Sunday we came off of one of the biggest Jewish eating binges on the planet. Anyone who is a Jew or knows a Jew can attest to the fact that we like to eat. We eat to celebrate a wedding, a holiday, birthdays, and even death. Yes, there I said it, the amount of food in a shiva house one cannot believe. However, I think these holidays and every other event brings families and communities together, so I say bring it on!
However, coming off one of these three day binges is enough to make you want to fast for a week, which we will be doing come Friday night and Saturday for Yom Kippur. Alas, I have kids and a husband, and much as we could not think of another morsel to put in our mouths, at 6 pm we were hungry. So the conundrum was, what can we eat for dinner that will be light enough that we can handle it but significant enough for us to be satisfied? Ah the soup and salad night....thank god my kids like soup and salad. So can yours...
Fist of all I asked them what kind of soup they wanted, and inevitably, I received three different ideas. French Onion Soup, Pasta Fagioli and Broccoli Cheddar. French Onion soup was nixed by child #2, Jessica who said it's too sweet and too beefy flavored. We all decided we were not in the mood for such a hearty soup as Pasta Fagioli, so we came to Broccoli Cheddar and every child said YES!!!!!!!
Nothing like adding cheese to a soup to get kids to eat their veggies. This soup has a standard base as do all creamy vegetable soups. They start with the standard celery, carrot and onion as a base, and then add the vegetable of choice with chicken or vegetable stock. The addition of potatoes to these soups serves as a natural thickener, when you puree the soup at the end. You want to let this cook as is, until everything is very tender. (Makes it easy to puree) Once it is all cooked through puree and voila, Cream of (insert your own veg here) Soup. At this point you can add cream, milk or even soy milk to add to the creaminess but its not necessary.
Cheesy Broccoli Soup
1 Chopped Onion 1 Large or 2 Small Carrots
1 Stalk Chopped Celery 2 Tbs Margarine of Butter
6 cups Chicken Broth 2 Heads of Broccoli or 2 bags frozen Broccoli
4 Idaho Potatoes Chopped 2 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Cup Milk or Cream 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in margarine until soft. Add broth, broccoli florets, and potatoes. Bring up to a boil and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are cooked and the florets are very soft. Take off heat and let cool briefly. Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. If he own an immersion blender you can use this as well. return soup to the pot. Put back on the stove and heat through. Once the soup comes back to temperature add cream and cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
On to the salad . One of things I love to do is see how many ways I can turn a regular salad into something special. If you have oil, assorted vinegars, lemon juice, lime juice, even pomegranate juice, mayonnaise, salsa, I could keep going...you have a great dressing.
A couple rules when making a salad,
1. Use fresh veggies,
2. Always use ingredients that you like.
A salad can never be bad if it includes all the things you like. I personally likes chopped salads, bite size no mess. My parents tear all of their lettuce so the pieces are ginormous. I used to get teased all the time in restaurants because I would cut all my salad prior to eating. There are two schools of thought, I grew up with my mom telling me that you should not cut lettuce with a knife because it make the lettuce turn brown. I on the other hand chop all my salad with a knife and do not find that it add to the lettuce browning any quicker. So have at it, try either way and let me know what you think.
Back to Sunday dinner. Soup taken care of now on to the salad. Chopped my romaine, cucumbers (English, don't like the bur pee seeds), red onion, Bell Pepper, and an Ode to my daughter #1 Alex, soup croutons. Gotta have some crunch. OK salad is colorful, and full of great vitamins. On to the dressing...I asked Jessica what kind of dressing she felt like having and she said something garlic. Then the light bulb went on. In my pantry I have a package of Garlic and Herb Dressing from Good Seasons. You might remember, they make the dressing pack with the Cruet to mix a delicious vinaigrette, but this time I had a plan. I pulled out the mayonnaise dropped about 3 Tablespoons into a bowl, and sprinkled the seasoning packet on top. I did not use the whole packet. A little at a time, and taste as you go along, this way you don't end up with too much seasoning. Once I had the desired flavor, I added some water to thin out the dressing and would you believe we all loved it!
It just goes to show that Good Food In Good Time may come with some strange last minute additions that make all the difference to your meal. Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
So while you may have thought I gave up on this Blog, I have not. I have been out of town, working on and off, for the past two weeks. So where does that leave my family eating when I am gone? I have to admit that, for the most part, the time that I am away I generally plan the meals as if I will be in town. However, since Mike does not walk in the door until 6:30, and the rest of the crew is babysitting Matthew or doing homework we usually switch to some go to meals that are easy and quick. In my world I am away on business, in yours it could be anything from a parent teacher meeting, a sick child at home, or a night out with your spouse.
Knowing that I was going to be away, I had a plan. For two weeks Jessica (daughter #2) has been asking for Chicken Pot Pie. I was going to need chicken, so I roasted an extra chicken, when I made Friday night dinner.
Sunday, I pulled out the chicken and de-boned it. I decided to prepare the chicken pot pie without baking it off. This way when the kids came home from school on Monday, they could place it in the oven and the puff pastry would bake off fresh. A hot fresh dinner would be on the table in about 30-40 minutes.
If you have never made chicken pot pie, I would say the hardest part is cutting the ingredients into pieces, and by the way you have everything you need in your home. Recipe will follow.
OK Monday night complete. As I think I have mentioned in the past, we try and rotate from a meal with meat or chicken to a dairy meal. A friend of mine called me last week to discuss dinners for the week and while she still can't get everyone to eat one meal she is getting close. She mentioned that they are having burritos for dinner and wanted to know what we were having. Funny, that's my Tuesday night plan. Burrito night in our place, is more like a make your own taco/burrito. Main ingredients: Tortilla (flour, corn, carb lovers, spinach..whatever you like), ground meat, chicken, tofu. In our home we use Morningstar Crumbles, flavored with Chili powder and cumin. At dinner we place the crumbles in a bowl, and the condiments around. This is the part where each person at your table can decide how they want their dinner. You may have a child that only eats the crumbles in a tortilla alone, or one that likes it with cheese and salsa. Any way you wrap it, it's good, because it's the way you like it. Some other condiments, may be guacamole, cilantro, black beans, corn, re-fried beans, sour cream, cheddar cheese, Spanish rice, and the list can go on and on.
Now the hard part, I confess, I bought a package of Hot Dogs and frozen fries for Wednesday night. While Hot Dogs are not the most nutritious, I feel better knowing that the dogs we buy are kosher, and therefore if it says beef it is beef. That's not to say that it is not filled with preservatives, but life needs hot dogs at times. Along with the hot dogs, I bought a bag of cole slaw. Somewhere along the way I started making cole slaw, I made up the dressing and it has become a staple. I have friends that are on the Atkins diet for years and I modified it so they could eat it. So now hot dog night has fresh veg!!!! Ah I can rest easy.
Finally got home today, just in time to shop and cook for Shabbat, oh and is it really Rosh Hashana next week???? Time to break out the honey and the apples.
Don't you just love fall? It makes Good Food In Good Time even better.
Chicken Pot Pie
2 Tbls Magarine 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1-2 Carrot thinly sliced 2 Cups Chicken Diced
1 Stalk of Celery thinly sliced 1 Potato Diced
1 Medium Onion chopped 5 Tbls Flour
2 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock 1/2 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Fresh Rosemary Chopped (optional) 1/4 cup Frozen Peas
1 Sheet Puff Pastry
Place oil and Margarine in a large hot pan. Saute Onion, Carrot and Celery until just soft. Next add diced potato and cook until potato softens. Add Flour and mix over heat just until the flour cooks about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, to pan and stir. There should not be any clumps at his point. Add Pepper and Rosemary. Salt to taste. Cook until thickened. Add Frozen Peas and chicken and heat through.
Pour Chicken and vegetables into an oven proof dish and set aside. Open the sheet of puff pastry and roll out to thin a bit. Place the pastry over the top of the chicken and vegetables and seal on the edges. Pierce the middle. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until top is golden brown.
Enjoy!!!!
Cole Slaw
1 Bag of pre-shredded Cole Slaw Mix
3 packets Splenda
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2-3 Heaping Tablespoons Mayonnaise
3-4 shakes of Hot Sauce (Optional)
Pinch of Salt and Pepper to taste
Open bag of Cole Slaw
Add remaining 4 ingredients and mix through. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Store for 2 hours or overnight.
Finally got home today, just in time to shop and cook for Shabbat, oh and is it really Rosh Hashana next week???? Time to break out the honey and the apples.
Don't you just love fall? It makes Good Food In Good Time even better.
Chicken Pot Pie
2 Tbls Magarine 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1-2 Carrot thinly sliced 2 Cups Chicken Diced
1 Stalk of Celery thinly sliced 1 Potato Diced
1 Medium Onion chopped 5 Tbls Flour
2 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock 1/2 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Fresh Rosemary Chopped (optional) 1/4 cup Frozen Peas
1 Sheet Puff Pastry
Place oil and Margarine in a large hot pan. Saute Onion, Carrot and Celery until just soft. Next add diced potato and cook until potato softens. Add Flour and mix over heat just until the flour cooks about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, to pan and stir. There should not be any clumps at his point. Add Pepper and Rosemary. Salt to taste. Cook until thickened. Add Frozen Peas and chicken and heat through.
Pour Chicken and vegetables into an oven proof dish and set aside. Open the sheet of puff pastry and roll out to thin a bit. Place the pastry over the top of the chicken and vegetables and seal on the edges. Pierce the middle. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until top is golden brown.
Enjoy!!!!
Cole Slaw
1 Bag of pre-shredded Cole Slaw Mix
3 packets Splenda
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2-3 Heaping Tablespoons Mayonnaise
3-4 shakes of Hot Sauce (Optional)
Pinch of Salt and Pepper to taste
Open bag of Cole Slaw
Add remaining 4 ingredients and mix through. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Store for 2 hours or overnight.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Birthday Dinners
Yesterday was my oldest daughter Alexandra's birthday. In our house we have a tradition to allow the birthday child to pick her favorite meal for dinner. I say her because at this time the girls are the only ones who can articulate what they want to eat. With Matthew all we would get is a guttural sound that is something like "mow" which we think means more.
Alexandra said she could not decide what she wanted for her birthday dinner and asked me to surprise her. Alex is a carnivore, she loves meat. Anything meat; steak, roast, ribs, you name it. However we just had steak over the weekend, as you may have seen in my last post, so I began considering other options.
Alex can eat pasta in any form at any time of day. We are surprised at this point that she has not turned into a noodle. So my attention turned to a pasta dish, and I remembered that she has a new favorite dish that we have only made once at home. Pasta Alla Vodka. Pasta in Vodka Sauce. This is one of the yummiest heartiest dishes made entirely without meat, and yet is so soul satisfying. I wonder if it is the alcohol. (Just Kidding) The alcohol is completely cooked out of the sauce and you are left with a very nice flavor from the Vodka.
I worked yesterday so on Sunday I purchased the meal ingredients for the week, and included all the birthday requirements as well. The menu was as follows: Pasta Alla Vodka (for the birthday girl), Pan Seared Tilapia (Need to have a protein to offset all those carbs), and a Caesar salad.
I remember that many years ago my sister in law Beth had just joined the family, and brought with her a fantastic recipe for Pasta Alla Vodka. She cooked it and I loved it!!! In fact, if I still remember it after 16 years, its gotta be good. However, I tried to make this recipe myself a couple of years back and it was an epic FAIL! I don't know why, but the Parmesan clumped so badly into one gooey lump on my spoon. It was pretty much inedible. A few years ago I found another recipe for Pasta Alla Vodka and gave it another go. It was fantastic, stupendous, outrageously good.... So here I am wanting to to make this for Alex's birthday dinner. I find Beth's recipe, but wouldn't you know it I can't find the newest version that I loved. I do this all the time. Make a great recipe and don't print it or copy it into my cookbook. I went online and read about 4 different versions of the recipe.
Below is my version, created on my premise that it is very easy to make a gourmet meal in less than an hour on a weeknight and have happy faces around the table. One nod to Giada De Laurentiis she suggested using a jar sauce if pressed for time, so I did.
Pasta Alla Vodka
1 Box of Penne 1 Jar of your favorite Pasta Sauce (Red)
3/4 cup of Vodka 1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese salt and pepper to taste
Make Penne according to package directions and set aside. Place jar of sauce into a saucepan and blend with an immersion blender or regular blender to smooth out the sauce. Then heat over medium heat. Place a cover on pot since the sauce spits a lot when heating and cooking. Once it has come to temperature, pour the Vodka into the sauce and keep at a rolling boil, on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes. this will allow sufficient time for the alcohol to cook off. Add heavy cream, and cook for 5 minutes to bring temperature back up. Slowly add Parmesan cheese and mix with a non stick spatula until melted. Place cooked pasta into sauce pot, mix and heat through. This allows the flavor of the sauce to permeate the pasta with all its yumminess. Add salt and pepper to taste. In other variations you can cook off some pancetta, or shallots at the beginning of the recipe, to add depth of flavor and then proceed with the rest of the menu. You also can use a homemade sauce of your own and once it is cooked and ready add the vodka and remaining ingredients.
This is not a low cal dish, but really brings warmth and goodness to your belly and soul. To cut down on the calories from this meal, we make a Tilapia dredged in flour and pan seared simply with salt pepper and garlic powder, and a Caesar salad.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy this yummy meal, you can always have "Good Food in Good Time"
Alexandra said she could not decide what she wanted for her birthday dinner and asked me to surprise her. Alex is a carnivore, she loves meat. Anything meat; steak, roast, ribs, you name it. However we just had steak over the weekend, as you may have seen in my last post, so I began considering other options.
Alex can eat pasta in any form at any time of day. We are surprised at this point that she has not turned into a noodle. So my attention turned to a pasta dish, and I remembered that she has a new favorite dish that we have only made once at home. Pasta Alla Vodka. Pasta in Vodka Sauce. This is one of the yummiest heartiest dishes made entirely without meat, and yet is so soul satisfying. I wonder if it is the alcohol. (Just Kidding) The alcohol is completely cooked out of the sauce and you are left with a very nice flavor from the Vodka.
I worked yesterday so on Sunday I purchased the meal ingredients for the week, and included all the birthday requirements as well. The menu was as follows: Pasta Alla Vodka (for the birthday girl), Pan Seared Tilapia (Need to have a protein to offset all those carbs), and a Caesar salad.
I remember that many years ago my sister in law Beth had just joined the family, and brought with her a fantastic recipe for Pasta Alla Vodka. She cooked it and I loved it!!! In fact, if I still remember it after 16 years, its gotta be good. However, I tried to make this recipe myself a couple of years back and it was an epic FAIL! I don't know why, but the Parmesan clumped so badly into one gooey lump on my spoon. It was pretty much inedible. A few years ago I found another recipe for Pasta Alla Vodka and gave it another go. It was fantastic, stupendous, outrageously good.... So here I am wanting to to make this for Alex's birthday dinner. I find Beth's recipe, but wouldn't you know it I can't find the newest version that I loved. I do this all the time. Make a great recipe and don't print it or copy it into my cookbook. I went online and read about 4 different versions of the recipe.
Below is my version, created on my premise that it is very easy to make a gourmet meal in less than an hour on a weeknight and have happy faces around the table. One nod to Giada De Laurentiis she suggested using a jar sauce if pressed for time, so I did.
Pasta Alla Vodka
1 Box of Penne 1 Jar of your favorite Pasta Sauce (Red)
3/4 cup of Vodka 1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese salt and pepper to taste
Make Penne according to package directions and set aside. Place jar of sauce into a saucepan and blend with an immersion blender or regular blender to smooth out the sauce. Then heat over medium heat. Place a cover on pot since the sauce spits a lot when heating and cooking. Once it has come to temperature, pour the Vodka into the sauce and keep at a rolling boil, on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes. this will allow sufficient time for the alcohol to cook off. Add heavy cream, and cook for 5 minutes to bring temperature back up. Slowly add Parmesan cheese and mix with a non stick spatula until melted. Place cooked pasta into sauce pot, mix and heat through. This allows the flavor of the sauce to permeate the pasta with all its yumminess. Add salt and pepper to taste. In other variations you can cook off some pancetta, or shallots at the beginning of the recipe, to add depth of flavor and then proceed with the rest of the menu. You also can use a homemade sauce of your own and once it is cooked and ready add the vodka and remaining ingredients.
This is not a low cal dish, but really brings warmth and goodness to your belly and soul. To cut down on the calories from this meal, we make a Tilapia dredged in flour and pan seared simply with salt pepper and garlic powder, and a Caesar salad.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy this yummy meal, you can always have "Good Food in Good Time"
Friday, September 9, 2011
Its the weekend- Is this when you cook?
I am on a plane at 30,000 feet racing to get back to Miami in time for the Sabbath. Due to a business trip I did not have time to write yesterday and today has been all work. So Mike is home getting the house ready, shopping and cooking for the weekend. The one thing that makes me VERY lucky is I have a husband who enjoys food and cooking as much as I do. I always say he is the better cook because he explores flavors and textures more that I do. I would say we come from two different schools of cooking, and I wonder if this translates to others as well.
The Tried and True: I am the tried and true cook. While I do change up certain meals as I move through life, I base it on all the same basic premise. These meals are created on a foundation of what I have learned by reading 100's of recipes over the years. Chicken, for example goes great with herbs, and garlic, and honey for a sweet tang. Fish is generally cooked quite simply with salt and pepper, and then topped with different sauces, or salsas. Tried and True flavors, Tried and True Ingredients, Tried and True classic combinations.
The Risk Taker: So Mike is the Risk Taker, he is the guy that has a main ingredient in the fridge and says, "OK I got this". So I ask "what are you making?" His response, "you'll see". First of all, What???? I need to know; I need to be in on the secret.... PLEASE!!!! So once I am over that, I sit back and have confidence that the meal will be fantastic.
Mike starts pulling out this, and that, and the other, and then begins creating. By the time he is done the dish may not have a name but it's appetizing and ready to be eaten. Then comes the tasting. 9 times out of 10 it is yummy. Although, I will always then ask, "what did you put in this", and inevitably I think to myself, or sometimes even out loud, you can't do that! This does not go with that! I have never seen this done this way! Then it hits me, he just knows what goes well together. it's just a gift.
Is it wrong for me to want that gift too??? Does it make me a bad cook? Ultimately the conclusion I come to is, that no, it does not make me a bad cook. It just means we are different. As in life we all have different strengths and it is up to us to tap into those strengths and embrace that which makes us different. So ask yourself this, "which one am I, Tried and True, or The Risk Taker?" Either answer is good, or maybe there is another name for your cooking skills, either way it all "Good Food In Good Time."
The Menu for Shabbat:
Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls Stuffed Spinach and Mushroom Chicken Breast
Carrots with a sweet wine glaze Roasted Cauliflower
Prime Rib rubbed with Mikes special Rub
Saturday
Stuffed Veal Breast Dill and Horseradish Roasted Potatoes
Eat well! I will post some of these recipes on Sunday.
Mickey
The Tried and True: I am the tried and true cook. While I do change up certain meals as I move through life, I base it on all the same basic premise. These meals are created on a foundation of what I have learned by reading 100's of recipes over the years. Chicken, for example goes great with herbs, and garlic, and honey for a sweet tang. Fish is generally cooked quite simply with salt and pepper, and then topped with different sauces, or salsas. Tried and True flavors, Tried and True Ingredients, Tried and True classic combinations.
The Risk Taker: So Mike is the Risk Taker, he is the guy that has a main ingredient in the fridge and says, "OK I got this". So I ask "what are you making?" His response, "you'll see". First of all, What???? I need to know; I need to be in on the secret.... PLEASE!!!! So once I am over that, I sit back and have confidence that the meal will be fantastic.
Mike starts pulling out this, and that, and the other, and then begins creating. By the time he is done the dish may not have a name but it's appetizing and ready to be eaten. Then comes the tasting. 9 times out of 10 it is yummy. Although, I will always then ask, "what did you put in this", and inevitably I think to myself, or sometimes even out loud, you can't do that! This does not go with that! I have never seen this done this way! Then it hits me, he just knows what goes well together. it's just a gift.
Is it wrong for me to want that gift too??? Does it make me a bad cook? Ultimately the conclusion I come to is, that no, it does not make me a bad cook. It just means we are different. As in life we all have different strengths and it is up to us to tap into those strengths and embrace that which makes us different. So ask yourself this, "which one am I, Tried and True, or The Risk Taker?" Either answer is good, or maybe there is another name for your cooking skills, either way it all "Good Food In Good Time."
The Menu for Shabbat:
Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls Stuffed Spinach and Mushroom Chicken Breast
Carrots with a sweet wine glaze Roasted Cauliflower
Prime Rib rubbed with Mikes special Rub
Saturday
Stuffed Veal Breast Dill and Horseradish Roasted Potatoes
Eat well! I will post some of these recipes on Sunday.
Mickey
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Today I got a lovely phone call from my Mother-In-Law, who happened upon some great Tilapia and offered to make fried fish for dinner. YES!!! Props to Maxine Shuman for thinking of us. It is always a fantastic surprise to find out that I don't need to make dinner. We brought the fish home and made a quick angel hair pasta primavera to go alongside the yummy fish. This pasta recipe, I created when I was on weight watchers a while ago, and I am always glad when I can add vegetables to anything and the kids will eat it. Im and Ab we are sorry you did not come to enjoy the fish with us!!!
The pantry is a very important part of creating Good Food in Good Time. Having the pantry stocked with just the simplest of things makes creating a well rounded meal very simple. here are some of things I cannot be without:
Pasta- At least one long noodle variety- Ziti- Shells
Rice- White, Yellow, Brown, or seasoned varieties
Beans- Black, White, Red Kidney, Chick Peas
Canned Vegetables- Corn, Peas, Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes
Corn Meal
Flour
Pasta Sauce
Yeast
Every one of these items can be used at the last minute in so many different ways. Every time I post more info on meals you will see these common ingredients pop up again and again.
I have a vision for this Blog to be filled with comments and ideas. Please tell me what are the items in your pantry that you cannot do without. I would love to hear ideas, and new things that I can bring into my home and into my kids bellies.
As I wrap up late tonight, I would like to say one more time, thank you Im for providing our "Good Food in Good Time" tonight since there is nothing timelier than someone else cooking for you.
Pasta Primavera-
Angel Hair Pasta 2 TBLS Olive Oil
2 Bell Peppers any color cut into strips 1 Large Onion Sliced
4 White Mushrooms Sliced/or Baby Bella 2 Carrots Sliced
1 Cup Chicken Broth (Parve for Kosher) 1 Clove Garlic
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes Optional Parmesan
Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add Angel Hair pasta and cook according to package directions. In a pan heat Olive Oil and saute Onions and Carrots for 2-3 Minutes until softened. Add peppers and garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Add mushrooms. When vegetables are soft but crisp, add broth and red pepper flakes. Add salt to taste if necessary. Broth tends to be a bit salty so be careful on adding salt. Place drained pasta into the pan with vegetables and sauce. If liquid cooks out add additional liquid to pan. Toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese to taste and serve.
The pantry is a very important part of creating Good Food in Good Time. Having the pantry stocked with just the simplest of things makes creating a well rounded meal very simple. here are some of things I cannot be without:
Pasta- At least one long noodle variety- Ziti- Shells
Rice- White, Yellow, Brown, or seasoned varieties
Beans- Black, White, Red Kidney, Chick Peas
Canned Vegetables- Corn, Peas, Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes
Corn Meal
Flour
Pasta Sauce
Yeast
Every one of these items can be used at the last minute in so many different ways. Every time I post more info on meals you will see these common ingredients pop up again and again.
I have a vision for this Blog to be filled with comments and ideas. Please tell me what are the items in your pantry that you cannot do without. I would love to hear ideas, and new things that I can bring into my home and into my kids bellies.
As I wrap up late tonight, I would like to say one more time, thank you Im for providing our "Good Food in Good Time" tonight since there is nothing timelier than someone else cooking for you.
Pasta Primavera-
Angel Hair Pasta 2 TBLS Olive Oil
2 Bell Peppers any color cut into strips 1 Large Onion Sliced
4 White Mushrooms Sliced/or Baby Bella 2 Carrots Sliced
1 Cup Chicken Broth (Parve for Kosher) 1 Clove Garlic
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes Optional Parmesan
Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add Angel Hair pasta and cook according to package directions. In a pan heat Olive Oil and saute Onions and Carrots for 2-3 Minutes until softened. Add peppers and garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Add mushrooms. When vegetables are soft but crisp, add broth and red pepper flakes. Add salt to taste if necessary. Broth tends to be a bit salty so be careful on adding salt. Place drained pasta into the pan with vegetables and sauce. If liquid cooks out add additional liquid to pan. Toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese to taste and serve.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Against Popular opinion Cuban Food is not spicy! Baked Chicken Fingers with Rice and Beans
The day we go back to work and school after a looooong weekend is always hard. No one was happy to be getting up this morning. Although now that we are in to the regular week, I will move backwards in time about how I got to this place, where I am blogging about being able to prepare meals for my family and work without panicking.
As my mother will attest I am by far the least organized person she knows. I make no decisions in advance out loud. Contemplating in my brain does not count. Anyway, in order to stay on top of things, since as I mentioned I work full time +, I try to think of what meals I am going to make for the week. No, I am not like Rachel Ray, I don't cook a week in a day, my Sundays are for hanging with my husband and the kids; However, I find that if I go to the grocery store, and I have a clue as to what I will make for the week, the food is bought that I need at that time, and I don't have to run back after work. This will come more naturally as you determine what your family likes to eat.
I want to say one thing before anyone gets overwhelmed. This is a progression, no one can expect their family to give up mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, tuna, or hot dogs all in one week. However, even if you plan one meal during the week that is fresh and fast you are on track. So as I walk through the store and pick up the items we buy regularly, I will formulate some ideas based loosely around the kind of food my family will eat.
Ok one meal down (Monday) three more to go. I like to make some chicken or meat meal during the week as well. We already talked about hamburgers, but a quick a yummy meal that I made tonight is baked chicken fingers. We like them crunchy, and believe it or not you can get a nice crunch even if you are baking it in the oven. This meal takes 45 minutes start to finish, and with help it is even faster.
I will give you some ideas on how to change it up but here is the basic recipe to start. The recipes are loosely based because cooking is all about making things that you like in the flavors that you enjoy.
I have a family of six so the amounts will feed my crew.
Oven Baked Chicken Fingers
1 Pkg Boneless Chicken Breast sliced thin about 2 lbs 1 TBS Garlic Powder
In another bowl crack 2 eggs and whisk lightly. add a little water to thin out the egg.
As my mother will attest I am by far the least organized person she knows. I make no decisions in advance out loud. Contemplating in my brain does not count. Anyway, in order to stay on top of things, since as I mentioned I work full time +, I try to think of what meals I am going to make for the week. No, I am not like Rachel Ray, I don't cook a week in a day, my Sundays are for hanging with my husband and the kids; However, I find that if I go to the grocery store, and I have a clue as to what I will make for the week, the food is bought that I need at that time, and I don't have to run back after work. This will come more naturally as you determine what your family likes to eat.
I want to say one thing before anyone gets overwhelmed. This is a progression, no one can expect their family to give up mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, tuna, or hot dogs all in one week. However, even if you plan one meal during the week that is fresh and fast you are on track. So as I walk through the store and pick up the items we buy regularly, I will formulate some ideas based loosely around the kind of food my family will eat.
Ok one meal down (Monday) three more to go. I like to make some chicken or meat meal during the week as well. We already talked about hamburgers, but a quick a yummy meal that I made tonight is baked chicken fingers. We like them crunchy, and believe it or not you can get a nice crunch even if you are baking it in the oven. This meal takes 45 minutes start to finish, and with help it is even faster.
I will give you some ideas on how to change it up but here is the basic recipe to start. The recipes are loosely based because cooking is all about making things that you like in the flavors that you enjoy.
I have a family of six so the amounts will feed my crew.
Oven Baked Chicken Fingers
Corn Flake Crumbs 1 TBS Onion Powder
2 eggs 2 TSP Paprika
Salt and Pepper Oil
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F
Remove chicken from package and cut lengthwise into strips. If you prefer nuggets cut them into nuggets. If you prefer the breast whole don't cut.
Season with salt pepper garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside. In a bowl place about 3 cups of Corn Flake Crumbs into a bowl. Season liberally with Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder as well as paprika. Taste the crumbs to be sure it is well seasoned. Add more or less seasoning to taste. At this time you can add different seasonings as well, Cumin, Oregano, Basil, Cayenne to spice it up, Curry powder. Whatever you and your family might like this is your kitchen.
In another bowl crack 2 eggs and whisk lightly. add a little water to thin out the egg.
This is the part, where if you have kids, they can really help out and have fun. Dip the chicken piece into the egg and cover with egg on all sides. Move egg coated chicken to the corn flake crumbs. Coat well and place on a greased cookie sheet. Do the same for all remaining pieces. Drizzle oil over the chicken pieces and place in the oven. The chicken is pretty thin so it should not take more than 20 minutes to cook. After 10 minute turn pieces over to crisp other side. After 10 more minutes remove from oven and serve.
Now that the main is cooked I needed to decide on the side. We just had sweet potato fries two nights ago so I was not planning on more potatoes. This is where the pantry comes into to play. I have rice, and I always keep a couple cans of black beans on hand. Kids like black beans, don't take my work for it, try them.
In ode to my husbands father, and his Cuban descent, I decided to make black beans and rice. Make the rice according to the package directions (2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice). Next, open the can of beans place in a pot and begin to heat. Add some cumin, and garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and some diced onion. Cook it on the stove at a low temperature while rice and chicken are cooking. Serve alongside the rice. Again those that don't want the black beans can have plain rice, and those that do can add them to their rice.
Who knew we were going back to Cuba tonight, we made it to Cuba and back with
"GOOD FOOD IN GOOD TIME"
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor Day Weekend-it is all about the food and family time!
OK so I had no intention of writing so quickly except for 2 things.
1. I am super excited to get back to writing now that I started.
2. It is Labor Day weekend and we all know it is all about college football (Yes Mike) and the food!
I have been making Challah bread for the Sabbath for a while now and it has taken a looooooooong time but I feel like I finally have a good recipe and the bread comes out nice every time. We will go back to this in another blog. I mention this because I have new found appreciation for yeast. So Sunday morning even though we try to eat relatively lo-cal I decided to make sticky buns. Everyone loves sticky buns or cinammon rolls first thing in the morning all warm and gooey! However, by the time they were ready it was 11:00 am, and other than my 14 year old Jessica, everyone was awake and thinking about lunch. I put some plastic wrap on and set it aside for Monday morning. I really enjoyed making it though. The house smelled so good!
As I mentioned earlier I have a newfound obsession with yeast and my Samantha asked for Hamburgers for dinner (Labor Day BBQ Food), so I decided to find a recipe for hamburger buns. I have never baked them before, and I certainly would not say it is fast, but being that I work with dough regularly it was pretty easy. The buns came out nice, but certainly, if I was making Hamburgers during the week, I would hit the market and buy the Whole Wheat buns we normally purchase.
Let's talk about burgers. A burger is one of the easiest things you can make from scratch for dinner during the week. They are simple and they are fast!!! All you need on hand are the toppings that your family likes. I have seen everything from a dry bun and burger to cheese stuffed burgers with avacado and peppercorn mayo. All you need are taste buds and imagination. The burger is a blank canvas its what you put on top that makes the burger, and allows everyone in the family to enjoy just as they like.
Cooking your burgers, and this my hubby may attest to as well as add his opinion, is actually tastier when done on a griddle or a plain old frying pan. The heat from the pan carmelizes the outside of the meat and creates a crust that a grill does not, as well as keeps cooking the meat in its own juices. So those of you up north that cannot grill in the winter, no worries, these are the perfect burgers for you.
The Meat: Once you decide on the meat you want to cook with you only season with salt and pepper. Now my father likes to add all kinds of flavor into the meat and since this is your meal feel free to add the seasonings you like. Sometimes I will add some garlic powder, sometimes I will add carmelized onions, but many will tell you that simeple salt and pepper gets the job done. Remember..The flavor is going to be in how you dress it up.
Lets Roll: If you have one pound of meat seperate the meat into Golf Ball-to- Tennis Ball size depending on how big you want the bugers. The key here is not to handle the meat too much as it makes it tough later on. Roll into a ball and flatten with your hand. Adding a dimple to the middle of your patty will keep the burger from turning into a football that rolls off your bun! If you have small kids you can consider making them tiny and now they are sliders!
Place in the pan without oil since your meat has some fat in it. Note: If you are using turkey meat you will need to add some oil to the pan since turkey is very lean. Place the burger in the pan and leave it alone. Once it is ready to be flipped it will release from the pan and you will be able to turn it over to cook the other side. If you try and flip it too early it will stick to the pan. For a medium rare burger you will want to cook it about 5-6 minutes on both sides. Longer for well done and shorter for rare.
Serve with a salad or any side you enjoy. My family likes the frozen sweet potato fries. Start those in the oven before you begin the burgers so it all finishes at the same time.
Now the fun part. Depending on your and your families taste you can place ketchup, mayo, mustard, onions, grilled onions, avacado, salsa, tomoato, cheese, and any other yummy toppings on the table. Now you and any other adults can tuck into whatever type of burger warms your soul and the kids get to choose how they want to eat theirs. Everyone is happy!
All in all this should take no more than 45 minutes start to finish. One more thing, if this is new to you it may take longer, but not much. I liken it to driving someplace you have never been, it always takes longer to get there when you don't know where you are going. The next time is always faster.
Since this was a holiday weekend and I have mentioned how we love to cook. Alex realized a few months back when I was showing them my pasta maker, (the hand crank) which has been in storage for at least 15 years, that she has a real hand at making ravioli. The first attempt was wicked good. So today she decided to give it another go. I have to say it was impressive. Forget the fact that she filled the pasta sheets and boiled them, as well as made from scratch sauce, she made the pasta from scratch and I did not realize it until I walked into the kitchen and asked her when she would be ready to get cracking. Her exact response was, "what are you talking about, its already done." Anyone tht has teenagers can insert their own attitude here. Dinner was great and we once again had Good Food in Good Time.
1. I am super excited to get back to writing now that I started.
2. It is Labor Day weekend and we all know it is all about college football (Yes Mike) and the food!
I have been making Challah bread for the Sabbath for a while now and it has taken a looooooooong time but I feel like I finally have a good recipe and the bread comes out nice every time. We will go back to this in another blog. I mention this because I have new found appreciation for yeast. So Sunday morning even though we try to eat relatively lo-cal I decided to make sticky buns. Everyone loves sticky buns or cinammon rolls first thing in the morning all warm and gooey! However, by the time they were ready it was 11:00 am, and other than my 14 year old Jessica, everyone was awake and thinking about lunch. I put some plastic wrap on and set it aside for Monday morning. I really enjoyed making it though. The house smelled so good!
As I mentioned earlier I have a newfound obsession with yeast and my Samantha asked for Hamburgers for dinner (Labor Day BBQ Food), so I decided to find a recipe for hamburger buns. I have never baked them before, and I certainly would not say it is fast, but being that I work with dough regularly it was pretty easy. The buns came out nice, but certainly, if I was making Hamburgers during the week, I would hit the market and buy the Whole Wheat buns we normally purchase.
Let's talk about burgers. A burger is one of the easiest things you can make from scratch for dinner during the week. They are simple and they are fast!!! All you need on hand are the toppings that your family likes. I have seen everything from a dry bun and burger to cheese stuffed burgers with avacado and peppercorn mayo. All you need are taste buds and imagination. The burger is a blank canvas its what you put on top that makes the burger, and allows everyone in the family to enjoy just as they like.
Cooking your burgers, and this my hubby may attest to as well as add his opinion, is actually tastier when done on a griddle or a plain old frying pan. The heat from the pan carmelizes the outside of the meat and creates a crust that a grill does not, as well as keeps cooking the meat in its own juices. So those of you up north that cannot grill in the winter, no worries, these are the perfect burgers for you.
The Meat: Once you decide on the meat you want to cook with you only season with salt and pepper. Now my father likes to add all kinds of flavor into the meat and since this is your meal feel free to add the seasonings you like. Sometimes I will add some garlic powder, sometimes I will add carmelized onions, but many will tell you that simeple salt and pepper gets the job done. Remember..The flavor is going to be in how you dress it up.
Lets Roll: If you have one pound of meat seperate the meat into Golf Ball-to- Tennis Ball size depending on how big you want the bugers. The key here is not to handle the meat too much as it makes it tough later on. Roll into a ball and flatten with your hand. Adding a dimple to the middle of your patty will keep the burger from turning into a football that rolls off your bun! If you have small kids you can consider making them tiny and now they are sliders!
Place in the pan without oil since your meat has some fat in it. Note: If you are using turkey meat you will need to add some oil to the pan since turkey is very lean. Place the burger in the pan and leave it alone. Once it is ready to be flipped it will release from the pan and you will be able to turn it over to cook the other side. If you try and flip it too early it will stick to the pan. For a medium rare burger you will want to cook it about 5-6 minutes on both sides. Longer for well done and shorter for rare.
Serve with a salad or any side you enjoy. My family likes the frozen sweet potato fries. Start those in the oven before you begin the burgers so it all finishes at the same time.
Now the fun part. Depending on your and your families taste you can place ketchup, mayo, mustard, onions, grilled onions, avacado, salsa, tomoato, cheese, and any other yummy toppings on the table. Now you and any other adults can tuck into whatever type of burger warms your soul and the kids get to choose how they want to eat theirs. Everyone is happy!
All in all this should take no more than 45 minutes start to finish. One more thing, if this is new to you it may take longer, but not much. I liken it to driving someplace you have never been, it always takes longer to get there when you don't know where you are going. The next time is always faster.
Since this was a holiday weekend and I have mentioned how we love to cook. Alex realized a few months back when I was showing them my pasta maker, (the hand crank) which has been in storage for at least 15 years, that she has a real hand at making ravioli. The first attempt was wicked good. So today she decided to give it another go. I have to say it was impressive. Forget the fact that she filled the pasta sheets and boiled them, as well as made from scratch sauce, she made the pasta from scratch and I did not realize it until I walked into the kitchen and asked her when she would be ready to get cracking. Her exact response was, "what are you talking about, its already done." Anyone tht has teenagers can insert their own attitude here. Dinner was great and we once again had Good Food in Good Time.
So I finally started
It is Labor Day weekend and I have wanted to start this blog for some time now. Not sure if it will be read by anyone but it seems a good outlet for speaking about the things that I love and enjoy when I am not working 40+ hours a week. My family and cooking. Why write about this? Over the years, I keep getting asked this question.."You make dinner almost every night from scratch and your kids eat it?? "Then comes the next inevitable.."I could never do that its too hard and my kids won't eat it!!!!" During the week nothing I make is hard, and while they may not eat everything, your kids will eat most of it, and over time you learn what type of flavors they like and fine tune the meals to suit.
I cannot tell you how all this came about because I truly don't know. When I got married 18 1/2 years ago to my husband Mike, I would pull out the cookbooks we got as gifts and I would make recipes and play house. As I am from Chicago, back in the 90's one of the standby wedding gifts was a Chicago deep dish pizza set. We made that pizza so often that before long I knew the recipe by heart. It was not always good food though, there was one stand out moment in particular where I tried to make sweet and sour fish......not even going to go there....
Today we have 4 kids and 2 dogs and we all have developed a love for cooking each in our own right. Mike is the recipe developer extraordinaire, Alex is the newly decorated pasta chef ( making ravioli from scratch), Jessica will make anything as long as it is chocolate based, and Samantha....well she has many talents in the kitchen, she truly does, but I think her number one talent at 10 years old is making the best omelette's in the house. Matthew at 16 month has a very immature palette :) dog food being his favorite.
My goal is to write as often as possible, sharing our routines, recipes, successes and failures, in the hopes that you may one day have a better time leading your family down the road of "Good Food in Good Time."
I cannot tell you how all this came about because I truly don't know. When I got married 18 1/2 years ago to my husband Mike, I would pull out the cookbooks we got as gifts and I would make recipes and play house. As I am from Chicago, back in the 90's one of the standby wedding gifts was a Chicago deep dish pizza set. We made that pizza so often that before long I knew the recipe by heart. It was not always good food though, there was one stand out moment in particular where I tried to make sweet and sour fish......not even going to go there....
Today we have 4 kids and 2 dogs and we all have developed a love for cooking each in our own right. Mike is the recipe developer extraordinaire, Alex is the newly decorated pasta chef ( making ravioli from scratch), Jessica will make anything as long as it is chocolate based, and Samantha....well she has many talents in the kitchen, she truly does, but I think her number one talent at 10 years old is making the best omelette's in the house. Matthew at 16 month has a very immature palette :) dog food being his favorite.
My goal is to write as often as possible, sharing our routines, recipes, successes and failures, in the hopes that you may one day have a better time leading your family down the road of "Good Food in Good Time."
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