O Holy Night

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Behold your King.

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

This is my favorite Christmas song. My husband and I were married on December 31, 1994 and this is one of the songs that was sung at our wedding. The funny thing is that my hubbie & I didn't have all the verses memorized and forgot to put a songsheet by our seats! So, we did as best we could without the lyrics. At one point, I remember looking at my husband and stifling a smile because our attendants didn't have copies either. It was still memorable to hear all the verses sung. This song's words are so well chosen and the music is beautifully reverent. Honestly, hearing the first chorus line makes me want/need to fall on my knees . . .

Scandinavian Meatballs

Until now, I've never known the ingredients for Scandinavian meatballs. I just found a recipe, adjusted it to suite what I had on hand, doubled it for tonights meal, and it's so good! Why didn't anyone share this with me? Of course, I probably could have asked . . .

Right now, the meatballs are in the oven covered with homemade gravy.

The meatballs with be served with leftover mashed potatoes - the kind of potatoes that have all the 'good stuff' added to them. By 'good stuff', I mean butter, sour cream, veggie cream cheese, sea salt & white pepper. The potatoes are prepared ahead of time (up to 1 day ahead of time) and then baked in the oven until heated through. They are a great time-saver.

Scandinavian Meatballs
Yield for Double Batch: Approx. 60 meatballs


4 lbs. ground hamburger
6 Tbl. dried onion soup mix (or 2 packets)
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together. Using a cookie scoop, form the meatballs and place them about 1/2 inch apart on a brownie pan (A double batch will need two brownie pans, and I line the brownie pans with foil for easier clean-up). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done. Once done, either use the meatballs immediately, or prepare for storing. The meatballs can be easily frozen for later use and this would make a great OAMC recipe!

Shortbread Creations

Shortbread is another of my favorite cookies (I don't think I remembered it for my list, though). I like to purchase the shortbread cookies in bulk. The tins are beautiful and can be used for candy and gifts afterwards. With just a few extra ingredients, these cookies can be dressed up into tasty Christmas cookies that everyone will enjoy. They are even easy for kids to decorate!



Dipped Shortbread
Yield: You decide!

Ingredients can include, but are not limited to the following:
Shortbread cookies
1/4 pkg. Ghirardelli chocolate - either milk chocolate or white chocolate - purchased in approx. 2.5 pound packages
Nuts - pecans, cashews, peanuts
Candy - a variety of sprinkles, crushed candy canes, etc.

Lay out waxed paper to cool the dipped cookies. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute; remove and stir. If the chocolate is not completely smooth, melt for an additional 30 seconds. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate - I try to only dip the front side of the cookies. Place the dipped cookie on the waxed paper. (If you are quick, you may be able to dip all the cookies before sprinkling the toppings. However, I usually dip two cookies and then sprinkle, to make sure the topping will stick.) Next, sprinkle the chocolate dipped portion of the cookie with nuts or candy. Let the chocolate harden.* Move the cookies to tins or plastic containers for freezing or storage.


*Sometimes, I speed the process along by placing the waxed paper on cookie sheets. When the cookie sheet is full, I place it in the frig or freezer to harden the chocolate faster.

This is the package of shortbread cookies I used. The cookies are wrapped in two stacks of about 10 cookies each within the tins. Sometimes there is a little breakage, but not much (besides, we all need a sample!). There are enough cookies in the package to let you try a variety of toppings.

Another decorating option that I've used is to drizzle either chocolate over the cookies. Just melt the chocolate in a quart-size freezer ziploc baggie for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Squish around in the bag until completely melted. Snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out the chocolate; drizzling over the cookies (the cookies have been placed on waxed paper). Let the chocolate harden and then store.

Pecan Rolls

I've been searching for a Pecan Shortbread cookie recipe for some time and have found quite a few (though I haven't had the time to bake any of them!). However, a friend made these Pecan Rolls for a Christmas Cookie exchange, and they do fill my yearning. They are very similar to Pecan Shortbread, but a little sweeter as they are rolled in powdered sugar after baking.

Pecan Rolls
Recipe From : K.G.
Yield: Approximately 3 dozen

1/2 pound butter
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans*

Mix together like pie dough. Roll between hands to make small logs. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Mine are a bit too big, but they still tastest great! I'll work on my technique . . .

Notes: K. G. notes that these are nice because you can put them quite close together while baking because they won't spread (just make sure you don't completely melt the butter, like me, or they will spread more than you want. Her Pecan Rolls were much more log shaped then my fat little logs!!). You can pretty much bake one batch on a cookie sheet at the same time!

* K.G. also suggested purchasing the pecans at Fleet Farm. She said their chopped pecans are more finely chopped than at other stores. I'll admit the pecans on and in her cookies looked beautiful and provided a very nice texture. I plan to add it to my Fleet Farm shopping list. For this recipe, I finely chopped the pecans with my Magic Bullet.

Simple Gifts & Birthday Memories

• Grandpa teaching his 5 yo grandchild to tie his/her laced shoes - what a great gift.

• Having my mom organize my china cabinets - some of the items haven't been seen since we lived in NE (and that was 10 years ago). I am enjoying the view.


• Grape flavored frosting for the writing on my birthday cake . . . no further comment needed.


• A snow day/blizzard on the day before my birthday! I absolutely cherish snow days and winter scenes, especially when I don't have to go out in the minus degree weather with even lower wind chills.


• A dozen roses from my hubby; they are beautiful. Roses are my favorite flower.



• The home-made and hand-picked cards from my kids.


• Sharing a birthday with my brother! He was the best present I got on my 5th Birthday. I remember getting the call from my dad, and I was extremely happy that night.


• Sending the kids over to my in-laws for a sleepover = dinner at home with my husband . . . JUST THE TWO OF US!

I did receive other gifts (a sewing machine, a Magic Bullet, pedestal candle, jewelry) for my birthday, but I mentioned these because they made me happy, were memorable, and they were heartfelt. I am loved!!

Saint Zita

SAINT ZITA Virgin(†1278)


Saint Zita for forty-eight years was employed in the service of a citizen of Lucca, Italy. During this time she rose each morning to hear Mass while all in the household were asleep, and then toiled incessantly until night came, doing the work of others as well as her own (I added the italics to emphasize this part! Isn't this what we moms do every day?).

Once Zita, absorbed in prayer, remained in church past the usual hour of her bread-making. She hastened home, reproaching herself with neglect of duty, but found the bread made and ready for the oven. She did not doubt that her mistress or one of her servants had kneaded it, and going to them, thanked them. They were astonished, for no human being had made the bread; Angels had made it during her prayer.


For years her master and mistress treated her as a mere drudge, while her fellow-servants, resenting her diligence as a reproach to themselves, insulted and struck her. Saint Zita offered these sufferings with those of Christ her Lord, never changing the sweet tone of her voice or forgetting her gentle and quiet ways. At length her employer, seeing the success which attended her undertakings, gave her charge of his children and the household. She dreaded this dignity more than the worst humiliation, but scrupulously fulfilled her trust.


By her holy economy her master’s goods were multiplied, while the poor were fed at his door. Gradually her unfailing patience conquered the jealousy of her fellow-servants, and she became their advocate with their hot-tempered master, who dared not give way to his anger before Zita. In the end her prayer and toil sanctified the entire house, and drew down upon it the blessings of Heaven. She died in 1278, and at the moment of her death, a bright star appearing above the attic where she slept showed that she had gained eternal rest.


Reflection: “What must I do to be saved?” said a certain person who feared damnation. “Work and pray, pray and work,” a voice replied, “and thou shalt be saved.” The whole life of Saint Zita teaches us this truth.


Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).

So, why a post about St. Zita?? A few years ago, a very creative family attended the All Saints Party at our church. One of their daughter's dressed as a baker - St. Zita. It was clever, and I'd never heard of her before. As moms, we need to be economical and use time, talents and money in the most responsible way. St. Zita's bio mentions her attention to economy and that intriqued me. (In college, my major was Agricultural Economics, so I'm naturally inclined to think about economics!). There are many aspects of this saint that draw me to her . . . doing her share and more, unfailing patience, work and pray, being an advocate for others, and caring about the least while increasing her master's goods. I aspire to be like her - uncomplaining, never raising my voice, and being able to sanctify my whole house. There is much to do, both interior and exterior, so I will work and pray, like St. Zita!

Candy-Making Tips

On the same page as the Buttery Cashew Brittle, Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from December 1997, the author offered some candy-making tips that would be helpful to all of us. Candy usually has expensive ingredients and is more time-consuming to make than cookies or cakes. It would be better to make sure that our thermometers and supplies are in working order before starting a batch of candy - than find out after the fact that the candy failed to set up because the thermometer was broken!



Here are the tips:



1. Candy mixtures should be cooked to the exact temperatures the recipe calls for. A good candy thermometer is a worthwhile investment. Before you start to make candy, test your thermometer with boiling water.



2. Use only wooden spoons for stirring candy mixtures.



3. Make homemade candy on a dry day. Candy mixtures react to the humidity in the air. If the humidity goes above 60 percent, your candy may not set properly.



4. Only butter should be used in candy recipes unless the recipe specifically allows for margarine to be used instead. If using margarine, make sure it is not a reduced-fat variety.



Here are a few additional tips from me!



5. Always set out all the ingredients. I cannot tell you how many times I've forgotten to add the vanilla or almond extract to my Divinity! We still eat it, but that extra flavor is missing. If all the ingredients are set out, you can SEE what has or has not been added, especially if you are in the habit of putting away or moving used items to a 'used ingredient' spot.



6. Don't overdo it. Being able to spread the baking out over November and December, then freezing the goodies is my favorite way to lessen the stress. Most goodies can be frozen for a month or two without any difference in taste, especially if they are well packaged.



7. Save those tins! From Boy Scout popcorn tins to Schwans ice cream tins to Sams cookie tins . . . they will all be useful for storing your goodies or providing a showy, pre-decorated package for your goodie gifts to friends, neighbors or relatives. An additional bonus is that they hold up well in the freezer and protect your goodies from freezer burn when lined with wax paper, foil, or saran wrap.



If I think of more tips, I'll add them later.

Cashew Brittle

My second favorite holiday treat is Cashew Brittle. I found this recipe eleven years ago and have made one or two batches every year. It makes a great gift! I’ve been asked for this recipe many times and have been happy to share. After tasting this, peanut brittle just doesn’t cut it!!

Warning to Moms with young children: this is a recipe that requires your attention, so make sure the kids are entertained before you start.

Favorites Forever: Buttery Cashew Brittle
By David Feder in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, December 1997
(I told you some of these magazines had been around awhile! This is from the year my oldest son was born.)

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
1 cup butter
3 cups cashews (the recipe calls for raw, but I always end up using salted cashews purchased in bulk – that way my husband has a treat ‘before the treat’)
1 tsp. baking soda

In a 3-quart saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring syrup to boiling; add butter and stir until butter is melted. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium low; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 280 degrees (about 35 minutes). This is the soft-crack stage.

Stir in the cashews; continue cooking over medium-low heat stirring frequently until thermometer registers 300 degrees (10 to 15 minutes more). This is the hard-crack stage.

Remove mixture from heat; remove thermometer. Quickly stir in the baking soda, mixing thoroughly. Pour mixture into two buttered (okay, I did use spray!) baking sheets or 15x10x1 inch pans.

As the cashew brittle cools, stretch it out by lifting and pulling with two forks from the edges. Loosen from pans as soon as possible; pick up sections and break them into bite-size pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 2 ½ pounds (72 servings).

Up Close and Yummy!

Patron of Cooks

St. Martha
Feastday: July 29

Patron of cooks

Martha is the patron saint of servants and cooks. In Her Footsteps Dorothy Day said: "If everyone were holy and handsome, it would be easy to see Christ in everyone. But it was not Christ's way for himself. Ask honestly what you would do when a beggar asked at your house for food. Would you give it on an old cracked plate, thinking that was good enough? Do you think that Martha and Mary thought that the old and chipped dish was good enough for their guest? It is not a duty to help Christ -- it is a privilege." In what ways do you serve Christ and others grudgingly or sparingly? How can you serve them the way Martha served Christ, putting her whole self into it?

Prayer:
Saint Martha, pray for us that we might serve Jesus better. Help us to overcome our distractions and worries to listen to his words and be present to him this day. Amen

Excerpt from http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=79

In Honor of Saint Juan Diego...

Today is the feast day of Saint Juan Diego, humble servant of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It's not often I'm thinking ahead with feast days and corresponding them to the food we eat that day, but the Saint Gianna's Maternity Home newsletter came yesterday and featured a wonderful article about Saint Juan Diego. That started me thinking about today...

So, tonight we had a very modest meal, made very quickly in a dutch oven (supposed to be skillet, but sometimes you use what's convenient!). Here's the recipe and a few pictures to entice you to make the recipe sometime in the future.


Mexican Skillet with Corn Dumplings (Adapted from: 'Help, My Family's Hungry!')
Yield: 4 very large servings

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup chopped onion (I substituted 2 Tbl. minced onion)
1 can (16 oz.) chopped or diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 can (4 oz.) black olives
1 package (10 oz.) corn bread mix

In a large skillet (or in my case, a dutch oven!) with a lid, cook and brown ground beef until cooked. Drain grease. Stir in taco mix, onion, tomatoes, corn, chilies, and olives. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.

Prepare the corn bread according to package directions. Drop the batter by spoonfuls on top of the meat mixture.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until the dumplings are done in the center. The meal is simple and tasty. I did save time by using already browned frozen ground beef. If you do this, however, make sure you heat the mixture fully before dropping the batter over the top.

Cookies!!

I've been perusing my cookie magazines, too! The favorite recipes are marked with sticky notes and, of course, drips and dribbles of extract or batter. Some of my magazines are saved from the years before I was married, so they've been around for a while.


So far, I've made one batch of Divinity (yes, I'll be making more), but am trying to decide which other 'staples' I should bake or make for our upcoming celebrations. For sure, I will make another favorite - Cashew Brittle. Sorry, Peanut Brittle just isn't good enough anymore!


At our church's Christmas celebration this past weekend, I purchased some Chocolate Almond Bark prepared with chopped pecans mixed into it. It was VERY good, so I'd like to try to replicate that, too.



My favorite Christmas Cookies or Candies or Goodies are:

1. Divinity
2. Cashew Brittle
3. Frosted Sugar Cookies
4. Creme de Menthe Brownies
5. Turtles
6. Cheesecake (almost any variety!)
7. Pecan Shortbread Cookies (this is a relatively new favorite, so it may move up the list if I find a good recipe)

P.S. This is not a finite list!

What Spice Are You Test...

Your result for What Spice Are You Test...

You are Sage!

0% Habanero, 40% Sage, 0% Thyme, 10% Ginger, 40% Garlic, 10% Curry, 0% Cinnamon and 0% Oregano!

Sage is a very classic herb. You tend to use intelligence in making decisions instead of brute force.

You are the type of person that people want to get to know and be friends with. You don't feel as if you have to impress people because you tend to be very self assured.

At a party you would be happy to just sit in the corner and watch people, or perhaps find someone to have an intelligent conversation with.

You prefer to think before you act, as you are rather analytical. You can be both dazzling and graceful. People tend to notice you without you trying to make it happen.

You may not be religious, but you are very spiritual. You desire relationships that last rather then passing ones.

Take What Spice Are You Test at

Lefse!

For the past four years, the Familia group at my church has prepared lefse as a fundraiser to provide childcare for our children during our morning meetings. It has been a true learning experience. I am Norwegian (about 1/4!) and I do enjoy eating lefse, but I had only made it twice before starting this fundraiser project in 2005.

The experience has been fun, and it's a day of bonding for all the women involved. I look forward to it, but I'm dog-tired at the end of the two-day process.

The Lefse is rolled and grilled on Saturday, but the process starts on Friday and oftentimes on Thursday. On Thursday, I usually try to get my 20 pounds of potatoes boiled and riced (less to do on Friday, and it helps the whole process move faster if we have potatoes ready to go at different steps). Friday morning or afternoon, a group of us continue to peel and boil potatoes. Different 'stations' are set up: ricing, mixing, and balling. The potatoes need to be riced after boiling. Then, they are mixed with butter and powdered sugar. This mixture is refrigerated until cool. When cool, the mixture is riced a second or third time. After ricing, flour is mixed in and 1/3 cup dough balls are formed. The dough balls are placed on a sheet or tray, covered with a flour sack towel and refrigerated until the next morning. This process continues until all potatoes are boiled, riced, mixed, balled, and refrigerated! It can be a long day, but it does provide plenty of opportunity to visit with good friends.

Saturday morning, I and my mom usually arrive at the church kitchen early to set up (8a). Inside the kitchen, we set up 6 to 7 rolling stations, and this year we had 8 griddles. Women take turns rolling or watching the griddles. The women who watch the griddles are responsible for flipping the lefse and taking it out to the cooling area when it's grilled on both sides.

Just outside the kitchen, in the social hall, we have a row of tables set up for cooling the lefse. Lefse are stacked approx. 10 deep on tops of a layer of absorbant towels and covered with flour sack towels or lefse cozies. When coole, they are folded in half and then in thirds. Three lefse rounds are stacked and stored in a quart-sized ziploc freezer bag. Again, this day can be long! I mopped the floor at 3:15p this year!

Over 400 rounds of lefse were grilled . . . the fundraiser was a success! Next year, one of the moms suggested we have lefse tacos. Since I forgot to eat dinner this year, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Hopefully by documenting it here, I will remember!

Here's the recipe we've used for the past four years.

Lefse – Recipe used by Familia

10 lbs red skinned potatoes (yields about 4-5 qts.)
¼ tsp. salt
½ pt. whipping cream
½ c. butter
3 Tbls. Powdered Sugar
¾ c. flour (plus extra for rolling)

Peel & boil potatoes in water with ¼ tsp. salt added. Mash with potato masher (we rice the potatoes with a Kitchen Aid mixer and the grinder attachment – it’s much easier than a potato masher or ricer!) & add whipping cream, butter, & powdered sugar. Mix together by hand. Rice this mixture at least twice. Cover with a towel and refrigerate (a cool garage is better) overnight.

After cooling, rice the potatoes a third time. Measure 3 cups riced potatoes into a bowl and add ¾ c. flour. Mix by hand until thoroughly blended (if you’ve done this for many years, you may be able to tell that more flour is needed at this stage to make the dough firmer). Form into 1/3 cup balls. Roll immediately into 12” rounds on a heavily floured pastry board, or cover with waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to roll. It is better to refrigerate the balls and take out as needed. **We have started to prepare the dough balls the day before, with mixed results. We learned a lesson the first year . . . dough balls can only be in one layer – not stacked in the pans or bowls. We also use flour sack towels to help absorb moisture while in the refrigerator.

Grill the rounds on a lefse grill. Brown the first side, then turn and brown the second side. Remove from grill and stack 10 deep between absorbent towels (flour sack or lefse cozies). When cool, brush away excess flour. Fold each round in half and then in thirds. Three round will fit nicely in a plastic Ziploc freezer bags.

Poaching Chicken

I first tried poaching chicken about 4 years ago for a BBQ dip recipe that my sister-in-law made. I haven't made the BBQ dip in about that many years, but I've been poaching chicken since then for any recipe that calls for diced or shredded chicken. In my opinion, the microwave cooks the edges too much and the oven leaves the chicken breasts crispy - not the texture I want for dicing or shredding. So, this is the quickest way to prepare chicken for adding to recipes, while preserving the tender juicy texture. Of course, leftover roasted whole chicken meat is the best for flavor, but poaching is a very close second. Leftover turkey from Thanksgiving is a great substitute for any chicken recipe, too.

I usually use chicken breasts for poaching, but any boneless chicken meat can be substituted. At this time of year, turkey is often on sale and chicken thighs go on sale quite often, too. For our family, I purchase frozen chicken breasts in bulk.

This is my approximate method:

1. Thaw the chicken breast completely. Thawing overnight in the frig is best, but if you must, use the microwave to get a jump start on the process.
2. Fill a 5 quart stock pot with water*.
3a. Add 5 or 6 chicken breasts and bring the water to a boil.
OR
3b. Bring the water to a boil and then add 5 or 6 chicken breasts.
4. Skim off the foam as it is created - less mess later on.
5. Boil until the chicken breasts are done (I have to admit, I haven't timed this step, but it's usually 10-15minutes). I do check for doneness by slicing the largest breast at its thickest point. If it's still pink, place it back into the boiling water and continue poaching until no pink remains.
6. Remove chicken from the water & let it cool slightly on your cutting board.
7. As soon as you are able to comfortably hold the meat, start dicing with a knife OR shred with a fork. I shred by pushing the fork into the meat about 1/2 inch from the edge & pulling away. You can always cut the shredded portions into bite-sized pieces.
8. Measure and add to your recipe OR measure into a freezer baggie and label for later use. I usually store 1-2 cups in each baggie.

*If you have a smaller or larger pot, adjust the number of breasts accordingly. This does tend to boil over easily, so a larger pot is better!

NOTE: I'll try to remember to take a few pictures next time I poach chicken.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

This recipe is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe that was printed in November 2008. I altered and substituted for a few of the ingredients and amounts, but it turned out scrumptious. As you can see, I even have pictures to share (thanks to my husband who was finally able to get them downloaded to my computer - Argh! Technology gets the best of me, again.)! The leftovers are just as tasty the next day.


Chicken Tamale Casserole
Yield: 8 servings

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground red pepper
1 (14¾ oz.) can cream-style corn
1 (6.5 oz.) bag corn muffin mix
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ¼ cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, cream-style corn, muffin mix, and green chiles in a large bowl. Stir until just moistened. Pour mixture into a 13x9 inch baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Pierce the surface with a fork and pour the enchilada sauce over the top. Top with shredded chicken and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream before serving.

The preparation time is approximately 55 minutes. I saved time (about 15 minutes) during the evening by poaching and shredding the chicken earlier in the day. Poaching is a great way to keep the chicken moist, and chicken is really easy to shred when poached. It's also a time-saver to poach and dice extra chicken breasts. In fact, I had an extra cup that I diced and froze to use in another dish.

Menu Planning Part 2

The past couple of weeks, I've taken time with each family member to compile a list of their favorite foods - main dishes, meats, sides, fruits, vegetables, desserts, drinks. It was a way to spend a bit of personal time with each child, and I hope that it'll make menu planning a little easier. Thankfully, there were quite a few overlaps on favorites!


During menu planning, I also like to keep in mind different ethnic foods. Our family enjoys Mexican, Italian, and Chinese foods. When we lived in town, we could order take out at the nearest Chinese restaurant and we'd get at least two, if not three, meals out of the order. Now that we live out in the country, that is not an option at the last minute. While I do have a few dishes that can be prepared at home in the crock pot or stove top that don't require much prep time, I'd like to expand the list with meals that can be frozen.


This week, I tried a new dish called Gingered Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry. It was quick (prep. time was 30-45 minutes) and everyone liked it. It's definitely a recipe I'll add to our rotation. Here's the recipe:


Gingered Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Yield: 6 servings (1/2 cup rice & 1¼ cup Gingered Beef Stir-Fry)

3 Tbl. Soy sauce (I use Tamari)
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbl. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
14 oz. chicken broth
2 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
½ cup chopped green onion
1 tsp. ground ginger (or substitute 2 Tbl. minced, peeled fresh ginger)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into ¼ inch strips
5 cups green beans (cut approx. 2 inches long)*
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
¼ cup green onion tops (2 inch slices)
3 cups hot cooked white rice**

Combine the first five ingredients, stirring well. Set aside. Over medium-high heat, heat one teaspoon sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Add ½ cup chopped green onion, ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add beef and sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining teaspoon sesame oil to the skillet or wok; heat over medium-high heat. Add beans and red bell pepper to pan. Cover and cook approximately 4 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the green onion tops and sauté for one minute. Return the beef mixture to the skillet. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Cook one minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

*I used frozen beans, broken into 2 inch lengths.

** I prefer basmati rice. It's a wonderful tasting rice. I also use a rice cooker, which cuts my rice cooking time to about 15 minutes. You'll want to start the rice earlier if you don't own a rice cooker.

Preparation Time: Approximately 30-45 minutes

Home Alone & Cooking for One!

I'm home alone! I haven't been home alone in my new home, yet, and I hadn't been home alone in my previous home for quite some time. I can't order out and there aren't any leftovers, so a fried egg sandwich sounds wonderful for dinner. A little bit of mustard to add some kick to the sandwich and a cup of Chai tea to keep warm on this snowy blowing day. I think I'll get started on some reading with my pile of StAR magazines, too.

What else am I going to do with my weekend? Well, there are all the adult things that need to be done - updating the checkbooks, washing the laminate floors (the thought of them staying clean for a couple days is very appealing), cleaning my desk and laundry. I'll probably do a few of those, but I'm also going to read a book, organize a closet (I really like to organize), hang a picture, possibly sew some curtains, and maybe hang a picture.

Nacho Potato Soup

At our All Saints Party this past Friday, I volunteered to bring potato soup. Never one to shy away from trying something new, I chose to bring a recipe I hadn't made before - Nacho Potato Soup. Those who tried the soup said it was delicious; that's the response I had hoped to receive. I made a triple batch, but only brought 2/3 to the party. The last 1/3, I double bagged and have frozen for later. Here's the recipe . . .


Nacho Potato Soup
Serves 6-8

1 package Au Gratin potatoes
1 - 11 oz. can corn, drained
1 - 14 oz. can chili recipe tomatoes
2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese
2 cups water
2 cups 2% milk
Tortilla chips, crushed

Combine Au Gratin potatoes, corn, tomatoes and water in a medium sized saucepan. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add milk and Velveeta; cook and stir until Velveeta is melted. Serve with crushed tortilla chips as a topping.

All Those Kitchen Scraps!

With a cooking day or mini-session, there is a lot of food waste created (think potato & carrot peels, egg shells, vegetable trimmings, fruit rinds). That food waste should be put to work for us! Composting is the answer; and you can compost in town or out on the farm.

I keep a stainless steel compost bucket under my sink - I've owned it for at least three years. It has two carbon filters in the lid and has never created a smell. When we lived in town, we kept a larger black composting bin behind the shed. When the bucket was full, the kids or I would go dump the scraps in the large bin.

Out on the farm, my oldest ds and I constructed a much more crude, but larger compost system from wooden pallets left over from the building process. Our new compost bin system has three compartments. The first is the active pile (well, it's not doing much, yet). The second is ready to go when needed and the third is for storage of brown material.

We lined the bins with chicken wire to help keep the materials in place, and the kids layered dirt on the bottom of the first two compartments to help aeration. Every time we add green matter (kitchen scraps, grass clippings, etc.), we add a layer of brown to cut smell & keep pests away. The layer of brown is also more attractive to look at than decomposing waste!

I'm still learning quite a bit and have been reading about composting. I know it will take a while to get usable material for our gardens, especially with cold weather coming our way. But, the results are worth the wait, and it includes a valuable lesson on stewardship for our kids.

Menu Planning

I've always thought about meal preparation in advance . . . okay, I do have those days/weeks where I'm planning the night before or the day of, but for the most part, I plan ahead and am prepared! I enjoy knowing what I'm going to be cooking and want to make sure all the necessary ingredients are on hand.


In early 2003, while pregnant with my third, I had time to check out Flylady at http://www.flylady.net/ and chose to incorporate quite a few of her suggestions. At this point, I've taken what was useful and tweaked her advice to fit my situation (the schedules have been adjusted to meet the needs of our growing family, too). Since then, Wednesdays have been my planning and office day: menu planning and grocery list updates, office work and bill paying, calendar check with my husband and written correspondence.


Planning 1 or 2 weeks in advance works best for our family. Any longer and I've found that too many leftovers that go to waste. An 8.5x11 inch sheet of paper folded in half , six-hole punched, and kept in a small binder is what I prefer. The front side has a weekly schedule with 4 columns (date & day of week, breakfast, dinner/lunch, supper) and 8 rows (dates covered by menu and a row for each days' meals); the back side is a lined grocery list. The schedule is easy to make in either Word or Excel, then copies can be made as needed.

Usually, I try to make the new meal in the evening and have leftovers for dinner/lunch the next day. We are busiest in the morning, leaving less time to prepare a meal (unless it's sandwiches or something in the crock pot). Thus far, I haven't chosen to save my menus. They are based on what we have on hand, what's on sale, and what's in season. I do keep a list of recipes and recently asked each child to help compile a list of their favorites & least favorites.

This is the menu we've been using and will use from October 19 - November 1 (we usually add biscuits, salad or veggies to the main dish):

October 19-25
Sunday
Dinner: Local Church Dinner
Supper: German Supper at Grandma and Grandpa's Church


Monday
Dinner: Leftovers
Supper: Chicken Enchiladas


Tuesday
Dinner: Leftover Chicken Enchiladas
Supper: Barbecued Meat Loaf & Baked Potatoes


Wednesday
Dinner: Sandwiches
Supper: Leftober Barbecued Meat Loaf


Thursday
Dinner: Veggie Soup
Supper: Leftover Veggie Soup


Friday
Dinner: PBJ Egg salad sandwiches
Supper: Egg salad sandwiches


Saturday
Dinner: Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
Supper: Pork Chops & Stuffing


October 26-November 1
Sunday
Dinner: Local Church Dinner
Supper: Brats


Monday
Dinner: Chicken Rice Soup
Supper: Leftover Chicken Rice Soup


Tuesday
Dinner: Sandwiches
Supper: Taco Soup


Wednesday
Dinner: Sandwiches
Supper: Leftover Taco Soup


Thursday
Dinner: Leftovers & Clean Out Frig!
Supper: Stuffed Baked Potatoes


Friday
Dinner: Pizza
Supper: All Saint's Day Party - Potluck Soup Supper


Saturday
Dinner: Eat out in Town
Supper: Eat at FB Game

My Favorite Meatloaf

The Camera Saga: My camera is not worth repairing says the local repairman. It's amazing how prices on digital cameras have come down since I purchased in December 2004! My new camera is half the price of my old camera, even though I chose to get a similar model, and should arrive by the end of next week. I can hardly wait . . .

This is my preferred meatloaf recipe. I did not like meatloaf as a kid, but I decided to try making meatloaf because it's a quick and easy meal base that usually yields leftovers for the next day. The first recipes I tried were very basic - hamburger, sausage, egg, oatmeal, onion - the usual ingredients in varying combinations. This recipe is different and it's adapted from a recipe printed in the Cooking Light, January 2000 issue.

Barbecued Meat Loaf
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

1 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 slice white bread*
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup fresh parsley (use about half that amount if using dried parsley)
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin*
1/2 pound lean ground pork*
1 large egg

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place bread in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine bread and milk in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup ketchup mixture, onion, and the next 9 ingredients (onion through egg); stir until well-blended. Place beef mixture in an 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Brush remaining ketchup mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove meat loaf from pan. Cut into slices.

*I make a few adjustments to the recipe. I use whole wheat bread instead of white. Our ground beef is in 2 pound packs, so I increase the ground beef. I also increase the ground pork to 1 pound. These changes don't affect the recipe beyond providing more servings, in my opinion.

Notes:
1. I usually bake the meat loaf in a stoneware loaf pan that has been seasoned with use. I do NOT need to use cooking spray. I've found that I don't need cooking spray in any of my glass or metal pans, either.
2. I like to drain the fat with a baster after the first hour. I drain the fat again before serving.
3. This recipe doubles easily and freezes well. To freeze, bake the loaf and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Label and freeze.

We serve Barbecued Meat Loaf with baked or mashed potatoes, mixed veggies or a salad.

The Redwall Feast

**Again, sorry for the lack of pictures. My hubby's camera was in his vehicle and not available, so that wasn't even an option.


My oldest son planned and prepared a Redwall Feast on Saturday. Well, the planning began earlier in the week, but the meal's preparation, cooking & sampling was on Saturday.


To give a little bit of background . . . Redwall, written by Brian Jacques, is the title of the first book in a series about animals. It's an exciting world where Martin the Warrior, a small mouse with an ancient sword and a brave heart, fights for all that is good and noble. Redwall is an Abby where the peaceful animals (such as mice, hedgehogs, hares, & moles ) live together in the forest. The Redwallers always try to win with peace, but when that doesn't work against the rats, cats & other vermin, they do take to arms to defend themselves and the Abby. My husband has been reading this series to our kids for quite a few years. They all enjoy it immensly. So, whenever I see a book related to Redwall, it usually becomes a gift for one of our kids. My oldest received 'The Redwall Cookbook' as a gift about a year ago and has wanted to try the recipes since. Here is what he prepared:


Drink: October Ale
Soup/Appetiser: Shrimp 'n' Hotroot Soup
Main Dishes/SavorySides: Brockhall Badger Carrot Cakes
Desserts/Afternoon Treats: Loamhedge Legacy Nutbread and Hare's Haversack Crumble


October Ale is similar to sparkling grape juice. That was, of course, a hit with the kids.


The Shrimp 'n' Hotroot Soup was good, as well. It was made with leeks, which I hadn't even purchased before. I had to look up the preparation technique in one of my cooking reference books. They look like a very large green onion, but the tops are quite a bit tougher. The top, coarser greens are removed & the rest is chopped for this soup. Both ds and I weren't too sure about this soup because it looked like we would be eating mainly chopped leeks! However, the flavor of the vegetable stock, potatoes and shrimp really evened the taste. This is not a soup we'd prepare often, but it was fun to try.


The Brockhall Badger Carrot Cakes were VERY good. I would definitely encourage ds to make these again. They are similar to fried potato cakes, but with extra ingredients. We haven't tried it yet, but I think they would reheat well in the oven.


Made with pecans, the Loamhedge Legacy Nutbread is free-formed on a cookie sheet. This was good plain, but I believe it would be even better with a bit of berry jam or honey. This time around, the bread was a little too browned on the edges. I'd encourage ds to cut the baking time a little.


The very best was saved for last . . . the Hare's Haversack Crumble. Frozen blueberries, raspberries & blackberries formed the bottom layer. The crumble top of cinnamon and brown sugar was the perfect amount of sweet. Although the recipe recommended custard or ice cream, I wouldn't have added anything! It was so tasty; we all wanted more.

It's fun to see my ds enjoy cooking and baking. I hope he'll plan another feast with as much success. Here's the link to the cookbook: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Redwall-Cookbook/Brian-Jacques/e/9780399237911/?itm=1 If you live close by and would like to use the cookbook to create your own feast, let me know. I'm sure ds wouldn't mind giving it up for a few weeks!

Mini-Cooking Session

**Sadly, my camera is having a fit. I didn't realize the pictures were all lined and grainy until the day was done and I was importing them into the post. So, no pictures of the days work for viewing. Technology is both wonderful and frustrating!

The day started quite early . . . I woke up at 5:30a and couldn't get back to sleep. Rather than lay there thinking about sleep, I got up and started the mini-cooking session. I had planned to make seven different entrees, but quickly realized that I wouldn't have the energy to complete those and chose to scale back to five. The five I chose to prepare were Breakfast McBiscuits x12, Chicken Enchiladas x1, Chicken Rice Soup x2, Italian Sausage Soup x2 and Taco Soup x2.

6a - You can't start a Saturday morning without a little bit of laundry, so that's where I began! One load folded, one transferred to the dryer and one started in the washer. Now, on to transferring the meat, biscuits & produce out of storage and into the kitchen.

7a - The majority of ingredients for Italian Sausage Soup are in the crock pot and cooking. The Italian sausage is browned and reserved with the Mexican tomatoes to be added later.

8a - Biscuits are baked, 1st batch of bacon ready (some McBiscuits are prepared and eaten for breakfast!), hamburger for Taco Soup browned and the chicken breasts are in the process of being poached. I took a few minutes to wash dishes that I will need later.

8:30a - Taco Soup is simmering on the stove, the rice cooker is started, and the 2nd batch of bacon is in the oven.

9a - Taco Soup is cooling, Chicken Rice Soup is simmering, and the chicken is poached and diced.

9:30a - Preparation for the enchilada sauce is underway; and the enchiladas are rolled and arranged in a 13x9 pan. Bacon is done & placed on paper towels to cool.

10a - Chicken Enchiladas in the fridge to cool. Bacon stored in frig for later.

10:45a - Italian Sausage Soup ingredients are mixed together and left to cool on the stovetop. Washed up the dishes by hand or in the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen.

11:45a - Re-heated one pot of Italian Sausage Soup for Dinner! Everyone cleaned their bowls so they could have a Peanut Butter Cup Pie treat.

1p - Everything cleaned and put away, soups (save for the Italian Sausage Soup - which still needs to cool) are double bagged & put in the freezer. Time for a break - Chai Tea and check laundry.

2:30p - Italian Sausage Soup double bagged and into the freezer. I'm now ready to fry eggs and assemble Breakfast McBiscuits.

3:30p - The Mini-Cooking Session is done! The kitchen is back to it's normal state & ready for my oldest ds to prepare his Redwall Feast (He's already got a good start on it. Somewhere during all the above activities, he found time to prepare the October Ale and bake both the Hare's Haversack Crumble and Loamhedge Legacy Nutbread. He takes after me - make sure the sweets are prepared first!)

Once a Month Cooking

On Wednesday, I finally had time to look through the 'Freezer Cooking Manual' - something I'd been meaning to do since I picked up the book this summer our our local homeschool conference - and am planning to attempt a mini-cooking day on Saturday. I registered as a member of the http://www.30daygourmet.com/ website, too. This gives me access to tested recipes and tips from those who have done it. While I don't think I'll be doing a major cooking day that would cover our whole month, I can definitely see getting 10-15 meals out of a cooking session.

The website also touted an interesting software program that keeps recipes, tracks and mulitiplies ingredients, and creates a variety of reports to make your cooking day easier. A free 30 day trial is available, so I'm testing it out. So far, I'm impressed. I am using a few recipes that were pre-entered, but also entered some of my family favorites for this Saturday. The program creates an ingredient list for shopping and my next favorite feature is the inventory list. The inventory list shows how many entrees have been prepared and can be kept on or near your deep freeze for easy check-off when entrees are taken out for use. Have I mentioned that I LOVE lists? Maybe that's why I like cookbooks and recipes; they're full of lists.

Tomorrow, I'm going to make use of the ingredient list. Fridays are my meeting, errand & shopping day. My dd and I will head to town to fill the cart, the coolers & probably the back of the van!

This is one of the family favorite recipes that I entered into the software (and yes, it does freeze and reheat quite well) . . .

TACO SOUP (from Suzie’s friend, Michelle M.)
Servings: Approximately 12

2 lb. Hamburger
1 small chopped onion
4 oz. can Chopped Green Chilis
1 Pkg. (1.25oz.) Taco Seasoning (I make my own Taco Seasoning Mix)
1 pkg (1oz.) Ranch mix
2 cans (15oz.) Chili Recipe Stewed Tomatoes (I can my own Mexican Stewed Tomatoes)
2 cans (15oz.) Bush’s Hot Chili Beans (I generally use the store brand)
1 ½ -2 cups Water
8oz. Mexican Blend Cheeses
1 Bag Fritos (Ranch or Chili Cheese Flavored are good, but I like plain Fritos)
8oz Sour Cream (we use more sour cream!)

Brown hamburger & chopped onion, drain grease. Add chopped green chilies, beans, tomatoes, taco & ranch seasonings, and water. Simmer 30-45 minutes for best results or let it simmer in the crock pot for 4-6 hours. Serve soup over the Fritos. Then, top with cheese and sour cream.

If I'm ambitious, I try to serve the Taco Soup with my favorite corn bread recipe - adapted from the Company Corn Bread recipe in the cookbook 'Help! My Family's Hungry'.

COMPANY CORN BREAD
Yield: 1 1/2 dozen (more if you only fill the muffin cups 2/3 full)

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted but not hot

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either spray the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or use muffin cup papers. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, biscuit mix, sugar, baking powder, and nutmeg. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Stir or whisk until smooth. A few lumps of biscuit mix may remain. Pour into prepared muffin pan. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.

The First Day

My goal with this blog is (1) to give blogging a try in a simple & less complicated way (food is always a great start!) and (2) to show and share what our family enjoys at the dinner table. We'll see how it goes and how it evolves from here.

I won't be posting once a day - once a week is probably more likely; my busy home life just doesn't allow me that much free time. While I've been thinking about starting a blog for quite a while, the type and direction had eluded me until today.