Anti-Procrastination Fun in the Kitchen

So, last night I had the chance to host a little Soul Kitchen "Conversations" meeting at my house.

I have had close friends over to my house, I have had one-on-one meetings at my house, I have even hosted birthday parties at my house (yes, inside!), but I have never been able to host any SK meetings, because I just don't have enough places for women to sit.  I mean, we can pack people in at our kitchen table for informal meals, with family members or friends of our kids, but it's just too close for comfort for a meeting where people will be getting out binders and calendars and other planning materials. But this meeting was just for the upcoming Fall Conversations events, and so there were just going to be three of us.  Perfect!

And also the perfect time to get motivated to do some long-overdue deep cleaning. 

I wish I had listed these things individually on my Big List of Things To Do, so I could have the pleasure of scratching them out--but instead, I'll just share these favorite bits of accomplishment with you!

I inherited these brown crocks when my Grandma died.  I had washed them before, and knew there was a gunky film on them, but thought it would be hard to get off.  I am embarrassed now to confess that I have been using them in my kitchen for THIRTEEN years now, and never tried to deep clean them.  They looked fine.  But yesterday I decided to just use some warm soapy water and baking soda--and quickly discovered that a) the gunk came off quite easily with a little elbow grease, and b) the crocks were not actually brown.

Not only are they actually bone colored stoneware, but the upper glazing is shiny.  Who knew?!

When we needed to get a new fridge a few years ago, DH wanted stainless steel.  But because I have always used our fridge doors for homeschool show-and-tell, and because this finish is not magnetic, I warned him I would be covering the beautiful stainless steel doors with taped-up artwork.  He was ok with that.  So, most of the time our fridge is covered in kid's creations, maps and timelines, etc. The tape leaves some sticky residue, but we always just cover it back up with more paper and art, so I don't pay it much mind.  But a few weeks ago we finally took down last Spring's display, which had lingered up too long.  But it being summer, I didn't have anything new to put on the fridge (except for this cute smiling sun Happy made) so I was constantly looking at the tape-marked, smudged fridge doors.  So yesterday, I used that same magical formula of warm soapy water, baking soda, and elbow grease, and voila!

I never imagined it would turn out so pristine.  It really made me happy.  (This photo was taken at night, after the ladies had gone, so the orange streaks on the door are the reflections of candles on the table.)

Even the stove-top and hot water kettle got the magic baking soda treatment!  And I oiled the soapstone counter and backsplash too, which I rarely do--but I love the way it looks when I do.

So, a few things that took some work, but which  are paying off in satisfaction!

And now--the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Because of all the deep cleaning I did the past two days in the kitchen, I am FINALLY READY TO GIVE YOU THE PHOTO TOUR.  Well, of that one room at least.

I have a feeling the women who once really wanted to see my house lost their patience a long time ago and no longer stop by.  Aubrey.  Desiree.  But Jessica, tomorrow's post is for YOU! ; )

So, come on back tomorrow, and be ready to feel SO MUCH BETTER about your own kitchen!

Mexicanish Heart-Peace Fruit Salad

The fruit salad is totally easy--it's the heart-peace that's the hard part. ; )

Seriously--the salad was so easy and so yummy and complements Mexican foods so well that I thought I would share the "recipe" with you.  I made it up, but I am sure you could find other fruit salads like this online if you want ideas to improve upon it.

--pineapple (1 whole fresh would be great, but a largish bag of frozen pieces is perfectly fine--that's what we did)
--mango (same. I don't know how to tell when a mango is ripe--I can't eat them because of allergies. So we found frozen pieces.)
--large bunch red or purple grapes, washed (green grapes are fine too--whatever you think is prettiest.  Halve them longways if you are as paranoid as I am about children choking. Otherwise, just leave them whole, like I did last night for the guys!)
--1 lime
--small bunch fresh mint leaves

Just put all fruit pieces in a big bowl.  Squeeze your lime (wash it first!) into a little cup so you make sure seeds don't get in the salad.  You can use either half or a whole lime--do it to your taste.  Wash and tear the mint leaves and add to the bowl.  The more lime you use, the more mint you will want as well. Mix all thoroughly and voila!

Of course this would be best made when the fruits are in season.  But if you ever happen to need a quick and easy dish for an event, say a men's Mexican pot-luck, frozen works great too!

Conversation and dishes

(A representation of me and Rosa in the kitchen; 
photo from Father Knows Best.
Yes, He does. ; )

I wanted to write one more thing about the Conversations I was telling you about here.  You see, I'll bet you will be surprised to hear what my absolute favorite part of the three-part series was: doing the dishes!

When I accepted responsibility for the hostessing and desserts, I decided to try to see if we could make these events as waste-free as possible. (With the goal of all SoulKitchen events eventually being almost entirely waste-free, and then using those examples of successful "greening" to encourage our whole church to strive for less waste at church events.) We are so fortunate, because when Vintage Faith first started, it was in partnership with two other churches--Santa Cruz Bible, which birthed it, and the local First Presbyterian church which opened it's campus to share, and then two years later officially joined with Vintage as one body. It is a really beautiful and rather amazing story of churches behaving well, which I won't go into now, but is important simply because when we moved to the First Pres "campus" (really just three buildings, but they are spacious and flexible, and have tons of storage, which has opened up all kinds of ministry and fellowship opportunites, such as the creation of the Abbey coffee lounge), it was an old congregation with all the wonderful acoutrements of old-fashioned church life, like a huge kitchen and loads of official church dishes!

The building which houses the kitchen (and gym) is in sore need of some renovation and all-around loving, and so the kitchen now sees more use for handy-man storage, an impromptu artists' studio, and various church projects than it does anything involving food. It is slightly sawdusty and the floor is drop-clothed and filthy, and you can't get to some of the cupboards easily for the sawhorses and work-spaces in the way--but under the neglect, it is still a wonderful, large, well-designed kitchen, with so many work areas. It is a space that is heavy with nostalgia--such as the large cupboards that Rosa found out the First Pres women used for raising their homemade bread during the service, so then they would be ready for baking after, I assume to then be eaten during some church-wide dinner or fellowship time.  

 I had never really used the kitchen before--but it seemed like the right time to start.  So on the first night of Conversations, I went early and got coffee cups and dessert plates out of the big cupboards (which had been languishing in disuse so long they had to be wiped clean before we could use them) and stacked them on an industrial stainless steel cart with shelves, and wheeled them all to the rooms where we had tables set up and decorated.  We arranged the plates and cups on the table near the coffee and tea, and had a beautiful, welcoming spread for all the ladies who came.  As women were leaving, they just placed their dirty dishes back on the cart, and then my dear Rosa and I wheeled the cart back to the kitchen. 

(Actually, the wheeling to and fro was the only element of the whole endeavor that gave me any trepidation--since we were wheeling the cart outside, around the perimeter of the buildings  on sidewalk that was often slanted for handicapped access.  As the dishes rattled and bumped and slid in subtle increments, Rosa and I would wince, easily imagining the din of kamikaze crockery smashing on the flagstones, thus signaling the end of our "greening" scheme.  I'll brainstorm a more secure transport for the next series of Conversations--but for this last series, the God who keeps his eye on the sparrow was merciful with us and kept his eye on the saucers too.)

Once safely back in the kitchen, we simply wheeled the cart over to the oversized stainless-steel double-sink, well-positioned on an island to be accessible from either side.  One sink filled with hot soapy water, the other with cool rinse water, and the drainboard on the end--the ideal situation for efficient washing up.  (And one of many thoughtful and practical elements that suggest ladies well versed in kitchen duties were instrumental to its design.)  Rosa and I bustled cheerfully about that big, companionable sink for an hour after each night's event--and each time, it was the best part of the whole evening.  Seriously--she and I are good friends, and share the same desire for our church as a whole to be as healthy and sustainable as possible, so the joint activity was natural and satisfying.  But the Conversations we had together there in the kitchen over the big sink of soapy water--they were so deep and special.  We've known each other for years, and yet those nights we learned so much more about each other--real stuff, important stuff.   

(This was us on the inside.)

It was just Rosa and I, late at night in a church kitchen, hands and hearts and words happily engaged.  And yet, there was something else, something almost tangible, heavy in the air as we worked, something whispering in the backs of our minds.  For our little efforts washing dishes--there in the space we had reclaimed in the dirty, uncherished kitchen--seemed symbolic of the overall purpose of SoulKitchen, which is encouraging women to make spaces in their lives for greater depth with God and one another. 

In fact, our official SoulKitchen Vision Statement reads:

SoulKitchen exists to create opportunities for women to know and love God more. To know, love and invest in each other and to study and dialogue about issues of life and faith.  

It is clear how the whole Conversations events so perfectly fit this vision, as I described it in that earlier post--ahhhhh, so beautiful to see our ministry goals fulfilled, so satisfying to see women's needs and desires being met.  It was literal fulfillment of the vision.  But the time I had afterwards, washing dishes with Rosa, felt symbolic of the spiritual fulfillment of the vision.  Those dishes were like us women, created to be used, created to serve, to nourish, to bring pleasure. If we are not being used, if we are not in service, we lose purpose.  We become purposeless.  We might even feel unloved.  Forgotten.  Unappreciated.  Unfulfilled.  

Oh, yes, and there was even symbolism in the very nature of our embracing the kitchen and traditional "women's duties"--long seen in our recent culture as symbols of female oppression and devaluation--and not fearing some kind of diminishment by them.  It is a sad fact that the very social movements that helped women feel restored to public worth stigmatized and decried their life-giving labors in the kitchen.  Doing dishes, especially by hand--esp. in this age of modern conveniences--is considered more than a chore, more like an affront, an offense--and the women who do them pluckless, self-limiting drudges. 

I know of a lot of women who only use disposable plates at home for all their everyday meals--not because they have real reason to, but because somehow the whole idea of dishwashing is beneath them, not worth their time or thought. (And I also know women who use disposable plates regularly who have darn good reason to--I'm not throwing stones at anyone, least of all a mother who sees disposable plates as the last tenuous thread between herself and the abyss of insanity. ; )   

But how sad, that such a simple and instantly gratifying task has become so denigrated.  And how--because of the same mentality spreading to churches of disposable dishes seeming to be an acceptable (and even preferrable) substitute for physical acts of kitchen service--the bountiful resource of the church kitchen has fallen into disfavor and disuse.  But to what extent might our waste of such material resources mirror an unsustainability of our modern spiritual life--that we are taking our freedoms and blessings too much for granted, and the focus of our service is very subtly ourselves?  That we are missing out on the blessings that come hand-in-hand with cheerful labor done unto the Lord?  That we are missing the concept that any task necessary to the fullness of church life is not a burden, but a grace-exuberant opportunity to participate in, choose even, our daily renewal.     

And what other humble kitchen task but washing dishes could so perfectly reflect the purifying of the spirit by immersion in the Spirit? 

So, for all these reasons, starting off this new ministry to women by freeing those dishes from the cupboards, rinsing them clean, putting them in the worthwhile service for which they were created--it gave the labor such a subtle, beautiful hint of redemption.  Of restoration.  Of rejuvination.  Our few hours of washing and rinsing and drying and stacking were holy service, truly Souls in the Kitchen, so retro and so divine. 

As I wrote in an email to the SoulKitchen leaders later, I can see word leaking out, other women getting a whiff of something intriguing, something appealing, something special happening in the kitchen--and them wanting to be in the kitchen too.  : )  As they should--it's truly the best part of the whole shebang.  Coming to a Conversation, being fed, being heard--that is so good.  Leaving a Conversation with a desire for more, for going deeper, for being fully Used in the service of Love, for seeking ways to give ourselves over to the Spirit for renewal--that is so, so, so, so Good. 

I thanked my fellow SoulKitchen ladies for humoring me in my "green" urges.  I'm not just being on some environmental band-wagon--there is so much meaning in that kitchen time, which we as sisters in service should strive to reclaim as a whole body (body of women, church body), for growing our fellowship and increasing our praise.

I also stressed to my SK sisters that I was NOT saying they all had to have the same values, or think they "should" help in the kitchen.  No guilt or nothing here!  Same goes for any of you women in ministry (or in your homes) looking at your paper plates. ; )  I just wrote all this to share how using one of my Gifts (serving) in combination with one of my personal values (going greener) behind the scenes in service to God and His daughters felt SO GOOD.  That is what I want to encourage in all of us!  Regardless of how (or whether or not) God has already brought us to whatever ministries He deemed fit, He might have special new, little areas for each of us to step out in and really bloom!

My sisters in spirit, this is my prayer for all of you!  Be creative, listen to the nudging of the Spirit, think about what is most important to you, and then do a little something to bless others.  It cannot help but bless you too.

And local readers (Jen, I'm talking to you!)--if you hear about the next round of Conversations, likely happening at the beginning of summer, please consider coming! 

(And nobody worry that I'm going to drag you into the kitchen afterwards. It's an invite only scene--but if the Holy Spirit invites you, you are more than welcome! : )

Conversations

Isn't this the cutest postcard?  (double-click to embiggen)

My dear Becky--my fellow sister in ministry--created them to pass out at church and at the Abbey coffeehouse to  advertise the series.  

Something that has been part of my life recently, but which I have not yet had a chance to write about, was a three-part series of "Conversations" our church's ministry for women (SoulKitchen) just finished.  Basically they were casual but structured evenings where women could come, have coffee and desserts, and get to know one another and share in small groups about their ideas on/feelings about/responses to/experiences with things that matter.  

We planned this series because for years women at our church have been asking for social events for women, but yet they don't want to do anything the least bit "fluffy," or pedantic, or silly. As a new ministry, we tried out several different things over the years to meet this desire/need, but nothing had an overwhelming response from the women in our church community.  Then we came up with the idea of "Conversations" last year, but did not have a cohesive vision of what they would look like.  Somehow at our annual all-day SoulKitchen planning meeting this past January, the vision and the details just seemed to come together without us even having to think very hard.  Three topics immediately came to us, and they seemed just right.   We thought of three women we would ask to lead the discussions, and they all said yes.  The series seemed almost effortless to plan (and has been overall very easy to execute), which has made it feel all the more like it was God's idea and not really ours.

And, to prove that last point, the event has been way more successful than we ever would have anticipated.  The first night--on the topic of "Difficult Relationships"--we had over 70 women come!  So many that we had to move from the cozy room we had set up to the main sanctuary across the way!  And even more amazing, there was an incredible spirit amongst the women there, of openness, vulnerability, honesty, and a deep desire to be real with one another.  WOW. 

So for the second night in the series we planned accordingly and set up the Sanctuary as our space for the rest of the series, and while we did not have as many women come (about 40 I'm guessing), the conversation within the groups and in the larger group was still so wonderful--heartfelt, wise, warm, encouraging.  (And since the topic for the second week was Parenting, I was really thinking about the things I've been experiencing in my own home with my kids, and getting some excellent Perspective!)

It feels like we finally hit upon what women in our church body are wanting, needing.  I sure know I enjoyed--and was very much blessed by--almost every single minute. I was one of the planners for the series, and was the organizer of the desserts, and the official hostess and MC for all three nights.  Basically I helped get things ready, and did all the crowd management and up-front speaking before and after that evening's facillitator led the Conversation.  Each night a different woman from our church body would present information and generate ideas about that evening's topic of discussion, and lead discussion questions for the rest of us to discuss in small groups.  So much sharing and thoughtfulness and reflection--so much fodder for the spirit and the mind!

The last night was on Identity, and again there was so much good stuff!  Alas, for any of these topics I don't think I can do the ideas we worked with justice--at best I can share a few ideas that are for me to keep processing:

--during our Parenting discussion it hit me that we talk about "raising children."  Hold on--we're supposed to be raising the next generation of  "adults"!  As in, that is the end goal, and yet if we are always thinking about raising "children," how a very subtle shift of expectations pops up in the culture, and this could very well partly explain why we HAVE raised a whole generation of adult children.  That is, grown-ups who demonstrate the actions and apparent understanding of children.  Really good for me to consider.  I have always said I'm going to have "young adults" and not "teenagers"--making a distinction between preparing our kids for adulthood and letting them wallow in rebellious, self-indulgent delayed childhood (see, again, I could be describing much of our adult culture at large!).  So, really, I've always had the expectation, but now see how I need to shift my thinking even away from the teen years as some magical demarcation, and start parenting my kids with adulthood in mind now.  I'm raising little grown-ups now, and thinking of it that way is so freeing to me!  Because of every argument or sassy tone or poor choice now is not them failing at being good kids, it is them practicing at being good adults!!!!  Ok, most of you probably figured this out a long time ago.  But you know how you know something in your head, but don't really understand it?  Now I feel like I get it!  I'm not a failure as a mom because they are doing these things over and over--my parenting is not futile, I'm not ruining them.  They are not perfecting their good little kid skills and thus making me look good (and feel good) for the time being--they are practicing social and self-governing skills and thus learning character that will serve them so much better (Lord willing) for the rest of their lives.

(I know I'm not writing at my most lucid at the moment, but I have been working on this post since last Sunday, and just want it finished and out of my head. So, pardon whatever mistakes you find in my writing, gaps in my explanations, or jumps in my reasoning.)

There was another idea that hit me after this week's "Identity" Conversation, but even though it seemed so Important at the time, it was so late at night when I got home and I was so tired but yet wired, that I don't rember it.  Sigh.  I'm going to need some time to reflect back on the things we had been discussing so I can see if it comes to me (and maybe quiz my dear Rosa to see if I relayed any brilliant ideas to her in the church kitchen during cleanup afterwards).  So if I remember anything in particular, I'll let you all know later, in case it is interesting/useful to any of you as well. : )

 

But I must say, many times through those three nights of Conversations, I thought of all you friends and family who visit this blog!  You would have fit right in, and would likely have enjoyed the discussions very much.  I love it when we have "conversations" here on this blog, and only wish we could do it in real life!

.    

peanut butter pops

The other day I needed a quick snack for the kids that would not take them long to eat, wouldn't be very messy, and would give them some good energy. 

Voilà! 

I know some people give their kids "peanut butter spoons," but I had never tried (and to be honest, I am wary of giving the kids too much pb, since I am mildly allergic to it, so we only have it at most twice a week).  But on a whim, I made generous scoops of peanut butter on individual spoons, and then rolled them in a mix of raisins and shredded coconut (leftover from our holiday baking) in a little bowl.  The kids LOVED them, and licked them down in a flash, and they were so easy, and since the tasty tidbits stuck to the pb they did not even make a mess. 

You could make a mix of almost any chopped dried fruit, seeds, nuts--whatever sounds good. (I also stuck a couple of chocolate chips on the spoons too--not as healthy, but a little sweet surprise. ; )

So, just thought I would share the idea! 

stuff that makes me smile

I forgot to mention back in November that I had a birthday.  And that my Mother had sent me a birthday present which is now one of my all-time favorite gifts, and makes me smile on a daily basis:

Custom cloth napkins!  I had been wanting new cloth napkins for some time, since my old ones are so old and stained (we use cloth for most meals here at home).  I had even been looking on etsy to see if I could buy some new ones*, but never saw any I liked enough to spend money on.  

So when my parents were visiting this past summer, Mom and I went to a favorite local fabric store, and while we were poking around, I caught sight of the bins of "fat quarters."  And I started pulling some out, fanticizing about mismatched but yet coordinating napkin fabrics, playing with colors and pattern, esp. those colors that don't really match me or my house so I rarely get to use (like orange and bright green).  Mom asked me what I was doing, and when I told her, she offered to make me the napkins for my birthday.  Hooray!!!!  So then I started hunting out fabrics in earnest, laying possibilities out on the floor of the store.  (There were walls of excellent fabrics along the walls of the store, but I purposefully limited myself to the display of fat quarters, just to make it so much less daunting of a project.)

And I LOVE the results!

While I was laying out my final choices, I had two separate ladies stop and ask what project I was planning (I am sure they were crafty women and were curious how I planned on using all these odd fabrics together), and when they heard it was a set of napkins, they were surprised, and each said how much they loved the idea.  One woman even said she needed a gift for a niece and thought that might be a great idea.  (So, if any of you local friends who sew want to go into business with me. . . I have the Etsy shop already--I'll pick the fabrics, you do the sewing, I'll manage the online store, and I'll give you a very fair share in the profits! ; ) 

I already had the perfect basket to store them in when they are not in use!

And while this is not at all a very good photo, here is a glimpse of what the table looks like when set with them:

It was hard to wait until my birthday in November.  But now they are used and loved every day--and the girls LOVE to pick out their "new" napkin every time they need one. (Smiley always chooses the orange ones. ; ) 

And you see, it gets better. Because not only did I need new napkins, but I needed a new system for keeping them neat between uses, since often when you use one it does not really get dirty, so you hate to throw it in the wash but then you also can't put it back in the drawer with the truly clean ones. . .  So, I found a beautiful solution to the problem:

Napkin rings made from old silverware!  Each one is different, so each family member can tell whose is whose.  (I had wanted to find napkin rings that were from old utensils with initials on them--wouldn't that have been perfect?!  But I couldn't find any, and liked the workmanship of this seller**, so these are what everyone got in their Christmas stockings this year!) 

So now, after the meal is over, each child decides if his or her napkin can be used again or if it needs to go in the wash.  If it is clean enough, it is rolled up and put in the person's napkin ring until the next meal.  And then it goes in this pretty green bowl my dear Becky gave me for a present a few years ago, which lives on the microwave stand by the kitchen table:

I am very glad to have this microwave stand on loan from DH's parents (since my counter space is so limited!) but it is decidedly more utilitarian than attractive.  And the cupboards above are pretty high on my "can't wait to do something about that" list, but are also doing their job.  BUT how happy it makes me to have those two new bits of prettiness brightening up my kitchen!  Both the basket of folded napkins and the bowl of napkins in rings (nestled inside a burlwood bowl) are practical but also add beauty to my kitchen and my day. 

Even when I launder them, I get a smile.  Because I want to keep them beautiful as long as possible, I confess I am line drying them, so I won't accidentally set any stains and I can pull the seams smooth--but it makes me happy to do that too, and I enjoy seeing them strung on the clothesline over the fireplace. : )  

Mother, thank you so much!


*Yes, I understand that they can be really easy to make. For those of you crafty people who sew and who have a sewing machine conviently located in your house. I do have a sewing machine, thanks to my Mother, but no place to keep in in the house, and actually no idea how to use it, despite said Mother's patient instruction several years ago. This is truly one of those times when my itsy-bitsy house logistics create a Catch 22, because while I would eventually learn to use it and enjoy it if it were set up in the house and always ready to go, it is so hard to justify the precious real-estate for something that I likely won't learn to use for some time, and even then would not use very often. Oh, these are times when I start coveting other houses--even one more small closet would be lovely! But in the meantime, I am so thankful for a talented and thoughtful Mother. : )

**And check out the absolutely stunning bracelets made of reclaimed silver utensils by the same artisans!

Antidote for Melancholy #4

I have been making steel cut oats recently instead of quick oats because I have heard they are better for you--and they are certainly better tasting, with a wonderful texture.  But they take FOREVER on the stovetop, at least for me and the quantity I am making.  So I finally tried making them in the crockpot overnight, the weekend my in-laws were here.  Perfect!  At least that time I made them; last night when I tried again they must have cooked too long, so some stuck to the sides of the crock.  So the key appears to be you should not cook them all night long, even on low--the first time they turned out so great I started them cooking in the late evening, and then tested them when I got up to use the restroom at 3 in the morning.  (Not as big a deal in my house as it might be in yours--keep in mind I pass through the kitchen going from the "bedroom" to the bathroom.) They were done, so I just unplugged the crockpot and left them there on the counter.  In the morning, I plugged it back in for an hour, the oats all warmed back up nicely, and they ended up just right.   Last night I was so tired I did not wake up in the night, and so this morning the oats were overcooked at the very sides, but of course still perfectly yummy everywhere else in the pot.  So, I need to tweak this and try adding more water or setting the alarm or something--totally worth the minimal effort to have a warm, yummy, hearty breakfast waiting for me when I get up on Sunday mornings!

Hot steel cut oats.

Chocolate chips (semi-sweet of course).

Milk.

It is impossible not to smile when facing a breakfast like this.

I feel like I have to explain that NORMALLY we would put fruit and/or granola on our oats, like normal people.  But I am trying to use up a bag of chocolate chips and I felt like doing it.  And, seriously, this is really yummy.  Esp. with the morning tea.  Only thing I can think that would make it better would be ripe bananas cut up and mixed in with the melted chocolate chips.  Kinda like a banana boat from Girl Scout campfires. . . mmmmmmmmm.

file under "score one for my adventuresome kids"

Today's breakfast:  Peach Oatmeal Smoothie

Ingredients:

The last of the whole fat yoghurt (about 3/4 cup)
One large bowl leftover cold oatmeal (originally cooked with cinnamon)
Small bag frozen peaches
Last of the skim milk (about one cup? a little more?)
Generous dollup of honey

Blend it all up, serve immediately.  See if the kids can guess what all is in it.  Be amazed when they say it's decent enough that if I made it again they would gladly eat it.

Served with a side of fresh strawberries and an assortment of nuts.

And it was all stuff I wanted to use up!  (even the honey, which is getting old and crystalizing)  Whoo-hoo!

So glad my kids are so used to eating weird stuff trying new dishes that they happily try almost anything. : )

Dinner: low carb, gluten free. oh, and really yummy.

I never expected to post about dinners again so soon, certainly not two in a row!  But this second one I made tonight, and was soooooooooooooo yummy, I just had to share it.

So this dinner is for Kari, who did NOT ask to be signed up for the Blessed Table Challenge, but who has two blogs that inspire me.  : )

Kari, you rock, and since I can't really make you dinner, please take this post as a bit of friendly encouragement from the West coast.  This meal was so yummy my family ate it almost all up in one sitting, and even the finnicky toddler ate every bit on his plate, with relish!  If Bean or Java will balk at the texture of the kale, try chopping it very finely. And in case you are not yet cooking with kale, be sure not to let it overcook--try to watch the pot to make sure it does not get dull "army" green, at which point it is officially dead and won't taste nearly as good (or have as many nutrients).

(oh, and yes, this was me using up things that needed to be used up--when it works, it WORKS)

**Don't forget to check out my disclaimers on Dinner #1, esp. about gas vs. electric stovetops!

Winter Turkey, Potato and Kale Soup

Ingredients:
--3 large leeks, trimmed and washed and sliced crosswise into quarter-inch rounds
--1 package ground turkey
--about 5 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
--1 heaping teaspoon "Better Than Bullion" (veggie)--(can also just use broth, or what you think is a right amount of another type of bullion)
--ground cloves and black pepper
--milk or cream


In a large pot, saute the leek for a few minutes in olive oil.  Then add the ground turkey. 

(And if you forgot to thaw it or are making this at the last minute, like I did tonight, no worries, just chuck the frozen meat into the pot and crank up the heat, making sure as much meat as possible is touching the bottom of the pot.  Let it cook, turning over the turkey every few minutes and using your spoon to scrape off the cooked meat from the frozen.  When the meat is all crumbled, cook it well, even putting the lid on the pot to get the turkey cooked all the way through.)

When the turkey is done, add a couple of inches of water to your pot, along with bullion (or just use broth instead of water).  Toss in your potatoes and put the lid on the pot and keep the heat on high to get it cooking quickly.  When the water is starting to simmer, stir, toss in your kale, put the lid back on, and lower heat until the food is just simmering. Let it all simmer for a few minutes, until the potatoes are just done but before the kale is overdone.  Turn off heat.

Stir in some ground cloves (don't know how to tell you this one, since I just eye-balled some out in my palm--start with a little over 1/2 tsp. and then taste) and black pepper.  Stir well, and then add some milk (the creamier the better--I used whole. a little half and half would work too) until it is as soupy as you like.

*I was making a bean salad on the side, otherwise I would have added one or two cans of cannellini (white kidney beans) to the pot when I added the kale--a perfect compliment to all the other things in the pot.

On the Side:  Mediterranean Chick-pea Salad

Ingredients:
--2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
--some red cabbage
--one big fresh tomato
--a handful of  fresh parsley, snipped
--a little green onion
--one large clove garlic, pressed
--some vinegar and oil salad dressing (I used Newman's Own, any balsalmic would also work great)
--black pepper

Mix it all up and serve!  This was really good to compliment the turkey soup.  Not entirely from scratch, but so quick and yummy--those are the dishes I am relying upon these days. : )

You can also use this salad on top of a bed of lettuce greens for pretty presentation and more of a traditional salad feel. 

The way I made these dishes tonight was gluten free (check your salad dressing labels though), and I think Kari--who is also trying dairy free, for the health of her kids and herself--could figure out how to make it "milky" without the milk, or could just omit it and have a yellow broth (I put the milk in not so much for its flavor, but really more for its aesthetic appeal).


Wishing you all a new week of eating well!

Dinner 3: Mexican Chicken and Rice Pot with Almond Milk Smoothie

**Please see DISCLAIMERS on the post for Dinner #1.

For Stacy, who had lots of good stuff available, but who specifically had the following Foods To Use Up: almond milk and pre-seasoned chicken fajita strips.  That she did not want to use in fajitas.  Oh, and she doesn't like soup.  She was clearly out to get me.  But the ingredients she had seemed to lead to the following simple meal, which should not be too foreign for a typically meat and potatoes kind of family. 

MAIN DISH: Mexican Chicken and Rice Pot

Ingredients:

--rice, any kind, already cooked, enough to feed your family tonight with a little left over
--at least ½ a large onion (white, yellow or red), chopped (I would use a whole onion—is that too spicy?)
--no garlic because DJ’s not a fan (but anyone else reading this, I would put in about 3 large cloves ; )
--pre-seasoned chicken fajita strips, chopped
--2 cans diced tomatoes
--1 can tomato sauce
--1 small can diced green chilis (optional)
--1 can kidney beans and one can black beans (if you are not a fan of beans, at least use the one can of black. Trust me.), rinsed and drained.
--frozen corn (roasted, if possible)
--ground cumin, oregano, black pepper

In a big pot, sauté the chopped onion (and optional pressed garlic) in olive oil on med. high heat, for about 5 minutes, until slightly soft and translucent. Add chicken strips and sauté for several more minutes, adding about a tablespoon of water if necessary to keep from sticking.

Add cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir.* (Also stir in the chopped green chilis, if you care to use them.) If it looks like you will have proportionally too much tomato for the amount of chicken, then only use one can of the diced tomatoes. But if you are not sure, you can always toss in the second can just to be safe—always better to have a saucy rice dish than a dry one! *I always swish a little water into my tomato sauce jars/cans and dump it in the pot too—better to “rinse” out the last bits of food into my pot than down the drain.

Stir in beans. Add dried cumin and oregano and black pepper, to taste (about 2 tsp. cumin, 1 ½ tsp oregano, healthy peppering).

Cover and bring contents of pot to simmer (might need to bring up temperature under the pot for a minute to help). When bubbly, add what looks like a good amount of frozen corn. Stir, and then cover again and simmer until the corn seems done.

At this point you can choose to either add your cooked rice to the pot and mix it all together and heat until warmed through (ideal when you are using leftover rice cold from the fridge) or bring your pot to the table and serve it over freshly cooked rice. Stacy, I think your family would like the first option—it’s a little more homey in my opinion and more authentic to the Blessed Table experience ; ).

Serve into bowls and top with shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, Colby—or any “Mexican” mix will be fine)


My family would probably eat this with corn tortilla chips (blue corn! Yum!) and no side dish. But if you want a side, I would recommend a salad with ranch dressing, and if you want a veggie on the side, I would choose steamed fresh broccoli or carrots.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

ON THE SIDE: Almond Milk Smoothie


(Hope you have a good blender!)

Into your blender, put your frozen berries and banana chunks, in that order. (optional: add ice or ice cream next if you want.) Pour almond milk on top of fruit. (optional: can also add honey if you like.)

Blend and serve!

 
Yes, Stacy, please do tell me if you make this dinner (or a part of it).  And if you blog about it, I assume you will be nice--but you can also be honest. : )  Thanks for playing!  Oh, and while you listed all the ways you cook, you did not mention sauté.  Ack, that's all I know how to do--sauté and soup!  I hope you didn't consider sauteing the same as frying. Please forgive me if you meant you don't cook on the stovetop and if you don't have a good blender.  I guess then I'll owe you dinner. ; )

Dinner 2: Big Cozy Beef Pot with Sautéed Veggie Polenta

**Please see DISCLAIMERS on the post for Dinner #1.

For Aubrey, who had typical pantry goods and the following Foods To Use Up: carrots, celery, asparagus, ground beef, quinoa polenta. Gluten free and dairy free!

Main Dish:  Big Cozy Beef Pot 

Ingredients:

--1 big onion (yellow or white)
--celery, chopped
--mushrooms (optional, if you have them and like them)
--carrot, chopped
--Better Than Bullion or broth of some kind
--1 can tomato sauce
--1 can diced tomatoes
--1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
--Approx. ½ tsp. garlic powder, or more to taste
--1-2 Tsp. Rosemary, or more to taste
--1 bay leaf
--pepper (lots!)
--frozen green beans or peas (optional, I recommend using if NOT using mushroom)
--fresh parsley if you have it (optional, I recommend using if NOT using peas)

In your big pot, sauté the onion and celery (approximately similar amounts of each veggie) in olive oil for a few minutes, until soft and translucent, adding tablespoon of water if necessary to keep them from getting too brown. Add mushrooms if you like, and sauté a few minutes more.

Add carrot and along with it about 1-2 inches of water and a little "Better Than Bullion" (or just use the broth of your choice) in your pot. Crank up your heat and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until carrots are mostly done.

In the meantime, (or before, depending on how well you multi-task, or don’t) cook your ground beef in a separate skillet however you like. (You can use the same pot as the veggies, if you like, just cook the meat first, then remove and set it aside until you need it again.)

When carrots are almost done, uncover and add the cooked ground beef, the tomato sauce and canned chopped tomatoes, the kidney beans, the garlic powder and herbs. Stir well and re-cover. When the ingredients reach a simmer, add the frozen green beans if you want them. Stir well and cover and cook at a low simmer for about 5-15 minutes, however long seems right, stirring as necessary.

When ready, remove bay leaf and stir in pepper. If adding frozen peas, add them here at the end and stir well—they will get cooked just enough by the heat of the other foods. If you did not use peas and have fresh parsley, snip some into the pot and stir in.  Pepper (and salt) to taste.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Side Dish: Sautéed Veggie Polenta

Ingredients:

--chopped onion (any will do, even green)
--diced garlic
--asparagus, snapped into approx. 1 inch segments
--sweet red pepper (if you have it), cut into one-inch long strips
--mushrooms (if you have them and if you like them), sliced thinly
--1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (if you have them and like them)
--a little broth
--dried basil, pepper, salt if you like

In skillet, sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, adding a tablespoon of water if necessary to keep from sticking. Add red pepper and mushroom if you have them, and sauté for a few more minutes. Add asparagus and sauté for just a few minutes—no longer than 3 minutes!

Meanwhile, crumble the quinoa polenta in a bowl—use a fork or potato masher if necessary. If you like the consistency as is, then great. If you think it is too dry, add a little warm broth (can use some from main dish) and mash together. (The goal is a grainy texture, but not too dry—if it ends up mush that will not be as nice on the tongue but should still taste great!)

When veggies are ready, add polenta to skillet along with just a little broth and stir well.

Add garbanzo beans. Add a sprinkle of dried basil and pepper (salt if desired), put the lid on the pot and set heat to low. Let asparagus and veggies steam for a few minutes, and the quinoa get warm throughout. But do NOT let the asparagus get overdone! This will be the trickiest part of the meal to time, because overcooked asparagus is just no good. So if you are worried about the timing, don’t sauté the asparagus with the other veggies, but just add it to the pot with the quinoa polenta and add a bit more broth so they can steam fully. Remember the asparagus will continue to cook after you turn off the heat as long as the lid is on the pot, and time things accordingly.

(I apologize, Aubrey, if you know all about cooking asparagus—some of the people who read this may not!)

If you have fresh basil, use it instead of the dry, but just snip it into the dish at the very end and mix it in before you serve. Or you can snip green onion or fresh parsley on top too! OR chop some fresh diced tomato on top before you serve. . . a little fresh taste with a hot grainy dish does amazing things!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

There you are, Aubrey! I think these two dishes would taste good served together, but you could omit the beans from one of the dishes if you do. (They should be really good with this dish if the polenta turns out more grainy than mushy—if the polenta is mushy, omit the beans and leave them in the entrée.) A green salad would be perfect on the side, but you already have so many beautiful veggies represented that if you are tired of chopping after you have made these dishes, they will be fine on their own.

Please let us know if you actually make either of these! : )

Dinner 1: Savory Cabbage and Potato Pot

Our first dinner in the Blessed Table Dinner Challenge!

DISCLAIMERS: I cook on a gas stove, and whenever I cook on someone else’s electric I am always completely flummoxed by how long it takes for the burner to respond to my changes on the dial, so I apologize right now if my instructions for managing temperature don’t work with your stove. Think about how you normally cook, how your stovetop normally responds, and modify my instructions as needed!

You are always welcome to chop your veggies into whatever shapes are most pleasing to you—I made suggestions here that seem to fit the flavors and feel of the dish, and that look pretty together. : ) Just remember to keep your chopped veggies roughly the same size, so they cook about the same length of time.

And remember, I am making this up in my head, but I am a visual person and cook best with the ingredients in front of me. So, do what seems logical! If I say half a cabbage and your cabbage is small and you have a lot of the other ingredients, then use the whole cabbage. Keep things proportional—that’s the key. : )

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Anon’s list of Things to Be Used Up: Ground turkey, cabbage, Maui Onions, spinach, carrots and regular pantry staples on hand. Given this combination—esp. the sweet nature of those Maui onions and sautéed cabbage—I immediately thought of Eastern European flavors.


Savory Cabbage and Potato Pot

Ingredients:
--ground turkey (don’t know how to approximate amounts of this—one package? Eye-ball it so you don't end up with proportionally more meat than the amount of veggies)
--One large Maui onion (or 2 small), sliced in thin rounds
--About ½ a medium green cabbage, chopped
--About 3-4 carrots, quartered lengthwise and then cut into 1 inch pieces
--About 2-3 potatoes—red, gold, russet—chopped into pieces 1” or smaller (you want to end up with proportionally a little more potato than carrot, so adjust the # of potatoes you use depending upon how big they are)
--garlic powder, pepper, dried dill weed (if you don’t have dill, go with crushed dried rosemary and thyme)
--a lot of fresh spinach, rinsed and sorted (I dunno, about ½ a bag? Remember, it will reduce drastically, so always add a little more than you think you need) If the leaves are really big, then tear or chop. If baby spinach, just toss in as is.
--OPTIONAL but recommended: sour cream, yogurt, or sharp cheddar cheese (any cheddar will do, but sharp is best)

Cook your ground turkey in a skillet however you like. (That’s as close to instructions as this vegetarian can get!)

(To save washing an extra pot, you can cook the meat and then transfer it to another dish and use the same pot for the next steps. Or if you prefer to be cooking them at the same time, you can use two pots.)

In large pot, sauté onion and cabbage in olive oil for a few minutes until transluscent, adding a tablespoon of water every now and then, as necessary, to keep them from sticking and getting too brown.

Add a little water—about ¾ cup--and add your chopped carrots. Cover the pot and crank up the heat, bringing the contents to a simmer. When simmering, add the potato and stir, adjusting the temperature under the pot to keep the food simmering, but not boiling. Cover and let cook for at least 5 minutes. When potatoes and carrots feel mostly done (fork prick test), add ground turkey and stir well. Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder and pepper and LOTS of dried dill. (Can salt too, if you desire, just go easy. : ) Cook, uncovered now, for about 5-10 minutes, until everything is hot and cooked through.

When it all looks good, toss in your fresh spinach and stir it in. Put on the lid, set to low heat, and let it cook for about 2 minutes more. Uncover, turn off the heat, stir, and sprinkle one last round of dill. (Can’t have too much dill!)

At this point you have options—you can mix in a couple tablespoons of sour cream or yogurt right there in the pot and serve it like that (not too much, now!). You can add some grated sharp cheddar cheese on top. You can deliver it to the table as is, and allow people to add sour cream/yogurt/cheese if they desire. You can even do a little of both your creamy white and your shredded orange! You can serve this over or alongside egg noodles or brown rice, or just have garlic bread on the side. Make a nice green salad and some applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon and you have a beautiful, healthy meal!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Here you are, Anon! You did not say the color of your cabbage, so I just assumed green. Red won’t be as nice in this dish, if that’s what you have—I usually reserve red cabbage for salads—but you can use it, or leave it out and just use the other ingredients. If you use rosemary instead of dill, might want to add it when you add the water, to let it cook longer. You did not say what kind of spinach you had, so I guessed fresh. If your spinach is frozen, just thaw it out beforehand, and then add it when you add the ground turkey, to let the flavors meld a bit longer. And if your spinach was frozen, add more dill, and go with the grated cheddar on top instead of the sour cream.  And if you didn't have potatoes, no worries!  Just use all that cabbage, and be sure to serve alongside a starch, like rice. 

Please let us know if you actually try this dish!  : )

The Blessed Table Dinner Challenge is on!

Since only three brave souls wanted to play, everyone's a winner!  So, Aubrey, Stacy, and Nydia, you're on!  (Except, um, Stacy?  If that mac n cheese is a week old, I am barring it from the game--just my luck it would give you food poisoning and everyone would blame ME! ; )

So here's what you do:
1) leave a comment here telling me what you have in the fridge that you really want to use up, and what foods your family loves (i.e. Mexican, Italian, etc.) and what foods they hate, and any particular dietary needs of your family.  (don't worry, I'm not asking you to be exhaustive--just give me the basics)

2) I will try to "make" you a dinner from your list!  I'll assume you have staples like milk, some cheese, basic veggies like potatoes and carrots and some basic canned goods like tomato sauce, so be sure to tell me if you are out of something you think I might use.

If you leave your list by Friday noon, I will "make" your dinner that afternoon!   If you don't see this or have a chance to comment by then, don't worry, just post your list when it is convenient, and I will respond as soon as I can!  (DH's parents might be coming for this 3-day weekend, and we have a birthday party AND the start of a homeschool "camp" here!  Whew!)

Thanks for playing, ladies.  This just might be fun!

Oh, and Stacy, thanks for the game name idea--your explanation is good, and I love the additional implication that my whipping up dinner is sometimes a "miracle."  too true.  But I am balking at there being the least thought in anyone's minds that I think what I come up with is anything even remotely close to what Jesus would.  ; )  (WWJD? Not put that ricotta into a soup with that pumpkin and that oatmeal, is what y'all would be thinking!)

I'm really excited about this!  Thanks for humoring me. : )

It's (ok, was) my 2nd bloggiversary! Who's up for a game? (UPDATED)

I realized just yesterday that my blogger anniversary was around now--looks like it was on the 21st of Jan.  Whoops!  How time flies!

So, thank you all for sharing in this online adventure.  I have really enjoyed the outlet for creative expression, and, this past year, for indulging my aesthetic sensibilities with visual feasts of etsy beauty.  ; ) Writing helps me work through things, and I pray some of what I write is helpful in the hearts and minds of some of my readers.  I love being part of a virtual village--thank you, fellow villagers, for sharing it with me!

And, even though I never think of this as any kind of food blog, some of my favorite posts have been about the crazy dinners I make from whatever I can scrounge up in the kitchen.  I seriously never thought of myself as a cook, until I honed my kitchen gleaning skills these past two years and started blogging about it.  Partly from your comments, I have realized this is not just a regular thing that everybody does, and it has seriously made me feel so much better about my cooking skills.  So thank you for the fun and encouraging comments!  I am enjoying cooking now more than I ever have, and am approaching dinners with more confidence and enthusiasm.  I give you all half of the credit for that!

So I was saying to my dear Becky just yesterday that in honor of my bloggiversary this year I thought it would be fun to see if anyone wants to play a virtual game, where I will "create" a dinner for you out of what is in your fridge!  Becky was sweetly enthusiastic and told me there was a lady who regularly does this, in a spot called "Stump the Cook" on her public radio cooking show.  Well, if thousands (hundreds? ; ) of public radio fans enjoy it, maybe some of you will too!

So, who wants to play?  (And who can come up with a catchy name for the game?  It's not leaping out at me. . .)  If you do, just leave a comment to this post.  One week from today the game will be on!  I'll select a "winner" from those who want to play, and tell you who won.  You then have to tell me some of the things in your fridge you want to use up, and what frozen/canned goods you have.  If your family has special dietary needs, be sure to say so!  It's ok to tell me you have meat to use up--I'll do the best I can with it, but just be warned that is not my specialty.  ; ) 

UPDATE:

You folks crack me up.  The silence in here is deafening!  You are all totally and completely quaking in your boots at the thought of what I might come up with and that you would have to COOK IT and EAT IT.  Uh-huh, now I REALLY know what you all think of my creative cooking skills! ; )

I realize I did not make this clear in the above post, so let me do so now:
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY COOK WHAT I COME UP WITH.  Of course, you could always try it, and then you would truly have the Blessed Table experience, which might be fun and might even be tasty--wait, did I just name the game?  I think I did!  I know you Midwesterners in particular might be really nervous about the thought of eating the weird combinations I come up with (maybe Scottish Twins aside).  But think about this--since the food selection will be coming from YOUR fridge, how weird could it be?  (I doubt most of you have on hand in your fridge the things I routinely do, like kalamata olives and feta and artichoke hearts and. .  i'm making myself hungry. . . but you get the idea)

So, NO PRESSURE!  No one has to want to play the game--I will not be the least bit offended, although I will be quite amused. : )

Much love to all of you this Friday!

the evolution of a dinner--a "How To" for you

First, run errands with your children around lunchtime.  On the way home, pass Taco Bell and get everyone in the mood for Mexican-ish food. Resist the strong temptation to stop at Taco Bell, instead congratulate yourself mentally for your will power and actually having rice in the house, and tell the kids you will make them burrito bowls for lunch instead. 

At home, be thankful for the white rice that you got at Winco with MIL, which is not as good for you as brown, but which only takes 15 minutes to cook.  And is really yummy. While the rice is cooking, search the fridge and freezer for any suitable veggies with which to make fajitas, and come up empty handed, since you have not been back to Safeway since that terrible morning three weeks ago when the express clerk scolded you for violating the sanctity of her zone with more than 15 items, an event which you are clearly long over.

Also while the rice is cooking, have the children come to the table and eat the last pieces of dry Crispix and raisins still in their bowls from when you had to rush away from the breakfast table to make it to martial arts at 10:30 (dry cereal because you ran out of milk yesterday).  When the rice is done, and the bowls are empty, put a generous helping into each child's bowl.  Top the rice with a little salsa, some canned black beans (rinsed and drained), and shredded cheddar.  Give them tortilla chips to scoop it up with.  Savor the moment, as your children devour your "efforts" and praise your culinary "skills."

Don't put the food away, because you are not quite ready to eat but will as soon as the kids are settled for naptime shortly.  Then, make up your bowl of food and put away the cheese, since you have to, but leave the rinsed beans in the collander and the cooked rice in the pot, because you can and you are lazy and just want to go sit down and eat in peace in front of the computer and worry about cleaning up the mess later.  Eat, rest and refresh, but be sure never to go back into the kitchen, lest you see the mess and feel the need to do something about it.  When you do have to pass through the kitchen, carefully avert your eyes and keep your mind otherwise occupied.  After all, your toddler really needs a nap, and although he is currently kicking the bars of the crib and happily yelling, you don't want to keep him from sleeping by making noise in the kitchen.

When naptime is over, get involved in a massive purging effort under the house.  Keep it up until it is way past time for you to be cooking dinner.  When you have procrastinated as long as you can, head back to the kitchen while trying to think what you could make for dinner that does not involve milk or bread or fresh fruits and vegetables, and see the rice and beans you never put away.  You will be inspired! 

Grab a big pot and start heating a couple of inches of water in it.  (Normally you would have sauted some onion in the bottom of the pot first, but you ran out of onion last Friday).  When the water is boiling, toss in about 4-5 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed.  Cover and let boil until almost cooked. 

Then remove the lid and add the leftover black beans (and rinse and add one more can of black beans too). 

Also take the jar of salsa you had emptied at lunch, put a little water in it and shake it up really well, then pour that into your pot (Frugal Tip!).  Then get out a new jar of salsa and add some of that to the pot, whatever amount looks good. Add some cumin too, about 1-2 tsp. again, whatever looks good.

Also add some frozen corn--Trader Joe's roasted corn is ideal--and dump in the rice leftover from lunch. Stir well, put the lid back on, and cook several minutes more, until it is all hot and bubbly.

Also snip the last of the green onions into the pot, about 3. 

Also at this point, use your kitchen scissors to snip into the pot some thin strips of the last of your fresh greens (kale or spinach or chard--any will do) and cook for *just* a minute or two--make sure the greens are still bright green and not sickly when you are done! 

Thanks to the salsa, no need to even add pepper or salt, unless you really want.

Serve to your children, who will oooh and ahhh over the beautiful arrangement of colors in their bowls, and proclaim you a wonderful cook. 

So there you have it, my friends, how to be a desperate amazing, lazy resourceful, laughable inspired rockstar in the kitchen!

(Don't be put off by the humor--it WAS really yummy, and really easy! : )

Holiday Tomato Soup!

Once more, using up leftover bits of stuff in the fridge, and finding it is really fun and the kids love it!

--Had some leftover cooked bow-tie pasta.  Added just a little water to the pasta pot and warmed and stirred the pasta to get it unclumped (it had been tossed with garlic olive oil last night, so it was easy to separate tonight).
--Put in one can of tomato sauce and half a big jar of spaghetti sauce.  Got it all warm and just starting to bubble.
--Put in some milk and some leftover heavy cream, reduced heat to low.
--Tossed in half a bag of frozen peas.  Cooked it all for a few minutes, stirring frequently and keeping the temperature low so the milk did not start to coagulate.
--Add pepper to taste.
--When the soup is warmed through, add fresh grape tomatoes and fresh snipped basil.
--Keep warming for a few minutes to get the tomatoes warm but not hot, and then serve!

A pretty, creamy red sauce with bright balls of green and red and white bows and green confetti--a Christmas celebration in a bowl!  The kids loved it, including Smiley who is in a very finicky stage at the moment and who will look at the food being offered to him, wrinkle his nose, and say, "Yucky."  This even if it is food he could not get enough of last week.  And this from a child who has never heard his sisters call food "yucky" because that is verboten at our table--if they don't want it they know to say "No thank you" or "This is not my favorite." ; )  So I really don't know where he is getting this, but he is Newly-Two and I guess that says it all. 

Stuffing Soup

Ok, for any of you looking at leftovers and really not relishing the thought of eating them one more time in their current state. . . I give you, Stuffing Soup!

The beauty of this soup is that you use almost whatever stuff you have left over from your Thanksgiving meal!  Here is how I made it tonight, with the leftovers we brought home from DH's folks' house:

Stuffing Soup
--in a big pot, saute 1 large onion (any kind will do nicely) in olive oil (I used garlic olive oil)
--chop up and add any leftover crunchy veggies you have, like carrot and celery.  I only had a little red cabbage, so I chopped up that and sauted it, and also opened and chopped one can of water chestnuts, to add a little more crunch.
--when the veggies are to your liking, then add a little bit of water and turn up the heat under the pot.
--at this point I added the leftover gravy I had brought home (real homemade stuff--not sure how a packaged variety would work) and mixed it well with the water so there were no clumps.  Then I added a whole lot of leftover stuffing and turkey bits, which I kinda crumbled in my (clean) hand as I added them to the pot.  I mixed it all up well and added what seemed like a suitable amount of water. 
--add an appropriate amount of bullion (I used 1 heaping tsp "Better Than Bullion") and mix in well
--**key flavor:  add ground cloves and black pepper to taste. (use lots!)
--mix well and warm through.  before serving I snipped a liberal amount of fresh parsley into the pot. 

YUM.

If I wanted to make a creamy version, I would have added milk and leftover corn (or a can of creamed corn!) and leftover green beans too.  But then I would not use cloves, but would instead add dried green herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary. . . really, there are so many ways you can get creative with this idea.  But the beauty of it is using up leftovers in a way that makes them fresh again!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I hope to write about our week soon (hmmmm, where have I heard THAT one before?) but my computer time this week is being spent being a seller on eBay!  Hoping to make a little extra Christmas dough this year. . . I'll let you know how it goes!

Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup

So, after being on another groccery boycott (I think this one lasted about a month, with the help of the in-laws bringing some of their garden bounty to share with us, and with Costco for milk and bread runs), I have been getting creative in the kitchen again.  It's fun!  And sometimes, cooking with limited ingredients ends up inspiring a new dish that is really yummy, like this one I did the other night, when I was out of garlic and onion and all fresh veggies except some last spicy peppers:

Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup

In large pot, saute in olive oil 1 med-large pepper, diced (not sure what kind, medium green color, long and thin, mildly spicy).

Add:
1 can Trader Joe's chicken
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
2-3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
what seems to be the appropriate amount of water
a healthy dose of ground cumin

Bring to boil, then add:
frozen corn (Trader Joe's roasted version is PERFECT)
whole wheat spaghetti, broken into approx. 1 inch pieces*

Stir occasionally to keep spaghetti from clumping.  When spaghetti is done, turn off heat and add a liberal helping of dried oregano.

When ready, add lots of black pepper.  Serve in bowls and add fresh chopped avocado on top. 

-------------------------------
When I stood in front of the fridge that night looking at what I had and thinking of my options, I was unsure how I would get a lot of flavor in whatever I cooked without garlic or onion.  That is why I finally opted for Mexicanish food--the sauted pepper and the roasted corn added the pungent flavor base I needed.  And the fresh avocado was the crowning touch! 

But this idea is so versatile, so you can run with pretty much whatever you have on hand!  Without the fresh pepper, I could have used canned green chilis, or jarred salsa.  If I did not have noodles, I could have used rice.  If I did not have avocado, I could have used tomato sauce instead of canned tomatoes, and then added fresh diced tomato on top.  Or sour cream. 
 
The two keys to the soup's success: having the pungent flavor, and not adding too much water.  The crowning touch was the contrast between the black pepper and cool fresh avocado.

I did not add salt, since all the canned goods had salt in them. If you were cooking entirely from scratch, you would need salt.


*Easy breaking spaghetti method: hold a small bunch of the spaghetti in your left hand, over the pot to catch little bits that may drop. With your left hand, push the spaghetti into your right hand as far as the first knuckle on your thumb, then with that thumb break off the spaghetti at that length, and just let go with your right hand to drop it into the pot under you.  Then repeat. Very fast and easy this way!

Amazing Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ok, your foodies, and you frugal chefs, here is one for you!

Last night we were out of salad dressing and so I had to whip one up from scratch. This one sounded promising--and was THE BEST SALAD DRESSING I have eaten in maybe forever. Oh, it is good. And SO SO easy! And SO frugal--this must have cost something like 30 cents to make! And green too, since making my own dressing will save on packaging. Awesome all around!

And best of all, in my mind, it showed me that a simple salad can be amazingly good, with the right dressing. Because I was cleaning out the fridge last night and all I had for the salad was red leaf lettuce, red cabbage, and carrot. That seemed really boring until I added the dressing! But then the flavor woke up my mouth and I realized I had ripe avocado and added that too--Mmmmmmm!

Please someone try it and let me know what you think!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Whisk together:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3-5 cloves raw garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesean cheese

Gradually add:
1 cup olive oil (I used extra virgin)

Salt and pepper to taste (I only did pepper, since the cheese is naturally salty)

Dinner Friday and Musings

Ok, ok, I realize you are all probably getting bored with my menu posts. So feel free to skip them! Just knowing I have to say what I made is really helpful at the moment, like I wrote in my last post, so I am going to keep doing it for about another week--hopefully that will be enough to get me in good habits!

Tonight's menu:
Tomato spaghetti soup (onion and carrot sauted in olive oil in big pot, then add plenty of water, cover, and bring to boil. Toss in whole wheat spaghetti, broken into approx. 1 inch pieces, 1 28 oz can Trader Joe's marinara, 2 cans drained and rinsed garbanzo beans. Stir occassionally and simmer until done. When turn off heat, toss in bunch of kale, torn into small pieces.

To the girls' bowls I added frozen peas, to cool the soup quickly (and they think it is more yummy, so hey!)

AND I made a SALAD! The last of the romaine, torn and mixed with equal parts fresh tomato, chopped avocado, cucumber. Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, a dash of salt and plenty of pepper, mixed well.

Served with crusty white artesian bread and butter. (I always splurge on organic butter--did you know the toxins and bad stuff gets stored in fat? So I figure we can buy fat free milk non-organic for me and DH, but we buy organic any dairy with fat, like the 2% milk for the kids. Ok, I guess not all our fatty dairy--organic cheese is just too darn expensive. But luckily the butter we can get at Costco so it is more reasonable.)

I have been processing some of your helpful comments, dear readers, about planning meals in advance. And I realized that I just don't work that way. If there is a specific recipe I want to make, then I make a shopping list with those ingredients and plan on making that meal during the week. But in general I like to go to the store, buy the basics, look for what is on sale for variety, and then just whip up meals from what I have on hand. I realize most people do not like to cook like this. But it seems so much easier to me than working out all the logistics of menu preparation a week at a time! (or even two weeks!)

It is also much harder to plan menus when I shop at FOUR different stores for my grocceries, and try to only visit them when I am already in the area (and they are spread out from our village to Santa Cruz--think I'll blog about why I do this in a later post), and don't like to go with all the kids. . . which means I groccery shop as little as possible!

I also like cooking what I am in the mood for, and you realize as vegetarians I don't have to plan ahead to thaw meat, so typically I really am able to whip up whatever sounds good, as long as I give myself at least a good hour for cooking the stuff that takes longer, like making brown rice or cornbread. I DO have to think ahead to soak and cook dry beans, which is something I need to make part of the routine of the week--like Sun. night always soaking beans and then cooking them for Mon. dinner. And I really want to be making my own bread and yogurt and some healthy breakfast items like muffins to keep in the freezer. . . so ideally I will be thinking and planning ahead as a lifestyle to keep such good things on hand.

But I don't think I will ever do that for dinners!

So thank you for your comments--it is always good to consider why we do what we do, and if our methods/habits are holding us back. In my case, I enjoy the challenge and variety I get from cooking with what I have.

And if you are ever trying to make dinners out of your freezer/pantry for a week, I am your woman! ; ) Just email me for inspiration!