Garden's glory

Even after several years of gardening, I'm still learning what to grow and how much to use without a lot of waste. I feel like I hit the right amount of tomatoes this year. And, they are heavenly. Today, I made Caprese salad. The basil is also from the garden. Yum! 

Saving on salad

It seems that my grocery bill keeps climbing. Last week, before coupons it was nearly $200. I got it closer to $150, but I'm still looking for ways to cut back with my upcoming maternity leave. I decided to try to make my own salads. Not only does it save money, but I think it's much more fresh and healthier, too. I can sub sugar substitute, light mayo, less mayo and more vinegar, lower fat cheese, etc. Today, I made broccoli salad, thanks to my mom's recipe. 

Here it is: 

Dressing:

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup sugar 

2 Tablespoons vinegar

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8 oz shredded cheddar

2 head broccoli

1 red onion

1/2 lb bacon

Just a guesstimate for non-dressing items, you can put in as much as looks good.

A little avocado

Somehow I came home from the store with a 4-pack of avocados. It was only $3.99 which was cheaper per avocado than single avocados. But there they sat on the counter longing to be used. Tonight, I created one of my favorite snacks - a bean salad. A pile of canelli beans rinsed and drained, half an avocado diced, grape tomatoes sliced, fresh basil, feta cheese and a dash of olive oil. Yum! Now to use the other three and a half!

Dinner dilemma

I am horrible at planning dinner. It is never a priority for me. I realize that as I build my little family, I am going to have to get better at this. I would have been devastated if I came home from school and asked my mom what was for dinner and she said, "I don't know? What do you want?" That is what I say nearly every day to my husband, Nate. I get frustrated, because he never has an answer. And when I do cook, he never seems really impressed. I call him picky, but maybe that is because I will eat ANYTHING. I hope my daughter gets my appetite.

No matter what, my mom had dinner on the table. I don't really recall eating out a lot. There was always something hot on the table, even if it was later in the evening than I would have liked as a growing teenager.

So, today when I was getting in my car at work (a little later than I like to on a Friday afternoon), my husband called.

"What's for dinner?"

"I don't know," I said.

It's not for lack of food in my house...because I spend a lot on groceries and pride myself on having a stocked pantry.

I start going through the file in my head. What can I make quick? He said he is starving.

In my defense, Nate doesn't eat lunch at a set time every day like I do. When he is on day work, he can be hungry for dinner at 3:30 p.m. when he gets home or at 6:30 p.m., which is way too late for me. So, even if I planned, it might not work out perfectly.

Tonight, I happened to have chicken breasts set out. I called my sister for a chicken and rice recipe she had made when I was visiting for New Year's Eve, but it took an hour to bake and sit, and that was too long for my starving man.

So, I saved it for another day and tried to improvise something quicker that would taste similar.
Here is what I came up with.

Chicken and Rice Skillet

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can cream of chicken soup (plus one can water)

2 cups instant rice. uncooked

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 small can mushrooms

1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch strips. Cook the chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until no longer pink inside. Add the chicken soup and can of water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, onion powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for a few minutes so the rice cooks. Add mushrooms. Stir. Remove from heat and let it sit until the liquid is absorbed, about five minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with crumbled buttered crackers if desired.

Enjoy!

A quick and convenient gift

I love to bake. But, I am watching what I eat, and Nate can't consume an entire 6-dozen batch of my chocolate chip cookies (not sure why, cause I could if it didn't go right to my hips.)
So, I found a few co-workers who love my cookies, and I am more than happy to take them a treat. My mom gave me a cool stamp set, so I put it to use. I stamped "A little yummy for your tummy" on sticker labels and smacked them onto some plastic baggies. I think my little treat brought a smile to their faces and mine, as well.

On food

Every one's choice of food is influenced by something.
And being raised on mostly American and PA Dutch delights such spaghetti, Hamburger Helper and meatloaf makes me wonder how I have ever came to love practically everything. And not just everything, but in weird combinations, too.
As I sit here and write this, I am snacking on a bowl of couscous mixed with raisins, chic peas, avocado and feta cheese.
After a lot of thinking, I believe I found the root of it all. Besides watching scary movies way too scandalous for our age, freezing underwear and making prank calls, we partook in another tradition at sleepovers as children. We dared people to drink whatever we mixed up in the kitchen. Our concoctions of mayonnaise, hot sauce, applesauce, milk and egg yolks must have made me tolerant and in fact enjoy food of all flavors and types.
So, I find joy in looking in my refrigerator and combining whatever it is that I see. And the more I try, the more I find flavors that mix in a magical way. I love Guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, because he mixed sushi with pork barbecue.
It's a great way to use leftovers, experience new flavors and come up with a new favorite recipe. I am sure you will run into a few mishaps, but your won't find the gems if you don't eat the dirt first! Enjoy experimenting!