Category Archives for Recipes

OMG

My house looks like about 23 moms, 4 dads, and 33 kids came in, chowed down, hung out for a while, and left behind a couple of tall kitchen trash bags each.  Oh wait – that really happened!  Hopefully A&E isn’t roaming the neighborhood looking for candidates for the next episode of Hoarders, because I’d be a contender.

It was a great day, and once again I forgot to take photos because I was so busy sitting around chatting.  Aliya ran the check-in table and she was seriously a huge help.  We collected gifts for 61 kids!

I don’t know what I was thinking when I signed up (and pre-paid!) for a 1 1/2-hour Zumba class this afternoon, but I can’t move without groaning, so the clean-up will have to wait.  A lot of people wanted recipes for the brunch menu, so I’ve attached a pdf to this post that you should be able to download by clicking here.  These recipes were previously included in our “Family Food” cookbook, which is why they’re already so nicely formatted.  BTW…the photo below was on the cover of our 2005 Family Food submission, and it’s one of my all-time favorites.  Aliya got a little too close to Choco-Monster, but she was more acquiescent back then.  It wouldn’t go over so well today.

The soup has not yet been included in Family Food…it’s from the New England Soup Factory Cookbook, which I highly recommend.  If you haven’t been to the NESF, it’s in Needham near my office and we are frequent customers.  I was a little worried when I was making the soup because honestly, it doesn’t look that appetizing.  It was my first time making it and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to serve it but I just forged ahead.  I’m glad I did!

Cheddar-Corn Chowder with Bacon and Scallions

1 pound uncooked bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon.)
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium red bliss potatoes, diced into 3/4-inch cubes
6 cups chicken stock (I used 8 cups because I didn’t want to throw it away.)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 cans (each 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained (I used frozen corn.)
2 cans (each 16 ounces) creamed corn
1 pound (16 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups heavy cream
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 bunches scallions, sliced

Heat stockpot over medium-high heat and add the bacon.  Cook the bacon until brown and crispy.  Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on paper towels to drain.  Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the drippings and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes, stock, cayenne pepper, and coriander.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes.  Add the whole kernel corn, creamed corn, cheese, and cream.  Simmer an additional 7 minutes.  Season with the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.  Stir in the scallions and crispy bacon pieces.

Makes 10-12 servings (I used my crock pot to keep it hot, and one batch filled it to the rim.)

Big Salad

One advantage to being able to vent on the blog is that Ben always knows where I’m at mentally.  He came home today and made my favorite salad, and then took the kids to the movies.

I’m actually in a much better place today, because all of the kids took long naps…must be the cool, rainy weather.  I love this weather even though we missed the concert on the common because of it.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a great salad that travels well, here’s the recipe.  It’s DELICIOUS!!!

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, Melon, and Feta Salad

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cantaloupe
8 cups baby spinach leaves
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced diagonally

In a large measuring cup, whisk lemon juice with pepper, garlic, 1/2 cup oil, and 1/4 cup mint.  Pour half into a resealable plastic bag.  Add chicken to lemon juice mixture in bag, turning to evenly coat.  Press air out of bag then seal tightly.  Alternatively, place chicken in a shallow dish and pour in half the lemon juice mixture and cover with plastic wrap.  Marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.  To remaining lemon juice mixture, whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp oil and the salt.  Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Grease grill and preheat barbecue to medium.  Remove chicken from marinade, discarding any remaining marinade.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, then place on grill and barbecue until juices run clear, about 6 minutes per side.  Remove from barbecue and set aside.

Meanwhile, remove reserved dressing from fridge.  Peel cantaloupe, discard seeds and cut into very thin wedges.  Line 4 large salad plates with spinach.  When chicken is cool, slice each breast and fan onto each plate of spinach.  Arrange cantaloupe on spinach.  Sprinkle salads with cherry tomatoes, feta and green onion.  Drizzle to taste with remaining dressing.  Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp mint.

Serves 4.

Have Rum Cake, Will Travel

Today I played hooky and went on the kindergarten field trip to Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon.  It’s a decent zoo and the kids totally loved it.  They ran from one exhibit to the next (screaming all the way – ugh) and they were EXHAUSTED by the time they got back to school (so was I!).  According to Adlani, the highlights were the porcupines and when the goat ate our map in the petting zoo.  It wasn’t crowded and the weather was nice and cool, so it was a good day.  Hopefully we have continued good luck when Norah’s preschool class goes on the same field trip next week.

The first couple of field trips I chaperoned, I didn’t know any better so I rode the bus.  I don’t really mind riding the bus except that it makes me a little queasy sometimes, but it’s so much more fun to ride with my friends and get some mommy-time in on the way.  We had 5 kindergarten moms in Lana’s car and we have a total of 12 kids between us, so there was plenty of kid-talk and swapping of stories.  I don’t know what I’d do without reinforcement from other moms that we’re all dealing with similar challenges and handling them the best we can.

Lana gave me the brilliant idea of bringing rum cake for the ride, and it really hit the spot after a couple of hours at the zoo.  I think I’ve made that rum cake at least 50 times since I got the recipe a few years ago, and it’s really easy.  If you want to make rum cake for your next field trip, here’s the recipe:

Grease and flour a bundt pan, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the following:

1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/2 cup water
dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground clove

Pour over pecans in bundt pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Just before the cake is done, make the glaze:

Melt 1 stick of butter with 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup of rum, and 1/4 cup of water.  Boil for about 3 minutes.  When cake is done baking, pour glaze over it while the cake is still in the bundt pan.  Let the cake sit in the pan until cool, then invert onto a plate and chow down!