I found a great blog...

I found a great blog that you all have to check out! I saw it linked from a friend's page (thanks Mary!) and have found so many great recipes on it. They are easy recipes and kid friendly, as the two contributors are moms! They're not bland and kid friendly though, like so many kid friendly recipes. I also saw some great Thanksgiving ideas. So check it out...

http://www.ourbestbites.com/

So far I made the pumpkin crumble listed last week sometime, which is super easy and tasty. After seeing their post today for coconut chicken fingers, I think that is what we are having for dinner tonight :)

You may see my blog entries change a little over the next few months as I just started working. I'm part time this week and start full time on Monday! I have been a cooking fiend over the last week, making meals to freeze and buying easy fix meals that my husband can make, since I'll be getting home later than him most nights :)

My favorite fall meal...

Tonight I am going to make my favorite fall meal = Butternut squash soup. It is just perfect for a cool fall day or night. I found the recipe years ago on the food network website and have reworked it a little bit.

Butternut Squash Soup

This will feed 6-8 people. I usually make 1 + 1/2 recipe. I also add coriander and cumin and little extra sage and before I add in the tomatoes I add in extra balsamic to flavor the onions (enough to cover the bottom of the pot) and let it cook down.

From Food Network Kitchens

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed (I usually only use 2-3)
2 fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium canned plum tomatoes

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, veggie broth or water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (I use about 3 - 4 Tbsp)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break up and the onions brown slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the squash and the remaining teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Stir in the vinegar. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a touch of parmesan cheese if desired.

This is a little time intensive, but so worth it!

Pot Pie and Caramelized Onion + Bacon Mac-n-cheese

I made my own pastry dough the other day. It was so much easier than I thought it would be. Here is the recipe I used from Gourmet. I made a chicken pot pie with it. I used leftover chicken from a roast chicken I had made a couple days earlier and added it to a mixture of cream of chicken soup (I buy the low sodium, low fat), 1 cup of chicken broth, a handful of frozen petite onions (you could use 1/2 of a medium size white onion) and about 2 handfuls of frozen mixed vegetables (you can use whatever you have on hand, frozen or not). To flavor the mixture I added a dash of balsamic vinegar, dash of Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and a couple of sprigs of thyme and let it cook down.


Then I rolled out 1/2 of the pastry dough and placed it in the bottom of the pie plate. Then filled the pie plate with the chicken mixture and cover with the rest of the dough, pressing the edges to seal. Then I brushed it with a beaten egg (actually egg substitute because that is what I had in the fridge) and then made a couple of holes for the steam to escape. I baked it for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees (adjust based on your oven) until the crust was a golden brown. What a treat on a cold day. Karina liked it too.

Mac-n-cheese update and recipe:
I unfortunately didn't even get a call from the Tillamook people about my mac-n-cheese recipe. I'm not too surprised though, I've made some much better ones since then (I sent them only my 3rd try). Here is the basic recipe I've tweaked and then I'll write some additions at the bottom:

16 oz - dried campanelle pasta (you can use any time of noodles that you like)

¼ cup - unsalted butter

¼ cup - all purpose flour

2 ½ cups - fat free half and half (or any kind of milk you like)

¼ tsp – onion powder

½ tsp – ground coriander

1 1/2 - tsp - chili powder

1/4 tsp - cumin

1 Tbsp – yellow mustard powder

1 pinch – nutmeg

1 tsp – minced fresh garlic

¼ cup – minced shallots (you can use onions as well or just add more onion powder)

1/8 tsp - ground black pepper

1/2 tsp – kosher salt (separated)

zest of 1/2 a lime

3/4 cup – canned pureed pumpkin (or 1 large sweet potato that has been baked and then mashed without the skin)

8 oz – cream cheese (room temperature + cut into cubes) (I use neufchatel cream cheese that is lower in fat but still tastes good)

2 1/2 cups - cheddar cheese shredded (you could also use colby jack or any mixture of cheeses you like) 1/2 cups - mozzarella cheese shredded

3 Tbsp – plain bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot bring water for pasta to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to directions on package. Cook to the minimum time given on the package so that the noodles are al dente. Pour the noodles into a colander and drain. Set aside.

In a large deep sauce pan melt the butter over medium high heat. Once melted add the flour and whisk together. Keep whisking for about 3 minutes. Slowly add in the fat free half and half (or milk), about a ¼ cup at a time. Keep whisking and add in onion powder, coriander, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, nutmeg, garlic, shallots, pepper, lime zest and 1/4 tsp of salt. Whisk continually for about 5 minutes. Then mix in the pumpkin. Once the pumpkin is mixed in, turn burner down to simmer. Add cream cheese and whisk until incorporated and sauce is smooth. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the shredded cheeses. Whisk until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth (only lumps should be the shallots).

Once sauce is smooth, taste for more salt and add the remaining ¼ tsp if needed. Pour in cooked pasta and stir. If your saucepan can go into the oven, smooth out top of casserole and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. If it cannot, pour into casserole dish and then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

50 minutes to prep

20-25 minutes to cook in oven

Serves 8 people.

For some additional toppings you could caramelize onions and sprinkle them over the top before baking and then put the breadcrumbs over the onions. If you like bacon, you can cook about 4 slices of bacon (I used turkey, you can use any kind you want) in a saute pan until crispy. After you remove the bacon from the pan, add about 1 Tbsp of butter and then caramelize the onions in the butter and bacon with some thyme. Add the onions to the top of the mac-n-cheese and then crumble bacon over as well. This was amazing!

I know it seems like a long list of dry spices to include, but this is just the best mixture I've found. It still tastes great without the lime or if you don't have coriander or nutmeg, it's ok to leave them out or use your own favorite mixture of spices.

New look and new recipe adventures

Over the next few weeks you may see some more changes on my blog. I'm trying to make it look prettier :)

I've been experimenting more and making some good comfort meals now that the rain and cold weather has returned. I made pastry for the first time and experimenting with more mac-n-cheese recipes, all to come soon! But the template and photo changes are enough for me tonight.

Quinoa Butternut Squash Risotto

This was an experiment that worked! I wasn't sure if the Quinoa would get creamy enough to make risotto, but it did and mixed with roasted butternut squash = fall in a bowl :)

Quinoa Butternut Squash Risotto

1-2 cups water

1 med size butternut squash (cut in half) (or 2 pkgs already cut up from Trader Joes)

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 med onion minced

1 clove garlic minced

2 cups quinoa (or aborrio rice, brown rice or barley)

4-6 cups broth (vegetable broth or you can use water + add herbs, or chicken or beef broth. I use 1/2 chicken broth + 1/2 beef for best flavor)

2-3 sage leaves

2 tsp salt (may need more to your taste)

2 tsp pepper (more to your taste)

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (you can leave this out if making the dish vegan)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour water in baking dish (like a lasagna dish), enough to cover bottom. Place squash halves face down in water and prick the backs with a fork. Place in oven and roast for about 45 minutes.

Heat broth/water in a saucepan or glass bowl in microwave. In a saucepan melt butter then add onion and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes or until onions begin to become translucent. Add quinoa and stir to coat with butter, onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add about a cup of hot broth and stir until incorporated. Repeat until you taste the quinoa and its creamy, probably about 30 - 45 min. Then remove from heat and add sage, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese (add more or less of any of these to your taste).

Take finished squash out of the oven and allow to cool enough for you scrape out the flesh and mix it into the quinoa mixture. Add more seasoning to taste. Then serve!

[You can also make this an easy way. I make it in the rice cooker with a little less liquid and its not as smooth and creamy, but still yummy and takes less time and effort]

Just got the computer back, so photos finally next time!

Last of the summer and first fall farmer's market trip!

So we don't have our laptop back yet, so I still can't post the beautiful pictures of my tomatoes!! But I figured I would post to give you some ideas of what I've been doing with my cherry tomatoes and lemon tomatoes from the garden.

My new favorite breakfast is a tomatoes, herbs and an egg on toast. I've made a couple of versions, but basically you dice up tomatoes mix with a little salt, pepper, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and whatever fresh herbs you have. Let that sit while you make a piece of toast in the toaster + make an egg either over medium or over hard or you can poach the egg (I've never been very good at it. Only one out of 8 tries does that come out right!) Put the toast on the plate, top with egg and then tomato mixture. Add a couple of slices of avocado if you have it.Yum. Karina doesn't like it too much, but she doesn't really eat tomatoes. More for me :)

I've also been grilling more pizzas with tomatoes and making bruschetta. I also made a Rachel Ray recipe with a tomato and cucumber salad. Her recipe is basically to make a meatloaf with ground turkey, greek seasoning (oregano, mint, salt, pepper, lemon zest), feta + spinach. Your own homemade gyros! One the side mix tomatoes, cucumber, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar.

Anytime you want more specifics on the amounts, please let me know! I am trying harder to make note of how much I use, but don't always write it down. I'm happy to tell you more details!

The new fall produce has arrived at the Ballard Farmer's Market! Last week I bought a spaghetti squash and made a new take on spaghetti and meatballs. Here is the recipe I've given before that is my go to for spaghetti squash. Then in a crock pot put 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, 1 cup beef or chicken broth, 1 cup water + 1Tbsp Worcestershire sauce with a bag of frozen turkey meatballs from trader joes. Cook for 2-3 hours on low.

Fall is my favorite season so stay tune for some great fall comfort food recipes!!

Continuing my cooking on a budget…breakfast, bbqs and evening with friends

Limiting myself trips to the grocery store is really helping our budget and my creativity :) Life still happens when you’re on a budget however and I love to play hostess, so when we had a couple of evenings in one week where I was hosting a group of people for dinner, it was a challenge to stay in budget and still make good food, but I think I pulled it off! I based my menu around what was on sale.

One night I had the girls from my book club over and we wanted to enjoy the backyard, so I made grilled pizzas. I bought a veggie tray from Trader Joe’s as the appetizer so the girls could nibble while I grilled the pizzas. Here is the link to my blog about how to grill a pizza. First pizza was a caesar salad pizza, with chicken (marinated in caesar dressing and cooked in advance). Dough is topped with a thin layer of caesar dressing, light covering of mozzarella + chicken while on the grill. When you take it off of the grill, add the caesar salad and some shredded parmesan. Second pizza was a traditional magherita with fresh mozzarella tomatoes and basil. Third pizza was a caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza. Dough was topped with caramelized onions (made in advance) and goat cheese. This was the favorite!

Dessert was simple. 1 package sugar free white chocolate pudding, 1 package sugar free chocolate fudge pudding, chocolate chips, and sliced strawberries. Just layer ingredients and you have a trifle!

Another night we had a friends from PEPS over. I made a quinoa salad (thanks Jodi for the idea!!) and baked lemon chicken. I also was feeling very domestic and made oatmeal white chocolate chip craisin cookies. Cook the quinoa like you would rice. I used chicken stock in stead of water (you could also use veggie stock or water). Let the quinoa cool and prepare a vinagrette or use a salad dressing you like and have on hand and pour over quinoa (once cool). I used Paul Newman’s olive oil vinagrette and mixed in some pepper and lemon juice. Then add whatever you usually add to pasta salad. I used cubed colby jack, roasted zucchini and diced tomatoes. Chill and serve. [Another twist on pasta salad can be found at Family friendly food, a blog I follow.]

Baked Lemon chicken is something I have made for years and varies depending on what I have on hand. I cut the boneless chicken breasts into smaller pieces so they would cook faster and marinated them in lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, pepper, lemon zest and honey. Put the chicken into a baking pan, drizzle with honey, cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Then take the foil off and bake for another 30-45 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces).

Some weekend mornings I actually have the urge to make a big breakfast. I really wanted eggs benedict but have never made hollandaise sauce and didn’t have the time or energy to look it up at 8:30 in the morning (it was my morning to sleep in. Tim and I switch off each weekend day). I decided to make a cheese sauce (which I just learned from all of my mac n cheese experiments). I made a lighter cheese sauce (2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 ½ - 2 cups of milk, 3-4 sprigs thyme, salt, pepper, yellow mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder and 1 ½ cups skim mozzarella) and put that over the poached egg and tomatoes (diced and mixed with garlic, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar) on wheat toast. It was soooo good. I had enough cheese sauce leftover that I boiled some water while we were eating our breakfast and made pasta, mixed pureed pumpkin in with the cheese sauce, poured the cheese sauce over the pasta and baked it for 20 minutes. We spent the morning at home and then after Karina’s nap were able to go out for the rest of the afternoon and enjoy ourselves. We came home just before dinner. I reheated the mac-n-cheese and dinner was served in 10 minutes!

Luckily these meals provided leftovers again for lunch and dinners on the nights in between when I didn’t cook. Making cooking easier by giving yourself nights off is important. Those nights off don’t have to be about takeout (unless you want them to be). If you are trying to save money, make enough of one dish to have leftovers. If you don’t want to eat the same thing all week, freeze the food and then you can take different items out of the freezer and reheat on nights you don’t want to cook. But, like I have said from the beginning with this blog, everything in moderation. Not everyone is organized to cook every night and have freezer foods on hand, etc all the time. I know I’m not. Don’t beat yourself up about ordering pizza or going through the drivethru every once in a while. Taking the time to read this blog and other cooking sites shows you care about what you and your kids eat, even if you just think about trying the recipes. It’s the thought that counts J On that rogue day that you have some time and are in the mood to cook, you have an arsenal of recipes and methods in this blog, cookbooks (and more cookbooks)I mentioned and just by Googling. (Yes I think that is a verb now).

Happy cooking! Coming up…hopefully some recipes with food from my garden. My zucchini is not looking happy…

Sorry there are no pictures this week. The hard drive of our laptop died and our photos are on it! Luckily the Geeksquad was able to retrieve the info, but the computer I am working on now doesn’t have a dvd drive to read the info. Couple more weeks and the computer will be back and pictures of my garden will be up!