Last Minute Meals

Balancing all of my various obligations and activities has been a challenge these past several months. I find that I don't always have time to do the things I love (like blogging). But I never stop cooking; And that's not just because we need to eat to survive. I have to cook. It inspires me and gives me the lift I need during my most hectic weeks.

I've still been planning out my meals as often as possible because I truly believe that cooking with a plan is the most time efficient and cost effective way to cook. However, I've needed to learn how to come up with last minute meals when planning is just not an option.

I'm pretty much obsessed with the book How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson. I've almost read it cover to cover and completely love how confident it's made me to improvise more while I cook.


I feel as though I have a decent sense of what flavors go well together and how to pair certain foods together. However, I'm always insecure about the proportions of ingredients and feel overly dependent on recipes because I don't know how much I need of this and that. This book gives basic rules of thumb for the amounts of ingredients in certain kinds of recipes.

For example, although there are literally countless ways to make soup, Pam gives a basic recipe that you can use with whatever you have on hand. She always starts with an onion and then adds 1 lb of vegetables, 1 lb of meat, 1 lb of starch, a quart of broth, and some herbs, spices, or flavorings. Then she gives all sorts of suggestions for vegetables, meats, and flavorings that go well together. My favorite has been Sausage Soup with Mushroom, Zucchini, and Chickpeas. She has all of these somewhat awkward, but helpful, little rhymes to help you remember the formulas (i.e."Saute an onion, then add vegetables, starch, and meat. Cook it in a quart of broth for a meal that can't be beat")

She uses this same philosophy for all sorts of others things including Asian cuisine, sauteed meat with pan sauces, and salads. The book is so fascinating and my husband absolutely loves every single thing I've tried.



I've been able to make a last minute stop at the store and grab the meats and vegetables that are on sale, knowing that I can use her formulas to turn them into meals. It's also been a great way for me to use up what's in my vegetable drawer. Her Lo Mein, Pad Thai, and Fried Rice recipes work so well with tons of different combinations of vegetables. All I have to do is use what I have left and then add some chicken or thaw some shrimp from the freezer. We've pretty much stopped ordering Chinese take-out because we love these recipes so much and they are SO easy.

I still enjoy searching for new and exciting recipes to try. I just love finding a recipe that challenges me to cook with new techniques and ingredients. I don't even mind when they take a long time if I'm having a calm evening. But when the work day ends and I've got to meet with my partner for my grad class, stop at the library to renew my books, pick up my prescription at the store, and then throw some dinner together before grading a huge stack of papers...it's nice to know that I have some delicious last minute meal ideas up my sleeve!

Something out of Nothing

Sometimes I have one of those nights where there isn't much food in the house...but I'm positive that I don't have the energy to go out to eat. Instead of dialing the local pizza place, I've been trying to be more creative with what I can find in the fridge and pantry.

Recently, I had this kind of night and decided to go on a hunt for some dinner. I looked in the fridge and saw three crowns of broccoli. I discovered a couple Yukon gold potatoes in the bottom cupboard. This was not looking promising...so I opened my freezer. Ah ha! There was that bag of frozen tilapia fillets that I had gotten on sale at Wegman's last month "just in case" I ever needed them. Surely, I could make something out of these ingredients.

I did a quick search online for simple tilapia recipes to get some inspiration. I could have just baked them in the oven with some butter or lemon juice on top...but I wanted something a little more flavorful. I happened upon this little gem on allrecipes.com.

With a can of tomato paste (which I always have in the pantry) and some spices, I could make something new! I didn't have the peppers, so I decided to roast the potatoes and broccoli instead.

The tilapia fillets are individually wrapped (which is so convenient), so I dunked 4 fillets (still in the wrapping) into cold water. By the time I made the sauce and got the potatoes and broccoli in the oven, they were thawed.

Baked Tilapia with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes
~Simple and Satisfying~

• 3/4 cup olive oil (plus more for roasting)
• 3 crowns of broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 or 3 Yukon gold potatoes (Russet would be fine, too), chopped into bite-size chunks
• a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
  
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Combine the potatoes with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the potatoes. Spread into an even layer on half of a large sheet pan. Roast for about 10 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, combine the broccoli with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the broccoli. Take the potatoes out and put the broccoli in an even layer on the other side of the sheet pan. Drizzle the potatoes and broccoli with some balsamic vinegar. Roast for another 10 minutes (but check to see how they're coming along). Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and move the pan to the bottom rack.
   
4. While the potatoes and vegetables are still roasting, coat bottom of a medium baking dish with about 1/4 cup olive oil.
5. In a small bowl, blend remaining olive oil, tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Arrange tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish. With a spatula, spread the olive oil and tomato paste mixture over the tilapia, heaping the majority in the centers of the fillets. Arrange onion slices on and around the fillets.
7. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until fish is easily flaked with a fork. If the potatoes and broccoli are getting overcooked on the bottom rack, take them out and cover with foil to keep them warm.
8. When the tilapia is done, remove them from the oven and top each fillet with 1 tablespoon butter, and set oven to broil. Broil 5 to 7 minutes, until butter is melted and lightly brown. Serve the tilapia fillets with the roasted onions on top and the broccoli and potatoes on the side.

Even though I prefer cooking with a plan...sometimes I don't have a plan. Improvising with what you have on hand is a must sometimes and I find it to be kind of fun and quite rewarding!

Breakfast for Two -- The Snowed-in Edition

This is what my car looked like when I got up this morning.


A few weeks ago, I got an email from someone I used to work with years ago. I remember her heating up her leftovers at lunch and thinking that she was somewhat of a domestic goddess. She was (and is) a great cook and I had yet to touch a raw chicken breast without ziploc bags on my hands. Time has passed and I've become so comfortable cooking that I would be fine juggling raw chicken now (which I actually can't do because I can't juggle...and it would be really weird to juggle raw meat). My friend has had an adorable little son and moved on to a different career.

Anyway, she knows that I cook now and was kind enough to send me a recipe that she was really excited about. She recently discovered the magic of a waffle iron and was searching for healthy waffle recipes. Waffles are typically not the most healthy breakfast choice, but she found a recipe that is both delicious and full of healthy ingredients.

I love my waffle iron.



While in the midst of this blizzard and I decided to try the recipe since I always have those ingredients on hand.

YUM! They smelled delicious, tasted wonderfully sweet, and were filling enough to eat all by themselves. My husband likes to think that eggs are a necessary component to any "special" breakfast and said he was going to make them. The waffles were ready so fast that he hadn't gotten the chance and admitted afterward that he was too full for eggs.

You can totally make this ahead of time, pop it in the fridge, and make a waffle or two when you're ready. Why, hello, tomorrow's breakfast:


Without further ado...

Whole Grain Waffles
~Fast, east, and delicious~

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat and 3/4 cup all-purpose)
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (a.k.a. "old fashioned" oats)
• 1/4 firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder (I forgot to type this when I first posted this recipe! Sorry!!)
  
• 2 tbsp wheat germ (my friend used ground flax seed)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (this made the recipe, in my opinion)
• Pinch fine salt (I used Kosher and it was fine)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 walnut or peanut oil (I used peanut, my friend used unsweetened applesauce)
• Maple Syrup (I had some from Vermont that a student had given me for Christmas...yum

1. Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high (mine just preheats without any temperature levels.
2. Whisk the flour with the oats, sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, butter, and oil. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, to m ake a batter. Take care not to over work the batter, it's fine if there are a few lumps.
4. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter per waffle (it depends on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until the outside of the waffle is crisp and inside is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. (The time varies depending on the size and spread of the waffle iron) Serve warm with maple syrup. Repeat with remaining batter.

If you live anywhere in the mid-Atlantic...be safe and enjoy the snow!

A Family Meal

I absolutely live for making big family meals. There is something so deliciously wonderful about eating good food with people you care about. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to love with food.

I've never been much of a Giada de Laurentiis fan. She's beautiful, but as I watched her show I would be somewhat distracted by her huge head and short arms (think: T-Rex).

Yeah...she scares me a little, too.

I also get annoyed at the excessive amount of cleavage showing in every episode (which may account for the large male fan base she has acquired). Furthermore, I get confused by the way she talks. One minute, she is talking like you and me. The next minute, she is pronouncing Italian ingredients like she lives in a Tuscan villa on the Mediterranean coast. Just say Parmesan and marscarpone cheese like a normal person...you grew up in California. Anyway.

I got her Giada's Family Dinners cookbook for Christmas and began to try her recipes. Um, wow. Every single thing I've made from this cookbook has been completely mouthwatering. I'm sorry I called you a T-Rex, Giada, because your recipes are awesome.

I've made the following recipe three separate times since Christmas because it's a total crowd pleaser. It yields enough to make 6 hearty main course servings. If you're anything like me, I find sun-dried tomatoes to be a bit much sometimes. The way they are cooked in this recipe really mellows their flavor and they are delicious. I followed up this pasta dinner recently with a yummy dessert recipe I found in Southern Living Magazine.

Penne with Sausage, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
~I use whole grain pasta to make this hearty one dish meal~

• 3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tbsp of oil reserved*
• 1 lb Italian hot sausages, casings removed (I use hot Italian turkey sausage)
• 2 (8 oz.) packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (I have yet to find frozen artichokes, so I use the canned kind in brine, not oil)
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups reduced sodium-chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• salt
• 12 oz. penne (I use Barilla Whole Grain)
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed (she says this is optional, but I think it's essential)
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork (about 8 minutes)
2. Transfer sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly (about 8 minutes).
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, until tender but still firm to the bite (about 10 minutes). Drain, but do not rinse, the pasta.
5. Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta.
6. Stir in the mozzarella and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

*Those of you who are local: Jarred sun-dried tomatoes can be really pricey...especially the jars in the produce aisle. I actually found the Wegman's brand sun-dried tomatoes in oil (found in the pasta aisle) are the cheapest around.

Banana Bread Cobbler
~I wish I had gotten a picture of this...it was really good~

• 1 cup self-rising flour (or 1 cup all purpose with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced

• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour (or 1/2 cup all purpose with 3/4 tsp baking power and 1/4 tsp salt)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup uncooked regular oats
• 1/2 chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together 1 cup flour, sugar, and milk until just blended. Whisk in melted butter and pour batter into a lightly greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish.
2. Top with banana slices.
3. Combine Streusel ingredients (brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and butter) until crumbly, using a fork. Stir oats and pecans into the Streusel mixture.
   
4. Top the banana slices with the Streusel mixture and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (I loved it with vanilla ice cream).

Family get togethers should not force you to be in the kitchen all day. Make simple and delicious meals like this and then spend your time doing what matters...being with the people you love.

Chicken Three Ways

When money is tight, I try to be creative with one cheap ingredient. This week chicken was on sale at Giant. I got one value pack for the week and got one to stick in the freezer for another week to come. I picked up a few odds and ends and walked out with enough food to make three good meals and part of a fourth.

This week is also a busy one. I've got plans Tuesday night, grad class Wednesday night, and Bible study Thursday night. I felt that it was appropriate to bring out an appliance with which I have a love-hate relationship....my slow cooker (a.k.a Crock Pot).




I know that there are countless people out there who are absolutely in love with their slow cookers. I want to be...but I've had some unfortunate experiences with mine. First of all, I don't eat beef. Many slow cooker recipes center around beef because it's the type of meat that is really good when cooked for a long time. Second of all, I've tried several chicken recipes that have resulted in overcooked dry chicken. Third of all, I've tried a couple breakfast recipes that involved eggs...which I'm quite certain should not be slow cooked (at least the ones that I made!). Finally, I am out of the house for a loooong time on most days. The 6-8 hour recipes usually end up overcooked by the time I get home. A recipe that would work for me would need to cook at least 8 hours (more like 10 on most days) and still be edible.

Here's where the love part comes in...I've found some slow cooker recipes that actually work for me!! So I pulled out two of them and got to plannin'.

On Sunday, I went to the store and made Bang Bang Chicken for dinner. I took all of 10 minutes to prep my ingredients needed for Chicken Tortilla Soup on Monday. Since all my recipes for the week required the chicken to be cut into small pieces, I went ahead and cut up the whole value pack and sectioned the appropriate portion for each recipe into plastic bags. I also grabbed a package of hot Italian turkey sausage that I had stashed in the freezer (from a buy one, get one free week at Giant) and stuck it in the fridge to thaw.

On Monday, I dumped all my prepped ingredients into my slow cooker in the morning and came home to a house smelling of delicious Chicken Tortilla soup.

On Monday night, I prepped my ingredients for Tuesday...which, again, took about 10 minutes. It's really easy when you make little meal kits like this:


On Tuesday, I'll dump all my prepped ingredients into my slow cooker in the morning and come home to Spanish Chicken and rice.

On Wednesday, I'll come home from grad class and eat left-overs.

On Thursday, I'll throw together a quick Sausage Soup with Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Chickpeas.

Here's how the magic happens:

Bang Bang Chicken over Rice
~This authentic Chinese recipe is simple and delicious~

• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips or 1 inch pieces (I used about 1 1/2 chicken breasts)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger root
• 1 scallion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cucumber sliced
• Prepared rice
  

1. Heat a wok or frying pan for a good 3-4 minutes while you prep your ingredients.
2. Add 1-2 tbsp oil (I used peanut) to the hot pan and then stir-fry the chicken, garlic, ginger, and scallion until the chicken is cooked through. This took me only a few minutes.
3. Add the water, soy sauce, peanut butter, and vinegar to the pan (stirring to coat the chicken with the liquid) and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Finally, add the broccoli and cucumber and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 7 minutes). During this time, the liquid added in step 3 will reduce and make a nice saucy coating on the chicken and vegetables.
5. Serve over rice.

The above recipe was taken from a book called Extending the Table. My husband bought it for me from 10,000 Villages (a really awesome free-trade store). It has authentic recipes from all over the world and tons of other interesting cultural information. It's definitely the kind of cookbook that you can actually read (alright, fine...I've been known to curl up with a good cookbook at bed time...even when it's just recipes).

Chicken Tortilla Soup
~This soup smells so wonderful when you walk in the door~

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth (4 cups)
• 4 corn tortillas (6 inch) cut into one inch pieces
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used Italian parsley because I detest cilantro)
  

Possible garnishes:

• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Sour Cream
• Tortilla chips on top
• Chopped scallions
  

1. Spray 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix all soup ingredients except cilantro (or parsley).
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours (I cooked it 8-10 hours)
3. Stir in cilantro (or parsley). Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer.
4. Garnish each serving with cheese and sour cream (and tortilla chips).

My sister in law gave me this recipe which she got from a Pillsbury Slow Cooker recipe book ( ya know, the kind you see in the aisle of the grocery store). It turns out so well...the chicken is moist and the tortillas dissolve a bit into the soup making it creamy and thick.

Spanish Chicken

~Haven't tried this yet, but it looks like a winner~Recipe courtesy of the Pillsbury website

• 1 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lb Italian turkey sausage links, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 cup uncooked rice (or 2 cups cooked)
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 can (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained (we skipped these...don't like olives)

1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix chicken, sausage, bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, tomatoes and tomato paste.
2. Cover; cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours (mine will cook a bit more than 8 hours)
3. About 25 minutes before serving, cook rice in 2 cups water as directed on package (or use left over rice). Just before serving, stir artichoke hearts and olives into chicken mixture.
   
4. Cover; cook until hot. Serve chicken mixture with rice.

This recipe was also taken from the Pillsbury recipe book. I think it has all the componants of a yummy sounding meal. I actually made a double batch of rice on Sunday (when I made the Bang Bang Chicken) so that I wouldn't have to cook rice again for this meal.

Sausage Soup with Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Chickpeas
~Very simple, very delicious, and freezes beautifully~

• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium onoin, choped
• 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium (8 oz) zucchini cut into a medium dice
  
• 1 lb mild or hot Italian sausage (or you can use already cooked andouille sausage for an even easier soup!)
• 2 (16 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (can be optional...but I put it in)
• 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute to soften slightly (about 2 minutes). Add the zucchini, sausage, chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken broth, and cumin.
2. Partially cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors have blended (about 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste and then serve.
   

This simple recipe is from a cookbook called How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson. It's literally rocking my cooking world and I can't wait to post more about her awesome way of cooking.

So there you have it...several meals made from an eight dollar package of chicken, some items from my pantry and freezer, and some fresh produce.

Year 1

I have been thinking a lot about this blog that past couple of days. Partly because I have so many ideas that I'd like to post, but just haven't had the chance yet. But I am also approaching the one year anniversary of when I started this blog. I'm not really into the whole "Blogiversary" thing, but I have done some reflecting on my experience as a "blogger" over the past year.

About a year ago, I was at a New Year's Eve party and was talking all about my cooking and new recipes and how excited I was to share them with my friends. I said that maybe I would put together some sort of packet of my recipes to share with everyone. One of my friends told me I should start a blog. I immediately dismissed the idea, thinking that I wouldn't be able to do it. I don't really consider myself a writer and thought I would just sound dumb.

We came home from the party and my husband began encouraging me to do it. He thought blogging was a great idea and said it would be a great place for me to keep my favorite recipes. With his prompting, I finally went on to blogger and set up this little blog. Since then, I've been blogging (sometimes often, sometimes not so often) about everything food related...recipes, food shopping, meal planning, cooking tools and gadgets, and even my own journey with food. I've found blogging to be such a wonderful hobby for me. It makes me feel productive and creative and it helps me communicate my love of food with others.

So there you have it...I love my blog. I've been pretty relaxed about posting the last few months, but maybe I'll get started up again during these cold winter months when I tend to hibernate. Even if I don't get to blogging as often as I'd like, I know this little blog will wait for me to pick right back up wherever I left off.

And for those of you who read my little piece of the internet...thanks for visiting :)

The Most Forgotten Meal of the Day

Even though everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, there are so many people who skip it. I always eat breakfast (unless I sleep in until 10:00 while on winter break...then I eat lunchfast). Usually, it's not a lot but I always try to eat something.

I know that eating isn't exactly the first thing you want to do when you wake up, but it's so important to get your body going in the morning. It's like putting fuel in your body to get you cruising until lunchtime. It also tells your body that you are planning to eat today and it can burn up what's in your belly, instead of hang on to it for dear life. I don't often feel well in the morning, but I feel even worse when I don't eat anything.

I'm not a morning person at all...so please don't picture me flipping pancakes and making omelets in the morning while whistling a cheerful tune. Picture me pressing snooze three times and then whimpering under the covers until my husband finally succeeds in convincing me to get up and go to work. So, needless to say, I need something quick and easy in the morning.

I almost always combine some sort of fruit with some sort of bread. Sometimes it's a banana and an English muffin with a bit of butter and honey on it. Sometimes it's apple slices and a piece of toast with raspberry jam. This morning I tried something different and absolutely loved it!

I got the idea from Everyday Food Magazine and tweaked it a bit.

First I bought some of this: Then I got these things out:

I toasted up a slice of bread and then spread the plain Greek yogurt on it. I added a heaping teaspoon of honey and some chopped walnuts. Wow! The creamy tangy flavor of the yogurt was sweetened by the honey and the nuts added a nutritious crunch. Everyday Food Magazine suggests adding pistachios, but I didn't have any on hand. I drank a few sips of orange juice and then got my coffee to head off to work.

This quick little breakfast idea is healthy, filling, and delicious. It kept me going all morning long until I got out my delicious soup for lunch. More on the soup in a future post! :)