cooking mama

Winter food vs summer food. I tend to cook different stuff during different times of the year. The college bound daughter asked for her favorites to be made this week. Of course her favorite meals are all more winter food meals than summer. So, we had pot roast last night and will have chili on Wednesday.

Tonight, it is grilled chicken, a more summer time meal. As I made the mashed potatoes last night I was thinking about how next week will impact the cooking duties. Down to just three of us at home. The food quantities won't change as the boy is starting to consume amazing amounts of food; a teenage boy phenomena that is quite common. But, sitting down to a big meal might not happen as often. The boy is a lot less structured when it comes to dinner time than the girls ever were. He will eat sandwiches and be happy!

So, this cooking mama has her work cut out for her over the next few days. I also anticipate a run to Gus' Fried Chicken for a meal. That is one of her fave's and something that can't be made at home.

One thing about cooking big, lots of leftovers for lunch!

aldi: budget cooking made fun

You just never know what you are going to find when you walk into an Aldi. It is almost like a treasure hunt. I've found awesome cheese, imported from Ireland. They always carry amazing German chocolate. Last week I picked up four packages of gnocchi for what one package costs at the 'regular' grocery store. They have their staples, but those oddball, seasonal items make cooking on a budget fun. Yesterday we had a very tasty mushroom risotto with our roasted chicken and Italian spinach. Yum.

Up for today is scalloped potatoes and ham. Not my favorite meal, but the kids and hubby enjoy it.

new things

I get so bored sometimes with my routine. We have a very busy household, but we do the same things over and over. So, when that feeling hits me, like it did this past month, I try and shake it up a bit. This time I am making some new recipes. Every Tuesday and Thursday in April I am making new recipes for dinner. I actually cheated a bit and started yesterday, even though it was Monday, with a new creation.

We enjoyed Spinach-Chicken Calzones and then had Poppy Seed Citrus cake for dessert. Yum. Everyone loved both and gave me the thumbs up to make them again.

Today I am off to visit friends and take a 'picnic' lunch for us to enjoy. I have chicken salad on soft wheat rolls, pasta salad and then the poppy seed cake for dessert. Simple, but good food to share and enjoy on a sunny bright day. I may cut a few daffodils to take along.

I have my recipes all selected for my April experiment and may mention how the efforts went as we move along.

Enjoy.

banana bread

Yesterday on my facebook page, I posted a comment about banana bread. I've been cleaning out the freezer and cooking with what we have on hand this week. I noticed I'd frozen five, over-ripe bananas a while back and decided to bake some bread. The middle kid and I worked together as I doubled the recipe; I mixed and she measured. When we got to the baking powder, we didn't have enough. So, I sent her over to the neighbors to 'borrow' some. Shortly there after the phone rang as my neighbor, quite an amazing baker, realized there was no way I needed 4 teaspoons of baking soda as the kid was requesting. I confirmed, I didn't want soda I wanted powder.

Kid made it back with the right stuff and the two loaves turned out beautifully and tasted even better. Of course, they weren't all gone by yesterday morning, even though we tried our best to devour them fresh out of the oven and slathered with butter!

Back to facebook......banana bread must be a comfort food for many and my banana bread has apparently made quite an impression on the twin sons of a friend. I took them two loaves one time when I flew out to California to see them and they've never forgotten. I gave their mom the recipe, but she's not a baker and said she is doomed when she attempts to produce the recipe. It really isn't a hard recipe, but perhaps like many thing, you get good at what you observe growing up. I saw lots of baking at my house and my grandmothers' homes. I don't bake as nearly as much as they did, but I guess I still have the knack.

Banana Bread
1 3/4 c flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/3 c shortening
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 c bananas mashed

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Beat Well. Add dry ingredients alternately with banana. Bake at 350 in greased loaf pan for approx. 1 hour or until done. You can mix into the batter choc. chips or chopped nuts if you wish.