Genesis Moments - A Writer's Journey

MAX YOUR MENU: Pumpkin Soup with Lime

Here's great recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Lime that I found hanging on the bulletin board at the YMCA and tried in my slow cooker. I thought it turned out pretty good - different but good! The paper didn't say where it came from but hopefully if the Y can share it, so can I!

Description: This soup, which is delicious hot or cold, has its origins in both French provincial and Latin American cuisine. It's breathtakingly easy and makes an elegant start to any meal. If pumpkin is unavailable, substitute any orange-fleshed squash, such as acorn or butternut.

6 cups peeled pumpkin, cut into 2-inch cubes

3 leeks, white part only, cleaned and coarsely chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 cup whipping cream

6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Finely chopped chives or cilantro

1. In slow cooker stoneware, combine pumpkin, leeks, stock, salt and black pepper.

2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, until pumpkin is tender. Strain vegetables, reserving stock. In a blender or food processor, puree vegetables with 1 cup reserved stock until smooth. Or, using a hand-held blender, puree the soup in stoneware.

3. If serving hot, return soup to slow cooker, add remaining stock, lime zest and juice, cayenne and cream and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes. If serving cold, combine ingredients in a large bowl and chill thoroughly.

4. When ready to serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, if using, and chives or cilantro.

Tips: If using pumpkin seeds, panfry in a dry, hot skillet until they are lightly browned and puffed. When purchasing pumpkin seeds, taste first, as they tend to go rancid quickly store in freezer until ready for use. If substituting squash for pumpkin, try the frozen diced version for convenience.

You can also assemble this the night before it is cooked. The next morning start with cooking step #1.

(MY NOTES: I wasn't as crazy about using the seeds since they are chewy in a smooth soup. This is a great MUG soup too. Pour it into your favorite mug and drink on the go.

I tried chilling a cup and the lime comes out a little too strong perhaps when cold. I preferred warming it again to eat or really drink. Definitely a do-again!

AND, you can use any pumpkin - even the ones for carving. See below where we turned what was left of our pumpkin into a scary open mouth for Halloween.)

MAX YOUR MENU: Soup's On

Here's sneak preview of my soup article that will be in The Phoenix this coming weekend and will soon be posted over at DIYFrugal. I figured that it is just as appropriate for my family blog as anything so here it is:

 
  Fall is a wonderful time to pull out the soup recipes and cook up batches of chicken noodle soup, beef stew, lentils and chili for cold days to come.

Whether you are cooking for a big family or a few, soups can create a healthy addition to the weekly menu. They are easily expandable depending on your numbers and divide nicely into freezable portions.

My mother always made a simple beef stew in the winter that would last the evening plus a day or two of leftovers. You can vary this recipe in a number of ways by simply keeping a few soup basics on hand: potatoes, celery, carrots, crushed tomatoes, and onions.

Mom’s Beef Stew (adapted for a slow cooker):

1 ½ lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 1” cubes

1 cup onions, chopped

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

¾ tsp. salt

3 medium-sized potatoes, cut in 1” cubes

28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

3 large carrots, chopped in slices.

1 bag frozen lima beans and corn (or a 16 oz. can of each)

Optional: Frozen bag of mixed veggies (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

In a large skillet, brown beef and onions in oil until beef is brown on all sides. Add to the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker or crockpot sprayed with non-fat cooking spray. (Tip: If you drain the juices, add equivalent in water to create your soup base.) Mix and cover. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.

Looking at other recipes for a basic beef stew, I noticed that one suggested adding a ½ tsp. of marjoram which is a gentle spice similar to oregano. It also suggested adding bacon bits and red pepper sauce on top as a garnish just before serving. Add pepper to taste for a little extra zing or let your family add it themselves to taste.

Of course, with homemade soup brewing, you can cook up a batch of cornbread following the simple recipe on the side of the cornmeal container. A few basic ingredients make a quick and tasty side.

Saving money on food takes planning but with the right ingredients stored in bulk, healthy meals can come together quickly with minimal additions to the weekly shopping list. You can reduce the nightly cost of your menu while increasing the healthy ingredients you feed your family.

For more money saving resources, check out www.DIYFrugal .com. E-mail comments or questions to Sarah at sarah@peppel.com or send me a tweet at www.twitter.com/DIYFrugal.

MAX YOUR MENU: Thank the Lord for Cooking Shortcuts

There are times in life you just need a quick way to get a LOT done. If you can find shortcuts, take them.

I agreed (at some point this last week when I must have been deeply involved in some other thought process like where to take my afternoon nap) to bring dessert to a BBQ fundraiser on Saturday -- all the desserts -- for fifty people.

Now, heaven forbid that I make it easy on myself and buy a big cake and fruit at the grocery store. NO . . .  I had other plans - plans which have me hyped on sugar right now because after all the licks and tastes, it is a little hard to sleep which is why I have a blog - so that when random thoughts start ticking through my brain at 11:11 PM, I have somewhere to get them out - on the unwitting, unknowing public - that's you.

So, what did I cook? Feeling the unwarranted, unimposed need to bring a diverse offering, I now have:

2 pumpkins pies cooling on my oven top.

1 tray of oatmeal chocolate chunk bars also cooling - made from the oatmeal raisin recipe under the lid of the oatmeal. We just exchanged the raisins for big chocolate chunks.

1 smaller pan of chocolate chip cookie bars already cooled and waiting to be cut.

1 pan of brownies also waiting to be cut and arranged with the other items.

1 keylime cheesecake pie (which totally sounds impressive even to me BUT is only a tub of keylime cheesecake pie filling made by the Philadelphia Cream Cheese company dumped into a pre-made graham cracker crust. Shortcuts are important in sugar baking sprees like this one)

1 apple crisp - waiting to be assembled and cooked in the morning. I still need to cut the apples on that one too.

1 pineapple, 1 cantaloupe and a bag of green grapes to wash, cut, and arrange.

No, I haven't taken any pictures yet. That will have to be in the AM when everything looks all pretty and ready to go.

Oh, by the way, it is raining and all of this is for an outdoor garden party. I might just have to stay home and eat my way through the kitchen. JUST KIDDING. I will go sell all of it on the street corner under an umbrella. I can't eat this stuff. I am on a diet.

I think I'll cook healthy soups next. Soup Spree! Who wants to join me?

MAX YOUR MENU: Food Stuffs

Found in a 1912 School Kitchen Cookbook: Lessons in Cooking and Domestic Science:

"It may help the younger pupils to understand and remember the distinctions and uses of food stuffs, if we think of them in this way:

In the body:

Protein makes and mends.
Fats heat and help.
Carbohydrates warm and work.
Water carries and cleans.
Minerals frame and form."

This winter I will be teaching a junior chef class at the YMCA. Any ideas for food crafts out there? Where do you go for ideas?

(NOTE: I am staying away from all things political by choice. I am maxed OUT! Now it is time to trust the Lord and watch His mighty hand at work.)

MAX YOUR MENU: Frugal Menu Links

TIP OF THE WEEK: BUY INGREDIENTS instead of prepackaged meals!

(And in keeping with the kitchen organizing theme of Works For Me Wednesday: Make SURE you are paying attention to the food at the back of your fridge, pantry, etc. so it is used before going bad. Stack, layer, etc so the oldest dates are near the front.)

Instead of listing more of my own frugal tips, there are so many great sites to see:

Check out: The Homemaker's Resource. The Best of the Blogosphere Post is GREAT!

Free 2 Be Frugal gives some helpful tips on saving money on groceries and gifts.

I'm an Organizing Junkie has an entire post of linkies for Meal Plan Monday frugal meals and tips. There's a giveaway in there too!

The Centisible Sawyer has a post filled with freebies and deals.

There are just so many great places to go visit. Ohhh - just found a great one on frugal decorating and living by Remodeling This Life.

For more Works For Me Wednesday Tips, check out Shannon's Wednesday post at Rocks in My Dryer. This week is on Kitchen Organization. I know a lot of the above sites would be helpful on this topic too so have fun browsing!

MAX YOUR MENU: Frugal Field Trips

My friend offered to take me to her frugal living mecca and I HAD to say yes. You have to know that this woman always looks like a fortune with beautifully styled hair, sharp clothes, up-to-date purses and fun shoes. Her daughter carries a Louis Vutton and her husband always wears a polo.

BUT, the secret to their success is not in things they carry or wear but the commitment she has to researching the best deal, hitting the yard sale circuit and YES, regular trips to Goodwill to see what someone decided they didn't need and gave away. The Louis Vutton purse? $5 at a garage sale from someone who decided it just didn't work for them. The polos? Goodwill, garage sales, etc. NEVER does this woman pay full price. She is my new guru.

So, we hopped in the car and headed west. First, we drove to an Amish farm where one of the twelve children sold us a dozen ears of corn for $3 and 3 large zucchini for $1. She and her sisters had just picked the corn that morning.

Then, we passed two large Goodwills while my friend regalled me with tales of magnificent finds in the past of name brand clothes and unused Christmas gifts.

The secret of gas on trips like this is to share or take turns driving because this field trip was about 1/2 hour into the country.

Our second stop was at a large grocery outlet, 5 times the one near my house. I saw some similar items, making me think the smaller one might pull from the same source for dented boxes and near expiration items. BUT, the advantage of this place was that there were wonderful bins of miscellaneous school supplies and $2 boxes of mixed snacks. My $2 box contained lots of goodies from Pepperidge Farms cookies to fancy wheat crackers. I was able to stock up on specialty Christmas teas for teachers and Lindt candies for $.50/bag (YES that is 50 cents!) that had one or two little wrapped balls smashed but the rest were fine. I just need to repackage the untouched specialty treats in a small bag and no one would be the wiser.

As my friend said, there is no going back to normal now. When there are deals like this to be had, how can you shop any other way! This way I can be both generous and save money. This way, I can actually save for vacations and retirement and enjoy good food. I got Starbucks coffee for $4! I don't have to compromise, I just have to know where to go to begin with!

On a roll. .. . check out upcoming frugal episodes at Blissfully Domestic where I have just joined the financial team. A major relaunch is happening this weekend and I can't wait to see to everything coming up. And of course, there is my cool new editor Darla F!

MAX YOUR MENU: Greek Cheese Torta

As my girls spent the day touring the simple life of the Amish country with my sister, brother, sister-in-law, niece and mother, I was pulling out recipes & dishes, cutting, chopping, stirring, mixing and baking for a feast. Dusting off my forgotten platters, spices and recipes, our menu included:

1st Course
Chips and Salsa
Greek Cheese Torta (*Courtesy of Pampered Chef - See below) with toasted French baguettes
Carrots and Celery
Strawberry-Blueberry Green Summer Salad (Also courtesy of P.C)
Shelled Pistachios and Peanuts
Soda/Wine Spritzers

2nd Course
Grilled Skewers of Chicken and Beef soaked in Balsamic Herb Oil (from Tastefully Simple)
with onions, green pepper and cherry tomatoes
Grilled Corn from Amish country basted with Garlic Infused Oil
Garlic Bread

3rd Course
Peach Cobbler - with SC and PA peaches (from the NC Grandma and the PA grandpa. This one was a group project!)
Brownie Bites (also P.C. and very versatile with various possible toppings.)
Double layered Vanilla cake iced with Milk Chocolate Icing and topped with Littlest Pet Shop figures.

Despite back pains by the time all this was done, we had a WONDERFUL time just being together. I enjoyed seeing their pictures of the day on my daughter's camera, cringing at the horse bite my youngest, the birthday girl, received at one of the Amish farms and enjoying the red wine from a winery started and run by the simple folk. Hmm . .

When you make new things, there are always keepers and tossers. I have to say that the Greek Cheese Torta is definitely a keeper! Check it out below.

Greek Cheese Torta
This savory layered cheese spread is a welcome addition to any gathering.

1 loaf (16 oz) French baguette
Garlic Oil or olive oil
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp Greek Rub
2 pkg (4 oz each) crumbled feta cheese
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and patted dry
3 tbsp shelled pistachios

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut baguette into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on Large Round Stone with Handles. Spray with oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Bake 10-12 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool completely.

Line small Colander with paper towels. Place spinach into Colander; wrap paper towels around spinach and press until almost dry.

Place cream cheese into Classic Batter Bowl; microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until softened. Stir in spinach and rub; mix well. Add feta cheese; stir until well blended.

Finely dice sun-dried tomatoes using Color Coated Paring Knife. Line Small Batter Bowl with plastic wrap. Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture into bottom of batter bowl, spreading evenly. Top with tomatoes, forming an even layer. Spread remaining cheese mixture over tomatoes.

To serve, invert torta onto serving platter. Remove plastic wrap. Coarsely chop pistachios using Food Chopper; press onto top of torta. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Yield: 32 servings
Nutrients per serving (about 1 tbsp spread and 1 baguette slice): Calories 140, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 260 mg, Fiber 1 g

MAX YOUR MENU: SAVING $ AT THE STORE

UPDATE: I am adding this post to Rocks in my Dryer's Works for Me Wednesdays so I can get more grocery stretching tips from you lovely ladies! Read below for some things I have been learning this last week about budgeting at the grocery store!

My original plan with Max Your Menu was to give recipes throughout the week that help us stretch out grocery dollars. And, this is a good thing BUT it ALL starts at the grocery store.

For example, last night, I went to the grocery store for fruit and eggs for today's church picnic. I put in my basket: cherries, grapes, honeydew, eggs, a 2-pk of toothbrushes on sale, a diet brownie and a pack of sugar-free peanut butter cookies. I picked up another pack of sugar-free chocolate chip cookies to find out if they really were $6.49 and promptly put them back when I found out they were.

The total came to a whooping $43, about half of what I spent for a week's groceries at the grocery outlet the previous week. I looked at the register and said, "Wait, those toothbrushes aren't the sale I saw on the shelf." and "Wait, those cherries are $$11.39. Please take those off." Did my friends really need the heaviest fruit per pound on the market? I could stop by the produce mart on the way to the picnic and get three times that food for that price. (UPDATE: went to produce mart and for $13 bought same amount of cherries plus more grapes plus big bunch of bananas plus 3 apples plus carton of black berries plus carton of raspberries! Way cool!)

By taking off items that shouldn't have been in my cart to begin with, the bill came down to $23 which was much more reasonable for a quick stop for a few items on the way home. I still have could saved more not eating the brownie or getting the cookies but a girl just needs a treat sometimes and I HAD just come from the mall where I resisted MUCH temptation to spend on all the great end of the season sales.

So, what are you doing to save money on your groceries? I would love to hear the suggestions.

Some of the lessons I have learned this month are:

1) If you are going to make your own bread to save $, learn how not to kill the yeast. (You kill the yeast when you add it to ingredients that are too hot or too cold. See Lindsey mixing dough. Great arm workout. This was actually from Lindsey's Spanish bread project in the Spring that got us started on this kick. The great shot of her kneading dough is stuck on my battery dead camera this AM.)

New Picture: Lindsey kneading the dough!

2) When you can, buy ingredients not prepackaged food items. You will save on planning ahead and buying larger quantities of meat, spices, etc. that can be used in different ways.

3) If you going to grow a garden, plan for items that are cheaper than the grocery store, otherwise it might not be worth the effort. (Anybody know where I can get a raspberry bush? I am on a quest.)

4) Know which stores are worth the extra time and gas to get there for your shopping.

5) And, of course, combine shopping trips to save on gas.

Bottom line, a little planning goes a long way. Shop with your eyes open at the grocery store and you won't walk out with 2-3 times the bill you planned to spend.

I have much to learn in this area and would love YOUR suggestions!

UPDATE #2: Robin from Pensieve twittered: Don't Go Hungry and Don't Take Your Kids.

MAX YOUR MENU: Bananas Foster by Paula Deen

** UPDATED WITH PICTURES **

For this week's Max Your Menu, I have to share one of the simplest recipes that I saw on the food network that looked REALLY good. Paula Deen shared the most wonderful recipe for Bananas Foster on her show so I am going to try it for the 4th! Here it is:  (Let me know if you try it too! Since two ingredients are optional, I included this in the five ingredients or less list on Works for Me Wednesday. Hope that's not cheating.)

Ingredients: 1 stick butter 1/2  cup  brown sugar 4 bananas peeled, halved, and cut lengthwise 1/4  cup  dark rum Ice cream, optional Pound cake, optional
Directions:
In a large skillet, melt butter. Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together. Add the bananas and cook until caramelized on both sides, over medium-high heat. Move pan off heat, add the rum and return to the stove to catch a flame from the gas stove or a long lighter. Stand back when ignited and flambe the bananas. Be careful a flame will shoot up above the pan. Let flame die down and the alcohol cook out. Serve bananas over vanilla ice cream and/or a slice of pound cake. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Difficulty: Medium Yield: 4 servings Recipe courtesy Paula Deen Show: Paula's Party Episode: Hot and Spicy Our 4th of July Bananas Foster Pictures (and it WAS as yummy as it looks):

MAX YOUR MENU: Grilling Ham & Pineapple

Grilling makes summer cooking fun and easy. I was inspired by all the chef shows on grilling ham and pineapple and so we tried it and LOVED IT!

You can arrange your grilled food in creative ways for the kids or leave them plain! After grilling the pineapple, just slice around the core into strips for easy eating. In the top photo, I simply added lettuce for the backdrop, cauliflower for the nose and chin and a few carrot strips for color.

Today Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer is hosting a "Works for Me Wednesday: Five Ingredient or Less Edition". Go check out some great summer recipes!