The Poopsie Collective

Recipe: The Easiest Tomato Sauce in the World

written by STEPHANIE

3 ingredients and 5 minutes of active prep (45 minutes cooking time) are all you need to make the easiest tomato sauce in the world, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. It’s a staple in our household because it’s so freakin’ easy and it freezes well for those last minute weeknight dinners when my husband and I look at each other and ask, “What are we going to eat tonight? Uhhh….???” I’ve made this recipe at friends’ houses and for family, and everyone has since made it a staple in their household too. 

Ingredients

28oz can San Marzano tomatoes, whole peeled 

5 T butter

1 medium onion, peeled and halved

Put all ingredients into a pot, simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Do not break apart the onion, as you will remove it at the end of the cooking time. Stir occasionally and crush the tomatoes as you cook. 

Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta according to the package. Drain. Top with sauce and parmesan, if desired. Sprinkle a nice, flakey salt on top like Maldon, if desired. 

To store in freezer, put into freezer proof container like ziplock bag or canning jars. I recommend freezing in smaller portions appropriate for 4 servings or less. 

Recipe: Thai Chicken Curry

written by STEPHANIE

I love asking friends for their weekly dinner go-to’s. It’s the best way to get new ideas for dinner solutions that are simple and yummy. This recipe came from my friend, Jacqui, and it has become a weekly staple. It makes a large batch with lots of leftovers, which I portion out for lunches and save in the freezer. Plus, it’s fool-proof! 

Ingredients:

- 1 red onion

- 1-2 cloves crushed garlic

- 2-3 bell peppers, any colors

- 2-3 zucchini diced or sliced approx 3/4 inch thick

- optional veggies: broccoli, potatoes, peas in the shoot, fresh green beans

- pinch of Cayenne pepper

- salt to taste

- optional spices to use as you like: curry, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika

- 2 jars of Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce (I have also used Thai Green Curry Sauce, which was quite good but not as delicious as the red)

- 1 can coconut milk (TJ’s makes a low-fat version)

- 1 1/2 cups water

- Approx 1lb diced chicken breast

- rice or quinoa

Sautee the onions in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Add garlic and sautee together a few minutes more. Do not brown. Add the veggies and spices, then stir well and sautee together until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the curry sauce and 1 1/2 cups of water, mix well. Add chicken and coconut milk (you can use 3/4 of the can or more, as you like). Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice or quinoa, and enjoy!

Dinner Solutions: Easy Quiche Recipe

written by STEPHANIE

Bacon, mushroom and leek quiche.

Quiche has been in my repertoire for a long time. Beginning way back when I was a vegetarian, I made my first quiche for Thanksgiving as my turkey-substitute entree. Ever since, it has been a staple because it is simple, requires few ingredients, is ready to eat in under 45 minutes (start to finish), and makes EXCELLENT leftovers. This past weekend, I spruced up my tried-and-true recipe with one from my mom, and I have to say it was a HUGE hit! It will definitely be my new go-to quiche recipe.

Ingredients:

9 inch unbaked pie shell (I like the frozen ones found typically in the dessert aisle/freezer section)

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups cream

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 T unsalted butter, melted but not hot

pinch white pepper

pinch nutmeg

salt to taste

filling: examples are sautéed mushrooms and leeks (drain liquid), sautéed asparagus cut into small pieces with shallots and butter, cooked spinach with dill, crumbled sweet Italian sausage with sun dried tomatoes, bacon, etc. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farh. Beat together eggs and cream. Add all remaining ingredients (except filling) and stir until well combined. Pour filling into pie shell. Pour egg mixture over filling into pie shell. Bake until set, approximately 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes or until egg mixture is firm. Serve.

*Double the recipe and add in another pie shell for easy meals for the week!

Recipe: Rigatoni with Eggplant & Pine Nut Crunch

Written by ERICA

Source: Bon Appétit | March 2011

Moms face approximately 8 gazillion dilemmas on a daily basis…how to get that pesky booger out of your squirmy child’s nose, how to help your dog lose 5 lbs while your toddler throws cheese into the dog’s mouth at every meal, how to get the Dora the Explorer theme song out of your head, how to clean poop off your child’s balls when he’s cold (there, I said it, they shrink, the poop gets stuck, it’s gross, and it’s really difficult)…anyway, we’ve got enough on our plates. So considering all the difficult tasks we deal with, preparing dinner shouldn’t be one of them.

These days I only cook meals that I can make a lot of, with the intention of a certain toddler reaping the benefits of my efforts the next day (and the day after that, and the day after that…). And if I can dirty 3 pots/pans/bowls or less, major bonus. Cue my favorite family-friendly pasta dish, originally from Bon Appétit, with some minor adjustments from this lazy mama. It’s not exactly a quick dish to prepare, but it’s one of those great “leave it in the oven and chase your kid around the house while it bakes” kind of recipes. And the end result is the gift that keeps on giving if you’re into leftovers, which let’s be honest, you are.

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 unpeeled large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 medium yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch squares

2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

** I add other veggies for added nutritional benefits/flavor, such as: broccoli, onions, zucchini, yellow squash** 

Garlic

Olive oil

2/3 cup (firmly packed) fresh basil leaves

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 pound rigatoni (**I prefer to use whole wheat penne, ideally Barilla Plus because it’s loaded with protein, omega 3s and fiber**)

1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 jar of tomato sauce (whatever sauce is your favorite, or whatever you’ve got in the pantry; if you like a lot of sauce, go for 1 1/2 jars)

Preparation:

- Preheat oven to 425°F. 

- Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray; add the cubed eggplant, peppers, grape tomatoes (and any other vegetables you choose to use).  

- Using garlic press, squeeze 1 garlic clove onto vegetables. Or sprinkle with garlic powder, or use pre-minced garlic. 

- Drizzle vegetables with olive oil (enough to coat); toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring often, 35 to 45 minutes.

- For Crunch Topping: Combine 2/3 cup basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pine nuts, and 1 garlic clove in mini processor. Blend until crumbly. Season topping with salt.

- Cook pasta in pot of boiling, salted water until just tender but still firm to bite; drain & return to pot. 

- Toss with roasted vegetables, tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup parmesan. 

- Transfer to 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella & pine nut topping.

- Bake pasta until heated through, 25 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Drool-worthy and shockingly easy. Plus: a few extra meals baked in thanks to a busy mom’s savior, leftovers!

What’s For Dinner?

Written by BROOKE 

Stephanie’s “Simplify Series” this week inspired me to write a post about how I do dinners. I haven’t figured out everything in the world of homemaking but I would dare say that dinner time is something I have greatly improved on in the past few years. Gone are the three nights a week of takeout or frantically unthawing meat under hot water ten minutes before my husband gets home. 

Here are my secrets…

Plan a Menu

Usually on Saturdays, but always by Sunday we (meaning I involve the hubby for the most part) plan a menu. We look over the weekly grocery ads to check the sales, take inventory of our freezer and pantry and plan five meals. I’m a realist. We’ll eat out, go over to friends or eat leftovers at least twice. Sunday-Thursday usually does it for us. Having a menu plan makes everything easier; shopping, making sure whatever meat I need is out of the freezer, and it helps that I post it on the fridge so I don’t have a husband who comes home and says “Tacos? I had those for lunch.” It’s on the menu! My menu is flexible. Although some meals are slated for certain nights because of work schedules, I have no problem switching things around too. Nothing is set in stone at our house. 

My cute menu planner that I keep on the fridge. You can get one at Anthropologie.

Make Your List

I’ve learned this the hard way. Now, I painstakingly go through my meals and figure out what I need, even if it means getting out the recipe. Too many times I’ve gone to make something and been missing a key ingredient (ask my neighbors, they’re always the ones I call in a panic) and, well you’ve seen what happens when I try to drag my kids to the store for “just one thing.” I also make sure my list includes items for breakfasts and lunches (those are pretty simple around here, lots of sandwiches, fruits, veggies, yogurt). 

Shop

I usually have to hit up some combo of Trader Joe’s, grocery and Costco but if I can, I try to cut one of those out each week (Costco can usually be every other week or every three weeks and if I’m getting something at Trader Joe’s, I sometimes plan my whole week around items I can get there). 

I try to shop sans kids. Saturday night is my preferred time, but sometimes the hubs and I split it up on Saturday during naps. 

My goal is to only shop once a week. I find it saves tons of money when you are not running to the store three times a week and it saves sanity! 

Know Your Schedule

Be realistic. What is your week like? Is your husband working late every night? Don’t make a huge meal for just you and a toddler. What about work, lessons, etc.? I work out of the home on Mondays and Wednesdays in the afternoon. I don’t get home those days until 6:30, which is way after my kids normal time for dinner. On those days I try to plan something that I can totally make ahead that my husband can heat up for the kids when he gets home, or something in the crock pot that will require minimal effort. It’s not that my husband can’t cook (he’s a great cook) but by the time he gets home and I’m still gone the kids are starving and they need something quick. Plus I like to have something as soon as I walk in the door.  

Prep and Freeze if Possible

I actually don’t mind making somewhat elaborate meals. I try to keep it pretty simple but once or twice a week I make something more involved or try something new. The secret for me, in this stage, is that I have a napper. I can usually get my four year old to have quiet time while the little one naps and during that time, I prep dinner. Anything that can be done ahead of time, I do. I cut up veggies, cook chicken to shred, anything I can get done before that dinner rush. The ideal meal for me is something I can almost completely prep ahead of time. Also, when I can, I’ll cook double of a meal or part of a meal and freeze it. I haven’t really perfected this yet but taco filling, stuffed pepper filling and some soups freeze really well and it’s great to have a few meals stashed away in the freezer for a crazy week. 

Go Easy on Yourself

We have PLENTY of nights when it just doesn’t come together. A few weeks ago we had family in town, life was crazy and I realized on Friday I had fed my kids quesadillas three times that week. It happens. But it’s nice on those weeks when you have it all under control. And having a plan assures that happens more often than not. 

The response I hope to get from dinners…