Did you think I was done? Of course not! I told you Pinterest has revolutionized my cooking life. :-)
Beef Stroganoff
This didn't taste like traditional beef stroganoff to me, but I still thought it was really good!
2 lbs. stew meat (okay, I used like 1.2)
2 cans Golden Mushroom soup (yup, I used one Golden and one regular)
1 diced onion
Splash of Worscestershire sauce
1/2 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese
1 T garlic salt
egg noodles
Put all ingredients in the slow cooker except cream cheese and egg noodles. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add cream cheese 30 minutes prior to serving. Cook and serve egg noodles with stroganoff.
Black Bean Brownies
I know, they sound gross, right? But they actually are surprisingly normal tasting/feeling. The beans just make the chocolate taste even darker... yum!
1 can black beans
3 Tbsp. oil
1/2 c. cocoa
4 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Drain and rinse beans. Put beans into a food processor to puree. Add in other ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You may wish to top with extra chocolate chips (who could blame you?)
Slow Cooker Maple Chicken
It sounds a little weird, but I thought this was really good, and even Eric agreed that it took him by surprise. It would be especially delicious in the fall. :-)
2-3 chicken breasts or thighs
salt and pepper
3-4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
8 oz. baby carrots
1 small red onion
Put chicken and veggies in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and maple syrup. Let cook for 4-6 hours.
Peanut Butter Dip
1/2 c. yogurt (vanilla or strawberry-banana)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. powdered sugar
fruit for dipping
Mix first three ingredients together. Then dip that fruit!
Ranch Pork Chops
These were okay... it's not a new fave or anything, but if you're in a hurry,it's a quick 3-ingredient slow cooker meal, and you can't go wrong with that!
1-2 lbs pork (chops, ribs, loin, etc.)
1 package ranch dressing mix
2 cans cream of chicken or mushroom soup
3 Tbsp. water
Put all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Strawberry Yogurt Cake
I would just like to preface this by saying that I LOVE fresh fruit, but all too often, we don't eat it all before it goes bad. It's sad and it's wasteful. So when I bought a big box of strawberries this week, I figured this recipe was the perfect way to use half of them up to ensure we make the most of our purchase... that means strawberry cake=economical, right? (I only made a half-batch).
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or orange)
Zest of 1 lemon (I used an orange)
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a bundt pan (or a nice 8x8 if you're halving it). Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and lemon zest and set aside. In a large bowl, mix butte rand sugar until creamy. Add in eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon juice. Alternate adding flour mixture and Greek yogurt. Fold strawberries into mixture and stir gently. Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for 60 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan.
Family Pic
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Sustenance.
I love food. I love eating it. I love cooking it. Most recently, I love growing it. I love trying new things and finding new ways to use old ingredients. It's fun, it's practical, and did I mention it's delicious?
So you can imagine what a love affair I have with Pinterest. It's basically rendered my blogging about food unnecessary.... almost. But who knows when the Pinterest world may crash? So, to be safe (and to make my own changes to these recipes :-) I will see how many fun things I can fit in one quick post.
Chicken Tamale Casserole [Cooking Light]
This was SO GOOD! Similar to the Mexican Shepherds Pie I've made before, this has even more spiciness and zest. And, though I'm usually not a sour cream fan, I found it totally pulled this dish together. I can't wait to make it again!
1 c. Mexican cheese blend
1/3 c. milk
1 egg or 1/4 c. egg substitute
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 can cream-style corn (I used frozen)
1 box corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 can Rotel
1 can red enchilada sauce
2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
Preheat oven to 400. Combine cheese and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until just moist. Pour into a coated 13x9 dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and additional cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and top with sour cream.
Feta Dip
Eric and I agreed: this tastes like an awesome pizza. I actually ate it for dinner one night. A definite keeper!
Olive oil
1 block or container of feta cheese
tomatoes (any kind!) to taste, diced
1 bunch green onions
1 baguette, sliced
Greek Seasoning (Cavenders!)
Pour olive oil on a plate or platter until it just covers the surface. Dice green onions and tomatoes and throw them on the olive oil. Add feta. Pour Greek seasoning over the entire dish. Mix gently. Serve with fresh-cut baguette slices.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and any other ingredient you desire. Serve immediately.
So you can imagine what a love affair I have with Pinterest. It's basically rendered my blogging about food unnecessary.... almost. But who knows when the Pinterest world may crash? So, to be safe (and to make my own changes to these recipes :-) I will see how many fun things I can fit in one quick post.
Chicken Tamale Casserole [Cooking Light]
This was SO GOOD! Similar to the Mexican Shepherds Pie I've made before, this has even more spiciness and zest. And, though I'm usually not a sour cream fan, I found it totally pulled this dish together. I can't wait to make it again!
1 c. Mexican cheese blend
1/3 c. milk
1 egg or 1/4 c. egg substitute
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 can cream-style corn (I used frozen)
1 box corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 can Rotel
1 can red enchilada sauce
2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
Preheat oven to 400. Combine cheese and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until just moist. Pour into a coated 13x9 dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and additional cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and top with sour cream.
Feta Dip
Eric and I agreed: this tastes like an awesome pizza. I actually ate it for dinner one night. A definite keeper!
Olive oil
1 block or container of feta cheese
tomatoes (any kind!) to taste, diced
1 bunch green onions
1 baguette, sliced
Greek Seasoning (Cavenders!)
Pour olive oil on a plate or platter until it just covers the surface. Dice green onions and tomatoes and throw them on the olive oil. Add feta. Pour Greek seasoning over the entire dish. Mix gently. Serve with fresh-cut baguette slices.
Protein Smoothie
1 almost-frozen banana (I actually froze mine, and it turns out that doesn't work so well!)
3 oz. Greek vanilla yogurt (about 1/2 small container)
1/4 c. milk
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
Mix ingredients together in a blender. This should keep you full all morning!!
Greek Chicken Wraps
I've made these two or three times already. They turn out a little different every time, but are always de-lish!
Tzatziki sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (I used red - it was fine)
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Tortillas or Pita Bread
Directions:
Shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (I used red - it was fine)
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Tortillas or Pita Bread
Directions:
Shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and any other ingredient you desire. Serve immediately.
This Week + The Great Hotel Search
I always think I'm going to do a better job of blogging. Then I don't.
Eric started his 4th year of medical school two weeks ago (yay!). We won't even go into how crazy that is to me, how quickly time seems to have gone by, or how I can hardly believe that a year from now we will be gearing up to move yet again (I'm sure plenty of nostalgia is coming, though, so be prepared!).
In planning his final year, we knew he would have to have 3-4 really hard months, and the rest should be awesomely easy. And, being the wise people that we are, we decided he should get the worst one OVER WITH. So, he is. He's working in the MICU for 13-14 hours a day, 6 days a week, and, while he likes what he's doing, him working 80 hour weeks is just no fun for either of us.
This week, Eric had to work nights. I hate it when he works nights. I don't sleep as well, and we only see each other for maybe an hour a day. We're both sleepier and thus grouchier than normal.To make matters worse, one of the tires on my car went flat Monday night. Since he was working nights, we had no opportunity to go get it fixed. So we shared his car all week. That meant me taking him to work and picking him up between 4:30 and 6 every morning. Then getting ready for work myself.
To top it all off, I've been sick since Thursday with some lovely flu-like symptoms (minus the fever) that basically made me a zombie for two days. I even had to miss Race for the Cure yesterday, and I was really excited about getting to run in it this year.
We finally got four new tires on my car yesterday. But not before Eric hurt his ankle changing my tire and cut himself on the spare which apparently had a slash in it too.
Needless to say, I woke up this morning SUPER grateful to start a new week. I know things could have been a lot worse, but weeks like that are enough to make me appreciate our "normal" life! And I am SO glad that we've got this part almost over with!
This week also impressed upon me our great need for a VACATION. We get a grand total of 4 days in June for "vacation" this year (and a short stint in Atlanta in July when Eric has to go take a clinical exam). We really really want to go to the beach. The problem is that we had an AWESOME beach experience last year and now we are finding ourselves being hotel snobs.
You see, last year we took our vacation at the end of August. School had already started most places, so we got an awesome deal on our ocean front hotel on Hilton Head Island. We could lay in bed and see the waves crashing on the shore. We could relax in hammocks by the beach. We opened the door to our balcony and smelled the salty ocean air. The pools were top notch. Our resort gave us $100 credit that paid for a fancy dinner and all-day bike rentals. We also had a free night booking through hotels.com, so we ended up spending a very reasonable amount for a very AWESOME time at the beach.
The problem with going to the beach in June, however, is that the same hotel is $100+more per night than last time. And we do not have a free night. And they are not offering $100 in resort credit with booking. And no affordable hotel can possibly compare.
I know I shouldn't complain. We really have been blessed beyond measure. Just the fact that we are able to take a vacation at all is a testament to that! So we'll figure something out and be grateful for what we get. But if anyone knows of any great resorts on the east coast overlooking the ocean for less than $200/night, feel free to let us know. :-)
Eric started his 4th year of medical school two weeks ago (yay!). We won't even go into how crazy that is to me, how quickly time seems to have gone by, or how I can hardly believe that a year from now we will be gearing up to move yet again (I'm sure plenty of nostalgia is coming, though, so be prepared!).
In planning his final year, we knew he would have to have 3-4 really hard months, and the rest should be awesomely easy. And, being the wise people that we are, we decided he should get the worst one OVER WITH. So, he is. He's working in the MICU for 13-14 hours a day, 6 days a week, and, while he likes what he's doing, him working 80 hour weeks is just no fun for either of us.
This week, Eric had to work nights. I hate it when he works nights. I don't sleep as well, and we only see each other for maybe an hour a day. We're both sleepier and thus grouchier than normal.To make matters worse, one of the tires on my car went flat Monday night. Since he was working nights, we had no opportunity to go get it fixed. So we shared his car all week. That meant me taking him to work and picking him up between 4:30 and 6 every morning. Then getting ready for work myself.
To top it all off, I've been sick since Thursday with some lovely flu-like symptoms (minus the fever) that basically made me a zombie for two days. I even had to miss Race for the Cure yesterday, and I was really excited about getting to run in it this year.
We finally got four new tires on my car yesterday. But not before Eric hurt his ankle changing my tire and cut himself on the spare which apparently had a slash in it too.
Needless to say, I woke up this morning SUPER grateful to start a new week. I know things could have been a lot worse, but weeks like that are enough to make me appreciate our "normal" life! And I am SO glad that we've got this part almost over with!
This week also impressed upon me our great need for a VACATION. We get a grand total of 4 days in June for "vacation" this year (and a short stint in Atlanta in July when Eric has to go take a clinical exam). We really really want to go to the beach. The problem is that we had an AWESOME beach experience last year and now we are finding ourselves being hotel snobs.
You see, last year we took our vacation at the end of August. School had already started most places, so we got an awesome deal on our ocean front hotel on Hilton Head Island. We could lay in bed and see the waves crashing on the shore. We could relax in hammocks by the beach. We opened the door to our balcony and smelled the salty ocean air. The pools were top notch. Our resort gave us $100 credit that paid for a fancy dinner and all-day bike rentals. We also had a free night booking through hotels.com, so we ended up spending a very reasonable amount for a very AWESOME time at the beach.
The problem with going to the beach in June, however, is that the same hotel is $100+more per night than last time. And we do not have a free night. And they are not offering $100 in resort credit with booking. And no affordable hotel can possibly compare.
I know I shouldn't complain. We really have been blessed beyond measure. Just the fact that we are able to take a vacation at all is a testament to that! So we'll figure something out and be grateful for what we get. But if anyone knows of any great resorts on the east coast overlooking the ocean for less than $200/night, feel free to let us know. :-)
Sunday, March 4, 2012
What's for Dinner?
I'm happy to report several successful nights of new dinners/supper/evening meals lately! All of these were major hits and definite make-againers.
Stuffed Peppers
(with Rice) - Recipe for 2
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(I adapted this recipe from this website.)
2 bell peppers
1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
A few scoops of Philadelphia Cooking Cream
1/2 can Rotel
1/2 bag frozen sweet corn
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp chili powder
A few handfuls Cheddar or Mexican Blend shredded cheese
A few shakes of Panko crumbs
A few shakes of garlic powder, onion powder and taco seasoning
A heaping scoop of salsa
You can tell I was really careful about my measurements, right? haha.
1. Slice bell peppers in half and remove seeds/other innards.
2. Mix chicken with all other ingredients except Panko crumbs and about a handful of cheese
3. Put chicken mixture in bell peppers and cover with Panko and cheese
4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes
Stuffed Chicken Parmesan with "Mock" Mashed potatoes
Soooo easy and soooo good!!
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 bag grated parmesan cheese
2 handfuls spinach
1 egg
Panko breadcrumbs
1 jar pasta sauce (I used Prego)
1 bag Steamfresh garlic cauliflower
2 Tbsp. butter
For the chicken parm...
1. Slice the chicken breasts through the middle and fill with spinach and a handful of parmesan cheese
2. Scramble egg in a wide bowl. In a separate bowl, mix panko and two more handfuls of cheese.
3. Dip chicken first in egg mixture, then in panko. Place in baking dish and cover with pasta sauce.
4. Bake chicken at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
For "mock" potatoes...
1. Place the steamfresh bag in the microwave for 5-6 minutes as directed on the bag.
2. Place bag contents in a food processor (or Magic Bullet in our case!)
3. Add in butter and anything else you normally eat with mashed potatoes.
Serve it all together and you've got a killer meal! We were seriously amazed at the cauliflower potatoes. No joke, you could NOT tell the difference! I will definitely be using this recipe to trick my kids into eating veggies one day. :-)
Rachel Ray's Lazy Baked Greek Chicken
Okay, admittedly I stole this picture from the internet.
This was SO delicious that I was thinking about it hours later wishing I had made extra.
2 chicken breasts
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 onion, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Several handfuls fresh spinach
1 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. panko
1 tsp. oregano
1/4-1/2 c. feta cheese
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Heat oil in skillet and cook onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Remove to a bowl and mix in spinach and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
3. Place butter in the same pan and melt. Remove from heat and mix in oregano and panko.
4. Slit chicken breasts in half and open like a book. Stuff with spinach mixture and feta. Place in a baking dish and top with panko mixture.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
2 chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. hot sauce
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 packet ranch dressing mix
1 Tbsp. sugar
Other seasonings to taste (I threw in some onion powder and garlic)
Put all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken. Put on bread and enjoy delicious Buffalo chicken sandwiches!
And this isn't dinner, but I also made some delicious
Zucchini Fritters
1 grated zucchini
1/2 c. grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
3 Tbsp. panko
1 egg
sprinkle of nutmeg
1 clove garlic/1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Mix first six ingredients together. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Make zucchini mixture into "patties" and fry until slightly brown on the outside.
Can you tell what my favorite ingredients have been lately??
Oh, and how could I forget?? My cinnamon rolls!!
Of course I didn't get any pictures of them. :(
I basically followed this recipe. It was good, but it took FOREVER and I didn't cut them quite right, so they were super little. I will definitely try it again some time though!!
Anyway, that's about it as far as cooking goes.
The only other exciting thing I have to report is that I finished (and gifted) my first baby blanket! It definitely was NOT perfect, but it is by far the biggest thing I've ever crocheted!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Updates: Our Home :-)
So I've had these pictures sitting on a disc for forever now. Perhaps you'd like to see our new digs?
The living room pre-paint. I really did like this color, but it was almost exactly the same color as our couch!
Don't you think the yellow livens it up a bit? And please note the beautiful rug, courtesy of mis padres. :-) I loved loved loved that rug when I saw it, but definitely plan to get some more red/brown for the walls and windows to make it coordinate a little better.
Lovely kitchen. :-)
Guest room, complete with extra box spring for decoration.
Extra bathroom, that has since been dubbed mine.
Eric's office area. The pictures are just hung where there were already nails in the wall, thus the weird layout.
Master suite. :-)
And no old house is complete without... a creepy basement!!
We have laundry down there too, ensuring that I go down to visit the mermaids and unicorns at least 5 times a week.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Updates: Adventures in Cooking
You guessed it, I'm behind again. Hopefully today and tomorrow I can [maybe] catch up a bit and get all of these picture off of our camera?
January has been a good month. LONG, but good. I've been trying to get into a semi-healthier pattern of eating. While today's menu wasn't so indicative of that (Eric wanted Krispy Kreme this morning to celebrate being done with IM and we went to a pizza party tonight), I have managed to try a few new healthy things.
As mentioned in my previous post, I am working toward eating a vegetable every day in January. Granted, sometimes I've had to be a little creative get them in. Today I had actually had edamame, which is actually a legume, not a veggie (but it's green, so it counts, right?). I've also been guilty of chopping up a sweet potato a couple of times and tossing it in the oven to make quick sweet potato chips (yum!). Still, I'm getting a veggie a day, which is more than I can say for any month... ever!
I was really encouraged in this endeavor a couple of weeks ago when our Bible Fellowship group started a study on the book of Daniel. The first chapter is all about how Daniel chose to give up the king's hearty meals in favor of a diet of fruits, vegetables and water. After 10 days of following such a diet, he was in far better condition than the rest of the men in training. While there is far more to the story than that, it served for me as a reminder that the best things to put into my body are things that God made, not things that have been processed over and over by man. So I'm trying to do that little by little. It's not easy though!
I think the hardest thing this month has been a succession of new, "fresher" recipes that just have not turned out well. A couple were total disasters, and others just weren't that good. What's the point of cooking if you're not going to enjoy what you eat? So here's a run down on the good and the bad (with a few batches of paella, stir fry, and pigs in a blanket in between).
Spaghetti Squash + Pesto Chicken
There's no real recipe here - it basically speaks for itself. I cut the spaghetti squash in half, baked it for 25 minutes, took the "spaghetti out" and mixed it with grilled chicken tossed in the pesto sauce mix.
I think the problem we had with this dish was just the fact that it was a LOT of new stuff in one meal. I don't think I've ever made anything with pesto before, and of course spaghetti squash was a new adventure for us as well. It was edible. At times even good. Just... different. I think next time I will just try spaghetti squash with regular meat sauce or pesto chicken on regular spaghetti. Maybe we'll get back here... one day.
Overnight French Toast
Not healthy but about as yummy a breakfast as I could dare to dream. I got this recipe off of pinterest and would definitely recommend it for a Sunday morning treat!
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
bread (Texas Toast or I used wheat bread)
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar for sprinkling
Melt butter in microwave and add brown sugar. Pour half of mix in the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread around. Layer 1/2 of bread over brown sugar mix. Spread the remainder of the brown sugar mix on the bread. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour half of egg mix over bread. Add a second layer of bread and cover with the remainder of the egg mix. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Spinach Artichoke Pasta
I won't even bother giving you the recipe on this one, because, while it looks good, it did NOT taste good. I may play with the recipe and try again later... the idea has potential. It was supposed to be a creamier, dinner version of spinach artichoke dip. It sounds good, but NOT in this format. If you see this meal on pinterest, skip it!
Homemade Granola Bites
No picture for this one, but oh-so-delish, and easy too!
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. honey
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. crushed almonds/walnuts or flaxseed
1 tsp. vanilla
(You can also add coconut, but I'm not a fan)
Mix all the ingredients together. Roll into small bite-sized balls. Refrigerate and enjoy. :-)
Tomato Frittata
I've tried frittatas before and they didn't turn out so hot. This one, though, turned out great!
The beauty of a frittata is that there is no real recipe. You just throw in what you have.
1) Grease a dutch oven (basically a frying pan that can go in the oven too)
2) Scramble 5-6 eggs with about 1/2 c. milk and pour into the pan. Add in any veggies/meats/spices you want (In my case, tomatoes and some salt and pepper and cheese).
3) Cook the frittata over medium heat until the bottom and sides are set. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler on your oven.
4) Once the bottom and sides of the frittata are set, put the pan in the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the middle is set as well.
5) Let the frittata cool, then cut like a pizza and enjoy!
Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
We won't even comment on what a disaster that was... Needless to say there are NO photos of that mess!
Taco Stew
So this is something I actually made right before Christmas, but I froze a bunch and have since been enjoying it for lunch. As my darling husband despises beans and all bean-related dishes, I have gotten to keep this one all for myself. Yay. :-)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can Rotel
1 pkg. frozen whole kernel corn
1 packet taco seasoning
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
Combine all ingredients and cook in the crockpot for 10 hours or on the stove over medium heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Scrumptious.
Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal
Lucky for you, I saved the best for last. Well, maybe not the BEST, but I just made this for the second time this month, so it's definitely not the worst!
4-5 mashed bananas
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 c. milk
2.5 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla (or more like 2 T. if you're me...)
nutmeg & cinnamon to taste
nuts, raisins, blueberries... any other additional goodness
Mix bananas and brown sugar thoroughly. Add other ingredients and stir. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the middle is set.
I have been making batch of this on the weekends and then refrigerating it all week, warming it up on cold mornings and mixing with a bit of milk. SO good!
Oh! And one last baked oatmeal recipe. This one may REALLY be the best, especially if you're a chocolate lover!!
Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. milk or water
1 banana or 1/4 c. applesauce (or just 1 T. oil works too)
1 tsp. vanilla
chocolate chips to taste
Mix ingredients together, place in a baking ramekin, and bake 20-25 minutes at 375.
I told you I've been cooking a lot! :-) I've also been eating fresh salsa, roasted red pepper hummus, organic apples and bananas, tomato soup, and Clif bars (my current post-running obsession). It sounds a little healthy at least, right?
On another note, does anyone know where I can get some rutabaga?? I have a recipe I'm wanting to try.
Until next time!!
<3 Christie
January has been a good month. LONG, but good. I've been trying to get into a semi-healthier pattern of eating. While today's menu wasn't so indicative of that (Eric wanted Krispy Kreme this morning to celebrate being done with IM and we went to a pizza party tonight), I have managed to try a few new healthy things.
As mentioned in my previous post, I am working toward eating a vegetable every day in January. Granted, sometimes I've had to be a little creative get them in. Today I had actually had edamame, which is actually a legume, not a veggie (but it's green, so it counts, right?). I've also been guilty of chopping up a sweet potato a couple of times and tossing it in the oven to make quick sweet potato chips (yum!). Still, I'm getting a veggie a day, which is more than I can say for any month... ever!
I was really encouraged in this endeavor a couple of weeks ago when our Bible Fellowship group started a study on the book of Daniel. The first chapter is all about how Daniel chose to give up the king's hearty meals in favor of a diet of fruits, vegetables and water. After 10 days of following such a diet, he was in far better condition than the rest of the men in training. While there is far more to the story than that, it served for me as a reminder that the best things to put into my body are things that God made, not things that have been processed over and over by man. So I'm trying to do that little by little. It's not easy though!
I think the hardest thing this month has been a succession of new, "fresher" recipes that just have not turned out well. A couple were total disasters, and others just weren't that good. What's the point of cooking if you're not going to enjoy what you eat? So here's a run down on the good and the bad (with a few batches of paella, stir fry, and pigs in a blanket in between).
Spaghetti Squash + Pesto Chicken
There's no real recipe here - it basically speaks for itself. I cut the spaghetti squash in half, baked it for 25 minutes, took the "spaghetti out" and mixed it with grilled chicken tossed in the pesto sauce mix.
Overnight French Toast
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
bread (Texas Toast or I used wheat bread)
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar for sprinkling
Melt butter in microwave and add brown sugar. Pour half of mix in the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread around. Layer 1/2 of bread over brown sugar mix. Spread the remainder of the brown sugar mix on the bread. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour half of egg mix over bread. Add a second layer of bread and cover with the remainder of the egg mix. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Homemade Granola Bites
No picture for this one, but oh-so-delish, and easy too!
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. honey
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. crushed almonds/walnuts or flaxseed
1 tsp. vanilla
(You can also add coconut, but I'm not a fan)
Mix all the ingredients together. Roll into small bite-sized balls. Refrigerate and enjoy. :-)
Tomato Frittata
I've tried frittatas before and they didn't turn out so hot. This one, though, turned out great!
The beauty of a frittata is that there is no real recipe. You just throw in what you have.
1) Grease a dutch oven (basically a frying pan that can go in the oven too)
2) Scramble 5-6 eggs with about 1/2 c. milk and pour into the pan. Add in any veggies/meats/spices you want (In my case, tomatoes and some salt and pepper and cheese).
3) Cook the frittata over medium heat until the bottom and sides are set. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler on your oven.
4) Once the bottom and sides of the frittata are set, put the pan in the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the middle is set as well.
5) Let the frittata cool, then cut like a pizza and enjoy!
Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
We won't even comment on what a disaster that was... Needless to say there are NO photos of that mess!
Taco Stew
So this is something I actually made right before Christmas, but I froze a bunch and have since been enjoying it for lunch. As my darling husband despises beans and all bean-related dishes, I have gotten to keep this one all for myself. Yay. :-)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can Rotel
1 pkg. frozen whole kernel corn
1 packet taco seasoning
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
Combine all ingredients and cook in the crockpot for 10 hours or on the stove over medium heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Scrumptious.
Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal
Lucky for you, I saved the best for last. Well, maybe not the BEST, but I just made this for the second time this month, so it's definitely not the worst!
4-5 mashed bananas
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 c. milk
2.5 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla (or more like 2 T. if you're me...)
nutmeg & cinnamon to taste
nuts, raisins, blueberries... any other additional goodness
Mix bananas and brown sugar thoroughly. Add other ingredients and stir. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the middle is set.
I have been making batch of this on the weekends and then refrigerating it all week, warming it up on cold mornings and mixing with a bit of milk. SO good!
Oh! And one last baked oatmeal recipe. This one may REALLY be the best, especially if you're a chocolate lover!!
Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. milk or water
1 banana or 1/4 c. applesauce (or just 1 T. oil works too)
1 tsp. vanilla
chocolate chips to taste
Mix ingredients together, place in a baking ramekin, and bake 20-25 minutes at 375.
I told you I've been cooking a lot! :-) I've also been eating fresh salsa, roasted red pepper hummus, organic apples and bananas, tomato soup, and Clif bars (my current post-running obsession). It sounds a little healthy at least, right?
On another note, does anyone know where I can get some rutabaga?? I have a recipe I'm wanting to try.
Until next time!!
<3 Christie
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
January Challenge
For my own accountability's sake....
I made a few not-so-out-there New Years resolutions (which I will have to post about later), but I also made a more challenging January resolution: to eat a vegetable every day (potatoes & corn not included). Granted, I am a bit ashamed to say that I haven't been doing this all along... I mean ONE vegetable is not that much. I'm also a little embarrassed to say that I don't actually think I will be able to keep this up all year long (although I will try). So far I'm 10 days in, and it's been harder than I thought it would be... I've had to add spinach to my pizza and make late-night batches of green beans. So any suggestions for fresh, yummy recipes would be great!
So there it is. I'm committed for 21 more days. Let's see if this actually happens...
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