Jen's Stuffed Peppers

I am re-posting this recipe, because I am not crazy about my original photo. It is a little ugly, so I thought I would try again. Hopefully, I will have better photographic results this time around.

This recipe is another family favorite that was passed down from my grandma, on my dad's side. It is serious comfort food in our house...we love it. My little boy is sick, so I thought a homey meal would be good for our dinner tonight. It is very simple to put together, and I made it even easier by adapting it for the slow cooker. I am not sure what or if we are going to have a side item with this meal. The husband really likes baked potatoes with it, so I may indulge him. This dish was one of my favorites as a child, and I hope to pass that sentimentality off to my son. I love recreating meals that I grew up with, for my family!

Jen's Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
2 green bell peppers, seeded and halved
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. of ground beef
1/2 cup of instant white rice
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste (very important...don't skimp!)
1 large can of tomato juice, undiluted
1 teaspoon of dried minced onion (optional)
1 clove minced garlic (optional)

Directions:
1) Cut peppers in half to form cups and remove ribs and seeds. Set pepper halves aside. I always cut the peppers in half vertically, but it does not matter.

2) In a slow cooker insert pot or a large stock pot mix hamburger, diced onion, rice, egg, salt, and pepper WITH YOUR CLEAN HANDS (I don't know why, but it tastes much better if you hand mix it).

3) Take a palm full of meat mixture and press into pepper cups, packing firmly. Arrange filled pepper cups at the bottom of slow cooker or stock pot.

4) Take any leftover meat and form into meatballs, and place in between pepper cups (if no space is left just sit meatballs on top of pepper cups).

5) Sprinkle garlic, minced dried onion, and additional salt and pepper (if needed) on tops of meatballs and pepper cups.

6) Pour entire large can of tomato juice on top of meatballs and pepper cups. All ingredients should be submerged, or close to submerged.

7) Cover and cook in slow cooker on high for 2-3 hours OR low for 4-5 hours. When finished, let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

***************************OR****************************

Alternate method for stove top preparation: Place large stock pot on stove top and cook on high for 1 hour, with lid partially on (liquid should be boiling). Check periodically for evaporation...add more tomato juice if liquid evaporates by more than half). Let cool and serve.

Jen's Notes:
I use the same pot that I am going to cook this dish in for the mixing bowl. This way, I don't dirty an extra bowl and it is much easier to clean up.

This recipe can easily be adjusted for increased quantity (i.e. more people) by doubling all ingredients.



The Result:
I think this photo is slightly better than the original post. I wanted to show my stuffed peppers in all of their glory...simmering away in the slow cooker. This meal was so good, it was everything I had anticipated. Homey, yummy, comfort food. I added quite a bit of rice this time, so the meatballs were very firm. I had less than one pound of ground beef to use, so I stretched it by adding the additional rice. The husband said he actually preferred the firmer texture, so I may keep the larger quantity of rice (which I did not measure exactly) in the recipe. Also, I added 1/2 of a jar of leftover marinara and some already-diced tomatoes. I needed to use them up, so I just threw 'em in for good measure. It certainly added an extra chunky component that was very nice. I did end up pairing this dish with some baked (microwaved) potatoes. I really didn't mind the extra starch, but it definitely made the whole meal more filling than usual. This was an awesome stick-to-your-ribs family dinner!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

I get really burnt out on boneless, skinless white meat chicken sometimes, but it is such a healthy protein, I buy it anyway. It just feels so pedestrian. Since I know I have this proclivity towards boredom (and since chicken is so plentiful at my house), I try to find inventive ways to prepare it...just to break the monotony. This is the case with tonight's dinner, for sure. I have a standard way to prepare chicken soft tacos, but they sounded so boring. Usually, I put together a marinade and grill the chicken...nothing exciting...just a basic, standard (albeit yummy)grilled chicken tacos. No surprises.
Well, I am in the mood to try a different version tonight. I turned to my new, favorite recipe site recipezaar.com and found this taco dish. I have everything on hand for it, and it seems to be just a twist on a classic chicken taco. New enough to spice things up...but not so new as to where it will be taxing on my brain. It is different enough to be interesting, but yet, similar enough to keep within the guidelines of what I had planned for dinner. Honestly, I would not have thought to simmer the chicken in with the 'lime sauce' so I am interested to see how this will turn out. I am kind of a one-trick pony when it comes to certain chicken recipes; chicken soft tacos included. Now, at least I am a bit more excited to cook tonight.

Oh, and since we are sort of on the subject-I love recipe compilation websites such as recipezaar.com and allrecipes.com! I love trying "new-to-me" food from other home-cooking enthusiasts. Plus, I love reading the reviews. I especially love when people alter the recipe completely (sometimes until it is unrecognizable from the original), and then give it a bad or a 'eh' review. That cracks me up. Or they substitute everything under the sun, until it is not even in the spirit of the original recipe. How can you give an objective recipe review when you don't stick to the recipe you are reviewing???? I will admit, I play around with recipes all the time, but at least I...a) don't go and give a review based on my alterations, b) try and stick with the original the first time through, unless it involves extenuating circumstances (extenuating circumstances would count as one or more of the following and are subject to change without notice: a) my going to the store when I don't feel like it, b) interrupting Oprah, c) buying unnecessary ingredients when we are broke, d) any other excuse that I find handy at the time...my rules are flexible when it's convenient for me). I know, I know...adjustments need to made based on individual preferences/tastes. But still...the whole thing is just funny to me. I am such a reasonable and logical person sometimes!

Anyway, back to regularly scheduled programming...

I think my side dish will be some black or pinto beans tonight. I am not sure which one. I will probably ask the hubs to decide for me. Also, I have a few ripe avocados to use, so those will come into play as well. I look forward to trying my new found chicken soft taco recipe. I will let you know how it goes!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos
Recipe #64160 By: kcdelong Jun 9, 2003

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juice of
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 6-inch flour tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup salsa

Directions:
1) Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes.
2) Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano.
3) Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
4) Heat an iron skillet over medium heat.
5) Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side.
6) Repeat with remaining tortillas.
7) Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Jen's Notes:
I have two substitutions. I don't have green onions, so I will just dice up some white onions, and I only have whole wheat tortillas...not flour. Ah-hem. Maybe I do change things around a lot. By the way, the comments I made before about substitutions count as a double standard...but only because it is twice as true!



The Result:
This was good, but nothing really outstanding. Actually, I would categorize it as just okay...certainly no better than my usual marinade/grill method. The flavors were good, but this recipe did not really cure my sense of boredom with this recipe. It was a little lack-luster in my opinion. We still enjoyed our meal; the tacos were just basic, normal chicken soft tacos. I ended up making really super-spicy black beans, which were actually a bit too spicy for the boy and husband. Also, instead of a standard veggie, I decided to relax a bit and serve some organic tortilla chips with salsa and mashed avocado for my other side item. The boy was so excited to eat chips for dinner! Overall, this was a good dinner, but I don't think I would bother making this particular chicken recipe again.

Jen's Swiss Steak

I haven't waxed poetic about my new laptop in at least 24 hours, so here we go...

I heart my new laptop! It's really the little features that I love...the 10-key keypad, the sleek, paper-thin design, the little bingy-bongy chimes it makes, and lastly, the Velcro cord-keeper. Yes, I am excited about the pre-attached Velcro cord-keeper. On the old computer, I would use a large, ugly twist tie or a rubber band from a bunch of asparagus to keep my cord neat and tidy (rubber bands that they put around fresh vegetables are the best because they are thick and sturdy). Now, my new cord comes with a Velcro cord-wrapping strap already attached. It is just a thoughtful little touch that I appreciate dearly. Sigh. It is the little things in life...

Okay, enough about my new PC (please no comments from Mac users, thank you very much).

Tonight's dinner is a family classic. It is a family recipe that got passed down and it has always been one of my very favorites (I know, I know...when it comes to food, I have a lot of favorites). I will reference back to my original post, since I wrote about how the recipe came to be. I think I will take a new photo of this dish, because I don't seem to have one. Swiss steak is purely comfort food, so I think I will serve it with some comfort side items...garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables, baby. (Tangent: When I say the words "mixed vegetables" for some reason, in my head, I always say it like Austin Powers...for example, "Mixed Veg-e-tables, Baby...Yeah!". I don't know why. Pretty kooky, I know.)

Did I just scare you away??? Moving on...

Jen's Swiss Steak

Hooray!!! Swiss Steak!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

Okay, I am done.



The Result:
Delicious! So savory and yummy...I could easily eat this once a week, for the rest of my life. Yum!

Jen's Cajun Fish Sandwiches and Cole Slaw on Whole Wheat Buns

There is nothing as satisfying as kneading bread dough with your hands. I love it!!! Specifically, I love the part right in the middle of kneading, when the dough becomes all springy and smooth and it behaves exactly how you want it to behave. Also, I love the rhythmic, repetitive, motion of the whole process. It is not just arms and hands...you have to throw your whole body into it. It is so therapeutic; I think that is why bakers and pastry chefs seem like a happy bunch. I also love the whole rising and punching down step. It is very conducive to stress relief.
Kneading dough definitely makes me want to bake more....which is funny because I have a love/hate relationship with baking. Although, I am getting better at baking...ipso facto, I like it a lot more with each and every attempt.

As you might have guessed, I just got finished kneading dough for something. Whole wheat buns to serve with tonight's dinner, to be exact. We are having Cajun Fish Sandwiches and Cole Slaw (served on said whole wheat buns). This is one of my favorite dinners because I absolutely adore fish. I live in Arizona, so unfortunately, good fish is hard to get. Normally, I play it safe and get frozen Tilapia...but this week I lived a little dangerously and picked up some fresh Catfish instead. Once in a while, I get some frozen fish from Trader Joe's that is decent, but I don't make it over there very often. Sigh. Usually, affordable, good quality, fresh fish just isn't always realistic in Phoenix. (Not without paying a hefty sum and making a long commute to get it). If you live in an area with good, fresh, easy-to-come-by fish, please count your blessings!

Okay, I am off the fish soapbox...here are my dinner recipes. I think I will serve these sandwiches with some steamed veggies...maybe broccoli. The buns are so hearty, I really don't need a 'starch' element to balance the dish. All in all, this should be a really satisfying dinner!

Jen's Cajun Fish Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of canola oil
4 Tilapia or Catfish fillets
1 Tablespoon of blackening seasoning (I use Paul Prudehomme's Blackened Steak Magic)
1 Tablespoon of Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
Toasted buns of your choice
Cole Slaw for topping (see below)

Directions:
Heat oil in a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet on high. Meanwhile, pat fish dry with paper towel. Mix seasoning together in palm of your hand. Sprinkle on one side of fish fillets, in even coating. Place fish, seasoning side down in hot skillet and pan fry approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping once. Fish is done when it is flaky and cooked all the way through (fish should cook fast; approximately 5-6 minutes total, depending on how thick your fillets are).

Top each toasted bun with cole slaw (see below for recipe) and a cooked fish fillet. Serve and enjoy!


Jen's Cole Slaw

Ingredients:
1 bag of pre-shredded cole slaw salad mix

For Dressing:
¾ cup of mayo
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of white sugar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Directions:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl, mixing thoroughly with a wire whisk. In a separate, large bowl place cole slaw salad mix. Pour dressing over cole slaw mix and toss to combine thoroughly. Use as a side dish or a sandwich topping.

PS--
Here is the previous link for my favorite buns...

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

This recipe makes about 12 buns total, and they freeze really well.



The Result:
Fank-freakin'-tastic! Just as it should be...

Jen's Falafel Pitas, Homemade Hummus, and Glazed Carrots

I just got back from the grocery store a little while ago, and I am still a little lightheaded from the experience. Let's just say I was very close to a 'mommy meltdown'. My son simply does not behave at the grocery store. I don't know why...that is just how it goes with him. I think the fluorescent lights make him crazy or something! It is just bad no matter how you slice it. I usually skip taking him and go by myself when the husband is home to watch him. That way, I can take my time, look through all my coupons, and price shop. This week, I did not plan very well. I did not go to the store during my normally scheduled time...basically I procrastinated until today. (Yes, I waited until it was absolutely necessary to go, and I had to cart along my naughty almost-three-year old little boy.) Moreover, I had a ton of coupons to use and a bunch of groceries to purchase (which was another draw back to procrastination...I had a big shop to do). Rather than share all the gory details, let me just sum up...it was nightmarish. When I got home, I put everything away as quickly as I could, fed the boy lunch, and put him straight down for a nap. Next time, I will stick with my normal routine and leave him home with Daddy. Lesson learned!

Since I expended all of my sanity and energy at the grocery store, we will be having a simple dinner. Really, I am not in the mood for pouring a whole lot of effort into the family meal tonight. I bought some pre-made Falafel at Costco this past weekend, so I think Falafel Pitas sound really yummy. I think I will make a quick batch of hummus for topping, and then garnish our pitas with some diced onion, lettuce, and tomatoes. All in all, Falafel Pitas are pretty easy to put together. The Falafel's themselves just need a quick reheat in the microwave, since they are all pre-cooked. As a side dish, I will just throw together some steamed, glazed carrots and be done with it. That should be easy enough!!! I am looking forward to a stress-free dinner.

Jen's Falafel Pitas

Ingredients:
pita bread of your choice (I like Naan or a flat-bread pita)
2-3 falafel patties per sandwich (I am using pre-made)
lettuce of your choice (I like romaine or baby spinach)
sliced red onion
sliced tomato
sliced cucumber
Tzatziki sauce or hummus for topping (recipe to follow)
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Cook Falafel according to package directions. Place in pita with other ingredients of your choice. Eat like a sandwich.


Jen's Homemade Hummus: Plain

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (aka garbanzo
beans)
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or light sour cream
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves (depending on how sharp and garlicy you like it)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup of feta cheese
2 Tablespoons of tahini

Directions:
In food processor blender, puree all the ingredients with 1-2 tablespoon water. Add more olive oil and salt, if needed.

Jen’s Notes:
This recipe can be easily doubled. All measurements are approximate.

PS--
I don't think I have ever included my glazed carrots recipe on my blog, although I know I have mentioned it many times. This is an easy, foolproof way to cook delicious carrots. Here it is...the quantities will need to be increased if you have a large amount of carrots to cook.

Jen's Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
whole, peeled, fresh carrots: diced into coins (make sure they are all the same size)
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
1 Tablespoon of butter
Steamer basket insert

Directions:
Place an inch to an inch and a half of water into the bottom of a sauce pan. Place steamer basket into water-filled sauce pan. Place raw carrot coins into steamer basket insert with lid partially (cracked) open. Steam raw carrots until soft and tender, generally about 15-20 minutes (maybe a little longer, depending on if you have a lot of carrots to cook). Test for doneness by piercing carrot coins with a fork to see if they are soft/cooked through. Remove carrots to a bowl and toss with sugar, salt, and butter. Serve immediately.



The Result:
This was super-yummy! It was just what I needed for a no-brainer dinner. Best of all, it was totally vegetarian. I did not realize that until I finished my post yesterday and applied all the tags. I have fallen a bit behind with my vegetarian meals, so it was nice to get one in this week. Actually, in looking at my menu plan, I think I have another one slotted for later this week...so that makes two.

The pitas themselves were so good. I used Naan bread which we just bend into pita sandwiches to eat. My pic shows it open (like a tostada of sorts),but I only photographed it that way so you guys could check out the pita filling itself. A lot of people ask me what Falafel is, so these photos show these little chickpea patties in all their glory! On another note, I love my homemade hummus. If you have a fully stocked spice cabinet, it is very inexpensive to make...and usually tastier than store bought versions. This time, it was a little spicier than I would have liked, since I slipped and sprinkled a little too much cayenne pepper into the mix. My family likes spicy foods, so it was really no big thing. Also, I was experimenting with flavors and added a pinch of ground cinnamon. It sounds strange, but it was really good. Well, I liked it...the husband was not too sure. I just wanted to try something a little different, and I really like cinnamon in savory applications. Overall, this was a totally satisfying and easy meal.

Chicken Piccata

I love Chicken Piccata, but for some reason I have never made it at home. I really don't know why, since it is a relatively simple dish to master. Moreover, it is made with ingredients I generally have on hand and it is a quick-cooking dish. I think I just forgot about it...which is criminal, I know.

I found a basic, classic version on Simply Recipes, however I think I might tweak it a bit so I get a lot of sauce. The best part about Chicken Piccata is the sauce. I dream about it! I think I will serve my chicken on a bead of spaghetti noodles, so the noodles can soak up all the saucy, yummy, goodness. Also, we will need something green...so green beans will most likely be our side dish. I will indicate my changes in my notes below the recipe. This looks so easy and delicious, I can't wait to make this tonight.

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pound total)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken stock or dry white wine
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup brined capers
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Directions:
Cut the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. If the breast pieces you are working with are large, you may want to cut them each into two pieces. If the pieces are still thick after butterflying, put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat hammer to 1/4-inch thickness.

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan. Rinse the chicken pieces in water. Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, do not crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve to a plate. Cook the other breasts in the same manner, remove from pan. Cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the sauce.

Add the chicken stock (or white wine), lemon juice, and capers to the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Plate the chicken and serve with the sauce poured over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4.
Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

Jen's Notes:
I don't have chicken breasts, but I do have chicken tenders. By using tenders as a substitute, I can just pass on the whole butterflying/pounding process. They are already pretty thin. Next, I think I will add at least 3 cloves of garlic into the dish right before I add the stock/white wine. My theory is that everything is better with garlic. Since I am after a saucy version, I will probably add both white wine and chicken stock. I will also need to bump up the amount of lemon juice to balance the flavors. I am out of fresh parsley, but I do have some chives. I understand it is a different taste profile, but they will have to work in a pinch. Plus, some fresh herbs are better than no fresh herbs. Again, I will serve this over thin spaghetti noodles. Yum!!!! I am really excited about this dish!!!!



The Result:
Well, I am typing this on my shiny, sleek, beautiful, new laptop. That's right. No more losing emails. No more losing documents...such as RECIPES! No more losing photos. Sigh. I heart my new laptop! I was so excited to play with my new computer, I decided to change my blog background with it. I wanted something more appropriate for spring. Do you like it??? Do you?????? No pressure. Anyway, on to dinner...

This dish was awesome. It earned rave reviews! I served it with a broad, Italian green bean and pappardelle noodles. My son went nuts for the noodles alone. Then, I shaved some Parmesan cheese and sprinkled my chives over the top. Ummmmm....fabulous!!! Usually the husband takes leftovers for lunch the next day, but I begged him to leave this for me (don't worry...there is still one more serving of Beef and Lentil Soup for him to take). To show my appreciation for him being such a good sport, I packed his lunch for him and included a couple surprise goodies. That should ease the suffering of having the same soup two days in a row so I can have this Chicken Piccata. Overall, this is a total keeper. We loved every bite of it!!!

Beef and Lentil Soup

I love finding old/unused pantry gems. I think there is a black hole somewhere in my kitchen where food goes to hide. Then, as if by magic, it reappears once it is past it's 'use by' date. I found a bag of green lentils that expired at the end of January. I hate wasting food, and really, are lentils in danger of being inedible only a month past their date???? I think not. At least that is what the frugal side of me thinks. Really, it should be fine since I have pulled this stunt with other legumes that were past expiration...they were still fit to be eaten. I will skip mentioning to the husband that the lentils are a wee bit past their prime...just so I don't get tormented. He should be happy that I am such a good steward of his paycheck!!! (Do you hear that?????...Pat, pat, pat...that is the sound of me patting myself on the back again.)

Anyway, this is a pretty complete and nutritionally balanced recipe. This is a Giada recipe that I found in my Giada's Family Dinners cookbook. Conveniently, it is also posted on foodnetwork.com so I don't have to re-type everything. I do have a few adjustments, but I will just indicate those in my notes below. Overall, this is a yummy, hearty dish that is great all-in-one meal.
I don't think I will serve any side items with this dish. Mainly, because I need to go grocery shopping and I don't have any side items to go with it. A green salad would be nice, but alas, I am too lazy to go to the store before dinner. I will have to save my grocery shopping for tomorrow or the next day.

We have made this dish before, but I don't think I have made it since starting this blog. So, it will be new to you, but not to us. I will still take a pic and review, since this is a new post for this recipe.

Beef and Lentil Soup
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions:
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.


Jen's Notes:
I need to substitute one pound of ground beef in for the boneless beef chuck. Also, I like to add about a cup of red wine to deglaze the pan before adding the beef broth. Chicken stock can also be used in place of the beef broth, if needed. I did a parsley/chive mix for the 'fresh herb' factor.



The Result:
This was so good. Actually, I think it was good. Since I use red wine in the recipe, I decided to have a couple glasses before dinner. You know, since it was already open and everything. Well, apparently two glasses of wine on an empty stomach is not a good idea. I am not a huge 'drinker' (not since college, at least), so two glasses threw me for a loop. I really could not taste dinner...just wine. Also, my face was slightly numb. Ugh. The husband said it was really, really good...so you will all have to take his word for it. I did eat my whole bowl of soup...so even in my compromised state of mind, it was still yummy.

Dinner Out

We need to go do a little shopping at Costco today, so we decided to have dinner out. I recently got some certificates for four free dinners at Chili's, so we may as well take advantage of those while we are out and about. Chili's is not my favorite (I really have issues with chain restaurants), but their food is decent (it will be better since it is free). The husband says that everything at Chili's tastes like it comes from Chili's. Who can argue with that logic??? At least I am off the hook for cooking tonight!!!

PW's Ranch Chicken

The husband and I were supposed to go to a swanky restaurant tonight for our official V-day date. Unfortunately, I did not sleep at ALL last night. I tossed. I turned. I pretended to sleep. Nothing worked. I literally stared at the back of my eyelids all night long. It was so frustrating! When the husband got up for work this morning at 5:15am, I was still awake. Normally at this hour I am comatose, so my husband was quite surprised to find out that I had not slept. Ugh. I asked him to cancel our reservation, since I knew that I would not be able to enjoy our dinner out on zero sleep. Today was just not the day. Hopefully, we will be able to reschedule soon. Needless to say, I have been a zombie all day.

Since we were planning on having dinner out, I did not have anything on the menu for tonight's meal. I finally got around to a decision at about 3 pm this afternoon, which did not leave me a lot of time for preparation. I remembered this recipe from the Pioneer Woman website, and I have been wanting to try it. I have all the ingredients, so there is no time like the present! Best of all, I have just enough time to marinate the chicken for an hour as the recipe recommends. Perfect! It looks like it comes together quickly, especially considering a major substitution. I don't have chicken breasts, but I do have about 12 ounces of chicken breast tenders. Since they are small and pretty thin, I think I will skip the whole pounding step. Thankfully, I have two bunches of asparagus and decent sized potatoes for side items. The chicken is a bit skimpy, but with yummy roasted asparagus and baked potatoes it should all work out okay. Since I am looking forward to trying this chicken dish, I don't mind so much that we are not going out for dinner!

PW's Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Dijon or grainy mustard
1/2 cup of honey
juice of 1/2 of a lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
thick cut bacon
bacon grease
canola oil

Directions:
To begin, mix together 1/2 cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with 1/2 cup honey. Add juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. And have some fun here! Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Whisk it until smooth.

Pound the chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper, until about 1/2 inch thick. Next, just add all the chicken to the bowl with the marinade. You’ll want to cover this with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour—usually I let it go about 2 to 3 hours, but that’s only because I’m always running behind. While the chicken is marinating, go ahead and fry up some bacon. Next, and this is important, reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon grease, and go ahead and clean out the skillet. Otherwise, it’ll get too smoky.

When you’re ready to prepare the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade into the sink. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high to high heat. (We want to sear the chicken, not cook it completely.)
When the grease is sufficiently heated, add a batch of chicken to the skillet. Don’t overcrowd the skillet—just 3 pieces is usually enough. Watch the chicken, and when it starts to get brown/black on one side, flip it to the other side. Cook just until brown/blackish areas appear. Each side should cook for a maximum of 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Repeat with all the chicken breasts, then set them on a large baking sheet. If you look a little closer, you’ll notice the chicken is definitely not fully cooked.

Go ahead and throw the pan of chicken into the hot oven for about ten minutes to continue cooking. Then remove the pan from the oven and lay a couple of bacon slices over each chicken breast. Next, grab some grated sharp cheddar and sprinkle it over the top as generously as you’d like. Just return the pan to the oven for an additional five minutes, or until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Then serve immediately.



The Result:
This chicken was sinful. So delicious...it felt wrong. I think it was all the bacon and cheese that made it so good. Oh man! The marinade was awesome, and the chicken itself was so juicy and flavorful!!! Every bite created some sort of 'mmmmm' noise from around my table. Seriously, fan-freakin'-tastic. Since this is not the healthiest of meals, I will have to reserve it for a "once in awhile" dish...the husband suggested twice a week could be considered "once in awhile". Definitely try this chicken...you will not be sorry. You may need a shower afterward...

Jen's Easy Green Chile Beef Enchiladas

My sweet little boy is back to his usual sweet self, so I am a much happier mommy today. We had a great day with our friends, and then promptly came home and took great naps. Well, I did some laundry too. All in all, today has been a lot less stressful compared to the rest of the week. As part of my pleasant and easy-going day, I decided that I did not want to cook a whole new meal from scratch. Instead, I had enough beef leftover from our sandwiches the other night to morph 'em into a different meal. Also, I have some refried beans that I had made for burritos during the week; they got me thinking about Mexican food. I had doctored up a can of vegetarian refried beans with the intention of having them for lunch during the week, but I did not get to them. I am actually glad that I didn't because they are certainly going to come in handy for tonight's meal. Since I always have a stock of Mexican food ingredients in my pantry, I decided to throw together some green beef enchiladas, using my leftover sandwich meat. Then, I just need to heat up the refried beans and steam some veggies for side dishes. How easy is that???? I love it when a plan comes together!!!!


Jen's Easy Green Chile Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:
leftover beef sandwich meat
1 yellow onion, diced
8 whole, canned Hatch green chiles
2 cups of shredded cheese (I used a combo of Monterrey Jack and Cheddar)
1 (28 ounce) can of green enchilada sauce (I use Macayos brand)
8 whole wheat tortillas
cooking spray


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 casserole pan with cooking spray. Pour some green enchilada sauce (about 1/3 of the can) into the bottom of the casserole dish. Roll meat, onion, some cheese, and a whole green chile in a tortilla, and place seam side down in casserole pan. Repeat with all eight tortillas, until all the meat and chiles are used up. Pour remaining green enchilada sauce over top of all eight rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle any remaining onions and cheese over top of the green sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, uncovered. Wait 5 minutes before cutting. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
This turned out fan-freakin'-tastic! It was so easy and so delicious..total stress-free yumminess. This dish is a keeper...a perfect use for leftover beef!

Tender Breaded Turkey Cutlets

I think my son misbehaves on days when we have turkey for dinner. Looking back on my original post for this dish, it notes that my kid's behavior was atrocious that day. Hmmmm....that sounds familiar....it is atrocious today, too(and yesterday for that matter). My parenting skills are really being tested, along with my patience. Sigh. I don't want to spend the whole post complaining about my kid, so I will just cut it short instead. I think I will make some Creamy Parmesan Orzo and steam some veggies to go with this dish. Hopefully, dinner will go somewhat smoother than last night. If not, I have my eye on a bottle of wine to open later.


Tender Breaded Turkey Cutlets

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

At least our dinner will be yummy!

Slow Cooker Italian Sandwich Beef

I found this recipe in The Red Hat Society Cookbook that I got from the library. It intrigued me because it only has four (yes, four) ingredients. I love cooking with spices and aromatics, so only having four ingredients really throws me for a loop. No salt? No pepper? No garlic or onions?????? How can that be? It is mind-blowing, isn't it?!?! I restrained my instinct to add a bunch of extra stuff to this dish and followed the directions, as written. It was really, really hard not to mess with it! I should be applauded for my self-control. Tampering with recipes is my very favorite thing...you can imagine the itch I had to throw some extra ingredients into the pot! I had to talk myself down and literally walk away from the slow cooker in order to show some restraint. I can't imagine what this dish is going to end up tasting like without my favorite things. I guess we will see...

I am going to serve these sandwiches with some steamed veggies and maybe a baked (microwaved) potato. I have three whole wheat buns left, so those will replace the hoagie rolls that this recipe recommends. I am really interested to see how this turns out!

Slow Cooker Italian Sandwich Beef
Makes 16 servings; from Margaret Metz

Ingredients:
1 (3 to 4 pound) rolled and tied beef rump roast
1 (10 ounce) jar pepperoncini peppers
1 (12 ounce) can of beer
1 (14 ounce) can of beef broth

Serve with hoagie rolls

Directions:
Put the beef roast in the slow cooker. Add the pepperoncini peppers with liquid, beer, and beef broth to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve the meat piled high on hoagie rolls. Spoon juice over top or serve on the side in small cups for dipping. Cut the sandwiches in half to serve.



The Result:
This was really good. Very flavorful and it made really good sandwiches. Unfortunately, my son's behavior at dinner was horrid so we really did not enjoy our meal. Seriously, it was awful. I was so consumed how my son was acting, I could not tell you exactly how yummy this was...I really did not pay much attention to what we were eating. It was one of those nights where I just wanted dinner to end, and then to make an escape. My husband could sense I had reached my limit, because he sent me to Walmart for some "alone" time. Ugh. I walked around Walmart by myself for about an hour...until I was calm enough to come home. Yes, it was that bad. My little guy must be growing or something (maybe he has hit his terrible 3's????) because yesterday was just not a good day for him. By the time we had the dinner incident, I was ready to run away from home. Thankfully, I was in a better frame of mind when I got back. Also, it helped that my husband had put him to bed. I went in his room and kissed his sweet little sleeping face, and then I was perfectly fine. Remind me what I was upset about again????? It's amazing how a peacefully sleeping child will make you forget any bad stuff that has happened (until the next day at least). Anyway, I would make this dinner again. It was really easy and tasty. I just need to try it again under different circumstances. I am looking forward to the leftovers, so I can enjoy this dish a little more.

Margherita Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

My son and I are having a lazy afternoon today. It is a bit cloudy and chilly outside, so I thought it would be nice to just veg out with my little guy. It seems we always have two or three activities planned for every day during the week, and this week is no exception. So, when I figured out that we didn't have to be somewhere this afternoon, I thought a little mommy-son down time would be nice. When we got home from our morning activity/lunch out, we promptly changed back into our comfy clothes (read: jammies) and started our veg-out day. So far, we have played a board game, ate some candy,taken naps, and now we are watching some cartoons while I ignore the laundry that needs to be done. I know...it's hard to be me sometimes. When Daddy gets home we plan on talking him into joining us. I think that today is an excellent day to have a dinner picnic in our living room and watch a movie together. Maybe Toy Story...Finding Nemo is always a classic...who knows.

To go with our movie, I thought the perfect picnic dinner would be homemade pizza. I thought ahead the last time I made pizza and froze enough dough to make one more pie. All I have to do is thaw, rise, top, and bake...and the first two steps just require me to plop the dough into a bowl and leave it alone for a few hours. It's about as easy as you can get! I think I will just go with the classic basil, mozzarella, tomato combo for my favorite Margherita-style pizza. It's totally simple, yet so delicious.

Margherita Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

I am really excited for our picnic and movie night!

Cheeseburgers on Whole Wheat Buns and Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

It has been awhile since we have had old fashioned, grilled, no-frills cheeseburgers at our house. I think the last time was when I was sick...about a month or so ago. Even then, I felt really crappy and I could not enjoy them at all. (How sad for me!)
The husband had requested burgers again a week or so ago, but I forgot to work them into the menu. Since I took a freezer inventory last Tuesday, I realized that we needed to use up some of the ground beef that we have stocked. Based on the beef surplus I have in my freezer, I will be breaking my self-imposed "beef once a week...vegetarian three times a week rule" again. (I have really fallen off the wagon with that lately!) I am slowly trying to cut back on red meat by only having it once a week. However, frugality is my main priority and I don't want to be wasteful. Until I can get a good balance of protein items going in my freezer, I need to set my plans aside and be a little more flexible with our menu planning. Keeping our budget in check is what I need to work on the most right now.

I thawed some of my homemade whole wheat buns to have with our cheeseburgers and I am making a new veggie side dish, too. I found this casserole recipe in Family Circle magazine recently. I have both fresh broccoli and fresh cauliflower on hand, and all the other ingredients I found lurking in my pantry. Yes, it employs the use of some processed ingredients...sigh...processed stuff makes me cringe. Again, I am trying to stay flexible and keep what is budget-friendly in mind. At least the veggies are fresh.

The burgers and buns are 'been there/done that' so I won't bore you with re-typing the recipes. However, below is the new recipe for the casserole. I will let you know how it turns out!

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

Ingredients:
* 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
* 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
* 2 eggs
* 1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
* 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
* 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1 box (6 ounces) chicken-flavored stuffing mix
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large pot, steam cauliflower for 7 to 8 minutes and broccoli for 5 minutes, or until fork-tender. Set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, mix together eggs, onion, soup and mayonnaise until smooth.

4. In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, spread cauliflower in an even layer. Sprinkle with half the cheese and top with half of the soup mixture. Repeat layering with broccoli and remaining cheese and soup mixture.

5. Prepare stuffing mix following package directions. Spoon stuffing over top of casserole. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Serve warm.





The Result:
The casserole was really, really good. It could actually stand alone as a vegetarian meal. It was both flavorful and filling; after tasting it, I didn't mind so much about the "processed" ingredients. What can I say, I am fickle...especially when the dish tastes good! The casserole itself kinda reminded me of the Strata I made, but with different veggies. Overall, this casserole is a total keeper...considering it is made with all ingredients that I usually have on hand anyway.
Our burgers turned out awesome, and my homemade buns held up well to freezer storage. You could not even tell that they had been frozen and then thawed. I am still ridiculously pleased with the whole wheat bun recipe. Our dinner was super-yummy and fairly simple...perfect for a Sunday night meal!

Leftovers

Leftovers are not very romantic for Valentine's Day, but the husband is taking me to a swanky restaurant next week. All the reservations were full up for today, and we did not have a babysitter anyway. I am not a big fan of crowds or waiting or hoopla of any kind, so we usually celebrate V-Day either early or late to avoid the craziness. I really don't mind, I would much rather go out when it is calm and I can relax and enjoy my meal. Also, the special V-Day menus are usually pretty limited and over-priced to boot. The husband knows all my quirks, so he accommodates by adjusting our plans. I love that he is so thoughtful.

So, for tonight it's leftover Red Beans and Rice, which I love. I am actually really excited to eat this meal again, and the hubs is taking care of making the rice and warming up the rest of our dinner. I can just take it easy...which is really the best Valentine's Day present of all!

On another note, I have been having some serious laptop issues, and I finally conceded that I need a new one. My posts have been short and sporadic since I haven't had a reliable computer these last few days. The husband ordered me a new one today, so it should be delivered within the next 5 to 7 business days. So, please be patient with me for the next 5 to 7 working days...until I can get my hands on my new laptop. My current model keeps conking out in the middle of my using it, or it becomes so slow it locks up. I don't know how frequent my posts will be due to the problems I am having. I will try to maintain business as usual on the 'ol blog, but no promises. Keep your fingers crossed that I can keep this computer going until I get my new one!!!

Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken

My son and I had a busy day with a bunch of our friends at the zoo. We did not get home until late afternoon, and I was not sure what to do about dinner. I did not thaw any protein items this morning, so I when I go home I grabbed the first thing I saw in my freezer, which was three chicken breasts. I remembered that we loved this dish when we first tried it out back in October, and as the title promises...it's really quick and easy. So, I did a little fast thawing and decided to serve this dish with some fast-cooking yellow rice and microwaved steamed peas. My chicken is in the oven right now, and it smells delicious. I will update how it turned out with a photo (along with last nights post, too) this evening!

Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cumin

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat a greased skillet to medium. Rub chicken pieces with garlic, salt, pepper and cumin to taste and add to hot skillet. Cook until brown on both sides and no longer pink (10 to 15 minutes).
3. Transfer meat to 9 x 13 inch baking dish or casserole dish, top with salsa and cheese and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes (until cheese is bubbly and starts to brown.) Serve over rice or buttered noodles.


Jen's Notes:
I may add some additional garlic and spices, because that's just how I roll.





The Result:
This was really yummy. Very easy and tasty! My side dish choices were very colorful, don't ya think??? This meal was so satisfying and the choice of sides complimented it nicely. Instead of cooking the chicken in a skillet and then transferring it to a casserole dish, I just used my Le Creuset buffet casserole pan. This pan is easily my favorite piece of kitchen equipment, hands down. I literally use it almost every night, and it transfers from stove top to oven perfectly. The best part is that there is only one pan to clean!!! I heart Le Creuset!!!!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Today, we have our big Valentine's Day party for my MOMS Club chapter. My son is so excited, he keeps asking when we are going to the party. He knows that there is going to be truck-loads of candy and cookies there...a toddlers dream come true! Since we are going to be gone late this afternoon, I wanted an easy dinner to just 'fix and forget about' (actually, that is the name of one of my slow cooker cookbooks). This is probably my favorite Cooking Light slow cooker recipe that originally came to me through my friend Claire. It is so flavorful and filling; plus I just love Cajun food. Of course, the best part of this meal is that it is super-easy. Just throw all the ingredients into the crock pot and let 'er rip. When I get home I will have to make some rice, but that should not be a big deal. Overall, this is a fantastic dinner with minimal effort. I am pretty much going to stick to the recipe as written. I will probably just serve it with a spinach salad on the side. Nothing fancy, but at least we get some vegetables in via the baby spinach leaves. I am excited for dinner...I really love this dish!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Jen's Notes:
I did have to adjust the cooking time today. Instead of cooking on high for 5 hours, I decided to cook it on low for 7 1/2 hours. I wanted to get it going first thing this morning, and I did not want to have to mess with it mid-day. My slow cooker gets pretty hot, so that should do the trick. Also, I am going to try and get a good photo of this dish, since my previous attempts have not been so successful. I lack photography skills, but I try and do my best.



The Result:
I have been having some computer issues, but I finally got my photos and results updated. I need to keep my post short because of said computer issues, but I will just say that I finally got a good pic of this dish. I heart this meal so much!!! It was so delicious and satisfying. Yum!

Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops

I have had a busy morning decorating a Valentine's Day box and writing out cards for our MOMS Club V-Day party that is tomorrow. Each kid personalizes a mailbox or bag, then delivers his or her cards to all the other kids. Normally, the kids would decorate their own boxes, but my little guy is almost three years old, and not into sitting still for a craft project. Sometimes he will color or do stickers, but it lasts 5 minutes tops. So, I reconnected with my childhood today, and I finished his box and cards. It totally reminded me of doing them for myself back in elementary school. I had fun reliving my youth! My son was happy as a clam, because while I was busy, he basically watched a ton of TV all morning. Seldom does that happen at our house. I try to limit the daily TV intake to no more than 2 hours a day, but some days (like today) I let that rule slide. The TV was a great distraction and he loved getting spoiled by the Disney channel. Don't worry...we are going to the park this afternoon so he can blow off some steam. I figure I do plenty of other activities with him, so a little TV time once in a while is okay. Besides, I am not competing for Mother of the Year or anything.

Since I plan to take the boy to the park after nap time today, I want an easy dinner to put together. This is one of my standard recipes that I can basically assemble with my eyes closed. I came across some pork chops that needed to be used when I reorganized my outside freezer yesterday, so I thought this dish would be good for tonight's dinner. I will probably just serve it with some basic baked potatoes and some steamed veggies...the usual. My meal plan got goofed up earlier in the week, so I am kinda winging it until Saturday night. I have a really good stock of food in my pantry, freezer, and fridge, so at least I will be able to just make things out of my staples. I hope to be caught up and back on my meal planning track by Sunday.

Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops

This is one of the husbands favorite dinners, so he will be excited for this meal!

Tater Tot Casserole

This is one of my shamefully favorite meals. We all love it, especially coated in ketchup. There is really no excuse...this meal just resonates with us. It is a total guilty pleasure! At least tonight I have a legitimate excuse for making it. My In-Law's are coming over tonight for dinner, and being from good mid-western stock, they pretty much are "meat and potatoes" type people. They are not very culinarily adventurous, so when they come over I always try to make traditional, comfort food classics. Tater Tot Casserole falls under that umbrella. I think I will make some steamed green beans and glazed carrots to go with this dish. You can tell that company is comin' over, because I am making both side dishes. Fancy, I know!!! Since I have made this simple but lovely meal before, I will just link back to my last post. You can read my previous commentary and realize that I really do have Tater Tot Casserole guilt.


Tater Tot Casserole

So bad....but so good....

Cashew Chicken

This dish is a spin on another recipe that I found on one of my new favorite blogs, Meal Planning 101. I really like Asian food, but I don't often prepare it at home. What is more puzzling is that I don't know why?!?! I think I just forget about it...which is pretty hard to do, considering it is a whole huge, all-encompassing, region of flavors, textures, and possibilities. I know...I should turn to more Asian inspired recipes!

Anyway, I don't have some of the exact ingredients on hand for this dish...and I have a couple things to add, as well. I will just amend the original recipe to include my take on it. I think I will serve this dish with some brown rice, which I love. I crave brown rice...I can't get enough of the texture and nutty flavor that brown rice has and white rice does not. For me, it is just more interesting.

On another note, I need to discuss something very disturbing that goes on at my house, whenever there are nuts in the pantry (focus...keep your mind out of the gutter). I have had the cashews for this dish for over a week now, but I keep noticing that the level in the container gets lower and lower every few days. The husband keeps eyeballing them greedily. Any type of nut that I have on hand evaporates mysteriously. If I tell the hubs that I need the nuts for a recipe, I notice that they disappear more slowly. If I don't tell him that I have a specific purpose in mind for them, they are gone before I can blink! Strange, isn't it??? I wonder how that happens???? I will just come out and say it...I think there is a direct correlation between the missing nuts and my husbands love of all things cashew-related. So, that forces me to use the nuts sooner than planned. I need to use the cashews that I bought before I don't have any left for the dish itself. I just can't chance another few days of them sitting in the pantry. As it is, I hope I have enough for this recipe, since SOMEONE keeps eating them! (AHEM!!!!...I'm talkin' to YOU, sir...you know who you are, mister....or should I call you 'cashew thief'....I am on to you, big time...the jig is up...you better watch it....no more missing cashews on my watch!)

Anyway, enough silliness...here is the link to the original post from Meal Planner 101; Cashew Chicken. Below is the modified recipe with my changes. Thanks again, Kindra for all the inspiration!!!!


Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
canola oil
2-3 chicken breasts or 4-5 chicken thighs, chopped up
3-4 tbsp cornstarch
8 green onions, chopped OR 1 diced yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ cup water
1 cup raw cashews, toasted
salt and pepper to taste
1 small bag frozen Asian vegetable blend
low sodium soy sauce to taste
cooked brown rice


Directions:
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in a bowl with the cornstarch until the chicken is nicely coated. Heat a wok or frying pan with a tablespoon or two of canola oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add half of the chicken and fry until browned and crispy. Remove from the pan. Add another tablespoon or so of oil and stir-fry the rest of the chicken until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a separate small skillet, dry toast the cashews until fragrant and slightly deeper in color. This goes pretty fast and should only take a couple of minutes. The cashews burn easily, so watch them closely. When ready, remove cashews to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion (if using green onions, use the white parts) and stir-fry about for 1-3minutes, then add garlic for another minute or so. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the rice vinegar. Let the vinegar evaporate (about 30 seconds) then add the chicken back to the pan, along with the hoisin sauce and water. Cook for about a minute or so until the sauce is thick and the chicken is coated. Add the toasted cashews and stir to incorporate. Remove to a plate and top with more onion (if using green onions, top with the green part).

Add an another small amount of oil into wok and stir fry veggies until warmed through but still crisp. Add some soy sauce. To serve, place chicken and veggies over a bed of brown rice. Add more hoisin or soy sauce if needed. Enjoy!



The Result:
This was so fan-freakin'-tastically yummy!!! Awesome...a definite keeper. All of us had seconds, including my toddler. He kept saying "um chicken, um cashews, um chicken, um cashews"...you get the picture. Speaking of pictures, you may have noticed that the brown rice that I waxed poetic about in my earlier commentary is noticeably missing. Yeah. There was an incident. Let's just leave it at that, and move on. Instead, the part of 'brown rice' has been played by it's quick-cooking understudy 'instant white rice'. After the incident, I had to think fast and come up with some other rice. Thankfully, I had some instant in the back of my pantry. Whew! Don't get me wrong, I actually like instant white rice...it reminds me of childhood since that is all my mom made. However, I try not to make it since it is basically void of nutrition and processed like crazy. Oh well, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Since I am a cilantro freak, I garnished it with a little chopped, fresh cilantro. I didn't have green onions on hand, but I still wanted something verdant and bright to go on top. Plus, cilantro is probably my favorite herb. I just love the flavor...and I know that is controversial because there are a lot of cilantro-haters out there. Either way, I thought it was the perfect garnish.

Overall, this is probably one of the easiest, most satisfying Asian meals that I have ever made at home (even with the instant rice...I can't wait to try it again with my beloved brown rice). We really loved it and I highly recommend it!!!

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

After yesterdays bakefest, tortilla making, and dinner preparation, I was beat. I did not get around to my dinner posting, because I went to the couch and did not move until bedtime. Then, it was a fast transfer from couch to bed...and I conked out! I love days when I am so tired I just black-out at bedtime; no tossing and turning or insomnia for me! Anyway, I am doing last nights meal post now.

I mentioned that I was going to try a brand new recipe last night, but I think I am actually going to do that one tonight. I wanted something familiar last night, so I turned to my favorite Mexican-cuisine chef, Rick Bayless. If you read my blog with some regularity, you know I heart Rick. His Mexican Everyday cookbook is one of my favorites...definitely in my top 5 cookbooks. We have had this taco dish before, and I remembered it being well balanced and easy to put together. We used up all our tortillas, so I made some of Rick's Easy Corn Tortillas (which can also be found in Mexican Everyday) to go with it. I did not mind putting forth a little extra effort so we could have this family favorite.

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

Ingredients:
4 oz. fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
1½ Tbsp vegetable or olive oil, if necessary
1 medium white onion, sliced ¼" thick
3 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced about ½" thick
One 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 chipotle chile (from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo), seeded
1½ tsp of the adobo sauce from the can
2 medium zucchini (about 12 oz. total), cut into ½" cubes
Crumbled queso fresco, feta cheese, or goat cheese
Warm corn tortillas
Hot sauce to taste
Salt to taste

Directions:
Cook chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. If the chorizo has rendered considerable fat, tip off and discard all but enough to lightly coat the pan; if it has rendered very little, add the oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring regularly, until their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown.

While the mushrooms are cooking, pour the drained tomatoes into a food processor or blender, along with the chipotle chile and the adobo sauce; whirr until smooth.
When the mushrooms are ready, add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of canned tomato sauce, about 3–4 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while, until the zucchini is cooked through but still a little crisp, 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Scoop into a bowl and garnish with the crumbled cheese. Serve with the warm tortillas and hot sauce.

Jen's Notes:
I mixed up a fast guacamole and chopped some fresh cilantro to go on top as a garnish. I used Queso Fresco cheese, 1/2 pound of chorizo, 3 small zucchini, and 8 ounces of sliced button mushrooms as substitutes. Also, I should note that the cookbook version does indicate that the chorizo is optional...you can make these tacos with or without it. In my opinion, I think the chorizo is the only way to go. It gives it such a awesome flavor. I heart these tacos very much!





The Result:
These were fantastically yummy. As I said before, this is one of our favorite dinners. We served these more tostada-style, rather than in the form of tacos. My tortillas were not as flexible as normal, so we had to work around it. I think I goofed and put too much (or not enough...I am not sure) water in the tortilla dough. My tortillas were not as good as usual, but that was my fault. I was talking to my husband and not really paying attention to what I was doing when I was making the tortillas. Don't get me wrong...they were still yummy....just not as good as usual, from a textural standpoint. Other than that, these 'tacos' were great!!!!!

Blueberry Muffins (with Cinnamon Sugar Topping)

I am getting tired of typing, so I am going to keep this post short. This is another Jen A. recipe. These are fabulous!!!

Blueberry Muffins (with Cinnamon Sugar Topping)

Ingredients:
· 1/2 cup butter, softened
· 1 cup sugar
· 2 eggs, beaten
· 1/2 cup milk
· 2 cups flour
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 2 cups fresh blueberries, (may use frozen)
· 2 tablespoons sugar, for topping


Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well; stir in milk. Combine dry ingredients and add to the mixture; stir to combine. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups about 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with a little sugar. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Jen's Notes:
I skipped the cinnamon sugar topping. I wanted these to be more breakfast-y, than dessert-ish.



The Result:
Yum! This concludes my baking bonaza.

Blackberry Bars

Here is one of Jen's recipes. This looks super-yummy, and they were easy to put together. I have not cut them yet, but they sure smell fantastic! Depending on how they turn out, I am considering making a double-batch. Thanks Jen!!!!

Blackberry Bars

Ingredients:
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
· 1/4 cup butter
· 1/2 cup sour cream
· 1 egg, beaten
· 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
· 1 cup fresh blackberries
· powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press 1 1/3 cups of mixture in bottom of an ungreased 8-inch square pan.
Combine remaining crumb mixture, sour cream, egg, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla; blend well. Stir in blackberries. Spoon over crust, spreading evenly. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool; cut into 2 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.



The Result:
Fan-freakin'-tastic! And yes, I did make a double-batch!!!

Blueberry Coffee Cake

My friend, Jen A. inspired me to do some baking today. There was a super-good deal on fresh berries at our local grocery store, and Jen had the idea of having a "baking day". She made four recipes, all centered around the berries, and made breakfast items that can be frozen for later use. All she has to do is thaw her delicious baked goods on the morning that she needs them, without all the effort of starting from scratch. I thought this was a genius plan, so I had to copy her. I made a couple of Jen's recipes (see other posts), and then tried this Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe from Ellie Krieger. It is healthier than a normal coffee cake, but still promises to be perfectly delicious.


Blueberry Coffee Cake
2008, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries, or frozen and thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter and oil until fluffy. If necessary, use the back of a spoon to press out any lumps in the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt.

Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, stirring until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter and top with the blueberries, gently pressing them into the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture over the cake, pressing gently. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly and then unmold and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut the cake into 2-inch squares.

Per Serving
(serving size, 1 piece)

Calories 210; Total Fat 8.5 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 2.5 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 5 g; Carb 30 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 41 mg; Sodium 230 mg

Good source of: Thiamin

From FoodNetwork.com on Sun Feb 8 2009
© 2009 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved





The Result:
Delicious! Need I say more...

Dinner Out

I am not certain what our exact "dinner plan" is for tonight. We are going to the Glendale Chocolate Affaire , as part of my MOMS Club 'Family Day Out'. There will be lots of booths with chocolaty sweets on hand...my favorite being dark chocolate dipped Key Lime Pie on a stick. Yes, I know it sounds wrong...but let me tell you...it is oooooohhhhhh sooooooo right!!!! Anyway, since we are going later this afternoon, I don't have to worry about cooking dinner. I am sure we are going to grab something out, but I am just not sure what that 'something' will be. I look forward to the Chocolate festival every year, so I am very excited to go again. I just hope my little one takes a good nap. It is going to be a long night if he doesn't!!!

I should be back in my kitchen tomorrow. Our local market has a really good sale on berries, so I am going to see if I can score some. My friend Jen A. had a bake-fest yesterday, so it has inspired me to try my hand at baking up some goodies. Also, I have a new dinner recipe to try out, which is always exciting. I always love a cooking break, but it will be nice to get back into the groove of my normal routine.

Leftovers

I am on my own for dinner tonight, since the husband and the boy are going over to the In Law's Party Palace. I have Bunco later on this evening, so I will not be joining them. Instead, I am going to have a wee bit of leftover Strata, then go and enjoy cocktails, food, and a game of chance, with my friends. I volunteered to bring cookies, but I have some dough in the freezer. All I need to do for that is plop it on a cookie sheet and bake. All in all, it is really no sweat.

I do need to send some Favorite Mac and Cheese with my husband, since it was specifically requested by my mother-in-law. It is easy to put together, so I will probably just do that during nap time this afternoon and then send it off with the hubs later on. He can bake it at his mom's house, so it comes out of the oven bubbling hot and ooey-gooey. He's pretty handy in the kitchen, so that should go off without a hitch. I just have to put it all together and write out some directions. All in all, I have an easy cooking day today!

Vegetable Strata

I checked out The Red Hat Society Cookbook at the library, excited to try all the yummy, home-cooked, tried-and-true recipes that these ladies put together. I thought to myself, who better to try a cookbook from than a bunch of sassy moms, grandmas, and divas that run around town wearing big red hats and causing a ruckus. These are my kind of ladies! When ever I have spotted a group of them out and about, they are always laughing loudly...usually at a restaurant. A bunch of women who love eat and enjoy life with their pals...sign me up! I seriously can see myself become a red-hatter sometime in the future...maybe about 20 years or so. I have already started shopping for the perfect over-the-top red hat...and let me tell you, I want a big one!

Needless to say, I have high hopes for this cookbook. Also, I have heard really good things about it. I flagged a bunch of recipes, and this Strata is the first one that I am trying out. The ingredients looked really yummy, and it looks like a good vegetarian recipe to get my feet wet. Certainly not boring. I was really looking forward to making and eating this dish...past tense. Now, I am not so sure.

Sadly, I have run into some snags. Through a series of false starts, I have been stumbling through this recipe. Now, most of the problems have been my fault. This dish takes a long time to make (rather a long time to sit and rest, then to actually bake). I did not read the recipe very thoroughly. Then, I forgot about it all together. I remembered that this was supposed to be our dinner earlier today; around noonish. Oops! See...totally my fault for being a bubble-brain!!! After assembly, this strata is supposed to sit for at least 5-6 hours, better if overnight. Then, it has to rest at room temperature for another 30 minutes and then bake for an additional hour. Ugh! I did not get the thing assembled until about 1:30pm!!!! Since we have dinner plans for the next two nights, I can't put it off another day. If I did, we would not get around to it until Sunday night. By then, the whole thing may be ruined if it sat around for another three stinkin' days. Also, I made the whole darn thing. It is ready to go and resting in my fridge as I type this. If I scrap it now, I have to make a new-from-scratch meal for tonight!!!! Double Ugh. I really don't think I have a choice.

My decision is to wing it.

I am only going to let it rest for about 3 hours and then see what happens. Depending on what time it is, I will probably pull it from the fridge and just bake it (not letting it come to room temp). Or I may let it sit out for half of the recommended time. I am not sure. Either way, I am nervous about the results. I really don't want this dish to be totally screwed up. There are a lot of my favorite ingredients in it, and the dish itself is very promising. I am hoping that it will all be okay. Keep your fingers crossed for me!


Vegetable Strata

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup chopped red onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of seeded and diced Roma tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large loaf of stale Italian bread, cubed (8-9 cups)
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
9-10 large eggs, beaten
2-3 cups of milk
2-3 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard

Instructions:
In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the oil and add the onions and peppers. Saute until tender and caramelized. Add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

In the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish, place a layer of bread cubes. Distribute half of the cooled veggie mixture over cubes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the veggies. Add the remaining bread cubes over the top. Add the remaining vegetables over the cubes again. Top with another 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top that with the cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper. Whisk with a hand mixer until frothy. Pour over the bread mixture in casserole dish. Make sure that all bread is covered and egg mixture is distributed evenly. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let sit for 5-6 hours minimum or overnight.

When ready to bake, remove dish from fridge and let come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden and puffy. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Jen's Notes:
Okay, I did make some changes. I used a regular onion instead of red. I added 2 cloves of minced garlic to the sauteed veggies, because I just can't help myself. I used canned, drained diced tomatoes. I used 10 eggs, 1 cup of milk, a 1 cup of heavy cream...only because everything is better with heavy cream. (The cookbook notes do say that if you want a firmer strata use 2 cups of milk.) I used a combo of mild cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan because that is what I had on hand. I used some Dijon mustard along with some whole-grain mustard, because I like the flavor combo and the texture of the rough, whole mustard. Lastly, I toasted my bread cubes in the oven first. My bread was pretty fresh, and toasting makes it dry so the liquids will absorb better. I already shared my time-table issue, so I won't get into that again. I will let you know how this all turns out.





The Result:
I am so relieved! This was AWESOME! Seriously, fan-freakin'-tastic! We loved this dish, and I am happy to say that I was unnecessarily worried. It turned out perfect, despite my lack of following directions. Actually, I don't think I will change a thing when I make this dish again. I think the directions overstated things, as it was. My strata rested for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours tops, and it was just fine! Better than fine....perfectly cooked and delicious, as a matter of fact. I did pull it out of the fridge during the last 1/2 hour of resting and I let it come to room temp before baking. Then, I did let it rest for 5-10 minutes after it came out of the oven. This made it way easier to cut and portion. Overall, this recipe is a keeper. It was delicious! This is a great vegetarian choice, as it was filling and satisfying. The flavors blended perfectly, and the mustard gave it a tiny little twang that was complex, but not overwhelming...just savory. Yum! I can't wait to have leftovers for lunch today!!!

Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Legs

I have really goofed up my menu plan for this week. Again, I had a different recipe in line for tonight's meal, but when I went to read the directions I realized that it had to sit overnight. Duh! I should have caught that little nugget of info when I was meal planning for the week. I typically read through the weekly recipes to see if I missed any ingredients OR special directions, but I totally missed that this particular dish had to rest overnight. Ugh. I am still going to assemble the dish and just park it in the fridge. At least I will be ahead of the game for tomorrow's meal. So that left me with an opening for dinner tonight. I was going to do some more menu rearranging, but I decided to scrap the whole idea and opt for easy.

This dinner is so simple and cheap, I can't believe I don't make it more often. In fact, every time I make it I comment on how I should make it more often. I think I will serve it with steamed broccoli and baked (microwaved) potatoes. That combo is pretty much my standard go-to side dish choices...especially when I don't feel like doing a whole lot of cooking. I think I will take the remainder of the afternoon and try to salvage my meal plan. If I don't, next week will get screwed up, too.
Since we have had this meal before, I will just link back to my other post. I typically don't review or take a new photo of a recipe that we have had before, unless I make some major changes. (I think it is much easier to just link back rather than re-type the whole post...this way is definitely less work on my end.) (Hey, I am all for anything that will get me on the couch faster...Oprah and I have a standing appointment!)


Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Legs


This is a family favorite, so this should be completely yummy tonight. I am looking forward to a no-hassle dinner.