Classifying

Who knew being a chef required knowing so much about all realms of food? I love it!

Lately for work, I’ve been educating myself on the different eating limitations such as semi-vegetarians, lacto, etc. We are going to have a wide variety of clientele, so we need to make sure we can cater to everyone’s needs and keep all types happy! I ended up making posters for the kitchen walls so we can glance at them for reference. Here’s what I learned..

Semi-Vegetarians

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—YES

FISH&SEAFOOD—YES

DAIRY—YES

EGGS—YES

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

Pesco-Vegetarian

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—NO

FISH&SEAFOOD—YES

DAIRY—YES

EGGS—YES

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—NO

FISH&SEAFOOD—NO

DAIRY—YES

EGGS—YES

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

Lacto Vegetarian

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—NO

FISH&SEAFOOD—YES

DAIRY—YES

EGGS—NO

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

Ovo Vegetarian

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—NO

FISH&SEAFOOD—NO

DAIRY—NO

EGGS—YES

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

Vegan

BEEF AND PORK—NO

POULTRY—NO

FISH&SEAFOOD—NO

DAIRY—NO

EGGS—NO

GRAINS, LEGUMES, AND VEGETABLES—YES

 

Pretty interesting! Are you any of the above? My grandma is a semi-vegetarian, so I did know that one, and the vegan, but the rest were all new to me.

Onto further work updates…I planned out the first week’s menu(June 20-27), and it’s now in print! I decided that doing all Minnesota dishes would be a lot of fun for the first group of people coming. Some of the dishes include pasties, roast, wild rice dishes, and cream of potato soup.

Recently, I also tried out a new product to help speed things along in the kitchen. If you are a big fan of roasts, this is perfect!

“McCormick® Bag 'n Season® Pot Roast is the easy way to make hearty, homestyle pot roast.  Bag 'n Season® Pot Roast contains a blend of herbs and spices, as well as a cooking bag to eliminate messy cleanup.  With Bag 'n Season®, preparation and cleanup are a snap!”

You Will Need

• 1 package McCormick® Bag 'n Season® Pork Roast
  
• 3 to 4 pounds chuck, bottom round or  rump roast, trimmed. I used a pork roast.
• 4 cups cut-up fresh vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and onions
  
• 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

• PREHEAT oven to 350°F.  Arrange opened Cooking Bag in 13x9-inch baking pan or dish.  Place roast and vegetables into Bag.
• STIR Seasoning Mix and water until well blended.  Pour over roast.  Close Bag loosely with nylon tie.  Cut 4 small holes in top of Bag to allow steam to escape.

• BAKE in lower half of oven 2 hours.  Remove from oven.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Cut open Bag.  Serve roast and vegetables with pan juices. If desired, thicken juices for gravy.

Have you used these bags before? Made everything so tender and flavorful—I will definitely be using it again.

Mexican In and Out

I think it’s safe to say that Mexican food is slowly becoming my favorite cuisine to eat. Yes, it may just pass up Italian in the near future!

Sunday, my mom and I had a fun day planned. We went to a place in town that I have just recently become familiar with called “Glazed and Amused”. You go and pick out ceramic pottery ranging from plates, cups, and bowls to figurines, planting pots, and magnets. Then you choose if you want to do acrylic painting or glazed (which they fire in the kiln). They provide brushes, 100’s of colors of paints, and just a great artsy atmosphere to take your time in painting your piece. Sunday turned out to be a rainy day, so it worked out perfect!

Mom decided to paint a mug..sadly we didn’t get an “after” photo, so when I pick them up this week I’ll post the glazed pieces.

I had to choose a kitchen piece of course—I did a cutting board, but I decided I am going to hang it on my wall being I already have several cutting boards.

We had such a blast at Glazed and Amused, we are already brainstorming what we should paint for our next trip!

A few hours of intense painting can definitely work up an appetite, so we figured it was a good opportunity to try out the new Mexican restaurant in town.

Right upon entering, I loved the Spanish style decor!

And of course I love the fresh and warm tortilla chips they bring out—yum!

Fortunately, I liked my entree even more! I chose the El Mariachi Especial which consisted of steak topped with shrimp and mushrooms and a cheese sauce,I subbed a red sauce, served with rice and guacamole. Mexican flavor at it’s finest!

But, if you’re not a fan of going out to eat, or simply want to cook at home for the night, Mexican at home can be just as tasty!

Impossibly Easy Taco Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef, I used 1 cup Morningstar Soy Crumbles
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 package (1 ounce) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
• 1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
• 1/2 c sweet corn (either canned, fresh, or frozen)
• 1/2 c Hunts fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup milk, I used soymilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Heart Smart Bisquick mix
• 3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend shredded cheese
• salsa (any variety)
• Sour cream, if desired

Directions:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Cook ground beef and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in seasoning mix (dry). Spoon into pie plate; top with chilies, tomatoes, and corn.
• Stir milk, eggs and Bisquick mix until blended. Pour into pie plate.
• Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Tex mex Steak Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 1 lb flank or skirt steak
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 pkg fajita seasoning mix
• Tortillas, I used whole wheat
• Cheese, sour cream, salsa, shredded iceburg lettuce, and guacamole if desired

Directions:

• Heat to high heat a large cast iron pan or griddle. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the steak, frying on each side for 3 minutes, or to desired doneness. 3 minutes per side will yield approximately medium rare doneness for an average cut of flank steak.
• Reduce the pan heat to medium high. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary. Add the onions, bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent.
• Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. If you slice the meat at a slanted angle, you will be able to get your slices pretty thin.
• Turn skillet on low, add meat and follow package directions on fajita seasoning mix.
• Place warm tortillas on place, fill with meat mixture and desired toppings.

*Serve with fat-free canned refried beans and/or packaged Spanish rice.

Easter Success

A new week already!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend. In my opinion it was too short, but aren’t weekends always that way? Anyways, this week will be a short one for me. I am currently in Minneapolis for a few days to do some spring shopping, so that should be a fun little getaway.

Easter here was a busy Sunday. I was in the kitchen from 12-5 preparing the meal, but got outside a bit to enjoy the high 60’s temps and sunny blue skies. I was a little nervous on how I could cook everything to get done at the same time, but I did it! I’ve learned when cooking for a crowd it helps to not panic, but instead sit down a few days before and write down a plan of action. (Groceries to buy, dishes that can be prepped the night ahead, how the oven is going to be occupied, etc.)

Here’s how I planned:

• 2 days before: Get groceries(try grouping things in the fridge/freezer to make it easier come cooking time), get all recipes together in one spot(envelopes are handy),and write down all cooking times and temps on one sheet of paper. Thawed turkey out.
• 1 day before: Make sure you have all cooking utensils and equipment necessary beforehand. I made the green bean corn casserole(not adding cracker topping yet) and the wild rice stuffing that night.
• The day of the get-together: With the plan to eat at 5 o’clock, I baked the angel food cake at 10 am. I also cleaned, chopped, and soaked the strawberries in sugar. Let it cool till 11, sliced it and put in the fridge. At 11:30, sliced up onions and apples for the turkey, injected it, and had it in the oven by noon. Next I prepped the Bob’s Red Mill Potato Bread, which I eventually made into rolls. They take about a good 3 hrs from start to finish. At around 4 I popped the buns into the oven to finish cooking. Then I mixed the cream cheese filling for the cake and layered that and the strawberries on. I finished by frosting it in whipped cream and garnishing with more strawberries and almonds. 4:30 came and I popped in the 2 casseroles and took the buns out. Prepped the instant mashed potato and made the gravy on the stove. Turkey came out at a little before 5, and we all sat down to eat shortly after.
• Bon appétit!

Apple&Onion Cajun Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1-15 lb turkey
• 2 apples
• 2 red onions
• 14 sprigs of sage
• 10 injections of Creole Butter (see photo below)

• 1/2 stick of butter, melted

Directions:

Prepare turkey by cleaning it out.

Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Add a quarter inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Inject turkey with Creole Butter and. Brush the top of the turkey with butter.

Cut up apples and onions into wedges and scatter throughout the pan along with the sage.

Bake at 375 F for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.)  Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes: This turkey was by far the most moist turkey I have had—even the turkey legs were moist and usually they are on the dry side. The apples, onions, and sage really helped add flavor and were good to eat afterwards too.

Green Bean & Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 package (16 ounces) frozen French-style green beans, thawed

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup crushed reduced-fat cheese crackers

Refrigerated butter-flavored spray

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, cheese and onion. Stir in the beans and corn. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Uncover; sprinkle cracker crumbs around the edges. Spritz several times with butter-flavored spray. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and edges are lightly browned. Yield: 7 servings.

Notes: This recipe was actually voted the best of all—it’s light and healthy, yet you wouldn’t guess it by a long shot!

Mom’s Stunning Sausage Stuffing

Recipe here.

Notes: This is really the only way I will eat rice—it’s been around at our family holidays ever since I can remember—and it makes a lot, so it’s perfect!

Bob’s Red Mill Potato Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Bob’s Red Mill's Potato Bread
• 2 tsp oil
• Water
• Butter spray

Directions:

• Follow mixing directions on package, and follow all steps exactly up until forming into a loaf.
• Instead roll into 12 balls and place in a lightly greased 8 x 8 baking dish. Bake a directed.
• Top with butter spray while still warm, and serve.

Notes: The company sent me these awhile back to review and I wanted to save them for a special occasion. They are very dense rolls being they are potato bread, but they browned and baked well.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

• 4  cups  sliced strawberries
• 3/4  cup  sugar, divided
• 2  tablespoons  evaporated skim milk
• 1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 angel food cake baked in 2- 9 x 12 loaf pans
• 3  tablespoons  triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur) or orange juice, divided
• 1  (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 2  tablespoons  sliced almonds

Directions:

• Combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; cover and let stand 1 hour. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth.
• Cut cake horizontally into 2 layers using a serrated knife; place bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with 1 tablespoon liqueur, and spread half of cream cheese mixture over cake. Spoon one-third of strawberries over cream cheese mixture using a slotted spoon. Repeat layers, ending with cake and liqueur. Spread whipped topping over top and sides of cake. Cover; chill 30 minutes. Arrange remaining strawberries on top of cake before serving; sprinkle with almonds.

Notes: This was easy to prepare, although I am still trying to find a fool-proof and clean method for slicing a cake in half horizontally. Very appealing in color and presentation—and I loved the combo of cream cheese and angel food cake. This was a keeper for sure!

Fast and Cheap and Delicious—Oh My!

If you guessed, the title of this post is supposed to be in the tune of “Lions and Tigers and Bears—Oh my!” Yes I love Wizard of Oz and I am happy to say that Judy Garland’s hometown is only about 45 minutes from where I live! I guess the whole reason I am rambling on about the Wizard of Oz is because it’s windier than a tornado outside(they said 40 mph winds!), and tornadoes immediately get me thinking about Wizard of Oz! I think they should make a remake, do you?

Anyhoo, I won’t make you put up with my random thoughts for the day more than I already have! =) Today’s recipe is based on a challenge I am trying to do which involves only using the food items we already have in our overloaded cupboards and basement versus going out and buying things that I may already have. Of course this rule does not apply to things like fresh produce, cheeses, or milk.(check out my top money saving tricks for produce below!) Anything perishable that we use up fast. Other than that though I am really going to try hard to base recipes on the abundance of canned goods, boxed goods, and other things—because before I know it, they could go bad, and there goes some money down the drain. And who likes to waste money? Especially in this economy?! :-| I encourage you to try this challenge as well—if you do, let me in on your recipes PLEASE! =)

A Couple of CaSaundra’s Tips for Saving on Produce

* Bell peppers are something I always buy. But make sure you always weigh the peppers even if the two you are buying are identical in size. Why? Because one could have more seeds which can significantly increase the net weight ending up in you having to pay more for seeds in a pepper which you throw away!

*If the vegetable misters just sprayed the veggies, make sure you shake it off good because even a little water can add weight which again will end up in you paying more.

*If you want a fruit or vegetable for a recipe that is not in season, don’t fork out big bucks just to get it, try heading to the frozen department and see if you can get it there. Frozen fruits/veggies are frozen at their peak which means they retain tons more nutrients than fresh.

One of my standby products I love to use in recipes is Pillsbury Crescent rolls or Breadsticks because they always offer up great coupons either online or in your local newspaper’s flier. (I am happy to say I saved a whopping $14.00 last week with coupons—whoo hoo!) I don’t use these products just because they offer coupons, but because with some fresh and gooey dough ready at your fingertips, the possibilities are endless. I couldn’t wait to share my yesterday’s dinner creation with you =)

Peppery Sausage Pizza Bundles

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks
• 1/4 C chopped green pepper
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 3 TBSP pizza sauce + extra for drizzling/dipping
• 1/4 C shredded cheese(any flavor you like—I used mixed)
• 3/4 C of finely chopped sausage(the choice of what you use is completely up to you—I used Harvest Apple Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Then unroll breadsticks and section into 4 squares each consisting of 3 breadsticks placing on a greased/tinfoiled cookie sheet. Pinch together the seams, so they no longer look like they can be ripped apart.(Picture below)

• Sauté onions, peppers, and sausage until veggies are fork tender (3 minutes), then take off burner and stir in 3 TBSP of pizza sauce.
• Take cheese and sprinkle evenly onto breadsticks, and then top each square with filling.(Try to get each one even.
• Then wet fingers with water and bring all four sides around the filling and pinch together. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.
• Pop in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Once out of the oven, you can slather with more sauce or put some in a dish for dipping!

And since this recipe couldn’t bear to be served alone, I continued my challenge of using only what we had to make--->

Easy Cheesy Tomato Gumbo

Serves:4 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of Campbell’s Healthy Request Tomato Soup with Tomato Pieces
• 1 bag of Boil-in-Bag Rice
• 1 bag of California Blend frozen veggies
• 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 C of milk
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

• Boil rice in microwave. Meanwhile pour soup into a saucepan adding the vegetables, sauce and milk. Once rice is done add that.
• Turn burner on to medium heat and let soup simmer. Stir in the cheese before serving. And of course add additional seasonings to jazz it up a bit!