Foodie...

Pinterest of my foodie blog

Sun, 3 Jul 2011 20:10:17 -0500

I’ve been an epic failure when it comes to blogging from the kitchen. I’m still making about 4 or 5 meals a week (and I would say 3 of them are normally new recipes) but when it comes to taking the time to write the review, snap a few photos, and clean up the mess, I am just not putting the foodie blog high on the priority list.

So, I am giving something a test run...

Pinterest!

If you haven’t heard about this site, then let me fill you in. It’s a way to categorize all the randomness you find on the interwebs. See a great outfit for a bachelorette party? Pin in. Find a must-try recipe for when your in-laws visit? Pin it.

Just explore the website and you’ll catch on quickly. My site is here : http://pinterest.com/adamandmonika/on-the-menu/ and I will use it to pin the recipes I have made, love, and “wish-i-had-25-hours-in-the-day-so-i-could-add-foodie-blogging-back-on-my-radar”.

If you see a photo that looks appetizing, you just have to click the photo and it will take you to the website that contains the recipe. If I get the recipe from a book OR if I make up the recipe, I will do my best to keep updating this blog (but, we all know that’s not going to actually happen for a while).

Oh, and I think pinterest is by ‘invitation only’, so just let me know if you want an invite and I will send you one!

And again, dont forget to check out my foodie version of pinterest : http://pinterest.com/adamandmonika/on-the-menu/

Happy cooking!

Homemade Babyfood - Sweet Potato

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 20:51:53 -0600

Lana is eating solid foods now and since we’re in the veggie co-op, we’re just making our own baby food. So far, she’s enjoyed everything we’ve made for her : Avocado, Banana, Butternut Squash, Apples, Carrots and oatmeal. But her favorite is sweet potatoes! I try to give her some at least once a week because she enjoys it so much!

I get a few questions from new moms asking me how I make my own food. It’s pretty easy so I thought I’d right a blog on this.

First peel the potatoes:

I use a Black and Decker steamer that I got from Target for about $25. Slice up the potatoes and place them in the steamer with about 3 cups of water in the base. Then I set the timer for about 25 minutes.

Once the potatoes (or veggie of choice) is nice and soft, I dump them into my food processor. Now, if you dont have a food processor you could use a hand blender or a fork. It’ll just take a lot longer. Then I just press the “on” button and let the blender do it’s magic.

The potatoes should be the consistency of mashed potatoes or baby food (duh). If they are not, just add a little water to thin it out. Then check on your baby to make sure she’s not too bored.

Alright, Lana seems to be okay...now onto the packaging. You could use ice cube trays (but I didn’t like these b/c they made too small servings for my hungry child), ziplock freezer bags (I didn’t like these either b/c it’s a mess), or any specialty freezer baby food product. I chose to use the Munchkin Freezer Trays and love them.

They run about $7 for 4 of them. So, yes, they are a little pricy. But, I like that I can get them in a variety of colors and that makes finding the appropriate meal a breeze. I also like that they are compact and fit in about every bag you could possibly be toting around for your child. They come with interlocking trays so they should fit in any size freezer if you do want to store them.

Veggies and fruits all have different shelf lives, so you should do some googling around on how long to keep them in there. Thawing them out is easy too. Just set out what you need the night before or for many, you can put them in the microwave for 15 second segments until it reaches room temperature.

Okay, hope that helped you guys! Enjoy!

Mexicans Lasagna

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:29:34 -0500

My girlfriend brought this over to us during my maternity leave. I LOVED it and really could have eaten the whole pan. I will be making this for many years to come!

1 lb ground beef
16oz refried beans
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 c water
2 1/2 c Rotel or salsa
2 c sour cream
3/4 c green onions
2 oz sliced black olives
1 c shredded cheese
lasagna noodles

Brown ground beef
combine ground beef with beans, oregano, cumin & garlic
layer noodles, beef mixture, noodles - finishing with noodles ( i usually add cheese in the layers too)
Pour salsa over top of noodles
Bake covered @ 350 for 1 hour
spread sour cream over top of lasagna top with green onions, olives and cheese
Bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts