By: Cinco de Mayo – Enchilada Casserole — your homebased mom

Cinco de Mayo – Enchilada Casserole — your homebased mom — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:23:06 +0000

[...] Salsa Verde Carnitas [...]

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:35:36 +0000

Hm, all I remember eating in college was really, really good, unhealthy food, courtesy of the BYU creamery! I also remember stocking up on my meal card points, and buying lots of pizza pockets at the end of each month…all very detrimental to someone with a gluten intolerance….Wish i’d had a crock pot in my dorm!!

By: samarahuel

samarahuel — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:16:45 +0000

I didn’t go to college, but some of the first things I cooked as a newlywed were:
-Tacos: Brown ground beef with chopped onion and garlic, cumin, and oregano. Serve on tortillas with any choice of simple toppings like tomato, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc. I make my own tortillas now that are excellent and not hard at all. I use a recipe from Orangette (http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/07/on-independence-day-and-tyranny-of-bad.html) but replace the shortening with butter and sometimes using whole wheat flour instead of white. One batch makes plenty, and they can be frozen and used for other meals or refrigerated for about a week.
-Spaghetti: Again, just browned ground beef with a jar of store-bought sauce and boiled pasta. I’ve been experimenting with making my own simple and quick tomato sauce, and the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated has a recipe that just might end my experimenting.
-Salad with Grilled Chicken: I remove the skin and bones from a chicken breast myself (but boneless/skinless might be easier) and cut into strips. I started by just marinating in Italian Dressing before cooking in a skillet, then I learned how to make a simple breading of breadcrumbs/cracker crumbs/crushed croutons, shredded Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pat chicken dry and dip into a beaten egg and then the breading to coat. Or, if you have no eggs just don’t pat the chicken dry and use its moisture to adhere the breading. Cook in a skillet with a little olive oil until cooked through and breading is golden. The chicken for your “Really Good Chicken and Noodles” is another technique I’d like to try for a salad. Leave the chicken in strips or cut into bite-size pieces and add to a salad. Here are some of my favorite combinations: 1)Any salad mix (I usually just use romaine, as I can buy a head and tear some up for salad, use a few leaves for sandwiches, etc.), dried cherries/cranberries, feta or goat cheese, & candied pecans (toast pecans in a dry, hot skillet, add white sugar and stir until sugar melts and caramelizes, coating the nuts. Remove from pan and cool, toss with a bit more white sugar before they cool if desired), raspberry walnut vinaigrette or poppyseed dressing. 2)Romaine, homemade bacon bits (chop bacon with scissors before sauteing, remove excess strips of fat as you chop if you like), chopped tomato or cherry tomatoes, and honey-mustard dressing (mix olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon, sugar, salt and pepper to taste). 3) Romaine, chopped apples, blue cheese/Gorgonzola, toasted and/or candied walnuts (same as candied pecans) with poppyseed dressing or a mild vinaigrette. 4) Romaine, homemade croutons (chop any bread–good time to use up stale bread–into cubes, toss with enough melted butter mixed with garlic powder and salt to coat the cubes, spread on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, stirring occasionally), grated/shaved Parmesan, Caesar dressing (I recommend Newman’s Own). 5) Romaine or spinach, fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), homemade bacon bits, feta/goat cheese, green onion, and poppyseed dressing.
-French Toast, scrambled eggs, omelets: many breakfast foods are reasonably cheap, easy, and nutritious
-Oven Roasted vegetables: wash & chop, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven until they are tender. My favorites are asparagus, cauliflower (can add shredded Parmesan when done cooking), Brussels sprouts (can drizzle with real maple syrup to serve), or a medley of sliced bell peppers, sliced onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and/or cherry tomatoes (keep in mind the tomatoes release a lot of liquid and zucchini can become mushy easily) with or without a minced clove of garlic.
-Soups are a great way to start learning to cook. Endless variety, fairly easy, and lots of nutrients in one pot.

By: Annie Pazoo

Annie Pazoo — Sat, 09 May 2009 13:41:50 +0000

These look so fantastic — and my husband is a fantastic cook so I’m gonna ask HIM to make them for me!. Happy Mother’s Day, HBM!

By: Courtney

Courtney — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:40:14 +0000

That sounds great! I just got some pork for .99 a pound and I was wondering what to do with it. Thanks!

Comments on: Salsa Verde Carnitas

By: Cinco de Mayo – Enchilada Casserole — your homebased mom

By: Stephanie

By: samarahuel

By: Annie Pazoo

By: Courtney