Classic Crockpot Chili

It's almost that time of year:-) I freaking love Fall- Its the best. I love cockpot meals, and I love that my kids eat them. Chili is one if the easiest to prepare and easiest to make healthy. My kiddos eat it plain, on hot dogs (gross), or (duh) with Fritos. One if them loves ketchup on chili (seriously... so gross), and one loves it on baked potato (even though he doesn't like potatoes)... hmm... boys are wierd. But whatever, cook it like this, and your family can wreck it however they'd like;-)

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (turkey can be used too)
5 cans of beans (I mix light and dark kidney beans with black beans)
1 quart diced tomatoes in juice
1-2 quart stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 large onion
2 cans diced green chilis
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped (or 2 tbs dried)
Juice and zest of one lime
2 tbs cumin*
1 tbs chili powder*
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper

After browning and draining the hamburger, place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Garnish with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Or, if you are like my children, garnish with a bag of Fritos and some ketchup:-)

Leftover idea: drain all the juice and roll the filling in tortillas. Cover in enchilada sauce and bake for 35 mins on 350 for some quick, home made enchiladas.

Omit the meat and use veggie stock for a vegan option. Conveniently, this dish is also gluten, dairy, egg, and nut free:-)

*You can sub taco seasoning for these spices

Crockpot Potato Soup

This is the perfect soup for Fall. The kids love it because its "yummy" and I love it because its easy and inexpensive. Plus, crockpots are great because you only have one dish to clean when you're done:-)

You'll need:
7-10 potatoes, washed and diced (I like Yukon Golds and reds mixed, but any kind will do). In the end it will be about 8 cups.
2 onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 leeks, sliced very thin (or use 2 bunches green onions)
1 quart stalk (chicken or vegetable- homemade is best)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients except the cream in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add cream for the last 30 minutes.

We serve our with bacon pieces on top and steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.

Broccoli Pasta Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

I was surprised at this one. I love love love food, but I am not a big one on fruit with vegetables at the same time. Fruit with meat: okay. Fruit with veggies: eh... whatever. I'll try any food once. This time I'm glad I did.

My grandma was telling me all about a salad she had at a bbq thag had grapes and broccoli in it.

I was like "Whaaaat?!"

Then I thought about it. If some random person at a potluck bbq at the senior center can make grapes taste good with broccoli, I can too. So I did, and this is how...

What you'll need:

1 box pasta (I used the rainbow bow tie)
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into small peices (florets and some stems)
4 green onions
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (I think pecans wojld be delicious too!)
1 cup red grapes, halved or quartered depending on the size
Optional: 3 slices of cooked, chopped bacon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chill in a bowl and toss with all ingredients except grapes and almonds. Add the dressing (recipe below). Mix in the grapes and nuts just before serving.

Champagne Vinaigrette:

1shallot, minced
1 tbs hot Chinese mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup champagne vinegar (could also use a mix of champagne vinegar and apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup salad oil
Salt and red or white pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor and blend until smooth. While on high,  slowly add in oil. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for one week.

Baked Spaghetti

One of my friends brought this to me and my family after I had Dexter. Everyone loved it and I have made it a few times since then. The one that was brought to me was more basic, but I had to add more ingredients... because you know me: I'm a glamour recipe girl;-)

It is so easy and the recipe can be teased without screwing it up. Good luck!

Boil 16oz of spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the packet. I used whole wheat linguine but you can use whatever kind you would like and it wohld still work.

Prep:
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch spinach cut into chiffonaude ribbons
3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbs fresh Sweet Basil, chopped
3-4 whole eggs
4 tbs butter
2 cups cheese total, grated (I used feta, mozzarella, and parmesan)
Salt and pepper

Toss all of the ingredients with the pasta in a large bowl. Press into a 9×13 baking dish and top with 2-3 cups marinara sauce (I can homemade tomato sauce every year so that is what I used. Store bought or fresh homemade work too). Top with a little cheese.

Bake at 365 for about 45 minutes.

It can be prepared and frozen ahead of time. Thaw before baking.

Superbowl Party Menu!

I am not a football fan- at all really.  To be honest, I don't even know who is playing this year:/  I usually watch just for the food.  So, here is a fun Superbowl menu idea with recipes.

Busy Mama Recipes



1. Guacamole.  Duh.  Did you know that more avocados are sold the Saturday before the Superbowl than any other day?  That's pretty weird- but a testament to how good guac is during the game.  There are literally thousands of recipes out there, but this is mine, just in case you need ideas:

4-5 avocados
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed (or my favorite- pickled jalapenos, chopped)
1 shallot, sliced finely
zest and juice of one lime
1 bunch cilantro (leaves only, chopped)
1 tbs Chile powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and fresh black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store covered in the fridge.  

2. Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers.  Yum.  Click here for the recipe and variations.  


3. Jalapeno Popper Dip.  This is a great alternative to the cheese and bean dip.  I have seen several recipes on Pinterest and other sites, so there are a ton of option to choose from.  I have made something similar to this many times, I just didn't call it "jalapeno popper" dip.  Click here for my recipe.


4.  Seven Layer Dip.  Well, sort of.  This particular one happens to be 8 layers:-) With all of the cheese and Mexican flavors in the first two dishes, having yet another Mexican style dip seems a little over the top.  So.... GREEK DIP it is!  I have also seen this on Pinterest   This is my recipe, but again, you can Google this and come up with tons of other ideas.

24 ounces hummus (I like roasted garlic, but you can use any flavor you want)
24 ounces prepared Greek Yogurt Sauce (recipe below)
1 cucumber, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
About 1 cups chopped Kalamata olives
About 1 cups chopped Greek Pepperoncinis
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Chopped fresh dill (about 1/4 cup)

Layer the ingredient in order in a casserole dish.  Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Greek yogurt sauce:  Mix 24 ounces of Greek yogurt with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs lemon juice or red vinegar, salt, pepper, and 2 tsp dried oregano.  Normally I would also add dill and cucumber but it's not necessary since those are already in this dip.  

5. Chicken Salad.  Mmm... This is the one I love.  It's perfect because it is different from all of the other dishes.  Click here for my Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe.  


6. Fruit Salad.  Again, thousands and thousands of variations, but click here for my recipe for fruit salad with a yogurt dressing. 


7.  Are you making buffalo wings?  I don't have a recipe on hand for them (well, I haven't made them in a while so I don't want to post without testing it once).  But, I do have a pretty yummy recipe for Bleu Cheese Dip that would go pretty well with any buffalo wings you make:-)


8. And finally, the main dish.  This is a homemade calzone-type dish that can be made with multiple variations (included in the recipe).  I like this one because you can choose which kind you would like, plus you can serve it hot or cold and you can slice it for easy serving.  People love it! The recipe and variations are here in my blog.

Instead of Mayo...

I hate mayonnaise on sandwiches, usually.  I can handle it is it's just a small amount or if it's used in tuna salad or something like that.  But really, I would rather have something yummier (and healthier if possible).

We have sandwiches all the time at my house (my grandpa grinds his own wheat so sometimes I even make my own bread;-)... not all the time though).  My favorite is avocado or salsa in place of mayo, but we have hummus, pesto, and other spreads that we like too.  Below are some recipes to spruce up mayo or a like spread.  You can keep them in your fridges for about a week, covered, and use them the whole week.  some of them make good spreads for wraps and paninis too.

I like to use homemade mayonnaise in these recipes because I get free eggs from my grandpa's chickens and it's fairly easy to make.  However, store bought is easy for a lot of people because it's what they have on hand in their fridge.  Plus, since the store bought kind uses pasteurized eggs, mayo takes forever to go bad, whereas the homemade kind goes bad quicker, even if you coddle the eggs. 

1. Red Onion Mayo

We used this at Allyson's Kitchen when we made ham sandwiches.  It's so easy- roast half a red onion in the oven, chop it up super fine, mix with 1/4 cup mayo, and add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  mix it up and use it as a spread. 

2. Horseradish Mayo

We also used something similar to this at Allyson's Kitchen.  Obviously, this spread is a fav on roast beef.  It can also be used as a sauce for meat and veggie platter that include roast beef or pastrami.  So easy:  Mix 1/2 cup mayo with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish.  Add 4 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley, and the zest and juice of one lemon.  Top it off with paprika, salt, and pepper, and it makes one delicious spread!  

3. Pesto Mayo

Easy.  Mix one part pesto to one part mayo (I also like to use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead because it's healthier).  I like to use basil pesto, parsley pesto, or sundried tomato pesto- which goes great on a sandwich with fresh mozzarella, red onion, and balsamic vinegar.

4. Blue Cheese (one of my favorites).

Use this blue cheese dressing recipe but instead of using 1/4 cup each buttermilk and mayo, use more mayo and less buttermilk so it's thicker.  It's up to you how much you vary the recipe.

5. Honey Mustard

It's a more fun alternative over yellow mustard and mayonnaise.  Plus, this recipe is vegan and FAT FREE!  You can't beat that! Use this Spicy Honey Dijon recipe.  This also makes a great dipping sauce for meat and cheese platters- especially with ham or roast beef.  

6. Caesar (or garlic aioli)

Caeser dressing is basic.  I love homemade, but for an easier version, mix 1/4 cup mayo, 3 anchovies (pureed), lemon juice from half a lemon, 1 tsp Dijon, and 4-5 cloves or minced garlic together.  Add salt and pepper at the end.  Easy! 

Greek Style Vinaigrette (Red Wine)

Just like the other dressing recipes I have posted, I love this one.  It's difficult for me to dislike a dressing (as long as it's made correctly).  I'm a junkie.  This one in particular is one of my favorites because we grew up on a similar version.  My favorite way of having it is on a tomato-cucumber-onion salad with feta, Kalamata olives, and hot Greek peppers.  But, it's also great on meat and for dipping bread in - I have a great recipe for Greek Artisan Bread, too!

Ingredients:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 tbs honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp mustard seed (or- don't tell my grandpa- but hot Chinese mustard works well too)
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs each salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor until well mixed. slowly add in oil, blending the entire time on high, to prevent the dressing from separating.

Photo Credit: Unknown

Whenever I make the dressing it always separates a little bit because the garlic floats to the top.  Just swirl it around or shake it (if you have a lid for the bottle) and it mixes easily.

Note: When I use high quality vinegar, I don't add honey to this recipe, mostly because when I grew up on it, honey wasn't used.  However, honey does take the bite out of the dressing, particularly if you are using a cheaper quality vinegar from a grocery store.

Also, growing up, my family always used one part vinegar to two parts oil.  It does calm the bite down, but also doesn't give quite as much flavor, has more calories per serving, and is more expensive to make.

This recipe is very similar to my Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe, and the two can be used in place of each other in most recipes.  This recipe turns out more spicy than the other because of the ratio of garlic and spice to the ration of "liquid" ingredients.  It can be adjusted if you like the flavor but not the heat.

Coffee Creamer Without the Crap

Update 11/12/2013:  First, I want to say thank you to all of my readers and followers!  This recipe has had over 1000 views in less than a year and hundreds of repins on Pinterest.  I couldn't be happier!  Thank you:-)  I also wanted to add a few holiday recipes to the blog and decided to update this one with Egg Nog Creamer.  I made it this morning, and it was fabulous.  It tasted so much better than the kind at the store.  The recipe variation is at the very bottom of the list..  

Busy Mama Recipes




I was making coffee at my house this morning, wishing I had an espresso machine. Oh well, Santa is forgiven... this year... ;-)

When I worked at Allyson's Kitchen, I drank a ton of coffee each day. I worked long days cooking, catering, cooking classes, etc and we had an espresso machine. So why not? I had the most amazing drinks there. Part of the reason was our house made coffee creamer.

We made different kinds depending on the season. They all turned out great. They are very easy and don't have all of the chemicals that the store bought creamer does.

I always used equal parts dairy and sweetened condensed milk. Working for a restaurant we had access to different sizes of condensed milk. The only ones in the grocery store are 14 ounces, but it works.  Most of the time the other milk was whole milk. But using half and half, 1%, non fat, soy, whatever will also work. Just depends on your preference. Also, some flavored milks or other milk, like coconut milk, can give a very yummy flavor.

I like my coffee not so sweet. If you like sweeter, you can add a sugar or simple syrup to your creamer (or stevia, whatever your preference). You can also buy the bottle of flavored syrup (like the kind they use at coffee shops) and add a little of that to your creamer.

Basic Sweet Cream:
14oz sweetened condensed milk
14oz milk of your choice

Mix together well and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

More variations include:

Coconut Creamer: use coconut milk or add 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Vanilla: add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. You could also use vanilla soy milk.

Mexican Mocha: add cinnamon and a little cocoa powder

Almond Joy: add cocoa powder, almond extract, and use coconut milk (or coconut extract and almond milk)

Cherry Almond: cherry syrup and almond milk

Black Forrest: cocoa powder and cherry syrup

Vanilla Honey: add vanilla bean paste and local honey. Add cinnamon too- this is one of my favorites.

Raspberry White Chocolate: raspberry flavoring and some white chocolate powder or melted white chocolate. I would suggest not adding sugar to this one.

Hazelnut: add hazelnut extract

Snickers: hazelnut extract, caramel or caramel flavor, and cocoa powder

Peppermint mocha: peppermint extract and cocoa powder

Creme de Menthe: add spearmint extract

Salted Caramel: add caramel sauce or flavor and sprinkle sea salt and sugar on top.

French Vanilla: add hazelnut extract and vanilla bean paste

Pumpkin Spice (my favorite): on stove top, heat up 1/8 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), 14oz sweet condensed milk, 2tbs brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Mix well. It will turn out like a thick sauce. Add that sauce to 14oz of milk and mix well. You may choose to add more milk because this is one of the sweeter recipes.

Italian Sweet Creme: add vanilla and almond extract
EggNog: Use eggnog for the milk and add nutmeg to the top

Quick Mexican Dip

Perfect for parties, potlucks, and dinners.  Inexpensive and easy to make, plus it's very easy to half or double or triple this recipe!  Everyone loves it and it's very non traditional (who else is getting tired of cheeseballs?)  I actually got the idea from someone who made Jalapeno Popper Dip and brought it to work.  It was good, but I wanted a little bit more from it.

This is what you'll need:

3 8oz packages of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream or Mexican Crema
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 small cans diced green chiles
2 small cans jalapeno peppers (or about 4-7 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced, without seeds)
2 tbs taco seasoning (or 1 tbs cumin, 1 tbs chile powder)
1 tbs dried cilantro
3 diced green onions

Mix all ingredients together and bake on 375 for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or bread.

Meat and Veggie Soup *then magically* Beer Stew!!!

It's freezing outside, so it's time for some soup recipes.  I love soup because 1. It warms everyone up. 2. It's filling. 3. It's usually fairly easy and inexpensive to make. 4. It's easy to make it healthy and "hide" vegetables and other things in it. 5. Leftovers! 6. You can make it in a stockpot or a crockpot, which requires hardly any effort and almost no cleanup. 7. Easy to make adjustments, like omit pepper and add eggplant, for example. 8. SO EASY to make allergy friendly!  I have so many friends and relatives that can't have gluten, dairy, sugar, etc. Soup is easy to make without pesky ingredients that your family can't have.

Oh yeah, and you can freeze the leftovers for a quick dinner someday when you don't feel like cooking (I'm stocking up for maternity leave).  I did it when I was pregnant with my son and it was SO worth it.  Brilliant.

This recipe is pretty basic.  It follows the Paleo diet too, which wasn't on purpose, but can't hurt, right?  My grandfather makes a version of it, but usually uses lamb and adds barley.  I love potatoes right now, so skip the barley and sub the elk meat that I have in my freezer, and this soup is almost free:-)

You'll need:

1 quart of canned tomatoes (I used more- one quart plus some more.  I can my own tomatoes so I always have extra in the fridge.  You can also use fresh if you'd like)
2 quarts broth (I used beef broth because that's what I had.  Again, I usually make my own and freeze it, so I have used vegetable stock and chicken stock in place and it tastes fine).
About 1-2 pounds of meat of your choice, chopped into bite size pieces.  I LOVE lamb, but I don't always have it.  Beef is great, as is deer or elk (the other flavors get rid of the "gamey" taste.  You could also omit the mat for a vegetarian/ vegan soup).
5 potatoes of your choice, diced (I used medium sized Yukon Golds, so if you use larger potatoes like Russets, or smaller ones like Reds- my fav- just adjust to how much you want).
3 cups of green beans (This is a guess, as I used frozen beans from the garden, so I'm not sure exactly how much it was.  You can use fresh or frozen, but keep in mind the frozen don't take as long to cook).
1 bell pepper, diced (I like green and Kevin likes red.  It doesn't matter which you choose)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 or 2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt, pepper, oregano, parlsey, and a little thyme (I used all dried and just added until I though it tasted right)

Per usual, saute the carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil until softened.  Add the potatoes and meat and saute until browned.  Add all of the rest of the ingredient except the beans and spices.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about an hour, covered.  Add in the beans and spices and simmer until the beans are done.

Turn down to low and cover.  Keep warm until you are ready to eat.

You can also do this in a crockpot, although you may have to half this recipe if you don't have a large crockpot.  Just add everything except the beans and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Add the beans and cook for another hour.  I like this method because i can get it ready the night before and have it cook while I'm at work during the day.  Dinner is ready when i get home and there is hardly any cleanup.

Now comes the exciting part.... TA-DA!!!

The next day, instead of having the same thing again, make it into something even cooler by adding a few things.

Warm the soup on the stove and add (what I call) "butter balls".  I call it that mostly because it's funny, and parlty because I don't know what these things are actually called.  What you do is you take equal parts butter and flour and roll it together in your hand until it forms a tiny ball.  You can add these little balls to anything to thicken it, which is what we are doing to this soup.  If you used marble size butter balls, you will probably add between 7 and 12, depending on how much soup you have leftover.

Of course, this is the perfect opportunity for some trickery:  Puree steamed vegetable like spinach, kale, zucchini, red pepper, and add them in as well.  Your kids won't know that its extra- healthy and you score mom points for preventing illness;-)

Then, add half a can of beer.  It doesn't matter which kid as long as it's not some weird flavor, like pumpkin ale.

Serve this thickened stew with shredded cheddar cheese (or smoked cheddar) on the top.  YUMMMMM...

And of course, the leftovers will pair well with.... beer! The first one will pair well with a red wine like merlot.

Cranberry Pomegranate Glaze- for a Turkey, Chicken, or Ham

This year I got to have Thanksgiving twice.  We celebrated on Thanksgiving day with my grandparents, and then celebrated again with my dad's family the Saturday after.  Of course, because we have a big fat mixed family, by Saturday everyone had already celebrated their traditional Thanksgiving, including taking home leftovers.  Since I was in charge of the bird on Saturday, I decided to do a glazed turkey instead of a marinated one, like my family usually expects.

I always brine my turkey in salt water and white wine for a few days before cooking it.  Usually, when you buy a turkey from a grocery store (unless it's organic or all natural, and sometimes even then), the bird will be injected with saline to make the white meat more moist.  Brining is essentially the same thing, only a more natural process and an opportunity to add more flavor (like with wine, herbs, flavored salts, etc). If anyone is interested, I can post a recipe and directions for brining a turkey:-)

Normally a day before I cook the turkey, I marinate it with olive oil, green onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, lemon juice, and pepper.  This year, I did almost the same thing, but made it into more of a paste than a dressing.  I used fresh parsley, green onions, garlic, thyme, and some sage with the other ingredients, and when I was done blending it, it looked like pesto.  I rubbed the whole turkey with it, concentrating on the inside of the cavity and under the skin.

I put apple, celery, rosemary, sage, and lemon inside of the turkey and put it in the oven to roast as I normally do.  Every 30 minutes, I opened the oven and poured some glaze over the top.  This made the turkey very brown (because of the sugar), and caused the turkey to have a crunchy, sweet outside moist, flavorful meat on the inside.  It was a hit at dinner, and a good break from the usual turkey.

For the glaze, you will need:

8 cups of juice total (you can mix cranberry and pomegranate juice however you'd like.  I prefer to use the unsweetened kind).
8 cups brown sugar
1-2 pears, cut in half
1 bay leaf
pinch of red pepper flakes
whole peppercorns
sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage, or any other herbs you'd like to use
3-4 whole cloves
1 clove of garlic, whole

Put all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until the sugar melts.  Simmer for about 30 minutes until all of the flavors blend, and take it off the heat.  Cover and let it sit overnight.  Pour over meat that is in the process of cooking every 30 minutes or so.  This much will be enough to glaze a 14 pound turkey.

You can also make adjustments to fit your taste.  Orange juice is great in it.  I have seen people use apple instead of pear.  Some people like it with more heat, so they add red pepper flakes and cayenne.  Some like the "spicyness" of the holidays, so it would be yummy to add extra cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks.

When I did a ham for Christmas two years ago, I used maple extract with extra clove and pineapple juice with the cranberry juice.  I have also done pork with balsamic vinegar and peach juice for a glaze.  Honey is delicious on a roasted chicken.  Honey and lime is great on fish.

I gave this recipe to a friend of mine, and I believe she did oranges and mustard seed for the glaze, because most people in her family are not into cranberry.  She said the turkey turned out amazing and she will be doing something similar in the future.  (BTW, this was the first time she made Thanksgiving dinner by herself, and she did this with no problems.  This method is very easy).

One Week of Entrees MADE EASY

Normally I do a post about one recipe, but this one is different.  This is seven days of entrees (and a few easy side dishes) for a family of four.  Of course, because I hardly ever follow "recipes", these are more of guidelines.  If you replace ingredients in these recipes with other favorites, they will still taste great.

Busy Mama Recipes



First, start with your grocery list.  Some of this stuff, of course, you will already have in your fridge and pantry, so don't panic when you see how long it is.  For the entire week, you will need:

Two whole chickens
6 or 7 carrots
celery hearts
4 white onions
4 potatoes
2 lemons and 2 limes
2 large cans of whole, peeled tomatoes (Night 3)
cherry tomatoes
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch cilantro
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno
3 bunch green onions
rice (Night 5)
2 cans vegetable stock (Optional for Night 5, see alternative)
dry spices, salt, pepper
garnishes like sour cream, lemon wedges, salsa, parmesan cheese, and bread

Night #1: Roasted Chicken and veggies

In a large roasting pan, place both chickens, chopped carrots, celery, potatoes and onion (I have also added brussel sprouts and asparagus).  Rub the chicken with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.  Roast on 350, half an hour per pound, breast up.  The vegetables will serve as a side dish.

NOTE: Only eat one chicken, and save one.  One 6 pound chicken with a side should serve a family of four (two adults, two kids) for two nights.

Night #3

DO ONE DAY AHEAD: Pull the chicken off of the second chicken and chop.  You will have a great mix of white and dark meat.  Save this meat in the fridge for later.  Place the bones in a large stock pot and simmer to make chicken broth.  You can follow the directions from a previous blog post and simplify it by not adding all of the veggies if you don't have them on hand.

In a separate heavy bottom stock pot, follow the directions here to make tomato soup.  For the purpose of being quick and cheap, only use carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato, stock, cream, basil, lemon juice and spices, along with other ingredients you may have on hand.

This should make about 3 quarts of soup.  If you serve it with bread and salad, you will have enough for two days.

NIGHT #5

This is a recipe that I "borrowed succesfully" from my aunt.  Thanks Angie! :-) It is delicious.  I modified mine a little.  I used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, although if I would have had time I would have done home made like she did, I was just out.  I also used a mix of white onion and green onion instead of sweet like she said, because that's what I had in my kitchen, and that's what I was using with the other meals I made this week.  I also added small diced carrots because I had a lot that I needed to get rid of.

With this series of recipes, you will use the chicken meat from the extra chicken you roasted earlier in the week.  You can use the two cans of veggie stock, like I did, or if you are feeling crafty, you can use the bones from the chicken to make chicken stock.  Follow her recipe here, but skip the part where you roast a chicken, since that part will already be done.

http://www.fitforintimacy.com/chicken-rice-soup-with-lime-cilantro/

This recipe should give enough for two nights as well.


NIGHT #6 or #7

Pasta Primavera!

The next recipe is vegetarian (because we always have a meatless day in our house;-))

Saute veggies in some olive or grapeseed oil.  I use carrots, celery, onion, red pepper, and anything you have left from the week.  Add some garlic and lemon zest and juice.  Sometimes I add butter to make it creamier, but it's not a necessity.

Boil noodles according to the package directions, and serve with the veggies and parmesan cheese.

Stewart helped me make "his" pasta.  It can be made into pasta salad, so if you have any of these ingredients, use them!  They would be delicious!

Good luck! :-)

The Easiest, Fastest Casserole. Kid Friendly AND Cheap!

Usually I don't use canned food, and I stay away from store bought frozen food.  However, I am pregnant, tired, and I have been pretty ill lately because of it.  Sometimes, I have to bite the bullet and just not be Martha Stewart for five minutes (and be more like Rachel Ray.... haha, only some of you will get that;-))

Tonight I needed a cheap, easy dinner that could be made fast and last a few days (during soccer season we eat leftovers often).  This is what I came up with, and I have to say it's pretty yummy!

Tuna Casserole

1 box whole wheat penne pasta (of course you could also use orzo, macaroni, or rice)

3 cans tuna or salmon (in water, not oil)

2 cups frozen broccoli pieces

2 cups mixed frozen vegetables (I used peas and carrots, but lima beans, green beans, corn, etc will work)

1 cup frozen pepper strips (I buy the rainbow kind, which are actually usually cheaper than buying fresh bell peppers, so that is a win)

2 8oz containers Greek Yogurt

2 cans cream-of-something soup (I used mushroom, but chicken or celery would also work.  The low fat or fat free kinds are great!  When I was pro Martha Stewart, I would keep homemade creamy "soup"/ sauce frozen so I could use it in cases like these.  I am much lazier now.)

bread crumbs

cheddar or parmesan cheese (optional)

salt and pepper

Boil the pasta al dente.  Drain and put in a large bowl.  Add all of the other ingredients except the bread crumbs and cheese.  Mix well and put into a large casserole dish (I actually had to split mine into two smaller ones).

Sprinkle the cheese and bread crumbs on top.  If you want, you can also add some bread crumbs and cheese to the inside.  The amount is your preference:-)

Bake on 375 for about 30 minutes and enjoy with some salt and pepper (or, if you are like me, some Tabasco! Mmm) 

Of course, if you had more time to prepare, you could use fresh veggies, homemade cream sauce (simple white sauce recipe), and chicken instead of tune (which you shouldn't eat often anyway because of the mercury levels).  I would have added shredded carrots, mushrooms, and spinach.  I would have loved to use brown rice instead of pasta, but you need to cook it for about 50 minutes because baking (follow the package directions).

It is also possible to make this in the crockpot, but it won't be as crispy on top.  

This dish can be frozen and baked at a later time.  Great back up for unexpected dinner guests! 

Healthy Lunches for Kids (and Grown Ups)

Busy Mama Recipes



Today I was on the internet all day.  I know, it's so sad.  I am sick and pregnant, and my energy level was non existent.  The only time I hustled was when I needed to run to the toilet to vom:/  Gross.  Anyway, I read an article about school lunches, and how bad they are for kids.  I already knew that they were pretty gross, but reading the comments on the article, it was apparent that not everyone does know.

Processed "chicken" nuggets, pizza with no toppings except cheese and pepperoni, instant mashed potatoes with gravy - those are some of the things children are getting when they buy lunch at school.  At first I was thinking: easy fix, pack your children's lunches.  But then I thought about the families that use the reduced or free lunch program for their kids, and I felt bad.  Families that can't afford to pack their kids lunches are at a complete disadvantage, because their kids don't have a choice.  Not only are the kids forced to eat a very non nutritious main course, the side dishes are sub par as well: canned fruit (full of sugar), "salad" (lettuce with shredded carrot and cabbage) with calorie rich ranch dressing, or french fries (which, sadly enough, are actually considered a serving of vegetables at school... sick).  Hardly ever does the school serve fresh fruit or vegetables, mainly because of waste (veggie going bad before they can all be consumed).

So, I have put together a list of healthy, cheap lunches you can pack for your kids to take to school (or for you to take to work!).  I know they are kid friendly because I have tested most on my kids, and they are the pickiest eaters on the planet.

PBJB and Fruit
This first one is a modified recipe.  I saw a photo of something similar on Pinterest and my mind wheels starting turning.  The recipe on pinterest showed bananas as the only fruit used, so I thought it would be cool to add some.  Why not get brownie points for extra vitamins?

1 whole wheat tortilla or pita bread
2 straberries, sliced
1/2 banana, sliced,
1 kiwi, diced
grapes, halved
2 tbs peanuts, almonds, or granola
2 tbs reduced fat natural peanut butter or cream cheese

Spread the cream cheese or peanut butter on the warm tortilla and sprinkle all of the fruit and nuts over it and roll up.  This is a perfect lunch or snack, because it contains fruit, grain/ carb, and protein from the cheese or peanut butter.


Turkey Wrap

This recipe can be modified to add all sorts of things, but this is the way I usually make it.  Both the kids love it, and it's a fun change from a sandwich.  For a lunch, leave it whole.  For a snack, roll up the wrap and slice into little discs, which make it even more fun for kids to eat.  With my kids, fun= they will eat it.

1 whole wheat tortilla of flavored tortilla, such as spinach or tomato
2 tbs hummus (any flavor will work, but my kids like the "red" kind, which is red pepper)
Sweet onion (you can use regular onion, but Stewart (he is 7) LOVES sweet onion
tomato slices or halved cherry tomatoes
spinach or lettuce (I prefer spinach because of the extra vitamins)
alfalfa sprouts
turkey lunch meat (I prefer Jennie- O Turkey Pastrami.  It is very cheap compared to other meats, and tastes great.  It also is 99% fat free and low in sodium)
avocado
String Cheese (Lucerne makes a reduced fat kind, which tastes pretty close to the original)

Warm tortilla and spread the hummus on it, add all of the veggies and roll up.  Pretty tasty, healthy lunch or snack!


Greek Chicken Wrap

Another recipe that can be easily changed to fit what your kids love.  This is the most simple way that I have made it in the past, but I am constantly adding things to it.  Keep in mind you can also omit ingredients and it will still be delicious, but cheaper and faster.  I do this when I make chicken for dinner and have leftovers (or, make more ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for recipes like this).

1 whole wheat or flavored tortilla or pita bread
1/4 cup cooked chicken
2 tbs hummus or yogurt sauce (recipe below)
alfalfa sprouts
spinach
cucumber slices
tomato slices or halved cherry tomatoes
olive slices or pepperoncinis
sweet onion slices
feta cheese
lemon pepper

Warm the tortilla and spread the hummus or sauce over it.  Add all of the other ingredients and roll up.  Because this wrap has such strong flavors, it is extremely easy to hide more vegetables, just cut them small!

For yogurt sauce, mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream with 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp dried dill weed, and salt and pepper.  You can also grate cucumber into the sauce if you have leftover cukes from this recipe.

Obviously, I am a fan of wraps for kids lunches:-)  They pack easily, aren't messy to eat, can be healthy, and they can be cheap to make.  Plus, they taste good and are quick and easy.  Among these wrap recipes, there are many, many healthy snacks to go into kids' lunches along with these.  Some of my favorites are: crackers with homemade dip or cheese, veggies with hummus or salsa or guacamole, cut up fruit, pretzels, or nuts/ granola.  It's easy to stay away from packaged things like fruit snacks, candy, and chips when you know what is in them:/

Some of the recipes on my blog are also great for leftovers for kids' lunches, like the "Calzone Thing" or any of the pasta salads or soups.  Homemade pizza is great to send as a lunch, because of all the healthy ingredient you can add, plus cold pizza is the best!

Yogurts are great too, if they can be kept cold.  Mixing craisins with granola and nuts are a healthy snack kids love (and if you add a few handfuls of chocolate chips, they love it even more).  My kids will eat any kind of dried fruit (banana chips!)  Celery dipped in natural peanut butter is usually a winner too!  

If anyone has any other great ideas for packing kids' lunches, I would LOVE to hear them.  I'm always looking for more ideas!

Meatloaf: That word is gross, but the food is delicious!

When I was little, we had meatloaf a lot.  A LOT.  Which was fine with me, because I loved it.  Sometimes we had ketchup on it, sometimes with potatoes, sometimes with corn on the cob, sometimes we would have meatloaf sandwiches, which continue to be one of my favorites to this day.

I used to think my mom LOVED meatloaf, too, because we had it so often.  But now I am an adult, and I realize the real reason we ate it so often: we were broke.  Well, not broke so much.  My parents had great jobs, but with four kids, a house, ballet, dance, gymnastics, piano lessons, and my sister's continuous Emergency Room bill, my mom and dad were closer to broke than wealthy.  Now that I have a my own bills to pay and a family to raise, I get it.  

Anyway, I was thinking about this the other day.  I was making a meatloaf, and I was thinking about how cool it was.  Haha, I know, so lame.  But seriously, listen:

1. It's healthy if you do it right.  You can hide all kinds of veggies in it, and even fruit sometimes, if you are as crafty as I am.

2. It's cheap.

3. If feeds a ton of people for cheap.

4. You have leftovers for days.

5. Everyone likes it (and if someone doesn't, there is something wrong with them)

6. Pretty much no matter what you do, you cannot mess this up.  

7.  It can be as plain or as fancy as you want, so it is a recipe for beginners or experts.

8.  You can bake it in a muffin tin, then wrap the little loaves up in tin foil and freeze them.  That way, if I go out of town, Kevin can have a decent meal from the microwave (haha yeah right... he would still totally order pizza). But at least the thought is there.

This is more of a guideline than a recipe.  Literally, toss in whatever you would like and it would probably work.  This is just how I do it.  My mom's recipe is different from my grandma's which is different from my stepmom's which is different from mine, but they are all delicious:-)

GUIDELINES:

2 pound lean ground hamburger

1 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup salsa (I like to use spicy salsa.  Once I used mango salsa and it was really good, but any kind will work)

3 TBS jelly (use a kind without seeds.  Yellow jellies, like apricot or peach, seem to work the best)

1 egg

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, pressed

3-5 TBS bread crumbs or crushed crackers

lemon juice

salt and pepper

Then add whatever you want.  I have done different combinations of mushrooms, fresh herbs, dried herbs (parsley, thyme), spinach leaves, green onion, sour cream, A1 or BBQ sauce, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, grated zucchini or squash, grated carrot, celery, grated cheese (parmesan is awesome with mushrooms) etc.

Mix everything together and place in a casserole dish.  Paint the top with a mixture of 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbs balsamic vinegar,  1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tbs ketchup or BBQ sauce.  Bake on 365 for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and done on the inside.

Serve it up with some truffle parmesan potatoes, parsley red potatoes, or sauteed onion and mushrooms with green beans.  Obviously, the next day make paninis with it:-)

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for feeding us great food even when you had no money!  Love you both! <3  Also, I'm sorry I always complained about food when I was little.  I didn't really hate meatloaf like I told you... lol.  

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Drizzle

This is the yummiest way to have asparagus!


Start with fresh, washed asparagus.  Make sure to fill the sink with cold water and wash it, rather than run water over it.  Since it grows in sand, bits can be missed easily.


Cover a baking sheet in tin foil and lay the asparagus on it.  Drizzle EVOO, salt, and pepper all over.  Add minced garlic (the amount is based on the amount of asparagus you have).  Toss it all together so the asparagus is completely coated.  Bake on 375 for 15 minutes.


When it is done cooking, take out of the oven and drizzle balsamic vinegar on it.  


And... enjoy!


PS It's also good when you cook it on the grill instead:-) Use tin foil or a grill basket, and it's perfect for Summertime outdoor picnics!

NOTES:  I have made this with lemon juice and zest tossed in with the oil.  It's amazing.  I have also added onion "rings" which give it a great flavor.

This recipe works with long green beans too!

Stuffed Tomatoes, Peppers, and Squash Flowers - Authentic Recipe from Agia Triada, Greece

Wow.  I can't believe I'm actually writing my own recipe blog.  I've talked about it forever, but for some reason I have never done it.  The other day I was hanging out with my sister, and we planned our Thanksgiving dinner for this year.  I actually had dreams about recipes that I wanted to use (I know...), so I figured this blog was about due.  Plus, crazy runs in my family, so before my mind goes, I want to get this written down.

I love to cook ANYTHING.  I don't have a favorite food, or a favorite food to cook.  I will cook all types of food, in all ways, with all ingredients.

Busy Mama Recipes

I rarely follow a recipe.  As in, I only follow a recipe when I am making my mother's chocolate chip cookies:-)  The rest of the time, I usually make things up as a go along.  In fact, last Thanksgiving, my little sister and I made the whole dinner by ourselves, for about 18 guests.  We bought ingredients, and I literally made up recipes and improvised as we went along.  Everything was delicious and turned out perfectly.  That's how I roll.  I will do my best to measure so I can get these recipes down as accurately as possible, promise!

I get my cooking skills from my family.  My mother, who is an amazing cook, makes new recipes all the time. She is the "health nut" of the family, so she always taught me how to make a meal a little bit better for you.  My dad is from Texas.  He is the King of BBQ, and can make anything taste great with some Creole style seasoning!  His mother is Mexican and his dad was Cajun, so my dad has mastered the art of those types of cooking. My grandma and grandpa are Greek (literally, my grandpa came over when he was 16 years old), so they taught me how to make not only Greek style food, but recipes that my grandfather had in his village as a child.  My Dad's mom is very traditional in a sense, and taught me how to bake (she was also the one to teach me to make home made tortillas).  I owe most of my artistic ability to my family... without them I would be eating ramen noodles every day.  So, thanks, family!

I love cooking all types of meals- from "simple, throw together two-ingredient" meals to "get up early and spend hours making something you can't pronounce" meals.  I love putting my own spin on traditional meals.  I often make something, and a day or so later I think about what could have made it better or different, and I start thinking about how I'll make it next time.

By no means am I a gourmet chef (although that would be so fun!).  I am a working mama with two kids and a household to run, so every night isn't all glam meals.  Most of my recipes on here may be one thing one night, with an idea of how you can make the leftovers into something different the next time.  I'm also thrifty, so be prepared to use EVERYTHING.  I hate wasting food.

I used to help manage a cafe/ catering company/ cooking school/ I don't even know what to call it.  The owner, Allyson, taught me a lot during my time there.  I helped teach cooking classes, so all of my "technical" and "formal" stuff, that's all thanks her.

So, since I have rambled... I will give you the recipes that kind of started this all:

My grandpa invited me to dinner the other night for a "surprise dinner".  He made stuff tomatoes, bell peppers, and squash flowers- something that I came to LOVE while I was in Greece in 2000.  My Great Aunt Rosa made it for me in the small Greek village, Agia Triada, where my family lived.  I don't know if it was because I was fascinated every time I watched her make it, or if it was because it was so yummy, but it is one of my most favorite things to make and eat.

Of course, since they don't measure, and my Aunt cannot speak English, this recipe may not be so accurate.  But, it comes pretty damn close.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 whole, big tomatoes
3 small tomatoes or 2 small cans of diced tomatoes
4 whole bell peppers - Any color
9 squash flowers (The big yellow flowers that grow on all squash plants.  You can get it from yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins, anything. I got some at the farmer's market the other day).
2-3 cups uncooked white rice
1 white onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Fresh green beans, tipped
3 Tbs dried oregano
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a deep pot, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Add the rice, stir well, and turn down to medium.  Add the small tomatoes (or canned tomatoes).  Cook until the rice browns, stirring often so it doesn't stick or burn.  Add water, according to the package directions on the rice, and bring back to a simmer. Add the spices and parsley and stir together. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the tops off the large tomatoes and peppers, but save them.  Hollow out the tomatoes with a spoon, but keep the "guts".  Pull the middle out of the flowers, but keep the flower intact.

Arrange the tomatoes and peppers in a deep 14x10 baking dish, with enough space in between for the flowers.  Scoop the rice filling into the veggies and cover with the tops.  Scoop the rice into the flowers, fold the petals over, and place upside down in the pan in between the tomatoes and peppers.

Add the tomato "guts" that were saved from scooping out the middle of the tomatoes to the remaining rice.  Mix the green beans, if you choose to use them, into the rice.  Place the rice mixture in between all of the tomatoes and peppers.

Bake for about 1 hour, covered, and check the rice.  You may need to bake longer and/or add more liquid to cook the rice, depending on how juicy the vegetables you used are.

You can serve with feta cheese (my favorite) or Parmesan, but it's good plain.  Sometimes my grandpa puts meat in it- just saute some beef or ground turkey and add it to the rice mixture before baking. We have had it as a meal or as a side dish.  My favorite is having it with no meat, but served with feta cheese and Greek salad.  Yum!