A master plan

My friend told me about a website called from food to table.  It is a free site that looks up sales at your local grocery store, gives you a selection of recipes to use your preferred ingredients, then gives you a grocery list.  You can even add your own items to the list, and the site categorizes most of the items.  It made going to the grocery store with two tiered kids much easier.  It is wonderful to know that I have a plan for at least two easy and different meals using the best deals of the week.  This was the second time I used the site, and it suprises me how the best priced meats are so hard to locate.  It's not that large of a meat department.  I feel like I'm on a scavenger hunt, and I like it.

Last week I went with my Mother in Law and her husband to the grocery store, so it was bliss.  We had happy children, and plenty of hands to keep them happy.  I didn't buy many out of the ordinary items except turkey meat from the deli department.  Marina wasn't a big fan of it.  I think we'd like ham better. 

During their visit, I made corned beef..... time for bed. 

Cooking is my life

I used to think that when I oohed and awwhed about Truluck's chocolate cake, that food was my life.  But then today as I calculated all the different meals needed for my family, and their different preparation requirements, I realized that food truely is my life.

My toddler consumes three meals, and two snacks.  She starts and ends her day with whole milk warmed to perfection in the microwave, and placed in a sippy cup for her sustenance and comfort.  She also consumes three meals where I aspire to provide a fruit, starch and vegetable.  Then there are the snacks such as fruits, or cheese or peanut butter with crackers.

My baby consumes 3 meals a day which I make sure are the right temperature and consistency.  I used to try to avoid the microwave, but I now stir things to avoid hot spots.  Our son gets cereal, fruit or vegetable and either formula or mom's milk warmed perfectly.  Then he gets all the mom's milk he can take.

My husband needs to be fattened up, so I do my best to give him hefty meals.  Also, I like providing high protine snacks for when he's running out the door.  Plus, we like to use the produce we have grown out in our garden. 

This week I used Foodonthetable.com, and I'm excited about how it pointed out some meat specials I would have missed (even after reading the flyer).  It's also fun having a different and easy plan for at least a couple of meals for the week!

I want to make:  Taco Salad, something with shrimp, something with chicken... chili, enchilada casserole, my cabbage,polenta soup, cauliflower chorizo soup, lentil soup, zuccini cheese wraps, salad, a fabulous pear/bluecheese/arugula pizza, fresh squeezed orange juice, baked apples, bannana bread, sour dough bread, lots of warm cereals, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies, potato soup, goyza, tea, krispi treats, mac and cheese, cheese dip,

 

Food is Fuel and potential Poison

I have made stir fry, roasted vegetables, quesadillas, turkey pot pie, turkey and rice soup, stir fry, fried rice, key -lime sorbet, peanut buter/chocolate krispy treats, baby food, and a enchilada casserole.

The casserole was awesome, and yet was the catalyst for change in food storage and prep rules in our house.  It could have been a stomach virus, but it also could have been food poisoning that caused my husband severe gastronomic distress.  I would have no more wondering when it comes to my kitchen.  I have gotten rid of anything that hadn't been purchased in recent memory.  It was difficult getting rid of my sesame oil, but I didn't want to take any chances.     

Now he is worried about my sour dough bread starter, but I believe it will be great.  I am starting my first loaf today.

Status of food procurement:  I haven't done a major grocery shopping trip in two weeks.   We spent $40 for some milk and highly perishable fruits two weeks ago, and purchased about that amount today.  I am interested in the website my friend found through David Ramsey which has economical meal plans and grocery lists for the family, but unfortunately, I am addicted to using the fresh produce and meat specials available the day I shop.   

In the garden, we harvested lettuce, and lots and lots of potatoes.  I feel too tiered to cook them, but I will rally.  The people on the cooking shows go crazy for fresh potatoes.  We have yukon gold, and a red Kenobek potato.  It was fun harvesting a couple rows of potatoes.  I even saw a little dusty frog.  I wondered where they stay during the day, and now I know that one of the cute green creatures slept near our seed potatoes.

What do you call that? a derivative of California rolls in Texas.

My mom makes California rolls with imitation crab (crab with a K), avocado and cucumber sliced like matchsticks.  Tonight I have the ripe avocado, cucumber, sushi rice, and seaweed... but the Krab had expired.  Also, we were hungry, and I hadn't prepared the vegetables.  So, I made little seaweed, sushi rice, and spicy canned tuna tacos for my family.  I have seen these creations called hand rolls, but I didn't even twist the seaweed into cones.  I just put a rectangle of Korean seaweed in my hand, smacked some Japanese sushi rice, and put some fish-mayo-lemon-srircha down the middle.  After several of these, I got down to the business of shaping some rice for my family.  I put water on my hands, sprinkled them with salt, and put some warm rice in my hands.  Then I put some filling in the middle, and formed some Onigini.  Ben called them pods.  I love how something so common in Okinawa can be new in my home.  After almost four years of marriage, I'm still making surprises in the kitchen.  Ben likes California rolls better, but anything with salty, sesame oil, crispy Korean seaweed, dipped in wasabi and soy sauce, rocks his world. 

All seaweed is not the same.  Japanese seaweed is matte looking, and while not soggy, not crispy.  Korean seaweed is shinier, and has the added flavor of salt and sesame oil.  I thought I was safe bragging about my love of Korean seaweed to my Midwestern husband.  I was wrong.  He loves it too.  My mother comes shaking a bag of it, saying this is for Ben-san.  The addition on san to a name is a way of honoring someone.  I am, and will always be Raika-chan to my mom.  The addition of chan is a form of endearment.  I am her little Raika.  I'm OK with that, and I'm ok with sharing my seaweed too.

Puff Pastry to toast and back

A roll of puff pastry is a beautiful thing when you're not afraid to dowse it in a liquid fat.  I used my silicone pampered chef pastry brush to Picasso our paper thin layers with olive oil before spreading my spinach cheese mixture over it a la one layer lasagna.  Then another 5 layers of the pastry.

Today I carefully placed farm fresh eggs into the center of pan fried whole wheat toast.  I caught that idea on the movie Vendeta.  The entire family enjoyed their bull's eye toast with ham very much.

For lunch I toasted up some bread to house my chicken pot pie mixture.  I remember dad calling his creamy mushroom and meat mixture on toast, "s___ on a tin roof."  But the kids don't need to know that.

The goal of fattening up the family was furthered by my cookie production yesterday.  Chocolate chip with walnuts, and whoopie pies are done.

In the garden, the potatoes are doing well.  The lettuce and carrots are promising.  The green been and pepper seedlings are almost ready to be planted.

Our baby has accepted bananas, barley, bannanas, rice and sweet potatoes with no problem.  He gave me a special look this morning when I presented green beans for the first time, but by lunch he was gumming it down with gusto!

Kid quotes in the kitchen

The other day, our friends visited.  Their 9 year old son helped me make gingerbread cookies.  As he stood looking into our pantry, perhaps wondering what else we could make that evening, he said "you have a lot things to mix together."  On good days, I consider my staples as toys with multiple uses.  On days with poor time managment, I find the status of my unprocessed food pantry frustrating.  I guess that's why I splurged and have many things in the freezer that just need to be opened and microwaved.  Bertoli frozen pasta, I love you!

Yesterday, our daughter mixed olive oil, sliced garlic, salt, and our new potatoes (straight from our garden) with the brussel sprouts from a wonderful farmer at the Barton Creek Mall farmer's market.  She said "Mommy, I cook."  My heart is full of joy to give her the opportunity to find her confidence in the kitchen at such a young age. 

Yesterday, I cooked frozen blueberries, lemon zest, a touch of sugar with the overripe strawberries Ben bought at the farmer's market to make a nice sauce for Marina's cereal.  I thickened it up with cornstarch.  I also made a white sauce for my intened chicken pot pie.  I started creaming the sugar and butter for the chocolate chip cookies I made today, and I made the icing for the whoopie pies (from mix) I am completing today.  Next I will make Spanakopita and a vegetable soup.  I must get to the spicy Krab rolls because I don't want to miss using my avocado.  They go bad so quickly.

I made 3 perfectly healthy, perfect temperature meals each day for the kiddos.  I want to describe the way I warm up my son's cereal, vegetable, milk to my idea of perfection, but that must wait for another post.   

Inferno Chicken

I am married to a grill master.  His expertise accents my lacking in the hot coal department.  Last night was no exception.  After he grilled our sausages and smoked ribs to perfection, I insisted in using the last of the coals to sear some chicken I had set for the crock pot.  I thought if browning in a pan is helpful, searing on a grill would be fantastic.  There weren't that many coals, so after placing the chicken directly over waning embers, I took some dishes in.  When we walked outside, the chicken was ablaze in a 2 foot inferno.  I ran and covered the grill.  I took my blackened bits back to the crock pot and poured Shiner's seasonal grapefruit, ginger beer in with it.  This morning, I must say, it looks like we're going to have a delicious lunch. 

In order to make room in the freezer for the massive amount of food I purchased, I had to thaw out meat.  In addition, Ben directed me to purchase some meat to grill.  Hence, the meat bonanza in my refrigerator.  I figure this abnormal amount of protein will help jump start my goal of giving my husband the fuel his body needs, in a form he enjoys. 

I placed green bean casserole, thick pork "steaks?" and a sweet potato in the crock pot for another meal.  I browned the meat in my non stick pan this time... how boring.