Life is good...and so is zucchini.

It's been 2 months since I last posted anything here. I guess you could say that I just haven't felt that it's been necessary. The desire to write a new entry hasn't been what it used to be. That is not to say that I don't think of you often, just that I've been busy living and have found other things to take precedence. There are only so many hours in a day. Know what I mean? Plus the fact that I came across this quote last week and it pretty much sums it up for me:

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."  Steven Furtik

Since the last time I shared, much has happened. Namely summer. School is out. Alison moved home from college. Swim team has started. We've celebrated 2 family birthdays - - a 16 and a 44 (neither of which are mine). Lawman has been gone for training, National Guard and just today is finishing up at the annual Country Stampede music festival. We've had family gatherings, a rodeo, a wedding in Nebraska, and the issue of a refrigerator that went ka-put after only 4 1/2 years.

I have found myself in a slump in the kitchen. It's just been too hot to cook therefore, I haven't. Wonder how long it will be before the family notices? (teehee) Today I was the recipient of a zucchini drop-off. In order to use it up this week (I received more than what's above), I decided I would make a chocolate zucchini cake. The family will probably appreciate it and maybe this small act of kindness on my part can give me a few more days of reprieve from cooking.

Until next time ~

baking day

it's been a good weekend and i've still got a full day left!

last night, miss madison thought she and i needed a mom/dot date. so, dinner and shoe shopping it was. for months i've been trying to convince her to try a new restaurant that opened this fall. finally, last night she decided she was up for it. and, at her suggestion. she loved it! that means it will be a place we can go again and again. their dishes are so good and i especially like that not every sauce is a butter and cream base.

after dinner it was on to the mall for dessert which was shoe shopping! she's got a dance next weekend and we have the dress but needed a nice heel to go with. first store didn't have her size but we were able to find the same shoe at another store in her size and with a lower price tag. score!

since we'd done two fun things, i decided we were going to tackle the grocery shopping before we headed home because it would mean i could possibly make it the entire weekend without having to make another trip to town. as we were walking down an aisle, i hear her say, "maybe i want to cook when i grow up." my ears perked right up. not sure if she was thinking as a profession or just in general but she was in the kitchen today.

it was cookie baking day. makes me smile when she does this sort of thing.

Mac & Cheese | No Blue Box

Mac and cheese. It's synonymous with comfort food and kid favorite. In this house, it's also one of my go to meals when I'm pressed for time or realize at a late hour that I didn't plan ahead for dinner.

I grew up on mac and cheese from the blue box. That blue box was also a staple during my college days. As a newlywed, I finally realized what I'd been missing out on all those years!

A co-worker at the time, who happened to be a vegetarian, shared this recipe with me. This is the good stuff. I kid you not.

Munchie Mac & Cheese

4 T butter

1/4 onion, finely chopped

2 T flour

1/4 tsp dry mustard - - oops, I forgot this initially.

Salt, to taste (I use 1/2 tsp)

Pepper, to taste (I use 1/4 tsp)

1 1/2 c. milk

2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 c. grated swiss cheese

2 c. (dry) macaroni, cooked

2 T bread crumbs*

Melt butter, stir in onions, and add flour. Stir until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and mustard. Slowly, add milk, and cheeses. Stir until thickened and bubbly. Place macaroni in a 13 x 9 glass dish; pour cheese over macaroni. (I typically reserve at least a half cup of the starchy water from the macaroni and add it here as needed until the dish is of the desired creamy consistency we prefer.) Sprinkle bread crumbs and a little extra cheese on top. Bake 15 minutes at 350. Serves 6 to 8.

*Sometimes I forego the bread crumbs and add french-fried onions (the kind that go with the classic green bean casserole). Or, if I want to get really fancy, we add crumbled bacon on top when serving. 

Trust me when I say that your family will love you for making this!

beef. it's what's for dinner.

and maybe breakfast and lunch too before all is said and done. our freezer is well stocked.

lawman picked up our beef today. 1/4th of a cow, grass fed, raised in the flint hills by my brother, the rancher. doesn't get much more local than that.

lawman says we're having steaks on the grill before the week is out.

seasonal staples

seasonal staples ~ onion, carrot, celery and garlic. as i was chopping and shredding them today for a pot of soup, i thought about how often they are the first things i gather when beginning meal prep, especially in the winter when we eat soup often.


i find something so comforting in a bowl of soup ~ the warmth, the aroma, the texture. the fact that my mother made soup often when i was growing up may have something to do with it as well.


i cherish soup season at our home. you see, i could eat soup every day but my family believes that unless the temp is 45 or below, it is not soup season. given that, i prepare it at least once a week during the winter. not only do they taste great but they go together quickly, you can easily substitute ingredients and they're an excellent dish to make when you need to clean out the fridge. a simple soup can become a great meal when you add a salad and fresh, baked bread.


here are links to some of our favorites:


bean & bacon soup

sausage & red bean stew

lentil soup

black bean soup

lasagna soup


other favorites include the basics like chili, white chili, taco soup, beef stew and chicken noodle. what is your family's favorite? and by all means, share the recipe. 

In the Kitchen

It's Thanksgiving week. Taking that into account, I'd say it's highly likely that the majority of folks will be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I have another reason to be in the kitchen this week. The college girl is home!


Oh, yes she is! It is fall break for her so she gets a full week reprieve from classes. She has looked forward to this week with anticipation of sleep, down time and my food. I'm surprised how quickly one misses the comforts of home.


Now, here is the twist. She's decided to go vegetarian. Oh, yes she has. Not totally but she eats meat maybe 1x a week. The cafeteria where she eats has meatless options for every meal and honestly, I am quite proud of her for how well she has stuck to it. It's not an easy thing to go against the grain when you're young and among your peers. She's also been going to the rec 6x a week for classes. 


When Alison decided she was going to do this, she happened to be home for the weekend. She accessed the cafeteria menu on-line and made a spreadsheet for her own weekly meal plan. It's helped her stick to it. Having a plan is always a good thing rather than just winging it. 


So, now that she is home, I decided we'd all eat vegetarian this week with the exception of the big annual turkey meal. Easier for me as I have no intention of preparing 2 options for every meal. 


Today there has been food prep. Chopping veggies for snacking. Baking Oatmeal Streusel Muffins for the week's breakfast. Baking cookies to fill the cookie jar (because the youngest girl will be home more this week too and this is where she goes first for a snack!). I did this yesterday in hopes of simplifying breakfast for the week. What a great idea! Italian Herb Bread is baking in the oven. And soon I will begin the pot of soup for dinner. And then on Wednesday there will be another onslaught of time in the kitchen with baking of pies and all of the other turkey day fixings.


Without further ado, here is our menu for the week:
Sunday: Minestrone Soup,Italian Herb Bread
Monday: Pasta Primavera
Tuesday: Garden Burgers, Pea Salad, Chips
Wednesday: Rice and Salmon Pilaf (new recipe), Veggies
Thursday: Thanksgiving Meal
Friday: Leftovers / Turkey Nachos
Saturday: Penne & Vodka Sauce (new recipe), Salad


Enjoy your week and count your blessings. HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL!

Necessity...The Mother of Invention

Isn't that the way the saying goes? Necessity is the mother of all invention.

Case in point: tonight's dinner.

I thought I had planned...Tonight's menu was a Salmon and Scalloped Potato Bake. I failed to pull the chopped spinach from the freezer this morning. Substitution: fresh spinach, sauteed in a bit of olive oil. I thought I bought a box of Betty Crocker Sour Cream & Chive Potatoes (please, don't judge). Turns out they were mashed. Substitution: shredded potatoes. Since I didn't have the boxed potatoes, I also didn't have the sauce. Substitution: a homemade Bechamel sauce.

What choice does a working mother have besides get creative? Sure I could have ordered take-out but I try hard to avoid that. Don't get me wrong, we do take out, but we try to plan for it.

The end result is in the oven baking right now. I'll let you know the results. My guess is that it will be better than the original recipe.

Have you had a similar situation in your kitchen? Did it force you to get creative? Was the end result better or worse?

my redemption meal

monday night dinner

I have this fabulous assistant in my kitchen. Her name is Crock Pot. She's amazing! I was glad she cooked for us today ~ roast, potatoes, and carrots. So good and oh my, the house smelled amazing.

I was out of town this weekend at a trade show for work.  I failed to plan for weekend meals for the family. They were on their own. I did find remnants of take-out in the trash when I got home. I felt bad for not having home cooked meals available in the fridge/freezer for them but like Lawman says, "we'll survive." And, they did but I felt like I needed to redeem myself. And how do I do that? Well, in my mind the answer is to make an unusually good meal for a Monday night which I did (see photo above). I made dessert too - homemade apple pie with caramel ice cream for topping.  I do believe I've made up for my weekend absence.

There's a menu plan of entrees for the week too ~ salmon burgers ~ winter spinach salad* ~ noodles chicken divan ~ mexican chicken skillet* ~ salmon & potato scallop. (* denotes new recipes)

Tomorrow evening, Lawman and I are going to the movies with a church group. The church is taking all of the law enforcement folks to dinner and then to see the movie "Courageous." Anyone seen it? I've heard good things about it.

I've been finding myself reading more lately. That happens when the light fades earlier and the temps cool. I've read 2 fabulous books in the last week. I hope to be back soon to share them with you. Are you reading anything you'd recommend? If so, please share.

fresh

fresh. that's how we're eating these days because it's just too hot to cook. period. we've had temps over 100 and heat index in the 110's+ for several days it looks like it's not changing anytime soon. lawman worked outside yesterday and his superior required he take breaks every 10 minutes. yes, it's that hot. madison is lifeguarding this summer; she's got zero energy when she gets home after 6 hours of guarding. fortunately they take breaks regularly and she's a water drinker and a sunscreen user.

due to the dog days of summer, i've lost my mojo in the kitchen. it's hard to find inspiration when it's too hot to cook or eat yet the others in the house expect to find something available in the fridge or the pantry. i was diligent yesterday about creating a menu and a shopping list. it's been weeks since i've made a true menu plan and i can honestly say that i'm looking forward to this week because i did one! i'm going to utilize the grill, microwave and stovetop.

here's what's on the plan, and in no particular order:

• mac & cheese with ham, sugar snap peas
• spicy italians (homemade but made like subway), hot spinach dip with tortilla chips
• taco salad
• fried rice with egg rolls (ok, i lied - - these are frozen so i'll have to use the oven)
• italian beef in tortillas, fruit
• pork rice bowls with asparagus
• BLT's with avocado, green salad, fruit
• grilled chicken with santa fe salad
• caesar salad with grilled chicken 
• homemade pizza (which i think we will try on the grill)
• other things i've made/prepped today so they're at the ready ~ homemade limeade, fresh salsa (hence the reason for the photo of the cilantro & lime), no bake cookie bars, sliced strawberries and grapes. 

yesterday as i was preparing my grocery list i tallied up my food expenses for may and june. holy cow! anyone else seen a spike in the $ spent on food? granted, we had 2 graduation parties in may that added to the increase plus 2 june birthdays and 2 x we hosted friends. i also realize that having the girls home and not at school adds to the expense however, i will say that both have been diligent about packing a lunch/snack when needed according to their work schedule. both may and june were near the $600 mark and i typically try to maintain a $450 grocery budget. i've seen the new prices on the shelf labels at the grocery store so i know i'm not the only one spending more to feed the family. i'm going to have to be diligent this month to get this back under control. i think i'll go back through and re-visit my monthly food expenditure since the beginning of the year to see if the trend began before summer. are you seeing the same trend in your grocery bill?

how did i not notice?

sunday morning i made muffins. chocolate chip to be exact. a favorite of two girls that live in my home.

how did i not notice? i added each ingredient. i followed directions. i baked. it wasn't until i sat down to eat that i realized there was no sugar in the recipe. none. no brown, no white. no honey. really? only the sweetness of the chocolate chips.

no one else noticed or at least i assume they didn't because they didn't say a word. they just enjoyed them. all gone.

we've still got to eat

Pork Lettuce Wraps

Hello? Hello? Anyone still here?

It's been weeks since I've been here. Sorry for my long absence. I don't even want to tell you how  busy we've been with the first of the graduation parties just days away and we're only 12 days shy of the big event. I can tell you that I've been performing duties of a party planner, scholarship coordinator, personal assistant, graphic designer, decorator, and caterer, not to mention my regular duties as mom.

Given what's on my calendar, I did make sure to menu plan this last weekend prior to my trip to the grocery store this weekend. No matter how full the calendar is, we've still got to eat. I knew that if I didn't plan, I would fail and that would mean carry out, pizza delivery and me being unhappy with myself for allowing it to happen.

I haven't shared a menu plan in ages. Here's what I planned for:
Spicy Italians (our homemade version of the Subway sandwich), Pea Salad, Chips
Baked Tilapia, Spinach & Rice Casserole, Steamed Green Beans
Salmon Burgers, Oven Fries
Ham & Cheese Pie, Steamed Broccoli
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, Saffron Rice, Guacamole Salad
Asian Wild Rice Salad
Pork Lettuce Wraps, Couscous, Mandarin Oranges
Breakfast for Dinner - Sausage Brunch Squares, Hashbrowns, Fruit
Pork & Asparagus Rice Bowls

The Pork Lettuce Wraps pictured above are a favorite of mine and Madison. They come together quickly and have a bit of a kick to them. I like to serve them with couscous and either mandarin oranges or pineapple to cool the taste buds. The original recipe appeared in this book but I've modified it, which is the version I will be sharing.

Pork Lettuce Wraps
1lb. ground pork
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T teriyaki sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 T honey
1 T Thai chili garlic paste
1 tsp cornstarch
2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 head butter lettuce, washed and separated

Heat oil in skillet. Brown pork. Drain any fat/juice in the pan.

Whisk together vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Add vinegar mixture, carrots, and onions to pork. Cook 3 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often.

Spoon mixture onto lettuce leaves; roll up.

fine...call me a brand snob

isn't there a saying that says something about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? well, that would apply to me when it comes to dishwasher detergent. i've tried other brands before and i've been less than satisfied so why, oh why, did i do it again?

our town has hard water. terribly hard water. it will do a number on your dishes as in leaving a film on them. the only thing i have found that combats it is cascade dishwasher detergent. i've used it ever since i came to the realization that no other detergent works nearly as well. like 12 years or more.

so why, in a moment of weakness did i buy a less expensive brand? why? to save a couple of bucks? well, yes. do i regret it? yes. most definitely. i'm nearly to the bottom of the less expensive brand and i can not wait to be done with it. so much so that i have been contemplating throwing it away all week just so i can get my clean and shiny dishes back. what's holding me back? well, the fact that it's like throwing money away. and the fact that no one else in the house has even noticed that the dishes don't look near as good as they used to.

so from now on, i'm going to consider myself a brand snob when it comes to dishwasher detergent. i'm only buying cascade. that's it. no bargain brands for me. i don't care how good the deal is.

i'm also a brand snob when it comes to diet coke. nothing else will do. i'm sure there are other things too but i'm not going to share too much for fear of what you might think of me.

a blank canvas

a blank canvas

i'm an artist. the kitchen is my studio. food is my media.

it used to be that sunday night meant homemade pizza. every week. not sure where we got out of routine but we found it again tonight.

pizza dough can become anything you want it to be. tonight it became a taco pizza by way of using up leftovers from a nacho bar. i added salsa in lieu of typical pizza sauce, taco meat, sliced black olives, sliced peppers and a blend of cheeses. the second disc became a typical pepperoni pizza. just enough left for one lunch tomorrow. or breakfast.

the party's over and i'm left with a food hangover

It's probably a good thing that a refrigerator can't talk. If mine could, it would be screaming right now about all the leftovers and soda the crazy lady shoved in there.

The problem stems from hosting a Super Bowl party. It was a big deal here this year. We hosted 10 adults and 16 teenagers for the Packers v. Steelers showdown. And, I might add that everyone was cheering for the Packers, especially Jordy Nelson who was sporting jersey #87. He played college ball here at KSU and grew up not very much further north. He's what you could call a local celebrity.

It's pretty obvious that we had plenty of food & drink and that we had lots leftover. The good thing about all those leftovers is that it's been an easy week for me in the kitchen thus far since I've been diligent about using up what we have.  So far we've had pizza from Papa Murphy's (and we gave one away), pulled pork on buns, oriental slaw, chips & dip, veggies & dip. Tonight is the most cooking I've done all week -- a box of Zatarain's Jumbalaya and to it I've added the leftover summer sausage, peppers and onions. We'll be eating leftover buns with butter on the side tonight. Tomorrow I may actually have to start from scratch for meal prep.

make your own | spice mixes (or season's greetings for neighbors and friends)

Each year we exchange small gifts of food with our neighbors during the holiday season. This year I decided to share some of the homemade spice mixes that we enjoy.

I made double batches of Chili Seasoning, Spaghetti Sauce Mix and Onion Soup Mix. At Hobby Lobby I found mini ziploc bags that are perfect for holding the mix, sticky labels perfect for the name and directions and then I also found mini gift bags which are perfect for gifting. Better yet is that they were all 50% off so it was more than affordable.

Each of these mixes are easy to make and they use spices that are always in my cabinet. What I like most about them is that I know and can pronounce all of the ingredients.

I'll share my recipes with you. If these are mixes that you typically buy in the convenient envelopes at the grocery store, try mixing up a batch and see if you can tell a difference between the homemade and commercial versions. You might be surprised and find that you like the homemade version better!

Onion Soup Mix (I got this recipe from my niece years ago)

3/4 c. dried minced onion

1/3 c. beef boullion granuals

1/4 c. onion powder

1/4 t sugar

1/4 t celery seed

Combine all ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix well. 4 T is equivalent to one commercial "envelope."  To use: Mix 4T to 16 oz of sour cream for a dip. It's also good with potatoes; wash, dry and quarter some red potatoes, drizzle with oil and sprinkle 4T of the onion soup mix on them. Mix well and bake.

Spaghetti Sauce Mix (from Miserly Meals)

1/4 c. Italian Seasoning

1 T celery salt

1 T garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 T onion powder

1 tsp sugar

Put all ingredients in a blender, cover, and blend 5 seconds or less until powdery (don't overblend). Use the "pulse" feature if your blender has one. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. To use: Add 2 T to 28 oz. of tomato sauce, 6 oz. tomato paste, and any meat or vegetables you like in your sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, then serve over pasta.

Chili or Taco Seasoning

3 T chili powder

1 T salt

1 T garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container up to 1 month. To use: 2-3 T can be used to season chili or tacos.

They have been delivered and everyone was thrilled with them. Several of the folks that received them knew that I made my own mixes and they were excited to try them. And the goodies they gave us? Oh yum. We've got homemade salsa, homemade Bailey's Irish Creme, a homemade cheese ball, a spiral ham and peanut brittle.

brownie fudge crinkles

Sometimes we try a food at a restaurant that we can't get enough of. Such is the case of the Fudge Crinkle cookies at a local restaurant/bakery here in our town.  As much as I like to support our local establishments, I can't always justify the expense of buying these cookies because we go through them so quickly! Finally, I've come across an excellent copy cat recipe that I can make at home (no idea where I got the recipe, otherwise I'd give proper credit). Best part is that the ingredients are always in my pantry.

Brownie Fudge Crinkles

1 box brownie mix (the size that makes a 9x13 pan of brownies)

1 egg

1/4 c. water

1/3 c. powdered sugar

Mix brownie mix, egg and water. (It will seem dry but just keep stirring. Trust me.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. I found that the dough is easier to handle when it is stiff.

Use a cookie scoop to make 1" balls, then roll in powdered sugar.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool about 6 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Yield: 2 1/2 dz. cookies

Enjoy!

cooking for credit

I got a break in the kitchen on Sunday evening. Madison is enrolled in a Nutrition & Wellness class and part of the requirement is that she prepare a meal for her family. Guess who got a night off?

She selected the menu -- double layer tacos, chips & salsa and a fruit cup. Kuddos to her for planning. She made sure that all of the ingredients were on my shopping list the week before. Hmmm...maybe she's learned a thing or two about menu planning from her mama.

She did great! I enjoyed having her busy in the kitchen and I observed for the most part. Well, other than helping with the chopping of the apple for the fruit cup. I volunteered to help her with the chopping of the apple for the fruit cup as I was not keen on the idea of a trip to the emergency room before dinner. She openly admitted being a little more than nervous about having to use a knife. Guess what her kitchen chores will consist of from here on out? I think there are a few veggies to be chopped this week as we prep that turkey dinner on Thursday.

Oh, and did you  notice anything in that picture? Cell phone? Really? Tacos with a side of texting is what we had for dinner.

A Taste of Fall | Pumpkin Swirl Bread

What says fall more than pumpkin? In my opinion, nothing. I mixed up a loaf of Pumpkin Swirl Bread yesterday as part of my weekly baking. It will be eaten at breakfast, a snack, and maybe, even dessert.

See that dreamy, creamy ribbon of cream cheese? It's delightful. The bread is moist and heavy. Just the way I like it. I'm not a coffee drinker, but for those of you who are, I would venture to say that this would be a welcome little treat with a steaming cup of java. Or hot tea. I like it with a glass of milk.

Apple pie is another fall favorite and it was a part of my weekly baking yesterday too. Typically, one thinks of apple pie as dessert but a particular girl in our house chose to have it as breakfast this morning. I guess that's ok. Starbucks and other places make a fortune on selling breakfast pastries so why isn't it ok to do that at home too?

not waffles... but it works

Several years ago I discovered that the waffle iron can serve a dual purpose. It also works as a quesadilla maker. I know they make kitchen appliances that are specifically for making quesadillas but why spend the cash on one when my waffle iron works just fine?

Here's how I do it.

1) Prep the ingredients. Tonight we opted for veggie & cheese quesadillas.  I sauteed green peppers, onions & mushrooms and shredded my cheese.

2) Heat up the waffle iron. You want it nice and hot before you start this.

3) Place a tortilla on the waffle iron. I use the burrito size. If you a round belgian waffle maker, you might want to use a smaller size tortilla.

4) Place your fillings on top of the tortilla and cover it with a second tortilla.

5) Close the lid.

6) Don't go very far because it won't take very long. Remove to a platter to cool and then cut. Repeat until you've made enough quesadillas to serve your family.

7) Serve with your choice of toppings -- salsa, sour cream, guacamole.  I also served them with a side of black beans and rice.

Quick, easy and pretty fun for a weeknight meal.

menu plan | use it up

We're on week 2 of school and the calendar is full. It's been difficult getting everyone home at the same time for dinner so I've been cooking a meal and having it available for everyone to eat when it works in their schedule; not my choice modus operandi. I'm hoping it won't be like this all year long.

Remember when I did that batch cooking? Well, since then I've found a new convenience food...boil-in-a-bag brown rice. Twice now I've forgotten to take it out of the freezer to thaw so I dropped it, bag and all, in a pot of boiling water for about 20 minutes. Worked like a charm. Considering it takes 45 minutes when cooking it from scratch, it was alot quicker. That batch cooking is proving to be a real time saver, not only for rice but for several of the meals I have planned as I'll be using up what's in the freezer.

Here's what's planned through September 3rd:

chicken potato delight, green beans, garlic bread

frittata, fruit, toasted bagels

mexican lasagna, chips & salsa

spaghetti carbonara, salad, garlic bread

bacon chicken crescent ring

bubble pizza, veggie sticks & dip

lettuce wraps, egg rolls, pineapple

chicken diablo, roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli

chicken quesadillas, black beans & rice

pizza (frozen variety)*

*I hate to put this on my menu but it will save my sanity. We'll be attending all home football games this year in order to watch Madison on the Dazzler (dance) team. In order to make it on time and not be relegated to concession stand food for dinners, I've decided it's ok.  There are worse things, right? Like the golden arches.

Do you include convenience items on your menu during the school year to keep things simple due to the flood of school activities?