Ever have a recipe call for dijon mustard and you are fresh out? I LOVE dijon mustard, and usually have it on hand. However, I think I may be the only one in the house that uses it. So it may not be the most cost effective condiment for me to buy.
The other day, I was creating a recipe which called for dijon mustard. (Did I mention this was a last minute throw together something for someone special coming over? ALWAYS happens to me!) I had yellow mustard, but just wasn't willing to compromise the true taste of the dijon. So, I tried to find a better alternative. While most said you should either use whatever mustard you have, there were a few that said don't bother... that you couldn't possibly recreate the taste, as it comes from specific ingredients. (They were really specific in their post, but I have no idea what they actually said now.) But, I did find one brave soul who shared their recipe for dijon mustard which works quite well in a pinch. Actually, it works really well. I would consider making my own now, if it didn't require me to take the extra step to actually make it!
1 T dry mustard
1 t water
1 t white wine vinegar (or 1/2 white wine, 1/2 white vinegar)-- I (of course) didn't have either option available, but I did have red wine vinegar, so used that.
1 T mayo
pinch sugar
Mix all ingredients well.
Yield: 2 T
(* found the recipe in a Taste of Home community post.)
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Stuffed Summer Squash
Since we haven't been very successful at growing our own garden-- likely has something to do with the fact that we actually need to stay home during the summer months-- we've been enjoying the fruits of others' at the local farmers' market. A couple of weeks ago we brought home a summer squash bigger than I've ever seen. I mean, I've seen large squash, zucchini specifically, but this thing was HUGE! So, I decided to make the most of it's size and stuff it. I have never attempted to "stuff" anything before, but I love my mom's stuffed peppers and stuffed zucchini. So, I figured I'd give it a whirl.
After searching a bit online for an acceptable recipe I came across one that was intriguing. It didn't have many ingredients (at the time very important, as I really needed to go to the store and didn't have the time to do it), and called for a lamb sausage called Merguez and goat cheese. Interesting combo I thought. Of course, we now live in a town that makes finding unusual items like this impossible... even goat cheese would be included under the unusual label. But still my mouth was watering and I wanted to attempt something similar. So, I took that recipe, and some elements of other recipes and went to work. The result was mmmmmmm sooooo good! It was decided by the family that this must be recorded and repeated! Even the four year old, who at first turned up his nose went back for seconds and commented at how great it was! The oldest said I needed to put it in a restaurant! (Number two was too busy eating while his brothers were talking!) WOW!!
1 large summer squash (doesn't really matter type-- yellow, green... could probably even use winter types)
1 lb ground Italian sausage (tried finding turkey sausage to decrease the fat content, but alas, this is "unusual" as well for our little community market)
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, grated
plain greek yogurt (I used Fage which is a very thick and high in protein yogurt-- it worked well. Original recipe called for 2-3 oz of goat cheese. I didn't measure the yogurt... maybe 1 to 1.5 cups? or more if you want)
salt and pepper to taste
bread crumbs and coconut oil as needed (recipe called for olive oil, but I've switched to coconut oil for all of my cooking and leave olive oil for nonheated or low heat recipes)
Directions:
1. Begin sauteing diced vegetables in a little oil. Add sausage and grated carrot and continue cooking until sausage is cooked through.
2. Drain as much excess liquid as possible from the pan. Set meat and veggie mixture aside.
3. Cut off ends of squash and slice in half lengthwise. Spoon out seeds making sure there is enough of a cavity for the mixture. (I didn't need to, but you could scoop some of the flesh out of the squash and add back to the meat mixture.)
4. Salt and pepper the squash.
5. Mix yogurt in with the meat mixture. Place squash on a foil lined baking sheet and fill cavities.
6. Dust top with breadcrumbs if you like (gives it a little extra crunch). Bake at 375 until squash is tender. (Timing will depend on the size of your squash... mine took almost an hour.)
Note: This made a ton for us. We have enough for B and I to have lunch tomorrow if the kids will let us! Though I think we all could have devoured the entire thing tonight.
After searching a bit online for an acceptable recipe I came across one that was intriguing. It didn't have many ingredients (at the time very important, as I really needed to go to the store and didn't have the time to do it), and called for a lamb sausage called Merguez and goat cheese. Interesting combo I thought. Of course, we now live in a town that makes finding unusual items like this impossible... even goat cheese would be included under the unusual label. But still my mouth was watering and I wanted to attempt something similar. So, I took that recipe, and some elements of other recipes and went to work. The result was mmmmmmm sooooo good! It was decided by the family that this must be recorded and repeated! Even the four year old, who at first turned up his nose went back for seconds and commented at how great it was! The oldest said I needed to put it in a restaurant! (Number two was too busy eating while his brothers were talking!) WOW!!
1 large summer squash (doesn't really matter type-- yellow, green... could probably even use winter types)
1 lb ground Italian sausage (tried finding turkey sausage to decrease the fat content, but alas, this is "unusual" as well for our little community market)
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, grated
plain greek yogurt (I used Fage which is a very thick and high in protein yogurt-- it worked well. Original recipe called for 2-3 oz of goat cheese. I didn't measure the yogurt... maybe 1 to 1.5 cups? or more if you want)
salt and pepper to taste
bread crumbs and coconut oil as needed (recipe called for olive oil, but I've switched to coconut oil for all of my cooking and leave olive oil for nonheated or low heat recipes)
Directions:
1. Begin sauteing diced vegetables in a little oil. Add sausage and grated carrot and continue cooking until sausage is cooked through.
2. Drain as much excess liquid as possible from the pan. Set meat and veggie mixture aside.
3. Cut off ends of squash and slice in half lengthwise. Spoon out seeds making sure there is enough of a cavity for the mixture. (I didn't need to, but you could scoop some of the flesh out of the squash and add back to the meat mixture.)
4. Salt and pepper the squash.
5. Mix yogurt in with the meat mixture. Place squash on a foil lined baking sheet and fill cavities.
6. Dust top with breadcrumbs if you like (gives it a little extra crunch). Bake at 375 until squash is tender. (Timing will depend on the size of your squash... mine took almost an hour.)
Note: This made a ton for us. We have enough for B and I to have lunch tomorrow if the kids will let us! Though I think we all could have devoured the entire thing tonight.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Pork Roast
My original plan for our get together was to have pulled pork sandwiches (thus the pork). But, my dear husband decided pretty last minute (like the day before) that he was in the mood for gyros instead of barbecue. Ah! Since I didn't want to wing it with such an idea (since most gyros are made with a combo of lamb and beef), I tried to find a happy medium. And this is what I found. True, it's not in a pocket or sandwich form, but it did meld the Mediterranean taste to the easy crockpot meal I had in mind. Can we say compromise?? And it turned out great! We didn't have any left! This recipe originally comes from Family Circle.
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 pounds), trimmed
4 tsp Greek seasoning mix (or for 1Tbsp seasoning mix, you can use 1/2 tsp each of oregano, marjoram, garlic powder, lemon pepper, ground mustard, and salt)
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 Cup plus 2 T low-sodium chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C chopped black olives (optional... but, really, is does it say Mediterranean without them?)
Directions
1. Place fennel in slow cooker bowl. Rub pork with 1 tsp of the Greek seasoning and place in bowl on top of fennel.
2. Scatter tomatoes around pork. Pour 1/3 C of the broth in bowl. Top with tsp Greek seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW.
3. Blend remaining 2 T broth, cornstarch and Worcestershire sauce. Remove pork to a serving platter; keep warm. Strain liquid from slow cooker into a small saucepan; place vegetables around pork.
4. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornstarch mixture, remaining 1 tsp Greek seasoning and 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper; cook 1 minute. Spoon sauce over pork. Sprinkle with olives if desired.
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 pounds), trimmed
4 tsp Greek seasoning mix (or for 1Tbsp seasoning mix, you can use 1/2 tsp each of oregano, marjoram, garlic powder, lemon pepper, ground mustard, and salt)
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 Cup plus 2 T low-sodium chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C chopped black olives (optional... but, really, is does it say Mediterranean without them?)
Directions
1. Place fennel in slow cooker bowl. Rub pork with 1 tsp of the Greek seasoning and place in bowl on top of fennel.
2. Scatter tomatoes around pork. Pour 1/3 C of the broth in bowl. Top with tsp Greek seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW.
3. Blend remaining 2 T broth, cornstarch and Worcestershire sauce. Remove pork to a serving platter; keep warm. Strain liquid from slow cooker into a small saucepan; place vegetables around pork.
4. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornstarch mixture, remaining 1 tsp Greek seasoning and 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper; cook 1 minute. Spoon sauce over pork. Sprinkle with olives if desired.
Greek Salad
We recently had a Catholic Couples night at our house and we served Greek-inspired food. I think this was one of the most popular dishes. It was super fresh, cool (yes it's HOT here in TX!), and the dressing was nothing short of perfection. Needless to say, despite doubling the recipe, we didn't have much leftover for lunch the next day. Since the recipe is tossed with the dressing, any leftovers would taste great over spinach... no dressing needed! (We've also tried it in a pita pocket. YUM!) Thank you to the Foodnetwork for this yummy new addition to my repertoire!
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper, large-diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
- 1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
- 1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
Directions
Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.
For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Super Easy, Super Yummy Butter Cookies
Cookie jar empty? Want to make some cookies but don't think you have the ingredients? This recipe hails from Fullbellies Happy Kids. It is a cinch to make, and super yummy. In fact, I changed the name just to make the point! Enjoy!
1 stick butter (or margarine)
1 C Flour
5 T sugar (1/4C + 1T--- I just use the 1/4 C)
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1. Mix ingredients.
2. Roll into balls. (This process goes so much faster and easier with a cookie scooper! It's less messy, too.)
3. Press down with a fork.
4. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each. (I use a loose leaf tea strainer spoon for this purpose. Makes it so much easier for the kids to not get carried away.)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
1 stick butter (or margarine)
1 C Flour
5 T sugar (1/4C + 1T--- I just use the 1/4 C)
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1. Mix ingredients.
2. Roll into balls. (This process goes so much faster and easier with a cookie scooper! It's less messy, too.)
3. Press down with a fork.
4. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each. (I use a loose leaf tea strainer spoon for this purpose. Makes it so much easier for the kids to not get carried away.)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Yogurt
Yes, I said yogurt!! Have you ever been to the grocery store and... $10-$15 spent on yogurt later decided that your family eats way too much of this stuff? Oh, and then you get home and your "stash" lasts for 2 days. This is my life with 3 growing (quickly) boys. It seems if I have it in the house, they can't get enough of it. As a dietitian, I'm all for them eating dairy. However, between the cost and the added coloring and sugar, I'm really not a fan of what we have available at the store... at least, not now that I know I can make it just as well-- (eh-hem) better-- myself!
But let's talk dollars and cents. Depending on the brand, you can figure a typical cup (6 oz individual) of yogurt is around $.80 (on sale, I've found them as low as $.50). For this recipe, you can either use dry milk or regular milk. Let's break this down. Regular milk will run you somewhere around $3.50 a gallon depending on where you shop and what type of milk you buy (I just found it at Sam's for $2.86). So, half of that (you'll use half a gallon in this recipe) is 1.75 for 2 quarts of yogurt. Now, we'll need to add a nominal cost for vanilla, sugar, and an additional 2/3 cup dry milk (to make it thick)...that adds about $.70 which brings you to a total of $2.45 for 2 quarts (64 oz) of yogurt... breaking that back down to the cup (to compare apples to apples) that is $.23 per 6 oz cup of yogurt!! Which means that by making yogurt, you've saved about 71%! For your first batch you'll also need to add the cost of the store bought yogurt-- bringing the total to $3.25---or $.30 per 6 oz cup... still pretty awesome! Now, I realize that it is cheaper in the store to buy the larger 32 oz container of yogurt, but I wasn't able to find an average cost for those, and quite frankly it's been a long time since I've looked at the yogurt in the dairy isle. Not too shabby, right? And it's so easy! I mean really, if I can do it, you can too!
1. 3 or 4 Mason Jars with hot water (I microwave them to boiling) and place them in a cooler to warm it up.
2. Take out your starter and warm it up to room temperature.
3. Heat milk, sugar, vanilla and additional dry milk to 185 (this kills any bacteria in these ingredients). But don't burn or boil the milk.
4. Turn off the heat and cool to 110 to 100. (I put mine in an ice bath right in the sink which cools it off pretty quickly)-- this is the optimal temperature for your bacterial cultures to grow.
5. Whisk in the starter until completely dissolved.
6. Pour into sterilized mason jars (mine just get washed in the dishwasher) and place into cooler.
7. Close cooler and let sit for 10 to 12 hours (until set--some people like to leave it in longer... don't think it matters, just your taste preference) at 100 to 110 degrees then refrigerate.
8. After incubation, refrigerate and enjoy your yogurt for up to one week. (Don't forget to reserve some of your new yogurt to make your next batch!)
**The hardest part of the whole process is keeping the cooler at 100 to 110 degrees. In the summer time, I just put the cooler in the garage (sun was way too hot) to maintain the temperature. Man was it easy and super thick! But in the winter time, it's much more difficult. I just recently purchased a digital thermometer to help with this effort because I don't want to have to continually open the cooler to check the thermometer. I have had to reheat the water filled mason jars a few times during incubation to keep the cooler warm. The most recent time I made yogurt though, I tried using a heating bag at the bottom of the cooler. Our heating pad has a 2 hour auto shutoff, which worked out really well. This gave the most temperature consistent for winter-made yogurt yet!
**This is MY process right now. As you can see, I've had to tweak it along the way. There are other methods out there. I've read of people making yogurt in their crockpot. This was how I started, but my crockpot would not maintain the correct temperature. Temperatures are the key! If your first batch does not work, please do not despair! Keep trying different methods. Look elsewhere online, there's lots of others out there making their own yogurt... It's so worth it!! And so super yummy!
But let's talk dollars and cents. Depending on the brand, you can figure a typical cup (6 oz individual) of yogurt is around $.80 (on sale, I've found them as low as $.50). For this recipe, you can either use dry milk or regular milk. Let's break this down. Regular milk will run you somewhere around $3.50 a gallon depending on where you shop and what type of milk you buy (I just found it at Sam's for $2.86). So, half of that (you'll use half a gallon in this recipe) is 1.75 for 2 quarts of yogurt. Now, we'll need to add a nominal cost for vanilla, sugar, and an additional 2/3 cup dry milk (to make it thick)...that adds about $.70 which brings you to a total of $2.45 for 2 quarts (64 oz) of yogurt... breaking that back down to the cup (to compare apples to apples) that is $.23 per 6 oz cup of yogurt!! Which means that by making yogurt, you've saved about 71%! For your first batch you'll also need to add the cost of the store bought yogurt-- bringing the total to $3.25---or $.30 per 6 oz cup... still pretty awesome! Now, I realize that it is cheaper in the store to buy the larger 32 oz container of yogurt, but I wasn't able to find an average cost for those, and quite frankly it's been a long time since I've looked at the yogurt in the dairy isle. Not too shabby, right? And it's so easy! I mean really, if I can do it, you can too!
- 1/2 gallon milk (I use 2%) ---- OR ---- 2 2/3 C dry milk (not necessarily cheaper, but easier to keep on hand)
- 2/3 C dry milk
- 1 6 oz starter (I like to start with a store bought yogurt with at least 5 different active cultures--plain or vanilla. After your first batch, you can use 3/4 C of the yogurt you've already made) **Note: I've also used Kefir as a starter, and it works just as well! With 11 live active cultures, there's more probiotics in that stuff than in the yogurt you can buy.
- 1/4 C to 1/2 C sugar (you don't have to use any sugar at all, but I've found it to thicken the best even with a small amount)
- 1-2 t vanilla (if you want vanilla)
1. 3 or 4 Mason Jars with hot water (I microwave them to boiling) and place them in a cooler to warm it up.
2. Take out your starter and warm it up to room temperature.
3. Heat milk, sugar, vanilla and additional dry milk to 185 (this kills any bacteria in these ingredients). But don't burn or boil the milk.
4. Turn off the heat and cool to 110 to 100. (I put mine in an ice bath right in the sink which cools it off pretty quickly)-- this is the optimal temperature for your bacterial cultures to grow.
5. Whisk in the starter until completely dissolved.
6. Pour into sterilized mason jars (mine just get washed in the dishwasher) and place into cooler.
7. Close cooler and let sit for 10 to 12 hours (until set--some people like to leave it in longer... don't think it matters, just your taste preference) at 100 to 110 degrees then refrigerate.
8. After incubation, refrigerate and enjoy your yogurt for up to one week. (Don't forget to reserve some of your new yogurt to make your next batch!)
**The hardest part of the whole process is keeping the cooler at 100 to 110 degrees. In the summer time, I just put the cooler in the garage (sun was way too hot) to maintain the temperature. Man was it easy and super thick! But in the winter time, it's much more difficult. I just recently purchased a digital thermometer to help with this effort because I don't want to have to continually open the cooler to check the thermometer. I have had to reheat the water filled mason jars a few times during incubation to keep the cooler warm. The most recent time I made yogurt though, I tried using a heating bag at the bottom of the cooler. Our heating pad has a 2 hour auto shutoff, which worked out really well. This gave the most temperature consistent for winter-made yogurt yet!
**This is MY process right now. As you can see, I've had to tweak it along the way. There are other methods out there. I've read of people making yogurt in their crockpot. This was how I started, but my crockpot would not maintain the correct temperature. Temperatures are the key! If your first batch does not work, please do not despair! Keep trying different methods. Look elsewhere online, there's lots of others out there making their own yogurt... It's so worth it!! And so super yummy!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Summer Icies
We are full swing into Texas summer. I have a hard time keeping everyone hydrated and cool. Recently, I found this recipe that I had to share with everyone and keep in my files. They are quick, easy, and so refreshing on these hot summer days. They are also easy to tweak to your personal liking. AND the kids LOVE them! At the moment, I can't remember the website I found them on. I'll get back to you on that, because there is another similar recipe I wanted to try. I call them "Icies" because I forgot the original name for them. The kids associated them with snow-cones right away. The original recipe is called Grape Granita and calls for grape juice, however, it is so easy to adjust with whatever juice you want! Have fun and enjoy! (Oh, my kids actually preferred the addition of the purple puree from sneaky chef in theirs! Not sure it added any flavor, but did had some bits of blueberry which were oh so yummy!)
2. Turn off heat and pour in cold water, then pour into a freezer-safe container with a lid.
3. Wait two hours, then remove container from freezer and stir gently, being careful to loosen any of the mixture that has stuck to the sides. Put lid back on, then return container to the freezer. Repeat an hour later, then another hour later. When you’re finished, the mixture should be totally frozen and broken up. Keep sealed tightly in the freezer until ready to serve.
Note: The slushy consistency will keep for days as long as you remember to keep breaking it up. I have made this 3 different times now, and 2 out of the 3 times, my mommy brain has struck and I've forgotten to break up the ice after 2 hours. No harm... just use a heavy duty spoon and scrape/break it (you may need to let it thaw a bit first). Then go back to it in another hour. It will still keep, it just turns out to be more work.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Grape Juice
- ½ cups Sugar
- 2-½ cups Cold Water
Preparation Instructions
1. Combine grape juice with sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, or until mixture is slightly syrupy.2. Turn off heat and pour in cold water, then pour into a freezer-safe container with a lid.
3. Wait two hours, then remove container from freezer and stir gently, being careful to loosen any of the mixture that has stuck to the sides. Put lid back on, then return container to the freezer. Repeat an hour later, then another hour later. When you’re finished, the mixture should be totally frozen and broken up. Keep sealed tightly in the freezer until ready to serve.
Note: The slushy consistency will keep for days as long as you remember to keep breaking it up. I have made this 3 different times now, and 2 out of the 3 times, my mommy brain has struck and I've forgotten to break up the ice after 2 hours. No harm... just use a heavy duty spoon and scrape/break it (you may need to let it thaw a bit first). Then go back to it in another hour. It will still keep, it just turns out to be more work.
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