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 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.

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.

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.

 

Shrimp Po Boy Pitas

 Photo from Rachael Ray

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

This was a quick, healthy and filling spring recipe. We substituted the heavy bread with whole wheat pitas, but other than that we followed the Rachael Ray recipe.

Ingredients

1 pound medium shrimp, peeeled and deveined
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons creole seasoning (we used Old Bay)
Salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Two 12-inch baguettes—halved crosswise, each half split and excess bread dug out
1/2 head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle

Directions

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil and creole seasoning. (If the seasoning is unsalted, add a pinch of salt.) In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard and 1 1/2 teaspoons water, stirring until smooth.

2. Lay the baguettes open on plates. Layer with the lettuce, bell pepper, tomatoes and scallions.

3. Add the seasoned shrimp to the grill, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook, covered, until just opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes more. Arrange the shrimp on top of the vegetables and drizzle with the mayo-mustard sauce.

Salmon Salad Wraps

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

This was a perfect, light and fast spring dinner and would make an even better lunch. The original recipe from Rachel Ray was intended to be a salad, but I thought it tasted even better in a wrap. In the future, I would add tomatoes and reduce the amount of olive oil (I preferred the lemony seasoning more than the oil taste).

Ingredients
 
3/4 pound skinless salmon fillets
1 large cucumber—peeled, seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper—stemmed, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the salmon in a medium baking dish and bake, covered, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let stand until cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, scallions and lemon with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

3. Add the baked salmon, flaking the meat with a fork, and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Shrimp and Corn Pasta

 Photo is from The Cottage Home

Rating 4.75 out of 5

Using the same ingredients and process as the previous recipe, you can make a tasty pasta that really tastes completely different. Brian, loved this one, hence the high rating.  Again, this recipe is from The Cottage Home.

Ingredients

Shrimp

1 lb. raw shrimp, shells on

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of 2 limes

Corn Relish

 

1 bag frozen corn (or several ears fresh with kernels removed if in season)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Extras

 

1 red onion, sliced

Pasta

1 pound cavatappi pasta (or any shape you like)

1 package grape tomatoes

Olive oil

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

 

2. Place leftover corn relish, grilled onions, and grape tomatoes on a large baking sheet (note: the first night I made a double-batch of the corn relish so I just had to marinade the shrimp and onions on the second night). Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  

 

3. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until grape tomatoes start to get wrinkly and corn starts to get a little color.

4. Meanwhile, cut up your shrimp into small pieces.  Once you remove your corn and tomato mixture from the oven, add your shrimp to the baking sheet - this will warm them up without cooking them any further.

5. Drain pasta.  Add all the contents from the cookie sheet into the pasta.  Make sure to scrape up all the little brown bits (this gives the great roasted flavor).  Add your Parmesan cheese and an extra drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste).

 

Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 

Throw some shrimp on the barbie! This is option one of two for a tasty shrimp and corn combination. I love the idea of making extra one night and being able to use the leftovers in a completely different way you don't even realize it was the same ingredients. Talk about more bang for your buck. The recipes are courtesy of The Cottage Home.

Ingredients

Shrimp

 

1 lb. raw shrimp, shells on

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of 2 limes

Corn Relish

 

1 bag frozen corn (or several ears fresh with kernels removed if in season)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Extras

1 red onion, sliced (we didn't use this)

Pineapple, cubed - fresh or canned chunks (we didn't use this)

Rice, of your choice (we baked garlic bread instead)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients under "shrimp" to make a marinade/paste for the shrimp.  If you are doing the optional onions, reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade.  Add shrimp to marinade and let sit for 20 minutes before grilling.  You do not want to over marinate shrimp.  The acid from the lime juice will start to cook the shrimp ever so slightly and if you marinate them all day then you can end up with some tough, over cooked shrimp.

2. Drizzle the remaining marinade over your sliced red onions.

 

3. Optional: Cube pineapple or used canned pineapple chunks.  

 

4. Defrost your frozen corn and combine all ingredients under "corn relish".  Allow flavors to come together.  This can be made up to a day ahead of time.

5. Heat up your grill.  Add the onions, then the shrimp and finally the pineapple once the grill is hot.  The shrimp should take approximately 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side), but the onions will take a bit longer.  If you are doing a kabob, just put everything on the grill all together.

 

Salmon Pasta

 

Forgive my mid-eating picture

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This was a perfect Spring time meal - light, fresh and filling. The entire process took less than 30 minutes even when I forgot to thaw my Salmon. Plus, the cleanup is a breeze. Unless you don't like the taste of sour cream, this is a winner. The recipe is from Martha Stewart but I had to adapt it based on the ingredients we had on hand.

Ingredients
 
1 tablespoon fennel seeds (I used Penzy's Tuscan Sunset)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I didn't use)
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
Salt and pepper
1 one-pound salmon fillet with skin (about 1 inch thick)
1 pound corkscrew or other short pasta
10 ounces spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well
1/2 cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions
 
1. Heat the broiler. Put fennel seeds in a small, self-sealing plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin (or in my case, scoop about 2 tablespoons of Tuscan Sunset into a bowl). Add parsley, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the bag, and shake to mix.

2. Press the mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon (I did both sides because we don't have a skinless side). Broil salmon, skin side down, until it is no longer red in the center, about 8 minutes.

3. Flake the fish with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta. Return it to the warm pot, add spinach, and toss.

4. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, lemon juice to taste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pasta water.

5. Simply toss pasta and spinach in the pot with the salmon and the sour-cream mixture, adding pasta water as needed, and serve.

Dill and Basil Grilled Salmon

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Warm weather and a break in the rain clouds means grilling time! Brian found a simple grilled fish recipe on backpacker.com and wanted to try it out. Backpacker admits the recipe is more for car camping than backpacking so I figured it would be perfect at home on the charcoal grill. We served it with a side of sweet potato fries and green beans.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (we used Penzeys Parisien Bonnes Herbes)
1 large lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Start your charcoal.

2. For each fillet, take a sheet of foil and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on it.

3. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Lay your salmon fillet on the oil, then pour the other tablespoon of olive oil on the surface and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon juice on top. Throw your onion on top of that, along with your garlic and basil. Sprinkle with the dill, then place the sliced lemon on top of everything. Place another piece of foil on top and seal the edges of the top and bottom pieces of foil.

4. Grill over indirect heat for 35 minutes (or over a fire using a backpacker's grill), or until the salmon is cooked to your liking.

Avocado and Shrimp Salad

Rating 4.25 out of 5

Food on the Table had a very simple "salad" that I wanted to try out as a topping on crostinis and a salad topping.  This was super quick, healthy, and uses fresh veggies. Unfortunately, I gobbled it down before I could take a picture (I was STARVING), but I'm sure you can picture what it looked like.

Ingredients
 
2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 (pound) small shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved
salt and pepper, to taste
2 (tablespoon) lime juice
1 baguette (for the crostinis) or handful of spinach (for a salad) 


Directions

1. In a medium pan, saute shrimp and onion (if you don't like raw onions) in a small amout of olive oil until opaque, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

2. Stir together avocadoes, tomatoes, onion, and shrimp in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in lime juice.

3. If serving on bread, put the sliced bread on a cookie sheet and brush with a little olive oil. Broil on low for a few minutes until toasted.

4. Serve cold on crostinis or on a bed of spinach.

Roasted Shrimp with Parmesan Cheese

Rating 4.25 out of 5

I adapted this recipe is from Annies Eats (the photo above is also from her site). Her original recipe called for Feta cheese, but that is currently on the "can't eat because I'm preggers" list. So, a quick swap with Parmesan cheese and the addition of a little bit of rice and we have a tasty dinner. Brian did complain that next time we should get the shrimp without tails so it would be less work while eating (that's part of the reason the rating got knocked down to a 4.25). Also, next time I will serve this with a thick country-style bread instead of the rice because, I think, the bread will be better at picking up the tomatoes and shrimp mixture. The overall cooking time was around 45 minutes but a lot of that time its cooking on the stove top or in the oven. And, there wasn't much to clean, a cutting board, pot, knives, small bowl, and a few measuring cups.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine (we used apple cider vinegar)
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 tsp. tomato paste
1½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (we used 1/2 cup panko and 1/2 cup bread crumbs)
3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest (don't skip this!)
1 lb. large shrimp (16-20 per lb.), peeled with tail segments left intact, deveined
5 oz. crumbled feta cheese (we used Parmesan cheese)
Juice of 1 lemon (use a real lemon, it really brightens the dish)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat (make sure you use a skillet that can be transferred to the oven). Add the onion and cook until slightly tender, 5-8 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to cook 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.

4. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes.

5. Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Toss well with a fork to blend.

6. Remove the pan from the heat. Lay the shrimp in a single layer, tails up, on top of the the tomato mixture. Scatter the feta (or Parmesan) over the top of the shrimp, followed by the bread crumb mixture.

7. Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through and the breadcrumbs are browned.

8. Remove from oven and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp.

Salmon with Potatoes and Red Onions

 Photo from Martha Stewart

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This took a bit longer to cook but it was little mess and little time in the kitchen. The end result was a super yummy dinner! The recipe can be found at: Salmon with Potatoes and Red Onions - Martha Stewart Recipes.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small red onions, quartered, leaving root ends intact
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound small potatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 sprigs thyme
4 skinless salmon fillets (we used Cod)

Directions 

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are golden brown, 4 minutes, turning once. Add potatoes, broth, and 4 sprigs thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. 

2. Season each fillet with salt and pepper and top with 1 sprig thyme. Place salmon on top of potatoes. Cover and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve salmon with potatoes, onions, and cooking liquid.