Archives for November 2009

Better than the Box – Super Easy Stuffing

November 20, 2009 By
This post is part of the Thanksgiving Recipe Swap at Life as Mom. 

I admit that Thanksgiving Day can be hectic with all the food preparations, and it’s nice to have shortcuts here and there to save time, energy and stress. However, I don’t think that taste and nutrition have to take a back seat in order to accomplish this feat.

As far as taste goes, give me a homemade stuffing any day! Growing up, I really don’t remember having stuffing at Thanksgiving at all (not that we didn’t, just that I really don’t remember it). As we grew older, though, my sister took it upon herself to make the stuffing and I remember one Thanksgiving in particular, she took great pride in making it from scratch. As I recall, that was some pretty delicious stuffing!

Regarding nutrition, I looked up the ingredients in Kraft’s Stovetop Stuffing: along with the bread and seasonings are high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated soybean oil and MSG. Hmmm. Not exactly the best guests at Thanksgiving Dinner!

But, you say, I don’t have TIME to make real stuffing on Thanksgiving! Well, I say, Yes, you do! Trust me, it will be totally worth it. The recipe below is so easy and it’s pretty tasty, too. You can adjust it to fit your family’s tastes because it’s also flexible.

Super Easy Squash Stuffing
1 loaf bread, cubed
2 cups chicken broth
1 acorn squash, cooked (either cubed or mashed, doesn’t matter)
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Distribute the cubed bread evenly on a rimmed cookie sheet, and place in a 325F oven for about 30 minutes, until nice and toasted. Cool. In a large bowl, mix bread with remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Place in a greased casserole dish and cook, covered, in 325F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes.

Was that QUICKer than you expected? It’s super quick if you just plan ahead and/or use the right ingredients. For one thing, the bread can be toasted the day before and stored in an air-tight container until you’re ready to make the stuffing. Around this time of year, I almost always have cooked squash on hand because it’s so abundant, but if you don’t, use a package of frozen cooked squash instead. Along the same lines, any time I use a package of bacon, I cook the entire contents and store them in the freezer. When I need it, I just pull out a few slices.

It was definitely EASY, right? Now, you can make it as complicated as you want, to be sure. You could add some more vegetables, like celery and onion, and saute them with cubed squash before mixing it in with the bread. You could play around with the seasonings too and adjust them to your desires. But if you’re looking for easy, this is easy.

Depending on what ingredients you use, it can be very CHEAP. I used a loaf of homemade bread, a squash I had on hand, and chicken broth I bought for practically nothing on sale. (Usually I have homemade broth on hand, but I did not this time. That would be even cheaper.) Only 3 slices of bacon won’t break your bank, but it certainly will add a lot of flavor!

The lack of MSG, HFCS and hydrogenated oils makes this a much HEALTHY-er option than the boxed variety. Use whole wheat bread and homemade broth and it will be even healthier.

Did I mention it was delicious? The perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: On The Table, Sides

My Husband is a Meatitarian

November 17, 2009 By

Did you ever see that commercial where the guy tells his would-be girlfriend that he’s a “meatitarian”? My husband could be that guy, except he’s already married. To me, in case you were wondering.

It was no surprise to me the other day that he started drooling when he heard a different commercial advertising pizza with five or six different kinds of meat. That’s pretty much just right up his alley!

Our dinner plans changed suddenly the other day, and I needed a quick but filling meal. I was in the mood for pizza and was reminded of my husband’s penchant for “meatitarian pizza”. I didn’t have 5 or 6 different kinds of meat in the house (not cooked ones, anyway) so I settled for a 3-meat pizza. It has 2 kinds of cheese, does that count?

Of course, there are at least a zillion different ways to make pizza, so any one recipe can be adapted to your desires and needs, but here’s the way I made it the other night. I should warn you, it has no tomato sauce because my DH cannot have it. Usually I use Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce or a white sauce, but this time I tried to recreate a garlic oil sauce we’ve had before. It goes better I think with a thin pizza, so if you go this route, either use half to three quarters of the pizza dough recipe or roll it out in a larger pan.


Meatitarian Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough (below)
1-2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP crushed garlic (I used about a teaspoon of garlic powder instead.)
dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 TBSP grated zucchini or yellow summer squash
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup browned hamburger meat
1/2 cup cubed or shredded chicken
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Spread the pizza dough in a circle on a pizza stone or cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Use a basting brush to evenly distribute olive oil on surface of crust. Evenly distribute garlic and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter the squash evenly and then top with cheeses and meats. Cook at for 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted.
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Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP honey
1 - 1 1/4 cups warm water

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in oil, honey and 1 cup of water. Add additional water as necessary to make a smooth, elastic dough. Let dough rest for about 10 minutes before baking. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

This is QUICK, especially if you have the cooked meats on hand. I had some browned beef in the freezer, as well as cooked bacon, and used a can of chicken as well. Other options would be sliced ham or crumbled sausage. The dough is quick, too, because you don’t have to worry about letting it rise.

This is EASY, even when you make your own pizza dough. Despite the use of yeast, there’s no proofing or rising involved, so it’s not in the least bit difficult. Use your food processor to shred the cheese in seconds.

It’s CHEAPer than ordering delivery, that’s for sure. It’s even cheaper than buying a pre-made crust and other pre-packaged ingredients. It’s a great way to use up leftover meats you may have taking up space in your fridge and freezer, in which case it’s even cheaper.

I tried my best to make it HEALTHY by using whole wheat and honey in the crust and adding in the squash. Most of you can add in other vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, and the like. Unfortunately, I cannot do that because of my DH’s diet.

Speaking of whom, he ate half the pizza in one sitting! I told you he was a meatitarian!!

7 Comments Filed Under: Bread, Dinner, On The Table Tagged With:

Story Time

November 14, 2009 By
Copyright Information:
 © 2006 Classroom Clipart/Photocatalogs. All rights reserved.

As a child in elementary school, I read a story that stuck with me about six blind men who all touch a different part of an elephant and come to different conclusions as to what exactly it is. In a way, they’re all right, and in a way, they’re all wrong.

One feels the leg and says it is a pillar.

Another feels the tail and says it is a rope.

One feels the trunk and says it is a tree.

Another feels the ear and says it is a fan.

One feels the tusk and says it is a pipe.

Another feels the belly and says it is a wall.

Because none of them could see it in its entirety, they can only determine the truth based on their limited perspective – the part they can touch, the part that makes sense to them.

It seems to me that diet and proper nutrition are a lot like the elephant in the story. Experts and individuals come to various conclusions based on their perspective, but very few people are looking at the whole elephant.

Some people look at fat and say it’s dangerous because it raises cholesterol and causes heart attacks, so they eat only reduced- or low- fat foods. What they forget is that fat is essential to the development and maintenance of their bodies: it provides energy; it controls inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development; it maintains healthy skin and hair; and it helps the body absorb a variety of vitamins.[1]


Others look at calories and insist that if you want to maintain a healthy weight, you need to reduce the amount of calories in your diet. That may be true, but these people are too narrow in their perspective: calories are not the only thing to consider when making healthy food choices. A 100-calorie snack bag ensures you don’t take in too many calories (IF you eat only one!), but is what you’re eating healthy? Does it benefit your body? Does it give you energy? Are there useful, easily absorbed vitamins and minerals in it? What about fiber? Protein? Yes, if you want to lose weight, you have to take in fewer calories than you expend, but be sure those calories are useful to the nourishment of your body.

Then there are people who look at sugar and insist it’s the enemy, so they replace it with substitutes like saccharine and sucralose. It’s true that too much sugar is bad for you, but sugar can be a part of a healthy diet, [2]especially rapadura (sucanat) or turbinado, both less refined sugars. [3] Furthermore, there are sweeteners, such as honey, molasses, and stevia, that actually have health benefits unlike refined sugar, which has absolutely no vitamins or minerals. Compare them to saccharine and sucralose, which are manufactured chemicals that your body is not prepared to digest properly, and have absolutely no nutritional benefits. Besides which, replacing healthy sweeteners with saccharine and sucralose usually causes people to feel they’re eating less, so then they allow themselves to eat more, and in the long run consume more calories than if they had simply gone with regular sugar (or other healthy sweetener) in the first place.[4]


What about those who look at carbohydrates? I know plenty of people who otherwise eat very healthily, who insist that carbohydrates, even complex carbohydrates, are bad for our bodies. Eliminating carbs may help you lose weight in the short run, but in the long run, it leaves out an entire group of nutrients that are beneficial and even necessary.[5]


Then there are those, like myself on occasion, who see the labels “natural” (meaning free of preservatives or other chemical additives) or “organic” (meaning free of pesticides) and assume that the food in question is therefore healthy. Natural and organic are good things, but if you’re talking about a package of cookies… they may be healthier, but they’re not healthy.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. It’s time to look at the WHOLE elephant. Our bodies need a wide variety of foods and eliminating one whole food group will eventually be detrimental to our health.

So what exactly does the whole elephant look like? Well, maybe my perspective has a blind side, too, but the best I can figure is to make sure every day has as close to the following as possible:

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: here’s one thing you can’t go wrong on! As long as you also get plenty of protein and fat, there’s no limit to the amount of fruits and vegetables you can eat in a day.

Healthy Fats: As long as you are not consuming more calories than you need in a day, it’s perfectly fine to enjoy fats such as whole milk, cream, butter and red meat. Of course, olive oil is always a good fat, but you may be surprised to learn that coconut oil is another good one. Be sure to avoid hydrogenated oils (trans fats) at all costs!

Protein: For myself, I know that if I don’t have protein regularly throughout the day, I quickly get hungry and shaky and weak. I have talked to many other people who say they experience the same thing. Clearly, protein is an essential element of every meal’s nutrition, and the best and most complete protein is found in animal products. Vegetarians need to be very careful that they consume the right combinations of legumes and grains to provide the complete proteins their bodies need.

Carbohydrates: I don’t think many people find it difficult to eat carbs: they’re often our favorite food group! The trick is to eat the right ones: whole grains, fruits, and starches such as rice and potato. Bad carbs are often white: white flour, refined white sugar, and white rice.

Sugar: Keep it minimal, but don’t eliminate it entirely. I use turbinado (rapadura/sucanat would be even better, but it’s not as easy for me to come by) as my granulated sugar (and I have recently started avoiding brown sugar and powdered sugar almost entirely), but prefer to use raw honey or maple syrup whenever possible. I’ve experimented some with stevia, but I’m not fond of the taste. At any rate, I try to keep my sweets (and remember, sugar hides in a lot of different foods!) to a minimum on any given day.

Natural and Organic: I try to buy natural and organic foods as often as is possible given my budget, but I understand those words are not always synonymous with healthy. Food in a box is still processed food and not the best choice for good health.

Calories: I keep track of my calories at SparkPeople, but I try to maintain a focus on the overall quality of the food I eat. Just because I stayed within my recommended calorie range doesn’t mean I ate the foods that I should have. Thankfully, SparkPeople also keeps track of fat, protein, fiber and a host of other nutrients so I can see quickly at a glance if I’m regularly deficient in any area.

Here’s my challenge to you: step back from the elephant and remove the blindfold. Get a fresh perspective and see what you’ve been missing in your diet lately.

[1] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002468.htm

[2] http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Sugar

Leave a Comment Filed Under: At Home, Health, Home

True Confessions of a Delinquent Housewife

November 11, 2009 By


True Confession #1: I have never hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner in my entire life. My family is just way too big and my apartment way too small.

True Confession #2: I have never (until this week) even cooked a turkey. What is the point, if you’re not hosting Thanksgiving Dinner?

True Confession #3: I was very scared to cook a turkey. I’m willing to tackle a lot of other culinary adventures, but this particular one always seemed so scary.

True Confession #4: I hate pulling out the neck and giblets. Blech!

True Confession #5: I have no idea how to carve a turkey. In fact, my father-in-law is the only person I know who really knows how to carve a turkey.

True Confession #6: I cooked a turkey for the first time this week and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! I know: crazy, right?

Well, I got to thinking: turkeys were $0.47/lb at the grocery store right down the street. There were other meats on sale this past week, but none of the deals were anywhere near as good as $0.47/lb! I could get a 12-lb bird for less than $6.00! All of a sudden I realized that was a much better deal than the Buy One Get One Free chicken breasts I was considering.

I was so unprepared for the whole turkey-cooking adventure that I didn’t even have a roaster pan, which I did not think about until after I bought it and brought it home. Thankfully, my mother-in-law has one and was more than happy to let me borrow it.

As it turned out, cooking a turkey is no big deal. I looked up a few recipes, and combined them based on what I had on hand and what I could use. In my quick research, I found an awesome tip for cooking a turkey that keeps it moist and juicy - to be honest, it was the best tasting, most moist turkey I’ve ever eaten so I’m never going to cook it another way. Read on and you will see what the trick was.

Note: It’s more of a procedure than a recipe, and the quantities and times change according to the size of turkey you have, so this is far from specific.

My First-Ever Turkey
12-lb turkey
olive oil
rosemary
sage
salt
pepper
1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed
celery seed
onion powder

To start with, defrost the turkey. I had mine in the refrigerator for 2 days and it still wasn’t thawed, so I finished up with the quick-defrost method which is to keep it in cold water, changing the water every half hour. This was a pain, because it tied up my sink all morning! I’m not going to do that next time.

Once the turkey is fully thawed, remove the neck and giblets. Dis. Gust. Ing. I was “eek”-ing the whole time, to the great amusement of my Certain Little Someone. At least I gave him a good laugh.

Place the turkey in the roasting pan and pre-heat the oven to 325F. Drizzle the olive oil all over the turkey:


Pull back the skin on the breast, and rub in the seasonings:


Toss the apple with the onion powder and celery seeds and place in the cavity. You can also use an actual onion and celery, but since my DH can’t eat those, I rarely have them in the house. Next time, I’ll probably plan ahead and use the real thing for added flavor.


Sprinkle the whole turkey with more rosemary and sage (or whatever seasonings you like). Place breast down (yes, I said BREAST DOWN! That’s the secret trick to a juicy turkey) in the roasting pan and cover.


Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and then carefully flip the turkey so that it is breast side up. You may need someone to help you, especially if your turkey is large. Place the turkey back in the oven, uncovered, and cook until done (180F internally).

This will definitely be the juiciest turkey you’ve ever cooked, trust me. The only problem is that the resulting turkey is not as pretty as a turkey cooked all the way breast up. For me, I’d rather have tasty turkey than beautiful turkey, but the choice is yours.

There is just no QUICK way to cook a turkey, just because of its size. Even the quick-thaw method takes a good chunk of time. The good thing, though, is that the actual prep (and flipping) is really the only hands-on time: the rest of the time you can just let it defrost in the fridge and cook in the oven while you are busy with other things.

Roasting a turkey is really very EASY. I was so scared of cooking one, and now that I’ve done it, I realize I’ve done a lot harder things in the kitchen before!

At this time of year, there’s nothing CHEAPer than a turkey! I paid just over $6.00, and out of that we got:
~Dinner for 3 people
~Lunch for 3 people
~Turkey Macaroni Bake the next night
~several pounds in the freezer for future use
~turkey stock

As for HEALTHY, turkey is famous for its tryptophans, which most people associate with their sleep-inducing properties. However, tryptophans are actually important amino acids that aid in the forming of cancer-fighting T cells. Tryptophan also improves your mood.


Do you notice anything weird on this turkey? Like a feather?
Yeah, a feather. On my DEAD turkey. Once again: Dis. Gust. Ing.

2 Comments Filed Under: Dinner, Home, On The Table Tagged With:

It’s Official!

November 6, 2009 By
Sorry, this picture won’t orient itself properly
like a good picture should. Just look at it sideways, lol. 
Christmas season has begun! It’s official because I saw it on Facebook, and of course, we know that everything on Facebook is true. Well, at any rate, it IS true that Starbucks has begun serving their Christmas drinks (you know… gingerbread latte, eggnog latte, and the overwhelming favorite, peppermint mocha), and it IS true that they posted it on Facebook, and it IS true that Christmas season is here. Why else would I be listening to Christmas music, I ask you? 

So to help you kick off the Christmas season, I bring you: Peppermint Mocha. No reason to spend half your Christmas shopping budget on the sweet treat at Starbucks when you can make it yourself for a fraction of the cost.

Cheap Peppermint Mocha
2 individual peppermint hot chocolate pods
3/4 cup brewed coffee
3/4 cup milk
2 peppermint candies, divided
whipped cream, optional

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt the hot chocolate pods in the coffee and milk. Crush the peppermint candies and melt half in the mocha mixture. When chocolate is completely melted and mocha is hot, pour into a cup and top with whipping cream and the remainder of the crushed peppermint.

That was super QUICK: at least as quick as getting it from Starbucks!

Super EASY, too, what with the hot chocolate pods and the peppermint flavoring already in them.

Waaaaaaay CHEAPer than Starbucks, that is for sure. It’s even cheaper than McDonald’s mocha!

It’s HEALTHY-er than buying it at Starbucks or another coffee shop, since they usually use syrups with artificial flavoring and fake whipped cream. Nothing fake here, although you definitely have to consider the calorie count - it’s definitely a treat you need to consider in your daily calorie consumption.


This post is part of Life as Mom‘s Frugal Friday carnival.

2 Comments Filed Under: Beverages, On The Table Tagged With:

Less is More

November 5, 2009 By

Sounds contradictory, but it’s true. Come to think of it, the same could be said about a lot of things in life. But this adage - “Less is More” - is one that holds very true for me, in a lot of different areas of life:

In conversation: oh yeah, definitely better to hold back! Less is more.

Or in home decor: gaudy and/or cluttered are totally not my thing! Less is more, at least for me.

In personal style: I like to think of myself as classic (plain Jane?). Less is more.

Oh, and let’s not forget that little thing called “Weight”. Yep, definitely, less is more.

In fact, I can only think of one instance where it doesn’t fit, and that’s chocolate. Oh, and maybe coffee, too, but I definitely have my limits there. No, on second thought, chocolate’s the only thing - at least the only tangible thing - where more is more.

I especially feel strongly that less is more when it comes to sugar: you’ve probably noticed that if you’ve read any of my blog posts. I try to limit sugar as much as possible because it’s good for my health… and my waistline! A long time ago, I found a little chart that shows the minimum amount of sugar per cup of flour you need in various baked goods. I was surprised to see on the chart that quick breads and muffins only need 1 (yes, ONE) TBSP of sugar per cup of flour. Almost every quick bread recipe I find calls for scads and scads of sugar, so I admit I was extremely skeptical about that whole idea. However, the rest of the chart has been very accurate (Except in the case of brownies - my DH doesn’t like my brownies because I have reduced the amount of sugar in them. I actually like them because they have a stronger chocolate taste… which, actually, is the exact reason why he does NOT like them!) in all my baking endeavors, so I really have no reason to mistrust it in this instance.

My skepticism was rooted so deep that it has taken me several years to actually put it to the test. I had some bananas that fell out of their peels (long story) so I needed to cook them up into something, and the only something I was in the mood for was banana bread. The recipe I used called for 2/3 cup of sugar, which isn’t exactly scads and scads, but I still felt like it was excessive. I’ve been counting my calories and exercising regularly lately, and I didn’t want to ruin all my hard work with too much sugar!

So I finally did it! I made a quick bread using only 1 TBSP of sugar per cup of flour! Actually, I used 1 TBSP of honey and 1 TBSP of sugar, but I still stuck to the basic principle. I have to admit I was mildly disappointed with my first bite - it wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting (duh!). But as I took another bite, and another… I discovered that I was actually tasting banana bread: not sugar bread, but banana bread. The smaller amount of sugar actually allowed the flavor of the bread to shine through instead of drowning it out in sweetness. The subtle sweetness of the bananas themselves also added to the flavor. The real test came, though, when my DH ate a slice. Remember, he does not like me messing with the sugar content of brownies! In fact, he doesn’t really like me messing with the sugar content of anything: the sweeter, the better (to him, Less is definitely NOT More!). Do you know what? He said, with absolutely no prompting from me, that the banana bread was very good. And he proceeded to eat 2 big slices. He never guessed that I reduced the sugar.

Success!!

I dare you to try it. See for yourself if less really is more.

Less is More Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 or 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP sugar (or use 2 TBSP sugar and skip the honey)
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix together the butter, eggs, bananas, yogurt, honey and sugar until blended. The mixture will be rather lumpy; that’s OK. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then stir them into the banana mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 or 10 minutes, then carefully remove bread from the pan.

Wow, that was QUICK, wasn’t it? Mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, throw them together, bake it, done. The whole thing finished in an hour or less.

EASY, too. Even a beginner cook can handle a basic quick bread like this.

Yes, and CHEAP, especially when you consider you’re salvaging what would otherwise go into the trash (over-ripe bananas). And, since you’re using less sugar than you would normally, your’e saving money there, too.

Because of the reduced sugar and the use of yogurt and whole wheat flour, this banana bread recipe is HEALTHY, too. In fact, I can eat it for breakfast without a twinge in my conscience!

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Blessed are the Flexible…

November 3, 2009 By

… For they shall never be bent out of shape. Nope, you won’t find that in the Bible anywhere, but there’s some truth to it. Life is full of twists and turns and if we don’t learn to bend with them, we’ll end up breaking in pieces. Growing up, “flexibility” was one of the most commonly used catch-phrases in my family, right up there with obedience and respect. It might not seem worthy of such stature, but it’s actually necessary with a large family like mine. You have to learn to go with the flow or you’ll be left on your own in the dark!

So I’ve learned some flexibility in my time (could definitely use a little more, for sure), and I like recipes that can be flexible, too. Don’t have XYZ ingredient? No problem; use ABC instead. Going to a down-home country-style potluck? It’ll fit right in. Having guests for a fancy dinner party and need some hors d’oeuvres (Why do we feel like we need to speak French when anything is fancy, by the way? Where does that come from?)? Got it!

Here’s one of those recipes that can morph to be whatever you want it to be for whatever occasion you require. And no matter, how you make it, it will be delicious! That’s what I call flexible!

We’ll start with the kind that’s featured in the pictures, then I’ll show you how you can change it up in a million (at least) different ways.

Flexible Toasty Melts
6 slices of bread
1 cup shredded cooked turkey
2 TBSP Ranch dressing
1 TBSP pickle relish
1/2 tsp dill
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP soft goat cheese, crumbled
1 TBSP shredded parmesan

Place the bread slices on a cookie sheet (baking stones also work well). In a medium bowl, mix the turkey meat, dressing, relish, dill, salt and pepper until well blended. Divide the turkey mixture evenly between the slices of bread and spread to cover the surface of the bread. Top with the crumbled goat cheese and shredded Parmesan. Cook in a 350F oven for about 8 minutes or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.

Now here’s how you can change it up:

Bread
~Use any type of bread you have on hand. It’s even better if it’s slightly stale. I used rye bread for this particular occasion, but you can use slices of regular sandwich bread, English muffins, bagels, or even biscuits. For a fancier occasion, create a canape by using small slices of toasted breads. You can make your own, or purchase them at the grocery store.

Meat
~Turkey is definitely not the only option. Chicken is an obvious substitute, tuna and salmon work well also. For more of a down-home style, try a thick hamburger or sausage gravy. For breakfast, you can even use scrambled eggs.

Dressing
~I didn’t have yogurt on hand the day I made these, so I used the Ranch dressing, but usually I use 3 TBSP of plain yogurt. You can combine the yogurt and the Ranch dressing as well. Mayonnaise is another possibility to maintain the creamy texture, but it doesn’t even have to be creamy: olive oil and lemon juice make a great dressing also, and are very flavorful. For a more elegant approach, try red wine or balsamic vinegar.

Seasonings
~I almost always use the dill and pickle relish approach, but other seasonings work just as well. In fact, the spice mixtures sold at the grocery store are perfect for this type of dish (for example, Garlic & Herb or Lemon Pepper). Go for Italian with a mixture of basil and oregano, or try spicy with red pepper, garlic and cumin.

Cheese
~Seriously, you can use whatever cheese you have on hand to make these. Certainly, it depends somewhat on the other ingredients you use, but by and large, you can’t go wrong with the cheese. I often use cheddar or mozzarrella, but I’ve used provolone too. It all depends on the occasion, the purpose and what you have in your refrigerator. The goat cheese and parmesan are more elegant, but grated cheddar is great for an at-home meal.

Other Add-Ins
~It doesn’t end here: you can add in whatever you want to make it even tastier and/or healthier. I like to increase the produce content by adding in shredded zucchini, carrots or apple. You could also add in tiny chopped up vegetables, such as broccoli, peppers and tomatos. Chopped nuts, seasoned or unseasoned, also make a nice addition.

If you want to make it extra special, top it off with some freshly ground black pepper, a dash of paprika, or parsley. Fresh-cut herbs of almost any kind make a nice garnish, or you can slice up cherry tomatoes or boiled eggs.

See what I mean? The possibilities are endless.

The best part is, it’s QUICK, especially if you don’t have to cook the meat. Whenever I cook up a whole chicken or turkey breast, I save some meat and freeze it for quick meals like this. I do the same with ground beef/chicken/turkey: I make extra and freeze it to pull out when I need it. Cans of tuna, chicken and salmon (even crab or shrimp) can also be used for this recipe.

So EASY, a monkey could do it. And you are MUCH more intelligent than a monkey, so it should be a no-brainer for you.

Using up leftovers? CHEAP! A few tablespoons of dressing, a bit of cheese, leftover bread and meat? Definitely cheap.

HEALTHY, too, depending on what you put in it. Please, no processed cheese food, please. No lunchmeat, either: definitely not healthy. Bread made with whole grains and no high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils is best. Add some vegetables to the mix and you’ve practically got a whole meal in your hand.

And now just for fun: Stephanie at The Silly Nutrition Undergrad passed along this “Over the Top” award to me. Thanks, Stephanie! I’m thrilled you like my blog! (By the way, you should check out her blog; great recipes there!) According to the rules of this award, I need to pass it on to 6 of my favorite blogs, and also answer the following questions with just one word. Let’s do the easy part first:

. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your hair? Fine
3. Your mother? Far
4. Your father? Bald
5. Your favorite food? Pasta
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. Your dream/goal? Excellence
9. What room are you in? Dining
10. Your hobby? Lots
11. Your fear? Future
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Family
13. Where were you last night? Here
14. Something that you aren’t? Gorgeous
15. Muffins? Nothankyou
16. Wish list item? House
17. Where did you grow up? Maryland
18. Last thing you did? Bake
19. What are you wearing? Shirt
20. Your TV? Adequate
21. Your pets? None
22. Friends? Wonderful
23. Your life? Contented
24. Your mood? Relaxed
25. Missing someone? Husband
26. Vehicle? Cruiser
27. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
28. Your favorite store? Superfresh
29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When was the last time you laughed? Earlier
31. Last time you cried? Recently
32. Your best friend? Husband
33. One place that I go to over and over? Church
34. One person who emails me regularly? Family
35. Favorite place to eat? Out!

As for 6 of my favorite blogs, that’s the hard part. There are so many wonderful blogs out there, it’s hard to choose some of the best! If I haven’t mentioned a blog, it’s not because I don’t like it: it’s because I could only choose six!!

1. Life as Mom is probably the blog I visit most often. “FishMama” does a great job of covering all the ground SAHM’s like me go over every day, in a relevant and very real way.

2. I like to read Heavenly Homemakers because Laura, the blogger, is just so funny. I always get a good laugh when I read her blogs, even about the most mundane thing.

3. Feeding Little Foodies is a great site for moms of little ones: Mama Milieu shows you how easy it is to fix healthy, natural foods for infants and toddlers. I’ve found some great recipes for my Certain Little Someone there.

4. Kitchen Stewardship’s stated focus is a lot like mine: to find the balance between nutrition, environment, time, money and faith. I had a lot of fun joining in for a couple weeks of her October Super Foods Carnival.

5. Money Saving Mom has probably gotten one of these awards before (they’ve been circulating the net for a while now), because really: it’s over the top! There’s so much information every day about great deals on food, toiletries, household items, clothing and more. She also has lots of information about making money online and how to blog successfully. So much info I’ll never work through it all!

6. I like Cuizoo because not only does it have healthy foods (and her concept of healthy coincides with my own “philosophy of healthy” which you’ll find on the sidebar), it has some allergy-conscious recipes as well, which is nice, considering my Certain Little Someone’s multiple food allergies.

1 Comment Filed Under: Dinner, Home, Lunch, On The Table Tagged With:

You Know it’s Autumn When…

November 2, 2009 By

…you eat pumpkin at every meal. Or practically every meal. That’s what it’s been like around here lately, not that I’m complaining! I love pumpkin. And I will miss it when it’s gone for the winter… sniff sniff.

Pumpkin is definitely not reserved for pumpkin pies anymore. It seems like every year, people discover new things they can do with pumpkins: muffins, waffles, pancakes, pies, custard, pudding, mousse, the list goes on and on. You may have noticed most items on that list were desserts, but pumpkin is not even reserved for the dessert tray anymore. It has become the featured star in a number of entrees and side dishes for the dinner table.

Because of my DH’s colitis, he cannot have any highly acidic foods, including tomatoes and tomato sauce. (On a side note, he can have ketchup, which is odd, but I guess that’s because the life has been boiled out of the poor tomato by the time it becomes ketchup!) As you can imagine, that eliminates a lot of Italian food, especially that standard busy-mom classic: spaghetti. Nope, no spaghetti around here. When we have pasta, I have to get creative with sauces, which is actually not a bad thing, because I like to be creative.

So when I found this recipe for pumpkin pasta sauce in my January 2009 Woman’s Day, I was super excited! I was skeptical, to be honest, but variations of Alfredo sauce get old and I was ready to try something new. I was mostly nervous that my DH would hate it, but fortunately, that fear did not come true: he actually loved it! The first time I made it almost exactly as the recipe requires, including the sausage, the sugar and the sweet spices (the alliteration was not intentional, by the way!). I left out the broccoli because that is yet one more thing DH cannot have, but it was great anyway.

This time around, I did not have sausage and I wanted the pasta to be a side dish, not the main meal. So I eliminated the sausage, sugar and sweet spices (there goes that alliteration again) and made it a savory pumpkin sauce instead. Can I just say: YUM! My DH even said that it reminded him of mac ‘n’ cheese, which, as my sister says, is high praise from him, seeing that mac ‘n’ cheese is pretty much his all-time favorite food ever. Even though I used fresh pureed pumpkin, it wasn’t a real strong flavor, which is good if you’re not a huge pumpkin fan. The dish basically tasted like creamy noodles with a slightly spicy flavor.

Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
1 lb pasta noodles (I used elbow macaroni; any short sturdy noodle will work)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of paprika
1 TBSP freshly grated parmesan

Cook the pasta noodles according to the directions on the package. While the noodles are boiling, mix heavy cream, whole milk (you can use 1 1/4 cups half and half to replace those two ingredients) and pumpkin in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth, and bring to a boil, stirring often so the milk doesn’t burn. Allow to simmer for several minutes, stirring often, until mixture is slightly thickened. Add spices and stir to blend well. Drain noodles and dump them into a serving bowl. Pour sauce over noodles and stir to cover them completely. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over noodles and serve.

Optional: Because I was using fresh pumpkin and it was still somewhat stringy, I put the sauce in the blender and pulsed it a few times before mixing it with the noodles. If you’re using canned pumpkin, this step is unnecessary, although I did find that it made the sauce thicker and creamier.

Also, you can adjust the amount of spices to your taste: I have to be careful, again because of my DH, but if you like things a little spicier, by all means, spice it up!

This is one of the QUICKest of QUICK recipes! I know sometimes my idea of “quick” isn’t the same as someone else’s, but I dont’ think anyone will quibble with me over this one! It’s pretty much just as fast as heating up a jar of spaghetti sauce - and much tastier, too!

This is even EASY-er than a white sauce or the mock Alfredo sauce I often make (I’ll have to blog about that recipe one of these days). Dump in the pan, mix and heat: easy!

CHEAP, more or less. Here’s what I paid for mine:
1/2 cup of heavy cream @ $2.85/quart: $0.35
3/4 cup whole milk @ $2.99/half-gallon: $0.28
1 cup of pumpkin @ $1.50/whole pumpkin: $0.75
1 box pasta @ I have no idea how much I spent, let’s say: $0.75 (I try to pay less than $1)
TOTAL: $2.13 (not including spices)
Not bad, especially since one whole box of pasta feeds us for several meals!

Pumpkin is a super-food, so yes, this recipe is very HEALTHY. Even the heavy cream and whole milk are healthy! As long as you’re not taking in too many calories throughout the day, fats like this are not going to make you fat.

3 Comments Filed Under: Dinner, Home, On The Table Tagged With: ,

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