Introducing Quinoa!

 I cooked quinoa (a very healthy grain) earlier this week for the first time.  My husband has never had a good thing to say about quinoa, but liked this meal.  One big hint I learned is to cook it in broth.  This gives it so much more flavor.  Otherwise it is very bland.
I found this Mango Quinoa Salad recipe at ourbestbites.com.  I didn't think I'd make it any time soon, because quinoa is not cheap.  In fact it is expensive.  But when I saw that Lee's had red peppers and mangoes on sale, I couldn't resist.  More information on quinoa can be found here.

Chili

Chili is great for a number of reasons.  According to my husband, you can eat chili all year around, compared to soup that you can only have in the winter.  Another great thing about chili is that you can eat it in so many different ways.  You can eat it with rice, noodles, baked potatoes, oven fries, french fries, Doritos (according to my husband), fry bread, or hot dogs; you can serve it with all kinds of toppings, such as cheese, sour cream, plain yogurt, chopped onions, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
Here is a very basic recipe.  You can add chopped celery and/or green peppers if you like.  The recipe calls for pinto beans, but I have also used kidney, black, and great northern beans.  I like using multiple kinds in the same recipe to add variety.  This recipe freezes well.

Chili

1 lb dry pinto beans OR 3 cans beans
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2-2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2- 1 Tbs chili powder

Cook dry beans.  When beans are recipe-ready, cook ground beef and onions until meat is cooked, and onions are soft.  Drain excess fat.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer 1-2 hours.

Mexican Pizza

I really like lentils.  They are not a bean, but they are in the legume family, along with beans, so I just call them beans.  They only take about 25 minutes to cook, and do not need to be soaked first.  Most every recipe that I've tried them in, though, has been just okay.  Not terrific, but edible.  I've tried lentil loafs, soups, and chili.  This recipe, though, is a family favorite.  I always dream of making it healthier by using homemade corn tortillas in place of chips, but that just hasn't happened yet.
I don't really measure the ingredients.  I just throw it together.  The measurements below are estimates.  Just do what looks good.

Mexican Pizza

3 cups cooked lentils
1 can Spaghetti sauce OR tomato sauce seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder or beef flavored bouillon
1/2 pound Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 bag tortilla chips

Lay tortilla chips on cookie sheet. Can crush for easier eating. Spoon lentils over chips, followed by
spaghetti sauce. Or crush lentils and mix with sauce. Sprinkle cheese over top. Broil until cheese is
melted, about 3 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream. You may also use olives, green onions, or peppers on top of the cheese, if desired.

Vegetable Soup

This recipe is adapted from "Cook's Country" magazine.

Very Yummy Vegetable Soup

Printable Version


2 Tab. vegetable oil
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 small onions, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups broth (I use water and bouillon-both chicken and vegetable work well)
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 tsp EACH thyme and rosemary
2 slices bread, lightly toasted (white is best, but wheat is okay; try not to use something with too much flavor)
Spinach (I usually use frozen-just cut off a hunk of a block; fresh chopped up works great, too)
1 can white beans (2 cups)
10 oz. frozen peas
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1.  Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add carrots and onions, and cook until browned and softened, 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until it smells wonderful, about 30 seconds.  Add broth (or water and bouillon), potatoes, thyme, and rosemary.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are soft, 10-15 minutes.
2.  Transfer 3 cups solids (estimate), 1 cup broth, and bread to blender and puree until smooth.  Stir puree back into pot.  Add spinach, beans, and peas.  Cook over medium heat until spinach is tender, and peas are heated through, about 8 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve, passing extra vinegar at table.

My New Menu Plan

I have a new menu plan. While I like to cook and eat lots of different foods, my husband and children like the same few meals repeated frequently. So I gave in, and we are eating primarily their favorite meals.

Here is our 2 week menu:

Barbecue chicken with macaroni & cheese
Meat loaf with potatoes
Pizza
Spaghetti and meatballs
Chicken enchiladas
Beef enchiladas
Sweet & sour chicken
Stroganof
Chicken with white sauce and pasta or potatoes
Chili OR White Chili
Vegetable soup OR Tortilla Soup
Breakfast for dinner OR beef taco bake

We'll have these meals, with a few others of my choice mixed in, over and over again.


Pros of this menu method:

• It will be easy to decide what to have for dinner
• It's really easy to make a 3 month food storage plan (I will post it soon!)
• I can easily freeze meals ahead of time when I buy large quantities of meat
• My family will enjoy dinner all the time, since these are all meals we all enjoy

Con of this menu method:

• I will get a little bored cooking and eating the same foods

How do you plan your menu?

Tofu

Believe it or not, but tofu is a food storage food. I freeze it!
First, some basic explanations on tofu, since most people aren't very familiar with it.

What is tofu?
Tofu is soybeans processed in a fashion similar to cheese.

Where can I buy tofu?
Tofu can be found in your local grocery store in the refrigerated section of the produce department. It is next to eggroll and wonton wrappers.

Why should I eat tofu?
It's healthy, and a great source of protein.

What types of tofu are there?
Silken-can be used in smoothies and as a substitute for cream cheese in cheesecake. I never buy this kind.
Firm and extra firm-This is the kind I buy. I marinade it, then fry it.

More about tofu
Tofu is packed in water, and acts as a sponge. So, if you plan to marinade it, you want to get as much water out of it first, so that it can then soak in the marinade. You can get water out of it by using towels, paper towels, or smashing it between two plates with some heavy cans on top.


Freezing tofu
Just like every other food, I try to buy tofu when it is on sale, and then buy more than one package. Within the past few months I have seen tofu discounted for quick sale, and Buy One Get One Free. Great times to stock up. Tofu firms when it is frozen. To freeze tofu, I just take it out of its original package, squeeze some water out of it (see above), then put it in a marked freezer bag.

Cooking frozen tofu
I make up my marinade (I like teriyaki) in a bowl, then put the frozen tofu right in the bowl with it, and store it in the fridge with a lid. When the tofu is defrosted enough to cut, I cut the tofu in cubes (about 1 inch), then put it back in the marinade. Store in the fridge until the tofu has taken in the marinade (about a day). Then I cook the tofu (without the marinade) in a fry pan with a little oil, stirring minimally. Then I add the marinade, and take out the tofu (you can use the same bowl through this whole process, since you're using tofu, not meat), and let the marinade simmer. This thickens and enhances the flavor of the sauce.

Any questions?

Salmon Enchiladas

I adapted this recipe from The Well-Fed Heart.  Yummy!  You will notice with both this recipe and my chicken enchilada recipe that I don't roll tortillas for my enchiladas.  I just layer the tortillas and filling.  This saves time; I have also found that rolling corn tortillas is quite tricky.  They tear a lot.

Salmon Enchiladas

1 15-oz. can salmon
1 4-oz. can diced green chilies
1/4 cup chopped onion (I used yellow, but green or sweet would be great)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2-1 cup black beans (depending on how much you like beans)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (monterey jack and cheddar are good)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
corn tortillas
cream cheese, softened, if desired
salsa

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook onion in a fry pan covered with cooking spray over medium heat, until soft.
3. Mix first eight ingredients in a large bowl, reserving ½ cup shredded cheese.
4. Cover bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish with salmon mixture.  Place tortillas on top.  Repeat layers until all of salmon mixture is used, preferably ending with tortillas on top (although this doesn't matter too much).
5. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.  
6. Remove from oven. Spread the cream cheese on top, followed by the salsa, and then reserved shredded cheese. 
7. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cheese is browned, and salsa is warm.

Chicken Enchiladas/Freezer Meals

I have decided the past several months that as much as I like cooking, I do not like cooking every night. So I try to make extra large recipes sometimes, then freeze a portion for a meal on a later date.
Chicken Enchiladas is one meal that freezes quite well. When I make them I don't follow a recipe. I just throw everything together. So, sorry but the measurements are not exact. Proportion ingredients according to your taste and what you have on hand. You may use flour, corn, or wheat tortillas.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 1/2 lb. chicken, cubed (cooked or uncooked)
1 med. onion
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can green chilies (optional)
12 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cottage cheese
12 oz. cheese (cheddar, monterey jack), divided
Tortillas

Cook onion with uncooked chicken, if using, in fry pan over medium high heat, until chicken is cooked and onion is soft, adding a little water as necessary. It is good to let it brown a little, as this enhances flavor.
Mix all ingredients together, reserving some cheese, except tortillas, in a large bowl. Spread a small layer of chicken mixture in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Layer tortillas on top, then spread with a layer of chicken mixture. Repeat until all of chicken and sauce is used. You may need to use multiple glass dishes. Pour reserved cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, uncovered.

Crepes

I love crepes because they are so versatile. They can be be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or dessert. The recipe below is for a very basic crepe. If I am making it for dinner, I would use all wheat flour. If I am making the crepes for breakfast or dessert, I would use 1/2 and 1/2 wheat and white flour, and would add a little vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. If I am making the crepes for someone who eats gluten free, I would use all rice flour.

Crepes

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (4 1/2 tab. powdered milk, 1 1/2 cups water)
1 cup flour (wheat, white, or rice)

1. Put the eggs and milk in a blender, and blend.
2. Add the flour and blend until combined, about 5 seconds, scraping sides of blender as needed.
3. Put the blender in refrigerator, and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Attach blender to base and blend for another few seconds.
5. Heat a small fry pan over medium heat until hot.
6. Grease fry pan (even if it is non-stick).
7. Take the fry pan off the heat, and pour a small amount of batter into fry pan, while rotating the pan so that the batter will cover the entire pan. If you pour too much batter in, pour the excess batter back into the blender.
8. Cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
9. Flip the crepe over and cook for an additional 15 seconds.
10. Serve with your favorite fillings and/or toppings.

Fillings/Toppings
applesauce, peanut butter, pureed fruit, berries, peaches, chicken, fish, ham, steamed vegetables, cheese, cottage cheese, white sauce, powdered sugar, lemon juice, pudding

My favorite dinner filling: cottage cheese and canned salmon, topped with a thin white sauce with garlic powder, parsley, rosemary, and pepper mixed in.