Kitchen Helps: Hot Pockets

This is a quick hot pocket-type snack that is easy to make.

Spread 1/4 Tbsp olive oil on a tortilla
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
Layer meat and veggies - I use one slice sandwich ham and one slice sandwich turkey slightly overlapping
Spread 1/4 cup mozarella cheese

Fold in sides; Roll up
Brush top with 1/4 Tbsp olive oil
Top with 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Bake 425 degrees F for 9-12 minutes until golden brown (I use our toaster oven)

Goes well with a side of fruit or raw veggies and cottage cheese for a light meal.

Kitchen Helps: Crockpot Granola

I've perfected my granola recipe since I first posted about it.

I have a 6-quart crockpot and modified my recipe from Alton Brown's.

6 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups shredded coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup (I use Mrs. Butterworth)
1/4 molasses
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp salt

Mix and cook in crockpot on low with lid cracked. I stir every hour for the first 3 hours and then at 3-1/2 hours, 3-1/4 hours and then remove from crockpot for a total of 4 hours. My crockpot is not as hot as some of the newer ones.

You can add any other goodies you want to it.

Brown Rice Blues

So you hear a lot about brown rice being so much healthier than white rice. And I don’t dispute that. However, if you can’t cook a healthier food so it is palatable, what good is it? That was my dilemma with brown rice. My family didn’t like how it turned out and neither did I.

So I decided to investigate a better way. The first solution I came across was to sauté the uncooked rice with an egg until dry before cooking. This turned out well enough to try again. But I also wanted to keep looking to see if there was an easier way than having to include the egg.

One method said that to improve the brown rice texture you should presoak the rice for 7 hours in an acid base. Another method I came across was “Perfect Brown Rice” posted on the Saveur website. Since I didn’t have time to soak my rice for that evening’s meal, I went ahead and just used Saveur’s recipe. Based on what I had read on this blog, I cut the water down from 12 cups to 6 or 8 cups. (I figured I would go in between the two sets of instructions.) It turned out with a decent texture.

Tonight, since I actually planned ahead, I soaked 1 cup brown rice in 2-1/4 cups water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice for 7 hours. I then drained and cooked it using the Saveur method. I will have to experiment with the boiling time after soaking because I think the rice was a little bit soggier than my first attempt in which the rice was not soaked. But it still turned out very useable. Next time, in addition to experimenting with the boiling time, I want to use chicken stock instead of water.

I am encouraged that with these new soaking and cooking methods I can come up with brown rice that my family pronounces edible.

PS. I read somewhere that you should never use brown rice in stir fry. Well, I have made at least 3 batches with brown rice and they have all tasted just fine.

Chili

I just wanted to pass on an easy chili recipe that has tasted really good the last few times.

• 1 pound ground beef, cooked
• 2 cans tomato soup
• 1-1/2 cups refried beans
• Onion, chopped
• Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin, optional
• Hotdogs, sliced and cut in quarters (I only like Sinai 48 or Hebrew National-type)

Heat thoroughly. Serve with cornbread and raw vegis or a salad.

(The cornbread baked in my new cast iron pan turned out awesome!)

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

I can't believe I haven't posted this before. (At least I couldn't find where I had.) It is so easy and our family really enjoys it.

Here is the original recipe but I have made a few modifications for our family.

3 cups water
3 cubes chicken bouillon

1 cup dry brown rice or converted white rice
1 cup frozen broccoli (pureed)
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 to 4 Tbsp onion, chopped
1 tsp mustard
1 can chicken breast

Bring water and bouillon to boil. Add rest of ingredients and return to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes for white rice / 45-50 minutes for brown rice.

Grocery Shopping Tip of the Day

If you use anywhere close to 3 cans of tomato sauce in a single recipe, buy the 108oz cans of tomato sauce and just double your recipe. Here I can buy one can for $2.72 and use it instead of 7-15 oz cans.

So this morning I put 1-108 oz can of tomato sauce, two pounds of cooked hamburger, some chopped onion, garlic, and 1-1/2 Tbsp of basil in the crockpot. I then made some French bread and dinner is about to be served.

PS. It works great to buy peaches and pears in the large cans too. They last in the fridge long enough for a family to eat them up.

Pumpkin Sloppy Joes

This recipe was family approved tonight!

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 hamburger buns

Cindy's Porch

My sister sent me the link to Cindy's Porch last week so I thought I would pass it along to you.

I printed out the pantry and freezer inventory sheets and filled them out today. Turns out I have ingredients for about 14+ meals. It's a great way to see what you already have and maybe you don't have to go grocery shopping right away after all.

Online Grocery Guide - Free

Just enter your zip code and see what stores it covers in your area:

http://www.budget101.com/groceryguide.htm

Pork Chop Success

I had pork chops out for dinner last night but couldn't figure out what I was going to fix. So I just threw them into the crock pot with some chicken broth, onion, garlic and basil. Then I remembered I had instant mashed potatoes so made those with some gravy and corn. Added some fresh bread and it was really yummy.

Bean Flour

I was perusing the Budget 101 website yesterday. They have many recipes on how to make convenience foods from scratch. One I found was for refried beans. It involves grinding your beans into flour and then cooking it like cream of wheat. I have never used bean flour before but I will be now - not only for refried beans but for thickener in white sauces and soups. It can also be used in place of up to 1/4 of your flour in bread. The bean flour combined with the wheat flour makes a complete protein. They suggest using white beans for bread as their flavor is mild.

I was a little concerned when I ground the pinto beans in my grain grinder even though the manual said you could. It sounded pretty bad. So I called the company to make sure that it wouldn't hurt the machine. The man said that it was perfectly okay and that the sound was because beans don't have any moisture or oils like grains do.

My little guy liked the refried beans and I had them for lunch on nachos. So I am happy I don't need to purchase them canned anymore AND I have learned a way to make my white sauce more nutritious.

Here is a website I came across for using bean flour.

Yummy Meatloaf!!!

I made meatloaf again last night. I keep forgetting how yummy it is and that I should make it every week. I use about 1 pound ground beef and 3/4 pound pork sausage and make one loaf instead of two. I also add garlic. I like to serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed carrots, and rolls. The leftover meatloaf (if there is any) is excellent for sandwiches.

Double Meat Loaf
Quick Cooking Magazine, January/February 2006

1 egg
1 cup beef broth (or bouillon and water)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon dried minced onion (I use regular onion run through the garlic press)
2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (I never have used this as I don't have it)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground meat
1 pound bulk pork sausage

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture; mix well. Pat into two greased 8-in x 4-in x 2-in loaf pans.

Cover and freeze one meat loaf for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining loaf, uncovered, at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

To use frozen meat loaf: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.

This chart blew me away. What Food Plan are you on?

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2008/CostofFoodFeb08.pdf

Berry Stains and Boiling Water

I am amazed once again at how berry stains just disappear when you pour boiling water over them. I didn't know about that until about a year ago. It worked wonder then and it worked great again today on strawberry juice. So I just wanted to share that tip with anyone who may not have known about it.

Place your spotted item over a bowl and pour boiling water over the stains until they disappear.

Ravioli . . . Sort of

I threw this together for dinner the other night and it actually tasted pretty good.

1-1/2 cups cheese tortellini (cooked)

1 lb hamburger, fried
Celery, diced
Onion, diced

SAUCE (Make like a white sauce):
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 can tomato sauce
1 can chicken broth


Mix all together and serve with bread and a green salad.

Mom, I want some more! Are we talking about more pizza? Possibly. More ice cream? Definite possibility! But more oatmeal??????!!!!! I couldn't believe my ears! And to top it all off - everyone in the family enjoyed the oatmeal. That was music to my ears as I have been wanting to start having hot cereal more often since it is healthier and less expensive than the alternatives. I have to say that yesterday's oatmeal was the best I have ever tasted. So even I am more motivated to make it. All I need to do now is to translate the recipe into crock pot form and breakfast will be a simple affair.

I just mixed all ingredients in a kettle, brought it to a boil and cooked for 15 minutes. Of course, the heavy whipping cream on top added a delicious element but if that is what it takes for my family to eat oatmeal more often, I'll keep whipping cream on hand.

2 cups Oatmeal
4 cups Water
Salt to taste
1-1/2 tablespoons Cinnamon (Adjust to taste)
1/3 cup Brown sugar (Adjust to taste)
1 apple, peeled and diced

I plan to add a little flax meal but I need to buy some seeds.