A Cooking Baker

I love Mexican-inspired food!  Ripped this one for Tex-Mex Chicken out of a Family Circle magazine weeks ago, and had it on my pile of recipes to try (which is more like a mountain, lately, so it's time to add some to the meal plan!!).  It's a keeper!  This afternoon I threw a chicken in the crock pot to make room in the freezer, and decided to make this.  I did a little differently, since I had the cooked chicken, so my changes are noted below.  This would be great for a freezer meal exchange - either cooked in advance, or prepped to throw in the slow cooker. You could use this in a variety of ways - tacos, quesadillas, wraps with slices of avocado, filling for burritos, filling for empanadas, etc.  ¡buen provecho! Tex-Mex Chicken 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (10 to 12 thighs), fat removed  - I used a whole chicken, slow cooked - I used the meat and about 1 cup of the cooking liquid (separated fat) 1 large red pepper, seeded...

Check this out, freezer-stocking friends: Make the Most of Your Freezer Storage and Save .

Who says breakfast always has to be eaten in the morning? Our fam likes breakfast - a LOT.  We love baked goods, pancakes, hash browns, eggs (I'm a more recent egg convert).  And we love bacon.  We occasionally indulge in the real deal, but we were converted to a turkey bacon family, and have made that work for the last few years  - only in a pan, and only Louis Rich meet our "fakin" standards.  As I become a more serious label reader, I'm not sure WHAT do to anymore... But that's another post - in fact, that's another blog, and I'm not the one to write it).  Whew - back to breakfast.  We love it, we eat it every day in the traditional sense, and we eat it for dinner (some call it "brinner") quite frequently.  I had a random assortment of stuff in the fridge tonight and saw this recipe for Cheesy Hash Brown Cups , so we gave it a whirl.  I made a few changes, noted below (I did make some without the veggies for the kids, because I just ga...

Flank steak is a pretty versatile piece of beef - I've used it for an entree on its own, for fajitas, shredded beef sandwiches, etc.  The average flank steak can feed a family of four - we usually get one that's about 1-1/2 pounds for the four of us.  For the best results, don't cook the daylights out of it, slice it against the grain, and you'll have nice, tender slices of meat. This recipe is so simple, and so delicious! Marinated Flank Steak 1-1/2 lb. flank steak 1/4 c. vegetable oil or olive oil 1/4 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. red wine vinegar 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (the juice of 1/2 a decent-sized lemon) 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 healthy tbsp.) 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper To keep it simple, place all ingredients in a gallon-sized zipper storage bag, give it a couple good kneads with your hands, and stick in the fridge until it's time to grill. Take it out about 20-30 minutes before you grill...

We've had a bountiful tomato harvest so far this season.   I grew 3 kinds this year - some nice little plum tomatoes, some Big Boys, and some fab Sun Gold cherry tomatoes.  We throw those babies in everything - cold pasta salads, hot pasta dishes, sauces, salads, etc.  I've made some salsa, and margherita pizza, and the other night, some freezer tomato sauce.  I used a combo of the tomatoes we had on hand (which is why my sauce looks kind of orange, since I threw in a ton of those fab little orange Sun Golds), and ran my immersion blender quickly through a bowl of chopped up tomatoes (seeds, skin, everything - I just washed them off first).  Honestly, I could have just squished them with my hands and skipped the blender, but I love that thing.  Then I sauteed diced onion and minced garlic in basil-infused olive oil, added the tomatoes, splashed in some balsamic vinegar, and cooked down until some of the liquid evaporated.  I seasoned with some sa...

Sometimes, I'm kind of crabby.  Like tonight...I don't feel like talking to anyone, even about food.  I'll snap out of it, but for now, here's a quick recipe you can make now (check out the meal deal at Pick 'N Slave for local peeps) and freeze for cooler weather, or eat now, if you're a roast in the summer kind of a family.  Oven Pot Roast 3 lb. boneless rump roast Salt and pepper flour 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 medium onions, sliced 1 stalk celery, chopped (go ahead and throw the leaves in, too) 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp. thyme leaves 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 can 14 ½ oz beef broth 8 medium carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters (or a handful of baby carrots) 1 c. dry red wine (you can use broth or water if you prefer) Have on hand:  red potatoes, cornstarch or flour for thickening To freeze:   Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven.  Season meat with salt and pepper.  Coat with flour....

My first year planting a veggie garden, I learned that you don't need to plant 4 cucumber plants, unless you're going to feed the entire state.    We ate them on EVERYTHING.  Anyone who visited our house left with at least one.  I literally knocked on doors handing them out.  Our garden was made up of  three raised beds; the plants gradually took over one entire bed, and attempted to cross over to the other ones.  I was inspired to finally tackle a family recipe for freezer pickles - it was super easy, and they were quite tasty! Easy Freezer Pickles 8 lbs. cucumbers, thinly sliced 1 cup thinly sliced onion 3 T salt 4 cups sugar 2 cups vinegar 1 t. celery seed 1 t. ground turmeric 1 t. mustard seed ½ t. alum In a large container, combine cucumbers, onion, salt; mix well.  Let stand for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  Drain and rinse.  In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients; let stand for 2-3 hours, stirring often....

Sometimes there's nothing you can do but cook. I've had the displeasure of seeing 2 young moms in our school community recieve cancer diagnoses in the last 18 months.  If you're like me, when someone you know is hurting, you want to help, but lots of times, there's not much you can do. If you can cook, you can take away some of the stress of getting the family fed and bring a meal or two. In fact, even if you can't cook, you can pick up a meal at a restaurant or a bag of groceries, or even a gift card for a local restaurant. I think it comes naturally to some - the church and school communities I grew up in always loved with food - church potlucks, school spaghetti dinners, and of course lots of meals for people who needed them.  But not everyone has done this before, so it might be overwhelming.  As in my "feeding a crowd" blurb, there are a few things to keep in mind.   Don't try to impress - don't try new recipes.  Find out if you'r...

It's a great night to fire up the grill! Here's a simple but delish marinade for pork chops . 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/3 cup honey 2 T. soy sauce 4 tsp. cooking sherry 2 gloves garlic, minced 6 boneless pork chops In Ziploc bag, combine lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, sherry and garlic. Add chops, and "knead" to coat chops.  Let marinate in fridge, or freeze.  Allow to thaw overnight in fridge. Remove chops from marinade and grill for 12-15 minutes, turning once and using marinade to baste. Chops should be barely pink in middle when done.

There's nothing wrong with a sloppy joe! I'm not talking those freaky mystery meat concoctions of lunch lady lore, but a good, homemade sloppy joe.  My grandma made " Souper Burgers " (I found out they were called this later - we called them "BBQs") based on a Campbell's recipe, and I made those for a long time, but now we're branched out.  Here's a little healthier take on a classic - feel free to share your favorite sloppy joe recipes!  We like to toast brioche buns a little bit, and serve with homemade freezer pickles. Sloppy Joes 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground round 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 c. finely chopped [ read: hidden from kids ] cremini mushrooms 1 can of petite diced tomatoes (you can dice your own if you like) 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. water 1/4 c.cider vinegar 1/4 c.  chili sauce  such as Heinz 1/4 c. ketchup 2 tbsp. yellow mustard (optional)  8 hamburger buns, toasted if desired Cook beef over medi...

I like to feed lots of people. I have honed my lots of people-feeding skills over time, and figured out a few tips: 1. Stick to the basics and go with what you know.  Instead of trying something fancy and impressive, which will end up freaking me out and prevent me from enjoying the event, I go with simple, tasty, and tried & true. 2. Buffet-style works best.  I usually pick a menu with 1-2 main dish items and a variety of sides.  I set out the spread somewhere with easy access, and let people serve themselves.  Sandwiches, soups and salads are great for this. 3. Pick a theme - it makes it super easy to select your menu.  For example:  Mexican Fiesta:  build-your-taco bar with chicken & beef and an assortment of toppings (sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, cheese) chips & salsa (or a vat of some awesome fake nacho cheese, or a taco dip), some of those fun little tortill...

I have fond memories of pizza subs from my college days. We would scrounge up any change or small bills we could find, and pile in someone's car and head to Mineo's for a late night pizza sub.  They were cheap, and they were hot, melty, and delicious.  Here's my attempt at a recipe: Oven Baked Pizza Subs 4-6  hoagie rolls oregano or Italian seasoning slices of provolone cheese (or mozzarella) slices of pepperoni (I get it sliced at the deli for nice big pieces) slices of genoa salami  slices of your favorite ham, sliced very thin 1/2 lb. Italian sausage, browned and drained (turkey Italian sausage is pretty good - optional) your favorite pizza sauce veggies if desired (and I desire them on the parental sandwiches) - thin green pepper slices, thin onion slices, mushrooms if you're into them, banana peppers, etc.   Have on hand: shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and if you like, mayo - for a really delish spread, mix some mayo, a dash of red wine vine...

We eat a lot of chicken in our home. It gets old.  So the freezer meal swap was just what we needed to get some new recipes into the rotation.  Here's a great one from a friend. I know, you look and see 45 minutes just for the sauce?  Are you kidding me?  And I have to pay attention to it?  Forget it.  I was skeptical until I made it for 26 freezer meals at once, and I STILL liked eating it the next night.  It's really good.  And you can make the sauce in advance, so just make a lot of it.  I literally had 3 big stock pots of it going on my stove.  This chicken is great on the grill or baked in the oven.  We serve it with brown rice and steamed veggies - broccoli, carrots, peppers, snow peas, whatever.  Teriyaki Chicken 2 C soy sauce ½ t garlic powder 2 t ginger 1 ¼ C sugar 1 ½ C cooking sherry ½ t onion powder 1 C brown sugar 6-8 chicken breasts To prepare for freezing: Combine all ingredients except chicke...

I've had a long day today, and it's only 1:30pm.  I've cooked dinner for my family every night since Saturday, including lunches (no sneaky trips to Culvers this week!), so I feel like tonight I'm ok breaking out the coupons, and grabbing something for me and the kids.  The husband has a work thing, and I need to run kids to practice, and attend a school function, so there.  I've justified it.  I still have a recipe for ya, though!  I hadn't had stroganoff for a long, long time, until my mom brought us some when our kitchen was torn up at the old house (oh, how I miss that kitchen now!).  It was so good!  And the kids ate it!  I tinkered with some recipes I saw, and came up with this lighter, freezer- and wallet-friendly version for the fam.  We like it, and it's a quick, easy meal for busy school nights.  Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff 1-1/2 lb. beef stew meat 1 8-oz. pkg. sliced white mushrooms, finely chopped (as small ...

I didn't feel like making dinner tonight. I procrastinated all day, and then at 4:30pm, I decided it was an "eat whatcha got" kind of night. Otherwise I'd end up at the store hungry and spend way too much.  So I went to the freezer downstairs and pulled out some Peppered Pork Chops from our most recent meal swap (thanks, Peggy!).  There was some broccoli "harvested" from the garden the other day, a red pepper and a handful of baby carrots wasting away in a bag in the fridge.  Steamed veggies it is.  Ok, now for a starchy side (hey - I'm feeding a growing football player here)... No potatoes in the cupboard, but I had some brown rice and some couscous in the pantry.  Couscous it is - it's more fun to say.  Then I spied a partial loaf of French bread left over from cheesesteak night, and remembered there was a little lump of "expensive butter" in the fridge leftover from a previous dinner.  Garlic...

We really like cheese steak sandwiches, and yes, we know these aren't  considered "authentic." We use provolone (which is one "official" option), as Cheez Whiz has not been in our home for a decade or more.  Not that I don't think it has its merits......(I grew up with it!  Did anyone ever have a fried bologna sandwich with Cheez Whiz on toasted bread? It might SOUND a little icky, but as a kid, I actually really liked it.  My grands made it for me on summer vacation. That was just one application of the versatile orange substance.) Anyway, I'd been throwing these sandies together for quickie dinners for awhile, and decided to try it as a freezer meal.  A brave friend of mine gave it a whirl, and made it happen.  Let there be much rejoicing!  Give it a try, and tweak it as needed to make it right for your family.  I've also done one with deli chicken for a delish chicken philly, involving some Dijon must...

We love to hang out with people (and eat).  Tonight we had some good friends over for some food and fellowship, and enjoyed a simple summer spread with salads, fruit, potatoes and some grilled pork tenderloin sandwiches.  You can grill the meat a little bit in advance, let it rest, and then slice it up just before it's time to eat.  The great thing about this recipe is how versatile pork tenderloin is - you can keep it casual and do sandwiches, or you can grill or throw it in the oven and serve it sliced with some twice-baked potatoes and grilled or steamed veggies for a nice sit-down meal.  I've done this for a crowd before, and it's gone over well.  Give it a try! Glazed Pork Tenderloin 2 lb pork tenderloin Pepper ¼ cup honey 1 T Dijon mustard 2 T Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 t minced garlic To prepare for freezing: Season tenderloin lightly with pepper. In a Ziploc bag combine all ingredients and mix thoro...

This is super simple, and really tasty! Our family likes this one on the grill, served with some grilled veggies - bell peppers, zucchini, red potatoes and onions - or corn on the cob.  It's a great summer meal, or a taste of summer in the middle of winter, if you're willing to brave the cold to grill (or use a grill pan, I guess...).  4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (might need to pound them out for even thickness) 1/3 c. low sodium soy sauce 1/4 c. lime juice 1/2 c. honey In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice and honey, stirring well. Put chicken in a ziploc bag or freezer container and pour sauce over top. Refrigerate for an hour - don't go too much longer with the lime juice - or freeze. Remove chicken from marinade and grill until juices run clear and thermometer registers 165F, or cook in the oven at 350F for 35-45 minutes (time will vary depending on thickness of chicken). To prepare from frozen: thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight, rem...