Magical Pork? Carrots for Dessert??

Hi All,


Chilorio: We ALL loved it!   It was tender, flavorful, citrusy and amazing!  It just disappeared off their plates!  Sorry for the jump right in start.  I'm excited to share with you how this week's "magic" recipe has fared in our house.


Let's start with our most difficult "foodie": Ms J:   I had a bit of PR to do with Ms. J.. I told her "Mommy picked this recipe just for you.. Its Pork, which you love... Orange Juice, which you love... and tortillas, which you love... Your going to love it..."   This pitch is not new to Ms J, she's heard it many times before.   She looks at me sideways akin to the "whatch you talkin' 'bout Willis?" look and says.. "well, i guess i'll give it a try.."    I made a small burrito for both girls, just tortilla, chilorio and a bit of sour cream.   And... They ATE IT!   I paid little attention to them while they ate (or so they thought).. I just went about my business.. Spring in my step.. =)


Verdict:  Ms J: Thumbs Flat.  (for those new to the blog, the kids terminology is below)
               The Rest of Us: Thumbs UP!


Cost:  Inexpensive.. the 3 lb boneless pork shoulder was $7.50 at my local Ralphs. OJ: I keep in the house anyways.  Tortillas:  Leftover from last week.  Sour Cream: Staple item in my frig!


So far, I've used the chilorio in burritos and on nachos.  Thinking about tortas tonight. Then my chilorio will be done for the week. Boo...  


Dessert:  After dinner, Ms J announced that she'd like me to pick up some carrots for her.  While I resisted the urge to check her for a fever, I tentatively asked "why?."   She recounted that she learned at school that to much dessert is bad for you and that veggies are good for you, so she'd rather have second helping of carrots instead of dessert a few nights a week.  I quickly checked her for fever (see J's terminology below) and said "ok, but what if you eat a little more carrots with dinner, then just a little dessert?  Ice Cream is made from milk.."   Smart kid she is, she knew where I was heading.. She smiled sly and said "Milk is good for you too..."  I said "Yup".  I got a huge smile and hug.. "Mom your the best!"   I'll share a secret with you.. My kids are the best.. 


So Next Week"  I'm thinking Italian!  Maybe beef brisket as base protein..  I'm already imagining the possibilities!  Any ideas?


Talk to you soon.
K.I.S.S.  Keep in Simple & Success!
T


Lil'Chef A's eating terminology:  


Thumbs Down:  Any form of fish and if it tastes really and I mean really bad!
Thumbs Up: "Yumm" while shaking her head in agreement and says "Its good"!
Thumbs Flat:  doesn't seem to exist

Ms J's eating terminology: 

Thumbs Down: First (and usually) there is a face like she smelled something horrid, nose crinkled.. eyes looking like they are going to start watering.. and she grunts the equivalent of "no way" and looks for the closest way to spit it out! 

Thumbs Up: Saved for all things fried, fattening, chocolate based and not a vegetable in sight or smell.

Thumbs Flat: This is somewhere in between the nose crinkle and smiling. The face is almost always accompanied by the phrase "It's kinda good". This means, I don't hate it, I don't love it and don't expect me to eat this without some serious bargaining.

Menu Planning: This Week: Chicken

Hi All,

Time for menu planning:  this will be a shortened menu planning, as we are going rv-ing on Friday afternoon (see previous post re need help).. and I have leftover pizza for tonight.  So, this leaves Wednesday and Thursday.  I'm hoping to make only 1 shopping trip to the grocery store this week to get me through till Tuesday when we return.  So, please post either here or on facebook your menu ideas!

My kids love chicken (well sometimes).. Ms J will eat the chicken usually fried in some form.. Lil'Chef A declares every once in a while that she hates chicken.  I don't blame her it's the only thing her sister eats without fussing, so it a staple.

Staples:  So I've been thinking about having regular meal staples.  Usually, I'm so excited about having new recipes that I wouldn't say that we have staples.  Does your family have staples? How often do you rotate?  I'm thinking about incorporating in 4 or 5 staples each month.. maybe 1 or 2 a week?  Might be really good for the budget! 

Sorry, I regress...     Something my picky Ms. J will eat is build your own tacos.  So my chicken has to be either ground or shredded.  Got it!  I'll cook up some baked chicken tenders (breaded with panko breadcrumbs, salt, white pepper, little paprika, little cumin...)  Then I will shred leftovers & put out a bit of lettuce (which they won't touch), tomatoes (ditto on the touching), sour cream, salsa and tortillaland tortillas!  

Thank you for your support!  

T

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodie-Mom-on-a-Budget/219392891406455

Need Help with Menu?

Hello All,

I need your help!  I'm going dry RV-ing this weekend in a small camper.  I need menu ideas? There is a refrigerator on board but I'm not sure how big.  Any ideas on quick, easy, low-dirty-dish menu ideas?

Thxs: T

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Foodie Weekend in Santa Monica!

Hi All,

I haven't done much cooking this week.  Last weekend was my anniversary and my hubbie and I went to Santa Monica for the weekend.  We had AMAZING food!  Saturday afternoon, we had a seafood bonanza with our friend Hunter at the Blue Oysterette on Ocean Avenue.   We shared lobster mac-n-cheese, yellowtail ceviche, steamed clams, oysters rockefeller and oysters in the 1/2 shell (6 from east coast, 6 from west coast).

I never realized the difference in taste and texture on Oysters.  Some were soo salty, you feel like you did when you were a kid and drank your first ocean water... but at $3 an oyster.. you don't spit it out, you say to your newly sophisticated self.. "Smile and swallow quickly".  Sorry, I'm a "sweet" oyster girl.. even better, stuff it with something and bake them, as in the oysters rockefeller.

Lobster Mac-n-Cheese:  need I say more.    The ceviche was truly delicious and was probably my favorite!  My opinion on clams.. toss them in some olive oil, garlic and some pasta!  But they were delicious.

So that night, dinner at Boa Steakhouse (which just happened to be adjoined to Blue Oysterette).  The bone-in filet mignon was amazing.  I had mine with Cabernet sauce and I was in heaven!  Mac-n-cheese was a disappointment.. bland, flavorless..   Bok Choy was good.  3 peas were ok.  The steak was the star of the evening and rightfully so!

Next morning was breakfast at Huckleberry's.  I had the Huevos Rancheros.  I order this at every new restaurant.  I think it's a good test of their food.  I mean it's a true test of basics.. Eggs, beans, salsa and a tortilla of some kind.  Huckleberry's was totally bland.  The eggs were fluffy, but the beans, salsa and tortilla were just blah.  No flavor, no nothing... Totally forgettable.

The wonderful food was only eclipsed by the wonderful company.

Till next time.  Follow me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodie-Mom-on-a-Budget/219392891406455

T

Pork + Mexican = Magic .... (I hope)

Hi All,

Sorry to all the vegan/vegetarians out there that might stumble across my blog today.. This weeks menu is Ode to the Pig!   One thing about me that I've known my whole life is that I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD!  As far back as I can remember, my mom has mentioned that I was Italian on the outside but mexican on the inside!  

I was watching a new to me program yesterday on public broadcast television (as I do everyday) called Pati's Mexican Table.  She made a dish called "Chilorio"... the link is http://patismexicantable.com/2010/04/chilorio.html.  Amazing sounding and looking, one of those times you wish for Smell-o-vision in HD!   Let me say I love PBS cooking shows.. East meets West with Ming Tsai..  Lidia's Italian Kitchen... Mexico: one plate at a time!!  Love it!

But I regress.. this is foodie mom on a budget and my goal to make one protein and keep it interesting throughout the week.   After Chilorio, then Carnitas by broiling and crisping the meat, Tostadas, Tacos maybe even Enchiladas..  WHoo HOo... I'm only a week behind Cinco De Mayo!

Most important, what's the spin to actually get my kids to eat it??!  Pork, OJ and tortillas!  Three things they actually eat!   I try not to get my hopes up when it comes to what they eat.. Sometimes your so sure they'll love it and they look at you like "Seriously?".   Other times, you just put it on the plate and say a little prayer for a quiet dinner and they actually eat!

Taste test time... Last night I made Tofu "mayo"..  I've got a four letter word for it.... YUCK!  Sorry, I'm trying to like tofu.. but I just cant get past the taste..   I had a master plan to put it in egg salad to slip in a bit more healthy.. didn't even try.. I just sliced the eggs and put them on top of their buttered pasta..   By their measure it was a success, I even got requests for seconds from both of them!   Lesson Learned: KISS.. Keep It Simple & Success!!!  (hahahaha,, I crack myself up)

Hopefully, I'll have some great reactions to share with you tomorrow!  Thank you again for the support.. Please "like" the facebook page and share your comments!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodie-Mom-on-a-Budget/219392891406455

K.I.S.S.!
T

Continuing around the world.. destinations: Europe & Asia

Hi All,

I'm continuing to use the ground beef (I know I promised meatballs, but I ran out of time) with spinach, onions and garlic I made on Tuesday.  Tuesday was Indian, Wednesday was Europe and Thursday was Asia.

Europe:  I went to Italy and made Calzones!  They were as delicious as I'd hoped..  I made basic tomato sauce modified from Mario Batali's recipe.  He used Thyme and I used basil and added crushed red pepper flakes!  Added sauce and parmesan cheese to my ground beef until it was moist!  Used refrigerated 9" pie crusts cut in half for 2 calzones.  Put in the meat mixture, egg washed the pinched sides and top.  Sprinkled the top of the crust basil, salt and pepper and baked.  Once baked golden brown, a little sauce on top!

Asia:  What a disaster!  I bought Thai Kitchen Panang Curry Sauce.  I love Panang sauce!  I took a Thai cooking class a few years back and learned to make this sauce.  First, buying anything in a jar vs making it yourself.. not a wise decision..  But the sauce wasn't the problem!  Actually, the taste wasn't the problem either..  I heated some meat mixture,  added the sauce and some rice noodles.. The color was hideous!  The spinach turned the panang sauce green!  It was the ugliest dish I've ever seen!  Next time, no spinach to the meat!

So, I've done Asia, Europe, No America.  I've got So. America or Africa.  Why or?  I'm running out of meat and time!  Tomorrow celebrating Mother's Day with my Mom!  Sunday:  Mother's day: I'm taking the day off!

My most honest food critics are back next week!  Don't have any meal planning ideas as of now.  Send me some ideas, please!   Also, please continue to post comments to the facebook page!  Can't wait to hear what you guys think!

Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodie-Mom-on-a-Budget/219392891406455


Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers, Grandmothers & women who make a difference in our lives!

Talk to you soon.
T

Foodie Mom on a Budget: Around the world in 80 meatballs?

Foodie Mom on a Budget: Around the world in 80 meatballs?: "Hello All, Thank you to my friends and family that have 'liked' the facebook page. Please encourage more friends to 'like' and post your..."

Around the world in 80 meatballs?

Hello All,


Thank you to my friends and family that have "liked" the facebook page.  Please encourage more friends to "like" and post your comments.  I know a large part of this blog is for my own entertainment but I do love cooking, cooking ideas, recipes, etc.  Please lets try to make this blog a bit more interactive.. I hope we all get more out of it that way.


On that note, check out this t-shirt: http://planetmomtshirts.com/benitomemita.html  I had to laugh!  But at $28 a t-shirt, a bit out of the budget!


Around the world in 80 meatballs!  Well, I ran out of time to roll and make all the meatballs, I am a foodie mom of 3.. So, I concocted something truly delicious last night and will use as a base protein for the rest of the week.  This is the key to my "foodie mom philosophy".. make one protein and use it in as many recipes throughout the week as possible.


I went shopping at my local "Whole Foods Market".  I was a little nervous because I am on a budget and they can be expensive.  I went there almost exclusively to check out their meat department.  I was not disappointed.  Beautiful meat, nice looking chickens, kosher chickens which I'm dying to try to see if there is a difference.. But alas I bought 2 pounds of ground beef 22% fat.  Why not just buy the chicken??  Well, my kids don't eat beef in any form.. I'll save the chicken for next week anticipating better results at the dinner table.  


What to do with 2 lbs of beef...  First, I sauteed a medium white onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil.  While that was cooking, I grated 2 large garlic cloves and threw that in when the onion was cooked clear.  When I could smell the garlic, next I crumbled in the 2 lbs of beef (which I had let come to room temp) and browned.  Then I drained most of the fat/oil out and returned to my pan. I put in 1.5 cups of hot beef broth, kosher salt, pepper and cumin to taste and simmered till the broth evaporated.  Just before the broth was gone (I mean you could see the bottom of the pan pretty clearly).. I put in 1/2 cup of spinach. I'm trying to sneak in veggies where I can and finished evaporating the broth.


I let it cool just a bit and put the majority of beef into a separate storage container for the rest of the week.   The remainder, I seasoned with chili powder, cayenne and a bit more cumin as filling for our Mexican (No. America) burrito filling!!


Find of the week!!!  While trolling the deli section of Whole Foods, I found something that I've never seen and will definitely be buying again!  Raw Tortillas! The tortillas are from "Tortilla Land".. "Fresh, Uncooked Tortillas: All Natural: Made with Canola Oil: No Cholesterol (huge concern for my family) and No Saturated Fat"!    You just heat them up in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 sec per side! My house smelled AMAZING!  Definitely pick them up or ask your grocery store to carry them!


Tonight, going to Italy for some calzones!  Going to simmer my beef mixture in some home made tomato sauce and cook in refrigerated pre-made pie crusts!   


Talk to you soon.
T

Dodging Ham Balls!

Hi All,

Well last night Lil'Chef A decided that after the trip to the grocery store that she didn't want to touch any raw meat.. I seized my opportunity to ditch the ham balls and ran!

So what to do with the pound of ground pork I'd bought (never did figure out ground cooked ham?)..  I combined it with 1/2 pack of Lipton Onion Soup mix, a bit of pepper and browned the pork in a skillet in Colavita Olive Oil.   I have to tell you what a difference good olive oil makes!  The minute the pan got the oil hot, the smell was amazing.  Many olive oils say "Italian" but when you look at the label it says: Olives from Greece, Turkey, Spain and Italy..   Colavita is only all italian olives.  It's can be a little on the pricy side (not good for the budget part) but I've been watching and waiting for it to go on sale then bought 2 bottles.

Served Onion pork with buttered Stellina pasta (amazing side dish when your kids love pasta but you don't want pasta to be the only thing they eat) and brussel sprouts.     Brussel Sprouts: there was a new one for Foodie Mom.  All I could think about was a Discovery Channel special about Koko the gorilla that learned to sign and called brussel sprouts "stink balls".   My children couldn't agree more!

Tonight we are going to a Girl Scout event with campfire, hot dogs (which Lil'Chef A already declared she's not eating) and S'Mores!!!  Can't wait!

Talk to you soon
T

Long Time No Blog...

Hi All,

As my sister lovingly sent me a message the other day.. "Blog Already"..  Well Sis, here it is..

So where have I been?? Where o' Where did the menu planning go?   Out the damn window, that's where..

I have been living out of the freezer, eating out to our favorite take out places where my big kids eat nothing  (Thai, Indian) but my little one LOVES everything (Thank God) and food blogging just hasn't been funny without my little critics..

BUT, I have started making recipes on my own!  I made Persian Beef with Turmeric Rice!  J actually ate the yellow rice! Shocker!  Their entree was egg salad, which I substituted Greek yogurt for mayo and it was amazing!  I think I'm going to try adding pureed tofu for more protein and sneak some in!

Tonight, Chef A is making us dinner from her Betty Crocker Jr Cookbook.. Cannon Ham Balls...  When she declared that's what she wanted and showed me the picture (which was of no help, showing ham balls being shot out of a cannon and oozing down a wall).. I did my very best Mom smile and said "that's great honey".. back of my mind thinking "what else can I make with these ingredients so I don't have to eat many ham balls?!"  Wish me luck!  One of the ingredients is ground cooked ham? What the hell is that?!  Better not let J see that or she'll become even more picky!

I've started a menu plan for what my hubbie calls "Round the world in 80 meatballs".. Not to be confused with the above!!  But rather I'm going to make a batch of delicious meatballs (adapting a Julia Child recipe).. then use it in different cuisines throughout the week.. ie: Morrocan w/"Coo-coo" from Africa, Empanadas from So America,  Hoisin Sauce w/ Rice from Asia, etc..

I'll keep you posted and try to blog more often!

BTW: Love Jasmine Thai & Karma Indian Cuisine in Valencia!

Talk to you soon.
T

Let's play "what can I defrost?"

Hi All,

Well I haven't cooked dinner since Thursday. Cooked a jumbo order of red beans & rice on Friday (which was awesome! I had 4 pots going at once! And diced all my veggies in record time with my food processor, duh right ?)

Friday was Thai delivery (yum), Saturday was pizza delivery (with the girls not here, we were actually able to have toppings :)! Sunday was a jazzfest party with amazing crawfish boil! Yesterday was leftover pizza, Mexican takeout from lunch & ms J with chicken in a pita! That child could sprout feathers with all the chicken she eats! It reminds me of when I brought home a whole rotisserie chicken.. Her DS must have been out of power because she was in the kitchen offering to help. I pulled off a wing and she asked "what is that?", I responded "a wing, you know a chicken wing" I was doing my best chicken dance arms while answering. She just looked a me bewildered and then shook her head & said "your funny momma" and quickly left the kitchen! I think when it comes to eggs, i'll lie until she's 30.

I have been meal planning and next week will be "round the world in 80 meatballs"... Please contain your excitement... I'm planning on 1 large batch of meatballs, then using them in different ways from each continent (except Antarctica).. If your wondering why not this week for the exciting journey... Well I've got a few little things on my plate this week that makes next week better!

So, I've raided the freezer!! I've got chicken & apple sausage, all girls give it thumbs up, BBQ ribs, crab & spinach lasagna (seriously doubt anyone under 10 will touch!), ground beef (currently no clue what to do with that the kids will actually eat)... Reminds me of my mom's "surprise stew" I didn't eat it then , won't eat it now..

Have a great day! Tonight's meal: what defrosted first?

T

Mac-n-Cheese w/Ham..

Hi All,

Last night I made Mac-n-cheese with Ham.  No, this was not some made from a box, yellow powder "cheese".  This was milk, cheddar, swiss, sour cream, ham & pasta = deliciousness on a plate.  Ms. K had 3 helpings!  Ms. A liked it and my dear friend Dave took some home, even though he had a car full of food from his Mom.. Thanks Dave for the support!

Even Ms. J said it was "kinda good".. which is amazing because that kid doesn't eat anything that even hints that it has a sauce!  Since 4 mo's old, Ms J will not eat anything that might be construed as messy... No syrup with pancakes, ketchup on the side, plain pasta, etc.  I must admit, this might be a genetic trait as I hate cake & ice cream on the same plate, eggs and pancakes must remain separate and even cookies are not dunked in milk (unless it's biscotti and coffee)....

For this week, my ham recipes are done!  Leftovers for the next few nights, then something for my hubbie to grill on Saturday and something Italian on Sunday.  I think tomorrow I'll start my "Red Beans & Rice" for the party on Sunday.

Tip of the Day:  I've started to compile tips and tricks into a single place as a springboard to my culinary journey.. One tip that I shared with my friend Megan that I've seen on a several culinary shows is when you chop an onion and intend to serve raw (salsa, hamburgers, etc).. Run the chopped onions under cold water for a few seconds in a strainer.. this removes some of the acid that burns your nose/eyes and some of the overpowering sense of onion in anything!

I'm working on ideas for next week..  Possible ideas: Meatballs or Slow Braised Pork..

I've been forgetting the Should-a/Could-a Saved, Verdict & Do-Over part of my blog.. Silly Me..

Should-a/Could-a Saved:  Nothing, pretty cheap!  Note: I didn't buy shredded Swiss (couldn't find it)..  So I bought swiss sandwich slices and cubed 6 slices for 1 cup of Swiss..

Verdict:  Wonderful

Do Over:  Yes, but next time different cheese (maybe Gouda/Mozzarella ?) and different protein (maybe smoked turkey?)

That's all for now folks!
T

Exciting News!.....and ham and leftovers....

Hi All,

Let me start off today's ramblings with totally exciting news! I mean I'm so excited, I've gone through 2 trays of printer paper!  Williams-Sonoma publishes their technique class handouts in PDF's on their website! http://www.williams-sonoma.com/pages/technique-classes.html?cm_type=lnav  OMG!  Some amazing stuff: Knife Skills, Better Burgers, and oh yeah Meatball Mania!  Check it out!

Oh, let me take a deep breath.. lower my blood pressure and get back to the week at hand!  So, as expected, I didn't do well with waiting for leftovers for dinner. Instead, I had my ham sammie/wedge salad for lunch! 

Dinner was easy peasy.. As per the box of penne, I cooked as directed, threw in 1 cup of  frozen peas in the last 2 mins.  While the pasta was boiling, I cubed 2 cups of the ham and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil.  When I thought it looked heated through, I put in some of the Oregano (1 tsp) by crushing the dried herbs in my hands over the pot..  Then 1 1/2 c of broth: I used 1 1/2 c of boiling pasta water with 1/2 tbs of chicken bouillon and let simmer till the pasta was done. Tossed in the drained pasta and peas and Presto! dinner for K and I.  

J and A are on vacation but if they were here I'm sure they would have picked out the peas, put them on their napkins as if toxic waste (a trait they get from their dad), closely examined every bit of penne looking for hints of oregano that when identified they would look alarmed and shout "WHAT IS THAT?!".. After a bit of reassurance that they weren't going to be poisoned, they'd eat the ham.  Why the ham with no drama?  Because it's Pink of course!

As I've been pouring over recipe books and websites, cooking classes and techniques; I think I'm ready to take a small step toward culinary independence. How scary?!  I'm going to start to create my own recipes with a bit of help from Julia Child. No this is not turning to "Julie and Julia" but rather I just downloaded her kitchen basics book and figured that's a good place to start to build.  I'm still going to cook 1 major protein as this seems to be key to the foodie mom philosophy, prep as many veggies as I can in advance.  I think there is a lot to learn about storing prepped veggies/sides/etc.   I'm taking note of what makes dishes Greek or Latin (lots of variations) or Italian or Indian and I've become fascinated with herbs! 

I remember my friend Michelle and I were talking about if you could have a super power what would it be?  I said "To be able to walk into any grocery store and know how to cook everything you could think of".  Well, I don't know if that's a super power (could be a curse depending on the recipe's outcome).. but I'm going to try! Am I destined to be a recipe follower or culinary creator?  I guess time will tell!

Will it be culinary delight or disaster??? Stay tuned!
T

Ham with Brie & Papaya in a Pita?

Hi All,

Confession time: Don't get excited.. I live a quiet domestic life.. Being a foodie mom on a budget, my local Ralphs was having a sale on 2 lbs boneless precooked hams.. So, instead of buying the 4 lb ham I had to cook myself.. I decided to save some time and money and bought 2 hams as my week of recipes called for 4 lbs of ham..

Instead of making the ham with the oranges, I made the ham sandwiches with brie and papaya.  The recipe called for honey and tortillas.. but I had left over hummus and pitas so I thought, "I'll give it a whirl".   It was delicious!  Cut the pita in half, smear in some hummus, layer ham, brie, ham and papaya.  The papaya really blended well with the brie! It wasn't sweet or pungent, it was well balanced (as she says in her best FoodTV voice).    I can't wait to tell my dear friend Dave that fruit and meat, ok in my pita!

I served it with a wedge salad.  I knew my hubbie would be working late, so I made 3 slices of bacon: 2 for the salad and one to quality check, very important ;) .. Some cherry toms and a new dressing that I totally recommend.. Buffalo Blue Cheese Dressing by Old Cape Cod.  I picked it because it was on sale and cheaper than bottles of blue cheese that were smaller.  It has a bit of "Hey this 5th bite of salad might have some heat".  I think I will use it on blue cheese stuffed turkey burgers this weekend... "Ummmm turkey burgers": Homer Simpson style.

Tonight: Leftovers.. Already you might ask?  That's how good it was.  And anyone who knows me knows that ever since that college biology course when you study bacteria.. I don't do well with leftovers..  But I'm looking forward to another wedge and sammie! On second thought, maybe I'll have it for lunch to cut back on some of the fridge hang time (ie bacteria breeding time) EWWW!..

If I do have leftovers for lunch, then tonight is Penne with Ham, Peas (K's fav) and Oregano... Oh BTW: I bought a packet of dried Oregano (you know where they hang in little packets on the wall in the Int'l Foods aisle) for $0.51 compared to the $3.50+ for the small bottle.  I'll let you know how it goes!

That's all for now folks!
T

I'm Back with a New Meal Plan for the Week

Hello All,

Sorry, I have returned from my week long journey as Queen of Porcelain-ville!  I had to spend last week on a partial Gatorade diet followed up with rice, bread and buttered noodles.  My kids loved the BRAT (no I didn't make that up, its a medical term) diet and embraced the bland meal plan as long as it included some chicken (preferably in nugget form) as a side.  I, and I'm sure my hubbie, were looking forward to this week and new adventures.

First, let me start off by saying that my Red Beans & Rice will reach new heights this weekend.  I'm making my recipe for a close family couple celebrating their 40 year anniversary with around 50 of their friends.  All I could think about was "Do I have a big enough pot?!"... then like you see in the movies, the glow of epiphany, I thought "If not, I'll have to go Williams-Sonoma and get one!.. then the smile made famous by the Grinch...

Well this week I'm trying something different.  Cooking 1 main protein, in this case Ham (Note: No One makes a better ham than my brother James, ever!).  So tonight, I'm going to kick off this weeks menu with cooking a 4 pound ham.  The menu plan is as follows:

Tonight:  Citrus Glazed Ham with Roasted Mandarin Oranges & Wedge Salad...  My dear friend Dave pointed out.. "Still trying to mix fruit and meat."  Like the Honey Apricot Chicken wasn't lesson enough.. but I regress optimistically..

Then: Penne with Ham, Peas and Oregano, Honey Ham Wraps with Brie and Papaya and finally Super Cheesy Stove Top Mac & Cheese with Ham.*

I'm sure by the end of this week, I'll be ready to not see another ham till Easter!

I'll keep you posted and let you know how it goes..
T

*all recipes are adaptations from Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals..

Red Beans & Rice.. the day after

Hello All

Well last night's adventure was Awesome!!  The red beans and rice was worth the time, effort and little expense.  I had two bowls for dinner and yes, even one for breakfast this morning.  Don't you love it when you have a craving for something and it delivers.. That's me.. still smiling and thinking about the leftovers in the frig.

I modified a recipe from cooks illustrated.  First, let me be the first to admit that cajun/creole cuisine (or anyone who use to watch Emeril) often uses as the base vegetables: onion, bell pepper and celery or the trinity.  I didn't have bell peppers in the house and opted to use the carrots that I had already purchased.  Personally, I liked to see the carrot in the sauce and thought it added a bit of color but to purists.. the switch might make the dish a bit less bayou.

Should-a/Could-a saved: Nothing (pretty inexpensive and Aidell's Andouille sold with 8 links, freeze other 4 for later recipes).
Verdict: Amazing
Do-Over: Emphatic YES!

Tonight's Adventure was scheduled to be Pork Chile Verde and Leftovers on Thursday night.. But I think with the left over Soup and Red Beans & Rice (and a teething baby).. that I'll switch the two and make leftovers tonight!

The recipe is:

Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 
  
• 1pound red kidney beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
• Kosher Salt

           3   tablespoon canola oil

• 1medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 3medium carrots, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
• 1celery rib , chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
• 3medium garlic cloves minced (or grated on a microplane, which has become my favorite way to cook with garlic)
• 1/4teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2bay leaves
• 1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Ground black pepper
• 3cups chicken broth (I used 3 cups water and 3 tsp of "better than bouillon" chicken base)
• 6cups water

        4   links of Aidell's andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 1teaspoon red wine vinegar 
• Basic White Rice
• Hot sauce (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. 2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat, add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, paprika, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans, broth, and water; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and vigorously simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are just soft and liquid begins to thicken, 45 to 60 minutes.
3. 3. Stir in sausage and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and cook until liquid is thick and beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt, black pepper. Serve over rice, passing hot sauce.

French Lentil Soup, the day after..

Hello All,

Last night's adventure was a vegetarian dish..  Am I turning vegetarian? No way! Not for this carnivore! But every once in a while I think, I should try it for a week.. Then before you know it, I'm having a double-double at In-n-Out.. thanking God for the teenagers behind the counter for making a small bit of heaven.

But last night I made French Lentil Soup, it was delicious.. The color was a little un-nerving.. I was thinking it but not going to say it.. then hubbie comes home looks at my masterpiece in a pan and asks as gently as possible "Have you tasted it?"..   I assured him that I had and that it was delicious.. Being the good husband that he is, my hubbie sits down to his bowl of brown mush and takes a tentative bite.. Then the smile that all cooks hope to see (you know the one) he says surprised.."Hey this is good".  Success!!  I had two bowls and something about the word vegetarian makes you feel guilty free when you stuff yourself into a lentil coma..

The link to the recipe is: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/French-Lentil-Soup-236772 and yes there is a photo of the lovely hue.

The should-a/could-a saved: Nothing, this is a budget dish!
Verdit: More tasty than the color would imply
Do-Over: Definitely, but maybe a different color of lentil next time (they come in lots of colors, I wonder if I made it pink if Ms. J would eat it..??)

Tonight's Adventure: Red Beans & Rice with Anduoille Sausage.  I'm more excited than I care to admit about tonight's adventure.  I've been soaking my beans in a salt-brine overnight.. Defrosted the andouille... Eatin' in the bayou tonight, Y'All!

Meal Plan for the Week

Hi All,

I've spent the day pouring over cookbooks and downloaded my newest app.. Cooks Illustrated!  I'll be using my first recipe from them tomorrow night, so I'll let you know how it goes.  I've got a 14 day free trial window before the $36 for a year subscription.. Yikes! Not part of the Budget!

Here is the menu plan for the week. I'll post recipes or links to the recipes if available, the day after I cook the food with the review to let you know if it's worth the effort and expense..   If you'd like the recipes before I post (or if I don't).. please let me know.

Tonight: French Lentil Soup..  This is an attempt to use the bag of lentils I picked up a few months back thinking "hmm, I'll try those".  Well here is that try..

Tuesday: Red Beans & Rice with Andouille Sausage...I have been dying for authentic red beans and rice since I left Phoenix.  There was a place called "Voodoo Daddy's Magic Kitchen".. Unreal.. it was one of those places where you wished that your pants had an emergency rip cord so you could eat more!

Wednesday: Pork Chile Verde - probably serve with warm tortillas, cilanto, sour cream.. it needs a side or veggie.. not sure what to add here.. I'll walk around the produce market and pick up something and build off of that..

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday:  Chicken Gyros with Cucumber Salsa & Tsatsiki...is it Friday yet?...

Grillin' Saturday: BBQ Halibut Steaks with Tossed Salad.  Trying to eat more fish. Wish me luck!

Pasta Sunday: Slow Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce with Linguine..

A tradition that we had in my house when I was growing up as we had Sunday Pasta.  Every Sunday, my dad would get up early and start his sauce.  All day it would simmer and the house would smell un-believeable by dinner time... That was usually when neighborhood kids would show up and ask to eat over..  I'm going to start this with my own family..

This is culinary exploration week!  My chance to cook the things they won't touch no matter how much chocolate was at stake!

Here's the grocery list:

Baking
EVOO

Breads/Bakery
Bread, Pita, 1 package

Canned Goods/Soups
Chicken Broth, 3 cups
Tomatoes, Diced (canned), 1 14oz can
Vegetable Broth, 4 cups

Dairy, Eggs & Cheese
Butter
Feta Cheese
Yogurt, Greek, 1 1/2 cups

Deli
Chicken, Rotisserie

Fruits & Vegetables
Basil, Fresh, 1/2 c
Bell Pepper, Green, 1
Carrots, 1 c
Celery, 1 1/2 c
Cucumbers, 2
Garlic, 9 cloves
Lemon Juice, 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
Lettuce, 2 heads
Mint, 1/4 cup
Onion, 1 large & 3 med
Onion, Red, 2
Onions, Green
Parsley, Fresh, 1/3 cup
Thyme, Fresh, 1 tsp
Tomatoes, Cherry, 1 1/2 pint
Tomatoes, Roma, 15 med

Meat/Seafood/Poultry
Bacon,
Halibut Steak, 2
Pork Roast, 2.5 lbs
Sausage, Andouille, 8 ounces

Pasta/Rice/Sides
Beans, Red Kidney, 1 bag dried
Lentils, 1 bag
Rice

Spices/Sauces/Seasonings
Bay Leaves
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Cumin
Garlic Powder,
Oregano, Dried
Paprika
Rosemary, Dried
Salsa Verde, 1 16oz jar
Salt
Sugar
Vinegar, Red Wine

Grilled Flank Steak & Refried Beans.. the day after

Hello All,

Sorry for the late post.  I had the pleasure of spending most of my day among great company at Old Town Cooking School in Pasadena.  We learned how to create new twists on traditional Passover meals.  The aromas were amazing!  After class, we (a wonderful couple and myself) got to have a tasting of the treats our instructor Deborah created.  Wow! The brisket: Amazing!  The Matzo-balls were fluffy and wonderful.  I'm looking forward to trying a few of these recipes next month during Passover.

Dinner last night was delicious!  Thank goodness.. I was afraid (as my dear friend Dave pointed out) this would be a blog of cooking failures.. I'll start with the refried beans.. I soaked over night and then cooked them with some salt pork until soft,.  Then I mashed the beans.. I hate to waste food (especially expensive food that made the should-a/could-a saved list) and melted the leftover manchego cheese into the beans.  I tasted them and was like Yes! They are Great! Everyone will love them.  My dream came to an abrupt end when both of my girls gave them thumbs down..  My hubbie and I loved them and I quickly chalked up their dislike to their underdeveloped sense of taste, which yes only applies to the food they don't like..

The Grilled Flank Steak was amazing.  I've decided to have a few traditions in my generally untraditional family.  One of these traditions involves Grillin' Saturday!  My hubbie loves to grill, so my meal planning will include this opportunity for him each Saturday.  I marinated the flank steak in pepper, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and red wine vinegar.   It was tender and delicious.  Remember to let beef (or any meat except chicken) come to room temp before cooking..  I didn't even try to give it to the girls and instead gave them chicken patty sandwiches,  handy in a pinch & create the occasional quiet dinner.

Tonight: Yes this is a two-fer posting.. I made Chicken with Cous cous.. Ms J renamed it to Chicken Coo-Coo..  Then she went on to liken my cous cous (made with chicken buillion) to tasting like clay..  Eventually after what seemed like an eternity, Ms J ate her chicken, 1/2 the cous cous (thanks to dad) and only 1/2 her carrots (thanks to mom) stuffed inside a pita shell.  This would be Thumbs Flat.  Lil'Chef A ate everything and gave the cous cous a Thumbs Way Up!

The should-a/could-a saved: Nothing
The Verdict: Whoo Hoo on both accounts
Do Over: Yes and continue to tweek

Tomorrow: Menu Plan for the week & French Lentil Soup

Honey Apricot Chicken & Lemon Rice... the day after

Hello All

Last night was a dinner disaster! I started my honey apricot chicken in the crock pot hours before.. where did I get this recipe, so you don't suffer the same fate as my family.. from Crock Pot cookbook I got from my mom; who gave it to me because she didn't like anything she'd made from it.. I know should have been my first clue Sherlock, but I regress.. It was from a chapter called "Five Ingredients or Less".. (2nd clue Sherlock).. The 5 ingredients were honey, dried mustard, chicken, broth and apricots. All I could think of was is my dear friend Dave saying "eww, fruit and meat. Never a good combo!"..

As for the Baked Lemon Rice Pilaf.. The recipe called for the basics of any rice.. 2 to 1 ratio liquid to rice.. with some lemon juice and lemon zest.. However, somewhere in the 50 minute baking time.. it occurred to me.. Why am I baking rice for 50 minutes when I could have just cooked it on the stove for 20?? Trust me when I tell you, it wasn't worth it! It was mushy, tangy and just plain wrong.

The should-a/could-a saved: The Entire Meal! Fortunately, nothing but the $2.50 in dried apricots weren't already in my cupboard.


The Kids Opinion: Ms. J was the first to come to me with the "thumbs down" face and beg to be done. I should have known how bad it was when I told her that there would be no dessert if she didn't eat.. and she happily agreed to be away from the plate. I thought I can't be as bad as that.. Sadly it was. I took it way from Lil'Chef A before I could damage my foodie's love for food.

The Verdict: From the words of my 3 year old grand-niece Maddie "Dhat's Nasty"!
Do Over: Not in this lifetime!
Tonight's Adventure: Grilled Flank Steak & Refried Beans (from scratch)

Spanish Chicken Stew.. the day after

Hello All:

Thank you all for the support and emails.. I really appreciate it..

Well last night I made Spanish Chicken Stew with manchego polenta from my app Rachael Ray's Tasty Bytes.. It's pretty simple, chicken, chorizo, onions, garlic, wine =), tomatoes.. you get the gist.. And a few of ingredients I'd never used.. pimentos, manchego cheese and polenta. manchego cheese is good, I thought similar to a mozzarella cheese.. Polenta is italian cornmeal used in place of pasta or rice..

So, the verdict:: Stew was good.. No need for the manchego polenta. The polenta mixture's suppose to line the bowls of the stew.. Not necessary.. I would have been happy with just a bit of shredded cheese on top.. There are plenty of leftovers and the stew is filling enough that I think I could serve 4-6.

The Should-a/Could-a saved: The cheese costs $3.69 and Polenta costs: $3.99: $7.68

The Kids Opinion: Ms J gave it thumbs flat.. Ava eats everything and was happy to get back to her Pokemon DS game... When I told Ms J about my little adventure with this blog and her role with it. She said "that's great Mom" with just a hint of the teenage ambivalence to come. I made the deal with her that she could have the cupcake she wanted now for a bite of what I was cooking later, she was tentative but the drive for dessert led her to agree.

Let's talk for a minute for those who don't know Ms J's eating terminology. First (and usually) there is a face like she smelled something horrid, nose crinkled.. eyes looking like they are going to start watering.. and she grunts the equivalent of "no way" and looks for the closest way to spit it out! This will be Thumbs Down.

Thumbs Up: Saved for all things fried, fattening, chocolate based and not a vegetable in sight or smell.

Thumbs Flat: This is somewhere in between the nose crinkle and smiling. The face is almost always accompanied by the phrase "It's kinda good". This means, I don't hate it, I don't love it and don't expect me to eat this without some serious bargaining.

The Verdict: Good but needs tweeking..

Do Over: Probably Not..

Tonight's Adventure: Honey Apricot Chicken with Baked Lemon Pilaf..

My First Blog!

Hello All:

So this if my first blog! So why am I blogging? To be honest, it's a way to share the time I spend pouring over cookbooks, e-books, apps and menu planning. What can I say, I love this stuff! Am I a chef? Only in my imagination. I'm a Mom, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Friend with a passion for cooking.

Today's foray into the culinary world.. Spanish Chicken Stew with Manchego Polenta. I found this recipe from my app, Rachael Ray's Tasty Bytes app. I have to give Ms. Ray props for fueling my interest in food! A trip down memory lane is coming, so you can skip to the below if you feel a yawn coming on, I fell in love with her show on the Food Network several years ago. She was funny, down to earth and just enough quarky that I thought, I could be friends with this woman! I tried a few 30 minute meals and I was hooked! I can do this!

Ok, now back to present time. So I create a meal plan on Sundays, while my husband sleeps in as Sundays are his turn (mine are Saturdays).. Then I'm off to shopping. Usually, shopping involves endless pleas with our daughter to stop touching things, trying to speed read because I don't know when she's going to have a meltdown and watching the clock to make sure that I don't forget to get one of my girls from school!

Meal Planning: This involves alot of cookbooks, a new app called Mealboard (awesome app) and time.

Cooking: This involves varying degrees of time and basic skills. If I'm dying to try this recipe or the memory of a dish is pulling on my tastebuds.. I'm willing to invest the time! Most of my recipes are not "fancy" or as my mom would say "high-fluting" (whatever that means).. just food that sounds amazing, seems realitively easy to prepare and has a slight chance that most people in my family will eat!

Hope you stay tuned! I'll let you know tomorrow how well (or not) Spanish Chicken Stew with Manchego Polenta goes over.