Summer Break....and singin "back in the saddle again"

I never was one for continuity.  It is something I strive for everyday.  I suppose it is good to know your weaknesses, as well as your strengths....I think I'm revamping my goal to AMAP (as much as possible).  And in the same breath, I'll consider how human I am and call it great!

That being said, it's Tuesday, gloomy, and there is impending doom (yet again!) for our region.  I think tonight I'd like a low-key dinner...definitely with a fruit salad (it's like Chiquita Banana had a fiesta in my pantry with her fellow party-goers Dole-Man and Del Monte).

On a side note, I'm thinking that I'm going to have to sell a kidney to keep up with the super-inflation of food.  It's coming, for those of you who feel resilient...it's coming.  Check out the price of corn...and watch the documentary Food, Inc.....then freak out a little bit;) 

Can I say how thankful I am the farmers markets and CSAs available to us?  I'm not much of a gardener, so yes...thank you to all you who are good stewards of the earth!

What's cookin' on your stove tonight?

W

Mar 21, 2011---Back from Eating-in Vacation

So we went on vacation.  We ate out a ton...gained a few...now we're back to revel in our gluttony (or writhe away).  We did get to eat at a Marie Callender's, a Mexican restaurant,a  bar-b-q, and a bar-b-cue, a fresh seafood joint,  a few fast food joints, some picnic lunches and a ton of hotel breakfasts.  Given, we could have eaten in some...but it was vacation. 

We came back and decided we missed having more veggies.

I think we definitely had our fill for quite a while.  Only problem today is we need to go grocery shopping!!!!  Maybe we'll walk to the grocery later on today (I'm glad we came back to beautiful weather).

Excited to be back Eating in...

W

March 3, 2011---Still here....eating in....with cheer?!?!??!

I'm a poet.  In case you didn't know it.

So, we're still eating in.  The past couple of weeks would have been part of the perfect storm enabling me to go on a fast-food diet, however....we stayed true to course.  I did choose some lazy meals (i.e. frozen pizza) to help me cope with less hours of being able to don my frilly apron. 

But, perhaps I'll be able to start writing of my adventures again regularly (as I do enjoy it---a la Doogie Howser-style). 

Tonight's fare was a delectably seared pork loin with red potatoes and "other" vegetables.   Oh, and lemon pudding.  Delicious lemon pudding.

'Til we meet again....

W

Feb 18, 2011---Giving up pop and other triumphs

I have drank pop for the longest time.  I remember in college drinking my Dr. Pepper between classes in the basement of an almost-parking garage.  I remember working and having my can of Diet Dr. Pepper to my side.  I even remember pleading with my doctor while I was pregnant for information to "what was a safe consumption level."  And now, I have been pop-free for 4 days.

I gave it up cold-turkey only because I have a clean-plate mentality; if it's in my fridge or on my table I will drink it.  No self-control---I must have missed that gene (along with a few others).

I was drinking 2-3 8 oz glasses/day.  For kicks I googled reasons why pop is atrocious for the human body, but came to the resolve that really....it's not good for me....it costs me money....it will cost me more money over the long-run if I continue drinking it....and ultimately it's not worth telling my kids why they can't have any and I can. 

But, here's the kicker.  I've tried to give up pop before.  I know it's not good for me, but it kept finding it's way back into my life because I'd be at a restaurant and want my pop.  McDonalds maybe horrible for you, but they are masters at marketing.  Ever since they placed a drink, a fry, and a sandwhich together [with a discount], the world has never been the same.  So this time (although I suffered from caffeine headaches still), my change to a pop-free existence has been relatively temptation free. 

So, yippee for eating-in. 

W

Feb 17, 2011---Slow..slow....quick quick

No, it's not another dance step: it's my combo method for dinner tonight.  I had a feeling dinner needed to happen quickly upon demand, so when crunch time came I spent a whopping 15 mins on dinner.  I figure that was drive time to/from a fast-food restaurant...so at least I'm coming out even.  If I figure out dinner cost (which was ridiculously low tonight---thanks to super-on-sale chicken) then I totally stomped my goal for eating in.

So, I crock-potted some chicken.  When dinner-prep came, I started my brown rice to boil, then shredded chicken, chopped up some mushrooms, threw the mushrooms in with some frozen broccoli and threw that mixture in the your-crowave.  By that time my rice was done, then I threw everything together in a pot with some all-binding cream of chicken soup.  Voila.  Dinner was done.  Oh, and I opened some mandarin oranges for good measure.

Quick.  Easy.  Kids fed.  Kids happy.  Success.

If you feel inclined to do the 15 minute dinner dance, please be sure to insert the red rose you got from Valentines Day in your mouth. 

And for the time I saved on making dinner?  I went grocery shopping [it is Thursday after all].  I kind of love these kind of trips---in and out and "saved" 50%. 

And as for me and my fam...we're still eating in. 

W 

Feb 14, 2011---Yeah it's that one holiday....again

Well, it is another VD day.  Some of us are showered by their lovers with delectable chocolate truffles and dozens of red long stem roses---the lucky few.  For those of use who aren't as lucky, I present a delicious, inexpensive, dessert that makes eating-in quite enjoyable.

We aren't going out on a hot-date tonight, and honestly I'm just fine about it.  But, I did make this to celebrate.  It's a heart-shaped, red-velvet, torted, single-layer cake filled and frosted with cream cheese frosting (and crumb covered with red-velvet cake crumbs).

And to all those that celebrate, I hope you have a great day!

W

Feb 13, 2011---Time to make the...Bagels

What else to do on a day off from school? 

Bake a little?  Of course!

I made these more into the "mini-bagel" size, which proabably is more of a real serving. 

BTW, don't feel prompted to eat these straight out of the oven.  As my mouth can attest, burned tissue isn't pleasant.

For those of my fans wondering....I used a bread machine recipe and ....my bread machine.  For this recipe, you make the dough, then you take the dough, manipulate it into little baby bagels, let them rise 10 more, boil the little suckers for 3 mins, glaze them with egg (add topping if desired), and bake 'em for 20-25 more.  Not bad. 

Try it Mikey, you'll like it!

W

Feb 10, 2011---Umbrella Day (and long days and short nights)

This week has been rather a blur, however we are still here. 

And still eating in.

Tonight's fare included crockpot Italian chiciken, sauteed bean beans (or green beans fo those of you who don't know how to speak toddler) with mushrooms and garlic, and a bit of psghetti with sauce.

And so it continues.


I did get Fannie Farmer's cookbook from the library the other day.   I have strange desires to try my hand at  puff pastry and madeleines and other bits of deliciousness.  My husband was teasing me when I told him that I perhaps wanted a madeleine pan.  He tried to use my blog against me and reference the moment when I momentarily referenced my collection as carp.

And now I want another cookbook.  She has EVERYTHING in it...from coffee to veal (not that I have a desire to cook veal) and she makes things sound so simple!  Ahhh new fodder .

Oh, and so far everything is laced with butter and bacon!  She's my kind of woman!

To honor my new book, I even bought some good ol' fashioned Brer Rabbit Molasses.  My kids were with me and they were asking what I was buying.  As I had to enunciate, I could only laugh at the joke inside of my head [insert mole-asses joke here].  Of course I didn't share the shady joke with my young impressionable children....I will remove that metaphorical umbrella another day.

W

 

Feb 8, 2011---Delta Delta Delta can I help help help ya?

Still on track with eating in, even though I'm not on track to track it.  Briefly, it's because of cruddy snow days filled with lotsa kids and not a lotta me-computer time. 

On other notes, our house was deliciously Greek tonight.  Tempted by ads of a new restaurant in town, and fond memories of my youth, I wanted Greek fare.  So, I totally took the bull by the horns and made some great happy-belly making food:

Homemade pita bread (yes, you can think I'm an over-achiever now...until you realize I'm a slacker and used my bread machine)
homemade hummus (easy peasy beany squeazy)
fillins for the gyros
lentils
sauteed green beans with feta and walnuts
homemade tzatziki sauce

Did it take forever?  Not so much.  Everything was 3 ingredients or less (except the pita bread, but I just dumped it in the machine and took a nap)  Was it delicious?  Ohhhhhh yeah!!!!  This probably was one of my faves so far.  Was it cheap?  Cheaper than if I would have gone out, definitely!   The only thing I missed was kafteri (methinks that's how you spell it)...but I was quite pleased nonetheless!

W

Feb 2, 2011--Groundhog Day and other farces

Whatever.  Phil can suck dirt.  Has he noticed that blizzard thing?  And no, it's not a recent bit o' take-out from the DQ, but rather an impressive bit o' snow that has rendered our school bags useless.

We're still eating in.  In fact, I've been trying to keep the cool in my house by adding a little variety from the kitchen.  I've dehydrated apples, made ice cream, blueberry compote, waffles, deep dish pizza, whipping cream (ok, that one was easy peasy), made homemade brownies, and tomorrow is chili.  My dh made "happy meals" last night while I was shoveling.  Mostly, it made me happy that I didn't have to cook.

Now, school has been called off until next week. 

And....I might increase my weight by 10% or so by next week  (especially if I keep sampling my delicious delights of the kitchen).  Luckily, shoveling burns how many calories?

As tomorrow is chili day, I need to find my corn bread recipe.  Alas, mine is special:)  Insert cheese, cottage cheese, and spinach!  I don't remember where we acquired this recipe, but it's quirky and tasty.  If I find it, I'll post!

Happy (yet another) Day off from reality!

W

Jan 28, 2011---Black Bean Soup....and other (inexpensive) Deliciousness!

So...I tagged this as "almost vegetarian" because I suppose you could take out the bacon.  Seeing as everything is better with bacon, this meal made eating-in very easy (and uber-affordable).

One of my gal-pals over at Kitschen Feast suggested using this recipe from Dave Lieberman for Black Bean Soup.

For better or for worse, here is my altered version (as I'm coming to realize I alter 96% of my recipes).**

4 cups Black beans (do it cheapy version and use 2 cups dried and bagged version....just be sure to cook the beans before you add to the recipe) (reserve the cooking water)
10 strips of bacon ***
1 cup of fresh cilantro
1/2 onion
2 T ketchup
A few shakes or Worcestestersterieisties sauce
6 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cup tomatoes
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Green onion (for garnish)
Sour Cream (just a dollop for garnish)
Shredded Cheese (just a sprinkling...for garnish)
Poached Egg (for added richness....if you don't think the bacon is enough)****

1.  Cook beans (remove cooking water)
2.  While bacon is cooking, you can do the following:  Chop and shred remaining ingredients...AND cook in cook onion and garlic til clear, add rest of spices and ingredients (except garnishes)....let simmer for 7 mins
3.  Marry 1 and 2
4.  Add cooking water as necessary, mash beans a little with potato masher) and let simmer til you can't stand it anymore (Mine was for a whole 10 mins)

So overall, dinner took 30 mins...and the cost was soooooo little.   With some deviation due to error, I estimated that our dinner cost 4.26....for our whole family (and then some).

**I altered this recipe primarily because, as a whole, my family has a very delicate palate.  We enjoy seasoning, but not hot spice.

***Easiest way I've found to cook bacon (and not have to actually tend it and get your stove-top all greasy) is to find your broiler pan [place bacon on top slotted layer], crank your oven up to 400, and let it cook for 20 minutes.  Result=degreased crispy bacon (without having to slave over your stove)

****We did not add a poached egg to the recipe tonight, however in other black bean recipes I've used, I've added this and appreciated the addition...and it wasn't included in my cost analysis (however seeing as eggs are at most .20 [for the type I buy]...this would add a whopping 1.20)

Enjoy!!!!

W

Jan 28, 2011---"Swap Following" Linky Party ...and how to make new friends but keep the old

So I follow a gal (Nicole)...who is following a gal (Homemaker on a Dime)....who had this quirky idea of creating a "Swap Following" Linky Party...and it's a share and share-alike kinda deal.  Kinda like those jean swap parties or housesitting ventures (you know who you are...but you are required to let my dog out when we go on our 17 vacations this year).  Anyway, kinda different, just for fun...and I always wanted to be stalked (in the best kind of way).

Doing it...Brownie style.

W

Jan 28, 2011---Ugly Cake

So, we celebrated chocolate cake day yesterday.  But in the ugliest of fashions.  Let's just say that this cake reflected my sentiments toward yesterday---it was unpleasant to look at no matter what angle you choose.

Here are some tips if you want to have an ugly cake experience too: 

• have a crappy day, make sure you struggle to keep ankle-biters away from the hot oven while separating constant bickering from your older two children
• be hungry and cranky too
• don't properly grease your pans (or allow your 6 yr old to grease them)
• pull your cake out of the pan when it's too warm
• be sure to laugh maniacally if you start icing your cake and it falls apart
• continue laughing maniacally to prevent crying, but continue icing until either you need alcohol or a trip to the head shrinker
• get neither but indulge in super-chocolatey ugly cake

ahhhhh....can I say I'm glad chocolate cake day is over? 

W

Jan 27, 2011---Chocolate Cake Day (and other trips off of the wagon)

Today is chocolate cake day, and it's still up in the air if I will make some:)  Maybe I'll pass some down to one of the [MANY] pregos I know who might need a little chocolate in their life.

And in other news, we used our first gift card.  Let it be marked forever and indelibly in the annals of history---January 26, 2011, our little family ate out for the first time in over three weeks.  Actually, we ate in.  Jeff got take-out with one of our three cards (so tally it...we're down to two...two cards hahahaha).  What did we get?  The all-American fast food---McDonalds.  I had a southern chicken sandwich (with lettuce and tomato) and some EXTREMELY salty fries.  I'm thinking my tastebuds are in the process of regressing back to a time when we didn't have salted EVERYTHING. We broke down mostly because I think we were both suffering from headaches and "I don't wannas."  That's fine.

Tonight is a black bean soup recipe that a gal-pal passed along.  It has bacon, and as we all know, you can't go wrong with bacon, butter or chocolate.

Life is good and we're back on the wagon.

W

Jan 23, 2011--- National Peanut Butter Day (and other sticky ventures)

Peanut butter day is a great holiday to celebrate....that is unless you are allergic. 

I truly don't know the reasoning behind the latest surge in peanut allergies, but I know there are several current cases in my son's classes.  When I was a kid, I don't remember a single case which meant that my mom could make any sort of treat for my birthday.  It's not that I don't have sympathy for these kiddos---I do---but I would like to make my kid some cupcakes for his class without freaking out about where the nearest epi pen is.  If only George Washington Carver could see this.

That being said, we enjoyed the simple pleasures found within a PB & J for lunch, without an epi pen.

Dinner was pretty simple (out of necessity)---just chicken with lemon pepper, squash and potatoes.  Pretty tasty and cooked in less than 27 minutes. 

And today is day 24.  But who's counting?

W

Jan 23, 2011--- Potatoes Au Gratin

Pork day #1 (last night) turned out pretty good.  I used the rotisserie and one of my Christmas presents (a mandolin).  I don't know why I've always wanted one of these, but....I have.  Just like I'm not-so-secretly in love with infomercials. 

Anyway, I made potatoes au gratin with said mandolin.  And....ta da:

Beautiful potato...chips!

Of course, you could always use a knife...or force your husband to use a knife, but this was a fun adventure in gadget-land for me;)

I used this recipe but I'm not completely sold on it.  Of course I didn't follow the directions to a T, so maybe I'll try it again and use a deeper pyrex container.

W

Jan 23, 2011--- Measure Your Feet Day (so you know whose not to step upon) and Rotisserie Pork

I messed up.

We are having pork again today.   Not so ingenuous, however it is mostly because I messed up when freezing my pork 4 weeks ago.  It is no secret that I love a good deal, but sometimes even I make mistakes.  I bought a humongo pork loin for .99/lb and divvied it up to several pork roasts.  Smarty me put two roasts in one freezer bag...and they froze together.  My time would have been better spent banging my head against the wall.

So tip #1 for the day?  Freeze things appropriately

Problema #2?  Making things twice in a row makes my husband cranky.  He can only stand leftovers so many times and he can only stand the same kind of protein so many days in a row.  He gets burned out (understandably) like we all do (think Turkey day....and 24 days following when you make a 70 lb turkey).

So for day #1 (last night) I made Rotisserie Pork in the rotisserie (but you could use an oven).  I painted on a bit o' olive oil (so my spices would stick a little better) and cheated for the spice part (used Cavender's Greek seasoning [salt-free]).  Can I tell you that it makes a mama happy to see her babies eat the food she has labored on?  (Ok, even though the labor was all of 4 minutes). 

So for day #2 of pork pork (thank you Swedish Chef) I want to use the rotisserie again (as it's still on my counter) but I think I want to make this version and ramp it up with more garlic.  I suppose I could chop the beast up and make pork chops, but I think this will be less effort.

That being said, time to go start!

Happy eating!

W

Jan 22,2011--- National Blonde Brownie Day (And Macaroons and how to gain 1000 lbs this winter)

How to gain 1000 lbs this winter, by me

When trying to put your body into hibernation, one should first love carbohydrates.  Love your carbohydrates in any form you can get them...into your mouth.  You should also love to bake, or know where you can acquire baked goods.  If you know how to bake, bake a ton (under the premise that you'll share) and then just share with yourself...some more...and some more.  And finally, if you are going to meet your 1/2 ton quota, please be sure to have reasons to indulge yourself everyday (it is great if you have some unresolved emotional issues that you need to address or it is also fabulous if you have raging hormones, even better if you have both). 

All jesting aside (kinda), coconut macaroons are the bomb-diggity.  I've always wanted to try my hand at making them, and last night was the night.  Of course, they are only good for those people who actually like coconut, as they consist primarily of ...coconut.

I dug around the internet searching for a recipe (as I was too lazy to get off my couch to look through the 1700 recipe books I have) and found numerous recipes for coconut macaroons...with sweetened condensed milk.   Alas, I didn't have nary a can of SCM, so....I hunted some more and found Alton Brown's recipe...and only slightly altered it (the tail-end).  After you put the finished macaroons on a cooling rack, place the parchment paper underneath.  Warm choco in the your-crowave, put it in a ziploc baggie, nip the tip, and drizzle over macaroons.  All I could hear was Sinatra singing "Heaven, I'm in heaven.....blah de blah....cheek to cheek...."

They might not be beautiful, but my tongue thought they were a w e s o m e. 

Just two few small tips:

• For the love of all that is holy, please don't scorch the chocolate.  There is nothing worse in this life than wasted chocolate...and the smell that emanates from said scorched chocolate.

• Pay veddy careful attention to the coconut when toasting it.  Very quickly it goes from a beautiful white to a not-so-pretty black (no joke, like 30 seconds).  It will be in your oven, oh-so-innocent, and go to char in a blink of 70 eyes.

W

Jan 21, 2011---National Granola Bar Day (and other funny mental images of hippies drinking)

I wonder how many hippie bars exist.  Ones where dread-locked hair and bare feet are dress codes.

I suppose when they say Granola Bar day...they mean something more like this...instead of my distorted image.

And if you're interested in a Nature Valley Coupon, click here.

So, last night we celebrated Cheese Lover's Day with ....twice baked potatoes (with....ooooey gooey cheese).  And tonight for dinner is a take on a take on Mark Bittman's mustard herb baked chicken.  I did a lazy girl google (i.e. looked at the first thing I found) and came upon this article.  And now noticing that it takes 60-90 minutes to bake, I should probably start dinner....now. 

Toodles

Wondermom



Jan 20, 2011---National Cheese Lover's Day (or other things that stop up...traffic)

So it is yet another day off from school due to Mother Nature.  A deluge of beautiful snow crystals not so innocently created used parking lots out of our major highways.  But fortunately for his, time stands still briefly and we get to truly enjoy childhood pleasures like snow angels, board games and hot chocolate.

I did celebrate National Cheese Lovers Day by....enjoying some cheese.  I had a cheapy (but oh-so-good) fat-free refried beans and cheese burrito.....with some extra cheesy cheese cheese.

Check out this coupon if you need a less expensive way to celebrate this holiday.

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/naturalcheese/

$1/1 mozzarella w/ creme cheese added?!? potentially yummy!!! 

Wondermom