Mama K's Kitchen

Potato-Corn Chowder

2005-12-21T23:41:00.000-08:00

We had a delicious meal tonight that was simple and hearty. All I served with it was a basket of rolls. Yum.

To feed a family of 10 (We were at my in-laws tonight):

8 potatoes, scrubbed and cubed small
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 package bacon (optional, I suppose, but we sure enjoyed it!)
1/4 cup bacon drippings (grease) or olive or vegetable oil.
3 T. flour
2 t. salt (seems like a lot but it really needed it)
1 t. pepper
5 cups water
3 cups frozen corn
2 cans evaporated milk
1 cup half and half or cream

Fry the bacon until crispy, drain on paper towels, reserving the drippings.
Put potatoes and onions in a large, heavy stockpot, adding the bacon drippings (grease) or olive oil, if you opt out of the bacon.
Toss potatoes and onions with the oil/drippings and cook on med-high, stirring bottom of pan often.
Toss with flour, salt and pepper.
Add water and cover, letting simmer until potatoes and onions are tender.
Add crumbled bacon, corn, milk, and cream, and simmer (don't boil) until heated through.

For a thicker soup, remove 1 cup of the potato mixture and puree in blender and add back into the soup and mix well.

Fresco e bello: top this soup with chopped green onions (scallions) and a grating of fresh ground pepper. And don't forget the bread or rolls to dunk into the delicious broth!

Faux Cinnamon Rolls in a Snap

2005-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Kei created these this morning, and I think she's brilliant. It's a once-in-a-while treat, of course, but for a great cinnamon roll taste, it really does the trick!

Mini-bagels
Cream cheese, softened
Milk
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar
Cinnamon

Halve and toast the bagels lightly.

Mix together the softened cream cheese with a dash of milk to thin it a bit, and a good touch of powdered sugar. (She used one cube of cream cheese - 8 ounces - and 1 cup powdered sugar.) Add enough cinnamon to taste and mix until well combined.

Spread cream cheese mixture over warm bagels, and ENJOY!

(Cavity alert tip: after spreading the cream cheese on top, tuck them under a broiler for a moment to cause the topping to ooze in a lovely, wonderful way, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar!)

Fresco e bello - For an extra special treat, use cinnamon-raisin bagels - they're sure to take care of that super-sweet tooth!

Bruschetta Fresca

2005-09-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

Try this easy to prepare bruschetta for your next event. It's beautiful, fresh, and very tasty.

Ingredients

10 Roma tomatoes, chopped small
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, torn up small
3 cloves garlic, minced tiny
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (we like the Mediterranean-spiced ones)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 T. olive oil

Mix all together and let sit for 1 hour or overnight

Serving options:
Cool - serve on the side with French bread rounds
Warm - top toasted bread rounds with bruschetta, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on each top, and an individual drizzle of olive oil and set under broiler for 1 minute, or until cheese is melted and golden.

Fresco e bello: This entire appetizer is simply fresh and beautiful...a great choice for unexpected company or a planned get-together or just to bless the family that you love.

(Roo just climbed up in my lap to tell me he loves me...my heart is full.)

Mama K's Kitchen Quandrary and Meatball Tortellini Soup

2005-09-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

Mama K's Pet Peeve: People who are listed as speakers on a given subject or at a given time who stand at the microphone and say with a nervous chuckle, "I really don't know what I'm going to say!" and then hope that everyone in attendance will show them respect and an eager ear!

Grrrr.

What does this have to do with Mama K's Kitchen site? Only that I have a very good excuse for not posting, and that I'm not going to fill up precious reading time on your part with twaddle.

I'm pregnant, things taste odd, I don't have the energy to cook much, and the girls have taken over most of the kitchen. It has mainly become Sisters Kei and Bep's Kitchen. If, however, they come up with a recipe that is delicious, I will definitely post it!

Just one note, however, with a culinary bent: If you take Grocery Day Souper Soup and follow these alterations, you'll have another version of soup that is different and yummy!

In oven, heat up enough pre-cooked meatballs to add to a soup (make your own or use pre-made or frozen from the store, but make sure you're comfortable with the ingredients). Take your beef or chicken broth, add chopped onion, minced zucchini (or the veggie of the night that you want to sneak in!), and finely chopped garlic (I use at least a clove or two). Bring to a boil, add 1 package of ready-to-cook fresh tortellini. When it returns to a good boil, add meatballs to the soup, continue to heat until pasta is done, and you've got an easy to serve soup for the fam.

Fresco e bello: We served this recently at our friends' home with whole wheat rolls and Caesar salad. It was a hit, and so easy to do. This is easy to multiply or reduce, depending on your crowd!

Yummy Turkey Chili

2005-09-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, we are just loving that crisp feeling in the air with autumn on it's way. Our entire family rejoices in the cooler weather that is heading our way. We are all about fall. We love warming by the woodstove, playing in rain puddles, candlelight, and wearing sweaters. It is truly our favorite season.

So it's time to break out the crock-pot, and get some of those comfort food recipes going! And here's what's percolating in the ole' pot, ready for dinner tomorrow: Engstrom Turkey Chili. (*Do you hear the happy sighs all around?*)

Fills one large crock-pot (enough to freeze some for later, if we don't eat it all)

In a large saucepan (we use our electric skillet), brown 3 pounds ground turkey with one chopped onion and 5 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped.

Drain and place in crock-pot.

Add 5 cans of beans (your choice...tonight we're using black beans, kidney beans, and Texas beans), 4 chopped fresh tomatoes (or 2 cans chopped tomatoes), and 1 can tomato paste.

Then add your spices:

3 T Chili powder (more if you like more)
1 t. Oregano
2 t. Ground cumin
(Optional ingredient to try: 1 package hot cocoa mix...just try it!)

Mix well, and set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Fresco e bello ~ delicious, warming chili is best served with plenty of fun toppings. Some of our favorites are grated cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, and sliced avocados. Also, for a crowd we love to serve it Cincinnati-style - on top of a happy bed of cooked spaghetti...yum.

Turkey Loaf

2005-08-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that might sound a bit nasty, something like the vegetarian version, "Lentil Loaf". But darlings, you need to stick with me here.

Ground turkey is lower in fat than ground beef, and produces much less "grease" around the loaf. This recipe that I've come up with is simply yummy. I will admit (because you'll inevitably be reading the recipe!) that it does have cheddar cheese embedded in it, and we know that cheese makes everything more tasty.

If the added fat from the cheese leaves you quaking with nightmares, by all means leave it out, and add a bit of water and maybe some dried sage before you shape it into loaves.

For two loaf pans (feeds our family with a good bit for Papa Pyro's lunch tomorrow)

Turkey Meatloaf

4.5 pounds ground turkey (3 packages)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 T minced onions
1 T minced fresh garlic
1/2 t salt, pepper
4 eggs, beaten
1 Cup ketchup
Topping:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
~In a large bowl, stir together ground turkey with next 5 ingredients and mix until well combined.
~In a separate bowl, stir together eggs and ketchup until combined.
~Stir the egg mixture into the turkey mixture (you simply must use your hands for this).
~Shape into loaves and place into 2 9"x5" or 8"x5" loaf pans.
~Bake in oven for 45 minutes (check to make sure it's no longer pink)
~Mix together the remaining ketchup and honey. Spread on top of each loaf and put back into oven for 5-7 minutes to glaze.

Let rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven.

Fresco e bello: Combine with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and dilly steamed carrot coins for a family friendly meal that they'll certainly ask for again!

Auntie's Salmon Casserole

2005-08-25T01:19:00.000-07:00

Auntie Erin (Erik's sis) enjoys life with her family in Anchorage, Alaska, and one of the obvious perks is the abundance of seafood (one of our favorites, as well). Uncle Bouncer (Erin's hubby) does a lot of fishing, and Auntie came up with a recipe that she said is just amazing, using some left-over salmon. Here's her recipe, Engstrom-style (you know...a pinch of this, a handful of that...).

In a 3-quart casserole dish mix:

~1 can stewed Italian tomatoes (chopped up)
~1 can tomato soup (the concentrate stuff)
~1-1/2 can water
~1 can mushrooms (with liquid)
~a couple handfuls of chopped up carrots and celery ("I would normally use onion also," Auntie relates, "but I'm trying to lay off them for [baby]Laura's sake!"), but Mama K's readers would be wise to toss in some chopped onions, barring any baby-gas-aversions of your own.
~garlic powder, basil, oregano, and parsley.

Fold in:

~Any amount of salmon, broken up
~Several handfuls of noodles (Auntie used small egg noodles)

Bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours at 350°F, stirring after an hour so the top noodles get fully cooked. (The salmon she used was pre-cooked, but you could probably use raw or even canned salmon if that's all you had.)

Fresco e bello: Mama K thinks that those popular accompaniments of bread and salad would go wonderfully with this salmon casserole. Now, if we can just get Uncle Bouncer to bring down some fresh salmon when they come next week, WE could try out this enticing recipe! Hint...hint!

Pregnancy confessions

2005-08-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

Being pregnant does not an excited chef make.

My poor husband is doing his best to keep up with my whims and aversions, but there have been some tough times. For example, we were attending a conference down in Oregon last weekend, and our hotel offered breakfast in the lobby. The first morning what sounded wonderful to me was eggs, over-easy, on top of hash browns. Yum.

The next morning, my thoughtful husband got up before me, headed down to the breakfast area, and brought back what he thought was my new favorite breakfast. Poor, wonderful man. I couldn't stand the site of that meal! I ate a bagel.

He was very gracious about it all.

All this to say that if pickles and ice cream recipes begin showing up on the menu at Mama K's Kitchen, feel free to comment and bring me back to the land of Normal. I might need it.

(However, if the turning stomach at just writing "pickles and ice cream" is any sign of things, you won't need to worry!)

There is no fresco e bello tonight...I'm eating raw almonds and peanut butter sandwiches to keep the nausea at bay. (I know...so sad.)

Bep's Oatmeal bread

2005-08-11T00:02:00.000-07:00

Bep has hands-down become our bread baker. At 11, she just has a touch that I simply do not possess. Her bread is soft, light, and tasty...Mine usually turns out wonderfully useful as a door-stop or fodder for the fire.

Here is a great recipe that she has mastered for Oatmeal Bread. It is from our beloved "Church Suppers" cookbook, with the recipe originally written by Anne Riggs of Michigan, and altered a bit by our family.

Ingredients

~2 cups boiling water
~1 cup oatmeal
~1/4 cup warm water
~1 tsp. plus 1/2 cup honey (separate)
~2 packages dry yeast
~2 Tbs butter (we melt it)
~3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
~2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, cool the boiling water slightly and add the oatmeal. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, teaspoon of honey, and yeast and let sit for no more than 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture to the oatmeal mixture and add the remaining ingredients. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes.

Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a slightly-damp clean towel, and let rise until doubled in size. Punch down, divide into 2 loaves. Place into two 5"x9" pans and let rise again until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and brush tops with butter; cool on wire rack.

Makes two wonderful loaves of bread.

Next up for our family - learning to make it successfully with all whole wheat flour.

Fresco e bello: For a special Italian dinner, add ground or fresh Italian herbs to the dry ingredients, shape into a long loaf, and bake. Add parmesan cheese when you add the butter...bellissimo e squisito!

Bep's Peach-banana bread

2005-08-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for using up peaches that are ready to "go" (or bananas, as well!). It isn't an AMAZING recipe, but it's good, hearty, and simple. Bep had a wonderful time making it, and we've all had a delicious time eating it!

Makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1.5 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced (tiny) peaches (that's about 6 small)
2 mashed ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two bread pans (we use 8x4, but 9x4 works fine, too).

Beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl and add in the sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add dry ingredients and mix until gently combined. Stir in peaches and bananas and pour into loaf pans. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, or until the center indicates done-ness.

(Know that there might be a bit of banana on the knife when you test, but that's normal!).

Fresco e bello: a bit of honey butter on top, and you've got a breakfast treat fit for a king!

Cyber Sauce to Dr. Black

2005-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

I told Erik that Dr. David Black had mentioned our spaghetti sauce discussion in his blog, and when he got on today, he saw that Dr. Black has mentioned it again!

6:49 AM Wednesday morning shout out to the Engstrom family...By the way, I'm still patiently waiting for that homemade spaghetti, but in the meantime my wife has cooked for me such delectables as chicken and dumplings and pork roast. Boy did I miss her cooking!

Erik's astonished comment: "Did you promise to send him some spaghetti?!"

That was good for a chuckle. No, I didn't promise him some, and after reading what his beautiful wife has been feeding him, it's time for me to start begging for recipes from HER! I wonder if she has a cookbook, or if she just cooks for her family...? Hmmm.

Coming soon...

2005-08-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Peach-banana Bread, a la Bep the Chef!

Stay tuned!

Foodie Movies

2005-07-23T23:02:00.000-07:00

Do you have a favorite food-based movie? I want to hear about it...comment below, and share your ideas!

~Mama K

Fun Pizza dogs

2005-07-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Now, I know that we've established that we mainly eat whole foods, fresh in season, and we're getting as healthy as possible. But once in a while you need some comfort food, and for our family, pizza dogs are "it".

I was raised watching my mother cook a lot, but, myself, never lifted a finger in the kitchen. My first real cooking experiences were, of all places, at my first real job: Orange Julius. I was the grill MASTER there (don't worry, I had plenty of humbling moments, too), and loved it. I know that Orange Julius isn't the Metropolitan Grille or Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse of experience, but it was a nice start! And it was there that I fell in love with the modest pizza dog. And here at home, nearly 20 years later, we just love 'em. Are they on the Two Week Menu? Nope, but they're a once-in-a-while treat that we happily spoil ourselves with.

For a truly indulgent pizza dog, you must start with Italian Sausages. Italian sausages are spicy (not "hot") and flavorful, and a definite step UP from hot dogs. Cook them until done all the way through, and place firmly in a nice bun (Oh, yipes: nice, firm, and bun in the same sentence...I think I'm in trouble with the weirdos Googling now...and I was just trying to be creative.).

Top with warm pizza sauce (either make your own or buy it, but check that label...no MSG, alrighty?) and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Strips of fresh oregano for "pretties" and you have yourself a complete delight!

Fresco e bello: Put out other fun toppings for the family to choose from - chopped olives, diced pineapple, mushroom pieces, or other family pizza favorites will make for a meal that is asked for again and again.

How to make spaghetti special

2005-07-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

Number One Rule: Don't open up a jar.

You can make delicious spaghetti all by your lonesome, darlin', and it will taste wonderfully fresh and delicious.

In a large pot combine plenty of tomato sauce, chopped fresh tomatoes, minced onions, chopped mushrooms or bell peppers, a small can or two of tomato paste, and maybe some cooked, crumbled sausage or ground beef (or Ikea meatballs are pretty good in a pinch, too!). Add fresh minced garlic (of course) and some fresh oregano and basil, chopped small.

Simmer until combined and serve over your favorite pasta, and make sure to add a basket of bread to sop (that's an entirely appropriate word here, folks!) up the remainder of the sauce.

Fresco e bello: for a special meal, or when company's over, sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese on top and tuck a basil leaf off to the side of each serving...it's pretty and delicious.

Grocery Day Super Soup

2005-07-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

When you have a busy day ahead of you, but you want to bless your beloved family something delicious to bring you all together, I recommend my easy, creamy soup.

There are two secrets to making this soup amazing:

1. The stock. You can either make your own stock (boil down chicken frames with onions, celery, and seasonings), or you can purchase a good, quality chicken stock. I have found a great one that is sold everywhere (although it's cheaper in some stores than in others!). It comes in a carton (not a can), and is range-free, organic chicken stock. I can also buy it in a "creamy" version, which I definitely indulge in for this soup! I will NOT buy chicken broth in a can. Most brands (check labels) add MSG (monosodium glutamate, honey, and it's NOT good for you!), but the organic broths are sold without this additive.

2. The chicken. I buy already-cooked rotisserie chickens at the final stop on my shopping day, and when I arrive home, I have juicy, flavorful chicken ready to cut up and put into my soup. It's SO simple...you will love it.

Here's the easy, Thirty-Minutes-to-Dinner recipe:
(Serves 12)

3 large cartons (24 oz) organic chicken broth
1 large carton (24 oz) creamy organic chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, cut up into soup-sized bites
1 yellow onion, chopped small
3 carrots, cleaned and sliced into paper thin rounds (this helps not only in cooking them quickly, but in kid-appeal as well!)
2 cloves garlic, minced small
2-12 oz pkgs. pasta of your choice (or cooked brown rice works well, too!)

In a large soup pot (of course), stir together all of the broth and the cut up chicken. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cover, and bring to a quick boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente (not until it's become porridge, darling...this isn't that kind of recipe!).
Serve a hot, yummy meal to your family with rolls or garlic bread, and enjoy the easy clean-up!

Fresco e bello ~ Try specialty pastas for a fun touch - alphabet, stars, and even elbow macaroni can be fun alternative to keep the family guessing!

Grocery Day

2005-07-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Being that this bi-weekly event occurs tomorrow, I thought I would share with you some of my ideas on meal planning and grocery shopping.

Every two weeks, when the king is paid, he allocates money to me to help manage his kingdom. The day before payday (that would be today), I pull up my pre-made Master Grocery List. This list has everything from household products to bananas on it, and everything in between. This is the order of what I do:

~Copy the Master List and paste it into a new document (this saves my Master List for me)

~Add to the new list anything that is immediate in my mind that we need that is not on it normally (those odd things like sunscreen or Jerusalem artichokes...)

~Make up my 2-week dinner menu list and put it on my calendar, taking careful note of special events ocurring during the upcoming weeks. That way I don't forget to get items for events, nor do I overshop, buying for days that we won't be here. For example, in the next two weeks, we have a fireworks show (picnic type food), a graduation party (gift), my dad's birthday (gift, BBQ items, cake makings), and a BBQ at a friend's home (meat plus side dish).

~Highlight on the list anything from the menu lists that I don't have on hand and need to purchase

~Highlight breakfast, lunch, and household items that we need

~Delete items that we don't need, which leaves me with only the items that I need to shop for

~Add the 2-week dinner menu list to the bottom, so that I can refer to it as I'm shopping

~Print and shop!

That's the basics. I'll go into more detail in the future, but I have a grocery list to put together!

Happy shopping, folks.

'Tis the Season - Aunt Sarah's Award Winning Recipe

2005-07-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

No, darlings, not that season, and not for egg nog or cinnamon-anything.

Our dear Aunt Sarah won an award for her Lemon Rum Mango Salsa in two categories: People's Choice and Most Original, and we at Mama K's think that THIS is the ideal season for fruit salsas. This one in particular is worthy of its title:

Blue Ribbon Lemon-Rum Mango Salsa

Ingredients
~4 cups coarsely chopped mango (look at using 4-6 mangos, depending on how big they are)
~3 Tbl. sugar
~1/2 cup Lemon Bacardi Rum
~2 cups cooked corn (or frozen, uncooked works great as well)
~1-1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
~1 cup chopped cilantro
~Salt and pepper to taste

Steep mangos, sugar, and rum for 30 minutes; add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Enjoy this salsa over everything "summer": a BBQ pork roast, a chef's salad, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips and guacamole. Oh, yum.

Fresco e bello: Add a couple of chopped avocados to it for absolute perfection, and sit back and wait for the awards to come your way!

(In the meantime, many thanks to our dear Aunt Sarah!)

Chicken with Sun-dried Tomato Cream

2005-07-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

This recipe is Sunday Dinner-worthy! Don't skimp on anything - it's quick, delicious, and luxurious.

Ingredients

~4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
~Salt and pepper to taste
~2 Tbl olive oil
~5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
~1/2 cup white wine
~1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
~3 Tbl thinly sliced fresh basil

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, saute the chicken in olive oil until browned (about 4-5 minutes on each side).

2. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

3. Add the wine, cream, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

4. Cover and reduce the heat.

5. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

6. Remove the chicken [Ed note: check for chicken's doneness before removing] from the skillet and add the basil to the sauce. Increase the heat and boil until it thickens (about 2 minutes).

7. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Fresco e bello: Make up a pot of fettucini - place the pasta in the center of individual plates, put a chicken breast on top of the pasta, and spoon more sauce over it. A work of art!

(Recipe courtesy of Church Suppers Cookbook, specifically Susan Jones, Roswell, GA)

A Kid-Friendly Recipe!

2005-07-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Take two or more children, wash well in warm water and tuck into bed early. Leave for 10 or 12 hours with windows open. Next morning, dress them lightly and set at the cheeriest place at the breakfast table. To each child add juice of 1 orange, 1 softboiled egg mixed with 2 tablespoons cream and salt to taste, several slices whole wheat bread, a glass of milk.

Remove to the yard, add some garden seeds, toys, a sandpile and mix thoroughly. Leave in the sun until brown.

(Recipe courtesy of Church Suppers Cookbook, specifically Delphia Stone, Taylor Nebraska)

Kitchen Hint #2 - Don't put too much garlic in the tzatziki sauce

2005-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Trenton's wonderful tzatziki sauce a couple of summers back, we have been enjoying this yummy accompaniment regularly. I have come up with a delicious version that is fascinating to make (really, it is!), but recently got a bit carried away.

Confession time? I put in a whole head of very fresh garlic. Yeah. It hurt. It was the most painful tzatziki sauce I have ever eaten. Yipes.

I was really thinking, "Wow, this garlic is so fresh. It's slicing up so nicely." And clove after final clove later, I had a moment of "Hmmm. Is it possible that this is too much?" After tossing that caution into the wind, I continued on. Oh yeah, baby (sorry, Emeril), it was too hot.

Now, some of you are scratching your heads and twisting up your pretty faces over this one puzzling question: what in the world is tzatziki sauce? Tzatziki is a delicious (normally!) sauce that is served with Mediterranean foods. It's comprised simply of plain yogurt, garlic, mint, and cucumber.

So if you dare (after reading that!), here is a GOOD recipe for tzatziki sauce:

Greek Tzatziki (feeds 12)

Begin the night before:
~One large (16 oz) container plain yogurt (Mountain High is a great brand)
~4 cloves garlic, minced
~1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
~3 mint leaves, coarsely chopped or torn into tiny pieces
~Dash kosher salt

What to do:

Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth or 3-plies of paper towels. Place over a bowl big enough to rest the sieve over without touching the bottom of the bowl (you'll want to allow quite a bit of water to gather below without touching the sieve). Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Set in the fridge overnight to drain.

In the morning, remove the yogurt from the sieve. You will be amazed (this is the fascinating part) at how much water is in yogurt! The yogurt you started with will now be the consistency of cream cheese.

Mix together the yogurt and remaining ingredients. Let sit in fridge for a couple of hours to blend flavors. Enjoy with warmed pitas or flatbreads, on top of salmon, or with fresh veggies and kebabs as a dip.

Fresco e bello: Yogurt has more water in it than watermelon! True fact!

Whoa...overload

2005-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

I have looked over that last post, and must apologize...who would read all of that!? Mercy.

I will try be more concise in the future, and put my inner celebrity chef's delusions of grandeur aside.

Now, onto the next very important hint...

Kitchen Tip #1 - Pot Roast

2005-07-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

Repeat with me:

A pot roast cannot cook properly in one hour.

If you want a pot roast to turn out succulent, tender, and flavorful (was that redundant? Doesn't succulent mean tender and flavorful?), you must follow these three important rules (they're easy to remember!):

Sear
Season
Simmer

The first key to a fantastic pot roast is to sear the meat. Prepare your pan (I use my electric fry pan because it has a good lid for the Simmer portion of cooking) by heating 2 Tablespoons of oil in it at about 350 degrees. Gently place a good piece of chuck roast flat on top of the oil and let it sear, uncovered for about 4 minutes. Turn it over (using tongs or a pancake turner, not a piercing fork), and do the same on the opposite side. It isn't necessary to sear the sides unless you have a blocky piece of meat, more of a square shape rather than one shaped like a thick book.

Secondly, after you have seared it, season the meat. You can go with a simple salt and pepper seasoning (which makes a fabulous pot roast), or get more elaborate, shaking garlic salt, chipotle or Cajun seasonings, or other salts and herbs that your creative mind makes up. My favorite stand-by, however, is good old salt and pepper. Season liberally the top of the meat (you can briefly turn it over to season the bottom if it has already been seared well) and then you're ready for the third key to a fantastic pot roast:

Simmer. In order to simmer something, you need a liquid for it to simmer in. I've found simple, precious water to be the best. With this, you will create your own delicious beef stock with the drippings, juices, and water (which can be made into a marvelous gravy). Add 1 cup of water to the pan, cover, lower the heat to 250 degrees, and simmer for 1/2 hour. You will hear it bubbling away.

Every 1/2 hour, check the liquid to make sure that there is plenty of it (I think it should come about 1/3 of the way up the meat), and add more if necessary. Put the lid back on and let it continue to simmer for a total of 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Some things that you can add to enhance the flavor of the pot roast are mushrooms (just toss 'em on top), minced garlic (fresh, of course), and sliced onions, scattered around. As the roast simmers, the juices of the veggies and garlic will just wrap themselves around the meat and their subtle flavor will infuse the meat by the act of simmering. Is your mouth watering yet, my young apprentice?

Monday’s Pot Roast Dinner

Ingredients:
1 large chuck roast
2 Tbs. olive oil
8 mushrooms, cut in half
1 large onion, cut in fourths
5 cloves garlic, minced
Potatoes (see note below for amount)
Milk, cream cheese, butter (for mashed potatoes, or your favorite recipe)
1 Head garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
Carrots (enough to feed your family)
1 can cream of mushroom soup or 1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper for seasoning

To help you plan your day, here is a sample breakdown of timing, based on your king arriving home and ready for dinner by 6:00pm. Included is a menu plan to accentuate the roast (Pot roast, steamed carrots, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, gravy):

2:00 – set out chuck roast to rest

2:55 – heat skillet with oil

3:00 – sear meat one side

3:04 – sear meat other side

3:05 – season meat

3:06 – add water, cover, lower heat, and simmer

3:30 – check water level (add more if necessary)
~Peel carrots and cut into buttons
~Place carrots in saucepan with water (about 1 inch) and dash of salt. Set aside

4:00 – check roast water level
~Wash potatoes and cut into fourths for mashed potatoes (I usually do twice as many potatoes as the number of people eating)
~Set in large pot of salted water (enough to cover the potatoes
generously); set aside
~Heat oven to 400 degrees
~Prepare garlic for roasting: Slice top 1/5 of garlic off (the pointy parts) to reveal the garlic underneath; place on top of foil sheet; drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt, and close up foil tightly so oils cannot seep out; Bake in oven for 1 hour

4:30 – Put potatoes on to boil

5:00 – Toss mushrooms, onion, and minced garlic over the top and sides of the roast. Lightly season again.
~Set the table with plates, forks, knives, glasses, water pitchers, salt, pepper, and butter.
~Pull roasted garlic out of oven; set aside

5:30 – Crunch time:
Put a smile on your face – you can pull this off!
Have kids ready to bless Daddy: When your king arrives home, have the children sit him in his comfy chair, take off his shoes and bring him a glass of nice water, a cup of already-prepared tea, or a half- glass of dinner wine (if you’re so inclined). Assure him that dinner will be ready by 6:00.

1. Drain potatoes and put back into pot
2. Add butter, milk, cream cheese, whatever you like for your mashed potatoes.
3. Carefully squeeze garlic from bulb into the mashed potato mixture (yes, darlings, the entire thing – it will be delicious, and kitchen hint #2 does not apply to roasted garlic) .
4. Mash potatoes and cover tightly again.
5. Heat up carrots for 10 minutes on stove until tender. Drain, add a pat of butter, and cover.
6. Pull roast from pan, place on platter, top with steamed mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Cover with foil.
7. To drippings in pan add one of the following: sour cream to thicken or 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Mix well. Set gravy into gravy boat or bowl with spoon.

Put the mashed potatoes into a bowl, sprinkle with paprika or a pat of butter, tuck in a large spoon, and put onto table
Put the gravy bowl onto the table (don’t forget the spoon)
Place carrot buttons around the roast and put on table with a serving fork and knife.

Call your family to dinner.

Fresco e bello: Don’t toss the leftovers! They’re FABULOUS the next day!

Welcome to my Kitchen

2005-07-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Being a mother of six children, four of them being hungry, growing boys, I often amuse myself when I'm making yet another meal by behaving as if I were on the Food Network as a celebrity chef.

Yes, I really do. I think the kids are amused, as well.

I have mastered (well, "mastered" might be a small overstatement) the art of flipping eggs, courtesy of Alton Brown (our favorite edu-chef); I can toss a pan of mushooms or sauteed onions right alongside Emeril; Rachael Ray doesn't have anything on me when it comes to "$40.00 a Day" - I feed my Family of Eight for less than that many a day (although she is absolutely darling to watch and read).

I think I have something to offer you.

So hang with us as we present real life, feeding a real family, in Mama K's Kitchen. You'll get great recipes, helpful tips, little laughs, budgeting and planning advice, and even the occasional (I hope) faux pas revealed as I share my mistakes that I've learned from.

Off you go now.

Wash your hands, put back your hair, and tighten that apron...it's time to get to work!

(Special thanks for the inspiration from my friend and fellow kitchen-maiden, Jenni. You started it...it's time for me to join in. Together we can change the world, one family at a time!)