Autumn has sure made her presence known here in southern California this past week, with cool, cloudy weather, crisp, clean air, even a little rain...pure bliss. This, in combination with a 3 day weekend to refresh, reorganize, and fully reorient ourselves to back-to-school-mode, has pulled me back into the kitchen, into the realm of menu planning, after-school-snacks, and routine.
The last couple of weeks, we were still in limbo between Unstructured Summer, and Orderly Fall. Scrounging for snacks, homework started too late, paperwork madness (Isn't it insane how much paperwork they send home???), lax bedtimes - and in result of all of this - moody kids.
Not this week. Routine is our new best friend, or BFF, as Hailey would say.
Yesterday, I made one of my favorite childhood snacks- fideo. My grandma is the best {home}chef in the whole wide world, and her cooking, her dishes, her love, is for me, true bliss.
Have you heard of fideo? It's essentially a pasta risotto, long before I (or my grandma) knew of risotto. It is so simple and FUN, and can be served as a snack, a side dish, or even made into a meal. Once you get the basic concept down, you can literally use whatever you have on hand.
A while back, I tried this fideo dish, which was a new and excellent combination. The one I made yesterday is the one that my grandmother makes, similar to a simple Spanish rice. I've included several ideas below, and remember- this is a very loose recipe... just like ALL of my grandma's are. Add more, add less, switch up the ingredients, have fun (and let me know if you make it!).
(Click to enlarge and print.)
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that looks delish!! never heard of it before now :)
ReplyDeleteMy that looks so delicious! Cooking is such a happy-maker!
ReplyDeletexo
I have not heard of this...look forward to giving it a try. Do keep sharing with us your menu planning and recipes :)
ReplyDeletenaina
I've never heard of fideo but it sounds and looks glorious! I love risotto so I'm sure I'll love this too. Definitely will try making it soon. Yes, the weather has really been cold lately, hasn't it? I'm starting to get into Fall mode too. Glad you had a long weekend to get organized!
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Valerie
Seriously this looks so yummy! :) I made something like this today! Risotto is so amazingly delish!
ReplyDeletehttp://annawalker1992.blogspot.com/
mmmm, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletexo Alison
i've never seen fideo pasta either! i've had fideo soup before but had no idea it was a type of pasta. Will have to try it!
ReplyDeletei've never heard of this dish but it looks amazing. thank you for sharing the recipe. what did you use to make the "notebook" recipe card? i really like how that looks and it made it so easy to print off.
ReplyDeletehow is the shopping the closet? i finished cleaning and still have so many clothes! it is insane. i better never say "i have nothing to wear" this fall because i have lots!
Christi-
ReplyDeleteI use a Microsoft program called OneNote, which has lined note paper. I wrote the recipe in and then took a screen shot, adding a shadow at the bottom.
As for the closet- I have run into a major 'I have mostly tops' problem- which has made putting outfits together quite challenging. So, until I fix this issue (by doing a little shopping!!)...
But, it was necessary to go through, organize- see what I have- and in this case- don't have:), before I can move further. Thanks for asking!
I can almost smell the fideo cooking. So funny, I grew up eating fideo soup, even make it for my kids sometimes, and had no idea until reading this that fideo pasta existed. It looks yummy.
ReplyDeletePlease share any tips you've gleaned through the school years. This is my first one (my son is in kindergarten) and I feel a little disorganized even though we're in week six now! Mainly with the homework. We just can't seem to establish a good time for it. And don't get me started about the paperwork. At first, I had a folder for it, then two, and then I gave up so now I have papers all over the kitchen.
Minnie- I would love to try fideo soup as well! How cool that you grew up on it too:).
ReplyDeleteI must be honest, in week 3 I am absolutely swarmed with paperwork- on the couch, on the coffee table, the desk- both of my kid's desks. With back to school night being last night, a husband extremely busy with work and school, and an entire day of chaperoning at the fair today, I am 'drowning' in all sorts of papers- cheerleaders wanted, karate lessons, homework, objectives (each middle school class- 6 periods, Hailey's monthly, yearly, weekly), reading tips, lunch calendar, PTA this, PTA that... I could go on and on- really. Here's what I will do (and have done to organize and stay organized)...
1) Stack, read, sort, discard (as nec.)
2) Enter ALL dates into Outlook; send meeting requests to Ryan so he has pertinent dates on his work computer/calendar.
3) File 'to-keep' papers (needed, but not to turn in) in individual school files (1 for each kid).
4) Place artwork or 'special' homework/tests in 'keepsake drawer/bin' - or hang up.
5) Take action on 'to-do' papers (read, fill out, make phone call, sign up, turn in, etc.) or place in prominent spot on desk or counter to follow up when I can/need to (so it's not forgotten/tucked away).
Hope that helps! Maybe this should be a future post(?):).
Torrie, wow, thank you so much. I never expected such a long list! Yes, definitely make it a future post. I bet a lot more people out there struggle with this. You say you've got papers everywhere, but your system sounds really well organized.
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing. My boyfriend would die if I made him this! Not literally, because I'm not out to poison him. But you know what I mean. :-)
ReplyDeletelovely! thanks for sharing.
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