Recent Hits

Smoked Salmon with Udon Noodles (4.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://wholesome-cook.com/2012/08/30/smoked-salmon-and-soba-noodle-salad/

Oh holy cow. Yum. Yum. Yum. Must do again.

Pork Burritos (3 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/smothered-chile-colorado-burritos-crock-pot/

We didn't do a great job following the directions. We had leftover pork from a sous vide so we used that as the meat and topped it off with cheese and a red enchilada sauce. Baked and ate. Yummy.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tostado (4 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/12/butternut-squash-and-chorizo-tostadas.html

We stuck to the recipe for the most part on this one. We did add spinach but we add spinach to most dishes. We even switched to new whole wheat tortillas that you bake at home versus having them already precooked. I don't see us going back to the old kind ever again. This is a keeper!

Asian Chicken Salad (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://joyfulhomemaking.com/2012/08/asian-chicken-salad.html

Eh. Okay. This was just ok. Not great for leftovers so next time I need to make it on the weekend when we won't be looking for something to take to work. It's worth making again just not award-winning. 

Tortellini and Vegetable Bake (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/poultry/tortellini-and-garden-vegetable-bake/

We added the pork leftover from a sous vide, added spinach and used a frozen veggie mixture. This was a bit time consuming but still yummy. It was a hearty dish but not sold on how or if it is super healthy. Overall, I might make this again in the winter if I am craving comfort food. 

Pan fried chicken with veggies (3 stars)
Inspiration: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Chicken-Scallopini-Tomato-Mozzarella-Salad-Michael-Symon?cid=pinterest_thechew

Watching Michael cook this dish was entertaining. I think it is super easy but I really liked his instructions on testing the oil to see if its hot enough, pounding out the chicken (we used thighs) and how long to cook each side. For the seasoning, I used garlic powder, parsley, paprika, and fennel. This will be made several more times for sure.

Sweet potato hash with feta (4 stars)
Inspiration: http://diethood.com/2013/02/17/savory-sundays-sweet-potato-hash-with-onions-and-feta/

A PERFECT side dish. Tons of flavor and super easy. I don't think I can ever eat sweet potatoes without feta ever again. The perfect combination.

Summer Macaroni Salad (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/summer-macaroni-salad-with-tomatoes-and.html

We made this for lunch but had to leave out the mayo and use whipped cream cheese and greek yogurt as the "sauce." It was easy, tasty and something that I will do again but its not spectacular. 

Weekly Menu for Feb 4 - Feb 9, 2013

Breakfast
Cinnamon oatmeal; finely diced apples or cantaloupe; mandarins; and greek yogurt

Lunch
Pasta Salad with leftover baked chicken, black olives, cucumber, tomatoes, and pesto served with kiwi or applesauce
Leftovers

Dinner

Grilled Cheese with pesto topped with avocado and spinach and a side of Tomato Soup (3 stars)

Really, this is too much of a staple to not like it but certainly not life changing. I did like the addition of pesto and I cook mine on a really old George Foreman. I don't have a problem with sticking so I usually don't use any butter on the outside either.

Baked Pesto Dinner (4 stars)

We had this in the freezer so it worked perfectly for Cam and I to thaw and bake. For a freezer meal, this is something I want to do again. 

Kashi Frozen Pizza (3 stars)

I wanted a simple, toss in the oven option since it was just two of us. This was on sale and pretty tasty. 

 Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas (4 stars)

I added black olives to the recipe just because I had some on hand. I even made my own vegetable stock for the enchilada sauce. I highly recommend saving your produce scraps in a ziplock bag in the freezer until you have a gallon size bag filled. Then just simmer the scraps in water, strain and freeze. Very easy process with incredible added flavors to simple dishes. 

Disclaimer: Photos are from linked sources; not my own work.

Weekly Menu for Jan. 28 - Feb 3, 2013

Breakfast
Oatmeal; Greek Yogurt; Fresh Blueberries; and Tangerines
Blueberry Grilled Cheese with Greek Yogurt and Tangerines

I only used cream cheese and blueberries. I dipped the sandwich in the greek yogurt to make it extra delicious.

Lunch
Tuna fish salad on whole wheat bread; Tangerines; Kiwi; Cucumbers; and Cheese
Veggie Patty, Tomatoes; Cheese; Tangerines; and Kiwi

I use whatever veggies I have in the freezer, not just broccoli and cheese. These freeze great (matter of fact, I didn't have to make any this week, just pulled them out and microwaved them for 45 seconds).

Leftovers

Dinner
Honey Lime Tilapia with leftover mashed potatoes and a salad (4.5 stars)

Easily one of the best fish dinners I have ever had or made. Super yummy and easy. A keeper for sure!

Sous-vide Steak and leftover mashed potatoes with wilted spinach and corn (4 stars)

Our setup for sous-vide makes cooking meat just like a crockpot meal without any of the mess. This is Brian's favorite method of cooking hunks of meat so we will be doing this frequently with meats that are on sale.

Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans (3 stars)

It was my first time using store-bought gnocchi. The whole wheat ones were ok (Cam wasn't a fan) but other kinds I have made recently were better and Cam ate them without hesitation. 

Chorizo Quesadilla with Fried Egg, Avocado and Fresh Tomatoes; and French Fries (4 stars)

This was a hit again. Super easy, yummy, and somewhat healthy. 

Cannelloni Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce and Whole Wheat Pasta (4 stars)

I followed a new way to cook my dried beans: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/02/how-to-cook-dried-beans-lentils.html and I really liked the smell of the herbs simmering. For this dish, I threw in garlic, fresh Thyme and Bay Leaves.

I really liked this dish. I was a bit surprised how much I liked it actually. The meatballs fell apart almost immediately when I was mixing them in the sauce, but it all just melded together for a thicker "meatier" sauce.

Baked Chicken with Potatoes and Jicama (3 stars)

Whenever I'm in a bind, I usually toss some herbs on a chicken and bake it with potatoes and a veggie. Super easy, mindless dinner. We saw jicama on sale at our local corner produce market so we decided to test it out. It was interesting, like a combination of canteloupe, watermelon, and alfa sprouts. We will probably do it again. Maybe cook it in a stir-fry??? The leftover chicken was used for the following week's lunch (you'll see).

Super Bowl: Nacho Bar! (5 stars)

Of course this was delicious! Our options included: salsa, sour cream, avocado, refried beans, taco meat, cheese, hot peppers, hot sauce, black olives, and green onions. 

Disclaimer: Photos are from linked sources; not my own work. 

Weekly Menu for Jan. 21 - 26, 2013

Breakfast
Oatmeal or whole wheat bread; Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries; and Oranges

Lunch
Egg salad sandwich; cucumbers or apples; sliced cheese; and kiwi
Spinach salad with tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, shredded cheese, and almonds
Leftovers

Dinner
Spicy acorn squash with black beans (2 stars)

I did learn that I can bake an acorn squash whole at 350 degrees Fahrenheit -- much easier than trying to cut it raw and takes up less space when baking. All you do is place the whole squash on a baking sheet or in a glass pyrex with few pokes of a fork and cook till tender (about 45 to 60 minutes.)

I didn't add in the jalapeno, cilantro or lime juice (I didn't have those on hand). The dish overall was simple to make, but not memorable or special. It would work better as a side dish than a main dish.  

Eggplant Parmesan (4 stars)

I loved this dish and it was super easy to throw together. Next time, I will either double the recipe or make it in my smaller pyrex so it is thicker and even more awesome.

Chorizo quesadilla with Fries (4 stars)

I just used the picture as inspiration. I cooked 1 package of soy chorizo, added about 2 cups of frozen corn and wilted in several handfuls of spinach. I chopped black olives and shredded pepper jack, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese. As the quesadillas cooked, I fried three eggs to put on top.  

UPDATE: Brian must have loved this because he requested it for the following week. 

Acorn squash and portobello mushroom pizza with garlic bread and a salad (2 stars)

Eh, this was ok. Our mushrooms were stringy and not a great texture for Cam to chomp on. 

Shrimp pasta with tomatoes, lemon, and spinach (3.5 stars)

On a day that was super busy, this was a quick and yummy meal that I tossed together with no effort. Nothing spectacular but good flavors and little effort.

Disclaimer: Photos are from linked sources; not my own work.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: http://www.mangiodasola.com/2009/11/broccoli-cheddar-soup.html


Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes + boiling water)
1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions
Sauté the onion (and garlic) in the butter over medium heat. Remove the onions (you can actually leave the onions in there) and add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.

Add the onions back in, along with the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.

Season the soup with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the cheese (and you can play around with the amounts; use however much or little you like) and let simmer for 10 minutes longer before serving.

Grape, Mozzarella, and Pinenut Pizza

Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Source: http://honestfare.com/grape-pecoro-romano-pine-nut-flatbread/

Ingredients
1 ball pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
¾ cup red seedless grapes halved
¾ cup mozzarella
2 sprigs diced fresh rosemary (or a few sprinkles of dried)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Light sprinkle red pepper flakes
Sliced deli ham or prosciutto (optional) (we did salami)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Cut your grapes in half. Slice fresh mozzarella into thin pieces. Cut or tear slices of salami. Toast pine nuts on a pan on low heat, tossing frequently, until they’re toasted golden brown. Set aside.
3. Roll out your first fist-sized ball of pizza dough as thin as possible without tearing. Place it on a baking sheet that’s sprinkled with a little flour or semolina so it doesn’t stick. Repeat with remaining dough. (I just sprayed it with cooking spray).
4. Dice rosemary. Combine olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Slater top of dough with it using a brush or back of a spoon. Bake until dough begins to puff up and bottom is toasted golden brown. Remove from oven. (I didn't bake at this step)
5. Apply generous layer of cheese(s). Place grapes (cut side down) with about ½ inch space between. Apply ham and black pepper. Bake until grapes blister and crust become firm and crispy.
6. Remove from oven and add toasted pine nuts (and optional red pepper flakes) while flatbread is still piping hot.

Baked Tilapia with Spicy Tomato-Corn Relish

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/baked-tilapia-with-spicy-tomatopineapple-relish.aspx

Ingredients
4 fish, tilapia, (6-ounce) fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt, Kosher
1/2 cup of corn
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon chili paste, Oriental, hot, such as siracha (or more to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat the foil with oil spray.
2. Place the tilapia fillets on the prepared baking sheet and season them with the salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the corn, tomato, and chili paste. Divide the topping evenly among the tilapia fillets.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Enchiladas

Rating: 4.5 out 5
Source:  http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/02/chorizo-sweet-potato-enchiladas-908.html

Ingredients

2 TBSP Vegetable oil
1 Sweet potato
1 Poblano pepper
2 Garlic cloves
3 Links or about 1lb Chorizo
10 Tortillas
1 - 15 oz. Enchilada sauce
1.5 cups Shredded cheese

Instructions

STEP 1: Peel the sweet potato and cut into a half inch cubes. Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano and also dice into half inch pieces. Mince the garlic.

STEP 2: In a large skillet, cook the sweet potato, poblano and garlic in vegetable oil, over medium heat until they begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Squeeze the chorizo out of it's casing into the skillet. Break up the meat and cook until thoroughly browned (about 5 minutes).

STEP 3: Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scoop about 3/4 cup of the chorizo sweet potato filling into each tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla up around the filling. Place the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish. They should fill the dish and fit tightly against each other to prevent unrolling.

STEP 4: Pour the enchilada sauce over the the rolled tortillas and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven until the edges begin to bubble (about 20 minutes). Serve hot.

Optional garnishes: green onion, cilantro, sour cream.

Nacho Cheese Chicken Chowder

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Source: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/soups/nacho-cheese-chicken-chowder/      

       Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 14 1/2 ounce cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed nacho cheese soup
• 1 10 ounce package frozen whole kernel corn (2 cups)
• Shredded Mexican-style or cheddar cheese
   
  Instructions
   
  In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, stir together chicken, undrained tomatoes, soup, and corn.

  
  

  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Cheesy Ham Potato Soup

Rating: 4 out of 5


Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-cheesy-ham-potato-soup-345953#ixzz1hTpykhKK

Ingredients

3 cups cooked ham , diced

1 celery rib , chopped (ew, I omitted) 

1 onion , chopped

2 carrots , chopped

5 potatoes , cut in cubes

2 (15 ounce) cans creamed corn

2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded

salt and pepper

Instructions

Place ham, celery, onion, carrots, potatoes, corn and chicken broth in crock pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. (The ham will provide some salt.) If cooking stovetop, cook until potatoes are done. Turn crock pot to low and cook 3 to 4 hours.

During last 10 minutes of cooking add milk and cheese. Heat only-do not boil. Str lightly to allow cheese to melt.

Corn Bread-Topped Sausage Bake

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Source: BHG Recipes

• 8 1/2 ounce package corn muffin mix
• 1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 11 1/2 ounce can condensed bean with bacon soup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1 pound cooked smoked Polish sausage, sliced
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
  
  
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. For corn bread, prepare muffin mix according to package directions (do not bake); set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, cook carrot, onion, sweet pepper, and celery in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, milk, and mustard; stir in sausage. Cook and stir until bubbly. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Pour corn bread batter over hot sausage mixture, spreading evenly.
  3. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in corn bread comes out clean. If desired, sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 6 servings.
   

Buffalo Chicken

Rating: 3 out of 5

This didn't get a high rating because the butter/cayanne/vinegar mixture had too much vinegar. Next time, we will do more butter and less vinegar. I adapted Martha Stewart's recipe found here.

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1-1 1/2 cups Panko
1 egg
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In bowl lightly beat an egg. In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
Coat the chicken and then place on a cooling rack with a rimmed baking sheet underneath. Cook until chicken is golden and crisp and chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.

2. In a small pot, melt butter with 3/4 teaspoon cayenne over medium-low. Whisk in 3 tablespoons vinegar and remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with butter mixture to coat. Divide chicken among plates, drizzle with any extra butter mixture.

Easy Freezable Chicken and Biscuits

Rating: Unknown

I haven't tasted this yet because its baking in the oven, but from the ingredients how could it taste bad?? Super easy and I was able to double the batch and split it into 4 pans (2 servings each). Yum Yum. The recipe is from Once a Month Mom.

Ingredients: 

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 cups cubed frozen hashbrowns
12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
10.75 ounces cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste (I used Penzy's Sandwich sprinkle for the garlic and salt)
1 can refrigerated biscuits

Directions:

In a bowl, mix chicken, potatoes, veggies, soup, and seasonings. Place in deep 8×8 baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of casserole. Bake covered with foil at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Freezing Directions:

In a bowl, mix chicken, potatoes, veggies, soup, and seasonings. Place in deep 8×8 baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of casserole. Cover with foil, label, and freeze. To serve: Do NOT thaw. Bake covered with foil at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Chicken Parmesan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This is a tasty little treat and was SUPER easy to toss into the crock pot. The flavors were fantastic at the end. Too bad Cameron can't tolerate mommy eating a lot of tomatoes because we had enough leftovers to last a while. Oh well. The recipe is from A Year of Slow Cooking.

Ingredients

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (we used Chicken Thighs)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (we used Panko)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 t Italian Seasoning (we used Penzy's Italian Seasoning)
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t kosher salt
1 T olive oil
1 beaten egg
sliced mozzarella cheese
favorite jarred marinara sauce
Penne pasta (or whatever you have on hand)

Directions

1. Spread the 1 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert.

2. Whip the egg with a fork in a separate bowl; mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish.

3. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings; place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crock.

4. Layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top; cover with entire jar of marinara sauce; close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. If your chicken is still frozen, it will take longer.

5. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Pork Fried Rice

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/pork-fried-rice-2

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. minced ginger
• 1 cup Pulled Pork
• 3 cups Rice Pilaf
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:

1. In extra large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. peanut oil until very hot. Add scallion whites and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add eggs and scramble until set, 45 seconds; transfer to bowl. Add remaining 2 tbsp. peanut oil, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute. Add pork and stir-fry 45 seconds to heat through. Stir in pilaf and soy sauce and stir fry 2 minutes. Return eggs to pan with sesame oil and toss well. Top with scallion greens.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Cole Slaw

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/lunch-recipes/pulled-pork-and-slaw-sandwiches

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 1/2 cups coleslaw mix (7 oz.)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 3 cups Pulled Pork
• 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 4 hamburger buns

Directions:

1. In large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup vinegar, sugar and crushed red pepper; add coleslaw and season with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Toss and let stand at least 15 minutes. Pour off liquid and stir in mayonnaise. In saucepan, cook pork, remaining 1/4 cup vinegar, worcestershire and 2 tbsp. water over medium heat to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide pork among buns, top with some slaw and serve remainder alongside.

Pork and Avocado Tacos

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pork-and-avocado-tacos

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 1/2 tbsp. EVOO
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
• 3 small radishes, sliced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 3 cups Pulled Pork
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce
• 12 taco shells or corn tortillas

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey and cilantro; whisk in EVOO and a pinch each salt and pepper. Pour half of dressing into second medium bowl. Add lettuce and radishes to 1 bowl, avocados and tomato to other. Season warmed pork with hot sauce. Divide lettuce and radishes among taco shells; top with pork, avocado and tomato.

Fusilli with Chicken and Tomato Sauce

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/fusilli-with-chicken-and-tomato-sauce

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz.) fusilli pasta
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 3 cups Pulled Chicken
• 2 cups Tomato Sauce
• 6 oz. mozzarella, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot, add butter and place over medium heat. Add chicken and tomato sauce and toss well. Add reserved pasta water and mozzarella; season with salt and pepper. Top with parmesan and parsley.

Spanish Rice with Shrimp

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/spanish-rice-with-shrimp

Use your tomato sauce, roasted veggies and rice pilaf

Ingredients

• 4 cups Rice Pilaf
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 cup Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup chopped Roasted Peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 4 lemon wedges

Directions:

1. In large nonstick skillet, heat pilaf in 2 tbsp. EVOO. Transfer to bowl. In same skillet, cook garlic, shrimp and paprika in remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO. Add tomato sauce and peppers and heat through. Return pilaf to pan, stir in olives and cook 1 minute. Serve with parsley and lemon wedges.

 

Rice Pilaf

20 50 70

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/rice-pilaf-2

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. EVOO
• 3 onions, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces (about 4 1/2 cups)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 1/4 cups long-grain rice
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 4 bay leaves
• 16 oz. frozen peas

Directions:

1. In a 7-qt. dutch oven, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring often, until golden and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 2 1/4 cups water, the chicken broth, bay leaves, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, lower the heat and simmer, undisturbed, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Quickly scatter the peas on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and let cool completely, tossing once or twice. Discard the bay leaves. 

FREEZE IT! Divide into 1-cup portions and transfer to resealable plastic sandwich bags. Squeeze out the air and flatten the bags. Seal and store flat in 2-gallon freezer bags.

USE IT! Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or pop into the fridge in the morning and thaw all day. (The microwave can be used in a pinch.)

CHANGE IT UP!
• Halve the amount of onions and add 3 minced jalapeños.
• Use corn instead of peas and add chopped cilantro.
• Swap in 1 cup white wine for 1 cup broth.
• Add thyme or rosemary when cooking the onions.
• Omit the peas and stir in chopped olives and toasted almonds.