Wed, Oct. 24:
Cheese & Roasted Garlic Stuffed Tortellini with Chicken Breast, Mushrooms & Parmesan
Thurs, Oct. 25:
Mexican Take-out (because the hubby was hungry & in a hurry once we left the grocery store!)
Fri, Oct. 26:
Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder (I made a half recipe and added 2 russet potatoes to the soup) served with butter croissants
Sat, Oct. 27:
Roast Whole Chicken with Baked Potatoes and Green Beans
Sun, Oct. 28:
Chicken, Zucchini, Mushroom & Bell Pepper Jalfreezi with Naan bread
Mon, Oct. 29:
Chicken Fajitas with Chili Spiced Delicata Squash
Tues, Oct. 30:
Roast Split Chicken Breasts with Stuffed Turban Squash (I altered the amounts of bread crumbs and didn't include the brown sugar)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Made from Scratch Challenge!
So I recently came across a series of posts over at TheKitchn.com that discuss a question I have about many foods: make it from scratch, or buy it? I always prefer making from scratch because I like to know what is going into my foods as much as possible. Sometimes I feel like the "prep" part of my cooking takes a lot longer than traditional recipes suggest, but to me it's worth it.
Over at TheKitchn they discussed several items, and I dug through them for some items I've rarely (or never) attempted to make, which they suggested be made from scratch. I'm going to attempt to make each of these items, and I'll report my success and tips in future posts. The things I will be making from scratch includes:
Pie Crust
I'll admit I've made pie crust before. I especially love Martha Stewart's Cheese Short Crust. However, I've only ever used it to make her Cherry Tomato, Bocconcini, and Zucchini Pie (hint: Bocconcini is basically fresh mozzarella, I had to google it the first time I made the pie!). I've also purchased my fair share of Pillsbury's frozen Deep Dish Pie Crust. It works just fine for my pies and quiches, and (despite what TheKitchn says is typical for frozen pie crusts) I don't find it to be crumbly. I'm excited to make my own pie crusts to freeze for more regular use, because they will take up less space in my freezer and be tastier than purchased crusts! To be honest, I don't even have a pie pan, so before I start baking the crusts I'll have to purchase one!
Pasta
Now this is something I've never made, but have always thought would be fun to do. It does, however, seem incredibly labor intensive. To make matters worse I don't have any of the fancy pasta-making tools like a roller machine, so I'll be rolling mine out with a rolling pin. Because of this I will likely make a pasta that is typically left a bit thicker than usual. It will still be fun to try fresh pasta, which I've never eaten or made, but I'll leave this for a time when I can devote a couple of hours to making the pasta and cleaning up all the flour from rolling it out!
Sandwich Bread
I have attempted to make bread before, and I have terrible luck getting dough to rise. I've considered buying a bread machine simply because I've had such poor luck with making bread from scratch, and the taste of fresh bread is just unbeatable! When I was a child my mother would take my brother and I shopping with her, and we would always stop by a fancy international import store for my parents coffee. My mother would let my brother and I each select one item that was less than $1 to have for ourselves. My brother almost always selected a gorgeous and delectable chocolate truffle, and without fail I would always get a fresh warm mini baguette. The bread isle is still my favorite place in the grocery store; it just smells delicious to me! I'm going to attempt the no-knead recipe suggested by TheKitchn and see if I'm successful, but if not I'll be keeping my eye out for a bread machine!
Beans
I've made lentils from scratch, does that count? Probably not. My family almost always uses canned beans, but my mother will occasionally whip out her pressure cooker and make a batch from scratch. I've never tried, and I've never seen them made in a pot. I'll likely give that or the slow-cooker method a try.
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is something I've never attempted to make myself in any fashion, not even the store bought mix. I have chocolate graham crackers in my pantry, and a fairly steady supply of fresh eggs right now, so I'm excited to make and try a homemade cheesecake. Though I've gotta get a pie pan before I start this as well.
Ketchup
I've never considered making ketchup from scratch. It's just one of those things that you just buy, you know? I'm also not crazy about the fact that the ingredient list includes canned pureed tomatoes. It almost seems like cheating. I think that making ketchup from scratch when you're overrun with fresh farm tomatoes in the summer sounds like a fabulous plan, though. It make take me until next summer to attempt this one, but this winter when I'm selecting and purchasing my seeds (from the Seed Savers Exchange) I'll be keeping this in mind!
Cake
I've made cake from scratch before with fairly decent success, but I certainly haven't mastered the skill. My supervisor at work makes the most amazingly beautiful and tasty cakes for people's birthdays, and I'm talking seriously amazing cakes here people! For my birthday last year she made a chocolate cake with raspberry compote filling and chocolate frosting. She's also made cakes with cheesecake inside, chocolate ganache dripped over the top, and she makes an amazing coconut tres leches cake! While I tend to make cakes from a box, I always make butter cream frosting from scratch. It will be fun to try making a rich and moist cake from scratch to go with the homemade frosting!
Over at TheKitchn they discussed several items, and I dug through them for some items I've rarely (or never) attempted to make, which they suggested be made from scratch. I'm going to attempt to make each of these items, and I'll report my success and tips in future posts. The things I will be making from scratch includes:
Pie Crust
I'll admit I've made pie crust before. I especially love Martha Stewart's Cheese Short Crust. However, I've only ever used it to make her Cherry Tomato, Bocconcini, and Zucchini Pie (hint: Bocconcini is basically fresh mozzarella, I had to google it the first time I made the pie!). I've also purchased my fair share of Pillsbury's frozen Deep Dish Pie Crust. It works just fine for my pies and quiches, and (despite what TheKitchn says is typical for frozen pie crusts) I don't find it to be crumbly. I'm excited to make my own pie crusts to freeze for more regular use, because they will take up less space in my freezer and be tastier than purchased crusts! To be honest, I don't even have a pie pan, so before I start baking the crusts I'll have to purchase one!
Pasta
Now this is something I've never made, but have always thought would be fun to do. It does, however, seem incredibly labor intensive. To make matters worse I don't have any of the fancy pasta-making tools like a roller machine, so I'll be rolling mine out with a rolling pin. Because of this I will likely make a pasta that is typically left a bit thicker than usual. It will still be fun to try fresh pasta, which I've never eaten or made, but I'll leave this for a time when I can devote a couple of hours to making the pasta and cleaning up all the flour from rolling it out!
Sandwich Bread
I have attempted to make bread before, and I have terrible luck getting dough to rise. I've considered buying a bread machine simply because I've had such poor luck with making bread from scratch, and the taste of fresh bread is just unbeatable! When I was a child my mother would take my brother and I shopping with her, and we would always stop by a fancy international import store for my parents coffee. My mother would let my brother and I each select one item that was less than $1 to have for ourselves. My brother almost always selected a gorgeous and delectable chocolate truffle, and without fail I would always get a fresh warm mini baguette. The bread isle is still my favorite place in the grocery store; it just smells delicious to me! I'm going to attempt the no-knead recipe suggested by TheKitchn and see if I'm successful, but if not I'll be keeping my eye out for a bread machine!
Beans
I've made lentils from scratch, does that count? Probably not. My family almost always uses canned beans, but my mother will occasionally whip out her pressure cooker and make a batch from scratch. I've never tried, and I've never seen them made in a pot. I'll likely give that or the slow-cooker method a try.
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is something I've never attempted to make myself in any fashion, not even the store bought mix. I have chocolate graham crackers in my pantry, and a fairly steady supply of fresh eggs right now, so I'm excited to make and try a homemade cheesecake. Though I've gotta get a pie pan before I start this as well.
Ketchup
I've never considered making ketchup from scratch. It's just one of those things that you just buy, you know? I'm also not crazy about the fact that the ingredient list includes canned pureed tomatoes. It almost seems like cheating. I think that making ketchup from scratch when you're overrun with fresh farm tomatoes in the summer sounds like a fabulous plan, though. It make take me until next summer to attempt this one, but this winter when I'm selecting and purchasing my seeds (from the Seed Savers Exchange) I'll be keeping this in mind!
Cake
I've made cake from scratch before with fairly decent success, but I certainly haven't mastered the skill. My supervisor at work makes the most amazingly beautiful and tasty cakes for people's birthdays, and I'm talking seriously amazing cakes here people! For my birthday last year she made a chocolate cake with raspberry compote filling and chocolate frosting. She's also made cakes with cheesecake inside, chocolate ganache dripped over the top, and she makes an amazing coconut tres leches cake! While I tend to make cakes from a box, I always make butter cream frosting from scratch. It will be fun to try making a rich and moist cake from scratch to go with the homemade frosting!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Weekly Meal Plan: Weds, Oct. 17 - Tues, Oct. 23
Wed, Oct. 17:
General Tso's Chicken over Rice with Cabbage & Pork Dumplings
Also make: remainder of sausage links and sub for bacon in Make Ahead Muffin Melts
Thurs, Oct. 18:
Pizza! Garlic cheese bread! One of our friends is visiting from the mountains, so we went with something that was fast, easy, and liked by all!
Fri, Oct. 19:
Beer Crockpot Chicken (I used split chicken breasts & cooked on high for minutes); Roast Acorn Squash, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Leeks, Onions, Garlic Cloves, and
Also make: Roasted Vegetable Soup and Herb Dumplings from the leftover roast veggies (roast extra for this) and pack for lunches, freeze, or eat for dinner another day!
I also made Pear Banana Bread, but I made a half recipe and subbed brown sugar for the white sugar, poured it into a 9" round cake pan, baked for ~25 minutes, and topped with powdered sugar once it was cool.
Sat, Oct. 20:
I ate the Roasted Vegetable Soup with Herb Dumplings, while my husband and friends ate pizza!
Sun, Oct. 21:
Chicken, Peppers & Cheese Enchiladas with Spicy Yellow Rice
Mon, Oct. 22:
It was a long day, so we ate take-out
Tues, Oct. 23:
Leftover Enchiladas with Chips & Queso Dip
Grocery Sale Items Purchased:
English muffins
Ocean Spray 100% Juice cranberry juice
canned diced tomatoes
HT Cheddar
Daisy Sour cream
Cheetos
Split chicken breasts
Grilling Brats
Bacon
Cantaloupe
Pears
Cucumber
Winter squash
Bell Pepper
Mushroom
Zucchini
Red onion
General Tso's Chicken over Rice with Cabbage & Pork Dumplings
Also make: remainder of sausage links and sub for bacon in Make Ahead Muffin Melts
Thurs, Oct. 18:
Pizza! Garlic cheese bread! One of our friends is visiting from the mountains, so we went with something that was fast, easy, and liked by all!
Fri, Oct. 19:
Beer Crockpot Chicken (I used split chicken breasts & cooked on high for minutes); Roast Acorn Squash, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Leeks, Onions, Garlic Cloves, and
Also make: Roasted Vegetable Soup and Herb Dumplings from the leftover roast veggies (roast extra for this) and pack for lunches, freeze, or eat for dinner another day!
I also made Pear Banana Bread, but I made a half recipe and subbed brown sugar for the white sugar, poured it into a 9" round cake pan, baked for ~25 minutes, and topped with powdered sugar once it was cool.
Sat, Oct. 20:
I ate the Roasted Vegetable Soup with Herb Dumplings, while my husband and friends ate pizza!
Sun, Oct. 21:
Chicken, Peppers & Cheese Enchiladas with Spicy Yellow Rice
Mon, Oct. 22:
It was a long day, so we ate take-out
Tues, Oct. 23:
Leftover Enchiladas with Chips & Queso Dip
Grocery Sale Items Purchased:
English muffins
Ocean Spray 100% Juice cranberry juice
canned diced tomatoes
HT Cheddar
Daisy Sour cream
Cheetos
Split chicken breasts
Grilling Brats
Bacon
Cantaloupe
Pears
Cucumber
Winter squash
Bell Pepper
Mushroom
Zucchini
Red onion
Monday, October 15, 2012
Chicken Fajitas with Avocado Corn Salad
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
2 marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs (I purchase these pre-done at my grocery store, but you could easily prepare your own marinade or purchase a bottled marinade and do this step yourself the night before you make this meal)
1 large onion, 1/3 cup chopped and the remainder sliced
1 bell pepper (I used green), in 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
oz sharp cheddar
fajita size flour tortillas
1 oz can pinto beans
1/4 jalapeno, minced OR 1/2 can mild green chilis (depending on your spiciness preference)
1 package saffron rice (I used Mahatma), cooked according to package directions
1 ear of corn, grilled
1 avocado, chopped
2 small or 1 large garden tomato, chopped (fresh good tomatoes are key here - visit your farmer's market!)
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper
Directions:
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high heat. Place marinated chicken thighs on grill to receive medium high indirect heat. Grill, turning a few times, until internal temperature reads 175F. While the chicken is cooking place corn ears over direct heat and grill, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes or until husks are charred. Let corn rest 5 minutes, and then shuck corn and set aside to cool.
Melt a scant tablespoon butter in a sauce pan, and saute chopped onion for 3 - 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and saute about 30 seconds. Add pinto beans (including the juice) and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes or until warm and bubbling. Mash beans with a potato masher or fork.
In a saute pan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium high heat. Add sliced onion, taco seasoning, and saute for 3 - 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, and stir well. Saute another 2 - 3 minutes, or until bottom of peppers begins to brown. Stir well, trying to flip most of the pepper pieces over, and brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
With a sharp knife and over a large bowl with high sides slice corn kernels off grilled corn. Turn the knife around and scrape the dull side down the corn cob to remove the pulpy creamy goodness hidden within. Add avocado, tomato, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, and mayonnaise to corn, and stir well to combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Assemble fajitas with refried beans, grilled chicken, Avocado Corn Salad, and cheddar. Serve with Mexican rice.
Ingredients:
2 marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs (I purchase these pre-done at my grocery store, but you could easily prepare your own marinade or purchase a bottled marinade and do this step yourself the night before you make this meal)
1 large onion, 1/3 cup chopped and the remainder sliced
1 bell pepper (I used green), in 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
oz sharp cheddar
fajita size flour tortillas
1 oz can pinto beans
1/4 jalapeno, minced OR 1/2 can mild green chilis (depending on your spiciness preference)
1 package saffron rice (I used Mahatma), cooked according to package directions
1 ear of corn, grilled
1 avocado, chopped
2 small or 1 large garden tomato, chopped (fresh good tomatoes are key here - visit your farmer's market!)
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper
Directions:
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high heat. Place marinated chicken thighs on grill to receive medium high indirect heat. Grill, turning a few times, until internal temperature reads 175F. While the chicken is cooking place corn ears over direct heat and grill, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes or until husks are charred. Let corn rest 5 minutes, and then shuck corn and set aside to cool.
Melt a scant tablespoon butter in a sauce pan, and saute chopped onion for 3 - 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and saute about 30 seconds. Add pinto beans (including the juice) and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes or until warm and bubbling. Mash beans with a potato masher or fork.
In a saute pan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium high heat. Add sliced onion, taco seasoning, and saute for 3 - 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, and stir well. Saute another 2 - 3 minutes, or until bottom of peppers begins to brown. Stir well, trying to flip most of the pepper pieces over, and brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
With a sharp knife and over a large bowl with high sides slice corn kernels off grilled corn. Turn the knife around and scrape the dull side down the corn cob to remove the pulpy creamy goodness hidden within. Add avocado, tomato, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, and mayonnaise to corn, and stir well to combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Assemble fajitas with refried beans, grilled chicken, Avocado Corn Salad, and cheddar. Serve with Mexican rice.
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Prep time: 10 - 15 minutes | Cook time: 8 - 10 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 cups Shredded Rotisserie or Leftover Roast Chicken
2 tablespoons bbq sauce of choice
1 tablespoon minced onion
Sharp Cheddar, sliced
Lettuce or slaw
Kaiser Rolls or Hamburger Buns or Tortillas
Directions:
Combine chicken, bbq sauce, and onion in a medium size bowl and microwave until warm, or combine in a saucepan and warm over low-medium heat.
Pile chicken onto bun, and top with cheddar and lettuce or slaw.
If using tortillas spread chicken into the center of the tortilla making a horizontal line, top with cheddar & lettuce or slaw. Fold in both sides, fold the bottom up, and then roll the tortilla closed.
Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 cups Shredded Rotisserie or Leftover Roast Chicken
2 tablespoons bbq sauce of choice
1 tablespoon minced onion
Sharp Cheddar, sliced
Lettuce or slaw
Kaiser Rolls or Hamburger Buns or Tortillas
Directions:
Combine chicken, bbq sauce, and onion in a medium size bowl and microwave until warm, or combine in a saucepan and warm over low-medium heat.
Pile chicken onto bun, and top with cheddar and lettuce or slaw.
If using tortillas spread chicken into the center of the tortilla making a horizontal line, top with cheddar & lettuce or slaw. Fold in both sides, fold the bottom up, and then roll the tortilla closed.
Weekly Meal Plan: Weds, Oct. 10 - Tues, Oct. 16
Weds, Oct. 10:
Split Chicken Breasts roasted with Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, and Celery; served up with Stovetop Stuffing
Thurs, Oct. 11:
Chicken, Bell Pepper, Onion & Cheese Enchiladas with Yellow Rice and Fresh Avocado Slices
Fri, Oct. 12:
Chicken with mustard cream sauce (with Mushrooms & Onions), Green Salad and Buttered French bread
Sat, Oct. 13:
Oven BBQ Pork Chops with Parmesan Roasted Butternut Squash and Stovetop Stuffing
Sun, Oct. 14:
Andouille Sausage Jambalaya (minus the shrimp as I didn't have any, and with cheddar added) with Sweet Steamed Baby Carrots
Mon, Oct. 15:
Chicken, Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Onions Jalfreizi over Jasmine rice with Naan bread.
Tue, Oct. 16:
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Mushrooms & Bell Pepper
Grocery Sale Items Purchased:
Split Chicken Breasts
Pears
Potatoes
Avocado
Winter Squash
Bell Pepper
Green Onion
Baby Carrots
Mushrooms
Romain Hearts
Parmesan
Ice Cream
Indian Sauce
Buitoni Pasta (pre-filled refrigerated tortellinis)
Pasta sauce
Split Chicken Breasts roasted with Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, and Celery; served up with Stovetop Stuffing
Thurs, Oct. 11:
Chicken, Bell Pepper, Onion & Cheese Enchiladas with Yellow Rice and Fresh Avocado Slices
Fri, Oct. 12:
Chicken with mustard cream sauce (with Mushrooms & Onions), Green Salad and Buttered French bread
Sat, Oct. 13:
Oven BBQ Pork Chops with Parmesan Roasted Butternut Squash and Stovetop Stuffing
Sun, Oct. 14:
Andouille Sausage Jambalaya (minus the shrimp as I didn't have any, and with cheddar added) with Sweet Steamed Baby Carrots
Mon, Oct. 15:
Chicken, Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Onions Jalfreizi over Jasmine rice with Naan bread.
Tue, Oct. 16:
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Mushrooms & Bell Pepper
Grocery Sale Items Purchased:
Split Chicken Breasts
Pears
Potatoes
Avocado
Winter Squash
Bell Pepper
Green Onion
Baby Carrots
Mushrooms
Romain Hearts
Parmesan
Ice Cream
Indian Sauce
Buitoni Pasta (pre-filled refrigerated tortellinis)
Pasta sauce
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Autumn Potluck Recipes
We are having a work potluck soon, and I wanted to pick two items that would be both seasonal and frugal. The first dish I chose was something my friend Chelsea told me I just had to try, and I have made it several times and gotten great reviews from my husband and other dinner guests we've had. It's a butternut squash dish that is lovely and savory rather than sweet and pumpkin-pie spiced. I highly recommend you try Epicurious's Parmesan Roasted Butternut Squash.
The other item I chose is something I had never made before, so this past weekend I gave it a test run. I made a half recipe of TheKitchn's Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats for my test run, and I'm not sure if that influenced the amount of time the mixture should have cooled. By the time I added the additional marshmallows the mixture was so cooled the marshmallows didn't melt at all. I think I'll mix them all in at the same time next time, as I'm not a big fan of whole marshmallows in my rice krispies treats. Also stirring in the rice krispies to the cooled marshmallow mixture was extremely difficult, and I think it would have been easier to mix them all together before the mixture was room temperature (possibly lukewarm instead?). I'll try that and hope that my rice krispies treats aren't soggy (as the recipe states they may be if I combine the ingredients prematurely). The overall flavor was great, and the pumpkin taste was delicious! I must say I'm not exactly disappointed that I'll be trying a second test run before giving them away! I'll write an update once I've created the second batch.
The other item I chose is something I had never made before, so this past weekend I gave it a test run. I made a half recipe of TheKitchn's Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats for my test run, and I'm not sure if that influenced the amount of time the mixture should have cooled. By the time I added the additional marshmallows the mixture was so cooled the marshmallows didn't melt at all. I think I'll mix them all in at the same time next time, as I'm not a big fan of whole marshmallows in my rice krispies treats. Also stirring in the rice krispies to the cooled marshmallow mixture was extremely difficult, and I think it would have been easier to mix them all together before the mixture was room temperature (possibly lukewarm instead?). I'll try that and hope that my rice krispies treats aren't soggy (as the recipe states they may be if I combine the ingredients prematurely). The overall flavor was great, and the pumpkin taste was delicious! I must say I'm not exactly disappointed that I'll be trying a second test run before giving them away! I'll write an update once I've created the second batch.
Weekly Meal Plan: Weds, Oct. 3 - Tues, Oct. 9
We didn't make it to the grocery store this Wednesday, and did a lot of eating out because we were going on vacation this weekend. We got back Sunday and ordered a pizza for dinner :) I had made a meal plan for this week, but since we didn't go to the store I used a lot of the same meal ideas for the next week.
Sat, Oct. 6th:
Eat out while on family vacation :)
Sun, Oct. 7th:
Pizza!
Mon, Oct. 8th:
Bacon & Mushroom Pasta with Green Salad
Tues, Oct. 9th:
Tomato Basil Chicken Meatballs with Sauteed Onion and Bell Pepper Sauce over Shells Pasta.
Sat, Oct. 6th:
Eat out while on family vacation :)
Sun, Oct. 7th:
Pizza!
Mon, Oct. 8th:
Bacon & Mushroom Pasta with Green Salad
Tues, Oct. 9th:
Tomato Basil Chicken Meatballs with Sauteed Onion and Bell Pepper Sauce over Shells Pasta.
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