Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Eggs Benedict...

People love it. I have no idea why, it's good, but really? It isn't the best thing ever. Well, my girl wanted to try her hand at making them, and wow. Just, wow.

This meal blew my mind. She did so well, and I figured we would share the recipe here.

Eggs Benedict is not a really complex meal, a poached egg, Canadian bacon, an English muffin, and hollandaise sauce. Easy.

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks
2 sticks of butter (real butter and very soft)
A tablespoon of water
A tablespoon or two of lemon juice (I used fresh)

Separate your egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a bowl or small sauce pan (I used a double boiler so I didn't burn them). Whisk until they are fluffy, then add in the water and lemon. Place them on the heat and whisk...when you think you're done, keep going.

Add in your butter a small scoop at a time and keep whisking. Once the butter is in and mixed well, look for the thickness you want. Once you get it, you're done. Remove from the heat and set your sauce aside.


Meal:

Toast your English muffin while you grill your Canadian bacon. Top half of your muffin with the bacon.

Poach your eggs...this is where it gets tricky.

Fill a pot with water and bring almost to a boil. You want bubbles at the bottom of the pan, but do not want the water to boil. I added a tablespoon of lemon to help keep the whites together.

Crack your egg into a very small bowl (I used a measuring cup), each egg in it's own, you want to cook them separately.

SLOWLY...read that again S.L.O.W.L.Y. pour your egg into the water and cover the pot. Let it cook for 4 minutes, until the whites are cooked through. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on your bacon.

Pour some of your sauce over, and voila!

Of course you can add some peppers or whatever you want...I placed avocado under my egg.

How do you eat your Eggs Benedict?


28 Day Meal Plan

28 days of meals...in no real order though...eat as your heart desires. 

Clean eating. No processed foods. No crazy boxed foods. Just pure simple cooking. I won't go totally nuts though; I know some foods need to be bought in a box {pasta}.

Totally pinterest ready and available on my clean eating board. Follow my board to get more ideas for meals all year long.

This Mac and Cheese

Chicken Quinoa Casserole

Avocado Quinoa

This Easy Baked Salmon

How about another salmon recipe

Chicken, Spinach, and Artichokes

Egg salad made with avocados

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara *kids will love this*

This Chicken Chili

Zucchini Noodle Shrimp Scampi

Stuffed Portobello

Sesame Cauliflower and Bell Peppers

Burrito pie

Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken

Portobello Pizza gives new meaning to mushroom pizzas

Black Bean and Potato Nachos

This veggie medly

More Zucchini Pasta

Couscous Salad

Cauliflower Couscous

This other Mac & Cheese

Clean eating Pulled Pork

A Greek Chicken Pita

Lemon Chicken

Lime shrimp and avocado

Quinoa Bites

Quinoa Fried "Rice"



Bonus!!!

Some great breakfast ideas

Breakfast Quiche



I have been making this since I learned to cook, year and years ago. It is hard for me to find a chicken recipe that we will all enjoy, and Chicken Picatta is usually a great go to for me. It only takes about 30 minutes to make, and it is so good.

What you will need

4-6 Whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts {I usually use 4 and fillet them if they are really thick}
Flour
Salt & Pepper
1 Cup of chicken broth
1/2 Cup of dry white wine {use what you would drink...crappy wine makes crappy food}
Parsley
1 Whole lemon
1/4 Cup of capers
1 Cup of Mushrooms
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
4 Tbsp of Butter {real butter}


What you do:

As I said, I tend to thin my chicken by filleting, you can pound your chicken breasts thinner as well. In a {I use cast iron} skillet, heat butter and olive oil together on medium-high heat. Dredge your chicken in flour and shake off extra. Carefully, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until browned.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and add in your broth and white wine. Squeeze your lemon juice into the mixture. Bring it all to a boil. Add in capers and mushrooms. Scrape all the cooked pieces together. Cook for 10-15 minutes more then add your chicken back for another 5 minutes {be sure your chicken reached an internal temperature of 165* for safety}. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh lemon slices and parsley and serve over angel hair pasta.

August is all loose for us in our home...we don't have too many crazy rules, school is just getting going {pop on over to my 2015-2016 curriculum post and check it out}, we are just going with the flow around here while we get our groove back.



**Monthly Menu**

We relaxed on the menu for the month, this whole first week was leftovers we hadn't finished off yet.

Week two

Sunday is pasta and meatballs again...Sunday favorite around here...with homemade ice cream
Monday is kid's choice {and she hasn't picked just yet}
Tuesday is chicken piccata
Wednesday is kid's choice again
Thursday is brat bake

Week three

Sunday night is dessert night with S'mores pizza roll ups!
Monday is kid's choice
Tuesday is buttermilk baked chicken
Wednesday is kid's choice
Thursday is vegetarian lasagna
Friday is salmon {with leftovers for my picky eater, Bear}
Saturday is a leftover kind of day

Week four

Sunday is an Italian family dinner baked ziti with orange creme truffles for dessert
Monday is kid's choice
Tuesday is stuffed flank steak
Wednesday is kid's choice
Thursday is Spanish chicken

Most of these {as you can see} are Pinterest recipes we have yet to try around here. I will post the recipes and links as they are made each day.



**Crafty Goodness**

Craft wise, the girls and I decided to do one craft each month. We will count it as credit for school, but they will do their own work and their own crafts.

In August we wanted to do two because it is such a slow month.

We will be making a set of coasters for the house using photos and tiles.
Next, the girls will get to make the letters for their bedroom door.

All of this is courtesy of Pinterest!
July Menu

On a monthly basis I create a menu for that month. I sit with my children and we create away. Bear cooks on Mondays and Boo cooks on Wednesdays {or is it the opposite?} At any rate, this is a great system...I get to account for time the children will not be home and when we will be out of town. I love it to no end...

Enjoy, and maybe even steal the idea (this is great for split families)
*Single parents can save cash by making a bit more food and doing left overs while the kiddies are away*


Week 1:
~Out of town~

Week 2:
Monday: Baby Girl birthday dinner
Tuesday: Baby Girl birthday party
Wednesday: Biscuits & gravy 
Thursday: Shepherd's Pie
Friday: Salmon, mashed potatoes, and grilled veggies
Saturday: Baked chicken, yeast rolls, zucchini, and carrots
Sunday: Pasta and meatballs

Weekly Dessert: {Theme to kick off summer...S'mores} S'mores lasagna

Week 3:
Monday: Tuna noodle casserole
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Homemade pizza from scratch {more a large lunch with great leftovers available after gymnastics}
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: *Weekend at dad's*
Saturday: *Weekend at dad's*
Sunday: *Weekend at dad's*

Weekly Dessert: S'mores crescent rolls

Week 4:
Monday: Steak, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole
Tuesday: Stroganoff and asparagus
Wednesday: Colored Pasta
Thursday: ~Out of town~
Friday: ~Out of town~
Saturday: ~Out of town~
Sunday: ~Out of town~

Weekly Dessert: We will be out of town, so I am very sure this will wind up as a Starbucks run or Bear getting her cook on with a trained Chef {family member}

Week 5:
Monday: ~Out of town...Boo's choice~
Tuesday: Salmon burgers with sweet potatoes 
Wednesday: 4 cheese mac & cheese
Thursday: Baked chicken carbonara
Friday: *Weekend at dad's*
I haven't been on in a while, but I am changing that! Today! Right now!

I am beginning with my menu for May and the rest of April. I am dong a strict NO SPEND month (except while travelling) for May...so this will have breakfast and lunch ideas as well!

Plus, twice a week these kiddos get to cook! One day for each of the big girls weekly.

The remaining days in April:

This week~well I suppose this took care of itself!

Monday {Bear's night to cook}
Tuesday {Birthday celebration dinner for Boo}
Wednesday {Boo's night to cook}
Thursday
     Sandwiches on the go...no time to cook

May

Week 1
Friday
Salmon
Saturday
Lime chicken

Week 2
Sunday
Brats and veggies
Monday
{Bear's night to cook}
Tuesday
Pasta with Pesto
Wednesday
{Boo's night to cook}
Thursday
Sandwiches on the go...no time to cook

{8th and 9th the children are with their father, so I don't have to cook!}

Week 3
Sunday
Mother's Day {I hope I don't have to cook}
Monday
{Bear's night to cook}
Tuesday
French dip sandwiches
Wednesday
{Boo's night to cook}
Thursday
Homemade sushi experiment

{15 to the 25th we will be gone with no need to plan meals!}

Tuesday
{Bear's night to cook}
Wednesday
{Boo's night to cook}
Thursday
Homemade pizza with the kids
Friday
Stuffed bell peppers
Saturday
Fish tacos

Sunday
Stuffed flank steak

Breakfast ideas for the kiddos
{I just do coffee followed by a smoothie or Access shake before a workout}


  • Oatmeal
  • Pancakes
  • Stuffed avocados 
  • Crepes 
  • Pastries
  • Breakfast "mock" sushi


My kids love to make pizza. We never do just one big pizza and all eat from it; we each make our own and eat those. Nat likes meat...and lots of it. Daddy likes everything. I like calzones. Ky? She likes cheese. So a simple pizza night isn't really possible for us.

We usually get pizza crust in a box, or I make some Italian bread for the crust. The problem there is packaged dough sucks and it takes two 45 minute rises wit no over kneading for a good Italian dough. It can take me all day to make my own dough.

Until a few weeks ago...
Tonight we went for oven BBQ chicken.  I am not sure that was the safest meal to go for, but I did it anyway.

With Audrey in arm I made a lovely little dinner.  But before we did that we looked over what we had and planned for the next few days.

Sunday: Hot Dogs and corn grill out style!  Kid friendly all around

Monday: Pizza, straight up homemade from scratch pizza (I will totally post this one for you)

Tuesday: Spaghetti and sausage (in my house this is kid friendly)
I love fish & chips, I have since I was a kid.  Most kids do, right?  But somehow, I only love them when we go out to eat.  Making them at home never quite works out.  I can bread and pan fry an amazing fillet, but deep fry and have it look like the ones in the restaurants?  No.  I just can't do it.

Until the other day...
I didn't take a photo of it, but I swear it looked JUST LIKE THIS

Last night we decided on breakfast for dinner.  It was great!  Biscuits and gravy with bacon and eggs.  I didn't want to spoil the theme with something lame like ice cream though, so I though fruit filled crepes would be fun.  I searched for more crepe recipes as I hadn't loved mine so much from before.

I ended up kind of making my own:
So every Monday and Friday are kids' choice around here.  Tonight Natalia wanted Sloppy Joes, and wouldn't you know it...I was out of ground beef.  So we agreed on Turkey Joes instead.  Ground turkey isn't my choice to substitute for beef, but when it is all you have...embrace it.

GIANT can of tomato sauce...it's how we roll



I have found that by making the item about the turkey, rather than seeing it as a sub, the food will taste better.  Like you set out to make it that way!
I am NOT a fan of cilantro, let me make that clear from the start.  I cannot stand it.

So when the hubby decided that was the main ingredient for the meal he got to pick for the week I was horrified.  He decided on Cilantro Lime Shrimp.

Now, while I don't care for cilantro, I love shrimp.  And cilantro can be done in small amounts for me so here is how the girls and I got through Cilantro Lime Shrimp night (barely).
I love crepes.  I just love them.  They are a great dessert as well as breakfast.  People think they are crazy hard to make, so making these for company will make you look like a culinary goddess.  I made them today for the girls and they were in heaven.  I wish we would have had fresh fruit besides bananas because that would have been even better.  I use Alton Brown's recipe and leave out the liqueur.  I wrapped a few together to fit more on my plate...they aren't this thick.  Even better, you can freeze these bad boys and have them later.  Just be sure to let them defrost slowly before pulling them apart.
So, in our house I do a bi-weekly menu plan.  I plan out two weeks worth of dinners so we know what we will be having.  Mondays and Fridays are open days so the kids can request their favorites ahead of time.  We are pretty fluid, so any item I have not deemed un-veto-able...I know, right...can be shot down by the husband if he sees something cheaper or yummier.
Welcome!

I decided my crafting and cooking exploits needed to be separated from my daily life blog.  I will still post there, I am sure of it, with some recipes and such, but I am using this as my new recipe and crafting area.

What a week to start with...the beginning of fall.  So with the beginning of fall I bring to you my best recipe for biscuits ever.