Food Confessions

All work...

and no play...
















means we are having cereal for dinner!


















It is time for some food confessions. Last week someone commented to me that they were impressed that I cook a “real meal” every night for the family. As much as I want for this to be true, it isn’t. Life is…life is…life is just life, and it goes on everyday no matter what I do (thank goodness).

While I try very hard to plan “real meals” for us to eat each and every night, some days I just can’t pull it together. Strange things get in the way of my preparation, like for instance, not going to the grocery store. This week is one of those weeks. I have not been to the store in ten days and I have no plans to go soon. And no, we are not dining out.

So what will we eat? I have a cache of beef in the freezer. A bag of frozen chicken breasts are always on hand (but rarely thawed out ahead of time). The pantry remains stocked with pasta and I always keep potatoes around (eye-really do). And my biggest, bestest weapon of all? I cook once – eat twice! I cook double batches of foods that freeze well and pullout the frozen meal when I really don’t feel like cooking anything. Add a side salad, canned or frozen veggie (if I haven't been to the store in ten days the fresh veggies are all gone) and -- poof! -- dinner is served. I love that my husband thinks (at least theoretically he could think) I am able to cook a big meal, set the table and have the dishes already cleaned before we sit down to eat. Do you know what it feels like to sit down to eat with the only dirty dishes being the plates on the table? It is a rare, but glorious feeling and I hope that moms around the world can experience it at least once in their lives.

Right now I have a few concoctions in the freezer that are nominated for dinner later this week: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Chicken & Mushroom Fontina Baked Pasta, Baked Spaghetti, Apple Cranberry Pork Pinwheels, and Potato Gratin (you probably recognize a few of these).

If Plan B doesn’t sound good to me, I also have a Plan C. Usually. Plan C has a variety of forms it can take. Plan C is near desperate, but not nearly as desperate as Plan D. Plan C is actually one that the kids love. They love it so much that they recently claimed it to be their favorite dinner that I make. Who am I to step in between my kids and their favorite meal – pecan pancakes with bananas and whipped cream, scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon? I must admit it is one of my favorite meals too. Pat...not so much.

Plan C’s second form is the quesadilla fallback. We eat ham & cheese quesadillas with pickles; ham, egg & cheese quesadillas; chicken & black bean quesadillas with salsa and sour cream; roasted red pepper quesadillas with guacamole; and when we are only one step away from resorting to Plan D, we eat cheese quesadillas with whatever else is left in the fridge. Sometimes we pair our quesadillas with ramen noodles for a more international fare!

I know you are wondering how Plan D can get much worse than Plan C? It can. Plan D involves cereal (if we have milk), sandwiches (if we have bread), frozen chicken nuggets (if the kids haven’t found the coveted box in the freezer’s hiding place) and an M.R.E. (Meals Ready to Eat, also referred to rations in the military, these can be purchased at a military commissary or issued to you if you serve in the armed forces). The really bad thing about Plan D is you need a second meal later in the evening because you get so damn hungry from the lack of real food served at dinner.

So when you think I have it all together, remember Plans C and D and don’t feel bad about what you feed your family!

Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs

I have made this three times. Last week I added the capers and the kalamata olives for the first time. Pat went on and on about it so I guess he liked the additions.

Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs (or Breasts)

1 1/2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 stick butter
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3T. balsamic vinegar
1 c. red wine (or substitute chicken stock)
1 T. capers
1/4 c. kalamata olives, pitted
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish

Heat oil and butter over high. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet careful not to crowd pan. Sear each side until the chicken is golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove to baking dish.
Add the onion and garlic to pan, until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, red wine (or stock if you are substituting), capers, olives and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Bring to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour the balsamic glaze over the chicken and place in a 350° preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the chicken has just cooked through. Remove from the oven, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Pat Is on to Me (& the UPS Man)

Pat is no dummy and I think he may be on to the UPS man and me. I suspect this because he has ordered two packages since the last UPS Man post and get this -- one of them was delivered on Valentine's Day. Yes, the UPS man came by on Valentine's Day. Really I should say Valentine's night, because it was actually getting dark outside when he stopped by. I know what you are thinking Why would my husband knowingly tempt me with UPS deliveries? I have a few theories: He does it because (#1) he loves me and wants for me my heart's desires and (#2) more selfishly, he knows I will never stray and that he reaps all rewards of my lusts and impure thoughts (hence the Valentine's day drop-off).

Whatever the reason, Pat, if you are reading my blog, thanks for shopping online!

Ice Skating Escapades

We tried ice skating a few months ago. The kids were pressing us hard and we finally gave in. Initially is sounded like a good idea...something to bring the family together...

something to unite us as is demonstrated in this Before picture. See everyone so happy?

Whoa! These skates are dangerous. But with our positive attitudes, we can do anything! Here, let me help you, Sis.

One big, happy family. What's gonna work? Teamwork!

Below is an After picture. Can we go home now?

And again, an After picture. Patrick is trying to smile, but can you see the tear on his right cheek? He still has that lovin' feelin'.

Now it's gone, gone, gone!

Bedtime didn't make things any better. Isn't she a real beauty. She sure make her Mamma proud!

Look Ma, I can blow a bubble.

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie
Adapted from Fanner Farmer’s Famous Dish

3+ cups (1 lb) ground beef 1 cup beef broth
1-2 lg. garlic cloves salt
1 onion, diced 4-5 medium red potatoes (w/ skin)
4 –8 T. butter (divided) 1 bag peas & carrots, frozen
4 T. flour 2+ cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Cut potatoes into quarters, cover w/ cold, salted water and boil gently for 15-20 minutes. Drain. Taste for salt. Add pepper & more salt if necessary and 2-4 T. butter. Mash. Set aside.

2. While potatoes are boiling preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Cook peas & carrots in microwave according to package directions. Drain and add salt/pepper. Set aside.

4. Brown beef with garlic and onion. Set aside.

5. In same pan you used for browning beef melt 4T. butter and stir in flour. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat until smooth and blended (must cook to gewt rid of flour taste). Slowly add beef broth. Cook at least 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add beef mixture. Salt and pepper as needed.

6. Layer to edges meat mixture evenly in 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Spread peas & carrots over meat. Spread mashed potatoes on top. Add cheese. Bake for 35-45 minutes until cheese is beautifully brown.

Note: I usually divide this into two smaller casserole dishes and freeze one for later. To recook frozen Shep. Pie just thaw 24 hours in refrigerator bake 45-ish minutes at 350.

Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce

We had a change of menu this past week with Valentine's Day and all the hoopla around the "holiday" (if you can call it that). For Pat's V.D. gift I made him the meal he's asked me to make for the past 7 years. It is a meal I have avoided at all costs. It is a meal I know I'm not qualified to cook, steam, roll or present. For my Valentine I attempted the meal I knew I should not -- I made sushi. I will spare you the details and spare you the recipe. In the future, God-willing and the kids-behaving, I will make sushi again and describe it for you. Until then, make Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce.

This is a nice switch from the regular meat and potatoes standby; however, it is not for the faint of heart...I mean faint of pallet. The sauce is very bold and will kick-up the flavor a few notches. If you like foods with an Asian flare, this is a meal for you.




Appearing for the very first time, my very own food photography. Tah-Daah! Pat was kind enough to go to his truck and retrieve our...errr...his digital camera just as I was plating the meal. I think the photo is pretty good considering the entire family was sitting there waiting to eat while I arranged food. Except Kelly, she was sitting there waiting to throw a dinner tantrum proclaiming her distaste for mashed potatoes and meat. Apparently she doesn't consider hot dogs to be meat. And now that I think about it, she is probably right. Are hot dogs meat?






Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce
Adapted from Isabel Cruz's Cooking Light Recipe

2-3 portobello mushroom caps (more would suit me fine - I could skip the steak completely)
1 lb. boneless beef shoulder steak (I often use those really thin slices of beef - I don't know the official name - Uncle Ed's beef has it labeled "Minute Steak")
Olive oil
S&P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce
1/4 c. chopped green onions (with green stems)
1/4 soy (I use low sodium)
1 t. fresh, peeled, chopped ginger (original recipe calls for more, add more if you like)
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 T. honey
dash nutmeg
1 clove garlic

1. Prepare sauce by combining all 8 ingredients in food processor until smooth. Set aside.

2. Remove gills from under portobellos (use a spoon) and slice caps.

3. Heat a nonsick pan over mediun-high heat. Coat with olive oil. Salt and pepper steak. Add steak and cook on each side until browned. Remove from pan. If using beef shoulder, slice diagonally. If using the thin cut I referred to as "Minute Steak" there's no need to slice it.

4. Toss mushrooms with a few tablespoons of soy mixture; add to pan. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from pan.

5. Return steak to pan and cook to desired doneness.

6. Plate steak and mushrooms together. Drizzle with remaining soy mixture.

Serving Note: I usually serve over jasmine rice, but tonight I will serve it with my lower-fat version of Pioneer Woman's Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I will make extra mashed potatoes for Shepherd's Pie later this week.

Kid Friendly Adaptation: Don't drizzle their sizzle (you know...their meat...don't drizzle any sauce over it)! The sauce is waaaay too much for the kiddies. And when I made the garlic roasted mashed potatoes, I set aside a bowl full of mashed tators sans roasted garlic.

Happy Valentines 's Day

Enjoy a few Valentines my kids made. You won't be receiving any in the mail. Know that they love you, but that their mom was too tired to put any in the mailbox.

I came up with the idea of printing their photos on hand made cards, but I asked each kid what they wanted to write in the bubble coming out of their mouths. Kelly's bubble should have said ,"Happy Criggin' Valentine's Day," but the kids in her class don't cuss yet and probably wouldn't appreciate her articulation.

This is the one Kelly made to give out to her pals from preschool. She insisted on drawing (i.e. tracing) her own hearts and cutting everything out for herself - all 14 of them! You know what I love the most? The rough-cut edges make my heart melt. Aren't they beautiful?

The card below is a version of the card Patrick designed for his friends (and I do mean designed) except this one is for his teacher. I offered a suggestion of You rock! coming out of his word bubble, but he immediately shot down my idea and, without missing one beat, came up with his very own Valentine message. Can you read it? Look closely. He wasn't satisfied that I typed only the song's lyrics, but also wanted me to add the beat, "Dunt. Dunt dunt dunt. Dunt." I explained that those weren't words at all, those are sounds and I don't know how to spell sounds. He ran out of the office, into the garage and disappeared for less than a minute. He ran back inside and said, "Dad says you spell it D-U-N-T." I told him the kids in his class would never understand the beat being spelled out on a Valentine. We settled on writing just the lyrics and found this perfect photo to capture his Rockentine sentiment. I wonder what his teacher is thinking right about now. First I send him to school in pajamas (with cape). Then I put sushi and chopsticks in his lunch box, now this - a Valentine message that no one understands.
Please note his message to his teacher (written in pencil at the bottom). So sweet!

The third Valentine was an afterthought (he is a typical male). It is for his bus driver, Mrs. G. Dad helped him find the perfect words to convey just how we all feel about Mrs. G's service to the bus riders and their parents.
















Today, as you find yourself hurrying about your mundane tasks, and the obligatory "Happy Valentine's Day" begins to roll off your tongue when you pay the cashier. Do as Patrick does and say what really mean: Everybody dance now! Dunt. Dunt dunt dunt. Dunt. Everybody dance now! Can you feel the music? Dunt....

Happy Rockentine Day!