Category Archives: Food

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

After a perfect weekend at home–no schedule, no activities, no deadlines, and plenty of leftovers–I’m feeling refreshed. I clocked my fair share of lounging, but somehow with nothing required of me, I was motivated to get a good start on sorting through the inevitable piles of stuff in the basement. I love feeling rested and productive.

My personal chef spent Saturday at the grocery store and in the kitchen and came through with some fabulous chicken liver pâté (he says the secret is to strain it for perfect smoothness), orecchiette with pulled pork ragout, and a brown butter cake that was divine (especially for those of us who prefer our sweets less tooth-achingly sweet). Sunday dinner was roast chicken and a lemony potato salad (and more cake), accompanied by dinner conversation in which we learned that Mr. Nine wants to be an astronaut when he grows up (“because I’m fascinated with space,”), Miss Six wants to be a teacher, and Little Four wants to be a teacher, too (and was promptly and justly accused of being a copycat).

And where there is roast chicken, there are leftovers (and broth in the crockpot) for tonight’s dinner. Speaking of leftovers, I should mention that last week’s Italian Wedding Soup (I followed my own recipe for meatballs) and Salmon and Potato Cakes were enjoyed by the entire family and provided several more lunches. The salmon recipe will go into regular rotation, as it is the first time everyone has eaten salmon without complaint (they like them with the dill sauce on a bun, too).

This week I’ve planned some tried and true favorites, as well as a couple new recipes. I think the kids will forgive the spinach if it’s layered between creamy, cheesy pasta. And they’ve enjoyed take-out sesame chicken, so I’ve been meaning to attempt a version at home (where I can adjust the heat from the chili paste to an acceptable level). I’ll let you know how they turn out!

Monday: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, guacamole

Tuesday:  Pork Milanese, pan roasted asparagus

Wednesday: Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Thursday: Sesame Chicken, rice, broccoli

Friday: Spaghetti with tuna pesto

Happily, we have nothing on the calendar for next weekend either, so I’m leaving it unplanned–a blank slate for whatever culinary whims might overtake us.

Is there a new recipe you’ve been meaning to try?

Best of the bake sale

Posted by Melissa in Baking, Food

Is it just me, or has the demand for home baked goodies decreased? The bake sale used to be the classic fundraiser, but now most groups sell candy bars, wrapping paper, popcorn or magazine subscriptions. In school settings, there’s always the issue of allergies. Or is it just that people don’t bake anymore?

Still, there are a few occasions that call for a home baked donation. I belong to a community chorus that holds a couple of bake sales a year (usually during intermission or after a concert), so I try to do my part. But baking time also comes at the same time as extra rehearsals, so I’ve got a new strategy. I want my goodies to be as fresh as possible, but I don’t want to be piping elaborate decorations at 4 a.m. the day of the concert.

Delicious, easy to transport, not too time or labor intensive. Really, aren’t those requirements for everything in life?

My favorite bake sale recipes are small loaves of banana bread (Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze, or Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread), scones, and olive oil granola. I’ve baked cupcakes before, which were a big hit, but they are labor intensive, the ingredients can get pricey, and you really need to buy special boxes. If I had the time, I’d make them again (fancy cupcakes fetch a good price!)–but I usually don’t have the time.

In real estate they say, “Location, location, location!” In sales, it has to be, “Packaging, packaging, packaging!” Seriously, if you’re asking people to shell out $3 for six cookies, they’d better look pretty and not be sliding around on a paper plate under some wrinkled plastic wrap. I always buy these clear treat bags with silver twist ties at my local craft store (and always with a 40% off coupon!). I get a pack of 50 for under $3. They are the perfect size for a stack of half a dozen cookies or brownies, two cups of granola, or a little loaf of bread. Label your items in your nicest handwriting (I usually use white mailing labels and a colorful pen, or sometimes pretty labels that I bought with yet another coupon).

If I have to bake bread even a couple days ahead, I package everything up and then seal it again in a ziplock freezer bag. Store it in the freezer until the morning of the bake sale. Be sure it has sufficient time to thaw. Nobody wants to buy half-frozen baked goods.

I don’t like to freeze baked cookies (for home, sure–to sell, no), but I will often mix the dough up to a week ahead and flash freeze the scooped cookies. Then I only have to bake the cookies the night before the sale.

Now that I’ve gotten my bake sale baking routine down to a science, the hardest part is fending off the disappointed family members who want to eat my wares! (It’s always a good idea to bake a little extra to keep your family happy.)

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

It’s the end of the month–always a good time to shop the pantry instead of the grocery store. (The freezer is getting so empty I might actually have to clean it.) I’m making my week’s menu based on what we already have in the house, supplemented by what produce is on sale this week at my favorite local market. I’m also skimming the March issue of Food & Wine, which seems a little light on dinner options, but has plenty of intriguing recipes for snacks, breakfast and lunch.

So here’s what I’ve come up with.

Monday: Thai ground beef (from this turkey recipe, but my beef is super lean, so I use whichever I have on hand), coconut rice, spinach salad

Tuesday: Chicken and dumplings (basically this recipe, but with homemade biscuit dough and boneless chicken thighs)

Wednesday: Homemade mini pizzas (I have this dough in the fridge that needs to be used up, and plenty of cheese and odds & ends for toppings)

Thursday: Italian Wedding Soup (using the turkey carcass in the freezer for broth)

Friday: Salmon cakes, dill sauce, roasted cauliflower (extra salmon that I bought last week and leftover potatoes)

I don’t have a plan for the weekend yet. It should be a quiet one, so there’s room to wing it in the kitchen. I think I’m going to try this trick for encouraging some fruit and veggie eating, possibly with some yogurty dip or hummus. And since we are low on snacky things to put in lunch boxes, I may break down and finally try this goldfish cracker recipe, but cut them into little squares (I am not ordering a goldfish cookie cutter).

What’s for dinner at your house?

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

Yesterday morning I returned from a decadent three-day weekend in Palm Beach with some girlfriends. Lots of sleep, sun, reading by the pool, and half-price martinis. Reentry (via a 7 a.m. flight) was abrupt, though sweetened by the curbside airport pickup with hot coffee, homemade muffins and a dazzling welcome home sign.

The kids are home today for Presidents’ Day and we have a playdate scheduled. Tonight I have the first of three chorus rehearsals for this weekend’s concerts, and of course there are still the usual after school activities. And I just noticed that, Hey! Ash Wednesday is this week, and it’s time to start observing some Lenten meat-free Fridays. So most of these meals are either make-ahead (early in the day) or fall into the 30-minute meal category. Just like every other week, right?

Monday: Beef stew with beer, noodles

Tuesday: Tandoori chicken burgers, tzatziki, tomato salad

Wednesday: Thai salmon, rice

Thursday: Baked potato bar, salad

Friday: Pasta pesto

Saturday: Locro (Ecuadorean potato soup)

Sunday: Leftovers and/or soup and sandwiches

Later today, if I’m feeling motivated, maybe I’ll see what kind of fried dough we can dabble in for Fat Tuesday. Anyone have a suggestion for something I can mix up tonight and fry in the morning?

Blueberry frangipane tart

Posted by Melissa in Baking, Food, Recipe

In our house, if nothing else, at the very least Valentine’s Day deserves a special dessert. Often chocolate, but not always. Last week I made a chocolate treat that saw on Pinterest (a good candidate for a last-minute, no-bake treat–it’s kind of like a homemade Butterfinger candy bar!) so I decided to try something different yesterday. Blueberries, ground almonds, pastry…I like this combination better than chocolate. Luckily, my Valentine likes most any sweet that crosses his path. I’m sorry this recipe comes too late for you to make it for Valentine’s Day, but it would be lovely for any occasion. Maybe a Wednesday.

Blueberry Frangipane Tart

Crust:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

pinch salt

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. milk

Cream butter, sugar and salt with the paddle attachment of the standing mixer. Mix in the egg briefly. Add the flour and rub it into the butter mixture with your hands until it becomes crumbly. Add the milk and press the dough together. Try not to overwork the dough. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper into a 9″ or 10″ circle (depending on the size of your pan) and press into a tart pan with a removable bottom (I used 8″ but I’m sure it would have fit in the 9″). Lay a piece of foil in the crust and fill with pie weights, rice or beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Filling:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup ground almonds

1 egg

1 egg yolk

In the same mixing bowl (you don’t even have to wash it!), cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Switch to the whisk attachment and mix in the almonds, cornstarch, egg and egg yolk. Whisk until the mixture is fluffy. Refrigerate the filling for 1 hour.

Spread the filling into the cooled crust. Arrange fresh blueberries on top (about 1/2 pint), pressing them into the filling. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and golden.

Glaze:

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk (or lemon juice)

Whisk together until smooth. Drizzle on top of cooled tart.

 


Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

This week is a little crazy at our house. No, A LOT crazy: work, travel, work, all the regular activities, and more work. We have the help of several kind friends and babysitters, but delegating a large chunk of my regular responsibilities to all these different people is making me anxious, so I’m compensating by making endless lists and trying to do as many things as I possibly can ahead of time. I actually planned the menu and shopped on Friday instead of waiting until Monday. The big kids didn’t have school, so all three accompanied me to three stores. Obviously I didn’t plan that very well, but with a rare McDonald’s stop in the middle for lunch, they were all quite helpful and we made it in time to drop Little Four off at preschool. Over lunch, Mr. Nine said to me, “Now I know what you do all day.” I don’t know what he thought I did all day!

This week features several meals that can be prepared completely ahead of time, or at least have minimal last minute preparation. The stuffed shells will be easy for the babysitter to reheat in the microwave. I also plan to make some banana bread, blueberry muffins, and some pizza crusts to get us through the week.

Monday:  Corn chowder, cheddar scones, salad

Tuesday:  Thai peanut noodles, potstickers, cucumber salad

Wednesday:  Buttermilk baked fried chicken

Thursday:  Leftovers!

Friday:  Stuffed shells

Saturday: Pizza

What are you eating this week? What are your favorite meals to fall back on during a busy week?

Monday Menu (a day late)

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu and tagged with

Here it is Tuesday and I don’t have a menu planned for the week. The weekend was so busy that I got off to a slow start yesterday, and only managed to plan Monday’s dinner. What I’d like to do is start a regular feature here called Monday Menu. I’ll post my week’s menu, and I invite you to share yours in the comments. I used to read a blog that did this and I found it invaluable. Not only did it motivate me to get my menu planned at the beginning of the week, but there were lots of ideas to borrow from other people’s menus. Sometimes it was a completely new recipe, sometimes a reminder of a forgotten favorite. That blogger doesn’t post regularly anymore, so I thought it would be nice to host a little menu planning right here!

Some weeks I sit with the grocery ads and plan my menu around what’s on sale. Some weeks (like this one), we have a fairly stocked pantry and I plan around the ingredients we have on hand. This week’s produce: zucchini, carrots, celery, asparagus, kale, grape tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cucumber, celery root, pumpkin, potatoes, onions, bananas, avocados, grapefruit, limes, lemons. Meat: ground beef, whole chicken, pork shoulder, beef ribs, T-bone steaks, and a turkey carcass. In the pantry and fridge: pasta, couscous, rice, canned tomatoes, beans, flour tortillas, goat cheese, parmesan, Jarlsberg…I’m sure there are some other surprises lurking in there! I bought produce yesterday, and will have to get more milk, ricotta salata, and some cilantro, but that’s about it for this week’s groceries. I think that will only be about $20 for the week. Not bad!

I write my menu on my Google Calendar, so I have a record of our past menus that I can refer to, and as I’m planning I can shuffle meals around to fit our schedule. I get ideas from food blogs, magazines, and searching Epicurious for recipes with specific ingredients. I try to think about repurposing leftovers, too. This week I’ll use the leftover chicken for taquitos, and then I’ll make broth to freeze. I don’t always plan something specific for the weekends; that’s usually my husband’s chance to get in the kitchen and work some magic. But this weekend I’m guessing he’ll be bringing some work home, and we have a karate tournament and some church activities. I planned one dinner, and we’ll be flexible for the other.

Monday: Cubano sandwiches, baked kale chips, roasted yellow peppers

Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, broccoli (steamed and then tossed in a little garlicky olive oil)

Wednesday: Asparagus, goat cheese & lemon pasta (the kids will pick out the asparagus, so we’ll have some veggies and dip on the side), green salad

Thursday: Roast chicken, zucchini fries, rice, tomato and cucumber salad.

Friday: Chicken taquitos, guacamole, refried beans, green salad

Saturday: Pulled pork in the crockpot (I wing it using both this recipe and this one), kale & ricotta salata salad, more veggies and dip for the kids

What are you eating this week? Even if you don’t have the whole week planned out, drop a comment with a couple of ideas or what’s in your pantry. Steal an idea or make a suggestion! If you do have your week’s meals planned, please share!

Chocolate pumpkin spice cake

Posted by Melissa in Baking, Food, Recipe

I’ve been accused of packing boring lunches (not so boring that anyone wants to eat a school lunch, though), but when questioned about what other kids are bringing for lunch that is so much more exciting, my accusers could only come up with one word: “Cake.”

It’s February, and I finally tipped the last stale Christmas cookies into the garbage. Maybe we all need a little cake. I’d forgotten about this recipe until I saw a stray can of pumpkin in the pantry this morning. I made it once for a Christmas party, and it was a simple way to blend all my favorite holiday flavors in a single cake pan. To be fair, you don’t really taste the pumpkin, and I’m certain you could substitute applesauce if that’s what’s in your pantry. It’s a big cake, but it’s moist and keeps well, so you can nibble on it all week. And the scent of spices and chocolate wafting from the oven makes everything else in the day just a little more congenial.

I won’t be skipping the sandwiches and fruit, kids, but if you’re pretty good I might sneak a little slice of this into your lunch tomorrow.

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake

adapted from Maida Heatter

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 15-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin (or 2 cups pumpkin puree)

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup. unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with baking spray (or grease and flour very thoroughly).

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add vanilla and sugar and beat well. Add eggs two at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa powder. Add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture and beat on the lowest speed. Add the pumpkin, and then the rest of the dry ingredients. Beat only until just incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the Bundt pan, pushing the batter into the pan and smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean and dry. Let the cake stand in the pan for 15 minutes, then cover the pan with a rack and carefully flip it over. Remove the pan and let the cake cool completely.

If you like, sift some confectioner’s sugar over the cooled cake before serving.

Pan roasted radishes

Posted by Melissa in Food, Recipe

Some nights I really struggle with summoning the energy to make dinner. Can’t everyone just pour themselves a bowl of cereal and call it a night? Naturally, this feeling is nearly always a result of failing to plan a menu. Or despite the plan, forgetting to defrost the meat.

But other nights, when the plan and the defrosting come together, making a beautiful dinner on a weeknight is no trouble at all. Roast chicken from Jamie Oliver (425 degrees for an hour and 15 minutes), with herbs slipped under the skin and stuffed with garlic; rice; a quick pan sauce; leftover roasted butternut squash (I don’t even like smoked paprika or sage–except now I do!); and an easy side of pan-roasted radishes. Their bright red skins turn gently pink, and their peppery bite becomes sweet and tender.

I suspect radishes aren’t in regular rotation in most households, except occasionally sliced into a salad. I vaguely remember finding this recipe in a long-ago Martha Stewart magazine. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m following the original recipe, but here’s what I do:

Wash and trim the radishes (one bunch is just enough for two people), and slice them in half lengthwise. If the stems are nice and fresh, leave a little bit of the stem. Over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet. Add the radishes and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and cover. Let the radishes steam/roast until fork tender (check on them every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don’t burn). When tender, uncover and add salt to taste.

My 9-year-old and 6-year-old each ate one bite without gagging. Miss Six even said, “It’s fine. Kind of sweet.” A ringing endorsement from a couple of vegetable haters that should tell you that these radishes are delicious, and you should run out and try them as soon as possible.

Olive oil granola

Posted by Melissa in Baking, Food, Recipe and tagged with ,
I’m not going to bother you with my regular old, everyday granola recipe.  Just make this.  It’s sweet, salty and fruity all at the same time. And if, for whatever strange reason, you run out of olive oil in your pantry, you can substitute vegetable oil or melted butter, and you will still have very good granola.  But it won’t be this.

A quick Google search will reveal that every other food blog in the universe has already made a version of this granola, most of them based on the recipe given by Melissa Clark in The New York Times.  I had a perfectly yummy granola recipe, developed from several sources, so it took me a while to try this one.  So many wasted months….

My biggest change was to reduce the sweetness.  I thought about reducing the oil as well (my usual recipe only has 1/4 cup), but I was afraid to lose the fruitiness of the olive oil, so I left it alone.  Also, I like my granola in big clumps, so I’ll share my method, which has the added benefit of reducing the baking time.  As always, granola is forgiving, so substitute your favorite combination of nuts and seeds.
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups nuts (the original calls for raw pistachios, which I forgot to get, so I subbed almonds)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), hulled (mine were already roasted and salted, so I skipped the salt later in the recipe)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp kosher or sea salt (skip if your nuts or pepitas are already salted)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/3 cup maple syrup (or try honey)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the syrup and olive oil together in the measuring cup and pour into the bowl.  Mix well.  Spread mixture on two rimmed baking sheets lined with Silpats (parchment would probably work, too).  Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring once halfway through. baking.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the baking sheets.  Break granola into large clumps and store in an airtight container.  Serve with yogurt (Greek yogurt is my favorite) and fresh or dried fruit.  Or just eat it straight out of the container at random times during the day.
Get every last bit coated with oil and syrup.

 
I think I got the tip about the Silpat from my friend Sara–no more scrubbing the pans, and it’s easy to fold the mat and pour the last few bits of granola into your container.

 
Fresh out of the oven–but wait until it cools!

 
Yes, that is my empty bowl.