Low Cook Summer Dinner

 This week it was very hot, so I was inspired to make a Chicken Caesar Salad and try a new no bake dessert.  We even enjoyed the dinner on our back porch. Under our shady trees it really was quite lovely outside.  Of course I lit the citronella candles in advance to keep any unwanted mosquitoes away.  The dressing for my salad was my mock Cesar salad dressing.  (See my post Mock the Cesar.) I used romaine lettuce for the salad; it really holds up well to the dressing, bacon, croutons and chicken.

After I whipped up the dressing I made the croutons from ends of bread I had in the freezer.  I cut them into 1" cubes and generously drizzled with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  I baked them in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  At the same time I baked some bacon to go along with the salad.  My family really loves their protein.  

As for the chicken I grilled it with olive oil and salt and pepper on my Big Green Egg. It took about 4 minutes per side.  When everything was done at the last moment I assembled the salad.  

My daughter enjoyed the leftovers the next day.  I always keep extra dressing in its container so all you have to do is just pour over the lettuce.  The croutons also kept well for a day.

The salad ready to eat.

For dessert I found this recipe on all recipes of cheesecake in a jar. I'm really not a fan of a baked cheese cake, but this tasted more like a light Italian dessert with marscapone cheese. It called for strawberries, but they are no longer in season in the upper midwest so I used raspberries.  It was delicious and took about 20 minutes to prepare.  I just used graham cracker crumbs to make the crust. I would definitely try this with other fruits, perhaps blueberries or peaches since I have a lot of those around.  

Hope this inspires you to make some cool summer treats in the upcoming week.  Bon appétit.

With Love from the Midwest,

Beth 

Sunday Dinner in June

 Well since I missed my monthly Sunday dinner post in May I'm posting early in June. We were very busy with birthday dinners and family coming back into town from sunny Florida.

 What's for dinner last Sunday?  The menu was: 

Grilled Koren Pork Steaks

Spoon Bread 

Sautéd Brocoli Rabe

Wine:

House Chardonnay from Bota Box 

Dessert:

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches with some leftover cookies my daugher made

The pork steaks come from our 1/2 pig we just took delivery of.  If you know of a farmer in your area that processes local meats, be it grass or corn fed, it really makes all the difference in the world.  It is convienient, you know where your meat comes from and you are supporting a local farmer.

here is the merinade for the Korean Pork Steaks that my mother uses for pork tenderloin
 2/3 cup pinapple juice or orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 T dried minced onions
1 T sesame seeds
1 T brown sugar
1 t minced garlic
1/4 cup water

Mix all together and pour into plastic bags and add the meat.  You can merinate the pork for 2-24 hours.  So this can be made a day a head.   When you are ready to grill save the merinade and pour into a small sauce pan.  Add 1/2 cup water and 1 T corn starch to the merinade and bring to a boil for about 5 mintes.  It will be safe to use as a sauce.

 I grilled the pork steaks for about 5-6  minutes per side at 375 degrees on my Big Green Egg and then let them rest for about 3-4 minutes.  Pass the sauce on the side. 

As always take time to sit down with your family no matter how small the rewards over time are so worth it.

Bon Appétit,

Beth 

Sunday Dinner in April

April in northeast Wisconsin can't make up it's mind.  So Sunday dinner is always a variety of foods; sometimes more hearty winter fare and sometimes springier.  This last Sunday I wanted to use some of my frozen (pie filling) and canned items (applesauce).  

Last Sunday's Dinner

Breaded pork schnitzel and lemon

Spoon Bread 

Roasted mix vegetables

Applesauce that I canned last year

Strawberry Rhubarb pie that I made and froze last spring

Wine: Chardonnay  William Hess

I hope this inspires you to get cooking and enjoy at least one dinner together as a family per week.

Bon Appétit,

Beth 

Sunday Dinner Again

I can't over emphasize the importance of sitting down to a meal together.  Everyone gets a chance to talk at the table and just be in each other's company.  There are no electronics to distract us.  The tradition of the Sunday dinner doesn't have to happen on Sunday, but for us this week it did.

Here's the menu.  I varied it slightly from one I found in one of my many cookbooks.  Really all of this took about 45 minutes from start to finish; except for the polenta which I made ahead of time. I served a Beaujolais Villages as evening's wine.  (I know it isn't Italian, but it was delightful with the dinner.)

My polenta cooling in a pie plate.  Just slice and bake for 20 min in a 350 degree oven

Romano and honey drizzle

Sausage and mushroom gravy

Red wine walnut cake

Enjoy your family and your kitchen.

Bon Appétit et Santé!

Beth 

Holiday Breakfast

Apple Pecan Muffins from Southern Living

I always like a Christmas morning breakfast that for the most part I can make ahead and also has enough protein to keep us full until lunch.  This would also work for a New Year's Day breakfast as well; if you're up in time for breakfast.   I was able to make the muffins and the quick cinnamon rolls the day before, and run my oranges through the juicer.  All that left me the next day during a pause in present opening was to make the quick mini quiches and saute some sausage and make a pot of coffee.  

Here is the link for the muffins.  They were delicious although there was quite a bit of butter in  them my daughter and I named them butter muffins.  I might swap some of the butter for canola oil or applesauce next time I make them.  I also used fewer nuts, maybe 3/4 - 1 cup total. 

For the mini quiches I use the small phylo cups as a crust.  In some I add finely chopped red pepper for myself and my middle daughter. In all of  them I add a pinch of finely grated cheddar cheese and my egg mixture.  The egg mixture is 2 eggs beaten with salt and pepper.  It doesn't take much to fill the cups.  They bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  

Planning Meals

 Usually on Sunday I plan our week's dinners. This process has saved me a lot of time over the years.  I also go to the grocery once a week, unless I forget something crucial or I decide to make a special dessert.   

This is how I go about deciding what is for dinner. 

I print out a paper calendar of the month.  Yes paper this way my family can see what is for dinner.

Next I look at my calendar to see what we have going on in the evening.  Sometimes I have more time sometimes the meal has to be quick.

After that I look through my fridge and freezer and see what has to go.  My family gets 1/2 a cow and 1/2 a pig from a local farmer so we always have meat. 

Then I go through my binders of tried and true recipes.  If time permits I also go through my cookbooks and magazines.  I try to cook one new thing a week, but honestly there are weeks when we are happy that the 5 of us are just sitting down for a family meal.  I also like to include one meal that is either vegetarian or fish based.

After I've decided on the menu for the week or next 5-6 days, I pull out all of my recipes and create my grocery list. (My husband made a map like list of our grocery store so most things are in order.   This really helps me when I am shopping.)  After I have my list I put my recipes in my recipe holder for the week.  That way I don't even have to find the recipe; I just cook dinner.    

I've been doing this process for many years and it has saved me so much time. There is no need to pay for a service that does this electronically for you. You just need a little time on the front end for a much smoother week later on.  Please give this a try even for 3-4 days at a time and see if it works.  

My basic calendar for the start of August.

Beth