Picnic

To me, the ideal dining experience involves a picnic basket and the great outdoors. Although, in a pinch an indoor picnic will do.



I love to eat. Seriously, I do. So, it's a mighty good thing that I also love to cook. I'd almost rather eat no food than fake food or bad food. So, even picnics are to be tasty and beautiful.



Today my husband left for a men's retreat. The retreat fee covered meals Saturday and Sunday, but not Friday night. So, I packed a picnic for him and the pastor who was driving him. I didn't take a picture of the packed picnic. I should have. But, here are some of the individual foods.

Menu

Buttermilk Twiced-Dipped Fried Chicken Tenders

Antipasto Sticks

Mini Cheesecakes

Apples

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Quick Beef Pizza

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was a surpise hit. And so easy! Click on the title and it will take you to the recipe.

I didn't even think of taking a picture until we were done eating. :-) So, here's a partially eaten pizza.

The recipe is for one pizza. I used 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef and divided it between two pizzas. It was plenty.

I used Daja's pizza crust recipe and pre-baked it. (I also used all all-purpose flour. Didn't have any whole wheat ground and didn't feel like grinding any!)

Bread Machine Pizza Crust

1 c. water
3/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. yeast

Set on dough cycle. After forming into crust, let it rest 10 - 30 minutes.

Some tips from Daja:

Use only 1 t. yeast to make the crust more like pizzaria pizza. Also, though this recipe is for 1 pizza, stretching it for 2 pizzas makes it a better thin crust pizza.

Both of these tips worked for me.

Cooking with Zaia

Recently my children each chose and helped cook a favorite meal, but only one of them created her own recipe and then taught me (her mother) how to cook it.

--Jenee

Zaia's chicken tacos with NO onions.
(official transcribed recipe)

You cook some chicken in a pan.
Put in:
Water
The taco flavor
Salt
1 chopped-up-not-spicy-red-pepper
A lot of corn
And... don't put ANY onions.
Cook until hot.

Make the tortillas warm
Then put in some chicken with cold tomatos, avocados, some sour cream, and some more cold tomatos on top.

Eat the yummy tacos!

I followed her directions exactly, and she made SURE I was careful! They were quite good.

Oh, Zaia will turn three next month :)

Schoolhouse Coffee Cake

Pleasantview Schoolhouse is a blog that I absolutely love to visit. If you take a look around, you may understand. The pictures (many by her son) are fantastic, her skills enviable, and her life peaceful.

I finally got around to making her coffeecake. It is really easy and easily tweaked. The recipe is dairy-free, but it can be made with dairy products also. I used blackberries and a thinly sliced apricot for the topping. I am sure I will be making it again real soon.

For the recipe, click on the title or here.

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

Update: I placed third. Won $2. I have no idea how many entries there were. Maybe 3? :-)

I have entered food items in our county fair years ago when my daughters were in 4-H. It was fun and we all won prizes. Well, one of the items on my 101 list was to enter something in the fair again. Today I submitted one of my favorite recipes: Pumpkin Chip Muffins. They really are fantastic!

Below is a copy of the very easy recipe. Enjoy!

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
16 oz. canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt

2 c. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

(Note: This recipe has been adapted to healthier standards by substituting Sucanat, olive oil, freshly ground wheat flour and carob chips and still been a favorite.)

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16 - 20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 24 standard-size muffins.

Grilling for $5!

MENU: Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob,

Grilled French Bread (leftover), and Salad

My house is staying nice and cool this summer.

Summer Grilling

MENU: 12 Grilled Tri-tip Kabobs

(Squash, Peppers, Onions, Cherry Tomatoes, and Pineapple),

Herb Rice, Homemade French Bread,

Iced Tea, and Apple Coffee Cake.

I also made two dipping sauces: Ginger and Peanut.

Everyone liked the ginger sauce better, except Abishai.

The whole meal cost about $15.

Fast and Easy

I don't often plan too far ahead in my meal planning. I leave room for spontaneous creativity. (And I often ask God for help in that creativity!)

A few days ago, my mother brought home two loaves of French bread from Food 4 Less that she found for 2/$1. French bread doesn't stay soft long, so I wanted to use it right away. Aha! French bread pizza! I didn't have "normal" pizza fixin's, but I improvised: canned spaghetti sauce ($.98), ground beef ($1/lb.) spiced up with Italian seasoning (ground meat does not need to be thawed before frying), and some cheese.

I added a salad and we had dinner. I was surprised with all the compliments this so very easy and fast dinner received!

This fed six adults and one toddler AND we had some left over. Cost per person: CHEAP!

Fourth of July with The Gombojavs

Menu: Ribs (purchased about two months ago at 99 cents a pound(!) and put in the freezer. Saving money on food is often a matter of planning ahead or even just having workable things on hand. We don't usually eat ribs, but they were a great deal so I bought them and put them aside for a "special" day.)

Corn on the cob (from the Farmer's Market the day before. So fresh and good!)

Watermelon (from the Farmer's Market the day before. I like watermelon with seeds. I think they taste better.)

Glass Bottled sodas (The first time the kids have ever gotten a soda. They were so excited! Glass bottle sodas are really cheap at the local Mexican market.)

A flag cake. Recipe here.

Gana grilled the ribs and corn and we ate outside. So, it was fairly easy clean-up! Before we ate we all sang the National Anthem.

Last Tuesday at Lady Dorothy's Table

I tried another recipe from The Hillbilly Housewife. She calls these both "Cheese Pancakes" and "Fried Cheese Cutlets". We liked them! I served them with fried potatoes and a spinach salad. She says they are also good in a sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

Lady Daja's Week's Worth of Meals

Wednesday, June 20

Breakfast
Kids: Malto Meal with honey and milk
Dad: Bread and jam, coffee
Mom: Tea and a banana

Lunch
Dad: Egg rolls and shrimp (leftover from frozen)
Mom: (I can’t remember, I’m writing this on Thursday!)
Kids: Applesauce, cut up veggies with ranch dip, fruit

Dinner
Fish tacos with cactus salsa and Mexican crème
Sliced oranges
Water

Thursday, June 21

Breakfast
Kids and Mom: Yogurt with honey and wheat germ
Dad: Bread and jam, coffee

Lunch
Field trip with homeschool co-op to CPK
Dad: Leftovers in a lunch at work

Dinner
Huurshuur (Mongolian fried dumplings)
Nisel Salat (Mongolian potato salad)
Fried cabbage
Tea

Friday, June 22

Breakfast
All: cereal, milk, coffee/tea

Lunch
Leftovers from dinner last night

Dinner
Vegetarian tostadas and rice

Saturday, June 23

Breakfast
Muffins (made from the left over hot cereal)
Milk
Coffee/tea

Lunch
PB&J
Oranges
Dad: Leftovers in a lunch at work

Dinner
Spaghetti
Olive breadsticks

Sunday, June 24

Breakfast
Cereal and milk, coffee/tea

Lunch
Instant soups

Dinner
Potluck with homeschool co-op.

We brought herb rolls, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and tea.


Monday, June 25

Breakfast
Dutch Baby, coffee/tea

Lunch
Turkey sandwiches

Dinner
Buuz (Mongolian steamed dumplings)
Nisel Salat (Mongolian potato salad) on a bed of greens

Tuesday, June 26

Breakfast
Oatmeal
Toast
Coffee/tea

Lunch
PB&J
Dad: Leftovers in a lunch at work

Dinner
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Salad
WW dinner rolls