a time to eat

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

2012-01-24T12:48:00.004-06:00

Recipe #6 in my "Cook from Every Book" Challenge was from Nigella Express. If you're not on board the Nigella bandwagon, let me issue you an invitation. Her cookbooks read like a conversation with a quirky British gal pal. I have yet to make a recipe of hers that we haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

As I often do, I made the recipe work with what I had on hand. I'll admit that the husband and I found the chicken to be lacking in flavor, but it was quick and easy and the rest of the plate was beautiful and full.

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

adapted from Nigella Lawson

12 chicken drumsticks (approximately 3 pounds total weight) (I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, bruised and skins removed

1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns

1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon maple syrup (I used honey)

Place the chicken drumsticks in a large freezer bag, and add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of oil. Add the bruised garlic cloves to the bag with the crushed peppercorns and salt. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and finally add the maple syrup, and then squish everything in the freezer bag around to mix the marinade and coat the chicken. Leave the buttermilk marinated chicken in the fridge ideally overnight or out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag shaking off the excess marinade, and then arrange them in a roasting tin lined with foil. Drizzle over the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil, and then roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until brown, even scorched in parts, and juicily cooked through.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2012-01-13T10:40:00.003-06:00

Here's another recipe for you that has literally changed our lives. Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but no less true. I haven't had to buy granola bars in probably 3 months. My boys love these, and even my husband snacks on them. (The same could not be said about the store-bought variety.)

The greatest thing about these is how much you can control the flavors and sweetness. The texture is great- most of the other granola bars I made at home came out cakey, which made them much less transportable. These are great to grab and go.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

adapted from Back to the Cutting Board (check out the notes above the recipe, especially about adjusting the amount of brown sugar you use)

Notes from my kitchen:

* I start by making my own granola, a very simplified version of this recipe.

* The best batch I've made (pictured above), used a combination of raw (turbinado) sugar, and brown sugar.

*You can use rice krispies for your puffed cereal, but I found this at our health food store and we love it!

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

2012-01-10T11:53:00.004-06:00

You can stop buying bread right now. No, really! This is it! THIS is the homemade bread recipe that can replace store-bought bread forever! It's not just a delicious bread you can enjoy with dinner. You can slice it and make a sandwich with it.

I'm not alone here, right? You've been wanting this, right?

Ok. Here it is.

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

(It's not my recipe at all, just something I pinned, so I thought I'd just share the link with you.)

Notes from my kitchen:

*The recipe calls for unsulphured molasses. More than likely, the molasses you find in your grocery store or Target will be unsulphured. Like this one or this one. I didn't have any so I used honey. Easy swap.

*I used white whole wheat flour. Still whole wheat, but so amazingly light and therefore easier to use in place of all-purpose flour in other recipes. I use this one.

*The bread flour I use is apparently higher in protein that other bread flours. I've been having issues with breads coming out too dry, so I used 1/4 cup more water than the recipe calls for.

*I used cheap, Target brand old-fashioned oats.

*As I do with most things I bake, I added about 2 tbs (maybe more) of ground flaxseeds.

White Milk Bread or Rolls

2012-01-04T12:05:00.001-06:00

Recipe #5 was from Apples for Jam, one of the most gorgeous cookbooks ever. It's a cookbook categorized by color! How amazing is that? So there's a section with all red foods, all yellow foods, all green foods, etc. So fun to look through. These white milk rolls were pretty easy to make and delivered good flavor. I still have a texture issue with homemade bread. It seems most of them turn out heavy and dense. I think the issue is bread flour. Something about higher protein levels in bread flour? I don't know. I'm no bread making expert, that's for sure. That being said, there's nothing better than homemade bread, fresh from the oven, slathered with butter. Except for enjoying said bread without your children knowing about it.

White Milk Bread

from Apples for Jam

1 cup warm milk

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast

1 tsp honey

3 2/3 cups bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tbs butter, melted

Put the milk, yeast, and honey in a small bowl, and stir until honey melts. Leave it for about 10 minutes, or until it begins to froth a bit. Put the flour and 1/2 tsp in a larger bowl. Add the yeast mixture, the egg, and butter, and mix well. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has puffed up well.

Lightly grease a 12 by 4 in loaf pan (if making a loaf) or a cookie sheet (if making rolls). Punch down the dough to flatten it and shape it into a loaf to fit the pan (or cut into equal sized portions for rolls). Cover with a cloth and leave in warm place to rise another 45-60 minutes, until puffed up again.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is firm and crusty and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

New Year

2012-01-03T10:37:00.007-06:00

I suppose it goes without saying that anyone who devotes time to taking pictures of their food and writing about it kind of likes food. I love food. I don't diet, because I don't really want to hear, think, or believe that there are certain foods that I can't eat. So as the new year begins, and I find myself all aflutter with excitement, motivation, anticipation, etc., I don't find myself in diet mode. I thought about doing a "cleanse," but I got over that pretty quickly. I know for me, all it takes is adding in exercise to motivate change in my eating. (I say all it takes, like it's easy, and yet I haven't exercised on even a semi-regular basis since college.)

I find myself motivated to eat healthy, real, delicious food.

I find myself debating things in the grocery store- "Sure, I used to enjoy that Special K Chocolate stuff, but why would I have that before bed when I could have a handful of raw almonds and dark chocolate chips, instead?"

I find myself chugging water again and grabbing fruit before anything else in the morning.

I find myself obsessed with this lunch- a sweet potato, topped with a little bit of ham, raw spinach, and cheese. Odd? Delicious.

I find myself amazed at how, even the tiniest bit of movement- in the form of stretches, a couple of yoga poses, or a walking video- trickles into change the rest of the day.

I find the choices I'm making affect my kids and my husband. I find my oldest and pickiest of picky-eaters taking me on a date to Whole Foods. He was disappointed that they were out of plums, because he wanted to try one. He tried a pluot instead, ate a kiwi last night, and wants to try spinach this week. The jury is still out as to whether he has been abducted by aliens and replaced with another child.

(this morning's breakfast- Greek yogurt, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, homemade granola and brown puffed rice cereal)

More than anything, I think I'm motivated, excited, and inspired by turning 30 in a couple of months. It feels like such a new, awesome chapter in my life is just beginning. For the past 6 years, I've been either pregnant or nursing (or sometimes both), and it's been impossible to focus much on my own health. Motherhood, by design, requires a lot of unselfishness and putting the needs of others above your own. That can easily turn into self-deprivation. This year, I'm excited to make decisions that will hopefully allow me to be a healthier, happier mom.

I'm excited to share the deliciousness with you along the way. I haven't completely forgotten about my original food goals, and am still working my way through my cookbooks. Hopefully there will lots of inspiring food on the horizon.

Happy 2012!

The Witching Hour

2011-12-26T15:48:00.002-06:00

My friend Katherine, whose blog will inspire you, asked a blog-post worthy question:

"When do you do your dinner cooking? A friend of mine once referred to that 5:00 hour as "suicide hour". That's when I'm waiting on Russ to get home (by 6/6:30) and it is 50/50 as to whether the kids will be playing contentedly or hanging on my legs to be held. So- said friend recommended I do my dinner prep at nap time, so as to avoid the "suicide hour" stress. Also to decrease any resentment toward Russ for not being in a home-by-5:00 job.Enough about me- when do you fix dinners? Do you freeze much ahead of time? You seem like a "cook it all fresh" kind of girl. Discuss."

I hear you. Oh, how I hear you. I've never heard it referred to as "suicide hour," only "witching hour," but perhaps your friend's description is more accurate. I have one night a week that I know my husband will be home at a decent hour. Not only decent, remarkable. (We're talking 1:45 or 2!!!) On those nights, I might try something new or make something that requires a lot time and attention, like Stew. Every other night, I never know if he'll even be home before 7. So I do a lot of cooking with whiny children running around like crazy and/or pulling on my pant legs.

Some strategies:

*Don't be too high and mighty to just plop those kids in front of the TV while you cook.

*If you're trying to eat all together as a family, and therefore pushing back dinner time until 6:30 or 7 (like we do around here), don't be afraid of a small late afternoon snack to sustain them.

*For the littlest ones, put all the Tupperware in one low cabinet and let the kid go to town.

*As for prepping ahead, I do sometimes. Stir-fry ingredients can be chopped, measured, etc. and stashed away until supper. Pasta and rice can be cooked ahead of time and reheated (especially handy if you make brown rice, which takes close to an hour to cook).

Dredging stations can be made and set aside until needed. (Like for Parmesan Chicken)

*I've mentioned my love of garlic and onion powders before. Not only do they serve as one less thing to be picked out of food, it also saves time- no chopping required.

*Implement a leftovers night. We called it "clean out the refrigerator" night when I was growing up. It was always a random smorgasbord of food, and I still love it.

*I rely pretty heavily on "steam-in-the-bag" veggies as a side dish. Green beans are our favorite. 5 minutes or so in the microwave, no pots to babysit, no thinking required.

Who else has suggestions? Feel free to leave them in the comments section!

Weekly Menu

2011-12-21T12:13:00.005-06:00

Whole wheat linguine tossed with fresh spinach and roasted kale chips- I imagine it goes without saying that I'm the only person in this house who ate this.

Breakfast for dinner- bacon, egg, and cheese on ciabatta

Roasted Tomato Soup with Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

Ranch Style Chicken with pasta and roasted carrots

Parmesan Chicken with rice and green beans

Pizzas- cheese and barbecue chicken

Chocolate Chip and Banana Muffins

Roasted Tomato Soup

2011-12-19T13:13:00.006-06:00

Recipe #4 was Tyler Florence's Roasted Tomato Soup from his book Stirring the Pot. I'm a big fan of Tyler Florence. My husband can't stand him- thinks he's too full of himself. I think having kids has mellowed Tyler, for sure. I like his food a lot, and his cookbooks are gorgeous. The soup was delicious, alongside a grown up grilled cheese. I cut the boys' sandwiches into strips and they dipped them in the soup. Then I copied them. Delicious.

Roasted Tomato Soup

adapted from Tyler Florence

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 small yellow onions, sliced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 quart chicken stock

2 bay leaves (I didn't have these)

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional (I didn't have these either, but used about 1/2 tsp of dried)

3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Preheat oven to 450˚F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with ½ cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Pour in any liquid from the roasting pan, ¾ of the chicken stock, bay leaves and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by1/3.

Wash and dry basil leaves and add to the pot. Puree the soup using an immersion stick blender until smooth. (Or use your blender, working in batches and being very careful not to let the lid pop off and hot soup burn you!) Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

2011-12-14T15:43:00.007-06:00

Recipe #3 was Ina's Chicken Stew with Biscuits. Essentially it's a chicken pot pie, but it's a bit lighter (only a bit), less time-consuming, can be made in advance, and easy to throw together on a chilly night! The boys loved the biscuits and tolerated the chicken, but of course everything had to be separated before it could be eaten. Of course.

We loved the biscuits! Like most home cooks, I find biscuits to be daunting. I'll tackle yeast breads with more confidence than I do biscuits. These, however, came together quickly in my Kitchenaid mixer and puffed up beautifully on top of the stew. I'll definitely make them again, with or without the stew.

Side note- the recipe is pretty big and serves 8, so I halved it. We ate every.last.bite. So, unless you're just cooking for 2 or something, make the whole thing.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits (half recipe, which is why some of the measurements seem odd- I don't do math)

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

3 boneless, skinless breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 + 1/8 cup flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 medium-diced carrots

2 stalks celery, diced

For the biscuits:

1 cups flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, diced

1/4 + 1/8 cup half-and-half

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut the chicken into large dice.

In a small saucepan, (or in a microwave safe dish) heat the chicken stock. In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the carrots and celery over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 1 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken and mix well.

Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out six circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. (Or just cut into 6 equal pieces, so you don't have to worry about scraps!) Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.

Chocolate Chip Pizza

2011-12-13T17:50:00.005-06:00

Recipe #2 was from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home. It's been flagged for a long time, just enticing me and getting my expectations high. I knew the boys would love it.

How could you go wrong with something called Chocolate Chip Pizza?

And while I can't completely blame the recipe, seeing as how I didn't do a good job rolling out the dough and I used chocolate chips instead of using a bar of chocolate and chopping it, the recipe still left a lot to be desired.

I'd choose a chocolate chip cookie any day.

Chocolate Chip Pizza

1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeas

t1/2 teaspoon sugar, extra for topping

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 package chocolate chunks

Melted butter for topping

In a large bowl proof the yeast with the sugar in 1/3 cup lukewarm water for 10 minutes or until it is foamy. Stir in an additional 1/3 cup lukewarm water, the oil, 2 cups of the flour, and the salt and blend the mixture until it forms a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

Alternatively, the dough may be made in a food processor. Proof the yeast as described above and in a food processor combine it with the remaining ingredients. Process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it is too wet, and knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds.

Put the dough, prepared by either method, in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil.

Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch round and fit it into the pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chocolate chips and sugar.

Bake the pizza on the bottom shelf of a preheated 400 degree oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Vinegar Glossed Chicken

2011-12-01T07:54:00.002-06:00

New recipe #1 was a smashing success. My pickiest of eaters had NOTHING but good things to say. He cleaned his plate (including the carrots!!!!) and thanked me for the delicious chicken. Both he and the husband said to add this one to our regular line-up. Noah's exact words were, "Mom, will you make this chicken every single day?"

Success might not be a strong enough word...

The recipe is from Mad Hungry, a cookbook I bought for myself with some Christmas money a couple of years ago. The author works for Martha Stewart and has a show of her own now. She's the mom of 3 boys and knows her stuff. I read and reread her book often.

Vinegar Glossed Chicken

adapted from Mad Hungry- by Lucinda Scala-Quinn

(I made some changes to use what I had on-hand, which is almost always boneless skinless chicken breasts, not chicken on the bone...)

1 cup best-quality red-wine vinegar (I used about 1/3 cup)

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons) (I used 1 big clove)

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (about 1 tablespoon minced) (I used 1)

5 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (each part should be cut in half) (I used 3 boneless skinless breasts)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed (I used about 1/2 cup, but added more to the pan because I over-reduced the sauce)

At least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before cooking, combine the vinegar, garlic, and rosemary to marinate.

Thoroughly season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a 14-inch skillet (or two smaller skillets) over high heat and swirl in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Don't crowd the chicken; leave space around each piece. Work in batches if necessary. You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan. Don't move them; it takes a couple of minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn't stick. Brown all sides; this will take 10 minutes per batch. Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken.

Place all the browned chicken back in the skillet.

Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, simmer, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture. Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegar evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve immediately or refrigerate, and reheat with some extra broth.

December Goal

2011-11-30T18:42:00.004-06:00

If you're anything like me, you have a lot of cookbooks. I thought that after my sister gave me Joy of Cooking for Christmas a few years ago, that I would never need another cookbook as long as I live. (It's pretty comprehensive.) While that might technically be true, I've developed an affection for good cookbooks. By good I simply mean the food is the kind of food I like to cook- approachable, uncomplicated, delicious.

So I've acquired a bit of a cookbook library. I read them like novels from time to time and gain inspiration on a regular basis. I mark pages with post-it flags and make plans to try out new dishes. But do I cook from them? Yes, but not often enough.

So I've challenged myself, for the month of December, to cook one thing from every cookbook I have.

17.

I have 17 cookbooks.

Here goes nothin'.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-15T14:11:00.004-06:00

I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the second time. My sister is taking over the turkey duties, because I can barely stomach dealing with a whole chicken (you can totally tell where its' head was, people!). She's also in charge of making Grannie's dressing and gravy and the rolls because A) Grannie is in California as she has been the last few Thanksgivings and my sister knows how to make the dressing, and B) I was in charge of rolls last year and I failed and had to run to Wal-mart on the way to Sister's and then made the mistake of buying frozen yeast rolls that had to defrost and rise and...yeah, I messed up.

I'm making the other sides and dessert.

I have yet to discover the secret to perfect mashed potatoes. The last Thanksgiving I hosted, I made Pioneer Woman's, but I felt they left something to be desired. This year, I'll try these:

Source: bonappetit.com via Keely on Pinterest

Broccoli Rice Casserole is my favorite side, and my mom made it every year. This year, I'm going out on a limb and forgoing the cream of mushroom soup, cheese-whiz, and instant rice for real ingredients! Eureka!

Source: foodnetwork.com via Keely on Pinterest

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Pie

Source: bhg.com via Keely on Pinterest

What are you making? What HAS to be on your plate?

Picky-Eater #1

2011-10-25T14:03:00.003-05:00

When my eldest picky eater turned 3, he refused to eat anything green. He even turned down mint-chocolate chip ice cream, solely on principle.

For the past month or so, his eating habits have changed even more dramatically. Every day it seems like another food is on the "disgusting" list.

*Peanut butter. Out

*Cheese. Out

*Hot dogs. Out

*Cinnamon toast. Out

"Mom, this tastes like money."

"This tastes like suction cups." (what?)

"I can't eat this, it tastes like throw up."

It was getting bad, folks. So I did want any sane mother, on the verge of losing her sanity, would do- I resorted to good old fashioned bribery.

Since Friday, Noah and I have been working with the following deal- if he eats one bite of everything I make him, for one whole week, he can choose whatever he wants for dessert and I'll make it this weekend.

So how's it going? Beautifully. The boy has eaten the following previously "detested" foods:

*Chili- and he loved it so much, he requested it for breakfast the next day. I declined, but I'm making it later this week, when the cool front comes through.

*Eggs- which he tolerated, but did not enjoy.

*Lasagna- which he loved, and requested for breakfast today. I declined, and served him cold cereal.

And last night, in a moment that will be forever etched in my brain, the boy ate not one bite, but two bites of his green beans. By choice.

Proudest parenting moment ever.

Thank you, bribery.

10 on 10 - October

2011-10-10T18:59:00.007-05:00

Today I'm linking up with Rebekah for 10 on 10!

making coffee is so much sweeter now that i have everything laid out nicely

i have big plans for those ugly bananas

homework time

never a distraction during homework time ;)

the simple act of making bats made me the coolest mom ever...for today

yummy lunch- spinach and feta breakfast burritos

not such a fan of the apple i shared

afternoon snack..want the recipe?

the best use i can think of for those bananas

he made his own!

the best way to end our mondays- pizza with pawpa

NOT Hamburger Helper

2011-10-05T15:03:00.003-05:00

It's something I'm proud of in the ugly, sinful sense, I admit. But I'm proud to say I've never eaten Hamburger Helper. I'm sorry if it offends you, but I'm anti-Helper, okay? Why do you need a box of preservatives to feed your family something that you can make with real ingredients, instead? Like this dish, which I like to call a happy accident. It's so kid-friendly, unless your kid is my oldest, who currently eats nothing and spat this out as if it were laced with arsenic.

NOT Hamburger Helper

adapted from Claire Robinson

1 lb ground beef

1 box penne pasta

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup cream

4 oz grated cheddar

salt and pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return it to the pot. Add the milk, cream, and cheese and stir to melt the cheese completely. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pasta, check for seasonings.

Sweet Potato Spice Muffins

2011-09-27T06:40:00.001-05:00

We just can't get enough of these muffins around here. While I realize they're pumped full of sugar, my boys are also getting whole grains, flaxseeds (which have tons of Omega-3's) and sweet potatoes in these little beauties. They've quickly become a favorite among my picky eaters.

(They like to think they're good to dunk in hot chocolate. I leave that up to you)

Sweet Potato Spice Muffins

adapted from Joy of Cooking

2 cups all purpose flour (I use half AP flour, half whole wheat)

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp ground flaxseed, if you have it

2 large eggs

1 cup milk or cream

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes (I bake them to use for this recipe, but you could use canned or baby food!)

1/2 cup butter, melted (or 1/2 cup canola oil)

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add to the flour mixture and mix together with a few light strokes, just until combined. Do not over mix. Divide among lined or sprayed muffin cups. Bake about 17 minutes (shorten your cooking time if making mini-muffins). Let cool 2-3 minutes before removing from the pan.

Baked Tortilla Chips

2011-09-26T13:23:00.005-05:00

It's inevitable- if it's taco night, there must be chips and salsa on the table, right? And do your kids end up eating mainly chips and salsa for dinner? Mine, too. So why not give them a healthier alternative in these baked tortilla chips? I often make tortilla strips to serve with taco soup and they're so incredibly easy, there's no reason I can't whip up a batch of chips on a regular basis.

Baked Tortilla Chips

corn tortillas

canola or olive oil

salt

seasoned salt, chili powder, whatever you want!

Preheat oven to 375. Cut corn tortillas in half, then cut the halves into thirds. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently to coat each chip with oil and seasoning. Place on baking sheets and bake 8-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Let cool slightly before devouring.

Weekly Menu

2011-09-22T10:54:00.005-05:00

Greek Salad with Pita Chips and Lemony Chicken Nuggets

Pork Loin Pitas with Feta Tzatziki and Garlic Fries- I've been adding greek yogurt, cucumber, and oregano to this feta sauce and it's AMAZING.

Parmesan Chicken with Brown Rice and Green Beans- Noah calls this dish "the chicken with the juice inside."

Pork Fried Rice

Sour Cream Noodle Bake with Bread- I had high hopes of this dish going over well with the picky eaters. It didn't. Apparently my oldest son is in this lovely stage of I-don't-like-anything-anymore. It's fun.

Pizza- I'm pretty sure no one will complain about Pizza night.

Spanish Rice

Greek Salad with Pita Chips and Lemony Chicken Nuggets

2011-09-21T14:56:00.004-05:00

This meal was so refreshing and delicious and exactly what I wanted it to be. The husband and I were all but fighting over who got to polish off the rest of the salad. I can honestly say that's never happened before. The chicken nuggets were just another version of my new go-to way of making them. Panko. Everyone loves the Panko.

Greek Salad with Pita Chips

adapted from Real Simple Magazine - I left out a bunch of stuff that I knew my husband wouldn't eat

2 pitas, split horizontally

4 tbs olive oil

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn or chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, torn

1-2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Place the pita cut-side up on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tbs olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until golden and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Let cool, then break into pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oregano, the remaining 3 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add the lettuce, spinach, tomato, and cucumber and toss. Top with feta and pita chips.

Lemony Chicken Nuggets

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized nuggets

salt and pepper

zest and juice of 1 large lemon

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2-4 tbs olive oil

In a large bowl, or on a plate, combine greek yogurt with the juice of 1 large lemon. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, add water 1 tbs at a time. Coat the chicken in the yogurt mixture. On a separate plate, combine breadcrumbs with the zest of the lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the coated chicken with the breadcrumbs. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in batches, adding more oil if necessary, until nuggets are golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

Grannie's Beer Bread

2011-09-13T17:38:00.004-05:00

I'd been craving homemade bread last week but couldn't find yeast at the store. I remembered my Grannie's hilarious story about having to buy beer to make her beer bread, and finding it necessary to explain to the cashier and everyone else she came across that it was for making bread, not for drinking. I hit her up for the recipe.

The bread was quick, tasty, and pretty fool-proof. The same can not be said for most bread recipes, right?

Grannie's Beer Bread

3 cups flour (I used 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of whole wheat)

(I also added about 1 tbs of ground flax seed)

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

12 oz beer, at room temperature

1/4 - 1/2 cup butter, melted

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for butter. Mix well, then pour into a greased 9 * 5 loaf pan. Pour melted butter over the top of the bread. (Grannie said she uses less butter because she made it once with 1/2 cup and it ran out of the pan all over the oven floor.) Bake at 375 for 50 minutes- 1 hour. Let cool 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan.

Guacamole Salad

2011-07-25T08:33:00.003-05:00

To be honest, this is the dish that inspired me to eat mostly-meat-free for the next month.

We had it on Thursday for dinner with friends (along with taquitos), and even my skeptical (scared) husband had two helpings of it! (I should think it goes without saying that my extremely picky little boys didn't eat a single bite of it.) I liked it so much, I headed back to the farmer's market and restocked the supplies needed to make another round. We had it for lunch yesterday with brown rice and tortillas. It's great as a chunky monkey salsa, eaten with chips.

Guacamole Salad

adapted from Ina Garten

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup red onion, sliced very thinly

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

juice of 1-2 limes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, seeded, peeled and diced

In a large bowl, place tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, corn, and beans. Squeeze over the juice of 1 (very juicy) or 2 (somewhat stingy) limes, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. When ready to serve, gently fold in avocados. (I made up a big batch for the fridge and just left out the avocado. I slice it and add it in when we're ready to eat.)

Another food goal

2011-07-23T11:34:00.001-05:00

Remember my food goals?

Check out my latest one!

Weekly Menu

2011-07-20T15:35:00.003-05:00

Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Parmesan Chicken with green beans and baked potatoes

Taco Night- (chicken for them, fish for me) with black beans, brown rice, and Cabbage-Corn Slaw - that slaw was delicious with the fish tacos. My husband enjoyed it on the side.

Pork Loin Pitas with Feta Sauce and Garlic Fries with baby carrots

Pasta Carbonara with garlic bread - just an okay Carbonara. I prefer this one.

Chicken Nuggets with Guacamole Salad and fresh corn on the cob

Taquitos, guacamole, brown rice and Busy-Day Chocolate Cake- company is coming, which means I get to make a dessert! (And margaritas...)

Basil, Chili, and Garlic Pork

Pork Loin Pitas with Feta Sauce

2011-07-18T07:01:00.002-05:00

I would never try to recreate the gyros from our favorite Greek dive. So I'm not even going to refer to these as gyros. What they are is a quick, delicious, hearty sandwich that everyone in my family enjoyed. They were perfect with garlic fries!

Pork Loin Pitas with Feta Sauce

feta sauce from Everyday Food

1 pork tenderloin (around 1 lb)

salt and pepper

dried oregano

4 pitas

2 oz feta cheese

juice of 1/2 lemon

1-2 tbs water

shredded lettuce

Trim pork tenderloin of any excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Heat about 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on every side and cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Even though I patted the pork dry, it still let off a lot of moisture, so I cranked the heat up to medium high until the water cooked off, then lowered it back to medium to let the meat brown and cook through.)

In a food processor, combine feta cheese, lemon juice, water (start with 1 tbs and add from there), and salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

Warm pitas in the microwave or wrap in foil and warm in the oven. Fill with pork, top with lettuce and feta sauce.