Okay, so I’m a little off schedule. I had a snafu with the ham. I had forgotten I bought a pre-cooked ham (you know, the kind that you reheat through), so I couldn’t refreeze it once I defrosted it. Oops. So the leftover ham for the casserole moved up a few days in the menu plan.

…I just wanted to make sure y’all were paying attention.

1 package (32 ounces) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups cubed cooked ham
2 cups (16 ounces) fat-free sour cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:
2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through.

SO good. I didn’t even get to take a photo. Sorry. Next time!!!

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
1/2  cup  chopped carrot
1  tablespoon  minced garlic
1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
2  pounds  sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into cubes
3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
1  cup  dry red wine
2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 1/2  cups  fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/2  cup  water
2  teaspoons  chopped fresh oregano
2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme
1  bay leaf
1  (8-ounce) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
1  tablespoon  chopped parsley

These were quite yummy. Don’t make the mistake I did by serving them on super thick bread. Oops!

From Pete’s Guide to Good Cooking.

1 lb. ground beef
2 tbsp. red wine
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. fine bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
sauteed mushrooms & onions
2 slices of bacon per burger

Mix ingredients into patties and broil, grill or fry.  Top with slices of thick bacon and sauteed mushrooms and onions.  I would say not to put on ciabatta rolls. You want something a little softer with this burger.

I love ham. I love it in the way where I’m reminded of that scene from Anchorman: “Scotchy, scotch, scotch.” Like that.

Anyway, I digress. I don’t usually do a lot of sweet potatoes in the house, not on purpose, just because I forget. But Real Simple recently had a page that showed a few different ways of using them and I got sucked in. So… we’re having sweet potato pancakes with our hammy, ham, ham tonight.

It’s simple to do: Mix coarsely grated sweet potatoes with grated onion and chopped fresh sage; season with salt and pepper. Pan-fry spoonfuls of the mixture in olive oil until crisp and cooked through.

Thanks, Real Simple. xoxo.

For those of us paying attention to meal planning and leftover rationing, I cut a boneless ham in half, froze two halves.  One half was removed to be baked.  We still won’t finish the whole thing, and I’ll be dicing it up for a casserole in a little over a week. Yay for using all of it!

For more great menus, please visit http://www.orgjunkie.com!

I can’t believe I’m making this post already. Sometimes I feel like the older I get, the faster time flies. I’m typing this in the kitchen as I watch fat little snowflakes fly through my backyard and listen to Moo make a huge mess downstairs in the playroom.  suitNtie and Boo are off having “man time” at Best Buy. And I’m thinking that this snow is NEVER going to melt.  I can see about 8 inches of the top of my back fence. Spring, are you coming?

In any case, there’s much to look forward to in March. It’s one of my favorite months, not just because of Boo’s birthday. St. Patrick’s Day approaches! I always have fun cooking that day, although our menu has become relatively solid. I’m a believer in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I do tweak things here and there though, just to have fun. You’ll see more of that in March, Part 2.

A friend sent me a note today on Facebook, asking if the Kitchen takes submissions. Heck, yeah, we do. I’m a Google queen, but I know I miss things.  And she sent a fabulous recipe over that I can’t wait to try. Now I just wait for pork butt to go on sale.   The Kitchen LOVES recipe submissions.  Leave a link in a comment on a Menu Plan Monday post and I’ll be sure to see it.  The Kitchen also loves guest postings. If you’ve made something great, and managed to take a photo or two while you were at it, I’d love to get a write up from you about it (particularly if I know you personally).
While we’re talking about community, if you like my blog and find it useful, please tell your friends. It makes me so happy when I see lots of visitors and comments.   I’ve been convinced to hold a Menu Planning workshop in March at my home for some friends and I’m looking forward to it.  I enjoy doing what I do and it’s helped me a lot. If I can help other people save time and money, all the better.  Thanks again, as always, for reading and commenting and sharing the love.

March 2011, Part 1 menu:

1. baked ham with sweet potato pancakes and zucchini (NEW!)
2. burgers Bourguignon (from my very old copy of this book) (NEW!)
3. italian beef stew (NEW!)
4. FFY Buffet
5. baked chicken with green beans and bacon vinaigrette
6. pizza night: test driving mini deep dish pizzas as potential for Boo’s birthday party (NEW!)(Kids in the Kitchen)
7. potluck:  Menu Planning Workshop in the Kitchen tonight!
8. skirt steak with sweet potatoes and parsley salad (NEW!)
9. crunchy ham and potato casserole (using leftover ham from 3/1) (NEW!)
10. honey-ginger chicken fingers and mashed carrots with honey and chili powder (NEW!)
11. FFY Buffet
12. suitNtie is off at PAX East, so kids and I will KISS and have sandwiches.
13. pasta e fagioli (from the freezer) (Freezer Meal)
14. breakfast for dinner: I’m making my own sausage and we’ll have sausage and egg biscuits.
15. antipasto salad with grilled chicken

I like kielbasa, but I seem to use it the same way over and over again. I’m kind of bored with it. This looked tasty to me because of the different mix of ingredients. I have tended to use kielbasa in a southwest kind of way, so this will be a nice change!

1 pound red potatoes, cubed
3 tablespoons water
3/4 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until tender; drain.
In a large skillet, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.
Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

This recipe caught my eye because it’s got a bunch of our favorite things in it…and not much else. Just a new way of serving them.  We’ll probably have them with a sweet side, like corn.

8 chicken breast cutlets, (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 large bunch arugula, (about 4 ounces), stems trimmed
3 ounces soft goat cheese, broken into small pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil

Mise en place: A French term referring to having all the ingredients necessary for a dish prepared and ready to combine up to the point of cooking.

Mise en place keeps me sane with recipes with a lot of ingredients. It’s like Kitchen yoga for me. I find my zen with it. There’s something very calming about it.  The rituals of chopping the vegetables and measuring spices without the confines of the alloted times in a recipe for cooking is relaxing for me. In addition, when I go to actually make whatever I’m making, it’s a simple drop or pour in, so the cooking process is stress-free, as well. And with two children running around, you know I need less stress in my life. In fact, today, I have one child with croup who’s heading to the MD this afternoon and I’m on the tail end of a nasty headcold.

You’ll see I did my mise en place today (minus the beer, because my mother in law is picking it up at the store for me).  It’s been a very big part of my menu planning. I menu plan to save money, primarily, but also to save time. Your mise en place can be done the night before if you work during the day. I don’t think every recipe necessarily needs this ritual, but I don’t hesitate to use it. It’s an organizing tool. For example, if you have chopped onions in several recipes in a given week, chop them once. Measure them out, store them separately by recipe in the fridge, and use them as you need them. Don’t chop them every single time you need them. Makes no sense. (suitNtie complains about red onions. they are rather fragrant, to be fair, so consider yourself warned.)

One tool I really love when I’m working on my mise en place is my food chopper. Yes, I spent several years hand chopping onions and the like. If you like to waste time, knock yourself out. If you’re chopping a significant amount, you need one of these.  My recommendation: the Pampered Chef one. I’ve owned the Oxo and the darn thing fell apart. The Pampered Chef one is the best, really. I have other items that I use to help me save time but this is by far my mise en place workhorse.

But I digress. I’d like to know if you do mise en place in your kitchen. Or are you a throw it all together at the last minute kind of person? Or, like me, do you use it only for recipes with a lengthy list of ingredients?

I’ve been trying to find a way to involve lentils in our menus more, so when I saw this I thought it had promise, since we love pork and balsamic.

1 cup green lentils, rinsed
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
1 red apple, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 400° F. Bring 4 cups water to a boil.
Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the pork to oven. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, basting with the glaze twice during the last 5 minutes. Let rest before slicing.
In a medium bowl, toss cooked lentils with the apple, celery, parsley, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the pork and any pan drippings.

um, raise your hand if you are already drooling just from the title of this post. Yeah, I thought so. Me, too.

I have a love affair with my Real Simple magazine subscription. My husband is aware of this, it’s even sanctioned, since most recipes are relatively healthy. I love the simplicity and color of this one. It’s so simple, in fact, that it’s an idea recipe to cook and then cut in half and use the remainder of the beef for another recipe…french dip sandwiches, maybe? Yum.

2 pounds boneless rump or rib roast
kosher salt and pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 350° F.
Season the beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and place in a large roasting pan.
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Scatter the tomato mixture around the meat and roast to the desired doneness, about 1 hour for medium-rare (internal temperature 125° F).
Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Divide among individual plates and serve with the tomatoes and garlic.