Category: MISC

Menu Plans for 3 Sides of Crazy


Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

I took an inventory of everything in the cupboard and freezer and am trying to plan meals around that. It’s not as easy as it sounds. LOL What do I make with the bottle of plum sauce, hot fudge and Italian dressing?

 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Date
Monday

oatmeal

 out
 Meatloaf Muffins
 10/12
Tuesday toast

 soup
 Swedish Meatballs 10/13
Wednesday cereal
 sandwiches
 Martha’s Appetizer Pizzas 10/14
Thursday yogurt
 chili
 Subway
 10/15
Friday toast
 sandwiches
 on the road

10/16
Saturday on the road
 Picnic
 on the road
 10/17
Sunday on the road
 Picnic
 on the road
 10/18

Menu Plan Monday


Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

With the BIG move this week, I took an inventory of everything in the cupboard and freezer and am trying to plan meals around that. It’s not as easy as it sounds. LOL What do I make with the bottle of plum sauce, hot fudge and Italian dressing?

 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Date
Monday

oatmeal

 out
 Meatloaf Muffins
 10/12
Tuesday toast

 soup
 Swedish Meatballs 10/13
Wednesday cereal
 sandwiches
 Martha’s Appetizer Pizzas 10/14
Thursday yogurt
 chili
 Subway
 10/15
Friday toast
 sandwiches
 on the road

10/16
Saturday on the road
 Picnic
 on the road
 10/17
Sunday on the road
 Picnic
 on the road
 10/18

Savory Pot Roast & Roasted Veggies

Super Savory Pot Roast & Veggies

I love Pot Roast. I adapted grams old recipe to my family and their likes.

3-4 pound Pot Roast
2 medium Onions
1 bag baby carrots
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 large Yukon potatoes~scrubbed clean, but not peeled
Kosher Salt
White & Black Pepper
3 t. minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Pampered Chef Rosemary mix
Beef bullion
Red Wine (2 cups) OR White Wine (2 cups)

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • The meat you use is important. My favorite roast is the chuck roast because it has wonderful marbling throughout the meat, and when cooked right (prep, cover, cook ~ don’t fiddle with it while it’s in the oven) any chuck roast winds up being tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Be aware that the tougher the piece of meat is, the longer it needs to cook so that the connective tissue will soften and break down. You truly can’t rush a pot roast, you’ll be disappointed if you try as it will be dry or lack flavor. BE PATIENT. You want the meat to basically fall apart. You SHOULD NOT need a knife to cut it.
  • Bring the piece of meat to room temperature.
  • GENEROUSLY sprinkle the first side of meat with the Kosher Salt and Pepper mix.
  • Heat enough olive oil in the bottom of a fry pan to make a thick coating. Heat to a medium-high heat.
  • Cut the onions tip to root, cut off root and stem, peel and lay flat into hot oil.
  • Brown both sides well. Remove to side.
  • Add the baby carrots and do the same. I normally cut each carrot just in half. Brown carrots-you’re trying more for color here than cooking. They will have plenty of time to cook in the oven. I also like to add my garlic (I use the bottled minced garlic from the produce section) and spices at this point. By this time I have put them all into a mortar and pestle to revive their scents and aromas. When carrots are finished, remove them to the same plate as the onions.
  • If necessary add more olive oil to the pan and add the roast seasoned side down. While it’s browning season the other side really well Brown both sides and all edges really well.

Now, for the oven I like to use my grandma’s old Magnalite dutch oven which cooks really even! And see those little hobnail bumps on the bottom side of the lid? Those are better known as drip catchers. They collect the steam from the juices and redistributes it all right back down on the roast as it cooks. These help keep the meat moist and juicy.

  • After the roast is browned, place it in the dutch oven and spread vegetables all around it.
  • While fry pan is still hot, add white or red wine and the beef bullion to deglaze the pan ~ make sure you scrape up all the stuck little bits from the bottom. Cook long enough to mix well and then pour over the roast. The liquid should come up at least half way on the sides of the roast and vegetable mixture. For this recipe we added the white wine to the recipe and drank the red. The red wine, Harrod wine, is from our nephew’s vineyard so we don’t waste it cooking, but enjoy every last drop.
  • Put the lid on the dutch oven, put it in the oven, don’t open the door for AT LEAST 3 hours! Today’s roast was 2.39 pounds and I roasted it for 3 1/2 hours. Go relax or at least get the dishes you’ve dirtied so far done up. At 3 hours, I prep the potatoes for boiling. I prefer not to cook mine with the roast ~ I prefer a bit of substance instead of the mush they become with the roast. I do a basic mashed with heavy cream, salt, pepper, and butter (hey you gotta splurge a little sometimes!)

We get 2 meals out of these proportions. Now to us eating starts with the eyes ~ so make it pretty. I love my polish pottery, all of it is unique one-of-a-kind creations and decorates a table and your meal so easily!

Previously posted at 3 Sides of Crazy

Don’t forget the party starts next week!
Halloween Fall Round Up

WHEN: Sunday, October 18th ~ Saturday, October 31st, 2009
WHERE: OuR KrAzY kItChEn
RSVP: MR. LINKY

We’re having a party here at the OuR KrAzY kItChEn and you’re invited. Bring your favorite recipe, decorating idea, pictures, anecdotes and let’s have some fun together.

  • Do you have a special popcorn ball recipe?
  • What is your favorite fall recipe?
  • Do you have a favorite apple recipe?
  • Do you have special way to carve pumpkins?
  • How about a party punch that’s perfect for Halloween?
  • What is your idea of a best costume?

We’ll post Mr. Linky on October 18th and leave him in place through Halloween. Write your post piece and come link it up. We’ll all have some time to blog hop and see each other and try recipes.

Kitchen Wishes

Despite packing up my kitchen and most of it heading for storage for a time being, I still see things and think, “Wow I’d like that”. Here’s a few more things to add to that someday list.

I love this completely impractical pumpkin soup tureen and this absolutely adorable cake plate!

I thought these dishes were fun and lively too.


Pumpkin Bread~ Simple Saturday with girlichef

There were several recipes linked last week that I was definitely going to make. Um…where did the week go? Out of those recipes, I made exactly ZERO. Best intentions… but I did make a super moist, insanely addicting loaf of Pumpkin Bread that was super simple to whip up. It’s a quick bread…which means, among many other actual definitions…that I can mix it by hand…sans mixer. You see, my kitchen is small and any big appliances…like my beloved KitchenAid…are kept in the basement and I have to haul them back and forth when I need them. Yeah, not so simple when you’re feeling lazy. So, hand mixing works just fine for a quick bread like this. Girlichef’s Pumpkin Bread

yield: 1 loaf

1 1/2 c. AP flour (or 1/2 AP, 1/2 WW)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt (don’t leave out the salt…it’s important…it enhances the flavors)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
few fresh grates of nutmeg
2 XL eggs
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Buckwheat Honey (or regular)
1 c. Pumpkin Puree
1/2 c. oil
~1/2 c. pecans, chopped, whole, pieces…however you want ’em

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together all remaining ingredients, except pecans. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. At this point, fold in your pecans and pour into a foil-lined loaf pan OR pour the batter into the foil lined pan and sprinkle the pecans over the top (easier to appease the non-nut lovers…they can just pick them off). Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes…or until it passes the toothpick test. Don’t overbake it…it’s so moist and delicious and reminiscent of pumpkin pie. And addicting. Seriously addicting.


Molasses Cake: What Did You Bake Today

I tried a new recipe this week. I found it over at the Family Balance Sheet blog. It has no eggs, was super simple to make and was a big hit with all of my family. I am so happy that my kids like molasses.

1 C. molasses
1 Tbsp. baking soda
2 C. boiling water
4 C. flour
2 C. light brown sugar
2/3 C. butter, softened
pinch of salt

Combine the molasses, baking soda and boiling water. While it cools, mix together the remaining four ingredients in a separate bowl with a pastry blender or fork until it has a crumbly texture. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture. Mix the molasses liquid with the flour mixture. Pour batter into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top of cake and bake about 15 minutes more or until toothpick comes out clean. (Note: In the future, I will add the crumb mixture to the cake and skip the topping…the cake was delicious and didn’t need it.)

What Did You Bake Today?

Friday Fill-Ins

Serendipity

1. Sweet dreams, don’t let the bed bugs bite.

2. Say a prayer of safe journey especially for me.

3. Silliness is always welcome here.

4. Don’t drink and drive this Halloween.

5. Outstanding or not is the question.

6. A long hot shower and restful sleep is what I want right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing the kitchen boxes, tomorrow my plans include last day of the rummage sale and packing up the remainder for the museum and American Legions rummage sales and Sunday, I want to finish texture painting the wall and painting the ceiling in our bedroom!
wildatheart

Chicken & Ham Pot Pies ~ Soups Salads Casseroles & More

2 tablespoons butter

1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 medium large Vidalia onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded

1/2 pound ham steak, cubed

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 recipe basic dough or 1-9 inch round Pillsbury pie dough

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium.
  • Add carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Cook until carrot is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add flour and stir until flour is golden.
  • Gradually and alternately whisk in the milk and broth, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in the chicken, ham, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide filling among eight 8-ounce ramekins or ovenproof bowls.
  • On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 15-inches round. With a 3 1/2-inch floured biscuit cutter, cut out eight rounds and place one on each ramekin. Transfer ramekins to a rimmed baking sheet; bake until filling is bubbling and crusts are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
To Make ahead: Prepare, but do not top with dough. Let cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Store in the freezer 3-6 months maximum. Remove from freezer, top with dough and bake 45 minutes at 425 degrees until golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before eating.

Soup Terms Defined ~ Thursday 13


  1. BISQUE ~ A cream based fish or seafood soup.
  2. BORSCHT ~ A robust Russian stew made with beets, tomatoes, cabbage and sometimes meat.
  3. BOUILLABAISSE ~ A classic fisherma’s stew made with fish, shellfish, garlic, tomatoes, saffron and fennel.
  4. CHOWDER ~ comes from the French word Chaudiere which was a type of cauldron used to cook soup for large gatherings. The early American settlers made chowder with household staples like salt pork, local fish, sea biscuits and bread. In the 19th century potatoes replaced the crackers and milk or cream was added because of their rich flavor and great thickening properties.
  5. GAZPACHO ~ A pureed mixture of summer vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers and onion.
  6. GUMBO ~ comes from the African word Quingombo, the word for Okra. A soup from Louisiana that is thickened with okra or sassafras root.
  7. MINESTRONE ~ A classic vegetable and bean soup from Italy.
  8. MULLIGATAWNY ~ An Indian soup that contains curried meat or seafood and is smothered in cream or coconut milk.
  9. POSOLE ~ A traditional Latin American stew with a hearty blend of chile peppers, vegetables, hominy and stock.
  10. POTAGE ~ means ‘special of the day’ and is usually made with the freshest of seasonal ingredients.
  11. SEVICHE ~ Fresh, raw seafood marinated in an acid like tomato or lemon juice. The acid “cooks” the fish removing the raw taste.
  12. STEW ~ the browning of small pieces of meat then simmered with vegestables and enough liquid to cover it all.
  13. VICHYSSOISE ~ A chilled classic French pureed soup made with potatoes, leeks, stock and heavy cream.
Come on over & join us at OuR KrAzY kItChEn tomorrow for our new meme. We’re launching it just in time for fall. We want to gather all those great recipes for the cold winter nights that are headed our way.