busy busy busy...

We've been home from Taiwan for all of a week and it's been a crock pot cooking frenzy this week. I've been giving my smaller crockpot (4qt? maybe 3.5?) a good work out. # meals in the crock already this week and many more to come. I figure the smaller one is still the best size for our family, but it's nice to have the one w/ the timer for things I don't want to overcook like leaner meats. This is also the time of year when slow-braised dishes are warm and comforting and there's definitely something welcoming about coming home after a long day at work/school to the smell of dinner already cooked.

So this week's recipes -

Zuppa Toscana - this is a rip off of Olive Garden's soup. It doesn't really need to be crocked since it doesn't take long on the stove either but it was still helpful when you want it ready when you get home.

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed, optional peeled, sliced into chunks
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
12 oz of italian sausage browned (I used a mix of hot and sweet - whatever your pref)
3 cups of chopped greens - I usually use a sturdier green like kale, but I had spinach handy
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
a clove or 2 of minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Toss everything in the crock except for the half and half. If you use a sturdy vegetable like kale, it can go in the crock too. If you use spinach, I'd wait to add it at the end of cooking time because it cooks quickly. cook on high for 4-5 hrs or low 6-8 hrs. Just before serving, add spinach and stir in to wilt, and mix in half and half. (Adding dairy in the beginning = curdled soup. yuck!) This made about 6 servings.

We took out a portion for A before adding the half and half and he scarfed it down! So this recipe has been kid approved. :) WW points plus - 6 pts/serving

On a similar vein, tuscan white bean stew w/ sausage. In an effort to eat healthier, this stew fits the bill for being lower in fat w/ the substitution of turkey sausage for regular italian sausage, and high in fiber between the beans and greens.

20 oz turkey italian sausage links, browned and sliced
3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
2 cans of cannelini beans drained and rinsed, or ~2 cups dried, soaked overnight and drained.
2 cans of reduced-sodium fat free broth
3-4 cups of chopped greens of choice - this week i used spinach, but my favorite for this is escarole
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
a couple gloved of minced garlic
a tsp of dried parsley and basil (or a tbsp of fresh chopped if you have it)
a dash of dried oregano and thyme
salt and pepper to taste
optional pinch of red pepper flakes

Toss everything in the crock and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10. serve w/ a tsp of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top for those of us who can have dairy. Made about 8 servings. WW pts+ - 6 pts/serving. Again, husband and toddler approved.

The thing about crockpotting is that it lends itself well to recipes that may have a bit of mise en place to prep ahead - all the chopping and browning if needed. But once you've gathered your ingredients, there's not much else to it and lots of inactive cook time. This works well for me in that I can prep the ingredients the night before, and then just toss them into the pot in the morning and flip the switch.

The other crockpot tool that I can't sing the praises of enough is the slow cooker liner bag. (Reynold's makes them for usually $2.29/box of 4) They are a godsend to the time-pressed cook. Clean up becomes a breeze. No stuck on burnt ring to scrub off, no soaking needed. Just a quick wipe w/ soap and rinse, or toss the crock into the dishwasher and you're ready to go for the next recipe. Also, I can prep my ingredients in the bag the night before, and just put the bag in the fridge so I'm not trying to find room in my overpacked fridge for a crock. For me, the cost of the bag is totally worth the time saved!

Now with Chinese New Year coming up, I'll need to dig out recipes and ingredients for some of my old favorite Taiwanese dishes that Grandma used to make...

time flies

Between a vacation, multiple out of town weddings, surgery and recovery, the summer flew by. In 2 weeks I go back to work, next week A starts his new class at daycare, and I start the fall semester of school. Adding to the fun is the fact that while I've been recovering from surgery, I've been limited in mobility so I've since gained some weight to shed as well. So the goal for the fall is to manage a full-time job, part-time school, getting back in shape (preferably a less round shape) and keep the whole family eating better. A is still allergic to dairy and that is going to be a challenge while the rest of his class have a hot lunch menu at school, including pizza on fridays. Daycare director suggested that what some parents do is send in a similar meal to what the other kids are having, just modified to accommodate a food allergy or any other particular observance (vegetarian, kosher, etc) so the kids don't feel left out. And somewhere in the ever busy schedule, I'm going to find time to prep all these meals. Yeah...

I have 2 weeks to get the house ready for the whirlwind to come. I'm trying to put a serious dent in the clutter before I return to work. I'm hoping that as we get into the fall, being decluttered and better organized will help me meet the rest of my goals.

Food ideas to toss around -
A's daycare lunch menu seems to consist largely of chicken nuggets, hot dogs, burgers, pasta and meat sauce, mac and cheese, the occasional fish sticks, grilled cheese and pizza. It's easy enough to pick up a bag of frozen chicken nuggets from costco (tyson's don't use dairy products in the breading), i can probably take a pound of ground beef or turkey and pre-form and freeze burgers. I'm guessing an appropriate size for an 18 month old would be slider-like. Hotdogs are easy in that I can buy kosher hot dogs which will have no dairy. For the pasta, we can always make pasta for dinner the night before so we'll be packing leftovers for his lunch. Fish sticks I suppose I can take a look at store bought ones and check the ingredient list. Otherwise, it's not too hard to bread and bake fish occasionally. Again this might mean that we have fish the night before as well for dinner for the whole family. Mac and cheese, pizza and grilled cheese will be more challenging.

For the rest of us, I'm trying to plan healthy meals that can be prepped in advance. I'm trying out more w/ beans these days since they're cheap, low in fat, high in fiber and sometimes iron, and A loves them! He was happily last week chowing down on chili w/ kidney beans, and the black beans I made last week w/ our chicken tacos.

Oh and a few recipes -
Crockpot chili:
2 lbs of ground beef
1/2 lb of dried kidney beans (or more if you'd like)
1 can of tomato sauce (25 oz)
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
Chili seasoning - chili powder to taste, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika or any packaged mix
salt and pepper
1 tbsp masa harina

Soak the beans overnight, drain and rinse.
Brown and drain the ground beef.
Add the beef, beans, vegetables, seasonings (everything except the masa), and tomato sauce to a 5-6 qt crockpot. Add 1 cup of water to the crock. Simmer for 8 hrs on low. Mix the masa with a little water to form a slurry and stir into the chili to thicken it at the end of the cooking time.

Another crockpot technique that worked out well for us last week took advantage of chicken leg quarters being cheap and dark meat being really forgiving of slow-cooking and reheating. I prepped 5-6 chicken leg quarters in the pot, seasoned with just a little salt and pepper, and simmered all day. Once the chicken was cooled, I removed the skin and bones. The meat was used all through the week for any application calling for leftover chicken. I mixed with with barbecue sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches and I mixed in taco seasoning and made chicken tacos and burritos. I would probably do this again for potpies, enchiladas, and any other sort of casserole. As a bonus, I got 2 cups of chicken stock out of the liquid that was remaining in the crock. I just cooled it and skimmed the fat off the top.

It's been a while...

I haven't posted in quite a while - things have gotten ridiculously busy with work picking up speed, A going through far too many ear infections, and trying to declutter the house. I'm hoping to make a concerted effort to keep up regular posts though in hopes that it will keep me encouraged to cook and eat healthier. A few updates, A is now able to eat more table foods and wants whatever is on my plate but is still allergic to dairy so I'm still working on meals w/ no dairy for him that are appealing to the rest of the household.

So a few ideas in the works:

Breakfast sandwiches (aka hockey pucks)
Light english muffin
1 egg, or egg white
1 slice Canadian bacon
1 tbsp of shredded reduced fat cheese

Doesn't have the satisfaction (or the heartburn) of a greasy puck from mcDonald's but it works pretty well to be portable for work and hold me through the morning w/o snacking. I'll try assembling a few and seeing how they hold up to being pre-made and refrigerated or frozen and reheated.

I'm also looking forward to grill season. It means i'm doing less cooking and cleaning as the grill is hubby's demesne and my job is to just prep the meat and veggies w/ whatever marinades and seasonings sound good.

T minus 3 hours

Realistically, it's more like 2 hours before the hordes arrive. But all is well so far. The turkey is actually done and resting. Which means we'll have to reheat it a bit before serving but I think that'll be ok. I can make the gravy before there are guests to evict from my kitchen. Potatoes are boiling. Apple crisp is ready to assemble. Casseroles can now go into the oven. And I've even added some appetizers to put out before guests arrive (shrimp ring, chips and dip, etc). I'm feeling pretty good about today. But I'll feel even better once I've gotten a shower...

t minus 6 hours and 45 minutes

The turkey has landed!

The bird is brined, stuffed w/ aromatics and herb butter, trussed and in the oven...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Now to see about some breakfast and then it's on to potato peeling...

T minus 14 hours and 30 minutes

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, every creature was stirring, chopping, and cleaning, both mom and spouse...

At this point, I think I'm in pretty good shape for tomorrow

Menu:
Butternut squash soup - simmering away in the crockpot where it will live until serving time
Brined roasted turkey - brining under ice on the porch, herb butter and aromatics ready to use, needs to go in oven at 8am
Gravy - can't do anything w/ this until the turkey is done.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes - garlic roasted, lots of potatoes to peel tomorrow
Green bean casserole - just needs topping and bake tomorrow
Corn - open the cans and heat up
Peas - open freezer pouches and heat up
Glazed carrots - cooked and just need reheating
Cranberry sauce - open the can, husband and his family want the jellied sauce, can stripes and all.
Stuffing - will be brought by an aunt
Candied sweet potatoes - will be brought by an aunt
Cucumber salad - will be brought by a cousin

Desserts:
Pumpkin pie - gave in this year and bought from costco
Apple crisp - will prepare tomorrow and bake while we're eating dinner. At least it's a really easy dessert. The topping is just butter, flour brown sugar and cinnamon mixed together to form crumbs. The apples are sliced, and sprinkled w/ a little cinnamon. I don't bother peeling the apples, especially if pressed for time. Layer them in a baking dish and sprinkle streusel crumb over it. Bake at 350 until apples are soft and bubbly, and topping is golden brown and crisp.

Thanksgiving game plan

Basically I did the things that need to cook for quite a while, whether or stove top or oven early. I also gave in this year and bought my pumpkin pie instead of baking one.
Monday - roasted the butternut squash, cleaned out fridge.
Tuesday - braised the honey glazed carrots, did last minute shopping
Wednesday - made the butternut squash soup, assemble greenbean casserole minus onion topping, roasted garlic, prep aromatics for bird, brine bird.

The soup is going to sit overnight in the crock pot. The bird is going to go into a 5 gallon bucket w/ ice and a lid and go out on the back porch.

So hopefully tomorrow, all I have left is to roast the turkey, make mashed potatoes, heat up the veggies, and make gravy once the bird is done.