It has been quite some time since my last post, and while I took a vacation from blogging I have not had a hiatus from cooking! I have been busy teaching fifth grade for 12 weeks, then first for another 3. I adored my fifth grade class and wish that could have been a full time position, but that was not in the cards. Now as I face another bout of day to day subbing, I better get working on my cookbook, which of course is going to be my claim to fame, my million dollar check in the bank and lead to my own food network show...or maybe I should keep on the teaching track. Either way, working full time with children at this time of year leads to two things; exhaustion and germs. I just am not in the mood to cook an extravagant dinner when I get home, and by 5pm J wants it ready to eat ASAP. It's not fun when I have to tell him it will be at least an hour. So began my love affair with our crock pot! I can prep before work while I am waiting for my coffee water to boil and my bagel to pop out of the toaster, leave it all day and have not only a dinner ready when I get home, but an amazing dinner ready. J has been loving chicken in the crock pot, which is great because chicken and I have not been seeing eye to eye since my electronic meat thermometer decided to go to you know where in a hand-basket.
I have always been nervous about leaving anything plugged in with the switch in the on position when I leave for work. My mom did a good job raising a girl who triple checks whether or not the hair straightener is plugged in before I leave the house, and probably running back in for a fourth check once I am already in my car. I have even driven half an hour back from work because I left the refrigerator door ajar and I was petrified my cat would crawl in, shut the door and be a cat-cicle by the time I got home.--thanks mom. But here is the great part about having a guy who works the midnight shift...if the crock pot goes up in flames he will be home when the alarms go off and either fix the problem or watch the house go down in crock pot flames from the front yard, neither situation do I want to come home to but it has eased me into leaving the crock pot to do its job while I'm not home.
I have made two amazing crock pot meals with chicken, the first a chicken and dumpling dish, and the second an italian chicken meal which made the most amazing gravy for mashed potatoes!
Chicken and Dumplings:
3-4 chicken breasts uncooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
carrots sliced
other veggies if you would like: chopped onions perhaps?
6ish cups of chicken stock/broth: enough to cover the chicken.
1-2 tubes of refrigerator biscuits
Add all of these yummy fixings to your crock pot, cover and set on low for 8 hours
Now go to work!
8 hours later walk into an amazing smelling house!
Now you need to tear refrigerator biscuits into small chunks and submerge in crock pot. Let cook 20-30 minutes until they are not overly doughy on the inside. That's it!
This one is so satisfying for a cold night or soothing for when you have a cold!
Italian Chicken:
4 chicken breasts uncooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz container of cream cheese
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
chicken stock
Combine the cream cheese and soup in a saucepan..
I did this the day before because oops I realized my chicken went south after I started my meal prep.It was perfectly fine when I used the combined mixture 24 hours later!
Add chicken, soup mixture and Italian dressing packet to crock pot
Pour enough chicken stock to cover chicken
I gave mine a little stir to combine all of the fixings
Put a lid on it set to low for 8 hours and walk out the door.
The sauce from this recipe is ridiculously yummy and I served it over garlic mashed potatoes!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Monday, October 29, 2012
Hurricane Sandy
Being a native New Englander, I am used to tropical storms, Nor'Easters and as of last year, 8 days without power after a freak Halloween Snow Storm. But I am starting to wonder if these October Mega Storms are the new norm. I am currently snuggled on the couch, tuned into the weather channel and watching the wind pick up out the front window. Work has been cancelled for 2 days, CT highways are closing at 1pm and I already had to chase the trash can lid across the back yard. (J is bringing that to the basement when he gets home at 12).
I learned my lesson last year and went out to buy a lantern, candles, lighters, water and a bottle of wine. We have canned fruit, tuna and granola bars galore. But what about meals? I bought 2 loaves of bread along with peanut butter and jelly and last night I made baked chimichongas! Power or no power, tonight we are having left overs!
Similar to a hot pocket, I used ground turkey to make this dish a bit healthier. I made the turkey as I would taco meat, cook, add taco seasoning and water...add diced tomatoes, cumin and oregano, then 1/2 cup each sour cream and shredded cheese and mix... Then I filled 6 Tortillas with the mix, fold seam side down and bake for 15-20 minutes.
We devoured 1.5 each and topped them with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa and cheese. Yum! Even if we do lose power, I am sure they will work cold in a pinch.
With my bathtub full of water, blankets at the ready and snacks filling the pantry, I am ready for this hurricane.
I learned my lesson last year and went out to buy a lantern, candles, lighters, water and a bottle of wine. We have canned fruit, tuna and granola bars galore. But what about meals? I bought 2 loaves of bread along with peanut butter and jelly and last night I made baked chimichongas! Power or no power, tonight we are having left overs!
Similar to a hot pocket, I used ground turkey to make this dish a bit healthier. I made the turkey as I would taco meat, cook, add taco seasoning and water...add diced tomatoes, cumin and oregano, then 1/2 cup each sour cream and shredded cheese and mix... Then I filled 6 Tortillas with the mix, fold seam side down and bake for 15-20 minutes.
We devoured 1.5 each and topped them with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa and cheese. Yum! Even if we do lose power, I am sure they will work cold in a pinch.
With my bathtub full of water, blankets at the ready and snacks filling the pantry, I am ready for this hurricane.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Guinness Pie
When I woke up this morning, I was expecting a somewhat relaxing day, J had a family party that we were planning on attending mid day and last week kicked off our Sunday nights on the couch with the new season of The Walking Dead starting. I was up and bopping around the kitchen in my pajamas, getting out my large bowl for the requested chocolate chip pancakes ( J was taking a break from his typical 3 eggs and an English Muffin). Before I could grab a measuring cup, I hear an "uh oh" from the living room. J was being called into work on his day off. We finally get a weekend scheduled off together so of course an emergency at work has to come up. So in place of C+C pancakes, I quickly threw together an egg and cheese bagel sandwich, wrap it in foil for that authentic "to go" look and pull down the travel mug for an accompanying coffee with cream. Out the door he went by 9am. So now I have an entire sunny fall day to kick around the house and yard and come up with some delicious dinner idea. Comfy clothes were in order, then it was out the door to plant my bulbs so that the spring will come in with some color next year. J's uniform was up next and I was actually able to get it out of the dryer fast enough that no ironing was required. Now for food. I had all day so time was not an option, it had to be warm and filling as all Sunday dinners should be. I have been looking at a recipe on my pinterest board for awhile now and today seemed like a good time to attempt Guinness Pie: an Irish steak pie.
I needed:
a 1.5 lbs chuck roast ( I used pre cubed beef stew meat)
1/4 lb bacon
1 red onion diced
2 carrots largely diced
2 stalks of celery diced
3 oz mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 bottle Guinness
1 cup beef broth
flour for dredging
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
1 TBS fresh Rosemary ( I had fresh Rosemary frozen from my garden- if you don't use 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
2 sheets puff pastry
In my dutch oven I cooked down the bacon
When done, remove the bacon but keep the grease in the pan.
Dredge the beef in the flour and season with salt and pepper
In batches, brown beef in the bacon grease then remove from pan
Saute onion, carrots and celery until soft ( Add butter if the pan dries out too much)
Add mushrooms until soft
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
Add Guinness and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits
Add stock, and meat back into the dutch oven
Place pot uncovered into a 350 degree oven for 1.5- 2 hours, checking and adding stock if needed
Remove from oven add cheese and increase temperature to 400
Line 8x10 greased pan with one sheet of puffed pastry, scoring then placing in oven for 6-8 min so it won't become soggy.
Spoon beef mixture ontop of bottom crust and cover with the second sheet of pastry..
Create criss cross pattern so as not to puff-- not cutting all the way through
Brush with egg wash
Bake for 20-40 minutes
It is baking now, smells great pictures to come
I needed:
a 1.5 lbs chuck roast ( I used pre cubed beef stew meat)
1/4 lb bacon
1 red onion diced
2 carrots largely diced
2 stalks of celery diced
3 oz mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 bottle Guinness
1 cup beef broth
flour for dredging
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
1 TBS fresh Rosemary ( I had fresh Rosemary frozen from my garden- if you don't use 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
2 sheets puff pastry
In my dutch oven I cooked down the bacon
When done, remove the bacon but keep the grease in the pan.
Dredge the beef in the flour and season with salt and pepper
In batches, brown beef in the bacon grease then remove from pan
Saute onion, carrots and celery until soft ( Add butter if the pan dries out too much)
Add mushrooms until soft
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
Add Guinness and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits
Add stock, and meat back into the dutch oven
Place pot uncovered into a 350 degree oven for 1.5- 2 hours, checking and adding stock if needed
Remove from oven add cheese and increase temperature to 400
Line 8x10 greased pan with one sheet of puffed pastry, scoring then placing in oven for 6-8 min so it won't become soggy.
Spoon beef mixture ontop of bottom crust and cover with the second sheet of pastry..
Create criss cross pattern so as not to puff-- not cutting all the way through
Brush with egg wash
Bake for 20-40 minutes
It is baking now, smells great pictures to come
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Peanut butter oatmeal
The leaves have just started turning up here in Western MA. Driving down the road there are orange leaves here and there and on occasional tree that I could have sworn was totally green last week, is now completely in the throes of autumn colors. I know that by January, I will miss the color green and the sound of leaves in the wind, and I will be left looking at the blank grey canvas that is a New England winter. But for now, I am anticipating all things fall. Sure I will miss my summer staples; flip flops (my feet really aren't ready for those big girl shoes I have to wear to work), macaroni salad and frequenting the local ice cream stand (which honestly we haven't done for quite some time). But I am ready for all those things that mean Autumn is here; sweatshirts, scarves, apple picking and pumpkin carving. I am ready for J to buy me those Mums he promised...hopefully he remembers he promised. And I am ready for some good old Comfort Food! My Dutch Oven is itching to be used, and I have been stock piling apple crisp recipes.
With slightly cooler weather I have developed an obsession with oatmeal. I have never been a huge oatmeal eater, and if I did eat it, it was the kind in the little pouches. The variety pack boxes where I favored the peaches and cream, apples and cinnamon, and the other fruity flavors to the maple sugar flavor..yuck.
Because J( not an oatmeal eater..more of a scrambled eggs guy..EVERY Morning!) is now a 3rd shifter, he is not awake when I am eating breakfast and a giant container of oats is far less expensive than boxes of itty bitty packets. So I started searching oatmeal recipes...3 have been attempted, 1 was a struggle to finish eating, 1 was pretty darn yummy and 1 was quite delicious!! (found at http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-peanut-butter-oatmeal/) So I will share with you my quite delicious recipe which I just finished eating!
Cook the Oatmeal according to the container. For today I did 2 servings which was :
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cups water
Bring the water to a boil then add the oats
Reduce heat to Medium and cook for 5 minutes
Remove from Heat and cover for 3ish minutes
Now for the Deliciousness....
Add to the oatmeal;
Now because I like to add a little something to the softer oatmeal texture, I reverted to childhood, when I loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches..hmm...
I went ahead and sliced half of a banana and added it right in. I am now fighting the urge to go finish off the pot instead of putting it in the fridge for tomorrow.
So I am ready for those fall flavors, cooler days and warm dishes!
With slightly cooler weather I have developed an obsession with oatmeal. I have never been a huge oatmeal eater, and if I did eat it, it was the kind in the little pouches. The variety pack boxes where I favored the peaches and cream, apples and cinnamon, and the other fruity flavors to the maple sugar flavor..yuck.
Because J( not an oatmeal eater..more of a scrambled eggs guy..EVERY Morning!) is now a 3rd shifter, he is not awake when I am eating breakfast and a giant container of oats is far less expensive than boxes of itty bitty packets. So I started searching oatmeal recipes...3 have been attempted, 1 was a struggle to finish eating, 1 was pretty darn yummy and 1 was quite delicious!! (found at http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-peanut-butter-oatmeal/) So I will share with you my quite delicious recipe which I just finished eating!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cups water
Bring the water to a boil then add the oats
Reduce heat to Medium and cook for 5 minutes
Remove from Heat and cover for 3ish minutes
Now for the Deliciousness....
Add to the oatmeal;
- 2 TBS Good peanut butter ( I used Smuckers Creamy All Natural PB)
- 1 TBS Honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Now because I like to add a little something to the softer oatmeal texture, I reverted to childhood, when I loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches..hmm...
I went ahead and sliced half of a banana and added it right in. I am now fighting the urge to go finish off the pot instead of putting it in the fridge for tomorrow.
So I am ready for those fall flavors, cooler days and warm dishes!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Easy Flour Tortillas- Who Knew?
I've never been a "summer person". I enjoy those warm days that say that summer is coming when I can go outside without a sweatshirt or walk to the mailbox barefoot, but now that August has arrived so has my humidity induced crankiness and unwillingness to move above a snails pace. This being said, the prospect of firing up the stove seems like cruel and unusual punishment, especially when I will have to take the third "just to cool off" shower of the day because I opened the oven door to check the progress of some hot meal. No Thank You! But today, with the fans blowing and a nice little breeze ringing the wind chimes outside the door, I attempted to make my own tortillas. I had seem this on a blog ( http://smells-like-home.com/2012/07/diy-soft-flour-tortillas/) while cruising through new Do It Yourself Projects on my favorite website.
Hmm making my own tortillas sounded interesting. I have made bread before, but along with the rest of the country, I am trying to eat healthier and hey-- if the bread is thinner and I shed a few calories while mixing and rolling, and sweating I say it's a healthier way to go..But that's just my way of thinking. It also helped kick up the heart rate when the pan started burning with left over flour between batches and I had to desperatly fan out the kitchen before the smoke alarm went off and I had a very grumpy boyfriend on my hands!
I also altered the recipe just a smidge because when a recipe calls for lard, it's just a turn off. And really, I can't justify making a recipe to lead a healthier life when it calls for lard, seems counterproductive right? So instead of Lard I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, again one of our healthy changes...since J came home one day and insisted we change because some guy in really good shape told him about it in training... Please, nobody tell him about anymore strange diets or eating fads because I guarantee we will be trying it the next day, and I really can't live without bread or pasta or dressing on my salad or..the list goes on... In fact, why doesn't somebody tell him the best way to stay in shape is to buy me flowers or wash dishes..hmm I think I am onto something. Anyways, back to flat bread! I was just doing a trial run so I halved the recipe and made smaller rounds but the actual measurements are as follows...
3 cups four
5 TBS butter- They said unsalted, I used I Can't Believe it's Not Butter and it came out fine
1 tsp salt- I used sea salt because that's all this house carries
2 tsp baking POWDER
3/4 cups warm water
Super easy right?? Literally took 2 minutes once I dug out the baking powder
That's It Folks, yummy warm tortillas for your eating pleasure! So many options!
I can personally say they are great with salsa as a chip as well as a great wrap for a tuna melt! I am thinking of making J a breakfast burrito when he wakes up! All I can say is next time I am going for the all out recipe and dishing up some carne asada burritos or enchiladas for supper!
Hmm making my own tortillas sounded interesting. I have made bread before, but along with the rest of the country, I am trying to eat healthier and hey-- if the bread is thinner and I shed a few calories while mixing and rolling, and sweating I say it's a healthier way to go..But that's just my way of thinking. It also helped kick up the heart rate when the pan started burning with left over flour between batches and I had to desperatly fan out the kitchen before the smoke alarm went off and I had a very grumpy boyfriend on my hands!
I also altered the recipe just a smidge because when a recipe calls for lard, it's just a turn off. And really, I can't justify making a recipe to lead a healthier life when it calls for lard, seems counterproductive right? So instead of Lard I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, again one of our healthy changes...since J came home one day and insisted we change because some guy in really good shape told him about it in training... Please, nobody tell him about anymore strange diets or eating fads because I guarantee we will be trying it the next day, and I really can't live without bread or pasta or dressing on my salad or..the list goes on... In fact, why doesn't somebody tell him the best way to stay in shape is to buy me flowers or wash dishes..hmm I think I am onto something. Anyways, back to flat bread! I was just doing a trial run so I halved the recipe and made smaller rounds but the actual measurements are as follows...
3 cups four
5 TBS butter- They said unsalted, I used I Can't Believe it's Not Butter and it came out fine
1 tsp salt- I used sea salt because that's all this house carries
2 tsp baking POWDER
3/4 cups warm water
Super easy right?? Literally took 2 minutes once I dug out the baking powder
- First mix the dry ingredients
- Cut in the butter ( I used my hands because I can't afford one of those fancy pants kitchen aid mixers, and the knife trick takes too long for this impatient girl)
- Divide into 12 equal portions
- Let rise for 10 minutes (mine looked no different but they still turned out okay)
- Roll out with a well floured rolling pin to about 8 inches- or in my case I used a handy wine bottle :)
- In a dry skillet turned to Medium high, cook one tortilla at a time for 20 to 40 seconds on each side. They really will start to bubble and turn slightly golden brown
- The recipe said not to roll them all out at once because they will dry out, I would take this advice even though I can't vouch for it--I only made 6
That's It Folks, yummy warm tortillas for your eating pleasure! So many options!
I can personally say they are great with salsa as a chip as well as a great wrap for a tuna melt! I am thinking of making J a breakfast burrito when he wakes up! All I can say is next time I am going for the all out recipe and dishing up some carne asada burritos or enchiladas for supper!
 |
| That there is my rendition of a tuna melt, then I folded it in half taco style. |
Friday, July 27, 2012
Little Taste of Heaven
For some reason, I was really craving Smores the other night after J made his tri-annual meal for me. Because we don't have a working grill. Well, we don't actually know it doesn't work, it has been in the yard since I met J and yet we have never ventured to turn it on. This could be because I am HORRIBLE at grilling, unless that is, you are having a hankering for hockey pucks on a bun... and if I don't do it that means that...wait for it...J would have to be the grill master...Not likely! So our Smores adventure took place in the kitchen, heating marshmallows in the microwave until they were on the brink of explosion, then scooping them onto the graham crackers and chocolate. Not a bad alternative..Except now I am left with a bag of marshmallows and I am not a big fan of eating just a lone marshmallow (Though I hear they are good for sore throats--anyone have experience with that remedy?) So while cruising Pinterest--which I must admit is becoming a bit of an addiction! I came across a recipe where you coat marshmallows with melted butter, then cinnamon sugar and roll them in crescent rolls and bake.
I expected a tasty treat for this cloudy afternoon at home, but what I got reminded me of those sticky buns mom used to make every Christmas Morning! Ooooh it was gooood!!!! I am restraining myself from polishing off the remaining 7 before J can have a taste. They are light and fluffy and delicious, oh and super easy!!
To use up one tube of crescent rolls, you make 8 tasty treats so you need...
8 marshmallows
1/2 cup ish sugar
several dashes of cinnamon
1/4 stick melted butter
1 tube crescent rolls
My measurements are vague because I didn't really measure, I eyeballed the cinnamon until I thought it looked acceptable and I just saved the extra cinnamon sugar for use another day!
I expected a tasty treat for this cloudy afternoon at home, but what I got reminded me of those sticky buns mom used to make every Christmas Morning! Ooooh it was gooood!!!! I am restraining myself from polishing off the remaining 7 before J can have a taste. They are light and fluffy and delicious, oh and super easy!!
To use up one tube of crescent rolls, you make 8 tasty treats so you need...
8 marshmallows
1/2 cup ish sugar
several dashes of cinnamon
1/4 stick melted butter
1 tube crescent rolls
My measurements are vague because I didn't really measure, I eyeballed the cinnamon until I thought it looked acceptable and I just saved the extra cinnamon sugar for use another day!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Bragging Rights Chicken
Since what I am about to share with you has only happened a handful of times, I hope you share my sense of awe! My wonderful boyfriend has many talents, but cooking is not one of them...or so he would like you to think. I have always been the queen of the kitchen in our relationship and he has been king of eating what I make for him. He has made 3 meals for me in the past year and all of them were quite delicious! So this past Christmas, my stocking was stuffed with what we like to call "Tiger Bucks", green coupons that he used during his time as a teacher and for each Tiger Buck, I get 1 meal made by him for yours truly! So now that he has finally settled into his new schedule at work I was able to call in my Tiger Buck!!! And after tonight, I am considering handing over the kitchen for a night or two a week. J's spin on chicken pasta (found on Pinterest) was AMAZING! He marinated the chicken in an herb and garlic marinade with added pesto! Then the sauce was a combo of tomato sauce, half and half, chicken broth and more pesto!
Here is what you need:
2 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch strips
4 Large spoonfuls of Pesto
1/2 bottle of herb and garlic marinade
8 oz pasta
For the sauce:
2 TBS olive Oil
3 cloves garlic
2 spoonfuls Pesto
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 oz tomato sauce
1 cup half and half
Marinate the chicken in 2 spoonfuls of Pesto and the marinade
When ready to cook, place chicken with all of the marinade into a pan and cook until chicken is cooked through. Set aside
Cook pasta as per box directions
Cook the 3 garlic cloves in 2 TBS olive oil
Add 2 Spoonfuls of Pesto
Add chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half
Stir in tomato sauce and half and half
Simmer for 5 minutes
Add flour is it needs to thicken (j did this)
Combine the sauce with the pasta and place chicken pieces over top...SO GOOD!!!!
I promise you will not be sorry you made this one, it is one of J's all time favorite dishes now and he can be a tough critic!! He also was pleased to accompany this dish with some red wine!
Here is what you need:
2 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch strips
4 Large spoonfuls of Pesto
1/2 bottle of herb and garlic marinade
8 oz pasta
For the sauce:
2 TBS olive Oil
3 cloves garlic
2 spoonfuls Pesto
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 oz tomato sauce
1 cup half and half
Marinate the chicken in 2 spoonfuls of Pesto and the marinade
When ready to cook, place chicken with all of the marinade into a pan and cook until chicken is cooked through. Set aside
Cook pasta as per box directions
Cook the 3 garlic cloves in 2 TBS olive oil
Add 2 Spoonfuls of Pesto
Add chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half
Stir in tomato sauce and half and half
Simmer for 5 minutes
Add flour is it needs to thicken (j did this)
Combine the sauce with the pasta and place chicken pieces over top...SO GOOD!!!!
I promise you will not be sorry you made this one, it is one of J's all time favorite dishes now and he can be a tough critic!! He also was pleased to accompany this dish with some red wine!
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