The other day my husband and I were sitting at the kitchen table. He was eating a late dinner after having gotten home from the office too late to eat with the boys. The aforementioned boys were playing "race car", which meant every 20 seconds or so the older one would shoot past us wearing his race car helmet and holding the matching steering wheel out in front of him. About 20 seconds after that the little guy would waddle past holding the Wii steering wheel out in front of him, totally mimicking his older brother. The race car helmet makes appropriate race car noises and both boys were giggling and screaming. It was kind of loud. But I think I heard my husband ask about "grandma's potatoes". Now I don't know if anyone else has ever heard of this dish or if it is specific to my husband's family, but I do know that I had never heard of it prior to joining this family. My husband's sudden interest in side dishes could only mean one thing. Side dish boredom had set in. I had to act quickly.
So I wanted to spice up dinner but didn't want to head back to the grocery store. For me, at least, part of the fun of trying new recipes and cooking for my family is doing it all well and coming in under budget. Lacking the items needed for grandma's potatoes I did the next best thing and threw together a brand new potato dish. It wasn't too bad!
Beth's "Side Dish to the Rescue" New Potatoes
1 pound small new potatoes, quartered. I would think that any type of potato would work, I just happened to have new potatoes in the pantry.
2 cups fresh baby spinach
4 green onions. Use more, use less, depends on how much you like green onions.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour (approximately)
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon basil. I use fresh and I am just not sure I actually like basil, which is why I keep putting it in so many dishes. If you use dried then you will need to adjust the amount to suit your tastes.
1 cup milk (approximately) I use skim milk in all my recipes, because that is what I have on hand.
1 cup shredded cheese. I used mozzarella because that is what I had in the fridge. I would think any kind of cheese would be good in this dish, as long as it melts well. I would not use Velveeta. :)
bread crumbs.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes in lightly salted water in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 8 minutes or so. You want to use a large pot because you will be adding the spinach directly to the pot and will need the extra room. Stir in spinach and drain. Set aside.
In a smaller saucepan heat the butter. Cook the green onions in the hot butter over medium heat for about 3 minutes or so, until onions are softened. I like to use my kitchen shears to cut the green onions- so much easier than chopping and works great. This way you can cut them directly into the pot. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and basil. Continue stirring as you cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and stir until melted.
Lightly coat a 2 quart baking dish with whatever you use to prevent foods form sticking. I usually use cooking spray or olive oil. Layer half of the potato and spinach mixture into the dish. Pour half the sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with cheese. Top this with the remaining potatoes and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake, uncovered for about 25 minutes until potatoes reach your desired tenderness. I shut my oven off after 25 minutes and kept the door closed and didn't serve the potatoes until about 15 minutes after that, so they were in the oven for quite some time and they were fine. It seems like this is a dish that is hard to mess up, which, of course, makes it an instant favorite of mine!
These potatoes were really good. I may have added a smidge too much black pepper. My husband liked them. I liked them. The 24 month old smashed his with his spoon and then moussed up his hair with them. The 4 year old tasted them, stated they tasted "sour" and refused to try another bite. To his credit though, he really doesn't like potatoes. And to the 24 month old's credit, he didn't eat anything for dinner, so I'm thinking it was less the potatoes and more the heavy lunch that stopped him.
I served this side dish with homemade chicken and noodles. It was the first time I made the chicken and noodles without using some sort of cream soup, and it was lighter and yummier, and took only slightly longer. Plus, it was healthier. Two of the three boys ate the chicken and noodles; the little guy, again, just smushed his noodles into his hair.
OK, so if I had it to do all over again I would probably not serve potatoes with noodles. But my mission was to create a yummy side dish with what I had on hand, so mission accomplished.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Not Your Mom's Chicken & Noodles
3 cups frozen noodles
3 cups chicken broth
veggies. I used approximately 1 cup chopped onion, 2 stalks chopped celery and 1 cup frozen peas. You could also add sliced carrots.
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
salt
black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, or more, if your family really likes chicken. Mine doesn't really, so I only used about 2 cups.
In a large pot combine noodles, broth and veggies (except the peas). I used the granules to make the broth so I started with only water in the pot, then added the chicken broth granules, then added the veggies. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or so, until noodles are the way you like them. Stir in 1 1/2 cup milk and the peas.
In a separate bowl combine the remaining milk (1/2 cup), flour, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add to noodle mixture along with diced chicken. Stir and serve.
I waited to add the milk/flour mixture until we were ready to sit down at the table, so the noodle mixture sat on the stove on "low" for about 10 extra minutes. The noodles were fine. I love dishes that can wait on the stove until we are ready, don't you?
3 cups frozen noodles
3 cups chicken broth
veggies. I used approximately 1 cup chopped onion, 2 stalks chopped celery and 1 cup frozen peas. You could also add sliced carrots.
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
salt
black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, or more, if your family really likes chicken. Mine doesn't really, so I only used about 2 cups.
In a large pot combine noodles, broth and veggies (except the peas). I used the granules to make the broth so I started with only water in the pot, then added the chicken broth granules, then added the veggies. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or so, until noodles are the way you like them. Stir in 1 1/2 cup milk and the peas.
In a separate bowl combine the remaining milk (1/2 cup), flour, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add to noodle mixture along with diced chicken. Stir and serve.
I waited to add the milk/flour mixture until we were ready to sit down at the table, so the noodle mixture sat on the stove on "low" for about 10 extra minutes. The noodles were fine. I love dishes that can wait on the stove until we are ready, don't you?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
dare I dream about finally making the perfect cup of iced coffee... at home?
I just found an old Starbucks gift card and checked on the balance and woo hoo, woo - there's enough money on it for the small french press I've been eyeing! Overnight iced coffee, here I come!
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I have tried the whole refrigerating the hot brewed coffee way of living, and it is not for me. Something happens after the hot coffee cools down, leaving it bitter. I have been trying for a while now and just can't re-create the yummy iced coffee my favorite coffee shops are hawking. And by my "favorite coffee shops" I mean pretty much every coffee shop I have ever passed. I love coffee shops. But I digress. Coffee shops are expensive and taking the kids is difficult and often annoying to the other patrons. Although I do enjoy the "mommy and matthew" time we have at Starbucks. We play Uno or spell words with the Boggle tiles, we talk about our day, we share. And my son learns a little bit about the world and how to behave in it. But again, I digress. What was I talking about? Oh yes, iced coffee. ahhhhhhh.
So word on the specialty coffee drink street is that for really amazing iced coffee you need a french press. And I have been wanting one for a while now. So I might just have to use this gift card, which I know is mine despite the horrible way we keep track of our gift cards, because my husband hates all things coffee and anyone who knows him well would never get him a Starbucks gift card. And really, should we be accepting gift cards from people we don't know well?
I'll keep you posted on my iced coffee success. (thinking positively!) And if it works, I might just chuck my old coffee maker to the curb. The thing has never worked properly since the day I took it out of the box, and a cute little red french press would look oh so much better on my counter!
I have tried the whole refrigerating the hot brewed coffee way of living, and it is not for me. Something happens after the hot coffee cools down, leaving it bitter. I have been trying for a while now and just can't re-create the yummy iced coffee my favorite coffee shops are hawking. And by my "favorite coffee shops" I mean pretty much every coffee shop I have ever passed. I love coffee shops. But I digress. Coffee shops are expensive and taking the kids is difficult and often annoying to the other patrons. Although I do enjoy the "mommy and matthew" time we have at Starbucks. We play Uno or spell words with the Boggle tiles, we talk about our day, we share. And my son learns a little bit about the world and how to behave in it. But again, I digress. What was I talking about? Oh yes, iced coffee. ahhhhhhh.
So word on the specialty coffee drink street is that for really amazing iced coffee you need a french press. And I have been wanting one for a while now. So I might just have to use this gift card, which I know is mine despite the horrible way we keep track of our gift cards, because my husband hates all things coffee and anyone who knows him well would never get him a Starbucks gift card. And really, should we be accepting gift cards from people we don't know well?
I'll keep you posted on my iced coffee success. (thinking positively!) And if it works, I might just chuck my old coffee maker to the curb. The thing has never worked properly since the day I took it out of the box, and a cute little red french press would look oh so much better on my counter!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I dare you to find the veggies in this tomato sauce!
Today for lunch Alex and I had leftovers from last night's upside down pizza casserole. It was just as yummy a day later as it was last night. I love it when a meal is as good as it is inexpensive- a true win win! One of the reasons this recipe was so easy to pull together was the fact that I already had the sauce made and waiting in the freezer. If you try making the extra veggie sauce you might want to double the recipe so that you have some waiting for you too!
upside down pizza casserole
1 pound very lean ground beef
2 cups extra veggie tomato sauce (see recipe below)
shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic (can use garlic powder or minced garlic)
Italian seasoning
1 tin refrigerated biscuits
spray butter or 1 tablespoon melted butter
garlic salt
cook ground beef and drain fat. mix in sauce, (you can also use jar sauce), garlic (chopped), and seasoning. pour into 2 quart baking dish. cover with cheese. flatten biscuits and place on top, with sides touching. spray butter spray or brush melted butter onto top of biscuits. season with Italian seasonings or garlic salt. add more cheese on top, if desired. bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until biscuits are done. be careful with the biscuits- they will look done on top but may not be done underneath- you may have to flip them over if they do not bake properly.
extra veggie tomato sauce
olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
28 ounces whole tomatoes (canned works great)
2 carrots, shredded
sea salt
black pepper
oregano
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded
upside down pizza casserole
1 pound very lean ground beef
2 cups extra veggie tomato sauce (see recipe below)
shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic (can use garlic powder or minced garlic)
Italian seasoning
1 tin refrigerated biscuits
spray butter or 1 tablespoon melted butter
garlic salt
cook ground beef and drain fat. mix in sauce, (you can also use jar sauce), garlic (chopped), and seasoning. pour into 2 quart baking dish. cover with cheese. flatten biscuits and place on top, with sides touching. spray butter spray or brush melted butter onto top of biscuits. season with Italian seasonings or garlic salt. add more cheese on top, if desired. bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until biscuits are done. be careful with the biscuits- they will look done on top but may not be done underneath- you may have to flip them over if they do not bake properly.
extra veggie tomato sauce
olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
28 ounces whole tomatoes (canned works great)
2 carrots, shredded
sea salt
black pepper
oregano
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded
Heat the oil in a saucepan with the onions and garlic. Saute them until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, pinch of salt and pepper, oregano to taste, carrots, pepper and zucchini. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.
I find it is easier to puree the sauce with an immersion blender directly in the pot to minimize mess but you could use a food processor or blender. I use my immersion blender for everything! This sauce works well with whatever veggies you have wilting away in your crisper; you don't have to use what I have suggested. Leave out the carrots, add extra peppers or squash. It's all good! As long as you don't overtake the flavor of the tomatoes you should be fine. When you are ready to serve sauce, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that your family won't figure out your veggie secret.
I find it is easier to puree the sauce with an immersion blender directly in the pot to minimize mess but you could use a food processor or blender. I use my immersion blender for everything! This sauce works well with whatever veggies you have wilting away in your crisper; you don't have to use what I have suggested. Leave out the carrots, add extra peppers or squash. It's all good! As long as you don't overtake the flavor of the tomatoes you should be fine. When you are ready to serve sauce, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that your family won't figure out your veggie secret.
The boys had this meal with mandarin oranges and my husband and I enjoyed a salad with ours. Easy, healthy, inexpensive, and yummy!
home made granola - yum!
The first request for a past recipe is in and it is for home made granola. This is a recipe I have played around with time and again, and I have found that each time I make it is just a little different than the last time, even with the same ingredients. It could be that granola is tricky. Or it could just be me. It's probably me. Anyways, this is how my family likes it. Yours will have different tastes, so you will probably need to conduct a few experiments of your own to figure out the right combination of add ins to suit your tastes. But hopefully you'll have fun eating the trials!
home made granola
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats. (not instant. I use steel cut but any type will work)
1/2 cup slivered almonds. (most people prefer more nuts, so you might want to increase the amount used.)
1/2 tablespoon wheat germ (optional. I use it because why pass up an easy way to sneak it in without the family knowing what you're up to?)
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon. (or any other spice you would like)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil (canola, sunflower, whatever you have should work)
1/2 to 3/4 cup pure maple syrup. (dark works the best, I think)
1 cup dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cherries, cranberries- you really can't go wrong here.)
Make sure your rack is in the middle of the oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can butter the cookie sheet instead, but I have found that this makes the granola harder to work with.
In a bowl combine the rolled oats, nuts, wheat germ, spices, and salt. In a smaller bowl stir together the maple syrup and oil. Pour over the dry mixture and mix with your hands until everything is coated well. Spread mixture onto your cookie sheet and bake for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to assure that the entire mixture browns evenly. Keep in mind that the darker brown the granola gets the crunchier it will be. If you prefer a less crunchy granola, as I do, then reduce your baking time and watch your mixture closely!
When you remove the pan from the oven the granola may still be sticky- don't freak out. This does not mean you didn't cook it long enough. (believe me, I learned this the hard way.) Your granola will dry out a little as it cools. Go ahead and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon before it cools too much. Once it has cooled completely you can add in the dried fruits.
Store your granola in a airtight container. I have tried storing it both in the refrigerator and in the pantry, and I have found no difference in the taste. If you are one of those people who feel that everything needs to be refrigerated then by all means have at it!
home made granola
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats. (not instant. I use steel cut but any type will work)
1/2 cup slivered almonds. (most people prefer more nuts, so you might want to increase the amount used.)
1/2 tablespoon wheat germ (optional. I use it because why pass up an easy way to sneak it in without the family knowing what you're up to?)
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon. (or any other spice you would like)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil (canola, sunflower, whatever you have should work)
1/2 to 3/4 cup pure maple syrup. (dark works the best, I think)
1 cup dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cherries, cranberries- you really can't go wrong here.)
Make sure your rack is in the middle of the oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can butter the cookie sheet instead, but I have found that this makes the granola harder to work with.
In a bowl combine the rolled oats, nuts, wheat germ, spices, and salt. In a smaller bowl stir together the maple syrup and oil. Pour over the dry mixture and mix with your hands until everything is coated well. Spread mixture onto your cookie sheet and bake for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to assure that the entire mixture browns evenly. Keep in mind that the darker brown the granola gets the crunchier it will be. If you prefer a less crunchy granola, as I do, then reduce your baking time and watch your mixture closely!
When you remove the pan from the oven the granola may still be sticky- don't freak out. This does not mean you didn't cook it long enough. (believe me, I learned this the hard way.) Your granola will dry out a little as it cools. Go ahead and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon before it cools too much. Once it has cooled completely you can add in the dried fruits.
Store your granola in a airtight container. I have tried storing it both in the refrigerator and in the pantry, and I have found no difference in the taste. If you are one of those people who feel that everything needs to be refrigerated then by all means have at it!
welcome to my first "eating out of the box" blog post!
Three years ago when we brought our oldest son home from China we found ourselves faced with figuring out how to deal with his eczema. Everywhere I turned for information seemed to confuse me even further. Some experts touted withholding milk products. Others urged us to stay away from white flour. Yet another expert loudly proclaimed that food had nothing to do with the rashes and painful itching. All of these opposing views led to many interesting diet experiments.
My son is now 4 years old. He shot out of toddler hood with a major growth spurt and a lessening of the eczema. While the nearly invisible bumps and overall itchiness remain, his itchy patches have narrowed to a few stubborn locations. True to eczema's normal routine, he has developed asthma and continues to experience stress induced itchiness. And I still have no clue if it was diet, aging, or a combination of both that helped him through it.
While I was experimenting with these diet restrictions for my son one thing became clear. Why was I only concerned with our eating habits because of the eczema? Why were we not always choosing the whole foods path? I began to test the waters, sticking one toe in, trying new recipes and changing the way I shopped for food. Along the way I discovered that my whole foods experiment was so much more than I originally thought. Soon I found myself daydreaming about farmer's markets, locally grown foods, making my own granola. And so it began...
Here is what I have learned so far:
So far I have learned that there is an art to making perfect granola. Too long in the oven or not enough honey and it is way too crunchy for my tastes. Thankfully I have one of those husbands who will pretty much eat anything, so my granola experiments are not a total loss.
I have learned that Greek yogurt is amazing and can be used in so many ways. Why is this stuff not everywhere?
Thanks to an unfortunate diaper bag incident I am now painfully aware of the differences between organic fruit snacks and those you find in the cereal aisle at the local grocery store. After leaving fruit snacks in the car during the hottest week of the year so far, I found myself in the grocery store with a very cranky Matthew and in great need of a yummy diversion. The first bag I opened were "gummy bunnies", as Matthew calls them- organic bunny shaped fruit snacks. The poor little bunnies were completely melted together into one large, colorful bunny ball. The "gummy fire trucks" that I bought at the grocery store were fine. Totally fine. Not melted together, not even sticky. They were fine. Good Lord. How many preservatives must be in these things? Those organic bunnies are expensive, but so worth it.
I also learned that my "it must be nice friend" will never "get it". We all know someone who doesn't understand or agree with the lifestyle we have chosen. I can think of a few examples myself of times I heard what a friend was up to in his or her life and I would think to myself, "That's not the choice I would have made." Second guessing our friends and family is practically a national pastime. But then we sometimes have those people in our lives who seem to want what we have, may actually ask us our advice on how to achieve whatever it is we are accomplishing that they wish they had in their life, but who refuses to actually make any substantial changes in order to get it.
Recently my "it must be nice" friend said this to me: "It must be nice to have the time to cook organic meals for your family. I would love to do that, but I just work too many hours." Now anyone who knows me knows that I put in a lot of hours at my job. I can barely find the time to do laundry. My to do list is as long as anyone else's. It is all about priorities. Oh, and by the way, my "it must be nice" friend, get this. First of all, I am rarely cooking organic. There is a difference between organic and whole. And while it is more time consuming than ordering take out or opening a box of preservative laden food for my family, it certainly is not impossible. Proper planning and the desire to make a difference in my family's life is all it takes.
I have learned that my family can afford to eat right, even with the addition of our second child.
I occasionally post recipes of my successes (after many failures, I assure you!) and a friend recently suggested I start a blog so others can try their hand at creating their own versions of these meals. While I am flattered, I must state, loudly, that these recipes are what works for me and my boys. If you do ever decide to make a meal I have suggested, please, please, please put your own spin on it. That is the fun of cooking!
And one last thing I have learned. I have learned that while I can attribute some of my recent weight loss to eating out of box, (my most recent weight loss is due, 100%, to that month I just spent in Russia...), I still feel so much better. So much. And I don't think it is all the actual food, although I know that has it's place. It is the planning, the shopping, the chopping and cooking, the enjoyment I get from spending a few hours a day away from the crazy, fast paced, media heavy world secluded in my kitchen with my boys. Who knows, maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe other, bigger changes are right around the corner for me and my boys...
My son is now 4 years old. He shot out of toddler hood with a major growth spurt and a lessening of the eczema. While the nearly invisible bumps and overall itchiness remain, his itchy patches have narrowed to a few stubborn locations. True to eczema's normal routine, he has developed asthma and continues to experience stress induced itchiness. And I still have no clue if it was diet, aging, or a combination of both that helped him through it.
While I was experimenting with these diet restrictions for my son one thing became clear. Why was I only concerned with our eating habits because of the eczema? Why were we not always choosing the whole foods path? I began to test the waters, sticking one toe in, trying new recipes and changing the way I shopped for food. Along the way I discovered that my whole foods experiment was so much more than I originally thought. Soon I found myself daydreaming about farmer's markets, locally grown foods, making my own granola. And so it began...
Here is what I have learned so far:
So far I have learned that there is an art to making perfect granola. Too long in the oven or not enough honey and it is way too crunchy for my tastes. Thankfully I have one of those husbands who will pretty much eat anything, so my granola experiments are not a total loss.
I have learned that Greek yogurt is amazing and can be used in so many ways. Why is this stuff not everywhere?
Thanks to an unfortunate diaper bag incident I am now painfully aware of the differences between organic fruit snacks and those you find in the cereal aisle at the local grocery store. After leaving fruit snacks in the car during the hottest week of the year so far, I found myself in the grocery store with a very cranky Matthew and in great need of a yummy diversion. The first bag I opened were "gummy bunnies", as Matthew calls them- organic bunny shaped fruit snacks. The poor little bunnies were completely melted together into one large, colorful bunny ball. The "gummy fire trucks" that I bought at the grocery store were fine. Totally fine. Not melted together, not even sticky. They were fine. Good Lord. How many preservatives must be in these things? Those organic bunnies are expensive, but so worth it.
I also learned that my "it must be nice friend" will never "get it". We all know someone who doesn't understand or agree with the lifestyle we have chosen. I can think of a few examples myself of times I heard what a friend was up to in his or her life and I would think to myself, "That's not the choice I would have made." Second guessing our friends and family is practically a national pastime. But then we sometimes have those people in our lives who seem to want what we have, may actually ask us our advice on how to achieve whatever it is we are accomplishing that they wish they had in their life, but who refuses to actually make any substantial changes in order to get it.
Recently my "it must be nice" friend said this to me: "It must be nice to have the time to cook organic meals for your family. I would love to do that, but I just work too many hours." Now anyone who knows me knows that I put in a lot of hours at my job. I can barely find the time to do laundry. My to do list is as long as anyone else's. It is all about priorities. Oh, and by the way, my "it must be nice" friend, get this. First of all, I am rarely cooking organic. There is a difference between organic and whole. And while it is more time consuming than ordering take out or opening a box of preservative laden food for my family, it certainly is not impossible. Proper planning and the desire to make a difference in my family's life is all it takes.
I have learned that my family can afford to eat right, even with the addition of our second child.
I occasionally post recipes of my successes (after many failures, I assure you!) and a friend recently suggested I start a blog so others can try their hand at creating their own versions of these meals. While I am flattered, I must state, loudly, that these recipes are what works for me and my boys. If you do ever decide to make a meal I have suggested, please, please, please put your own spin on it. That is the fun of cooking!
And one last thing I have learned. I have learned that while I can attribute some of my recent weight loss to eating out of box, (my most recent weight loss is due, 100%, to that month I just spent in Russia...), I still feel so much better. So much. And I don't think it is all the actual food, although I know that has it's place. It is the planning, the shopping, the chopping and cooking, the enjoyment I get from spending a few hours a day away from the crazy, fast paced, media heavy world secluded in my kitchen with my boys. Who knows, maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe other, bigger changes are right around the corner for me and my boys...
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