Shrimp Scampi and Crunchy Herbed Breadsticks

 I made shrimp scampi for supper tonight using some techniques that I recently saw on a cooking show. Instead of using peeled shrimp, I bought large shrimp in their shells, with tails. After peeling the shrimp, I sautéed the shells, some chopped onion and celery in a little olive oil for a few minutes, until the shells were pink and fragrant and the veggies were wilted. Then I covered them with water, added a bay leaf and some peppercorns and salt, and brought it all to a boil. I simmered the broth for about 20-30 minutes, then strained it and set it aside to use for poaching my shrimp scampi. I've made shrimp scampi many times before, but this batch was the most flavorful I've ever made!

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

12 oz. large shrimp
2-3 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
about 2 cups shrimp stock
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked spaghetti

Melt butter in skillet and add garlic and basil. Cook 1 minute. Add broth, shrimp, parsley and season to taste. Cover and cook until shrimp is opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir cornstarch into lemon juice and add to skillet. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add drained spaghetti and stir until well coated.

***

I also had some leftover sourdough bread, so I decided to make some crunchy breadsticks to go with the scampi. I sliced the bread about 1" thick, then sliced it into 1/2" strips. I melted a half stick of butter in a large skillet and sautéed about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, about 1 teaspoon of dried basil and salt (to taste). I added the bread to the skillet and turned each strip until all sides were coated in the herbed butter. I then placed the strips on a baking sheet and baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, turning the breadsticks every few minutes, until golden brown. They were SO tasty and crunchy...like fresh herbed croutons, only bigger. 

It's amazing what you can do with leftovers and scraps!

Easy Salad Idea

I love salad! However…I do not particularly like to make salad.

I recently had a jar of leftover Giardiniera veggies from a recipe that I had tried. I wanted a salad with my meal, but didn’t feel like chopping and dicing. So I pulled out a handful of baby spinach (my go-to for salads) and topped it with some of the pickled veggies. It was great! I have used them with my salad every since. I decided to look online to see if I could find a recipe to make my own and came across this one. Since I have a sweet tooth, I made the sweet variety. I’ll have to try to hot one another time. They also make a tasty and healthy snack or side dish.

Basic Giardiniera Vegetables (from Food.com)

·        1 pound Italian green olives, crushed (I didn’t add this to mine)

·        1 large yellow onion, sliced (or 1 cup tiny pearl onions, peeled)

·        1 garlic clove, sliced thin

·        2 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally

·        1 stalk celery, sliced diagonally

·        2 cups cauliflower, chopped into chunks

·        1 cup broccoli florets, (omit in hot version)

·        1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks

·        ¼ cup hot pepper (or to taste for hot version) – I diced 1 mild jalapeno and put it in mine

Sweet Variation

·        ½ cup white vinegar or dry white wine

·        ½ cup water

·        ¼ cup sugar

·        2 tsp. salt

·        6 peppercorns

·        1 Tbsp. dried dill weed

Hot Variation

·        1 cup water

·        1 cup white vinegar

·        1 Tbsp. salt

Directions for Sweet:

·        Combine all ingredients and refrigerate in a clean, tightly closed glass container for 2 days.

Directions for Hot:

·        Combine water, vinegar and salt and boil for about a minute.

·        Pour hot liquid over vegetables, leaving ¼” head space and cover.

·        Allow to pickle in a cool place for 2-3 weeks before using.

 

 

Sourdough Biscuits

 As I was preparing dinner today, I decided to go ahead and feed my sourdough starter. I hate to throw away the discard, so I made a last minute decision to bake some sourdough biscuits. This recipe is so quick and easy and tastes delicious...Dennis says it is his favorite sourdough recipe of all time! I substituted self-rising flour, since Dennis accidentally bought a sack of it back when flour was almost impossible to get. Within 30 minutes, I had some hot, made from scratch biscuits to go with our meatloaf and potatoes. This recipe can easily be reduced. I made 3/4 recipe, but could have gotten by making only 1/2. The biscuits are large and filling!

BUTTERY SOURDOUGH BISCUITS

Ingredients:

1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (or use 1 cup self-rising flour and omit salt and baking powder)

2 teaspoons baking powder 

3/4 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter 

1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard* 

*See "tips," below.

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 425°F, with a rack in the upper third. Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment. 

2.Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly. (I normally do this by hand with a pastry cutter. To save time, I just mixed it with my KitchenAid and the paddle attachment and it did just as well!)

3.Add the starter, mixing gently until the dough is cohesive. 

4.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (a piece of parchment works well), and gently pat it into a 1"-thick round. 

5.Use a sharp 2 3/8" biscuit cutter to cut rounds, cutting them as close to one another as possible. Pat any scraps together, and cut additional biscuits. (Also to save time, I just patted the dough into a rectangle and used a scraper to cut into squares.)

6.Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2" between them; they'll spread as they bake. 

7.Bake the biscuits in the upper third of your oven for 20 to 23 minutes, until they're golden brown. 

8.Remove the biscuits from the oven, and serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature for several days. Freeze, well-wrapped, for longer storage. 

9.Yield: 6 large (3") biscuits. 

Tips:

Sourdough starters can vary in how liquid they are. If your biscuit dough seems very dry, dribble in a bit of milk or buttermilk until it comes together.

Feel free to make smaller biscuits, if desired; they'll need slightly less time in the oven than the larger biscuits.

A Quick and Easy Dinner Idea

Dennis and I have discovered a good low-carb supper that we really enjoy…a charcuterie board. Of course, they have long been a staple at parties, but I never thought to do one for just the two of us until I read about someone doing it with their family. Since Dennis has to really limit his carbs in the evening, I have struggled with good light dinner ideas. I like variety! And there are just so many ways to fix meat and vegetables without using potatoes, pasta or rice. So we’ve started doing this about once a week and love it! Of course, Dennis is predictable: smoked turkey and cheddar cheese and olives. I also include raw veggies, which we are eating a LOT of these days. (I am SO thankful for baby carrots and sugar snap peas!) I try to include a couple of different kind of cheeses for myself, plus some good sliced ham and maybe some turkey pepperoni. I’m happy with a little honey mustard to dip it all in. (Dennis prefers his plain. Surprise, surprise!) Another bonus is that the clean-up is quick and easy!

What different kinds of meals are you serving since we are spending more time in the kitchen?

Never too late to learn!

After literally years of ignoring the kitchen tip of saving vegetable scraps for making broth, I finally decided to try it a couple of months ago. After filling a gallon ziploc bag that I kept in the freezer, I boiled the scraps (adding some extra onion and garlic) and used the broth to make my Italian Chicken and Veggie Soup. The soup is super flavorful already, but it was even better using the homemade broth!

After another few weeks of saving my scraps, I took them out this morning and boiled them with just an added clove of garlic. After about an hour, I added some frozen chicken thighs and continued cooking until the chicken was tender. I strained the broth, cut up the chicken and added it back in, then chopped some yellow squash, green onions and spinach to add to the broth. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, cumin and green chili powder and cooked about 20-30 minutes. It made a wonderful chicken tortilla soup! I will definitely keep up with this handy tip. The broth is better than store-bought and doesn't cost a thing!

If you want to try my Italian Chicken and Veggie Soup, here is the link to the recipe:
https://strivingtobeatitus2woman.blogspot.com/2013/02/ninth-place-on-my-most-prepared-meal.html

For my Chicken Tortilla Soup:
https://strivingtobeatitus2woman.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-light-healthy-lunch-idea.html

I vary both recipes according to what I have on hand and what mood I'm in. Sometimes I don't want anything tomato based, and the Chicken Tortilla Soup is delicious without the tomatoes. The squash is the star of the show in this recipe!

Happy Cooking!

Product recommendations

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon when something new comes out. It took me a long time before I decided to buy an Instant Pot. It was after Sheila and Mandy had talked about how much they enjoyed theirs, and Crystal H. posted that they were on a good sale that I decided to get one. It is now one of my most used small kitchen appliances! I love how you can use it to saute, slow cook AND pressure cook. Plus it is great for making yogurt. It is also supposed to be good for proofing bread, although I haven't tried that yet. I love an appliance that is so versatile! The main thing with the Instant Pot is getting over your nervousness about using it and just dive right in. The internet has a ton of recipe ideas for it! I subscribe to one blog that is dedicated to cooking with Instant Pots. She has a lot of helpful hints and well as recipes for pretty much everything! If you want to check out her blog, here's the link: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/category/cooking-method/instant-pot/.

The one small appliance that I resisted buying the longest, though, is a vacuum sealer. I can kick myself for putting it off! I finally bought one around the first of this year, and I use it pretty much everyday! I'm either sealing up leftovers for putting them in the freezer or heating up something in them that I had previously frozen. Cooking for two means we have a lot of leftovers! Dennis has never been a big fan of eating leftovers, which is weird to me. He is one of the most boring eaters I know. He has a few things that he really likes and will eat them every day if given the chance (grilled cheese sandwiches, fried eggs, tacos or enchiladas to name a few). But if I cook something for supper, he doesn't want to eat it again for a week or more. So my vacuum sealer saves the day (or the food)!

I have also been preserving the fish that Dennis has been bringing home using my vacuum sealer. I have yet to cook any of the fish, since he is bringing home a mess every week right now. I'm cooking a batch and freezing the rest. The bags hold 2 bream each, which is about a serving for us. So when I am ready to use them, I'll just take out what I need to thaw. They ought to thaw quickly too, since they are a single layer. SO much better than the blocks of ice that we used to freeze fish in! (Those things would take all day to thaw!)

The thing that I really enjoy about it is that one day every week (sometimes two), I just rummage through my leftover basket in the freezer to find something for supper and heat it in a pot of boiling water. Super simple meal! No big mess to clean up either!

So if any of you are worse than I am about putting off buying kitchen gadgets, I really recommend that you get a vacuum sealer! I don't think you'll regret it.

We need to be more like Granny

You hear a lot of complaining these days about having to prepare all of our meals at home and not being able to get out and “do” things. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been guilty of it, as well. Then when I think about my Granny, I feel ashamed of myself and our society as a whole.

Granny ALWAYS fixed three meals a day. She and Granddaddy just didn’t go out to eat. Every great once in a while, they might go get a hamburger. Occasionally, one of their kids would take them out to eat Mexican food or fried catfish. But I’m talking less than a half-dozen times a year, total! Not only did Granny prepare all of their meals, she always washed AND DRIED dishes after every meal. No letting the dishes air-dry for her! She dried and put away every dish. Then she took the rinse water, which was collected in a plastic (at least in my time) dish pan, and watered her flower beds with it.

Granny never learned to drive. So, if she needed something from the grocery store (which was about a mile from her house), she either had to wait for Granddaddy to take her after work or walk. Needless to say, she made the most of her shopping trips. Other than that and going to church 3 times a week, she didn’t get out much…unless someone was needing to be taken care of (like us when Momma was sick and in the hospital). She didn’t really have much time for getting out anyway. She was busy keeping house, mowing the grass (pretty much for the whole block), tending to her garden, taking in ironing, taking care of grandkids and/or the two foster children she took in. In her “free” time, she was sitting at the kitchen table or telephone desk, with her magnifying glass in one hand and her bible in the other. (She did like to listen to “Swap Shop” on the radio while she ironed!)

I spent a lot of time with Granny. As I mentioned, she often came to take care of us when we were younger and Momma was down. I spent as much time as I could in the summertime at her house. Plus every holiday was spent there…along with all of the other cousins and aunts and uncles. In all of that time, I can’t ever remember her complaining about having to cook all of the time or about not being able to get out and around.

Even though Granny was special to all of our family, she was pretty typical for women in her generation. They worked long hard hours and stayed at home most of the time. They lived for serving others…their families, in particular. They exemplified the Proverbs 31 woman. Even though “times have changed”, people still have the same basic needs and wants. Society may have convinced us that we deserve more out of life than our grandmothers (or great-grandmothers) had, but do we really? Is it really so bad to stay home and take care of our families? Do we really need to spend so much of our time on entertainment and other pastimes? Do we really need to be served, rather than serving others?

This was just running through my mind today as I was cleaning up the kitchen after lunch. Thought I’d share it for your perusal. As Ricky would say, “Take it or leave it. It’s your life. Do what you want.”

Cooking 201

I’ve recently gotten into food shows:  not so much the competitions, but the ones that are more instructional. I’m always on the lookout for ideas for meal planning and techniques for cooking. I am NOT a creative cook. I’ve always depended on a good recipe, and just tweaked it as needed to satisfy my family. However, after watching some of these shows, I feel my creative juices start to flow (at least a little).

I also have a tendency to be an unenergetic cook. I really do prefer most food when it is prepared from scratch (although there are some convenience products that are VERY good!). But I don’t always want to go to the effort. Watching these shows reinforces how much better good food that is prepared using good ingredients is than most prepackaged or frozen foods. I also got a lesson, first hand, while recently cooking for Ricky during his low-iodine diet. I made all of his bread from scratch…even hamburger buns and tortillas. I’ve since decided that homemade tortillas are definitely worth the effort! They are SO much better than store bought. I’ve also learned to really enjoy and use my bread machine a lot!

I’ve also been doing some experimenting on some of our old “tried and true” meals. I’ve been trying to use less canned tomatoes and tomato sauce to help with acid reflux. We happen to eat a LOT of meals that include these! I’ve experimented with spaghetti by making a couple of different white sauces (which taste fine, but don’t taste like spaghetti at all) and making an “al fresco” version (which we all really liked, even though Dennis still prefers the traditional marinara type sauce). When I do homemade pizza (which is one meal that I’ve made from scratch for 42 years, because it is definitely worth it!), I’ve started doing one traditional and one white pizza. I think I like it as much as regular, and I LOVE pizza! One thing that I’ve been learning is that fresh ingredients really do make a huge difference.

Something else that I’ve noticed along the way…whenever I’ve been asked in the past if I enjoy cooking, I’ve always answered that I enjoy feeding people…and I do. I love to cook for my family and friends! It has never been the cooking process that I’ve found enjoyable, though. What I’ve always loved is making people happy through good food. As I learn to be more creative and try new techniques, however, I am also learning to enjoy the process more. I don’t just love to feed people anymore, I love to cook!

Don’t get the wrong idea, though. I still enjoy eating out and doing quick and easy meals at times. Even though I enjoy cooking, I DON’T enjoy the inevitable clean-up that follows. (And the more “from scratch” that you prepare, the more clean-up there is!) We actually eat out more now than we ever have (except for when we were busy remodeling)…mostly at lunchtime. But I really enjoy having people around to try new and fun recipes out on. Dennis isn’t exactly an adventurous eater, so having others over gives me more excuses to try new things. I’m really loving having Sheila’s family over. Matt and Caleb are both GREAT to cook for! They love “adventurous food” and they make you feel like a 5 star chef with their compliments.

So what is the purpose of this post? I’m hoping it will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Besides food shows, there are an endless supply of cooking videos on YouTube. Try out different ethnic foods; try different methods of cooking old favorites; be adventurous! You might discover that you enjoy cooking more than you realized…like I did.

A Light, Healthy Lunch Idea

I haven’t posted on here in a while, so I decided to share a recipe with you today. With our new eating habits, I am cooking a LOT more! Rather than our usual sandwiches for lunch, I’m making soup on a regular basis. It is a great way to pack in extra veggies, and Nam loves it!

Our family loves Mexican food, so we usually go to our local Pulidos when we eat out. Since Mexican food is pretty heavy and not diet-friendly, I’ve been ordering their chicken tortilla soup. It is very tasty and is a good, healthy alternative. I decided to try to come up with something similar. We were all pleased with the results, so I thought someone else might want to give it a try.

Chicken Tortilla Soup – serves 4-5

3-4 chicken tenderloins, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin

½ medium onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

1 quart chicken broth

½ can crushed tomatoes

1 small calabacita squash, cut lengthwise in fourths and then sliced (can substitute zucchini)

1 small yellow squash, cut lengthwise in fourths and then sliced

1 tsp. cumin

¼ - ½ tsp. Creole seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with grated cheese and crushed tortilla chips (avocados would also be great in this)

Melt butter (or heat oil) in soup pot. Add onions and chicken and saute until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Add garlic and cook one minute, stirring. Add broth, tomatoes, squashes and seasonings. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and crushed chips.

Enjoy!

Let's round this thing up!

Well, I've finally come to the end of this segment.  (Whew!  Aren't you relieved?!)  Tenth place on my list was a 5-way tie…and all were chicken!  CrockPot Rotisserie Chicken is a good alternative (especially during hot weather) for the Sittin’ Up Chicken that we love so much.  I use the same spice/herb mixture to coat the chicken, put it in my crockpot (that has been sprayed with Pam), cover and set on low (no need to add any liquid).  It produces tender, moist, tasty chicken for dinner, plus provides leftovers for another dish later in the week.  You don’t get the good, crispy skin, which the young’uns really like, which is why I relegate this recipe for days that I don’t want to heat up the house by running the oven.  It is also handy when I'm going to be gone all day. 

I make my Chicken Fajitas using chicken tenderloins (regular size breasts are way too big nowadays!).  I buy them frozen in the 3-pound bag and keep them on hand all the time.  They are SO versatile!  In warm weather we cook them out on the grill, but they can also be cooked up quickly in my George Foreman grill, or stir-fried.  As a special treat, I sometimes substitute jumbo shrimp.  Um mmm!

Chicken Chardon is another fairly new recipe.  It is easy to throw together and cooks up moist and tender.

Chicken Chardon

8 Chicken breasts or tenders

egg

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. chopped fresh (or 1/2 tsp. dried) parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder.  In a separate dish, mix bread crumbs with another teaspoon of garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Mix together melted butter with lemon juice.  Pour 2/3 of the butter mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Spread mushrooms in an even layer in the bottom of the dish.  Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture.  Place on top of the mushrooms.  Drizzle remaining butter over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear.

*     *     *

Fantasy Crepes are an old favorite recipe that uses leftover chicken.  Mushrooms and green onions are sautéed in butter, then chicken and grated cheddar cheese are added, and the resulting mixture is rolled up into crepes and baked.  This meal requires a bit more time and effort, but it is well worth it!

Fantasy Crepes
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
*******
2 cups (1/4 lb) mushroom slices
1/4 cup sliced green onion

 11/4 cup butter

3 Tbsp. flour

salt and pepper

1 cup milk

2- 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1- 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced

Combine first 4 ingredients and beat until smooth.  Let stand 30 minutes.  For each crepe, pour 1/4 cup batter into a hot, lightly greased 8" skillet (non-stick is preferred).  Cook until underside is lightly browned and top looks dry.  Remove and set aside to cool.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Saute mushrooms and onions in butter; blend in flour and seasonings.  Gradually add milk; cook, stirring until thickened.  Add 1- 1/2 cups cheese, stir until melted.  Stir in chicken. 

Fill each crepe with 1/4 cups mixture; roll up.  Place in 11x7" baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese; bake until melted.

*     *     *

I have experimented with many stir-fry dishes over the years and have finally settled on my favorite:  Chicken Fried Rice.  Most of the work is in the prep, then everything is stir-fried at the last minute.  It is a good one-pan meal!  (Actually it takes 2 pans, since the rice has to be precooked.)

Benihana Style Fried Rice

chicken breasts or tender, sliced thin

steamed rice

2 eggs, slightly beaten

chopped onion, carrot, green onion (or whatever veggies you prefer)

oil

1/2 tsp. sesame seed (opt)

minced garlic

butter

soy sauce

salt and pepper

Stir fry onions in hot oil in wok for about a minute, add garlic and continue cooking another minute.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add carrots (and/or other veggies) to hot oil and stir fry until crisp-tender, remove and set aside. 

Add more oil to wok and stir fry chicken until cooked through.  Remove and set aside.

Melt butter in wok.  Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly until done.  Add more butter to pan, melt, and then add rice.  Cook and stir until rice is coated with melted butter and is starting to dry.  Add sesame seed, if desired, and precooked veggies and chicken.  Season with salt, pepper and soy sauce.  Continue to cook and stir until well mixed.

(The secret to its great taste is LOTS of butter!)

*     *    *

Well, I hope you have enjoyed the recipes and getting a peak into our eating habits.  Keeping track of your meals can be really beneficial in providing a good variety of favorite dinners for your family.   Happy cooking (and eating)!

1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Diversity: soup, shrimp or meatloaf

Ninth place on my most prepared meal list was another 3-way tie:  Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup, Garlicky Baked Shrimp, and Meatloaf.  The soup is a wonderfully fresh tasting concoction of (lots of) fresh veggies, canned tomatoes, broth and herbs (fresh or dried).  I either cut up chicken breast meat and saute it or used leftover chicken or turkey. 

Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

chicken breast, cut up (either fresh or leftover)

olive oil (for browning fresh chicken)

2 cans Italian-style diced tomatoes

 6 cups chicken broth

2 cups kale, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

2 small zucchini, cubed

1 med. red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. fresh finely chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. fresh finely chopped oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves  (or about 1 tablespoon dried)

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, simmer for about 10 minutes.  Makes enough for a crowd, but is also good leftover.  (I usually half the recipe.)

*     *     *

I never used to cook shrimp, except on VERY special occasions, until after all the kids left home.  Then I started occasionally buying a package of frozen raw shrimp at WalMart and cooking it for Dennis and myself.  Now I serve it at least once a month, either as shrimp scampi or Garlicky Baked Shrimp.  It is a bit pricier than what I normally spend on a meal, but we love shrimp!

Garlicky Baked Shrimp

1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. white wine

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cups Panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried parsley)

half a lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a bowl, combine shrimp, garlic, and white wine.  Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish and spread out evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, mix melted butter, Panko and parsley until well combined.  Sprinkle evenly over shrimp in baking dish.   Squeeze lemon juice over all.  Bake until shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.

 Pr 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

I shoulda been Italian!

There was a 3-way tie for 7th place on my list:  Stovetop Chicken Parmesan, Taco Soup, and Spaghetti.  All three are quick and easy recipes that I've tweaked over the years until I got them the way we like them.  Eighth place was probably my best company dish:  lasagna!  (Have I mentioned that I should have been born Italian?)

I have always loved lasagna, and it has been a favorite meal for guests and family for many years.  However it makes such a LARGE amount that I generally restricted it to when we had company.  Then I discovered lasagna rolls!  I only make up the number I need (generally 1 per person) plus an extra for Ricky to have for lunch.  My recipe for lasagna has also undergone transformations over the years.  I love the recipe that I am currently using.  It has meat cooked in an easy canned tomato sauce, ricotta, provolone, and grated Italian cheeses, and is topped with a white sauce and marinara sauce (out of a jar).  I still go back to the traditional layered lasagna when I cook for company, but it is nice to have a smaller version that I can fix just for us!

Lasagna Rolls

1 lb. ground meat (of course, that means venison around here, but lean beef works well too)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning
lasagna noodles, cooked
1 carton ricotta cheese (I use low-fat)
1 egg, slightly beaten
provolone cheese
shredded Italian style cheese or mozzarella
1 jar marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons chicken granules
1 cup half and half or cream
parsley  (chopped fresh, if you have it...dried, if not)

Brown meat in skillet in olive oil, drain, if needed.  Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring.  Add tomatoes to skillet and season with salt, pepper and basil.  Simmer while cooking noodles.

In small mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg.  Mix well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour a small amount of marinara in shallow baking dish.  Now, make your rolls: Lay a noodle flat on your work surface.  Spread ricotta cheese mixture all along the top.  Tear provolone cheese slice in half and layer over ricotta.  Spoon on some of the meat/tomato mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Roll up and place, seam side down, in baking dish.  Repeat until all the noodles have been filled and rolled.  Sprinkle with more shredded cheese.  (Freeze any extra meat to use at a later time.)

Make white sauce:  Melt butter in a medium size skillet.  Stir in flour and chicken granules and cook, stirring, for about a minute.  Pour in cream and stir with whisk until sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley.  Pour white sauce over lasagna rolls.  Spoon marinara sauce over white sauce.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Serve with a good, hot, crusty bread and a green salad.  Your mouth will love you!

Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Our favorite soup

Fifth place was another tie: roast and hamburgers.  Sixth place was arelatively new dish:  Italian Chicken Tortellini Soup.  This quickly became a family favorite!  It makes up fast and is very nutritious and hearty.  It is (hands down) my favorite soup!  I haven't served it to anyone who hasn't loved it.

Italian Chicken Tortellini Soup

Olive oil

Chicken breast, chopped (fresh or cooked)

Garlic, minced

Italian style diced tomatoes

Chicken broth

salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Cheese tortellini

Baby spinach

If using fresh chicken, brown in olive oil in large pot.  Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.  Add canned tomatoes and broth.  Season, to taste (just a sprinkle of crushed red pepper unless you like it pretty spicy!).  Bring to boil, cover and then simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add tortellini and spinach and continue cooking, covered, for 10 more minutes.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and a good crusty bread!

Venison Steaks...a lighter (and more elegant) version

Our fourth place meal from 2012 is a relatively new recipe:  venison steaks sautéed in butter and olive oil and served with sautéed mushrooms and/or green onions...delicious!  For  over 30 years I always chicken-fried my deer steaks.  They are yummy, but I really don't like serving that heavy and greasy of a meal...not very heart-healthy!  I had tried grilling them, and they were ok but had a tendency to dry out too much.  Then I came across this steak recipe a year or so ago and decided to try it out on venison.  It cooks up fast, is healthier, and everyone loves it. 

Sauteed (Venison) Steaks

Olive oil

Butter

Lean steaks (not too thick)

mushrooms

green onions

capers (about 1/2 teaspoon, minced)

red wine (any variety) or beef broth

More butter 

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons of butter in cast iron skillet.  Add steaks and brown on one side, then turn and cook to desired doneness.  Remove steaks to serving platter and keep warm.

Add more butter and/or oil to skillet and sautee mushrooms for about 2 minutes.  Add a little wine or broth (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup) and cook until reduced by about half.  (This will cook off the alcohol in the wine and concentrate the flavors.)  Add green onions and capers.  Stir in about 1/2 tablespoon of butter to slightly thicken the "au jus" sauce.  Pour over steaks and serve hot.

This dish is quick and easy to prepare but looks and tastes like an elegant meal you might find in a restaurant. 

 Ge 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.

Tacos & Pizza

My third most commonly prepared meal last year was a tie:  tacos and pizza.  Anyone who has been around us much knows that we love Mexican food and eat it at least once a week.  Tacos are a family favorite.  It has always been a family project to prepare.  Sheila usually cooks up the ground meat (which at our house means venison) and seasons it with salt, chili powder, garlic and cumin,;while I fry up the taco shells (we do NOT like the boxed kind of shells!).  Chop some tomatoes and onions, open a can of black olives, and make up some guacamole salad, queso or fresh salsa to serve with tortilla chips and you have a happy group of diners! 

Pizza is about my favorite food of all time.  I could eat it even when pregnant and nothing else sounded good.  I always like to make more than needed, because I love eating it leftover, for lunch or breakfast.  I have used the same basic recipe for 35 years…experimenting with the cooking process occasionally.  I have used a pizza stone many times in the past, but I've found that a pizza pan with holes in it works best for me (and is easier!).  Here is my crust recipe:

Pizza Crust

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 3/4 cup bread flour (you can substitute some white whole wheat flour for some of the flour, depending on your preferences)

In large mixing bowl, mix yeast and warm water.  Let set until bubbly.  Add olive oil, salt and a cup of the flour and mix well.  Continue mixing while adding flour until you have a dough that holds together and isn't too sticky.  Knead by machine for 3 minutes (or by hand for 7 minutes).  Place in lightly greased bowl, turn dough over to grease the top, and cover.  Let rise in warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Divide dough in half.  Roll out half of dough on lightly floured surface into a large circle.  Continue rolling or toss until circle fits pizza pan (I use a 14" or 16" pan).  Spray pan with cooking spray.  Fit crust in pan, coat with pizza sauce, top with grated Italian style (or mozzarella) cheese, and then add  your choice of toppings.  Repeat with 2nd half of dough.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.

This recipe can easily be divided in half, or you can bake the extra crust for about 5-10 minutes (until it can be handled without pan) and then freeze.

Pizza Sauce

1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
8 oz. can tomato sauce (I like to use the garlic flavored - I LOVE garlic)
1 tsp. dried basil

I place the garlic and onion in the (microwaveable) cup in which I measured the olive oil (there will still be a little oil coating the bottom of the cup).  Microwave on high for about 45 seconds, being careful not to brown the garlic.  Add tomato sauce and basil and stir. Microwave on high for 1 minute.   I like to make this up after mixing my dough, so the flavors can mingle while the dough rises.

Enjoy!

Pr 31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.  (I like to think preparing different ethnic dishes falls into this instruction!)

I love chicken!

The girls wanted to add a doll head to it!

The second most prepared meal on my list was Sittin’ Up Chicken.  This is a favorite for Sunday dinner!   I discovered the “chimney cooker” several years ago and fell in love with this method of preparing chicken.  (I am currently on my second cooker.  They are difficult to find, but worth the effort!) 

 I season the chicken in the morning before getting dressed for church, place it in the oven on low (along with baking potatoes), and come home later to a tender, moist, tasty meal.  As an added bonus, the leftover meat is perfect for using later in the week as the basis of another dish.  I love being able to get two delicious meals from a $5 chicken!

Sittin’ Up Chicken

1 whole chicken (I like to use the largest fryer I can find.)

Seasonings- about 2-3 Tablespoons total:  I use a mixture of Creole seasoning (yes, I DO use this a lot…very tasty!), garlic powder, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, and rosemary.  (You can experiment with different herbs and spices to please your own palate.)

Liquid:  This can be broth, any juice, wine, Dr. Pepper…be adventurous!

Equipment needed:  a chimney roaster  (Here are a few links showing different types: )

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-6408-Style-Poultry-Roaster/dp/B0012XXE3E

http://www.atbbq.com/store/show/bge_sittin_chicken.html

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QNT3BC/ref=asc_df_B006QNT3BC2366143?smid=AEYH1OTC1GS85&tag=dealt698357-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395129&creativeASIN=B006QNT3BC

Cooking time varies according to the size of your bird and the temperature of the oven.  Since we are gone for about 3 hours on Sunday mornings, I like to cook mine at 290 degrees for about 4 hours.  The skin is nicely browned and crisp, and the meat is moist and tender…it literally falls apart.  This cooking temperature and time will also give you wonderfully tender baked potatoes.  Heat up some green veggies and/or throw together a salad, heat up some dinner rolls, and you have a feast!

I usually have a good 2 cups or so of leftover meat, which is perfect for most any chicken dish:  enchiladas, soup, fantasy crepes (recipe will be added at later date), chicken & dressing, etc. 

Ge 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

And the winner is....FISH!

       The menu item that I prepared the most times last year was Pan Seared Tilapia (14 times).  Fish is a good low-fat and nutritious option.  I buy a large bag of frozen fillets which will last my family 2-3 months and costs less than $10.  I discovered tilapia several years ago...such an economical and mild tasting fish...we love it!  This recipe is great for those busy nights when I don’t have a lot of time to spend cooking.  It only takes about 15 minutes from start to table.  I like to pair it with some kind of starchy food:  couscous, macaroni and cheese, or legumes.  The meal is rounded out by adding a veggie or salad...light, tasty and quick/easy!

Pan Seared Tilapia

tilapia fillets, thawed

Creole or Greek seasoning

cornmeal

olive oil

chopped pecans or sliced almonds, optional

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a (preferably non-stick) skillet.  Sprinkle tilapia with your choice of Creole or Greek seasoning.  (No additional salt is necessary...it is in the seasoning.)  Then sprinkle lightly with cornmeal and place in hot oil.  Cook until lightly browned, then turn and cook until done (fish will flake).  Remove from pan, add nuts to pan (if desired), and sautee about a minute.  Top fish with nuts and serve.

 Lu 24:36  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.     

Meal Planning

Well, it has been a LONG time since I last posted on here. I have decided to take a little side trip for the next few weeks exploring a common household chore.

What is the one job that all homemakers have to deal with the most? I believe it is meal preparation. Feeding a family 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and trying to keep it interesting and delicious, requires a lot of effort and organization. I decided to spend a few weeks dealing with this subject, since it is so elemental and vital to caring for a family.

I have been tracking my menus for the past few years, trying not to repeat the same meal plans all the time. This week I decided to collect my data for last year and try to use it to improve my success in this area. I figured out how many times I fixed each entrée, what that averaged out over the course of the year, and then rated the meals according to our favorites (1-5 stars). This allowed me to see what I was preparing the most compared to what we liked the best to see what meals I should make more or less often. I plan to share my findings, along with some recipes, over the next several posts.

I invite those of you who are interested to join me. We will discuss meal plans, recipes and handy tips. I encourage you to make comments, suggestions or ask questions. Hopefully we can all make our meals more varied and yummy along the way!