Hoboken Metro Mom

MONDAY AUGUST 3

10am, Art in the Park on Pier A.  Or try one of the free kids activities and classes at Battery Park.

TUESDAY AUGUST 4

10am to 10:45am, Kids Yoga in the Park for 2-4 year old with parent. The class takes place at Maxwell Park and is taught by a certified yoga instructor. The cost is $10 per child, but the first class you try is free! email Jess at jldub85@yahoo.com to reserve.

10:30am, Madison Square Park Kids Concerts (NYC), featuring the Deedle Deedle Dees.

At 10:30am the Hoboken Public Library has stories in the park for children of all ages.

10:30am Go to a free Theaterworks performance of Click Clack Moo!  There are daily performances now through August 28 at Christopher Street between 7th Avenue and Hudson.  Tickets are first come, first serve and easiest to get evenings and weekends.

7pm, Shipyard Concerts in Hoboken with the Fuzzy Lemons.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5

10am, Art in the Park at Elysian Park. Or try one of the free kids activities and classes at Battery Park.

At 10:30am the Hoboken Public Library has stories in the park for children of all ages.

1pm-2:30 take the ferry to South Street Seaport for the South Street Seaport Museum’s Toddler Play Group. There will be interactive materials, book readings, and activities like sailing toy boats and building a city out of blocks. $7 per child.

Head out for a evening screening of Kung Fu Panda in Hoboken!  Tonight is the start of kids movies on Pier A in Hoboken at about 8:15pm.  Bring a picnic dinner!

Take the kids to the drag races… kids under 6 get in free and all kids get a free meal!  The All American Jet Car Nationals and Monster Truck Meltdown is tonight in Englishtown, NJ.  There will be monster trucks, jet cars, wheelie cars, and cartoon characters.  The show starts late, at 8pm, but doors open at 5pm and once they see the cars (and hear the noise), they will not be sleeping.

THURSDAY AUGUST 6

10am to 10:45am, Kids Yoga in the Park for 4-6 year olds. The class takes place at Maxwell Park and is taught by a certified yoga instructor. The cost is $10 per child, but the first class you try is free! emailJess at jldub85@yahoo.com to reserve.

August is sample class month at BabyBites NJ.  At 11am sample and Itsy Bitsy Mom/Baby Yoga Class at Devotion Yoga for just $10.  You must rsvp and pay in advance. Email Elise@babybitesnj.com.

10:30am, Madison Square Park Kids Concerts (NYC), featuring Dog on Fleas.

At noon Union Square Park has their Kids in the Square Program featuring the CPF Marionette Show.

FRIDAY AUGUST 7

10am to 10:45am, Kids Yoga in the Park for 7-9 year olds. The class takes place at Maxwell Park and is taught by a certified yoga instructor. The cost is $10 per child, but the first class you try is free! emailJess at jldub85@yahoo.com to reserve.

At 11am is the Sandbox Music series at Central Park at Mariner’s Playground at West 84th Street followed by Sandbox Stories at 2pm.  What a great excuse to spend the day in Central Park!

Head out to Governor’s Island for a day and take along a picnic.  You can bike, fish, play a round of mini-golf, and enjoy the scenary.  The ferry ride there is free!  It’s a great way to start the weekend.

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MONDAY: Mom’s Pan Fried London Broil
Elise at Simply Recipes has a method of making London Broil thatl does not require marinating but instead uses a dry mustard, salt, pepper and butter. Alternatively, you might like to make the Grilled Marinated London Broil we posted two weeks ago.    Top Round London Broil is on sale at ShopRite for $1.49 lb this week. It is also on Sale at A&P through Monday, the 18th (USDA Choice Boneless Beef Top Round London Broil Western Grain Fed Beef, Twin Pack. $1.37lb. Limit 1.) Make a little extra so you will have some leftovers for Wednesday.

TUESDAY: Miso-Marinated Cod
I once had a Miso-Marinated black cod at a Japanese restaurant that was fantastic. Since Cod is on sale at A&P for $4.99 lb I thought it might be nice to see if I could replicate that meal. Rasa Malaysia has a recipe for Nobu Black Cod with Miso that looks great. Can’t wait to give it a try. 

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Happy Mother’s Day everyone from Hoboken Metro Mom.  We hope you are enjoying your day!

Here are some suggestions for what to make this week based on the store sales. I was inspired by reading the story of the Elastic Chicken by Della Franklin at Food Editorials.  She was able to make 4 meals out of an 8 lb chicken.  I  like the idea of wasting less food.  Take a look at what you can do with a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster that happens to be on sale at a great price this week.  If I have enough chicken, I plan on also making chicken salad for lunch one day.  We would love to hear your ideas for what you do with a whole chicken. 

MONDAY: Oven Roasted Chicken and Twice Baked Potatoes
Perdue Oven Stuffer Roasters are on sale at ShopRite for $0.79 lb this week. I like to sprinkle mine with salt and pepper and some tarragon. Simple, easy, yummy.  I make some baked potatoes in the oven while the chicken is cooking, because the oven is on anyway and it doesn’t take any effort or energy to bake the potatoes this way.   When the potatoes are baked, I let them cool a little (10 mins or so) and scoop out the insides, mix with butter, milk, some pureed steamed cauliflower, salt and pepper and  grated cheese (I like to sneak in some veggies, because my kids are picky eaters and this is a good way to hide stuff).  Put back into the potato.  Top with a little more cheese and  bake for 10-15 minutes more.  After you are done with this meal, take all the remaining chicken off the bone, including little pieces and save in ziplock bag for Wednesday’s meal.  Put carcas in ziplock bag and toss into the freezer for Friday’s meal.

TUESDAY: Shell Steak with Shitake Mushroom Sauce and Herbed Spaetzle with Spinach
Bone-In Shell Steak is $4.99lb (Limit 5lbs) at ShopRite.  Hoboken Mom will be making this Shell Steak recipe from Martha Stewart Living but I plan on using canned broth and whatever mushrooms are the best price.  I stumbled across this recipe for Herbed Spaetzle at Martha Stewart Living and couldn’t help myself- it sounds good.  I probably won’t have time to make the Spaete from scratch, so I will buy some premade Spaetzle at the grocery store and just jazz it up with the herbs and spinach. 

WEDNESDAY: Leftovers- Individual Chicken Pot Pies
All Recipes has a simple recipe for chicken pot pie which I plan to make using the leftover chicken from Monday.  I will make a few changes though:  1) I plan to substitute 1 cup of chicken broth for 1 of the cups of milk and 2) I will use celery instead of corn and 3) I will add a potato or two.  Finally, 4) Instead of using frozen puff pastry, I plan to try it with Pillsbury Grand’s biscuits and ramekins like Cookie suggested in the comments section: “I make a miniature version by placing using biscuits and ramekins so everyone can have the perfect amount of crust (top and bottom!). I peel flaky style Grand’s biscuits in half, place 1 half in bottom of each ramekin, bake for 6 minutes, fill with pot pie mixture and top with the other half of the biscuit and bake for 10-12 minutes. This is the perfect pot pie recipe!”

THURSDAY: Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
I like this recipe from Stephanie’s Kitchen.  My kids seem to like it when I make their food in ramekins.  One thing I might do is hide some white beans in this meal- which I learned to do from Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious.  Take some canned white beans and puree in the food processor. Just add a little and your kids (and husband) will never know.  It’s a good way to up the fiber content of this meal.    

FRIDAY:  Chicken Broth from the Crock Pot with Tortellini
I have been wondering how to make chicken soup from a carcass in the slow cooker.   I have made it on the stove and it is a bit laborious.  A little research seems to have provided the answer.  I can’t wait to try this recipe from Hub Pages- scroll down to the section entitled Bonus - Quick chicken broth in the crock pot! I plan to toss in some tortellini and make a nice meal of it.  I like the idea of saving any extra broth by freezing it in ice cube trays.

SATURDAY: Mutant Spaghetti Dogs for the Kids and Hot Dogs on a Bun for Adults with Three Bean Salad Isn’t Metro Mom Clever. I can’t wait to try this recipe for Mutant Spaghetti Dogs with my kids.  I will make hot dogs on a bun for the adults, which I plan to pair with a recipe from Elise at Simply Recipes for Three Bean Salad.

SUNDAY: Petti di Vitello Ripieno (Stuffed Veal Breast) 
Veal Breast with pocket for stuffing is $0.99 lb at ShopRite this week.  I have never made this, but In Mamas Kitchen seems to have an interesting recipe that I am looking forward to trying.  Hoboken Mom’s husband is a huge fan of stuffed veal so, I plan to try this over the weekend.  Be warned, this will take a while to cook!

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MONDAY: Crab Cakes and French Fries
Lump crabmeat is on sale at ShopRite for $9.99 lb this week.  Why not treat yourself to Crab Cakes.  Metro Mom likes this recipe for which she discovered on the back of a can of Old Bay seasoning. 

TUESDAY (Cinco De Mayo): Grilled Fish Tacos and Mango Salsa with Chips and Margaritas:
When we saw that Tilapia was on sale at ShopRite for $1.99 we thought fish tacos would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo. Grab some mango (3/$1.99) and some chips while you are at ShopRite and make the recipe for mango salsa from Simply Recipes.  Why not make some non-alcoholic frozen margaritas with limeaid and sparkling water and have a party with the kids. Recipe for non alcoholic frozen margaritas is from allrecipes.com.

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Here are some suggestions for what to make this week based on the store sales.

MONDAY: Steak au Poivre
Hoboken Mom’s husband absolutely loves this meal- when we go out to dinner. I must fess up though, the few times I have tried to make a Steak au Poivre recipe, it has not worked out. However, since NY Strip Steak is on sale at A&P for $4.99 lb this week, I will try again. However, this time I am selecting a recipe by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin found on Leite’s Culinaria. With Julia and Jacques I figured I couldn’t lose. However, I plan to make the recipe with only black peppercorns. If you have made steak au poivre successfully, I’d love to hear about it.

TUESDAY: Moules Frites
When we saw that Pier 33 Gourmet Mussels were on sale for $2.49 each, we got a craving for this dish. RecipeZaar seems to have a good recipe which we will be trying- although we will probably be popping open a bag of shoestring fries and baking them in the oven instead of frying our own. We are guessing this might be a night for fries and chicken fingers for the kids . . .

WEDNESDAY: Brined Chicken with Barbecue Sauce
Have you ever gone to a friends house and had something that made you just beg for the recipe? Well, that’s what happened to one of us this weekend and we promise, if you make this recipe, you are going to want to add it to your permanent files as a keeper. It’s just that good. Thank’s PT for teaching me how to make this recipe. Since Perdue’s Oven Stuffer Roasters are on sale at A&P this week for $0.99lb, this is a good time to make it. Here are intructions for how to brine (the poultry recipe is all the way at the bottom of the page). However, our friend PT uses 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar and that’s what we plan on using. He said he brines for just 2 hours in the fridge. After, he cuts the chicken up into pieces and spreads it with BBQ sauce and cooks it on the grill. If you don’t have a grill, make it in the broiler.

THURSDAY: Mediterranean Tuna- Noodle Casserole
This recipe, from Martha Stewart.com, was recommended by our friend, who just had her 4th child and always has a home cooked meal on the table at night. We wanted to share it with you and say congratulations to her. Since Starkist Solid White Tuna is on sale at ShopRite for $0.88 from April 29-May 2, we think now is the time to try it

FRIDAY: Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salad
Large raw shrimp are on sale at A&P through Monday April 27th. We plan on buying some to make this yummy sounding recipe from About.com: Southern Food. Don’t have skewers? Don’t sweat it. Just make the shrimp in a grill pan in batches.

SATURDAY: Ziti with Sweet Onion Sauce
My Italian mother in law is an amazing cook. The first time I had this recipe, she didn’t want to tell me what it was made out of, because she thought I might not eat it. Since the onions are cooked though, they get sweet and delicious. For anyone who has ever had a French Onion Soup- you can probably relate. We still have tons of pasta from the last sale- if you didn’t stock up- San Giorgio Pasta is on sale at ShopRite for $0.99.

SUNDAY: Apricot-Stuffed Spice Rubbed Pork Loin
Pork loin is on sale at ShopRite for $1.49lb this week. We can’t wait to try this elegant but easy to prepare meal from the Food Network. We might just invite over guests to share.

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Here are some suggestions for what to make this week based on the store sales.

MONDAY: Seared Sea Scallops Wrapped in Bacon with Celery Root Puree
We chose this delicious sounding recipe from The Bacon Show for a few reasons.  First, we love Scallops and they are on sale at A&P this week for $5.99 lb 40-50ct per lb .  Second, we need to buy bacon to make Sunday’s meal anyway.  We have had scallops wrapped in pancetta before and loved them- but pancetta tends to be a bit more expensive than bacon.  So- we hope this recipe will work out.  Instead of using cream in the celery root, we plan on substituting milk to cut back on the calorie content a bit.  Of course, if you are looking for something lighter, you can simply sear the scallops in a frying pan and serve with a drizzle of lemon on top. It’s simple but delicious.  Instead of using celery root, you could also make grits with this dish (you’ll have them for later in the week anyway)

TUESDAY: Chef Luke Mangan Barramundi [Swai] in Tin Foil with Soy, Ginger and Onion
Have you ever had Swai? Neither have we. It’s on sale this week at ShopRite for $3.99 lb. Swai has been described as having a sweet, mild flavor and also a light and flaky texture. Other similar fishes would be cod, sole and flounder. We like the linked recipe, from Australis The Better Fish, because it looks quick and easy. If, however, you are in the mood for something a little more time consuming to prepare, this recipe for Swai with Sweet Corn Risotto looks very yummy too. Fresh sweet corn is on sale at  ShopRite for 5/$2.

WEDNESDAY: Salmon Asparagus Orzo Salad 
We liked this healthy recipe from HowStuffWorks that utilizes asparagus and salmon. Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillet is $7.99 lb at ShopRite this week- you’ll only need 8oz as per the recipe- and asparagus is on sale at ShopRite for $1.49 lb. We think this would be yummy and even more healthy served atop some salad greens. Hate to throw out the leftover asparagus stalks but don’t know what to do with them? Commenters on Chowhound suggest tossing all unusable veggie parts into a freezer bag and then using them later to make stock. See here for discussion. Sounds like a good idea to us- especially as today is Earth Day! Note- we plan on grilling the Salmon on Tuesday and putting it in the fridge then just assembling the meal on Wednesday, to make sure that the fish stays fresh as we plan on purchasing it on Sunday.

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Here are some suggestions for what to make this week based on the store sales.

MONDAY: Pan Fried Flounder with Rice and a Vegetable
This recipe went over so well in Hoboken Mom’s house two weeks ago that we decided to suggest it for today.  Flounder is on sale at ShopRite this week for $2.99lb (that’s even better than the $3.99lb it was on sale for at A&P two weeks ago so, we couldn’t resist buying it).  Dip flounder in egg and cover with bread crumbs. Pan fry in butter. Serve with rice and veggies of your choice. BirdsEye Boxed Sauced Vegetables or Select Steamfresh and Bagged Vegetables 8-16oz are on sale for $0.79 at A&P through Sunday.

TUESDAY: Monte Cristo Sandwiches or Split-Pea Soup
Do you have leftover ham in your fridge or freezer? We do- and we have a few ideas for how you can use it up. Make the Monte Cristo Sandwiches from the Food Network (Sarah’s Secrets) and substitute ham for the turkey. Of course, you can make this with turkey or chicken too.  This seems to be a good way to clean out the fridge of your extra meat. Don’t like the idea of a sandwich for dinner, why not make this Split-Pea Soup from Martha Stewart Living? Or- you can make both (and have leftovers for lunch).  Soup and a sandwich makes a nice pairing.

WEDNESDAY: Leftover-Lamb Curry
If you made lamb like we did this past Sunday, you have some leftover lamb. We think that this recipe from myrecipes.com sounds great. If you aren’t sure what chutney is, click here for a good explanation.  Hoboken Mom is planning on taking a trip to Trader Joe’s on River Road in Edgewater to get some.  It’s a fun trip for the kids, because they like to go shopping with the child sized grocery carts and, if you find Petey the Parrot- a stuffed animal parrot, you get a special treat (in the past we have received a lolly pop or fruit leather). 

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Here are some suggestions for what to make this week based on the store sales.

Monday: Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Rice
This recipe on lifesambrosia.com sounds great. With Tyson Frozen Cornish Hens on sale at A&P this week for $0.99lb this seems like the perfect time to try out a new recipe. Serve it up with a simple salad- Fresh Express Garden Salad is on sale at A&P from Friday April 3- Monday April 6 only for $0.98. NOTE: just came back from shopping at A&P and they don’t expect to have the Cornish Hens until Monday 4/6/09.

Tuesday: Gratin of Aparagus Wrapped in Ham
The recipe we linked to from cookingninja.com calls for endives; however, since asparagus is on sale this week at ShopRite for $1.49lb we thought we would just make this with asparagus instead. The recipe specifies cheese- we suggest using gruyere or swiss cheese for this dish. Bechamel sauce, cheese and ham… mmm.

Wednesday: Chicken Pillows
When one of us goes to our mother in law’s house, we look forward to this yummy, easy to prepare meal. Note that Philadelphia cream cheese bars are on sale at A&P for $0.89 and Pillsbury crescent rolls are also on sale at A&P 3/$6.00 (better if you have coupons we list) and buying 3, combined with the coupon we list, can get you two Land o Lakes butters for $0.88 each.
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Our suggestions for what to eat during the week- based on sales in the weekly circulars. For more information on sales this week see our posts on ShopRite and A&P.

Monday: Pan Fried Flounder with Rice and a Vegetable
Dip flounder in egg and cover with bread crumbs. Pan fry in butter. Flounder is on sale at A&P for $3.99lb through Monday. Serve with rice and veggies of your choice. Carolina Rice is on sale at A&P- $0.99 but Free after coupon. Some varieties of Green Giant frozen boxed veggies are on sale at A&P 5/$5.
(Or) if you are in the mood for something a little more adventurous- you can make the rice in chicken broth College Inn broth is on sale at A&P for $0.75 per can and add some veggies to the rice with a little chopped onion. Cook the onion in a pan until translucent then add to the rice.

Tuesday: Baked Ham with Sweet Potatoes (or Candied Sweet Potatoes) and a Vegetable
America’s Choice Spiral Sliced Honey or Brown Sugar Ham is on sale for $1.37 lb. at A&P through Monday. Bake it in the oven with some sweet potatoes and a veggie and you have an easy meal with extra for leftovers to freeze or serve later in the week. A&P has assorted frozen veggies on sale this week and at ShopRite BirdsEye Steam Fresh 4 pack corn cobs or 10-12oz package any variety vegetables are on sale for $0.99 or $0.66 after coupon.
(or) For something a little more decadent, serve your ham with candied sweet potatoes. Peel potatoes and cut into medium size cubes. Toss into a frying pan with butter and add brown sugar towards the end when potatoes are cooked through.

Wednesday: Grilled Lamb Burgers with Tomatoes and Cucumber in Yogurt
Ground meat is on sale 50% off at A&P this week (including lamb). Mix 1-1/2lb ground lamb with1 diced onion 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 3 shots of Worstechire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste (I usually use 1/2tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Cook in a grill pan or broil in oven until cooked through. While cooking dice one large tomato and a small cucumber and mix with plain lowfat yogurt of your choice. Add salt and pepper to taste and a bit of dill. Read more…

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Cooking on a budget means making the most of cheap ingredients. The potato is king in this regard. Consider some of these potato recipes:

Potato Pizza

Instead of topping your homemade pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella, make it a potato pizza. Thinly slice potato (food processor works great) and then blanch by dropping it in boiling water, leaving it there for 3 minutes, then draining the water. Top your pizza dough with goat cheese, some rosemary, and the potato and brush with olive oil. Who knew potato could be so fancy?

Potato gratin plus as a main dish

Instead of making potato au gratin as a side dish, add some ham or vegetables to make it a main meal. Thinly slice potato (again, food processor works well). In a glass dish, put one layer of potato, one layer of shredded cheese, one layer of ham or broccoli, and repeat. Bake in oven for 45 minutes.

Garden mashed potato

Make mashed potato your main meal by adding some veggies and cheese to it. My favorite mix-ins are peas, grated carrots, chopped spinach, sauted onion (maybe not all at the same time!). Serve with some sausage or ham and you are set for dinner.

Potato dough

Potato can be added to different types of dough to create a heartier dish. Consider the following: Potato cake, gnocci , potato cookies.

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