Shortbread Logs

My dear husband loves his coffee and he always wants a pastry to go with it. We usually by something from the store but I recently came across a shortbread recipe and thought that they would go good with coffee. I just got done making them, and let me tell you.....they are super easy to make and even yummier to eat! These are so buttery that they practically melt in your mouth. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Shortbread Logs

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 teaspoons shortening or butter
• 3/4 cup ground walnuts

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla. Gradually add flour; mix well.

With lightly floured hands, shape tablespoonfuls into 2-in. logs. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes or until edges and bottom are lightly browned. Cool for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks. Cool completely and then continue to the next step.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening/butter; stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over half of the cookies. Dip one end of remaining cookies into chocolate, then sprinkle with walnuts.

Frosting

Halloween is my step-father-in-law's birthday and they were coming over to pick something up from my hubby so I decided to make him a cake. I didn't have much time to throw together a cake from scratch so I just whipped up a double layer boxed cake. But what I did have time for was the frosting! I found a very simple chocolate butter cream frosting. Most butter cream frostings take over 80 minutes to make because you have to get the mixture to a certain temperate, cool it down to another temperature, and then reheat it, and so on. Very time consuming! So I searched high and low for a butter cream recipe that didn't require the use of a thermometer and constant watching. I found the BEST recipe ever! And here it is for you to enjoy!

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• pinch of salt
• 5 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 4 tablespoons milk (add more if needed until you get it to the consistency you want)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  
• *Note: This is enough frosting for a 9x13 cake or a double layer cake.
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• In small bowl mix at medium speed, sugar, butter (softened), and salt until light and fluffy.
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• Add melted chocolate, milk and vanilla extract, beating until well blended. If the frosting seems too thick to spread, now is the time to add more milk, a little at a time, until it gets thin enough to spread.

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Chicken Lasagna

I love lasagna but most recipes used ground beef and ricotta cheese, both of which I don't like. I found this amazing recipe for chicken lasagna that I tweaked a bit and below is my take on chicken lasagna. Be careful, it goes fast!

Chicken Lasagna

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast (or 2 cups cooked chicken)

9 lasagna noodles

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. oregano

salt and pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the chicken. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 with an instant read thermometer. About 20 minutes. Remove from water and shred.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the chicken, cream cheese, oregano, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of the cheese.

Spread a thin layer of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Next put down a layer of noodles, then a layer of meat, a layer of sauce and so on. Once you have laid your last layer of noodles, add the remaining sauce and top with the rest of the cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes, remove the tin foil and continue baking for 20 more minutes.

Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comfort Food

Fall is my favorite food season. I love all of the warm comforting food and their smells. One dish that I love to make in the fall is chicken pot pie. I don't always have time to make the full, long version so I found a recipe from Bisquick that hits the spot on a chilly night when you want food on the table fast! I used the heart healthy Bisquick so it's not so fattening and carb heavy as the original Bisquick. Trust me. This is quick, easy, and way good!

Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie

1 c. cooked, shredded chicken

1 2/3 c. frozen mixed vegetables (I used leftover roasted potato, carrots, celery, & onion from the night before.)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt & pepper to taste

1 c. Bisquick healthy heart mix (You can use the original mix if that's what you've got.)

1/2 c. skim milk

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stir the chicken, vegetables, soup, oregano, and salt & pepper in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate.

In a medium bowl stir remaining ingredients together. Pour on top of mixture in pie plate.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I'm baaack! With food!

Well, it's been over 7 months since I've posted a recipe. That is FAR too long and I apologize! I have made many new recipes in the past 7 months and I've finally found the time to share them with you. I hope you enjoy them!

This recipe is for the most recent dish I've made. It's shepherd's pie! My hubby loves shepherd's pie from this Irish place we go to so I decided to make him a quick version of it since we haven't been to that restaurant in a long time.

Shepherd's Pie

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped small

1lb. ground beef

1 clove minced garlic

salt & pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 c. frozen corn, thawed

mashed potatoes (about 5 russets cooked, mashed, and seasoned how you like)

2 c. shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, stirring until the onion is sweated out a bit. About 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste the last 30 seconds of browning. Drain the meat mixture well.

In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture with the mushroom soup and dried thyme. Taste to make sure it is well seasoned and add salt and pepper if needed. Then dump this into the 9x13 pan and spread out. Spread the corn out on top of the meat and then top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes and then serve.

For The Vegetarian In Us All

My mother-in-law came over yesterday for a visit and for the first time in the 16 months we've been married she stayed for supper. I was excited to finally be able to cook for her. She doesn't eat much meat so I scoured one of my vegetarian cook books for something to make. I found a pasta dish that sounded delicious so I decided to give it a try. I got rave reviews from my mother-in-law and my husband. My first time cooking for my mother-in-law was a success! :-)

*Sorry for the not-so-great picture. I didn't have my camera handy when we were eating last night so this is a pic of the left-overs I ate for lunch, minus the broccoli.

Penne with Creamy Walnut Sauce

10 oz fresh spinach

1/2 c toasted walnuts coarsely chopped (to toast put them in single layer on a pan in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes)

2 C low fat cottage cheese

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

1/4 C loosely packed chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

ground black pepper to taste

1 (1 lb) box penne pasta

1 head broccoli

Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. While the water heats, wash the spinach and transfer it to a separate large pot. The water clinging to the leaves should be enough moisture to steam the spinach. Cover and cook the spinach on medium-high heat until bright green and wilted. About 4 minutes. Drain. In a food processor or blender, combine the spinach, walnuts, cottage cheese, garlic, parmesan, basil, and salt & pepper. Puree until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Set aside. (Note: the sauce will be thick.)

When the water boils, stir in the pasta and return to a boil. Cook uncovered until al dente, about 7 minutes. While the pasta cooks, cut the broccoli into spears, blanch it in boiling water to cover until just tender, about 5 minutes and set aside. Drain the pasta and serve immediately in individual bowls, topped with the spinach-walnut sauce and several steamed broccoli spears. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese if you wish.

Easy Appetizer

I found a recipe for Taco Layer Dip that is very easy to make. I made is for our small group a week ago and they gobbled it up.

Taco Layer Dip

8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese at room temp

8 oz. light sour cream

1 pkt. low sodium taco seasoning

1/2 small jar taco sauce (or you could use salsa if you prefer)

shredded lettuce

shredded cheddar cheese

black olives (optional)

1 tomato diced (optional)

1/2 onion diced (optional)

tortilla chips for serving

Mix the first 3 ingredients until smooth and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour. (I made this part in the morning before work and finished the dip when I got home.) Spread chilled mixture in a shallow dish. Spread the taco sauce (or salsa if using) on top in a thin layer. Top with lettuce then cheese. Add the black olives, tomatoes, and onions in layers if using. Serve with the tortilla chips.

My New Favorite!

About a week ago I picked up a cook book that my mother-in-law had given me and I found a recipe for Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole. I made it on a Wednesday as written in the book. It was fantastic! On thursday I made it my way; kicked up a notch. It was AMAZING! So amazing in fact that I made it again on Saturday for my parents! That's right. I made this dish 3 times in 4 days! All I can say is YUM!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

1 can cream of chicken soup, reduced sodium

8 oz light sour cream

1 C frozen broccoli

1 C frozen carrots

1/4 C milk

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in chunks

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers

1 stick of butter, melted

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 5 ingredients in an oven proof casserole dish and mix well. Add the chicken and stir it all together, smoothing the top out evenly. Place the Ritz crackers in a quart sized ziplock baggie and crush with your hands. Add the melted butter and poppy seeds to the crushed crackers, mixing well. Spread the Ritz mixture evenly on top of the chicken and vegetables in the casserole dish. Bake for 1 hr. and 15 minutes.

A Hometown Recipe

Recently my mom sent me a cookbook from where I grew up in WI called Taste Of Pierce County Cookbook. There are some great sounding recipes in the book so last night I decided to try one. Every Sunday night one of my husband's friends comes over after work and I cook for him. Since I normally make chicken I decided to try a recipe with beef in it for the boys to enjoy. I found a recipe that was submitted by Lisa Bench called Taco Stuffed Shells. Let me just say, it turned out amazing! And it was so easy to make! They boys ate it up and even had seconds. It took me about 45 minutes from start to finish, including prep time.

Taco Stuffed Shells

1 box Jumbo pasta shells (the bigger the shells the better)

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 red onion chopped small

1/4 C. water

1 packet of taco seasoning (I use the lower sodium kind)

1 large jar of your favorite salsa

1 C. cheddar cheese

Tortilla chips, crushed

Sour cream for serving, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 inch pan with tin foil. Coat the bottom of the pan with a little bit of the salsa and set aside. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until almost done. They will finish cooking in the oven. In a large skillet brown the meat with the onions over medium-high heat. Once the meat if browned drain the grease and add the water and taco seasoning to the meat and onion and stir. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Once the pasta is done reserve 1/2 c. of the pasta water and drain off the rest. Rinse the shells briefly under cool water so they will be easy to handle. Stuff the shells with the taco meat and place in the pan in a single layer (you should be able to get 3 rows). Pour the rest of the salsa on top of the shells. Pour some of the reserved pasta water over the shells. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Continue baking until the cheese is melted. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Tuna Salad

Lately I've been on a tuna kick. It seems like at least once or twice a week I make tuna salad. It's so easy to throw what ever you have on hand to take a packet of tuna from boring to WOW! So below is my favorite recipe for tuna salad. I make sure to keep these ingredients on hand because I never know when a tuna craving will strike. :-)

Tuna Salad

1 pouch tuna, in water (any size)

1/4-1/2 C. miracle whip or mayo (Use just enough hold everything together)

2-4 tbsp. red onion finely chopped

2-4 tbsp. celery chopped into small piece but not minced

1/4 - 1/2 C. dried cranberries

1/4 - 1/2C. chopped walnuts/pecans

salt & pepper

Mix everything together being careful not to mush the tuna to much. You want to keep it flakey. Put on bread with lettuce and enjoy!

A Sweet Treat!

I was browsing through a cookbook that my mother-in-law gave me as a gift and I came across a recipe that resembles chocolate turtles. And with only 3 ingredients, you can't beat that! You can make as many or as few as you want at a time. So you can make a small treat for yourself or make a big batch to share with friends. So I hope you enjoy these tasty little treats that take less than 8 minutes from start to finish!

Chocolate Pretzels & Pecans

Mini pretzels

Rolo candy (unwrapped)

Pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Put the pretzels in rows. Place an unwrapped rolo on each pretzel. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and press pecan halves in each chocolate piece to flatten it. Let cool and harden. (Note - if you stick the whole pan in the fridge they harden in about 5 minutes or so.) Store in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer.

I Don't Like Shrimp....Or Do I?!

I've never been a shrimp fan. Unless, of course, it's breaded and fried in fat. But most people will eat anything cooked like that! Wanting to add a little variety to our weekly dinners I decided to try a healthy shrimp stir fry. I really liked this dish but I'm still not a huge fan of the shrimp. It's a texture thing for me. I did eat all of the shrimp in my bowl though! And my hubby LOVED it! He kept saying, "You need to make shrimp more often." , and "WOW! This sauce is amazing!" And by the next afternoon he had all of the left overs gone!

The great thing about this recipe is that 1) if one person you are cooking for doesn't like shrimp they can pick it out and still eat all of the veggies and rice with out the shrimp flavor and 2) you can substitute the shrimp for scallops or chicken. This dish is very versatile. I don't like mushrooms so I left those out and added more yellow squash. You can add what ever veggies you like and have on hand.

Shrimp Stir Fry

1 1/4 lbs. of medium, peeled and deveined fresh or thawed shrimp

Vegetable cooking spray

4 c. sliced yellow squash

1 c. sliced zucchini

2/3 c. chopped bell pepper (any color)

1/2 c. sliced celery

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. brown sugar

3 tbsp. soy sauce

1 can chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. grated ginger

Cooked rice for serving

Coat a large skillet with vegetable spray and place over medium heat until hot. Add the shrimp and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add all of the vegetables to the skillet and stir fry for about 6 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

Combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chicken broth in a bowl and stir well.

Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and saute for 30 seconds then add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Stir constantly! Cook 1 minute or until thickened.

Stir the shrimp and veggies back in the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot over rice.

Entertaining

I love to have people over and put out an array of food for everyone to munch on while hanging out. Every week we get together with our small group and for the past month we have been meeting at our place. Can I just say that I LOVE hosting our small group! I usually don't have a lot of time after work to make anything big but I always try to put something yummy on the table. Below are a couple of recipes for my go-to, quick and easy entertaining foods. I hope you enjoy them!

This was last night's spread at group! We had fresh strawberries, strawberry lemonade, hot artichoke dip, and cute store bought cupcakes!

Strawberry Lemonade

1 container of frozen lemonade (thawed is preferred but I never have time for that)

5-7 ripe strawberries, washed with green tops removed

Using your hands, squish the strawberries into a large pitcher. Try to squish them as small as possible so you get a lot of the juice into the pitcher.

Next add the lemonade and cold water to fill the pitcher. Stir well to dissolve the lemonade. Add ice or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. sour cream

2 cloves minced garlic

8 ounces cream cheese

1 c. grated parmesan cheese

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, chopped

2-3 dashes of hot sauce

pinch of black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. Put the mixture in a medium size dish such as a quiche dish, 9x9 pan, or large pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes. It should be a little brown and bubbly on top. Serve with crackers or chips and enjoy!

Garden Cake

For Easter we had brunch at some friends' house. I made my granola and bought some yogurt to put on top of it. But I wanted to make something fun! I had seen people make dirt cakes before and decided to make a garden cake. It was fun and easy to make! And everyone enjoyed it! This recipe makes 2 cakes and you can get 8 generous pieces out of each cake. (Pictures to come)

Garden Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix

2 clay pot bases that are 8"

2 large tubs chocolate frosting at room temp (you won't use all of the 2nd tub.)

16 Oreo cookies w/o filling (use an offset spatula or back of a butter knife to scrape off the filling)

"plants" for your garden (I used chocolate rocks, orange cry babies for carrots, and candy flowers, but you can use anything edible you can find to put in your "garden")

Wash the clay pot bases with hot water (no soap) and let air dry before using. Brush vegetable oil on the pots then line with tin foil and brush more oil on the tin foil. This makes the cake come out easily. Make the cake according to the directions on the box and pour into the prepared pots. Bake in the oven as directed on the box. Using a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake check to see if it's done after 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it after that. Mine took 45 minutes total. It will take longer than the box says because of the clay pots.

Once the cakes are done put the pots on a cooling rack until they are completely cooled. Once they are cooled frost thickly with chocolate frosting. Put the chocolate cookie pieces of the Oreos in a plastic baggie and seal tightly. Using a rolling pin, your hands, or a mallet crush the cookies very finely. This is your "dirt". Sprinkle the "dirt" evenly on the cakes and gently pat on to make it stick.

Now you're ready to decorate with your garden rocks and plants. That's it!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Tempered Chocolate

Have you ever noticed how smooth and shiny the chocolates in a store are? I've always enjoyed hand dipping things in chocolate but mine never turned out smooth and shiny. They were always dull with streaks in them. Well, after doing some research on line I figured out it's because I didn't temper my chocolate before dipping things in it. Tempering your chocolate is what gives it the glossy shine.

With Valentines Day being tomorrow I decided I would make chocolate covered strawberries for my hubby. So this morning I tried tempering my chocolate for the first time. And it actually worked! I think the strawberries turned out fabulous! So I decided to post it here for you all to try!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

You'll need:

1 lb. of good quality chocolate. (I used dark chocolate, but you can use any kind.)

a double boiler or a heat proof bowl that fits on the top of a pot.

a thermometer (instant read thermometers are best but I just used a regular one)

a rubber spatula

strawberries or anything else you wish to dip in the chocolate

1. Put 1-2 inches in you pot and bring just barely to a simmer. You don't want the water to touch your bowl and you don't want the water to boil.

2. Chop your chocolate and put 3/4 of it into your heat proof bowl. Reserve the other for a later step.

3. Once the water is simmering set your bowl of chocolate into the pot with the thermometer in it. You will need to stir CONSTANTLY until the chocolate is melted and the thermometer reads 118-120 for dark chocolate, or 116-118 for white and milk chocolate.

4. Once your chocolate reaches the right temp remove the bowl and stir constantly until the chocolate cools down to 80 degrees. As soon as it reaches 80 out it back over the simmering water until it reaches 88-91 degrees for dark chocolate or 85-87 degrees for white and milk chocolate. After it reaches this target temp your chocolate is tempered.

5. To make sure your chocolate has properly tempered spread a little bit of chocolate thinly onto a piece of tin foil and stick in the refrigerator for 3 minutes. If your chocolate is shiny and smooth it's done correctly. If not, just start all over and bring your chocolate back to 118 and follow the steps again.

6. Then dip your fruit in the chocolate letting the excess drip off.

I had extra chocolate so I covered some pretzels and added dried cranberries and I also covered cashews and peanuts with the chocolate.

I cut this heart out of the test chocolate. I think next time I might spread a lot more out to cool and then cut out fun shapes for dressing up desserts or for adding to cakes.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

My hubby has been asking me to make pizza so last night I whipped up this really quick BBQ Chicken Pizza. This is one of our favorite pizzas to order when we are getting pizza delivered or at a restaurant. So I decided to make it at home and boy oh boy is it easy and yummy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1 refrigerated pizza dough

3/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, divide into 1/2c and 1/4c portions

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 red onion thinly sliced (you can use what ever onion you have on hand)

1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. (Or what ever it says on the dough package.) Heat oil in a skillet on medium high. Season chicken with salt & pepper and brown on both sides. About 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, stretch the pizza dough onto a baking sheet and top with 1/2 cup of the bbq sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce and then top the pizza with the peppers and onions. Once the chicken is done, slice it into long pieces and put in a bowl with the 1/4 cup of bbq sauce and toss. Put the chicken on the pizza and bake for 13-17 minutes. It may take a bit longer if you have really thick crust.

Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts with a Balsamic Glaze

Since I was stuck inside all day yesterday due to the snow I figured I would make a dish for supper that had a longer cooking time. I don't usually make meals that take longer than 35 minutes during the week since we want to eat right after work. So it was a fun treat getting to spend the extra time on supper last night. And let me tell you, it was well worth the extra time!

I didn't have a whole lot on hand but I did have chicken, some russet potatoes, and a bag of brussels sprouts that my hubby bought at Costco before all the snow started. I had decided on roasting the brussels sprouts so I looked online to see if I could find a good way to season them. Most recipes just suggested olive oil, salt, and pepper and I was going to do that until I saw one recipe that suggested adding balsamic vinegar. Well, that got me thinking. what if I roasted the chicken and potatoes with the sprouts and added the balsamic vinegar to it all? So that's just what I did. And all I have to say is YUM!

Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts with a Balsamic Glaze

I used:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks

2lbs. brussels sprouts with ends trimmed and any outer yellow leaves removed

extra virgin olive oil

salt

fresh ground pepper

balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the potatoes in boiling water while you trim the brussels sprouts so that they have a head start in cooking. (I only had mine in the water for 5 minutes.) Once the sprouts are trimmed place them in a roasting pan or baking sheet. Drain the potatoes and add them to the pan with the sprouts. Drizzle olive oil on the sprouts and potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and using your hands, toss to coat. I just eyeballed the oil amount. Salt and pepper the chicken and place it in the middle of the pan. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over everything and using your hands toss the potatoes and sprouts in the vinegar and rub the vinegar onto the chicken.

Put in the oven and roast for 10 minutes then stir the veggies. Bake for 20 minutes and stir again and this time flip the chicken over and spoon some of the liquid in the pan onto the chicken. Bake for another 20-25 minutes then serve immediately. Enjoy!

I loved how this turned out! Hubby added some vidalia onion salad dressing to his because he loves his food with creamy sauce on it. I did find out as he took his first bite that he didn't like brussels sprouts. That is, he didn't like them until last night! He said, "I can't believe I like these brussels sprouts. They used to torment me as a kid. I hated them." Yay! I got him to eat, AND like brussels sprouts! Mission accomplished! (And this was said before he added the salad dressing.)

Bottom of the Barrel!

Well, with all the snow that the DC area has gotten in the past 6 days I have officially been snowed in and I'm running out of food. I'm really glad I stocked up as well as I did but I'm scrapping the bottom of the barrel for dinner ideas. I don't know about you but it seems like I get stuck in a food rut sometimes and I always make my same go to things when I'm low on supplies. Tonight's supper is in the oven and if it turns out I'll be posting it for you shortly. It's just a mixture of what I could find in the fridge and pantry.

I'm wondering what things you typically have on hand. Do you find yourself continually making chicken like me? Or maybe its pasta for you. Would you like some new ideas and recipes for the food that you tend to make over and over or for food that you have on hand in the back of the cupboard that you have no idea how to use it up? If so, please tell me what lurks in the back of your pantry or what rut your in and I'll try to kick up some new recipes for you. I'm always up for a cooking challenge and with all this snow I have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

I look forward to hearing from you and creating new ways to spice up your staples!

In Honor of the Super Bowl

With the Super Bowl being tomorrow and all I figured I'd post a good game time snack. I got this out of Food Network's Magazine in the January/February issue. They made potato skins and topped them 32 ways; one in honor of each football team in the NFL. Below is the recipe for the potato skins. You can top them however you want with whatever you have on hand. The picture is just 2 of the ways I topped mine the last time I made them. (On the left they are topped with my chicken nachos and on the right they are topped with guacamole and tostidos ranch queso.) I have also listed the toppings that the Food Network Magazine gave for the Colts and the Saints. If you want to have a really fun Super Bowl party you can use those toppings. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Potato Skins

4 large russet potatoes

4 tbsp melted butter (you might need a bit more or less depending on the size of your spuds)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scrub the potatoes and pierce them with a fork. Bake them directly on the oven rack until tender. About 1 hour. Let cool, then quarter lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Brush both sides of the skins with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake, skin side up, at 450 degrees until crisp, about 15 minutes. Then add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

If you want to make cheesy skins, flip the baked shells over after the 15 minutes and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and bake and extra 5 minutes.

Go Saints:

Muffuletta - assorted sliced Italian deli meats, provolone cheese, olive salad, and sliced pepperoncinis

Go Colts:

Fried Pork - mayonnaise mixed with mustard and hot sauce, sliced fried pork cutlets, chopped tomato, and diced red onion.

Brown Sugar Kisses

Since I am trying to watch what I eat I picked up the cookbook Cook Yourself Thin Faster by Lauren Deen. There are some good looking recipes that I haven't had a chance to try yet but I'm really looking forward to trying them. There is one recipe, however, that caught my eye. It's a recipe for Brown Sugar Kisses. The best part about this recipe is that each kiss is....get this....only 15 calories! That's right! 15 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, 12mg sodium, 18mg potassium, 4g carbs, and 1/2g protein. With numbers like that you don't have to feel guilty when you pop 3 of these yummy treats in your mouth. And this would be something really fun to make with your kids. You can put the meringue in a small plastic bag and snip off the end and give them their own baking sheet and let them make their own meringues. They might look a little funny but they'll taste yummy and the kids will have fun baking with you.

Brown Sugar Kisses

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1/2 c light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (I used wax paper)

Using either a stand mixer or handheld mixer put the egg whites and salt in a bowl and mix on high speed until soft peaks form. Once the peaks have formed add the brown sugar a little at a time while beating until the meringue is stiff and shiny. About 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.

Fill a pastry bag or a large plastic baggie that has the end snipped off with the meringue and squeeze the meringue onto the sheet to form kisses.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Then turn the oven off and keep the door ajar. Let cool in the oven for an hour.

Store them in a tin or wrap loosely in tin foil; do not store in plastic wrap or glass or the kisses will become soggy.

I know this recipe has a long baking and cooling time but they take only 10-12 to put together. This is a great recipe to make on a day when the weather keeps you indoors or when you have a lot of cleaning to do. You'll have a yummy treat waiting for you once your house is sparkly clean. :-)

Healthy Yet Delicious!

I made this last night and it turned out wonderfully! My hubby thought the
chicken was a bit bland but that's because I cut back on the salt by only
putting salt on one side of the chicken and he's used to a lot of salt on
food. But he did give the dish a 9 and said that the leeks made the chicken
taste really good.
This dish makes 3 servings for under 300 calories a serving. (See the
nutrition info below the recipe.) I also made a salad full of veggies with a
light homemade vinaigrette for a side dish.


Pan Seared Chicken and Sauted Leeks

2 leeks
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise (like cutting a hamburger bun)
salt, pepper, and dried herbs (basil, oregano, whatever you like)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter (you can omit this if you want)
1/2 cup dry vermouth or other dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (if you don't want to use wine just increase this to 1 cup.)

Cut both leeks in half lengthwise and then slice width wise in small chunks. Put the leeks in a medium
bowl and fill with water. Using your hands, separate the pieces of leek then let it sit in the water while you
season the chicken so the sand settles to the bottom of the bowl. After the sand has settled to the bottom
use your hands to scoop out the leeks and put them on a paper towel to dry a bit.
Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add the oil. Season the chicken on both sides with whatever
seasonings you like. Place the chicken in the pan and brown on both sides. Then remove the chicken to a
plate and add the leeks to the pan. Add the butter and saute the leeks for 5 minutes until tender. Now add
the wine and chicken broth (or a cup of chicken broth if you're not using the wine) and nestle the chicken
back in among the leeks. Turn down the heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes until the wine and broth have
reduced. That's it! Enjoy!

Note: I strongly suggest using the dry vermouth. It adds a great depth of flavor and it might be a bit bland
with out it. You could try adding a 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 3/4 cup of chicken stock so you have some
acidity in your dish. (If you omit the wine it will lower your calories by about 40-50 calories.)

Calories 268.6
Total Fat 4.3g
saturated fat 1.9g
monounsaturated fat 1.3g
Cholesterol 104.6g
Sodium 368.6mg
Potassium 643.5g
Total Carbs 8.9g
fiber 1.1g
sugars 2.5
Protein 40.4

Lightly Cooking

It seems that everyone sets a New Years resolution to eat healthier, lose weight, or get in shape. I have never made any of those things my resolution in previous years. In the past I always seemed to start eating healthier or exercising in the late spring early summer. Don't ask me why but that's just how it always end up.

Well, on Friday, while standing the kitchen with my hubby, I decided that I was going to lose weight. I'm not unhappy with my weight necessarily but I have about 25 pounds that I wouldn't mind if they decided to pack up and leave.

So here are my goals.

1. I want to be down a size by my birthday in July.

2. I will eat no more than 1400 calories a day.

3. I am going to be cooking a lot healthier.

I tell you all of this because you will start to notice a change on my blog. I am going to start listing the calorie, fat, sodium, carb, fiber, and protein content of every recipe I post on here. And you will notice that the portion sizes will be smaller and a lot healthier!

I hope you enjoy these lighter recipes even if you're not trying to lose weight. Hopefully these recipes will encourage you to at least eat a few more fruits and veggies and to cook a bit healthier.

Here goes nothing!

Bringing Summer Back

I had found a really simple and classic coleslaw recipe in the June/July 2009 issue of Food Network Magazine this past summer that was very creamy and delicious. I just came across it again today and thought I'd share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it!

Coleslaw

Ingredients:

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 white onion, grated

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp celery seeds

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

salt & pepper

1 small head of cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

Whisk the first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot and stir to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve.

Sorry, there is no Husband Rating for this one. I know he liked it, but I don't remember what number he gave it.

Craving Chinese

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Chinese food. My husband likes it but most Chinese places, at least around us, leave us hungry 30 minutes later and our stomachs feel funny. So I went on a search for some recipes that were similar to something you might find in a Chinese restaurant with out all the salt and the after effects.

I found a really great recipe that has become a staple in our house when ever I'm craving Chinese food. I got this recipe from the cook book Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. It's a cook book from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living...or so it says on the cover.

This is a really easy recipe that comes together very quickly and it hits the spot when you're craving Chinese food. And it's a lot healthier than the dishes you'll find at most Chinese restaurants. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Cashew Chicken:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 Tbsp cornstarch

salt

fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

3 Tbsp hoisin sauce

3/4 C. raw cashews, toasted *see note below* (I have also used already toasted cashews to save time)

white rice for serving (optional)

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until the chicken is coated; season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining oil and chicken to the skillet along with the garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Cook, tossing often, until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Add the vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

Add the hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens and cashews. Serve or white rice if desired.

*Toasting the cashews:

Spread the cashews on a baking sheet, and toast in a 350 degree oven until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

HR = 9. I'm starting to notice a trend. He's never given my food less than an 8 and even those are rare. Either I'm a really good cook or he'll just eat anything. :-)

Enjoy!

Take the Challenge!

In honor of the new year and making resolutions that can be challenging I have decided to post a monthly challenge. Each month I will post a food challenge. It might be a secret ingredient that you need to creatively use in an original recipe or a common food dish that you need to put your own spin on. It's a way for you to think creatively in the kitchen in this new year.

You can post your original recipe in the comment section or you can email it straight to me. I will participate in the challenge as well. I will make every recipe that is posted and my husband will give them all a try and will pick the winner.

All recipes must be posted by the 20th of every month and I will announce the winner at the end of every month.

I hope you participate in at least one challenge this year. And if you think this idea is silly, please let me know! :-)

January Challenge:

The secret ingredient is...... Peanut Butter!

I hope you have fun with this and I can't wait to try your creations!

Family Food

At work yesterday a Williams-Sonoma catalogue came in the mail. And I just can't resist a kitchen/cooking catalogue or magazine. So as I was flipping through it I saw a really yummy picture of baked ziti. And the great thing about Williams-Sonoma catalogues is that they have the recipes in them! So I wrote down the recipe on my phone and headed to the grocery store after work so that I could make it for supper. I changed the Williams-Sonoma recipe a bit to fit our tastes so I will include the variations in the recipe below. The original recipe calls for sausage and I used ground beef instead.

Now let me take a moment to tell you how good this turned out! First of all, for those of you who know me, I only eat chicken when it comes to meat. And last night I had TWO helpings of this! That's how good it was! I didn't eat all of the meat on my plate, but the sauce and cheese covered up the taste of the meat enough to where I gobbled it all up! Second, my husband gave it a rating of "awesome!" And this makes a LOT so if you have a big family to feed you must try this! Or if its just two of you then you can freeze some for later. Put some of the mixture in a dish and into the oven for now and put the rest in the freezer before you bake it and then when you are ready just take it out and bake as directed. You might need to keep it in a bit longer since it was frozen first.

Try this! You'll be glad you did!

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• 4tsp. plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used 1.2 lb of ground beef, 85/15)
• eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I omitted this all together)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (I used merlot)
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed plum tomatoes with juices (I used Hunt's crushed tomatoes with basil)
• 5 oz. ziti, cooked until al dente (I used a whole box of ziti)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup rinsed chopped Kalamata olives (This is what puts this over the top! Don't leave 'em out)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I used shredded Parmesan cheese)

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.

In a 10 or 12-inch fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Add the sausage (or beef) and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Discard all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, under tender and browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (I skipped this step all-together because I didn't add eggplant.)

Set the pan over medium heat and warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add the sausage, pasta, basil, olives, 2 cups of the mozzarella and the tomato sauce to the bowl with the eggplant and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta mixture to a big oven proof casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Cover the dish (use tin foil if your dish doesn't have a lid), transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the dish and broil at 500°F for 5 minutes. (Keep an eye on it while it's broiling. I broiled it on high and the cheese was bubbly and brown after 3 minutes.) Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 -8.

HR = Awesome!