Last week I placed the following photo on Big Red Kitchen's FaceBook Page and received an overwhelming amount of requests on how I made these Mason Jar Meals. I aim to please...
How many of you have poured over the web looking at this photo or that wishing it was your house, or pantry, or wardrobe, or garden? I do it all the time. It is so easy to click through Pintrest and say, "I wish I had that." Then I realize, I can have all that by working within my means using what I already have, add a dash of contentment, a splash of money, and a pinch of time. Did you see that word "work"? Yes, it is a naughty little word that has to be done by me to get what I want. I wish that word was "magic" instead. Alas, I have no wand, and the only thing that has followed a wiggle of my nose is a sneeze. Blast!
I have always wanted my refrigerator to look like that photo up there because I was tired of...
1. Wasting food
2. Not knowing what to have for dinner
3. Cooking every night
4. Blah food
5. A messy refrigerator
6. Plastic containers
7. Unhealthy food
8. Coming home from CrossFit ravenous, but too tired comatose to cook.
With a little work I made it happen.
I have done those once a month cooking marathons in the past and hated it. That style of cooking was not for me. It is great for most, but I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of 10 pounds of cooked chicken needing shredding staring me in the face to the point I put my face and my hands and wept.
What was different this time?
1. I wanted fresh not frozen meals, so "canned" enough for 4 days.
2. I did not make complete meals, some side salads to go with a quick cook protein like a grilled steak.
3. I worked 3 hours only.
4. I used quart, pint, and halfpint mason jars. They are dishwasher safe, re-usable, not plastic, clear to see food through, stain-proof, makes food look delicious, stackable, lids and jars can be purchased separately, help control portions, inexpensive, packable, and by golly, they just plain look cool!
Ready to start? 
Purchase and lay out all the food you are going to prepare, and wash and dry your jars and lids. It helps to have a variety of jar sizes giving you different portion options. Meals I knew Himself would take to work went in pint-sized jars, snacks in half pint jars, and larger salads that more than one person would eat, went in the quart-sized jars. 
Next, start cooking. But first things first. Make sure your kitchen is clean, your counters are clear, the trash can empty, the dishwasher empty, and you have eaten a good meal. Also drink water as you cook.
Tips on Cooking
1. Roast all your vegetables in one giant aluminum pan, setting your kitchen timer for the items that need to be removed first. In this case I set my timer for 18 minutes for the green beans. The potatoes took another 40 minutes or so.
2. Cut your potatoes or veggies in uniform pieces. Season each as you would like.
3. Roast your meats in the same fashion. I cooked my salmon and chicken together removing the fish after 18 minutes and the chicken at 22 minutes.
4. Multi-task! Fry bacon, boil grains or pastas, and hard cook eggs while the meats and vegetables are roasting.
5. Clean up as you go.
6. All cooked items must cool before placing them in jars or you will wilt salads or cause other items in the jar to get mushy. As things came out of the oven, I placed them on plates to cool, shredded the chicken, and cut the fish in bite-sized chunks.
Hints on Filling the Jars
1. Choose the jar size you are going to work with for a particular meal. Some recipes divide well in half for smaller families, while other recipes would need to be doubled for larger families.
2. Lay out all the ingredients you need for that particular jar meal and start layering the items in the jar with the dressing always on the bottom and more delicate ingredients on the top such as leafy greens or fresh herbs.
3. Make the meals look visually appealing by making the layers look nice and even. The more appealing the meal, the more likely your family will want it!
4. Layering helps also for when the meal is removed from the jar. For example, in my Salmon Niçoise Salad as I removed each layer, I was easily able to remove the potatoes for a bit of heating. Although the salad can be eaten cold or at room temp, I wanted to take the chill off my potatoes.
5. Items that need to remain crispy, like ramen noodles for a chicken ramen salad, store them in a little baggie or container and place with the jarred meal.
6. I am no expert on this, but I am going to keep my jarred meals up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator, anything leftover beyond that goes in the rubbish bin. So eat up!
7. If you choose to freeze these jarred meals, it is the same concept as freezing any meal. Only freeze items that are freezer-friendly. Lettuce does not freeze and be sure the items are cool before freezing or you will have condensation and ice crystals.
Now it is YOUR turn. Think of some meals that would work beautifully as Mason Jar Meals and make them for your family. Start small and work up from there. I have found that I am the type of person that as soon as I get hungry I have to eat that second or my blood sugar drops. These ready-made Mason Jar Meals have kept me from reaching for the chips in those instances. Himself has found this has been a great way to take lunch to work and the bonus, they're aesthetically pleasing. That's an inside joke between him and me. Wink.
Tomorrow in Part 2- I have received many emails from my readers about my eating habits, what specifically I had placed in the jars, and how I stay trim. In Part 2 I will give more details about the Mason Jar Meals I made for me and my family, including recipes and some more ideas I have for future Mason Jar Meals. Oh and don't forget to signup for my feeds, my newsletter, and FB Fan page so you don't miss a trick!
Related Post:
How to Make Mason Jar Meals: Part 2- the recipes!
More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part I
More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part II
See you tomorrow.
How to Make Mason Jar Meals: Part 1
"Birch & Barley" Inspired Cucumber Melon Salad
"Let's get out of here and live our life," I typed to Himself on Facebook. He in one room, I in the other, both on Facebook dwindling a hot Saturday afternoon while all three kids were out of the house. What? Are you kidding me? It is so easy to lazy away a day in front of screens, watching others live their lives as we sit and wish it were us trekking across Italy, or at the beach, or buying a new car. So we jumped up, got in the car and spent the afternoon into the evening at two places recommended to us by my cousin who is a Belgium beer importer. ChurchKey DC upstairs to Birch & Barley was where we started our night with some beers and a small plate of Potato Croquettes- I always need a little food when I have a drinky-poo. I was so pleased they had 4 ounce servings of beer as that is about all I can handle! Himself had a smoky beer that was like drinking bacon. Not my kind of beer. But I had a nice light and crispy glass of Allagash. Perfect. 
That little beer gave me a pretty good appetite, so after pumping more change into the parking meter, we headed downstairs to Birch & Barely for dinner. The atmosphere was relaxing with its wood, brick, and stone features highlighted by flickering candlelight. What impressed me more so than my dinner, which was a spectacular pasta dish, was the Cucumber Melon Salad that was so refreshing and bursting with flavor that I asked the server for the recipe. While he did not give her exact measurements, the chef did let her in on how it was prepared. With a few substitutes, I got close enough, and Himself and I had it again with our dinner last night. 
The surprising combination of dill, basil, and spearmint fostered a new flavor combination in each bite, as if eating an entirely different salad with each forkful.
Cucumber Melon Salad
1 cup diced cantaloupe
1 cup diced honeydew melon
1 cup sliced and halved cucumber
1 T. spearmint leaves
1 T. small basil leaves
1 T. small dill springs
3 T. olive oil
1 T. white balsamic vinegar
pinch Kosher salt
1/2 cup Marcona almonds, toasted
In a large bowl toss fruit with herbs. Whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt and toss gently with fruit. To toast nuts, place in a hot dry skillet and heat until the nuts just start to brown and release their aroma. Top salad with nuts.
If you are ever in DC and want to have access to 500+ bottled beers, an educated staff who can pair any of your dishes with the perfect beer or wine, an ever-changing fresh menu, and creative and beautifully presented food, give Birch & Barley a try.
Boredom Buster for Kids: How to Make Fondant Candies
The cloves, definitely the cloves. Their scent brought me right back to our old kitchen, when I used to sit for hours while Ma made these little candies. She would make the fondant, color it, knead it, shape it, and let it dry for hours before placing them ever so carefully on her basket cake. I was fascinated with the detail she put into making each candy, like how cocoa really made the candy look like a potato, and how powdered sugar made a peach look fuzzy. But oh those whole cloves she used for stems made a scent memory I will never forget. 
My kids were bored yesterday (everyday), so I whipped up some of this fondant to teach them how to make fruit candies just as Ma taught me. They loved kneading the colors into the dough and trying their hand as shaping the candies. Daelyn loved making the oranges with their clove stems, while Deven liked making the strawberries and grapes. 
They thought the potatoes looked real until the teenager and Himself said they looked like poo. Stupendous. 
So why potatoes? Ma would make other vegetables too but I just thought the potatoes looked so cool with the cocoa, and smelled great too. I made the little dents with a butter knife to look more like a real potato.
To get the citrus fruits to look dimply, we rolled them around on a cheese grater. 
We didn't get the color and shapes perfect, we were only out to have a good time.
Candy Fondant
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup light karo syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 tsp. flavoring, (I used a 4 drops of Fiori di Sicilia)
In a large bowl of your stand mixer, blend all ingredients until a smooth ball forms. Remove from bowl and divide and color- I used regular liquid food coloring. Shape into small fruits, flowers, bugs, teapots, or any other cute idea you can think up. You will need to let them set up some by allowing them to sit out a few hours, then store in an airtight container in a cool place. Use to decorate cupcakes and cakes, or eat as is. Makes about 100 candies.
Notes- Roll strawberries in red or pink sugar. "Paint" the ends of the bananas with green food coloring using a Q-tip. Use cloves for stems in peaches and oranges. Use purchased leaves for strawberries and grapes, I got mine from Confectionary House. Roll peaches in powdered sugar and make a crease in them using a butter knife or toothpick. Roll all citrus fruit over the rough side of a cheese grater.
Have fun. Stay COOL!
But what about the laundry? And Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios
When I was a little girl, Ma would tell me stories about her own mother cooking great feasts for the holidays with her greatest memory being her mother's homemade ravioli. "Mamma would cover all the bedspreads in clean sheets so she could lay the ravs down for them to dry." I loved my Ma telling me that story as I can imagine ravioli all over the beds in each bedroom. Such a rustic and old fashioned scene. Nowadays the stores sell fancy racks for drying. But look at me! I have found that drying my pasta on hangers works way better than that fancy pasta rack I had purchased years ago and have since tossed because I got tired of assembling it and losing pieces. I hang the hangers from my cabinet knobs and drape the pasta there until I am ready to cook it. Last night we hosted our 2nd Annual Cranky Pasta Night for Himself's company's Summer Associates. Instead of singing for their supper, they have to crank pasta!
So What Else Have I Been Doing?
Last Friday I catered a Northern Virginia Wine Tour for Himself's office outing, making planks of Pressed Sandwiches, three types- Chicken Cobb Salad, Chicken Insalata Caprese, and Beef with Brie, Caramelized Onions, and Arugula. 
There was a Cheese Flight as well. Five cheeses, Devils on Horseback (dried apricots wrapped in smokey bacon), Lemon Drops (dates stuffed with Mascarpone cheese and lemon zest), Salami, and olives. I used Red Oak planks balanced on cans of Pastene. Click on the photos for a closer look. 
I also served two salads. Dig Deep and Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios. 
I have made this Red Cabbage Salad a few times since finding it on the web several weeks ago. It comes from the blog The Cilantropist who got it from James Peterson's Cooking. This salad is easy to make and brings raves reviews. It was especially popular for my Wolf Trap Salon. The Sesame Oil in this recipe shines. 
And lastly, I hosted my Brunch Salon last Saturday using delicious uncured Farmer's breakfast sausage and free range organic eggs to make my Scotch Eggs, and Farm fresh fruit for my Hot Fruit Salad. It has been a delicious last few days.
Red Cabbage Salad With Pistachios- adapted from The Cilantropist
One small red cabbage
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
ground black pepper
1- 1 1/2 cups shelled and unsalted roasted pistachios- I did not toast
Remove outer leaves of cabbage, rinse and dry cabbage. Cut cabbage in quarters through the stem end. Core each quarter and slice in 1/4 inch slices. Place cabbage in a large bowl and toss with salt, stirring to be sure all pieces are covered with salt for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile shake together vinegar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and a few grinds of black pepper in a jar. After 30 minutes take handfuls of the cabbage and squeeze out excess water then placing in a large clean bowl. I used a few layers of paper towels to do the squeezing. Toss with dressing and top with pistachios. If not serving immediately, place pistachios in a separate container and toss in with cabbage just before serving. Serves about 8.
About that laundry? It will get done, it always does (somehow).
Feta Basil Tomato Kebabs
My first experience with Feta was back in the late 80's when I worked for a Greek diner in New Jersey. You're snickering aren't you? I really didn't like Feta's saltiness or texture and pretty much grossed out every time Gus, one of the owner's son, put a big slab of it on his burger. Urp. Fast forward some years beyond graduation, falling in love, marrying, moving to Fort Bragg, and becoming pregnant with my first baby, when suddenly plowing as many Feta laden Gyros in my pie hole until my ankles poured out of my shoes became routine. That was a long time ago but I have maintained my love of Feta. I know this little appetizer is more popularly made with baby mozzarella balls, but I like Feta for a nice change up. Give it a go.
FBT Kebabs
1/2 inch cubes Feta cheese
basil leaves, halved if they are too big
cherry tomatoes
toothpicks
Extra virgin olive oil
black pepper
red pepper flakes
Place a basil leaf then tomato on top of a Feta cube and pierce with a toothpick or skewer. Continue until you have as many as you need. In a small bowl pour olive oil, a sprinkle of black pepper and red pepper flakes for dipping or pouring over the entire platter just before serving. Serve immediately. Do not make too far in advance and chill for a long time as the basil leaves may discolor.
What was your pregnancy craving? Men did you join right in on your wife's cravings?
I'll Call These Lemon Drops
The Cooking Salon is going very well as the entire BRK family rises early each Saturday to set up an entire kitchen only to have to deal with beautiful scenery, lovely weather, wonderful people, live music, fresh produce, and delicious dishes. Someone has to do it, right? I have taught cooking classes for seven Saturdays now and have already racked up some lasting experiences and lessons. I'll dwell more on that in another post though. This past Saturday I taught my second Wolf Trap Salon. Wolf Trap is the outdoor theater for our area which hosts many entertaining shows and concerts. The cool thing about WT is that we can purchase Lawn Tickets, spread our blankets, have a picnic, and enjoy the show. So this Salon was designed to teach others how to pack a wonderful picnic for a night at Wolf Trap or a day in Virginia's wine country. Here's a little number I created that is so simple to make and delicious on a cheese flight with some crisp chilled wine or Cava. The lemon flavor bursts in your mouth in this sweet and chewy all natural creamy candy. How's that for a bio?
Lemon Drops
8 Medjool Dates
2 Tablespoons Mascarpone cheese
zest of one organic lemon
mint leaves, optional
Slit down the one side of each date and remove pit. Wash and zest one lemon and mix zest with Mascarpone until smooth. Using a tiny spoon fill each date with a bit of lemon filling and pinch date closed. Poke a mint leaf into each date for garnish if desired. Store Lemon Drops in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serves 4.
* I'm thinking orange zest for Christmastime.
Speaking of Mascarpone cheese, I created these super Pretty Peach Melbas for babble.com. And now that peach season is in full swing, try this recipe with fresh peaches from your local farm.
Or how 'bout some pretty Little Peach Cakes?
What is your favorite Cheese Flight item other than cheese of course?
Peppers and Eggs
Time is a thief. But she puts in Presence place memories. 
Have you ever taken a photograph without a camera? The kind of picture when you stop and whisper to yourself, "I will remember this moment forever," then click that scene permanently in your mind, or more like your heart. Over time these memories become, for me anyway, kind of glowing, like old family films that start to lose their color and go white. I have a memory like that from when I was a tiny girl and we would visit my Grandma every Thursday. It has become a collage of snapshots in my mind of fading colors, sounds, smells, and flavors. On one of those Thursdays my Ma, Grandma, Auntie Josie and my cousins went to Revere Beach for a picnic. I remember Grandma in her lace-up black shoes with heals on the beach, my bigger cousins digging a hole in the sand and filling it with water for us little ones, and the Peppers and Eggs for lunch. 
I hated Peppers and Eggs. Oh no, we could not have Bologna on Wonder Bread like the other American kids, we had to have Pepper and Egg Sandwiches on bakery fresh Italian bread. Funny what we hated as kids then liked later in life. Now I crave Peppers and Eggs, and as soon as I bite into one I am right back with my family on that beach, in that memory. Even when I was single and on my own and went to the beach with my girlfriends, I always fried up some Peppers and Eggs. 
Last week there were some gorgeous peppers in the market and I had some left over after my Cooking Salon so when I got home I made some Peppers and Eggs and ate them in a crusty French roll. I ate two actually, I guess I wanted to visit with my family longer in that beach memory.
The only thing I do not like about Peppers and Eggs is eating them as leftovers. I like them the first day and that is it. But not wanting to waste any leftovers, I chopped it up and made Egg Salad then served it on multi-grain toast. What a delicious fix!
Peppers and Eggs
3-4 cups a variety of your favorite peppers seeded and cut into rings
one sweet onion sliced, I used Cipollini
Kosher salt and pepper
Olive oil
6 eggs, scrambled
splash of milk
handful shredded mozzarella and Parmesan
In a medium skillet* over medium heat, heat about 4 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot add peppers and onions, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and pepper, and cook until softened. About 15 minutes being sure to stir often. Mix eggs with a splash of milk and pour over pepper mixture toss in cheeses. Turn heat to medium low and cover with lid. Once eggs are almost set flip over to cook the the top. I do this by heating a bit of oil in another pan and carefully, so as not to spatter grease, flip the eggs into the second pan. Or if you do not want to do that, you can stick the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to cook the top. Make sure you have the kind of pan to do that so you don't melt you pan's handle. Serve warm on crusty rolls, Italian bread, or eat plain.
* I used non-stick pans to make this recipe.
For leftovers, make Egg Salad by chopping up the Peppers and Eggs, and mixing with a bit of mayonnaise, a splash of vinegar, a bit of Dijon mustard, chives, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Serve on buttered toast.
