Springs Fling!!

I stopped at a flower shop today. The stop was spontaneous. A vase of flowers was a fanciful thought. I picked up some cut flowers and dared to arrange them myself. It was simple. I walked into the store, professed my low-level of knowledge and what I wanted to do and the florist coached me along.

I left with a handful of flowers, daisies mostly, and advice on how to make them last. Pretty cool and only about 7 bucks! I have a few vases at the house—left over from various occasions when I ordered prepared arrangements. The color added to the table is a nice boost and a reminder of the spring season that is coming (I hope!). And, the arrangement is not as “Martha Stewert” as I thought.

The florist told me to trim the stems with a sharp knife and cut the stem at an angle—not square. Top off the water daily. A packet of flower food was given to me too; I mixed this sugar-like powder into the water as the packet instructed.

So, if you want to jazz up the table, stop by that florist shop. You’ll be home admiring the color in no time at all!

Recipe: Linguine with Shrimp and Feta

Here is a super-fast meal idea. It is great for the hectic night that needs a good meal.

1 pound frozen cooked, peeled shrimp (buy a bag at the store—thaw under cold running water)
26 oz jar of marinara sauce
2 TBSP Pernod liqueur (Anisette works if you can’t find the Pernod)
1/3 pound crumbled feta cheese
1 pound cooked linguine
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Thaw the shrimp.
Cook linguine per the package.
Heat marinara in sauce pan while noodles are cooking. Add shrimp, liqueur and cheese. Heat through.

Toss sauce with linguine and top with basil.

Serve.

Have some garlic toast to go with and all your bases are covered for a good pinch meal!!

Veggie-Tales

I have been spending lots of time on vegetables lately. Not a lot of time worrying or preparing them, but lots of time making sure they are in the meal plan. It really has changed the way I am eating.

I am a steamed veggie freak. I love all veggies steamed. It is such a fast and simple prep method. The true flavor of the food is preserved in the steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, you gotta get one! Mine is a simple steamer that rests on top of a sauce pan (like a double boiler with holes). It is easier to manage than the folding sort that rests in the bottom of a pan.

I picked up a trick from the Food Network for veggies. Sprinkle a pinch of course sea salt on the dish right before it goes to the table. The sudden appearance of that chunk of salt is a shocking taste experience that is a new dimension to the meal.

It is getting to be veggie season too! That is exciting.

First of the Season

The local grocery had halibut on sale. “First of the season!” they touted; I could not let that go by. I brought home a pound and a half.

I prepared a lemon pepper for them. The steaks were baked, though there are many ways to prepare a versatile fish like halibut. The halibut flesh is dense and firm. That helps a kitchen barbarian, like me, because rough handling does not jeopardize the food.

Here is a super-versatile lemon pepper. I have used it for many types of fish (from orange roughy to cod to pollock). It is great to dress-up the lower quality fish and is quite a quick meal.

2 Tbsp grated lemon rind (about 3 medium lemons)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 ¼ tsp Black peppercorns, crushed
½ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves. Minced

Combine ingredients and rub on fish. Bake fish at 425 degrees until the fish flakes with the stick of a fork (rarely more than 10 minutes).

Pasta in a Pinch

I threw a pasta dish together last night that made me swell with pride. I was in a pinch and threw this together from stuff in the pantry. I have seen similar dishes done, but here is mine:

Pasta in a Pinch
By: Maninthekitchen

Gemelli Pasta (or whatever you have in the pantry!)
15 oz. Garbanzo Beans
1.5 oz. Tomato Paste (1/2 of a 3 oz can)
2.25 oz can of sliced, black olives
¼ cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
2 tbsp basil

Cook, 8 oz-dry, pasta per directions on the package.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, place entire contents of garbanzo bean can. Add tomato paste, olives, peppers, basil. Heat to boil.

Pour sauce over drained pasta.

If you have parmesan cheese, you can add that to the top.

Falling off the Wagon

Tonight, I fell off the wagon. I was ambushed by a busy schedule and a poor plan. Hungry and option-less, I ordered Domino's pizza and buffalo wings. It was convenient.

Funny thing is, it really did not taste good. Also, I sure missed the feeling of preparing the food. Remembering this will sure inspire me to have a better plan and a few back-ups too!!!

Eat at home, eat healthy!!

Recipe: Rotisserie Panini

Parents Magazine (www.parents.com) has a nice article in the April 2005 issue. Jackie Plant teamed up with Fraya Berg and presented eight recipes for rotisserie chicken. The variation is good and the offerings are straight-forward. I encourage you to look at all of them.

I like the convenience of rotisserie chicken. They are a quick-pick and very versatile. The chickens are available in a variety of flavors and many quick and easy recipes exist for them. Use the little fellows regularly fair reader, they can be a lifesaver.

My advice, if you can spare the time, is to roast you own. I know it contradicts the ease of a supermarket or Boston Market dash to buy a cooked poultry, but it gets you more. When you are menu planning, consider roasting a few chickens on Sunday (the time in the oven is the same for one bird or three!). Eat one as a Sunday feast and have the second in a recipe on Thursday or so. If roasting hens are on sale, it is cheaper and you’ll get bigger birds. Bigger birds yeild more meat. More meat equates to more of those quick and easy, left-over meals. It can be a budget stretcher and a time saver in the long run (besides, you won’t have to stop at the store mid-week or worry about weather a bird is ready at the store.)

Here is a sample from the article:

Chicken Caeser Panini

3 Tbs. Lemon Juice
1 Garlic Clove
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Mustard
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil
¾ lb. Shredded, cooked chicken
3 cups shredded Romaine Lettuce
1 16oz loaf of unsliced country-style or focaccia bread

In Blender, combine the lemon juice, Garlic, 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Run until blended. With motor running, slowly pur the oil until well combined.

In a large bowl, combine Chicken and lettuce. Stir in 2 tbsp dressing, mixing to coat well. Split bread in half horizontally. Scoop out the inside of the loaf, leaving the crust shell. Brush bread shells with remaining dressing, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place the chicken mixture on one shell of the bread; top with other shell to create a sandwich. Firmly press to seal.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray the top and bottom of sandwich with cooking spray. Place in the pan and put a second cast iron pan on top and push down (You can use a Panini press if you have one). Cook 2 minutes. Remove the top pan and, carefully, flip the sandwich. Cover again and cook for two more minutes.

Cut into 5 slices.

Serves 5
Cal 503, Protein 25g, Fat 24g, Carb. 48g, fiber 3g.

Roasted Peppers

Roasted red peppers
I bought a jar of these gems other day. What a great “have-around” item.

The roasted flavor is terrific and it adds dimension when added to a dish.

I diced some and put it on a lunch salad.
I layered whole pieces in a grilled cheese sandwich.
I diced some and put it in with steamed broccoli.

I also read that it can be pureed and put in with jarred, red sauce. Put that on pasta or on a slice of bread and you’ve got flavor!

I found them near the pickles and olives in the grocery store.

Simple and fast—Just what the Man in the Kitchen needs!!

Vital Information

Wow!! What a response to my blog!

Thanks for the input from all of you.

I received criticism on not better defining what this blog is all about. Here is my answer:

I am a guy that enjoys food. I have a lovely wife and two great kids, 5 and 2. In my family, I am the cook. It is a role I embrace. The meal planning and prep is nearly all my responsibility. In fact, when I am away from the house, the family eats drive thru food or pizza gets delivered.

A few years ago, I grew tired of the sameness of our menu and sought variety. Taste was my original motivator; however, good health sense has become important too. I found it to be less than Herculean to get great meals at home. However, too many people I know are stuck in a rut and are not getting good meals and good meal-time with the family unit. That is where this blog was born.

My true goal with this blog is to provide easy ways to put on a sit-down dinner. The reduction of the family meal to an oddity is severely weakening the links in the family unit. (I covered this in an earlier entry).

Here is what you can expect from this blog:

I will try to propose 30 minute or less meal ideas. I will overstep this at times depending on the recipe. I will propose some ready-made and near-ready-made items. Again, the goal aims for speed and flavor.

When I see interesting information in my travels, I’ll pass it along here.

Not all the recipes are low-fat or “super-healthy”. I would rather you eat less-healthy food at home before doing the drive-thru. When available, I’ll include nutrition information.

I do not hate fast food. In fact, I eat my share of it. My message is to reduce intake of that food by eating at home. The benefits outweigh the costs on all levels.

I will respond to questions and criticisms. That is a fair commitment from me, the blogger. Give me feedback and I’ll accommodate as best I can.

The subject may get off the path once in a while. I think it adds flair to step around a bit. If the entry is not appealing, skip it, that is a beauty offered in Blogs!!

Recipe:Cod in a Basil Sauce

Recipe: Pan-seared Cod in a Basil Sauce

This is a very good and delicate taste for fish.

I have served this with steamed green beans and cauliflower. The starch was basmati rice (if you are pressed for time try instant mashed potatoes.).

Wine Note: (I am no sommelier, but, once in a while, I’ll note a good pair.) I found that a Sauvignau Blanc is great for this dish; Chateau St. Michelle was very good with this dish.

This recipe was from Cooking Light (March 2004, Page 188).

Pan-seared Cod in a Basil Sauce
¼ cup fresh Basil
¼ cup Fat-free Chicken broth
1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 oz. Cod fillets
¼ tsp black pepper

Combine basil, broth, cheese and oil with ½ tsp of salt and garlic. Set aside.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.
Heat skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
Add fish, saute 5 minutes per side.
Serve fish topped with basil sauce

4 servings
Cal. 199, Fat 6.6 g, Protein 33g

Recipe: Salmon with Kiwi-Mango Relish

Recipe: Salmon with Mango-kiwi relish

This salmon dish is top-shelf and terrifically simple.
I have served it with Near East couscous and steamed broccoli flourettes.
The leftovers are great for an at-work lunch.
This recipe came from an issue of Cooking Light.


Marinated Salmon with Mango-Kiwi Relish

1 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp Olive Oil
¼ tsp Black Pepper
4- 6 oz. Salmon fillets
Cooking Spray

Relish:
½ cup diced, peeled Mango (here's a good how-to)
½ cup cubed, peeled Kiwi
¼ cup fresh Cilantro
¼ cup orange juice

Combine the first four ingredients in a plastic, zip-type bag. Add fish, seal. Marinade for 10 minutes, turning the bag occasionally.
Heat skillet, coat pan with cooking spray.
Add fish, cook 5 min. per side.
While fish is marinating, prepare the relish by combining the ingredients.
Serve fish with ½ cup of the relish.

Slow Down

A few years ago I prepared a nice meal of black-bean burritos and spanish rice. For whatever reason, I noticed we sat to eat at 6:40 PM. I was clearing the table at 6:50!! I was astonished; we had sat down and inhaled this meal in less than 10 minutes. What a waste.

Fast eating is a reaction to the pressures of life. The need to get to the next task drives us to eat fast. Eating fast is not beneficial for our body or our mind. Cramming food into the body promotes overeating because we are eating so quickly it is impossible for our body to tell us how full our stomach is going to be. It is certain that we will eat more than we should when we are hurried. Devouring food quickly is also unsettling mentally. The frantic approach does not allow a relaxed consumption; we taste and enjoy more when we are relaxed.
Here are some pointers that promote slower eating.
Break the meal up. Serve a small salad or appetizer and keep the rest of the food away from the table. Let everyone eat the offering and converse then bring the rest to the table. This simple change will increase awareness of the elements of the meal, not the meal as a whole.
Dim the lights. The darker environment will calm the space and promote slower consumption.
Drink two large glasses of water 20 minutes before the meal is scheduled. This is an old diet trick, but it is good. The water will be in your stomach and will work away the urge to eat fast. A growling stomach can turbocharge your eating rate.
Guess the seasoning. On a new dish, encourage the table-sitters to taste the dish and tell what ingredients are present. It forces one to slowly taste the dish and consider what’s there. This is a good conversation starter too. You can vary this by talking about modifications that might taste good or compare it to similar dishes you’ve served.

Eat slow, enjoy!!!

Eat Fish

The data supporting fish as good food is strong. Experts claim that twice a week is a good target—some ask for more. The oils in fish and the low fat nature of the meat make it a very good choice. Here are my thoughts on fish:

Buy good fish—leave the tilapia at the meat counter, opt for better fish (i.e. cod or orange roughy). It costs more, but it will get eaten.Get the fish at a full-service meat counter. You’ll get the chance to select the fish and you can quiz the butcher on what selections are best.

Spice it carefully. Don’t overpower the delicate fish with too much spice. It is a drastic change to go from heavily spiced steaks and chicken dishes to the more subtle fish. Be prepared to seek the flavor in fish and savor it.

Choose a more exotic side. Leave the instant rice in the pantry and try some brown rice or basmati—it takes 20 minutes to cook, but you can make it work in your plan and the added dimension of flavor is worth it.

Salmon is my favorite fish. It is fabulous—even when farmed, though wild is noticeably better.

Avoid the mercury fish. Some species, due mostly to their position in the food chain and their location of origin can accumulate mercury. Swordfish is high in mercury, for example. Eat these fish sparingly, or not at all. Check www.epa.gov/ost/fish for more information.

I avoid shellfish because I overcook it. Sea scallops are incredible when done correctly (I always end up with rubbery chunks—it is heartbreaking. It is something I’ll have to work on).

Recipe: Meatloaf

The meatloaf is a comfort food in many people’s lives. Often grumbled about, but well eaten, it is a great main course. This recipe, taken from a Men’s Health magazine a few years ago, is easy and tasty. There are hundreds of variations on this meal too.
This loaf can be built early and refrigerated. Someone can be assigned to put it in the oven if the 35 min. cook time is a conflict.
Potato side dishes are a natural for this entrée. I have used the Idahoan brand instant mashed (the Loaded, is most loved at my house) to keep the speed up. You can prepare frozen potato wedges or steak fries if that suits you also.
Steam some frozen crinkle-cut carrots and you are eating good and fast!

Meatloaf

1# extra-lean Ground Beef (7% fat)
1 cup crushed Low-Fat crackers
½ cup Fat-free milk
1 egg
1 packet of onion soup mix
2/3 cup Ketchup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix; Beef, crackers, milk, egg, and soup mix.
Place mixture in a loaf pan, top with ketchup.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Yields 4 servings
(Cal: 326, Protein 28 g, Carb. 24, Fat 13g)

Here is a start.

To get these meals going, you must plan. Too often a frantic schedule and the convenience of the prepared alternative scuttle the good intentions of a harried meal-maker. You have been there, headed home from soccer practice and thinking about what you will put together when you get home. You are daunted by the idea of choosing a meal, leave alone putting it together. The kids grumble and you see a fast food place, pull in and order. This is not uncommon—we will eat fast food and have a stocked pantry of good food that goes unused. This reaction will satisfy our short-term anxiety, but traps us into a terrible eating plan.

Here is what I do to avoid this trap.

Use Momentum
Momentum is a powerful force. Al Secunda wrote of it in his book, The 15 Second Principle. In that book Al illustrates that getting something started is the most difficult part of the task, once things are rolling the work falls into line and the flow gives it a simplified feeling.
Build a Menu
To capture this ideal and start rolling, on Saturday AM, I build a grid for the week. It is a piece of scratch paper and it has seven columns (one for each day). I write the main course for each day in the column. Maybe its meatloaf on Monday, Salmon on Tuesday, Wednesday will be leftovers from the two previous days, Thursday is “on your own”, Friday is frozen pizza, Saturday is pasta, Sunday is roast beef.

I choose the “on your own” meals for the nights that are busy and I know a sit-down will not occur. Your pantry needs to have the stuff to support these nights. Healthy convenience foods are key to making this work well. As you can see, I do not eliminate prepared foods from the menu, but, they are not a dominant part of the fare.

Fill the grid by adding your side dishes and vegetables. It is easy to neglect this step, but I advise against it. Including the sides at the planning step will strengthen the chance that those important, healthy components are on the table on the given night. How often have we tossed together a batch of Kraft Mac & Cheese and eaten it with no vegetable accompaniment? Plan your sides.
Shop the List
Build your shopping list from that grid. Honestly, I build my menu with the supermarket flyers in front of me. If chicken thighs are on a good sale, I’ll consider chicken enchiladas. If chuck roast is cheap, then use one of those recipes.
Post the Plan
Put the grid on your ‘fridge, let every one refer to it. With it in view, it serves as a great reminder of your commitment—this small step is the most powerful at our house. Also, as you develop an arsenal of recipes, you’ll find more enthusiasm and support from others. You may hear, “I am looking forward to that Kiwi-Mango salsa on that salmon tonight!”
Review the Plan
Each morning refer to the plan. There may be some things you can do to get a jump on the meal prep (particularly if it is a crock pot item).
Recipe Resources
There are many books that provide meal plans that can be dome in twenty minutes or less. Use these to get started. You can purchase one of these fine texts.

One I started using recently was Cooking Light Superfast Suppers. It is from Oxmoor House publishers and is well done. I am a big fan of Cooking Light magazine too. (I recommend a subscription to anyone wanting to eat well and vary their menu.)

Whole test kitchen staffs work to streamline the prep process and get you coached for success. Use these resources.

I have found Epicurious.com to be helpful for recipes too. Be careful to understand what is involved in the recipe, as not all the recipes are short-prep.

Many magazines include recipes in each issue. You may want to hit the local library and leaf through a Women’s Day or Parenting to see what might be there—most of these are fast-prep recipes marketed to the busy segment of the magazine’s demographic.

I’ll post some of my “go-to” recipes here too—most were found in the manner described here.

Investing 60 minutes to research recipes will yield many choices. Do not put recipes on index cards; it eats up too much time. Use your printer and a photocopy machine (depending on the recipe source). Work from full sheets of paper.

To keep recipes, I think a pocket-folder with the 8.5 x 11 printouts or photocopies works fine. Sure you’ll have to leaf through it to get the recipe, but, honestly, how many recipes do you need? If you are compelled, you can build a computer database, or have several folders (one for chicken, one for beef, one for sides, etc.).

Use the back of the paper to make notes. This is where you can note effective ingredient substitutions, wine pairings or other notes. I find myself putting a comment like, “try a tsp more white pepper.”