Rice and Beans and Other Fine Things

CATME VI (Yes! It's Here! The Grand Finale!)

CATME PART 1; 2; 3; 4; 5

I think the last time I was running my mouth and flapping my gums intelligently articulating the virtues of properly executing a meal, I was talking a little about how important it is to have food prepped.  Well, I can attest to this even more as I have a tiny confession to make:  I got ever so slightly off track in my meal planning this month and there were a couple of nights that I didn't have my food prepped and it just ruined my whole plan.  I wound up curling into a fetal position in front of the refrigerator, banging my head against the door, and repeating over and over, "I'm gonna have to boil chicken and pick the meat off the bone?"  It was late.  We were hungry.  I was tired.  I had made a commitment to have dinner prepared every night.  I had cramps.

Just then, I remembered that I also had some easy meals in my DDDI (those meals are called turkey sandwiches), so I swapped those out and I was able to stand upright again.  With the help of some extra-strength Pamprin.

I said all that to say this.  If you get off track, don't beat yourself up, or your kids, or your husband.  Just relax and swap out a night.  Or do like I do and ALWAYS keep sandwich stuff in the fridge.  It won't  hurt your family to eat, yes, cold turkey sandwiches for one night. 

To recapitulate (my husband's favorite word) everything I have talked about in this highly acclaimed Internet series,  CATME is Complete and Total Meal Execution.  It's getting the meal from your brain to the table and the steps of CATME are the Four P's:  Plan, Pantry, Prep, and our last P which is Perform.  Perform means actually cooking the meal.  Yes, I know it's weak, but as I've already said, I had to have another P-word that made sense.

There are two important things I'd like to say about Perform.  The first one is that no matter how well you plan, stock your pantry, and prep your food, it's not going to amount to a hill of beans if you don't perform the task of cooking the meal.  The second thing I'd like to say is how much easier performing the task of cooking the meal will be if the first three P's are carried out with careful thought and organization.    

Everyone who makes a home-cooked meal will follow the four P's.  Even people who have no idea what they will cook for dinner will formulate a plan before they cook, even if it IS only for two seconds before they start cooking.   They'll have to grab something out of their pantry , they'll probably have to prep something even if it is only for a minute or so before they actually perform the task of cooking.  These kind of people live life on the edge.  They probably engage in extreme sports and throw themselves into the winter snow buck naked.

There is a better way, folks.  One that brings peace of mind to frazzled moms whose kids chant "we're hungry--feed us!"  A way that helps the struggling newlywed couple save money on their grocery bill.  A way that brings sound nutrition back into the home.  A way that breaks the cycle of over-spending at fast food restaurants for unhealthy and inferior food.

Mealtime can be SO much more inviting, nourishing, and inexpensive when the four P's are put into practice.  My challenge to you is to take the invaluable and extremely useful information in this series and use it to make your CATME experiences all that they can be.  

Go forth, plan, create DDDI's, stock your pantries from sea to shining sea, organize, prep, perform....GOD BLESS AMERICA!

The End. 

Daring Baker's October Challenge-Pizza Napoletana

Today is my debut as a member of Daring Bakers which is an online group of bakers who all bake the same assigned recipe, then post their results on the same day.  This month's challenge was hosted by Rosa at Rosa's Yummy Yums and for the challenge recipe, she chose Pizza Napoletana from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.  I don't think I've ever made pizza dough from scratch, but you can bet I'll be making this again.  The actual pizza dough turned out great.  I did, however, have a coma-inducing tastebud disaster with my choice of toppings for one of the pizzas.  I will not post that dreadful recipe, but I will say that it involved bratwurst and it seemed like  a good idea at the time.  I did get a couple of very tasty pizzas out of my challenge though, which I have posted below, and I still have some dough left which I have big plans for.

Also, part of our challenge was to take a picture of ourselves tossing the dough in the air, but that didn't work out for me either.  I did try, but no one is ever home when I need them and it's hard to photograph yourself doing something like that.   I hope Daring Bakers doesn't fail me because of this and take away my badge.

A big thanks to Rosa for hosting the challenge this month.  You can find the recipe here.  You can also find the blogroll of  Daring Bakers here.  We're  like a secret society that comes out once a month, then goes back into hiding.  Not so secret, though, that you couldn't be part of it, too, if you'd like.  You don't have to have a blog, either.

Onto the pizza...

According to the instructions, the first step was to mix together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of my electric mixer.  Okay, easy enough.

Then I added the oil, sugar, and cold water and mixed with my paddle attachment just until a sticky ball was formed...

...like this.  Then I switched to my dough hook...

...like this.  This was the first time I have used my dough hook since I got my Kitchen Aid a year ago.  I vow to use it more.

 

According to the instructions, the dough was supposed to clear the sides of the bowl, but stick to the bottom.  That is exactly what mine did.  It was a very happy moment for me.

The instructions also stated that the dough was supposed to be sticky, not just tacky.  I think this qualifies.

 

The next step was to plop the dough onto a floured surface.  So far, so good.  Plopping is one of my special talents.

 I cut the dough into six pieces, per instructions...

 

...then shaped into balls...

...then put them onto a prepared parchment lined pan.  I gave them a dusting of flour, a sprinkling of oil and pronounced them baptized.  No, I mean I covered them in Saran wrap and put them in the fridge.

 

The next day, I took my dough out of the fridge EXACTLY 2 hours before I baked them and shaped them into disks and let them rest.

It is at this point my camera was switched off of the macro setting without my knowledge, resulting in terrible, unpostable pictures.  But I rolled out the dough and I topped one of my pizzas with pesto, mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes.  I made homemade pesto from a basil plant in my backyard that had been miraculously revived in the last month.  I picked every single eligible leaf off of that plant and had just enough to make a small batch.  I would have loved to have had fresh mozzarella and I came very, very close to buying some in Sam's the other day.  I held the package in my hand, I gently squeezed and caressed the milky white rounds, then I looked at the price of $11.00 and I had to put it back.

I used regular shredded mozzarella instead, but it still turned out really good.

 

Simple, yes, and not very creative, but it hit the spot.

But my dessert pizza was our favorite.

 

I challenged myself to ONLY use what I had in my pantry and I hit a homerun.  I brushed the crust with melted butter, then sprinkled with a little cinnamon-sugar.  I drained a can of peach halves, then diced them up and spread them all over the crust.  I then opened a box of yellow cake mix and sprinkled about 3/4 to 1 cup of it all over the top, then dotted with butter pats.  I baked it for about 15 minutes...

 

The end result was a peachy dessert pizza that everybody loved and I'll definitely be making again.

I think I'll substitute another kind of fruit next time.

Jennifer's Italian Salad

Every time I take this salad to any get-together, it disappears within the first few minutes; everyone loves it. 

This recipe comes from one of my relatives on my husband's side of the family, Jennifer.  She always makes this salad for our family reunions and I can't get enough of it.  She shared how to make it with me a few years ago and I've been making it ever since.  Thanks, Jennifer!  You have know idea how much joy you have brought to my life by giving me this recipe.

The total cost of ingredients can be a little pricey, so this is something I usually make for special occasions.  I do, however, use a store brand of olives to cut the costs a little.  You could certainly make your own croutons with day-old bread.  Also, buying a big hunk of Parmesan cheese is usually cheaper than buying the pre-shredded kind.

Jennifer told me that the key to this salad is to use a zesty Italian dressing.  I just do what she says.

***********************************************

Jennifer’s Italian Salad

1 (16-ounce) bag hearts of Romaine or Italian blend lettuce

3-4 chopped Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 to 1-1/2 cups whole green olives with pimientos, drained

1 to 1-1/2 cups whole black olives, drained

1 (6-ounce) container crumbled feta cheese

3/4  to 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 small jar or about 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained

1 bag restaurant style croutons

1/2 to 3/4 cup bottled Zesty Italian dressing

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss.
2. Right before serving, drizzle with the Italian dressing and add croutons, then toss to combine.

Empty the contents of a big bag of Romaine lettuce into your biggest yellow bowl.  Or you can use Italian blend or you can chop or tear your lettuce from a head.  Measurements really aren't important.  This recipe is more assembly.  

 

Add all of the ingredients except the dressing and the croutons.  I am traveling with this today so I am covering it with plastic wrap until I get to my location where I will add the dressing and the croutons, then toss to coat.  The croutons will stay crisp this way.  All of the measurements are an approximation, so add how much of everything you would like, then drizzle with enough dressing to coat the entire salad.

Check This Out

Check out this great website.  The latest post is full of lots of info on how to save money, plus there's lots of great diet and exercise tips in the rest of the blog.

I'll be back soon with a recipe, then the grand finale to CATME which I'm sure you all are waiting anxiously for. 

One more thing...

Remember my post on Man Eating Mississippi Skull Spiders?

Well, here is the Australian version:

Yes, that is a BIRD, caught in a WEB, being devoured by a GIANT SPIDER.  YES, this is REAL.  Here is the link to the story.

I've Been Tagged

Good morning everyone.  A few days ago, Prudy from Prudence Pennywise tagged me with a meme.  At least I think that is what it is called, although I'm not really sure what a meme is.  Or how it's pronounced.  Anyway, Prudy also left me this cute award:

 

Thanks, Prudy!  Prudy writes one of my favorite food blogs and I check in with her almost daily.  She is a fantastic cook and recipe creator and I've had the pleasure of competing with her at a couple of cook-offs--she's a "contester" too, and has a long list of contests wins.  This is one of my favorite recipes of hers; it went straight into my DDDI.  Let me add that she is also super sweet, very pretty, and has really beautiful hair.  Some people have it all!

So now I get to talk about me a little which is not the most comfortable thing for me to do.  Grab a cup of coffee to stay awake.

Seven things I did before...

1.  I was a licensed manicurist in the nineties.  I was all about the French manicure.  I'm embarrassed to admit this because of the shape my hands are in now.

2.  I sold Pampered Chef kitchen products for a few months.

3.  I sold Mary Kay cosmetics for a few days.

4.  I sold another line of cosmetics--I don't even remember what it was called--for a few weeks one time.  Obviously, I am not a salesperson .

5.  I was the editor of our home school support group's newsletter for two years.

6.  I graduated from college with a degree in social work and then worked with children at a mental health facility.

7.  I drank three cups of coffee this morning BEFORE I started writing this.

Seven things I do now...

1.  Although I've let my hands go, I continue to give myself pedicures on a regular basis.

2.  I sit around the house waiting for my daughter to text me from school.  Actually I don't sit.  I stay pretty busy.

3.  Currently, I watch Fox news all day long. 

4.  I get on my treadmill six days a week.  Bah Ha Ha!

5.  I try to stay on top of things in my home:  cooking, cleaning, etc.

6.  I (try to) read my bible every day.

7.  I'm  struggling over what I should write for my seventh one.  I'm doing this now.  Does this count?

Seven things I would like to do...

1.  Learn how to play the piano.  It'll never happen though, because I don't own one, nor do I take lessons.

2.  I would like to get all of my photos into really nice, high quality albums but not necessarily scrapbooks.  I've come to realize the that I'm just not a person who wants to stick a million stickers on a page in a photo album.  I want nice, neat photo albums with uncropped pictures.  I know--I'm so weird.

3.  I would like to go to a tropical island setting for a vacation with my husband.

4.  I'd like to go back to New York and actually leave my room and explore the city.

5.  I would like to learn how to take amazing, flawless pictures.  Of course, I need an amazing camera for this.

6.  I would like for once to get on a plane and not have any fear of flying.

7.  I would like to travel to Ireland.  But I'd like to drive, not fly.  Can this be done?

Seven things that attract me to the opposite sex my husband...

1.  His looks.

2.  His close walk with the Lord.

3.  His kind, gentle nature.

4.  His love of the outdoors.

5.  He'll eat just about anything I put before him.  Takes the pressure off of me.

6.  The fact that he is such a wonderful father to our daughter.  The best.

7.  He's a wonderful provider for our family.

Seven favorite foods...

1.  Bread.  All of it.  Fresh out of the oven with lots of butter, please.

2.  Coffee.  And coffee flavored things.

3.  Cookies and brownies.

4. Pizza.

5.  Breaded chicken strips dipped in ranch dressing.

6.  Pasta.

7.  Ice cream.  As you can clearly see, I'm a real health nut.

Seven things I say most often...

1.  Text me when you get there.

2.  Call me when you get there.

3.  Let me know when you get there.

4.  Why didn't you answer your phone?

5.  Why didn't you text me back?

6.  Holy cow!

7.  Good grief!

I'm supposed to tag seven people.   If you've already been tagged with this and I've listed you, feel free to not participate, but please keep the award.  Here they are:

1.  Lori from With Six You Get...

2.  Heidi from Moms, Ministry, and More...

3.  Candy at The Courageous Cook

4.  Tammy at Fishin' Mama

5. Veronica at Supermarket Serenade

6.  Cathy at The Wives with Knives

7.  Ingrid at 3b's

Y'all don't forget to grab the award!

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

First of all, I want to thank Janna of  Honeyed Hashette for giving me this award.  I have not been ignoring it, Janna.  I wanted to post some spectacular chocolaty something so I could prove that I was worthy of receiving it, so I spent this morning creating a brand new brownie recipe that I wound up throwing in the garbage.  Who messes up brownies?  Me, that's who!  You'll just have to trust me when I say that I love chocolate.  I will try again with something else sometime soon. 

In the mean time, check out Janna's blog.  I can always count on her to have some scrumptious sweet posted with mouthwatering pictures like these Banana -Butterscotch Cupcakes or these Cocoa Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream.  I'm so thankful for all of the other food blogs out there.  I love to visit and look at what everyone else is making. 

****************************************************************************************

I did have one recipe that turned out well today.  We like granola bars around here so I came up with my own recipe and they were a big hit.  Even though a lot of store bought granola bars claim to be healthy, I really question the nutritional value of some of the ingredients.  

I used a natural peanut butter because regular peanut butter has high fructose corn syrup in it and I'm trying to reduce our consumption.  It's difficult to find anything without it these days.   I used Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter with Honey and I really liked it.  Since I only used three tablespoons, I'm going to get a lot of batches of granola bars from my jar.  Also, I used an off-brand of just about everything else to reduce costs.

You could certainly throw in some dried fruit and change what type of nuts you use.  Next time I will probably throw in some wheat germ, too.  Mini dark chocolate chips would be great, too.  These are especially good because they've got the salty-sweet thing going on, but I'll have to admit that I had to resist the urge to dip them in chocolate. 

I like to put them in bags of two so my crew can grab a bag as they leave.

************************************************

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons butter

3 heaping tablespoons natural style peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Place the oats, sunflower seeds, and walnuts on baking sheet to toast for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, stirring several times.
2. Meanwhile, heat the brown sugar, honey, butter, peanut butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and combined.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Place the oat mixture in a large mixing bowl; add the peanut butter mixture and stir to coat.
4. Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Pack the oat mixture into the pan evenly.  Cool completely, then remove from pan and peel off the foil.  Cut into bars.

Place the oats, sunflower seeds, and walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  If using roasted and salted sunflower seeds, just set them aside and add them later.

 

Place the butter, brown sugar, honey...

 

...peanut butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until everything is melted and smooth, whisking often.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

 

Place the oat mixture in a big mixing bowl and pour the peanut butter mixture over it.

Mix to combine.

 

Line a 9 x 9-inch square pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Place the mixture in  the pan and pack it in evenly.

 

I like to leave extra foil hanging from the pan so I can fold it over and use it to pack it in tightly.

 

When it has cooled completely it should come out of the pan in one piece.  At this point they can be cut into bars.

 

They are actually quite filling...

 

and they travel well.

Sunday Pot Roast

I know some of you have noticed that my comments were turned off on my last post.  But why?  Why would I do this?

No, no, no!  No one has offended me or written a negative comment.  Quite the contrary.  I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed the comments and the new friends I've made through blogging!

It's just that in my silly little mind, I've let my stat count and the number of comments I get become a measure for "how well I'm doing" and it's taken some of the fun away from my blogging.  Maybe by turning comments off, I can relax and go back to blogging for the fun of it.  Does this make sense to anyone or do I sound like a horrible person? 

I'm a horrible person?  Oh.  Okay.  I'm going to work on that so please don't leave me...

Another reason it that takes some of the pressure off of people who visit my blog.  You all are free to just click in, take what you want to take, then click out;  HOWEVER,  and this is a big however, if you do want to leave a comment or just say hi, my email is just a click away!  I think it's actually faster to do it this way.  AND, I might add, it would make my day to hear from you!  Really.  It would.  I'm very lonely now that my daughter is in college.  Don't you feel sorry for me?  No pressure, though...

Okay, so now a recipe.

This is my go-to slow cooker recipe for pot roast and I love it.  I think the wine adds tons of rich flavor and makes a wonderful gravy.  I layered all of it in my crock pot insert on Saturday, put it in my refrigerator overnight, then on Sunday morning I placed the crock in the slow cooker on high for about six hours.  When we got home from church, the house was filled with the smell of pot roast and I was really, really happy because I had prepped and cooked the rest of my meal the day before, so there was very little for me to do. 

About the wine.  Probably most of America doesn't understand what it's like to live in a dry county, but people, they do exist!  I happen to live in one and I cannot go to  the local wine store and get a bottle for cooking because, hello, there is no local wine store.  If you happen to live in a dry county, you have my permission to use....yes...I'm going  to say it...cooking wine.

I realize some of you foodies out there are cringing and developing a rash at the thought, but hey, I've used cooking wine before in this recipe and it was good.  I used Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon this time, but I have used cooking wine many other times and you know what?   It's not THAT big of a difference.

This recipe is by Paula Deen and again, I've only slightly changed it.  Click here for her printable recipe.  My version is below.  And please ignore the pictures.  They do not do this pot roast justice.

***********************************************

Sunday Pot Roast

1 (3-pound) rump or chuck roast

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

4 beef bouillon cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10-3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup red wine

1. Season roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom.  When oil is hot, brown the roast on all sides.

2. Place the roast in a slow cooker.  Add the onion, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, garlic, soup, and wine.  Add just enough water to cover the roast.  Cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for 6 hours or until tender.  When done, whisk the gravy until smooth.

It all  started with a 2.79 pound rump roast.  I seasoned it with kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

I heated the oil in a large skillet, then browned the roast on all sides...

 

...then I put it in my crock pot that I lined with a slow cooker liner for easy clean up.  I really like those things.

 

At this point, it was just a matter of layering the rest of the ingredients...

...then adding enough water just to cover the roast.   After everything was added, I refrigerated mine overnight, then cooked it the next day.

 

I cannot tell you how moist this was.  The gravy was most excellent over my mashed potatoes, too, but I forgot to take a picture of it.  I can be so scatterbrained.

CATME V- (Prep)

"Now class, pay attention!  This is very important information.  Hasn't anyone been watching the news?  We're all gonna have to buckle down, people!  Things are getting tough all over!  Let's have a quick little review of what we have already learned, because this series can help you save money." 

"We've learned the very official and highly scientific term for getting a meal from your brain to the table.  Do you remember what that is?"

"That's right, it's called CATME.  Do you know what CATME stands for?" 

"Complete And Total Meal Execution.   Good!"

"Now, can you name the first step in CATME?  I'll give you a hint...it's starts with the letter P..."

"NO, NO, NO..it is NOT PAY THE CASHIER AT TACO BELL!  Have you not learned anything?!!" 

"Did I hear someone say plan?  Good.  Good for you.  You were listening.   What is the first thing we want to do when we begin to make our meal plans?"

"Create a WWJD, you say?  No.  DWI?  Uhm, nooooo!  An ABCDEFG?"  Sigh.

"It is called a DDDI.  That stands for Default Database of Dinner Ideas."

"Susie, please don't worry that there is not an "O" in DDDI for the word "of.'  You're being a little OCD, don't you think? "

"Let's move on.  What is the next step in CATME?"

"That's right.  Pantry.  Now why is it important to have a well-stocked pantry?"

"What, Johnny?  Cyborgs traveling back in time from the year 2082 might seize control of the Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas at any moment because they need high fructose corn syrup to survive and they know that they can get all the HFCS they need from Wal-mart's distribution centers, thus cutting off the supply of groceries to consumers?" 

"Well, aren't you just the doomsayer today, Johnny?  Although I do agree than America would be crippled without Wal-Mart, there ARE a few things left that don't have HFCS, Johnny.  Please quit scaring your classmates.  And tell your mother that I said no more science fiction books for you."

"The answer is that a well-stocked pantry prevents last minute trips to the grocery store.  Buying in bulk and when things are on sale saves money."

"Okay class, let's move on to the next P which is prep.  Prepping food ahead of time takes some of the pressure off of cooking daily meals."

I personally love to cook, but my day-to-day cooking, the kind where I have to provide my family with a meal for their nutritional well being, can interrupt important things I'm doing like baking a batch of double espresso fudge peanut butter swirled brownies and exfoliating my face.

I have found that when I prep some of my food ahead of time, I don't dread going into the kitchen and putting together dinner.

So, my rule of thumb for prepping food is this:  I decide what actions I don't like to do in the kitchen, then I do them.  Isn't that brilliant?

What I mean is, I make myself perform these unpleasant and time consuming actions on a prep-day for the upcoming week.   For example:

1.  I don't like peeling onions, but I don't mind chopping them.  On my prep day, I peel several onions and put them in little sandwich bags in the vegetable drawer for use during the week.  Hey, you could chop them if you want, but I usually just peel.

2.  Boiling and deboning chicken is on my top ten list of most hated kitchen actions.  If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do as much as I can at one time.  I'll spread the shredded chicken out on a baking sheet, freeze it, then put it all in a large freezer bag, so I can take out what I need for future meals.  I do this with pork roast, too.  And beef.  Shredded meat is great to have on hand and it GREATLY reduces your preparation time for meals.

3.  I hate cooking rice because it gets my black stove all dirty with a sticky film.  I cook enough to get me through the week.

4.  Most of the vegetables in my drawer can be prewashed, so they're ready to go when I need them.  I don't like washing veggies, either.

In short, prep anything that can be prepped ahead of time.  If you are a working person, it can be pretty overwhelming to have to come home, boil chicken, debone it, cook rice,  chop veggies to make a casserole,  THEN do all the dishes.  BUT, if  it's just a matter of throwing the ingredients into a bowl, chopping a few veggies, giving it a stir and spreading it in a casserole dish, that doesn't take nearly the effort or time.  You might have time to polish your toenails later and catch up on the news. 

You may want to skip the news...

Prepping ahead of time will keep you away from expensive restaurant outings because you're too tired to cook or just don't have enough time.

There will be a test, so pay attention!  CATME VI coming soon.  Don't worry, this series will be over soon.

Class dismissed!

Chinese Cabbage Salad

My dad loves ramen noodles.  He visited in May for my daughter's graduation and bought a case of them.  He was only here for three days.   I promise that I had plenty of other things to eat at my house, but he just had to have his Top Ramen.  Now I've got a surplus of ramen noodles in my cabinet and Chinese Cabbage Salad is one of the things that I like to make with them. 

I saw Paula Deen make Chinese Salad on her show several years ago and I've been making it ever since.  It's sweet and crunchy and quick and easy, AND it uses up some of those ramen noodles in my cabinet.  Click here for her original version.  I have slightly adapted her recipe, below.

***********************************************

Chinese Cabbage Salad

1 (3-ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1-1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (16-ounce) bag shredded tri-color coleslaw

3 green onions, chopped

1. Break the ramen noodles up into tiny pieces (set seasoning pack aside) and place on a baking sheet with the almonds and sesame seeds.  Toast in the oven at 400 degrees or until nuts and seeds are light golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring several times.  Let cool.

2. Place the oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and seasoning pack in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously to blend the dressing.

3. Place the slaw and onions in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the dressing.  Toss to coat.  Add the ramen mixture right before serving and toss until combined.

Start by breaking up the ramen noodles in small bits on a baking sheet.

Add the sesame seeds...

...and sliced almonds and toast in a 400 degree oven until lightly golden brown, stirring several times.  Let cool.

Place the oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and the seasoning pack in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously.

Add the slaw and the green onion to a big salad bowl.

Drizzle with the dressing, then toss to coat.

Toss in the crunchy ramen mixture right before serving.

An Organizing Tip-Addendum

Here are a couple of great ideas that were in the comments section of my Organizing Tip post and I wanted to share them.

1.  Lori R says that she has a similar notebook that she puts things like fingerprint cards, Sunday School directories, and important documents that are hard to categorize and keep up with in a "Master Notebook."  I have similar items that I just don't know what to do with, but don't want to throw away, so I think I'll start my own master notebook.

2.  My sister, Lisa, had another great idea and one that I had never thought of before. Whenever she and her husband buy something that has a manual, they look on the website of the company to see if they have the manual in PDF format.  It there is one, they download it and put it in a file on their computer and then toss the paper manual.  Much less paper to keep up with in the house.  Brilliant!

Thanks to everyone who left comments!

I'll be back this afternoon with a recipe and then....CATME Part ....Part....Part.... what part are we on anyway?

An Organizing Tip

Anybody else out there doing some deep and heavy fall cleaning?  That's what I did last week and I feel like a new person.  I've got my fall decorations out, my home has been rid of cobwebs, and I've organized and gotten rid of a bunch of junk.  I'm burning a cheap apple cider-scented candle as I write this.  Oh joy!  

One of the things that gets cluttered the most at our house is my filing cabinet.   I always keep the instruction booklets and manuals for every appliance and electronic item we purchase, or for anything that comes with a manual.  I  just never know when I might have a problem that can be resolved by reading the instruction booklet. 

This happened to me just this weekend when I encountered a small problem with our Direct TV receiver.  As much as I just LOVE to call the 800 number, talk  to an automated answering service, be put on hold for ten minutes, answer some more automated questions, be put on hold for another five minutes, finally talk to a live person with a foreign accent I can barely understand, only to have him run me through a series of tests for my system that I know will not solve the problem, I sometimes choose to look at the manual and see if  I can figure it out myself.  And this time I was able to resolve the problem.  Yay for me.

I used to keep all of these booklets in a file in my filing cabinet, but they got too numerous and the file got too fat, so I purchased a huge three ring notebook and I punched three holes in all the thinner manuals and stuck them in the notebook, like so:

 

For the thicker manuals that can't be punched with holes, I bought some of these plastic thingies, below.  I don't know what they're called, but they can be found at places like Office Depot.  Anyway, this little plastic thing is really handy because I just slide my booklet through the little slot like this:

 

Then I put it in my three ring notebook with all my other manuals.

 

The whole thing can sit upright on a shelf.  The next time I have to set the time on my DVD player, I can just flip to the manual with ease.

And MOST importantly, my FAMILY will have these manuals within THEIR reach, and THEY can go look up the problem THEMSELVES, instead of asking me.  ISN"T THAT WONDERFUL? !! 

And I can feel good about myself because I am empowering them to seek out knowledge on their own.

Sweet Potato Mousse Semifreddo Torte

About three years ago when I first started entering recipe contests, I won an honorable mention in the Better Homes and Gardens monthly contest for this recipe.  I love this recipe because it's super easy and reminds me of cheesecake without all the fuss and baking.  It's got the flavors of autumn with the cinnamon and nutmeg and sweet potato, yet it is cool and creamy for those warm days we are still experiencing here in Mississippi.  The crust is nice and thick, which I love, with chopped pecans and gingersnaps.

Semifreddo means "half cold" or "partially frozen" in Italian.  Let this sit out at room temperature for about ten minutes for easy cutting.

************************************************

Sweet Potato Mousse SemifreddoTorte

1-1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup whipping cream

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the crushed gingersnaps, pecans, and 3 tablespoons brown sugar; add the melted butter stirring to evenly coat.  Press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.
2. Meanwhile, beat 1 cup whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the sweet potatoes.  Fold in the whipped cream.  Pour over cooled crust, spreading evenly.  Set aside.
4. Beat the remaining 1 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg until soft peaks form; spread over the sweet potato mixture.  Cover and freeze until firm.  Makes 12-16 servings.

 

Stir together the crushed gingersnaps, pecans, and 3 tablespoons brown sugar.  Stir in the melted butter.

 

Press this mixture into the bottom a 9-inch spring form pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Cool completely.

 

Beat 1 cup of whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form.  I forgot to take a picture of that part.  Then beat the cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg on medium speed until light and fluffy.

 

Now add the drained sweet potatoes.  The electric mixer will break them up into little tiny pieces, so don't you worry your pretty little head about adding them in whole.

 

See, I told you.  The sweet potatoes have been broken up into tiny pieces.

 

This would be a really good time to taste and make sure everything is perfectly balanced, flavor-wise.

It is, so let me move on.

 

Now fold in the whipped cream.

 

Gently turn the mixture over and over until it's combined.  Don't worry if there are still a few streaks of white showing.

 

Pour it into the crust and smooth out the top.

 

I forgot to take a picture of the second 1 cup of whipping cream that I whipped along with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and a 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.  This mixture goes on top of the sweet potato layer.   Then it goes into the freezer until firm.

 

Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen it before you take the rim off after it has been frozen

 

Let it stand a few minutes at room temperature before slicing.  It will make your life much easier because it can get pretty hard in the freezer.  This is a perfect make-ahead dessert.

Honey Bunches

When I first started watching Food Network a few years ago, one of my favorite shows was Sweet Dreams with Gale Gand.  I love Gale and I  love that an entire show was dedicated to sweets.  I have printed off many recipes from her show.

One of these recipes was Honey Bunches.  Honey Bunches are not typical Gale Gand confections.  They are actually quite healthy and I think I remember her saying that she had developed the recipe while she was working at a gym or health spa.  I like them because they are a quick, nutritious snack.  I have a made a couple of changes to her recipe like substituting half whole wheat flour, and decreasing some of the walnuts to make them a little more economical.  I usually put four of them into a sandwich bag, so they are ready to grab as any of us are going out the door.

A box of granola bars is a bit pricey and with all the additives in store bought snacks these days, these are a cheap and  healthy alternative.  Click here for her recipe.  My version is below.

 Honey Bunches

8 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

2/3 cup honey

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Melt the butter over low heat in a small, heavy saucepan.  Meanwhile, stir together the oats, coconut, walnuts, and both flours in a large bowl.
3. Stir the honey into the butter and bring to a boil, stirring often.  Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Divide the mixture between the 24 cups and press into each cup slightly.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.  (I bake closer to 20 min.)
5. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an air tight container.

 

 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.

 

 

Meanwhile, stir together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

 

 

Add the honey to the butter and bring to a boil, stirring often.

 

 

Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture.  Stir to combine.

 

 

Press the mixture evenly into the muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

CATME Part IV (Pantry)

CATME Part I ; CATME Part II; CATME Part III

I recently created my DDDI and a meal plan and I have been doing my darnedest to stick to it.  I must say that looking at my menu for the day seems to keep me focused and lessens the load on my brain.  There is no thinking about what's for dinner; I just make what is on the list.   I feel more in control.  The whole meal planning thing has allowed me to come off some of my medication.

Just kidding! 

What I love about having it all written down is that I don't have to scramble to the pantry to check for ingredients.  I've already bought them and they're in there waiting for me, because I've paid attention to the next P of CATME which is Pantry.  As I have already said, I think the single most important component in CATME is a well-stocked pantry, and I mean refrigerator and freezer, too.  Anything that holds food.

A well-stocked pantry prevents trips to the grocery store where you might be tempted to buy more than you actually need.   Did I say "might"?  I am ALWAYS tempted to buy something I don't need when I walk into Wal-Mart.  Is it just me or does this happen to you, too?  I go in for milk and eggs and come out with some new fall placemats, a plastic drawer organizer thingie, the newest flavor of Carnation Coffee Creamer (because, hello, I'm worth it), a lint brush for my purse and a copy of  the latest Pillsbury cookbook.  I was thirsty, too , so I got a bottled coke out of the refrigerator at the register.  How convenient of them to put it there.

When I buy cream of mushroom soup at the grocery store, it's not because I'm out of it at home.  It's because I've gotten low.  I hardly ever run out.  If something unexpected comes along and I have to make a dish to take somewhere (let's say a funeral because I live in the South and everyone always brings TONS of food to a funeral), I don't have to make a special trip to the store.  Usually.  I'm not perfect and I do sometimes underestimate.  Shocking, I know. 

Stocking your pantry may cost a lot initially, but in the long run, saves money.  I am a firm believer in stocking up on things when they go on sale.  I bought three family packs of chicken breasts yesterday when they were on sale for $.89 a pound.  I froze them all separately on a baking sheet and bagged them in a couple of freezer bags.  I can take out as many or as little as I need.  I probably won't buy chicken breasts again until they go back on sale.  I have a supply to last me until then. 

There are just certain things that need to be kept in the kitchen all the time if you're going to truly embrace home cooking.  Forget about the fun stuff like Little Debbies and Diet Cokes; I'm talking about the building blocks of nutritious meals.  The herbs and spices.  The cheeses.  The canned beans.  Oil, flour, eggs, milk.  Onions.  Garlic.  Pastas.  Rice.  Bouillon cubes.  Many of these items can be bought in bulk at a reduced cost.

The basics are what stay on your grocery list permanently.  I would highly suggest making a master grocery list and listing all your pantry staples.  Keep the basics stocked and you won't be so frazzled when it comes to meal time.  I can't afford to stock my pantry with the kinds of ingredients I would really like to, but I've got the basics pretty much all the time.  If I wanted to bake a cake from scratch right now, I have everything I need.  Maybe not for a cake with an unusual flavor, but for a basic cake, yes.  If I want to make pancakes, I've got everything.  If I needed to put together a chicken casserole, I could do that.  Got a bunch of chicken in the freezer and some rice in a canister.  I've got some onions, garlic, and celery. 

Everybody should stock their pantry according to how they cook.  Here is a list that might trigger some ideas.  That doesn't mean you'll need everything on the list, but it will be a starting point.  After making a DDDI and a meal plan, creating a grocery list should be a breeze.  You'll have it all right  in front of you.

We're living in hard economic times, people.  My gas bill last month was $650.00.  I have no choice but to get organized and on top of my game in every area of my life.  I'm starting with my grocery bill.

Stay tuned for CATME-Part V.

Loaded Enchilada Casserole

I know there are hundreds of versions of Mexican casserole out there.  This is my version and I incorporated a few of my favorite ingredients, rice and beans, to make it a little more filling and a little more wholesome. 

As I've said before, I usually make a big batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week, so it's ready when I need to throw it into something.  I also always have several different types of canned beans, as well as dried beans in my pantry.  Beans are just plain healthy AND cheap.  And versatile.  They can be thrown into soups, stews, and casseroles.  They can be made into dips and even used in salads.

Throwing beans into my meals helps me cut down on our meat consumption.  It's not that I don't love meat--I do--but meat can be an expensive protein. 

I do usually use ground beef because of the price, but you can certainly substitute ground chuck.  When I cook my ground beef, I drain it, then I add a little hot water to the skillet and swish the meat around, then drain again.  This will really help get most of the fat and grease off the meat.

Use any type of cheese you like in this casserole.  I used Colby jack.   Don't forget to add the cilantro and lime;  they both add a lot of fresh flavor.

************************************

Loaded Enchilada Casserole

1 pound ground beef (can decrease to 1/2 or 3/4 pound)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove minced garlic or 1 teaspoon preminced

1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked rice

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas, quartered or torn into fourths

1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce

3 cups Colby jack cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 (4-ounce) can chopped black olives, drained

About 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Lime juice for drizzling

1. Brown the ground beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet.  Drain off grease, then stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, black beans, rice, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Place half of the tortillas in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan, then drizzle with half of the enchilada sauce evenly.
3. Spoon half of the beef mixture on top, then half of the cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese melts and it's bubbly. 
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes, black olives, and fresh cilantro.  Squeeze some lime juice on top.

Brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet.

Stir in the beans, rice, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, and salt and pepper.

Place half of the corn tortillas in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Drizzle with half of the enchilada sauce.

Spoon half of the meat mixture over the tortillas.

Top with half the cheese, then repeat layers...

...ending with the cheese.  Bake at 400  degrees for about 30 minutes.

This is what you'll end up with.

Top with chopped tomatoes...

...fresh cilantro...

...and sliced black olives.

The Highlight Of My Day.

My precious little daughter seen here:

 

and here:

and here:

Okay, I'll stop now.

Anyway, my precious little daughter, who is really not little (18 years-old, 6 feet tall), recently started college and left me home alone during the day.  HOW DARE SHE WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH HER LIFE!!!!!!

You see, I home schooled her for the better part of her school years and I am having a party every day difficult time adjusting to life without her. (Smile, wink.)

Thank God for texting.  I can keep in touch with my darling daughter during school hours.  The only thing is, I am not a very good texter.  She has tried to teach me but it's been a very difficult thing for me to get the hang of and my messages usually come out looking something like this:

Weddeddeededdeeddeededdeddesps

This was supposed to be one continuous, long "Yeeeeeeesssss!" reply to her when she sent a text to me saying that she made a B on an algebra test that she thought she had done poorly on.

I must say that I have a love-hate relationship with this modern method of communication. 

I SO COMPLETELY HATE IT when I am talking to someone--oh, let's just say my daughter--and I need her undivided attention, but she is just texting away.   Grrrrrrrr....

On the other hand, I LOVE to receive a text from her when she is at school and wants to share a quick little something with me, like the grade she made on her latest essay.  Or to tell me she arrived safely.  Or to tell me that she just tripped on her way to English.

That little chime sound my cell phone makes when I've got a message makes me feel all special and warm inside because I know she's thinking of me.

Chocolate Revel Bars

The other day I needed to make a dessert that would yield a large enough quantity to feed to a crowd at church, but also enough to bring along on a Saturday fishing trip that my husband and I were going to take.  I was thumbing through one of my favorite basic cookbooks, The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, and I came across Chocolate Revel Bars.  I have made them before, but it's been years and I had forgotten how good they are.  I know they have been done over and over again on blogs everywhere, but I think they are worth repeating here.

Chocolate Revel Bars are cheap and easy to make.  I always have chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and quick cooking oats in my pantry.  These are a substantial bars that are chewy and chocolately, but also have a slightly crunchy texure with the oat crust and topping.  The original recipe is here.  I increased my measurements to make a huge quantity, so if you need a massive amount of bars, follow my measurements below and bake in a 12 x 17 x 1 -inch pan.

Chocolate Revel Bars

1-1/2 cups softened butter

3 cups packed light brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3 eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla

3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

4-1/2 cups quick cooking oats

2-3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (1-1/2 cans)

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3 teaspoons vanilla

1. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the butter.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining butter on high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of bowl.  Beat in the eggs and 3 teaspoons vanilla.  Beat in as much of flour as you can with the mixer, then beat in remaining flour by hand.  Stir in the oats.  Press 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of a 12 x 17 x 1-inch baking pan.
2. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the chocolate chips, and the sweetened condensed milk in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in walnuts and 3 teaspoons vanilla.  Spread this mixture on top of the crust.
3. Spread remaining oat mixture on top by flattening out small pieces and placing them on the chocolate filling or spooning them evenly on top.
4. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until top is lightly browned.  The chocolate filling will still look moist.  Cool on wire rack before cutting into bars.

 

Cream all but 3 tablespoons of the butter, then add the brown sugar and baking soda.

Beat in the eggs, then three teaspoons vanilla.

Mix in the flour, then the oats.  I was able to mix in all the flour with my Kitchen Aid, but when I tried to mix in all the oats, it became a little too much for the machine to handle, so I finished stirring them in by hand.  Make sure to taste the dough; I totally give it two thumbs up.  (If you're not afraid of raw eggs.)

Pat the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 12 x 17 x 1-inch baking pan.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the chocolate chips, and the sweetened condensed milk over low heat until melted.

Stir in the vanilla and the nuts.

Now pour the chocolate mixture over the crust.

Place the remainder of the oat mixture on the top, flattening the little pieces as you go.

Or you can just spoon them on and not flatten them, which is what I ended up doing.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

To get better slices, they need to cool, but I must say, they are so good when they are warm.