The Plan & Tri-Tip Roast Recipe

Do you have a menu or dinner plan that you follow?  (The recipe is at the bottom)

What I did in the past:

  Many years ago I made up for my family 6 weeks of dinner menu's along with grocery lists. Yes you read that right 6 whole weeks.  Sounds great doesn't it?  And it was great for a while.  However, I soon found that this plan had its flaws:

The Pros:

1. No Brainer:  Once the initial work was done, I never had to think about it again.
2. Grocery Lists:  Once again, not much thinking involved.

The Cons:

1. Flexibility.  This plan did not allow for flexibility.  For instance, if I saw a great looking recipe on a blog or cooking show, I did not really have a good place to plug it in.  The obvious solution was to leave a day each week for experimental dinners.  However, this also had flaws:
1. It still did not leave a place to add something new to the rotation.  
2. The grocery items for the experimental day did not end up on my pre-made grocery list.
3. What if I was having a week in which I did not feel like making something new, did that mean take out??  Take out is something I was trying to avoid by having a plan.
2. Frequency.  The other problem was, with 6 weeks of menus, some of our favorites did not come around as often as we would like and 
3. Rejects.  Some dinners we determined we really did not like as much as we thought we did, but they were on the plan  and it was kind of a lot of work to take them out, because that would leave a hole that had to be filled (the truth is I started with 8 weeks of menus, but after one round I took some things out and scaled down to 6 weeks.  Since we did not have 12 rejects, I ended up with some good dinners that never made it into the rotation.)
4. Variety. It was hard to balance that many weeks.  You really don't want a whole week of nothing but chicken dishes or nothing but Mexican dishes (at least, I don't.  Some people can eat the same thing day after day.  I am not one of them.)  This is part of the reason I went from 8 to 6 weeks, with only 5-6 rejects. (see #4)
5. Seasonality.  The menus were not geared to the seasons.  I Actually started work on making new seasonal menus, but I never finished.  
6. Cost:   Some of the weeks were a lot more expensive than others and Murphy's Law dictated that we always ended up with an expensive week when money was tight. This one is my own fault, but it would have taken a lot of work to price out each dinner and try to balance that along with variety.

What I am doing now:  The Nanny Plan (modified for the Van Wagoners)

I don't really know how I found The Food Nanny, but her method is what I am working on implementing now.

How it works:

Basically you just come up with 6 or 7 themes or categories (I have more than that), you assign each day a category then you choose your menu for the week accordingly.  HERE is my spreadsheet  that I use for choosing meals. (I really hope this works, I admit I have not always loved google docs, but it was the easiest way to do this.)  *** The food nanny does not suggest a spreadsheet.  That was my idea.  I am working on 1" recipe binders for each category.***

The Pros:

1. Flexibility:  You get to choose your categories, which night to have them on and the recipes for the week.  It is also easy to plug in a new recipe.  (I have a category on my list of things to try, but that is not a theme necessarily.  It is just there to remind me to try that new soup on soup night if I am in the mood.  I don't want to add a new recipe to my list/binders until I know I like it.)
2. Cost:  Since you choose the recipes one or two weeks at a time, you can do it with the grocery adds by your side and choose more recipes that have meat or produce that is on sale.
3. Frequency:  Because you are choosing, you can have your favorites every week if you want or every once in a while. 
4. Variety:  Since each day has a different theme (for instance one of mine is S.S.S. which stands for Soup, Salad, Sandwich)  You get more variety.  You still have to be careful that you don't end up with a week of nothing but chicken, but that is not too hard  when you are only dealing with one or two weeks as a time.
5. Seasonality:  This method is ideal for seasonal cooking.  Once again look at the S.S.S. category.  In the winter we eat more soups and in the summer more salads.  Sandwiches are either eaten with the soup or salad or anytime of year if we are in the mood.

The Cons:

1. Grocery Lists:  You still have to make up a new list every week.  However, I now use recipe software on my computer and an app on my phone that help with the list making.
2. Variety:  I know this one is on the pros list too, however, this negative is not very negative since it is easily overcome. The Food Nanny has some categories that are just too much frequency for me.  The solution is obvious and I have done it.  I have made up my own categories.  She has Mexican and Italian as regular categories every single week.  That is too much for me, plus I like lots of different world cuisines.  So, I have a category called Ethnic Foods.
3. Effort:  The work is not all done for you, however, you can take a week you like and save the menu to use again on another week when you don't have the time plan.  I do that.  I just tuck them in the back pocket of my recipe binder and pull them out when I need them. 

Tri-Tip Roast
adapted from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner p. 173 by Liz Edmunds

(sorry for no photos, things just generally move too fast in the kitchen and if I don't plan for it photos don't happen.)
Servings:6

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless beef tri-tip roast
2 Tbsp Olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
3 Tablespoons shallots, minced
1 1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
5 Tablespoons butter cut into small pieces (I acutally use about 1/2 this amount)
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley (if you have it, no big deal if you don't)

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 2. Place the roast in a shallow metal pan, pour on the olive oil and rub it thoroughly over the entire surface of the meat. Roast in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer: 135 degrees for medium rare, 150 degrees for medium-well. The temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees after the meat is taken out of the oven; do not overcook. 3. When the meat is done, set it on a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let rest for 10 minutes. 4. Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion to the pan juices and cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add the wine and broth. Boil 3 to 5 minutes until more than half the wine has evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the 5 tablespoons of butter and the 2 tablespoons of parsley. 5. Cut the roast into 1-inch thick slices and place them on a platter. Reheat the suace and pour it down the center of the slices. 

Hamburger Buns in 30 Minutes

For the cheese buns mentioned in the Tomato Soup post, I just cut the buns in half horizontally (in the normal way for a hamburger bun) and top each half with cheddar cheese.  Then I put them under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  These buns freeze beautifully and are great for hamburgers (obviously) or any sandwich filling.  

This recipe makes 32 buns or do what I do and use half of the dough for cinnamon rolls. We usually end up eating 8 of the buns right away and then I freeze the other 8 for another meal or we use them for lunches for a couple of days.  I also use this dough for breadsticks.  Just pat out 1/2 of the dough in a baking sheet, brush on melted butter, sprinkle with salad supreme (sounds weird, I know, but it works) and Parmesan cheese.  Cut into strips.  I usually do about 1 inch wide and then cut the whole thing in half so they are not too long to handle.  Bake as usual.  Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping and they are just like the bread sticks from Robintinos Restaurant in Bountiful Utah.  This recipe will also work with white flour, but I always use fresh ground wheat flour.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in a ward cookbook when we lived in Spanish Fork, Utah.  I have seen the exact recipe in a dozen different cookbooks/blogs over the years.   The original recipe called for 1 cup of oil.  I cut this in half and did not have to do anything else to compensate.  I also added the gluten and the vitamin C, because I use them when making my whole wheat bread as dough enhancers.  I have made them this way for 13 or 14 years now.

Hamburger Buns in 30 Minutes (really 40-50)

Servings: 32 buns or you can make 16 buns and use the rest of the dough for quick cinnamon rolls

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 Tbsp yeast
10 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, (fresh)
1 Tbsp salt
3 eggs , lightly beaten
2 Tbsp gluten, wheat (optional)
500 milligrams vitamin C, crushed (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees *** I use my Bosch mixer to make these.  If you are using a Kitchenaid, you may want to half the recipe.***Mix together the water, sugar, oil, and yeast. let mixture rest for 15 minutes Add the flour, gluten, vitamin C, salt and eggs. The original recipe says to shape immediately. I find I get better results if I let the dough raise for another ten minutes before shaping into hamburger buns, cinnamon rolls or bread sticks. After shaping let raise for 10 minutes. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Note:
Cooking Tip: If there is a yeasty taste it is not from too much yeast, but from the water being too warm. Less yeast may be used in this recipe, but it will take longer to raise.

Shaping the buns:  I use a bench scraper to cut the dough into pieces, first in half then cut one of those pieces in half and each of those in half and then one more time until you have 16 pieces from 1/2 of the dough.  To shape, take one piece of dough and sort of pinch with your thumb while turning in order to create a dome shape gathered and pinched at the bottom.  I don't know if that makes sense, but that is what I do.  You can do whatever works for you.

Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Last night I came home from 4 hours of shopping for shoes to wear on the elephant foot that will please both the doctor and me.  I reached a successful compromise (I just can't wear athletic shoes all day every day.  They are too hot and I can't stand hot feet), but I was completely wiped out by the time I got home at dinner time with nothing planned.   Thank goodness for the freezer. 

 I went through the freezer meal phase quite a few years ago and decided that most foods just don't taste as good after they have been frozen.  There are however, a few exceptions and this soup is one of them.  It hit the spot after that hard day like you cannot believe.  I usually always serve it with cheese buns/bread.  

P.S. I have been through a lot of tomato soup recipes and this is THE ONE!  It tastes like the Fire Roasted Tomato Soup at Paradise Bakery only better because I add the fresh basil.  I could sniff fresh basil for hours.  It is kind of like a drug for me.

P.P.S.  This is the meal I serve for dinner the day before Thanksgiving

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Servings:16

Ingredients
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
28 oz can whole tomatoes
14 oz can Fire Roasted Tomatoes (Glen Muir used to be the only brand, but now I see them in most brands)
8 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
4 cups water or chicken broth
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk or half and half or whatever

1 generous bunch/handful fresh basil, chopped (optional) or 1-2 teaspoons dry

Preparation
In a dutch oven saute onion in olive oil until almost translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute a few minutes more(this is also the place to add dry basil if using.) Add tomatoes, sauce and paste as well as water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes  (Add fresh basil in the last 5-10 minutes or whenever it suits your fancy ). Puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency. ( You can use the blender, but I think that is just asking for a big mess to clean up.  If you do it that way, do several small batches and be very careful.  I like mine smooth, but if you like chunky that is okay too.) Add milk and seasonings and continue to simmer for another 5 or 10 minutes. 

Note:  This soup makes a BIG batch and is not easily halved unless you are willing to throw away half a can of almost everything.  However, it freezes beautifully.

Serve with:  Cheese Buns/Bread which is just any bread or buns you have around with cheddar cheese on top and put under the broiler until the cheese melts.  I usually make my hamburger buns in 30 (ok, really 45) minutes for this. but anything will do.  (hamburger bun recipe to follow tomorrow.)

Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken

I had some facebook requests for this recipe.  However, I did not have a chance to take photos today, so I will have to add them later.

Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, or whatever chicken you have on hand (I usually add a package of about 6 extra legs as well because my kids prefer them)
2 lemons
1 red onion
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs kosher salt
3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preparation:

****I always butterfly the chicken or you can just cut it into pieces.   To butterfly the chicken just cut out the back bone using kitchen shears.  Then I make a cut into the breast bone and give it a whack so the chicken will lie relatively flat.  I can roast a chicken this way in 40-45 minutes, which makes Roast Chicken a doable weekday dinner.****

Put chicken into a large freezer bag. Pull needles off the rosemary sprigs and put into bag. Squeeze juice of lemons into bag. Add salt, olive oil and quartered onion (honestly, I don't even measure this stuff anymore. This is an easy recipe not a science project.) Marinate for a couple of hours or overnight (overnight is best or freeze at this point for a future meal.) 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking if possible.  If not you may have to cook it a few minutes longer (don't stress about this part, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't and it is only about a 5 minutes difference in cooking time.)  Once chicken is at room temperature, lay the chicken (skin side up) along with lemon rinds and onion pieces, on a foil-lined pan. Add remaining sprig of rosemary torn into a few pieces and tuck into leg and breast of chicken. cook for 40-45 minutes. The chicken should now be crisp-skinned and tender within. Take the pan out and cut  up the chicken. Arrange on a plate along with onoin bits Pour over an syrupy goldent juices from the pan and sprkinle generously with sea salt. cut a lemon or two into quarters and scatter these around the chicken