Prepping Your Pantry for the Holidays

Photo by La Fattina

As I see it, there are four food categories that make the Christmas holidays different than the rest of the year. There is social-event food, like the appetizer you'll take to your sister's open house or the pies you will make when you have the neighbors over for dinner. There is big-family-dinner food, the traditional turkey-and-trimmings or your own version of what befits the holiday family meal(s). There is holiday food, like peppermint fudge and cookies. And there is gift-giving food, which could be a bottle of wine for a hostess gift or an elaborate arrangement of all those cookies and jars of preserves and summer sausages and your grandmother's baklava.

I love food. I love holiday food, whether it's candy corn in October, turkey and dressing in November, or cookies and spiced cider in December. That's my version of holiday food, and I'm sure you have your own. The point is, though, that the food requirements go up, way up, during these months. It can break your budget (over and over again) if you don't do some planning ahead.

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The 10 Essentials: Getting Organized for the Holidays

Photo by Lin Pernille Photography

Don't panic.
You still have time.
Take a breath.
Let's get one thing straight, before we step into organizing: you don't have to do anything this holiday season. Don't make cookies. Don't put up a tree. Don't host a party. Don't go caroling. Don't send cards. Don't do any of those things unless you want to. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice... whichever holiday is yours, make it yours.

That said, let's get to organizing. If you are choosing a minimalist holiday this year, good for you. If you're going the full gamut of holiday options, good for you. Either way, being organized will make your life calmer, more peaceful, and more enjoyable.

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Am I the only person whose menu is affected by the weather? I just looked up my 10-day weather forecast to help me decide what we'll be eating, and on what day, this week. Do other people do that? Can you stand eating hot soup on a warm day? Do you reject cold entrees on a chilly day? Does your menu change if it's raining? It's only at certain times of the year that I actually have to check. Summer will be, oh, HOT AS THE... well, hot. Uncomfortably hot, so there's no surprise there. Winter will be refreshingly, beautifully cold. In between is where the surprises hit me. I keep planning soup and getting 85 degree days. This week I'm looking ahead.

Monday: (Sunny; High 84/Low 59) We have a 7pm meeting on Mondays, so I'll make a big batch of vegetable stir fry and rice noodles that we can eat in a hurry, or even on the way if necessary. Plus there will be extra to nosh on when we get home (around 10, probably) if we're still hungry. Who am I kidding with the "if"? I'm four months pregnant; I'm always still hungry.

Tuesday: (Rainy; High 71/Low 58). It's DATE NIGHT, so I won't be cooking a dinner meal. I might whip up some blackberry muffins in the morning. I have just enough blackberries from my summer berry picking, bagged and frozen, needing to be used. I like muffins.

Wednesday: (Showers; High 68/Low 51). Now we're getting into my kind of weather. Cooler. I even like gray, rainy days. I didn't get to that fresh tomato soup I had on the menu last week, so this might be the night for that. Or maybe chicken enchilada soup. Guess which one my husband would like better.

Thursday: (Sunny; High 74/Low 52). My Memaw died last Thursday. She was sick, and it wasn't unexpected, but it's still sad and I feel bereft. I lost my other Grandmother in May of this year, so now I have only one grandparent left, my mom's dad. And Memaw was my Mom's mom, so it's one more link to my Mom gone, which makes me sad too. I pulled out Mom's recipe book, which I haven't really looked at since I brought it home last year. I found her chicken and dumplings recipe, and it sounds exactly like what I want. Actually, what I want is to be sitting in Memaw's kitchen watching her and Mom argue over how much milk to add. Weather really had nothing to do with this menu choice... weather of the soul, I guess...

Friday: (Sunny; High 75/Low 55). Since Thursday night meal was for me, and since my dear sweet wonderful husband doesn't really like chicken and dumplings but won't ever complain about it, I will make Friday's dinner for him: some kind of cheesy hamburger pasta casserole-type thing. I know that's kind of vague... I'll come up with a recipe before then. This is his version of ultimate comfort food. Everybody should get some comfort this week. He will have just finished his first full week at the new job. Perfect time for a congratulatory comfort dish.

Saturday: (Showers; High 67/Low 52). Since it's another rainy, cool day, soup is on the menu. I love soup. I'll make whichever one I didn't make on Wednesday, along with a Crustless Jarlsberg Quiche. It's also a recipe from my Mom's book, but a newer addition that I don't remember her having made. I think it was in the "to be tried" category. (She had a lot in that category. So do I.) Sounds amazing, I love quiche, and I really don't like making crusts. It's on.

Sunday: (Showers; High 66/Low 50). Sunday is an iffy cooking day. I keep it simple. I don't plan anything elaborate, because we often end up going to eat with my in-laws (always a yummy good time) or out to lunch with friends from church. If it's one of the rare Sundays when we come straight home, we'll have a) leftovers, b) cold cereal, c) sandwiches, or d) some sort of amazing concoction Joe comes up with while I feed the kids bananas and left-over quiche. He's a great Sunday short-order cook.

Monday: HA ha ha! You actually thought I had something planned that far away?

(Sorry. Couldn't resist. But you don't get next Monday's meal until, well, next Monday...)

Are you menu planning? If you're not, click on the button at the top of the post and get in on the fun. Yes, I said fun. And I meant it, too!

I think, technically, this is a pie because cobblers generally are made with lumps of a biscuit-like dough dropped into the fruit filling, and this is decidedly not that method. However, every year on my birthday when my Mom made me a blackberry cobbler because it is my very favorite dessert of all time, she used pie crust and a berry filling similar to this. And she called it cobbler. Technicalities aside, I'm calling it cobbler too.  This is my own version of our family "cobbler." By the by, you could use another berry - raspberry or strawberry - or a mixture, or any other fruit really - peaches, apples, etc. But really, can anything beat fresh summer-sweet blackberries? I think not.

You will need:

Method:

Gently wash and pick over the fresh blackberries. Put into a tightly sealable container with the sugar. (Use only as much sugar as needed to get the berries sweet enough.) Stir gently. Stick in refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. The berries will release lots of juice and you will want to eat them all just like that. But resist the urge and continue on.

Preheat the oven to 350. Get your double pie crust and roll it out into one large roughly circular shape. Grease the bottom of your pie plate. Loop the pie crust over your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie plate. The edges will overlap. This is good. Do not trim them. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust. Now get those berries that you haven't eaten yet.

Dump the berries right in the middle of the pie crust. Yum. Yes, juice will probably run out between the crust and the pie plate. This is okay, because you greased your pie plate, remember? (I use butter to grease mine.) Your cobbler should look something like this now:

Now dice the 4 T. of butter and sprinkle over the top of the blackberries, then sprinkle with the 2 T. of flour.

Gently fold the excess pie crust up and over the mound of scrumptious looking blackberries. This is not a perfectionist pie so take it easy. Just flip them up and over. They may or may not cover the entire pie. Make sure there are some little vents for steam to escape. Poke a couple of holes if needed.

Now slide your pie plate onto a cookie sheet (just in case the juices run over) and then into your preheated oven. Cook for about 20 minutes until the crust is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and try not to drool. Scoop in large helpings into bowls and top with ice cream or whipped cream (the real stuff, please, not the nasty Cool Whip junk - blackberries deserve the best). Serve immediately to your friends and family if you're feeling generous. Or just eat it all yourself!

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This is my go-to recipe for a basic, good bread. It's strong enough for sandwiches and can easily be shaped into rolls rather than a loaf. I've made it all white or with a mix of white and whole wheat flour, and it's always risen beautifully and tasted wonderful. The recipe is from Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition, which my Mom gave me on my 17th birthday. It's been my favorite cookbook ever since.

I often double the recipe and stick half the dough in the fridge after the first rise so we can have more fresh bread later in the week. It also makes great pizza dough - just roll out into pizza shape after the first rise, then bake at 350 for 10 minutes or so, until just beginning to brown. When you're ready for pizza, top the pre-cooked crust with sauce, cheese, and topping, and bake at 350 until everything is warm and melty.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (I use SAF yeast.)

1/4 cup warm water

2 T. sugar

3 cups bread flour (I just use all purpose flour.)

2 cups warm water (I use half milk, half water sometimes.)

1 T. melted butter (Sometimes I double the butter amount, sometimes I leave it out altogether. Depends on how luxurious I'm feeling at the time. The bread is good either way.)

1 T. salt

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour (all purpose white or wheat)

Mix the yeast, water, and sugar in a small bowl until the yeast is dissolved and frothy, about 5 minutes.

In large bowl, combine the flour, the yeast mixture, the water, butter, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add the remaining flour by half-cupfuls until the dough is moist but not sticky. You may need more or less flour. The dough should begin pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

Knead the dough for 5 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Butter or oil the sides and bottom of a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning it once to coat. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Gently press the dough down and divide into two pieces. Grease 2 loaf pans (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches) and place half the dough in each pan. Let rise until again doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 and cook the loaves for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and hollow sounding when tapped. Remove from pans and let cool on wire rack... or just go ahead and cut yourself a piece as soon as you can and eat it ravenously. It's great with butter and honey.

Tools of Simple Lunches

To-go containers
Leftovers
Non-cook options
Heated options
Prepared fresh food

Using the Tools

To-Go Containers
For those who must take their lunches or prepare them for others who take them to work or school, your choice of to-go containers can make lunch simple or complicated. Disposable, restaurant-style boxes are a good option if you find that your Tupperware never makes it home. Yes, it is more waste and more recycling, but if your plastic containers disappear you have to replace them. Better to replace paper than plastic.

A good thermos is indispensable for colder weather. Sandwich bags, zipper-type bags, paper lunch bags, plastic wrap, foil: there are endless options. The best way is to determine what type of lunches you will be making regularly, then stock up on containers that work for you. If you, your spouse, and/or your child will bring home reusable containers, they are best. If not, get something inexpensive and make of recycled materials if possible, and keep a good supply on hand.

Leftovers
You can provide almost every lunch from left-over dinner meals, if you so choose. Make more than is needed for dinner for your family, and go ahead and portion it out into the appropriate lunch container before dinner. Don't feel that you have to wait until everyone has eaten and scrape up what is left. If you know you have more than enough, remove the part that will be someone's lunch. We tend to eat as much as we see available: more if there is more, less if there is less. Help fight obesity and remove the lunch portion before it disappears at dinner! Read the rest of this entry »

The Tools of Simple Breakfasts

To-go breakfast edibles
Options: non-cook, quick-cook, make-ahead
A well-stocked freezer
A specific breakfast time

Using the Tools

To-Go Breakfast Edibles
Every now and then, or perhaps more often than that, you're going to have a morning that just won't come together. It's best to be prepared and keep a supply of breakfast items that can be eaten en route. Granola bars, protein bars, bananas or apples, or any of the multitude of breakfast bars are all good options. Except for the fruit, all of those options are rather over-processed to be a healthy choice for every day. But when you're in a pinch and you know it, it is better to eat something processed than nothing at all. Combine a banana or apple with a protein bar and you won't be doubling over from hunger at mid-morning.

Options: Non-Cook, Quick-Cook, and Make-Ahead
Non-cook options include cereal and milk, yogurt and granola, fresh fruit of any kind, bagels, and smoothies.
Quick-cook options include oatmeal, cream of wheat type cereals, toast, and eggs.
Make-ahead options include breakfast casseroles and any baked goods you make yourself: muffins, scones, biscuits, etc.
The idea is not to have all of the options listed above and pick your way through them each morning. We're going for simple. Knowing your morning schedule and approximately how much time you have both to prepare, eat, and clean up breakfast, you need to choose the options that best fit. If you're looking at ten minutes, go for the non-cook options, preferably those with little or no cleaning needed, like fruit and bagels. Add a glass of milk to get some protein. If you have twenty to thirty minutes, you could opt for one of the quick-cook options. Twenty minutes is enough time to make toast, scramble an egg, eat, and put your dishes in the dishwasher. Thirty minutes is enough time to make oatmeal, cream of wheat, or an omelet, eat, and clean up.
The make-ahead options could work for shorter or longer time periods, if you have the time and desire to make breakfast the night before. You can put together a breakfast casserole while you're cleaning up dinner (or during your extended weekly prep time) and keep it in the refrigerator. In the morning, simply pop it in the oven while you shower and dress, then take fifteen minutes to sit and eat. Or if you enjoy baking, make up a batch of muffins or scones. You can go ahead and cook them so they're ready to grab on your way out the door, or you can get the batter from the refrigerator, cook them while you get ready, and enjoy them warm and fresh.
What you don't want to do is take on more than your morning can accomodate. Don't try to make an omelet if you have to leave in ten minutes. Save those labor-intensive, more elaborate breakfasts for the weekends. Waffles, pancakes, and the like are great as a Saturday morning brunch or a Sunday evening meal. Read the rest of this entry »

The Tools of Simple Weeknight Meals

A weekly meal plan
A well-stocked pantry
An uncomplicated kitchen
A weekly grocery trip
One extended prep time per week
Simple staples
Leftovers

Using the Tools

A Weekly Meal Plan
There is menu planning, and then there is life. The two don't go together very well. You can plan all you want to make that beef stroganoff and rice pilaf and chocolate mousse on Tuesday evening, but when the washer breaks and floods the basement on Tuesday afternoon, your dearest plans are (literally) washed away. We don't know exactly what a day will throw at us. After unexpected and stressful situations, there is nothing worse than realizing you have nothing to eat that will not demand an hour's prepping and cooking time. Not good.

A weekly meal plan is sort of like a menu, but allows for ahead-of-time preparation and flexibility. Assuming you will eat out one night per week, you are left with six nights that demand some sort of meal for yourself and your family. A weekly meal plan could be as simple as this: 1) Pasta, 2) Soup, 3) Chicken, 4) Sandwiches, 5) Fish, 6) Slow Cooker. You can have the same kind of pasta, soup, chicken, etc. every week if you want to, or you can mix it up a little and do a different pasta sauce and a new kind of slow cooker dish. You have six options, however, and you shop for and prepare for the six options each week. Then, whatever the day throws at you, you have food that is planned and somewhat prepared and requires little more time or effort from you. Read the rest of this entry »

Variety is the spice of life, but when it comes to food and sanity, repetition is key to success. Food can be as complicated or as simple as you allow it to be. Most of us don't spend much time thinking and planning, so menus and meals become a complex and frustrating burden. The truth is, we eat the same things most of the time. If we would plan for that and learn to shop ahead and prepare ahead just a little more than we usually do, meals can become simple and enjoyable. When you don' t have to scramble and spend lots of time in the kitchen for every meal, you might find yourself wanting to make something a little extra, like a new dessert or loaf of bread.

You don't need to feel bad about feeding your family the same things more often than not. We all like what is familiar; there is something very comfortable about knowing what to expect. Introducing new foods and recipes comes much easier when you are not stressing about every meal. Let simple routines take the place of the frantic look through the refrigerator. Let a well-stocked pantry take the place of last-minute runs to the grocery store. Let easy, fresh side dishes take the place of over-processed mixes. Simplicity in your meals does not mean you only eat bread and water; it means you stick to what you know, plan ahead, and add in new dishes as your time and budget allows.

Go to Simple Living: Weeknight Meals
Go to Simple Living: Breakfast
Go to Simple Living: Lunches

Warming, filling, great for emptying out the pantry and the refrigerator. The meat or vegetables can be substituted for others as you have available.