spring strata

a yummy dish that can be assembled the night before. good for using up old eggs and other veggies in your fridge.

6 lg eggs
2 c milk
1 shallot or small onion
salt and pepper
1 baguette (9 oz) cut into 1/4" slices)
1 lb asparagusn (cut into 1/2" pieces)
6 oz shredded gruyere cheese

1) grease 2 quart baking dish, in bowl whisk eggs, milk, shallot salt and pepper.
2) place half of bread slices, overlapping, into baking dish. pour half of egg mixture over bred; sprinkle with half of asparagus and gruyere. Repeat layering, pressing to help bread absorb egg. Cover and refrigerate 1 hr or overnight.
3) preheat oven 350 degrees F, uncover, bake on cookie sheet 50-60 min. or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. let stand 10 min before serving

Citrus-Tarragon Chicken (for kabobs)

Ingredients:
1. 1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
2. 1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
3. 1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4. 4 cloves garlic, minced
5. 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
6. 1/4 cup soy sauce
7. 1/4 cup canola oil (or olive oil … I normally use olive oil)
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a large (gallon sized) zip lock bag. Toss/massage chicken pieces into marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours to 24 hours (depending on the level of flavor you desire).  Either put chicken on skewers to barbeque or put in a sauté pan to sauté.

*My family prefers to leave the chicken to marinate for 24 hours, as the flavors intensify.

*Also this makes a ton of marinade, so you could easily do up to 2 pounds of chicken for this recipe and have plenty enough marinade for all the chicken.

*This recipe was taken from foodnetwork.com and is from Bob Blumer.

turkey, green bean, and rice casserole

This is one of my favorite comfort food casseroles. It isn't pretty, but it is a classic around our house. It's also a simple meal that you can make and freeze for "one of those days" when cooking a meal just isn't going to work. I always have the ingredients on-hand and it's always tasty.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 12 oz. box of roasted red pepper and tomato soup
• 1-2 cans of green beans
• 3 cups rice
• 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
• Black pepper
  

Directions

1. Cook rice in rice cooker
2. Brown turkey in a skillet with a bit of olive oil
3. Place rice in a 9x13 in. baking dish
4. Add turkey, green beans, and soup
5. Mix together
6. Sprinkle cheese on top and add black pepper
   
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

Meatball Subs

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 1/2 t. Italian seasoning
2 t. salt
24 oz. tomato sauce
2 10-in. loaves of Italian or Sourdough bread
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, part skim

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oven racks in top 1/3 of oven.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment or foil.
In a large bowl combine first six ingredients.
Shape into small balls to form meatballs and place on baking sheet.
Bake, shaking pans every 5 minutes to promote even baking, for a total of about 15 minutes.
While meatballs are cooking, slice bread into 4 even pieces.
When meatballs are done, remove and place bread on baking sheets. Place four meatballs on each sandwich and top with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted and they are heated through--about 5 minutes.

(This recipe is from Weightwatchers.com)

homemade whole wheat lasagne noodles and a lasagne to use them in

This was a first for me! It went from being super overwhelming to super fun! I had a blast making it!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Beat eggs, oil, and salt
2. Add flour, until dough is stiff to roll
3. Divide dough in half
4. Roll on generously floured board until thin
5. Cut into desired strips

I didn't make my dough thin enough so I kept rolling out the strips until they where thin like store bought lasagna noodles.

Once the noodles where done I pulled out
my handy dandy trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook...

and made my first lasagne!
(I'm not sure how I've been married for almost 5 years and hadn't made one until now)

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (I used turkey)
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can tomatoes (I used 3 or 4 fresh tomatoes)
  
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I used tomato paste and water)
  
• 2 T. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. basil leaves, dried
• 3 C (2 12-oz cartons cottage cheese)
• 1/2 C grated parmesan
• 1 T. parsley flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. oregano leaves
• 1 pkg. 8 ounce lasagne noodles, cooked & well drained (OR OUR LOVELY HOMEMADE NOODLES UNCOOKED)
• 3/4 lb. shredded Mozerella cheese
• 1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook and stir ground beef, pork, onion and garlic in large saucepan or Dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender.
2. Drain off all fat.
3. Add tomatoes and break up with a fork.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, 2 T. parsley flakes, sugar, 1 tsp. salt and the basil.
5. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
6. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 hour or until mixture is the consistency of spaghetti sauce.
7. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Mix cottage cheese, 1/2 C Parmesan cheese, 1 T. parsley flakes, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and the oregano.
9. Reserve 1/2 C meat sauce for the thin top layer.
10. In ungreased baking pan, 13x9x2" , layer 1/4 each of the noodles, remaining meat sauce, the Mozerella cheese and cottage cheese mixture;
11. Repeat 3 times.
12. Spread reserved meat sauce over top; Sprinkle with 1/2 C parmesan cheese.
13. If desired, Lasagna can be covered and refrigerated several hours at this point.
14. Bake uncovered 45 min. Allow an additional 10-15 min. if it was refrigerated.
15. For easier cutting, let stand 15 min. after removing from oven.

This could make a great make ahead meal!!!

what kind of New Mexican would i be if i didn't make a green chili stew?

first things first. you should find yourself a trusty assistant.

the pictures don't do this recipe justice. sorry. don't be fooled, it is pretty tasty.
Green Chili Stew

about 1 lbs pork, cubed

1-2 TBS oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 chopped onion (red or yellow, both taste good)

combine and cook on medium heat till pork is cooked thoroughly.

3 C water

3 chicken bullion cubes

2 cans Hominy, drained

1 4oz can green chilis (Hatch brand tastes best)

salt and pepper to taste

cook on high for 10 minutes after boil. then let simmer for at least an hour. of course things like this always taste best when left to simmer for longer, it depends on the time you have. i cooked mine on the stove but you could for sure turn this into a crock pot meal after you brown the pork.

also, please keep in mind that i cook this recipe (and so many others) according to taste so the measurements have flexibility. if you are making for a large party than just add more water. with every cup of water add one more bullion. top with cheese if you want.

hominy is a puffed white corn. it can be substituted with cubed potatoes but i prefer hominy as it gives it a more authentic flavor.
Homemade Tortillas

4 C flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C warm water

stir together with a spoon until well moistened. then knead with hands till no longer sticky. you may need to add a little more flour. let sit covered for 10-15 minutes. then pinch off size you want and roll out flat.

i roll mine in between wax paper because it is less messy. make sure your dough is nice and thin. then cook on one side till it starts to bubble and brown, then turn and repeat.

i halved my recipe because there are only 2 of us. a half recipe made 10 tortillas. 

make-ahead lasagna

yesterday my friend sarah invited ambrose to come play with her son elijah for the morning... i seized the moment! i put on one of my trusty aprons, that's how you know i was serious. asher stayed half awake, half asleep so i could get work done, that's how you know he was serious.

then, i consulted my awesome friend angie's trusty directions on the delicious lasagna recipe i begged her for last week:
For the Sauce I just kinda add things to taste, I never measure anything so Hopefully this will make some sense:

1/2-1 onion
1 tbs (ish) of butter
Oil
Minced Garlic
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
Dried Parsley
parmaesan cheese
brown sugar

I start by melting butter with oil. Then add some finely chopped onion. I usually let that go until the onions are translucent, when they are about halfway there I'll add some garlic. You don't want to add it too soon cause it tends to burn quickly if there aren't any other ingredients, Next I add the hamburger. I find that doing it after the onions give it some good flavor while it's cooking. Just make sure to keep moving it around so the onions don't burn. and add a little bit of salt and pepper. NEXT add 1-2 cans of regular tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato paste, dry parsley, grated parmaesan cheese, and more minced garlic to taste. Then I like to add about a handful (Or so) of brown sugar to cut the acidity. just keep tasting it, and when it is pleasing to the palate it is DONE!

Cook Lasagna Noodles

Prepare Cheese mixture: This is the part from the box that I used. But I used Cottage cheese because it's MUCH cheaper!! (and at costco you can get A HUGE tub that will make you lots)

I think basically you add 1 egg, and some parsley and some spinach and salt and pepper, maybe a little garlic powder and sometimes I add grated carrots. It's a good way to sneak in veggies if your kids aren't veggie eaters. Luckily mine are. But it's still a good place to add carrots.

Now start with a thin layer of sauce in the bottom, then Noodles, then pretty much whatever you want. Noodles, C.Cheese, Sauce , grated mozzarella noodles OR Noodles sauce, mozzarella, c. cheese, Noodles. I'm not sure if it really matters. I'm pretty sure anything goes! Just do what you want. You are the one eating it! When you get to the top put a little more sauce on and then load on the Mozzarella. Usually you bake it covered in the oven for 25 minutes basically until it's warm throughout then, I like to uncover and bake until the cheese on the top is nice and bubbly and brown.

*and to make it a make-ahead meal: freeze it before baking it. take it out when you know you're gonna have a busy day and throw it in the fridge to defrost. pull it out about an hour before dinner time and throw it in the oven!*

and then i got to work!


and i remembered to make three smaller ones since our family doesnt eat a monster pan of lasagna in one sitting yet (thanks for that tip too ang):
and then i foiled 'em up

and now they are sitting in my freezer, ready for me whenever i need them. whew. that was fun. three meals DONE in a hour flat. next up: enchiladas. stay tuned.

thanks!

make-ahead-meal update:

thanks for all the emailed recipes and suggestions! i feel i have plenty to work on now and i have a lot of people to thank for that.

now i just have to find the perfect evening or weekend to do it (and this requires mustering up some energy too so it may take me a bit)!

i shall return at a future date with some results and in the meantime may post a quick recipe or two that my family enjoys- i'm all about fast, easy, healthy (this isnt always a must for me though... who are we kidding), and DELICIOUS!

so stay tuned....

a request!

hello culinary world:

i have little to no time to make an elaborate dinner these days.

this is a sad fact for me because i LOVE to cook and try new things. i hum in the kitchen and feel accomplished when i make something delicious that my family loves.... how 1950's. but it's true and i love it.

having said that, i must reiterate: i just dont have the time that i used to to make nutritious and tasty meals for my family. it seems as if every time i get into my messy, blissful kitchen groove my baby is crying to be nursed or held and my toddler is at my feet, tugging on my apron, demanding to be entertained or wanting to "help me," and so on and so forth. i think a lot of moms can relate. cooking with a new baby and toddler around is tricky sometimes.

so, i have decided that "make-ahead-meals" will be my dinnertime salvation.

how do make ahead meals work? on the days when making dinner seems an impossible task, i will be able to retrieve something fabulous out of the freezer that i had previously prepared and throw it in the oven!

i have a couple of recipes that are sure bets so far:

cheese enchiladas (my sisters make ahead recipe)
lasagna (thanks for the idea angie)
spaghetti sauce for pasta, chicken parm., lasagna...etc. (my sister-in-law's recipe)
chimichangas (my mom used to make a ton when we were little and freeze them)
homemade chicken taquitos

and here's where you come in: do you have any other suggestions for me? maybe even a recipe to go with that suggestion??

i'm going to collect a bunch of ideas, make them, and report back here so all the busy chefs reading this can start making ahead (like on a lazy weekend or an evening when the kids are in bed) and stop the dinner time stress!

because dinner time should be a happy time of day- not a stressed out, sweaty, everybody's crying time of day so let's help each other out!

get those ideas in if you have them and let's get cookin'!

(you can comment here or submit recipes to: stephaniexrobertson(at)gmail(dot)com!!)