Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce

I don't like tofu. Well, let me amend that...I didn't like tofu before this recipe. I thought that the flavor and texture were--in a word--yucky. (I know, I know...not very mature.) On a whim, I decided to give tofu one more shot before chalking it off forever. Aggie from Aggie's Kitchen admitted her own aversion to tofu that sounded similar to mine. Then, she recommended this dish. Since Aggie is a trusted recipe source, I went for it. Oh man, I'm glad I did. This was really, really good. I LIKED the tofu in this recipe. I'm talkin' LIKE liked. Yeah, crazy right???? This may be the start of a beautiful friendship between tofu and me. Only time will tell...

Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce
From: Family Kitchen on babble.com By:Aggie's Kitchen (via Eat, Live, Run)

Ingredients:

For tofu:
1 package of extra firm tofu (see below for instructions on how to drain properly)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
a couple splashes soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoons canola oil

For sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey or agave
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced ginger

For noodles:
1 package soba noodles
2 large red bell peppers, sliced thin
1 large bok choy, sliced thin (I used 3 baby bok choy)
handful of chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions:

TO PROPERLY DRAIN TOFU:
Take tofu out of package and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Place additional paper towels on top of the tofu. Add another plate to sandwich the tofu. Place a heavy weight (like a heavy skillet, heavy can, etc.; I used the top of my cast iron panini press) on the top plate to press the tofu. Let the tofu drain for 1/2 hour, then change the paper towels, flip the tofu over, and let it drain for an additional half hour (1 hour of total draining time).

Once draining process is complete, pat tofu to dry well. Slice longways into rectangles, about 1/2 inch thick, then smaller into cubes. Place in a bowl and gently toss with sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds.

Heat canola oil up a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu to pan and cook until bottom sides are browned. Flip over and continue to cook till all sides are browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

While tofu is cooking, make peanut sauce by adding all the ingredients to a blender and combining until smooth, about 30 seconds.

In the meantime, bring pot of salted water to a boil and add soba noodles. Cook according to instructions.

Place red pepper strips and bok choy in a colander. When noodles are ready, pour over vegetables in colander and drain water, while rinsing with cold water at the same time. Doing this blanches the veggies quickly and easily. Transfer noodles and veggies to a large bowl and add peanut sauce. Gently toss and combine together. Add tofu and cilantro and serve into bowls.



The Result:
Dealing with the tofu was a bit of a pain. However, I must say, it was worth it. I really enjoyed this recipe...AND the tofu was pretty darn yummy. (I honestly thought that I would never say that about tofu.) I think the more I prepare tofu, the easier it will get (i.e. I will become more efficient at dealing with it). The key is to properly drain the tofu. Eureka!!!! What a revelation!!! Tofu can actually be delicious!

All in all, this is a great one to try if you are apprehensive about tofu. I think this recipe can be served as a gateway tofu dish...good for those of us who think that they are tofu-adverse. (A tofu ambassador, if you please.) The texture and flavor of all the components worked really well together. My kids even ate it without complaint. Hooray! I now have a "go-to" tofu recipe.

Jen's Greek Turkey Burgers (with Feta Dip Topping)

I really have not been experimenting with new recipes these past two weeks, since we've had sickness sweeping through our house. Also, I am really trying to use some of the stuff we have already on hand. In fact, I didn't even bother to do a menu plan and coordinating grocery list this week. I just went to the store and picked up things that we needed and figured I would just go from there. These burgers were born out of a desire to use up some Feta Dip that I made for a girls' dinner I had with a couple of my friends. The dip recipe made a ton and I didn't want to waste it, so I devised these burgers and just used the dip as a sauce topping. I must say, they were delicious. I steam-microwaved some frozen veggies and we had a very yummy and simple Sunday night meal.

Jen's Greek Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:
1 (1.25 lb.) package of lean ground turkey
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of dried minced onions
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried dill
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup of whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs
garlic salt to taste
5 whole wheat English muffins, toasted
sliced English cucumber
sliced tomatoes
fresh red bell pepper, cut into strips
fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup of Feta Dip (see recipe below)
cooking spray

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, garlic powder, minced onions, oregano, dill, thyme, basil, egg, Panko bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Form meat mixture into patties.

Coat a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook patties for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until browned on one side. Before flipping sprinkle a tiny bit of garlic salt on each uncooked patty top. Then flip burgers over to cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

Toast English muffins and top both sides of the bun with a spoonful of the feta dip. On top of the feta dip, top buns with spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, and red pepper strips. Place cooked burger on top of veggies and top with other side of bun. Serve and enjoy!

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Feta Dip
Adapted From: the Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
8 oz crumbled feta (I used block feta and crumbled it myself)
8 oz low-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
2 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of lemon juice (use more if needed)
1 (6 oz.) container of plain non-fat Greek-style yogurt
2 splashes of pepperoncini pepper liquid from the jar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix well until blended together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve as a burger topping, or as a dip with pretzel chips or pita bread.




The Result:
These were really tasty and surprisingly healthy. I really like to use toasted English muffins instead of regular hamburger buns. It is just a more satisfying bread delivery system. I like the dip better as a hamburger spread than a dip, but it was pretty good either way. I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch!

Grown Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is such a classic pairing; universally adored by many...including my brood. When I found this version on the Aggie's Kitchen website, I knew it would be a hit with my family. This was a super-comforting meal for a chilly, rainy evening.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese
Adapted From: Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
6 slices of whole wheat bread
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and diced
2-4 thick slices of reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of reduced fat Monterrey jack cheese
salt to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Heat nonstick skillet over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. Saute sliced onions and jalapeno in the skillet with a big pinch of salt, until onions are caramelized. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Place some shredded jack cheese and a mozzarella slice on 1 slice bread. Spread 1 or 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions and jalapeno mixture on top of cheese and top with another slice of bread. Spread a very thin layer of butter on both outer sides of sandwich. Repeat with other sandwiches.

Spray the same nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat until hot. Place sandwich on the hot pan. Lower heat to medium-low and grill until underside is a deep brown but not burnt and cheese is partially melted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Carefully flip sandwich and grill other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve hot. Serve with a bowl of tomato soup (recipe below).

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Tomato Soup
From: marthastewart.com, The Martha Stewart Show, January 2008

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
24 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes
3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.

2.Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 10 to 20 minutes.

3.Working in batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top and serve immediately.



The Result:
I know I am on a Martha Stewart kick lately, but her recipes are really working out for me. Although, I did inadvertently come to this Martha recipe through Aggie's Kitchen; so it was quite an unintentional find. Anyway, both soup and sandwich were fantastic.

Sadly, I did burn our sandwiches (as you can tell from my photo). While I was using my immersion blender to puree the soup, I kinda forgot about the sandwiches cooking right next to me. Oops! They were definitely a little more toasty than I would have liked; but it really didn't matter, they still turned out great.

I didn't have cheddar cheese on hand, so I made due with what I had and used the jack and mozzarella. I was also quite surprised that these sammies were not spicy, despite the use of jalapenos. The pepper just gave the sandwich a little bit of an interesting tid-bit, but no real heat. We all LOVED this combo and it will be one that I make again.

Harissa Steak Sandwich

It has taken me a year to find the harissa for this sandwich. Yes, one whole year. It became sort of a quest, actually. I looked at every store I could think of, and finally broke down and purchased some on the Internet. (I should of done that in the first place, but I was determined--for some odd-ball reason--to find it in an actual store...weird, I know.) After a year of wanting to try this recipe, I finally, FINALLY got to make it last night. And you know what...it was good. Really good. Really, really good. Mainly, I am just relieved that my quest for harissa is over. Whew!

Harissa Steak Sandwich
From: Jeffery Saad, via the Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
1 10-12 oz. New York strip steak or steak of your choice
3 Tb Harissa
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 C. mayo
1/4 C fresh chopped mint
1/4 C chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Pinch of salt
Sandwich rolls or bread of your choice
1 yellow tomato or tomato of your choice
2 C arugula leaves (watercress is good as well, spinach if you want less spice)

Directions:
Heat up your grill, grill pan or sauté pan to medium high.
Season the steak with salt and pepper. Rub 1 Tb of the harissa on each side of the steak.
Wipe down grill with a little oil. Place steak on grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip. Cook 3 more minutes (this will yield MR depending on the thickness of the steak. Adjust for your taste and for the size of the steak).
While the steak is cooking place the mayo in a medium size bowl.
In a small sauté pan over med heat add the olive oil. Once hot add the mint and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds just until you smell the perfume of the garlic and mint. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat off and stir. Stir mixture into the mayo. The warm mixture will immediately permeate the mayo with flavor and give it a beautiful color. Stir the remaining 1 Tb of Harissa into the mayo.

Grill the bread if you like. Spread mayo on both sides of the bread.
Slice the steak and lay across the bread.
Top with sliced tomato and arugula.
Enjoy!!

Makes 2-4 tasty sandwiches depending on how much meat you like!

Notes:

*New York, Rib eye or Filet mignon will be a treat and will be very tender. The thicker the steak the better because you can get a nice crust on the steak and still have a MR, juicy center. A thin steak will often over cook by the time you get a crust. You can use a less expensive cut that will also be flavorful but I would recommend cutting it thin before grilling so it is more tender. The key is to not overcook the meat or you will lose the juiciness and tenderness. Also, make sure to let the steak sit for ten minutes before slicing to allow the juices to re-absorb. They will then absorb into your bread instead of being left on the cutting board.

*Don’t let the mint and garlic turn brown unless you like the more toasted flavor. I like to preserve the delicate perfume of the mint and garlic which then permeates the mayo and creates a fresh, bright balance to the deep, spicy richness of the harissa.

*Make sure your grill, grill pan or sauté pan is hot and oiled before you place the meat down or the moisture of the harissa will make the steak stick.

The Result:
My camera battery needs to be recharged, so I didn't get a photo of this yummy sandwich. We all loved it; even our picky boy, who ate it up. I am happy to have some of the leftover mayo mixture, because I think it will be a great topping for other things (I am thinking on veggie or salmon burgers, or even thinned out and used for salad dressing.) Yum! If you can get your hands on some harissa, then I highly recommend giving this sandwich a try.

Creamy Butternut Squash and Shrimp Pasta Bake

In the interest of full disclosure, we had a split decision on this dish at my house. I really liked it, however my husband (who is not a huge fan of butternut squash) was on the fence about it. I will say that it was an odd combination of flavors...but odd in a good way. I don't know if I will make it again, due to the mixed reviews; but I am happy to have the leftovers all to myself!

Creamy Butternut Squash and Shrimp Pasta Bake
Adapted From: the Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
1 lb large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 TB olive oil
3-4 large shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped small
1 32 oz carton Pacific Natural Foods Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 container of part-skim milk ricotta
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
fresh ground pepper
1 bag of fresh, baby spinach
1/3 cup fontina cheese, shredded (if you can’t find fontina, mozzarella is fine)
fresh, chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
1/2 lb whole wheat penne pasta
water
salt

Cooking instructions:
Bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Cook until al dente 10-12 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add shallots, garlic and chopped red pepper. Add pinch of salt and pepper, oregano and thyme. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened. Add two teaspoons tomato paste and fresh spinach to cooked vegetables and cook for about a minute longer, until spinach is wilted. Add Pacific Natural Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup and nutmeg and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer sauce for about 5 minutes until slightly thicker and flavors have combined. Taste for salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine cooked and slightly cooled pasta, cooked shrimp, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Gently stir until slightly combined. Add sauce to pasta mixture and continue to combine. Add 3/4 of the amount of sauce.

Pour pasta mixture into a glass casserole dish sprayed with non stick spray. Spread pasta mixture evenly throughout dish and add the remaining amount of sauce to the top of pasta. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top of pasta and place in oven preheated to 375 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. (If cheese is not browned and bubbly, turn on the broiler for a few minutes to get the desired effect.) Sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley and serve immediately.





The Result:
Again, we had a split decision. I thought it was great. The husband, was "meh" about it. I will say that I am a lover of butternut squash; and this is a very squashy pasta dish. I would suggest that if this sounds interesting to you...and you are a squash fanatic like me...then go for it! Overall, I am really pleased with this recipe.

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Baked Burritos

Here is another AWESOME recipe from the Aggie's Kitchen website. I know I have said it before--probably several times--but I love finding yummy, healthy vegetarian dinner ideas. Aggie always delivers!

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Baked Burritos
From: Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (small)
1 red pepper, cubed (small)
1 red onion cubed (small)
1 or 2 jalapenos, diced (if you want less heat sub another red pepper)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 can black beans, rinsed
handful chopped cilantro
squeeze of lime juice
shredded cheddar
Whole Wheat Tortillas or Wraps (burrito size–recommended:Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas)
nonstick olive oil spray

Directions:
In a bowl, toss veggies in olive oil and season with spices. Place in large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway in between.

Let cool. Add to a bowl of rinsed black beans. Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice. Combine gently. At this point, mixture can be stored for later use. Warm wraps in microwave according to directions on package. Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over, fold in sides and continue to roll. Place on baking dish, seam side down and spray with nonstick spray or olive oil spray. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.

Makes about 6 burritos {with filling leftover}.

Aggie's Tip: Pre-make your burritos and wrap in aluminum foil. Keep in refrigerator for 3-4 days for a quick lunch or dinner!



The Result:
So filling and satisfying! We all loved these burritos, and I am so happy to have plenty of veggies leftover to make more burritos (ohhh...the veggies would be good in quesadillas, too). We garnished our burritos with some seasoned, mashed avocado and they were absolutely delicious!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

Here is our fantastic "Friday Night Fun" dinner that I served family style for our indoor picnic, courtesy of the Aggie's Kitchen website. All of us loved this satisfying, delicious, and healthy version of fried zucchini sticks; without any taste sacrifice. My son did not even realize he was eating vegetables for dinner! It was the perfect choice for a relaxed meal, and one that I will make again and again.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
From: Aggie's Kitchen, 9/25/10 (featured on CBSNews.com)

Ingredients:
3 large zucchini, sliced longways, halved and cut into sticks
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried garlic powder
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray olive oil spray on large baking sheet. Set aside.

Slice zucchini into long planks. Cut planks in half then slice long into sticks.

In large shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, set aside. In large shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano and garlic powder.

Working with 3-4 zucchini sticks at a time, start breading process by dunking and completely covering zucchini with egg mixture. Take zucchini sticks out of egg mixture, allowing an extra egg to drip off, and place into breadcrumb mixture. Gently coat the zucchini stick completely with breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded zucchini stick onto baking sheet.

Continue this process until all zucchini sticks are breaded and on baking sheet. Spray each zucchini stick with olive oil spray and place into 425 degree oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Using a spatula, flip each zucchini stick and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Jen's Notes:
At the end of the cook time, I turned on the broiler for a couple minutes to ensure that the coating was nicely browned and crisp on all sides of my sticks. A little grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt was the perfect garnish to these beauties. Also, I substituted whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of plain breadcrumbs.

For the marinara dipping sauce in the middle of the plate: I just took one jar of our favorite pasta sauce and added 1/2 of a small can of tomato paste to it. I seasoned it with salt and some red pepper flakes, then reduced it down by half to create a thick, stick-sticking condiment. So easy and it was totally fabulous!



The Result:
I have not had zucchini sticks in such a long time...I really missed them! Usually, I stayed away because of all the fried breading; and I hated that the original version turned into one of my "off limit" foods. Now, I am happy to report that this recipe has satisfied my need for zucchini sticks and I no longer have to miss out on the yummy goodness of this crispy treat! Hooray!!!

Bruschetta Burgers

I am on fire with yummy recipes lately! Oh man, we had another good one tonight. I found some very ripe heirloom tomatoes at a local farm stand that were just begging to be used for something. I scraped my original dinner plan and decided to grill some of these burgers that I found on the Aggie's Kitchen blog (well, not exactly...but I will get to that in a second.) I ended up making a bruschetta topping of sorts with my mother-load of delicious tomatoes. We ended up dressing both our burgers and salads with the fantastic, candy-like tomato mixture. Seriously, fruits and veggies are so yummy during the hot months of summertime. The flavors, colors, and textures of fresh produce cannot be beat. I love summer food! Anyway, I didn't have exactly everything on hand for Aggie's burgers, so I improvised a little. Even though my burgers were a bit different, they still turned out delicious. I love when a fantastic ingredient strikes inspiration for a entire meal.

Bruschetta Burgers
Adapted From: Aggie's Kitchen, Bruschetta Patty Melts

Ingredients:

For Burgers:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/4 red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 fresh crimini mushrooms, minced
small handful of basil, chopped finely
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
couple of splashes of wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)
salt and pepper
grilled ciabatta or French bread slices

For Bruschetta:
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 heirloom tomatoes (any variety), diced small (use regular tomatoes if you cannot find heirlooms)
1/4 of a large red onion, sliced very thin
1 bunch of basil, cut into chiffonade
1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For Bruschetta:
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well with a large spoon. Let the mixture rest at room temp. for at least 1 hour before serving, so flavors can marry.

For Burgers:
Saute pepper, mushrooms, onions and garlic and let cool. Combine basil, egg, Parmesan cheese and wine in a bowl. Add cooked vegetables and ground beef to bowl and gently combine. Form into patties. Grill burgers about 4 minutes per side, on medium heat grill (for medium rare). Remove from heat and let the burgers rest for 5 minutes. Top each one with a spoonful of bruschetta. Serve open-faced style on grilled ciabatta or French bread, drizzled with olive oil.

Jen's Notes:
I think normally bruschetta tomatoes are cooked/peeled first; I decided to skip this step. My heirloom tomatoes were so yummy as-is, I didn't want to mess with the freshness of their flavor. If you are using Roma tomatoes or a more common non-organic variety, I would probably recommend making the bruschetta as Aggie indicates in the original recipe link (see above). Also, I grilled my burgers versus broiling them in the oven as the initial dish is made. It was 112 degrees in Phoenix today, and I just didn't want to heat up my house by turning on the oven. Grilling the burgers was a much better option. (Although, standing outside and grilling burgers in 112 degree heat is no picnic either.)



The Result:
Very, very, good. ;) By the way, the bruschetta topping was awesome on our salad greens, too. Thanks Aggie, you rock!!!

Tilapia Oreganata and Jen's Summer Squash Medley

This is a really easy, yummy fish recipe, from one of my favorite blogs, Aggie's Kitchen. I didn't take a photo of the finished product, but I am sure I will make this meal again. I just hope I remember to get a pic next time! I served this dish with some sauteed zucchini/yellow summer squash (recipe below), and a wild brown rice pilaf. The whole meal was light and very delicious!!!

Tilapia Oreganata
Adapted From: Aggie's Kitchen
Originally Adapted From:Weight Watchers Make it in Minutes, discovered on Family, Friends and Food blog

Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets (I used 4 oz. loin pieces)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup panko (Italian seasoned bread will also work)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
zest from one large lemon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of fresh or dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of celery salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and then spray with non-stick spray.

Place the fillets on the baking sheet. Combine remaining ingredients (EVOO through celery salt) in a bowl. Press the bread crumb mixture into the fish fillets making sure they are covered.

Bake until the fish is just opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.

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Here is a fast and flavorful veggie recipe that goes well with fish or chicken.

Jen's Summer Squash Medley

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch half-moon shapes
2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch half-moon shapes
1 shallot, diced finely
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup of white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add shallot, zucchini and yellow squash. Saute until shallot is fragrant and translucent and squash/zucchini pieces are starting to soften (you want them cooked, but still slightly crisp...don't let them get mushy!) Add salt and pepper, and white wine to pan;make sure to scrape up brown bits at the bottom of the pan with a whisk or wooden spoon so they can incorporate into the dish. Let wine reduce until almost completely evaporated. Remove from heat, then serve and enjoy!

I'm Back...

Well, I am officially itching to start cooking again. My hiatus lasted approximately 5 weeks...pretty short considering that I have two new babies to tend. Overall, life with twin infants is going pretty smoothly. The middle of the night feedings are rough; but things are starting to normalize at my house. During my 5 week cooking break, I even found some time to try two new recipes in which I will share the links with you. (Sadly, I did not get photos of the finished meals--but don't worry...they were both excellent recipes, so I am sure you will see them again on my blog.) I think I am going to post my new recipe links below and do a separate post for my upcoming meal plan, starting on Sunday, April 4th (just in time for Easter). The good news is that I think you will see a variety of new recipes in the coming weeks. I want to find some new favorites, since all of our meals in the last few months have been past repeats. Also, I need to lose some serious baby weight; so I am going to try and keep all of our meals healthy. Hopefully, I can keep up with my new expanded role of motherhood, normal household management, and cooking/blogging. Wish me luck!

Here are my "new" recipe links that I tried:

Aggie's Grilled Portabella and Brie Burgers

Nick and Toni's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola

Jen's Notes:
For Aggie's Portabella Burgers I served them on ciabbiata rolls and made two sandwiches with the brie and then made two with the substitution of goat cheese (the husband is not a brie fan). Both versions were EXCELLENT! This makes a great vegetarian meal.

Nick and Toni's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola was actually a recipe demonstrated on Barefoot Contessa's TV show. As instructed in the show, I used Italian San Marzano whole tomatoes in the sauce which is not noted in the written recipe. Again, this was a great vegetarian meal!

Aggie's Baked Five Spice Salmon & PW's Sesame Noodles (with Asian Veggies)

Today, you get two--yes, two--new recipes!!! I decided to do a riff on a dish from a blog I follow called Aggie's Kitchen. She recently made a Baked 5 Spice Mahi Mahi recipe that looked delish, so I thought I would tweak it ever-so-slightly and use salmon instead. I also added a couple of ingredients to her fish topping. Then, I was trying to come up with both a side dish idea and use a ton of leftover thin spaghetti noodles that I cooked a long, long time ago. (Okay, it wasn't that long ago and they still smelled fresh, so what the heck.) I remembered a Pioneer Woman recipe for sesame noodles and decided to improvise with those and mix in some steamed Asian vegetable medley. Hence, our dinner was born. Hopefully, it will turn out as yummy as I think it might.

Aggie's Baked Five Spice Salmon
Adapted From: Aggie's Kitchen

Ingredients:
3-4 salmon fillets
2-3 tsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp of rice vinegar
1/2 tsp of soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
small pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine both oils, 5 spice powder, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. Place the fish fillets in a glass baking dish coated in nonstick spray. Coat both sides of fish with spice mixture. Pour remainder of mixture evenly over fish. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until fish is flaky.

Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles (with Asian Veggies)
Adapted From: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
12 ounces thin noodles, cooked and drained ( I used leftover, whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles)
1/4 cups Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sugar
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoons Hot Chili Oil (I substituted Sambal Oelek)
4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons Hot Water
4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin
1 bag of frozen Asian-style vegetable medley, cooked (I steam mine in the microwave)

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. In a separate large bowl, combine cooked noodles and cooked/steamed veggies. Pour sauce over warm, cooked noodles/veggie mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and toss. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
This was a really tasty dinner. My favorite, by far, was the noodles. They were so easy to put together and totally delicious. I will definitely be making those again!
As far as the fish goes, I would say it was just okay...with a caveat. Don't get me wrong...it was still fairly yummy, but I felt like it was missing something that I just couldn't put my finger on.

Okay here is the caveat...

To be fair, I do have a rotten cold and my sense of taste is a little wacky right now. Both my husband and son really liked both dishes. It could very well be that my taste buds are on the fritz. I wouldn't put too much consideration into my review of the fish right now...my opinion is presently unreliable. If it sounds good to you, I would try it and see for yourself.

With that being said, I think I will make the noodles again for sure, and probably try the fish again sometime when: (A) I am feeling better and (B)I can tweak the sauce/topping more to my liking, IF NEEDED (i.e. after I taste it again with a normal sense of taste to see if it truly needs adjusting). Either way, I love that this was a satisfying and healthful meal for my family.

Veggie Pesto Pizza

Pizza night is coming early this week, my friends! I really had no clue as to what I wanted to do for dinner until about two minutes ago. I was stalling -ahem!- I mean...I was looking for inspiration on the Internet when an idea finally gelled. Really, I can't take the credit. It is not my idea. It is an idea from Aggie of Aggie's Kitchen, a food blog that I l-o-v-e. I want another vegetarian meal tonight, but I did not want another pasta dish. I decided to do a 'take' on Aggie's Roasted Veggie Pesto Pizza. Actually, mine will be a lazy version of Aggie's dish...no real roasting involved and I will be using what I have on hand. I am short on fresh veggies this week, so I am going to have to turn to the cans, jars, and frozen items that I have squirreled away in my stores. Hey, at least the pizza dough will be handmade! Okay...I am going to make my own pesto, too. But the fresh pesto is entirely by coincidence, I swear! I needed some fresh basil for a different recipe, and the store only had the huge tub o' basil available. Rather than going without, I decided to purchase the basil tub and figure out what to do with my superfluous basil at a later time (i.e. today). So, homemade pesto it will be!!! Luckily, I have some pine nuts stashed away, as well. The best part is that I can work on both the pesto and the dough right now, while my boy is down for his nap. I think a side of steamed broccoli will go nicely with our pizza, and that will be about it. Whew! Dinner is planned!!!

Veggie Pesto Pizza

For Dough:

Cooking Light Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray

Directions:
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, wheat flour, oil, and salt; stir until well blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide in half; roll each dough half into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface.

Note: To freeze, follow directions for kneading dough and shape into 2 balls. Coat with cooking spray and place in freezer in a zip-top plastic bag. To use them, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cover and let rise in a warm place(85º), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Shape as instructed.

Yield: 2 (12-inch) pizza crusts:(Totals are for 1 (12-inch) Pizza Crust.)
CALORIES 847 (11% from fat); FAT 9.9g (sat 1.4g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 25.7g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 1764mg; FIBER 12.7g; IRON 10.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 165g

Jen's Notes:
I always add flavor-enhancers to the dough mixture. Today, I added garlic powder and Italian Seasoning to the dry ingredients for a little extra zip.


For Jen's Pesto Sauce:

Ingredients:
2-3 cups of fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup of pine nuts (or 1 cup of walnuts)
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice to taste (about 1 Tablespoon, more if needed)
balsamic vinegar to taste (about 1 Tablespoon, more if needed)
salt and pepper to taste
zest of 1 lemon (optional)


Directions:
Place all ingredients, except for oil into the food processor. Pulse until all items are rough chopped. Take lid insert out of food processor lid and drizzle in oil until pesto becomes the proper consistency. Serve at room temperature.

Jen's Notes:
Pesto freezes really well!!!

Toppings:

Ingredients:
1/2 of a red onion, sliced
1 can of sliced mushrooms; rinsed, drained, and dried with paper towels
1 jarred roasted yellow & red peppers, sliced; drained and dried with paper towels
2-3 sliced Roma tomatoes
1 bag of pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
olive oil to taste
balsamic vinegar to taste
salt to taste
additional pine nuts
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated finely

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

After dough has rested, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan dusted with corn meal. Spread evenly with sauce. Cover with cheese and toppings, in an even layer. Drizzle a little more olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar on top of pizza toppings. Scatter pine nuts and minced garlic. Bake 15-20 min. Let cool 5 minutes. Grate Pecorino Romano cheese on pizza. Cut and serve!





The Result:
This was my best pizza, hands down! This was fan-freakin'-tastic! By a happy mistake, my dough did not rise very much; BUT it ended up making a thin and crisp crust. Yum! The crust complimented this pizza perfectly, and I don't think it would have been as tasty with a bready-ier crust (I don't think bready-ier is an actual word...but I am hoping that you know what I mean.) Thankfully, I split the dough as the directions indicated, so I have the other dough ball in the freezer. I will be able to make another crispy crust pizza soon! I love it when a mistake ends up turning out better than the original plan.

The pesto was such a great idea for a sauce base, and the toppings got nice and roasty on their own. The pine nuts were perfectly toasted, too. Really, I am super-excited that this pizza turned out so good! The husband said that it was his favorite so far, as well. I ended up leaving the broccoli off as a topping (I actually went back and changed my post...in case you read this earlier and were wondering where the broccoli went). Instead, we did not have a salad and just ate the broccoli as a side dish with a little Pecorino Romano cheese sprinkled on top. I heart broccoli; especially with a smattering of cheese. This pizza is a total keeper, and I will be working it in to my normal pizza rotation. Thanks for the inspiration, Aggie!!!