Summer Time and the Living is Good!

Summer at our house equals non- stop outdoor time.  Gardening, trips to the pool, bike rides on our local nature trail and food!  Bring on the grilling, picnics and fruits and vegetables from the garden.  Food in the summer is grab and go, no fuss, no muss.  Here are some ways I make summer food fun and simple.

1.  Get your grill on!  I have to admit,I really like this option because 95% of the time, my husband is the grill master.  It is easy, does not heat up your kitchen and in my budget.  What to grill? The options are endless!  Lean cuts of meat, vegetables and fruit...yes you got that right, fruit!  This is an area that you can let your creative juices flow.  Last summer, I tried grilled pizza, this is a great way to make personal size pizza and it is easy too!

This is a picture of my Farmers Market Pizza : tomatoes, mushrooms, and green pepper. I find that making a single serve pizza works best.  Check out this video and it will walk you through the process.  I love the idea of using humus!  Humus is so easy to make and you can be creative.  Use the video to get your creative culinary side come alive!  Remember, these are just some ideas.  Watch the video for the basics of making pizza on the grill and you can add and subtract.  If you are more of a pepperoni pizza person, then just make it like you would a pepperoni pizza and use the basic directions found in this video for grilling.

 

If I am making pizza for my family and guests, the best way is still in the oven,  I do select ingredients that are I season, more economical and of course,they taste the best!  For more ideas on Pizza, check out my blog on 4/2/13.

 

 

 

Ranae's Humus Recipe

 Ingredients:

1 (lb.) can chick peas, drained

¼ c. vegetable oil (1/8 is more than enough!)

3 tbsp.. lemon juice

1 lg. or 2 sm. Cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 Put all ingredients into blender.  Blend on high speed until smooth.  Chill in serving dish.  Serve with raw vegetables.

 

 

Meat, this is truly the old school theme when it comes to grilling.  It also can be the most expensive.  What can you do to keep it in your budget?  The first way is to remember, you only need 5 1/2 ounces per day.  A serving size is 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards in the palm of your hand.  If you concentrate on portion sizes, you usually can find a grilling steak in your budget.  One of my favorite cuts of meat is the flat iron steak.  This was developed by a meat specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  Here is an article that describes the Flat Iron Steak and it's development http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/flat-iron-steak#section1  Hamburger is of course one of America's favorite things to grill.  I also like chicken and salmon is very nice when grilled.  The best part about salmon, is it takes a small amount of time on the grill and it is done.  Be sure to watch your local adds for special deals on meat.  When I find a special, I stock up and freeze the meat.  I freeze them in quantities enough for one meal for my family.  Recently, I have found that hamburger is not always in my budget, so I buy other cuts of meat, such as skinless, boneless flash frozen chicken breasts that grill up quickly for a weeknight dinner. 

Don't forget, you wil want to be mindful of food safety.  If you do not have a meat thermometer, go and get one!  Your local department store that carries kitchen gadgets will have one.  They are very in-expensive and they will prevent you and your family from food borne illness. For more information on food safety for grilling, take a look at this information from the USDA 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d468f3d9-fb6c-4109-88d7-2931f7132098/Barbecue_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Salads, this is an easy way to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  There are also some great salads that incorporate grains in them as well.  A standard at our house is the fruit salad, so easy!  Whatever fruit is on hand goes in a pretty glass bowl and that is it!  This is a part of the meal that kids can help with.  For a more dessert like fruit salad, mix with vanilla low fat yogurt or serve it as a dip for the fruit salad.  So simple, but you can make it classy with just the addition of yogurt.  The yogurt also increases your dairy intake!

Another idea is salads that have all of the food groups.  This is a great base recipe that you can make and you can adapt it to include other fruits and vegetables that you have on hand.

 

Choose My Plate  Salad

½ bunch dark green leafy lettuce                   ½ C cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tomato, chopped                                          ½ c cooked turkey or cooked ham cubed

1 carrot, chopped or shredded                         Favorite low fat dressing

½ cucumber, chopped

¼ C raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 apple, chopped

 

1. Wash lettuce and tear into bite size pieces.  Place in a large bow.


2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.


3. Toss with your favorite dressing.

Summer is a great time to get everyone involved in the kitchen.  Take a trip to the local farmer's market and try something new.  Plan together, prepare and eat together.  Create summertime fun and don't forget the food!  Remember to include all of the food groups and you will have a healthy summer as well!  Don't forget the Sun Screen!

 

 

 

 

 

Soup, It's What's on the Menu

Soup, in Spring?  If you are reading this and you are from Nebraska, you know that we have had another round of Old Man Winter!  If you know me at all, I enjoy soup all year round, well, except when we have extreme summer heat, then I pass it up.  For families, soup is so great for lots of reasons, it can be made in large quantities, you can increase your vegetable intake and did I mention, so easy to prepare?  You just can't beat it!  My weekly trip to the produce section of the store, the day I pick up bananas for .39€ a pound, I noticed cauliflower was on sale.  My thought was on soup, there is nothing better than cauliflower soup!  The best part, my picky teen loved the end result and he had more vegetables in his diet.  Truly a win win!  Here is the recipe I came up with:

Cauliflower Soup: Serves 8-10

Ingredients: 

1 head of cauliflower

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

1/2 c. onion

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder

8 c. chicken broth (I use chicken base and water per directions)

2 tbs fresh or dried parsley

2 c. skim or 1% milk

pepper to taste  (soup should not need salt due to chicken broth, especially if broth is not reduced sodium)

Directions:

1.  Melt butter and olive oil together in large stock pot.  Chop onion and add to melted fat to sauté  Chop rinsed and dried cauliflower into bite size pieces.  Add to fat and onions when onions are beginning to look translucent.  Cook onion and cauliflower for 7-1 minutes.  The sauté process releases the flavor of the cauliflower.  

2.  Add the chicken broth to the vegetables and cook until vegetables are fork tender.  Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Gradually add the milk constantly stirring and add parsley.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

3.  For thicker soup, prepare a rouix.  Melt 2 tbs. butter in sauce pan over medium heat, do not allow butter to burn.  Whisk in 1/4 c. flour.  Cook over low heat for a few minutes to slightly brown the flour.  Gradually whisk the rouix into the soup and cook over medium heat until soup has thickened.  Note that the soup will be even thicker when leftover portion is reheated a second time around.

Sauté onions and cauliflower in butter and olive oil to release the flavor of the vegetables

To make a rouix, begin with olive oil and butter

Whisk in flour and cook over low heat to slightly brown the flour,this avoids a pasty tasting result.

Add a pretty salad and you have a lovely, healthy and comforting meal for your family!

~I am passionate about soup: it's easy,warms my soul, feeds my body and increases my family's vegetables in their diet~Ranae

Create a Roman Holiday in the Middle of the Week!

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm Possible!" Audrey Heoburn. With a little creativity, you can create a romantic meal in the middle of the week!

One of my favorite movies is Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  So romantic!  Along came Wednesday and my creativity in the kitchen was not happening.  Then it occurred to me, why not make Chicken Bruschetta.  I have a faovorite recipe from Kraft Foods.  I pulled it up on my iPAD and realized, I needed a box of stuffing.  It was then that my creativity kicked in!  How hard is it to make stuffing?  So, let's get started and create a little taste of Rome!

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto, tomatoes and basil are at the heart of it, this is used to top bread that is typically rubbed with a bit of olive oil and of course, mozzarella cheese. Simple yet delicious!  

The following is the recipe I came up with.

Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes, I drained

1/2 c water

6 slices of bread, dried and cut into small cubes (toast bread in toaster or in oven to dry)

2 stalks of celery, diced

1/4 c. diced onion

2 tbs. butter

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

1 1/2 pounds diced uncooked chicken

1 c. shredded Italian blend cheese

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1.  Sauté celery, onions and garlic in the butter until tender.  Add to bread crumbs and stir in the can of tomatoes and water.  Set aside.

2.  Dice the chicken and place in greased 2 quart casserole.  Sprinkle chicken with Italian blend seasoning and shredded cheese.

3.  Cover chicken with bread crumb mixture.  Bake for 1/2 hour or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Bread cut into cubes

Sautéed celery and onions

Bread crumbs, onions and celery

Tomatoes mixed with stuffing

Diced chicken, Italian seasoning and cheese

Ready for the oven

Finished Product

Ready to eat!

A lot of the romance of food is in the presentation.  Add a candle, a little music for the background, and yes, even on a Wednesday, you have a Roman Holiday!  The kids will enjoy a little Romance too!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I love holidays  they are an opportunity to have fun in the kitchen. What is the story of St Patrick?  It seems to be anyone's guess, check out this video from the history channel http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-st-patricks-day.  You will notice, there is really no mention of food traditions, this is the part that is Americanized.  I find it fun with children to add food to holidays, my kids will forever relate Reuben's with Saint Patrick's Day. 

 I am stepping out of my comfort zone this year and I am roasting Corned Beef instead of using deli corned beef slices.  For over 20 years, it has been my tradition to prepare Reuben Sandwiches and lime jello with pears.  Other items include potatoes ( baked fries are always a hit), and for dessert, lime sherbet or mint chocolate chip ice cream.  

Since the holiday lands on Monday, our menu will be simple, Reuben Sandwiches, baked French fries, Vegetable Pasta Salad and for dessert, mint chocolate chip ice cream.

 One thing is for sure, we have made it a fun food tradition at our house!  I put a German, Nebraska twist on the Corned Beef with the Reuben sandwich.  Story has it that a. Lithuanian immigrant from Omaha Nebraska created the now Nebraska famed sandwich, the Reuben. Here is the basic recipe:

Reuben Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Rye Bread

Corned Beef, sliced thin

Swiss Cheese

Saurkraut

Thousand Islaned Dressing

Soft Butter

Directions:

1.  Spread one side of bread with soft butter.  On opposite side, place 2 to 3 slices of warmed up corned beef.  Spread about 1 to 1/2 tbs. sauerkraut on meat, then spread about the same amount of thousand Island on top of meat and sauerkraut.  Top this with second piece of bread with butter spread on outside part of bread. 

2.  Grill as you would a grilled cheese sandwich until the Swiss cheese is melted.  

So easy and so very good!  I have some of us who like a lot of sauerkraut, others who like just a tiny bit and the same holds true with the dressing, so be creative and do it to your own liking.

I mentioned at the beginning that this year, I roasted my own corned beef.  Each year, it's the same story, I go on a mission to buy deli corned beef and it is extremely expensive.  I reason we only do it once a year.  Well, this year, common sense kicked in.  I looked at the whole corned beef and I could get it for $2.79 a pound versus $4.99 a pound for the delis slices.  So, I am roasting it myself.   Here is the link to the recipe I am using,  http://www.food.com/recipe/baked-corned-beef-brisket-410347.  I followed it very closely.  I used my coffee grinder to grind the seasonings,  I added the other spices that the recipe suggested as well.  A quick food safety note, you do not want to rinse meat unless recipe asks you too.  When you rinse meat, it  is  the equivalent of  giving the meat a bath in bacteria.  With the corned beef, I could see that you really need rinse the meat. It's package has a lot of liquid and it seemed a bit slimy,  so I did a quick rinse, I rapidly rubbed the meat with the seasoning and put it in the oven right away.  I am roasting the meat the night before and refrigerating so the meat will stay together when I slice it for the Reuben sandwiches.

Pan with foil ready for the roast, I made foil hang over on edges as half way through cook time, the edges will be folded over for a loose covering.

Meat has had a quick rinse and dry, rubbed down with seasoning mix.

Roast placed in pan fat side up.  Put in 275 degree farenheit oven for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, fold foil over the meat, leaving some vent holes for steam to escape.

After 2 hours, temp meat in the thickest part of the meat, it should be  at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Final product!

I leave you with my favorite Irish Blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

My Favorite Kitchen Appliance: The Slow Cooker

 "I Get by With a Little Help From My Friends."  One of my favorite Beatles songs!  Wow, 50 years ago they started a revolution with their music.  In 1970, the slow cooker was invented and this began a revolutionary new way of cooking in the home.  It allowed working women to put together a meal in this gadget before going off to work and come home to a healthy, home cooked meal.  With a few tips, this can be one of your favorite kitchen helpers.

You will want to be sure that all of the ingredients are thawed before putting your dish together in the slow cooker.  for easy clean up, lightly spray the slow cooker with non stick spray.  Be sure to follow food safety guidelines from the USDA at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/a181017c-cc51-4261-bfeb-f78cfc24c022/Slow_Cookers_and_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.  Once you have your dish put together, do not be tempted to lift the lid.  each time you do, you will loose valuable cooking time.  

There are a lot of great slow cook recipes available on line and you can also adapt your favorite recipe for use in the slow cooker.  Check out this reference from All Recipes.com. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/a181017c-cc51-4261-bfeb-f78cfc24c022/Slow_Cookers_and_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.  When deciding on what to put in your slow cooker, also keep in mind the time factor.  There are times that the slow cooker is not a good option,  I sometimes am away from home for close to 10 hours and on these days, that would be too much cook time.  I like to use the slow cooker on days I am home and doing house cleaning at the end of the day, the last task I want to do is to cook.   Here are two of my recent favorite recipes.

Swiss Steak

1 1/2 lb steak, fat trimmed off

1/4 c. Flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 medium onion sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 celery stocks, diced very thin

1 small can diced tomatoes, un drained

1 1/2 c beef broth ( can use water and beef base or bullion cubes)

1.  Cut steak into small pieces.  Dust with flour, salt, pepper and garlic mixture.

2.  Lightly  spray slow cooker with non-stick spray.  Arrange onion slices on bottom of slow cooker.          Place meat over top of onion.

3.  Pour diced celery and then tomatoes over meat.  Pour beef broth over top

4.  Cover with lid.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 2-4 hours.

Cut steak in small pieces, trim any fat from edges.

Lightly coat meat with flour and spices.

Lightly spray slow cooker with non-stick spray, arrange onion slices in bottom of cooker.

Arrange meat on top of onions.

Next, celery and tomatoes on top of prepared meat.  Pour beef broth over top.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with Mashed Potatoes

Apple Crisp

1 c. flour

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

1/2c butter, sliced

1 c. walnuts (optional)

1/3 c. white sugar

1 tbs corn starch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

6 c. sliced apples

Directions

1. Mix flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. Combine butter with the flour mixture using fingers or a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in walnuts and set aside.
2. Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Place the apples in a slow cooker, stir in the cornstarch mixture; toss with lemon juice. Sprinkle the walnut crumb topping on top. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours, until apples are tender. Partially uncover the slow cooker to allow the topping to harden, about 1 hour.

There are no Mistakes in The Kitchen, Just Learning Moments!

On the way home from work with teens in tow, we made a stop at the market.  "Mom, what's for dinner, can you make it something good?"  Of course my knee jerk reaction is something to the effect of, "don't I always make something good?"  We put the Tuesday sale bananas in the cart and discussed "something good".  We decided on Chicken Stir Fry and Baked Egg Rolls.....baked?  Now that is a first!  With the help of google on my Smart phone, I saw a recipe for Baked Egg Rolls.  For the record, I tend to use the basics of a recipe and then add my creative flare....ok sometimes my creative turns into a "learning" moment.  We gathered the few items we needed and set out on a kitchen adventure!

The recipe called for a lot of interesting ingredients, so we changed this up to be basic and incorporate things we already had on hand.  Next, we followed the direction part of the recipe.  Here is where the true learning lesson came into play.  The end direction stated to bake the egg rolls at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes.  What it failed to mention is that you should turn the Egg Rolls over half way through the baking time to avoid the bottoms becoming too overdone.  The Egg Rolls were edible, but would have been a lot better with that small added instruction.  After our meal, I noted this and will not give up.  The whole meal was overall tasty, we kept it within our budget and for the most part, it was healthy and we added a lot of vegetables to the end result.  Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork ( our store only had pork sausage and the spice was a nice addition.)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup shredded cabbag

1 1/2 cup shredded carrots.

4 to 5 large mushrooms chopped

1 tbs. white vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper ( if you use pork sausage, you may want to add it by taste at end of browning.)

Egg Roll Wraps ( You will find these I produce section by sprouts and mushrooms)

Directions

1.  Brown pork, onions, cabbage and carrots.  When the pork is almost browned, add mushrooms.  Drain grease from the mixture.

2.  Turn the egg roll wrap so it is in shape of diamond.  Place a serving spoon full of the mixture in the center.  You do not want to put too much of the mixture on wrap or you will not be able to roll it up without the wrap tearing.  pull the right corner and then the left over,  Start at the bottom of the wrap and roll it up.  Continue this until mixture has been used.  you should have 10 to 12 Egg Rolls when done. 

3.  Place rolls on a sprayed jelly roll pan (17 1/2" x 12 1/2" x 1") or large cookie sheet pan.  Lightly spray tops of egg rolls so that they will brown.  

4.  Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 9 minutes.  Turn Egg Rolls over, lightly spray and bake for 9 more minutes.  Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce.  

**remember, this is a basic recipe! feel free to experiment!  I would like to try some that have only vegetables in them.

You will find Egg Roll Wraps in produce section usually by sprouts and mushrooms.

Meat and Vegetable Mixture

 

1. Place wrap on plate, diamond shaped.  Place a spoon full of meat and vegetable mixture in center.

2.  Fold left corner and then right corner over the left corner, press lightly.

3.  Fold bottom up to meet center.

4. Roll them up, put on greased jelly roll pan, bake 9 minutes, turn them over and bake for 9 more minutes.  Watch them closely so they do not over cook.

"I have not failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison

Remember, there are no failures in the kitchen, just learning moments.  Find your passion in the kitchen and you will continue learning and at the same time, living healthier and happier!  Until next time, enjoy an adventure in your kitchen!

Water, Without it There is no Life!

I began thinking about the first blog of the year, what great dish could I share with you?  Then it came to me, I often tell people about the importance of water, but it gets lost in all the conversation about nutrition and does not often come up when talking about food preparation. Water struck a chord and is a perfect follow up to the topic of New Year's Resolutions.

Through the help of google, I was given it's chemical compound of 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.  I know that it gives us life, without it we die.  Our body would not function, plants would not grow, we would cease to exist.  So what does this have to do with food already?  Well, in order to be healthy, we must not forget water. 

According to Mayo Clinic, the typical recommendation by the medical community is for us to consume 8 to 12 glasses a day.  So, do you?  If not, have you thought about why you do not?   Let's dive into the subject of water, and hopefully when this blog is finished, you will make a lifestyle change to consume more water.

What reasons do you have for not drinking more water?  That is a good place to start.  My reasons vary.  I forget to drink water because I am busy, I hate tap water because it tastes bad, I forgot my water bottle and the list goes on and on.  This is another one of those things related to behavior and habit.  I am good at getting my 8 to 12 glasses of water if I am at work and in  my routine.  If I am off work for a time, then I do not typically drink my 8 glasses unless I have a plan.

  Let's look at some ideas to increase your daily water intake:

1.  Invest in a water bottle.  I purchased a water bottle at a local department store at the change of the season between summer and fall.  I paid half of what I would have originally and it has features I really like.  It is metal, has a removable cap and the cap has a hook on it so that if I take it with me on a bike ride, I can attach it easily. 
2.  Form a habit.  I never leave without my water bottle!  It is like my purse at this point.  I fill it with my familiar tap water and off I go to meet the day.  I have instilled this habit with my family as well.  Anytime we are off for an adventure in the car or enjoying time outdoors, we all have our water bottles with us.  This prevents those pesky urges to go to a convenience store and spend money on plastic water bottles or those other evil selections like pop that are calling your name.
3.  Taste, ok this is all great but I hate the taste!  Two suggestions to combat this challenge, the first is to put water in a pitcher and place it in the refrigerator.  By doing this, the chlorination of the water dissipates and it tastes better.  The second thing you could try is to cut up fresh fruit ( in season is always the best for the pocket book and also tastes better), place in water pitcher and fill it with water.  Keep this on hand in your refrigerator.
4.  Plastic water bottles:  Personally, this is the very last on my list!  I have an issue with the fact that we are filling up our landfills. Refilling them is not good as it can create toxins and this is not good for your health. 

 

Apple Citrus Flavored Water

 

1 1/2 qt. water

 

1 medium orange, washed and sliced

 

1 medium green granny smith apple, washed and sliced

 

1 small lemon, washed and sliced

 

Slice fruits and place in bottom of 2 quart pitcher, fill with water.  Place in refrigerator.  You will want this to sit for at least two hours for the fruit to flavor the water.

 

*The best part about flavored water is that you can be creative and add whatever kind of fruit you like to water.  Enjoy!

Now, you have to ask yourself, what are you willing to do to make 8 to 12 glasses of water a must in your daily routine?  Until next time, remember all the vital reasons to increase your water intake.  I leave you with Handel, Water Music.  Relaxing is also a must for your health! Cheers!