Stocking up for the week

The bounty of snow has put a crimp in my food storage system. I usually take one day a week and make a large batch of waffles, pancakes, muffins, cookie dough balls, etc. to store in the freezer for later use. I've been so busy preparing kids to go outside, cleaning up snow, drying clothes, fixing LOTS of hot cocoa/tea, that I have gotten behind in my "normal" activities! So, today, I plan on fixing some muffins, breakfast burritos, and maybe some waffles to get me caught up . . . of course, the kids haven't had their "snow fix" for the day, so my plans could get changed!

I try to keep our meals simple, for the most part. One of our favorite meals is wraps. I'm not really a sandwich person . . .unless it is from Marsha's Great Plains Deli in Ft. Scott, KS, my home town. You can rest assured that I will be paying that place a visit when we go "home" in a couple of weeks. However, I love wraps - they are an awesome way to use the little bits of leftover cooked chicken, steak, deli meat, cut up veggies, etc. Once again, these are so versatile. The kids' wraps can be different from ours (PB & J), and it's not a lot of hassle to prepare them. These make great lunches for Dave because I can fix them, wrap them in plastic wrap, and they are ready for him to take to work the next day. Be creative, personalize these to your taste . . .go meatless, and create a healthy veggie wrap - think of it as a hand held salad!

Wraps
1 serving

1 tortilla (any size, any flavor) room temp
Meat, chopped chicken, turkey, deli meats, crumbled bacon (optional)
Cheese, shredded or deli sliced(feta, blue, Swiss, cheddar, pepper-jack, Mexican mix)
Veggies, sliced or chopped (onion, sweet pepper, matchstick carrots, olives, cucumber, mushrooms, tomatoes, sprouts)
Mayo, salad dressing of choice
Lettuce or fresh spinach

Spread a thin layer of mayo on the tortilla (this helps the next layer to stay in place). Top mayo w/ a single layer of lettuce or spinach to w/in 1/2" of the edge of tortilla. Now, layer your meat & veggies; top w/ dressing of your choice, and roll up. Be careful not to add too much filling, or you won't be able to roll your wrap! I like to slice mine in two - it makes it easier for the kids to handle. One pound of deli meat will make 5+ wraps for us - each wrap typically only needs 2 slices of meat.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I love the smell of dinner simmering in the kitchen on a cold winter's day. Today was one of those days. My kids spent the day playing outside in the 8" of snow, making snow slides out of the mounds of snow piles. So, between those outings, hot tea/cocoa fixes, I managed to start a pot of homemade chicken & noodle soup. To me, soup is so comforting on cold days. I love to make a big batch and freeze some for later use.

Chicken Noodle Soup
serves 8-10

1 3-4# roasting chicken, cooked, boned, and chopped (save broth for later)
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 med onion, chopped
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups dried egg noodles
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp celery leaves, fresh, or 1 tsp dried
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine chicken, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, and spices. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 3-4 hours. Test carrots for doneness; if needed, simmer for an additional 20 min or so. Add noodles, and simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes, or until noodles are done. This can also be prepared in the crock pot, cooked on low for 6-7 hours, adding the noodles at the last 30 minutes.

Time for Chocolate!

I finally found one of my favorite desserts! You have no idea how frustrating it was for me to think that it was forever lost! Typically, I can remember recipes, but this one for some strange reason, did not stick in my memory. But, I have found it, and I want to share it w/ you. This recipe is low fat, and can be made sugar free, as well. So, Jon, this one is especially for you - you could probably even substitute the chocolate for another flavor! Enjoy!



Chocolate Mousse
serves 6


3 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup no fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg (4oz) instant chocolate pudding
3/4 cup low fat milk
8 oz lite whipped topping, thawed
Crushed chocolate cookies, chocolate shavings (optional)


Beat cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla, until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix pudding w/ milk. This will be very thick! Combine the cream cheese mixture w/ the pudding mixture, and stir until combined. Fold in the whipped topping. Place in serving dishes, sprinkle w/ crushed chocolate cookies or chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Sunday Breakfast

Sunday mornings at our house start very early, so I am constantly on the look out for foods that the kids can eat while we make our morning commute (w/o leaving too much evidence in the van)! If at all possible, I like to prepare breakfast the night before, and just warm it up before we head out the door! Even though my kids don't care for oatmeal (in any form), I discovered a Pumpkin Oatmeal muffin recipe that they loved! These two recipes worked well for our early morning today. My family can expect to see these foods served again!

Overnight Breakfast Casserole
12 servings

1 pkg (8oz) sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach
1 loaf stale bread, cut into 3/4" cubes
3 cups shredded cheese
12 eggs
4 cups milk
1 tsp each garlic powder, ground mustard, & salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1#cooked, crumbled bacon or sausage, optional


Spray 1 9X13 OR 2 9X9 pans w/non stick spray. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, onions, and peppers in oil until tender. Place half of the bread cubes into prepared pan(s), top bread w/onion mixture, spinach, meat (optional), cheese, and remaining bread cubes. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk and seasonings. Pour over the casserole(s). Cover and refrigerator overnight. Can also be frozen at this stage.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 375*, uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until knife inserted tests clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Makes 1 dozen

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup raisins

TOPPING:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbs flour

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 Tbs cold butter

In large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients; add to dry ingredients, just until moistened. Stir in oats and raisins. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients, until crumbly. Sprinkle tops of muffins w/ crumb mix. Bake at 375* for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before removing.

Homemade Pizza

I've come across a great way for my kids to help w/ dinner; give them an opportunity to choose what they want to eat, and yet know that they are still getting their veggies. Once a week , typically, we will have homemade pizza. I received the recipe for the pizza dough from a friend in KS several years ago. It is so easy, and can be pre-made into small pizza dough rounds, and frozen until ready to use. I make each of my kids 2 small personal sized pizza dough rounds, and than Dave and I a bigger pizza. Each kid "decorates" their own pizza, putting on the things that they like! They love this! It makes them feel soooo BIG! I love it because it allows us to spend time together in the kitchen, making supper.

Pizza Dough

makes 2 large thin crusts

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast ( 1 envelope)

1 c warm (75*-85*) water

2 tsp oil

2 1/2 - 3 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

additional oil

Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt, mix well. Add 2 1/2 cups flour; stir well. If dough is too sticky, add additional flour. If dough is too dry, add water, 1 tsp at a time, until dough is "tacky". Knead dough on lightly floured surface, until smooth. Divide dough in desired # of pizzas. Roll dough into desired thickness and shape. You may allow the dough to rise or go ahead and add toppings to it to bake. Brush top of crust w/ oil before adding toppings. Spoon sauce onto dough, sprinkle w/ small amount of cheese (this helps the toppings keep from slipping of the dough when you take a bit of the pizza), and proceed to add your favorites to the pizza. Bake at 450* for 15 - 20 minutes. For thicker crusts, pre-bake the crust for about 5 minutes before you add any toppings. (If you are going to freeze the pizza dough rounds, spray appropriately sized pieces of foil w/ Pam, place dough on foil, spray top of dough w/ additional Pam, and top w/ another piece of foil. I make a stack of about 5, set them in the freezer for a couple of hours, and than transfer the stack of frozen dough to a Ziploc bag to store them. When ready to bake, remove from freezer,let thaw for 30 min, and continue as normal.)

Some of our favorite toppings include: cooked sliced meatballs, ground sausage,pepperoni, finely chopped spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives, bacon, cooked sliced chicken, fresh basil, & mixed cheeses.

Chicken Kiev

My freezer is filled w/ bags of chicken breasts. (Good sale going on at the store!) So it looks like today's recipe w/ include chicken! I have to admit, chicken breasts are our main source of meat. So, I have many chicken recipes on file to choose from. Today, I'm going to fix Chicken Keiv for dinner. I first fixed this when I was about 16, so let's just say, this is a tried and true recipe!! :-)

Chicken Kiev
serves 6

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbs grated onion ( I've also substituted 1/2 tsp onion powder)
2 Tbs dried parsley (1 Tbs chopped fresh)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 Egg
1 Tbs milk
1 Envelope seasoned coating mix (Shake & Bake style)

Flatten chicken breast halves; set aside. In small bowl, combine butter, onion, parsley, garlic powder, tarragon, and pepper. Place mixture into small ziploc bag & snip off one of the corners of the bag Squeeze the butter mixture onto waxed paper, forming 6 pencil thin sticks about 2 inches long. Place the butter sticks into the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until firm. Place one butter strip in the center of each chicken breast. Fold long sides of the breast over the butter; fold ends up, and secure w/ toothpick. (This part can get a little frustrating, but just be patient - it will be worth it!) In a shallow bowl, beat egg & milk. Place coating into another shallow bowl. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then roll it in the coating. Place chicken seam side down into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 425* for 35 - 40 min, or until juices run clear.

Make sure you remove the toothpicks before serving!

Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals . . . of course I'd really like to indulge in some French toast, drizzled w/ warm maple syrup OR a fluffy waffle, topped w/ fresh strawberries & whipped cream! But, I've really been trying to cut back on our family's sugar intake, so I've opted for some better options. Keep in mind that this recipe can be customized to your personal taste. This is just a basic recipe for you to go by.

Sausage Breakfast Burritos
Makes 10-12

10-12 Flour Tortillas, softened (any size)
1# Ground sausage
1Medium onion, chopped
1 Medium bell pepper, chopped
1 Dz eggs, scrambled
8-12 oz Shredded cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine sausage, onions, and peppers, cooking, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. In a separate pan, scramble the eggs, adding salt and pepper to taste. Combine the sausage and eggs. Place approximately 1/2 cup of sausage/egg mixture in the middle of a tortilla, top w/ 2-3 Tbs of cheese. Fold ends of tortilla in, and proceed to roll tortilla up. These are great served immediately, or can also be prepared ahead of time, wrapped in foil, chilled, and served as needed. Just simply reheat in microwave (remove foil) or oven (leave in foil) until warm. Serve w/ your choice of condiments. We love salsa and sour cream w/ ours.

Substitution ideas:
Ground Turkey Sausage
Ham, cooked and diced
Cooked Bacon, crumbled
Chopped Fresh Spinach (add at cheese step)
Pepper Cheese
Feta Cheese
Jalapenos
Fresh Dill, Cilantro, Parsley
Mushrooms (add to meat to cook, and flavor)
Egg whites
Olives
Tomatoes

The possibilities are endless here. There is something for everyone - unless you don't like eggs! Serve these w/ some fresh fruit, and you have your family's breakfast all ready.

Chocolate, Anyone?

Have you ever had one of those days when you just "need" some chocolate? I'm having one of them today! Fortunately, there is only the baking chocolate in the house right now . . . or I would be indulging in some. In case you didn't know, one of my favorite combos is PB & Chocolate! Since Natillie is allergic to PB, I have greatly cut back on my consumption of it. However, when I get an intense craving, I always turn to my favorite childhood treat, that combines my two faves! We have even substituted Soy Butter for the PB, so the kids can enjoy the treat as well. Be very careful . . . . you can't stop w/ just one!

Cheerio Clusters
makes about 3 dz

1/2 cup Light corn syrup
1/2 cup Chocolate chips
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Creamy peanut butter
4 cups Cheerios cereal

Place corn syrup, chocolate chips, and sugar in medium cooking pan. Place on medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until bubbles break the surface. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter, until smooth. Add cereal, and stir until it is evenly coated. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto waxed paper and allow to cool. Store in airtight container.

Cold Weather Comfort

The weather here in Indiana is nothing short of COLD today! One of my favorite comfort foods is soup. Dave is not big fan of soup, but, after almost 10 years of my cooking, I think I'm slowly winning him over! Since he isn't going to be home for supper this evening, I think I'll plan on us having a soup and sandwich dinner . . . I can almost taste it now! I've revamped the traditional grilled cheese sandwich (for me); the kids prefer the traditional way. We will also be having some Beef Stew that I cooked in the crock pot. Hope this warms your soul!



Grilled Cheese w/ Tomato and Basil

serves 2

4 Slices of bread (white, sourdough, or Italian is best)
olive oil or butter
2-3 types of cheese, sliced or shredded (provolone, Parmesan, mozzarella, Colby, cheddar, or Swiss)
4 pieces of thinly sliced tomato, or you may use canned, diced tomatoes (well drained)
Dried basil

Brush each piece of bread w/ oil or butter, and sprinkle w/ dried basil. On two of the pieces of bread, place 1 type of cheese, top w/ 2 tomato slices, sprinkle w/ additional dried basil, and then the remaining cheese(s). Place top piece of bread on, and then place buttered side down onto a skillet on med/high heat. Don't let the sandwich brown too quickly, as the cheese needs to be melted and really gooey! When the first side is browned, turn the sandwich over and let the other side brown for a couple of minutes. Serve warm, of course!





Slow Cooked Beef Stew

serves 8-10
1 (2 -3#) beef roast, trimmed into bite size pieces
Flour, salt, pepper
Oil for browning
8 beef bullion cubes
7 cups water
8 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
3 cups sliced celery
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh celery leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt & pepper to taste


Combine flour, salt, & pepper. Place beef pieces into flour mixture and toss to coat. Prepare pan for browning the beef by heating 3-4 Tbs of oil at a time over med/high heat. Brown prepared beef in several batches, adding additional oil in between batches, as needed. As beef pieces are browned, place them in the crock pot.

Once all the beef is browned and in the crock pot, add the carrots, celery, onion, celery leaves, bullion cubes, and water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (high 4 hours); add potatoes,turn up the heat to high, and cook an additional 1-2 hours. I love to just let this cook all day, so the meat is very tender, and then add my potatoes a few hours before I serve it.

If the broth is too thin for your liking, you may thicken it w/ a cornstarch & cold water mixture, or once your stew is boiling, remove some of the broth and place it in a bowl w/ about 3 Tbs of flour. Stir this mixture until smooth, adding additional broth, as needed. Slowly add the flour/broth mixture to the stew, stirring constantly to mix the two together, until the stew is at your desired thickness.

I love to serve this w/ fresh French bread or grilled cheese sandwiches; but it's hearty enough for a meal, just by itself.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

This has to be one of my all time favorite salads. If first made it for a 4th of July get together, and have since then served it on many different occasions. It requires very little prep, and can be done in just a few minutes. If you love anti pasta salads, you are sure to enjoy this one!

Marinated Vegetable Salad
2 small jars of marinated artichokes, quartered (do not drain)
1 large can of pitted black olives, drained
1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet purple onion, chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms, cut in half
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, whole
3/4 - 1 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
2 tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Fresh basil or oregano, optional
Shredded Parmesan Cheese, optional

Combine all food ingrediants into large bowl. Combine the dressing, sugar, salt & pepper, mix well, and then pour over vegetables. Toss ingredients to coat. Garnish w/ fresh herbs or cheese, if desired. May be chilled for 10 min or so, but is best served immediately! Enjoy!

Comfort from the Heart

Welcome to Comfort from the Heart. Some of the greatest "gifts" you can give to those around you, come from the heart. It is my hope that you will find something of interest here, that you would like to share w/ others to bring them Comfort from the Heart. I will be sharing a variety of recipes, cooking tips, and several other areas of interest. Homemade comfort, straight from the heart!