Cook Once, Eat Twice

As I have discussed in a previous post, preparing double-quantities of food has enabled me to cook half as often by eating each meal twice per week.  I know there are people out there that aren’t so hot on eating leftovers.  Yes, there are certain foods that aren’t the greatest when they are re-heated (grilled fish, for example), but there are many others that I think taste better the second day, like chili, beef stew, spaghetti with meat sauce, or Mexican lasagna.  Then there are other dishes that I think taste the exact same the next day: baked chicken, fajitas, soups, and practically everything else I make.  And who doesn’t like cold pizza?

But don’t worry.  I will not get all iron-fist on you.  This process just works extremely well for me and my family.  Use this blog religiously as your Dinner Guide for Life (or ELSE), use it to add some new ideas to your existing routine, or just read it at work because it’s better than staring at your cube walls.  This blog AIN’T gonna be a one-trick pony.

(Warning: I'm about to get all nerdy on you.)

One feature I will post regularly is a weekly meal plan.  When creating my meal list each week I try to make sure it has variety of main ingredients and type of food.  This means preparing pasta only once, chicken only once, etc.  Crockpot recipes or one-dish meals are always a bonus!  I plan to post a new meal list on Thursday or Friday of each week in the event you want to make any of the meals the following week.  That way you'll have a few days to get to the grocery store and shop accordingly.  (Because if you're anything like me, the thought of staring in your pantry at 5:30 each night trying to figure out what to make for dinner is just about as painful as hanging out in the grocery aisles longer than you need to.)

Here is this week’s meal plan and corresponding recipes.  These meals will feed a family of four for two dinners.  3 Meals X 2 Nights Each = 1 Week's Worth of Dinners.  Y'know, assuming you go out once a week, or maybe have enough leftovers to have a fridge-free-for-all on the 7th night.  Righteous. 

Spicy Black Beans over Rice

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

(Mostly) Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

another day, another fifty cents

Budgeting.  BOR-ING.  But I have a three-year-old who can eat a truckload of snacks in one sitting, so right now it’s a necessary evil in my world. 

When creating my weekly meal list I try to keep the meals within my predetermined grocery budget.  I spend roughly $100/week on groceries for my family of 4.  I realize this is probably a lot more money than some can spend on a week’s worth of food, but I imagine it’s less than others.  The reality is that no matter what your budget is, it’s REALLY easy to blow it unless you stick to a list and/or come up with some creative cost-cutting.  If your budget is tight (for a week or for always), there are still ways to make it work: you can cook from scratch as much as possible (which is always cost-effective), you can learn to cook meals that use less-expensive ingredients (like substituting beans for meat), you can watch portion sizes to stretch your food further, and you can learn to price-shop.

There are those crazy couponers out there, and I SO wish I was one of them.  I have a dear aunt whose coupon habits are legendary.  Rumor has it that a couple of years ago she spent just $7 on a Thanksgiving meal for her entire family!  She’s awesome!  But I haven’t really found that couponing works for me.  In my experience most coupons are geared towards processed and packaged foods: cookies, nuggets, etc.  I wish coupons were more readily available for the items I buy frequently.  When’s the last time you saw a coupon for $0.50 off a pound of apples or Buy A Steak, Get One Free?  THAT’S the kind of coupon I’m looking for!  I would use the heck out of those!

So I don’t coupon but I have started shopping at the bottom-of-the-food-chain Aldi grocery store.  I know, man.  I KNOW.  My mom and sister bugged me for the longest time to go there but I was totally skeptical.  So I went.  And I walked out of there just $75 lighter with loads of groceries feeling like I’d just won the dang lottery.  Yes, it is the first grocery store where I’ve seen a grown woman’s full bare breast, but I love that I can spend $1.69 on a bag of spinach instead of $3.99, or get THE best store-bought salsa I’ve ever had.  (Seriously I eat it like every day.  It’s that good.)  There are still things that I prefer to pick up at Schnucks or Whole Foods but for the most part I can find everything I need at Aldi, spend way less, and not sacrifice on quality.  I just make sure I don’t make eye contact with anyone or look at their chestal region.

Please note this is not a shameless plug for Aldi.  Rather, I am confessing to all of the world wide web a deep dark secret that I’m a girl who will do what it takes to feed four mouths good, healthy food, seven days a week.  But don’t get me wrong.  The minute I turn rich is the minute I walk out of Aldi and into Whole Foods forever.  Forever!!!

I’d love to hear your money-saving suggestions!

sushi coma

Every month or two my sisters, a couple of female cousins and I meet at various sushi joints across the city (OK, county) and wreck gorge ourselves on sushi.  We also catch up on each others’ lives: new jobs, boyfriends, kids, running, nicoleishavingtwins! and so forth.  We laugh, gossip, and generally have a grand time.  And we eat ridiculous amounts of sushi.  We jokingly call this our "sushi coma."  You know, when you eat so much you feel like you could pass the heck out.  What, we're the only ones who do this?

It started a couple of years ago at the Westport Drunken Fish, which had a pretty great happy hour deal going on at the time.  What wasn’t so great were the swarms of gussied-up girls, boys with tans and slicky hair, and too-cool waiters.  We’ve since scouted out various other restaurants in an attempt to get the best sushi for the lowest price without blowing a hole in our gut.  We’ve toed that line in recent days, however.  Just the other night I went from sushi coma to (near) sushi-death.  It was at a strip-mall-sushi-joint in (you guessed it) Westport where you can apparently order as much sushi as you can cram in your gut for a lowlowprice.  I guess we just got busy talking and eating and talking and eating until I eventually unbuttoned my pants and KEPT IT THAT WAY.  Luckily my sister talked about her college courses the whole way home so I could focus on what she was saying and NOT think about tearing the gearshift out of her steering column and using it to stab a hole in my stomach just to give the volcano roll some extra room.  I had to do Lamaze breathing and everything.  It was critical. 

All this to say I would gladly hang out with my sisters and gal cousins even if it means I suffer some slight indigestion in the process.  I freakin love you girls!

But for the rest of you: pretty please recommend your fave STL-area sushi joints.  We obviously don't set the bar too high, but I may suggest we try somewhere new next time.



I think this was from our first sushi night.  Look at me all well-rested.
These days my face more closely resembles a pot sticker.

the best you've ever had

Cookies, that is.


This is a recipe for egg-free, dairy-free chocolate chip cookies.  But they're not TASTE-free!  (Sorry, Eric made me write that.)  They are actually insanely good, and when I make them, they are strictly portioned out (by me) otherwise they'd be gone in less than a day.  I'd challenge all y'all to follow the allergy-friendly recipe and tell me they don't taste amazing!  Or just make them the regular way, I won't get mad.


This recipe was loosely borrowed from a highly-rated standard chocolate chip cookie recipe I found online.  Even though it has been twice-converted, it is still the #1 cookie I make.  When I make these, commercial music cues, kids and hubby cheer wildly, and I feel like SUCH A GOOD MOM.  I am barely exaggerating.  The standard recipe is below, with the additional allergy-friendly dietary conversions in parentheses.  I want some in my mouth right now.


Word of warning: it is ridiculously chip-heavy.  Not that that's a bad thing.  :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening, melted 

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 eggs (1 tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp. water = 1 egg.  Do this twice to equal 2 eggs.)

2 cups milk chocolate chips (I use vegan chocolate chips.  And you can totally use less than the full bag.  Maybe set aside 1/2 cup and make these!)


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  (I have NEVER had luck just using greased cookie sheets!)  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, and set aside.  (Yeah, I just mix it with a spoon.  No sifting.  Too lazy.)  In a separate mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the melted shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla and frankenstein eggs until light and creamy.  Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.  The mixture may appear slightly crumbly, but that's okay!  Using a spoon, drop cookie dough in 1-1/2-inch doughblobs onto the lined cookie sheets, 12 doughblobs to a sheet.  Bake for 11-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.


Sidenote: I usually just bake 2 sheets at a time as I heard a rumor one time that the oven air needs to "circulate" around the cookies to cook them evenly.  Who knows if that is true but I'm not willing to risk ruining 4 dozen cookies to find out otherwise.  Anyway.  Pull them out even if they look slightly uncooked as they will "cook" a few minutes more on the hot cookie sheet.  

Recipe will yield 4-5 dozen tiny poppable little cookies that you won't want to stop eating. 


Make 'em already!  Tell me what you think!

  

(Recipe sorta borrowed from allrecipes.com)

a weekend in the country

Last weekend we took a trip to visit both of Eric’s grandmothers.  This is a short trip we try to do at least once a year, and we are thankful that we are so graciously welcomed each time.  It’s nice for the four of us to be able to get away for a couple of days without having to put in a lot of travel time or expense.  It’s an opportunity for the kids to spend some extra time with their great-grandmas and other extended family, and also get in touch with their daddy’s country roots. 

I also love going there for more selfish reasons: sleeping in a comfortable bed in a quiet house with no toys, noise, or obligations.  Eating each meal around a table without having to hurry and move onto bath time or some other household chore.  Slowly savoring the country breakfasts with locally made sausage, farm-fresh eggs, home-made gravy and jam, and endless cups of coffee.  I’m in heaven.

Both of his grandparents live on their own farm, perched on high hills in a picturesque small town in the southern part of the state.  I say it every time: it’s like staying at a kid-friendly Bed & Breakfast.

We spent most of the daytime hours outside: riding the see-saw, circling the property on a four-wheeler, chatting about the garden, watching the hummingbirds.  Letting the kids run around without having to shield them from a busy street, watching them chase the fat farm cat around the yard, hugging the neck of their second-cousin’s new dog, playing in the dirt for HOURS in the warm spring breeze.  The list goes on.  We attended church on Sunday morning and sang the familiar southern hymns.  After church ended, we visited the horses next door.  Each time we visit it’s the same, and yet uniquely special.

Spending a few days there feels good for the soul.   It gives us a chance to relax and sloooow down to keep pace with the quiet country life.  It reminds us of the blessings that are all around us, if only we are still enough to notice them. 

Another Chicken Post

(Or: Being Wrist-Deep in a Chicken Cavity is an Experience Unlike Any Other)

Here is a recipe for Sticky Chicken, which I got from a friend.  I’ve modified it slightly to my tastes, with the original recipe ingredients italicized at the end of this post.

This chicken was great on its own, served with potatoes and a side of steamed vegetables.  It cooked in its own juices, and was amazingly tender and full of flavor.  I love this recipe because the prep-work is super low-maintenance, the crockpot does all the cooking, and the options are endless for using it in other recipes: tortilla soup, chicken noodle soup, or even purée it with broth to make homemade baby food. 

Sticky Chicken

Mix the following ingredients into a small bowl:

2 tsp salt (I use Kosher.  Sparkly.)

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

2 tsp paprika (I use smoked)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

¼ tsp white pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

Coat the inside of a 5 qt. crockpot with baking spray.  Rinse and dry a whole 4lb. chicken, and remove the guts from chicken cavity.  Throw the guts away.  (Quickly.  And try not to hurl.)  Rub the spice mixture over the entire outside and inside of the chicken (un!), place the chicken in the crockpot insert, and cover it with the lid.  Let it sit in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, set your crockpot to low and cook for 8-10 hrs.  Off to work you go.

When you get home from work, throw a few potatoes in the microwave or make a quick batch of rice, and steam broccoli or asparagus with butter, salt, pepper, and a bit of lemon pepper.  Your after-work cooking efforts will be minimal, and the meal is deliciously home-cooked.  A 4lb. whole chicken will serve a family of 4 for 2 dinners, when served with 1-2 side dishes.  (Depending on the ages and appetites of your little ones.)  Or, freeze half of the cooked chicken and the following week you can make homemade chicken salad to take with you to work. 

Sidenote: SAVE THE BROTH that is left over in your crockpot.  You could have around 2 cups of perfectly seasoned, perfectly fatty broth to use for a future soup or gravy recipe.  Just let the broth cool, fish out any grody floaters, and store it in the freezer in a quart-sized, freezer-safe Ziploc bag labeled with the date and contents.  It will look like sewage but you’ll be glad you saved it.

Original recipe called for: seasoned salt instead of Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp. white pepper; ½ tsp black pepper.

what made me start a blog?

…when there are hundreds others out there?

To be honest, I’m not sure.  There are cooler/bigger/badder food blogs out there, discussing everything from food-hoarding to pioneer living to cooking meals that cost a dime.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that, because you know, I want to do ALL of it.)  But I wanted to start this blog, as I am eager to share where I’ve been and to document where I’m going. 

You could say my infatuation with food started when I was young.  Growing up in a family of 8 you had to get to the table fast, serve yourself fast, and eat fast, or you may end up with a plate of stuff that was scraped from the bottom of the pan.  And forget about second servings, unless your big sister happened to boil extra noodles and by chance there is a tiny bit of leftover spaghetti sauce in the jar and so your dad shoves the noodles into the jar, stirs it around, and viola, more spaghetti dinner for you.  You think I make this stuff up?

My journey from noodles-and-sauce to regularly preparing healthy, home-cooked dinners in a nutshell:

Newly married, going out to eat 3 or 4 nights a week while slowly building my culinary skills, i.e., making lemon-pepper-chicken-over-pasta like once a week.  (I miss those days, but not because of the lemon-pepper-chicken.)

Having a newborn and learning to juggle home- and work-life in light of the responsibilities of parenthood, on a tighter budget, while still wanting to eat Fancy.  It occurred to me when Finn was 6 months old that I could create a weekly meal plan of 7 dinners on which to base my grocery list, my evenings, and the rest of my foreseeable future.

Just six months later Finn tested positive for dairy, egg, and peanut allergies.  (Way to throw a wrench in things, dude.)  I delved into the research and tried to figure out how in the heck I’d make this work.  For the next few months I cooked him separate meals, which was unrealistic and inefficient process to maintain.  I eventually resigned to the fact that I’d have to figure out a way for all of us to enjoy the same foods at mealtime.  Shoot, man, I LOVE cheese.  I wondered how the heck I’d cook without it.  (And have you HAD the soy stuff?  It’s freaking sick.)  So there went about half of my recipes.

Months passed.  I was growing a bit weary trying to think of 7 different meals per week.  Mind you, I had criteria.  It had to be 1) healthy, 2) allergy-friendly, 3) varied, and 4) fit within our grocery budget.  Say it with me: What The H.  I was also so tired of cooking 7 nights a week.  It dawned on me to start creating my weekly lists with only 3-4 meals per week, but doubling my quantities so that we’d have leftovers to eat the following night.  Freaking brilliant, seriously.  A year-plus later and we’re still going strong.  It is much easier to think of a healthy, allergy-friendly, varied, and budget-conscious meal list if you only have to think of 3 items and not 7.  This has also freed up precious evening time in my household, by only having to cook every other night.  Because, did I mention?  Somewhere in there I had Baby #2. 

Throughout this time I had also saved each week’s meal list and shoved it in a kitchen cabinet with the intention of stockpiling 6 months’ worth of lists and reusing them for added convenience.  Yeah, that never happened.  Three years later I had around 150 lists shoved into mason jars, staring at me in the face, all like, “WTheck are you going to do with us?” 

And here we are.

One pile

This one must have been via email correspondence
with my husband.



A little ambitious, don't you think?



Oooh, an easy one!

 

Aw, my baby's meal list!  Sniff!