Cooking To Save

Moving Day!

2010-05-08T13:23:00.000-04:00

We've officially and permanently moved to our new home at WWW.CookingtoSave.com ! I will no longer be posting here....please come and find us in our new space. I think the new blog looks great and it will have some great new features for my readers. See you at Cooking to Save!

Update!

2010-05-07T07:22:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay... the new website is about to launch. Today is the day! Thanks for being patient, I think it will be worth the wait! I've got a great tart recipe to share with you as soon as we are "live"! In the meantime, I am off on my "foodie field trip" today.... stay tuned....

Today is the day... I think!

2010-05-06T07:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was an extremely bad day! First, my hard drive died... and I made the mistake of not having everything backed up. If you haven't backed up your computer lately, go do it right now! I lost some major pieces of work as well as some photos that hadn't made it onto my external hard drive. Ugh! Last night, as I was trying to reproduce some of these items, my son came down to inform me that "Cooking to Save" was down. Ugh again! The good news is that my new website is about to launch. We'll be working on final touches today. In the meantime, Cooking to Save has been temporarily forwarded to my old blog while we get the new one prepared. Look for it later today or tomorrow morning! I wanted to share though, this little piece of sunshine that greeted me this morning when I stepped out with my dog. One beautiful peony has bloomed in my garden! Such a gorgeous site to open the door and find! It's a sign: today will be a good day! I hope yours is too.

Note: for those of you wondering, we didn't fall off the wagon last night in the chaos of technical difficulties.( I really wanted to! ) It was a dinner of "good enough" though: some soup I had in the freezer and made some chicken and cheese quesadillas.

Technical Difficulties!

2010-05-05T21:10:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for my blog over on www.cookingtosave.com, it hasn't run away! We are having technical difficulties, but should be back up soon, hopefully better then ever!

Chicken Stir Fry Salad

2010-05-04T10:31:00.000-04:00

Inspirations for dinners come at the strangest times. This past Sunday we were driving back from Boston and Will was starving. We stopped at a little pizza shop to see if we could get him something to eat. While we were waiting for his tuna sub to come out, I watched the cook tossing some chicken on the grill and then placing it on top of a salad. Nothing fancy, but it looked delicious. I often grill chicken for salad but this gave me the idea to stir fry some chicken instead. Last night I did just that. Really simple, I just cooked it in a little olive oil with some salt and pepper. Then, I put it on top of a big green salad and made a balsamic vinaigrette. So good! The warm chicken with the cool greens were a great combination. It was a really nice change from the usual grilled chicken. My vinaigrette was extra good- I had some fabulous balsamic vinegar a friend had brought me from Italy. I've included the recipe here. I don't love a real oily dressing so this one has a little less oil then a classic dressing. I also add a little honey and mustard to give it some extra flavor. To finish off the meal, I bought some Cosi bread. Do you have Cosi near you? If so, go in and buy what they call a loaf of bread. Really inexpensive and you get 6 large pieces of their flatbread. I had plenty to feed the family and actually froze 2 pieces; they'll make a great lunch one day!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Whisk vinegar, mustard, honey and salt and pepper. In a very slow stream, pour olive oil into mixture, whisking continually. Whisk well until all ingredients are combined. Pour over salad or refrigerate.

A Healthy Snack to Start the Week

2010-05-03T15:15:00.000-04:00

As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, I occasionally receive products to try and review. Last week I received a big box of Bran Cereals from Kelloggs. I am not a huge "bran fan" but I know that fiber is the new buzzword of good health and diets. These All - Bran "twigs" have a slightly sweet, slightly nutty flavor. I decided to use them as a base for some delicious trail mix. The mix was so simple but really tasty and tossed into a baggie, it makes a perfect travel treat. With 10 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein in a 1/2 cup serving, these twigs give you plenty of energy and fortitude to get through the afternoon. I actually gave my kids a bag on the way to soccer last week and they never complained. To make theirs more enticing, I threw in a few m & m's ! Chocolate chips would also be great. Anyway you mix it up though, you can at least feel virtuous about your healthy snack!!

Trail Mix

1/2 cup Kelloggs All Bran
1/4 cup sliced, unsalted almonds
1/4 dried cranberries or raisins
(optional: tblsp of m & m's, chocolate chips, or other treat)

Store in sealed container or ziploc baggie. Great for travel and way more tasty then an energy bar!

Exciting News!

2010-05-03T12:44:00.000-04:00

There's lots going on at Cooking to Save! By the end of the week, look for the launch of my new website. Still at the same email address, just a new house! As much as I like what I have, I've found that I've already outgrown the space and would like a simpler way for you all to reach my recipes and content. I'm very excited and hope you will all give me feedback on the new site once it is up.

There's more big news here as well. I found out last week that my blog won "First Runner Up" in the Local Blogger Category of Hartford Magazine's Best of 2010! That's their fancy way of saying that I came in 2nd. :) Colin McEnroe, who writes a column for The Hartford Courant and also has his own radio show, won, so I think I am in good company! So, if you happen to live in Northern Connecticut, check it out in the Hartford Magazine!

I've been recovering this weekend from the dinner for the girls as well as driving back and forth to Boston but I've got plenty of new ideas for the week. I also will be posting my first product review for Foodbuzz later on today along with a great, easy and healthy snack ! And..... we've made it to the 4 month mark in Cooking to Save! Some reflections coming this week, as well. Finally, I am going on a "field trip" on Friday! Stay tuned for a busy week!

How To Feed a Crowd of Teenagers

2010-05-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

Menu

Fruit Bowl
Pizza
Caesar Salad
Death by Chocolate
Lemonade and Water

Last night we had the girl's soccer team Mart coaches for dinner after practice. 15 hungry girls and 3 coaches. A lot of mouths to feed. We host team dinners somewhat frequently, and I think I have them down to a science. I've tried many different meals, but this one works the best. First, when they come I like to have a big bowl of fruit out. Last night, two parents sent fruit arrangements from Edible Arrangements. They were very fun and some of the fruit was dipped in chocolate. If you ever order a fruit arrangement, get lots of chocolate dipped fruit; they disappeared in about 2 minutes! I also had pitchers of water and lemonade out as well so everyone could help themselves. I knew everyone would be starving so dinner came right out. I know I am cooking to save, but with that many mouths to feed, takeout Pizza is the only way to go. Of course, we always have plain but I like to have something fun as well. Last night, it was mashed potato pizza: mashed potatoes, corn, bacon, scallions and cheese. They were the first pizzas to go:

With the pizza, I always serve a huge caesar salad. You cannot go wrong with a caesar! Even kids that hate salad somehow love this one. I went through 3 large bowls of salad last night. If you don't want to make your own dressing, Marie's is my favorite.

I've learned to keep dessert simple. Boys or girls, if you feed them enough dinner, they are not total gluttons at dessert! In the past I've done brownies and cookies or ice cream. Last night one of the moms sent over Death by Chocolate. Amazing. The dish was so heavy, I could barely pick it up! Everyone loved it and it fed a large crowd with leftovers. One giant dish of chocolate goodness! This is a recipe to keep on file for when you have a large crowd to feed. It's easy to make and it looks phenomenal. Just bringing it out had everyone oohing and aahing. A perfect ending to the night!

Death by Chocolate (feeds a large crowd)

Chocolate Cake Mix(prepared according to directions)
1/3 cup Kahlua(2/3 cup for adults!)
4 packages of instant chocolate pudding (or 2 large)
2 containers of Cool Whip
4 Skor Bars or Heath Bars

Make cake in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake, according to directions. When done, remove from oven and punch holes in it with fork. Pour Kahlua over cake. Set aside. Make pudding according to directions. Break candy bars still in wrapping with a mallet or rolling pin. Layer in glass dish or trifle bowl as follows:
1/2 cake, 1/2 pudding, 1/2 cool whip, 1/2 candy pieces, 1/2 cake, 1/2 pudding, 1/2 cool whip, 1/2 skor pieces.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Delicious Banana Raisin Muffins!

2010-04-29T07:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a cold and very windy day in New England. It felt a lot more like late February then late April. Dinner was an easy one: Turkey Tacos with homemade Salsa. I haven't made the salsa since I last posted about it in the winter and it was even better as the tomatoes have sweetened up! Since I was running around the house with a coat on, the heat cranked up and still freezing, I decided we needed something homey to eat. The kids are not big eaters in the morning and I am always trying to get them to eat a little something; lunch is a long time away. I had 3 big overripe bananas on the counter so I came to view that as a sign that I should make banana bread. I am always tinkering with my recipe and trying new ones when I make banana bread. I am the girl with buyer's remorse; I know there's a better banana bread around the corner. Today I think I have the best. I loved the bread and the kids did too. I actually turned them into muffins and this morning everyone was happily munching on one as they walked out the door. This is not a very dense muffin, rather it is light and buttery. I added sour cream and golden raisins to the batter so they have a certain sweetness(but not overly so). The muffins came out of the oven as we were finishing dinner and Will decided that they would be a perfect dessert as well. Of course, he had to put butter on his as he informed us that anything warm was crying out for butter. Delicious! I actually like the muffins better cool, I thought the butter and banana flavor in them really came out stronger when they were cool. This morning, though, Will was heating his up so he could add his butter! There are worse things, I am sure....

Banana Raisin Muffins (makes 18)

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed(or 4 small)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs at room temp, beaten slightly
3/4 stick butter melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour muffins cups or use liners.
Melt butter and set aside. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In separate medium bowl, mash bananas, then add sour cream, eggs ,butter and vanilla. Lightly fold into dry ingredients. When mixture is almost combined, add raisins and fold just until mixed. Divide into muffin cups. Place in middle rack of oven for 18-22 minutes. Muffins will be lightly browned and toothpick inserted will come out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and the transfer to rack.

Why I have to stay out of grocery stores...

2010-04-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

I really have to stay out of grocery stores. I always wish I was one of those organized people that could plan all their meals for the week, do one big shop and be done with it. One of my problems is that I am in the store almost everyday. If I am able to skip a day, I view it as a huge accomplishment. I just can't seem to plan more then one day in advance. Yesterday, I really outdid myself though. Two stores in one day. The second time I didn't even need anything. I was just browsing...killing time while Will was at a soccer practice. I had done a pretty good shop earlier, but decided to wander into Trader Joes as it was right down the street. I really want to love that store, I know so many people do. Me, I can never figure out what to buy besides a few things.(They do have a great big bag of Haricot Verts for a great price!) So, I decided that I would just wander around and do some browsing. Nothing I needed, so I was safe. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, some things cried out to me:

Anyone looking in my cart would have thought I was strange, indeed. Chocolate Chip Dunkers(snacks for the ...um..the kids), Cinnamon Grahams(I liked the package and Mart loves them), Blueberries(on sale!), Raspberries(looked good), Chicken Fingers(sometimes the kids just need a chicken finger fix and the woman next to me in line was raving about them). So, I walked out with a full bag. Nothing horrible, but it did strike me that once again, I spent money that I really didn't need to. My new goal is to only shop 3 times a week(and no double dipping). Especially with spring coming and farmer's markets opening soon, I think this is very doable. I'd like to get to twice a week but that seems too wild and crazy at this point. Baby steps are needed. I am anxious to see what the bottom line looks like each week, I really do think I can save a substantial amount if I stay out of the stores. Judging from my trip around TJ's, I could be rich! I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I need all the help I can get!

Semi-Homemade

2010-04-27T20:01:00.000-04:00

Do you ever watch that show on Food Network, Semi-Homemade? I am not a fan, everything seems a little too processed for me. I do like Giada, though. Her food always looks good and is she not the most beautiful woman? Yes, I am a little offtrack; the purpose of this post is not to discuss my likes and dislikes on the Food Network. Rather, tonight was my foray into what I will call Semi-Homemade. I made my Chicken Caesar Salad with Brioche Croutons(see cookbook for recipes). So delicious and everyone can eat it whenever they walk in the house. The homemade part of dinner. My boys would say though, they need something else with it. This is where the semi comes in. Sometimes, I just do some french bread with it. Ok, but a little boring. Other times, if I am out and about I will stop at Panera and get some Asiago Bread or at Cosi and get some flatbread. A little more exciting. Tonight, I blew the doors off. I stopped at a local pizza place and picked up their garlic bread. This isn't a typical loaf of bread, instead it is pizza dough, with garlic and cheese. Yummy! Now, before you tell me I am supposed to be cooking in... let me tell you that the bill was $7.00. In my mind, it was well worth it! I wouldn't do this all the time, but once in a while was a fun treat. I even have enough left for the kids to take salads for lunch tomorrow with a piece of garlic bread. My kind of Semi-Homemade!! Now, when will Food Network be calling me? :)

Monday Madness

2010-04-26T19:48:00.000-04:00

Mad is the only way to describe Monday's in my house. In addition to it being the start of the week, it is also a day where I have kids running in every direction, straight through until 7pm. If you're equally stressed on Mondays for whatever reason, check back each Monday night. Dinner will always be short, sweet and easy! This is a night that calls out for delivery pizza. Unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you want to look at it, I've sworn off the delivery man. So Mondays need to be well planned and well executed. I am thinking I need to move into casseroles, but right now I am fixated on the grill. It's spring and the grill and I have only had a few interludes since last fall. I want to spend all my time with the grill. My love affair will wane as the summer goes on, but right now I am loving the aroma, flavors and easy cleanup. So, tonight I decided to make the sausage and peppers I thought of last week. Since Brittany and I don't like the sausage, I decided I would just substitute plain grilled chicken cutlets for ours. I purposely didn't use green peppers as I wanted the flavor of the caramelized onions and sweet peppers to offset the spicy sausage I used. The sweetness from the peppers and onions added enough flavor that I didn't need to add anything to the cutlets, either. The key to this meal is sauteing the peppers and onions ahead of time. I made mine in the afternoon and reheated them when I got back. You could also make them the night before and just microwave them or throw them back in a saute pan for a few minutes. So, all I had to do when I arrived home was pop the sausages and chicken on the grill, heat up the peppers and onion and toast the buns. Simple. Delicious. My grill never lets me down!

Sausage and Peppers (serves 4-6)

6 Sweet or Hot Pork Sausages
6 Brioche Long Rolls
1 Orange Bell Pepper
2 Red Bell Peppers
2 Sweet Onions(large)
2 tblsp olive oil
spicy brown mustard

In large saute pan, heat olive oil. Slice onions and peppers and add to pan. Saute for 10 -15 minutes on medium low, stirring frequently. Cook until onions are soft and caramelizing and peppers are soft and browning. In the meantime, grill sausages(and chicken cutlets if using) on grill. Toast buns, split sausages down the middle and fill with onions and peppers. Add mustard to taste. Dinner is served!

Sunday Brunch

2010-04-25T10:51:00.000-04:00

The Dutch Baby from the previous post inspired me! Last night the grownups were out and I had made the kids Tostados. If you haven't tried these, please do! Everyone is always thrilled when I make them and last night was no exception. Tonight my younger kids have a church function so I knew if I didn't do a family breakfast, the weekend would pass without us all eating together. In the past, we would have gone out to brunch somewhere but I decided I would tackle this one and save the big bucks! The kids suggested Eggs Benedict; their favorite. Well, let me tell you, I have never even successfully poached an egg, let alone a whole family's worth. I am happy to report that it was easier then expected. The Benedicts were great; we even made a variation on one Brittany likes from a local restaurant, the Farmer's Benedict. I also put together a simple Tropical Fruit Salad of pineapple, mango and kiwi. So delicious and just what we needed on a rainy day! I have decided that I will buy an egg poacher. I made the eggs first, then dunked them in ice water and then quickly submerged them in simmering water right before we ate. It just took so long to poach 10 eggs individually. For one or two people, this would be a really quick breakfast. I also made blender hollandaise. Although purists may not be happy, it was delicious and easy. And easy on a Sunday morning is what we are looking for. What a great way to start the day!

To poach my eggs, I used the method the Smitten Kitchen suggested, which you can find here: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/how-to-poach-an-egg-smitten-kitchen-style/. I liked this method the best. Don't use too big of a pan, I used a medium saucepan and that was perfect. When I tried to poach in a bigger dutch oven, the eggs broke apart too much.

Eggs Benedict(serves 5)

10 poached eggs(make in poacher or do ahead, submerge quickly in ice water and set aside. Then pop them into simmering water for a minute right before you serve)
5 english muffins, halved and lightly toasted
10 slice canadian bacon, warmed
Hollandaise (see below for recipe)

Place canadian bacon on top of english muffin, then place 1 poached egg on each half. Add hollandaise on top to your liking! Yum!

Farmer's Benedict

shredded or cubed potatoes
2 slices lean bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 poached eggs
hollandaise sauce

Saute shredded or cubed potatoes in a small amount of oil until browning and crispy. Place on plate, add bacon, eggs and hollandaise. A great twist on a classic!

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks
Juice from 1/2 lemon
pinch of freshly grated pepper
pinch of salt
1 stick of butter

Melt butter in saucepan until melted and frothy. In blender, place 3 egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper. With blender running on low, blend until mixed. Keep blender running and add very slowly, in a steady stream, hot butter. Sauce will emulsify as you add the stream of butter. It will end up as a creamy, dreamy sauce! Serve immediately!! So good on eggs, also great on vegetables, especially asparagus and broccoli.

Dutch Baby!

2010-04-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

Are you in need of an idea for breakfast this weekend? Having a brunch? I've got you covered! Last week, if you remember, my friend Sheila told me about making an iceberg wedge salad and I immediately found some inspiration for dinner. Well, she also mentioned a Dutch Baby. I'd never heard of such a thing. Have you? I was intrigued and even more so after she sent me over the recipe. A cross between a pancake and popover was how she described it. So, this morning for breakfast I made a Dutch Baby. And let me tell you, I will be making many more! It was delicious; easy enough to put together for a family breakfast and special enough to serve to friends. The very slight hint of cinnamon and nutmeg is fantastic! The lemon sugar is a must...it adds so much flavor. I actually made the Dutch Baby 2 ways: in individual ramekins and also in a cast iron pan that you cut into wedges to serve. They were both great! The individual ones would be great if you had a few people for breakfast and you wanted presentation. Try these this weekend....you'll be asking the same thing as me,"How did I not know about Dutch Babies?" Thank you, Sheila!!!

Dutch Baby (serves 4-6) ) adapted from Epicurious

1/3 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 large eggs at room temp. for 30 mins
2/3 cup whole milk at room temp.
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
2 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Place 10in cast iron skillet(or 6 ramekins)in oven and preheat oven to 450.
Stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl and set aside.
Beat eggs with mixer on high until pale yellow and frothy. Then beat in milk, flour. vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Beat until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Batter will be smooth. Remove dishes or pan from oven and put in pieces of butter. Swirl to coat. Immediately pour in batter and place in oven. Bake 15-20 minutes until puffy and brown. (Less time in ramekins)
Remove from oven and sift lemon sugar onto Dutch Baby. Serve immediately! (See finished products below)

Amazing Toffee Bars

2010-04-21T19:20:00.000-04:00

Tonight was an easy dinner... simple tomato sauce, salad and bread(for the carbaholics in my family). Will mentioned that he would like Toffee Bars. Now, I don't think he has ever had a Toffee Bar! He saw it in a magazine somewhere and decided that it looked good. This got me thinking about some really delicious Toffee Bars I have had from a recipe in The Silver Palate Cookbook. The only issue was the walnuts; the bars are covered with them. No one in my house likes them. And unfortunately, the younger kids are not nut fans of any kind. I needed something else to put on top of these bars. Coconut, too...white. M and M's .... too typical. Marshmallows...too sweet. But then, the perfect idea came to me..... toffee pieces! I'm a genius, aren't I? :) The bars are delicious. They are so easy to make(isn't everything I do?) and look like you spent a lot of time on them. These would be great to bring to a party or a pot luck. Buttery goodness is how my oldest described them! Does anyone not like buttery goodness?!!!

Toffee Bars (adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3 Skor bars, frozen and broken into pieces(use rolling pin)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 12 baking pan. Cream butter and sugar together in large bowl. Add egg yolk and beat again. Whisk flour and gently add to mixture. Stir in vanilla. Spread mixture into pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with chocolate chips. Return to oven for 3-4 minutes. Remove pan from oven and spread melted chocolate. Let cool for 10 minutes and then sprinkle Skor Bar pieces on top. Cool completely before cutting. (This is an important part... don't cut before cool or the bars will crumble. Don't ask how I know this!)

The Ultimate Cobb Salad

2010-04-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

Tonight's dinner is done! We are having the absolutely, best Cobb Salad! Every time we have it, there is not a morsel left. No matter how big it is, it just disappears. It's a great dinner as it is very hearty even though it is a salad. The boys in my house especially love it. I can't take credit for this salad either, my son, Will made the whole thing. The only help he got from me was that I grilled the filets. The filets really make this salad special. I hate salad with tough meat! Who wants to be sawing at the meat while trying to eat a nice salad? I know you are thinking, filet mignon on a salad? Not cheap! But actually, it is not that expensive the way I buy the filets. I like them very thin so they cook up quick and are easy to slice into the salad. I ask the butcher to slice them for salad about 3/4 of an inch thick. For my family of 5, about a pound works for us. That is actually more then enough meat, with all the other protein sources on the salad. You could easily substitute chicken, shrimp, salmon or another steak and this salad would be great. Wanting perfection though? Stick with the filet mignon!!

Cobb Salad (serves 4- 6)

1 large head of Romaine Lettuce- chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
8 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups croutons (homemade if possible)
2 avacados- chopped
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese - grated
2 tomatoes- chopped
1 pound Filet Mignon, sliced thin

On large platter or salad bowl place chopped lettuce. In lines, assemble ingredients. Pour dressing over and toss to serve.

Dressing:

1/4 Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
3/4 cup oil
salt and pepper

whisk vinegar and mustard into bowl. Pour oil slowly in while whisking vigorously. Season with salt and pepper.

Just in time for spring! Asparagus Risotto

2010-04-20T09:48:00.000-04:00

Last night I decided we needed to welcome spring with a little risotto. I love risotto but never want to make it because of the stirring, stirring, stirring. I am not a patient person. But then I saw a recipe in The New Best Recipe Cookbook that didn't involve total concentration(it's the concentration part that I struggle with). So, last night became Risotto night. I also made some grilled chicken to go with it and it was the perfect meal. I loved the asparagus in the risotto as well, it added a little extra texture; next time I might add some snow peas as well. The picture doesn't really do it justice; we had a guest over and I didn't want to look like too much of a weirdo trying to photograph it! If you intimidated by making risotto, this is the one to make!

Asparagus Risotto (adapted from The New Best Recipe's)

3 1/2 low sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tblsp unsalted butter
2 shallots, diced fine
1 tsp salt
2 cups Arborio Rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 lb Asparagus-end removed and sliced on the bias in 1/2in lengths

Bring broth and water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Then reduce to the lowest heat to keep warm. In another large saucepan, melt butter and add shallot. Cook for 5-6 minutes until shallot is translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the edges of the grains are transparent, about 4--5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of the warm broth and 1 tsp salt. Stir infrequently(every few minutes) until broth is absorbed into rice(approximately 10-12 mins). Add 1/2 cup of broth and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth until rice is cooked through(should still be a little firm in the middle). You may not need all the broth. When rice is cooked, stir in parm cheese and serve immediately.

It's all about the croutons!

2010-04-19T17:56:00.000-04:00

Last night I was still smarting from my expensive fast food. Don't get me wrong, it really was a good burger, I've just decided that for easy meals like that, I'd rather eat at home. But of course last night was not a night we were "at home". We were at soccer games all afternoon but came home in time to do a quick run to the store and pick up something to grill. Don't you just love it when the weather is warm enough to grill out on a regular basis? Quick cooking takes on a whole new meaning. And no clean up!!! That's my kind of cooking. So, we picked up some chicken cutlets and sausage to grill. We are a divided family regarding sausage: the boys adore it and the girls hate it. I don't know why, I keep telling them its genetic. The boys loved the sausage(sweet if you are wondering) so much that I think I will make sausage and peppers one night. It doesn't get any easier then sausage - you plop it on the grill, cook the heck out of it and then plop it on a plate. Then you look like a star for serving something a little different!

I made a Caesar Salad tonight as well(left off the chicken as we had that on the grill). Once again, I made my croutons. They were so good, I was slapping hands as they were eating them all before we sat down to dinner. I am sad to say it is all about the croutons. If you make them with brioche, they are like no other. The butteriness(is this is a word?!!! ) from the bread, combined with the olive oil and salt and pepper make for an exquisite cube of fabulousness. I think they take any salad from good to great. These would be worth making and keeping on hand, if you can hide them from your family(or yourself)! If you haven't made these, you must. There is no comparison to store bought croutons!!! (if you are looking for the recipe, see Chicken Caesar Salad in Cookbook above).

I've lost that lovin' feeling.......

2010-04-18T16:17:00.000-04:00

What has happened to me? Last night we went out to dinner. It has been a while since we've been out and we just had the twins home. No one wanted to get dressed up(it was cold and rainy here) so we decided to try a newer, casual restaurant, The Counter. I believe it is a chain, perhaps you've been to one. It is, for lack of better description, a burger joint. Very casual(although they do have a bar) but just a couple of steps up from fast food. The really great part is that they are committed to buying fresh, locally sourced meat and vegetables. Great idea and I loved that you basically made your own burger, picking exactly what you wanted on it. Here's what I didn't like: the bill. We had a nice dinner but uneventful. The bill, for the four of us(including 2 glasses of wine) was $76 plus tip.(Doesn't my $32 steak dinner from last week look like a bargain?) As we walked out I remarked that although it was good, there wasn't anything we ate that I couldn't have done as well or better at home. (Even the onion straws! Remember them from my earlier posts?!) It struck me that prior to Cooking to Save we ate like this at least 2 or 3 nights a week!! No wonder money was running out of my checking account. I just don't get the joy in eating out much anymore. :( To be honest, it's kind of a bummer. I think I have become a spoilsport. Who would believe that this could happen in a few short months? I think it comes down to liking money and liking more of it in my bank account! I haven't sworn off eating out again of course. I've decided that if we eat out with the kids it has to be a restaurant where I can't (ok, don't want to) replicate the food; hibachi would be a good example. I still really enjoy going out with friends sometimes; that becomes less about the meal and more about enjoying time out. So we'll continue to do that. But for the rest of it, we're home. Spring is here and we'll be cooking out a lot. We still have New Years as a goal and I am finding myself reenergized to continue saving. It is definitely feeling more like a life choice then a sacrifice. Tonight, my choice is to light the coals ......(well, actually I am hoping that Mart is going to do that!)

Homemade Waffles are the Best!

2010-04-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

Last night Will had a friend sleepover. Thankfully, they went to bed at a reasonable time and we all got some sleep. This morning they woke up starving after a night of playing video games and watching movies(these activities burn a lot of calories, you know!) Actually both are really active 14 year olds so their appetite is huge right now. I decided I would be a good mom(or pretend) and make some waffles and bacon for them. Do you ever make homemade waffles? Once you do, you never want to eat a frozen waffle or one from a mix again. It's all about the egg whites in wafffles. I fold the beaten egg whites into the batter at the very end, leaving little "puffs" of whites in the batter. The waffles come out light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. So, so, yummy! When the kids were young, I would make a batch on the weekend and freeze the leftovers individually between waxed paper for the weekdays. Whenever someone wanted a waffle for breakfast I would just take one out of the freezer and pop it in the toaster. Unfortunately now, there are no leftovers! Brittany had one waffle and the boys ate the other 4 or 5!( I am not sure exactly how many, they were eating faster then I could make them). They were a great way to start the day! These are also special enough that they make a good, quick dinner. And, if you are feeling really naughty, they would be perfect with some ice cream on top and a little chocolate sauce(see my previous post for chocolate sauce recipe).

Waffles

2 3/4 cup flour
1 tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup skim milk(or any other milk)
1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat waffle maker.
Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl. Separate eggs with yolks going into small bowl and whites into larger bowl. Whisk egg yolks, milk and oil and pour into dry ingredients and combine. With mixer on high, beat egg whites until frothy and light. Carefully fold whites into mixture, leaving peaks in batter. Do not over mix. Batter should look like this:

Following waffle maker directions, pour appropriate amount into it and cook until done. Waffles should be medium brown and crispy!

The Perfect Dessert ...so, so easy!

2010-04-16T07:49:00.000-04:00

Last night was "make your own salad" night. We were all home at different points so I made a salad bar for us. All kinds of salad toppings(in other words, anything I could find in the refrigerator)chicken and some leftover steak from the night before. I had been too lazy to go to the store so I didn't even have any of the requisite bread to go with the salad. Boys need their carbs! I decided instead that I would have a dessert for them. My kids love ice cream. Well, doesn't everyone? Now that I think about it, I don't know anyone who doesn't. Do you ? I don't think there's anyone in the world who doesn't like ice cream. Back to dessert... I had bought some vanilla ice cream the day before from our local dairy farm. The kids hadn't realized it was in the freezer so I decided I would make some chocolate sauce to go with it. There isn't anything easier! I used 2 ingredients: heavy cream and chocolate chips. That's it ! The kids went crazy over it and I put some bananas on top of the ice cream so we could pretend we were eating healthy. I had a lot left so I just put it in a tupperware; we can just reheat it in the microwave when we want some more(in other words, tonight!) I promise you, this is wonderful chocolate sauce; you will never buy a jar again!

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream
10 oz chocolate chips(almost a full bag)

In double boiler(I used a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water) pour in cream and chips. Stir frequently until chips are melted. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days. Reheat in microwave.

Iceberg Wedge Salad

2010-04-15T07:16:00.000-04:00

Last night I had no inspiration for dinner. There was nothing I really wanted to make and even my kids had no thoughts on what would be a good dinner. But, lucky me, I have friends! I met with my friend, Sheila yesterday, who had plenty of inspiration for me! Unbeknown to me, she had been taking some pictures of her dinners to show me. She is a fabulous, yet simple cook and her meals looked so delicious. What looked so good to me yesterday was something so simple: an iceberg lettuce wedge! I buy lettuce constantly, but never iceberg. We've all heard that there isn't as much nutritional value in iceberg so I always skip it in place of some red leaf or romaine. But for some reason, the wedge looked so appealing. And if your cheating involves iceberg lettuce, I don't think that's a particularly a bad thing! I can think of a lot worse things to be eating. It was a beautiful night here so I picked up some steaks and made some dressing for the wedges, along with some bacon that I crumbled on top. Instead of using the gas grill, we broke out the charcoal and the steaks were wonderful. I didn't even serve any potatoes; the salad and the steak were plenty for everyone. The dressing I just put together with ingredients I had. A bottled ranch or creamy italian would work well, too.

As this is Cooking to Save, I thought I would come clean on the dinner bill. Dinner cost me $32, not exactly a cheap meal. But, can you imagine how much strip steaks and iceberg wedges would have cost in a steakhouse for 5 of us? We had a really high quality meal at a fraction of the cost. And although it wasn't an inexpensive meal, combined with some of my other meals this week(leftover pasta sauces) it all evens out to a really reasonable amount of money spent on meals. When you eat at home, it is amazing how easy it is to eat well and still not spend a ton of money!

Now, go fire up your grill and pick up some iceberg lettuce!

Buttermilk Dressing

1/2 small garlic clove, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp fresh dill (snipped well)
1 tsp chives (snipped well)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tblsp sour cream

Whisk all ingredients together, pour over iceberg wedges and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Crunchy Cookies

2010-04-14T10:28:00.000-04:00

Ok, this isn't the cookies! Actually, this was a burger we ate for dinner last night. Ryan insisted I put it in the blog as the kids proclaimed these the best burgers they ever had. Especially coming from Ryan, this is a big award; he is burger aficionado! I am not a big fan of lots of ingredients added to burgers, I always think they end up tasting like meatloaf. Last night I added leeks to the meat though and it was such a great flavor addition, I think I will always do this. For 2 pounds of meat I used one whole leek, washed and chopped. Then I just mixed it into the meat with my hands and lightly pattied them. Leeks are the perfect addition; a mild slightly sweet taste, not overpowering like an onion. Even Will, who doesn't like onions very much loved these. I like that the leeks added just a little something extra; I will be sure and make these burgers next time we have company for a cookout!

But, back to the Crunchy Cookies. This recipe has been floating around my street for a while. I loved the idea of them: whole wheat flour, corn flakes, and oats but I always felt like they needed just a little more flavor. This past weekend I changed the recipe around a few times and really love the new formulation. They disappeared from my kitchen in no time, the kids just devoured them! If you are leery of the whole wheat flour, let me assure you that you will never know that it is whole wheat and not white flour in the cookies. They are wonderful right out of the oven, crisp around the edges and soft inside. I also love them the 2nd day(if you can keep them that long) as the flavors really come out after they have sat for while. These are quick, easy and so, so good!!

Crunchy Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup old fashioned Oats
1 cup Corn Flakes
1/2 cup sweetened Coconut
1/4 cup raisins & 1/4 cup craisins
(or use 1/2 cup raisins)

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter in mixer on low. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat again. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add in 2 additions, mixing quickly in between(do not over beat). Stir in corn flakes, oats, coconut, and dried fruit.

Line cookie sheets with parchment. Drop by tablespoon or small ice cream scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes until just starting to brown. (Undercooked is better then overcooked; they will dry out).

Leftovers....

2010-04-12T19:58:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may remember the purge of my freezer. I got rid of most everything in it, especially meat that was no longer identifiable. I declared then that I was not a freezer girl; food went in but rarely came out. It had become this huge vat of frozen wasteland. Since the purge I have worked to keep only items that I use in the freezer: frozen fruit for smoothies, ice cream(the essential), homemade chicken broth, some leftover soup. I will tell you that I love opening my freezer and seeing space. Everything looks so neat and tidy, I actually get a weird thrill when I open it. (I realize that this may be cause to see a psychologist!) Also neatly stacked in the freezer were two kinds of pasta sauce: some leftover Vodka Sauce and some of Marcella Hazan's Simple Tomato Sauce. So, tonight I served up both sauces and let everyone decide what they were in the mood for. It was a great easy dinner and I felt so virtuous, the dinner cost me virtually nothing. I also have a little more room in my freezer! Leftovers I actually used.... a huge accomplishment in my world!

Simple Apple Tart

2010-04-11T19:20:00.000-04:00

My mom makes what she refers to as an open faced apple pie. Basically, it's an apple pie without a top crust. So easy and so delicious. Tonight I decided that I would make an Apple Tart, which is my version of the open faced pie. The puff pastry makes it even simpler then making a pie crust. If you keep a box of puff pastry in the freezer, you can always have a tart on the table in no time. I informed everyone that this would be my last Apple anything until fall! I love apples but I am always happy when spring comes and berries come into season. Apples are my winter "go to" fruit. Come spring and summer, its berries and peaches. So tonight we had a mix of spring and fall. Grilled chicken and a big salad and a simple Apple Tart. Judging from the crumbs left, everyone enjoyed it! This tart took me under 15 minutes to put together and the house still smells good! Try it, you will love this one!

Simple Apple Tart

1 sheet puff pastry(folded and thawed)
3 Apples(Macintosh or Cortland)
3 Tblsp sugar
1/2 Tblsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk, beaten mixed with 1 tbslp water
1 1/2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp apple jelly

Preheat oven to 375. Do not unfold pastry. When thawed roll out on lightly floured board to 8x12 rectangle. Take sharp knife and trim to a rectangle. Move to a cookie sheet. While preparing apples, place pastry in freezer. Peel, core and slice apples (approximately 1/8 inch thick) Place in large bowl and toss with sugar, flour and cinnamon. Remove pastry and score with knife a 1/2 inch border. Brush inside the border with egg wash, then place apples on top. Dot with butter and bake 30-40 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Melt apple jelly in microwave and brush on top of apples. Serve warm.

Tarragon Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

2010-04-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

Years ago, when I was pregnant with my twins, a friend brought me some leftover Tarragon Chicken Salad she had made. Being 8 months pregnant with twins, with a toddler running around, I was thrilled to not have to think about making dinner. I so loved the salad and raved about it so much(I probably went a little overboard) that she often brought it to me. I had forgotten about the salad until last year in the middle of the summer when I was searching for something cool to make on a hot night. I improvised on the ingredients and it turned out just as I remembered. Since then I have made it often and have tweaked the ingredients each time. I love grapes in my salad so I just added them. To lighten things up tonight I am serving the chicken salad in small lettuce cups. The kids love them because they can still pick them up and eat the lettuce cups like a sandwich. Alongside a fruit cup they are a perfect Friday night dinner. I am thrilled because it is exactly 3:49pm and I have dinner done and ready to go!

Tarragon Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups serves 4-5

4 split chicken breasts- bone in
splash of olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 -1 cup green grapes sliced in half(to preference)
2-3 stalks of celery, sliced 1/4 inch wide
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 sour cream(I like light)
1 tblsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tblsp sliced almonds
1 head boston bibb lettuce

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken on foil lined pan, sprinkle with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool. In the meantime, slice celery and grapes. In a separate small bowl, whisk mayo, sour cream, tarragon, and salt. Cube chicken and place in bowl with grapes and celery, pour mayo mixture over and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours(tarragon flavor will intensify). Before serving, separate chicken salad into lettuce cups. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Good Enough?

2010-04-09T08:56:00.000-04:00

Do you have any meals that are "good enough"? I've decided that it is crucial to have some of these meals in the back of your head if you really want to stay out of restaurants. By good enough, I mean meals that you can put together quickly when plans change. Good enough meals don't have to be pretty or exotic. The best good enough meals are some old simple standby's. Breakfasts or lunches are perfect good enough dinners. In my house, tuna melts, grilled cheese and bacon, burgers or some kind of simple pasta are my good enough meals. They usually come to be because I ran late or because parts of the family are suddenly not home for dinner. Last night this happened here. I had planned a nice chicken dish with roasted asparagus for dinner. By 4:30, all the kids had other plans and it was just going to be Mart and I. I will admit that I was thrilled by this news. I was off the hook for dinner! I also was not moving too well; I had gone to a new "bootcamp" class in the morning and every muscle in my body hurt. I contemplated just picking up a salad or sandwich for us but decided that we could make due with what was in the house. I opted to have a bowl of cereal(Special K if you are wondering). For some reason, it was extra good and I was completely happy with it. Mart decided that he would make some bacon and eggs. We sat in the kitchen enjoying the peace and quiet and the best part.... no cleanup!! ( And , oh yes, think how much we saved with our good enough dinner?!!)

How Brownies Saved Me.....

2010-04-07T17:29:00.000-04:00

Today my kids walked in from school at the same time I returned home. They were hot, tired and both of them lay spread eagle on the floor(this was for effect, I am sure). After whining about how boring and hot school had been they proceeded to check out the snacks in the pantry. Unfortunately, I have not been good about keeping snacks in the house. So, now I had to hear that there was nothing to eat, they were starving, blah, blah, blah. I couldn't stand it. It was going to be a long afternoon. Did I mention that these are not toddlers but 14 year olds?! I said the first thing that came to mind, "Brownies." Wow, suddenly everyone had a smile on their face. "Great," they said, "We'll go start our homework." Are you kidding? I couldn't believe it was that easy! 10 minutes later I had the brownies in the oven(recipe is in recipe book above). Since I really am running for mother of the year, I decided to add my "icing". Don't they look good?

They were gobbled down so quickly that I had to hide them so that I would have some for lunches tomorrow. The icing really dresses them up and couldn't be easier. All I do is lay Hershey Bars on top(about an inch apart) of the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven. In about 2-3 minutes, the chocolate is completely spreadable. Normally, I let them cool and the chocolate hardens up but today there was no waiting. Milk was poured and brownies had to be cut. The kids spent the next 2 hours working with no whining, no complaints. My afternoon was saved. Who would have thought Brownies could have this much power?!

Tomato Basil Tart

2010-04-06T21:07:00.000-04:00

Tonight I was going to write about how uninspired I've become. Because, I am really, really dull these days. I've been trying to adapt to crazy spring sports schedules with the kids and I am not a good adapter! Dinner now really needs to be done before the afternoon is over .. or at least planned in detail. This is how I get into trouble. I procrastinate( I am really good at that) and then I end up picking something up because I have run out of time. I have not gotten that bad yet. Instead, my meals have been dull, dull, dull. Tonight was hamburgers and watermelon. No one was home before 730 in my house and everyone was starving. But I have new inspiration courtesy of my BFF Jeanne. (Trust me, you will all be asking for her number to become her BFF after this one!) Jeanne made us the most "absolutely delicious" Tomato Basil Tart. I can't even say we ate it .....we consumed it, with gusto! This was so, so good, words cannot describe. My kids stood around the counter as the burgers cooked on the grill and fought over the tart. No one even cared when the burgers came off the grill, the tart was so filling. This tart reminded me of why I try to be creative with my meals. There is so much more joy in eating something fresh and different vs. the old humdrum. Believe me when I tell you : You MUST make this tart! If you are really feeling it, make 2 like Jeanne did and show some love to a friend!!

Tomato Basil Tart

1 refrigerated unbaked piecrust(or make your own!!!)

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

5 Roma tomatoes

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/4 cup grated asiago cheese

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Place uncooked pie shell in 9 inch pie plate. Flute edges. Line shell with double layer of foil and bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 4 minutes more until crust is set and dry. Remove pie from oven and reduce heat in oven to 375. Sprinkle crust with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Let pie crust cool slightly. Cut tomatoes into wedges and drain on paper towels. Arrange tomato wedges over cheese in tart. Rough chop basil, mince garlic, and combine with mayo, asiago cheese, remaining mozzarella cheese and pepper. Spoon mixture over tomatoes, spreading to cover. Bake in 375 for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and browning. Garnish with basil leaves and serve warm.

Cake with a Kick!

2010-04-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

Remember last week during Retro Week when I mentioned my Cake with a Kick? Well, it is finally here for you to enjoy!Adam over at Amateur Gourmet has a new section to his website and my Soft Molasses Cake aka Cake with a Kick is posted there. http://www.amateurgourmet.com/community/2010/03/cake-with-a-kick.html#comments This is a yummy cake!! So simple, but the ginger and the cinnamon really spice it up. Don’t even think about skipping the chocolate icing(and really slather it on!) The combination of the sweet and spicy is what makes this cake great! Give it a try!!

Can you be too old for Easter Egg Hunts?

2010-04-04T19:26:00.000-04:00

In my house, the answer is no!

Today on this beautiful, sunny day my teenagers ran around like 2 year olds chasing after Easter Eggs. I think they may enjoy these hunts more then when they were very young! We often spend Easter at my sisters’ and today was no exception. We’ve had egg hunts in freezing cold but today the kids were out in shorts and t shirts. As little girls rode around the neighborhood on their bikes, my not so little kids chased eggs and battled to find the most eggs.

Will was the winner(although everyone thinks he cheated :)) but it looks like he missed one:

After the egg hunt we went in for a fabulous brunch. I’ll share some recipes tomorrow but for now I will let you ogle our dessert(courtesy of my sister, Beth):

They looked spectacular and tasted even better!!!

Retro Thursday's Cornflake Crusted Chicken

2010-04-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

Tonight should have been takeout pizza. Oh, that would have made me so happy. No cooking, no mess. But there’s not much retro about pizza is there? I just felt too guilty to order a pizza. Three months into this and I am consumed by shame if I order out! I am not sure if this is good or bad, but Cooking to Save has definitely become the norm in our house. I tend to be one of those all or nothing people, so that doesn’t help. I’m on the plan or I’m off. The problem arises when I am off. My guess is that I could fall off the wagon in a big way. If I suddenly start writing about ordering out and eating out frequently with some great justifications, you’ll know I’m in trouble! But for now, I am plugging along. So, to stay in theme, tonight was Cornflake Crusted Chicken. Anybody remember this one? I lightened it up by soaking the chicken in buttermilk before coating instead of butter. The tenders were tender!! :) Really delicious and I served some honey mustard on the side for the kids. With some mashed potatoes and green beans, it felt like were living in the 70’s! This recipe is a keeper though; it’s also a great substitute for chicken fingers.

Cornflake Crusted Chicken(serves 6)

2 lbs chicken tenders
1pint buttermilk
4 cups cornflakes(crushed with a rolling pin in ziploc bag)
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp pepper(depending on how spicy you like it)
2 tsp paprika

Pour buttermilk over tenders in bowl and soak for 1/2 hour. In the meantime, prepare coating. In bag, crush cornflakes. Add salt, pepper, paprika and shake to mix. Preheat oven to 400 and grease 9x11 dish. After 1/2 hour drain tenders and take 2 or 3 at a time and toss in bag of flakes, pressing flakes into chicken. Place in pan. Continue until all are coated. Cook for approximately 20 minutes just until cooked through. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce or ranch dressing.

A little tease...

2010-03-31T19:38:00.000-04:00

You’ll have to bear with me on this one! Tonight was a continuation of Retro Week. Dinner ended up being Tuna Melts as I was consumed with a cake I was making. In honor of Retro Week I had decided that I would make a cake that my grandmother frequently made. Let’s just say I am calling it “Cake with a Kick”! At the same time, I was invited to guest blog on a great foodie’s new venture. So, the cake is appearing there. Unfortunately, the site won’t be up for a day or two. As soon as it is, I will let you all know because, honestly, this cake is too scrumptious! Let’s just say we were cutting pieces off and dipping them in the icing as I was slicing it! Spicy, sweet, fantastic!!! So, stay tuned and I will let you know as soon my grandma’s cake is online!!

Retro Tuesday's Cheeseburger Pie

2010-03-31T07:36:00.000-04:00

I am a little late in posting! Yesterday was so crazy I never even made it to my computer. Dinner was not particularly inspired. In my defense I was driving kids from 4:00 - 7:30pm. This dinner came together before I left and then Brittany just popped it into the oven. Combined with a salad, it was a quick meal. Without my commitment to “cooking to save” I can guarantee you we would have had takeout. And while Cheeseburger Pie is not the most attractive dinner, it wasn’t unhealthy and full of fat. Light Bisquick, lean ground beef, onions,cheese, eggs and skim milk. That’s it! Combined with a salad, dinner was done. What I am realizing about all these retro meals is that they are mostly very simple. I am sure our mothers didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen either!

Cheeseburger PIe

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion
2 eggs
1 cup milk(i used skim)
1/2 Cup Bisquick(I used light)
2 cups cheddar cheese

In frying pan, cook ground beef and onions. Drain beef and put into greased pie plate. Sprinkle cheese over beef. Whisk eggs, milk and Bisquick and then pour over meat mixture. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes. Could it be any easier? Kids love this one and it is a great alternative to hamburgers.

Retro Monday's Chicken Divan

2010-03-29T18:43:00.000-04:00

Since we are beginning Retro week, I figured what better way to start then with a casserole. I actually love casseroles: one dish, prepared ahead of time, easy cleanup. What more can you ask? Well, maybe a good tasting meal would be good too! Tonight I broke out the Chicken Divan recipe. Chicken Divan holds a special place in my heart. Many moons ago, it was one of the first(and only) meals Mart ever made for me. Why a 23 old ever thought to make this, I don’t know! But I do remember that it was so good. My one issue tonight was that I didn’t want to use Cream of Anything soup. I just don’t like that big clump of something that comes out of the can. So, I just eliminated it. And honestly, I don’t think anyone missed it. This isn’t the most low cal recipe but it was so good to see the kids lapping up the broccoli(I am not even sure it registered what they were eating, the sauce was so good). It was also so good to have to only pop this in the oven and make some rice when it was time to eat. I’m thinking its time to bring Retro back in style!

Chicken Divan(serves 4-6)

1.5- 2 pounds chicken tenders
1 large package of Broccoli Florets(Frozen - I used Cascadian Farms Organic)
3/4 cup mayo
1/4 sour cream
1/2 lemon
chicken broth to thin sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumb - preferably fresh or panko
1/2 stick of butter, melted

Roast chicken tenders in oven at 400 for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Shred meat. In 9 x12 pan, place broccoli(still frozen) in layer. Place shredded meat on top. In small bowl, whisk mayo, lemon and sour cream. Use chicken broth to thin sauce if neccessary (should be just slightly pourable). Pour over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Melt butter and pour in bread crumbs. Stir until well mixed. Sprinkle over cheese. Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serve over rice for a complete dinner!

Rice Pudding

2010-03-28T19:57:00.000-04:00

To start off Retro Week, I decided to make Rice Pudding. I must confess that I am not a big fan. Or at least wasn’t. I tried making this recipe a few weeks ago and it just disappeared in my house. Everyone, including me, loved it. I made it as a treat for my husband as I knew that he loved it. I think the kids loved it more then him! This is definitely a decadent treat. Some rice, milk, cream, sugar and raisins combine for a creamy sweet treat. This was so good I would serve it to company. Its a very easy recipe; just give yourself sometime to make it, you need to keep stirring, stirring, stirring!

Rice Pudding(adapted from America’s Best Kitchen)

1 cup long grain rice
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup + 1 tblsp sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon

In large pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes(until water is mostly absorbed). Add milk, half and half, and sugar. Continue cooking on low to medium heat, stirring frequently until pudding thickens and spoon just stands up in pot. (This took about 25 minutes). When thickened, stir in vanilla and raisins. Remove from heat and transfer to glass bowl. Lay plastic wrap directly on top of pudding and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature or chilled. (Or be completely over the top and add whipped cream!) Enjoy!

It's Retro Week!

2010-03-28T09:45:00.000-04:00

Ok, maybe not this! :) If you are too young to remember Swanson TV Dinners, what a shame! In my house they were very rare, usually when my parents were going out to dinner and didn’t have the energy to make us dinner. But for whatever reason, we thought they were great!

Cooking to Save has been an interesting experiment. The main idea, to save money by eating home instead of eating out, is still there. But new components of it keep coming up. The latest is that I am suddenly remembering meals I used to cook and had forgotten about. Some I’ve left just the same as I remembered them. Some I am tweaking, taking into account healthier alternatives. Some of these old recipes are so delicious and easy to make. So, this week I am bringing back the old! Tonight is “make your pizza night” here but I am making a great, homey dessert that my husband is thrilled about. I made it a few weeks ago and it disappeared. I’ll share it with you later today when it is done. And tomorrow night I am working on an “oldie but goodie” that I’ll bet most of you have forgotten but will be making later this week. It’s that good! So stay tuned for a blast from the past all week! Any suggestions are welcomed!

Chocolate Chip Currant Cookies

2010-03-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

Does everyone like Chocolate Chip Cookies? It certainly seems that way. As my awareness of what we eat has grown, I have somehow developed an aversion to buying store bought cookies. Too many unknown ingredients with too many strange names. Unfortunately for my kids, I don’t bake cookies too much either. So, you know what that means....not too many cookies in the house! Some may think that is a good thing, but with 3 teenagers, I hear a lot of complaints. And a lot of whining. It’s amazing that even a 14 year old can whine effectively! So, today I decided I would be “the world greatest mom”.(This is how I like to refer to myself! :)) But, I only had about 45 minutes in which to become this. I settled on throwing together some quick chocolate chip cookies. I like to put currants or raisins in mine. Besides being healthy, I love the extra texture and sweetness they add. And I love brown sugar so these have a good amount. They came out of the oven crispy and delicious and by the time the kids walked in the door, they were still slightly warm and gooey in the middle. Plus, I even had some to pack for lunches today. The kids were thrilled. (Although my elevated state did not last long:( ) I highly recommend you try these this weekend; just don’t eat all the dough before it goes in the oven! Wouldn’t you like to be greeted by these?

Chocolate Chip Currant Cookies(based very loosely on Toll House Cookie Recipe)

2 1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Cup Butter(Very, very soft)
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Currants(or Raisins)

Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In large mixing bowl with mixer set on medium high, cream butter(soft almost to the point of melting) and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, beating each egg into mixture. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture just until fully integrated. Fold in chips and currants. Drop by large teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookies sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until browning. Cool on baking rack (and try not to burn your mouth when you sample!)

And the winner is....

2010-03-26T17:10:00.000-04:00

Kimberly! You have won the great Kitchen Prep Bowls! Congratulations! Please email me your full name and address (susan@cookingtosave.com) and they will be on their way!

Last Chance to Enter and Win!

2010-03-26T07:49:00.000-04:00

Tonight at 5pm I will randomly select a winner of the Kitchen Prep Bowls! Come on, enter to win! They’re fantastic and you will love them! Leave me a comment to enter...its not hard(see below for more ways to enter). Have a great Friday!

Mart's Mac and Cheese Returns

2010-03-25T19:52:00.000-04:00

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might remember my post “The best meal is made by my husband.” Tonight’s will be “The best meal is my husband’s recipe made by me!” Mart’s Mac and Cheese has returned! I had some ham left from last night’s pre- Easter dinner. I also knew that I would be out driving kids from 5:30 to 6:30. So, out came Mart’s recipe. The Mac and Cheese was very good; I am not sure it was as good as his(although I didn’t mention this at dinner). Doesn’t food taste so much better when somewhen else prepares it ? I decided while I was making it that 1 onion had to be too much. I was wrong; I didn’t put as much in and it did lack for a little “oomph”. The kids broke out hot sauce and proclaimed it perfect with Mac and Cheese. But, it was the perfect meal on a busy night. I left it in the oven on time bake and it was hot and bubbling when we walked in. Now, if only I had someone to do the dishes(as well as a laundress :)). Then life would be perfect! For now, I am happy with dinner on the table without a takeout box in sight.

Note:If you’d like the recipe for Mart’s Mac and Cheese(with ham) it is listed up top in the cookbook tab.

Apricot Cider Glazed Ham

2010-03-24T19:24:00.000-04:00

Since yesterday was Easter Cookies, I decided today must be Easter Dinner!! I don’t actually do Easter Dinner as my sister handles that holiday. We usually do a brunch so I decided we would have our own little mini dinner here. On the menu: Baked Ham, Roasted Asparagus(see cookbook up top for recipe) and Popovers. I have a great ham recipe that I cut out of Parade Magazine years ago. It is from the late, great Sheila Lukins of Silver Palate fame. I’ve tweaked it over the years but it is still as delicious as ever. It was also a really nice change of pace from the usual chicken, pasta and beef. Of course, I had visions of a nice, conversational dinner. Unfortunately, everyone was cranky ! Of course, it was carbs to the rescue; Will ate 3 popovers and his mood improved immensely. Moral of the story: with kids, always have lots of carbs. You never know when you might need them.

Apricot Cider Glazed Ham (adapted from Sheila Lukins)
(serves 6-8 but this recipe easily doubles or triples)

3-4 pound ham
whole cloves
2 Tblsp Apricot Jam
1 heaping tblsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple cider
1 cup dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350. Score ham in a diamond patter with a sharp knife. Set pan in shallow roasting pan and stud each diamond point with whole clove. In a small saucepan, melt apricot jelly, then whisk in mustard. Brush onto ham.

Pat the brown sugar all over the ham. Pour apple cider into pan with apricots. Bake for 30-40 minutes , basting frequently, until ham is glazed and brown. Place on serving platter with apricots . This ham is even great at room temperature! So Good!!

Welcome and Giveaway!

2010-03-24T19:23:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Cooking to Save's new home! I am excited about our new space and in the next few days you'll see more activity here. The cookbook section will be completed and you'll be able to find all my recipes in one complete location. In the meantime, enter to win the contest for my favorites prep bowls. They are so great; I promise you once you have them you won't need anything else. I love having many bowls(that all stack into 1) of all different sizes - you don't always want a huge mixing bowl!

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment here and tell me if you like my new home or feel free to leave a suggestion!

2. Follow me on Twitter here. (@cookingtosave) Then please retweet the giveaway to share it with all of your friends!

3. Become a Fan on Facebook.. (I love fans!! :) ) My facebook page is here. Leave me a comment on my fan page.

So, as you can see, you can have up to 3 entries to win. I will randomly select a winner Friday at 5:00pm, EST. (Unfortunately, this giveaway is only for US readers).

Thanks again for stopping by! I have some great new recipes coming this week so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out my past recipes and posts by clicking on the tab “Old Stuff” (witty, aren’t we?!) at the top!

Cookies for Easter!

2010-03-23T18:59:00.000-04:00

I’m getting in the Easter mood here! The weather has been so nice, you can actually see a few buds on the trees. Spring and Easter go hand in hand in my mind! But unfortunately, rain has come to New England so this afternoon I decided to work on some cookies for Easter. I have a great shortbread cookie recipe that I love and I somehow came up with the idea that it would be fun to turn them into a delicious chocolate dipped sandwich cookie. The result? So yummy! Let’s just say I will need to make more for Easter! And, to make it even better, you can’t imagine how easy these cookies are. You make the dough, put in the fridge for an hour or more, slice and go! Try them and watch them disappear!

Chocolate Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature
3/4 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

6oz, chocolate chips
1 tblsp Crisco
Raspberry Jam
decorative sprinkles

With mixer on medium, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add salt, vanilla and flour and mix on low, just until dough comes together. Remove from bowl and form into 2 logs on wax paper(see picture at bottom) Refrigerate until chilled. (at least 1 hour).
Remove from refrigerator and slice about 1/8” thick. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 300 for 20 -25 minutes. (Take them out before they brown, they will firm up when cooling). When cool melt chocolate and crisco in microwave. Stir until smooth. Make sandwich with 2 cookies and a thin layer of jelly. Dip each sandwich into chocolate 1/2 way down (top only) and then dip in sprinkles, if desired. Let cool on wax paper. ( Store in tin).

Balsamic Flank Steak

2010-03-22T21:54:00.000-04:00

Well, the party is over here. After being away for a few days, we are back on track of eating at home. Since we all over indulged a little while we were away (more on that in another post), tonight I wanted to have a big salad. My boys need some substance with it though so I decided a little beef would perk it up. And, since it is spring, Flank Steak came to mind. Flank Steak is one of those meats I don’t make very often, but when I do, everyone loves it. Then I forget about it again for a few months! Flank Steak can be a little dull though, so I concocted a marinade to spice things up. I love marinades but don’t love buying the store bought ones; always so much sodium. It’s amazing what you can throw together to make a marinade. I whisked the marinade together about 3:00 and poured it over the meat. At 6:00 tonight all I had to do was put together a salad and grill up the meat. I ended up pouring some Caesar Dressing on top of the salad - it was yummy! Not a morsel left. The meat turned out wonderfully; Brittany suggested that next time I serve it with rice and a vegetable. In her words, “It tasted like steak tips”. Not a bad review! So, if you haven’t already done so, time to break out the grill!

Balsamic Marinade for Beef(I used a 2 1b Flank Steak)

1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tblsp Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp Italian Seasonings(preferably no salt added, if not, omit salt)

Whisk ingredients together and pour over meat. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
Remove meat and place on grill. Discard marinade.

Big News and Giveaway!!

2010-03-22T08:51:00.000-04:00

I am moving!! Well, not me, but my blog! I have a new home with a new, easier web address: www.cookingtosave.com. This new site will allow me to have more features and you to be able to access recipes in an easy, concise way. To thank you for following me to my new home, I am having a giveaway this week! One lucky reader will win a set of my favorite glass prep bowls:

These are the best bowls! I use them everyday for more things then I could ever have imagined. It is so nice to have a bowl in any size, from the tiniest to the largest. And they nest so they don't take up much room at all. I know you will love these; my guess is that, like me, you won't need any others! Here's how you enter to win:

1. Visit my new site, www.cookingtosave.com, leave me a comment and tell me if you like my new home or feel free to leave a suggestion!

2. Follow me on Twitter here. (@cookingtosave) Then please retweet the giveaway to share it with all of your friends! You'll receive another entry in the giveaway.

3. Become a Fan on Facebook.. (I love fans!! :) ) My facebook page is here. Leave me a comment on my fan page.(If you are already a fan, just leave me a comment and I will give you another entry!)

So, as you can see, you can have up to 3 entries to win. I will randomly select a winner Friday at 5:00pm, EST. (Unfortunately, this giveaway is only for US readers).

Please make sure to change your bookmark or RSS feed to www.cookingtosave.com ! I am really excited about the changes, please come see me at my new home, enter to win the giveaway and get ready for some new recipes this week! Spring is here!

Inspiration and Excitement

2010-03-18T16:52:00.001-04:00

Cooking to Save is on the road for some inspiration! And... couldn't we all use some inspiration :)? Or at least a little excitement? So, check back on Monday... I will have some excitement to share with you. And, I definitely mean share!

Fresh Eggs

2010-03-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

Here in New England, there really is no fresh produce to be had this time of year. Too cold, too snowy, too...winter. Everything in the stores is shipped from some distant universe so by the time it gets here, it doesn't last long and it is always a little less flavorful. Yesterday, I had a small field trip to the one place where winter doesn't mean "closed until spring": the local farm. As I walked in, they urged me to go see the new baby cows. But I was there for some other goodness. And, I was not disappointed! Here's what greeted me when I entered the barn:

Oh, I was so excited! Have you tried really, really fresh eggs? There is a huge difference from the ones that come on a truck to your grocery store. God only knows when some little chicken gave them up. Or, in what conditions that chicken lived. I know all about the chickens at that farm. In fact, my kids have gone to summer camp there and spent time collecting the eggs from the chickens. Really fresh eggs have wonderful flavor; you taste one and suddenly remember what an egg really is like. Suddenly you remember what you have been missing. And suddenly, you have inspirations to make so many egg dishes! So, even if there is nothing green growing yet where you live, try and find a farm with chickens. I promise you, it will be worth the extra drive!

Irish Soda Bread

2010-03-16T07:25:00.000-04:00

One day to go before St. Patrick's Day! Why not make a quick, easy Irish Soda Bread? I must admit, I have never made one before. But this year, in my Cooking To Save spirit, I decided to make one instead of buying it. My neighbor gave me her mother's recipe; I couldn't believe how easy it was! There's no yeast so don't get worried. Her recipe was simple and quick to put together. For classic recipes, I do think old recipes are usually the best. As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". As it baked away, my whole house smelled delicious. The one downside to Irish Soda Bread is that it doesn't last long; definitely best eaten warm or within a day. My oldest, Ryan will attest to that... he walked in last night, decided he had to grill a piece and slather it with butter. It was gone in a heartbeat! I love this recipe though, it calls for golden raisins. The golden raisins really add a sweetness to it and make it extra good. Why not surprise the family with a little Irish? Depending on your wardrobe, it might be easier then wearing green!

Irish Soda Bread from the files of Grace Davis

3 ½ cups sifted flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups golden raisins
1 Tbl. caraway seeds
2 eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 Tbl. melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 (350 for glass). Grease a 9” loaf pan or 2 ½ quart bowl. Sift together flour, sugar,salt,powder,and soda. Add raisins and caraway seeds to dry ingredients and toss to coat raisins. In a small bowl mix eggs,buttermilk and melted butter. Pour onto the dry ingredients, mixing just until moist. Bake for 1 hour. If using a glass bowl, leave in the oven about 1 hour more with the heat off.

Red Pepper Mayonnaise

2010-03-15T19:07:00.000-04:00

This could be the perfect condiment! We love, love, love red pepper mayonnaise. So simple and so delicious. It takes only a few minutes to make this...

Become this:

Tonight was destined to be a bad night in terms of getting dinner on the table. My oldest was at a friend's and I needed to pick him up early. Unfortunately, when he originally told me where he would be, he was off by about 40 miles. (But in his excuse, both towns started with "G". Sometimes, you can't believe how oblivious kids are!) So, instead of being home at 4:30, it was close to 6 when we walked in. I will confess and tell you that as we drove by a take out wing place, I seriously considered stopping. But I had made the red pepper mayo this morning and figured it would spice up the plain chicken sandwiches I would now be making. I am feeling quite virtuous for having resisted the wings! :) So, chicken got thrown on the grill, buns were toasted and a quick salad was made. I pulled out the red pepper mayo and a boring dinner seemed brighter. This mayo is so good - perfect on a grilled chicken sandwich, also fabulous on BLT's and Roast Beef. I have a little left from tonight and I am sure it will end up on someone's sandwich tomorrow.

Red Pepper Mayonnaise

1 large Red Pepper

2 Tblsp Mayonnaise(Regular or Light- I use Hellman's)

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400. Wash pepper, cut in half and remove seeds. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place pepper halves on pan and roast until skin is black, approximately 15-20 minutes. (see photo above) Remove peppers from oven and wrap in foil from pan to steam for 15-30 minutes. Unwrap and peel skin off pepper. Place pepper, mayo and salt in blender and blend to mix. Voila! That's it... just refrigerate and you are ready to enjoy this wonderful mayo.

Momofuku Compost Cookies

2010-03-14T17:42:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of these? They seem to be all over, a recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC. The bakery is very hot and with creations like Momofuku Compost Cookies and Crack Pie, how could it not? The recipe was even featured on Regis and Kelly. Although I am so old, I haven't seen the show since it was Regis and Kathie Lee, I wandered over to their site where the recipe for the cookies were featured. Its a cookie recipe within a recipe: you can add whatever ingredients you want. Chocolate, Potato Chips, Pretzels, Raisinets, you name it, it can go in these. I decided to use chocolate chips, potato chips and Rice Krispies. I think next time I would add pretzels in place of the Rice Krispies, there is so much going on in this cookie, they weren't very noticeable. So, I am hoping a lot of you will make these cookies and post what you used. Of course, I am hoping this so I don't have to make them all(and eat them!) They are really delicious and really addictive; I just went in and found that my kids have been devouring them in the last 20 minutes. And one last note: my cookies were a little thin. Next time, I think I will refrigerate them overnight before baking.

Momofuku's Milk Bar Compost Cookies

NGREDIENTS:

1 cup Butter

1 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Corn Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

1 3/4 cups AP Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 1/2 cups Your favorite baking ingredients!(chocolate chips, raisinets, rollos, cocoa krispies,etc)

1 1/2 cups Your favorite snack foods (chips, pretzels, etc)

DIRECTIONS:

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On a lower speed, add eggs and vanilla to incorporate. Increase mixing speed to medium-high and start a timer for 10 minutes. During this time the sugar granules will fully dissolve, the mixture will become an almost pale white color and your creamed mixture will double in size.

When time is up, on a lower speed, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix 45-60 sec just until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have incorporated. Do not walk away from your mixer during this time or you will risk over mixing the dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On same low speed, add in the hodgepodge of your favorite baking ingredients and mix for 30-45 sec until they evenly mix into the dough. Add in your favorite snack foods last, paddling again on low speed until they are just incorporated.

Using a 6oz ice cream scoop, portion cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheetpan.

Wrap scooped cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 1 week.

DO NOT BAKE your cookies from room temperature or they will not hold their shape.

Heat the conventional oven to 400F. (350F in a convection oven)

When the oven reads 400F, arrange your chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment or silpat-lined sheetpan a minimum of 4" apart in any direction.

Bake 9-11 min. While in the oven, the cookies will puff, crackle and spread.

At 9 min the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown towards the center. Leave the cookies in the oven for the additional minutes if these colors don't match up and your cookies stills seem pale and doughy on the surface.

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan before transferring to a plate or an airtight container or tin for storage. At room temp, cookies will keep fresh 5 days. In the freezer, cookies will keep fresh 1 month.

Yield: 15 6oz cookies

What I'm Working On ....

2010-03-14T12:42:00.001-04:00

I have the strangest cookies going right now.... The dough is chilling and they'll be in the oven later this afternoon. If the batter is any indication(yes, we've been nibbling :)) they are going to be fantastic. I'll post later.. unless we are too busy eating them all!

Roasted Asparagus

2010-03-12T21:19:00.002-05:00

Today I was in the grocery store with my 17year old. We were rushing to pick up a few things on our way to an appointment and were literally blowing through the store. We both stopped though, when we saw them bringing out the asparagus. It wasn't just any asparagus, it was the yummy, baby asparagus you can only find in the spring. It must be spring! I grabbed a big bunch and vowed that no matter what, we would eat it tonight. So, tonight became a simple steak on the grill and roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese. So, so, delicious! There were only 3 of us eating and we were all fighting over the asparagus. Roasting it is my absolute favorite way to make it. The roasting imparts such great flavor to the asparagus and the parmesan just finishes it off. Try some this weekend. I promise you, it will feel like spring in your house, too!

Roasted Asparagus (should serve 4!)

1 bunch of asparagus(approx 1- 11/2 lb)

1 tblsp olive oil

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground Pepper

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle of salt and a few turns of pepper mill. Lay in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until starting to brown. (Keep an eye on asparagus, once it starts to brown, it goes fast). Grate parmesan cheese over asparagus and put back in oven for 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Sweet Apple Pork Tenderloin

2010-03-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am finally serving the Pork Tenderloin I have been thinking about for the last week. It is a simple meal but I kept hoping we would all be home at the same time to enjoy it. The week has been crazy though and really fast dinners have been the order of business. But tonight, pork tenderloin is here. My boys just sampled it and loved it(and it doesn't hurt that the house smells fabulous!) I have served this recipe for family and friends and it always gets great reviews. It's one of those meals that seems like so much more work then it is. Of course, my favorite meals are the ones that look like a lot of work but aren't! I serve the pork with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.(Tonight was roasted asparagus). Don't be afraid of the liquor in it, it all cooks off in the oven.

Sweet Apple Pork Tenderloin (serves 4)

1 medium pork tenderloin

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 cup apple jelly

1/2 cup applejack brandy

2 tblsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375. In skillet on top of oven, heat oil and lightly brown tenderloin. Remove and place in roasting pan. Over low flame, whisk apple jelly, brandy and mustard until jelly is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over tenderloin and cover with foil. Bake for approximately (depending on weight) 20 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 10 minutes or until meat is cooked through(or until meat thermometer reads 140). Slice and serve immediately, pouring jelly mixture over the sliced tenderloin.

Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas

2010-03-11T08:44:00.001-05:00

I have a Pork Tenderloin I am dying to make. Every night, I think, "tonight's the night"! Unfortunately, it happened again last night. :( (But, really tonight I am making the pork, I don't care if I have to eat it all by myself!) So, I decided to make a pasta dish that had come in an email to me from Everyday Food. It was very good, very easy and fast. I believe I had dinner on the table within 20 minutes. I made a few changes to amp up the flavor and I think next time I will add a little more onion or shallots. But, otherwise, it was a great way to have dinner on the table in just a few minutes and it was "not the usual" pasta and red sauce. Along side a salad and if you are feeling very decadent, some bread, it is a hearty, delicious meal.

Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas (adapted from Everyday Food) serves 4-5

4 slices thick cut bacon sliced into 1/2" pieces

2 -3 shallots halved and sliced very thin

1 box frozen peas, thawed

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 pound fresh angel hair pasta

salt and pepper

Fill large pot with salted water and heat to boil for pasta. In the meantime, heat skillet and saute bacon pieces until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon(leave fat in pan). Place shallots in pan and cook until soft 2-3 minutes. Add half and half, peas and salt and pepper to taste and cook for a few minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 cup liquid before draining. After draining, put pasta back in pot and add sauce, adding some of remaining liquid if needed( I only used a little). Add parm cheese and bacon on top. Mix lightly and serve with additional parm cheese on side, if desired.

Fast Food

2010-03-10T08:14:00.001-05:00

It's been over 2 months now since we've started making a conscious decision to eat at home. Unbelievably, it has gotten so easy to do. It is our "normal" now and the kids don't even think about it anymore. As most of you know, I keep a counter running on the sidebar to give us all an idea of how much we've saved. Where I really notice the difference is in my checking account. I just don't have money flowing out of my account as much. It really makes me careful about where I spend my money elsewhere, as well. I just don't enjoy spending like I used to. (This is why the economy has not bounced back quickly!:)

Some people have asked how we are saving when I am shopping at Whole Foods, etc. If you are reader of my blog, you know that I pretty much buy what I want in the grocery store. Yes, clearly sometimes it would be cheaper to pick up a pizza. But this new way of living is more then just saving. It is about mindfully making meals for my family to share as well as saving money from not eating out. Last night was a great example of why this plan is so great. I walked in with the kids from soccer at 6:40 pm. On the way home, it crossed my mind that picking up some takeout would be so easy. Fortunately, I had a plan!! Dinner was on the table in less then 20 minutes. Burgers and Salad. So here's what fast food now looks like in my house:

This was a strawberry spinach salad I threw(literally) together and tossed with Brianna's Blush Vinaigarette. Since spring has come to New England, I had some (grass fed) beef I made into patties and put them on the grill. The burgers were yummy, the salad delicious and I felt good that the kids had eaten enormous portions of spinach! Grand total for a family of five for this meal: under $15.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2010-03-09T08:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you wondering what I was up to yesterday:

Well, finally at 9:30 last night I had a finished Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was fabulous.... or so the Mart and Ryan pronounced. The two younger ones were already in bed and I was collapsed on the couch. This ice cream stuff is hard work! When you read the manuals, they tell you that if you keep the canister in the freezer, you can have ice cream anytime you want it in less then an hour. Lies, I tell you! :) I decided yesterday morning that I would make Vanilla Bean. At 1:30 I started it. At about 4 in finally went into the refrigerator. (The mixture needs to be refrigerated before it goes into the ice cream machine, otherwise it will not firm up.) The suggestion was to refrigerate it overnight. (Maybe I should have read the instructions in greater detail.) Instead, I took mine out about 4 hours later. I must tell you though, it was worth it. I had a few small spoonfuls and it was fantastic. Very decadent. What I have noticed is that homemade ice cream is not something you tuck into and eat a huge bowl. A small scoop or two is plenty. Even the boys said so. I used a recipe from the ice cream guru, David Lebovitz. I think we need to move onto frozen yogurt now!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (adapted from David Lebovitz)

1 1/2 cup milk

pinch of salt

3/4 cup sugar(scant)

1 vanilla bean, split

2 cups heavy cream

5 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

Heat milk and sugar on low in saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and place in milk mixture alone with the pod. Cover and remove from heat and allow to infuse for an hour.

After the hour, set up ice bath to make ice cream. In large bowl, place ice and water. On top, place 2 quart bowl. Set strainer over smaller bowl and pour cream through. In separate bowl, mix egg yolks. Rewarm milk and slowly pour milk into yolks, mixing continually. Put back in pan and reheat(stirring constantly) until custard thickens (enough to coat back of spatula). Pour mixture through strainer into cream. Stir over the ice bath until cool and then refrigerate(preferably overnight). *Because I couldn't wait that long, I put bowl over ice bath in refrigerator for 2 hours, then took out ice bath and left bowl in refrigerator for 2 more hours. Very chilled!

Now the fun part! Remove the vanilla bean and place in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Some work, yes....but oh so worth it!! :)

The finished product, still in the ice cream maker. I would like to say I have a beautiful picture in a pretty bowl, but the boys got into it before I had a chance!

Tonight's Dinner

2010-03-08T18:04:00.000-05:00

Tonight's dinner is that Fabulous Chicken Salad from January. I tweaked it(and changed it on the original recipe- see sidebar) and added Parmesan cheese to the breading. For some reason, the parm cheese called my name tonight. :) I liked it even better. What isn't better with more parm cheese?

There are many reasons why I like this salad:

1. It is great with a warm chicken cutlet or at room temp. (Some of us ate early and some are not home yet)

2. It's salad! We can pretend it is a health food :)

3. Everyone in my house will eat it. For those that don't think salad is a meal, I don't mention the word. Instead, dinner is that "great chicken cutlet thing".

4. Not counting the brining, which is completely optional(I'll never tell), it is 20 minutes to make, start to finish!

Finally, if you are wondering what happened to my creation from the 2 previous posts.... it's still "in process". I guess I should have read the recipe through before I started. I'l let you know when it has reached its peak and is ready for the final show. Hopefully, later tonight......

This is Complex...

2010-03-08T15:41:00.000-05:00

I feel lied to... this is way more involved then I thought! I am on part 33 (or at least it feels like 33). Two words for you : ice bath!

What Am I Making?

2010-03-08T13:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't run away or anything else exciting. But I am finally back in my kitchen this afternoon(however briefly). Here's what I am working on:

Hopefully, I will have something a lot more exciting to show you soon! And, oh yes, dinner would be nice, too. :) Stay tuned ..... Can you guess what it is?

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

2010-03-06T19:11:00.000-05:00

Tonight we survived Ryan's Swim Team here. 17 year old boys can eat! And eat, and eat, and eat! Wouldn't it be great to be 17 again?!! :) We finally got to dig into the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake that I had made yesterday. A friend of mine had told me about it and since then virtually everyone I know has told me that they have a recipe for it. As much as I love chocolate, I can't believe I never heard about it! It was so easy to make and makes a big cake. (You make it in a jelly roll pan.) The cake is very moist (I used sour cream but some recipes use buttermilk instead). The icing is yummy; not too sweet, just right. If you need to feed a crowd, this is the cake to make!

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 Cups Flour

2 Cups Sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks of butter, unsalted

1 cup of water

5 heaping tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 15x10 jelly roll pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In pan, melt butter and add cocoa and water, remove from heat and stir to mix. Pour over flour mix and stir. Add eggs and sour cream and beat until smooth. Pour in prepared pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make icing:

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans*(optional)

1 1/2 cup Butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa

6 tblsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 box of Confectioner's Sugar(minus 3/4 cup)

Melt butter in pan, add cocoa, stir and remove from heat. Add milk and vanilla. Slowly add confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Add pecans if using. Pour over warm cake.

Tarragon Lobster Rolls

2010-03-05T19:46:00.000-05:00

Today, while I was out shopping for the invasion of 20 boys tomorrow night, I noticed that there was a sale on lobsters. They cried out to me.....and somehow 3 of them landed in my shopping cart. :) It's been a long winter in New England and a touch of summer sounded so appealing. My new Friday night dinner became lobster rolls. I am a believer that fresh lobster rolls don't need much; too much seasoning and you suddenly lose the wonderful taste of the lobster meat. I shelled the lobster, added a small amount of mayonnaise, lemon juice and tarragon and we were good to go. With a warm, buttery bun they were perfect! Don't you need a little sunshine in your house?

Tarragon Lobster Rolls(makes 5 rolls)

3 1 1/4 lb lobsters, cooked, meat removed and chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup mayo

2tsp dried tarragon

1/2 tsp salt

top split hot dog buns

1 tbslp butter

In medium bowl, mix lobster meat with lemon juice. In small bowl, whisk mayo, tarragon and salt. Fold into lobster meat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to meld flavors. In pan, melt 1/2 tblsp butter over medium heat. Add buns and cook until brown. Add remaining butter and flip buns to brown. Remove from pan, place on platter and add lobster mixture. Serve immediately.

My Plans for the Weekend

2010-03-05T08:12:00.001-05:00

This promises to be a crazy weekend in my house. Words don't do it justice, so here goes my pictorial:

Soccer... Although we'll be indoor watching the kids play. I never take any indoor pictures because I am usually shivering in my coat wondering how it can be so cold at an indoor facility! Soccer season has started in my house!

Swimming.... and lots of it. Sunday is my 17 year old's last big meet :(. We've spent the last 10 years hanging out in very hot pools. (Definitely not complaining based on the cold soccer facilities). I like to think of it as moisturizing my skin in a steam room. :)

And last but not least:

I'm going to be cooking - a lot!! I have the swim team (20 high school boys) coming for dinner tomorrow night. I've done it before but this always scares me. 20 teenager boys are like a tornado! You have never seen large quantities of food disappear so quickly. They walk in and, whoosh, their plates are full and they are back looking for more.

I'll report back ......today I plan to bake a lot of yummy treats for the boys. And... I promised the kids I would make an ice cream they could actually eat for dessert!

Happy Friday!

A wonderful dessert....

2010-03-04T19:54:00.000-05:00

Doesn't this ice cream look wonderful? Too bad we couldn't eat it tonight! We had a really simple dinner from my freezer stash: chicken soup. Since I had bought the ice cream maker yesterday, I decided I would make a chocolate ice cream and try out the new machine. My kids absolutely love ice cream, especially Brittany. As I've become more aware of reading labels, I am always amazed at what is in the ice creams at the grocery store, even high end ice cream. Even though the ice cream I was making tonight was certainly not low fat(milk, cream, sugar, bittersweet chocolate) I think a little homemade ice cream is so much better then a big bowl of chemicals. So, this afternoon I got everything ready and as we were eating dinner I popped it all into the ice cream maker. It is delicious! We all took a little taste as I was scraping it out of the bowl. But then I realized... it was so rich and so chocolatey(is that a word?) that if we ate it tonight, we might be up all night. It was akin to having a large cup of coffee. The kids were actually happy with their few spoonfuls, it was enough for them tonight and hopefully, we'll all sleep well and maybe I will let them have some ice cream after school tomorrow! I am going to work on perfecting a peppermint stick ice cream in the next few days(safer then chocolate) and will post the recipe soon.

A Variation on Spaghetti

2010-03-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

Doesn't this look good? This was our dinner tonight... or some of ours. I wanted to use the meat sauce I had in the freezer from a few weeks ago. (I know what you're thinking...didn't they have sauce last week?) I was determined that we were having spaghetti this week because last week I bought a spaghetti squash and didn't use it. $9.43 worth of spaghetti squash!!! So, tonight I made "real" spaghetti for the kids and the adults had spaghetti squash(that's it, in the above picture). It was so delicious! I really didn't miss the pasta at all! I am feeling quite virtuous, in fact. :) The kids were adamant that they weren't eating it, but I think next time I will try it for everyone. If you are wondering how I made the squash... I put the whole thing in the oven at 375 for almost an hour. Then I took it out, scooped out the seeds and took a fork to it, scraping out the squash, which comes out in strands just like spaghetti. My only complaint.... it made a ton($9.43 gets you a lot of squash!) If you're on a health kick, give it a try...it makes a great pasta substitute.

Speaking of health kick, we have one slight problem here: I just bought an ice cream maker. Stay tuned for tomorrow night's indulgence!

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

2010-03-02T20:53:00.000-05:00

And I do mean grilled! Here's my proof I'm keeping it real:

Can you see me in the dark? Yes, I am out in what's left of the snow, grilling my chicken!! It was worth the cold and of course, no pan to scrub. There is nothing like chicken right off the grill. Especially in a cool salad, the combination is so yummy and enticing. Besides needing to put the chicken on the grill, I had everything prepared this afternoon so when I walked in from driving carpools tonight dinner could be ready in under 15 minutes. Got the romaine lettuce washed and in bowl. Grated the parm into the lettuce. Made the croutons. Made the croutons again(kids came home and ate them all.) Really, I could have just served croutons and lettuce tonight with a little dressing and they would have been happy. The croutons were to die for. I used brioche rolls and purposely left on the crusts..... a little olive oil, kosher salt and lots of pepper and they were ready to go in the oven:

While the croutons were in the oven, I quickly put together my dressing and left it in the fridge until later. It was so good, but just a disclaimer: no eggs and only 1 very small clove of garlic. I don't like a lot of garlic(nor do I like everyone reeking of it) so I don't use a lot. If you are a garlic glutton, use a big clove!!

Either way, try this salad -it is so much better then anything you will get out!

Chicken Caesar Salad

In large bowl, place torn, clean, romaine leaves from one large head of lettuce. Grate a good amount(at least 1/2 cup) of fresh parmesan cheese. Add croutons*, 2 large sliced grilled chicken breasts and dressing**. Toss salad!

*Croutons

3 brioche rolls cubed(makes about 6 cups)(Or leftover Italian Bread)

2 tblsp olive oil

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Toss cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay on cookie sheet in single layer. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Let cool and put aside.(Hide these if you want to have any left !)

**Dressing

2 tblsp mayonaise

1tblsp + 1tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove of garlic

1/2 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil(I used something in between!)

In blender mix all ingredients except oil. With blender on low, add oil in slow, steady stream. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (If refrigerating, take out for 10 minutes before using and blend again.)

I tried it so you don't have to.....

2010-03-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

If you are a fan of my page on Facebook, you may have seen a few weeks ago that I posted a link to the New York Times, with an idea for oven fries. The claim was that by heating the pan first, the potatoes will get crispier. Sounded good. Don't do it!! I am going back to my oven fries(see sidebar for recipe)! They were a total bust last night. For whatever reason, they stuck to the pan and I was scraping potatoes off the pan to try and come up with enough to feed the crew. And they weren't nearly as crispy as my recipe. :( So, the moral of the story is.... if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

My new favorite accessory...

2010-03-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

Clearly, I need to get a life. As I write this, it strikes me that many of you will think I am completely insane. A few weeks ago when we were childless for a weekend, Mart and I wandered into Sur la Table. (If you don't have one near you or haven't seen a catalog, its like Williams Sonoma). We browsed in ways you never can with kids running through the store. I managed to find quite a few things on the sale table. Included in my stash is my new favorite kitchen accessory:

A Salt Box! Oh, how I love this! :) It is the most fabulous thing I have bought in a long time(hence my comment that I need to get a life). It sits on my counter right near my stove, filled with kosher salt. No more digging in the cabinet for the salt, no more screaming "who didn't put the salt shaker back?" Nope, not for me. All I do now is open the top and take a pinch (with clean hands, of course) or dip my measuring spoon into it. Can I just say that this is life changing? I love, love, love my salt box. And it looks so nice on my counter, too. Don't you need one now?

Tostados!

2010-02-28T19:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight was Mexican. But, I decided that tacos were too typical. I must admit, I am not a big mexican fan nor do I do much mexican cooking. My kids absolutely love it though and I thought I would try something new. Which meant it could be a good dinner or we could be calling for pizza(or eating cereal) depending on how it went! I am happy to report dinner was a success! Everyone loved it, even though they weren't sure what it was. It was my version of Chicken Tostados. I wouldn't call it authentic but it was very simple and very tasty! Probably wouldn't win any mexican cooking awards but an empty platter at dinner is a good thing! The one interesting component of the dinner was that I pan fried the corn tortillas. They really were wonderful and so much better then those on the shelf. Definitely worth the extra step.

Chicken Tostados(serves 3)

6 corn tortillas

canola oil

1 lb Chicken cutlets, sliced thin for stir fry

Newman's Own Garden Salsa(lots of veggies)

2 small tomatoes, diced

cheddar cheese, freshly grated

For Tostado Shells:

Preheat oven to 225. Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in frying pan. Heat oil to almost smoking. One at a time, fry corn tortillas in pan, turning when brown(approximately 1 minute on each side). Place on paper towel lined plate and then put in oven to stay warm.

In clean non stick pan, saute chicken strips until browning, add a good amount of salsa and continue to cook. (Pan should be "saucy"). Cook for 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove tostado shells from oven and turn oven dial to broil. Assemble tostados: divide chicken mixture on shells. Add diced tomatoes and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place in broiler for 2-3 minutes to just melt cheese.

Who's coming to dinner?

2010-02-27T19:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had to plan dinner, assuming the number eating was subject to change. My kids had friends over and I wasn't sure who would be here and who wouldn't. I decided to go with a kid friendly meal that would work for the masses but also be a great leftover. Stromboli was the dinner of choice. My kids all love this and it couldn't be any easier. It's not really even a recipe, more a "pile it all on and roll it up" type of dinner. On a Saturday night, nothing beats that ! (Except maybe a nice dinner out, but I am Cooking To Save!) Of course, as I was putting the Strombolis in the oven, 2 of the boys left for the movies. It is all about them, as always!:) So, it looks like we will have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Definitely not a bad thing!

Stromboli(makes 2 large)

2 balls of dough (either store bought or your own)

1/2 lb thin sliced ham(I like low salt)

1/3 lb Genoa Salami, sliced thin

1/3 lb pepperoni, sliced very thin

2-3 cups shredded mozzarella

3-4tsp dried oregano

(optional: red pepper flakes, to taste)

1egg lightly beaten

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425.

Roll out dough to cover cookie sheet. Layer singles layer of slices of ham, salami, and pepperoni. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and then oregano. (Sprinkle very lightly with red pepper flakes, if desired). Roll dough, pinching ends and sealing seam on top. Brush with beaten egg and lightly grate parmesan cheese on top. Bake until brown on cookie sheet, approximately 20 minutes. Let stand for 3-4 minutes and slice.

Dough rolled out and ingredients layered

Stromboli rolled up and ready for oven (sorry for bad lighting!)

The finished product!

Always getting tested....

2010-02-26T09:22:00.000-05:00

Last night I was tested. I just ran out of time to make dinner. At 5:30 I was still running errands with my twins for some things they needed at school. (Nothing like telling me at the last minute!) Will had to be out of the house at 6:30. As we passed Panera and then Cosi, I seriously debated running in and getting them a quick salad or sandwich. The interesting part though, was that neither of them even asked. I think we have finally broken the habit. Instead, we raced home and I offered grilled cheese and bacon or waffles. Will came up with the idea of making his beloved tuna melt in the panini press and that became the plan. At 6:00 I had their dinner on the table: tuna melts, chips and salad. It wasn't exciting but it got the job done. I am realizing I need to have a backup plan at all times if I am going to succeed at Cooking to Save! As we head into spring(if it ever comes) I've decided I need a formal list of some quick easy last minute meals that can substitute when we are off schedule. So, this weekend I am going to sit with the kids (husbands eat whatever, it's those finicky kids that kill you :))and come up with ideas that everyone likes, hang them up on my bulletin board and have them ready when needed. I'll keep you posted. This should be interesting. (I've already told them that ice cream is not a meal choice!)

Winter Meals

2010-02-25T07:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was another snowy day in New England. The kids were home from school and snow that had piled up had turned to rain. It was one of those days where you just couldn't get warm. I decided that soup would cure winter! But what to make? All the usual choices were vetoed. I decided to make Broccoli Cheddar Soup. But as I looked in my cookbooks and online, about the only recipe I could find was a knockoff of Panera's. Not exactly what I was looking for. I decided I would come up with my own, making a cream of broccoli and adding cheese at the end. It turned out great and was big hit. The kids loved it and it was filling on its own. Even though it was a cream soup, I only used 1/2 cup of half and half and it was plenty creamy. No one missed the extra fat!

I just saw the forecast and it looks like the mid atlantic area is getting huge amounts of snow today.... this could be your answer of what to do for dinner. We aren't getting snow, just rain, so I am assuming my soup did the trick!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

4 tblsp butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 head of broccoli, stalks peeled and sliced in 1/2 slices

1/2 cup half and half

1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

fresh ground pepper

salt(taste first, I did not need to add salt)

In large pot, saute onion in butter until soft and translucent. Add flour, whisking in until smooth and bubbling. Slowly add chicken stock, whisking constantly with heat on medium. Stock will thicken as you whisk. Add pepper to taste (and salt if desired). Add nutmeg. Bring to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Add stalks of broccoli first and cook for 5 minutes. Then add flowerets and cook broccoli on low until it is very soft, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. In small batches, blend in blender or food processor. Put batches into clean pot and return to heat. Whisk in half and half. Add more chicken broth if too thick.* Bring to a low boil and add cheese. Remove from heat and serve, garnish with small amount of cheddar on top.

*If you are making ahead, do not add cheese. Refrigerate and after returning to heat to serve, add cheese then.

Where dinner began and ended last night....

2010-02-24T15:03:00.001-05:00

Last night I made Marcella Hazan's Simple Tomato Sauce(see sidebar for recipe). As you may remember, last time I made this everyone went crazy for it. So last night's meal was linguine with tomato sauce, italian bread and salad. At least that was the plan. A few of us actually ate that. Unfortunately only those who ate early had that dinner. I know you are thinking the early birds ate all the sauce, but this time I doubled the recipe(and did add a little less butter, but nobody knew) so there were even leftovers. No, the problem for Brittany and I was the small sample we tried while the pasta was cooking:

One small taste led to another and another. Bread and that fabulous sauce, so rich and velvety. We decided the pasta just didn't do it justice. So, we sat dipping and eating. No one was looking , so we were double dipping. And when we couldn't justify any more bread, we just ate the sauce. Steaming so hot, we had to blow on it before we could eat it. It was so delicious. I think I finally found a way to eliminate pasta from my diet. :) Unfortunately, it's been replaced by bread.

Wasted Afternoon but Yummy Cookies!

2010-02-23T19:12:00.000-05:00

Late this morning I decided that my kids needed a little home baked treat when they came home from school. Cookies are always a big hit but I am sick of making the usual chocolate chip cookie (and sick of eating the dough before it goes in the oven!) In light of the fact that it is going to snow here for the next 4 days I decided we needed a taste of spring. Light, airy Orange Cookies were my choice. Unfortunately, I wasted the entire afternoon making what was an easy, quick cookie. I had some, shall we say, complications. The original recipe I was using was too big so I halved it. Unfortunately, I was talking on the phone as I was making the cookies and only managed to half parts of the recipe!! They came out like crepes. :( Not exactly what I was hoping for. I made them again (and got off the phone) but thought they were too sweet. So, I set about creating my own little recipe. I think they turned out pretty darn good! They are not too sweet with a mild orange flavor. Nothing too intense, these would be perfect with a cup of tea. I wouldn't know though, because my kids came home from school and whoosh, they were gone. They informed me they are perfect with a glass of milk. Do try them and maybe someday soon Spring will come !

Orange Cookies

1/2 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup of milk, room temperature

1 small orange(or 1/2 large) zest and juice

1 tbsp butter, melted

Confectioners Sugar

Preheat oven to 375.

In mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla. In another small bowl whisk flour and baking soda and powder. Zest orange and juice. Put aside 1 tblsp of juice and 1/2 tsp of zest for icing. Add flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture alternating between the 2 as you add. Then add remaining zest and juice. Drop onto parchment lined cookie sheets by teaspoons. Bake for 8 -10 until edges are lightly browning. Transfer to cooling rack. In the meantime, mix 1 tbslp melted butter, zest and orange juice that you put aside with confectioners sugar to make icing. While cookies are still warm, lightly ice. Let cool completely.

Flunkie

2010-02-22T20:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the flunk out night. I had a dinner planned : Marcella Hazan's Simple Tomato Sauce, Salad, Bread. Unfortunately, at 5pm it struck me that I had 25 people coming for a meeting and I couldn't bear to start cooking and making a mess in the kitchen. So, I caved. I can't say I spent a lot of money but I did go out. Out to get a pizza. One half mashed potato, one half plain. The kids were thrilled. You would have thought I had brought home the greatest dinner on earth. It was almost special! Of course, it was just pizza. The kitchen stayed clean too. I will say I feel quite guilty though. It's just not fun to get takeout anymore. And although the kids loved it, I really felt like it was a junky meal. Ok once in a great while, but I will be glad to get back to my cooking tomorrow. Yes, I realize that I am losing it. :)

The Best Intentions...

2010-02-21T20:11:00.005-05:00

It was supposed to be healthy. Honest! My husband suggested we grill some steaks and have a salad. Sounded good to me. We haven't had steaks in a long time and I am "out chickened" right now. When I was purging my freezer last week, I had found a really nice ribeye steak that I had frozen. I had actually had freezer bags when I put it in the freezer so it was not only in good shape but identifiable! Now I only needed one more steak. From there I perused my refrigerator and found (taking up half the space in there) 17 pounds of fresh spinach that I bought last week. Ok, it wasn't 17 pounds but it was still way more then we would eat. Why I felt compelled to buy this, I don't know. So, I had the enlightened idea to make a spinach salad. Spinach salads are one of those salads that are not quite as healthy as you think it will be(but sooo good)! To push the whole meal over the edge I decided to make twice baked potatoes for the boys. 2 teenage boys don't think it's dinner without major carbs. It's been years since I made these potatoes(very retro!) but they were a big hit with the boys. At least my husband and I refrained. :) So, it wasn't the most healthy meal, but oh, it was so good. We actually grilled the steaks out on the charcoal grill instead of the gas grill and they were to die for:

If you are wondering why there is so much steak, it's because I sent my husband out to buy 1 steak! The man cannot buy meat in small portions!!! :) We had enough left over that everyone will be taking steak salads for lunch tomorrow. The potatoes were gobbled down by the boys:

And, the salad was the best! I looked at about 10 recipes and then just decided to "wing it". There wasn't anything left in the salad bowl tonight. Will has even decided that he likes mushrooms. We might have to have this again this week as I still have pounds of spinach in the fridge!!

Spinach Salad

8 oz baby spinach, rinsed

2 cups sliced mushrooms

8 slices center cut bacon (or thick sliced if you prefer)

3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

dressing:

3tblsp reserved bacon fat

3 tblsp cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp mustard

pepper(to taste)

Cook bacon in pan until crisp. Reserve 3 tblsp bacon fat and put aside.(With center cut bacon, this is about what I had in the pan). Without wiping pan, saute mushrooms until tender. Put aside. Crumble bacon. In small saucepan, whisk all ingredients for dressing over low heat. To serve, place spinach in bowl with mushrooms and bacon. Pour dressing over salad and place egg slices on top. Serve immediately.

What to Make?

2010-02-19T19:48:00.001-05:00

Friday nights are often pizza nights here. Since this was healthy week I decided we needed to mix it up. But who wants a typical weekday meal on Friday night? Definitely not me! I wanted something fun, easy and different. Mexican sounded like a good idea. And swordfish fajitas came to mind. We used to be obsessed with them but somehow I'd forgotten about them. You know how you make a certain dish all the time and then one day, you just stop? And it just disappears? That was what happened to the swordfish fajitas. Of course, it's really a great summer meal, but since I had shoveled my path to the grill earlier in the week, I figured it was time to get grilling! They were yummy! Homemade salsa, homemade guacamole and the delicious swordfish, plus peppers and onions. So, so good and really easy.(Which could be the best part!) This is a great meal to have with company as well. It's fun to put out all the parts and let everyone make their own. A little taste of Mexican summer... just what we need on a cold winter night! (Oh, and a margarita would be great, too!)

Swordfish Fajitas (serves 3-4)

Components:

Salsa- your favorite or see sidebar of recipes for mine

Pepper/Onion

Guacamole

Swordfish 1pound

Flour Tortillas

Marinate swordfish for 20 minutes in 1 lime, juiced, 2 tblsp soy sauce.

Guacamole

3 ripe avacodos, mashed

1 lime, juiced

4 sprigs cilantro(or more to taste)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup fresh salsa

salt

pepper

Mix together and refrigerate. Can be made ahead.

Saute 2 red peppers and 1 green pepper julienned with 3 onions sliced, in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add 2 tblsp soy sauce after onions and peppers have browned. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Set aside.

Grill swordfish approximately 5 minutes each side. Julienne and cover to keep warm. Assemble fajitas or place all ingredients on table for buffet. (With kids, I also julienne some grilled chicken cutlets to serve alongside swordfish)

This Meal Makes Me Happy....

2010-02-18T19:40:00.000-05:00

I love to make Potted Chicken. It is a great fraud recipe. :) It looks and tastes like you spent a long time cooking and in actuality, it takes very little preparation. Today I walked in about 3:45 and thought that it would be great to make dinner early and then put it in the crockpot to stay warm until everyone wanted to eat. Of course, I sat down and didn't move again until 4:45. I had a lot to do while I was sitting. Emails to check, news to read and then of course, I had to check and see if 1 million people were reading my blog yet. (Alas, no!) At 4:45 I decided I'd better get moving since I had to go pick up kids at 5:00. By 5:00 the entire meal was simmering and ready to cook on low heat for 1 hour! This is why I love Potted Chicken. The house smells wonderful, the dinner is so tasty and you really can pull it together in 15 minutes. Here it is, ready to go:

All I did after this was put on lid on it and simmer! (If you are looking for the recipe see righthand recipe index) And, because I had a few extra minutes, I browned the noodles to go with the rice:

So, 20 minutes before dinner, I finished up the chicken and added the rice to the noodles to cook. Dinner was ready.

Note: The noodle/rice mixture is a great addition to any meal instead of just rice. I stole this recipe from my sister inlaw, Elaine, many years ago. It tastes delicious and it looks so much nicer on a plate then just white or brown rice.

Noodles and Rice

Handful of Vermicilli Noodles

1 cup Rice

2 1/4 water or low salt chicken broth

Brown noodles on low in non-stick pan. (Watch them closely, once they start to brown, they go to burnt quickly!) Add rice, water or chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Doesn't this look better then boring rice?!!!

The Burger and Fry Craving

2010-02-17T19:15:00.000-05:00

Tonight I shoveled a path on my patio out to the grill. I wish I could say that I wanted the exercise or that I was such a devoted mother, I wanted to grill their burgers. But truthfully, it was my laziness that got me shoveling. I didn't want to have to clean the broiler pan! Grills are the greatest gift! I love closing the grill when I am done and walking away. :) So, out I went, in the dark and the snow to grill the burgers I was cooking. Will has been asking for burgers (he wasn't here for Superbowl Sliders) and tonight was the night. Keeping in my healthy theme, I used 90% lean grass fed beef. I also added a few chopped leeks to the meat. They add a little very light onion flavor and dimension to the burger. The kids had theirs on whole wheat buns and the grownups had theirs on whole wheat pita. I also decided that I would make french fries. If you've been reading my blog, you know I had a stressful time with the onion straws. Frying is not for me! A girl's got to know her limits. I made tonight, what I think, and the kids even agree are the best healthy fries! They even ask me to make these. They're baked but so crispy that you don't even realize it. They have a lot more potato flavor then a fast food french fry but they are just as addictive. ( I threw the few left down the disposal so I wouldn't be tempted!) Don't they look good?

And here's the more healthy version:

All in all, it was a good "fix" for a burger and fries craving. I think I am even comfortable counting those potatoes as a vegetable!

French Fries(Healthy!)

Medium Russet Potatoes(I use 2 per person)

1/2 Tblsp Olive Oil per medium potato

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 425

Wash and slice potatoes. Don't peel - its good for you! Slice the potatoes any way you'd like. I like to make them the size of typical french fries as my kids don't even miss the frying this way. Dry the potatoes.(Dry them well, this step is crucial) I wrap them in paper towels and blot away. Place in large bowl add olive oil, salt and pepper. Be generous with the salt! Toss well and place on cookie sheet. (I use either foil, parchment or a silpat so I don't have to clean the pan.) Bake for approximately 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Serve immediately.

Do you love your freezer?

2010-02-17T14:30:00.000-05:00

I believe you are a freezer lover or a freezer hater. I am a freezer hater. Don't get me wrong, mine is packed full. (It is very small, though). I have never done well with the freezer. I used to have a side by side refrigerator/freezer and I thought that was the problem. Nothing ever fit and everything got lost in all the drawers. It was a giant abyss. A few years ago I bought the refrigerator of my dreams. I can't even begin to tell you how happy this made me. (I know this is odd) The refrigerator part is up top, freezer down below, in a pull out drawer. My refrigerator is cavernous and oh, does it fit things well! I can fit huge bowls, even a sheet cake in there. And when you open it up, it's like everything is just waiting for you, eager to be picked. Nothing seems lost in the back or stuffed in a drawer. But then, the freezer. It is still not for me. I just can't put meat in my freezer and ever use it. It sits in there for months and then finally, I throw it out. I am always in awe of people who buy, say, a side of beef and freeze it all for future meals. Today I did another purge. I've accepted that I am not meant to store much in my freezer. My new resolution is that I will only buy what I want to cook in the next 2 days. Sometimes inconvenient but accepting of my freezer failure. I feel quite a bit better with my limited freezer storage now. I can actually see what is in there: frozen fruit, ravioli, ice cream, vitamuffins(my kids breakfast of choice) and the always needed but never found, ice packs. No meat and that's the way I like it!

One Dish Wonder...and Healthy, too!

2010-02-16T18:56:00.000-05:00

As you will notice, this week, we are on a health kick. How long it lasts, who knows? But keeping in my theme of healthiness, I decided to make a stir fry. Truth be told, I would have liked beef but since it was ferociously snowing out and I had already risked my life to pick up my kids( I am a drama queen, you know), I decided it would be chicken, which was already in my house. I had some broccoli, red peppers and a can of water chestnuts so I was set. Will commented that it would have been great with some julienned carrots so I have added them to the recipe. Nothing like improvising! Anyway, everyone liked it and no one even complained about all the broccoli. :)

Chicken Stir Fry

1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into pieces

2 tblsp canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp minced ginger

1/2 cup julienned carrot

3/4 cup red pepper, sliced thin

1/2 cup water chestnuts

2 -3 cups broccoli(blanched)

1/4 soy sauce, low sodium

2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 cup chicken broth or stock

1 tblsp corn starch(mixed with a little water)

1/4 chopped peanuts

Heat oil in wok or large pan.Add ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes until brown. Add carrots and peppers. and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli(it is not necessary to blanch, but i like my broccoli slightly tender). Add soy sauce and sesame oil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring throughout. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add corn starch mixed with water (stir until smooth before adding). Cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve over noodles or rice.

Salads of all Kinds...

2010-02-15T19:25:00.000-05:00

When we go out to a restaurant that has a salad bar, my kids love it. Granted for years, Will's idea of a salad was croutons and ranch dressing. We've progressed and everyone has their likes and dislikes. Tonight I decided to recreate the salad bar at home. It was a huge hit and I'd like to have this meal on a weekly basis. Everyone ate well, got lots of veggies and had a salad exactly of their choosing. There was no picking things out or pushing certain veggies to the side. We had grilled chicken, breaded chicken cutlets and steamed shrimp for our protein(as well as some cheese and egg). Lots of veggies - from carrots to snow peas to red peppers. I had also picked up some crusty bread, thinking the boys would need their carbs. Only 1 piece went! The salad was perfect. I think it was all in the presentation:

Brittany's salad, loaded with shrimp and veggies won the healthy award:

Will's, not so much:

Why is it so hard to find good food?

2010-02-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

My kids are off from school this week so my schedule is not my own. We are also going through food like crazy since everyone is around more. I can't keep enough milk in the house! My(now) 14 year old son is in the midst of a growth spurt and just eats and eats. I am in awe of how much he eats and how little he weighs! Today I managed to talk them into going to Whole Foods with me. It is not that close but I am in withdrawal since I haven't been there in almost a week. I hate that I have to travel just to find fresh, bright colored vegetables and fruit. And I've found that if I don't have them in the house, we find other, "crummy stuff" to eat. I've tried the local grocery store, but this time of year there is not much selection. I think I need to move south. :) As much as I don't like the prices at Whole Foods, I love being greeted with wonderful, sunny fruits when I walk in the door. Today we only shopped the perimeter.... vegetables, fruits, a few shrimp, chicken, milk and eggs. The red butter leaf lettuce looked so good! I couldn't wait to bring it all home..... Here's what I came home with... (3 types of lettuce, spinach, carrots, snap peas, red peppers, green beans and Brittany's personal stash of blueberries)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T15:09:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day. Even Nikki is dressed for the holiday! It has been an interesting weekend in the Cooking to Save family. Yesterday my twins turned 14. It was a chaotic but fun birthday. We also had company as my sister had come to visit (and brought yummy treats!) We broke from our dining in and dined out in honor of their birthday. Unfortunately, we did not have the best time out and many times throughout the dinner I thought that we would have been happier to have stayed home. We had a reservation at what was our favorite Italian restaurant. While we were waiting for our table, a group of 6 (as were we) used our name and took our table!!!! Can you imagine? We realized it immediately and told the manager. Let's just say that they ended up at our great table and we ended up squished in the noisy bar! The food was good but I don't think we'll be in any hurry to return there soon. We did end up with a lot of leftovers though, so we will have them tonight and I will get back to my cooking tomorrow. :)

This morning my sister made sticky buns. The kids are crazy about them and I do think they are the very best sticky buns I have ever had. The house smelled so good!!They came out of the oven goey and soft; they didn't last long !

These are from Carole Walter's, Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins and More. Who could not like a cookbook with that title? I looked through the book and I am definitely going to add this to my collection. (Although not too soon, I think we all need to work off the weekend's goodies :))

Laziness...

2010-02-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Last night became the lazy night. I had chicken out to make a great meal I had been planning(stay tuned for that next week). Unfortunately, my family was dropping like flies! Ryan was not coming home and my husband was not going to be home until late. Will had overdosed earlier on 2 tuna melts and half the house. (He also grew an inch overnight but that is another story!)The chicken went into the freezer. I decided that we didn't need much. After perusing the freezer and the refrigerator I settled on open grilled cheese sandwiches. When I was a child my mom made these a lot on Saturday nights. I didn't realize it then, but I am sure she was just sick of cooking by Saturday! For me, Saturday became Thursday. I tried to "healthy them up" with light multigrain english muffins(I only buy these now, nobody ever misses the white ones), tomato, cheese and a small piece of bacon. A little spicy brown mustard for those who need a little something extra and we were set! And, oh, to not have any dishes.... that might have been the best part!

I have a confession to make....

2010-02-11T12:07:00.000-05:00

I have blog envy. I spend a lot of time in the "blog world" looking for ideas, inspirations and sometimes just admiring other food blogs. There are so many great blogs out there, with beautiful, gourmet dinners being prepared. I love to read them and look at the beautifully styled food. Some of it is almost art. The problem is, I love to look, but most of it I will never have time or inclination to make! My life just doesn't allow for that right now. And I've realized, after a great conversation with a friend yesterday, it doesn't matter. I am good enough. My goal is not to be the best chef or the most fabulous food sylist(although I wouldn't mind!) My goal in this year, on this day, at this moment, is to take care of my family to the best of my ability. They couldn't care less about fancy meals or beautiful plates. What they do love is comfortable, delicious meals on the table(or at the counter!) They know they are cared about and loved and those meals give us a chance each day to reconnect, even just for a few moments. Sometimes, we don't even eat together but eating the same meal, even at different times, connects us. We are a family and that really is what Cooking to Save is all about. As we continue on our journey of "dining in " I hope that my meals will continue to be interesting, creative tweaks of some ordinary dinners; gourmet, no, but delicious and family oriented, yes. And today, after watching my boy, who has been home sick , eat his tuna melt that I made him in the panini press, on the marble rye he likes so much, good enough seems to be plenty for me.

Our Snowy Day Breakfast....

2010-02-10T10:33:00.002-05:00

On snowy days everyone is out shoveling the driveway and walk and I like to have a nice warm breakfast ready when they come in. Somehow, this pancake has become the standard (interpretation: expected) breakfast. Today the kids are all home... we are having a "huge storm." Of course, it is 10:20 and I haven't seen a flake! Why aren't they in school? But, since there is snow in the forecast, Will was down this morning asking for the "pancake". It is so good, honestly, everyone who has ever had it loves it. I've served it for breakfast parties, kid's sleepovers, even Christmas morning. I stole the recipe from my mom a long time ago and it has now become "mine". (Sorry, Mom!) It is also great the next day, reheated. You can't go wrong!!

Pancake

1 1/2 cups Bisquick(I use the lowfat)

1 heaping Tblsp sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk(any kind, I use skim)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

10-12 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425. Grease/flour 9 x 13 pan. Beat bisquick, sugar, 1/2 cup cheese by hand. Beat in milk, eggs and syrup. Pour into prepared dish. Bake uncovered 10-15minutes. (pancake should not quite be done yet). Sprinkle bacon and cheese and bake 3-5 minutes more. Serve with a side of syrup.

Spaghetti Night....

2010-02-10T09:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday morning I decided I needed a make ahead meal for the night. It was my book group night and I wanted to be able to make a quick exit once I got dinner on the table. I decided that Spaghetti would be a nice change of pace. I am not a huge red sauce/pasta fan so I don't make it that often. Whenever I do, I always think, "Why do I ever buy jarred sauce?" Homemade is so easy and so much tastier! Of course, I usually forget this when I am in a hurry and end up picking up a jar of some sauce. But, the new me is not doing that anymore!!! :) Sauce is also one of those things you already have all the ingredients in the house. So, within a couple of hours yesterday morning I had dinner made with enough leftover to store a vat of sauce in the freezer for another time. Everyone loved it and with a salad and some bread it was the perfect winter meal.

Spaghetti Sauce

2-3 Tblsp Olive Oil

1 Large Onion

2 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef

small piece of pork*

2 cans of crushed tomatoes 28 oz( I like to use 2 different kinds, last night I used San Marzano and Redpack)

1 large of Tomato Paste or 3 tblsp of double concentrate paste(I keep a tube in my fridge)

1/2 cup water

1 tblsp oregano dried

1 tsblsp basil dried

2 tsp salt

2tsp sugar

In large pan, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add beef and brown. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a slow boil and then simmer on low, covered, for 2-3

hours, stirring occasionally.

*I like to add a small piece of pork to my sauce while it is cooking. It gets very tender and adds a sweetness to the sauce.

**If you prefer meatballs, omit meat and after sauce is put together, cook meatballs in sauce for 2-3 hours.

The Best Chicken Stock in the World...

2010-02-09T09:14:00.001-05:00

And, I really mean it! As I had mentioned before, I never seem to make chicken soup the same way twice. A little different tweak, a little different emphasis on one flavor on another; I like them all. There's certainly no need to follow a recipe for Chicken Soup. Throw everything into a pot and cook the heck out of it. :) But yesterday I decided to break out my old, trusty Silver Palate Cookbook. If you don't have this book, buy it! I have had it forever and although I forget about for months on end, I am always so happy when I open it up. Like a trusty friend, this book never disappoints. There is a recipe in the back of the book for Chicken Stock. I've changed it up a little over the years but it is, by far, the very best stock I have ever made. So rich, and so flavorful. The stock is not a pale yellow, but rather a deep gold. So, with my desire to detox my family off of all the bad food from Superbowl Sunday, I set about making Chicken Soup yesterday. I made the stock in the morning, let it cool(skimmed off the fat), then put some in the freezer for future fabulousness and made Chicken Soup out of the rest. It took some time(this is not just throw it all in the pot, stock) but oh, was it worth it. So, so good!

Chicken Stock(adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

2-3 Tblsp cooking oil(I used Olive)

3 pounds chicken breasts**

4 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups chopped carrots

handful of parsley sprigs

1 box reduced sodium chicken stock(I like Campbell's Chicken Stock)

water as needed

1 tblsp dried thyme

3 bay leaves

Pour oil into large soup pot. Heat oil and then add chicken to pot. Cook, turning once until well browned. Add onions and carrots and continue to cook until vegetables are beginning to brown lightly and are losing their crunch. Add remaining ingredients and add water to cover chicken by 2 inches. Boil for 15 minutes, skimming off all the scum(the yucky part:( ). Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Cool slightly and then pour through a strainer set over a bowl, pressing hard on vegetables and chicken to get all of the flavor out(this is the important part, you want all the flavor!) Cover stock and refrigerate, then skim any fat off of top. Freeze rations for future use or make Chicken Soup.

**If I was only making stock, I would use necks and backs. Due to my laziness, when I am making soup and want meat, I use breasts.

Chicken Soup

Chicken stock from previous recipe

cut carrots

cut zucchini( I like them sliced and halved)

cut up chicken(from breasts in chicken stock)

noodles or rice

Add everything to the stock and boil until noodles are cooked and vegetables are tender! That's it! Voila! Chicken Stock makes all things easy!!

Just in Case You Didn't Have Enough to Eat Last Night....

2010-02-08T09:52:00.000-05:00

Dessert was actually a mellow affair last night. The boys ate so much food that they didn't devour dessert. Unfortunately that means I have quite a bit left. And we are in detox over here. Too much rich food - even the 17 year old informed me that he was eating "clean" all day. But just in case you need a chocolate fix or are in chocolate withdrawal, Chocolate Marble Cake to the rescue. Very good and not too sweet :)

Chocolate Marble Cake

Marble:

1/3 cup sugar

1 8oz package softened cream cheese

1 egg

Cake Batter:

1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate squares

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

6 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

For marble: combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Beat until smooth then add egg and mix well. Set aside. In small pot, melt butter, chocolate and water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. In large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add chocolate /butter mixture and blend. Add eggs, sour cream, baking soda and salt. Mix well and then pour into greased and floured 15 1/2 x 10 dish. (Try to use a pan bigger then a 9 x 12, if you have it). Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of batter and cut thru with a knife to make a marble effect. (Just run your knife up and down thru the cream cheese mixture) Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool and slice.

Superbowl +Ten 17 Year Old Boys = Exhaustion

2010-02-07T23:08:00.000-05:00

Whew!! I am so tired, you would think I was in the Superbowl! I don't think you can make food fast enough to keep up with ten 17 year old boys. I made a lot of food today. Actually, I was busy cooking and preparing all day. Boys can sure eat a lot ! My son said the night was a success and I think it's possible they may not need to eat again for a month, based on what they consumed here tonight. Chips, Salsa, Chips, Dip, Cheesy Bread(so good), Mini Hot Dogs, Sausage Crescents (aka Bones), Caramel Popcorn, Wings and Sliders! I kept bringing it out and they kept on eating.... but such a happy group, who could complain? The sliders, which were so simple were a big hit.

Not the best picture, but what can you do when they're all clamoring to gobble the sliders down? We went through 3 platters of these! After these, everyone seemed quite satiated. And the Saints started winning!! I'll fill you in on dessert tomorrow....somehow they found room for that too....

Superbowl Sliders

3 pounds Ground Sirloin or Ground Round

18 brioche or dinner rolls

18 small slices cheese

18 dill pickle chips

1 tsp salt

11/2 tsp pepper

BBQ sauce

Mix beef with salt and pepper and make into 18 small patties. (approximately 6 per pound). Grill on medium high charcoal or gas grill 2-3 minutes each side. Warm buns on grill. At last minute, add cheese on top to melt. Transfer burgers to buns on large platter. Garnish each slider with 1 dill pickle chip and spread BBQ sauce on each bun. Serve with additional sauce on side.

** If it is freezing out ( it is here right now) either broil burgers or look pitiful and hopefully someone will go out and grill them for you. (Like my husband did for me tonight :))

Popcorn anyone?

2010-02-06T14:46:00.001-05:00

Today I am trying to get ready for Superbowl Sunday as my oldest is having some friends in for the game. Anytime there is a group of 17 year old boys, you need a lot of food! Quantity is key. I've learned over the years that you can never have enough. I have a great recipe for Caramel Popcorn and decided I would make it today(hopefully we won't have eaten it all before tomorrow). Once you eat this, you will never want to eat the boxed or bagged caramel corn again! It is so delicious and the sweet, buttery flavor combined with the crispy popcorn is addictive. The recipe makes a lot of popcorn, but trust me, it will be gone in a flash!

Caramel Popcorn

2 sticks of butter

2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

10 quarts popped corn

Melt the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and cream of tartar on low heat until mixture come to a boil(stir frequently). Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then add baking soda. (don't do this step while cooking) Here's what the mixture will look like after you add the baking soda:

Pour over popcorn in 2 very large bowls. Stir immediately to coat popcorn. Pour coated popcorn onto 3 cookie sheets and bake in oven at 225 degrees for 60 minutes. ( If I making this recipe for just a small group, I half it)

The Inmates Have Escaped!!!!

2010-02-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

Our children all chose this weekend to run away. We are "kidless" for the first time in about 17 years! Ryan returns this evening (with a lot of dirty laundry, I am sure). So, what were we to do? Out, we went! We actually have been planning this night. With our kids schedules, finding a date night has not been easy. So, last night was the night. I wondered if I would feel guilty, going out to eat instead of cooking? No Way! It was so nice to be out and we went to a great restaurant that we love and that has wonderful food. It was money I was glad to spend. And that's really what this year is about: mindful spending. Spending thoughtfully, and really making a conscious decision that what we buy is worth it. Making sure we are not just throwing our money away. Junk food?No way. Mediocre food? Not interested. Excellent food, a nice night out, nice ambiance? Absolutely! And, if you are wondering what was worth it, here it is:

Salmon, Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes!! (Did I mention the mashed potatoes? To die for) The bread was also excellent, but as you can see, I had already eaten it. :) Carb heaven!

This meal did get me thinking though... I like the presentation of the plates! I think I know where I am headed today....

Join Cooking to Save on Facebook!

2010-02-05T16:35:00.002-05:00

Cooking to Save is now on Facebook! Stay caught up and as we go, I'll be adding food product reviews as well as great recipes! Visit our Fan Page here . Come join the conversation!

It's the smallest gestures that mean the most....

2010-02-05T10:39:00.001-05:00

This morning I woke up to an email from my neighbor, Jeanne. "There's a small treat in your mailbox." So, I bundled up(it's cold here) and Nikki and I walked out to the mailbox. (This is what I am calling her walk for the day!) Inside was a little cup, wrapped in foil..

This was a cup that I had brought to her the other day with some salsa that I had just made. (And, oh yes, I was borrowing some cheese)! The cup had come back to me with a little sweet treat!! Can I say that this made my morning? Sometimes, it is so nice to just know that someone was thinking of you :) Our lives are so busy, I think we forget how simple it is to connect with people. A call, a note, an email and best of all, a sweet treat... it doesn't take a whole lot to make someone's day!

And because you are all wondering, here's what was in the cup:

Cinnamon Chocolate Fudge!! Did anyone else see Giada make this? So good! Here's the link, if you want to try it for yourself. The chocolate, the cinnamon and the salt make this the perfect Superbowl treat!! ( There were 2 more pieces, but I ate them before I could take a picture!!! :))

Bones....

2010-02-04T18:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight I want to share with you all a fabulous appetizer for the Super Bowl. (I am not cooking since no one in my family was home for dinner! Eggs were the meal of choice here!) We call them "bones". That doesn't sound so good, does it? Actually, they are Sausage Crescents. We call them bones because they kind of look like bones! They are without fail, the most popular hors d'oeuvre at any party. And they are so easy! The combination of ingredients totally works and this is truly a case where the sum of the parts is so much better then the individual ingredients! Try them! You won't be disappointed...

Sausage Crescents (Bones)

2 Packages Jones Precooked Sausages

2 Packages Crescent Rolls(I use the reduced fat, they have no trans fats)

2 tblsp butter melted

Oregano

Parmesan Cheese(freshly grated)

Open can of crescent rolls, separate into rectangles.(do not divide into triangles) With rolling pin or fingers, press out perforations for triangles and leave as a rectangle.(you will have 4 per can) Working with 1 rectangle at a time, brush with melted butter, sprinkle generously with oregano and parm cheese.

Place sausage line on end of crescent roll and cover with crescent. Cut crescent to fit each sausage link. Repeat until all crescents are used. Slice each link/crescent into 5 pieces and place on cookie sheet.

Freeze for 1 hour (or put right in oven) and then place in freezer bags until needed. When ready to bake place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Not only do these taste delicious, they smell wonderful!!

Now do you see why we call them bones?!! :)

Stepping Back From the Edge.....

2010-02-03T20:53:00.001-05:00

I almost did it today.....jumped off the restaurant cliff. From the moment I got up this morning I have been running, running, running... to appointments, kids activities, etc. By noon I knew I was in trouble. A pizza.... that was my solution. Just this once, I would order a pizza tonight ... no cooking, no clean up. So easy. But then, I thought about having to admit this on my blog tonight. (It's a little bit like Weight Watchers a little bit like AA). So, I took a deep breath and a step back and perused the refrigerator for something I could make ahead and have ready for when we all walked in at 6pm. I settled on Chicken Tetrazzini. ( I didn't have any Turkey). And so, I've saved myself for another night. To be honest, what really saved me was the thought that I was going to blow it on a crummy pizza. I've decided if I am going down, I'm going in a big way; food worth jumping off for. (More about that this weekend. :) I'm dreaming of a special salmon!) As I write this, it is 630 - I am still waiting for my casserole to come out of the oven but there's no pizza box to have to slink out to the garbage with tomorrow. No remorse :) Here's my dinner at 12 noon(before baking it!):

Chicken Tetrazzini(adapted from The New Best Recipe)

1 package whole grain spaghetti

6 tblsp butter

2 cups white mushrooms,cleaned and sliced

1 large onion

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 tblsp sherry

3/4 cup freshly ground parmesan

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups frozen peas

4-5 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

breadcrumb topping:

1/2 fresh bread crumbs,

1 tblsp butter, melted

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

First, combine bread crumbs and melted butter, place on pan in 350 oven for approximately 10 mins until brown. Remove, add parmesan cheese and set aside.

Bring large pot of water to boil, add spaghetti. When done, drain, but reserve 1/4 cup liquid. Place spaghetti back in pot with liquid. In large skillet, melt 2 tblsp butter, add chopped onion and mushrooms. Stir frequently until onions are translucent and liquid has evaporated from mushrooms. (Approx 10-15mins) Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Melt remaining butter in clean pan until foamy. Add flour and whisk until smooth and golden brown. Whisking constantly, add chicken broth slowly. Increase heat to medium high until mixture thickens. Off the heat, whisk in sherry, parmesan, nutmeg, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the sauce, mushroom/onion mixture,peas and chicken to the cooked pasta and mix. Pour into buttered 13x9 pan, sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and bake at 400 until warm and bubbly. Serves 8-10 (generous portions)

I'm Famous!!

2010-02-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

Well, not really!! :) But I got your attention! Today my Chicken Salad is featured on a great new blog, I love Salads. It is actually an offshoot of a blog I have been reading for inspiration and ideas, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet. It's such a pretty place, please check it out! A big thank you to Kim and Amanda!

Bone Suckin'?

2010-02-02T18:45:00.001-05:00

Well, that's what the label says! Tonight was Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Broccoli Slaw. My boys don't love broccoli but make into a slaw and they are happy as clams! In my "keep it simple" mode, I put the pork into the crock pot at 930 this morning. I am not a big crock pot user, in fact this is about the only meal I make in it. I always think everything comes out a little "mushy". But of course, pulled pork is supposed to be soft and gooey. My secret recipe couldn't be easier: I use a lean pork roast(I usually ask the butcher to cut any fat away - I don't like to see the fat), put it in the crockpot on low, add 1/2 jar of Bone Suckin' Sauce(honest, that is what its called!). I cover it and don't look at it again dinnertime! Does it get any easier? When we are ready to eat, I take out the pork, shred it with 2 forks and spoon some more sauce on top. Tonight I toasted some Multi-Grain Rolls. Dinner is served. :) To add to the enjoyment, I throw together(literally) the broccoli slaw. I buy the broccoli slaw in the grocery store - it is in the produce department with the packaged cole slaw. It is sliced up broccoli with a little sliced carrots and sliced red cabbage. Then I just add my ingredients and it is ready to go. A little crunchy, a little sweet, a little savory - the perfect side dish! If you wanted to be really lazy, you could just add cole slaw dressing to it but I find it's easier to just mix my own. Served on the side, it's a hit, but I've noticed that it usually ends up on top of the pulled pork. A great combo!

Broccoli Slaw

1 10oz Package Broccoli Slaw(I use Nature's Promise Organic from Stop and Shop)

1/4 cup craisins

1/2 granny smith apple, cut into small pieces

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 TBlsp white vinegar

1 Tblsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Mix dressing, pour over Broccoli, craisins and apple. Mix well and serve or refrigerate

No Taco Bell for Us!

2010-02-01T19:34:00.000-05:00

Tonight was Taco Night. Will's been asking for a while and I decided it worked in my "keep it simple" strategy. Of course, while I was at Whole Foods I had to get my grass fed beef for the tacos. For good or bad, I've become obsessed with what meat I buy. At the rate I am going, it's time to buy stock in Whole Foods. I seem to be in there everyday and today the produce guy recognized me from Friday's trip. I am not sure if this is good or bad!

So, to compete with Taco Bell, I decided I would make my own salsa! It is so easy and so good! There is huge difference between what you buy in a jar and what you make. And, it literally takes about 10 minutes to put it all together.

It was a huge hit - the kids were slurping it down with chips as I got dinner on the table. I justified the chips with the healthy salsa! As good as it was on the chips, it made the tacos! Some of us had hard tacos, some taco salads and some had soft tacos. Everyone was happy and what more can you ask for on a Monday(ugh!) night?

Salsa

3 large tomatoes(I used on the vine, as that is about the best you can find in the Northeast right now)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1-2 green chili peppers, finely chopped

1-2 Tblsp Cilantro, chopped(more or less to taste)

1 lime squeezed

Mix all ingredients together. Serve immediately or refrigerate.