Dear Tiff,
For tonight's small group I did the One-Dish Wonder Chicken with Baked Potatoes which will be posted separately, but I wanted to share with you some more about baked potatoes. There are so many variations on these cheap, easy classics. The great thing about potatoes is that, like other root veggies, they don't go bad for a long time, so its ok to buy in bulk even with just two people in the house. They're also super cheap.
Baked Potatoes can be done in the oven, the campfire, the barbecue, the slow-cooker, even under the hood of your car (great way to nix the drive-thru on your next longer drive!) I usually do mine in the slow cooker or the oven- more "conventional" methods!
I learned basic baked potatoes in the crock-pot from Stephanie O'Dhea's amazing crockpot blog. They are SO EASY. Just wash (and dry) your potatoes, prick a few times with a fork if you remember, wrap them in foil, and cook them in the crock, on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6.
Just a few Variations on a Theme: for the crock-pot or the oven
As I try out more ideas I'll add them to this list :)
1) Slice your potatoes in half before wrapping them, and place an onion slice in between the 2 halves. Then put it back together, wrap in foil, and cook as usual. You could also do this with garlic, cheese, butter, etc
2) Instead of wrapping in foil, rub your potatoes over with olive oil and salt (especially kosher salt or sea salt)
3)soak them overnight in saltwater and then place directly in the crockpot (or a pan if you're using your oven) without foil or drying
4) If you're doing chicken or meat in the crockpot, you can either cut your potatoes in chunks or just drop them straight in with the meat.
Great potato toppings: butter, sour cream, cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, swiss and ricotta are all great, and others I'm sure); bacon or ham, green onions, salt, pepper...the sky is the limit! Please comment below this post if you have any favorites!
Here are 5 ways to use leftover baked potatoes; I haven't tried these but as I do I'll let you know how they go!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
New TidBit Added!
Hey Tiff,
To give you an idea of what you could be saving, on some of these recipes I'm adding a "$$ Saved" section under The Basics. For this section, obviously prices vary, but I'm using premade items from the freezer section at Safeway as my basis. For some items such as soups I'll list the price for precooked items from the Signature cafe at Safeway, since the idea is to show you what you can save by cooking things yourself. Obviously there will not always be comparable items, and these amounts are just estimates, but hopefully they can give you a little perspective!
-Joy
To give you an idea of what you could be saving, on some of these recipes I'm adding a "$$ Saved" section under The Basics. For this section, obviously prices vary, but I'm using premade items from the freezer section at Safeway as my basis. For some items such as soups I'll list the price for precooked items from the Signature cafe at Safeway, since the idea is to show you what you can save by cooking things yourself. Obviously there will not always be comparable items, and these amounts are just estimates, but hopefully they can give you a little perspective!
-Joy
#6: Spinach Egg Salad
Dear Tiffany,
About 2 years ago I went through a spinach phase. I lived right across the street from a great local grocery store, and in my attempts to have some variety in my trying-to-be-healthy-on-a-budget, I experimented with spinach a lot. Some of these experiments were just plain "ok," edible but nothing to brag about. But one that I loved was a spinachy-twist on egg salad. This egg salad is going to give you more vitamins and antioxidants than your basic egg salad, and its got a little zip to it as well.
The Basics:
prep time: about 10-15 minutes not counting waiting for your eggs to boil. I let mine boil while doing the dishes.
servings: 4
good for leftovers? yes!
cost:less than $5
Ingredients:
6 extra large eggs or 8 large eggs, hard-boiled
2 big handfuls of spinach
about 1/2-1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste
The Process:
Hard boil your eggs. (Once the water comes to a boil, about 15 minutes should do it) I've heard its good to boil with salt added to the water, which will make the eggs easier to peel later. When you remove the eggs from the hot water, place them in a bowl of cold water so they will cool to a manageable temperature.
Remove the boiled eggs from the hot water and place them in a bowl of cool water. While they are cooling, cook your spinach. You can either bowl it for about 4 minutes in the same water you used for the eggs, or steam it over that water for about 4 minutes. I boiled mine. You want it to be pretty wilted and mushy to make it easier to mash into your egg salad. I was going to take a picture of the consistency it should be, but my camera batteries were dead. FAIL. The camera is now charging so I can take a picture of the final product.
When the spinach is done, remove it from the water; you may want to use a strainer. Dump it into a bowl or tupperware (I used the tupperware since I made mine for tomorrow, yay for less dishes to wash) and let it cool.
Peel your eggs and slice them with an egg slicer in both directions, dumping the eggs into your bowl as they are sliced. If you don't have an egg slicer, dump them into a separate bowl or onto a plate instead, and use a knife to chop them before adding them to the spinach.
Use a sharp knife to make several cuts through your spinach and eggs to make sure there are no big chunks. Then add your mustard and 1/2 cup of mayo, and mix and mash with a fork. Check the consistency: if its still dry, mix in more mayo until your salad is the consistency you want. Add several shakes of cayenne pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well, and serve in a sandwich, best on toasted bread.
Notes:
Cayenne Pepper! I love this stuff! You will need a LOT of it to give your salad that "zip." For a Sam-worthy spicy level your salad will be almost orange, but for your less ambitious taste buds, 6 or 7 shakes should be good.
To-Go: If you're packing an egg salad sandwich for lunch, I suggest packing the egg salad in a small container separate from your bread, and putting together your sandwich just before eating, so your sandwich doesn't get soggy.
Cheesy Twist: Substitute low-fat Ricotta cheese for some or all of the mayo if you a) don't like mayo, b) have ricotta in the fridge that you are trying to use, or c) want to try something a little different. Today I did about half cheese, half mayo and one thing I noticed is that without the mayo flavor you may need to add a little more of the spices, maybe even some chopped dill pickles, to give it the same sharp flavor. If you like the sweeter cheese flavor, just leave it with the cheese and maybe a little salt and pepper.
About 2 years ago I went through a spinach phase. I lived right across the street from a great local grocery store, and in my attempts to have some variety in my trying-to-be-healthy-on-a-budget, I experimented with spinach a lot. Some of these experiments were just plain "ok," edible but nothing to brag about. But one that I loved was a spinachy-twist on egg salad. This egg salad is going to give you more vitamins and antioxidants than your basic egg salad, and its got a little zip to it as well.
The Basics:
 |
| Once boiling, cook for about 15 minutes. |
servings: 4
good for leftovers? yes!
cost:less than $5
Ingredients:
6 extra large eggs or 8 large eggs, hard-boiled
2 big handfuls of spinach
about 1/2-1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste
The Process:
Hard boil your eggs. (Once the water comes to a boil, about 15 minutes should do it) I've heard its good to boil with salt added to the water, which will make the eggs easier to peel later. When you remove the eggs from the hot water, place them in a bowl of cold water so they will cool to a manageable temperature.
Remove the boiled eggs from the hot water and place them in a bowl of cool water. While they are cooling, cook your spinach. You can either bowl it for about 4 minutes in the same water you used for the eggs, or steam it over that water for about 4 minutes. I boiled mine. You want it to be pretty wilted and mushy to make it easier to mash into your egg salad. I was going to take a picture of the consistency it should be, but my camera batteries were dead. FAIL. The camera is now charging so I can take a picture of the final product.
When the spinach is done, remove it from the water; you may want to use a strainer. Dump it into a bowl or tupperware (I used the tupperware since I made mine for tomorrow, yay for less dishes to wash) and let it cool.
Peel your eggs and slice them with an egg slicer in both directions, dumping the eggs into your bowl as they are sliced. If you don't have an egg slicer, dump them into a separate bowl or onto a plate instead, and use a knife to chop them before adding them to the spinach.
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| Serve in a sandwich on toasted bread. Yum! |
Notes:
Cayenne Pepper! I love this stuff! You will need a LOT of it to give your salad that "zip." For a Sam-worthy spicy level your salad will be almost orange, but for your less ambitious taste buds, 6 or 7 shakes should be good.
To-Go: If you're packing an egg salad sandwich for lunch, I suggest packing the egg salad in a small container separate from your bread, and putting together your sandwich just before eating, so your sandwich doesn't get soggy.
Cheesy Twist: Substitute low-fat Ricotta cheese for some or all of the mayo if you a) don't like mayo, b) have ricotta in the fridge that you are trying to use, or c) want to try something a little different. Today I did about half cheese, half mayo and one thing I noticed is that without the mayo flavor you may need to add a little more of the spices, maybe even some chopped dill pickles, to give it the same sharp flavor. If you like the sweeter cheese flavor, just leave it with the cheese and maybe a little salt and pepper.
100!
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| This picture is Martinelli's, not mine! |
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
#5: Classic Caesar Salad
Dear Tiff,
Caesar salad is one of my favorites. I often order it when I go out, and I make it every time someone asks me to make a salad. You can add your meat to it: chicken, turkey, shrimp, even fish, and make it a complete meal, or you can serve it on the side of any meal. It can be an everyday favorite or you can serve in a pretty bowl for a fancier, classier meal. Here's the way my mom taught me to make it.
Caesar salad is one of my favorites. I often order it when I go out, and I make it every time someone asks me to make a salad. You can add your meat to it: chicken, turkey, shrimp, even fish, and make it a complete meal, or you can serve it on the side of any meal. It can be an everyday favorite or you can serve in a pretty bowl for a fancier, classier meal. Here's the way my mom taught me to make it.
The basics:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Good for leftovers: yes
servings: 4 huge, 6-8 medium
cost: $5-$10 depending on which dressing you choose and the cost of produce.
Ingredients:
2 heads of romaine lettuce
2-3 whole carrots, peeled and chopped
cucumber, peeled and sliced
fresh Parmesan
whole pitted olives (about 1/2 can drained)
Caesar dressing (about 2 tbs)
Caesar croutons (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
3-4 tomatoes cut in quarters, or a handful of cherry tomatoes
The Process:
Wash your lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces, throwing out any that are icky. If you tear instead of using a knife, the lettuce breaks along its own veins and will stay fresh longer. Add the rest of the veggies, the olives, croutons, Parmesan, and dressing, and toss with clean hands until its thoroughly mixed. Note: if you don't have a large bowl, tossing your salad can be tricky and messy. some options: mix in a large Tupperware first, or mix half the ingredients before adding and mixing the rest. Serve and top with more fresh Parmesan on each serving.
For the Parmesan, I recommend buying the brick of fresh Parmesan from the store and grating it yourself (my parents even got one of those neat little cheese graters like they use at restaurants), or buying a container of FRESH shredded Parmesan, not the dried kind. The dried stuff is good and will work if that's all you have, but the fresh kind has a much richer flavor.
Wash your lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces, throwing out any that are icky. If you tear instead of using a knife, the lettuce breaks along its own veins and will stay fresh longer. Add the rest of the veggies, the olives, croutons, Parmesan, and dressing, and toss with clean hands until its thoroughly mixed. Note: if you don't have a large bowl, tossing your salad can be tricky and messy. some options: mix in a large Tupperware first, or mix half the ingredients before adding and mixing the rest. Serve and top with more fresh Parmesan on each serving.
For the Parmesan, I recommend buying the brick of fresh Parmesan from the store and grating it yourself (my parents even got one of those neat little cheese graters like they use at restaurants), or buying a container of FRESH shredded Parmesan, not the dried kind. The dried stuff is good and will work if that's all you have, but the fresh kind has a much richer flavor.
Someday I hope to make my own Caesar dressing from scratch, but for now, my favorite is Brianna's Homestyle Caesar Dressing which can be found at most grocery stores.
Note for Leftovers: If you're preparing ahead, or planning to have leftovers, don't add the dressing and croutons until just before serving so that your salad doesn't get soggy. So if you're planning to save the leftovers, set that portion aside before adding croutons and dressing.
Monday, November 22, 2010
#3: SSS! (Slow-cooker Spaghetti Sauce)
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| Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce |
Dear Tiffany,
The only rule about spaghetti sauce, according to my favorite crockpot blogger Stephanie O'Dhea (check her out at crockpot365.blogspot.com), is that there are no rules. What does that mean? That means that you can pretty much go with whatever canned tomato products you have in your kitchen, or what's on sale. You can use most kinds of meat, and the veggies are flexible too. This version is vegetarian, because I had an herbivore at the dinner table that night, but I served it with man-food meatballs for the rest of us. I made this last week but didn't get around to finishing this post until now :/.
I feel so loved every time I get to use my new toy. Did I tell you about the new slow cooker Joey, Esther and Jessica gave me? The lid clips on and seals, so I can get to small group without spilling in the car. You know me and my slow cookers, I love them, and since I don't have an oven I do everything crockpot style. I love the feeling of not having to babysit my food all afternoon, and of coming home or getting out of a meeting to find dinner already done and ready to go.
Don't get intimidated by the ingredients list, most of them are canned, and you're just going to dump them in. Easy-peasy.
The basics:
Prep time: about 10 minutes, then in the slow cooker all day
Good for leftovers: yes! If you have too much, freeze some.
servings: ...a lot. 20 easily
cost: about $10-$15, depending on the cost of veggies and which are in season. Hint: check online ahead of time to find out the sales, and find out what is in season. Produce that is in season is going to be cheaper and taste better, and you don't have to choose the same veggies I did to have a great sauce.
Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil or olive oil blend
3 tbs minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
asparagus, 7-9 spears, cut in 2-3 inch long sections
1 yellow squash, ends cut off, in 1/2 inch thick slices
1 zucchini, ends cut off, in 1/2 inch thick slices
1/4-1/2 cup sliced or chopped mushrooms
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (Italian style)
14.5 oz can peeled whole tomatoes
29 oz can tomato sauce
29 oz can tomato purree
italian seasoning (usually a blend of oregano, basil, rosemary, etc)
red pepper flakes
the process:
Place all ingredients in 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Add several shakes of italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (more red pepper = more spicy). Stir it together, and cook on low all day, or on high for 4-5 hours. Since there's no meat in this recipe, how long you cook depends on how "done" you want your veggies but they will be edible either way. The longer you cook it, the more time the spices will have to be absorbed by the sauce and veggies.
If you want to add meat:
For ground beef or meatballs, cook them separately and add them at the end, so you don't keep all the fat in your food! For lighter cuts of meat or for ground turkey, you can add it at the beginning, though you may need to scoop a little of the fat off later. My preference is to cook your meat separately and add it, or even better, dump in your leftover chicken or steak or ground beef or whatever. This time I made those great meatballs but kept them separate to keep a vegetarian version available.
Brownies in an Orange!
Dear Tiffany,
If you answer the phone while scooping the insides out of oranges, your phone will smell really yummy. Just saying.
I'm not going to count this as one of my 365 recipes, because I'm using brownie mix from a box (lazy, I know), and its something I've never done before, but I saw a video of these and wanted to try it out. My hands smell really yummy. ahh. I love the smell of oranges.
You slice off the top of your oranges, scrape all the fruit out of the inside, and fill them with brownie batter (I used the kind from the box, but if you have a recipe for brownies that will work fine too). If you want them to look "pretty," you don't want to fill them to the top, as they will expand and spill over. If you want them to make a huge mess, go ahead and fill them to the top and they'll look like mine did :).
I made mine in my toaster oven because I don't have a real oven. I'm always a little hesitant about baking desserts in the toaster oven, because you can't control the temperature so the bake times are not the same. According to the Cooking for Geeks guy, they should take about 20-25 minutes with the oven temp set according to the brownie mix directions (check for doneness with a toothpick, it should only be slightly coated). Mine took longer due to my wannabe oven- about 35 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
My tendency is to always bake stuff too long, because it tends to not look done until it cools. Its better to be undercooked than overcooked this time. If you undercook these you'll just end up with yummy lava cakes instead :).
With one of these, I filled it about halfway with the brownie mix, then added a spoonful of orange marmalade before filling the rest of the way- and it turned out great! It was was a little more liquidy due to the marmalade, which made the cheap $1 brownie mix taste a little smoother.
The Verdict: I really liked these! They were fun to make, a cute idea and really yummy (the orange pulp really infuses even my cheap dollar brownie mix with great flavor. I'm planning to make them for some Christmas treats, and I think this would taste good in lemons too. I'll have to try that next time, there's a tree full of them out in the backyard.
-Joy
If you answer the phone while scooping the insides out of oranges, your phone will smell really yummy. Just saying.
I'm not going to count this as one of my 365 recipes, because I'm using brownie mix from a box (lazy, I know), and its something I've never done before, but I saw a video of these and wanted to try it out. My hands smell really yummy. ahh. I love the smell of oranges.
You slice off the top of your oranges, scrape all the fruit out of the inside, and fill them with brownie batter (I used the kind from the box, but if you have a recipe for brownies that will work fine too). If you want them to look "pretty," you don't want to fill them to the top, as they will expand and spill over. If you want them to make a huge mess, go ahead and fill them to the top and they'll look like mine did :).I made mine in my toaster oven because I don't have a real oven. I'm always a little hesitant about baking desserts in the toaster oven, because you can't control the temperature so the bake times are not the same. According to the Cooking for Geeks guy, they should take about 20-25 minutes with the oven temp set according to the brownie mix directions (check for doneness with a toothpick, it should only be slightly coated). Mine took longer due to my wannabe oven- about 35 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
My tendency is to always bake stuff too long, because it tends to not look done until it cools. Its better to be undercooked than overcooked this time. If you undercook these you'll just end up with yummy lava cakes instead :).
With one of these, I filled it about halfway with the brownie mix, then added a spoonful of orange marmalade before filling the rest of the way- and it turned out great! It was was a little more liquidy due to the marmalade, which made the cheap $1 brownie mix taste a little smoother.
The Verdict: I really liked these! They were fun to make, a cute idea and really yummy (the orange pulp really infuses even my cheap dollar brownie mix with great flavor. I'm planning to make them for some Christmas treats, and I think this would taste good in lemons too. I'll have to try that next time, there's a tree full of them out in the backyard.
-Joy
Friday, November 19, 2010
#4: Slow-Cooker 15 Bean Soup
"25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:25-27
Dear Tiffany,
Yes, I know I'm posting #4 without posting #3. #3 is the sauce I made to go with Tuesday's spaghetti and meatballs, and I promise I will write it. Soon.
About a year ago, I was looking for a bean soup recipe online, and I discovered a treasure trove: A blogger who spent a year using her slow-cooker everyday and shared her recipes, successes, failures, silly anecdotes etc with us all. As you know, I am obsessed with my slow cooker(s) (yes, plural), and I was delighted to find both a kindred spirit and a great source for tons of new ideas or variations on old ones. In fact, her blog is part of the inspiration for mine. Have I ever met her/spoken to her/even commented on her blog? No. I probably should, seeing as how she so greatly impacted my life :P.
As it happens, I didn't end up following the Crockpot lady's recipe exactly, so I'll post my variation here. She posted two: the version that gave her her inspiration, and the version she actually made. I ended up taking elements of both to make mine, and have fiddled around with it ever since. Great for the economical housewife (i.e. YOU), this soup is a ridiculously good "bang for your buck."
The basics:
Prep time: 5-10 minutes, then in the slow cooker all day
Good for leftovers: yes! If you have too much, freeze some.
servings: ...a lot. The bag of beans says it serves 11. With the right sides you can stretch this to 15 or more
cost: about $5 total. yes. I mean it.
$$ saved: $25- a soup from the Safeway Signature Cafe usually costs between $4 and $5 for about 3 servings per container.
$$ saved: $25- a soup from the Safeway Signature Cafe usually costs between $4 and $5 for about 3 servings per container.
Ingredients:
1 bag of 15-bean (or 16-bean or whatever) soup mix
1 packet onion soup mix (such as lipton, etc)
1 onion
1 can italian style stewed tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
water
salt to taste
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| "Before" (but sadly, I forgot to take an "after" shot) |
Today, I was out of stewed tomatoes (oh no! As you'll soon discover, I use them in everything!), and I was trying to clean out my fridge, so I tweaked it a bit to adapt the contents of my kitchen :). I quartered my last two tomatoes to replace the stewed tomatoes, and added a zucchini and a yellow squash (cut into small chunks) as well. And, I had about half a carton of beef broth that I wanted to use so I used that in place of some of the water.
A few notes on soup in the slow cooker:
1. Cast off your fear of leaving appliances on, just this once! Soups, especially those with beans such as this one, chili, or split pea, will taste better the longer you cook them, so this is a good meal to put in the night before for a lunch, or the morning before a long workday. It's not going to be ruined if you leave it in for 10 or 12 or 15 hours instead of 8. Really. I promise.
2. In general, you can do something for 4-5 hours on high if you don't have time to do it on low, but it will taste better if it cooks longer.
3. The world won't end if you have to leave out something like garlic, as long as you have the onion soup mix, water, and beans you'll be fine.
4. Make sure your crockpot is actually...uh...plugged in...before you leave the house/go to sleep/get in the shower. I can't tell you how many times, today included, that I've forgotten to turn it on.
Variation:
This soup is vegetarian. You can make it not so by adding a ham hock or just some leftover ham to cook with it, OR by adding really any kind of meat. If you're using a really fatty meat though, such as ground beef, I suggest browning it before adding to the crock so all that fat doesn't end up in your otherwise healthy soup!
I totally remembered to bring my camera, but forgot to take pictures :(. Sorry! (I know that's your favorite part, Tiff :P)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Kitchen Failblog 11/17/2010
Dear Tiff,
I was going to tell you all about my "kitchen fail of the day." I guess its a good thing that I waited until the end of the day, because it turns out there were 4 of them! Yikes.
Kitchen Fail #1. Too much brownie mix in these oranges...
Kitchen Fail #2: Apparently that lid does not go to this tupperware. This I realize after I spray spaghetti sauce all over me, the counter, and the floor while trying to make it fit.
Kitchen Fail #3: During kitchen fail #2, my apron was...somewhere on the other side of the room. not at all helpful.
Kitchen Fail #4: Please note my toaster oven is open. Am I trying to heat my house in a really inefficient way? No. Am I trying to cool down my toaster oven after using it? No. But apparently, this pan, the one already full of brownie mix and toppings, does not fit in that toaster oven.
Laughing is the best way to recover from "doh" moments. Hope you can laugh at me too,
-Joy
I was going to tell you all about my "kitchen fail of the day." I guess its a good thing that I waited until the end of the day, because it turns out there were 4 of them! Yikes.
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| Kitchen Fail #1 |
Kitchen Fail #1. Too much brownie mix in these oranges...
Kitchen Fail #2: Apparently that lid does not go to this tupperware. This I realize after I spray spaghetti sauce all over me, the counter, and the floor while trying to make it fit.
Kitchen Fail #3: During kitchen fail #2, my apron was...somewhere on the other side of the room. not at all helpful.
Laughing is the best way to recover from "doh" moments. Hope you can laugh at me too,
-Joy
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
#2: Man-Food Meatballs :)
Hey Tiff,
Its generally not a good start when you're washing the dishes and discover a crack in your Tupperware :(. But the good smell in my house a few hours later more than made up for the lousy beginning.
Joey asked me to help out with small group food this week, and he'd originally planned to do spaghetti and meatballs. Since his birthday is this week and he likes MEAT, I stuck with his plan, but I opted for NOT settling for the jar of sauce from safeway and the meatballs from the freezer section. While I admittedly reach for the pre-made stuff on occasion, food you make yourself tends to be better-tasting, healthier, and more cost effective. Plus its FUN.
These are super easy and there are a lot of ways to change up the flavor if you want to have them with spaghetti, with cranberry sauce (Swedish meatball style) or in various forms for appetizers. If you want to make another kind, just use the basic ingredients to make your meatball, and google whatever kind of meatball you want to make to figure out the seasonings. I used ground beef for these, but you can also use turkey, pork, etc- or even a blend of these.
If you don't want to make these every time, make a big batch and freeze them for whenever you're in the mood! Yay for man-food!
The basics:
Ingredients (for any kind of meatball):
1lb ground meat
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup soft fresh bread crumbs OR 1 slice of bread
Italian-style seasonings:
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar for one batch and parmesan for the other)
1 TBL oregano
1/2 tbl basil
a pinch of rosemary
1-2 tbl minced garlic (depending on how much you like garlic! I love it, so I can never have enough)
1 tsp salt (optional)
olive or canola oil spray
The Process:
Mix all ingredients including seasonings together in a medium-large bowl. If you are using a slice of bread, you'll need to run some tap water over it to soften it, then tear it into smaller pieces before adding it to your mixture.
When everything is well blended, shape it into little balls, whatever size you want. You want the balls to hold together, but you don't want them firmly packed as this will leave the insides dry once cooked. Place your meatballs on a dinner plate and microwave for about 3 minutes. Spray a skillet with non-stick olive or canola oil spray, and fry the meatballs until browned on all sides. Serve hot or freeze for later!
I cooked mine ahead of time and I'll reheat them for small group tonight. I'll let you know what the popular response is.
Its generally not a good start when you're washing the dishes and discover a crack in your Tupperware :(. But the good smell in my house a few hours later more than made up for the lousy beginning.
Joey asked me to help out with small group food this week, and he'd originally planned to do spaghetti and meatballs. Since his birthday is this week and he likes MEAT, I stuck with his plan, but I opted for NOT settling for the jar of sauce from safeway and the meatballs from the freezer section. While I admittedly reach for the pre-made stuff on occasion, food you make yourself tends to be better-tasting, healthier, and more cost effective. Plus its FUN.
These are super easy and there are a lot of ways to change up the flavor if you want to have them with spaghetti, with cranberry sauce (Swedish meatball style) or in various forms for appetizers. If you want to make another kind, just use the basic ingredients to make your meatball, and google whatever kind of meatball you want to make to figure out the seasonings. I used ground beef for these, but you can also use turkey, pork, etc- or even a blend of these.
If you don't want to make these every time, make a big batch and freeze them for whenever you're in the mood! Yay for man-food!
The basics:
Prep time: 20 minutes or less depending on how big you make your meatballs (bigger ones will take longer to cook)
Good for leftovers: yes! Freeze for next time too!
Servings: about 4 per lb of meat, but these are smaller servings. If you're not having a hefty meal, I would double the portion size.
Cost: about $5 for 2 lbs if you use lean ground beef, this will vary depending on what kind of meat you choose.
$$ Saved: $3-$5 (premade meatballs frozen usually run between $4-$6 per lb at Safeway)
$$ Saved: $3-$5 (premade meatballs frozen usually run between $4-$6 per lb at Safeway)
Ingredients (for any kind of meatball):
1lb ground meat
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup soft fresh bread crumbs OR 1 slice of bread
Italian-style seasonings:
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar for one batch and parmesan for the other)
1 TBL oregano
1/2 tbl basil
a pinch of rosemary
1-2 tbl minced garlic (depending on how much you like garlic! I love it, so I can never have enough)
1 tsp salt (optional)
olive or canola oil spray
The Process:
Mix all ingredients including seasonings together in a medium-large bowl. If you are using a slice of bread, you'll need to run some tap water over it to soften it, then tear it into smaller pieces before adding it to your mixture.
When everything is well blended, shape it into little balls, whatever size you want. You want the balls to hold together, but you don't want them firmly packed as this will leave the insides dry once cooked. Place your meatballs on a dinner plate and microwave for about 3 minutes. Spray a skillet with non-stick olive or canola oil spray, and fry the meatballs until browned on all sides. Serve hot or freeze for later!
I cooked mine ahead of time and I'll reheat them for small group tonight. I'll let you know what the popular response is.
Monday, November 15, 2010
#1: Manna Soup
Exodus 16:13-16
The basics:
"13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’"
Dear Tiff,
I decided to call this soup "Manna" Soup for two reasons. First, "manna" means "what is it?" which I thought was appropriate because this soup is pretty random, and you might have to look carefully to identify all the ingredients! The second reason, though, is that I first made this soup when money was really tight, and in my efforts not to buy anything new, I went for whatever was already in my kitchen. It turned out great, and is one of my favorites now, but I was reminded of how God provides for our every need, just as he did for the Israelites.
I've always loved tomato soup, but it bothers me that your typical tomato soup is just liquid. It always felt like no substance, and leaves you hungry later. I like a soup that can stand on its own as a meal, not just an appetizer. So I like to add leftovers to mine (one of my favorites is Turkey Tomato Noodle Soup with the Thanksgiving leftovers). But recently, I was craving tomato soup but didn't have any leftovers to add to it. I made some pasta, but my diet is sorely lacking in protein, so I decided to drop in a few eggs as well. Total experiment, could have resulted in complete failure...but then I wouldn't be passing it on, would I? I loved it! This recipe was very cost effective, simple and quick to create, reasonably healthy, and made fantastic leftovers. The only issue is that the sodium level is pretty high, so if you eat a lot of other salty food, you might want to opt for low- or no-sodium options on the canned food items.
The basics:
Prep time: 20 minutes or less (you can cut it down to about 5-10 minutes if you use leftover pasta :)
Good for leftovers: yes!
servings: 4-8, if you need more you can add more eggs and water it down a bit
cost: under $10 total
Ingredients:
2 cans condensed tomato soup
water
1 can stewed tomatoes (I used "italian recipe" but original would work fine too)
1 can garbanzo beans
1 egg per serving (i.e. each individual serving should have an egg, so if you want to serve 6, you'll need 6 eggs)
2 cups cooked pasta
about 1/2 can pitted olives
Herbes de Provence to season (this is a blend of rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, etc so if you don't have the blend, any of these will complement this soup just as well)
Parmesan and pepper to season
optional: fresh tomatoes and/or avocados
The Process: Cook the pasta first (or use leftovers!). Add 2 cans of water to your two cans of condensed soup in a medium to large pot. Turn on the heat and stir. You may want to use a whisk to get rid of any clumps of condensed soup, and make sure it's well blended.
Add the stewed tomatoes (do not drain) and the garbanzo beans and olives (drained), shake in several shakes of your herb blend, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. When the pot simmers, you want to crack each egg and dump them in one at a time (aim for different sides of your pot so they don't all cook together in one clump, you want a separate clump for each egg) and allow it to cook for another 4-5 minutes. If done right, the yolk should be solid but not super hard like a hard-boiled egg- but if your egg is overdone or underdone it will be fine. I've tried a few different ways and they were all good but the just barely boiled way turned out best.
Remove from heat, stir in the cooked pasta, and serve. Each serving should have an egg and a good deal of the rest of the soup as well. Top with some grated Parmesan and as much pepper as you like. I also like to top mine with fresh chopped tomatoes and slices of avocado- if you do this, it will look better if you add them before the Parmesan and pepper.
Notes on pasta: any will do, but non-spaghetti types (shells, macaroni, bow-ties) will be easier to manage in your soup. If you do use a long noodle such as spaghetti or fettuccine, you may want to cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces after cooking so they are better suited to using a spoon instead of a fork :) I haven't tried it, but this might also taste really good with a cheese tortellini or ravioli, though that will bring your costs up a bit.
My dad would call this a "lycopene special" because of all the tomatoes. Lycopene is supposed to help reduce the risk of cancer, but don't quote me on it because there's not a lot of research, and none of it conclusive. Either way, it tastes pretty fantastic! I made this last night and I'm hoping to have the leftovers after my hike today, the idea being to avoid a major cooking/cleanup mess when I'm tired from the hike and have places to be afterward. Let me know what you think!
I hope your Monday goes well, your students give you extra smiles, and you remember that you are a precious daughter of the King!
Love,
Joy
UPDATE 11/23:
I was visiting family and we didn't have any leftover pasta, but we did have a leftover blend of brown rice and wild rice, and that worked great too. I also added some canned mushrooms since I had them around.
Ingredients:
2 cans condensed tomato soup
water
1 can stewed tomatoes (I used "italian recipe" but original would work fine too)
1 can garbanzo beans
1 egg per serving (i.e. each individual serving should have an egg, so if you want to serve 6, you'll need 6 eggs)
2 cups cooked pasta
about 1/2 can pitted olives
Herbes de Provence to season (this is a blend of rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, etc so if you don't have the blend, any of these will complement this soup just as well)
Parmesan and pepper to season
optional: fresh tomatoes and/or avocados
The Process: Cook the pasta first (or use leftovers!). Add 2 cans of water to your two cans of condensed soup in a medium to large pot. Turn on the heat and stir. You may want to use a whisk to get rid of any clumps of condensed soup, and make sure it's well blended.
Add the stewed tomatoes (do not drain) and the garbanzo beans and olives (drained), shake in several shakes of your herb blend, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. When the pot simmers, you want to crack each egg and dump them in one at a time (aim for different sides of your pot so they don't all cook together in one clump, you want a separate clump for each egg) and allow it to cook for another 4-5 minutes. If done right, the yolk should be solid but not super hard like a hard-boiled egg- but if your egg is overdone or underdone it will be fine. I've tried a few different ways and they were all good but the just barely boiled way turned out best.
Remove from heat, stir in the cooked pasta, and serve. Each serving should have an egg and a good deal of the rest of the soup as well. Top with some grated Parmesan and as much pepper as you like. I also like to top mine with fresh chopped tomatoes and slices of avocado- if you do this, it will look better if you add them before the Parmesan and pepper.
Notes on pasta: any will do, but non-spaghetti types (shells, macaroni, bow-ties) will be easier to manage in your soup. If you do use a long noodle such as spaghetti or fettuccine, you may want to cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces after cooking so they are better suited to using a spoon instead of a fork :) I haven't tried it, but this might also taste really good with a cheese tortellini or ravioli, though that will bring your costs up a bit.
My dad would call this a "lycopene special" because of all the tomatoes. Lycopene is supposed to help reduce the risk of cancer, but don't quote me on it because there's not a lot of research, and none of it conclusive. Either way, it tastes pretty fantastic! I made this last night and I'm hoping to have the leftovers after my hike today, the idea being to avoid a major cooking/cleanup mess when I'm tired from the hike and have places to be afterward. Let me know what you think!
I hope your Monday goes well, your students give you extra smiles, and you remember that you are a precious daughter of the King!
Love,
Joy
UPDATE 11/23:
I was visiting family and we didn't have any leftover pasta, but we did have a leftover blend of brown rice and wild rice, and that worked great too. I also added some canned mushrooms since I had them around.
Proverbs 31
Dear Tiffany,
I am SO EXCITED to get to spend this year cooking with you! I'm sure it will be a year full of random trips to the grocery store, silly mishaps, laughter and love. I hope what I share can be helpful, but more importantly, I hope you have a lot of fun learning to cook! And I hope you know that I love you, and every day I spend cooking and blogging for you and thinking of you is a poor substitute for our movie nights where you fall asleep 20 minutes into it, our fun times complaining about/laughing at the men in our lives over hot chocolate, bonding over our shared love for moose-tracks ice cream, and the times we've spent praying teary-eyed in the car (with Sam waiting in the car behind us haha!). You are such a blessing to me.
Proverbs 31: 10-31
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I hope that you go through this year learning to be a wife with courage, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor, and that God continues to do the work in you that he's been doing all your life. Be a Proverbs 31 woman!
Love,
Joy
I am SO EXCITED to get to spend this year cooking with you! I'm sure it will be a year full of random trips to the grocery store, silly mishaps, laughter and love. I hope what I share can be helpful, but more importantly, I hope you have a lot of fun learning to cook! And I hope you know that I love you, and every day I spend cooking and blogging for you and thinking of you is a poor substitute for our movie nights where you fall asleep 20 minutes into it, our fun times complaining about/laughing at the men in our lives over hot chocolate, bonding over our shared love for moose-tracks ice cream, and the times we've spent praying teary-eyed in the car (with Sam waiting in the car behind us haha!). You are such a blessing to me.
Proverbs 31: 10-31
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I hope that you go through this year learning to be a wife with courage, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor, and that God continues to do the work in you that he's been doing all your life. Be a Proverbs 31 woman!
Love,
Joy
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