Chicken and Snow Pea Stir Fry
Ingredients
Leftover Chang's Spicy Chicken from date night Prix Fix at PF Chang's
4 cups of snow peas
4 green onions - chopped
2 t. sesame oil
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
Stir fry for about 10 minutes (I'd go shorter, but Jason doesn't like too much crunch.)
I made minute rice on the side.
We loved this super quick and easy meal. Jason really liked the snow peas.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Chicken and Chard Soup
Chicken broth
8 c water
2 stalks celery
2 small carrots
1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
2 chicken breasts and 4 thighs (bone and skin)
Boil for 20 minutes then simmer for a couple hours or more.
Discard veggies and bay leaf. Remove chicken and let cool.
Add 2 stalks chopped celery
2 chopped carrots
3 cups chopped chard
Simmer
When chicken cools, shred and add to the pot.
20 minutes before serving,
Saute 1/2 onion in 2T butter or olive oil
Add 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
When onions are translucent, add 1/4 c flour and brown.
Slowly stir in a little of the broth until you have a good roux.
Add the roux to the soup pot and then serve with shredded cheese and crackers.
8 c water
2 stalks celery
2 small carrots
1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
2 chicken breasts and 4 thighs (bone and skin)
Boil for 20 minutes then simmer for a couple hours or more.
Discard veggies and bay leaf. Remove chicken and let cool.
Add 2 stalks chopped celery
2 chopped carrots
3 cups chopped chard
Simmer
When chicken cools, shred and add to the pot.
20 minutes before serving,
Saute 1/2 onion in 2T butter or olive oil
Add 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
When onions are translucent, add 1/4 c flour and brown.
Slowly stir in a little of the broth until you have a good roux.
Add the roux to the soup pot and then serve with shredded cheese and crackers.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Simple Kale Soup
CSA: Week 2
8 cups chicken broth - I used veggie broth
1 bunch kale, rinsed and sliced
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks
1 pound diced fully cooked turkey ham - I used regular ham
4 cloves garlic, chopped - I used 3 cloves garlic and added 1/4 onion sauteed in olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
I also decided at the last minute to add 2 cups dried navy beans in hopes of making a heartier soup.
I put it all on to simmer at about 11:30 over lunch.
8 cups chicken broth - I used veggie broth
1 bunch kale, rinsed and sliced
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks
1 pound diced fully cooked turkey ham - I used regular ham
4 cloves garlic, chopped - I used 3 cloves garlic and added 1/4 onion sauteed in olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
I also decided at the last minute to add 2 cups dried navy beans in hopes of making a heartier soup.
I put it all on to simmer at about 11:30 over lunch.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
CSA Experiment - Week One - Part Two
Radish Top (and Spinach) Soup
2 T butter
1 large onion, diced
3 small potatoes, sliced
1 c. raw radish greens (CSA)
3 c. raw spinach (CSA)
4 c. vegetable broth
¼ c milk
3 radishes, sliced
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and sauté until tender. Mix in the potatoes and greens tossing them with the butter. Pour into the pot with the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and add milk. Stir until well blended. Serve with crackers and radish slices.
This is a very “revised” recipe. The original called for 4 cups of radish greens, but we subbed spinach (which we had plenty of) for the remainder of the radish greens rather making less (a good thing). I subbed vegetable broth for the chicken since I had plenty of veggie parts and pieces left over but didn’t make anything with chicken this week. Since I am trying to get off the rest of the Caleb weight, I subbed 2% milk for the 1/3 cup heavy cream.
The kids weren’t particularly fond of the soup, but Jason ate 3 or 4 bowls. Jason tried one bowl with the added hot sauce that some of the commenters recommended, but preferred without. We both added table salt. The soup tasted good (not great, but was definitely up from merely edible), but was not filling enough to stand alone for Jason. He ate several bowls of soup with crackers and is still considering a snack later. The kids and I made strawberry banana smoothies for dessert, so we are fine.
We talked a bit about what would be a good accompaniment, but haven’t settled on one yet, but we are definitely open to your suggestions! Jason also wasn’t as fond of the raw radishes (or most any raw food for that matter) so we discussed trying them steamed. I found a recipe for steaming 8 minutes in the microwave and tossing with butter.
2 T butter
1 large onion, diced
3 small potatoes, sliced
1 c. raw radish greens (CSA)
3 c. raw spinach (CSA)
4 c. vegetable broth
¼ c milk
3 radishes, sliced
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and sauté until tender. Mix in the potatoes and greens tossing them with the butter. Pour into the pot with the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and add milk. Stir until well blended. Serve with crackers and radish slices.
This is a very “revised” recipe. The original called for 4 cups of radish greens, but we subbed spinach (which we had plenty of) for the remainder of the radish greens rather making less (a good thing). I subbed vegetable broth for the chicken since I had plenty of veggie parts and pieces left over but didn’t make anything with chicken this week. Since I am trying to get off the rest of the Caleb weight, I subbed 2% milk for the 1/3 cup heavy cream.
The kids weren’t particularly fond of the soup, but Jason ate 3 or 4 bowls. Jason tried one bowl with the added hot sauce that some of the commenters recommended, but preferred without. We both added table salt. The soup tasted good (not great, but was definitely up from merely edible), but was not filling enough to stand alone for Jason. He ate several bowls of soup with crackers and is still considering a snack later. The kids and I made strawberry banana smoothies for dessert, so we are fine.
We talked a bit about what would be a good accompaniment, but haven’t settled on one yet, but we are definitely open to your suggestions! Jason also wasn’t as fond of the raw radishes (or most any raw food for that matter) so we discussed trying them steamed. I found a recipe for steaming 8 minutes in the microwave and tossing with butter.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
CSA Experiment - Week One
CSA Experiment Week One
Saturday Night – Borscht
Ingredients
Stew Beef – (on sale at Kroger)
1 medium onion chopped
2 T olive oil
1. Browned beef and onion in the oil
8 cups water
½ head cabbage chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots (CSA)
5 beets with 2 inches of the stems and the greens chopped (CSA)
3 potatoes chopped
1 small can tomato paste
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2. Combine water, cabbage, celery, carrots, beets, beet stems, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
¼ cup fresh dill chopped
2 T chopped parsley
3. Stir in the herbs. Add the beet greens. Simmer for 1 hour longer.
4. Strain out the bay leaves and serve.
Jason & I both enjoyed this dish which made enough food for all of us, plus 2 quarts of leftovers for lunch next week. Jason mentioned that the meat could be optional. One substitute could be 1 cup of pearl barley added in step 2 according to one recipe. Another addition that we considered was ¼ c of chopped chives referred to in one recipe.
We both agreed that we would definitely try this one again.
Saturday Night – Borscht
Ingredients
Stew Beef – (on sale at Kroger)
1 medium onion chopped
2 T olive oil
1. Browned beef and onion in the oil
8 cups water
½ head cabbage chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots (CSA)
5 beets with 2 inches of the stems and the greens chopped (CSA)
3 potatoes chopped
1 small can tomato paste
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2. Combine water, cabbage, celery, carrots, beets, beet stems, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
¼ cup fresh dill chopped
2 T chopped parsley
3. Stir in the herbs. Add the beet greens. Simmer for 1 hour longer.
4. Strain out the bay leaves and serve.
Jason & I both enjoyed this dish which made enough food for all of us, plus 2 quarts of leftovers for lunch next week. Jason mentioned that the meat could be optional. One substitute could be 1 cup of pearl barley added in step 2 according to one recipe. Another addition that we considered was ¼ c of chopped chives referred to in one recipe.
We both agreed that we would definitely try this one again.
Friday, January 16, 2009
70 degrees of separation
Seven degrees followed by "of separation" rings familiarity to me - not Fahrenheit. Cold creeps in everywhere. Rolled towels nestle against the doors, protecting against the icy wind. The blinds, raised since our arrival in July, now insulate the windows. Prince Procrastinator and I survey the house shutting closet doors tight and closing off the laundry room and pantry area leading the garage. The heating unit churns non-stop, yet the inside temperature rests at a chilly 62 degrees.
After dinner and jammies, the house is unusually quiet. At storytime, we do not see Prince Boots. PP sets off to locate him and returns amused. PB lies in bed covered with 2 blankets pulled up to his nose. He points to the ceiling and asks for "lights out". Princess Ela climbs into her bed and under sheet, blanket, duvet, and bedspread rather than her usual blankie on the floor.
I huddle under a blanket with the laptop's exhaust providing a bit of warmth. I plan attacks against the cold creeping in from outside, but any success is trumped by our featherweight heater who begins to emit cold air.
I love the winter here, but tonight I long for the 77 degrees of Mimi and Oompah's Montego Bay.
After dinner and jammies, the house is unusually quiet. At storytime, we do not see Prince Boots. PP sets off to locate him and returns amused. PB lies in bed covered with 2 blankets pulled up to his nose. He points to the ceiling and asks for "lights out". Princess Ela climbs into her bed and under sheet, blanket, duvet, and bedspread rather than her usual blankie on the floor.
I huddle under a blanket with the laptop's exhaust providing a bit of warmth. I plan attacks against the cold creeping in from outside, but any success is trumped by our featherweight heater who begins to emit cold air.
I love the winter here, but tonight I long for the 77 degrees of Mimi and Oompah's Montego Bay.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A Sketch
Last night I arrived too late for my small group meeting. Crushed, I returned home and turned in early. Sir Sleeps A Lot beat the alarm clock in waking me and finished nursing by 5am. Grand visions of arriving early for a third day in a row dance in my head. Last night’s green peas kept an all night vigil on the stove. They chose not to protect the paper towels, and pixies swiped the last one. To the laundry room for backup! No paper towels? I slowly remember believing it would be a good idea to leave the replacement twelve-pack in the back of the car saving space in our wrecked laundry room. Our car lives in our driveway where the temperature has not reached thirty. A convenient amnesia sets in, and I abandon kitchen cleaning to run my darks through the wash. No worries, timeliness remains within my grasp.
A sour smell escapes as I open the washer’s lid. Going to be early last night was a good idea, right? But wait, my knight in shining armor (formerly known as Prince Procrastinator) enters bearing oatmeal and juice for the overwhelmed and the sleepy. He irons the kids’ clothes while I survey my closet for “plan b” attire. I climb out of the shower to find all four dressed. Valiantly, he volunteers to drop me at work before unloading the kids at daycare.
An equatorial international student, who arrived last week to an apartment fabulously furnished by our volunteers, pleas for reassignment to a closer one requiring a shorter walk in the cold. A PhD student assures me PP will have a breakthrough on Hebrew and will survive the J-term intensive. I talk about the weather with students from the faraway lands of Japan, Korea, and Oklahoma while application fees post. Cash drawer balanced, I head to the parking lot for our mad dash to church.
The church dining hall smells of tomato sauce and cookies. Princess Ela and Prince Boots eat both, but nothing else. PP and I shovel our food in between taking turns holding Sir Sleeps A Lot who, awake, bankrupts us by flashing million dollar smiles to all.
We proceed to beeline our way through the children’s wing to the nursery. Wondering about the empty toddler room, a small white slip of paper catches my eye. The note on the door warns that “A” spread Scarlett Fever. Antibiotics will cure with minimal discomfort and schedule interruption, the note reads. My mind interprets, Little Women! Suddenly my irritation with PB’s fussiness today transforms to panic. Scarlett Fever rather than 15 degree winds caused his flushed cheeks, I am certain! PE’s whiny insistence on a second snack comes not from hunger but Scarlett Fever.
Home again, snacks, story-time, and the kids scurry off to sleep. PB says, “Night, Night Mommy” – a rare complete phrase and calmness again finds me. At least until I see the laundry pile!
A sour smell escapes as I open the washer’s lid. Going to be early last night was a good idea, right? But wait, my knight in shining armor (formerly known as Prince Procrastinator) enters bearing oatmeal and juice for the overwhelmed and the sleepy. He irons the kids’ clothes while I survey my closet for “plan b” attire. I climb out of the shower to find all four dressed. Valiantly, he volunteers to drop me at work before unloading the kids at daycare.
An equatorial international student, who arrived last week to an apartment fabulously furnished by our volunteers, pleas for reassignment to a closer one requiring a shorter walk in the cold. A PhD student assures me PP will have a breakthrough on Hebrew and will survive the J-term intensive. I talk about the weather with students from the faraway lands of Japan, Korea, and Oklahoma while application fees post. Cash drawer balanced, I head to the parking lot for our mad dash to church.
The church dining hall smells of tomato sauce and cookies. Princess Ela and Prince Boots eat both, but nothing else. PP and I shovel our food in between taking turns holding Sir Sleeps A Lot who, awake, bankrupts us by flashing million dollar smiles to all.
We proceed to beeline our way through the children’s wing to the nursery. Wondering about the empty toddler room, a small white slip of paper catches my eye. The note on the door warns that “A” spread Scarlett Fever. Antibiotics will cure with minimal discomfort and schedule interruption, the note reads. My mind interprets, Little Women! Suddenly my irritation with PB’s fussiness today transforms to panic. Scarlett Fever rather than 15 degree winds caused his flushed cheeks, I am certain! PE’s whiny insistence on a second snack comes not from hunger but Scarlett Fever.
Home again, snacks, story-time, and the kids scurry off to sleep. PB says, “Night, Night Mommy” – a rare complete phrase and calmness again finds me. At least until I see the laundry pile!
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