Friday Food Story

Where Shall I Dine?

written by ...daphne

Since my entire life is focused on food, writing these Friday stories is quite fun! Although usually very random! I often joke with my "skinny" friends that I live to eat and they simply eat to live.  Funny how life pairs you up with people who are opposite in personality. I guess if we all liked to eat as much as I do, there would be longer lines at Carraba's!

One thing that my husband and I do on road trips, to make sure we hit all the "hot" spots....no, I do not mean tourist traps...I mean AMAZING food joints...we check out the Diner's Drive In's and Dives map on their website. This map gives you all of the locations that are featured on the show, featuring Guy Fieri.  It also gives you a review on the dish that was prepared specifically for Guy's visit. Usually, it is a house special or top selling menu item. We have NEVER been disappointed.

On our last trip, we stopped in Chattanooga for burgers, Memphis for BBQ and once we made it home to DFW, we hit up another burger joint in Roanoke, TX. That specific restaurant happens to be a favorite of ours and a eatery in which all of our house guests will enjoy. If you are ever in the Ft. Worth area, make sure to try out Twisted Root Burger. (I think they have more than one location)

Our trips are defined by food.  We stay in hotels that are close to the restaurants where we want to eat.  We take day trips to try out a restaurant we read about....it goes on and on. Some of our favorites have been The Blue Marlin in Columbia, SC. Ossorios in Cocoa Village, FL. Mae Lee's Deli in Sebring, FL, The Dish in Hartford, CT, Veritable Quandry in Portland, OR, Urban Stack in Chattanooga, TN. Rudy's BBQ in Round Rock, TX...I could go on and on.  Loving GOOD food is just what we do. Make sure to let us know if you find a hot spot and we'll make sure to check it out on one of our journeys.  Happy eating and living!

Thursday Quickie ~ Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I grew up on this recipe.  My mom used to make it often in the fall and winter, when you wanted to come home to something savory, hot and delicious.  I've only adjusted it a little, but the changes are minimal, just to add some actual veggies to it.  You can prep the onions and mushrooms the night before, then just throw it all in the crock pot in the morning!  It makes a fantastic gravy, and can make a lot, so I recommend a larger crock pot, and definitely a liner will be helpful for cleanup!  And it's a two for one recipe!  I always make the leftovers into something entirely different from the original pot roast meal.  See below for what I do! ;-)

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb roast
• 1 Family size can of Cream of Mushroom soup, or 3 small cans if you can't find the large one
• 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 1/2-1 onion, cut into 1/4 circles and separated
• 8 oz package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1. Place liner in large crock pot (4-6 quart size).  Pour just a little soup on the bottom to cover, then place roast in the crock pot.  Pour remaining soup on top of the roast.  Do NOT add any water.
2. Sprinkle onion soup mix on top of roast evenly, then place sliced mushrooms and onions on top.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until roast easily falls apart.  
3. Serve with mashed potatoes and veggies of your choice. Be sure to serve some of that delicious gravy on the meat and potatoes!!
4. Before storing leftovers, shred the remaining of the meat and mix back in with the gravy.  Refrigerate.

With the leftovers....

With the leftovers, heat the meat/gravy mixture in a sauce pan.  Cook large egg noodles according to package directions.  Serve gravy mixture over egg noodles and top with parmesan cheese for a delicious version of beef stroganoff!! :-)

Mushroom Challenge ...daphne

Mushroom Challenge ~MAW Steve

Mushrooms are a wonderful ingredient, so when I heard that it would be the challenge ingredient of the week, I was excited.  I also knew that I would need something for lunch because a large dinner party had already been planned for later that evening and so I had to do something quick and easy that wouldn't make too big a mess.  This recipe fit all the criteria, and my Soldier absolutely loved it!

Tuesday Tip

I generally prefer to use fresh veggies in recipes when I can.  But they can get pretty expensive out of season, and sometimes I just don't feel like dicing them all up.  So, for those times when it's cheaper, or easier, I buy them frozen.  Green bell peppers are sold chopped, as are onions, frozen.  There is also a three bell pepper blend in the freezer section that is julienne cut.  The selection can vary by store, but generally you can find them.  Take a closer look at the veggies in your freezer section....you might be surprised! <3 Melissa

Friday Food Story - The Meal Train

written by ~MAW Steve

There is nothing like a meal train.  You know, that train of meals that come to a person's home after a major life event like the birth of a child or the death of a loved one.  Casserole after casserole are prepared and dropped off by those who care to make life a little easier for those who are having to make big adjustments in their lives.  As a military spouse, I have had no shortage of opportunities to prepare meals for families.  I do it proudly.  I have several different go to meals that I can make.  Most of the time I include some cookies.  Who doesn't like cookies?

Last week, the occasion presented itself to prepare a meal for a family struggling through a difficult time.  A drunk driver slammed into a car driven by an 8 1/2 month pregnant friend.  After an emergency C-Section, and 4 days of the best medical care, the baby passed away.  The mother suffered some chipped vertebrae, and other injuries, but survived.  This child was her first baby, and she and her husband were super excited to become parents.  The impact this event had on the family, their church, and their community was evident from the moment the accident happened.  I love this family, and preparing a meal was the least I could do for them.


While I was getting the meal ready, it occurred to me that this is one of those things that most of us do without really thinking about it. If someone in our military Family Readiness Group or in our church gives us a call and asks us for a meal, we are happy to oblige.  Why is that?  Why is it, that something that could take a couple hours out of our already busy days is so easy to say yes too?  The answer is quite simple.  We don't live in a bubble.  We live in a community!

Look at the casserole I made for this family.  It had onions, beef, tomato sauce, cheese and several other ingredients that make it downright tasty.  Each ingredient has to be prepared the right way, and combined in the right order to optimize flavor.  When it is taken out of the oven, it is a delicious combination of awesomeness all rolled into one dish.  That casserole is a community, and without each ingredient doing its part, it just wouldn't taste right.

Our communities are like that as well.  Each of us have an important role to play in the lives of the other people in our circles.  We prepare meals for those going through life changing events because it allows us to, in some small way, make their lives a little easier.  We know, that if they aren't right, then the community isn't right, and we will do whatever needs to be done to bring that recipe back into perfection. 

Our participation in the meal train allows those of us in a certain community the opportunity to celebrate with those who celebrate, to grieve with those who grieve, and to act in a real, tangible way.  We cook because we care.  We feed because we feel.  We bake because believe in the responsibility we have to bear at least some of the burden for those who need a little take off of their shoulders.  And food is a great way to do that.

Next time you have the opportunity...GET ON THE TRAIN.  I promise, it's a great ride.

In memory of JLH 6 Sept 2012 - 10 Sept 2012. 

Thursday Quickie

This recipe was passed to me from another Army wife several years ago. I have tweaked it a bit and even tried it with peach jam instead of apricot.  Every time I serve it to guests it is a HUGE hit. This is a very easy and QUICK recipe that is perfect for the upcoming holidays!


Cranberry Chicken

4 med-large chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
1/2 bottle french dressing
1 jar apricot jam
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 can cranberry sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed

Preheat oven to 350*

Place chicken in sprayed glass pan. Salt and Pepper chicken. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix dressing, jam, soup mix, cranberries and garlic. Pour over chicken.

Bake 350* for 40 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Sweet Potato Challenge ...daphne

Sweet Potato Challenge ~ Melissa

Even though you get the soldier's review on the recipe, here's what I think about this dish!  When Steve chose sweet potatoes, he said we couldn't use brown sugar or marshmallows, which was fine by me because I never make them that way.  Something weird about using marshmallows, I dunno.  But anyway, there aren't too many things made with sweet potatoes, so I started thinking of what is made with regular potatoes I could use sweet potatoes instead.  I came up with gnocchi!  After doing a little online inspiration searching, I realized my idea is not original, there are many recipes out there for sweet potato gnocchi.  So I found one that sounded pretty easy for a first-timer, and then tweaked it for the flavors I wanted to use.  I also found the sauce recipe online, again tweaking it for my flavors.  I must say this turned out pretty dang good!  I think all the flavors worked well, and the sweetness of the sweet potatoes brings it to another level, not just pasta with a yummy sauce.  I can probably use some more practice on my actual gnocchi making, but they weren't too rubbery, and weren't undercooked, so I think it was a nice first time success!  We'll be making this again for sure!  Fair warning though, this takes a long time to make, so make sure you have a few hours to devote to it before you start! :-)

Prep Time = Less Time

I love "Good Eats."  I am not talking about different foods that can be qualified as worthy of consuming.  Nope, I am talking about the TV show hosted by the one and only Mr. Alton Brown.  It is a staple of the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, and while they are no longer making new episodes, it is one of those shows that I can watch over and over again, learning new recipes and tips that help me each and everyday I am in the kitchen.  Some of those hints come straight from the mouth of Alton Brown, but some don't.  One of the tips I gleaned from Alton was never talked about on the show, but it has become a huge time saver for me.

Here it is...Prep, prep, prep.   When I first started cooking I would just go after and recipe in the order it was written without thinking about organizing the recipe first.  Therefore, I made multiple trips to the pantry, to the refrigerator and on some occasions the grocery store because I didn't think to do a simple thing like lay out all my ingredients first.  Now, I am an expert at prep work, because I want to make the actual dish in as little time as possible.  Therefore, I take these simple 5 steps to make sure the amount of time from the fridge to the table is as little as possible.

1.  Take meat out of fridge first, open and add salt and pepper to both sides.  This does two things.  First, it allows the meat to come closer to room temperature so that cook time is reduced.  Second, by salting, the meat will release some of the water content which you can pat off with a paper towel.  Less water equals more flavor.

2.  Clean and chop veggies all at one time.  Check the recipe and prep whatever veggies are called for before starting to cook.  This will ensure they are ready for the pan, when the pan is ready for them.

3.  Measure out everything before you start. I have 3 sets of measuring cups.  Why?  Because they are cheap, take up very little space, and because sometimes recipes call for 3 different 1/2 cup measurements.  I want them to be ready so I am not constantly leaving my dish to get more ingredients.

4.  Combine like ingredients that will be added together anyway.  Spices can be measured and combined.  Usually liquids can as well.  Heck, for most cakes, this is how it is done anyway.  This can save some serious time.

5.  Place ingredients on the side of your dominant hand in the order they will be used.  For me that is on the right side of my pots.  This will make sure you add the right ingredients in the right order in the most efficient way.  Like I said it is all about the prep.

I leave you with this one last piece of advice that was probably never meant as a cooking reference, but it fits.  "When you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail."  Don't let your recipe lack for more when you can prevent it.  I bid you Good Eating.

~MAW Steve

Friday Food Story

I have to tell you more about my family! When I think about my food "foundations", it always causes me to look back as far as I can remember and reminisce about the foods my mom made that we all LOVED. This story is particularly special because I would NEVER allow myself to eat it today.  Instant 5 lbs right to the tummy!

written by ...daphne

My mom used a pressure cooker, A LOT. One of our favorite meals she used this for was a beef roast. We were a family of five, on one income and so I'm sure it was not the best cut of beef, but Mom made it work. When it was finished cooking, she would make a wonderful brown gravy with the drippings and have an extra loaf of white bread on hand to serve with dinner. There is NOT ONE recipe that I remember as much as I do this one...my brothers and I fought over the gravy. Forget the meat...give me gravy! We would pour this delicious brown goodness all over the white bread. Now I'm not a fan of soggy bread, but for this, I always made the exception. I cannot imagine how many calories are in a piece of Merita white bread and a 1/2 cup of gravy. I ate as many as I could until the gravy bowl was swiped clean by the final piece of bread. More often than not, we ran out of gravy before we did bread.

Today, I would give anything to be able to sit at my moms table and enjoy a home cooked meal from a happy kitchen. I'd even eat the white bread. Time has passed, people have changed and the kitchen has been closed for quite some time. I can go there in my mind and for now, that will have to do. Memories are something we always have and can count on to bring a smile to our face.  Enjoy the gravy while you can!

Thursday Quickie - Chicken with Broccoli and Potatoes

This dish is pretty easy, and very versatile.  You can sub anything you want really, like cauliflower for broccoli, chicken broth for butter, other seasoning flavors, etc.  It's very quick to prepare, and while it all bakes, you can get some other stuff done.  You can also make as mush, or as little, as you want.  So you could make it for a family of 6, or if your soldier is away and it's just you, just put enough in for you!  For easy clean up, line with foil as well.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1-2 bunches of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2-3 red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
Italian seasoning to taste
1 stick of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350*.

Line a large baking dish with foil.  Place chicken at one end of the dish, broccoli in the center, and potatoes at the other end.  Cover with Italian seasoning and melted butter.  Cover entire dish with foil.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until chicken and potatoes are done. 

Jalapeno Challenge ~ Melissa

Challenge Jalapeno - ~MAW Steve

Convenience

It's quite amusing that my Tuesday Tip is going to fall right in line with the question asked yesterday. I LIKE to have go-to ingredients in my house, and I also like to have FRESH ingredients in the house.  One of the easiest ways to do this is called...."throw a chicken in the crockpot before you go to work"!

Seriously...a whole chicken, water and whatever else you want in there to flavor it. Rosemary, orange wedges, pepper, thyme, garlic, onions....and never forget to salt it well.  When you get home, not only does your home smell DELISH, you have several lunches on their way to completion. Debone the chicken and use freezer bags to store. Now, I like to take it a step further. STRAIN your broth and put it in freezer bags to use when making soups, stews...and the holidays are FAST approaching and you will be well stocked when it's time to make the stuffing! There are no preservatives and YOU control the flavor.

Yesterday, my friend Sandy shared on Facebook that she ALWAYS has fresh chicken in her fridge for the kids to have quick meals.  Perfect plan for a mom on the move! Thanks Sandy!

Friday Food Story

What time of year do you associate food with the most?  Personally, that is definitely the holidays.  All the treats, savory dishes, candy, cookies, cakes, giant turkeys, gingerbread houses.....I can go on forever here.  So when my hubby was deployed over the holidays, I knew I had to do something to make his time overseas just a little bit more like home, as well as for his soldiers at the time.

I really enjoyed putting together the holiday care package for my hubby.  Not only did he get a bunch of fun gifts, I sent all kinds of goodies.  I included all the stuff we would normally do during December.  I sent a gingerbread house kit, which surprisingly did not get destroyed in transit, along with additional candies for decoration.  With his soldiers, they assembled it and took pictures to send me.  I also tried out a new goody.  I've never made hard candy before, but I know he loves it.  His grandma makes it all the time and when we go there for Christmas he is always having some.  So of course I had to at least try it out!  I sent three or four different flavors, and funny thing is, I think this was the most popular among everyone!  (I always send enough to share.)  In fact, his Battalion Commander at the time, would always come into his office just to have some hard candy.  I think he was just as addicted to it as Chris.  And of course, what is Christmas without Christmas Cookies?!?  I have a homemade recipe from my Mom, and he loves them as much as I do.  It makes a huge batch, so I made tons of cookies to send.  Usually at home, he will make homemade frosting and do different colors.  Well, I really didn't think homemade frosting would survive the journey, so I got two containers of store bought just to be sure they would have good frosting.  I included two giant containers of multiple types of sprinkles, and he and his soldiers got to participate in some holiday traditions of decorating Christmas Cookies. 

While I certainly did not enjoy having my hubby away during the holiday season, it really warmed my heart to send him, and his soldiers, a little piece of home while they were away.  I'm so glad they were able to take part in a least a little bit of holiday tradition, and I know they enjoyed eating all those treats!! 

~Melissa

Burrito Casserole

Growing up in a very busy house meant that we usually needed numerous "go to" meals that were quick, filling and yummy! Inexpensive was always a good thing too! I think it was my mom who came up with this creation.  I'm sure there are many variations out there, but this is how we built our family's favorite...

Burrito Casserole

1 lb ground beef, brown and drain

1 medium onion, diced, cook with beef

1 can refried beans

1 can Rotel (or jar salsa)

1 lb grated mild cheddar cheese

1 taco seasoning 

1 tsp cumin

8 flour tortillas

After beef is brown and drained, add taco seasoning and cumin. Stir until coated. Mix in can of refried beans and set aside.

Using a round casserole dish, layer ingredients in this order: Tortilla, meat/beans, Rotel, cheese. Repeat as many layers as you can until you are level with lip of casserole dish. Add one additional tortilla and cheese for top layer. 

Bake at 350 until cheese is melted.  Approximately 20 minutes. 

Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. 

If you prefer chicken, you can use cooked chicken breast, corn tortillas and a green salsa. Both variations are delicious and will be the best quickie you've ever had!

Enjoy!

Challenge Peach - ...daphne

Challenge Peach ~MAW Steve

Meet the Chef ~ Melissa

My hubby Chris and I, back when Lane was a little puppy

Hello everyone!  I'm Melissa, and I've been a military wife for almost 5 years.  In my little Army family, there is myself, my hubby and love of my life Chris, my 2 year old baby boy Chocolate Lab Lane, and my 5 year old fatty catty Isis (who usually just goes by "Kitty").  Just because I haven't been married to the Army that long, doesn't mean I haven't been around the military longer!  I grew up a Navy brat, so I am used to the lifestyle.  I actually love it.  I love seeing new places, doing new things, and meeting lots of awesome new people (like Steve and Daphne)!  The military lifestyle is certainly different.  There's that automatic bond you have with someone you've never met before, but feel like you've known them for years.  And it seems to me it takes a certain type of person to be the military spouse as well.  We all tend to have the same sense of humor, and of course love taking care of our soldier!!  It's very unique, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

Me shooting blanks at Ft Riley during one of their Apple Days

So a little bit of history about me for you....like I said before, I was a Navy brat, so I moved around A LOT growing up.  I think it made me the outgoing, friendly person I am today.  My Dad got out of the Navy sometime when I was in grade school, but we continued moving every couple of years until he found a good job in Virginia that he liked, and paid well.  So I consider Virginia my "home state."  That's where I went to middle and high school, and where I went to college as well.

Let's Go Hokies!!

Speaking of college, I went to only the greatest one around....Virginia Tech!!  I LOVE MY HOKIES!!  It's a beautiful campus, amazing people, and wonderful memories.  It's where I met my hubby!!  Just ask anyone we know.  We are FANATICS about this place, and we turn into crazy people come football season!  We literally bleed orange and maroon (notice the color scheme on my recipes?!?).  At Tech, we were both in the Corps of Cadets, he was Army ROTC and I was considered Cadet Only.  I joined for the band...I'm a self proclaimed band nerd, and proud of it!  He was in the band as well, but wasn't a band nerd in the least.  So being members in the cadet band, we got to attend every home football game every year.  We're addicted.  Lane Stadium has THE BEST college football entrance ever.  There's just something about 66,000+ fans jumping up and down to "Enter Sandman" and screaming their heads off....makes me smile just thinking about it. :-) 

As for my love of cooking, it kind of just evolved.  My Mom made a lot of fabulous dishes when I was growing up, and I use several of them to this day, especially Thanksgiving recipes.  I don't really remember if she experimented a lot or not....the high school years are kind of a blur now.  I think with all of our busy hectic schedules between myself and brother and sister, she just made whatever was quick and easy at the time.  And then of course in college I was always eating at the dining halls....freshman fifteen didn't hit until junior/senior year unfortunately.  It's when I finished college and I was trying to lose weight that I got more into cooking, especially trying to find yummy and delicious healthy recipes to help with my weight loss goals.  I like to experiment with a lot of stuff, mostly because we like to change things up for dinner.  I like the variety too, so it's fun coming up with stuff together with my hubby.  And now that he's training for a marathon, and I just started a beginner's running program, we definitely try to find new healthy dishes to keep us satisfied and satiated.  And of course being in the Army, there will forever be group gatherings that involve food.  I love bringing fabulous dishes that I know people will ask "You made this??  Can I please have the recipe?!?" Food brings people together, no matter the occasion.  It can comfort you, energize you, calm you, be therapeutic while cooking, and obviously fuel your body.  It is essential for life, so why not have fun with it and enjoy it?!  I hope you find our page fun and interactive, and you find the motivation, encouragement, and inspiration to expand your kitchen repertoire along the way!! 

Hard Boiled Eggs

Do you have trouble with hard boiled eggs??  I used to overcook them ALL the time.  Then I found a tip online somewhere (I'll admit, probably Pinterest lol), and it's changed my egg boiling life forever.  Firstly, timing it is crucial!  You can't just estimate it....that's how they get way overcooked, or in the case of my Mom on one occasion, totally forgotten about!  That was awful; all the water cooked off, then the eggs started exploding in the pot!  Oh and the smell....gag!  So here's what you do to avoid such catastrophes.

Gently place eggs in an adequate sized pot and fill with enough water to cover the eggs.  Place on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the pot has started boiling, reduce heat slightly to continue a rolling boil.  Set a timer and let cook for 5 minutes only.  Then, remove the pot from the heat and place on either a cold stove burner, or a pot holder on the counter.  Cover, and let sit for 10 minutes only (again, be sure and time it!).  Once the timer goes off, run cold water over the pot until eggs are cooled off.  Dry, and store in the refrigerator.

This should give you perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs.  The yolk should not be that icky green around the outside.  If you find that the yolk isn't done enough, you may have started your cook timer just a bit too early, so let it cook a little longer next time.  I have also done this method at higher elevations, and should be just fine! :-)

~Melissa

Chipotle Beef

Chipotle Beef

1 lb inexpensive beef stew meat, fat trimmed

1 can beef broth

1 cup water

1 can chipotle in adobo paste (add peppers for a more spicy result)

3 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup cabernet sauvignon

1/2 ice cold water

1 tbsp corn starch

In an enamel or cast iron dutch oven, bring broth and water to a boil. Add 2 tbsp adobo

paste, garlic, bay leaf and salt and reduce heat to low so it just simmers. Add beef.

Cover and allow to cook 4-6 hours. Add wine and bring to boil, then return to low heat.

Twenty minutes prior to serving, mix cold water and corn starch well and add to beef.

Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Liquid should thicken enough to cover wooden

spoon. Beef should be fork tender.

Serve with mashed potatoes or risotto. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

This makes a great meal for large groups or potlucks.  It could also be an amazing crock pot dinner, just make sure to add the wine in the beginning so it has time to reduce. Happy Cooking!