Even though She’s Cookin’ has been posting quite a few meatless, vegetarian, and even vegan dishes – the man of the house, affectionately referred to as The Don, is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and, especially after traveling abroad, craves a succulent steak with a big ‘ole baked potato and all the fixins! Often times his craving is satisfied with a visit to Mastro’s Steakhouse in Costa Mesa where he can indulge in a prime, aged steak served on a 450° manly-man platter along with a monster shaken-not-stirred Ketel One martini or a selection from their extensive wine list (past favorites include Sea Smoke Pinot Noir and Frank Family or Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon).

But most of the time he enjoys being the master of his own grill, so off to the market I go looking for the best choice grade steak I can find. Prime grade steaks are available in finer meat markets or butcher shops such as Beef Palace in Huntington Beach or The Meat House in Costa Mesa. On this day, I was picturing juicy, red, thinly sliced steak flavored with a spicy southwestern rub and was satisfied with a nice cut of choice top sirloin from Henry’s meat counter. If you thought grades were only given in school, you can learn about the USDA beef grading system and what cuts are the best for grilling.

For grilling you should buy a steak that is at least an inch thick, apply the rub* about an hour before you plan on grilling it, and leave the steak out for an hour or so to bring it to room temperature – I know what you’re thinking, but trust me on this one. The executive chef from Morton’s Steakhouse recommends sitting steaks out two hours before grilling – so listen to him and hear some other tips for the perfect grilled steak.

Serve with grilled veggies and a baked potato with all the trimmings and you da man! or the wo-man.. Enjoy

* I used Awaken Savor’s Southwestern Sunset BBQ Rub – about two tablespoons with a ½ teaspoon more cayenne pepper cuz I like a little heat!

From Michelle Obama’s popular garden at the White House and ‘Let’s Move’ initiative to fight childhood obesity, to Jamie Oliver’s TV show “Food Revolution“,  to Guy Fieri’s proposed legislation to recognize the 2nd Saturday of May as “Cook With Your Kids Day” in California, there seems to be a rising wave of genuine interest in teaching our children about where food comes from, eating healthier, and cooking at home.

With summer vacation fast approaching, Moms everywhere are busily reading up on summer camps and activities, juggling dates to plan summer vacations, and trying to figure out how to keep their children busy and engaged during summer vacation. With celebrity endorsements like those above, I feel in excellent company when I suggest that you look no further than your own kitchen – for at least a few hours a week!

Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore! For kids, preparing dinner can be fun and rewarding  – and seeing your “Mini-me” beaming as they present their winning dish, I just bet you’ll feel a tinge of pride. And if you don’t cook, this could be your chance to learn along with your kids – what could be more precious?

When my daughter was younger – she’s now 18 years old and is the official “chief baker” in our family, I subscribed to Family Fun magazine which was packed with fun food ideas and kid-friendly recipes. One of the recipes I saved from 2001  is their Crunchy Cornflake Chicken.  It is simple, finger-lickin’ delicious, and has the necessary fun factor of smashing cornflakes for the coating Give it a shot and let me know if cooking with your kids could become habit forming!

Crunchy Cornflake Chicken

Coated with a homemade “shake and bake” mix made from cornflakes and seasonings, this oven-baked chicken tastes as good as fried chicken – without all the fat! Kids love crushing the cornflakes and shaking the chicken pieces to coat them with topping.

Ingredients

3 cups cornflakes

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breasts, wings, drumsticks, thighs

1. Heat the oven to 375º. To make the coating, pour the cornflakes into a sealable gallon-size plastic bag and use a rolling pin (or your palms) to crush the cereal. Open the bag and add the flour, paprika, onion powder, and sage. Shake salt and pepper (about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of each, depending on your family’s taste) into the bag, reseal, and shake until well combined.

2. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Rinse the chicken pieces. Dip one piece in the milk, drop it in the bag of cornflake mix, and shake until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil (easier cleanup) lightly sprayed with canola oil. Repeat until all the pieces are coated. Discard any leftover coating, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw chicken.

3. Bake for 50 minutes or until done. ♦

Serves 4 to 6.

♦ Kid’s Cooking Skills:  An opportunity to teach kids how to season and bread chicken and how to test chicken for doneness.

TIP To test chicken for doneness, slice into the center of the thickest part of the piece down to the bone. It’s done if the meat juice is clear and the meat is no longer pink.

Shown served with our family favorite: Annie’s Cornbread and shiny, slightly sweet Glazed Carrots.  Family Fun’s  ”Carrot Coins” recipe can be found on their website, but really, you don’t need a recipe, its so easy to make: peel and cut a pound of carrots, steam in a microwave safe container for 3 minutes, transfer to a skillet heated over med-high heat, sauté with one tablespoon butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of  brown sugar. ♦

♦ Cooking Skills: an opportunity to teach your child how to peel and slice carrots, use a microwave, and make a glaze.

Pork Ribs with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce

Serves 6

Besides being finger-lickin good, these ribs can be baked or grilled – if its not grilling weather where you are or neither you or hubby is a grillmaster,  then preheat oven to 400〫F. Bake ribs, covered, about 30 minutes or until just tender.  Uncover and turn ribs meat side up; bake until ribs are cooked through, basting occasionally, about 35 minutes more. Cut meat between bones to separate ribs and serve with rice and crisp salad for an Asian flair.

Follow Bobby Flay’s instructions for ribs year-round!

The last few days we’ve had a little taste of summer, a welcome respite from “Storm Watch 2010″ and news of the deep freeze blanketing the rest of the country.  Walking my little Corgi in the neighborhood, the scent of grilling caused me to yearn for some good ole southern style pulled pork.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This recipe utilizes the under-appreciated crock pot in place of standing over a hot, smoky grill for hours. Naturally, the slow-cooked grill or smoker method is more authentic and you’re welcome to do that if you have the time to tend  the grill.

2-3 lb. pork shoulder country style ribs or pork shoulder roast

Your favorite prepared BBQ sauce

Burger buns of your choice

Begin the day before. If you use a roast, cut it in half lengthwise (so its half the thickness). Brown ribs or roast on all sides in a dutch oven or large skillet coated with olive oil. Cook for 6-8 hours on Low in a crock pot. No need to add liquid – after a few hours the meat will be submerged in its own juices and fat. Refrigerate overnight – the main reason for doing this is to solidify the juices so you can remove the fat.  The next day, use a spoon to remove the solid white fat layer on top, retaining the semi-solid gelatinous meat juices.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and shred or “pull apart” using a meat fork and your fingers. (This is why its called pulled pork.) Slather the meat with BBQ sauce and return to the crock pot to cook for another 5-6 hours on Low. If you notice that the meat is getting too browned, turn the heat down to the Serve setting.

Toast buns and serve with a spoonful of cole slaw on top (southern style) or on the side.  Cole slaw adds the perfect creamy, cool, crunchy complement to robust, spicy BBQ pulled pork.

Enjoy

Just as there are all kinds of BBQ: sweet, spicy, vinegary, with dry rub, without, there are variations in cole slaw.  A lot of people would probably like cole slaw better if they would prepare the dressing to their liking rather than purchasing sugary and mayo-laden supermarket cole slaw. We like ours crunchy (so prepare only  about 30 minutes before serving) and lightly dressed.  With a package of prepared tri-color slaw, it only takes a few minutes. Here’s how I do it:

Cole Slaw

2-3 T. low cal mayo

¼ c. milk

1 t. Dijon mustard

½ t. cayenne

½ t. sugar

Whisk ingredients in a glass bowl. Use ½ bag prepared cabbage & carrot cole slaw mix and blend well. Serves 4.

I love eggplant parmesan but detest the deep-fried, heavily breaded kind that you get in a lot of restaurants.  I’ve experimented over the years and this is about as low calorie as you can make this traditional Italian dish without sacrificing taste.  Eggplant soaks up a lot of oil in the traditional preparation, so I brush them with olive oil and bake them instead!

Eggplant Parmesan “My Way”

2 med. eggplants, cut into ½” rounds

2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ t. Cajun spice (optional)

Italian-style bread crumbs

Purchased spaghetti sauce

8 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella

½ c. grated parmesan

Sprinkle both sides with salt and place between paper towels. This draws out the moisture and any bitterness – leave them for about 30 min.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of the eggplant rounds with olive oil. (I put a dash of Cajun spice because I like a little more zip in about everything.) Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake, turning once, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown, about 30 minutes total. (Remember, they get baked again.)

In a 9½” x 13” baking dish, spread spaghetti sauce to cover bottom of dish, cover with first layer of eggplant,

then layer mozzarella on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Dot cheese with sauce and repeat with another layer of eggplant, mozzarella, grated parmesan and sauce.  Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes until cheese is bubbly. (You may put it under the broiler to brown, but watch carefully!)

Do as the Italians do and enjoy with  a bottle of Chianti Classico!

Enjoy

Sausage and peppers is a classic comfort food and it’s so easy to make. Sometimes I add chopped tomatoes to have more juice that soaks into the roll, mmmm. This time I added tiny portabella mushrooms because I had them in the fridge and they add a “meatier” taste – you know, cuz I’m trying to go meatless.  All the ingredients are from Trader Joe’s – they need to hire me – don’t you think?  I’m one of their best customers and promoters, yet Sprouts is opening in Huntington Beach on January 29th, so I might defect – hear that Trader Joes?

Sassy Sausage & Peppers (Vegan style)

1 pkg. Trader Joe’s Sausage-less Italian Sausage*, sliced on the diagonal

1 red pepper, cored and sliced

1 green pepper, cored and sliced

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

1 pkg. mini portabella mushrooms, sliced

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 t. butter

red pepper flakes

4 Panne Rustique Rolls (it’s all about the roll, folks)

Serves 4. * Of course, you may use real Italian sausage if you’re not vegan. I’ve had it both ways and its delicious either way!

Preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees. Cover toaster oven tray with aluminum foil and spray with oil so sausages don’t stick. Brown sausages in toaster oven turning once. Slice on the diagonal and set aside.

Heat 1 t. olive oil in large skillet, sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Add the peppers and onions and sauté, stirring every few minutes to evenly brown. Add more olive oil as needed to prevent vegetables from sticking.

Meanwhile, in a smaller skillet heat 1 T. olive oil plus 1 t. butter over med-high heat and sauté mushrooms, stirring to brown evenly, about 5 minutes or until the juices have cooked off.  (I do this in a separate pan because the juices from the mushrooms can make the pepper mixture mushy.) Add mushrooms and sausages to pepper mixture.

Warm the rolls in the toaster oven, slice in half and fill with sausage and pepper mixture.

Winter as we know it here in SoCal is nothing compared to what the rest of the nation experiences, still, with temperatures dipping into the frigid 50’s, we shiver in our coats and crave homey, comfort food.  Today, I’m sharing a personal family favorite (and ssshhh low-calorie version) of an always popular homestyle dish: Chicken Pot Pie.

The TM style is always one that includes more fresh vegetables, less fat, and less sodium, inspired by a life-time interest in health and nutrition and spurred on by the heart-health issues that came close to taking my husband, The Don, before his time.

Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of my family’s favorite comfort foods but I used to cringe when my daughter would order it at restaurants because I know how many calories all that yummy pastry shell and creamy sauce contains. (drumroll) Cringe no more!

Filling:

2 half chicken breasts, boned/skinless

2 lg. carrots, peeled and chopped

1 lg. celery, chopped

1/2 lg. onion, chopped

2 T. canola oil

1 c. frozen small green peas

1 can Healthy Choice Cream of Chicken soup (lower sodium than other brands)

1 c. lowfat milk

1 t. curry

Note: Try to buy only organic, kosher, or minimally processed chicken – it makes all the difference in taste.

1. Bake the chicken breasts, sprinkled with a garlic herb spice, in a tin foil packet in the toaster oven for about 30 min. at 400 degrees.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Saute the carrots, celery and onion until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Remove pan from burner.

3. Meanwhile, microwave the green peas for 2 minutes. Mix in the peas. Spoon into baking dish.

4. In a glass bowl mix the soup, milk, and curry seasoning with a fork to break up lumps of soup. Blend into the vegetables.

Topping:

1 c. low fat Bisquick baking mix and 1 c. low fat milk

Mix well with spoon until batter is fairly smooth. Pour on top of filling. It may seem a bit more liquid than you think it should be but it will rise and make a nice light crust. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy all the love you’ll get for making this!

It comes as no surprise that meatballs were declared “Dish of the Year” by Bon Appétit magazine – “with a return to homey, comforting cooking this year, meatballs made it big, appearing on restaurant menus and kitchen tables everywhere”.   In fact, as a regular happy hour patron it seems that no restaurant menu seems complete without a slider of some sort – from Kobe beef sliders to pulled pork.

I recreated  Meatball Sliders in the TM Kitchen after enjoying many restaurant versions and am sharing the recipe here because they’re affordable, easy to make, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a child or an adult who won’t inhale them –  an ideal dish for the home cook!

Meatball Sliders

I bake the meatballs- its easy, less mess and uses less oil.

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. grated romano cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 c. Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 t. salt

1/2 t. ground pepper

1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs

15 small rolls

Prepared Marinara sauce

1/2 c. grated cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (375 if convection).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meats, cheese, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Use fork or your hands to mix all ingredients well.  Form into 15 2-inch meatballs. Roll them in the Italian bread crumbs. Spray cookie sheet with oil and bake meatballs for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, split the rolls horizontally and lightly toast in toaster oven. Heat the marinara sauce in a small saucepan.

Serve meatballs on the rolls topped with marinara sauce and sprinkle with Romano cheese.

Serves 4-6 (as a main course)

Must go to the store now, Patriots losing miserably to Baltimore and will have to find solace in food.

It’s a cold and gray Chicago California morn and the perfect thing to warm your soul and your tummy is some good ole chicken soup.  My daughter’s favorite soup was, and still is (at 18 years of age), Chicken Soup with Rice.  This is in large part due to a book of months by Maurice Sendak called, Chicken Soup with Rice which was one of a set of four tiny books by Maurice Sendak that we had (actually still have since  I saved all her books for future grandchildren).

Of course, we also had Where the Wild Things Are, but it wasn’t part of this teeny-tiny set; children love tiny books and tiny toys, I guess because they are perfect for their tiny hands.  You can tell which one got the most love – this was definitely one of the books that we read at least a thousand times.

Soups are satisfying, economical, and easy to make and require only one 3-4 quart soup pot or saucepan.

Chicken Soup with Rice

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 T. onion, finely chopped

2 T. canola oil

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

5 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1 t. thyme

1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

2/3 c. rice

Saute celery, carrots, and onion in canola oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, thyme, and lemon. Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Add rice, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken and cook for 5 more minutes. Serves 4. Perfect with cornbread.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Beloved banana bread with an autumn twist along with the health benefits of fiber-rich oatmeal and flax.  My 18 year old devoured this bread with peanut butter for breakfast and lunch for three days straight and her BFF declared it the “bread of the gods”.  A powerful endorsement from an age group whose four main food groups are usually sugar, salt, fat, and caffeine.  Perfect for school lunches or an afternoon snack for the younger set, too.

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

2 ripe bananas

1 t. vanilla

2 large eggs (see Notes)

2 c. unbleached flour

1 c. quick rolled oats

¾ c. flax meal

¾ c. brown sugar

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 standard loaf pans with cooking spray.

1.  In a food processor, combine the pumpkin puree, bananas, vanilla and eggs. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (A blender works for this step if you don’t have a food processor. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl to add dry ingredients.)

2. Add the flour, rolled oats, flax meal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Process until thoroughly blended. (Use an electric mixer if you transferred the puree from a blender to a mixing bowl.)

3. Divide the batter into the two loaf pans. (This produces a smaller loaf which makes nice “kid-size” slices.)

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

Note: Here are some  Egg substitutions for vegans.