Keanna's Creamy Pesto Pasta

A few weeks ago, Keanna made creamy pesto with bow tie pasta. At the time, I didn't take pictures to blog it so I had her make it again specifically for that purpose. The first time she made it, she used homemade pesto. Nothing can compare to the taste of fresh, homemade pesto. But in the interest of time, I had her use store-bought pesto this time. Costco currently has it on sale for a really good price.

Over 1 pound for under $5. And it's freezable!!

Keanna's Creamy Pesto Pasta
1½ lb. pasta
1½ c. cream
1 c. pesto
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Pine nuts (optional garnish)
Fresh basil leaves (optional garnish)

Simple ingredients: cream, pesto, Parmesan cheese, salt, & pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. After putting the noodles into the boiling water, begin preparing the creamy pesto--the goal is to have the noodles perfectly cooked at the same time the sauce is finished. In a saucier or large sauce pan, heat cream at medium-high just until it begins to boil.

Turn heat as low as it will go. Whisk in pesto, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.

Transfer hot pasta to a large bowl. Spoon creamy pesto over pasta and gently toss to coat. Sauce will thicken and soak into noodles as it sits and cools, so leave the pasta a little saucy. If desired, garnish with pine nuts and basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Almost any shape will do. Keanna just prefers bow ties.

This time we served it with bacon Brussels sprouts and Dutch crust rolls.

One batch as written above feeds my family of six one dinner and leaves leftovers for a few lunches.

Clark Summer Cooking Adventures, Part 1: Koda's Mac 'n Cheese

This is the best fact I could get out of him, silly boy.

It's summer! And that means my (Sumiko's) kids will be doing the cooking! Each kid is in charge of cooking and cleaning up dinner one night each week. Of course, they have Mom's help and guidance, but I let them do as much of it as they can.

Making the roux.

First week's meals are as follows:
Koda: stove-top mac 'n cheese
Keanna: penne rigate with creamy pesto and Japanese cucumber salad
April: waffles
Lukas: chimichangas and bean dip (he's my burrito boy!)

We started last night with Koda's mac 'n cheese. You can find the recipe on my baked mac 'n cheese post. The kid-preferred stove-top variation is mentioned toward the bottom.

One thing that I love about cooking is that it is a great teaching opportunity. As we cooked, we talked about the science behind what we were doing. Why do we add flour to the cheese sauce? To thicken it. How does flour thicken things? The individual flour granules act like little sponges--they soak up the liquid and swell up. Why do we stir the flour into the butter rather than just mix it directly into the milk? To separate the flour granules before they swell so we don't end up with lumpy cheese sauce. I love it! I get one-on-one time with one child, dinner gets made, they learn a life skill, and they learn the concepts behind cooking so they can apply them to other dishes.

Another great benefit of having the kids cook for everyone else is that it teaches them to serve and be grateful. Koda was so happy to make macaroni and cheese for his family. And they were so appreciative. Every other kid complimented him on his dish without prompting. My heart swelled as I sat at the dinner table and heard the kids showing love to each other. Having the kids cook means more time prepping dinner and more mess, but it is a small price to pay for the character rewards gleaned.

Proud of his accomplishment!

Simple Red Beans and Rice

Yup!  Beans and rice again!  There are just so many possibilities to feed my family of six for near to nothing.  When this package of red beans and rice mix caught my eye, I just had to give it a try.  Not that I was looking for a great new go-to option, but I just couldn’t believe that a pre-packaged mix could come anywhere close to being as economical or tasty as my homemade version.

The consensus?  I was right.  Not one of us was impressed or even liked the red beans and rice from the mix.  I didn’t make the kids eat it---and that rarely happens in our house.  And the leftovers?  Most of them got tossed.

I added some leftover ham.

The following week, I made my own version of red beans and rice.  There are two ways that I make this dish.  The first, that I’m sharing today, is very simple and frugal.  The second way I make red beans and rice, isn’t as near-to-nothing because it uses some pricey meat.  I will definitely have to share that one in the future.

Ideally, I would use one red pepper and one green pepper.  When I made this to take pictures, I used two red because they were on sale.  I was also out of onions, so I just did without.

The recipe includes hot sauce as optional.  I usually don’t put any in the pot because of the kids, but Robbie and I add it to our individual bowls.  If you do not include the hot sauce, you may want to add a little more salt.

Of course, when I make red beans and rice, I end up with a ton.  We ate them for dinner, froze some for another dinner, and refrigerated some for lunch.

Simple Red Beans and Rice
2 bell peppers (any color)
1 onion
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 qts. water
2 c. brown rice
2½ c. cooked red beans
Chopped or diced cooked ham or sausage (optional)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
4 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable bouillon
1½ heaping Tbsp. paprika
½ tsp. pepper
1½ tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
Hot sauce (optional)

Dice peppers and onion.  Heat oil in large Dutch oven or stock pot.  Add peppers and onion to oil; sauté until soft and onions are slightly translucent.  Add all remaining ingredients.  Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is done, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When rice is done, leave at a simmer and use immersion blender or back of spoon to smash some of the beans until desired consistency is reached, adding water as necessary.

I used a spoon to smash some of the beans against the pot
because my immersion blender died.

Soup will continue to thicken a bit as it sits.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  Yield:  lots!  (probably about 4 qts.)  Total cost without meat:  less than $6.

It even just looks better than the packaged version.

Spinach and Berry Salad

First of all, let me apologize for my absence recently.  We just got home from a 10 day vacation with my husband's family.  We had so much fun that there was just no time for blogging!  And I don't have a picture of today's recipe, but I am hoping to get one up later today.  So instead of a picture of today's salad, here's a picture of just some of the food we had on vacation.  There were 24 of us, and this doesn't even include any of the refrigerated or frozen stuff!!!

I enjoy eating salads for lunch, and I eat one almost every day.  The type of salad I eat varies, but lately I've been hooked on salads made with spinach and berries.  I was inspired when we had dinner with friends and they made a similar salad that was just so delicious.  I will say, though, that the berries often cost more than what I would normally pay for fruit, but Sam's Club has pretty good prices on them during the summer.

Spinach and Berry Salad
Spinach
Strawberries, sliced
Blueberries
Sliced almonds
Crumbled feta
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Place spinach in a bowl.  Top with desired amount of strawberries, blueberries, almonds, and feta; drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and toss.  Enjoy!

Bean and Rice Enchilada Casserole

Sorry, forgot to take a pic of the baked casserole.  Imagine this browned
with melty cheese on top and steam rising from the surface.

Cinco de Mayo is approaching!  I love Cinco de Mayo because it is just another excuse to make Mexican food.  Not that I need one---I actually cook a lot of Mexican.  But it’s a fun excuse to try new things.  I’m hoping to try a new Mexican beef stew this year.  And I want to make chimichangas.  Yum!

Since I have Mexican food on the mind, I decided to try a new variation on my enchilada casserole.  I wanted to make a meatless version that doesn’t require a lot of cheese.  So earlier this week, I cooked a pot of pintos and white beans, make a pot of brown rice, and threw together this bean and rice enchilada casserole.

It turned out really good!  Even though it doesn’t have any meat in it, it is still very substantial.  And it still provides a complete protein.  Additionally, the beans and brown rice add a lot of fiber that would be missing from more traditional meat or cheese enchiladas.

Bean and Rice Enchilada Casserole

1 large can enchilada sauce (or homemade)

Corn tortillas

1 qt. beans, drained (pintos, white beans, black beans, and/or kidney beans)

3 c. cooked brown rice

1 lb. frozen corn

6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°.  In 9X13” pan, spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce to cover bottom.  Place single layer of tortillas over sauce.

Spoon ½ of the beans over tortillas, followed by ½ of the rice, ½ of the corn, and 1/3 of the cheese.  Pour 1/3 of the remaining sauce over all and cover with single layer of tortillas.

Repeat:  remaining beans, remaining rice, remaining corn, ½ of remaining cheese, ½ of remaining sauce, single layer of tortillas.  Top tortillas with remaining sauce, spreading to cover.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

I ran out of corn tortillas so I used flour to finish covering
the top.  No one even noticed!

Cover with foil, tenting as necessary.  Bake about one hour.

Baked Oatmeal

I have never liked oatmeal.  I've tried so many ways to make it and would always try to force myself to eat it, hoping I'd eventually learn to like it.  However, all my attempts were fruitless.  After a few bites, I would hit that point where I physically couldn't force myself to swallow any more.  I didn't want to load it with sugar, because that would defeat the purpose of eating it in the first place!  However, that all changed when I came across this recipe for Baked Oatmeal from Skinny Taste.  To my surprise, I really liked it!  I did alter it just a tad.  Keep in mind, though, that it's still not super sweet, but the fruit adds just enough sweetness for me.  I'm the type of person who enjoys regular Cheerios with no added sugar, so if you like really sweet cereals, this may not be for you (or you may want to add some extra sugar, honey, or a mashed up banana or two and add it to the wet ingredients).

Baked Oatmeal
2 medium bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cup blueberries (or other berries), divided
1 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 cup uncooked quick oats
1/4 cup chopped almonds, divided
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.  Place the sliced bananas in a layer in the bottom of the pan, followed by 3/4 cup blueberries and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.  Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the bananas are soft.

While the bananas and blueberries are baking, combine oats, 1/8 cup chopped almonds, baking powder, remaining cinnamon, and salt.  Mix well; set aside.

In another bowl, combine milk, honey, egg, and vanilla.  Wisk until well combined.

Remove the bananas from the oven and put the oat mixture over the bananas, followed by the liquid ingredients.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/8 cup almonds and 3/4 cup blueberries over the top.  Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal is set.  Serve warm.  I usually make up a batch at night and keep it in the refrigerator for almost a week.  Each morning, I just stick a piece in the microwave to reheat it.

It looks pretty runny before it's baked.

But don't worry.  It bakes up nicely!

This one has mixed berries in it.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ok, so it's officially not winter anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm done eating soup!  At the moment, this is my favorite!  I stumbled upon this recipe and I'm so glad I did.  I did alter it a bit, though.  Because it has a bean base, it is very inexpensive but is so full of flavor!  I've been eating it over a little steamed brown rice to bulk it up a bit.

Spicy Black Bean Soup
2 cups dry black beans
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp minced or pureed chipotles in adobo
5 cups water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, diced (mine came out to about 4 cups)
3 celery ribs, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
2 cups frozen corn
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
6 cups water
2 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place beans, bay leaves, chipotle, and 5 cups water in a large saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low/medium-low; simmer until beans are tender (1 1/2 to 2 hours).  If necessary, add more water as beans cook.  Once tender, remove from heat and set aside (don't drain them).

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a stock pot or Dutch oven.  Add onions, celery, and carrots; saute until tender and slightly browned.  Reduce heat to medium-low; add garlic, red pepper flakes, and cumin.  Cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes.  Add beans with cooking liquid, water, and bouillon.  Increase heat to high; bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove about 1/3 of the soup and blend in a blender until smooth or use an immersion blender right in the pot to get desired texture.  Return to pot; add frozen corn.  Simmer until heated through.  Remove from heat and add lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), avocado, cheese, etc.

Bean and Barley Stew

So...I *may* be in the midst of a weight loss competition.  Well, sort of.  I'm part of the group, but am not officially competing; just needed to get a little motivation.  Anyway, since I started this 12+ week journey, I've been eating mostly soup for dinner.  I love soup, and I figured one pot of soup could feed me for almost a whole week, so I'm not always having to prepare two different meals (my family would prefer something heartier than the dieting me is eating right now).  Anyway, I have had some pretty delicious soups, including Sumiko's meatless comfort soup and the one I'm writing about today: Bean and Barley Soup.  I guess I shouldn't really call it a soup; it's more of a really thick and hearty stew.  I actually adapted it from this website, and I love it!  I used all dried beans and prepared them in the slow cooker ahead of time (some I had made and frozen, so I just had to pull them out of the freezer and defrost).  This makes this meal really quite inexpensive.

Bean and Barley Stew
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp pepper
3 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 - 1 cup each lima beans, black beans, and garbanzo beans
3/4 cup quick-cooking barley
1-2 carrots, sliced
1 packed cup spinach, roughly chopped

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for about 2 minutes; add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and pepper; saute an additional 2-3 minutes.

Stir in water, bouillon, tomato paste, and beans; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add barley, carrots, and spinach; simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until barley is done.  If using regular barley, add a little extra water and put the barley in with the beans; simmer until barley is done.  This is one of those things that actually tasted better the second day than the first; the flavors had time to meld better.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of the most misunderstood vegetables out there.  They've gotten a pretty bad rap, but I'm out to try to fix that.  I love Brussels sprouts and so does my 3-year-old daughter.  My suspicion as to why people don't like them is because they've never had them prepared in a way that makes them shine! The key to a good Brussels sprout is to roast it.  Sumiko wrote about roasting vegetables a while back, but I want to revisit it, since Brussels sprouts are in season and I've been finding them on sale (88 cents/lb)!  Next time you see them on sale, buy a few and give 'em a try!

My 3-year-old waiting for the Brussels sprouts to roast.  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts, cleaned and outer leaves removed
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread Brussels sprouts out on a pan with sides.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place pan in preheated oven and roast for 20-35 minutes (depending on size), or until tender in the center.  Several times throughout the roasting time, shake the pan around a little bit.  

Eat and enjoy!

Seasoned and ready to go into the oven!

These aren't burnt!  You want the bits of brown on these.

A poor, misunderstood Brussels sprout.