Fast Food (Homemade Style)

This week threw us for a loop and I did not stick with my original meal plan.  No worries.  We'll just transfer everything over to next week!  

Our family is working hard to cook and eat all our meals at home.  Our budget is tight (like everyone else's these days) and restaurant meals are insanely expensive.  (Admittedly, our family does have a weakness for take-out pizza.  That's another story!)  I am learning that "home cooked" doesn't have to translate to "complicated and time-consuming". Sometimes the simplest meals are the very best.  Besides, when I'm super tired it's usually easier to throw something together in my own kitchen than bundle all the kids off to a restaurant!

This week I tried a simple supper idea I read about in Taste of Home. Supper turned out surprisingly well and was ready in a heartbeat.  Also, our meal cost considerably less than take-out or restaurant fare.

Super-Easy Quesilldias

Ingredients:

1 can black beans ($0.75)

200g shredded cheddar cheese ($2.00)

10 whole wheat tortillas ($2.25)

Method:

Rinse and drain the beans.  Squash the beans with a potato masher. Combine beans and cheese.  Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas.  Fold each tortilla in half and grill each side until crispy.  Cut grilled tortillas into wedges.  Serve with salsa.

We ate our quesilldias with sliced oranges.  The meal was nothing fancy but it was fast, filling and healthy.  Not only that, the entire meal cost well under $2 per serving!

When we're crunched for time or it's been an exhausting day, our family relies on a few other easy "fast food" fixes:

• Scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, fruit
  
• Homemade soup (from the freezer), whole wheat toast or biscuits
• Tortilla wraps and green salad
• Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup

Does anyone else have any great suggestions for homemade "fast food"? What works for your family?

Yummy

I made the following soup for supper this evening.  I found the recipe in a Wonder Time magazine I borrowed from the library.  I made a few modifications to use ingredients we had on hand and we ate our soup with popovers (as suggested by the magazine).  Yummm!

Lentil Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 C. crushed tomatoes (or plain tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes)

1/2 tsp. salt

1, 19 oz. can lentils, rinsed and drained

8 C. chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 small sprig fresh thyme)

1 C. diced kielbasa (optional)

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a wide saute pan over medium-low heat.  Saute onion until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Add celery, carrots and garlic.  Saute until vegetables soften a bit (about 5 more minutes).  Then add the tomato sauce, salt, lentils, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.  Stir.

Simmer soup on very low heat, partially covered, for about an hour.  Add the kielbasa, if using, after 45 minutes.  Add water if the soup looks like it's drying out.  When the lentils are nice and creamy, stir in the vinegar, then taste the soup.  Add more vinegar or salt if the flavour needs brightening.

Bean-a-licious!

A few friends have asked for some tasty bean recipes.  Here's a sampling from our family's bean-y repertoire.  Enjoy! 

Southwestern bean soup

Bean burritos

White bean dip

Best of Bridge bean soup

Squash and bean chili

Hearty bean and barley soup

(And don't say I didn't warn you ... Ben rightly calls these dishes "farty food".)

Stre-t-c-h-ing

Like everyone else in the world, our family is watching our pennies these days.  I've had several friends ask for cheap and easy recipe ideas lately.  Budgeting is a common concern!  Since I plan to stre-t-c-h our leftovers this week, I thought I'd share a couple of simple, frugal recipes.

Spaghetti Pie

I make this dish when we have leftover spaghetti and meat sauce (an easy and economical meal in and of itself).  I always seem to make more spaghetti than we need but hate to let it go to waste.   This casserole freezes very well.

Ingredients:

Cooked spaghetti (we like whole wheat)

Spaghetti sauce (with meat or without)

Small broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)

Shredded cheese (we like low-fat cheddar)

Method:

Combine spaghetti and meat sauce.  If you'd like, add extra veggies such as shredded carrot, mushrooms or pureed squash.  Place in a large casserole dish and arrange broccoli on top.  (If you use fresh broccoli, steam it for a couple minutes first.)  Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, until heated through.

Chili and Cornbread Casserole

We often seem to have leftover chili in our house.  I can usually find a container or two in our freezer!  We enjoy both meatless or beefy chili, and this recipe works with whatever type you have on hand.  

Ingredients:

1 C. cornmeal

3/4 C. flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. milk (I usually mix up powdered milk to use in baking)

1/4 C. oil

1 egg

3/4 frozen kernel corn, thawed

Method:

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in one bowl. Whisk together milk, oil and egg in another bowl.  Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Gently fold in corn.

Arrange chili in a casserole dish.  Spoon cornbread mixture on top and smooth flat.  Bake at 400F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cornbread comes out clean.  (Alternately, this recipe makes one dozen cornmeal muffins or one 9-inch square cornbread cake.)

My friend Sara has another delicious suggestion for using up leftover chili right here.

Have fun cooking at home, get creative with leftovers, and save a few pennies in the process!

Menu Plan Monday

March 9, 2009

Last week's menu went over surprisingly well with our family.  The pierogis were a hit with the kids, the orange chicken recipe was delicious, and our homemade pizza turned out great.  (As requested, I will share the orange chicken recipe below.)  This week I am trying to get away with skipping my regular shopping trip, so I'll cobble together our menu with ingredients I already have on hand.

Monday:  No cooking (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Spaghetti pie, sliced apples

Wednesday:  Chili and cornbread casserole, green salad

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  No cooking (Ben is in charge of my birthday supper!)

Saturday:  Applesauce barbecue chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed mixed veggies

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with friends)

Baking:  Carrot cookie bites

The following chicken recipe is flavourful and easy.  The sauce is especially good with rice.  (I substituted whole grain rice and red peppers for our family.)

Orange Chicken with Vegetables

1 Tbsp. plus 1/3 C. cornstarch, divided

1 C. orange juice

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 C. chopped green pepper

1 1/2 C. sliced fresh carrots

1/2 C. chopped onion

Combine 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Place remaining cornstarch in a large resealable bag.  Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.  In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in 2 Tbsp. oil for 7-9 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.  Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute carrots in remaining oil for 2 minutes.  Add green pepper and onion, saute 2-3 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender crisp.  Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add chicken and heat through.  Serve with hot cooked rice.

Yield:  4 servings

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Thanks to Org Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday each and every week!

Simple Salad Dressing

I tried this recipe from my newest Simple and Delicious magazine.  Ben declared the salad dressing "so good you could drink it straight".  We ate our salad with plain red curly lettuce.  I think the dressing would taste wonderful on greens with apples and walnuts.

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. malt or rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt (I recommend using a little less)

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

In a small jar, shake together the ingredients.  Pour over 4 cups romaine or other salad greens. Toss to coat.

  

(I choose to serve our dressing on the side.  That way, if we have left over salad greens they will not be droopy and wilted.)

Menu Plan Monday
November 17, 2008

Here I sit on Sunday night, looking forward to a new week. Last week's menu plan worked out quite well. In particular, the southwestern bean soup was a great hit. I will definitely add the recipe to our repertoire of family favourites.

Southwestern Bean Soup

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (19 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (19 oz.) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15 oz. each) spicy diced tomatoes, undrained
4 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. fresh or frozen corn

In dutch oven or soup kettle, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add cumin, chili powder, cayenne and cook for one minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for five minutes or until heated through. Makes 12 servings.

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This week I'm planning to try a couple new things. The coconut chicken is a new recipe, one I found tonight through Org Junkie. As well, our family has fallen in love with the grilled wraps at the mall. I don't have a panini press at home but I'm going to use my waffle iron to make them instead. (Our wraps will have grids all over them!)

Here's my proposed menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday: No cooking! (Supper at my sister's new house)
Tuesday: Beef barley soup, homemade bread
Wednesday: Coconut crockpot chicken, basmati rice, steamed cauliflower
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Grilled turkey wraps, fruit salad
Saturday: Clean out the fridge
Sunday: No cooking! (Supper with Ben's family)

Check out Org Junkie for further menu planning goodness.

Menu Plan Monday
November 3, 2008

Here's my proposed menu for the upcoming week:

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Favourite sloppy joes, whole wheat buns, bean salad, raw veggies
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: No-fuss potato soup, homemade multigrain bread
Friday: Indonesian chicken in peanut sauce, brown rice, steamed cauliflower
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

This week Wendy is hosting a recipe contest. She's asked us to share our best "from scratch" family favourites. Here's my contribution to the recipe pool. (Unfortunately, I've been somewhat unoriginal. I first shared this recipe a few weeks ago in September.) Prizes are involved, so head on over to Wendy's site to join in the fun!

Red Pepper, Tomato and Chicken Pilaf

1 2/3 C. quick-cooking brown rice
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
(I use 2 C. of cooked chicken from my crock pot)
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
(I use homemade broth)
1 (7 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
(I use one or two homemade roasted red peppers)
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. frozen peas

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a 2-quart casserole dish combine rice, chicken, tomatoes, broth, red peppers, onion, oil, bay leaf, paprika, oregano, pepper and salt. Stir well and cover. Bake 40 minutes.

2. Stir in peas. Bake, uncovered, until broth is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

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Laura hosts Menu Plan Monday each and every week. Check it out here.

Domesticity

Today was a real mixed bag. I accomplished a great deal (gotta love checking things off the list). I paid for the productivity though :-(. While I was working the kids decided to throw every single toy they own into a great big pile in the middle of the floor. They called it the "mess tent". If you know me, you know this was a huge headache. I have all the kids toys categorically organized into tidy little plastic bins on shelves. Ben and I have spent way too much time sorting everything out this evening.

Oh well.

On a happier note, I learned two new kitchen tricks this morning. I buy pretty well all our meat in bulk from Country Lane Farms. I often choose to buy the chicken variety packs and cook the whole birds in my crock pot. Then, I strip the meat from the bones and freeze it in small portions for casseroles and soups. Yesterday I had the bright idea of cooking a chicken through the night in my crock pot. I put a whole cut-up chicken in the pot, topped it up with water, and added a little salt, pepper and a bay leaf. I set the slow cooker on low and let it run through the night for about nine hours. This morning I had a fully-cooked bird and dark, rich chicken broth. It worked great!

I also made roasted red peppers this morning. They were embarrassingly easy to make, and so much less expensive than buying roasted red peppers in a jar. I simply washed the peppers, placed them on a foil-wrapped cookie sheet, and popped them under the broiler. Every three or four minutes I turned the peppers so that the sides were evenly blackened. When all the skin was black and bubbly, I took the peppers out of the oven and let them cool in a bowl. The skin peeled right off. I sliced the peppers in half, took out the stems and seeds, and stored them flat in freezer bags. It was totally painless (except for the part when I set off the smoke detector).

Here's what I made with my chicken and red peppers. This is a tried and true family favourite in Inksterland. I found the recipe a couple years ago at our local YMCA:

Red Pepper, Tomato and Chicken Pilaf

1 2/3 C. quick-cooking brown rice
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
(I use 2 C. of cooked chicken from my crock pot)
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
(I use homemade broth)
1 (7 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
(I use one or two homemade roasted red peppers)
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. frozen peas

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a 2-quart casserole dish combine rice, chicken, tomatoes, broth, red peppers, onion, oil, bay leaf, paprika, oregano, pepper and salt. Stir well and cover. Bake 40 minutes.

2. Stir in peas. Bake, uncovered, until broth is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Menu Plan Monday
June 9, 2008

Here's my proposed menu for the upcoming week:

Monday: No cooking (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Spanish rice (from the freezer), spinach salad with pears and almonds
Wednesday: Soft tacos (meat from the freezer), veggie fixings, baked beans (from the freezer)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed broccoli, cupcakes (for a special birthday girl!)
Saturday: Homemade soup (from the freezer), whole wheat rolls
Sunday: Leftovers

This week I made my mom's white bean dip for the first time. It's low-fat, nutritious and tastes yummy with raw veggies. The recipe is much like hummus.

1 onion, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 lemons, juiced
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2, 15 oz. cans white kidney beans
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a small skillet. Cook onion and garlic over low heat until very soft, brown and caramelized (about 15-20 minutes). Combine onions, garlic, kidney beans and lemon juice in food processor. Blend until smooth. Add extra olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with raw veggies, pita crisps, etc. This dip freezes very well.

Special thanks to Laura at Org Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday each week.

Chicken Mystery Casserole

Here is the long-awaited recipe ;-).

I made this casserole tonight and my five-year-old son said it tasted "very yummy". We ate it over brown rice with a veggie on the side. I amalgamated two "mystery chicken" recipes, one from my mom and another from Ben's aunt.

3 C. cubed chicken, cooked
1 C. Chow Mien noodles
1/4 C. chopped red pepper
1/2 -- 1C. sliced or slivered almonds
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 C. sliced celery
2 cans condensed reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C. skim milk
1/2 C. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. melted butter

Combine first seven ingredients in a large casserole dish. Whisk together mushroom soup and milk. Pour soup mixture into casserole and gently combine. Stir melted butter into bread crumbs until moist and crumbly. Sprinkle over top of casserole. (Recipe can be made to this point and frozen.)

Bake uncovered at 350F for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice or noodles.

Enjoy!

Thoughts From the Kitchen

These past couple weeks have completely thrown me out of my regular routine. I feel that I am just starting to get back on my feet. Thankfully, I finished preparing for Christmas early. I have only a little sewing left to complete before the Christmas season.

Yesterday I finally took the time to try my new mini muffin and mini loaf pans. I baked banana bread and muffins. I took a few banana loaves to my friend, but the rest of the batch has mysteriously disappeared ... I believe the mini muffin pan is a hit! The little muffins are just the perfect size for preschoolers. Next week I plan to bake mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for my son's junior kindergarten class.

In other news, our microwave has been on the fritz for a couple of weeks. The turntable stopped turning and food no longer cooks evenly. (Ben has banished me from using the microwave as he's scared it will short out and start a fire.) With all the craziness, we have not had a chance to shop for a new one. Cooking "the old fashioned way" has forced a change in my perspective. I can't simply zap our leftovers for a few minutes!

I am looking forward to buying a new microwave this weekend.

Finally, I'd like to share the following recipe for Turtle Brownies. I baked these a couple of weeks ago. They are decadent. (The recipe cheats a bit because it uses a mix. Shhhh. No one has to know.) I definitely recommend using a silicon 9x9" square pan for these. Cool and refrigerate the brownies before attempting to cut them. I also recommend using fewer caramels and less butter than the recipe calls for. The caramel layer is extremely gooey.

Turtle Brownies

50 caramels (14 oz. package), unwrapped
2/3 C. evaporated milk
1 German chocolate cake mix
3/4 C. butter, melted
1 C. chocolate chips
1 C. chopped pecans

Combine cake mix with melted butter and 1/3 C. evaporated milk. Spread half of the batter in a slightly buttered pyrex lasagna-sized pan or equivalent. (Use a 9x9" silicon pan.) Bake for 8 minutes.

Melt caramels with 1/3 C. evaporated milk in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in the microwave (about 3-4 minutes --- check often and stir).

Remove cake base from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Drizzle melted caramel mixture over chips and nuts. Cover with remaining cake batter.

If the batter is difficult to spread, pat blobs of dough into zig-zag pieces to cover the chocolate chip and pecan covered base. Continue baking at 350F for 15-18 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Keep the brownies covered in the fridge as it makes slicing through the caramel layer easier. These brownies freeze well.

Menu Plan Monday
December 10, 2007

We are hoping to return to a normal routine this week, though we do have several evening commitments to look forward to. Here is my proposed meal plan:

Monday: Hamburger soup (from the freezer), homemade bread. (Ben and I will be out at his office Christmas party.)
Tuesday: Chicken caccitore, whole wheat spaghetti, spinach salad.
Wednesday: Beef tacos (from the freezer), brown beans, corn.
Thursday: Chicken mystery casserole, brown rice, steamed green beans.
Friday: Leftovers. (Ben and I will be going to a Christmas party.)
Saturday: Sausage and kale soup, homemade bread.
Sunday: Leftovers. (Our family will be attending the church Christmas concert over supper time.)

Sausage and Kale Soup (from Everyday Cooking magazine)

This is a new recipe for our family.

In a large pot (6-8 quarts), heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Cook 1 diced onion until soft, stirring, 2-3 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add 5 waxy potatoes (1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks, and 3 cans (14.5 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a blender, puree half the soup. Return to pot, add one bunch (12 oz.) kale, stemmed and shredded, and 12 oz. smoked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2" half-moons. Simmer until kale is wilted, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serves 4
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

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Check out the Menu Plan Monday Mr. Linky at Org Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday
November 26, 2007

Another week, another menu plan. This week is shaping up to be hectic and somewhat unpredictable. I may not stick to my proposed menu, but it's always good to have a plan.

To be honest, most weeks I stray from my meal plan a bit. Last week we ate tacos on both Tuesday and Wednesday, I made hamburger soup on Thursday instead, and I substituted spinach salad for coleslaw on Friday. Having a flexible plan is a real asset. Sometimes I adapt the meals when our schedule changes or to use up ingredients in the fridge.

Tomorrow I must make a hefty trip to the grocery store. My menu plan will certainly make that task a bit easier!

If you would like to browse other interesting meal plans, check out the Menu Plan Monday Mr. Linky hosted by Org Junkie.

Here is my proposed menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday: Easy ravioli bake, spinach salad
Tuesday: Encore performance.
Wednesday: Chicken mystery casserole, brown rice, broccoli slaw
Thursday: U.S. Senate bean soup, homemade bread, green salad
Friday: Leftovers.

I am fairly certain we will be away next weekend, so I have decided not to include meal plans for Saturday and Sunday.

I plan to make a double batch of the chicken casserole and bean soup. The chicken casserole is a new recipe. I intend to adapt it and experiment with a low fat version. If the casserole turns out well I will post the recipe next week.

U.S. Senate Bean Soup
(from Saveur magazine)

Not even the Historical Office of the Senate can say for sure who ordained that bean soup should appear every day on the menus of the Senate's restaurants. We do know that the custom arose early in the last century and is still observed today.

1 lb. dried navy beans
1 meaty smoked ham hock
1 tbsp. butter
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Rinse beans in a colander under cold running water. Put beans, ham hock, and 8 cups cold water into a medium pot. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until bean skins are tender and interiors are soft, about 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft and just beginning to brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

3. When beans are cooked, reduce heat to low and stir in onions. Retrieve ham hock from pot and set aside to let cool until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin, bone, and excess fat, dice meat, and add to soup. Mash some of the beans against the inside of the pot with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.

Cherry Delight Cake

Here's another one ...

I made this cake for the first time last weekend. I like this recipe because it is easy and adaptable. I made the cherry cake, but next time I may try blueberry or peach. I think strawberry cake topped with fresh strawberries in the summer could be tasty. (It could make a pretty dessert for Canada Day.)

Thanks to the ladies at Living on a Dime for another easy recipe!

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 pkg. (3oz) cherry gelatin
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups whipped topping
1 can cherry pie filling

Bake cake in a 9x13 pan according to directions on box. Let cool. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Poke holes in cake with toothpick or fork and gently pour gelatin over it. Cool for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In bowl beat cream cheese and fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread on cake. Top with pie filling and chill for 2 hours.

Taco Filling

I doubled this recipe and divided it into 2-cup portions. The doubled recipe made a total of 12 cups, or six meal-sized portions for our family. Our boys especially loved the soft-shelled tacos we ate for supper tonight. My younger son ate three (small) tacos all on his own! I served the taco meat with whole wheat flour tortillas, brown beans, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, grated cheddar, sour cream and salsa.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 C. finely chopped onions (about 3 medium onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced (I omitted this)
1 jalapeno chile, minced (I omitted this)
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground coriander
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes (I will use less next time)
coarse salt

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and coriander; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Add beef; cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. (Next time I will do this step first, drain off the fat, and then cook the onions and spices.) Stir in tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 15-20 minutes. Season generously with salt.

Menu Plan Monday
November 19, 2007

I am feeling tired an uninspired this evening. No time better than the present to plan my weekly menu, I guess!

Here's my proposed menu for the upcoming week. I plan to make double batches of the taco meat, soup and chicken dish in order to fill my freezer.

Monday: No cooking! (Supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Soft-shell tacos, brown beans
Wednesday: Hamburger soup, homemade bread
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Indonesian chicken in peanut sauce, brown rice, cabbage salad
Saturday: Supper with friends.
Sunday: No cooking! (Supper at Ben's parents')

I am also looking forward to using my new baking pans. (Thank you, Mom.) I plan to make banana bread in my mini loaf pan. I may also try baking some cute mini muffins as well. In a few weeks it will be my turn to bring a snack for my son's class at school. I think mini muffins could be just perfect, so I will have to experiment with a few new recipes!

Indonesian Chicken in Peanut Sauce (from Canadian Living Magazine)

8 skinless chicken thighs
5 carrots, thickly sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 C. water
3/4 C. smooth peanut butter
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes (I omit this)
1 C. frozen peas
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 C. chopped unsalted peanuts

Step 1: Arrange chicken in dutch oven; top with carrots, onions and garlic.

Step 2: Whisk together water, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger and hot pepper flakes; add to pan.

Step 3: Cover and cook in 350F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.

Step 4: Stir in peas and vinegar; let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with green onions and peanuts.

Slow Cooker: Use 16-24 cup (4-6 L) slow cooker; cook all but peas and vinegar on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Add peas and vinegar; cook on LOW for 10 minutes. Garnish as directed. (I prefer using the slow cooker for this recipe.)

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If you would like to browse more great meal plans, please visit the Menu Plan Monday link at Org Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday
November 5, 2007

Thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Check out the Mr. Linky on Laura's new site for some great meal-planning inspiration. Without further ado, here is my proposed menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday: No cooking! (Supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Beef Pot Roast with Really Good Gravy (slow cooker), nugget potatoes, peas, carrots
Wednesday: Beef Pot Pie, green salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Date night!! (The kids are sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpas')
Saturday: Homemade pizza, raw veggie platter with dip
Sunday: No cooking! (Supper at Ben's parents')

Homemade Pizza Crust

I make this pizza crust in my 2lb. Black and Decker automatic bread maker. It makes enough dough for three regular-crust 12" round pizzas or one thick-crust 9"x13" deep dish pizza. I prefer to use whole wheat flour.

1 1/2 C. beer or water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
4 1/4 C. white flour
2 tsp. yeast
Pizza topping ingredients

1. Measure first six ingredients in the order listed into the Baking Pan.
2. Insert Baking Pan securely into unit; close lid.
3. Select "dough" setting and push start button. There will be a 25-minute preheat delay before mixing begins.
4. The Complete Signal will sound when the dough is done.
5. Using a pot holder, remove Baking Pan from the unit.
6. Remove dough from Baking Pan to a lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.
7. Grease 12-inch pizza pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Divide dough into thirds.
8. Roll out one piece of dough and place on pan or pat in pan.
9. Top each pizza with desired pizza topping ingredients, such as tomato sauce, meat, vegetables and cheese.
10. Bake in preheated 425F oven for 15-25 minutes, or until done. Pizza is done when edges of crust are golden and cheese is bubbly.

(Time: 2 hours for dough)

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In related news ... I am slowly continuing to compile my recipe binders. I have fallen in love with Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, and have nearly decimated the stack of magazines from my friend. This week's recipes for Tuesday and Wednesday are courtesy of Canadian Living Magazine, November 2005.

Menu Plan Monday
October 29, 2007

This week is shaping up to be more busy than usual for our family as we have two big evening events. Of course, on Wednesday it is Halloween. We're planning to attend the annual costume carnival at our church. On Thursday we will celebrate our middle son's third birthday. What a big boy!

Hop on over to Org Junkie's new site for more great meal planning ideas. Be sure to check out the Menu Plan Monday Mr. Linky.

Here is my menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday: No cooking! (Supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Leftovers from the weekend.
Wednesday: Beef taco skillet, brown beans, corn and green salad.
Thursday: Spaghetti pie, cheese toast, green salad and birthday cupcakes!
Friday: Leftovers.
Saturday: Chicken and rice soup (from our freezer), homemade bread.
Sunday: No cooking! (Supper at Ben's parents')

Beef Taco Skillet
(A Campbell's soup recipe)

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1/2 C. salsa
1/2 C. water
6 flour tortillas cut into 1" pieces
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook beef in 10" skillet until well browned, stirring to break up meat. Pour off fat.
2. Stir in soup, salsa, water, tortilla. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 min. Stir. Top with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Mexican Fiesta: Stir in 1/2 C. sour cream with soup.

Ranchero Style: Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and shredded Mexican cheese blend instead of cheddar.

Yummy!

If you like to cook (or if you just like to drool over pictures of food) check out Tammy's Recipes. This blog site is a terrific resource for busy moms. Tammy's site includes many posts related to homemaking and frugal living as well.

I especially enjoyed the recipe for Orange Vanilla Dream Cheesecake. I know what I'll be taking to our next potluck ...