Canned Food Alliance’s message

Did you know that, in some cases, canned foods are actually MORE nutritious for us than their fresh, and typically much more costly counterparts?  I didn’t.  I’ve been operating under the assumption that fresher is ALWAYS better.  Turns out, after watching a video from the Canned Food Alliance that, I was wrong.  Or at least, slightly uneducated.

Did you know that canned pumpkin contains almost
3x the amount of Vitamin A than fresh cooked pumpkin?

Beyond being much easier on the wallet and shopping bill, canned foods last longer and are a big time saver when to a busy person’s day in the kitchen – or especially a busy, not-quite-as-experienced-in-the-kitchen person’s day in the kitchen(ette). 

The process of canning foods has been so perfected that the foods that go into the cans are even fresher when they’re finally cooked (in the can) than the ones that you’ve bought that may have come from across the country!

TwitterMoms has asked us to take a look at this really informative video (that you can watch from my sidebar to the left here) from the Canned Food Alliance and blog about our favorite recipe using at least 2 canned food items.  That’s pretty easy for me, since my cupboard (and recycling bin) is typically full of cans!

If you’ve been a reader for any length of time, you’ll know that I do rely on canned foods, especially on those nights when I’m caught off-guard by the “OMG, it’s 4 o’clock and I haven’t taken anything out for dinner” panic.

Here’s one of my family’s absolute FAVORITE meals, and one that I can literally throw together in less than an hour, usually in the morning, so it can ‘stew’ all day – but I’ve also been known to throw this together at 4pm and serve it at 5:15!

It’s also very cost effective, in that the veggies all can come from cans!

My ALL TIME FAVORITE Beef Stew

• 1 16oz can sliced carrots

• 2 16 oz cans potatoes (you can use whole or sliced)

• 1 4oz. can peas

• 2 lbs. stew meat – this particular time, I left the chunks big.

• 1 large onion, cut into chunks

• 2-4 Tbls flour or corn starch

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

In a big pot, brown the onions in the olive oil.  Add the stew beef and brown it.  It does not have to be cooked through.  Add water to cover the beef (plus maybe an extra inch).  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for a few hours. There’s really no wrong way to do so, as long as the meat becomes tender.  Add the carrots midway through.   After about 2 hours of simmer, add the peas and carrots.   Bring back to a boil.

In a bowl, add the 2-4 Tbls of flour and whisk a small amount of water into it until you’ve got a smooth mixture.  Slowly add this to the boiling stew – this will thicken your stew.  But be sure to do it slowly, and continue to stir as you add, or you’ll have chunks of flour in your stew. NOT COOL!

It’s really easy, and wonderfully YUMMY! :) 

As for spices –I add salt & pepper when I'm cooking the meat - but I leave this up to you and your preference. 

There you have it. It’s so hearty and incredibly delicious, especially paired with some yummy bread!

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About Canned Food Alliance

The Canned Food Alliance is a partnership of the American Iron and Steel Institute’s Steel Packaging Council, the Can Manufacturers Institute, select food processors and affiliate members.  The CFA serves as a resource for information on the nutrition, convenience, contemporary appeal and versatility of canned food.  The CFA is a proud supporter of the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Fruits and Veggies More Matters program.  For hundreds of mealtime solutions, visit www.mealtime.org.

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Super Easter Dinner

Happy Easter everyone!

We typically have the standard ham dinner for Easter.  This year, however, I felt like changing it up, so I took advantage of an excellent sale and bought a 6.5 lb rib roast.  I’ve always been leery of trying to make a prime rib because they’re NOT cheap, and if I screw it up, that’s a lot of money wasted.  But last night, I went online and found a very easy, very basic recipe at  RecipeTips.com and decided to try it.  I wanted an easy dinner without tons of prep work, and without a lot of  fuss.    The prime rib recipe was exactly that.

You  take it out and let it sit on the counter until it becomes room temperature. 

You sprinkle salt & pepper all over it, rubbing it in to make sure it sticks.

You put it in the pan.

You preheat the oven to 460.

You place the roast in the oven at 450 for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, you reduce the heat to 325.

You bake it for 11-13 minutes per pound.  I’d figured on 2 hours.  I was mistaken LOL

After about 30 minutes or so, you place your sweet potatoes (see below) in the oven as well.    Do it quickly so as not to let the oven cool off too much.

Then after about an hour – an hour and a half (from when you put it in), check the temperature with a meat thermometer.   Depending on how well done you want the roast, you then make the decision whether it needs to stay in.  The recipe said

 

 

My meat thermometer read 160 so I took it out quickly and tented it with foil while I hurriedly made the veggies LOL

After it had sat for about 10-15 minutes, I removed the foil and sliced.

Voila!

It was tender and absolutely YUMMY!!!!!

Baked Sweet Potatoes

As easy as it sounds.  Peel your sweet potatoes.  Wrap them individually in foil.  I typically put myine on a baking sheet because the natural sugars inside the potato will come out and drip and smoke, otherwise.  I bake them while I am baking the meat – whatever I might be making.

TI baked them for approximately 1 hour, but your time will vary, depending on the oven temp.  When you unwrap them, they will be “juicy” – from the natural sugars that have been released.  I put them in a bowl, cut them up with a butter knife, sprinkle with brown sugar and then butter.

 

Finally, I also made approximately 1/2 a bag of frozen green beans.  To make those, I put  2 cups of water in a pan, along with a couple of teaspoons of chicken bouillon.  I add the green beans and bring to a boil , then  I let simmer until they are tender.

 

Oh, and can’t forget the rolls!

The best part of all of this is that it doesn’t have to be for a holiday.  Although I spent about $32 on the roast, it will easily feed 4-6 people (adults) or more with kids! 

Beef Stew

This recipe has been handed down by several generations in my family. I am sharing it here simply because it’s SO good. :)

• 3 large carrots, sliced in 1/4” chunks
• 2 16 oz cans potatoes (not the way my nana made it but it’s all I had this week)
• 1 4oz. can peas
• 2 lbs. stew meat – this particular time, I left the chunks big.
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

In a big pot, brown the onions in the olive oil.  Add the stew beef and brown it.  It does not have to be cooked through.  Add water to cover the beef (plus maybe an extra inch).  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for a few hours. There’s really no wrong way to do so, as long as the meat becomes tender.  Add the carrots midway through.   After about 2 hours of simmer, add the peas and carrots.   Bring back to a boil.

In a bowl, add 1/4 cup of flour and whisk a small amount of water into it until you’ve got a smooth mixture.  Slowly add this to the boiling stew – this will thicken your stew.  It’s really easy, and wonderfully YUMMY! :) 

As for spices –I add salt & pepper when I'm cooking the meat - but I leave this up to you and your preference. 

Also, with regards to the potatoes - this was the first time I used canned potatoes, and they actually came out very good in this - typically, using real potatoes, while good - tends to make the potatoes get kind of mushy.  These stay firm but meld well with the flavors of the vegetables and meat. :)

Enjoy!

Steak & Summer Veggie Stir-fry

Sorry folks, I know I could come up with some sort of name for this, but it’s been a really long day and I just wanna post it before I forget to share it with you.

Steak & Veggie Stir-fry

1 fair-to-middlin sized zucchini, washed well (not peeled)
1/2 lg onion, sliced thin (not paper thin though)
1 Tbs. butter
1 cheapo steak, cut into 1/2 inch or smaller strips (I used bottom round)
garlic salt
tomatoes – 1 lrg fresh tomato or more if you really like tomatoes :)
pasta of your choice – I used spaghetti because I was out of angel hair

So, I had some leftover oven roasted tomatoes I’d made earlier this week so I used those but you could use some nice fresh ones too. Also, if you use fresh, throw in a clove or 4 of garlic, sliced thin.

1. 1. Melt butter in skillet. Toss in onions and let them begin to sweat while you’re slicing the zucchini into the pan as well. Cover and let them steam/sweat for a few minutes. Do not slice the zucchini TOO thin or it’ll fall apart, and this dish is much better when you can bite INTO the zucchini.
2. 2. While the veggies are cooking, slice up your steak. Also, put on a pot of water to boil for your pasta.
3. When veggies are tender (don’t let them get mushy), remove from skillet to a plate. Add pasta to boiling water.
4. 3. Place steak strips in same pan, and sprinkle with your garlic salt or other seasoning of choice. I used McCormick’s Pepper & onion seasoning. It’s my new favorite :)
5. 4. Simmer steak strips, turning once and being careful not to overcook. Once pasta is cooked, add veggies back to pan, then add drained pasta to skillet as well – toss gently and serve.

You might also sprinkle some parmesan over the top if you are so inclined. As well, some nice bread would finish this off perfectly!

I’ve also enjoyed this with chicken instead of beef. As well, I’ve enjoyed it without meat – but I prefer meat in everything!

Enjoy!

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London Broil au jus

London Broil au jus

• 4 (6 to 8 oz.) boneless sirloin steaks, about 1-inch thick
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbls. extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/4 Tbls. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 Tbls. sliced shallot
• 1/2 c. lower sodium beef broth
• 1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Position oven rack 6-8 inches from broiler. Heat broiler. Pat steaks dry with paper towel and rub well on both sides with cut sides of garlic clove. Discard garlic.

Season both sides with salt and pepper and place in large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet. Drizzle oil over steaks, turning so that both sides are covered with oil.

Broil for 5 minutes, turn and broil an addition 4 - 5 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and transfer steaks to a cutting board, leaving juices in skillet.

Place skillet on stovetop over medium-low heat; add 1/4 Tbls of the butter and shallot and cook until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add broth, increase heat to high and cook until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in remaining tablespoon of butter and thyme. Slice steaks, spoon sauce over the top and serve.

This was wonderful. I made it first with top sirloin, but actually liked it better with the london broil because the slices were nice & big! This was so good, even my very finicky mom ate it, asked for the recipe and made it when she went home!

Per Serving:
Cal. 420; fat 24g; protein 47g; carb. 1g

Low-carb Mexican Casserole

Low-carb Mexican Casserole

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 pkg taco seasoning mix
• 1/2 c. chopped green onion, divided
• 3/4 c. salsa
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped black olives
• 4 Tbls. sour cream

In a skillet, over medium-high heat, cook turkey. Stir in seasoning mix and remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread cooked turkey mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 the green onions over the turkey and top with salsa, then sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and hot. Garnish with the rest of the green onions, olives and a blob of sour cream.

LC serving suggestion: make taco chips from low-carb tortillas by cutting them into 8 sections, brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 400 for 5 minutes.

I can't make enough of this recipe. My family loves it and I have to double the recipe because they always come back for 2nds! Note, I do not use the black olives, which does remove 2 carbs from the the count.

Per Serving:
368 calories; 23g fat; 29g protein; 11g carbohydrate; 2g dietary fiber; 126mg cholesterol; 1172 sodium

tuscan meatballs

We picked up this recipe card from a Walmart Supercenter and I was shocked to find out how good it was.

I serve this on top of a bed of spaghetti squash and a salad and it's very filling. And best of all, it's fast. Prep Time: 19 min. Cook time 11 min.

• 1 lb. ground beef chuck
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sm. onion, finely chopped
• 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup thin sliced fresh basil leaves

In a medium bowl, mix beef, parmesan & chopped basil, 1 clove garlic, and egg until well blended. Shape into 24 meatballs (about 1 scant tablespoon each), 1 to 1-1/4 inches round.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until evenly browned, turning occasionally.

Add onion and remaining 2 cloves garlic; cook and stir 1 minutes. Increase temperature to medium-high heat. Stir in tomatoes, tomatoe paste, and salt. Reduce heat; cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked (internal temp of 160°f). Stir in strips of basil.

Per Serving: 187 cal, 13g fat, 49mg chol., 474 mg sodium, 3g carb, 16g protein, 1g fiber.

Enjoy!

Classic Salisbury Steak

Classic Salisbury Steak

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbls dry whole-wheat bread crumbs (I use low-carb breadcrumbs from 4c)
  
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 Tbls horseradish
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Tbls vegetable oil, divided
• 1 can beef broth
• 3 cups mushrooms, sliced (I leave these out)
  
• 2 Tbls cold water
• 2 tsp cornstarch

In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly, then shape into 4 oval 1/2 inch thick patties.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot and place patties in the skillet. Cook about 7 to 8 minutes or until no longer ink and juices run clear, turning ust once. Remove patties from skillet and keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute' mushrooms till soft. Remove mushrooms and add broth, using a wire whisk to scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Allow broth to simmer until slightly reduced. Mix cornstarch with cold water, mixing well until combined (no lumps!). Add to broth mixture and cook over medium heat (it needs to simmer) for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Add back the mushrooms and stir well, serving the mushroom gravy over patties.

Per Serving:
358 calories; 24g fat; 24g protein; 12g carb, 1 g dietary fiber; 79mb cholesterol; 381 sodium