Hello! I just made a delicious lunch in less than 10 minutes and wanted to share this one with you. My local grocery store had a discount on "cubed steak" at $1.99 per pound, so I picked up a package of 4 steaks. A low quality, high fat content portion of beef, can be placed in a cubing machine which spikes the steak/beef into a pattern thus grinding down the fat and tenderizing the beef. Try this fast sandwich version or one of the options below and enjoy!
SAFETY TIP: When cooking with hot oil, keep a box of baking powder or cup of milk in reach of the stove top or heated oil. Should a fire break out, cover the flame with baking soda first, as it is easier to clean up. If that doesn't work, pour milk over the oil/grease fire to smother the flame. Do not turn the heat source off unless you can reach the stove dial safely and be away from the flame.
Happy Steak Wrap
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 cubed steak patties ( each about the size of the palm of your hand)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 TBSP olive oil
1 ripe avocado
1 medium ripe tomato
4 Oz. pre-packaged salad
4 slices multi-grain flat bread
Preparation
Child: Measure the olive oil and pour into a frying pan or 12 inch saute pan
Parent or child over 12: Turn the heat source under the pan to high heat and cook oil for 3 minutes
Child: Sprinkle pepper and garlic powder on both sides of the steaks
Parent: Using cooking tongs, place each of the 4 steaks into the hot pan. (Watch out for splattering oil!) Cook steaks 4 minutes on each side, for a rare steak. 6 minutes per side for medium.
TIP: If you have a splatter guard, which looks like a round screen with long handle, cover your steaks while cooking.
Child over 12 or parent: Wash, core and slice tomato into 4 round slices, then cut each slice in half so you have 8 pieces of tomato
Parent: Take avocado in your left palm if you are right handed. Place the knife blade flat and make a vertical slice into the avocado from top to bottom on both sides of the avocado. Place knife down.and with both hands, gentle twist the avocado and pull gently apart. One half will hold the pit, the other will be pit free. Take your knife and cut a tic tac toe board design into the meat of the avocado on both halves, then scoop out the meat with your spoon.
Child: Place one slice of flat bread or pita on each of the four plates
Child: Place an equal amount of avocado and two tomato halves in the center of each bread slice
Parent: Remove the cooked steaks from the frying pan and place the steaks on a cutting board to rest 2 minutes. Slice the steaks at a 30* angle and then with your tongs, put the steak slices on top of your tomato and avocado in the center of your bread slice.
Child: Place an equal amount of pre-package lettuce leaves or tossed salad mix on top of the steak.
All: Roll the bread slices up and eat!
TIP: If you want to play with flavors, try 1 oz of low cal Italian dressing, or low fat ranch dressing, or a spoonful of salsa. Keep this really healthy by adding a splash of balsamic vinegar instead!
Options:
1. Pan fry onion or mushroom slices in with the steak. Finish the wrap by topping the salad with shredded low fat Mexican blend or pizza cheese.
2. You can substitute a 4 ounce chicken breast instead of the steak. Just increase to cooking time. Cook 6 minutes on each side, then slice into strips and continue to cook the chicken strips another 8 minutes, until all pink color has been removed, or when your meat thermometer reaches 165*F in the thickest part of the thickest slice.
3. You can substitute cabbage salad and Asian pea pods for the lettuce and garnish with 2 oz. of sliced almonds, a tsp of sesame seeds and an ounce of Asian Ginger dressing.
I hope you have a super week and that you and your family remember that fast and fun sandwiches don't have to be unhealthy nitrate ridden deli meats, or something from a drive thru window.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Pork Loin- Options you can enjoy!
Welcome back! I hope you and your family are enjoying the recipes and fun activities around cooking and food. I welcome the fact that many of you are sharing my Blog with your friends and relatives. You don't have to be a single parent to follow the Blog. I started it for single parents, yet realize that many people want fun ways to prepare food and involve their children.Today we are going to work with a pork loin. This should give you a few recipes to prepare, that taste great and don't take a lot of work. Pork comes from farm raised pigs. You can discuss farming, and the pig in general. You can look up pig farmers on Google and watch videos on raising pigs. I do not suggest you watch the videos where pigs end their lives and become a food source unless your children are teen aged and can handle the stark reality. There are many foods prepared from a pig and knowing that it's just not bacon is important.Let's dive in!
Butchering a pork loin- you can pay a lot of money buying pork chops, with a bone in or out, center cut or not. I suggest that you buy a pork loin. A pork loin with out a bone is what I prefer, so I am not paying for the weight of the bone. I'm paying for the weight of the meat and some fat that is helpful in adding flavor. Place the pork loin on your cutting board, fat side up and visualize a measuring ruler runs along the edge of your cutting board. Slowing draw your sharp knife across the top of the fat, marking a line in the fat every 1 inch, until you have marked 4 inch chops. Now cut a light mark 2 inches apart, twice, so you have marked for 2 chops 2 inch thick. You can now cut threw each mark and yield 4 equal sized 1 inch pork chops, and 2 each of 2 inch thick chops. You notice the loin has an end that is left odd shaped or at an angle when you marked off the cutting lines, you have the remaining section as a pork loin roast. Be sure to leave the fat on, for moisture and flavor. Done? Now wash your knife carefully with HOT soapy water, your cutting board and your hands thoroughly. Let the knife and cutting board air dry.
NOTE TO YOU FOLLOWERS- a pork TENDERLOIN is different than what I am cooking with today. A TENDERLOIN is much smaller, thinner and can be sauced with anything, from soy, teriyaki, BBQ, orange marmelade, ginger, jerk, or lemon pepper sauce, then baked for 30 minutes at 350* or internal temperature to 165*F, sliced and served with a starch and vegetable. We are not using a pork TENDERLOIN. Althogh you now have a few cool ways to prepare them when they go on sale.
Version 1
Pork Chops
Child- Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray over the sink, always
Parent- wash a bunch of asparagus, 3 per person, and cut and remove one half inch off of the bottom of each stalk and discard. This leaves you with a stalk and the tips intact.
Child- place the asparagus in the bottom of the baking dish, lined up like soldiers.
Child- sprinkle 1 tsp. garlic powder, ground fresh black pepper, onion salt and fresh or dried basil leaves on top of your asparagus.
Child- turn the oven on 400% F to pre-heat the oven
Child- Place 1 pork chop per person directly on top of the asparagus.
Parent- slowly and gently dribble a little bit of olive oil over the pork chop.
Child- rub the olive oil gently into each pork chop
Parent- Lightly sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on top of pork chops
Parent- place the dish of pork chops into the 400*F oven and bake 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 160*F. You may have seen that light pink pork is now popular in restaurants. You may not like that, so you can cook until the internal temperature is 170*. Cooking more than 170*F is not healthy.
Parent- Remove chops from the oven and allow to rest in the hot dish for 5 minutes. With tongs or a fork, plate the pork chop and criss cross the asparagus on top of the chop. Serve with 3 ounces of your favorite starch.
Substitutions- you can substitute SAGE as a seasoning, instead of basil. You can substitute slices of fresh 1/4 inch thick cut apple, pear, broccolini, silver dollar sliced zucchini or sweet potato instead of the asparagus. You can brush the pork loin with teriyaki sauce instead of the olive oil. You can also substitute Italian salad dressing or low fat Catalina salad dressing for the olive oil. Also, never forget, the good old Shake N Bake in a bag. Kids love to help and it does make a good pork chop, if you just follow package directions.
Feel like upscaling this? Maybe you have a date coming over to the house? Follow the original recipe, yet with 20 minutes into cooking, remove the pork chops and cover, each chop with 3 sun dried tomato slices and one slice of pre-cut provolone cheese. Place back into the oven for the remaining 10 minutes.
Version 2
2 inch Stuffed Pork Loin Chop
Parent- Heat a frying pan with 2 TBSP of olive oil on medium heat.
Parent or child over 12- Add a 10 oz. bag of fresh spinach, a half an onion small dice and 1 clove of garlic or a tsp of minced prepared garlic. With tongs, lift and flip to get all ingredients cooking.
Child- Measure and then add 1 tsp of each, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano thyme and basil.
Parent- Cook on high heat on your stove top for 5 minutes.
Child- Add 1/2 cup of washed fresh mushroom slices, diced small. Cook another 5 minutes.
Parent- Drain all liquid off by pouring mushroom/spinach mixture into a colander.
Parent- Take the two inch cut pork loin chops and cut a pocket into the middle of each 2 inch chop 3/4 way through, starting at the side opposite the fat. You do this by poking a sharp knife into the middle of the pork chop's thin side and slowly pushing in, moving the knife slowly back and forth, you create a slit.
Parent- Remove the cooked drained vegetables with a spoon, and stuff the vegetable mixture inside the pork chop slit. It will not all fit, that's ok. Some will hang out of your slit/pocket, no worries!
Child with Parental guidance- Cut up 2 string cheese rolls into thin buttons and also stuff them in with the vegetables.
Child- Pre-heat oven to 400*F
Parent or Child- Wrap 2 strips of bacon around the exterior stuffed chop so the ends of the bacon are on the bottom of the chop.
Child- Spray a baking dish with a non stick spray and place the pork chops into the baking dish, bacon ends side down, or else the bacon will curl up when cooking.
Parent- Place the baking dish in a 400*F pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Parent or child over 12- Remove dish from the oven and rest on a pot holder on a level counter or table top.
Child- Pour one jar of pizza quick sauce on top to cover all chops.
Parent or child over 12- With a hot glove or oven mitt, return the baking dish to oven and bake at 400*F for an additional 15 minutes.
Parent- Remove the baking dish and allow to rest until the pasta is cooked.
Child over 12- Measure and bring 4 cups of water, 1 TBSP of olive oil and a TBSP of salt to boil.
Parent or child over 12- Add 1/4 of the box of pasta for each 2 people being served a chop.
Parent- Cook thin angel hair spaghetti for 8 minutes, stirring in a figure 8 to avoid sticking.
Parent- Drain pasta into a colander and plate the pasta on a dinner plate.
Parent or child over 12- Cover each plate of pasta with a stuffed pork chop and cover the pork chop with sauce and any vegetable stuffing that fell out.
All- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with a side of tossed salad or slices of fresh Roma tomato and fresh basil leaf sprig.
Substitutions- You can substitute pork flavored stove top stuffing instead of the vegetable stuffing. Follow stove top directions on the box. You can substitute a jar of mushroom gravy instead of the pizza sauce so your stuffing and chop will retain moisture. You can substitute a buttered yolk-free noodle with your stuffed pork chop and mushroom gravy, so you have an American inspired meal instead of Italian inspired meal.
Version 3
Pork Loin Roast
Child- Measure then rub 1 TBSP of olive oil or canola oil all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Measure then sprinkle 1 TBSP of garlic powder and ground black pepper all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Measure then rub 1/2 cup of Dijon Mustard all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Pre-heat oven to 400*F
Child or parent- spray a glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
Child- Measure and pour 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese into a large bowl large enough to fit your roast.
Parent- roll your mustard glazed loin roast in the grated cheese to try to get the entire exterior covered
Parent- Place the cheese covered loin roast in the sprayed baking dish
Parent- Place the roast in the 400*F oven for 40 minutes
Child- Get 10 oz bag of pretzel sticks and place bag inside large zip lock type bag and close bag.
Child- squeeze, squish and smack the bag to break up the pretzels into crumbs
Parent- remove loin roast after 40 minutes and sprinkle to coat the exterior of the loin roast with pretzel crumbs. Pile it on, its ok.
Parent- Return roast to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
Parent- Remove roast from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
All-Serve with 90 second brown rice or microwave vegetables of your choice.
Substitutions- You can omit the mustard, cheese and pretzels and just add cinnamon apple sauce at the time the pretzels were to be added. You can omit the mustard, cheese and pretzels and just roast the loin with the seasonings. You can substitute teriyaki, Caribbean Jerk or BBQ sauce for the mustard, cheese and pretzels.
I am excited to hear back from you about your adventure into butchering and cooking various meals with a pork loin. Take your time with the knife, and know that you can always cook and eat your mistakes, so don't be too serious. Have fun, build confidence in the kitchen and share that with your family.
Thanks again for sharing your time with me. Until next time.....Be the best person you can be, always!
Butchering a pork loin- you can pay a lot of money buying pork chops, with a bone in or out, center cut or not. I suggest that you buy a pork loin. A pork loin with out a bone is what I prefer, so I am not paying for the weight of the bone. I'm paying for the weight of the meat and some fat that is helpful in adding flavor. Place the pork loin on your cutting board, fat side up and visualize a measuring ruler runs along the edge of your cutting board. Slowing draw your sharp knife across the top of the fat, marking a line in the fat every 1 inch, until you have marked 4 inch chops. Now cut a light mark 2 inches apart, twice, so you have marked for 2 chops 2 inch thick. You can now cut threw each mark and yield 4 equal sized 1 inch pork chops, and 2 each of 2 inch thick chops. You notice the loin has an end that is left odd shaped or at an angle when you marked off the cutting lines, you have the remaining section as a pork loin roast. Be sure to leave the fat on, for moisture and flavor. Done? Now wash your knife carefully with HOT soapy water, your cutting board and your hands thoroughly. Let the knife and cutting board air dry.
NOTE TO YOU FOLLOWERS- a pork TENDERLOIN is different than what I am cooking with today. A TENDERLOIN is much smaller, thinner and can be sauced with anything, from soy, teriyaki, BBQ, orange marmelade, ginger, jerk, or lemon pepper sauce, then baked for 30 minutes at 350* or internal temperature to 165*F, sliced and served with a starch and vegetable. We are not using a pork TENDERLOIN. Althogh you now have a few cool ways to prepare them when they go on sale.
Version 1
Pork Chops
Child- Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray over the sink, always
Parent- wash a bunch of asparagus, 3 per person, and cut and remove one half inch off of the bottom of each stalk and discard. This leaves you with a stalk and the tips intact.
Child- place the asparagus in the bottom of the baking dish, lined up like soldiers.
Child- sprinkle 1 tsp. garlic powder, ground fresh black pepper, onion salt and fresh or dried basil leaves on top of your asparagus.
Child- turn the oven on 400% F to pre-heat the oven
Child- Place 1 pork chop per person directly on top of the asparagus.
Parent- slowly and gently dribble a little bit of olive oil over the pork chop.
Child- rub the olive oil gently into each pork chop
Parent- Lightly sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on top of pork chops
Parent- place the dish of pork chops into the 400*F oven and bake 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 160*F. You may have seen that light pink pork is now popular in restaurants. You may not like that, so you can cook until the internal temperature is 170*. Cooking more than 170*F is not healthy.
Parent- Remove chops from the oven and allow to rest in the hot dish for 5 minutes. With tongs or a fork, plate the pork chop and criss cross the asparagus on top of the chop. Serve with 3 ounces of your favorite starch.
Substitutions- you can substitute SAGE as a seasoning, instead of basil. You can substitute slices of fresh 1/4 inch thick cut apple, pear, broccolini, silver dollar sliced zucchini or sweet potato instead of the asparagus. You can brush the pork loin with teriyaki sauce instead of the olive oil. You can also substitute Italian salad dressing or low fat Catalina salad dressing for the olive oil. Also, never forget, the good old Shake N Bake in a bag. Kids love to help and it does make a good pork chop, if you just follow package directions.
Feel like upscaling this? Maybe you have a date coming over to the house? Follow the original recipe, yet with 20 minutes into cooking, remove the pork chops and cover, each chop with 3 sun dried tomato slices and one slice of pre-cut provolone cheese. Place back into the oven for the remaining 10 minutes.
Version 2
2 inch Stuffed Pork Loin Chop
Parent- Heat a frying pan with 2 TBSP of olive oil on medium heat.
Parent or child over 12- Add a 10 oz. bag of fresh spinach, a half an onion small dice and 1 clove of garlic or a tsp of minced prepared garlic. With tongs, lift and flip to get all ingredients cooking.
Child- Measure and then add 1 tsp of each, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano thyme and basil.
Parent- Cook on high heat on your stove top for 5 minutes.
Child- Add 1/2 cup of washed fresh mushroom slices, diced small. Cook another 5 minutes.
Parent- Drain all liquid off by pouring mushroom/spinach mixture into a colander.
Parent- Take the two inch cut pork loin chops and cut a pocket into the middle of each 2 inch chop 3/4 way through, starting at the side opposite the fat. You do this by poking a sharp knife into the middle of the pork chop's thin side and slowly pushing in, moving the knife slowly back and forth, you create a slit.
Parent- Remove the cooked drained vegetables with a spoon, and stuff the vegetable mixture inside the pork chop slit. It will not all fit, that's ok. Some will hang out of your slit/pocket, no worries!
Child with Parental guidance- Cut up 2 string cheese rolls into thin buttons and also stuff them in with the vegetables.
Child- Pre-heat oven to 400*F
Parent or Child- Wrap 2 strips of bacon around the exterior stuffed chop so the ends of the bacon are on the bottom of the chop.
Child- Spray a baking dish with a non stick spray and place the pork chops into the baking dish, bacon ends side down, or else the bacon will curl up when cooking.
Parent- Place the baking dish in a 400*F pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Parent or child over 12- Remove dish from the oven and rest on a pot holder on a level counter or table top.
Child- Pour one jar of pizza quick sauce on top to cover all chops.
Parent or child over 12- With a hot glove or oven mitt, return the baking dish to oven and bake at 400*F for an additional 15 minutes.
Parent- Remove the baking dish and allow to rest until the pasta is cooked.
Child over 12- Measure and bring 4 cups of water, 1 TBSP of olive oil and a TBSP of salt to boil.
Parent or child over 12- Add 1/4 of the box of pasta for each 2 people being served a chop.
Parent- Cook thin angel hair spaghetti for 8 minutes, stirring in a figure 8 to avoid sticking.
Parent- Drain pasta into a colander and plate the pasta on a dinner plate.
Parent or child over 12- Cover each plate of pasta with a stuffed pork chop and cover the pork chop with sauce and any vegetable stuffing that fell out.
All- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with a side of tossed salad or slices of fresh Roma tomato and fresh basil leaf sprig.
Substitutions- You can substitute pork flavored stove top stuffing instead of the vegetable stuffing. Follow stove top directions on the box. You can substitute a jar of mushroom gravy instead of the pizza sauce so your stuffing and chop will retain moisture. You can substitute a buttered yolk-free noodle with your stuffed pork chop and mushroom gravy, so you have an American inspired meal instead of Italian inspired meal.
Version 3
Pork Loin Roast
Child- Measure then rub 1 TBSP of olive oil or canola oil all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Measure then sprinkle 1 TBSP of garlic powder and ground black pepper all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Measure then rub 1/2 cup of Dijon Mustard all over the exterior of the loin roast
Child- Pre-heat oven to 400*F
Child or parent- spray a glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
Child- Measure and pour 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese into a large bowl large enough to fit your roast.
Parent- roll your mustard glazed loin roast in the grated cheese to try to get the entire exterior covered
Parent- Place the cheese covered loin roast in the sprayed baking dish
Parent- Place the roast in the 400*F oven for 40 minutes
Child- Get 10 oz bag of pretzel sticks and place bag inside large zip lock type bag and close bag.
Child- squeeze, squish and smack the bag to break up the pretzels into crumbs
Parent- remove loin roast after 40 minutes and sprinkle to coat the exterior of the loin roast with pretzel crumbs. Pile it on, its ok.
Parent- Return roast to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
Parent- Remove roast from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
All-Serve with 90 second brown rice or microwave vegetables of your choice.
Substitutions- You can omit the mustard, cheese and pretzels and just add cinnamon apple sauce at the time the pretzels were to be added. You can omit the mustard, cheese and pretzels and just roast the loin with the seasonings. You can substitute teriyaki, Caribbean Jerk or BBQ sauce for the mustard, cheese and pretzels.
I am excited to hear back from you about your adventure into butchering and cooking various meals with a pork loin. Take your time with the knife, and know that you can always cook and eat your mistakes, so don't be too serious. Have fun, build confidence in the kitchen and share that with your family.
Thanks again for sharing your time with me. Until next time.....Be the best person you can be, always!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Happy Crab Cakes
Hello! Crab cakes can be happy, not crabby and kids can enjoy making these fun cakes with you. You can also talk about where crabs live, the types of meat crabs give us and also add exercise to the process while crab walking around the house! I got my first taste of crab cakes at a restaurant named Bushes in Sea Isle City, NJ and I have been hooked ever since. I couldn't wait to get older to figure out what was in those delectable cakes. Here is my recipe. I hope you and your family enjoys!
HAPPY CRAB CAKES
Ingredients
2- 8 oz, containers fresh lump crab meat, drained
1 TBSP- red bell pepper diced small
1 TBSP- yellow onion, diced small
1 TBSP- fresh celery stalk, diced small
1 C Mayonnaise
1 C Italian bread crumbs
1 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning
1 TBSP Brown mustard
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Preparation
Child- open containers of fresh crab meat and dump into a colander to drain
Parent or child over 12- wash, then dice all vegetables
Child- measure all remaining ingredients
Child & Parent- take turns putting all ingredients into a large mixing bowl
Parent- Spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet tray and also on the palms of your child's hands
Child- gently mix all ingredients in your mixing bowl with your hands, trying not to shred up the lumps of crab meat. Mix well to get the flavors evenly spread throughout the mixture
Child- divide the crab cake mixture into 4 equal sized portions
Child- make 4 equally sized hockey puck or "cake" shapes and place them on dish
Parent- place the crab cake dish into the freezer for 20 minutes
Child- Wash your hands with soapy warm water, then turn the oven on 400*F to pre-heat
Parent- remove the chilled crab cakes from the freezer and place the cakes on the sprayed sheet tray
Parent- place the sheet tray in the oven at 400*F for 20 minutes
Garnish with catsup, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. A squeeze of fresh lemon is also nice. Serve on top of a tossed salad, or on a burger bun as a sandwich. This item goes well with 90 second rices that you can microwave as well as steamed vegetables that also can be microwaved.
ENJOY!
Can your child draw a crab? Can you Google CRAB and learn more about these delicious creatures? You can cut up a paper plate into a crab shape. You can learn what type of crabs come from Alaska. Make food, fun and learning go hand in hand.
What you have learned
1. Reinforced your practice of small dicing techniques
2. Spraying your hands with cooking spray helps to keep the crab cake from sticking to you
3. Learning where your food comes from helps people respect water, earth and understand our eco system
I wish you and your loved ones a fantastic time cooking together and ask that you remember to be a bright positive light in the lives of those around you. See you next week!
HAPPY CRAB CAKES
Ingredients
2- 8 oz, containers fresh lump crab meat, drained
1 TBSP- red bell pepper diced small
1 TBSP- yellow onion, diced small
1 TBSP- fresh celery stalk, diced small
1 C Mayonnaise
1 C Italian bread crumbs
1 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning
1 TBSP Brown mustard
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Preparation
Child- open containers of fresh crab meat and dump into a colander to drain
Parent or child over 12- wash, then dice all vegetables
Child- measure all remaining ingredients
Child & Parent- take turns putting all ingredients into a large mixing bowl
Parent- Spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet tray and also on the palms of your child's hands
Child- gently mix all ingredients in your mixing bowl with your hands, trying not to shred up the lumps of crab meat. Mix well to get the flavors evenly spread throughout the mixture
Child- divide the crab cake mixture into 4 equal sized portions
Child- make 4 equally sized hockey puck or "cake" shapes and place them on dish
Parent- place the crab cake dish into the freezer for 20 minutes
Child- Wash your hands with soapy warm water, then turn the oven on 400*F to pre-heat
Parent- remove the chilled crab cakes from the freezer and place the cakes on the sprayed sheet tray
Parent- place the sheet tray in the oven at 400*F for 20 minutes
Garnish with catsup, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. A squeeze of fresh lemon is also nice. Serve on top of a tossed salad, or on a burger bun as a sandwich. This item goes well with 90 second rices that you can microwave as well as steamed vegetables that also can be microwaved.
ENJOY!
Can your child draw a crab? Can you Google CRAB and learn more about these delicious creatures? You can cut up a paper plate into a crab shape. You can learn what type of crabs come from Alaska. Make food, fun and learning go hand in hand.
What you have learned
1. Reinforced your practice of small dicing techniques
2. Spraying your hands with cooking spray helps to keep the crab cake from sticking to you
3. Learning where your food comes from helps people respect water, earth and understand our eco system
I wish you and your loved ones a fantastic time cooking together and ask that you remember to be a bright positive light in the lives of those around you. See you next week!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
St. Patrick's Day Stew
Hello and sorry to have had to take a few months off. I'm back and will continue to share recipes and ideas to involve you and your children in positive creative food solutions.
With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, let's get down to business.
Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 lbs. beef chuck roast cut into 1 inch cubes or buy pre-cut beef stew meat
1 lb. peel and cleaned fresh carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
6 potatoes, washed and peeled and cut into medium sized chunks
1 white onion, peeled, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups beef broth
1 six ounce can tomato paste
12 oz. Guinness Stout Ale
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp corn starch
Crock pot or dutch oven needed
Preparation
Parent- Heat oil in a large fry pan or skillet
Child- measure flour into a deep bowl, add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
Child- toss meat cubes in flour to coat.
Parent- slowly drop the floured cubes of beef into the oil, 4 minutes on each side to brown exterior completely. (Watch out for oil splatter. Keep your kids at a safe distance.)
Child- while parent is browning the beef, place cut vegetables and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT, Guinness, water and corn starch, into a crock pot or dutch oven pot.
Parent- Turn the fry pan or skillet heat source off and place browned beef cubes on top of the ingredients your child/children placed inside the crock pot.
Parent, open the Guinness and slowly pour it into the hot frying pan/skillet and heat on low while stirring the frying pan to de-glaze or pick up the small bits of flour and flavor that was stuck inside the pan.
Parent- turn off the stove and pour the heated de-glazed liquid into the crock pot.
Child- slowly and gently stir all crock pot ingredients up from the bottom in a figure 8, to blend the flavors.
Child- turn the crock pot on high and cover the crock pot and allow to cook on high for 6 hours.
(If you are using a dutch oven, cover the dutch oven pot and bake in the oven for 3 hours at 350*F.)
Child- Set a timer!
Child- measure the water and corn starch and then slowly whisk the corn starch into the cold water to make a slurry.
Parent- open the crock pot or Dutch oven lid using an oven mitt and slowly pour the slurry into the stew
Child- slowly stir in the slurry using the figure 8 method.
Parent- re-cover the pot and cook for another hour.
Parent- Stir and serve in bowls
TIP- this is great with Pillsbury pop n fresh rolls or biscuits. Read package instructions for cooking details. Also, plain white bread or toasted bread with a little butter or low fat margarine is good to sop up the gravy from your stew. You can omit the Guinness if you wish to and you can also use any type of beer you want, yet Guinness takes this meal to another level! You can replace Guinness with 4 ounces of red wine for the French version of this Irish classic. You can substitute veal, poultry, pork, or lamb, to get a variation of stewed dinners.
BONUS: Corned beef , cabbage and potatoes. Buy the corned beef uncooked that includes the seasoning pack. Place the beef and seasoning pack in a crock pot or dutch oven. Add 12 ounces of beer or ale and 12 ounces of water and cook in crock pot for 5 hours on high, Dutch oven for 3 hours at 350*F. At the end of this cooking time, remove corned beef from pot, wash and cut up 4 potatoes into big cubes and place the potatoes into the dutch oven or crock pot, cover and cook for 1 hour on high. Then replace the beef into the crock pot with cooked potatoes and wash and cut cabbage into 6 cube/sections and nestle the cabbage into the pot. Cover all ingredients and cook an additional 20 minutes or until cabbage is soft. Remove to large serving platter, slice beef at a 45* angle from the edge so it is less chewy. Sprinkle cabbage with vinegar if you wish. Serve with spicy brown mustard if you wish. Allow 2 tbsp of butter to melt over the potatoes, toss, then sprinkle salt and black pepper if you wish. ENJOY!
Activity- Google Ireland and look at the map. Where is Ireland? What language do they speak? What products are made in Ireland? What does the flag of Ireland look like? Discuss folklore, such as Leprechauns and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and Shamrocks. You can color a flag, or make a picture of a pot of gold. You can trace Shamrocks on paper plates and hang them up as decorations for the month. I think it is interesting to build your child's knowledge of different countries and its people, to round them out and combat prejudice.
What you have learned
The proper way to make a stew, and you can now use any type of meat to capture similar results.
You can cook with or without alcohol to still achieve great flavors.
How to de-glaze a pan using alcohol.
You made your first "slurry" with corn starch
You learned that corn starch can thicken a gravy or stew.
You learned more about your family and also of Ireland.
Have a great celebration! I hope you share this with your family, friends and co-workers who may be looking for a fun way to enjoy the Lucky Day!
See you next time.......... One Happy Chef
With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, let's get down to business.
Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 lbs. beef chuck roast cut into 1 inch cubes or buy pre-cut beef stew meat
1 lb. peel and cleaned fresh carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
6 potatoes, washed and peeled and cut into medium sized chunks
1 white onion, peeled, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups beef broth
1 six ounce can tomato paste
12 oz. Guinness Stout Ale
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp corn starch
Crock pot or dutch oven needed
Preparation
Parent- Heat oil in a large fry pan or skillet
Child- measure flour into a deep bowl, add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
Child- toss meat cubes in flour to coat.
Parent- slowly drop the floured cubes of beef into the oil, 4 minutes on each side to brown exterior completely. (Watch out for oil splatter. Keep your kids at a safe distance.)
Child- while parent is browning the beef, place cut vegetables and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT, Guinness, water and corn starch, into a crock pot or dutch oven pot.
Parent- Turn the fry pan or skillet heat source off and place browned beef cubes on top of the ingredients your child/children placed inside the crock pot.
Parent, open the Guinness and slowly pour it into the hot frying pan/skillet and heat on low while stirring the frying pan to de-glaze or pick up the small bits of flour and flavor that was stuck inside the pan.
Parent- turn off the stove and pour the heated de-glazed liquid into the crock pot.
Child- slowly and gently stir all crock pot ingredients up from the bottom in a figure 8, to blend the flavors.
Child- turn the crock pot on high and cover the crock pot and allow to cook on high for 6 hours.
(If you are using a dutch oven, cover the dutch oven pot and bake in the oven for 3 hours at 350*F.)
Child- Set a timer!
Child- measure the water and corn starch and then slowly whisk the corn starch into the cold water to make a slurry.
Parent- open the crock pot or Dutch oven lid using an oven mitt and slowly pour the slurry into the stew
Child- slowly stir in the slurry using the figure 8 method.
Parent- re-cover the pot and cook for another hour.
Parent- Stir and serve in bowls
TIP- this is great with Pillsbury pop n fresh rolls or biscuits. Read package instructions for cooking details. Also, plain white bread or toasted bread with a little butter or low fat margarine is good to sop up the gravy from your stew. You can omit the Guinness if you wish to and you can also use any type of beer you want, yet Guinness takes this meal to another level! You can replace Guinness with 4 ounces of red wine for the French version of this Irish classic. You can substitute veal, poultry, pork, or lamb, to get a variation of stewed dinners.
BONUS: Corned beef , cabbage and potatoes. Buy the corned beef uncooked that includes the seasoning pack. Place the beef and seasoning pack in a crock pot or dutch oven. Add 12 ounces of beer or ale and 12 ounces of water and cook in crock pot for 5 hours on high, Dutch oven for 3 hours at 350*F. At the end of this cooking time, remove corned beef from pot, wash and cut up 4 potatoes into big cubes and place the potatoes into the dutch oven or crock pot, cover and cook for 1 hour on high. Then replace the beef into the crock pot with cooked potatoes and wash and cut cabbage into 6 cube/sections and nestle the cabbage into the pot. Cover all ingredients and cook an additional 20 minutes or until cabbage is soft. Remove to large serving platter, slice beef at a 45* angle from the edge so it is less chewy. Sprinkle cabbage with vinegar if you wish. Serve with spicy brown mustard if you wish. Allow 2 tbsp of butter to melt over the potatoes, toss, then sprinkle salt and black pepper if you wish. ENJOY!
Activity- Google Ireland and look at the map. Where is Ireland? What language do they speak? What products are made in Ireland? What does the flag of Ireland look like? Discuss folklore, such as Leprechauns and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and Shamrocks. You can color a flag, or make a picture of a pot of gold. You can trace Shamrocks on paper plates and hang them up as decorations for the month. I think it is interesting to build your child's knowledge of different countries and its people, to round them out and combat prejudice.
What you have learned
The proper way to make a stew, and you can now use any type of meat to capture similar results.
You can cook with or without alcohol to still achieve great flavors.
How to de-glaze a pan using alcohol.
You made your first "slurry" with corn starch
You learned that corn starch can thicken a gravy or stew.
You learned more about your family and also of Ireland.
Have a great celebration! I hope you share this with your family, friends and co-workers who may be looking for a fun way to enjoy the Lucky Day!
See you next time.......... One Happy Chef
Friday, December 3, 2010
MEATLOAF- doesn't mean it tastes like the cafeteria lady made it!
Hello! Have you burned off the extra calories you added last week during Thanksgiving? I have my "fat chef pants" on this week.
We are going to look at the basic process of making a meatloaf and also discuss options. Meatloaf can be a great one hour meal that allows you to make it, put it into the oven and give you time to interact with your children while it bakes. Also, a cooked meatloaf, as left overs can be easily reheated in a microwave for 3 minutes, be a part of a grilled cheese sandwich or even served cold on bread as a sandwich.
MEATLOAF
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 lb. 80/20 ground beef. I prefer ground chuck. The leaner the beef, the less fat.
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 cup egg beaters
1 cup half & half
1/2 cup yellow onion, (about 1 small onion), diced small
1/2 cup, green bell pepper, (1 pepper), diced small
1/2 cup catsup
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP seasoning salt
2 TBSP ground black pepper
2 TBSP dried parsley flakes
2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP onion powder
Preparation
Child- preheat oven to 350*F
Child- measure all the dry ingredients and place them into a large 3 qt. mixing bowl
TIP: Always measure your dry ingredients before the wet ingredients so you don't have to clean and dry the measuring cup or spoons, or get the dry product caked onto the measuring utensil because it is wet.
Parent or child over 12- wash and then dice the vegetables.
Child- place the diced vegetables into the bowl with the dry ingredients
Child- measure the wet ingredients and add them into the bowl with the veggies and seasonings
Parent or child- put on food grade plastic or latex gloves. Open the ground meat and with a butter knife cut the meat into 4 portions.
Parent or child- place the 4 portions into the mixing bowl
Parent and child taking turns- mix the meat and wet & dry ingredients with your hands to evenly blend all items together. This takes about 5 minutes. (It can be squishy fun, so relax and let it happen)
Tip: The goal is to avoid lumps of one ingredient in your meatloaf, so smooth it out, turn it over, knead it like bread or clay, just mix it the best you can. It will taste awesome no matter what.
Parent or child over 12- avoiding a cut, pull off about 14 inches of aluminum foil and place it flat on a work surface.
Child- spray the dull side of the aluminum foil with a non-stick cooking spray.
Parent: remove the meatloaf mixture from your bowl and place it on the middle of your aluminum foil sheet
Parent- form a loaf, kind of a paper towel roll shape with your meatloaf, making sure that you leave 4 inches from each end width wise from the edge of your foil. Remove gloves and throw them in the trash.
Parent- roll your meatloaf up into the foil. Again keeping 4 inches away from each end. Then you now have a cylinder or meatloaf log shape with the two ends open. Press the ends closed and fold the ends from the bottom up to the top of your log to seal off each end.
Tip: This keeps the moisture inside the loaf, doesn't let the fat out and will make it easier to clean up later.
Parent- place the aluminum foil log/loaf on/in a non-stick cooking pan or casserole dish that is longer and wider than your loaf.
Parent- place the loaf baking dish/pan into the pre-heated oven at 350*F for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165*F
Child- Set the timer for 50 minutes
Parent- after 50 minutes, remove from the oven and using a sharp knife or steak knife, gently make one slice down the entire length of the foil and gently peel back the foil to reveal your baked meatloaf. Watch out for small pieces of foil that may cling to the edge where you cut, This might happen if your knife is dull or knife edge is too serrated. Then cut off slices horizontally and plate.
Serving suggestions:
1. Open a can of cream of mushroom soup and reduce the liquid in half, mix thoroughly while bringing the soup to a boil and use the thick hot soup as a gravy, to top your meatloaf.
2. Pour BBQ sauce over your meatloaf before wrapping the foil closed and after the foil is peeled away if you want a zesty flavor.
3. Heat up marinara or pizza quick type sauce and use as a gravy.
4. This meatloaf is great with a baked potato. Wash the potatoes, 1 per person, or if you have small children, they can share a potato; and place 3 fork holes into the skin of each potato and place potatoes on a sheet tray in the oven the same time as your meatloaf and they will be ready the same time.
5. Buy "Steam Fresh" style vegetables that your family likes and quickly follow the microwave instructions to steam the vegetables a few minutes before the time the meatloaf is to leave the oven.
6. A pre-mixed jarred gravy can also be used, yet it adds fat and sodium, so use this sparingly.
OPTIONS:
1. You can substitute, ground chicken, pork, bison, venison or veal for the beef.
2. At 35 minutes into baking, you can remove the loaf, slit open the foil and criss-cross fresh bacon on top of the loaf and return it uncovered to the 350*oven for the remaining 15 minutes or until the bacon has browned to a crisp.
3. You can add 1/2 cup of cubed Velvetta style cheese, buy pressing the cubes into the loaf before you roll it up in the foil, to have a "Cowboy Style" meatloaf. (This works especially if your child is into Cowboys or Cowgirls)
4. You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef and a box of stove top turkey stuffing mix instead of the bread crumbs. Add an additional 1/2 cup of egg beaters too. This gives you a wonderful turkey loaf version with unique flavors reminiscent of Thanksgiving.
5. Are your children teens or like spicy foods? Add a small can of diced green chilies or chipotle peppers to the mixture.
6. Do your children avoid vegetables? Replace the half & half with V8 tomato juice. Dice a small carrot and small pieces of celery, a few green beans. Then add them into a food processor and blitz a few minutes to form a paste. Add the paste in with the ground meat and cook per normal instructions.
Leftovers keep 3 days in the refrigerator or if wrapped airtight in a zip type freezer bag, date and label the bag and store in the freezer for 3 weeks.
I hope you enjoy making meatloaf or a variation of the above recipe with your family. You can name the dish after a child, or by your last name. It can be your own signature dish. The loaf making process can taste different just by changing meat or a few ingredients, so it is an inexpensive way to mix up dinner flavors. Lastly as I mentioned at the top.... When the loaf is baking and you are cleaning up the prep area, it gives you time to talk positively about how your child's week was, or share homework, read together or just go out for a short walk.
It's getting near the Holiday Season. Have you and your ex discussed the Holidays? If you have younger children, will they have concern how Saint Nick will know your child is loved in two homes? Think of it from a child's perspective and do the best for your child. My first single parent Christmas, my children and I drew and cut out paper candy canes and ornaments and hung them up by using yarn. Money was tight, so I was fortunate to cheaply buy the top of a tree that a person had cut off by the guy who owned the Christmas tree lot, so the tree could fit in their home. Our little tree top, made a Charlie Brown tree look huge! Yet it was the feeling of love, safety and family that made that tree and that first Christmas bearable for me. Regardless of your faith, the Holiday Season is about hope, love, joy and family. Make your newly formed family feel the love, safety and joy please. That's my Holiday wish for each of you.
See you next week! We will look at some fun seasonal party foods. Your children might come home with a note from school and you'll be asked to provide something for the class Holiday party. You can chosse to be the napkin supplier; but we will have options for you soon.
All the best until then!
We are going to look at the basic process of making a meatloaf and also discuss options. Meatloaf can be a great one hour meal that allows you to make it, put it into the oven and give you time to interact with your children while it bakes. Also, a cooked meatloaf, as left overs can be easily reheated in a microwave for 3 minutes, be a part of a grilled cheese sandwich or even served cold on bread as a sandwich.
MEATLOAF
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 lb. 80/20 ground beef. I prefer ground chuck. The leaner the beef, the less fat.
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 cup egg beaters
1 cup half & half
1/2 cup yellow onion, (about 1 small onion), diced small
1/2 cup, green bell pepper, (1 pepper), diced small
1/2 cup catsup
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP seasoning salt
2 TBSP ground black pepper
2 TBSP dried parsley flakes
2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP onion powder
Preparation
Child- preheat oven to 350*F
Child- measure all the dry ingredients and place them into a large 3 qt. mixing bowl
TIP: Always measure your dry ingredients before the wet ingredients so you don't have to clean and dry the measuring cup or spoons, or get the dry product caked onto the measuring utensil because it is wet.
Parent or child over 12- wash and then dice the vegetables.
Child- place the diced vegetables into the bowl with the dry ingredients
Child- measure the wet ingredients and add them into the bowl with the veggies and seasonings
Parent or child- put on food grade plastic or latex gloves. Open the ground meat and with a butter knife cut the meat into 4 portions.
Parent or child- place the 4 portions into the mixing bowl
Parent and child taking turns- mix the meat and wet & dry ingredients with your hands to evenly blend all items together. This takes about 5 minutes. (It can be squishy fun, so relax and let it happen)
Tip: The goal is to avoid lumps of one ingredient in your meatloaf, so smooth it out, turn it over, knead it like bread or clay, just mix it the best you can. It will taste awesome no matter what.
Parent or child over 12- avoiding a cut, pull off about 14 inches of aluminum foil and place it flat on a work surface.
Child- spray the dull side of the aluminum foil with a non-stick cooking spray.
Parent: remove the meatloaf mixture from your bowl and place it on the middle of your aluminum foil sheet
Parent- form a loaf, kind of a paper towel roll shape with your meatloaf, making sure that you leave 4 inches from each end width wise from the edge of your foil. Remove gloves and throw them in the trash.
Parent- roll your meatloaf up into the foil. Again keeping 4 inches away from each end. Then you now have a cylinder or meatloaf log shape with the two ends open. Press the ends closed and fold the ends from the bottom up to the top of your log to seal off each end.
Tip: This keeps the moisture inside the loaf, doesn't let the fat out and will make it easier to clean up later.
Parent- place the aluminum foil log/loaf on/in a non-stick cooking pan or casserole dish that is longer and wider than your loaf.
Parent- place the loaf baking dish/pan into the pre-heated oven at 350*F for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165*F
Child- Set the timer for 50 minutes
Parent- after 50 minutes, remove from the oven and using a sharp knife or steak knife, gently make one slice down the entire length of the foil and gently peel back the foil to reveal your baked meatloaf. Watch out for small pieces of foil that may cling to the edge where you cut, This might happen if your knife is dull or knife edge is too serrated. Then cut off slices horizontally and plate.
Serving suggestions:
1. Open a can of cream of mushroom soup and reduce the liquid in half, mix thoroughly while bringing the soup to a boil and use the thick hot soup as a gravy, to top your meatloaf.
2. Pour BBQ sauce over your meatloaf before wrapping the foil closed and after the foil is peeled away if you want a zesty flavor.
3. Heat up marinara or pizza quick type sauce and use as a gravy.
4. This meatloaf is great with a baked potato. Wash the potatoes, 1 per person, or if you have small children, they can share a potato; and place 3 fork holes into the skin of each potato and place potatoes on a sheet tray in the oven the same time as your meatloaf and they will be ready the same time.
5. Buy "Steam Fresh" style vegetables that your family likes and quickly follow the microwave instructions to steam the vegetables a few minutes before the time the meatloaf is to leave the oven.
6. A pre-mixed jarred gravy can also be used, yet it adds fat and sodium, so use this sparingly.
OPTIONS:
1. You can substitute, ground chicken, pork, bison, venison or veal for the beef.
2. At 35 minutes into baking, you can remove the loaf, slit open the foil and criss-cross fresh bacon on top of the loaf and return it uncovered to the 350*oven for the remaining 15 minutes or until the bacon has browned to a crisp.
3. You can add 1/2 cup of cubed Velvetta style cheese, buy pressing the cubes into the loaf before you roll it up in the foil, to have a "Cowboy Style" meatloaf. (This works especially if your child is into Cowboys or Cowgirls)
4. You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef and a box of stove top turkey stuffing mix instead of the bread crumbs. Add an additional 1/2 cup of egg beaters too. This gives you a wonderful turkey loaf version with unique flavors reminiscent of Thanksgiving.
5. Are your children teens or like spicy foods? Add a small can of diced green chilies or chipotle peppers to the mixture.
6. Do your children avoid vegetables? Replace the half & half with V8 tomato juice. Dice a small carrot and small pieces of celery, a few green beans. Then add them into a food processor and blitz a few minutes to form a paste. Add the paste in with the ground meat and cook per normal instructions.
Leftovers keep 3 days in the refrigerator or if wrapped airtight in a zip type freezer bag, date and label the bag and store in the freezer for 3 weeks.
I hope you enjoy making meatloaf or a variation of the above recipe with your family. You can name the dish after a child, or by your last name. It can be your own signature dish. The loaf making process can taste different just by changing meat or a few ingredients, so it is an inexpensive way to mix up dinner flavors. Lastly as I mentioned at the top.... When the loaf is baking and you are cleaning up the prep area, it gives you time to talk positively about how your child's week was, or share homework, read together or just go out for a short walk.
It's getting near the Holiday Season. Have you and your ex discussed the Holidays? If you have younger children, will they have concern how Saint Nick will know your child is loved in two homes? Think of it from a child's perspective and do the best for your child. My first single parent Christmas, my children and I drew and cut out paper candy canes and ornaments and hung them up by using yarn. Money was tight, so I was fortunate to cheaply buy the top of a tree that a person had cut off by the guy who owned the Christmas tree lot, so the tree could fit in their home. Our little tree top, made a Charlie Brown tree look huge! Yet it was the feeling of love, safety and family that made that tree and that first Christmas bearable for me. Regardless of your faith, the Holiday Season is about hope, love, joy and family. Make your newly formed family feel the love, safety and joy please. That's my Holiday wish for each of you.
See you next week! We will look at some fun seasonal party foods. Your children might come home with a note from school and you'll be asked to provide something for the class Holiday party. You can chosse to be the napkin supplier; but we will have options for you soon.
All the best until then!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving Stuffing
Hi! I bet you thought I was going to leave you hanging on the Turkey Stuffing! NEVER! I just wanted to let last weeks recipes sink in with you, as you were planning for your big day.
Here are some ideas for stuffing. In each case, I strongly suggest that you DO NOT stuff your turkey. I suggest that you cook/bake your stuffing separately, so you can monitor the temperature of the stuffing as is goes through the danger zone. The danger zone for growing food bacteria that can get you sick is between 40*F and 125*F. You want to have your foods go through that zone quickly up or down. When your stuffing, which has fresh eggs in it, sits inside the turkey cavity and bakes/roasts it takes longer for the stuffing to go through the danger zone, creating the chance for you to get a stomach ache or food poisoning. My goal is to prevent that, so we will discuss your options below.
Stuffing - quick n easy
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 box Stove Top Turkey Stuffing mix
1 stick unsalted butter
Preparation
Follow box directions
Tips: This is a good option because you have limited oven space due to the bird and your casserole side dishes. Plus it is very simple for you and your children to prepare together.
Options: Replace the water with chicken broth.
Old Fashioned Stuffing
Serves 6-10 people
Leftovers can be refrigerated and can keep three days.
Ingredients
1 large loaf of white bread (Or bread of your choice. About one pound of bread)
2 cups egg beaters
1/2 pint heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth
2 sticks unsalted butter or any healthy butter option
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Preparation
Child: Unpackage the bread and tear up into small uneven pieces. Place torn bread in a very large bowl
Parent: Dice the onions, celery
Parent: Place the unwrapped butter into a 12 inch saute pan on low heat (2) and melt.
Parent or child: place the diced vegetables in with the melted butter, being careful not to splash yourself or burn yourself on the hot pan!
Parent: Cook the vegetables until the onions are no longer raw. About 4 minutes.
Child: measure seasonings and sprinkle into bowl with torn bread pieces
Child: Add liquids to the torn bread, and while wearing plastic gloves, or with clean hands, mix the ingredients
Parent: Pour and spoon in the cooked vegetables and butter in with the mixed "wet" and seasoned breading. And stir to mix with a strong spoon for 4 minutes. then with glove on, and being careful of the hot vegetables, mix the stuffing completely .
Child: pre-heat oven to 325* F or wait until there are 20 minutes until the time when your turkey is ready to be carved.
Parent or child : spoon stuffing into a non-stick sprayed baking dish
Parent: Place your baking dish, uncovered in the oven at 325*F for 20 minutes
Parent: You can place the cooked stuffing baking dish covered on top of your stove on "warm" for up to 10 minutes, if you need to hold it.
TIP: You can cover each of your side dishes and place the oven safe casserole dishes on your stove heating elements on "warm" for up to 10 minutes, if you have to do so to get your meal timed, or on the table at the same time.
Options:
1. Peel, core and small dice 2 fresh apples and add to stuffing mix prior to baking.
2. Substitute Corn bread for white bread. JIFFY brand is quick and easy to make. Allow to cool before cutting into cubes, then follow stuffing directions.
3. Add 1/2 pound drained fresh oysters, small dice, to stuffing mix prior to baking for "Oyster Dressing"
4. Substitute half cinnamon apple sauce and half vegetable broth for the Chicken broth for a vegetarian stuffing
5. Crack open, chop and boil fresh chestnuts for 20 minutes in 1 cup of apple juice. Add to existing recipe, when you add the cooked vegetables, to produce chestnut dressing. If you really want to go "old school" do not boil the nuts. Chop them, toss them in olive oil, roll them up in aluminum foil tightly and bake/roast them in a 450*F oven for 20 minutes, then add them into the stuffing mix prior to baking.
There are easy and fun crafts to complete while your bird and all the trimmings are cooking. Paper can be folded like a card and the names of each guest printed on the card where they will sit at your Thanksgiving Feast. Pictures can be drawn to share with family and friends. Paper plates can be decorated as placemats. They can also be cut into feather shapes and colored, then taped or glued to make an Indian Head Dress. I like to believe what I learned in grammar school and that without the help of the Native Americans when the Mayflower landed, the Pilgrims would have been less thankful in the new land. You can also make turkeys with feathers with those same paper plates and markers or crayons.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. Make it a great day filled with photos and positive memories for you and your children. Remember that nothing is perfect. And when cooking, things can be less than perfect. You are trying your best and so are your children. See the fun in it, the experience of being together in it and enjoy what you have created together. When you follow all of these recipes, you will be 100% better off than having no direction at all and everything your family has created will be edible!
See you next week......
Here are some ideas for stuffing. In each case, I strongly suggest that you DO NOT stuff your turkey. I suggest that you cook/bake your stuffing separately, so you can monitor the temperature of the stuffing as is goes through the danger zone. The danger zone for growing food bacteria that can get you sick is between 40*F and 125*F. You want to have your foods go through that zone quickly up or down. When your stuffing, which has fresh eggs in it, sits inside the turkey cavity and bakes/roasts it takes longer for the stuffing to go through the danger zone, creating the chance for you to get a stomach ache or food poisoning. My goal is to prevent that, so we will discuss your options below.
Stuffing - quick n easy
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 box Stove Top Turkey Stuffing mix
1 stick unsalted butter
Preparation
Follow box directions
Tips: This is a good option because you have limited oven space due to the bird and your casserole side dishes. Plus it is very simple for you and your children to prepare together.
Options: Replace the water with chicken broth.
Old Fashioned Stuffing
Serves 6-10 people
Leftovers can be refrigerated and can keep three days.
Ingredients
1 large loaf of white bread (Or bread of your choice. About one pound of bread)
2 cups egg beaters
1/2 pint heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth
2 sticks unsalted butter or any healthy butter option
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Preparation
Child: Unpackage the bread and tear up into small uneven pieces. Place torn bread in a very large bowl
Parent: Dice the onions, celery
Parent: Place the unwrapped butter into a 12 inch saute pan on low heat (2) and melt.
Parent or child: place the diced vegetables in with the melted butter, being careful not to splash yourself or burn yourself on the hot pan!
Parent: Cook the vegetables until the onions are no longer raw. About 4 minutes.
Child: measure seasonings and sprinkle into bowl with torn bread pieces
Child: Add liquids to the torn bread, and while wearing plastic gloves, or with clean hands, mix the ingredients
Parent: Pour and spoon in the cooked vegetables and butter in with the mixed "wet" and seasoned breading. And stir to mix with a strong spoon for 4 minutes. then with glove on, and being careful of the hot vegetables, mix the stuffing completely .
Child: pre-heat oven to 325* F or wait until there are 20 minutes until the time when your turkey is ready to be carved.
Parent or child : spoon stuffing into a non-stick sprayed baking dish
Parent: Place your baking dish, uncovered in the oven at 325*F for 20 minutes
Parent: You can place the cooked stuffing baking dish covered on top of your stove on "warm" for up to 10 minutes, if you need to hold it.
TIP: You can cover each of your side dishes and place the oven safe casserole dishes on your stove heating elements on "warm" for up to 10 minutes, if you have to do so to get your meal timed, or on the table at the same time.
Options:
1. Peel, core and small dice 2 fresh apples and add to stuffing mix prior to baking.
2. Substitute Corn bread for white bread. JIFFY brand is quick and easy to make. Allow to cool before cutting into cubes, then follow stuffing directions.
3. Add 1/2 pound drained fresh oysters, small dice, to stuffing mix prior to baking for "Oyster Dressing"
4. Substitute half cinnamon apple sauce and half vegetable broth for the Chicken broth for a vegetarian stuffing
5. Crack open, chop and boil fresh chestnuts for 20 minutes in 1 cup of apple juice. Add to existing recipe, when you add the cooked vegetables, to produce chestnut dressing. If you really want to go "old school" do not boil the nuts. Chop them, toss them in olive oil, roll them up in aluminum foil tightly and bake/roast them in a 450*F oven for 20 minutes, then add them into the stuffing mix prior to baking.
There are easy and fun crafts to complete while your bird and all the trimmings are cooking. Paper can be folded like a card and the names of each guest printed on the card where they will sit at your Thanksgiving Feast. Pictures can be drawn to share with family and friends. Paper plates can be decorated as placemats. They can also be cut into feather shapes and colored, then taped or glued to make an Indian Head Dress. I like to believe what I learned in grammar school and that without the help of the Native Americans when the Mayflower landed, the Pilgrims would have been less thankful in the new land. You can also make turkeys with feathers with those same paper plates and markers or crayons.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. Make it a great day filled with photos and positive memories for you and your children. Remember that nothing is perfect. And when cooking, things can be less than perfect. You are trying your best and so are your children. See the fun in it, the experience of being together in it and enjoy what you have created together. When you follow all of these recipes, you will be 100% better off than having no direction at all and everything your family has created will be edible!
See you next week......
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thanksgiving
I hesitated when thinking of covering such a large project as Thanksgiving, knowing our cooking relationships are just beginning. Yet, I have confidence in you and your children. Here is a basic fun group of recipes for Thanksgiving. Next year, with an additional 12 months of sharing recipes and techniques together, I'll increase the degree of difficulty. I give thanks for the wonderful children I have, for the ability to have food, any food, on the table and a roof over our heads.
From experience, I have learned that often the Thanksgiving Holiday is an event where the children might share with each parent separately. So prior communication with your "ex" will help your children adjust and set expectations. Do you really want them to be eating two Thanksgiving Feasts the same day? And, do you really want to be known as the parent who just let the children eat desserts for Thanksgiving? Maybe you have your children for the morning half of the day, or maybe the afternoon and evening? Here are some suggestions.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tip: buy a meat thermometer for around $7.99 and use it to confirm cooking temperatures. Wipe with rubbing alcohol and a clean unused q-tip to sanitize after each time you place it inside of food.
Breakfast- Pumpkin Pancakes with Bacon
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 container frozen pre-mixed "Aunt Jemima" pancake batter
1 can pumpkin pie mix
1 package pre-cooked bacon strips
1 package frozen mini pie shells
1 small can dried ground cinnamon
1 can non-stick cooking spray "canola"
Preparation
Parent: Thaw the pre-made pancake batter in your refrigerator over night, or at least 12 hours.
Child: Pour the pancake batter into a 2 qt mixing bowl
Child: Spoon two tablespoons of pumpkin pie mix into the pancake mix and whisk or stir to mix evenly together.
Child or Parent: Over your sink, spray frying pan with non-stick cooking spray
Parent: Heat frying pan, electric or on the stove at medium temperature for 3 minutes
Parent or child over 12: Using a 2 ounce ladle or if you have a measuring cup with a spout, pour the mix into a measuring cup then pour about a silver dollar size (3 inch round) of batter into your heated pan. When the outer rim of the pancake begins to bubble, use a spatula to turn the pancakes over. Cook each pancake on the second side for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
TIP: Use the pancake spatula and go halfway under the cooking pancake after the second side has cooked 3 minutes and gently lift the pancake and peek under it to see if it is golden brown. If not, put the half back down to cook another minute. Using a timer with your child can be fun here too!
Child: While pancakes are cooking, place your pre-cooked bacon on a double thickness of paper towel
Child: Place the bacon and paper towel on a microwave safe plate, into your microwave
Child or parent: Top that bacon plate with a single sheet of paper towel
Child: Microwave on high for 15 seconds just to heat it through
Parent: Remove heated bacon from microwave. Remove from paper toweling. Serve with cooked pancakes.
All: Garnish with your favorite syrup, jelly, peanut butter or powdered sugar.
Left over pumpkin pie filling options:
Parent: Remove the frozen mini pie crust shells from the freezer
Parent or child over 12: Pre-heat oven 350*F
Child: Spoon the remaining pumpkin pie filling evenly into as many mini pie shells as you can. Leave about 1/8 inch from the top of the pie's crust to allow for expansion.
Child: Sprinkle each pie top lightly with cinnamon
Child: Place pie shells in their tins, on a non-stick cooking sprayed cookie sheet
Parent or child over 12: Place the cookie sheet with pies into the 350*F oven for 20 minutes
Child: Set timer for 20 minutes
Parent: Remove pies and allow to cool. These can be placed inside a box or cup cake tin/ carrier or on a heavy paper plate, then covered with foil or clear wrap. Suggest that your children bring them to family, friends or neighbors to show thanks. If you child is leaving you after breakfast to head to another location, they can bring the mini pies that they baked to the next location and get recognition and praise by others.
Tip: You only cook the portion of bacon you know you will eat. Wrap the remaining un-used bacon in a zip lock type package and freeze it or refrigerate it. It keeps a week in the refrigerator if air tight. You can freeze cooked pancakes and drop them into a toaster from the frozen state and toast for 3 minutes to re-heat.
Lunch- Turkey Beanie Weinie
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 package turkey hot dogs
1 can baked beans
1 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp yellow or brown mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup, agave or honey
Preparation
Child: Cut each hot dog using a butter knife, into nickel shaped rounds, as evenly as possible, yet perfection is not important.
Parent or child over 12: Open can of beans and pour into a 3 qt sauce pan
Child: Place cut hot dog rounds into sauce pan with the beans
Child: Measure the remaining ingredients and add each to the sauce pan
Parent: Place the sauce pan on the stove over medium heat (#4 setting) and stir.
Parent: Allow to cook 15-18 minutes, stirring in a figure 8 every 5 minutes to prevent burning. When the pot of ingredients is bubbling around the edges, it is done.
Parent: Serve in a bowl, or over a slice of your favorite bread
TIP: Ask what your child/ren have learned about Thanksgiving in school and what they think about Thanksgiving. There are no wrong answers. Just learn what your kids know and are thinking about. Let them know you are thankful that you get to be their parent.
Dinner- Basic Thanksgiving Meal
Serves 4-12 people
Ingredients
Turkey:
1- 12 pound frozen turkey- (place in refrigerator in a large baking dish, 4 days prior to Thanksgiving morning. It takes 24 hours per every 4 pounds of frozen turkey to thaw safely in your refrigerator.)
1 pound healthy butter substitute, or unsalted butter if you must
1 carrot, washed, large dice
1 large onion, peeled, large dice
1 bunch of celery,washed, 4 stalks large dice, save rest for snacks
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup canola or olive oil
2 tbsp dried poultry seasoning
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 roll aluminum foil- you'll need enough to cover your bird at the end, about 24 inches
2 large aluminum foil turkey roasting pans that are larger in length and width than your bird
1 turkey baster (buy one if you do not have one)
Preparation:
Parent and child: using your thermometer, stick it inside the thickest part of the turkey breast to make certain the meat is not colder than 34*F
Parent: Remove one oven rack or adjust rack so the height of the turkey, while seated on the bottom rack will not touch the roof of your oven.
Child: Pre-heat the oven to 325*F
Parent: Place your turkey in the sink
Child: Turn on the cold water and help your parent rinse the turkey inside and out side
Parent: Remove both the neck package and giblet/heart package from inside the turkey. You do this by putting your hand up each open end of the turkey and pulling them out.
Parent: Unwrap the neck and giblet/heart packages and toss out the package and place the meat products into a double thick aluminum foil disposable turkey pan. Wash your hands with hot soapy water every time you finish touching or working on your Turkey. Also wash and sanitize all cooking surfaces and the sink once you have placed the Turkey into the oven.
Tip: You are placing one roasting pan inside the other to double the strength. This reduces the chance of the pan bending when you lift the turkey in and out of the oven. It's possibly your first time handling a turkey this size, so I'm being more careful with you.
Parent or child over 12: Cut the vegetables per instructions and scatter around the outside of the turkey in the pan bottom AND place some vegetables inside the vacant turkey cavity, stuffing from top and up from the bottom.
Parent, then child: with a butter knife, cut 3 sticks of butter into about 10 slices per stick
Parent: Place one stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl, covered with a paper towel, microwave on high for 40 seconds, stir and repeat to melt the butter.
Parent, then child: With your fingers, slowly and gently lift up areas of the turkey skin and with a gentle rubbing motion, move your hand deeper into the bird trying to lift gently the skin away from the meat. You can do this in some areas, yet not for example, the wings. This will not be perfect, yet what the goal is, will be to separate the skin from meat for the next step.
Parent, then child: With those same gentle fingers, pick up a slice of butter and slip one slice of butter into an area of the bird between the skin and meat. The goal is to place as many of the butter slices as possible between the skin and meat to add moisture and flavor to your turkey.
Parent: Allow microwaved butter to cool 2 minutes, then brush inside of the turkey cavity, the best you can with the melted butter, or just rub the inside all around, vegetables too, with your gloved hand and the melted butter. This too adds flavor and moisture.
Child and parent: wearing disposable latex or plastic cooking gloves, take turns rubbing the entire exterior of your turkey with canola or olive oil. This promotes even browning and seals the skin to retain moisture.
Child: Sprinkle the exterior of the turkey with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning as evenly as possible
Parent: Fill in "bald" areas your child may have missed to get an even coating of seasonings.
Parent: Open oven, standing to the side to avoid getting your face scorched, and place your turkey that is in the aluminum roasting pan on the lowest rack of your oven.
Parent or child over 12: Open one can of chicken broth and pour it into the bottom of the roasting pan
Parent: Close the oven door
Child: set time for 3 hours 30 minutes
Parent: Every 30 minutes, you are to open the oven, safely, by standing aside to allow the heat to escape and not burn you or your children. You are to squeeze the turkey baster with your fingers to remove the air and while holding the baster squeezed, place the baster in the bottom of the roasting pan and open your hand, or un-squeeze the baster. It will fill up with liquid from the pan. Place the baster over the middle top part of the turkey and re-squeeze gently, to let the juice flow slowly out and over the bird to baste it. Repeat, each time covering a different part of the bird to get the wings, legs, breast and thighs basted every 30 minutes. Add a second can of broth or cup of water if the liquid is not enough to get into your baster.
Parent: With 1 hour remaining to cook the turkey, tear off a sheet of aluminum foil that is as long as your turkey roasting pan. Fold a crease in the foil length wise like a tent top.
Parent: Open the oven, pull the bottom rack out slowly half way and place the aluminum foil tent top over your turkey. This is called "tenting" the turkey. It prevents the top skin from continuing to brown/reduces burn, while holding in the juices of the turkey.
Parent: When the 3 1/2 hours of cooking has ended, stick your meat thermometer inside the thickest part of your turkey breast and count to 15 with your child. Then pull the thermometer out and read the temperature. It MUST be 180*F or you have to cook the bird an additional 30 minutes and check again. Repeat until 180*F. ( Some ovens are not equal, so times vary.) Another hint is to look at the liquid that comes from the bird when you pull the thermometer out. If those juices are red or pink, you need more cooking. If juices are white or yellowish, chances are your bird is 180*F.
Child : Place two clean dish towels under a large cutting board on a flat surface
Parent: When the bird is 180*F, remove from oven.
Parent: Using one long handled spoon in each hand or strong tongs, insert a spoon or tong up each end of the turkey and lift it out of the pan and onto the cutting board to rest for 15 minutes, before carving.
Parent: On a stove top in a 12 inch sautee pan, melt one stick of butter
Parent: Pour the remaining hot liquid and cooked vegetables and giblets from the roasting pan into a food processor or blender. Do not blend or process the neck. Eat it or discard it!
Parent: Add 2 tbsp of all purpose flour to the butter and stir to mix. This is making a "roux".
Parent: Add Roux to the blender and cover the blender leaving 1/8 inch open facing away from you or your children. Cover the opening with another dish towel to avoid splashing, yet to let the steam escape. Turn the blender on high and mix for 2 minutes Add chicken broth if the gravy is too thick, adding liquid 2 tbsp at a time.
Parent: Return the gravy to the sautee pan on low heat and stir. There should be a nice thickness, like wall paint or syrup. If it is too runny like water, stir in 1 tbsp of flour, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps and allow to cook 2 minutes to thicken up. Still loose? Repeat, one tbsp at a time.
Candied Yams:
1 large can of yams
1 bag marshmallows
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 TBSP Orange marmalade
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Preparation
Parent or Child over 12: Open the can of yams and drain half the liquid out.
Child: Place the yams into an oven proof casserole dish
Parent or child over 12: Open the can of crushed pineapples.Pour the liquid into a small mixing bowl. Place the crushed pineapple into the casserole dish.
Parent or Child: Mix the marmalade with the pineapple juice using a whisk or spoon, to mix/blend thoroughly.
Parent or Child: measure the nutmeg and cinnamon and add to the marmalade mixture
Parent or Child: Pour marmalade mixture on top of yams and add nuts
Parent: With 30 minutes remaining for your Turkey, place the yam casserole into the oven on the top rack, covered. Bake your casserole for 20 minutes at 325*F, then remove cover and place large marshmallows around the top of the casserole dish and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown.
Green Bean Casserole:
1 pack frozen cut green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup half and half or milk
1 can French's dried onions
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Preparation
Parent or Child over 12: open can of soup and spoon into a large mixing bowl
Child: add the milk or half&half to the empty soup can and stir to get the remaining bits of soup out of the can. Then pour the soupy milk into an oven proof casserole dish.
Child: open frozen cut green beans and scatter evenly around the casserole dish into the soup
Child: measure seasonings and sprinkle over the casserole
Parent or child over 12: open the can of dried onions, being careful not to cut yourself on the lid.
Child: sprinkle the onion pieces evenly over your casserole
Parent: With 30 minutes remaining for your turkey, place the casserole dish uncovered into the oven on the top rack next to your yams and bake 325*F for 30 minutes.
TIP: If your oven is small, no worries! You can remove the turkey to "rest" and wet a dish towel with warm water and place it on top of the resting turkey foil. Then bake your casserole dishes in the empty oven. So your turkey will rest 30 minutes instead of only 15, to allow time for your casseroles to cook.
LEFTOVER TIP: Remove as much of the turkey meat as possible and dispose of the turkey carcass. Portion the turkey meat into usable portions. You can place turkey in a zip lock type bag and store in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can double zip lock bag (one bag inside the other to prevent freezer burn) the turkey, mark the date on the outside of one bag with a sharpie marker and store in the freezer for up to 30 days.
I wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving together. I'll have some suggestions for Turkey left overs, next time. Happy Thanksgiving!
From experience, I have learned that often the Thanksgiving Holiday is an event where the children might share with each parent separately. So prior communication with your "ex" will help your children adjust and set expectations. Do you really want them to be eating two Thanksgiving Feasts the same day? And, do you really want to be known as the parent who just let the children eat desserts for Thanksgiving? Maybe you have your children for the morning half of the day, or maybe the afternoon and evening? Here are some suggestions.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tip: buy a meat thermometer for around $7.99 and use it to confirm cooking temperatures. Wipe with rubbing alcohol and a clean unused q-tip to sanitize after each time you place it inside of food.
Breakfast- Pumpkin Pancakes with Bacon
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 container frozen pre-mixed "Aunt Jemima" pancake batter
1 can pumpkin pie mix
1 package pre-cooked bacon strips
1 package frozen mini pie shells
1 small can dried ground cinnamon
1 can non-stick cooking spray "canola"
Preparation
Parent: Thaw the pre-made pancake batter in your refrigerator over night, or at least 12 hours.
Child: Pour the pancake batter into a 2 qt mixing bowl
Child: Spoon two tablespoons of pumpkin pie mix into the pancake mix and whisk or stir to mix evenly together.
Child or Parent: Over your sink, spray frying pan with non-stick cooking spray
Parent: Heat frying pan, electric or on the stove at medium temperature for 3 minutes
Parent or child over 12: Using a 2 ounce ladle or if you have a measuring cup with a spout, pour the mix into a measuring cup then pour about a silver dollar size (3 inch round) of batter into your heated pan. When the outer rim of the pancake begins to bubble, use a spatula to turn the pancakes over. Cook each pancake on the second side for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
TIP: Use the pancake spatula and go halfway under the cooking pancake after the second side has cooked 3 minutes and gently lift the pancake and peek under it to see if it is golden brown. If not, put the half back down to cook another minute. Using a timer with your child can be fun here too!
Child: While pancakes are cooking, place your pre-cooked bacon on a double thickness of paper towel
Child: Place the bacon and paper towel on a microwave safe plate, into your microwave
Child or parent: Top that bacon plate with a single sheet of paper towel
Child: Microwave on high for 15 seconds just to heat it through
Parent: Remove heated bacon from microwave. Remove from paper toweling. Serve with cooked pancakes.
All: Garnish with your favorite syrup, jelly, peanut butter or powdered sugar.
Left over pumpkin pie filling options:
Parent: Remove the frozen mini pie crust shells from the freezer
Parent or child over 12: Pre-heat oven 350*F
Child: Spoon the remaining pumpkin pie filling evenly into as many mini pie shells as you can. Leave about 1/8 inch from the top of the pie's crust to allow for expansion.
Child: Sprinkle each pie top lightly with cinnamon
Child: Place pie shells in their tins, on a non-stick cooking sprayed cookie sheet
Parent or child over 12: Place the cookie sheet with pies into the 350*F oven for 20 minutes
Child: Set timer for 20 minutes
Parent: Remove pies and allow to cool. These can be placed inside a box or cup cake tin/ carrier or on a heavy paper plate, then covered with foil or clear wrap. Suggest that your children bring them to family, friends or neighbors to show thanks. If you child is leaving you after breakfast to head to another location, they can bring the mini pies that they baked to the next location and get recognition and praise by others.
Tip: You only cook the portion of bacon you know you will eat. Wrap the remaining un-used bacon in a zip lock type package and freeze it or refrigerate it. It keeps a week in the refrigerator if air tight. You can freeze cooked pancakes and drop them into a toaster from the frozen state and toast for 3 minutes to re-heat.
Lunch- Turkey Beanie Weinie
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 package turkey hot dogs
1 can baked beans
1 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp yellow or brown mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup, agave or honey
Preparation
Child: Cut each hot dog using a butter knife, into nickel shaped rounds, as evenly as possible, yet perfection is not important.
Parent or child over 12: Open can of beans and pour into a 3 qt sauce pan
Child: Place cut hot dog rounds into sauce pan with the beans
Child: Measure the remaining ingredients and add each to the sauce pan
Parent: Place the sauce pan on the stove over medium heat (#4 setting) and stir.
Parent: Allow to cook 15-18 minutes, stirring in a figure 8 every 5 minutes to prevent burning. When the pot of ingredients is bubbling around the edges, it is done.
Parent: Serve in a bowl, or over a slice of your favorite bread
TIP: Ask what your child/ren have learned about Thanksgiving in school and what they think about Thanksgiving. There are no wrong answers. Just learn what your kids know and are thinking about. Let them know you are thankful that you get to be their parent.
Dinner- Basic Thanksgiving Meal
Serves 4-12 people
Ingredients
Turkey:
1- 12 pound frozen turkey- (place in refrigerator in a large baking dish, 4 days prior to Thanksgiving morning. It takes 24 hours per every 4 pounds of frozen turkey to thaw safely in your refrigerator.)
1 pound healthy butter substitute, or unsalted butter if you must
1 carrot, washed, large dice
1 large onion, peeled, large dice
1 bunch of celery,washed, 4 stalks large dice, save rest for snacks
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup canola or olive oil
2 tbsp dried poultry seasoning
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 roll aluminum foil- you'll need enough to cover your bird at the end, about 24 inches
2 large aluminum foil turkey roasting pans that are larger in length and width than your bird
1 turkey baster (buy one if you do not have one)
Preparation:
Parent and child: using your thermometer, stick it inside the thickest part of the turkey breast to make certain the meat is not colder than 34*F
Parent: Remove one oven rack or adjust rack so the height of the turkey, while seated on the bottom rack will not touch the roof of your oven.
Child: Pre-heat the oven to 325*F
Parent: Place your turkey in the sink
Child: Turn on the cold water and help your parent rinse the turkey inside and out side
Parent: Remove both the neck package and giblet/heart package from inside the turkey. You do this by putting your hand up each open end of the turkey and pulling them out.
Parent: Unwrap the neck and giblet/heart packages and toss out the package and place the meat products into a double thick aluminum foil disposable turkey pan. Wash your hands with hot soapy water every time you finish touching or working on your Turkey. Also wash and sanitize all cooking surfaces and the sink once you have placed the Turkey into the oven.
Tip: You are placing one roasting pan inside the other to double the strength. This reduces the chance of the pan bending when you lift the turkey in and out of the oven. It's possibly your first time handling a turkey this size, so I'm being more careful with you.
Parent or child over 12: Cut the vegetables per instructions and scatter around the outside of the turkey in the pan bottom AND place some vegetables inside the vacant turkey cavity, stuffing from top and up from the bottom.
Parent, then child: with a butter knife, cut 3 sticks of butter into about 10 slices per stick
Parent: Place one stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl, covered with a paper towel, microwave on high for 40 seconds, stir and repeat to melt the butter.
Parent, then child: With your fingers, slowly and gently lift up areas of the turkey skin and with a gentle rubbing motion, move your hand deeper into the bird trying to lift gently the skin away from the meat. You can do this in some areas, yet not for example, the wings. This will not be perfect, yet what the goal is, will be to separate the skin from meat for the next step.
Parent, then child: With those same gentle fingers, pick up a slice of butter and slip one slice of butter into an area of the bird between the skin and meat. The goal is to place as many of the butter slices as possible between the skin and meat to add moisture and flavor to your turkey.
Parent: Allow microwaved butter to cool 2 minutes, then brush inside of the turkey cavity, the best you can with the melted butter, or just rub the inside all around, vegetables too, with your gloved hand and the melted butter. This too adds flavor and moisture.
Child and parent: wearing disposable latex or plastic cooking gloves, take turns rubbing the entire exterior of your turkey with canola or olive oil. This promotes even browning and seals the skin to retain moisture.
Child: Sprinkle the exterior of the turkey with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning as evenly as possible
Parent: Fill in "bald" areas your child may have missed to get an even coating of seasonings.
Parent: Open oven, standing to the side to avoid getting your face scorched, and place your turkey that is in the aluminum roasting pan on the lowest rack of your oven.
Parent or child over 12: Open one can of chicken broth and pour it into the bottom of the roasting pan
Parent: Close the oven door
Child: set time for 3 hours 30 minutes
Parent: Every 30 minutes, you are to open the oven, safely, by standing aside to allow the heat to escape and not burn you or your children. You are to squeeze the turkey baster with your fingers to remove the air and while holding the baster squeezed, place the baster in the bottom of the roasting pan and open your hand, or un-squeeze the baster. It will fill up with liquid from the pan. Place the baster over the middle top part of the turkey and re-squeeze gently, to let the juice flow slowly out and over the bird to baste it. Repeat, each time covering a different part of the bird to get the wings, legs, breast and thighs basted every 30 minutes. Add a second can of broth or cup of water if the liquid is not enough to get into your baster.
Parent: With 1 hour remaining to cook the turkey, tear off a sheet of aluminum foil that is as long as your turkey roasting pan. Fold a crease in the foil length wise like a tent top.
Parent: Open the oven, pull the bottom rack out slowly half way and place the aluminum foil tent top over your turkey. This is called "tenting" the turkey. It prevents the top skin from continuing to brown/reduces burn, while holding in the juices of the turkey.
Parent: When the 3 1/2 hours of cooking has ended, stick your meat thermometer inside the thickest part of your turkey breast and count to 15 with your child. Then pull the thermometer out and read the temperature. It MUST be 180*F or you have to cook the bird an additional 30 minutes and check again. Repeat until 180*F. ( Some ovens are not equal, so times vary.) Another hint is to look at the liquid that comes from the bird when you pull the thermometer out. If those juices are red or pink, you need more cooking. If juices are white or yellowish, chances are your bird is 180*F.
Child : Place two clean dish towels under a large cutting board on a flat surface
Parent: When the bird is 180*F, remove from oven.
Parent: Using one long handled spoon in each hand or strong tongs, insert a spoon or tong up each end of the turkey and lift it out of the pan and onto the cutting board to rest for 15 minutes, before carving.
Parent: On a stove top in a 12 inch sautee pan, melt one stick of butter
Parent: Pour the remaining hot liquid and cooked vegetables and giblets from the roasting pan into a food processor or blender. Do not blend or process the neck. Eat it or discard it!
Parent: Add 2 tbsp of all purpose flour to the butter and stir to mix. This is making a "roux".
Parent: Add Roux to the blender and cover the blender leaving 1/8 inch open facing away from you or your children. Cover the opening with another dish towel to avoid splashing, yet to let the steam escape. Turn the blender on high and mix for 2 minutes Add chicken broth if the gravy is too thick, adding liquid 2 tbsp at a time.
Parent: Return the gravy to the sautee pan on low heat and stir. There should be a nice thickness, like wall paint or syrup. If it is too runny like water, stir in 1 tbsp of flour, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps and allow to cook 2 minutes to thicken up. Still loose? Repeat, one tbsp at a time.
Candied Yams:
1 large can of yams
1 bag marshmallows
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 TBSP Orange marmalade
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Preparation
Parent or Child over 12: Open the can of yams and drain half the liquid out.
Child: Place the yams into an oven proof casserole dish
Parent or child over 12: Open the can of crushed pineapples.Pour the liquid into a small mixing bowl. Place the crushed pineapple into the casserole dish.
Parent or Child: Mix the marmalade with the pineapple juice using a whisk or spoon, to mix/blend thoroughly.
Parent or Child: measure the nutmeg and cinnamon and add to the marmalade mixture
Parent or Child: Pour marmalade mixture on top of yams and add nuts
Parent: With 30 minutes remaining for your Turkey, place the yam casserole into the oven on the top rack, covered. Bake your casserole for 20 minutes at 325*F, then remove cover and place large marshmallows around the top of the casserole dish and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown.
Green Bean Casserole:
1 pack frozen cut green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup half and half or milk
1 can French's dried onions
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Preparation
Parent or Child over 12: open can of soup and spoon into a large mixing bowl
Child: add the milk or half&half to the empty soup can and stir to get the remaining bits of soup out of the can. Then pour the soupy milk into an oven proof casserole dish.
Child: open frozen cut green beans and scatter evenly around the casserole dish into the soup
Child: measure seasonings and sprinkle over the casserole
Parent or child over 12: open the can of dried onions, being careful not to cut yourself on the lid.
Child: sprinkle the onion pieces evenly over your casserole
Parent: With 30 minutes remaining for your turkey, place the casserole dish uncovered into the oven on the top rack next to your yams and bake 325*F for 30 minutes.
TIP: If your oven is small, no worries! You can remove the turkey to "rest" and wet a dish towel with warm water and place it on top of the resting turkey foil. Then bake your casserole dishes in the empty oven. So your turkey will rest 30 minutes instead of only 15, to allow time for your casseroles to cook.
LEFTOVER TIP: Remove as much of the turkey meat as possible and dispose of the turkey carcass. Portion the turkey meat into usable portions. You can place turkey in a zip lock type bag and store in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can double zip lock bag (one bag inside the other to prevent freezer burn) the turkey, mark the date on the outside of one bag with a sharpie marker and store in the freezer for up to 30 days.
I wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving together. I'll have some suggestions for Turkey left overs, next time. Happy Thanksgiving!
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