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Heavenly homemakers
Step Away from the Oven
By Laura Coppinger
I love a hot kitchen in the summertime. Sort of. Not really. It's just that it reminds me of my grandma. And thinking of my grandma makes me happy (even in my hot kitchen). I used to help her a lot in the summers feeding the men during the long hot days of wheat harvest, making sauerkraut and feeding family members who would come by. Seems like Grandma was always feeding people.
Her kitchen was about as big as my small bathroom. And it was hot. But because I was with my grandma doing all the things I loved to do, I didn't even care. And neither did she.
So, hot summer kitchens mean happy Grandma memories for me. Nonetheless, I believe this summer I would rather have snowy Christmas memories of Grandma instead. Right now, I want my oven to stay off as much as possible. We may be going “breadless” for a while. Below is a possible plan for an entire week's worth of ovenless (and healthy) meals:
Breakfasts: Oatmeal with fresh peaches; Whole wheat waffles with blueberries; Fried eggs with oranges; Yogurt/fruit smoothies; Scrambled egg sandwiches with apples; Rice pudding with raisins; Strawberries and cream
Lunches: Chicken tostadas with tossed salad; Bean dip with chips, salsa and a side of grapes; Black bean taco salad with strawberry-peach slushies; Tuna salad on tomatoes and lettuce; Quesadillas and applesauce; Salmon patties with strawberry milkshakes; Sloppy joes with sweet baked beans and potato salad
Dinners: Steak on the grill served with stir-fried veggies; Skillet meatballs served with homemade mac and cheese and green beans; Grilled chicken served with cole slaw and fruit salad; Turkey ham and cheese egg scramble with cantaloupe; Stovetop lasagna casserole with tossed salad; Grilled burgers with pasta salad and watermelon; Chicken and rice stir fry with zucchini and carrots
You'll find most of these recipes on my Web site, but I will share my little trick for making my Lasagna Casserole on the stovetop:
•1 pound ground beef
•4 T. minced onion, or chopped fresh onion
•4 cups tomato sauce
•1 T. basil
•1 T. oregano
•1 t. garlic powder
•1/2 t. salt
•8 oz. cottage cheese
•8 oz. pkg. whole wheat pasta (any shape)
•8 oz. mozzarella cheese (or cheddar, or a mixture of both)
Brown ground beef and minced onion. Add tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder and salt. Allow meat and sauce to simmer about 20 minutes. In the meantime boil pasta according to package. Drain and stir pasta into sauce. Add cottage cheese, stirring until everything is evenly mixed. Leave mixture in pot. Top with cheese. Cover and simmer on low until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve.
This summer ... skip the oven. Unless of course you like sweating profusely and passing out. I'll use my oven when I absolutely have to. In the meantime, when I can, I'll stick to my stove-top.
Well … I guess now you know what we're eating this week. Feel free to stop by. (After all, there will be dishes to wash.)
Laura Coppinger and her husband Matt have four sons, ages 4-12. A stay-at-home mom, Laura maintains a Web site www.heavenlyhomemakers.com dedicated to inspiring women daily with healthy recipes, homemaking tips, spiritual encouragement and good ol' clean fun.
Her kitchen was about as big as my small bathroom. And it was hot. But because I was with my grandma doing all the things I loved to do, I didn't even care. And neither did she.
So, hot summer kitchens mean happy Grandma memories for me. Nonetheless, I believe this summer I would rather have snowy Christmas memories of Grandma instead. Right now, I want my oven to stay off as much as possible. We may be going “breadless” for a while. Below is a possible plan for an entire week's worth of ovenless (and healthy) meals:
Breakfasts: Oatmeal with fresh peaches; Whole wheat waffles with blueberries; Fried eggs with oranges; Yogurt/fruit smoothies; Scrambled egg sandwiches with apples; Rice pudding with raisins; Strawberries and cream
Lunches: Chicken tostadas with tossed salad; Bean dip with chips, salsa and a side of grapes; Black bean taco salad with strawberry-peach slushies; Tuna salad on tomatoes and lettuce; Quesadillas and applesauce; Salmon patties with strawberry milkshakes; Sloppy joes with sweet baked beans and potato salad
Dinners: Steak on the grill served with stir-fried veggies; Skillet meatballs served with homemade mac and cheese and green beans; Grilled chicken served with cole slaw and fruit salad; Turkey ham and cheese egg scramble with cantaloupe; Stovetop lasagna casserole with tossed salad; Grilled burgers with pasta salad and watermelon; Chicken and rice stir fry with zucchini and carrots
You'll find most of these recipes on my Web site, but I will share my little trick for making my Lasagna Casserole on the stovetop:
•1 pound ground beef
•4 T. minced onion, or chopped fresh onion
•4 cups tomato sauce
•1 T. basil
•1 T. oregano
•1 t. garlic powder
•1/2 t. salt
•8 oz. cottage cheese
•8 oz. pkg. whole wheat pasta (any shape)
•8 oz. mozzarella cheese (or cheddar, or a mixture of both)
Brown ground beef and minced onion. Add tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder and salt. Allow meat and sauce to simmer about 20 minutes. In the meantime boil pasta according to package. Drain and stir pasta into sauce. Add cottage cheese, stirring until everything is evenly mixed. Leave mixture in pot. Top with cheese. Cover and simmer on low until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve.
This summer ... skip the oven. Unless of course you like sweating profusely and passing out. I'll use my oven when I absolutely have to. In the meantime, when I can, I'll stick to my stove-top.
Well … I guess now you know what we're eating this week. Feel free to stop by. (After all, there will be dishes to wash.)
Laura Coppinger and her husband Matt have four sons, ages 4-12. A stay-at-home mom, Laura maintains a Web site www.heavenlyhomemakers.com dedicated to inspiring women daily with healthy recipes, homemaking tips, spiritual encouragement and good ol' clean fun.
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