BedBoundBabe - Cooking Tips

Sazón Fácil

7/10/2020

Sazón is the basis for seasoning many Latin dishes.
I usually store my spices and pour my portions of seasonings into my dishes instead of buying seasonings or premixing them. Recently, I’ve become interested in different types of foods and how to make them quickly so I decided to mix large amounts of dry seasonings and display them until later use.
Here’s a premixed recipe for sazón that can be put in a small jar until needed.

1 tablespoon ground cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon turmeric (traditional uses achiote)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt (kosher or regular)
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tsp ground black pepper
(you can alter this mixture to taste if you like one flavor more than another)

Measure and pour all of the ingredients into a bowl. I prefer a glass bowl so that I can see the mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to mix the ingredients for several minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Check the color to ensure too much of one spice doesn’t remain in one area of the bowl.
Add this mixture to your recipes in teaspoons until it is seasoned as desired.

Simplemente Sofrito

7/10/2020

Sofrito is a pasty mixture used to season many Latin dishes.
I don’t like to buy premixed seasoning. I usually mix desired ingredients into whatever dish I’m making. The up side is that I get fresh-tasting food. The down side is that if I’m not feeling up to cooking from scratch, I revert to substitutes. My substitute for sofrito is below.

Here’s my quick recipe for sofrito paste.

2 medium onions (white or yellow based on taste preference)(peeled)
1 head of garlic (peeled)
2 medium green bell peppers (stemmed and seeded)
1 red bell pepper (stemmed and seeded)
2-3 large tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon of salt (more to taste)

Eliminate cilantro if desired. Reduce amounts of other ingredients to taste.

Cut the onions, peppers, tomatoes into fourths and break garlic into fourths. Put all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until thoroughly mixed and pasty.
If the mixture becomes too thick to continue blending but doesn’t look thoroughly mixed, spoon it out into a glass bowl and continue to mix with a spoon or spatula.

The amount needed for different recipes varies greatly on the recipe and the serving size of the recipe.
You can store whatever you don’t use in a jar in the refrigerator or in a freezer bag and frozen.

*My sofrito confession: When I’m caught craving sofrito but I haven’t made any, I substitute chunky salsa** in my desired spiciness. While sofrito is usually pasty, I use chunky salsa because regular salsa is too watery. I’d rather have chunky than watery.
**Yes. I also make salsa and pico de gallo from scratch

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

2/11/2020

My favorite new thing helps me with my migraines but can totally be used for pure pleasure! To be fair- peppermint hot chocolate isn’t new or even new to me. The new part is my ability to make it myself.
A certain famous, very expensive, coffee shop has it every winter and not only is it cost prohibitive, it’s also seasonal. I need it all the time!!!! so I’ve been perfecting making it for myself all winter.
Here’s what I learned…

5 peppermints (more or less to taste)
4-5 scoops of hot chocolate mix (I scoop with a common teaspoon not a measuring teaspoon)
about 12 oz of hot water

I bring the water to a near boil or boil. Next, I drop the peppermints into the water and stir it until they dissolve.
Then, I pour in the chocolate mix and stir. Enjoy.

*If the suggested mix is too sweet or chocolaty for your taste, dilute with more water.
**One thing you should note-
I like sweet things. The more peppermints you add, the more sugary the drink will get as well. You may want to substitute some peppermints for a drop or two of peppermint oil- it’s widely believed to be safe to ingest.

Sweet Potato Pie (reduced sugar, banana)

11/25/2019

I make sweet potato pie two ways- with and without roasted bananas. This is the version with roasted bananas. Putting bananas in sweet potato pie may seem weird but both bananas and sweet potatoes are Caribbean staples and the bananas are sweet and cuts down the amount of refined sugar necessary for the recipe.
Ingredients
•   4 large sweet potatoes
•   4 bananas
•   2 sticks of butter softened (salted or unsalted)
•   salt
•   2 teaspoons nutmeg
•   3 tablespoons cinnamon +/- to taste
•   1/2 cup brown sugar
•   1 pack frozen pie crust
* you will need aluminum foil and cookie sheets

Take the pie crusts out of the freezer, separate and allow them to defrost. Boil water and pre-heat the oven to 375 (temperature varies by region). Skin and boil potatoes. I like to cut them in halves or fourths so they will boil quicker. Put the potatoes in the boiling water with a couple pinches of salt. Boil the potatoes until they are soft. I like to poke them with a fork to check.

When the sweet potatoes are almost soft, place the bananas in the oven to roast for about 10 minutes (time varies by region). When the peels of the bananas are all dark brown, they are ready to remove. Carefully remove the bananas from the oven; they will open and fall apart easily and the juices are very hot. Set the bananas to the side.

When the sweet potatoes are completely soft, drain the water from the pot and put the potatoes in a large bowl. Use a fork to break the potatoes apart. At this point, I put the cookie sheets in the oven. Use a cake mixer to whip the potatoes until creamy. Start the mixer on low then increase the speed as the potatoes soften. Whip on high for at least a minute or two. Use a fork to check for lumps; continue to mix as necessary. Add the roasted banana, softened butter, and a couple pinches of salt. Use the mixer to combine. Add the nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Use the mixer to thoroughly combine and then taste. Add more cinnamon and sugar to taste.

Pour the mixture into the pie crusts. Tear or cut one inch strips of aluminum foil. Use the strips of aluminum foil to wrap the edges of the pie crusts; this stops the edges from browning too quickly. Place the pies on the cookie sheets. The purpose of doing this is that the preheated sheets brown the bottom of the pie crust while the pie cooks. Bake for 15-20 minutes (time varies by region). After baking the pies, I like to turn the broiler on and let the pies broil for about 2 minutes (or until the top of the pies brown slightly). This creates a film on the top of the pie. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

Bag any left over pie filling in a freezer bag and freeze. Be sure to label the bag before you fill it with what it is and the date you are bagging it.
Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pie

11/25/2019

I make sweet potato pie two ways- with and without roasted bananas. This is the version without bananas. (Putting bananas in the pie adds sweetness with less refined sugar).
Ingredients
•   4 large sweet potatoes
•   2 sticks of butter (salted or unsalted)
•   salt
•   2 teaspoons nutmeg
•   3 tablespoons cinnamon +/- to taste
•   1 cup brown sugar
•   1 pack frozen pie crust
* you will need aluminum foil and cookie sheets

Take the pie crusts out of the freezer, separate and allow them to defrost. Boil water and pre-heat the oven to 375 (temperature varies by region). Skin and boil potatoes. I like to cut them in halves or fourths so they will boil quicker. Put the potatoes in the boiling water with a couple pinches of salt. Boil the potatoes until they are soft. I like to poke them with a fork to check.
When the sweet potatoes are completely soft, drain the water from the pot and put the potatoes in a large bowl. Use a fork to break the potatoes apart. At this point, I put the cookie sheets in the oven. Use a cake mixer to whip the potatoes until creamy. Start the mixer on low then increase the speed as the potatoes soften. Whip on high for at least a minute or two. Use a fork to check for lumps; continue to mix as necessary. Add the softened butter, and a couple pinches of salt. Use the mixer to combine. Add the nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Use the mixer to thoroughly combine and then taste. Add more cinnamon and sugar to taste.

Pour the mixture into the pie crusts. Tear or cut one inch strips of aluminum foil. Use the strips of aluminum foil to wrap the edges of the pie crusts; this stops the edges from browning too quickly. Place the pies on the cookie sheets. The purpose of doing this is that the preheated sheets brown the bottom of the pie crust while the pie cooks. Bake for 15-20 minutes (time varies by region). After baking the pies, I like to turn the broiler on and let the pies broil for about 2 minutes (or until the top of the pies brown slightly). This creates a film on the top of the pie. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

Bag any left over pie filling in a freezer bag and freeze. Be sure to label the bag before you fill it with what it is and the date you are bagging it.
Enjoy!

Easy Gnocchi Soup

9/30/2019

I make this gnocchi soup recipe once a month or so; but definitely in the Fall and Winter. It’s super easy and tastes delicious! If you cook the vegetarian variation in a slow cooker, it should be ready in 30 minutes if you put it on high. This, like most of my recipes, this can be frozen and reheated.

Ingredients

(1) 22 oz and (1) 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of carrots (no juice)
1 tbs garlic powder (or more to taste)
1 tbs salt (or more to taste)
1/4 cup spinach
17 oz package of pre made gnocchi
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)
1 chicken breast cubed (optional)

* You can substitute a small can of cream of chicken for small cream of mushroom
* add other seasoning and ingredients to taste; I add salt and pepper

You will begin by pouring the cream of mushroom soup into the slow cooker. Then, fill the large soup can with water and pour it into the slow cooker twice. Stir the soup until it is consistent. Now, stir in the remaining ingredients. If you want this meal quickly, put the slow cooker on high; otherwise put it on low and let it simmer for hours. (If you use raw chicken , it will take several hours to cook.)
After the soup is cooked, I remove all except what I plan to eat that day from the baking dish and I let it cool in a bowl to prepare it for bagging. Bag the food in a freezer bag the sized bags needed to feed your household. Be sure to label the bag before you fill it with what it is and the date you are bagging it.
Enjoy!

Our Meal Planner

9/26/2019

I LOVE any type of organization because it helps so much. I have had a weekly meal planner on the refrigerator so that I can plan meals and list missing ingredients I need to buy for the meals. I also have a list of food in the freezer so I can plan meals.
Now that my children are older, we take turns making meals so that the responsibility doesn’t all fall on me (disabled mom). My family marks the meal planner with their name, what they plan to make, and what ingredients they may need to make it. Everyone has different cooking abilities so the meals vary greatly, and that’s fine.
What this does for me is not only self care and organizational but financial. It helps us not buy duplicate items, therefore saving money. If we do not have money to buy groceries, we can look at the the contents of the refrigerator and freezer and figure out what ingredients we have to make meals.
When my family writes what they believe we need to buy, it’s like opening negotiations. I can search for the items they say they need or even suggest substitutions.

On my Patreon account, I have included a picture our weekly meal calendar as well as how I make it reusable. This post will be for my patrons only. My lowest tier is $3; please consider becoming a patron.

Non-toxic Cleaner/ Deodorizer/ Grease Cutter

5/6/2019

I wanted to clean out the closet where we keep our trashcan because it gets cluttered and dirty. I’ve shared my some natural cleaning recipes that I use previously but I thought I’d share what I did today.
It’s important to note that all of our floors are tile because they can come completely clean; with my allergies, that’s extremely important. However, I wouldn’t necessarily say tile and grout are easy to clean. Some people think cleaning tile is difficult and requires a lot of scrubbing. That’s not the case.
After I cleaned out all of the crud my family had been throwing on the floor in the closet, I mixed my go-to cleaner. I sprayed white vinegar all over the tile and grout on the floor then I sprinkled baking soda onto the grout lines. On a high-energy day, I’d use a retired toothbrush to gently rub the mixture into the grout but today I couldn’t do it. I let that sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. I wiped the mixture up with a warm rag and the closet floor was cleaned and deodorized.

Since I was in the mood to clean, I grabbed my metal trivets (for my pots) and the metal basket I use to drain greasy foods and I found a couple containers large enough to submerse the greasy parts. I filled then about three-fourths with water then I added about a half cup of white vinegar and a fourth cup of baking soda. I let that sit for about thirty minutes to an hour. The grease was visibly loosened and I used a nonabrasive scrubbing pad to remove the grease.

I’m not going to say it didn’t take energy because everything does, but it was easy and I didn’t have a chemical reaction so it was a win.

Did Someone Ask For Smoothies?

4/16/2019

I make smoothies for my family and myself often. None of these recipes are for weight loss or control, just condensed nutrition. I only prepare what can be eaten in a single sitting because in the refrigerator it may separate or get watery and in the freezer, it’ll get too hard. I freeze most of the ingredients so that I don’t have to worry about having fresh ingredients. This also means I don’t need ice to make the smoothies cold. I know many people hate spinach and kale. Believe me; you can’t taste it. A smoothie is a great opportunity to incorporate foods you hate to eat.
When I worked, I would prepare them at home and drink them over several hours or mix them in a single sized blender at school when I got up too early and didn’t want to disturb my family. (one note about the blender I’m recommending: I totally love it! The company sells individual parts if you lose the lid, want extra lids or break the cup)

Suggested Ingredients:

Some of my favorite ingredients are
•   Spinach or kale (fresh or frozen)
•   Orange/ Cranberry juice
•   Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
•   Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
•   Grapes (fresh or frozen)
•   Bananas (I use fresh out you can freeze bananas)
* all ingredients shouldn’t be frozen, it’s harder to blend
My only caution as someone with GERD, I’d watch the acidic products. You may want to substitute water or milk for the juice.

The amount of each ingredient really depends on how many servings you’re making. I use about ¼ or less liquid (I start with as little as possible and add if the ingredients won’t mix), ½ a banana for a single serving, a whole banana for more. I add all of the other ingredients to taste.
Always start by putting a liquid ingredient into the blender first. Chop large or harder ingredients before tossing them in.
Enjoy!

Variations and suggestion:
Try adding vegetables you don’t like; you won’t be able to taste them- avocado, cooked carrots or broccoli or sweet potatoes, etc.
Try adding different fruit; melons, pineapples or mangos, etc.

some people add honey for extra sweetener
for a sweeter smoothie, let your bananas get brown (over ripened)
for a less sweet smoothie that still has the nutrition, use a greener banana
you can add protein powder or flaxseed/ flaxseed oil
consider apple cider vinegar if you are trying to incorporate that into your diet
add greek yogurt to get probiotics

Easy Broccoli And Rice Two Ways

3/19/2019

I make this broccoli and rice recipe once every couple weeks or so; it’s one of my favorites. It’s super easy and tastes awesome! I have always cooked it in the oven but yesterday; I decided to make it last minute so I did it on the stovetop. This, like most of my recipes, this can be frozen and reheated.

Ingredients

Broccoli (fresh or frozen)
Rice (2-3 cups)
Cheddar cheese (to taste)
Cream of Mushroom soup (1/2 a can)
* add other seasoning and ingredients to taste; I add salt and pepper

Boil rice as the package recommends. After the rice is cooked…

If you want to cook the dish on the stove, reduce the heat to medium then add about 1 cup of water then add the raw or frozen broccoli. After the water cooks off, reduce the heat to low and add the cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese. (I like about 1 cup or more of cheese) and stir. Allow all ingredients to warm.
If you want to cook the dish in the oven, pour the rice into a baking dish. (I use a glass dish) Then add the raw or frozen broccoli, cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese and mix the ingredients. I bake this at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

After the broccoli and rice is cooked, I remove all except what I plan to eat that day from the baking dish and I let it cool in a bowl to prepare it for bagging. Bag the food in a freezer bag the sized bags needed to feed your household. Be sure to label the bag before you fill it with what it is and the date you are bagging it.
Enjoy!

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