November recipes

photo & recipe from the amazing Cafe Johnsonia

Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Fresh Sage

2 butternut squashes
1 onion
2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith
2 Tbsp. fresh sage
heavy cream (I used 2 cups, but less is fine)
chicken stock (probably a quart--depending on how thick you want the soup)

Cut the butternut squashes in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Line a
cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place
the butternut squashes cut side down on the foil. Roast at 400
degrees for about an hour--maybe less. A knife tip should easily go
through the squash when it's ready.

Let the squash cool for a few minutes. Remove the skin, or turn the
squash over and scoop out the flesh.

You can do one of two things next:
1. Saute the apples and onion in a couple tablespoons of butter
until everything is soft.
2. You could also roast the apples and the onions with the squash.

Now, some grocery stores sell peeled and cut butternut squash. That eliminates roasting them whole. In that case, toss everything with a little olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven until everything is soft. You could also peel and cube the squash yourself, though roasting it whole is much quicker and easier, in my opinion.

Me? I peel and core the apples and chop them into large chunks. I also roughly chop the onions. It all gets pureed at the end, so it doesn't matter much about how big or small the pieces are.

Once the squash has cooled a bit, I place the squash, the sauteed/roasted apples and onions in my blender or food processor. Add a little chicken stock at this point to thin it out. You will probably have to work in batches.

Pour all of the puree into a large pan and thin it out a bit with more chicken stock. Bring it to a simmer and right before you serve it, add some cream and the fresh sage. Season with salt and pepper. (You may not need salt if the chicken stock is salty.)

I'm not sure exactly how much this makes, but it's enough for a crowd.

My Note; I peel the squash with a sturdy veggie peeler and then cube it (like when I make pumpkin soup.) I use 1 butternut squash, 1/2 an onion, 2 apples and add 2 whole cloves of garlic. I toss it all in olive oil & then roast in a 9x13 pan.



Creamy Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ cup water
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 4oz can mushrooms

Place chicken in crock pot. Combine salad dressing and water & pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Add cream cheese, undiluted soup and mushrooms and cook for 1 hour more or longer – until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice or noodles.

WHITE BEAN AND CHICKEN CHILI

1 large onion, chopped

3 tsp. cumin

3 15oz. cans white beans

½ tsp. oregano

5 cups chicken broth

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup sour cream

3 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (1/2 lb.)

Bring onion, beans, and broth to a boil, reduce to simmer for 10 min.

Add chicken, simmer another 20 minutes.

Add spices and garlic, simmer another 30 minutes.

Just before serving, add sour cream and shredded cheese.

Stir to melt, then serve.

Very good the second day, too. Freezes well.

November

1 - Topped Baked Potatoes
2 - Creamy Italian Chicken, rice, steamed broccoli
3 - Eat Out
4 - Eat Out
5 - Eat Out
6 - Spinach Ravioli, Salad, bread
7 - BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Rick's corn, green beans.
8 - Eat Out

9 - Yogurt Parmesan Chicken, (Pumpkin Pie)
10 - Spaghetti, salad, rolls
11 - Pumpkin Soup, wholewheat bread.
12 - Cauliflower & Celery Pot Pies
13 - Chickpea Curry, rice, cucumber salad.
14 - Golden Winter Soup
15 - Mac-n-cheese for kiddo's - Grown-ups Eat Out (10th anniversary!)

16 - Beef Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, roast carrots (Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake)
17 - Vegetarian Lasagna, salad, rolls.
18 - Butternut Squash Soup with Apples & fresh sage, wholewheat bread.
19 - Chicken Pot Pie
20 - Chicken Enchiladas, spanish rice.
21 - Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese sandwiches.
22 - White Bean Chicken Chili, corn bread.

23 - Thai Ginger Marinated Salmon, wild rice, edamame (Lemon Meringue Pie.)
24 - Spaghetti
25 - Lentil Soup, wholewheat bread.
26 - Homemade Pizza.
27 - Thanksgiving.
28 - Leftovers.
29 - Turkey Soup.
30 -

Chili Cook Off

Just before Halloween each year our ward has a Chili cook-off & trunk or treat. Rick has won the pie, and placed in chili in years past. Rick's chilli's always contain many kinds of meat, and no beans. This year I decided to try a vegetarian one.

I didn't win the cook-off but I did win the people's choice - which I felt pretty good about. Then Rick confessed he put my name in twice. Well, that's OK I told myself, I thought it was pretty good chili. I hadn't voted & I would have totally voted for myself.

As we pulled in the driveway at the end of the day I asked "Babe, you just voted twice right, not 30 times." He promised he had. Then Emily piped up from the back "I voted twice for you too Mom!"

Great! I totally cheated. Well, it was darn good chili anyway.

Here's the recipe if you're interested.


As Rick passed this show of my efforts he said "If only that was beef, veal, pork, bacon..."

Sauteing the onion and peppers in the olive oil. Yum.

OK, no pictures of the rest. I dumped it in the crock-pot & raced off to finish sewing Emily's Halloween costume - forgot to take a picture of the finished product too!

I like lots of beans in chili. I like it to be spicy, but not so much that you can't taste the flavors of the other things in it. This was just about right - the kick hit you after a few mouthfuls & it wasn't too overwhelming. A bit too spicy for my kids, so I won't be making it on a regular basis, but I sure loved it.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Orange Pepper
1 medium Yellow Onion
1 Can Stewed Tomatoes
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 Can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Small Red Beans
2 tbs.. Roasted Pepper Flavored Olive Oil

Seasonings:
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Chili Pepper powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 Dash Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Oregano
dash of Black Pepper
dash of Paprika

Combine all seasonings in a bowl and set aside.
Dice up all the peppers and the onion.
Sauté the vegetables in a large skillet in using the flavored olive oil.
Add the bowl of spices to the skillet, Stir well.
Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally then transfer to a slow cooker.

Add both cans of tomatoes - do not drain.
Drain the cans of beans and add them, mix well.
Cook in crock pot on low for 6 – 8 hours.

Behind ....

This is what our house looked like for the first week in November while we had the dining room and bathroom re-plastered & painted. We had to go out the front door and down the driveway to get to the basement. We turned the kitchen into a makeshift bathroom & bathed / showered at the neighbors.

We ate out. I was late doing the menu.

I'll try and post over the weekend - but it's our 10th anniversary and stake conference, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have....

October Recipes

Beef and Bok Choy Hot Pot
from Cooking Light

2 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/4 cups chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot
2 cups hot cooked wide rice noodles

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add beef, browning on all sides. Add broth mixture, green onions, garlic, and ginger; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Stir in bok choy and carrot, and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Serve beef mixture over noodles.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups beef mixture and 1/2 cup noodles)


BLACK BEAN CHILI
from THE GREENS COOK BOOK by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown - again, I got it from Margo.

2 cups black beans, soaked overnight
1 bay leaf
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, diced into 1/4 inch squares
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 lbs ripe or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped; juice reserved
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chili
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Rinse the black beans well, drain, and place in a pot. Cover them generously with water and let them soak overnight. Next day, drain the beans, cover them with fresh water by a couple of inches, and bring them to a boil with the bay leaf. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, and sauté the onions over medium heat until they soften. Add the garlic, salt, and ground herbs and chili powder, and cook another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and about 1 teaspoon of the chipotle chili. Simmer everything together for 15 minutes, and then add this mixture to the beans, and if necessary, enough water so the beans are covered by at least 1 inch. Continue to cook the beans slowly until they are soft, and hour or longer (could be several hours). Keep an eye on the water level and add more, if needed, to keep the beans amply covered.
When the beans are cooked, taste them and add more chipotle chili if desired. Season to taste with vinegar, additional salt if needed, and the chopped cilantro. Serves 6.

Margo's Note: for garnishes we use cilantro, diced sweet red bell pepper, feta cheese, and olives. Chopped hot chilis are on the table in a separate bowl for those who want them.


CHICKPEA CURRY
(from my dear friend Margo, who has known me since I was but a babe.)

2 Tbl olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger (I usually grate it)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 Tbl ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 - 150z cans chickpea's rinsed well
1 - 16oz can tomato sauce
1/2 c. chopped onions
Chopped fresh cilantro for top.

* Heat oil in saucepan, add onion & cumin and saute. Add turmeric, coriander, paprika, salt and ginger. Stir for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce & stir for 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 3/4 cup water. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice, sprinkled with chopped fresh cilantro. Cook the rice, and chop the cilantro while the curry is simmering, the whole meal will take 25 minutes or so to cook.


CHICK PEA AND PUMPKIN SOUP (MOROCCO)
from NORTH AFRICA The Vegetarian Table, by Kitty Morse (but I got it from Margo.)

1 pound Mediterranean, butternut, or acorn squash, or sugar pumpkin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, liquid drained and reserved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
12 fresh cilantro sprigs, minced

Last time I made this I added cumin (Margo's note.)

Preheat the oven to 375. Place squash in an ovenproof dish and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until tender, 50 minutes to an hour. Let cool, then peel and seed the squash and scoop the pulp from the shell. Set the pulp aside.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat the oil and cook the onion, stirring occasionally until tender (6 to 8 minutes).
In a blender or food processor, puree, in batches if necessary, the squash, onion, broth, reserved liquid from the chick peas, and half the chick peas. Return the puree to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat the soup and add the remaining whole chick peas. Before serving, sprinkle with minced cilantro.


Chicken Curry

2 - 3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (I usually poach or cook in crock-pot - any other way you like.)
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C onions, diced
1/2 C. green pepper (Capsicum), diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp thyme
28 oz can stewed tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste

Saute onions & green pepper in olive oil. Add spices & cook 2 minutes. Mix in canned tomatoes (& juice) and shredded chicken. Simmer for 20 mins. Serve over rice. Serves 6.

Note; I like to have peanuts, golden raisins & coconut on the table for people to add if they like. As a time saver I like to cook a whole lot of chicken all at once, then shred it all & freeze in smaller batches. It makes meals like this, enchiladas, Hawaiian chicken, etc a snap.

Erin’s Hearty Cream of Tomato Soup

1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 ½ C minced onion
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dill (or more to taste)
lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 12oz can crushed concentrated tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs maple syrup
½ cup heavy cream (more or less to taste)
2 medium sized fresh tomatoes, diced small

Heat olive oil & butter in a duct oven or kettle. Add onion, garlic, salt, dill and black pepper. Stir over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Add canned tomatoes, chicken broth, maple syrup. Cover & simmer over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes. With mixer, blend until smooth, or leave chunky.

About 5 minutes before serving whisk in heavy cream and stir in diced fresh tomatoes. Serve hot, topped with freshly minced herbs.


Honey Baked Chicken

1/3 C. Butter, melted
1/3 C. Honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp curry powder

Arrange chicken in shallow baking pan. Combine ingredients & pour over. Bake at 350F for 1 hr, basting occasionally.

Note; I usually use split breasts (bone in, skin on) for us and a few drumsticks for the kiddos. The baking time may vary, depending on the type of chicken pieces you're using. Check on it, and take out when internal temp is 165F.

Lentil Soup
adapted from The Joy of Cooking

I swiped this right from Lindsey's blog. If you don't regularly visit her blog, you really, really should. I haven't tried it yet, but if Lindsey says it's good - it is. So, I'm abandoning my usual lentil soup recipe & going with this one this month.

1 lb. lentils, picked over and rinsed well
8-10 cups water, chicken, or vegetable broth (more or less depending on your preferred thickness)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3-4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" pieces
3-4 stalks of celery, rinsed well and cut into 1/4 " pieces
1 large or 2 small onions, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
1, 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes plus juice, chopped
1/2-1 tsp. dried thyme
1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the vegetables and cook on medium heat until tender, but not browned. Add the lentils, water, tomatoes, and dried thyme. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes, stirring often to prevent the bottom from burning.

Before serving, add balsamic vinegar. Taste and add more salt if needed, and pepper, to taste.

Makes enough for 8-10 people. Serve with warm bread (or biscuits) and salad.

Pumpkin Walnut Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
600g pumpkin, peeled and diced (use a whole good sized sugar pumpkin)
4 cups water (thin it with a little more water if needed)
2 vegetable stock cubes
4 tsp tomato paste
4 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Pour oil into soup pot and saute onion and garlic over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. Blend or process until smooth. Soup can be made a day ahead, and frozen for 2 months.

My Note; I've been making this soup for years, and it is one of of my favorites. It always tastes so "earthy" to me - perfect for this time of year, and really couldn't be easier.

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef (I use ground turkey.)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg mild taco seasoning
16oz can corn
16oz can small red beans (can use kidney, or other pone you like.)
16oz can stewed chopped tomatoes
16 oz can of tomato sauce
tortilla chips
grated cheese

Brown meat in heavy saucepan, drain off fat. Saute onions, add to ground turkey / beef. Stir in taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans and tomato. Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. Serve topped with tortilla chips and grated cheese.

My Note; This is the super-easiest recipe I have. I feel like it's a night off from cooking when we make this.


Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

2 C. crushed Ritz crackers
3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp seasoned salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8oz plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine 1st 4 ingredients & set aside. Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt, then in cracker mixture. Arrange chicken pieces in 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle chicken with melted butter. Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes, or until coked through. Serves 8.

My Note: I cut the breast into strips about 2-3 inches wide, otherwise the center of a whole breast can be bland, because there's not enough crumb mixture. I usually use the fat free Ritz, but have also used the whole wheat and they are both fine. I use garlic powder - and only 1tsp of it, instead of garlic salt. I find it's too salty if I use the garlic salt.

October Menu

Week One
1- Chickpea Curry, Rice, cucumber salad
2 - Roast Chicken, corn, grilled zucchini
3 - Taco Soup, corn chips
4 - Vegetable Bread, chicken soup

Week Two
5 - Lamb & Mushroom Kabobs, green salad,
6 - Vegetarian Lasagna
7 - Erin's Hearty Cream of Tomato Soup
8 - Spinach Pie
9 - Jacob's Choice (birthday dinner)
10 - Pirate Party (party food)
11 - Baked Potato Bar

Week Three
12 - Yogurt Parmesan Chicken, carrots, steamed asparagus
13 - Spaghetti
14 - Lentil Soup
15 - Lemon Baked Tilapia
16 - Chicken Curry, Rice, cucumber salad
17 - Homemade Pizza
18 - Vegetarian Soft Taco's

Week Four
19 - Honey Baked Chicken, Pilaf, Broccoli
20 - Spinach Tortellini
21 - Chick Pea & Pumpkin Soup
22 - Beef & Bok Choy Hot Pot
23 - Chicken Pot Pie
24 - Chicken Enchiladas
25 - Black Bean Chili & Corn Bread

Week Five
26 - Beef Pot Roast, steamed veggies, rolls
27 - Spaghetti
28 - Pumpkin Walnut Soup, homemade bread.
29 - Thai Ginger Salmon, Wild Rice, edamame
30 - Pumpkin Pasta with fresh vegetable sauce
31 - Halloween (- we'll eat finger foods at our neighborhood parade.)

September Recipes

Here's a listing of the recipes from September, in alphabetical order.

Baked Ham

Fully Cooked (Ready-to-Eat or -Serve) Bone-In Ham
As there are many types of ham available, be sure to check the label to ensure you've selected a fully cooked variety.

REMOVE rind (if necessary) and score. Place in a shallow foil-lined roasting pan.

SCORING
Scoring a ham allows basting sauce or glaze to penetrate the meat, adding flavor. Use a paring knife to make shallow, even slits diagonally across the top of the ham in one direction, then repeat making slits in opposite direction to form diamond shapes. After scoring, insert cloves where the cuts meet.

INSERT ovenproof meat thermometer in thickest part of ham without touching the bone and bake at 325°F for 15-20 min./lb. of ham or until thermometer registers 140°F. Remove from oven. Allow ham to stand 10-15 min. Standing allows juices to settle before carving.
GLAZE with your favorite glaze recipe during the last half hour of cooking. Glaze a ham during the last 30 minutes of its cooking time. This allows the flavor to penetrate the ham without burning the glaze, which usually contains some form of sugar. Before glazing, garnish with pineapple slices or maraschino cherries, if desired. Be sure to discard any leftover glaze used to baste.
CARVING
To carve the shank or butt half, cut along the length of bone across to end of ham, using a fork to hold ham as you cut. Cut downwards through top half of roast to make slices. Repeat with remaining roast.

Orange-Pineapple Dijon Sauce for Ham

Makes: 3/4 cup sauce for basting and about 6 (2-Tbsp.) servings of sauce for serving with sliced ham
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple slices, un-drained
1 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard

DRAIN pineapple, reserving liquid. Mix reserved pineapple liquid, marmalade and mustard until well blended. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mustard mixture to brush on a ham during the last 30 minutes of baking time.
POUR remaining 3/4 cup mustard mixture into small saucepan; cook on medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve over ham slices. Use pineapple slices to decorate ham before baking or serve pineapple slices with sliced baked ham.


Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce for Ham

Makes: 1 cup sauce for basting plus about 11 (2-Tbsp.) servings of sauce for serving with sliced ham

1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, un-drained
2 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor container; cover. Blend until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of the cranberry mixture to brush onto a ham during the last 30 minutes of baking time.
Cook remaining 1-1/3 cups cranberry mixture in small saucepan on medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve over sliced ham.

** My Note - I use a simple glaze of brown sugar, balsamic vinegar & a little water. I don't measure - sorry. Just use about a cup of br0wn sugar, add balsamic vinegar to a thick paste, then add enough water to make it just spreadable. It's the best out of any I've tired. I don't put cloves in the scoring - my kids don't like the flavor it creates. My sister, Liesa has a good mustard cream recipe for ham, I'll get it from here and add it here later.

Black Bean Burrito Bake

1 (7oz) can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
½ cup reduced fat sour cream
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed, drained & divided
1 cup whole-kernel corn, thawed
4 (8”) flour tortillas

1 cup bottled salsa
½ cup Monterey jack cheese

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• Remove 1 chilli from can. Chop finely. (save rest for another use)
• Combine sour cream and chilli in medium bowl, and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Place ½ the beans in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
• Add chopped beans, remaining beans and corn to sour cream mixture.
• Spoon ½ cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll and place seam down in baking dish.
• Spread salsa over tortillas & sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve with yellow rice.
• Serves 4.

** My Note - I do not want to wash the food processor for 1/2 a can of beans! I just use 1 bowl. I smash 1/2 the black beans with a potato masher, then add all the other stuff into that same bowl. I don't add the salsa before baking. When we serve them, I serve them over a bed of shredded romaine lettuce, then we add salsa as desired. I use 7" whole wheat tortillas.

Chicken Curry Salad

3 cups cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups grapes , cut in halves
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
2 Tablespoons grated onion
1 can water chestnuts, chopped (I left these out)
1/2 cup silvered almonds

Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Refrigerate overnight (not really necessary.)

** My Note - This is one I discovered this spring, and a new favorite for us. I serve it on soft whole wheat rolls, with a green salad as a side.

Deanna's Peach/Apple Betty

Ingredients:
4 cups Pared tart apples or 2 1/2 cups sliced and drained apples or peaches.
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
Dash of Salt
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbl. Corn Starch

Instructions:
Combine apples or peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with orange juice and 2 Tbl. or cornstarch for thickening.

Topping--
Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
Then Scatter mixture over apples or peaches.
Use a 6x12 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 min. or until apples/peaches are done and topping is crisp.

Serve warm with cream or ice cream
Make 6 servings.

** My Note - This was a little too much for me (although Rick polished his off!) Next time I make it I will reduce the butter to 1/4 cup, and the sugar to 3/4 cup.

Pesto

1 and a half cups of basil (Whole leaves, packed down.)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c pine nuts
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
3/4 c olive oil

Wash the basil and pat dry.
Add all the ingredients except the olive oil into a blender/food processor and mix. Drizzle the olive oil in a little at a time and continue mixing. Toss over warm pasta.

** My Note - I toss this over warm penne, then add halved cherry or grape tomatoes and pine nuts. We usually serve it with green salad & bread.


Potato, Ham & Corn Soup

4 potatoes, cubed
1 T butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopeed celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
4 T flour
1/2 lb chopped ham
1 1/2 cups corn

In a deep pot, saute celery, onion and salt in 1 T butter until the onion is clear and soft. Add potatoes and water to cover. Boil and cook 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. In a separate pan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add the flour ans stir until creamy. Remove from heat. Slowly add the milk while stirring. Return to heat until thickened. Add to boiled potatoes. Return to a boil and cook until desired consistency. Add ham and corn and heat through.

** My Note - I got this recipe from my sister Sara, who got it from my sister Corinne, who uses her sister-in-law Kristin's adapted clam chowder recipe! We have lots of recipes for soup like this, but this is one of the best I've tasted and is super easy to make. My kids GOBBLE bowls full on it.


SUMMER VEGETABLE QUICHE

September Meal Plan

Week One

1- Penne with homemade pesto (take to BBQ at Blair's)
2- Eat Out (Vacation catch-up, last day of summer break)
3 -Turkey, Munster & spinach on spinach & garlic wraps. Grapes. Watermelon.
4 - BBQ chicken sandwiches. Corn on the cob. Spinach salad.
5 - IKEA (looking for trundle bed & new desk)
6 - Baked Mac-n-Cheese (for kids, big people are fasting.)


Week Two

7 - Hawaiian Haystacks
8 - Tri-color Alphabet pasta, tossed in butter & fresh parmesan. Salad. Garlic bread.
9 - Grilled Turkey & Swiss sandwiches. Corn chips & guacamole. Grilled zucchini (from our garden - yum.)
10 - Chicken Gyros. Cucumber Salad. Fresh peaches. Limeade.
11 -
12 - Pesto & Tomato Pizza on Wholewheat crust (homemade.)
13 - Eat Out (school shopping at outlet mall.)

Week Three

14 - Summer Vegetable Quiche. Green Salad. Rolls. Deanna's Peach Betty & Vanilla ice cream.
15 - Spinach tortellini.
16 - Sandwiches (Salami, swiss & spinach)
17 - Thai-Ginger marinated Salmon. Wild Rice Mix. Edemame.
18 - Vegetarian Soft Taco's.
19 -
20 - Curry Chicken Salad on Wholewheat Rolls. Mixed Baby Greens. Pineapple.

Week Four

21 - Milk Poached Tilapia with Chive Cream. Baked Potatoes. Broccoli
22 - Spaghetti with Marinara. Salad. Garlic Bread.
23 - Sandwiches
24 - Black Bean & Corn Burrito Bake (on a bed of lettuce) with salsa & sour cream.
25 - Chicken & Rice Salad, with Mango & chickpeas.
26 - Taco Salad.
27 -

Week 5 (or what there is of the week.)

28 - Baked Ham. Mashed potatoes. Green Beans. (Unseasonal, but needs to be used from freezer.)
29 - Spaghetti with Marinara. Salad. Garlic bread.
30 - Ham & Corn chowder. Cibbatta. (Use leftover ham from Sunday.)

** There are still a few blank days that I'm deciding on. I'll fill them in when I know what I'm making.

How to Get Started

Once I create my month, I often repeat it the next month or make only a few changes.
Each week when I go grocery shopping, I just look at my list of meals and I know what to buy. Along with staples of course. I think it cuts down on last minute trips to the store and impulse buys, helps us to eat well & a little healthier, and most of all (the reason I do it) reduces stress and the work load for me. Knowing what I am making ahead of time really helps me out. I know if I need to take something out of the freezer, or use the crock pot. I avoid being stressed out in the kitchen during the time of day that all my kids are home and the little one's are starting to melt down. It wouldn't work for everyone - if you like food spontaneity, you'd hate this - but it works pretty well for us.

So, several people who know that I do this have asked for a copy of the meals we have, plus recipes. Which, of course, I am happy to share.
However, unless you have people in your family with the same likes/dislikes as us - which is unlikely - it's better that you understand the process of how I make our meal plan, and then you can use the principles to custom make your own.

STEP ONE
Make a list of all the meals your family likes. I like to have mine divided into 2 types
Spring/Summer or Fall/Winter.

STEP TWO
Get a blank calendar page for the month. I use iCal now I have my Mac, but I just used a blank printed out page from Outlook when I had my PC.
I like to look at the whole month at once. I think it gives us more balance. If I'm adding a Mexican themed meal, and notice that we've had something like that 3 times in the previous two weeks, I can change things around. I also do a lot of repetition (especially on Mondays & Tuesdays) and it makes it easy to just add those meals to all Mondays at once, etc.

STEP THREE
Fill in any days on the calendar that have events planned already. Is it going to be someones birthday & they'll choose the meal that night? Are you going to be out & the babysitter will order Pizza? Will the whole family be dining out? Is it Fast Sunday the next day, and you'll be making a simple dinner on Saturday night just for your kids? Having people over & you'll need to make something that's good for a crowd? Add any holiday meals - the obvious one's are Christmas, Thanksgiving & Easter.


STEP FOUR
Decide what your food philosophy is. Are you looking to make mostly things that will be very easy to make? Cater to a picky eaters? Stay within a particular budget?

These are my "meal goals" -
* Work around our family schedule; this means that I try to have more simple meals on our busiest days in the week. For example, I try and have something that can be made ahead or done in the crock-pot on Wednesdays when we have a late piano lesson. I always do something that's a little nicer on Sunday's and plan for dessert then too. I make sure I don't forget a treat on Monday nights.
* Have Three Meatless Meals per Week; Rick complains he's "practically vegetarian" compared to how he used to eat, but I would like to do better. My kids love vegetables (it's fruit Emily & Jane have issues with) so why not? It's better for us, and better for the planet. I don't always make it the 3, but sometimes I get 4 or more meatless meals in the week, and then I'm super-happy!
* No Meals that Take More Than an Hour to Prepare; Dinner is only 1 of three meals and two snacks per day that I am preparing. We are always busy with Pre-School, swimming, soccer, ballroom dance, piano, play-dates, drama club, errands, etc.
I have 4 kids. Two of whom are Pre-Schooler's and my husband works insane hours - need I say more?

STEP FIVE
With my goals in my head, and my preplanned days already marked off, I start filling in the calendar. Here's how it works for us.

The kids & I LOVE spaghetti, but Rick hates it. Since he doesn't eat dinner with us through the week anyway (he gets home late, so we save his) we came up with a plan - we have pasta every Monday. Usually once a month it's spinach tortellini - and then I'll tell Rick and he'll eat that. Otherwise, he knows to grab himself an alternative on Monday nights on his way home, or eat leftovers from the fridge. We've been doing it this way for several years, and so far every one's happy.

Tuesdays are one of our busier days, and the day the house is cleaned from top to bottom. There's NO WAY we are eating anything with rice, or shredded cheese on Tuesdays. In fact, in the summer we eat outside on Tuesday. I'm OCD - I know- but I just have to go to bed one night in the week knowing my floor is clean! Tuesdays in the warmer months are always for Sandwiches - easy, not messy and fun to eat outside. In colder months we have soup. Yum! Often also hot homemade bread - or I grab some from the bakery if needs be. I can usually make the soup early in the day and reheat just before dinner. Soup simmering on the stove is wonderful to come home to when we're tired and cold.

Fridays I do something pretty casual. If Rick and I are stealing away for date-night it's easy for the kids and if we're home we often like to have a family movie night, and then we all feel like something easy. Often we make pizza. Homemade pizza is so yummy, and the benefit for us is we can all make our own kind (sausage & pepperoni for Rick, vegetarian for me, etc.)

All the other days I just plug in - trying to make sure we don't have fish more than once a week, or something Mexican, or curry more than once a week, etc.

So, there you go. Easy.

Let me know if you make one yourself ....

Emily's School Lunch

I don't really want my kids to buy school lunch. It's really not a good option. In Emily's case, it's really just not an option at all. Although I think she is a very healthy eater, she is also very particular. There's non way the school could cater to her preferences, so I do. She doesn't eat any kind of fruit, which is always such an easy thing to toss into a lunch box. She also doesn't like too much repetition, and I was getting tired of trying to come up with things for her each day. We came up with the perfect solution - a meal plan, just like we use for dinners. She has a rotating weekly schedule. She gets a variety of foods she likes to eat, and I don't have to think about it anymore (other than to make sure we have in the foods she likes - which we almost always do anyway.)

I have this pretty much memorized, but it's also printed out and stuck inside the pantry door as a reminder.

She has to take a snack every day (they eat it in class in the morning.) She also takes 2 SIGG water bottles - one in her lunchbox & one to keep at her desk.

Monday
Cream cheese mini bagel
cucumber slices

snack - crackers

Tuesday
Spinach & goat cheese salad
honey whole wheat pretzels

snack - baby carrots

Wednesday
Cheese sandwich (on wholewheat, no condiments) in warm weather
Thermos of soup (& oyster crackers) in cold weather

snack - broccoli (or other raw vegetable) & ranch dressing

Thursday
Crackers & brie
baby carrots

snack - snow peas (sometimes raw green beans)

Friday
Order school lunch

snack - we're going to see if we can get away with a cookie (even though they're technically not allowed.)

Why a New Blog?

Lots of people have asked about my meal plan. I'm not sure if it's because they are genuinely interested in making one themselves - or just can't believe that someone could be this type-A.

I have wanted for some time to put how I do it on my family blog - but just never seemed to get around to it. I have been working on our new fall / winter menu's recently, and thought I'd take the opportunity to do it now.

So here is my separate blog - which will probably be short, and not updated all that much. Hopefully it will help anyone wanting to plan their meals, or find new recipes.

Bon Appetit!