The Internet is Your Friend

Sometimes I do "reverse" meal planning. What I mean by "reverse" is that the normal way is that usually people plan their meals, make their shopping list, and then get their groceries.

We all know that life happens, and our best meal planning intentions get waylaid. When that happens, go to "reverse" meal planning.

I *always* recommend keeping staples on hand like bread, milk, eggs, potatoes, etc. even if you don't have an immediate idea for how you'll use them. For "reverse" meal planning, scan your pantry for stuff you have on hand, and then use the internet to find a recipe so you can use what you already HAVE instead of making another trip to the grocery store.

For instance: Tonight I had on hand fresh zucchini, eggs, breadcrumbs. Doesn't sound like meal material. However, I Googled "baked breaded zucchini" and immediately an easy-to-follow recipe popped up that is promising to be satisfying and healthy.

My point is to use the internet as a tool in your everyday cooking. We have a computer and work desk in our kitchen area, and it's the best thing we've ever done. Even if you don't have a computer in your kitchen, using the internet for 'reverse' cooking is a lifesaver when going out to the grocery store just isn't going to happen.

Pasta with Sauce

OK.. so even cooks don't like to put a lot of thought into cooking sometimes. Here's yet another easy-on-the-cook and easy-on-the-budget meal that will fill up the family with minimal complaints. Most of the ingredients I just grabbed from my on-demand grocery story (hubby's garden).

Pasta with Tomato Sauce

1 cut up medium onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
20 oz. whole, canned tomatoes (with juice)
1/2 cup dry, red wine
Italian Seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

preheat large frying pan with some olive oil;

chop onion and saute for about 5-7 minutes or so

add garlic and zucchini and saute for another 2 minutes

add tomatoes with juice. Squish tomatoes with your hand to break down.

add remaining ingredients and let simmer for an hour or so.

Boil pasta according to directions. Drain pasta and serve with tomato sauce on top. Goes great with a green salad and cheesy bread.

Too Hot to Eat

Ever feel like ditching cooking when it's 100* plus outside? I certainly do. Salads are a main course in this household in the summertime. With all of the fresh veggies from the garden, why not? It's light but filling, and doesn't heat up the kitchen.

A lot of times I'll cook a couple of whole chickens on Sunday, and take the left overs for salads and sandwiches for the next few days. Why heat up the house and "cook" every night?

My husband tends to a vegetable garden and I'm fortunate to have fresh spinach, butter lettuce, and other types of greens in addition to green peppers, green onions, tomatoes, and zuchinni.

I will simply go out to the garden and bring in a bunch of veggies and wash them. I will toss them into a large salad bowl and top with any leftover meat, crumbled bacon, or whatever else I have on hand. If I have croutons, I will also toss those in as well. Done.

On the Road Again

Yup, it's traveling softball season again here in beautiful Northern California. We're playing in Davis/Dixon tomorrow, which is about 30 or so minutes west of Sacramento. What does this have to do with cooking? Well, not so much with cooking per se, but with planning on what to have when the team walks off the field, collapses onto the ground in the shade and asks, "What's to eat..... I'm STARVING!"

I went to the local grocery store and bought a few things. For the cooler tomorrow I have ready:

a vegetable platter with carrots, broccoli, jicama, red pepper, and celery complete with a ranch dip;

a stock of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches already made with the crusts cut off for fussy girls;)

cut up watermelon and bananas for a fruit snack along with a bunch of grapes;

plenty of water and other drinks to rehydrate the girls;

AND the insta-shade is packed along with a couple of blankets so the girls can relax in between games in the SHADE to keep cool (always a problem in the valley).

The point is a little anticipation and planning can make the difference between softball games and complete unorganized chaos when in an unfamiliar town and nary a grocery store or snack shack within miles. When a team of 13 girls looking to you as the 'team mom' for snacks and refreshments, at least with a little planning you'll have *something* in the cooler to tide them over.

Frantic Fajitas

It was a late one tonight. We didn't get home until about 9:00 PM. Of course, everybody was hungry. What to toss together quickly? hmmmmmmmm After a quick review of what I had on hand, the answer was frantic fajitas. I had some leftover tri tip steak in the frige, and I had some flour tortillas as well.

FRANTIC FAJITAS
Cut up leftover trip tip steak into strips (or use chicken or pork if that's what you have)
1 bag (appx 12-16 oz)of frozen bell pepper strips
1/2 large onion sliced
taco seasoning mix
canola oil
flour tortillias
shredded cheese
sour cream

Heat about 2 tablespoons oil on medium high heat into large fry pan. Add frozen bell pepper strips. Stir fry until unfrozen. Add onion and appx 1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix. Stir fry until vegetables just begin to caramelize. Add meat and mix together. Turn off heat.

Take your flour tortilla and nuke for a few seconds until warm. Add fajita mixture and top with shredded cheese and sour cream. Wrap up and enjoy!

Try to keep your pantry and freezer supplied with essentials. I try to keep frozen vegetables on hand. You won't believe how handy they are. I also try to keep my spice rack filled with my "must haves." The point is that by having some items on hand in the freezer and pantry, tossing together meals is a lot easier. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Pancakes and Potato Salad

OK...being I'm from the Midwest (Minnesota) I have some quirky food habits. I'll admit to putting ketchup on EVERYTHING. Here's something else for you to try. Try putting potato salad on your pancakes for breakfast. Sounds weird, but try it.

Sticky Honey Chicken Wings

Yes, we do a lot of BBQ's here in California. It's how we socialize. We love pleasant afternoons and evenings to sit around, eat, drink, etc. The kids will get a backyard game of something going, and sometimes we adults will join in as well. We were invited to a BBQ this afternoon, and I always ask what I should bring... hmmmmmmm....

These chicken wings are ALWAYS a hit. I have yet to bring home any leftovers. I got this recipe off the Food Network.

TYLER FLORENCE STICKY HONEY WINGS

2 pounds chicken wings
1 cup low sodium soy sauce,
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (substitute w/ flat-leafed parsley if you don't like cilantro)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup honey
Sesame seeds, for garnish

Rinse chicken wings and pat dry. Remove tip and discard; separate each wing at the joint into 2 pieces. Place wings in a shallow dish and pour over the soy sauce, ginger, cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice. Toss well to coat; marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours.

Remove wings from marinade and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. When the butter stops foaming, add the honey and chicken wings and fry until browned on each side, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking the wings, turning them over often to coat them as the glaze reduces. Cook until the wings are sticky and cooked through. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.