Spaghetti and Crockpot Meatballs

Yesterday, I had the little monkey's 4 month well baby check (read: shots!) so I knew that dinner would have to be either made ahead or very quick as I would have one fussy young'un by dinnertime. I ended up deciding on a combination of make ahead and quick. Spaghetti is a favorite around here, although we've had to compromise a bit on sauce. The husband likes a plain meat sauce. I like a more seasoned roasted tomato sauce without meat. Our compromise is meat balls :)

CrockPot Meatballs

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef (I prefer sirloin)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c fresh bread crumbs
2 cloves finely diced garlic
1/2 med onion, chopped
3-4 sundried tomatoes, very finely chopped
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 c prepared tomato sauce/marinara
Onion powder*
Garlic powder*
Oregano*
Salt and Pepper*
Garlic Olive Oil

* to taste

Method

1. Combine ground beef, beaten egg, bread crums, sun-dried tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. I use my hands for this part. It takes less pounding to get everything combined, keeping the meat more tender.
2. Form ground beef into large balls, I try for slightly larger than golf balls. The large size helps keep the meatballs from becoming dry.
   
3. Brown meatballs in a hot pan.
4. Once meatballs are mostly brown, add a tbsp or 2 of garlic olive oil, onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
   
5. Place meatballs in slow cooker and add olive oil, onion and garlic.
   
6. Cover meatballs with diced tomatoes and prepared marinara. Season as needed.
   
7. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
   

I served these over spaghetti, making for a quick dinner I could do in the brief moments little man would let me set him down.

Sicilian Chicken

I saw a really interesting looking seasoning blend in a specialty market a few months ago, but it was quite pricey. So I wrote down the ingredients and put it together myself. I've found it to be versatile and useful, especially with chicken and pasta dishes.

Sicilian Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts, naked
2 c Cheese (of choice)
1 c diced tomatoes, drained
Salt
Pepper
Sicilian Blend
1 box Pasta of choice

Method

1. chop and brown chicken breasts, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and Sicilian Blend
   
2. Prepare Pasta al dente
3. In a greased casserole dish, combine cooked chicken, pasta, tomatoes, 1 tsp Sicilian Blend and cheese.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bake at 375 for approx 20 minutes or until bubbling.
   

I modified this recipe to use up some leftovers and to use in the slow cooker. I substituted about 1 cup of left over queso for the cheese. I layered frozen chicken breasts, the tomatoes, and the queso dip in the slow cooker. This I seasoned with salt, pepper, and the Sicilian Blend. I set this on Low and let it cook for about four hours, stirring in cooked pasta at serving time.

Yum.

Sicilian Blend
***Combine equal parts garlic, onion powder, oregano and basil.

New Twist with Cream of Wheat

Cream of Wheat is a childhood favorite. We ate it sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, always risking a burned mouth from not waiting until it cooled. I wanted something warm for lunch today and pulled out the box (which has a permanent place in my pantry) and noticed a suggestion on the side to mix in Polaner All Fruit Spread. Since I happened to have some, I gave it a try.



Yuuuummmmm....new favorite. I also stirred in some natural sliced almonds to add some protein.

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup

Kevin loooves Split Pea Soup. I prefer a chicken version I adapted from a clean eating cookbook. Since I had a ham bone and leftover cooked ham in the freezer, he's getting his version- perfect for the frosty weather we're having. I enjoy having soups on the weekends when we're usually working on things around the house or outside or running errands. Makes for a stressfree dinner whenever we happen to get hungry.

Split Pea and Ham Soup

Ingredients
1 package (16 oz) dried split peas
2 c diced fully cooked ham
1 c diced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 c boiling water
1 c hot milk

Method

1. In a 5 qt slow cooker, layer the first nine ingredients in order listed (without stirring).
2. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in milk.
4. Discard bay leaves before serving.

How easy is that! Since I had the ham bone, I threw that in too :-)

Whirl of Holiday Projects

Between traveling for thanksgiving and cramming holiday projects before traveling for Christmas, I've maintained a mile long to do list. :) This one time of year that generally enjoy my to do's.

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday. Going to a Catholic school as a kid, Advent and Christmas meant gorgeous decorations, my favorite church music and a ton of great food.

This week I made sure to change my table over to more season appropriate colors :)


Santa Mozart even got into the holiday action, although a bit reluctantly:


When I need a break from the holiday swirl, I'm working on planning our 2010 garden calendar. Our veggies were pretty successful in 09, despite the moving and a late start so I'm excited about this year's plan!

Spiral Ham for Sunday Dinner

Yummm....maybe it's my Southern roots, but you just can't beat a big Sunday dinner. We'll be traveling this week for the holiday so I took advantage of the commissary's sale on spiral ham (.90/lbs) and picked up an 8.5 lbs bone in Spiral cut ham. This will give me the basics for our meals until we leave and I'll have a little bit to freeze for the day we get home.

To glaze today's ham I used honey, brown sugar and a packet of apple cider (the just add water type). We're having oven roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts with it. Super Yum.

Speaking of brussels sprouts. I have a new favorite product. Birds Eye Steamfresh Baby Brussels Sprouts. Single Serving packets. You can steam them in the microwave. Taste like fresh. Healthy eating just doesn't get any easier than that. LOVE THEM!

Mommy's Lunch Out

So, I had plans for lunch out today. Since it was a pretty day out, I thought I'd pull out some of my cute clothes (at least, the few that fit at three months post-baby). Baby cooperated by falling asleep about an hour before I was planning to leave. It's been a couple days since I washed my hair, but at least it was brushed. Make up went on without a hitch. Nice jewel tone fitted tshirt. Pulled out the super cute new fall boots. Got baby dressed, diaper bag ready, and we're headed out the door.

FABULOUS.

Popped into the bathroom to grab the cell phone I left in there. And realize that while I actually look put together like a normal person (as opposed to post-partum dishevled), there are three small stains on the front of shirt.

Oh well.

At least I had cute shoes.

LOL.

Pouches...homemade frozen meals

Pouches are my favorite convenience food. I find that most frozen meals leave a lot to be desired both in terms of taste and nutrition. This is a way that I can make sure I always have a tasty, good-for-you meal ready when life gets busy. They are also perfect for those times when I'm the only one eating and I don't feel like preparing a "full" meal.

A Sample Pouch Preparation

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast portions
2 small leeks
2 carrots, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Grease (I use Pam High Heat) 4 squares of parchment paper.
   
2. Divide leeks equally among each piece.
   
3. Place 1 chicken portion on each paper
4. Combine carrots and garlic. Season with lightly with salt and pepper (or any other seasoning you like) and place on top of chicken portions.
5. Carefully wrap up each pouch, making sure the paper folds are sealed.
   
6. When cooking, bake pouches at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and serve hot.

Notes:

• Pouches are easily frozen. I wrap each pouch in aluminum foil and place pouches in a Ziploc Freezer bag.
  
• You can use any combination of protein and vegetable. I frequently toss a diced red potato in as well for a complete meal.
  
• This is a great use for frozen chicken breasts and fish fillets.
  
• A little drizzle of olive oil, especially paired with a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime or orange, creates a light sauce.
  
• For quick meals, I sometimes will make several of these on the weekend and cook a big pot of brown rice that I store in single serving containers. Then, for lunch on the go, I can heat up the rice and eat with my pouch protein- healthy, filling and quick.
  

Any suggestions for new pouches? Seasonings? Veggies?

One of my favorite soups- Pappa al Pomodoro

Soup is one of my absolute favorite things. Especially, traditional Italian soups. I didn't realize how much I liked these soups until I received a fabulous cookbook as a gift a few years ago. Soups of Italy is beautiful, informative and easy to follow. I'm slowly making my way through the recipes. One thing I've noticed is that while many of these recipes are higher in calories than many of my favorite meals, they are SO filling that I eat less at one sitting. Especially for chilly fall and winter weather, these substantial soups just hit the spot.

Pappa al Pomodoro (tomato and bread soup)

1/3 c EVOO
3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes or 2 1/2 lbs very ripe fresh plum tomatoes
Pinch of crushed chili flakes (optional)
6 c broth (any kind)
1 lb stale whole wheat country bread, cut into 1" cubes
salt and pepper
6-8 large basil leaves, finely shredded

Method:

1. Combine the oil and garlic in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Saute over low heat until the garlic is golden, 3-4 minutes.
   Add the tomatoes and chili flakes and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
   
2. Reserving a ladleful of the broth, add about 5 cups to the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
   
3. In a large bowl, add the bread with just enough of the reserved broth to soften it. Mash the bread, using the bottom of a whisk. Add to the soup, stir well to combine and gently simmer for about 10 minutes. If the soup appears too thick, add a little broth or water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
4. remove soup from heat, stir in basil and serve with a drizzle of olive oil
   

**soup is commonly served with a few tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese stirred in

For those in the Ft Campbell area, Silke's has a wonderful country wheat bread that is perfect for using in this soup. (just make sure to keep a crusty end to dip)

Weekly Menu

I find meal planning one of the single most effective ways of making my life easier. I spend less on groceries, eat healthier, stress less in the afternoons when the baby won't sleep and feel more organized. That last one might be the most important.

I eat the same breakfast every day for a week, then rotate. Just makes it easier for me. This week will be Nested Eggs.

Monday
lunch- Cranberry Chicken Salad
dinner- Creamy Chicken Chili

Tuesday
lunch- leftover chili
dinner- Couscous Stirfry

Wednesday
lunch-tilapia pouch with rice
dinner- egg fried rice

Thursday
lunch-tilapia pouch
dinner- chicken and broccoli pasta

Friday
lunch-tilapia pouch
dinner- acorn squash with beans and rice

Saturday
lunch- leftovers
dinner- CrockPot Roast

Leftover Sauce?

I've been in a cranberry mood lately. Maybe it's the season- who knows? But since I had quite a bit of left over Cranberry gravy from last night's Cranberry Pork Roast, I figured I'd put it to good use.

So, I baked a dish full of chicken tenderloins (I buy the large frozen bags of them and cook in large qualities to use as my "snack" protein) covered in the left over sauce. Took about 25 minutes cooked at 350 degrees.

I served the chicken with Near East's Wheat Couscous and green beans. Yuummmm. I sprinkled some Craisins in the Couscous for good measure.

**note- I don't put butter in my Couscous as the directions show, I just don't find it necessary.

Super quick dinner- took me less than thirty minutes and used up the sauce that I might have otherwise thrown away.

A little holiday warmup

We have had beautiful fall weather to herald the holiday season. We had a busy day of yard clean up and errands planned, so it was a good day for a Crock Pot comfort meal. This one fit the bill.

Cranberry Pork Roast

1 boneless rolled pork loin roast (2 1/2- 3 lbs)
1 16 oz can of jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 c sugar
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
Salt to taste

Place pork roast in a 5 qt slow cooker.

In a small bowl, mash cranberry sauce; stir in sugar, juice, mustard, and cloves. Pour over roast.

Cover and Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove roast and keep warm.

Skim fat from juices.

Pour juices into a measuring cup. Add water if needed to make 2 cups of liquid.

Pour into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into pan with juices. Bring back to a boil.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Season with Salt.

Serve sliced pork with cranberry gravy.



***********

I made a couple substitutions. I used sage instead of cloves because I love sage with pork. I also added water in place of the cranberry juice because the last time I made this I felt the cranberry was a little too intense and I didn't have any juice in the fridge :). I will serve this tonight with either sauteed or roast potatoes depending on how much time I have, but its excellent with creamy mashed potatoes as well.

Mama's Creamy Chicken Chili

Mama and I are big fans of chili, especially chicken chili. So when she told me she had a great new recipe, I had to try it out.

Creamy White Chili

1 lb chicken breast, bite sized pieces
1 med chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oil
2 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 can (4 oz can) chopped green chiles ( Mom uses 1 can)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil in a large saucepan unitl chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and whipping cream.

*******************

In the interest of losing baby weight and using what I had here in the house, I made a couple substitutions. I used two large breast halves (the ones with the ribs attached) to make my own broth since I find most of the prepared ones too salty. I used the meat from those breasts in the chili. I used fresh oregano from my hrb garden in place of dried. I also used Stonyfield Plain Low Fat yogurt in place of the sour cream, which is a usual sub for me. I decided to go ahead with 1/2 c of whipping cream because it's so little for the whole pot. Super yuuuuuummmmm.