Fajitas with Roasted Peppers

I usually make fajitas in a skillet, with the usual onions, peppers, and chicken marinated in some worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, and sometimes a splash of lemon or lime juice. But today I had a lot of peppers that I thought I should cook all at the same time, so I decided to use our new grill again and roast them all. I thought maybe they'd end up being to mushy for the fajitas, but they were actually better than they usually are. I can never get them the perfect still crunchy but not raw texture you get when you go to a restaurant, they are always either undercooked or overcooked. So maybe for authentic fajitas you won't want to try it this way, but they were very tasty and I'd make them this way again.

I roasted the peppers whole on one side of the grill. When I've roasted them on the stove, I've done it over low heat, but that seemed to be taking too long so I turned it up to medium. They pop and blister as they cook, and you rotate them until they are blackened on all sides. I cooked some chicken breasts over high heat on the other side of the grill. Then I took everything inside, and went to the skillet. I sauteed an onion until transparent, then tossed in the chicken sliced into strips and added my usual marinade ingredients as seasonings. The peppers need to cool until you can handle them without burning yourself, then you rub off the blackened skin, cut and clean out the seeds, then slice into strips. I threw about a pepper and a half into the fajitas, and then put the rest in the freezer. I don't know if they freeze well this way. I read in a book that you can freeze them but I don't know if they need to be treated differently before freezing. I'll let you know after I use them out of the freezer.

Back to the fajitas, I just warmed everything through and served with whole wheat tortillas, cheese, and a green salad. I really really liked doing the peppers this way, because they were soft and sweet, but still had a little crunch. My husband is usually not a big fan of the peppers in the fajitas, but they were less overwhelming this way, so he didn't pick them out like he sometimes does. The chicken was not as flavorful this way, I think next time I'd marinate them like I usually do, before grilling them. But of course the chicken was what the kids ate. And tortillas with cheese.

BBQ

We just bought a grill. Actually we bought it a couple weeks ago, but we finally assembled it. My husband's all time favorite meal is hamburgers and french fries, so that was the main reason he wanted a grill, but we don't have air conditioning and I can't cook on hot summer days was my main reason. It hasn't been hot summer days yet, but we've already used it several times.

Our first bbq meal was chicken. My MIL always has moist tender bbq food, and her trick is to cook it over high heat to get the blackened grillmarks, and then bring it inside, pour bbq sauce over it, cover with foil, and continue cooking in the oven until cooked through. That way you get the bbq grilled taste, but also the moist, tender meat. However that defeats the can't-cook-on-hot-summer-days purpose of having the grill if you turn the oven on, so we cooked the chicken on high, then put it in a 9x13 covered with barbecue sauce and foil, and left it on the grill with the burner turned off on one side (the side with the pan), and closed the lid. It worked perfectly, except that I kept checking it which lets all the heat out, so it probably took longer than usual. I'll get used to using the grill and won't have that problem.

Best Ever Chicken and Almond Green Beans

I got this recipe at a recipe swap in college. I've recently become more aware of foods with high fructose corn syrup so I can avoid it, so when I made this I realized that the Worcestershire sauce had high fructose corn syrup. Do all Worcestershires have it or just this particular brand? If they all have it what could be used to substitute? Any ideas anyone? I don't know if I would call this chicken "best ever," but it is very good (and VERY EASY). And I couldn't think of a different name for it (except for Easiest Ever Chicken), so here is the recipe for Best Ever Chicken.

1 chicken breast for each person
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce

rice or mashed potatoes (I have always used rice)

Preheat oven to 425. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then brown each side in a skillet for approximately 5 minutes. (I didn't realize until I was typing this up that I forgot this step. So I would say browning is optional.) Begin cooking the rice so it will be done when the chicken is. Place chicken upside down in a pan big enough to hold them relatively close together. Douse with Worcestershire sauce. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, turn, and douse once more (although I forgot the second dousing as well). Cook for another 10 minutes or until done. Serve over the rice.

I also made some green beans. I just steamed them in the microwave with a little lemon juice and water, melted a little butter over them and tossed in some sliced almonds. They were a little discolored when they cooked, was that from the lemon juice or just the quality of the green beans? Anyone know? But I liked the lemon taste so maybe next time I'll squeeze in the lemon after I cook them and see what happens.

Ratings:

Another winner. I hope that I can find a better Worcestershire sauce so I can continue making this. Everyone, every single person in the family, ate this chicken. The green beans were not as popular, but I serve vegetables on principle even if no one wants them. I liked them of course.

Leftover Extravaganza

Maybe a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but not dinner. "Leftovers" has gotten a bad connotation, so if we are having the same meal as a previous day, I call it by its original name. That seems to help a little. But sometimes we have little servings of this or that leftover, not enough to feed everyone but too much to stay in my fridge taking up room. So I invented "Leftover Extravaganza." Which my kids think is really funny (because you have to kind of say it with a flourish). I usually try to add something new to the mix, like bake some bread or cornbread, throw together a fresh salad, or whatever the meal needs. These meals sometimes are even more popular than the originals since there are so many choices.

Tonight I pulled out the leftovers, and then made a tiny package of thin steaks I had in the freezer that wouldn't have made a whole meal on its own. Took about 7 minutes to cook. Done.

Butterflied Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

I haven't watched Oprah in years, but once a long time ago when I did, I saw Nigella Lawson teach Oprah how to make this recipe. At first I was intimidated by "butterflying" a chicken, but it is actually very easy, you just cut down both sides of the backbone so the chicken will lay flat. (And I don't have good knives or anything.) Then it takes about half the time to roast than if you left it whole. I'm sure you could substitute any kind of seasonings. I like to freeze it, then let it thaw for a couple days in the fridge so the flavors really get into the chicken. By the way, there is a mistake, an onion is listed in the ingredients and then they never tell you what to do with it! Just cut it in quarters and toss in the bag with everything else.

I also made some brown rice in the rice cooker, I threw in some dried onions and minced garlic. I sauteed some spinach with garlic which I like but don't expect much from others. We also had some watermelon.

Ratings:

I think we have a winner this time. Everyone ate everything (except spinach as predicted) except the 4YO didn't try the chicken. Even hubby ate the spinach, I'm not sure if it is because he liked it or if he just feels obligated to eat what I serve. I think it is because everything has such a mild taste that it went over well.

Spaghetti

I asked the kids what they wanted tonight and the answer was spaghetti. I won't even write how I made it, because is there anyone in the world who has never made spaghetti?!?!? Even my husband has made spaghetti, and that is saying something.

I used the Barilla Plus spaghetti because I like the more nutritional value as compared to regular spaghetti. I made my MIL's green beans, too. Not many options today, but that is what today was like.

Ratings:

Hubby wasn't home for dinner, and everyone else filled up on pasta with or without sauce. Since it was their request there were no complaints.

Taco Salad

I never know if this is a meal that people know of or if it is some invention of my family. Some people have never heard of it, but many people have their own version of it. I've heard it called taco soup, mexican spree, mexican haystacks, but the concept is basically the same. We use chips, and top it with chili, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and whatever toppings we like. This time I also used the leftover Spanish rice. Here I will include the recipe for the chili. I always make a gigantic batch, and then freeze leftovers in ziploc bags.

2 c. dried pinto beans
2 c. dried black beans
1 large onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeno (or other tomato product, or fresh)
2 T chili powder
2 T cumin
1 T oregano

Rinse beans and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and put the lid on and leave to soak for 1-24 hours. (It is not necessary to soak the beans this way, but if you do not soak it will take about 20-30 minutes longer to cook them.) Drain and rinse beans again, then add water just to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for about one hour, adding more water if it gets dry. Add remaining ingredients (of course everything to taste) and simmer until onion is soft, about half an hour.

I've found that the only way to know if beans are really done is to taste them. I fish out one pinto and one black to see if they are at all mealy, and if they are I keep on cooking. If the chili is too watery, I add a can of refried beans or just get my potato masher and mash a bunch of the beans until it thickens up.

Ratings:

Everyone loves this, partly because you can put whatever you want on top. Meals that you can assemble yourself are good for picky families. Only the 4YO cannot be convinced to eat the chili, so we make her eat some vegetables before she has more "chips with cheese." Everyone else does pretty well balancing their own meal.

Easy Burritos

Tonight we needed a portable dinner again. It was very simple, but each ingredient had a reason why I chose it so I'll mention each one. I've made all of these things from scratch except the cheese, and homemade is healthier, but on a day like today not practical.

Tortillas: tricky because most are made with shortening or lard, neither of which are healthy. I find that the namebrand, healthy-version tortillas don't taste very good, so I usually find better ones at Trader Joe's. This time I had Trader Joe's Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas.

Refried Beans: I've noticed that the vegetarian version has no trans fats, while the nonfat version does. It is less than 1/2 g per serving, therefore they can call it nonfat, but if you read the ingredients it is there.

Spanish Rice: I used a package here, too. I "dilute" it by adding the same amount of plain rice and doubling the water, so there is less sodium and other additivies per serving, and I don't notice much difference in flavor.

Cheese: I wish there were a healthy substitute for cheese! I used sharp cheddar, because with the sharper flavor you don't need to use as much, therefore less fat (and horomones which are carried in the fat. Even if you buy organic cheese, there are natural horomones), and I also found a reduced fat version that is made with 2% instead of whole milk. It is a tad healthier, but it really would be better not to eat it. But it is just so yummy.

So that was it. I made the rice in my rice cooker, warmed up the tortillas, so the warm tortillas and warm rice were enough to warm up the beans and cheese since they were sitting wrapped up for about 45 minutes before we got to them. I took along some apples and oranges also.

Ratings:

Me: It really doesn't matter what it tastes like when it is this easy. But they tasted good to boot.

Hubby: Yay! I actually got a compliment on dinner tonight! He really liked them. As usual, there is a reverse correlation between the time and effort invested and how much they are appreciated.

5YO: Opted for a grilled cheese sandwich when we got home. He asked why we didn't have pizza again this time. Maybe we will start doing Friday night pizza.

4YO: She only ate the fruit.

1YO: Since I had carefully planned to have a portable meal, he opened his burrito and ate the rice with his hands. I tried to show him how to eat it the right way, but he just pushed me away and ate his way. TWO of them.

Sweet Potato Hash

Tonight I made Sweet Potato Hash and spinach salad. They don't really "go" together, but I have lots of spinach. The hash is one of my all time favorite recipes. I don't even know why. It is just so good. It is from Rachael Ray, her recipe title is much longer.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_31461,00.html

I leave out the jalapeno and the cheese, just because there are so many flavors in this dish that you really don't miss them. I sometimes leave out other things too, like the tomatoes if I don't have any. Sometimes I make it with my homemade turkey sausage, but tonight I used a package (at least it is reduced fat!) so I'll save that recipe for later. I scramble the eggs, just because it is easier.

Ratings:

Me: The sweet potatoes are just sweet and creamy and yummy and the fresh herbs are so tasty. Like Rachael suggests, I eat the leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I don't get tired of it.

Hubby: He usually eats this without too much trouble, but tonight he had a very very small helping. Oh well, obviously this is one of my favorites, not his.

5YO: He chose to eat 2 bananas and an apple instead of what I made for dinner.

4YO: Ate the eggs with ketchup, and got very excited about the "leaves" in the salad. She ended up eating several "leaves."

1YO: Didn't like the "leaf" his sister gave him, but he liked the eggs.

Pancakes

As I suspected, I didn't want to do much cooking after last weekend. We ate leftovers one day, and then pancakes. And then the next day my husband had a dinner meeting so we had MORE pancakes!

Pancakes doesn't really merit a post, but I do use my own recipe that has whole grains and we use fruit, yogurt, applesauce, or low sugar jam on top so that it is healthier. (When they go to grandma and grandpa's house the kids always ask for white pancakes with syrup, even if it isn't breakfast time! I'm such a mean mom.)

I make this mix in a gallon size ziplock bag and it is so fast. You can mix up a batch before the griddle is hot.

10 c. whole grains (I generally use 6 c. whole wheat flour and 4 c. rolled oats)
3 c. powdered milk
1/3 c. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar

To make pancakes:

1 c. mix
1 egg
2 T. oil
3/4 c. water

I also like to add wheat germ and ground flaxseed, so I just use extra water to give it the right consistency. So easy.

Ratings:

Me: I need a new frying pan! I have to spray the pan between each pancake, and even then sometimes I have a mess stuck to the bottom. But dinner doesn't get much easier than this. They were very filling, and I had mine with blueberries.

Hubby: I know he doesn't feel like they are a real dinner, but at least he only had it one night instead of two. I've finally weaned him off eating his pancakes with ice cream. Why eat a whole wheat pancake if you put ice cream on it?

5YO: Pancakes and blueberries. He likes his blueberries still frozen. He calls them "crystals."

4YO: She had her pancakes with honey. I used to be able to avoid too sugary toppings until grandma and grandpa spoiled them. She played with blueberries, not sure how many she actually ate.

1YO: Pancakes and blueberries. Now he has purple fingers.

Lasagna and Homemade Bread

We had friends over for dinner so again I had to make a big batch of something. I made a big lasagna, homemade bread, and green salad. I think after this weekend I won't cook for a few days!

I make lasagna different everytime I make it. Actually, lately I haven't made real lasagna because I don't like using regular pasta with no nutritional value. I use a multigrain pasta (like Barilla Plus) but they don't have lasagna noodles, so I just use other shaped pasta and make a sort of lasagna casserole. But since we had invited friends I didn't want to serve too many of my unusual foods. I used regular lasagna noodles. This time I sauteed onions and garlic with ground turkey, and used a jar of marinara sauce. I don't bother to cook the noodles first, I just water down the sauce to make sure there is enough moisture. I put a layer of fresh spinach in it, and cottage cheese mixed with an egg. Simple. Cheap. They took seconds so it must have been okay.

The bread I try to make pretty often. It is easy, and healthier and cheaper than store bought bread. My 4YO loves it, she calls it "pan pan gran pan" (great big bread) from a book we read. I just mix it in my kitchen aid mixer. The original recipe called for half whole wheat half white, but I experimented a lot and actually like this ratio better.

1 1/2 T yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c honey
2 t salt
2 T oil
4 c whole wheat flour
2 1/4 c flour


Dissolve the yeast, water, and honey. Add the salt, oil, and whole wheat flour, mix well. Add 2 cups of the white flour and knead for 6-8 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining flour. Divide the dough in half and put into two loaf pans sprayed with non-stick spray. Spray the top of the loaf also, and put into an oven preheated to 225 and turn oven off. Leave in oven for 20-30 minutes until double. Then do not open oven, turn on to 350 and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.


Ratings:


Me: I liked it, except I ran out of foil so the cheese got a little too toasty. The bread was a little crumbly, but the 4YO was helping me pour in the ingredients so it is not surprising that it wasn't exactly right.

Hubby: I think I did okay on this one. He ate it and even took leftovers to work.

5YO: Didn't want lasagna. Doesn't know what he's missing out on.

4YO: Same. But she loved the pan pan gran pan.

1YO: He liked the meat, but left the cheesy part and the big pieces of noodle. He ate the small noodle pieces, so it was probably a chewing issue.

Mexican Lasagna and Green Beans

Tonight I had to make dinner to take to a neighbor who just had a baby, so I decided on this because it was easy to make a huge batch. This recipe also from Robin Miller, you use the leftover chicken from Garlic-Lime Chicken I made a couple days ago, but I made some substitutions in order to make a big batch. Here is her recipe for Mexican Lasagna, that is not really mexican and not really lasagna, but it still tastes good.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33070,00.html

I forgot to mention that I didn't include the olives in the other recipe, so I added a can of sliced black olives. I also added drained cans of black beans and white beans, so I could double the recipe without doubling the chicken. I substituted plain fat free yogurt for the sour cream. (I know you kill all the good bacteria when you cook it, but fat free sour cream has a bunch of unnatural additives in it so I prefer yogurt.) I also substituted a can of diced tomatoes with chiles for the salsa, and a can of green salsa for the chiles. Because that is what I had in the cupboard.

The green beans are a recipe from my MIL, I don't know where she got it, but she always serves it at holiday meals and it is always a hit. I didn't know canned green beans could taste so good. Although I can never make it quite as good as she does.

1 can green beans (or fresh, today I used fresh)
1/2 c. chicken broth
a few tablespoons olive oil
a few tablespoons vinegar
oregano
pepper
Mrs. Dash

Simmer everything together until heated through. This is one of those recipes that tastes better the longer it sits, so even make it the day before if you can.

Ratings:

Me: The lasagna was good and filling. It was a little too watery, maybe from the diced tomatoes since you can't really drain the can without losing everything. I just can't do storebought salsa anymore--my MIL's fault (she is from Mexico and makes unbelievable homemade salsa). Maybe I should keep some on hand just for this recipe. The green beans were better than sometimes, because I used fresh, and I let it simmer for awhile, then I turned off the heat and just left them there for a couple hours until dinner was ready.

Hubby: I think he actually liked this. Either that or he was famished.

5YO: He tasted it, liked it, ate it, asked for more, and then said it tasted like dirt. I ought to teach him respectful table manners. He filled up on some pineapple my MIL brought over.

4YO: Ate the leftover pizza from last night and some sliced cucumbers. She was happy.

1YO: Loved it. Ate two bowls full, even after eating apples and oranges right before dinner. Either he has much better eating habits than his big brother and sister, or he just hasn't learned to talk yet.

Friday Night Pizza

Lately I've heard of several families who have pizza every Friday night, and I always think, every Friday? Don't they get tired of it? Well, I'm not on a strict pizza schedule yet, but my husband asked me to make more of the kids' favorite meals so we've definitely had it more often than usual. Check out how I cut the pizza in a rectangular cookie sheet so they look like slices from a round pizza. Which of course makes a difference for kids.

Tonight we had to be somewhere at 6:30, so I made pizza in order to have a portable meal. With baby carrots and steamed broccoli it was much healthier than the other option--fast food. I use some whole wheat in the crust (I've experimented with more and it just makes the crust too heavy and the flavor not bad, but not like pizza.), and we steer clear of greasy toppings. I love piling on the veggies, but if I do that I'm the only one eating it. (I still do sometimes.) I just use canned pizza sauce (and freeze in a ziploc bag what I don't use) so it is a pretty simple meal, as long as I start early enough for the dough to rise.

1/2 T. yeast

1 1/4 c. warm water

1/2 t. salt

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 c. flour

Let the yeast dissolve in the warm (not hot) water. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead them for a few minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and oil the outside with olive oil. Cover and let rise for one hour. Punch it down. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, sprinkle with a little cornmeal (don't worry about making an even layer, it gets spread out when you press the dough into the pan). Stretch and press the dough into the pan with your hands. Add sauce and toppings to taste. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes on the bottom rack.

Ratings:

Me: I try not to eat too much cheese because it is high in saturated fat, but it just tastes so good. I just tried to balance it out by eating a lot of broccoli.

Hubby: He liked the pizza and ate some carrots, but said the broccoli was stinky.

5YO: Was very excited, ate two pieces, and carrots.

4YO: Same as big brother.

1YO: Chewing is an issue, so he couldn't eat much pizza, but he also ate broccoli with me.

Garlic-Lime Chicken and Potato Salad

How long do hard-boiled eggs last in the fridge? Hopefully since Easter until now. Note to self: Don't make 18 eggs next year.

This is my mom's recipe for Potato Salad Dressing.

2 T sugar
1 T flour
1/4 t. paprika
1/2 t dry mustard
1/4 c. vinegar or pickle juice
1/4 c. water
1 egg
1/2 t salt
pepper to taste
1 1/2 T canola oil

Whisk over very low heat until thickened. Add some dry minced onions. (Although I didn't have any today.) Mix with equal(ish) amount of mayonnaise. I use Smart Balance mayonnaise, it is not lowfat, but it is made with healthier oils compared to other mayos.

Everyone has their preferences about potato salad. I like black olives in mine, but my family does not so I leave them out. Also, not that potato salad is healthy, but I try to only make potato dishes where I can leave the skins on where most of the nutrients are. Here's how I made it today.

8-10 red, gold, and blue potatoes (I saw them at Trader Joe's and thought it would be fun to try. They taste like...potatoes.) cubed and boiled, skins on.
6 Easter eggs, cubed
2 stalks of celery, diced (including the leafy part that is the most flavorful, learned that trick from Rachael Ray)
1 dill pickle, diced

Mix everything with the salad dressing and chill for several hours. (Especially if you use the dry onions, give them plenty of time to absorb moisture or they will be crunchy.)

We had the potato salad with carrot sticks and Robin Miller's Garlic-Lime Chicken. This chicken has a great flavor, and you also use the leftovers with her Mexican Lasagna recipe that I'll be making on Saturday. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33067,00.html

Ratings:
I had to leave for a meeting before everyone ate, so you'll only get my review today.

The potato salad was nice and creamy, but just a little bland. It needs more pickles, or maybe some green onions since I didn't use dried. (But of course I used up my green onions in yesterday's stir fry.) The chicken was very yummy. I like recipes that keep the chicken moist like this. Do you think this recipe would turn out well in a crock pot? I used more cumin than the recipe called for just because I really like cumin.

Stir Fry Surprise

The good thing about stir fry is you don't have to measure anything and the ingredients are flexible. That is why I call it surprise, because it depends what I have in the fridge that needs using up. Today it was green onions and shrimp. A couple things I think make a big difference--sesame oil and cilantro. Don't skip those. Everything else substitute liberally.

This is how I made it tonight (the measurements are approximate), and then I'll give you my family's ratings.

4 c. jasmine rice

Cook according to package directions or in a rice cooker.

1/2 lb. shrimp

small box of tofu

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. soy sauce

Stir together and set aside to marinate while you're cooking the rest of it.

A few tablespoons oil--some sesame, some canola (sesame oil has a very strong flavor so you don't want to overdo it, and canola oil heats to a higher temperature than other oils like olive oil. High temperature is key to stir frying.)

1/3 head cabbage, shredded

1/4 c. chicken broth

Saute the cabbage over high heat for just a couple minutes, until it gets a little soft around the edges. Then pour on the chicken broth, not even to cover, and let it simmer until it is mostly evaporated and the cabbage is soft. Remove cabbage to serving plate.

1 carrot, shredded

1 bunch green onions, sliced

2 big handfuls bean sprouts

After the pan has heated up again (add a little more oil if there isn't enough moisture left from the cabbage), add the remaining vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Remove to serving plate with the cabbage. Add the soy sauce mixture and heat through. Toss everything together. Sprinkle a handful of chopped cilantro over the top. Serve over the rice.

Ratings:

Me--Better than some stir fries I've made, because I didn't let myself overcook the vegetables. I stopped cooking before I thought they were done, and they were just right. The shrimp was a little too salty but still edible, probably because it had salt added and then it sat in the soy sauce. If I'd used chicken or just tofu it would have been fine, or just tossed the shrimp in at the end.

Hubby--Ate a whole plateful without a comment. Probably means he could stand it but didn't love it. (He is very picky and asian food is not his favorite.)

5YO--Tasted the vegetables, made gagging noises and played dead. Ate his rice with bbq sauce on it.

4YO--Ate 3 platefuls of rice (no bbq) but didn't touch the vegetables I put on her plate because the bean sprouts looked like worms.

1YO--Two thumbs used as utinsels up. He ate 3 bowls of rice and vegetables.