Well, it might not be the official Slowcooker month, but I've gotten more recipe suggestions for the slow cooker this month than I know what to do with!

Here's another resource for those of you who love to cook with your slowcooker:

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/reader-favorites/slow-cooker-favorites-00400000038588/?iid=newsletter-ck-012209&PromKey=XET

I'm a big fan of Cooking Light magazine (not trying to get you to buy it) and website. Their recipes are always a bit more healthy than some of the other resources out there.

Let me know if you try any of the recipes and I'll let you know of the ones I try! (The in-laws are going to Tae Kwon Do tomorrow night with our family. I'm thinking I should feed them after the class. I will probably do something in the slow cooker... I'll let you know how it goes. I may even post pictures from the class!)

Someone mentioned they like quick/easy slow cooker recipes with fewer ingredients - can't get too much easier than this one:

1.5 lb pork tenderloin (can be bigger or smaller, doesn't really affect the recipe)
approximately 8 oz of root beer soda (I usually get a 2 liter of Roundy's root beer)
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

Put the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Pour enough of the root beer into the slow cooker to come approximately 1" up the side of the pork tenderloin - this will depend on the size of your slow cooker and your pork. Cover and let cook all day.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker with a fork, leaving the root beer. Place the pork into a larger mixing bowl. With two forks, shred the pork. Add as much of the bbq sauce as you like - for a drier sandwich, add less, for a juicy sandwich add more.

That's it - you're done. We had this last night on silver dollar rolls with some coleslaw on top. Yummy! 

That would be me - slacker when it comes to posting. I admit, I haven't been as wordy as I should be on this blog lately. I've been busy... no excuse.

When my new slow cooker arrived (it was on back order... grrrr), I washed it, read the manual, set it up and ran to the grocery store to get a pork tenderloin and the makings for Chili. My grocery store didn't have the pork tenderloin I wanted (no seasonings for me) so I went with the chili. I normally don't make my chili in my slow cooker, but the kids and I were going to Tae Kwon Do and I wanted something warm to come home to.  So I put all of the ingredients in my slow cooker, gave it a good mix and covered it up.

(if you're a measuring type of person, I would say 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of Chili Powder, Cumin and Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano.)

I've been elected to cook this year for Thanksgiving. In the last few days I've run around like a chicken (or turkey in this case) with my head cut off trying to make sure I have everything. My family is coming over and they're all bringing a dish to pass which has been coordinated with my menu so we don't have four dishes of stuffed squash.

Cooking the turkey still scares me. I've made dry birds in the past. Last year we had a Turducken which turned out great, but I missed the classic turkey. So this year I'm trying the bird again. I've got some new ideas to try - like brining the bird (soaking overnight in a salt water bath with seasonings) and I started thawing the turkey last Friday so I know it won't be frozen on Thursday when I start cooking it.  Now that I've got all of my recipes in line, I realized that I need to figure out how long I should cook the bird for. Then I got an e-mail newsletter from Better Homes and Gardens that has an interactive roasting guide! You plug in the info and it gives you the time you need to thaw, cook and let the turkey set for your meal.

Timing a dinner is always one of the hard parts of the meal. I'm hoping this year the roasting guide will help me get the timing exactly right!

Here's the link to the Interactive Roasting Guide: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/file.jsp?item=/marketing/splashPages/Thanksgiving/07/bhg_splashpage_roastinguide 

Have a great Thanksgiving!

A reportcard for chain restaurants has come out from the writers/publishers of Eat This Not That for Kids. Here's a link to the selection:

http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/Restaurant-Report-Kids/

 While I agree with most of it, what your child eats is really a reflection of what you let him eat. If we go to McDonalds (*gasp*) and get a yogurt parfait - it's pretty healthy. If we go to McD's and get a big mac and fries - not so healthy.

We don't got to McD's often and when we do I steer my kids away from the worst of it. I know it's not good for them, but if we ban everything that's not good for them they're going to binge as soon as they get the chance to eat the forbidden foods. Teaching moderation is what it's all about. OK, we will eat at Taco Bell for lunch, but we won't eat out again this week - or we will have a huge salad and grilled chicken for dinner.

One thing to watch - does your child get an upset stomach after eating at a fast food restaurant? Mine do sometimes. I make note of it and bring it up with them... "Why do you think your stomach hurts?" Then they start realizing that the food they eat affects how they feel.

My kids are at the age when they want to start ordering from the adult menu. Great! A bigger variety for them to choose from. However, the meals are too big for them. My advice? Spilt a meal with your children or have them share. I've split numerous meals with one of my kids when they want what I'm having. It keeps me from overeating and gives them something a bit more healthy than the chicken fingers and fries option on the kids menu.

What are your favorite items on the kids menu?

Decorating cookies isn't my strong suit (see my last post on Chistmas Cookies). However, when I was looking for recipes I found a cute little holiday E-postcard maker that my kids love! They can decorate a cookie without a mess! Granted, they can't eat it, but they can share it with their grandparents!

(This is why I don't decorate Christmas Cookies!) :)

Cherry-Pistachio Biscotti

Family Circle Magazine

 

Directions

Here is a link to the segment:

http://media.myfoxmilwaukee.com/seenon/index.html click on interviews, then click on Kids & Halloween Treats for the whole three minute segment.

If you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to watch The Morning Blend on Monday when Jared and I make some yummy pumpkin treats!

One reporter in Miami got the chance to be a "professional" cook for a week. Having grown up with a mom who's an educator chef, I know that the kitchen can be an energizing and dangerous place. I've worked with my mom a number of times on different banquets throughout the years and I'm always exhausted by the end of the night.

I've also worked with the American Culinary Federation Chefs of Milwaukee for the last few years . I've eaten some of the best meals of my life with this organization. They are phenominal chefs. They are also some of the most charitable people I know. They have hosted charity dinners for the Center for Blind and Visually Impared Children for the last few years. They get donations for the event and volunteer their time to make the food. We're talking chefs with years of experience and students who are still learning all in the kitchen together working their tails off for free!

While I admire these chefs (and my mother) I would never want to be a professional chef. I like food too much to make it my job!

To get an idea of how much work it really is, check out the link to the reporter in the kitchen in Miami. The article is well written and gives you a good flavor for a professional kitchen: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/living/food/story/623286.html

This is one type of spider strainer that the reporter mentions in the article. I haven't had use for it in my kitchen personally, but in a professional kitchen it's a necessity.

BTW: When I cut my finger cooking in January and needed three stitches in my thumb, the chefs I've worked with didn't give me a hard time. Instead they showed my their cooking scars. My thumb still hurt, but they made my pride feel a lot better.

I found these at the grocery store over a year ago and LOVE them. If you haven't tried them I highly recommend them. They're easy to use and great if you love sea salt and fresh pepper. They're inexpensive and an essential in my kitchen.

I have had to tell people a number of times to take off the lid after they've been using the grinder part for WAY too long!

I've got to find this one!

This weekend was a cooking marathon for me. Saturday I made a brisket chili with squash – it was yummy but spicy. I’m going to change the original recipe and when I get it just right I’ll post it.

On Sunday I was sick of cooking (the chili took most of Saturday and it wasn’t something I could walk away from). There was an easy slow-cooker recipe in the latest Everyday Food (thanks to Linda and Stacy for turning me onto this little magazine).

I took the recipe below and we had a couple of tacos from it. My boys were at a birthday party and didn’t eat dinner with us. We had a bunch left over. So tonight the kids help me make quesadillas.

Here’s how your kids can help:

Have your kids wash their hands. Put one taco-size flour tortilla on each of the kids’ plates. They can scoop two to three forkfuls of chicken onto their tortilla and spread it thinly. Then have them each take a small handful of shredded cheese – I used the Mexican blend cheese – and spread it thinly across their chicken. Make sure the ingredients are thinly spread across the tortilla and aren’t mounded in the middle. Put a second tortilla on top and place in a hot pan. Cover for 30 to 40 seconds, flip, cover for another 30 to 40 seconds and put on a plate. We use our pizza cutter to cut the quesadillas into four pieces. Since the meat is already cooked you’re just warming it up.

I found chipotle chilies in adobo sauce at Sendiks. The recipe calls for 1 to 2 tablespoons – so it almost seams like a waste to use it, but the flavor is noticeable. I would suggest blending the chilies into the sauce then freezing it. Try scooping 1 to 2 tablespoons into an ice tray and freezing it. That way you can thaw out one cube for a serving.

It was an EASY, yummy meal.

Here's the recipe. Let me know if you try it!

Chili Chicken Tacos from October 2008 Everyday Food

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 4 ¼ hours

1. In a slow cooker combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chilies, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salted and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover cook on high 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

2. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells with toppings if desired.

I need your help fellow foodies! What restaurants would you say are the most family friendly in Wisconsin? I’m putting together a Wisconsin Family Dining Guide and Cookbook and I’d love to hear your recommendations for restaurants that should be included.

We’re talking anywhere in the state! Do you have a favorite breakfast place in the Dells? How about a family-friendly restaurant in Door County? Where’s the best brat in Wisconsin? What restaurant is number one with your family? Any out-of-the way restaurants that are a must visit?

Let me know what you think!

We had some friends over this weekend and the husband/dad and the baby are gluten intolerant. Since the baby is only 5 months old, mom has to avoid wheat as well. Whenever we have this couple over I take it as a personal challenge to make something they can’t easily go to the store and buy or go to a restaurant and have. I’ve made them gluten-free baked ziti and Sicilian chicken before, not to mention the molten chocolate cake (yummy see the recipe below) and the brownies.

This weekend we had them over for the Packer game on Sunday. At 11pm Saturday night our TV died. Long story short, we had to go buy a new TV on Sunday morning. So instead of my original plans, I went with the backup – homemade pizza. I ran to the grocery store at 8:30am and was home by 9:30 so we could go to the electronics store by the time it opened.

As my husband was setting up the new toy – I mean TV – I went to work on the snacks and pizza crust. Namaste makes a great line of gluten-free products. I’ve made their chocolate brownies before – they take an extra long time to cook (much longer than the directions state). The pizza crust is pretty much the same way. I made it according to directions and ended up putting it back in the oven for an extra 5 to 10 minutes to get the crust a little less spongy. The pizza turned out OK, but our friends were touched that we had made the effort for them. As they played a little Wii with my kids, I whipped up a banana bread with some gluten-free flour I had gotten previously at Whole Foods. When they left, I sent a still warm banana bread home with them. I’m wondering if they had any left this morning!

Here are some common gluten-free snacks that are always crowd pleasers:

Veggies and dip

Fruit salad or kabobs

Taco dip with corn chips

Potato chips and dip

Cheese and sausage with rice crackers (try the sesame ones!)

Try this molten chocolate cake for a special occasion – or any day that ends in “y”  :)

I use a cupcake pan lined with silicone cupcake liners instead of ramekins. It’s something I already have and works well. I also melt my chocolate in the microwave with short times and frequent stirring. If you have any questions about melting chocolate in the microwave, e-mail me.

 

Molten Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes 6 servings (serving size: one 4-ounce cake)

From: Myrecipes.com

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1/2 pound (8 ounces) semisweet chocolate
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
 Cooking spray
 Powdered sugar for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Place a saucepan of water on high heat. Heat to a boil, then reduce to simmer.

3. In a mixing bowl, crack eggs and warm them over simmering water for 1 minute (hold bowl directly over the water, using a dish towel to protect your hands), whisking constantly.

4. Remove eggs from heat, and whisk for another minute until eggs are very fluffy. Meanwhile, put the chocolate and butter in a large, heatproof, stainless-steel or tempered-glass bowl; set it over the simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Let the chocolate and butter melt; remove from heat. Let mixture cool slightly by stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

5. Once slightly cooled, fold the chocolate and butter into the whipped eggs until no more streaks show. Batter will deflate.

6. Spray 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or ovenproof dessert cups with nonstick cooking spray (or use foil cups, or even muffin tins). Fill them 3/4 of the way full and place on a baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on how gooey you'd like the centers. Turn the cakes out onto dessert plates, and serve immediately with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

I just had someone at my door from the Obama campaign asking for my husband by name. I told him my husband was unavailable and asked if I could help him. No, he said he’d try to reach my husband (called him by first name again) another time.

This is the third time my husband has been contacted by the Obama campaign. I’ve taken the two phone calls for him from the Obama campaign and now talked to the guy at the door. Not once have they asked me anything about how I’m voting or what my political concerns are. 

I have never joined a political party and have voted the same as my husband in every election since we could vote (one of our dates during our first year together was voting for president).

So why have the Obama people never asked me what I think?  

Anyone have any ideas?

I had lunch on Friday with another work-at-home mom, Stacey. YEAH!  A lunch out! While every mom appreciates a lunch out – those of you who work from home in any capacity know how exciting it is to eat out during the middle of the day without kids! Almost makes you feel like you’re playing hooky.

I met this mom at the Moms@Work lunch hosted by MilwaukeeMoms.com. It was great lunch for those of you who missed it. I highly recommend getting a babysitter and going next year. The mom support is excellent!

Stacey and I got to talking after the luncheon and we were discussing my food writing. She asked me what I thought of kid food.  “What’s kid food?” I asked her. To me there shouldn’t be a kid food. Everything I eat, my kids eat. I only make one dinner at my house and my kids eat it. If they don’t like it after they’ve tried it, they can eat the portions of the meal they do like. If it’s terrible – a bad meal happens to us all at some point ;)   – we all find something else to eat.

I know some of you don’t agree with my philosophy and make a separate meal for your kids or avoid foods your kids don’t like.

(This post was written on Sunday, but due to technical difficulties I wasn't able to post it until today. Thanks to Jeanne for her help getting my technical goof up fixed!) 

My boys had a play date today and were gone for most of the afternoon. My daughter, feeling left out, wanted to make a cake. She got out a cookbook and found a recipe for angel food cake. If you’ve never made an angel food cake before, it can be a fun cake to make if you have the right ingredients and equipment.

Luckily, I had picked up 18 eggs at the grocery store yesterday. I felt like doing some baking next week when the kids were at school. I didn’t realize that Emily would use most of the eggs today!

She mise en placed (a French term) by getting everything she would need for the cake ready. I told her I would help when she got to the part of needed 10 egg whites… This is where the “YUCK!” part comes in.

I told her to break an egg into my hand. Ewwwe! She wasn’t sure about it, but did as I asked and cracked the egg into my hand. She watched as I let the white drain between my fingers while the yoke stayed in my hand.

She thought it was cool and disgusting at the same time. Grandma was on her way over for the Packer game and got to our house as we finished with the 10^th egg. Grandma is an Educator Chef – she teaches people to be chefs. Grandma was barely in the door when Emily told her what I had done with the eggs. Much to Emily’s shock – Grandma agreed that using your hand is one of the easiest and most successful ways of getting a yoke out of an egg. 

After letting the yokes sit (and washing my hands very well) we started beating the egg whites. This is where the right equipment comes in. If you don’t have an electric mixer of some sort, I would not recommend making an angel food cake from scratch. I’ve tried making it with a whisk once and will NEVER do that again. Mixing yokes until the form peaks takes quite a bit of time with a whisk. Making angel food cake with an electric mixer is much more enjoyable.

After baking the cake, it looks pretty good. We still have to make the chocolate glaze she wants to put on it. The cake and chocolate glaze were YUMMY!

Here’s the recipe for Angel Food Cake that we made. It’s from the new Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book and can be found at their website www.bhg.com.

Directions

1. In a very large mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift powdered sugar and flour together 3 times; set aside.

Nutrition Facts

Here are a few other food trivia tidbits for the inquisitive minds among us:

1. What US city boasts the world’s largest drive-in restaurant?
2. Which is the most requested pizza topping in the US?
3. Which US president made Thanksgiving an official holiday?

For more trivia check out http://www.funtrivia.com/

Answers:
1. The Varsity in Atlanta, Georgia
2. Pepperoni
3. Abraham Lincoln

If you’ve read my column in Metroparent Magazine (Family Foodie) you’ll know I preach about taking your kids with you to the grocery store and having them pick out what they want to eat for lunch – within reason. So yesterday it was off to the grocery store to pick up food for lunches back to school this week.

After we got the grocery store and settled who got to push the cart first, the boys made a b-line for the deli counter. They wanted roast beef, turkey, ham, pastrami and salami. I reminded them that they weren’t going to be living at school for a month and they only needed enough food for three lunches this week. (They each get to take hot lunch one day a week.) We picked the ham since it was on sale and a ½ pound of salami. We had picked up smoked oysters a couple of weeks ago when they were on sale – my kids love them! They’ve convinced their friends at school to try an oyster on more than one occasion.

They picked carrots for their veggies (of course) and apples for their fruit. Somehow I was convinced to buy the Scooby Doo cheese strips – ok there was a coupon and it was on sale. Then they each picked out yogurts for breakfasts this week with granola. Frozen waffles were on sale and they mysteriously ended up in my cart.

This morning the kids were up and packing their lunches before I had even finished showering. While I occasionally do a spot check on lunches, it’s gotten to the point where I just have to ask if they have enough food and something for snack.  The week after Halloween the lunch bags get inspected every day to make sure no candy has snuck in.

Having lunches packed before I got to the kitchen this morning was wonderful! Knowing that my kids will be eating their lunch is even better.

Here are a few different ideas for lunches:

Traditional

Peanut butter and Jelly on Whole Wheat

Baked potato chips

Granny Smith Apple

Sugar Snap Peas

Pizza

Tortilla Pizza Wrap (tortilla, pasta sauce, pepperoni, shredded Mozzarella, black olives, green peppers)

Peach (fresh or canned)

Green Pepper rings or carrots

Club Sandwich

Turkey, ham, roast beef and provolone on a tortilla with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and ranch dressing

Cucumber stars (slice cucumbers then cut into star shapes)

Orange Smiles (Oranges cut into slices)

Unusual Lunch

Smoked Oysters or Frozen Cook Shrimp

String Cheese

Baked Crackers

Grapes

Cherry tomatoes or carrots

Frozen Yogurt Tube or Minimuffins for dessert

Checkout the August Family Foodie column for other lunch ideas.