nummy napa

Call me crazy, but Napa cabbage has a buttery texture.  Dreamy.  Try the following salad with grilled bone-in pork chops.  You won’t be sorry.

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 T. honey
• thinly sliced Napa cabbage
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

“The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is outgrossing my films.”  ~ Paul Newman

nice dice

Is it wrong to feel complete joy upon finding a container of diced veggies in the freezer?  Planned happiness can be found when adding a little extra chopping to “regular” cooking time to freeze & save for another day.

Hubbie, “What does that mean?”

Me (giggle), “What do you think it means?”

Hubbie, “I have no idea.”

Me, “It’s chopped up veggies ready for making soup!”

Hubbie, “So, there’s no chicken or noodles.”  (shakes head & laughs)

“A good marriage is like a casserole, only those responsible for it really know what goes in it.”  ~unknown author

crockpot mondays

December’s dinner experiment.  Similar to “pizza Fridays” or “taco Tuesdays”.  These ideas simplify meal-time & add stability to chaotic evening life.  Now, I’m not a fan of being a stickler to these sorts of routines, but there are times when planning = lower stress.

Last night’s meal:  Curried Chicken Stew – tasty!  And, we have leftovers for another meal.  Two birds with one stone!  pow!pow!  Okay, actually, 4 birds.   Whatever.

• trim the fat & brown 8 chicken thighs in 2 T. olive oil, 8 minutes
• bottom of crockpot – 6 carrots in chunks, 1 onion in wedges
• combine 1 can coconut milk & 1/4 cup curry paste, pour 1/2 of mixture over veggies
• top with chicken, skin sides up, cover, low setting for 7-8 hours
• pour remaining mixture over top, serve with cilantro, golden raisins &/or crushed red pepper

The recipe is from Better Homes & Gardens December 2011 magazine.  Go to BHG’s website to find tons of crockpot recipes. 

“I dream of a better tomorrow…where chickens can cross roads & not have their motives questioned.”  ~ unknown

concept cooking

The other day, I thought I had hash browns in the freezer for the breakfast casserole on deck for dinner.  Turns out, I had to substitute with the only frozen potato forms available…5 tater-tots & 8 french fries.  Being a recipe geek, a mild panic crept in that dinner was going to flop.  Until, I shared with chef hubbie my wariness, to which he replied, “Breakfast casserole is a concept.  It will be fine.”. 

Light-bulb moment. 

How true!  And so many other meals are mere concepts ready for adaptation.

• pizza
• practically anything Mexican
• stuffed pepper – pick your pepper, starch, protein, veg, go!
• sandwiches
• meatloaf, meatballs or burgers
• pasta salad
• casseroles!

“I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with variation.”  ~ Madam Benoit

pico rescue

Yesterday, 5:23 pm, the dinner menu remained a mystery…  Upon searching through appliances & cabinets, I found frozen sliced pork tenderloin, taco shells, & ingredients for what I suspected would make pico de gallo. 

• tomatoes
• onion
• jalapenos
• avocado
• lime juice, salt & pepper

Can you believe how easy?  Plus, it’s a flexible recipe.  Emeril Lagasse’s does not have avocado but does include garlic & cilantro.

The pico saved the boring pork!

egg eaters

Try this Mini Frittatas recipe (October Family Circle) with left-overs:

12 cup muffin tin (spray with non-stick), 3 cups cooked meat & veg, shredded cheddar, 8 beaten eggs with salt & pepper – layer as listed & bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Combo above:  cooked crumbled italian sausage, roasted cauliflower, sage, onion.  Other thoughts:

• bacon, tomato (seeds out unless you dig soggy), onion
• breakfast sausage, peppers, mushrooms
• broccoli, potatoes
• serving size is perfect, freeze for a quick meal anytime or on the go, great way to use left-overs

chop chop

A delicious use of random vegetables.  A decomposed (rotten – no, separate parts – yes) salad made of romaine, red pepper, purple onion, tomatoes, cucumber, toasted almonds, & served with a honey mustard dressing.

• total cost:  $5
• buying nuts in bulk saves $$
• confession:  I was not the chef…see About page

 

make gravy

Gramma simply knows how to cook.  For those who need written recipes, forget the old recipe box & try a recipe notebook. 

• find a sturdy 3-ring binder with pockets on inside front & back covers
• purchase sheet protectors & photo sleeves in different sizes to accommodate different recipe sizes
• sort recipes & make a category list
• write category titles on sticky tabs – place on the beginning page of each category
• insert recipes, file, cook! 

“Away is good, but home is best.”  ~Gramma Alve