Greek-Style Lamb and Rice

We are currently learning about ancient Greece in school, so I decided to make a Greek meal for dinner. I searched the internet and found scores of yummy sounding recipes, but I wanted something that wouldn't be too time consuming (of course I was searching on Friday afternoon, just a couple hours before dinner time!). I found this recipe at kitchendaily.com and thought it would work perfectly. It was DELICIOUS!!!!


The original recipe was for "Greek-Style Chicken and Rice", but I substituted lamb for the chicken to make it more authentic, and because we have chicken all the time but rarely have lamb. I bought lamb shoulder chops. They were significantly cheaper than regular lamb chops, and had more meat on them. The above plate was for my husband, and he got a whole shoulder chop to himself. For the children I cut up 4 shoulder chops and split them between the 5 kids.

Tomato/Feta Garnish

(this was EXCELLENT and I am excitedly planning what other recipes I can add this garnish to!)

In small bowl combine:

1/2 cup chopped plum or cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped seedless cucumber (I didn't have so left this out)
2 T thinly sliced green onion (scallions)
2-3 T crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp oregano

Mix well and refrigerate while you cook the lamb and rice.


Lamb and Rice

The recipe was submitted to the kitchendaily website by Rice-a-Roni, so of course one of their products was included in the ingredients! It called for this specific type, Whole Grain Blends ~ Chicken and Herb Classico, and I bought 3 boxes to feed our family of 7. This amount turned out to be just perfect. Now that I've made it once, I will probably substitute with white or brown rice and spices at home, to save money next time.


I used one whole spice package from one of the Rice-a-Roni boxes and sprinkled it over the lamb. Set aside.


In large skillet, combine the other two spice packets, rice, water and oil (as directed on back of box). Bring to a boil and let boil for about 5 minutes. Then add the lamb, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer for about 30 minutes until lamb is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice.


According to the recipe, at this point you're done. I actually scooped out all the rice and kept it warm on the back of the stove while I fried the lamb chops for a few minutes on each side. When I make this again, I will do this step first, before beginning to cook the rice. I still want to cook the lamb and rice together, because the lamb taste seeped into the rice while cooking and gave it a scrumptious flavor! But I like the seared taste of meat better than strictly boiled.

Arrange rice on a plate, place lamb on rice, and spoon some of the tomato/feta garnish on top. Ta-da!


Serve with hummus and greek flat bread and enjoy!!


Verdict: Everyone loved this and begged me to make it again!

Meals in 30 Minutes - Italian Chicken on Noodles

I'm starting a new category of food posts: meals that you can have on the table in 30 minutes or less. And the first post in this category is a recipe I made up! How does that old saying go..."necessity is the mother of invention"? In my case, desperation was the inspiration behind this super easy chicken recipe!


Pour about 2 T olive oil in a skillet and add chicken breasts. As they are browning, sprinkle some Italian seasoning on each piece. Add 2 or 3 cloves of fresh garlic to the pan. After 8-10 minutes, turn over and lightly sprinkle Italian seasoning on the other side of each piece. When breasts are browned on both sides, cover pan and simmer on low until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook noodles of your choice (I used spaghetti). Serve chicken on noodles and enjoy!

Verdict: I have cooked chicken breasts so many times, I really thought this wouldn't be much different. But the blend of Italian seasoning and garlic made it really tasty and the whole family commented on it favorably! Will definitely whip it up again!

Canning Tomatoes

With the abundance of tomatoes from our garden, I canned tomatoes for the first time this summer! I have always wanted to, but thought that I needed a pressure cooker for tomatoes, and I only have a hot water bath canner. After reading through the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, however, I realized that I was mistaken. I gave it a try, and it's really easy! I was able to process one batch (10 pints) in just a couple hours, doing other things during the 40 minutes they were boiling.


I even felt the freedom to forego some of the instructions and just do what was easiest. I did not blanche the tomatoes first (as recommended in the book, for ease in peeling the skins off) because I did not take the skins off. I didn't even cook them. I just cut them up and plopped the pieces into a pan with a tiny bit of water to warm them up a little. Then I spooned them into warm jars. As with all canning, it is very important that the jars, lids, and food and/or liquid going into the jars is all warm, or the lids may not seal properly. Here are some of the jars keeping hot in a kettle of simmering water.


Before spooning the tomatoes into the jars, I added 1 T of vinegar to each jar. This increases the acidity of the tomatoes. If the acid content is too low, they will not preserve well by this hot water bath method. Foods that are naturally low in acid must have their acidity increased for the hot water bath method, or canned using a pressure cooker. For increasing acidity you can use either 1 T of vinegar or 1 T of bottled lemon juice (not fresh) per pint jar. If you are using quart jars, increase this amount to 2 T.

Then I added the tomatoes and poured some of the juicy water that the tomatoes were keeping warm in, over the tomatoes to within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Next I added 1/2 tsp of salt to each jar (this is optional).


I put the jars into my large canning kettle, brought it to a boil, covered the kettle and let them boil for 40 minutes.

Voila!


I was not happy with all the liquid at the bottom of the jars. Obviously I could have packed them a little tighter with tomatoes. But all in all I was pleased with how easy this was and I can't wait to add jars of our own garden-fresh tomatoes to some soup recipes this winter!

Potato Slices on the Grill

At votemom's request, here is a new recipe. ;-) (finally!)

We frequently grill during the summer, as I'm sure you do too. These potato slices on the grill are a bit tedious to prepare, but they are sooooo worth it after they are cooked!

Slice up several potatoes. Stand them one slice at a time on a large piece of foil, and sprinkle each side with a bit of garlic powder and parsley flakes (or any kind of specialty spice or rub ~ I have two spices from Two Sisters Gourmet called over the edge herbed spinach and outrageously garlic blend that are perfect for this!).


Add a few small dollops of butter to the package. You don't want to add too much, but just enough to add a hint of the yummy butter taste, and to prevent sticking. Seal foil tightly. I usually double wrap so the butter doesn't all leak out. Grill as desired.


Unwrap and enjoy!

Linguine in Clam Sauce

This is a yummy recipe my family has enjoyed for a long time, from the cookbook The Gradual Vegetarian by Lisa Tracy. Easy to prepare, and takes about the same time as spaghetti, but with a delightful clam and garlic flavor! The original recipe as listed below serves 2 very generously. I add slightly more of everything for our family and we usually even have leftovers for one lunch the next day.

Linguine in Clam Sauce

2 T olive oil
1 can chopped clams (I use 3 cans for our family of 7)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Large pinch of oregano
1 T fresh chopped parsley (I usually don't have fresh so I use dried)
2 T lemon juice (whenever I don't have this ingredient I just leave out and it still turns out great!)
1 T yogurt (I add a bit more since I am using more clams and more clam juice)
1/2 pound linguine noodles, cooked
1 T butter (I usually leave out this step)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a skillet. Drain clams and reserve liquid. Saute garlic in olive oil for one minute. Add clams, oregano, and parsley. Saute for one minute more. Add lemon juice and juice from clams. Simmer for a few minutes and then add yogurt. Stir in and remove pan from heat.

After linguine noodles are cooked, toss with butter. Serve topped with clam sauce and parmesan cheese.

Our whole family loves this and it's a nice variation on an Italian dinner!

Cranberry Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend Carissa on the Tapestry of Grace "Loose Threads" yahoo group, and it was absolutely delicious! A winner!

Cranberry Chicken

Spread boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 9x13 pan. Mix together and pour over top:

1 can whole cranberry sauce
8 oz bottle of French salad dressing
1 envelope french onion soup mix

She suggested covering pan with foil and baking for 90 minutes, but I wanted it to bake faster so I left the pan uncovered. I baked them for about 25 minutes and then turned the chicken breasts over and baked on the other side for another 25 minutes.

Verdict: I was skeptical about mixing the onion soup mix with french dressing and cranberries, but the blending of the flavors was really, really good. A sweet yet tangy flavor. Loved by the whole fam and will definitely make again!

Beef and Rice Burrito Filling

I found this recipe at Kate's Cooking During Stolen Moments blog, and since my family loves mexican food, I knew immediately that I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did! It's a variation on the taco/burrito theme, and it's super easy to make the filling and then freeze for later, or pull out just the amount you need.

Beef and Rice Burrito Filling

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
1 15oz can diced or crushed tomatoes (I started leaving this out at the request of my boys)
2 tsp chili powder (I add heaping teaspoons)
2 tsp cumin (again, heaping )
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I add about 1 tsp)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cool completely and store in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.



To serve, spoon filling down the center of a tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Roll up and repeat until casserole dish is full.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until heated through. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

Verdict: my whole family loved this dish, with the small exception of the tomatoes. I have made this several times already and will definitely make again!

Tomato Curry Lentil Stew

I was searching for another good recipe that uses lentils, as I have lots of them, and found this one at allrecipes.com. I made a few changes to it and it turned out very well! I served it with applesauce bread topped with honey.


Tomato Curry Lentil Stew

1/2 cup dry lentils (I used one full cup)
1 cup water (I used much more, about 6 cups, and could have added even more)
6 oz stewed tomatoes (I used one regular sized can which was 14.5 oz)
1/8 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 tsp curry powder (I used one T)
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

I also added:

2 potatoes, diced
1 T beef soup base
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

Combine lentils, rice and water. Bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer and add tomatoes, potatoes, onion and celery. Cover and let simmer 45 minutes. Check every 15 minutes to stir and add water if necessary. Add spices and let simmer 15 minutes more for flavors to meld.

Verdict: Very, very good! Hearty AND tasty. Everyone liked it and my husband loved it. Will definitely make again!

Breakfast Menus

I made a small goal last weekend to not have cereal for breakfast once this week. Cereal is quick and easy, and there's nothing horribly wrong with it (we rarely buy the sugary kind), but with 5 children we can go through a LOT of cereal in a very short time. I figured that I could probably make healthier breakfasts more cheaply, and a bonus is that we could save money on milk too. Hence, the goal. Here are my breakfast menus for the week:

Monday

Chocolate Chip Pancakes, bananas



Tuesday

Applesauce Bread, yogurt, sausage

Wednesday

Oatmeal, sausage

Thursday

French toast sticks

Friday

Breakfast pizzas

Saturday

Cereal!! The children now have a new appreciation for cereal. :-)

Applesauce Bread

I found this recipe on Laura's blog, Heavenly Homemakers and thought I'd give it a try. A new twist on bread for me, and very delicious!



Applesauce Bread

1 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat or white, I used a mixture)
3/4 cup rapadura or 1/2 cup honey (never heard of rapadura so I used honey!)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted

I doubled this recipe for 2 standard loaves. Mix dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add applesauce, eggs, honey, and melted butter. Stir well. Pour into a greased bread pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.


Very delicious and smelled GREAT while baking! Laura said she has made this with shredded apples instead of applesauce, so I'm thinking this may be a great way to use up slightly bad apples.

Chicken Nachos

I found this recipe at Cooking During Stolen Moments and thought it would be a great one to try since my family tends to love anything Mexican-ish. I was right! Very delicious and loved by all.

Chicken Nachos

1 T olive oil
1/2 - 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (what you see in the picture below is the 2.5 pounds that I cooked so I'd have enough to freeze for a second meal later)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (I ended up doubling these last 3 ingredients since I was doubling the amount of chicken I was cooking)
1 jar salsa (I used a small jar since my kids are not huge tomato fans)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp each of cumin and chili powder (yes, cumin again!)
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, lettuce, or any other desired toppings

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Season both sides of chicken with the cumin, salt and pepper mixture. Add to skillet and cook chicken just until both sides are slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add salsa, water and remaining seasonings. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for at least 20 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked.


Remove chicken and shred. Set aside.


Bring remaining liquid in the skillet to a boil and simmer until thickened and reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir shredded chicken back in to skillet. Spread tortilla chips on a cookie sheet and pour chicken mixture evenly on top. Cover with shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.


Top as desired and serve!

Verdict: well liked by the whole family. Will definitely make again!

Ham, Black Bean, and Potato Soup

I originally found this recipe on my friend Jennifer's blog. She was trying it for some variety in using up ham. It was delicious! You could easily leave out the ham for a vegetarian soup.


Ham, Black Bean, and Potato Soup

6 cups broth (I used homemade chicken broth - leftover water from boiling a chicken carcass. Use vegetable broth if making this a vegetarian meal)
1 can black beans, drained
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 pound cooked ham, diced
can of stewed or diced tomatoes (the kind with green chili peppers if you want more zing)
1/3 cup onion, chopped (I just used half an onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Sour cream, chopped olives, grated cheese, tortilla chips, etc for garnish.

Add all ingredients except garnish items to crockpot and cook on low for 8-1o hours, or high for 4-5 hours. Serve with garnish ingredients.

This was a hit and I will definitely make it again!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

This is a cut and paste from my other blog, but I wanted it here too so it would be easier to find whenever I need the recipe!

Here is what you need:

1. Borax
2. Washing Baking Soda
3. A bar of fels naptha soap (some of my friends who have allergies that can cause skin irritation use a different type of bar soap ~ not sure what it is but I'll find out)


The recipe I used calls for grating 1/3 of the fels naptha, but I didn't want to get soap in my cheese grater so I cut it into small chunks instead and it worked just as well. Pour 6 cups of hot water into a large saucepan and add the grated or chunked soap. (Yes, I made laundry detergent inches away from freshly baked bread! Busy kitchen day....)


After the soap has completely dissolved, add 1/2 cup of washing soda, and a 1/2 cup of borax. It will look something like this:


In a separate bucket, pour 4 cups of hot water and then add the soap mixture from the saucepan.


Stir thoroughly until all is dissolved and mixed well. Add 6 more cups of hot water and stir again.


Then pour in a gallon of hot water, stir it up, and let it sit overnight.


In the morning it will appear to be solid, but in fact it is gel-like for about 3 or 4 inches down with the rest of the liquid underneath. Wisk (or pay one of your children to wisk for you!) the soap and then pour into whatever container you plan to use for daily use. Nearly all of this batch fit into an empty liquid Tide container.


I have used this detergent for several loads now, and here are my observations...

You have to be more careful to check for and pretreat stains before washing. If you are used to using a detergent with bleach already added in, as I was, stains may not come out with just a regular washing using homemade detergent. Also, it tends to separate in the container and so I get a bunch of liquid with chunks of gel floating in it. Today I started shaking the container before dispensing detergent and that seemed to help. And lastly, this detergent does not make suds, which is fine since suds is not required to get clothes clean. But it looks really different when you look inside your washing machine and see no suds.

I am using a full cup with each load so I'll go through this container much faster than when it was filled with liquid Tide concentrate. But since the ingredients were SO cheap and each batch makes so much, I still think it will be a significant savings over store bought detergent. I'm keeping track of how many loads each batch washes so I can compare later.