Getting Your Week In Order!

Greetings Baconeers!

The new year has started and we have all made resolutions that, due to "time constraints," are starting to fall to the wayside. I know I am guilty of it myself. So here is a great tip to help get you more time and if you resolved to lose weight, help with that as well.

Every Sunday, I sit down with a cookbook, paper and small dry erase board and plan out my menus for the week. Now any cookbook will do, but if you are concerned about the calories, pick one with healthy recipes.

As I page through the book, I think about how the week will run. For instance, Monday, Friday and Sunday, Mr. F and I are home together so I cook a big meal. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Mr F goes to the gym after work so I will cook a smaller meal or salads. Saturdays we usually go out for "hot date night".

Once I have picked out the recipes and written them on the dry erase board ( this allows for easy changes if anything crazy pops up), I will create a shopping list for the week and shop Monday after work. Now I am done for the week!

I know what you're thinking--"This chick is crazy!"--but it helps us keep our diets in check and after cooking all day at work, I don't come home and stare into the fridge trying to get inspiration.

To make our meals a bit healthier, I usually eliminate all starches at dinner, portion-control our proteins and stay away from creamy salad dressings. This planning also works for lunch and keeps you away from the drive-thru.

So don't let my over-planning scare you off. Give it a try for a week and I'm sure you will find it is as big of a time saver as I do.

Old Bread, New Life

Breadcrumbs are super easy to make and have on hand for the next time you need 'em.

I tend to make up a batch every time I have a few extra pieces of bread in a loaf that's getting old or is crusty. Also French Bread loaves make delightful crumbs!

Garlic Bread Crumbs:
--Bread
--Cooking spray
--Garlic salt
--Pepper
--Oregano
--Thyme

If the bread isn't dried out, I leave the bag open for 24 hours to let it get a little crusty.

The rest of the process is really simple!

Coat one side of bread with cooking spray. Douse with your favorite spices (mine are listed above). Flip bread over and repeat.

Place on baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees until bread toasts (but doesn't burn).


Remove from oven. Allow to cool. Place in a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. I like to beat my crumbs by hand with a mallet by placing the bread in a ziplock bag and taking out all my aggression on it... But that's just me.

Store these bad boys in a ziplock bag in your freezer for several months.

Top 10 Kitchen Musts...

10 - Make friends! Find a good butcher, spice shop, seafood supplier in your neighborhood and get to know them. They will make your cooking adventures easier. Also find out which of your friends has a good stash of kitchen equipment and will actually let you borrow it.
9 - Ask questions. When do shipments come in? How long has the seafood been sitting? Even cooking times and temps. Suppliers know their product better that you do.
8 - When it comes to age, in beef, cheese and wine its good... seafood, herbs and vegetables its bad. Don't be afraid to buy frozen seafood either, the beautiful looking product in the grocery store that is on ice has done nothing but age.
7 - Plan your menus a week in advance whenever possible. This will save you time when shopping since you will be making less trips. Money, since you are creating 1 list and utilizing those pesky leftovers. Nothing is better than taking leftover chicken and making a caesar salad. You will also spend less on takeout since you won't be spending time standing in front of an open fridge before getting frustrated and ordering Chinese.
6 - Read your recipes completely before you start cooking. The only thing worse than getting half way through cooking and realizing that a key item is missing is that you need to let something proof for 2 hours and you have planned on serving dinner in 1.
5 - Mies en Place! This is French for everything in its place. Basically to have all the ingredients necessary for the dish being prepared and ready to combine up to the point of cooking. You should get all your equipment together as well.
4 - Clean out your refrigerator and cabinets periodically. I would suggest at least every 3 months. If you have marinades that you don't even remember buying, throw them out!
3 - Invest in a book called "Food Lovers Companion". It is a comprehensive dictionary of over 6000 food, drink and culinary terms. Very helpful when you come across a food item that has you scratching your head.
2 - Don't be afraid to try new things! Use those relationships you developed to explore new foods and tastes. The clerks in my local spice shop will mix herbs and spices for me as well as suggest recipes.
And the number one kitchen must...
1 - Start off your day reading the latest post on Bacon and Other Bad Habits! Especially on the day when you are planning your menus!

Kitchen Basics Part I - Your Pantry

While doing some basic kitchen housekeeping this week, I realized that I have accumulated a lot of spices, herbs, vinegars, sauces, marinades, etc etc etc. from various recipes that I made once.
As I went through my cabinets, I began separating everything into what I use regularly, what are my specialty item and of course, the items purchased for those previously mentioned recipes I made once (who really needs 3 different kinds of paprika?). The following lists are the results of my labor.
Now everyone has different tastes, so use this as a guide and add or subtract to your preference.
Must Haves: These are items you will probably reach for the most.
flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, table salt, Kosher salt, ground pepper, whole pepper, garlic powder or garlic salt.


Herbs & Spices:
basil, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill, chives, ginger, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin, curry powder, tarragon, cilantro, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, chipotle powder (or another dried pepper) and specialty salt like Himalayan Pink. I also have Lowerys seasoned salt, Mrs Dash and taco seasoning on hand.
I keep these all of these in dried form. The first 7 I bought fresh and dried myself and the rest I use just often enough to keep on hand but not often enough to purchase fresh every time. I will always buy fresh when I am making large batches and will be using all of it.
Remember that if you are substituting dried for fresh the ratio is 1 teaspoon dried for 1 tablespoon fresh.
Oils & Vinegars:
Extra Virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, hoisin sauce, and another cooking oil such as regular olive oil or vegetable oil. Extra virgin is too expensive to use when a large amount of oil is called for.
Pantry:
dried mushrooms, onions, rice, beans, yeast, honey, molasses, semi sweet chocolate chips, brown sugar, raisins, pine nuts, and chopped nuts (your preference). I also have canned diced tomatoes, green chilies and beans for last minute menus.
The fridge:
horseradish, capers, lemon & lime juices, minced garlic, soy sauce, sun dried tomatoes, chili paste, ketchup, at least 2 types of mustard, butter, pesto, and either stock or a concentrated base.
So there you are. I hope you find these lists helpful and maybe even inspire you to add something new to your pantry or perhaps to even clean it out!