The Mom's Cheat Sheet » dinner

Delicious Dinner – Potato Leek Soup, and Pear Oven Pancake

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:32:52 +0000

This really gets me in the mood for a good fall dinner. We had baked potato soup the other night, and I’m still in the mood for something along those lines. This potato leek soup looks fantastic, and the dessert is making my mouth water.

Nikki Gardner over at 5 Minutes for Moms posted this great meal idea, and I encourage you to check it out! Anything that is easy and delicious is a big hit in my home, and I can’t wait to try this one out.

A Meal for Fall [5 Minutes for Moms]

Southwest Corn Chowder

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:57:19 +0000

As I was making my menu plan and grocery list for this coming week, I came across one of my favorite soups. My friends and family love this one, so I thought I’d share it!

Southwest Corn Chowder

4 chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, cut into small pieces

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp cumin

2-14.5 oz cans chicken broth

10 oz frozen corn

¾ cup salsa

½ cup green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup red bell pepper, chopped

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

In a soup pot, cook the chicken and onion in the oil until tender. Stir in the cumin. Add the broth, corn, and salsa – bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the green pepper, red pepper, and cilantro, continue to simmer.
Combine the cornstarch and water, whisking until smooth. Add to chowder.
Bring soup to a boil, cook for two or three minutes until the chowder becomes a bit thicker.
Top with shredded cheese, if desired.

I hope your family enjoys this chowder. I love to serve mine with cheese quesadillas, which my husband and daughters love! This chowder also makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Enjoy!

- Grace

Baked Potato Soup

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:16:52 +0000

Get ready for it – the recipe for the best baked potato soup ever. Every time I make this soup for dinner, my husband is thrilled. My kids love it, and it makes great leftovers. This soup is easy, delicious, and… did I mention delicious?

Ingredients:

4 large baked potatoes

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

6 cups milk (I recommend 2% – it’s just the right consistency)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

4 green onions (or more, depending on your preference – I sometimes use 5 or 6)

12 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz light sour cream

Cut the baked potatoes in half. Scoop out the potato pulp and set aside.
Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the flour and whisk. Gradually stir in the milk, continuing to whisk. Stir until smooth, thick, and bubbly.
Stir in the potato pulp, salt, pepper, and most of the green onions, bacon and cheese. (Reserve some of the last three ingredients for topping on your soup.)
Continue to stir until the soup looks and smells so good, you have to eat it right away. Serve with green onions, bacon and cheese as toppings.

Enjoy!

- Grace

Easy Dinner – Tuscan Soup!

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:39:30 +0000

Ah, it’s perfect weather for a cozy sweater and some soup. If you’re not sure what to make for dinner tonight, try this recipe for Tuscan soup. It’s simple, doesn’t take long to prepare, and is absolutely delicious. Perfect for a cool fall evening, this soup is something my whole family enjoys. I like to serve it with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread (which you can find in the bakery section of most grocery stores) and I usually double the recipe so we have lunch the next day.

Tuscan Soup

1 small onion, chopped

¾ cup sliced carrots

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2-14.5 oz cans chicken broth

1 cup water

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 can Great Northern Beans

2/3 cup pasta (a smaller, miniature variety)

2-3 cups fresh, sliced spinach

In a small saucepan, sauté the onion, carrots, and olive oil until the veggies are tender. Add the chicken broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in the beans and pasta; return to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the spinach and simmer for another two or three minutes, until spinach is heated.

Enjoy this delicious soup with your family, and have a wonderful Friday!

- Grace

Chicken Gyros

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:39:22 +0000

Are you in the mood for something a bit different for dinner? A friend of mine gave me this great recipe for Chicken Gyros that I wanted to pass along. My husband loves Gyros, so he was thrilled when I made these. Serve with a Greek salad, and you’ll feel just like you’re in a little Greek restaurant somewhere!

For the Chicken:

1 ½ lbs chicken strips, cut

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp minced garlic (or 1 garlic clove, minced)

1 tsp dried oregano

¾ tsp ground cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

Yogurt/Dill Sauce:

1 cup Greek or plain yogurt (I used plain – it was great)

¼ cup finely diced red onion

½ tsp minced garlic (or 1 garlic clove, minced)

1 ½ t Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

You will also need:

4 pita wraps

Chopped lettuce

Chopped tomato

½ cup sliced cucumber

In a large bowl, place the chicken, oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
In a smaller bowl, stir together the ingredients for the Yogurt/Dill Sauce. Chill until ready to use.
Stick top rack of oven high up and use as a broiler. Spread chicken on baking sheet, and broil 6-8 minutes.
To serve, spread each pita with sauce, divide and put chicken and toppings on pitas.

Enjoy!

Grace

White Chicken Chili

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:34:43 +0000

Ah, fall is here – and it’s time to start making soups and chili again. I’m still perfecting my recipe for traditional chili, but I do have a fantastic one for white chicken chili. It’s perfect for a cool fall day, so write this one down and make it tonight!

White Chicken Chili:

2 – 4.5 oz cans chopped green chilies

3 – 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained

1 lb cooked chicken, cut up into bite sized pieces

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

3 ½ cups chicken broth

Combine the above ingredients in a crock pot.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.
Serve with tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese, and sour cream.

(Note: I usually boil a whole chicken, and use the chicken stock for the broth, rather than store bought broth. You’ll save money using a whole chicken rather than buying chicken breasts, and you will also save money by using your own homemade chicken stock instead of buying it at the store. When you boil the chicken, add some cumin, lime juice, and cilantro to the water. This helps the flavor of the stock.)

Enjoy!

- Grace

Vegetarian Pasta in a Light Cream Sauce

admin — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:17:46 +0000

I love pasta in cream sauce. Mmm… it’s so wonderful. But it’s usually pretty heavy, right? Well, not this one. I have amazing recipe for pasta in a cream sauce with vegetables that will blow your mind. It’s also simple to prepare, so you save time and energy. Try it tonight – you’ll love it.

1 Medium yellow onion

½ cup red bell pepper (I sometimes add more, depending on my preference that day)

1 tsp minced garlic

2-3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

12 oz pasta (I recommend Barilla Plus). Also, the amount of pasta depends on your preference when it comes to pasta-to-sauce ratio

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

1 cup reduced fat milk

1 ½ cups fat free half and half

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning

¼ tsp salt

14.5-oz can Italian diced tomatoes, drained

Sautee the onion, red pepper, minced garlic, and olive oil together over medium heat, cooking until soft.
Boil pasta while the veggies are cooking.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour and whisk until smooth. Add the milk and the half and half slowly, whisking for consistency.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir for two minutes, until sauce thickens.
Reduce heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt.
Add the diced tomatoes, then add the cooked veggies.
Stir together, and add the pasta.

Serve with a Caesar salad and bread. Enjoy!

Tips For Helping a Friend With Meals

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:30:25 +0000

When a friend has a new baby, friends and family usually sign up to bring her meals for a couple of weeks. This is a huge blessing to a new mom, because cooking is the last thing she’ll want to do! Since I have brought many meals to friends, as well as received many myself, I thought I’d compile a few tips and suggestions when it comes to what to do – and what not to do – when bringing a meal to a new mom.

As her what meals she’s already received. No one wants to east spaghetti three nights in a row – even if it’s from friends.
Time your arrival with when her family eats dinner. If your friend’s family usually eats at 5pm and you don’t arrive until 7pm, it could end up making things stressful instead of helpful.
Is she nursing? If so, avoid gassy foods like onions and broccoli. When my first daughter was born, we found out the hard way that her tiny tummy couldn’t tolerate onions.
Offer to come an hour early to help out. One of the best things my in-laws did right after my baby was born was to come over with dinner – and clean. I’m not suggesting you arrive ready to clean her entire house, but ask her if you can swing by to help out for a few minutes. Throwing in a load of laundry, doing a few dishes, and making the beds can be incredibly helpful to a new mom.
Make sure you cook enough food. Consider providing enough dinner so that her husband can take some to work the next day. This will be helpful if he usually takes leftovers anyway. Also remember that nursing moms are notoriously hungry!
Call to ask if she needs anything before you come over. Life with a brand new baby can be hectic – she may be out of milk or running dangerously low on diapers. Even if she’s fine, it will mean a lot to her that you offered.
Don’t turn it into a long visit. Yes, she’ll want to chat and be glad to see you, but she will also be incredibly tired. Drop off your meal, sneak a peek at the baby, and save the visiting for later. She’ll appreciate the favor you are doing her family, as well as your thoughtfulness in understand how exhausted she is.

- Grace

Harvest Peach Pork Chops

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:36:33 +0000

I made this last night for the first time, and I simply must share the recipe. I was amazed at how good these were, and my house smelled amazing the entire day. If you are looking for something easy, tasty, and fit for fall, then look no further!

4 – 5 Pork Chops

Pepper to taste

29-oz can cling peach halves (Reserve ¼ cup of the juice)

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground cinnamon

8-oz can tomato sauce

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Sautee the pork chops in a frying pan for a few minutes, lightly browning them on both sides.
While they are cooking, mix together the ¼ cup peach juice, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, tomato sauce, and vinegar.
Place the pork chops in a crock pot, and arrange the peaches on top. Make sure and pour the peach juice around the chops as well.
Pour the sauce on top of the chops.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

I also suggest making this meal for company. Consider this –

It’s in a crock pot, so you won’t have to worry about cooking right before friends show up. (See my post on Being A Good Host – How to Make Your Guests Feel Welcome)
Your house will smell like autumn. There is nothing like cinnamon, cloves and peaches to make a home welcoming for friends.
The presentation is quite pretty. Put a pork chop in a plate, put a few of the spiced peaches on top of it, and drizzle some of the sauce on top.
Serving a meal that is in tune with the season is a great way to kick off Autumn with your friends. Enjoy!

Good Summer Dinners

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:55:59 +0000

I’m always on the lookout for new meals to make, which is why I was happy to see this post from Real Simple. Check out these easy meals if you are looking to freshen up your menu planning!

5 Easy Dinners In August [Real Simple]