Spaghetti Squash with Kale Pesto

Well, it's happened. I'm on a veggie kick. I haven't eaten, bought, or made a piece of meat for over a week either for my kids or myself. My husband and I took a long look at our eating habits and I realized that we were getting fatter and raising our kids to grow up as fat, slobby Americans too. Then we watched a documentary called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". We were stunned at how the fat seemed to melt off of the two guys in the movie and how quickly it happened. That was it for me. We changed our eating habits the next day. Since then, my husband and I have been drinking home made juice for breakfast and lunch while snacking on raw fruits and veggies throughout the day. We finish it off with a healthy veggie based dinner. We're only five days into the "new" us, but I've lost 5 pounds and my husband has lost 7. I'm liking this new diet and I feel like for the most part, it's something we can continue to sustain once we've lost the amount of weight we'd like to lose. As a result, I'm posting vegan friendly dishes, of course. There won't be any bread, rice, or pasta either.

As a side note, I have still been feeding my kids some carbs. The little dears are growing and need a balanced intake of food. But now they're getting a lot more fruits and veggies and less processed crap.


Spaghetti Squash with Kale Pesto

Ingredients:
2-4 large spaghetti squash
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
½ pound lacinato kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped (1 medium bunch should do)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp Emril's Essence Seasoning, plus extra to taste (recipe follows)
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (this is optional)
Ground black pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut squash in halves, scoop out seeds and pulp. Rub olive oil around inside squash and at edges. Season with salt, pepper, and Seasoning to taste. Place on aluminum foil lined baking sheet face down. Bake for 30-40 minutes until skin is easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add kale and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. While kale is cooking, brown walnuts in a heavy skillet with no oil until toasted. You'll need to stir these constantly so they don't burn. If they burn, they'll turn bitter. You'll know they are toasted because they'll darken just slightly and be fragrant. Remove them from heat.

When kale is soft, drain it and toss it in a blender or food processor with garlic and walnuts. Mix until kale is in tiny pieces. Add oil and Seasoning and pulse the items together. Transfer to a new container and hand mix in the cheese. Add pepper to taste. (This pesto can be kept for up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

When the squash is done, take it out, flip it over and let cool so that you can handle it without burning your fingers. When ready, scrape out the spaghetti like strands from the squash onto plates and top with the pesto. Voila! Enjoy!

Emeril's Essence Seasoning

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Blend all together in airtight container.

From the dregs of the pantry...

Comes Hamburger-Ramen-Vegetable-Thing! So I'm sitting in my kitchen today having come home very late from what could have been (but wasn't) an awesome seminar. My kids are hungry; my husband is already home; I'm tired; and the last thing I wanted to do was cook. I didn't really want to order-in either because we've been eating a LOT of pizza lately due to Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Vacation. So I'm staring at this pound of beef I thawed out and I'm trying to decide what to do with it, when I get the idea to just sort of go at it with the basics. That's how I came up with this surprising tasty bit of one skillet supper. It's not fancy, but the kids ate seconds and so did my husband. It was perfect for a quick meal and will definitely go on my list of regular, and inexpensive dinners.

Hamburger-Ramen-Vegetable-Thing

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups water
1 can cream of mushroom
2 1/2 cups frozen veggies (I used 1 1/2 cups frozen carrots, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup frozen corn)
1 can of mushroom stems and pieces (with juice)
3 pkg of chicken flavored ramen with seasoning.

Okay, ready for the super easy part? Brown beef. Drain. Wipe down skillet with a paper towel to get the excess grease. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes until ramen and veggies are soft and warm. Absolutely no talent needed. I also tried it with a little sour cream. It gave it a stroganoff-y sort of taste. If you're after that flavor, then I would add about 3/4 cup right at the end. Simple. I didn't even add any additional spices since the ramen seasoning did that for me. The sodium content was probably outrageous, but I'm pretending like I didn't notice. Enjoy!

4 Ingredients, Quick and Easy

My Italian is hanging out again. And so is my laziness. And my desire to get dinner on the table quickly. And my it's two days before payday and my fridge is empty, what am I going to feed the kids? This recipe is perfect because it's easy, quick, filling, and inexpensive.

4 Ingredient Pasta Cassarole

A box of Pasta (1 lb) - I tend to use rotini, but use what ya got.
A can or jar of spaghetti sauce (onion and garlic tends to work best, but again, use what you have on hand.)
A packet of Italian dressing mix
Enough mozzarella cheese to cover a 13x9 dish to the thickness you like. (Generally 1 to 1 1/2 cups, but you can use less.)

1. Cook the pasta. Drain.
2. Mix sauce and dressing mix together. Add pasta.
3. Place in a 13x9 baking dish and cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and pasta is heated.

Unstuffed Peppers

Okay, the honesty is going to pop out of this post today, but sometimes that's what ya gotta do. I don't really like green peppers. I don't really like red peppers. I don't like yellow or orange peppers for that matter, either. And I really HATE stuffed peppers. Don't know why. It's just one of those things I guess. Now I'm not going to try to fool you into thinking that I love this next dish. That would be a lie. HOWEVER, I'm not going to tell you that I hate it either. It taste like an everyday dinner to me, because I figured out a fantastic way to keep those darn peppers away from me. I did it out of necessity, because my ex-husband was a pepper fanatic! He ate peppers constantly. Ewww. So I created a dish I like to call Unstuffed Peppers. This way, I don't have to eat them and the stuffing is good (because it's my recipe). If you like peppers, then you'll probably love this and if you don't like peppers, but someone else does, then give this a shot.

Unstuffed Peppers

1 lb ground turkey or beef
1/2 medium onion
2 cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 bell peppers, diced or chopped (as fine as you can stand them)
1 1/2 bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
3 c. large macaroni noodles (there's the Italian in me again.)
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
2 T olive oil
1/4 t garlic powder
1 t oregano
1 t parsley
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Brown meat. Drain.
2. Add onion, chopped pepper, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and noodles to meat. Cook until noodles and peppers are soft. Add garlic, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper.
3. Saute sliced pepper in olive oil (this is optional. Cook them the way the pepper lover likes. My ex used to want them not cooked at all.)
4. Arrange sliced peppers on a plate. Top with meat mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan on top if desired.
5. Enjoy.

Couldn't find it.

So it's probably apparent that I couldn't find the recipe I was looking for, hence my not posting it or really anything for the last few days. Sorry, guys. I'll try harder to stay on top of stuff.

Today's recipe should totally make up for missing those few days. I call it Pasta Salad Stuffed Tomatoes and it's perfect for a hot day. I've been dreaming about it all day because I live in Kansas and it's been over 100 degrees F for the last few days (literally deadly). This can be served warm or cold and both ways it's a treat. I use orzo (which looks like rice) or really any small pasta (stars, acini de pepe, or pastina, work well) so my kids never think that they're eating another pasta dish. What can I say? I'm Italian at heart and so is most of my cooking.

Pasta Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

1 cup uncooked orzo or other small pasta
1 pkg. diced, cooked chicken breast
1 cup crumbled feta or Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c sun-dried tomato pesto (if you can't find this then mix even parts drained-sun dried tomatoes and pesto. It won't be the same, but it will still taste yum.)
1/4 t salt
2 T lemon juice
4 medium tomatoes

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with water to cool; drain well.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken, cheese, basil, pesto & salt. Stir gently to mix and refrigerate until pasta is cooled and ready.
3. Add orzo to chicken mixture. Toss gently. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
4. To make tomato cups, cut off stem end and scoop out pulp; discard. Spoon salad mixture into tomato cups.
5. Enjoy!

A borrowed lasagne

Today's hidden veggie recipe comes from a website called The Sneaky Chef. Apparently this chick makes a living hiding veggies. I've never posted an address and suggested people go there for today's recipe, but I'm going to do it today because I'm going with a theme and I can't find the last recipe that I was planning on posting. Hopefully, it will surface for tomorrows post or else I'm just going to have to move on. If hiding veggies is something that seriously interests you, I strongly suggest you poke around on this lady's website. She has plenty of everything for your picky eaters. And she does a great job showing how a little creativity will go a long way in the kitchen. The only advice I'll give is beware of brownies. I've tried adding spinach to mine and the kids can always tell that there is something not quite right with them. So check out this site, it has a recipe for a fairly quick (considering the item) lasagne on it.

http://www.thesneakychef.com/free_recipe_speedy_lasagna.php

Burgers, Anyone?

Yes! Burgers! Even something so wild and wholesome as a hamburger can be loaded with hidden veggies! That's right, I said hidden! Don't tell the hubby; don't tell the kids! Just make and enjoy. It's a new twist on an old favorite and since the veggies are mostly hidden, no one will whine about it. See what you think:

Hidden Veggie Burgers

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms (white is generally best)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped or grated zucchini
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T ketchup
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 T olive oil
Hamburger buns, for serving plus optional toppings (cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, etc)

1. Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix meat, mushrooms, crumbs, zucchini, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, and pepper. It's going to be a little runny. Don't worry about it too much. If you decide to grill them, put a piece of aluminum foil down first so they don't slime or break through. Form into 16 patties and place them on a piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil.

2. Place patties in a single layer on a cookie sheet (with sides) or a baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping after 5. You can also pan sear them first for a few minutes in the oil and then bake them for 5 or so minutes until desired doneness. If you use ground turkey make sure the burgers are cooked all the way through.

Enjoy!!!

Super Sneaky Macaroni

I love using vegetable puree`s in food because they're sneaky. If you don't have a blender or food processor or you don't have the time to make them, then you can always use baby food. Just make sure to read the ingredients so you're only getting the vegetable and not added sugar.

This recipe uses two puree`s which will probably never get noticed because most kids will eat this without even questioning the ingredients. I've only met one kid who wouldn't eat macaroni and cheese and that's because he was sensitive to gluten. That makes it easy to sneak the veggies in and kids and husbands will never even guess. **Please note that I double this recipe for my family of five.

Super Sneaky Macaroni

1 1/3 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 c. small curd, low-fat cottage cheese
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 t cornstarch
1 c milk
1 small onion, grated (you can chop it, but chop it small. It's a secret.)
1/4 c finely chopped green pepper
1/4 c carrot puree
1/4 c cauliflower puree
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4-1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 c crushed cornflakes or butter crackers
1 T butter, melted

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Add the three cheeses and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and milk until smooth. Stir in the onion, green pepper, mustard, salt, red pepper flakes, and both puree`s. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to coat. Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish.
3. Combine cornflakes and butter. Sprinkle over macaroni. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Florentine Spaghetti Bake

So the vegetables aren't completely hidden in this one, I'll be honest. However, if you generally add herbs to your cooking and your kids are used to random green leaves in their food, then you should be able to get away with this recipe. The prep is only 15 minutes (if you already have the puree`) so your time in the kitchen should be fairly minimal.

Florentine Spaghetti Bake

8 oz uncooked spaghetti
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 to 1 cup carrot puree` (instructions included at bottom)
1 can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 egg
16 oz small curd, low-fat cottage cheese
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t seasoning salt (like Lowry's)
1/4 t pepper
2 c mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown sausage, onion, and garlic. Drain. Stir in carrot puree, sauce, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. In large bowl, combine egg, cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread 1 cup sauce mixture in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Stir spaghetti into sauce mixture and place into baking dish. Top spaghetti with cheese mixture and layer the top with mozzarella.
5. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes until lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes to firm the sauce up before cutting and serving.

Sneaky veggies?

Someone asked me for a few recipes that can sneak veggies into food without kids really noticing. So for the next few days, I'm going to focus on veggies or things kids will eat regardless. I'm not sure today's recipe completely counts because there's quite a bit of sugar in it, but it's also loaded with the same amount of zucchini, so I'm calling it good. This here is my grandmother's famous Zucchini Bread. It takes some time, but it is soooo worth it.

Collette's Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. zucchini, grated
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 t vanilla
1/8 t ground cloves
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1 t salt
2 T grated lemon rind
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. chopped nuts
1/4 t baking powder
3 T lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, soda, baking powder, grated zucchini, lemon rind, lemon juice, and nuts. Mix well. Pour into a buttered and floured loaf pan and bake in oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from loaf pan and cool on rack.

The secret to success is to not tell the kids that it's made with zucchini.

Meaty Manicotti

Today's dish is a mix of everything Italian that I love, but doesn't take quite as long as lasagne and makes more than enough to feed my family with leftovers. Keep in mind that I feed a family of five and this is a pretty large quantity. It can easily be halved for smaller families. Nummy, nummy manicotti, oh how you make my tastebuds sing...

Meaty Manicotti

1 package large shells or manicotti tubes
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded or 12 deli slices
fresh basil, to taste

Filling
8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 oz low-fat, small curd cottage cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese (or you could do 16 oz ricotta and 8 oz cottage, whatevs)
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze the excess moisture out)
1 egg
3/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
3-5 T fresh parsley (however you like it)
1/2 to 1 T fresh oregano

Sauce
1 lb ground pork or pork sausage
2 lb ground beef
1 (or 2 if you <3 them) can mushroom pieces and stems, drained
2 T Italian seasoning
Medium onion or 1-2 T onion powder
1 T minced garlic
2 jars of tomato sauce (traditional, onion & herb, and mushroom seem to be the best)

1. Cook manicotti according to package directions. Drain and let cool on a piece of wax paper sprayed with vegetable oil.
2. Meanwhile start sauce. Brown pork, beef, and onion in a medium saucepan. Drain and wipe excess grease out of pan with a paper towel. Add garlic, mushrooms, and seasonings to meat and saute' for a few minutes. Add tomato sauce and let simmer while you prepare the filling and noodles so the flavors can meld.
3. For the filling, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. To prepare, spray two 9x13 baking dishes with some sort of vegetable oil. Ladle 1/4 cup of sauce into the bottom of the baking dishes. Fill each shell with 1-1/2 tablespoons of cheese mixture. If using tubes, put cheese mixture in a gallon size freezer bag and cut off a little portion of the corner like a pastry bag. Then you can just squeeze the mixture inside. Arrange the shells (or tubes) in the baking dishes.
5. Cover each baking dish with half the remaining sauce.
6. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Heather's Enchilada Casserole

My friend Heather makes this super easy and filling enchilada casserole for her daycare kids. I was stunned when she told me my kids loved it. She was kind enough to pass it on to me and I'm going to pass the favor on to you. Enjoy!

2 lbs ground beef
2 t onion flakes (or small-med onion, chopped)
1 can enchilada sauce (red)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
4 oz cheddar cheese
4 oz mozzarella cheese
1 package of tortillas (she used corn, I use fajita size flour)

1. Brown ground beef with onion flakes. Drain.
2. Add enchilada sauce, chicken soup, and tomato sauce to beef. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, tear up tortillas and cover bottom of greased 13x9 pan.
4. Put 1/2 of meat mixture on top of tortillas. Cover with 1/2 of each kind of cheese. Repeat all layers.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Feeling cajun?

I often run into the problem that something will sound like the perfect dinner about 20-30 minutes before I want to serve it. This usually happens with something that takes a little time to prepare, like jambalaya. So I've thrown together this recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make and is cajun enough to fill the spicy rice longing of jambalaya, but is mild enough that my kids will eat it and we can all get to baseball practice on time. Give it a try. It's easy to adjust to taste and if you want to add beans, then go for it. It's versatile too!

15 minute Sausage and Rice Skillet

1 cup frozen onion and pepper mix
1/2 t crushed red pepper
14 oz smoked turkey sausage, sliced
1 can (14.5) oz no-salt added diced tomatoes, UNDRAINED
2 cups water
3 cups instant white rice, uncooked
Hot sauce (optional)

Heat onion and pepper mixture in large skillet. (You can also use a small fresh onion chopped, medium green pepper chopped, and 1 T oil. Cook about 2 minutes until crisp tender.) When no longer frozen, add sausage, tomatoes with liquid, and water. Stir. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice; cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Stir before serving. Add hot sauce for bite (optional).

Orange Tapioca Salad

My mom and I came about this recipe through good old-fashioned thievery. We were flipping through a friends cookbook, saw it, and copied it for our own. I've never regretted it. It's not a main dish, but it can rock as a side or a dessert. And it's just one of those recipes that's too good NOT to share.

Orange Tapioca Salad

3 c. water
3 oz package orange jell-o
2-3 oz packages instant tapioca
15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
8 oz can pineapple, drained
8 oz tub cool whip

Boil water in large saucepan. Whisk in jell-o and tapioca. Return to boil and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Fold in oranges, pineapple, and cool whip. Refrigerate 2 hours.

20 minute meal: Tuna and Fennel Sandwiches

It's fresh, it's fast, and it's fabulous! Fennel is an underused herb/vegetable (depending on which part you use). It is available in the spring and fall (and sometimes in the summer if it's cool enough). It has a soft anise flavor. Because of it's size it can easily take a staring role and stand on its own, but if you've never tried it before, I suggest trying it in these sandwiches.

When buying fennel look for firm, plump, compact bulbs, preferable with their stalks and some of the feathery greens on top. Avoid any that have begun to crack unless you're using them in a soup. (Which we are not.)

Here's a link to a video that explains how to clean and prep it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woq5xV7G_N0. Otherwise, cut off the stalks just where they emerge from the bulb. Fennel has a core, which is visible once you cut it in half. If the bulb is small, you don't need to remove it. If the bulb is very large, quarter it and remove the core with a paring knife if it seems tough or stringy. It's okay to taste it to find out. Remove scarred outer leaves by cutting a thin slice from the base of the bulb, and peeling them off.

Tuna and Fennel Sandwiches

3-6 oz cans tuna, drained
3T capers, roughly chopped
5T extra virgin olive oil, divided
4t red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1 medium fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3/4 c Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1 large baguette

1. In medium bowl, combine tuna, capers, 3T olive oil, vinegar, and 1/4t pepper. In another bowl, combine fennel, parsley, 1/4t salt, 1/4t pepper, and remaining olive oil.
2. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, then into quarters or sixths crosswise and plate.
3. Serve the tuna and fennel salads over the bread.

ENJOY!!!

Not-Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken is a staple to American culture, but it's super bad for our health. It's also messy, smelly, and time-consuming to make and clean up. Enter today's recipe: Not-fried Chicken. It's super yummy, super quick, and super easy!

Not-Fried Chicken

1 T chili-garlic sauce (international aisle)
3 T pineapple juice (if you serve this chicken with a can of pineapple, then the juice is already there!)
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 6 oz each, which is a double serving)
3/4 c. bread crumbs
kosher salt
3 T canola oil

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine chili-garlic sauce and pineapple juice. Add chicken and toss to coat.
2. In separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, 1/2t salt, and oil. Working with once piece at a time, coat the chicken in bread mixture and transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Bake until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.

See, easy! Bon Appetit!

Macaroni Masterpiece

I heart macaroni and cheese. It's so easy, quick, cheap, and indulgently yummy. My children love macaroni and cheese. My husband loves macaroni and cheese. Except for the stigma and the boredom of eating the same thing over and over again, we could easily eat it multiple times a week. I know my family is not alone in this, so I'm going to give you a super easy recipe today to almost completely alter your macaroni goodness into *gasp* MORE macaroni goodness!

Macaroni Lasagne

1 box macaroni and cheese
1/2-1 jar of spaghetti sauce (this can be leftovers, or your own version of spaghetti sauce, the recipe is versatile, just use what you like or what you have)
1/2-1 lb ground beef or turkey (unless it's already mixed into the sauce, then omit)
Mozzerella Cheese

1. Make macaroni and cheese according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, brown the meat, add your own special blend of spaghetti seasonings (if you don't know what to add try a basic Italian seasoning mix or some basil, onion powder, and garlic). Drain. Add spaghetti sauce.
3. Layer macaroni and cheese in an 8x8 baking dish with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. You probably won't get more than two layers tops. That's okay. It's really good no matter what and your kids won't care.
4. Serve with healthy veggies and enjoy!!!

The Prep

I think the best way to be prepared for a quick dinner is to spend one of your days off preparing for the week. I know that a lot of times our day(s) off are spent trying to catch up from the week before, running errands, and taking kids all over the map. Much as a slow cooker does all the dirty work for you, having already cooked meat ready will save you plenty of time when tossing together dinner. I like to buy fruit and cut it up on Sunday so my kids have healthy snacks during the week. I used to keep a shelf special for them so they could get what they needed without digging into the carbs and sugars or whining for me to stop folding laundry so I could get them a snack. But back to the meat.

I've mentioned on past posts that I think a rotisserie chicken is worth the purchase just so you can freeze the meat and use it during the week. I also think that a ham is perfect for the same thing. You can buy already cooked ham, but when you compare it to the price of purchasing and cooking one yourself... well, it costs a lot more and it doesn't taste nearly as good. Try this recipe on your next day off. If you like you can serve half of it and freeze the rest. Just make sure you cut it up prior to freezing so it thaws faster and portions are easier to use. I like portioning in one cup measurements.

Ingredients:
1 ham, 10 to 12 pounds
2 onions
2 dozen whole cloves
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider
spiced apples &/or pineapple rings


1. Scrub the ham well and put into a large kettle. Barely cover the ham with hot water. Add the onions into which 1/2 the cloves have been stuck, and the bay leaves. Cover the kettle tightly and simmer gently, don't let the water boil. Allow 25 minutes per pound.
2. If meat thermometer is used it will register at least 155-160 when the ham is done. When the ham is done take it out of the water and remove the skin. (It should pull off easily) Put the skinned ham back in the stock in which it was cooked and allow it to cool.
3. When the ham is cold or almost so, place it in a roasting pan, fat side up, and rub the brown sugar into the fat. Score the fat diagonally two ways, thus creating diamond shaped cuts, and cutting almost through the fat. In the center of each diamond place a whole clove. Bake 1 hour in oven 325, basting with the cider after it has been in the oven 15 minutes. Increase the heat to 450 the last 15 minutes to brown it.
4. Serve with spiced apples &/or pineapple slices.

Quick and Easy Swedishy Meatballs

You can easily modify this dish to have real onion or a can of mushrooms in it. For something a little more up-scale, 1/4 cup of white wine can be added to the sauce. It's yummy and quick for those nights when you and/or the kids have something going on.




Ingredients:

2 lbs frozen meatballs (Italian or regular)
1 can cream of mushroom and roasted garlic condensed soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz reduced fat sour cream
5 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t onion powder
hot cooked egg noodles or rice

1. Cook meatballs in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Mix soups, sour cream, Worcestershire, and onion powder in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat.
3. Combine meatballs and sauce. Serve over noodles or rice.

Sensational (and Super Easy) Side: Dill Carrots

My son asked today why carrots are good for your eyes. My response, "Have you ever seen a bunny with glasses?" It might not be completely true, but it's not false either http://www.webmd.com/diet/carrots-good-for-eyes. With that food for thought, here's a fantastic (and super easy) carrot recipe to encourage your little bunnies to enjoy some eye-healthy Vitamin A.

Ingredients:

16 oz pkg baby carrots
2 T margarine
1 t dill
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper

Ready for the easy part?

1. Boil, steam (micro-cooker, anyone?), or somehow cook carrots until tender. Drain.
2. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Done and Yum.

Amira's Amazings Salsa

I know it's not a meal or even a side, but it is superb and if you are anything resembling a salsa fanatic like my husband and I, you're going to love it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup onion
3 T fresh or canned (but not pickled) diced jalapeño
28 oz diced tomatoes with chilies
28 oz whole, peeled tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 t garlic salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 t sugar

Mix together in a large bowl. This makes a fairly chunky salsa. For a smoother one, use a hand blender, food chopper, or blender. To give it more of a bite, add onion. To increase or reduce the heat, adjust the cumin. My husband only wants the chunk and hates any liquid, so I drain everything in a colander before using it. It's a versatile salsa that you can easily make your own with the addition of tomato sauce, cilantro, corn, or other additives.

Must have item of the week: MIx 'N Chop

The Mix 'N Chop is sold by Pampered Chef for $10.50. It chops, crumbles, and mixes food while it's cooking. No longer will you have to use a turner (commonly called a spatula) to chop up beef while browning. You can use it to crush whole tomatoes instead of pre-dicing them (which releases their juices and makes a mess on your counter top).

It's made out of high-quality nylon so it won't scratch your pans and it's dishwasher safe. With all the time you save using this thing, there's really no good reason not to have one.

Grandma's Goulash

My mother made this recipe when I was a child and now I make it for my kids. They're picky eaters, especially when it comes to foods that are "premixed" like casseroles. The saving grace is that they love their grandma. I tagged her name onto the beginning and now they get excited about eating goulash. They've always liked it; they just conveniently forgot that fact. But now, they eat it no questions asked.

Ingredients

1 lb hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans whole tomatoes with juice, chopped
1 cup large macaroni noodles
1 T basil
1/2 cup frozen peas

1. Brown hamburger and onion (in your small micro cooker or a large skillet), drain. In a
large skillet mix hamburger, tomatoes, tomato juice, macaroni noodles and basil.
2. Simmer, covered, approx. 30 minutes. Add peas and heat an additional 5 minutes. Serve.

Super Side: Alfredo Twice Baked Potatoes

This recipe takes twice-baked potatoes to a new level and has the added benefit of being ready in 30 minutes. With the addition of chicken and broccoli, it can be a full meal. My kids love it and I love how easy it is.









2 large baking potatoes
1 cup of Alfredo sauce
1 t garlic salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t thyme
1 cup shredded cheddar, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup cooked chicken (optional)
1 cup steamed broccoli (optional)
bacon bits, real or imitation (optional)

1. Stab potatoes multiple times with a fork so they can release steam while they cook. Otherwise, they might explode in your microwave. Cook for 6-10 minutes in microwave until soft. Wrap with aluminum foil to keep warm and to let the potatoes finish cooking on the inside.
2. Combine Alfredo, garlic salt, pepper, thyme, mozzarella, and 1/2 cup cheddar. (Add chicken and broccoli if making this a meal instead of a side.) Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scrape out insides, and mix with the Alfredo mixture.
3. Stuff equal amounts of the Potato mixture back into the shells and top with remaining cheese and bacon bits. If cheese needs encouragement to melt, place back in microwave for 1 minute.

Dinner: Quick and Dirty

This is one of those meals that you make when you get off work late and the kids have girl scouts/football/ballet, etc.  You don't want to get fast food, but you don't know if you have time to feed them.  It's probably not the healthiest thing, but it's quick and it's easy.

Desperate Dinner:

3 3/4 cups water
3 pkg ramen
1 cup of cooked chicken (I like using rotisserie chicken that's on sale the day later.  I cut it up and freeze it for when I need it.)
1/2 cup frozen peas
11 oz can vacuum packed corn
1 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

Boil water in medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining ingredients, except cheese.  Eat when noodles are soft and everything else is warm.  It takes approx. 3 minutes for dinner to be prepared.  Top with cheese. 

Play with your food: Brat Split

We served hot dogs at my son's 5 birthday party a few years ago and I wish I would have done this then.  It's such a neat presentation of the basic BBQ foods and it encourages kids to eat all of the different choices... or at least try them.  So today I'm going to give you directions for making a "Brat split".

Ingredients (and I use this term lightly):

1. Hot dogs, Bratwurst or other sausage
2. Pasta or Macaroni salad
3. Potato salad
4. Coleslaw
5. Steak Sauce
6. Mustard
7. Mashed Potatoes
8. Pickle Relish
9. Cherry tomatoes

So here's how it works:

Split the hot dogs in half lengthwise and place in a banana split dish or oval dish.  Place an ice cream scoop sized portion of the three salads inside of the hot dog.  Use the mustard as "ice cream condiments" and drizzle over the appropriate salad.  (i.e. the mustard represents caramel topping and the steak sauce represents hot fudge.)  Place a dollop of mashed potatoes over the center scoop to represent the whipped topping and add a cherry tomato on top.  I'm making this tonight for dinner and we'll see if it encourages my boys to sample foods that they would normally dismiss outright.  Happy Eating!

30 minutes or less: Turkey-Basil Piccata

Juicy cutlets are only 10 minutes away in this fabulous dish perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients:

2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3/4 pound turkey cutlets
2 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 t dried (1 1/2 T fresh) chopped basil
1/2 c white cooking wine
1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice from half a lemon
Other half of lemon, sliced

1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and dredge turkey cutlets in
    mixture.  Shake off excess, they only need a thin coating.
2. Cook turkey in hot oil over med-high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until
    done.  Remove from skillet.
3. Reduce heat to med-low.  Add garlic and basil to skillet.  Sauté 30 seconds to
    release some of the flavor.  Add wine, lemon juice, and lemon slices.  This will
    deglaze the pan, but will also create a thin sauce that can be served over the
    cutlets.  Return cutlets to pan and cook until heated through.  Enjoy!

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks: Cleaning burnt food off pans

So I use anodized, non-stick pans when I cook.  They're great.  But they need to be washed by hand so they don't lose their effectiveness. Very rarely does anything stick when I cook.  However, when my husband cooks, there tends to be more food that boils over, chars, and surprisingly sticks.  Scrubbing pans is a real pain in the butt and I risk scratching the coating by using anything too harsh.  So I've found two great ways to "deglaze" the pans.

The first is used while the pan is still hot and on a burner.  Just add liquid.  Pretty much any liquid will do, leftover broth, water, whatever.  The liquid will pull up the stuck on pieces.

The second is used when the pan has already cooled.  In my house, this is the technique I use after I come home and find my pans all disgusting from sitting for a while.  (I can't really complain though.  At least this way I know he's feeding the kids.)  To pull the nasties off these pans I put them on the stove with a thin layer of clean dishwater (yes, add soap).  Heat the water to boil and that will take off the crusties.  If you're cleaning a soup pot or something larger and the yuckies are up the sides or around the rim, then use tongs to hold a sponge and use the heated water to wipe the sides.  Once again, it'll take it right off. 

Happy Cleaning!

Must have item of the week: Small Micro-Cooker

The Small Micro-Cooker is a must-have miracle worker.  It cooks vegetables quickly (including potatoes! They're ready for mashing in only 4-6 minutes!), heats up sauces, and melts butter in the microwave.  But best of all, it cooks frozen meat in only a fraction of the time.  I can cook a pound of ground beef in this thing in less than 5 minutes.  In addition to the awesome cook time, the lid has a built in strainer so I can drain the fat out of it quickly and easily.  It will also cook frozen chicken and other meats.

I use this thing at least three times a week to help speed up cooking time.  It's wonderful for making spaghetti sauce.  I like to use it to cook a pound of beef, drain the meat, then add some pre-made spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Pour over some noodles and Voila! Ten minutes to spaghetti.

It's offered from Pampered Chef for the surprisingly low price of $8.00.  They also have a larger version for $10.50.

What's for dinner? Chicken Tortilla Soup

My children are constantly asking this question.  And I'll be honest, I've typed it into Google search a few times myself.  Well, moms and dads, today's answer is Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It's made in the slow cooker and is easily adjusted.  My own children (aged 2 and 6) ate it up without complaint.  This behavior was highly unusual since my 6 year old hates anything "spicy" (flavored at all) and my 2 year old is hesitant about soups and green herbs in general.  I hope your family enjoys as much as mine did.

Chicken Tortilla Soup via Slow Cooker

Ingredients:
4 frozen chicken breasts (you can use already cooked and shredded, but I'm lazy)
2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies (I like Ro*Tel.)
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 med. onion, chopped
1 t. minced garlic (2 cloves or straight from the jar)
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. sea salt flakes (I'm sure reg salt would be just fine.)
1/4 t. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (12 oz) pkg of frozen corn
2 T dried cilantro or 4 T parsley
1 1/2 cups of water
1 can chicken broth
chips (optional)
cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
tortilla strips (optional)

1. Place ingredients down through chicken broth in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.
3. Take out chicken and shred with two forks on a plate or cutting board.
4. Stir chicken back in and serve.  Add optional ingredients as desired.
5. Enjoy!