FamMenu...

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!

Ok, so life has been a tad more hectic than usual as of late, so my FamMenu pstings have been far from regular. We will call it sporadic, at BEST!:)
Life is certainly simpler when no one is whining for dinner, and its already been planned! I post FamMenus online, but my goal this week, is to post it on our FamCalendar! I'll take a pic when I accomplish this small goal, I promise!
 So this week has been kind of boring in the creative department, plan to amp that up next week!

MONDAY- we had turkey, kale & brown rice soup, with lots of veggies in it, whole wheat rolls.

TUESDAY-pan seared cod with herbed butter, steamed green beans, roasted Italian style redskin potatoes, bread & butter.

WEDNESDAY- grilled organic chicken thighs  with sautéed mushrooms, BBQ sauce & melted Swiss cheese, brown rice, honey-cinnamon glazed carrots.

THURSDAY-homemade beef chili, cornbread, veggies & dip (homemade ranch- with my herbs that are STILL growing in this crazy weather! The Cilantro is going nuts!)

FRIDAY- pizza & a movie!

SATURDAY- working at the shop- then either out with hubs or easy food- turkey burgers with guacamole, oven baked fries, broccoli salad (he loves this stuff! Broccoli, bacon, sunflower seeds & raisins-classic!)

SUNDAY- PASTA! Sunday Spaghetti & Meatballs, italian bread with pesto sauce, salad of mozzarella, black olives, tomatoes, cannelini beans& red wine vinaigette. Ice cream!

Have a sunny stupendous week!

Winter Cooking Class Schedule

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!


Deliciously Good For You
Everyone wants to healthier, but who wants to discard flavor? If you tend to shy away from creating healthy recipes because they turn out bland, boring &  tasteless, then this is your class! Learn how to use herbs, spices & delicious whole foods to create irresistible meals with beautiful colors & textures! The stars of the show: Baked Goat Cheese with pesto, marinara sauce & crispy whole grain crostini, Savory Potato, Leek & Dill Soup, Baby Kale, beet & butternut squash salad with pine nuts. Grilled Herbalicious Salmon with green tzatziki sauce over quinoa & beans. For dessert- frozen yogurt with warm spiced berry compote. YES! I told you this was your class! To top it off- perfectly paired wines for all the savory concoctions!
Friday January 25, 6:30-9pm
$45 per person
$10 wine tasting fee (optional)

On the go with a Fam Menu Plan
The one thing that I am constantly asked for is suggestions on how to throw together healthy & quick meals for the Fam (that's seven at our house!). It's a struggle, that's for sure, BUT with a little forethought & a stocked pantry/fridge/freezer, it IS possible! Otherwise it's take-out city USA! 5 quick meals are the stars for this evening. Artisan Grilled Cheeses with creamy tomato basil soup, grilled honey lime chicken fajitas with fresh guacamole, peppers & onions on corn tortillas', greek style frittata- eggs with spinach, sundried tomatoes & feta cheese- side of fruit & power muffin, pork cutlets with sautéed apples & raspberry balsamic smashed sweet taters, quick herb-grilled fish with couscous & veggies. Wine tasting available.
Friday February 22, 6:30-9pm
$45 per person
$10 wine tasting fee(optional)

Bistro Night!
Who doesn't love a great might out at a bistro? The intimate ambience. The great local fresh food, I feel as if we are in France already! This evening will be a classic- delicious food paired with delicious wine- a match made in heaven! The five star recipes: hand roasted marinated pepper bruschetta, French onion & mushroom soup, rouquefort & walnut salad over endive with mustard vinaigrette, bistro steak with sauce bernaise, and to tip the proverbial scales? Magnificent bread pudding with creme anglaise. This class is the Perfect time for wine pairing!
Friday March 15, 6:30-9pm
$45 per person
$10 wine tasting fee (optional)

All classes held at DreamMaker Kitchen and Bath Showroom

Fam Menu for this nutzo crazyish week!

I am looking at my calendar, and am simply dumfounded by how busy we get. Holy cow. So just realized conferences are this week, yay. also that the kids get out at noon Friday. (this is the day that I have a catering party for eight and need all the time I can get to multi-task, OY!) No Doctors or dentists appointments this week- that's saved for next week...WHEW>  But  it's another MEAP week, Oh boy oh boy....  here goes the plan, stan...

MONDAY: Leftover yummalicious Penne pasta with meatballs & Sauce, Italian style green beans, and some iitalian bread

TUESDAY: POSOLE....huh?! I have a VIVID "smell memory" of this dish cooking all day at my besties house when I was a TWEEN. (yup, contrary to my children's popular belief, I WAS a tween at one point!) So I can NOT wait to make it! A slow cooked pork shoulder with mexican spices, garlic, green chiles & hominy. I'll serve it with a dollop of greek yogurt and fresh grilled tortillas, oooo and some chunks of avocado, too!

WEDNESDAY: I'll be at the store, so the kiddos can come up and have some dinner and homework time with momma, FUN-0!!!! (hmmmm.... not so sure about that, but hey...:)) grilled crazy good gourmet cheesies,  broccoli & Cheddar soup, fresh fruit

THURSDAY: LONG delivery day for Hummaliciousness, so probably leftover beef stew in the crockpot-oh wait, my crock pot cover SHATTERED in my hand this weekend....and then while washing the stoneware insert i found a fracture all along the bottom and up one side-sheesh. Guess it's stovetop time in a regular old pot!

FRIDAY: The kiddosa and Daddy get Pizza while I cater a super cool gourmet delish dinner!:0)

SATURDAY: I'll be at the Farm Market, then the store, so I am thinking something easy like LEFTOVERS!!!

SUNDAY: Haven't made quiche in a while, so I think I shall- along with crispy american fries and thick cut bacon. Maybe some homemade applesauce too!

 

A Fall FamMenu!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!
Ok, so sorry It has been two weeks without a FamMenu. I have been ridiculously busy with Kidstuff, Hummus Stuff, FOOD ARTS of Belmont (Yes, this IS a plug for my new storefront! :0) Stuff, etc. Hey, at least you know I'm BUSY!!!  So a crazy quick menu for you is on the docket! Its MEAP testing week people!!! (for those non-Michiganders, that's the Michigan Educational Assessment Program). Three of my five fall into the MEAP tests realm this week. So we've been told to give them plenty of rest and NUTRITIOUS FOOD- now that's what I'M talking about!!! Yay!!! will do :0) Monday is a stretch on healthy...but Leftovers are a must do sometimes!
Have a GREAT week! Snuggle up with your lovies! :0)

MONDAY: Leftover Healthed up Mac N'Cheese- Lowfat milk, greek 0% fat yogurt, 2% milk cheese, etc. Super yummy! White Chicken Chili from Saturday-Brrr, a good one for this chilly weather. Blueberry Buckle bars. Yup, Yum.

TUESDAY:  Roasted Butternut squash, Apple bean bake, Grilled pork chops with honey Dijon glaze, quinoa pilaf

WEDNESDAY: Grilled Skirt steak-marinated in cilantro pesto. roasted redskins with walnuts & blue cheese, Spinach salad with dried blueberries & Wild Blueberry balsamic vinaigrette

THURSDAY: My GRAND OPENING for the store- so I would think that the kids will be sampling all night! :0) at least it will be gooood local goodies! :0)

FRIDAY: Movie Night- going with pizza!

SATURDAY: It is supposed to be icky, wet and cold. How about something in the crockpot, like Beef Stew, some potato rolls, a crisp salad with mustard vinaigrette and the grand finale: apple crisp with cinnamon & vanilla bean ice cream & dulce de leche

 SUNDAY: Italian Dinner, baby: Meatballs and sauce with Penne pasta, green beans with tomatoes, basil & garlic, asiago bread

Stay Warm! :

This weeks insightful Musings & Menu

So, I was being very insightful (at least I think so...) this morning as hubs left at 4:30 am

for work- after a great long and lazy Sunday with the Fam...

We slept in, kids brought us breakfast in bed, we hung out at the library for an hour and

investigated some of the kids interests-Caroline was looking into how to keep things

organized and be minimalists(gotta' love that from a thirteen year old!:) Fred, on the

other hand, was looking into the mechanics of how to make a bike similar to the one the

boy rides in "The Lorax"- he's my engineer minded creative thinking inventor, alright!

Constance was into mysteries and totally navigated the library by herself like a pro-matching

up an Andrew Clements book with one on a little audio player so she could

listen and read at the same time...(this one is DESTINED to be a pit boss or CEO for a

fortune 500 company!) Cristina's sole concern was animals-as always- my little

veterinarian to be! We had just left our friend Kelly's house- who works at an animal

rescue house in GR- she was feeding several red & black baby squirrels with a syringe so

of course Christina picked out a squirrel book!:) Anthony was zigzagging all over the

place looking for games to play, puzzles to put together, books to read, etc. he's

ALWAYS busy doing something- good- bad or messy!(this is, of course, the most likely

of the three...) what will this little guy grow up to be???

Then we had a happy jaunt through the woods- a one mile trek through the

Conservatory in Belmont- so fun! We pushed through that, walking sticks and all, &

chose to hit downtown Rockford for dinner & treats. The arguing over what candy to get

at Rudy Kazoody's and the "me first" attitude of eating the sampler platter at The Corner

Bar- led me to this: I would much preferred to have spent that over $70 smacks on

groceries, a picnic by th Dam- and more FREE fun time with the kiddos.

SOOOOo... My insightful thinking was this, and REALLY think about this. Where will you

be and what will you be doing in FIVE years? Time surely does fly. I can remember the

feeling of just finding out I was pregnant with each of my sweet babies.... And they are

13,11,9.5,7.5 & 3.5 now. I will treasure the moments with them at home, cooking

together, watching them play, grow and learn...and of course argue, because, let's be

realistic here, five kids lends to A LOT of that!!! But I'll treasure those moments, because

as many dear old cute little grandparent types have told me, since day one, "appreciate

the time when they are little, because time flies, and before you know it, they're gone!"

So, in 5 years, I will have an 18 year old in her senior year, making the final decisions

about her career choice, a 16 year old boy, who will be driving and will likely even have

to shave, and be a tenth grader (yikes my baby boy!). A 14 year old eighth grader with I

am certain, a very dominant head on her shoulders, a teeny Tina Tina Tween, being in

her first year of middle school. And alas, a sweet eight year old boy who, HOPEFULLY,

won't change much- for this sappy mom's sake! :)

The busyness of this family won't change much, in the near future(at least let's hope!)

So I hope to reflect healthy, sensible, not to difficult to prepare dinners on a budget for

my FamMenu... And I hope it helps some of you to think outside the culinary box! :)

MONDAY

: we had leftover white chicken chili, garden of Eatin' blue corn tortilla chips,

black seedless organic grapes .... And... Drumroll.... flu shots at 6:30, yay!!! (not)

TUESDAY

: potato broccoli cheese soup- made from leftover mashed potatoes & gravy

from last week, plus some fresh broccoli and a few slices of organic Colby jack melted

down. Utilization, I say!:) potato rolls, wedge salad with homemade thousand island

dressing, sliced up local honey crisp apples, middle school curriculum night, fun stuff.

WEDNESDAY

: honey BBQ pulled pork(this is like a 3-4 meal of a deal- i'll make burritos

out of it next week, and freeze more for the crock pot on a busy night, even some for

green chili!) on ciabatta rolls with cole slaw, poached pears? (I have like ten mini pears

to use up, if I have time!:)

THURSDAY

: Spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, basil roasted garlic & basil. Toasty Vienna

bread, cucumber, bean & tomato salad. Hummus Delivery crazyness day...

THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY

!: pizza with the kiddos:)

SATURDAY

: tasty tacos with fresh salsa & guacamole, fresh fruit from the farm market!

SUNDAY

: a picnic in Rockford, if the weather cooperates!

Have a superb-0 week. Enjoy the limited time you have with your families, I know, that

even amid the CHAOS, I will :) ciao for now! 

FamMenu for 9.10-9.16

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!
Are you LOVING this gorgeous weather, or WHAT? Cool evenings that are jeans and sweatshirt worthy, and warm sun filled days that require shorts, t-shirts & sunglasses- Boy, have I mentioned how much I LOVE Fall???  It seriously does not get any better than this! :0)
I have a pantry fridge & freezer full of food that needs to be created into memorable, healthy & delish meals for the Fam this week. So here goes!

MONDAY: Meatless Mondays!!! Tonight we are going for triple bean smashed tostadas I posted the recipe for these on the blog last week:0) , yum. Along with them I made some roasted tomato salsa last week and hope to pick up some yummy local apples today!

TUESDAY: Stuffed Shells- Grandma Toldo style, delish, but of course! A crisp salad with lots of local tomatoes, cukes, mozz cheese chunks, canellini beans & a white wine vinaigrette. Vienna Bread- toasty warm!

WEDNESDAY:  Roasted Chicken with Fennel, carrots, garlic, garden fresh herbs, lemon & onions, smashed Redskin potatoes, broccoli, pickled beets.

THURSDAY: Hot & Sour Soup,  Beef stir fry with green beans, over jasmine rice, orange wedges. (sounds like takeout but its not! )

FRIDAY: The girls are planning a special dinner for daddy, it's hush hush as to what they are making!

SATURDAY: CHILI! yum. chicken chili with white beans, pepperjack cheese, chunks of chicken, yum. Chips & salsa, local watermelon...


SUNDAY:   Quiche, fresh fruit, chicken sugar maple sausage- A new Sunday tradition, it seems, Breakfast for dinner! Hey, we did it at the Visser house as kids, always had Fried Egg Sandwiches-fried eggs on white bread with Miracle Whip- potato chips & dill pickles- almost every Sunday evening!

Hope you all enjoy this beautiful week!  

FamMenu For THIS WEEK!!!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!

The wonder of September begins! School is in session, a change of seasons, football, cool nights, Indian summer days surrounded by the gorgeousness of the falling colorful leaves... Add in the crunch a fall stride through the woods, fresh apple cider and sugary cinnamon crisp donuts- ahhh my all time favorite season- Autumn!  

One more HOT week is upon us, for sure, though, so we won't be roasting anything in the oven quite yet  this week!

Here's what we've had and are having for the hectic week FamMenu:

 

MONDAY: after a farewell to "the Cobbage" .... :( it was leftover city USA around here- buffalo chicken chili, da' bomb dip & tortilla chips.... Then it was in to bedtime for the school & working' crew!

 

TUESDAY:we had a freezer/cupboard clean out meal- I made spaghetti from a few opened, half empty boxes, and rallied two sets of two different kinds of turkey burgers out of the depths of the freezer to make a meat sauce, a few herbs and some tomato sauce, and voila, dinner was served! Rounded out with a delish heirloom tomato & basil -both fresh from the herb  garden & my Tonce's garden- salad and a leftover loaf of Italian bread from the weekend, crisped up under the broiler.

 

WEDNESDAY: doesn't this look yummy? Very fall harvest like!- lean chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, Brussels sprouts & yummy spices- I stumbled upon it in my fave catalog, Penzey's Spice:) how can you go wrong with the motto: "Love People, Cook them tasty food"

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/recipes/r-penzeysChickenSweetPotatoSkillet.html?id=H7YXHh9H

I'll let you know if it's a hit!

 

THURSDAY:  grilled wild caught salmon, with herbs & honey Dijon drizzle, sautéed organic broccolette & portabella mushrooms, quinoa pilaf- Christina in particular LOVES quinoa:) (my cute lil' first grader!)

 

Friday: pizza of some sort, probably Papa Murphy's.... AftEr a long day of deliveries, Ant's official first day of day are, an out of town working week for hubs and a short yet long first week of school for the other four kiddos, a relaxing night at home is what I am banking on!:)

 

Saturday: Caroline has been asking if she can make a recipe out of one my plethora of cookbooks- I think this is the night! Some sweet & sour type meatball recipe from my KitchenAid cookbook... Will add in some great local finds from the Rockford Farm Market- will be there from 8am-1pm with Hummus!:)

 

SUNDAY: breakfast for dinner perhaps, pumpkin pancakes with Michigan maple syrup & yummy streusel, sautéed zestar apples(a GREAT variety that literally taste like fresh apple cider, yumola), a new Amylu chicken breakfast sausage- sugar house maple! The label shows a nice short list of ingredients, no nitrites or nitrates- woohoo! 

 

Hope you all had a great start to the school year! :)

Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe- by popular demand!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

My fam loves to eat buffalo wings, so I decided to make that flavor into chili. I end up topping this spicybowl of yummy stuff with “da’ Bomb!” dip and kettle style potato or tortilla chips, for a yummy salty crunch.Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Classes, 2010.

½ C. butter

2 C. finely chopped onion

1 C. finely chopped celery

1 C. finely chopped carrot

4 cooked chicken(make it easy, use rotisserie chicken!)

4 C. chicken broth

1 C. Frank’s Red Hot sauce

1-29oz. can tomato puree

1 can light red kidney beans(or pinto beans)

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped onion, celery & carrot. Saute until vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, for 30 minutes. Servepiping hot, topped with the dip n’ chips. Yum, it’s got a nice kick!

"DA BOMB DIP" 

This dip is a mix of blue cheese dressing & ranch dip, it is truly delish! Try it with veggies, warm sofet pretzels (my fave), pitas, chips, you name it! Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Series, 2010.

Makes about 2 cups dressing

2 C. mayonnaise

1 C. Buttermilk

¼ C. red wine vinegar

½ C. blue cheese crumbles

2 T. dry ranch dressing mixture(Penzey's is preferred)

Pour all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together. Store in a glass canning jar in the refrigerator. Will keep for 2 weeks.

FAMMENU 8.27-9.2.... School is right around the corner!!!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!


FAMMENU for the week- going to be busy! The kiddos are excited for back to school shopping- pencils, notebooks, backpacks, lunch boxes, crayons, etc... NOT CLOTHES!!! We have so many kind friends & family members, that kids literally have clothes pouring out of their drawers! So only the classic school basics this year!:) appointments, open houses, hummus production & the ever usual busyness of our family of seven will keep us on our toes all week, PLUS the last weekend at my parents cottage this weekend:0( they are opting out of the 8 year cottage co-owning and deciding to travel. YAY for them! They have worked hard for a LONG time & deserve the fun trips they are planning!(see... Some things DO get better with age!:)
Anywho.... Here's what it looks like we will be doing for dinners this week:

MONDAY: chicken corn chowder- yummy fresh & local sweet corn paired up with poblano peppers, onions, potatoes, organic chicken broth & cream- topped with crispy bacon. Cornbread, watermelon

TUESDAY: grilled herbed sockeye salmon, quinoa pilaf, sautéed Zephyr squash with tomatoes, fresh basil & garlic

WEDNESDAY: crockpot city USA, baby... Buffalo chicken chili- a KIDFAVE! Chock full of chicken breast, carrots, onions, celery & RedHot! Topped off with "DaBomb dip" - a Chef Robin mix of Penzey's Buttermilk ranch & tangy blue cheese crumbles zippity yum-da!

THURSDAY: linguine with shrimp, garlic , parsley, tomatoes & olive oil, yum! Crusty Italian bread, a nice crisp salad with a white wine vinaigrette

FRIDAY: cottage bound??? If so... Or even if NOT so-  Papa Murphy's ready to bake pizzas- gotta love this option! Plus there's always plenty of coupons to use!

SATURDAY: Rockford Farm Market- then for sure off to the cottage! Our kids & golden retriever will be living' it up for the last time at Pickeral Lake! It's been a good eight years!  (I was pregnant with my SEVEN year old the first Summer up there, whew, time FLIES!) the usual grilled fare, plus some great fresh fruit & veggie finds from the Farm Market:)

SUNDAY: cottage food!!! No clue what- ill leave that up to my Momma:)

Have a stupendous LAST week of Summer... Boo:( Start of school, Yay!:)

FAMMENU! 8.20-26.12 It's Baaack!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!
A new FamMenu this week!
I've taken the Summer off from my weekly family menu, but since class lists go up for the kids and orientations start this week, plus the cool night spells we've had, I've decided it's time to stArt Em' back up!
So here we go!
Monday: Arroz Con Polo- a super yummy Spanish style chicken & rice. Saffron Infused rice, with bell peppers, onions, parsley tender chicken thighs and green olives, YUM!
Watermelon wedges...
Tuesday: we find out teachers today for elementary! Cool! The kids have parts in our meeting tonight, so a big night!  Rigatoni with lots o basil, tomato sauce & cheese, salad, & a super delish  recipe from the last Penzey's Spice catalog- called "Tomato Bread"- which is glorified garlic bread with farm market fresh tomatoes & toasted mozzarella  cheese- the whole Fam LOOOOVES it!    (a great use for that 1/2 price day old French or Italian loaf of bread!)
Wednesday: supposed to be a beautiful day- middle school orientation day! I think we will be grilling out- probably some yummy grilled steaks with a quinoa white bean, provolone & tomato salad. Corn on the cob, fruit.
Thursday: Cheddar Potato, red pepper & broccoli Soup. Potato rolls, a big veggie full salad with yummy Penzey's buttermilk ranch.m
Friday: chicken fajita pizza, yum!
Saturday: after the Rockford Farmers' Market-burgers on the grill, crock pot baked beans, grilled fingerling potatoes, watermelon & corn on the cob!
Sunday: roast pork with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beaners, pickled cukes, farm market tomatoes & homemade creamed corn- like an afternoon & Gramma & Grampa Vissers! :0)

Enjoy these last SPLENDID weeks of Summer!

FamMenu this week

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife! FamMenu for this post holiday week.... Kind of DElayed!!! MONDAY: we had Bowie pasta, a yummy spinach salad with sundried tomatoes, bacon & hard boiled eggs, a spanish sherry vinaigrette, italian bread & ICE CREAM:-) TUESDAY: took that leftover pasta and topped it with lotsa' mozzarella, garlic & herbs then broiled it till golden & bubbly, yum.... Whole grain Garlic bread, sautéed green beans...so happy Tonce had some gorgeous weather for her class trip through Rockford! WEDNESDAY: a treat for me. Garlic & herb crusted grilled copper river salmon with maple Dijon drizzle. The yummiest thing ever&- the kids devoured it! Michigan Asparagus sautéed with roasted garlic, basmati rice, & Freddie cut strawberries:) THURSDAY: a Hummalicious day... I'll be producing all day, and it's gonna be chillllly!!! Bbq'd chicken thighs in the crockpot. Baked beans, veggies & dip, fresh fruit FRIDAY: deliveries alllll day, and pizza for dinner! Movie night! SATURDAY: see you at the FIRST Rockford Farmers' Market of the season! All four Hummalicious flaves. I'll be pairing up with Ace Hardware in their booth... Right next to my buddies @ Great Harvest Bread co.! Yay! Then a game for Freddie- hoping for no rain AAALLLL day! Dinner? White chicken chili, tortilla chips, fresh fruit SUNDAY:a combination of what I find at the farm market Saturday! What WILL it be???

FamMenu for this HOT week, wootwoot!:)

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife! So, here is a short look at what the Toldo Fam is eating for the week! Hope you all have A SIMPLY FAB MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!!! MONDAY:Hubs caught a bunch of perch for me to cook up, and they are bony tiny little things, so I've decided to make fish tacos out of them... Sauté them up with a little oil and add some zesty taco-ey spices then have them in toasted corn tortillas with the regular fixings, and yummy seven layer dip too- healthed up with Greek yogurt in Place of the sour cream, and a layer of homemade guacamole:), watermelon. TUESDAY:grilled chicken shwarama, on warm pitas with sautéed peppers & onions & the bombdiggity garlic sauce WEDNESDAY:venison, mushroom & pepper kebabs with grilled asparagus & potatoes THURSDAY:88? Baseball?dinner? Grilled chicken Caesar salads I think! FRIDAY- SUNDAY:Cottage time!!! Food will be a whole lot of grilling!:)

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife! FAMMENU!!!

FamMenu for this fab looking week!!!! Can't you just FEEL the Summer in the air?! Yayayay, so excited for chilling by the pool, going to the PU's(parental units':)) cottage, farmers' markets,  my Grilling classes, fresh flowers, fruits, veggies, hanging with my kiddos, yayayay..... Summer simply can't be beat!

This weekid going to be a frugal, cupboard scraping', utilization of everything possible in the freezer and fridge week. I'm catering an event in June in which I will be serving almost completely Polish food- sautéed pierogies with caramelized  onions, Golabki, kielbasa & kapusta, so we will have a taste of that this week, including a in-house contest- who has the best smoked kielbasa- Frank's or Lewandoski's???? What's YOUR vote on that Westsiders???

Have a stupendous week:))))

Monday: leftover yummies...BBQ pulled pork on pretzel rolls, twice baked potato salad, cole slaw, watermelon wedges & Freddie's baseball game;)

Tuesday: sautéed pierogies, kielbasa & Kapusta, boiled potatoes with butter & parsley, potato rolls Teenie Bops' Has her kindergarten read in!

Wednesday: vegetable & venison burger soup.... Heh?!? Yup. Tomato broth based soup with leftover yummy venison burgers chopped up, lots of veggies- carrots, mushrooms, red bell pepper, etc, and toasty barley, leftover potato rolls

Thursday: I'll be a hummus delivery machine. Dinner will be the Toldo easy standby- frozen raviolis, tomato sauce, fresh bread & salad

Friday: Yum pizzas- grilled, hopefully outside!!! I have the bombdiggity pizza dough recipe- super simple, super yummy and I'll be handing it out to all my grilling class peeps June 22nd! Gonna be delish!!!

Saturday: I'll be demoing at Plum Market West Bloomfield, the Fam will be at Freddie's baseball game- so I can bet on dinner out:)

Sunday: forecast says......await for it, wait for it....80!!!! Holy awesomeness batman! Poolside grilling' and chilling' baby! Hoping to have my yummy grilled turkey burgers on whole grain buns with arugula, crispy bacon, sundried tomato aioli & guacamole (another grilling class recipe!) and delish grilled corn with cilantro poblano lime butter with queso fresco, baked beans, etc....  Watermelon and hopefully kiddos jumping in the pool!!!:)

FamMenu

Did Anyone notice I took a week off from my FamMenu? Had a very involved week- simply said. So, hope you all had a tremendous week! Here's my menu for the Fam this week: Monday: we were absent a kid, caroliner is at camp! So I utilized a small Flank steak that would have never fed all seven of us :-) grilled that up and had a nice salad with homemade ranch, Parmesan and hard boiled eggs, and Hoppin John- a blend of veggies, rice & black eyed peas, watermelon. Tuesday: ok, so I have to admit I have a bare bones fridge & pantry my four kids were playing in the dirt and or enjoying the weather by jumping on the tramp, so I couldn't go anywhere...(remember my in-house babysitter, better known as Caroline, is at camp)so I went for breakfast for dinner- whole wheat almond orange scented pancakes with warmed berry compote & nitrate free bacon. Yum Wednesday: I will be hummusing all day.... So cheese ravioli with tomato sauce, Italian bread, salad and watermelon Thursday: Freddie has a baseball game & I will be delivering hummus to the East side.... so we need easy squeasie and freakishly fast.... Bbq pulled pork, slaw, sweet potato chips & cut fruit. Friday: grilled pizza- our latest FamFave is homemade dough, grilled then topped with roasted garlic oil, lotsa' mozzarella, Campari tomatoes, fresh shredded basil, fresh cracked black pepper & shredded parm. Yummmolicious! Saturday: grilled venison burgers, "spare guts" (((also known as asparagus:))), pan roasted garlic herbed redskins, fruit Sunday: TBD:))) Have a FAB week with your Fams! Appreciate every moment!!!:)m

FamMenu for 4.23-4.29 last menu of April!

Here's What's New....Straight Off The Chef's Knife!

FamMenu for the week:

Monday: Some yummy fish and chips- beer battered and served with pan roasted potatoes, baby kale salad with Dijon vinaigrette

Tuesday: venison BBQ, homemade baked beans, veggies and dip, watermelon wedges

Wednesday: peppercorn pappardelle with clam sauce, grilled bread, steamed broccoli, some fruit for dessert

Thursday: homemade chicken noodle soup, rolls, salad

Friday: moobie night:0) grilled personal pan pizzas! @ home!

Saturday: pork roast, mashed taters, honey glazed carrots, green beans

Sunday: white chicken chili, yum. Chips and salsa, watermelon

FamMenu... to be determined...

So sorry to dissapoint, but this mama hashad a horendous week of migrainey headaches, along with an insane scedule, SOOOO I am not posting a FamMenu until this throbbing headache goes away so I can think! grrr.
Thanks- in advance- for allyour understanding:0)

Just so you know why Chef's traditionally wear white!

http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/culinarytools/p/chefscoat.htm

Midweek FamMenu

Recovering from Spring Break! Whew! That's all I'm going to say about that!!! Not enjoying the dip in temperature these last few days, but enjoying the sun today nonetheless ! Here is a quick menu for the week Monday:We had Lean n'Mean Pork & Bean Stew with potato rolls and salad with cues, tomatoes, olives and dill Dijon champagne vinaigrette Tuesday:it was whole wheat orange vanilla French toast with Khalua glazed bananas, chopped walnuts and Rinckey Brothers Michigan Maple Syrup! (((yum))) & grilled ham... Wednesday:chicken fajitas- with grilled peppers and onions, shredded cheese, guacamole, Greek yogurt, some fruit too Thursday: Peppercorn pappardelle tossed with fresh clam sauce, asiago bread, salad of some sort! Friday:going to opt for Venison Cheeseburgers, pan roasted redskins, veggies and dip. Saturday: crockpot roasted chicken with mashed taters, honey glazed carrots, green beans, strawberries Sunday: chicken fried rice with lots of veggies, pot stickers, orange wedges Have a wonderful week!

Gimme' a Break! (at least a Spring Break!:)

Thusly(is that a real word?!)taking a break from the FamMenu. Hope you are all having a FAB week! See my blog for a new FamMenu next Monday!

FamMenu for the tail end of March! Lion or lamb...

Hi everyone! Hope you are having a GREAT week! Going on a Fab vacation for Spring Break anyone? Have an excellent and safe week! Here is my FamMenu for the week: Monday:I whipped together one of my fave super easy and quick meals, three cheese ravioli with pesto sauce, organic baby spinach, Roma tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, Italian bread... Tuesday:It's a' gonna' be a Hummalicious day, so dinner will be a quick and easy one, TACO TUESDAY! Wednesday:Mongolian Pork with broccoli over jasmine rice, caracara oranges Thursday:Marinated Grilled chicken over Caesar Salad with yummy homemade croutons, fresh berry and Greek yogurt parfaits with Samantha Ritter Honey, Yumola! Friday:it's moooobie night at the Toldo villa, so pizza it is! Saturday:ok, somI am going to go for a really yummy breakfast for dinner tonight, spicybcorn cakes (kind of like crab cakes) topped with poached eggs, Jack's salsa, chunks of avocado, pinto beans and a chipotle cilantro hollondaise, similar to a great cafe in Louisville! OH and my Bestie?!? Had a GORGEOUS baby girl, Catherine Elaine! Congrats to she and Dave, wootwoot!:0)wow Sunday:Earthbound Farm Organics recipe for vegetarian lasagne, it's the Bombdiggity:) some bread and fruit too... Have a wonderful week!

Excellent Michigan Products are IN!!!

Hey all, I have two of Michigan's BEST products: Rinckey Brothers Maple Syrup- straight outta' Carson City- a pure maple syrup taste that simply cannot be beat! I challenge you to find a better first of 2012 tap! I have a limited amount, sort me know what you need! $8 a pint Samantha Ritter Honey- a honey from beekeepers in West Olive- I found this little gem of a honey at a garage sale in Rockford six years ago.... Whaaaat?! Yup. Christine Ritter was offering samples of her family's beekeeping prize at her sister in laws house, and I tell you I have not found anything better since then, than this golden delish treat. $8 a pint Let me know if you would like to purchase either of these excellent gems!:0)

A SUMMER-ISH FAMMENU! 3.19-3.25

Can you believe this crazy Summer weather?! I am loving it.... Am concerned about all of the farmers & their crops, though. This will go down in history as a two- week stint of global warming, for sure! We had a nice weekend with none less than FIVE hummus demos, and then a nice evening at friends house... Until Tonce crashed on rollerblades and banged up her two front teeth, as well as the rest of her body! Never a dull moment, I say!;/ BUT the good news is she suffered only scrapes, bruises and some cosmetic damage to her teeth. Went to the dentist today and have X-ray proof of just that, WHEW! So she has some composite fillings and looks like a million bucks! (thankfully it didn't cost that much!) Enjoy this beautiful weather while it lasts! Monday:leftover taco shstuff'! I have leftover triple smashed beans and tequila lime chicken from last week, so that makes dinner! Plus some yummy black seedless grapes Tuesday:chili in the crockpot, organic beef & black bean- topped with shredded cheddar and some Chobani yogurt, tortilla chips on the side ... Wednesday:I think breakfast for dinner! I snatched up some preservative and other junk FREE Canadian bacon at Costco, so we will grill that up with some yummy whole wheat buttermilk pancakes, delist Michigan Maple Syrup from Rinckey Brothers- this years' first tap! Some fresh strawberries, and some scrambled eggs Thursday:Venison Burgers with Navratilova cheese, Honey-Dijon-Dill red cabbage & carrot slaw, sweet potato chips, baked beans Friday:Caroline gets to see The Hunger Games with her BFF, oh my she is excited! Hubs will be busy, so the rest of the gang and I will be watching movies and eating pizza! Saturday:super march anniversary couples unite! We will be heading out for dinner with a handful of friends that also have March Anniversaries! Fun stuff! I think the kiddos will have a long overdue visit with Gigi & Grampy! Sunday:Grilled Jamaican jerk chicken, cilantro coconut lime rice, salad with fresh mango & cashews, a light vinaigrette. Fresh strawberries, angel food cake & whipped cream, baby! Yum! Have a week Y'all!

Spring Class List (April-May-June!)

Think Fish! A fresh look at some healthy and delish fish dishes! A variety of simple to shop for and prepare fish & seafood delights. A few delicious tidbits from the menu: Southern Blackened Catfish with Summery corn, tomato & zucchini "salsa", Savory Pecan-crusted Tilapia over organic greens tossed with fresh strawberries, feta & a light balsamic vinaigrette,  Quick Dilly Shrimp Over lemony risotto, Salmon En Papillote with Fiery Honey  Harissa & more!  A fresh selection of wines available for tasting!  Friday April 20 @ 6:30pm Class $55 per person  $10 wine tasting, optional Fun Weeknight Family Dinners Good for you dinners that the whole family will love! A nice variety, too, so no one can pull a " Not THAT Again!?"  How bout' Mondays Madness lean n' mean pork & bean soup, Totally Tuesdays Thai Grilled Chicken Salad with yummy mango, crisp veggies & rice noodles, Wonderful Wednesday's Potato Crusted Walleye , Thursdays Totally Tomato  Basil Soup with Artisan Grilled Cheeses & Freaky Fast Fridays Foodie Bash (this ones a surprise!)  And....affordable fun wines to boot! Friday May 18 @ 6:30pm Class $45 per person $10 wine tasting, optional Grilling Time!   Polish up those grills, Summer is here! In this Fun outdoor class, You'll receive recipes for and TASTE a wide variety of gourmet easy to throw together grilled goodies! To start, a super sourdough crusted arugula pesto & local goat cheese pizza- loaded with a bevy of  delish toppings.  Followed by Sensational Seafood Skewers over Caesar Salad-a great recipe for entertaining! Next up- Super Juicy California  Turkey Burgers- yummified with sundried tomato mayo, Homemade guac, a dose of greens & crispy bacon. Onto a taste of Mexico- Classic Carne Asada with a side of Grilled Corn with Cilantro-Poblano Lime Butter & Queso Fresco, and lastly a Refreshing Frozen White Chocolate, Mango & Strawberry  Tart, yum.   A bubbly selection of local brews will be available for tasting at this class. Friday June 22 @6:30 pm  Class $45 per person $8 beer tasting, optional  All Classes will be held at DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen Showroom

FamMenu for 3-12 to 3-18 short n' sweet

....because my blog keeps deleting my drafts, gonna make this QUICK!!! Monday: Slow Cooker Venison Sloppy Joes-look that up on allrecipes.com super easy and yummy too! We will have them on split rolls with dill pickles and a side serving of veggies and dip, cut fruit too! Tuesday: chicken cacciatore, breaded chicken thighs are pan seared then sliced up and tossed with sautéed mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes and pasta. Served with bread and a yum salad with Dijon-dill vinaigrette Wednesday: Grilled curried Tilapia with fruity basmati rice and sautéed spinach Thursday: triple Bean Smashed Tostadas-aFamFave! Cut fruit Friday:pizza and moooobie night! Saturday: a night out for hubs and I- for our THIRTEENTH Anniversary! Time flies!!! I'll hook the kiddos up with some good grub...just not sure what yet!:) Sunday: honey lime tequila glazed & grilled chicken thighs, smashed sweet taters, slaw Have a great week!

This Weeeeks FamMenu:)

Had a very nice, much needed long weekend road trip to see my Bestie in Louisville, Kentucky! What beautiful rolling hills, including the area where her horse Tobey is stabled at, Turning Leaf Farm in Oldham County- beautimeous! We, her sis, momma and I had a nice drive down, avoided the crazy tornadoes(thank goodness!) and went to her baby shower. Also had one hour massages, went to several great restaurants, including Jack Fry's, went window shopping, got in a great COLD rum and made them a fancy shmancy Chef Robiney dinner, too:) good times were had by all! After all that rambling, here is this week's FamMenu: Monday: after this loooong trip (I am on the road as I type this!-oh and I am NOT behind the wheel:) The kids will have probably already eaten, and I am overly stuffed from a weekend of food- so this chick is skipping dinner! Tuesday: Smokey, lean & mean pork & bean stew, fresh rolls, salad with mustard vinaigrette Wednesday: Chicken Shwarma- yummy spiced up grilled chicken on pitas with sautéed peppers & onions, garlic sauce, CaraCara oranges for dessert Thursday: I will  start off the day with Muffins with Mon!!! For dinner, Slow Cooker Golumpki- savory green cabbage stuffed with ground beef, onion, rice & topped with a tomato sauce. May have some pierogi- store boughts- on the side, just cuz the kids love em'! Friday: supposed to have a class- but it is not looking very promising, only four signed up! So it could be a night home with the kiddies for pizza, pizza! Saturday: I think a pasta night is in order, I think penne with pesto, sundried tomatoes & toasted pine nuts, some crusty Italian bread and a nice salad Maybe I'll splurge for some Palazzolos Italian Spumoni, mmmm hmmmm! check their site out: http://www.4gelato.com/ Sunday: maybe something easy? How about Tacos. Sounds good to me:)! Make it a GREAT week!

A week of FamMenu hiatus is upon me...

Sorry for the lack of menu this week....it has been a discombobulated week. One of those weeks where ever so consistently, Murphy's Law has prevailed over just about everything. So I will be back ready to roar next week with a vibrant Chef Robin FamMenu for you next Monday! Hope your week is MUCH tamer than mine!

FamMenu for 2.20 to 2.26

Hello all, hope you have been enjoying the gorgeoso Michigan sunshine!
Had a great class last week,I think everyone left happy and full of food and new healthy food ideas!
Have a wonderful week and take time to sit down and eat with the Fam atleast a few times!

Monday: Caroliner made some Annie's organic shells and cheese, carrot sticks& snap peas, CaraCara oranges...while mom and dad were working.... i made Jared & I a quick dish of ravioli with pesto,sundried tomatoes and toasted pinenuts,a perfect meal for me as I need to run in the am!

Tuesday: Balsamic Grilled flank steak, mashed yukon golds with buttermilk & chives, sauteed green beans with red peppers & carrots

Wednesday: Honey dijon glazed pork sizzlers,baked cinnamon apples, roasted beets & carrots with rosemary, potato rolls

Thursday: This evening we have a suprise for the kiddos...but I may be more excited than any of them will be...Mary Poppins on Broadway! Hey, they all love the movie, and there's no school on Friday, so Woohoo, why not! We have had a long winter of not doing a whole lot of anything special, so  I am thinking this will be quite the memorable experience, YAY! Not sure about dinner, but we will probablly bring them out for dessert after the show :)

Friday: Pizza for movie night!

Saturday: I have a long day planned, so I am thinking grilled stuffed burritos- the vegetarian ones from Costco-withJacks Salsa and tortilla strips, some fresh fruit, too

Sunday: A big meal for my Teanie Beanie! She wanted pot stickers, Sesame soy grilled Chicken, jasmine rice, Asian Slaw, oranges and carrot cake!

Fam Menu... At the tail end of this crazy week!

Ok, so it's a given that I'm busy, RIGHT???? Oh, good, so you all understand my not sitting down my document my menu this week, but I will say that not having dinners per- planned has been, well, a PAIN! So I am glad I usually do this time, mOney and sanity saving plan every week! :) So here is my FamMenu: Monday: yummy homemade chicken fried rice, it was delish! We also had a few pot stickers and some clem n' Tina's! Tuesday: this was a completely exhausting day, I'll spare you the details! Ant has been begging for hot dogs and chips- so we did that for him and had black grapes and baby carrots, too- his favorite fruit and veggie! We got a cupcake lizard cake- what a crazy night! Wednesday: Caroline made dinner, spaghetti with turkey tomato sauce, roasted asparagus and Italian bread Thursday: Brazilian Fejoda- spicy black bean stew over rice, orange wedges Friday: pizza with daddy- I will be teaching a great healthy cooking class! Saturday: roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, cut fruit Sunday: white chicken chili- sounds good doesn't it??? Ok, there it is- short and sweet!

FamMenu for Feb.6th through the 12th

Sorry these menus are being crazily stacked together, I am writing them completely via my phone, and apparently spaces don't show up! Here is my weekly menu for my Fam... Monday: whole wheat penne tomatoey-pesto-turkey sauce, spaghetti squash, salad with romaine, tomatoes, carrots & black olives, toasty Vienna bread Tuesday:roasted beet, spinach & quinoa salad with goat cheese, creamy basil tomato soup Wednesday: chicken & cheese quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt, tortilla chips... Fruit salad Thursday: sesame soy glazed grilled organic chicken thighs with sauteed baby Bok choy and jasmine rice Orange wedges Friday: pizza with the kiddos Saturday: hmmmm... I am not sure!hubs and I willbe at Art of the Tables' anniversary party and the kids will be with Uncle Bri:) HE can cook! as he loves to do so! Sunday: I am thinking breakfast for dinner! Now what shall it be... Have a great treat of a week!

Holy Cannoli, it's almost February! FamMenu 1-30 ~2-5

Time sure does fly... Especially when you have a busy schedule and lots of children! It seems to magically disappear, ~poof~from in front of me!!! Well, today starts a challenge for the Belmont Fourth Graders, including my Fred, to "Eat a Rainbow a Day" of healthy fruits & veggies! We are off to a great start! He had concord grape juice for breakfast(and some Cheerios w/milk!) and has cucumbers, carrots, a banana & dried cherries(mixed with dark chocolate chips-dessert:)in his lunch...a kiwi is slotted for his after school snack,and then, of course there is dinner! So here you go with my Fam's week of meals: Monday: I was running around alllll day long so I threw together a quick dinner, Mrs. T's mini piergoies and whipped up a quick cheese sauce made with earth balance spread, flour , 1/2 % milk and 2% milk sharp cheddar . I steamed some organic broccoli and carrots and that was dinner! Tuesday: looks like it will be another busy day. Going to pan grill some vegetarian burritos from Costco - they are awesome! Packed with fiber and low fat! I'll serve them up with some "Jacks Special" salsa- with some organic corn and chunks of avocad thrown in(on sale at Meijer for $1 each this week!) will have some tortilla strips and some sliced "Piñata" apples too. Wednesday:herbalicious turkey burgers topped with sautéed mini portobellos, onions & 2% milk Swiss cheese. Sweet potato chips and celery sticks Thursday: Stir fry! Chicken, Bok choy, carrots & red cabbage- probably done up into stir fried race, the kiddos LOVE THIS! Navel orange wedges Friday: I'll be at a demo at Forest Hills Foods, then it's time for moooovie night and pizza! Gonna have to load it with veggies! Mushrooms, green peppers, black olives... Maybe some ham too. Saturday: Another hummus demo, this time @ Plum Market in West Bloomfield! Then it's home to the kiddies and time for a an already done dinner a la my crockpot- I am thinking Brazilian black bean stew- made with skinless chicken thighs and smoked turkey sausage. A nice crisp salad with blue cheese, tomatoes and spinach... Zingermans bread! Sunday: oh boy, Super Bowl Food! Plenty of My black bean hummus, veggies, probably some other crazy apps... Potato wedges... Who knows what else! Hope your week is full if rainbows and sunshine!:)

FamMenu for 1.23-1.29 almost February!!!:)

Hey everyone! Had a great "Family Day" with the kiddos Gigi & Grampy & the Biermachers Friday! Also a beautiful catered event on Saturday. Yesterday was a git-r-done cleaning day followed by a card party and food with good friends. Sad to see the beautiful snow Turing to slush and hoping for some more beautiful big white flakes soon!(this IS Michigan after all!:)So, I get to talk with the fourth graders in my son's class tomorrow about eating a "Rainbow a Day" of fruits and vegetables, third year running! Love to inform kids about health & nutrition... Challenging thenm to help plan, shop for, incorporate different fruits and veggies into their daily meals and snacks. Are YOU up for the challenge? Here is a great printout for kids(and those adults who "don't like veggies")to help track which colors you've eaten daily: http://www.wegmans.com/pdf/EatARainbowEveryDay.pdf
 So on with my FamMenu for the week:

 Monday: Tonce's BBQ potato chicken pizza, FINALLY! (had to reschedule this since Friday, and she has not been short in the reminder department!:) fresh cut fruit, brownies

 Tuesday: grilled beef tenderloin, horseradish mashed Yukon potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, green beaners, GHBCpotato bread

Wednesday:vegetarian chili- chock full of veggies and three beans, over rice, with chunks of avocado, yum! Baked tortilla chips

 Thursday: kale & bean soup with lots of shredded Romano cheese and hunks of Italian bread, fresh fruit

Friday: Terrif Turkey Taco Pizza with shredded romaine, tomatoes, banana peppers 2% milk shredded sharp cheddar

 Saturday: Grilled Vegetable Lasagna, an AWESOME RECIPE can be found in Myra Goodman's "Food to Live By"- she and her husband own Earthbound Farm Organic- this is a great wY to get your veggies in!!!

Sunday: "Sticky Chicken Drumbsticks" from Annabel Karmel's "You Can Cook" made by the kids! Served with rice & Asian slaw

 Have a GREAT WEEK ALL!!!:)

Healthy Gluten Free Class next month!

Another Gluten Free Healthy class next month! Friday February 17th, 6:30 pm at DreamMaker, the menu is as follows:

~A rainbow of veggies with Mediterranean roasted eggplant dip- baba ganoush & homemade ranch dip

~Chick Pea "Tabouleh"- made without cracked wheat- fresh herbs, tomatoes, feta & olives

~Roasted Beet, Quinoa & Goat Cheese Salad- hearty and flavorful!

~Grilled Wild Caught Cod with Chermoula-mild fish with a tasty herbalicious sauce!(parsley, saffron, etc.)

~Healthy Feijoda-a spicy Brazilianblack bean stew

Sign up http://www.rpssignmeup.com/

The "I can't get my phone to tether to the Internet-Grrr" FamMenu

So I'll keep it Short & Sweet!:) Monday: was a crazy long day for me, hummus deliveries, sick kid, doctors appointment, pharmacy, grocery store, dinner - which consisted of leftovers- then watched Alcatraz- a little creepy!-and BED! Zzzzzz Tuesday: pulled lean beef sloppy joes on Little Rooster Rooster buns with 2% milk American slices, veggies n' dip and ...date I say this?!?! TATER TOTS! (kids are happy!) Wednesday: Stir Fried Rice with lots of veggies & marinated beef, fresh green grapes Thursday: whole grain spaghetti tossed with Italian sausage meatballs(extending the meat by adding breadcrumbs, Parm, egg & herbs) and Italian Tomato Sauce, bread, rapini- YUM!!! Sautéed with garlic, tomatoes, crushed red pepper & basil Friday: Family Day @ Biermacher's house! French Dips, salad, sweet potato fries & dessert!  Saturday: BBQ Chicken & red potato pizza, per Contance's request!:) I have a fancy dinner to cater, woopwoop! Sunday: I am thinking veggie, bean & cheese burritos, fruit, chips & salsa, guacamole too!!!

Gluten Free Vegan~Vegetarian Specialties~ Food and Wine Menu

~Vegetarian Specialties~

Vegetable Brown Rice Sushi Rolls

Japanese rice is treated with some rice vinegar, a little sea salt and a sprinkling of organic sugar then rolled up with fresh veggies in a Nori wrap-served with pickled ginger, wasabi & soy- spicylicious!

`New Age White`…  with a little lemon

Toasted Quinoa & Vegetable Soup Au Pistou

A power packed with nutrition soup that is delish, hearty & flavorful, too! Quinoa is a tiny grain that is high in protein and gluten free- it has a chewy-nutty flavor and texture and is also packed with potassium! Enjoy your fave fresh seasonal veggies in this one! The au pistou on the top is packed with flavors & essential oils.

`3 Girls Chardonnay`

Triple Bean Smashed Tostadas

Canned beans make for a huge time saver in the kitchen, and a pocket friendly choice for people who are trying to eat healthy on a budget and need quick meals…rumor has it that you should eat a half cup of beans a day- for their wonderful fiber, macrobiotics, protein, etc. Adding in great roasted peppers, chipotles, fresh cilantro, garlic and guacamole- you have a quick, tasty family pleasing meal in record time!

`Dry Creek Fume Blanc`

Organic Kaleriffic Salad

I adapted this recipe from one I had found in a Yoga magazine, from a health spa in California. Kale is a packed with vitamin K, antioxidants, calcium and fiber- vibrant in color and texture, no wonder it is called a “Superfood”! Add in fresh Crimini mushrooms, red onions, wild blueberry balsamic vinaigrette & toasted hazelnuts, YUM!

`Cupcake Pinot Noir`

Nutty Date Bar

Dates are a natural sweet ending to a meal, and have been popular in a Mediterranean diet for years- fruit at the end of dinner! Add in some antioxidant rich cocoa powder and some healthy nuts- and you have a great energy bar-easy to make and from your own kitchen!

`Dows Port Cocktail`

Chefrobinpersonalchef@hotmail.com http://chefrobinstastestodate.blogspot.com/

www.chefrobins.com

I'll be at Grand Central Market & Deli...

Today doing a taste testing of my hummus' at lunchtime, drop in and say hello!

FamMenu 1.9 Through1.15

Hey all...well this morning I spent some time thoroughly foraging through my cupboards....-there was a lot in there that I had completely forgotten about! ( I encourage you to do this with your cupboards, fridge & freezer...it's a great money saver! :0) Last week did not go exactly as planned, meal-wise, so you'll see a few things from last week incorporated here...


Monday: Grilled Sizzler Steaks with my homemade steak rub, sauteed shrooms & onions, "Kid scrubbed" redskin potatoes-Ant & Tina helped! Mashed with buttermilk and chives, Organic romaine & Roma TomatoSalad w/Penzey's Ranch ...Made these, too, since my oven is still on the fritz:
http://www.food.com/recipe/healthy-no-bake-cookies-137725   pretty good!


Tuesday: Skillet Shepherds pie- made with leftover potatoes from Monday, creamed corn and green beans- not my fave, but the Fam are fans! I'll have to make some of my grandma's special ketchup-mustard-brown sugar meatloaf sauce to go with it!Potato rolls, homemade applesauce.



Wednesday: A lunchtime Hummus Tasting Demo @ Grand Central Market & Deli for me...then home to Creamy Dreamy Tomato Basil Soup, Artisan Grilled Cheesies (a basic grilled cheese- just use yummy crusty artisan bakery bread and 2-3 different cheeses, plus parm on the crusts-golden-delish!) & veggies.


Thursday:  I'll be at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum for a tasty healthy snack demo- so the kiddies will be home with Dad, eating ' Lowfat Chili Verde- a spicy pork & green salsa chili, with some beans added in for bulk, tortilla chips- and MAYBE they will get to watch crazy WIPEOUT! (funny!)

Friday: I SHOULD be at a cooking demo~Vegetarian Specialties~ but at the moment I have low enrollment- so grab your friends and SIGN UP!!! The class will be Vegan AND Gluten Free! (and of course healthy, FUN and delicious!)See the details on the right side of my blog.  Kiddos will have pizza with daddy, or a babysitter:0)


Saturday: Another Tasty Healthy Snack Demo for me @ the Grand Rapids Children's Museum... Then Carne Asada with the Fam... there is a good recipe on Allrecipes.com:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taqueria-style-tacos---carne-asada/detail.aspx.......yum!




Sunday: Spaghetti with  Nana Rose's Italian Meatballs & Sauce, Italian style green beans, Italian Bread




And JUST IN CASE you are all wondering, does she REALLY cook like this for her family every week? The answer is YES I do! AND remember that this is a skeleton of a meal plan...in other words, STUFF happens, and we do not always eat the meals intended for the day, but I have to say that we usually do. Planning helps save time, money and energy. (MY TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY!) For instance, I usually pull everything I have scheduled for meals during the week from the freezer, if need be, and schedule around the local store ads, on Monday Morning or Sunday afternoon.... If I KNOW what is for dinner in advance, I can use my time wisely and get things done and not fret at the last second, OMIGOSH! WHAT'S FOR DINNER?! 
Have a superdedooper week!!!

I'll be @ the MAC tomorrow! Follow this link for details:

http://www.themac-easthills.com/mac/HealthFair

First Full FamMenu for 2012!!! :0)

Well, can you believe it is 2012 already? Seems like just yesterday we were on the cusp of  Y2K! Wow, we lived in a one bedroom house and only had ONE child back then- and now she is almost a teenager and has four tagalong siblings, crazy! Here's to a blessed new year!
Ok, so cooking for the fam may prove to be a tad challenging this week, as my bake element in my oven bit the dust last week...Sooo until that is fixed, no baking or roasting for this chick! (BOO!) Perhaps if I see this as a challenge, it will be FUN!!! So here it is, the FamMenu:


Monday: Eating a LUN-DIN "picnic" of sorts at my parents' house while watching MSU- Jamie Oliver's "A Cracking Burger" -thank you to my friend Michelle for sharing this with me over a year ago!-(Simply the best burger- great made with venison, too!)
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/a-cracking-burger
and some baked beans, veggies with Penzey's ranch, fruit


Tuesday: Hubs wants pasta, so here is what he gets- Fettucini Toldo- grilled chicken breasts, chunks of spiral ham, sauteed mushrooms, lots of  parm, asiago & romano cheese all swirled together with some homemade pasta! foccacia or Italian bread (not homemade :o( dumb oven) Italian style spinach-sauteed with garlic, crushed red pepper, tomatoes & olive oil


Wednesday: Split Green & Yellow Pea soup- with lots of carrots, potatoes, onions and ham- some delish rolls and homemade applesauce


Thursday: Local Steelhead with Chermoula- a delish fresh herb cocoction made with cilantro, parsley, garlic, saffron and a few other things that make it delish! Mashed redskins with buttermilk, a tasty veggie of some sort!


Friday: BBQ Chicken pizza-grilled because my dumb oven is broke! 


Saturday: Pork Carnitas- a delish mexican concoction similar to tacos but WAY tastier! Here is a great recipe from a fun blogger:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/05/easy-crockpot-pork-carnitas.html
Makes the house smell YUMMMMY! 


Sunday: Balsamic glazed steaks with  creamy asiago polenta, sauteed mushrooms and onions, salad, fresh fruit


Enjoy this blizzardy week with your Fam!