Freezer Cooking Part 1

When I was pregnant with The Good Daughter, I wanted to have a large freezer stash of meals on hand for after she was born. The Good Husband worked 12 hour shifts then, and I wanted meals I could just throw together.

I made a list of meals and ingredients and went shopping after work when I was 37 weeks pregnant with the intention of cooking that entire weekend. I dropped about $300 at the store. The next day at a routine check-up - SURPRISE! - I had to go to the hospital and get induced the next day. Needless to say I didn't make one damn freezer meal.

So this pregnancy I vowed to not wait until 37 weeks pregnant before I got started and to actually make some meals. I collected recipes for a while and thankfully just after our freezer went tits up, and we found a new one at a yard sale, I got started.

I originally had a list of 15 meals I wanted to make with a variety of proteins and meals (breakfast, lunch dinner). I had the added task of trying to find meals that wouldn't be too heavy since it will be the middle of July once The Good Son is born. That last task proved to be the hardest. I also wanted a variety of meals - ones that could just be put in the slow cooker and some that could be thawed and baked.

But I split my shopping up into two big trips and after TGD went to bed, for one week, I made meals. Below is what I made in round one.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn (double batch)

recipe adapted from Ring Around the Rosies 

Ingredients: 

6 chicken breasts

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 limes, juiced

2 cups cilantro

1 large bag of frozen organic corn

4 minced garlic cloves

1 finely chopped red onion

2 cans of organic black beans, rinsed

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chipotle powder

salt/pepper to taste

Directions: 

~Divide all ingredients evenly and place in gallon freezer bags. Shake to combine.

Instructions for Container:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low 8 hours or high 4 hours, serve with tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese.

Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken (double batch)

recipe adapted from Mama and Baby Love 

Ingredients: 

3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large green pepper, cut into strips

1 large red pepper, cut into strips

2 zucchini, chopped

2 cups chopped onion

2 tablespoon flour

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions: 

~Divide all ingredients evenly and place in gallon freezer bags. Shake to combine.

Instructions for Container:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.

Barbacoa Beef, Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn salsa

recipes from Skinnytaste 

Barbacoa Beef

Ingredients: 

3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed 

5 cloves garlic 

1/2 medium onion 

1/2 lime, juice 

2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste) 

1 tbsp ground cumin 

1 tbsp ground oregano 

1/2 tsp ground cloves 

salt and pepper 

3 bay leaves 

1 tsp oil 

1 cup water

Directions:
~Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chiptoles, cloves in a blender and pulse on high until combined.

~Trim meat of fat and cut into 4 inch cubes. Place in freezer bag and add spice mixture and bay leaves.

Day of Cooking:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks. Remove bay leaf and add meat back to the crock pot. Cook on low for 20-30 minutes.

Chipotle's "Skinny" Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice 

1/2 lime, juice of 

2 cups water 

1 tsp salt 

3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro 

3 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

~In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.

~In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed. Allow rice to cool completely and add to freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Place rice in large microwavable bowl, add 2-3 tablespoons water to rice. Microwave 2-3 minutes. Fluff with fork and repeat. Let stand 2 minutes, then fluff again.

Corn Salsa with Lime
Ingredients:  

4 cups frozen organic sweet corn

2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced 

1/2 red onion, diced 

1 scallion, diced 

1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

2 tbsp chopped cilantro 

1 1/2 limes, juice of 

chipotle chili powder, to taste 

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions: 

~Combine all into a freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Thaw in fridge. Serve with completely thawed.  

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

recipe adapted from Once A Month Mom

Ingredients:

4 pieces boneless, skinless, chicken breast

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoons onion powder

Directions:

~Combine all ingredients into a gallon freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Thaw in fridge. Remove from marinade. Grill chicken until juices run clear. Or to cook in oven, place in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF uncovered 20-30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Breakfast Burritos (double batch)

recipe by The Good Wife

Ingredients:

10 large flour tortillas

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 green onion, chopped

12 oz turkey sausage

10 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, any flavor

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

~Add oil to skillet and cook turkey sausage on medium high heat until cooked through. Add pepper and onion and cook until veggies are soft. Remove from skillet. Turn heat to low.

~In a medium bowl, whisk to combine eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Add to skillet and scramble until almost set. Allow to cool completely. Add sausage and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons in each tortillas and top with cheese. Roll and wrap in plastic wrap and foil.

Day of Cooking.

~Remove from wrapper. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high 60-90 or until hot.

Shrimp Scampi (double batch)

recipe from What's Cooking Chicago? 
Ingredients:
2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell 
3 tablespoons good olive oil 
2 tablespoons dry white wine 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 
1/4 cup minced shallots 
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves 
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves 
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1 extra-large egg yolk 
2/3 cup panko 

Directions:
~Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture. 

~In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

~Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Label and freeze.

Day of Cooking:
~Thaw in fridge. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Roast Beef Panini

This is dinner for one of those nights where all you really have is the energy to make is a pb&j. Since a panini is the grown up version of a sandwich, you don't have to feel guilty for making such an easy dinner.

I like to serve seasoned oven fries with this and a side salad and call it a day.

Also, don't let some fancy cooking magazine tell you you need a sandwich press. You don't. You can save kitchen space and money and use a grill pan and a grill press and you will be fine. Or you can use a grill pan and a smaller pan to smoosh down the sandwich. Add a can of something - corn, green beans, tomatoes - to weight the pan.

But if you are just dying to spend $60, you can always just send the money my way.


Ingredients:
2 slices of french bread
Canola oil
Roast beef
Cheddar cheese
Horseradish Mayo (mayo with horseradish to taste)
Sliced red onion

Directions:
~Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.

~Brush one side of the slice of bread with canola oil. Spread the mayo on the opposite side of the bread. Place the oiled side down in the grill pan. Layer cheese, onion and meat on the bread.

~ Brush one side of the slice of bread with canola oil. Spread the mayo on the opposite side of the bread. Place the bread, mayo side down on the sandwich in the pan and using either a grill press or a small pan, toast the sandwich until golden brown, about 5 minutes each side, turning once.

~Serve immediately.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Birthday Dinner

The Good Husband's birthday was yesterday and I try to make his day special by making all his favorite foods. For breakfast he had eggs and 'taters. We then went to a local craft festival and had a small lunch of fresh fruit, sun tea and donuts.

It was hot as hell yesterday. Summer has officially hit central Illinois. It is supposed to remain in the 90s this week with something like 80% humidity. How wonderful.

So this means that I will shun the oven for favor of cooking things on the stove and the grill since we don't turn our A/C on until at least the end of June. TGH wanted steak for dinner so I cranked up the crappy grill pan I have and slaved away.

You can always tell when I cam cooking either steak or on the grill pan since I set the smoke alarms off every.single.time. The Good Baby is used to the screeching by now. It's the one way she knows dinner is ready.

So we had a great grilled dinner of local, grass-fed, organic steak topped with blue cheese from the Farmer's Market, grilled asparagus and organic polenta with purple spring onions and blue cheese. Yeah, I went a little crazy with the blue cheese, but damn, if that stuff isn't moldy heaven.

To grill asparagus:
Trim and wash asparagus. Heat a grill pan on medium high heat until hot. Place asparagus on the grill and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for a few minutes on each side, turning often.

To make polenta:
Ingredients:
4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup corn meal
1 green onion, chopped
blue cheese crumbles

Directions:
~Bring the water to a boil and add butter. Stir until dissolved.

~Slowly whisk in the corn meal, breaking up any lumps that might form with the whisk. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, switching to a wooden spoon to stir frequently. Cook polenta on low for 30-40 or until thicken and the sides pull away from the pan. Add the onion and blue cheese to taste. Serve immediately.

NOTE: I didn't stir in the blue cheese, since I had to leave some sans cheese for TGB. I should have dished her plate first and then stirred the cheese in but I didn't think about it. Oh well.

Corned Beef Hash

There are some things I am weird about, foodwise. I can't eat foods with names I think are funny (Baba Ghanoush, succotash) and for the longest time I wouldn't eat corned beef because even when it was cooked, it was still pink. But I have since changed my ways after having a few Rebuens. So I was excited this year to actually make corned beef for the first time.

Now, I did cheat a bit and bought beef brisket that was already corned, so I just had to cook it, but I still added some extra pickling spices to the meat to make it extra flavorful. I mean, who are they kidding with the scant half tablespoon of spices that comes with the corned beef brisket?

Now, just because I like Rubens, doesn't mean I really wanted corned beef and cabbage. So I decided to make breakfast for dinner on St. Patrick's Day so we had corned beef hash.


The Good Husband really liked this hash and honestly, it was the first time I had made hash. Considering that TGH usually eats his fried eggs and 'taters together, I am not surprised he liked the meat in with it.

Ingredients:
1 pound russet potatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds cooked corned beef, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
fried eggs as an accompaniment


Directions:
~Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Add potatoes to a large saucepan of boiling water and boil 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

~In a large non-stick skillet cook onion and garlic in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is golden.

~Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Add corned beef, potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste and cook over moderate heat, turning hash, until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.

~Serve hash with fried eggs.

recipe from:Epicurious

Philly Cheese Steak

The Good Husband is a picky eater. He used to only eat burgers and fries and nothing else. Then he was introduced to a Philly Cheese Steak and now that is his go-to dinner. If any place has it on the menu, TGH will order it.

I should make a very important distinction here. TGH has never been to Philly and has never had a real Cheese Steak. He has only had Cheese Steaks from Midwest kitchens. I have only been east of Indiana once and that was to go to the beach, so I haven't had a real Cheese Steak either.

So I don't want to offend anyone that has had and knows how to make an authentic Cheese Steak with this recipe of a fake Cheese Steak. This is the kind of Cheese Steak you will get from a Midwest kitchen for someone who has never had a real Cheese Steak, made by someone who has never had a real Cheese Steak.

But, hey, it tastes as good as the ones from the state fair.

Ingredients:
2 lbs rib eye, sliced thin
2 green bell peppers, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
Canola oil
Hoogie Rolls
Sliced Provolone Cheese

Directions:
~Place meat in freezer for 20 minutes to allow the meat to firm. This will make slicing easier. After 20 minutes, remove from freezer and cut as thin as possible on a bias. Slice onion and peppers.

~On a very hot griddle, heat a few tablespoons of oil. Sautee the onions and peppers until soft and golden brown. Remove the onions and peppers and add the meat, cooking until no longer pink. Add the onions and peppers back to the griddle to heat through.

~Split the hoogie rolls and spoon in a generous helping of meat, onions and peppers. Place 2 slices of Provolone cheese on top and melt until a broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

As you can see from the recipe that I make a ton of the filling. I like to freeze whatever I don't use, along with several slices of cheese, so that on nights when I don't feel like cooking, I can throw the mixture on the griddle and have dinner in a few minutes. You can freeze the rolls too, but I need my freezer space, so I usually just pick those up fresh.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Roast Beef Tenderloin

First let me apologize to all vegetarians reading this post. This is probably akin to a slasher movie for vegetarians, and I am sorry, but I love meat so much that I have to blog about it.

This again is one of the foods I am not supposed to be eating due to scary bacteria and a low immune system due to pregnancy. But, damn it, I am almost 8 months pregnant and I wanted some rare meat. This actually turned out a little more rare than I wanted it, but it was still delicious.

This was the first time I have had beef tenderloin in anything other than a steak or a fried sandwich. I wasn't quite sure how to cook it but after reading my copy of The Joy of Cooking, only two options were given - roast or grill.

I didn't feel like having The Good Husband mess with the grill, so I decided that roasting it would be the way to go. Roasting made for an easy dinner. I just slathered it with oil and spices and threw it in the oven. It took a little longer to roast since the meat wasn't thawed all the way and I ended up getting rather impatient and just pulled it out before it reached medium rare. But it was so delicious. You could cut it with your folk.

Ingredients:
Small beef tenderloin roast (about 3-5 pounds)
Oil or butter, I used canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Grill seasoning, a palm-full
Seasoned salt, half a palm-full
Black pepper, half a palm-full

Directions:
~Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

~Combine the oil and the spices and rub generously over the entire roast.

~Place roast in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 25 to 45 minutes until the roast as reached the desired doneness. (I cooked this roast for about 45 minutes and it was almost too rare for me.)

~Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow roast to rest before carving.

~Slice meat as thin as possible and serve.

recipe by: The Good Wife

But you might be asking yourself what to do with all the leftovers? From this roast TGH and I were able to enjoy a hearty roast beef sandwich of super sharp cheddar, horseradish and red onions for lunch the next day and a steak salad the next night.

Italian Beef

As a foodie, I am supposed to hate the crock pot.

I will confess to not using it all that much, but when I do, boy! I look at it and think I should make everything in this little baby. Then I try a recipe for something like soup and it turns out horribly. Then I remember why I only use it for shredded meat and roasts.

The crock pot really is fool proof, if you stick to the above mentioned two items. Just plop everything in the crock in the morning, turn it on low and come home 8 hours later to your house smelling like a deli. The Good Husband happens to love that smell.

I should try and bottle it and market it as a perfume. While it would attract all Good Husband types to you, the only draw back would be the occasional stray dog following you home, since really, you smell like meat.

But on to the sandwich.

This Italian Beef recipe is my old stand by. I have to eliminate the banana peppers since TGH can't stand them, but you can see I compensate for the lack of pepper spice with a good helping of horseradish. Oh yum.

Ingredients:
2 heaping tablespoons of The Good Wife Italian Seasoning Mix (recipe to follow)
3 - 5 lb beef roast (I usually just get whatever cut is on sale that week)
Banana peppers and juice (optional)

Directions:
~Combine all in crock pot and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

~Shred meat with forks 30 to 45 minutes before serving, stirring to combine all the flavors.

The Good Wife Italian Dressing Mix
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried celery flakes

Directions:
~Combine all in a bowl and stir until well blended.

~Store in air tight container.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Valentine Dinner

The Good Husband and I don't go out much. We are saving for our new house and for The Good Baby. Besides, anything that I really want to eat right now, I cannot due to pregnancy. We aren't really gift giving people either, so my Valentine's Day gift to TGH was to make a nice dinner.

On the menu:
~Shrimp Cocktail
~Seared New York Strip for TGH
~Butter Poached Lobster Tail for me
~Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
~Sweet Butter Peas

We went to the seafood market that morning during our errands and who knew that lobster was such a Valentine's Day staple? I didn't know, but then again, this was the first time the I cooked lobster. We normally don't eat lobster or crab because of the expense but since it was a holiday and all, I decided to splurge.

For the lobster - I used two 4 ounce rock lobster tails, removing the shell. I melted one stick of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. I allowed the butter to heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. I then added the lobster tails and poached them slowly for about 8 minutes.

I will admit that I was terrified that I would over cook the lobster and it would become rubbery. But I think the poaching really did the trick because the meat was so sweet and tender and not at all rubbery. Worth every penny.

For the NY Strip - I allowed the steak to come to room temperature, 30 minutes before I was ready to cook them. I salt and peppered both sides of the steak and allowed a pan to get extremely hot over medium high heat. I added one tablespoon of oil to the pan, and seared the steak on each side for 3 minutes. I then removed the pan from the heat and turned the burner to low medium. I added 3 tablespoons of butter and allowed it to melt. I then returned the pan to the heat and based the steak with the melted butter for another 5 minutes.

Not how I usually cook steak but since it was a special dinner, I decided all the butter would be worth it.

For the 'taters - I used my normal mashed 'taters recipe, but I removed all of the skins. I added one clove of pressed garlic to the butter and allowed the butter and the garlic to melt together in a small saucepan over low heat while the 'taters boiled. I then added 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the 'taters when I mashed them.

This is really just a simple way to make something that tastes like twice baked potatoes, since we really only eat the filling and not the 'tater skin anyway. I just took the recipe for what would be the filling of a twice baked and served it alone.

For the peas - I cooked the peas the way my gma cooks peas. From the freezer, with a pat of butter and a spoon full of sugar. Place in a microwave dish, add the butter and the sugar and microwave, covered for a few minutes. Yum.

recipes by: The Good Wife

Burgers

Nothing is better or easier than burgers. Every time I make burgers at home I am reminded of that old Eddie Murphy stand up. The Good Husband like the thinness of McDonald's burgers but TGH never made homemade burgers and cannot understand that I cannot possibly make the burgers that thin. I am not a machine, damn it!

So my burgers turn out somewhere between McDonald's' thin and Eddie Murphy meatball, green pepper welfare burger. There are a million ways to dress up a burger from the meat to the seasonings to the toppings. This is the basic burger recipe I use most of the time. Any different seasonings and toppings are all based on this basic burger recipe.

Ingreidnets:
1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, I use McCormick Salt-Free Steak
1/2 tablespoon all purpose seasoning, I use Riley's Salt-Free
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon A-1 steak sauce

Directions:
~Combine all the of ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand until well blended.

~Form into 8 patties and cook, either in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes each side or on an indoor grill for 5 to 6 minutes.

This burger I topped with French Fried Onions and pepper cheese. I should have added thick cut, black pepper bacon, smoked cheddar and BBQ sauce, but I didn't. But that sounds awesome, doesn't it? TGH likes his traditional, with a slice of American cheese, catsup, mustard and pickle. Sometimes he likes it with catsup, mayo, lectus, pickle and tomato, but those burgers are better left to summer, when a tomato really tastes like a tomato.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Porcupine Meatballs

Thanks to The Good Grandma, I was introduced to this strange dish a while back. It might look like a regular meatball, but no, this is a Porcupine Meatball. It is basically your basic meatball but with white rice added so that when the meatball cooks, the rice pokes out like a porcupine quill. Thank god for google too, since a quick search assured me that TGG was not, in fact, crazy and others had heard of this dish before.

Now, the recipe calls for tomato soup. We hate tomato soup in The Good Household so I never have any on hand. No problem, I thought, since we always have tomato sauce on hand. But always failing to check to make sure I have all the ingredients before I start to cook, I already had the meatballs formed and in the pan before I realized we had no tomato sauce. No problem, I thought again, since we had a can of Italian diced tomatoes and some tomato paste. I placed the diced tomatoes into the food processor and added 2 heaping tablespoons of tomato paste and blended. The sauce therefore, turned out a little chunkier but it still tasted the same.

You would think lesson learned - to always check for all the ingredients before you start cooking - but no, I am sure I will do this again in the future. Such is life.

Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted OR 1 can tomato sauce (see note above)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
~In a bowl, combine the egg, rice, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Add beef and mix. Using your hands, shape into 1-1/2-in. balls.

~In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil (I use canola) and drop the meatballs in the hot oil. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

~Add the tomato soup or the tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover and cook for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the beef is cooked through.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Meatloaf

As I promised you yesterday, I present to you the most housewifely dish ever: Meatloaf.

Meatloaf is one of those dishes that always feels like Sunday. It does take a while to cook, but not all day, so you can have meatloaf whenever. Meatloaf is also one of those dishes where once you have the basic recipe down, you can modify it in any number of ways. Since I am a cook without a cookbook type of girl, I usually just throw stuff in a bowl and see how it comes out. Every damn time I make meatloaf it tastes different. Every. Damn. Time.

Ingredients:
1 cup bread crumbs, I used Italian seasoned
2/3 cup milk
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium celery rib, finely chopped
2 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 lb ground beef chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
2 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2/3 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Cook onion, garlic, celery and carrot in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, allspice, basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

~Combine the vegetable mixture with the bread crumbs and add the beef, pork, eggs, milk and parsley and mix together with your hands.

~Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on a broiler pan. Coat the top of the meatloaf with the ketchup and sprinkle with brown sugar.

~Bake for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Tostadas

I love Mexican food. No, make that American Mexican (AM) food because even though I know someone's abuela makes killer corn tortillas, I am not convinced that Tostadas are really a genuine Mexican food. I could be wrong and someone is free to correct me. But I get a feeling Tostadas are like Crab Rangoon. Tasty but nothing like what you would find in China.

But back to AM food. Besides Italian, AM is the easiest type of food to cook, I find. Some chili, onion and garlic powder, oregano and cumin makes for a mean AM dish. And, just look at how pretty everything is.

They say you eat with your eyes first (this is an important thing to remember when picking out place settings, actually, because you never want your plates to compete with the food. This is why most restaurants have white plates. After TGH and I move, I will break out my all white plates. For now, I make due) and it is true. Nothing is more beautiful to me than a rainbow of colors on a plate. Ah.
Tostadas
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup of water
12 Tostadas
1 can of refried beans, I used vegetarian refried beans
1 small head of lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups of shredded cheese, I used mild cheddar
Sour cream
Taco Sauce
Salsa

Directions:
~Heat the oven to 325 degrees and bake the Tostada shells in a single layer on a baking sheet for 6 to 7 minutes.

~Meanwhile, brown the beef and drain off the fat. Combine all of the spices and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture has thicken and most of the water has evaporated.

To assemble the Tostadas:
~Heat the refried beans in a microwave safe bowl on high to 2 1/2 minutes.

~Spread a thin layer of beans on the Tostada shell. Top with the seasoned meat, taco sauce, lettuces, cheese, tomato and sour cream.

~Serve with a side of Spanish Rice and Refried Beans topped with Pepper Jack cheese (recipe to follow).

This recipe is very easy to make vegetarian. Just either replace the ground beef with tofu crumbles or eliminate it completely.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Ingredient of the Week . . . Beef Roast

Now that the days are getting chillier, soups and stews are on the menu. In last week's Ingredient of the Week, I highlighted ground beef and made Chili. That ushered in the beginning of fall menu at The Good Wife's house. This week's ingredient is beef roast, namely Boneless Beef Chuck Roast. The easiest and most tasty soup I make with BBCR is Vegetable Beef Soup.

Again this is one of those dishes I had at The Good Grandma's. It was full of veggies that I normally don't eat and don't really like that much (I mean, Lima Beans anyone?) but with everything else in the soup, it was super tasty and I didn't mind the beans that much.

A tip before you start: The recipe that follows makes almost 3 gallons of soup. I have a large stock pot that will hold that much soup but if you don't you can easily cut the recipe in half.

Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cubed
6 cans of beef broth
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
4 stalks of celery, diced (leaves too)
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
2 cans of corn (I use one can of golden corn kernels and one can of white corn kernels)
2 cans of green beans
2 cans of peas
1 can of Lima beans ('cos, really, who likes Lima Beans?)
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions:
~Cook the beef in a slow cooker over low heat for 4 to 5 hours.

~Add the meat, juices and all, to the stock pot and add the beef broth and tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower to a shimmer. Add the potatoes, turnips, celery and carrots. Cook for ten minutes.

~Add all of the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

recipe by: The Good Wife

This Ingredient of the Week should really be about the cooking tools as much as it is about the food. Both of the dishes were made, at least partly, with the slow cooker.

I don't use my slow cooker that much. I kind of forget I have it tucked away in my small kitchen, hiding behind my mixing bowls. But when I use it, I remember how great it is and use it twice the week I remember I have it.

Italian Beef was one of the plate choices we had at our wedding, so it will always have a special place in my heart. It is super to make as well, slow cooker notwithstanding.

Italian Beef
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
1 package of dry Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup banana peppers, juice and peppers (optional) - The Good Husband can't eat anything spicy, so we hold the peppers
1 package of Kaiser Rolls

Directions:
~Pour 1/2 cup of Italian dressing in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the beef roast in the cooker, turning to coat all sides. Sprinkle the Italian Dressing over the beef, making sure all of the roast is covered. Top with the peppers.

~Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Before serving, shred the meat with two forks and stir to combine the juices.

~Serve on Kaiser Rolls with a side of oven fries (recipe to follow).

I like to top my Italian beef with banana peppers (I do like all things spicy), Pepper Jack cheese and horseradish. TGH likes his with ketchup and pickles.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Ingreident of the Week . . . Ground Beef

This week's ingredient is a basic staple in most kitchens, I would assume, save for my favorite veggie Annie. Ground beef is usually cheap if you get the full fat mix. We try to get lean ground beef so it is slightly healthier.

But what can you do with ground beef besides hamburgers and meatloaf? Well thanks to some uber-Christian, homeschooling, procreation friendly Southern family, the world has been introduced to Tater Tot Casserole (TTC). But in The Good Wife's house, we knew of this culinary delight long before the Duggars popped out number 1.

See, The Good Husband was raised by The Good Grandma. TGG is in her 80s and was raised during the Great Depression. So she knew how to eat on the cheap (as well as live on the cheap. You should hear her tell the story about how her Dad only made one dollar a week and because the fee for licence plates was .25, they had to drive on back roads and only go to town at night because they couldn't afford to pay the quarter). She also had 8 kids and had to feed a family on the cheap. Out of necessity TTC was born.

TTC, along with a collection of family recipes, was given to me when I got married. This version is "Sloppy TTC" since instead of using cream of mushroom soup with the ground beef, I used sloppy joe sauce.

"Sloppy" Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
Salt, pepper and grill seasoning to taste
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can corn kernels
1 can cut green beans
1 medium bag tater tots
2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
~Brown meat in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain off fat and season with salt, pepper and grill seasoning.

~Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Drain and add the can of corn and green beans.

~Pour mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish. Layer the tater tots on top.

~Bake uncovered for 35 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven, top with the cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.

recipe modified from: The Good Grandma

Now that the days are getting shorter and cooler, a big bowl of chili really hits the spot. For every person that cooks there is a different chili recipe. This is actually one TGH taught me and it never fails. It is simple and easy to make.

Chili
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 46 oz can V8 juice
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can dark red chili beans
1 small can mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
~Brown the beef in a large, deep stock pot. Drain off fat.

~Add all of the following ingredients. Do not drain the liquid off the beans or the mushrooms. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

~Serve with oyster crackers, cheese and/or sour cream.

recipe by: The Good Husband

Meat and 'taters or How to Cook a Perfect Steak

The Good Husband is solidly a meat and 'taters guy. Before we lived together (yes, we lived in sin for about 3 years before we got married, *gasp*. Good thing we are both atheists LOL) I rarely ate meat or potatoes. My former life is a culinary shame since I was forced to either eat on the cheap (ramen noodles and hot dogs) or at restaurants.

Along with eggs and 'taters, meat and 'taters is one of those dishes that I had to learn to prefect over time. I still run into some bumps every now and then and I am trying my hand at different cuts of meat, but I think I have the overall concept down.

This beautiful plate is what we had for dinner on Sunday. I usually reserve Sunday for making meals that seem nicer. We do have mashed potatoes and steak during the week, but this gorgeous cut of New York Strip just screamed "Sunday Dinner" to me.

So, after years of practice and more than a few burnt steaks, I offer my tips for the perfect steak.

~First, make sure the steaks are room temperature. Let them sit out for at least 30 minutes before you cook them. This allows the fibers in the meat to relax so the meat won't curl up on you.

~Make sure your pan in hot, as in smoking hot. This does NOT mean, however, to have the heat on high. Place the pan on medium high heat and let it sit there for about ten minutes or until the pan really starts to smoke. On my stove, it is about a 7 on the dial. I like to use a cast iron pan, but a grill pan would be great as well. I have also used my hard anodized pan as well and it can create a great sear.

~Brush the steaks with oil (I use canola) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned side down in the pan and season the other side.

~The steaks and the pan WILL SMOKE. Having a good exhaust fan will help get most of the smoke out. But if you are lacking a good fan, you might have to open the windows or risk setting off the smoke alarm, like I do every other time I cook steak.

This is the biggest point of contention in our house. TGH hates the amount of smoke I create when I make steaks. He was not used to having steaks cooked on the stove top and our lack of good ventilation drives him nuts. But a little suffering is worth it when he finally has a bite of good steak. So, just be prepared for a little smoke. It will clear out and you will be happy with the quality of your steak.

~Do NOT move your steaks once they are in the pan. By not moving them you allow for the meat to sear, trapping the juice inside. If you are using a grill pan, you will have great grill lines on the steak. Flip them over once. That is the only movement allowed.

Now, you can either cook the steaks completely on the stove top for finish them off in the oven. If you choose to finish them on the stove top, I would turn the heat down slightly and cook them for about 7 to 8 minutes per side for a nice medium rare. The steaks I used were about 1 1/2 inches thick, thicker than what I am used to. But they looked so good at the local butchers that I couldn't pass them up. Thanks Mr. Henry! So cooking time should increase about 1 minute per side.

Or you can finish them off in the oven. TGH likes this version better since it cuts down on the smoke in the house. Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook the steaks for about 6 minutes for medium rare.

~Let the meat rest! Letting the meat rest - anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes - allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making sure than when you cut into it, all the juices won't run out and the rest of the meat is bone dry. Also resting the meat allows you time to make a killer pan gravy from the drippings.

So with that lesson behind us, on to Sunday Dinner or Meat and 'taters.

1 recipe steak (see above) I used thick cut New York Strip
1 recipe mashed 'taters (following) with pan gravy (following)
1 veggie side dish (I used canned seasoned green beans)

Mashed 'Taters
Ingredients:
6 large red potatoes, scrubbed, skins on, rough cubed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz sour cream
Splash of milk (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions:
~In large stockpot add potatoes and enough water to cover. Once the water boils, add 1 tablespoon salt.

~Reduce heat and simmer, covered 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender.

~Drain and add potatoes back into the warm pot to evaporate any left over water.

~In mixing bowl mash the potatoes with a potato masher or electric mixer, breaking the potatoes into large pieces. Add 3 Tbsp. butter and continue to mash until all of the butter is melted.

~Add the sour cream and mash until all of the sour cream is incorporated and most of the lumps are broken up. If the potatoes are too thick, add a splash of milk. Add salt to taste. Serve with pan gravy.

Pan Gravy
Ingredients:
Pan drippings from steak
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups of beef stock
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
~Using the same pan you cooked the steaks in, place the skillet on medium low heat.

~Add the butter to the pan, allowing it to melt completely. Add the flour to the pan, and using a whisk, combine the flour and butter, cooking for 1 minute.

~In the meanwhile, combine the beef stock and the onion powder.

~Whisking continuously, add the beef stock slowly to the pan until the liquid and roux (the butter and flour mixture) is combined. Increase the heat and continue to whisk, making a figure eight pattern in the pan. This will prevent the gravy from both burning and clumping. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

Whisking and slowly pouring the beef stock is the key to lump free gravy. If you find you are have problems with making a lump free gravy, I suggest that you add only ONE cup of the beef stock at first and whisk to break up any lumps. Once the gravy is lump free, add the rest of the stock, careful to never stop whisking.

~When the gravy starts to bubble and there are no lumps, pour into a gravy boat and serve over mashed potatoes.

recipes by: The Good Wife

Beef and Noodles

This recipe I stumbled upon by accident. It was supposed to be Boeuf Bourguignon, but I couldn't find pearl onions and The Good Husband is not a fan of cooking with wine. So after a few modifications I came up with what I call beef and noodles. My two main beefs (yes, I meant that) with the original (excluding the wine) were - the sauce was too runny and there was way too much fat in the recipe, by way of butter or oil or both. I think I cut out nearly most of the butter. So I thickened up the sauce and got rid of some of the fat. In the end, this is a pretty good recipe and easy to make. TGH is now a fan.

Ingredients:
3 slices bacon, chopped
16 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
2 pounds lean sirloin, 1-inch thick, trimmed and cubed into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef stock
3 sprigs each sage and fresh thyme, chopped

Herbed, Buttered Noodles:
12 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked to package directions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
12 blades fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:
~Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

~Add bacon to the pan and brown. Remove crisp bacon bits with slotted spoon. Add mushrooms to the pan and turn to coat evenly with bacon drippings (you might have to add up to 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the mushrooms). Season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes and add onions to the pan. Continue cooking onions and mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes longer, then transfer to a plate and return pan to the heat.

~While the mushrooms and onions cook, coat the beef cubes in flour. Add meat to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning the meat once.

~Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of flour to the pot. Allow the butter to melt and the flour to cook, turning the meat in the butter and flour. Add the stock and fresh sage and thyme, making sure to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom the of pot. When the liquid boils, reduce heat to medium and cook covered 5 minutes. Remove lid and add mushrooms, onions and bacon back to the pot. Simmer with the cover off until sauce thickens.

~Toss hot egg noodles with butter and herbs. Place a bed of noodles in a shallow bowl and pour beef burgundy over the noodles and serve.

recipe modified from: Rachel Ray

Lasagna

One of The Good Husbands favorite is lasagna. I will admit that I love the flavors so much that the effort is well worth it. Besides, lasagna will usually provide for enough left-overs for the entire week.
Lasagna

Ingredients:
16 ounces bulk Italian pork sausage
16 ounces ground beef, I use ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 5 ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed or
1 tablespoon each dried basil and dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 lasagna noodles, cook, drained and cooled
2 eggs, beaten
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions:
~ For sauce, in a large saucepan cook sausage and beef until brown. Drain. Add the meat back to the pan and cook the onion and garlic.

~ Added crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning (or basil and oregano) and black pepper into meat mixture. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

~While the sauce simmers, cook noodles until al dente, or about 10-12 minutes. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water and set aside.

~For filling, combine eggs, ricotta and the 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside. (I also add a sprinkling of dried basil and oregano to the ricotta mixture)

~Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Layer 3 of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the dish. Spread with one fourth of the filling. Top with one fourth of the remaining meat sauce and one fourth of the Italian cheese. Repeat layers, ending with a topping of Italian cheese.

~ Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 recipe roasted garlic
1/2 cup dried parsley
1 loaf French bread
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
~ Combine the roasted garlic, butter and parsley. Mix until combined.

~Cut the French bread in half, lengthwise. Drizzled the top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and spread the garlic butter mixture on top.

~Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until warm and browned. Cut into slices and serve warm.

Roasted Garlic
~Peel away dry outer skin from one large garlic head, leaving the skins of the individual garlic cloves intact. Cut off the top portion of the head, leaving the bulb intact but exposing the individual cloves. Place garlic head, cut side up, on a large square of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Allow the oil to seep into the head of garlic, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic tightly with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 60 minutes or until cloves feel very soft when pressed. Cool. Press to remove garlic paste from individual cloves.

recipe from The Good Wife