Planning A Week of Food

My immediate dilemna is solving the current trend with my grocery budget. It is either feast or famine. Literally. But since I am a Master at looking in my bare and empty fridge and creating a 5-course meal, yet frugal enough when the living is large to know to double recipes and freeze, this has never bothered me. 

But this weekend as I rushed around eating on-the-go, I realized that I have not been planning ahead and it is costing me time, money, and healthy meals—all things I like to have. So, I decided to give myself a slight challenge this May: To plan a ‘pay-it-forward’ dinner every week. Grab one big ingredient (something as a base to many meals) and cook it, then spend the week enjoying a twist on the leftovers. Hopefully this will stretch my grocery budget a bit (saving some cash for my summer plans), turn my hurried lunch hour of making food into enjoying my meal, and be a healthy way to stock my fridge.

 I noticed that the whole chickens at Atkinson's were on sale (as are pork ribs). I grabbed a medium fryer – and this was my week:

Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is easy, good, and pretty quick. Rub down the chicken and cover with salt and pepper if ingredients are sparse or flavor it up for a little more kick.

3-pound farm-raised chicken

Cajun spices, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

4 celery stalks

1 green pepper, quartered

Unsalted butter

Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it well. Salt and pepper the cavity and then stuff with onion, pepper and celery. Truss the bird, which ensures more even cooking and makes a more beautiful roasted bird. Spice the chicken—I like to rain the spices over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the twine. Remove the legs and thighs and wings. And use that for your dinner. Slather the meat with fresh butter and serve with a simple green vegetable or salad.

When the chicken is cool, get all of the meat off the bones and reserve. Use the chicken carcass to make a really good homemade stock for future recipes or soups.

You have so many options with chicken meat. You could top green salads, make a soup, enjoy wraps, make chicken salad, chicken fajitas, chicken pizza, chicken and rice, chicken stir-fry, etc. etc. etc. Here are two ideas that I tried this week:

 

Chicken Enchiladas

My brother sent me this recipe and used 1.5-2 pounds of shrimp instead of chicken. He had 'the kid test' and 'the guest test' and passed. Everyone—his friends, wife, thirteen-year-old boy, eleven-year-old girl, and two-year-old baby—loved it. It is simple, easy, six ingredients, good and good for you. Special Equipment: food processor or blender

10-12 fresh tomatillos

2 serrano peppers.  

1 1.5 pounds of chicken, cooked and slightly shredded into pieces

Corn tortillas

Pam cooking spray

6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

2 tomatoes, chopped

Husk and wash tomatillos and peppers, boil ‘til soft and color changes.  Drain and blend together in a food processor or blender. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pan on the stove to medium and soften corn tortillas one at a time with Pam. Fill tortillas with chicken and grated cheese, roll them up and put them in a 9x13 pyrex pan. My pan fit 2 rows of 6 enchiladas nicely. Cover with Tomatillo sauce and some more cheese. At this point everything’s cooked so heat it up for 20 minutes or so at 325, until cheese is good and melted. Put some fresh chopped tomatoes on top, eat.

Cooks note: You can do the tomatillo sauce beforehand, you can also get the whole thing together earlier in the day and let it sit before the heating up part (not too long so the tortillas don’t go to mush). 

Fiesta Chicken Empanada

This is a recipe from Pillsbury® I cut out of a magazine—it really streches your chicken into a dinner, with great leftovers for lunch.

1 (15-oz) package Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

½ medium red bell pepper, chopped

½ medium green bell pepper, chopped

½ medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

10 ounces of cooked chicken, chopped

4 teaspoons dry fajita seasoning

½ cheese and salsa dip (I like using Rotel®)

1 egg, beaten

Garnish:

Sour cream

Salsa

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use one pie crust, roll out and place in ungreased 14-inch pizza pan. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and fajita seasoning; mix well. Spoon chicken mixture onto crust, leaving one inch around the edge. Spread ½ cup dip over chicken mixture. Brush ege of crust with water and place remaining crust over filling. Press edges firmly to seal. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 10 or 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cut into wedges, garnish, and serve.

There are so many options with chicken – it is easy, versatile, yummy, and cheap!

 

Strawberry Banana Crepes

Because I love my crepe maker and the strawberries are good right now. I got this recipe from Quick Cooking and it yields about 16-20 crepes. Special equipment: crepe maker – or use an 8-inch nonstick skillet.

Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Filling:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Topping:

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

2 medium firm bananas, sliced

¼ cup sugar, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, milk, and eggs; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt one teaspoon butter. Stir batter; pour about 2 tablespoons into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter to skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.

In a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Spread 2 rounded tablespoons on each crepe; roll up. Combine topping ingredients and spoon over crepes. Serve.

yum!

 

Welcome to yum!

Appetizing. Different. Succulent. Daring. Dining. Food.

I have an obsession with food. I talk about it—love looking at it—am entertained by every experience it brings—benefit from learning how to prepare a new dish—am educated by other cultures through their unique ingredients—and my zeal for the perfect bite knows no bounds.

Which is why—after years of teaching friends to cook, wowing my family with new tastes, and just generally being fascinated with the food culture—I made the exciting leap to food writing. I find it fun to share my recipes, tips, discoveries and failures in the kitchen, and my experiences in my home away from home—the Wood River Valley. I am originally from the South and meshing my cooking knowledge with Idaho's local resources has been a fun challenge. My goal with this blog is to give share recipes and fresh ideas that you can bring home to your own kitchen, share what is going on around us, and explore my life through food.

I write a blog for Sun Valley Magazine - so this is my spot to mesh that, with more-frequent updates/quick recipes/and munching around town.

Sauces, Sauces, Sauces

(this was a blog I wrote in March - but I have been revisiting the recipes and they are all really easy and hella good) 

As a newer transplant to the WRV, and for the first time living anywhere in the U.S. but the South—I am still amazed by the change of seasons and actually enjoy chatting about the weather. Indulge me as I’ve never before lived any place without 100% humidity. Besides, weather is such great conversation. No, really. I love to look up the 10-day report online and then talk about it. I love every minute of it but at the moment, it has me conflicted. 

While I was over-the-moon with the 5 inches of dumping snow yesterday, today I crave to be outside of my office and on a patio, soaking up the sun and clear blue skies, hanging with my dog and enjoying the mild climate. I finally understand a rock and a hard place. It is this time between winter and spring in Idaho when neither you nor Mother Nature can make up your mind because either way you go, you would be thrilled. When the grass isn’t necessarily greener—because of the choices—because of the feeling of seasonal awe—because you live here. So though I find it hard to say goodbye to winter—my favorite season, the one I celebrate and relish as I enjoy our mountain every weekend—I also am looking forward to spring, to planting, to deck sitting and dog hiking. I can’t decide if I want in. Or if I want out. But I do know I have to sit back and enjoy the variety of this time of year—the ease of choice and beauty and some good quick cooking. Sauces. Dips. Dressings. Marinades. For either the oven or the grill—if you are staying in and hanging out—for dipping and topping…when whichever way you go, it is gonna be good.

Uncle Robert’s Johnny Sauce

My uncle makes this for the holidays and we all count down until the revered Johnny Sauce is in our fridges. Dip anything. Top anything. Grill with it. It is yummy and Robert is sharing—we are lucky. My uncle rocks.

1 cup mayonnaise (may use regular mayo, low-fat, fat-free or sugar free mayo)

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola or corn oil)

1 teaspoon Lea and Perrins (steak sauce)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon yellow mustard (prepared, not dry mustard)

1 tablespoon grated onion

2-3 cloves garlic pressed (may use equivalent of chopped garlic)

juice of 1 lemon or 2 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Mix together and chill.  It's better if made a day ahead. 

Simple Herb Sauce

This is a basic parsley sauce that is easily varied. Use mint, basil, etc. Special equipment: food processor

2 ounces flat-leaf parsley, stalks removed

1 clove garlic, peeled

juice of ½-1 lemon

5 oz extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, add the parsley, garlic, and juice of ½ lemon and whiz to chop. Season with salt and pepper. Then, with processor on, pour in enough oil till sauce is to your liking. Taste, and add more lemon juice is you wish.

With this sauce:

You can make a stuffing by adding 2 ounces breadcrumbs and 1 ounce pine nuts to spread over a pork fillet. Or you could add chopped anchovies and gherkins pickles, stir in some smooth mustard, and mix into beef casseroles. Add some mayo to make a dip or add more herbs and olive oil to drizzle over tomato, avocado and mozzarella.

Watercress Sauce

Watercress is so packed with nutrients and totally good for you. Serve with salmon. Special equipment: food processor.

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

7 ounces watercress, washed

½ pint vegetable stock

Whiz onion in the processor until chopped. Heat oil in a pan and cook onion for 10 minutes til softened. Whiz watercress in processor till finely chopped, then add to onion and cook for five minutes. Stir in stock and bubble for 15 minutes. Serve or cool and refrigerate.

With this sauce: Mix in 2 beaten eggs and 2 ounces of heavy cream. Fill a ready-made tart shell and bake. Make a soup cooking 9 ounces of finely peeled and chopped potatoes in 15 ounces of stock. When done, stir in sauce and heat throughout. Make a stuffing for lamb by adding 4 ounces breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 ounces of parmesan cheese. Make a pesto by adding toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and grated parmesan and processing till combined. Add to pasta.

Red Pepper Sauce

This sauce freezes well and is great with fried chicken breasts. Special Equipment: food processor.

3 red peppers, seeded and halved

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

14 ounce can chopped Italian plum tomatoes

In processor, whiz peppers and onion till finely chopped. Heat oil in a shallow pan and add pepper mixture. Simmer over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook on a low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

With this sauce: Make a great sauce by stirring in mascarpone and mix through hot pasta. By adding a chopped red chili pepper (or flakes or paprika), one pint of stock, a can of chickpeas and fried chorizo; you have a great soup. Do a thicker sauce for pork chops or tuna steaks by mixing in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, the zest of one orange, and 2 ounces ground almonds. Make a dip for shrimp or fish sautés by adding a dollop of the sauce to garlic mayonnaise.

White Sauce Recipe

I put on shrimp tacos. But you could top fish or chicken as well. This makes a TON.

2 cups Miracle Whip or mayo

¾ cup milk

½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoon oregano

Measure dressing in bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Season with pepper flakes, cumin, salt, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. If you taste right away—it will taste like mayo or dressing.

Peanut Sauce

Great on chicken sauté, as a dip, or over pasta. My sister-in-law gave me this recipe about 4 years ago and I am a pb lover so I keep this around. It is so good I can actually dip bacon into it. Thanks Erica for sharing!

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup  peanut oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy or tamar sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 cilantro sprigs

2 teaspoons dried red chili pepper

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients. Serve.

Italian Dressing

I use this to marinate meat, fish, and veggies before I grill them. Also as a dressing for salads.  To make this a creamy Italian dressing—add 1 teaspoon mayonnaise and 3 teaspoons of water.

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried Italian spices

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

black pepper

½ teaspoon fresh minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a blender on high until combined—about 30 seconds. Cover and refrigerate.

yum!