Tortellini Soup


As much as I love cooking I really do appreciate ease of preparation. Being able to prepare a dish without messing about with a lot of chopping, dicing, grating or sauteing can be a welcomed break every once in a while. That's why I love this recipe: either in the slow cooker or on the stove top you will put forth very minimal effort for a very lovely and satisfying dinner.

This is a wonderfully thick, substantial soup that cloaks you in warmth on a cold winter's night. Or any night for that matter. I would even eat this soup on a hot summer's day. It's delicious served with garlic bread as an accompaniment but just as satisfying on it's own.

*Recipe adapted from Sandi Richard
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Serves 4

1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cups chicken stock
24 oz jar of pasta sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
1 cup water
1 tsp chili flakes
Package of fresh tortellini
Parmesan (Optional)

Stove-Top Directions:
In a large pot over medium-high heat add a tablespoon or so of oil. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until the veggies have softened. Add the rest of the ingredients (except tortellini and parmesan) and simmer for about 3o minutes.

In a separate pot, boil the tortellini. Drain and toss with a little bit of olive oil. Scoop the tortellini into bowls and ladle the hot soup over. Shave a little parmesan over the soup and serve.

Slow Cooker Directions:
Add all ingredients to the crock pot (except parmesan and tortellini) and cook on low 6-8 hours. When ready to eat, boil pasta in a separate pot. Drain and toss with olive oil. Serve as directed above.

Click here for printable version of Tortellini Soup
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THE RESULTS?

Mmmm...so satisfying and so delicious. I've made this soup a few times and it always pleases the whole family. I do have to mention that I am a bit of a tortellini snob, and I think fresh tortellini that you buy in the deli refrigerated case (such as Olivieri) is the way to go. In my books, dried tortellini is pretty disgusting. How can they dry cheese or meat and let it sit on the shelf for an eternity and then expect people to eat it? Too weird and too gross for my liking. So please use fresh tortellini. It's the only way to go.
Chop onion and celery and add to the crock pot. Then add all other ingredients except tortellini. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cashew Chicken


My friend Bree introduced me to this recipe a couple years ago. We absolutely loved it, especially my husband Steve the cashew freak, so I made sure to get her recipe so I could make it at home. She warned me that the flavor of the dish is dependent on the hoisin sauce that you buy.  I shrugged my shoulders and didn't really take her advice to heart. Why would the hoisin sauce matter? Wouldn't all hoisin sauces taste like...I dunno...hoisin sauce?

The answer is NO. Hoisin Sauce (also called Chinese BBQ Sauce) can be very different from brand to brand, some a little more heavy handed with Chinese five spice. When I got home, I bought any ol' bottle of hoisin sauce and made this dish and really didn't like it. Turns out I HATE five spice and this one was loaded with it. The one my friend used had no licorice flavor (which comes from the five spice) and was much more rich and sweet. I gave away the bottle of hoisin that I bought and then went out and found the brand Bree used (Asian Family by the way); I made the dish again and loved it.

It's all about personal preference...use whatever brand of hoisin you like.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
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Serves 4



2-3 chicken breasts or 5-6 chicken thighs, chopped up
3-4 tbsp cornstarch
Salt and pepper
8 green onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ cup water
1 cup raw cashews, toasted

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in a bowl with the cornstarch until the chicken is nicely coated. Heat a wok or frying pan with a tablespoon or two of oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add half of the chicken and fry until browned and crispy. Remove from the pan. Add another tablespoon or so of oil and stir-fry the rest of the chicken until crispy. Remove from the pan. Add the white part of the green onion as well as the garlic and stir-fry about a minute or so, then add the rice vinegar. Let the vinegar evaporate (about 30 seconds) then add the chicken back to the pan, along with the hoisin sauce and water. Cook for about a minute or so until the sauce is thick and the chicken is coated. Add the cashews and stir to incorporate. Remove to a plate and top with the green part of the onion. Serve over rice.

Click here for printable version of Cashew Chicken
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THE RESULTS?
Delicious. I love the ease of preparation of this dish. There aren't many ingredients and its fast and easy to prepare.  Thanks for the recipe Bree!

Meal Ideas: 

  • Cashew Chicken + Rice + Edamame 

Chinese Steamed Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce


Our International Dinner Club country this month was China in honor of Chinese New Year (Gong Hay Faat Choy! by the way). We prepared dim sum which was such a treat. I discovered this dim sum fave at Steamy Kitchen's website and my mouth was watering. Last summer I was a recipe tester for Steamy Kitchen's new cookbook...everything that woman makes is gold. She hadsn't let me down yet, so I was pretty sure this dish was going to be no exception.

Recipe by Jaden @ Steamy Kitchen
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Serves 4 as part of multi-course meal

1-1/2 lbs pork sparerib, cut into 1" ribs by the butcher (or sweet n' sour style pork spareribs)
2 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Cut the ribs between each bone so that they are separated into individual ribs. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and add spareribs, tossing to coat. Let marinate for at least 1/2 an hour (I let mine marinate for 4 hours).

Using a large stove-top steamer (or a bamboo steamer basket), place the marinated ribs into the basket and set over boiling water. Steam on medium high heat for 18-20 minutes or until no longer pink. My steamer is small, so I steamed half of the ribs at a time so they could be arranged in the basket in a single layer. After the first batch finished I placed them in the oven at 200 degrees and steamed the second batch.

Click here for printable version of Chinese Steamed Spareribs in Black Bean Sauce.

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THE RESULTS?

WOW. The sauce on these ribs is incredible. I've never had a steamed rib before, and it's amazing how moist and tender they become. I have another 1 1/2 lbs of pork ribs in the freezer that I was going to try a different recipe with, but I'm really tempted just to make these again. So good. Jaden has done it again.

Meal Plan Week 15

I have a TON of recipes bookmarked that I've been wanting to try so I thought in honor of Chinese New Year I'd bust out some of the Chinese recipes. We are celebrating the Year of the Ox in style by having Dim Sum with our International Dinner Club. I've never actually had dim sum before so this will be a fun experience for me. Our group is pretty awesome for going all out when cooking a country's cuisine. I heard talk of spring rolls, steamed pork buns, potstickers, dumplings.....oh my mouth is watering already! Anybody else cooking Chinese this week?

Have a great week of delicious meals and Gong Hay Faat Choy!


Day 1:
Chinese Steamed Spareribs in Black Bean Sauce
This is what I'm bringing to our International Dinner Club. I also decided to bring Honey Walnut Shrimp but didn't add the ingredients to the grocery list because it was a last minute decision...because Steamy Kitchen suggested it...and because it sounds freakin' amazing, even though I'm not sure it even qualifies as dim sum. But whatevs.

Day 2: Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup
This is such a satisfying low maintenance meal to make.

Day 3: Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork over Rice with Baby Bok Choy in Oyster Sauce
This version of Chinese BBQ'd pork is made simple by being slow cooked in the crock pot (leave out the chicken broth and ketchup).

Day 4: Won Ton Soup
Soooo good :)

Day 5: Chipotle steaks with Creamy Mushroom and Pea Risotto
I got these steaks on sale for half price a while ago and was waiting for when the baby was born to use them. I was also pretty excited to get to drink wine for the first time in months, so since I have a bottle of wine in the fridge I thought I'd better go ahead and use it in this risotto (which I've never had before, but excited to try).

Day 6: Cashew Chicken over Rice with Asian Sesame Salad
My husband is a cashew lover so he'll be salivating over this one.


Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole


My Mom used to make a tater tot casserole when I was growing up and I remember being very excited to eat the tasty little dish. Since she passed away and my step-father wouldn't give me her personal collection of recipes I haven't eaten it in 15 years. As I was preparing for the birth of my daughter and doing a little freezer cooking, I decided to try and recreate it myself. It was satisfying and very much reminded me of Mom.

Mom's home cookin'...sure to be a kid pleaser.

Recipe by Meal Planning 101
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Serves 4-6

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/2-3/4 bag tater tots
1 cup grated cheddar

In a large frying pan, brown ground beef along with chopped onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, chili powder, cumin, peas and corn. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then remove from the heat.

Place beef mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish (if planning on freezing, cool mixture first). Arrange the tater tots on top of the beef mixture. If you are freezing, wrap in aluminum foil, label and place in freezer.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes. If casserole came from the freezer, thaw and bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. To get the tops of the tater tots a little crispier broil for 2-3 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove casserole from oven, sprinkle with grated cheese and put back in oven until cheese is melted.

Click here for printable version of Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole
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THE RESULTS?
I really appreciated the sentiment attached to such a simple dish...and it helped that it was really tasty too. It was a family pleasing meal; just like when I was a kid.  This dish freezes wonderfully as well.

Meal Ideas:

  • Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole + Side Salad
  • Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole + Sauteed Green Beans

Tagliatelle with Chicken, Rosemary & Pine Nuts


Have you ever looked at one of your beloved recipes only to think "what ever possessed me to try this in the first place?"

I do that.

The ingredient list can be so bizarre that I scratch my head and wonder what stars aligned to make this dish taste good. This recipe is like that for me. Every time I make it I am amazed that such a simple but strange combination of ingredients can yield so much flavor. And what surprises me even more is that I don't even like raisins in savory dishes...they just don't belong. Usually. Yet in this dish they are absolutely necessary to the overall flavor profile of the dish that I would never leave them out. I love the little pops of sweetness among the earthy perfume of the rosemary.

You know what else is strange about this pasta dish? There's no sauce. Yep, you heard me right...weird ingredients and no sauce. I know I'm probably not selling this pasta dish very well, but let me tell you no sauce is necessary for the huge bursts of flavor you get from the individual ingredients. It's simple and delicious. It will surprise you.

Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson

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Serves 3-4


½ of a 3 1/2 pound deli roasted chicken (or if you roast your own, this one and this one are both perfect for this recipe)
2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Leaves from 1 rosemary sprig, minced
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
¼ cup sultana raisins
½ pound tagliatelle
Salt & pepper

Put on a big pot of water to boil. Salt it well.

While waiting for the water to boil, take your deli roasted chicken (or take the time to roast your own chicken) and begin to pull the meat off the bird. You only need about 1/2 of the chicken. Include all the beautiful brown roasted skin. Chop the chicken into pieces.

When the water boils, add the tagliatelle and cook according to package directions.

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the raisins to a small bowl with warm water. Chop up the fresh rosemary...this is no time to substitute with dried. The flavor of the dish comes from the fresh, earthy flavor of the rosemary and would not be the same with dried.

If using a deli roasted chicken, pour any chicken juices that have accumulated into a small saucepan along with 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.* Add the rosemary and pine nuts to this mixture and simmer over medium-low heat until the pasta has finished cooking. Once pasta is done, drain it and toss with the chicken, drained raisins, and olive oil/rosemary/pine nuts. Toss and then season really well with salt and pepper. The flavors are so basic that you can't skimp on the salt and pepper, so season and then taste and then season again if it needs more. Pile into a large serving bowl. Top with more fresh rosemary and serve.

*If using a chicken you roasted, don't bother with the olive oil and just toss the pasta with all the roasted chicken juices.

Click here for printable version of Tagliatelle with Chicken, Rosemary & Pine Nuts
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THE RESULTS?
Phenomenal. The flavor is complex, but simple and delicious. I love that you can pick up a chicken from the deli and throw this dish together in the time it takes to boil the pasta....yet it tastes like you spent way more time on it. Everyone in our house, including my toddler loves this dish.

How to be comfortably over-weight

There are a few things you don’t ask a woman about : one is her age and the other is her weight. Everything else – her salary, her husband’s salary, how annoying he is, how pathetic their sex life is and her favorite fantasies – Ya sure, what do you want to know? Everything is alright to talk about but her age and weight, a strict NO. It seems like all the people in my life missed the memo as the first thing they would talk about when they meet a person after a while is about her weight.
If it is someone from the family-tree they would almost always say that I look famished, /stick-thin/ anemic and wonder if I had been ill recently. I feel touched by all this unconditional love that considers my 68 kg frame as underweight and thin.
On the other hand are the ruthless friends who are worse than a personal trainer. They seem to keep a tab on every gram and millimeter I gain and they critically examine me from every angle every time and tell me all the areas where I need to lose some more to get that ideal figure for my height. There is no point trying to tell them that I have no desire to achieve that level of perfection – ‘come on yaar’ , they’d say, ‘don’t give up that easily’ and then they’d tell me success stories of those who lost 10 kgs just living on sprouts for 6 months and someone who lost 10 pounds by walking. ‘I have done that too’, I’d say, ‘I once lost a 10 pound note too while walking in London’ and all I’d get is a look people reserve for pathetic losers.

Now this must give you a clue why I resent occasions involving meeting these two categories of people. Weddings are the worst because they are filled with specimens from both categories. I usually come back feeling crushed from these but over the years I have developed some retorts for weight-watchers – that is the people who watch your weight. You use the appropriate number depending on the type of person you have to deal with. Of course there is not an iota of truth in any of the statements but this is not about truth but about killing the topic effectively before it gets out of hand:

1. For the Bhartiya Naari types here’s a totally unbeatable response:
My husband doesn’t like thin women.
End of story. Case closed. No one argues with that one. After all, isn’t it the supreme duty of a woman to be how her husband wants her to be!

2. This is for the health freaks and medical maniacs:
I have a medical condition called Parumanitis which affects my memory if I go less than 65 KG. Apparently it is a very rare kind of illness found in one in a billion.
Of course medical conditions , real or feigned, are valid reasons to be as fat or as thin as you want to be. And the fancier the name the better.

3. For the fashion-conscious:
Oh I just had a whole new wardrobe designed by Arun Ahliani . I don’t want to lose weight and spoil the fit.
Oh, the sacrifices one has to make for the cause of fashion – people will understand this and even sympathise. You might even find them viewing your weight with respect now that it is draped in Arun Ahliani outfits! (They will never know that Arun is actually the name of your street-corner tailor!)

4. For the ideology-oriented::
This is a one woman movement against body-image slavery . I defy any attempt to reduce me to numbers. Underneath these layers of fat is the person who matters!
And I stand up for my freedom to consume as many calories as I want and my liberties shall not be curtailed by anyone who dictates how fat or thin I should be.

5. For the Bindaas types:
Who cares yaar! Life is short, enjoy and be happy! Let us have another slice of that Blueberry cheese cake.

6. Then there is always the genes card:
In our family we have always been plump. There is only so much you can do to defy your genes.

It usually works for me. If you are surrounded by clones of my friends and family and please feel free to use any of these tips. Absolutely free - see, fat people are usually very generous!
And once you have dealt with them effectively, you can go home to the privacy of your bedroom, curl up in fetal position and cry over your weight. Very cathartic I tell ya!


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Added after 15 comments:
Here are a few more valid excuses to ward them off:
1. Rads has a regional angle - Telugus are trim while Tamils are like this only. Judging by the number of Southern film stars who have telugu origin, it seems possible. Possibly something to do with our diet? The paruppu sadam dripping with ghee and thayir sadam may be. Like the other day someone told me that people from Andhra are extremely good at math - perhaps because of all those chillies they consume.

2.This from a friend who says:
'Don't worry about the number 68. Sixties are the new 50s.'
Well, so I am only 58 - No wonder my dear ancestors think I am underweight.

Baked Potato Soup


This soup is pretty much sin in a bowl. The ultra rich, ultra creamy luscious flavor of this baked potato soup leaves you feeling oh-so-guilty, yet oh-so-satisfied. I modified the recipe from it's original format to take it from "ridiculously over-the-top fattening" to just "pretty dang fattening". Either way this soup ain't diet food ;)

Adapted from Evelyn/Athens @ Recipezaar
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Serves 8
4 large potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
5 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup light sour cream
6 green onions, chopped
1/3 lb bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled
1 cup light sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and poke full of holes. Bake for approximately one hour or until tender. This part can be done the day before to save time, or alternatively you could place all 4 potatoes in the microwave for approximately 12 minutes.

Scoop the flesh out of the potatoes and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork. Save about 1/2 of the potato peels and chop up and add to the bowl. Fry bacon until crisp and set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly add the flour and whisk to incorporate them into a roux. Let the mixture cook for 1-2 minutes until the roux is a pale, golden color. Slowly add the milk, whisking to incorporate the roux and milk together. Once combined, add chicken stock and garlic. Turn heat to medium high and let milk mixture heat up.

Once hot (but not boiling), stir in the potatoes, green onions and bacon. Turn heat down to low and stir in sour cream. Slowly add the grated cheddar so it doesn't all clump together. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

Click here for printable version of Baked Potato Soup
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THE RESULT?
Holy crap. This was good. It's very rich and decadent tasting so I could only handle a small bowl. I'm sure I added another roll to my post-pregnancy body.

Meal Plan Week 14

I'm back!

I may be one-handed typing this because I have my 11 day old daughter in my arms, and I may have a few bags forming under my eyes because I am sleep-deprived, and I may be slightly scared to face this coming week taking care of two chitlins by myself...BUT...everything is going really well and I am excited to get back in the kitchen. It's true that I am recycling a few meals from the previous week's meal plan, but I obviously didn't get a chance to make them what with having a baby and all. And hey...I've got some new recipes coming this week!


Day 1: Baked Potato Soup
Sin in a bowl.

Day 2: Potato Skins, Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and Carrots & Celery with Dip
Saving the potato skins from making Baked Potato Soup to make this fun date-night meal.

Day 3: Tagliatelle with Chicken, Rosemary & Pine Nuts and a Garden Salad
A lovely light pasta dish using half a rotisserie chicken.

Day 4: Baja Quesadillas
Using the other half of the rotisserie chicken to make our favorite quesadillas.

Day 5: Banana Waffles with Toasted Pecans and Warm Maple Syrup
Taking advantage of my new waffle maker and the frozen bananas in my freezer.

Day 6: Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole
I made this during a freezer session to prepare for the baby...so it's a very nice low-maintenance meal for a tired mom :)



Grocery List:

MEAT

1/2 lb bacon
1 lb chicken wings
Deli roasted chicken
3/4 lb ground beef

PRODUCE
4 potatoes
8 green onions
2 cloves garlic
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
Rosemary
Lettuce
3 banana
1/2 onion

DAIRY
1 3/4 cups butter
6 3/4 cups of milk
2 cups sour cream
3 cups cheddar cheese
3 eggs

BAKERY
Flour tortillas, any flavor

FROZEN
1 cup corn
1/3 cup peas
Tater tots

CANNED GOODS
Black beans
2 cups chicken stock
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste

DRY GOODS
3 cups flour
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 lb tagliatelle
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup rice


SPICES, SEASONINGS & SAUCES
1/3 cup hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh grated)
1/2 tsp salt
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing
Roasted Onion BBQ Sauce
Taco seasoning
Maple Syrup
1-2 tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 tsp cumin

For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links at Orgjunkie.

Bday Chocolate Cake


I was always fascinated by chocolate icings these bakers have. I always fancied to become as good with it as they are.. And my impression about this was its some art. But actually if you have little patience and know a knack it can be very easy too :) and that's what I found out when I tried this cake. Check this out.

PS: Now I had written this in January when I baked this for my mom but due to busy schedule with moving etc I just couldn't post it. So here it comes.. More on their way :)

Bday Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
7 Spoon Butter
1 Cup Castor Sugar
3 Eggs
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup Maida
300g Chocolate
8 Spoon Coco Powder

Method
  • Boil water in a small pot and keep a glass bowl over it. Add 100g of chocolate and melt it completely. Add 4 Spoon coco powder and keep aside
  • In another bowl mix 6 spoon butter and 1/2 cup of castor sugar till its fluffy
  • Add the melted chocolate and beat.
  • Separate the egg whites and egg yolks
  • Add egg yolks one at a time into the choco-butter mixture and beat well.
  • Sieve Maida and keep aside
  • Beat the egg whites with salt to taste separately till it is stiff
  • In earlier choco mixture add a spoonful for egg white and spoonful of maida, fold in well. Repeat till all maida and egg whites are accommodated in the choco mixture.
  • Preheat oven at 180C/350F
  • Grease the cake tin and pour the above mixture into it
  • Bake the cake at 180C/350F for 45 min
  • Keep aside for cooling overnight
  • Next day, Heat water in a pot and keep a glass bowl over it. Melt remaining butter and chocolate together in it and keep aside.
  • In a pan, add remaining sugar and 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil.
  • Bring the heat to lowest possible and mix in the chocolate-butter mixture as well as remaining coco powder and cook.
  • Take out a drop of mixture and test if it thickens after cooling. If so icing is ready
  • Pour the chocolate icing in the center of the cake and spread it across the cake to cover it fully.
  • Decorate with white butter icing and choco chips/flakes

Notes
Yes you read it right this doesn't need baking soda or powder :)
I had my mom by my side when I tried this so with her patience and suggestions I needed 4 spoon of coca for 200gm chocolate so I guess that should help but if you still seem to run into issues like the mixture isn't thickening then add some more coca or if it thickens too fast and is too hard add little more warm water. The mixture after cooling should be of icing consistency and should not flow or thicken more than that.

Honey-Dijon Ham

Alright, I'm finally getting around to posting this recipe. I made it the night before I went into labor, so it was awesome having all the leftovers of this ham and hashbrown casserole in the fridge so I wasn't cooking as I was having contractions. It was such a satisfying meal. I love the smokey flavor of ham....it seems to cry out for sweet stuff. This glaze has the tang and spice of mustard, balanced with the sweetness of honey. Perfect combo.

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*Serves 6-8


3 lb ham
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or Spicy Brown Mustard)
2 tbsp orange juice

*Double all ingredients for extra sauce.

(I think these are the measurements I used. I didn't write down the measurements after I made it, then I had a baby, and now I'm trying to remember with a brain that is sort of baby mush right now.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ham on a rack inside a roasting pan. Roast for one hour. In the meantime mix up the glaze ingredients. Take the ham out after an hour and pour this glaze over top. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham. The ham will need another 20-40 minutes....you want the internal temperature to come up to 140 degrees. Every 10-15 minutes or so you can scoop the glaze and ham juices off the bottom of the pan and spoon over the ham. Let rest for a couple minutes before cutting into it.

Click here for printable version of Honey-Dijon Ham
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THE RESULTS?

We loved this ham. The glaze was super yummy. So yummy in fact I wish I had doubled the glaze and cooked the extra on the stove and served it up as a sauce to be served at the table. We had this with hashbrown casserole and it was such a comforting meal...why does smokey sweet ham pair so well with cheesey potatoes? Good thing I'm not on a diet ;)

The importance of being virgin

A friend sent me this link and asked me what I thought about it.
For those of you who are too lazy to follow the link it is the story about a 22 year old woman from San Diego calling herself Natalie Dylan who is auctioning her virginity at bunnyranch.com.
I had read about this a few months ago and thought that this was one of those publicity stunts backed by some TV reality show. I was a bit surprised that the story had not yet seen its natural death. I was asked for an opinion and being the ever-conscientious opinion-giver, I went online to read the details.
OK why is she is doing this? To finance her studies. Excellent motivation I admit.
How did she hit on the brilliant idea? From her sister who had worked as a prostitute to put herself through college. Hm, looks like a disease that runs in the family.

According to reports the bid has reached $ 3.7 million which has even surprised Natalie.
"It's shocking that men will pay so much for someone's virginity, which isn't even prized so highly any more. It's become some kind of competition between all these men that they all want to win," she said.
The newspapers also quote her as having said:
"I am not being sold into this, I'm not being taken advantage of in any way. Me and the person I do it with will both profit greatly from the deal."

My initial thoughts were that it is her body and what she wants to do with it is her problem. But then I was quite intrigued that someone would want to pay 3.7 million US dollars just for sleeping with a virgin and just once.
Obsession with virginity is characteristic of patriarchal societies where women are held subservient to men. Liberal societies do not place such a premium on it and virginity is not associated with issues such as morality and honour. In traditional societies one reason why men want to marry virgins is a perceived and accepted sense of Masculinity about being the one to 'deflower' a virgin. Of course the other and more important reason is to ensure the purity of the bloodline for the offspring. Hence the practice of honour killings etc. in traditional societies even today.

Going back to the story, this report
says ‘she had no moral dilemma with her decision and found it "empowering".
Empowering? It is one thing to be in control of one’s body but is it really empowering to have to sell your body to the highest bidder?
Allowing one to be treated as a commodity – is it empowering or demeaning? I have heard the argument that if a woman decides to use her body as the stock for her trade, she should have the liberty to do it and should not be treated as a criminal. I agree, but is it the same as saying that prostitution empowers a woman?

What is interesting is that she did not offer just her body but used the virginity card. Obviously she was pandering to that secret desire of men to be the first man in a woman's body which gave them a sense of dominance. So this whole experience is not going to be about her own sexual pleasure but about making man feel important and special and for him to 'own' her albeit for that short period. He is paying for it isn't he? She is going to sell herself to him for him to use her- What is so empowering about it?

Considering that this woman is a student of women’s studies , I only hope that she is doing this as some kind of an experiment for some project related to her course.. Perhaps she is trying to expose the hypocrisy among U.S. society which claims not to place too much emphasis on a woman’s virginity. Or am I giving her way too much credit?

And what about the bidders? Something seems fishy when in a sexually free society, someone is willing to buy sex with an inexperienced person at a phenomenal sum of 3.7 million. Why? Is it a statement about the importance of virginity as a valuable possession for a woman to have? Aren't there enough honour killings already based on this belief? And aren't there enough crimes against innocent virgin women and girl children in parts of Africa based on the myth that sex with a virgin is a cure for AIDS?

Or is it simply that there is too much money in the hands of stupid people?

No Meal Plan

Thanks for being patient with me as I adjust to life being a mother of two, recover from labor, find my sanity with a toddler whose world has completely crumbled since she isn't the baby anymore, and catch a few winks of sleep. I have no meal plan this week since we are totally blessed and families from our church are providing us with meals every night....so far we've gotten pork roast with rosemary potatoes, corn chowder and cheese bread, sushi, shepherd's pie and cranberry oatmeal cookies, pea soup and biscuits and spaghetti with mandarin salad. We feel so spoiled and we still have 4 more nights of meals coming our way!

Next week I will be back with a meal plan. I assume life will still be slightly upside-down, but the only way I will feel some sense of control is with a meal plan for our suppers.

Thank you to everyone for your many congrats and kind words. I appreciate them so much.

If you want to steal a few sneak peeks at the new babe, check out Journey's of an Artist Mom. I feel so blessed. My cup is overflowing.

Introducing...

Isabella Gabrielle born 1:52am, January 7, 2009

We are home from the hospital already...there were no rooms for us to stay in since so many babies were born, so we came home. I am exhausted, so this will be short.
Me holding my precious new daughter just seconds after being born.


Her wrinkly newborn face.



She's perfect.

Meal Plan Week 13

Trying to keep a sense of organization around dinner-time, and having this baby's due date looming ever closer has been a bit tough going. Tiredness, a craving for Taco Time, and friends inviting us to their house for homemade Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Bun Thit Nuong (BBQ'd Pork Vermicelli) made for a meal plan that fell to the wayside...but that's the beauty of meal plans right? It's not there to be stuck to like glue, it's there to help you out. And help me out it did on the nights I did cook, so it served it's purpose.

The baby's due date is in two days, so this week I'm taking a Pantry Challenge. Our church provides families with new babies with a week of meals so I really don't want to go to the store, buy a shwack-load of groceries, only to go into labor and have things spoil because we are in the hospital and then having other people cook for us. This way any meals I don't get to will be no skin off my back.

It was interesting doing the Pantry Challenge (creating meals from only things in your pantry, fridge and freezer). I was surprised how many meals you can come up with. For a lot of my meal ideas I used a website called SuperCook where you type in all the ingredients you currently have on hand and it gives you lists of recipes from other recipe websites that you can make. My one beef with the pantry challenge is that you are sort of confined to casseroles, soups and one-pot meals...kind of boring food fare in our house, not to mention it's not the healthiest foods.

Nevertheless, the meals are planned and baby could make her debut any day now...here's to hoping it's soon :)


Day 1: Honey-Dijon Ham, Hashbrown Casserole and Sauteed Spinach
We didn't get to this one last week so I'm recycling.

Day 2: Leftovers

Day 3: Baked Potato Soup
Not the healthiest of soups, but I figure I can stock up on calories now since I only have a few more days with an excuse to be huge :)

Day 4: Potato Skins, Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and Carrots & Celery with Dip
Saving the potato skins from making Baked Potato Soup to make this meal.

Day 5: Banana Waffles with Toasted Pecans and Warm Maple Syrup
Taking advantage of my new waffle maker and the frozen bananas in my freezer.

I also have plans to attend the Interfaith Kitchen on Friday afternoon, assuming I haven't had the baby yet. This will provide us with one more meal...I don't know yet what we are making.



Grocery List:

MEAT
3 lb ham
1 lb bacon
1 lb chicken wings

PRODUCE
Spinach
4 potatoes
8 green onions
2 cloves garlic
4 celery sticks
4 carrots
3 bananas

DAIRY
2 3/4 cups butter
8 1/4 cups milk
2 1/2 cups sour cream
5 cups grated cheddar
3 eggs

FROZEN
2 lb bag of hashbrowns

DRY GOODS
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups crushed cornflakes

CANNED GOODS
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tbsp orange juice

SPICES, SEASONINGS AND SAUCES
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
Maple Syrup
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing

For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links at Orgjunkie.

Meal Planning Goal #4: Trying New Things

When I sat down to write this post, I first asked my husband "What would you tell the person who's stuck in the meal planning rut, but afraid of trying new things?" He became so passionate and outspoken about the issue, I thought I would have him record his thoughts:

When it comes to trying new things, the payoff is far greater than the failures. What I mean is, I will eat 2 or 3 or 4 "failed" meals in a month gladly, for the opportunity to experience 27 new, exciting, excellent meals. Eating good food makes me feel like a king. I get to experience great foods from around the world every night, and there are few things I enjoy or appreciate more than that. I think that when we limit ourselves to only eating foods we know, we are missing out on one of the greatest joys in life. God gave us beauty in things like Art, Music, and Nature. But he also gave it to us in food, and by limiting ourselves to only 5 "tried and true" meals every week, it's almost like only listening to the same 5 songs for the rest of your life. Sure they might be good songs, but you are missing out on the millions of other songs written throughout history. If you start searching for new music you might hear a song that you don't like, but you will discover thousands of others that you love. It's the same with food. So what if you eat a crappy meal? Be adventurous. Try something you've never tried before. It's okay if you don't like it. Try something else. If you don't like that, keep trying. Discover the beauty of food. There is so much to explore, you'll be amazed by what you will find.

I love how passionate my husband is about food and how excited he is about trying new meals. But I can understand too that not all spouses are like that, and not all children are like that either which makes stepping out of the comfort zone scary. Who wants to spend the effort planning, shopping, and cooking a meal that your kids whine and turn up their noses to you at?

I can also understand being on a tight grocery budget so the possibility of cooking something new and having the family hate it doesn't really help you out in your money-saving efforts.

I get it. But if you really are bored with meal times, or your kids don't seem that excited to eat the food on their plates, or your spouse would like you to shake things up a bit here are a few ideas, tips and inspirations to get you thinking outside the box:


Try a Variation of Your Favorite Dish
Sometimes all it takes to get you excited about meal planning and cooking again is to shake up an old favorite.
  • If you know your family loves pizza, try a twist on a classic - use salsa, alfredo, pesto or Asian peanut sauce as the base instead of tomato sauce and chicken, shrimp, or taco seasoned beef instead of pepperoni and ham.
  • Rachael Ray calls herself the Queen of Burgers, so the next time you are thinking of making the standard beef patties, search through her almost 200 recipes and see if any of her variations turn your crank.
  • If you know your family likes stir-fry, swap out the rice for vermicelli noodles. Or if you always use teriyaki sauce, maybe go for some sweet-chili sauce next time.
The possibilities are really endless and any one of your favorite dishes can be looked up on a recipe search engine and you'll find many delicious variations. By sticking close to a favorite and just changing it up a bit, you and your family might be less intimidated by change.

Make It Fun
Make trying new recipes fun for you and your family. If you have the attitude that trying new foods is fun and exciting it will rub off on your family members. Turn dinner time into a game...Who can guess what country this meal comes from? Or have trivia questions to ask kids during supper about the particular country. If kids are enjoying the process of being introduced to new foods they are more likely to like the foods themselves.

You could also inject fun by introducing new ways of eating. Put chopsticks on the table when you are serving up your family's favorite stir-fry. Have fun trying to eat your food with them. The next time you try something different like Japanese Donburi or Thai Curry, you can have the chopsticks on the table again and the kids will remember the fun experience they had last time and be more likely to try the new dish. This could also include sitting on the floor on cushions around a low coffee table to eat your meal like they would in Japan, or Morrocco. Make a point of telling your kids where these different traditions are coming from. Or try Trish's idea of serving up a Chinese Lo Mein with Chicken in a Peanut Sauce Fondue...how delicious and fun would that be?

Rate New Recipes
Rate new recipes by asking family members their opinions (you could even ask for how many stars out of 5 they think the recipe is worthy). We do this in our family all the time since I try so many new recipes. It helps me to figure out if a recipe is worthy of another go, or if it should go in the trash. Make sure that everyone feels like they are allowed to be honest with their opinions....and make sure you don't take bad ratings personally. Remember it isn't a reflection on your cooking skills, but a judgment on the recipe itself. Having family members give you their rating out of 5 as well as the "why" behind the rating will really help you in finding new recipes next time...If your husband gave the recipe a 2 and tells you he really didn't like the pineapple then you'll know to avoid recipes with cooked pineapple next time.

My rule of thumb is usually if a recipe gets a 3 or lower it's not really worth making again, but a 4 or 5 definitely would be.

Don’t Worry About the Occasional "Flop"
...it will happen. And it's okay. It's not about YOU being a bad cook, but that the recipe itself was bad, or those particular flavors just don't suit your family's tastes. I have a friend who is so afraid to try any new recipes because she is so scared that it won't be good....what's there to be scared of? One bad meal doesn't veto all the amazing ones you've cooked. And usually even if the recipe wasn't that great, it doesn't mean it's inedible and you can still eat it and your body is still nourished. Nobody will starve.

With that said...the odd time it is inedible (I've definitely had a few of those). Those are the times you need to learn to laugh it off. Let it roll off your shoulders, laugh with your family about what a horrible meal it is and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or toss a frozen pizza in the oven. Even flops have merit too...you will learn from them for next time and your family will have great memories..."Remember that time you made Greek Stew and it was so bad we had to throw it out and have a picnic in the living room with sandwiches instead? That was so funny!" (one of our actual experiences...we still laugh about it today.)

Learn From Failures
This one ties into the last one: I learn just as much from my failures, if not more, than my successes. Over the years I have made some HORRIFIC meals. I once cut up steaks into cubes, put some sauce on and put everything in my new crock pot only to come home to bits of jerky, or the time I made said Greek Stew with beef, cinnamon, lemon, walnuts and feta (TOO many weird flavors going on!), or the Mexican rice I thought would be amazing and had way too much orange juice in it to compliment the beans, corn and cilantro to be edible...all these were failures and I've had many more. My husband never judges me for it, and I can sometimes get discouraged yes, but I always walk away having learned a new cooking lesson. Whether its "wow...I really don't like cinnamon in savory dishes" or "next time I won't let the meat cook so long in the crock pot" or "note to self: orange juice doesn't work with rice and beans"...these are all valuable lessons that make you a better cook with time. I have WAY less flops now than I did when I began as a newly married person 3 1/2 years ago. I've perfected cooking techniques, realized flavor combination's to avoid or ones that go perfect together and become an all-around more adventurous cook.

So don't be afraid of failure. The food may not be good, but at least you learned something.


Don't Get Experimental Too Fast
If you are used to the same few meals in your meal plan rotation, getting TOO crazy or TOO experimental with new meals will really turn your family off and you too if you don't like it. Start slow and easy. Ease your way in and everyone will be more likely to be up for trying a few new things. If all you do is find a new casserole dish, or a new sauce to bake on your chicken that is better than having family members gag on sushi.

Try "Popular" Ethnic Dishes
If the most worldy dishes you eat are taco's (Mexico) and spaghetti (Italy), you might want to step out of the box and expose yourself and your family to new ethnic tastes. The best place to start is with the "popular" dishes from a particular country. These are the dishes that everybody orders when they are out at an ethnic restaurant...and they are popular for a reason. The flavors are new and exciting yet palatable and comforting enough to become a favorite.

For instance, Butter Chicken is probably the most popular and palate friendly Indian curry, as well as Tandoori Chicken. To spare yourself from buying all the strange spices, you can purchase both Butter Chicken curry paste and Tandoori curry paste in jars and add coconut milk or yogurt. Once you've tried it and you've decided it's something your family likes, you can then invest in all the spices and it will become more economical for you to make it from scratch (not to mention delicious). Other "popular" ethnic dishes to try would be:
Don't Be Afraid to Start the Kids Young
Obviously if your kids are older it's a little harder to start introducing new foods into their world...they know what they do and don't like. That doesn't mean you can't get them to like new foods, it just goes without saying that it will be harder. But don't be afraid to offer your children interesting foods at any age...even the young ones.

This summer my Mother-in-Law was visiting and I made Indian Butter Chicken. As I started to dish up a little bowl of rice for my then 1-year old and I began to scoop a bit of curry on top my MIL exclaimed "What are you doing?! You can't feed curry to a baby!" My response was "what do babies in India eat?"...and I fed my 1 year old the rice mixed with a bit of curry. It is honestly her favorite meal. She gobbles it up every time she has it, and it's all because I didn't just assume what she would like or dislike, I just let her try everything. In all honesty, she much prefers Indian and Asian flavors to typical North American. She will eat Fried Rice, Lemon Chicken, Beef and Broccoli, Beef with Green Beans in Peanut Sauce, and Thai Curry all with no problem, but rarely eats roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and plain steamed vegetables.

If it just becomes normal to try new things in your house, you will have much less picky eaters.

Familiarity Breeds Contempt
This is an old saying that means "the more you know something, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it" (from usingenglish.com) If you find yourself hating meal planning, or dreading making supper, it's probably because you've eaten your "favorite" one too many times. Maybe your sick of recycling the same meals week in and week out. Maybe something that was once your favorite is quickly becoming a total snore. Challenging yourself not to recycle the same recipes, and doing a recipe search for something new may be exactly what you need to stop hating the meal planning process. Maybe you'll enjoy cooking again. Maybe you'll discover a new family favorite in the process.

Set a "New Recipe" Goal
If you NEVER EVER inject new recipes into your meal plans, set a goal to start slow and introduce one new recipe a month. If you are already doing that and you still need to spice it up a bit, maybe you need to plan a new recipe once a week. Whatever your goal is, have fun with it. Don't make it a chore. I don't have a specific goal, but there are some weeks where every single recipe on my meal plan is one I have never tried ...and I do it because it gets me excited to plan and cook. Other times comfort food is what I'm after....do what makes things fun and exciting for you.


All of these ideas are meant to be suggestions and inspire you to step out of the box. I kind of rode the "cultural soapbox" a little bit, but trying new things doesn't have to be just about trying ethnic foods...just a new recipe for chicken or a variation of sloppy joes every once in a while will be enough to suffice. Hopefully you will get your family excited about meal times, and you will be more excited to plan and cook those meals for them.

Meal Planning Goal #3: Eating Healthier

Anything I’ve read on this subject says not to be restrictive telling yourself you “can’t have this”, and you “can’t eat that”. It’s more about a happy balance: eating foods you love, but incorporating healthy strategies into your meal plans. So what kinds of things can we do to get healthier meals on the table for our families?

Eat Less Pre-Packaged Food
I know the lure of hot dogs, French fries from the freezer and canned soups can feel so tempting because they are quick and easy and you don’t have to force feed them to your kids, but try to limit these items. Cook with fresh ingredients and make things from scratch. For quick and easy meal ideas that don’t involve a package or box, check out some of our family’s favorite fast recipes:

Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon over Lemon Herb Lentils
Grilled Asian Beef Kabobs with Fried Rice
Beef Stroganoff with Red Wine, Dijon & Dill
Cream of Leek & Celery Soup
Beef & Broccoli
Firecracker Shrimp Bowties

If you still think that you can’t pull one over your family’s eyes and deviate from their pre-packaged favorites, try making the pre-packaged things from scratch. By making it yourself, you cut out a ton of preservatives, salt, and fat. Do a quick search on allrecipes, recipezaar or google and you will find homemade taco seasoning, homemade “cream of soups”, fish sticks, chicken fingers, homemade shake n’ bake, macaroni and cheese, and lots more.

Cut Out the Cream
Don’t get sidetracked by all those rich and creamy pastas, casseroles and baked chicken recipes (I’m bad for this). Instead of a cream-based (or cheese-based or “cream of” soup based or sour cream-based…ohhh I could go on and on) recipe, find ones that have more vegetable based sauces like tomato sauce and pesto, or based with veggie or chicken stock or even olive oil. This will cut some of the richness and you can still find really yummy recipes. Two of our favorite non-cream based pasta dishes are:

Firecracker Shrimp Bowties
Spicy Sausage Linguine


Eat More Fish
By now everyone knows that salmon, tilapia and other forms of fish have really healthy omega-3 fats that our bodies need. So make a commitment to include a fish dish on your meal plan once a week (or if that’s too much for you, try every second week). Here are some recipes our family loves:

Roasted Salmon with Sweet ‘n’ Hot Mustard Glaze
Pecan Crusted Tilapia with Honey Glaze
Phyllo Wrapped Salmon with Honey Garlic Sauce


Include More Fruits & Veggies
I’m really bad for this. I concentrate on the meat dish and the side dish which is usually carb-based like pasta, rice or potatoes. But what if we put a little more effort into our veggie dishes? What if instead of a small portion of veggies on the side of the plate that was an after-thought, it becomes the fancy side dish? Or what if the veggies become the stars of the show, and there is just a small amount of meat included in the main dish?

A great website I have found for exciting veggie dishes is Veggie Venture by Alanna (also blogger of Kitchen Parade). The next time you are planning a side dish for a meal, check out her site and see if you get a little more inspired to include those fruits and veggies into your meal plan.

Don’t Limit Yourself
Don’t just stick to the same ol’ pasta, rice and potatoes, or the same ol’ chicken and ground beef or the same ol’ frozen peas and corn on your meal plan. Spice it up a bit. Eating a wider variety of foods will help you to meet the nutritional needs of your family better.

Each week on your meal plan, include a chicken, red meat and fish recipe to round out the week. Instead of the same white pasta or rice, try whole wheat. Or experiment with another grain altogether like bulgar, quinoa, millet or even lentils. Instead of regular white potatoes, substitute sweet potatoes. And get creative with those veggies! Steam or grill some asparagus, sauté some bok choy with sesame seeds, drizzle a little lemon juice over steamed spinach or whatever other recipes you can come up with. Just shake things up with a little more variety.

Step up the Salads
To pack more of a veggie punch into your meal plan, and get away from fat-laden foods, try having more salads as main dishes. You can squeeze a wide variety of veggies and fruit into a salad, round out with some lean protein and nuts and drizzle with a bit oil/vinegar based dressing. And kids seem to love salad too. The only thing about salads is that they can be deceiving. Be careful with the dressings you add, how the meat is prepared and how much egg, cheese, etc is going into it. A main dish salad can quickly turn into something as calorie and fat-rich as a McDonald’s Big Mac. Here are some main dish salads our family loves:

Pecan Chicken over Salad with Maple BBQ Dressing
Steak & Lemon Salad

You can also stretch protein this way too. 1 or 2 cooked chicken breasts chopped up and mixed into a salad will go a long way to filling up a family of 4 or 5.

Websites
If you feel like a lot of the recipes you have now in your current meal plan rotation could use a little revamping, and you need to find some new healthy recipes to try and include this year, here are some great websites for finding those delicious, healthier recipes:

Ellie Krieger - She has a show on Food Network called "Healthy Appetite" and has lots of great healthy recipes to browse.
Eat, Shrink & Be Merry - Sisters Janet & Greta Podleski take our favorite high fat foods like hot wings, enchiladas, pizza, etc and make them lower in fat, calories and healthier for us.
Dani Spies - a great blog with tons of healthy, delicious recipes.
Use the "Filter by Category" function at Recipezaar to find recipe low in fat, low in calories, low in sodium, etc.
Kitchen Parade - Alanna organizes her recipes by "Weight Watchers Points".
5 Dollar Dinners - Even though Erin is trying make meals for less than $5, she has really healthy ideas. Check out her list of recipes.


Hopefully we can all get healthier meals on our family dinner table in 2009. I know I'll be striving for it.

Asparagus Stuffed Chicken with Hollandaise Sauce

I tried this recipe about 6 months ago, and I really don't know why it took me so long to make it again. I loved it the first time and I was completely in love again this time. This chicken is so delicious and so fancy looking. A nice little indulgence.

*Recipe from Sandi Richard with modifications
____________________________________________________________________

Serves 4

2 large chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
Asparagus bunch, washed, bottom 2 inches cut off, and spears cut in half
8 – 18 total toothpicks
Cooking oil
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Hollandaise:
3 egg yolks
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk

Put chicken breasts on a cutting board, and using a sharp knife slice the chicken in half horizontally, so you have 4 thin chicken cutlets. Season each of the pieces of chicken on the side facing up with salt and pepper and then spread with minced garlic. Take about 4-5 pieces of asparagus, and roll the chicken around it. Secure the seam with a couple tooth picks. Once all chicken breasts are rolled with asparagus season the outsides with salt and pepper.

In a large frying pan, heat about a tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the hot pan and turn to brown on all sides. Once the chicken is browned, turn the heat down to medium and add chicken broth and thyme. Let chicken simmer in the broth for about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through. Add the rest of the asparagus spears and continue to simmer and let the asparagus cook for about 5-7 more minutes (depending on how much crunch you like your asparagus to have.

While the chicken is simmering you can make the hollandaise sauce. In a small saucepan, beat the egg yolks with a whisk with no heat. Add the lemon juice, mustard powder and hot sauce to the egg yolks and whisk again to combine. Very slowly drizzle in the melted butter into the egg yolks while continuing to whisk. Once the butter is combined, place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. You want the sauce to come up to temperature but not boil, and stir occasionally. Just before the sauce wants to start bubbling remove from heat.

Serve the asparagus-stuffed chicken with hollandaise drizzled over top, and extra asparagus on the side.

Click here for printable version of Asparagus Stuffed Chicken with Hollandaise Sauce
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THE RESULTS?

This is INCREDIBLE. The sauce is buttery and lemony and it works so well with the garlic and thyme that has infused into the chicken. This is a gourmet-looking, as well as gourmet-tasting meal but it's really not that hard to make. You will feel spoiled.

Meal Planning Goal #2: Eating More Organic Food

^

My friend Vanessa at Herdutchness and Old Soul Knits was gracious enough to write this post on eating organic since I don't know much about the subject. We currently don't eat organic food, so I'm getting just as much out of her information, tips and tricks as you are ;) Vanessa is one of my greener friends being a fellow cloth diaperer, knitter, gardener, and home-spun wool and yarn maker. She has lots of great tips for us.


Hi! My name is Vanessa. I’m a wife to Nialle and a mom to Liam and Ada. I first became interested in eating organic when I was pregnant with my daughter. If you’ve been pregnant before and know how strange you can get about cleaning or cooking when you’re nesting, well, that’s how I was in regards to chemicals in my food.

My approach to eating organic is shaped largely by the fact that I live in an area where the growing season is only 4 ½ months long. Most of the organic food I get is from the supermarket, although I do have a garden that I eat from in the summer. I also try to freeze as much as possible from my garden for the winter months.

We don’t eat 100% organic, but we are slowly trying to increase the number of organic foods in our diet. Currently, we eat as many organic vegetables as we can and a few organic staples. In the next year we’d like to start eating more organic meats.

Organic food is often portrayed as a market segment, a hippie fixation or just paranoia. But really, organic food is an avenue to a philosophy – that the food we eat should be delicious, whole, and free of chemicals and genetic modification.

SO WHY ORGANIC?

It’s Sustainable
The mass-farming methods (particularly pesticide use) pioneered in the past century have led to a host of ecology problems as the demand for cheap goods in North America has swelled. The driving philosophy behind organic foods is that of little to no negative impact on the environment.

Less Chemicals
A study by the National Research Council in the US showed significant pesticide presence in the systems of children on conventional diets – and a noticeable pesticide decrease after switching to organic foods. For young children, the intake of food to body mass ratio is much higher than adults, so their chances of building up levels of potentially toxic substances when eating pesticide sprayed or genetically modified foods is an acute possibility. Organics afford the opportunity to vastly reduce a child’s exposure to toxins.

Better Taste
You may have had the unfortunate experience of purchasing an attractive looking, rock-hard piece of fruit that promptly rots on your kitchen counter without ever ripening. Conventional foods are manipulated in various ways, chemical and otherwise, to provide an attractive looking product that can withstand the rigors of cross-country or inter-continental shipment. More often than not, the taste of conventional food suffers because of these treatments (as anyone with a home garden can attest!) Organic foods are not forced into maturity and are not mass produced through the use of pesticides. Organic farmers are required by certification organizations to eschew pesticides, artificial coloring, genetic modification, irradiation, or other methods that bully foods into appearing ripe or full-grown. The resultant produce resembles the veggies that you’d pull out of your back yard – rich, lush, flavorful. And the meat? Have mercy.


HOW TO GET STARTED

I’ve learned that you can start to introduce organic foods into your diet without breaking the bank. Listed below are some tips that I found work particularly well for our family. The main thing is to start slow, build gradually and be aware.

Start Slow
On your next grocery trip, snoop around and see what foods you can get organically and how much they cost. Do an on-paper comparison to similar non-organic foods. Some organic foods are still way out of our budget, but after some cursory supermarket research, I learned which organic foods are comparable in price to, or cheaper than, my regular fare. In one small example of my personal shopping experience, organic Granny Smith apples were cheaper than the regulars, and tortilla chips from the local high-end organic store ended up being less pricey than the name-brand chips.

Prioritize - Go Organic With Your Favorites
Take a good look at the foods you eat regularly. If you eat a lot of apples, buy those organically to reduce your exposure to chemicals.

10% Rule
We started out trying to eat 10% of our produce organically. Now we try to do 10% of our whole grocery list and regularly aim for higher.

Plan Ahead
Using the meals on this website will help you to plan which foods you can buy organically for the week. If you’re eating a pasta dish one night, why not try some organic pasta? If you only need a few tomatoes, why not spring for some organic tomatoes? Meal planning will help you begin to incorporate organic foods into your diet without breaking the budget.

Go Organic Where It Counts
Fat-rich foods, like meat and dairy, are the most important to eat organically. Pesticides, antibiotics and other nasty stuff stores up in the fat of animals at alarmingly high rates and make their way into your diet. Sugary fruits are also a great place to start eating organic.
Check out FoodNews.Org for a list of the ‘Dirty Dozen’, 12 of the most pesticide ridden foods to avoid.

Buy Bulk or Generic
Buying bulk will generally save you money whether or not you’re buying organic. Also, look for generic or supermarket brand organic labels – some generic labels produce a wide variety of high-quality organic foods. In our local supermarket, I can get organic pasta for $2 a box, the same price as a brand-name non-organic box of pasta.

Eat Less
Although the frozen bulk pack of boneless chicken breasts looks financially prudent, one mouthful of organic, grain-fed bird might be enough to convince you to pay a little more and eat a little less. Go slow and experiment.

Buy More Staples and Less Processed Foods
Try to shop along the outside walls of your store – grocery stores are roughly organized with the staples on the fringes of the store, and the processed food in the center. Organic staples along the walls of the store will cost less than organic packaged and pre-made foods. For instance, organic crackers are expensive, but if you make them at home with organic whole wheat and sugar, you’ll save money.

Use it Up
One downside to organic: it lacks the lovely chemicals that give it the extended shelf-life. Be aware of what’s in your fridge and what’s going to spoil soon. Make apple pie or banana bread with produce that is getting overripe. Make a frittata with your leftover potatoes and tomatoes. Make chicken stock with leftover chicken parts. I love to put together quick vegetable soups for my son’s lunch with the bits and pieces of produce in our fridge. The list could go on and on. You spent good money for your organic foods, so make sure you get your money’s worth.

Shop in the Morning
Let’s face it, organic stuff does cost more. For this reason, many consumers avoid buying organic and more often than not the organic produce goes bad before it is bought. Thankfully, many grocery stores have a discount bin full of produce that is about to go bad. Generally the fruit is slightly overripe, a little bruised, but totally fine. Because of this, I often see organic bananas in the discount bin at my local supermarket and pick them up for half price.

Grow your Own
Have your own garden. Or grow some tomatoes in a pot. It’s fun, cheap and you’ll really know where your food is coming from. If you live in an apartment, look into renting a plot at a community garden. Try organic fertilizers, crop rotation and companion planting to promote plant growth. For some real inspiration as to what you can do in your own backyard, check out Little Homestead in the City.

Ask Around
Gardeners are often willing to unload surplus veggies. If anyone offers you free home-grown goodies, I highly recommend you jump at the chance to take some home. If you aren’t offered any veggies, it doesn’t hurt to ask for some. For safety’s sake, I would still check to see if the gardener used chemicals on his or her plants.

A great website to check out when you’re looking at freezing or canning home grown vegetables is the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Be Aware
Not everything local is organic. Not everything organic is local. At times you may have to choose one over the other. In the Canadian winters up here, eating fruit (organic or otherwise) during the winter means you’re consuming food that has been shipped thousands of kilometers to your grocery store. Likewise, if you shop at the local farmer’s market, it won’t hurt to ask if the farmer uses chemicals on his or her produce.

For further reading:
Books:
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan - A fascinating look at the history and effects of the Western diet.
Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano – A going-green-guide for Valley Girls. In spite of its ditzy dialogue, the book does have a great section on shopping organically...and lots of website addresses for other organic products.
Raising Baby Green by Dr. Alan Greene – A great resource for parents who are wondering how to go greener with kids.

Websites:
Food News


I just wanted to add that if you can't afford to buy all your produce organically, you can still wash off a lot of the outer pesticides with a veggie spray. You can easily make a homemade veggie spray that doesn't cost a lot, which is a trick I actually learned from Vanessa! Here is her recipe. So if your goal is to incorporate MORE organic foods, but you just can't get all of them in there, try this tip.

A tip I learned from another friend who shops organically is that you should ALWAYS wash all of your produce...including the ones you don't eat the skin and peel. Because your hands are touching the outside peel that is covered with chemicals, you are just going to place those right back on the fruit or veg you are about to consume. This includes things like cantaloupe, bananas, squash, etc.