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. 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.

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.

Twice Baked French Fries

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

We had a huge bag of Idaho potatoes that we needed to finish, so I started testing all sorts of french fry recipes. This one from Rachael Ray was the PERFECT combination of seasoning and crunchiness.

Ingredients

4 starchy medium Idaho potatoes
Olive Oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Optional flavorings (we used Penzey's Chicago Steak Seasoning)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange a cooling or wire racks over a baking sheet.

2. Peel potatoes lengthwise, living a patch of the skin on each end of the potatoes. Cut each potato into very thin fries lengthwise no more than 1/4-inch thick -- the thinner they are the crispier the end product will be.

3. In a large bowl, dress the fries very lightly with EVOO – a couple of turns of the bowl ought to do the trick. Season with salt and pepper, and arrange fries in single layer without crowding either baking sheet.

4. Place fries in oven and roast 30 minutes. Remove fries and increase heat to 425°F. Toss fries in large bowl again with seasonings. Return fries to oven and bake another 15-20 minutes until very crisp and brown.

Cinco De Mayo Feast

Rating 4.75 out of 5

I have finally recovered from my Cinco de Mayo food coma. The only thing missing from this meal were sopapillas. I used a variety of sources to make my ultimate dinner so here is the breakdown:

1. Horchata (it is dangerous how easy and tasty this drink is)
2. Mexican Rice
3. Creamy Chicken Taquitos (I will be stocking our freezer with these soon)
  
Horchata Ingredients and Directions

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

5 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

1. Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute.

2. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.

3. Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice.

4. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water.

5. Chill and stir before serving over ice.

Mexican Rice Ingredients and Directions

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice, onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until the rice is browned and vegetables are tender.

2. Stir in the water, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 15 to 17 minutes.

3. Stir in the cheese and transfer to a serving bowl. 


Creamy Chicken Taquitos Ingredients and Directions

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup salsa
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)
10-12 6-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

3. Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-3o seconds. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet.

4. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. (You may be tempted to skip the sprinkle of salt, but it really adds a nice touch.)

(To freeze before baking, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos 30-60 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. To bake from the freezer, simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through.)

5. Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

Avocado Hummus

 Photo is from Kraft

Rating: 3 out of 5

I wanted a healthy snack to eat after my lunch so I decided to make my own hummus. I looked online at a variety of recipes and came up with this combination. It has a great flavor and is super yummy on a pita, but the consistency is slightly different than store-bought hummus.

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 diced avocado
3 slices of hot peppers (or one finely diced jalapeno)
2 tablespoons of cilantro

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency.

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.

 

Fresh Salsa

Rating: Too HOT for you! 
4.5 out of 5

Okay, I am not the salsa maker in the family. However, Brian didn't have time to make the salsa before going on a business trip and the veggies were going to spoil. Not knowing what I was doing, I chopped, tossed, and mixed my way into a HOT salsa. We now have five bags of salsa in our freezer (who needs jarred salsa anyway!).

Ingredients

7 Roma Tomatoes
1 can of petite chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 white onion
5 hot peppers
5 garlic cloves
1 lime

Directions

Roughly chop all the ingredients (except the lime). Toss together and squeeze the lime juice over the salsa. 
Directions

Zesty Italian Pasta

Rating: 4 out of 5

This side dish makes me feel like I am eating the rainbow. All the beautiful colors and the tangy zest from the dressing makes this dish from Mom's Budget a keeper. Not to mention it was super easy to throw together, toss the extras in the freezer, and clean up.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups dry vegetable rotini
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped

Directions:

1. Cook rotini until barely cooked al dente. Drain.

2. Toss the ingredients together.

3. Freeze in single portion servings in freezer bags or containers. Great for lunches. Put into the lunchbox frozen, and it will be thawed for lunchtime.

Focaccia

Rating 4.75 out of 5

This was a combination of two recipes (NBC and Taste of Home) and it was yummy in my tummy. It was super fast, tasty, and very minimal dishes. I highly recommend this one, especially if you need a side dish or a compliment to a salad. This is basically a pizza without the sauce and cheese (but don't worry it is super delicious minus those two vital ingredients).

Ingredients

1 15 oz. bag pizza dough
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (We used Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
3 tablespoons olive oil blend
Handful of sliced mushrooms
Handful of pepperoni
Handful of chopped green peppers
Handful of chopped onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle to fit a 9 x 13 glass bakeware dish. Using a fork poke dents into the dough.

3. In a small bowl mix together the Italian seasoning mix and oil. Brush herbed oil mix all over top of the dough.

4. Top with veggies.

5. Place in oven and bake in glass bakeware dish for 20-25 minutes until focaccia is golden brown. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Artichoke Bread

Rating 4.5 out of 5

This week was my first week test driving freezer recipes. I figured with Brian traveling and a baby on the way, I should start stocking my freezer with some dinners. My plan is to make a few each month and try them freshly-made and out of the freezer while Brian is gallivanting around. First up, I started with a tasty side dish or lunch option -- artichoke bread. The recipe is from Once a Month Mom and it tasted great fresh (not sure what it will be like out of the freezer yet).

Ingredients

1 loaf french bread
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Slice bread. Turn on broiler.

2. In a bowl, combine drained artichokes, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Spread evenly over sliced bread. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

3. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes or until bread is toasty and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Freezer Directions


Prepare as directed above but DO NOT broil. Instead, place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze, then place in a freezer bag, label, and return to freezer. To serve: Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes or until bread is toasty and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

Rating 4 out of 5

I slightly disagree with the rating, but that's what the official rater gave this dish. I enjoyed the simplicity and agree if you use salami (it is on my no-can-do list) and maybe a sharper more flavorful cheese it would be a higher rated dish.  The recipe is courtesy of the Well-Fed Newlyweds.

Ingredients

8 oz. uncooked Israeli couscous or other small pasta shape (we used quinoa)
2 1/4 cups plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced jarred banana peppers (I didn't care for these)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (you may want to switch with a sharper cheese)
1 oz. salami, chopped (we used canned chicken, I would recommend the salami)
15 oz. can navy beans, rinsed and drained (we used Great Northern beans)
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt (use 1/4 tsp. if using kosher salt or sea salt)
 
Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine all of the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

3. Gently stir in the pasta until well combined. (A rubber spatula works well for this.)

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Rating 4 out of 5

This is a cross between cinnamon rolls and sopapillas. It was time-consuming but worth the wait. It's not something we will make on a regular basis but it was a perfect compliment to our easy bacon, egg, and cheese burritos. The recipe is from Annies Eats (again).

Ingredients
For the dough:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (we used Wheat flour)
¼ cup granulated sugar
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
½ tsp. salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
¼ cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg


Directions
1. To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.

2. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted.  Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.

3. Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl.  Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms.  Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)

5. Towards the end of the dough rising, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned.  Set aside.  Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.

6. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate.

7. Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes.

8. Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle.

9. Brush the dough with the browned butter.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer.  (Yes, really, use all of it.)

10. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

11. Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices. (You basically want strips that are the same height and width of your pan)

12. Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan.  Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.

13. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.  (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.)

14. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out, transferring to a serving plate.  Serve warm with breakfast burritos.

French Peasant Bread

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

This is a simple recipe (no kneading) for homemade bread. It is perfect for soaking up pasta sauce and tomato soups! The recipe makes two loaves so I froze one after baking and hopefully it tastes as yummy as the first loaf. I found the recipe on the Recipe Shoebox.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. dry, quick rising yeast
2 cups warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Olive oil or PAM spray (for greasing the pan)
Corn meal (for pan)
1/4 cup butter, melted (for brushing over top before and after baking)

Instructions

1. Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in warm bowl and stir until dissolved.

2. Add flour and stir until blended, but do NOT knead.

3. Cover and let rise one hour or until double in size.  (NOTE: It only took about 30-40 mins for mine to double in size)

4. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 roughly equal rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal.  Let rise an additional hour.

5. Brush the tops and sides of the rounds with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and brush tops and sides of rounds again with melted butter. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Nuggets served with Avocado and Tomato Salad

Rating (Crispy Chicken Nuggets): 4.75 out of 5 stars
Rating (Avocado and Tomato Salad): 4 out of 5 stars

The recipes for dinner tonight came from a variety of sources. First, the Crispy Chicken Nugget recipe is a combination of my own creation and Hannah's baked chicken nuggets. In the past, I have made the breading mixture and then fried the chicken in oil (not healthy, but surely tasty). Once Hannah shared her baking recipe with me, I knew I had to try it. I found the second recipe, Avocado and Tomato Salad, while browsing the latest issue of Rachel Ray, but it is originally from the Amazing Avocado.  

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients
 
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A few tablespooons of seasoning (Old Bay is what we used tonight, but we have tried salt, pepper, and Penzey's Italian Herb Mix in the past)
4 Chicken breasts (cubed or sliced)
1 egg (beaten)
A splash of milk

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Make breading mixture by combining Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoning.

3. Cube or slice chicken as desired.

4. Beat egg in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the sliced chicken) and add a splash of milk.

5. Dip chicken pieces in the milk and egg mixture, then in breading mixture.

6. Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

7. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.

8. While the chicken is baking, make the Avocado and Tomato Salad.

Update: I made a large batch of chicken nuggets, put them in the freezer for a few minutes while still on the tray, and then tossed them in a freezer-sealed bag. To serve, just microwave for 45 - 60 seconds (or there about). 

Avocado and Tomato Salad
 

Ingredients

2 fully ripened Avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced
2 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (We used 1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (Omitted)
1/2 teaspoon of Penzey's Zatar seasoning

Instructions

1. In serving bowl, gently toss avocados and tomatoes.

2. In small cup, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle over avocados and tomatoes.