Menu Mondays: June17-23

 I don't know what is about Summer and Mexican Food, 

but it seems to go together like: 

• peanut butter & jelly, 
• cereal & milk, 
•  kool aid & sugar, 

it just fits! 

I love the unique taste of cilantro, the tang of lime, 
smokey heat of the chipotle tempered with the cool 
& creamy finish of an avocado!

Yum, YUM! If you love Mexican food like my family does you will appreciate this week's menu!

 

Mexican Cole Slaw W/Lime and Cilantro

My Own "Chopped" Basket Menu Mondays!

I just totally love that show "Chopped" I love it when Alex Guarnaschelli gives the chef with the egos a redressing or when Amanda Freitag does the one eyebrow raised when she is not happy with the arragance of some chefs. I always pull for the underdog and I cringe when the souffle flops, the ice cream is watery goo, or the GOD FORBID the Pork is dry!

I watched recent episode and found our why my pork gets dry sometimes, it's because I leave it too long in the crock and it "boils", That is Marc Murphy told one contestant, "Your pork got boiled that is why is it so dry & no amount of sauce will help..." Owwwwwww, I will have to adjust the times in my crock pot recipes bc that is what happens a lot to me. 

Have you learned any tricks from watching "Chopped"?

One more thing, don't you just love how sincere Todd Allen is when the contestant gets chopped? I think he sounds so sad unlike that dork who judges CupCake Wars! Grrr, he is irritating and NOT funny, I practically don't watch it anymore bc he is such a smuck, IMO...

Ok enough chit chat on with the show! SO I totally over spent at the grocery store last Wed, and I now am on a STRICK budget. So to make it fun I am going to treat Easter Dinner left overs like a "Chopped Basket" Get ready for some round #2 Recipes... In the basket you will find honey and brown-sugar glazed ham with a fruit sauce, Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup, Corn, Chibatta Rolls, Citrus Butter, Strawberries, and Mashed Potatoes

6 Lbs of tomato puree = 4 days worth of meals!

This is my base for a Ragu/Bolognese type sauce that I convert into several dishes or I freeze into smaller portions for "Sunday Gravy" later in the month when time is short.

I make Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta (recipe here), and the KIDS eat it up, they especially like when I add in meatballs (What can I say I have carnivores!)

I then make a variety of meals from this base, this week I decided to concentrate on soups and since it is the cold of winter, soups are just the ticket!

Recipe Wed: Pain Perdu...'HOOD Style!!

 MMMmmm....MMmmm...

MMMMmm!!!!!

This is soooooo Flippity-Flappity GOOD!! If you use your favorite search engine you can find a ton of "Pain Perdu"recipes, I believe mine would rival any one you could find... 

Even the kids were begging me 

to hurry up and cook them.

What sets mine apart from the others, is vanilla sugar, 

GOOD homemade vanilla bean extract, left over rich eggy, slightly sweet dinner rolls, coconut & eggnog...

Then- HURRAY!

My plan is all coming together...

muahahahaha!!!

Eggnog & Coconut Pain Perdu

• 2 Jumbo Local Farm Fresh Pasture Raised Organic Eggs (Large reg white commercial eggs ok if that is all you have)
• 2 T Homemade Organic Vanilla Raw Sugar (Or reg. granulated sugar)
• 2 t Homemade Organic Vanilla Bean extract (Or GOOD Pure Vanilla Extract)
• 1/2Cup Grass Fed Organic Half & Half (Or  pasteurized Whole Milk)
• 1/4 C Organic Eggnog
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• 2 T Unbleached All Purpose Organic Flour
• 1/2 C of Organic Shredded Coconut
• 15- ICE BOX YEASTY DINNER ROLLS* day old & sliced into 3rds (or 4 pieces of dense rich egg bread like Brioche, or Challah 3/4" thick)
• Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO) 
• Butter

*I will post the Ice Box Dinner Rolls later this month, This is a round #2 recipe, a great way to repurpose a dish and make it just as good if not better than the original use!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. Place Sliced rolls or Brioche on a rack and allow to dry out for about 15-20 min.
3. In a shallow dish large enough to hold the Rolls or Brioche in a single layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt, then whisk in the milk and flour. Add the brioche to the dish and turn to coat, then let the brioche soak for 3-4 minutes. 
4. Place Shredded Coconut in a shallow dish and dip each bread slice on both sides, evenly coat.
5. Over Medium heat add butter and EVCO. Cook egg bread for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. (While you're cooking each batch, add more bread to the egg mixture to soak.)
6. Place the cooked bread on a baking sheet and keep it warm in the oven. 
7. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil, and continue to fry the remaining soaked bread until they're all cooked. (This is important as the coconut will get bitter if overly browned)

I serve as, I am don't like soggy bread so I don't add any syrups, but a Caramel-Vanilla Syrup would be nice, or the addition of ripe strawberries or blueberries would be delicious too!! 

We eat this for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, or dessert. Either way you choose to eat it, your family will love it and it freezes beautifully. Make a huge batch and freeze the extras for unexpected company, they will feel so special! 
 



 


 

Tender Caramelized Crock Pot Roast Pork

This is a classic Pork [Shoulder/Butt]Roast recipe, it has a delicious seasoned & seared crust on outside and fall apart tenderness from the low and slow cooking of the crock pot underneath all the glorious crust!!

Pic Credit

 I make this often and will transform the leftovers 

to suit just about any pork recipe that call for "cooked pork"

... It is really easy and really flavorful!! 

"...With [a] honest seasoning of salt and sugar, you can simply set and forget a huge hunk of pork butt in a low-temperature [crock-pot]. This slow roasted pork butt meat is divine and falls right off the bone when slowly cooked. Now this is the gift that keeps on giving, and the shredded pork butt meat can be used in thousands of ways..." Eric Borzino on October 14, 2012 of Peck the Beak Blog

 CROCK POT PORK SHOULDER ROAST

• 3 -4 lbs Boneless pork butt (shoulder) 
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar
• 1 large yellow onion 
• Any dry seasoning, your family likes- Seasoned with salt and pepper would be fine- (I use my "Family's House Seasoning": Coarse Kosher Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, fresh cracked Black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and powdered chipotle pepper)  
• 1/2 cup water

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Season both sides of pork roast with your choice of dry seasonings & Brown Sugar-massage in well
2. Wrap Tightly in Plastic Wrap and allow to sit in Fridge Overnight in a shallow Bowl.
3. Pull Roast out of fridge discard the juices at bottom of bowl leave out for about 30 min b4 cooking to bring up to room temp.
4. BE SURE TO DRY MEAT WELL!! {WON'T CARAMELIZE IF IT'S WET!!}
5. In a shallow roasting pan brown the roast under the broiler about 5 minutes on each side or you can brown on top the stove in a cast iron skillet with a touch of oil.
6. DON'T SKIP THIS STEP!!!{This step enhances the flavor and seals the juices in the meat, and renders any excess fat from the roast.}
7. While roast is browning, slice large onion into thick slices, separate into rings & saute on stove top in a 2 T of butter or EVOO.
8. Place 1/2 of the sauteed rings in the bottom of the crock pot.
9. Take the browned pork roast and place on top of the onion rings in the crock pot then cover with the other half of the onion rings.
10. Pour the 1/4 cup soy sauce over the top of roast, then pour the 1/2 cup water on sides of roast.
11. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5 hours. 
12. Meat should be falling apart.

You may have leftovers depending on family size and is great for: sandwiches especially Barb-B-Q Pulled Pork, Go North Eastern American with some Pennsylvania/Dutch Sour Kraut on the side and Just about any Asian Dish like Momo Foku Bo Ssam- Korean Lettuce Wraps, Chinese Pork Fried Rice, or Vietnamese Thit Kho To... 

YUMMY!!! 
   
Are you drooling yet??

Note: 

You can cook this exclusively in oven at 300 Fahrenheit in a roasting pan for 6 hours and braise with its juices every hour or so. The pork will collapse, yielding gently when prodded with a fork when fully cooked.

Remove it from the oven and let it rest for an hour, or next day if necessary.Then turn the oven up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together the remaining salt or seasonings and the brown sugar. Rub it all over the pork. Blast it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pork is covered with a nice caramel crust. 

This crust is extremely flavorful you will however have to use a knife to cut into it, to get past the caramelized crust, but you WILL DEVOUR it!! Trust me!!

Menu Mondays: Dec 31-Jan 6, 2013

I wanna go!! Pic Credit

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

What a year 2012 was for my family, I don't think I would ever want to repeat that year again that is for sure. It's one of those things  you hear people say it was the worst of times, it was the best of times...

I am looking forward to great beginnings this year, new chapters, and starting over- recalibrating... Really finding a new standard to measure up to...

So I hope you had a safe new year eve and

learned lots from 2012 to make

2013 one the best years EVER!!!

This menu really utilizes the left overs from New Years and capitalizes round #2 recipe. My mom was really instrumental in teaching us by example, we learned even when she wasn't speaking and with a family of 5 on one income every penny counted. 

So she would use every last scrap of left-overs and with a particular husband and finicky kids we sure gave her a run for her "culinary skill". She really inspired me to make a menu out of "Sunday" dinner and make is last all week long and still taste exciting and "new".

Breakfast Options:

Crispy Mashed Potatoe Pancakes served with sour Cream and Applesauce, Customized Omelets, French Toast, Hot Cereal, Fresh Fruit, Toast Points, Cold Cereal, Smoothies, Fried Egg Sammies

Lunch Choices:               Side Selections:

Mashed Potatoe Polpetti   Applesauce           Fresh Veggies
Kraut Dogs                        Mac & Cheese     Apple Wedges
PB&J Roll Ups                  Veggie Chips        Fresh Fruit
Chicken Noodle Soup       Whole Wheat Crackers   Dried Fruit
Pain Perdu                         Cottage Cheese   Black Grapes
Bo Ssam-Lettuce Wraps   Carrot Slivers      Orange Segments
Pizza Crescent Roll-Ups   Carrot Coins        Green Grapes

Bo Ssam from Peck the Beak

Supper Offerings:

Monday:
Customized Tomato Soup & Sharp Cheddar Creamy Grilled Cheese Sammies on Homemade Chibatta Bread

Tuesday:
Crock Pot Pork Shoulder Roast
Crisp Sour Kraut & Caramelized Onions
Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes
Chicken Gravy
Super Sweet Corn Nibblets
Ice Box Dinner Rolls
Black Forest Brownie Torte
Apple Pie

Wednesday:
Kapausta (Cabbage Soup), Ice Box Dinner Rolls, Spinach Salad with toasted Almonds and Feta Cheese, & Black Forest Brownie Torte

Thursday:
Pork Lo Mien, Chopped Salad, & Apple Pie w/Fresh Whipped Vanilla Bean Infused Cream

Friday:
Sour Kraut and Mashed Potato Perogies, Brown Butter & Sour Cream Sauce w/Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms, Cripsy Pork Ribbons, Spinach Salad, & Dinner Rolls
(I just take about 2 C of Leftover Pork and coat in brown sugar and hickory salt, then blast in 500 degree oven for a few minutes to caramelize the outside.)

Saturday:
Barb-B-Q Pulled Laquered Pork, Spring Rolls, Twice Baked Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Chopped Salad. 
(I take Left over Mashed Potatoes, & Stin in: Sour Cream, Chopped Green Onions, Sharp Cheddar Cheese-Shredded, & Bacon- cooked crisp and crumbled. Pour into a casserole pan and bake 350 until heated through. Sprinkle more add-on ingredients on top.)

Sunday:
Chicken Scaloppine, Angel Hair Pasta, Spinach Salad.

Snack Fancies:

Smoked Almonds, String Cheese, Apple Sauce, Cottage Cheese, Yogurt, Carrot Sticks, Fresh Fruit, Dried Fruit, Granola, Juice, Water, Keifer Smoothies.   
  

KAPUSTA- Cabbage Soup

Kapusta is a well known Eastern European recipe featuring Pork, cabbage, & sour kraut. People from Russian, Poland, Lithuanian, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania and more have thier own takes on this dish. 

 You can enjoy this as a main dish, soup, or a side dish. It is very versatile and an awesome round #2 Recipe, I often make this utilizing left-overs from New Year's Day. 

Sometimes I have seen it served w/ kielbasa, 

baked with kluski noodles then topped with cottage cheese sprinkled with Smoked Paprika  

and other times mixed cream of mushroom soup 

and served like a casserole.

Pic Credit

I am using this Polish inspired dish to use up the leftovers from New Year's Day Supper in the soup form...

Kapusta- 

Cabbage Soup

1 lg. (28 oz.) sauerkraut, drained and rinsed- save some of the juice- (Or left overs from New Year's Day)
1 med. cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 & 1/2 C Mushrooms, Sliced

Chicken Stock to cover both (I use left over Chicken Gravy and thin with more chicken Stock)
2 c. cooked pork chops or leftover pork roast
Kosher Salt & Course Ground Pepper

1/2 t dried Thyme 

Pinch of Brown Sugar, optional

2-4 T Butter or Bacon Drippings
15 oz  corn nibblets or whatever vegetable you have left over.

1. Add Bacon Drippings to dutch oven and Saute Cabbage until cooked through. 
2. Push Cabbage to outside of pan- add Mushrooms and Carrots, sauteing until mushrooms are cooked & carrots are soft.
3. Combine Cabbage with the pork roast/chops & Sour Kraut. 
4. Add enough Chicken Gravy/Stock to cover. 
5. Sprinkle in kosher salt and Fresh Cracked pepper, to taste. 
6. Cook over low heat, simmering for about 2 hours, adding Chicken Stock as needed and taste to adjust seasoning.
7. If desired,  add some of the reserved kraut juice if more tart is needed. 
8. Add the corn and continue cooking until heated through
9. Serve hot.

Crustless Quiche

1/2 pt Heavy Whipping Cream
8 Xtra Lg Eggs
2 C Shredded Cheese (Swiss, Gruyere, Or Smoked White Cheddar)
8 Oz Crimini or Button Mushrooms, sliced
8- 12 oz Diced Ham
1/4 Finely Diced Green Onion
kosher salt and Pepper

Heat oven to 350

• Heat skillet over medium heat and add EVOO, once hot add Sliced Mushrooms
• Allow to cook over medium, stirring frequently until reduced and caramelized, season liberally with kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper- should take about 15 min, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp b4 adding to eggs!!
• Meanwhile, Whisk Eggs and Combine with Heavy Whipping Cream
• Stir in Diced Ham, Green Onions, shredded cheese, and cooled caramelized mushrooms, and season w/s&p
• Pour into prepared 11X9" glass pan 
• Bake for 20-30 min until fully cooked and slightly browned on top!

Mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm DELISH!!!!

Menu Mondays: Dec 24-30, 2012

I wish you the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years!! I can tell you that this is a MAJOR improvement from last year's Christmas/New Years.... We "affectionately" call that the 4 plagues of Christmas, we had Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease, Pink Eye, Roto Virus, and the Flu..AND my kids DO NOT go to day care but had been around family members who were exposed to all these illnesses and graciously passed it on to my family....So this year, MAJOR improvement!! 

I know a lot of families out there have specific fancy dinners at Christmas, I grew up with Pizza from Pizza Oven- a local joint in my area with killer pizza!!), Jo-Jo Broasted Potatoes, Broasted Chicken & Creamy Slaw...But my Hubby's family does a traditional dinner as does my dad's side. So I have some options in my menu for left over Ham. 

One day I am going to do the feast of the 7 fishes like the Italians do!!!

We are starting a tradition this year of making a birthday cake for Jesus Christmas Eve, I hope to do this every year to keep the kids' mind on the REASON we are celebrating!! 

On Christmas Morning I do a Big Breakfast Brunch, this year I will have it later in the morning this year as my children really love to open their gifts slowly and they are not early risers. 

I hate the feeling pressure to leave the living room and cook things, so I make a lot of the day before we head to my mom's side gathering and it is all set up. All I have to do is throw it in the oven and enjoy!!! 

Breakfast Options:
Hot Cereal, Toast Points, Fresh Fruit, Cold Cereal, Sausage links, Bacon, Peach French Toast, Sausage & Egg Strata, Smoothies

Lunch Choices:      Side Selections: 
PB&J Roll-Ups             Apple Rings     Carrots & Dippings
Tuna Salad Sammies   Veggie Chips      Grapes
Grilled Cheese             Cream O'Tom Soup  Oster Crackers
Fish Sticks                    Tator Tots          Orange Wedges
Hot Ham & Swiss Cheese Monte Cristo Sammies w/Sauteed  Mushrooms                   Veggie Sticks     Cottage Cheese
Homemade Spagheti'O's  Cheese Plate    Apple Slices
Sausage Strata                Fresh Fruit Plate   Celery Ant Logs
 

Supper Offerings:

Christmas EVE/Monday:
Pizza, Jo-Jo's Potatoes, Broasted Chix, Creamy Coleslaw, & Rolls

• Make ahead- Mix up and place in Oven Containers:
• Sausage, Egg, & Cheddar Cheese Strata, Peach French Toast, Cheesy Hash browns,  Yeasty Dinner Rolls, & Slice up Fresh Fruit Plate.

Christmas DAY/Tuesday:

• Brunch: Sausage, Egg, & Cheddar Cheese Strata, Peach French Toast, Cheesy Hash browns & Fresh Fruit Plate{Made the day before in fridge)
• Sausage Links, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs {Kept Warm in Rectangle Crock pot on low)
• Later in Day: Spiral Sliced Ham Glazed w/Fruit Cocktail, Homemade Dinner Rolls and whatever is left over from brunch

Wednesday:

Cheddar Cheesy Ham & Potato Chowder, Yeasty Dinner Rolls, & Spinach Salad

Thursday:
Homemade Scalloped Ham & Thinly Sliced Potatoes


Friday:
Chicken Cordon Blue Stuffed Shells, Steamed Broccoli, Cheesy & Side Salad

Saturday:
Crustless Quiche w/Ham, Swiss Cheese, and  Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Spinach Salad

Sunday:
Orange Chicken, Brown Rice and Stir-fried Veggies W/Side Salad