Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

I'm not sure what took me so long to make this.

It's a simple recipe, one my mom made for holidays and such.  A few minutes of prep and then it cooks in the oven.  It bakes for 45 minutes or so (depending on the thickness of your slices and the number of layers), but overcooking will do it no harm.

Finished product... as pretty as I can make it.

My kinda recipe... one that appreciates neglect.

My kids, who prefer their sweet potatoes mashed or in the form of fries, love this recipe.  It might be the visible cinnamon.  There is a little sweetener, but not much,  I like tart apples, but with sweeter ones, the brown sugar might not be needed at all.  Also, I prefer to leave the skin on both the apples and sweet potatoes for bonus vitamins and fiber.  Peeling them would make the finished recipe prettier.

Measurements here are by weight, since both apples and sweet potatoes vary widely in size.  The recipe scales up and down nicely to feed four or forty.  As you can see from my photos, I've used a round, 2QT Corningware pan with a lid, as well as a shallow au gratin pan (covered with foil for baking).  The pan needs to be oven safe; after that, it's all about size and aesthetics.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
1lb sweet potato
1lb apples (I prefer Nittany, Fuji and Granny Smith for this, but anything will work)
2 Tbsp butter, separated
2 Tbsp brown sugar (can use maple syrup, or omit if apples are sweet)
1 Tbsp cinnamon, separated

1.  Heat the over to 350 degrees.  Grease the plan with 1/2 Tbsp of butter; set aside.

2.  Wash the sweet potatoes and apples.  Scrub well if you will be keeping the skin on; otherwise, peel them now.

3.  Cut the sweet potatoes and apples into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Shape and exact measurement are unimportant unless you want a pretty final dish.

4.  Place a layer of sweet potatoes in the dish, covered with a layer of apples and half the cinnamon.  Cover with another layer of sweet potatoes and another layer of apples.

Not my neatest attempt, but it was still delicious.

5.  Sprinkle remaining cinnamon on top of the final layer of apples.  Dot with butter and brown sugar, cover, and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Ready to go in the oven- cover, bake, then eat.

6.  When done, both apples and sweet potatoes will be soft and easily pierced with a fork, and the kitchen will smell like fall.

Fish and Corn Pie

Not the most creative of names, but a really yummy recipe.

It all started with an email from Bon Appetit with this recipe for Fish and Corn Cakes with Tartar Sauce.  I'm not a big fan of tartar sauce, so that part got ditched.  And the recipe called for 1 1/2 lbs fish.... I only had a pound.  And many of the reviews said that the cakes fell apart, so I planned to increase the eggs, which serve as glue in the recipe.

You know, a normal recipe for me.  Find something online/in a book and make myriad changes.

But the last change was the best!  Wait for it.....

Bake it in a pie pan, not on the stove!

You see, I love making pancakes on weekend mornings.  But at the end of the day, when I'm tired and hungry, I don't want to stand at the stove flipping burgers (or fish cakes) while the rest of the family either eats without me, or stomps around, tired and hungry.  Changing this into a pie removed that burden, and got all of dinner (and the chef!) to the table at the same time.  Yay!  I will be adapting my Black Bean Burger recipe in the same way...  Bean Pie!

Note, the fish needs to be cooked BEFORE the pie can be assembled.  I oil a baking sheet, lay the filets on the pan, sprinkle with Old Bay, then bake at 350 degrees until cooked (around 15 minutes).  The Old Bay gives the flavor a boost, but can be omitted or substituted if you like.

Fish and Corn Pie (serves 4)
1 lb skinless firm white fish, cooked and broken into small pieces
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
2 Tbsp fresh chives or green onion
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), plus 2 Tbsp to sprinkle on top
1/2 tsp each Old Bay, salt and pepper (omit Old Bay if you seasoned the fish when preparing)
lemon wedges for serving (optional)

1.  Heat over to 400 degrees.
1.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, mayo and lemon zest until well combined.    Stir in fish, corn, chives/green onion, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and salt and pepper.
2.  When combined, pour into greased pie pan.  Sprinkle remaining breadcrumbs on top of pie, pressing them lightly into pie.
3.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until topping is browned slightly and pie is cooked through.

Note:  this recipe can be made gluten free by swapping panko crumbs for any GF crumbs.

Bon appetit indeed!

Mexican Pizza

My goals, of late, have not included blogging.  But when I go to the office, a certain co-worker notes that he's looking for more recipes.  He's gluten-free, so here's one for Tim!

Mexican Pizza.  We eat a lot of mexican food in our house.  What's not to like.... easy to prepare, easy to adjust for various tastes and dietary issues, and always delicious. 

I make a rolled taco dish that's delicious (here).  If you put them in a dish and covered them with salsa and cheese, you'd have enchiladas.  And in this variation, I make them open-face, and call them pizza.

I'm ready for my cheese!

Mexican Pizza
serves 4

4 flour tortillas (12" size or so)-- substitute 8 corn tortillas for a GF variation

8 oz refried beans (1/2 can)

8 oz canelli beans (1/2 can- can substitute another variety you like)

8 oz cooked meat-- left-over rotisserie chicken, ground beef, chorizo, vegetarian or skip all together

8 oz shredded cheese (mexican blend or your favorite)

Heat over to 425 degrees.  Lay tortillas onto baking sheets.  Divide the refried beans and spread over the tortillas.  Top with whole beans, then meat, then cheese.  Bake 10 minutes or until the tortillas get crunchy and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and any other mexican sides.

Note:  The extra 1/2 can refried beans will keep in your freezer.  Simply put it in freezer-safe container, and don't forget about it!

Red Curry Chicken

This one comes from a Real Simple article (Oct 2011)... a dinner table makeover, so to speak.  These families found it impossible to cook healthy meals because of their schedule, skills, or something else.  Cooking for the family has never been my problem, but I go through streaks where I can't seem to find a new recipe that the whole family likes. 

That said, this recipe appealed to me, and it was very easy to put together.  But I was certain the kids wouldn't eat it...  unfamiliar seasonings, too much sauce, etc.  So I made it on a night where I had left-over mac and cheese (homemade, compliments of a yummy recipe from Six O'Clock Scramble).  The plan was for the kids to try the chicken, and when they didn't like it, they could eat the mac and cheese.

Didn't work out that way.... kids loved this dish!  Both opted for it to be served beside the rice with no cooked red peppers; one asked for just chicken, no sauce.  But they scarfed every bite they were served.  One had seconds of chicken and then ate a serving of mac and cheese for dessert!  You may find me snacking later tonight, since the kids at my portion at dinner :-)

The red chili paste is reduced from the original recipe, and I swapped out red peppers for green ones.

Red Curry Chicken
1 lb boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips
1 tsp oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
1/4 cup chicken broth (substitute water if needed)
1/4 tsp salt (if using water or unsalted broth)
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1  can (15 oz) lite coconut milk
rice, lime wedges for serving

1. In a non-stick skillet, warm oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until golden on each side.

2. Add pepper and chicken broth/water and salt; cook 2 minutes or until peppers are tender.

3. Reduce heat to a simmer and add coconut milk and chili paste.  Stir, and allow to rest at least five minutes, or longer if dinner is delayed.

4. Serve over rice with lime wedges.

Dinner Man, two-week update

As outlined in this post, I've put an effort into letting one kid cook with me per night.  He is Dinner Man, and is responsible for measuring, cutting, mixing, cooking, setting the table, pouring drinks, etc.... including asking for help when needed.  The goal is for the child to do as much as he can solo.  I sometimes have to keep my hands in my pockets to keep from helping, but restraint is work it in the end when the kid is proud of his accomplishment.

In the two weeks we have followed this program, my kids have made:

Maple Corn Bread
Chicken Fried Rice
Totally Tubular Tortillas
Ham and Spinach Quiche, using this recipe and subbing 4 oz of rosemary ham for the bacon. 
Maple Glazed Chicken (Six O'Clock Scramble)
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken (Six O'Clock Scramble)
Pork Tenderloin

We even tried Breakfast Man, who made French Toast Casserole and Pumpkin Pancakes.

We're eating as well as ever, and the sanity level is (mostly) increasing.  I love spending one-on-one time with my kids.  They are learning valuable skills in prepping, cooking, and decision-making plus knife skills, how to turn on the stove, how to open a wine or beer bottle, and more.  Yes, my kids are seven- even I wouldn't teach a two year old how to turn on the stove- your mileage may vary and you must adapt to your situation/family.  But it really is more fun when you do the repetitive tasks with the kids, and they learn skills that are guaranteed to last a lifetime.

It can be hard to make this happen day in and day out.  My work schedule has been busier than usual this summer.  Sometimes the kid just didn't want to cooperate... he's too hungry/crabby/tired/argumentative from his day at camp.  We're also not sure how this will transisition to the school year, when I still have a busy work life, Mr. Unwired is also working full-time, the kids have homework and afterschool activities, etc.  Breakfast Man will be a way to catch up when we can't make dinner together, so we have a fall back plan already in place.    Stay tuned to see how I feel about this in another month!

Pretzel Chicken

Darn it.... forgot to take a photo!  It wasn't even ugly!

You'll have to imagine how yummy this looks. Or make it yourself and send me the photos!

Kids loved this one.  I used whole grain mustard that was flavorful but had no 'burn.'  For a stronger flavor, add more mustard, use a stronger mustard or decrease the honey.

Pretzel Chicken
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup pretzel crumbs (small pieces are fine, no need to crush them into dust)
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt (if your pretzels are very salty, then omit this extra salt)

Heat oven to 400°.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil, then wipe with a tsp of vegetable oil.  The pan gets kind of messy, and this avoids the clean up.

Mix honey, mustard, oregano and salt in a small bowl.  if possible, open up the thigh so its long and thin, then dredge one side of the thigh in the pretzel crumbs.  Place on the prepared cookie sheet, and spread with the honey mustard mixture.  Top with remaining pretzel crumbs, then bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Salmon Meatballs

This recipe was insipred by the Grilled Salmon Meatballs recipe from the Washington Post 10/12/11. My cooking adventure started with needing to use some frozen salmon that I found to be too fishy.  It was a good quality wild salmon-- too good to waste-- but not inspiring.

This recipe seemed like a good try to polish it off, but as usual, I didn't have all the ingredients.  Nor did I want to grill the meatballs.  And for a change, I didn't follow the directions very well.  The end result, however, was delicious.

Serve this with your favorite yogurt based dipping sauce--  raita, Trader Joe's Cilantro & Dill Yogurt Spread... all will be wonderful.

Salmon Meatballs
1 lb skinless salmon (preferably wild)
4  stems flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1  Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare the salmon by chopping it into small bits.  I have a bowl with a chopper (like a mezzaluna)- you can also use a blender or food processor.  Do not make a puree!

3. After pulsing the salmon alone a few times, add the remaining ingredients, and pulse a couple more.  Note:  If you have already overdone it with the mixer, then incorporate the other items by hand.

4. Place the mixing bowl/food processor bowl in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

5. When done, use your hands to roll the salmon mixture into 12-15 balls.  Place in an oven proof pan or on a cookie sheet, and bake for five minutes.  Do not over cook or they will become dry (still edible, but they'll need more sauce).

Yummus-Hummus Chicken

It's been tough going back to work after almost two weeks off.  There was a particular project I was working on in December that needed to be wrapped up and handed off this week.  No one knew I was working on it- one of those things that you know is coming so you just get it done before being asked.

It was painful- getting the necessary information was like pulling teeth.   In one series of emails, I asked someone if they could pull together some figures.  After denying that he would have had anything to do with the project he said, 'Oh THAT project?  Why didn't you say so...  that's mine'.   For goodness sake, the name of the project was in the email subject!!!  So yes, I earned my time away from the office.

But in coming back from vacation, it took three days to figure out where I'd left off.  Finally got it done today-- phew!

In the end, no good deed goes unpunished. I'll remember that next time.

So the first week back in the office is done, but there was still hummus leftover from the New Year's Day Open House.  And it needed to be eaten.

I had clipped this recipe from the Post when it ran in March.  This was the first time I made it, and I'm sorry I waited.  Except for the lime, I made it exactly as written.  The hummus does benefit from the addition of water, bringing it from 'thick' to 'creamy'.  The spices are wonderful, and it gave me an excuse to use some of my stash from Penzey's.

Kids loved the chicken, although they preferred to dip it in regular, unflavored hummus.  Ah well, more of the spiced stuff for me!  Dinner was chicken, hummus and steamed broccoli (also dipped in hummus), and a trip out for ice cream!

Happy first week of 2012!

Sweet Potato Chili

I'd been looking to try a sweet potato chili for a while. A few good candidates have surfaced, but this one rose above the rest. 

Why?  First, no meat.  That means I can make it for Mr. Unwired's friend.  Didn't know what to make for this week's jam session anyway. 

Second, it cooks in the slow cooker. Like my never-ending desire to instill independence in my children, I like my meals to cook themselves. 

Third, all the ingredients were in the house.   And that's all she wrote... off to the kitchen!

Sweet Potato Chili, before topping with plain yogurt and green onions.

 This turned out pretty well. I was intending to serve it to the kids for dinner, by the spices were too sharp. I used only 1/2 Tbsp chili powder and only a small (15oz) can of tomatoes with chili peppers (the other 15oz was just tomatoes). Next time, I'll cut the chili powder out entirely.  With the blast of heat from the chili powder and peppers, I didn't notice the cocoa powder.  It should have rounded out the spice panel, instead of being wiped off the flavor map.  Another reason to decrease/eliminate the chili powder (funny, this is my 'cooler' chili powder-- I had to throw out the cayenne pepper as even a dash was too much for most recipes!)  I also used red pepper instead of green since that was what I had. Green pepper, with its stronger flavor and contrasting color would have been a better choice. 

I'm hopeful that with these adjustments, I'll be able to introduce this to the kids, then dial the spices back up a bit to find a happy medium- flavorful, colorful and yummy for all.  What do you think?

Pork Chops with Thyme and Oranges

I tend not to cook main courses with fruit, as Mr. Unwired usually doesn't like them.  But this one was different... not too sweet or fruity; instead, the oranges were firm and flavorful in the sauce.  Besides, the texture of the thyme and mustard seeds against the crisp color of the sauce was lovely!

This recipe was inspired by this one in Real Simple. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pork_pineapple_skillet_supper.html   I didn't have pineapple, and then didn't follow the directions very well.  Sometimes, mistakes are fortuitous!

Pork Chops with Thyme and Oranges
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
2 tsp thyme, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup white wine
3 Tbsp apricot jam
3 Tbsp orange juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard (whole grain if you can get it- mine is from Trader Joes)
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp curry powder
1  orange (peeled, seeded and sectioned, with each section cut in half)

1. Over medium heat, warm butter and olive oil in a skillet.  Sprinkle each side of the pork chops with salt, pepper and a total of 1 tsp thyme.  In a small bowl, mix wine, jam, orange juice, mustard, curry and ginger and set aside.

2. When oil/butter is hot, add pork chops and brown each side, about 4 minutes each side.  When second side is browned, add the wine mixture and turn chops to coat.   Lower heat slightly to cook the meat without evaporating the liquid.  Cook until the chops are just pink in the middle, another five minutes or so.  Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Kinda pretty, for once!

3. Back in the pan, add the oranges and remaining thyme to the sauce.  Cook for five minutes over medium heat, which allows the oranges to soften and the sauce to thicken.

4. Serve to the table with the sauce spooned over the pork.  A side that absorbs the sauce would add to the meal.... Mashed potatoes?  Brown rice?  Yum.

Pork Tenderloin with Chutney

Sorry, I've neglected you, my faithful readers.  I've been working on some new recipes, and finally  finished any one today.  Yeah me!

A couple of months ago,  I made a list of 'orphaned foods' in my fridge.  These are those half empty jars or lonely items languishing in the freezer.   Cranberry chutney was on it.   This recipe created for the chutney came out perfectly the first time -- the kids even asked for extra sauce!


The funny thing about the orphaned foods is that after I find or create a recipe that uses them, I want to make the new recipe all over again.  Which means I don't thin out the herd of foods massing in my house, but merely create more need for them.  Let's just say that there are a lot of condiments in my fridge, and blogging about them isn't helping reduce my grocery list.


Ah well... it's all in the name of good food, right?

The second time I made this, I found that cranberry chutney isn't available year-round.  I used mango chutney instead, and found it to be just as good with pork.  Trader Joes had a mango chutney, which ended up being a bit spicy; I used a mix of mango chutney and apricot jam to reduce the sharp flavor of the chutney, while still preserving the tangy flavor.  It was delicious, and not at all sweet.

Wish I'd taken pictures-- this one even looked good!  But we were hungry... and you know the rest.

Pork Tenderloin with Chutney
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onions
1 pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chutney (or a mix of chutney and jam)
1/4 cup wine
1 Tbsp butter

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the tenderloin in half to make it easier to maneuver in the pan, and season it with salt and pepper.

2. In an ovenproof skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3.  Place tenderloin in pan and allow to sear on each side (about 4 minutes per side).   

4. After searing the second side, coat tenderloin with chutney, and place pan in oven.  After ten minutes, remove pan from oven, flip, add wine and baste with the pan sauce.  Return to oven and cook until pink in the middle, an additional 15-20 minutes in the oven.

5. When done, place pan with sauce over medium high heat.  Add butter, and allow to thicken.  If the sauce is too thick, add additional wine.  Serve with pork.

Chicken Stock

At heart, I am a cheap frugal person. The concepts of recycle and reuse come naturally to me.  Why would I buy something when I can reuse what I have?  It's one of my personal challenges in paying for technology- with lifecycles so short, it's hard to justify the purchase!  Thankfully, I indulge my geeky side at work, so there's no reason for me (or my family) to go without.

This post is about the same thing, but in the kitchen.  You may already know you can make chicken broth from chicken bones.  But did you know you can do it in the slow cooker, using little energy and even less time?! 

It's true, it's true!

Making chicken stock on the stove is easy.  But making it in the slow cooker turns the process into something you can do at almost any time more stock is needed.  Bones and required veggies can be stored in the freezer, and retrieved whenever you have five minutes to set it all up. I put mine together after making breakfast today, and it's cooking away while I'm at work.  There's some messy work to done after the slow cooker part is complete, but it can be done in steps and over the course of a few days as needed. 

I used to chill the stock and remove the fat that congealed on top.  Lately though, I find that if I don't add chicken skin to the pot, the stock is relatively low fat and there's not much to skim.   Omitting the skin probably also lowers the salt content of the finished product, as so many store-bought rotisserie chickens are salty.  Yummy.... but salty.

Regardless of using skin in the pot or not,  I don't add salt to my stock.  Different recipes have different requirements, so I choose to add it to the finished product.  Consider that when you are tasting the stock at different stages.

Here's the process:

Chicken Stock
1 chicken carcass, or parts of different carcasses
2 carrots, with tops if available
1 leek, or the green part of 2 leeks, or an onion quartered and 2 stalks celery
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/8 tsp whole cloves
5 sprigs parsley (carrot greens can substitute as needed)

1. Load all into the slow cooker and cover with water.  Put on the cover, turn on to low and leave it all day, 8-10 hours.

2. When you get home, take the cover off and turn up to high for an hour  (or more)... this allows some liquid to cook off, and intensifies the flavor.

3.  Turn off the slow cooker, and leave to cool.  (I leave mine covered on the counter all night.  I'm sure food safety experts would be aghast-- feel free to put it in the fridge instead.  The stock will jell and you'll need to let it come to room temperature again before continuing with step 4).

4.  Next, remove the solids.  I use a slotted spoon and dump them right into the trash.   Then take out the trash.

5.  Strain the stock using a sieve to remove peppercorns, cloves and other debris you couldn't lift out.  If you are an overacheiver, strain through cheesecloth for clearer stock.

6. Chill the resulting liquid overnight in the fridge if you wish to remove the fat--  or skip this step.

7.  Decant it into smaller containers, and store in the freezer until needed. 

Most batches of this recipe (4 quart crock pot, 10 cups water) yield at 6 cups of stock.  I freeze it in four and one cup containers, so I always have the right amount available for a recipe.

Calzones!

An article in Real Simple gave me the idea, and a flurry of websites led me to different calzone recipes and techniques.  The one I developed below includes our family's favorite ingredients- swap out your own favorites using the proportions I've provided. If you are cooking for people with different tastes, divide up the cheese and make the filling separate.  Or make theirs first with just the things they like and add ingredients to the cheese for the more adventurous.

Dinner is smiling at me!

Calzones
16" pre-made pizza dough
1/4 lb pre-cooked Italian sausage (we use Trader Joe's mild, made from chicken)
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated italian cheese
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms (chopped fine)
1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes (reconstituted, if dried; drained if packed in oil)
olive oil/egg wash to brush on top

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Divide ball of dough into four parts. This is easier if you allow refrigerated dough to come to room temperature first.  Roll each ball into a flat circle.

2. Mix cheeses, sausage, basil, mushrooms and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Divide this into four equal parts, one for each of the circles of dough.

3. Scoop the filling onto the dough circle, pulling the dough over the filling.  Press down to seal the edges; use a fork to help them seal securely, so that no filling leaks out.

4. Move the calzones to a cookie sheet (lightly greased or lined with a silpat or parchment paper).  Cut small vents in the tops of each to release hot air.  You can also make designs with any extra dough... Mr. Unwired made smiley faces for our kids :-)  Brush with olive oil/egg so that they brown nicely.

5. Bake on a low shelf in the oven, for 20-30 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through.  If you have a pizza stone, use it!

Blackened Fish

In an effort to eat healthy meals, we try to eat fish.  I have a hard time eating fish once a week, let alone the two-three times the food police say I'm supposed to.  Insert normal excuses here... hard to get good fresh fish, not convenient, blah blah blah. 

Phew, now that we've passed that, here's our family's favorite fish recipe.  This one is from Real Simple.
I make it with 'White Roughy'- it's found in the frozen section of Trader Joes.  This is where fish can be really easy- buy frozen, defrost overnight, cook, enjoy.  Since roughy is not as oily as catfish, bake it at 450 degrees instead of broiling it, 15-20 minutes.  Serve with sweet potato fries (ours also come from Trader Joes).

And for you with kids, my kids love this fish.  It's not spicy (provided your chili powder isn't spicy-- try cayenne pepper if this comes out too hot).  They might also enjoy rubbing the spice blend onto the fish.  It's a little like finger painting, only more delicious at the end!

I halve the spices because I'm making just 12 oz of fish.  Here's the recipe:  Blackened Fish  Bon appetit!

Slow Cooker Chicken, two versions

To know me, is to know I love my Crock Pot.  Cooking with it mirrors my parenting theory...  sometimes, benign neglect can be a good thing.  And that's the thing with a slow cooker- its all about neglect.

Chicken parts have always been a natural for the slow cooker.  Chicken leg quarters (drumstick/thigh) can be skinned, tossed in the slow cooker with a variety of sauces and left to cook all day.  Just this week I put five lbs of bone-in chicken thighs- big sale in the meat section!- into my Crock Pot with Goya Mojo Criollo Marinade (major grocery stores in my area carry this in the 'Mexican' or 'latin' section).  Here's the recipe- hang onto your hats, this is very precise (not).....

Put skinless chicken parts into the crock pot, and pour in 1-2 cups of sauce.  Cover, cook on low for seven hours or so.  Remove from heat.  When cool, put in fridge.  The next day or so, skim off any fat, then warm in the microwave when it's time for dinner.  The process of moving the chicken from the slow cooker to a microwave safe bowl usually causes the chicken to fall apart, leaving your dinner boneless.  Perfect!

For my family, I will divide the cooked chicken into two Foodsaver bags and stash them in the freezer for a five minute dinner another day.  One other note... slow-cooked meat ALWAYS tastes better the next day.  Alton Brown explains the science of this- the heating/cooling/heating of the meat causes the connective tissues to break down rendering the meat very tender.  Trial and error would have led you here eventually, especially if you double your slow cooker recipes so another day's dinner is done.

Other sauces to use for this technique....

• Red Thai Curry or Yellow Thai Curry from Trader Joes.  
• Half coconut milk/half Thai peanut sauce.
• Mild salsa (try green tomatillo based-salsas)
• your favorite barbecue sauces (I think the vinegar based sauces are best for slow cooking)

As I looked to expand my repertoire, I found that there are blogs and cookbooks dedicated to this style of cooking.  This one is well known.  Unfortunately for me, the author and I have very different tastes, and I have found most of her recipes disappointing.  I could be doing something wrong, of course- explore the blog on your own, perhaps your taste buds will match up with hers better than mine.

One gem was found among all the rest...  this one. As much as I love a crispy skinned roast chicken, there's not often 60-90 minutes at home before dinner to do it right.  But it's cost effective to buy a whole bird, and for our family, it's dinner tonight plus leftovers for Gracias Casserole and a few quesadillas for lunch for the kids.  Very useful.  

Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker
1 chicken, whole
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Wash chicken, and place in the slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken, rubbing on top of and below covering well.  Turn the chicken so that the chicken breast is in the bottom of the pot--  the cavity should be pointing down if your slow cooker is on the small side.  Turn slow cooker to low, and cook 6-8 hours until chicken is done.

2. When cooked, remove chicken to a covered casserole dish.  Allow pan juices to separate, and discard fat, keeping the 'gravy' to moisten any parts of the cooked chicken which might get dry, Mine don't, but I imagine it can.... you could also make a real gravy with the pan juices, or mix into mashed potatoes.  Yum!

Two more versions of this I make:

• Provencal... 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1/4 tsp white pepper and the juice of a lemon.  Put the used lemon in the chicken cavity.
• BBQ:  Use a tablespoon of Northwoods spice blend, found at Penzeys. It's a BBQ flavored blend that was offered free with a coupon once and I found I liked it.    First one's for free!

Note 1:  No idea how her bird holds together for the photo on the blog post above...  mine comes out boneless.  That's the reason this post has no photos.... they didn't look appetizing!
Note 2:  Crock Pot is a brand name.  Slow cooker is the name of the generic appliance, although my slow cooker is a Crock Pot, so it's appropriate for me to describe it as such.  I didn't want the trademark police coming after me....

PB &J Chicken

My kids don't eat a lot of kid food.  From the time they were first eating solids, I tried to feed them things that didn't come from neat little jars.  Sure, those jars are easy, but billions of people the world over manage to raise children without them, feeding the little people the same food the big people eat.  Even today, we eschew chicken nuggets and fish sticks, preferring to serve the kids roasted chicken and salmon burgers.

It's an interesting transition... talking about what my kids ate as babies to PB&J Chicken, right?  Because my kids will eat Hoisin Chicken, Garlic Chicken,  Chicken with Pesto Sauce.... any manner of 'adult food'.  Why make something so seemingly kid-centric?

The real reason....  because I wanted it!

I love PB&J, and this seemed like a wonderful way to indulge my taste preferences. The rest of the family could come along for the ride.

This recipe came from here.  Unlike the Rachael Ray categories, I didn't have grape jelly on hand.  so I first made the recipe with homemade blackberry jam, but found that it didn't bring the 'sweet' vibe that the recipe needs.  The second time I made it I used the classic gelatinous grape jelly, and it was an improvement.  Also, I used Skippy Peanut Butter, which isn't 'natural' but is well liked by my family.   In preparing the marinade, use a whisk to break up the peanut butter (I use  this flat one).  Unless your peanut butter is really salty, make sure you add the extra salt.  Lastly, I used skinless drumsticks-- wings are too much work for too little meat!

Chicken drumsticks lounging in a PB&J bath

As prepared with the notes above, one of my kids declared this was 'the best recipe EVER!' as he ate three drumsticks. He says that about once a month, and I smile proudly every time.

Sticky, meet Yummy.  Yummy, meet Sticky.  Now smile!

Next time, Mr. Unwired will grill these little darlings.  The direct heat  on the grape jelly will either burn them to a crisp or, if watched carefully, caramelize nicely. Either way, post your comments below!

Lasagna Muffin Cups

I have been clipping recipes for 15 years.  I have a three ring binder with pockets full of random recipes, plus a recipe box with hundreds more (at least these are categorized), and then there are the cookbooks and cooking magazines where I have marked pages where something sounded appealing.  This approach does not lend itself to the 'what will we have for dinner tonight' grind that I often find myself in.  Excellent for browsing, not so good for cooking.

Some recipes demand to be made, refusing to be stored in the recipe archives.  I see them today and am compelled to try them tomorrow.   This is not very time-efficient as it frequently requires a stop at a grocery store on the way home in order to get that one unique ingredient I don't have.....  but usually, these turn out to be the best recipes.

Lasagne Muffin Cups was one of these recipes.  I found it on a blog here early this week and knew that it needed to be made immediately.  Thus, Mr. Unwired made a trip to the grocery store (for wonton skins) and the Italian grocer (for sausage).  Worth every bit of extra effort, let me tell you!

This recipe also reminds me how everyone leaves their own mark on a recipe.  The blog where I found it adapted it from another blog.  And I changed it more.  And you may as well... while I think my version is perfect, it can always be MORE perfect for you.

Lasagne Muffin Cups
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups diced tomato, with juice
1/2 tsp  sugar
1 tsp dried oregano -- crushed
15  oz part skim ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 cup shredded mozzarella or blended Italian cheeses
24 small wonton wrappers

1. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onion until transparent, 3-5 minutes.  Add sausage and cook until fully cooked (no pink), breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.

2. Drain fat off the pan if you like, then return to the heat and add tomatoes, sugar and oregano.  Stir well, and increase the heat for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.  Remove from heat and set aside.   This can be done as many as two days in advance- especially if you are cooking with kids, it's easier to do so when the ingredients are cold.

3. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, basil and parsley.  In another bowl, measure out the mozzarella.  Now you are ready to build the lasagnas!

4. In the muffin pan, push one wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the 12 cups.  Place a tablespoon or so of the ricotta cheese.  Add a tablespoon of the sauce, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

5. Place another wonton wrapper on top of the cheese, pressing it into the cup (it's okay if they look pretty full at this point... it will still work out).  Layer ricotta on top of the wrapper, then sauce, then sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.  Let rest five minutes, then use a butter knife around the muffin cup to separate the lasagna from the cup.  Scoop out with a tablespoon, and serve to an adoring crowd.

Yummy Lasagna Muffin Cup

Notes:   If you choose to substitute tomato sauce for the canned tomatoes, then omit the sugar and season to taste.  The fresh herbs can also be reduced by 2/3 and swapped for dried if you prefer.

Letting the lasagnas rest before serving helps them hold together on the plate.  If you are hungry, serve fast but don't expect them to be pretty!

Sweet and Sour Grilled Pork Chops

Sometimes, dinner doesn't work out like you planned.  For instance, tonight.  I was planning on making steak.  The temperature outside had dropped below sweltering, and it would not be torture for Mr. Unwired to stand over the grill to char our dinner.  And I had one marinating in the freezer.


Or so I thought.  Nope, must have had it for dinner already.  Or the carnivore in the house needed a midnight snack.  Could happen- he's pretty wiley when he's hungry.  Back-up plan... we'll eat those pork chops that are in the freezer.  Oh, and pork chops would be great with the corn tortilla casserole one of the kids wanted to make.  Great idea.... except that they stayed late at the library and there wasn't an hour left to make it before dinner.  Okay, corn on the cob can be the side dish.  It's fast and goes on the grill.


Nope, didn't go as planned... but it was so good!  And the perk of using the corn is that it was just delivered today.  And for once, we ate it while it was fresh.... instead of waiting until it's on its last shriveled kernels.  And we ate on the porch without the bugs or the heat chasing us inside.  It was lovely.

This recipe is an adaptation from one found in The Gas Grill Gourmet by A. Cort Sinnes (here's the current version of the cookbook).  It was a housewarming gift when we bought our first home (and our first grill).  A bunch of years, two houses and three grills later, it's still an awesome reference guide when the gas grill is concerned.  We use it mostly for directions on how to cook a certain cut of meat, but occasionally, it provides inspiration too.

I plan for just under a pound of pork for the four of us.

Sweet and Sour Grilled Pork Chops
2 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp  hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp  apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp apricot preserves
1 garlic clove, minced (1 Tbsp)

1. In a shallow glass bowl large enough to hold the chops in one layer, mix the marinade ingredients (everything but the meat).  Add chops, turn to coat, and allow to marinate 1-2 hours.

2. When ready, turn on the grill to heat.  When hot, turn one burner off and the rest to medium.  Put the chops on the grill over the 'off'' burner.  After 10 minutes, turn the chops, then check in ten minutes for doneness.  Don't let them over cook-- if your grill runs hot, then check sooner to avoid dried out pork.


For those of you who don't eat pork, try this with boneless chicken thighs.  Bet it would be good!

Totally Tubular Tortillas

The name comes from Mr. Unwired... go figure. The recipe was influenced by the rolled tacos of my Southern CA youth; the technique came from a recipe I read in Six O'Clock Scramble.  "Three rolled tacos with guac" ring a bell to any San Diegans out there?

I squeezed eight of these into an 8x8 Pyrex dish, and cooked them in my large toaster oven to avoid heating the kitchen-- it was really hot today and the air conditioning didn't need any competition from the oven.

Totally Tubular Tortillas
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup ground beef
1 cup refried beans (I buy them at Trader Joes)
1-2 Tbsp salsa
3/4 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
8 flour tortillas (6 inch size)

1. Turn oven on to 400 degrees.  In a non-stick pan, warm vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft, 3-5 minutes,

2. Add meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until all the pink is gone, about another 5 minutes.  If desired, drain the fat from the pan at this stage.  Remove from heat.

3. Stir in the salsa and beans, mixing well to combine.

4. In each tortilla, scoop about 2 Tbsp of the meat mixture, placing it in a line down the middle of the tortilla.  Top with cheese, and roll.  Place in a casserole dish seam side down.  Continue with remaining seven tortillas.

5. Bake at 400 degrees until the tops of the tortillas are crunchy, about 15 minutes.

These were a quick and easy dinner, served with a big bowl of fruit, salsa and guacamole.

Update:  For crunchy tubular tortillas, bake them on a cookie sheet with a little space between.  Twenty minutes should get them to crunchy perfection!

Update #2: To save time, you can mix up a bunch of filling at once (through step 3 above) and freeze it.  On cooking day, defrost the filling in the microwave until soft, but not hot.  Start at step 4 above, and you'll have dinner on the table in little more than the cooking time.

Pizza on the Grill

Mr. Unwired made dinner tonight, and of course, fire was involved. How stereotypical can you get?!  We've made this many times over the years, but I was inspired anew by this post on Dinner: A Love Story.  We buy pizza dough from our local Italian grocer; Trader Joes makes a decent dough, but this one is far and away the winner in taste and texture. Try your local pizza/deli and see if they will sell you the raw dough... doesn't hurt to ask!

Mr. Unwired followed the same basic process as on the DALS post- roll out dough, oil the top then invert onto a baking sheet (we used one without a rim- you could use the back of one if yours all have rims). Slide dough from baking sheet onto hot grill, and cook with the lid open for a few minutes, until the crust is crisp. Mr. Unwired reported that the he knew the first side was done when it smelled like baking bread (smart guy). When checked, the dough was crisp and not sticking to the grill. He removed it from the grill, oiled the uncooked side, then flipped it so that the cooked side was facing up. Toppings went right on top of the grill marks- sauce, cheese, yellow peppers, mushrooms, cooked sausage and pepperocini. The pizza was slid back onto the grill and cooked with the lid closed to melts the cheese. You'll need direct heat for only a few minutes here, so take care to not burn the bottom while the cheese gets melty.  A gas grill makes this simple as burners can be turned on and off.  If you use another kind of fire, please share in the comments how you did it.

Grilled pizza, fully loaded!

The results were delicious.  I like that the kitchen stayed cool since the oven wasn't on 475° for an extended period of time, as it is when we make it inside.  A side benefit of this method-- its faster than making it in the oven.  I also think the dough brushed with olive oil would make a delicious side dish, bruschetta style.  Yum.