Shrimp and Pea Rice Bowls

I saved my favorite recipe for my last update. I am a big fan of curry and curry flavors, so I really loved this one. We don't have Indian or Thai food at home very often, because it tends to be somewhat labor-intensive to cook. This recipe was a nice compromise, because I got a hint of curry flavoring with the turmeric and crushed red peppers. It totally satisfied my curry fix for awhile! I used non-precooked rice, since I had the regular stuff on hand. It took a bit longer but still turned out great. Also, I had to double the recipe for my larger family, plus leftovers. Yum!

Shrimp and Pea Rice Bowls
From: Cooking Light, April 2012

Ingredients:
1 (8.8-ounce) pouch precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)(I actually used regular, non-precooked brown rice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup frozen green peas
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Heat rice according to directions.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Remove mixture from pan. Bring water to a simmer. Add peas; cover and cook 2 minutes or until done. Stir in rice, shrimp, vinegar, salt, pepper, and turmeric; cook 1 minute or until heated. Sprinkle with parsley.

Taco Chicken Bowls

I found an interesting, money-saving meals website through Pinterest called Budget Bytes. It looks to have some fairly easy, inexpensive and family-pleasing dinners listed. I haven't done a whole lot of exploring on the site yet, but I am sure planning on delving a little deeper into it after this tasty dinner. As promised, these Taco Chicken Bowls were a hit with my brood and made with a lot of ingredients I stock on a normal basis. This was a hearty meal we polished off quite quickly.

Taco Chicken Bowls
Adapted From: Budget Bytes via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. chicken breasts (I used 1 1/2 large, chicken breasts)
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) frozen corn
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry rice (I used brown rice)
8 oz. shredded cheddar
5 green onions, diced for garnish
1/2 bunch cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.

Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).

After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

ALTERNATE METHOD:
Combine all ingredients except rice, cheese, and cilantro to a glass casserole dish, sprayed with cooking spray. Cover chicken breasts in mixture and bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken to a cutting board when cook time is up and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to casserole dish and combine with other cooked ingredients. Serve by spooning cooked rice into a bowl and topping with chicken mixture. Garnish with shredded cheese, green onions and cilantro.



The Result:
I didn't have time to go the slow cooker route with this recipe, so I made up the "alternate method" instead. Our chicken bowls were still delicious, so really I think it worked out great. Either way, this recipe is a winner!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice

I had a late evening hair appointment last week, and I needed something that the husband could handle feeding the kids while I was out. I don't like leaving dinner up in the air, especially when I know the hubs has already put in a long day at the office and he would have to scramble to cook something from scratch or get takeout. (I do mean scramble, literally. Most of my husband's dinner ideas for the kids involve eggs.) Magically, I had everything on hand for this, so it was super-simple to put together...exactly what I had in mind for a busy weeknight meal when I wasn't going to be home. I love recipes that are basically a version of 'throw everything in the slow cooker' and make a pot of brown rice to go along with it. By the time I left for the salon, everyone was happily munching away.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice
Adapted From: Stick A Fork In It blog via Pinterest

Ingredients:
2-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (8 oz.) low fat cream cheese, softened
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. dried italian dressing seasoning
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
salt and pepper to taste
brown rice, prepared according to package directions

Directions:
Stir the cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and seasoning together in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add in the frozen chicken breasts and cover with the cheese/soup mixture. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and tender. One hour before serving, mix in the bag of frozen vegetables and resume cooking. Once cook time is finished, remove chicken and either shred or cube it and return it to the mix. Serve chicken mixture over cooked brown rice.

The Result:
This was a solid, family-pleasing recipe with very few ingredients. A definite hit at my house!

(Sorry, no photo for this one. I forgot to ask my husband to snap one. To be fair, it really wasn't an attractive dinner. It pretty much looked like your typical crockpot concoction. I would probably describe it as untidy, and almost casserole-ish. I guess sometimes tasty dinner's aren't always visually appealing, as in this case. If I wanted to get wordy, I could describe it as "unpretentious" and "unassuming". At any rate, it was yummy and that's all that counts in our book.)

New Orleans-Style Shrimp and Rice

As much as I like shrimp, it seems that I only can think of a few things to do with it, recipe-wise. I don't know why, but I tend to make the same handful of shrimp dishes over and over again, thus creating a kind of shrimpy boredom. Don't get me wrong, the dinners that I've tried and posted are good and are worth repeating. I just need a lot of variety in my diet. This week, I wasn't looking forward to having--yet again--one of the same ol', same ol' shrimp dinners. I knew that I had a bag of raw shrimp out in my freezer, and because of budget constraints, I knew that it needed to be used up for a meal. Sigh. What's a girl to do? The answer for me was to search the Martha Stewart website. I found this twist on a classic Cajun favorite, and I found a few other recipes to make this week. Not only did I solve my shrimp dilemma, but with one click of the mouse most of my dinner planning for the week was finished. I heart Martha!

New Orleans-Style Shrimp and Rice
From: marthastewart.com; Martha Stewart Living, March Spring 2004

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 green bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
6 canned whole plum tomatoes (from one 28-ounce can), crushed
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste (I used Louisiana Hot Sauce)
1 pound large shrimp (21 to 30), peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked white rice, for serving (I used brown rice)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour, and stir until light brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add bell peppers, onion, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, parsley, spices, salt, and hot sauce.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are soft and mixture is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and cook until pink and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle shrimp with parsley, and serve over rice.

The Result:
This was such a delicious meal. Don't let the copious amounts of butter deter you...it's worth it. I stuck with the recipe as written, only deviating by substituting brown rice. Now I have one more great shrimp recipe up my sleeve, thanks to Martha.

Chicken "Pot Pie" with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust

We have had several dinner 'fails' lately. Certainly, nothing that I've considered to be post-worthy. This was the one exception to the many stinkers that have not worked out for me. My friend, Claire and I must have both bookmarked this recipe around the same time; but she ended up making it before I got around to it. I needed something that I knew was going to help get us out of our dinner rut, so I turned to her blog for ideas. I figured if her family liked it, then mine would too. When I saw this recipe posted on her website, I remembered I wanted to try this dish and decided to give it a go. I am glad I did, because it was really yummy...just what I needed to get back on track in my kitchen.

Chicken "Pot Pie" with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust
From: the Whole Foods iPhone app, also available on the Whole Foods website

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound sliced button mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked brown rice or brown and wild rice blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with oil; set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine rice, cheese, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir peas into chicken mixture then season with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Scatter rice mixture evenly over the top then arrange dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until bubbly and crust is crisp, about 30 minutes.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving (about 9oz/256g-wt.): 240 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 370mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 21g protein





The Result:
This was really, really good. Not really a "pot pie", but more like a casserole with a homey, comforting feel to it. We all really loved this dish, and it will be one that I make again.

Simple Jambalaya with Shrimp & Sausage

I don't think I have publicly proclaimed my love for my new, iPhone 4. Well, here it goes...I LOVE IT!!! I now realize that previous to getting the iPhone 4, my life was just a shallow and empty shell. (Not really.) One of the reasons why I heart my iPhone is the "apps". I freakin' love the apps. The app in which I am particularly fond of this evening, is the Whole Foods Market Recipe app. It is where I found tonight's yummy dinner. I did a quick search for "andouille", and a bunch of yummy stuff popped right up. I had all the ingredients on hand for this dish, so this is the one that I chose. While this dish won't win any awards for the most authentic jambalaya; I am pleased to say that it was really, really tasty, easy, and fast.

This is something that I will definitely make again!

PS-If you do not have an iPhone, Whole Foods Market publishes the same recipes on their website as they have on the app. No deprivation required! The app just makes it easier to get their recipes on the go.

I love technology!

Simple Jambalaya with Shrimp & Sausage
Adapted From: Whole Foods Market Recipes 2.0 app for iPhone --OR-- wholefoodsmarket.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ounces of chicken andouille sausage, sliced in 1-inch pieces
2 cups of cooked brown rice (I used microwavable par-cooked brown rice)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (I used Rotel)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 pound (16-20 count) fresh raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen)
1 Tablespoon of Tony Chacehere's Creole Seasoning (use more if you like it spicy)

Directions:
Heat oil in 4-quart pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes. Add rice, tomatoes, broth and shrimp; stir to evenly distribute. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with creole seasoning, salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.



The Result:
I can't believe how easy and fast this was to construct! Also, the flavor was awesome. Homey and comforting, with just the right amount of spicy heat. Yum!!!

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned-Butter Pecan Rice

This is another fantastic recipe from this months Cooking Light magazine. It sounds really fancy, but it fact, it was pretty simple to put together with minimal ingredients. The whole thing took about 20 minutes from start to finish! The chicken and sauce were really flavorful and the rice was awesome. Although, how could the rice be bad when it was mixed with browned butter???? I kept sneaking tastes of the cider pan sauce by dipping my finger in it, practically every time I walked by the stove. The cider glaze was such a great way to take ho-hum chicken breasts to a whole new level. We all loved this recipe!!!

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned-Butter Pecan Rice
From: Cooking Light magazine, October 2010 issue

Ingredients:
1 (3.5-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound chicken breast cutlets (about 4 cutlets)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions in a small saucepan, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While rice cooks, melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Melt remaining 5 teaspoons butter in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Lower heat to medium; add pecans, and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Serve rice with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and about 1/2 cup rice)
Calories:333
Fat:13g (sat 4.4g,mono 4.9g,poly 2.2g)
Protein:29.1g
Carbohydrate:24.2g
Fiber:1.9g
Cholesterol:81mg
Iron:1.5mg
Sodium:601mg
Calcium:23mg

Jen's Notes:
I didn't have chicken cutlets on hand, so I improvised my own. I cut 2 chicken breasts in half (horizontally) and then pounded each piece to about 1/2 inch thick, so they would all cook evenly. It worked out perfectly!

Also, I did not use boil in bag brown rice. Instead, I used microwaveable par-cooked brown rice (they come in a pouch and you just tear a vent in the package and zap for 90 seconds...so easy). Then, I just proceeded with the recipe and mixed my cooked rice with the browned butter, pecans, and parsley. It took way less time to make the rice than indicated, since I didn't have to mess with boiling water; and it was still delicious!



The Result:
This may be my new favorite thing to do to chicken! Cooking Light delivered another truly great recipe.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

Every year, some of our local restaurants participate in "Arizona Restaurant Week" in which they set a 'prix fixe' three course meal at a great price. It is really fabulous! So my post is going to be short today, since the husband and I are going out to dinner (--happy dance-- without children --happy dance--)in support of this awesome local deal.

So, here is what we had for dinner last night. I love curry flavors, and this was a great way to prepare tilapia!

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce
From: Cooking Light, September 2002

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
3 cups hot cooked basmati rice (I used brown rice)
4 lime wedges

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Nutritional Info:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet, 1/2 cup sauce, 3/4 cup rice, and 1 lime wedge)
Calories:506 (30% from fat)
Fat:17.1g (sat 5.9g,mono 6g,poly 2.5g)
Protein:29g
Carbohydrate:56.6g
Fiber:3.1g
Cholesterol:82mg
Iron:2.7mg
Sodium:616mg
Calcium:47mg



The Result:
I cooked my fish under the broiler for 5 minutes. It turned out perfectly cooked and flaky. This was a great twist on tilapia and one that I will make again. I added herbs,sauteed onions, and almond slivers to our brown rice for a little textural boost. Yum, yum, yum!

Thai Chicken Skewers with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce and Curried Rice Salad

The hubs got me a new phone yesterday, and I wanted to get dinner on the table fast so I could go play with it!!! Thankfully, this recipe totally worked out so I had plenty of phone time. :) This meal was super-flavorful and it came together pretty quickly. The chicken recipe actually came to me via Facebook, of all places. Since I follow Weight Watchers, this recipe popped right up on my feed. How convenient! The rice recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010 cookbook that I am holding hostage from the library. (Someday, I will return it...just not anytime soon!) I love both Indian and Thai curries, and this combination was totally satisfying.

Thai Chicken Skewers with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce
From: weightwatchers.com via Facebook

Ingredients:
1 can(13 1/2 fl oz) light coconut milk, about (1 3/4 cups)
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped, or to taste
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp red curry paste, Thai-variety
1 tsp ginger root, fresh, grated
1 tsp lime zest
3/4 tsp table salt
2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded thin, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 16 strips

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, cilantro, sugar, curry paste, ginger, lime zest and salt until blended; set 1 cup of coconut milk mixture aside for dipping sauce.

Transfer remaining coconut milk mixture to a resealable plastic food storage bag (or shallow glass container with cover). Add chicken to bag (or container), seal and turn to coat; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, soak sixteen 18-inch wooden skewers in water for 20 to 30 minutes(to prevent scorching).

Preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan rack with nonstick aluminum foil (or use a nonstick baking sheet coated with cooking spray). Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread one piece of chicken onto each skewer and place on prepared pan; coat with cooking spray. Broil, turning once, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes.

(*****ALTERNATIVE METHOD: Cook the chicken on an outdoor grill or grill pan for attractive grill marks.******)

Meanwhile, bring reserved sauce to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Arrange skewers on serving platter. Spoon sauce into a bowl for dipping. Yields 2 skewers and about 1 tablespoon of sauce per serving.

Jen's Notes:
I opted to cook my chicken on the gas grill. I think it only took about 5 minutes for perfectly cooked, juicy chicken.

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Curried Rice Salad
From: America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010 cookbook

Ingredients:
2/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups of brown basmati or long-grain rice
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions:
Combine the raisins, lime juice, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Cook rice according to package directions. Cool rice to room temperature and set aside.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened; about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in ginger, curry powder, and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, stir in raisin mixture, then transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Add the rice and cilantro to the bowl with the raisin mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.




(The dipping sauce...not the most attractive photo; but it was so yummy!)

The Result:
This was so tasty, and my whole family gave this meal a 'thumbs-up'. The chicken and dipping sauce was so yummy, and in no way a "healthy" sacrifice. I love recipes that are good for you, but still are enjoyable! The curried rice salad was also a big hit. It was tangy, spicy, sweet, tart, savory, and had great texture. It was the perfect side dish to our skewers.

Stuffed Rice, Bean, and Cheese Poblanos

I was debating on if I should post this recipe or not. While we were eating dinner, I thought it was good. Hearty, satisfying, flavorful...but not fantastic. However, the more I think about this dish, the more I realize I am looking forward to the leftovers. I guess I really did like it; although, it took me a little while to come to that full conclusion. This version is vegetarian; but the husband and I agreed that this would be fantastic with chorizo added, as well. We served our stuffed poblanos with some zucchini sauteed with onions and red wine. It was quite a tasty meal!

Stuffed Rice, Bean, and Cheese Poblanos
Adapted From: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, Oxmoor House, APRIL 2009

Ingredients:
4 poblano peppers, seeded and halved
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can of vegetarian refried beans
1/4 of white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup of salsa of your choice, divided
1/3 cup of fat-free milk
4 green onions, diced
1 (8.8-ounce) pouch microwaveable cooked brown rice
1-2 Tablespoon of lime juice
1 cup Jack cheese, shredded
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
salt to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook rice according to package directions in the microwave. Once cooked, add rice to a bowl and season with salt, half of green onions, and lime juice. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add beans, milk, and a 1/2 cup of salsa. Turn heat down to medium-low, and stir until combined and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Place halved poblanos in the bottom of the dish. Fill each poblano as follows: rice, beans, remaining salsa, and then top with the cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until poblanos are soft (it may take a little longer, depending on your oven.) Once cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
This was pretty simple to put together, with solid Mexican-inspired flavors. Overall, this was a good weeknight dinner choice!

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

I find it funny that most people either totally love or totally hate curry. There seems to be no middle ground. Just mention the word "curry" in mixed company and you will get quite a diverse range of reactions from the crowd. It is just one of those food categories that people have strong feelings about, on both sides of the spectrum. Personally, I fall into the first group...I am a huge fan of Indian curries. There is just something about the bold spices and savory sauces that is so completely comforting to me. Also, I truly appreciate that a 'curry' is such a unique food experience. There is nothing else like it; with the exception of more curry. I really do love it!

Needless to say, I was pleased to find this recipe in my borrowed copy of America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010. It took a little time to put together, but the effort was well worth it! This was a delicious vegetable curry dish that hit all the right notes. Best of all, it was healthy without sacrificing taste. Yum!

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry
From: America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010

Ingredients:
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
4 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 Tablespoons canola oil
2 onions, minced (about 2 cups)
12 oz. Red Bliss potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded,and minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower, trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups frozen peas (8 oz.)
1/2 cup of low-fat or fat-free, plain Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
cooked brown rice

Directions:
In a food processor, pulse diced tomatoes about 8 times, or until mostly smooth. Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the curry powder and garam masala, and cook until fragrant; about 10 seconds. Add the onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and the potatoes are golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce the heat to medium if the onions darken too quickly.)

Reduce the heat to medium. Clear the center of the pan and add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and the garlic, ginger, chile and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices coat the florets, about 2 minutes longer.

Add the processed tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 tsp. salt; increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Adjust the seasoning with salt to taste, and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately over brown rice.



The Result:
This dish was a terrific vegetarian curry! Completely satisfying with perfectly balanced flavors. I am so glad I tried it!!!

Shrimp Fried Rice

I am a little tired and drained today, so I think I will make this post short and sweet. My son had his pre-K open house this afternoon, and then we went to the gym for some exercise and family swim time. It was a fun day, but so tiring.

Anyway, we had this recipe for dinner tonight and it was a total success! We all loved it. Low calorie and delicious...it was a perfect fix for the take-out Chinese food craving that occasionally strikes me. I would recommend doing all your chopping and prep work first, then the whole recipe comes together really quickly when you actually start cooking. This is probably my favorite "at-home" version of shrimp fried rice that I have tried. I didn't amend the recipe at all; I just followed it as-is and it turned out great. This shrimp fried rice really hit the spot!

Shrimp Fried Rice
From: The Volumetrics Eating Plan, By: Barbara Rolls, PH.D.

Ingredients:
3 tsp dark sesame oil
¾ lb small shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 Cup peeled, finely chopped carrots
1 Cup small broccoli florets
¼ Cup chopped scallions
1 Cup seeded, chopped red or green bell peppers
1 Cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Cups cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
Pinch cayenne
1 egg
1 egg white

Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add 1 teaspoons oil to the skillet and stir-fry the carrots, broccoli, scallions, bell peppers, and peas 2 minutes.

Add rice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, cayenne, and shrimp and stir-fry 3 minutes, or until heated through.

Combine the egg and egg white in a small bowl. Add the eggs to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are set. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Info:
(Serves 4 of 1-½ Cup portions each)
Calories: 325
Carbs: 39g
Fat: 8g
Protein: 26g
Fiber: 6g
Energy Density: 1.1



The Result:
This is a great version of shrimp fried rice without all the unhealthy junk you would get from your local take-out shop. The notes indicate that you can swap tofu (6 oz.) for the shrimp to create a vegetarian version. I am not a tofu fan, so I will stick with the shrimp. This was some seriously yummy health food!

Thai Green Curry Shrimp

This is another one of those cheater recipes. I impulsively purchased a jar of Mai Pham Thai Green Curry Base at Williams-Sonoma, and I wanted to use it right away so I could see what it was all about. I doctored up the sauce base and this is what I came up with for our dinner. I served it over some brown rice for a quick and easy supper.

Thai Green Curry Shrimp

Ingredients:
cooking spray
1/2 cup of diced red onions
1 clove of minced garlic
1 jar of Mai Pham Thai Green Curry Base OR any green curry sauce of your choice
1 bag of large frozen raw shrimp
1 can of light coconut milk
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of Siracha hot sauce
1 cup of cooked green beans (I used frozen and steamed them in the microwave)
1 cup of cooked peas (I used frozen and steamed them in the microwave)
salt to taste
cooked brown rice
fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add diced red onion to pan and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add coconut milk, curry powder, Siracha, and Thai Green Curry Base. Stir and reduce by half. Turn heat down to medium low and add green beans, peas, and shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Season with salt to taste. Serve over cooked brown rice and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.



The Result:
This was a yummy and easy dinner. Nothing super-fantastic, but good. I would make it again, if I had a jar of sauce on hand; but I don't know if I would go out of my way to make it specifically. For a fast, thrown-together, meal it certainly met my expectations, and I don't know if I would do anything different to change it. Overall, I would say it was good, but not great.

Easy Easy Risotto with Marinara

This is a dish I found in the Pasta & Co. Encore cookbook. What got my attention was the directions indicating to rinse the risotto before cooking. Hmmmm...that seems really incongruent to the usual risotto method, so I was instantly intrigued. I figured I would give it a go, to see what the difference is in method; and if successful, have another vegetarian risotto recipe up my sleeve. I am a little skeptical, but we will see...I will let you know how it goes!

Easy Easy Risotto with Marinara
From: Pasta & Co. Encore cookbook

Ingredients:
2 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups minced onion
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and put through a press
29 oz. of chicken broth or homemade stock (equals 2 x 14 1/2 oz. cans of broth, if not using homemade stock)
1 cup of marinara sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Rinse the rice under cold running water and drain well (this violates a cardinal rule of good risotto making). In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions and rice until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add chicken broth/stock, marinara sauce, salt, pepper, nutmeg, & bay leaves. Stir and cover tightly with lid or foil. Reduce heat to low and cook very slowly, without stirring, for about 30 minutes or until rice is tender. This dish is meant to be a bit sticky. Fold in Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.



The Result:
This was just okay. It was good, but nothing truly special. It tasted like risotto mixed with marinara sauce...eh. I will say that the no-stir method was kinda nice, however I have had (and made) better risotto recipes. I garnished our risotto with a chunk of heirloom tomato (which we had sliced up for a quick side dish, as well). Let's just say that the tomatoes were the highlight of the meal. Overall, this was merely mediocre, and not a recipe that I would be in a hurry to make again.

Jen's Beef and Broccoli Surprise

My freezer is stocked with a ton of round steak that I bought on sale a couple of months ago. Round steak is not something I usually cook with, but I decided to try it out. Honestly, I was sick of opening my chest freezer and seeing it in there (it was starting to mock me). Anyway, I had a hankerin' for Asian-style Beef with Broccoli. The only problem was that I am running low on, well...everything. Seriously, from staple items to fresh foods, my stores are low. Real low. Also, I needed easy. Real easy. I wanted to give the husband a cooking break, but I am not up for anything elaborate. So, I started sniffing around my pantry and fridge and formulated this dinner. I must say, it turned out yummy (but more on that later in my results). This dinner was not traditional Beef with Broccoli, but it certainly fulfilled my craving and was something that everyone at my table really liked.

Jen's Beef and Broccoli Surprise

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of sesame oil
1 lb. of beef round steak (or your choice of meat), cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of orange juice
2 Tablespoons of rice vinegar
1/2 cup of beef broth
1/4 cup of soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of Sambal Oeleck chili paste
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 Tablespoon of butter
Sesame seeds for garnish
steamed broccoli (I cook mine separately, from frozen, in the microwave)
white rice of your choice (We used instant white rice...don't judge)

Directions:
In a 8 x 8 glass casserole dish, place beef strips and top with sesame oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and dry mustard. Mix with tongs or hands until beef is well coated with spices and oil. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, orange juice, rice vinegar, beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and Sambal Oeleck. Whisk until mixed, and pour over beef in the casserole dish.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes.

When cook time is complete, remove from oven. Remove beef to a plate and set aside. (There should be quite a bit of liquid left in the casserole dish.)

In a small sauce pan, melt butter on the stove top. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour to make a paste and cook for 1 minute. Add liquid from casserole dish, and bring to a simmer while whisking. Once sauce is thickened to proper consistency, remove from heat and add the beef back into the pan.

Plate by topping rice and broccoli with meat and sauce, then garnish with sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Jen's Notes:
All measurements are approximate.



The Result:
Yum! This was really good and something that I will make again. We all enjoyed it and it was fairly easy. Hooray for surprise concoctions that work out well!

Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe on a blog I read called A Year of Slow Cooking, that also has a companion cookbook called Make It Fast,Cook It Slow. This blog is chock full of easy slow cooker recipes, which are both yummy and family-friendly. I was browsing through the "chicken" recipes on the site and found this one for chicken wings. Since I did not have chicken wings on hand, I decided to adapt it for chicken thighs. Basically, I took the ingredients listed in the recipe and put them in the crock pot (with a couple of additional items)(without measuring). I just used the recipe as a base guide and added what I had on hand. Since I am not sure the quantities I actually used, I think I will just link to the original recipe and then tell you what I did differently in my "notes". I think I am going to serve this meal with some rice and steamed Asian-style veggies. So far, this is bubbling away in my slow cooker and it smells fantastic!

Here is the original recipe:

Crock Pot Hoisin Chicken Wings

Jen's Notes:
I still used most of the original ingredients, but here is what I did differently:

I used 4 frozen chicken thighs, a pinch of Chinese 5 Spice Powder, ground ginger instead of fresh, a few glugs of soy sauce, a big drizzle of the honey, a few shakes of the sesame oil, some smashed garlic cloves, and a splash of water (I was afraid the sauce would burn and stick so I added a tiny bit of water...it didn't). I had half a jar of hoisin sauce in the fridge that was a little "long in the tooth" so I just added it all...it needed to be used up anyway. For the spicy element, I added maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of Sambal Oelek chili paste. I put my frozen chicken thighs in and piled the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker--in no specific order--and cooked them on high for 5 hours.



The Result:
Yum! This was both easy and satisfying. We all really like it! This was a solid choice for an Asian-inspired chicken dish that the whole family enjoyed. The flavors were not anything super-original, but it was darn tasty nonetheless. It was exactly what I wanted in an easy recipe. The chicken thighs worked out well, and were fall-off-the-bone tender. The sauce was flavorful, and I like the mixture of sweet and savory with the smallest bit of a kick from the chili paste. Again, yum!!!
The only negative aspect of the dish would be that the long cooking time really rendered the fat out of the chicken thighs and skin. This made the sauce really greasy on top, but I quickly remedied the problem by skimming the fat off of the sauce with a big spoon. Once that was done, the sauce was perfect for coating the rice, veggies, and chicken; without being too oily. Overall, this earned "thumbs-up" rating around my table!

Laura's Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Since last Tuesday, our meals have been nothing but leftovers. Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. We did a total fridge clean out, so tonight is really the first night of coming up with a new dinner idea. I have been feeling pretty run down these past couple of days, so I have been trying to take it easy. I don't think I am getting sick, I just think I maybe got a little too ambitious during the week. Ugh. Now, I am just worn out. Darn pregnancy is slowing me down again! ;) Anyway, I wanted an easy dinner that didn't require a whole lot of cooking. I remembered we really liked this meatball dish from my friend Laura, so I thought we would give it another go. After all, it is so simple to put together and the results are pretty tasty.

Laura's Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I plan on pairing the meatballs with some rice and frozen Asian-style veggies, again. It worked well the last time we had this dinner, so why mess with a good thing!?!?

Jen's Broccoli Cheese Chicken Bake

It seems that lately that I don't know what I am going to be in the mood for from day to day. I haven't been planning my dinners, since I will make a set plan and then discover later that I don't feel like what I have planned at all. For example, I have had fish tacos slated now for the past two days; only to bump them once again for this casserole. Go figure!

Jen's Broccoli Cheese Chicken Bake

I think I will serve this yummy and simple casserole with a side salad and call it good!

Tacos

Nothing exciting happening around here for dinner tonight. Just basic, follow the instructions on the back of the seasoning packet, tacos. I served some canned beans and rice with our tacos for an easy and kid-friendly dinner. I was too exhausted to put in much effort, otherwise. Hopefully, tomorrow's dinner will be a bit more post-worthy.

Claire's Chicken and Yellow Rice

This is one of my favorite, easy dinners. I have a busy day planned, so dinner is definitely not top priority around here (I should say that it hasn't been top priority around here lately). I have a MOMS Club "Mom's Night Out" to go to tonight, so I need something fast and low stress. This dish fits the bill. I can get our meal wrapped up, and then go hang out with all of my very cool and funny mom friends!!!

I am substituting kidney beans in place of the black beans, since I am out of the latter. No matter, this recipe still works with whatever beans you happen to have on hand.

Claire's Chicken and Yellow Rice

I think I will serve this meal with some leftover half ears of corn and a green side salad. Easy, delicious, and on the table fast!!!