Better Burger with Green Olives and Creamy Broccoli Slaw

Here is couple recipes that I found in the Ellie Krieger So Easy cookbook that I recently purchased. Burgers for dinner is always a good choice, and I like the idea of a healthier version.

Better Burger with Green Olives
From: Ellie Krieger So Easy cookbook, 2009

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey or beef (at least 90 percent lean)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
Combine the turkey or beef, olives, parsley, cumin, and pepper in a mixing bowl and mix until well incorporated. Shape into 4 burgers.

Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high heat or prepare an outdoor grill. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Serving suggestion: Serve on whole-wheat buns, garnished with slices of tomato and lettuce, with ketchup and mustard on the side.

Serving size 1 burger

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Creamy Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:
1 12oz package of fresh broccoli slaw
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place sunflower seeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet and shake to combine. Toast seeds until aromatic, about 10 minutes. Cool and reserve.
Combine yogurt, honey, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and pepper. Whisk to incorporate and reserve. Mix with broccoli slaw and garnish with sunflower seeds. Serve immediately.



The Result:
This was really good and super-easy. The only substitution I used was that I put these burgers on sandwich thins instead of buns. Otherwise, both recipes are great and this burger/slaw combo is another healthy hit!!!

Thai Peanut Chicken with Noodles

I don't really feel like typing today, so I am going to keep this really short and sweet. My son has decided to completely stop listening to anything I say, and I am running out of patience. In fact, he is sitting in "time out" as I write this. Sigh. Anyway, here is what I am making for dinner tonight...

Thai Peanut Chicken with Noodles

I plan to pretty much follow the recipe, with a couple of minor exceptions. First, I don't have any unsalted peanuts in the house. I plan to use salted cashews instead. I think I will break them up a little so they are smaller, too. Then, since the cashews are salted, I will really have to be careful with how much salt I add to the recipe. I think I will just taste it, and see how it goes. Then, I plan on using chicken breasts instead of tenders. I think I will just cut the breast meat up into strips and proceed with the recipe as indicated.

Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Ranch Dipping Sauce & Beth's Broccoli Slaw

I love Friday! It is all about the promise of a fun weekend that I look forward to with child-like enthusiasm. Also, I really look forward to having the husband home for a couple days. Since Friday night is typically fun, I like to serve something for dinner that reflects the mood. I think Buffalo Chicken Tenders does just that. After all, it is a fun dish and not too much of a hassle to make. Hooray for Friday!

Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Ranch Dipping Sauce

I think I will serve this dish with my friend, Beth's Broccoli Slaw recipe. Yum!!!

Beth's Broccoli Slaw

Both dishes are Friday night winners, for sure.

Jen's Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Favorite Mac and Cheese

We have a busy weekend planned for Easter and my son's birthday, so I need a couple easy slow cooker meals for the next couple days. My mom is visiting again, and I know she loves BBQ. I thought I would make these sandwiches with some broccoli slaw, and some homemade mac and cheese since I know she will enjoy it. I know I will enjoy it...I think I crave BBQ on a permanent basis!
These are all recipes that I have made before, so I think I will just post the sandwich recipe and link back to the other two recipe posts. Yum! Again, this is an easy and tasty meal that will use my pork shoulder leftovers.

Jen's Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 pork loin (mine is about 2 lbs.) OR pork shoulder roast leftovers
1/2 bottle of your favorite beer (I used Foster's)
1/3 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
2 smashed fresh garlic cloves
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

About 1 teaspoon of the following spices:
paprika
onion powder
minced onion
garlic powder
Cajun blackening seasoning (I use Paul Prudhomme's Steak Magic)

Directions:
Place pork in slow cooker, fat side up. Sprinkle pork with spices, including salt and pepper. Add beer, water, and garlic cloves. Add Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours (depending on how fast/hot your slow cooker runs). With a large spoon, baste pork with juices every two hours (this step is optional--if you decide to do it, work quickly and get the lid back on fast). When cooking is complete, pull pork out of slow cooker. Pour slow cooker liquid into a separate bowl and set aside. Place pork back into slow cooker and shred the meat with fork or pull it apart with fingers. Pour 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid back into the meat (maybe more depending on how much meat you have and how saucy you like your pulled pork). Mix shredded meat with 1/2 to 1 full bottle of BBQ sauce (once again,the quantity will depend on how saucy you like your meat). Mix thoroughly. Cook on high for an additional 1/2 hour with lid on (if you need it thicker, leave the lid off). Serve mixture on buns and enjoy!

Here are the other two recipe links:

Beth's Broccoli Slaw

Favorite Mac and Cheese

I am really looking forward to our dinner tonight! I love homey, comforting food and this meal will certainly satisfy my BBQ craving.



The Result:
Fan-freakin'-tastic! That about sums it up!!! The photo of the mac and cheese looks a little wonky. My crumb crust kinda slid and got all mixed in with the rest of the macaroni. It tasted awesome, but did not photograph all that well. Sigh. So much for presentation. Luckily, everyone loved our meal and didn't notice that the crumb crust wasn't perfect. Overall, this was a yummy, yummy dinner!!!

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 Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Cole Slaw

I love BBQ. Being a person from the South, BBQ was an important staple in my diet. Growing up, we had BBQ at least three times a week if not more. When I moved to Arizona, one of the most disappointing things was the lack of "good" BBQ. Sigh. Needless to say, I do not have BBQ nearly enough. Also, there is a distinct difference between "good" long-cooking, slow-smoked, BBQ and the "so-so" BBQ that is available in this part of the country. Unfortunately, most of the BBQ I have had lately has fallen into the "so-so" category. Oh well...what AZ lacks in BBQ, they certainly make up for in excellent Mexican food.
Needless to say, I crave BBQ from time to time. At least when I make it at home, I can get a good facsimile of BBQ...but certainly not the real deal. Even when we use our smoker, it still only partially meets my expectations. I don't know what it is...I think it is some sort of Southern magic that makes the BBQ down there so good.

Well, tonight's meal is a dumbed-down version of traditional BBQ pulled pork. I had part of a pork loin to use up, so I decided to take the easy way out and put it in the slow cooker. I have never tried this method before, but it is kinda like the way I make my BBQ ribs. The only difference is that I boil my ribs in beer first, then I slather 'em with a rub, and then throw 'em on the grill or smoker. I hope that I will get a similar result by cooking them in beer, in the crock pot. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I am also making homemade whole wheat hamburger buns (a first...see separate post) and fresh cole slaw to go with these sandwiches. All in all, this should be a tasty and comforting dinner.


Jen's Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 pork loin (mine is about 2 lbs.)
1/2 bottle of your favorite beer (I used Foster's)
1/3 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
2 smashed fresh garlic cloves
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

About 1 teaspoon of the following spices:
paprika
onion powder
minced onion
garlic powder
Cajun blackening seasoning (I use Paul Prudhomme's Steak Magic)

Directions:
Place pork loin in slow cooker, fat side up. Sprinkle pork with spices, including salt and pepper. Add beer, water, and garlic cloves. Add Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours (depending on how fast/hot your slow cooker runs). With a large spoon, baste pork with juices every two hours (this step is optional--if you decide to do it, work quickly and get the lid back on fast). When cooking is complete, pull pork out of slow cooker. Pour slow cooker liquid into a separate bowl and set aside. Place pork back into slow cooker and shred the meat with fork or pull it apart with fingers. Pour 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid back into the meat (maybe more depending on how much meat you have and how saucy you like your pulled pork). Mix shredded meat with 1/2 to 1 full bottle of BBQ sauce (once again,the quantity will depend on how saucy you like your meat). Mix thoroughly. Cook on high for an additional 1/2 hour with lid on (if you need it thicker, leave the lid off). Serve mixture on buns 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.

Jen's Notes:
I don't have bagged cole slaw mix, so I am just going to make my own. I shredded 1/2 head of cored green cabbage, 1/2 head of cored red cabbage, and 4 peeled carrots in the food processor. Then, I just followed the directions for the dressing and tossed with the salad greens. Yum! I can't wait for dinner!



The Result:
Delicious, comforting, yummy. Perfect, Perfect, Perfect!!! Seriously good eats.

I love that our whole meal tonight was basically all homemade, without any processed ingredients (with the exception of the BBQ sauce). I feel a certain sense of accomplishment...some sort of strange version of pride. I don't know...I just really like taking care of my family and making sure they have wholesome, nutritious foods to eat. I guess I could call it "job satisfaction", since as a stay-at-home mom, my main focus is taking care of our house and family. I sometimes feel guilty over 'not enough vegetables' or 'cooking with canned, condensed soup and tater tots'. Like a lot of people, I sometimes cut corners to get dinner on the table. I need to remember that it's only an occasional thing. I need to cut myself some slack and remind myself that more often than not, I do make an effort to keep healthy and economical meals on our table. Okay...I am done patting myself on the back....

Anyway, I froze the remainder of my hamburger buns, except for one. I plan to have another one of these sandwiches tomorrow for lunch!

Jen's Cajun Fish Sandwiches with Cole Slaw, Potatoes, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We have been pretty busy this weekend with running errands, cleaning house, and getting ready for my mom to visit. I needed a fast dinner that was fairly healthy, and not very fussy. I bought some Tilapia at Costco the other day, so I decided that fish was the way to go tonight. Instead of searching around for a new recipe, I adapted the recipe for Blackened Fish Tacos to a sandwich version. I will skip the 'result' post later and just tell you it turned out great. It was exactly what I wanted for dinner. Yum! Not fancy; but definitely tasty.
I served it with some baked (microwaved) potatoes, fresh, roasted Brussels sprouts (which I actually liked...they are a lot less bitter than the frozen variety), and I used cole slaw as the sandwich topping. I found a bag of pre-shredded cole slaw mix on sale for .50 cents today at the grocery store (score!), then I just made a simple dressing for it. I think the whole process took me right around a half hour to put together. I love it when I get a good return for minimal effort!

Jen's Cajun Fish Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of canola oil
4 Tilapia 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 (I used hamburger buns)
Cole Slaw for topping

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.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh Brussels sprouts
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut stem end off each Brussels sprout and discard. Also, discard any yellow or damaged outer leaves.

On a large sheet pan, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper.(It is okay if a few individual leaves fall off.) Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure they brown evenly on all sides.

Jen's Mexican Style Cole Slaw

Here is my cole slaw recipe. It is loosly based on Beth's Broccoli Slaw dressing, but I added cilantro,red onion, and lemon/lime juices to give it more of a Mexican feel. I wanted the flavors to be better suited for tacos, rather than a traditional American picnic slaw...but it could easily be adjusted to be a regular cole slaw recipe.

Jen's Mexican Style Cole Slaw

Slaw:
½ head of green cabbage, shredded
1-2 shredded carrots
½ of a large red onion, shredded
½ cup of chopped cilantro

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

Directions:
Combine slaw ingredients in bowl and gently combine thoroughly, without breaking apart. In a separate bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and stir until smooth with a wire whisk. Pour dressing over slaw and gently fold mixture to combine.

Beth's Broccoli Slaw

Yum! My friend Beth from MOMS Club brought this over last week, and I have not stopped thinking about it since. I have issues...
Only someone who likes to cook and eat would daydream about broccoli. This is super-simple and very refreshing...perfect summertime food. Thanks for a great recipe Beth!

Beth's Broccoli Slaw

In large bowl mix:
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets and finely chop about 1/2 of the stalks, cut about 15 baby carrots. Approx 1/2 cup of raisins, Approx 1/4 cup of cashews.

In medium bowl mix:
1 cup mayo, 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Directions:
Pour Mayo mixture over broccoli mixture, toss, and chill for minimum of 1 hour before serving.

Jen's Notes:
I added 2 stalks of finely chopped celery, too.