Baking and Eggs

Roasted Tomato Basil "Cream" Sauce

2012-03-09T04:33:00.000-08:00

This whole 'dairy free' thing has turned out to be a wonderful change of pace for the family. Finley is actually eating more (and hopefully gaining weight since she's a skinny minnie), Andrew has already lost two pounds and while I haven't lost any weight (but I'm crossing my fingers I do!), I feel great because we're eating so much healthier than we did before. I'm also enjoying that going dairy free has pushed me out of my cooking comfort zone and forced me to try new recipes, like this one!

This sauce truly felt decadent while we were eating it, but I loved not feeling guilty about it since there wasn't actually any cream or butter in it! The sauce is so flavorful from the roasted tomatoes, garlic and loads of fresh basil. Really, how could you go wrong with those ingredients?!? Even my carnivorous husband happily ate every bite without any comments/complaints about the lack of meat. Finley and I happily ate our dinner and then we had leftovers for lunch the next day. While the leftovers still had a wonderful flavor, the sauce had disappeared (i.e. absorbed by the noodles), so these noodles are definitely best served immediately. Or just serve the sauce on the side rather than tossing them together.

Roasted Tomato Basil "Cream" Sauce
adapted from Oh She Glows

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
6-7 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are slightly charred and bursting. Let cool.

Meanwhile, put water on to boil for the noodles. When boiling, add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain.

In a blender or food processor, add tomatoes, cashews, chicken broth and tomato paste. Blend until fairly smooth.

In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add tomato mixture and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to the sauce if it is too thick. Let sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in most of the basil (reserving some for garnish).

Toss sauce with hot pasta. Garnish with reserved basil.

Key West Chicken and Veggie Skewers

2012-03-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had glorious spring weather and that put us in the mood to bust out the grill for the first time in 2012. I love grilling, mostly because it means I don't have to do all the cooking myself since my husband is the Grill Master! This marinade was so simple (as in I had everything I needed for it already) and delicious. And I love that I got the main dish and a side dish all in one - that makes this mama very happy. You know what else makes this mama happy? The fact that any food on a skewer will automatically be consumed by my child.

Key West Chicken and Veggie Skewers
adapted from Grocery Budget 101

for the marinade:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 limes, juice and zest
1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons cilantro, minced

for the skewers:
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 zucchini, cut into thick slices
1 yellow squash, cut into thick slices
8 oz fresh whole mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
wooden or metal skewers (if using wooden, soak in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling)

In a small bowl, stir together all the marinade ingredients. Pour marinade into a large ziplock bag. Add chicken and cut vegetables. Close bag and shake well to evenly distribute marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour, flipping bag over once.

Preheat grill. Drain marinade and discard. Threat chicken and veggies onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, flip and move the skewers to indirect heat for another 4 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Freezer Friendly Berry and Banana Smoothies

2012-03-07T05:30:00.000-08:00

Okay so the recipe title is a bit misleading. Really, I just froze the "innards" per se of the smoothie rather than the actual smoothie as a whole.

You see, I am not a morning person (not in the least), but my sweet munchkin seems to enjoy waking up around 6:00 every morning. For some odd reason, she wakes up hungry, whereas I just wake up grumpy. Once I'm out of bed, I move at a snail's pace until I've consumed my first cup of coffee (after which, the world is a much happier place). So to combat the exhaustion in the morning, I first made the freezer friendly breakfast tacos. While they're totally awesome, they could be more nutritious. So I decided to also make fruit smoothies. In combination they are the perfect breakfast trifecta...you know, if you only needed two things to make a trifecta.

FYI - I bought whatever berries were available and on sale, so feel free to mix things up a bit.

And if you need any more convincing to try these, here is Finley's review: "Yummy foothie, Mama!"

Freezer Friendly Berry and Banana Smoothies

to freeze:
1 pint strawberries
1 pint blueberries
2 pints raspberries
1 pint blackberries
4 bananas, sliced

for smoothie:
1 bag frozen fruit medley
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk

Wash and dry (dry them well! or else they will freeze together in big icy clumps) the berries. Cut strawberries in half. Spread fruit (berries and bananas) on foil lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Package 1 cup of fruit in ziplock snack-sized baggies. Return fruit baggies to freezer until ready to use.

To make smoothies, combine the contents of 1 fruit baggie with orange juice and milk of choice in a blender. Blend away and serve immediately. Makes 1-2 servings (1 serving if you're serving the smoothie by itself or 2 servings if you're serving it with another dish, like the breakfast taco).

Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce

2012-03-06T07:06:00.000-08:00

When I hear people say that if you prepare vegetables well enough and often enough, then your child will eat them and love them, I automatically think one of two things. First, they are incredibly lucky to have a child who apparently isn't a picky eater. Or secondly, they don't have kids. These naysayers also judge those parents who choose to 'hide' vegetables in the food they prepare their children. "I mean, by hiding vegetables in food, how will the poor child ever learn to eat and appreciate vegetables on their own?!?"

I used to be one of these people. Being somewhat of a foodie, I naively believed that by offering Finley the same foods I prepared for Andrew and myself, she would naturally develop a sophisticated palate. And compared to most kids her age, maybe she has. But she's still only two and a half and will choose a (veggie, organic) chicken nugget over broccolini any day of the week.

But here's what I've learned through my short years of motherhood. Most kids are fickle eaters and they go through phases (usually fairly quickly!) of what they like and don't like. For instance, one night Finley ate 10 spears of asparagus with her dinner. I was so proud, pretty much ecstatic really, that I had a toddler who loved a green veggie besides canned green beans! I marched to Costco the next day and bought the 6-lb bag of asparagus only to come home to a toddler who adamantly refused to eat. a. single. bite. of. asparagus. ever. again.

And this is why I am a firm believer of offering tasty, fresh vegetables at every meal (because sometimes Fin surprises me and eats her carrots or broccoli) BUT also hiding vegetables in meals wherever I can. I mean, really what is the harm in packing more vegetables into a meal? It's healthier all the way around! This is a spaghetti sauce recipe I created when Fin was going through her 'I-only-want-to-eat-pasta-and-ice-cream' phase. We enjoy the sauce so much, it's now the only meat sauce I ever make anymore. It's jam packed with vegetables (onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, celery, zucchini and squash) so it's healthy and tasty. When I make this spaghetti, I can rest easy because if Finley refuses to eat any of her vegetable side dishes that night, I don't have to worry since she ate some of the dreaded veggies without even knowing it. And that makes me happy :-)

This recipe makes enough for about 10-12 servings. I always make the full recipe - I serve it for dinner and then divide the leftovers into two or three large ziplock bags and throw them in the freezer for another night. Also, if you need to clean out your veggie drawer, feel free to throw in any other vegetables too!

Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce
a Baking and Eggs original

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
4-8 oz fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, shredded
1 yellow squash, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 cup red wine (or substitute with more beef stock)
1/2 beef stock
1 lb Italian sausage or Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 lb ground beef or ground bison
2 29-oz cans tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce)
1 14.5-oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving (omit if you're dairy free)
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small can tomato paste
cooked spaghetti noodles, for serving

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until onion becomes translucent. Add mushrooms, garlic, zucchini, squash, basil, fennel seed, oregano and rosemary and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine and beef stock and let simmer while the meat cooks.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan cook Italian sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking up any big lumps, until meat is browned. Drain fat. Add meat to vegetable mixture.

Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cover and lower heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for at least one hour. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in tomato paste if the sauce is too watery. Continue to cook sauce over medium-low heat until ready to eat. Serve over cooked noodles and sprinkle with extra parmesan.

Weekly Meal Plan

2012-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

This Week's Menu:

Key West Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs; Cilantro-Lime Rice

Chorizo, Mushroom and Potato Tacos; Roasted Tomatillo Salsa; Black Bean, Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Artichoke Chicken; Caramelized Brussels Sprouts; Creamy Chive Pasta

Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce; Roasted Lemon Broccoli

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps; Edamame

Last Week's Reviews:

Arroz con Pollo - great comfort food! I loved how well all the different flavors married together. A company worthy dish!

Best Meatloaf; Caramelized Brussels Sprouts - While the meatloaf was good, it wasn't the "best" to me. The meatloaf was fairly crumbly and didn't stay together well and I think I just prefer traditional flavors in my meatloaf rather than Asian-ish flavors found in this meatloaf recipe. But enough about meatloaf because the brussels sprouts totally stole the show. They were fantasticly delicious!

Wonton Soup - It was good but it was also a lot of work to make all those homemade wontons. Not sure if the end result was worth all the time and effort...

Chicken and Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry - When it came time to make this dinner, I just wasn't feeling it. So I opted to improvise and I made homemade chicken nuggets, quinoa and roasted veggies. Good food but nothing to write home about.

Spinach Stuffed Shells - I didn't ever make it to the health food grocery store for nutritional yeast so I postponed this recipe for another week.

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower-Corn Puree

2012-03-03T04:18:00.001-08:00

Even though I'm not a huge seafood lover, I was really looking forward to this fun, classy, little-bit-more-gourmet-than-usual meal. I love to get in the kitchen and make dinner when I'm really excited about a new recipe. I decided to serve this as our Valentine's meal at home. I love to celebrate Valentine's at a fancy restaurant...just not actually on the day because I hate the crowds. So I usually make a nice dinner at home (like last year's Filet Oscar) and then we got out to dinner on another night.

This meal really isn't hard to put together, even though it has several different components. This is a pretty healthy, low carbohydrate meal. Sure it has some butter in it, but not too much. And it was a celebratory dinner after all. (Of course it was before our household was dairy free!) The scallops were fantastic and I was really surprised at how good the cauliflower puree was. So if you're looking for a fancy-schmancy, but easy-peasy, meal, look no further!

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower-Corn Puree
recipe adapted slightly from So Forking Good

Olive oil
6 thin slices pancetta, chopped
8 large scallops
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 - 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted completely
salt and pepper, to taste
arugula or watercress, for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. When hot, add pancetta. Cook, stirring often, until pancetta is crispy and has rendered its fat. With a slotted spoon, remove pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave pancetta fat in the pan and set aside.

Clean scallops by rinsing in cold water. Gently slice an X-pattern on the top of each scallop. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and return cauliflower back to pot. Add cream, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Stir in corn kernels.

Meanwhile, heat the pan with the pancetta fat on medium-high heat. If needed, add a little more olive oil until the surface of the pan is coated. Once hot, place scallops in the pan. Pan fry for about 2-3 minutes and then flip, browning the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes.

To serve, spoon a good helping of the cauliflower mixture on a plate. Top with scallops. Garnish with pancetta and arugula (or watercress). Serve immediately.

Chorizo Chile con Queso

2012-03-02T04:19:00.001-08:00

So this recipe isn't dairy free, but it was too good not to post! I apologize for the crap-tacular picture, but it's hard to get a photo in which queso looks pretty!

To celebrate the Super Bowl, I made several appetizers on which to munch. For me, the Super Bowl is about food, not football. Sad, I know. Anyway, one of the dishes I made was Chorizo Chile con Queso and it was fabulous. Why have I never thought to add chorizo before? The chorizo adds a great savory and spicy depth to the queso. Even my mom, who told me ahead of time that she didn't care for chorizo, really liked this queso!

Chorizo Chile con Queso
a Baking and Eggs original

12 oz chorizo sausage, casings removed
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 lbs Velveeta, cut into cubes
2 14.5-oz cans Rotel (or diced tomatoes with green peppers)
Chopped jalapenos, optional
Milk or chicken broth, if needed
Tortilla chips, for serving

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chorizo, onion and bell pepper, making sure to break up any large clumps of chorizo. Continue cooking 10-15 minutes, or until chorizo is cooked through and vegetables are translucent and soft. Drain off the red grease.

In the bowl of a slow cooker, place cubed Velveeta. Pour chorizo mixture over top of cheese. Drain 1 can of Rotel and add to slow cooker. Do not drain the second can and add entire contents to slow cooker. If you want to dial up the heat, add jalapenos. Stir to combine ingredients.

Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. If the queso is too thick for your liking, add a little milk or chicken broth to thin it to your desired consistency. (I didn't have to do this.) Lower heat to low or keep warm (this allows the queso to stay at the perfect dipping consistency/temperature) and serve with tortilla chips.

Arroz con Pollo

2012-03-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

While Arroz con Pollo simply means chicken with rice, this dish is much, much more than that. This is a wonderful, comforting and hearty dish that helps me fill the comfort food category in my new dairy free cooking adventures.

What really elevates this Arroz con Pollo recipe is the added step of roasting your own tomatoes, which adds a wonderful sweetness that you simply can't replicate by only using canned tomatoes. Seriously, a perfect bite from this dish is a piece of tender chicken, fluffy rice, sweet tomatoes that burst in your mouth, salty olive slices and the bright fresh flavor of cilantro. Yummy to my tummy!

This recipe makes A LOT of food, so I'd suggest inviting friends over for dinner or be prepared to eat the leftovers for a few days...which is not a bad thing!

Arroz con Pollo
adapted slightly from Eat, Live, Run

for the marinade
1 orange, juiced
2 limes, juiced
1 Meyer lemon, juiced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 4-lb whole chicken, cut into pieces

for the dish
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 white onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons roasted cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14.5-oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 2/3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups white rice, uncooked
1/2 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
1/2 cup Spanish pimento stuffed green olives, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
hot sauce (optional)

For the marinade: In a large ziplock bag, mix together the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 1 hour, flipping bag over once.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spread cherry or grape tomatoes on the cookie sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are slightly charred and have started to burst. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

After the chicken is finished marinating, remove chicken from the bag and discard marinade. Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a heavy 5 1/2 quart ovenproof pot. Once the oil is hot, add half the chicken pieces and brown on both sides. (Just brown the chicken, don't cook it through!) Remove chicken pieces, and brown the rest of the pieces. Set chicken aside.

In the same pot, add onions, bell pepper and garlic to the hot oil, scraping up any browned bit left from the chicken (flava flav!). Saute veggies for about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and crushed saffron to the veggies and mix well. Add roasted cherry tomatoes and diced tomatoes (with their liquid) and mix. Add bay leaf. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add rice, stirring well to combine.

Lay chicken pieces in the pot, cover with lid, and place in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in the peas and olives. Cover with lid and let rest for 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot sauce on the side.

serves 6-8

February 2012 Potluck - "Man"luck

2012-02-29T18:05:00.000-08:00

Our theme this was month was the "man"luck - meaning we didn't care what you brought but the guy had to do the cooking! I expected loads of meat, so I was very pleasantly surprised with the assortment of offerings that the guys whipped up. I'm pretty sure that this theme will become an annual tradition!

Cory's Beef Kebabs

Clint's Pico de Gallo

Casey's Grandmother's Potato Salad

Stacy's Sesame Orange Kale Salad

Taylor's Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Craig's Mac and Cheese

Cameron's Feast of Grilled Meats - Chicken, Ribs, Bacon Wrapped Venison and Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Clint's Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Icing - this month's winning dish!

Andrew's Chocolate Pretzel Ice Cream (add about 1 c broken pretzel pieces in the last 5 minutes)

And now from the food and onto the peeps!

Jennie, Taylor and Amanda chatting it up

Andrew, Cory and Clint having some guy talk

Erin, Candace, Robyn and Meagan trying to make it look like we're just there to pose for a picture but really we were there to chow down on the chips and salsa

Lora and Jenni

Craigles and Clinty

Jennie and Robyn

Candace, Erin and Lora

The dudes hanging out by the grill (I have no idea why my husband is making that face)

The chef with his grilled feast o' meats!

Ah, showing some bro love!

Erin chowing down on some of the badass ribs

Candace was trying to look good while eating ribs

Whoa, hold the presses! LB is eating meat off a bone!!!

The birthday boy

The birthday girl

Robyn and C-Ray

Time to choose the games for the evening's entertainment

Isn't my husband cute!

Cameron, Clint, Jennie, Stacy and Amanda - AKA Team Chairs (plus Meagan and Taylor)

Craig took his job of buzzing very seriously!

Casey's turn

Craig, Candace, Cory, Robyn (AKA Team Couch - plus Erin, Andrew, Lora and Casey)

Clint's Pico de Gallo

3 cans Rotel (your preference)

1/2 - 3/4 cup cilantro

1/3 cup onion

2 T garlic, minced

1/8 t red pepper flakes

3 dashes chili powder

generous 1/4 t cumin

1/2 t salt

1/2 T lime juice (I used one whole lime)

1/8 t Tabasco sauce (more if you want some heat)

splash of white wine vinegar

Put all ingredients in blender and blend on low (time will depend on desired consistency).

If you like it hotter, add a jalapeno or serrano pepper

Casey's Grandmother's Potato Salad

- red new potatoes (leave skin on)

- cover with cold water and bring to a boil; boil at medium heat until potatoes are easy to cut with a knife (about 30 minutes)

- drain and cool to room temperature

- add cut celery

- add 1/2-1 sweet onion, chopped

- add Hellman's mayo (the real, original formula - not "lite" or some "salad dressing") one tablespoon at a time

- add following items and gently mix: green olives with pimentos; hard boiled eggs; salt; pepper; paprika

Stacy's Orange Sesame Kale Salad

Wash one bunch of kale and strip leaves off of stems. Dry and cut into bite-size pieces.

Whisk together:

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 T sugar

2 T soy sauce or Tamari

1 T sesame oil

Pour dressing over kale and toss in:

2 T toasted almonds

1/4 cup pepitas

1/2 apple, diced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

crystallized ginger, optional

Taylor's Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

4-5 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into strips

2-3 parsnips, peeled and cut into strips

Coat veggies in olive oil, sea salt, pepper and Tony Chacere's seasoning.

Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Five minutes before they're done, squeeze fresh lime juice and drizzle agave maple syrup on top. Bake 5 more minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly and drizzle a bit more maple agave to sweeten.

Cameron's Feast of Grilled Meats

for the shrimp:

buy only gulf shrimp (farm raised taste different)

peel and devein shrimp

place shrimp in bowl with hickory flavored BBQ sauce

wrap in bacon, optional

grill until firm (for more flavor, grill over mesquite)

for the venison:

slice venison backstrap into 1/2-inch thick pieces (cutting against the grain)

place in bowl and add moderate amount of your choice of seasoning (salt, pepper, season all or Tony Chacere's)

wrap in bacon

grill until medium-rare to medium (for more flavor, grill over mesquite)

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

2012-02-29T04:16:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, I read that brussels sprouts were the most hated vegetable, but I swear, if you follow this recipe, they may just become your favorite! These were so delicious that I opted to have another helping of them instead of eating dessert. That says a whole heck of a lot! The recipe says that it feeds four as a side dish...but last night it only fed two since Andrew and I just kept nibbling on them. You should have seen the horrified look on Andrew's face when he realized that I had finished them all off. You'll just have to trust me, but I have never seen him look so upset over a vegetable. And I can't remember ever being so excited over a vegetable!

The rather mellow flavored brussels sprouts are crisp-tender and meld perfectly with the sweet brown sugar and the crunchy toasted nuts. I didn't make any major changes to the recipe and it was a perfect, and healthy, side dish that I will add into my regular rotation. Although, I do think adding a little bacon or pancetta might be nice too...

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
recipe from Eat, Live, Run

12-14 brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 pinches of kosher salt
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Slice each brussels sprouts into thin ribbons.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute garlic for about 30-45 seconds, or until it becomes fragrant. Add the brussels sprouts and continue sauteing them for another 5 or so minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Add salt and brown sugar and stir to combine. Finish by sprinkling the nuts over top. Give it all a good stir and it's ready to serve.

Freezer Friendly Breakfast Tacos

2012-02-28T04:07:00.000-08:00

Since so many things have dairy in them, it's a lot harder to eat on the fly. As a result, I've started making more quick-fix meals ahead of time and freezing them to have on hand when we need a fast meal. This breakfast taco recipe is fabulous and flavorful! The recipe takes about 30-45 minutes to make, but you get 20 tacos out of it and have all the breakfast cooking finished for the week. I also love that Finley will get some vegetables in before lunchtime. For all the cheese-lovers out there, feel free to sprinkle on some cheese; however, these tacos are so tasty that you really won't miss the cheese at all!

Dairy-Free Freezer Friendly Breakfast Tacos
adapted from Hot Coupon World

2 tablespoons vegan butter (or regular butter)
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 lb breakfast sausage
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb frozen hash brown potatoes
12 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
20 flour tortillas
plastic wrap or aluminum foil

In a large (I used my 14-inch skillet) over medium heat, melt butter. Add in bacon and cook for a few minutes, or until bacon is starting to crisp up. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, and potatoes. Cook, stirring often, until sausage is browned and veggies are tender.

Crack eggs into a bowl and scramble with a fork. Pour eggs into skillet with meats and veggies. Stir often and cook until eggs are set. Remove pan from heat and let cool.

Spread tortillas out on work surface. Top each tortilla with a generous spoonful of egg mixture. Roll tortilla up and wrap individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place tacos in large ziplock bags in the freezer.

To reheat, unwrap tacos and place seam side down on paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute, turn over and microwave an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until heated through.

Weekly Meal Plan and an Update

2012-02-27T11:21:00.000-08:00

If you read this blog with any regularity, you've probably noticed that my daughter, Finley, is sick a lot. Usually it's a cold that leads to ear infections. Big boo! At the end of December, we had an appointment with her ENT doctor and it was recommended that Finley have another set of ear tubes. Well I happened to mention Fin's nearly constant ear infections on Facebook and one of my sorority sisters mentioned that Finley could have a dairy allergy. Say, what? I did a little research online and found that Finley had almost every single respiratory symptom listed! We took Finley off dairy the very next day and she has become a whole new kid! Her nose stopped running (seriously, I have not wiped her nose in 10 days!!!) for the first time ever, she's stopped sneezing and coughing, she's sleeping longer, and she's eating more.

The past two weeks have been eye-opening for me. I had no idea that dairy products were in so many things that I use everyday. Syrup, pancake mix, cake mixes, nonstick spray, goldfish crackers, most store-bought breads, many jarred spaghetti sauces, etc. My grocery store trips take almost twice as long because I have to read the labels on every single item I put in my cart. But it's all a small price to pay to have a healthy child! Finley is going to have allergy testing conducted this week to confirm that she has a dairy allergy and to see if she's allergic to anything else.

So...that means that the focus of this cooking blog will be shifting a little (or a lot!) - away from butter, cream, milk, cheese and most pre-made ingredients, and towards all things dairy-free. Of course, I'll still post a recipe every now and then that has some dairy in it.

Here is this week's menu:

Arroz con Pollo

Best Meatloaf; Caramelized Brussel Sprouts; Roasted New Potatoes

Wonton Soup with Mushrooms and Bok Choy; Egg Rolls

Chicken and Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry

Spinach Stuffed Shells; Roasted Broccoli

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

2012-02-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe via Pinterest (no surprise there!) and I thought it looked like a great, almost Italian alternative to the traditional chicken noodle soup. I am so glad we tried it because it was a big winner! As soon as we sat down to eat, the talking completely ceased because we were too busy shoveling this soup into our mouths as quickly as possible. Even sweet two year old Finley loved it and commented how "yummy" it was. After dinner, Andrew suggested that we should bring the leftovers to friends who had a new baby last week. I have to be honest though, I really don't want to give the leftovers to someone because I want to eat them all!

The broth has a great flavor from the veggies and simple herbs. The soup is hearty enough (thanks to the gnocchi) without being heavy. I felt like there were enough vegetables in the soup that I didn't need to make an additional vegetable side dish. I love one dish meals! I served the soup with a loaf of crusty garlic bread, and it was a wonderfully simple meal that I can't wait to have again soon.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup
as seen on Our Little Family, recipe adapted from All Recipes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small white onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and chopped (or 2 cooked and chopped chicken breasts)
5 cups chicken broth
1 16-oz package mini potato gnocchi (I used potato and spinach gnocchi)
1 6-oz bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or fat free half and half
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots and celery in the oil until onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, parsley and basil, and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in chicken and broth; bring to a simmer.

Add gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 more minutes.

Stir cream into soup and lower heat to medium-low. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper. You can eat the soup immediately to let it cook awhile longer. I let mine cook about 30 more minutes because Andrew was running late.

Party Sandwiches

2012-02-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

These sandwiches are a fabulous mix of sweet and savory and just so darn tasty. I love these sandwiches, which helps explains why I ate them three nights in a row for dinner last week :-) The sweet butter rolls combine deliciously with the salty deli meats and melted cheese-y goodness, but what really puts it all over the top is the tangy onion-mustard sauce. The combination really is fantastic! But you have to watch out because it can be hard to stop eating these! They have become a party staple at our house for good reason - the sandwiches come together really quickly and the topping is so flavorful that you don't have to mess with needing to offer mayonnaise or mustard.

Party Sandwiches
adapted from All Recipes

2 packages Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls (24 rolls total)
1/2 lb turkey meat, thinly sliced
1/2 lb ham, thinly sliced
1/3 lb Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons onion, minced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon herbs of choice (poppy seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place rolls on baking sheet. Being careful not to separate the individual rolls, use a serrated knife to split rolls in half lengthwise. On the bottom of the rolls, top with turkey, ham and cheese. Cover sandwiches with the tops of the rolls.

In a small dish, melt butter in microwave. Stir in mustard, onion and Worcestershire sauce. Brush sauce over top of rolls. Sprinkle with herbs.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Carefully cut the rolls into individual sandwiches and transfer to a platter.

Cowboy Quesdillas

2012-02-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

These quesadillas are a refreshing change of pace from the traditional quesadillas. I love the addition of BBQ sauce to kick up the flavor a notch and they are a perfect dinner when you're running short on time or you need to feed a crowd. To simplify things, I baked my quesadillas in the oven because I've learned from past experience that it's really not enjoyable to stand over a stove for 15-20 minutes flipping one quesadilla after another. While the tortillas don't get as browned in the oven as they do on the stove, they do get just as crunchy - and that's the important thing! The filling for these is very hearty, so you really don't need to add the chicken (unless you have a carnivore in the family that must be fed).

You'll notice that this recipe makes 10 quesadillas, so unless you want to feed a lot, you'll probably want to half the recipe. But the quesadillas do reheat well in the toaster or oven, so I've been serving them for lunch for the past few days.

Cowboy Quesadillas
recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

for the quesadillas:
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
4 cups Mexican shredded cheese blend
20 tortillas

for the sauce:
2/3 cup fat free ranch dressing
1/3 cup BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put foil or parchment paper on two large cookie/baking sheets. Arrange 10 tortillas on the two baking sheets, trying to overlap the tortillas as little as possible. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine black beans, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, chicken and BBQ sauce. Mix well.

Sprinkle a little cheese on the top of each of the tortillas on the baking sheets. Evenly divide the filling between the 10 tortillas and top each with more cheese. Cover them with the remaining 10 tortillas. Bake quesadillas for about 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are toasty and the filling is hot throughout.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the ranch dressing and BBQ sauce.

Cut tortillas in half or quarters. Serve hot with the BBQ-ranch sauce.

Weekly Meal Plan

2012-02-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

This Week's Menu:

Boilermaker Chili; Cornbread

Chicken Gnocchi Soup; Crusty Bread

Spicy Stewed Beef with Grits; Green Salad

Cowboy Quesadillas; Sliced Avocado

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops; Stuffed Tomatoes; Parsleyed New Potatoes

Last Week's Reviews:

Having to review the previous week's meals forces me to hold myself accountable. I totally fell off the wagon last week and didn't stick to the menu very well at all; therefore, I'm afraid my reviews aren't going to be of much help.

1.) Leftovers from the Super Bowl - we actually ate this two nights in a row!

2.) Thai Chicken Pizza - we didn't eat this one, but I plan on putting it on the menu again soon.

3.) Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken - nope, didn't make this one either...

4.) Seared Scallops with Cauliflower and Corn Puree and Pancetta - we made this one and it was good (although I'm not a big seafood fan) so I'll post it later this week

5.) Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin - I made this recipe but we didn't eat it. The honey in the sauce completely burned, leaving the outside of the pork charred while the inside wasn't cooked through. This was probably user error rather than a flawed recipe though since the recipe had good reviews. I also made loaded mashed potatoes to go with the pork that we didn't eat either. They tasted great...until Finley poured about 1/2 bottle of soy sauce on them. This was the night we opted to eat Super Bowl leftovers for a second time.

Pretty Please

2012-02-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

If you like my cooking blog (or even if you don't!), please check out my new blog: Erin's Home Sweet Home Improvement. After basically slow flipping our house, I decided to create a design blog to chronicle all of my home projects. If you like what you see, feel free to follow me!

Thanks in advance!

Pretzel Scotch Cookies

2012-02-08T03:43:00.000-08:00

I spied these on Pinterest and they called my name - sweet and savory all rolled into one little golden cookie. Delicious! These cookies are an exercise in self-control and delayed gratification though. You have to make the dough and then refrigerate it for at least 8 hours before baking them. You have been warned.

Here are just a few things that set this cookie apart and really make it an awesome recipe. The majority of cookies that I make call for softened butter, but this jewel of a recipe calls for browned butter. The browned butter adds a wonderful, nutty flavor to the cookie. By using bread flour rather than all-purpose (though I'm sure you could substitute it in a pinch), the cookie has a much finer crumb. And lastly, the salty pretzels add a great crunch - leave the pretzels in fairly large chunks so that you can fully appreciate the awesomeness of the pretzel.

Take it from me, make these cookies - you won't be disappointed!

Pretzel Scotch Cookies

recipe from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine, recipe adapted from Alton Brown

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices

2 1/4 cup bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup pretzels, broken into pieces

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat. Once melted, increase heat to medium and continue cooking until butter turns a golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. While it's cooking, it will foam up. When the foam dissipates, watch it closely because it can turn from browned to burned very quickly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Pour the cooled butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add both sugars and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat to combine. Add the milk and vanilla and beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating on low speed between each addition. Once all the dry ingredients have been added, beat on medium speed until well combined. Using a spatula, fold in pretzels, butterscotch chips and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the bowl for at least 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.

For each cookie, scoop out a heaping tablespoon-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Place on lined sheets, leaving a 1-inch space between each cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes before removing them to a rack to finish cooling.

Cran-Orange Bliss Bars

2012-02-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

Every week I like to make something sweet to have around the house for when I get the munchies (which is quite often unfortunately). To me, there is nothing more unsatisfying than having a craving that can't be fulfilled. Usually I make something chocolate-y, but last week I went in a different direction and whipped up these Cran-Orange Bliss Bars.

Lord have mercy, these were so good and such a nice change of pace from usual chocolate fix! The blondie layer is dense and chewy with a subtle orange flavor. The frosting never fully hardens so that it stays nice and creamy and the cream cheese keeps it from being too sweet. Plus since these bars have oranges and cranberries in them, they can kind of count as being healthy, right? They were great with a strong cup of coffee in the morning too :-)

Cran-Orange Bliss Bars
adapted from Recipe Girl, as seen on The Girl Who Ate Everything

for the bars:
3/4 cup salted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
zest of 2 oranges
3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
6 oz white chocolate chips

for the frosting:
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, melt butter in microwave; stir in brown sugars. Let cool to room temperature. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and vanilla together and add in butter mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange zest. Gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture until just combined. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips. (Batter will be thick.)

Spread blondie mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To prepare the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar and orange juice. Continue to add more powdered sugar to achieve your desired consistency. Spread frosting over cooled blondies and sprinkle with dried cranberries. Store in the refrigerator and cut into bars.

Weekly Meal Plan

2012-02-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

This Week's Meal Plan:

1.) Leftovers from the Super Bowl (just keeping it real, peeps!)

2.) Thai Chicken Pizza; Green Salad

3.) Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken; Brown Rice; Edamame

4.) Seared Scallops with Cauliflower and Corn Puree and Pancetta

5.) Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin; Twice Baked Potatoes; Roasted Asparagus

Last Week's Reviews:

1.) Spaghetti Carbonara - always a hit in our house! It's an easy meal that can be on the table in under 30 minutes. My only con about this dish is that it isn't healthy at all.

2.) Lasagna Soup - I was surprised at how good this one was! Click on the link for the full review.

3.) Crescent Roll Casserole - I changed this one up a lot to create Cheesy Bacon Ranch Crescent Casserole and oh. my. lord. it was so good! It was cheesy and rich, but I used all low-fat ingredients to try and keep it as healthy as possible. Yum!

4.) Asian Marinated Steaks - This recipe just kept being pushed back and I never got around to making it. I threw the meat in the freezer so maybe it will show up again on the menu in a week or two.

5.) Pork Mole Enchiladas - To make it easier on myself, I didn't make the mole from scratch and just bought a jar of it from the store. Not good! I threw it out and made my own red enchilada sauce. Overall the meal was okay but nothing great, so the recipe won't be making it onto the blog.

Super Bowl Munchies

2012-02-03T10:47:00.000-08:00

Want to know why I love the Super Bowl? Because it's not fancy. I get to make some good, ole unhealthy, non-gourmet food and not feel bad about it. I haven't exactly decided what will be on my final menu, but here are my top contenders:

Party Sandwiches

Pizza Rolls with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Loaded Baked Potato Dip with Chips

Game Day Deviled Eggs

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bread

Double Chocolate Football Cupcakes

S'mores Bars

Lasagna Soup

2012-02-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

I made this for dinner last night and was really looking forward to it. Yesterday ended up being such a dreary day with overcast skies and a misty rain, so it was perfect soup weather. This soup had all the goodness of lasagna, but with a much faster prep and cook time! The broth was so wonderfully flavorful that I ended up not even needing to add any salt to it. Even though the cooking time is rather short, the soup tastes like you've been simmering it all day.

If you're not feeding a crowd, then you'll probably have a lot of leftovers, which is why you don't want to add the noodles to the soup. The noodles will continue to soak up the broth and retain a mushy texture. I only cooked 4 oz of noodles and made a half recipe of the cheese mixture (rather than the full amounts that the recipe calls for) because I anticipated we'd have leftovers. I froze the soup leftovers to eat at a later time, at which point I'll mix up additional cheesy goodness and cook more noodles.

Lasagna Soup
adapted from A Farmgirl's Dabbles

for the soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb Italian seasoned ground turkey
12 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 14-oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 oz. fusilli pasta
salt and pepper, to taste

for the cheesy goodness:
8 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
2 pinches ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

for garnish:
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Once oil is heated, add turkey, onions and mushrooms and cook until turkey is browned. Add oregano, fennel, rosemary, red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to one minute. Add one can of diced tomatoes. Using an immersion blender (or food processor or stand blender), puree the second can of tomatoes. Stir into the soup. Add chicken broth and spinach. Simmer, covered, for 20 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well.

To serve, place a generous dollop of the cheese mixture in the bottom of each bowl. Top with a scoop of noodles and pour soup over noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan and chopped basil.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Casserole

2012-01-30T16:36:00.000-08:00

This recipe is comfort food at it's best! It's such a delicious combination of flavors that come together to make a fantastic casserole. It would be really easy to double the recipe if you're feeding a crowd too. Sadly, I can't tell you how good the leftovers are because my small family of three ate the entire pan. They are just that yummy. I'm pretty sure this is a recipe that is going to haunt me until I make it again...which will be very soon!

A few notes about the recipe: By cooking the casserole without the sauce for 15 minutes, the crescent rolls don't become soggy and hold their taste and texture really well. Also, I tried to use low fat/reduced fat products as much as possible to cut down on the calories, so while the recipe still isn't exactly healthy, it's not too terrible for you either!

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Casserole

for the filling
3 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons low fat sour cream
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 slices bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 small chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper, to taste
1 8-oz package reduced fat crescent rolls

for the topping
1/2 10.5-oz can healthy recipe cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced
handful cilantro, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease small baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon, chicken and spices. Mix well. Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles. Place 2-3 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each triangle and roll up, starting at the thicker end. Place each triangle in the baking dish. (You may have a little extra filling left depending on the size of your chicken breasts.) Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together soup, ranch dressing and milk.

Remove casserole dish from oven and pour soup mixture over top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.

Weekly Meal Plan (plus a bonus week!)

2012-01-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

Dinners This Week:

Crescent Roll Casserole; Roasted Lemon Broccoli

Lasagna Soup; Green Salad; Garlic Bread

Asian Marinated Steaks; Roasted Mushrooms; Sauteed Sesame Spinach

Pork Mole Enchiladas; Mexican Rice; Sliced Avocado

Spaghetti Carbonara; Sauteed Zucchini & Yellow Squash

I just realized that I never posted last week's meal plan. I wrote it up and just never actually published the post. As Finley would say, silly mama! So here is last week's meal plan with the reviews:

Pimento Cheese and BBQ Bacon Burgers; Sweet Potato Fries; Fresh Fruit - Definitely a calorie-splurge but so worth every bite!

Greek Marinated Chicken; Quinoa Tabbouli - To make up for the decadent burgers, we went healthy the next night. These dishes are tasty, delicious and the left-overs are great too.

Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Curry; Basmati Rice; Green Salad - This curry dish was also really healthy and a big hit with everyone; however, I had problems with the chicken being cooked through well before the sweet potato was tender. I'll make it again soon and try to tweak the recipe so that everything finishes cooking at the same time.

Mediterranean Pizza - no real recipe for this one but it was a nice change from your ordinary pizza. My local grocery store (HEB) sells an artichoke spread that I used in place of the tomato sauce. I topped the pizzas with chopped red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, sliced kalamata and green olives and crumbled feta cheese.

Since I never published last week's meal plan, I didn't get a chance to review the previous week's meal plan. So here are the reviews for that week:

Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes - Delicious! Can't wait to make it again!

Spring Frittata - always a yummy vegetarian meal that my whole family enjoys

Creamy Chicken Marsala - this is the second time we've made this dish and we really like it. I can't ever get my sauce to thicken up nicely, but the flavor is so nice, that I don't mind.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream - Double yum! Really good and really easy. Plus is makes a ton so I froze what was left for another meal.

Thai-Inspired Meatballs with Coconut-Peanut Sauce - like an Asian take on spaghetti and meatballs. Really good and pretty healthy too. I'm planning on writing a full post on this recipe soon.

January 2012 Potluck - Spanish Theme

2012-01-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

This month's potluck was hosted by Candace and Craig and they chose to do a Spanish theme, Un Noche en Espana. As always, the food was fantastic and the time spent with friends was even better. Below I have all the recipes that we cooked up, and this month I included pictures of the people too!

(FYI - If the recipe doesn't have a link underneath it's picture, then the recipes will be at the very bottom of the post.)

Robyn's Shrimp & Chorizo Tapas

Stacy's Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Erin's Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates (this month's winning dish!)

Lora's Cheese & Olive Platter with

Amanda's Spicy & Sweet Almonds

Erin's Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Dip

Jennie's Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

Clint's Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese

Amanda & Taylor's two Spanish tortillas - the first one had potatoes, egg, mushrooms, turkey bacon & spinach; the second one was traditional (eggs and potatoes)

Candace's Paella

Meagan's Spanish Chocolate Torta (AKA Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake!)

Jennie also made some awesome chocolate cake balls with orange frosting as the binder, but I didn't get a picture of them. Oops, sorry Jennie!

Jennie, Lora and Meagan

Amanda, Taylor, Casey and Baby Mae

Robyn & Cory

Lora, Mae, Jennie, Erin, Meagan, Stacy, Amanda, Robyn and Candace

Andrew and Clint blowing out their birthday candles (sorry you missed it Cameron!)

Craig holding Mae

Casey and the Cash-Man

Robyn, Jennie & Clint

And it wouldn't be a potluck without some rowdy board games! I think this was right around the time when the girls guessed Andre 3000 (we were wrong) and Craig, who was acting as the reader, got so excited he yelled out the answer (Dr. Dre) before the guys could guess...(Lora, we totally needed you on that question!)

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil (can be omitted)

16 asparagus spears, trimmed

16 slices prosciutto

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with olive oil.

Wrap one slice prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to pan for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

8 oz sherry

1 8-oz package dried dates

4 oz cream cheese

16 oz bacon, cut in half

Marinate dates in sherry for at least 3 hours. Drain. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a wire rack atop a foil-lined baking sheet.

Slice dates open (it's really easy to do using kitchen scissors) and stuff each date with a little less than a teaspoon of cream cheese. Wrap each date with half a slice of bacon and place seam side down on the wire rack.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and browned.

Spicy & Sweet Almonds

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

finely chopped fresh rosemary

Mix oil and spices together, add nuts and stir to coat thoroughly. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25, or until nuts are toasted.

Paella

3.5 oz chorizo, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

2 onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cups paella or risotto rice

1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika

generous pinch saffron threads, about 1/2 teaspoon

scant 1/2 cup white wine

4 1/4 cups chicken or fish broth

6 small cleaned squid, sliced into thick rings

11 oz mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded

12 large shell-on uncooked shrimp

1 handful frozen baby peas

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 lemon

salt and pepper

Put a large frying pan or paella pan over medium heat, then add oil. After 30 seconds, add chorizo. Fry until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add chicken to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and fry for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers to the chicken, stir well and then cook gently for 10 minutes, or until the onions and peppers are softened.

Add the rice and turn up the heat. Stir well to coat with the oil, then add paprika, saffron, wine and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the rice for 20 minutes, or until nearly soft. Stir several times as it cooks.

Meanwhile, tap any open mussels sharply on the work surface. Discard any that do not close after a few seconds.

Add the shrimp to the pan, tucking them into what sauce is left around the rice. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, then scatter the squid, mussels, peas and chorizo over top. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes, or until mussels have opened and the squid is no longer transparent.

Discard any mussels that haven't opened. Sprinkle parsley over the paella. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over paella.

Greek Marinated Chicken with Quinoa Tabbouli

2012-01-27T10:07:00.001-08:00

I know I've mentioned on here before that my family lived in the Middle East for several years when I was quite young. Because of those experiences, we grew up eating a lot of Middle Eastern food way before it was cool to do so. In junior high, I'm pretty sure I was the only kid who had ever heard of cous cous, tabbouli or baba ghanoush. Of course, all I ever wanted to do was raid the pantries at my friends' houses to eat "normal" food. Luckily I've since come around to loving more adventurous foods.

This recipe is wonderful since almost all the work is done ahead of time. The flavors are simple but utterly delicious and addicting. There will most likely be quite a bit of tabbouli left over, but it makes for a quick and fantastic lunch, especially served with some pita bread and hummus. (In fact, this is my go-to lunch most days!)

Greek Marinated Chicken with Quinoa Tabbouli

chicken recipe adapted from All Recipes, tabbouli recipe adapted from my mom

for the chicken:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

2 lemons, zested and juiced

4 chicken breasts

for the tabbouli:

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lemons, juiced

3 roma tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped

4 green onions, very thinly sliced

1 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup mint, minced

salt

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Using an immersion blender, mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour marinade into a large ziplock bag. Add chicken to bag and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well. Combine 1 3/4 cups water, quinoa and a little salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, green onions, parsley, mint and about 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add cooled quinoa and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the chicken, you can really cook it however you prefer - stovetop, grill or oven. I think it would be best cooked on the grill but since the weather was not good for grilling, I cooked it in a saute pan on our stove. I quickly seared it, flipping once, over medium-high heat and then reduced the heat to medium-low and cooked it for an additional 10-12 minutes.

Pimento Cheese and BBQ Bacon Burgers

2012-01-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

The title pretty much says it all - a delicious and indulgent combo! This spin on the classic cheeseburger was so mouthwateringly good that I forgot to take a picture before I started eating it. In fact, my mouth is watering right now as I type! This recipe takes a little more time than your ordinary cheeseburger but it really elevates the cheeseburger to something extraordinary, so I think it's worth the extra time and effort. I hope you enjoy this burger recipe as much as my family did.

Pimento Cheese and BBQ Bacon Burgers
adapted from Saveur
serves 3

for the pimento cheese:
3 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons chopped pimentos, drained
3 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise (recommended brand: Hellman's)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

for the burgers:
1 lb ground beef or bison
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons smoky BBQ sauce
6 slices bacon
Hamburger buns
Lettuce
Tomato slices
Mayo

For the pimento cheese, combine all ingredients and mix well. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

For the burgers, in a medium bowl, mix ground meat, onion and BBQ sauce. Separate meat into three even-sized pieces and form into patties.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat.

Heat an indoor grill pan to medium-high heat and carefully drizzle reserved bacon fat over grill pan. Season burger patties with salt and pepper. Grill patties, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Top burgers with a liberal scoop of pimento cheese and cover pan with a lid to help cheese melt. Carefully transfer burgers to buns and top with lettuce, tomato and a little extra mayonnaise.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream

2012-01-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe from The Meal Planner (seriously, I think her website is my new best friend!) and it's another winner. The sweet pork paired so nicely with the tangy avocado cream and the hard taco shell. Since it's a crockpot recipe, there's very little time involved and it makes a ton of meat. I froze half (probably more than half actually) to save for another meal. Since Andrew's not a big fan of sweet and savory dinners, I cut down on the amount of brown sugar and thought it was the perfect amount of sweetness - sweet enough to satisfy me but not sweet enough for any complaints from the hubster!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream
adapted from The Meal Planner

for the pork:
3 lbs pork loin roast or pork shoulder
2 cups favorite salsa
4 oz can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

for the avocado cream:
1 large avocado, mashed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

to serve:
hard taco shells or tortillas
sliced onions, optional
shredded cheese, optional
corn salsa, optional
shredded lettuce, optional

In the bottom of your slow cooker, combine salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, onion and black beans. Mix well. Add pork roast and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Remove the pork and shred with a fork. (I cooked mine about 9 hours and I shredded the meat in about 30 seconds since it was literally falling apart. Lovely!) Return meat to slow cooker and mix meat into the sauce. Continue to cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour with lid off to thicken the sauce a little bit.

Meanwhile, to prepare the avocado cream, add green onions, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, chile powder, salt and pepper to mashed avocado and mix well.

To serve, scoop sweet pork into hard taco shells and top with avocado cream and any other desired toppings.

Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes

2012-01-27T08:29:00.001-08:00

{the finished product!}

{Finley was very interested in watching Daddy carve the chicken}

Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved this dinner! I literally could not stop eating it! I've roasted chicken before but none of them have turned out this delicious. This recipe is company-worthy but with very little effort. The presentation is beautiful and the herb gremolata really gives the dish a bright, vibrant fresh flavor. Serve it with a simple green salad or throw some asparagus into the mix and you have yourself a fantastic dinner. Yum!

I chose to truss the chicken to ensure even cooking and keep the breasts moist. Here's an excellent YouTube video to teach you how to do it.

Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
adapted from The Meal Planner, recipe originally from Jamie Oliver

2 lbs multi-colored fingerling potatoes, cut in half if large
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (about the same size as the fingerling potatoes)
4.5 lb whole chicken, rinsed with water, patted dry, and giblets removed
1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
kitchen twine
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
11 oz chorizo, sliced on an angle

for the gremolata:
2 lemons, zested
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the gremolata. Finely chop the parsley, reserving the stems. In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Season with a little salt. Reserve the lemons.

Stuff the chicken's cavity with the reserved parsley stems, lemons (cut in half), and the chopped onion. Using kitchen twine, truss your chicken.

Grease your baking dish. Arrange fingerling and sweet potatoes in an even layer in the bottom of your baking dish. Drizzle potatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Place chicken atop the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the bird and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and paprika.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Carefully remove dish and sprinkle sliced chorizo around the chicken. Return dish to oven and continue to cook for 15 more minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let sit for 15 minutes to allow juice to redistribute.

Carve the chicken. Serve the chicken and potatoes drizzled with pan juices and sprinkled with the gremolata.

Chicken & Edamame with Orange-Ginger Dressing

2012-01-27T07:45:00.001-08:00

Since I'm playing major catch-up after having a sick computer for almost two weeks, I'll keep my recap short and sweet. (PS - I'll update this post with a picture as soon as I figure out how to export my data from my external hard drive to my computer. I tell you what, it's really difficult to be not tech-savvy in today's world!)

This dish is wonderful! It has bright, flavorful tastes, comes together quickly for an easy weeknight dinner, the leftovers are great, and it's healthy to boot. What more could you ask for? The whole family liked this one and I think it will be served often in our kitchen. The avocado really pairs brilliantly with the dish so please don't omit it.

And if you've never perused Confections of a Foodie Bride's website, I highly recommend it. Her recipes are always good and her photography is stunning!

Chicken & Edamame with Orange-Ginger Dressing
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

the juice and zest of 1 orange
the juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger (I had to substitute 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder because my
grocery store was out of ginger and it turned out fine...but fresh is always better!)
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (I used a rotisserie chicken to save time)
1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large avocado, sliced
1 cup brown rice

Cook the brown rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl (or blender), combine orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, oil, ginger, garlic, and cilantro. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender), blend until all ingredients are well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To the dressing, add chicken, edamame, and bell pepper and toss to thoroughly coat. Spoon mixture over cooked brown rice. Garnish with cilantro and avocado.

Weekly Meal Plan

2012-01-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Hi all! My friend Candace recently brought up a very good point - one reason people turn to cooking blogs for recipes rather than cookbooks is based on the assumption that if a recipe is deemed 'blog-worthy' than it must be a good recipe. In essence, the foodie bloggers are taking the recipes for a test drive and letting others know about their successes. The reason why Candace brought this up with me was that she wanted to know about the recipes that I list on my weekly menus - if I actually made them and how they turned out. So in addition to posting my weekly meal plan, I'm also going to do a quick recap/review of the previous week's menu. I hope this will help others in planning their weekly meals too!

On a side note, while I was perusing the web last night, I found a great cooking blog, The Meal Planner. So if you're like me and try to plan ahead for the week's meals, I encourage you to check out her site! And you'll notice that several of this week's meals are from her blog... :-)

Dinners This Week:

Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes; Mediterranean Green Salad

Spring Frittata (didn't get around to making it last week so it's on the menu for tonight's dinner)

Creamy Chicken Marsala; Roasted Broccoli

Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream; Black Beans, Tomatoes and Corn Salad

Thai-Inspired Meatballs with Coconut-Peanut Sauce; Asian Noodles or Rice; Steamed Edamame

Last Week's Reviews:

Chicken and Edamame in Orange-Ginger Dressing - This recipe was fantastic...and so easy! Look for a post later this week.

My Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup - I love this recipe and I'm absolutely amazed that I've never posted it on the blog. I grew up with this soup and every time one of the family is sick, I try to make it. What really sets this soup apart from other recipes is that my mom always makes her own noodles. A little more work but the rewards are well worth it! Oh, and I'll finally be posting it later this week.

Manicotti - I found a manicotti recipe that was stuffed with the usual ricotta/spinach mixture but the noodles were replaced with crepes. I had high hopes for this recipe, but it was merely okay. And Finley refused to eat a single bite of it. I won't be taking the time to make this one again.

Spring Frittata - I've made this one before so I already know it's good! One of the benefits of a frittata over a quiche is that you save a lot of calories but cutting out the pie crust, which is great after the holidays when everyone is trying to cut back a little.

Beef Taquitos; Mexican Chopped Salad - I didn't end up making the taquitos after all. Off the top of my head, I can't remember what I made in their place...but it will come to me eventually. If it was good, I'll post about it. I did make the Mexican chopped salad and it turned out great. Andrew and I ate every last bite of it! I'll post about it later this week too.

Pork Tenderloin; Cheesy Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole - This meal got put in the freezer for another week when we got a dinner invitation to go out with my parents. Whenever we get around to eating it, I'll let you know.

If you've stuck with me and are still reading this, you may wonder why I didn't post anything other than the meal plan last week and why I'm promising to post everything later this week. Well the reason is twofold. Number 1, Finley was sick last week so she was home with me. Luckily, she's all better now though! Number 2, the hard drive on my laptop went kaput after I accidentally dropped a bottle of vinegar on it. The vinegar didn't spill but it did leave a dent right where the hard drive is stored within the laptop. Luckily, Apple is awesome and is replacing the hard drive (for free!) as I type this. I had to commandeer Andrew's computer just to type this post. Hopefully I'll be up and running in the next day or two!

Weekly Meal Plan - January 8th thru January 14th

2012-01-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

This whole weekend I've been babying my sweet sick little kiddo. It just breaks my heart when she doesn't feel good! I feel a little guilty, but I do love all the cuddling though. Finley's such an energetic and independent child, so she doesn't let me love on her nearly as much as she used to. Sniff, sniff. But enough about us, here's what I'm planning on cooking up this week:

My Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup (you know, because a sick kiddo needs her chicken noodle soup!)

Stuffed Shells or Manicotti; Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower

Spring Frittata; Green Salad; Crusty Bread

Chicken & Edamame with Orange-Ginger Dressing

Beef Taquitos; Mexican Chopped Salad

Pork Tenderloin; Cheesy Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole

Colorful Chicken Salad

2012-01-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

You know I love to mix savory with sweet when it comes to dinner. You also probably know that Andrew hates it when I do that. But yesterday I was craving a good ol' homemade chicken salad sandwich. Usually I make a pretty simple recipe with roasted or poached chicken breasts, mayo, celery, and onion, but I was feeling the creative vibe and made a totally different chicken salad. As I was prepping all the ingredients, I was a little worried that Andrew may not like it since I was putting a touch of sweet into the salad. But I had no need to be worried. After Andrew finished his sandwich, he commented on how great it was and promptly fixed himself a second sandwich! At the end of dinner, Finley even remarked that "dinner was really, really good, Mama." Warms my heart!

When I was assembling this chicken salad, I was hoping to create something that was a little tangy (which is why I went heavy on the Dijon and added a little sour cream too) with really bright flavors, as well as colors - orange from dried apricots, bright green from pistachios and deep purple from red onions. I think I succeeded, and I hope you agree!

Colorful Chicken Salad

a Baking and Eggs original

2-4 chicken breasts, about 1.25 lbs, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and chopped

1/3 cup red onion, finely diced

2 celery ribs, diced

3-4 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons creamy Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons low fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

lettuce and/or good bread, for serving

Combine all ingredients except lettuce and bread in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to marry. Serve on lettuce as a salad or on bread (or croissants would be great too!) as a sandwich.

Spicy Bean Burritos

2012-01-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

This is one of those great meals that you can keep on hand for nights when you don't feel like cooking but you don't want to go out either. I already had most everything stocked in my kitchen and it used up some random odds and ends that were hanging out in my vegetable bin. And it's quick and easy to prepare. I was pleasantly surprised at how those few ingredients combined to make some super tasty refried beans! They had a fantastic, slow cooked homemade flavor without very much time or effort. While they were great wrapped in the burritos, I think they'd be great all on their own too.

Feel free to stuff your burrito with whatever ingredients you enjoy. I used green onions, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, avocado slices, shredded cheese, lettuce and sour cream. I placed the assorted toppings on the table and let everyone wrap up their own burritos. It was fun to do it that way and it was less time-consuming for me. Win, win! For Finley, I reserved some of the bean mixture before adding the salsa so the beans wouldn't too spicy for her.

Spicy Bean Burritos

adapted from Annie's Eats

For the beans:

2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

kosher salt, to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

4-6 tablespoons fresh salsa

For serving:

6 (9 or 10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Shredded chipotle cheddar cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Shredded lettuce

Sliced avocado

Chopped green onions

Minced Cilantro

Low-fat sour cream

In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil, garlic, chili powders, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring often, until spice mixture becomes fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add beans and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and mash beans to desired consistency.

Spread a large dollop of beans on each tortilla and top with shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, green onions, cilantro and sour cream.

Bibimbap

2012-01-03T06:53:00.001-08:00

If you eat Korean food, then you've probably heard of bibimbap. If you watched last week's Top Chef episode, then may remember that Ed made bibimbap. Otherwise, you've probably never heard of this Korean rice dish that is loaded with bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef), cooked vegetables and topped with a fried egg. Yum!

The recipe as written takes quite a bit of prep and cook time, but if you plan ahead, you can use leftover vegetables and/or leftover bulgogi meat to save lots of time. This is a nutritious and delicious Asian dish that I just love. I'm a sucker for fried eggs so to me it was pure heaven mixing the runny yolk with the rice, meat and veggies. It's hard to even decide what my favorite part of this meal is - I love the spicy zucchini, the crunchy sweet carrots and the marinated beef is excellent. Oh and did I mention, there's a fried egg on top?!? While those things are my favorites, it turns out that Finley loves the mushrooms - she ate all of them! Andrew and I had to give her the ones of our plates too! And after all the really rich food, I've been eating for most of December, bibimbap is a wonderful change of pace.

Bibimbap

recipe adapted from Food Network

Steamed white rice

Bulgogi, recipe follows

1 large carrot

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sherry

8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

3-4 cups baby spinach

1 zucchini, halved and cut into thin strips

1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce (found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets)

Eggs

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

Soy sauce, to taste

Sriracha, to taste (the original recipe calls for Gochuchang paste but I didn't want to make an extra trip to the Korean market so I substituted the well-used Thai hot sauce)

Peel the carrot into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Set carrot strips aside on a large plate.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes and then add sherry. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are softened and have released their juices. Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms to the plate with the carrot strips.

In the same pan, wilt the spinach in the mushroom liquid. Remove spinach to the plate with the mushrooms and carrots.

In a microwave safe dish, place zucchini slices and 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain carefully and toss zucchini with 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of garlic chili sauce. Remove zucchini to the plate of vegetables.

(I did all of the vegetable prep and cooking ahead of time. Just before serving, I microwaved the veggies for 30 seconds to take the chill off. The hot rice, meat and egg sufficiently heated the vegetables.)

In a saute pan, cook eggs over easy and set aside.

To assemble, place the cooked rice in bowls. Place bulgogi and vegetables on top of rice but placed separately so you can see each ingredient. Drizzle the meat juices over the dish. Place egg on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.

When ready to eat, mix all ingredients together. Let each person season to taste with sriracha, sesame oil and soy sauce.

Bulgogi

recipe adapted from Food Network

1 pound ribeye steak

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 pear, grated with juices

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 small onion, grated with juices

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (I used much less)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 12-oz can lemon-lime soda

Place ribeye in freezer for 30 minutes, or until it is partially frozen. Remove from freezer and thinly slice against the grain.

Meanwhile, whisk together remaining ingredients in a large baking dish. Toss meat with marinade until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Heat grill (or indoor grill pan) to high. Remove beef from marinade and grill for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to compile Bibimbap.

Weekly Meal Plan - January 1st thru January 7th

2012-01-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun-filled New Year's Eve last night. Andrew and I rang in the new year celebrating with our friends from the neighborhood and fun was had by all. For our New Year's resolution, our family is going to try to be more organized around the house.

Since we're all partied and holiday-ed out, I've tried to plan a menu that is full of healthy meals. It's time for me to lay off the butter and sugar, if I want to comfortably fit into my skinny jeans again!

Tomato Basil Cream Pasta (but there's not actually cream in it & it's vegan = healthy!)

Spicy Bean Burritos, Mexi-Grain Salad

Scallion Turkey Meatballs, Brown Rice with Peas & Carrots, Steamed Edamame

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken & Spinach Salad

Bibimbap, Marinated Cucumber Slaw

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

2011-12-30T05:17:00.001-08:00

My sweet mother-in-law bought me five (5!) new cookbooks for Christmas this year and I've had such fun pouring through them ogling all the wonderful new recipes I have at my fingertips. My sweet mother (and father) bought me the new Amazon Kindle Fire for Christmas and I have been downloading new books like crazy, but I know that I'll never trade in my cookbooks. When it comes to cookbooks, I want the tangible copy versus its online companion. Besides, I hate when I'm cooking from an online recipe and my computer (or Kindle) goes to sleep and I have to 'wake' it back up to see the next steps of the recipe. Nothing like raw meat juice sluiced across the keyboard...

Anyway, this next recipe is from one of my new cookbooks that Ruthie gave me - The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2012. This cookbook is excellent! If you're unfamiliar with ATK, the chefs set out to master a recipe, making it in a multitude of different ways until they find the very best recipe. I love that they're doing all the hard work for me! And I have to say that this recipe for shrimp tacos was awesome! After dining out so much and eating all the rich holiday food, Andrew and I were ready for some lighter and healthier fare. The grilled shrimp tacos, paired with chips and queso, made for great football munchies to eat while we watched the Holiday Bowl. Go Horns!

This recipe came together fairly quickly, but if you're looking for a shortcut, make sure to buy already peeled and deveined shrimp from the seafood counter to save time. Also, if you can't find jicama in your grocery store, I think you could substitute a peeled tart green apple. While it wouldn't have the same taste, it would give the salsa a nice crunch and compliment the sweetness of the pineapple.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple-Jicama Salsa

adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2012

Good quality store-bought (or homemade) guacamole

3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)

salt

10 oz jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 cups pineapple, measured and then cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chile powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lb. small to medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Combine 2 tablespoons more lime juice, jicama, pineapple, cilantro, jalapeno and shallot in a bowl. Season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat oil in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to medium bowl and let cool to room temperature, then stir in remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Add your shrimp to spice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, covered for 15 minutes. Don't marinate shrimp for longer than 15 minutes because the citric acid will start to 'cook' the shrimp and turn them rubbery!

Meanwhile, heat an indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Place tortillas on grill pan, flipping once, to heat through. Remove them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Place shrimp on grill pan and cook, flipping once, until they turn opaque, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm until all shrimp are cooked.

To serve, place 4-5 shrimp in each tortilla, top with a dollop of guacamole mixture and a dollop of pineapple salsa.

The Best Artichoke Dip

2011-12-29T05:26:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adore artichokes in all forms. I'm pretty sure I've never met an artichoke that I didn't immediately stuff into my mouth. Usually I steam my artichokes, but I saw this pretty picture of an artichoke dip on Pinterest and thought that the corresponding recipe for sounded pretty darn tasty. Plus I had all the ingredients (except for the canned artichokes) already in my kitchen. Sweet!

When I made this dip (and I've made it twice in the last two weeks), I use canned artichoke bottoms rather than artichoke hearts. I've found that the artichoke leaves that are attached to the hearts don't have nearly as good of flavor or texture as the bottom does - so why bring along excess baggage when you can just eat the good stuff?

Two quick notes: the recipe as written doesn't serve more than 8, so if you're serving a crowd, you'll want to double or triple the recipe. Also, you can prepare the dip ahead of time, refrigerate it and then bake it just before serving.

The Best Artichoke Dip

adapted from Picky Cook

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/4 cup mayonnaise (you can use low fat)

1/4 cup sour cream (you can use low fat)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika, divided

kosher salt and pepper, to taste

1 14-oz can artichoke bottoms, drained and finely chopped

3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

crackers or baguette slices, for serving

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together parmesan cheese, mayo, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper. Add artichoke and gently stir to combine. Transfer to a 3-cup ramekin or other small baking dish. Sprinkle shredded Italian cheese over the artichoke mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (35 minutes if it has been refrigerated). Turn on broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with crackers and/or toasted baguette slices.

Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

2011-12-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

I've seen this recipe floating around on Pinterest and decided to make it for dinner one night. Since it's supposed to be just like La Madeleine's soup, I served it with a Caesar salad - which is the classic combo I always order whenever I go to LM. Just for fun, I sprinkled grilled cheese croutons on top of the soup.

Usually when I make a meatless dinner, it's met with some resistance from the hubby and from the baby. (Seriously, the kid LOVES meat - she asks for meat as a snack!) But much to my surprise, I didn't hear one complaint and every plate was licked clean.

Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

adapted from GirlTalk

2 24-oz jars of tomato puree

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, measured and then finely minced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup heavy cream (I think next time I will use less - maybe 1/2 cup)

1 stick unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

6 slices good quality bread

6 slices Muenster cheese

3 slices sharp cheddar cheese

butter

For the soup, heat tomato puree, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper over medium-low heat. Add cream and butter and stir mixture until butter is melted. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Meanwhile, assemble sandwiches by placing 2 slices of Muenster and 1 slice of cheddar between 2 slices of bread. Repeat to make 3 sandwiches. In a saute pan over medium heat, melt a small pat of butter and cook sandwiches, flipping halfway through, until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove sandwiches to a cutting board. Slice sandwiches into small squares.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with a handful of grilled cheese croutons.

Barefoot Contessa's Steak Sandwich

2011-12-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

All morning I delayed going to the grocery store because I didn't feel inspired to make our weekly menu. I think I spent so much time planning our Christmas menu that I hadn't given any thought to what we'd eat the rest of the week. I knew I had to go to the grocery store today (we were down to only 4 diapers!), so I turned on Food Network so see if anything sounded good. And oh boy, did it ever!

Barefoot Contessa made a steak sandwich that looked divine and I jotted down the ingredients I lacked. Because it can be thrown together pretty quickly, and because I couldn't get my mind off of it, I made it for dinner tonight. This sandwich was restaurant quality, in my opinion. Good, crusty bread married with tender steak, caramelized onions, peppery arugula and this wonderful mustard-mayo sauce. Delicious! The mustard-mayo sauce is really simple to make but it adds just the right creamy tang to the sandwich - so don't think of skipping it! Andrew gave it two thumbs up and asked for it to be added into the regular dinner rotation.

As with any steak recipe, you can cook your steak to your desired doneness. While Andrew is a fan of rare steak, I tend to like mine on the more well-done side, so I cooked it ours a happy medium (pun intended).

Barefoot Contessa's Steak Sandwich

recipe via Food Network

1 (12-oz) 1-inch think NY strip steak

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

1-2 onions, sliced into rings

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 mini ciabatta rolls, sliced in half

1/2 cup arugula leaves

Mustard-Mayo Sauce

1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sour cream

pinch of kosher salt

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steak on each side for about 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook steak for about 7-14 minutes, turning once, until steak is cooked to desired doneness. Remove to a plate, cover with foil and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and saute for 10-15 minutes, until onions are browned and caramelized, stirring frequently. (I got distracted at this point so my onions were a little too brown. Oops!) After the onions are finished cooking, thinly slice steak into strips.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, the two mustards, sour cream and salt.

To assemble the sandwiches, liberally spread some of the Mustard-Mayo Sauce on the top half of each roll. Place a generous layer of the steak strips on the bottom half of the roll. Top steak with onions and arugula. Cover the sandwiches with the top half of the bun.

My Christmas Menu

2011-12-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

Andrew, Finley and I are hosting our parents for Christmas again this year. I love to entertain and it's so convenient for us to host so that Finley can go down for her nap easily. So it works out well for us! I decided to post my (tentative) menu here because it is an easy way for me to keep track of my recipes...and hopefully maybe it will give you all some ideas too :-)

I'm planning on making the turnovers, scones, ham glaze, grits, haricot verts and salad dressing the day before and reheat before serving. Fun times ahead!

Breakfast/Snacking while we open presents:

- Blueberry Turnovers

- Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones

- Mimosas

Lunch:

- Fig & Orange Glazed Ham

- Oklahoma Cheese Grits

- Haricot Verts with Shallots

- My Favorite Salad

Chicken Salsa Verde with Cornmeal-Cilantro Dumplings

2011-12-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

This was a wonderful Southwestern spin on the classic chicken 'n dumplings. And it is the perfect kind of dinner to serve when it's cold and dreary outside. The recipe came together quickly, especially if you have your chicken, green onions and cilantro chopped ahead of time. While it baked, I was able to get the kitchen cleaned too. Nothing is more relaxing than sitting down to a hearty and delicious dinner with a glass of white wine and a clean kitchen to boot!

A quick word of warning: Depending on what brand of salsa you buy and it's level of spiciness, you may need/want to add more or less salsa to the chicken mixture. I used half of a jar of green salsa that was labeled 'medium heat' and it was still pretty spicy. Andrew and I liked it that way, but it was too spicy for Finley to eat.

Chicken Salsa Verde with Cornmeal-Cilantro Dumplings

as seen on Savory Sweet Life, recipe adapted from Pam Anderson's Perfect One-Dish Dinners

for the chicken

4 tablespoon salted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-oz) can chicken broth

1/2 (15-oz) jar of salsa verge (about 1 cup)

1 (5-oz) can evaporated milk

1 large rotisserie chicken, meat picked off and left in large chunks

1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)

for the dumplings

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons salted butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1/3 cup Monterey pepper jack cheese, shredded

For the chicken, heat butter over medium-heat in a large, deep oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven. Whisk in flour to make a paste. Mix broth, salsa verde and evaporated milk in a bowl. Add flour mixture to paste all at once. Whisk, vigorously at first, until mixture simmers and thickens to sauce consistency. Stir in chicken and corn and heat through. Lower heat to low and cover to keep warm. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the dumplings, heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until steamy. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, scallions, cilantro and cheese in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in milk mixture to form a firm, sticky dough. With your fingers, pinch off large ping-pong ball sized pieces of dough and drop onto chicken mixture. Return chicken to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and transfer pan to oven and bake until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Weekly Meal Plan - December 11th thru December 16th

2011-12-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Chicken Salsa Verde with Cornmeal Dumplings, Green Salad

Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons, Caesar Salad

Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna, Garlic Bread

Healthy Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Edamame

and just for fun - S'Mores Bars

S'mores Bars

2011-12-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea on a friend's blog and I thought it sounded great. This recipe is really a rice-krispy-treats-meets-s'mores, and rice krispy treats and s'mores are two of my simple favorites!

Originally I made these to these to my friend, Lora, who was in the hospital after having her baby girl. Before I left for the hospital, I sampled one to make sure they were as tasty as I thought they should be and then sent all the other bars to Lora. Afterwards, I kept thinking about how good they were and wondering why I hadn't saved at least a couple for our house. So I did what anyone else would have done - I ran to the store and made another batch! And I'm not the only one who loved them. Another friend visited Lora in the hospital and emailed me for the recipe as soon as she got home! Yes, they are that good!

S'mores bars

as seen on Tiny Tidbits and recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

4 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 (10.5-oz) bag of mini marshmallows, divided

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal

6 Hershey's chocolate bars

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and add 2/3 bag of marshmallows. Stir frequently until marshmallows are melted. Take pot off heat and stir in cereal, coating cereal completely. Pour cereal into a greased 9-inch-x-13-inch pan and push down slightly on the cereal to compact it in the pan.

Preheat broiler. Place Hershey's bars on top of cereal. You may need to break them to get even coverage. Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows on top. Pop pan under the broiler, watching closely. Broil until the marshmallows are slightly charred on top.

Let cool completely and cut into bars.

Sloppy Cubano Sandwiches

2011-12-07T02:35:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why I am so enamored by Sloppy Joes, but I am! While I love the original, I also like to spice things up a bit. This recipe popped up on my blog feed this weekend, and I immediately knew I had to try it. I've already professed my love for Sloppy Joes, but I also love a good Cuban sandwich - pork, ham, cheese, mustard and pickles sandwiched between some good, crusty bread. Yum! This recipe is a happy marriage between two great sandwich staples and I could not have been happier with how this turned out. A delicious revision to the Sloppy Joe!

I altered the recipe to have the slow cooker do most of the work for me. With a two-year-old, I always try to do as much work ahead of time (usually while Finley is in preschool or taking her nap) so that I don't have to be slaving over dinner when she's awake and wanting to play. But if you'd like make the recipe on the stovetop, then be sure and look at the original recipes here and here.

Sloppy Cubano Sandwiches

adapted from Taste and Tell and Rachael Ray

6 oz chorizo, casings removed and finely chopped

1 lb ground pork

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon allspice

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

1 cup chicken broth

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

4 rolls or buns, split in half

4 slices Swiss cheese

dill pickle slices

yellow mustard

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook chorizo until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the pork and onions and continue to cook another 4-6 minutes or until browned. If there is a lot of grease, drain the fat. (Mine didn't render much fat so I skipped this step.)

Meanwhile, in the pot of your slow cooker, stir together garlic, paprika, ground coriander, allspice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, lime zest, chicken broth, tomato sauce and salt and pepper (to taste). Add the meat and onion mixture and stir to combine. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Stir in tomato paste just before serving.

When you're ready to eat, preheat your oven's broiler. Toast the split buns. Divide the meat mixture between the buns and place a slice of cheese on each. Broil until the cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Top with lots of pickles, spread a liberal dollop of mustard on the top half of the bun and enjoy!

Maple-Bacon Biscuit Bake

2011-12-06T02:21:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love sweet and salty combinations, but alas the Hubby Bubby isn't the fan that I am. Usually I try to sneak them in at dinner time but I always feel guilty making dishes that Andrew may not like. But when I saw this recipe, I knew I had a winner. Andrew loves sweet breakfasts (cinnamon rolls are a fave around here) so I knew he'd be game for a glorified monkey bread with some bacon thrown in for good measure.

I fiddled with the recipe just a bit to make it easier for me. I substituted store-bought biscuit dough for homemade and I assembled the maple-bacon syrup the night before to cut down on my cooking time in the morning. This was a delicious treat to wake up to! But really what's not to love - maple syrup, bacon and biscuit dough baked into sticky, gooey, caramel-y perfection!

Maple-Bacon Biscuit Bake

adapted from Pink Parsley who adapted it from King Arthur Flour

8 oz hickory smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup maple syrup (don't use the fake stuff!)

3 tablespoons reserved bacon fat

1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough

The night before, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is browned and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and discard the rest.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, syrup and bacon fat. Stir in the bacon. Liberally spray a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with nonstick spray. Pour the bacon mixture into the bottom of the pan. Allow to cool and then refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Nestle the biscuit pieces atop the maple-bacon mixture. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Remove from oven and immediately invert the dish onto the serving plate. Lift off the pie plate and serve!

Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

2011-12-05T02:10:00.001-08:00

This amazing soup made an appearance on our Thanksgiving table (courtesy of my mother!) and I think it earned a place on our annual menu. The soup has a wonderful depth of flavor from the apple, leeks and the chipotle pepper and I loved the little bit of crunch that the pepitas add. Another thing to love about this warm and hearty soup is that it gets it's creamy texture from the veggies - not heavy cream or whole milk! Overall, this is a great simple soup for the fall and perfect for a holiday menu!

Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

recipe from Martha Stewart

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

6 cups chicken broth

1 medium chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup salted pepitas

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook garlic and leek until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add apple, celery and ginger and cook another 3 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and stock and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add chipotle chile.

Using an immersion blender (or working in batches, use a blender*) to puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with pepitas before serving.

*For your safety, if using a blender, remove cap from hole in lid and cover with a dish towel to prevent splattering.

Fauxstess Cupcakes

2011-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

I've been following Annie's Eats for a long while and I always love her recipes. Often she convinces me to branch out and attempt new recipes when I read her reviews and see her beautiful pictures. When I think of Annie's Eats, I always think of cupcakes. She has so many wonderful and fun cupcake recipes! Recently I made her Butterfinger Cupcakes and they were delicious - I remember being so surprised at how closely the frosting tasted like a Butterfinger! But I digress...

While I don't know Annie in reality, I feel like I do. She has invited me into her kitchen and her life just by reading her blog. Every morning, I look forward to drinking my cup of coffee and reading my cooking blogs, especially hers. But on Thanksgiving, Annie posted that her father died unexpectedly and that she would be taking a break from blogging to mourn and cope with the loss. She offered a gentle reminder to be extra thankful for the ones you love because you never know how long you'll have them. I can't tell you how many times since then that I have squeezed my daughter or my husband tight, consciously being thankful that they are here with me.

I didn't realize how much I would miss Annie's posts until there weren't any new ones popping up in my blogger feed each morning. To fulfill my needed dose of Annie's Eats, I combed through her archives, and of course found tons of great looking cupcake recipes. Inspired by an earlier blog movement, Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey, I decided to whip up a batch of cupcakes in honor of Annie's dad. I was stumped about which recipe to choose since I don't actually know Annie or her family, so I finally decided just to pick one that looked good to me. Hopefully her dad would have liked it too!

Fauxstess Cupcakes

recipe from Annie's Eats

for the cupcakes

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated and at room temp

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

for the filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup marshmallow fluff (store-bought or homemade)

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

for the frosting

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat wells of a muffin tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside..

In another bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy. Add 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the batter and mix to combine. Add remaining egg white mixture and gently fold together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the mixture into 8 or 9 cupcake wells. Bake until the cupcakes spring back (i.e. do not leave an indention) when lightly touched in the center, about 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, marshmallow fluff and heavy cream. Reserve 1/2 cup of the filling and transfer the rest to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip.

Gently insert the tip of the pastry bag about 1/2-inch deep into the top of each cupcake and lightly squeeze in some filling.

For the frosting, heat cream over medium heat in a small saucepan until steaming (not boiling!), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add butter and stir until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake in the frosting to thoroughly coat. Spoon reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe curlicues across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.

And then share them with the ones you love!

Big Bite!

Weekly Meal Plan - December 4th thru December 10th

2011-12-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the menu that I have planned for the week!

Creamy Lemon Tortellini Bake with Spinach, Roasted Broccoli, Garlic Bread

Chicken Enchilada Soup, Guacamole, Tortilla Chips

Sloppy Cubano Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries, Fresh Fruit

Crispy Tofu with Veggies and Noodles in a Sweet & Spicy Sauce, Egg Rolls

Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Arugula, Artichoke Hearts & Lemon, Red Wine Spaghetti

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-12-01T08:40:00.001-08:00

Originally I had planned to make these taquitos and make a few changes to the recipe. But the more I thought about it, I realized how ambivalent I was feeling about them. While I love bacon, I was a little on the fence about whether or not I wanted bacon in my taquitos...So I decided to use the taquito recipe that I've used several times in the past and always enjoyed. Why mess with a good thing, right?

These taquitos are nothing like the fried-minuscule-virtually-tasteless-things-that-more-closely-resemble-cardboard-than-food you can find in the frozen foods section of your grocery store. These are creamy, crunchy, tasty bites of deliciousness that everyone - including Finley - loves!

It's also important to note that unbaked these freeze really well!

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

adapted from Our Best Bites

3 oz cream cheese, softened

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

4 oz sour cream

1/4 cup chipotle salsa (feel free to substitute your favorite salsa)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

12 flour tortillas

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, green onions, garlic,cumin, onion powder, oregano and chili powder. Stir until well combined and then stir in chicken.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each tortilla and roll up as tightly as you can. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet and repeat with remaining tortillas. Lightly spray each tortilla with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the ends of the tortillas turn golden brown.

Serve with extra salsa, guacamole or this dipping sauce. (I made a simple sauce of equal parts guacamole and sour cream plus a squeeze of lime juice, a dash of chili powder, and a dash of cumin.)

Weekly Meal Plan - November 28th thru December 4th

2011-11-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe it will be December in just a few days. Where does the time go?!?

Lamb with Cous Cous, Caramelized Onions, Almonds and Raisins; Baba Ghanoush (AKA my mom's cooking for me!)

Chicken & Dumplings (in the slow cooker!)

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce; Roasted Broccoli

Chicken, Bacon & Cream Cheese Taquitos with Avocado dipping sauce; Black beans

And just for fun - Golden Grahams S'mores Bars

Southern Potluck - November 2011

2011-11-29T14:10:00.000-08:00

So much for creating potluck posts every month! Sadly I haven't posted about another potluck since our Cajun potluck back in July (or was it June?). But this month I actually remembered to bring my camera to the dinner and managed to take pictures of most of the dishes. Also, I should mention that within my group of friends there is a healthy amount of competition, so we instituted an award that is given each month to the best dish. We even have a trophy that gets passed around! This month, Candace's peach cobbler won!

Here's the delicious fare that we served up:

{Chicken & Dumplings}

{Cheese Grits}

{Green Beans & Bacon}

{Peach Cobbler - recipe found below}

{Banana Pudding}

Candace's Award Winning Peach Cobbler

adapted from Southern Living

9 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen

1-2 cups sugar, depending on the sweetness of the peaches

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup butter

pastry for double-pie crust, fresh or store-bought

Combine first 4 ingredients in a pan and set aside until syrup forms. Bring peach mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook about 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and butter, stirring until butter melts.

Roll out one of the pie crusts to fit a 9-inch-x-13-inch pan. Spoon half of the peach mixture into the pan and top with the pie crust. Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Spoon remaining peaches over the baked crust. Roll out second pie crust and cut into strips 1-inch wide. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over top of the peaches. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Cuban Beef with Bell Peppers

2011-11-22T18:31:00.001-08:00

I pinned this recipe on Pinterest ages ago, and with crazy busy-ness of Thanksgiving week, I decided it was time to bust out another slow cooker recipe. I was surprised at how flavorful the meat was, especially considering there aren't a ton of ingredients. But once I tasted the beef with the avocado, I was blown away. The avocado is a must with this recipe! This is a great, simple and healthy slow cooker meal that is perfect for the busy holiday season.

Cuban Beef with Bell Peppers

adapted from Real Simple

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 white onion, chopped

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon roasted cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup sherry

salt and pepper

1 1/5 lb flank steak, cut into two or three pieces

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips

1 cup long grain, cooked

1-2 limes, cut into quarters

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 avocados, sliced

In the bowl of a slow cooker, combine tomatoes, onion, oregano, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper and sherry. Stir to combine. Nestle flank steak amongst the vegetables. Let cook on low for at least 8 hours. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat will be.

About 2 hours before you're ready to eat, add bell peppers. (You can add them at the beginning but they turn to mush. I don't like mush, so by adding them later, they were cooked through but still had a nice texture.)

To serve, place rice on serving plate. Top with meat and veggie mixture. Squeeze lime juice over top and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve sliced avocado on the side.

My (Current) Favorite Salad

2011-11-17T10:44:00.001-08:00

I based this salad on a salad I make for my father-in-law, and I've made it twice in the last week. I love the tangy sweet citrus with the crunchy fennel and creamy avocado. Yum! I love it so much that while Andrew was eating ice cream last night, I got the left over salad out of the fridge and ate the rest of it! If you're looking for a flavorful addition to your Thanksgiving meal, this salad would be perfect.

My (Current) Favorite Salad

for the salad

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and segmented

1/2 can hearts of palm, sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into chunks

1 bunch arugula, washed and torn into chunks

for the dressing

1 small shallot, minced

juice from left over grapefruit membranes (or juice of 1 lemon)

juice from 1 left over orange membrane

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1-2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

In a large bowl arrange butter lettuce leaves, arugula, orange segments, grapefruit segments, hearts of palm, fennel slices and avocado chunks.

For the salad dressing, in a blender combine all ingredients and puree. Pour desired amount over salad.

Cheddar Rosemary Biscuits

2011-11-15T09:42:00.001-08:00

For dinner the other night, I prepared Pulled Pork with Homemade Peach BBQ Sauce served atop Cheddar Rosemary Biscuits. The Pulled Pork was great (just a word of warning to the Texas BBQ fans - the sauce is a vinegar BBQ sauce rather than a ketchup/tomato-based one), but the biscuits really stole the show. They were buttery, slightly cheesy with just a bit of beautiful rosemary flavor. Delicious on their own, but they also paired wonderfully with the vinegary, tender pork!

After the three of us devoured all of the biscuits, I decided to whip up another batch this morning to freeze for part of our Thanksgiving menu. I love things that can be made ahead of time for big holiday meals! To freeze the biscuits: prepare the dough, cut into biscuits, place the biscuits on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze completely. Once frozen, place the biscuits in an airtight ziploc bag. Bake them frozen at 425 degrees for 22-30 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Cheddar Rosemary Biscuits

adapted from Daily Cravings, who adapted the original recipe from Ina Garten

2 cups self-rising flour, plus more

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

12 tablespoons very cold butter, diced

1/2 buttermilk, shaken

2 extra large eggs, divided

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon milk or water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and rosemary in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and continue to mix until the butter is the size of peas.

In a small bowl, beat buttermilk and 1 egg together. With the mixer still on low, add buttermilk mixture. Mix until just moistened. In a small bowl, mix cheddar with a small handful of flour. With mixer still on low, add cheese and mix until just combined.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly a few times. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to a 10-inch x 5-inch rectangle. With a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and place on a greased baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix remaining egg with 1 tablespoon milk or water. Brush egg wash over tops of biscuits. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Oven Baked Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce

2011-11-14T05:31:00.000-08:00

While I love onion rings, I've never made them before. I try not to fry too many things for health reasons - and because I hate cleaning up the grease splatters all over my kitchen. When I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I'm notorious for not completely, or carefully, reading through the recipe directions beforehand and I did it again. I had almost finished preparing the onion rings before I realized that the recipe was actually called Oven Fried Onion Rings and they were cooked in oil in the oven rather than stovetop. Hmmm...not quite as healthy as I wanted, so I fiddled with it and came up with something that actually is Oven Baked Onion Rings, no frying involved!

Every afternoon around 4 or 5, Finley has her "witching hour" complete with fussing, crying and needing lots of attention. Unfortunately this coincides perfectly with the time I am trying to get dinner going for the evening. I've learned that usually I can prepare Miss F a big snack/light supper and plop her in front of an episode of Special Agent Oso and that will keep her happy and occupied while I'm working in the kitchen. But this particular evening my go-to plan wasn't cutting it. While I was dredging the onions rings with eggs and cracker crumbs stuck to all my fingers, I had a very unhappy toddler clinging to my leg shrieking for me to read to her. Fin finally settled for holding the book herself and I read aloud while working on the onion rings. Multi-tasking at its best. In my head, I was cursing these stupid onion rings for taking so long to prepare and I swore that they had better be damn good since it was complete chaos in our house at the moment.

But when I sat down at dinner and took a bite, I knew they were worth it. All the crispy, crunchy goodness of an onion ring without any of the deep fried guilt! By this time, Finley's witching hour had passed and while she wasn't a big fan of eating the onion rings, she did enjoy using them for bracelets! A happy toddler + awesome onion rings = a happy, and very full, mama!

Oven Baked Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce

adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

for the onion rings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 sleeve Saltine crackers

4 cups corn flakes

1-2 sweet onions

non-stick spray

for the sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon ketchup

1/2 - 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1/4 teaspoon paprika

a pinch or two of salt

a pinch or two of dried oregano

a pinch or two of pepper

For the onion rings, preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a shallow bowl (I used pie plates), sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour. Set aside.

In another shallow bowl, beat eggs and buttermilk together. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.

In a a food processor, pulse crackers and corn flakes together until they are fairly finely ground. Pour the crumbs into a third shallow bowl.

Peel and slice onions into 1/2-inch wide slices, separating the rings. Discard any rings that are not at least 2-inches in diameter.

Dredge each ring in the flour, then dip into the egg mixture completely coating the surface. Allow any excess to drip off and then place onion into the crumb mixture, gently pressing crumbs onto the onion. Place onion ring onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining onion rings.

Spray each onion rings lightly with non-stick spray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and onion is tender.

Serve with dipping sauce.

*Onion rings can be prepared and refrigerated for an hour. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking or else the cold onions will not get tender.

For the sauce, in a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store sauce in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Weekly Meal Plan - November 14th thru November 20th

2011-11-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Pinterest, I've found some fun new cooking blogs from which I've pulled most of this week's menu. I love it when I stumble upon a new blog - especially when Finley just went down for a nap, so that I actually have time to look at it!

I expect that the upcoming holiday season will be a busy one and I know there will be more nights where I don't feel like cooking. But with the usual holiday expenses, I know we won't want to eat out either, so I'm planning on making more meals in bulk and freezing half of them to combat those lazy night!

Lasagna Soup, Salad, Garlic Bread (freeze half - without noodles)

Pimento Cheese BLT Sandwiches, Oven-Fried Onion Rings (I'll eat the left-over pimento cheese for lunch this week)

Hot Pepper and Peach Pulled Pork with Cheddar-Rosemary Biscuits (freeze half of the pork)

Chicken Stir-Fry, Brown Rice, Steamed Edamame

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, Black Beans, Avocado & Tomato Salad (freeze half of the chicken)

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops, Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Grits, Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

Breakfast Egg Muffins

2011-11-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of having a big family breakfast together on the weekends, but since I'm not a morning person, it rarely happens. Usually by the time I stumble out of bed, Andrew and Finley have been up and around long enough to have already eaten. But this weekend I really wanted to give it the old college try.

These are really more like individual sized breakfast casseroles than muffins, but you get the idea. I made them last night (like you would with a breakfast casserole) and then just popped them in the oven this morning. And then I got to sit down and enjoy my coffee knowing I was about to serve me family a great homemade breakfast - without any work to do in the morning! These would make a great addition to any breakfast or brunch buffet and I think they might make an appearance on our table Christmas morning!

Not only are they tasty and portable, they are a complete meal - protein from the sausage, eggs and cheese; vegetables from the onions, red bell pepper, spinach and potatoes (okay, that last one's a stretch since I used tater tots!); and dairy from the milk and cheese. Feel free to switch up the proteins, cheeses and veggies to create something that your family will love!

Breakfast Egg Muffins

adapted from Snacking in the Kitchen

27 tater tots

1/3 pound breakfast sausage (any kind or flavor you like)

1/4 onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

6 extra large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

salt and pepper, to taste

Bake tater tots according to package directions. Set aside to cool completely

Meanwhile, cook breakfast sausage, onion and bell pepper in a saute pan over medium heat, breaking up any large clumps of meat, until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain any grease. Set aside to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add cheese, salt and pepper.

Using non-stick spray, grease 9 cavities of a 12-muffin pan. Gently press three tater tots down into the bottom of each well to create a "crust". Spoon a large spoonful of the meat and vegetable mixture over the crushed tater tots. Pour just enough egg mixture over to cover the meat and vegetables. Make sure the tater tots and meat mixture are cooled before pouring the egg mixture over top.

Cover the muffin tin and refrigerate. The next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes.

Makes 9 muffins.

* While the quality of the camera is much higher, sadly the quality of the photographer remains the same. Bare with me as I'm learning the ropes!

Mahogany Chicken

2011-11-08T17:33:00.001-08:00

This is such a simple recipe with few ingredients, but it has such a wonderful depth of flavor. We loved it! Finley ate half of a chicken breast herself - and that is saying a lot since she usually eats minuscule amounts of food.

Mahogany Chicken

adapted from Food.com

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoon ketchup

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 chicken breasts

pepper

Combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup and garlic. Mix well. Place chicken breasts in ziploc bag and pour marinade over them. Marinate in fridge for 4-8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and discard marinade. Sprinkle breasts with fresh cracked pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. (If you're using really big or bone-in chicken breasts, the cooking time will be longer.)

* I cooked two breasts (but I would have cooked three had I known how much Fin loved this dish!) and froze the remaining two chicken breasts raw (uncooked). Hopefully they'll taste just as good the second time around! And since I also froze half of the hash brown casserole, I have almost an entire dinner in my freezer!

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

2011-11-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on Pinterest last week and I've been thinking about it ever since. I finally gave into temptation this evening and made it to go with our dinner. It was soooo good - really rich and creamy! If you're thinking of branching out from mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, this could be a contender to forever take their place!

Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes

adapted from Food.com

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 green onions, chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 bag (about 2 lbs) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch-x-13-inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes) with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a large (very large!) bowl, mix together the butter, soup, sour cream, cheese, green onions, salt and pepper until well combined. Stir in the hash brown potatoes and mix well. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Top with crushed corn flakes. Bake for 45 -60 minutes.

*This recipe makes a huge amount. I divided the mixture into two smaller dishes and froze one before baking it.

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-11-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Recently, my friends and I had a freezer meal swap and the meal we received from Erika was Chicken Pot Pie. It was such a warm and comforting meal and I loved having leftovers for lunch the next few days. On a whim (and totally ignoring my carefully made meal plan), I decided to make a CPP for dinner last night. Unfortunately I didn't have Erika's recipe so I just winged it and it came out great. And it was exactly what the doctor ordered - Andrew and I both had second helpings and sweet Finley had thirds! Hopefully your family will enjoy it as much as my family did. It also got me to thinking about when CPP first came into our family...

Growing up, my mom made Chicken and Dumplings, which I didn't like because I had an unfair aversion to soggy/mushy food, but I don't remember her ever making Pot Pie. In my mind Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken and Dumplings were similar enough to one another that I just assumed I wouldn't like either of them. But you know what they say when you assume...Anyway, fast forward to when I was newly married and I realized that Andrew would buy frozen pot pies whenever he went to the grocery store. Poor guy! I decided to remedy that and make him homemade CPP.

Andrew was so excited that he volunteered to head to the store for me. I made out the list and gave it to him. I've learned over the years that I have to be very specific on the grocery list or else I'll end up with something weird. I usually include notes, brand names and location within the store to ensure he comes home with the right ingredients. But this little trip was early into our marriage and I hadn't yet learned this trick. When I unpacked the grocery bags, I found that Andrew had bought a graham cracker pie crust! Bug-eyed, I queried him, and he admitted he thought it was weird but it was the only pie crust he knew of. Ah, funny memories!

Chicken Pot Pie

a Baking & Eggs original

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 potato, peeled and diced small

1 egg

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups whole milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup frozen peas

2 pie crusts (homemade or store bought)

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degree.s

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion, carrots and celery, until veggies are softened, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add potatoes and egg to a small saucepan filled with water. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside. Peel and chop egg. Set aside.

In the saute pan with the veggies, melt butter. Stir in flour. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, celery seed, parsley, garlic, chicken, frozen peas, cooked potatoes and hardboiled egg. Take pan off heat.

Roll out pie crust in deep-dish pie plate. Carefully pour chicken mixture into dish. (You may have a little filling left-over. I ate it for lunch!) Top with second pie crust. Crimp edges and cut a few steam vents on the top. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden.

(I made my pot pie during Finley's nap time, refrigerated it and then baked it for about an hour. You can also double the recipe and freeze one since they freeze great.)

Weekly Meal Plan - September 5th through September 11th

2011-10-31T09:27:00.001-07:00

I'm BACK! After eight days in beautiful Southern California (with lots of yummy, rich food), I am so ready for some home-cooked meals. And I can't wait to get back in the kitchen! Here's what I'm planning for this week:

Crockpot Ribs (I'm going to tweak the recipe a bit and if it's an improvement, I'll post it!), Revolutionary Mac & Cheese, Roasted Broccoli

Greek Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries

Creamy Chicken Marsala with Caramelized Onions, Bell Pepper and Spinach

BBQ Sloppy Joes over Garlic Bread, Sauteed Spinach

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing, Crusty Bread

Roasted Vegetable Stromboli

2011-10-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

This post marks an important day for Baking & Eggs - my sweet, wonderful, fantastically generous husband bought me a fancy SLR camera for my birthday, which means that this post will be the last one with horribly lit photos! Now if only I can figure out exactly how to use it...

Yesterday I baked three loaves of banana bread and a batch of peanut butter and nutella cookies (be still my heart!), so when dinner time rolled around, I was ready for something packed with healthy veggies. I used what we had on hand and it was delicious! I love a meal that tastes great and lets me clean out the fridge! Andrew wasn't happy when he found out it didn't have any meat, but once he tasted it, he admitted he didn't miss the meat at all.

Also, I think you could easily mix up the veggies and cheeses a bit to fit your tastes (or to clean out the random bits of this and that in your fridge). I'd like to try it again with asparagus, broccoli and grape tomatoes with some goat cheese thrown in. Yum!

Roasted Vegetable Stromboli

a Baking and Eggs original

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 large white mushrooms, sliced

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

pizza dough (homemade or store bought)

2 handfuls baby spinach

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

2 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon olive oil

pizza or spaghetti sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, arrange zucchini, squash, bell pepper, mushrooms and onions on a baking sheet. Sprinkle seasoning, salt and pepper over top. Drizzle veggies in olive oil and mix with hands until all veggies are evenly coated. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned. Keep oven preheated to 400 degrees.

Spray a second baking sheet with nonstick spray and lay the pizza dough out flat. Spread the vegetable down the long center of the dough. Top with the three cheeses. Wrap one side over the vegetables and cheese, followed by the second side. Pinch the ends together to close. Brush 1 tablespoon on olive oil over the top of the stromboli. Using a sharp knife make a few slits on the top to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and lightly browned. Serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping.

Scooter's Spaghetti Pie

2011-10-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

As a self-proclaimed lover of anything pasta, I knew I had to make this recipe when I first spotted it on Pinterest. It looks like a simple, classic spaghetti casserole with a fun layer of cream cheese and veggies thrown in to spice things up a bit. Oh, and it's topped with French Fried Onions!

While I'm sure the original recipe is to die for, I wanted to try to 'healthify' it a little bit. I substituted whole wheat pasta, low fat cream cheese, replaced butter with olive oil and added a shredded zucchini. Also, I've never cooked with Fried Onions before - I didn't even know where they were located in the store! I was pleasantly surprised that my grocery store sold an all natural French Fried Onion option, so I didn't have to feel guilty about serving my family something packed with tons of preservatives. Bonus! But of course, they are still fried...but every little bit helps, right?!

Also, this recipe made enough for two pies, one to eat for dinner and one to freeze for later. Double bonus!

Sccoter's Spaghetti Pie

adapted from Salad in a Jar

16 oz whole wheat spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 small white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 zucchini, shredded

1 8-oz package low fat cream cheese

1 lb ground turkey, bison, or beef

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 large jar (26.25 oz) of spaghetti sauce

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 6-oz can French Fried Onions

Cook pasta one or two minutes shy of al dente. Drain.

Spray two deep dish 9-inch pie plates (or one 9-x-13-inch pan) with nonstick spray. Divide the pasta evenly between the two plates.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onions and bell peppers, stirring occasionally, and cook until softened and translucent. Add zucchini and cook 1 more minute. Lower heat and stir in cream cheese until just melted. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.

In a large pan, cook meat over medium heat. Drain grease. Stir in Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute. Add spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese and let cook for a few minutes. Pour sauce evenly over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove pan and sprinkle with French Fried Onions. Return to oven and bake 5 more minutes, being careful not to let them burn.

* If you're freezing half, let the casserole cool completely (do not bake or top with Fried Onions), wrap tightly with foil and freeze. If the casserole is defrosted, bake at 350 for 60-75 minutes, or until heated through. If it is still frozen, bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours. Sprinkle Fried Onions on top and cook 5 more minutes.

A Few New Appetizer Recipes

2011-10-17T07:41:00.001-07:00

My dad has owned an antique persian rug shop for almost 30 years and he has finally decided that it's time to retire. For his retirement party, I volunteered to make a few appetizers to go along with the traditional cheeses and pates. Here's what I did:

{Mixed Citrus Salad with Feta and Mint}

Next time I'll make this when ruby red grapefruits and blood oranges are in season for a larger visual contrast between the different citruses - but it still tasted great as is!

{Sweet Onion and Tomato Tartlets}

Delicious and simple since the recipe uses store bought puff pastry! I used sweet orange and grape tomatoes.

{Drunken Grapes & Goat Cheese}

I wasn't sure how the bourbon would taste with the grapes and goat cheese, so I opted to copy something a restaurant here in Austin does. I marinated the grapes in balsamic vinegar and it provided the perfect mix of tang and sweetness with the creamy richness of the cheese and the crunch of the nuts. They turned out fantastic and were the first to go at the party!

{Toasted Garlic Edamame Hummus}

This recipe was good, not great, and it needs some tweaking. The only reason why I'm posting it is because I think it has potential to be great with a few switcharoos.

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

2011-10-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

My friend Molly made the best banana pudding for her daughters' birthday party. Living in the south, I've sampled many a banana pudding recipes, but this one was the winner by a mile. I made it myself within a week of gobbling up Molly's. I served it when we had friends over (in total there were 4 adults and 2 kids) and we ate the entire pan of it! I lost count after I had three servings! So beware, this is a deliciously addictive dessert that must be served to a really large group lest you eat the entire thing yourself!

I apologize for the lack of a photograph but I think I must have accidentally deleted it. Boo! But let's be honest, my photo-taking skills are lacking so it probably wasn't a good one anyway :-)

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

recipe found here

1 12-oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2 cups milk

1 5-oz box instant French Vanilla pudding

6-8 bananas, sliced

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine milk and pudding mix and blend well. Using another bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Add cream cheese mixture to pudding mixture and stir well until blended. Pour over cookies and bananas and cover with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Butter and Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-10-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Now that fall has finally made it's way to Texas (you know, highs in the 90s rather than the 100s), I've started busting out the pumpkin recipes. Yesterday afternoon I wanted to make a quick and easy dessert and I found this recipe for a pumpkin cake with only two ingredients - spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin. I'm not sure what my problem is but I am absolutely unable to follow a recipe as written; so I followed some reviewers modifications and came up with an awesome recipe that has a lot more than two ingredients!

Don't even think about skipping the frosting because it makes the cake! I'm not even a big frosting fan, but I could not stop myself from licking the bowl clean. Delicious! The bourbon adds a nice taste in the background without being overpowering or boozy.

On a side note, it makes more frosting than you'll need to frost a 9-x-13-inch cake. I took the easy route and made a sheet cake, but next time I think I'll make it as a layer cake.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Butter and Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from AllRecipes.com - here and here

for the cake

1 18.25-oz spice cake mix

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

3 eggs

1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

for the frosting

3/4 cup butter, divided

1 8-oz package cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons good quality bourbon

4 cups powdered sugar (you may need more or less sugar depending on the desired sweetness and consistency)

2 tablespoons whole milk, optional

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, add cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Stir well to combine. Gently fold in nuts. Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of your cake pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

For the frosting, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is caramel in color and giving off a nutty smell, about 10-15 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup butter. Pour browned butter over and let sit for 2-3 minutes. The heat from the browned butter will soften the cream cheese and cold butter. Add the vanilla and bourbon and mix until smooth. (Mine looked a little curdled at this point, but after several minutes of mixing, it came together beautifully.)

Add sugar, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. Add milk if it gets too thick.

When the cake has cooled, smooth the frosting over it and serve!

Three Healthy Lunch Ideas

2011-10-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Being a stay-at-home mom, I'm in and out of the kitchen all day long. But often times 3:00 will roll around and I will realize that I haven't had much (or anything!) to eat that day. In an effort to eat regularly - that's a good thing, right! - I'm trying to bookmark easy and fairly healthy lunch ideas. Here are a couple that I've made in the past few weeks that I enjoyed and thought I would pass along.

{White Bean and Guacamole Wrap}

White Bean and Guacamole Wrap

adapted from Eating Well - serves 4

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup prepared guacamole (or make your own)

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

4 whole wheat tortilla or sandwich wraps

In a food processor, pulse beans, chili powder, salt and pepper until mashed. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil.

Spread 1/4 of the bean puree, 1/4 of the guacamole, 1/4 of the shredded carrot and 1/4 of the cucumber slices on each tortilla. Roll up and slice in half.

{15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta}

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

adapted from Oh She Glows - serves 2

6 oz. whole wheat spaghetti

1 medium ripe avocado, pitted

1/2 lemon, juice and lemon zest, for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

black pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a food processor, pulse avocado, garlic, lemon juice, salt, basil and olive oil. Process until smooth and creamy.

Toss sauce with hot pasta. Garnish with reserved lemon zest and fresh cracked pepper. Serve immediately.

{Mac N Cheese with Zucchini}

Mac N Cheese with Zucchini

a Baking and Eggs original

6 oz whole wheat short pasta (I used cavatappi)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 oz American cheese

1 zucchini, grated

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook mixture for about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, stirring often, until sauce begins to thicken. Lower heat to medium-low and stir in cheeses. Cook until cheeses have melted. Stir in zucchini and toss with pasta.

Beef Biryani...in the Slow Cooker!

2011-09-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Even with the ease of the Internet, I still love good old cookbooks! I was at my mother-in-law's condo last weekend and spotted a cookbook with the title The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World. You had me at Gourmet...and then you had me again at Slow Cooker!

While I love my slow cooker, I have a beef with the recipes for it. So many of the popular crockpot recipes call for cream of something soup or prepackaged spice packets. While I love the convenience of the crockpot, I don't want to sacrifice health (especially sodium content) just to use the crockpot. This cookbook is awesome because it uses all fresh ingredients and spices.

Okay, I'll step off my soap box now. This recipe caught my eye because I love Indian food and the picture corresponding to the recipe looks fabulous. An added plus is that Finley loves meat, rice and peas, so I thought this recipe would be right up her alley.

The Beef Biryani was great! It was flavorful, delicious and the meat was wonderfully tender. The spice mixture used was different than the traditional curry and since it didn't have a cream-based sauce, I felt good about eating it. If you haven't ever tried biryani before, Andrew called it the Indian equivalent to paella, and he's not far off. It's a dish made of seasoned meat and broth with rice and peas added towards the end. I served it with a simple cucumber raita and the creaminess of the salad complimented the biryani perfectly. (I'll post that recipe tomorrow.) We had my parents over for dinner and the recipe served the four adults, one child and we have enough left-overs for another two to three people. So it feeds a crowd!

FYI - This recipe calls for several spices that I didn't already have in my spice cabinet. I checked out the prices for bottles of the spices at my local grocery store but they were all pretty pricy. I made an extra trip to Central Market and bought the spices out of the bulk bins, buying only what I needed, and spent less than $1.50 for all of them!

Beef Biryani

recipe adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

seeds from 3 cardamom pods (smack the cardamom pods with the back of a spoon a time or two to get the seeds out)

6 whole cloves

6 to 8 peppercorns

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds lean beef stew meat

1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped

1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup water

1 cinnamon stick

3 to 4 cups cooked Basmati rice

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1/4 cup water for 20 minutes (reserve soaking liquid)

1 teaspoon salt

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Combine cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and peppercorn in a spice grinder or mortar and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add beef and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Add the onion to the pan and saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and starting to brown. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 3 minutes. Add the spice mixture and stir well. Add meat and yogurt and mix well.

Transfer meat mixture to slow cooker and stir in orange juice and water. Place cinnamon stick in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, until meat is very tender. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in rice, peas, salt, saffron threads and their soaking liquid.

To serve, remove cinnamon stick and garnish with cilantro.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto with Pasta

2011-09-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore pasta. I eat it at least three to four times a week, and I've been getting bored with my usual/traditional sauce recipes. I pinned this recipe on Pinterest (big surprise there!) and thought it sounded like a wonderful change of pace.

I came up with a few quick reasons why you too should try this recipe:

1.) I love that I was able to make the sauce from all fresh ingredients - nothing canned or processed here.

2.) Not only was it healthy, it was really tasty to boot!

3.) The brilliant red-orange sauce flecked with green from the basil and zucchini was beautiful as well as delicious.

4.) Texas has returned to 100 degree weather (ugh!) + a no-cook sauce = a much cooler kitchen

5.) By grating the zucchini and adding it to the sauce, you can sneak in an extra veggie and make it a one-dish meal.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto with Pasta

adapted from Annie's Eats

3 red bell peppers, halved and seeded

1/2 cup pine nuts

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup tightly packed basil leaves

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

1 lb. penne pasta (or your favorite small pasta)

1 zucchini, coarsely grated

heavy cream, optional

Preheat broiler. Place bell peppers on a cookie sheet, cut side down. Broil peppers until their skin is blistered and charred, about 10 minutes. Place bell peppers on a plate and cover with plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin of the peppers.

Place pine nuts and cloves in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add bell peppers, basil, and parmesan. Pulse until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil until incorporated.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return pasta to pot. Add zucchini and pesto and stir well to combine. Add heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, if you desire a creamier consistency. Garnish with extra parmesan.

Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

2011-09-12T09:18:00.001-07:00

In celebration of the second weekend of college football, we decided to try yet another ribs recipe and serve them with sausage, potato salad, baked beans, cauliflower with cheese sauce, and banana pudding. Don't worry, we had friends over to share in the feast - there was no way we could haven eaten that much food on our own!

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest and it caught my eye. Ribs...in a crockpot? Say, what?!?We've previously tried smoking them (great flavor but not tender enough) and oven roasting them (again, great flavor but not tender enough), so I thought, "what the heck, why not try cooking them in the Crockpot?!". It could not have been easier and I knew they were going to be tender enough when I cut them to separate the ribs and the meat just fell off the bones. Ah, heaven - meat falling off a bone! At the end of the meal, there was lots of sausage, beans, and potato salad left over but nary a rib in sight!

Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

Adapted from Free Motion Quilting

3 lb rack of pork baby back ribs

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this since kids were going to be eating with us)

Bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's)

Mix all the dry seasonings in a small bowl, being careful to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Rub seasoning all over both sides of the ribs, ensuring every surface of ribs is covered.

Place rack of ribs on edge of crockpot, meat side out. I curved the ribs into a circle, the ends touching, so that the ribs are standing upright in the crockpot.

Cook on low heat for a minimum of 7 hours or on high for 5 hours. Remove ribs to a large cutting board and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Let rest 15 minutes before separating the ribs. Baste one more time and then serve the ribs with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

*It's important not to lift the lid of the crockpot as they ribs cook because they are essentially steaming in their own juices.

PW's Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

2011-09-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a great enchilada recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago and wanted to pass on. It is a Pioneer Woman recipe that she made on Paula Deen's cooking show, so you know it has to be good! Andrew even came home the next day at lunch so that he could eat the leftovers.

It makes a huge amount, so I made it in 2 9-inch x 9-inch pans - baked one for dinner that night and stuck the other one in the freezer for later.

Since I'm feeling lazy, I'm not going to type out the whole recipe. Instead I'll just provide the link!

Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

2011-09-09T09:27:00.001-07:00

This meal was so good! It was very much a kid-friendly meal without seeming like one. I absolutely loved the chicken and the rice - in fact, I think this rice recipe may have surpassed Cilantro-Lime Rice to become my new favorite rice. I love that there's a green veggie in the rice and the subtle nuttiness the parmesan adds. I can't wait to make this meal again for the fam!

Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders

adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

1.25 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thin strips lengthwise (about 3 strips per breast)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, divided

2 tablespoons honey, divided

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow bowl, mix together panko, whole wheat breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. In a second bowl, mix together melted butter, 1/4 cup mustard and 1 tablespoon honey.

Coat each chicken tender with mustard mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining mustard, remaining honey and mayonnaise. Stir well to fully combine. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve honey mustard with chicken tenders.

Zucchini Rice

adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook rice according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water. Five minutes before rice is finished cooking, add butter, sprinkle zucchini and cheese over rice. Before serving, stir well to combine ingredients.

Serve immediately with the chicken tenders.

Weekly Meal Plan - September 5th through September 11th

2011-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

So Finley started preschool on August 1st and between August 1st and September 1st we had - one unidentified rash, two colds, two ear infections and roseola. I apologize for my neglect of this blog, but with a near-constant sick kiddo, what's a gal to do?!?

Without further adieu, here's what I have up my sleeve this week:

Tacos al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Salsa; Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad (I'm going to change the recipe up a bit to adapt it to the crockpot - I'll report back if it's a success...and if Finley doesn't get sick again for the nine millionth time)

Roast Chicken; Creamed Spinach; Sauteed New Potatoes

Pizza Soup; Crusty Baguette (which sounds so much cooler than Frozen Bread Which I Reheat in the Oven)

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders; Zucchini Rice

Chicken Quinoa Stew; Crusty Baguette (yes, definitely sounds much cooler)

Peach Buttermilk Coffee Cake

2011-08-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to make it. I had leftover buttermilk in the fridge, fresh Texas peaches on my counter and all the other non-name worthy ingredients in the pantry. It was meant to be! The recipe for the coffee cake is fantastic and you could easily switch up the fruit for whatever is in season. I loved it with peaches though - and I think I may put even more peaches in next time. The bad news is that the recipe has 19 (19!!!) tablespoons of butter, which I didn't realize until I halfway through making it. So for all those calories, it better be good! If you're looking for a little lighter coffee cake recipe, this Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is another one of my favorites.

The recipe I used (linked below) tops the cake with a glaze, which I omitted on accident. But I think it would have been a good addition since the cake wasn't super sweet on its own. And it's already a terribly unhealthy recipe, may as well make it even worse for you. Go big or go home, right?!?

Peach Buttermilk Coffee Cake

recipe from Baking with Lisa

for the topping and filling:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the cake:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

2-3 peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (you can use frozen in a pinch)

For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Mixture will be crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (or use nonstick spray) a 9-inch springform pan. If you have parchment paper, line the bottom of the pan for easy cake removal.

For the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions.

Scrape half the batter into the prepared pan and level it with a spoon. Sprinkle half of the crumb topping evenly over the batter. Arrange the peach slices in a circular pattern over the crumb topping, overlapping slightly. Spoon the remaining batter on top of the peaches. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes, then remove the side of the pan and cool completely.

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding a little more cream if necessary. Drizzle or pipe over the cooled cake.

Tomato Ravioli Soup

2011-08-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, soup in the middle of August in Texas?!? I'm not sure why this recipe looked so good to me, especially with the oppressive 100+ degree weather we're having, but I decided to go ahead and make the soup. It was so good! I had two bowls last night at dinner! As I was eating my soup, I couldn't help but think of who I could tell about this great (and easy!) soup. The broth is lovely and I'd suggest serving the soup with a good crusty bread so you can sop up every last little bit of that broth. Delicious! This soup tastes like you've been slaving in the kitchen all day, but of course you haven't been, since it's ready in just about half an hour. Loved it!

Tomato Ravioli Soup

adapted from Taste of Home

9 oz refrigerated tortellini or ravioli

1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed tomato soup (use low sodium if you can find it)

1 can (14-15 oz) diced tomatoes with basil and oregano, drained

1 cup vegetable broth

2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

1/2 bunch of fresh spinach, leaves only

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish

fresh basil, julienned, for garnish

store bought seasoned croutons, for garnish

Cook ravioli or tortellini according to package directions. Set aside.

Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray. Cook zucchini over medium heat until just barely golden and softened slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, cook together, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Add zucchini when it has finished cooking. Stir together and add parmesan cheese. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add cooked ravioli/tortellini and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Take soup off heat and add spinach. Stir to cover spinach with soup to allow the spinach to wilt. Ladle into bowls and top with more parmesan cheese, basil and croutons.

Meal Plan - August 8th thru August 14th

2011-08-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I really didn't cook very many of the meals I had planned because I just threw the menu together without much thought. Generally, if I'm not very excited about the menu, I won't follow it or feel much incentive to cook - which usually means we eat out or we eat frozen pizza. So this week I put a little more effort into our meal planning so that the blog (and our pocketbook!) doesn't suffer. Only one recipe post last week was just embarrassing! In my defense, Finley went to one day of preschool before she got a rash all over her tummy and back. So I didn't exactly get all that free time last week that I thought I would. Crossing my fingers Finley makes it all three days this week!

Also, just about all of my recipe ideas came via Pinterest this week. If you aren't on Pinterest yet, you should totally check it out!

Dinners:

Creamy Crockpot Mexican Chicken, Cilantro Lime Rice, Sliced Avocado

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Corn Pudding, Roasted Broccoli

Tomato Tortellini Soup, Crusty Bread

Rotisserie Chicken, Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

Other Recipes:

Peach Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Fauxstess Cupcakes - or - Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Marinated Cheese Trio

2011-08-02T04:15:00.000-07:00

This has been a favorite appetizer amongst my friends for over a decade when Candace's dad first made it for us. Since then, it has made regular appearances at our get togethers, and every time it gets rave reviews. (Because we've been serving it for so long, I'm not sure where the recipe originated, but I think I've made enough tweaks over the years to call it my own!) I'm actually surprised that I haven't added it to this blog before now. I made it twice this weekend - once for a birthday party and once for a potluck dinner. At the potluck, the host announced that he wasn't even going to eat dinner because all he wanted to eat was the marinated cheese!

When you're making this recipe, here are a few helpful tips to make the preparation much easier. Buy cheese that is roughly the same size (width and length), so that when you slice the cheese, the slices will be identical in size. Slicing the cream cheese is by far the hardest part of the recipe. To make it easier, freeze the cream cheese for 15-30 minutes before slicing it. Also, I'd suggest using unwaxed dental floss instead of a knife to cut it. This dish is great if the cheese has had some time to soak up the marinade - which means you can make it ahead of time! Gotta love that!

Marinated Cheese Trio

a Baking & Eggs original

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch green onions, sliced

4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

8 oz monterey pepper jack cheese

crackers, for serving (I like to use Wheat Thins)

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, parsley, cilantro, green onions, pimentos, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

You'll slice the three cheeses in the same manner. To start, slice the cheese in half lengthwise. Then slice the cheese into thin slices widthwise. Once you've sliced all three cheeses, arrange them in an alternating pattern (cheddar, jack, cream cheese, etc.). Spoon marinade over the top and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It's best to serve it within 24 hours of making it.

Meal Plan - August 1st thru August 6th

2011-08-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have all sorts of projects around the home to tackle this week. Why, you ask? Because Finley starts montessori school this week and I will actually have large chunks of free time! It's kind of bittersweet to realize that my baby is growing up, but I'm also looking forward to some free time. Unfortunately I'm probably not going to be spending my free time cooking in the kitchen much this week. I'm prioritizing some organization that needs to happen in the master bedroom, Finley's room and the kitchen. Hopefully next week I'll have some more gourmet Julia Child-inspired menus planned...but no promises!

Dinners:

Tacos, Guacamole, Fresh Fruit

Kielbasa with Pierogies and Caramelized Onions, Green Salad

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin, Potato Salad, Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

Spaghetti Quiche, Salad

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Edamame

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

2011-07-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Molly introduced me to the Quorn brand vegetarian 'chicken' patties and they have quickly become a family favorite. Since I know there is no way that I can just serve Andrew a plain chicken patty, I have been coming up with different ways to serve it. This easy recipe is our favorite so far! I've served it for a quick dinner and Finley and I have eaten it for lunch several times too. In fact, I think I might be making it for lunch again today! The recipe is pretty healthy too - the Quorn chik'n patty has 45% less fat than an actual chicken patty and it has 9 grams of protein; low fat dressing; parmesan cheese is a naturally low fat cheese since it's made from skim milk; spinach; and you can make it even healthier by using a whole grain tortilla or wrap.

"Chicken" Caesar Salad Wraps

1 Quorn chik'n patty

1 tortilla or sandwich wrap (use a whole grain one to make it healthier)

1 1/2 teaspoons low fat Caesar salad dressing

1/2 cup spinach leaves or romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded

Bake the chicken patty according to package directions. Meanwhile, evenly spread the dressing over the tortilla. Top with spinach. Slice chicken patty into 6 thin slices. Spread the slices down the middle of the tortilla. Top with parmesan cheese.

Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

2011-07-29T05:00:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite gourmet comfort food restaurants is Bartlett's and we always order their spinach as a side dish - that way we feel a little less guilty for indulging at the rest of the meal. This week I was going to make some spaghetti and meatballs and decided to make my version of Bartlett's sauteed spinach to accompany it and I was really happy with the results! It's a simple presentation that really lets the individual flavors shine.

Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

a Baking and Eggs original

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 zucchini, sliced and quartered

1 clove garlic, grated

1 bunch fresh spinach, leaves only

1-2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook zucchini, stirring often, until softened. Add grated garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower heat to medium-low and add spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt. Toss with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Greek Layer Dip

2011-07-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I had Greek Nachos on the menu, but I never got around to making them. When I was planning Finley's party menu, I decided to put the Greek ingredients I already had to good use and made this Greek Layer Dip, which was another really popular dish at the party. It's so tangy and yummy! It's a fun (and much healthier) take on the perennial party favorite, Mexican 7 Layer Dip.

I made this several hours ahead of time and had a problem with the cucumbers releasing their juices and making the dip a little watery. (That's why my picture isn't too pretty - I'd had to scoop half of it out to drain the excess moisture and then reassemble it. Big mess but it still tasted great!) So my advice would to be prepare the parts ahead of time, but wait until the last minute to assemble it. Also I'm not going to list many quantities because there's no real right or wrong here - just use however much you prefer and/or in accordance to the number of people you're serving.

Greek Layer Dip

Hummus, homemade or store-bought (I used the plain hummus from Costco)

Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought (my recipe is listed below)

Cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks

Tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks

Kalamata olives, sliced

Fresh parsley,minced

Pita chips, for serving

In a glass dish, place a layer of hummus in the bottom. Top with a thin layer of Greek olives, a thicker layer of tzaitiki sauce, a thin layer of cucumbers, another layer of hummus and then top the hummus with cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. Garnish with a little parsley. Serve with pita chips.

Tzatziki Sauce

a Baking and Eggs original

12 oz plain Greek yogurt

4-5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, feta, lemon zest, mint and dill. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. (If you're making the Tzatziki but not using it with the Greek Layer Dip, you'll want to add 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cucumbers that has been drained.)

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

2011-07-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

This was probably the most popular dish at Finley's birthday party and for good reason! These little puppies were delicious and so easy to make too! They're best fresh out of the oven but they're still pretty tasty when reheated. I'll definitely be making these again soon!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

adapted from Noble Pig

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 eggs

6 oz pepperoni slices, cut into quarters

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)

pizza sauce, for serving (optional)

ranch dressing, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two 24-cup mini muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Whisk in milk and eggs until just combined. Fold in pepperoni, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide evenly between the two mini-muffin pans. Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve with warmed pizza sauce and/or ranch dressing.

*This makes 48 pizza puffs, so if you're not serving a crowd, you'll want to half the recipe.

Meal Plan - July 24th thru July 31st

2011-07-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry that I've been radio silent for the better part of a week. Throwing a two year's birthday party was a lot of work - we had our family dinner on Friday night, another birthday party to attend on Saturday and then we threw our big shindig celebrating Finley's second birthday on Sunday afternoon. By Monday, the whole family was worn out! As a result, I didn't even get around to planning our menu until yesterday afternoon. So without further adieu, here's what we're eating this week:

Orange, Honey & Haberno Marinated Pork Tenderloin; Southwestern Onion, Bell Pepper & Potato Hash

Spaghetti & Meatballs; Zucchini & Spinach Sautee; Garlic Bread

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps; Potato Salad; Watermelon

Cheesy Penne Pasta Bake; Green Salad

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes

2011-07-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Well, the name pretty much sums it all up, so I'll just go now...

Just kidding! I really had you going there, right?!?

I'm such a dork.

Back to the food. This dish was a wonderful, hearty - but not too hearty - vegetarian dish. My meat-eating man cleaned his plate and asked for more. This meal was just the perfect summer meal - a lightly seasoned pasta, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and melted, gooey cheese. Yes, please! If it weren't brutally hot in Texas, I would have loved to eat this out on the back deck with a glass of crisp white wine while reminiscing about our Italian honeymoon. But it's over 100 degrees (which totally qualifies as brutally hot in my book), so we ate inside with the air conditioner on full blast while intermittently telling Finley not to feed her tomatoes to the dog. Just keeping it real!

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes

recipe from Real Simple - serves 4

12 oz spaghetti

3 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), each cut into 4 thick slices

3 T olive oil

salt and pepper

8 oz fresh mozzarella, grated

1/4 cup parmesan, grated or shaved

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Heat broiler. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, arrange tomato slices on greased baking sheet. Season with each slice salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, sprinkle tomato slices with mozzarella and parmesan. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 7 minutes.

In a small saucepan, warm the oil with the garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss sauce with the pasta. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve tomato slices over spaghetti. Garnish with extra basil leaves.

Hawaiian Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

2011-07-20T05:15:00.001-07:00

You know what I love? I love having dinner just about finished and the kitchen cleaned by 10 a.m. Fantastic! When I bought my slow cooker, I thought for sure it would revolutionize my life. Prep for dinner the night before, throw it in the slow cooker in the morning and come home from work with dinner already made. I bet you know what's coming...I used it once or twice and then it sat gathering dust in my kitchen and eventually it was banished to our storage unit. But then Finley entered the picture and all of a sudden a slow cooker sounded like a great idea again. My second foray into slow cooking was a success - good old comfort food with a twist. The pineapple adds just a hint of sweetness and a depth of flavor that most pulled meat doesn't have. I loved the crunch and vinegar-y tang that the cole slaw added to the sandwich too. Yum!

(For my cole slaw, I used half a 16-oz package of tri-color cole slaw tossed with some mayo, a little dijon mustard, a splash of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, and 1/4 teaspoon celery salt.)

Hawaiian Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

6 chicken thighs

2 slices hickory smoked bacon, chopped

1/2 large white onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (8-oz) can of pineapple tidbits, drained with juice reserved

1 1/2 cups smoky barbecue sauce

Cole slaw, for serving (optional)

Hamburger buns or rolls (optional)

Arrange chicken thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with bacon, onion, garlic, pineapple, 2 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice, and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. One hour before serving, remove chicken thighs and shred meat. Return meat to slow cooker, stir meat into sauce and cook 1 additional hour. Skim off any fat/grease that has come to the top with a spoon and discard. Serve on hamburger buns and with cole slaw.

Chicken Tostados

2011-07-18T09:43:00.001-07:00

The name of this recipe is simply Chicken Tostado, but they are so much more than your ordinary, run of the mill chicken tostado. Maybe a better name would have been Super Awesome, Totally Tubular Chicken Tostados or Chicken, Black Bean and Guacamole Tostados with a Sour Cream-Lime-Cilantro Sauce, but those were both a little too long for me.

Anyway, this was a fun, casual dinner that was still delicious. And everyone really liked it, including Finley, which is always a good thing. Because I used a rotisserie chicken and a good quality store bought guacamole, the dinner came together quickly too.

Chicken Tostados

a Baking and Eggs original

8 tostado shells

1 (14.5-oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 - 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup regular or chipotle salsa

1 (7-oz) package prepared guacamole (or make your own)

4 oz sour cream

1/2 lime, zest and juice

1/3 cup cilantro

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large (or two smaller ones) baking sheet, spread out tostado shells in a single layer. Divide black beans evenly between the shells. Top beans with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and shells are crisp.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine shredded chicken and salsa. Set aside.

In another bowl, stir to combine sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Spoon sour cream mixture into a ziplock bag. Set aside.

Remove tostados from oven. Top them with even amounts of guacamole. Mound chicken on top of guacamole. Snip one corner of the ziplock bag and drizzle sour cream mixture over chicken and serve.

Meal Plan - July 17th thru 23rd

2011-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby turns 2 at the end of this week! It seems like just yesterday she was born and hanging out in the NICU (for seven weeks!) and in the blink of an eye, she's walking, talking and taking the world by storm. We are blessed! Birthday week is going to be a busy one but I'm still going to try and cook most of the nights. So without further ado, here's what I have planned:

Hawaiian Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, Cole Slaw

Chipotle Chicken Tostados, Grilled Corn on the Cob

Saffron Chicken, Rice, Roasted Asparagus

Greek Nachos

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes, Caesar Salad

Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Chicken, Broccoli Shells N Cheese

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

2011-07-14T14:48:00.001-07:00

This was a meal that I picked out when I was feeling the need for a healthy, light meal. Of course this meal got pushed to the end of the week because it just didn't sound quite as good as some of the other meals. But I was wrong because this meal was fantastic! Andrew and I both loved the flavors of the meatballs and the sauce and they were healthy to boot. Healthy meatballs, who'd have thunk it?!? This was one of those meals that I can't wait to make again because it was just that good!

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

for the meatballs

1lb ground turkey

1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped

1-inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

1/3 cup cilantro leaves

3 sprigs of mint leaves

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

for the sauce

3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

for serving

lettuce leaves

finely chopped cucumber

shredded carrots

cilantro

mint leaves

In a food processor, add bell pepper, carrots, onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro and mint leaves. Pulse several times, or until everything is finely chopped (not pureed!). Spoon mixture into a large bowl and add turkey, soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix well with your hands. Form into one-inch meatballs and place meatballs on a greased or nonstick baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients and let flavors marry while meatballs are resting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush meatballs liberally with the hoisin sauce. Bake meatballs for 20-25 minutes. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of any grease. Serve with the sauce, lettuce leaves, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro and/or mint leaves.

BBQ Chicken Calzone

2011-07-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Pinterest? One of my friends first told me about it a few weeks ago and I thought it sounded like another time-sucking website I needed to avoid. Of course, I chose not to and it's now my favorite place to play on the web. If the dishes don't get cleaned, the laundry doesn't get folded (or even washed), the floors don't get swept...it's all Pinterest's fault. Sad but true!

Pinterest is basically an online bulletin board where you can 'pin' pictures, recipes, ideas, quotes, etc. of things from anywhere on the internet. You can create different files - for example, I have boards for recipes, party ideas, fun activities to do with Finley, and ideas for home decor - so that all your online inspiration/ideas are organized. I love to be organized, especially since I find it so hard to be in real life:-) Anyway, all this gabbing about Pinterest has a point.

I made an upscale version of CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza (with bacon, chicken, smoked gouda and caramelized onions) a few weeks ago, but the cheese I chose didn't melt well so the end result tasted fantastic but did not look pretty. When I was on Pinterest a few days ago I saw a tutorial about how to create a really good-looking calzone. And inspiration hit - I decided to turn my ugly duckling of a pizza into a beautiful calzone.

BBQ Chicken Stromboli

a Baking and Eggs original recipe

here's a link to the wrap tutorial, in case you'd like step by step pictures

3 slices bacon, preferably hickory smoked

1 red onion, sliced into thin rings

1 tube refrigerated french bread dough

1/4 -1/3 cup smoky barbecue sauce, depending on how saucy you like your pizza

1 chicken breast, cooked and diced (I used a breast from a rotisserie chicken)

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

7 oz smoked gouda cheese, shredded

Extra barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until lightly browned and crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel-lined plate to cool. When cool, crumble bacon and set aside.

Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in the pan, lower heat to medium-low and add the onion. Stirring occasionally to keep onion from burning, cook until onion is soft and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread out your dough onto a baking sheet - sides may hang off the sheet but that's okay. Orient the dough with the short side facing you and spread the BBQ sauce down the middle (vertical). Top with the chicken, crumbled bacon, caramelized onion, cilantro and cheese.

Now comes the fun part! Cut the dough on each side of the filling in 3/4-inch intervals - you want to have the same number of strips on each side. Start at the bottom, alternating sides, stretch the strip up and across the filling on a slight diagonal. Keep doing that until you reach the last strip.

Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is a light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with extra barbecue sauce, if desired!

Butterfinger Cupcakes

2011-07-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

OMG! These were delicious and I was amazed at how perfectly the frosting mimicked the flavors of a Butterfinger candy bar. I brought these to a potluck on Saturday and everyone raved about them.

To simplify the recipe, I used a butter chocolate cake mix rather than a homemade cake, but one day soon I plan on trying the cake recipe. My cupcakes had a chocolate cake base, then they were topped with half of a snack-sized Butterfinger, which was covered with the amazing frosting and then crushed Butterfingers were sprinkled on top of the frosting. Layer upon layer of glorious flavor! What's not to love about that?!?

Since I used the exact recipe for the frosting, I won't type it out. Here is the link to the recipe, if you're interested, which you totally should be because these puppies were beyond awesome!

Butterfinger Cupcakes

recipe from Annie's Eats

My Favorite Sandwich

2011-07-11T05:05:00.000-07:00

I love sandwiches. I don't know why but I just do. And this sandwich was great. It combined a subtle sweetness from the Hawaiian bread, the potent tang of fresh pesto, the smoky flavor of good deli meats and the creaminess of cheese. Delish! We had it for dinner and again for lunch the next day. And I'd eat it again today if I hadn't have run out of meat and cheese!

My Favorite Sandwich

recipe from Recipes to Run On

Hawaiian bread

Pesto - fresh or store bought

Mayonnaise

Good quality deli turkey, thinly sliced

Good quality deli ham, thinly sliced

Good quality provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Spread a light layer of mayo on the bottom piece of bread. Top with ham, turkey, and cheese. On the top piece of bread, spread a healthy dollop of pesto and place bread over the meats and cheese. Cut sandwich in half and enjoy.