Chicken on the Green

Basil Hummus

2011-08-22T21:44:00.000-05:00

I have been on a hummus kick lately but never actually made my own. (I'm pretty fond of Sabra's Roasted Red Pepper). When I came across this creamy basil hummus on Daily Garnish, I knew it was the first kind to try on my own! I made it to go with one of my favorite summer meals: hummus and vegetable pizzas! It was delicious, and the basil flavor was really strong- in a good way. It reminded me of a healthier version of pesto. It was so easy to make, and I can't wait to start experimenting with other flavors!

Creamy Basil Hummus (from the Daily Garnish)
Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup basil leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp water (I used 2, but would maybe use 3-4 next time for a less thick consistency)
pinch of salt

Directions:

Put basil and chickpeas in food processor. Pulse to chop combine.
Add lemon juice, water, olive oil, tahini, and salt.
Continue to run the food processor (you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple of times) until the hummus is smooth and creamy.

Super Fudgy Brownies

2011-06-20T22:16:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I made these brownies to serve at my cousins bridal shower. Since I have become a lazy blogger, I didn't really have any intentions of posting the recipe. But after several requests for the recipe and one woman even declaring it "the best brownie she had ever eaten," I knew this one was a keeper! They were really moist and fudgy without being gooey. I am posting the original recipe below with a few notes in parentheses. One other thing to note is that I ran out of granulated sugar while making these and replaced it with coarse sugar. I am not sure how much of an impact this made on the brownies so I will have to experiment with that in the future, but I am sure the results would be similar either way! I was just happy to know that you could use coarse sugar without it resulting in a grainy texture.

The Baked Brownie (from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and seen on Divine Baking)
Ingredients:

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 T dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dutch process cocoa)
11 oz dark chocolate, chopped (I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao)
1 c unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp instant espresso powder (I omitted b/c I didn't have)
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
5 large room temperature eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray (or butter and flour pan).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.
4. Set up a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate, the butter, and the instant espresso powder (if using) in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. Mixture should be room temperature.
5. Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add remaining eggs and vanilla, whisking to combine. Do not over beat the batter or else the brownies will become cakey.
6. Gently mix the flour/cocoa/salt into the chocolate with a spatula (not a whisk) just until incorporated.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
8. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Mine took 31 minutes, but you may want to check them early because everyone's oven is different, and you definitely don't want to over bake them!

Salmon Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Corn, and Goat Cheese

2011-04-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

In my opinion, you can't really beat a delicious salad topped with salmon in both nutrition and taste! Salads are so flexible in that you can use whatever have on hand or happen to want that day, but I wanted to share this salad because I absolutely loved the combination of ingredients. It has tangy goat cheese, sweet roasted corn and red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and is topped with a simple, yet delicious balsamic vinaigrette. As I write this and remember how good it was, I am thinking that I will have to make this again next week!

Salmon Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Corn, and Goat Cheese
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:

salad mix (I used half arugula and half mixed greens)
4 4-5oz salmon fillets (I prefer wild caught)
Williams-Sonoma Potlatch Seasoning (optional)
2 tsp olive oil
1 red pepper (or you can use jarred roasted peppers and skip steps 1-2)
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place pepper on a cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, turning half way. It may take longer, but you are looking for your pepper to turn mostly black. Remove from oven and place in a plastic bag (such as a ziploc). Once pepper has cooled, remove from bag, and peel skin. It should come off easily. Slice pepper into strips and remove seeds.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add frozen corn and cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until some kernels start to blacken. Turn off heat. Put corn in a dish and return skillet to cooktop.
Season salmon with Potlatch Seasoning, if using, or with salt and pepper.
Add 2 tsp of olive oil to skillet and turn heat to medium. Once pan is heated, place salmon in pan seasoned side down.
Cook salmon until done, turning half way. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of salmon, but it should flake easily when done. I would guess 8-10 min total, but watch it so you don't overcook it!
While salmon is cooking, assemble salads. Place greens on bottom and top with red peppers, goat cheese, corn, tomatoes, and cucumber. Top with salmon and serve with balsamic vinaigrette.

Migas

2011-04-12T09:20:00.000-05:00

I had never had migas before, but had read about them on a couple of blogs. So, when I received Tostitos Artisan Recipes chips as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I knew just what I wanted to make! I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe as a guide. I figured she would be a trusty source, and I had never used one of her recipes before, which I can't believe knowing how popular her blog is! These were really good! In fact, I have already made them twice within a month! Of course, I did cheat by using the Tostitos chips rather than frying my own tortillas. That was one step too many for me, and the Tostitos chips were great! I think Nick accurately described them as "the adult version of Doritos." We received both the black bean and garlic flavor and the fire roasted chipotle flavor. I am not sure that Nick had a favorite between the two, but my vote was definitely for the black bean and garlic. Anyway, on to the delicious recipe...

Migas (adapted from the Pioneer Woman)
Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients:

1/3 cup corn tortilla chips, broken into pieces
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeds And Membranes Removed, Finely Diced
4 whole Plum Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Green Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
12 whole Large Eggs
¼ cup reduced fat mexican blend cheese
1/2 Tablespoon Butter
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ cup 2% milk
1/2 avocado
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until starting to turn brown/black, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in diced jalapenos and stir to combine. Add tomatoes to the skillet and stir around, then add chips, stirring gently to combine.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. When the heat has decreased, pour eggs into skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir gently to cook with the peppers, folding mixture very gently as it cooks.
5. Add in grated cheese.
6. Once eggs are cooked and cheese is melted, removed from skillet and serve topped with avocado.

Samoas Bars

2011-04-03T13:23:00.000-05:00

It has become the tradition here on Chicken on the Green to post the special treat made to honor Meggo's Birthday! For her 25th, there was the Strawberry Chantilly Cake. For her 26th, I made Monster Cookies. And today.... SAMOAS BARS! I chose to make these because Samoas (or Caramel deLites as they are known in some parts of the country such as Wichita) are Meggo's favorite Girl Scout cookies! She would buy them at work and then hide them in her desk. Meggo, please don't hide these. They do not quite have the same preservatives in them!

I found the recipe for these on Baking Bites. These bars start with a shortbread cookie crust, then are covered with caramel and toasted coconut, dipped in dark chocolate, and topped with a dark chocolate drizzle. Yummy. They are fun to make although they do take some time. They are very reminiscent of the original, but if I am going to be completely honest, I don't quite think they match up to the perfected recipe those girl scouts have come up with. Man, they must work hard on those.
Samoas Bars (adapted from Baking Bites)
Ingredients:
Cookie Base:

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Directions:
To make the crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. (I really didn't want it to stick).
3. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Add vanilla extract.
4. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together.
5. Scoop crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

To make the topping:
1. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
2. Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
3. When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife.
4. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. (I had to melt more chocolate because I had bits of shortbread that fell in my chocolate.)
5. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

2011-03-21T07:16:00.000-05:00

Beer in cake? Yes, please. St. Patrick's Day may have come and gone, but I won't be waiting until next year to make these again! I told Nick these may be my new favorite cupcakes, which is quite a bold statement for me! The chocolate cake has a great flavor with a VERY subtle taste of Guinness, and the Bailey's frosting was just as delicious. Drinkers and non-drinkers alike will love these so get in the kitchen and make them ASAP!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (adapted from Annie's Eats)
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For Cake:

16 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup Guinness
¾ cup dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup light sour cream

For Frosting:

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
5-6 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

Directions:
For Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 pans with cupcake liners.
2. Bring Guinness and butter to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the chocolate-beer-butter mixture and beat just to combine.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 16-17 minutes.
8. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Frosting:
1. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated.
3. Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth.
4. Add any additional sugar or Bailey's to reach desired consistency.
5. Frost the cupcakes once they have completely cooled.

White Chicken Chili

2011-03-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

It may seem odd to post a recipe for a warm bowl of chili just as the weather finally shows signs of long, long awaited spring, but this is a recipe I didn't want to forget! I found it on Jenna's blog, Eat Live Run, and it was really good- the best I have had to-date! It has a pretty mild spice to it so if you want really spicy, I would kick up the amount of cayenne. Also, just FYI it freezes well so it is a great make-ahead meal. I made a couple minor changes to lighten it up a little, and those changes are reflected below. (Click on the link for the original version). I can't wait to make this again next winter... or during the inevitable cold front that always comes as soon as I think we are safe into spring!

White Chicken Chili ( adapted from Eat, Live, Run)
Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 medium onion, small diced
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 cans cannellini beans, drained
14.5 ounces chicken broth
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup 2% milk
6 ounces light sour cream

Directions: 1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken and onion and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is seared and the onion is translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Add the beans, spices, chicken broth and green chilies and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and add the sour cream and milk.
5. Enjoy

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

2011-02-06T20:02:00.000-06:00

Happy 27th Birthday to my old man husband! I love picking out what I am going to make for his birthday "treat" each year, and this year I thought that Maple Bacon Cupcakes would be perfect knowing what a bacon lover he is! I have seen bacon used in several dessert recipes, but I had never tried it for myself. These cupcakes are a great salty sweet dessert, but I have to say that he was not able to tell that they were bacon until I told him what the secret ingredient was. Knowing what it was, I could definitely taste it when I had a bacon bit in a bite but not so much when I got a bite with out it. Either way, he seemed to enjoy them! Their texture is more muffin-like that cake in my opinion as they are a bit crumbly, but the delicious maple frosting definitely removes any confusion that they are anything but a cupcake! I made the recipe exactly as written on the blog, Vanilla Garlic, so you can click here to get the recipe. However, I would recommend doubling the frosting because I ran out and had to make another batch. Also, I got 9 cupcakes from the recipe rather than the 6 that is stated. Let me know what you think if you try them!

Action shot.

Wheat Hamburger Buns

2011-01-16T10:29:00.001-06:00

The idea of making your own hamburger buns seemed kind of ridiculous to me at first. Why in the world would you go through that trouble when you could buy some decent ones for just a couple of bucks? I had seen a couple recipes for buns on other blogs but I pretty much just looked over them because I knew I would NEVER make them- or so I thought. But it turns out that I was wrong. It all started when I decided I would buy some buffalo meat at the grocery. It was very hectic, and I just grabbed it without checking the price, which I rarely do. As I was checking out, I realized it cost $11! Holy cow. There is no way I am just going to use this buffalo to make chili like originally planned. So, I decided to make burgers, but of course I didn't have any buns. Well, I guess it was time to make them, and it actually was a pretty good way to spend my lazy Saturday!

I found the recipe on Annie's Eats. I love her blog because I have never been disappointed by one of her recipes! Mine didn't look nearly as pretty as hers, but I'm used to that! I also used half whole wheat flour to up the nutritional value. I loved the addition of the whole wheat taste, but Nick thought they were a little "too wheaty" for him although he still enjoyed them. So, you can make that call yourself as to how much white vs wheat flour you want to use. We loved them topped with a delicious bison burger- yum! Recipe below is Annie's and my changes are noted in the parentheses.

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (adapted from Annie's Eats)
Makes 8 buns

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. sugar

2 ¼ tsp. instant yeast

¼ cup warm water (105°-115°)

1 cup warm milk (105°-115°) (I used 2%)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 tsp. salt

3 to 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat)

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. cold water

sesame, poppy or caraway seeds, or coarse salt, for topping (I used sesame seeds)

Directions:

1. In a bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the sugar and then the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk, oil, salt and 1 ½ cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. (I wasn't sure which attachment I should use since I am a bread newbie, but I used the paddle attachment and that worked just fine).

2. Gradually add flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl *. (This will vary but mine was pulling away after I added 1.5 cups for a total of 3 cups).

3. Switch to the dough hook and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough, about 7-9 minutes.

4. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. (I just sprayed my bowl with my olive oil mister). Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough in oil.

5. Cover with a tightly-woven dampened towel and let rise in a warm area until doubled, about one hour.

6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Working with oiled hands, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, and flatten into 3 ½ -inch disks. For soft-sided buns, place them on a well-seasoned baking sheet a half-inch apart so they will grow together when they rise. For crisper bun, place them three inches apart. ( I spaced mine out.)

7. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

8. About 15-20 minutes before you want to bake the buns, preheat the oven to 400°. Just before baking, brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with any desired toppings.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190°. (I used my meat thermometer for this, which worked well and they were done in 15 minutes). When the buns are done, remove them from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

* Annie's Note: This particular dough should be quite slack, i.e. very relaxed in order to make soft and tender buns. So you want to add only enough more flour, past the 3 cup point, to make the dough just kneadable, sprinkling in only enough more to keep it from sticking to you or the work surface.

Southwestern Chicken Soup

2010-12-30T21:38:00.000-06:00

I LOVE making soup in the winter. It is just so hearty, warm, filling, and healthy! I make it pretty often (and by "pretty often" I mean Nick is probably sick and tired of it!), but I have so many recipes that I like such as this one and this one that I don't try all that many new ones. I am really glad I tried this one as it will probably go into the regular rotation :) It is slightly spicy from the jalepeno but not at all too hot (you could add more if you really want spicy), and the sweetness of corn was a great addition! It is also great for feeding a crowd. I tripled the recipe below for our community group, and I think everyone liked it :) The recipe is from Cooking Light, but I made a few changes which are reflected below.

Southwestern Chicken Soup (adapted from Cooking Light)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 cup diced onion
2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 pound of chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup diced avocado
1 cup of frozen sweet corn

Directions:

1. Heat a small nonstick Dutch oven over medium-heat.

2. Coat pan with cooking spray or a little olive oil.

3. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Add chicken; cook 3-5 minutes.

5. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

6. Add corn and cook until corn has thawed.

7. Remove from heat.

8. Serve with avocado.

Tate's Bake Shop Sugar Cookies

2010-12-20T23:34:00.000-06:00

Let's talk about sugar cookies. Christmas is really their season. While they are delicious any time of the year, I think the time they really shine is during the holidays because of all the pretty colored frosting and sprinkles. Most often though, it is the "cut out" sugar cookies rather than the "drop" kind that you see around. While the cut out ones are awfully pretty and festive, I feel like they just can't compare to the taste of the drop cookies, not-to-mention that they are definitely less time consuming. I think we can all agree that we could use a little extra time during Christmas! I know more hours in the day is definitely at the top of my wish list :) Now, these cookies in particular are something special. My decorating skills may be lacking, but these cookies definitely made up for that in taste! They had a great flavor and texture- soft and chewy on the inside and slightly crispy on the bottom. They will definitely be my "go-to" recipe in the future!

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies (from Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook, seen on Smells like Home)
(Recipe yielded about 40 med-lg cookies)
Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. (You don't have to do this, but the bottoms came out more browned when I didn't)
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and egg. Mix together.
Then, add the sour cream and mix it well.
Add the flour mixture and mix it until it is combined.
Drop the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheets 2-3 inches apart as they do spread.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are light brown. Cool them on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes, and remove them to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

For the Frosting:
Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tbsp milk
Food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Beat butter with a mixer for about 1 minute or until smooth.
Add vanilla, salt, sugar, and milk and beat again until smooth.
Add food coloring if you want and spread over cooled cookies.

Pear Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

2010-12-12T10:21:00.000-06:00

Making your own salad dressing is really quite simple and takes a salad from good to delicious! So often I rely on bottled salad dressing, but the extra 5 minutes it takes to make is really worth it- that is if you have an extra 5 minutes on that given day! I loved how the slight sweetness of the maple came through and also gave it a more seasonal flavor as maple really makes me think of the fall and winter. It was great on the pear salad, but I also used the leftovers through out the week on a salad with apples, which was equally delicious.

Pear Salad with Maple Vinaigrette (from Taste of South magazine)
Ingredients:
For Salad:

Bibb lettuce (or any kind you prefer)
Pear
Dried cranberries
Blue cheese
Toasted walnuts

For Dressing:

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place handful or 2 of lettuce on each plate and top with pear, blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts.
Combine all dressing ingredients together in a bowl and drizzle on top of salad.

Pumpkin Polenta with Turkey Sausage and Greens

2010-12-04T13:15:00.001-06:00

Whenever I come across recipes with greens in them, I instantly think "Oh, delicious! I HAVE to make that," even when it is cooked spinach, which after several tries I am always disappointed in it and never learn my lesson! However, when I stumbled across Cara's Blog, I saw pumpkin polenta (delicious), turkey sausage (delicious), and swiss chard (hmmm- never had it but it sure looks delicious), I immediately knew I wanted to make it! I saw the swiss chard at the grocery store, but i chickened out and went with the safe choice of collard greens because I know I love those! Also, they come in a pre-cut and washed bag, which was a big selling point.

Nick and I both loved this! The polenta was so creamy without adding any cream or butter, and the addition of the pumpkin was not only healthy, but also really tasty. I may never make polenta without pumpkin again! We had some leftover that Nick ate for dinner the next night, and I have to admit I was a little jealous (not that the leftover soup that I had eaten for the past 5 meals wasn't delicious...) Can't wait to make this again!

Pumpkin Polenta with Turkey Sausage and Greens (adapted from Cara's Cravings)
Serves 3
Ingredients:
For the polenta:

1.5 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup course ground polenta (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2.25 cups of water
salt and pepper

For the Turkey Sausage and Greens Saute:

3 links spicy turkey sausage, casing removed
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz trimmed collard greens (I used half a bag of these, which are washed and ready to go)
3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Directions:

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey sausage, stirring to crumble. Once it has cooked through, remove it from the pan and put on a plate lined with a paper towel.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until tender.
Add tomatoes and collard greens to pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until they are wilted.
Turn off heat and add turkey sausage back to the pan. Set aside.
Combine water and pumpkin in medium or large sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
Slowly stream in the polenta, stirring constantly so it does not clump. Continue to cook stirring often with a whisk until thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you have a handy assistant, they can complete steps 6-7 while you do steps 1-5 :)
If necessary, reheat turkey sausage and greens mixture.
Serve by dividing polenta among plates and topping with turkey sausage and greens mixture.

Healthy Stuffin Muffins

2010-11-20T23:34:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I received a loaf of Nature's Pride Oven Classics 100% Whole Wheat Bread as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. I decided it would be perfect to make a "healthified" version of my favorite Thanksgiving side dish- stuffing! Although I suppose it is technically dressing since it isn't stuffed into a turkey. However, "Dressing Muffin" doesn't quite have the same ring to it as "Stuffin Muffin!" I love the muffin form because it not only bakes faster, but it is also a perfectly portioned serving. Try adding these to your Thanksgiving table for a yummy and healthy side dish!

Ingredients:
Makes 12 Stuffin Muffins

10 pieces of whole wheat bread, toasted
1 tsp olive oil
2/3 cup finely diced onion
2/3 cup finely diced carrot
2/3 cup finely diced celery
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3/4 cup Trader Joe's butternut squash soup
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cut toasted bread into cubes and put in a medium bowl.
In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, saute the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Once the veggies begin to soften, add the poultry seasoning. Add a splash of chicken broth and stir around to evenly coat the veggies with the seasoning.
When the veggies have softened, add them to the bowl with the bread cubes.
Add the egg, butternut squash soup, and chicken broth to the bowl and stir around so bread absorbs all the liquid.
Let sit for a few minutes to soak.
Spray a muffin pay with nonstick cooking spray.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin pan.
Bake until cooked through- about 25-30 min.

Skinny Mashed Potatoes

2010-11-11T21:57:00.001-06:00

Mashed potatoes are a classic American side dish, but I always shy away from them because the generally have so much butter and cream added to make them "good." I have made some in the past that I thought turned out ok, but they weren't really "blog-worthy." Now I am happy to say that I have found the recipe that I will be making from now on! They don't have to be unhealthy to taste good!

Skinny Mashed Potatoes (Serves 4)
Ingredients:

1 lb red potatoes, diced
8 oz cauliflower
1/4 cup milk
1/4 reduced sodium chicken broth
1 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp kosher salt (use less if using regular table salt)
chives (optional)

Directions:

Steam potatoes and cauliflower until fork tender.
Heat milk, chicken broth, and reduced fat cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds.
Add potatoes, cauliflower, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
Mash all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached. (Don't use a food processor or hand blender unless you want them to be like glue... learned that one the hard way!)
Top with chives and serve!

Approx nutrition facts per serving:
Calories: 115
Fat: 0.5 g
Carbs: 23g
Protein: 5g

Rustic Cranberry Apple Galette with Preserved Walnuts

2010-11-06T12:42:00.000-05:00

I love "rustic" dishes because basically that means you don't have to be precise or make it look perfect. It's charming all on its own. This galette was full of fall flavors, and I loved that it wasn't overly sweet. I also liked the pop of the tart cranberries contrasted with the sweetness of the apples. The addition of the preserved walnuts was a special treat, but you can definitely substitute regular walnuts or leave them out altogether. I had never even heard of preserved walnuts before, but Nick's mom gave us some on our last visit. I was determined to find a way to use them seeing as they aren't the most common ingredient, and this dessert was perfect because they complemented the fruits well. Another plus about this recipe is that it is so easy I was able to throw it together on weeknight!

Rustic Cranberry Apple Galette with Preserved Walnuts
Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust
2 large apples, large diced- about 1 lb (I used Jonagold)
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup chopped preserved walnuts (or regular walnuts)
1.5 Tbsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss apples, cranberries, walnuts, cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl.
Roll out pie crust and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place cranberry apple filling in middle of the pie crust, leaving a border of about 1-2 inches. The pile will probably appear to be too much/too high, but this is ok because it will cook down.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until pie crust has browned slightly.
Let cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2010-10-31T21:15:00.000-05:00

I think the best thing about fall is pumpkin- actually I know it is the best thing! I first made these whoopie pies about 3 years ago and never made them again because they were too addictive! The soft, moist texture of the cookie/cake is hinted with fall spice and the sweetness is matched perfectly with the slightly tangy cream cheese filling. I knew it was time for the hiatus to end so this pumpkin lover's birthday could be properly celebrated! These treats are perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even your office party :)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)
Makes about 2 dozen whoopie pies
Ingredients:
For Whoopie Pies-

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Maple Cream Cheese Filling:

2.5 - 3 cups powdered sugar (start with 2.5 and add more if you want it sweeter!)
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stickunsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup (I used grade A dark amber)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a separate bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla together and whisk until combined.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until completely combined.
5. Use a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until they look done and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm, but not overly so when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely.
7. To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
8. To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used.
9. Store in a single layer if possible, but if not, use parchment paper between layers.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Mini Muffins

2010-10-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

I am not sure what it is about donuts, but something about them always draws me to them. I think it is probably the pretty sprinkles and icing. I have always wanted to make them despite my deep dislike of all things deep fried. I tried once, and it was an utter failure (not to mention my whole house smelled like "fried"), and I vowed to never fry anything again. Then there are the baked donuts you can make, but they require a special pan that I just can't justify buying, at least not for now :) So, when I came across a recipe for donut muffins, I was sold. I think their name describes them perfectly as they really taste like a cross between a muffin and a cake donut! And I definitely suggest going for mini muffin size because then they are like little donut holes.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Mini Muffins (adapted from Very Culinary)
Makes about 24-30 mini muffins
Ingredients:
For Muffins:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and buttermilk.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combined. Set mixer on low speed, and beat in one fourth of the dry ingredients. Then beat in one third of the milk mixture. Continue to alternate until all ingredients are incorporated, finishing with dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix.
Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter. Bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and let cool.
Combine cinnamon and sugar in a ziploc bag. (I recommend gallon size, but quart would probably work). Once the muffins have cooled, brush each one with the melted butter.Then place a few muffins in the bag with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Shake well to coat the muffins. Repeat.

Italian Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur

2010-10-21T22:13:00.000-05:00

I have had a box of bulgur in my pantry for a very long time. Let's just say I have owned this box since I was in college...that's right, it was at least 4 years ago. So, when I came across Roni's recipe for Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur, I knew that was exactly what I was going to make to finally get rid of the box! The only thing that backfired is that now I want to buy more of it. It is super healthy- high in fiber and protein, and it is a good source of iron and B vitamins. What more could you ask for? I basically love anything that has a marinara or tomato type sauce, and this one was no exception. The sausage with the peppers, onions and green beans go really well together making it a very warm and comforting meal. It also comes together easily and is perfect for weeknight meal. I loved the bulgur in this recipe, but you could also substitute a whole wheat pasta if you want.

Italian Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur (adapted from Green Lite Bites)
Serves 4
Ingredients:

1 cup of dry bulgur
1 sweet onion, large diced
1 package of Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage cut in pieces
2 Bell peppers (I used one red and one green), sliced
About 1 cup of frozen green beans, thawed
1 15oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil

Directions:
1. Cook bulgur according to directions on package.
2. While the bulgur is cooking, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Start to cook the onion and peppers over medium high heat. Add the sausage and brown it. Then add the green beans.
3. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add the can of sauce plus about 1/4 can of water.
4. Sprinkle with basil and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes allowing the flavors to merge.
5. Once the bulgur is done, scoop it into bowls and top with vegetable tomato sauce.

Peach Upsidedown Cake

2010-10-17T20:14:00.000-05:00

I made this cake a few weeks ago- just in time to catch the end of peach season. This recipe was a great way to bake with peaches because they are the star of the cake so their natural deliciousness doesn't get lost! The cake had a great texture. It was moist with a good crumb and a light cinnamon flavor without being overly sweet. Now I know peach season is over so you may be wondering why I am giving you this recipe now. I promise it's not just to torture you! The original recipe from Dorie Greenspan (which can be found here) uses cranberries, which is the perfect fall and winter fruit!

Peach Upsidedown Cake (adapted from The Crumbly Cookie)
Recipe is for 9" round pan. I halved it and baked in 6" round pan.
Ingredients:

2 peaches
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup 2% milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray round cake pay with nonstick baking spray with flour.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In a small sauce pan, melt 6 Tbsp butter. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and cook stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Pour evenly into cake pan.
Arrange peach slices in cake pan with sugar in whatever pattern you want so they cover bottom of pan. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In another bowl, beat the remaining stick of butter with a hand or stand mixer until smooth.
Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture. Stir to combine. Add the milk followed by the rest of the dry ingredients.
Spoon the batter over the peaches and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Run a blunt knife between the sides of the pan and the cake. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with ice cream if desired.

Chili Spiced Chickpeas

2010-10-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

In my efforts to eat less packaged snack foods, I decided to try roasting some chickpeas to have on hand rather than having crackers or even my beloved soy crisps. The only problem I have found is that I eat them too quickly so they aren't around long enough! They require very little prep time and are budget-friendly because a can of chickpeas costs like $0.89, which is a definite plus! You can use a variety of seasonings to create many different flavor combinations. So far I have just stuck with one because I like it so much, but really I should branch out... I didn't measure my spices, but I included approximate amounts below.

Chili Spiced Chickpeas
Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp olive oil
kosher salt (about 1/4 tsp)
chili powder (about 1/2 tsp)
cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
garlic powder (about 1/4 tsp)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread chickpeas evenly across a sheet pan lined with foil.
3. Lightly spray chickpeas with olive oil.
4. Evenly sprinkle spices over chickpeas.
5. Bake until crispy- about 45 minutes.
6. Once they have cooled, store in a ziploc bag.

Lentil Burgers

2010-09-28T15:11:00.000-05:00

This was my first attempt at homemade veggie burgers...and they were delicious! I received a free sample of lentils in the mail and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I had searched several recipes when I found this lentil burger recipe. They sounded delicious to me but I wasn't sure how Nick would like them. I tried them anyway, and even this meat lover was happy with them, which is a good thing because they will definitely be made again!

Lentil Veggie Burgers (adapted from Kath Eats Real Food)
Makes 3 burgers
Ingredients:

1 cup cooked lentils (I used 1/2 cup uncooked and cooked them in water and veggie broth)
2/3 cup chopped veggies (I used yellow pepper, carrot, celery, green onion)
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
3 tbsp pecans
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until all blended together.
3. Form into 3 patties.
4. Place patties onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on each side.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Raspberry Filling

2010-09-21T07:32:00.000-05:00

I love it when I get the opportunity to make someone's birthday cake. It is just so fun picking out what to make them and hoping they like it! For Jenny's birthday, the only instruction I had was "no coconut," but other than that the opportunities were endless! After much debate, I decided on this pretty cake and thought it would be perfect for her because it was bright, cheery, and fun!
It had a light, fluffy texture with zesty lemon flavor and a slight crunch from the poppy seeds. The raspberry filling complemented it well in flavor and provided a pretty contrast of pink color. I chose to use a lemon cream cheese frosting rather than the lemon buttercream. While I can't compare the two, I was happy with the way the cream cheese frosting turned out so I would stick with that in the future too!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (adapted from Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
For the cake:

2 1/3 cups cake flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
12 tsbp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup 2% milk

For raspberry filling:

8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 12-oz. package frozen raspberries, thawed
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

For Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: (from All Recipes)

8 oz package reduced fat cream cheese, thawed
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon zest
5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray 3 8" round cake pans with cooking spray with flour
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, poppy seed, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. Place butter in a clean bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth.
6. Add the sugar and beat until incorporated. Mix in the lemon zest. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
7. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and beat until just blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the remaining milk in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just blended.
8. Using a rubber spatula, fold one quarter of the egg whites into the batter. Be careful not to deflate the mixture! Once incorporated, add in the rest of the whites and gently fold in until well combined.
9. Divide batter evenly between the three cake pans.
10. Bake for 18-20 or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then flip them out onto a cooling rack or wax/parchment paper to cool completely.

For the raspberry filling:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the raspberries, egg yolks, sugar and salt, and cook, mashing the berries. Stir frequently at first and then constantly at the end, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon rind, and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar in 2 additions. Beat until creamy. Add more sugar or juice as needed for easy spreading.

Salmon with roasted corn puree, okra, and tomatoes

2010-09-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago, I made this corn soup that was so good I had a hard time saving a cup of it for this recipe, but I am so glad I did!This was one of my favorite meals that I have made. The sweetness of the corn and the slight spice on the salmon was delicious! Nick even said it was like something he would order at a restaurant. And the best part is that it isn't too hard! Well, once you have the soup leftover, the rest comes together in no time.

Salmon with Roasted Corn Puree, Okra, and Tomatoes
Ingredients:

1 cup roasted corn soup
1/2 cup skim milk
3 campari tomatoes, quartered
1-1.5 cups sliced okra
olive oil
salt and pepper
2- 4oz salmon fillet
4 tsp Potlatch seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread okra and tomatoes on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast okra and tomatoes for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to slightly brown.
While vegetables are cooking, combine corn soup and milk. Puree with an immersion blender until it reaches desired consistency. You can also put it in a blender to mix.
Once vegetables are done and out of the oven, turn on the broiler.
Place salmon on a baking sheet and sprinkle with Potlatch seasoning.
Place salmon in oven and broil until it is cooked through. Mine took about 8-10 minutes, but it will depend on the thickness of your fish.
To serve- spread a thin later of corn puree on your plate, place fish in the middle, and place tomatoes and okra around the outside.
Enjoy!

Oprah's Favortite Turkey Burger

2010-09-08T21:05:00.000-05:00

Oprah. She's everywhere. I never imagined her name would be on my blog, and I kind of preferred it that way. Oh well- I digress. She does have good taste in turkey burgers! My friend, Clint, INSISTED that I try this recipe because they are the BEST turkey burgers. Well...yes. Yes, they are. They are not quite as easy as these (which are also yummy), but they really do have a great flavor and are worth the extra effort if you have the time. I wasn't sure how I would feel about them because they contained some sweet ingredients, and I'm not a big fan of sweet with meat, but these really didn't taste sweet because all the flavors were balanced out really well. Put these on your menu next time you make turkey burgers!
The original recipe can be found here, but the recipe as I made them (scaled down and a couple minor changes) is below.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger (serves 4)
Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey breast
1 Tbsp thinly sliced green onions
2 Tbsp thinly sliced celery
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp jalapeno hot sauce (we didn't have Tabasco, but I loved the jalapeno sauce!)
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp Major Grey's Chutney (found near mustard/condiments in grocery store)

Directions:
1. Saute onions, celery, and apple with olive oil in a skillet until tender. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine sauteed veggies/apple, ground turkey, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Major Grey's Chutney in a bowl. Add a dash of salt and pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Shape into 4 burgers of equal size.
In the original recipe, the burgers are grilled, but we do not currently have a grill so we cooked them in a cast iron skillet with great results. Directions for each method are below.
For Grill:
1. Refrigerate burgers for 2 hours. (They will hold together better on the grill.)
2. Place burgers on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
For Skillet:
1. Heat cast iron skillet over medium low heat and spray with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Place burgers in pan and cook on each side until thoroughly cooked through. It was about 6 minutes per side for us. Be careful not to overcook because they will dry out. You may want to cut one in half to make sure middle is done though. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
We ate them with lettuce, tomato, light mayo and more hot sauce. Delicious!

Easy Peanut Butter Graham Cookies

2010-09-04T16:30:00.000-05:00

When I made these cookies, I thought I would experiment a bit and add in graham cracker crumbs. Most of my "experiments" don't turn out that well, but I was happy to find out that these were delicious! They are not all that different, but they have a subtle graham flavor and a great texture. They are a little more crumbly but still chewy at the same time. I even made Nick do a side by side comparison of the original and these, and these won!

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (I used Jif creamy)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, stir together peanut butter and sugars until well combined. Add egg, salt, and baking soda and stir until completely incorporated.
Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
Slide parchment paper off baking sheet and let cool for at least 10 minutes, and enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Corn Soup

2010-08-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

Summer is my favorite season, and one of the best things about it are the delicious fruits and vegetables. It seems that summer is coming to an end way too quickly, and I didn't want to miss the chance to take advantage of the fresh corn at the farmer's market. When I saw this recipe, I knew it was the perfect recipe to showcase the natural sweetness of the corn. I also loved how healthy it was. Generally thick, creamy soups like this are made with cream and butter, but this one is thickened with rice and pureed corn and squash. The corn we bought was so good that I had to restrain myself from eating all of it raw! And the soup was so delicious that I wanted to eat the whole pot myself. Unfortunately, I had to share it with Nick... I topped it with some leftover roasted okra, but really it was lost in the soup so no worries if you don't have any!

Creamy Roasted Corn Soup (adapted from Naturally Ella)
Serves 2
Ingredients:

3 ears of sweet corn
1 medium yellow squash
1 Anaheim pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the husk and silk from the corn and cut off the kernels. I found it helpful to put it in a bowl and cut so the kernels don't fly everywhere.
Dice the squash, garlic and peppers and toss with olive oil.
Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30-35 minutes.
Meanwhile combine broth, water, and rice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until rice is cooked.
When the vegetables are done roasting, add them to the broth and rice.
With an immersion blender, blend mixture until it has very few chunks left in it.
Add milk and blend until thoroughly incorporated. Reheat soup if needed.

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Turkey Sausage

2010-08-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

Warning: This is not a quick and easy recipe. You do not want to make it on a weeknight when you get home from a long day at work. Now that we got that out the way... this is an entirely delicious pasta sauce that you DO want to make! And make it soon- before tomato season is over!! As I have said before, I was always "anti- making my own pasta sauce" because I didn't think it could be that much better. But, I have to say, it is really worth it when you have the time. This recipe is similar to the sauce I made earlier this year, but the big difference is that it uses fresh tomatoes!Ah, so good....

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Turkey Sausage (adapted from Culinary Disaster)
Ingredients:

3 lbs tomatoes (I used fresh Roma from our farmer's market)
1 red pepper
5 cloves garlic
olive oil, about 2-3 Tbsp total
1 cup red wine (I used a pinot noir)
1 onion
1 lb spicy turkey sausage, casing removed
pinch of rosemary, thyme, and oregano
dash of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut an X in the bottom of the tomatoes (just enough to break the skin).
Place the pepper, tomatoes, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and rub with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil.
Roast for 45 minutes to an hour. If they do not look charred at this point, you may want to broil them for a few minutes. (I broiled mine on low for about 5-10 minutes at the end.)
Remove pan from the oven and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. This will make everything easier to peel.
Peel tomatoes, pepper, and garlic once they are cool enough to handle.
Heat a medium or large pan with about 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Add turkey sausage to the pan, stirring to crumble. Once sausage is cooked, remove it from the pan.
Add onion to the pan and saute until it softens.
Add the cup of wine to the pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the sausage and onion with a wooden spoon. Reduce wine by half.
While it is reducing, blend the peeled pepper, tomatoes, and garlic. I used my wonderful stick blender, but you can use a regular blender if you don't have one.
Add tomato mixture and spices (oregano, rosemary, and thyme) to the pan with the wine and onion. Raise to a simmer.
Add the sausage back to the pan and simmer together for about 30 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry "Cheesecake" Muffins

2010-08-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

I threw these muffins together last week just using some stuff I had on hand and had no intention of adding them to the blog, but Nick convinced me otherwise. Every time he ate one he kept saying how much he liked them, especially the texture. So, I had to try one and was surprised that they turned out as well as they did. They are have a light lemon flavor that goes great with the burst of blueberry flavor hidden in the bottom of them, and the texture is very unique- almost like a hybrid between a muffin and cheesecake.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
2 oz nonfat greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 2 meyer lemons (regular are fine if you can't find meyer)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cake flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.
In a second bowl, cream together butter, sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt and ricotta. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice.
Add dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated, but be careful not to over mix.
Stir in blueberries.
Line muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray and divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
Bake until done (when a toothpick comes out clean). Mine took about 25 minutes.

Baked Tilapia with Dill Sour Cream

2010-08-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

It seems that I keep adding to my list of "things to make" a lot faster than I am actually able to make them, but lately I have noticed a tendency of being drawn to the "easy recipes" first. This one is no exception! It requires minimal work, but you wouldn't know it from the results! I love the flavor of dill, and it especially goes well with fish. I initially saw this recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen, but made a few changes that are shown below. I also used tilapia instead of halibut because it was easier to find and cheaper, but you could use any mild white fish you wish.

Baked Tilapia with Dill Sour Cream
Serves 2 (adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen)
Ingredients:

2-3 tilapia filets (about 8-12oz total)
3 Tbsp low fat sour cream
1 Tbsp mayo made with olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1/8 tsp Beau Monde seasoning (optional, but I like it!)
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (you can use dried, but reduce to 1/2 tsp)
salt and pepper
3 green onions, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Season tilapia with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish.
Combine sour cream, mayo, beau monde, garlic, dill, and Parmesan.
Spread an even layer of the sour cream mixture over the fish.
Bake for 15-20 min until firm. This will vary depending on the thickness of your fish. (Ours took about 16 min, but the fillets were pretty thin).
Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Buitoni Braised Beef and Sausage Ravioli

2010-08-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

Most nights I enjoy cooking dinner, but sometimes its the last thing I want to do or I just don't have time unless I want to eat dinner at 8:30 or later! It's nights like these that I generally turn to the freezer for a quick meal. That's why I was really excited to receive my choice of a Buitoni Riserva Frozen Pasta as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program. Since I knew that Nick would mostly likely be eating this (or at least MOST of it!) I let him pick which one he wanted to try, and he chose the Braised Beef and Sausage Ravioli with Creamy Marinara! I have to say it was a good choice! He really liked it and was happy to eat it since he was wanting some pasta for dinner! I liked that the pasta and sauce could be cooked in one pot for easy clean up, and once the water boiled, it was ready in 5 minutes! I also liked the taste of the ravioli, but I didn't care much for the sauce. Although I don't know that my opinion should count since I think all creamy sauces are just too rich for me. Overall, I give it a good review...and apologize for the picture- I promise it tastes better than it looks!

Mocha Nutella Bread Pudding

2010-08-04T20:57:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love about bread pudding is that it is so versatile. You can be creative when making it and use any number of ingredients that you probably have on hand. It can be savory or sweet, somewhat healthy or definitely not! In this case, it definitely is on the decadent side with the use of heavy cream! We had some in the refrigerator and Nick just hated seeing it go to waste so it had to be used ;) You can always just use milk and still have great results. We also had some Nutella left from the palmiers so when I found this recipe for Nutella bread pudding, I knew it was something I should make! I did change the recipe a little by substituting coffee for some of the milk giving it a mocha flavor, which also brought out the chocolate flavor. It was a good combo!

Ingredients:

4 cups of day old bread cubes (I used ciabatta bread)
1/4 cup Nutella
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
3. Spread a bit of Nutella on each bread cube. This doesn't have to be exact in any way just slather or dab it on however you want.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in milk, coffee and cream. Add the bread. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 45 minutes or until set and edges begin to brown. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving

Chicken with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

2010-07-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Chicken is a great ingredient because it is so versatile, but at the same time it is difficult because sometimes it just ends up being boring! I had seen this recipe on For the Love of Cooking, and while it looked delicious (I can't resist recipes with tomatoes!), I was a little reluctant to try it because I was afraid it would disappoint. There was just no way it could look as good as the picture! Well, I finally tried it, and I am SO glad I did. I think this just may be my new favorite chicken recipe. Yes, I realize that is a bold statement, but I think it's a true one. I'm already looking forward to the next time I make it!

Chicken with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Serves 4-6 (adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

Ingredients:

1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp olive oil, divided
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I had 3 that were 8 oz each so I cut them in half lengthwise- was perfect size)
1 cup of baby heirloom tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Garlic powder
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2-3 tbsp of crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and saute until golden brown and caramelized.
2. In large skillet, heat the the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. (Make sure pan is hot before adding the chicken.) Cook for 4-6 minutes and flip. Cook for additional 3-4 minutes depending on thickness. Remove chicken from pan and let rest for about 5 minutes.
3. In the same skillet as the onions, add the baby tomatoes then season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft. Add minced garlic, stirring frequently for about a minute.

5. Pour the tomatoes and onions on top of the sliced chicken. Top with feta cheese and fresh basil.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-07-23T20:43:00.000-05:00

The best thing about these cookies is that you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now, and they come together in just a few minutes. Oh, and they are delicious. They have a chewy texture and strong peanut butter flavor. They would also be good with chocolate chips or even dipped in chocolate!

Ingredients:(adapted from Joy the Baker)

1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (I used Jif creamy)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional)
1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, stir together peanut butter and sugars until well combined. Add egg, salt, and baking soda and stir until completely incorporated.
Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
Slide parchment paper off baking sheet and let cool for at least 10 minutes, and enjoy!

Summer Squash Gratin

2010-07-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about summer is the bounty of fresh vegetables- Squash, zucchini, and tomatoes are some of my favorites! We were given some squash and zucchini from my dad's garden, and when I stumbled across this recipe, I knew exactly what I wanted to make! I really loved this dish- it was fresh, healthy, and had great flavor. I strongly recommend you give it a try. I know I will be making it again!

Ingredients: (yield: 6 servings)

2 tomatoes
2-3 medium zucchini
3 medium squash
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup reduced fat italian blend shredded cheese
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice tomato into fairly thick slices and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment. Sprinkle tomato slices with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes. You may want to start checking them earlier.
Using a mandolin, slice the squash and zucchini into thin pieces. If you don't have a mandolin, you can do this with a knife- it will just take a steady hand and more time!
Spray an 8x8 or 2 4x8 pans with cooking spray.
Layer the zucchini and squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. On top of that layer add slices of tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese. Layer the rest of the zucchini and squash, seasoning every other layer. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until spinach is cooked and cheese is browned and crispy on top.

Nutella Palmiers

2010-07-09T19:47:00.001-05:00

I had never even heard of a "palmier" before I stumbled across this recipe. In fact, I had to google it to see what it was! Turns out that Epicurious defines it as, "puff pastry dough that is sprinkled with granulated sugar, folded and rolled several times, then cut into thin strips. After baking, these golden brown, caramelized pastries are served with coffee or tea or as a dessert accompaniment" Sounds good to me! These are actually a little different than the traditional palmier because they are made with Nutella and walnuts rather than cinnamon and sugar. Chocolate makes everything better, right? One of the best things about this recipe is how easy and quick it is (not to mention delicious!)

Ingredients:
13 oz Puff Pastry, thawed
1/2 cup Nutella
1/4 to 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line the sheet with a Silpat silicone baking mat.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangular shape (approximately 15 x 9 inches).
3. Spread the Nutella evenly over the puff pastry. Then sprinkle the nuts over the top.
4. Roll both long ends toward the center until they meet. Where the pieces meet, try to press the edges together as best you can. (It was suggested to dampen them with water, but that didn't really work for me).
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into thin slices. Place on the prepared cookie sheet.
6. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the sugar, then bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. 7. Let cool before serving them with coffee.

Baked Carrot Fries

2010-06-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

I love trying new side dishes, but I don't want to put a lot of effort into them because it's just a side and during the week there is just so little time! Tonight I made carrot fries to go with our turkey burgers. They were so delicious! Carrots have such a natural sweetness that really comes through when you cook them. They were quick and easy to make and healthy and delicious to eat!

Ingredients

1 lb carrots
olive oil
garlic powder (optional)
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Peel and cut one pound of carrots in half, then slice lengthwise into "fry size" strips.
Spray with or toss lightly with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic powder, if you wish.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they are slightly browned and tender.

Turkey Chili Burgers

2010-06-27T20:45:00.001-05:00

I am always looking at new turkey burger recipes to try but rarely do I actually stray away from my go-to recipe. I saw a recipe for Chicken Chili Burgers on this blog that I read pretty often so I decided to make them... with a few changes of course! One change I made was to use ground turkey breast instead of chicken. While they were good, I think in the future I would stick to chicken or ground turkey that is a mixture of light and dark meat as they were a little bit dry. Or maybe mix in a little bit of actual chili....hmmm, something to try in the future! Anyway, I liked the addition of the beans for both texture and nutrition. Also, the flavoring was pretty subtle so if you love spicy, you may want to add extra spice. We topped them with reduced fat white cheddar with jalapenos, which was delicious!

We enjoyed them on buns from Nature's Pride that I received as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. Nick was quite excited because we got both white AND wheat buns! These buns were huge! I thought the wheat one was pretty good, and Nick really liked the taste and texture of the white ones.

Ingredients

3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, minced
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp diced green chiles
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
Reduced fat jalapeno cheddar cheese (or your own favorite)

Directions

Slightly mash the kidney beans and then add all remaining ingredients.
Mix together so that all the spices are incorporated pretty evenly into the meat.
Form into 4-5 burgers, depending on how big you want them. (We made 5 and they were plenty big).
Grill or cook in a skillet (with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil) over medium heat until cooked through. During the last couple minutes, place cheese on burger so it can melt (we put ours on a little late...as you can tell by the photo but it was still good!)

Spinach and Artichoke Frittata

2010-06-21T20:35:00.000-05:00

I rarely actually "cook' breakfast in the morning, but I do love to cook breakfast for dinner! Frittatas are one of my favorite things to make because you can adapt them to your tastes or whatever you happen to have in your refrigerator. Also, they are quite easy to make, which is a huge plus! I saw the idea for this spinach and artichoke fritatta on Cara's Cravings and wondered why I hadn't thought of that before! I love spinach and artichoke dip, and this is like that in a healthier form! It was quite tasty, and I plan on enjoying this again in the future!

Ingredients
1 9oz box frozen spinach
3 eggs
3/4 cup egg substitute
4oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 14oz can of artichokes, drained and quartered
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Microwave spinach just until thawed.
2. Whisk together the eggs, egg substitute, yogurt, salt, pepper, dill, and Parmesan cheese.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and artichokes, and cook 1 minute more.
5. Finally stir in the spinach and distribute the mixture evenly throughout the pan. Increase heat to high, then pour in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring gently, for a few minutes, letting the bottom start to set.
6. Crumble the goat cheese on top of the frittata, and place the skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the frittata is set. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Vanilla Ice Cream

2010-06-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

I have had my ice cream maker for close to 3 years now. I just took it out of its box about 2 weeks ago. I can't believe I wasted all that time... It is a mistake I am sure I won't make again as I am already debating what flavor to make next! I made classic vanilla ice cream for my first flavor because it goes so well with other desserts such as cobbler and chocolate cake! While vanilla is not typically my favorite flavor, this was so good that I couldn't help but sneak a bite every time I opened the freezer to get it out for Nick!

What is better than homemade ice cream?

Homemade Ice Cream with SPRINKLES!

Vanilla Ice Cream (adapted from Simply Recipes and Alton Brown)
Makes 1.5 Quarts
Ingredients:

7 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pour the heavy cream and milk into a saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become pale in color. (I whisked/beat them for 3-5 minutes.) Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about half of the cream mixture has been added. It is CRITICAL that you do this very slowly so you don't cook the eggs.
Pour in the rest of the cream and return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. If you have a thermometer, it should be about 170 to 175 degrees F.
Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Place the mixture into the refrigerator, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Corn and Edamame Succotash

2010-06-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

Summer is officially here, and that means lots of cook outs and grilling! There are always the usual side dishes- potato salad, cole slaw, chips, etc., but don't you want something HEALTHY to go with that?? Well, I do so that is why I thought this was the perfect side dish to take to a cook out. It is a great mix of flavors with the different types of vegetables and the light dressing. Plus, it looks pretty with all the vibrant colors! I got the idea from this recipe from Cooking Light, but of course had to change it up just a bit...

Ingredients:

12 oz frozen corn
1.5 cups shelled edamame (thawed if you buy frozen)
2 cups cut green beens (thawed if you buy frozen)
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Directions
1. Dry roast the corn by heating a non stick skillet over medium heat and adding corn. Cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown in spots.
2. Remove corn from heat and set aside.
3. Put olive oil into another skillet and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned.
4. Stir in corn, edamame, and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Season again with salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve at room temperature.

Hummus and Roasted Vegetable "Pizza"

2010-05-08T15:55:00.000-05:00

I have been making a similar version of this recipe for several years now and have always loved it! It is a delicious meal, especially in the summertime when most of these vegetables come into season. It is quick and easy to make, as chopping the vegetables is the most difficult task involved. And I always cook extra vegetables so I will have leftovers to eat the next day. I am already looking forward to the next time I make this!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Whole Wheat Tandoori Naan (it also works with pita bread, but I prefer the naan)
Roasted red pepper or tomato basil hummus (Trader Joes tomato basil is my favorite)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 large zucchini, halved and sliced
2 medium squash, halved and sliced
1 medium red pepper, diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Reduced fat Feta cheese
Cherry tomatoes

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spread vegetables (except cherry tomatoes) on a baking sheet (you will probably have to use more than 1 baking sheet).
3. Spray the vegetables lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Put vegetables in the oven and cook until tender- about 20-30 minutes.
5. Cut each Naan flatbread into 4 pieces and spread each piece with hummus. Top with roasted vegetables, feta, and cherry tomatoes.

Clean Eating Turkey Sausage Ragu

2010-04-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

I saw this recipe when reading Clean Eating Magazine and knew I wanted to try it. I never make my own pasta sauce because it seems so time consuming, but in this case it was definitely worth it (and it didn't take that long)! I love the texture of the these wide egg noodles, also known as pappardelle, and the sauce was delicious! We actually had this about a month ago for my dad's birthday dinner because he loves pasta, and Nick has already requested that I make this again soon!

Turkey Sausage Ragu (adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)(Serves: 4)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
8 ounces spicy italian turkey sausage, casings discarded
1/4 tsp chile flakes
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 cup red wine
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, torn
1 large bunch fresh kale, cleaned, stems discarded, roughly chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces whole wheat pappardelle (I couldn't find a whole wheat version so I used regular)
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for garnish

Add 1 tbsp oil, onion and thyme to a medium pot over medium heat. Stir to coat, cover and cook until onion is softened and just beginning to color, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Uncover pot, add sausage, chile flakes and garlic, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, carefully deglaze by adding wine. Return to heat and reduce for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, oregano, and kale. Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue coking until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in additional 1 tbsp oil plus vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper.
When sauce is almost finished cooking, add pasta to large pot filled with boiling salted water and cook until al dente, following package directions. Drain well and immediately toss with tomato sauce to coat. Then serve with parmesan cheese shavings.

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Muffins

2010-04-23T07:51:00.000-05:00

After making these pizzas, I had some leftover ricotta cheese that I wanted to make something with. I debated between several different options, but finally decided on these lemon ricotta muffins by Giada De Laurentis. I made them Sunday morning because Nick's mom was in town for Warner and Colleen's wedding, and we were running low on breakfast options! I tried one later that afternoon, and WOW. I really, really liked them. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't because they aren't particularly healthy, but I couldn't help it- I ate two!

They have such a light and fluffy texture with a mild but delicious flavor! I am not the biggest fan of almond extract because I feel like it can be strong and overpowering, but this is not the case in these muffins. It is very subtle, and I am glad I didn't leave it out or substitute it. I will definitely be making these in the future and probably experimenting with them to come up with a healthier version!

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Muffins (adapted from Giada De Laurentis)
Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
Juice from 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds

Directions

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy).

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 18-20 minutes.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Halloumi, Asparagus, & Tomatoes

2010-04-18T20:20:00.000-05:00

I know the name is long and not exactly creative, but I couldn't come up with anything else! Last week for Mom's birthday dinner, I made this salad because I thought it would meet her criteria for a good meal- it was healthy, pretty, and included some of her favorite foods! I first got the idea when reading this post from Cara's Cravings, but decided to turn it into a meal rather than an appetizer or salad. I thought this was really good and everyone else seemed to agree! I especially love the Halloumi cheese. It has a great salty flavor and has a really high melting point. It just seems crazy to me to watch cheese cook in a skillet and not melt! I don't know how it does it, but it is so good!

Ingredients (Adapted from Cara's Cravings) Serves 4
12 oz grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bag of baby spinach
8 oz. Halloumi cheese, cut in 8 slices
4- 6oz salmon filets
salt and pepper

Dressing:
juice from 2 Meyer lemons (you can substitute regular lemon juice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Turn on grill to warm up.
3. Trim the asparagus by cutting off the tough ends. Place the asparagus and tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy clean up!). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with freshly ground salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for about 20-25 minutes.
4. Lightly brush salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon and grill for 7-10 minutes (depending on size), flipping half way through cooking.
5. Whisk together lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, capers, pepper and parsley.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the Halloumi slices for several minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
7. Divide baby spinach among four plates. Drizzle lemon-caper dressing over spinach. Arrange the asparagus and tomatoes on each plate, and top each with salmon and two slices of the Halloumi.

Chocolate Spice Cookies

2010-04-14T15:41:00.000-05:00

I first made these cookies almost 2 years ago, but then I lost the recipe and could not remember where I initially got it. I searched and searched but could not remember! Thankfully, I had made these when Nick's mom and Aunt Frankye came to visit us, and they had asked for the recipe. So, after much searching, they came to the rescue and were able to give it back to me :)

I like these because they are really unique. They have a deep chocolate flavor and complexity from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and chipotle . They also have a great texture- slightly crispy on the edge, but chewy and almost brownie-like on the inside.

Ingredients: (makes about 3 dozen cookies)

2 cups all pupose flour
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 12oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups pecans, roughly chopped and toasted

Cinnamon sugar for coating:
1/2 granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and
spices together in a medium bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream butter with sugars, honey and vanilla
extract. Add eggs, one at a time. Slowly incorporate dry mixture
into batter. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.

Chill batter in refrigerator for about 15 mintures. Roll into
tablespoon-sized balls and coat each with cinnamon sugar
mixture, then place on cookie sheets that are greased or lined with
parchment or silpat. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until outer
surface begins to crack. Place unused raw batter back in refrigerator
between batches. Cool cookies on a wire rack before storing.

Tortilla Pizza

2010-04-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

I love thin crust pizza! Not only is it healthier than the thicker crusts, it has a delicious crispy crunch to it! This recipe is great because it comes together so quickly that you can easily make it even on the busiest of week nights! We made a pizza for each of us and learned that if you put too much pesto and cheese, the crust will not bake up as crispy (or maybe you would just have to bake it longer...). Anyway, below are the amounts that I thought worked best!

Ingredients: (for 1 pizza)

1 wheat tortilla ( I used Tofuyan Low Carb )
2-3 Tbsp basil pesto
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2-3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
garlic salt
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Place tortilla on baking sheet.
3. Spread the pesto over the tortilla in a thin layer (it probably won't cover whole tortilla but that's ok)
4. Spread the cheese in the same way as the pesto so that the cheese and pesto slightly mix and are spread pretty evenly.
5. Top cheese with sliced tomatoes.
6. Sprinkle basil, garlic salt, salt, and pepper over pizza.
7. Place pan with pizza in oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

Monster Cookies

2010-04-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

Monster cookies are nothing new, but they are cookies that every baker needs to have in their collection because they are always a favorite. They are packed with peanut butter, m&ms, chocolate chips, and whatever else you want to put in them! The adaptability of this recipe is one of the great things about it. This time I added butterscotch chips, but you could also add peanut butter chips, raisins, toffee bits, nuts, etc! I went with a recipe that used all oats rather than a combination of oats and flour because I love the chewy texture the oats lend to the cookie. Also, the bright colors of the m&ms make them perfect for birthdays.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIENDS, MEGGO AND LIZ!

There are a million recipes for monster cookies, but I started with one from All Recipes and then made a few changes, which are shown below. Also, it made about 60 cookies so be ready to share :)
Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup m&ms
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a very large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat well to incorporate.
Add the remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Use an ice cream scoop to put on ungreased cookie sheet. My ice cream scoop was pretty small and I baked them for about 12-13. They may not look quite done, but you want to take them out before the look completely done or else they will become hard once they cool. Leave them on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes to let them set. Then move to a cooling rack.

Spaghetti squash cakes

2010-03-25T08:39:00.000-05:00

Spaghetti squash is such a versatile vegetable because of its mild flavor, but it also has such a fun, unique texture. Despite its versatility, I had pretty much found the recipe for how I liked to eat it and stuck with it. So, when I came across Cara's recipe for spaghetti squash cakes, I knew it was one that I wanted to try. It was kind of a hybrid recipe between corn cakes and spaghetti squash but also with a bit of southwestern flair... and it was delicious. I served them over black beans with fresh cherry tomatoes and garnished with Greek yogurt (you can use a light sour cream) and avocado.

I changed the recipe a little from the original by adding a little more cornmeal and green chiles for a little extra spice. Now, I know you are going to want to make these so just a word of warning- the batter will be wet and you won't think there is a chance of the cakes sticking together. But they will- just be patient before you first flip them!

Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups spaghetti squash
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 3 oz diced green chiles
- 2 oz fat free feta cheese
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and spray with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and spoon onto skillet, about 1/3-1/2 cup per pancake. (I also found that it works better if you slightly flatten them out so they are thinner and cook more evenly). Cook gently until set on one side, about 10 minutes, then turn and finish cooking on the other side.

Cooking Light Chocolate Cake

2010-03-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

When it comes to baking, I think it is pretty hard to make a cake that is "healthy." I mean none of the components that go into a normal cake can be considered healthy. BUT the recipes can be lightened up, and not only is this a lighter recipe, it is also my favorite chocolate cake recipe! And take note, I do not use the word "favorite" lightly. Another great thing about it is that it goes well with a couple of "frostings" I have made. I say "frosting" because it is actually flavored whipped cream, which is lighter than typical frostings which are usually loaded with butter. I have made a mint whipped cream (so delicious) and a chocolate whipped cream (reminds me of a Wendy's frosty), and both are great! I have made this cake several times over the past four years, and just realized that I never added it to the blog. Well, it is now time for that to change. I made a couple changes this time because of the ingredients I had on hand, but I have also made it exactly as written and it turns out either way (changes noted in parentheses below)!

Ingredients (From Cooking Light)

1 cup boiling water (I used 1 cup brewed coffee to replace this and the instant coffee)
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso or 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (omitted)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup egg substitute ( I used 2 eggs- you could also use 4 egg whites)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Baking spray with flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine water and espresso in a bowl (obviously skip this step if using brewed coffee). Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Combine coffee, buttermilk, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla; add to sugar mixture, beating at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (batter will be thin).
Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (I have no idea what happened, but mine were done in like 25 minutes- so check them early!). Cool layers in pans 10 minutes, and remove from pans. Cool layers completely on wire racks.

Mint Whipped Cream

2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Combine all ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form

Chocolate Whipped Cream

2 cups chilled whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons cocoa powder

Combine all ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form

Clean Eating Shepherd's Pie

2010-03-18T20:07:00.000-05:00

Shepherd's pie is a traditional Irish meal so when I saw the recipe for it in Clean Eating, I thought it would be perfect for St. Paddy's day dinner! I really like shepherd's pie so I was thrilled to find a healthy version that both Nick and I enjoyed! I was especially impressed with the serving size because oftentimes, I feel like magazines just have really small portion sizes to cut calories rather than having healthy ingredients. This was not the case for this recipe though! I made a couple small changes which are noted below in parentheses.

Shepherd's Pie with Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes (From Clean Eating)

Ingredients

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (I didn't peel)
1 clove garlic, whole peeled (I used 2)
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I used about 2 tsp)
1 lb lean ground turkey breast (I used half turkey/half 96% lean ground beef)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 celery stalk, diced (I used 2)
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas (I used 3/4 cup)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Bring potatoes and whole garlic cloves to a boil in a pot of water set over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then drain well. Mash potatoes and garlic until smooth. Add buttermilk and chives and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring often and breaking meat into small pieces. Cook until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain and discard fat; set turkey/beef aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet over same heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add cooked turkey, broth and tomato paste and continue to cook until most of liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes in an even layer. Bake in oven until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Eggs in the Garden

2010-03-16T20:40:00.000-05:00

First, I must give credit to Nick for the name of this "recipe." Isn't he creative? Second, this isn't really much of a recipe and may even seem like a weird combination of things. When describing it to my friend, Liz, she said, "So it's basically breakfast on a pile of vegetables." Yes, that is exactly what it is, but I loved it. Like most of the recipes I post, my inspiration for making it came from reading someone else's blog. This time it was from fellow Nashvillian blogger, Heather. She makes all sorts of healthy concoctions, but I got the idea for my "Eggs in the Garden" from this post and this post. I like eggs and vegetables together but wanted to have a runny yolk so it would be like a sauce for the vegetables. You can use any assortment and amount of vegetables that you like. I used the following...

Ingredients:
* 1 cup quartered brussel sprouts
* 1/4 cup diced onion
* 1/4 cup shredded carrots
* 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
* 1/4 cup red pepper
* 1 small yellow squash, sliced
* handful spinach
* 1 egg
* 1 slice bacon, chopped
* salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Cook slice of bacon in a medium skillet.
2. Add brussel sprouts, onion, broccoli, pepper to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. After about 3 minutes, add the squash to the pan.
4. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and stir in spinach and shredded carrots until the spinach is wilted.
5. Once vegetables reach desired "doneness," remove from heat.
6. In a separate skillet, cook an egg over easy and sprinkle with salt ant pepper.
7. Put vegetables on a plate and place egg on top. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Butternut Squash Muffins

2010-03-12T16:46:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning with no intentions of baking muffins, but when I opened a can of butternut squash puree and it didn't quite taste as I was hoping, I had to find something to do with it! So, I decided to make some healthy muffins. They actually turned out better than I expected- in fact, I ate 3 of them! Oops. Oh well, I am glad to have another healthy muffin recipe to add to my collection. I especially liked how moist they were and the chew that the oats added. Another bonus is that you can make them in no time!

Oatmeal Butternut Squash Muffins
(Makes 1 dozen)
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (you can use any type of milk you want)
* 1 1/4 cup butternut squash puree (you can substitute canned pumpkin)
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* 1/4 tsp nutmeg
* 1 cup white wheat flour
* 1 cup old fashioned oats
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix wet ingredients together.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Spoon into muffin pan with paper liners.
5. Bake for 13 minutes.

Review: Bertolli Sauces

2010-03-11T10:43:00.001-06:00

As a part of the Foodbuzz tastemaker program, I received two sauces from Bertolli to try- arrabbiata and four cheese sauce. Last weekend for dinner, Nick had gnocchi with spicy turkey sausage and a mixture of these two sauces. He let me steal a few bites of his, and I have to say I was surprised by how much I liked it. The sauces combined were creamy without tasting too heavy and had a kick of spice. I thought they complemented the turkey sausage and pillowy texture of the gnocchi perfectly. Nothing about this meal is a recipe but rather just combining some pre-made ingredients. But there are only so many hours in a day and sometimes you just have to take shortcuts!

Ingredients:
* Pre-made gnocchi
* Bertolli Arrabbiata sauce
* Bertolli Four Cheese sauce
* Spicy turkey sausage

Directions:
1. Cook turkey sausage in a skillet stirring to crumble.
2. Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
3. Once both the turkey sausage and gnocchi are cooked, add gnocchi to pan with sausage and then add both sauces (as much or as little as you want) in a 1:1 ratio.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2010-03-06T11:36:00.000-06:00

Yes, pumpkin is typically thought of as being a fall food, but really it is so delicious that I see no point in limiting its use to one season. These cookies put a little different spin on the traditional snickerdoodle by incorporating just enough pumpkin to give slightly cake-like texture and a faint hint of pumpkin flavor. Here's the thing, I didn't like them until the day after I made them. When they came out of the oven, I thought they were bland so when you make them, MAKE THEM A DAY AHEAD to let the flavor develop. I found the recipe on Recipe Girl.

COOKIES:
2 sticks butter (1 cup), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
CINNAMON SUGAR MIX:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1. In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time until incorporated.
3. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix cinnamon sugar in a small bowl.
5. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tbsp.) or a large spoon to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Use your hands to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and make sure they’re coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a glass with a nice, flat bottom to flatten the balls of dough.
6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes or so, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: About 3 dozen

Roasted brussel sprouts, broccoli, and sausage over rice

2010-03-02T08:22:00.000-06:00

Last night's dinner came about after reading this post. It wasn't much of a recipe, but I loved it because it had some of my favorite things all in one dish- broccoli, brussel sprouts, and turkey sausage! I served it over rice which I liked, but it could also work as a salad or maybe a pasta.

Ingredients
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
soy sauce
salt and pepper
3 links spicy Italian turkey sausage
Rice (we used this)
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cook rice according to package directions.
3. For brussel sprouts, follow these directions.
4. For broccoli, follow these directions.
5. Slice turkey sausage and place in a single layer on a pan. Place in the oven and cook through. (I think ours took about 10-12 minutes).
6. Spoon the rice onto plates, and then top with vegetables and turkey sausage

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-24T09:09:00.000-06:00

At one point I was on a quest to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, but then I realized there can't be a best- there are too many good ones that are unique and can't be compared. They can be good in their own way and and everyone has their unique cookie characteristic preferences. I made these for Nick's birthday, and they earned a spot in one of the "top few" recipes. He really liked the texture of them- they were a little crispy towards the edges but become chewy as you eat towards the middle. They also had good flavor, which seemed even better the second day.

Click here for the recipe!

Real Simple's Cuban Braised Beef

2010-02-19T15:49:00.000-06:00

There are three reasons you should make this for dinner:
1. It is so easy, and takes very little "active" prep time!
2. It's tasty!
3. Flank steak is fairly lean and a good source of iron!

This recipe is from Real Simple, and it is just that! I don't cook beef very often at home, but I saw the recipe for Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers and thought it would be a good one to try. I'm glad we did because it turned out great for the little work it required! It also was great as leftovers since it made much more than the 2 of us could eat. I served it over steamed brown rice and with a side of steamed green beans. I made a couple of changes which are shown below. Here is the original.

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 red or yellow bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak (trimmed)
1 cup brown rice
1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2010-02-15T21:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I saw these cute treats on Annie's Eats and immediately knew that I wanted to make them for my valentine! Red velvet and cream cheese frosting were made to go together, and this recipe is great way to show off what great combination they are outside of the typical cake form. They can also be made in the traditional round shape rather than hearts and be eaten year round- not as just a valentine's treat. Or you could make them in heart shape to share the love all year long :)

I followed the directions exactly as written on Annie's blog, and they turned out great! My hearts didn't turn out perfectly, but they aren't too bad :)

For the cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 oz. red food coloring

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.
2. Using a heart template (I cut mine out of a paper plate), trace evenly spaced hearts onto pieces of parchment paper sized to fit two cookie sheets. Place the parchment on the cookie sheets so that the side you have drawn on is facing down; set aside. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Blend in the vanilla.
7. With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated. Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients. Do not overbeat.
8. Blend in the food coloring.
9. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip (I just cut an opening in the corner of a quart sized ziploc). Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the heart tracings as a guide.
10. Bake 7-9 minutes or until the tops are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack. Repeat with any remaining batter.
11. To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.
12. Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.
13. Flip one cookie of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.
14. Pipe frosting onto the flat-sided cookie of each pair. Sandwich the cookies together so the flat sides are facing each other and press together gently.

Acorn Squash Rings

2010-02-11T17:15:00.000-06:00

I am always looking for delicious and nutritious snacks, but often it is just so easy to grab something packaged when you can easily make great snacks. I wanted to start eating more vegetable for snacks so recently I have started roasting acorn squash rings and then eating them as snacks throughout the week. These only takes a few minutes of prep time and about 20-25 minutes of cooking time, which can be done one night of the week and then separated into bags for a quick grab n go snack! They are so tasty and now I don't go a week without making them!

Ingredients
* acorn squash
* olive oil spray
* salt
* cinnamon
* pumpkin pie spice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cut squash in half crosswise.
3. Remove seeds with a spoon.
4. Slice squash into rings.
5. Arrange slices on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender.

Elvis Fluffernutter Cake

2010-02-07T18:34:00.000-06:00

If the name of this cake isn't fun enough to make you want to bake it, maybe the delicious combination of banana, peanut butter, marshmallow, and chocolate chips is! I was actually surprised at how much I liked the combination of all those flavors in a cake. I thought that it might be too overwhelming, but it really wasn't. It was rich but delicious. I saw it on Cookie Baker Lynn's blog and immediately added it to my list of things to make. I followed the recipe exactly as written (except added a little extra milk to the frosting), and it turned out perfectly. I apologize that the picture does not do it justice.

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 mashed bananas, about 1 cup
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 2 round cake pans with cooking spray with flour.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating just to combine. Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas.
4. Pour batter evenly between the two cake pans. Sprinkle the mini chips over the top of the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5. Let pans cool for 10 minutes on a rack. Carefully invert layers onto the rack to finish cooling.

Frosting
2 sticks of butter at room temperature
1 cup of smooth peanut butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp milk (Original used 2 Tbsp, I used 3)
1 cup marshmallow fluff

1. With an electric mixer cream together the butter and peanut butter until it's smooth. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time. Add as much of the milk as you need to achieve the consistency you want.
2. Place 1/3 of the frosting into a separate bowl and fold in the marshmallow fluff till completely incorporated.
3. Frost the top of the first layer with the marshmallow frosting. Top with the second layer. Frost with the rest of the frosting and sprinkle mini chips over the top, pressing them into the frosting slightly.

Ellie Krieger's White Chili

2010-02-02T21:10:00.000-06:00

After coming in from an afternoon of sledding, this white chili was the perfect thing to have for dinner! We had never had a white chili before, but when I saw this recipe from Ellie Krieger and all the good reviews it had gotten, I thought it might be time to try it. I love her recipes because they are always healthy- unlike most of the other Food Network chefs. This recipe did not disappoint- it was delicious and really filling! I did make a couple of changes, which are reflected in the recipe below. Although, I will say that it did need a little more salt so we just seasoned our individual bowls to taste. If you're looking for a new twist on chili, you should try this!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced
1/2 of 4.5 oz can of diced green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound ground white meat turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
Lime wedges

Directions

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth, green chiles, and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

Add the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Eating Well Avocado and White Bean Wrap

2010-01-30T17:18:00.000-06:00

When I saw this recipe in Eating Well, I thought it looked like something I would really like, but I was a little hesitant because I wasn't sure if a vegetarian wrap was something Nick would be thrilled about. But since he is up for trying almost anything, I decided to make them. I am so glad I did! It really exceeded my expectations, and even Nick really enjoyed it! The white bean and avocado mixture was so creamy and was complemented well by the tangy crunch of the slaw. I will definitely make these again in the future. The original recipe can be found here. I only made a couple small changes by reducing the amount and type of oil and eliminating the cilantro because we don't like it.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced red onion
4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat wraps, or tortillas

Directions
1. Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle chile and salt in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and carrot; toss to combine.
2. Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.
3. To assemble the wraps, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a wrap (or tortilla) and top with about 2/3 cup of the cabbage-carrot slaw. Roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut the wraps in half to serve, if desired.

Banana Bundt Cake

2010-01-25T20:30:00.000-06:00

I love making bundt cakes because they are no-fuss and still delicious. They are my go-to dessert when I don't have a lot of time on my hands, and it is fun because there are so many different varieties and flavors to try! I had never made a banana cake before, but Dorie Greenspan recipes rarely disappoint! It was so easy to make, and I loved the strong banana flavor it had. I did make a couple changes- added some toasted pecans and a cinnamon cream cheese drizzle. The cream cheese drizzle is not necessary, but I do think it is better with it. The original recipe for the cake can be found here. Below is the recipe as I made it.

For Cake:

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (I used nonfat plain yogurt)
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray with flour.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.
3. Working with a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (don’t be disturbed when the batter curdles), all the sour cream/yogurt and then the rest of the flour mixture. Stir in pecans.
4. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to debubble the batter and smooth the top.
5. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 minutes - if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

For Cream Cheese Drizzle:
Ingredients
2 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
Directions
Using a mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk. Add a dash of cinnamon. Mix until smooth and drizzle onto cake.

Clean Eating's Tuna Noodle Casserole

2010-01-21T18:11:00.000-06:00

Now, I typically avoid casseroles because you never really know what's in them, but in general I think it's safe to say that whatever it is is not healthy! Obviously some are better than others, and I am not saying they taste bad- just generally not good for you. I came across a recipe for a tuna noodle casserole when I was reading Clean Eating Magazine (my favorite!) and thought i would like to try it because it was cheap to make, looked good, and I was kind of craving "comfort food." I really liked it for a change (and it was nice to have leftovers to take to class). I can't say that Nick liked it as much as me, but he still thought it was pretty good. I don't think he appreciated the "healthiness" factor as much as I did!

I halved the recipe that is below, which provided 4 generous servings.

Healthy Tuna Casserole
Clean Eating, Sept/Oct 2009
(Serves 8)

6 slices whole-wheat bread
8 oz whole-wheat macaroni pasta
olive oil cooking spray
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp whole-wheat flour
2 cups skim milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 carrots, peeled, cooked and diced
2 6-oz cans tuna packed in water, drained
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely minced
1 Tbsp low-fat Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast bread in oven for 15 minutes or until just browned and crisp. Leave oven on at same temperature after removing bread. In a food processor fitted with a standard cutting blade, grind bread into breadcrumbs. Remove 1/2 cup for use and reserve remainder for another recipe.

Bring a large stockpot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat another large stockpot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Mist with cooking spray and add celery and onion. Saute for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent.

Add oil and flour and whisk briskly. Add milk whisking in 1/4 cup at a time (this will create a roux or thickener, for your soup). Reduce heat to medium. Whisk in Dijon. Then stir in drained pasta, carrots, tuna and peas. Add dill. Remove from heat.

Pour tuna pasta mixture into a large 8-to 10-cup casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top.

Nutrients per 1 cup serving: Cal 230, Total Fat 3g, Sat Fat 0.5g, Carbs 32g, Fiber 6g, Sugars 9g, Protein 20g, Sodium 250mg, Cholesterol 15mg.

Baked sweet potato wedges

2010-01-18T10:01:00.000-06:00

One of the best things about sweet potatoes is that they can be prepared in a variety of ways, and they are all delicious! This recipe from Cooking Light is one of my favorites! Nick actually gets credit for finding this recipe because we first had these when he cooked dinner for me about 4 years ago. We have made them several since because they are a great side dish. The original recipe can be found here, but I slightly adapt it because I am not a huge fan of curry. Recipe as I make it is below.

Sweet potato wedges (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) peeled sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 wedges. Combine sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients in a bowl; toss gently to coat. Place wedges on a baking sheet (do not overlap); bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until very tender.

World Peace Cookies

2010-01-12T21:52:00.000-06:00

I am apparently on a kick making sweet things with sea salt either on them or in them. I just love the sweet/salty combo! These cookies had been on my "to make" list forever. I have no idea why it took me so long to make them, but I am glad I finally did. They are called world peace cookies because they are supposedly so good that they can bring peace to the world. I really liked them because they had such a deep chocolate flavor and a hint of saltiness. This is a Dorie Greenspan recipe, but I found it on the blog Smitten Kitchen, where she gives a wonderful and tempting description of them.

I made the the recipe just as written with no changes, so you can click here to get it.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fluer de Sel

2010-01-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

I made these cookies last week since Josh and Annie were coming to dinner. Of course, chocolate and peanut butter is always a good combination, but the addition of the sea salt sprinkled on top really made these cookies! I also liked the texture of them- they were slightly crumbly around the edges, but still soft in the center.
I found this recipe on the Whole Foods recipe page, and the only change I made was to omit the peanuts because I didn't have any on hand. The recipe said it makes 2 dozen cookies, but I got 2.5 dozen so I guess I made mine a little smaller. I will definitely be making these again in the future!
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Fleur de sel, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and add to peanut butter mixture, stirring to combine well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by the spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press each mound of dough with a fork to flatten slightly.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with fleur de sel to taste. Let cookies cool on sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Healthy Taco Salad

2010-01-04T21:21:00.005-06:00

I love taco salad, but ordering it at a restaurant definitely does not fit into the "healthy" category. They are loaded with fatty meat, cheese, sour cream, etc. That is why I only eat them when I make them at home! This salad has lean ground beef, lots of lettuce, tomato, roasted corn, black beans, and avocado- all things that are good for you and delicious. This isn't much of a recipe, but I still thought I would post because it is a great quick and healthy dinner for those busy nights.
Ingredients (for 2 salads):
- hearts of romaine salad mix (you can use anything, but I like the the crispness of this)
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 avocado sliced
- 1/2 lb 96% lean ground beef
- 1/2 pack of taco seasoning
- about 10-12 baked tortilla chips
- 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
- light ranch dressing (or I like to use salsa with greek yogurt as a dressing)

Directions:
1. In a saucepan, heat the black beans, salsa, cumin, and chili powder together until thoroughly warmed.
2. In a nonstick skillet, cook the ground beef and add the taco seasoning (according to directions on the back of the seasoning packet).
3. Assemble the salad: layer of lettuce, topped with black beans, ground beef, tomatoes, avocado, chips and corn. That's all!

Whole Wheat Pear Bread

2009-12-31T17:33:00.007-06:00

For Christmas, Dad and Carla gave us fruit of the month club from Harry and David! I was so excited to receive our first shipment of pears! They were the biggest pears I have ever seen, and they were delicious, but I knew we wouldn't be able to eat them all before they went bad so I decided to bake with them. I wanted to make something somewhat healthy after all the rich foods that are consumed during Christmas and came up with this recipe for some whole wheat pear bread. I thought it was quite tasty, and I was actually surprised at how much Nick liked it. He even said it was better than banana bread! Now, that is a bold statement, and I am not sure I am willing to make that one myself (I love banana bread!). Nevertheless it was yummy and a good variation on the quick breads you usually see.

Ingredients:
2 cups peeled diced pears
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups white wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup pear butter *
1/3 cup chopped pecans
* We had some pear butter made by Nick's Aunt Frankye, but if you can't find any, I think it would be fine to substitute applesauce- your bread just may be a little less sweet.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray with flour.
3. In one bowl, mix the pears, sugar, egg, oil, and pear butter together.
4. In a second bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
6. Stir in the pecans.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan.
8. Bake until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean (mine took about 45 minutes).

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2009-12-27T18:30:00.006-06:00

For our K group (community group) Christmas party, we were all supposed to bring appetizers to share. I wanted to bring something that was healthy (so that I would eat it) but also yummy (so others would eat it)! I decided that chicken lettuce wraps would fit both of those criteria, and I found this recipe from Taste of Home. I thought they were good the first day, but I thought the leftovers were better because the chicken had more time to absorb the flavors of the sauce.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (from Taste of Home)
Ingredients
* 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
* 1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided (I used sesame oil)
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
* 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and diced
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
* 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup julienned green onions
* 12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
* 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

* In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes; drain. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and ginger; cook 4-6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
* In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and remaining oil. Stir in the carrots, onions and chicken mixture. Spoon onto lettuce leaves; sprinkle with almonds. If desired, fold sides of lettuce over filling and roll up.

Orange Cranberry Cake

2009-12-14T20:33:00.004-06:00

Orange and cranberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The tartness of the cranberries just goes so well with the sweet, fresh flavor of orange. It is a perfect holiday dessert! I found this recipe on Good Things Catered and chose to make it because I had almost all the ingredients on hand. Nick and I both liked the results despite the fact that I underbaked it a little- oops. I didn't have orange liquor or an orange for the zest so I just substituted extra orange juice in place of liquor and zest.

Orange Cranberry Cake (from Good Things Catered)
Ingredients:
3 c. flour, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. oil
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp orange zest (I didn't use, but think it would be better with it!)
1 Tbsp orange liquor (I replaced with OJ)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 c. fresh cranberries

For icing:
2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3-6 tsp fresh orange juice

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees spray bundt pan with cooking spray with flour.
-In bowl of stand mixer, add sugar, butter and oil and beat until light and fluffy in texture as well as color, about 5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine 2 1/2 c flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-Whisk to combine well and set aside.
-To sugar mixture, add orange zest.
-One at a time, add egg and beat to combine well.
-Add liquor and vanilla, beating to combine well.
-Add orange juice and buttermilk, mixing to combine well.
-Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.
-With mixer on lowest speed, add flour mixture and mix until almost combined.
-Stop mixer and remove bowl.
-In bowl flour was in, add remaining 1/2 c. flour and cranberries.
-Toss to coat and add to batter.
-Using large spatula, fold cranberries and extra flour into batter just until combined.
-Pour batter into bundt pan.
-Tap on counter to remove air bubbles, smooth top of batter away from center of pan.
-Place into preheated oven on rack in center of oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center of pan comes out clean, about 1 hour.
-Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes.
-Turn cake out onto wire rack and cool completely.
-Once cake is cool, in medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract and orange juice, 1 tsp at a time until medium consistency is achieved.
-Drizzle icing over top of cake, decorate with orange rind and fresh cranberries and serve.

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Sausage

2009-12-12T11:01:00.006-06:00

We had this for our "Thanksgiving" with Dad, Carla, Josh, and Annie. It's obviously not your traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but we didn't want to have like 5 Thanksgiving dinners and Josh had to run in a 5 mile race the next morning. There is nothing better than pasta for a pre-race meal! Everyone seemed to like it, and it is great for cooking for a group because it doesn't require much extra work for the extra portions :) It is also really healthy because of the whole wheat pasta, vegetables, and using chicken or turkey sausage instead of regular. I will definitely make this again- In fact, I think I am going to make it next week for our K group (church community group)!

Ingredients
* 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 in pieces
* 1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
* 1 cup sliced mushrooms
* 1 small yellow onion, diced
* 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and slices
* 1.5 jars spaghetti sauce (We used Trader Joes Arrabiata)
* about 16 oz whole wheat bowtie pasta
* 1 lb spicy chicken or turkey sausage
* olive oil
* salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet (or 2) with tin foil and place veggies on baking sheet.
3. Mist veggies with olive oil (or drizzle if you don't have an olive oil spray thing) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Put baking sheets in oven and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 min.
5. While they are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions on the box.
6. While the pasta is cooking, remove casing from sausage and cook over medium heat, stirring to crumble until sausage is not longer pink.
7. When pasta is done, drain and return to pot.
8. Add spaghetti sauce, roasted vegetables, and turkey sausage to pot and stir to combine.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Serves 6-8 people.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2009-12-10T22:29:00.005-06:00

Tonight we had stuffed acorn squash for dinner- I loved it! Nick really liked it too, but I don't think he could like it more than me! It was a very fall/wintery dinner, which was perfect for this cold day.

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
1/2 cup brown rice (or about 1 cup cooked)
1/4 cup craisins (or raisins)
1 link of spicy turkey or chicken sausage
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half, crosswise (or on the "equator" according to nick) and remove seeds.
3. Put about half an inch of water in a baking dish and place squash cut-side-down.
4. Cook in oven until tender, about 40 minutes.
5. While squash is roasting, cook rice according to package directions.
6. Remove casing from sausage and cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring to crumble.
7. In a medium bowl, combine cooked rice, cooked turkey sausage, craisins, walnuts, and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Spoon rice mixture into squash.
(Serves 2, one squash half for each)

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-12-06T14:49:00.006-06:00

My freezer is stocked full with frozen bananas that were "past their prime" for eating, but they are perfect for baking! I saw these muffins on Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, which is a blog I love to read because she makes so many delicious desserts. Her recipes have never let me down and this time was no exception! They were really good and had just a hint of the espresso taste. I will definitely make these again!

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 ½ cups mashed, very ripe bananas
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup 2% milk
1 large egg
1/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp instant espresso powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, cream cheese, milk and egg.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill each sup about three-quarters full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack.

Roasted Eggplant Sandwiches

2009-11-29T17:33:00.005-06:00

I was trying to think of something to do with the eggplant that we had left over from the roasted eggplant towers and decided to make some sandwiches. I was really surprised at how good they turned out! I think I said about three times during dinner how much I liked them. Nick liked them too- I had made him one chicken sandwich and one eggplant, and he actually liked the eggplant better! I will definitely be making these again in the future for a quick, casual dinner.

Ingredients-
Whole wheat bread (I recommend using the bread from a bakery rather than typical sandwich bread)
Roasted red pepper, sliced (I roasted ours, but you can buy the jarred kind to save time if you want)
Roasted eggplant slices (See this post on roasting eggplant)
Pesto
Olive oil mayo (or light mayo)
Tomato, sliced
Crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toast bread in a toaster or under the broiler.
3. Spread a thin layer of mayo on one slice of bread
4. Spread a layer of pesto on top of the mayo.
5. Place slices of eggplant, followed by roasted red peppers, and tomatoes on the bread.
5. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of tomatoes.
6. Place sandwiches (open faced) under the broiler to slightly melt the cheese.
7. Remove from oven and top with second piece of bread.

Roasted Eggplant Towers

2009-11-23T22:14:00.004-06:00

Tonight's dinner was just kind of a "create as I go" type dinner, but it turned out pretty well! I knew I would like it going in because it involved 3 of my favorite things: spaghetti squash, marinara, and broccoli. I don't know why, but I had been wanting to try eggplant for a while now. I decided that roasting it was the way to go. I don't really know that I did it right because I think there is some sort of process to get the excess water out, but I just guessed. It seemed fine to me, but maybe it could have been better- I don't know?? Anyway, Nick and I both really liked it, and it was very healthy since it was pretty much all vegetables!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 bunch of broccoli
1 medium eggplant
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup of marinara (I used Trader Joe's Arrabiata sauce- I was very impressed with it)
Shredded or shaved Parmesan
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2. Slice the eggplant crosswise into half inch slices.
3. Place slices of eggplant in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
4. Place another layer of paper towels on top, pressing down lightly. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Then, with a dry paper towel, blot to pick up any remaining moisture.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Cut broccoli into florets, toss with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Brush eggplant with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Put eggplant and broccoli in oven to roast. It will probably take 25-35 minutes, but you will want to check and take them out when they are tender.
9. Cook spaghetti squash according to these directions (but without the tomatoes).
10. Once everything is cooked, assemble each plate with a pile of spaghetti squash, 3 slices of eggplant with marinara poured over each layer, and then add the broccoli. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Stuffed Peppers

2009-10-26T11:56:00.005-05:00

I think the last time I had a stuffed pepper had to have been in the early 90's. Do people even make these anymore??? I am not really sure what made me want to make these, but they were really good and healthy "comfort" food! I found the recipe on Simply Recipes and only made a couple small changes.

Ingredients

* 6 bell peppers (I used a variety of colors)
* 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
* 3/4 lb of 96% lean ground beef
* 1/4 lb of lean ground turkey (you could use all beef or all turkey if you want)
* 1 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice
* 1 can diced tomatoes with oregano and garlic, drained
* 1 tsp of dried oregano
* Fresh ground pepper
* Salt
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
* Dash of Tabasco sauce

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut top off peppers 1 inch from the stem end, and remove seeds. Then add peppers to the water and boil, keeping peppers completely submerged, until their flesh slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1/2 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add meat, rice, tomatoes, and oregano, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Arrange peppers cut side up in a baking dish, then stuff peppers with filling. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filling. Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing), until the internal temperature of the stuffed pepper is 150-160°F.

Snickers Blondies

2009-10-25T09:03:00.004-05:00

I made these blondies for Dub's birthday, which was actually a couple weeks ago but I was a little late in making them (thanks CPA exam)! I chose to make these because bars are easy to transport/give as gifts, and Dub loves candy so I added some Snickers to the batter. I made one pan to give away and then a half pan to keep so that we got to try them too :) I was quite pleased with them- definitely my favorite of all the blondies recipes that I had tried previously! I am pretty sure that Nick, Matt, Blake, and Nat liked them too... Unfortunately they went so fast that I didn't get a very good picture! So, keep in mind that this picture really doesn't do them justice!

Snickers Blondies (adapted from 3B's Toffee Blondies)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c brown sugar (I used 1 cup light brown sugar and 1 cup dark brown)
2 sticks melted unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 Snickers bars, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Into a large mixing bowl, mix together: all-purpose flour,baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a second bowl, beat together brown sugar with melted butter.
4. Add egg and vanilla to butter/sugar mixture and mix well.
5. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
6. Fold in the chopped Snickers bars.
7. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam for Baking.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. This time is approximate because I used an 8x8 pan and a 4x8 pan rather than one large pan so make sure you watch it- it is done when a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.

Arugula Salad

2009-10-04T10:15:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I saw a segment on the Today show where they made flank steak with tomato jam and an arugula salad. It looked delicious, and we hadn't had steak in a while so I decided to make it the next night. I had really high expectations for this because it just looked so good on tv! I wasn't even sure that I liked arugula because I had only had it once before and thought it was just ok. Well, it turned out that the steak was just ok, and the arugula salad was delicious! Arugula has a slight peppery taste, and it went really well with this vinaigrette. The tomatoes and shaved Parmesan were also great additions.

Here is a link to the whole recipe, but the recipe for the salad is below:
• 1 bunch (about 5 1/2 cups) arugula
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Dash kosher salt
• Dash freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Regianno-Parmesan cheese, sliced thin
• 1 cup baby tomatoes, halved

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add arugula, tomatoes, and cheese and toss well. (You may not need all the dressing so just add a little at a time to the arugula until it is dressed as you like)

Cornbread Salad

2009-09-30T06:22:00.006-05:00

Yum! I made this salad a couple nights ago for dinner, and I really loved it! Of course, it helps that I love cornbread! I had seen this recipe before on Smitten Kitchen and thought it looked good, but it seemed like a lot of work for a salad- to have to make cornbread and the dressing rather than just cutting up some vegetables and putting them on a pile of lettuce with bottled dressing. But now I am so glad I tried it! I had already made cornbread earlier in the week using this recipe for Low Fat Cornbread so I wanted to use some of it for the salad. The recipe as I made it is below to serve 2 people. (I served it as a side with trout and mashed potatoes).

Ingredients:
Salad-
1.5-2 cups cornbread, cut into small cubes (mine were more rectangular...)
1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, halved (You can use any kind of good ripe tomatoes)
1/4 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
mixed greens
dressing (see recipe below)

Directions:
1. Turn on broiler (low setting if you have it)
2. Spread cornbread in a single layer on a baking sheet
3. Broil until bread cubes are toasted (mine took about 4 minutes, but you will want to keep an eye on this)
4. Place lettuce, greens,toasted corn bread, onion and tomatoes to a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with buttermilk dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely minced green onions
salt and pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Can covered tightly and stored in the fridge up to two days. You probably will not need all the dressing- depending on how much you like on your salad.

Roasted carrots with avocado

2009-09-28T08:15:00.003-05:00

I actually made this side dish a while ago, but then I came across the picture and realized I had never added it to the blog! I want to immediately because it was so good, and I wanted to remind myself to make it again soon! I read the recipe for Roasted Carrot and Avocado salad on Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorites and knew I wanted to try it or something similar. I had forgotten how good roasted carrots are!

I made a few changes from the original recipe. First, I reduced the oil because I really didn't think it needed much. Second, as much as I love cumin, I left it out because I just wanted to taste the pure sweetness of the carrots. The recipe as I made it is below:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 2 inch pieces (I used organic but you don't have to)
-1/2 to 1 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 avocado, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Toss carrots with olive oil (or spray if you have an olive oil spray can) on baking sheet
3. Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper
4. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. You will want to check yours because time will vary based on the thickness of the carrots. They are done when they are fork tender, but not mushy.
5. Toss carrots with avocado slices and serve.

I would say this probably serves 3-4 people, but we had no problem finishing it off with just 2 of us!

Lime Pound Cake

2009-08-27T15:58:00.006-05:00

After the "fiesta" for Cath and Trone, we had A LOT of limes left over. And I had cut them all up. Don't ask my why I thought we needed so many lime slices for Corona and margaritas. Anyway, I wanted to find something to do with them so we didn't have to throw them all away, and I found this recipe for Key Lime Cream Cheese Pound Cake. This was a great recipe as long as you don't make it harder than it has to be... Sliced limes are much harder to zest and juice than whole limes. If you find your self in a situation with sliced limes, I say toss them and splurge on the whole limes at 44 cents each! Also, when I started to make the cake, I realized that I forgot to set out the butter and cream cheese. So, I had the genius idea to put them in the warming drawer to speed up the process. This was a genius idea until I left it in for too long and had a pool of butter to clean up. At least not all of it melted so I just guessed and added a couple more tablespoons. Needless to say, the measurements weren't completely accurate, but it still turned out great!

It had a great texture and was not too dense (a problem I tend to have trouble with when baking pound cakes). The cake itself has a hint of lime, but it is not overwhelming, and the glaze provides a great sweet and tart flavor to complement the cake. I definitely recommend not skipping the glaze. I made a couple minor changes to the original and used fresh juice rather than bottled and reduced fat cream cheese. Also, I think my pan must have been smaller because I reduced the cooking time by 15 minutes. So, once it has been in for an hour, I would start checking it for "doneness." The recipe as I made it is below:
Ingredients:
For the Pound Cake:
3 1/4 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 sticks
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. very finely grated lime zest
Confectioners' sugar for garnish

For the Glaze:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Key Lime Juice

Instructions:
Have all ingredients at room temperature. Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 or 10-inch bundt pan.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.

With an electric mixer, fitted with a flat beater, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30-40 seconds. Add 3 cups of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stop mixer and scrape bowl occasionally. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and 3 tbsp. lime juice. Reduce speed to low. Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt mixture in 3 additions, blending each addition just until smooth, stop mixer and scrape bowl occasionally. Fold in lime zest.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake is golden, and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool upright in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto cooling rack with waxed or parchment paper placed underneath rack, and glaze. Place cake on serving plate, and dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 12-16 servings.

Key Lime Glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup key lime juice and 3/4 cup sugar until blended. Set rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert cake onto rack. Generously brush cake with glaze. After glaze has set; approximately 10 minutes, lightly sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2009-08-23T08:51:00.007-05:00

So, it has been a while since I blogged, but I have a few recipes to post to catch up! The first is sopapilla cheesecake bars. Last night, we had a wedding shower for Cath and Trone- it was fiesta themed so I wanted to put a little bit of a Mexican spin on the desserts! I came across this recipe from AllRecipes.com and thought it would be perfect for the occasion. Also, they had such good reviews that I figured they would be a safe decision.
They turned out great! They definitely aren't the most healthy option, which became clear as I was pouring half a cup of butter over them... But apparently they were a crowd pleaser because there was only one left at the end of the night (which got eaten quickly the next day...)! I made 2 small modifications to the original recipe by leaving out the almonds and I replaced 1 package of regular cream cheese with reduced fat (healthy, right?!?) The recipe as I made it is below:

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough

* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F .
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape the each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.
3. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together with the cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares. (I refrigerated them overnight before cutting so they were really easy to cut cleanly).

Easy Banana Puddin'

2009-06-30T20:43:00.008-05:00

Last night Matt came over as our dinner guest! We had a good time and devoured some paella. Then, for dessert we had some banana pudding. This was a really easy recipe that I found on All Recipes. I wanted to make it because Publix's version of Nilla wafers were the penny item a couple weeks ago, and what do you do with Nilla wafers?? You make banana pudding! No other options!
Nick and Matt eating their pudding

Matt sporting the Chicken on the Green apron

I pretty much followed the recipe as written but did substitute for a couple of lower fat things. You can find the original here. The recipe with my changes is below:
Ingredients:
* 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 3 cups cold milk (I used 2%)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (8 ounce) container lite frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 4 bananas, sliced
* 1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
Direction:
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping.
2. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.

Chicken Gyros

2009-06-20T09:25:00.009-05:00

Last night, Nick and I tried something new for dinner- Chicken Gyros! I had seen them on a few different blogs lately (Annie's Eats, Elly says Opa, and Lovestoeat's Weblog), and everyone seemed to like them so I thought we would give them a try! They did turn out well! (By the way, see this post for the pronunciation key :) ) My pictures don't really do them justice, but you get the point.

Also, they were normal sized, but I think they look miniature in comparison to Nick's hand.

For the tzatziki sauce
Ingredients:
16 oz. nonfat greek yogurt (you don't have to use nonfat)
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic, or finely minced (I kind of wished that I had only used 1 but its up to you)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Shred the cucumber, and then drain the water off. (I did this by putting the cucumber over a very fine strainer and pressing to release the water. I read that you can also wrap it in a towel and squeeze to remove the water).
2. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

For the Chicken
Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. chicken pieces (I used chicken tenders and cut them into thirds)

Other ingredients:
Pitas (I think the softer they are the better)
Diced tomato
Thinly sliced onion

Directions:
1.Combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3. Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. (We broiled them for about 15 minutes, but it will vary depending on your oven and the size of your chicken pieces)
4. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
6.Heat pitas.
7. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions.
8. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Pie

2009-06-18T21:14:00.004-05:00

I was searching for a recipe to use my 2nd frozen pie crust and came across this one on All Recipes. It looked simple to make, had gotten 5 star reviews, and I had all the ingredients on hand- it sounded perfect! It came together in no time, and it was really good! It tasted like a big chocolate chip cookie! We tried it both warm and at room temperature and both preferred it at room temperature. When it is warm, the chips are all melty, which is good, but it tastes more like a chocolate pie. At room temp, it tastes like a cookie. So try it both ways and see how you like it! I followed the recipe with the exception of using half brown sugar and half white, so just click on the link above to get it!

Couscous with Shrimp and Roasted Okra

2009-06-03T20:59:00.006-05:00

Last week, I bought some fresh okra at at road-side vegetable stand. I didn't really know what I was going to do with it (and I never buy things without already knowing what I am making), but I like okra so I bought it. So, this whole meal was centered around this okra I had bought. When I started making it, I wasn't even excited about it and definitely didn't plan on adding it to the blog. But after we started eating, we both decided it was good and so we stopped to get a photo so we could add it! Also,it came together quickly (less than 30 minutes for us is good :) ) so it makes a good weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
1 box Near East wheat couscous w/roasted garlic and olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 viladia onion, diced
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil
salt and pepper
old bay seasoning

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine okra, tomatoes, and onions on a baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. (This is not necessary but helpful). Toss with 2 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place the baking sheet with vegetables in oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until done.
4. While vegetables are roasting, prepare cous cous according to package directions omitting butter/olive oil.
5. Also while veggies are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1-2 tsp olive oil. Add shrimp to pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning. Cook until they turn pink and are opaque, flipping half way. (Our shrimp were medium sized and took 1-2 min per side)
6.To assemble the dish, place a small pile of couscous in the middle of the plate and top with shrimp and veggies.

California Breakfast Sandwiches

2009-06-01T21:02:00.004-05:00

Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite nights because it is fun to experiment with breakfast foods that I normally wouldn't take to the time to try in the morning. This sandwich is one of my favorites- maybe it is just the avocado kick I am on lately. Oh well, it doesn't matter- they were good and Nick liked them too! It was a great combination to have the richness of the egg, saltiness of the Canadian bacon, and freshness of the tomato and avocado all captured between a toasty English muffin!

Ingredients (for 1 sandwich):
whole wheat English muffin
slice of ripe tomato
1 piece of Canadian bacon
1/4 ripe avocado, sliced
1 egg
salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler
2. Slice English muffin in half
3. Place tomato slice on one half, and sprinkle with salt.
4. Heat a non stick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat.
5. Place both halves of English muffin under broiler and broil until one side is slightly toasted and tomato begins to cook. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!
6. While it is broiling, cook Canadian bacon in pan flipping half way until both sides are slightly browned or bacon is warmed throughout.
7. Cook egg in the same skillet flipping half way until done, but with the yolk still runny. (That's how I like it, but you could cook it any way you prefer).
8. Assemble sandwich. Place Canadian bacon on tomato, egg on top of that, and avocado on the other half, and put it all together!

Pecan Pie

2009-05-30T13:05:00.004-05:00

I am way behind on my blog posting so I apologize to my few faithful readers :) Anyway, for mother's day, Uncle Scott requested that I make a pecan pie. I was happy to oblige because pecan pies have to be the easiest dessert to make, and I found this recipe from Southern Living a few years ago, and everyone seems to love it! Now, I will go ahead and admit that I don't make my own pie crust, but that would take the "easy" out of this recipe :) And I think Pillsbury does a fine job. So, if you need an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert, try this pecan pie!

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

2009-05-09T17:32:00.005-05:00

So, I have been on an avocado kick lately. I used to not care for it much. It was a "take it or leave it" type thing, but recently it has officially moved to the "take it" side only! So, all that to say that I really wanted a Cobb salad because of the avocado. It was really delicious, and I love the way all the different components taste together. Also, on mine, I used turkey bacon instead of regular, and I really liked that substitution. I ate it with this delicious blue cheese yogurt dressing, but Nick preferred it with ranch so you can eat it with whatever you have.

Makes 2 large salads:
Ingredients-
- 1 bag of romaine salad mix
- 2 grilled chicken breasts (or you could use a rotisserie chicken)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 2-3 strips of bacon (or turkey bacon)
- 1 hard boiled egg
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- blue cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:
1. Divide romaine between plates or bowls.
2. Add grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, egg, tomatoes on top of lettuce.
3. Sprinkle with blue cheese,
4. Serve with whatever kind of dressing you want :)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

2009-04-28T10:52:00.004-05:00

I saw a recipe for these Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns on Bake or Break. They looked so good and got such a good review that I had to put them on my never ending list of "things to make." I had some cream cheese left over that needed to be used so they quickly worked their way to the top! Nick and I both liked them a lot. I made some with raspberry jam and some with strawberry so you can use whatever kind you want, but I liked the raspberry best! The muffins were sweet, but not too sweet and had a good crumb and texture. I think that it would be a good base recipe for other muffins too (like blueberry or lemon).

I didn't change the recipe at all so you can just use the links above if you want to make them!

Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia

2009-04-22T20:52:00.006-05:00

This is a fairly quick and simple dinner, but it is also delicious! I had wanted to make fish wrapped in prosciutto for awhile now, so I finally did and chose to make it with tilapia because it is a mild-flavored fish (and also budget friendly!) The prosciutto gave it a nice salty flavor and crispy texture contrast to the delicate fish. I made a tomato and avacado salsa to top the fish which tied it all together well. We both liked it and will be making this again!

Ingredients:
(For fish)
- 2 tilapia filets
- 2 pieces of thinly slice prosciutto
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil

(For tomato and avocado salad)
- 1/2 Haas avocado, cubed
- about 10 grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all salsa ingredients in a small bowl and gently toss to combine
2. Sprinkle both sides of tilapia with salt and pepper.
3. Wrap each piece of tilapia with proscuitto.
4. Heat about 1 tsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
5. Once pan is heated, add fish and cook through, flipping half way (fish should flake easily with a fork on both sides when done)

Roasted Vegetable Salad

2009-04-21T21:55:00.005-05:00

On Sunday night we ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and had a roasted vegetable salad to go with our pizza. It was really good so I wanted to re-create it for dinner tonight. It was so easy to make, and it is so versatile because you can use whatever vegetables you want! I had a bed of romaine topped with roasted asparagus, squash, red pepper, onion, corn, and crumbled goat cheese. It was delicious served with a light balsamic vinaigrette.

There is no real "recipe" for this. Just toss your vegetables with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until done (mine were done in about 15 min in a 400 degree oven). Then, throw them on top of your lettuce!

Strawberry Cake

2009-04-15T21:01:00.006-05:00

For mom's birthday, I made her a strawberry cake- not just any strawberry cake, but the recipe my granny was using to make a cake the day she had my mom! Now, it does use cake mix and jello, but it has the addition of fresh strawberries, pecans, and coconut so you would never guess that it starts with cake mix. And it is topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting- delicious! Everyone really seemed to like it! You can find the recipe here.

Here is a pic of Steve and me with the dinner we cooked.