Stew on this.

We're beginning to settle into a schedule in our household. However, just because we have a schedule to follow doesn't mean it's a simple one.

The long story short is that we only have one night during the work/school week that is available for a family meal. And this past week we ended up being booked then too.

So my challenge is to plan meals that can be eaten at different times, and quickly.

Enter Crockpot Stews & Soups, stage right:

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew





Yes, this is the stock photo, because while rushing around to serve and eat it, I forgot to take a picture. Now, my husband, being the good German he is, expressed concern that the recipe had no potatoes. Honestly, I'm trying to avoid potatoes - too much starch! So, I compromised and served it over rice, which seemed to work. I also left out the mushrooms (hubby is fungi-phobic), and the peas...mostly because they go in at the end, and I forgot them.

As beef stews go, it was OK. I'm not much of a beef stew fan actually, and it just seemed like it was missing something. So, if you make it, and figure out what completes the dish, let me know!

Zumba Chili!

I have been wanting to try Zumba for quite some time. I even signed up for a course at the college this summer, but for some reason it was cancelled before the first meeting. So, when I saw that a new teacher was starting a class at the Olney Skateland on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:30, I thought, "What the heck?"

But - this required some planning. Our busy family wouldn't all be home until 6:30 - and we'd be pretty hungry! So, the trusty crock-pot came in handy again, and what better to eat after some hot Zumba?




Zumba Chili!

It's so simple - mix a 14 oz can of tomato sauce, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, a can of corn, a can of black beans and a can of kidney beans with a packet of chicken taco seasoning and a teaspoon of chili powder in a crock-pot. Then, add 3 chicken breasts, and cook on low for 10 hours. Shred the chicken by pulling it apart with tongs. Serve it in a bowl with cheese, sour cream, or whatever else you like!

I'll admit, I left out the corn (hubby is not a fan of corn), and chili powder (daughter is not a fan of hot stuff, after an incident with jalapeño corn bread at the age of 2. No - we didn't know it was jalapeño corn bread - and didn't understand why she was making such a fuss over the nice piece of cornbread served with her hot dog...).

It was good! After it cooked all day, I tasted it and also added some garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and a wee bit of lemon juice. The prep took me all of 10 minutes in the morning, and the post-cook seasoning took 5 minutes tops. It was light, yet filling after a kick-butt Zumba class!

And you're wondering how the Zumba class went? I came home drenched in sweat, tired, and with a lower back that paid the price for using my "Latin hips" for an hour. It was great! I think Zumba will be a good "change-up" to my cycling-running cardio routines.

As for the dance element...well, I went in figuring, "I may look like a fool, but dang it, I'm going for it!" I think this meme perhaps sums it up...





...except I'm not giving it up for yoga. And, if anyone in O-Town is free on Wednesday nights at 5:30...come join me in making a fool of myself...and having a dang fun time doing it!

She drives me crazy...

Or, more specifically, she's driving. My baby - behind the wheel - all by herself!

We visited the local DMV, and found that one of the blessings of a small town is not having to dedicate a day to any interaction with that governmental agency - we hit at a good time, got in and out in 20 minutes.

But, even so, I needed to whip up a celebration meal in short order - so this was my choice.

Tonight's yumminess:




Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

The "busy girl" shortcut - instead of roasting and removing the skin of the peppers myself, I used a jar of roasted red peppers, found at your local megamart, near the pickles. Also, I didn't add any additional olive oil, because the roasted red peppers came marinated in olive oil, and when I food processed them, they had the desired consistency as-is.

Another shortcut - the cheese on top is shredded Italian cheese blend, found in a tub in the dairy department of (you guessed it) your local megamart.

Oh yeah - I served garlic toast too! My garlic toast is just that, Italian bread, toasted under the broiler, and after one side is browned, I rub a raw clove of garlic on the toast. It's surprising how much flavor the garlic gives the bread, with no additional oil or butter.

This was a very simple, 15 minute meal that tastes as fancy as a foo-foo specialty dish at an Italian restaurant. The pesto would be great on grilled chicken as well - so I'm looking forward to trying that tweak very soon!

Keeping it simple.

Dinner tonight:
A plate of Basil Infused Oil with grated Italian cheeses and freshly ground black pepper, smoked Gouda, smoked Swiss and creamy Havarti cheeses, Italian bread, grapes, peanuts, and a glass of Berryville 319.

Yum.