Pressure Cooking

So, I’m in the market for a pressure cooker. The pressure cooker I remember was my mother’s. I believe it was yellow, kinda scary, and I only have one real memory of it that I seem to have blocked out because all I can remember is sitting at the counter and Mom yelling ‘Be careful!’ I wonder what happened to it...

Chefs of all kinds, professional and not so much, swear by pressure cookers these days.

The safety issue has kept me away from pressure cookers. I, with two little baboons running around underfoot, do not need something exploding and clinging to the ceiling! Actually, that’s a normal day in our household, so I guess the thing is - I don’t need to buy an expensive apparatus to add to the chaos. ;-)

However, I’m hearing lots a good things about the virtues of pressure cooking, namely – TIME. Something moms don’t have enough of on a good day.

Pressure cooking allows you to cook a meal in less time. For example I make a Pork Chop Stew in my slow cooker (very yummy, recipe will be tomorrow's post); between preparation, such as browning the meat, it takes about 30 minutes to just get it in the slow cooker. Then the slow cooker needs to be going all day, at least 7 hours. It is good, yes, and it totally frees up suppertime for other things like, oh I don’t know, relaxing with a cup of tea and colouring with the kids. But you have to be organized and on the ball and you need to know what you’re making for supper the night before if the pork chops reside in the freezer.

With a pressure cooker, you can decide 45 minutes before supper what you’re making, prepare it, cook it, serve it. No real organization required as far as I can see, except thawed meat. Not only that, but: less time spent cooking = less energy wasted = better for the environment. Look at me, I'm going green!

There are lots of days that I am organized, but there are still plenty of days that I just don’t have a brain cell left to think about supper and PB&J sandwiches with a banana on the side is served. (This will probably happen anyway, pressure cooker or no.)

So I’m going to research and buy one, use it and let you know…

Thanks for reading.

Menu Planning and Organization

Busy mothers all around the globe get doubly stressed at dinner time (and other meal times) because its hard to know what to make...unless, that is, you have a plan.

That's where Menus4Moms.com comes in. It's a F*R*E*E* resource! Once a week you are emailed a five-day meal plan for your most rushed meal - supper. The weekly email even comes with its very own shopping list. Another plus is, the recipes and meals are not fancy-schmancy! They're straight and to the point, which on a weekday, whether you're a working mom or a stay-at-home-mom, is welcome.

The website is also loaded with helpful articles regarding organization and frugal living, as well as homeschooling AND there is a relatively active Discussion Board.

Check them out!

Thanks for reading!
PS: It has been a long time since I have posted anything on my blogs, and I do apologize!

Turkey Leftovers - What To Do With Them?

This holiday season we were given a HUGE turkey! Eighteen and a half pounds of gobble-gobble for four of us. Well, actually, two of us because Gavin is still 'on the boob' exclusively and Emma might have eaten a tablespoonful. It was a big turkey - lots 'o leftovers!

So after the next day's turkey sandwiches and pot of turkey soup was made, we still had lots of turkey, and still do.

One quick, easy and yummy way to use up some of those leftovers follows.

***
Quick, Easy, Yummy Turkey Casserole

1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing for Turkey
2 cups Leftover Turkey Meat, cubed
1 Tbsp Summer Savoury
Salt and Pepper To Taste
3 cups Frozen Broccoli Florets, thawed
1 Tbsp Margarine
3 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare stuffing as per package. Set aside.

In a prepared 8"x8" baking pan, or like sized casserole dish, spread out meat. Sprinkle with seasonings. Then layer thawed broccoli over top.

In a sauce pan, over medium-low heat, melt margarine. Whisk in flour and milk. Whisk until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese. Pour sauce over meat and broccoli.

Evenly top with prepared stuffing and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

***

Thanks for reading and Enjoy!

[Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: This recipe was adapted from a recipe on the side of a Stove Top Stuffing box.]

Recipes and Cooking

I do love to cook! And finding new and exciting recipes is a passion. There are quite a few websites that are great for finding new recipes as well as new information and techniques.

Cooking.com is one of those websites!


Another great resource is sendmerecipes.com! Really fabulous program that delivers new and exciting recipes to your desktop everyday. Not to mention loads of free eCookbooks and other exciting stuff!


I hope you enjoy these little tidbits! ;-)

Thanks for reading and Happy Tuesday!

Holiday Recipe Blog: Artichoke Dip with Pretzels

Favourite Recipe For Holiday Gatherings

Everyone should have at least one recipe they can make easily and bring to a gathering. This is one of mine:

Simple And Yummy Onion Dip

1 package Dry Onion Soup Mix
500ml Sour Cream
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together and let stand in the refrigerator for 8 hours or over night.

Enjoy with chips, crackers, and vegetables!

Thanks for reading!