Tag Archives: recipes

Jan 24 2012

What’s For Dinner: LOOP Meals

The book The What’s For Dinner Solution by Kathi Lipp gave me some inspiration in the area of make-ahead cooking. Things like prepping vegetables when you get home from the store, browning up ground beef and freezing it for later, and making double batches so that the extra can be frozen.

For the first day of the blogger challenge, I made roasted chickens.  We are a family of four, and two of those are small kids (under 5) who don’t eat much. But, roasting two whole chickens is just as easy as roasting one.  And with the leftover meat I can make another quick dinner later this week.  This is what Kathi calls LOOP (Left Overs On Purpose) cooking.

ROASTED CHICKENS  (LOOP Part 1)

2 whole chickens (5-6 lbs)

Salt, pepper

Garlic (one full bulb, cut top off or 2 TBSP minced fresh garlic)

2 Lemons,  cut in half

Fresh thyme or rosemary

Butter

  1. Heat oven to 425°
  2. Remove giblets, rinse chicken and pat dry
  3. Season the cavity with salt and pepper
  4. Place garlic, lemons and herbs in the bird cavities
  5. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle salt and pepper outside
  6. Bake for about 1 ½ hours, or until breast meat is 160°
  7. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving

After dinner I had a whole chicken plus some of the dinner chicken left over.  I boned out the meat and put it in a gallon zipper bag.  I’m going to use the left over chicken to throw together some chicken enchiladas on Wednesday.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS (LOOP Part 2)

For enchiladas I don’t use exact measurements.  Here’s my recipe (or method if you prefer):

  1. Saute sliced onions in some vegetable oil
  2. Add chicken and cook until heated through
  3. Open a large can of enchilada sauce (I prefer the green kind)
  4. Pour a little sauce into the bottom of a casserole pan.
  5. Place a tortilla in the pan and fill with chicken/onion mixture and ample amount of shredded cheese
  6. Roll the tortilla so the seam side is at the bottom of the pan.
  7. Continue assembling tortillas. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
  8. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.

This is not a new concept, but if you find yourself struggling to get a home-cooked meal on the table each night, LOOP may be your answer.

Tell us in the comments your favorite way to use Left Overs On Purpose. Head over to Kathi’s Blog  today to download five of her favorite ways to use Left Over On Purpose chicken.

*To comment click on the post title and scroll to the bottom.

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Nov 1 2011

Thanksgiving Inspiration

The latest issue of Real Simple magazine arrived in my mailbox last week. The November and December issues are always wonderful; filled with beautiful photos and ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I’ve been drooling over the recipes in the November issue. It includes recipes, a shopping list and timeline for a Thanksgiving feast that is mostly made ahead. A great option to take the stress out of marathon cooking on the big day.  I’m particularly interested in the recipe for a cranberry hazelnut quick bread, and will give it a try once I figure out where to purchase whole hazelnuts.

If you are looking for a little Thanksgiving inspiration pick one up.  Even if you never make one recipe, the journey through the magazine will get you ready for some great Thanksgiving cooking!

They also have a vast website with recipes, cleaning tips, money tips and fashion.  A lot of the content is free, and subscribers to the magazine can access the recipe archive and more.  I’ve given this magazine as a subscription gift a few times and it was welcomed.

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Jun 6 2011

Coffee Cake

I love coffee cake!  The recipe used to be on the box of Bisquik, but in recent years it’s disappeared.  I last saw it on a giant (Costco size) box of Bisquik at my mom’s house a few years ago. I had Paul copy down the recipe for me so we could make it at home. Now I have the recipe ready to use whenever I need it!

 

Cake:

2 c. Bisquik mix
2/3 c. milk
1 egg
2 TBSP sugar

Toppng:

1/3 c. Bisquik
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBSP  butter, firm

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Mix cake ingredients in a large bowl.  Spread into greased 8″x8″ pan.  Mix topping ingredients together, then cut in butter with a pastry cutter or fork.  Mixture should be evenly crumbly.  Sprinkle topping over cake batter and bake for 18-22 minutes.  Check that the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake.  If it comes out clean you are set.

I like to make a big 9″x13″ pan of coffee cake, so I double the cake recipe and triple the topping.  That way the top of the cake has a nice thick brown sugar layer!  Yum!

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May 24 2011

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Looking for an easy and delicious family meal?  Try livening up spaghetti night by making your own meatballs!

It’s very easy to make meatballs that turn out great every time.

Here’s how:

1 package Mild Italian sausages (uncooked)
2 lbs. ground beef
½ c. shredded parmasean cheese
½ c. plain bread crumbs
3 TBSP dried parsley
2 eggs
*optional: add minced onion and fresh garlic

Remove the casings from the sausages by cutting lengthwise and peeling.

Break up the meat into small pieces and put it in a large mixing bowl.  Break up ground beef and also place it in the bowl.  Add the parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley and eggs.  Mix by hand until combined.  Roll the meat into small balls, about 1½-2 inches in diameter.  Place formed balls into two 9″x13″ baking dishes.  Bake uncovered at

400° for 45-55 minutes.  At the end of cooking time take a meatball out and cut it open to check doneness.  It should be cooked through – no pink.  Makes approximately 40 meatballs.

You can cook the meatballs ahead of time and place in a covered container in the refrigerator until dinner time.  When you are ready to start dinner, place the cooked meatballs in a 12″ skillet.  Add 2 small jars of your favorite pasta sauce and simmer until meat is heated through, about 15-20 minutes.  While meatballs and sauce are heating, cook pasta according to package directions.

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May 14 2011

Beef Stroganoff

I tried a new recipe for dinner and it was a big hit.  It was super easy using the slow cooker:

2-3 lbs. stew meat, cut into 1″ pieces
½ cup flour
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. coarse grind garlic powder
vegetable oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 can sliced mushrooms
½ cup sour cream

Browning beef first adds great flavor.

In a resealable plastic bag combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic.  Shake well to mix.  Cut meat into small cubes.  Working in batches, add meat to the four bag and shake to coat.  Heat oil in a skillet. Add meat and brown on all sides.  Transfer browned meat to slow cooker.  Add one can cream of mushroom soup.  Sprinkle on onion soup mix.  Drain canned mushrooms and add to crock.  Stir and set slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours.  When cooking time is complete

Audrey was "helping" by stirring the beef.

stir in sour cream.  Allow a few minutes for the sour cream to heat.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.  Serves 4-6 people.

My notes: I used a London broil for the meat.  I trimmed the visible fat from the edge before cutting into cubes.  The garlic I use in all of my recipes is California Style Garlic Powder from McCormick.  It is a coarse grind and has dried parsley in it.  If you don’t have that I would recommend substituting ¼ tsp regular garlic powder.

Warning: this is salty!  When I make it next time I will be reducing the salt in the flour coating to only 1 tsp.  There is a lot of salt in both the mushroom soup and onion soup mix.

Sorry, no photos of the finished product – it was devoured by a hungry crowd!  But you all know what strogo looks like right? Good.

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