Cooking for Seven

Arroz Con Pollo Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Arroz Con Pollo

Some day the best menu plan is no plan at all. I'm still on my "back to real dinners" kick, and as a result I have a fairly well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer at the moment. So, to plan my meal tonight I picked up one of my favorite cookbooks, The Family Dinner. I flipped it open and I was immediately greeted by the mouthwatering full page photo of "Arroz Con Pollo" (pg 96).

A quick glance through the ingredient list let me know that I had nearly all of the required ingredients. I altered some, due to what I had on hand. . .and I'll give you my version.

This was a hit with everyone tonight. I served it up with some sour cream on the side and a big bowl of green and black olives. My husband liked that it was flavorful without being spicy, and my oldest son was impressed by how very tender the chicken was.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
5 large bone in split chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 large chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 teaspoons Adobo Powder (without pepper)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 large Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped*
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pound white rice (not instant) (2.5 cups uncooked)
1 cup defrosted frozen peas

To Make Seven Servings: (plus leftovers!)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
Sprinkle the chicken with some salt and pepper and brown them about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.
To the hot oil add the onions and bell pepper, cook until soft (about 5-6 minutes)
Add the garlic and Adobo powder and mix. Add the tomatoes.
Return the chicken to the pot.stir well so that the chicken is covered with the tomato mixture.
Add the broth, rice and paprika. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Add more broth if the rice dries out.
Just before done, stir in the peas.

I liked my rice topped with some sour cream, and my husband and the boys shredded their chicken and added to to the rice inside a flour tortilla and had a sort of soft taco.

*The tomatoes came from my freezer. Last summer I froze some of the extra home grown tomatoes we were given. I just cut off any imperfections, cut off the core end and popped six of them at a time into freezer bags. When it comes time to use them I let them thaw about halfway, then slip the skin right off and coarsely chop. They end up taking on the texture of canned chopped tomatoes without all of the extra sodium! (and the kids like that there are no tomato chunks to be found!)

Stuffed Zucchini Boats Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:04:00 +0000

After a long hiatus of not being a very good cook for our growing family, I decided that tonight was the night to re-claim dinner!
I've been wanting to try some sort of stuffed zucchini for a while, but all of the recipes seemed to have too much of something we did not like, or too little of something we did like! Tonight's dinner seemed to strike a good balance, and since the seven year old said it was delicious, I think we have a winner!

Ingredients:

6 small to medium sized zucchini squash cut in half and scooped out (save the guts!)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 10 oz container of frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
4 slices of bread, cubed (I used some whole wheat and a few slices of white. . .look for the loose bread ends in the pantry!)
1 egg beaten
handful of parsley
salt to taste
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or whatever is in the fridge)
1 can tomato soup (full strength)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown the ground beef and onion in a large frying pan until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic near the end of the browning so that it does not scorch.
Add the mushrooms and cook until tender.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, beaten egg, cheese, soup, spices, and cheese.
Combine the contents of the bowl with the meat mixture.
Place the zucchini in two 9X13 inch baking pans.
Scoop a generous amount of the filling into each "boat" (I used my little scoop that is made for cookie dough)
Pour about a cup of water ( a little less) into the bottom of each baking pan, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil, top with Panko bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese and bake for another ten minutes or so.

This is a great stand alone meal, but would also be good with a side salad. Next time I make this I plan on substituting Italian sausage for the beef, or adding some nice crispy bacon for some kick. I alos may substitute some leftover rice (if I have any) for the bread.

If you make this, let me know how you like it! I also had enough filling to bake in a separate baking dish, just in case one of my kids was "afraid" of the zucchini. But, honestly, the zucchini is a star in this dish!

Review: Five Ingredient Fix

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:32:00 +0000

I was thrilled to receive 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes
in the mail last week!

I've enjoyed Claire Robinson's show by the same name on the Food Network for some time. I enjoy how Robinson can take five basic, seasonal, pantry staples make them into something sensational!

The minute I received the book I had to sit down and look at all of the mouthwatering photos. There is a photo for nearly every recipe, which is great when meal planning with children. As a matter of fact my older boys grabbed the book and immediately began selecting recipes for me to try!

Our first adventure? Beef and Onion Stuffed Potatoes. They were delicious. However, I must warn you that five ingredient cooking does not always mean a quick and easy meal. As a matter of fact, the stuffed potatoes that were devoured in less than 10 minutes took me most of the evening to prepare!

I can foresee using this book when planning special meals and parties. She has a lovely chapter on cocktails and appetizers, and there is an index in the back that has suggested menus such as "Casual Friday Night" or "Frosty Evening Gathering". As much as I DO enjoy planning meals, I like it even more when someone else does the work and selects recipes that work well together.

5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes

is available at Amazon.com in both hardcover and Kindle editions.

Note: I was given a promotional copy of 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes in return for my review from Hatchette Media group through my relationship with The Product Review Place. However, all opinions expressed are solely my own

Shells and Beans, Busy Mom Fast Food

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:18:00 +0000

Some days, even the most dedicated from scratch cook needs a quick family meal that is cheap, convenient, and healthy. This recipe is a winner on all of these fronts, with the added bonus that all six of my kids love it!

Thursday night was a bit crazy in our house. Andrew had cross country practice (which requires shuttling him from one school to another for practice and then picking him up after practice). The Rev. had a class scheduled at the church, and the three other boys had an open house and choir concert at school, which was beginning at 6.

A schedule like this used to mean a quick trip through the fast food drive through. While we do eat the occasional fast food, I am generally opposed to it for dinner. Many "convenience" foods are either too expensive, or do not offer enough nutrition for our growing family. Even heating up frozen burritos takes too much time for a family in a hurry.

Enter the Meal Makeover Moms. I've talked about them a lot here. They really are my mealtime heros. I am really looking to their new cookbook, No Whine With Dinner, that is due out later this month.

This recipe is from their first cookbook, and it is called something like "Shells with Soupy Lentils". I've supersized it for my family, and now I always have the ingredients on hand. I can make it faster than I can drive to and from the drive thru and it is sooooo tasty!

I also love that it is meatless, as we try to eat one meatless meal a week. The Rev. loves that it costs less than $5 to feed our crew when I make this meal.

Our family has dubbed this dish: Shells and Beans

1 pound small shell pasta (the small shells really work best), cooked to al dente.
2 cans Progresso Lentil soup
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Heat all of the ingredients (except the cheese) together until bubbly. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Serve in bowls with crusty bread (I baked up a loaf of Pilsbury Simply Rustic French Bread. I would have liked to have made the bread from scratch, but it was a crazy day, remember? And the bread was delicious!

Lunch With the Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:58:00 +0000

Anyone who has tried to eat in front of the girls has learned pretty quickly that they take after their mom...they LOVE FOOD!

These are no ordinary babies. They can be plied with Cheerios, if, and only if, they also see that I am preparing them some other kind of food. And those little jars...forget about it. Never mind that little Ellie still has no teeth, she wants to chew on her food.

I spend my lunch time then, thinking of creative things to make for the girls to eat. Better yet, if I can share it with them we will kill two culinary birds with one stone. Plus, hey, it keeps me honest. I have much higher nutritional standards for the children than I have for myself (you've heard about the Coca Cola and Twinkies, no?)

Today's lunch began as a smaller version of what I recommend for people who are in a rush and don't know what to make for dinner. Start with a pot of water put on to boil.

When I cook for the babies I get to use my very lonely and underused one quart saucepan.

Once the water boiled I put in 1/2 cup alphabet pasta. Then I peeled and chopped a carrot (fresh from my CSA gleanings from last night!), I also diced the cutest little mini zucchini, and some mushrooms. Toss all of the the vegetables into the boiling pasta water.

While the pasta and vegetables cook, I add some seasonings. Baby food companies think that babies like bland food, but my kids prove otherwise. I added a dash of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and a teaspoon of dried chives.

When the pasta is tender and so are the carrots, drain the pasta and vegetables.

Return them to the pan and add 1/4 cup each of shredded swiss and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to melt cheese and cool for the babies.

This made enough for two generous baby portions and one reasonable adult portion. All three of us loved it!

When You Know Better, You Do Better: Riverbound Farm Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:43:00 +0000

I have been cooking for family and friends since my early teens. Cooking dinner was one of the chores that I chose to do to help out the family because I liked food, I was a picky eater, and I hated cleaning bathrooms.

One of my first "gourmet meals" that I served a friend was heating up a frozen pasta dish and placing it on fancy plates. I think I was about 13 years old at the time.

When I married fifteen years ago, my cooking had improved some, but our budget was tight. A common meal was "red beans and rice", which was actually some instant rice topped with a can of chili beans.

Cooking for the crew isn't always easy!

Since those days, our family has grown, our budget has grown (though it is by no means extravagant), and my cooking has improved.

Along with the improvement of my cooking has been a greater knowledge of food and nutrition and the impact of food upon our lifestyles.

I have become a crusader against childhood obesity, and I have rejoiced in seeing changes in some local school lunch programs.

I cringe over some of the meals that I used to feed my family.

Through all of this I feed our little family of eight on about $150 a week. I strive to purchase the highest quality, least processed and healthiest food possible. I serve healthy, wholesome and tasty meals. I celebrate time spent together as a family around the dinner table, and I work to have my children involved in as much of the food preparation or planning as possible!

Join me in our adventures in healthy family eating. I hope to introduce you to some great new tastes, and I hope that your family loves the food as much as my family does!

If you are looking for new recipes using a box of macaroni and cheese or hot dogs, this may not be the place for you. But if you are looking to take small steps towards healthier living, sit down and make yourself at home!

I cook for eight of us, in an average sized kitchen, with common, everyday, and sometimes inadequate equipment, just like you! My kids all have different tastes and sometimes complain. Some think I am trying to kill them with brown things, but in the end, I am the mom...and I always win in the kitchen!

I've learned that cooking for a crowd is no harder than cooking for two...sometimes it is even easier!

We outgrew our cookbooks...have you?

Lately I have become a much more local cook. I try to get as much as our food from local sources as possible. I'm in North Dakota, in some ways this is an easier task than if I lived in say, New York City, but it gets more complicated in the winter months. This summer we joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I came up with this very local recipe after a trip back from Riverbound Farm with a van full of fresh vegetables last week!

Riverbound Farm Pasta

1 pound North Dakota grown wheat bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

3 medium sized yellow summer squash, thinly sliced

4 medium tomatoes

2 cloves minced garlic

I cup shredded swiss cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a large frying pan.

Lightly saute the summer squash. Add the garlic near the end of the cook time.

Toss the cooked pasta with the squash, chopped tomatoes, and swiss cheese, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

I leave the tomato chunks rather large so that my tomato averse children can pick them out easily. Other fresh vegetables also work well in this super quick pasta toss, feel free to add sliced mushrooms, onions, carrots, or whatever else suits your fancy! This meal is satisfying, delicious and comes together in a snap!

Kid Food Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:30:00 +0000

This is my fault for not reading labels better. I wanted to get some fruit cups that I could toss in the diaper bag. All of them were either packed in light or heavy syrup, none in juice.

So, out of the corner of my eye I saw this package and was lured in by the "no added sugar".

Too bad the sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners.

Shame on you Del Monte for not offering a natural product, and shame on me for not being a more careful consumer.

Apple Butterscotch Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:11:00 +0000

I try to be both budget conscious and nutrition conscious in my kitchen.

While I would love for my kids to snack on nothing but fruits and vegetables, I am a realist, and I know that dessert is important too!

Most commercially prepared baked goods are either expensive or have ingredients that I prefer not to serve too often to my family or both.

This means I have to bake for the family.

I don't really care for baking. I often find it to be a time consuming, fussy process for food that is extra in our diets. So when I find a recipe that has affordable, wholesome ingredients, does not require me to drag out the mixer (you'll not find any fancy meringues on my menu), and does not dirty every bowl in my kitchen, I'm willing to give it a try.

The Meal Makeover Moms are my go-to source for healthy and tasty snacks and desserts.

This time of year apples are plentiful and in season. They are also a favorite snack of Dakotapam's kids! We go through about 10 pounds of apples a week in our house during the Fall. The two newest kids are also enjoying apples, so we may be going through 15 pounds a week soon!

So, when I saw a recipe that combines my kids' favorite flavor, apples, with my favorite flavor, butterscotch, I knew we could not fail!

This recipe is bursting with fruit, fiber and whole grains.

However, my Owen declared his love for the cake when he thanked me for making a treat without whole grains! It is the Dakotapam version of "Mikey likes it!"

The recipe was originally found here. There are many, many other great recipes to be found there! All of them a hit in our house.

Apple Butterscotch Cake

Makes 15 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large omega-3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil

2 large Golden Delicious apples, unpeeled, cut into quarters,

cored, and coarsely grated (about 2 packed cups)

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk together the two kinds of flour, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, pumpkin pie

spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together the eggs, applesauce, and oil in a separate bowl. Stir in the

apples until well blended.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Stir in the butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan; smooth with a rubber spatula.

Bake about 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center

comes out clean. Cool on a rack before cutting.

Overheard at Dakotapam's Dinner Table

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:38:00 +0000

Owen, eight year old, self proclaimed picky eater: "You are a bad mom, because you never give me Twinkies." (Funny thing, this is not even a true statement...Twinkies happen to be one of my guilty pleasures, so I often have them in the house, but not daily.)

Me: Look, Sara Lee reformulated their Soft and Smooth bread so that there is no High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.

William (11): Ugh, I liked that stuff!

Owen (again): I don't like whole grains. They taste funny.

Me: Oh, then Owen, you won't like my corn bread, it is made with whole grains.

Owen: Corn bread doesn't count, it doesn't taste funny.

Me: Oh, thanks for that.

Me: William, how is the chili?

William: Needs more corn syrup.

It is a good thing I love these guys!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Baby Food

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:13:00 +0000

It is no secret that two of my favorite people to cook for also happen to not have the ability to complain about my cooking yet!

My main goal with feeding the babies is to feed them healthy foods and encourage adventurous taste buds. I don't feed them much bland food. I make almost all of their food.

I enjoyed watching a segment on the Today show today about making baby food. Norah O'Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy were plugging their new cookbook Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler.

They made this delicious dish for babies that they described as the smell of apple pie. I altered the recipe a bit, by changing up the apples called for and by adding dried cranberries along with the raisins. They girls tried some for lunch and smacked their little lips!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Baby Food

1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into large chunks, leaving peel on

1 red delicious apple, cored and cut into large chunks, leaving peel on

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup apple juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup baby oatmeal (I use Gerber with DHA and probiotics)

Place all ingredients except oatmeal into a large saucepan and bring to a low boil.
Simmer for 8 minutes until apples are tender and dried fruit is plump
Add oatmeal and stir and cook for another minute.
Place in a food processor and blend until desired consistency.
Divide into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Some like to freeze baby food in ice cube trays and then transfer to freezer bags. This worked great for me when I was feeding one baby. When feeding multiples I've found it easier to freeze in 4-6 ounce plastic or glass containers.

Riverbound Farm CSA

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:42:00 +0000

Joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) has been something I've been "planning" to do for some time. I first learned of the CSA concept when we were living in Minnesota, and I was intrigued, but not sure how to fit it into our food budget. And then we moved to North Dakota.

Let's just say that with the stress of moving, being in on the ground floor of planting a church and then being pregnant with and raising twins, along with four busy boys...I put the idea out of my head.

I hate gardening. I don't just mean that I find it difficult. I hate it. I don't like the crouching on the ground, or the dirt, or the bugs or the weeds. I don't even like garden planning (and I actually love planning things!).

However, I LOVE fresh vegetables. I have a passion for local food. The more I learn about food, and nourishing our bodies, the more I desire to eat food that is grown and produced locally. This has actually been a fairly easy transition for me. I have always been a believer of eating foods in season, which generally allows for more local foods.

I have been able to find a source for farm fresh eggs (there is NO substitute!), we get our milk and yogurt from a local dairy, and now our produce comes from a family farm south of Mandan, ND!

Here is a selection from Riverbound Farm's website describing what exactly a CSA is:

What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture
Members of a CSA purchase a "share" of the farm's harvest, often in advance, and in return receive a box of fresh, seasonal produce weekly and a connection to the farm where it is grown. You will enjoy a diverse selection and the taste of the seasons will fill your home with delicious goodness. When you become a member of a CSA you join a community that values the viability of sustainable farming and a healthy food economy. Eat well, support local Farmers, and protect the health of the land. Symbiotic relationships are great!
Share the bounty
Members of a CSA are becoming members of an important community endeavor. We hope to build a strong CSA that all members can actively be a part of on your desired level of involvement. Members of Riverbound farm CSA are making a difference in the local economy by supporting a local family farm and organic agriculture.

Once a week members can choose to either come out to the farm or pick-up their produce in town.
Members will also get to choose what they want each week from a large variety of produce.

We encourage people to come out to the farm regularly. Go on a stroll and check out the farm and your food production. Volunteer opportunities will also be available for those members who want to really get involved. We will also have a children's play area near the CSA barn along with a children's garden. Workshops on gardening, natural education, and various others themes will also be available.

So I bit the bullet and signed our family up for a family CSA share. Yesterday I went out for our very first pick up and was so impressed! I came home with red skinned potatoes, fresh basil, lettuce, sweet corn, onions, green peppers, jalepeno peppers, tomatoes, carrots, adorable baby eggplant, and I even got to pick some of the sweetest strawberries I have ever tasted. I also could have brought home some summer squash, zucchini and cucumbers, but I had just been generously gifted some of those from friends!

Next week I plan on bringing the boys along so they can see where their food comes from! And I think they will also enjoy seeing the happy, fat, pasture fed chickens!

So, do you belong to a CSA?
Do you garden?
Do you know where your food comes from?
Is it important to you?

I'd love to hear from you! Stay tuned for some great ideas on how to use up all of that tasty and healthy produce!

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas Review

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Being the kid of a food blogger is not all chocolate cake and grilled cheese. As a matter of fact, if your food blogger mom is also nutritionally conscious, there is not a lot of chocolate cake or grilled cheese at all.

However, there are some perks to being the kid of a food blogger, such as the Fed Ex truck dropping off a box with dried ice (cool!) and Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas (yum!).

As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, I have the opportunity to participate in the Tastemaker program, in which different food manufacturers send samples of new products for me to try and review.

Last week I got two of the new Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas to share with my family.

Kellogg is one of America's favorite breakfast brands, and they are bringing a new and unique offering to the breakfast market.

Eggo Real Fruit Breakfast Pizzas are available in the freezer section of your grocery store. They take just one minute in the microwave (really!), which can really streamline breakfast preparation.

These fruit pizzas feature a soft cinnamon and maple flavored crust, and are topped with a creamy cheese and yogurt layer, crunchy granola and real fruit.

There are two flavor varieties, Strawberry granola (400 calories) and Mixed Berry Granola (featuring blueberries and raspberries) (390 calories).

I usually pass up frozen breakfast entrees as they do not always deliver nutritionally, but I was impressed by the 4 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein in these pizzas! (And no HFCS! Yay!)

I was surprised and impressed by the flavor of these pizzas. When I ate them, the fruit was cool and juicy, it tasted fresh, and did not get mushy as defrosted frozen fruit sometimes gets. The crust was warm and soft, without being soggy. There was great balance between the warm and cool ingredients. It was sweet without being overly so. It felt like a complete breakfast.

The real judges are my children, and they thought that the pizzas were delicious!

You can learn more about Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas here.

I'd love to hear what your favorite convenient breakfast foods are?

Babies, Babies everywhere!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:22:00 +0000

In the past few weeks, two members of my MOMS Club have given birth, my cousin had a baby boy on Saturday, and my friend from high school had twins today! Babies make me think of...lasagna.

I try and bring food to new moms, and an easy meal to make is lasagna, comforting, freezes well, tastes good left over. I've also been known to make soup.

My new go-to lasagna for new mommy recipe comes from Beth, who make me this HUGE and delicious lasagna after the twins were born. I think I'll be cooking it up soon. I have two locals I can bring it to, as for my cousin and my high school friend...one of my Michigan readers will have to see this and cook it up for them! It is worth it, even long distance!

Menu Plan Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Last week I resolved to begin planning our meals again. Pregnancy, childbirth and adjusting to twins had taken the wind out of my somewhat organized sails.

I'm getting back on board, bit by bit.

This is a pretty busy week, so perhaps planning will help.

Monday: It is cold and rainy, so soup sounds good. Tonight is Minestrone. Tasty, easy, and I usually have all of the ingredients.

Tuesday: Spaghetti, it keeps Owen from searching for a new family. I'd like to say that I am at least making creative spaghetti, but lately it has been Ragu Old world Style and ground beef.

Wednesday: Shrimp Scampi, steamed rice and asparagus. Andrew graduates from 8th Grade, and shrimp is his favorite.

Thursday: Burgers and dogs on the grill for 8th grade graduation party

Friday: The weather better get better, because I'm planning for Grilled Steak, potato salad, and baked beans.

Often I buy canned baked beans, but when I have the time, I prefer to bake them myself. When we were first married I would not make a batch unless we had company, because one recipe made way too much. Now, it makes just the right amount with maybe a little bit left over!

This is a recipe for sweet baked beans. I've cut the sugar in this recipe quite a bit, and we like it. It takes more planning ahead than opening a few cans, but it is also more budget friendly as well as preservative free!

Sweet Baked Beans

Ingredients
1 cup dried navy beans
4 cups water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
Directions
Place the navy beans into a large pot and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Or, bring the beans and water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse before using.
Place the beans in a 4 quart dutch oven with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 1 hour.
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F). Stir the ketchup, maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, together in a small bowl; set aside.
Once the beans have simmered for 1 hour, drain, and reserve the cooking liquid. Pour the beans into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and stir in the chopped onion and the molasses sauce. Stir in enough of the reserved cooking liquid so the sauce covers the beans by 1/4 inch.
Cover, and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200 degrees F , and cook 6 hours longer. Stir the beans after they have cooked for 3 hours. Once the beans are tender and the sauce has reduced and is sticky, remove from the oven, stir, recover, and allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.

Fire up the grill! It's Veggie Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:33:00 +0000

It does NOT look like grill season here. Somehow the trees have managed to grow leaves, though when exactly that happened I'm not sure. We've spent a lot of time indoors lately due to SNOW and rain.

However, we are optimists in our home, and the Rev. and the boys spent the afternoon yesterday picking up Winter from our back yard, scrubbing out the sun porch and cleaning the grill! This means I can start buying grill food and let the Rev. take over some of the cooking duties!

One of the tastiest meals we made last summer was this one, of grilled venison sausage and vegetable skewers. It was a bright, fresh meal, and very kind on the budget!

We made these on July 18 last summer, when I was about twelve weeks pregnant and still sick as a dog. It was a full two months before we learned that we were having two babies, though the size of my belly may have been a clue!
So here we go, with Summer Vegetable Skewers!

Ingredients

6-12 bamboo skewers soaked for 30 minutes in water
olive oil for brushing
coarse sea salt
1 each red, orange and yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges
8 ounces white mushrooms , washed and trimmed
1 each yellow and green zucchini squash sliced 1/2 inch thick

Directions

1.Arrange the vegetables on the soaked skewers (this is a great job for kids to help with!)

2. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt

3. Grill over medium coals, turning often until vegetables reach desired doneness.

It has been a while...

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:41:00 +0000

But I'm still cooking! I'm sure many of you have heard, but I'll let you all in on this if you have not...I'm really cooking for eight! On January 14, 2010, I gave birth to our beautiful twin daughters Elizabeth and Emily.

Now, at three and a half months old, they are finally giving me significant time to sit and write and edit photos and the like.

I have some great food and some great tips to share with you, so I'm glad you have stuck around!

Autumn Pear Kuchen

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:29:00 +0000

Kuchen is the ultimate German comfort food. In my quest for a more budget friendly kitchen I decided to try my hand at this sweet, but not to sweet dessert for less than the $4.99 or so I pay at the grocery store.
I was able to bake four delicious kuchen for less than the cost of one pre-baked kuchen, and my toughest critics, the children, pronounced it delicious!
Autumn Pear Kuchen

Ingredients:
Dough:
4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour. (I use Eagle Mills Ultragrain Flour which has 9 grams whole grain per 1/4 cup serving and passes and bakes like white flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup milk (I always use Bessy's Best)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Fruit topping:
2 thinly sliced and cored pears (I leave the skin on)
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

Custard:
1 quart Bessy's Best Milk
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
dash salt
splash of vanilla

First, begin with the dough. In a mixer bowl, combine 2 cups flour and the yeast. Heat milk, sugar, butter and salt until just warm( I heat just long enough to melt the butter). Add to the flour mixture and add the eggs. Beat at low speed on the electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat 3 minutes on high speed. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can with a spoon. On a lightly floured surface knead in the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes). Shape into a ball in a greased bowl; turn once, cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. Punch down the dough, divide into quarters and let rest 10 minutes.
Pat the dough into the bottoms and up the sides of greased 9 inch cake pans. Prick the dough several times with a fork.
Thinly slice two ripe, green pears. Arrange one half a pear on the bottom of each cake pan on top of the dough. Press the pears lightly into the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Combine all of the custard ingredients and pour over the pears and dough.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake until the custard is set (about another half hour).
You will want to have another pan under the kuchen in the oven to catch custard drips. If you do not prick your dough, watch for it to rise and the custard will leak underneath the dough. It will still taste wonderful, it will just not be as pretty.
Serve warm or cold.
Makes 4 kuchen.

Pasta Fazool

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:09:00 +0000

I've been a terrible food blogger. I apologize. My life has been crazy in all good ways. We got some interesting news with our pregnancy, and instead of cooking for seven, I'm actually cooking for eight!

I've also begun writing as the Bismarck Budget Meals Examiner, which has some great tips for Bismarck locals as well as for budget conscious cooks everywhere. I'd love it if you could pop over there and let me know what you think. There is a great subscription feature in which you can be emailed my new posts as they are written, so you need not miss a thing!

Now, on to dinner! Tonight I had planned to cook up some yummy steaks that I had sitting in my freezer. BUT I did not plan far enough ahead, and they are still frozen. I hate, hate, hate defrosting in the microwave. So I decided to move Meatless Monday to Sunday.

Pasta Fazool is a favorite in our home. I feel like a real Italian Mama when I make it (I don't have a drop of Italian blood). It is good, down home, peasant food. I have seen many variations on this dish, some ranging from soups to sauces. Mine is more of a one pot stew.

Pasta Fazool

1 medium onion

2 cloves of minced garlic

2 T. Olive Oil

2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 15 ounce cans beans (I use cannellini, and red kidney beans)

2 cups dry pasta

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan

1. Dice the onion and sautee it with the minced garlic over medium high heat.

2. When the onions are translucent add the tomatoes and a can full of water.

3. Add the beans and pasta.

4. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened and pasta is tender.

5. Top with grated parmesan.

Enjoy!

Tacos In A Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000

"Taco Bell, Taco Bell, we're not Taco Bell. We sell tacos in a bag, not tacos in a shell...Ole'!"

This is what you can hear chanting throughout the day today on Fifth Street in downtown Bismarck today. It is Downtowners Street Fair time, and that means that Boy Scout Troop 89 is making and selling Tacos in a Bag.

These tasty treats break nearly all of my food rules, but when we are talking "fair food" all bets are off! Plus, these treats pay for a years worth of gasoline to tote those scouts all over the midwest to do what scouts do best...camp and have adventures!

If you can't make it to Bismarck to buy a taco in a bag, you can have one at home...and my home version is slightly healthier. The best part about a meal like this is that even your pickiest eaters can customize the dish to suit their tastes. This is a big favorite of ours when we go camping as well. The meat can be prepared in advance and heated right before serving.

Tacos in a Bag (the not quite so unhealthy version!)

Depending on how many you plan on serving, brown some lean ground beef with some chopped onions. Add either fresh grated garlic or some garlic powder and chili powder and cumin to taste. (Skipping the bags of taco seasoning saves not only money, but lowers the sodium in your food)
Warm some refried beans.
Chop taco toppings, I love lettuce, olives, green onions, tomatoes, and avocado.
Slice open a single serving bag of Doritos the long way, making a bowl-like opening. I give the bag a little crush before opening.
Top chips with meat mixture, beans, veggies and some shredded cheese and real sour cream. My hubby likes salsa as well, but I leave it off mine since I loaded up on all of the other veggies!
Enjoy, right out of the bag!

Frugal Eating, While Eating Well

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:41:00 +0000

I don't know of many people who are not watching their budgets just a little more closely every day. I know that we are. There are a lot of things in our budget that I am willing to scrimp on. We wear cozy sweaters and slippers in the winter, while keeping the thermostat low, we try and avoid impulse fast food trips, we use the library more than the bookstore and we watch more movies at home than at the theatre. However, I'm not real willing to cut a lot out of our food budget.

This does not mean I go wild at the grocery store either.

Eating healthfully, is actually quite affordable. Especially with a large family, it is cheaper than buying processed foods.

Here are some of my tips for eating like a foodie on a budget!

This is often touted as a tip for weight loss, but it works for trimming the fat from your food budget as well...shop the perimeter of the store, only dashing into the aisles for must needs! Th outside of the store is where you will find what I like to call the "Real Food", and while it may seem more costly at the outset, remember that that $1 box of instant, artificially flavored and over-salted box of mashed potatoes may only cost a dollar, but you will need two boxes to feed your family...and 10 pounds of potatoes...the ones with fiber and nutrients, are on sale for $2!
Quality counts. I pointed out last week what I learned about Sour Cream...not all are equal. I try to buy the highest quality product, for the lowest price. For instance, I like to doctor up jarred spaghetti sauce. It makes a quick meal, and it is is hearty and healthy. The cans and jars that are on sale for $1 are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. I'm just not a fan...I'll drink it when I chose to (in my weakness, carbonated sodas) but I hate it snuck into what should be healthy foods! There are several gourmet brands of sauce with all natural ingredients. They are delicious, and I buy them when on sale. Ragu Old World Style sauce is a best kept secret...all natural ingredients-no high fructose corn syrup- for usually under $2.
I like to support local business. I like local food. Sometimes it costs more, sometimes, like the milk I adore, actually costs less than the national brand. I love that here in North Dakota, many local companies have joined the Pride of Dakota group and their products are marked as such. I love to know that my food comes from our great state! I've found that local products are of high quality and I can often find great tips and recipes from others who use these products as well.
Drop some meat. We've attempted meatless Mondays for a few months now. The boys are getting used to it. Once they realized that I'm not going to totally cut meat out of the menu they relaxed and enjoy the protein packed meatless meals I've come up with. Beans, dried and canned are an excellent inexpensive source of protein, and eggs...even the more expensive Eggland's Best that I buy for the crew still ring in at under 25 cents each!
Get to know your local store sales trends. I like to stock my freezer with meat when it is on sale, so I am not stuck buying expensive cuts as I plan out meals. We have one grocery store that prices their almost out of date meats at 5 packages for $19.99. If I get there on the right day I can either stock up on about $50 worth of ground beef for $20, or, as I did last week, pick up $70 worth of steak for $20.
I keep my meal plans flexible. When I shop, I keep my meal plans in mind, but a sale on certain items may change what I prepare.
Soup is cheap, and comforting, and filling. I make at least one pot a week!
Snacking in our home is limited to fresh fruit. It is filling, and healthy and satisfies the sweet craving.
Drink more water...it is free.
I now do a lot of grocery shopping online. We have two stores in town that will deliver groceries. I save money by not making impulse purchases, comparing prices online (and having the time to do so) and, best yet...the groceries are placed inside my front door! No more lugging groceries from the van! I love than I can still use coupons, and I actually remember to use them (I often get distracted in check out lines)

What are some of your tips for eating well on a budget? I'd love to hear from you!

Southwestern Rice and Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Many of my meals have had to be spur of the moment deals lately. I've not had a lot of energy due to the energy required to grow a baby! If it is a work day, I am even less inclined towards creativity in the kitchen, leading to an increase in junk food at our house during pregnancy.

When I do cook...I make sure it counts! On Tuesday I worked all day, but came home determined to make a healthy, tasty meal for my crowd. I'm pretty sure I succeeded. My recipe is a variation on the Meal Makeover Moms "One Pot Rice and Beans". Their recipe called for instant brown rice, which while convenient, is not as practical or tasty for our family. I also had to increase the amount of food significantly. All in all, this was a quick, tasty meal, enjoyed by all but the overtired kindergartner!

I could have just as easily left out the chicken, and you will see that there is not even much in there, but it makes the carnivores in the family happier to see SOME meat in there, no matter how sparse. Between the rice and the black beans, there is plenty of protein in this dish.

Southwestern Rice and Beans

Cook a pound of brown rice according to these easy, no measuring needed, directions.
While bringing rice to a boil, I cut up four big, juicy, yellow tomatoes from Andrew's garden. I added a generous shake of Simply Salsa Seasoning Mix, stirred it all together and let it sit.
I took a 15 minute break. Ahhhhh, the joys of pregnancy!
Chop 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cook them in the bottom of a large, heavy pot with a few tablespoons of canola oil. When the rice has finished cooking, add it to the pot, along with two cans of drained black beans, 8 oz. of frozen corn, straight from the bag, and add the tomato salsa mixture. Add a generous shake of chili powder and cumin. Mix thoroughly and heat through.
Serve in bowls topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream*, and avacado.

I was so pleased with how this turned out. The yellow tomatoes brightened the dish, and tricked my non-tomato chunk eating kids to eat them. William did question what it was, but ate it anyway.

*Many thanks to Beth at Rhubarb and Venison for pointing out that Daisy Sour Cream is the only sour cream in our local area that has the simple ingredient list consisting of only: sour cream. It is now an easy choice to decide which container to choose when I'm out shopping. Often it is also the least expensive choice! I just love how small things can add up to better food for my family...don't forget to read labels and think about what you are putting in your bodies!

p.s. Sorry for the photo quality...note to self, ether get better lighting in the house, or dinner on the table before dark!

Steak is Cheaper Than Hot Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:25:00 +0000

My friends often think we must be rolling in money when we show up to a cookout, armed with steak. But I found out a few years ago, that it is cheaper to grill a steak than to grill hot dogs.

Sure, cheap hot dogs are cheaper. But I'm frugal, not cheap. The food that I put into my body, and that of my precious family should not be cheap. I do not want it filled with fillers and chemicals and preservatives and yucky things. So, if I buy hotdogs, it is an all beef, very short ingredient list variety...and they don't go on sale for 99 cents for a pack of eight. Good hamburger meat is often over $3 a pound, and it takes more than a few burgers to fill our clan. However, a value pack of steak (I'm not talking New York Strip or filet mignon here) can often be had for around $10. That provides enough steak for our crew, with some leftover for nibbles, or to throw in a salad, or into soup, or to feed to some guy at the picnic who suddenly looks unsatisfied with his pale hotdog on white bread.

So tonight, for our Labor Day dinner I pulled $8 worth of steak from the freezer, sent the 13 year old out from to shuck corn from a friend's garden, and I mashed up $1 worth of potatoes gotten on sale. A delicious holiday feast, for under $10! It is no wonder that I laugh when I see the cable news shows bemoaning welfare recipients who cannot make a meal for one on $7. I bet they would not let me on that show!

And now, for my word of warning. Skip the corn cob knobs. Seriously, when you walk through the kitchen store, put them down. Forget that your children think that they need them. They cause nothing but pain, and frustration. As I attempted to stab the knob into the cooked ear of corn tonight I ended up with not one, but two very bloody puncture wounds on my right thumb. Ouch. And the plastic screw in kinds...equally worthless. I just let the corn cool and let my kids touch it...they make enough mess anyway, what is a little butter on their fingers!

*Photo credit: Omaha Steaks

Italian Wedding Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:15:00 +0000

No, there can never be too much soup. There is no set soup season for me. I can eat soup all year long. I love soup for its comforting warmth, its ability to consume leftover bits from my refrigerator and for its innate frugality. Soup can stretch to feed as many as you need. On my other blog I posted a recipe for Italian Wedding Soup for a Crowd. When I say crowd, I mean many more than seven people. According to my web stats, it is one of my most popular pages. As I began making this soup for my much smaller crowd last week, I decided to post the recipe for my cooking for seven version. My recipe is taken from Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2 . I've owned this cookbook since 2004, when I was cooking for fewer children, and I have loved everything that I have made out of this cookbook. My favorite thing? Rachael has an even heartier appetite than I do, so when she says a recipe feeds 4-6 people, I've found it feeds at least seven!

This recipe is listed as Meatball and Macaroni soup in the book, but I know it as Italian Wedding soup. Let me warn you...neighbor kids will beg to stay and eat if they see you cooking this soup. They will even eat the spinach that floats on top. Your pickiest eater will at least eat the pasta and the meatballs. Everyone will be happy.

Italian Wedding Soup

2 T. Extra virgin olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound ground beef and ground pork, combined

1 egg

2 cloves minced garlic (I usually skip the mincing and use Garlic Garlic...try it, you'll thank me!)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups dried pasta (I use ditalini)

1 bag of fresh, washed, baby spinach

In a deep pot over medium heat, add oil, carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook veggies, 5-6 minutes, stir occasionally.

While cooking, combine ground meats, egg, garlic, grated cheese and bread crumbs.

Add broth and water to the pot, increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and begin to roll meat mixture into small balls. Drop the meatballs straight into the pot. Once you are done rolling the meat, add pasta to the pot and stir. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. When the pasta is tender, add the spinach in small batches. When the spinach is wilted, the soup is done!

Serve with fresh bread. I like a little parmesan sprinkled on top as well!

First Day of School Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:28:00 +0000

I'm just not a breakfast person. I'll usually eat breakfast if someone else cooks for me, and when pregnant I am starving, so I always eat in the morning...but otherwise, I can usually skip it. Not healthy, I realize, but non-morning people usually substitute coffee for food, at least I do.

I am turning over a new leaf. I am trying to cook more breakfast for the boys...at least on my days off of work. Part of this is a frugality issue. Have you seen the prices of cold cereal lately? At $4 for a box of cereal, it is cheaper for me to fry some eggs! My boys can go through a standard size box of cereal in a day. The store brands are not much cheaper, and I have noticed that the quality really is a bit lower. Food is important. Pay the grocer, not the doctor is my new mantra in this day of cutting healthcare costs!

So, on the first day of school last week, I was a fabulous mother and offered the boys a choice of homemade waffles or pancakes with homemade blackberry sauce. Now, I'll admit, my pancakes and waffles come from a mix. I can and do make them totally from scratch on occasion, but I have found a mix that is affordable and tasty! I use Krusteaz pancake mix. I can get a huge bag of it at Sam's club for about $7, and it lasts our family a long time. Now, I cannot leave well enough alone. Although the directions call for merely the addition of water, I have to doctor things up a bit more. I add a generous dose of flax meal (about a half cup or so per batch), and a splash of vanilla to my mix. The result is a light, fluffy, enriched pancake with that homemade flavor. My kids ask me every time if there is flax in the pancakes, I assure them that I make them the same every time, and then they just go about devouring pancakes!

The recipe for the Blackberry sauce came from my favorites, the Meal Makeover Moms. They talked about their recipe for Berry Good French Toast on their podcast a few weeks ago. It sounded so good that I had to try it. The boys were in the mood for pancakes, and not french toast, and I had frozen blackberries, and not strawberries in the freezer, so this is what I came up with. I of course doubled the recipe!

Blackberry Sauce

2 cups frozen blackberries

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

dash of salt

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan.

Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook at a low boil, stirring every few minutes, until the berries break down and the mixture is nice and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. To speed things up a bit, use the back of a spoon to smoosh the berries against the side of the saucepan as you stir.

This was super yummy, and I think it could work for all kinds of fruit. It also was good in a pinch, since I was out of maple syrup!

Don't mind all of the butter in my photo...I have a weakness for butter on pancakes, and I'm eating for two!

French Onion Chicken Pot Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Dakotapam) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Another disclaimer here...this tastes great if you love french onion soup...and mushrooms! The husband and I do, so we enjoyed this dish. The kids, not so much. Perhaps this is an adult only dish to pass!

I got this recipe out of Pillsbury's New Potpies and Casseroles magazine. I received it in the mail this week as a thank you from myblogspark for voting in a survey to select the cover. I cannot remember what cover I voted on, but I like the one that was chosen. Also, each and every recipe in the magazine is printed in recipe card form, which is nice. I can pick and choose which recipes to keep and file them away and not have to keep track of a magazine. $6 in coupons does not hurt either!

Most of the recipes featured are comfort foods, pot pies, and casseroles, with some desserts and party foods thrown in. The day this magazine arrived, I already had a cut up chicken boiling, intending to make a pot pie. We were having a dreary, rainy August day, so I figured comfort food was in order!

This recipe called for individual pot pies cooked in 8 (10 oz) ramekins. Although that sounds pretty, I don't know many families that have 8 ramekins. We had 4 as a wedding gift, but only three are left (maybe 2, I use them as candy and nut bowls!) So I cooked mine in a 9x 13 pan. This was easier and had less cleanup for my little boy dishwasher!

In retrospect, another change I would make would be to switch out the biscuit dough called for with some sliced sourdough bread rounds, which is what I use when I make french onion soup. The husband said he would have preferred a crunchier bread topping.

The kids DID eat the chicken, and the cheese topped bread, leaving the onions and mushrooms for Shadow the Wonder Poodle, who was thankful for a home cooked meal. He also snuck the leftover cooked zucchini that I served as a side dish...sneaky little health food poodle!

So, here you go:

French Onion Chicken Pot Pie

1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large onions, halved then thinly sliced

2 8 oz packages sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup flour

4 cups water

1/4 cup dry sherry or water

1 box (2 envelopes) onion soup mix

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 can Pillsbury Grands biscuits (8 Biscuits)

6 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (I used Swiss)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 (10 oz) ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray. Place them on a large cooking sheet with sides. In 12 inch non-stick skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and discard juices.
Melt remaining two tablespoons of butterin skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and cook and stir about 8 minutes until golden brown (it always takes me much longer!) Sprinkle flour on vegetables. Cook and stir one minute. Stir in water, sherry and soup mix; heat to boiling. Boil about three minutes until slightly thickened.
Spoon chicken into ramekins. Spoon onion mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with pepper. Place one biscuit on top of each ramekin.
Bake about 20 minutes until biscuits are golden. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each biscuits and bake 4-5 minutes until cheese is melted.