Archive for March, 2009
Leftovers – Trash or Treasure
(From The Salad Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Spring Salad
Learning to plan your meals requires you to re-learn a skill our grandmothers had; understanding how to use all the various food products before they went “bad”. Leftovers became the next meal, tops of vegetables were put in water with a piece of meat to make a soup. Bread too dry to eat was made into stuffing or a bread pudding for dessert.
The first step is to plan your meals so that you count on there being leftovers. Cooking half a chicken for dinner makes little sense when you could cook the whole bird with the same effort and build a second meal with the leftovers; think chicken salad, chicken pot pies, chicken soup. A pot roast becomes hot roast beef sandwiches a couple of nights latter.
We are all mesmerized by the cooking shows that, with great fanfare, reveal the surprise ingredient to be included in the meal. We think this is great fun but shy away from this thinking when it is us who are looking into the frig and trying to come up with something appealing from what we see there. The salad pictured above came about when I realized the tomatoes were just about to lose their crunch, the leftover asparagus was to the use now or pitch stage and I had an abundance of feta cheese.
The bottom line is if we plan our meals we will save money; if we use all the food we buy we will get bonus meals, again saving money. The secret is to think about a meal, then think about an associated meal made using similar products. Don’t think about it as a chore, think about it as a game show, one you can win.
Spring Salad
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Salad |
| Meal: | Easy, pizy |
| 1 | pt | tomatoes, cherry |
| 0.5 | small | cucumbers, English, peeled |
| 0.33 | lb | asparagus, peeled, cooked |
| 3 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 1 | Tb | cilantro, chopped |
| 0.25 | cup | cheese, feta, crumbled |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 0.5 | medium | lemon, juice of |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Cut cherry tomatoes in half, place in a large bowl. Dice cucumber and asparagus into ½ inch dice; add to bowl. Add garlic, cilantro, feta, lemon juice and oil, toss to coat. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
This salad filled out our Philly cheesesteak sandwiches nicely, see this meal and more on emealsforyou.com.
Add comment March 30, 2009
Did You Know – Shopping Lists Save Money
Did you know that once you pick a recipe or meal plan on the www.emealsforyou.com site you simply have to click on the Add to My Recipe Box and you are one step away from generating a complete shopping list? Shopping with a list will save you 10 -20% on your grocery bills. By avoiding impulse purchases, purchasing just what you need to feed your family will not only save you money but you will find that you are feeding your family much better.
We make meal planning easy! Take the chef jake challenge: Join emeals; diligently plan your meals for a month and if you don’t save 10% on your food bills let us know and we will refund your membership fee.
1 comment March 27, 2009
Pot and Pan 101
It is a rainy, chilly day here today, the perfect day to do a little TLC for my pots and pans. Did you ever watch one of those restaurant expose’ shows? Take a good look at the pots and pans they use. Chances are you don’t see shiny, new, diamond-coated cooking surfaces with bottoms that look like they have never seen a flame. No, the restaurant pots and pans are well used, dinged up and discolored, but they turn out food that anyone would be happy with.
One of my pet peeves, and regulars here know I have a few, is that people feel the need to have the latest and greatest pots and pans, with “magic” surfaces, no stick, no burn, heck they practically cook the meal for you. Like knives, a good cook has pots and pans that have been around a while, favorites that are old friends in the kitchen and are reminiscent of good meals gone by. Proper care of your pots and pans will ensure long life and many great meals.
Non-stick surfaces require occasional attention. When food that normally slides right out of these pans starts to stick it is time to “season” them. This simply involves taking a paper towel with vegetable oil or olive oil and rubbing it into the cooking surface. If the outside of the pan is looking a little dry, rub the oil onto that as well. I am talking a very thin amount here, just enough to return the shine to the surface. Now put the pots into a 200 degree oven for a couple of hours, this will re- seal the surface and bring the pan back to its fully functional self. Wipe any excess oil off with a dry paper towel, they should look shiny but not slippery. You should do this every 3 months or so, depending on how much you use the pan.
I have many “special” pots and pans for special uses. Many of these are in new condition as I found using my normal, day-to-day pots and pans work just as well. Here is a picture of one of my favorite pots, it’s a $20 wok I bought maybe 15 years ago. It heats quickly, has high sides to prevent spills and is non-stick, I couldn’t ask more of it. I don’t get many complaints about the food around here, maybe it is because I am cooking it and not the pan.
Add comment March 26, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Irish Coffee
(From The Misc Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Irish Coffee
Every year around this time I am reminded of this “perfect” way to end a dinner meal or just a casual gathering to enjoy the spring air. I am a bit of a purist on this issue and have tried over the years to get passed the overall sweetness usually associated with Irish Coffee; what with the whipped cream and sugar added to the coffee, not to mention the overly sweet Irish Mist. You see, I take my coffee black, no sugar… so just give me a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey and let me dump it into my coffee.
This recipe is like the porridge in the Three Bears story; just right. Start with strong black coffee, add just a touch of sugar and then add the Jameson with just a little unsweetened, thickened cream on top. Sit on the deck or patio, throw your feet up and enjoy the sunset; maybe a leprechaun or two will stop by to help you pass the time.
Irish Coffee
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Misc |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 20 | oz | coffee, fresh brewed |
| 4 | tsp | sugar, white |
| 6 | oz | Jameson Irish Coffee |
| 6 | oz | cream, whipping |
Place 1 tsp of sugar in the bottom of a wine glass. Add 5 oz of fresh black coffee, pour in a jigger (1.5 oz) of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, gently pour equal amounts on top of each glass. No stirring!
2 comments March 24, 2009
What Type of Cook Are You? – A Semi-Rant
An article in the New York Times caught my eye this week. Written by Tara Parker-Pope it reported on studies done to see who influences our eating habits. The premise being now that we are cooking more of our meals at home it is important to determine how to make those meals healthy for our families. Ms Parker-Pope credits a study done by Cornell researchers in dividing the gatekeepers; those responsible for what we eat in our homes, into five categories of cooks:
Giving cooks: those enthusiastic about cooking; comfort food and home-baked goodies.
Methodical cooks: those following recipe and cookbooks.
Competitive cooks: those concerned with impressing us.
Healthy cooks: those who offer fresh and healthy ingredients but don’t necessarily worry about taste.
Innovative cooks: those who experiment with different ingredients, cooking methods and cuisines.
While each of these categories have their pluses and minuses; we must not lose sight of the fact that our families have to eat the food we prepare. It is a balancing act to provide healthy food that is appealing to our families all while maintaining a careful eye on the food budget.
Who among us hasn’t tried a non-fat something or sugar-free this and that without pushing it away due to lack of taste or texture. My challenge to you is to figure out which type of cook you are and then develop your cooking habits to reflect all the good of each category while discarding the unhealthy habits that we all have. Remember, this isn’t an all in situation, just make the effort to “craft” meals that taste good but are watchful of our health needs.
I want to be an Innovative cook who keeps it as healthy as possible; how about you?
Add comment March 19, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Philly Cheesesteak – Really
(From The Beef Entrée Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Pat's Philly Cheesesteak
Talk to anyone from the New Jersey/ Philadelphia area about cheesesteaks and Pat’s at 9th and Passyunk in south Philly will come up. This is where cheesesteaks were born; (Gino’s cheesesteak people can stop reading now) right on the south end of Philly’s Italian Market. Every politician for decades has made the tradition treak to Pat’s and ordered a cheesesteak, wid or widout; onions that is. Don’t even think about any cheese but melted cheesewiz.
So it is with fond memories that I try “cheesesteaks” around the country, looking for one that comes close. The secret you see is just simple: paper thin sliced steak, fresh onions, melted cheesewiz and a good Italian torpedo roll. Everyone else tries too hard. Mushrooms, fancy cheeses, peppers, terrible rolls ( why can’t you get a decent roll anywhere but the East Coast?) all things someone decided makes their steak sandwich an original Philly cheesesteak; not even close.
So, keeping in mind nobody does it like Pat’s, here is as close as I can get to the Philly cheesesteak.
Philly Cheesesteak
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Beef Entrée |
| Meal: | Do you hear Sinatra? (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 1.5 | lb | London Broil |
| 1 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 1 | large | onions, sliced |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| 4 | oz | cheese, Velveeta |
| 1 | large | baguette |
Slice the London broil as thinly as possible, cross grain. Heat oil in a sauté pan, add beef slices and onions. Sauté until the steak is cooked and the onions begin to color, a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut baguette lengthwise and place steak, onions and melted cheese in bread.
Note: to aid in cutting the London broil thinly place in freezer for 2 hours prior to cutting. May be stored in a baggie in the freezer once sliced.
1 comment March 16, 2009
Using emeals and your local grocery sale fliers to effectively save $$$ (re-issued)
To create the effective cost-saving of using emealsforyou.com with your weekly grocery sales fliers follow these easy steps:
Get the sale fliers from the groceries in your area. Go through them and see what food appeals to you. Log on to www.emealsforyou.com and go to Recipe Finder. Choose those foods that appealed to you and see the recipes associated with them. Choose those recipes, send them to your Favorites Box, scale them, and using our easy shopping list function, print the list. This allows much more freedom of choice; why limit yourself to only one grocery store. Our members report shopping with a list will save you 10-20% on your grocery bill; easing your mind and saving you money.
Add comment March 12, 2009
First Step to a Family Meal Night – A Semi-Rant
It’s time! It’s time that you establish family meal times. Real family gatherings around a real table, with real food, not fast food in the car. Pick one night. set a time and stick to it. Make it seem like a game, not a mandatory function, although you need to make sure that everyone attends.
The easiest way, and many of you are probably already doing this, is pizza night. Pick one night each week, gather around the table and talk with your kids; and more importantly get them to talk to you. Start off buying the pizza and gradually begin to make the pizza with the kids. Let each kid make his own pizza; you will be surprised at how fast the kids take to this. They get to show their individuality, tease each other and generally COMMUNICATE. Once you get the hang of this start letting them bring their friends. This gives you a chance to show you approve of their friends, set some rules but try to go with the flow.
We did pizza night for years, it became a neighborhood thing; exchanging conversations with the neighbors, our kids and their friends. Our oldest son has a friend who was a Russian immigrant, 6 foot tall about 130 lbs, stark white skin. This kid, looking to find his place in our nation, had adopted the affect of the hip-hop movement; complete with dreadlocks, piercings and pants down around his knees. He would show up every Friday night (pizza night) and we would just look at him. We were looking to try to understand him and see what new “things” he had attached, as it were. He would see us and think we were making judgments and that we didn’t like him. It wasn’t until we told him we just wanted to understand him, that he realized he was welcomed into our world. We now, 15 years down the line, are good friends and laugh about the old times.
Here is an easy pizza recipe, fire up the oven, add some toppings and get to know your kids.
Pizza Dough
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Misc |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 2 | package | yeast, dried |
| 0.66 | cup | water, hot |
| 7 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 2 | Tb | salt, kosher |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 2 | water, hot | |
Dissolve yeast in 2/3-cup hot water, (water should not exceed 105 degrees) in large mixer bowl. Mix in flour, salt, oil and remaining hot water until a ball forms. Place dough in greased pot, cover with plastic wrap, allow to double in size at room temperature. (approx. 2 hrs) Punch dough down and return to pot to rise a second time (1hr). Divide into equal circles and roll out for pizza.
Hint: The rounder your circles are the better the pizza will look.
Full recipes makes about 5 14 pizzas. For half recipe use 1/3-cup water with yeast.
Pizzas
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Vegetarian Entrée |
| Meal: | Pizza Party (Theme Meal Plans) |
| 1 | recipe | pizza dough |
| 1 | 15 oz can | tomato sauce |
| 1 | lb | cheese, mozzarella |
| 1 | lb | cheese, Mexican |
| 6 | Tb | cheese, Romano, grated |
| 5 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 0.25 | cup | corn meal, yellow |
For individual pizzas cut dough into 10 pieces. On floured surface, shape dough into a round disk. Work dough from middle to outside. You want it about 1/4 “ thick and thicker just around the edges. Place on flat board, (peel), upside down cookie sheet or cutting board, with some corn meal to allow the dough to slip off peel. Cover with thin layer of tomato sauce, leaving about 3/4” at edge. Sprinkle on cheeses. Sprinkle on 1 TB romano. Drizzle 1 tsp. of oil on top.
Optional toppings: sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers. Add toppings, remember pizza will only be in the oven around 12 minutes, so cut thinly and if you are using saugage, makes sure you put it on last, so it will cook. Pre-heat oven to maximum temperature for at least 30 minutes. Cook pizza on a pizza stone or cookie sheet 8-12 minutes until done .
Hint: For parties make the pizza ahead of time and reheat.
Note: Be sure to add the pizza dough recipe to your shopping list.
Special Note: Use 1/5th of the dough for pizza donuts for dessert. See recipe under Pizza Donuts in the Cooking for the Kids category at emealsforyou.com)
Add comment March 12, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Penne Pasta in Vodka Sauce
(From The Vegetarian Entrée Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Penne Pasta in Vodka Sauce
Sometimes when I don’t know what I want to cook for dinner I fall back on some of the old standbys; those recipes that are easy to prepare and great tasting. My first choice is usually Chicken Piccata, but a close second is this recipe. So when I sat down to write a post today and didn’t know what to write about I thought why not share this great recipe with you.
I am a pasta freak, I like any and all pasta. I especially like a good, as they say on the east coast, red gravy sauce: tomato sauce. This recipe is so easy that I have been known to make it for my wife while having the “regular” spaghetti sauce for myself. Make it with your own homemade tomato sauce or buy one that you really like at the market and add the cream and vodka. The vodka sauce works well with ravioli too.
Penne Pasta in Vodka Sauce
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Vegetarian Entrée |
| Meal: | Veggie – Easy Italian Night (Theme Meal Plans) |
| 1 | qt | pasta sauce |
| 1 | lb | pasta, penne |
| 1 | pt | cream, heavy |
| 3 | oz | vodka |
| 4 | Tb | cheese, Romano, grated |
| 1 | Tb | basil, fresh chopped |
Cook penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Place pasta sauce in pan, add cream and vodka and simmer for 5 minutes. Plate and sprinkle with romano cheese and basil.
We teamed this with: Blue Cheese Stuffed Baby Portabellas, Chopped Salad, Penne Pasta in Vodka Sauce, and a Caramel Sundae on our Easy Italian Night Meal Plan on emealsforyou.com)
Add comment March 10, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Stuffed Red Peppers
(From The Vegetables Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Stuffed Red Peppers
Hopefully winter is leaving; at least we have some warmer weather mixed in with the cold. Last weekend, when deciding what to cook for a dinner party, my wife told me she would like to have roasted, stuffed red peppers and maybe a pork roast to go along. Since the weather was cooler it turned out to be a good idea; hopefully a great send-off to this winter season.
When I think of stuffed peppers I think of ground beef and rice stuffed “nothings”, can you tell I am not a fan. Well I have been making this recipe for many years now and they always are the hit of the meal. NO ground beef here, just caramelized onions, garlic and tomatoes, slow-roasted in the oven. Great tasting and great looking, these will add a pleasant surprise to any meal.
Roasted, Stuffed Red Peppers
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Vegetables |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 2 | large | pepper, red |
| 1 | cup | tomatoes, cherry |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 0.75 | cup | onions, sliced |
| 1 | tsp | thyme |
| 1 | tsp | sugar, brown |
| 0.125 | tsp | pepper, fresh ground |
| 0.25 | Tb | salt, kosher |
Cut peppers in half lengthwise, discard the ribs and seeds.
Sauté onions and garlic in 1 TB oil until lightly brown, add thyme, sugar and black pepper. Remove from heat, add tomatoes and salt.
Brush peppers with remaining oil, fill with mixture. Place in an ovenproof pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, serve warm.
(Add these to the Stuffed Pork recipe at emealsforyou.com for a great meal)
Add comment March 5, 2009
