From My Kitchen

My sister is getting married this summer and a couple months ago, I went with her to register for gifts. It had been a while since I did much shopping for home items and I was simply amazed by how many different types of cookware were available in the stores!

And of course, they all claim to be the best value, the easiest to clean, the safest, etc. etc. It’s hard to know what type of cookware is right for you.

We questioned some of the sales associates and I also did a little online research to figure the different pros and cons for each type of cookware — here’s what I came up with:

Aluminum

PRO = Inexpensive

CON = Can react to acidic foods like tomatoes and cause leaching

Cast Iron

PRO = Durable and easy to use once it is seasoned

CON = Very heavy

Copper

PRO = It looks great and conducts heat very well

CON = Expensive and hard to care for

Glass

PRO = Best for baking and oven cooking

CON = Very breakable and doesn’t conduct heat well

Stainless Steel

PRO = It’s safe and it looks fabulous

CON = NOT non-stick and can be hard to clean

Teflon

PRO = Non-stick and very easy to clean

CON = Has a tendency to scratch and chip easily

I’m certainly not an expert but this is what I use:

• I have a full set of Analon Stainless Steel cookware that I use every day

• I have 3 different Analon Teflon frying pans that I use for anything “sticky” {like eggs}

• I have 1 cast iron skillet, however I rarely use it… I just like the looks

• I have several glass baking dishes for brownies, cake, casseroles, etc.

This combination of cookware works well for me, but I’d love to know…

What type of cookware do you use?

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35 comments →

Ever since Dave and I tied the knot {almost 6 years ago} I’ve struggled with making REALLY good fried potatoes. I even resorted to using frozen potatoes in times of desperation.

I can still remember the first time I attempted to make fried potatoes… I set off the smoke alarm

Well, after almost 6 years of trial and error, I’ve finally figured out how to make really good fried potatoes.

Here’s how I do it…

Peel, wash, AND dry:

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The first thing I do is peel and wash my potatoes… and then I dry them with a clean towel until there is no water left {this is important}. Sometimes I even let them sit out on the counter for a few minutes after I dry them, just to make sure they are really, really dry.

Oh, and I should mention that I use Russet potatoes — simply because they are inexpensive and big!

Dice, don’t slice:

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I used to slice my potatoes, but the thin slices would always stick together and they took up so much space in my pan that I had to do several batches in order to make enough for one meal.

Now, instead of slicing them, I “dice” them. Well, I actually don’t dice them {that would be a little too small} — but I do chop them into small chunks, which makes them so much easier to handle and I can fit a lot more in my pan.

Nuke them in the microwave:

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One of my biggest issues was that the outside of the potatoes would always get nice and crispy before the insides were soft — and by the time the insides got soft, the outsides would be on the verge of burning {hence the smoke alarm!}

So now, I toss the chopped potatoes in a bowl and microwave them for 2 or 3 minutes before frying them… that way, the potatoes are a little more tender and it doesn’t take the insides as long to soften up.

Use plenty of HOT oil:

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I honestly don’t think it makes a difference what type of oil you use — I often just use plain vegetable oil or whatever other oil I have on hand. The important factor is that the oil has to be hot when you put the potatoes in the pan.

You also want to use enough oil. Fried potatoes aren’t healthy  anyway — so just add a little bit more oil.  I promise, this will help!

Season… liberally:

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Fried potatoes taste delicious with just a little salt and pepper, but I often like to add a few other seasonings as well. Depending on what we’re eating, I’ll add garlic, rosemary, chives, or even paprika. I always add the seasoning after the potatoes are fully coated with oil and I don’t think I’ve had a bad combination yet — so just get adventerous!

Oh, and seriously, don’t skimp on the salt… fried potatoes need a healthy coating of salt!

Don’t stir too much:

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I cook my potatoes on medium-high heat and I let them fry for a few minutes before I stir them. After I stir them once, I let them sit for another few minutes and stir again.

After they are cooked through and tender, I remove the lid, turn the heat down a little bit more, and let the outsides really brown up.

Drain:

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After my potatoes are fully fried, I dump them onto a large platter lined with several sheets of papertowel so the excess oil can drain off.

This is not to make them healthier {they aren’t healthy… believe me!}.  It’s simply so they aren’t “slippery”. I don’t like “slippery” fried potatoes. I want my fried potatoes to be crispy, not greasy — so a quick pat with some paper towels does the trick.

Serve and enjoy:

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I always serve my fried potatoes with a side of ketchup…. and maybe a little more salt:)

These tips have helped me significantly improve my fried-potato-making skills – a skill for which Dave is eternally grateful!

What are your tips for making really good fried potatoes?

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16 comments →

I have a new favorite breakfast recipe… and it’s really, really easy! 

We LOVE breakfast over at our house and usually have some type of breakfast food every Wednesday for dinner {no specific reason why it’s on Wednesday — that’s just my meal plan!}

And since I’ve gotten into a bit of a “breakfast food rut” lately, I decided I needed to come up with a new recipe last week.

I searched around the web, and found this recipe for Quick Quiche. It looked good, and I was excited since it didn’t require a complicated crust… just simple crescent roll dough.

I made a bunch of changes, but used the same crescent roll crust — which was SO light, buttery, and flaky. It turned out fabulously, and since crescent roll dough usually doesn’t stick, clean-up was a breeze.

Recipe for Spinach, Broccoli, and Mushroom Quiche:

{print this recipe}

Ingredients

• 1  8 oz. pkg. refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 c. chopped spinach {I used frozen}
• 1-2 c. chopped broccoli
• 1  4 oz. can mushrooms; drained
• 6 eggs
• 3 T. sour cream
• 1 t. garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. shredded cheese {any variety you have on hand}
• sliced ham, chopped ham, ground sausage, or other meat of choice {optional}

Directions

• Unroll crescent roll dough and press into a 8″ x 11″ baking dish {press it up the sides as well}
• Prick the dough several times with a fork
• Bake at 350*F for 10 minutes
• Take the crust out of the oven and fill with spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms {or any other veggies you like}

• In a medium bowl, mix eggs, sour cream, garlic, and cheese
• Pour the egg mixture over the veggies

• {optional}Place sliced ham, chopped ham, or cooked sausage over the top
• Bake at 350*F for 30 minutes or until the center is fully set {It could take longer depending on your oven and you may want to cover it with foil to prevent the crust from browning too much}

This recipe was a winner with everyone at our table… and the leftovers tasted wonderful heated up for breakfast the next morning.

I didn’t have a chance to try freezing it {because we ate it up so quickly} and I’m honestly not sure how great it would turn out. I think the dough might get soggy and the eggs might be a bit watery — but who knows.

I’ll definitely be making this recipe again — I’ll probably try sausage instead of ham and maybe a different combination of veggies {peppers, onions, etc.}

Have you ever tried freezing an egg dish or quiche?

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Make sure to visit the Simple Organized Living Recipe Box for lots more simple, delicious, family friendly, budget conscious recipe ideas!

11 comments →

If you’re looking for a really simple dessert or snack that you can completely customize for your family’s taste buds, I might just have the perfect recipe for you. All this recipe requires is a simple Graham Cracker crust and whatever toppings you have on hand.

I regularly make these Easy Layer Bars when I have a random assortment of half-empty bags of baking supplies to use up — I’ve yet to have any complaints about the deliciously sweet combinations I come up with!

And while almost any variety of topping will work for these bars, here is the recipe I follow most often.

Recipe for Easy Layer Bars:

{print this recipe}

Ingredients For the Crust

• 2 c. crushed Graham Cracker crumbs {any flavor}
• 1/2 c. melted butter

Ingredients For the Topping

• 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. butterscotch chips
• 1/2 c. chopped peanuts {or any other type of nuts}
• 1 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 16 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

• Melt butter in a medium bowl
• Add Graham Cracker crumbs and mix well

• Press crumb mixture into a 9 x 13″ pan
• Sprinkle candy toppings over the crust and then cover with shredded coconut

• Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top — covering as evenly as possible
• Sprinkle a little extra coconut over the milk {optional}

• Bake at 350*F for 25 minutes or until coconut is toasted
• Cut into bars and enjoy!

I’ve made this dessert many, MANY times and it always turns out delicious; and as I mentioned before, these bars taste great with all sorts of toppings — so feel free to experiment a bit. I’ve already tried chopped Snickers, chopped Twix, Heath bits, peanut butter chips, and even crumbled cookies. There’s not really a bad combination!

The only thing I would recommend is including the coconut because it makes a nice “crunchy” topping — and of course, you need the sweetened condensed milk to hold everything together.

I’m sure you’ve already guessed it — but yes, these bars definitely freeze well and taste excellent straight out of the freezer! 

So… what toppings will you try?

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Make sure to visit the Simple Organized Living Recipe Box for lots more simple, delicious, family friendly, budget conscious recipe ideas!

5 comments →

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote a post about all kinds of different freezable foods – and in the past year, that post has become my most popular post, getting at least one comment, email, tweet, and/or facebook message every day. It’s also been pinned and repinned on Pinterst several thousand times.

I still laugh because I honestly wrote that post in about 20 minutes on a day when I couldn’t decide what to write about. I simply opened my freezer and started making a list — apparently, freezable foods is a hot topic! 

So if you are interested in freezer cooking — first read that post {and make sure you scroll through the comments too} and then come back here for some answers to the most commonly asked questions.

Can I Freeze _________?

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If I had a nickel for every time someone has emailed me or left a comment asking if they can freeze a certain type of food… I’d be rich!

And even though I’ve frozen lots and lots of different foods, I’m not always able to answer this question with 100% certainty — however if I ever wonder how a specific food might freeze, I just try it and find out! My advice to you is simply to test it with a small batch so you won’t waste a lot of food if it doesn’t turn out.

In my opinion, you can almost freeze anything… so just give it a try! {the only thing I haven’t had great luck with is cheesy potato soup because the potatoes got really mushy}

How Should I Package _____ For the Freezer?

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This is another very popular question I’ve gotten over the past year. Personally, I use all kinds of containers and tools to freeze food — just based on what I have on hand.

I like to use square and rectangle containers as much as possible because they stack better and take up less space than round and oval containers.

I also use lots of freezer bags to store broth, stock, sauces, chopped veggies, chopped fruits, sliced and shredded cheeses, ground and shredded meats, etc. because the bags stack nicely and hardly take up any space. Plus, I can use different size bags to pre-portion out the amount I need for various recipes {2 c. of broth or 1 lb. ground beef}

I use mostly plastic containers — just because I have more of them, but glass works fine too.

I put bread and buns from the store right into the freezer and don’t even take the time to double bag them anymore. So far, we haven’t noticed any difference.

Whenever I make a full meal, I’ll put it in the appropriate dish and either put a resealable lid on top or cover it with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.

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Should I Cook and/or Bake _____ Before I Freeze It?

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Well, this depends….

If I’m making any sort of soup, stew, casserole, pasta dish, enchiladas, or other “full meal” I cook the ingredients and fully assemble the meal — however, there’s no need to actually bake the finished product in the oven until you’re ready to eat it. For example, if I was making lasagna to put in the freezer, I would boil the noodles, cook the meat/sauce and fully assemble the meal — but then I would wait until after I defrosted it to bake it in the oven.

Baked goods, on the other hand, are usually fully baked before I freeze them. Baked cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars, brownies, etc. all freeze very well — and I almost always frost my cakes and cupcakes before I freeze them! Pies are the only thing I do NOT bake before I freeze… because in my opinion, they taste much better if you put them right from the freezer to the oven and the crust is able to stay flaky and delicious.

How Do I Defrost _________?

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This question surprised me because I’ve never really given much thought to the defrosting process. But since this was the #2 most-asked question I received, it deserves a response!

Basically, whenever I defrost any breads, muffins, baked goods, baking supplies, candies, cookies, chips, or other pantry items, I just pull it out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter or in our cabinets until it defrosts… and then we eat it.

However, it’s best to defrost dairy, meat, and other refrigerated items in the fridge to reduce the risk of them going bad. Of course, this takes a little more planning ahead — so I usually try to take my food out of the freezer at least 1 day in advance {sometimes 2 for really large cuts of meat or large containers of soup}.

I’ve definitely forgotten to pull items out of the freezer on time, and then I just resort to defrosting it on the counter or in a warm water bath in the sink.

How long will ______ last after it’s defrosted?

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This depends on the type of food.

For example, if you freeze and defrost chicken or milk, it might only last a week until it needs to be cooked or consumed. However, chips, crackers, or nuts should taste fresh for several weeks after they are defrosted.

Basically, I would use common sense and realize that if a food has a pretty long shelf life {crackers and chips} before you freeze it, it should stay fresh for a long time after you defrost it. And if it has a shorter shelf life {milk and chicken} then it probably won’t last as long after you defrost it.

Make sense?

photo credit

 What type of freezer should I have?

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First of all, please don’t go out and purchase a new freezer just to start freezer cooking. If you package your items properly, you can fit A LOT of food in the freezer attached to your refrigerator.

However, if you are already in the market for a freezer, I would most definitely recommend a manual-defrost freezer {NOT a frost-free freezer}. Your food will stay fresher longer and you won’t have to deal with as much freezer burn.

Also, my personal preference is an upright freezer because they are easier to organize and see what you have. But you can actually fit more food per cubic foot in a chest freezer — plus, chest freezers are often a bit cheaper.

Do you have any other advice?

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Well yes — here are a few final thoughts/tips:

• Label and date EVERYTHING you put in the freezer

• Just try it! In my experience, you can freeze almost anything, so just be adventuresome and give it a try.

• Think about portions — if you only use 1c. of ground beef or ground chicken at a time, then freeze it in 1c. portions. If most of your recipes call for 2c. of broth, then freeze it in 2c. portions. Your food will defrost quicker this way and you won’t have to deal with re-freezing the leftovers. I actually freeze a lot of things in muffin tins or ice cube trays and then just use what I need in different recipes.

• Freezer cooking doesn’t have to be expensive — in fact, it’s actually a great way to save loads of money on groceries! Just start with the freezer you already have, use containers you already have, and stock up on food when it’s on sale.

• Start small. If you don’t want to invest a ton of time or money into freeze cooking, just try freezing one or two meals, one batch of cookies, or one package of rolls. See if you like it and then go from there.

I’ve saved so much time and money by utilizing my freezer and making meals in advance — I honestly can’t imagine NOT having a fully stocked freezer to rely on when I need a quick dinner or we’re asked to bring a treat to work/church/friend/family parties.

I’ve tried to cover the main questions I’ve been asked over the last year — but feel free to leave additional questions in the comments below. I’ll answer as many as I can, and other readers might be able to answer the rest!

17 comments →

I’ve already professed my love for “semi-homemade” treats, goodies, desserts and snacks; and I’ve shared many of my semi-homemade recipes here already.

Well today, I have another REALLY simple semi-homemade recipe to share… Monster Cookies!

Monster cookies are some of our all-time favorite cookies — probably because they are a conglomeration of peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, M&M cookies, and oatmeal cookies all rolled into one super delicious cookie!

You can try my original Monster Cookie recipe if you are feeling ambitious and want to make almost 300 cookies!!! {seriously, the recipe is delicious!}

However, if you’d like to simplify things a bit and not spend all day making cookies, I have a new “recipe” for Monster Cookies that is so quick and easy… even your kids could do this!

Recipe for Really Simple Monster Cookies:

{print this recipe}

Ingredients

• 1 17.5oz. package peanut butter cookie mix
• 1 17.5 oz. package chocolate chip oatmeal cookie mix
• ingredients called for on the back of both packages {eggs, oil, butter, water}
• 2 c. M&M’s
• 2 c. chopped nuts {optional}

top image source

7 comments →

{a few shelves of my “pantry” area in our basement}

I’ve been known to have a VERY well-stocked pantry. I guess that comes from my mom — growing up, we always had 4 or 5  more of everything down on the pantry shelves in the basement.

And although Dave and I don’t really have a true “pantry” in our kitchen, we have several shelving units in our basement that house all our extra canned goods, baking supplies, cereal, chips, snacks, beverages, and loads of other non-perishable food supplies.

These shelves have seriously saved my butt many times when I run out of a specific ingredient in the middle of making a recipe. Instead of wasting time running out to the store, I can simply head down to the basement and “raid my stash”!

{my pantry right after we moved… I have since re-stock it many times!}

I have to laugh because I honestly thought it was completely normal to have shelves and shelves of extra food in the basement! After all, my mom does it, my grandma does it, Dave’s mom does it, so everyone must do it… right?!

But then I posted this picture of a couple of my pantry shelves {in our old house}… and I immediately started getting comments, facebook messages, and emails from people asking what items I keep in my pantry, how I keep it organized, how long I keep certain items, etc. etc.

{my “pantry” in our old house}

So I guess this might not be as “normal” as I thought! 

If you’ve never taken the time to create/use a pantry in your home, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Designate a place for your extra food.

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You don’t need a fancy pantry in your kitchen — I’ve never had one and that certainly didn’t stop me! Start with one shelving unit in your basement or garage {you can find cheap shelves on Craigslist!}. If you don’t have a basement or garage, use plastic storage tubs that fit under your bed… or in a hall closet.

It doesn’t have to be a huge spot, just one designated place to store your extra food supplies.

2. Stock up when items goes on sale.

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I save LOTS of money by having a well-stocked pantry… because I always buy the items when they are on sale and I have coupons. Just last week, my mom told me about a deal on Kellogg’s cereal and I was able to get TEN boxes completely free {and we eat lots of cereal}!

Obviously, you don’t need to go crazy here {think Extreme Couponing} — the purpose is not to stock up just so you can say you have 5 bazillion packages of something! The idea behind a pantry stockpile is to save yourself time and money by not running out of certain supplies you use on a regular basis. So keep that in mind as you stock up!

If you are new to stockpiling, here is a free printable that will allow you to track all the items in your pantry and help you know what you might need to stock up on!

3. Organize food by type.

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Obviously, it’s much easier to find what you need when you need it if you have some method of organization. My method is nothing special, I usually just designate one shelf per item {Here’s a list of foods I always try to keep in my pantry.}

For example, I have one shelf for pasta, one shelf for canned fruits and veggies, one shelf for cereal, one shelf for chips, one shelf for crackers and other snacks, one shelf for baking supplies, etc. etc.

And of course, I use shoe boxes to organize smaller items like extra condiments, spices, seasonings, etc.

4. Put newer items in the back.

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If you’re like me, you will most likely add to your stockpile on a weekly basis. I stock up on different items each week, depending on what’s on sale — this way, my pantry is never empty. However, when I buy more items, I always make sure to put them in the back… even though that may take a little extra work on my part.

If you don’t take the time to continually rotate your items {oldest items in front, newest items in back} you run the risk of things expiring before you use them… and that’s a huge waste!

5. Create meal plans around your pantry stockpile.

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I use a really simple meal-planning method that gives me lots of flexibility and options each week. However, I always try to integrate as many pantry staples into my meal plan as possible.

Like I mentioned before, one of the main reasons I keep such a large stock-pile of food on hand is to save time and money — but if I create a meal plan that doesn’t use the ingredients I already have in the house, then I still waste time and money making a special trip to the store.

And every couple of months, I’ll challenge myself to make an entire weekly meal plan using ONLY the items in our pantry and freezer. Not only do I save a TON on groceries that week, but it also gives me an opportunity to clean out some of the pantry staples that might have been around for awhile!

6. Re-stock your pantry.

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Obviously, in order to maintain a well-stocked pantry,  you should have some type of system in place for re-stocking your pantry supplies.

As I mentioned in #4 above, I try to restock mine on a weekly basis — but I don’t stock everything each week. For example, if cereal and crackers are really on sale one week, I’ll buy a whole bunch {probably enough to last us 4-8 weeks}. The next week, peanut butter and salad dressing might be marked down so I’ll stock up on those items, but I won’t buy any cereal or crackers.

I think you get the idea! Just keep looking for those sales and stocking up on specific items each week.

Another thing I do is keep a running list of items I’m running low on. When I bring up the last bottle of syrup, I write it on my list. When I open the last bag of cheddar chips, I put that on my list. That list helps me remember what to look for and assures that our stockpile never runs out.

Stocking and organizing a pantry really doesn’t have to be a lot of work.  In fact, I don’t even think about it anymore — it’s just second nature! And honestly, I’ve saved SO much time and money by keeping my pantry stocked and ready for my next freezer cooking day, massive baking extravaganza, or just unexpected company.

Do you have a “pantry” somewhere in your house?

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24 comments →