Last night I made pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker. The entire meal took 12 minutes to cook! Having never made pork tenderloin before, I had no idea it would shrink as much as it did. I suspect it was over cooked, but was assured by my meat eating honey that it was delicious and moist.
The last two weeks, I've had to work many nights until 11 or 12 at night. More than ever, I am looking to the pressure cooker to help lessen the cooking time on some of the meals I make for mom. I'm also looking to do entire meals in one pot. And I'm interested in the nutritional benefits of cooking with this method (less loss of vitamins and minerals).
I hope to make a new delivery to mom by the end of the week. Here is what the menu is starting to look like:
MENU
*Pork Tenderloin with roasted potatoes and carrots
*Lemon garlic chicken breasts with cognac wine sauce, brown rice risotto with peas and shaved parmesan, asparagus
*Beef stroganoff with brocolli and whole wheat egg noodles
Tomorrow I'm planning on making the stroganoff. So far, it's feeling much easier for my schedule to make mom's meals one dish at a time over a period of days rather than all at once in a one-day marathon.
I'll have to see what kind of fish to include in this batch of meals. Mom always loves to have a fish option.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Pressure Cooker Deliciousness
Tonight I cooked two dishes in the pressure cooker: brown rice risotto and lemon garlic marinated chicken breasts.
The rice dish was unbelievably delicious--the recipe called it risotto, which I didn't believe could be done in a pressure cooker. It's not Italian bistro perfect risotto, but it's darned close! And I used medium grain brown rice, not a short white grain like arborio. It's absolutely mind boggling how delicious this rice is!
The chicken breasts were moist and succulent. First you saute the chicken in a small amount of an oil and butter mixture. Then remove the chicken and saute onion ring in the remaining fats. Then lay the chicken breasts on top of the onion. Pour in equal parts marinade, white wine, and stock (chicken or vegetable) and a couple of tablespoons of brandy or cognac. Cook in the pressure cooker for about 15 minutes. That's it!
I put these two dishes in a meal container and sauteed some asparagus. One whole meal is prepared for mom.
The rice dish was unbelievably delicious--the recipe called it risotto, which I didn't believe could be done in a pressure cooker. It's not Italian bistro perfect risotto, but it's darned close! And I used medium grain brown rice, not a short white grain like arborio. It's absolutely mind boggling how delicious this rice is!
The chicken breasts were moist and succulent. First you saute the chicken in a small amount of an oil and butter mixture. Then remove the chicken and saute onion ring in the remaining fats. Then lay the chicken breasts on top of the onion. Pour in equal parts marinade, white wine, and stock (chicken or vegetable) and a couple of tablespoons of brandy or cognac. Cook in the pressure cooker for about 15 minutes. That's it!
I put these two dishes in a meal container and sauteed some asparagus. One whole meal is prepared for mom.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Time Pressures
For the past month, I have been very busy with work. The work I do is not 9 to 5, but often involves seeing a project through even if that means working late into the night.
Because of this, I have new time pressures on cooking for mom. This month, I have tried several new strategies to help get the job done quicker and more efficiently.
First, I decided at Easter time, that even though I didn't have time to make a full batch of food, I could make multiples of one entree. On Easter, I cooked for Easter brunch and I cooked one entree for mom. It was panko crusted tilapia, sweet potatoes, and green beans almondine. I brought three servings, which I'm sure she has made into six.
During the two weeks since Easter, I have been swamped with work. But I knew mom was going to need more food soon. So it was on my mind. Gotta get going on the menu for mom!
We decided to get a new pressure cooker and try it out. My old one is decades old! We got a beautiful, sleek stainless steel pot with all the latest safety features.
For the first meal cooked in the pressure cooker, I chose pot roast. It was awesome! This pot cooked a three pound roast, onions, potatoes, and turnips in 45 minutes total! In one 1-hour period, I was able to create an entire meal for mom. Fantastic.
Today, I had a chunk of four hours free to devote only to cooking. I made a flat roasted chicken--once again a method that cut the roasting time in half. The entire chicken with potatoes and onions took 40 minutes. And one chicken produced five full meals for mom who will probably make them last to 10 meals. Unbelievable!
I also made crab cakes, probably the most time-intensive item on this menu because of all the ingredients that have to be chopped and prepped.
I will deliver the food to mom tomorrow. I think she'll really like this menu. It has a little bit of everything she likes. And many of the flavors will taste new to her. The pot roast has a gorgeous sauce that came directly out of the pot, no messing with gravy!
Menu
* Pot roast with red wine sauce/potatoes/turnips and onions
* Roasted chicken with lemon garlic brandy & white wine sauce/potatoes/braised red cabbage
* Crab cakes with garlic aioli/brown rice/sauteed spinach
* Tuna salad
* Spinach and cheese frittata
Because of this, I have new time pressures on cooking for mom. This month, I have tried several new strategies to help get the job done quicker and more efficiently.
First, I decided at Easter time, that even though I didn't have time to make a full batch of food, I could make multiples of one entree. On Easter, I cooked for Easter brunch and I cooked one entree for mom. It was panko crusted tilapia, sweet potatoes, and green beans almondine. I brought three servings, which I'm sure she has made into six.
During the two weeks since Easter, I have been swamped with work. But I knew mom was going to need more food soon. So it was on my mind. Gotta get going on the menu for mom!
We decided to get a new pressure cooker and try it out. My old one is decades old! We got a beautiful, sleek stainless steel pot with all the latest safety features.
For the first meal cooked in the pressure cooker, I chose pot roast. It was awesome! This pot cooked a three pound roast, onions, potatoes, and turnips in 45 minutes total! In one 1-hour period, I was able to create an entire meal for mom. Fantastic.
Today, I had a chunk of four hours free to devote only to cooking. I made a flat roasted chicken--once again a method that cut the roasting time in half. The entire chicken with potatoes and onions took 40 minutes. And one chicken produced five full meals for mom who will probably make them last to 10 meals. Unbelievable!
I also made crab cakes, probably the most time-intensive item on this menu because of all the ingredients that have to be chopped and prepped.
I will deliver the food to mom tomorrow. I think she'll really like this menu. It has a little bit of everything she likes. And many of the flavors will taste new to her. The pot roast has a gorgeous sauce that came directly out of the pot, no messing with gravy!
Menu
* Pot roast with red wine sauce/potatoes/turnips and onions
* Roasted chicken with lemon garlic brandy & white wine sauce/potatoes/braised red cabbage
* Crab cakes with garlic aioli/brown rice/sauteed spinach
* Tuna salad
* Spinach and cheese frittata
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I spoke with mom this morning and she says she's wearing green from head to toe today! I love remembering when we were kids, mom would serve us green milk and mashed potatoes. We loved it! Mom always brought our Irish heritage into our home in many different ways.
I delivered a batch of meals to mom last week. I included a corned beef and cabbage entree that I think she will like. The menu is as follows:
Cream of broccoli/cheese soup
Spinach frittata
Rotisserie chicken salad
Corned beef and cabbage with potatoes
Meat Loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans almondine
Scallops wrapped in bacon, lemon garlic spinach, brown rice
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I delivered a batch of meals to mom last week. I included a corned beef and cabbage entree that I think she will like. The menu is as follows:
Cream of broccoli/cheese soup
Spinach frittata
Rotisserie chicken salad
Corned beef and cabbage with potatoes
Meat Loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans almondine
Scallops wrapped in bacon, lemon garlic spinach, brown rice
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New Delivery
I delivered a new batch of food to mom last week. Mom is now enjoying a whole new selection of entrees. She called yesterday to tell me how yummy the frittata is—in fact, she interrupted EATING the frittata to call me about it! That was funny. I do believe frittata is turning into one of her favorite meals.
This time, I made the food in two sessions: I cooked on Friday for nine hours and then again for two hours on Saturday before driving to mom's with the food. It would have taken longer if I had made soup, but there wasn't time.
The current menu is as follows.
Three cheese spinach frittata
Tuna salad
Tri-tip roast with red wine gravy/turnips, carrots, onions, potatoes
Panko crusted chicken tenders/brown rice pilaf/green beans almondine
Pecan crusted Tilapia/roasted potatoes, pearled onions, and carrots
I had a very challenging work week, so I needed to try some efficiencies to shorten the cooking time. I cut out the soup. Also, I cut down on the number of different kinds of meals I cooked. Instead of four meals with three servings each, I made three meals with four servings each. It did save time to cook one less meal—one meal usually comprises three different recipes! So, it made a significant difference not to have to plan, buy extra ingredients, and cook three extra dishes.
It feels incomplete though: It feels as if I need to begin cooking again soon because I didn't cook enough for her this time.
Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent . I'll have to create more fish entrees next time. Mom will love that!
This time, I made the food in two sessions: I cooked on Friday for nine hours and then again for two hours on Saturday before driving to mom's with the food. It would have taken longer if I had made soup, but there wasn't time.
The current menu is as follows.
Three cheese spinach frittata
Tuna salad
Tri-tip roast with red wine gravy/turnips, carrots, onions, potatoes
Panko crusted chicken tenders/brown rice pilaf/green beans almondine
Pecan crusted Tilapia/roasted potatoes, pearled onions, and carrots
I had a very challenging work week, so I needed to try some efficiencies to shorten the cooking time. I cut out the soup. Also, I cut down on the number of different kinds of meals I cooked. Instead of four meals with three servings each, I made three meals with four servings each. It did save time to cook one less meal—one meal usually comprises three different recipes! So, it made a significant difference not to have to plan, buy extra ingredients, and cook three extra dishes.
It feels incomplete though: It feels as if I need to begin cooking again soon because I didn't cook enough for her this time.
Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent . I'll have to create more fish entrees next time. Mom will love that!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Elegant Dining
Mom called the other day upon the arrival of her food. She was crying. She had just tasted the chicken salad and was calling to tell me how incredible it was. She was overwhelmed with the food, the flavors, the work she knows I put into it, and the gift it is to her.
Her tears filled me with sheer joy. That made it all worth it. All of the planning, the shopping, the cooking, the packaging and the delivering. This is what it's all about, not just feeding mom's body--I want to feed mom's heart and soul. I want to feed her with love and wonder and excellence.
I'm only giving back to mom a fraction of what she has given me. Such a small offering. But all I have today, from my life to hers.
Mom cooked every single day of her married life, three meals a day and probably a heck of a lot of snacks in between. My mother even cooked over camp fires so that her children could have vacations and travel. Mom didn't especially like cooking over campfires. :) So many lessons my mom gave to me through her cooking.
Some of the items I choose to make for mom are dishes she cooked for us: broiled chicken, broiled steak, "red cooked." Mom's favorite cookbook was The Joy of Cooking. I love to pay homage to her dishes by returning them to her today. But I also like to make her things she's never tasted before, epicurian delights to send her taste buds dancing.
I like to choose for mom things beyond her imagination. But not beyond her sense of delicious delight.
Her tears filled me with sheer joy. That made it all worth it. All of the planning, the shopping, the cooking, the packaging and the delivering. This is what it's all about, not just feeding mom's body--I want to feed mom's heart and soul. I want to feed her with love and wonder and excellence.
I'm only giving back to mom a fraction of what she has given me. Such a small offering. But all I have today, from my life to hers.
Mom cooked every single day of her married life, three meals a day and probably a heck of a lot of snacks in between. My mother even cooked over camp fires so that her children could have vacations and travel. Mom didn't especially like cooking over campfires. :) So many lessons my mom gave to me through her cooking.
Some of the items I choose to make for mom are dishes she cooked for us: broiled chicken, broiled steak, "red cooked." Mom's favorite cookbook was The Joy of Cooking. I love to pay homage to her dishes by returning them to her today. But I also like to make her things she's never tasted before, epicurian delights to send her taste buds dancing.
I like to choose for mom things beyond her imagination. But not beyond her sense of delicious delight.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Done and Dusted
Wine Braised Pork Chops with Acorn Squash and Brussel Sprouts
We had several weather delays this time. Snow and ice prevented me and my brother from making the trip last week. Each day we had to delay was frustrating because I knew mom needed a new supply. Fortunately, my brother and sister live close by and could make sure she had plenty to eat in this kind of situation.
The delay forced a few menu changes. Here is the final menu that mom will receive today:
*Pea soup with bacon
*Carmelized onion, spinach, and cheese frittata
*Walnut cranberry chicken salad
Entrees
*Lemon garlic halibut/sweet potatoes/asparagus
*Steak Diane/mashed potatoes/broccoli w/cheese sauce
*Broiled chicken thighs/spinach/rice pilaf
*Wine braised Frenched pork chops with Apple and onion compote/acorn squash/brussel sprouts
Thursday, January 7, 2010
2010 First Meal Planning
Now that the holidays are behind us, mom will be needing a fresh supply of food soon.
During the holidays, mom had a lot of guests and her eating pattern was different than normal. She has about 4 meals left from the last batch. The trouble is she lives in a snowbelt region and it's been snowing there for 8 days! Getting the food to her in time will be a challenge.
Over the holidays, I gathered up most of the containers and brought them home. It took three loads in the dishwasher to clean them all!
I have developed a preliminary menu and have done 80% of the grocery shopping. So I will be cooking within the next three days.
TENTATIVE MENU
Spinach frittata
Split pea soup
Rotisserie chicken salad
Chicken paillards/asparagus/sweet potatoes
Garlic herbed rib eye steak/green beans almondine/mashed potatoes
Pork chops/acorn squash/spinach
Grilled halibut with lemon sauce/rice pilaf/roasted brussel sprouts
Now let's see if Mother Nature can give us a break in the snow so I can deliver the food...
During the holidays, mom had a lot of guests and her eating pattern was different than normal. She has about 4 meals left from the last batch. The trouble is she lives in a snowbelt region and it's been snowing there for 8 days! Getting the food to her in time will be a challenge.
Over the holidays, I gathered up most of the containers and brought them home. It took three loads in the dishwasher to clean them all!
I have developed a preliminary menu and have done 80% of the grocery shopping. So I will be cooking within the next three days.
TENTATIVE MENU
Spinach frittata
Split pea soup
Rotisserie chicken salad
Chicken paillards/asparagus/sweet potatoes
Garlic herbed rib eye steak/green beans almondine/mashed potatoes
Pork chops/acorn squash/spinach
Grilled halibut with lemon sauce/rice pilaf/roasted brussel sprouts
Now let's see if Mother Nature can give us a break in the snow so I can deliver the food...
Monday, November 16, 2009
To Whole Grain or Not To
With each batch of food I prepare for mom, I struggle with the issue of whether to use whole grains or not. Mom loves her white grains! White rice, white flour, white pasta, all very unhealthy for her. Some of my friends and relatives have scoffed at my concern and say, "She's eighty-six years old--give her the white rice!"
But we know that when she eats the carb-rich foods, it's very hard on her body. Her blood sugar increases when she eats these foods. Especially now that she's a senior, her body is more sensitive to these foods. Here's the adage you can't go wrong following:
Don't eat anything white.
Today, I included brown rice with the chicken dish I prepared. I don't have any white rice in my pantry. And it just seems wrong to buy it for mom. The reason I'm cooking for her is to help improve her health with nutritious foods she can't get by buying frozen foods or expensive meal plans.
I feel the same about pasta. I don't particularly like whole wheat pasta so I just stay away from it altogether. When I need to use flour, I usually use whole wheat pastry flour (it is lighter than all purpose whole wheat flour).
I guess I'm deciding that I will not provide a carb with a meal if it isn't a whole grain carb.
But we know that when she eats the carb-rich foods, it's very hard on her body. Her blood sugar increases when she eats these foods. Especially now that she's a senior, her body is more sensitive to these foods. Here's the adage you can't go wrong following:
Don't eat anything white.
Today, I included brown rice with the chicken dish I prepared. I don't have any white rice in my pantry. And it just seems wrong to buy it for mom. The reason I'm cooking for her is to help improve her health with nutritious foods she can't get by buying frozen foods or expensive meal plans.
I feel the same about pasta. I don't particularly like whole wheat pasta so I just stay away from it altogether. When I need to use flour, I usually use whole wheat pastry flour (it is lighter than all purpose whole wheat flour).
I guess I'm deciding that I will not provide a carb with a meal if it isn't a whole grain carb.
Drop Off Successful!
I finished a new batch of food for mom and dropped it off succesfully downtown. We now have enough supplies to do two complete cycles of drop offs comfortably.
This means that when I drop off an ice chest filled with individual meals in containers, I am given an empty ice chest with all the empty containers inside. I will wash everything up and then we will be ready for the next batch.
The final menu was as follows.
* Sweet and Sour cabbage soup
* Three cheese spinach frittata
* Chicken salad
* Meat Loaf with red wine gravy/roasted veggies/garlic brussel sprouts with cranberries
* Roasted Chicken with apples and onions/Brown rice pilaf/cauliflower n cheese sauce
* Pecan and ww panko crusted Tillapia/Maple-sage-grand marnier acorn squash/garlic lemon spinach
* Pan seared scallops with white wine sauce/sweet potatoes/parsleyed parsnips
I will probably be thinking and planning for the next batch shortly after Thanksgiving.
This means that when I drop off an ice chest filled with individual meals in containers, I am given an empty ice chest with all the empty containers inside. I will wash everything up and then we will be ready for the next batch.
The final menu was as follows.
* Sweet and Sour cabbage soup
* Three cheese spinach frittata
* Chicken salad
* Meat Loaf with red wine gravy/roasted veggies/garlic brussel sprouts with cranberries
* Roasted Chicken with apples and onions/Brown rice pilaf/cauliflower n cheese sauce
* Pecan and ww panko crusted Tillapia/Maple-sage-grand marnier acorn squash/garlic lemon spinach
* Pan seared scallops with white wine sauce/sweet potatoes/parsleyed parsnips
I will probably be thinking and planning for the next batch shortly after Thanksgiving.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Food Categories
When planning my menus, I think in terms of categories of food I need to create. Right now, I try to include the following categories:
* Breakfast
* Main meals
* Soups
* Lunch salads
Mom eats her main meal of the day between noon and 1 pm. She's up by 6 each day, so 1 pm is more than about half-way through her day! She eats breakfast an hour or so after getting up. Outside of her dinners, she needs to snack on healthy entrees that are smaller than a full three-course meal.
Soups are a great small meal for her. So are salads such as tuna salad, egg salad, crab salad. If she has salads and frittatas available in her refrigerator, that is what she will grab for.
It's a little harder to provide enough of these items because they taste better when eaten fresh. They shouldn't be frozen. Also, mom's freezer is like the dead zone: it's so filled with...stuff, she has trouble finding things in there!
* Breakfast
* Main meals
* Soups
* Lunch salads
Mom eats her main meal of the day between noon and 1 pm. She's up by 6 each day, so 1 pm is more than about half-way through her day! She eats breakfast an hour or so after getting up. Outside of her dinners, she needs to snack on healthy entrees that are smaller than a full three-course meal.
Soups are a great small meal for her. So are salads such as tuna salad, egg salad, crab salad. If she has salads and frittatas available in her refrigerator, that is what she will grab for.
It's a little harder to provide enough of these items because they taste better when eaten fresh. They shouldn't be frozen. Also, mom's freezer is like the dead zone: it's so filled with...stuff, she has trouble finding things in there!
Time to Plan
It's time to think about the next menu for mom. She will be needing food by next week sometime. In planning, I have to think about the future and what mom may have going (i.e, visitors, holidays).
In two weeks, it will be Thanksgiving and mom will have a house filled with visitors. Her visitors don't have the same nutritional needs that she has, so they may be eating foods she should not eat. If there isn't food for her already prepared and easy to grab for, she will eat whatever her guests are eating. Historically that has been a challenge for her.
I am thinking this time I will provide a full menu as I normally do, so that mom has ready-to-eat gourmet food throughout the holiday. Also, I want to make sure she has a full supply of food for the week following Thanksgiving so that she won't be tempted to eat any of those left overs that may linger in her kitchen.
Experiment
I had a new soup the other evening at a restaurant. It's called apple rutabaga soup. It's To Die For! I can't find a recipe that duplicates exactly the flavors that were in my soup, so this weekend I'm going to experiment with several recipes and see what I can come up with for mom. Mom LOVES rutabagas! And 'tis the season right now.
In two weeks, it will be Thanksgiving and mom will have a house filled with visitors. Her visitors don't have the same nutritional needs that she has, so they may be eating foods she should not eat. If there isn't food for her already prepared and easy to grab for, she will eat whatever her guests are eating. Historically that has been a challenge for her.
I am thinking this time I will provide a full menu as I normally do, so that mom has ready-to-eat gourmet food throughout the holiday. Also, I want to make sure she has a full supply of food for the week following Thanksgiving so that she won't be tempted to eat any of those left overs that may linger in her kitchen.
Experiment
I had a new soup the other evening at a restaurant. It's called apple rutabaga soup. It's To Die For! I can't find a recipe that duplicates exactly the flavors that were in my soup, so this weekend I'm going to experiment with several recipes and see what I can come up with for mom. Mom LOVES rutabagas! And 'tis the season right now.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
She Thoght It Was Meat!
Success! Mom thought the stroganoff was beef! She had no idea--she called to thank me and tell me how absolutely delicious the stroganoff was--in fact, it was the first of the three choices she picked last night to eat. She was flabbergasted when I told her. It was the best stroganoff I've ever made if I do say so.
This time I used seitan in addition to the TVP as the protein base. I chopped it up in bite size pieces about the same size as beef tips. The seitan is amazingly similar to beef in consistency, dense and chewy. Once the consistency is there, the key is in the flavoring.
So, the food drop off was a success and mom has about 14 to 16 main meals. Here is the final meal list:
Pot roast with gravy, carrots and onions, and mashed potatoes
Stroganoff with brown rice and steamed green beans
Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts with raisins and pecans
Chicken/vegetable soup
Two cheese spinach frittata
Tuna salad
I didn't have time to make the parslyed parsnips or the tillapia. I'll start with those two next time.
This time I used seitan in addition to the TVP as the protein base. I chopped it up in bite size pieces about the same size as beef tips. The seitan is amazingly similar to beef in consistency, dense and chewy. Once the consistency is there, the key is in the flavoring.
So, the food drop off was a success and mom has about 14 to 16 main meals. Here is the final meal list:
Pot roast with gravy, carrots and onions, and mashed potatoes
Stroganoff with brown rice and steamed green beans
Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts with raisins and pecans
Chicken/vegetable soup
Two cheese spinach frittata
Tuna salad
I didn't have time to make the parslyed parsnips or the tillapia. I'll start with those two next time.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
No Time
Time is now the biggest issue. I do not have normal or consistent hours on my job, and often, I don't know even 24 hours in advance when I'm going to have to work. So for this week, as of yesterday, I did not know I would be working a 12-hour day today! I'm revamping my plans even as I work.
As a result, I will be modifying my menu. One idea I had was to make vegetarian stroganoff instead of beef--I don't have time to go to the grocery store today. They are nearly identical in flavor and my version is much healthier to eat. It's a no-brainer. :)
I made tuna salad for mom as I made it for myself at lunch today.
Recipe
Simple Tuna Salad
1 can tuna in water
White balsamic vinegar
Mayo
chopped onion
chopped hard boiled egg, 2 per can of tuna
S&P to taste
Mom doesn't like pepper so I hold the pepper for her. Sometimes, I also splash a little fresh lemon or lime at the end of mixing to taste. It's a delicious extra layer of flavor!
Hard boiled eggs tip from Martha:
If you are chopping hard boiled eggs for a recipe, instead of peeling them (which is sometimes impossible!), cool them and CUT THEM IN HALF WITH A KNIFE! Then you can scoop out the egg and chop it up.
No more worries about difficult to peel eggs! Magic!
As a result, I will be modifying my menu. One idea I had was to make vegetarian stroganoff instead of beef--I don't have time to go to the grocery store today. They are nearly identical in flavor and my version is much healthier to eat. It's a no-brainer. :)
I made tuna salad for mom as I made it for myself at lunch today.
Recipe
Simple Tuna Salad
1 can tuna in water
White balsamic vinegar
Mayo
chopped onion
chopped hard boiled egg, 2 per can of tuna
S&P to taste
Mom doesn't like pepper so I hold the pepper for her. Sometimes, I also splash a little fresh lemon or lime at the end of mixing to taste. It's a delicious extra layer of flavor!
Hard boiled eggs tip from Martha:
If you are chopping hard boiled eggs for a recipe, instead of peeling them (which is sometimes impossible!), cool them and CUT THEM IN HALF WITH A KNIFE! Then you can scoop out the egg and chop it up.
No more worries about difficult to peel eggs! Magic!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Gearing Up
Looks like Thursday is the target delivery day. Theoretically, that gives me one more day of prep, but realistically, I have a full work schedule, so it's going to be a sprint to the finish, I can just smell it.
I'm thinking I will do batches this time. The pot roast is finished—I'm told by my lucky taster it's fantastic. :)
I'm thinking I will do the chicken soup and the chicken dinner today. I'm thinking I will package things as I finish instead of doing all the packaging at once—that is quite a task all by itself.
I used a different method of cooking my halibut last night: I actually cooked it in the garlic lemon marinade—it was incredible. I might use this technique on the chicken for mom today.
Stay tuned.
I'm thinking I will do batches this time. The pot roast is finished—I'm told by my lucky taster it's fantastic. :)
I'm thinking I will do the chicken soup and the chicken dinner today. I'm thinking I will package things as I finish instead of doing all the packaging at once—that is quite a task all by itself.
I used a different method of cooking my halibut last night: I actually cooked it in the garlic lemon marinade—it was incredible. I might use this technique on the chicken for mom today.
Stay tuned.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Back to the Kitchen
It's time to cook for mom again! She's had a series of guests the past several weeks and hasn't needed new meals. But now she's cleaned out the fridge and is ready for a new batch of delicious food.
The first entre I have decided upon is pot roast. I'm using Tyler Florence's recipe with a few changes of my own. I'm going to use some red wine and vegetable stock instead of water and the fresh herbs I have on hand in my garden right now: thyme, oregano, and marjoram. This meal will also include the carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms that are cooked with the roast.
In addition, this week I will be making:
Parsleyed parsnips, sauteed and steamed (new technique!)
Roasted sweet potatoes
Frittata, probably spinach
Beef stronganoff
Chicken/vegetable soup
Lemon garlic chicken breasts
Tillapia (if there's time)
I'm targeting Wednesday or Thursday as food drop-off day downtown, depending on my work schedule.
The first entre I have decided upon is pot roast. I'm using Tyler Florence's recipe with a few changes of my own. I'm going to use some red wine and vegetable stock instead of water and the fresh herbs I have on hand in my garden right now: thyme, oregano, and marjoram. This meal will also include the carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms that are cooked with the roast.
In addition, this week I will be making:
Parsleyed parsnips, sauteed and steamed (new technique!)
Roasted sweet potatoes
Frittata, probably spinach
Beef stronganoff
Chicken/vegetable soup
Lemon garlic chicken breasts
Tillapia (if there's time)
I'm targeting Wednesday or Thursday as food drop-off day downtown, depending on my work schedule.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Mission Accomplished
Delivery complete. Mission Accomplished.
Mom lives about 70 miles from me. In good traffic, it takes about 90 minutes to drive there. I got home from delivering at 11 last night. Whew! It was such a good feeling.
Mom is thrilled to have a whole new batch of food. And I got to see the look on her face as I revealed each dish. Priceless. :)
Here is the actual menu:
Sweet and sour cabbage soup
*Meatloaf w/carmelized onion marmalade/mashed potatoes/roasted acorn squash
*Asian grilled shrimp/brown rice pilaf/grilled asparagus
*Roasted pork chops with spiced apples/roasted parsnips, carrots, and potato medley
*Grilled lemon garlic chicken/sliced sweet potatoes/steamed green beans with crispy garlic slices and pine nuts
egg salad
I didn't have time to make a frittata this week. As it was, the entire cooking process took eight hours. The trip took four hours (one hour to visit with mom). I'm trying to pay attention to time so that I can become more efficient.
My goal is to produce the most exciting food for mom in the most time economical way. I don't want to sacrifice the wow! factor for mom to take less time. The wow! factor makes it fun for me too.
For me, this is an expression of love, shared with my mom. It is also an act of creativity that allows me the freedom to spontaneously create something out of nothing. I LOVE this! it's the light in my life, the best day in my week. I'm aware every time I cook for mom that I'm lucky to have this time; it's a luxury.
Mom lives about 70 miles from me. In good traffic, it takes about 90 minutes to drive there. I got home from delivering at 11 last night. Whew! It was such a good feeling.
Mom is thrilled to have a whole new batch of food. And I got to see the look on her face as I revealed each dish. Priceless. :)
Here is the actual menu:
Sweet and sour cabbage soup
*Meatloaf w/carmelized onion marmalade/mashed potatoes/roasted acorn squash
*Asian grilled shrimp/brown rice pilaf/grilled asparagus
*Roasted pork chops with spiced apples/roasted parsnips, carrots, and potato medley
*Grilled lemon garlic chicken/sliced sweet potatoes/steamed green beans with crispy garlic slices and pine nuts
egg salad
I didn't have time to make a frittata this week. As it was, the entire cooking process took eight hours. The trip took four hours (one hour to visit with mom). I'm trying to pay attention to time so that I can become more efficient.
My goal is to produce the most exciting food for mom in the most time economical way. I don't want to sacrifice the wow! factor for mom to take less time. The wow! factor makes it fun for me too.
For me, this is an expression of love, shared with my mom. It is also an act of creativity that allows me the freedom to spontaneously create something out of nothing. I LOVE this! it's the light in my life, the best day in my week. I'm aware every time I cook for mom that I'm lucky to have this time; it's a luxury.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Time to Cook!
Mom's running out of food. It's time to cook again. I went grocery shopping today; tomorrow I will cook!
The menu is as follows:
Sweet and sour cabbage soup
Spinach frittata
Grilled lemon garlic chicken/Sweet potatoes/almondine green beans
Meat loaf/mashed potatoes/roasted veggie medley
Roasted pork chops with grilled apples, roasted rosemary potatoes, and acorn squash
Grilled Asian shrimp, brown rice, grilled asparagus
Egg salad
If I have time, I might make some popovers---they are one of mom's favorites.
The menu is as follows:
Sweet and sour cabbage soup
Spinach frittata
Grilled lemon garlic chicken/Sweet potatoes/almondine green beans
Meat loaf/mashed potatoes/roasted veggie medley
Roasted pork chops with grilled apples, roasted rosemary potatoes, and acorn squash
Grilled Asian shrimp, brown rice, grilled asparagus
Egg salad
If I have time, I might make some popovers---they are one of mom's favorites.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Frittatas
One of the things I try to include in every batch of food is a frittata. Mom loves them. It's the first thing she digs into when the food arrives. Mostly though, she eats them for breakfast, the perfect way to start her day.
A frittata is like a quiche but without the crust. Frittata is an Italian dish. However, the Spanish have their own version, which they call the tortilla; it is cooked the same way as the Italian version. The traditional Spanish "omlette" is made with potato and garlic, yum! It is often served in bars as a tapa.
The French omlette is different in a couple of ways: First, it is folded over at the end; second, it is completely made in a pan on top of the stove. A frittata is made in two stages, first on top of the stove, then it is finished in the broiler.
It's taken me a long time to get the hang of making a frittata, but now that I "get it," it's a great and simple method of cooking with just about any ingredient you have in the fridge. It's a terrific"garbage" dish to clean out the fridge!
Mom's favorite is the spinach frittata.
Three-Cheese Spinach Frittata
Turn on broiler to medium level (#3 on 5 point scale)
(All measurements are approximations. Use your best judgment!)
6 to 8 eggs
Half and half or milk to loosen the eggs (1/4 cup?)
6 to 8 oz spinach sautéed or fresh
4 slices havarti
2 handfuls shredded mozzerella or 4 slices fresh mozzerella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
chopped onions (1/4 cup?)
Garlic pwd or salt to taste
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
TOOLS
1 oven proof sauté pan (larger size, not small--I have used both stainless steel and teflon, teflon is easier)
1 rubber spatula
Begin by prepping all your ingredients and arrange them near the stove because the cooking process goes quickly.
* Mix the eggs and the half and half or milk with a wire wisk or fork.
* Chop onions (use fresh or sauté depending on what you like).
* Melt butter and oil together in saute pan.
* When bubbly and pan is hot, add the eggs.
* Treat the eggs at this stage as you would an omlette. Use the spatula to gently lift the edges and push underneath to keep the egg mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
* When the eggs are setting a bit (not too much!), add your other ingredients, the spinach and onions first, then havarti and mozzerella cheeses.
* When the eggs are half way set and done, slip spatula underneath the mixture all the way around to loosen it from the pan.
*Remove from heat.
* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
* Put frittata beneath the broiler flame.
After two minutes check to see how it is doing. You don't want it to brown too fast. The object is to cook it slowly under the broiler. When it is finished (about 4 to 6 minutes), it will have puffed up beautifully and will have browned nicely on top.
When you remove it from the broiler, slide the frittata from the pan to a platter or a flat serving surface. I slide it into a round shallow container for transport to mom's house.
You may serve a frittata hot from the oven or cold in a picnic or lunch box. It's such a versatile dish.
Enjoy!
A frittata is like a quiche but without the crust. Frittata is an Italian dish. However, the Spanish have their own version, which they call the tortilla; it is cooked the same way as the Italian version. The traditional Spanish "omlette" is made with potato and garlic, yum! It is often served in bars as a tapa.
The French omlette is different in a couple of ways: First, it is folded over at the end; second, it is completely made in a pan on top of the stove. A frittata is made in two stages, first on top of the stove, then it is finished in the broiler.
It's taken me a long time to get the hang of making a frittata, but now that I "get it," it's a great and simple method of cooking with just about any ingredient you have in the fridge. It's a terrific"garbage" dish to clean out the fridge!
Mom's favorite is the spinach frittata.
Three-Cheese Spinach Frittata
Turn on broiler to medium level (#3 on 5 point scale)
(All measurements are approximations. Use your best judgment!)
6 to 8 eggs
Half and half or milk to loosen the eggs (1/4 cup?)
6 to 8 oz spinach sautéed or fresh
4 slices havarti
2 handfuls shredded mozzerella or 4 slices fresh mozzerella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
chopped onions (1/4 cup?)
Garlic pwd or salt to taste
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
TOOLS
1 oven proof sauté pan (larger size, not small--I have used both stainless steel and teflon, teflon is easier)
1 rubber spatula
Begin by prepping all your ingredients and arrange them near the stove because the cooking process goes quickly.
* Mix the eggs and the half and half or milk with a wire wisk or fork.
* Chop onions (use fresh or sauté depending on what you like).
* Melt butter and oil together in saute pan.
* When bubbly and pan is hot, add the eggs.
* Treat the eggs at this stage as you would an omlette. Use the spatula to gently lift the edges and push underneath to keep the egg mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
* When the eggs are setting a bit (not too much!), add your other ingredients, the spinach and onions first, then havarti and mozzerella cheeses.
* When the eggs are half way set and done, slip spatula underneath the mixture all the way around to loosen it from the pan.
*Remove from heat.
* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
* Put frittata beneath the broiler flame.
After two minutes check to see how it is doing. You don't want it to brown too fast. The object is to cook it slowly under the broiler. When it is finished (about 4 to 6 minutes), it will have puffed up beautifully and will have browned nicely on top.
When you remove it from the broiler, slide the frittata from the pan to a platter or a flat serving surface. I slide it into a round shallow container for transport to mom's house.
You may serve a frittata hot from the oven or cold in a picnic or lunch box. It's such a versatile dish.
Enjoy!
Schedules
It's been about ten days since I delivered the last batch of food to mom. Since then, she's had a few things happen in her life that have altered her normal routine. She wasn't feeling well for the past week. And then, one of my brothers and his family came to visit her over this long Labor Day weekend. As a result, she hasn't eaten my food as frequently as she would normally do.
This is a regular part of mom's life: disruption to schedules. She's used to it being the mom of eight kids! That's one of the things that makes other food alternatives difficult to find: the scheuduling requires a lot of administration time that would almost as difficult as cooking the food ourselves. Really a schedule for mom is probably the exception to the norm. And there is nothing mom loves more than having her children, grand children, and great grandchildren come to visit. When they do, mom eats with them at restaurants or they do the cooking.
So, I am thinking about my next batch of food, but I have a breather because she still has lots of food stashed in the freezer. That's one of the reasons I package the food as I do, so mom has flexibility.
This is a regular part of mom's life: disruption to schedules. She's used to it being the mom of eight kids! That's one of the things that makes other food alternatives difficult to find: the scheuduling requires a lot of administration time that would almost as difficult as cooking the food ourselves. Really a schedule for mom is probably the exception to the norm. And there is nothing mom loves more than having her children, grand children, and great grandchildren come to visit. When they do, mom eats with them at restaurants or they do the cooking.
So, I am thinking about my next batch of food, but I have a breather because she still has lots of food stashed in the freezer. That's one of the reasons I package the food as I do, so mom has flexibility.
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