Friday, October 11, 2019

Essential Meal Prep Staples to Keep in Rotation

meal prep essentials staples and recipe ideas

Meal prep can seem daunting, but it’s worth a little extra effort. Here are some of the best meal prep recipes to last you for the week.

Expert InspirationMeal Prep Like a Pro with These Cookbooks

I’m not going to lie, procrastinating has served me well in my life. In high school and college, it produced some of my best papers; I’ve gotten great deals on hotels and flights; come up with the perfect birthday or holiday gift in the very last moment. The only place this lifestyle habit really doesn’t work for me, as it turns out, is in the kitchen.

I’ve found that without some kind of thoughtful meal planning, I’m all too often throwing out well-intentioned but sadly forgotten about groceries and ordering takeout that’s not exactly in my budget. So with that in mind, here is a list of some essentials you need to stock your kitchen with in order to become a rockstar meal-prepper.

Eggs

They say you can measure the skill of a chef by their ability to cook an egg. I say, when it comes to measuring the skill of a savvy meal-prepping home cook, you have to look at their ability to cook eggs (that’s plural, with an “s”)—and keep it interesting—all week long.

Make-once-and-portion-for-days-to-come favorites like frittatas, quiches, and casseroles are obvious favorites, but pro preppers will tell you that the meal planner’s best friend is the hard boiled egg.

Related Reading: 8 Ways to Boil Perfect Eggs Every Time

Make a dozen hard boiled eggs on a Sunday (store them in the shell and they can last a week in the fridge) and you have everything from a protein boost to your salad, or a tasty deviled snack, to a sandwich filling, and a saucy garnish for your veggies…you name it.

Grains

Cooking grains on the daily can feel daunting, time-intensive as they can be. Here’s the thing, though: Plain cooked brown rice, farro, quinoa, oats, bulgur, or [insert your favorite grain here] can last in the fridge for days, so really you only need to do the heavy lifting once or twice a week.

The key is to not cook them fully so that when you reheat them for your soup, salad, side-dish, stuffing, what have you, they won’t have totally lost their texture.

Or you can prep one of these 11 grain salad recipes and portion the batch out for lunch or an easy dinner side through the week.

Canned Beans, Legumes, Tomatoes, Fish, Broth, Etc.

While I don’t exactly yearn for the 1950s era canned food glory days, there’s no denying how essential these products can (pun intended) be to boosting the flavor and quality of your pre-planned meals. Not to mention, of course, the huge added bonus of their extended shelf lives and cost-efficiency.

Simple Houseware Stackable Can Rack, $18.87 on Amazon

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Think chickpeas for hummus or an easy vegetarian curry; tomatoes for a save-for-later, all-purpose marinara sauce; beans for myriad uses in stews, soups, and side dishes. And of course, your favorite canned tuna for the classic throwback sandwich (or topping salads if it’s the good oil-packed stuff, which it should be; try our best tuna salad recipe ideas to get you out of a canned fish rut).

Related Reading: Our Favorite Canned Sardine Snack Hacks 

Low-Maintenance Vegetables

When it comes to forward-thinking cooking, it’s important to stockpile fruits and vegetables with staying power. The trick here, of course, is nailing the prep.

Some veggies, like quick-to-cook Brussels sprouts, carrots, and cauliflower and broccoli can easily be stored raw with very little maintenance (although with the latter two you might want to go ahead and break up the florets ahead of time to save yourself the work later).

Prep Naturals Meal Prep Containers, $32.99 on Amazon

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Other longer-shelf life vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, and butternut or acorn squash are best cooked first and then stored for easy reuse throughout the week (for instance, in our Warm Quinoa Salad recipe or our Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Arugula, and Pistachios).

Frozen Proteins

Whatever your protein preference—fish, pork, poultry, beef—your freezer is your friend when it comes to being an efficient and successful make-ahead mealer. For example, one week you might thaw out and cook a plain pack of ground beef, using it one day to make bolognese, another as the base for tacos, and yet another for chili (all of which are, in themselves, easily reportionable and re-freezable).

Related Reading: The Best Meat Delivery Services & Butcher Subscription Boxes | Keto Meal Prep Plan

Or maybe another week you pull out the whole chicken, roast it the first night and repurpose it throughout the week in salads, sandwiches, and soups.

And if you have a slow-cooker, what’s easier than throwing in a pork shoulder that you can later shred for BBQ sandwiches or use as a topping for nachos?

Oils, Vinegars, and Spices

guide to types of cooking oil (when should you use which oil)

Tetra Images/Getty Images

One of the essential cornerstones of meal-prepping is taking simple, plain ingredients and constantly reimagining them day after day in ways that keep them from feeling ubiquitous by week’s end. And for this, having a well-stocked pantry of diverse spices and oils is key. Sure, they require a bit of an upfront cost, but a little goes a long way and shelf life isn’t much of a concern.

See Gail Simmons’ favorite pantry staples for some inspiration, and our Guide to Cooking Oils.



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How to Host a Creepy Yet Classy Halloween Party

creepy classy Halloween party ideas

Sure, Halloween is prime time for all things spooky and scary, but it’s also become a time for lots of tackiness. It doesn’t have to be that way! We’re here to help you host a creepy yet classy Halloween party.

Tools of the TradeParty-Perfect Pieces Straight from a Witch's KitchenWe’re not total snob-goblins—we love dressing up, carving pumpkins, playing scary games, and eating candy. And we’re not opposed to having fun with our food (or drinks, for that matter), but we don’t always want something cutesy, and too much store-bought spookiness can quickly accumulate into something cheesy. We want to have a good time, but we also want to remember that we’re grown-ups, and we want to be a little genuinely uneasy. That’s what Halloween’s all about, right? Finding the fun in the phantasmagoric.

If crawling plastic zombies and sexy food costumes are your jam, of course, that’s totally cool, but if you’re pining for something a little more refined, you’re in luck. Here are some tips for throwing a Halloween party that’s both creepy and classy.

Turn To Nature

This applies to both food and decor for your party—but food first.

On the food front, there are tons of options that don’t require artificial coloring: pumpkins and squash, of course, plus carrots and yams and even mango for orange, perfect for pairing with naturally black snacks like sesame seeds, super dark chocolate, black beans, beluga lentils, black rice, black quinoa, squid ink pasta, caviar, black truffles (if you’ve got bank), and black olives (if you like that sort of thing).

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Lobster&Black Pasta. Credit: @alenafoodphoto The winners of this week are @bealubas for the Best Picture of this week recieved most of your support (Fig Crostini), @na7zp for the best picture of Summer Bruschetta&Crostini Theme (Tomato&Basil Bruschetta) and @cookingcatrin and @carletto_photography for the best picture of Iced Coffee&Tea Theme (Iced Coffee) Tag  your high quality pics #hautecuisines (please provide the short name of a submitted dish IN ENGLISH!) for a chance to be featured Every Monday we announce 2 winners: the Best Picture of a Week (Received most of your likes) and the Best Picture of a Theme (Choice of HC). The theme of this week is Pavlova. Next week we'll be having two last summer themes: Grilled Food and Food Styling: Summer Vegetables. #foodphotoaday  #foodphotography #foodshare #foodgasm #foodphoto #foodporn #foodstyling #food #foodstagram #foodstyle #foodpics #foodphoto #tasty #delicious #yummyfood #yummy #mouthwatering #lobster #pasta #blackpasta #comfortfood #realfood #amazingfood #beautifulfood

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For bloody-looking bites, dark cherries and cherry preserves, raspberry coulis and jam, Black Mission figs, blood oranges, beets, pomegranate juice, and blackberries can all help you out. Baby beets make beautiful little anatomical hearts for garnishing cocktails, or whatever else you like. For witchy green and purple food hues, use matcha powder and ube.

Perfect Pumpkins

The most obvious item on the list of natural objects ripe for picking is the pumpkin. The reigning symbol of fall is fit for decorating in any form—turned into jack-o-lanterns, yes, but also arranged au naturel, in any shade from orange to white to warty green. (And don’t forget gourds!) Mini one make superb candle holders:

Can’t find white pumpkins? (Or want them black, or red, or violet, or whatever other unnatural color?) Put a premium on a pleasing shape and a nice stem, then paint them all coordinating solid colors—matte black and metallic gold, for instance. Level up: Turn them into vases for a moody bouquet. And add antlers to take it up another notch.

Pumpkins are good eating too, from soups to pies, and when it comes to the former, you can even use the pumpkins themselves as the serving vessels. Small pumpkins can be hollowed out and roasted, then used as soup bowls; larger ones can be used to serve the entire pot of soup or chili, or scooped out into a raw shell that conceals a punch bowl. Neat trick, huh?

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Spooky Halloween Pumpkin Punch. Recipe today on YUM!!

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Branches, Bats & Bugs

As for natural, non-edible decor, collect gnarled branches to use in centerpieces (optional: spray paint them matte black or metallic gold).

Danya B. Willow Iron Candleholder Set, 3 for $22.65 at Walmart

These spindly black candle holders mimic branches and throw spooky shadows.
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And while you won’t be picking up actual crows, owls, snakes, bats, rats, and bugs outdoors (we hope), you can focus on purchasing or making decorations in their images, for a naturally sinister effect.

Don’t forget to decorate your bar cart:

Making sure all your branches, bat, buts, etc. are the exact same shade heightens the effect, but you can take care of that later, once you’ve amassed your menagerie; more on that below.

Go Goth

Orange and black is the classic Halloween color palette, and if you stick to just those two (as much as possible), they can be really striking, but a more streamlined option is to channel “The Addams Family” and go (mostly) monochrome. Specifically, back to black.

Spray paint can be your best friend here—look how it transforms dollar store ceramic houses and figurines. You can do the same thing with thrift store vases, picture frames, fake flowers, the aforementioned bats, rats, snakes (as in this simple but striking wreath), and so on. When keeping to one color, play up different textures: velvet, lace, tulle, feathers. Pick an accent color like red or purple and use it judiciously, or add in subtle shades of gray and even sparing pops of gold or silver and you’ll easily achieve eerie elegance.

“Beetlejuice” is also a great inspiration (in which case, don’t skip the cocktail shrimp):

In the same Gothic vein, decorate with lots of skulls: flocked velour, for example, or matte black—or, if the idea doesn’t make you too squeamish, you may be able to find actual animal bones at an antiques store (skulls, jaws, and antlers). Maybe you even have some hanging around after an ambitious cooking project! Of course, you can also use faux skulls, which look spooky-chic with flowers in them:

Ebros Gift Bronzed Skull Planter, $25.99 on Amazon

Perfect for floral arrangements—or handing out Halloween candy.
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While you’re on the hunt for at the antiques mall, look for any other items that would be at home in atmospheric Wunderkammer-style vignettes, like old mannequin hands, heads, and torsos, worn birdcages, musty books, and black and white photos; check out The Happy Heathen’s mad scientist-inspired Halloween party for more inspiration.

Another good antiques store option is old bottles, which are usually fairly cheap, and come in lots of interesting shapes and colors; vintage medicine bottles in particular, arranged on a shelf or in a glass-fronted cabinet, make intriguing apothecary-style displays, but anything with an eerie patina is on-point:

Way to Celebrate Vintage Potion Bottles, 3 for $15.96 at Walmart

You can also find brand new pieces with a vintage look.
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Even innocuous old objects like vintage cameras can work interspersed with bones, dried flowers, peacock or pheasant feathers, minerals, and other natural touches—it all adds up to a display that’s super moody without being run of the mill:

If that’s a bit too much for you, we’ve got lots of other non-tacky decor tips that don’t involve antiques or vintage…specimens.

More of a Hellraiser? These nail-punctured candles are a cheap but effective addition to your tableaux. Floating candles will work for any aesthetic, whether you’re paying homage to Harry Potter or just going for a levitating haunted house effect.

Offal-y Good

Once you’ve set your scene, it’s time to set your menu. Consider serving offal; for many, it has an inherent spookiness, but it also stars in some of the most refined dishes that exist, and is legit delicious. Bonus points if you plate it in the extra-elegant and baroque (yet still delightfully ooky) style of the late great Hannibal TV show:

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This cookbook was written by the show's food stylist, Janice Poon, so you can recreate her gorgeously unsettling plates.
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You can go for a classic organ preparation, such as liver sautéed with mushrooms and onions, or chicken liver-Port pate for an appetizer. Or try chicken feet in black bean sauce, hefty roasted marrow bones split lengthwise (like something an ogre would eat), or tongue (which you can make in the slow cooker and turn into tacos). Beef heart skewers are a traditional Peruvian dish that would make a great party platter.

Related Reading: How to Cook Oxtail

But if you can’t stomach the thought of eating, well, stomach (or any other offal bits), try oxtail. Even ribs are a good safe choice that still carry a certain creep factor, at least in the context of your Halloween table, and especially if they’re slathered in a nice, sticky, dark red sauce. Just have lots of napkins ready.

If you’re still unsure about organ meats and messy ribs, you could serve a standard charcuterie platter creatively arranged inside a plastic skeleton:

If that’s a bit too kitschy (or, you know, disgusting), just stick to dark colors for the fruit components (think black grapes, purple figs, halved pomegranates) and sprinkle a few insectoid accessories on your cheese board if you dare; sliced orange persimmons would also be a nice touch:

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#Giveaway Create your own cheeseboard for Halloween and beyond! This one is from my spooky soiree & includes Rosemary Asiago, Black Pepper BellaVitano, & Gorgonzola (#linkinbio). Enter to win your very own, full line of Sartori Reserve cheeses (that's 14 wedges🧀!!). #SartoriSociety TO ENTER: Like this post and follow @sartoricheese and tag a friend that you would share your cheese with, in the comments below. (One tag per comment, please!) Giveaway ends Sunday Oct 22. Winner will be randomly selected and notified via DM on Monday, Oct 23. Open to US residents only. . Per Instagram rules, we must mention that this is no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram. By entering, entrants confirm they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram's terms of use. . . #Halloween #cheese #cheeseboard #charcuterie #entertaining #CAHentertains #bhgcelebrate

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Add some meaty roses made from jamón too:

Since pretty much everyone takes photos on their phones these days, download some apps that will add extra holiday flair to your soirée snaps, dim the lights, and put on some atmospheric tunes (horror movie soundtracks are always a good choice). Then shake up a fall flavored cocktail, and settle in for a scarily sophisticated evening.

Creepy-Classy Halloween Party Food & Drink

If you need more Halloween food and drink inspiration, feast your eyes on these treats.

Black Magic Cocktail

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Today has been the Monday of Mondays. Add a sick pupper to the list and I'm ready for a night cap in bed. I'll be sitting down to watch @sabrinanetflix tonight and this Black Magic Martini from Halloween's past felt all too perfect to share. I'm looking forward to Halloween non Wednesday (& hopefully no rain) and passing out candy to kids. Hopefully Georgia will be well enough to join in. How are you celebrating Halloween this year? Did you already throw down at a Halloween party over the weekend? . . #vodka🍸#Vodkas #VodkaShots #VodkaCocktail #VodkaLover #VodkaLove #VodkaLovers #VodkaDrinks #VodkaCocktails #VodkaNight #VodkaParty #VodkaDrink #VodkaTime #VodkaPlease#BoozyTalk #boozytalk #halloween2018 #CocktailGram #CocktailParty #CocktailTime🍹 #CocktailCulture #CocktailRecipe #CocktailRecipes #CocktailArt #CraftCocktail #Cocktail🍹 #Cocktails🍹#Cocktails🍸#wilton

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Because Jello shots just won’t cut it (although, our Hurricane Jelly Shots recipe turns out fancier and bloody pretty versions). This inky cocktail is basically a daiquiri made with black vodka and luster dust. Get the Black Magic Cocktail recipe.

Blavod Black Vodka, $12.99+ on Drizly

Just the thing for inky drinks.
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Black Sangria

If you’re more of a wine drinker, this black sangria, which has the bonus of being made in batches, and is accented with black currant liqueur. Cram as much dark fruit into the pitcher as you can find, and beware of the brandy; this one could sneak up on you. Get the Black Sangria recipe.

Easy Roasted Butternut Squash and Tahini Spread

Being a staple autumn ingredient and a rich shade of orange, butternut squash is a natural for Halloween parties. This hummus-esque spread is rich and creamy with a piquant lashing of date syrup, and black sesame seed speckles to complete the classic color scheme. Put out black bean tortilla chips or dark pumpernickel crisps for color-coordinated dipping. Get the Easy Roasted Butternut Squash and Tahini Spread recipe.

Baked Brie with Blackberry Compote

What’s classier than baked brie? And what’s more appropriate for Halloween than a rich, syrupy puddle of edible blood fruit? This is beautiful and warm and gooey and the sweet, tangy berries perfectly complement the creamy, nutty brie. Plus, it’s dead simple to make. Blackberries look a bit less like blood, which may be a plus, but if you want to amp up the effect, use cherries instead. Get the Baked Brie with Blackberry Compote recipe.

Sweet Potato Chips with Fall Herb Aioli

sweet potato chips with fall herb aioli

Chowhound

If you’re more comfortable with orange snacks, these crispy sweet potato chips are a fantastic choice. The accompanying aioli is flavored with fall herbs like sage and thyme, and has enough garlic to ward off vampires, which is handy on Halloween. Get our Sweet Potato Chips with Fall Herb Aioli recipe.

Slow Cooked Carne Adovada

slow cooked pork shoulder with red chile paste

Chowhound

If you’re feeding a crowd but you want something a bit a more impressive than crockpot chili (which is undoubtedly delicious), why not cook up a big, primal hunk of meat? You could do a dark and sticky grilled ribeye with a soy-butter glaze, or a coffee-rubbed prime rib roast, but a pork shoulder is more economical and no less stunning. This version is covered in a spicy, thick red chile paste with garlic, cumin, coriander, and bay leaf, and slow roasted until it’s ultra tender. Get our Slow Cooked Carne Adovada recipe.

Squid Ink Pasta with Garlic and Tomatoes

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Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp and Cherry Tomatoes – Don’t you want to just dive right in? I’m overly obsessed with this dish. Those colors, that briny flavor, the little bit of spice…But the best part of this dish? It’ll be on your table in under 30 minutes. RECIPE in profile link. Perfect paired with a glass of Pinot Gris! . . .
#squidinkpasta #pastarecipe #pasta #squidinklinguine #squidinklinguini #italianfood #italian #italiangirl #cucinaitaliana #easydinner #feedfeed #f52grams #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #beautifulcuisines #foodandwine #forkyeah #heresmyfood #tastingtable #eattheworld #lifeandthyme #thekitchn #yahoofood #gloobyfood #foodblogfeed #tastemade #onthetable #foodstyling #hautecuisines #buzzfeedfood

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If you want to skew a bit more elegant, make a pot of squid ink pasta. You can get a similar, though not as dark, result with gluten-free black bean pasta, and toss either sort of strands with any number of toppings: roasted squash cubes for that color contrast, kalamata olive pesto for the monochrome menu, or seafood for a little extra luxury (use achiote paste to make the shrimp more orange and add extra flavor). This version is nice and simple with tomatoes, garlic, and white wine. Get the Squid Ink Pasta with Garlic and Tomatoes recipe.

Matcha Chocolate Tarts

And now for dessert. These matcha and chocolate tarts are undeniably elegant, yet also a little squirm-inducing with their moldy-mossy decoration of green tea powder—without being flat-out disgusting like a lot of Halloween treats. The flavors and textures of the barely sweet, crispy chocolate shell and smooth, creamy layers of white chocolate-matcha and semisweet chocolate ganache will surely cast a spell on you. Get the Matcha Chocolate Tarts recipe.

Keto Cheescake with Cherry Compote

If you’re a fan of the bloody look, but you still want something classy (and the baked brie wasn’t enough for you), look no further than this keto-friendly cheescake with an oozy cherry compote. (If you prefer a layer cake and/or need something vegan, try this Boozy Red Wedding Cake recipe for similar effect.) Get the Keto Cheescake with Cherry Compote recipe.

5-Ingredient Crockpot Candy Bars

We may not get to go trick-or-treating anymore, but these dangerously easy-to-make confections are way better than anything that’s ever been dropped into a plastic pumpkin anyway. You just toss 5 ingredients—pumpkin seeds (très autumnal), pretzels (for the salt, of course), semisweet chocolate, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter (yes)—into your slow cooker, let it melt and get cozy for a while, then spread it out to set, and devour like a fiend. Get the 5-Ingredient Crockpot Candy Bars recipe.

Candy Corn Swirl Cookies

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Who loves easy Halloween treats? 🤚 . Continuing with the dark and moody eats, I was recently digging through my archives and stumbled across my candy corn sugar cookie swirls from 2013. Boy, did they need a face lift! . So here they are, new and improved and all decked out in full Halloween style. Swipe to see the original photo (and try not to cringe). 😖 . Updated tutorial at the link in my profile. . . . . #thesimplesweetlife #bakeyourworldhappy @wiltoncakedecorating #halloweentreats #halloweenfood #cupcakeproject @mybakingideas #cakesofinstagram #cakeitorleaveit @cake.it.or.leave.it #cakestv @cakes.tv #feedfeedbaking @feedfeed.baking #tastingtable #onthetable #eatingfortheinsta #easyrecipes #instayum #TOHfoodie @tasteofhome #imsomartha @marthastewart #tastemademedoit @tastemade #cookiesofinstagram #cookiegram #instacookies

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Okay, okay, we can’t resist all of the more traditional trappings of Halloween, but there are still more stylish ways to rework them, like these surprisingly easy-to-make swirled sugar cookies. They evoke the festive colors of candy corn but thankfully don’t taste anything like them. Get the Candy Corn Swirl Cookies recipe.



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