Menu Planning and Pantry Stocking

So, this might not seem like a "hospitality" thing, but I think it fits.  Menu planning makes hospitality MUCH easier.  If you have taken the time to plan your meals for the week (or month, or even a few days), and if your pantry is stocked with some essentials, then when people pop in unexpectedly, you can quickly be prepared to feed them (even if it's not time for a meal, it's always nice to have a little snack).

Menu planning is so much easier than you might think.  Simply keep track of your favorite meals over the next few weeks.  Mine change a bit due to the weather (for example, I don't usually do hamburgers and hot dogs in the winter), but you get the idea.  Then fit them into your calendar.

Here's a typical week for me -

• Sundays - chicken wings, popcorn, and finger foods
• Mondays - pasta (this is obviously a very flexible day!)
• Tuesdays - chicken 
• Wednesdays - leftovers
• Thursdays - pork or beef
• Fridays - pizza
• Saturdays - fish or whatever I feel like (Chinese, try a new recipe, etc.)

Now to the other part - pantry stocking.  There are weeks that don't have any good deals at the store, so I work from the pantry and freezer.  I buy pasta on sale, so that's always something to eat.  Canned tomatoes, canned soups, tuna fish (I like the pouches), spaghetti sauce, salsa....things like that.  I also buy meat when it's on sale - as much as I can afford, then freeze in smaller portions.  Don't forget that you will eventually EAT your pantry and freezer items, so don't buy things you and your family don't like!!

Menu planning also gets rid of the "oh CRAP, what's for dinner" at 5:30 when everyone's starting to get hungry.  And wouldn't that be great??  

Leftovers

I don't know about you, but I get a bit frustrated with leftovers.  Either it's a tiny amount that I'm not thrilled with saving, but also don't want to waste, or I made way too much food and the family doesn't want to have to eat it every day for a week.  What to do?

We have leftover night on Wednesdays (or once a week).  It's kind of a buffet and the kids actually like being able to pick and choose.  I also do leftovers after church on Sunday.  Why should it be a day of rest for everyone but me?!?!?!

I freeze meals in portion-sized containers.  My hubby can take those to work, or I can have them on crazy nights when hubby's away and the kids just eat cereal.  :-)

I also have a couple of "refrigerator cleaning" recipes.  One is spaghetti sauce - you can add a ton of stuff to that and no one will be the wiser if you chop it up enough.  :-)  My other favorite is jambalaya.  I always have a snibble of peppers, a half an onion, some extra chicken, some chopped up tomatoes from taco night, etc., etc.

I'd love to hear what you do with YOUR leftovers!!

Now this recipe has chicken and sausage, but you can make it seafood or pork or.....let your imagination run free!!

JAMBALAYA

1/3 cup butter (I know, I know - but it's SO good - you can use oil if you prefer)

1 small onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic ( I usually use 5-6)

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped (I usually don't have any - so I leave them out!)

2 chicken breasts, cubed

1 1/2 cups sliced andouille sausages or 1 1/2 cups kielbasa or 1 1/2 cups smoked sausage

1 (28 ounce) cans canned diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup chicken broth ( 1/2 can)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 bay leaves

1 cup brown rice (you can use white rice, but this is a very sneaky way to add extra nutrition - you can't tell because of all the great flavors!)

Melt butter in deep skillet or saucepan.  Saute onion, pepper, celery and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until tender.  Stir in scallions, chicken and sausage.  Saute 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients except rice, then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Stir in rice, cover and cook 45-60 minutes or until rice is tender.

Salsa Season!!

Usually I have my own garden, but many circumstances led to a lack of one this year.  Last year I planted 40 tomato plants and canned diced tomatoes, salsa, and froze a lot of tomato sauce.  This year, I have been buying boxes of "canning tomatoes" at the market to fill our pantry.

I found this recipe several years ago.  It's delicious!!  However, I will warn you - two years ago, I planted what were labelled jalepeno peppers.  They turned out to be habanero.  For those of you that don't know, they're MUCH hotter.  Beautiful, but HOT!  I used ONE pepper in a batch that called for a CUP of jalepeno.  It was so hot, my lips burned for a while!!  So, you can choose whatever hot pepper you want, but beware of the Scoville scale.  :-)

 8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2½  cups onions, chopped
1½ cups green peppers
1 cup jalapeno peppers, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup sugar (optional - I NEVER use it when I have fresh tomatoes - so taste first!)
1/3 cup vinegar
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (12 oz) can tomato paste

Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minutes.  Seal in jars and cook in a hot water bath for 10 minute.  This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa, so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.

What is Hospitality?

Hospitality is kind of hard to define, don't you think?  It's inviting people into your house, but it's more than that.  It's making them feel welcome and loved.  So how do you do that?  I'm not sure it's the same for everyone, but here are some ideas from my experience.

1. Don't have your house TOO clean.  Yes, for the "special" event, you want your house to be clean, but for the "everyday" invite, you don't need your house to be spotless.  It can be very intimidating for people to come over and see your perfectly clean home.  They will then think THEY can't have people over without having a perfect house.  
2. Get as much stuff done before people arrive as you can.  If you can't spend time with your guests, they won't feel welcomed.
3. Whatever you don't or can't get done, be sure that you allow your guests to help if they offer.  Don't get so wrapped up in doing it perfectly that you ignore the human factor.  People like to feel useful and like they're a part of the fun.
4. Be flexible and be willing to laugh at yourself if something doesn't go quite right.  If you stress, your guests stress.
5. Last, but not least, HAVE FUN!!!

Oatmeal Scones

I used to bring these to Bible Study in WV - with my homemade jams they were a huge hit!  They can be a hit for you even if you have store-bought jam!!

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (4 1/2 ounces) or quick oats  

1/4 cup whole milk   

1/4 cup heavy cream   

1 large egg   

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)  

1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/4 ounces)  

2 teaspoons baking powder   

1/2 teaspoon table salt   

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/2-inch cubes  

1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling  

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oats evenly on baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes; cool on wire rack (honestly, I skip this part sometimes!). Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Line second baking sheet with parchment paper. When oats are cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside.

Whisk milk, cream, and egg in large measuring cup until incorporated; remove 1 tablespoon to small bowl and reserve for glazing. 

Pulse flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in cooled oats. Using rubber spatula, fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Mix dough by hand in bowl until dough forms cohesive mass. 

Dust work surface with half of reserved oats, turn dough out onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oats. Gently pat into 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Using bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush surfaces with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove scones to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Bagels

Do yourself a favor - make these.  It costs extra to buy hi-gluten flour.  It is WORTH it!!

Bagels

By Cooks Illustrated

Description:

SO much better than store-bought! Don't double, and don't try to mix by hand.

Ingredients:

4 cups high-gluten flour (no substitutions - King Arthur flour sells it - or try an "Amish" store)
2 teaspoons salt 
1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or powder 
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (80 degrees)

Directions:

Mix flour, salt, and malt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast and water, mix at lowest speed until dough looks scrappy, like shreds just beginning to come together, about 4 minutes. Increase speed to low; continue mixing until dough is cohesive, smooth, and stiff, 8-10 minutes. 

Turn dough onto work surface; divide into 8 portions. Roll into smooth balls and cover with towel or plastic wrap to rest for 5 minutes.  

Form into bagels - I just poke a hole in the middle and stretch. :-)  

Place on cornmeal-dusted cookie sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (12-18 hours).  

About 20 minutes before baking, remove dough rings from refrigerator. Be sure oven racks are in the middle. Heat oven to 450F. Fill large soup kettle with 3" depth of water; bring to rapid boil.  

Working four at a time, drop dough rings into boiling water, stirring and submerging rings with slotted spoon, until very slightly puffed, 30-35 seconds. Remove rings from water; transfer to wire rack, bottom side down, to drain.  

Transfer boiled rings, rough side down, to baking sheet lined with parchment paper or to baking stone. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp, about 14 minutes. Use tongs to transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Clam Chowder

I spent a good deal of my life in New England, so when I say clam chowder, you'd better believe it's WHITE clam chowdah I'm talking about.  Because of hubby's job, we haven't spent much of the last 15 years in New England, so I've been looking for something to take care of my cravings for chowder.  Snow's (in a can) is the ONLY acceptable substitute for homemade, but that's not available everywhere either.  So, after many years and many tweaks, here is my recipe.  It is, I will confess, amazingly delicious.  Enjoy!

Add a bunch of black pepper at the end and serve with a crusty bread and a nice salad. Yum-O!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon, chopped finely 1 large onion, chopped finely 2 ribs celery, chopped finely 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp cornstarch 2 bottles clam juice 2 cups chicken broth 4 cans chopped clams 6 cups half-and-half (or 3 cups milk and 3 cups cream) 6 baked potatoes, peeled and diced 1-3 cups mashed potato flakes (depends how thick you want it)

Directions:

Saute the bacon over medium heat until brown and the fat is rendered. This will take a good 10 minutes, so be patient!! Drain most of the fat. Leave a bit, maybe a tablespoon. Put in the butter, add the onions and celery, and saute until tender, but not brown. Turn down the heat if they are browning. Mix cornstarch with the clam juice, add to pot. Add half-and-half and chicken broth. Add chopped clams and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. DO NOT BOIL or it will break (look curdled). Add potato flakes slowly (or you’ll get clumps). Simmer very, very gently. Add plenty of pepper to taste.

Stuffed Jalepenos

I have my very dear friend, Victoria, to thank for this little obsession I now have.  :-)  These are totally easy - halve a jalepeno, scoop out the seeds and membranes to adjust the spiciness to your specifications, stuff some cream cheese in there, wrap with a piece of bacon and bake (or grill - although I think grilling is too messy) at 450F till bacon is crispy.  I get impatient and broil after a few minutes.  :-)