Sauerkraut Corned Beef Dip

I was looking on Food Network.com for an appetizer recipe invoving sauerkraut to make for New Years and came across this.  I just made it and me and my daughter tasted it and it was delicious!  I bought some little rye breads and an assortment of crackers to serve with it.

Mix together:
16 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 cup well drained sauerkraut
1 cup corned beef (chopped finely or dried chipped beef)

Hearty Minetrone

Soup is so good on a cold day.  I added chicken to my minetrone and it was definitely filling enough for a meal. 

I seasoned 3 chicken breasts and salt and pepper and browned them in olive oil in a heavy pot.  I took them out once they were browned, and sauteed the following in the remaining olive oil:

1 chopped onion
4 chopped celery stalks
2 carrots

After this had softened for about 5 minutes, I added 2 chopped zucchini and 3 cloves garlic chopped.  I sauteed everything for about 5 more minites then added 1 can diced tomatoes (and their juice), 6 cups chicken stock, and about a teaspoon of dried rosemary.  I brought it to a boil and added the chicken back in.  I simmered everything for 20 minutes then removed the chicken and shredded it.  I added the shredded chicken, a can of red beans and a can of cannellini beans (both rinsed and drained) back into the soup and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.  It cooled a little and was yummy!

Vegetarian Baked Beans

Who says baked beans can't be a main dish?  They are today at our house!  I just threw stuff together and hoped it would turn out!  It's baking in the oven, but my first taste, they were pretty good! 

Saute until soft:  1 chopped onion and 1 clove garlic chopped

Mix together (all approx):  1/2c ketchup, 2T hearty brown mustard (could probably use dijon), 1/4c brown sugar, 2T cider vinegar, 1T maple syrup, 1/2tsp ground coriander, 1T cumin

When the onion and garlic was soft, I added 1 can rinsed and drained pinto beans and the ketchup mixture.  I put it in a small baking dish and it's now baking at 325 until it bubbly and delicious.  Hopefully the kids think so, at least! 

Roast with Mushroom Gravy

I watched Giada this weekend and was inspired by her Christmas Dinner.  I took a big roast (I have no idea how big or what kind) and seasoned it with salt and pepper on both sides, then browned it in olive oil in a heavy ceramic pot.  Once it was browned, I took it out and sauteed 2 chopped onions and about 2-3 handfuls of cremini mushrooms that I had sliced up.  When they were almost soft, I added 6 cloves chopped garlic and 10-12 springs of thyme in a bundle.  I deglazed the pan with about a cup of Cabernet Sauvingnon then added 2 cups beef broth.  I added the roast back to the pan and put it in the oven at 300 degrees.  It was in the oven for about 4 hours and was very tender!  I took the meat out and pureed the sauce with my immersion blender.  I broke the meat up a little and added it back into the gravy.  I served it over polenta (just like Giada!).  I'm not sure that I'm a fan of polenta, though...maybe it's because I'm not Italian!

Macaroni & Cheese (2)

I made mac and cheese for lunch today and I think it might be the best I've ever made it!  I started with the same recipe as the previous post.  Here is the previous recipe:

1lb macaroni
1 stick butter
1/2c flour
salt & pepper
1qt milk (whole milk really makes it richer, but skim is also good!)
1 1/2lbs Velveeta

Boil the macaroni according to the package directions. Melt the butter then add the flour to make a roux. I add the salt and pepper here. Cook the flour for just a minute then add the milk. I usually add about 1 c of the milk and wisk it with the flour. If you add it all at once, it's hard to get the roux to mix in without being lumpy. Heat the sauce until it's almost boiling - you dont' want it to actually boil, though. When there are bubbles forming on the outside, it's probably hot enough. Add the Velveeta and stir until it melts. Mix in the macaroni and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. You can also put this in the crockpot and just put on low. For lunch sometimes, I mix in peas, carrots, and corn.
 
Here is what I changed:  I warmed the milk first and infused it with a bundle of thyme leaves, 2 smashed cloves of garlic, and a tablespoon of black peppercorns.  I let it warm (not really even at a simmer because I didn't want to scald the milk), then strained it before adding it to the roux.  The other change I made was the cheeses.  I used 1c (a big handful) of cheddar, 1c fontina, 1c smoked gouda, and about 4 inches of Velveeta.  I added a pound of hamburger too.  YUMMY!!!!

Pumpkin Pancakes

I think I've finally perfected the pumpkin pancake!  Here is the final list of ingredients:

1 1/4 c flour
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp salt
1c milk
2 eggs
1/4 c oil
1/2 can pumpkin (I think that's about a cup)

Mix, fry, and enjoy!

Mixed Berry Muffins

My son has been asking me to make muffins nearly everyday.  We made blueberry muffins on Saturday morning and last night I used the fresh raspberries and blackberries to make more muffins. 

Ingredients:
1/2c butter
1c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2c flour
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1c berries

Preheat the oven to 375.  Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs.  Then add the baking powder and salt, mix.  Alternate adding the flour and milk.  Then add the vanilla and almond extract.  Stir in the berries.  Scoop into muffins tins and bake for 20-25 minutes!  The almond really enhances the flavor of the raspberries - yummy!

Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Soup

I bought some corn bread mix last night at Kroger and thought it would go great with Black Bean soup.  I added a twist to the soup and it turned out great!

Saute the following in olive oil (I added a little salt and pepper to help the veggies soften):
1 chopped onion
handful baby carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic

Once they were soft I added:
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2c veggie stock
1tsp ground coriander (approx)
1tsp oregano (approx)
3tsp or so cumin

I brought it to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  Once it had simmered, I blended it up with my immersion blender.  Then I added:

1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1c frozen corn
1 chopped tomato

I simmered this for about 15-20 minutes and we were ready to eat!

Easy Pulled Pork

Our trick or treat was on Thursday, October 28, so I wanted to make something easy in the crockpot.  I put a store bought pork rub on a pork roast and plopped it into the crockpot.  I cooked it on low most of the day.  When it was nice and tender, I took it out and shredded it.  I poured the "juice" that was in the crock pot in a cup and skimmed off the fat.  I added the pork back into the crock pot and most of the "juices."  I also added some Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce.  I turned the crock pot back on just to keep it warm until we ate.  Add as much or as little of the extra juice and BBQ sauce as you like!  Easy, easy, easy dinner!

Veggie Patch Pizza

This is reminiscent of the Veggie Patch pizza at Applebee's.  I'm not sure if they even have it anymore!  To my food processor, I added:

1 red pepper
1 clove garlic
a handful of spinach
a little olive oil
salt and pepper

I pulsed for just a second or two to chop the veggies, but still chunky.  Then I added about 2oz goat cheese and a handful (about a cup) of mozzarella cheese.  I pulsed again to combine, but still wanted everything fairly chunky.  My fear was that if it wasn't chunky, it would be brown instead of red and green.  I spread this on a flatbread and baked it at 375 for about 15-20 minutes until it was melted.  The kids loved it!

S'more Cups

I made these S'more cups for a Chili Cook-off this weekend and they were a hit.  It took me about 45 minutes to make 2 batches...very easy!  I'm going to make these as an "All Saints Day" treat for religion next week.  I checked the boxes and none of the ingredients are made from tree nuts, so it's safe for the people in my class who have allergies!  Note:  Nestle chocolate chips are a nut allergen, but Hershey's are not!

http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe_search/recipe.jsp?id=91599

Vegetable Soup with Lentils

I'm baaack!  Simmering on the stove right now is a pot of vegetable soup with lentils, I'm sure they will love it! 

I sauteed an onion for a few minutes in olive oil and added 2 cloves garlic.  Then I added 1c lentils, a teaspoon or so of rosemary and thyme, 1 can diced tomatoes, 3 cups mixed vegatables (mine are the garden trio from Costco and it's just corn, carrots, and green beans) and a quart of vegetable stock.  Simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils are soft, and it should be delicious!

Rotini with Walnut Sauce

This is a great meal if you have skinny kids - lots of good fats!  In my food processor, I combined:

1T melted butter
3/4c toasted walnuts
1/4c parmesan cheese
1tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper

I pulsed to combine then drizzled in 1/4c olive oil.  I put this in a bowl and mixed with a couple T of whole milk.  The recipe called for heavy cream, but I didn't have any.  I boiled about 1/3lb rotini, added it to the walnut mixture and stirred in about 1/4c of the pasta water.  I also mixed in some peas, but that's optional!

Rachel's chicken salad

I've been in the mood lately for chicken salad, but I don't always like regular chicken salad with the grapes. So I decided to make my own version. If you like dill, you'll like this.

3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed. (I seasoned mine with sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Just a little cayenne though. It gives it a kick)
1/2 small red onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
1 c. mayonnaise (I used regular, I don't know how I feel about reduced fat)
1 TBSP dill pickle relish
1 tsp. vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp. cumin


So easy. Combine chicken, celery and onion. In a separate bowl, combine the pickle relish, vinegar and cumin with the mayo. (I do this separately so that I can taste the sauce and make sure I like it before I add it to the chicken. That way if I screw something up, I can better salvage the dish. ) Add the mayo mixture to the chicken mixture and Voila! all done! Just chill (or don't if you're really hungry) and serve on bread or whatever you like.

Rachel's White Chicken Chili

Hello everyone! Well, Liz has been majorly slacking on her food blog so I, her lovely sister, shall contribute the delicious soup I made tonight. White Chili!!

2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
64oz chicken broth
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds or 1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
30 oz Great Northern beans
1 c. heavy cream

Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. You don't have to use the Italian seasoning if you don't want, but I like the added flavor. I season the chicken breasts decently heavily because when I cube them, they always end up getting shredded as well, so the seasonings mix well all over. I cook my chicken breasts at 425 degree for about 25 minutes, but I use organic-fed, free range chicken breasts so they are a little smaller than others.

While the chicken breasts are cooking I usually start chopping my onion, pepper and garlic. Then I set that aside in a bowl. The original recipe that I looked at uses canned green chiles, but I don't use them for a couple of reasons. 1) I think canning peppers really affects the flavor, in a negative way. So I don't think adding the canned chiles really adds a whole lot to the dish 2) if you aren't familiar with peppers, the poblano is a smoky, medium spiced pepper. Not as hot as a jalapeno at all, but more hot then a regular green pepper. Poblanos can usually be found at any grocery and the good ones are dark green in color and not wrinkled or shriveled at all. 3) I think using fresh vegetables whenever possible makes everything taste better.

Heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds. My friend actually suggested cumin seeds to me whenever she gave me a recipe for curry (which was excellent) rather than ground because the flavor is much richer and a tad stronger, and I would totally agree. I found my cumin seeds at an Indian grocery, so I don't really know if you can get them at Wal-Mart. Probably though; I think they are pretty common. If you don't use cumin too often or don't feel like buying seeds, you can use the powder. Just add the cumin with the rest of the spices instead of now.

Once the cumin has sweat a little, about a minute or so, (or if you aren't using cumin and the oil is hot), add the pepper, onion and garlic. Let that sweat a while, about 6-8 minutes I'd say until the onion and pepper are soft. Add the cubed chicken, chicken broth, oregano, (cumin if you are using ground), and cayenne pepper. To be honest, I don't ever measure my cayenne pepper but I would estimate a 1/4 tsp. (Don't be afraid of the cayenne unless you are INCREDIBLY sensitive to heat. The smoky hotness of the cayenne plus the smoky light heat of the poblano and the cumin are lovely together. The end result is more of a warmth in the back of your throat with a slight kick at the end than actual spiciness.)

Bring that to a boil. Reduce to low heat and add the beans and the cream. Let that simmer for a while, 20-30 minutes, or heated thoroughly. Like most chili, it'll probably taste the best leftover the next day.

The original recipe that I used is from the Selhorst Family Favorites cookbook. That recipe doesn't have cream and it has shredded Monterey Jack cheese as a topping when served. I don't think that cheese is necessary since I use cream, but if you really like cheese, you can add it. I would actually recommend cheddar though. Some would disagree I'm sure, but I think the sharpness of the cheddar would complement the soup very well.

Also, Liz informed me that with spicier chicken dishes like this, a sweet wine, such as a Riesling, would complement it well because it would take out some of the heat. But I chose a Sauvingnon Blanc for two reasons. 1) I don't like Rieslings because I think they are too sweet. and 2) I don't think the dish is spicy enough that it needs anything to cut out the heat. I think that the added cream takes care of that. But you can do what you want.

P.S. - My boyfriend, Justin, who has been mentioned in here before for his own chili recipe and his tomato soup, told me that this recipe is perfect. Hopefully you all agree! Happy cooking!

Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

I used:

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I had these leftover, so I just threw them in)
2c cheddar cheese
1/2 block queso cheese
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 small can green chili enchilada sauce

I mixed the beans, 1c cheddar, and the queso cheese together and rolled them into the tortillas.  Since the beans were whole, I rolled it more like a burrito instead of a traditional enchilada because the beans were falling out.  I spread a little bit of sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan, then laid in the tortillas.  I had a little bit of bean mixture left, so i just sprinked it on the enchiladas.  Then I topped with the sauce and the rest of the cheese.  I covered it with foil and baked at 400 (probably about 375 in a regular oven, but mine doesn't get very hot) for 30 minutes.  I took off the foil and cooked for another 10 minutes.  Everyone loved them!

Green Bean, Potato, & Lentil Soup

Growing up, one of my favorite meals was "Green bean, potato, and ham" soup. I've been trying to think of a way to make that vegetarian. This is my version - not the same, but it turned out pretty well!

I sauteed 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic. Then I added 1c lentils, 10 sage leaves, 1 bay leaf, and 6 cups veggie stock. I brought this to a simmer. After it has been simmering for 15 minutes, I added 5 diced little red potatoes. When the potatoes were soft, I added a few handfuls of frozen green beans. They really just needed to thaw, so I turned the heat off then and let it cool a little. I fished out the bay and sage leaves as I was serving. It's definitely not the same, but it turned out pretty good.

Black Bean Dip

I'm recomitting myself to the South Beach Diet, so I hunted through my cookbook this morning for a lunch idea. This dip is supposed to be a snack, but I cut up some whole wheat tortillas, baked them at 350 for about 10 minutes and spread the dip on them for lunch. It's pretty good!

1 can rinsed and drained black beans
3/4c sour cream
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
cheddar cheese, shredded

I put 1/2 the black beans, the sour cream, cumin, and chili powder in my food processor and blended it together. I mixed in the rest of the beans and the tomatoes. I put it in an oven-safe pan, topped with cheese, and baked it for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tin Roof Sundae Dessert

We had friends over a month or so ago and this weekend we are going to their house. They requested I make this dessert again, so I guess it was a hit! It's super easy.

Crust:
Crush 1 package Pecan Sandies. I usually eat a few of them first! Spread them over the bottom of a 9X13 in pan. I bake this for about 5-10 minutes, but I don't think you have you.

Layer:
I squirt some Hershey's syrup next, then top with a quart of Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream. Then another layer of Hershey's syrup, Cool Whip, and a drizzle of Hershey's again for decoration. I like to finish it with some pecan chips, but that's optional.

Easy, easy, easy!

Pesto Pasta with White Beans

If you read my previous posts, it's obvious I'm trying to find ways to use up my jar of pesto! It's always good, though! Today, I boiled a little under half a box of whole wheat elbows. When there were 5 minutes left, I added 2 handfuls of frozen broccoli. When there were 2 minutes left, I added 1c frozen peas. I drained and mixed in some pesto! When I was halfway through eating mine, I remembered that I had half a can of white beans leftover from the pizza yesterday. I mixed them in with my pasta and it was pretty good. They add good protein and fiber, so even though it's not the MOST delicious combo, it was good enough! I'll try to remember the beans for the kids next time!

Chicken Pesto Pita

For the second to last day of school, I decided I would "invent" something new for my daughter's lunch. I split open 1/2 of a whole wheat pita pocket and spread 2 spoonfuls of basil pesto. Then I put in 4 slices of deli chicken and a few small handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese. I microwaved this for 45 seconds for the cheese to melt and in the lunchbox it went!

White Bean Margherita Pizza

We moved in January and I started getting my groceries at a different Wal-Mart.  They do not carry the "Old World" flat bread that I usually bought and I was really missing it.  I have decided to go back to my old Wal-Mart and last night I bought more flatbread - yea!  I made pizzas for lunch today and boy have I missed them!

I topped the flatbread with a few spoonfuls of basil pesto, then rinsed and drained white beans, 2 diced Compari tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.  I baked at 375 for about 10 minutes and it was ready!  So easy!

Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream

I hosted my brother's 21st birthday party on Monday.  My mom brought the cake, but I made the ice cream.  Cinnamon and vanilla are my new favorite combo - so good!  Here are the ingredients:

1c milk (I used whole milk)
2c heavy whipping cream
2/3c sugar
2 egg yolks
1T vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Warm the milk and heavy cream in a pan until they form bubbles on the side of the pan.  Add the sugar and stirr to dissolve.  Beat the egg yolks and add a few spoonfuls (I added about 2T at a time for a total of about 1/2c) of the warm cream mixture to warm the yolks a little.  Add the yolk mixture back into the cream and stir.  Stir occasionally as the mixture thickens and comes to 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.  You should probably add the cinnamon during this step.  Once the mixture is 160 degrees, strain it into a bowl and add the vanilla.  I added the cinnamon once it was strained, and I had to restrain it because it got really lumpy.  Cool the mixture then freeze according to your ice cream makers directions.

White Chicken Chili

OOPS - I was eating leftovers of this and it occurred to me that I missed 2 very important ingredients! 
2tsp cumin
1tsp oregano

I love any kind of chili and I don't make white chili very often, but it always turns out good! 

2 chicken breasts
5 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can diced green chilis
6c chicken stock
2 can cannelinni beans, drained and rinsed

I salted and peppered the chicken and browned, in olive oil, on both sides in a heavy bottom pot.  When they were browned, I took them out and sauteed the scallions and garlic for a few minutes.  Once they had softened, I added the green chilis and stock, stirring up the brown bits on the bottom.  Then I added the chicken and simmered for about 15 minutes.  My breasts were still a little frozen in the middle when I browned them, so completely thawed chicken would probably only take 10 minutes.  Once the chicken was cooked through, I took them out and added the beans.  While the beans were simmering, I shredded the chicken.  Then I took out about 2c of beans and veggies and pureed them with my immersion blender.  I added the pureed beans and chicken back in and we ate!  Yummy!

Curried Rice and Lentils

This is still simmering, so I'm not sure how it will taste.  It smells pretty good, though!  Here are my ingredients:

1/2c brown rice
1/2c lentils
1bay leaf
1T red curry paste
1 carrot, chopped
3 scallions, chopped and separated
1 3/4c broth

I mixed everything together in a sauce pan (except the scallion greens) and brought it to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  I'm going to stir in the scallion greens before serving.  I'll let you know what I think!

Verdict:  It was good!

Snack Shopping Tip

I like for my kids to eat whole grains instead of overly processed foods, but it's hard to find good tasting snacks that are whole grain.  I discovered Earth's Best snacks and they are super delicious!  The "Letter of the Day" cookies, I enjoy myself.  They also make Graham sticks, which are basically just graham crackers.  They are both made from whole grain, are organic, and low in sodium.  They are kind of expensive, though.  Being the excellent online shopper that I am, I found them on Amazon.com.  You can buy a case of them for $15.88 each, which isn't horrible, but still not super cheap.  BUT, if you sign up for their "Subscribe and Save" program, you save 15% and get FREE SHIPPING!  You say how often you want them delivered (every 1, 2, 3, or 6 months) and they just let you know they're charging you and mail them off!  So, the case now becomes $13.50, which is a little over $2.00 a box!  Not too bad!!!!

Wild Rice and Lentil Soup

This was yesterday's lunch and for some today's as well.  My 2yr old son is hit or miss with lentils, but he scarfed this down!  The ingredients are:

1 chopped onion
3 stalks chopped celery
handful chopped baby carrots
1 chopped garlic clove
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
handful thyme sprigs
1c long grain and wild rice mix
1c lentils
1qt veggie stock

I sauteed the veggies in olive oil for just a couple minutes.  Then I added the garlic, rosemary, and rice mix.  I sauteed it for a couple minutes so the rice would brown a bit.  Then I added the stock and the sprigs of thyme.  The leaves will fall off the thyme, so you can just throw the whole thing in and pull out the stalks when its done.  You could do this with the rosemary too, but you will end up biting into a big leaf and as good as rosemary is, it's not very tasty when you bite into a whole leaf!  I brought everything to a boil and simmered for 10 minutes.  Then I added the lentils and simmered for another 40 minutes.  I dug out the thyme stalks and it was time to eat!

Tuscan Garbanzo Bean soup

I bought beans last night and saw a recipe on the can, that I thought looked good, so I made my own version!  The ingredients are:

1 chopped onion
2 celery stalks, chopped
Handful baby carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1qt vegetable stock
1c elbow macaroni
1/4c grated parmesan

I sauteed the onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes.  I salted and peppered them to help them along a little.  When they were about soft, I added the garlic and rosemary and sauteed for 1 minute more.  Then I added the tomatoes, beans, and stock.  I brought this to a boil and simmered for 10 minutes.  I then took out 2 ladles full (mostly veggies and beans, not broth) and added to my immersion blender container.  I added the macaroni to the remaining soup and boiled for 8 minutes.  I added the parmesan cheese to the blender mixture and blended until smooth.  When the macaroni was done, I added the blended mixture in.  It was a creamy delicious soup!  It probably could have used more salt for my taste, but the kids didn't notice and they don't need it anyway!

Enchilada Casserole

This is a great dish to make and bring to friends and family who have just had babies.  I received this after my last one and I just made it to day to bring to a friends house!  Here are the ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
4tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1c water
16 oz can corn
16 oz jar taco sauce
1c sour cream
16oz shredded cheese
whole wheat tortillas

Brown the ground beef, then add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until soft.  Once soft, add the black beans, chili powder, salt, pepper, and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  In a 9X13 casserole pan, spread 1/3 of the taco sauce on the bottom and cover with tortillas.  Add 1/3 sauce on top, then add the beef mixture, sour cream, corn, 1/2 of the cheese and top with another layer of tortillas.  Top with the rest of the sauce and cheese and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

SIGN THE PETITION

I've been watching "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution."  I went to his website this morning and saw that he has a petition you can sign.  He's trying to get as many signatures as possible and then present this to the government to try to get them to change what's going in school lunches.  Here is a link to sign the petition:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition

Lentils and Rice Pilaf

This is the homemade version - no box!  I sauteed 1 chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 handfuls of baby carrots in olive oil.  Then I added 1c basmati rice and toasted it.  I had precooked 1c lentils for 20 minutes and added those in along with 2 1/2c water, 1/2tsp thyme, and 1tsp basil.  I brought this to a boil and simmered for 20 minutes.  When there were about 5 minutes left, I added 1c frozen peas.  When I served this to my son, he said "mmmm, this looks wonderful."  He's so funny!

Baked Spaghetti

I have a lot to catch up on.  Tonight was an easy meal, but with something special!  I browned a pound of Italian Sausage and added a jar of Roasted Garlic spaghetti sauce.  I mixed this with 3/4lb spaghetti that I boiled for 5 minutes.  I topped it with mozzarella cheese and baked for about 20 minutes on 375. 

For the special part, I made a salad.  I used some leftover spring mix, but added spinach and arugula from my garden!  For the dressing, I mixed the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil, and a few chopped sprigs lemon thyme from my garden!  Yea, I actually used something from my garden!

Pulled Pork Pitas

I ran out of tortilla shells, so I used leftover pulled pork to make a pita.  I stuffed half a whole wheat pita with cheese, pork, cole slaw, and cilantro.  Delicious!

Pulled Pork Tacos

I helped my sister make some coleslaw on Thursday night and mixed it with some leftover pulled pork that she had made.  It was so good, I had to make my own!  I bought a 2 1/2lb pork shoulder and cut it into big chunks.  I made a rub for the chunks out of:

1tsp dried oregano
1tsp chipotle chili powder
1tsp ground cumin
2tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

I covered the pork with the rub and browned it on all sides in a dutch oven.  Once it was browned, I added:

1 cubed onion
4 smashed garlic cloves
1c chicken stock
1small can tomato sauce
1T blue agave (or honey)
juice of 1 orange and 1 lime

I brought all this to a simmer, then covered it and put it in the oven at 325 for 1 hour 45 minutes.  Once it was done, I took out the meat and skimmed the fat off the top of the sauce.  I brought the mixture to a simmer and let it simmer about 10 minutes while I shredded the pork.  Once the pork was shredded I strained the sauce and poured it over the meat.  It was then ready for the tacos.

I prepped my family that there were some ingredients in these tacos that they might not like, but that they needed to try it because everything complements each other and tastes out of this world!

I warmed some whole wheat tortillas, then topped them with a touch of sour cream, then pork, shredded cheese, "Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw", and cilantro.  They were sooo good!  The recipe for the coleslaw is below:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/sweet-and-spicy-coleslaw-recipe/index.html

Santa Fe Soup

I made this for my kids birthday parties, but never posted it!  My mom was asking for the recipe, so I thought I'd put it on here and she could get it then! 

2lb ground beef
1 diced onion
1can black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans
2 cans corn, drained (I used Mexican corn that had red and green bell peppers in it)
1 can tomatoes and green chilis
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans water
2 pkgs Ranch mix
2 pkgs taco seasoning

Brown and drain the beef and onion.  Add everything together either in a crock pot or large pot.  Cook until done!  It's pretty easy and very tasty!

White Bean, Sausage, Kale and Tortellini Soup

My daughter found the container of White Bean, Sausage, and Kale soup in the freezer the other day and really wanted it for dinner.  When I made it in January, there were a lot of leftovers, so I froze it for another great soup day!  There wasn't quite enough left for all 5 of us, so I added 2 cups of chicken stock, let it come to a simmer and added a few handfuls of tortellini.  My daughter thought it was Minestrone, even though it's a lot different of a soup!  It was a good way to transform my leftovers!

Roasted Shrimp

I was pretty impressed with this one - great flavor.  I first made my "marinade."  I put about 1/4c olive oil, 2tsp lemon juice, 1T dijon mustard, a splash of Pinot Grigio, 1 large clove garlic, minced, and salt and pepper in a bowl and wisked it together.  Then I peeled and took the tails off 1lb shrimp and mixed them into the sauce.  I accidentally bought the large shrimp, which are NOT large.  They end up being bite size.  So, we just ate a lot of them!  I put them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  This was really only because I made this mixture right before a babysitting kid got picked up and I didn't want to put them in the oven until after they left.  so, I'm not sure that this step added anything.  I roasted the shrimp at 400 for about 10 minutes, until they were pink.  We ate this with leftover Quinoa Pilaf and some of the shrimp sauce mixed in with the quinoa and that was really good!  I think the next time I make quinoa, I'm going to pour this sauce over it!

Quinoa Pilaf

I found a huge bag of organic quinoa when I made my first trip to Costco a few weeks ago and have been very excited to use it!  I've only ever been able to find it in the bulk section at Whole Foods before, so I only ever have a little bit.  The bag describes it as more of a side dish, but since it's such a great source of protein, this was our main course today.

I sauteed 1 small onion, diced, 2 celery stalks, and a handful of baby carrots, both chopped on medium in some olive oil.  Once they were soft, I added 1 chopped clove garlic and 1c quinoa.  I toasted the quinoa for a minute, then added 2 cups vegetable stock and 1tsp thyme.  I brought this to a boil, them simmered, covered for 20 minutes.  While this was simmering, I chopped 1/2c walnuts.  I chopped these pretty finely.  I wanted the kids to have the crunch of them, but to still be able to basically swallow them without chewing.  Once the quinoa was done, I fluffed and stirred in the walnuts.  I think we are going to have the leftovers for a side dish tonight!

Tuna Salad

I  love tuna salad, but I usually don't remember to get all of the ingredients, so I never make it.  I use 3 hard boiled eggs (it's a lot of egg, but that's how I love it), 2 stalks celery chopped, and 2 cans drained white tuna.  I only use white tuna, basically just because.  Eating meat out of a can, in general, weirds me out a little and I don't like seeing too much color.  It's just one of my many quirks.  But I love tuna salad, so just the white meat for me!  I topped all of this with a squirt (about 1T) of Grey Poupon Hearty Brown Mustard (this is my new favorite dijon), a few quirts of mayo (just depends on how mayo-y you like yours), a splash of lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Don't underestimate the power of the salt and pepper.  I made this for years without the salt and pepper and thought it was good.  Then after watching the Food Network for years and years and watching them salt and pepper everything, I decided to give it a try.  It really does bring out all of the great flavors and also help to meld them together into deliciousness!  I stuffed mine into a whole wheat pita for lunch today, but usually it's just between 2 slices of plain old wheat bread.

On a side note...apparently my kids and the babysitting kids love honeydew!  I bought one yesterday and my son and I cut it up this morning.  I gave the kids their lunch and I didn't hear 1 peep while I got mine together.  They were all eating leftovers, so I don't think it was their main dish that made them so happy!

Roasted Artichokes

Great side dish and so easy to make!  I drained a can of quartered artichokes, drizzled them with olive oil, salted and peppered them, and roasted at 400 for about 20 minutes.  I only use canned artichokes for 2 reasons...1) I LOVE the flavor of the brine and 2) I bought, cut, and prepared 2 fresh artichokes a while ago and they didn't taste good, took a lot of work, and there wasn't much to show for it!  Canned are the way to go!

Southwest Pasta Bake

I knew that I wouldn't feel like cooking when we got back in town last night, so I bought a box dinner from Wal-Mart.  It was Southwestern Chicken Pasta Bake and was actually really good.  While I was eating it, I thought that it might be easy to make into a vegatarian dish.  So I got up from the table and started!  I had leftover salsa and velveeta that I melted together with some milk.  I'm not sure how much of each - probably about 1c salsa and 1c cubed Velveeta.  I just added enough milk to make it saucy.  I added 1 can rinsed and drained black beans, 1c corn, and a little less than 1/2 lb cooked whole wheat macaroni.  I mixed it all together, topped it with cheese, and put it in the refrigerator for lunch today.  I baked it for about 30 minutes on 400 (although I think my oven's 400 is really about 350).  It probably could use some cumin or chili powder or something to give it more flavor, but it was pretty good for just throwing it together!

Tortellini Minestrone

Well, that's a title!  I raided my refrigerator for vegetables today and came up with a great soup.  Probably not the best weather for soup, as it's nearly 70 right now, but still good!  I sauteed 4 chopped scallions, a handful of baby carrots and some zucchini for about 5 minutes.  I didn't want them completely softened.  Then I added 2 cloves chopped garlic and sauteed for another minute.  I added 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 rinsed and drained can cannellini beans, 2tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1 qt vegetable stock.  I brought this up to a boil and added about 1/2 bag of tortellini.  I lowered the temperature to a simmer and cooked until the tortellini was floating, about 5 minutes.  Yummy!

Pesto Breakfast Quesadilla

I used up some leftovers for lunch today and it turned into something pretty good.  We went out to dinner last night and the kids both got cheese quesadillas.  I warmed these up in the oven and made some scrambled eggs while they were warming.  I added a spoonful of leftover Spinach Pesto (recipe is listed earlier) to the eggs while I was mixing them.  I topped the warmed quesadillas with the scrambled eggs.  I also added some leftover bacon to some of them.  I put them back in the oven for about 5 minutes, just to let everything get happy together!  The eggs were sooo good with the pesto!

Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce

This is an easy one, right out of the jar!  I browned a pound of Bob Evans Italian Sausage, drained it, and added a jar of Vodka sauce.  I think I usually use Classico, but Bertolli was all that Wal-Mart had.  I mixed it with 3/4lb of spaghetti and dinner was served!  I've actually served this over cauliflower, and it was also delicious and filling. 

Chicken Chili

Last night I finally made Chicken Chili.  Ever since my sister's boyfriend made it in February, I've been trying to remember to put it on my menu!  Here's what I used:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jar salsa (however hot you like)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1tsp dried oregano
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn

I salted and peppered the chicken, then browned in olive oil in my dutch oven.  When they browned, I took them out and sauteed the onion and garlic.  When they were soft, I added the salsa, crushed tomatoes, oregano and brought it up to a simmer.  I added the chicken back in and simmered for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken was cooked through.  Then I took out the chicken and added the beans and corn.  They cooked while I shredded the chicken.  I added the chicken back in and we were ready to eat. 

Black Bean Fajita Quesadillas

Everyone loves a quesadilla!  For today's quesadillas, I sauteed 1 sliced onion, 1 clove garlic, and 2 peppers.  I used a red and an orange pepper.  When they were about halfway soft, I added 1 can rinsed and drained black beans, 1/2 coriander, and 3/4 tsp cumin.  I sauteed for just a couple minutes more until the beans were warmed.  I took out a portion for my quesadilla, then I added about 1/2 c salsa.  I wanted the kids to get the benefits of the salsa, without making a mess on their quesadilla.  Then I put a whole wheat tortilla on top and waited until it was ready to flip.  When mine was done, I topped it with sour cream and salsa, but the kids I left plain. 

Buffalo Wings

We threw a surprise anniversary party for my parents this past weekend.  My sister and I made homemade wings on Thursday, then warmed them in a crockpot for the party on Saturday.  My other sister's boyfriend made the sauces, but the actual method we used for the wings worked really well.  It was pretty simple.  Thaw the frozen wings - this is an important step!  My sister and I are not super scientists and forgot what happens when water mixes with oil.  We had to unthaw our wings in the oven, after making a HUGE mess.  Season the wings with Lawrey's or any other seasoned salt.  We fried them at 375 for about 6-8 minutes, or until they floated.  The color was perfect and they tasted exactly like restaraunt wings.  You could add sauce and eat immediately.  Since we were doing this work ahead, we put them in crock pots.  They weren't crispy when we ate them, but they did not get soggy and tasted excellent at the party!

Tomato Soup with Black Beans

I loved that homemade tomato soup so much, I had to make it again.  This time I added black beans.  I sauteed 1 chopped onion, a handful of baby carrots chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 red pepper chopped.  Once they were soft, I added 1 can whole tomatoes, a few shakes of crushed red pepper, and 1c vegetable stock.  I simmered this for 20 minutes, then added 1c whole milk.  I blended it with my immersion blender, then added 1 can rinsed and drained black beans and simmered it together for another 15 minutes.  We had cheese quesadillas with it, which were really good.

Chicken with Smoked Gouda and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I came across some Smoked Gouda when I was getting groceries last night and knew I need to make something with it.  I salted and peppered 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts then browned them in olive oil on both sides.  When they were browned, I deglazed the pan with 1/2c white wine.  I used a Sauvignon Blanc because I thought a sweet wine would go well with the Gouda.  I wanted Riesling, but of course, didn't have any!  The Sauvignon Blanc was great.  I let the wine reduce for a few minutes, then added 1c chicken stock.  I was going to add heavy cream, but when I measured it out (which I usually don't do, I just pour it in), it had curdled!  Good thing I measured! 

In a separate bowl, I shredded 1c of the smoked gouda and mixed with 1/2c chopped sundried tomatoes.  I pressed this mixture into the chicken, then baked for about 20 minutes at 350.  This step didn't turn out like I had planned.  I thought the cheese would get melty and mix with the stock and wine and make a really great sauce.  It just kind of melted a little where it was and even browned a little bit.  So, when the chicken was done, I took it out of the pan and sliced it up.  The cheese all fell off the chicken, so I just added it to the sauce.  I turned the heat on under the sauce and wisked in all of cheese.  It melted and then turned into a delicious sauce!!!  I think the next time I make it, I will add some more liquid (maybe stock, cream, or the next best thing - whole milk) and use my immersion blender.  There were chunks of sundried tomatoes in it, which were good, but I think they would also be good blended up....

Tortellini and White Bean Soup

We also made a delicious soup for lunch on Friday!  It was good eats all week!  For the soup, I sauteed the following vegetables in olive oil:

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots
2 stalks celery

Once they were soft, I added 2quarts vegetable stock and brought it up to a simmer.  I added 1 whole bag of cheese tortellini and 1 can rinsed and drained white beans.  I think it would have been better with 2 cans of beans, but I only had 1 on hand.  (Do you see a pattern where I never have the things I need in my pantry?!)  I cooked the tortellini for about 5 minutes according to the package directions, then added 1 bag spinach.  I stirred up the spinach to wilt, then we ate! 

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

I have tried many times to make pork tenderloin, but it always came out dry.  I started the South Beach diet about a year ago, and made the pork tenderloin according to their directions and it came out perfect!  I use the same method everytime now, I just change up the glaze.

The method:
Spread 1T olive oil all over the tenderloin, then liberally salt and pepper.  Place under the broiler until brown and crusty on all sides.  This will take different amounts of time depending on whether you are using the whole tenderloin or just the center cut.  Once it is browned, take it out, spread the glaze on all sides, and bake at 350 until the center registers 150 on a meat thermometer.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing.  It will come out perfect everytime!

The glaze: 
This week, for the glaze, I finely chopped 2 cloves garlic.  Then I added about 1/2c sour cream and 2T dijon mustard.  Usually I add Herbs de Provence, but somehow they got lost in the move!  So, I added about 2t dried rosemary, and 1t dried thyme.  I've used fresh and it is just as good, but I didn't plan ahead, so I had no fresh on hand.  You use just need to use more if you use fresh.  Then I added salt and pepper and just a splash of red wine to thin it out. 

Scallops Provencal

Friday was seafood night, so we went with Barefoot Contessa (my mother's idol!) and her Scallops Provencal.  There is A LOT of butter in this dish, but soooo well worth it!  As a side, I made Spaghetti with and Arugula Butter sauce.  In case you're wondering, we did not weigh ourselves after this meal!

For the pasta, I boiled box whole wheat spaghetti.  While that was cooking, I melted 1/2 stick of butter over low heat.  I added about 1c arugula and 1 1/2tsp pepper.  I folded the arugula into the butter to wilt it.  When the pasta was done, I added it to the pan along with a lot of grated parmesan.  I mixed it all together and added about 2 ladles of pasta water, just to make it creamier.  We served the scallops on the spaghetti and poured some of the scallop sauce on it as well.  My 2 year old son ate 6 scallops!!! 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/scallops-provencal-recipe/index.html

Chicken, Artichoke, and Cannellini Bean Spezzitino

My mom was here last week, so we cooked lots of great food.  I didn't have time to post it all, so here goes!  We both DVR Giada at Home, and saw the Spezzitino that she made last Saturday and thought we had to have it!  We made it exactly like her directions, except for 2 things.  I forgot to buy tomato paste, so before adding any liquid, I added a little bit of flour and make a roux.  Then I added a can of diced tomatoes along with all of the liquids.  We also used  a can of drained artichoke hearts because we couldn't find frozen artichokes and we both LOVE the taste of the brine.  As always with Giada, this was delicious!!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-artichoke-and-cannellini-bean-spezzatino-recipe/index.html

Spinach Ravioli with Pesto

Today's lunch was very simple, but very delicious!  I boiled a pack of Spinach and Cheese Ravioli according to the directions.  When it was about done, I added in 1c peas and boiled for another couple minutes.  I drained them and put everything back in my pot.  I added 1/2 jar of pesto and about 1/4 cup or so chopped roasted red peppers.  The kids loved it!!!  I also thought it was delicious - I think peas and pesto are one of the best combinations ever!

Pot Roast with Onion Gravy

Another meal inspired by Giada, therefore another great meal!

Here are the ingredients:

5lb chuck roast
olive oil
2 onions chopped
1handful baby carrots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1c dry red wine
1 3/4c beef stock
1/2tsp rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350.  Heat olive oil in a heavy bottom oven-safe dutch oven.  Liberally salt and pepper the roast and brown on all sides.  This will create a crust and make great flavor for the sauce!  It will take about 10 minutes to brown.  Remove the roast and add the onion and carrots.  Saute until tender, then add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.  Deglaze the pan with the wine and allow to boil for 1 minute.  Add he beef stock and return to a boil (Giada added dried porcini mushrooms at this point, but I don't like mushrooms).  Put the roast back in, cover, and put in the oven.  Braise the meat for about 3 hours, or until tender and juicy.  Flip the roast halfway through.  Once the meat is tender, take out of the oven and pull out the roast.  Let the roast sit for about 15 minutes, tented.  Skim the fat off the sauce in the pan, add the rosemary, then blend in the blender or use an immersion blender.  Giada says to slice the roast and serve with the gravy, but my roast was so tender, it wouldn't actually slice.  I added it back in to the gravy and served it over brown rice.  It was delicious! 

Pizza

Last night, I made homemade pizza.  We love homemade pizza!  You have to plan, though, so that you're not starting the crust when you're ready to eat!

For the crust:
1c whole wheat flou
1c flour
1tsp salt
3T olive oil
2tsp dry yeast
3/4c warm water (105-110 degrees)

Combine the water and the yeast and let sit until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  Mix the flour, salt, and olive oil in a food processor.  Add the yeast/water mixture and blend just until it combines.  Pour out onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball, about 1 minute.  Put the ball in a greased bowl and let rise until it is doubled in size.  Punch down and you're ready for pizza!  Depending on the size of your pan, this will make 1 or 2 crusts.  I use the rectangular Pampered Chef stone (it's easier to roll out than the round one!) and this will make 1 crust.  It's kind of in the middle of a thick and thin crust which my family really likes.

I topped with sauce, pepperoni, and the 1/2lb of spicy sausage I had leftover from Saturday's tomato soup.  Then I added cheese and sprinkled with pepper and Italian seasoning.  I baked for about 20 minutes at 425.  Let it sit for 5 minutes before you cut it.

Tomato Soup

As promised, I tried to make tomato soup like I had last weekend.  I don't think I made it exactly like he did, but it was very tasty!

First, I browned 1/2lb of Bob Evans Hot Sausage.  Last weekend, my sister's boyfriend used Chorizo, but my neighborhood Kroger did not have any this morning, so hot sausage it was.  I browned it a bit past done because I wanted it to be crispy.  When it was done, I took it out of the pan and let it sit on paper towels to drain some of the grease.

I added olive oil to my pot and sweat 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, a handful of baby carrots (I will never use big carrots because I use baby carrots for so many other things, I can't find a reason to buy big ones), a poblano pepper, and 2 cloves garlic.  I think last weekend, my sister's BF used a jalepeno or maybe chipotle in adobo, but I like the flavor of poblanos and I didn't really care if it was a little less spicy.  Once the veggies were soft, I added 1 big can of peeled, whole tomatoes and 1 pint of veggie stock.  I brought it to a boil then lowered the temperature and simmered it for about 20 minutes.

While this was simmering, I prepared grilled cheese for broiling.  I used sourdough bread (no ciabbatta at Kroger) with cheddar and muenster cheese - delicious!

When the soup was done simmering, I chopped a handful of cilantro, added it to the pot, and then blended it all with my immersion blender.  I turned the heat off and melted in about 4oz goat cheese - wow, this makes it so creamy and really cuts the chance of it being too spicy.  I stirred in the sausage bits and everyone loved it!

Flatbread Pizza with Ricotta, Peas, and Roasted Red Peppers

Another day where it's 11:00 and I have no idea what we're having for lunch.  I really need to plan better.  Here's what I found:

1 whole wheat flatbread pizza, spread about 1/4 - 1/2 cup ricotta cheese all over.  This is not an easy task!  Ricotta doesn't like to spread.  Sprinkled frozen peas and diced roasted red peppers.  I have always thought of roasted red peppers as kind of a garnish, but if you read the label, they're full of vitamin A, C, and iron!  Then I topped with mozzarella cheese and baked at 350 until everything was done. 

The kids ate this really well, and I thought it was pretty good too.  Peas and roasted red peppers really go well together.  I'll have to think of more ways to combo them.

Balsamic BLT

When my husband got home from work tonight, I told him that we were having "fancy" BLT's because I didn't have the right stuff for regular BLT's.  Ironic that it's easier to make something "fancy" than it is to make it regular.

I baked my bacon in the oven at 400 until it was done.  This usually takes about 20 minutes or so.  It's a lot easier than frying it in a pan.  I use my Pampered Chef large bar pan and it works really well.  While the bacon was cooking, I sliced my tomato and got my bread ready.  I didn't have any leaf lettuce or iceberg, so I had to use a spring mix salad for the "L".  This is why it is a fancy BLT.  I mixed mayo and balsamic along with salt and pepper.  This is one of my favorite salad dressings anyway, but I thought if I used a mayo based salad dressing, it would take the place of the mayo on the sandwich.  I tossed my salad in the dressing and I was ready!

I toasted the bread, then topped with bacon, salad and tomatoes.  They were really good!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

Per IHOP, today is National Pancake Day!!!  So, we had breakfast for lunch today.  I really like pumpkin pancakes from restaurants, but I'm having trouble coming up with my own recipe.  These were good, but just not the same as IHOP's!  Here are the ingredients:

1c oatmeal
2c boiling water
3/4tsp salt
1tsp pumpkin pie spice
1T baking powder
2tsp sugar
1/2c pumpkin
1tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3T oil
3/4c flour

Add the boiling water to the oatmeal and let cool.  Once it has cooled, mix in the rest of the ingredients and fry up!

Penne with Sausage, Artichokes, & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This recipe mostly came from my Giada's Family Dinners cookbook.  I just have to say that I have loved every single thing I have ever made from any of Giada's cookbooks - so, if it's from her book, it has to be good!

First I browned and broke up a 2ft section of Winner's smoked sausage in olive oil.  I have no idea where else you can get sausage like this.  It's in the casing and purchased from the butcher.  Now that I live in the city, I haven't actually ever been to a "butcher market", so maybe they have sausage like this there.  After the sausage was browned, I took it out and added 1/2c sliced sun-dried tomatoes and 2 cloves garlic, minced.  I let them cook for a few minutes, then added 1 can drained artichoke hearts.  After they cooked together for a minute, I added 1/2c white wine, 1c chicken broth, a few pinches of crushed red pepper, and about 1/2tsp dried basil.  This started to boil and I let it simmer while I boiled 1/2 box of whole wheat penne. 

Just before the penne was done, I added the sausage back in, then added the penne.  I sprinkled about 1/2c parmesan cheese and mixed it all in.  The whole house smelled sooo good and it tasted just as good - well done, again, Giada!!!!!

Here is a link to Giada's recipe from Food Network.  This is just a bit different from the cookbook.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/fusilli-with-sausage-artichokes-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

Grilled Cheese

We celebrated my husband's and my birthdays today at my sister's house.  There are now too many people in the family to go out to dinner, so my sisters and I are hosting each other's birthday parties.  My sister said her boyfriend deserved all of the credit for the meal today - she only did the shopping.  The menu was grilled cheese and tomato soup and chili.  Ordinary you may think, but ordinary it was not!  I am going to make the chili and tomato soup at some point in the near future so I will not post those yet, but the grilled cheese was so innovative that I have to post!

For the bread, he used Ciabatta.  He sliced it openand buttered both sides.  Then he put the bread, buttered side down, on a baking sheet and topped with pepper jack, American, and cheddar cheese.  He put the baking sheets under the broiler until the cheese was melted and the buttered side got crispy.  Then, he put the sandwiches together with the outsides of the bread becoming the middle of the bread - how creative!  They were do delicious.  The outside was crispy and buttery and the inside was ooey gooey cheesy.  He also made bacon cheddar grilled cheese.  I saved these for the boys, but they were also a hit, of course!

Shrimp and Zucchinni in a White Wine Cream Sauce

I feel like it's not fair that I'm writing about food when I'm so starving!  I don't remember fasting on Ash Wednesday being this hard when I was younger - hmmmmm, less self'control now?  Anyway, Lent has officially begun, so much more seafood!  I thawed a bag of peeled and deveined jumbo sized shrimp, then took the tails off.  I know for presentation purposes and maybe other reasons, you're supposed to keep the tails on.  I find it really annoying picking the tails off after they've been cooked, and I have to take the tails off when I dish up all of the kids plates, so I just think it's easier to do it before cooking them!  I dried the shrimp off and salted and peppered them.  I had been heating up a skillet with olive oil and 2 cloves sliced garlic.  I wanted the garlic to flavor the oil, so it was on pretty low.  I raised the temp and added the shrimp.  When the shrimp were almost cooked through, I took them out and added 2 diced zucchinni (1 yellow, 1 green).  I salted and peppered the zucchinni.  While the zucchinni was cooking, I boiled 1/2lb of rotini.  When the zucchinni was done, I took it out and added it to the shrimp.  I deglazed the pan with about 3/4c white wine and let it reduce.  Once it was reduced I added 1c heavy cream and added the shrimp and veggies back in.  When the rotini was done, I added it to the rest and when it was all warm, we dined!  There were no leftovers, so I couldn't take a picture! 

Country Fried Chicken

Since last night was Mardi Gras, I decided something fried was definitely in order!  I actually only used 3 chicken breasts and fed 6 people (2 were kids, but still) - none of us went hungry!  I pounded the breasts to about 1/4in thick and cut each in half, so I had 6 pieces.  I coated them in flour then egg, then the secret ingredient!  The 3rd breading is saltine crackers.  I used my food processor to crush 2 sleeves of saltines and added pepper and Lawrey's.  The saltines really are the best breading.  I then pan fried them in just enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  I fried the breasts in 2 batches and then I poured out most of the oil through a strainer.  I wanted to save the little fried bits for the gravy.  I put the breasts in the oven to keep warm while I made the gravy.  I added about 2tbs of flour to the remaining oil and wisked it for about a minute.  I added 1 cup of chicken broth and wisked some more.  Then I added 1c whole milk, some pepper and a bullion cube.  I brought this to a boil and once it was thick, we were ready for dinner.  I made mashed potatoes and broccoli to serve with the chicken.  I topped the chicken with some gravy as well as the mashed potatoes - ahhh, a good Mardi Gras!

Chili Cheese Potato Skins

I reheated my daughter's leftover baked potato from Montgomery Inn on Friday.  As she was eating it, I was thinking about a way that I could make potato skins as a whole vegetarian meal and thought - add chili!  So, early this morning I scrubbed 5 red skinned potatoes, wrapped them in foil, and baked them at 350 for 1 hour.  While the potatoes were baking, I made the chili.  I sauteed 1 chopped onion.  I added 1 clove chopped garlic and sauteed for another minute.  Then I added 1 can chili beans and 1 can rinsed and drained black beans.  I mixed in about 3/4tsp cumin and chili powder and about 1/2tsp oregano.   I added a can of diced tomatoes and let it simmer until it was nice and thick.  When the potatoes were done, I turned the burner off on the chili and let it stand about 1 hour before I assembled the skins.  This helped it get even thicker.  After the potatoes had cooled, I cut them in half and scooped out about 1/2 of the potato.  I wanted some potato in there for the nutrients, but also so my skins didn't fall apart!  I topped with a couple spoonfuls of chili and a mound of cheddar cheese.  I baked them for about 15 minutes on 350 until the cheese was melted and everything was warm.

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Back in December, I flew with my 2 daughters to Nashville for a visit with my college roommate and her family.  The man I sat next to on the plane was reading Food and Wine magazine and I couldn't help but read over his shoulder!  I saw a recipe for Black Bean and Quinoa salad and almost asked him if I could tear that page out.  I wasn't able to read the whole recipe and was kind of sad about it.  Lo and behold, my mom just started subscribing to the magazine and the issue that I was looking at was the first one she received!  So, I was able to read the recipe.

I first learned of quinoa when I was making my own baby food.  The cookbook not only had recipes, but described what nutrients were in the ingredients it called for.  There was a recipe for a Zucchinni and Quinoa pilaf.  Quinoa is a seed that tastes like a grain, but is a "perfect protein." 

To make the salad, I brought about 1c water to a boil and added about 3/4c quinoa.  I turned the temp to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes.  It only needed fluffed with a fork when I finished.  I mixed this with 1 can rinsed and drained black beans and 1 diced red bell pepper. 

For the dressing, I mixed a few shakes of red wine vinegar, lemon juice (no actual lemons on hand), salt, pepper, coriander (no cilantro on hand either), cumin, and 1 clove minced garlic.  I wisked in olive oil until it was creamy.  I poured this over the salad and stirred it all together.  I thought it was need to cool, so I made it early so it can "marinate" for a little bit before lunch, but I tasted this warm and it was delicious!

Update:  When I ate it for lunch, I decided that this would be better warm than as a "salad."  I think the next time I make it, I will saute the peppers to soften them. 

Banana Bread

We had some "rotten" bananas, so I decided to make Banana bread - one of my favorites.  The ingredients are:

1 stick butter
1c sugar
2 eggs
1tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2c flour
1tsp vanilla
3-4 ripe bananas, smashed with a fork

Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix.  To experiment (and because I ran out of all purpose), I used 1c all purpose flour and 1c whole wheat flour and I couldn't tell the difference!  If you are a fan of tasting batter, this batter tastes excellent after mixing all of the dry ingredients and after adding the vanilla - I do this in 2 separate steps.  Once the vanilla is added, mix in the bananas.  The batter no longer tastes good!  Pour into a greased and floured bread pan and bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes. 

Black Bean and Corn Pita

We closed on our house today, so it was a quick lunch and leftovers for dinner.  For lunch today, I opened the whole wheat pitas and put a couple spoonfuls of black beans, corn, and a handful of cheese.  I microwaved for 30 seconds and they cheese was melted and they were nice and gooey!  I cut them up and the kids loved them!

Minestrone

We had minestrone for lunch today.  I'm not a huge fan of vegetable soup, and I've never made minestrone before, so I didn't have high hopes.  I started by sauteeing an onion, 2 stalks celery, and a handful of baby carrots, all chopped.  Once they were soft, I added 3 cloves garlic.  Then I added 1/2 bag spinach, 2 chopped potatoes and 1 chopped zucchini.  I sauteed these for about 5 minutes then added 1 can diced tomatoes, rosemary, 1 qt (minus 1/2c) vegetable stock and a bean mixture (I pureed about 3/4 cannelini beans with 1/2c vegetable stock and 2T parmesan cheese).  I simmered this for about 15 minutes then added 1 can canellini beans and the remainder of the can from the pureed mixture.  This cooked for about 5 minutes and we ate!

Roman Style Chicken with Spaghetti

I have 2 of Giada's cookbooks and have made lots of recipes from them, but this one is a favorite.  I have made it a couple times using the cookbook, now I kind of just make an "inspired" version.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/roman-style-chicken-recipe/index.html

Here's what I did.  I sauteed 1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper- sliced.  I added 2 cloves chopped garlic and shredded chicken from the rotisserie chicken.  I added 1/2c white wine, 1/2c chicken stock, and 1 can fire roated diced tomatoes.  I also added thyme and rosemary.  I let this simmer together while I boiled my water and made spaghetti.  When the spaghetti was almost done, I added 2T capers.  I mixed in the spaghetti and we ate!  Delicious!

Chicken Florentine Fritatta

I bought a rotisserie chicken and used it for 2 meals.  For brunch on Sunday, I wanted to make a fritatta.  So, I shredded about 1 cup of the chicken.  I melted 2T butter and added the chicken, 1 clove garlic, and 1/2 bag of spinach.  In a bowl, I combined about 1c milk, 6 eggs, and abut 1/4c parmesan cheese.  I wisked it all together and added it to the skillet with the chicken.  I put it in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes.  My daughter wasn't the biggest fan, but I thought it was pretty good.  I've even been eating the leftovers for breakfast. 

Macaroni and Cheese

My grandma bought me "The Basics and More" cookbook for my bridal shower a few years ago.  I have gotten many great recipes from it, but the best is probably the macaroni and cheese - although I changed it a little bit!  Here are the ingredients:

1lb macaroni
1 stick butter
1/2c flour
salt & pepper
1qt milk (whole milk really makes it richer, but skim is also good!)
1 1/2lbs Velveeta

Boil the macaroni according to the package directions.  Melt the butter then add the flour to make a roux.  I add the salt and pepper here.  Cook the flour for just a minute then add the milk.  I usually add about 1 c of the milk and wisk it with the flour.  If you add it all at once, it's hard to get the roux to mix in without being lumpy.  Heat the sauce until it's almost boiling - you dont' want it to actually boil, though.  When there are bubbles forming on the outside, it's probably hot enough.  Add the Velveeta and stir until it melts.  Mix in the macaroni and bake at 325 for 45 minutes.  You can also put this in the crockpot and just put on low.  For lunch sometimes, I mix in peas, carrots, and corn.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

For lunch today, I made Lentil Shepherd's Pie.  I boiled the lentils earlier in the morning for 40 minutes and drained them.  I just let them sit on the stove once they were done.  To start the lentil mixture, I sauteed and onion and 1 clove minced garlic.  Then I added the lentils, a can of diced tomatoes (with their juice), and a little less than half a can of tomato paste.  I simmered this for a couple minutes, then I put it in the bottom of a casserole dish.  I topped it with frozen peas and carrots.  Then I used the leftover tater tots (I know, genius!) from last night.  I added some cheddar and baked it for 15 minutes at 350.  I'm not sure how close this actually is to Shepherd's Pie, but it is inspired by it!

Garlic Dijon Aioli

I decided to my deep fryer the other night.  It's been packed away for a while, but now that I have a bigger kitchen, I have room for it!  I thought after a healthy meal of salmon, beans, and spinach, I would follow up with fried food!  So, I made chicken fingers, broccoli, and cauliflower.  They were pretty basic, but I did double bread all of them.  A lot of people on the food network have been frying stuff lately, and they all seem to think double-breading is the answer, so I tried it and yes, it works very well.  The breading stayed on and tasted delicious!

I decided to create a dip, though, you know, to make it healthier!  So, I minced as finely as I could, 3 cloves garlic.  Then I added a splash of lemon juice and equal parts dijon mustard and mayo - about 1/4c or so of each.  I've made something like this before and the kind of dijon you use, actually makes a big difference.  I used Grey Poupon and it is the "Hearty Brown Mustard."  I mixed it all together and we dipped.  At first taste, it was really good, but the more I dipped, the more I decided there was too much mustard.  So, when I put the leftovers in the container, I added more mayo.  I had the leftovers for lunch and the dip was much better with the extra mayo.

Salmon with Cannellini Beans and Spinach

We actually had a real meal last night!  My family was very excited.  I buy a marinated salmon from Sam's club that is so good, I find no reason to try to make anything on my own.  I think the brand is Morey's.  There are 6 fillets in the pack, which used to work out perfect for us, but now that my son is starting to eat more and more, he may need his own fillet!  I decided to "invent" something for our side that combined some of my favorites.  I started by cooking 1/2lb bacon sliced.  While I was doing this, a new neighbor decided to stop by and stay forever!  My smoke alarm actually went off and she still wouldn't leave!!!!  Anyway, the bacon turned out fine.  I took it out of the skillet, so it would stay crispy.  I also drained out the grease.  I'm all for using the bacon fat for some things, but not this dish.  I added some olive oil and 2 cloves garlic, chopped.  If I had had a shallot or a red onion, I would have sauteed those, but of course, I did not.  So, after I sauteed the garlic for about a minute I added 1 can drained and rinsed cannellini beans and 1c chicken broth and some fresh ground pepper.  I scraped up the bits on the bottom of the pan and let this simmer for about 5 minutes, just to let the beans soften a little and the chicken broth reduce.  Then I added 1 box of drained, frozen spinach.  I broke it apart and mixed it all together.  I added a splash of whole milk (again, I would have used heavy cream if I had any, but whole milk was the closest!) and some grated parmesan cheese.  Right before serving, I mixed in the bacon.  My husband thought it was delicious (he'll eat ANYTHING that has bacon)!!

Lentil Stew

This is actually the lunch lady's sister. I recently took a lentil stew recipe and added a few twists to make it my own. It was a big hit with my boyfriend (who I think is hard to impress!) so I wanted to share it with everyone. I'm a big fan of www.allrecipes.com to get ideas for creations so when I decided I wanted to make a lentil soup/stew I went there to first learn how to cook lentils. I found a really great recipe called Argentine Lentil stew and it struck my interest because it contained barbeque sauce, which I thought sounded quite tasty. My stew ended up a bit more soupy, but it was still delicious. I cooked a cup of lentils in about a quart of water (I didn't measure, probably why it was a little runnier) and then I added carrots, one onion, a poblano pepper, a couple chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, a can of chick peas and one apple. For my barbeque sauce, I filled a 1/4 cup almost full of barbeque sauce and then I added some of the adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers. Then I added pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and a lot of salt! I used two types of salt (they can found at giant eagle), smoked salt and pink himalayan salt. I don't really know if it made a difference but I'd like to think it did. After letting it simmer for a while I noticed it wasn't really that thick so I added about a half cup or so of applesauce and a cornstarch and water mixture. That helped with the texture. Even as a soup, this was really tasty! And it's super easy to make your own!

Baked Spaghetti with Ricotta

Last night was a busy night.  I had a chiropractor appointment at 5:30 and teach (well, aide) religion class at 6:00.  I knew I was going to be late to both, even though we ate dinner at 4:45!  I boiled a 1/2 box of whole wheat spaghetti.  I drained it and saved 1c of the pasta water.  I mixed the pasta water and 1c ricotta cheese in with the noodles.  Then I topped it with a jar of marinara and some shredded mozzarella.  I baked it at 400 for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the sauce is heated through.  Serve with a salad and you're done!  I didn't have time to add ground beef, so the ricotta served as my protein in this meal.  I don't think it's my family's favorite spaghetti, but it was pretty good.

Chicken Pesto Tortellini

This might just be the easiest thing I have ever made, but it was a big hit.  We moved this past weekend, so I wanted to have some quick and easy foods on hand.  For dinner on Sunday, I boiled a package of Butoni Chicken and Rosemary Tortellini.  When there were just a couple minutes left, I added 1c frozen peas.  I drained the tortellini and saved about a cup of the pasta water.  I put them back in my pan and added most of a can of pesto and some of the pasta water - DONE!  So easy and soooo delicious!  My 10-month old ate this like it was her last meal.  It was very funny to watch.

Rice Pilaf with Lentils

I got this idea from the mother of one of my babsitting kids.  This was very easy to make.  I boiled my lentils for about 20 minutes then I made a box of Rice Pilaf and added the lentils in right at the beginning.  This totaled about 40 minutes cooking time for the lentils, so I knew they would be soft.  When there was about 7 minutes left to cook, I turned the heat back up and added some frozen broccoli.  Once it came back to boiling, I turned it back down to a simmer and finished cooking just like the box said.  The next time I make this, I'm going to make my own Rice Pilaf, but for "testing" I just used a box mix. 

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Another twist on the lunchbox sandwich!  We are moving this weekend, so I have chosen not to get groceries this week.  This means lots of box meals and throwing together whatever is left in the refrigerator.  We are out of pitas, so my daughter has a Buffalo Chicken Wrap in her lunch.  I didn't tell her what I put in it yesterday (the same thing) and wanted to see her reaction.  Now she's not sure which she likes better!  I took a whole wheat tortilla and spread some Spicy Garlic on it.  Then I put two slices of mozzarella down the center and put about 6 slices deli chicken around it.  I microwaved it for 30 seconds so that it would soften enough for me to wrap it.  The cheese melted a little and I wrapped it up!  Today I had room in the box for a little container of ranch, so she is going to dip her carrots and her wrap...

Taco Burgers

When we were growing up, one of the easy go-to meals my mom made was pizza burgers.  I make them pretty often as well, but last night I didn't have the right ingredients, so they became "Taco Burgers."  They are so easy!  I browned 1 pound ground beef and added a packet of taco seasoning with 3/4c water.  I just added however much water the packet called for.  I also added about 1/2c corn and a large handful of cheddar.  I actually added mozzarella because the cheddar got left out on the counter all weekend, so mozzarella was all I had.  But, I really wanted to add cheddar.  Anyway, mix all of it together and put it on a bun open faced.  I used 2 buns - which made 4 open faced burgers.  Usually it makes 5-6 burgers, but for some reason I had less meat this time than usual.  While I was making this, my tater tots were baking at 400 for about 10 minutes.  I put my burgers on the same baking stone and baked everything for 10 minutes and Voila! - dinner is served!

BBQ Bean Flatbread Pizza

So today's lunch was a "What can I find in the pantry?" kind of lunch.  I knew I wanted to make a flatbread pizza, but I didn't actually plan anything to put on it, so it was just what I found!  I spread some BBQ sauce on the whole wheat flatbread, then I added some rinsed and drained red beans - about half a can.  I chopped some Compari tomatoes, added corn, and cheddar cheese.  I baked at 350 for about 10-15 minutes.  It's so funny to watch kids eat things like this.  Most people would probably think kids would never eat something like this, but they love it.  The little girl I babysit couldn't get enough.  I told my son that Daddy might eat all of his pizza when he got home (even though I knew my husband would never even try it) and he said "I eat all my pizza then Daddy not eat my pizza" in his cutest voice.  so, he scarfed it down so that Daddy wouldn't eat it - very funny!

Meatloaf

Last night for dinner we had meatloaf - a favorite of all except my husband.  I use 1lb ground beef, 1 egg, a few shakes of Worchestershire, a few shakes of steak seasoning, about 1 TB dijon mustard, and soem bread crumbs.  I don't measure anything, so sorry.  As far as the bread crumbs go, the more you add the denser it will be.  This means that it won't fall apart on you.  The less you add, the more moist it will be, but it will crumble when you're slicing it.  I bake it at 400 for about 30 minutes.  Then I add a sauce of equal parts Worchestershire and dijon.  I bake for another 15 minutes or until done - interior temp of 165. 

As a side, I heated up some olive oil and sauteed snow peas, aspagarus, and a few crushed red pepper flakes until they were tender, but still firm.  All 3 of my kids loved these veggies!

In the Lunchbox

Today in the lunchbox, my daughter has a Granny Smith apple cut in slices.  I give her a little container of peanut butter to dip.  She also has cheese and crackers (cheddar and triscuits), yogurt, and a can of low sodium tomato juice.  For a little treat, she has 2 pieces of Dove Bliss dark chocolates.

Baked Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Legs

One of my favorite shows on the Food Network is "Tyler's Ultimate."  I don't usually actually make what he makes, but I like watching him and getting some ideas.  Last week's episode, though, looked delicious and easy enough to make on a weeknight.  He made Baked Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Legs with Farmers Market Pasta.  It is only called farmers market because he apparently went to the farmers market that morning and found tomatoes, artichokes, and penne pasta...anyway, I pretty much made everything exactly like his recipe.  I was kind of excited about preparing an artichoke.  I had never done that before, so I saved the episode on my DVR and watched him while I got to the heart.  I did add a little crushed red pepper to the tomato sauce, because I thought the veggies might be a little bland.  I thought it was a great addition.  My husband LOVED the chicken and I thought it had good flavor, but I do not like chicken on the bone at all.  So, next time I'll probably use boneless skinless breasts.  Not only was this the first time I cut up an artichoke, it was also the first time I tasted an artichoke not out of a can.  Turns out, I like them better from the can.  So, next time, I think I'll just make roasted artichoke hearts and just put the squash in the sauce.  Here is a link to the recipes from Tyler's episode.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/tylers-ultimate/baked-rosemary-garlic-chicken-legs/index.html

Buffalo Chicken Pitas

My daughter packs her lunch pretty much everyday.  She used to eat in the cafeteria everyday, but as we started going through her menu she said she didn't really love any of the food.  So, I told her she could pack a lot more because it's a lot cheaper for us and I think I can probably pack her healthier food than the school makes most days.  She does not like sandwiches, which makes packing her lunch a lot more challenging.  We discovered she does like pitas, however, so they are the new sandwich.  Today I cut a round whole wheat pita in half and popped it open.  I spread a little buffalo sauce on it, put a couple pieces of mozzarella in, and a couple slices of chicken lunch meat - Voila a sandwich!  She also had 2 clementines, a yogurt, milk, and a cookie.  Usually no cookie, but she had the day off school yesterday and made cookies.  If they don't get packed in her lunch, I will eat them all and better her than me!!!

Chicken Croissants

So, I came across this recipe in a very roundabout way.  My friend/neighbor visited my cousin in Atlanta a few years ago and made me chicken croissants when she came back.  She got the recipe from my cousin who got it from my aunt - small world!  Anyway...mix the following together:

4T cream cheese
1T butter
1T milk
salt and pepper (I like a lot of pepper in this)
1 can chicken or about 2c shredded chicken

There are 2 methods of making the croissants.  The first way I learned is to take 1 can of crescent rolls and make 4 squares.  You put a dollop of the chicken mixture in each one and fold them up.  I used to do that, but then got lazy.  Now I put half the crescent rolls on the bottom of an 8in square pan, top with the chicken, then top with the rest of the crescent rolls - much easier.  Either way, top them with a mixture of butter and crushed croutons.  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.  This goes great with broccoli!

Hummus

One of my lunch staples for the vegatarian I babysit, is Hummus.  It's so easy to make that you really don't need to ever buy it.  Mix all of the following together in a food processor until it's the consistency you like:

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 T olive oil
1T lemon juice
3 roasted red peppers
salt and pepper
water - add enough to make it the right consistency

Sometimes I add a few shakes of dried basil.  I also pack this in my daughter's lunch and she LOVES it when I add the basil.  You can use this as a dip with veggies, pita bread, or crackers.  For lunch, I like to spread this on the inside of a whole wheat pita and cut it up.  It's easy for a 1-year old to eat and not too messy!

White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup

This is kind of my version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup.  I'm not a huge fan of potatoes, so I substitute the white beans and I think it's better.  Here are the ingredients:

1 bag dried white beans
1lb Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts chicken broth
1 bunch kale
salt and pepper

Follow the instructions on your bag of beans for overnight soaking.  I drained and rinsed mine the next morning and just let them sit on the counter until I was ready.  Not sure if that's the most "food-safe" but it works for me.  Brown the sausage and then add olive oil and the onion to soften.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute.  Add the chicken broth and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan, then add the beans.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.  About 10 minutes before serving, add the kale.  To prepare my kale, I just tear it off the stems and rip it up.  I think it's easier than chopping it up.  The stems don't soften very well, so be sure not to have too many in your soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste and you're ready to go!

Beef and Noodles

I was not in the mood for cooking tonight, so I went to one of my go-to dinners - Beef and Noodles.  I decided to spruce it up just a bit, though.  First, I broke up the beef (I used a pint of homemade canned beef) in the skillet.  I filled up the jar with water and stirred up all the bits stuck to the jar.  I added the water, 2 bullion cubes, 1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a few springs of thyme, a lot of black pepper, and half a bag of Inn Maid noodles.  The thyme and tomatoes were my extra ingredients.  I don't usually add them, but lately, I add fire roasted tomatoes to almost everything!  I boiled everything for 10 minutes and we ate! 

Swedish Meatballs

My daughter has been asking for Swedish Meatballs for a while and I've been trying to use up the 25 lbs of ground beef in my deep freeze, so that sounded good for dinner last night.  I made my meatballs as usual (ground beef, egg, whole wheat bread crumbs, steak seasoning, and Worchestershire sauce, baked for 20 min at 400) then started on my sauce.  I just made this up as I went along.....uh oh

I sliced 1 onion and sauteed it in olive oil.  when it was about soft, I added 1 clove of minced garlic.  Then I added 2c chicken broth, some shakes of Worchestershire sauce, and red wine vinegar and just let it simmer for a while.  While it was simmering (i was trying to get it to thicken, but of course it didn't), I boiled 1/2 bag od whole wheat egg noodles.  Since the sauce wasn't getting thick, I added some cornstarch.  Once it started getting thick, I added a splash of red wine.  The sauce wasn't dark enough, so I thought that would make it darker!  I tasted it and it was actually pretty good.  I turned the temp way down so it stopped boiling and was just staying warm and added about 3/4c sour cream.  My sour cream separated a little bit, but that's because my sauce was still boiling a little when I added it.  Once it was all creamy, I added my noodles and the meatballs.  Usually I just add the meatballs and serve it over the noodles, but I don't think it gets mixed as well, so I just did all the mixing in my pan. 

Chicken and Spinach Risotto

We got our computer back a few days ago from getting a couple virusus removed and memory added, so it's been a while.  I also didn't cook anything creative over the holidays.  Last night, I was all out of ideas for dinner, but we didn't have any leftovers, frozen pizza, or chicken nuggets, so I had to come up with something.  I thawed out 3 chicken breasts, cubed them, and browned them.  I took them out of the pan and sauteed an onion and 3 cloves garlic in olive oil.  Once the onion was soft, I added 1 c basmati rice and browned it a little.  I added the chicken back in and also added 2c chicken broth and 1tsp dried basil.  I brought it to a boil and let it cook for 20 minutes.  I was preparing my family that this might be one of those meals that we only eat a few bites and then suggest that I never make it again, but when the 20 minutes were up, I was pleasantly surprised.  I added a couple handfuls of spinach and stirred them in to wilt.  I also added a few shakes of parmesan cheese.  This actually tasted like a risotto even though it just all cooked in the pan!  My husband actually asked to take the leftovers to work with him - hmmmmmm