budget friendly

Quick & Dirty Raspberry Cheesecake Fried Pies

March 6, 2013 by Rebecca 12 Comments

Get the yoga pants out now, folks, because I discovered something very dangerous indeed when I was making empanadas last week. I’ve told you before of my abiding love for Goya Discos and empanadas and that I always keep a stash of those lovely little shortcut pastry rounds in my freezer. How can you go wrong for one-dollar-forty-cents for a package of ten, I ask you? You can’t! If you’re having trouble locating them, ask your local stores to carry them. If they have Goya canned goods, there’s a likelihood that they can get discos for you!

Back to the trouble at hand, though… I’m not sure WHAT motivated me to do it as I’m trying desperately to fit into a cute pair of jeans these days, but the thought process went something like, “I love these discos, I’d love to make a pie with them some day. Hey. I could make fried pies. Hey. I have oil going. HEY. I am going to make fried pies. WHOA. I am going to make cheesecake fried pies.”

And I did. And they were too good for my good. My husband’s eyes rolled back into his head when he bit into one. Warm raspberry pie filling over melted Neufchatel cream cheese in a deep-fried wrapper just about did the poor guy in for the joy of it all.

When I tell you these pies can be made as fast as you can slap some cream cheese and raspberry pie filling on a disco, crimp it and drop it in some hot oil, I mean it. I’m a double crimping kind of gal, because I like my filling to stay INSIDE the pastry where I put it. If you’re more sanguine, stick with a single crimp and you’ll have pie a few seconds faster.

I have a little trick for you to keep pie filling from squirting out the sides of the discos when you fold them. After you put the cream cheese just off center on the pastry and dollop the pie filling over it, bring the opposite sides together to fold it in half, but lift it off of the counter as you do it so that you’re holding it by the center edge that you’re pinching together, before continuing to crimp it, immediately pinch both ends shut to keep the filling from leaking out. Then, still holding it up in the air by that center edge, work your way around the seam, squeezing the pastry edges together to seal them. THEN lay it down on its side and crimp with a fork. Here’s where my Anal-Retentive Chef tendencies come through. After that first crimp, I usually fold the edges back toward the center and crimp again with a fork. Ta da!

It probably goes without saying that these taste best when warm. In the interest of scientific inquiry, though, we ate a few of them room temperature and also cold and they were still darned good. In order, we preferred them warm, then room temperature, then cold, but we wouldn’t say no to any of them if offered.

Were you to top a warm pie with a scoop of ice cream, you’d probably swoon. Alas, I will not do this at least until April because I gave up ice cream for Lent. Could someone maybe give that a try and tell me about it so that I can live vicariously?

Quick & Dirty Raspberry Cheesecake Fried Pies

Rating: 51

Quick & Dirty Raspberry Cheesecake Fried Pies

There's nothing more dangerous than these pies that are done in the blink of an eye and stuffed with tart, sweet raspberry pie filling over melted Neufchatel cream cheese in a blistery, crispy yet tender fried package.

Ingredients

1 package Goya Discos Empanada wrappers (without annatto), thawed
1 cup raspberry pie filling
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons softened low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel Cream Cheese)
2-3 inches of canola, vegetable, or peanut oil or shortening in a high-sided, heavy pan or deep-fryer

Instructions

Heat the oil to 350°F.

Slightly roll out the discos wrappers to make them just a touch thinner. This allows you to cram more of the good stuff into the wrappers before closing them. Add 1 tablespoon of cream cheese just off center on each disco wrapper.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of raspberry pie filling over the cream cheese.

Fold it in half, lifting by the center edges. Pinch both ends shut to prevent the pie filling from leaking out as you seal the wrapper. Still holding it in the air, pinch the edges to seal, working your way around the seam. Lay it down on the counter and crimp shut with a fork. If desired, you can fold the excess in toward the center and crimp the edges again. Repeat until all the disco wrappers are filled.

Fry the pies 2 to 4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan or deep fryer, taking care not to overcrowd them as they will expand slightly as they fry. Turn them over, if necessary after about 45 seconds (*See Notes). Continue to fry for another 45 seconds or until they are a deep golden brown. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the fried pies carefully to a paper towel lined plate. Let rest for at least one minute before eating.

Notes

*If you find that the pies are getting dark before the cheese has melted inside the pie, lower the temperature of your oil slightly. The goal is for the pies to be a rich brown on the outside with melted cheese and hot filling on the inside.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/03/06/quick-dirty-raspberry-cheesecake-fried-pies/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

This post was NOT sponsored by Goya. They have no idea who I am, I just really dig their discos!

Filed Under: Desserts, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast, budget friendly, dessert, family-friendly, kid friendly, party food, quick and easy, Vegetarian

Vanilla Yogurt and Berry Parfait | Make Ahead Mondays

March 4, 2013 by Rebecca 7 Comments

I’m thirty eight years old and I just started to like breakfast. I’m not even kidding.

The truth is, until this point, the only time I wanted to eat anything before noon was when I was pregnant. Mind you, I was pregnant for a grand total of four-point-one-six (repeating fraction) years, but the point remains. It was only then that I actually wanted breakfast. Until…

Well, until I took my fitness regime seriously. Good grief, people… getting older? I don’t mind the wrinkles, in fact, I kind of like them. I think they build character. What I DO mind is being in a body that has decided that my usual twelve-tacos-for-dinner plan is not working any more. Dagnabit.

As long as I’ve been an adult, I have exercised with far more frequency than I did as a teen (even though I was freakishly thin then) and with more intensity. I’ve done Pilates for years, albeit the kind that I do following along with a video in the den while the doors are firmly closed and locked to prevent kids and dogs from interrupting me.

In the last couple of months, though, I found that I was feeling CRANKY-peckish around nine or ten in the morning: fully two hours before I’ve ever felt like eating before (minus pregnancy) in my life.

Instead of being a doofus and fighting it, though, I’ve yielded in a healthy way. Rather than cramming a fistful of chocolates at my mouth (yes, I’ve done that) at ten-ish, I’ve stocked myself up with something HELPFUL. Every Sunday afternoon, I grab a handful of eight-ounce jelly jars, a container of Greek vanilla yogurt, some frozen berries and go to town… I make myself parfaits. There really isn’t anything more low-maintenance and satisfying than this: vanilla Greek yogurt layered with partially thawed frozen berries and so on until the jar is mostly full. Mostly full because you get the most BANG for your breakfast buck when you leave enough room to top it with a little bit of your favourite yogurt for texture’s sake.

The sweetness of the yogurt, the tart berries and the crunch of the granola? Shoo… You won’t look back.

The beauty of this -aside from the surpassing taste- is that less than ten minutes one day a week yields breakfasts for the entire week. How much less likely are you to splurge on something twelve-taco-y if you have something this delicious and appealing in the refrigerator? And the parfaits get even better as the week goes on… The berries release their juices and make the most lovely sauce that stirs into the yogurt. Geesh. I’m getting hungry now and I just ate dinner.

You don’t even have to thaw the berries before you make these parfaits. Oh sure, if you’re one of those folks who lives in a region that has fresh berries year round, by all means, make ‘em with fresh, but those of us who are still wielding the snow shovel can still experience the joy of a berry parfait with this recipe.

…And one last thing. I love Greek yogurt, my kids? Not so much. They find it too thick. If you’re in the camp of no-Greek-yogurt with my kids, make it with regular vanilla yogurt. Really! Don’t skip it for the sake of strained yogurt. I personally love the Greek stuff because I think it holds up nicely to a week’s worth of refrigeration with melting, juicy berries, by my boys all prefer it with plain old, garden variety, inexpensive vanilla yogurt. There are much bigger hills I’ll choose to die on than Greek yogurt vs. plain yogurt. Choose whatever you prefer!

If you were so inclined, and found yogurt on sale, you could easily make these (leaving room for expansion in the jar) and freeze them with lids on (and sans granola, of course)… I whip them up weekly because I find it easier than thawing, but it’s very, very freezer friendly!

Vanilla Yogurt and Berry Parfait | Make Ahead Mondays

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6 parfaits

Serving Size: 1 parfait

Vanilla Yogurt and Berry Parfait | Make Ahead Mondays

Start your morning right with a Vanilla Yogurt and Berry Parfait. Less than 10 minutes 1 day a week will yield breakfasts for every morning! Creamy, sweet vanilla yogurt is layered with tart frozen mixed berries in jars and refrigerated for whenever the urge strikes. As the week goes on, the berries thaw and release their juice, flavouring the yogurt. Serve with granola or Grape Nuts!

Ingredients

For Six Parfaits:

1 (32 ounce) container Greek or regular Vanilla Yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries, unsweetened
6 (8 ounce) jelly jars with lids or dessert bowls

To Serve:

up to 1/2 cup granola or Grape Nuts for each parfait.

Instructions

Spoon about 1/4 cup into the bottom of each of the 6 jelly jars or dessert bowls. Over each of those, spoon about 2 tablespoons of frozen mixed berries. Press the berries lightly into the yogurt. Top with another 1/4 cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of berries and then divide the remaining yogurt between the jars over the berries. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a week.

To Serve:

Remove the lid from the parfait and sprinkle a little granola or some Grape Nuts over the top of the parfait. While eating, sprinkle with granola or Grape Nuts as often as preferred.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/03/04/vanilla-yogurt-and-berry-parfait-make-ahead-mondays/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast Foods, Happy Healthy and Wise, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: Breakfast, budget friendly, family-friendly, Food gifts, kid friendly, quick and easy, Vegetarian

French Roasted Asparagus, Tuna and Hardboiled Egg Sandwiches | Lenten Friday Recipes

March 1, 2013 by Rebecca 7 Comments

We observe meatless Fridays through Lent. And while that should sound like no biggie, it’s surprisingly difficult for a meat-lovin’ family like ours to commit to one day a week sans meat even if we allow ourselves fish, which we do. For someone who spent nearly seven years as a vegetarian, I’m shockingly lacking in the creativity department when I’ve made a rule for myself.

That’s not to say that vegetarian and seafood dishes don’t ding my chimes. In fact, I kind of obsess over mushroom dishes and seafood on Pinterest. It’s really the rule that trips me up because I deliberately avoid food restrictions in my life. It makes me stop and consider why I have such a hard time giving up things for one little day a week but I think that’s good for me. Isn’t that the point of observing Lent, after all?

Last year, I saw a Spring Sandwich on TheKitchn that sounded like the perfect Lenten Fridays dish, and I pinned it like a good girl then forgot I had pinned it.

I’m good like that.

A bell went off in my little brain when I admired the bundles of super-thin asparagus at Aldi last week. I grabbed a couple bundles there, then a handful of fresh dill and a Parmesan peppercorn baguette at Wegman’s and congratulated myself all the way home on being clever enough to remember it.

At home, I decided to toast my crusty bread because as much as I love bread, I love it even better when it’s toasted. And here’s the thing, I had decided I wanted to put some olive oil packed tuna on this sandwich to really pile the protein on there and keep my meat-lovin’ tummy satisfied. It seemed like a good idea, so I opened the can of tuna and drizzled a little of the flavour-packed olive oil over the cut bread and brushed it around before toasting it. I’m pretty sure that was the best decision I had made in at least a week… It infused the bread with just a hint of tuna and crisped the surface beautifully and gave it an undeniably French touch. I’m going to repeat that again and again.

I roasted the asparagus because honestly, asparagus just can’t taste better than that.

I smeared some of my best grainy mustard on the toasted bread, piled the tender salt-and-pepper asparagus spears on top, flaked the tuna over the asparagus, laid on slices of hardboiled eggs, sprinkled coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper and added a few sprigs of fresh dill before laying that other fabulous piece of toasted baguette over all.

It took a little work eating the sandwich, what with having such a delicate little mouth and all (she says as two whole cookies fall out of her maw) but I managed. It was glorious, I tell you. I ate the entire thing by myself before assembling more for the guys.

It’s my new go-to Lenten recipe… Granted, there are members of the no-visible-veg contingent who feel compelled to pull the asparagus from their sandwiches, but that’s okay by me because I hoover the tender little spears from their plate before they hit the sink.

No asparagus left behind.

I’m curious… do you observe Lent? If so, how do you do it? Meat-free Fridays? Meat-free Fridays and Wednesdays? If you do, what are your favourite recipes for those days? Do you give up something else or have certain activities?

French Roasted Asparagus, Tuna and Hardboiled Egg Sandwiches | Lenten Friday Recipes

Rating: 51

Yield: 1 large sandwich or 2 smaller ones

Serving Size: 1/2 of a large sandwich or 1 individual sandwich

French Roasted Asparagus, Tuna and Hardboiled Egg Sandwiches | Lenten Friday Recipes

This French style sandwich is one of the best ways to fill up without weighing down on your meat-free days: toasted baguette with grainy Dijon mustard, tender roasted asparagus, hard-boiled eggs, olive-oil packed tuna, fresh dill, coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Serve with a nice glass of wine and you have a feast!

It can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before serving.

Inspired by and with thanks to TheKitchn

Ingredients

1 crusty baguette or 2 crusty rolls
20 thin asparagus spears
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 can olive-oil packed tuna
grainy Dijon mustard
2 fresh hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced thickly
coarse salt and pepper to taste
fresh dill

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Trim any tough ends from the asparagus spears. Place the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange them in a single layer and roast for 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick the spears are and how tender you'd like the asparagus to be.

Turn on the broiler in your oven. Cut the baguette or crusty rolls in half and brush them with some of the oil from the oil packed tuna. Place 4-5 inches under the broiler, watching carefully, until golden brown. Do not walk away while this is toasting or you will have charcoal!

When the bread is cool enough to handle, spread all surfaces with the grainy mustard and arrange the roasted asparagus over it. Flake the tuna over the asparagus and follow with the slices of hard-boiled egg, a sprinkling of coarse salt and cracked black pepper and some sprigs of fresh dill before adding the final piece of bread.

Compress lightly with your hands and eat immediately or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before eating.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/03/01/roasted-asparagus-tuna-and-hardboiled-egg-sandwiches-lenten-friday-recipes/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Fish, Happy Healthy and Wise, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: budget friendly, family-friendly, quick and easy, quick meal, seasonal, Vegetarian

Cucumber, Cream Cheese, and Sprout with Grainy Mustard Sandwiches

February 26, 2013 by Rebecca 11 Comments

This is a sandwich for my sisters.

My sisters and I have a thing for cucumbers. And sprouts. And cream cheese, grainy mustard, onions and seedy bread. It’s true. In fact, were you to put that sandwich in the picture above in front of any one of my sisters, there’s a good chance that the ensuing silence might be the only quiet you’d get around us.

We also have a thing for shopping.

…And dancing.

Folks, we cut a mean rug…

But mostly, we eat. We are very, very good at it. And we’d like to share a sandwich that screams ‘us’ with you. Want a bite? Better act quickly before we move in on it. Cucumber sandwiches wait for no woman.

Cucumber, Cream Cheese, Sprout and Grainy Mustard Sandwiches

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cucumber, Cream Cheese, Sprout and Grainy Mustard Sandwiches

Simple, light, fresh, and healthy, this sandwich is going to fill you up without weighing you down. Nothing beats crunchy cucumber and sprouts paired with smooth cream cheese and zingy mustard on hearty whole grain bread. I like to add thinly sliced sweet onion to the mix, but it's strictly optional. This is my kind of lunch!

Ingredients

Per Sandwich:

2 slices whole grain seedy bread
2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon or more whole grain Dijon mustard, to taste
1/4 of a seedless (a.k.a. English) cucumber
1/2 cup alfalfa, zesty or broccoli sprouts
coarse salt to taste
Optional:
thinly sliced sweet onion, to taste

Instructions

Spread one slice of bread with the softened cream cheese. Spread the mustard over the other slice of bread. Arrange the sliced onions, if using, over the cream cheese, then the cucumbers, sprinkle lightly with coarse salt, then top with the sprouts and the remaining slice of bread, mustard side down. Gently press the sandwich and slice in half.

Serve immediately or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/26/cucumber-cream-cheese-and-sprout-with-grainy-mustard-sandwiches/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Happy Healthy and Wise, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: budget friendly, family-friendly, Frugal Food, kid friendly, quick and easy, Vegetarian

Grandma’s Snickerdoodles

February 20, 2013 by Rebecca 20 Comments

My family lives, talks, dreams, plans, prepares, preaches, and eats food. We don’t breathe it, however, as aspirating food is generally acknowledged to be a bad idea. In short, we are all food maniacs.

There have been a handful of time that I’ve been brought up short when chatting with people and they inform me that their family tradition is to keep their recipes secret. At those moments, my jaw has dropped open like a cod and I’ve been at a loss from words. This is probably because in my family, if you even imply you like something we’ve cooked for you, we hurriedly jot down the recipe and cram it into your hands.

The recipe I’m sharing today is my Grandma’s snickerdoodle recipe. When I posted a picture of it on facebook, one of my aunts said, “I can smell them now!” Thus is the power of Grandma’s snickerdoodles. My Grandma’s version of this classic cookie is a classic itself. And while I’m certain Grandma made them for everyone, I always felt like she made them just for me. And THUS is the power of my Grandma.

I’ve talked before about my prized possessions: my handwritten recipe cards that Grandma gave me in my first years of marriage. (You can read a couple of those posts here and here.) I cannot even find the words to say what my Grandma means to me. Every single one of those now-laminated recipe cards represents my Grandma thinking of me when I wasn’t there and wanting me to eat well. And honestly, friends, I think that’s what our compulsive recipe sharing boils down to; it’s our desire to be part of feeding you and caring for you even when we’re not there.

Can you imagine anything better than coming in from playing in the snow for hours to the smell of snickerdoodles fresh from the oven? There really is only one thing better than that: sitting down at the table of someone you love, being handed a plate of those cookies and a mug full of warm tea.

There’s something about the scent of those cinnamon and sugar crusted butter cookies that -to this day- puts me back at the table in Grandma’s dining room. I suspect that for the rest of my life, cinnamon is going to smell like hugs to me. I’ll take it.

Fair warning, though: these cookies are absolutely irresistible. And when I say irresistible, I mean that you’ll be unable to walk past the cookie jar without fishing out one… or two… or three…(or five. Oh dear.) You wouldn’t say no to Grandma’s cookies, would you?

Grandma’s Snickerdoodles

Rating: 51

Grandma’s Snickerdoodles

My Grandma's Snickerdoodles are a perfect rendition of the classic: tender butter cookies with a cinnamon sugar crust. Be warned, though, they are completely irresistible.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups and 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, separated
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Cream together the butter, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and eggs until smooth. In a separate bowl, use a whisk or fork to combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until well combined. Cover the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours before working with it.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

Use a fork to combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.

Use a small disher (cookie scoop) or teaspoons to scoop about 2 teaspoons of cookie dough, roll it into a ball and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place the cookies 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned but still soft. Let them rest on the cookie sheets for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/20/grandmas-snickerdoodles/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Cookies, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: budget friendly, cookies, family-friendly, kid friendly

Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme | Make Ahead Mondays

February 18, 2013 by Rebecca 14 Comments

Last week, I posted a picture on Instagram of fifty two ounces of sliced mushrooms and asked, “Does this make anyone else weak in the knees?” Aside from one or two folks who replied that it made them weak in the stomach, most of you appear to be as devoted to mushrooms as I am.

If I see a bowl full of perfectly cooked mushrooms I am quite likely to make a very embarrassing and purposeful face plant into it. I cannot resist them. They’re so savoury, so meaty, so earthy, so nutty, so… so… mushroomy.

I feel no need to curb my enthusiasm for mushrooms since they’re wonderful for your health. Pound for pound, you can hardly find something low-calorie that is more packed with Vitamin D, B vitamins, selenium, ergothioneine (an anti-oxidant that helps protect your cells), potassium, copper, beta-glucans, magnesium and phosphorous. To cap it off (mushroom pun alert), these little fungi help you feel fuller longer. In other words, they can help you control your weight, too!

As if the umami and nutrition power packing of mushrooms wasn’t enough to recommend them, they are so easy to cook that it feels like cheating. They don’t require much in the way of fuss or technique; a knife that’s sharp enough to lob them into a couple of thick slices is all it takes. Since they’re so easy to prepare at the last minute, you might wonder why they’d be a good candidate for Make Ahead Mondays. The reason is twofold:

When they go on sale, you can stock up, roast your mushrooms and freeze them for times they’re more expensive.
It eliminates one step in dishes where you’d like to use a smaller amount of roasted mushrooms. (i.e. Soup, Pizza, Sandwiches, etc…)

Yes, I have shared a recipe here for preparing a large amount of mushrooms before, but this one is different and a gal can’t have too many ways to prepare mushrooms! What distinguishes this recipe from the other one is both that this one is far easier and that it requires fewer ingredients but still delivers massive mushroom goodness. In fact, I’d go so far as to say this is my preferred method of mushroom cookery now. Don’t get me wrong, seared mushrooms are fabulous, but you have to watch them and cook them in batches. With Roasted Mushrooms, you toss everything together, whack the tray in the oven and stir once -halfway through- before they reach perfection.

Why is it so great? Just look at them. These are perfectly roasted mushrooms -just a kiss of browning around the edges- substantial, meaty, and juicy, with a hint of thyme and nutmeg to amplify the natural flavour of the mushrooms. This is a lesson I learned from my bonus mom, Valerie, many years ago. Thyme goes with meat therefore it goes with mushrooms. Nutmeg goes with, well, EVERYTHING. No really, nutmeg is described as being aromatic, earthy, and nutty which makes it the perfect companion for mushrooms. I do highly recommend using freshly grated nutmeg from whole nutmegs in this dish. It’s worth seeking them out. I also recommend getting a decent amount of them when you do buy them. Whole nutmegs will last almost indefinitely -unlike purchased ground nutmeg- when stored in an airtight container in a dark cupboard. (See this affiliate link for an example:)

While cute nutmeg graters are available, please remember that you don’t REALLY need a special tool to grate them. The same side on a box grater that you would use for hard cheeses like Parmesan or Romano will do just fine. I use my fine Microplane for the job and it works perfectly.

When I have a stockpile of Roasted Mushrooms in the freezer, I toss them in beef and barley soup and risottos, on pizzas, stuff them in grilled cheese sandwiches, and pile them on top of steaks, chicken, and burgers. On busy, busy, busy nights, I simply serve the mushrooms over polenta or rice with a shower of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on top. It keeps the crew full and Mama happy. So very happy. Where would you use wealth of Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme?

Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme | Make Ahead Mondays

These are perfectly roasted mushrooms -just a kiss of browning around the edges- substantial, meaty, and juicy, with a hint of thyme and nutmeg to amplify the natural flavour of the mushrooms.

Ingredients

52 ounces of assorted fresh mushrooms (*See Notes)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
ground black pepper to taste (preferably freshly ground or crushed)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Thickly slice or quarter the mushrooms. Arrange them on 2 11-inch by 17-inch rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Drizzle half of the olive oil over each pan, followed by roughly half of the thyme, salt, and nutmeg over each pan. Generously sprinkle the black pepper over the mushrooms. Stir with a spoon to evenly distribute everything.

Roast the mushrooms, stirring halfway through, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are hot through and beginning to brown around the edges. Eat immediately or divide into meal sized portions and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*I prefer to use mostly baby bella mushrooms with a few white button mushrooms thrown in for variety. You can use whichever mushrooms you like best, but I do recommend using baby bellas or white button mushrooms for the bulk of the mushrooms.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/18/roasted-mushrooms-with-thyme-make-ahead-mondays/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

P.S. As crazy as it is, the response to my Crunchy Beauty Tip was so positive that I’m planning another one. I can’t even believe I’m saying it, but I’ll be posting the next one later this week so stay tuned for more natural or low-fuss beauty tips! xo Rebecca

Filed Under: Make Ahead Mondays, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: budget friendly, Food Preservation, freezer pleaser, Make Ahead Mondays, quick and easy, quick meal, Vegetarian

Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds

February 13, 2013 by Rebecca 6 Comments

I often refer to my husband as ‘The Evil Genius’ and realized that maybe to some that sounds like an insult. Let me explain this little term of endearment. When he and I were dating, I posed a question that has probably been asked in one form or another by many geeks the world over: “If Star Wars was real life, would you be part of the Rebel Alliance or the Empire?”

I expected the answer to be a solid “REBEL!” like mine was. Instead, he cocked his head to the side, looked thoughtful for a moment and replied, “The Empire. They have better technology.”

I married into the Dark Side, people, ’cause the Dark Side was cute.

The ‘genius’ part of it is pretty self explanatory. My husband is just plain brilliant. He solves problems other people can’t solve. He programs giant machines to do robotic things. He can rig ANYTHING to work. Seriously. He used to carry a golf club in an old car that used to stall at traffic lights because he figured out that three sharp raps to the upper right quadrant of the hood with that golf club would start the engine back up without him having to get out of the car. I love that man.

My sweet Evil Genius’s favourite snacks are dried fruit and nuts. Specifically, he loves raisins and almonds. He likes to munch them straight from the jar and he looooooooves to put them on salads. He would rather have a salad covered in almonds and raisins than just about anything else in the world.

And I’d rather make him happy than just about anything else in the world, so for Valentine’s Day, I made him a snack that will make his heart go pitter pat (and Hey! Almonds! Heart healthy!! Healthy pitter patting!) with joy. I made him Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds. This simple to make treat is delicious, lasts for weeks in an airtight container, and is great for straight up snacking or garnishing salads. My darling even chopped a handful of them and tossed them into his morning oatmeal with a fistful of raisins. Happy sounds ensued.

Once the kids discovered the jar of Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds, it was all over. My thirteen year old stood over the jar and kept dipping his big paws in repeatedly. He kept sighing happily as he ate them. When he finally came up for air, he said, “I can’t help myself! They taste like little cookies!”

He’s right, really. The rich maple syrup and fragrant cinnamon form a sweet, crunchy crust around the roasted almonds that is kind of like a cinnamon raisin cookie, but mapley. And as odd as it might sound, when tossed onto a spinach salad with crumbled bleu cheese and oil and vinegar, the roasted candied nuts stop tasting like cookies and instead provide the perfect little burst of sweetness and crunch.

Let’s talk maple syrup choice for a moment. I prefer to use a dark, strong maple syrup because it takes less syrup to impart a oomphy maple flavour. If you’re not a hard-core maple syrup fan, you can substitute dark Karo syrup or brown sugar in equal parts for the syrup.

Make a batch of Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds for your sweetie or yourself today. Or if you’re like me and you’re feeding a bunch of snack and salad loving stormtroopers, you might want to consider a double batch. Evil is always hungry.

Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds

Rating: 51

Cinnamon Maple Candied Almonds

Rich maple syrup and fragrant cinnamon form a sweet, crunchy crust around roasted almonds that tastes reminiscent of a cinnamon raisin cookie, but mapley. And as odd as it might sound, when tossed onto a spinach salad with crumbled bleu cheese and oil and vinegar, the roasted candied nuts stop tasting like cookies and instead provide the perfect little burst of sweetness and crunch.

Ingredients

4 cups shelled, whole, raw almonds
1 egg white
1/3 cup maple syrup (*See Notes)
1/3 cup raw or granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat or parchment (lightly spray the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.)

In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt together with a fork until it is evenly mixed.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until very frothy. Whisk in the maple syrup until it is evenly mixed. Toss in the almonds until they are completely coated with the egg/maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top and toss again to coat evenly. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the silpat or sprayed parchment lined sheet.

Bake the nuts for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the nuts are dry to the touch. Let them cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to break them up. When they are completely cooled, transfer them to airtight containers -like mason jars- and store at room temperature for up to a month.

Serve as a stand-alone snack, or with dried fruit or as a garnish on salads.

Notes

*If you cannot find maple syrup or aren't a fan, substitute an equal amount of dark karo syrup or brown sugar. If you use the brown sugar, whisk the egg white with a tablespoon of water. Tada!

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/13/cinnamon-maple-candied-almonds/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: budget friendly, family-friendly, Frugal Food, frugal gifts, kid friendly, party food, Snacks, Vegetarian

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

February 11, 2013 by Rebecca 22 Comments

Have you ever been so intimidated to try making a certain thing in the kitchen that you put it off forever and a day. Then you finally work up the courage to try making it and are stunned to find it ridiculously easy? Such was the story with me and sausage a few years ago. I had made all sorts of food that makes people pause -cheesecakes, bread, homemade thises and thats- but I had always been just a bit scared of making sausage. I chalk this up to the time I spent in my teen and early adult years as a vegetarian. I had this little inferiority complex about my meat cooking skills.

Then one day, we came into a windfall of pork shoulder and decided I didn’t have much to lose since I had so very much pork lying around. I ground a couple of pounds of pork, added what I figured I liked best in sausage -fennel, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper- mixed it up with my hands, rolled it into little meatballs and fried them in a pan before building a marinara sauce around them. Holy wah.

To say that all my sausage making fears were wiped away with one succulent little pan full of saucy, moist, garlicky, spicy, browned-to-perfection-then-simmered meatballs is putting it mildly. The homemade sausage was superior in every single way from texture to flavour. It was perfect. In fact, I was so bucked up by my success that I made fresh sausage and meals from said sausage five nights in a row.

Then, although I was not nearly tired of the sausage, I was definitely tired of washing the grinder and all its little parts, and thus had an epiphany. They call it bulk sausage for a reason; I will make much and freeze some.

And the freezing? I had a trick there, too… I weighed two and a half pounds of sausage into gallon freezer bags, squeezed out as much air as I possibly could and gently pressed the sausage so that it filled the bag all the way to the corners while flattening it. Then I pressed the handle of a long wooden spoon down the center of the bag and twice more perpendicular to that first impression.

The reason I did this was two-fold. First, it would freeze faster and neater; flat bags stack up more efficiently in the freezer than wadded up bulky ones. Second, I could easily break off a square or two of the sausage without using the entire two and a half pounds. Two squares would give me between one and one and a half pounds of sausage which was just perfect for browning and scattering over pizzas or adding to pasta sauce. SCORE! (Ahem. Get it?)

Those first sausage experiments led me to many more. (See here and here for examples that I’ve posted before!) but nothing has matched the versatility and sheer usefulness of having a freezer full of bulk Italian sausage. So. Darned. Good.

Whaddya do with a freezer full beyond adding to pasta sauce or putting on pizza? Well, how about one of our favourite fast weeknight meals? Broccoli Sausage Pasta. This is one that pleases my crowd (even though I admit I have to pull some of the browned sausage from the pan before adding the broccoli to keep the No-Green-Things Contingent from revolting and BEING revolting at the table.) and feeds them for a song. You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli crowns in the dish, whichever you can procure most easily and the hearty dish is done in a flash.

Now here’s the thing. Where I live, pork shoulder is far cheaper per pound than purchased Italian sausage and it is marginally cheaper per pound than pre-ground pork. Since I prefer to grind my own, I stick with the pork shoulders. If you don’t have a grinder or food processor, you can definitely still make this using pre-ground pork. You’ll still be blown away by how wonderful it tastes!

I re-upped my Italian sausage stores this weekend while my kids were out enjoying all the snow that fell. I know it has nothing to do with food, but you have to see what my thirteen year old guy did with his time. Methinks he has had cabin fever…

When all the chilled and pink-cheeked boys came barreling in the door, I had a pan full of Broccoli Sausage Pasta ready to go. There were happy faces and full bellies that evening.

What would YOU do with a freezer full of Italian sausage?

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

Rating: 51

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

Homemade Bulk Italian Sausage is so simple and so much better than store-bought. Keep a stash of it in the freezer at all times so you can whip up this fast, fabulous weeknight favourite- Broccoli Sausage Pasta. You'll love this hearty, crowd-pleasing dish of garlicky, spicy, crisped Italian sausage, crisp-tender broccoli and rotini with a generous handful of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

To Make the Bulk Italian Sausage:

8 pounds freshly ground pork shoulder {*See Notes} or purchased ground pork.
18-26 peeled garlic cloves (depending on how garlicky you like your sausage.)
8 tablespoons fennel seeds
2-5 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your sausage.)
6 tablespoons kosher salt (you can adjust upward, but this is the minimum amount you should use.)

To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:

1 pound Bulk Italian Sausage
1 pound rotini or other shaped pasta
12 ounces to 1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets (The pictured dish used 12 ounces of frozen baby broccoli florets.)
1/3 cup chicken stock (preferably) or water
grated Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Bulk-Italian-Sausage-ready-for-the-freezer-from-Foodie-with-Family.jpgAdd the pork to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic cloves, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes and salt to the bowl of a food processor (or pile it together on a large cutting board.) Process until the garlic is broken down very finely and is almost paste-like. If you are using a cutting board, chop them all together until the garlic is almost paste-like.

Scrape the mixture over the pork and use your hands to blend well. Test the sausage spice mixture by forming a quarter sized patty and frying it in a pan. Taste the test sausage. If you need to, adjust the spices and salt.

Divide the sausage into 4 gallon sized freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as you can before mostly sealing the bag (leaving just a corner open to allow air to move out.) Gently push the sausage flat and fill the entire bag. Once the bag is filled to the corners, seal the little bit of the bag that you left open. Use the long handle of a wooden spoon to press a line down the middle of the bag from top to bottom, leaving a ridge in the sausage. Turn the spoon handle perpendicular to that line and press down about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the bag and again at about 1/3 of the way from the top of the bag. This will leave 6 "rectangles" of sausage.

Lay the bag on a flat baking sheet, repeat with the remaining freezer bags of sausage and put the pan in the freezer. This will store well for up to six months before beginning to lose flavour.

You can open the bag and break off as many rectangles of frozen sausage as you need.

To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

In a heavy-bottomed, large skillet, break up and cook the Italian sausage over medium high heat until it is crispy and browned but still moist. If it is excessively oily, feel free to drain some of the fat, but do leave some in to help coat the pasta. The flavour is wonderful!

Add the broccoli florets and the chicken stock or water, scrape up the lovely brown sausagey bits from the pan, cover and steam until the broccoli is crisp tender. While the broccoli is steaming, cook pasta according to package directions.

Strain the pasta and add it to the pan with the broccoli and sausage. Toss to distribute evenly and serve immediately generously doused with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use a food processor or meat grinder to grind your own pork for this project if you wish. I prefer to buy bone-in pork shoulder and remove the bone myself. This cut is perfect just as it is, and aside from taking out that bone, needs no further prep work other than cutting it to fit into the grinder or food processor. It is the perfect sausage-cut because of its natural marbling.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/11/bulk-italian-sausage-and-broccoli-sausage-pasta-make-ahead-mondays/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com