Barbecue Time

I threw together some veggies (bell pepper, mushrooms, red onion) and some chicken and pineapple meatballs and used our fish-rack to grill them up...



Ah, sweet, delicious perfection! Between the two of us we ate almost everything. Time for Round 2 yet?

Snap to it

Ethan loves baked snap peas. He loves them with a passion usually reserved for M&Ms or soda, and he likes to share them with his toy trucks whenever possible. (The trucks don't seem to like the snap peas as much, for some reason.) They're one of the only vegetables he eats, at this point, so I'm happy to have at least one green thing going down his gullet. And they actually taste good, too! They even have "Caesar" flavored ones, which are quite tasty either straight out of the bag (his preference) or on salads. So I say munch on, little one! These critters'll do until you broaden your palate a bit.

Fruit Attack

Ethan loves fruit. But only in certain forms... he'll eat banana, for instance, or apple slices (sans skin), or firm chunks of mango, and grapes and blueberries-- but on a completely random basis. Some days it's a go, other days it's a "no" that involves spitting the food out or totally refusing to let it near his mouth. The only thing he never refuses is dried fruit, whether it's raisins and cranberries or freeze-dried fruit. Our current favorite is the freeze-dried fruit crisps we found at Wal-Mart.



He absolutely adores them! They are crunchy, flavorful, and purely fruit with no added anything to interfere with the nutritional value. And it's a lot of fruit in there, too; the strawberry-banana bag has approximately 4 strawberries and 1 medium banana inside. They run about $0.78/bag, which is so worth it to me for getting his fruit into him. They also have ten varieties, including peach, pineapple, and cinnamon apple... YUM. It's not a substitute for the real thing, but it does the trick in a pinch. I think they're also perfect for taking on trips, camping, and really anywhere you want to have the fruit but don't want to worry about it bruising or going bad. Great road trip snack!

Egg Success!

Today we had a major breakthrough: Ethan ate eggs! I know, I know, it doesn't seem like much, but this boy hasn't eaten more than a bite or two of eggs since he was born. I even remember the only other time he did; his father and I were sharing a lovely Waffle House omelet and Ethan decided that he wanted to take a few bites of our delicious breakfast. He only had a little bit before he moved on to the banana and orange juice, but I was thrilled with even that minute amount.

Unfortunately, my happiness was short-lived, because that momentous occasion took place over a year ago-- and it's been that long since he's done more than just take one taste of the egg before spitting it out in disgust. I was starting to wonder if he'd end up being one of those people who just never eats eggs, period, when he finally broke the barrier tonight. Maybe it was because of what I made... I beat together three eggs, some finely chopped cooked chicken breast, a handful of leftover cooked veggie penne that I chopped up nice and small, shredded "Mexican" cheese and some milk. I buttered a pan and then threw it all in there, sprinkled on some onoin and garlic powder, salted and peppered it, then covered the pan and cooked it for about five minutes. I folded it in half, and voila! A lovely, complete meal with protein, dairy, grains/carbs, and vegetables. And the leftovers will be perfect for Joel's breakfast before he heads off to school tomorrow morning, too. Betty Crocker, eat your heart out!

St. Pat's Day Menu ideas...

So, right now I'm salivating because the entire house is filled with the aroma of corned beef, potatoes and onions in the crockpot... YUM! I absolutely love corned beef. I could probably eat it once a month without any problems whatsoever, and I have a pretty good number of recipes geared towards ways of making the leftovers into a variety of meals so that we can cook a huge amount of meat and not get sick of it. Not that I think that's even possible, but it's nice to have other options if you don't want a thick slab of corned beef with spicy brown mustard, tender red potatoes and juicy onions, crisp cabbage and perhaps even a slice of Claussen's dill pickle on the side...

Need I say it again? YUM! One of the leftover recipes I like to use is Reuben Soup, which is so rich and flavorful that my mouth waters just thinking about it. I think I actually posted the recipe on my blog last year sometime. This year, I'm thinking about making Reuben Sliders on those small Hawaiian butter rolls. I'll cut open the rolls, then layer on my ingredients: cheese (Monterey Jack instead of Swiss because I'm not a big Swiss fan), corned beef slices, brown mustard, a slice of dill pickle and a little Thousand Island dressing, and a tsp or so of sauerkraut; next, bake it for five minutes at 300 F, until it's a little toasty and warmed through. Add some red potato salad on the side, and you've got the makings of one ultra-tasty dinner. Can't wait!

Eat Your Beans!

Ethan has been starting to show signs of being a bit of a picky eater. This is not good news. It's actually quite annoying, when you get down to it. It isn't that he doesn't like vegetables, or doesn't like meat, or doesn't like one entire food group, either. It seems to be more of a texture issue, and possibly just the "newness" of a food item that is making him reluctant to try it. Sometimes, even something being new isn't a deterrent. He'll reach right out and grab a bite of food that he's never had before right off of my plate and shove it in his mouth without hesitation. Unfortunately, that only lasts two seconds, which is about how long it takes him to lean forward and let it fall out of his mouth.

He loves to eat things that are crisp or crunchy, so we've started to focus on snack type foods that are healthy and made from fruits or vegetables. So far he loves the Baked Snapea Crisps, veggie chips of any kind, and the fruit-flavored rice crisps...



They all seem fairly healthy, but I'd like to get him comfortable with trying regular, raw or cooked vegetables. You know, like green beans or corn or carrots. We're taking tips from books, the web, Super Nanny, and random strangers, so any suggestions are more than welcome!

Vegetables Need Love, Too

Okay, so apparently I'm the last person to actually hear of and buy the "Sneaky Chef" book by Missy Chase Lapine. I've always been a little bit slow catching on to the latest trends. I was carrying a Walkman around into the 21st century, if you can believe it; I think I was actually requested to put it to sleep in about 2003. So I'm definitely not a trend-setter, and it takes me some time to figure out that new doesn't always mean complicated or pretentious. But I'm glad I finally jumped on the bandwagon with Missy's approach to hiding healthy foods in our meals, because WOW-- it's awesome!

Her plan involves bringing healthy fruits and vegetables into our regular meals in such a way that we don't necessarily notice they're present, not only to deal with picky eaters, but also so that we don't lose the flavor of the main dish that we're "sneaking" food into; instead, it is enhanced, both nutritionally and taste-wise. I can't wait to try them out. I've already started by making "Orange Puree" from carrots and yams, and freezing it in 1/4 cup portions. She uses that puree in recipes like Guerrilla Grilled Cheese, Maxed Out Meatloaf, and Fortified French Toast. I think her recipes sound fantastic, and I'm actually excited about working more fruit and veggies into our meals. Look for more recipe reviews on the way!

Thanksgiving Taste Test

So, I've decided on the recipes I'll be trying out tomorrow with friends and family who come to my Tupperware and Tasting Party.

They are:
- Cheesy Crab Tarts
- Sweet Potato Empanadas
- Endive Boats with Cauliflower & Prosciutto
- Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms
- Turkey Roulade with Sausage-Cranberry Stuffing
- Mini Apple Pies & Gingersnaps

To drink, we'll have the following:
- Mulled Cider (with Spiced Rum as a mixer for the bold at heart!)
- Sparkling Apple-Cranberry Cider
- Moscato wine
- and water, of course

Plus a few kid-friendly things, to make sure the two boys who'll be there actually eat. Can't wait!

Thanksgiving Plans

Our family will be taking the easy route this year and ordering a yummy, pre-cooked feast from Raley's for Thanksgiving. We're also going to buck tradition and hold our festivities on Saturday of that week instead of Thursday, because my dad works that Thursday and Friday. It's actually kind of nice, because it'll allow us to go spend time with our friend Julie for her family's Thanksgiving day, and even go visit with Joel's family as well. Usually we end up having to quadruple-book several visits on one day, which is way too much organizing for my tastes. This will be much, much easier, both on the stress level and on the gas costs.

Although, one might think that I would miss making the food for Thanksgiving, because I actually do love to try out both new and well-loved recipes, host parties, and serve gorgeous food to people. The down side is that we tend to have our family gatherings at someone else's house, while I'm still the one cooking, so it works out that I end up cooking most of the food, hauling it over to my parents' house, and usually am somehow in charge of organizing the day, too-- finding out who is bringing what, where the dishes are, how we'll set up, etc. It gets a little overwhelming sometimes, so this year Joel asked me to politely decline the honor. Which I did, shockingly!

I won't miss cooking, though, because I get to prepare all sorts of tasty little tidbits for my Tupperware party slash Thanksgiving Tasting party this Wednesday. I'll figure out my final menu today and post it up tomorrow. I can't wait to try these recipes out, and spend time with some girlfriends! The only down side is that Joel will be starting school this week and will be gone four nights a week from 5-11. But think of the silver lining: In just 18 months, he'll be done!

Oh's Yes, It's Good... Cereally.

My new favorite cereal... crunchy, sweet, addictive deliciousness. YUM!! As a child, I loved Honeycombs. They were perfect in milk, but also a great dry snack. As I got older, I became a fan of Frosted Mini-Wheats, with their "healthy but disguised by a layer of sugar" motif, and then moved on to the Save Mart brand of generic honey nut cheerios as I got cheaper. Actually, I really do like them better than the name brand. And there's just something about cereal in a bag that screams "suck it, big business!" to me. After meeting Joel, I discovered the subtle beauty of Cinnamon Life. It will always hold a special place in my heart, with its delicate cinnamon flavor married to the crispy crunch of the squares. The only problem with it is that the crunchiness doesn't last long in milk.



Not so for the Honey Graham Oh!s pictured above, which stay firm enough that they still emit a distinctive crunch even ten minutes after swimming around in a bowl of milk. Not that they usually last that long when I'm the one eating. I only know they do because my son happens to be the slowest eater in the universe, and often rejects his cereal because it gets soggy by the time he's taken four or five bites. But with the Honey Graham Oh's, he can still get that nice firm texture even after he's ignored the bowl for a good five or ten minutes. That is, if mommy hasn't helped him finish it before then.

Grocery Reality.

We spend too much on food. I freely admit it. I love food, and I love to shop for it, and I love to cook it. (Did I mention I often enjoy eating it, as well?) I love to prepare food for parties, and make cute and tasty little appetizers or finger food for people to enjoy... but I also need to face the facts that we are currently in the midst of an economic crisis the likes of which could put us under if we're not careful. I've been searching for ways to cut back on costs, and I think that the main cuts will have to take place in a couple of areas: Entertainment, and Groceries. Since I'm the one in our house who's responsible for the food, I'm going to be the one who has to exercise discipline in this instance.



Luckily, I found an awesome blog-post about doing just what I want to do-- cut down food costs, while keeping my family eating healthy-- on The Frugal Kitchen blog, posted all the way back in 2007. It describes a month-long Basic Frugal Meal Plan that will feed a family of ten. TEN!! For less money than I spend each month on a family of three, plus random friends who pop in every week, this woman is able to satisfy the stomachs of ten people. This is really inspiring me to get my act together in regards to our diet and the spending related to it. After my interview Monday afternoon, I'll work on our own meal plan and budget, and post it when I'm done. I plan on adjusting her meal plan to our preferences (like, less eggs/bread and more seafood), but here's the gist of it:

(B)= breakfast (S)= supper

1st Sunday: (B) oatmeal (S) baked chicken and rice, frozen vegetables, dinner rolls
2nd Sunday: (B) oatmeal (S) burgers, oven fries, frozen vegetables
3rd Sunday: (B) oatmeal (S) baked chicken and rice, frozen vegetables, dinner rolls
4th Sunday: (B) oatmeal (S) baked fish, rice, frozen vegetables, dinner rolls

every Monday: (B) scrambled eggs (S) vegetable soup, breadsticks
every Tuesday: (B) fried eggs (S) skillet meal *, bread and butter
every Wednesday: (B) oatmeal (S) beans and rice, tortillas
every Thursday: (B) fried eggs (S) vegetable soup, breadsticks
every Friday: (B) pancakes (S) skillet meal *, bread and butter
every Saturday: (B) fried eggs (S) beans and rice, tortillas

Recipe: Onion Pie

It's like a quiche, but somehow "onion pie" just sounds so much more homey and Southern. I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com, and adjusted it to what we like and the ingredients we had in the kitchen. Served it as a side dish at dinner, but I can see bringing it to a potluck or brunch. Yum!

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups Panko crumbs (Italian seasoned or onion-garlic)
* 6 tablespoons butter, softened
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 1/2 cup slivered or diced ham
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup provolone
* 1 pinch paprika
* 1 1/2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil (topping)
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (topping)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl, combine Panko and 4 tablespoons butter in a bowl until well blended. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of 8 inch pie plate to form a shell. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions slowly until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Arrange onions and garlic in the cracker crust.
4. Beat eggs, whole milk, chives, and salt in a bowl until blended. Add ham. Pour the mixture over the onions. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Top with basil and Parmesan.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Middle Eastern Menu

Like his parents, Ethan loves food from the Middle East. And luckily for us, we are able to access some very good Afghani food at our local Farmer's Market every week from April through November. I like to put the bolani pictured above (we prefer spinach, potato, or lentil) into the toaster oven to get it nice and crispy before topping it with the garlic mint cheese and/or sweet jalapeno sauce. It's a great way to get veggies into your diet without also adding tons of calories or fat or sugar. And so yummy! They freeze well, too, which is nice because the portions that they sell are actually pretty large.

We also love hummus, and so far our favorite by far is the Mediterranean hummus from Trader Joe's. They top it with pine nuts and olive oil, and it is just the creamiest, dreamiest hummus we've found so far. Not too garlicky, not too chunky, just perfect. We like to use veggie chips or thin pita chips for dippers, but raw vegetables work just as well. Great; now I'm hungry!

Food: Fresh Blueberry Pancakes

Safeway was having a buy-one-get-one-free deal on organic blueberries the other day, so of course I had to take advantage of the savings. Ethan is learning how to like eating fresh blueberries, but still struggles with the texture issues. So instead, I decided to whip up some blueberry pancakes, complete with ground flax seed to help boost the nutrient content.



They were delicious! And Ethan actually ate them, which is unusual because he typically doesn't eat pancakes or waffles. (Can this really be my child? I absolutely love breakfast food!) After breakfast, I set up a photo shoot with the remainder, and Ethan came outside to watch. He seemed fascinated by the colors in the pancakes...



But then he grabbed a couple of berries with this look of mischief on his face, and I realized he just wanted to snatch the berries and toss them in the yard. I guess he just donated breakfast to the blue jays living in our trees. Oh, well! At least he's a generous kid, right?

Food: Garlic Bread Pizza

I had some leftovers to get rid of, and decided to throw together a quick lunch with them. It was a lot faster to prepare because I had already pre-chopped some of the ingredients, which is a little trick I learned that makes it much easier to actually use your leftovers. When they stay in the same form they were originally served, you tend to either eat it the exact same way (boring!) or not use them at all. And since I hate to waste food, that doesn't work so well for me.

With the leftover garlic bread loaf, I sliced thin baguettes and removed the garlic butter "pats" from inside. I melted it in the microwave and brushed it onto each thin slice of bread. Then, I topped each slice with shredded cheese, bits of cooked Italian sausage, diced red pepper, diced onion, and sliced olives. Tossed it in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees, and ten minutes later it was perfect. Crispy, not too heavy, and oh-so yummy. Ethan loved it, too! Looks like this concoction will have to go in the recipe folder for future reference. I think it would make a great appetizer, too; they're the perfect size for finger food, and leave no mess at all. And don't they look great?

Food: Southwestern Egg Rolls

One of my favorite recipes for summer is Southwestern Egg Rolls, which I found on AllRecipes.com. I like to mix up the filling depending on what I have around in the kitchen, and have used fish, chicken, ground beef, or no meat at all with great results. I like to serve it with Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce as a dip... YUM! It's got a very green, refreshing taste to it, especially when you bake it rather than fry it. I'm going to share my modified version of the Southwestern Egg Rolls recipe below. Enjoy! I know we did-- even Ethan went crazy for my fish-filled version.


(PS-- Not my photo, but aren't they gorgeous?)

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Ingredients
* 1.5-2 cups of seasoned, cooked meat (fish, ground beef, chicken), diced
* 2 tablespoons minced green onion
* 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
* 1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
* 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
* 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers (or 1-2 tsp. hot sauce)
* 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/3 teaspoon salt
* 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
* 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack (or blended, cheddar-jack, pepper-jack, etc.)
* 1 package Egg Roll wrappers (check refrigerated section of the store)

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two cookie pans with parchment paper. (It helps to keep the egg rolls from sticking to the pan.)
2. Mix all ingredients except egg roll wrappers in a large bowl.
3. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each egg roll wrapper. Follow the package directions to fold up the egg rolls correctly, moistening the closing edge to ensure that it adheres to the wrapper. Repeat until all filling has been used. (At this point, you can refrigerate the egg rolls until you want to bake them; just put them on the lined pans, cover with foil and stick them in the fridge.)
4. Arrange egg rolls on the parchment-lined cookie pans. Spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray, then bake at 425-F for 15 minutes. Turn egg rolls over and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, then remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Serve with Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce, sour cream and salsa.

BBQ food + photos

I'm getting that barbecue feeling again... ever since we moved into this house, I have tried to take advantage of having such a big back yard by having barbecues as often as possible. I love having company over, and I really enjoy entertaining, so it is always fun to invite people to come and share a meal with us. Okay, maybe not *always*, but it's pretty much guaranteed that you'll at least have some good food at our house. For example...



We had this at a recent get-together. Bacon-wrapped filet mignon, tropical chicken skewers, homemade red potato salad, grilled zucchini and squash, garlic bread, fresh strawberries, and yummy lemon-coconut bars for dessert. Makes me want to set up another one, and soon!

Food: Carnitas with Pineapple Salsa

The other day I cooked carnitas from scratch for the first time. It took a lot longer than I expected, but was totally worth it. After the pork was finally ready, I got the rest of the meal together. It involved a whole lot of stuff:

- Carnitas (cooked pork)
- Flour tortillas (we prefer the uncooked ones by Guerrero)
- Fresh limes, chopped cilantro, and diced onions
- Shredded cheese blend
- Habanero sauce
- Spanish rice and refried beans with jalapeno

and, for the piece de resistance, Pineapple Salsa:


YUM! It literally "made" the meal. The tropical flavors of the salsa really enhanced the flavor of the pork, and it was just an awesome meal. The salsa I threw together based on several different recipes and what I had in the fridge, which was basically the following:

- Chopped fresh pineapple
- Diced orange bell pepper, jalapeno, and onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Orange-mango fruit mix (flavored applesauce)
- Lime juice, habanero sauce, and salt & pepper to taste

Coffee Cake

I just found a recipe for the most delicious, moist, awesome coffee cake I've had in a long while... It's made using the Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix in the box, which makes *my* life a whole lot easier. It takes about five or so minutes to throw together, and then around half an hour to bake. PERFECTION! I made it last night, and as you can see, it was a big hit... not much left for today. Guess I'll have to make more this weekend!



The only thing I'll do differently next time is reduce the sugar a bit, both in the batter and in the amount of topping used. To make up for the lack of sweetness, I'll add in some cinnamon to the batter, and maybe some other flavoring (vanilla? rum? tee hee) to help kick up the tastorifficness. Can't wait!

Food: Taco Salad

This salad is a combination of a couple of recipes, one I "borrowed" from a close friend (T, you know who you are!) and one I "adapted" from an issue of Taste of Home magazine (Simple & Delicious). Combined and modified just a bit, the two make for an awesome taco salad that is filling and scrumptious. You can spice it up more by using hotter chips or tossing in diced jalapenos, but we usually just serve El Mexicano jalapenos (with the seeds and membranes removed, of course) on the side for those who want more heat in their meal. We also tend to serve with pan-warmed tortillas that you roll up and eat on the side. Anyway, without further ado, here it is!


Taco Salad

1 lb. taco-seasoned ground beef
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pinquitos (pink beans), rinsed and drained

1 can (11 oz.) Mexicorn (corn with bell peppers) or corn relish

1/2 cup chopped sweet bell pepper (red or orange)
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup salsa or 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups Spicy Nacho Doritos, crushed
1/2 cup cup French Dressing


1) In a pan over medium heat, cook seasoned ground beef until done. Set aside until cool.
2) In a large bowl, mix cooled ground beef, beans, corn, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, and salsa. NOTE: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate until serving time.
3) Just before serving, add crushed chips and 1/4 cup of the French Dressing, and mix until well-blended.
4) Add remaining dressing slowly, only until mixture is coated but not overly wet. Serve with additional chips on the side to use as scoops. You could also add sliced olives at this point if you wish.

TIP: If you have any of the mixture from Step 2 (before adding chips and dressing) leftover, you can save/freeze it and use it for making chili at a later date. And don't forget to add the best, crunchiest, most flavorful canned jalapenos around!