recipe: baked teriyaki pork chops

It's been nearly forever since I have shared a new recipe here. I'm cooking plenty, nearly every single night, in fact! I meal plan, grocery shop, rotate dishes and try new recipes several times a month.

Pork chops have always been a favorite here. Sometime last year, while trying to cook using pantry ingredients, I found a recipe for Saucy Salsa Baked Chops. It became an instant hit. I tweaked it a bit over time and now omit the marmalade and use Trader Joe's Smoky Peach Salsa. The combination is such a winner!

The recipe itself is fairly basic and when I came across an unopened bottle of Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki in the pantry, I decided to play around with a different spin. Now having prepared the meal twice, I felt compelled to share what is a new favorite - Baked Teriyaki Pork Chops!

The prep is very easy, even with three kids twirling around my ankles and pulling at my cardigan. If I can make this on a week night, so can you!

Chop up half a yellow onion and one red bell pepper and toss them in a 9x9" ceramic baking dish. Don't have one? Spray a metal pan and toss them in that. I love ceramic for the ease of clean up. Salt and pepper each side of your boneless pork chops. Heat a bit of olive oil in a frying pan, getting it good and hot, and sear the chops, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Add those to the baking dish over the chopped veggies. Add half a can of chunk pineapple (drained) on the chops. Pour a cup of Teriyaki sauce over the top and put them in a hot oven for 40 minutes. They are so, so good that you may want to double the recipe for leftovers!

Baked Teriyaki Pork Chops
Yield 4 servings

4 boneless pork chops, about 3/4" thick
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup chunk pineapple in juice, drained
1 cup Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce
salt and ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add diced onion and pepper to bottom of a 9x9" ceramic baking dish or, a prepared metal pan.
3. Add oil to a fry pan over med-high heat until hot. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Sear chops in the fry pan, 3-4 minutes per side until slightly golden brown.
4. Remove chops from pan and add to baking dish, over onion and pepper.
5. Top chops with chunk pineapple, followed by teriyaki sauce.
6. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Serve hot over cooked rice.

Enjoy!
Jen

it's monday, i'm in luck...

happy st. paddy's day!

On this lucky day, this part-Irish blogger and mom has decided to make a return to posting. The adjustment from two to three children has been heart wrenching and wonderful. Adding a newborn to the family at the same time as we settled in to our new home and have been working on selling our condo? Well, it's been an adventure we won't forget. Ever. I have so much to say and to share from photos to project life to recipes (yes, I've been cooking too!). Today is for a photo share and what we are having for dinner on this Irish eve.

These three cuties indulged me in a few photos this morning, sporting their green and orange. The Irish in their blood may be quite diluted but, they sure wear the colors well!

As for dinner, I thought briefly about making corned beef and cabbage. While it's okay once a year, it's just not my favorite meal. Considering that it would only be Mr. Boom and I eating the meal (the boys? Ha!), I decided the effort was better spent on something else. It happens to be frigid outside - in the 20's - so, a hearty soup seemed in order. Enter a new favorite recipe: Zuppa Tuscana. I know, I know. Italian soup? But, it totally counts...see?

 

Make this. You'll be so glad you did!

Zuppa Tuscana

Credit: SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
• 3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
• 1 cup whipping cream
• parmesan cheese, grated
  

In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off grease leaving a tbsp to saute the onion.

Push the sausage and bacon to the edge of the pot and add the onion to the center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.

Stir in the stock and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add kale (I used a baby kale and spinach mix) and whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Top with parmesan cheese, when serving.

NOTES:
- Instead of hot italian sausage, I used mild and added some crushed red pepper
- After the first time I made this recipe, my husnad asked if it could be creamier/thicker instead of brothy. This time (as pictured above), just before adding the kale and cream, I removed about 1 cup of the potatoes and some broth and blended them in my Magic Bullet then added back to the soup pot. Instant creamy texture without cooking the soup down. Perfect! I'll do this each time.

recipe: peanut butter cake mix cookies

I pin many things and often in short, furious spurts. Unfortunately, much of the time, my 88 boards serve only as virtual eye candy. Earlier this week though, I pinned a cookie recipe and asked my son if he would like to help me make them soon. "Yes, Mommy! I want to help you bake cookies." Today, we did just that! We had the short list of ingredients on hand and turned it into a fun little morning project while little brother napped.

Ready for how easy this one is? Gather these four ingredients. We also added chocolate chips, per G's request, but they aren't necessary.

Add all of the ingredients to the mixer bowl (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer) and mix on low until incorporated. Then, drop by tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets (G used a cookie scoop).

Flatten each cookie, gently, with a fork in a criss cross pattern.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges.

The result is a slightly soft, slightly crumbly cookie that is packed with peanut butter flavor. Give them a try!

Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

(Source: Youth Literature Reviews)

Yields approx. 3 dozen

 

1 package yellow cake mix

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

2 large eggs

Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (check at 9 or 10 minutes to prevent over-browning).

cooking with fage...

 

I was thrilled to be selected for the FAGE Bzz Campaign for a chance to share more about our favorite yogurt. My Greek husband was brought up on FAGE and it is still, hands down, his favorite. We use it for breakfast with fruit and a bit of honey, in smoothies for our boys, to make the best tzatziki and, now, in recipes. The FAGE website has fantastic recipes by top chefs. This one is on my next try list:

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

4.4 oz FAGE Total Yogurt
7 oz plain flour
2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3.5 oz soft brown sugar
1 large egg
3.5 oz butter, melted
1 tsp imitation vanilla extract
5.3 oz chunky applesauce

Combine all dry and liquid ingredients in separate bowls.

Mix the two sets of ingredients together until evenly combined.

Spoon into muffin tin lined with paper muffin cases.

Bake in a preheated oven at 390ºF for 12 – 15 minutes until golden and firm.

Cool slightly and lightly dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

recipe: tangy slow cooker pork chops

Some weeks I have a meal plan all set. Others, I have a vague idea and then kind of wing it day by day with the proteins and staples we have on hand. This week I'm winging it.

After feeding the boys breakfast this morning, I opened the fridge and the cupboards to brainstorm for dinner. I had a package of boneless center cut pork chops in the fridge but, no ideas. Asking my moms Facebook group for suggestions resulted in several delicious recipes but, I didn't have all of the ingredients for a single one.

{insert improvisation}

One of the shared links was for a pork roast, cooked in the crock pot with sweet potatoes, onion and apple. No sweet potatoes here and only the chops but, I did have apples and onion. Rummaging through the veggie drawer I discovered a bag of carrots. This could work. Back to the cupboard, I looked through my seasoning packets. The ingredients listed on a McCormick envelope of Pot Roast seasoning sounded promising. Since the packet contained brown sugar, I decided to play that up, always a great pairing with apples and pork. The result? Fantastic. The pork chops were fork tender, yet held their shape. The vegetable and fruit mixture was tangy with just a hint of sweetness, a perfect complement to the chops. Easy prep and heavenly scents wafting through the house all day were bonuses. Mr. Boom and I both loved this dish, served with a side of stuffing.

Step 1: Chop up the carrots, onions and apples. Toss in the bottom of the crock.

Step 2: Whisk together the seasoning packet, brown sugar and liquids.

Step 3: Place chops on top of the chopped veggies and apples. Pour sauce mixture on top. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

 The delicious end result...

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Chops

6-8 carrots, chopped
2 medium sweet onions, roughly chopped
2 green apples, cut in wedges

1 packet McCormick Savory Pot Roast Seasoning
3 heaping tsp brown sugar
1 dash worcestershire sauce
1 cup water

2-3 pounds boneless center cut pork chops (I used 2.6 pounds = seven 3/4" thick chops)

Add first three ingredients (vegetables through apple) to bottom of the crock. Arrange pork chops on top of veggies and apples. Whisk together seasonings in a small bowl, pour over chops. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

recipe: soft and thick sugar cookies

Yes, two recipes in a week (and another tucked away for next) because this was too good not to share. 

For Valentine's Day we were staying home and not making a big fuss but, I made a new recipe for dinner and wanted dessert to be special. Earlier in the week, I had pinned a recipe for sugar cookies claiming they were better than the Lofthouse cookies found in the grocery store. And easy. Sold.

The boys and I hit the grocery store on Thursday afternoon, picked up the few ingredients we didn't have on hand and George helped me whip up a batch. That quickly turned to two. Ahem. Just go ahead and make them. Really.

Soft and Thick Sugar Cookies
Recipe adapted from Noshings
Source: Homemade By Holman

Cookies:
1 18 oz box white cake mix with pudding in the mix
2/3 cup flour
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
2 T sour cream (I used reduced fat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together cake mix and flour.  Add eggs, oil and sour cream and mix on medium speed until incorporated.  Batter will be fairly stiff.  Use a cookie scoop or roll into approximately one inch balls and bake on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.  This will help keep the bottoms of the cookies from browning.  Use the heel of your hand or a glass dusted with sugar to gently flatten cookies to about a half inch thick.  You don't want the bottoms to be browned or you've overbaked these.  Bake approximately 10 minutes until just set.  Let cool about 1 minute on the pan and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Frost as desired. There is a frosting recipe in the pin/link but, I used canned and added red sugar to top. Let frosting set and store in airtight container.

Source: homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest

recipe: cranberry chicken

This recipe has become a fast favorite here. I discovered it when a friend posted it on my mom's Facebook page back in the fall and was intrigued. That it can be thrown together in about 30 seconds and fully cooked in less than 3 hours in the crock pot? Huge bonus. I serve the chicken over rice and with a side of veggies.

Cranberry Chicken for Slow Cooker

2.5 - 3 pounds chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, skinned (I use boneless, skinless)
1 16-ounce can whole cranberry sauce (if using jellied, just toss in some dried cranberries)
2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix (I use the whole packet for a more savory flavor)
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

Place chicken pieces in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir together cranberry sauce, dry soup mix, and tapioca. Pour over chicken pieces.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Serve chicken and sauce over hot cooked rice.

Makes 6 servings.

recipe: hearty butternut squash, chicken and quinoa stew

I tried this Pinterest recipe find back in the fall, to rave reviews and it has now become a comfort food staple in our meal rotation. Hearty, delicious and healthy. It is a multi-step recipe that takes time but, is so worth it! It feeds the four of us for 2 meals. Mr. Boom loves it even though he is not normally a fan of squash.

Original pin here...Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa

I took this photo as soon as I finished cooking this stew last Friday on a very cold New York afternoon. Notice the lack of olives in my version (because, well, not my thing).

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use the full 32 oz carton)
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (I use Penzy's 4S seasoned salt)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives (I omit)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.

Notes: Calories 329 / Total Fat 14.1g / Saturated Fat 1.0 / Cholesterol 15.2mg / Sodium 1209mg / Total Carbohydrates 32.8g / Fiber 5.4g / Sugars 3.0g / Protein 19.4g / WW (Old Points) 7 / WW (Points+) 9

Credit: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2011/11/hearty-chicken-stew-with-butternut-squash-quinoa-recipe/

recipe: carmelized apple pork chops

I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest several months ago and, having pork chops on hand, decided to give it a try. It has quickly become one of our go-to, quick and easy weeknight recipes.

Caramelized Apple Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Salt and black pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium tart apples, cored and cut in 1/8" slices

1 small sweet onion, sliced thin

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Saute chops, 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until both sides are evenly browned. Remove chops from pan; keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet; stir in brown sugar mixture, onion and apples. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or just until apples are tender.

Remove apple mix with a spoon and arrange on top of chops; serve warm.

sweets of the season...

Christmas is nearly upon us and our life from early November to now has been a whirlwind of G's second birthday preparations, a bout with the croup, getting our nursery ready to fit both our growing toddler and our baby-to-be, holiday shopping, crazy work schedules, my sister's wedding and a partridge in a pear tree ;-)

Though juggling all of this has had it's challenges I have also been very aware of our many blessings:

• a healthy pregnancy and feeling this new life move and grow
• a happy, healthy, energetic and sweet as can be toddler
• a warm home that we own and enjoy
• gainful employment
• the love of family

This past Sunday we attended church and gave thanks for all of your blessings while celebrating Advent.  After mass, we walked over to the church hall where a coffee hour and luncheon was set to begin.  George was enamored with the lights on the christmas tree and, of course, the many cookies ready to sample.

 Look at the joy on his little face!

And, speaking of cookies, this year I attended my very first cookie swap.  Though there are favorites I bake nearly every year, I wanted to try something new and festive for this event.  In one of my online groups another mom had posted a recipe for Peppermint Meltaways that seemed to fit what I was looking for.  Though more time and labor intensive than I had anticiapted (note: take butter out to soften before leaving for church), I was happy with how they turned out.  If you have a few hours of dedicated baking time before the Christmas festivities this weekend, you might want to give them a whirl...

Cookie:
1 cup unslated butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more to taste)

2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired

Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Combine butter, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls (I used a small cookie scoop for uniformity) of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets (be gentle with this as the still warm cookies are quite delicate). Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy. Alow to set out until glaze/icing hardens.

 

Note: I made a triple batch and decided to ice the cookies rather than use a looser glaze.  The frosting set up/hardened nicely when set out overnight. I ended up adding at least three times the recommended peppermint in the frosting as I preferred a stronger flavor.  Add more to taste as you mix and decide on the consistency you'd like.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and may all the blessings of the season be with you and yours...

recipe: pumpkin chip cookies

Happy first Monday of October! Fall weather has finally arrived in our corner of New York with cooler temps, leaves just starting to show some color and a full calendar of autumn events. This is my favorite season for so many reasons, among which is the ability to turn the oven back on, welcoming the resulting warmth in our home. And, naturally, all things baked with pumpkin and apples. The crisp weather inspires me to try new recipes and treat family and friends to long-standing favorites.

Yesterday morning was spent apple picking and playing in the pumpkin patch at a local orchard with my two guys. You would have thought we had brought G to Disneyland for the excitement on his face upon seeing the thousands of apples within his reach! I'll be reliving the joy of that hour exploring the orchard in my memory for years to come.

When we returned home, after scoring a bag of honeycrisp apples and a bounty of difficult to find 15 ounce cans of pure packed pumpkin, it was time to bake. I'd always liked the idea of a pumpkin cookie but had never found a recipe that peaked my interest until I came across this one on allrecipes.com - the measurements ensuring a large batch (who wants to bake cookies with only a 2 dozen yield?) and a subtle pumpkin flavor. The reviews were excellent and more than delivered. The result was a moist, cake-like cookie with a hint of pumpkin, just the right amount of spice and, naturally, chocolate. The batch yielded a staggering 7 dozen so, be prepared to share, bake for a party or to freeze some for a later date.

Pumpkin Chip Cookies
Yield: 7 dozen

1.5 c butter, softened
2 c packed brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1 (15 oz) can pure packed pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 c all purpose flour
2 c quick oats
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
2 c (or more) chocolate chips (I used milk and white chips)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

2. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla (will be a light, fluffy mousse-like consistency). In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, spices and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Drop by tablespoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

recipe: baked chicken and sweet potatoes

I tried this recipe for dinner on Friday night and it was so delicious (and simple) that it had to be shared. As chicken is the protein of choice in our house, I've tested numerous dishes over the past few years. This is going into my top 5 favorites. Fool-proof, incredibly flavorful and easy on the budget. I'm already looking forward to making it again.

One-pan Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

3/4 c Zesty Italian Dressing
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 lbs sweet potatoes (about 4) cut in 3/4 inch wide spears
4 lbs chicken pieces (I used legs and thighs), on the bone

Heat oven to 375.

Mix salad dressing, brown sugar, vinegar and thyme in a bowl. Add potatoes, toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to lasagna or roasting pan (approx. 15x10x1"), reserving dressing mixture in bowl.

Add chicken to reserved dressing mix, toss to coat. Place in pan with potatoes. Pour remaining sauce over chicken.

Bake 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through (165 degrees).

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

recipe: ground turkey with potatoes and spring peas

On Monday's post, I mentioned incorporating some of our family favorites into our weekly meal plan.  Although it has been great to try new things (especially since the recipes have all been quick and easy), inserting an old favorite or a new must-try is also good. Yes, it means tweaking the grocery list, thus complicating the point of using a generated meal plan a bit but, to me those few extra minutes are worth the effort.

I have hundreds quite a few recipes tagged in my Google Reader, just waiting to try out.  In the interest of the heat of summer (no oven, please!) and busy evenings (make it quick!), not many have been attempted recently.  But, glancing through my tags last week this one called to me yet again.  So, I added it to our meal plan and grocery list and gave it a whirl. 

I'm SO glad I did!  It was a fresh change, used only one pan, was a bit different on the taste scale (I rarely use cilantro) and super easy.  Here is my (slightly) modified version:

Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas

Original recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com

1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes, well drained

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup fresh cilantro
20 oz lean ground turkey
1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen baby peas, defrosted
3 red potatoes, washed and diced into 1 inch cubes
8 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin, or to taste
salt, to taste
1 bay leaf


1. In a food processor (or you can chop by hand) finely chop tomato, garlic and cilantro.
2. In a large skillet, brown turkey and season with salt and cumin to taste. When meat is browned and cooked through add onion, chopped tomato mixture, peas, potato, tomato sauce, water, cumin, salt and bay leaf.
3. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Remove bay leaf and serve hot with dinner rolls or crusty bread.
 
NOTES:
- The original recipe called for using a chopped, fresh tomato.  We never have fresh tomatoes in the house (oh, skeeve!) so, I subbed in the can of diced tomatoes, drained.  Perfect substitute using an ingredient I always have on hand. 
- The original also suggested serving the dish over rice.  Considering the potatoes in the recipe, I thought this would be far too much starch for one meal.  I served it in large bowls with bread on the side. Yes, bread is a starch and so my first argument makes no sense. Silly me!
- I rarely use scallions and did not wish to buy an entire bunch for just a few so, used the finely diced onion instead.
- It was late July when I prepared this recipe so, spring peas?  Not available.  Hence the frozen.  Works for me!
- Mr. Boom and I both loved this recipe and I'll be making it again.  George, however, tried it and spit it out.  I'm certain it was the cilantro since he happily eats the rest of the ingredients in other meals. 

meal planning + monday + slow cooker = good things

1. Grocery shopping on a (non-holiday) Monday morning is a lovely experience, even with toddler in tow. The stockers are out en force, the produce is all prettily arranged and there are deals to be had. Add to that, the store is generally close to empty of other customers. Joy! Bliss!

2. Menu planning.  It saves time, saves sanity on weeknights and saves money. Having all of the ingredients for a weeks worth of dinners on hand, after just one shopping trip, saves money in time, gas, and eliminates the let's-just-get-take-out last ditch dinner. I shared earlier this month that I had subscribed to E-Mealz to help with this task.  It is working out great!  I usually spend about $100/week on groceries.  In the two weeks I have been using E-Mealz, my total at the checkout has been down to $64-68/week.  Huge savings, guesswork taken out of meals and the headache of sitting down to plan and write a complete list is nearly eliminated. Loving it! I am subscribed to the Any Store Regular Family Meal plan. If you are interested in checking out the plans to see if this could be a solution for your family, click here:

3. Look for little known deals. At our grocery store, $ off coupons get added to packages of meats on Mondays mornings. The cuts are still fresh but, marked down after the weekend rush to make room for new shipments. I saved $4.00 (in addition to sale prices) last Monday just with these extra deals on meats I was already planning on purchasing from my shopping list.

4. Pay attention to sales + coupon doubling. My store doubles all manufacturer coupons up to 99 cents. I bring all of my coupons along while shopping so that if I run into an in-store special that isn't on my list but, have a coupon, it can make for a great deal. Last week, I had two 75 cent coupons for Minute Maid Enhanced Juice Blends. The item was on sale 2/$6. Using both doubled coupons, I came home with two bottles for $3.00.

5. Keep the catalinas! Catalinas are the coupons that print out at checkout. I buy organic milk for George, which is a significant cost factored into our weekly grocery budget. Almost every time I shop, I get a catalina back for my next organic milk purchase. Today, my store had Stonyfield Farm organic milk on special for $3.19 per half gallon. I used a Catalina for $1.50 off of two half gallons. So, a gallon of milk totalled $4.88. Less than the price of regular milk and great savings on a product that we buy normally.

6. Using a slow cooker in the summer yields great meals, without heating up the house!  I am always on the look out for new and tasty slow cooker meals.  Last weekend, I came across one on Pinterest that looked too simple and yummy not to try. I worked it into our meal plan for the week and made it on Monday.  Delicious and a new favorite discovered.  You can follow the above link to the original recipe and, here is my tweaked version, reflecting chicken I had in our freezer and sneaking in more veggies:

Crockpot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
Recipe and photo credit to: Six Sister's Stuff

8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 16 oz. bottle honey bbq sauce (or Hawaiian version, if you can find one)
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 bell peppers, any color (I used green and orange) roughly chopped
hot cooked rice

Add chicken to bottom of crockpot.  Pour bottle of bbq sauce over chicken.  Add pineapple and veggies on top.  Cook on HIGH 3 hours or LOW 4-6 hours. When finished cooking, shred chicken with two forks and mix ingredients together.  Serve over hot rice.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with E-Mealz and have received no compensation for this post. Simply a satisfied subscriber passing along information.

beating the heat: homemade frozen fruit pops

As in just about every other part of America, is has been hot here.  I'm talking Satan's playground type of heat.  Record breaking temps.  Sweltering humidity.  Horribly hot and unbearable. Got the picture?  We've been trying all sorts of things to keep cool but one in particular has become George's favorite. 

Ice pops.

When he was so sick with the coxackie virus for a few days back in June, I picked up some of those freezer pops in a tube to have on hand.  He wasn't eating or drinking enough and I was about to try anything.  Hating that they were pure sugar water with nasty food dyes, to boot, I was determined for this to be a short term solution and not a habit.  The pure sugar pops were quickly replaced by 100% apple juice pops, frozen in popsicle molds I had picked up on a whim during my last trip to Ikea. Though G doesn't drink juice, an occasional juice pop was an alternative I could live with.

Then, last weekend we took a road trip to visit some friends.  Having a son close to George's age, the mom had a similar pop issue in her house.  She had recently bought a juicer and her solution was to make popsicles for her son out of her juice creations.  Perfect!

We don't have a juicer but, the Magic Bullet?  Works just as well for this. I'm sure a blender would also work fine. The next day, I pulled the bullet out of the cabinet, grabbed a few ingredients and crafted my own batch of frozen fruit pops.  Batch #1 was made with a peeled and diced apple, a handful of frozen organic wild blueberries and a splash of 100% blueberry-pomegranate juice to thin the mix out enough for the bullet to work it's magic.  I emptied the puree into a measuring cup for easier pouring and quickly filled 5 of the 6 molds from one small batch.  Inexpensive, super simple, using on-hand ingredients and all natural.

And the verdict?  Fruit pop love...