Chicken

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

April 30, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

As a typical kid who grew up in the 80s, we ate our fair share of fast food- namely Taco Bell and Burger King. A popular item at the King was a chicken sandwich (because we thought we were being healthier by eating the FRIED and BREADED chicken sandwich over the burger). It was such a simple item on the menu- soft bread roll, breaded chicken, mayo, romaine. If we were feeling fancy we got the “deluxe” which had sliced tomato and a slice of American cheese.

My mom would often make her version of the Burger King Sandwich which was so dang good it landed in our family recipe book, and below is my version of that version. 🙂 The components are the same: soft French roll, chicken cut or pounded thin and smeared with Dijon mustard, coated in breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. Toast the roll, smear a good amount of mayo and top with crisp romaine lettuce. That. Is. It.

My version: brine the chicken breasts for a few hours (I only do this half the time), pat dry, spread Dijon mustard on both sides and coat in toasted panko breadcrumbs. Spray a baking rack with non-stock spray and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400 degrees until cooked through and crispy- about 25-30 min.

Meanwhile, make your house sauce of mayo, sriracha, lime juice and a touch of salt. Split your rolls in half and spread a little butter or mayo on each side and sprinkle garlic salt. Toast the rolls till lightly golden. Assemble the sandwich with house sauce, chicken and romaine lettuce. Wait for your kids to devour your fast food.

Cheers,

Christina

Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwiches

This baked chicken sandwich is just as satisfying as the fried version, but without all the grease and mess! It's inspired by the childhood favorite of so many of us – the original chicken sandwich from Burger King. Although my kids don't know this fast food favorite of the 80s and 90s… they sure love Mom's fast food. Keep it simple with a smear of Best Foods mayo or play with a few ingredients and make your own House Sauce. It doubles as a great fry sauce for a side of baked sweet potato fries!

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp melted butter divided
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Italian seasoning optional
salt and pepper
4 soft French rolls
¼ tsp garlic salt
romaine lettuce
mayonnaise or house sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°
Combine 2 tbsp melted butter, garlic powder, italian seasoning and panko on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly golden.
After toasting bread crumbs, remove and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 400°.
Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
On a cutting board, place chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and pound thinly. Season each side with salt and pepper. Brush one side with mustard and place mustard side down onto breadcrumbs. Gently press to adhere.
Turn chicken over and brush with mustard. Again, gently press the chicken into the bread crumbs to make sure it is fully coated. Cook chicken until fully cooked though and outside is crispy, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare rolls. Open each roll and place on a cookie sheet. Brush each side with remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. When the chicken has just a few minutes remaining, place the rolls in the oven to lightly toast. Alternatively, broil the rolls after removing the chicken from the oven.
After chicken is cooked, place on a clean cutting board and cut lengthwise so they fit into the roll. Smear mayo or house sauce onto roll, then place chicken and lettuce.

Recipe Notes

One of our favorite parts of this sandwich is the house sauce – it’s different each time, but almost always includes a combo of mayo, sriracha, honey, lime juice and a touch of salt.

Food helps soothe the soul

January 22, 2018 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Beautiful Santa Barbara coastline with charred hills just above Montecito

For my close friends and family, you know the past few weeks have brought lots of sadness and anxiety with the disaster that has unfolded in Montecito. For those that don’t know me personally but read my blog know that my last post focused on the fabulous trip we just took to Montecito and the Santa Barbara area and all the tasty food we enjoyed on that visit. For many people not in CA, Montecito is familiar because it’s where Oprah and Ellen live- for me it’s where three of my favorite people on the planet live and love. The devastation that has occurred there is mind boggling. Families have been forever changed. The tight-knit community who was still so raw from the fires in December have had to endure hours, days and now weeks of trauma and uncertainty. As I write this, the main freeway that runs through this darling little town has only just opened in the past 24 hours but residents still remain shut off from their homes and neighborhood and will continue to be for more than a week. All I can say is that the feeling of helplessness is a terrible feeling and all I have wanted to do the past two weeks is scoop up these three, transport them to my town and nurture and comfort them with every warm and tasty dish I know how to make. If praying is your kind of thing, please continue to include the town of Montecito in your prayers. There is still much uncertainty and a massive clean up effort to continue.

For now, we focus on feeding the souls of our friends and family whenever possible. Below are some recipes that I have made in the past week or are on my meal calendar for the week ahead. I hope you find something to try and enjoy.

As always, thanks for reading and happy meal planning!

~Christina

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

I’m not sure what to say about these other than they are absolutely delicious and dangerous to have in my kitchen- I made them a few days ago and they disappeared in no time. They are buttery, chocolatey and have the best crunch from the turbinado sugar. I am planning on making a few batches of these this week for my husband to bring to work. Just a mid-week treat of cookies to get them through the week!

Classic Italian-American Stuffed Shells

I made this dish this past week and split it between two foil pans- one for my kids and grandma to have while Eric and I were out for the night and one for the freezer to take to a friend who just had a new baby. It’s flavorful, comfort food at its best! This recipe is your standard spinach ricotta filling but with an extra step or two to soak up the moisture of the spinach and ricotta. If you have a few extra minutes, it’s worth the additional steps. I used a jar of Rao’s Homemade Sauce- it’s a great weeknight solution and a quality brand that is almost always on sale at Safeway. Or try Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce. It’s the best sauce I think I’ve ever had and super easy- 3 ingredients and 45 minutes of simmer time.

Ham and Split Pea Soup

This is the easiest soup to make and full of flavor. My entire family loves it. I make it as written, but always double the recipe and we either eat it for a few meals or put it in smaller containers and freeze it. The only thing you need to do if eating it for leftovers is to thin it a bit with water or stock before heating it up. I used leftover ham (Cook’s Illustrated Holiday Ham with Cherry Port Sauce) I had in the freezer from the holidays. We have this with a side of kale salad. Yum!

Chickpea, Barley and Kale Soup

Everyone needs to have an easy super healthy soup like this one in their repertoire. And, everyone needs to have a friend like my friend Patricia! She brought me this soup about a year ago when I wasn’t feeling awesome and I loved it so much that I promptly requested the recipe. I’ve made it many times since and it’s a hit with my family. The only changes I usually make are to use vegetable or chicken stock instead of the water and bullion cubes and I also double the amount of kale, carrots and celery- can never have enough veggies! My kids love to sprinkle Tajin seasoning salt on the top so I am sure to keep the salt to taste at a minimum. A garlic toast to dip is the perfect side.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Pesto

Recently, we were visiting my mom and she offered us the yummiest baked salmon for lunch. It is so simple using prepared pesto and it cooks beginning in a COLD oven so you don’t even need to take time to preheat! We ate it cold, as my mom usually does, and it was delicious. I cannot think of a healthier option to have in your fridge during the week for a quick lunch. Bonus- cold salmon means you can take it to work and not stink up the company kitchen! I cannot think of anyone who might have done this while teaching about 10 years ago- but, you only do that once before learning your lesson.

My mom’s “recipe” in a text message. We are fancy like that.

“Hi Sweetie! Cannot find the exact recipe but here’s what I do: olive oil in the bottom of a shallow casserole, put Costco prepared Pesto on top of salmon after I season with a little salt and pepper. Spread about 2 Tbsp. depending on size of filet. Set oven to 400°. Place casserole on middle rack in cold oven and after temp reaches 400° I turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes. It all depends on the size of the fillet. You can check for desired firmness and also for the milky white liquid to disappear.”

If you need an exact recipe: Pioneer Woman puts salmon filet in a cold oven, then turns on the heat to 400 degrees and cooks for 25 minutes. Both preparations couldn’t be more simple! I hope you enjoy.
Crispy Dijon Chicken Sandwiches

When I was growing up we loved going to Burger King and instead of getting a burger we often got their “healthier” (ha!) chicken sandwiches on a roll. They were so simple but so delicious. And, because they were several dollars a sandwich and my parents had 4 teenagers at once with big appetites, it added up. My mom recreated it at home for much cheaper and included it in our family collection of recipes. Using organic chicken- which I would- would definitely not make this more affordable, but certainly worth making for my family to satisfy my fond childhood memory.

The only tip I would give is to put your pan in the oven to get really hot and when your chicken is ready to go in the oven, pull your pan out, grease it with olive oil (my mom would use more butter) and quickly place your prepared chicken on the hot pan and put it back in the oven. I tried this with breaded eggplant recently and it produced the most crispy coating- I am certain it would work great with this recipe.

PS- the recipe below would be for boneless, skinless chicken. Using “thin cut” chicken breasts would be a good idea as well. I recently saw this organic option at the store.

Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Red Onion

This is hardly a recipe either, but one of the easiest dinners that I can quickly make and always have the ingredients on hand is shrimp tacos. I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer (Trader Joe’s), tortillas in the refrigerator, and a packet of taco seasoning (Trader Joe’s brand is a great one) in the pantry. I toss 1 lb of defrosted shrimp in half a packet of taco seasoning, put a little oil in a hot pan and saute the shrimp for about 3 minutes and then turn over and saute for another minute or two. A few pieces of cooked shrimp, a little shredded lettuce topped with a mixture of Greek yogurt and sriracha sauce wrapped with a corn or flour tortilla is pretty delicious.

If we are feeling fancy on a particular Taco Tuesday evening, I’ll do a quick batch of pickled red onions to sit while I’m sauteing the shrimp and heating up some frozen corn and a can of black beans as a side. My kids eat these pickled onions right out of the jar. I follow the recipe exactly with the exception of the vinegar- I prefer using red wine vinegar but almost any vinegar besides the big jug of white distilled vinegar would work great. Apparently it has too strong of a flavor for the best pickled red onion. It’s a super quick- dinner on the table- in 20 minutes.

PS: Thaw frozen shrimp quickly in a colander placed in the sink with cold water running over it for a few minutes. Be sure to take a shorter shower that day to make up for the wasted water- sorry. It’s the only way and I have no good use for shrimp water so it goes down the drain.

Big changes around here!

October 2, 2016 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Happy October!! Just when I thought fall couldn’t get any busier, we bought a new house and put our current home on the market- all in the past 2 weeks! To say we’ve been a little crazy is an understatement. Buying a new home and all that it entails is a big deal, but as I think you’ll all agree- nothing is as disruptive as having your own home on the market and available for showings at any minute WHILE you’re still living in it. WITH KIDS! I must say they’ve been troopers, have demonstrated great patience with me as I yell like a drill sergeant every day to pick up their stuff, make their beds like a hotel, and avoid globs of toothpaste in the sink. The daily vacuuming, sweeping, and all tasks to make it look like we don’t live here is exhausting for everyone. I think it will all come to an end fairly quickly and we can get on with preparing for our move in less than 2 weeks!

We are all very excited about our new home- just about a mile from our current one. We look forward to a floor plan that works better for our family and a flat backyard for the kids. While I will miss my beautiful kitchen, and really nothing can top its charm and beautiful views, I very much look forward to creating new memories in our new one. Filling the dining room with friends and family for many years to come makes me happy just thinking about it. I’m already thinking about the first meal I’m going to make when we are settled. I still remember the first meal I made in our current home nearly 3 ½ years ago just 2 days after moving in. (Thank you past meal calendars!)

First meal in our current home: Roasted salmon with honey mustard, mixed green salad with pears, feta and almonds, and a side of broccoli and corn

Some were impressed that we could get settled that quickly (I am my mother’s daughter after all), but since I don’t feel at home anywhere until I have made a meal for my family in my own kitchen, the motivation is there to get it done.

So… what has the Shoup family been eating the past few weeks??? For the busiest days of preparing the house for sale, I was able to make beef chili on the first day and we ate leftovers for another day or two. Then, the heat wave came and it was over 90 degrees in my house with no A/C, so turning on my oven with frozen items was not an option- we went out for dinner probably 3 days out of 4. That gets old very quickly unless you’re on vacation! The next week when the weather cooled off, my freezer became my go-to. Frozen beef hand pies, frozen chicken meatballs and frozen Trader Joe’s orange chicken. Another day I picked up a roasted chicken from the store and a few other ingredients to make a Southwest barbequed chicken salad- a staple in our home. (More on that in a future post.)

Busy month!

I anticipate this next week being a little calmer and have planned some easy, flavorful dishes for dinner. I also realized that I have needed a few more options for a quick breakfast in the morning and have included a few recipes for that as well. I’m going to make both today or tomorrow and hopefully our mornings of picking up the house will go smoother with breakfast already made.

As always, thank you for reading and for sharing in my love of Food, Family and Friends. Have a great week and feel free to share if you end up trying any of the recipes below!

Mexican Chicken Soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mexican-chicken-soup-recipe.html

This is a cross between a feel good chicken soup and tortilla soup. It makes a ton and is great for leftovers, not to mention packed in a thermos for school lunches. It’s not spicy, very healthy, and has lots of flavor. Good toppings are a must- sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese, and crushed up tortilla chips.

Mississippi Roast

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017937-mississippi-roast

*New recipe* I’ve read/seen/heard about this recipe for quite some time now and have never tried it. People RAVE about it on many a food blogs. There was definitely a time when I would have made it with any old piece of meat and very happy to throw in a few packaged seasoning mixes and called it a day. However, as my headaches/migraines have only increased and other members of the family have had sensitive tummy issues, the original recipe as it was written with many undesirable ingredients in these packages is something that I have passed on despite the positive reviews on this dish. There’s even a fun back-story (more in the link) about how the recipe became so popular and I’m a big sucker for recipes that have deep meaning for friends and family. This all changed when I came across the same recipe revamped by the New York Times with alternatives to the packaged ingredients. A few easy steps with ingredients I already keep on hand, a good piece of quality beef, and about 6-8 hours of hands-off cooking, and I think we are going to enjoy a great meal! I’m going to serve it with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. If I’m feeling generous, I may even make mashed potatoes for the two people in my family who enjoy them as I think something to soak up all the gravy that this dish produces would be a good idea.

Quick Tikka Masala

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/quick-chicken-tikka-masala-56389806

This is a hit in our family! It calls for garam masala and it can be found at most grocery stores. It’s also sold in small portions so if you don’t want to commit to another spice in your cabinet that may go to waste, you can be sure it’s not expensive and worth adding it to your shopping list. I only have two recipes I use it in, but I still think it’s worth having it. Alternatively, you can use curry powder for a similarly flavored dish. If your kids aren’t very adventurous with spiced (not spicy) foods, this is a good one to try because the tomatoes and tomato paste kind of sweetens the dish. Serve with naan warmed in the oven to dip all that yummy sauce or over rice of any kind. The leftovers are even better the next day.

Apple Muffins

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/apple-muffins-recipe.html

I’m sneaking in one last apple recipe before all things pumpkin happen in October and November. These are really tasty! I make them just as the recipe says. I usually have whole wheat pastry flour, but if I ran out I’d use whole spelt flour or half whole wheat and half all purpose flour. If you don’t eat the entire batch out of the oven, they are best stored in the refrigerator. My family seems to like them cold just as well as warm. They also pack well for snack or school lunches.

Scrambled Egg Muffins

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/222586/scrambled-egg-muffins/

My family likes to call these “egg pucks.” This is a good starter recipe and I’m sure it’s delicious as written, but I make several changes to suit our tastes better. I like to sauté veggies such as red bell pepper, green onion and spinach in a little olive oil just until soft and divide equally among the muffin cups. Then I sprinkle on diced Canadian bacon or cooked crumbled bacon on top of the veggies followed by a pinch of grated cheese. Finally, I pour the egg mixture on top of each muffin cup and bake as directed. They heat up really well for a quick and healthy breakfast during the week.

PS- I love this muffin tin and have had great success getting these little pucks out of the pan with ease! No need to grease the pan. https://www.amazon.com/OvenArt-Bakeware-Silicone-12-Cup-Muffin/dp/B00CNVBCLK

You can download the PDF of the October calendar below!

oct-2016-calendar

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Easy weeknight meals anyone?

September 11, 2016 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Anyone worried my family didn’t eat this past week due to a lack of post? I’m not going to lie, it was just one of those weeks. A busy holiday weekend, followed by a busy week with a big school event, followed by all kid activities/sports in full swing as well as weekly games now in the mix all while having several headaches and migraines… the fact that we ate anything at all is a wonder. Beyond a few planned meals, I went to the store more than my standard two times, we ate frozen Trader Joe’s stuff, had Door Dash deliver our favorite Mediterranean salads, and grabbed food after a game and at a school event. Needless to say, I’m happy to get back in the kitchen this week.

Also, I realize it’s becoming harder for you to navigate through the blog with all the recipes in links as well as not having them indexed. Trying to find a recipe in a previous post is probably not super easy. Know that I want to make this easier on you, and me. As soon as I get time with my favorite IT guy, I will make the website/blog more user friendly. For now, I hope you enjoy the recipes below. Have a great week!

White Chicken Chili (Crockpot)

http://iowagirleats.com/2016/01/11/crock-pot-white-chicken-chili-recipe/

*Trying a new recipe* We are going to have this tonight after my son’s late afternoon baseball game and I know we are going to come home hungry! I’m going to prep it in the morning, let it cook, do the final simple step about an hour before we leave for the game and let it sit on the warm setting so when we get home it’s ready to go. I think it’s going to be tasty and hope it’s good enough to go in my recipe binder- only the best make their way in there!

Mexican Lasagna

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe.html

This is a great recipe to make-ahead and cook later, or make/cook ahead and reheat an individual portion when you need to eat dinner in waves. It’s adaptable because you can use ground beef, ground turkey, or no meat at all. You can also change out whatever canned beans you like or have on hand as well as make it gluten-free and use corn tortillas. Most importantly for families with younger kids- you can control how mild or spicy you want to make it depending on which salsa/taco sauce you use. We like to top ours with sour cream and sliced avocado and serve it with tortilla chips. This week I am planning on leftovers the following night. It might even be served on paper plates for a truly easy dinner- score!

Salmon with Honey Mustard

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017244-roasted-salmon-glazed-with-brown-sugar-and-mustard

This is a tasty recipe and with 3 ingredients it couldn’t be an easier dinner to throw together. This particular recipe calls for Dijon mustard and brown sugar, but I also like whole grain mustard and honey mixed together, spread on top of salmon and grilled on the barbeque (on a sheet of foil with the edges turned up to make a “pan”). Basically, whatever you have on hand works and whether you want to turn on the oven or fire up the grill. Personally, I like to keep the fish smell outside if I can help it! I often like to serve salmon with roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes and either a mixed green salad or kale salad with lemon vinaigrette. Easy, tasty, healthy dinner!

This week I’m serving it with this kale salad and adding dried cranberries and chopped green apple. It’s very similar to one made at our local Urban Bistro and my kids and gobble it up. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-brussels-sprout-salad-368295

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/grilled-drunken-shrimp-tacos-recipe.html

*Trying another new recipe* You may want to wait for the update after our family eats it before you waste your time and money on expensive shrimp. Let me waste my time and money! I think it’s going to be good though. One thing I’m not great at is making up my own recipes. One thing I am pretty good at is finding tasty recipes. That’s why my family thinks I’m a great cook- I rarely have a dinner flop because I spend a lot of time pouring over recipes online and through my cookbook collection that I can easily spot a bad recipe. Another great resource and where I’ve learned a ton about how ingredients grove with each other, is the show America’s Test Kitchen. It’s a PBS show and it’s a bit geeky, but they really talk through recipes and all the different ingredients and methods they test until the recipe is the best it can be. I generally don’t trust much of what I see on Pinterest- although my mouth waters when I look at all the yummy dishes, it’s such a random mix of sources. It’s so discouraging to spend time and money on ingredients for a recipe only for it to not turn out. I love to try new recipes, but once inspired by Pinterest, I often stick safely within my trusted websites and cookbooks. #recipesnob?!?

Since this is a weekend meal, it will also be served with chips and salsa/guacamole and a side of black or refried beans. There’s also a pretty good chance it will be served with a nice cold Corona with a slice of lime.

Wait, there’s more! Because we are having leftovers one night this week and frozen beef and cheddar hand pies another, I thought I’d share a few extra non-dinner recipes that I made last week or will be making this week. Hope you enjoy!

Apple Spice Cake

http://www.marthastewart.com/351254/apple-spice-cake

September always signals apple season for me even though I feel like I can get great apples year-round. Some of my friends from other parts of the country have fond memories of the changing seasons and apple picking with their families- I cannot tell you how many times we’ve talked about apple picking, apple cider and donuts in the fall. And since I grew up in California where we are lucky to get a passing cloud, I can only imagine bundling up and trouncing though the apple orchards, steamy cups of hot cider and sweet puffy donuts. In honor of my friends’ fond memories, and because it’s officially apple season somewhere- I’m baking with apples, dammit!

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve made this bundt cake. It’s super easy to make and makes a tasty snack or dessert. I have never made the caramel sauce but I can imagine it’s delicious. The cake is perfectly sweet even without the additional sauce.

Confession- last time I made this, I went to flip my bundt pan over to get the cake out and only half of the cake released from the pan! Speaking of wasting time and money!!! What a mess. Even worse, I was taking it to a friend with a new baby and there was no way I could deliver that pile. I greased the pan properly, but I had been thinking my pan was on its last leg and now I know it’s time to get a new pan.

PS- This is my absolute, never has failed me yet, line of nonstick pans and I have several sheet pans and loaf pans. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/bakeware/bakeware-williams-sonoma/bakeware-usa-goldtouch/ Unfortunately, they don’t make a bundt pan in the Goldtouch line, but I have also had luck in the past with this line: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/anniversary-bundt-cake-pan/?& When I get a 20% off with free shipping coupon, I will own this bundt pan!

Layered Mediterranean Dip

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/02/layered-mediterranean-dip/

I brought this dip with pita chips to a barbeque last weekend. As expected, it was a hit, just like the other 5 or 6 times I’ve made it. Not many dips are very healthy, but this one really is! It’s easy to make, (just a lot of chopping) and impressive to look at. Your friends will ask you for this recipe!

French Toast Waffle Sticks

http://thebakermama.com/recipes/french-toast-waffle-sticks/

These are a fun change to the weekday morning breakfast routine. It does require me to get up a few minutes earlier and throw on a hat for morning drop off, but my kids love this treat and it’s worth the minor extra effort every now and then. They are very quick and easy, and are a great way to use up that dry loaf of bread that even peanut butter and jelly cannot save. I give the kids each a tiny bowl with warm (real!) maple syrup to dip and they are all pretty happy. So far, sourdough bread and whole wheat have been favorites. A fruit smoothie with Greek yogurt and we’ve got a pretty yummy breakfast!

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When you know better you do better

August 28, 2016 by Christina Shoup 5 Comments

Some farmer’s market love from Eric

Let me first say that I truly appreciate all the feedback since I’ve started this little blog. I have really appreciate our texts, emails, posts, and comments at school to let me know how much you’re enjoying it. It’s been fun for me and I am enjoying it more than I thought. So many of you have been kind enough to share your tips, suggest new recipes, and commiserate about the stress and hassle of getting dinner on the table each evening- thank you!!

For many of us, school and fall sports are well underway. I might have over-planned last week’s meal calendar just a bit. I stuck to the plan, and my family appreciated each meal, but I underestimated how busy and tired I’d be with school and sports starting all in the same week. I planned for one day of leftovers, but what I really needed was either another day of leftovers or something easy from the freezer. Rookie move. This week is looking a little nutty with busy days and several evening meetings. One of my favorite sayings- When you know better you do better! Here’s to an easier week of getting food on the table. And, let’s not forget we’ve got a nice long weekend ahead of us!

Turkey Chili with White Beans

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/turkey-chili-with-white-beans-3090

There are many chili recipes out there, and I’ve made several different kinds myself. Over the years I’ve tried many variations- beans vs. no beans, ground beef vs. cubed, tomato sauce vs. chicken/beef stock/beer, spicy vs. mild, quick and easy vs. simmer all day, etc. This week I am cooking my favorite turkey chili because it’s quick and easy, full of flavor and provides leftovers. It’s always a hit and the recipe is usually requested when I share it with family and friends. I serve it with all the toppings: cilantro, shredded cheese, green onion, avocado, and sour cream. A side of cornbread- Trader Joe’s box(!) or crushed up tortilla chips is yummy, too.

I make it as directed with these exceptions: I substitute the 3 cans of white beans for 1 can of white beans, 1 can of black beans and 1 can of dark red kidney beans. I like the variety but anything works. I also use dark turkey thigh instead of more lean turkey breast- it seems to have more flavor. Finally, I add about a cup of frozen corn in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

*Bonus- the leftovers are even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to develop.

Frozen Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken

You’ll recall me saying a few weeks ago that once school starts you’ll see “Trader Joe’s frozen something” on my meal calendar more often. Well, this is one of those go-to meals for busy nights. I actually cook 2 packages for our entire family and there’s always a little leftover. I serve it with a side of broccoli and frozen jasmine or brown rice- all from Trader Joe’s. Not the healthiest meal, but it couldn’t be easier and my kids absolutely love this dish.

*Caution- Once I packed a few servings in Tupperware for Sydney and I to eat in the car on the way to a “birds and the bees” class. I figured we needed full tummies for the night we had ahead of us. The darn chicken dish didn’t sit for more than 30 minutes in the Tupperware before it steamed its crunchy outside right off and into a nasty mushy layer making our dinner nearly inedible. Lesson #1- do not make this ahead of time and certainly don’t package it! Lesson #2- if you’re going to take your kid to such a class, treat them to a nice juicy In & Out Burger, fries and shake.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/03/recipe-best-pulled-pork-crock-pot/

This is a household favorite and I’m excited to get it back into the rotation. Thankfully, my friend Marina reminded me of this dish and I am happy that she did! It’s a great dish for the crockpot that can cook all morning or afternoon and can sit until you’re ready to shred the pork and add BBQ sauce. We love the pork on Hawaiian rolls with a side of coleslaw (nothing fancy here- bagged shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and Marie’s coleslaw or poppy seed dressing) and baked beans.

Labor Day Menu

Tomato Pie, Grilled Sausages, Corn Salad, Watermelon Wedges and Butterfinger Pie

I made a very similar menu when we had some friends over this summer and thought it would make a great Labor Day menu as well. Make one or all of these dishes and you won’t be sorry. At first glance, it probably doesn’t look like an easy menu, but each dish only has a few ingredients, very easy to prepare, and is full of summer flavor. Enjoy!

Tomato Pie

I know what you’re thinking… tomato what?! This has been a favorite of mine since childhood. My mom used to make this when we had company over and guests always requested the recipe. Years ago she gave my siblings and me a wonderful Christmas gift- a book of family recipes and this one made the cut. I make it several times each summer and this year is no different. It makes an impressive and delicious dish when you entertain but is simple and comforting enough to make and bring to a friend with a new baby.

Make it easy on yourself and buy pre-made pie dough and unroll it right into a pie dish. Poke a few holes in the dough and cook as instructed before filling your pie shell with the tomatoes and cheese mixture. And, don’t bother peeling the tomatoes, it’s unnecessary!

Right out of the family recipe collection

Strange looking crust but that didn’t affect the taste

Corn Salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-corn-salad-recipe.html

This is delicious, super easy, and I make it as directed. Fresh corn is really important here!

As disturbing as this photo seems, it’s a great way to cut corn off the cob and catch it in a bundt or angel food pan.

Butterfinger Pie

This is hardly a recipe but here’s another favorite from my childhood that was included in our family recipe book. My kids nearly died when they were at the grocery store with me and I asked them to go find 6 Butterfinger bars. One of them said, “What is this, Halloween or something?” My candy bar-deprived children declared this the best dessert ever and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need to include it in my very own family recipe book someday.

4 ingredients!

Plans change, so use pencil!

August 21, 2016 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

Meal planning always begins with the best intentions- a nice balanced week of food, a mix of simple and more involved recipes and different types of cuisines. Last week the planning was no different, but the execution was not as easy. Several days last week I wasn’t feeling super and in the late afternoon the meal I had planned on making just didn’t sound great to me. I texted Eric each afternoon and asked, “What sounds better- fish tacos or cobb salad? Beef hand pies or chicken lettuce wraps?” He thought the service around here was amazing! I didn’t want him to get used to the changing daily menu choices so I fessed up that nothing sounded good to me and that while I was happy to cook it was his job to pick the meal.

That’s the beauty of using a pencil with a good eraser when meal planning. What I had planned on for Sunday night’s dinner got moved to later the following week due to a last minute family birthday celebration. Wednesday’s dinner got moved to Monday because I had all the ingredients and no time to go to the store. Friday’s meal wasn’t made because I needed a cooking break and moved that meal to Monday. It usually all works out. My goal over the past few years has been to meal plan so that when the plan changes, we don’t end up wasting a bunch of food that goes bad and has to be thrown out. All of us are guilty of that right? And it doesn’t feel good at all…

I have finally found a way that works for me and that is to break up the grocery shopping into two times a week. This will be different for everyone, but as I wrote in a previous post, I look at my calendar on Sunday, and then make a meal plan for the entire week, including at least one of the following weekend days. I go to the store on Sunday or Monday as well as the farmer’s market to get me though 3-4 dinner meals, breakfast, lunches, snacks, etc. If I made everything as planned, then I shop for the rest of the week/weekend. If I had to make a change- last minute dinner invitation to someone’s house, meeting went longer than expected, the flu hits our house, etc. then I adjust accordingly. When I used to shop once a week, my cart looked like I was stocking up for a big storm to hit, not to mention the issue of enough refrigerator and pantry space. So, taking two trips to the grocery store a week is what generally works for me.

Speaking of taking two trips to the grocery store, I get to do that completely kid-free beginning in a few days! Camp Mom is about over and I think we are all finally ready to throw in the summer beach towel. I’ve got some easy recipes planned for the week, as well as using a yummy one from last week that I didn’t quite get to. It’s also the time of year that I need to pull out those easy breakfast and snack ideas. During the summer I pretty much only make my kids dinner- they are in charge of making their own breakfast, snack and lunch. It’s just a nice, well-deserved break for me. Kudos to all of you that have your kids make their own school lunches. I’m just not there yet! I want to be, but it’s not the morning battle I choose right now.

A few recipes I’m making this week:

Baked Chicken Meatballs

https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/10/baked-chicken-meatballs/

These are really easy to make ahead and bake at dinnertime. They are full of flavor and a great recipe to double or even triple and freeze for another day. I often serve them with roasted sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts and a Caesar salad. You can also toast some rolls and make a tasty meatball sub sandwich with your favorite pasta sauce and melted mozzarella/provolone cheese on top.

A few changes I make- I have made this recipe with diced pancetta (Trader Joe’s has this for a reasonable price) and diced bacon. Either way, if you cook the pancetta or bacon in the pan it will render enough fat to sauté the onions making the whole dish more flavorful. If you use precooked bacon, just add a touch of olive oil to the pan, add the precooked bacon diced up and it will crisp up in the pan and then you can add the onions and sauté. I also really like adding a mixture of ketchup and barbeque sauce- just brush it right on top before baking. It’s a favorite around here!

Thai Chicken Wrap with Spicy Peanut Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/thai-chicken-wrap-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-recipe.html

This is the kind of dish I make on our super busy Wednesday evenings. When all kids have practice or a game from 5-8pm, this is the kind of meal that is easy to prep ahead of time and keeps us from getting our dinner from a drive through window. The chicken can be grilled earlier in the day and the veggie and herb mixture only gets better as it sits. If both of these are done ahead of time, you can walk in the door and have dinner on the table in 10 minutes. Another idea is to pre-make them and wrap in foil, cut up a melon and put it in a container and you’ve got dinner on the go. Hmmm… maybe I look forward to these crazy Wednesday evenings!

Pizza Night

Four words for you- Trader Joe’s pizza dough. What kid doesn’t like to make their own pizza? I pick up the dough, a few toppings, a bag of romaine lettuce for salad and we’ve got an easy, quick and fun family dinner.

Egg Breakfast Casserole

There are a million recipes for these types of egg dishes. It’s a standard item in any breakfast potluck because it is easy, can be made ahead of time, and feeds a lot. This is a staple in our house, especially during the school year because I can make it the night before in about 10 minutes. I make it as directed, but if I have time and ingredients; I like to sauté diced red bell pepper, scallion, and spinach and put that on the bottom of the casserole dish before pouring the egg mixture in. This dish has been known to show up on the dinner table served with a fruit smoothie and nobody complains.

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Pineapple Zucchini Quick Bread

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/zucchini-pineapple-quick-bread

My kids love this packed for their morning snack or sliced with cream cheese in lieu of a sandwich. It makes two loaves and we usually plow through one before I get a chance to wrap them up and refrigerate. If your family has more restraint than ours does, then you can cool the loaves completely and wrap one up and freeze it. I make as directed with one exception- the recipes calls for “egg substitute” but I just replace that with 2 whole eggs.

Happy planning this week!

PS- The calendar below show Tomato Pie, Grilled Sausage and Corn Salad on the menu for next weekend. This will be in a future blog post, I promise!

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Back from vacation and back on the wagon

August 7, 2016 by Christina Shoup 4 Comments

First, thank you for all the kind words and feedback on the first WORDY post! I promise to never write such a long post. It was no surprise that from your comments, many of us get stuck in the same dinner rotation from week to week and everyone, including me, needs some fresh recipes every now and then.

We are just back from beautiful Lake Tahoe where we did a mix of cooking in (yes, I had a meal plan on a scrap of paper on vacation!) and eating out. As true with all vacations, we indulged on plenty of yummy snacks, meals and treats, not to mention an impressive amount of vodka/mint creations and wine. It’s always nice to be home and back on track with healthy meals and cutting back on those tasty beverages (until Friday, at least).

Below are the recipes for what I have on my meal calendar this week. You’ll notice that there are five recipes. One of the days this week is going to be leftovers and the other day is a date night that I’m quite looking forward to. Thanks Nano for watching the kids! Thankfully, I don’t have a very busy week ahead and happen to have extra time to cook, but on a normal busy school week, you’ll find a few nights utilizing recipes and others that simply say taco bar, egg scramble or “frozen Trader Joe’s something.” Not every week looks like this, but as I said above, I’m home from vacation and happy to be back in the kitchen! Let me know if any of you try any of these recipes. They are all printed out, have been in my binder of favorite recipes for quite awhile (a separate post in the near future) and are all a hit with Eric and kiddos. Thanks for reading and happy planning this week!

Curry Spiced Veggie Burgers

http://www.marthastewart.com/962982/curry-spiced-veggie-burgers

This is a tasty vegetarian recipe that my friend Lisa and I both saw on TV years ago and happen to both have all the ingredients on hand to make. I’m certain we both were sitting on the couch feeding a baby watching cooking shows, something we both used to do a lot of! It is simple to make and I recommend you watch the quick video that is available just above the recipe in the link. I serve it on top of or next to mixed greens dressed with vinaigrette. Nice and light dinner.

* I always double it and put half of the uncooked burgers in the freezer for another day.

Greek Chicken in Pita

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14527/greek-chicken/

This is such a hit in our family that I put it on the meal calendar several times a month and nobody has yet to get sick of it. I use the marinade in the recipe above and use boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 or so) instead of the whole chicken. I marinate the day before or the morning of and it’s the easiest yummiest grilled chicken. After cooking, slice the chicken into bite sized pieces. We either put it in/on warm pita bread or on top of a plate of romaine lettuce dressed with Greek vinaigrette. In either case, we put tomato and sliced cucumber, a dollop of hummus, and a drizzle of Sriracha on top and dive in. SO yummy.

Edited Aug. 10th, 2016: I made this last night and my kids enjoyed it but didn’t go back for seconds. Here’s why: I didn’t make the tzatzki sauce that I have made every single time except last night. No idea why I forgot, but they really missed the yogurt cucumber sauce. Easy to make: greek yogurt, grated or finely diced cucumber, little garlic, lemon zest and juice, dried dill, salt and pepper. Last night I just mixed yogurt and Sriracha and it was yummy too, but the cucumber yogurt sauce is key. ALSO, the marinade above doesn’t call for salt and pepper, but it’s necessary, as well as the zest from the lemon. Makes a much more flavorful marinade. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-salmon-with-lime-butter-sauce-1222181

Dinner doesn’t get any easier! Grilled salmon is a staple in our house and four out of five people in my family love it and thankfully the other one tolerates it. I put the salmon on some foil (about a pound and a third for two adults and three kids), put a little olive oil, garlic salt and pepper on top and grill as directed. The lime butter is delicious and super simple, but sometimes I cannot handle one more step and skip it all together. I often serve with grilled asparagus and a salad, but this week I’m serving it with roasted sweet potatoes and couscous.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime Peanut Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/aromatic-noodles-with-lime-peanut-sauce-recipe.html

Not much to say here because I make it as directed. It’s another hit in my family and we’ve been known to put it in a plastic bowl and eat on the way to an evening sport. Classy, right?! I’d just recommend adding the sauce as needed. Depending on the amount of veggies I have, the dish can be too saucy (and makes it harder to eat in the car!) J

Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/barbecued-chinese-chicken-lettuce-wraps-recipe.html

We love these lettuce wraps and one of my kids even requested it for their birthday dinner a few years ago. It’s a Rachael Ray recipe, and she’s known for quick and easy recipes, so give this one a try! I’m sure ground turkey or pork would be tasty as well. A few changes that I make… To make it less messy, I drain some of the chicken liquid after cooking but before I add seasonings, garlic and ginger. I also decrease the mushrooms or omit altogether (kids are not fans), increase the bell pepper, and add shredded carrot and diced zucchini. I add more hoisin sauce and reduced sodium soy sauce as well. I love to top the lettuce wrap with chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts or cashews and Sriracha. My mouth is watering…