tastier, healthier broccoli-cheddar soup

Cook's Illustrated is definitely my #1 kitchen helper. They said that if you want something that's not actually  "cheesy cream soup with a bit of broccoli", here are the secrets:
1- Use loads of broccoli and
2- Cook it surprisingly thoroughly.

Very Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Start with about two or more pounds of fresh broccoli, cut up (peel stalk and slice) and saute with onion and garlic, and then add a cup or so of broth, cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes with a pinch of baking soda. This gives the same effect as cooking for a full hour, which jumps past the bitter, smelly stage to a stage where all the flavor is released, it works -
Then add more broth (chicken or vegetable, about 4-6 cups) and whatever else you like in your soup - chunks of yukon gold potatoes are my choice, plus favorite seasonings, and simmer a while longer til potatoes are tender.Salt and pepper, any favorites like Mrs. Dash or other spice blends are fine.
Last of all, to make it really pretty, add in a big handful of de-stemmed and chopped baby spinach right before putting through the blender (in two batches) along with a big handful of grated sharp cheddar cheese and some Parmesan. (I always add potatoes and we like it chunky, so I took some big spoonfuls of them and some of the broccoli out before blending and then stirred them back in) It was gorgeous soup, rich and green and creamy without any cream. Looks even prettier with a little pinch of grated cheese on top.

Next time I will reserve a big handful of florets and a couple of chopped potatoes, throw the potatoes in the steamer for ten minutes then add broccoli for five more and add to soup after its blended. But this is really good! A little cayenne pepper livens it up a bit too. I like to start the onion early so it can get some color, and you can throw in a grated carrot for even more vitamins. I sneaked in some cauliflower too.

If you like, you can make your own bread bowls for serving it in using the French Bread recipe shaped into rounds:  http://eatfastandhealthy.blogspot.com/2011/03/french-bread.html

Turkey Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

Don't be afraid to cook that giant bird! I finally found a "leftover" recipe where the turkey is really delicious and it doesn't seem like some recipe you just substituted turkey leftovers into. When the turkey sandwiches are done and there's not much left to find on the bones, its soup time!

The day before brine 1 lb of black beans (soak in heavily salted water at least 12 or up to 36 hours - or use canned beans)

To make broth: cram your turkey carcass into a soup pot (it usually breaks in two pieces pretty easily) along with a peeled onion, a scrubbed and trimmed carrot, and a handful of celery - the leafy ends. Cover and simmer about two hours.

Pour through a strainer or colander into a large container. In the original pot saute a large chopped onion until starting to get color, add a grated carrot or two if you like, chopped celery, some minced garlic. After they have a chance to start getting fragrant and brown just a bit, add your turkey broth (if you have more than about 4 quarts, simmer it down or save some for another day) and the well-rinsed and drained beans. For richest flaver, add some spices now and more of them later: ancho pepper, cumin, oregano, cilantro if using dried, a couple of bay leaves, any favorites spices with Mexican-leaning flavors, and one can of chopped tomatoes with green chilies (or Mexican seasoned chopped tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes and a small can green chilies, etc).
Simmer for about an hour or more - more if your beans are very old.
Add any meat you get off turkey bones. Put in another round of spices and a dash of lime juice - and of course, salt and pepper to taste. If it smells like you walked into your favorite Mexican restaurant you are on the right track. Not required but even better: you can add green and/or red pepper, sliced carrots, half a package of frozen sweet corn - or can of sweet white & yellow corn or "Mexicorn", or small chunks of butternut squash.
Tear up two or three corn tortillas and toss in to dissolve for thickening and flavor then simmer about 30 minutes more. If using fresh cilantro, stir in a nice big handful well-chopped near the end.


You can sprinkle some crushed tortilla chips on top of each serving (or toasted strips of flour tortillas), a little grated cheese, and a small dollop of sour cream.
Goes nicely with a big crunchy green salad.

mac-n-squash-n-cheese

who knew? apparently all sorts of people -- but I finally found out about putting butternut squash in macaroni and cheese and it is really good. You can use just a little very sharp cheddar for flavor and it looks very cheesy from the squash.Some recipes I found just add a little to the sauce, some use mostly squash with a little broth and some ricotta and cheddar. I roasted the squash but then needed to steam it a little because the outsides were tough and didn't mash (a food processor might have done it but that's more cleaning than the steamer) and I sauteed some onion and added some butter and flour to make a roux with a little milk and the squash and grated cheese -  but I think I ended up with way too many dirty pans and bowls. I'll try again and see if I can come up with a streamlined version that's as yummy -- even Evan thought it was good and he knew it had squash in it. Let me know if you try it, especially if you find a way that uses less pots and pans!

Yaki Soba with Spaghetti Squash

Today I used spaghetti squash instead of noodles. We liked it a lot but if you are trying to use this dish as a way to sneak veggies to your kids it won't work. The noodles version seems to "hide" a lot of vegetables so you feel you are getting noodles mostly, the squash version looks beautiful but you know  you are seeing/eating a dish of veg. Even though I use whole wheat thin spaghetti these days, I assume the squash is more nutritious and I'm sure it has less calories. Today I included some edamame, slaw mix (on sale from HyVee), carrots, onion, broccoli, cauliflower (sale also! I think at Schnucks), celery,  green pepper, water chestnuts....

I used a new four-part Asian spice combo from Aldi - the only disappointment I've had from Penzeys was their Chinese 5-spice (might as well be just cinnamon) so when I saw this I picked it up despite my mistrusts of cheapo spices. There is 5-spice, "Mandarin", Chinese Garlic seasoning, and spicy Szechuan (I think) and you can open whichever one you want from the divided jar. I used the Mandarin and garlic ones and it was pretty tasty. Made a great dinner with a baked sweet potato and whole wheat bread & better.

if you missed the yaki soba here's a link:
http://eatfastandhealthy.blogspot.com/2011/02/yaki-soba-cooks-fast.html

Confetti Spaghetti (squash)

unfortunately my family wasn't excited about squash used as pasta so I made up this way to use it as a vegetable - we love this - watch for the time of year that red peppers and spaghetti squash are both on sale

Bake a spaghetti squash - you can pierce it a few times with a sharp knife and throw it in the oven whole (on a pan or foil please, to catch possible drips). Bake about 45 minutes at 350 - or throw it in while making something else. When done, cut in half, take out the seeds and stringy middle, use a fork to scrape out all the spaghetti-like strands.You can do this ahead and freeze or refrigerate (so if you have lots of squash bake two or three, maybe throw in a butternut for soup......) Or put cut-side down in large frying pan with some water and lid and simmer maybe 25 minutes, turn over and simmer 5 more

Sliver a large onion, a red pepper, a green pepper, maybe orange if you have one too - (that means cut into thin slivers so they are close to shape and size of strands from the spaghetti squash). Melt more butter than is healthy (maybe 2 Tb) in a large frying pan and start the onion cooking. When it loses its rawness, add in the squash and peppers and season as desired. I use Penzey's Foxpoint and Rocky Mountain Seasoning, fresh ground pepper. You could add garlic back at the beginning. When its all pretty hot sprinkle and stir in parmeson-romano-asiago blend or whatever finely grated cheese you have that you like, and serve!

I like it as a main dish but it makes a great side for all sorts of things, is quick and colorful on a hot day or fresh and crunchy with more wintery fare.

Split Pea Soup

 Take a ham bone (with a good bit of meat left if possible), put in soup pot and cover with water, add a carrot and an onion (peeled and trimmed but whole).Cover and simmer for an hour or two.

Pour the broth thru a strainer and back into pot (discard carrot and onion, their flavor has gone into the broth) Take meat off bone and cut up while you start the peas simmering in the broth -- add at least a lb of green split peas, probably 1 1/2 lbs for a mostly full pot of soup . Depending on available time, this can simmer quite a while - you'll want at least an hour, or longer if the peas are old. About 45 minutes or so before eating add peeled and chopped potatoes (maybe two-three), sliced carrots (maybe 4-5), and a large chopped and sauted-until-golden onion -- can add some water to get bits off onion-y pan to add (can also add carrots/potatoes to saute a little while for extra flavor if you want).
OR while the broth is in the container you strained it into, brown the chopped onion in the pot (and celery and other things if you like), then you catch all the extra flavor when you put the broth back in and add peas, etc.but you might not want the potatoes and carrots as mushy as they can get with all the time needed to soften the peas.

Put in cut up meat off the ham bone whenever you get it done, use Mrs. Dash and Nature's Seasons or  Penzey's Foxpoint or Mural of Flavor seasonings. Bay leaf is good (added with peas) or other favorite seasonings added some early, some mid-cooking, some near end for layers of flavor. Usually there is enough saltiness from the ham that you don't need salt - check before salting! fresh ground pepper is good.
*Stir occasionally -- and turn down or stir more often if it sticks to the bottom.

Good dish for a cold day - just do one step every once in a while as you go about dealing with home and family till its done for dinner.

for best results serve with Fresh French Bread! (easy recipe in previous post - if you start both recipes early in the afternoon you'll be all set, maybe a little fruit for side or dessert)


for extra fun, if you have yellow split peas, divide up your broth and make half with yellow, half green, then pour both kinds in the bowl from opposite sides, do one careful swirl through both sides and dollop a little sour cream in the center and put on a parsley leaf - how high-class is budget dinner now?

White Bean Salad Sandwich Spread

It's hard to make sandwiches if you don't want to do lunch meat, want lower fat than any good cheese, and you have to be able to take them along in the car - here's something that worked pretty well.  Think chicken or tuna salad, and try spices and ingredients you like in that. Another option is to process everything until smooth (with or without the vegetables) and use in place of Miracle Whip or dressing.
 
-cooked white beans, 1 1/2 to 2 cups or one can rinsed and drained
-finely chopped vegetables, about 1/4 cup each: celery, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, green onion, finely grated carrot
-about 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
-1-2 tsp Tahini (optional - adds fat but also enriches flavor)
-favorite spices: garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, ancho pepper powder, cumin, parsley, whatever you like

Reserve 1/4 cup beans (optional - for texture), put the rest of the beans, spices, juice, and tahini in food processor and process til smooth.
Stir in vegetables and reserved beans (or put all beans in processor if you don't want your family to know there are beans in it - they probably won't guess, you can call it "Summer Sandwich Spread" or "Crunchy Vegetable Dip").
Chill and serve as sandwich filling or cracker spread or veggie dip. Spices are dulled when chilled so you might want to experiment to decide how much you like.

Without the tahini it is a fat-free food and full of nutrients, which is hard to find in a snack food. Try it with toasted pita triangles made from whole-wheat pita bread.

Simple and Delicious Tuscan Bean Stew (and brining beans)

Brining: To have tender skins and not mushy beans - can help very old storage beans! (from Cooks Illustrated)
put1 lb beans in 4 quarts room-temperature water with 3 Tablespoons salt, soak 8-24 hours (long is good if the beans are old - even 36 hours won't hurt them). Rinse well and cook gently in your oven, for tender yet not mushy beans that keep their shape, as below (about 1 1/2 hours at 250 if already simmering when put in)

For Tuscan Bean Stew: (adjust ingredients to taste or with what you have on hand)
Heat oven to 250 degrees with rack down low enough to fit your soup pot
If you have a bit of bacon (maybe three slices) or pancetta, or a bit of good sausage, chop and brown it to render fat, (or pull a bit of bacon fat you saved in the freezer from making corn chowder) then add:
a bit of olive oil if needed
large chopped onion
chopped celery (2 stalks)  and
thin sliced carrots (3) and
cook til soft.
Add up to 8 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic - (or spoonful of store-bought minced garlic in jar) and cook another minute.
Add 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth and
3 cups water,
2 bay leaves, and
1 lb. previously brine-soaked, rinsed white beans.
Bring to simmer over high heat then cover and put in oven. Cook an hour then add :
a can of petite diced tomatoes and
your choice of greens (1 bunch kale or collard greens or spinach, chopped, or a bag of coleslaw cabbage, etc.) and
return to oven for about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves, (you can mush some of the beans to make it thicker if you like).
I like to add Pensey's Foxpoint seasoning or "Nature's Seasons" or "Mrs. Dash".
Good served over thick toasted slices of country bread.

hot day yummy, grilled peppers and beans with guacamole

Use "sandwich thins" or better yet, make your own, when you bake your whole wheat bread, take one loaf's worth and make 8 thins -- (or 6 gourmet hamburger buns, by the way)

I use beans I've already fixed for beans & rice or black bean soup,
simmer it down til thick and mushy. (You could do the same with Bush's "Black Bean Fiesta" if you prefer a shortcut.)
Grill or saute sliced red and green peppers and sliced onion till crisp-tender.
Spread bean stuff on the bottom of the sandwich thin, add a big spoonful of onion and peppers, spread a fairly thin layer of guac on the inside of the top and viola! Delicious and attractive dinner - pretty filling, but figure two per person. Great alongside a pile of fresh corn on the cob from the Farmers' Market :)

Black Bean Soup, Black Beans and Rice, or Black Bean Sandwich Filling
Beans - soak rinsed and sorted black beans in salty water overnight, rinse and drain. (yes of course you can use canned)
Saute chopped onion till starting to turn golden then add celery, grated carrot (optional) and cook a little longer, add beans and some vegetable broth and shredded cabbage if desired,  a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis if you like them, or petite diced tomatoes.
Simmer about an hour or until beans are tender, adding favorite Mexican seasonings every once in a while. (cilantro, cumin, ancho pepper, fajita seasoning, etc.)
If you have enough broth, its soup; if its thick, its just right to serve over rice. A little cheese or broken bits of tortilla chips on top never get complaints.
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
For a great "tortilla soup" add a couple of broken up corn tortillas to dissolve in and thicken it. For the ultimate experience serve with some tortilla chip bits or strips, dollop of sour cream, and bit of shredded cheese on top and a big crisp green salad on the side.

a Month of Mostly Meatless Menus

Planning meals without meat being the "centerpiece" is pretty hard sometimes - so in case anyone is interested, here's a whole list of possibilities for those who are taking the eating of meat "sparingly" more seriously. Asterisks mean the recipe is already on the blog, taking requests for others if you're curious :)
Even if you just want to start once a week having meat be a side or flavoring rather than the main course, this might help. Of course you can switch out veggies for the ones you like best, you can tell broccoli is the "default" green veg right now in this house - the one everyone eats.

(suggested side dishes are in parentheses)

Big Baked Potatoes with mushrooms and onions or with black bean fiesta (baked squash, roasted green beans with tomatoes, salad)
Seasoned black bean spread on sandwich thins with grilled red & green peppers & onions and guacamole (good alone or with baked sweet potato, sweet potato fries, or confetti spaghetti squash below)
Sweet-n-Sour root vegetables with couscous (big veggie salad)
Fettuccine Primavera (use chicken broth, a little real butter, a bit of romano cheese and lots of veggies)
Potato Roesti (a big high-class hash brown patty) lots of "sauteed" veg, baked squash or black bean/corn/asparagus salad)
Minestrone with garbanzo or cannelloni beans (*crispy bread, green salad)
*Lime-cilantro Rice and Beans (broccoli or green beans, snap peas & tomato salad)
Potato-crust mushroom and broccoli Quiche(thin sliced potatoes line pie pan bake very hot 10 minutes)
Vegetable "upsidedown cake" (slaw and fruit or beets and green salad with tomato)
Tortellini Toss with asparagus, julienne carrots, and zuchinni (*crusty bread, melon)
Portobello or Veggie Quesadillas or Fajitas (Spanish brown rice, shredded lettuce)
Sicilian Eggplant Marinara Penne (crusty bread, green salad, green beans or broccoli)
Baked Risotto with Veg (baked sweet potato, green beans, slaw or salad)
Confetti spaghetti squash - slivered red and green peppers and onions in a little butter with the spaghetti squash and favorite seasonings and a little Parmesan or other cheese
Spinach Fettuccine with Summer Squash (cheesy crisp bread, snap peas, etc)
*Nacho Bake (greens)
Soy Ginger Noodles from package add stir-fry veg (baked sweet potato or Sweet Potato Hash)
Butternut Squash soup, then Sausage Cornbread and green veg and salad
Starving Shepherd's Pie (sauteed veg mix instead of meat)
Roasted Veg Lasagna or eggplant lasagna (french bread or breadsticks, green salad)
Eggplant and Ricotta "manicotti" (use no-boil noodles softened in hot water and roll up) (sides as above)
Spinach-Lentil Pilaf  in baked acorn squash --or stuffed in peppers
Black Bean/corn quesadillas or black bean/olive enchiladas, (rice, lettuce, guac, etc)
Mushroom Stroganoff (green veg, salad, etc) replace part or all of meat with portabellos
Split Pea Soup, Black Bean soup, Lentil soup,.........(*French bread or sticks, cabbage wedges, turnip slices or sticks, etc)
Sesame-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Broccoli over millet or noodles or quinoa
Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew (chewy bread, fruit)
Spaghetti- fill sauce whit any veggies chopped small, or mushrooms, or roasted and processed eggplant, etc.(*French Bread, salad, etc)
*Veg Pizza (big salad)
*Sweet and Sour Veg (fill sauce with water chestnuts, onion, carrot, broccoli, celery, snap or snow peas, summer squash, pineapple, green peppers, etc) over brown rice, throw a few chow mein noodles on top
Cassoulet (recipe coming soon)
Vegetable Fried Rice (spring rolls, snap peas and little carrots)
*Yaki Soba (whole wheat bread and butter)
Pita Pizza with hummus for "sauce" and vegetables
Grilled eggplant and zucchini sandwiches (with sweet potato fries and cabbage wedge and fruit)
Quinoa Pilaf (if you haven't tried quinoa, its time! rinse it well before cooking like rice, and use in any favorite recipe like rice or couscous)

breakfast cookies

I tried several "Breakfast Cookie" recipes and found them a little better than the sawdust of Quaker Oatmeal Squares, but even with extensive tinkering they didn't measure up to a really pleasurable car breakfast. So I decided to try the other direction and start with a good oatmeal cookie recipe and make it healthier. Here's the original:

good oatmeal cookies
preheat 350
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
whisk together and set aside

cream
1 c butter, softened (actual butter is by far best)
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar packed
2 lg eggs
2 t vanilla

stir in flour til moist and then add
3 cups oats NOT instant (five-minute, not one)
1 1/2 c raisins

drop 2 inches apart
(I like these on parchment paper, otherwise spray cookie sheet)
bake 11-13 minutes, should be golden but moist in cracks

Then I started making them more like breakfast:
*use whole wheat flour (no one even notices!)
*Add either a chopped apple or reconstituted crumbs from the can of dried apple pieces
*Add a finely grated carrot microwaved a minute to soften and sweeten
*Put raisins plus 1/2 cup craisins and 1/2 cup dried apple bits in a liquid measure with a spoonful or two of apple juice or orange juice concentrate, cover and microwave for one or two minutes and let sit while starting the rest of the recipe (driest thing at the bottom) - or any old dried fruit you need to use up, in small pieces.
*Since you have all the sweet fruit, cut down the sugars by 1/3, and add another 1/2 cup oats thanks to the extra liquid (the juice - or add a smashed banana!)
If you want to try using cooked and processed white beans for 1/2 the butter you can, but so far I've left it buttery to make sure we don't go back to sawdust :) - everything else is healthy, after all.
You can add nuts of course.

You can bake a few and make the rest into balls and freeze (on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, then toss into a bag) for cooking whenever needed.
This is a great way to use old withered apples and hard, dried-up raisins.......
You can also mix up the dough and then add the fruit to one half and chocolate chips to the other half to make everyone happy

Nacho Bake

for some of us who grew up wishing we could have "Tuna and
Potato Chip Casserole" more often (the tastier, faster, costlier and less healthy version of tunafish & noodles), here's a Mexican version just about as fast to make and pretty healthy, and easy to adjust to taste:

(Quick and Healthy) Nacho Bake

1 bag crushed baked tortilla chips
1 bottle of salsa (watch for sales)
handful of snipped cilantro (or tsp. dried)
one can each:
    Mexicorn (or "southwest" style corn, or regular corn)
    chopped tomatoes with mild diced green chilis
    black beans, rinsed and drained

stir it all together, bake til heated through (about 30-40 minutes at 350), throw some cheese on top and heat til melted


For the curious:  Tuna Fish and Potato Chips
one or two cans tuna, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
pkg potato chips, crushed
extra milk if needed to moisten

stir together and bake until heated through and crispy on top
(nutrition facts: extreme sodium and fat content, but then again, tuna is healthy food, right? and you can serve green beans and squash and salad and fruit alongside)

Beef and Peppers

adapted from Kiku Kay's Chinese Cookbook
Don't forget to have rice cooking while you prepare this
If your chopping was done ahead it is a very fast meal

MEAT
1 lb flank steak, sirloin, top round, eye of round...........I use plain old round or thin-sliced sirloin tip or whatever's on sale...........and usually less than a lb. Could use portobellos but get whole ones so you can scrape the "gills" off with a spoon to keep it from getting "muddy"

MARINADE
3 Tb soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1 Tb sesame oil
1 Tb water
dash black pepper
1 tsp finely chopped ginger (or ground)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (or powder)
dash of baking soda


VEGETABLES (vary according to taste or availability - bean sprouts are good, can use tomatoes, green beans, snap or snow peas, more onions)
1/2 c sliced water chestnuts
3 c green pepper, sliced
1 onion sliced thin or shredded
up to a whole pkg of slaw mix or 3-4 cups shredded cabbage

GLAZE
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tb soy sauce
1/2 c chicken broth (dissolve some bouillon)

Cut beef across grain into thin slices 2 inches long and put in the marinade for at least 30 minutes in the fridge (turning the tupperware over every now and then is good)

Heat 2 Tb of oil in large frying pan or wok (if you have seasoned wok oil that's great)
Add beef and stir-fry about 2 minutes or until beef loses all trace of red. Remove beef and add 2 Tb of oil, add and stir-fry vegetables at least 2 minutes. Season with salt (optional), red pepper flakes, black pepper fresh-ground, can add more garlic and ginger if you like (I do),
Mix glaze ingredients and add to vegetables, stir beef back in and heat through (1-2 minutes).

Serve over rice, and if desired top with some chow mein noodles

Baking/roasting Ahead for fast meals

When you are using the oven and have room, throw in a butternut squash (cut in half, put a little water in the pan, bake cut-side down about an hour). Scoop out the innards after dinner when its cool and put in the freezer or fridge. Warm it in the microwave while sauteing some chopped onion. With a little broth (veggie is good), the onion, and spices you can put it in the blender and reheat for fast, yummy soup. (Penzy's Foxpoint Seasoning and fresh pepper are all you need, maybe a little butter to saute the onion). No cream necessary! good with a fish and potatoes dinner with some green beans. If your kids are unsure, use nutmeg and cloves and call it pumpkin pie soup.

When you bought eggplant really cheap but it/they are starting to get old in the fridge, pierce it and put in the oven to bake an hour. then peel and put in the food processor. Looks almost like hamburger! you can freeze and use it in pasta dishes. "Eggplant Penne Marinara" is just that - processed roasted eggplant in a marinara sauce --or your favorite spaghetti sauce would work.

pretty, fast, and healthy - Butternut Squash with Black Beans

Butternut Squash with Black Beans

30 minutes start to finish!    

heat 1 tsp olive oil and saute 1 diced onion and 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, cut into small chunks (I like to start the onion ahead so it gets golden - let it start while you cut the squash), sprinkle with chopped garlic or garlic powder

add 1/4 c red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water, cover tightly and cook 10 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
stir in 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano or any favorite Mexican-type seasonings.

This makes a yummy dinner with steamed asparagus or green beans, a green salad with cauliflower, tomatoes and other fresh veg, and crusty bread.

Easy Pizza

the secret is out -- bake it on parchment paper for a more traditional crust that reheats well - on the same paper-

So far no one has complained when I use whole wheat flour nor when I put several big handfuls of spinach on -- you just have to pull off the stems and cut it in ribbons (or chop) and put it underneath the other stuff. Most families would want to double this recipe, I still only use 1 Tb yeast (a more generous one perhaps) for two pizzas. 1 1/2 cups water would give you two thin-crust pizzas that don't quite reach the edges of the pans.

One cookie-sheet size pizza :
1 cup hot tap water sprinkled with
1 scant Tbs yeast and then
1 tsp sugar, let sit while you gather other ingredients.
Add
scant tsp salt,
blob in about 1 Tbs olive oil (optional), and
flour enough to make a soft dough (probably about 1 to 1 1/2 cups) Add gradually if you are not sure, you should be able to
stir vigorously 40 strokes.
Now you can choose to knead it or not, skipping right to resting and shaping works fine and makes it quick and easy, kneading for 3-5 minutes makes it more like "real" pizza crust.
Let it rest covered 10 minutes (more is OK)

Roll out til nearly pan size and put on parchment-lined cookie sheet, use flat of hands to bring it to edges, making them thicker if you like. You can top it now or let rise a while first while you are chopping toppings, then put sauce, toppings, cheese (see notes below)

Bake on the lowest possible rack setting at 425 for about 12 minutes

Notes:
Some sauce options are: your favorite spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce mixed with tomato paste with added Italian seasoning, favorite alfredo sauce. Other toppings are all up to you --consider olives, peppers, onions, roasted eggplant chunks if you are adventurous, etc. to suit your family's tastes. Try de-stemmed and cut spinach, sliced mushrooms, etc. Sales on Italian sausage can be worth watching for - pull it out of the freezer and brown and make the meat-eaters happy.
I like the Italian four-cheese blends - watch those sales. You can always sprinkle Parmesan on top too, or asiago, etc.
If you have lots of differing opinions in the group, you can divide the pizza(s) up and give each person their own section to top as they wish.


If you make it with lots of veggies but then put a few slices of pepperoni on top, everyone (think kids) eats it like its a pepperoni pizza :) I freeze the package of pepperoni and pull out a handful of slices each time, it lasts for months. I also use about 1/3 of a can of artichoke hearts (no one seems to carry frozen bags you can take few out of at a time any more) and freeze the rest in two small containers for another day.

You can bake it halfway before adding cheese on top to make sure it gets plenty done and crisp without overcooking cheese, or half-cook the plain crust before adding toppings, then pull out again to add cheese the last few minutes (that's how my neighbor learned to do it in Italy)
You can precook some toppings to prevent it from getting runny with juices from using lots of veggies - or salt watery things like zucchini and let sit and drain.

One favorite (of mine, at least) is a "Pizza Blanca" version that has a full pound or more of sliced mushrooms sauteed along with a large sliced or chopped onion and chopped artichoke hearts, spiced up a bit along the way with favorite Italian-style seasonings. Sprinkle some cheese on the crust (no sauce, sorry Drew, but I still say this IS pizza), some spinach if you have fresh on hand, then spread the mushroom mix over and little more cheese over that. yum yum yum and healthy too!

Mysterious Flatbread

as promised, good with lentil soup -
you have to think ahead, but its easy and doesn't require heating up your oven on a hot day 

Mysterious Flatbread from More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
(begin the night before or in the morning)

Stir together
2 T warm water
1 t yeast
2 T yogurt
 Mix in
1/3 cup flour
2 t sugar

leave overnight or all morning, or 3 hours in a warm place

In a bowl combine
2 cups flour
2 t salt
1 T black onion seeds (called Kalaunjii or Kalonji, optional, but good)
Add
yogurt starter
1 cup warm water

Knead on floured board, kneading in additional 3/4 cup flour

Let rise 2 hours or until doubled

Divide dough in half, flatten as for pizza, and cook on heated griddle until brown and speckled on both sides (about 5 minutes) then lower heat and cook 10 minutes more. finished bread will sound hollow when tapped

Simple or Rich Lentil Soup

Some of you will laugh, but I hope this blog will be a resource for cooks of all levels, so here's some basic information about making a richer, more flavorful soup.


Simple Lentil Soup (Quick prep, one hour cooking time) from the New Laurel's Kitchen

2 c uncooked lentils
8 c. water or vegetable stock
1/2 onion chopped (or handful of dried)
1 carrot chopped or grated
1 potato chopped or grated
1 T olive oil
1 bay leaves
1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt
cook at least one hour, stir in 2 tsp red wine vinegar just before serving.

its pretty good, but try the one below when you have a little more prep time or available ingredients and taste the difference it makes to saute some veggies first and add layers of flavor.

Rich Lentil Soup
1 Tb leftover bacon grease (from freezing extra when making corn chowder or such) or olive oil/butter
large chopped onion
1 grated carrot
some chopped celery
Saute onion in bit of bacon fat till starting to color then add carrot and celery and saute another 5 minutes or more. (You can add chopped potato here and continue to add a little more color and flavor if you have time)
Add 8 cups vegetarian bouillon or stock, two or three sliced carrots, two chopped potatoes, 2 cups uncooked lentils (preferably brown, so it looks "meaty"), 2 bay leaves, a tsp thyme, sprinkle with your favorite spice/herb blends(s) such as Penzey's Foxpoint or Mrs. Dash. You can add a couple of big handfuls of shredded cabbage if you have some on hand.
Simmer one hour, adding more herbs/spices halfway and again near the end to build layers of flavor, with a dash of red wine vinegar as you take out the bay leaves at the end.

good with crusty French bread or Mysterious Flatbread(see next post) and some nice green salad or wedges of cabbage and some fruit or melon......

Sweet Potato "Fries"

So full of nutrition, sweet potatoes are also kid-friendly. Baked sweet potatoes are great, but here's another option that's fat-free and family-friendly:

peel sweet potatoes and cut in thin strips. Soak at least ten minutes in cold water. Rinse and drain. Meanwhile dry bowl and put in cornstarch (spoonful or two - depends on how many potatoes) and spices (your choice, salt, pepper, other favorites), add potatoes and stir well (water remaining on them will be enough to make it stick). You want just enough cornstarch to lightly cover and enough spice to add a little zing.

Spread one layer thick on parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake in preheated 475 degree oven about ten minutes (if you want them pretty, you will have to turn them over halfway through, the top side doesn't brown)

here's a link to a similar recipe for Carrot Fries! who'da thunk?
http://joyceandnorm.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/what-were-eating-carrot-fries/

Shredded Chicken Burritos

We had lots of tender chicken leftover from cramming a sale pack of bone-in breasts into the crockpot Sunday, and here came the Penzeys Catalog with this recipe (slightly altered to our taste, get the catalog for the original) - I made a batch of the black beans and rice in previous post (with onion, cabbage, carrots, and a can of "white chipotle corn" - no one could tell at the end it was more veg than rice) and served it with these and green veg and salad, everyone was stuffed.....and enjoyed the leftovers for two or three days.....and Drew didn't know there were sweet potatoes inside either :)
If you have chicken already cooked and do the mashed sweet potatoes ahead or while assembling and chopping the rest of the ingredients, they are really pretty fast to make.

Shredded Chicken Burritos
about 3 cups (I think) leftover chicken, shredded,
or use canned chicken you need to rotate,
or 1 lb boneless chicken breast sauteed/simmered with onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper covered, on low heat for 2 hours (can be done ahead)

2 medium or one really large sweet potato, peel and chunk, steam or simmer 20 minutes, mash (can be done ahead)

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped/minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
whole wheat tortillas (10 large, 14 small)
garlic powder, onion powder, ancho pepper powder or other chili powder, cumin
sour cream (about 1/2 cup)
shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 1 cup)

Sautee onion till soft, add green pepper and continue till it starts to get toasty, add mashed sweet potato and
onion powder, garlic, cumin, ancho pepper powder, any other mexican spices you like to taste, and shredded chicken and beans. Mix well.

Take a tortilla and spread some sour cream along one end, add filling, sprinkle with cheese and roll/fold into burrito.
Place on Pam-sprayed cookie sheet. When all are done (using smaller tortillas mine made 14) spray them with butter-flavor spray and bake in hot oven to crisp - 425 for about 12-15 minutes or until looking browned in spots.

they reheat well in a toaster oven

Bagels - homemade are better - and a Bonus!

We all know that homemade bread hot from the oven is a far different thing than something in a bag from the grocery store - likewise, a warm, fresh bagel is a whole new animal. After a couple of days it will resemble that kind you buy. These aren't all that fast or healthy (well, they are fat-free if you can keep from putting cream cheese on them - and they are cheap!) but I have had two recent requests for this recipe -- and you can experiment with how much whole wheat flour could be used, as well as making your own variations. If you want to use all whole wheat, you may need some vital wheat gluten or other dough enhancer, and I recommend a little longer kneading and rising times. These freeze beautifully, so any you won't eat the first day ought to go in the freezer to maintain that homemade goodness. They make a great travel breakfast with ham and cream cheese, can fix ahead and freeze ready to go.

Bagels

2 Tbs yeast
about 4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs salt

Combine yeast and 1 1/2 cups flour in mixer bowl. Stir sugar and salt into water and add to yeast mixture. Beat at low speed til blended and then on high for 3 minutes, scraping occasionally. Stir in enough flour to make a somewhat stiff dough and knead about 5 minutes.
Cover and let rest 15 minutes (you can rest too).
Cut into 12 to 16 portions and shape into smooth balls, sealing and tucking edges underneath. Punch a hole in the center of each and use two fingers in the hole to gently work your way around stretching and smoothing into a nice doughnut shape.
Cover and let rise 20 minutes
Bring a large pot of water with 1 Tbs sugar (not salt!) to a boil, reduce to simmering. Cook bagels 4 or 5 at a time for a total of 3 minutes, turning once. Place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.

variations!
-use half whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar for "honey wheat" bagels
-knead in chopped & cooked onion and grated sharp cheddar near end of kneading time for onion cheese bagels
-knead in cinnamon or cinnamon sugar and raisins near the end for cinnamon raisin bagels
you get the idea! make up your own favorite.

Notes:
this recipe came from a magazine about 30 years ago, probably Better Homes and Gardens. It said to make 12 but my little kids who loved them never finished them so I made them smaller, making 20. If you are used to huge bakery bagels you might want to make only 8 (cook longer - probably at least 30 minutes). I have also made little appetizer bagels (about 48 from one batch) and served as open halves with various flavored cream cheeses and toppings, but they are a lot of work to shape and cook.
The original recipe also said to simmer 7 minutes but that made them so chewy they were almost impossible to eat.

I used to have trouble with shriveling, a couple in each batch seemed to want to shrivel and shrink when put on the cookie sheet. Now I always simmer "upside down" first so the nicer looking top is up after turning over, and I warm the cookie sheets in the oven while its heating. I assume it was temperature shock as none shrivel up now.


Bonus:
If you find you really like homemade bagels and cream cheese but just don't have the time, here's a faster recipe that gives you very much the same warm and homey "chew" and is easier for kids to help with:

Pretzels
combine:
1 pkg or Tbs yeast
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 Tb sugar
dissolve 5 minutes, then add
1 tsp salt
4-5 cups flour
knead a few minutes, divide into about 16 pieces and roll into snakes about a foot long (kids can help), shape like pretzels (loop and twist), put on cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse salt.

let rest while oven heats to 425 and bake about 12 minutes.

These are really good if you take a lump of cream cheese and soften it in the microwave and use it like a dip or spread on bites of warm pretzel.

Fast and Easy Chewy Bread

Makes the most wonderful toast - cut it pretty thin, it has nooks and crannies for the butter and jam.........and has healthy ingredients in a new form for kids that might not be used to whole wheat bread yet :)
Faster and easier than regular yeast bread, freezes beautifully, easy to half but why would you? Based on a recipe from Betty Crocker.

7 cups all purpose flour (could gradually replace part/all with whole wheat, I'm going to start doing that)
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp yeast
4 cups warmed milk ( microwave till quite warm to touch - can use canned evaporated milk in food storage to rotate - use one equal parts milk and (hot) water to "un-evaporate") Would probably work fine with just water, or with powdered milk added to dry ingredients.
1 cup hot water (from hot water tap)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ (store in fridge after opening)
1 cup quick oats
(can also replace 1 cup of regular flour with soy flour, white bean flour, or any other type you might have, to add variety to nutrients)
up to 1 1/2 cups more flour

Mix 7 cups flour with sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast in large mixing bowl. Add warm milk and water and beat on low to moisten, then three minutes at medium speed, scraping occasionally. Stir in whole wheat, germ, oats, and enough flour to make a stiff batter.

Grease or spray 4 loaf pans (4 1/2 x 8 1/2 kind, not the huge ones) and sprinkle with cornmeal. Divide batter between them and sprinkle with cornmeal. Let rise in warm place about 20 minutes or until at top of pan.

Bake at 400 degrees about 25 minutes (gets fairly dark brown on top) and cool on wire rack.

Lime- Cilantro Beans and Rice: Three Ways Plus

Take your pick! very fast and easy but not so cheap; pretty easy; or really cheap and healthy but more work.

All can be made with or without chicken, and can be served as dinner (that's what I do) or as a great and filling side to other Mexican-type foods. Leftovers make good quesadillas with a little cheese.
All versions can be "dressed up" by toasting thin strips of a wheat tortilla (cut with pizza cutter and put under broiler or in toaster oven for very short time) to pile on top with some grated cheese sprinkled over, cover or broil briefly til it melts.

All versions can look even prettier if you cut the carrot down to one and add 1-2 cups of butternut squash chunks (or sweet potato) to cook along with rice and beans. (cut a few thick slices from the neck of the squash, trim and chunk, put the rest in the fridge for another day)

1. Super Simple Beans and Rice

one package Archer Farms "Lime Cilantro Rice" (from Target)
one can Bush's "Black Bean Fiesta"
(thawed or partially thawed boneless chicken breast, each piece cut into two or three chunks)

Following directions on rice package, heat water and add all ingredients to large covered frying pan, (nestle chicken pieces into rice and beans), cover and cook as directed. Stir before serving.

2. Easy Rice and Beans

onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, grated
celery, chopped, optional
1 pkg Archer Farms Lime Cilantro Rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent precooked beans - use the crockpot and freeze some ahead of time for easiest and cheapest)
optional: add additional seasonings to boost flavor, such as lime juice, cilantro, cumin, other favorite Mexican-type seasonings as desired
In large frying pan, saute onion till soft, add up to three large peeled and grated carrots, celery if desired, and continue cooking a few minutes to soften and develop flavors. Heat water as directed on rice package plus extra 1/4 cup, add to pan along with rice and seasoning packet and rinsed, drained beans. Sprinkle with seasonings and 1-2 Tb lime juice, stir. Cover and cook as directed til rice is done. Can add chicken as above.

3. Made from Scratch Lime Cilantro Rice and Beans

large onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and grated
2-3 stalks celery chopped
2 cans black beans rinsed and drained. or equivalent cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain or basmati rice
OR 3-4 cups precooked brown rice
OR equivalent instant brown rice
Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable bouillon (optional)
lime juice
cilantro
cumin
optional - other favorite seasonings such as Penzey's "Adobo Seasoning", Ancho chili powder, fajita seasoning, oregano, Penzey's "Arizona Dreaming", garlic....if you like diced tomatoes and green chilis they could go in.....

saute onion til soft, add carrots and celery and continue cooking a few minutes till soft and flavorful. Then, depending on the type of rice used:

for regular rice, heat 2 bouillon cubes in 3 1/2 cups water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice and beans, sprinkle with spices and juice, stir and cover tightly, simmer 15-20 minutes. (I just add spices til it smells like walking into my favorite Mexican restaurant.)

(for pre-cooked brown rice:
heat one boullion cube in 3/4 cup water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice, beans, and spices and lime juice, stir and simmer 5-10 minutes)

(for instant brown rice:
follow package directions for amount of liquid, add hot liquid, rice, beans, spices and juice and cover tightly, simmer 5 minutes, let sit five minutes.)

If adding chicken, the second two options do not allow sufficient cooking time, so precook or simmer longer or chop chicken up smaller.

*Serves up nicely next to some steamed broccoli.
If you don't use the squash, you could also serve a baked sweet potato as another healthy side.
You can add some shredded cabbage in the mix before simmering,  if you have some on hand, or a can of "Mexi-corn" if your kids like it and you want to "up" the vegetables.

Quick and Easy V-8 Soup

3 minutes prep, 20 minutes simmering
I love using lots of fresh vegetables, making a good stock, etc. but sometimes that just isn’t in the cards. When you are really on the run, here’s a super quickie made with things you can keep on hand and that kids like - and mine like the leftovers too.

One large can generic V-8 juice
two cans mixed vegetables (or one large can)
some pre-browned hamburger from your freezer (or soy "beef" granules, or add a can of rinsed and drained beans or black-eyed peas)
a good handful of uncooked rice
optional: depending on how many you are feeding, 1-4 cups of broth made in the microwave from your favorite bouillon (I love Knorr vegetarian vegetable but you might want it beefier)  OR just throw the water and boullion cubes in the pot but then make sure you stir every few minutes. You can adjust the amount of rice accordingly too.

Throw it all in a stockpot and simmer at least 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Notes:
If you have time, for healthier soup use brown rice and simmer 40 minutes (or use minute brown rice in a hurry)
You are welcome to add favorite seasonings (I like "Mrs. Dash", Penzey's "Fox Point", but the canned goods have plenty of salt.
You can easily adapt vegetables to include favorites (or leftovers!), such as adding a can of corn, substituting frozen veg, etc.
This is good with a green salad and crusty bread - maybe you’re lucky and there’s some in the freezer!. (See french bread recipe)

French Bread

I used to think having the best pasta dinner meant a run to the store for crusty French bread - but my daughter Bethany changed that when she discovered how easy it is to make your own. There is very little prep time but long rising time, so you need to pick a day when you are working at home and make enough to freeze for future use. If you can't find long bags just tear it in half and freeze two halves in a regular freezer bag. You can reheat it in a toaster oven or regular oven (375 or 400 degrees) for about 8 minutes after thawing and it will be crusty and delicious. This recipe is based on one from Betty Crocker and makes 4 good-sized loaves.

2 Tbsp yeast
2 1/2 cups hot tap water
2 Tb sugar
2 tsp salt
6-7 cups all-purpose flour (if you want to use whole wheat, more than 1/3 will make it lose its airy, light character)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Dissolve yeast in water in large mixing bowl. With mixer on slow, add in sugar, salt, 4 cups of flour and oil. If its too dry to mix add more water. Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough flour to make it easy to handle then knead on lightly floured surface about 5 minutes.

(OR for super fast food processor method, cut recipe in half and after dissolving yeast by processing yeast and water on and off for a few seconds, add all the rest and process  for about 30 seconds til a ball forms.  That's it!  except it won't come out as light or as big, in my experience.)

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise 2 hours  (can cut to 1 1/2 if you must).

Divide dough in fourths (halves if food processor version) and shape into balls. Grease (spray) two large cookie sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll each ball of dough into a rectangle no longer than your pan and roll up tightly and seal, turning ends under a little if needed or rolling them a bit to taper. Place two on each sheet (seam down). Slash with sharp knife about every 2" and brush with water. Let rise another full hour (- in cold weather or a hurry, put in a slightly warmed oven to speed up)

Bake at 375, one pan at a time, for 25-30 minutes. You can brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking if you want to be classy. This freezes beautifully and is a great accompaniment for all sorts of soups or pasta dishes.

junk or food?

David Kessler, MD
"By now Americans know that there's overwhelming evidence of a link between diet and health. But at the same time they seem to be asking themselves, Why do I feel so powerless to control what I eat? The fact is, when food is highly processed and loaded and layered with sugar, salt, and fat, it becomes so stimulating that it hijacks our brain --and our behavior. " (author of "The End of Overeating...")

(me) So, if you have wondered about why its hard to resist junk food, just think of the millions upon millions of dollars that are spent by food company labs to find the combinations of chemicals and additives that give you the most mouth-stimulating effects. They can't make the big bucks selling you fresh produce but they can make a lot giving you smooth, rich, creamy, sweet, crunchy, whatever - Our best way to fight back is to help our own families learn to love real food, and be rewarded with better health.

Mark Bittman
"To me, the message is so incredibly simple: The more unprocessed foods you eat--especially plant-based food--the healthier you're going to be. That's it. It doesn't really matter what the plants are, what order you eat them, or what proportion you eat them in. If you start eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds--and less of everything else--you've radically improved your diet. One of the best ways to do this is to cook at home. I'm living proof that cooking doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, and the investment pays off a billion times." (Author of cookbooks such as "Food Matters" and "How to Cook Everything")

Try reading "In Defense of Food" (Pollan) if you want to know more -- he suggests "food" should mean something your grandmother would recognise as such. OR consider "Twinkie Deconstructed" (Ettlinger) if you are more interested in just what is in processed foods - and why its there and where it comes from.

Isn't it interesting that the more we learn about good nutrition, the more it sounds like the health and eating code taught by the church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) http://providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,8960-1,00.html

Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce

(adapted from "Chinese Cookbook" by Kiko Kay who taught Chinese cooking to Marine Corps wives in Okinawa)
Here's a great dish that will let you slip that brown rice into the diet:

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tb soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 Tb catsup
1/2 cup water
3 Tb cornstarch

whisk together in saucepan, bring to boil (stirring often), boil and stir for one minute

great for dipping and as a vehicle for all sorts of veg and meat choices over rice (lower heat to medium and add other ingredients as suggested below)

notes:
easy to double, can freeze half for another day.


to make Sweet-n-Sour Chicken:
prepare about one generous cup each of about 6 items to feed a family of 4, use more items and/or larger amounts in a double batch of sauce to feed 8-10 (you can choose familiar things for kids or get adventurous):

-chunks of cooked chicken ("saute"  thawed chicken breast covered in non-stick pan with slight drizzle of oil just til done, add juices to sauce)
-thinly sliced carrots (precook slightly along with onion, microwave two minutes)
-chunks of onion (one large)
-diagonally sliced celery
-3/4 inch chunks green pepper
-pineapple chunks
          you can stop there for a perfectly good, economical dish or keep going......
-broccoli florets (precook in microwave slightly unless you like it very crunchy)
-sugar or snap peas - broken or cut in half
-baby corn
-bean sprouts
-sliced water chestnuts
-red pepper
-summer squash
or whatever you have or that is in season or that your kids like! Try to keep a good mix of color and to make the pieces as much the same size as you can, although since you can adjust cooking times by adding each ingredient when you want, this is mostly for looks and not worth getting too fussy about.



Whatever you choose to use, you can stir it all in right after the sauce gets its boil, or if some of your vegetables need more than warming up, you can add them first and give them time to simmmer in the sauce -  but always add green things very last even if you must pre-cook broccoli separately, because the acid in the sauce will kill the bright green after a few minutes.

You can feed a good-sized family plus a couple of missionaries with a double batch filled with veggies and chicken over rice. Or use meatballs - out of the freezer if you are very efficient (to save a lot of time and trouble, you can put the meat mixture in a flat baking dish and cut into squares with a pizza cutter and bake for "meatsquares" - when browned, drain and then freeze spread on a cookie sheet and gather into freezer bags so you can take out just what you need)

You can use this as a way to rotate canned chunk chicken from your food storage. If you had frozen some sauce and some rice, had a can of baby corn, some frozen broccoli or snap peas and a few carrots in the fridge, you're on your way to a super-easy dinner much tastier than store-bought canned oriental meals.

You've pretty much covered your whole need for fruits and veggies so just serve with some whole wheat bread and butter, maybe a cabbage wedge if you like or sliced tomato on lettuce.

Save $5 at Penzeys!

If you haven't requested catalogs yet from Penzey Spices, their latest includes $5 off when you spend $10 so ask for one now - they are fun to read, with recipes and lots of info, helpful even if you don't buy. http://www.penzeys.com/

Fluffy Brown Rice

Brown vs white rice is about like white vs whole wheat flour -- white rice is mostly just the starch without the nutrients. It can be hard to get your family to like brown rice if its new to you (using "Instant" brown rice can help, but its pricey and the processing undoubtedly hurts the nutritional value).
Fortunately this recipe, that probably originated with Cooks Illustrated, makes a really soft and fluffy rice that's not chewy. If you want to make extra sure they don't notice, add a scant 1/4 cup water to a frozen batch before you micro-thaw it along with an extra minute of heat. That softens it up even more. Also, like whole wheat flour, uncooked brown rice doesn't keep as long as white so its best to toss it in the freezer when you buy it, (or at least store it in a cool basement) if you are stocking up for the long-term.

Baked Brown Rice
2-lb bag of brown rice
9 1/2 cups boiling water
3-6 boullion cubes if desired, or 3 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375
This batch requires a baking pan the size bigger than a 9x13, or a large oven-safe pot. Put in the rice and boiling water and boullion, can add a little oil or butter but I never have.
Cover tightly with two layers of foil. Even if your pot has a lid.
Bake one full hour. Fluff with fork.

divide into meal-sized amounts and freeze in freezer bags or sour cream/margerine containers. To thaw, microwave one minute on high.

smaller batch:
1 1/2 cups brown rice and 2 1/2 cups water in 8-inch dish, still takes an hour!

Yaki Soba Cooks Fast

"Fast Food" on the Japanese island of Okinawa is often yaki soba, which translates as fried noodles. This is my version that is a family favorite. Its great in summer since it doesn't take much cooking in hot weather and can use all sorts of fresh garden produce. It is totally variable - use whatever vegetables you have on hand or are on sale or that your kids like. You can use real soba noodles (expensive!) or ramen noodles (higher in fat and calories - did you know they are already fried ?) or regular thin spaghetti noodles. Can't tell much difference in the finished dish.
This does require prep time, but you can purchase "broccoli slaw" as well as cole slaw mix, and you can grate or chop ahead of time and put veggies in the fridge. The actual cooking is very fast, about the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Ingredients:
variety of vegetables (see note below) including a large onion
your choice of noodles (see note above)
ham or Spam if desired (optional)
note: You will need several cups (approximately 4-8) of chopped or julienned vegetables, plus half to a whole package of slaw mix (great dish to make when this is on sale) or half head of cabbage shredded. In oriental cooking you want everything similar sizes and shapes if possible.
In winter this could be coarsely grated carrots, sliced or chopped celery and shredded cabbage, in summer it might be zucchini and yellow squash, green peppers, snow or snap peas, etc. And according to budget and tastes you could always add sliced or slivered water chestnuts, broccoli florets, baby corn..... 
Cabbage will shrink down and blend in so don't hesitate to add a whole package of cole slaw mix and think of all those vitamins your kids will hardly notice eating. If they aren't used to eating a lot of veggies you could start with mostly pasta and the most familiar or favorite veggies, and use more vegetables each time until you have mostly veg for a really healthy meal.

Directions:
In a very large non-stick frying pan on medium high heat, start a large thinly sliced onion cooking in a little wok oil (a specially seasoned oil that adds flavor, or use any favorite cooking oil). If you like things pretty spicy you can add some crushed red peppers and garlic to the oil.
Meanwhile start your noodles cooking unless they are fresh soba noodles. For ramen (use two packages for a smaller family and three for a large batch)  put into boiling water and then put the lid on and turn off the heat. For spaghetti, set water to boiling and cook as usual - using the amount you would if fixing regular spaghetti for your family.
If you want meat, you can add to the cooking onion some finely chopped ham (leftover or canned) or even Spam that needs rotating from your emergency food storage. Stir it in and give it a minute to heat up and start the flavors mingling.
Next add the vegetables that require the most cooking, like broccoli and cauliflower, gradually adding in all the veggies according to how much you like them cooked - cabbage after a minute or two, red peppers & peas would be last. Sprinkle with ground ginger, garlic powder (if you didn't add plenty of real garlic already), soy sauce, freshly ground black pepper.
When the veggies are crisp-tender (or however you like them), remove to a large bowl and add another swirl of oil and 1/2 cup water to the hot pan. Toss in drained noodles and stir, then sprinkle them with another round of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper - I like to chop them up quite a bit so it will all mix more easily. Chop and stir while they "fry" a minute or two, and then put veggies (and meat) back in and make sure it is all good and hot. If your mother isn't looking, serve right from the pan and pass more crushed red pepper flakes for those who like extra heat.
All you need is a slice of whole wheat bread & buttter on the side.

disclaimer: while I was out, my son Drew added many editorial comments. I had a good laugh but they were a little distracting and somewhat misleading to those of us who do eat vegetables, so if I missed any, forgive the confusion!

save time pre-cooking sale meat

Save lots of time during that pre-dinner crunch by browning ground beef ahead of time (can also cook sale chicken and cut in chunks or de-bone). Chop an onion and start it cooking in large frying pan, breaking up ground beef on top of it. Stir and chop occasionally, continuing to break up meat. When all is browned, push to one side and tilt the pan to drain off fat. Let it cool a while.
You can do all this while working on another meal, pulling out what meat you need for that one and then placing the rest in containers to freeze - put in whatever amount you usually use in a meal. Buy enough on sale to last at least through 4-6 weeks, it will keep longer but starts to lose quality, especially if you do chicken. Please date packages - use a Sharpie or freezer tape- you’ll be glad you did when that lost package surfaces in the back of the freezer.....
Cheapest:
Space saving: freezer bags you can lay flat (and for extra protection you can put several smaller bags into a larger one recycled margarine or sour cream containers (and they go in the dishwasher for re-use)

5-minute dinner

To get things rolling, here's one of the fastest dinners I've found, if you have two or three kids helping it can be done in 5 minutes (we timed it once at a Relief Society activity). It does require that you do one of the most helpful time-savers for cooking dinners: when you buy hamburger on sale, brown it with a chopped onion, divide and freeze (I use old margerine tubs with an "H" on top written with the ever-popular Sharpie). Now I know there are many versions of taco salad, but this one works for us, the kids get some choice in what goes on their dinner and everyone comes out happy.

Grab from freezer and pantry:
a container of browned hamburger from the freezer (or for even healthier and cheaper version, grab a can of black or kidney beans - rinsed and drained -  instead),
a pack of cheap tortilla chips (also can be frozen to keep on hand),
a pack of grated Mexican cheese (tossed in the freezer from the last time HyVee had their $.99 sale)
a can of tomato sauce and one of refried beans.

Put the hamburger in the micrwave for one minute while opening the tomato sauce and pouring into a saucepan on medium - high. Add hamburger and turn it down to medium, stir in about one-third of the can of refried beans and your favorite mexican-type seasonings (Penzey's Adobo is good, cumin, cilantro, ancho pepper powder, etc). Stir occassionally - should be simmering until everything else is ready and on the table.
Meanwhile one helper is chopping lettuce, tomatoes if you have some, others are heating the remains of the refried beans in the microwave, putting some cheese in a serving bowl, finding the salsa and sour cream (we use fat-free, we're used to it so there's no turning back).
If your budget allows, pull out some guacamole and sliced olives (I freeze the guacamole that comes in pouches and thaw in a bowl of water - afterwards squeeze out all the air, fold and clip the corner and put back in the freezer til next time).
Smash the chips somewhat and put in a large bowl and microwave for one minute -- this heats them up and refreshes them.

If you have enough help you can have someone slicing some apples or combining some favorite canned fruits.
Lemonade goes nicely with this.