A Crafty Mom Eats

Menu Plan for January 30, 2011

2011-01-30T05:26:00.000-08:00

We had the crockpot chili last week and it was a huge hit with all of us. I wasn't able to fit in the Indian Curry last week, so I'm making it tonight and am hoping we have loads of leftovers!

Sunday: Crockpot Indian Curry

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Sandwiches/Soup

Wednesday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (freezer)

Thursday: Stir-Fried Chicken Paprikash

Friday: Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

Saturday: Ribs

Menu Plan for January 23, 2011

2011-01-23T05:56:00.000-08:00

Back to menu planning after another extended absence. I am continually reminded that menu planning and prepping ahead of time is the key to our family's success on weeknights. I've made a goal to use my crockpot at least twice a week for the next little while, especially while we are all busy at suppertime and the weather is so cold. I bought Stephanie O'Dea's "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" and am planning to use her recipes on a regular basis. I've been a big fan of her blog for ages, and love having the book at my fingertips.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Omelets with Stir Fried Veggies, Salad
Wednesday: Crockpot Indian Curry
Thursday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (freezer)
Friday: Crockpot Chili
Saturday: Ribs

Menu Plan for Week of October 24, 2010

2010-10-24T04:15:00.000-07:00

We have been busy lately, I have been working on report cards so most of the meals I had planned for last week didn't get made. We had a lot of sandwiches, cereal and take-out. I'm almost finished the reports so I'm hoping to actually follow this plan this week:
Sunday: Grilled Chicken Kebobs, Potatoes and Baby Bok Choy
Monday: Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
Tuesday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Wednesday: Simple Vegetable Curry (from Everyday Food Magazine, October 2010)
Thursday: Birthday Boy's Choice! (Thing 2's Fifth Birthday)
Friday: Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Saturday: Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mini Potatoes

Here are a couple soups I hope I have time to make this week. I really enjoy soup in the Fall!
Black Bean Soup

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

Menu Plan for Week of October 17, 2010

2010-10-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Life is crazy, work is overwhelming, and it's getting more and more difficult to make a healthy meal each night for dinner.

Sunday: Grilled Steaks, Potatoes and Veggies
Monday: Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
Tuesday: Spaghetti with Pasta (sauce in freezer)
Wednesday: Simple Vegetable Curry
Thursday: Pizza or Sandwiches
Friday: Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Saturday: Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mini Potatoes

I'm hoping to have time to try the Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup (Everyday Food Magazine, October 2010) next weekend or sometime soon. It looks delicious!!

Menu Plan for Week of October 3, 2010

2010-10-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Last week was hectic, so we didn't get to try the Baked Egg Cups. I'm hoping to make them tomorrow for a quick and light supper, and am hoping they will be a hit with the kids.

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Monday: Baked Egg Cups
Tuesday: Meal from Freezer (mommy at a meeting)
Wednesday: Shrimp and Mushroom Linguine
Thursday: Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Soup
Friday: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Saturday: Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mini Potatoes

Men Plan for Week of September 26, 2010

2010-09-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Fall is here, and we are slowly including more cold weather food choices in our menu plan!

Sunday: Hurried Goulash with Egg Noodles and Peas
Monday: Teriyaki Chicken, rice, and veggies
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce
Thursday: Baked Egg Cups
Friday: Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Saturday: Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mini Potatoes

Menu Plan for Week of September 19, 2010

2010-09-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Another week under our belt, and some more growing pains along the way. Suppertime is definitely difficult, however, we are still managing to stick to our menu plan. I don't really know how we would cope otherwise. I had requests for shrimp from everyone in my house this week, so I've put it on our agenda for Monday. I'm also throwing in a couple slow cooker recipes, as fall weather has hit Ottawa and most nights there is a definite chill in the air.

Sunday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Monday: Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Tuesday: Irish Beef Stew (from freezer)
Wednesday: Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce
Thursday: Pizza & Salad (Mommy at meeting at school)
Friday: Hurried Goulash with Egg Noodles and Peas
Saturday: Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mini Potatoes

Menu Plan for Week of September 12, 2010

2010-09-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

The first week of school for everyone was hectic and insane, but for the most part we managed to stick to our menu plan and eat healthily. It is A LOT of work. It is exhausting cooking a meal after working a long day and picking up my children at daycare. Evenings are spent preparing and chopping food for lunches the next day. But, so far so good. Maybe the reason I didn't die from exhaustion is because I was eating healthy :)

This week's meals are foods I can prepare quickly and easily, or else make the night before.

Sunday: Barbecue Hamburgers and Hotdogs, fresh tomato salad
Monday: Layered Mexican Bake
Tuesday: Fish (haddock) and Chips
Wednesday: Bacon and Cheese Omelet
Thursday: Pizza & Salad (mommy works late at staff meeting)
Friday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Saturday: Grilled Steak, Potatoes and Veggies

Menu Plan for Week of September 5, 2010

2010-09-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Trying for a fairly simple menu this week for the first week back at school. We did quite well last week, aside from one rough day where we threw in the towel and went out for dinner at our neighbourhood pub.

This week I am aiming for meals that are fast to prepare, and that are tried and true favourites. No surprises - we won't have time!

Sunday: BBQ Ribs
Monday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Grilled Salmon with Potatoes
Thursday: Spicy, Sauteed Chickpeas, Beef and Cilantro
Friday: Pizza and Salad
Saturday: Neighbourhood Corn Roast

Menu Plan for Week of August 30, 2010

2010-08-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

The results are in . . . and we did pretty well this week. Menu planning definitely helped life run smoother this week, although supper time is still rushed and busy. I can't imagine any way to change that right now, with three young children and two adults working full time. I was only working mornings last week, and even that was a big change for all of us.

This week I am working mostly full days, and then school starts in a week, which means I'll be busy teaching and Things 1 and 2 will both be back in their classrooms. I'm hoping this week will be a good test run for us to see how we can cope with meal times . . . and continue eating healthy meals and snacks instead of falling back on processed and quick meals.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard
Wednesday: Pesto Cheese and Turkey Sandwiches
Thursday: Couscous Salad with Black Beans, Mushrooms, and Corn
Friday: Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes
Saturday: BBQ Ribs

Menu Plan for Week of August 22, 2010

2010-08-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

I truly neglected my menu-planning this summer. And in all fairness, we didn't do a lot of eating at home. We went camping, visited family near Toronto, did some cottaging, took vacation in Nova Scotia, and I even spent a few days in New York City.

But as I gear up to say goodbye to summer, I also bid adieu to any extra time I may have had in the kitchen. Starting in September I am returning to work full-time. As a teacher who has been out of the workforce for 6.5 years, I expect to be extremely busy and frazzled. One of my key objectives is to figure out how to keep us all eating healthy meals and snacks. Where do I find the time to shop for, prepare, cook, and clean up all the food? How do I manage to not cave under all the extra pressure and order pizza for my family four nights a week?

By the way, if I figure any of this out, you'll be the first to know.

Since I am starting back at school a few hours a day this week, I want to jump right back in with the menu planning, because that's one thing that certainly helps make life easier.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Emeril's Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings and Mexicana Chopped Salad
Tuesday: Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
Wednesday: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Thursday: Couscous Salad with Black Beans, Mushrooms, and Corn
Friday: Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes
Saturday: Fajitas

Since I have more basil than I know what to do with, I'm going to make a couple batches of this Basil Pesto so I can freeze it in small portions and have it ready to add to pasta on a busy weeknight.

I'm also using up a gazillion blueberries in several batches of these Blueberry Coffee-Cake Muffins, which are significantly less healthy than my usual Lemon Blueberry Muffins. I did cut the sugar quantity and added some whole wheat flour and flaxseed, to make myself feel slightly less guilty about giving muffins that are essentially "cake" to my children.

Menu Plan for Week of June 6, 2010

2010-06-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I updated my menu plan here. I started the South Beach diet at the end of April, and followed it strictly for several weeks. And although I'm still eating fewer carbs, I'm able to be more flexible with my meal plans now. I will usually eat what the rest of the family eats, although I will eliminate the pasta, potatoes, or bread. And while I have successfully lost ten pounds (would like to lose a few more, but it's not totally necessary), I am feeling so fantastic and have noticed such drastic changes in myself both physically and emotionally, that I am planning to continue eating like this for as long as I can.

Sunday: Sweet Potato Fries and Roast Chicken
Monday: Spring Vegetable Coucous with Chicken (May 2010 Everyday Food Magazine)
Tuesday: Fish and Veggies
Wednesday: Leftovers/Sandwiches
Thursday: Beef, Snap Pea and Asparagus Stir-Fry (June 2010 Everyday Food Magazine)
Friday: Grilled Chicken Taco Salad
Saturday: Home-made Pizza

One of the biggest changes I've made in how I eat is the fact that I eat a salad almost every day for lunch now - in the past I would have a salad WITH something else but I now eat a large salad with protein and some healthy fats, and I feel fantastic all afternoon. I'm hoping to try out these
Black Beans with Cilantro this week as something a little different at lunch time!

Many of the recipes I've been eating for the past month or so can be found at the Ottawa Life Organic blog - for those who don't know, I write a weekly post there which includes recipes for the produce delivered in each week's Harvest Box.

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips

2010-05-11T11:15:00.001-07:00

I found Kalyn's recipe for Kale Chips when I was perusing her site for South Beach diet recipes. We made them yesterday afternoon . . . and the entire tray was gone in about 2 minutes! Even my kids ate them. They were FANTASTIC.

This recipe is almost exactly like the recipe on her blog.

one small bunch of kale, about 6 oz.
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T vinegar (any vinegar you like will work)
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300.

Cut kale from stalks and tear into small pieces (chip-sized is good!). Wash torn kale pieces and spin dry in a salad spinner or dry with paper towels until they're very dry.

Put kale pieces into a large Ziploc bag. Add half of the 1 T of olive oil, seal bag, and squeeze the bag so the oil gets distributed evenly on the kale pieces. Add the other half tablespoon of oil and squeeze the bag more, until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly "massaged."

Open the Ziploc bag and sprinkle the 1 T vinegar over the kale leaves, then seal bag and shake to spread the vinegar out over all the leaves.

Arrange kale leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast until they are mostly crisp, about 35 minutes. Be sure to check them every 10 minutes or so, to make sure they aren't over-cooked.

When chips are done to your liking, sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt and eat immediately.

My husband was suggesting we try other flavours next time, so I think we'll give it a go!

Let me know if you give this a try - I can assure you, you will not be disappointed!

Menu Plan for April 25, 2010

2010-04-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

I ended up switching one of our meals last week and making these Grill Master Chicken Wings for some friends who were coming over for a barbecue. They were delicious, a huge hit, and disappeared in no time. The flavour was spectacular, and were tangy and moist without being overly spicy. Two of my three Things ate them, so that is always a win in my book! I served the wings with roasted potatoes and a spinach, strawberry, and goat cheese salad.

My kid-friendlier meals are working!! Most nights the kids are eating everything I make. I'm finding it a lot less stressful - for everyone. Less bickering and whining, more eating. And I feel better knowing that at least if we're having the dreaded chicken nuggets for supper, they are hand-made by me and I know all the ingredients going into them. And, for the record, last week's Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard were a big success here! My other strategy is to get the kids helping and more involved in the cooking. They love grating cheese, stirring, and with assistance, chopping vegetables. Setting the table is another great task for kids, and it's really making all of us happier to have everyone involved.

Here's a look at my meal plan for this week:

Sunday: Leftovers, Salad
Monday: Salsa Chicken Tostadas
Tuesday: Taco Pasta
Wednesday: Leftovers/Sandwiches
Thursday: Sesame Beef and Broccoli
Friday: Out for dinner
Saturday: Grilled Steak, BBQ Potatoes, Salad

I did make the Tzatziki Sauce I mentioned a couple weeks ago. I think I was the only one who enjoyed it - the kids really didn't eat it. I'm not sure if it was how I made it or if they are just not fans of tzatziki. I'll have to try a store-bought version and see if they like it.

Menu Plan for Week of April 18, 2010

2010-04-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that I can no longer link to Martha's recipes from her Everyday Food Magazine anymore - so I'm not able to include the links to the recipes I've included below.

Last week I ended up being away most of the week (a long story, which I will get into on my other blog) so I am adding a couple of last week's recipes along with some new ones that I am excited about. So far so good with making simpler meals that the kids will eat - for the most part I have been pretty successful!

Monday: Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
Tuesday: Emeril's Kicked-Up Tuna Melts (from the April Everyday Food Mag)
Wednesday: Penne with Cream, Smoked Salmon and Chives (from the April Everyday Food Mag)
Thursday: Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard
Friday: Salsa Chicken Tostadas
Saturday: Spinach and Meatball Calzones (from the April Everyday Food Mag)

Menu Plan for Week of April 11, 2010

2010-04-11T13:35:00.001-07:00

In an effort to make sure that more meals that I cook get eaten by everyone in our family, I am going to focus even more on making healthy, kid-friendly meals. I don't have the time to make a meal for my husband and I, only to then find out the kids don't like it and and then I have to recreate something else for them (and I don't do that all the time, but if they truly don't like a meal and I feel that their distaste is reasonable, then I do sometimes offer them something else).

So you'll notice more and more simple, healthy meals for kids in my meal plans over the coming weeks. I want to have a big list compiled of all of our favourites before I go back to work in September, so that I can easily make meal plans for next year that we all can agree to.

Sunday: Pierogies and Veggies
Monday: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Tuesday: Freezer Meal or Leftovers (Mom out for the evening)
Wednesday: Mini Bacon and Cheese Toasts (from March 2010 Everyday Food Magazine)
Thursday: Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard
Friday: Beef Tacos
Saturday: Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

My lovely sister and her family were visiting this past weekend and she shared with me a secret she has for getting her two children to eat lots of raw veggies. She serves them with tzatziki sauce for them to dip the veggies in. Much healthier than some of the processed dips and dressings (yuck!) I sometimes give my three Things, so I want to give it a try. I found this straightforward recipe for Tzatziki Sauce and I really think it might be a hit around here.

Menu Plan for Week of April 5, 2010

2010-04-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I kept up with my menu planning. Sometimes it seems like too much and I feel like I am too busy to do it - but I am once again realizing that 15 minutes of planning saves me hours of work and stress during the week. I am not someone who is good with last minute planning, so when we have a busy afternoon outside (and the weather has been fantastic so we have been outside often) I am not able to pop into the kitchen and whip something up last minute.

So since my sister and brother-in-law and their kids are coming to visit this week, I thought there would be no better time to get back at it!

Sunday: Roasted Marinated Lamb with Lemon and Rosemary Potatoes, Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Almonds, Asparagus with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan
Monday: Easter Dinner at Granny's House
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Chicken Quesadillas
Thursday: Chicken Tenders Parmesan with Penne and Broccoli
Friday: Home-made Pizza
Saturday: Pulled-Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw (recipe in my April Everyday Food Magazine)

Roasted Marinated Lamb with Lemon and Rosemary Potatoes

2010-04-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

I made this roasted lamb for Easter dinner. It was truly divine. It was my first time roasting a lamb, and I will definitely be doing it again. It was easy and delicious, rich in flavour and yet light at the same time.

**Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, April 2010**

Zest and juice from two lemons
1 head of garlic, cloves chopped
2 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil4 lb leg of lamb
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 lbs small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

1. Grate lemon zest. In a medium bowl, combine lemon zest and juice, garlic, and rosemary. Whisk in oil. Pat lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb in a bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Let sit for at least one hour, flipping bag halfway through.

2. Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 mins. Drain potatoes.

3. Remove lamb from marinade. Place lamb on a plate; season with salt and pepper.

Pour marinade into a roasting pan, add potatoes. (I used my Le Creuset Dutch Oven instead of a roasting pan.) Cook 15 mins. Push potatoes to edge of pan, place lamb in center. Roast 15 mins. Reduce temperature to 300 and cook until medium-rare, 1 - 1 1/4 hours. Toss potatoes halfway through.

4. Tent pan loosely with foil and let lamb rest for 20 mins before slicing. Toss potatoes in pan juices and serve along side lamb.

Easy and Tasty Grilled Sweet Potatoes

2010-04-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

While there are dozens and dozens of sweet potato recipes I have not had the chance to try yet, this one was definitely a favourite at our house over the Easter long weekend.

We chose the grilled sweet potato packets. I found grilling them in the packets really sealed in the taste and the potatoes tasted just glorious.

First thing you do is peel your sweet potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch slices.

Turn your barbecue on and get it ready for grilling.

Place your potato slices on four 14x12-inch sheets of tin foil. Brush the tops and sides with olive oil to prevent drying. You can season them any way you like, I added freshly grated pepper and salt, a bit of garlic, and some cayenne pepper.

Wrap in foil using the following technique: Bring the 2 long sides of the foil together above potatoes; fold down in a series of locked folds, allowing for heat circulation and expansion.

Fold the short ends up and over again. Crimp closed to seal the foil packet.

Place foil packets on preheated grill. Grill packets, on covered grill, over medium heat 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Open packet carefully and serve hot.

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

2010-02-05T19:06:00.001-08:00

This recipe is adapted from The Best of The Best of Bridge cookbook. It's full of flavourful and not-too-difficult recipes. This pasta dish is simple, healthy, and light. Our family loves it!

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 T oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T medium curry paste
1 tsp tomato paste
2 T honey
2 cups chicken broth
1 unpeeled ripe pear, sliced in thin wedges
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 T cream or milk
3 T chopped cilantro
Rotini, bow tie or shells pasta

In a frying pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and curry paste and stir 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and honey and stir another 2 minutes. Add broth, increase heat to medium high and boil gently, reducing liquid to less than 1 cup. (This takes about 15 minutes - now is a good time to start cooking the pasta).

Add pear slices and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and cream and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Pour over pasta and toss gently.

Week of February 1, 2010

2010-02-01T17:35:00.000-08:00

Although I've been slacking lately in the menu-planning department, it isn't because I haven't been cooking. Quite the contrary, actually. I've been cooking - and baking - lots, I just don't seem to have had the time to get organized enough to type everything out.

However . . . here's a look at our menu for this week.

Sunday: Roast Chicken, Potatoes, Carrots
Monday: Chicken Quesadillas (with leftover chicken)
Tuesday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Wednesday: Chicken Enchilada Chili
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pasta with Eggplant
Saturday: Beef Stew

With a few over-ripe bananas lying around my kitchen counter, I'm hoping to make Beach Mama's banana bread in the next day or two. I just have to get rid of all this coffee cake lying around our house, first. My husband demanded I make another after my book club nearly devoured all of the first one!

Ina Garten's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2010-01-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

This coffee cake is truly beautiful. My husband and I both fell in love with it. I made it to serve to my book club on Tuesday and my family has demanded I make it again.

Soon.

It is by no means low fat or low calorie, but it lacks nothing in taste and exquisiteness.

This recipe is from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Parties.

Ina Garten's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Then eat. Lots of it!

Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup

2010-01-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

This soup is absolutely divine!! It is so easy to make (slow cooker - so perfect for my life - chop it up in the morning and dinner is ready at supper time with no effort!) it is not funny. Most of my soups I tend to pour into the blender and mix in batches, but this one I just used my hand blender right inside the crock pot!

Can you tell I'm excited?

Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 lbs yams, peeled and cubed

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cubed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup orange juice mixed with 2 tablespoons flour

5 1/2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

whipping cream

Combine the first 10 ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting 4 hours. (I actually left it a couple hours longer, and it tasted fantastic.)

Puree the soup with a hand-held blender.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. Garnish servings of the soup with a drizzle of the cream.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

2010-01-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

These cookies are a family favourite and are absolutely delicious!!! Packed with everything except the "kitchen sink" . . .

Kitchen Sink Cookies (adapted from Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nuts
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and baking soda.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined.
With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chunks, raisins, pecans, and oats.
Drop 2-inch balls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake 12 to 16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned, rotating sheets halfway through.
Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Birthday Cake

2010-01-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

Thing 3 had her birthday on Friday and I decided to bake her a birthday cake. I started baking birthday cakes a couple years ago after I realized that it was MUCH cheaper than buying one and usually tasted better too.

Well, not always, but I am certainly getting better at baking cakes!

I went with this sheet cake recipe from Ina Garten. It turned out far from perfect but tasted quite yummy. I even borrowed my MIL's stand mixer so that I could follow all the steps to a "T".

The actual cake part turned out fairly bumpy - I wondered if it was because the size of my pan was slightly smaller than what they called for (I assure you, this is a gigantic cake).

Then I whipped up the icing - which also tasted delicious but was a little liquidy when I spread it. It firmed up nicely after I put it in the garage for 30 minutes.

I wanted to add cute pink letters for her on top of the cake. Yeah, that idea went down the drain as I remembered how hard it is to print with ICING.

But, all in all, the cake was delicious and she had a lovely little birthday.

I don't recommend you bake this cake unless you are having an actual birthday party with many kids attending. It's one BIG cake. We will be eating for days to come!

Week of January 10, 2010

2010-01-10T08:01:00.001-08:00

The weather is cold and I'm really looking forward to some warm, toasty crock pot meals this week! I have a couple new recipes on the menu this week, as I was in the mood to try something new.

I'm going to make a batch of these Kitchen Sink Cookies for the family this week - hopefully I will be able to keep my own fingers out of the cookie jar!

Sunday: Seared Beef and Oranges with Arugula
Monday: Crock Pot Chicken Chili
Tuesday: BLT Salad
Wednesday: Seared Red Chard, Crackers and Parmesan-Crusted Fish Fillets
Thursday: Leftovers/Freezer meal
Friday: Beef Stew
Saturday: Out for dinner

Week of January 4, 2010

2010-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

Late getting my Menu Plan Monday in this week . . . been busy trying to get life all organized for the New Year! Most of these menus are for my kids and husband as I am trying to do a healthy detox plan for the next few days. We'll see how THAT works out (coming from the ultimate food lover!).

Monday: Macaroni and Cheese
Tuesday: Quesadillas
Wednesday: Easy and Kid-Friendly Spaghetti and Meatballs
Thursday: Chili (from freezer)
Friday: Salmon Pasta
Saturday: Seared Beef and Oranges with Arugula

Cajun Parsnip Fries

2009-12-27T07:58:00.000-08:00

These parsnip fries are easy and fast to make and taste delicious!! It took the 3 Things a few bites to warm up to them, but my husband and I devoured the whole tray we had made. Fabulous. I even made a quick dip of curry powder and mayo - tasted out of this world.

1 lb parsnips
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Cajun or Tex Mex seasoning blend
salt
salsa or your favourite dipping sauce

Peel parsnips and cut into French-fry-size pieces. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Toss with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the oil; spread out in single layer.

Bake in 375 F oven, flipping once or twice, until golden and tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Toss with remaining oil, seasoning, and salt to taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

Week of December 20, 2009 The Christmas Edition

2009-12-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

Whew. I am *almost* ready for Christmas. The busiest part of the season is actually over for me - we have no more major parties or events to attend, gifts are all purchased and just need to be wrapped, cards and gifts have been mailed, teacher and other special gifts have been baked, cooked, wrapped and delivered, and the tree is up and decorated. All that is left for me to do is some grocery shopping and a couple more rounds of baking.

Which means I finally have some time to focus on one of the most important aspects of the holidays - the COOKING!!

This is a quiet year at home with just the five of us, so I have arranged a few nights to have friends over for dinner, but Christmas dinner will be just us on our own. I don't think I can muster up the energy to cook a turkey, just for my husband and I (the kids are huge turkey lovers) so I think a roast chicken will be a nice, pleasant alternative. It's still white meat and there will be lots of gravy and potatoes!!

Sunday: Beef Stew home-made bread, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber and Goat Cheese Salad
Monday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Tuesday: Sauteed Spinach with Crisp Pancetta
Wednesday: Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
Thursday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Friday: Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Yams, Roast Chicken
Saturday: Drunken Garlic Pot Roast

I'm also toying with the idea of making these Blueberry Struesel Muffins to eat on Christmas morning and will definitely be doing a few Cucumber Sandwiches for lunches.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday this year!! Enjoy it and relax.

Week of December 6, 2009

2009-12-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

The Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry we had last week was easy and delicious. Two out of three kids ate it and loved it, and both of us grown ups thought it was perfect. It will definitely be appearing on our menu plan again in the future!

I'm hoping to get to some of my Christmas baking this week, so I'll add those recipes as I make my way through this festive month.

Sunday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Monday: Salmon, Potatoes and Green Beans
Tuesday: Avocado Shrimp Salad
Wednesday: Quick Chicken Stew, Cajun Parsnip Fries
Thursday: French Shallot Soup
Friday: Christmas Party Dinner
Saturday: Dinner with friends

Week of November 30, 2009

2009-11-29T10:15:00.000-08:00

I am really hoping to have a little more extra time this week to devote to cooking. I really miss it and our lives have been so "rushed" lately that I've often not had time to prepare the dinners that I've had planned each night. When I get busy (and stressed) I tend to ignore my body's needs and not eat so healthy - which is ridiculous because when does your body need decent nutrients and minerals more than when you're run down and burned out? My goal this week is to load on more fruits and vegetables whenever I can. And to bury my chips in a six foot hole.

Some of you know that I am now writing a new blog dedicated to the Life Organic Harvest Box each week. It's really been a fun experience for me, and I like working with the Life Organic team to see what we can come up with. Please check my new Life Organic Blog each week! I offer tips and recipes based on the contents of the Harvest Box each weekend.

Sunday: Dinner at friends' house, bringing hot artichoke dip as appetizer!
Monday: Potato Leek Soup, Salad
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregeno and Sesame Broccoli
Wednesday: Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry
Thursday: Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup
Friday: Cajun Parsnip Fries, Steak
Saturday: Roast Chicken and Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Yams

Although this menu looks a bit work-intensive, I think I am up for the challenge this week. I'm also hoping to make a batch of healthy granola and some zucchini chocolate chip muffins for the boys' lunches since I still have one more zucchini left.

Although for some I may be late to the holiday parade, I am planning to make my baking lists this week and start buying all the ingredients I need to start making my holiday goodies!

Week of November 22, 2009

2009-11-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

I have another extremely busy week ahead since I am attending a craft show next Saturday and am scrambling to make as many cards as I can to bring to the show to sell. This doesn't leave a lot of free time for cooking fancy meals, so I tried to plan a fairly simple week. I picked a couple recipes from the Kraft Canada website and hope they turn out well. The Layered Mexican Bake looks easy and contains ingredients all 3 Things like . . . we love our Mexican food here so hopefully this won't disappoint.

My plan is to start organizing my Christmas baking and truffle making in the next week or so, so I'm not doing it all at once. Wow, novel idea. The truffles were such a huge hit last year that I plan on giving them as gifts to everyone again this season. I'm also looking for a few new recipes to add to my baking list, just to spice things up a little. So if you know of any great family favourites, be sure to let me know.

Sunday: Frozen pizza
Monday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Tuesday: Black Bean Soup
Wednesday: Layered Mexican Bake
Thursday: Tuna Melts with Veggies
Friday: Easy Baked Cheese & Vegetable Twist
Saturday: Leftovers/Order In

Week of November 15, 2009

2009-11-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

I missed posting my menu plan last week because I was extra busy over the weekend, and of course it came back to bite me in the @ss. Dinners were hectic and I scrambled around at the last minute trying to figure out what to make. Whether I like it or not, I thrive on organization and I just don't seem able to cope well not knowing ahead of time what I'm making for dinner.

Alas, here is hoping for a better week this time around!

Sunday: Cream of Broccoli Soup
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Spinach Salad with Spicy Shrimp and Mango
Wednesday: Chicken Wings in slow cooker
Thursday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Friday: Winter Vegetable Soup (from Everyday Food, November 2009)
Saturday: Sloppy Joes

30-Minute Chili

2009-11-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

Although I am a huge fan of chili in my crock pot, I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to give it a try. It ended up being incredibly tasty and so easy and fast to make! Serve it with some fresh crusty bread or rolls, a little shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.

30-Minute Chili
Adapted from Martha Stewart's EveryDay Food

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pounds ground beef
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
1 bottle beer
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, chili powder, chipotles, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until the mixture has begun to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking it up until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juice, beer, and beans. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook over medium heat until chili has thickened slightly and beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Week of November 1, 2009

2009-11-01T05:15:00.000-08:00

Fall is officially here - meaning cold season has arrived at our house. With a couple of sickies to look after, I didn't get to some of last week's meals, so you'll see them making an appearance on this week's menu plan again. With chillier weather settling in and making itself comfortable around these parts, I'm anxious to get moving on some hot and steaming comfort food. Not always good for the waistline, but usually a safe bet to keep spirits and tummies warm and happy!

Sunday: Paul's Hungarian Goulash
Monday: Garlic Scape Pesto (from freezer) with pasta
Tuesday: 30-Minute Chili
Wednesday: Easy Herbed Grilled Salmon
Thursday: Crock-Pot Pasta Fagioli
Friday: Chicken Enchiladas
Saturday: Lemon Chicken with Green Olives

With a few squash in my kitchen this week, I'm thinking I'll make more Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup . . . . because I'm not feeling all that adventurous and don't think I feel like trying any new squash recipes this week.

Last week was Thing 2's fourth birthday and I tried my hand at making his birthday cake. It was nothing fancy but turned out quite well and all the kids loved it. If you're interested, check out our Pumpkin Birthday Cake on my other blog.

Week of October 26, 2009

2009-10-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late posting this week as we had a whirlwind weekend full of activities, including Thing 2's fourth birthday party yesterday. Menu planning slipped a bit on my priority list.

Here is this week's menu:

Monday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Tuesday: Out for Thing 2's birthday dinner
Wednesday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Thursday: 30-Minute Chili
Friday: Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup
Saturday: Chicken Enchiladas

Week of October 18, 2009

2009-10-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

We're looking at a fairly regular week this week. Here's our menu plan!

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: More Potato Leek Soup
Tuesday: Spicy Sauteed Chickpeas and Beef with Cilantro
Wednesday: Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Thursday: Beef Stew with Noodles
Friday: Roasted Salmon
Saturday: Out for dinner

Last weekend we were in Oakville spending Thanksgiving with my husband's family. I was in charge of bringing one side dish to the meal, and I made this Spinach and Cheese Puff Casserole.
It was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and there was barely any left for seconds. The entire meal was delicious, as Paul's cousin Anne is a fabulous cook.

I am now writing a weekly Life Organic blog post at the newly-created Life Organic Blog. So Life Organic readers, be sure to check out the new blog weekly for recipe ideas for your Harvest Box!!

Potato Leek Soup

2009-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

(Best Ever) Potato Leek Soup

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 leeks, sliced and chopped in small pieces
1 cup heavy cream (I always substitute light cream or even milk)

In a large saucepan, bring potatoes and chicken broth to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of grease and set aside. Saute the leeks in the frying pan with the reserved bacon grease for about 5 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, stir in the fried leeks, cream and bacon. Stir to blend and remove from heat. Serve hot.

This is seriously the best ever potato leek soup I have ever had - anywhere, made by anyone. And I don't normally like to toot my own horn, but anyone to whom I have ever served this has left the table with a happy glazed look in their eyes, and a very content stomach.

Give it a try, serve a bowl up on a crisp, cold fall day.

I dare you.

Week of October 4, 2009

2009-10-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is our Life Organic Harvest Box for this week:

I'm really in desperate need to roast a chicken, as I have been making a lot of recipes which call for chicken stock . . . and I don't have any chicken stock so I need to get cracking and make some.

I was so pleased to see a bright butternut squash peering out of my harvest box this week, as one of my fall favourite's is the apple and butternut squash soup below. It is very, very tasty! I had tremendous success with last week's soups - both the Potato Leek Soup and the Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup were to die for. We gobbled them up in no time and the kids even at them.

This is a short week for us as we are heading out of town on Friday to spend Thanksgiving weekend with family outside of Toronto. We're all looking forward to a fabulous visit with lots of delicious food!

Sunday: Beef Skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Monday: Roast Chicken with Green Bean Salad
Tuesday: Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
Wednesday: Sandwiches or Leftovers with arugula salad
Thursday: Roasted Salmon
Friday: Out of town for Thanksgiving
Saturday: Out of town for Thanksgiving

Indian Chicken in Light Sauce

2009-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Although I had posted this Indian chicken recipe on my menu plan a few times before, I never actually got around to making it as it turned out to be something more time-consuming than I had anticipated. I finally had a quiet, rainy afternoon this week which afforded me ample time to whip up this Chicken in Light Sauce dish from none other than the best Indian food cookbook out there. We are definitely a family who likes spicy food, but I took it easy on the spice this time and didn't add the optional hot red peppers. It was absolutely delicious, although I was urged by my husband to add a little extra *heat* next time I make it. I have to say, it really tasted like authentic Indian food.

Chicken in Light Sauce - from An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

3 T tomato sauce
3 T plain yogurt
4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, 1-inch cube, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 chicken legs
1 whole chicken breast
6 T vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
5 whole cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
2 hot dried red peppers (optional)
1 t ground turmeric
1 t salt
1/8 t freshly ground pepper
1 T lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, yogurt, and 1 cup of water. Mix well and set aside.

Put chopped garlic and ginger into the container of an electric blender, along with 2 T of water. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Cut chicken into serving portions: divide legs into drumstick and thigh, and quarter the breast. Remove skin from pieces of chicken and pat dry.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed 10-12 inch casserole-type pot over medium-high heat. Put in chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on all sides. When each batch turns a golden brown, remove with slotted spoon and do the next batch. When all chicken pieces have been done, put the cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and red pepper into the same oil. Stir once. The spices will darken immediately. Now pour in the paste from the blender and add the turmeric. Stir and fry about one minute.

Next, put in the browned chicken pieces, the mixture of tomato sauce, yogurt and water, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, turning chicken pieces a few at a time.

Uncover pot, raise flame to medium, and cook 5-7 minutes or until sauce is reduced to half, turning chicken pieces over gently.

Serve with rice.

Week of September 27, 2009

2009-09-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ready to check out this week's Harvest Box from Life Organic?

Sunday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Monday: Quesadillas with chicken and peppers, salad with baby asian mix
Tuesday: Potato Leek Soup
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Thursday: Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup
Friday: Slow Cooker South-Western Pulled Beef, sugar snap peas
Saturday: O'Brien Sausage Skillet (something new I came across that looked interesting)

With this week's broccoli I am planning to make some Cream of Broccoli Soup to put in the freezer. It is great for lunches and I really like being able to pull something out of the freezer and quickly be able to reheat it. Not to mention it's completely delicious!

Last week's Crock-Pot Applesauce was a huge hit - it was so completely delicious that we ate it in two days. It is absolutely the best straight from the crock-pot when it's steamy and hot. It literally tastes like liquid apple pie melting in your mouth. I plan to make another big batch in the crock-pot tomorrow, at which point I will also make some Apple Flax Muffins.

I have some over-ripe bananas on my counter, so I think I'll give this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread a try. As I've said before, the Things will eat *anything* with chocolate chips in it.

And last, but not least, my friend Konnie sent me this recipe this week and I decided I'd give it a try. She said her family all loved it and they served it one night with rice, one night with potatoes, and a third time on a bun. It looks tasty and easy!

Slow-Cooker South-Western Pulled Beef

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 lb(2Kg) Beef Cross Rib or Boneless Blade Pot Roast

1 pkg (250ml) Knorr beef broth

1 can (28oz) EACH crushed tomatoes and whole tomatoes

1 pouch Lipton Recipe Onion or Onion Roasted Garlic Soup Mix

2 tbsp EACH tomato paste, chili powder and ground cumin

¼ tsp(1ml) EACH black and cayenne pepper

2 tbsp all purpose flour

Heat oil in deep skillet over med-high heat; brown beef all over, turning with tongs, transfer to slow-cooker, drain fat.
Reduce heat to medium, add broth, tomatoes, lipton soup mix, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black and cayenne pepper to skillet. Bring to boil over med-high heat, stirring up any brown bits. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours until beef is fork tender.
Skim fat from liquid ( I didn’t have hardly any). Leave meat in sauce, remove twine. Whisk flour into ¼ cup cold water; whisk into sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high, stirring once, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Use two forks to pull the beef into shreds.

Week of September 21, 2009

2009-09-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a peek inside our Life Organic bucket for this week:

Fresh local corn, cantaloupe, blueberries, black seedless grapes, broccoli, baby asian mix, arugula, coloured chards, cherry and yellow pear tomatoes, mini orange peppers and a nice head of garlic! Looks delicious, doesn't it?

On top of all this, we have dozens of apples after having spent our Sunday picking apples at nearby Mountain Orchards. So I plan on spending some time this week searching for new and exciting (and tasty) apple recipes.

Some of my apple plans include:

Crock-Pot Applesauce
Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
Fresh Meusli with Apples and Almonds
Curried Apples and Chicken
Cinnamon Apple Pork Medallions
Apple Cinnamon Cake
Classic Apple Pie
Apple Crisp

Sunday: roast chicken, potatoes, corn, sauteed swiss chard*
Monday: Salmon with Lemon and Cucumber
Tuesday: Arugula Salad with Grilled Chicken, Corn, Tomatoes and Blue Cheese
Wednesday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Thursday: Leftovers or Sandwiches
Friday: Hurried Goulash with Egg Noodles
Saturday: At a friend's for a birthday party

* I have found the best way to eat swiss chard is to saute sliced chard (leaves and stems) with a little olive oil and minced garlic, then season with salt and pepper. It's incredibly good for you and is packed with nutrients!

I'm planning on using our blueberries in a new blueberry muffin recipe I just found . . . it's a little healthier than my other recipe as it contains more whole wheat flour. (You have to scroll down a bit to get to the blueberry muffin recipe.)

Enjoy your week!

Week of September 13, 2009

2009-09-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

I know I have mentioned several times on this blog that we are part of a food delivery service with Life Organic in Ottawa. Every Friday they deliver fresh, organic produce to our doorstep and I then plan my week's menu accordingly, based on what items we received that particular weekend.

Here is a look at our bucket for this week.

We received one of the season's first acorn squash - a sure sign fall is on its way! Before we had children, I was never a big squash eater. However, I have slowly grown to really enjoy it's flavour and versatility. All 3 Things ate pureed squash when they were babies and loved it. Here are a couple basic ways to use an acorn squash :

Basic Acorn Squash
Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup (also a good way to use some of our fresh local apples)

We also received a cauliflower this week, and while the 3 Things love their broccoli, they are not fans of cauliflower. I'm hoping the cheesy baked cauliflower recipe below will change their minds! I'm looking forward to our warm spinach salad to use this week's spinach - it's definitely a huge favourite of ours.

I was happy to see we are still receiving local blueberries this season. I'll be sure to use those in yet one more batch of the Lemon Blueberry muffins and we will continue to sprinkle them over our cereal at breakfast each morning.

Sunday: Leftover Tacos
Monday: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Tomato and Pecans
Tuesday: Cheesy Baked Cauliflower
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans
Thursday: Macaroni and Cheese
Friday: Thai Beef with Chiles and Basil over Coconut Rice
Saturday: : Chicken in Light Sauce

I tried this recipe a few weeks ago and we all loved it - all three kids and the husband ate it. That's a huge feat in our home!

Thai Beef with Chiles and Basil over Coconut Rice

1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk
coarse salt
2 T plus 1 t fish sauce
2 T plus 1 t soy sauce
1 t sugar
1 T vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 long hot peppers, seeded and sliced into 2 inch matchsticks
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
lime wedges, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, combine, rice coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 t salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

2. When rice is almost done, combine fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok over high. Add oil and heat, add garlic and half the chiles. Cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until completely browned, about 4 minutes. Add soy mixture and cook 30 seconds. Add basil and remaining chiles and stir to combine. Serve beef over coconut rice with lime wedges.

Week of September 6, 2009

2009-09-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Monday: Leftovers or easy sandwiches
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregano
Wednesday: Bacon and Cheese Omelet
Thursday: Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef
Friday: Late Summer Vegetable Soup
Saturday: Out at community corn roast

I don't often cook with oregano, but I have a lot in my herb garden so I was excited to come across this grilled chicken recipe (Tuesday) and am excited to give it a try. After a summer of WAY too much red meat on the barbecue, I am hoping to start cooking more chicken and seafood.

With local blueberries still in full force around Ottawa, I've been making lots of Lemon Blueberry muffins for the 3 Things. These muffins are pretty healthy and very easy and fast to make (I can often whip them up just before the kids get up in the morning and have them hot out of the oven for breakfast.

Another muffin favourite around here are these Zucchini Chocolate Chip muffins that I have been making for almost two years now. Everywhere I take them people rave about them and my kids ask me every 3-4 days for "more of those chocolate chip muffins". Little do they know (because thankfully they can't read yet!) I often nearly double the zucchini and put at least 1 1/2 to 2 cups in!! These are DELICIOUS, and also not very difficult to make (grating the zucchini is a bit tediuos and watch those finger nails as you get to the end!).

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients. Add zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on the top.

We are all over tomatoes at this time of year and aside from our daily dose of cheese and tomato sandwiches, I like to try a different tomato salad every week or so. This is on my radar for this week:

Avocado Tomato Salad

2 Hass Avocados from Mexico, diced small
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons sweet onion, diced small
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
1 head baby red romaine lettuce, trimmed and left as whole leaves
1 medium head frisee, washed and chopped
1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, gently mix, and season with salt to taste. If preferred, add more cilantro and fresh lime juice to taste.
Refrigerate for thirty minutes prior to serving.
Just before serving, toss salad with romaine, frisee and watercress. Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.

Week of August 30, 2009

2009-08-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

School starts tomorrow morning around these parts, and what better time to get back to reality and start planning my weekly menus again? Taking the summer off was exactly what I needed . . . we relaxed and cooked on the barbecue a lot, entertained with friends, ate cereal for supper occasionally, and thoroughly enjoyed all the local summer produce Ottawa has to offer.

But I am starting to miss my menu plans, and I know it will make grocery shopping and planning my week so much easier. Both Thing 1 and Thing 2 will be in school this year, going for the morning and coming home at lunch time. So I need to plan some new and interesting healthy lunches this year, as we will all be eating together. My other goal for this school year is to get back to basics a little bit and start cooking some simpler, kid-friendly meals. Nothing puts a damper on your evening like cooking something exciting and elaborate and having all three of your kids turn their noses up at it and not eat it. I really need to explore some new meals that are easy to make, yet tasty enough that all five of us will eat it.

Sunday: BBQ Ribs, Double Tomato Bruschetta, Cherry Tomato Salad
Monday: Quesadillas
Tuesday: Chicken in Light Sauce
Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Thursday: Smoky Beef Tacos
Friday: Out of town
Saturday: Out of town

Week of July 12, 2009

2009-07-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

My menu planning has slipped lately as we've been so busy (and lazy at the same time) with our new summer schedule. NOT that I'm complaining! Sitting back with a cold beer or glass of wine while throwing some burgers on the barbecue is a great way to spend my evenings, for sure.

We have a couple of the Things' cousins visiting this week so I have some good meals planned.

Sunday: Fajitas (on the barbecue)
Monday: Grilled Salmon, roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus
Tuesday: Garlic Scape Pesto tossed with pasta, salad
Wednesday: Arugula Salad with Grilled Chicken, Corn, Tomatoes and Blue Cheese
Thursday: Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
Friday: Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera
Saturday: Strawberry Cream Cake

I have made both the S'more Cookies and Rocky Road Brownies before and they were big summer hits with kids and grown-ups alike, so I'm hoping to make these in the next week or two as we have some parties/functions/barbecues to attend.

I also have this Buttermilk and Herb Marinated Chicken on my radar possibly for next week as it looks incredibly easy and is something I could potentially see all three Things eating.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
- from Martha Stewart's EveryDay Food Magazine

Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove
2 T olive oil
8 ounces angel hair pasta
2 T pine nuts, toasted if desired

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente; drain, and return to pot. Add tomato mixture, and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Week of June 14, 2009

2009-06-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

We were out of town last weekend, and I didn't get to my menu plan as I had a horrible sore throat and didn't cook much last week. I'm hoping this week is a different story! Here's what we have planned:

Sunday: Smokey Beef Tacos
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cilantro
Wednesday: Out at Preschool Barbecue
Thursday: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Friday: Grilled Steak with Sesame Broccoli
Saturday: At a friend's for a Barbecue

Seeing as we have a ridiculous amount of rhubarb growing in our backyard, I have been on the lookout for some new recipes. I'm not a big fan of rhubarb, so if I'm going to eat it, it must be paired with another flavour to somewhat disguise the rhubarb tart-ness. I'm liking the looks of this Rhubarb Rasberry Crisp, and also the Rhubarb and Blackberry Snack Cake.

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

2009-06-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe for Linguine with Clams and Bacon a few months ago and was disappointed that after what seemed like eons searching I couldn't find white clam sauce anywhere in Ottawa. So I searched around on the web a bit and tried a few things, and eventually came up with this recipe that I really loved. In all honestly, I LOVED it and thought it was possibly the best linguine with clam sauce I've ever had . . . but my non-East-Coast husband was not a huge fan of the meal. He was respectful enough to eat a plateful, though. The Things weren't instant lovers of it either, but I didn't really care.

Cuz like I said. I LOVED IT!!!

After a long visit in Nova Scotia this summer, I'll have these kids eating clams yet, mark my words.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 6.5 ounce cans of chopped clams
1/4 cup dry white wine
Milk
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper
1 pound linguini cooked al dente

Cook the linguine to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce
Drain clams, reserving the liquid.
Combine clam juice with milk to equal two cups of liquid.
Melt butter in a small saucepan.
Add garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the flour and cook for two minutes.
Add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer for ten minutes.
Add the clams and heat through.
Serve over linguine.

Week of May 31, 2009

2009-05-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

This week is shaping up to be incredibly busy. We are heading out of town on Friday morning for a wedding in Toronto, and our weeknights are jam-packed with activities.

I received leeks this week in my produce box, and after searching I found this great recipe for Grilled Leeks (Tuesday). I'm hoping it's good as I am usually fairly mundane when I cook with Leeks . . . we are die-hard fans of the most-unhealthy Potato Leek Soup recipe in the world. I have a hunch grilling the leeks will be better for our longevity than the soup!

My mom arrives on Thursday (to generously watch the boys for us while we are away in Toronto) and I'm hoping to make my Indian Chicken recipe for her that night. I didn't get a chance to make it when I posted a few weeks ago, and I'm certain it's going to be delicious.

Sunday: Baked Spaghetti
Monday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Tuesday: Grilled Leeks and Grilled Salmon on BBQ, Salad
Wednesday: Out at Elementary School BBQ
Thursday: Indian Chicken in Light Sauce
Friday: Out of town
Saturday: Out of town
Sunday: Out of town

Home-made Granola

2009-05-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

I became addicted to this granola about a year ago when I started making Beth's recipe. Our family loves it, and I really enjoy mixing up the ingredients and adding new things each time I make it. It's so easy, SO delicious, and so much cheaper than buying pre-made granola.

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds or other nuts (I often use pecans)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup dried fruit or raisins
1-2 T ground flax seed
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the oats, coconut, flax seed, oil and honey.

Pour onto a large baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is golden.

Allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruit or raisins if using. Mix well and enjoy as a cereal, on top of yogurt, or with a bowl of fruit.

Week of May 24, 2009

2009-05-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Linguine with Clams and Bacon
Monday: Quick and Easy Stir fry (to use up veggies)
Tuesday: Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs
Wednesday: Roast Chicken with Lemons and Fennel
Thursday: Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad, sandwiches
Friday: Pizza - daddy is out of town
Saturday: Something easy and fun while daddy is away

Looking for some good sweet potato recipes? We've had a lot lately so I've been searching for some good and fun recipes. Ontario Sweet Potato growers offer a huge list on their web site.

I also found this recipe for Turkey sliders with avocado and tomato when I was browsing this weekend, and I hope to try it one night soon.

Savoury Sweet Potato Sticks

2009-05-19T17:42:00.001-07:00

For more What's Cooking Wednesday, visit Shan at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother . . .

I found this recipe on the back of a box of Rice Krispies . . . oh, yes I did!! I made them spur of the moment last week, and what a hit.

They were FABULOUS. Tasty, crisp and melt-in-your-mouth good. They will definitely be frequenting our dinner table in the future.

Savoury Sweet Potato Sticks

3 medium sweet potatoes
3 cups KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 egg whites
4 tablespoons water

Wash sweet potatoes (or peel if desired). Cut lengthwise into 1 cm (1/2-inch) slices. Cut slices into 1 cm (1/2-inch) sticks.
In large plate or shallow pan, mix together crushed cereal and seasonings. Place flour on second plate. In medium bowl, beat egg whites and water.
Coat potatoes with flour, shaking off excess. Next dip in egg mixture, then coat with cereal mixture. Place in single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot with salsa or roasted garlic mayonnaise if desired.

Week of May 18, 2009

2009-05-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

I'm late with this week's menu . . . a long weekend always blows me out of the water and messes up my entire weekly schedule!!

Sunday: Take Out
Monday: Barbecued steaks, potatoes
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Breasts, fries
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, salad
Thursday: Yellow String Beans and Tomatoes (below), Home-made burgers
Friday: Spicy, Sauteed Chickpeas, Beef and Cilantro
Saturday: Pork Carnitas

I found this recipe for yellow string beans in my weekly newsletter e-mail from Life Organic, the company that delivers our weekly box of fresh organic food. I'm excited to try it because I have no originality when it comes to cooking beans . . . I usually just boil them slightly and serve them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Kinda boring.

Yellow String Beans and Tomatoes

1 lb. yellow string beans, trimmed of blossom ends and cut in half horizontally
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
1/2 large onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
Splash of white wine
Splash of rice or cider vinegar
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a vigorous boil. Add beans and cook 6-8 minutes, just until they are crisp-tender. Drain and plunge into cold water to stop beans from cooking.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic and stir constantly for one minute. Add onion and cook another 4-5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add tomatoes and white wine and cook until heated through. Add beans back to skillet, along with vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Heat through and serve warm or cold.

Serve over salad greens for 4 dinner servings or as a side salad to 6 people.

Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Pecans

2009-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in What's Cooking Wednesday at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother!!

This is a favourite of ours that we've been eating for months. It's a great way to get lots of spinach in our diet, because we eat the salad by heaping bowlfuls! The kids love the bacon and the pecans, although don't always eat the entire salad.

- adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup pecan halves (smaller pieces work fine too)
10 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 pint (2 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 3 bunches (1 1/2 pounds total) flat-leaf spinach, trimmed, cleaned, and dried
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in oven 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet.
Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar; simmer until liquid thickens slightly and tomatoes are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Don't overcook the tomatoes or they will quickly become soggy and "wet".
Place spinach in a large bowl, and pour hot tomato-onion mixture over; toss quickly to coat and wilt spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with reserved pecans and bacon.
Enjoy!!!

Week of May 10, 2009

2009-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Last week's meals were all fantastic, something must have been right in the universe because all seemed to work out well. With the nice weather upon us meal construction is extremely difficult - we are often outside playing at the park across the street until 5:30, so it's imperative that I have most of the prep done ahead of time. If we eat supper much past 6:00 the kids are just too hungry, and that quickly becomes not fun for anyone.

Also, Mondays and Wednesdays are going to be busy nights for the next few months. Thing 1 has T-ball Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:00, and Paul has softball on Mondays as well, so I need to somehow have dinner on the table by 5:30 on each of those nights.

Sunday: Out for dinner, bringing Easy Arugula Salad
Monday: Soup and Sandwiches
Tuesday: Chicken with Goat Cheese and Arugula
Wednesday: Refried Bean Quesadillas
Thursday: Linguine with Clams and Bacon
Friday: Home-made pizza
Saturday: Chicken in Light Sauce

We're enjoying trying new Indian dishes lately, so I'm going to give this one a whirl this week from the number one expert in Indian cooking herself.

Week of May 3, 2009

2009-05-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

After a couple weeks of possibly the worst flu ever hitting our entire household, I am back on the menu planning bandwagon and am ready and able to eat real food again. Looking forward to a week of delicious meals again!!

Sunday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Monday: Leftovers/Freezer Meal while daddy is out
Tuesday: Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
Wednesday: Indian-Spiced Braised Chicken
Thursday: Quick Meat Sauce
Friday: Home-made Pizza
Saturday: Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes - a new twist on our regular pancakes

I'm also looking forward to trying out this Blueberry-Almond Granola this week too. It's very similar to the regular recipe that I already use, so hopefully the family will love it.

Indian-spiced Braised Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 T tomato paste
1 T grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t garam masala
cooked white rice, for serving

In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, stir together chicken, onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, coriander, and cayenne pepper; season with salt and pepper.

Cook on high four hours or on low eight hours until fork-tender. Stir in yogurt, cilantro, and garam masala. Serve with rice.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake

2009-04-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Finally found a great recipe to help rid us of some of our Easter ham . . .

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake
(this is adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe that my sister sent me)

4-6 slices bread
8 oz ham, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups cheddar and gruyere cheese
3 T fresh herbs, I used parsley
6 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Layer the bread along the bottom of the dish, filling the bottom. Layer ham, 2 cups of cheese and 2 T of herbs on top of the bread. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/4 t salt and 1/2 t pepper. Pour into the dish and top with the tomato slices in an even layer.

Bake the eggs until nearly set, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and herbs on top and bake until golden.

I didn't remember this last step b/c we were particularly rushed tonight. Still tasted great!! I also added a little Dijon mustard at the last minute . . . thought it gave it a nice zing.

Check out more "What's Cooking Wednesday" at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother!!!!

Week of April 12, 2009

2009-04-13T06:57:00.000-07:00

We had a week full of delicious and fairly simple meals last week - I love a week when there are no duds. My Easter dinner was a far bigger success than I had anticipated. I'd been sick for days with a horrible sore throat and don't know how I pulled it all together. That being said, it was fairly easy, actually. The ham turned out perfectly (time to admit that I have never cooked a ham before in my life - we have never been big ham eaters) and both Paul and his mom raved about it. The potato and leek galette was also delicious - I will absolutely be making that again. It was a tasty compliment to the ham.

Any tips on what to do with mounds and mounds of leftover ham? We will have lots of ham sandwiches, but aside from that I don't have any fresh ideas. I found this Pork Quesadilla recipe from Everyday Food, maybe I'll give it a shot. Omelets with chopped ham are probably another good choice.

Sunday: this Easter Dinner menu
Monday: Ham leftovers
Tuesday: Potato Leek Soup
Wednesday: Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes
Thursday: Meal from freezer
Friday: Paprika Roast Chicken
Saturday: Linguine with Clams and Bacon

Week of April 5, 2009

2009-04-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

The curried lentils from last week were a nice surprise. For a vegetarian meal, it was very filling and completely appropriate for a main course. I served it with Naan bread from Costco, lightly toasted in the oven with olive oil, and a salad. I used dried lentils and home-made tomato sauce, although the recipe called for canned - it seemed perfect so I don't think the swap mattered (and was obviously cheaper and healthier).

I didn't get to the Linguine with Clams and Bacon - the day just got away from me - so I hope to do it next weekend.

Sunday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad
Monday: Chicken with Goat Cheese and Arugula, Snap peas
Tuesday: Basic Omelet
Wednesday: Greek Chicken Cutlets
Thursday: Freezer Meal
Friday: Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese
Saturday: Linguine with Clams and Bacon

Since I am not always the most adept omelet maker, I decided to go back to the basics and follow this simple recipe I found on the Everyday Food web site. We like omelets for a refreshing, light dinner some nights, and it annoys the heck out of me when it turns out runny - or worse, burnt.

I am thinking of going with this Easter Dinner menu for next Sunday. We'll see - not sure I love the idea of the apricot mustard sauce for the ham, I might try something with a simpler flavour. But the potato and leek galette is intriguing me so I'm going to give it a try!!

Also hoping to try these Peanut Butter Granola Bars and see if the kids like them - fun and easy snacks are always on my radar!! They gobbled up the zucchini chocolate chip muffins last week, so I will make more this week. I doubled the zucchini measurement and the boys didn't even blink.

Pesto Sauce and Freezing Tips

2009-03-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

I really like this pesto sauce recipe from From Mommy's Kitchen. I've made it several times and the family always loves it - it's a nice easy sauce to mix with almost any type of pasta. I like to make it in big batches (when and if I can ever accumulate that much basil) and then freeze it in small servings so I can take them out quickly and serve them on short notice.

If I have learned anything cooking so much in the past couple years, it's to make extra of what you are cooking . . . and FREEZE it. I just adore having a freezer full of food for weeks when I don't have time to cook, have other things going on . . . or am, truthfully, completely lazy. I have my Sharpie and masking tape on hand in my kitchen drawer, so I can always label my items by type and by date. It makes it much easier to grab what I'm looking for quickly if I'm not holding the container up to the light trying to decipher what *may* or may not be inside.

For things like soup and chicken stock, I have learned to use ziploc bags, and lay them flat in the freezer because they take up far less space than a bulkier container. I label the front so I know what I have, and then I usually defrost such liquid items in a big bowl of hot water.

Week of March 29, 2009

2009-03-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

Last week's smoky beef tacos were good - I think they might have been amazing had I not made a tiny error in cooking it. One so embarrassing I am unsure I can bring myself to share it here. Needless to say, it was a little dried out, but I suspect in following the recipe more carefully, they would have been spectacular. And despite my typing in "slow cooker" beef tacos, they were actually not cooked in the slow cooker, they were done in my dutch oven. Hmmmmm.

I'm excited to try Beth's Linguine with Clams and Bacon this week, as it has been in my "to make" pile for ages and I haven't gotten around to it. My husband is not a big clams guy (and I was born and raised on the East Coast of Canada . . . need I say more???) so I'm hoping he will be open to giving it a try. I'll point out that it has bacon . . . perhaps his love affair with bacon will allow him to see past the pesky tiny shellfish!

Sunday: Fast Pasta with Tomatoes
Monday: Spinach Salad with Spicy Shrimp and Mango
Tuesday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Wednesday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Thursday: Curried Lentils in tomato sauce
Friday: Home-made Pizza (a Friday night favourite now)
Saturday: Linguine with Clams and Bacon

Since I received a lot of zucchini in our organic basket this week, I'm going to make these zucchini-chocolate chip muffins. I made them several times last summer and they were a big hit. The boys didn't even notice the zucchini and gobbled them up.

I've been finding my boring and monotonous lunches a little more than I can take, so if the mood strikes I'm going to try this pressed mozzarella and tomato sandwich one mid-day this week.

Fast Pasta with Tomatoes
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
roughly 3 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
penne or rotini pasta
1 cup grated mozzarella or other cheese

In a.m. - combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and leave to marinate on counter.

Later - cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pot. Add marinated veggies. Add cheese, toss, cover. Set aside for five minutes, until cheese melts slightly. Serve with salad and a baguette!

Week of March 22, 2009

2009-03-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe the bad luck I have had with the "Smoky Beef Tacos". I have posted this recipe half a dozen times and something always comes up so that I'm unable to make it. This week, I'm dedicated to making it. We will tacos on Monday if it kills me.

Last week's Irish Beef Stew was surprisingly delicious and very easy to make. Other than browning the beef before placing it in the crockpot, there was very little work involved, aside from smelling the delicious aroma all day in my kitchen!

Two of this week's menu items are from the April issue of Everyday Food, and they will not be posted to their site until April 1st, at which time I will add links.

Sunday: Stir Fry
Monday: Slow Cooker Smoky Beef Tacos
Tuesday: Spaghetti with Shrimp and Bacon (recipe from April, not posted yet)
Wednesday: Shepherd's Pie (have several in the freezer, thankfully)
Thursday: Dinner at Preschool Fundraiser (at a pub - yay!)
Friday: Pasta with Meat Sauce
Saturday: Spanish Tortilla with Bell Pepper (recipe from April, not posted yet)

I found this simple, basic recipe for Marinara Sauce in my Everyday Food magazine, and might try it this week. I am trying to cut down on meat (b/c it is expensive and not that good for us) and am looking for more veg-based pastas and other meals.

Rustic Marinara Sauce

from Everyday Food Magazine from Martha Stewart, March 2009

In a large pot, heat 2 T of olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and a pinch of red pepper flakes over medium until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add two 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes with juice, crushed; season with salt and pepper. Cook at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Week of March 15, 2009

2009-03-15T15:18:00.001-07:00

Sunday: Leftovers/Cream of Broccoli Soup
Monday: Beth's Roast Chicken
Tuesday: Irish Stew
Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie
Thursday: Slow Cooker Smoky Beef Tacos
Friday: Home - made pizza
Saturday: Fettuccine with Two Cheeses

After making several batches of Pureed Broccoli Soup, I wanted to try something that was a bit richer in flavour and consistency. I cooked up this cream soup from Martha, and have made it several times. We love it, and I served it at a potluck last night and all the guests (said they) loved it. I've done it twice with cauliflower too, with fabulous results.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
from Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Chef

5 T unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1/4 cup plus 1 T all purpose flour
4 cups basic chicken stock
1 head of broccoli
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute (the flour should not take on any colour).

Pour in stock, whisking to incorporate fully, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, whisking fairly often, to cook out raw flour taste and thicken liquid.

Add broccoli stems and season with salt and pepper. Return to a boil, stirring to combine, then add florets and return to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer until tender enough to mash with the back of a spoon, 10 to 20 minutes.

Working in batches (do not fill more than halfway), pour contents of pot into a blender and puree until smooth. Pass soup through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing on solids with a flexible spatula to extract as much liquid as possible.

Set pot over low heat and whisk in cream. (Thin with more stock or water, if necessary.) Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serve immediately or cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container.

Chicken Pot Pie
adapted from the Best of the Best of Bridge Series

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped onion
3 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, chopped in small pieces
2 celery stalks, chopped in small pieces
2 potatoes, cubed in small pieces
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 T butter 1/2 cup peas
3 cups cooked and diced chicken
Pastry to cover 3L casserole or frozen puff pastry dough

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and onion. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Add carrots, celery and potatoes. Cook until fork tender. In a small frying pan, cook the mushrooms in butter. Add mushrooms, peas and chicken to vegetable mixture. Mix well and pour into large casserole dish. Cover with rolled pastry and slash to allow steam to escape. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden. If pastry becomes too brown, cover loosely with foil.

Week of March 8, 2009

2009-03-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

The Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta on our menu last week was a surprising hit! It was absolutely fantastic, and I completely expected it to only be mediocre. Was I wrong. Paul had two bowls and even the Things picked at theirs a bit. It will definitely be on our long-range menu plan.

The Drunken Garlic Pot Roast was another favourite from last week - it was so rich and flavourful, much better than many of the roasts I've cooked (slow cooker or not). Two of the Things loved it and gobbled it up. With only one bottle of beer in the sauce, I figured a wee bit couldn't hurt them.

I didn't make the Beef Tacos last week so I'm hoping to fit that in this week, and I was able to find the recipe on the Everyday Food site.

Sunday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Monday: Slow Cooker Smoky Beef Tacos
Tuesday: Leftovers/Freezer Meal
Wednesday: Beth's Roast Chicken
Thursday: Thing 1's birthday dinner - his choice
Friday: Linquine with Spring Vegetables
Saturday: Pot Luck dinner with friends, I'll be bringing - Crockpot Taco Soup

If I can fit it in this week or next, I'm going to try this pizza crust recipe I found. It looks easy - I hope. In the past I've not had much luck with pizza crust. The ones I usually make I do in my bread machine, and I have a feeling I don't knead the dough long enough. If this turns out better than my previous attempts, I will have an alternative to the Things' favourite pizza joint around the corner.

Fast and Easy Pizza Crust
adapted from The Best of the Best of Bridge Series

3/4 cup warm water
1 T active dry yeast (1 pkg)
1 T sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 t salt
1 T yellow cornmeal
1 T olive oil
cornmeal to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly oil a 12" pizza pan. In a small bowl, mix warm water, yeast and sugar together. Let sit until yeast activates, about five minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and cornmeal. Add yeast mixture and olive oil and knead to a smooth dough, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle a work surface with cornmeal and roll dough into a 13" circle and place on pizza pan. Crimp edges and add your favourite toppings. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Makes one 12" pizza.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

2009-03-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

(Still perfecting my photography skills - couldn't get that shadow out of the picture for the life o me!!!)

We went to a friend's 40th birthday party last night, and I tried a new recipe to bring as an appetizer. Paul and I absolutely loved it. I don't think there were a lot of smoked salmon lovers there, as I have a feeling that we ate most of the platter ourselves!!

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

1 anaheim pepper, charred, peeled and cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, charred, peeled and cut into strips
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup of cream cheese, room temperature
3 8" flour tortillas
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup shallots (I used leeks)
2 oz. smoked salmon, cut into strips

In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Spread one third of the mixture over half of each tortilla. Divide the pepper strips evenly over the 3 halves of the tortillas.

Layer the avocado slices over the pepper strips and top with the shallots. Divide the salmon evenly on the tortilla halves. Fold the tortillas over, pressing to seal.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and brown the folded tortillas until the cheese melts. Turn over and brown on the other side. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges and serve immediately.

Week of March 1, 2009

2009-03-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

The crock pot chili I made last week ended up being spectacular. I altered the recipe a little bit, and added extra spices because we love our chili burning hot! It was the perfect cold (ok, freezing) night meal and I baked a loaf of whole grain bread to go with it (in my bread machine - I am not yet brave enough to tackle baking real bread).

I'd forgotten how much we all liked Dara's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I found one last serving of frozen pumpkin puree in the freezer, so I whipped up a batch of these muffins a couple days ago and the kids have been devouring them.

Spending less on groceries is going okay. We are a big family and we like to eat. With all of us home we are all eating three meals a day at home, seven days a week. I am also watching another little boy right now, who boasts a pretty healthy appetite. I'm shocked at how quickly we go through milk, bread, fruit, etc. But we have definitely cut out extras, and I'm sure in the big picture that is saving us money. Our big saver has been drinks - I stopped buying orange juice and only buy apple juice for the kids and dilute it. I don't miss the orange juice too much, it is full of sugar and not good for us anyway. We don't drink Perrier anymore (which I do miss but am living without) or club soda, or other pop or fruit drinks. We also cut out beer and wine - and while THAT certainly hurts, it has to be saving us money.

My money saving venture for this week is to make Thing 1's birthday cake. I am not much of a cake decorator so I chose a recipe that looks manageable. He REALLY wants an Indiana Jones cake and the one at the bakery around the corner is basically $50. For a kid's cake!!!??? So we are having a small birthday party at our home, with Indiana Jones-themed games and ordering pizza. I hope it goes well.

I'm very excited to be trying Beth's Drunken Garlic Pot Roast tonight. I'm a big fan of her blog and her recipes, and Paul has yet to dislike something of hers that I've made. It looks like a delicious cold Sunday night meal!!

Here's a look at our menu for the coming week:

Sunday: Drunken Garlic Pot Roast
Monday: Leftovers (do something with extra meat from last night)
Tuesday: Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
Wednesday: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Thursday: Leftovers/Freezer Meal
Friday: Pan Seared Salmon with Avocado Remoulade
Saturday: Indiana Jones birthday cake for Thing 1's birthday party

With sick kids for the past few weeks, I've done a lot of sitting around flipping through old recipe books. I've rekindled my love for The Best of The Best of Bridge book. It's full of simple, flavourful and not-too-difficult recipes. The recipe below is adapted from here.

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 T oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T medium curry paste
1 tsp tomato paste
2 T honey
2 cups chicken broth
1 unpeeled ripe pear, sliced in thin wedges
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 T cream or milk
3 T chopped cilantro
Rotini, bow tie or shells pasta

In a frying pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and curry paste and stir 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and honey and stir another 2 minutes. Add broth, increase heat to medium high and boil gently, reducing liquid to less than 1 cup. (This takes about 15 minutes - now is a good time to start cooking the pasta).

Add pear slices and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and cream and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Pour over pasta and toss gently.

If you insist on meat - serve with grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin!

Week of February 22, 2009

2009-02-22T06:23:00.000-08:00

Last week's Penne with Ricotta and Pine Nuts was simple and more delicious than we expected. A good way to get some extra spinach in as well.

Here is this week's menu:

Sunday: Dinner at MILs
Monday: Mommy's choice (it's only my birthday once a year!)
Tuesday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Wednesday: Crock Pot Chili
Thursday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Friday: Smoky Beef Tacos (recipe to be posted in March)
Saturday: Out at party

The Smoky Beef Tacos recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, and they don't post any of their recipes online until the first of the month (so the March magazine recipes don't go live until March 1st). I will add the link at that time, b/c they look *really* delicious.

Crock Pot CHILI
I got this recipe from my friend Tammi and I thought I'd try it out since I haven't made chili in ages and I couldn't find the recipe I use anywhere. This version seems simple enough that my kids should eat it.

2 cans of kidney beans
1 large onion (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
2 stalks of celery (chopped)
1 lb of ground beef
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
1 1/2 tsp of salt
Pepper and other seasonings to taste

Brown onion, pepper, celery and meat until meat is cooked and veggies are translucent.
Place in crock pot.

Add beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings.

Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. (I will probably put it on low and leave it for most of the day.)

Week of February 15, 2009

2009-02-16T09:51:00.000-08:00

This week's menu is not all that exacting because I am going to be using up a lot of things from the freezer as well as making a couple meals from past weeks that I *still* haven't managed to get to.

My husband made a delicious Hungarian goulash for Valentine's Day dinner. He "winged it" it a bit so I will get the recipe and post it when I get a chance. It was delicious and the leftovers were even better.

Sunday: Leftover goulash
Monday: Penne with Ricotta and Pine Nuts
Tuesday: Speedy Lentil and Bean Casserole
Wednesday: Pasta with Sausage and Mushroom Sauce
Thursday: Freezer Meal
Friday: Slow Cooker Chili (will post recipe)
Saturday: Roast Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

Last week's broccoli soup was fantastic. We got a cauliflower in our basket this week, so I may use the same recipe to make cauliflower soup - we are not big cauliflower fans and it seems like a good way to get some lunches for the week.

I also made the Kitchen Sink cookies and they - in all seriousness - are the best cookies I have ever eaten.

I didn't end up making the brownies for Valentine's Day, I made a batch of cupcakes for us to have at home, with leftover icing I had from my preschool cupcakes.

So far saving money is going well. We are using a lot of what we have and looking to our very full freezer for meats and other meals. I am trying to buy things on sale and have cut out foods and drinks that are not necessity. We are not drinking Perrier or Club Soda (favourites of ours), and actually we are mostly just drinking water. I am making cookies and things for the kids, so we are not buying very much of anything that is prepackaged. And, the kicker of course is that we are not buying wine. It just seems like a luxury for a family with no income, so we will save our wine-with-dinner days for the future.

(Yes, we had a bottle for Valentine's day, courtesy of my mother-in-law!)

Egg and Dairy-free Cupcakes

2009-02-12T04:45:00.001-08:00

Due to some allergies at Thing 2's preschool, I was required to make an egg and dairy-free recipe for a Valentine's party. I found this and it turned out surprisingly well!!

Simple Chocolate Cake (egg and dairy-free)

1 1/2 cups flour
3 T cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cold water
5 T oil
1 T vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Bake at 350 degrees:
15-18 minutes for cupcakes
22-25 minutes for cake

I just used a plain buttercream recipe for the icing, and added a little red food colouring to make it pink. I can't find the recipe anywhere, although I got it in a Martha Stewart magazine and it is basically unsalted butter and icing sugar and vanilla extract - mixed for a good long time.

Delicious!!!

Week of February 8, 2009

2009-02-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's looking like A Crafty Mom's recipes will be taking a new direction over the coming weeks. Gone are the days of trying new things, entertaining for guests, buying top quality and organic grocery items - from now on I will make do with what I have in my kitchen or buy whatever I can on sale or at discounted rates. Yes, the downturning economy has reared its ugly head at our house and my husband was very unexpectedly laid off from his job in software engineering at a small high tech company.

Thus, saving money is the name of the game now and I'm going to do my best to feed us for less.

Monday: Pasta with grape tomatoes and feta
Tuesday: Fajitas
Wednesday: Speedy Lentil and Bean Casserole
Thursday: Leftovers or Freezer Meal
Friday: Penne with Ricotta and Pine Nuts
Saturday: Hungarian Goulash (husband is making this one for Valentine's Day - no recipe yet)

I adapted a recipe I found in my Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, and made a big batch of pureed vegetable soup. We'll eat this for lunches this week, and I hope to get a chance to make some fresh bread in our breadmaker.

Pureed Broccoli Soup

2 pounds broccoli
1 large baking potato
2 T olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
chicken broth (14 oz)
1 to 3 t fresh lemon juice

Cut broccoli into florets, and peel and cut stalks into 1/2 inch chunks. Peel and cut potato into 1 in chunks.

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes.

Add broccoli, broth and enough water (4-5 cups) to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetable is tender, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree broth and veggies in a blender until smooth, transferring to a clean pot as you work. Adjust soup's consistency with a little water if necessary. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

After enduring a couple of weeks that tested my ability to remain sane to a degree I had not dealt with before, I am diving into some comfort-food baking to help heal the heart . . . and the tummy.

These look fantastic for a cold winter afternoon with a cup of tea:
Jumbo Coffee-Cake Muffins

I'm going to throw these together on Saturday for our at-home Valentine's Day dinner - I am not always a fan of "light" desserts so we'll see if this passes the Crafty Mom sweet tooth test.
Light Chocolate-Chunk Brownies

On my quest to save money we will be making anything we can at home - cookies included. I'm hoping the kids and husband gobble these chalk full of goodness cookies:
John's Kitchen Sink Cookies

Week of February 1, 2009

2009-02-02T04:58:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Artichoke Chicken
Wednesday: Easy Pasta with Vegetables
Thursday: Speedy Lentil & Bean Casserole
Friday: Pasta with Pesto
Saturday: Home-made pizza

I'm not even sure where this recipe comes from . . . but I know I got it from my mother.

Artichoke Chicken

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used a bit less and it seemed to work)
1 clove garlic minced
ground pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts

Preheat your oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix artichoke, cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and pepper. Place your chicken breasts in a greased baking dish. Cover evenly with the artichoke mixture. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I was going through an old recipe book over the weekend, and I found this recipe that was my friend Kristen's when we were in university together. She was my only friend who could "cook"!

Speedy Lentil & Bean Casserole

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (19 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (19 oz) can lentils, drained and rinsed
1 (19 oz) can tomatoes, drained
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
ground pepper
1 1/2 cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until onion is softened. Add beans, lentils, tomatoes, rosemary and pepper to taste. Stir and break up tomatoes with back of spoon. Bring to simmer. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.

Week of January 25, 2009

2009-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last week's meals were quite good. I was especially happy with the home-made pizza (although I made my crust in the breadmaker and not using the recipe I posted) and thought it tasted excellent. My boys, Thing 1 and Thing 2, were not as excited and thought "it tasted better from the store". Hmm. Interesting.

With my little girl turning one I took my first shot at baking an angel food cake. It's not that it was especially difficult, but you do need everything to be "just so" and perfect, or it won't turn out absolutely wonderful. My first one I made too late at night, I was exhausted and forgot two ingredients, so I ended up making one again the next day. It was very good, although not as light and fluffy as I anticipated. I think that was because I baked it while one child was around (two were napping, one was at school). He was a good helper, although I don't believe I whipped the egg whites long enough . . . perhaps the "peaks" weren't of the desired firmness. It was still very tasty - everyone loved it.

After not being able to find an icing recipe that replicated the ones my grandmother used to make for us when we were kids, I went with this Caramel Whipped Cream from Martha and frosted the cake with that.

Can you say TO DIE FOR?

It was the best whipped cream I have EVER tasted in my life. It was the perfect match to a light, airy cake (well, you know, the one in the picture was anyway).

I'm trying two new recipes in the crockpot this week . . . it's January and freaking cold and I should be using it more. I'm also trying Beth's version of the Chickpea and Beef dish below, it varies slightly from the original that I tried a few months ago.

Sunday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Monday: Pasta with Meat Sauce (from freezer)
Tuesday: Crockpot Salsa Chicken
Wednesday: Lasagna from freezer, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Veggie Omelets
Friday: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Olives
Saturday: Spicy Sauteed Chickpeas and Beef with Cilantro

The Breakfast Bagel

2009-01-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

When I was young and working and single (yeah, *way* back then) I used to spend many weekend mornings at a local Ottawa bagel shop. They made famous their "breakfast bagel". As the years went on I continued to eat there on a regular basis, converting most of my family and friends into true Montreal-style bagel lovers.

Having three little ones and being on a stricter budget than I was then, I now make breakfast bagels at home for our family most weekends.

It's SIMPLE.

You'll need:

bacon
eggs
bagels
cheddar cheese

Start by cooking your bacon. My tried and true method of whipping up perfect, crispy bacon is to bake it in the oven on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook it for 15-20 minutes and it comes out beautifully. Less mess than spattering all over the stove top!

As bacon finished cooking, toast bagels lightly. Also cook your eggs in any manner you'd like them. I usually do slightly over-easy as that's how we enjoy them.

Stack your egg on your one half of your bagel, top with cheddar cheese and 3-4 slices of bacon.

If you're peculiar - like me - you'll add a little ketchup before you take your first bite.

Perfect for any weekend breakfast or lunch!

Week of January 18, 2008

2009-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

I tried to choose recipes this week that were not overly difficult as this will be my first week with four kids to watch all day. I anticipate supper time being a little more dicey than normal now, so I'll have to adjust my cooking expectations accordingly. I will be watching my friend's son as she returns to work this week, and he is almost 11 months old.

Sunday: Dinner at Granny's
Monday: Spinach Salad with Tomato and Bacon (now a favourite here)
Tuesday: Quesadillas
Wednesday: Penne with Tomato, Tuna and Lemon
Thursday: Home-made Pizza
Friday: Easier Baked Penne
Saturday: Out for dinner with friends

I found this and thought it was a great idea for my kids, so I'll give it a go this week:
Home-made trail mix

And since we have two very special birthdays coming up on Thursday . . . I'll give this Angel Food Cake a whirl.

Recipes . . .

From Anne Lindsay's New Light Cooking (this is a favourite of ours that I have been cooking for years thanks to my friend Christine who made it for me ages ago and I subsequently went out and bought the book!)

Penne with Tomato, Tuna and Lemon

8 oz penne pasta
1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (19 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 3 cups fresh)
1 can water-packed tuna, drained
2 T drained capers
1/4 cup coarse chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Grated rind of half a lemon

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat, cook garlic, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes, stirring, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in tomatoes, tuna and capers; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened slightly.

4. Stir in cooked pasta, parsley, lemon rind, and salt and pepper to taste.

From Healthy Mum, Happy Baby

Even Easier Baked Penne

3 cups penne
25 oz pasta sauce or 3 cups (I'll use Beth's Quick Meat Sauce from my freezer)
1 cup ricotta
1 T fresh basil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9x9 inch baking dish.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 8-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups pasta sauce, ricotta, and basil; season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pasta sauce mixture and toss gently to combine. Spread 1/2 cup of remaining pasta sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the pasta mixture into the baking dish and drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup pasta sauce over top. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

5. Cover baking dish with lid or foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes.

Spinach Salad with Spicy Shrimp and Mango

2009-01-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Tonight's Spinach Salad with Spicy Shrimp and Mango? To. Die. For.

Now go make it. It's a perfect weeknight light meal. Paul and I made it to the bottom of the bowl in no time.

Week of January 11, 2009

2009-01-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Roast Chicken (didn't get to it last week)
Monday: Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango
Tuesday: Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli
Wednesday: Tomato Soup with Sausage and Pasta
Thursday: Leftovers or Freezer meal
Friday: Creamy Noodle Bake
Saturday: Out to dinner with friends. Yes, grown ups.

We received a mango in our food basket this Friday, and I'm not a big mango user, so I was at a loss for what to do with it. I found the salad recipe above, as well as this smoothie that I think I'll try for breakfast one morning.

Gloomy Day Smoothie

Week of January 4, 2009

2009-01-04T04:17:00.000-08:00

The holidays were a whirlwind around here, full of good meals, tasty drinks and appetizers and decadent deserts. The past few weeks are almost a blur of excitement and festivities, but it's always good to start a fresh page and begin a new year. Menu planning in 2008 was a miracle for me, it changed the way I cook, buy groceries, and plan my day. Planning online here at A Crafty Mom Eats seemed more "permanent" than when I used to scribble in meal plans on my fridge calendar. And I love the ease at which I can go back and see what we ate for a particular week, or to quickly pull up a recipe I know the whole family enjoyed. I will definitely be continuing in 2009!

Sunday: Last of the leftovers
Monday: Quick Meat Sauce
Tuesday: Roasted Vegetables and Soup from freezer
Wednesday: Pierogies and Vegetables
Thursday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Friday: Tortilla Soup with Black Beans
Saturday: Roast Chicken

Although we were away for Christmas and I didn't do a lot of holiday cooking, I did manage to try a few new recipes.

I made Slow Cooker Butter Chicken for New Year's Eve dinner and I thought it was absolutely delicious! My husband, on the other hand, was not a huge fan as he felt it wasn't "buttery" enough. I suppose you could add far more butter than the recipe calls for (1/4 cup) but I truly felt like the mix of other spices and flavours were enough to make this chicken dish a real winner. Easy, and way cheaper than our favourite Indian take-out.

I also made Braised Chicken with White Wine, Tomatoes and Peas one cold, frosty night just for my husband and I. It was nice and a refreshing change from some of the heartier meals we've been eating lately. I thought the tomatoes made for a nice sweet taste, and we liked this dish far more than I had anticipated. It also met the EASY and SIMPLE criteria, so I'll definitely be making it again.

Chocolate Truffles

2008-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas favourite of mine to give away as gifts are these Chocolate Truffles. They are not difficult to make, although getting the chocolate mixture at the exact right temperature is imperative to forming the balls correctly.

2 2/3 pkg (16 squares) Baker's Premium dark chocolate, divided
1//4 cup whipping cream
1 T butter

Chop 8 chocolate squares; place in double boiler. Add cream and butter, stir on low heat until blended. Remove from stove. Cover. Refrigerate for one hour, or until firm.

Shape into 24 balls. Place on a wax-paper tray.

Melt remaining chocolate squares. Using a fork or toothpick, dip the truffles in the melted chocolate until they are covered, and return to the tray. Sprinkle with nuts, crushed peppermint candy, sprinkles, icing sugar or cocoa. Refrigerate again, at least an hour or more until hard.

You can really get creative with what you sprinkle on top - use anything you like!

I tripled this recipe so that I had enough to give out for all my gifts (teachers, bus drivers, dog groomers, neighbours, etc.). We are even lucky enough this year to have some extras at home!

Nuts and Bolts

2008-12-17T16:16:00.001-08:00

This recipe originally came from my mom, although I tend to change it a bit every year. I also like this variety from Kellogg's Crispix cereal. There are several good ones on the Chex website as well. I give this recipe as gifts every year, and people always come back asking for another bag.

7	cups cereal (Chex, Crispix, Cheerios, Shreddies, or a mixture of all of them)
1	cup nuts (I use cashews and peanuts)
1	cup pretzels
3	tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1/4	teaspoon garlic salt
1/4	teaspoon onion salt
2	teaspoons lemon juice
4	teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a roast pan, mix cereal, pretzels and nuts together. In a saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Pour over the cereal mixture. Mix until coated. Bake for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Keep in a sealed container.

* I sometimes add Bugles or cheese sticks, or whatever I have around.

Peanut Butter Slice

2008-12-17T16:08:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter Slice

Easy, fast, deadly. Tastes like rich fudge, but with a kick.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 pkg butterscotch chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

Melt butter, peanut butter and chips in top of a double boiler. Cool briefly and add marshmallows - cool enough that the marshmallows don't melt when you add them, but not too cool that it starts to harden and thicken too much. Put in 8x8 pan, refrigerate, then cut into squares.

Grandmother Cookies

2008-12-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

My grandmother's Sugar Cookies

These cookies are truly divine. They are a bit crispy, yet still soft enough to just sort of melt in your mouth. I absolutely loved them when I was a little girl, and I counted the days to Christmas each year, when I knew my grandmother would be baking them again!

1 cup shortening (I have used butter sometimes)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp Cream of Tatar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almost extract (sometimes I use two)

Sift flour, baking soda, Cream of Tatar and salt. Cream the shortening. Beat in sugar, and add the egg. Beat well. Add the dry ingredients, mix well. Add vanilla and almond extract.

Divide the mixture into two rolls (like long logs). Place dough in wax paper in refrigerator for at least an hour. Then slice cookies off log and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cook at 350 until just lightly coloured (8-ish minutes).

I also roll the dough out sometimes and cut shapes out with my holiday cookie cutters. Then sprinkle a few red and green sprinkles on the top and bake!! The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 2/3 weeks - great for making last minute cookies when company stops by!

My grandmother's Ginger Snaps

These cookies are also divine. What made them exceptionally special for us was the fact that my grandmother somehow managed to slice the cookies so thin, they were almost like paper. These really and truly melted on your tongue as you slid one into your mouth.

1 cup shortening
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup of molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
3 cups flour

Cream the shortening, then add sugar and molasses. Beat this well. Sift the dry ingredients, add to the shortening mix, and mix well. Divide the dough and shape into two logs. Roll into separate pieces of wax paper, store in refrigerator. When needed, slice cookies and press down with a fork on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lunch Idea - Basil and Cheese Wedges

2008-12-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe at the Kraft Canada website. I made it today for lunch and it was delicious, fast and EASY.

Basil and Cheese Wedges

It is an appetizer, but I decided it looked good for lunch, and I had some fresh basil I wanted to use up. I didn't have any of the Kraft Italian dressing, but I used olive oil and a bit of pepper on the top and fresh parmesan cheese instead of the Kraft kind.

Give it a try!!

Week of December 7, 2008

2008-12-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Things are extremely busy and festive around the Crafty Mom household, so no big meal plans this week. I am baking and cooking up treats for the holidays, and had my parents visiting for the weekend, so suppertime cooking is not high on my list this week I'm afraid. Time to head for my fully stocked freezer for some meals!!!

Sunday: Out to dinner with Nana and Grandad
Monday: Baked Ziti (freezer)
Tuesday: Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Wednesday: Pasta with Sausage and Mushroom Sauce (freezer)
Thursday: Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie (freezer)
Friday: Soup and Sandwiches
Saturday: Christmas Party

Week of November 30, 2008

2008-11-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

I did make it through last week without spending any extra money. And now that I purchased Quicken and am tracking my groceries more carefully, I'm hoping to be able to save more and more money each week.

I'm on the look out for a really good recipe for baked spaghetti. I have one I make but it's plain and boring - noodles, tomato sauce from can, cheese - and bake it. If you know of a really tasty - but easy - recipe, please let me know! I found the link below and will try it mostly because it is really cost-effective and I wanted something with no ground beef.

Last week's Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes and Pecans (which I found completely by accident) was possibly the best salad my husband and I have ever eaten. We are not huge salad eaters and this was just amazing - seriously the tastiest salad I've EVER had. He's begged me to make it again. Not exactly low-fat with the bacon, but full of spinach and the flavours are truly perfect.

The Grilled Salmon with Citrus Sauce was also a surprising big hit. I'm not always an expert at cooking salmon from the freezer - obviously I would have preferred it fresh - and this worked out very well. The sauce was light, tangy and just subtle enough not to be overpowering.

My parents are coming to visit next weekend from Nova Scotia, so I'm planning to do another roast chicken on Friday for my dad's birthday. Hope I can impress him.

Sunday: Sausage and Bean Casserole
Monday: Potato Leek Soup
Tuesday: Lemon Chicken from Rox
Wednesday: Baked Spaghetti
Thursday: Turkey Soup with fresh bread (freezer)
Friday: Roast Chicken, potatoes, vegatables
Saturday: Out to dinner with my parents!

I got this recipe from my friend Rox, who says it's very kid-friendly and her son liked it!

Lemon Chicken

Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 T honey
A little soya sauce
A little grated ginger
3/4 cup chicken broth (or more to make the sauce less zingy)
generous tsp of cornstarch

Pound out the chicken breasts and add salt and pepper and lightly cornstarch both sides.
Heat a little EVOO and butter in a non-stick pan, when quite hot cook chicken. Brown chicken on both sides, put on plate. Remove hot pan from heat, add lemon slurry - whisk quickly and then pour over chicken. She also added that she might try adding some garlic before the slurry, maybe fresh parsley or some toasted almonds.

You can tell from her description that she is a real cook, and not someone just learning like me. I stumbled upon an episode of Jon&Kate+8 last night and Kate was telling Jon he was "not a real cook because a real cook doesn't measure the ingredients". That is SO me! I measure everything and follow my recipes like they're scripture. I am a long, long way from having a real knack for foods and ingredients, so for now I will continue to happily follow others' delicious recipes.

Basic Banana Bread

2008-11-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

I was hoping not to bake this week, but a bruised, over-ripe bunch of bananas were staring me in the face this afternoon. Screaming at me, really. My new "don't throw out any morsel of food" forced me to make alternate plans. I hadn't made banana bread in a long time, so I searched through several recipe books before settling on this method, which I pulled from my Dietitians of Canada "Cook Great Food" book.

Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed banana (2-3 med bananas)

1. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar, egg, egg white, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Blend in bananas. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean.

This is the recipe I used, although I halved the flour with whole wheat flour, and I added a couple teaspoons of ground flaxseed. And of course I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, just to ensure the boys would eat it.

And they did. They loved it.

Week of November 23, 2008

2008-11-23T15:04:00.000-08:00

I was appalled at my grocery bill last week. I was short on a number of staples, but still, it was over $200. So I am determined not to spend money this week, and that will affect my menu plan. I'm also currently out of ziploc freezer bags AND tupperware and containers of all shapes and sizes. THAT is how much food is in my freezer right now!!

I went to the store this morning for milk, eggs and a couple other things and it came to $30. I refuse to spend another penny until after next weekend, so we'll see what we'll be eating this week.

I'll mention how good last week's Roast Chicken turned out! It was far easier than I thought, and I was able to make 2 meals with leftovers and loads of chicken stock. I'll definitely be doing that again - it was much tastier than the roasted chickens I buy at the supermarket.

And tonight's beef stew was simply to die for. While it wasn't perfect because I made a couple small errors, overall it was completely amazing. It's not a quick or easy meal, but totally worth the effort we decided. It was the perfect ending to a crisp, cold fall day.

Sunday: Beef Stew
Monday: Apple and Butternut Squash Soup (I have two squash so I'm planning on making a double batch and dropping some off at a friend's house)
Tuesday: Mexican Style Slow Cooker Chicken (freezer)
Wednesday: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes and Pecans (I googled spinach and found this and actually have all the ingredients on hand)
Thursday: Pasta with meat sauce (freezer)
Friday: Grilled Salmon with Citrus Sauce (need to use salmon in the freezer)
Saturday: Sandwiches or soup

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2008-11-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

I made the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins from a Chick in the Kitchen today and they were fantastic. The kids ate them up, I thoroughly enjoyed every last bite and even my muffin-disliking husband savored a morsel or two. I mean - there's CHOCOLATE in them, right? I threw in some flaxseed and they are still amazing.

Week of November 16, 2008

2008-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last week's Crock-Pot Pasta Fagioli was enjoyed by our family and our good friends who came over for dinner that night. Everyone emptied their bowls and asked for seconds of this hearty, filling and rich-tasting soup. We simply served it with a warm breadstick and grated parmesan cheese on top, and it was amazing.

Monday: Baked Ziti (from freezer)
Tuesday: Quick Meat Sauce
Wednesday: Soup and Sandwiches
Thursday: Sausage and Bean Casserole
Friday: Roast Chicken
Saturday: Out to dinner with friends

Now that I have some fresh pumpkin puree on hand, I'm planning to make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins this week as well.

And I'm hoping to get to a batch of granola, it's been a few weeks since we had any.

Week of November 9, 2008

2008-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a busy and a short week for me . . . I'm headed out of town in the early morning hours on Friday, so the boys will be on their own for dinner for three nights while Leah and I party it up on the East Coast. Life with children seems to ebb and flow like the tide - up and down dramatically. We are currently barely treading water around here at dinner time so I need to pre-make my meals earlier in the day or have something ready in the slow cooker. The baby has seemingly overnight become a fast-as-lightening, curious, and demanding little force to be reckoned with. She needs her dinner at exactly the same time every single night - or else. I'm struggling to problem solve and fix our current dinner-time chaos. I swear a month ago things were running smoothly at 5:00 pm . . . now you would swear our house is something out of a horror movie.

Sunday: Crock-Pot Pasta Fagioli (only meal I didn't get to last week)
Monday: Weekend Leftovers or Freezer dinner
Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas (where it calls for taco sauce I use a can of enchilada sauce that I buy at Loblaws here in Ottawa)
Wednesday: Creamy Noodle Bake
Thursday: Garlic Scape Pesto with Pasta
Friday: Boys On Own
Saturday: Boys On Own

The Creamy Noodle Bake is a favourite here - I found this recipe in the middle of the night on the Food Network when I was nursing Leah, and the family loved it. I usually make a few changes, so I'll try to document it so I can add it next time.

I made tons of this Garlic Scape Pesto this summer, and froze it in small batches so we could add it to pasta as we wanted. I actually didn't know what a garlic scape was before it arrived in one of our food baskets a few months ago. They are delicious.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

For ½ pound short pasta such as penne, add about 2 tablespoons of pesto to cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.

Dark-Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting

2008-11-06T17:57:00.000-08:00

PDG.

That's what my husband calls Pretty Damn Good!

Not perfect, but quite tasty. I'm not much of a cake-baker, so this was quite the daunting task for a non-culinary expert such as myself. My biggest error was that it was a tad dry, maybe just in the fridge too long before eating. Very rich, so don't cut yourself a big huge slice . . . unless you have a gargantuan glass of milk to wash it down.

See recipe below.

p.s. see that little tiny hand in the picture???? That is Thing 2 trying to nab himself a chunk of frosting!

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

2008-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

4 cups chicken stock
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup light cream (10%)

1. In a large pot, combine stock, squash, apples, onions, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Allow soup to cool slightly.

2. In a food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until smooth, transferring each batch to a saucepan. Bring to a boil before serving.

This is amazing. I'm shocked that a simple recipe can have such a rich, deep taste. We all loved it. The baby is eating bowls and bowls of this stuff . . .

Week of November 2, 2008

2008-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Our family ate a large amount of pasta last week, but no one was complaining (except maybe my thighs). Beth's Quick Meat Sauce and the Pasta with Sausage and Mushroom Sauce were both tasty and satisfying. I made enough both times so I could freeze some for later, and we all thought it was a pleasant change to the other types of sauces we normally eat with our pasta. It was the first time I had cooked with sausage, and the flavour was unmistakable . . . and so good!

I didn't get to the shepherd's pie on Friday - I had forgotten it was Halloween and we were far too busy for cooking that afternoon. I'm doing it tonight and it's good timing because it's a chilly day. We received three bunches of leeks in our veggie basket this week, so I'm hoping to do a few batches of the leek soup and freeze some. In my hopes to do one crock-pot recipe a week, I found this one that looks simple and tasty.

Another goal of mine is to experiment with simpler, easy recipes that are very kid-friendly. I still have one very picky eater who regularly doesn't eat what the rest of us do at meal time. To cut back on the number of meals I'm preparing per night, I'm hoping to lure him in with some very basic recipes I found in my "Better Baby Food" book published by The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. It's full of amazing baby and toddler recipes, and it's where I found the Sloppy Joe recipe.

Thursday is Paul's birthday. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for dinner, we may go out or order his favourite Indian food in. Just didn't want you to think I was eating cake for dinner! The cake is for his birthday.

Sunday: Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie
Monday: Potato Leek Soup
Tuesday: Freezer dinner (Baked Ziti or Turkey Soup)
Wednesday: Crock-Pot Pasta Fagioli
Thursday: Dark Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting
Friday: Freezer dinner (we have so many it's not funny)
Saturday: Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joe Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 T vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 T ketchup
Hot dog or hamburger buns

1. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook ground beef. Drain off fat. With a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a paper towel-lined plate or colander to drain.

2. Add onions to frying pan and saute until soft. Return beef to pan, along with tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard and ketchup. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until thick (about 45 minutes).

3. Serve on hot dog or hamburger buns!

Apple Flax Muffins

2008-10-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

I made these Apple Flax Muffins today and they were excellent. I did change things a bit from the recipe, because I had too much applesauce leftover from my crockpot adventure last week, so I substituted the four cups of apples for four cups of my crockpot applesauce. Since I hadn't made the muffins the other way, I can't comment on how it affected them, but these muffins came out moist and delicious. The kids loved them, and so did I. The recipe was easy - I think I whipped these up while the kids ate lunch.

I religiously bake all my muffins in my Pampered Chef stoneware muffin pan. I bought it years ago at a Pampered Chef party and have never looked back. It bakes so well, and I swear the muffins taste better. They are so moist and perfect on the inside, with just a slightly firm and crispy outside and bottom. LOVE IT.

Stress-buster peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

2008-10-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Really had a bad day and need to dive into a plate of hot, steaming, melt-in-your mouth cookies?

Check out my very favourite cookies here.

Week of October 26, 2008

2008-10-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

When planning a menu for the upcoming week, one should always include all seven days. Last week I omitted Wednesday. Whoops. I couldn't believe it when I checked my computer for Wednesday's dinner and found it blank.

Last week's chicken chili tacos were EASY and delicious. Thing 2 gobbled them up, and Thing 1 picked at his a bit. They were great and we had lots of leftovers for dinner (on Wednesday) and a couple lunches. The baked ziti was also very good - and very filling. I made so much I froze enough for at least two more dinners. Everyone ate it so I think I'll be making it again. I think I overdid it on the ground beef and went too easy on the cheese - it didn't have enough tang for my liking, so I'll play with it and adjust it a bit next time.

I'm trying a couple of Beth's recipes this week that I've had my eye on for a while - both are pasta with sausage in them, but it just so happens that I have a ton of sausage I need to use up so I'm going to do both in the same week anyway.

Sunday: Quick Meat Sauce and pasta, salad and garlic bread, birthday cake!
Monday: Leftovers or dinner from freezer/turkey soup
Tuesday: Dinner out for David's birthday
Wednesday: Pasta with Sausage and Mushroom Sauce
Thursday: Chicken with Goat Cheese and Arugula
Friday: Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie
Saturday: Pizza

I'm anxious to try the shepherd's pie because although I have been making shepherd's pie for years, I have yet to perfect my recipe or find one that I am truly in love with . . . I'm holding out for Martha so we'll see what she comes up with. The picture in my EveryDay Food Magazine was divine.

Crock Pot Applesauce

2008-10-22T18:50:00.001-07:00

Just a quick mid-week update!

I made the pot roast on Sunday - it was to die for! Paul loved it and even David ate some and like it. It couldn't have been any easier, so that means I will surely make it again.

I also tried this crock pot applesauce recipe that I found at Beth's and it turned out so well! I had a bunch of apples and wasn't motivated enough to make a pie, so I made the applesauce. So rich and delicious, the cinnamon adds such a wonderful flavour. It was good timing as I had run out of my nine-month-old's applesauce anyway.

Week of October 19, 2008

2008-10-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

You may notice I *missed* my Menu Plan Monday entry for last week. Thanksgiving being on Monday and having a houseful of guests sort of threw me for a loop. So no meal plans last week, but I had tremendous success cooking a delicious turkey soup from the 22 pound turkey I had cooked.
With a turkey carcass that large, I made A LOT OF soup. The stock came out so rich and flavourful, I simmered it for most of a day, then drained it all and added veggies, spices and lots of shredded turkey. We will be eating this for months to come!!! I threw in some potatoes this year to make it a little extra filling, and they added the perfect touch.

All the meals I made for our guests seemed to be a hit. The Mexican Style Slow Cooker Chicken was easy and doubling the recipe easily fed 12-15 people plus lots of leftovers. The turkey and stuffing were amazing too, and my husband's cousin Anne did basically all of the side dishes. We were a good team and we fed about 17 people . . . who all left satisfied and pretty darn full.

Here's my menu this week:

Sunday: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Monday: Meal from the freezer (we have quite a few from last weekend!)
Tuesday: Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos
Thursday: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Friday: Baked Ziti
Saturday: Pizza or take-out

Baked Ziti
I got this recipe from my mother

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 jars spaghetti sauce (or we use home-made)
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain.

2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, simmer 15 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and then remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven, or until cheese melts.

Week of October 5, 2008

2008-10-06T02:35:00.000-07:00

Last week's Hurried Goulash was well-liked at our house. My husband said it was one of his new favourites and that I could make it "any time" for him.

This week is a little crazy for me, as we have family arriving for the long weekend. Not only is it Canadian Thanksgiving, but we are getting Thing 3 baptized next Sunday (along with her cousin) and will have loads of family visiting, needing to be fed. I'm hosting dinner on Friday at my house, so I wanted to try an easy slow-cooker meal that I could make with few problems and that would feed a large group. My sister-in-law is vegetarian, so I need to come up with something that I can also make for her at the same time. Any suggestions?

I'm also doing the Thanksgiving turkey for Sunday, and I made this exact recipe last year and it turned out amazing.

Monday: Leftovers from freezer
Tuesday: Spaghetti
Wednesday: Quesadillas
Thursday: Something easy like pizza before family arrives tomorrow
Friday: Mexican Style Slow Cooker Chicken
Saturday: Indian Food
Sunday: Roast Turkey
Stuffing

Family Sunday Pancakes

2008-09-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

These pancakes have become a tradition in our family. I make them every single Sunday morning. They are a hit with everyone, every last morsel is eaten every single week.

Sift:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 T sugar
1 3/4 t double-acting baking powder

Combine:
1 or 2 slightly beaten whole eggs
3 T melted butter
1-1 1/4 cups milk.

Mix the liquid ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients. When griddle or pan is hot enough, pour from the tip of a spoon into pan. When bubbles appear on the surface, lift with a spatula to see if they are ready to turn. Flip when ready.

One variation I usually add is some ground flaxseed - it makes them healthier and no one in my family has yet to notice the difference. Chocolate chips are a decadent treat, and fresh berries mixed right into the batter are delightful in the summer time.

Week of September 28, 2008

2008-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to say we had some success with our menu last week! I was on the ball for once and actually made everything. The Sour Cream Noodle Bake was delicious - we all gobbled it up (except for Thing 1, who literally eats nothing most nights . . . he is our uber-picky child). It was not hard to make and I doubled the recipe, which afforded me the luxury of putting several containers of it in my freezer. We will definitely be having this again.

The Spicy Chickpeas and Beef were another hit - delicious and simple. If I make it again (which I will) I may double up on the spices since the husband and I are real lovers of hot, spicy food. I served it with warm pita bread because it was mentioned on the blog I got the recipe from - and was all I had lying around that day. When we have some of the freezer stash, I'll likely try it over rice or something like that. Not being an expert meal planner yet, I probably wouldn't plan two heavy ground beef meals in the same week again. But a good and tasty learning experience, nonetheless.

My downside this week was that the weather was unseasonable warm and sunny. I pick up Thing 1 from the school bus every afternoon at 3:15, then we have a quick snack and drink and we head to the park across the street at about 3:45. We often stay until 5:15 or so, because the other neighbourhood kids are also there after school and Thing 1 and Thing 2 have really taken to playing with them. Plus, there is always some young girl there who falls in love with Thing 3 and insists on pushing her in the swing for most of the afternoon. OK by me, I get to relax and potentially chat with another grown up human. The problem lies in the fact that when I get home so late, it's hard to throw together dinner. I've been good about making it early in the morning, or when Thing 1 is at school, but I found this week I was tired and out of time most days, so side dishes were non-existent. No side dishes usually meant little or no veggies. Ugggh. That is not good news. One of my short term goals is to find quick and easy recipes for veggies and salads that all four of us will like.

The Chicken with Goat Cheese and Arugula was so easy and tasty that we're having it again this week. Mostly because I received arugula in my organic delivery basket on Friday, so I want to use it up and we loved this last week. We also received what I assume might be one of the last rounds of fresh, local corn, so we need to use this up too.

Sunday: Corn on the Cob, Crispy Mashed Potato Pancakes (we received a lot of potatoes this week, too, so I may give these pancakes a try to zest up our usual potato fare)
Monday: Chicken with Goat Cheese and Arugula
Tuesday: Savoury Waffles
Wednesday: Eggplant Con Queso
Thursday: Hurried Goulash with Egg Noodles
Friday: Spaghetti with meat sauce (from our freezer)
Saturday: Take-out or pizza

A Crafty Mom Eats

Menu Plan for January 30, 2011

Menu Plan for January 23, 2011

Menu Plan for Week of October 24, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of October 17, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of October 3, 2010

Men Plan for Week of September 26, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of September 19, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of September 12, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of September 5, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of August 30, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of August 22, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of June 6, 2010

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips

Menu Plan for April 25, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of April 18, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of April 11, 2010

Menu Plan for Week of April 5, 2010

Roasted Marinated Lamb with Lemon and Rosemary Potatoes

Easy and Tasty Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

Week of February 1, 2010

Ina Garten's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ina Garten's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the streusel:

For the glaze:

Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Birthday Cake

Week of January 10, 2010

Week of January 4, 2010

Cajun Parsnip Fries

Week of December 20, 2009 **The Christmas Edition**

Week of December 6, 2009

Week of November 30, 2009

Week of November 22, 2009

Week of November 15, 2009

30-Minute Chili

Week of November 1, 2009

Week of October 26, 2009

Week of October 18, 2009

Potato Leek Soup

Week of October 4, 2009

Indian Chicken in Light Sauce

Week of September 27, 2009

Week of September 21, 2009

Week of September 13, 2009

Week of September 6, 2009

Week of August 30, 2009

Week of July 12, 2009

Week of June 14, 2009

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Week of May 31, 2009

Home-made Granola

Week of May 24, 2009

Savoury Sweet Potato Sticks

Week of May 18, 2009

Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Pecans

Week of May 10, 2009

Week of May 3, 2009

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake

Week of April 12, 2009

Week of April 5, 2009

Pesto Sauce and Freezing Tips

Week of March 29, 2009

Week of March 22, 2009

Week of March 15, 2009

Week of March 8, 2009

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

Week of March 1, 2009

Week of February 22, 2009

Week of February 15, 2009

Egg and Dairy-free Cupcakes

Week of February 8, 2009

Week of February 1, 2009

Week of January 25, 2009

The Breakfast Bagel

Week of January 18, 2008

Spinach Salad with Spicy Shrimp and Mango

Week of January 11, 2009

Week of December 20, 2009 The Christmas Edition