Friday, 3/25: Broiled Salmon, Pureed Cauliflower with Nutmeg and a Touch of Butter and Whole Wheat Bread
Verdict: For such a simple meal, it tastes like we've gone out to dinner at a nice restaurant. I love this one! And LTH is eating more and more of the salmon each time we have it.
Saturday, 3/26: Ground Chicken Tacos with Lots of Fixings (Lettuce, Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Cilantro, Cheddar Cheese) and Salad
Verdict: The seasoning I used for the taco meat was too spicy for LTH but he enjoyed his baked sweet potatoes, cheese and stuffing his pieces of lettuce with those two items.
Sunday, 3/27: Chicken Taco Nachos with Salad
Monday, 3/28: Leftover Pete's New Haven Style Apizza and Vegetable
Verdict: Pete's Apizza opened on Sunday and we decided to try it out. The pizzas are huge!!! So, we had leftovers. I also had it for lunch on Tuesday. Overall, it was good for their first day but the crust was a little chewy for LTH even though it is extremely thin crust pizza.
Tuesday, 3/29: Baked Chicken and Pureed Parsnips
Verdict: One of the easiest home cooked meals.
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Peel and cut up the parsnips. Boil for about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan. Add chicken pieces that have been seasoned with your favorite herbs or spices and salt and pepper. Brown the pieces on each side. Transfer to the preheated oven until the chicken is done.
4. Puree the parsnips once they are done cooking.
5. Enjoy!
For the chicken we were eating on Tuesday, I seasoned it with oregano. I went ahead and seasoned 2 pieces with cumin for the BBQ chicken sandwiches we had on Wednesday.
Wednesday, 3/30: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Pureed Parsnips
Verdict: Extra yummy with the homemade bbq sauce and cheddar cheese on waffle toast.
Thursday, 3/31: Out of to dinner with a friend - LTH had leftovers
Verdict: I had a great time at the wine tasting and eating at Lyon Hall. Although next time I go out to eat, it will NOT be to Lyon Hall as I've been there quite a few times.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Pizza Monkey Bread
I adapted this recipe to make this meal. All who ate it loved it! A few things to note for the next time I make this recipe (and I will):
- Make the dough pieces smaller
- Use more sauce
I also plan to try out other versions including Mexican Monkey Bread and Middle Eastern Monkey Bread. I'll report back once those are done.
Ingredients:
Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the pizza dough into 1/2 inch squares. You'll see the picture below mine are too big. I will change that next time!
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the pizza dough into 1/2 inch squares. You'll see the picture below mine are too big. I will change that next time!
Grease a Bundt or angel food cake pan well. Dip each dough piece into the pizza sauce and then place into the pan. You may want to add a little more sauce to the pan after putting in the first layer if the sauce does not stick to your dough very well. Now add a layer of cheeses. Repeat until you have no more dough.
Place in oven and cook for about 50 minutes, until it doubles in volume. Remove from oven and then remove from the pan immediately. I added some cheese to the top of the bread so it would look the monkey bread had been glazed. Enjoy!
New York Style Pizza Sauce (Adapted from Serious Eats)
I adapted the recipe below from the Serious Eats New York Style Pizza Sauce recipe.
Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half
1 teaspoon sugar*
Instructions:
Blend tomatoes in a blender until slightly chunky. Set aside.
Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, and large pinch salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, onion halves, and sugar*. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting (bubbles should barely be breaking the surface), and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
* I did not need the sugar in my sauce as the tomatoes were not that acidic but some tomatoes may need it.
* I did not need the sugar in my sauce as the tomatoes were not that acidic but some tomatoes may need it.
Pizza Dough - from Ratio by Michael Ruhlman
I have found that the Ratio cookbook's recipe is the best for me. It requires a scale to make it as that is the whole point of the cookbook. I would like to make it more multigrain but that will be a future project.
Ingredients:
20 ounces bread flour
12 ounces water
1 ounce olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon active or instant yeast
Instructions:
Set your mixing bowl on a scale, zero the scale and pour the flour in. Zero the scale again and add the water. Zero the scale again and add the oil. Add the salt. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water to allow it to dissolve. Fit the bowl into the mixer and, using the dough hook, mix on medium speed until the dough comes together. Continue mixing until your dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. To test your dough, pull off a chunk and stretch it into a square. If it's elastic enough to sallow you to achieve a translucent sheet of dough, it's ready. If it tears before you can do this, continue mixing, either in the mixer or by hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Remove the mixing bowl from the machine, cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise to twice its size. Push a finger into the dough. The dough should give some resistance, but not spring back. If it springs back, let it rest longer. If you let your dough rise for too long, it will feel flabby and loose when you press a finger into it and will be less eager to rise when you bake it.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it to expel excess gas and redistribute the yeast. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Shape the dough into a square for cutting into small pieces (see below for more information). Cover the dough with a dish towel and allow to rise, or proof, for about an hour. Or cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day; allow the bread to rise at room temperature for at least 1 1/2 hours before baking.
Meals Week 12: Friday, 3/18 through Thursday, 3/24
Friday, 3/18 - grilled housemade sausages from Whole Foods in Portuguese rolls and steamed carrots
Verdict: easy and tasty - we were having a St. Patrick's Day Brunch the next morning and I didn't want to spend too much time on dinner.
Saturday, 3/19 - living room picnic of cheese, crackers and fruit
Verdict: these were leftovers from our brunch that morning. MTH had gone to the DC United home opener. LTH and I had fun with a picnic on his Thomas quilt in the living room
Sunday, 3/20 - monkey bread pizza
Verdict: LTH loved this meal. I will post the recipe soon and move these comments and the pictures below to that posting. The main things I'd change the next time I make it are: cut the dough smaller and use more sauce. Some other ideas I have for future savory monkey bread: Mexican monkey bread using corn meal in the dough along with cumin, chili powder, taco sauce and cheddar cheese.
Monday, 3/21 - leftover monkey bread pizza
Tuesday, 3/22 - Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese and Steamed Carrots
Verdict: As said before, like all small children, LTH loves this meal.
Wednesday, 3/23 - leftover mac and cheese, carrots and baked sweet potato
Thursday, 3/24 - Carrot Tofu Pot Stickers, Apple and Sweet Potato Fries
Verdict: These were the pot stickers that I froze a week or so ago. They are perfect from the freezer!
Verdict: easy and tasty - we were having a St. Patrick's Day Brunch the next morning and I didn't want to spend too much time on dinner.
Saturday, 3/19 - living room picnic of cheese, crackers and fruit
Verdict: these were leftovers from our brunch that morning. MTH had gone to the DC United home opener. LTH and I had fun with a picnic on his Thomas quilt in the living room
Sunday, 3/20 - monkey bread pizza
Verdict: LTH loved this meal. I will post the recipe soon and move these comments and the pictures below to that posting. The main things I'd change the next time I make it are: cut the dough smaller and use more sauce. Some other ideas I have for future savory monkey bread: Mexican monkey bread using corn meal in the dough along with cumin, chili powder, taco sauce and cheddar cheese.
Monday, 3/21 - leftover monkey bread pizza
Tuesday, 3/22 - Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese and Steamed Carrots
Verdict: As said before, like all small children, LTH loves this meal.
Wednesday, 3/23 - leftover mac and cheese, carrots and baked sweet potato
Thursday, 3/24 - Carrot Tofu Pot Stickers, Apple and Sweet Potato Fries
Verdict: These were the pot stickers that I froze a week or so ago. They are perfect from the freezer!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Carnitas
I made these for the first time today as topping for taco salad. Yummy and easy!
From How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
Ingredients:
2-2.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder
1 T. cumin
2 bay leaves
4-5 peeled and slightly crushed garlic cloves
1 onion, quartered
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat such that there is a small bubble. Cover and cook for about an hour. Remove the meat, onions and garlic with a slotted spoon. Cook the liquid down. Add the meat back to the pan and fry the meat so that you get some nice browned edges. Use in tacos, taco salad or as a main dish by itself.
From How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
Ingredients:
2-2.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder
1 T. cumin
2 bay leaves
4-5 peeled and slightly crushed garlic cloves
1 onion, quartered
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat such that there is a small bubble. Cover and cook for about an hour. Remove the meat, onions and garlic with a slotted spoon. Cook the liquid down. Add the meat back to the pan and fry the meat so that you get some nice browned edges. Use in tacos, taco salad or as a main dish by itself.
Tofu-Carrot Pot Stickers
Ingredients:
14 oz firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/4 onion, peeled and grated
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. soy sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
gyoza wrappers or egg roll wrappers cut into quarters
Directions:
Mix the first six ingredients in a bowl with a potato masher. Put a small amount of filling in the middle of each wrapper. Using your finger, wet the outer edge of the wrapper and then fold over to make a triangle. To cook, place a pan over medium-high heat. Add about a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is heated, add the pot stickers to the pan and cover for about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water, turn to medium heat and cover for 2 minutes. Uncover and turn to high heat until all water has been evaporated. Enjoy with the dipping sauce below.
Dipping Sauce:
Mix together soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and vinegar to taste.
Planning Meals Week 11: Friday, 3/11 through Thursday, 3/17
Friday, 3/11: Tofu-Carrot Pot Stickers
Verdict: Taste great and as mentioned in the link above, I made over 45 more that I put into the freezer for future meals!
Saturday, 3/12: Carnitas Taco Salad
Verdict: The pork butt was a hit as a taco salad. The two pounds of meat makes a lot
Sunday, 3/13: Date Night for MTH and MMH - Wine Tasting at Screwtop Wine Bar and Cheese Shop and Pork Dinner at Lyon Hall
Monday, 3/14: Carnitas repurposed somehow, veg
Tuesday, 3/15: Stovetop Mac and Cheese, veg
Wednesday, 3/16: Meeting - LTH will have pasta and veg or leftover mac and cheese
Thursday, 3/17: Covered hashbrown and veg
Verdict: Taste great and as mentioned in the link above, I made over 45 more that I put into the freezer for future meals!
Saturday, 3/12: Carnitas Taco Salad
Verdict: The pork butt was a hit as a taco salad. The two pounds of meat makes a lot
Sunday, 3/13: Date Night for MTH and MMH - Wine Tasting at Screwtop Wine Bar and Cheese Shop and Pork Dinner at Lyon Hall
Monday, 3/14: Carnitas repurposed somehow, veg
Tuesday, 3/15: Stovetop Mac and Cheese, veg
Wednesday, 3/16: Meeting - LTH will have pasta and veg or leftover mac and cheese
Thursday, 3/17: Covered hashbrown and veg
Monday, March 07, 2011
Meals Week 10: Friday, 3/4 through Thursday, 3/10
Friday, 3/4 - Salmon with sauteed spinach and garlic with veggie broth risotto
Verdict: Salmon and spinach were yummy as always. Plus, these are simple dishes to prepare. The salmon goes under the broiler and the spinach is wilted in a nonstick pan with some garlic and olive oil. The veggie broth risotto is a bit more involved and was started first. I just followed the directions on the box of risotto. It was a nice side dish that provided leftovers for lunch on Saturday.
Saturday, 3/5 - Homemade pizza and boiled carrots with a touch of maple syrup
Verdict: Pizza is always a hit in our house. The pizza dough is made from the recipe in the Michael Ruhlman cookbook, Ratio. It's the best recipe I've found. Our toppings were green peppers, pepperoni, mozzarella and capers. LTH likes to eat the plain pizza bread with his cheese on the side.
Sunday, 3/6 - Roasted chicken, fried potatoes, pureed cauliflower and biscuits with a touch of cornmeal
Verdict: This chicken recipe is so simple. Just rub the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook on 450 degrees until the breast is 160 degrees. I used a little too much oil on the fried potatoes. They were very good especially if you like the patatas bravas that you can find at most tapas restaurants! We were only missing the garlic aioli. For the biscuits, I add a little cornmeal to the recipe in place of some of the flour. According to Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything cookbook, you can substitute up to 10% of the flour for corn meal. It worked!
Monday, 3/7 - Roasted chicken pizza with baked sweet potato
Verdict: LTH actually had a piece of pizza bread again but my pizza was awesome!
Tuesday, 3/8 - Chicken quesadilla and carrots and pureed cauliflower
Verdict: Quesadillas are so easy that how can I rate it anything but exceptional.
Wednesday, 3/9 - Chicken salad and sauteed broccoli with garlic
Verdict: I like chicken salad every now and then. Also, it was a nice way to have something different from that whole chicken that I was still eating from Sunday. I really got my money's worth out of that chicken!
Thursday , 3/10 - boxed butternut squash soup from the pantry - I can't make everything :)
Verdict: It was yummy and it was two servings so I had it for my lunch on Friday too.
Verdict: Salmon and spinach were yummy as always. Plus, these are simple dishes to prepare. The salmon goes under the broiler and the spinach is wilted in a nonstick pan with some garlic and olive oil. The veggie broth risotto is a bit more involved and was started first. I just followed the directions on the box of risotto. It was a nice side dish that provided leftovers for lunch on Saturday.
Saturday, 3/5 - Homemade pizza and boiled carrots with a touch of maple syrup
Verdict: Pizza is always a hit in our house. The pizza dough is made from the recipe in the Michael Ruhlman cookbook, Ratio. It's the best recipe I've found. Our toppings were green peppers, pepperoni, mozzarella and capers. LTH likes to eat the plain pizza bread with his cheese on the side.
Sunday, 3/6 - Roasted chicken, fried potatoes, pureed cauliflower and biscuits with a touch of cornmeal
Verdict: This chicken recipe is so simple. Just rub the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook on 450 degrees until the breast is 160 degrees. I used a little too much oil on the fried potatoes. They were very good especially if you like the patatas bravas that you can find at most tapas restaurants! We were only missing the garlic aioli. For the biscuits, I add a little cornmeal to the recipe in place of some of the flour. According to Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything cookbook, you can substitute up to 10% of the flour for corn meal. It worked!
Monday, 3/7 - Roasted chicken pizza with baked sweet potato
Verdict: LTH actually had a piece of pizza bread again but my pizza was awesome!
Tuesday, 3/8 - Chicken quesadilla and carrots and pureed cauliflower
Verdict: Quesadillas are so easy that how can I rate it anything but exceptional.
Wednesday, 3/9 - Chicken salad and sauteed broccoli with garlic
Verdict: I like chicken salad every now and then. Also, it was a nice way to have something different from that whole chicken that I was still eating from Sunday. I really got my money's worth out of that chicken!
Thursday , 3/10 - boxed butternut squash soup from the pantry - I can't make everything :)
Verdict: It was yummy and it was two servings so I had it for my lunch on Friday too.
Stove Top Mac and Cheese
I've made this entree so many times and have never used a recipe but I thought I'd write it down for posterity :) My mom taught me how to make a roux for gravy when I was younger. And, in the end, a roux can be used for many different types of sauces including cheese sauce. If you want baked mac and cheese, all you need to do with this recipe is put it into an oven safe pan and sprinkle with your favorite toppings - bread crumbs, more cheese, etc. You could also add other flavorings to the stove top version like bacon, red peppers, onion, garlic, the list goes on.
Unfortunately, I do not know exact measurements for this recipe as I just make it by adding the ingredients, watching how it goes together and then tasting it.
Ingredients:
Cooked pasta
Milk
Butter
All purpose flour
Grated cheese
Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Allow the flour to cook a few minutes in the butter. Continue to whisk to ensure that the flour does not burn. Add 1 cup of warmed milk to start. Continue to whisk to keep the sauce from becoming lumpy. If the sauce starts to thicken too much, add more milk. The cheese will make the sauce thicker so make it a little thinner than you might think it should be. Add the cheese and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Once the sauce is to you liking, add to the cooked pasta. Voila - you have stove top mac and cheese.
Unfortunately, I do not know exact measurements for this recipe as I just make it by adding the ingredients, watching how it goes together and then tasting it.
Ingredients:
Cooked pasta
Milk
Butter
All purpose flour
Grated cheese
Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Allow the flour to cook a few minutes in the butter. Continue to whisk to ensure that the flour does not burn. Add 1 cup of warmed milk to start. Continue to whisk to keep the sauce from becoming lumpy. If the sauce starts to thicken too much, add more milk. The cheese will make the sauce thicker so make it a little thinner than you might think it should be. Add the cheese and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Once the sauce is to you liking, add to the cooked pasta. Voila - you have stove top mac and cheese.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Meals Week 9: Friday, 2/25 through Thursday, 3/3
This week did not turn out to be one of my best weeks for cooking as MTH and I were out of town from 2/25-2/27 for a wedding. My Mom thankfully went grocery shopping for me and there were leftovers from her visit. But, even after the leftovers were gone, I made things like pasta and spaghetti sauce. I just was not in the mood for cooking.
Friday, 2/25 - Stir Fry Vegetables and Chicken with Noodles or Rice
Saturday, 2/26 - Meat and Potatoes Japanese Dish
Sunday, 2/27 - Eating Out for Me and Aunt Shan and probably pizza for MTH and LTH
Monday, 2/28 - Leftover Meat and Potatoes
Tuesday, 3/1 - Pasta with Sauce and Veggies
Wednesday, 3/2 - I don't recall
Thursday, 3/3 - I don't recall
Friday, 2/25 - Stir Fry Vegetables and Chicken with Noodles or Rice
Saturday, 2/26 - Meat and Potatoes Japanese Dish
Sunday, 2/27 - Eating Out for Me and Aunt Shan and probably pizza for MTH and LTH
Monday, 2/28 - Leftover Meat and Potatoes
Tuesday, 3/1 - Pasta with Sauce and Veggies
Wednesday, 3/2 - I don't recall
Thursday, 3/3 - I don't recall
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Waffle Toast - How to get your kid to eat
LTH sometimes wants waffles during the week but there's no time to make them. One day, I decided to put some toast in the waffle iron to make "waffle toast". It is now his go to breakfast almost everyone morning. The downside is he isn't eating as much oatmeal as before but at least it's whole wheat bread.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Week 8: Friday, 2/18 through Thursday, 2/24
Whole Foods One Day Deal this Friday was $1 off per pound on air chilled organic whole chickens. I bought two! One is in the freezer for another day. Tonight, we'll have roasted chicken with roasted fennel and whole wheat bread. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get into the habit of baking bread so this bread is from Whole Foods. One of my goals is to bake our own bread but it just doesn't fit into my schedule right now. Note that the page numbers are for my reference and I do hope to post most of the recipes here at some point. It's helpful later when I'm trying to quickly use previous weeks for future weeks!
Friday, 2/18 - Simplest Whole Roasted Chicken (p. 644), Braised Fennel, Bread - COMPLETE
Verdict: This recipe is the simplest for making a whole roasted chicken. It's from my beloved cookbook, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. I also highly recommend the braised fennel (or as LTH says, "fendel"). It was simple but tasty (and different from our normal vegetables).
Saturday, 2/19 - Chicken Tacos and Sauteed Broccoli and Garlic - COMPLETE
Verdict: Great use of the leftover chicken from Friday's meal. We also had chicken nachos for lunch that day that were very yummy.
Sunday, 2/20 - Bean and Cheese Empanadas (p. 174) and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Verdict: Very good and easy. I even made the refried beans myself (using canned pinto beans - next time I should make the beans from scratch too). MTH commented on how good the beans were. The good part is that reheated empanadas are also very good.
Monday, 2/21 - Bolognese Risotto and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Verdict: Same as before - yummy! I think I'll make another batch of bolognese just for making this dish.
Tuesday, 2/22 - Leftover Bolognese Risotto and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Wednesday, 2/23 - Macaroni and Cheese and Baked Sweet Potato - I made cheese quesadillas, green beans and baked sweet potatoes instead.
Thursday, 2/24 - Bulgar Pilaf with Broken Vermicelli and Pureed Vegetable - I made the homemade stovetop mac and cheese standby as well as maple carrots instead
Verdict: LTH loves mac and cheese and will eat carrots very easily. Although it's definitely not as easy as making Kraft mac and cheese, homemade stovetop tastes so much better, it's worth the extra 10-15 minutes of preparation in my opinion. Plus, you know what all of the ingredients in it are!
Friday, 2/18 - Simplest Whole Roasted Chicken (p. 644), Braised Fennel, Bread - COMPLETE
Verdict: This recipe is the simplest for making a whole roasted chicken. It's from my beloved cookbook, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. I also highly recommend the braised fennel (or as LTH says, "fendel"). It was simple but tasty (and different from our normal vegetables).
Saturday, 2/19 - Chicken Tacos and Sauteed Broccoli and Garlic - COMPLETE
Verdict: Great use of the leftover chicken from Friday's meal. We also had chicken nachos for lunch that day that were very yummy.
Sunday, 2/20 - Bean and Cheese Empanadas (p. 174) and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Verdict: Very good and easy. I even made the refried beans myself (using canned pinto beans - next time I should make the beans from scratch too). MTH commented on how good the beans were. The good part is that reheated empanadas are also very good.
Monday, 2/21 - Bolognese Risotto and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Verdict: Same as before - yummy! I think I'll make another batch of bolognese just for making this dish.
Tuesday, 2/22 - Leftover Bolognese Risotto and Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE
Wednesday, 2/23 - Macaroni and Cheese and Baked Sweet Potato - I made cheese quesadillas, green beans and baked sweet potatoes instead.
Thursday, 2/24 - Bulgar Pilaf with Broken Vermicelli and Pureed Vegetable - I made the homemade stovetop mac and cheese standby as well as maple carrots instead
Verdict: LTH loves mac and cheese and will eat carrots very easily. Although it's definitely not as easy as making Kraft mac and cheese, homemade stovetop tastes so much better, it's worth the extra 10-15 minutes of preparation in my opinion. Plus, you know what all of the ingredients in it are!
Multigrain Waffles
These days when I make things with flour, I like to experiment with different types of flours and whole grains. My cookbook, good to the grain, has a nice multi grain mix that can be used in the place of some or all of the flour called for in other recipes. I did just that in my old standby waffle recipe. This recipe comes from my very first cookbook, The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (copyright 1980). It was given to me by my mother in 1988. A nice way to describe its appearance is well worn. Not only did I learn to cook from my mother but also from this cookbook. Every recipe in this cookbook has a picture to go with it. That enabled me to envision what I was trying to make. Anyway, that's a different story and maybe I should write about that in another post. Below is my go to recipe for waffles these days. One thing to note is that almost no published waffle or pancake recipes call for vanilla but in my book that is the secret ingredient that makes them taste so good!
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup multigrain flour mix (see below or click here)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 cups buttermilk (you can also use plain yogurt thinned with some milk)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (make sure it is a neutral oil)
3 tablespoons milled flaxseed
2 eggs
Multigrain Flour Mix:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1 cup barley flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup rye flour
Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just incorporated. I usually let the batter sit for a few minutes in order to let the flours absorb some of the moisture. For the waffle iron, I only spray with a little oil before putting in the first waffle. For me at least, I don't have any issues with sticking for the rest of that batch.
Also, if we don't use all of the batter, I put the leftover batter in the refrigerator. When I use it the next day, I whisk in a little more vanilla as it seems to evaporate while sitting in the refrigerator.
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup multigrain flour mix (see below or click here)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 cups buttermilk (you can also use plain yogurt thinned with some milk)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (make sure it is a neutral oil)
3 tablespoons milled flaxseed
2 eggs
Multigrain Flour Mix:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1 cup barley flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup rye flour
Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just incorporated. I usually let the batter sit for a few minutes in order to let the flours absorb some of the moisture. For the waffle iron, I only spray with a little oil before putting in the first waffle. For me at least, I don't have any issues with sticking for the rest of that batch.
Also, if we don't use all of the batter, I put the leftover batter in the refrigerator. When I use it the next day, I whisk in a little more vanilla as it seems to evaporate while sitting in the refrigerator.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Week 7: Friday, 2/11 through Thursday, 2/17
Friday, 2/11 - Lobster Tail with Lemon and Butter with Garlic Broccoli - COMPLETE - should have bought a small steak for MTH and I to share as well. We didn't have enough to eat. I ended up making a batch of brownies afterward!!
Saturday, 2/12 - Black bean tacos with steamed carrots and corn - We made turkey meatball pizza sandwiches instead. These were really good! Pizza sandwich just means we used pizza crust as our bread for the sandwich. These sandwiches also had yummy caramelized onions on them.
Sunday, 2/13 - Out to dinner with MTH - We ended up not going out to dinner as LTH did not sleep well the night before. We at takeout from a local sushi restaurant. LTH and I shared the salmon teriyaki and MTH had the sushi.
Monday, 2/14 -Couscous Casserole with Cauliflower and Ricotta (p.480) - LTH loved this meal; MTH was not come home the night we first had it. On Tuesday, we had it for leftovers and he wouldn't taste it. I think he would have liked it. Maybe next time.
Tuesday, 2/15 - Leftovers
Wednesday, 2/16 - Macaroni and cheese sauce with sweet potato fries - LTH loves this meal always! It's definitely a stereotypical toddler meal. But, I like it too.
Thursday, 2/17 - Hashbrowns with cheese and baked sweet potatoes - LTH is not as into hashbrowns as I am but he does love his baked sweet potatoes plus he loves cheese.
Wednesday, 2/16 - Macaroni and cheese sauce with sweet potato fries - LTH loves this meal always! It's definitely a stereotypical toddler meal. But, I like it too.
Thursday, 2/17 - Hashbrowns with cheese and baked sweet potatoes - LTH is not as into hashbrowns as I am but he does love his baked sweet potatoes plus he loves cheese.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Week 6: Friday, 2/4 through Thursday, 2/10
Friday, 2/4 - Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Pureed Vegetables and Spaetzle - COMPLETE - LTH loved the tenderloin but not the spaetzle
Saturday, 2/5 - Ate at Tallula with a friend; LTH had macaroni and cheese and carrots
Sunday, 2/6 - Super Bowl - grilled buffalo wings, blue cheese, guacamole, corn tortilla chips, celery and carrots - COMPLETE - LTH said no thank you to the blue cheese and guacamole but said yes to the celery and carrots
Monday, 2/7 - Chicken and Celery Pot Stickers, Steamed Carrots with a touch of butter - COMPLETE - LTH loved these pot stickers. He loved helping to make them!
Tuesday, 2/8 - Leftover Pot Stickers - COMPLETE
Wednesday, 2/9 - Celery Root and Parsnip Puree, Half Recipe of Cheese Biscuits - COMPLETE - As usual, LTH loved the puree. He ate the biscuit but didn't devour it.
Thursday, 2/10 - Leftover celery root and parsnip puree and biscuits - COMPLETE
Saturday, 2/5 - Ate at Tallula with a friend; LTH had macaroni and cheese and carrots
Sunday, 2/6 - Super Bowl - grilled buffalo wings, blue cheese, guacamole, corn tortilla chips, celery and carrots - COMPLETE - LTH said no thank you to the blue cheese and guacamole but said yes to the celery and carrots
Monday, 2/7 - Chicken and Celery Pot Stickers, Steamed Carrots with a touch of butter - COMPLETE - LTH loved these pot stickers. He loved helping to make them!
Tuesday, 2/8 - Leftover Pot Stickers - COMPLETE
Wednesday, 2/9 - Celery Root and Parsnip Puree, Half Recipe of Cheese Biscuits - COMPLETE - As usual, LTH loved the puree. He ate the biscuit but didn't devour it.
Thursday, 2/10 - Leftover celery root and parsnip puree and biscuits - COMPLETE
Week 5 - Friday, 1/28 through Thursday, 2/3
Friday, 1/28 - Broiled Salmon with Cauliflower Puree - COMPLETE - LTH loved the salmon!
Saturday, 1/29 - I was out of town so LTH and MTH ordered pizza
Sunday, 1/30 - balsamic chicken with carrots and turnips cooked in marsala
Monday, 1/31 - leftover balsamic chicken with carrots and turnips cooked in marsala
Tuesday, 2/1 - bulgar pilaf with broken vermicelli and pureed parsnips
Wednesday, 2/2 - leftover pilaf and pureed parsnips
Thursday, 2/3 - hashbrowns with onions and cheese with pureed carrots
Saturday, 1/29 - I was out of town so LTH and MTH ordered pizza
Sunday, 1/30 - balsamic chicken with carrots and turnips cooked in marsala
Monday, 1/31 - leftover balsamic chicken with carrots and turnips cooked in marsala
Tuesday, 2/1 - bulgar pilaf with broken vermicelli and pureed parsnips
Wednesday, 2/2 - leftover pilaf and pureed parsnips
Thursday, 2/3 - hashbrowns with onions and cheese with pureed carrots
Friday, January 21, 2011
Week 4: Friday, 1/21 through Thursday, 1/27
Friday, 1/21 - Chicken Packages with Grated Vegetables - COMPLETE
Saturday, 1/22 - Pizza, Broccoli - COMPLETE
Sunday, 1/23 - Mushroom Barley Soup, Orange Pureed Carrots and Multigrain Sandwich Bread - COMPLETE
Monday, 1/24 - Leftover soup, vegetables and bread - COMPLETE
Tuesday, 1/25 - Kasha with onions, Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE - not good!
Wednesday, 1/26 - Don't remember
Thursday, 1/27 - Tomato Soup with grilled cheese
Saturday, 1/22 - Pizza, Broccoli - COMPLETE
Sunday, 1/23 - Mushroom Barley Soup, Orange Pureed Carrots and Multigrain Sandwich Bread - COMPLETE
Monday, 1/24 - Leftover soup, vegetables and bread - COMPLETE
Tuesday, 1/25 - Kasha with onions, Pureed Parsnips - COMPLETE - not good!
Wednesday, 1/26 - Don't remember
Thursday, 1/27 - Tomato Soup with grilled cheese
Monday, January 17, 2011
Homemade Cereal - Graham Nuts
I loved the idea of making my own cereal at home. It had never occurred to me that I could do such a thing until I saw it in the cookbook Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce. In her description of the recipe, she mentions that she found the recipe that inspired this one in an Amish cookbook. The only thing I changed this time around was to use table salt instead of kosher salt. I've tried using coarse kosher salt as she recommends in every other recipe but they've all turned out too salty. MTH refused to eat the pancakes due to the saltiness. I don't actually think they are saltier than other things I've made. I just thing the big grains of salt give more of the salty flavor. Next time I make these, I'll be using cane syrup (homemade in my hometown) instead of the honey
Ingredients:
1 cup graham flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (she calls for 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. Spray a little oil on to a baking sheet and line with parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, honey and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together to form a batter.
Scrape the batter onto the baking sheet and, using a metal offset spatula, spread the batter evenly across the entire surface of the sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and break off any areas of the cracker that are getting dark or dry, and set them on a rack to cool. I didn't have any pieces to break off at that point.
Turn the oven down to 250, return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes more. Every 20 minutes, break off any more dry sections and put them on the cooking rack. While you are doing this, break up the rest of the dough into smaller pieces to encourage the dough to the dry out faster, and return the baking sheet to the oven for the remaining time.
Remove the sheet from the oven when the cracker is mahogany brown and entirely dry. The all the pieces of the crack cook on a rack.
Set up a food processor with a large hole grate attachment. Feed pieces of the cracker through the tube at the top and grind into nuts. Serve with cold milk. They will store in an airtight jar for one month.
Ingredients:
1 cup graham flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (she calls for 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. Spray a little oil on to a baking sheet and line with parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, honey and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together to form a batter.
Scrape the batter onto the baking sheet and, using a metal offset spatula, spread the batter evenly across the entire surface of the sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and break off any areas of the cracker that are getting dark or dry, and set them on a rack to cool. I didn't have any pieces to break off at that point.
Turn the oven down to 250, return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes more. Every 20 minutes, break off any more dry sections and put them on the cooking rack. While you are doing this, break up the rest of the dough into smaller pieces to encourage the dough to the dry out faster, and return the baking sheet to the oven for the remaining time.
Remove the sheet from the oven when the cracker is mahogany brown and entirely dry. The all the pieces of the crack cook on a rack.
Set up a food processor with a large hole grate attachment. Feed pieces of the cracker through the tube at the top and grind into nuts. Serve with cold milk. They will store in an airtight jar for one month.
How to get everyone in your family to eat vegetables - Pureed Vegetables
Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
I'm on a pureed vegetable kick!! We are all inhaling these things almost as fast as I can make them. LTH likes pureed parsnips the best but he'll also eat without any complaint pureed cauliflower and pureed carrots. With a little discussion, he also ate the pureed butternut squash. I wasn't as crazy about it myself though. We are on our second weekend of me making 3 different pureed vegetables at once. Then, we had vegetables of the rest of the weekend and for the first part of the following week. It only took about an hour!
Ingredients:
Most root vegetables will work here. The ones I've tried are carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and butternut squash. I want to try turnips and rutabagas.
You can also add different flavorings for each vegetables. The cookbook recommends the following:
Carrots - ginger, orange juice and orange zest - VERDICT: makes the carrots almost like a dessert
Parsnips - sour cream - VERDICT: not needed - just add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go
Cauliflower - ricotta, nutmeg and Parmesan - VERDICT: I haven't tried the ricotta but they were great without it. I do recommend the nutmeg. It's an interesting flavor that makes the cauliflower have more taste.
Butternut Squash - roasted garlic - VERDICT: it needed more!! They would have been more palatable with more roasted garlic. You live and learn.
Instructions:
Cut the vegetable into 1 inch pieces. Put into pot with water just to the level of the vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked through but not mushy. Although you can use a food processor or a blender to make these purees, I highly recommend investing in a food mill. The food mill gets rid of any of the fibrous parts of the vegetables versus chopping them into smaller pieces. In the case of the parsnips, you will greatly appreciate the difference. Once the vegetable is pureed, add the mix ins discussed above or come up with your own seasonings.
Uses:
We've been using them as our vegetable dish at each meal. But, I've also heard they can be used as dips for other vegetables or for chips. They could also be used as a filling for ravioli. Please post any other ideas!
I'm on a pureed vegetable kick!! We are all inhaling these things almost as fast as I can make them. LTH likes pureed parsnips the best but he'll also eat without any complaint pureed cauliflower and pureed carrots. With a little discussion, he also ate the pureed butternut squash. I wasn't as crazy about it myself though. We are on our second weekend of me making 3 different pureed vegetables at once. Then, we had vegetables of the rest of the weekend and for the first part of the following week. It only took about an hour!
Ingredients:
Most root vegetables will work here. The ones I've tried are carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and butternut squash. I want to try turnips and rutabagas.
You can also add different flavorings for each vegetables. The cookbook recommends the following:
Carrots - ginger, orange juice and orange zest - VERDICT: makes the carrots almost like a dessert
Parsnips - sour cream - VERDICT: not needed - just add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go
Cauliflower - ricotta, nutmeg and Parmesan - VERDICT: I haven't tried the ricotta but they were great without it. I do recommend the nutmeg. It's an interesting flavor that makes the cauliflower have more taste.
Butternut Squash - roasted garlic - VERDICT: it needed more!! They would have been more palatable with more roasted garlic. You live and learn.
Instructions:
Cut the vegetable into 1 inch pieces. Put into pot with water just to the level of the vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked through but not mushy. Although you can use a food processor or a blender to make these purees, I highly recommend investing in a food mill. The food mill gets rid of any of the fibrous parts of the vegetables versus chopping them into smaller pieces. In the case of the parsnips, you will greatly appreciate the difference. Once the vegetable is pureed, add the mix ins discussed above or come up with your own seasonings.
Uses:
We've been using them as our vegetable dish at each meal. But, I've also heard they can be used as dips for other vegetables or for chips. They could also be used as a filling for ravioli. Please post any other ideas!
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