Flash Freezing and Storing Bell and Jalapeño Peppers

by Meghan // September 29, 2015 // Comments off

We love bell peppers at our house; I use them in everything from goulash to salsa, and of course stuffed peppers!

Sadly, bell peppers are not only on the dirty dozen list, but can be upwards of $1.00 EACH!

What you may not know is they are one of the easiest plants to grow in your garden, or even a pot on the patio. One bell pepper plant in our garden puts out 20+ peppers! The jalapeno plants put out even more!

So it is important for our family to be able to put those peppers to good use all year, without having to buy expensive, chemical laden grocery store versions.

How do you store peppers long term? Easy!

Clean and cut into strip (I even keep the tops, just pop out the center core, pull out the ribs and seeds and you’re done)
Spread out on a cookie sheet
Place cookie sheet in the freezer for a few hours
After the peppers are frozen, toss them into ziplock bags for use in recipes later!

I just pull out what I need, when I need it and chop according to my recipe.

Enjoy!

Menu Monday: The {first} One at the Farm

by Meghan // August 24, 2015 // Comments off

This is the first FULL week living at the farm (can we call it a farm if all we have right now is a garden on 40 acres?). I have not yet unpacked everything, or decorated. But I have organized and unpacked the entire kitchen! 😉 This real-food foodie is tired of peanut butter sandwiches and eating out. It is nice to have real food again!

Monday: roasted chicken, fried okra, sliced tomatoes
Tuesday: Goolash
Wednesday: tuna fish sandwiches, sliced tomato, watermelon
Thursday: left overs
Friday: BBQ from local restaurant
Saturday: all beef hot dogs, hamburgers, homemade kraut, homemade chips

Breakfast will be eggs, blueberry muffins, oatmeal, and bacon.

It isn’t much, but at least it is mostly real food! I hope to get our bedroom completely unboxed this week, the kids’ rooms unboxed and put together, and get curtains hung. I will focus on decorating this weekend so we can get back to schooling next week.

How do you Menu Plan during the busy seasons?

Menu Plan Monday {August 3, 2015}

by Meghan // August 3, 2015 // Comments off

This week for lunches we will have leftovers (I am cooking in double batches) and sandwiches with ripe tomatoes from the garden. Breakfast will be quinoa, oatmeal, and egg sandwiches.

Monday: spaghetti with salad

Tuesday: Turkey and dressing from the freezer

Wednesday: turkey sandwiches, squash with hummus, cantaloupe (picnic at the farm)

Thursday: BBQ meatballs, fresh green beans, sliced tomato

Friday: BLTs

Saturday: BBQ drumsticks on the grill, grilled squash, sliced tomato, sautéed nappa cabbage

What’s on your Menu this week?

Menu Monday {July 19, 2015}

by Meghan // July 19, 2015 // Comments off

The past few weeks have been HOT! So for a while we are cooling it down in the kitchen with sandwiches and light sides. My mom is here this week visiting, and we are taking it easy. =)

Sunday: steaks, sauteed squash, roasted potatoes
Monday: taco salad, guacamole
Tuesday: grilled hot dogs, homemade kraut, salad
Wednesday: dinner out, mom’s last night with us
Thursday: Italian sausage, peppers and onion, salad, potatoes
Friday: Homemade pizzas
Saturday: BLTs, salad, green beans

It is going to be a super simple week! Next week will probably look just like this, with tuna fish sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches on the menu. =)

What’s for dinner at your house?

Menu Monday {July 5, 2015} the one with the cast iron skillet

by Meghan // July 6, 2015 // Comments off

This week I will be using the cast iron skillet almost every night for either the meat or veggie portion of our dinner, and some nights for both!

Here is our menu this week:

Menu Monday Week of July 5

Sunday: cast iron skillet pork chops, sautéed squash and onions, salad
Monday: baked chicken, green beans, diced potatoes in cast iron skillet
Tuesday: spaghetti, salad, homemade bread
Wednesday: fried minute steak, sautéed zucchini and onion, roasted potatoes
Thursday: dinner out
Friday: Homemade whole wheat pizza
Saturday: beef and rice bake, salad, sliced tomatoes, pineapple

Snacks will be fruits like bananas, apple with peanut butter, and homemade granola if I get around to it. Breakfast will again, be rotated eggs, oatmeal, and peanut butter toast for my non-egg eater (who used to LVOE eggs, btw).

What’s for dinner at your house this week?

Menu Monday {June 28} the one with garden veggies!

by Meghan // June 29, 2015 // Comments off

This week we are eating a lot of meat, but I will be able to cook double portions of most things for leftovers (thankfully). Since Ila is eating all our foods now, and my 4.75yo eats as much as I do, leftovers have been slim lately!

Here is our menu this week:

Menu Monday Week of June 28

Sunday: breakfast- country ham, eggs, toast with peanut butter
Monday: spaghetti with salad, bananas
Tuesday: hamburger skillet (I will have a post for this soon! The kids loved it)
Wednesday: grilled all beef hot dogs, homemade kraut, salad, watermelon
Thursday: dinner out (this will soon end when we live in the boone docks!)
Friday: chicken and rice bake (but not baked … because my baking dish is still packed), salad, mango
Saturday: steaks, grilled squash, grilled corn, sliced tomato

We have started getting lots of fresh veggies from the garden, so we will be grilling (and hopefully freezing) lots of them for meals!

What’s for dinner at your house this week?

Menu Monday {June 21, 2015} The one with meatballs ..

by Meghan // June 22, 2015 // Comments off

So, I used to do Menu Monday- it was just food and kitchen tips or recipes. But this is actually Menu PLAN Monday. As mentioned in my first post, menu planning is my challenge area, so hopefully this hold me accountable.

For the week of June 21, 2015:

Sunday- Beef and Rice bake
Monday- Breakfast
Tuesday- BBQ meatballs, corn, salad,
Wednesday- Chicken fried rice, salad
Thursday- Pork loin or chops, potatoes, green beans
Friday- Dinner out
Saturday- Burgers and steaks on the grill, salad, veggies kabobs

So, this one is titled, “the one with meatballs” but chances are, every week you will see meatballs on the menu. =) When we lived in York, Lexie’s violin lessons were in the evening about the same time I would be preparing dinner. So we made every Tuesday meatball night- the kids could help/watch me make bbq meatballs, we would put them in the oven, make a salad, and come home from violin to our favorite meal! And I just couldn’t bring myself to put anything else on Tuesday’s menu this week…

For breakfast, we will rotate egg sandwiches (the little Mister’s favorite), banana oatmeal, peanut butter toast, and I owe the hubby some pancakes (once I find my flour canister) so I guess blueberry pancakes. =)

What’s for dinner at your house this week?

World’s Best Whole Wheat, Homemade Brownies {with dairy free options}

by Meghan // June 17, 2015 // Comments off

This brownie recipe uses WHOLE, REAL foods, like freshly milled whole wheat flour, sucanat, and coconut oil. These takes just like good, ole’ fashioned brownies. *yum*

You really can’t go wrong with a homemade brownie- everyone loves them and it is a simple way to include the kids in the kitchen, and spend a little extra time with them. And add in some math lessons for an added homeschool bonus!

Delicious, Whole Wheat, Super Chocolate Brownies

25 minutes

Number of servings: 16

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Delicious, Whole Wheat, Super Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut oil for dairy free, or 1 cup butter

Instructions

Mix or beat slowly they: sugar, cocoa, eggs, and vanilla
Gradually add in flour and salt (it will be suuuper thick)
Blend in the oil/butter
add any extras you like: chocolate chips, nuts, etc
Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch pan. bake at 350 for 20 minutes
Now, I will tell you that I normally bake my brownies in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, and take them out a few minutes before they're "done," because I like a chewy brownie. I went ahead and did these in a 9x13 pan, and they were a bit dry to me after baking for 18 minutes. So, adjust accordingly.

What’s your favorite, simple dessert?

Menu Monday {the first .. I think}

by Meghan // June 15, 2015 // Comments off

I am the world’s worst about menu planning for several weeks at a time, and then going weeks without planning ahead much at all. So I am joining many, many bloggers out there for a weekly Menu Monday post.

It will hold me accountable, and help my readers as well! I hope y’all will leave comments helping me with menu ideas- I get so stuck with breakfast, especially. For right now, my menus will consist of just dinner. Then I will expand into daily menus as I get better with it. This category is something I really need to work on, so I thought holding myself accountable here will be good!

Here we go:

Week of June 14, 2015

Sunday: spaghetti from freezer with family-recipe Italian (romaine lettuce) salad, fruit
Monday: minute steak and gravy, oven roasted vegetables, and green beans
Tuesday: roasted chicken, sautéed asparagus, cinnamon glazed carrots
Wednesday: (my house will be completely packed up for our move the following day, so probably Fried Chicken from the best restaurant in town: Chances R.
Thursday: hamburgers, all beef hot dogs on the grill, homemade baked chips, salad
Friday: breakfast- eggs, pork sausage, whole wheat biscuits or pancakes, fruit
Saturday: beef fajitas, homemade tortillas, avocado, fruit

So… those are my dinner menu plans for the week! i hope these weekly posts will help me stretch my horizons and stay out of menu ruts. These are some of my basic, go-to recipes.

What are your go-to dinners?

Giant Dairy Free Skillet Cookie Recipe

by Meghan // May 18, 2015 // Comments off

What’s better than a giant chocolate chip cookie, you ask?

How about a giant, dairy free if necessary, chocolate chip cookie cooked in your cast iron skillet?!

Yes. That is better.

Many Saturday mornings in our home are spent playing and reading while watching PBS- This Old House, Home Time, Woodwright’s Workshop, and of course the Master, Martha! (Stewart that is…)

So here, is a little different take on her recipe for a giant, cast-iron skillet cookie!

Giant Dairy Free Skillet Cookie Recipe

20 minutes

Number of servings: 8

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Giant Dairy Free Skillet Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

6 TBsp expeller pressed coconut oil (room temperature or a little softer)
1/3 c packed dark-brown sugar (I have used sucanat instead of brown sugar before, and it is juast as good)
1/2 c sucanat
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c whole wheat, pastry, or all purpose flour (I have used all of them and thought each one turned out great)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp real, pink salt
1 c semisweet Ghiradelli chocolate chips (this brand is dairy free; always check your label though)
10" cast iron skillet

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350*
In a large bowl, mix: coconut oil & sugars
stir in egg and vanilla
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt
Lastly stir in your chocolate chips
Pour into your 10" cast iron skillet, smooth the top, pop in the oven
Bake until cookie is golden brown and just firm in the middle (about 18-20 minutes)
Let cool
Pour a big ole glass of milk and ENJOY!

This is SO good; you could change up your add-ins by using walnuts, raisins, peanut butter chips, etc.

This is fast, easy, and delicious!