Freezer friendly

One of the keys to homemade dinner success in our household is the ever present freezer meal.  When Flick is on the road I live by leftovers.  There is little time for cooking in the short time between when Ellie and I get home from daycare and when she is getting ready for bed.  That means we plan ahead and have plenty of insta-meals at the ready.  As much as my sisters and I begged for those Kids Cuisine TV dinners when we were younger, our freezer meals are all from scratch theses days.

Flick and I had planned to make some of these meals prior to Ellie's arrival so that we would have a freezer full of food to siphon off of in the weeks following her birth, however, Ellie had other plans.  When she decided to make her entrance a few weeks before my due date, Flick ended up running back home from hospital to whip up some lasagna and chili to tide us over before my folks came out.  He's the best.  These meals are all great as leftovers.  Cook them, let them cool, and freeze them in individual portions.  Take them out a day or so early and let them thaw in the fridge.  As a forewarning, there are no photos for these foods (yet) - I'll get those up ASAP...but some recipes need to be made and photographed first!

Lasagna is a freezer friendly no brainier.  It makes a large amount of food, freezes really well, and tastes quite good reheated.  I have two lasagna recipes, one is a vegetarian lasagna and one is a meat lasagna.  The vegetarian recipe is super light and would be great even in the summer.  The meat is a little more hearty but very delicious, we have some in the freezer as we speak.

Chili is another great meal that reheats well.  You can take chili from a frozen block and throw it in a saucepan on a medium to low temperature and break it up as it warms.  In thawing it on the stovetop, you get the added bonus of your home filling with the aroma of a fresh batch of warm chili.  If you are feeling ambitious, make a double portion and you have that many more meals ready to go.  We have had this recipe since our Boston days and both really love it.  Recently we made it and let it simmer in a crock pot for Fall Fest at my office.  Feel free to get a little creative with your chili and tailor it to the tastes of your family.

Forget Marie Callenders, you can freeze your own chicken pot pie that may save you from eating 6 sticks of butter in one sitting.  Just saying.  To keep the crust from being soggy when you reheat it, consider warming it in a preheated oven or toaster oven.

Meatballs.  Need I say more?  Make a batch of meatballs, freeze them, and you can have meatball subs or spaghetti and meatballs in a flash.  If you don't do beef, sub in ground turkey or chicken.  These little guys are perfect since you can take out just as many as you need that day and heat them up quick.

Don't fear the freezer - as long as you take the time to store your food properly, it will taste just as delicious as the day you made it.

Streamlining

I believe I have previously alluded to the book I am currently reading: The Joy of Less: A minimalist living guide.  The whole idea of the minimalist lifestyle is to live with less "stuff" which ultimately gives you more time and space to enjoy doing the things you love.  It is an idea that I have started to employ around our house (not to the extremes mentioned in the book; the only piece of furniture in the author's bedroom is a futon mattress on the floor...slightly excessive, er, minimalist).  At home, I am really trying to keep clutter to a minimum and get rid of the things that we don't really need.  There are so many ways to streamline our lives.

I have had this recipe for Swedish Meatballs cut out since we lived in Boston.  When I first started gathering recipes, I was putting every recipe that sounded good into a sticky back photo book.  Needless to say, I was filling up these books pretty quickly and still rotating through the same old recipes.  Flick suggested that I start actually making the recipes before putting them in the book so that I have a comprehensive collection of recipes that have already been vetted.  He's so smart...and that was much more efficient.  With this blog, I have found that I am able to further condense my recipe collection into my online recipe book.  No more piles of paper needed, we just keep everything organized in a nice, searchable format online.  Along the same lines, the whole goal of this blog is to share recipes that taste great but that don't require a lot of pomp and circumstance to pull together.  In theory, I am pulling together a list of minimalist dinner recipes - guess I was destined to start tracking in this direction!

A quick way to put together an after work chicken dish is with Chicken Chilaquiles.  This recipe uses rotisserie chicken to cut down on prep time and carries just a tiny bit of spice.  Don't fear the heat - we are not big spicy food fans in our family so if we can take it you know it has to be pretty mild.

Another recipe that we have had since Boston, but that I have actually been cooking for years, is Smothered Pork Chops with Thyme.  This is a good fall recipe served up with mashed potatoes and some veggies.  To make the pork chop baby friendly, we threw it in the food processor with some of the sauce and Ellie loved it.

 



Two recipes that we have previously featured but that have been out of the loop for awhile are Tuna Noodle Casserole (big hit with Ellie) and Monterey Jack, Corn, and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto.  That's right, we made a risotto after work and had it ready to go at 6pm for dinner with Ellie.  Nothing is impossible with a little bit of planning and the drive to get it done.

Upgrades

Flick and I made our first real "grown-up" furniture purchase this week.  Over the years we have managed to acquire almost a house full of furniture in hand-me-downs, craigslist purchases, and thankfully, in gifts from family/friends.  Although our kitchen table and chairs currently fall into our good furniture category, we made the call to replace them over the weekend when we realized that we were going to require a table which could comfortably seat more than four.  As you may have noticed, having home cooked meals and eating together is extremely important to us.  This year we will be hosting both Thanksgiving and Christmas and we are going to require seating for a whole troop of people.  With that being said, it was time to upgrade.

 

That was such a random commercial.  Back to the kitchen table - since we are working with a pretty tight space (currently) we wanted a table that wouldn't be in the way of our day-to-day activities but that could be the center of attention come mealtime.  We found one that is the same size as our current table - but that has 2 leaves (leafs?) that extend it out to seat EIGHT.  Yes, eight...and since Ellie is in a high chair that means eight adults.  Needless to say, we jumped on that one - and some unexpected chairs (you'll have to wait in suspense - they are far from traditional), and there you have it - a kitchen table where we can gather with family and friends for years to come.  We are so excited for it to get here...and given that we are excited over a furniture purchase, we are officially adult-like.

It will be a little while before we are eating meals on our new table, but in the meantime we have some great dinners lined up for this week. 

Open Faced Blackened Catfish Sandwiches are yet another way to break out of the mold when it comes to cooking fish at home.  You get the simplicity of pan cooking a filet of fish, without serving it alongside a pile of rice and a vegetable.  We cut this up with a knife and fork and really enjoy the cool coleslaw with the mild kick to the fish...and it is on bread, so you can't go wrong there!

Not long ago, Flick and I would take a vegetarian meal and add chicken or beef to it in order to make it fit our dinner expectations.  Over the years, our definition of a meal has changed and we are now taking the meat out of a dish in order to work in a few more veggies (and save some money).  Butternut Squash Tagine, served over pistachio couscous, originally had chicken in it, but we upped the squash content and took out the chicken and I don't miss it one bit!

Chicken and White BBQ Potatoes were in one of the more recent issues of Cooking Light that came to our door.  I love potatoes and I was intrigued by this recipe - fortunately, it worked out well and using rotisserie chicken makes it a snap to pull together.  The relish kind of turned Ellie off from this dish but she happily ate some potatoes and shredded chicken.

Pork Chops with Roasted Apples and Onions was a big time winner.  What a perfect fall dish.  The apples and pearl onions are perfect together and paired with pork chops and some rice - you have yourself a meal that is fit to serve guests but that you can pull together in 30 minutes or so after work.  Definitely give this one a try!

We served Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs with Quinoa Salad and Peaches on a Friday night when Mark and Tara were out visiting.  We needed a meal that you could both prepare in a flash after work, and increase the number of servings without prolonging the cooking time.  I am presently a little obsessed with Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah...I think).  Now that I know how to say it, just try and stop me from ordering it everywhere I go.  It is a versatile "mother of all" grains (coined by the Inca).  Seriously, this little number (not even a true grain, as it may be), is a powerhouse of nutrition - high in calcium, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.  It is also a good source of fiber.  I am on the lookout for some more recipes involving Quinoa so get ready for it - we'll Boulderize you yet. 

Flexibility

The recipes this week show just how much we are straddling the line between summer and autumn right now.  As hard as it is for me to make a nice chili during the summer, those summery, one-dish pastas just don't do it for me when the weather turns cooler.  Part of being able to cook easy, delicious, healthy meals, depends on your ability to adapt.  Whether you are adapting to a new schedule, the new variety of fresh produce at the turn of a season, or dietary limitations in your family - the more flexible you can be, the easier it is to cook at home.

Almost Meatless Sloppy Joe's (AMSJ) is a recipe that was posted awhile back.  AMSJ's are a delicious alternative to popping open a can of Manwich sauce and pouring it over some ground beef.  With this recipe, we manage to sneak in some vegetables and beans with the meat in order to make it a more well rounded meal.  Speaking of flexibility, instead of serving AMSJ's on rolls, for this meal we broke out some russet potatoes, pierced them with a fork, microwaved them for about 5 minutes.  We put them in the oven for 45 minutes at around 400 degrees.  Voila - AMSJ's over baked potatoes.  YUM!  We even managed to sneak in some cheese as a creamy topper because you all know how we feel about cheese.

Speaking of cheese (I don't think that is the first time I have said that), one of the meals that starts to show up a whole lot more during the winter months are Calzones.  Calzones are really not all that much different than pizza, however, there is something fun about having a cheesy packet of deliciousness all to yourself.  Calzones are really easy to tailor to the needs of your family - you can mix and match veggies and meats so that everyone ends up with something that speaks to their individual tastes.  We serve these with a side of marinara for dipping. 

Summer lemon vegetable risotto is about to be retired for the year.  This is one of my favorite summertime risottos and one of the few dishes that I am okay sweating over the stove in our hot-box kitchen for.  You really pay homage to the key summer vegetables in the form of zucchini, summer squash, snap peas, and asparagus with this meal.  If you have some finicky vegetable people in your family, hopefully they can find at least one "green thing" that they can enjoy in this dish.

Warm Pasta Salad with Shrimp is a meal that I was not so sure about when I decided to make the recipe.  Something about beans and pasta...it just didn't seem like it would work for me.  I was SO wrong.  This has become a year-round staple in our house.  The flavor runs deep and with all the beans, spinach, and lean shrimp - you are getting some great nutritional benefits from this meal.  We add more spinach than the recipe originally calls for (it cooks down significantly) and you could sub-in some whole wheat pasta for even more points in the "good for you" column.  I hope you decide to give this one a chance!

Christa introduced me to this Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe.  She made it out in Colorado and it is the best Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe that I have ever had.  Hands down.  Even if you have your own recipe at home, give this one a go - we have fully converted and not looked back since!

The New Kid on the Block

I apologize in advance if you now have a NKOTB ballad stuck in your head.  I couldn't resist.  You may or may not find it interesting to know that I was never a New Kids fan.  Yes, though I was a product of the 80s and early 90s music era, I did not "hang tough".  The only NKOTB swag that I owned was a pair of slippers that my Memere and I bought when she took me shopping as my birthday present one year.  I am pretty sure that my lack of interest in them had something to do with the fact that I was too busy listening to the Pointer Sisters and Michael Jackson albums.  Now do you have "Jump for my Love" or "Man in the Mirror" in your head instead?  How about now?

Back to being the new kid on the block.  I started a new job this week.  After having been with my previous company for just over 6 years, I landed a new gig with a biotech company here in Boulder.  The first day I was excited at the prospect of a fresh start but had that nervous "first day of school" feeling.  I think it is a good thing - as my late father-in-law used to say: "If you're green, you're growing, if you're not, you rot".  My goal in life is to always be some shade of green; staleness does not sit well with me.

Where does this all tie into a weekly meal plan you ask?  It is so easy to fall into a pattern of making the same few dishes over, and over.  Before you know it, you are burnt out on your usual rotation and you would rather scrape gum off the driveway than have to eat the same old dinner for the 5th (or maybe 10th) time in a month.  Writing this blog has really helped me to expand our repertoire of meals.  Of course we have our favorites that we go back to when we are looking for something delicious and reliable, but putting a new dish on the table for dinner can be oddly satisfying (well, not so odd if you are anything like me).  Not every new dish will fall into the "keeper" category but you never know until you try.

I made these recipes a little while back, just before I made the decision to halt new endeavors until after my recipes were fully converted to the new site.  They were all "never-evers" and luckily, we hit it out of the park with all of them.

Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas was our vegetarian dish.  These were so yummy.  I find the wheat tortillas to be great for enchiladas because they are really soft.  Throw in some black beans, veggies, a delicious red sauce, and of course...some cheese, and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying dinner option.  Note that the enchilada sauce takes about 30 minutes to cook - I made it the day before so that all we had to do was put everything together and bake it when we got home from work.

We are not fortunate enough to have In-N-Out Burger here in Colorado, however, I had my first In-N-Out experience this past summer when we took a family trip to Lake Tahoe.  Flick ALWAYS stops to get a burger on his way up to the mountains so I felt like I really needed to see what all the hoopla was about.  YUM.  These Out-N-In California Burgers are a healthy, home-made alternative and were quite tasty.  I would have liked to be in the test kitchen when they were devising the recipe for these little guys.

Chicken and Herb White Pizza was a nice, light take on our semi-weekly pizza foray.  The fresh herbs really stand out and you don't end up missing the marinara one bit.

Tilapia tostadas were a take on a chicken tostada recipe that we have.  We try really hard to have fish at least one day a week.  It is all too easy to fall into the fish filet + rice + veggie meal plan.  There are plenty of ways to eat fish so don't be afraid to experiment.  I like the texture that the tostadas add to the fish/tomato/guacamole since they all tend to be on the softer side. 

Finally we have Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta.  Doesn't it just look divine?  It is such a basic recipe that really plays to all of the comfort food qualities.  The pasta brings in the carbohydrates, cheese needs no further introduction, sausage and tomatoes belong together, and some fresh basil..."I'm so excited".

Gimme a break

Flick is on break from school right now.  After each quarter, he gets about 3 weeks off before the next round of classes ensue.  This period of down time is really great on a number of levels.  First of all, I love that he has the freedom to spend his nights doing what he wants (for the most part, dishes probably wouldn't fall into that category), second - I like to pretend that I am also on break (well, actually I guess I am) and can therefore slow my roll from Mach 3 down to the speed of sound.  

In my mind, 'our' breaks are my chance to get caught up on all of the things that have been put to the back burner while Flick is in class and studying every night.  I like to disillusion myself into thinking that I am going to weed the entire front lawn, iron all 54 shirts in the ironing pile, clean things that have been gathering dust, hang some photos on the walls, and have dinner ready at a reasonable hour (all on the first day).   The problem with this line of thinking is that it makes my 'break' anything but a chance to reset and gear up for the next quarter.  So, this time around I am testing out this whole, enjoy-a-break-for-what-it-is thing.  It's hard!  As someone who relishes in getting things done, going to bed without feeling as though I have made a major dent in my to-do list stresses me out.  Something I clearly need to work on because that list is not going anywhere.  

Along these same lines, I think it is important to take a break from cooking every now and again.  I know that I lay the whole 'home cooked meal' thing on pretty thick but we like going out to eat or ordering a pizza just as much as the next busy family.  For me, it is so much more enjoyable when it is a treat rather than the norm.  Flick and I had an AMAZING dinner last night out on the town in Boulder (thank you SO much to the VR crew for all your love and support and especially to Charles for babysitting Ellie!).  We went all out and felt great about it because it is something that we really never do.  It is important to take care of yourself, whether it be a random day off from work or a much needed date night with your partner.  Burnout and staleness can happen in any aspect of your life and it is up to you to be self-aware enough to know when it is coming.  Spice it up to keep it fresh.

Starting next week we will be back to working in the new recipes.  I am FINALLY at the end of my conversion over to the new site (woohooo).  There are a few loose ends (mostly in the dessert category) to tie up but the major players are all prettied up and ready to go.  Thanks for hanging in there through the whole process...

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Thai Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas

Tuna Noodle Casserole (camera shy :) )


Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs

Vegetable Burritos with Cheese

Idn't it great?

I am taking a two week hiatus from any food related posts in order to spend some time back east with Flick and his family.  In fact, I am writing this as we put together picture boards for my father-in-law's memorial service tomorrow.  I can't believe it.

I have been blessed with an amazing family that only grew infinitely larger when Flick and I got married.  I could not ask for better in-laws.  Bob and Caryl treated me like a daughter from the get go and it means the world to me.  I can't fully wrap my head around the fact that Bob has been taken from us, not this soon.  I am glad to have gotten to know him and learn from him over the past 8 years but wish that we had many more ahead of us.  When I sent out the email to let everyone know that I had enabled the 'follow by email' functionality, he wrote me back to let me know that he was a closet follower who always got a good chuckle out of my posts.  I hope he is reading this now and knows how much I love and admire him and all that he has done.

Bob genuinely appreciated everything and everyone in his life and I think that was one of his most special qualities.  His catch phrase for living was 'Idn't it great?'.  I am so grateful to have had him in my life.