Top Notch Eats

oh happy day !!!!

2011-06-20T22:25:00.002-04:00

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

What an awesome contest over at Oh Happy Day.....maybe ill be going to paris !!

polenta re-use

2011-03-22T10:23:00.003-04:00

Polenta is one of my favorite pasta, carb, grain alternatives to the traditional white rice, potato carb loaded addition to a meal. I make it often, but not too much where I will get sick of it. When I do make it I often make extra and freeze it so that I have some for another meal later on. That is exactly what this post is about.

Most of the time when I make it I roast a bunch of vegetables that I have extra after the week. This time I had zuchini, yellow squash, a red pepper, a green pepper, and a red onion.

Chop them up and roast them up at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Then whisk up your polenta. I usually buy Bob Red Mill's Corn Grits and the way they explain how to do it on the back of the package works perfect for me. It's basically 3 cups of water to 1 cup of corn grits. I also add in about a tablespoon of butter, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and about a cup of Parmesan cheese.

I'm not really sure why people think polenta is so difficult to make. It is quite simple in fact. The trick is once the water comes to a boil you must whisk in the corn grits to avoid any clumps.

For this meal I used everything I needed then placed the extra in a baking dish. I then cut them in rectangles.

I then wrapped them individually to diminish freezer burn.

I then placed them in a Ziploc and threw them in the freezer !

Then weeks later I took them out cooked them up and topped with some cheese, marinara sauce, and chicken sausage. It was so easy !!

Enjoy !!!

bulgar salad

2011-03-21T17:43:00.000-04:00

I have written lots in the past about my husbands so called "vampire diet." To some this may seem strange, but let me explain again. It is about being half vegetarian. Meaning that he only eats meat for dinner. So often I am tasked with coming up with delicious, healthy, and quick lunches for him and I to enjoy. I love being able to find new recipes and the process of cooking. It is a true form of creativity.

So on with a delicious Bulgar salad. If you haven't used Bulgar I strongly recommend it. It is the one of the most versatile whole grains you can cook with. The best part of it is you can just pour boiling water over it and cover it and in less that 10 minutes the steam and the boiling water work together beautifully to cook it perfectly.

This is such an easy salad to start with if you haven't used bulgar before.

You will need the following items

2 chopped zuchini
1 red onion chopped
1 package of reduced fat feta cheese crumbled up
1 head of parseley chopped up
1 handful of sundreid tomatoes chopped up
1 lemon zested
1 lemon juiced
3 tbs of olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can of rinsed chickpeas
1 small handful of black olives

Add it all to a bowl and mix it together throughly. Then add in 3 cups of cooked bulgar.

Continue mixing it up throughly until it's all combined. It will begin to look utterly delicious like it does below. Give it a try today !!!

Enjoy !!!

autumn latkes

2011-03-20T20:27:00.000-04:00

One of the things I love most about cooking and creating healthful meals for my husband and I are finding ways to sneak veggies into everything. Not only placing veggies in everything, but increasing the numbers of servings of vegetables in a side dish as well. This side dish is a wonderful example of that. I got this recipe out of one of my friends favorite cookbooks Veginomicon, which is slowly becoming one of my favorites. You can also find my friend The Wise Vegan here !!

You start autumn latkes by shredding 2 sweet potatoes, 3 zucchini, 2 yellow squash, and a couple of carrots. It takes some time, but it is so worth it. You can use a food processor to do it, but I felt like making my arms hurt for a bit.

Then add in about 1/4 cup of cornstarch, an 1/8 of cup of flour, and 1/4 cup of water. Mix that thoroughly and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Then make patties out of the mixture and fry them up in a little olive oil. They are so delicious. They get wonderfully crispy with even just a little olive oil. They freeze pretty well too!

They are delicious and you wont be able to say no to the extra veggies with this one !!

Enjoy !!!

Caper mustard lemon sauce over baked broccoli

2011-02-06T09:18:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for a way to spruce up that regular old steamed broccoli for dinner you must try this recipe.

It is wonderfully simple with a few ingredients. Those are simply the best recipes when there is less than 5 ingredients and the end result is just a package of flavor that allows you to eat healthy and have all the flavor!

Start by adding 3 tbs of capers, 3 tbs of Dijon mustard, and the juice of 1 lemon into a bowl. Mix it thoroughly with a fork so it totally incorporates.

Add your sliced up broccoli into a baking dish and drizzle the mustard sauce all over it. Mix it around a little with a spoon and toss it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. You will begin to smell it when its done. Once its all toasty brown take it out and enjoy with dinner !!!

Curried Chicken Salad

2011-01-24T10:39:00.004-05:00

Adapted from: Alisa Burke

I got this recipe from one of my most favorite craft/life blogs. I adore Alisa Burke's work. She is unbelievably talented. Occasionally, she posts recipes that her and her husband have enjoyed and this has been one of my favorites for sure. I love making this when it is absolutely frigid because it slowly reminds me that spring is around the corner.

Start with 3 cups of shredded cooked cooled chicken. Add in 1/2 cup of light mayo and 3/4 cup of plain low fat Greek yogurt.

Stir in 2 stalks of celery diced, 1/2 cup of craisins, stir in 3 tsp of curry powder, and 1 tsp of cumin. I also like adding a squeeze of lime into it.

Serve it up on a whole wheat bun and enjoy!! It is such a healthful alternative to chicken salad and you can't go wrong with it. I most recently made it for my parents and my husband and they all loved it.

Freezing tomato paste tip

2011-01-12T09:31:00.003-05:00

I read about this amazing tip to save money. Yes, a small can of tomato paste is only about 50 cents. Frequently when you need tomato paste for a recipe sometimes you only need 1 - 2 tablespoons of it and then the rest goes in the trash can. This is so easy and it works and saves money. Lay down a small piece of wax paper on a plate. Then take the remainder of the tomato paste and separate into 1 tablespoon portions. Then place it in the freezer wait until they are firm. Then peel them off of the wax paper and place them in a sealed container or a ziploc bag and store for later use.

Enjoy !!!

vegan chocolate pudding

2011-01-09T09:34:00.000-05:00

I adore challenges in cooking. Which is why I always attempt other genre's of cooking i.e. vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, allergy free, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish you catch my drift. Cooking can really be an adventure if you let it happen naturally. I hear people all the time chatting at work that they have problems planning meals and ensuring that there families eat healthy and enjoy their time they have together. Sometimes it saddens me because a lot of people in larger cities especially rush, rush, rush to get to the next big thing. Often we don't realize how important it is to take stock in the small things in life that we do have. Because those small things sometimes may not be huge to us Americans, but to others around the world they are out of reach and part of "the American Dream." Often, as Americans we feel like we only need to be utterly thankful around the holidays, but try to doing it weekly and I assure you that your overall happiness with soar. It will also allow you to realize that this is the only life we have and we mustn't take it for it granted.

Part of why I wanted to write about this is that it's incredibly important to not let LIFE stifle your need as a human being to fuel your body properly. This does happen to us all from time to time, but it is crucial to not let it overpower you.

Part of how you can start doing this is exploring new ideas and options that are out there for you. Starting by cooking a lot more from scratch and relishing in the good stuff all the while making it a healthier experience.

I recently found a recipe for vegan chocolate pudding. I think when people often hear the word vegan they sometimes don't understand what it truly means. It is literally nothing be scared of.

The exact definition of vegan is as follows,

a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy products; also : one who abstains from using animal products.

Often times eating gluten free, vegan, vegetarian is just about proper substitution. I really wanted something special for a birthday desert so i figured this may be a good idea. It was so unbelievable simple as well.

In a saucepan you will want to melt the following ingredients

1/2 cup of coconut oil
1 cup of dark chocolate cocoa powder
3/4 cup honey
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt

Whisk it all together in the saucepan then add it to serving dishes. I thought that this made 2 servings, but it really will be 5-6 servings. Only because it is so rich. I recommend using an older ice cube tray. Adding 2-3 tbs of the pudding to each section of the tray. Placing a couple of raspberries on top and then refrigerating them. When the mixture gets cold it will harden up and it actually ends up being similar to soft chocolate candy. We could not eat all of them in time and i ended up freezing the rest of them and they are equally delicious right out of the freezer. Separating them out into an ice cube tray is also perfect for portion control.

Enjoy !!!

naan pizza

2011-01-01T19:19:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year my dear friends! Take it easy today. Take a break maybe get to that one project in your house that you have been putting off. Begin this year by eating right and feeling great. Try more and more each day to make things from scratch so you can diminish toxins in your body and keep nothing but proper nutrients flowing through your body.

One of my favorite quick dinners especially during the winter is naan pizzas. Mainly because in the middle of winter when the days are frigid and short this meal reminds me of long summer days and bright sunshine. Naan Pizzas are so unbelievably easy to make. You just need to pick out your toppings and then place a naan bread onto a cooking sheet or pizza pan and get started. The two below were done with leftovers from the night below. That is one of the best parts of this dinner is you can make it easily with items you have leftover from other meals or canned goods you have lying around. Think outside of the box when it comes to pizza and pick up some naan bread tonight !!!

Enjoy !!!

cabbage/turnip mustard saute

2010-12-22T09:50:00.004-05:00

I do sincerely apologize for not posting in sometime. I was having some difficulties with my laptop and since then I have recently received a new netbook for my birthday so I blog away I go.

This is one of the most beautifully exquisite side dishes that I have thrown together in a long time. It is so easy and so healthful I couldn't help but share it with you. This came together while I was searching through my fridge for ingredients that I needed to use up.

While searching through my fridge I found the following items

Dijon mustard
lemons
butter
cabbage
turnip
fresh basil
and fresh parsley

First step is to cut the cabbage and turnip up nice and thin. Add it to a large pan with 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, and pepper. Cook it for about 6-8 minutes until it starts to soften a little.

Then pour it out onto a large baking sheet. Then add in the mustard and lemon juice. About 3 tablespoons of each. Mix it together with a spoon and make sure it lays flat on the baking sheet.

Then add in the fresh herbs and bake it at 375 for about 10 minutes. The result is a crispy side dish that is full of nothing but the good stuff !!

Plate it up with some protein and whole grains and you have yourself one well balanced meal !!

Enjoy !!!

Pineapple upside down Muffin Cakes

2010-11-29T00:37:00.000-05:00

Eating By Color !!!

2010-11-17T19:30:00.000-05:00

I recently got a chance to review this beautiful book. I also got to review it for

FREE !!!!!

I picked up this beauty at my local public library and it was worth lugging it around. It is a large book filled with beautiful pictures of about 90% of the recipes. The book is sorted by color groups of foods. It goes from purple to green to tan and white to red to orange and to brown. It is one of the most exquisite cookbooks I have ever checked out. I counted the number of recipes I wrote down from the book and it totaled 34.

It is a beautiful book that will not only restart your cooking, make you healthier with each recipe, but you will have a lot of fun I assure you.

Reinvent your cooking it's not too late !!!!

Enjoy !!!

lemon thyme chicken

2010-11-16T10:25:00.000-05:00

I love Maine. There is nothing else to say. Maine has so much to offer that sometimes people neglect to think of. I also unfortunately just left Maine to be closer to my family. When I was leaving I received this cookbook Dishing Up Maine by Brooke Dojny and I love it. One of the recipes in it for Lemon Thyme Chicken is out of this world. It has quickly become a staple for my husband and I.

After just visiting Maine this past weekend, I decided to crack into the Dishing Up Maine cookbook and give the lemon thyme chicken a go again.

You start by adding 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 6 thyme sprigs broken up into a pie plate to get it prepared for breading the chicken.

Then bread your chicken with the flour mixture like you see below.

Then melt 2 tbs of butter and 2 tbs of olive oil in a fry pan.

Then cook each chicken tender thoroughly in the olive oil and butter until it they are golden brown all over.

Then with in the same fry pan that you chicken cooked in add the juice of 2 lemons, 2 tbs of butter, and 1 cup of chicken stock. Then add in 6 sprigs of fresh thyme. This will create a lovely lemon thyme sauce that you can add to the top of your chicken and rice.

Add some fresh green beans, a few chicken tenders, and some brown rice with the lemon sauce on top.

Enjoy !!!

fresh pasta and a gluten free pasta sell

2010-11-13T10:49:00.006-05:00

Adapted from: Pampered Chef Cookbook

Recently, I have a new found addiction for gluten free pasta. I do not have a gluten-free intolerance. I just don't enjoy the gluten that comes along with a carb filled coma after you eat pasta. I can't even eat normal white pasta anymore. It sounds pretentious, but I assure you it's not. Gluten-free pasta gives you all the glory of real pasta without feeling like you ate a brick. That alone is the one reason I LOVE IT !!! My husband and I usually only eat pasta maybe once a week and now it's even better.

One of my favorite dishes lately is something I like to call fresh pasta !!

In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tbs of olive oil. Then toss in 1 large onion chopped and cook through until it's translucent.

Then add 7 tbs of minced garlic, 1 cup of chicken broth, 1 cup of white wine, and 1 package of grape tomatoes cut in half. Let it simmer until your pasta is ready.

Once your pasta is cooked thoroughly, drain it and add it back to the pot. Then pour in your sauce on top of the cooked pasta. Add in one package of fresh mozzarella pearls and 1 cup of fresh basil chopped up.

Now, serve some up onto a plate. Top it with some Parmesan and you have yourself some

Top Notch Eats !!

Enjoy !!!

time saving tips

2010-11-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

I am not a huge fan of Rachel Ray. I guess I am indifferent to her. Let's just say if I had to pick my favorite chefs/food network stars she wouldn't be on that list. The one thing about Rachel Ray that I do love is the junk basket. I am not sure what she calls it, but I like calling it the junk basket.

It is ideal so that when you are settling down for the night and making dinner you don't have to spend your time running back and forth to the trash to throw out your onion wrappings you can just throw them in your junk basket.

This is insanely helpful in apartment life. Especially now that my kitchen is a bit smaller than my old one in Maine. I spend the whole time cooking throwing any trash in there. It really does save time and energy. Then when I am my husband and I are done with dinner and begin cleaning up all it takes is one trip to the trash bin to unload the junk basket.

It's a good tip for sure !!! My husband has always loved the color green. Recently, he has gotten me addicted to this lime green color. When I found this basket at a yard sale for 25 cents I knew it was my junk basket for life or at least until it cracked.

Enjoy !!!

delicious breakfast

2010-10-31T11:22:00.001-04:00

Recently, I tried my most favorite breakfast on an English muffin instead of toast and I loved it. Use Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Sesame Butter, any kind of nut butter you like. Throw some bananas on top and drizzle some honey and it is amazing for breakfast.

Seriously give it a go !!

Enjoy !!!

mexican stirfry

2010-10-30T11:33:00.000-04:00

Mexican stir fry is something that happens when you don't know what to make and you have lots of vegetables left, a lot of salsa, beans, some hot peppers, and hot sauce. It may sound weird or like it's too much food, but in a pinch this can really work.

Basically, take whatever frozen/fresh vegetables you have that are commonly used in tacos, burritos, or fajitas and add some beans, salsa, hot sauce, and whatever other spices you think may work.

Then add in some cooked steak, chicken, or leave it vegetarian. I think I used some leftover steak from the night before.

Keep adding the freshness. Throw in some fresh tomatoes for good measure.

Top it with some rice and top with avocado, red onion, salsa, sour cream and you have yourself one hell of a meal.

Enjoy !!!

Gluten Free Rhode Island Polenta

2010-10-21T06:09:00.003-04:00

I grew up in Rhode Island. Some call it Lil Rhody or the best place on earth and some just call it home. As I get older and older Rhode Island is home and it probably always will be. Unless, my husband and I magically decide to move to Europe. In your 20s you move from place to place while you are trying to get your bearings it is hard to hold to something that is "home." For me Rhode Island has always been that and I think it will be always continue to be that until my husband and I really settle down and have children. But for now it's the closest thing I have to true roots and it will probably stay like that.

I don't ever remember eating or even hearing about Polenta when I was a kid growing up in Rhode Island. But apparently it is a common dish in Rhode Island. Most recently, my mom got this cookbook and I knew I had to take a look inside. I came across this recipe for polenta and it sounded amazing !

First, start by chopping up a whole bin of baby portabella mushrooms.

Then, slice up one onion and begin to saute them in a frypan. Add in 1 large 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Toss in 3-4 tablespoons of minced garlic. Add a dash of red wine. Then add in 4 chicken sausage to simmer inside the wonderful tomato sauce you have just created. If you taste it and find the sauce to be too acidic add in 2 finely grated carrots. Even if you don't find that it is add em' in anyways. The more vegetables you can add into your daily diet the better I say !!

Polenta is extremely easy to make ---

This is the basic recipe I use 9 times out of 10 unless I find something else that looks great.

1 cup of polenta (corn grits) - I always find that the best polenta is made from thicker corn grits.
3 cups of water, veggie stock, or chicken stock
2 tbs of butter
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese

Heat the water up in a saucepan. Then when it comes to a rolling boil whisk quickly in the corn grits until they start to firm up and you have polenta. Then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

For gluten-free folks polenta can be a nice alternative to pasta as you see below. It's an Italian dream dinner for gluten-free individuals.

Top it with your sauce and serve it with 1-2 chicken sausages.

Enjoy !!! 

rhubard upside down cake

2010-10-20T09:19:00.000-04:00

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. I found it in my archives from the end of summer. I feel awful that I didn't get it on the blog back that. I guess it doesn't make much sense to even post it now, but I don't care. I love rhubarb. Even though the only thing people are thinking about is pumpkins, acorn squash, and Halloween candy I figured why not.

I even made this back in July, when my husband and I were still in Maine. There two things I adore about Maine in the summer. I lied I love everything about summer in Maine. I do however love how plentiful rhubarb and fiddleheads are in the late summer months. Not to mention strawberries, blueberries, lobster, and so much more. Rhubarb is so plentiful in Maine in the late summer months you can sometimes find it for 15 cents a pound or even free from a co-worker like I did.

Start by slicing up about 2 pounds of rhubarb. Place in a separate bowl and set aside.

Then in a small saucepan heat up the rhubarb slightly with 1/4 cup of sugar so the sweetness of the rhubarb is enhanced.

Then place the rhubarb in the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Then cream together 1 1/2 sticks of room temperature butter with 1 3/4 cups of sugar.

It will end up looking like what you see below. Then add 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, a little salt, 1/2 tsp of orange zest, 1 tablespoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoons of orange juice, 2 large eggs, and 1 cup of fat-free sour cream. Mix that all together with a hand blender.

Then pour your cake batter all over the top of the rhubarb. Bake the cake in an oven as fast as you can at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then allow it to cool. If you are unsure of how done it is be sure to test it with a cake tester or a toothpick will work just fine.

Flip it over on top a serving dish and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. This is very much a summer desert, but try something different. Make it in the middle of winter and see what people think !!!

Enjoy !!!

smores brownies

2010-10-12T11:42:00.004-04:00

Adapted from: The Food Network

Who doesn't love smores? When I was 12 I probably could have had 3 of them in one sitting, but now I can barely get through 1. All the while, they are still an amazing combination. I find myself liking more adult combinations of the flavors now than the smores themselves. One of those combinations are dark chocolate smores brownies. They are richer than the typical smore for sure, but totally worth it. These are definitely one of things to make for a party or for work so you are not stuck with a pan of brownies of this caliber at home. Not like they wouldn't be eaten, but they are far to rich and unhealthy for a even a family of four to enjoy. I guess you could freeze them and forget about them that way you don't eat them all, but who the hell can do that?

Start with making the brownie batter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

(Melt the butter and dark chocolate in the microwave together)

1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Mix the wet ingredients together.
Then mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Then combine the ingredients. Be sure to stir it vigorously to incorporate all the ingredients properly.

The recipe came with a serious graham cracker crust with more butter and salt. I thought to cut down on the extra fat slightly I would just crush up graham crackers in the bottom. I will tell you what it didn't really matter. Once they cooked up they got nice and soft and tasted pretty similar to a graham cracker crust.

Then you pour the brownie batter on top. Then stack a bunch of marshmallows on top. These are going to get all golden brown and toasted like they would in really smores through the baking process.

Place the pan in an oven at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes. The best way to test if they are done is with a toothpick. If it comes out clean you are good to go !!!

Keep in mind, these do turn into a sticky mess. It is so worth it for the 10 minutes you feel like you are sitting around a campfire and 13 again.

Enjoy !!!

salad with dinner every night

2010-10-07T10:58:00.001-04:00

My husband and I have an expensive but healthful habit. We have salad every night with dinner. It ends up making us eat less than we use to. Plus, it adds a ton of fiber and vegetables that we may not have had with our dinner.

I make it ahead of time. Place a dry paper towel in the bowl to soak up any extra moisture and help the salad last longer.

Then I flip it over so that all the extra moisture can really get out of the salad and it is ready for us to enjoy every night with dinner. Excuse the extra supply of shipyard pumpkinhead from Maine that we have stocked away for winter.

We have been doing this for a good 3 years. I know that it has definitely helped us have a higher fiber diet without really trying. Check it out we can have this all year long, every season, and every night of the week.

Like I said it is an amazing habit to have, but it is certainly an expensive habit.

Enjoy !!!

squash fries

2010-10-06T11:16:00.000-04:00

Sure tater tots, crinkle fries, and curly fries are amazing and quick. Sure they can be pulled from the freezer and baked up quickly in the oven. I pose this question to you. Why not butternut squash fries? They are delicious. They can be baked like you would bake sweet potatoes and that's the best part.

These take a little longer to make, but they are full of flavor and wonderfully healthy. All you have to do is peel the squash with a vegetable peeler.

Then cut it in half, take out the seeds, and begin to cut out fry-like shapes.

Then take a baking sheet and add a sheet of foil. Then spray pam all over the squash fries. Make sure they are completely coated. Place them in the oven at 450 for about 20 minutes until they get crispy all over.

Then enjoy the goodness !!!!

Enjoy !!!

baked squash

2010-10-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

I love taking advantage of squash and different kinds of eggplants in late summer early fall. They are so plentiful now that you cant go wrong. My absolute favorite way to cook them is in my cast iron skillet in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degree. They roast up so nicely and get toasty brown all over.

Chop them up any way you like then add a little olive oil salt and pepper and you will love it.

lunch

2010-09-24T11:27:00.001-04:00

Recently, I had a pretty bad dental issue that left me out of work for a couple days because of the pain. My husband being the wonderful fella he is made me homemade chicken salad for lunch to feel better. Take a look at it how can that not make you feel better. He used some leftover grilled chicken we had, with a small amount of mayo, celery, and some delicious spices.

Enjoy !!!

salad rolls

2010-09-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

I think every household has a day each week where if they don't use some of the vegetables they bought at the beginning of the week. Depending on when your family shops it could be any day of the week. Every ounce of vegetables I buy each week, mainly because it is the most expensive part of my grocery bill, I use. The greens from some beets, leftover cabbage, stems from fresh herbs, anything and everything is used. As long as I know that it's edible and my husband nor I will get sick from it then it goes in the mix.

Last week this happened to me. I got to the end of the week and had more than usual for leftovers. My friend Jenni makes this delicious salad rolls. I think she uses rice paper wrappers, but I had some leftover napa cabbage that I thought would do the trick. I also had a handful of matchstick carrots, half a red pepper, a little red cabbage, sliced cucumber, sprouts, basil, green onions, and an avocado.

So I sliced everything thinly so that they would be easy to roll. This bounty of color below is what I came up with.

These are so unbelievably simple. Just put what you want into each roll and roll it up as best you can. I would totally recommend these. Next time, I would just use collard greens, romaine, or rice wrappers.

I also made a dipping sauce to go along with this awesome meal. I just used what I had on hand a little sesame oil, peanut oil, tamari, lemon juice, sesame seeds, white wine vinegar. I just kept adding a little here and there until I liked the way it tasted.

We had these salad rolls with some cooked quinoa and 2 pieces of grilled chicken. That's it simplicity at its best !!!

Enjoy !!!

quick pasta creation

2010-09-22T11:39:00.001-04:00

This delicious creamy Alfredo looking meal is a farce for sure. I really wanted a cheesy creamy Alfredo with chicken and broccoli one night, but what I didn't want was the fat and calories that come with Alfredo. So onward I went to the kitchen to see what I had for options.

I found broccoli, chicken, sour cream, Greek yogurt, fresh parsley, Parmesan, a can of chicken broth, and some fat-free evaporated milk.

Bottomline, I took a medium sauce pan and feeled it out. I put a little of this and a little of that and tested it along the way. I also used my immersion hand blender to ensure that the sauce became a frothy thick sauce. It was worth it for sure.

Check it out!!! It came out wonderfully. The lesson of this story is to not be scared from cooking. That is the best part of cooking. Testing and trying until you have perfected what you are looking for.

I added the cooked pasta, steamed broccoli, grilled chicken, some chopped onion, and love...

add some more parm on top and enjoy !!!

Enjoy !!!

caprese salad

2010-09-21T10:54:00.001-04:00

Caprese salad is one of the most fanciest looking things that you can bring to a party plus it is one of the most easiest and quickest to make ahead of time. I also love having this salad as a side during the summer. It brightens up any meal and is much healthier than adding a side that is full of carbs. I am by no means living a carb-free life, but I do like making adjustments here and there so my husband and I have an overall healthier lifestyle.

You need a total of 6 things to make this wonderful salad

1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 package of mozzarella pearls
1 large bunch of basil
3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
cracked pepper

That's it!!! That's the simplicity of it. Which is the main reason why I love it so much. This salad is so balanced and full of everything you need to have balanced, vitamin enriched diet.

Usually, I chop the cherry tomatoes in half. I then add in the mozzarella, oil, salt, and pepper to let everything settle together so the flavors can mix up right !!

Then I get my basil going. I usually stack the leaves high.

Then I tightly roll the bunch away from me.

Then chop/slice every which way to get just the most perfect pieces to my salad.

I usually don't put the basil into right before I am going to serve it. If it goes in too early the basil has tendency to brown. So right before you are going to serve it add that beautiful greenery in.

My husband and I most recently had a delicious summery dinner with this salad, bbq chicken on the grill (really our George foreman grill, as we are still apartment dwellers), and some corn on the cob (cut off just the way I like it).

The dinner was perfect in every a summer meal should be.

Enjoy !!!

new beans to try

2010-09-20T15:42:00.001-04:00

These lovely beans are called borlotti beans or sometimes cranberry beans depending on where you buy them. They are a delicious alternative to green beans or to combine them for a side dish with green beans like I did below.

Especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables if there is something I haven't tried before I am a sucker for purchasing so I can expand my knowledge of local veg and fruits. I combined these cranberry beans with some green beans I had. I did a version of Jessi's kick butt garlic green beans like you see here.

It's so simple. Garlic, green beans, in this case cranberry beans, a little celery salt, a little tamari, and some love...

Enjoy !!!

Moving/Leftover Granola

2010-09-14T10:20:00.000-04:00

This is one of my most favorite things I have just created in awhile. It is the best feeling when you throw something together in an effort to use up excess ingredients you have laying around your house. That is exactly what I wanted to accomplish when I created moving granola.

First off, I love making my own granola. It is not only a good way to ensure you are not throwing anything out, but it is a perfect way to create a nutritious breakfast for yourself. One of my most favorite things to have for breakfast is granola and yogurt.

It leaves you full all morning long and allows you to get through your morning at work and not want a snack the moment you sit down at your desk.

So as you know my husband and I just recently moved to Massachusetts. Before we moved I wanted to still ensure that we were eating properly and not rushing in the morning and making stops at a coffee shop because we weren't preparing in the morning to have a healthy breakfast. That is where moving granola comes into play.

I started by making a sauce to hold everything together so that when I baked it each and every morsel would be covered with cinnamon sweetness.

Add the following items to a saucepan

1/3 cup honey
1/4 brown sugar
1/3 cup agave nectar (if you don't have this you can use brown rice syrup or just more honey)
1/2 tsp of cardamon
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp of ginger
and it sounds weird but I added the juice of half a lemon because I had it left and didn't want throw it out and it ended up tasting wonderfully once it was all mixed together.

Melt that all together until the consistency of the sauce is smooth and creamy looking.

Then go into your cupboards and pull out all those half used bags of pecans, dried fruit, oatmeal, and anything else you know belongs in that pot. For the batch I created I used the following items that I had laying around and just didn't want to pack up and move.

2 cups of oatmeal
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of almond slivers
1/2 cup of peanuts
1/2 cup of raisins
1 cup of banana chips
1/2 cup of diced apricots
There may have been a few other items in there. Just make sure you know it will create a balanced flavor between the ingredients of the granola batch. No crazy mix-ins like gummy worms or anything.

Then pour your sauce all over the mixed ingredients. Mix this up in a large bowl like you see above so you don't make a mess. Stir it for awhile so that you can ensure each and every bit has the delicious sauce you concocted.

Then spread it on two baking sheets. Bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes until it gets all golden brown. Just keep and eye on it and don't panic you will be able to tell when it's done.

Then add 1/2 a cup of of yogurt or so into a blow and pour on some of that delicious granola. It will last for a little over a week in an air tight container.

Enjoy !!!

Steak Stirfry with Tahini Cilantro dressing

2010-09-05T10:24:00.002-04:00

Adapted from: BitchinCamero

This is such a well balanced tasty meal. It is satisfying on so many notes of flavor that you will want to make it again and again for your family. I found it on a great blog called bitchincamero. It is a wonderful blog that always has tasty healthful treats on it.

First start out by slicing your lean steak into strips.

Then add into your wok or large frypan. If you have it use a little peanut oil or sesame oil when frying it up. Then add in 1 bag of shredded carrots, 1 bunch of sliced green onions, and 1 sliced red pepper.

I was a little hesitant about the cilantro tahini dressing on top of this. I thought it was going to make it overpowering, but to be honest when I put on the recommended about all I wanted to do was add more.

It is so simple to make. All you need to do is a one bunch of cilantro, 2-3 tbs of tahini, and 2 tbs of white wine vinegar, and 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Then add some cooked brown rice to a bowl, throw on some of the steak mixture, and pour on that delicious tahini cilantro dressing. Enjoy it with a delicious mixed salad and you have yourself one hell of a meal.

Enjoy !!!

Plantains

2010-09-03T10:04:00.000-04:00

Some stores don't have plantains all of the time, but everyone once in awhile you can grab 3/$1.00 or a really wonderful deal. Plantains are filled with wonderful nutrition. I have yet to use them in cooking, but love them both fried or baked as chips depending on my mood. They are so tasty. Once I fry or bake them I sprinkle some sugar (just a little it's all you need to bring out the natural sweetness), cinnamon, nutmeg, and whatever else I feel like.

Plantains are so unbelievably good for you. They are filled with potassium, fiber, and full of Vitamin A and D.

Plantain Nutrition Facts
Serving size, 1 cup slices
*from nutritiondata.com

Calories: 179
fat: 0 g
protein: 1 g
carbs: 48 g
fiber: 4 g
potassium: 20% RDA
vitamin C: 28% RDA
vitamin A: 28% RDA
vitamin B6: 18% RDA
Magnesium: 12% RDA
Folate: 12% RDA
Plantains are a great source of fiber and vitamins C and A. They are also high in vitamin B6, magnesium and folate. One cup of plantains contains more potassium that one cup of banana slices. 20% RDA in plantains compared to 15% RDA in bananas.

These I baked in the oven at 400 degrees for about 1/2 hour or so. Just keep an eye on them. I am going to try them mashed in with some sweet potato next.

How will you try Plantains next? ?

Enjoy !

Trader Joe's knock off corn and black bean salsa

2010-09-01T10:30:00.006-04:00

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Corn and Avocado Salsa

This fresh salsa is to die for. It is a perfect addition to taco salad night in my house. Plus it is so easy to make and comes a close second to the infamous trader joe's black bean and corn salsa.

Really, this is the ideal addition to any end of summer meal.

I adapted it a little from the recipe idea I took it from mainly because I wanted to add beans to it.
It is so simple are you ready???

A whole bag of frozen, but defrosted corn.

Then you chop up one avocado 2 if your me. I can't handle just 1 avocado 2 are a must !!! Next, you must chop up 1 large ripe tomato and 1 red onion.

Then drain and rinse 1 can of black beans and add it to the mix.

Then add 1-2 large limes, juiced plus a huge bunch of cilantro chopped. Finally, add in 1 tsp of salt, 1 tbs of sugar, and salt to taste.

Enjoy !!!

Mom's Lemon Chicken

2010-08-31T10:14:00.001-04:00

My mom

makes the most insane lemon chicken!!!

It is amazing and incredibly satisfying anytime of year. She has been making it since my brother and I were little and I recently had the opportunity to get the recipe.

Begin by pounded 3-4 chicken breasts flatten them out nice and good so they will cook evenly.

Then place 1/2 cup of flour in a pan with some salt and pepper. Then crack a couple of eggs into another pan.

Then begin to zest 3-4 lemons into another dish. It may seem excessive, but I assure you it is totally worth it !!

Dredge the chicken through the eggs and let all the excess drip off then dredge it through the flour. Then pour 2 tbs of olive oil into a frypan. Place each chicken breast in the pan and brown it on both sides. Then place the browned chicken into a baking dish. Then add 3 tbs of brown sugar on top of each chicken breast. Then add all of the lemon zest on top.

Bake it in an oven for 20 minutes at 350 and you will have one happy family !!!

Enjoy !!!

pesto wonder

2010-08-29T10:28:00.001-04:00

Basil is so cheap right now it's wonderful. Basil being so cheap right now means one thing and one thing only pesto, lots of pesto, and more pesto !!!

Pesto when made properly is heavenly. I adore it.

Plus it is so insanely easy to make as well. When basil is so cheap it's great to make and freeze after for a later date as well.

You need the following items:

Basil and lots of it. Maybe a good 2-3 cups
1/2 cup of Parmesan
salt and pepper
1/4 cup of pine nuts
olive oil 1/4 cup or so

And that's it !!!

Whiz it up in a food processor then mix it into some freshly cooked pasta preferably the swirly kind like see below. It's amazing !!!!!!!

Life can't get any better than that. Some fresh pesto pasta and grilled chicken !!!

Enjoy !!!

Frugal Meal Planning and Guest Post from Creative Kristi !!!

2010-08-26T13:09:00.001-04:00

Hi all! My name is Kristi and I blog over at Creative Kristi. I blog about life, frugal living, crafts and DIY home renovations!

When Kaleena asked me to guest post about my frugal menu planning I was really excited. I did two posts earlier this year about how I feed my family on $140 every two weeks but I didn’t really touch on how I choose my recipes or where I find them online. Just a note: We eat almost entirely organic or natural and I shop mainly without coupons.

I have a couple ‘go-to’ cookbooks that I use: Betty Crocker Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 10th Edition and Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food but 80% of the recipes we (Military Man-aka Hubby & I) use come from free sources online.

Here is a sample menu plan from the beginning two weeks in March of this year:

Menu Plan:We use a simple calendar printed from Microsoft Word and filled in with the recipes that I choose for the two weeks that I shop for groceries.

Week One:

Monday March 1- Northern Beans & corn bread

Tuesday March 2- Aloha Chicken & a veggie (From Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food)

Wednesday March 3- Baked Potato, a veggie & Stove Top stuffing

Thursday March 4- Taco Night with homemade refried beans & homemade taco seasoning

Friday March 5- Homemade pizza (dough recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 10th Edition)

Saturday March 6- Pasta noodles with from the jar sauce and a veggie

Sunday March 7- Breakfast for dinner (whole wheat pancakes from Betty Crocker cookbook, turkey bacon & scrambled eggs plus fruit) You can also find whole wheat pancakes at The Happy Housewife too.

Week Two:

Monday March 8- Mexican Chiken Skillet (this is one of my favorites!!)

Tuesday March 9- Southwest Brown Rice/Black bean burgers with homemade hamburger buns (this is a new recipe for us to try)

Wednesday March 10- Cream Of potato Soup (again a new recipe to try)

Thursday March 11- Homemade Mac & Cheese (from Deceptively Delicious cookbook)

Friday March 12- Tuna salad sandwiches (from Deceptively Delicious cookbook)

Saturday March 13- Sloppy Joes made with ground turkey (from Deceptively Delicious cookbook)

Sunday March 14- Moroccan Spiced Chicken (can not find the link online- I'll post the recipe below it's really simple)

Week Three: (oh yes we are entering week 3 on the same $140 budget)

Monday March 15- Turkey Chili (from Deceptively Delicious) This one is a favorite among Hub's Army co-workers when we make way to much and he has to bring the extra to work.

Here is the list of recipes and where they came from (with links if appropriate):

Veggie Lasagna

Black Bean/Brown Rice Burgers

Zucchini Garlic Pasta

Tacos-pretty self explanatory (lettuce, refried beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning, sour cream, taco shells)

Spinach Bacon Quiche

Potato Soup

Veggie Pasta Shells

Pizza-from Betty Crocker (or since it’s summer Pizza on the Grill)

Shipwreck

Mac & Cheese- from Deceptively Delicious (there are plenty of recipes online though)

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

F.F.Y. Night (Fend For Yourself Night)- this is where we eat up leftovers or make our own sandwiches, etc.

Tuna Macaroni Casserole

If you clicked on any of the links you will notice that there are the ‘big 3’ websites I use most frequently: The Happy Housewife, Prudence Pennywise and Frugal Family Recipes. I also use: About.com, Blissfully Domestic, The Pioneer Woman and when in doubt I Google “cheap dinner recipes” or some other similar phrase.

I didn’t find these websites by accident- I actively searched for frugal recipes. I had to because sometimes (well most of the time if I’m honest) the big ‘food’ websites have recipes that just have ingredients that are very expensive. Once I found one website I would click through the links they put up when they would say “Recipe Adapted From” and then I would search around that site.

The key is to find a website that ‘matches’ up with your lifestyle. For example I love Pioneer Woman but she doesn’t cook things that I usually cook/eat. The Happy Housewife does, so I usually stick with her recipes and just throw in PW’s recipes every once in awhile.

So to summarize how to find frugal recipes online:

1. Google frugal dinner recipes

2. Find a site/blog that does mainly recipes and follow it (e-mail subscription, Google Reader, etc.) Here’s a hint: you are reading this post on one such site- you might want to subscribe now while you are here!

3. Follow the links from that site/blog to other sites and search around for food recipes.

4. Most of the cheapest meals don’t involve meat. Unless you find a killer sale at the grocery store make sure you only plan one or two meals a week with meat- the rest should be meatless. So do more searches for vegetarian recipes then for ‘chicken’ or ‘beef’ recipes.

In addition to the above websites here is the quick and fast list of links I peruse regularly looking for frugal organic recipes: Simple Bites; it’s sister site: Simple Organic, Smashed Peas &; Carrots, AllRecipes.com and Nourishing Days. Here’s a great post on organic groceries on a budget.

If you want to know more about how I menu plan-without coupons and what I make from scratch please go read my previous posts on the topic: Frugal Menu Planning

Thanks Kaleena for having me over to guest post!

Please Check out Creative Kristi, she has a lot of great advice and information on how to frugally shop not only for food, but to improve and implement techniques in your home you can do yourself. It's definite must read !!!

Enjoy !!!

Vegan Tamales and Guest Post from The Crafty Owl !!!

2010-08-25T13:28:00.003-04:00

I have been making vegan tamales since I became a vegan years ago. I Love tamales not just because they are delicious but for many other reasons too. Tamales are a traditional Hispanic meal. On Holidays and special occasions the entire family will participate in making tamales. It is considered a family tradition in the Hispanic culture.

I appreciate and admire their culture very much. Being born and having lived in California for 20 years I was exposed to a lot of authentic Mexican food and miss it very much. One of my favorite smells is the smell of steaming tamales filling my home. Isn't it awesome how certain smells can trigger past memories. So making tamales is my way of remembering and reminiscing the amazing food and experiences I had in California.

Tamales are fairly easy to make but you should plan on spending a few hours in the kitchen because they are time consuming. I guess by now you may be be wondering why I am doing a cooking blog on cooking when my blog is centered on crafts. Well my friend Kaleena asked me if I would do a guest post for her on her cooking blog and I loved the Idea. So I would like to say

Thank You to Kaleena for letting me share my favorite recipe her and her followers. I hope you enjoy making tamales as much as I do.

You will need

Corn Husks
A few large bowls
A large/tall steamer pot

Or if you don't have a steamer insert you can do it the Mexican way and use a large/tall pot and a disposable aluminum casserole pan flip it upside down and punch a bunch of holes in it with a fork or knife. Personally I like to use a knitting needle. Hows that for being crafty and frugal in the kitchen! P.s. don't throw it away you can save it and use it to steam practically anything!

For the Masa
4 cups Masa Herina or Masa Flour
1 cup softened vegan margarine
1 tbs baking soda
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
approximately 3 cups HOT water

For the Filling
1 box Spanish rice and diced tomatoes
1 jar tamatillo salsa
1 package of Soyrizo ( I used Melissa's)
1 package of Field Roast Mexican Chipotle style sausage (Chopped)
2 cans chopped green chilies

(makes approximately 30)

Directions

First you will need to boil 6-8 cups of water. While you are waiting for the water to boil you will want to separate and clean your corn husks. I usually only use about half of the package. Once you have them separated and cleaned place them in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over them. You will want to let them soak for at least an hour. ( Tip: Often the corn husks will float above the water level so I will place another large bowl on top of them and place a few canned goods in the top bowl to way it down. This will ensure that all the husks get submersed in the water.) Set aside.

To prepare the filling you should start by making the Spanish rice according to directions. In another large bowl or pot you will want to add all the filling ingredients and mix together. Once the rice is finished cooking you will add that to the filling and mix well. Set aside.

To prepare the masa you will want to start by adding the cup of softened butter to a large bowl. Personally I like to mix in the butter with the masa flour first. it will get crumbly. Then I add the spices and baking soda and Hot water but add just one cup of water at a time. I enjoy using my hands to mix the masa but you can use a spoon or a mixer. ( Tip: You may not need to use all the water the end result of the mix should the the consistency of really thick peanut butter and easy to mold.)

To assemble the tamale you will want to take a corn husk and lay it flat. You can spread on the masa with a spoon or you can use your hands. Again I prefer my hands though. You will want to use about 2 tbs of masa mix and spread it from the top but leave room at the bottom to fold. You will want the mix to cover about 2/3 width wise. Then you will add a scoop of the filling and fold the husk. (see pictures below.)

( Tip: Some of the corn husks are smaller you can take two small corn husks and layer them together to form a bigger husk. Don't get to technically thought they do not each have to be identical with exact measurements. You can make every one a different size it does not matter.)
Once you have all of your tamales assembles you will want to place them in the steamer pot. Leave at least an inch of space between the tamales and the water level in the pot. You do not want them to touch the water. Cover pot with a lid but leave room for steam to escape and steam for 1 hour and 15 minuets to and hour and a half. Once done you should allow to sit for at least a half hour before eating! Enjoy

Enjoy !!!

what 4 people can do in 4 days

2010-08-21T10:35:00.003-04:00

Back in July my brother, husband, good friend Kat, and I ascending on Montreal. The trip was planned to see Tim Minchin

Tim Minchin is one of the most talented entertainers I have seen or have had the pleasure of being in the presence of. He is a talented musician from Australia that is highly intelligent and utterly amazing.

So when we realized he was going to be in Montreal and that we were only about 4-5 hours from being there we new we had to get tickets. Tim Minchin was schedule to be at the Just for Laughs festival and I don't even think we thought for more than just a second about booking tickets.

The show was unbelievably. He is so talented. I can't say enough to justify how amazing it was.

We even were able to meet him afterwards it can't get any better than that !!

Part of the reason why I wanted to post about this weekend was our sushi experience and some of the other weird food finds we were able to see. These were some delicious cheese bits we found at a local IGA. That was one of the best things we did while in Montreal to save money. We went several times to local IGA's to shop for lunches in ended up saving us a lot of money.

The next best thing we did was go to one of the best sushi restaurants I had ever been too. It was the type of sushi restaurant that has the belt loop going around the restaurant and whatever you wanted to choose from it you take then pay accordingly. It is the best thing to do if you want to try several things and never had the guts too.

I saw a fruit sushi pizza on the menu and I totally wanted to try it. It wasn't horrible it wasn't great, but I was happy that I tried it.

The sushi belt was amazing. It was great we saw something roll by that we wanted and we just took and tried it.

The veggie rolls were the best !!!

Next on our stop was the alternative comedy show at midnight. It was suppose to start at midnight, but didn't until about 1 in the morning so we ended up getting home at 3:30am but it was amazing.

We saw greats like Kyle Kinane

Todd Barry !!

Noel Fielding

Mr. Paul F. Thompkins

That's my tired husband with Kenny from Kenny vs. Spenny !!

We had about a 4-5 hour trip on our way back to Maine when we left Montreal. When we had exited Canada we ended up coming across this massive lake outside of Eustis, Maine. We couldn't resist stopping to take a swim. It was like we were in a movie from the 50s it was fantastic.

As you can see we were pretty happy as Kat took a picture of us in the lake.

I have nothing but love for this trip. Almost a month later all I want to do is recreate and go back. I don't think its possible. This trip will always be such a clear memory for me. It was the most amazing trip I have had with 4 people in a short 4 days.

Enjoy every moment !!!

Breakfast protein muffins !

2010-08-17T09:10:00.011-04:00

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

My all time favorite breakfast is multi-grain toast with peanut butter and banana on it. So when I came across this recipe I knew I had to try it.

I wish I could have one of these muffins for breakfast each day and there was an endless supply of them in my freezer. I think I should get on it and get baking. I need to bake 30 or so of them at a time and then I would always have one if I wanted it for breakfast. It is an all encompassing muffin that has everything you need. Protein, dairy, fruit, and pure goodness for a breakfast on the go. It's utterly perfect !!

You begin by incorporating the following items into a bowl.

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Then you must combine your wet ingredients into a separate bowl.

2tbsp. applesauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
6 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Then mix your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Then set your oven for 350 degrees and prepare your muffin cups. This muffin mixture will make about 18 muffins.

Then spoon your mixed up batter into the muffin pan and get ready to pop those bad boys in the oven !!!

Bake them for about 18-20 minutes and you will have yourself one of the most healthy and delicious breakfasts that is not only filling, but you can honestly feel good about eating it.

When you take them out of the oven they will look something like this below.

Then to complete your amazing breakfast frost that muffin with about 1 tbs of peanut butter and top it with some fresh banana or any kind of fresh fruit you have and holy bananas you have yourself one amazing breakfast !!!

Enjoy !!!

Insane Tequilia Lime Chicken

2010-08-13T20:30:00.000-04:00

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

This tequila lime chicken is unreal. It's fabulous and I really want to make it again this week. I am deeply in love with this whole meal and it was certainly a hit with my husband as well. It's so good I am not going to waste any time talking it up and I am going to just get to it, because you need to make this tonight !!

Begin by combining the following ingredients into your food processor this will make up your marinade that you must marinate overnight.

3 whole limes, juiced
5 cloves of garlic, whole
1 tsp of salt
1 whole jalapeno
1/2 cup of cilantro
1/2 cup of tequila

The next day, after marinating your chicken overnight, combine the following items in your rice cooker or saucepan to make some delicious spanish rice.

rice about 1/2 cup
1 can of fire roasted canned tomatoes
4 tbs of garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
3 bayleaves, take them out when you serve it up
1 tsp of cumin, more to taste

This recipe was originally for the grill, but being that I am an apartment dweller I figured broiling it in the oven would turn out just fine. So I set my oven to 500 degrees and cooked it about 9 minutes on each side until the juices ran clear.

Then I made up some quick refried beans. They were not technically how I think they are made, but they were delicious. All I did was heat them up in a saucepan, add in about 1 cup of pico de gallo or some more fresh salsa, then puree them a little with a hand blender. They were amazing and such a good side to this meal.

The original recipe I found also said to melt montrary jack cheese on top of the grilled chicken once it was cooked. I thought this was going to be a little excessive, but it was unreal !!!

So here it is, beautiful Tequila Lime Chicken, some Spanish Rice, some fake Refried Beans, and an Avocado and Tomato salad on the side. It was heavenly and amazing !!

There was also so much that was made with this delicious meal that we both had leftovers for lunch the next day and it was even better the next day for sure !!

Enjoy !!!

Ode to Maine...

2010-08-10T00:22:00.000-04:00

Recently, as you know, my husband and I have moved to Massachusetts. We were living in the great state of Maine prior to the big move. There will be so much I will miss about Maine. I started in Maine for College in 1999 and I just stayed after I had graduated with my Masters in 2006. Maine is a glorious state with so much to offer.

The only reason my husband and I made the big move was too be a bit closer to our family. What this means is I wont have the best eats in Maine at my fingertips any longer. There are so many wonderful fresh things to have in Maine.

Maine, although you are far away now you will always be home in a way. I just hope one day my husband and I are fortunate enough to buy a small cottage on a lake in Maine and vacation up there from time to time so our children can have the same wonderful experience we did.

Enjoy !!!

Im Back !!!

2010-08-07T12:06:00.002-04:00

Quick and Easy Cheesy Leftover Pasta

So as I have been in the process of moving all the meals leading up to the big move day were thrown together bits of wonder. This is one such meal where I looked around my apartment full of boxes and said what can I do with what I have to that I can use up whatever I have instead of running out to the store for more stuff.

So i took a peek around and came up with following items

swirly pasta

1/4 cup of cream

1/4 milk

3 tbs of flour

onion, minced

tomato powder (I'll explain more later)

Parmesan cheese

sour cream

salt and pepper

fresh basil

chicken sausage

Then combine the following ingredients into a saucepan.

1/4 cup of cream

1/4 milk

3 tbs of flour

1 onion, minced

tomato powder - 2-3 tbs *** tomato powder is dried tomatoes ground into a fine beautifully red powder. It is nutritionally balanced and is an easy way to add balanced fresh tomato flavor into your food.

Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup

sour cream - 2 tbs

salt and pepper

Once everything has melted and combined nicely use a whisk or immersion blender to totally incorporate the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste and warm thoroughly so it will coat your cooked pasta nicely.

Then plate some up with some fresh basil and maybe some chicken sausage on the side and you will have yourself one hell of a meal that you pulled together with what you had lying around in your kitchen.

Enjoy !!!

Moving...

2010-08-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

I am in the midst of a big move to Mass. I will be back shortly I promise. Stay tuned ...

Perfect Vegetable Dip

2010-07-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

I made this vegetable dip for a recent party when I did not have much to go from and I wanted use up what I had laying around. It turned out to be utterly delicious.

Throw the following items into your food processor

1 package of low fat cream cheese
1/2 cup of low fat sour cream
1/4 cup of low fat mayo
1 bunch of chopped up green onions
3 tbs of parsley
salt
pepper
3 tbs of olive oil

Whiz it up in the food processor until it is nice and creamy. Serve it up with some fresh veggies and you will have some happy party goers !!!

Enjoy !!!

Be creative with your pizza !!

2010-07-20T09:47:00.002-04:00

Pizza is one of the most glorious meals one can have. It can be amazingly healthy or it can be down and dirty if you want. Whatever your fancy whatever your mood you can have whatever you like.

I am a true fan of being completely creative with your pizza when you make it at home.

The pizza on the left has pesto, chicken, tomato, Parmesan, mozzarella

The pizza on the Right has olive oil, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, salt and pepper.

Enjoy !!!

and be creative !!! thats all the fun of cooking and eating !!

One of my most favorite meals...

2010-07-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

This is one of my most favorite meals. It is nutritionally sound, incredibly filling, and wonderfully satisfying. It is simple baked salmon, baked kale, and steamed sweet potatoes.

All you have to do is bake your salmon with a little lemon and old bay seasoning at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Along with that clean up your kale and add it to a baking sheet. Add some sesame oil and tamari and bake it up for about 15 minutes at 350. So once you see that the salmon is halfway done slide the kale into the oven.

Then place your sweet potatoes into the microwave for about 10-13 minutes and they will steam perfectly.

Best BBQ Pizza

2010-07-08T18:44:00.000-04:00

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

I have always wanted to find a proper and delicious BBQ pizza recipe and I must announce to the world I have found it. It is amazing and it's all thanks to Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman. This pizza is well balanced and can be done anytime and anyplace. It is so easy and such a versatile recipe.

Start off by spreading your pizza dough all over your pizza pan. Spread it out so it is even enough where it will cook evenly and turn crispy with just a few moments in the oven.

Add some pizza sauce and some grilled chicken.

Then drizzle on some BBQ sauce and feta cheese.

Then drizzle more BBQ sauce. Why you ask??? Because it's delicious !!!

Then add some thinly sliced red onion and chopped tomatoes. Then sprinkle on lots of cheese. I used an Italian mixed blend of cheese and it was delicious.

Bake it up at 450 degrees and enjoy !!!! You wont be unhappy.....it will be the best pizza ever !!

Enjoy !!!

Fresh Salsa

2010-07-07T21:38:00.002-04:00

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

I love fresh salsa at Mexican restaurants, when this recipe came out I knew I had to try it. There is a tremendous difference between fresh salsa and bottled salsa. Bottom-line it just tastes a hell of a lot better. This recipe does make a hell of a lot of salsa so make it for your next party or gathering. It is a wonderful treat.

Begin by combining the following ingredients into your food processor. Pulse it together until it is completely combined and resembles beautiful salsa.

1 can Whole Tomatoes
2 cans Rotel diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro, (lots and lots of cilantro)
½ whole Lime Juice

Enjoy !!!

steal cut oats, with so many options...

2010-07-05T09:06:00.001-04:00

I'm almost positive I got this out of Martha Stewart magazine awhile back. I love steel cut oats. They are a beautiful thing and how a hearty oatmeal should taste. This is a delicious way to cook them and is easy to prepare the night before so you or your family can have an incredibly nutritious filling breakfast.

Begin by soaking the following items in a bowl the night you intend to have it

1/3 cup of steel cut oats
2 tbs of pearl barley
1 1/4 cup of water
1/8 tsp salt

Then microwave the mixture for about 6 minutes until the oats have completely absorbed the water. Add in 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/8 tsp of nutmeg, and mix it up !!

You can even add almonds and honey....There are so many options you won't get bored....

Enjoy !!!

Happy 4th !!! Celebrate with a Fakeout and BBQ Sandwiches and Sweet Slaw

2010-07-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

Adapted from: My Baking Addiction

I love meals that seem like they are cooked for hours and days and would be a perfect summer treat, but the trick is to have them in the middle of the winter. I made this meal back in February and it was perfect for the middle of winter. Not that it wouldn't be great for dinner tonight, but there was something about that winter night that my husband and I shared this meal and had a moment where we felt Spring was sooner than we thought.

You ask how BBQ sandwiches happen? Well it all goes down in your crockpot!! The night before your planning to have this glorious meal place the following items into your crockpot

2.5 lb beef chuck roast
1 cup of water
1 tbs and 1 1/2 tsp of white vinegar
2 tbs of brown sugar
2 tbs of honey
1 tsp of dry mustard
2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups of low sodium ketchup
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
2 cloves of minced garlic

Put the cover on and place it in the fridge until the morning.

The next morning place it on to cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. When it's done it will look a little something like this deliciousness.

This looked and smelled so good our puppy Marty seemed to be quite intrigued with what my husband was doing.

I also prepared some sweet slaw to add with the meal. It is so easy and perfect you won't believe it. In a large bowl combine the following ingredients.

1 bag of coleslaw mix
1 diced small onion
2/3 cup of reduced fat mayo
2 tbs of olive oil
3 tbs of sugar
1 tbs of white vinegar, possibly more to taste
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbs of poppy seeds

Enjoy !!!

basil artichoke spread

2010-07-03T08:37:00.001-04:00

I adore basil. If I could put it in just about everything and get away with it I would. If I could wear it as a perfume I would. It smells unbelievably amazing this time of year. It is in full abundance during the summer as well.

So I say bring on the recipes full of basil. I just made fresh pesto yesterday and froze a little in ice cube trays for later use. I had enough basil to have dinner that night and now have about 3 cups of pesto frozen in my freezer.

This spread is good enough in a sandwich with cheese and veggies. Or you can use it as dip for fresh veggies. It is good enough to eat with a spoon.

Get your food processor out and add in the following items:

1 can of artichokes
1/4 cup of fresh basil ( I think I used 1/2 cup because I love it so much)
2 tbs of reduced fat mayo
1 tbs of lemon juice
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
salt
pepper

Pulse it until you can't pulse it any longer and it looks like a thickened spread or dip.

Enjoy !!!

Proscitto, onion, and mushroom topped polenta

2010-07-02T21:54:00.001-04:00

Adapted from: Week of Menus

Fontina, basil, mushrooms, onions, butter, and milk how can you go wrong??? It is a thing of beauty and one of the most satisfying meals I have made in a long time. With a little baked asparagus and a hearty salad this is a meal I could have any day of the week.

You start off by cooking up one onion sliced, 2 cups of sliced mushrooms, 3 tbs of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook those until the mushrooms are softened and the onions become translucent.

Then bring 3 cups of milk to boil with 2 tbs of butter and some salt/pepper. Then once it begins to boil whisk in 1 cup of cornmeal. Keep whisking until the polenta begins to take shape.

Then slice up 5 slices of thin Prosciutto and set aside.

Then pour your polenta into an 8 x 8 baking pan.

Then pour all of your cooking onions and mushrooms on top of that.

Then piles slices of fontina cheese over the mushrooms and onions. Bake that in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Then slice it up into fourths, plate it up with some baked asparagus and you will be one happy camper !!!

Enjoy !!!

homemade sloppy joes

2010-06-27T10:14:00.006-04:00

Making bad food amazing is one of my most favorite things to do in the kitchen. Not that Sloppy Joes are really horrible for you, let's face it we all grew up on them. But there are several additions you can change or create that make them that much better and healthier for your whole family.

This is the most wonderfully simple recipe, which is another reason why I adore it. It is something I have just tweaked over the years into a deliciously quick meal that my husband and I both love. The best part is it makes a good amount so we always have leftover's for lunch the next day.

Start off with cooking 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef, chicken, or turkey in a large frypan.

Then add in 1 or 2 chopped peppers and 1 onion chopped.

Then in a separate bowl mix together 5 cloves of garlic, 1 1/2 cups of ketchup, 1 cup of water, 2 tbs of brown sugar, 2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of dry mustard, 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes, 3 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbs of tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Then mix that in with the cooked meat. Stir it around completely so that the flavors have the opportunity to completely incorporate.

Then serve it up on your favorite bun with a hearty salad and you have yourself a complete meal !!

Enjoy !!!

Perfect Fried Egg Sandwich

2010-06-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

A fried egg sandwich can be a thing of beauty and not a cardiac arrest waiting to happen like some of the fast food egg sandwiches are. I have always loved them, but can't handle the grease and other bad additives that are sometimes in the fast food options. While I was recently on vacation our good friend made a fried egg sandwich one of the mornings for breakfast. I was thoroughly impressed with the technique as I have never tried making one at home and knew I had to post about it. I asked him at the time how it made it so perfect and he replied, "I don't know it just happened."
He took a large frypan and turned the heat to medium high. Then sprayed a good coating of non-stick spray in the area he was going to break the egg in. He then broke the egg on the side of the pan and let it drip into the pan. Then as the whites of the eggs started to solidify he began to fold over the sides so that it would form a reasonably perfect circle to wonderfully sit on top of a toasted English muffin.

He then flipped it over perfectly and had the yolk break a little then let the whole egg cook through.

He topped it with a slice of cheddar cheese and let the melting commence. It look so delicious! He said it was pretty amazing. I unfortunately could not convince him to make them rest of us one, but seemed to enjoy it and had a deliciously nutritious breakfast.

Enjoy !!!

Food on Vacation

2010-06-22T18:39:00.005-04:00

One of my most favorite places in the whole wide world is Chincoteague Island. My family has been vacationing there for years. There is a beach house in that area that an extended family now owns, but still lets us rent it out on occasion. I love this place. I feel safe, happy, and completely relaxed when I am there.

I love cooking in this kitchen as it is a place where several women in my family have cooked delicious meals for our families to enjoy.

I wanted to post about what we ate during our vacation because it was healthy. It is just proof that you do not need to eat like crap while you are on vacation just because you can.

That's my husband and one of our good friends down at the beach.

Wonderfully delicious fruit salad.

The freshest seafood. It was the first time I had ever tried flounder and it was delicious.

Broiled white and green asparagus !

Whole wheat pita pizzas. Pita's by the way are one of the best vessels to cook a pizza on. They naturally curl up a little when cooked and it keeps all of the topping secure and in place.

I had to show off these crab cakes mainly because they are the best crab cakes I have ever had.

Salad, corn on the cob, 93 % lean ground turkey burgers !!

Any finishing out the week with some delicious french toast made by a very special friend.

I promise I will be back with a recipe tomorrow for sure !!

Enjoy !!!

Back from Vacation !!

2010-06-20T21:36:00.004-04:00

I have been on a little bit of a blogcation........I apologize for not letting you all know earlier. I recently went on a week's vacation to one of my most favorite places in the whole wide world. Chincoteague Island in the great state of Virginia is a place my family has been vacationing in for years. For the first time I went back with just friends and my husband and had a wonderful time. We also cooked some wonderful food and I assure you I will be back tomorrow with more.

Chincoteague is also known around the world for the wild ponies that inhabit the island. It is such a beautiful place and an amazing place to go on vacation....

Be back tomorrow with some beachy treats from our vacation !!!

Enjoy !!!

2010-06-13T23:44:00.000-04:00

Adapted from: Esquire

I actually enjoy that my husband gets a yearly subscription to Esquire. Frequently, the stories, recipes, and tips that are in the monthly magazine tend to be helpful and somewhat interesting. I found this recipe in the last copy he had. I figured it was not only a good way to use my cast iron skillet, but a pretty reasonable awesome way to make a quick dinner.

So you start by getting a whole chicken. Wash it off and take off anything that looks like it shouldnt be there. Add a little olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Set your chicken on top. Massage the top of the chicken with a little olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper.

Add some carrots, potatoes, or whatever your favortie fixings are. Pop it in 450 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Once it is done the skin will be brown and crispy and when you cut into it the juices will run clear. If it is not running clear pop it back and wait until it is done. No one wants to get samonela !!!

Take it out and friggin enjoy !!!! Your gonna love it seriously. It is one of hte most simple, fast, and healthy meals i have made in a long time. Sometimes simplicity is where its at certain nights of the week.

Enjoy !!!

Arugula Pistachio Pesto Flank Steak

2010-06-08T18:46:00.000-04:00

I grabbed this recipe from Hannford's monthly magazine they release that have healthful tips, recipes, and tricks. It is a couple of dollars if you don't buy anything else, but if you buy more than $25.00 worth of groceries it's free. It's a neat little program they have for sure.

It is a delicious and nutritious alternative to flank steak. It is bright and vibrant and full of color. I highly recommend this if you are stuck on what to have for dinner tonight.

Begin by combining 2 cups of arugula, 4 tbs of olive oil, 1/2 cup of pistachio's, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender or food processor to make a thick and delicious pesto for your flank steak.

Squeeze 1 lime into the mix as well. Whiz it up a bit with the immersion blender again until it becomes incredibly smooth.

Then begin to cook your flank steak. I broiled it in the oven for 9 minutes on each side until it is cooked thoroughly.

Serve it up with an avocado and tomato salad. If it sounds weird to you don't let it. Just cut up that fresh avocado with some tomato slices sprinkle some salt and pepper and you will be so happy trust me.

Add some rice to the mix and you will have yourself one hell of a meal.

Enjoy !!!

2010-06-05T08:05:00.004-04:00

I recently was asked to do a guest post on one of my favorite crafting blogs Creative Kristi.

You can find it here ...

Kristi is almost on her way to having a beautiful second baby and wanted to ensure there were posts still happening on her awesome blog.

So I said yes of course .... It was an awesome experience

Enjoy !!!

pierogis

2010-06-03T20:43:00.000-04:00

Adapted from: Martha Stewart Living

There are certain things about my Polish heritage that I love. Two of those things are pierogis and kielbasa. I have been trying for several years to perfect pierogis. The ones that are in the frozen aisle can filled with horrible fillers, added sodium, more fat, and un-natural items that you just don't want in your diet. These were so unbelievably easy to make and fun. It would be a perfect mess-free fun item to cook with kids.

Start off with combining 1 egg, 2 tbs of sour cream, 1 cup of skim milk, and 1 cup of water in a bowl together.

Then add in 4 1/2 to 5 of all purpose flour and mix it thoroughly together.

Then make some mashed potatoes. Boil up some yukon gold potatoes and mash them together with some butter, salt, pepper, buttermilk, or milk. Cut a circle of dough out you can use a simple cookie cutter to do this. Then scoop a tablespoon into half of the circle.

Fold over the the circle and press it closed with your fingers.

You can arrange them on a baking sheet, freeze them on the sheet, then take them out of the freezer as you need. Or you can boil them right there.

The best part of pierogis are that they cook up just like ravioli. Once they are done they rise to the top of the boiling water.

Add some butter, salt, and pepper and enjoy with a hearty salad....You will be one happy camper!!!

Enjoy !!!