Foodie Pen Pal - March 2014

Hello from Disney!

Last month I did not do the foodie pen pal.  Between illness and gross weather, I would not have been a good foodie pen pal.  

This month I signed up once again and boy am I glad I did.  Emily, my foodie pen pal, sent me an excellent box.  

Emily lives in Maryland.  She sent me some yummy local treats!  That is what I like about the foodie pen pal program.  I love trying local treats from different places.  

Here's what she sent me:

The tulle she used to protect the goodies.  The Wee One loved it.

In fact, here is outside playing with the tulle.

The handwritten note.  I enjoyed learning more about the different foods in the box.  

The back of the note

Yummy local cookies - When she got married, her husband and her gave these out as welcome gifts.  They are light and airy.
Here's a link to Berger Cookies' website.

A closer look at the chocolate part of the cookie

The back of the cookie

This is from a local French bakery.  She could not remember the name of the pastry but it was described as buttery and flaky.  I can't wait to taste it.

Beef Jerky - I'm saving this for when we are down in Disney.  It would be a good treat to have on hand because we are going to have one big meal a day.  The rest of the day is going to be snacks.  I've got some tuna fish so this would be a good change of pace.

Here is another snack that I'm saving for Disney.  No one else is going to want to taste any of it.  

The funny thing is I sent her some paleo "granola" also.  This looks yummy!  I love almonds, cashews, and coconut so this should be good.

I've saved the best for last.  

These chocolate covered espresso beans are the bomb.  In fact Hubby thinks he is going to take this because he loves Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans.  I let him have a couple but might need to hide the rest.  These are mine!  

Here's a link to Zeke's Coffee's website.

For more information about the foodie pen pal program, please visit the Lean Green Bean.

Happy eating, 
Traci

Kitchen Tip Tuesday - Dicing onions

When we were in Charleston, Hubby signed me up for 2 coming classes. In the first one I learned how to cook shrimp and grits. During the second one, I cooked up a potato salad with arugula. Other people in the class cooked other parts of the meal.

One of the things they taught was how to dice up am onion with little tears.

The most important piece of knowledge to know about an onion is knowing why people get teary eyed when they cut up am onion. There is an enzyme in the root that causes your eyes to become irritated.

So when I cut up an onion now, I first cut the top off and then cut it in half so you have two flat sides. 

With the top of the onion off

Cut in half (Messed up a little when I took the top off.) Flat side laying down on cutting board.

After cutting the onion in half, remove the skin.  It's easier to do it then.

An onion has natural grooves. Cut along those from where the top had been towards the root but do not cut the root. 

Cutting along the grooves.  I cut until it starts to slope down.  That way I won't get cut into the root.  I also have to turn the onion around after I've cut it half way.

Then I cut across the onion so that I have small diced onion.

1.  Cutting across the onion.  I stopped when I got to the part of the onion that was started to slope down.

2.  Scooping up the onions.

3.  Diced up onions on the cutting board.

4.  Diced up onions on a plate.  They were ready to be portioned out into 1/2 c. portions.

1.  I used a garbage bowl to put the onion scraps in.

2.  Diced up onions in 1/2 c. portions.

3.  Ready to go into the freezer.

4.  I cut some of the onions into slices.

Mom, What's For Dinner? - Week of March 17

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Yesterday was a crazy day. I decided to do some cleaning in my room.  I have a small trunk with memorabilia from when I was a teen and when I was 20 years old.

I've dug through the top layer recently but hadn't gone through the rest of the trunk in a long time. Yesterday I went through the whole trunk. Boy am I glad I did.

I found a picture of one of my friends that I spent a lot of time with while in working in Walt Disney World as part of the college program. I've thought a lot about Molly over the years but hadn't gotten in contact with her. I looked her up on the Internet. Then I took a leap of faith and called her. It's as though 18 years had never passed. We spoke for an hour yesterday about memories and we've been up to for the past 18 years. She and I both relate to how much we miss that place. We'll always say "I worked at Walt Disney World."

I also found a photo book of old International Order of Rainbow pics. I was in Rainbow from 1988 until 1995. Almost 7 years of my life. Actually 6 years 11 months. I posted a picture of a few of the girls now women who are friends of mine on Facebook. I found out one of my coworkers was in the picture. We never realized it and we worked for the same district for 10 years but never made the connection. Both of us are married. Last night we finally made the connection. Sweet!

My advice is to reach out to people from your past as long as they were not toxic. See if you can make a connection.

Spring cleaning has never been so great. Now onto my menu:

Monday soda biscuit waffles and sausage

Tuesday potato soup, grilled cheese, raw veggies

Wednesday homemade hamburger helper, veggies


Thursday Hamburgers, French Fries, Raw Veggies

Friday Chicken Stir Fry, Rice

Here's a printable version of my menu for this week: Mom, What's For Dinner - March 17

For other great menus, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Happy eating, Traci

Chocolate Rocks?!?

Yesterday my students and I did a cool little project.  We made chocolate igneous and sedimentary rocks out of chocolate and sprinkles.  

I posted the directions on my other blog - Ramblings of My Crazy Life.  

Here's the link to the how to make chocolate rocks:  Chocolate Rocks.



Happy eating and learning, 

Traci

Overnight Berry Oats (No Yogurt)

This is an easy recipe for breakfast.  You make the night before and put them in the fridge.  The next morning, you pull them out of the fridge and set them on the counter to allow it to allow it warm up a little.  That is unless you love the oats ice cold.

This a versatile recipe.  You can change it up depending on your imagination.  The recipe I'm going to share has blueberries and strawberries and is topped with pecans.

Overnight Berry Oats

Skinny Taste

 

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/4 c. quick oats
• 1/2 c. milk (skim, 2%, almond, soy, or coconut)
• 1/2 c. blueberries
• 1/4 c. cut strawberries
• 2 Tbsp. or less honey
• 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon (more or less depending on your preferences)
• 1 Tbsp. nuts (I used pecans.)

Steps:

1. Combine the oats, milk, blueberries, strawberries, honey, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a jar.
2. Place in the fridge overnight.
3. Take out of the fridge and allow to take the chill off.
4. Add nuts.
5. Enjoy!  (If you want, add some Greek yogurt.)

Happy eating, 
Traci

Pistachio Pudding Whipped Cream

Many years ago, my in-law's were following the Adkins diet.  They were eating lots of protein and very little sugar.  Pudding whipped cream made with sugar free pudding mix was one of their favorite special treats. They loved white chocolate pudding the best.

I've made it over the years with regular pudding mix.  When I made it, I usually used either white chocolate or cheesecake flavored pudding mix.  

This pudding whipped cream can be used as a fruit dip or eaten by itself.  In the past, I would bring this pudding whipped cream to work carry-ins.  One of my co-workers would make a request that I bring in strawberries and the pudding whipped cream.

It's been a while since I made it.  I thought about my love of pistachios and the St. Paddy's day coming up.  I decided to make pistachio flavored pudding whipped cream.

Pistachio Pudding Whipped Cream

Stars of the recipe:

• 8 oz. of heavy whipped cream
• 1 small box of pistachio instant pudding

Steps:

1. Pour the heavy whipped cream in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the pistachio instant pudding.
3. Whip with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer until stiff.  (I start on low and gradually change the setting to high.)
4. Enjoy with fruit or by itself.

Happy eating, Traci

Mom, What's For Dinner - Week of March 10

Why do I menu plan?  For situations like what happened last Tuesday.  I had a bunch of work that needed to be done at work so I decided to stay late.  I already had Spanish style chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker.  All I needed to do was text Hubby letting him know I was staying late and he needed to put the orzo in the slow cooker about half an hour before serving the food.  We did not have the biscuits since I wasn’t home.  Instead he had crackers with his soup.

When I don’t menu plan, I never know what to cook and will often stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home.  Getting fast food is expensive and not healthy.  

Plus the Wee One thinks I’m the best cook in the U.S.  

Here’s this week’s menu:

Monday - Brinner - Pancakes, bacon, fresh fruit

Tuesday - Chili, Northern Cornbread, Salad

Wednesday - Spaghetti and meatballs, Garlic bread, Salad

Thursday - Philly Cheeseburger sandwiches (Freezer and Slow Cooker), Raw Veggies, Chips

Friday - Baked Tilapia, Roasted Potato, Veggie

Saturday - Leftovers

For a PDF file of this menu, click on this link.

For other great menu plans, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Until next week,

Traci

Chocolate Mint Puppy Chow

I've made several different types of puppy chow.  Hubby and I love to snack on it.  So when I saw this recipe last week, I knew I needed to make some.

We do a weekly Sunday night dinner at my mother-in-law's house.  I took some to her house so we could eat it for dessert.  It was a huge hit with Hubby and my mother-in-law.

Hubby took half of the remaining puppy chow to his work.  His co-workers loved it.  In fact, they kept coming back for more.  They described it as crack.  It is that good.

This puppy chow reminds me of Thin Mints.  It's Girl Scout cookie season.  If you can't get your hands on some cookies, you can make this alternative.  I know it's not the same but it could tide you over until you can get some Girl Scout cookies.

Chocolate Mint Puppy Chow

Eat at Home

Stars of the recipe:

• 10 oz. bag of Andes mint baking chips
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 12.8 oz. box rice chex cereal.
• 1-1/2 to 2 c. powdered sugar

Steps:

1. Put baking chips and butter in a large microwaveable bowl.
2. Microwave for 1 minute and stir.  Continue microwaving for 30 second intervals until the butter and baking chips are melted and smooth.
3. Put the cereal into the bowl.
4. Stir until coated.
5. Add the powdered sugar over the coated cereal.  Stir until the cereal is covered in powdered sugar. (I ended up putting mine in a plastic gallon size bag and shaking the powdered sugar onto the cereal.)
6. Enjoy!

Other puppy chows:  Brownie Biscoff Puppy Chow and Candy Cane Peppermint Puppy Chow.

Printable Version

Happy eating, 
Traci

Fried Apples

My grandma used to cook simple meals.  Fried potatoes, hamburger patties, and fried apples were often seen at our dinner table. So was liver and onions with canned spinach. That was my least favorite meal.

Tonight while cooking dinner I was craving fried apples. I usually burn them when I try to cook them. Tonight I tried something different and was successful at cooking at them perfectly.

The Imaginative One refused to touch them but the Wee One loved them.

Fried Apples

Stars of the recipe:

• 2 apples cored and sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
• 2 tablespoons of butter  
• 2 tablespoons of Brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

Steps:

1. Heat skillet on medium heat. 
2. Melt butter in skillet.
3. Add remaining ingredients. 
4. Stir until apples are coated with melted butter,  brown sugar, and cinnamon. 
5. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Turn heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 
7. Take off of heat. 
8. Enjoy by itself, with whipped cream, or over ice cream.

Printable Version

Kitchen Tip Tuesday - Bulk Hamburger ( Slow Cooker)

For the past few years, I've browned hamburger, rinsed it, and divided it into smaller portions. Sometimes I'll use some of the meat to make sloppy Joes and/or taco meat and then freeze that. It's so convenient to have it in the freezer when I need it.

I was cooking it on the stove top but then discovered a trick I now cook it in my slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours. That way it will cook up while I'm doing other things.

Hints:

1. Use a slow cooker bag.  It will be easier to clean up the mess if you use the slow cooker bag.
2. Break up the meat into smaller pieces before you cook it.
3. Use some of the meat to make sloppy joes or taco meat.  Portion those out and then put them in the freezer.  There might one night you need some quick and easy.

Raw Hamburger

Cooked Hamburger

Cooked Hamburger (Closer look)

Mom, What's for Dinner?- Week of March 3

I can't believe it's already March.  That means at the end of the month, I'll be in the Happiest Place on Earth, a.k.a. Walt Disney World.  Between now and when we leave, it's going to be stressful at work.  I've got meetings and have to administer a test to three of my students.  The test is going time consuming more than anything else.

Recently I've started to have themes for our dinner to make easier to plan.  

Mondays are brinner or breakfast for dinner unless there is a conflict and then I'll change brinner to a different day.  That is a family favorite meal.

Tuesdays are soup or casserole days.  Sometimes the boys are not too keen on soup.  If I get rid of the broth and just give them the goodies, they are more willing to eat the soup.

Wednesdays are some sort of pasta night.  We love spaghetti and ravioli so this is also a family favorite. 

Thursdays are our easy meal night.  The boys have dance (tap) practice and scouts and need to be out the door quickly.  We eat sandwiches, tacos, or pizza on those nights.

Fridays are reserved for some sort of meat dish - chicken, pork, ham, or fish might appear on our kitchen table during that night.

Saturdays is our left over night.  Sometimes I make a different type of meal.

We usually eat over my mother-in-laws' house.  Sometimes I'll make the dinner, sometimes my mother-in-law makes the dinner.

Here's my menu for next week:

Monday - French toast, sausage links, fresh fruit

Tuesday - Spanish style chicken noodle soup (done in slow cooker), biscuit

Wednesday - chicken spaghetti (freezer), veggies, garlic bread

Thursday - tacos (freezer), lime rice

Friday - Shimmy and shake chicken tenders, roasted potatoes, veggie, ciabatta bread (freezer)

Saturday - left overs


Here's a link to the google doc of this menu so you can print a pdf of the menu if you decide to use it.

Mom, What's for Dinner - Week of March 3

This post has been linked up to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Happy eating, 

Traci