Here's the Week's Menu:
MON 8/27 - Brandy Orange Chicken with baked sweet potatoes, leftover Zucchini Rice Gratin, and some corn.
TUE 8/28 - Brown Rice Chicken and Cilantro Salad. I was just making this for the week's lunches, but then realized the leftover Lasagna Rolls had not finished defrosting, so it became dinner. Turns out it is pretty soy-sauce-heavy, so I'll adjust that next time.
WED 8/29 - Lasagna Rolls. Last time I made these, I made twice as many as needed, to ensure an easy dinner in the future. The future is here! Serve with salad and garlic bread.
THU 8/30 - Grilled Achiote Chicken with Zucchini Rice Gratin and a fruit salad.
FRI 8/31 - Plans. I'll be away with the girls, so my beloved husband is on his own for dinner. Wish him well!
SAT 9/1 - Steak! Grilled ribeye with Charred Pepper Steak Sauce, baked potatoes, grilled veggies, Cucumber Salad, wine.
SUN 9/2 - Pork Souvlaki grilled on skewers, served with Tzatsiki Sauce, brown rice, and leftover Cucumber Salad.
Sunday night, I plan to make Shrimp & Orzo Salad (idea #8 on the linked page) to have for lunch the following few days.
MON 9/3 - Plans. We'll be hanging out with the neighbors!
I'm cooking for 2 adults and one toddler, so the grocery list below may need a bit of adjustment for you.
Grocery List
2 sweet potatoes
1.5 lb zucchini
1/2 lb plum tomatoes
1 onion
4 cucumbers
cherry tomatoes
salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, tomato)
cilantro
cabbage
red bell pepper
veggies to grill (peppers? asparagus? mushrooms? onions?)
fruit salad items (melon? grapes? apples?)
tomato puree
wine
eggs
feta
Freezer
chicken breast (3 nights)
lasagna rolls
ribeye
corn
shrimp
Fridge
butter
greek yogurt
soy sauce
orange juice
lime juice
lemon juice
Worcestershire
Grated Parmesan cheese
Pantry
brown rice
white rice
bread
orzo pasta
garlic
sesame oil
olive oil
vegetable oil
white vinegar
balsamic vinegar
molasses
sesame seeds
table salt
allspice
annatto/achiote
black pepper
ground mustard
ground ginger
onion powder
paprika
sage
savory
thyme
fresh mint (I have a plant outside)
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Baby Bok Choy + Lemon + Fish = Heaven!
Fresh, Quality Ingredients Make for Better Meals
Yesterday, I received my second delivery of the season from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
I was pretty excited to see baby bok choy and scallions inside!
Fish with Lemon, Mushroom, and Baby Bok Choy
Yesterday, I received my second delivery of the season from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
I was pretty excited to see baby bok choy and scallions inside!
Fish with Lemon, Mushroom, and Baby Bok Choy
- 2 bunches baby bok choy, trimmed, leaves separated
- 2 scallions or spring onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 4" sections
- 2 shiitake (or any other kind) mushrooms, halved if large
- 2 servings of fish - tonight, I'm using flounder
- coarse salt
- black pepper
- 4 thin lemon slices
- 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
- parchment paper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Tear off 2 pieces of parchment paper, each just over a foot long. You'll need to fit half of the ingredients inside each... too big is better than too small!
On each piece, layer 1/2 the listed ingredients. Put the vegetables on the bottom, the fish (sprinkled with salt & pepper) in the middle, and the lemon on top.
Drizzle 1/2 TB olive oil over each of the stacks of vegetables & fish.
Folding: Hold the long sides of one of the parchment paper pieces, and bring them together. Fold the ends together a few times to be sure no moisture can escape during the cooking process. Fold the short ends underneath the packet, and place the packet in a baking pan. Repeat process for the other parchment packet.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes... Serve immediately.
When you open each packet, the fish should be opaque (i.e. not transparent) throughout and flake easily. If it doesn't quite seem done, just fold the packet back together and give it a few more minutes in the oven.
I served this dish by placing the packets directly on dinner plates, but you may find it's easier to just dump the contents out onto plates.
- - I'll add pictures soon!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
MENU Sun 1/2 to Sat 1/8 2011
A Winter Menu
New Recipes for the New Year
I received a subscription to Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, so this week's menu features many new recipes from the Jan/Feb 2011 issue. Also, I received the most wonderful gift of Michael Ruhlman's Ratio, so hopefully my culinary skills and knowledge will increase as a result. Did you receive any fun kitchen related gifts this year?
SUN 1/2 - Cold Weather Classic: Beef Stew. I'm using Paula Deen's recipe, sort of. I had 3 or 4 cups of beef broth in the freezer (left over from my recent adventure making Boeuf Bourguignon), so I (a) replaced the water in the recipe with beef broth, and (b) left out many of the spices.
Serve with rolls and salad.
MON 1/3 - Asian Night: Potstickers! I've never made them before, so wish me luck! I'm planning to use Alton Brown's recipe, served with Honey Soy Dipping Sauce. I also picked up a package of Thai Kitchen Pad Thai to try out.
TUE 1/4 - Italian Night: Calzones. Pepperoni Calzones, Salad. Later in the week we're having another recipe that needs ricotta, so I'll separate out how much I need for that recipe & use the rest this night.
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes for the New Year
I received a subscription to Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, so this week's menu features many new recipes from the Jan/Feb 2011 issue. Also, I received the most wonderful gift of Michael Ruhlman's Ratio, so hopefully my culinary skills and knowledge will increase as a result. Did you receive any fun kitchen related gifts this year?
SUN 1/2 - Cold Weather Classic: Beef Stew. I'm using Paula Deen's recipe, sort of. I had 3 or 4 cups of beef broth in the freezer (left over from my recent adventure making Boeuf Bourguignon), so I (a) replaced the water in the recipe with beef broth, and (b) left out many of the spices.
Serve with rolls and salad.
MON 1/3 - Asian Night: Potstickers! I've never made them before, so wish me luck! I'm planning to use Alton Brown's recipe, served with Honey Soy Dipping Sauce. I also picked up a package of Thai Kitchen Pad Thai to try out.
TUE 1/4 - Italian Night: Calzones. Pepperoni Calzones, Salad. Later in the week we're having another recipe that needs ricotta, so I'll separate out how much I need for that recipe & use the rest this night.
WED 1/5 - We Love Shrimp! Spiced Shrimp with Ginger Rice and Peas (Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011 p.70). I'll be using brown rice instead of white. I've actually run out of white rice, and I'm not buying more until I really need it. It's become our new default... and I'd rather brown be the default. Much healthier!
Have you ever heard of a passive barrier? It's like what I'm doing with the rice. Oh, we could have white rice. But I'd have to stop at the store and pick some up. Or maybe I'll buy some and put it up on a high kitchen shelf. You're more likely to do the right thing if the wrong thing is that much harder to do... so put the TV remote on the other side of the room (instead of on the arm of the couch) and don't keep your phone right in your pocket. The Simple Dollar had a neat article about passive barriers, as did Get Rich Slowly (referenced in TSD's post).
THU 1/6 - More Seafood! One of the easiest things you can do to eat healthier is to eat more fish. No, it doesn't count if you fry it! We're having Seared Fish with Beets and Broccoli (Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011 p.76). Okay, I'm making it with just broccoli, no beets, but you get the idea.
FRI 1/7 - Canning Day. I'm planning to can minestrone soup today - I'll keep some separate to have for dinner this night. Serve with ham steak and potatoes.
Snack: Strawberry Banana Smoothies. While hunting around in the freezer, I found one last package of last year's strawberries - hooray! Just add some yoghurt, milk, banana, and honey, and you've got a smoothie. There's endless recipes online for smoothies. It's definitely the sort of thing you can play with - no exact recipe required.
SAT 1/8 -
Breakfast: Ham and Egg Crepe Squares. I've made crepes before, but this time I'll be getting instruction from Ratio. Otherwise. the recipe is from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011 p. 56.
Dinner: Easy Night. Parmesan Chicken with Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts (Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011 p.76).
SUN 1/9 -
Lunch: Super-Easy Meal! I canned some chili a couple weeks ago, and I also have a bunch in the freezer. It's easy to make and freezes really well. I highly recommend making a big batch and freezing a bunch for future easy meals.
Dinner: Eggstatic about Eggs! Potato-Leek Frittata (Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011 p.41).
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
MENU Wed 9/28 through Tue 10/5
Back in the Saddle Again
Life is so much easier when meals are planned!
So, I skipped one week of The Produce Box, and now they're on fall break - no boxes for two weeks. Then I'm skipping one more week b/c the baby and I are heading to Buffalo (Dinah will still be here - feel free to feed him good food on my behalf). After 4 weeks off, I can't wait to see what will be in the fall boxes from The Produce Box, though! Alas, I have to wait a while yet. There's still all kinds of good stuff at the Farmers' Market.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/29 - Birthday Meal. My birthday's not 'til next Wednesday, but we're celebrating early for convenience. Not sure yet what we're having, but I know it will be good!
THU 9/30 - I <3 Lamb! Roast Leg of Lamb served with Tzatsiki Sauce, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce.
FRI 10/1 - Shrimp + Pasta. Grilled Shrimp Mediterranean over Pasta.
Last time I made granola, I made way too much. So, I'm trying out Fudgy Granola Brownies to use some of it.
SAT 10/2 - I Still <3 Lamb! Lamb Pitas with Mint Yogurt Dressing.
Lunch: Cool Shrimp Salad
SUN 10/3 - Grilling. Grilled Achiote Chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, and peas. I'm thinking about Vanilla Roasted Pears for dessert, too.
On the subject of achiote (aka annatto), if you've never tried Puerco Pibil, give it a try! The leftovers are fabulous, too. Hmm. Going to have to fit that one in the menu sometime soon.
Breakfast for the week: I have plenty of bagels frozen for me, and I'll make Zucchini Bread for Dinah, subbing applesauce for the oil. I just used this Recipe Calculator to find out that recipe's nutrition facts... eek. I'll be working on that one. Tasty as the original recipe is, it's not the healthiest breakfast.
MON 10/4 - Trying out Jamaican Flavors. Jamaican Jerk Chicken served with Cuban Black Beans and rice. I'll freeze the extra beans for help with easy meals later on. I'll broil some pineapple to go with it as well.
TUE 10/5 - Easy Meal! Asparagus with Chorizo and Croutons, with green beans subbed in for the asparagus, since they are in season.
And it turns out that chocolate souffle is not nearly as difficult as it's made out to be. Check it out at Cooking for Engineers. It was puffier, but the first photo ops didn't work out as well. Very tasty, though. The key most certainly is to use good chocolate. Really good chocolate. It's like cooking with wine - if you wouldn't drink the wine, don't cook with it. If you wouldn't eat the chocolate (provided you like dark chocolate), don't cook with it.
The only thing that will make a souffle fall is if it knows you are afraid of it.
- - James Beard
Life is so much easier when meals are planned!
So, I skipped one week of The Produce Box, and now they're on fall break - no boxes for two weeks. Then I'm skipping one more week b/c the baby and I are heading to Buffalo (Dinah will still be here - feel free to feed him good food on my behalf). After 4 weeks off, I can't wait to see what will be in the fall boxes from The Produce Box, though! Alas, I have to wait a while yet. There's still all kinds of good stuff at the Farmers' Market.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/29 - Birthday Meal. My birthday's not 'til next Wednesday, but we're celebrating early for convenience. Not sure yet what we're having, but I know it will be good!
THU 9/30 - I <3 Lamb! Roast Leg of Lamb served with Tzatsiki Sauce, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce.
FRI 10/1 - Shrimp + Pasta. Grilled Shrimp Mediterranean over Pasta.
 | |
| Cool Shrimp Salad |
SAT 10/2 - I Still <3 Lamb! Lamb Pitas with Mint Yogurt Dressing.
Lunch: Cool Shrimp Salad
SUN 10/3 - Grilling. Grilled Achiote Chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, and peas. I'm thinking about Vanilla Roasted Pears for dessert, too.
On the subject of achiote (aka annatto), if you've never tried Puerco Pibil, give it a try! The leftovers are fabulous, too. Hmm. Going to have to fit that one in the menu sometime soon.
Breakfast for the week: I have plenty of bagels frozen for me, and I'll make Zucchini Bread for Dinah, subbing applesauce for the oil. I just used this Recipe Calculator to find out that recipe's nutrition facts... eek. I'll be working on that one. Tasty as the original recipe is, it's not the healthiest breakfast.
MON 10/4 - Trying out Jamaican Flavors. Jamaican Jerk Chicken served with Cuban Black Beans and rice. I'll freeze the extra beans for help with easy meals later on. I'll broil some pineapple to go with it as well.
TUE 10/5 - Easy Meal! Asparagus with Chorizo and Croutons, with green beans subbed in for the asparagus, since they are in season.
And it turns out that chocolate souffle is not nearly as difficult as it's made out to be. Check it out at Cooking for Engineers. It was puffier, but the first photo ops didn't work out as well. Very tasty, though. The key most certainly is to use good chocolate. Really good chocolate. It's like cooking with wine - if you wouldn't drink the wine, don't cook with it. If you wouldn't eat the chocolate (provided you like dark chocolate), don't cook with it.
The only thing that will make a souffle fall is if it knows you are afraid of it.
- - James Beard
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
MENU Wed 9/8 through Tue 9/14
Leftovers Week!
.... Three goals achieved: no waste, cleaner kitchen, and low grocery bill!
I was excited to receive this week's delivery from The Produce Box. Apples and peaches and all sorts of wonderful things. Even a jar of pickled squash... not sure what I'm going to do with that one just yet. The Produce Box is Raleigh's local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
Last week had a couple of menu changes - we did takeout on Friday night (yes, even I give in sometimes) and I was out of town Monday, so Dinah made his own dinner. Between those decisions and the general, inevitable buildup of ingredients, it's time to have a cleanup week!
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/8 - Nothing Says Summer Like... Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Fresh Cucumber Salad, and Watermelon.
Lunches: I'm going to pre-cook some bacon tonight, to enable me to have BLTs for lunch the next few days.
THU 9/9 - Easy Dinner Night. Enchiladas made from shredded chicken (previously frozen). Leftover (previously frozen) black beans on the side. These are the same ingredients that, along with some salsa, made Burritos earlier in the week. There's a lot of overlap between burritos and enchiladas - a different sauce, and different cooking & assembly, but same base ingredients.
Bagels: Attempt No. 2 ... and this time, I'm taking pictures. The process overall takes a long time, but it's mostly waiting time. There's not that much time spent actively working on the bagels. Keep your eyes out for a future post with details.
FRI 9/10 - Fishy Friday is Back Again! Cajun Blackened Catfish, Zucchini Fritters, Corn (frozen), and Watermelon. I'll use the rest of that zucchini to make baby food for Rosie.
SAT 9/11 - Cajun. Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, using fresh Roma tomatoes from last week's Produce Box.
Snack Idea: If you have yoghurt, fruit, honey, and ice, you can make smoothies! Smoothies work well with frozen berries - or even this week's peaches! I decided this would be a great use for the yoghurt I have hanging out in the fridge.
Saturday, Late Night: After baby goes to bed, I'm making Gougeres - Cheesy Puffs of Goodness with Bleu Cheese and Rosemary. I think I'm going to serve these with chunks of blue cheese and lovely glasses of Port. I love Saturday nights! They're just made for staying up late (with a great snack like this, of course!).
SUN 9/12 - Fancy Dinner Night. Cedar-Planked Salmon, wild rice mix, grilled vegetable skewers. Dessert: Apple Dumplings. I've made them before (picture here is of mine), but I can't find the recipe!
Weekly Muffins: Use a zucchini bread batter to make muffins instead of bread.
MON 9/13 - Good Food, Easy Recipes. Pan-Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops, Rosemary Roasties, cucumber salad of some sort.
TUE 9/14 - Italian Night. Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss.
And, at some point, I'll be making apple pie.
Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.
- - Jane Austen
.... Three goals achieved: no waste, cleaner kitchen, and low grocery bill!
I was excited to receive this week's delivery from The Produce Box. Apples and peaches and all sorts of wonderful things. Even a jar of pickled squash... not sure what I'm going to do with that one just yet. The Produce Box is Raleigh's local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
- 5 Cucumbers (3 lb)
- 2 Zucchini (1.75 lb)
- 4 Field Tomatoes (1.75 lb)
- 1 pint Okra (6 oz)
- Apples (2.5 lb)
- 5 Peaches (2.25 lb)
- Pickled Squash (1 pint jar)
Last week had a couple of menu changes - we did takeout on Friday night (yes, even I give in sometimes) and I was out of town Monday, so Dinah made his own dinner. Between those decisions and the general, inevitable buildup of ingredients, it's time to have a cleanup week!
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/8 - Nothing Says Summer Like... Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Fresh Cucumber Salad, and Watermelon.
Lunches: I'm going to pre-cook some bacon tonight, to enable me to have BLTs for lunch the next few days.
THU 9/9 - Easy Dinner Night. Enchiladas made from shredded chicken (previously frozen). Leftover (previously frozen) black beans on the side. These are the same ingredients that, along with some salsa, made Burritos earlier in the week. There's a lot of overlap between burritos and enchiladas - a different sauce, and different cooking & assembly, but same base ingredients.
Bagels: Attempt No. 2 ... and this time, I'm taking pictures. The process overall takes a long time, but it's mostly waiting time. There's not that much time spent actively working on the bagels. Keep your eyes out for a future post with details.
 | |
| Blueberry-Banana Smoothie |
SAT 9/11 - Cajun. Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, using fresh Roma tomatoes from last week's Produce Box.
Snack Idea: If you have yoghurt, fruit, honey, and ice, you can make smoothies! Smoothies work well with frozen berries - or even this week's peaches! I decided this would be a great use for the yoghurt I have hanging out in the fridge.
Saturday, Late Night: After baby goes to bed, I'm making Gougeres - Cheesy Puffs of Goodness with Bleu Cheese and Rosemary. I think I'm going to serve these with chunks of blue cheese and lovely glasses of Port. I love Saturday nights! They're just made for staying up late (with a great snack like this, of course!).
Weekly Muffins: Use a zucchini bread batter to make muffins instead of bread.
MON 9/13 - Good Food, Easy Recipes. Pan-Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops, Rosemary Roasties, cucumber salad of some sort.
TUE 9/14 - Italian Night. Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss.
And, at some point, I'll be making apple pie.
Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.
- - Jane Austen
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
MENU Wed 9/1 to Tue 9/7
Local Apples Have Arrived!
This week, I received:
I'm excited about all the apples! I miss the orchard in my hometown... we'd buy "seconds" by the bushel. They were a bit bruised or just misshapen, so they were much cheaper. If you've never made apple butter, you should give it a try!
Apple Ideas:
Fancy meals can be easy! Last week's Chicken Marsala was fabulous. It's a great recipe - and really not difficult. Really. Sprinkle flour and some spices on the chicken, cook it in a little butter or oil in a frying pan, then take it out. Add garlic and lots of mushrooms, then once they're soft add about 1/2 cup of Marsala wine and a bit of lemon juice; simmer until the wine reduces down quite a bit. Then put the chicken back in, sprinkle it with some Parmesan, and you're done! See? Not so bad, eh? Serve it with some pasta and salad, and you have a very fancy meal for very little work.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/1 - Trying Again for Shrimp! Shrimp and Black Bean Salad is on the menu b/c I didn't get to make it over the weekend. Life happens... especially when there's a little baby around. Serve with fresh watermelon.
THU 9/2 - Easy Meal. Salsa and Chips, and Shredded Pork Wraps made from the pork loin I cooked in the crock pot on Tuesday. We'll have Fresh Cucumber Salad (with sliced field tomatoes mixed in) on the side. All the leftover pork will go to the freezer for future wraps.
FRI 9/3 - Fishy Friday! Baked Tilapia and Couscous with Sausage, cooked something like this recipe but with no olives and less sausage. I'll keep you posted! For a veggie, I'll cook up some of the fabulous corn I froze, from The Produce Box.
SAT 9/4 - Dinner on the Deck. Grilled Chicken Breast drizzled with a Simple Balsamic Reduction, Grilled Apple Tossed Salad (I'm going to experiment with changing the dressing), and Rosemary Roasties.
Peach Freezer Jam - I have peaches, packaged pectin, sugar, lemon juice, and freezer containers. Here goes nothing! Here's a site with great step-by-step instructions.
Speaking of peaches, if you've never made Peach Sludge (great name, huh?) then you're missing out! Freeze chopped peaches, then mix them in the blender with milk. Use 1-2 cups of milk for each cup of peaches, depending on how thick you want the drink to be. Add a bit of sugar or sweetener if you'd like.
SUN 9/5 - Spaghetti Sunday. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, nothing fancy. But I'm also going to try to make little bowls out of melted Parmesan cheese. How cool is that?! (A disc of melted cheese is called a frico.) This should be fun!
The Continuing Saga of the Carrot Muffins. So, I made these really great carrot muffins at last... but I measured by weight rather than by volume. When I converted the recipe to volume, they came out terrible. So, the saga continues. I press on, though, because once I have a recipe we like, I'm done. ::phew:: So, it's one more round of carrot muffins this week!
MON 9/6 - Mexican Monday! Burritos made from Cuban Black Beans (using leftovers in the freezer) and shredded chicken (also from the freezer). I'll also make a salad with lettuce, canned orange slices, and avocado.
Once a week, plan a meal that would freeze well. By cooking once, you'll have dinner that night and have a future super-easy meal (or two!). Those frozen meals are great for nights you just don't feel up to cooking much. It's easy to do take-out, too... but sometimes that's not so easy on your budget! So plan ahead a little, and you'll have a meal in the freezer ready to go.
TUE 9/7 - Grilling Again (please don't rain!) Grilled Pork Chops and Fried Apples and Onions.
Can I just tell you how excited I am that apples are coming in? Share your favorite apple recipes on JustRightMenus.com.
Surely the apple is the nobles of fruits. - - Henry David Thoreau
This week, I received:
- McIntosh Apples (1.25 lb)
- Gala Apples (0.75 lb)
- Yellow Delicious Apples (1 lb)
- 4 Peaches (1.75 lb)
- 3 Field Tomatoes (1.25 lb)
- 1 Personal Watermelon
- 1 Sprite melon
- 5 Cucumbers (2 lb)
Apple Ideas:
- Put one inside a roasting chicken to add flavor
- Toss one in your purse or backpack - next time you're tempted for the drive-thru, it may save the day!
- Slice and add to salads... try with tossed salad or something like Chicken Waldorf Salad.
- Quick Snack: Microwave Baked Apple
- Apple Pie, of course!
- Apple Crisp
- Applesauce goes great with Pork Chops!
- Apple Bread Pudding
- Slice for packed lunches
Fancy meals can be easy! Last week's Chicken Marsala was fabulous. It's a great recipe - and really not difficult. Really. Sprinkle flour and some spices on the chicken, cook it in a little butter or oil in a frying pan, then take it out. Add garlic and lots of mushrooms, then once they're soft add about 1/2 cup of Marsala wine and a bit of lemon juice; simmer until the wine reduces down quite a bit. Then put the chicken back in, sprinkle it with some Parmesan, and you're done! See? Not so bad, eh? Serve it with some pasta and salad, and you have a very fancy meal for very little work.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 9/1 - Trying Again for Shrimp! Shrimp and Black Bean Salad is on the menu b/c I didn't get to make it over the weekend. Life happens... especially when there's a little baby around. Serve with fresh watermelon.
THU 9/2 - Easy Meal. Salsa and Chips, and Shredded Pork Wraps made from the pork loin I cooked in the crock pot on Tuesday. We'll have Fresh Cucumber Salad (with sliced field tomatoes mixed in) on the side. All the leftover pork will go to the freezer for future wraps.
FRI 9/3 - Fishy Friday! Baked Tilapia and Couscous with Sausage, cooked something like this recipe but with no olives and less sausage. I'll keep you posted! For a veggie, I'll cook up some of the fabulous corn I froze, from The Produce Box.
Peach Freezer Jam - I have peaches, packaged pectin, sugar, lemon juice, and freezer containers. Here goes nothing! Here's a site with great step-by-step instructions.
Speaking of peaches, if you've never made Peach Sludge (great name, huh?) then you're missing out! Freeze chopped peaches, then mix them in the blender with milk. Use 1-2 cups of milk for each cup of peaches, depending on how thick you want the drink to be. Add a bit of sugar or sweetener if you'd like.
SUN 9/5 - Spaghetti Sunday. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, nothing fancy. But I'm also going to try to make little bowls out of melted Parmesan cheese. How cool is that?! (A disc of melted cheese is called a frico.) This should be fun!
The Continuing Saga of the Carrot Muffins. So, I made these really great carrot muffins at last... but I measured by weight rather than by volume. When I converted the recipe to volume, they came out terrible. So, the saga continues. I press on, though, because once I have a recipe we like, I'm done. ::phew:: So, it's one more round of carrot muffins this week!
MON 9/6 - Mexican Monday! Burritos made from Cuban Black Beans (using leftovers in the freezer) and shredded chicken (also from the freezer). I'll also make a salad with lettuce, canned orange slices, and avocado.
Once a week, plan a meal that would freeze well. By cooking once, you'll have dinner that night and have a future super-easy meal (or two!). Those frozen meals are great for nights you just don't feel up to cooking much. It's easy to do take-out, too... but sometimes that's not so easy on your budget! So plan ahead a little, and you'll have a meal in the freezer ready to go.
TUE 9/7 - Grilling Again (please don't rain!) Grilled Pork Chops and Fried Apples and Onions.
Can I just tell you how excited I am that apples are coming in? Share your favorite apple recipes on JustRightMenus.com.
Surely the apple is the nobles of fruits. - - Henry David Thoreau
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tomato Pie
Making Pie Dough and Tomato Pie
It may not be as hard as you think!
One of my favorite summertime dishes is Tomato Pie! All you need is mayo, cheese, and fresh tomatoes, green onions, and basil. It's not as hard as you might think to make your own pie dough, but you can always use store-bought, too.
Pie Dough
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the flour, salt, and shortening together.
This is most easily done with a pastry cutter/blender; however, you can also use two knives or even just your hands.
If it's particularly warm at your house, you may want to chill the flour, shortening, and even the pastry cutter and bowl before using them for pie. However, I don't do this, and I've had no problem making pie dough. (Our house stays between 68 and 78 degrees.)
Blend the flour, salt, and shortening together until the mixture looks like crumbs. You don't want areas with plain flour - the entire mixture should be lumpy, like in this photo.
Do not overwork the flour and shortening.
In fact, that instruction goes for this whole process: handle the dough as little as possible, to keep it from getting tough.
Add 2 TB of cold water and mix it in with a fork.
Continue adding water until the dough begins to all clump together.
What you're going for is the dough being willing to clump together. Your goal here is to have it just tacky enough to make a ball.
My mom says to just use 2 TB of cold water, but I find that I have to use double that amount.
You should not have any dry flour hanging out in the bottom of the bowl when you're done.
See how it's forming into bigger balls in the photo above? As you stir, you should see the loose flour/shortening bits picked up and formed into balls.
Use your hands to form a big ball with all the dough. If some of it won't join the ball, then it's too dry. You can add a bit of water to the dry parts left in the bowl, mix it with the fork, then add it to the ball.
As you make the ball of dough, shape it a bit like a mushroom cap - have an indentation on the bottom. This will help as you roll out the dough.
Place your dough ball on a floured surface.
Roll out the dough with a floured or covered pin.
Start at the center and roll out to the edge. Let's call that direction north. Now come back to the center and roll out south. Then east, west, north-east, south-west, north-west, south-east ... get it? You just go around and around, from the center out.
My dough never comes out perfectly circular, and the world has not yet stopped. So, don't worry about it if yours isn't perfect either.
If you're not sure if the dough is big enough yet, just place your pie tin on top. You want the dough to extend past the pan, like in the photo to the right.
Now, you should be able to fold the dough in half, pick it up, and place it in the pie dish. I'll be honest with you, though... it took me about 2 years of making pie dough to be able to do that. For years, I could not use a glass pie dish, because my method was to lay the dish upside-down on the dough, sneak my hand under the pastry cloth, and whammo! flip the whole thing over.
The goal is simply to get the dough in the pan, whether you fold and lift or do a whammo! flip-it-all-over method.
Do not cut off the spare edges! Instead, moisten the edge, then fold all the extra over to make a nice, tall pie edge.
Flute the edges. Use your thumb and first two fingers and press all around to make it more stable.
If you were making a covered pie, you would fill the pie then cut the edge. Then you would moisten the flat edge before adding the top piece.
What if the dough cracks? Add a bit of water and stick it back together!
Prick the dough, then bake it. Use a fork to prick the dough all over, then bake it for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.
As you can see, my dough got a bit too brown... ah, well.
The dough is now ready to be filled. What shall we fill it with? Tomato Pie, of course!
Tomato Pie
Set your oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a pot of water up to a simmer; place the tomatoes inside for a few minutes. Using tongs, remove the tomatoes and place them in a bowl of ice water. The peel should now slide easily off!
Layer the tomatoes, green onions, and basil inside the prepared pie shell. Isn't that pretty?
Mix together the cheeses and mayo, then spread that on top.
Okay, now it looks less attractive. It'll be delicious, though!
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until browned on top.
The pie will hold its heat well, so you can plan to have it come out of the oven as much as 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, if needed.
And that's it! All told, it takes me about 20 minutes to get this pie in the oven.
Let me know how it works out for you. I'd be glad to help trouble-shoot any pie dough preparation troubles you're having.
It may not be as hard as you think!
One of my favorite summertime dishes is Tomato Pie! All you need is mayo, cheese, and fresh tomatoes, green onions, and basil. It's not as hard as you might think to make your own pie dough, but you can always use store-bought, too.
Pie Dough
- 1 c. flour
- 1/3 c. vegetable shortening
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-4 TB cold water
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the flour, salt, and shortening together.
This is most easily done with a pastry cutter/blender; however, you can also use two knives or even just your hands.
If it's particularly warm at your house, you may want to chill the flour, shortening, and even the pastry cutter and bowl before using them for pie. However, I don't do this, and I've had no problem making pie dough. (Our house stays between 68 and 78 degrees.)
Do not overwork the flour and shortening.
In fact, that instruction goes for this whole process: handle the dough as little as possible, to keep it from getting tough.
Add 2 TB of cold water and mix it in with a fork.
Continue adding water until the dough begins to all clump together.
What you're going for is the dough being willing to clump together. Your goal here is to have it just tacky enough to make a ball.
My mom says to just use 2 TB of cold water, but I find that I have to use double that amount.
You should not have any dry flour hanging out in the bottom of the bowl when you're done.
See how it's forming into bigger balls in the photo above? As you stir, you should see the loose flour/shortening bits picked up and formed into balls.
As you make the ball of dough, shape it a bit like a mushroom cap - have an indentation on the bottom. This will help as you roll out the dough.
Place your dough ball on a floured surface.
- This is what a pastry cloth is for. If you're making pie dough regularly, go ahead and get or make one. A cotton pillowcase will do the job, too.
- When you're done with the pastry cloth, scrape or shake off loose flour/dough bits, then fold it & put it in a ziptop bag, and put it in the freezer. This will keep little beasties from making it their new home.
Roll out the dough with a floured or covered pin.
Start at the center and roll out to the edge. Let's call that direction north. Now come back to the center and roll out south. Then east, west, north-east, south-west, north-west, south-east ... get it? You just go around and around, from the center out.
If you're not sure if the dough is big enough yet, just place your pie tin on top. You want the dough to extend past the pan, like in the photo to the right.
Now, you should be able to fold the dough in half, pick it up, and place it in the pie dish. I'll be honest with you, though... it took me about 2 years of making pie dough to be able to do that. For years, I could not use a glass pie dish, because my method was to lay the dish upside-down on the dough, sneak my hand under the pastry cloth, and whammo! flip the whole thing over.
The goal is simply to get the dough in the pan, whether you fold and lift or do a whammo! flip-it-all-over method.
Do not cut off the spare edges! Instead, moisten the edge, then fold all the extra over to make a nice, tall pie edge.
If you were making a covered pie, you would fill the pie then cut the edge. Then you would moisten the flat edge before adding the top piece.
What if the dough cracks? Add a bit of water and stick it back together!
Prick the dough, then bake it. Use a fork to prick the dough all over, then bake it for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.
As you can see, my dough got a bit too brown... ah, well.
The dough is now ready to be filled. What shall we fill it with? Tomato Pie, of course!
Tomato Pie
- 4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves, sliced
- 1/3 c. chopped green onions
- 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 c. mayonnaise
Set your oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a pot of water up to a simmer; place the tomatoes inside for a few minutes. Using tongs, remove the tomatoes and place them in a bowl of ice water. The peel should now slide easily off!
Layer the tomatoes, green onions, and basil inside the prepared pie shell. Isn't that pretty?
Okay, now it looks less attractive. It'll be delicious, though!
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until browned on top.
The pie will hold its heat well, so you can plan to have it come out of the oven as much as 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, if needed.
And that's it! All told, it takes me about 20 minutes to get this pie in the oven.
Let me know how it works out for you. I'd be glad to help trouble-shoot any pie dough preparation troubles you're having.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
MENU Wed 8/25 to Tue 8/31
Summer Just Keeps on Coming
.... A meal from the freezer, a meal heading to the freezer. Call it a trade.
I can't wait to see this week's delivery from The Produce Box! I'm particularly excited about the melons and the muscadine cider.
This week, I received:
Making bagels was downright easy! The process took a long time, but most of that time I was just waiting for dough to rise. The actual work didn't take long at all.
Lesson Learned: Careful when Blending. I also made 3 varieties of the Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce - using Dr.P, A&W Root Beer, and Coke. Dinah and I liked the Dr.P and Coke best. However, I learned that you must be very, very careful when running a blender with hot liquids inside. I had no idea... so, the lid of the blender blew off, I spent quite a while cleaning the kitchen walls and counters, and I still have burn marks on my arm. Please check out this advice from my favorite cooking Q&A site before you attempt that recipe!
Decreasing Recipes Made Easy! I actually cut the Watermelon Dressing recipe down, making only 1/8 of the original. It was still plenty of dressing for two nights of salad. If you ever need help cutting a recipe down (say, figuring out what 1/8 of 2/3 cup is), I highly recommend downloading the simple program, EZConvert. You can find it (FREE!) at http://mcrackan.com/software.html ... just scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see it. Here's how it works:
Just type in (or copy/paste) the original value, select multiply or divide from the drop-down, give what amount you're multiplying or dividing by, and it will provide an answer for you! So, instead of 2/3 cup of oil for the dressing recipe, I just used 1 TB plus 1 tsp, since I was dividing the whole by 8.
Even our bring-the-baby-to-a-restaurant experiment went well! Here's hoping for anther great week of meals.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/25 - Visiting We're meeting Dinah's parents for dinner, so I'm off the hook tonight!
THU 8/26 - Italian Night! Lasagna Rolls served alongside Italian sausage cooked w/ onions and peppers.
FRI 8/27 - Easy Friday Go to farmer's market for peaches (destined for cobbler and jam) and grape tomatoes. I received two GIANT tomatoes from The Produce Box, so we'll have Stuffed Tomatoes for dinner, made with frozen stuffing from the last batch. Serve with Butternut Cheddar Shells. I am not sure that these recipes really go well together... but they're two things I really want to have, so oh well!
SAT 8/28 - Lazy Daze! Cary, NC has a fabulous festival, Lazy Daze, every August. I can't wait to go; last year we didn't stay long due to rain.
Breakfast: Aussie omelette w/ shrimp
Lunch: Meatball subs for lunch if we eat here; pack sandwiches if we eat at the festival.
Dinner: Grilled Porterhouse, sweet potatoes baked & whipped, veggie stir-fry of red pepper strips & asparagus.
SUN 8/29 - Hoping for Good Weather
Lunch: I had planned on grape tomatoes from The Produce Box but will get them from the farmers' market instead... add to that, shrimp in the freezer, and leftover cilantro & celery in the fridge... sounds like Shrimp & Black Bean Salad to me!
Dinner: Barbecue Sauce Pizza for dinner. Trying again on the peach cobbler, since a certain baby didn't let me get to it last week.
Muffins? What muffins? My poor husband had to make do with packaged breafast granola bars... going to try to get to the muffins again this week. I might need to go back to freezing extras for just-in-case. They're just not as good once frozen, though.
MON 8/30 - An Old Friend. It's been a long time since we've had Chicken Marsala, so here we go! Served with Rosemary Roasties and Steamed Asparagus w/ Toasted Almond Slices.
TUE 8/31 - Making Extra for the Freezer Half a pork loin (on sale for $1.99/lb, wahoo!) cooked in the crock pot with the leftover Soda Barbecue Sauce. Serve as pulled pork sandwiches with homemade BBQ Baked Beans (made with that same sauce), and corn. I'll freeze all the extra pork for future meals - it'll make great sandwiches and burritos.
Not the most original week of recipes, but we're getting by. Will life get any easier as this little baby grows up?!
It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician. - - Meryl Streep
.... A meal from the freezer, a meal heading to the freezer. Call it a trade.
I can't wait to see this week's delivery from The Produce Box! I'm particularly excited about the melons and the muscadine cider.
This week, I received:
- 2 Butternut Squash (2.75 lb)
- Watermelon
- 5 Peaches (1.75 lb)
- Grape Tomatoes were scheduled; I got big ones instead!
- Sprite Melon
- Local Muscadine Grape Cider
- Sweet Potatoes (3 lb)
Making bagels was downright easy! The process took a long time, but most of that time I was just waiting for dough to rise. The actual work didn't take long at all.
Lesson Learned: Careful when Blending. I also made 3 varieties of the Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce - using Dr.P, A&W Root Beer, and Coke. Dinah and I liked the Dr.P and Coke best. However, I learned that you must be very, very careful when running a blender with hot liquids inside. I had no idea... so, the lid of the blender blew off, I spent quite a while cleaning the kitchen walls and counters, and I still have burn marks on my arm. Please check out this advice from my favorite cooking Q&A site before you attempt that recipe!
Decreasing Recipes Made Easy! I actually cut the Watermelon Dressing recipe down, making only 1/8 of the original. It was still plenty of dressing for two nights of salad. If you ever need help cutting a recipe down (say, figuring out what 1/8 of 2/3 cup is), I highly recommend downloading the simple program, EZConvert. You can find it (FREE!) at http://mcrackan.com/software.html ... just scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see it. Here's how it works:
Just type in (or copy/paste) the original value, select multiply or divide from the drop-down, give what amount you're multiplying or dividing by, and it will provide an answer for you! So, instead of 2/3 cup of oil for the dressing recipe, I just used 1 TB plus 1 tsp, since I was dividing the whole by 8.
Even our bring-the-baby-to-a-restaurant experiment went well! Here's hoping for anther great week of meals.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/25 - Visiting We're meeting Dinah's parents for dinner, so I'm off the hook tonight!
THU 8/26 - Italian Night! Lasagna Rolls served alongside Italian sausage cooked w/ onions and peppers.
FRI 8/27 - Easy Friday Go to farmer's market for peaches (destined for cobbler and jam) and grape tomatoes. I received two GIANT tomatoes from The Produce Box, so we'll have Stuffed Tomatoes for dinner, made with frozen stuffing from the last batch. Serve with Butternut Cheddar Shells. I am not sure that these recipes really go well together... but they're two things I really want to have, so oh well!
SAT 8/28 - Lazy Daze! Cary, NC has a fabulous festival, Lazy Daze, every August. I can't wait to go; last year we didn't stay long due to rain.
Breakfast: Aussie omelette w/ shrimp
Lunch: Meatball subs for lunch if we eat here; pack sandwiches if we eat at the festival.
Dinner: Grilled Porterhouse, sweet potatoes baked & whipped, veggie stir-fry of red pepper strips & asparagus.
SUN 8/29 - Hoping for Good Weather
Lunch: I had planned on grape tomatoes from The Produce Box but will get them from the farmers' market instead... add to that, shrimp in the freezer, and leftover cilantro & celery in the fridge... sounds like Shrimp & Black Bean Salad to me!
Dinner: Barbecue Sauce Pizza for dinner. Trying again on the peach cobbler, since a certain baby didn't let me get to it last week.
Muffins? What muffins? My poor husband had to make do with packaged breafast granola bars... going to try to get to the muffins again this week. I might need to go back to freezing extras for just-in-case. They're just not as good once frozen, though.
MON 8/30 - An Old Friend. It's been a long time since we've had Chicken Marsala, so here we go! Served with Rosemary Roasties and Steamed Asparagus w/ Toasted Almond Slices.
TUE 8/31 - Making Extra for the Freezer Half a pork loin (on sale for $1.99/lb, wahoo!) cooked in the crock pot with the leftover Soda Barbecue Sauce. Serve as pulled pork sandwiches with homemade BBQ Baked Beans (made with that same sauce), and corn. I'll freeze all the extra pork for future meals - it'll make great sandwiches and burritos.
Not the most original week of recipes, but we're getting by. Will life get any easier as this little baby grows up?!
It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician. - - Meryl Streep
Friday, August 20, 2010
In Defense of Cookbooks
I've been thinking a lot about cookbooks lately, and about whether they are really necessary now that such great recipes can be found online.
If your intention is to find a recipe here, a recipe there, then searching online should work fine for you. I realize that some people have little desire to cook at all, and may only occasionally need to know a recipe.
But if your intention is to learn more about cooking, then I think a book would help you more. I used to think my mother was very strange for sitting around reading books about cooking. Now, I understand. Like anything, if you want to get better at it, really get better, then you would greatly benefit from some time spent reading. Then, head to the kitchen and practice what you read.
Another advantage of a book is having a compilation of advice from a chef you trust. Sure, you can search online and find a highly-rated recipe for just about anything. But what if you want to learn about quick meals in general? or Mediterranean, Mexican, vegetarian, or Indian dishes? or have a few dozen salad ideas all in one spot? I have found it infinitely useful to be able to pull a book off the shelf, knowing it is a trustworthy compilation, and find what I'm looking for, right there.
Reliable References
Go-To Books for Specific Cuisine
Besides having reference books like those, I think cookbooks are useful for having a single, trustworthy source on any given topic. Over on the right margin, you can see what's on my shelf, under "Bookshelf."
I don't have an overly extensive cookbook collection, and that's intentional. I would rather get very good at a limited number of dishes, with brief explorations into other areas, than be in a continual state of experimentation. I simply do not have the time to make a new recipe each night, as I have found that it takes me almost twice as long to make a new recipe as it takes me to make one I'm familiar with.
My advice to you is to pick up a couple of books that cover food genres you enjoy, and learn from them. Two of my favorite books are Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals and 500 Best Ever Recipes: Mediterranean.
When I need an easy recipe, I go to Rachael Ray... and when I want something new and am willing to put some time into it, I flip through my Mediterranean book.
What About You?
What are the books you find yourself continually coming back to? Where do you turn when you need to learn about a new technique or are looking for ideas?
If your intention is to find a recipe here, a recipe there, then searching online should work fine for you. I realize that some people have little desire to cook at all, and may only occasionally need to know a recipe.
But if your intention is to learn more about cooking, then I think a book would help you more. I used to think my mother was very strange for sitting around reading books about cooking. Now, I understand. Like anything, if you want to get better at it, really get better, then you would greatly benefit from some time spent reading. Then, head to the kitchen and practice what you read.
Another advantage of a book is having a compilation of advice from a chef you trust. Sure, you can search online and find a highly-rated recipe for just about anything. But what if you want to learn about quick meals in general? or Mediterranean, Mexican, vegetarian, or Indian dishes? or have a few dozen salad ideas all in one spot? I have found it infinitely useful to be able to pull a book off the shelf, knowing it is a trustworthy compilation, and find what I'm looking for, right there.
Reliable References
- A reference for basic information on just about everything: the Joy of Cooking is the classic reference. Joy is a fairly exhaustive reference, including countless recipes along with (importantly) much explanation of how and why they work. Each section (and subsection!) has an "about..." area that has provided much of my cooking knowledge. Reading this book is like stepping inside my mother's and grandmother's mind.
- Two simpler all-inclusive reference books would be Betty Crocker's Everything You Need to Know or Better Homes and Gardens. I think only one of those two is necessary.
- To learn about cooking techniques, a great starting place is Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food. To get more in depth, you may want to check out something like The Professional Chef.
- To learn about baking bread, check out Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day or Peter Reinhart's The Breadbaker's Apprentice.
- Learn about the science behind cooking: Michael Ruhlman's Ratio is my new wish-list book for this topic. Want to create your own muffin recipes without having to build on someone's else's? This book will teach you how. This book contains information on doughs, stocks, sausages, and custards, and I can't wait to read it! Or, check out McGee's On Food and Cooking.
Go-To Books for Specific Cuisine
Besides having reference books like those, I think cookbooks are useful for having a single, trustworthy source on any given topic. Over on the right margin, you can see what's on my shelf, under "Bookshelf."
I don't have an overly extensive cookbook collection, and that's intentional. I would rather get very good at a limited number of dishes, with brief explorations into other areas, than be in a continual state of experimentation. I simply do not have the time to make a new recipe each night, as I have found that it takes me almost twice as long to make a new recipe as it takes me to make one I'm familiar with.
My advice to you is to pick up a couple of books that cover food genres you enjoy, and learn from them. Two of my favorite books are Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals and 500 Best Ever Recipes: Mediterranean.
When I need an easy recipe, I go to Rachael Ray... and when I want something new and am willing to put some time into it, I flip through my Mediterranean book.
What About You?
What are the books you find yourself continually coming back to? Where do you turn when you need to learn about a new technique or are looking for ideas?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
MENU Wed 8/18 to Tue 8/24
Experiments Galore!
Watermelon Dressing, Soda-Based Barbecue Sauce, and Carrot Muffins
I'm excited about all the fruit in this week's delivery from The Produce Box! As you may have seen in Raleigh's Sunday Paper, The Produce Box is a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. Talk about convenient!! To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
Last week's Muscadine Grape Hull Pie turned out great! It reminds me of blackberry pie, probably due to the tart but sweet flavor. The recipe calls for 5 cups of grapes. Post-munching, I had about 3. So, I just used about half of the remaining pie filling ingredients, and it still worked well. Give it a try this week!
If you're looking for more recipes for produce currently in season, check out justrighmenus.com - there, you'll find all the recipes from this year's The Produce Box newsletter.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/18 - Something New Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Tomato Pie, and salad topped with Watermelon Basil Vinaigrette. When I first came across the recipe, I was not yet willing to sacrifice any watermelon as dressing fodder. I think my craving has subsided enough to allow it at this point.
...and Bagels, too! After the baby's in bed, I'll start work on bagels. I've never made them before... I'll keep you posted. Please comment with any bagel-making advice you have!
THU 8/19 - Super-Quick Meal All in one hour: feed the baby, make dinner, eat dinner, and get ready to leave for the evening. Ready, Set, GO! Fortunately, we have leftover Moroccan Chicken and Lentils from Monday. I also froze some leftovers, so you'll see it on the menu one more time. It turned out fairly bland, though topping it with Tzatsiki Sauce helped. I'll dice up the sweet pepper from this week's box and mix it in to the leftovers, too.
More Quick Meal Ideas:
FRI 8/20 - Fishy Friday Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish, Summertime Pasta Salad, and Steamed Corn.
SAT 8/21 - Soda Barbecue Experiment Using the Simply Recipes Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce recipe, I'm going to make one batch with Coke, one with root beer, and one with (of course) Dr. Pepper. We're having baby back ribs (I've begged a friend for their fabulous recipe) slathered with said barbecue sauce, Skillet Corn Bread Pudding, and salad with more of the Watermelon Dressing.
Tasty Tomatoes: If you're looking for how to use big, ripe tomatoes, check out Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes. Also, Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes would make a great side-dish to any meal. or you could check out this great dish, which also uses fresh new potatoes. Make it a vegetarian meal, or add some chicken.
SUN 8/22 - Trade-off: Shrimp and Peaches Grilled Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs, Corn Pudding - made with fresh corn, and Peach Cobbler. My sweet husband doesn't really like peaches, so I have held off making it, not wanting to do something special when it's just for me. But I can no longer take the temptation. It's August, and there are peaches everywhere! I give in. I shall appease him with shrimp.
Don't forget the weekly muffins! Corn pudding only partly uses a can of evaporated milk, so I'll use the rest in this week's muffins. The great carrot muffin experiment continues! Last week's muffins were too nutmeg-heavy and too cake-like for me. Once I have a winning recipe, I'll share it with you.
MON 8/23 - More Grilling! Honey-Teriyaki Chicken (using store-bought Honey-Teriyaki Marinade, then grilled), Roasted Red Potatoes using garlic instead of rosemary, and sauteed broccoli.
TUE 8/24 - Baby Experiment We're going to try to take Rosie out to a restaurant. Plan B: Pasta w/ meatballs from the freezer and canned sauce.
A Couple Fresh, Fun Summer Meal Ideas:
Share your successful experiments on justrightmenus.com or as a comments here - I'd love to try them!
You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces -
just good food from fresh ingredients.
- - Julia Child
Watermelon Dressing, Soda-Based Barbecue Sauce, and Carrot Muffins
I'm excited about all the fruit in this week's delivery from The Produce Box! As you may have seen in Raleigh's Sunday Paper, The Produce Box is a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. Talk about convenient!! To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
- Roma Tomatoes (3 lb)
- 5 Peaches (2.5 lb)
- Scuppernong Grapes (1.5 lb)
- Red Potatoes (2 lb)
- Watermelon, seedless personal size
- Sprite Melon
- 2 Banana Sweet Peppers
Last week's Muscadine Grape Hull Pie turned out great! It reminds me of blackberry pie, probably due to the tart but sweet flavor. The recipe calls for 5 cups of grapes. Post-munching, I had about 3. So, I just used about half of the remaining pie filling ingredients, and it still worked well. Give it a try this week!
If you're looking for more recipes for produce currently in season, check out justrighmenus.com - there, you'll find all the recipes from this year's The Produce Box newsletter.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/18 - Something New Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Tomato Pie, and salad topped with Watermelon Basil Vinaigrette. When I first came across the recipe, I was not yet willing to sacrifice any watermelon as dressing fodder. I think my craving has subsided enough to allow it at this point.
...and Bagels, too! After the baby's in bed, I'll start work on bagels. I've never made them before... I'll keep you posted. Please comment with any bagel-making advice you have!
 |
| Moroccan Chicken and Lentils |
More Quick Meal Ideas:
- Fajitas (Delicious use of sweet bell peppers!)
- Polynesian Chicken
- Sauteed Chicken Breast with Cucumber Salad
- Poached Fish with Tomato and Basil (works well with fresh tomatoes)
- Eleven More Ideas!
 |
| Summertime Pasta Salad |
SAT 8/21 - Soda Barbecue Experiment Using the Simply Recipes Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce recipe, I'm going to make one batch with Coke, one with root beer, and one with (of course) Dr. Pepper. We're having baby back ribs (I've begged a friend for their fabulous recipe) slathered with said barbecue sauce, Skillet Corn Bread Pudding, and salad with more of the Watermelon Dressing.
Tasty Tomatoes: If you're looking for how to use big, ripe tomatoes, check out Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes. Also, Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes would make a great side-dish to any meal. or you could check out this great dish, which also uses fresh new potatoes. Make it a vegetarian meal, or add some chicken.
Don't forget the weekly muffins! Corn pudding only partly uses a can of evaporated milk, so I'll use the rest in this week's muffins. The great carrot muffin experiment continues! Last week's muffins were too nutmeg-heavy and too cake-like for me. Once I have a winning recipe, I'll share it with you.
MON 8/23 - More Grilling! Honey-Teriyaki Chicken (using store-bought Honey-Teriyaki Marinade, then grilled), Roasted Red Potatoes using garlic instead of rosemary, and sauteed broccoli.
TUE 8/24 - Baby Experiment We're going to try to take Rosie out to a restaurant. Plan B: Pasta w/ meatballs from the freezer and canned sauce.
A Couple Fresh, Fun Summer Meal Ideas:
- I highly recommend the salad trio we had last week: Balinese Cucumber Salad, Cool Shrimp Salad, and Easy Fresh Corn Salad.
- Shrimp and Black Bean Salad is another of our summertime favorites. I can't even mention that one if I'm not planning to make it - my husband loves it that much.
 |
| Salad Trio: Cucumber, Shrimp, and Corn Salads |
You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces -
just good food from fresh ingredients.
- - Julia Child
Monday, August 16, 2010
Giant, Beautiful Tomatoes
I received two large tomatoes in my produce box this week. What better use could there be than stuffed tomatoes?
If you're cooking for just a couple people, I advise you to go ahead and make the full quantity of the stuffing. Stuff the tomatoes you're cooking today (or refrigerating to cook tomorrow) and freeze the remainder of the stuffing. Next time, they'll be super-easy to make: just defrost, stuff, and bake!
If you make a little extra each time you cook a freezer-friendly recipe, you'll quickly build up meals to defrost & cook for those nights when take-out looks awfully tempting. Don't ruin your budget; just plan ahead a bit.
Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes
Slice the top 1/3 off each tomato. Chop this slice after removing the core.
Scoop out the inside of the big tomato piece.
When done, you'll have something that looks like this --->
On the bottom right in the photo, you can see the innards I scooped out of each tomato. If you're making the recipe using 6 tomatoes (and stuffing all of them), you'll dice all the tops but save the innards for a different use (or discard). But if you're making the recipe using only 2 tomatoes, make up for the missing slices (like I did) by using both the tops and the innards as ingredients in the stuffing.
Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works great).
Saute the chopped onion until tender and golden.
Add the lamb and cook until browned. You also can use leftover leg of lamb; if doing so, just cook it with the onion long enough to warm it up.
While the onion and lamb are cooking is a great time to gather the rest of your ingredients.
Once the lamb is browned, add the tomatoes, wine, mint, parsley, cinnamon, and salt.
Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens. This only takes a few minutes.
Stir in the cooked rice. The resulting mixture isn't the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but it tastes great!
Spoon the mixture into your tomatoes. Sprinkle each tomato with about a teaspoon of breadcrumbs and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, until heated through. Before serving, sprinkle with a bit more chopped parsley.
You can make these ahead, too. Once the tomatoes are stuffed, cover and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake them, you'll just need to add about 10 minutes to the cooking time.
If you're only stuffing a couple of tomatoes now, you can freeze the leftover stuffing for 2-3 months or refrigerate for 3-4 days. If you're not sure how long leftovers are safe, check out stilltasty.com!
I can't wait until I receive more large tomatoes from The Produce Box; I have stuffing in my freezer, just waiting for them.
If you're cooking for just a couple people, I advise you to go ahead and make the full quantity of the stuffing. Stuff the tomatoes you're cooking today (or refrigerating to cook tomorrow) and freeze the remainder of the stuffing. Next time, they'll be super-easy to make: just defrost, stuff, and bake!
If you make a little extra each time you cook a freezer-friendly recipe, you'll quickly build up meals to defrost & cook for those nights when take-out looks awfully tempting. Don't ruin your budget; just plan ahead a bit.
Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes, each about the size of your fist - - don't worry if they're not super-ripe. I think this recipe works best if they're still a bit firm.
- 4 more tomatoes if you're not freezing extra stuffing for later
- 2 TB butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 c. dry red wine
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
- 2 TB chopped fresh parsley
- Additional chopped parsley for garnish (1-2 tsp per tomato)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 c. cooked rice (I used brown) - - just put some stir-fry on your menu a couple days before, cook extra rice with it, and you'll be ready to go when it's time to make these!
- 2 tsp dry, plain breadcrumbs (1 tsp per tomato)
- 2 TB grated Parmesan cheese (1 TB per tomato)
Slice the top 1/3 off each tomato. Chop this slice after removing the core.Scoop out the inside of the big tomato piece.
When done, you'll have something that looks like this --->
On the bottom right in the photo, you can see the innards I scooped out of each tomato. If you're making the recipe using 6 tomatoes (and stuffing all of them), you'll dice all the tops but save the innards for a different use (or discard). But if you're making the recipe using only 2 tomatoes, make up for the missing slices (like I did) by using both the tops and the innards as ingredients in the stuffing.
Saute the chopped onion until tender and golden.
Add the lamb and cook until browned. You also can use leftover leg of lamb; if doing so, just cook it with the onion long enough to warm it up.
Once the lamb is browned, add the tomatoes, wine, mint, parsley, cinnamon, and salt.
Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens. This only takes a few minutes.
Spoon the mixture into your tomatoes. Sprinkle each tomato with about a teaspoon of breadcrumbs and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, until heated through. Before serving, sprinkle with a bit more chopped parsley.
You can make these ahead, too. Once the tomatoes are stuffed, cover and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake them, you'll just need to add about 10 minutes to the cooking time.
If you're only stuffing a couple of tomatoes now, you can freeze the leftover stuffing for 2-3 months or refrigerate for 3-4 days. If you're not sure how long leftovers are safe, check out stilltasty.com!
I can't wait until I receive more large tomatoes from The Produce Box; I have stuffing in my freezer, just waiting for them.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Summer's Endless Squash
Have you heard the joke yet? Why do people start locking their car/house doors in late summer? .... So they don't end up with another bag of zucchini!
It's amazing, really. You put a few simple seeds in the ground, you enjoy watching the plants grow, and then... you have more zucchini and summer squash than you want. More than your neighbors want, too. If this is your problem, you may be interested in reading Handling an Overwhelming Harvest without Waste, by The Simple Dollar.
Breads, Muffins, and Cake
Salads
Side Dish
Breakfast
So, there's a few ideas to get you started... please share your favorite summer squash uses, too!
It's amazing, really. You put a few simple seeds in the ground, you enjoy watching the plants grow, and then... you have more zucchini and summer squash than you want. More than your neighbors want, too. If this is your problem, you may be interested in reading Handling an Overwhelming Harvest without Waste, by The Simple Dollar.
Breads, Muffins, and Cake
- That's right, cake. Check out this Chocolate & Zucchini cake brought to you by (I'm serious) ChocolateAndZucchini.com
- Zucchini Bread, from Smitten Kitchen. I enjoy a slice spread thickly with cream cheese.
- Do you like carrot cake? Then check this out: Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake, from Tasty Kitchen.
Salads
- Zucchini Garden Salad, brought to you by Tasty Kitchen, reminds me of fresh corn salads. It's simple, fresh, and soooo good.
- Summer Squash Salad brings in some mint for a cool summer treat, by Simply Recipes.
Side Dish
- The texture makes all the difference in this Quick Zucchini Saute from Smitten Kitchen. If you don't have a mandoline slicer, trust me that it's worth the time to chop the squash into little matchstick slices. Be careful, though - the almonds will brown more quickly than you think!
- Classic Side Dish: Sauteed Zucchini with Mushrooms, from Cooking for Engineers. If you like clear step-by-step instructions, spend some time on this site. My favorite is the timing chart shown at the bottom of each article. (Is that called a Gantt chart?)
- Squash Fritters, by Simply Recipes, are one of my favorites. Be sure you have your oil hot enough so they get crispy on the outside!
- These are good for you, but won't taste like it! Check out this post from SpoonEats - Zucchini Fries!
- Vegetable Kabobs, laid out by The Simple Dollar - and they don't have to be just a side - they can be the main course!
Breakfast
- Here's an original (and tasty!) idea, from Simply Recipes: Zucchini Breakfast Casserole.
- Ratatouille Tart will make a great breakfast (or brunch for those of us who get up late). Smitten Kitchen, as always, has beautiful photos of it as well!
So, there's a few ideas to get you started... please share your favorite summer squash uses, too!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
MENU Wed 8/11 to Tue 8/17
Into the Heat of Summer: Easy Cooking ....
Leftovers, Salads, Grilling, and Slow Cooker
As you may have seen on Monday's post, I build my menu by taking stock of what's on hand and build my menu from those ingredients. I also have now received this week's veggies from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
Last week's chicken-salad-with-squash lunch plan never came to fruition, as I had sufficient dinner leftovers for lunch that I didn't need to make anything new. Fortunately, Rosie is starting to eat baby food, so she will be getting some of that squash. If you'd like to learn how to make and freeze baby food, check out this helpful site.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/11 - Leftovers! We have some corn chowder leftover from Sunday night and some Pibil in the freezer; I'll saute the last of the summer squash as the veggie. I made extra brown rice the other night, too, so we'll add that to the mix. I have a nasty cold, so I need an easy meal night.
THU 8/12 - Exploring Muscadine Grapes. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Grape Sauce - recipe in the making, though it will be something like this one. Serve with arborio rice and steamed corn.
If the baby lets me, I'll also try out Muscadine Grape Hull Pie.
Need Muscadine Grape recipes? I found the mother lode! The NC Dept of Commerce site has a recipe for all things Muscadine: Juice, Jelly, Grape Butter, Grape Ice, Ice Cream, Pie, Dump Cake, Sherbet Floats, Cider, Fondue, and Sweet & Sour Glaze.
FRI 8/13 - Salad, salad, salad! Cool Shrimp Salad, Balinese Cucumber Salad, my new favorite Corn Salad, and instant brown rice. The salads don't take long to make, and can all be made ahead of time.
Tonight, after the baby's in bed, I'm going to put together Tomatoes Stuffed with Spiced Lamb so they're ready to pop in the oven to bake for lunch tomorrow. Why don't you try putting them together the night before, too, so they're ready for dinner the next night?
SAT 8/14 - Optional Menu. We may or may not be eating at home tonight, so I'll plan for Easy Shepherd's Pie. I know, I know, that's lamb for lunch and lamb for dinner. Hey, I'm not expecting to be home for dinner anyway. This is a just-in-case plan. The ingredients will all keep for future use if not used this night. If I do make it, I'll use some of the red potatoes I received in my produce box this week.
SUN 8/15 - Dinner on the Deck. Bison burgers, German Potato Salad, and Grilled Corn.
Muffins! I'll also make Oatmeal Carrot Muffins for the week's breakfasts - supercook.com helped me find the recipe, using up the yoghurt and carrots I have hanging out in the fridge. I'll let you know how it goes!
MON 8/16 - Slow Cooker Day. Moroccan Chicken and Lentils, served over white rice, Tzatsiki Sauce spooned over all.
TUE 8/17 - Italian Night!
Italian Sausage, prepared with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. Served alongside lasagna noodles, rolled up with ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley, sauce spooned over the top and then baked. I'll post the recipe once I make them. EDIT: Here's the Lasagna Rolls recipe!
How are you beating the heat? What's your favorite easy, summertime dinner?
Great torpid grapes, all fattened through
With moon and sunshine, shade and dew
- - James Whitcomb Riley
Leftovers, Salads, Grilling, and Slow Cooker
As you may have seen on Monday's post, I build my menu by taking stock of what's on hand and build my menu from those ingredients. I also have now received this week's veggies from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.
This week, I received:
- Muscadine Grapes (1.5 lb)
- Large Field tomatoes (1.5 lb)
- Bell Peppers (qty 2)
- Corn (4 ears)
- Red Potatoes (1.5 lb)
- Spicy Sweet Dill Pickles, 1 pint
Last week's chicken-salad-with-squash lunch plan never came to fruition, as I had sufficient dinner leftovers for lunch that I didn't need to make anything new. Fortunately, Rosie is starting to eat baby food, so she will be getting some of that squash. If you'd like to learn how to make and freeze baby food, check out this helpful site.
Here's the Week's Menu:
WED 8/11 - Leftovers! We have some corn chowder leftover from Sunday night and some Pibil in the freezer; I'll saute the last of the summer squash as the veggie. I made extra brown rice the other night, too, so we'll add that to the mix. I have a nasty cold, so I need an easy meal night.
THU 8/12 - Exploring Muscadine Grapes. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Grape Sauce - recipe in the making, though it will be something like this one. Serve with arborio rice and steamed corn.If the baby lets me, I'll also try out Muscadine Grape Hull Pie.
Need Muscadine Grape recipes? I found the mother lode! The NC Dept of Commerce site has a recipe for all things Muscadine: Juice, Jelly, Grape Butter, Grape Ice, Ice Cream, Pie, Dump Cake, Sherbet Floats, Cider, Fondue, and Sweet & Sour Glaze.
FRI 8/13 - Salad, salad, salad! Cool Shrimp Salad, Balinese Cucumber Salad, my new favorite Corn Salad, and instant brown rice. The salads don't take long to make, and can all be made ahead of time.
SAT 8/14 - Optional Menu. We may or may not be eating at home tonight, so I'll plan for Easy Shepherd's Pie. I know, I know, that's lamb for lunch and lamb for dinner. Hey, I'm not expecting to be home for dinner anyway. This is a just-in-case plan. The ingredients will all keep for future use if not used this night. If I do make it, I'll use some of the red potatoes I received in my produce box this week.
Muffins! I'll also make Oatmeal Carrot Muffins for the week's breakfasts - supercook.com helped me find the recipe, using up the yoghurt and carrots I have hanging out in the fridge. I'll let you know how it goes!
MON 8/16 - Slow Cooker Day. Moroccan Chicken and Lentils, served over white rice, Tzatsiki Sauce spooned over all.
TUE 8/17 - Italian Night!
Italian Sausage, prepared with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. Served alongside lasagna noodles, rolled up with ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley, sauce spooned over the top and then baked. I'll post the recipe once I make them. EDIT: Here's the Lasagna Rolls recipe!
How are you beating the heat? What's your favorite easy, summertime dinner?
Great torpid grapes, all fattened through
With moon and sunshine, shade and dew
- - James Whitcomb Riley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)