Spicy Pasta

This is my go to dish when I have not defrosted anything. It is simple to make and I always get rave reviews.This dish contains Prosciutto. If you get Open Nature brand, it only contains pork and sea salt and only pork raised without antibiotics.

Ingredients: 
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic,minced
4 oz package of Open Nature prosciutto diced
1 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp crushed red  pepper
8 oz of fettuccine cooked al dente
4 oz grated  Parmesan cheese

Preparation: 
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until golden. Add prosciutto and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Cook for about ten minutes. Serve over pasta with the cheese.

Tip: Vary the crushed red pepper to taste. One teaspoon is very spicy. Start with a smaller amount and work your way up.You can always supply extra crushed red pepper at the table
                      
                      

                      

New Year's Resolution

We are just a couple of days before the New Year 2013.Many people will resolve to lose weight.I recommend against it. What is making people overweight is lifestyle. What needs to be resolved is to adopt a new lifestyle. Resolve to buy lots of fruits and vegetables and no junk food.Resolve to eat 3 meals a day and an afternoon snack. When hunger strikes,eat an apple or a banana.Lots of nutrition,no fat and low in calories.Take a walk after dinner(weather permitting).Eat more meals at home where you control the fat ,salt and portion size.Make family dinners fun.Reconnect with your kids. Make the kitchen table a text free zone. Broaden you perspective. Learn about other cultures. Take day trips on the weekend to nearby places you have not seen.It is all a balancing act,but it is really worth it.Resolve to be your own best friend.Only you can make the changes you want in your life.

Second Best Lasagna in the World

I have shied away from posting a recipe for lasagna because everyone has their favorite . The Internet is littered with the" best lasagna recipes in the world".What I have learned is that all recipes are pretty basic.Some load upon the meat and sausage.Others have three or four different kinds of cheese. I post mine now only because it is a tradition to serve it on Christmas Eve at our house.I will never claim mine to be the best.Second best?You be the judge.

Ingredients: 1lb of lean ground beef
                      1 medium sized onion diced
                      2 cloves of garlic,minced
                      1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
                      2 14 1/2 cans of petite diced tomato
                      3 tsp of Italian seasoning
                      1 8.8 oz box of oven ready lasagna noodles
                      2 eggs lightly beaten 
                      1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
                      4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
                      1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation: Saute' the beef in large pot until lightly browned
                       Add garlic and saute until lightly browned
                       Add onion and continue to saute until onion is golden
                       Add crushed tomatos,petite diced tomatoes,and Italian
                       seasoning.
                       Simmer sauce for about 1 hour
                       Mix together ricotta,eggs and 1/2 of mozzarella 
                       To assemble, place 2 cups of sauce in bottom of
                       a lightly greased 9x13 Pyrex dish                            
                       Place 6 oven ready noodles over sauce
                       Cover noodles with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese
                       mixture
                       Repeat with rest of sauce,noodles and cheese
                       mixture
                       Sprinkle top of dish with the grated Parmesan
                       cover lightly with foil
                       Cook in 375 degree oven for 50 minutes
                       Remove foil and cook another 10 minutes
                       Remove from oven
                       Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving

What may be different with this recipe is that I top the dish with Parmesan instead of mozzarella because it does not stick to the foil as much and it forms a nice brown crust.                       
                      

                      

My Christmas Banana Bread

When my kids were young,I always made Christmas cookies with them.We have hilarious pictures of them in droopy diapers with flour in their hair and sprinkles everywhere.As time went on,baking Christmas cookies was no longer on their hit parade.I seriously looked at not baking at all.It is not my forte' and the hubby and I can do without the calories.Then I came across a simple banana bread recipe in ,of all places,a children's Mickey Mouse cookbook we bought 30 years ago in Disney World. I changed it a little and now, December 1st comes and my friends and family start asking when I will be handing out the banana bread.I have given the recipe out to many people but they come back and say,it just isn't as good as yours.Could be there be pixie dust in that old Magic Kingdom kids cookbook?Here is the recipe. Try it out.


                                           My Christmas Banana Bread

Ingredients: 1 cup of sugar
                      4 very ripe bananas  (this is key)
                      1 cup canola oil
                      2 eggs
                      2 cups all purpose flour
                      1 teaspoon Baking soda
                      1/2 teaspoon baking powder
                      2 teaspoons of vanilla

Preparation:Heat oven to 325 degrees
                      Spray loaf pan with oil
                      Mix sugar,bananas,oil and eggs in a large bowl
                      Stir in remaining ingredients
                      Pour into pan
                      Bake for 1 hour.Loaf is done when a dry spaghetti noodle
                      out cleanly when inserted into center of loaf
                      Cool for 10 minutes then loosen loaf from sides of pan onto
                      cooling rack or plate.
                      Cool completely
                      Makes one loaf

My family likes to toast slices very slightly and then spread little whipped cream cheese on top.Yummy with coffee in the morning
                          

Potato Leek Soup

A lot of moms shy away from making homemade soup because they believe it is to hard and time consuming.This recipe for Potato leek soup is really very simple and everyone who tastes it want a second bowl.



                                                       Potato Leek Soup


Ingredients: 4 cups of Yukon gold potatoes,peeled and sliced
                    4 cups of leeks,cleaned(they can be sand in some of
                    the slices) and chopped;including
                    the tender light green part,but not the leaves
                    2 quarts of water
                    1 cup chicken stock
                    1 tablespoon of salt

Preparation: Add all ingredients to large pot
                     Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour
                     Remove from heat
                     Blend the soft ingredients with a Cuisinart blender stick or 
                     with hand held mixer until
                     creamy
                     Correct seasoning and serve
                     Serves 6

To make the soup even more interesting,you can make a jalapeno salsa with 1/2 cup of corn,1/4 cup chopped red pepper and 1 seeded and chopped jalapeno.Place large crouton in the middle of the bowl of soup and spoon a spoonful of salsa on top of the crouton.This makes a nice presentation and adds a little kick to the soup 
                     
                   

                        

Toddler Mac and Cheese

This recipe is great for toddlers because it is drier and less sticky than regular Mac and Cheese and the can eat it with their fingers.



Ingredients: 1 16oz package of elbow macaroni
                       4 tablespoons of Smart Balance(I use this instead of real
                        butter for keeping the cholesterol low.You can use extra
                        olive oil as well)
                        1/2 cup all purpose flour
                        2 1/2 cups of whole milk
                        1/2 lb of American Cheese
                        1/2 lb of Mild cheddar cheese

Preparation:  Prepare macaroni according to package directions
                        using al dente time for cooking
                        Melt Smart balance in sauce pan
                        Add flour and stir continually so the roux mixture doesn't
                        burn
                        Add milk a little bit at a time and stir until  the roux
                        thickens. Remove from heat
                        Add grated cheeses and stir until cheese melts to a
                        and a smooth mixture forms
                        Stir in pasta and reheat on  low burner until mixture is
                        heated and then serve

Should serve four.

The important thing about this recipe is forming a good roux with the oil
or smart balance.This is what makes it usable as a finger food for toddlers

Make your own Pizza

Sounds like a lot of work.Why bother? Here is why.  Look at an empty pizza box from any of the vendors and you will see that there is so much grease in your purchased pizza that it has soaked through the entire bottom of the box. It is not hard to make home made pizza.Get a pizza shell from Bobili at the supermarket or buy the frozen pizza dough and roll it out. Then add your own marinara sauce (see recipe on this blog) toppings and shredded mozzarella cheese. Stay away from the pepperoni. It is a killer not only because of the fat but because it contains so many chemicals.The sodium nitrite is the worst .This chemical has been shown to be carcinogenic. I feel this way about all luncheon meats. Salamis, bologna, ham etc all has these chemicals.So do hot dogs.Stay away from these and your family will be much healthier. Below is my take on a good home pizza.You can Jazz it up or down to suit your family.



Ingredients: Bobili pizza shell
                      Home made or store bought marinara sauce
                      Cooked 7 % hamburger meat
                      6 oz's of sauteed mushrooms
                      Onion rings
                      Tomato rings
                      Asparagus tips

Preparation: Remove pizza shell from wrapping
                       Spoon out marinara sauce and spread evenly over shell
                       Use as much or as little as suits your family's taste
                       Spread other ingredients over pizza shell
                       Cover with either regular or reduced fat mozzarella's cheese
                       Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees
                       If you have young children make 1/2 of the pizza plain
                       cheese or ,another pizza with just cheese depending on the
                       crowd your are feeding

Chicken Tacos

Kids really like tacos.They can fill them themselves and can pick them up and eat them by hand.I like chicken tacos because they are less messy than ground beef. It is also a way to get some veggies into your kids mouths. Below is my rendition of this perennial favorite.


Ingredients: 1lb of boneless chicken breasts trimmed of gristle and cut
                       into small pieces
                       2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
                       1/2 jar of mild salsa
                       1/4 of a head of iceberg lettuce,chopped
                       1/2 carton of grape tomatoes halved
                       4 ounces of shredded Mexican cheese
                       1 avocado diced 
                       6 to 8 soft multi grain tortillas

Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan until hot but not
                      smoking
                      Add chicken to the pan and saute until juices are
                      gone and chicken is not brown
                      Add the mild salsa to the pan and turn heat down to low
                      As the chicken simmers, place the lettuce,tomatoes,
                      avocado and cheese in small bowls in the center of the
                      table
                      Wrap tortillas in a  moist paper towel and heat for seconds
                      in microwave.
                      Place chicken in serving bowl and serve with warmed
                      tortillas
Serves four
 
                        

Pork Schnitzel

This is a recipe reminiscent of my German heritage. It is a great fall dish.

Ingredients:  8  boneless thinly cut pork pork chops,fat removed and
                       beaten to 1/4 inch in thickness, salted to taste
                       1 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs
                        2 eggs beaten with addition of 1 tsp of lemon juice
                        1 large bag of spinach
                        1 lemon cut into 8 wedges
                        4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation: Place eggs and lemon juice in shallow bowl
                       Place breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowl
                       Bread each pork chop by first dredging through egg mixture
                       then breadcrumbs placing them on a large plate
                       Let chops rest for 20 minutes to allow breading to stick
                       Heat olive oil in large pan until hot but not smoking
                       Saute each chop in oil and place on oven proof platter
                       Keep chops warm in 225 degree oven while you wilt the
                       spinach.
                       In a separate pan,place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and spinach
                       Drizzle spinach with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
                       Cover and cook 2 minutes
                       Remove chops from oven surround with wilted spinach and
                       lemon wedges
Serves 4

I like to serve this with mashed potatoes (see recipe on this blog)
                      

             

                        
                      
                       

To Fish or Not to Fish

We all know seafood is good for you,but children do not usually like it.To them it smells bad and looks unappetising. I and my daughter are allergic to shell fish so that put another crimp in trying to serve fish to my family.
One thing I learned was to disguise.You can do this by serving a mild white fish breaded in panko bread crumbs and sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. Another thing that can be done is to serve it with a fruit or tomato salsa.Below is my recipe for a mango salsa that fits the bill.

Ingredients:  1/2 cup diced pineapple
                       1/2 cup diced mango
                       1/2 cup diced papaya
                       1/4 diced red or orange pepper
                       1 tablespoon lime juice
Preparation:  Mix ingredients in a bowl
                        and serve with fish

Some quick things you can do is get a can of  Dole tropical fruit and add the mango to it. When your kids get more older,you can add a diced jalepeno.
  

Ya talkin' bout football

As on most Sundays in the fall our TV is tuned to football all afternoon.Not being a big football fan myself, I concentrate on the food.Chili seems to be on the menu for most games,so I am sharing my recipe with you. Everyone has a favorite in this category.See if you like mine.



                                          Gabbie's Chili

Ingredients: 1lb of hamburger meat
                       1 large onion chopped
                       3 cloves of garlic chopped
                       1 green pepper chopped
                       2 large jalapenos finely chopped
                       1 14.5oz can of black beans drained
                       1  14.5oz can of dark red kidney beans drained
                       1  14.5oz can of great northern beans drained
                       1 large 28oz can of tomato sauce
                       2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes
                       4 tablespoons of chili powder
                       2 tsp ground cumin
                       1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper
                       salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Saute meat,onion,green pepper and jalapenos in a large pot
                       until browned
                       Add beans,tomatoes,chili powder,cumin and red pepper 
                       Add salt and pepper and then bring to a boil
                       Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours
Serve with corn chips or over your favorite pasta

I find this dish may attract sons and son in laws to your house towatch the game 

Let's Talk About Salads

I think we all know salads are good for you.I mean made at home salads if you didn't guess.They have fiber and significant vitamins and minerals.Unfortunately they can be pretty boring if you stick with a lettuce,tomato and cucumber trifecta at every dinner. To mix it up a little,try using different types of greens.You can use Bibb,arugula or
romaine or spinach for example. You can add fruit like pears and apples
or add chopped dates or dried cranberries . Glazed walnuts are a big hit
at my house as is a handful of trail mix.The ideas are endless and they really pay off. Many times my family has said "great salad Mom".The one
thing that you must do,in my opinion,is make your own salad dressing.It is not hard and it eliminates so many chemicals,preservatives and fat.My favorite bbalsamic dressing recipe is below.


                                 Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients: 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
                      8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
                      3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
                      1/2 tsp salt
                      1/4 tsp pepper

Preparation: Mix all ingredients in the order given in a salad dressing
                       container with a tight lid.Shake until emulsified then pour
                       over salad,toss, and serve

Hurricane Hannah Cajun Cassoulet

Cassoulet is a French dish which calls for duck comfit and a lot of other ingredients that most of us don't have on hand.This is a take off on the old French recipes.



                          Hurricane Hannah's Cajun cassoulet

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs Hot Italian Sausage with skins removed
                      2 medium onions chopped
                      2 cloves of garlic chopped
                      2 cans(15.8 oz) Great Northern beans drained
                      2 cans(14.5oz) of petite diced tomatoes
                      1 can (14.5 oz)of baby lima beans drained
                      1 cup chicken stock
                      1 tbsp tomato paste
                      1 tbsp chopped rosemary
                      1 tbsp chopped thyme
                      1 tsp crushed red pepper
                      1/2 tsp allspice
                      1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 


Preparation: Saute' skinned sausage until browned
                       Poor of all 2 tbsp of the sausage fat
                       Add onions and garlic to the pot and saute' until soft
                       Stir in rosemary,thyme,crushed red pepper,allspice and
                       cayenne pepper
                       Add drained beans including limas and diced tomatoes
                       Stir in chicken stock,and tomato paste
                       Simmer for 1 1/2 hours
                       Add more chicken stock if the mixture is too dry to simmer
                       for that length of time.The consistency should be like a
                       thick chili.
                       Serve in bowls with a crusty bread

This recipe came later in life when my teenagers had developed a taste for spicy foods
                          

Twice Baked Potatoes

This evening I am having friends over for dinner.Even though it is not Christmas,I decided to make twice baked potatoes.We have always had these as part of our Christmas dinner.I once made scalloped potatoes instead, to bring a little variety to the meal. I had a mutiny on my hands.My family told me I was not allowed to change our Christmas menu.We ALWAYS have twice baked potatoes Mom ! Below is this easy recipe to feed four. At Christmas I make 40 for the  meal. Four is easy peasy.

                                Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:   4 Large baking potatoes
                       3/4 cup sour cream
                       3/4 cup butter or margarine
                       1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
                       Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: Bake potatoes for an hour to an hour and 1/2 or until soft
                       Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool
                       Cut potatoes in half length wise and scoop out the potatoes
                       with a spoon and put in large bowl .Save the skins.
                       Add the sour cream and butter or margarine to the potato
                       mixture
                       Add salt and pepper
                       Using a hand mixer,blend potato mixture until it is blended
                       The mixture is not mashed potatoes so pieces of the potato
                       will still be evident
                       With a spoon, return potato mixture to the skins, making
                       each potato is filled to the top of the skin
                       Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the filled potato skins
                       Set aside
                       Just before serving, bake each potato in a 350 degree oven
                       for 10 minutes to warm potato and melt cheese
This recipe will feed four

                  

It is all about the sauce

There are a lot of meat and poultry dishes that are tasteless without sauce.Now there is a difference between sauce and gravy.A well made sauce is smooth and silky and is just thick enough to coat a spoon with out dripping off.Gravy is a mixture that is thick and heavy .It can be lumpy and it  sticks like to glue to any food that it is put on. I guess you can tell I am a sauce person and not a gravy fan.The following dish uses a veloute' sauce and sun dried tomatoes.


                       Chicken Veloute' with Sun dried Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients: 4 boneless chicken breasts,trimmed and
                         beaten to 1/4 inch.Salt and pepper to taste
                      2 tbsp flour
                      1Tbsp Olive oil
                      1 tbsp butter or margarine( I like Smart
                         Balance)
                      2 cups of Chicken Stock
                      2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water and then
                         minced.They need to be soaked for about
                         20 minutes.You can use the bottled in oil
                         variety but then you have a more oily feel
                         in your dish
                      2 tbsps finely chopped fresh basil (dry basil is        
                         is useless.Omit rather than use the dried)
                      salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:  Dredge chicken in 1 tbsp of the flour
                        Saute' chicken in the olive oil until brown 
                        Place chicken on oven proof
                        platter and keep warm in oven
                        Melt butter or margarine in sauce pan,and then add
                        flour.Stir continuously until margarine and flour are blended
                        together
                        Add chicken stock to pan and bring to a boil while stirring
                        until stock has come to a low boil.Reduce heat and simmer
                        until stock becomes silky and lightly covers a spoon.
                        Add sun dried tomatoes and basil
                        Salt and pepper to taste
                        Pour 1/2 sauce over the chicken and serve remainder of
                        sauce in seperate bowl

This is a favorite of mine because it is quick and easy to prepare.My children would eat this without the basil                        
                                                                    

A Tender Pork Tenderloin

A properly trimmed Pork Tenderloin is easy and a tasty dish to prepare.Trimming off the silver skin and excess fat with kitchen scissors and a chef's knife makes it lean and removes the gristle from the meat.It is a yucky job,but some one has to do it.After the trimming,I recommend covering the meat with a blend of spices, depending on your family's taste.I use paprika mixed with finely chopped rosemary.Cook in the oven on 350 degrees for only about 25 minutes.  Tent with foil and let rest for ten minutes.Serve with rice and chopped pineapple.

Chicken Marsala

This is a yummy recipe because of the cream.Leave out the mushrooms if no one likes them.


Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup chicken stock a(boil this down to  about 1 cup.This
                      makes the sauce richer in taste)
                      2 tbsp diced  shallot(onion can be substituted)
                      8 oz sliced button mushrooms
                      3 tbsp extra virgin oil
                      3 tsp diced sage
                      4 boneless chicken breasts,trimmed and beaten to about
                         1/4 inch in thickness
                      2 tbsp all purpose flour for dredging chicken breasts           
                      1/2cup Marsala wine
                      2/3 cup heavyy cream(for those whose diet will not allow
                          heavy cream substitute evaporated milk)
                      1 tbsp lemon juice
Preparation: Boil down stock and set aside
                       Trim and beat chicken breasts an dredge in flour
                       Saute chicken breasts in 2 tbsp of the olive oil
                       Place on oven proof platter and keep warm in a 325 degree
                         oven while you complete the sauce
                       Saute shallots in 1 tbsp of olive oil.When golden brown add
                          mushrooms to pan.
                       Sprinkle with 2 tsp of sage.Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes
                          until mushrooms no longer give off water vapor
                       Add stock,cream lemon juice and remaining sage to              
                          mushroom mixture and boil down until the sauce is 
                          thickened and will coat a spoon.
                       Remove chicken from oven and spoon sauce over chicken
Serves 4. I like serving this with DeCecco gnocchi                      
 
                      


                       
                                            

Why Does it Matter?

I am passionate about the superior nutrition I feel is inherent in home cooking.I look with horror at the fat and sodium content in restaurant food;let alone the high caloric value in these meals. When you cook at home with good basic ingredients,our families get tasty food with lower fat,sodium and calorie count.We can balance protein,carbs,fruit and vegetables and make the meal appealing.Some say that you can't get children to eat these meals.I say they will .Using little tricks like substituting oatmeal or wheat germ as the binder in meat loaf,or substituting onion powder instead of onions in dishes because the kids won't eat onions.This allows the Mom to dictate the nutrition for her family not the fast food industry.Cut up an apple into slices and set it next to your five year old who is playing in the family room . He will munch almost absentmindedly and finish the apple before you know it. Why does it matter? Because you a setting in motion eating habits that children carry a life time.They will stray for sure,but deep down they know what it is to eat right. That's why it is important that you are a "Good Cooker".

A Rainy Day Recipe

Most good cooks have a recipe made for a rainy day.Everyone is in the family room watching a sporting event or texting with friends.The smell emanating from the kitchen makes memories for your kids.Below is my recipe for beef stew.This is a family favorite.

                                          Beef Stew

Ingredients: 3 lbs of  beef cut and trimmed into 1 inch cubes
                      (I use a London Broil cut.It is so much better than        
                        the already cut up cubes from the grocery store)
                      1 large onion diced.
                      1 stalk of celery cut into 1 inch slices
                      1 large carrot sliced
                      2 tablespoons All Purpose flour
                      2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for sauteing
                      4 cups beef stock ( I like Kitchen Basics)
                      1/2 tsp thyme,1/2 tsp oregano,salt and pepper
                      1/2 bag baby carrots (from produce aisle)
Preparation: Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper
                       Saute beef in skillet with 1tblsp of olive oil until browned
                       Sprinkle beef with flour and put in 375 degree oven for four
                       minutes until flour begins to crust
                       Remove beef from oven and set aside
                       Saute onion,sliced carrots,and sliced celery in remaining
                       olive oil
                       Add set aside beef to sauteed vegetables and cover with
                       beef stock
                       Add thyme and oregano
                       Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low
                       Simmer for 2 1/2 hours
                       Add baby carrots and bring to a boil once again  
                       Reduce heat and simmer for 1 additional hour         
                       Stew is done if beef is soft when pierced by fork
                       Serve over wide flat egg noodles cooked a dente

My kids loved this dish.They actually ate the carrots and liked them.
               

                            
                            

Food For Thought

On some days I fore go the daily recipe ,and talk about my thoughts on  the family dinner and how it needs to be integrated into a family's life. It should be something the family looks forward to and not something that is  unpleasant and argumentative . Many times, I feel,that the mother and father use the dinner as a means to discipline their children."Don't pick at your food","you will eat all your dinner or you will sit there until you do","I don't care if you don't like it,you will eat it",and so on.I disagree strongly with this practice.Children's tastes in food evolve over time. They will begin to like more spice in their food,they will expand there ideas of what tastes good. I believe in tailoring the food served to the current tastes of the kids who will be eating it. In that way,you can affect the nutrition of your child's diet. If you are a Good Cooker,make what they like. Make sure that there are a variety of things of nutritional value at each meal.Maybe they won't eat everything on their plate. That"s OK.A meal should be a happy time,not a battle. Breaking bread together is an ancient rite that symbols friendship.Make friendship and comaraderie the words to describe your dinner table

My Signature Dish

 Every Good Cooker has one or more signature dishes. Mine happens to be my spaghetti sauce . This is the dish my family said I should make and market. I didn't of course,but I was happy they said so.Below is the recipe for the spaghetti sauce.The key thing is to cook it gently for 4 hours.The proportion is important.Most spaghetti sauces depend on too much tomato sauce and not enough meat.

                   Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
                                          1 large yellow onion diced
                                          1 medium green pepper diced
                                          4 cloves of garlic diced
                                          1 tbsp olive oil
                                          8 oz of button mushrooms cleaned and sliced
                                          2 28 oz cans of tomato sauce
                                          1 14 1/2 oz petite diced tomatoes
                                          1 1/2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning

                   Preparation: Saute onions,green pepper,garlic and
                                          mushrooms in olive oil until soft.
                                          Add ground beef and continue to saute
                                          until beef is browned.
                                          Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes
                                          bring to a simmer.
                                          Add Italian seasoning
                                          Simmer for 4 hours

 Remember to adjust the recipe for your families taste.I could usually sneak by with the onions because the are not visible after 4 hours of cooking.Mushrooms not so much.As my kids grew up I  could add mushrooms.          

This  my grandaughter enjoying her granndma's spaghetti sauce                         

Grandma Gert's Meat Loaf

Kids will eat meat loaf if you don't put anything in it like onions or green peppers, etc. Grandma Gert's meat loaf is tasty and loved by the kids in my family.The hidden ingredient is oatmeal instead of bread crumbs which (if you not mention it) gives a healthy boost to your kids dinner.


          Ingredients:  1 1/2 pounds of ground beef (I use the 93% fat free)
                                  1 large egg beaten
                                  1 cup tomato sauce
                                  1 cup Quaker Oats (not instant)
                                  1 teaspoon onion powder
                                  1/2 teaspoon salt
                                  1/4 teaspoon pepper
        Preparation:    Spray loaf pan with oil
                                  Combine all ingredients
                                  Place mixture in loaf pan and spread evenly
                                  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
                                  Let cool for 10 minutes
                                  Slice and serve     

Food For Thought

Why is there an obesity epidemic? Why are kids eating junk food instead of healthy food? Mom's hold the key.For the most part we control what our children eat during baby, toddler,and elementary school years.If you buy junk,they will eat junk . Cooking a good meal every evening is not as hard as it looks. A little planning and 45 minutes is all you need. Feed the kids a healthful snack after school (or insist your child care provider does) and dinner at 6PM or 6:30 is not out of the question. Even simple meals can be enjoyed by the family . If you try it, you will see how much benefit you will get. Try it,you'll like it :-)

Marinara Sauce

A good marinara sauce can dress up alot of different meals.It is good on chicken,fish,and store bought pasta.Try this one and see if you like it.


                                        Versatile Marinara 
                            
           Ingredients:  2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
                                  1 large shallot diced(onion can be substituted)
                                  2 cloves garlic chopped
                                  2 cup chicken stock
                                  1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
                                  1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning(vary the amount
                                   according to your family's taste.)
                                   Salt and pepper to taste

           Preparation: Heat olive oil until hot but not smoking
                                 Saute shallot until golden but not brown
                                 Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute
                                 Add chicken stock and boil down about 1 minute
                                 Add tomatoes and seasoning
                                 Cook for about 10 minutes and then serve

            This should serve four.

Today is Saturday ! What's for dinner?

Getting everyone together for dinner on Saturday night is probably the hardest thing a Good Cooker Mom has to do.Kids are at soccer practice,ballet,gymnastics, etc,etc. No one wants to take time out to sit down to dinner, let alone talk about their day.Here are several strategies that might work:

                    1) Invite the kids' best friend(s).This means more cooking and
                        more chaos
                     2) Make the kids their favorite meal.If you have more than
                         one child,this can be tricky. Spaghetti,burgers,pizza can
                         lure your kids to the dinner table.
                     3) Make it a special occasion.Saturday is movie night ,for
                         example,and this is preceded by the family sitting down
                         to eat together.
The point is to get the family together to talk about their day ,their friends,anything that is bothering them about the activities they are engaged in,their relationship with their siblings etc. It is so easy to just say "it is not worth it! " But it is probably the only time on that day that the family will be together. I would like to hear  other ideas from you.Just post them on our blog for our community to read.

Every Mom needs a good mashed potato recipe

One of the mainstays of our dinner table was mashed potatoes.The kids liked making roads and gullies in them and plant the infamous peas and carrots (see previous post :-) But how can you make yours the best? Cholesterol is always a worry(at least at our house),so mounds of real butter and whole milk were a no no. So I hand to come up with a "secret ingredient".The way I made the flavor of  my mashed potatoes different and yummy for my kids was to add a 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream.I realize that this was cholesterol heavy, but 1/4 cup spread among 4 people was within the "OK" range. I used Yukon Gold potatoes too.These give a nice golden color to the mashed potatoes. To this day my daughter always says that my mashed potatoes were the best.Do you have a recipe for mashed potatoes you would like to share?

Knock out recipe for Lemony Chicken

As chicken is a mainstay for families today,I have found that this recipe appeals to most families:

                                    Ingredients
                    5 boneless chicken cutlets(I use the Perdue Perfect portions)
                    2Tbs All purpose flour
                    2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
                    White wine for degalzing pan 1/4 cup
                    Chicken broth 3/4 cup
                    2 Tbs lemon juice (adjust this amount for your families taste)
                    2/3 cup of petite diced tomatoes
                    2 Tbs heavy cream

                                    Preparation

                    Trim cutlets of fat and gristle.Pound with meat mallet until
                     1/4 inch thick.Salt and pepper and dust with flour
                                  
                    Saute cutlets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until golden brown
                    Place in 325 degree oven to keep warm

                    Deglaze pan with white wine.When wine has almost gone
                    Add chicken broth and lemon juice to pan
                    Remove chicken from oven and return to pan and cook
                    cutlets in pan for one minute per side
                    Place cutlets on serving platter and hold in oven while you
                    finish the sauce

                     Add tomatoes and cream to pan.Heat thoroughly and then
                     pour over chicken and serve

Nothing green,no onions and no mushrooms

It was,of course, very difficult to please the younger crowd of eaters at our dinner table.My son refused to eat anything green.That made salads and most  green vegetables off limits for him.My daughter,to this day won't eat mushrooms or onions. I served peas with carrots frequently and used onion powder in things like meatloaf and meat dishes that required cooked onions .I told my daughter she just could pick the mushrooms out of her chicken Marsala. The point here is that the cook has to make some accommodation for her childrens' current tastes.It is really tough to have a pleasant reunion at the daily dinner table when there were too many things your child wouldn't eat.I know this flies in the face of the kind of discipline many of us faced at our dinner tables when we were young.Who doesn't remember old adages like "there are starving children in ----- who have nothing to eat.They would be grateful to have the food you have." Or perhaps this threat,"You will sit at the table until your plate is clean".I disagree with this philosophy. A dinner table that becomes a
battleground is not a happy place.The whole idea here is to bring a family together to share and communicate with each other. accommodating different tastes is a small price to pay.

OK,how do we do this?

It is easier to say we will cook a good meal every night than it is to do it.  The number one task of good cooking ,on a tight schedule, is to decide what to make.Some moms plan a whole week of menus and then shop a week ahead of time for the ingredients they  will need. I was more of a real time cook.I would keep a variety of things on hand and decide the night before what to make for dinner.My motto was always KISM ! Keep it simple Mom.Meat/poultry, starch,vegetable, and fruit .All in under an hour.The main task was to have something defrosted when I got home.Without that dinner was doomed.I would have to run to the store and that blew my schedule away. It was always possible to defrost in the microwave,but believe me,I wasn't going to get a good cooker award if I did that. There are very few things that get cooked in a microwave that taste good.They are usually rubbery in texture and robbed of all flavor.  Tomorrow we will start to exchange some other tips for "good cookers"