Thursday: Brazilian Black Beans over rice, salad (rice was leftover rice from fondue party that I'd frozen)
• Friday: lunch was quesadillas made with leftover black beans and rice; dinner--on the road to my parents' for my mother's surprise 60th birthday party

Lunches included pork sandwiches, black bean and rice quesadillas, turkey soup. etc.

Breakfast leftovers included the discovery of leftover oatmeal muffins!

Pumpkin Pudding

This simple dessert is essentially pumpkin pie without the crust. My entire family loves it (especially topped with whipped cream). It's made with evaporated milk and sugar instead of the usual sweetened condensed milk. As a result, it's a little less sweet and artificial sweetener could probably be substituted for the sugar if you needed to (I've never tried). Throw this together for a healthy, family-friendly dessert, especially if you're serving vegetables your toddlers won't eat, or the meal "needs something else."

Recipe from Super Foods Rx

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground ginger, optional (I always add)

1/4 t. ground cloves, optional (I always add)

2 large eggs

1 15-oz. can solid pack pumpkin

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk (can use fat free)

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a whisk. Stir in the pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Pour into a shallow oven proof dish and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes. Don't overbake; the center should be slightly wiggly.* Cool and enjoy at room temperature or chill for later use. (Top with whipped cream!)

*I overcooked mine a bit in this picture; as you can see, we'd already "dug in" before I could whip the camera out.

Serves 4-8, depending on how much you want! The five of us can polish off the entire recipe easily.

Brazilian Black Beans

This delicious and relatively simple recipe really jazzes up plain black beans and rice. I think the wine adds a key touch, but according to the cookbook, you can substitute orange juice. The combination of black beans and oranges is a Brazilian/South American one; you don't taste "orange" in the finished dish, but it really adds to the background flavors. This will be a regular winter player around here--while oranges are in season and so cheap. Even better, it takes roughly 1/2 an hour to make!

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, 10th ann. edition (recipe is called "Black Beans with Orange")

• 3-4 c. cooked black beans with 1 cup cooking liquid (or 2 cans black beans, undrained)
  
• 1 T. ground cumin
  
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 navel orange, well washed
  
• 2 T. olive oil*
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 1 red bell pepper, preferably red or yellow, chopped**
  
• 1 or 2 fresh chiles, seeded and chopped, or 1 or 2 dried chiles, soaked, cleaned, and chopped (optional--I left out)
  
• 1 T. minced garlic (or more!)
  
• 1/2 c. dry red wine or freshly squeezed orange juice
  
• chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
  

*You may cook about 1 pound smoked sausage or Italian sausage or pork shoulder, cut up, first. If using meat, you won't need the extra oil

**These freeze well, so if you have some frozen from this summer, this meal is quite inexpensive!

1. Put the beans and their liquid in a large pot over medium heat; add the cumin and a good pinch of salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.
   
2. Halve the orange. Peel one half and add the peel to the beans, then divide the segments and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the other half and set aside.
3. If using meat, cook it in a large skillet; when done (or browned, if you're using fully cooked sausage), add meat to beans and use remaining drippings. If not using meat, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and chiles, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add this mixture to the beans.
4. Turn the heat under the skillet up to high and add the wine. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add to the beans along with the reserved orange juice (you'll end up with a few tablespoons, if that, of wine). Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with rice, garnished with reserved orange sections and fresh cilantro.
5. If making ahead, store in refrigerator for up to 2 days, adding garnishes after final reheating.

Serves 4

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins

Next time you're stuck with leftover oatmeal, make these muffins! Not very sweet, they're delicious with a bit of butter and honey on them. (Mix up the dry ingredients in one bowl and the liquid in another the night before you want them for breakfast; then, just combine the two bowls in the morning and you're ready to pop them in the oven!)

UPDATE 6/05/12: as my kids have gotten older and wanted more/bigger muffins and wanted them a touch sweeter, I now do the following: make 2 recipes for 18 muffins AND add a cinnamon topping: 2 t. melted butter, 2 t. cinnamon, 4 t. flour, and 4 T. sugar. Not quite as healthy, but since there's so little sugar/fat in the original, I don't feel too badly ☺. I'll end up with extra muffins this way, but somehow they always disappear. I suppose I could do 1 1/2 recipes for about 12 muffins.

Recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 13th edition

1 1/2 c. flour (white whole wheat is fine)

2 T. sugar

4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. milk

1 egg, well beaten

2 T. butter, melted, or 2 T. oil

1 c. cooked oatmeal (more or less)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter the muffin pans or line with paper wrappers. Combine dry ingredients together in small bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the egg, milk, and butter into the oatmeal. Stir until well blended. Combine the two mixtures and mix well. Spoon each muffin cup 2/3 full of batter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry when inserted into the center.

Makes 12 medium muffins

Cookbook Review: Fannie Farmer Cookbook

I recently rediscovered this old friend: The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 13th edition (100th anniversary edition). To my knowledge, there hasn't been an edition since this 1996 one, so my review should be applicable to what you will find in the stores!

I do not know why I put this one up for a while--what an error! I've been trying to go back to more "from scratch" cooking, and just wasn't finding the simple, homey recipes I wanted in Joy or even in Better Homes. But, Fannie Farmer has what I need!

This book is a true all-purpose cookbook, like Joy is, with detailed information on all kinds of food and preparation techniques. Its recipes, though, are more "down home" like Better Homes and Gardens tends to be (but without the "cream soup" and other ready made ingredients). So, it's a nice cross between the two. The baking section has a wonderful variety of simple, easy to make breads, cornbreads, muffins, scones, etc. There is a great "outdoor" section as well with lots of great marinades and other grilling favorites. There are also microwave notes, indicating when a recipe can be cooked successfully in the microwave.

Books published since the 1990's tend to have more comprehensive vegetable/bean/grain sections, but this cookbook still has a nice variety (and even has an entire section on vegetarian cuisine). I turn to my more contemporary cookbooks for stir fries and the like, but for the reliable, basic, tasty recipes, this is now back on my kitchen counter with the few, the proud, ....

Microwave Cream Sauce (Bechamel Sauce)

No more standing over the stove stirring! No more skipping recipes that begin with "1 recipe Bechamel Sauce, p.--"!

You can make this thicker or thinner by adding more or less flour. Slightly thicker will lend you a nice substitute for cream-based soups, especially by adding sauteed mushrooms, herbs, spices, etc.

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste (taste it--it often needs more salt than you think!)

Melt butter in 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup (cover it with a paper towel) in microwave (~20 seconds or so on high). Stir in flour until mixture is smooth. Pour in milk (butter/flour will clump up but that's okay!). Stir what you can, then put cup back in microwave. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one (this takes about 1 1/2 minutes or so). When mixture starts thickening, start checking/stirring after 20 second intervals. When it's done to your liking, then it's done!

Makes about 1 1/4 cups or so

To make cheese sauce, add 1/2 cup or so grated cheese after sauce is done; let it sit for a few minutes, then stir the cheese in.

Chocolate Fondue

This is an incredibly easy, unbelievably good dessert recipe to know. You can whip it up between dinner and dessert; your guests (or family) will think you are quite the gourmet chef. Using good chocolate is key since there are so few ingredients. We're partial to Ghiradelli Bittersweet chips. Our favorite dippers: pound cake, angel food cake, bananas, strawberries, apples, shortbread, cookies in general, other "snack cakes" (i.e. un-iced cakes).

3/4 c. heavy cream
12 ounces good quality chocolate, broken into small pieces if not "chips"
1-2 tablespoons Cognac, brandy, or other liqueur

Heat the cream until hot in a small saucepan; it will start to bubble slightly at the edges. Pour in the chocolate, move the saucepan off the heat, and let it sit for 3 minutes (resist the urge to stir! Just make sure the chocolate is all under the cream or close to it and walk away...).

The best part: after 3 minutes, start stirring. The fondue will come together as you stir, slowly and gently. Then, stir in your chosen alcohol (this helps cut the taste and keep the fondue smoother). Pour into desired fondue pot and serve.

Serves 4-6 amply

Store leftover fondue in fridge; heat to reuse (or just scoop some out and eat as candy)

Cookbooks in Current Rotation

I'm limiting myself to 5 cookbooks on my counter at any given point. They're the cookbooks that are most in use currently and the ones to which I go to first to look up menu options, particular recipes, brainstorm, etc.

As of January, 2010 (in no particular order)

1. Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 13th edition (see my review)
2. How to Cook Everything, 10th anniversary edition (see my review)
3. Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition (see my review)
4. More-With-Less cookbook, 25th anniversary edition (see my review)
5. Cuisinart food processor book (came with my new food processor--not using it much for recipes, but it's got recipes in it so I'm counting it...)

"Free" Fondue Soup: Two Asian Chicken Soups

We had a lovely little fondue dinner party the other night. I used broth instead of oil for the meat course (homemade chicken broth from chicken backs and wings that were in my freezer). The guests brought the "dippers," so we had a nice variety of meat: pork, chicken, beef, and shrimp. I served an Asian cabbage slaw that guests "dressed" at the plates (the mixture in the bowl was dry) and plain rice plus several Asian-style dipping sauces. The next day, I realized that I had the makings of some yummy Asian soups on hand in the fridge. Here's what I did (you can do this, too, anytime you cook a chicken or chicken parts--think through what you are having for dinner and make extra if you want it for soup the next day).

Saved the broth from the fondue pots

Sauteed some onion, carrots, celery in a little bit of oil. Poured the stock over it (I had two pots going).

In Pot A, I added: chopped cabbage slaw mix (had Napa cabbage, green cabbage, green onions, small bits of bell pepper and carrot), leftover cubed (raw) chicken, crushed garlic, and some salt and pepper. When the chicken was cooked through, I threw in some Ramen noodles (without the seasoning). Ta Da...

In Pot B, I added: more chopped carrots, some frozen peas, leftover cubed (raw) chicken, soy sauce, and some salt and pepper. When the chicken was cooked through, I added some leftover rice. Voila!

Both are yummy: faintly exotic tasting (due to the shrimp from the night before no doubt) and almost free since nearly all the ingredients are leftover. We ate off of them for several days.

Lentil and Onion Croquettes

I mentioned these as a product of my Mujadarrah leftovers when I was outlining some creative toddler meals in this week's Toddler Tidbits, but even my husband liked them. I adapted the recipe below a little so I could use up our leftovers, but I imagine they would taste pretty much the same. They're a little grainy in texture--almost dry--so they really benefit from some sort of sauce (we used ketchup and it was very tasty; it worked with the fried, crispy outside). Plus, they make a pantry meal look so interesting!

Recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

• 2 c. chopped onion
• 2 T. olive oil, butter, or a mixture
• salt and pepper
• 1 c. lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 1/2 c. finely diced celery
• 1/2 c. finely diced carrot
• 2 c. soft bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• vegetable oil for frying

1. In a medium skillet over low heat, cook the onion in the olive oil, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're browned, meltingly soft, and full of aroma, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, combine the lentils, celery, carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Add water to cover by 3 inches, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid for soup stock. Puree the lentils in a food processor until smooth but still retaining a little texture. Add some of the reserved broth if needed.
3. Mix the lentils with the onion and half the bread crumbs. Season well with salt and pepper, then stir in the egg. Spread the mixture out on a platter or tray to cool so that it will be easier to handle. Form the mixture into 3-inch ovals or rounds 2.5 inches across. Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a plate and roll the croquettes in them. (You can do this ahead of time and cover with saran wrap; alternately, you can simply make the mixture up ahead of time, wrap, and mold into patties when you're ready.)
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Pour the oil into a skillet to the depth of 1/4 inch and place over medium-high heat. Fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove them to paper towels to drain and put in the oven to keep warm. Finish frying the others, then serve them all together.

Serves 6 as a main course

To make from Leftover Mujadarrah:

Substitute 2 cups or so of mujadarrah for the lentil-vegetable-bread crumb mixture. Puree until it's quite crumbly/mushy, but not liquid. Combine with onions and egg. Proceed as directed.

Tuesday's Toddler Tidbits: Leftovers in Disguise

Don't you absolutely hate it when you fix a meal that used to be a "guarantee" and your kids won't eat it this go 'round? You have leftovers--some even on their plates that haven't been touched...what do you do with them?

Have you also noticed that presentation is everything? My kids love fun sounding words and little bundles or packages of things. With that in mind, I made "Lentil Croquettes" from our leftover Mujadarrah, served them with ketchup, and they inhaled every last little pureed lentil/rice leftover (mwa-ha-ha-ha). They turned up their noses at Fancy Spinach, so the next day at lunch, I spooned clumps of it into crescent rolls, baked them, and the little urchins scarfed them down. Spanakopita (a Greek spinach pie that is nearly identical to Fancy Spinach but made with phyllo dough) is so much more appealing to them if I make it into Tiropites instead (the EXACT same thing, but the dough is rolled into individual triangles instead...).

So, next time you're in a funk with some interesting looking leftovers, trying pureeing them loosely and either binding them together with egg and bread crumbs/mashed potatoes/etc. and frying them in a skillet (voila: croquettes or "cakes" or "patties" or whatever you want to call them) or burying the clump of stuff in some sort of bread/dough product. Amazing things might happen, especially if you teach them a new, fun word in the process!

Leftovers and Old-Fashioned Cooking

There are some meals that, at the mere thought, take me back to the kitchen table of my childhood: split pea soup, roast beef hash on Jiffy cornbread, cornbread dressing.... And there are a few meals that I have made since starting out on my own that create similar "homey" feelings in my mind. I realized recently that these meals are all made from leftovers. The "30 minutes or less" versions wouldn't cut it, although the meal itself doesn't take too much time to make if you already have the leftovers on hand.

The way so many of us are tempted to cook these days doesn't leave many usable leftovers on hand (unless you want to eat the exact same meal again in the same form). But, when you have leftover roast beef, making roast beef hash is quite straightforward; it tastes even better with the well-seasoned leftover roast beef. Split pea soup is a given in our house every time we have a ham; that ham bone starts me salivating even before we've made the first carving of meat. Cornbread dressing (officially listed as "vegetable of the day" at Cracker Barrel once...) is made best with leftover homemade biscuits and cornbread. We made a cream of turkey and wild rice soup last year with our leftover turkey carcass and resulting stock--and have been waiting to cook another turkey ever since just so we can have that carcass and stock!

When you plan your meals, consider the quick cooking you'll have with some of the leftovers of a more time-consuming meal. It sort of all balances out in the end. I roast a chicken early in the week, make the stock that same night, and then have all sorts of quick meals begun already; the initial work pays off in healthier, cheaper, TASTIER, quicker meals later.

We are cooking our turkey today (having spent our holidays all elsewhere) because... we want those turkey leftovers! Our neighbors are joining us because they, too, haven't had a good plateful of turkey leftovers at their house this year either. We'll eat the obligatory roast turkey today and then...the sky's the limit! Good turkey sandwiches, cream of turkey and wild rice soup, cooked turkey in the freezer waiting to be popped into a casserole or soup. Mmmm.....

5 Hour Beef Stew

This is my mother-in-law's recipe: a simple, classic, oven-cooked beef stew. Throw this in the oven on a cold day and let it cook all afternoon.

• 1 1/2 pounds beef cubes
• 1 large can tomatoes
• 1 c. celery (chopped)
• 1 c. carrots (sliced or chopped)
• 1 c. potatoes (raw and cubed)
• onions--sliced or cut in 8ths
• 4 T. tapioca
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 T. sugar

Put all in a large, covered casserole and bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours.

Serves 4-6

Aunt Betty's Spinach Dish

"Aunt Betty" is my great-aunt; she brought this to our Thanksgiving dinner a while back and everyone raved over it. It's simple and a crowd pleaser.

2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 can artichokes

Thaw spinach and drain. Mix cream cheese and butter. Drain artichokes, cut in half, and layer on bottom of (8 " square) casserole dish. Mix spinach with cream cheese and butter. Pour over artichokes. Bake at 325 until hot. Drizzle with lemon juice.

"Can Dinner"

My friend Katie sent this to me as part of an email recipe exchange; the directions stipulated that it must be an easy recipe, preferably one you can make without a recipe at all! This fits the bill and would make a great supper at the end of a day playing outside in the cold, running errands, or even a day when Mom is too sick/tired to do anything else! It would also be a great use for chicken stock if you make your own earlier in the week and don't have any specific plans for it....

In a large pot throw together:
2 cans beans rinsed and drained (I use black & kidney)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn drained
5 or so cups broth (can use water instead)
about 5 dashes cumin
1 small dash chili powder

After assembling all the above, cook 2-3 cloves chopped
garlic and 1 onion in olive oil, then add to pot.

Simmer everything about 40 min-1 hour.

Katie serves this with cheese and sour cream (or plain yogurt)
and cornbread made with cream corn: use two Jiffy
corn muffin mixes, add the eggs, half the milk (the
amt of milk for 1 box) and one can cream corn. Bake as
muffins or as Johnny cake in a square dish.

She says to let your own taste buds be your guide with the soup and
add whatever else you'd like.
The soup and cornbread freeze well!!!

ENJOY!

10 New Year's Food Goals and Resolutions

I prefer goals to resolutions because they're a bit more concrete and easy to shoot for. However, I've had a hard time quantifying some of my goals in relation to the kitchen, so here's a list of both concrete goals and vague resolutions....

1. Eat more produce! 3 servings each of fruits and veggies/day. We have a hard time meeting the veggie goal, but I'm going to try.
2. Stay within the food budget! We have a great budget for our grocery/eating out expenses. I have to be conscientious, but not pinch every last penny.
3. Use up most leftovers! We throw away too much food, so I'm going to try to figure out creative ways to use leftovers--even those left on actual plates. For instance, did you know that you can take leftover cooked oatmeal and turn it into oat griddle cakes? Hmmmm.... interesting, eh? Did you know that Chicken-Pecan Quiche uses many of the same ingredients as Chicken Enchiladas? I actually use my ingredients more efficiently by cooking them the same week (both recipes will be posted this week).
   
4. Cook/Eat responsibly. I think it's more responsible from a budget standpoint, environmental standpoint, and health standpoint to do things such as cook whole chickens and make my own broth from the leftovers rather than simply buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts and storebought broth.
5. Eat more local food. I already shop at a produce stand that gets a fair amount of local produce; we'd like to start reducing our cheese intake so that we can also afford the cheese from a local dairy and other small changes like that.
6. Make my own bread! I used to do this regularly and miss the bread so much. I'm salivating just thinking of it. It wasn't hard, and I think I could bring it back into the routine. I'm having lots less computer time available because I need to be pretty mindful of my three little whirling dervishes, but at least one can help me with the bread (whereas, none of them can help me with computer-related interests).
7. Read In Defense of Food! I've skimmed the first section of The Omnivore's Dilemma and decided to skip to this next book. Both are quite interesting.
8. Limit my cookbooks to 5 on the counter at a time. (Hard when you own 45+ and so many have such interesting recipes).
9. Simplify my cooking/prep work. I think we're at a time in our lives (with three young children) where simple is better--more appealing to the kids and easier on a harried momma. It's also usually healthier and cheaper!
10. Put some old family favorites on this blog--there are lots of recipes floating around in our family that exist only on random index cards and the like, but which would be cause for tremendous mourning were they to vanish someday. So, I would like to put the famous pecan pie, cornbread dressing, chocolate ice box cake, homemade eggnog, fruitcake, boiled custard, no-peek casserole, mock ravioli, and other such family memories out into cyberspace where they can't get dripped on, thrown away, or chewed by the family pet (am I right, Carrie?!). Many of these are holiday favorites that I can't imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas without.
    

Transitional Table Food

Transitional table food is any food you prepare that will work both for regular eaters and for older infants and older adults--in short, this is food that is soft-textured and/or tender and not too spicy, perfect for those with few teeth and not much coordination! Most of these recipes are also fairly nutrient dense--a bonus if the person may not be eating big portions of anything. If you have elderly people in the house or older infants, you may be searching for these kinds of recipes--if only to fix something once or twice a week that everyone can eat. In addition, you can use these recipes if you will be hosting a family with needs like these.

The list below includes links to all recipes on this blog that we have served to our older infants or which fit into this category nicely. I've stayed away from recipes that are very spicy, very acidic (tomatoes and/or vinaigrette), and full of harder/crunchy ingredients. I've also stayed away from most desserts and bread products--figuring that those are easy to find on your own. Remember to cut items into small pieces.

Breakfast Type Foods
Blueberry Yogurt Shake
Toddler Smoothies
Cottage Cheese and Spinach Gratin
Creamed Eggs on Toast
Apple Dutch Baby
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Homemade Pancake Mix
Croutons for Breakfast
Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Porridge
Apple Oatmeal
Best Scones Ever
Morning Glory Muffins
Oatmeal Muffins

Main Dishes
Black Bean Lasagna
Meatless Manicotti
Vegetarian Casserole
Chicken and Rice
Butternut Squash Soup
Noodles with Broccoli and Meat
Chipotle Cheddar Chicken Cakes
Creamy Peanut Chicken
Crock Pot Fajita Chicken
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
Fragrant Sticky Chicken
Herb Roasted Chicken
Pan Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Simple Sauteed Chicken Breasts
Mediterranean Salmon Cakes
Cheese and Tofu Stuffed Shells
Two Bean Tamale Pie
Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions
Special Mac and Cheese
Quesadillas

Side Dishes
Foolproof Brown Rice
Mexican Rice Skillet
Easy Roasted Carrots
Easy Corn Casserole
Fried Corn
Springtime Peas
Easy Roasted Potatoes
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Fancy Spinach
Butternut Squash Souffle
Baked Butternut Squash with Apples
Roasted Acorn Squash
Sweet Potato Souffle
Sweet Potatoes and Pears
Buttered Apples Slices

Other (snacks and such)
Peanut Butter Bread
Cream Cheese Balls
Banana Snack Cake
Homemade Jello
Pumpkin Yogurt