Erin's Eatery

Bryan's Bangin' Po-tat Salad

2011-10-10T12:25:00.006-04:00

Already with a delicious pasta salad under his belt, Bryan decided to try and conquer a potato salad. He took his pasta salad inspiration and actually created a masterpiece. With some key additions such as bacon and eggs, this has become a hit in our household and at parties.

A Bryan Arkins Original

Ingredients
3 baking potatoes
4 eggs
4 bacon strips
2 celery stalks
8 baby carrots (or 1 regular carrot)
1/2 onion
1 jalapeno
1 T cilantro
2 garlic cloves (mashed)
1/2 cup (light) mayo
1 T dijon mustard
1 t apple cider vinegar
1/2 T pepper
1/2 t cayenne
1 t paprika
1 t sugar

Directions
1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot with some salt. Add quartered potatoes and cook for 12 – 15 minutes or until firm. Cut into sized chunks, make sure they are FULLY cooked!

2. While potatoes are boiling, put the eggs into a saucepan and cover with chilled water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and cover for 12-15 minutes. Peel / scoop out eggs and dice.

3. Cook the bacon strips in the microwave for roughly 3 minutes. Don’t overcook. Dice when finished.

4. Dice the rest of the ingredients and combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir gently. Add additional season to taste.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

2011-06-21T12:18:00.000-04:00

I knew this meal would be a hit because it has two of my favorite ingredients (cheese and pasta) as well as one of Bryan's favorite (Buffalo sauce). Although the picture is not the prettiest, this was absolutely delicious and we loved every bite!

Adapted from how Sweet it is

Ingredients
1 pound pasta (I used orecchiette)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz. grated monterey jack cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/3 cup plain crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
chopped green onions

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color.

4. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

5. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix thoroughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with green onions (or serve on the side). Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.

Lime-Soaked Cumin-Crusted Flank Steak

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

A very flavorful way to enjoy flank steak. Goes great with some spicy poblano corn salad.

Adapted from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures

Ingredients
2 lbs flank steak
1 cup fresh lime juice (about 8 limes)

Rub
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1. Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the lime juice over it. Cover the dish and let it stand in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally.

2. In a small bowl, combine all the rub ingredients and mix well. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and rub it all over with the spice rub, pressing gently to be sure it sticks.

3. Pre-heat grill to medium. Place the steak on the grill and cook until well-seared on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook to the desired doneness, about 4 minutes more for rare.

4. Remove the steak from the heat, cover it loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

5. Slice the steak as thin as possible against the grain and serve.

Spicy Poblano Corn Salad

2011-05-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

This is a super tasty side dish that went perfectly with grilled steak. I enjoyed all the fresh ingredients the recipe included. Bryan LOVED the flavor and we look forward to serving this to guests.

Adapted from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures

Ingredients
5 ears of corn
1/2 medium Vidalia onion, thickly sliced crosswise
1 poblano pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (fat free) sour cream Greek yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt
pepper
sugar

Directions
1. Preheat grill. Brush the corn, onion slices and 2 peppers with olive oil. Grill over moderately high heat until charred in spots, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut the kernels from the cobs and coarsely chop the onion. Peel skin from the peppers, remove seeds and chop.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream with the lime juice and fresh cilantro. Stir in the charred corn, onions and peppers. Season the corn salad with salt and pepper to taste. Add sugar to tone down heat and serve immediately.

Basic Baked Potato

2011-04-18T16:44:00.005-04:00

Adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients
One Large Russet Potato
Canola Oil
Kosher Salt

Directions
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Wash and scrub potato. Pat dry.

2. Poke potato 8-10 times with a fork then coat withe oil.

3. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place in middle rack of oven.

4. Bake for one hour or until skin is crisp.

5. Serve with desired toppings. My favorites are butter, sour cream and shredded cheese!

Menu Plans 11-22-10

2010-11-22T14:30:00.004-05:00

Monday - Chana Masala, Brown Rice
Tuesday - Pizza Out!
Wednesday - Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles
Thursday - Thanksgiving!
Friday - TBD

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Cold Sesame Noodle Salad

2010-10-14T13:40:00.004-04:00

This is a great dish to make ahead for a quick dinner or side dish since it’s served cold. Plus, all the colors look so pretty together. :)

Adapted from Good Life Eats

Ingredients
7.5 oz. whole wheat angel hair pasta
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 bunch of scallions, sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 head of red cabbage, sliced thin
Large handful matchstick cut carrots
3/4 cup shelled edamame, cooked
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, rinse under cold water.

2. To make dressing, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, crushed red pepper, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add noodles and vegetables, toss to coat. Top with sesame seeds.

3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 10-11-10

2010-10-11T07:11:00.003-04:00

I'm back! Whew, it's been a while. After a two and a half week vacation and a week and a half recovery/detox, I'm ready to get back in the swing of things! Hope you didn't miss me too much... :)

Sunday - Grilled Filet Mignon, Mashed Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes, Salad
Monday - Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, Garlic Roasted Zucchini and Mushrooms
Tuesday - Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Wednesday - Leftovers after Volleyball
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones - Defending champions from last week!
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Menu Plans 09-06-10

2010-09-07T12:48:00.002-04:00

Monday - Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork and Chicken Sandwiches from our Labor Day BBQ
Tuesday - Shrimp with Mango and Basil, Jasmine Rice, Side Salad
Wednesday - Frozen Pierogi's, Habanero Chicken Sausage, Roasted Okra
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out

Spicy Tuna Kobachi

2010-08-31T16:58:00.003-04:00

Without a doubt, pretty much anytime we eat sushi out we’ll start with a spicy tuna kobachi. It’s SO GOOD! I had heard that a local produce and meat market sold frozen sushi grade tuna so I went and checked it out. Seriously, it was $6.99 a pound. You can’t beat that! The filets came in individually vacuum sealed pouches of about 4 oz. each. I thawed them the day I made this so they would be fresh.

This recipe was absolutely delicious! I’m so happy with how it came out. A small warning though – if you’re not a fan of some spice, you might want to reduce the amount of Sriracha you use. One teaspoon gave it a good amount of kick.

Adapted from Gina’s WW Recipes

Ingredients
13 oz. sushi grade ahi tuna, finely chopped (or however much you have)
2 tsp pure sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (to taste)
2 tbsp scallions, minced
1/2 ripe, firm hass avocado, diced
1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions
1. Mix diced sushi and avocado in a medium bowl.

2. Combine sesame oil, rice wine, lime juice, soy sauce and sriracha sauce. Pour over diced tuna and mix to coat all pieces.

3. Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-30-10

2010-08-30T20:22:00.000-04:00

Monday - Spicy Tuna Kobachi, Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
Tuesday - Dinner Out After Softball
Wednesday - Jerk Chicken Kabobs, Rice
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Amber's Birthday Celebration!
Saturday - Dinner Out

Avocado Baked Mahi

2010-08-27T17:14:00.004-04:00

So I heard there might be some interest in a fish recipe on the blog. Both Bryan and I enjoy fish but we never really cook it at home. I’m not sure why… Mahi was on sale at the grocery store this week so I decided this was good time to attempt cooking fish at home. I found a recipe that looked pretty good with a creamy avocado sauce. My problem with fish is I’m not quite sure how to tell when it’s done. I pulled these out after 13 minutes and they definitely needed more time. We stuck them back in for another 5 minutes or so. I enjoyed the final product and really liked the avocado sauce on top.

Adapted from Cara’s Cravings

Ingredients
1/2 of an avocado, pureed
1 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt (14gm)
1 tbsp minced scallion, green part only
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash of salt
2 Mahi Mahi filets, 6 oz. each
coarsely ground black pepper

Directions
1. Whisk together the avocado, yogurt, scallion, garlic, Worcestershire, ginger, and salt.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an oven-safe skillet or baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the fish in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Spread 1-2 tbsp of the avocado mixture on top of each and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

3. Warm the remaining avocado mixture gently in the microwave (low heat for about 30 seconds; you can thin with a little water if you like). When ready to serve the fish, drizzle with warm avocado sauce and sprinkle with black pepper.

The Facts
2 Servings

Chili-Lime Shrimp

2010-08-27T16:22:00.003-04:00

I love shrimp because there are so many different flavor combinations you can cook with them. They are also a tasty low calorie protein option and they cook super fast. This was another successful dish with shrimp. The butter mixed in at the end gives the dish a taste of richness. I added a bit of water to the final mix to make for some extra sauce to serve over the rice. I enjoyed this meal and look forward to making it again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
Cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tbsp Smart Balance buttery spread, or butter
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onions; coat onions with cooking spray. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

2. Add shrimp and chili powder; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3. Add lime juice, butter, and salt, and stir until butter melts. Add 2-4 tbsp water if a thinner sauce is desired. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup onions and serve.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-23-10

2010-08-23T11:15:00.004-04:00

Monday - Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Tijuana Kitchen Rice
Tuesday - Avocado Baked Mahi, Roasted Red Potatoes, Side Salad
Wednesday - Sriracha Poultry Meatballs, Asian Noodles
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Rolled Greens

2010-08-17T09:27:00.001-04:00

This was my first attempt at cooking collard greens, and I must say, they didn’t come out too bad! Bryan has been craving a good southern meal for a while so, this week I set out to make fried chicken and collard greens healthy. I started with two bunches of fresh organic collards from Whole Foods. You can easily use the pre cut bagged version, but I figured if I wanted to make some true collards, let’s start from the beginning.

I rinsed and chopped the greens and realized they were going to shrink drastically while cooking. There was NO WAY I had enough for four people. The original recipe called for collards OR kale; I randomly had kale in the fridge as well, so into the pan than went too! The end result was a tasty greens dish with a hint of bacon flavor. Yum! I would make this again for sure.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 bunches of collard greens
1 bunch of kale
1 tsp olive oil
2 bacon slices, finely diced
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Remove stems from greens. Wash and pat dry. Stack 4 or 5 collard leaves together, and roll up holding tightly. Slice thinly. Chop kale as well.

2. Heat oil in a large pan until hot. Add bacon; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until soft.

3. Add greens in 4 batches; cook 1 minute after each addition, stirring frequently. Cook an additional 25 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

The Facts
6 Servings

Menu Plans 08-16-10

2010-08-16T15:00:00.004-04:00

Monday - Oven-Fried Chicken with Waffles and Rolled Collard Greens
Tuesday - Chili Lime Shrimp, Rice, Spicy Crispy Kale with Lime
Wednesday - Spaghetti and Chicken Sausage, Side Salad
Thursday - TBD
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Spicy Shrimp, Chorizo and Cheese Grits

2010-08-11T21:57:00.004-04:00

Oh, Yum! This dish had an all around great flavor. We’ve seen shrimp and grits on tons of restaurant menus, but have never actually ordered them. When I saw this recipe, I figured it would be fun to recreate this dish with a healthy spin. I rarely buy sausage, but for some reason a pack of chorizo caught my eye at Whole Foods one day. I loved that it was all natural with a lot less fat than your typical sausage links. I tossed them in the freezer and knew this was the perfect recipe to use them in. The sausage had a kick of spice complemented nicely by the seasonings in the rest of the dish. I would definitely make this meal again!

**Please note that nutrition is calculated using the chorizo referenced above. I believe a different brand will drastically alter the calorie and fat content.

Adapted from Cooking Light and Cooking Light

Ingredients
Shrimp and Sausage:
Cooking spray
3/4 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
6 oz all natural Chorizo sausage, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water

Cheese Grits:
2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned grits
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp hot sauce
1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese (approx 1/4 cup)

Directions
1. For grits, bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes (or per package directions). Stir in milk. Remove from heat; add remaining ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.

2. While grits cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp, seasoning, and black pepper, tossing to coat. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Coat pan with cooking spray again. Add chopped peppers; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add reserved shrimp mixture and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup water; cook 30 seconds, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes.

4. Serve shrimp and sausage mixture over cheese grits.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-09-10

2010-08-09T22:05:00.004-04:00

Monday - Spicy Shrimp, Sausage and Cheese Grits with Side Salad
Tuesday - Grilled Steak, Roasted Broccoli and Okra, Parmesan Orzo
Wednesday - Shredded Mexican Chicken Tacos, Spicy Black Beans
Thursday - TBD
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

2010-08-09T13:29:00.004-04:00

I asked Bryan to help me with the dinner menu, and he came up with this amazing recipe. He loves orecchiette styled pasta at restaurants, so I think that’s what drew him in. However, have you ever tried to find orecchiette at the local grocery store? Ha, that was an adventure. Two grocery stores later, we came home with a $5 pound of imported pasta from Italy. This better be good.

Luckily, the dish was very tasty and we both enjoyed it. The pasta was almost doughy like a small dumpling. I’m sure this recipe would work well with other pasta shapes too; maybe medium shells? I doubled the recipe for company without any issues. I would recommend serving this with a simple grilled chicken.

Adapted from Food Network: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
6 oz. dried orecchiette pasta
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook per the package instructions, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens.

3. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve.

The Facts
3 Servings

Menu Plans 08-02-10

2010-08-03T14:06:00.004-04:00

Better late than never! :)

Monday - Home-made Lasagna at Joanne's
Tuesday - Sweet Chili Pulled Chicken, Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese
Wednesday - Sweet and Spicy Shrimp, Yellow Rice, Roasted Broccoli
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out

Pasta with Herbed Goat Cheese

2010-08-02T15:07:00.003-04:00

This was a super easy and delicious side dish. I’ve been enjoying goat cheese in my salads and at restaurants a lot recently so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I simplified the recipe by omitting the sautéed tomatoes. While I’m sure they would add a lot of flavor – one less pan to clean was kind of nice! I would easily make this again as a simple side to complement some grilled chicken or steak. I halved the recipe below and it was plenty for the two of us.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta
3 oz garlic and herb-flavored goat cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add goat cheese, salt, pepper and broth to pasta; stir until well blended.

The Facts
6 Servings

Chicken Sate Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Jicama Slaw

2010-07-27T16:22:00.003-04:00

This recipe gave me a chance to work with a brand new (to me) ingredient. – jicama! Prior to this, my only encounter has been on salad bars where it is typically julienned. It was interesting to see the root vegetable, closely related to the potato in its natural state. I googled how to work with the jicama and it was really quite easy.

The slaw took a lot of time to prep due to all the chopping required. I would recommend tackling that task the night before. However, once it was ready to go, the rest of the recipe came together quite quickly. We enjoyed this meal as a nice light dinner prior to Bryan’s volleyball game. It was definitely enough to feel satisfied but not be weighed down. I bet this would make a good lunch served cold as well.

Adapted from Cara’s Cravings

Ingredients
Slaw
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste
about 1 cup diced pineapple (150gm)
about 1 cup julienned jicama (100gm)

Chicken Sate
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1.5 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 lime, juiced and zested
pinch of crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Peanut Sauce
3 tbsp PB2, mixed with a little water
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp chili paste with garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar

10 leaves Boston Bibb lettuce, washed and dried

Directions
1 Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve.

2. For the chicken sate, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper, and garlic. Slice the chicken into thin strips and toss with the marinade in a bowl or shallow baking dish. Let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature, or up to an hour in the refrigerator.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the peanut sauce ingredients.

4. Preheat large pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard marinade. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and chop chicken into bite sized pieces.

5. Serve chicken in lettuce leaves with pineapple-jicama slaw and peanut dipping sauce. Enjoy!

The Facts
Four Servings, Including Sauce

Menu Plans 07-26-10

2010-07-26T10:30:00.000-04:00

Saturday - Smoked Lamb with Mint Salsa Verde, Pasta with Herbed Goat Cheese, Pan Roasted Asparagus
Monday - Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Tuesday - Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos, Chili Lime Rice
Wednesday - Chicken Shawarma, Taboule Salad, Veggies and Hummus
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out
Saturday - TBD

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Greek-American Lamb Gyros

2010-07-21T09:26:00.003-04:00

I don’t even know where to start with these. They were SO incredibly good! Bryan and I enjoyed every single bite of this popular Greek meal. I made gyros a few months ago, but the recipe I used just wasn’t that great or worth sharing. While making our dinner menu for the week, Bryan requested gyros again. I obviously wasn’t crazy about the first recipe so I went on the hunt for a new and improved one. I stumbled across this article. Here, some chef did a food lab experiment of different methods for making gyros at home. Perfect! I read through it and really liked what he described, so I went for it!

To add to my growing collection of kitchen electronics and gadgets, I bought the meat grinder attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Wowsa, that thing was awesome! Way better than my previous method using the food processor. We bought a boneless lamb leg roast (from Costco, ha!). I portioned out about a pound of meat and froze the rest. I trimmed some of the fat prior to grinding, however I made sure to leave enough as this is the main binding ingredient. I omitted the bacon and had no issues. Otherwise, I followed the recipe in its entirety.

The end result was delicious, perfectly juicy, well seasoned lamb slices. The only change I would make next time would be to flip the meat and broil on BOTH sides. I highly recommend reading the food lab article to see the entire process and importance of each step. We enjoyed our gyros on wheat pita flatbreads with Tzaztiki from the local Mediterranean restaurant as well as an amazing garbanzo bean salad and barley salad from the same restaurant. We completed the gyros with tomatoes, red onion and crumbled feta. I can’t WAIT to make these again!

Adapted from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on Serious Eats

Ingredients
1 lb ground lamb
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp picked fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 clove garlic, sliced

Directions
1. Combine lamb, salt, pepper, and oregano in medium bowl. Mix with hands until homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Place cold mixture in bowl of food processor with onion and garlic. Process until smooth puree is formed, about 1 minute total, scraping down sides with rubber spatula as necessary.

3. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. With moist hands, form meat mixture into rectangle about 1 1/2 inches high, 8-inches long, and 5-inches wide. Bake until center of loaf reads 155°F on an instant read thermometer, about 30-40 minutes. Allow loaf to rest at room temperature for 10-15 (or refrigerate for up to a week).

4. Adjust broiler rack to highest position (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches from broiler element) and preheat broiler. Slice loaf crosswise into 1/8th to 1/4-inch strips (each strip should be about 5-inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide). Lay strips on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil until edges are brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Serve on warmed pita flatbread with Tzaztiki, red onions, tomatoes and feta.

The Facts
4 Servings (Meat Only)

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

2010-07-20T10:35:00.004-04:00

Have you ever ordered steamed clams (or mussels) at a restaurant with that delicious wine/garlic/etc. broth? You know, the kind you can dip endless amount of bread in and savor every bite? Yes, yum? That’s what I was going for with this dish; of course with some linguini so it was an actual dinner and not an appetizer. I must say, this came out quite tasty!

They had fresh clams at Costco this weekend, so on a whim we grabbed a bag for dinner this week. I browsed google for some recipes and found a good one to serve as my base. I did however make quite a few changes as the original only called for twelve clams (yes, TWELVE). Well, I had four pounds, and although I didn’t actually count, there were significantly more than twelve little clams. There’s really no rhyme or reason to the amount of everything I used, but it worked well for the dish. A work of caution on the red pepper flakes – it was rather spicy so I’d recommend using only half a teaspoon. I also added some clam juice just to make sure there was plenty of broth for some good bread dipping.

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Everything came together rather quickly, at least once the clams were scrubbed (that takes me forever!). This is a great dish to serve for company, everyone will enjoy it!

Adapted from Healthy. Delicious.

Ingredients
1 box – 13.25 oz whole wheat linguini
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
6-8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup white wine
1 cup clam juice
4 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed well
2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Prepare the linguini according to the directions on the package.

2. While that cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure your skillet is actually large enough to hold all your clams! Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, red pepper, and oregano and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
3. Stir in the wine and clam juice. Cook for a few minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Add the clams, cover, and steam for about 7-10 minutes or until all the clams open. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the half a cup of clam sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.

5. Serve pasta, topped with clams and additional sauce, and some crusty bread for dipping if desired.

The Facts
6 Servings

Menu Plans 07-19-10

2010-07-19T08:28:00.003-04:00

Sunday – Thanksgiving in July! Our contribution: Sweet Potato Casserole
Monday – Linguini with White Clam Sauce
Tuesday – Lamb Gyros, Tzazitiki with Cucumbers
Wednesday – Chicken Sate Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Jicama Slaw
Thursday – Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday – Dinner Out

**Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Chinese Five-Spice Steak

2010-07-14T14:21:00.002-04:00

I had an extra flank steak left over from a dinner I hosted a few weeks ago so I turned to Cooking Light for a good recipe. After narrowing down the options, I decided to go with this one, with one major alteration. Instead of pre slicing the beef and cooking the strips, we chose to marinate the steak whole, grill it, THEN slice it. Our reasoning behind this was to achieve more of a medium to medium rare steak versus well done pieces. This method made for a more tender and juicy meat.

I also added broccoli to the original recipe. This rounded out the meal with some veggies which tasted delicious in the sauce. We definitely enjoyed this meal, however if I make it again, I will double the sauce / marinade. Between cooking the steak differently than originally called out and adding the broccoli, there really wasn’t any sauce leftover to soak into the rice. Everything had a great flavor, it just would have been nice to have a little extra.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 (1.5 pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 tbsp minced green onions
2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1 head of broccoli, chopped – florets only
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Directions
1. Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and steak in a large dish. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking oil and add minced green onions and garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

3. Meanwhile, pre-heat grill to medium-high (350*) and remove steak from marinade. Once grill is hot, reduce heat to medium low and grill steak 7-8 minutes per side, until cooked through.

5. Remove steak from grill and allow to rest a few minutes before slicing into 1/4 inch strips.

6. While steak grills, add broccoli and remaining marinade to skillet. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 5-10 minutes, until broccoli reached desired tenderness.

7. Stir in green onion pieces and chopped basil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Immediately before serving, combine steak slices with broccoli and enjoy over rice or rice noodles.

The Facts
4 Servings

Pan-Seared Scallops with Bacon and Spinach

2010-07-13T13:52:00.003-04:00

Yum! This dish was absolutely delicious! Once the bacon hit the pan, the kitchen was immediately filled with an amazing aroma. Both Bryan and I couldn’t wait for dinner to be served. I bought fresh scallops from the seafood road show at Costco as well as spinach in bulk. Twelve ounces looked like a TON of spinach, but it cooked down a lot. I prepped all the ingredients before hand to allow for quicker cooking. Make sure you wait for the skillet to cool slightly before adding the garlic and onions to avoid burning. Overall, this was a great meal that I’m sure I’ll make again. I enjoyed cooking with some other seafood besides shrimp.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 center-cut bacon slices
1 1/2 lbs sea scallops
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, sliced
12 oz. fresh baby spinach

Directions
1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan; coarsely chop and set bacon aside.

2. Increase heat to high. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle scallops evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add scallops to drippings in pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.

3. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add half of spinach; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add remaining half of spinach; cook 2 minutes or just until wilted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

4. Divide spinach mixture among 4 plates; top each serving evenly with crumbled bacon and scallops. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 07-12-10

2010-07-12T10:44:00.007-04:00

So after 2.5 weeks without AC, a holiday week with company in town and countless dinners out, things are FINALLY getting back to normal around here! When it was 90 degrees in our house (NO, I'm NOT exaggerating), cooking in the kitchen was just not an option. The heat was unbearable. I am looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and preparing some fresh home cooked meals for us to enjoy.

Monday - Pan-Seared Scallops with Bacon and Spinach, Pasta Side

Tuesday - Chinese 5 Spice Steak, Brown Rice, Broccoli

Wednesday - Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Melon Salsa, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini

Thursday - Home Made Pizza, Salad

Friday - TBD

*Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Menu Plans 06-21-10

2010-06-21T11:01:00.003-04:00

Monday - Lobster Tacos with Avocado, Sweet Potato Chips, Salad
Tuesday - Grilled Filet Mignon, Parmesan Orzo, Zucchini Chips
Wednesday - Honey Mustard Chicken, Brown Rice, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Girls Night Out!
Saturday - TBD

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Anniversary Dinner Recap

2010-06-18T10:29:00.009-04:00

Bryan and I were married one year ago on Saturday June 13, 2009. I can’t believe it’s already been a year; it seriously flew by! We decided to celebrate with a nice dinner out at The Ravenous Pig. You may remember we ate there for the first time on my birthday a few months ago. Bryan made reservations a few weeks ago online and mentioned that we were celebrating our first anniversary.

We arrived thirty minutes early to enjoy a few pre dinner beers at the bar. We checked in at the hostess stand and they said whenever we were ready to be seated to let them know. After enjoying a beer and some candied popcorn we headed to our table.

Last time we eyed the ‘House-made Charcuterie and Artisan Cheese’ but decided to save it for a special occasion. This was the perfect time to try it! The gourmet meat and cheese board had four different types of salami, two prosciuttos, a wedge of gouda and a wedge of bleu cheese. On the side were thick bread slices cooked in bacon grease which were amazing! The sampler was delicious; however I’m not sure we’d order it on a normal basis – definitely a special occasion appetizer.

We also decided to split the Farmer salad: bitter greens, house smoked bacon, parmesan, soft boiled egg, Caesar vinaigrette and brioche croutons. The egg is served whole on top of the salad. Our server recommended we break the egg up and mix it well with the greens. Oh my, the runny yolk was fantastic on the salad! And the bacon was cut into large, chewy chunks – yum! The entire salad was full of flavor.

For my entrée, I ordered “Grilled Local Cobia.” It was served with Charlie’s new potatoes, grilled artichokes, green olive tapenade and pickled gypsy peppers. The fish was very tender and I loved the artichokes. I’m not a huge fan of green olives, but the tapenade was the perfect complement to the Cobia. This is definitely a dish I would order again.

Bryan went with the “48 Hour Short Rib.” The beef was served over mustard spaetzle, Vidalia onion puree and charred radicchio and topped with rye sauerkraut. The meat was a perfect medium and melted in your mouth. Bryan definitely enjoyed his meal, but I’m pretty sure my fish was better. ;)

And what’s a special celebration without dessert?? Being the chocolate fiend that I am, I ordered the dark chocolate-raspberry tart while Bryan ordered the Florida peach-blackberry crisp with toffee crunch ice cream. Up until this point, the restaurant had not acknowledged that we were celebrating our anniversary as Bryan had stated when he made the reservation. But check out the dessert spread:

This was an awesome surprise and I really like how they handled our special day. The hostess on the way out even wished us Happy Anniversary as we were leaving.

Back to the desserts, in one word: FABULOUS. They were a perfect ending to a wonderful dinner with my husband. Looking forward to another dinner here soon as well as many more happy years with my love.

Shrimp and Penne with Spinach Sauce

2010-06-15T13:36:00.002-04:00

Mmm, this was a very enjoyable dish. It had grains, veggies and protein all in one! It was a nice change of pace to not have to worry about cooking/prepping two or three different things. They pasta sauce had a great creamy texture to it, and the spinach added a bring pop of green. I added the shrimp to the original recipe. I found that the shrimp put off a little liquid in cooking making the use of the reserved pasta water unnecessary. I also wilted the spinach slightly to take off the cool crunch. Bryan and I both agree this recipe is a keeper.

Adapted from Mia Cucina

Ingredients
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
10 oz. whole wheat penne
3 garlic cloves
2 oz. goat cheese
1 oz. fat free cream cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook per the box directions.

2. Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.

3. Meanwhile, add pre heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Spray skillet with olive oil and add the shrimp. Sauté until pink and cooked through.

4. During the last minute of shrimp cooking, add remaining spinach and mix until wilted. Remove mixture from heat and add to large bowl.

5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach and shrimp in the bowl.

6. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 06-14-10

2010-06-14T20:37:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, our AC in the house died Friday, so we've temporarily moved into my mom's house for the week. Hopefully it will be fixed soon... In the meantime we've loaded up two dogs, a week's worth of clothes as well as a cooler full of food for the week! I had a lot of fresh produce in the house so I we could enjoy it before it went bad. My menu this week isn't too exciting as I was trying to use what we had on hand.

Monday - Gators Dockside (Because we're on this side of town, so why not?!?)
Tuesday - Shrimp, Couscous, Salad
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Chicken Sausage, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - TBD

Sangria Chicken

2010-06-10T12:37:00.001-04:00

This dish was definitely reminiscent of sangria! The wine and orange marmalade gave the chicken a delicious fruity flavor. This would have been great served with grapes (per the original recipe) how ever my grocery store trip never happened this week so I made do with what we already had on hand. I substituted reduced sugar marmalade and this resulted in a thinner sauce. It never really thickened up, but still tasted great. We used the leftover sauce to dip our chicken for extra flavor.

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade, reduced sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lime, cut into wedges
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and spray lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides. Add chicken to a baking dish and roast until cooked through – about 20 minutes.

3. While chicken is cooking, simmer wine and marmalade in a small saucepan until thickened and reduced to about half.

4. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Add to baking dish with chicken, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Garnish with lime wedges (and grapes if you have them!).

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 06-07-10

2010-06-07T13:19:00.000-04:00

Monday - Sangria Chicken, Orange Jasmine Rice, Salad
Tuesday - Penne with Spinach Sauce, Sautéed Shrimp, Roasted Patty Pan Squash (CSA!)
Wednesday - Jack Daniel's Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, Baked Beans, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones?
Friday - TBD or Dinner Out
Saturday - Anniversary Dinner Out! Celebrating one year. :)

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Crunchy Peanut & Panko Shrimp

2010-06-04T07:09:00.003-04:00

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for a few months now. When I originally saw it pop up on Google Reader, it was the first time I’d heard about PB2 and I was intrigued. A low calorie peanut butter? Yes please! I immediately ordered some, however when I checked my order status a few weeks later, it was BACKORDERED! I finally received it 3 months after ordering it and immediately put this recipe on the menu.

In the end, I have to say I was slightly disappointed (with the shrimp, not the PB2!). I don’t feel like it had the peanut taste I was looking for. Perhaps some additional PB2 should be mixed in the panko mixture? The shrimp were good, just lacked the peanut flavor. I served this with a dipping sauce hoisin mixed with some chili garlic paste.

Adapted from Cara’s Cravings

Ingredients
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
1/4 cup egg substitute
4 tbsp (24gm) PB2
1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
dash of chili powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Add the shrimp to a large zipper bag along with the PB2. Close the bag and shake to coat the shrimp thoroughly.

2. Place the egg substitute in a bowl. In a mini food processor or blender, pulse together the panko and chili powder to combine evenly and create a finer crumb; pour the mixture onto a plate.

3. Place a cooling rack atop a baking sheet, and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Dip each shrimp into the egg substitute, and then the panko mixture. Set on top of the rack.

4. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through and coating is lightly browned.

The Facts
4 Servings

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

2010-06-02T20:32:00.004-04:00

Two coleslaws in two weeks? Looks like we’ve been on a cabbage kick lately! These sides make a great alternative for the typical salad I usually serve with dinner. A perfect way to switch it up a bit. This dish was very light and refreshing with a hint of Asian flare. My cabbage was larger than what the original recipe called for so I increased the other ingredients slightly as well.

Adapted from Apple A Day

Ingredients
1 head cabbage, sliced thinly (~300 grams)
1 carrot, grated (~100 grams)
6 green onions, sliced and dark green ends discarded
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1.25 tsp sesame oil
1.5 tsp lime juice
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and toss well to combine. Place in fridge and let stand at least one hour. Before serving, toss once more.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 05-31-10

2010-05-31T21:37:00.003-04:00

Monday - Smoked Chicken, Smoked Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad
Tuesday - Crunchy Peanut Panko Shrimp, Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad
Wednesday - Gyros, Tzaztiki and Cucumbers
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - TBD or Dinner Out

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Creamy Taco Mac

2010-05-28T16:27:00.004-04:00

Wow! This was amazing! So good, that when my husband snuck a bite, he tried to convince me it was bad I wouldn’t like it so HE could have the entire meal to himself. Ha! I lightened this meal up by using fat free cream cheese and sour cream. I promise you will never know the difference! The original recipe called for 1.25 pounds of turkey however my package had 1.5 pounds so I went with it. The recipe made 4 VERY large (and delicious!) servings. I’m fairly certain Bryan will be requesting this again in the near future.

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground turkey
8 oz dry whole wheat pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 oz fat free soft cream cheese
4 oz fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink.

3. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and serve.

The Facts
4 (Large) Servings

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

2010-05-27T13:00:00.002-04:00

Taco nights are always fun. This time, I decided to try some shrimp tacos instead of the typical chicken. The shrimp definitely had some kick to them! I chose to use Don’t be a Chicken Shit hot sauce from Tijuana Flats which was the main reason for the extra spiciness. I made the tomatillo salsa the night before (as well as the coleslaw) so dinner came together in about 10 minutes; Perfect for a quick dinner after work.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
Salsa:
3/4 lb tomatillos
Cooking spray
2/3 cup chopped green onions (about 4 green onions)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 tsp salt
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 garlic clove

Tacos:
1 lb medium peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Preheat broiler.

2. To prepare salsa, remove husks and stems from tomatillos. Place tomatillos on a foil lined pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 10-15 minutes or until slightly blackened on each side, turning occasionally. Cool completely; coarsely chop. Place tomatillos, onions, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 7 times or until coarsely chopped.

3. To prepare tacos, heat skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp to hot pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from heat and add to medium bowl.

4. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over shrimp and toss to coat.

5. Serve shrimp in tortilla of your choice, topped with coleslaw and tomatillo salsa.

The Facts
4 Servings – Shrimp & Salsa

Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

2010-05-26T21:18:00.005-04:00

This was absolutely delicious and SO FRESH! Bryan’s dad and step-mom have a garden in their back yard over flowing with heads of cabbage, carrots, corn, etc. Sunday night we picked a head of cabbage and homemade coleslaw seemed like the perfect use for it.

I wanted something light and not laden with creamy mayonnaise so I turned to CookLight.com. This was a simple recipe where I already had all the ingredients in the fridge. I was excited because I got to use the shredding disk on my sweet food processor for the first time. It turned a few whole carrots in to tiny bits in a matter of seconds! I omitted the onion (I’m SO not a fan of raw onions!) and subbed Greek Yogurt for the small amount of mayo the original recipe called for. This is a great light side dish for a summer BBQ or pot luck.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded (~400 grams)
1 cup grated carrot (~225 grams)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp Splenda
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
2 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Directions
1. Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.

2. Combine vinegar, Splenda, mustard, yogurt, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl; stir well.

3. Add the mustard mixture to cabbage mixture, and toss well to coat. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes, over night is even better. Stir before serving.

The Facts
4 Servings

Zucchini Oven Chips

2010-05-25T12:49:00.002-04:00

These were delicious! I try to vary the vegetables we eat weekly and my husband suggested some zucchini for this week’s menu. I searched for some recipes, and this one was a definite winner. I subbed panko for breadcrumbs which I think helped give the chips a little extra crunch. I’m sure this would taste great with yellow squash as well. I look forward to making this recipe again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1/4 cup whole wheat panko
1 oz. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp egg substitute
3 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch-thick

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place egg substitute in a shallow bowl. Add zucchini slices and stir to ensure each is thoroughly coated.

4. Once slice at a time, shake off excess egg and dredge in panko mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. (For a short cup, add panko mixture to 1 gallon Ziploc bag. Add zucchini slices. Shake! Place on wire rack and sprinkle excess mixture on top.)

5. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 05-24-10

2010-05-24T21:22:00.003-04:00

Monday - Grilled Filet Mignon, Baked Sweet Potato, Zucchini Oven Chips
Tuesday - Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa, Tangy Mustard Coleslaw
Wednesday - Creamy Taco Mac, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - TBD
Saturday - TBD

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Chicken Chipotle Burgers

2010-05-24T12:13:00.005-04:00

Bryan requested chili burgers for dinner during his birthday week, however we decided to change it up a bit and try chicken instead of ground turkey. I used less meat (1 lb vs. 1.5 lb) but kept the seasoning and add in amounts the same. I think this added more flavor to the burger which I liked. These were moist and juicy. I definitely enjoyed them, however if you’re looking for more of traditional burger type taste, stick with the original ground turkey (or even beef if you so please).

Adapted from A Previous Recipe I Made

Ingredients
1lb chicken breast
2 tbsp pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
Pinch black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1.5 tbsp egg substitute
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Add all ingredients to food processor. Pulse until chicken is ground and everything is well combined.

2. Form mixture into 4 even sized patties. Place patties on a piece of foil sprayed with cooking spray.

3. Carefully transfer foil with chicken patties to a preheated grill. Cook for 6 minutes a side. Flip directly onto grill grate and remove foil. Cook an additional 6 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink.

4. Serve on whole wheat buns with desired fixings. We enjoyed with sliced avocado, gruyere cheese and lettuce.

The Facts
4 Servings – Chicken Patty Only

Menu Plans 05-17-10

2010-05-17T21:07:00.004-04:00

Monday - Happy Birthday Bryan! Birthday dinner for my husband at his mom's house.
Tuesday - Chicken Habanero Sausage Sandwiches, Salad
Wednesday - Chili Burgers (might try with ground chicken instead of turkey), Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa, Yellow Rice, Salad

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Green Beans with Shallots

2010-05-17T10:01:00.004-04:00

Our latest CSA pick up came with a pound of fresh green beans! Finally, we're starting to get some fresh vegetables besides greens. (The abnormally cold winter set delayed the vegetables growth but we've been assured the remaining produce is almost ready!) I was looking for a simple recipe that wouldn't take away from the fresh flavor of the green beans. After browsing tons of ideas, I threw this one together. The shallot was a nice addition to the veggie without being overpowering. I really enjoyed this side!

Ingredients
1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
1 shallot, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp butter
salt
pepper

Directions
1. Cook green beans in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain.

2. Add butter to a skillet over medium heat until melted.

3. Add shallots and saute approximately 3 minutes, until tender.

4. Add green beans and salt and pepper to taste. Toss green beans in butter and saute until warmed through. Enjoy!

Moo Shu Chicken

2010-05-11T17:00:00.000-04:00

This was a great all in one dish: protein, veggies and whole grains. Yum! It was easy to make as well. Everything came together quite quickly, and with the help of my new rice cooker I didn’t have to wait 45 minutes for the brown rice to be ready. I threw some rice and water in the cooker, set the timer, and had freshly made rice ready at dinner time. The Moo Shu sauce was very good and I think it could easily be used as a stir fry with other veggies like broccoli or snap peas as well. I plan on using this recipe again.

Adapted from Proceed With Caution

Ingredients
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb sliced chicken breast
1 tbsp cooking oil (I used canola)
3 cups packaged shredded cabbage with carrots (coleslaw mix)

Directions
1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, honey/agave nectar and garlic. Set mixture aside.

2. Trim fat from chicken breast and cut chicken into thin, bite-size strips. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken for 2 or 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

3. Push meat from center of skillet. Stir in sauce. Push chicken and sauce to center. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

4. Add shredded cabbage with carrots to skillet. Stir ingredients together to coat with sauce. Serve over brown rice.

The Facts
4 Servings (Rice NOT Included)

Menu Plans 05-10-10

2010-05-10T11:14:00.003-04:00

Sunday - Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu, Parmesan Orzo, Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
Monday - Grilled Filet, Sweet Potatoes, FRESH Green Beans (from our CSA!)
Tuesday - Early Softball Game = Quick, Easy Dinner
Wednesday - Cajun Shrimp Alfredo, Salad
Thursday - TBD Chicken or Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out?

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

2010-05-09T22:07:00.004-04:00

Honestly, I wasn’t a big fan of these. I think the meatballs have potential…however to me, they were fairly bland. They tasted OK drenched in the dipping sauce, but then all I felt sodium overload from the soy sauce. Sigh. I can’t put my finger on what they were missing, but it’s definitely SOMETHING. Maybe more ginger or perhaps additional seasonings to spice it up some? I’ll let you decide.

Adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Ingredients
Meatballs:
1/4 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
1-1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce:
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 chopped fresh scallion

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500°F.

2. Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well.

3. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture.

4. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

5. For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.

6. Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.

7. Serve meatballs with remaining sauce.

The Facts
6 Servings of 2 Meatballs with Sauce

Menu Plans 05-03-10

2010-05-03T15:09:00.004-04:00

Monday - Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato and Provolone Chicken Sausage, Salad
Tuesday - Moo Shu Chicken, Brown Rice
Wednesday - Cinco De Mayo Dinner at Amber's! I'm bringing Salsa and Guacomole
Thursday - TBD, Bryan's playing golf until late
Friday - Out of town for the weekend.

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Chili-Garlic Shrimp

2010-05-01T16:39:00.003-04:00

This meal was light, quick and easy. I anticipated this recipe to produce more of a sauce to cover the cous cous I served the shrimp over, however there really wasn’t enough. The shrimp were good, but next time I might double the wine to have more of the flavored broth and then serve it over rice.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 (1/4-inch-thick) lemon slices
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp butter
Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions
1. Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly over shrimp. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, red pepper, garlic, and bay leaf to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add wine and lemon to pan. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer; cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf and lemon.

3. Add parsley and butter, stirring until butter melts. Serve shrimp and sauce over rice or pasta, if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

The Facts
4 Servings

Sweet Potato Gnocci

2010-04-27T10:08:00.004-04:00

These were slightly tedious to make, however I made the dough and boiled the gnocci the night before I planned on serving these for dinner. This cut down on actual prep time the day of cooking. The plus side to forming the gnocci ahead of time is that they only take a few minutes to sauté before serving making this a quick and easy week night meal. The sweet potato was delicious and I really enjoyed the hint of cinnamon. I’m looking forward to cooking the other half batch in my freezer.

Adapted from Kath Eats

Ingredients
1.5 lbs sweet potatoes
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 egg substitute
1.5-2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Bake sweet potatoes for about an hour, until a knife easily pushes through. It’s better to over bake than under.

2. Cut fully-baked potatoes lengthwise and open up to cool for 10-15 minutes.

3. Scrape skins and discard and place meat in a bowl (it will still be a little warm).

4. Add salt, cinnamon, and egg. Stir together until well-incorporated.

5. Begin adding flour. Start with probably 1 and 1/4 cups, and fold it in until well mixed. Continue adding flour until dough ball has lost 80% of its stickiness. Taste the dough to make sure it has enough salt/cinnamon.

6. Turn the dough ball out onto a floured surface. Knead it up into a tighter ball. Add additional flour as necessary to avoid sticking.

7. Divide dough into four smaller pieces and set each to the side.

8. Begin rolling each quarter into a long tube. Ideally, roll it until it’s about as thick as your finger. If the dough is breaking, just pinch it all back together. Don’t forget to use whatever flour you need.

9. Cut the tube into little nubs and set to the side.

10. Bring about 3-4qts of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes, until they float and dance around in the boil. Don’t overcrowd the pot (you can fit an entire dough tube in one gallon).

11. [At this point, you could freeze these cooked dumplings for later use. Just spread them on a baking sheet and put in your freezer. Once frozen, consolidate into a plastic bag.]

12. When ready to consume (thaw if previously frozen), heat a pan over med-high heat. Add your canola, butter, rosemary, and gnocchi and sauté for a few minutes, until they get a golden crust.

13. Serve and enjoy!

**I made a whole batch and froze one half right away. One half batch was plenty for two people!

Menu Plans 04-26-10

2010-04-26T20:00:00.000-04:00

Sunday - Chicken and Steak Fajitas, Chips and Salsa, Salad

Monday - Smoked Turkey Sausage, Sweet Potato Gnocci, Salad
Tuesday - Chili Garlic Shrimp over Pasta, Salad
Wednesday - Asian Turkey Meatballs, Cous Cous, Roasted Okra

Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones

Friday - TBD

**Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Restaurant Review: The Ravenous Pig

2010-04-26T18:50:00.002-04:00

Bryan and I had heard and read fabulous reviews about The Ravenous Pig so we knew we wanted to try it eventually. It’s a bit pricier than your average dinner out so we waited for a special occasion to make a reservation. My birthday was this month, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Bryan called on Wednesday to make Saturday night reservations and all that was available was 9 pm. (Note to self: Call at least a week in advance for weekend reservations!)

I love the concept of The Ravenous Pig. It’s owned and operated by James and Julie Petrakis, James is the chef and Julie does the desserts. They offer a menu that changes daily based on what’s in season and availability. Our server explained that whenever possible they try to source organic ingredients and support local suppliers.

We arrived about 30 minutes prior to our reservation to enjoy a drink at the bar. We let the hostess know we were there and she said she would find us when our table was ready. The entire restaurant and bar was PACKED, but we managed to find one empty seat at the bar. Once we sat down, we browsed the wine and beer menu. They only carry micro brews so we decided to try out some of the beers. We both started with the Southhampton Double White Ale. A yummy wheat beer that was perfect for my taste. We also enjoyed a bowl (and a half) of some quite delicious caramel corn.

After Bryan finished his first beer, he tried the Erie Railbender. This one tasted like cranberries. Bryan wasn’t the biggest fan but he managed to finish it (no sense in wasting a beer!). Shortly after Bryan ordered his second beer, our table was ready so we closed our bar tab and followed the hostess.

We had begun to browse the menu at the bar as well as check out some of the goods people around us ordered but there are just so many options, we wanted to try EVERYTHING! We decided to start with the Lobster Tacos.

They looked and tasted absolutely delicious. The lobster chunks were pretty big, but we were slightly disappointed they were lightly fried. The avocado cream and cabbage complemented the lobster. We really enjoyed these, however will probably not order again since they were fried.

We also ordered the House Made Gruyere Biscuits. The cheese was quite strong. They were good, but I don’t feel the need to try them again.

I decided to start with the Gatherer Salad.

Yum! Everything about this salad was delicious. I loved the crunchy pistachios and the plentiful chunks of avocados. All the greens tasted incredibly fresh. I can’t wait to try some of their other wonderful salads.

For our main course, I went with a half order of the Spring Carbonara Pasta. I normally would have not selected a dish that typically has a heavy cream sauce like alfredo, however our server informed us that they don’t use cream in their restaurant. To create the sauce, they use egg and lemon juice. This sold me!

I could definitely taste the lemon and the porchetta chunks were huge! There was no shortage of meat in this dish. The half portion was the perfect size paired with the salad. I even ate (some) of the peas, which, if you know me, is a REALLY BIG DEAL!

Bryan easily enjoyed the star dish of the evening. He ordered the Niman Ranch Lamb Leg.

TO DIE FOR. Everything about this dish was AMAZING. The lamb was incredibly tender and flavorful. I would order this again in a heartbeat. Bryan raved multiple times during this course about how this was one of the best meals he’s ever had.

Finally, since it was my birthday celebration, we ended the evening with some Bread Pudding.

This did not disappoint either. The bread pudding was warm and toasty and the malt ice cream was a delicious accompaniment.

From start to finish, this meal was fabulous. We could definitely tell how fresh all the ingredients were and that everything was made with thought and care. I see another evening out to The Ravenous Pig in our near future. Can’t wait!

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

2010-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

This was fairly easy to make and didn’t involve too much prep work. I was able to have this entire dish ready in the time it took to boil the water and cook the pasta; less than 20 minutes. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a fan of quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinners!

I enjoyed the bite of the arugula as well as the refreshing lemon flavor in the sauce. All around this was a good dish that I can definitely see being made again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic, divided
1 1/4 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby arugula
4 quarts water
8 oz. uncooked whole wheat In capasta
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz. peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
Optional - 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Romano cheese

Directions
1. Combine 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and arugula in a large bowl; toss well.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add hot pasta to arugula mixture, and toss well until arugula wilts.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 1 minute.

4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and shallots; sauté 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Remove shrimp from pan.

5. Add broth and juice to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

6. Return shrimp to pan. Remove from heat; stir in butter.

7. Serve shrimp mixture over pasta. Top with cheese if desired.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 04-19-10

2010-04-19T13:34:00.005-04:00

Monday - Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Tacos, Rice, Salad

Wednesday - Grilled Filet Mignon, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Salad

Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones

Friday - Belated Birthday Dinner Out :)

Check out orgjunkie.com for some other great menus!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2010-04-14T21:46:00.002-04:00

This meal was SUPER tasty! The flavor was great and was very similar to take out. The pineapple added some sweetness to the dish and complemented the chicken well. We enjoyed this over brown rice with a salad on the side. I definitely plan on making this meal again.

Adapted from Kelly’s Kitch

Ingredients
1 can pineapple chunks (8 oz)
1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium red pepper, sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

Directions
1. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tbsp juice. In a small bowl, stir together pineapple juice and sweet and sour sauce. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with soy sauce and set aside.

2. In a medium skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add peppers and carrots and cook for 4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Using a slotted spoon, add chicken to pan. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add sweet and sour mixture, vegetables and pineapple chunks. Heat thoroughly and serve over rice.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 04-12-10

2010-04-12T10:58:00.002-04:00

Monday - Sweet and Sour Chicken, Brown Rice, Sauteed Greens (from our CSA)
Tuesday - Grilled Chicken, Roasted Okra, Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Wednesday - Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones?
Friday - I'll be out of town for the weekend!

*Check out some other great menu's at orgjunkie.com

Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

2010-04-07T20:42:00.004-04:00

Wow, this entire meal came together in 15 minutes. No joke. The shrimp themselves probably took 8 minutes, max. I love a fast delicious meal! The variety of seasoning and sauces gave this dish an awesome flavor. I definitely plan on putting this on the menu when in need of a quick home cooked meal.

Adapted from Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients
1 lb. medium shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled and deveined
1/3 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat.

3. Add the shrimp, allow them to cook through on one side and then flip.

4. Once the shrimp are cooked add the ketchup, hoisin, and A1. Stir well until combined.

5. Lower the heat to low and allow the sauce to heat through, about 1 minute.

6. Serve hot.

The Facts
4 Servings

Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta

2010-04-06T15:05:00.004-04:00

This dish had a great Mediterranean flavor to it. I think with some onion and kalamata olives it would be like dining in Italy or Greece. I definitely plan on adding those additional ingredients the next time this recipe appears on my menu. I lighted up the original version by reducing the amount of oil and butter called for; I also substituted fat free milk for heavy cream and used reduced fat cheese. I don’t think any of these alterations affected the taste.

Adapted from The Chef In My Head

Ingredients
2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 lb chicken breasts, skinless, sliced in 3/4 inch wide strips
8 oz whole wheat fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained & quartered
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dried tarragon
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 oz crumbled reduced fat Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup fat free milk
*Parmesan, shredded for garnish if desired

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate, do not clean skillet.

2. Cook pasta until just tender, drain.

3. Meanwhile, reheat skillet to medium-high heat and add butter. Add garlic; sauté until tender.

4. Add sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tarragon and salt & pepper; sauté for about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add lemon juice, white wine and chicken stock. Return chicken to pan together with vegetables, cover and reduce heat to medium, for approximately 10-15 minutes.

6. Uncover, add Gorgonzola and milk, stir to combine and heat through.

7. Serve over pasta and garnish with Parmesan. Enjoy!

The Facts
4 Servings
*Does not include Parmesan

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Mango Stuffed Jalapeños

2010-04-05T14:07:00.007-04:00

These are AMAZING. Seriously, YUM! Bryan and I decided last week that these would be fun to make for an Easter appetizer. We browsed recipes, but in the end decided to make up our own based off the various ones we read. The BBQ sauce was a last second addition by Bryan and was 100% worth it. Everyone enjoyed these and I know we’ll be making these again the next chance we get!

An Erin’s Eatery Original

Ingredients
8 jalapeños
1 mango, chopped
16 large shrimp (21-25 count, raw), tails removed
4 oz fat free cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp cumin
dash cayenne
8 bacon slices, cut in half
BBQ Sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425. Grease a non stick jelly roll pan or use parchment paper.

2. Slice off jalapeño stems and cut in half. Use spoon to remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, cumin and cayenne thoroughly.

4. With a knife, spread cream cheese mixture in hollowed jalapeño halves. Top each with one shrimp and mango chunk.

5. Carefully wrap each pepper with half a bacon slice and secure with toothpick. Be sure toothpick passes through all ingredients.

6. Top with approximately 1 teaspoon of BBQ sauce.

5. Evenly space jalapeños on pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.

Ready for the oven!

The Facts
8 Servings
2 stuffed jalapeños each

Menu Plans 04-05-10

2010-04-04T21:45:00.003-04:00

Monday - Chicken Gorgonzola with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes and Mushrooms over Pasta (I didn't get to make it last week!), Salad
Tuesday - Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Brown Rice, Veggie Side
Wednesday - Grilled Filet, Roasted Red Potatoes, Salad
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Pizza and Salad

*Check out some other great menu's at orgjunkie.com

Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli and Asparagus

2010-03-31T09:14:00.005-04:00

I was looking to make an Asian inspired beef and broccoli dish and this recipe immediately caught my eye because of the additional vegetables on the ingredients list. The original recipe called for snap peas and edamame as well however I decided the basic broccoli with the not so basic asparagus would hit the spot. I also doubled the beef; eight ounces just wasn’t going to cut it for us. I’m glad I did this because the two pounds of veggies would have way overshadowed the beef.

This dinner was quite tasty. A little bit of spice, but not too, much plus a full plate of greens. I enjoy finding other ways to have beef besides the typical steak or roast. This is definitely a great go to recipe to replace the ‘Chinese takeout’ version with MUCH healthier and satisfying alternative.

Adapted from Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
1/4 cup mirin or semisweet white wine, like Riesling
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp canola oil
1 lb beef top sirloin steak, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch broccoli (approx 1 pound), trimmed and cut into small florets
1 bunch asparagus (approx 1 pound), trimmed and sliced on diagonal into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sesame oil

Directions
1. Combine mirin or white wine, orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and water in a small bowl.

2. In a large wok or very large (14-inch) sauté pan, heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until just browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and keep warm.

3. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil over medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and asparagus, raise heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened.

4. Add the mirin-soy mixture and cook, stirring, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

5. Add the beef and dissolved cornstarch and stir to incorporate. Cook until mixture thickens slightly and beef is heated through, an additional 2 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve over rice.

The Facts
6 Servings
*Rice NOT Included

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

2010-03-30T12:37:00.005-04:00

To quote my husband “It’s not like anything I’ve ever had before.” Yes, this is quite different; however that’s not a bad thing. Bryan enjoyed the meal (despite the fact it took twice as long to cook as I planned). I’ve never particularly liked meat loaf so although I wasn’t the biggest fan of this dish, I did like the taste of it.

With my awesome food processor, this dish came together quite quickly. I finely chopped all the veggies, then used 4 chicken breasts (~1.25 lbs) and thoroughly processed them into ground chicken. I substituted gorgonzola cheese crumbles for blue cheese crumbles.

As far as cooking time, you’re honestly going to have to keep an eye on it and check the temperature. The original recipe called for a 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan. Mine was 8.5” x 4.5” x 3”. The slightly smaller loaf pan combine with an extra 1/4 lb of chicken and sweet potatoes sharing the oven resulted in a drastically longer cook time. I honestly have no idea how long I the dish was in the over because I kept consistently adding five minutes to the timer. Learn from my mistake!

Adapted from Lobster and Fishsticks

Ingredients
Olive oil spray
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
1 -1.25 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat gorgonzola cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly mist a 9” x 5” x 3” nonstick loaf pan with olive oil spray.

2. Combine oats and milk in a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened.

3. Stir in wing sauce until well mixed. Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, egg whites, and salt. With fork, mix ingredients well. Add gorgonzola cheese and gently mix.

4. Transfer mixture to pan and spread so that top is flat. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. ***(Depending on how much chicken you use as well as your pan size, cooking time coucld vary greatly. Ensure meat reaches proper temperature before serving.)

5. Cut into 8 slices. *2 slices per serving.*

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 03-29-10

2010-03-28T16:37:00.003-04:00

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf, Baked Sweet Potato, Salad
Tuesday - Stir Fry Beef with Broccoli and Asparagus, Brown Rice
Wednesday - Chicken Gorgonzola with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Asparagus and Mushrooms over Pasta

Thursday we're heading to Texas to visit my brother in law until Sunday. We're looking forward to a weekend of good eats at some local Fort Worth restaurants. :)

Roasted Salsa

2010-03-26T14:23:00.004-04:00

This is officially my FAVORITE salsa recipe! It definitely had some spice to it so if you’re a little weary of it being too hot, I’d reduce the amount of peppers or chipotle chilies. Bryan and I LOVED the smoky flavor the canned chilies brought to the dip. It tasted good warm right after I made it, however the flavor was even better the next day cold. Yum. This will definitely be made again in this house.

Ingredients
Olive oil spray
4 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 can stewed tomatoes, drained
1 yellow onion, cut into eighths
1 jalapeño, seeded and quartered
1/2 poblano pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2-3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. In a rectangular baking pan lined with foil, combine, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, poblano pepper, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Spray veggies with olive oil and mix to coat.

3. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to stir veggies. The onions will begin to burn a little at the edges, and the tomatoes will start to get a little blackened as well.

4. Pull the veggies out of the oven and let them cool a little bit. In a food processor or a blender, add the cooked veggies, chipotle chilies, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, coriander and sugar. Blend until your desired consistency. I like mine pretty smooth.

5. You can serve warm or cool. I refrigerated over night and enjoyed the flavors even more the next day.

Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas

2010-03-25T08:32:00.002-04:00

Mmmm, enchiladas. When I typically think of enchiladas, I think of ooey gooey cheesy goodness. This is probably why I have not had them in a while. The copious amount of cheese in a traditional enchilada just doesn’t really fit in my eating plan. Not to mention it would probably make my stomach hurt for a full day after.

My enchilada outlook changed with I saw this recipe. I took a look at the ingredients and saw a huge opportunity for some lightened up enchiladas. I used fat free sour cream, whole grain tortillas, and omitted the cheese on my portion. I found the sauce to be creamy enough to not need the cheese. At my husband’s request, I added a little bit of reduced fat cheese to his portion.

I also halved the sauce recipe from the original and make 6 enchiladas versus 12. I couldn’t find Serrano peppers so I used additional jalapeño and a bit of a poblano pepper. We topped the enchiladas with lettuce, black olives and sour cream accompanied with some homemade baked tortilla chips and my new favorite homemade salsa. Delicious!

Adapted from The Novice Chef

Ingredients
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (mine were approx 1.25 lbs)
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/6 poblano pepper, seeded, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat free sour cream
8 oz salsa verde **
3/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
6 eight grain tortillas, small fajita size
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack (optional)
1/4 medium onion, diced (optional)
**The original recipe calls for Ortega Medium Salsa Verde, however I had a cup of leftover salsa verde I made for this recipe that I used instead.

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. In medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté jalapeños until soft and then add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and let cook 1-2 minutes.

3. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and let cook until bubbly.

4. Stir in the sour cream, tomatillo sauce, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cilantro until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.

5. Spray/grease an 8x8 baking dish. Add 1/2 cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan.

6. Add chicken, cheese (if desired), and chopped onion (If desired) to the center of each tortilla. Add 2 tablespoons sauce and roll, placing seam-side down in the
dish.

7. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, top with leftover cheese (if desired), and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until top is brown and bubbling.

The Facts
6 Servings
**Without cheese

Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup

2010-03-22T20:40:00.005-04:00

This was my third attempts at Vietnamese soup, and probably my most successful. The beef has a LOT more flavor than the chicken. This recipe called for bok choy which I had never tried before. I liked having some green veggies mixed in the soup.

I was a little skeptical about the beef being cooked solely by the hot soup broth. I made sure the liquid was at a boil before I ladled it into my bowls. Well, I was impressed. It cooked the beef immediately to medium-well. We prefer our beef more on the rare side, so if I make this again, I’ll let the broth cool for a minute or two before adding it to the bowls.

I omitted the fresh herbs and served our portions with generous servings of garlic chili paste and hoisin sauce. We LOVE the extra spicy flavor this combo adds.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) sirloin steak
6 oz uncooked rice sticks noodles
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
3 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 star anise
5 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
3 cups water
1 tbl less-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
4 cups bok choy leaves
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings
4 lime wedges
Bean sprouts, fresh basil, fresh mint if desired

Directions
1. Freeze beef for 10 minutes; cut across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

3. Place onion and next 5 ingredients (through star anise) in a large saucepan; cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil.

4. Strain broth mixture though a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return broth to pan.

5. Add soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Add bok choy; simmer 4 minutes or until bok choy wilts.

6. Arrange noodles into each of 4 large bowls. Divide raw beef and pepper slices evenly among bowls. Ladle about 1 2/3 cups hot soup over each serving (broth will cook beef).

7. Top each serving with bean sprouts, basil, and mint as desired. Serve with lime wedges.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 03-22-10

2010-03-21T22:00:00.002-04:00

Monday - Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup with Asian Greens, Salad
Tuesday - Szechuan Shrimp, Brown Rice, Broccoli
Wednesday - Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas, Baked Chips, Salsa
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Out for a Birthday Party

Mango Shrimp Kebabs

2010-03-18T12:47:00.006-04:00

I try to include shrimp on the menu once a week. I like that they are super fast to cook and are a good low calorie protein source alternative to chicken. At the grocery store last week, I randomly picked up a few mangos. As soon as I saw this recipe in my latest edition of Cooking Light, I knew it would be a perfect fit for ingredients I already had on hand.

Have you ever cut a mango? It’s a lot more difficult than I thought. It has a large, thin pit in the middle that makes the process difficult. I found this step-by-step tutorial quite helpful.

You might notice my sweet skewers. I like them because they are flexible and hold a ton more than traditional skewers. They make marinating and grilling much easier.

I altered the original recipe by marinating the shrimp in teriyaki sauce. I liked the flavor this added. Next time I plan to marinate the veggies in the sauce as well, and possibly baste the skewers during grilling.

Adapted from Cooking Light April 2010

Ingredients
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Teriyaki marinade
1-2 large bell peppers (I used green)
1 mango, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions
1. Remove tails from shrimp if desired and place in marinade for at least 30 minutes.

2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

3. Thread shrimp, bell pepper pieces, mango cubes and onion pieces alternately onto skewers.

4. Place skewers on a frill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done.

5. Squeeze juice from lime wedges over kebabs. Add additional teriyaki if desired.

The Facts
4 servings

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has their green on today!

Tonight we're hosting a pot luck dinner party at our house.

Main Eats...
CrockPot Corned Beef and Cabbage (Me and Bryan)
Irish Mac N Cheese (Justin and Barbara)
Irish Potatoes (Amber)
Irish Soda Bread (Adam)

and for Dessert...
Irish Bread Pudding (Sara)
Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (Me! Pictured Above)

don't forget the drinks...
Plenty of Guinness, Bailey's and Jameson = Irish Car Bombs!

We'll see how getting up early for work on Thursday goes...

Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday! :) I know we will.

Chicken Tequila Burgers

2010-03-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

I just bought this food processor from Costco. (Cuisinart Custom Pro 11-cup Stainless Steel Food Processor). In one word: AMAZING. I seriously love this thing. I’m not sure how I lived without a food processor before this (my baby 2 cup one doesn’t count!). I really can’t wait to use it again. I bet that slicing blade does wonders on some potatoes.

As soon as I saw this recipe, I bookmarked it. The burgers just looked so delicious, I had to try them. However, I didn’t have the wondrous food processor yet. Sure, I could have substituted ground turkey, or bought ground chicken at the store (SOO over priced!) but making my own looked way more fun. So that was the final push for my latest purchase. 100% worth it!

These burgers were incredibly flavorful (and easy!). I served them with some sautéed onions and lettuce on whole wheat buns with baked sweet potato fries on the side. Delicious and healthy, what more could you want? I recommend you try these ASAP. I made the mix the night before so at dinner time, all I had to do was form the patties and broil.

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 chicken breasts (mine were 1 lb. 5 oz.)
4 tbsp. cilantro
Zest of 1/2 a lime
1 oz. tequila
Dash of soy sauce
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions
1. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil.

2. Combine the garlic, jalapeno, chicken breasts, cilantro and lime zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the chicken is uniformly ground.

3. Mix in the tequila, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and panko. Pulses a few more times until the ingredients are well blended.

4. Form the mixture into 6 patties and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Broil the burgers for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking to brown both sides. Check for doneness before serving.

The Facts
6 Servings

Corn Tortilla Chips

2010-03-15T10:29:00.002-04:00

Bryan and I decided to have a homemade taco night last week. We thought it would be fun to bake our own chips as well. I originally planned to use flour tortillas, however after browsing recipes I decided to try corn tortillas so I could attempt some hard taco shells as well. I was very pleased with the results and was able to accomplish the crunchiness a true chip deserves. I simply seasoned mine with salt, but I bet some light cumin or chili powder would be delicious as well. To make the taco shell, I ‘threaded’ a tortilla on one of the wire racks with the ends pointing down. The tortilla naturally folded downward as it cooked, giving us a nice crispy U shaped shell. Just be careful not to burn yourself during the threading process! I read a ton of recipes for chips and just kind of went from memory when I actually made them.

Ingredients
White corn tortillas, cut into quarters
Salt
Seasoning, if desired
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray and spread cut tortillas in a single layer.

3. Spray tortillas with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning (if desired) to taste.

4. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove chips from oven when JUST beginning to brown.

5. Allow chips to cool and crisp up for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Menu Plans 03-15-10

2010-03-14T17:14:00.002-04:00

Monday - Chicken Tequila Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Salad
Tuesday - Mango Shrimp Kebabs, Cilantro Lime Rice, Grilled Brussels Sprouts
Wednesday - Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
Thursday - Possibly Trivia?
Friday - Wedding

Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa

2010-03-12T19:23:00.001-05:00

This was a good salsa to make if you want a homemade salsa but without all the prep time. By using a can of fire roasted tomatoes and a few additional ingredients, this is done in no time. I liked the consistency of the salsa and it had a nice medium flavor. It wasn’t too hot, just a little bit of kick. The downfall to using canned tomatoes was that the dip lacked the fresh taste of homemade salsa.

Adapted from One Particular Kitchen

Ingredients
2 fresh jalapeños
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, preferably fire roasted
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbl fresh lime juice
Salt

Directions
1. Heat an ungreased skillet over medium heat and roast the peppers and garlic, turning often until they’re splotchy and brown and soft — this takes about 10 minutes for the peppers, and 15 minutes for the garlic

2. Cool until you can handle them, then roughly chop the pepperss, discarding caps, and drop into food processor

3. Peel the garlic and scoop the softened cloves into a food processor; pulse until very finely chopped

4. Add the tomatoes with their juice to the food processor then pulse until puree is coarse.

5. Pour into serving dish and stir in cilantro and lime juice, and salt to taste — about 1/2-3/4 teaspoon

6. Refrigerate overnight, then serve and enjoy!

Chicken with Mango and Ginger

2010-03-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

This was a quick, easy and super delicious dinner! I prepped all the ingredients the night before, so after our workout, I only needed to assemble and bake. The mango and jalapeño offered a delightful combination of sweet and spicy. The parchment packets kept all the juices inside making the chicken very moist and tender. I definitely plan on making this meal again.

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch wedges
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thickness (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced and seeds removed
salt and pepper
4 tsp olive oil
lime wedges, for serving

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Place mango wedges in center of four 18 inch long pieces of parchment. Top with chicken, ginger, cilantro and jalapeño.

3. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle each with 1 tsp olive oil.

4. Fold parchment into a twist shape. (See picture below.)

5. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until packets are puffed up and chicken is cooked through, 25-30 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

The Facts
4 Servings

100% Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2010-03-08T09:31:00.014-05:00

For my first attempt at cooking with yeast, I made simple pizza dough similar to this one. However, as a yeast rookie, I did not quite fully understand the value of ‘warm water.’ When I added the yeast to the hot almost boiling water I did not get the described foamy solution. Mistake #1. I figured maybe I didn’t know what I was looking for and moved on to the next step. Ha, Mistake #2. I made my dough and left it to rise. Well obviously it didn’t rise, but I figured, hey I’ve come this far…I’m going to use it. Major Mistake #3. Needless to say, although it was edible, it was NOT very good. (I actually attempted some rolls on Thanksgiving following Mistakes 1-3 AGAIN believe it or not.)

This time around, I checked my water temperature (104 = good to go!) and actually saw this so called foamy solution. AND the dough actually rose! Woohoo! Mission accomplished: I successfully made a dough involving yeast!

Now that I have this perfect piece of pizza dough, I went on to make my pizza using my brand new ceramic pizza stone. This is where it gets interesting. I put the stone in the pre heating over as instructed and assembled my pizza on a separate tray. Well, I should have though that one through a little bit more because transferring the pizza from tray to stone was next to impossible. It was quite the comedy to watch both my husband and I attempting this. We managed to somehow get the pizza onto the stone, but it was not pretty. In stretched in some spots and bunched up in others. It turned into this lumpy piece of dough with a whole bunch of toppings on it (and the bottom of my oven!). The result was half a pizza thin crisp style and half deep dish style. Sigh, I’ll get this right eventually! Lesson learned.

As for the actual dough, I liked it. I thought the honey added a nice sweetness. Bryan wasn’t too enthused about the 100% whole wheat, so next time I might substitute some all purpose flour. Or maybe I’ll just cook it correctly, that might help too. ;)

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients
1 packet dry active yeast
3/4 cup warm water (100 – 110 degrees F)
2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
2 tbl honey
2 tbl olive oil + more to rub on bowl
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions
1. Mix yeast and warm water and let sit until foamy.

2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, seasoning and salt together.

3. Once yeast is foamy, add in olive oil and honey and stir.

4. Mix into flour and knead to create dough. You may need to add a bit more flour if dough is too sticky.

5. Place in an olive oil-rubbed bowl and cover. Let rise for 2-3 hours.

6. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 425 for 10-20 minutes.

7. Roll dough to desired shape and thickness. Add toppings of your preference.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is completely melted.

The Facts
(Dough Only)

6 Servings
**I used SparkRecipes.com to create a full customized nutrition report. I plan on using this for all future recipes**

Menu Plans 03-08-10

2010-03-07T14:51:00.003-05:00

Sunday - 100% Whole Wheat Pizza with various toppings, Salad
Monday - Chicken with Mango and Ginger, Roasted Asparagus
Tuesday - Filet Mignon, Brown Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Wednesday - Chicken Tacos (Tijuana Flats Recreation), Baked Tortilla Chips with Fire Roasted Salsa
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Mussels and Shrimp with Pasta, Salad

Roasted Artichokes

2010-03-03T14:53:00.007-05:00

Have you ever been to Houston’s? Bryan and I used to go all the time for some great prime rib and and a bottle of wine. If they had it on special for the night, we would start with grilled artichokes as an appetizer. Delicious! Well, this week I noticed artichokes were on sale at Publix so I decided to try and recreate the Houston’s dish. After browsing the internet for recipes, I figured it would probably be A LOT easier to roast them instead of grilling them; however the effect was quite similar. These were super tasty, and a fun way to serve a new vegetable at home. I made a quick Cajun dip with sour cream, horseradish, kosher salt and Cajun seasoning, all too taste. It complemented the artichoke PERFECTLY!

Freshly cut artichoke.

Adapted from Novel Eats

Ingredients
2 artichokes, whole and raw
1 lemon
4 garlic cloves, skins removed
olive oil
salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Clean artichokes, then cut the end of the stalk off and trim the tips of each leaf.

3. Put the artichoke on its side and cut away about the first 1/2 inch of top of the artichoke.

4. Place the artichoke flower side down on the cutting board, stem up. Cut through the stem to the top of the artichoke.

5. Cut a lemon in half, and then spread the lemon on all the cut and exposed areas of the artichokes.

6. In the bottom of a baking pan lined with foil, pour approximately 2 – 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

7. Take your artichokes cut side down and spread them around in the bottom of the pan so that they are fully covered with oil and some of the salt.

8. Press a fresh garlic clove near the heart of each artichoke half, and then add a large slice of lemon on top of the garlic.

9. Put the artichokes face down in the pan with the garlic and lemon kept under each, then add about 1/4 – 1/2 cup water to the pan. Cover the pan well with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.

10. Once done, be careful of steam when removing foil cover.

11. Scoop out the furry choke and serve immediately.

Garlic Lemon Shrimp with Orzo and Broccoli

2010-03-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for forever in my Google reader, but never had the orzo to make it. I finally had some leftover from parmesan orzo so I knew it was time to cook this dish. It came together pretty quickly and made for an easy week night meal. I altered the original recipe slightly. I reduced the cheese from 1/3 to 1/4 cup, however next time I will probably stick with the 1/3 cup. We could taste the cheese, but it could have definitely used just a little bit more! Also, my husband suggested adding some red pepper flakes or cayenne for a little more flavor. Overall, I enjoyed this dish. I like the creaminess that orzo pasta creates. I saw a whole wheat version at Publix that I am interested in trying as well, however it’s a bit more expensive.
Adapted from Kelly Cooks

Ingredients
1 cup orzo
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1.5 tsp butter
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 oz. parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the orzo and cook until al dente (about 8-10 minutes).

2. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to the pasta water. Drain orzo and broccoli and set aside.

3. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and add onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

4. Add lemon juice, zest, and wine/broth to sauté pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering for 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Stir in the butter, and continue stirring until melted.

6. Add the shrimp to the sauté pan, and cook until pink and cooked through.

7. Add the orzo and broccoli, parsley, and cheese to the shrimp and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 358.3
Total Fat 4.5 g
Fiber 4.5 g
WW Points 7

Menu Plans 03-01-10

2010-02-28T17:06:00.003-05:00

Monday - Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli, Salad
Tuesday - Oven Fried Chicken, Brown Rice, Roasted Artichokes
Wednesday - Dinner Out
Thursday - Trivia Night @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner out with Abby!
Saturday - Dinner at home, TBD

Peamutt Butter Dog Cookies

2010-02-27T20:45:00.006-05:00

Happy first birthday Kaylee! Our baby girl is finally one. She still acts a little devilsh, but she has come along way since we first brought her home. Puppies are so cute when they are two months old. Kaylee used to LOVE sleeping on the ledge of our end table. It didn't take very long for her to grow to big for that!

I made cookies for Brady's second birthday and knew I had to make some more to celebrate Kaylee's first. I found this recipe on group recipes and used star and present cookie cutters for some cute shapes.

Kaylee and Brady sure did enjoy their homemade treats.

Adapted from GroupRecipes

Ingredients
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tbl vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oatmeal

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, oil and water.

3. Gradually add flour and then oat meat. (I had to kneed by hand towards the end.)

4. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with a cookie cutter. (bone shaped if possible)

5. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes.

Kale Chips

2010-02-25T17:25:00.004-05:00

I had some extra kale leftover from Zuppa Toscana so I searched for some easy kale recipes. I came across a ton of different versions of kale chips. These were so easy to make and can be seasoned in a variety of ways. For this version, I simply used salt, pepper and paprika for a nice crisp taste. Kale chips are a great snack alternative to regular potato chips.

Ingredients
kale
olive oil
salt
pepper
additional seasoning if desired

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Rinse kale and pat dry. Trim leaves from stems. (I bought bagged kale so there were no stems on mine)

3. Toss lightly with olive oil, salt, pepper and seasoning.

4. Arrange kale in a single layer on a baking sheet.

5. Bake approximately 15 minutes, until leaves JUST begin to brown. Be sure to flip chips a few times for even cooking.

Chicken Chili Verde

2010-02-22T20:21:00.004-05:00

Although this was quite good, it definitely was not a QUICK meal to prepare. The cooking time alone is one hour, plus prep time. But I knew this going in, so it wasn’t a big deal. It took me a little longer to prep the vegetables than I thought. I am a little over organized and like to have ALL my ingredients ready to go before I even turn on the stove. I hate to be rushed during the cooking process.

Back to the chicken chili verde. I seeded the jalapenos, so the dish was VERY mild. I enjoyed the flavor a lot, however I think some spice would have really added to the sauce. Next time I’ll leave the seeds in one of the jalapenos and see how much heat that adds. After boxing up leftovers, I had about a cup and a half of chili verde sauce leftover. I froze it and hope it’s good for some chicken tacos in the future.

Adapted from Proceed With Caution

Ingredients
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 jalapenos, stems removed (and seeded if necessary to reduce the heat)
10 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed (approx 1 pound)
1/2 of a large white onion, quartered
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp vegetable oil
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes

Directions 1. Place garlic, jalapenos, tomatillos, and onion in a large stock pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, uncovered, for about 25 minutes.

2. Add contents of the pot to a blender along with an additional 1/2 cup water and cilantro. Puree until smooth, being careful to allow steam to escape while blending.

3. When tomatillo mixture reaches a boil, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken until no longer pink, then drain skillet.

4. Add pureed tomatillo mixture to skillet, then add salt, to taste.

5. With the lid cracked, simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes. Serve, garnished with a lime wedge if desired.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 220.0
Total Fat 4.1 g
Fiber 3.2 g
WW Points 4

Menu Plans 02-22-10

2010-02-21T20:30:00.003-05:00

Monday - Chicken Chile Verde, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Tuesday - Garlic Lime Cilantro Shrimp Pasta with Broccoli
Wednesday - Pho Ga (take 2!), Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Thursday - Trivia Night @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Mussels, Brown Rice, Salad
Saturday -Dinner Out

Roasted Brussels Sprouts 2

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

I previously posted a different version of roasted Brussels sprouts; however I much prefer this one. The step of cutting the sprouts in half allows them to roast quicker and more even in my opinion. It’s also a smaller bite that’s a lot easier to handle. This recipe is simple and can easily be adjusted to your taste. You can vary the seasonings to create all kinds of different varieties; try some paprika, garlic salt, cayenne, etc. The possibilities are endless.

An Erin’s Eatery Original

Ingredients
Brussels sprouts
Vegetable Oil
Salt
Pepper
Seasoning of Choice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cut hard ‘stem’ off Brussels sprouts, then cut in half.

3. Spread sprouts on jelly roll pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a seasoning if desired.

4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Be sure to give them a shake or stir every few minutes for even roasting.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

2010-02-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

We used to eat at Pei Wei…a lot. Key phrase: USED TO. I would enjoy the lettuce wrap or chicken salad wraps and Bryan typically ordered a noodle dish. We’d check the nutrition facts online and order something that fit our plan. Out of the blue one day, the nutrition facts were updated, and the majority of our favorite meals increased in calories…drastically. For instance, the chicken salad wraps TRIPLED in calories. I emailed customer service and was total they did a reevaluation of the nutritional values of their menu and these new numbers were more accurate. Well that’s fine and dandy, but how in the heck were they so far off. I could under stand slight variation, but seriously, three times off? Crazy. We haven’t been back since.

I found this recipe in my Everyday Food magazine. It looked simple and a nice healthy alternative to restaurant versions. I prepped the veggies ahead of time so once I started cooking this was ready in less than 10 minutes. Perfect for a week night meal! The turkey had a great stir fry flavor. I added chili paste to the original recipe for a little more spice. I could taste a hint of heat but it was by no means hot.

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1.25 lbs ground turkey (93% lean)
1 tsp chili paste with garlic
1 medium head iceburg lettuce, leaves separated

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high until hot. Add oil.

3. Add shallot, ginger, garlic and pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, 5 minutes.

5. Add sauce and chili pasted to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

6. Serve in lettuce leaves with additional soy sauce if desired.

The Facts 5 servings
Calories 228.0
Total Fat 10.1 g
Fiber 1.3 g
WW Points 5

Cajun Fettucine Alfredo

2010-02-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

We’ve pretty much given up white pasta completely. I don’t even notice that I’m eating whole wheat pasta anymore and I actually enjoy the texture. I’ve learned that the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. For example, if the box says cook for 11-13 minutes, I cook it for the full 13 and the result is very tender pasta. When I cook it for 11 minutes, it’s a lot tougher than traditional white pasta and you can definitely tell its wheat. I think this ‘tough’ pasta is what turns people away from liking wheat pasta.

I found this recipe flipping through my first issue of Cooking Light. You know I LOVE creamy pasta so I marked it immediately as a must try. When making my menu plans for the week, I remembered I had some leftover pancetta from spaghetti last week so I decided to try this recipe, subbing out the bacon. After I put it on the menu, Bryan had the idea to marinate the chicken in a Cajun sauce and add some Cajun seasoning to the pasta. FABULOUS idea! This had a great creamy taste with a little bit of spice to it. Yum, I loved it!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
8 oz. whole wheat linguini
2 oz. pancetta
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp AP flour
1 cup fat free milk
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. While pasta cooks, cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

5. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly.

6. Reduce heat to low. Add Cajun seasoning. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

7. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

8. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

The Facts
(Pasta Only)
4 Servings
Calories 291.6
Total Fat 9.5g
Fiber 6.0 g
WW Points 6

Ma Po Shrimp

2010-02-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This dish came together quickly. I cooked twice as much shrimp as the original recipe; however did not double the sauce ingredients. There was plenty of sauce to go around. My one complaint was the sauce was a little thin. If I cook this again, I plan on adding a bit more cornstarch to try and thicken it up some. I used one tablespoon of chili paste, but if you like the heat, feel free to add more! This meal had a nice flavor, but nothing too spectacular.

Adapted from Mary Ellen’s Cooking

Ingredients
1 lb pound shrimp, deveined and cleaned
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
8 oz chicken broth
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 oz chicken broth

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat; add garlic and onions, sauté until tender.

2. Add chili paste, soy sauce, and chicken broth; let simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add shrimp, cooking 1-2 minutes on each side until pink.

4. Stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce.

5. Serve over rice

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 101.5
Total Fat 1.3 g
Fiber 0.3 g
WW Points 2

Valentine's Day Recap

2010-02-15T21:01:00.016-05:00

Bryan and I celebrated Valentine's Day on Saturday night. I had received an email about a special three course holiday menu at Cantina Laredo. We had eaten there a few times and the food was always quite good so we made a reservation! It was fun to get all dressed up and have a nice date night out. We arrived a little early so we could enjoy a few house margaritas at the bar before being seated. The house margaritas were super delicious!

Once we were seated, we ordered the 'Top Shelf Guacamole.' The waiter brought all the ingredients to our table and made it fresh right in front of us. This stuff is seriously good! (Hint, Hint: If you sign up for the email club, you'll receive a coupon for a free guacamole!)

After enjoying our appetizer, we selected our three courses from the Valentine's menu. There was an option for tequila drink pairings with each course that we ordered as well.

Our first course was a Cranberry Pecan Salad with a Pomegranate Margarita. The salad was good, but not particularly special. The margarita (and all the drink pairings for that matter) were not what we expected. They were a lot smaller than the normal margaritas and WAY too sweet. They were almost like a martini as they were not served 'on the rocks.'

For our main course, we both ordered the Fresh Sea Bass Oscar. I though the sea bass was very good. The jalapeno beurre blanc covered the fish filet and the majority of the plate and had a great flavor that I really liked. There was a crab cake on top of the seas bass, but we found it to be overcooked. I would have much preferred just lump crab meat on top.

This is the Sunset Margarita next to the House Margarita. You can see how much bigger the house one is. Also, this drink pairing conveniently came AFTER we finished our dinner course.

For our dessert drink we had a tequila, Bailey's and coffee cocktail.

I ordered the Dia Y Noche Flan which was a brownie topped in flan. It was ok, but would have been MUCH better if served warm.

Bryan had the Strawberry Bunelos which were fairly plain in his opinion.

Overall, we were disappointed in our dining experience. The service was sub par, the food was average and the drinks were, well you saw them. However, it was still a special day and we had fun just being with each other!

Will we dine there again? Probably. Every other time has been enjoyable, so hopefully this was just a one time occurrence. Too bad it was on a holiday.

We ended our night with a few beers and a cigar for Bryan at a cigar bar next to the restaurant. Needless to say, we spent most of Sunday recovering. :)

Menu Plans 02-15-10

2010-02-14T17:53:00.003-05:00

Monday - Fettuccine Alfredo, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Asparagus
Tuesday - Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Salad
Wednesday - Italian Beef Sandwiches, Green Peppers and Onions, Salad
Thursday - Teriyaki Chicken, Broccoli, Brown Rice
Friday - Dinner Out
Saturday - 3rd Annual Chili Cookoff!

Tabouli

2010-02-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

I’ve made hummus before and that was fairly easy so I decided I’d try out a tabouli recipe. Turns out, it’s a lot easier with no need for a food processor!Plus, it’s super healthy. I added olive oil and cucumber to the original recipe. I will say that the parsley in this is overpowering. Next time I’ll probably cut the amount in half. Regardless is still was tasty. I served it with some toasted whole wheat pita wedges.

ETA 02/16/10: After letting the tabouli's flavors meld in the refrigerator over night, it tasted MUCH better. The parsley was not near as intense. I recommend letting this chill for at least 12 hours before even thinking about enjoying it.

Adapted from Cate’s World Kitchen

Ingredients
1 cup bulgur
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbl olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 green onions (white and green parts), chopped
15 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1 small cucumber, chopped

Directions
1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

2. As soon as it boils, remove it from the heat and stir in the bulgur. Let stand covered for 30 minutes.

3. Fluff the bulgur with a fork, then transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.

4. Chill 20-30 minutes before serving.

The Facts
8 Servings
Calories 95.6
Total Fat 2.1 g
Fiber 4.1 g
WW Points 1

Chicken Cutlets with Rosemary and Shallots

2010-02-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

This was simple, and good for a cooler night when you don’t want to use the grill. I’m beginning to like shallots and onions more and more (as long as they’re cooked!) which is surprising because six months ago, I probably would have omitted them completely. I’m sure this would taste great with other fresh herbs as well. The original recipe used turkey breast, but I used chicken instead.

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts (mine totaled 1 lb 5 oz)
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
3-4 shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 sprigs rosemary (1 1/2 inches each)
3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions
1. Pound chicken cutlets to 1/4 inch thickness with a meat mallet.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium high. Season turkey with salt and pepper and cook through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer turkey to a plate.

3. Add additional teaspoon of oil and shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook, stirring occasionally until shallots begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

5. Add wine and rosemary and cook until syrupy, about 3 minutes.

6. Add broth and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

7. Return turkey to skillet and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 201.2
Total Fat 3.9 g
Fiber 0.1 g
WW Points 4

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

2010-02-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

Typically when I cook pasta, it’s one of the MAIN meal ingredients. This dish was a nice change and served as a great side. Plus, it was super easy to make. It had a rich creamy taste that pleasantly surprised me considering there really isn’t that much cheese. I would love to experiment using different herbs to play with the flavor. I definitely plan on making this again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tsp butter
1 cup orzo, 6 oz.
1 1/4 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions
1. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes).

5. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 servings
Calories 182.7
Total Fat 2.6 g
Fiber 2.0 g
WW Point 4

Sautéed Mustard Greens

2010-02-09T21:31:00.006-05:00

I’ve been reading a TON of other food blogs lately, and I came across one that talked about getting fresh vegetables weekly from a local CSA. Curious, I clicked the link and started researching. Through the site, I found Shaolin Gardens here in Orlando. They are just starting up and this is their first crop sharing season. I talked to my husband about it and we decided to go for it. Chaz from Shaolin Gardens held a work day this past Saturday, so Bryan and I went out there to check out the set up and help out some. We filled bags with soil alternative in preparation for planting for a few hours. It was cool to know that we were actually contributing to the fresh vegetables we’ll be enjoying the next few months.

While we were there, Chaz showed us some leftover mustard greens they had planted last season. They went through the Florida freeze in December so their taste was uncertain. I searched for some recipes online to sauté our fresh greens and pieced together a few recipes in my head and went to the kitchen. You’ll notice I didn’t put measurements by any of the ingredients because added based solely on taste. They turned out quite delicious and I can’t wait for more fresh local produce.

An Erin's Eatery Original

Ingredients
Olive oil
Onions, chopped
Garlic
Mustard Greens
Lemon Juice
Chicken Broth
Salt
Pepper

Directions
1. Add olive oil to a pan on medium heat.

2. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until onion is translucent.

3. Add greens, lemon juice and chicken broth to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until greens are tender.

4. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts

2010-02-08T15:27:00.002-05:00

Apparently Bryan is getting tired of the usually broccoli, so this week at Costco I grabbed the Brussels sprouts. I was catching up on my Google reader and this recipe immediately caught my eye. I like how the veggies were integrated into the pasta making for a one dish meal.

I followed the original recipe with the exception of adding some crushed red pepper and ground cayenne. Once it was all mixed together, I felt like it was still a little bland. I consulted my husband and he suggested adding some white wine and lemon juice. Perfect! This added a light sauce to the pasta and a ton more flavor.

Adapted from Love and Olive Oi l

Ingredients
14 oz. spaghetti, Ronzoni Smart Taste
2 oz pancetta, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 dozen Brussels sprouts, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flake
ground cayenne
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta, and cook until just starting to brown.

3. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

4. Add Brussels sprouts to pan and cook until tender and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and quickly sauté until just softened. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flake and ground cayenne to taste.

6. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add noodles to Brussels sprout mixture. Toss until coated, adding pasta water a bit at a time if necessary.

7. Add white wine and lemon juice and toss to mix. Divide onto plates. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

The Facts
7 servings
Calories 256.9
Total Fat 4.5 g
Fiber 7.1 g
WW Points 5

Low Fat CrockPot Beef Roast

2010-02-07T19:12:00.003-05:00

This was fast and easy to put together. Bryan and I decided to make this for our Super Bowl dinner that way neither of us would have to spend time in the kitchen and risk missing a moment of the game (or the commercials!) I found this recipe in one of my slow cooker cookbooks. I added celery to the mix and changed up the seasonings a bit. It smelled delicious cooking and I’m sure it would be great for a quick week night meal. The original recipe called for a cooking time of 6 hours on high; however ours was thoroughly cooked after 4.

Adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

Ingredients
2.5 lbs beef eye round roast, trimmed
10 baby carrots
2 celery stalks, cut into 1.5 inches pieces
2 Idaho potatoes, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
1 onion, quartered
2 cups fat free low sodium beef broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions
1. Place roast in slow cooker.

2. Add carrots around edges, pushing them down so they reach the bottom of the cooker.

3. Add celery, onion and potatoes.

4. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of pepper and kosher salt over CrockPot ingredients.

5. Mix beef broth and remaining seasonings and pour over roast.

6. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

The Facts
10 Servings
Calories 298.9
Total Fat 5.9 g
Fiber 1.8 g
WW Points 6

Menu Plans 02-07-10

2010-02-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

Sunday - Low-Fat Crockpot Roast
Monday - Spaghetti with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts
Tuesday - Zuppa Toscana, Salad
Wednesday - Chicken with Rosemary and Shallots, Creamy Parmesan Orzo, Kale Chips
Thursday - Ma Po Shrimp, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Friday - One-pot Chicken and Brown Rice or Dinner Out

Vacation Recap: Breckenridge, CO

2010-02-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

We just got back from a week of skiing in Breckenridge, CO. We've turned this into an annual trip as this was our fourth year in a row. It's nice because we know the town quite well and have found some great restaurants along the way. Check out the ones we visited this year!

Friday – Lunch @ Yardhouse in Denver: Well over 100 beers on tap.
Dinner @ Empire Burger in Breckenridge, CO: Tons of burger choices or a build your own burger option.

Saturday – Dinner @ Downstairs at Eric’s in Breckenridge, CO: Definitely a must go to place. Great baked wings, delicious pizza and much more! Be prepared to wait at least an hour on the weekends

Sunday – Dinner @ The Historic Mint in Silverthorne, CO: A grill your own steak restaurant complete with butcher counter, salad bar and texas toast. If you know how to make a good steak, then this is a fun place to visit.

Monday – Dinner @ Breckenridge Brewery in Breckenridge, CO: The boys swear by the ribs here. I'm pretty sure we had at least 5 racks on our table.

Tuesday – Dinner @ Downstairs at Eric’s in Breckenridge, CO: YES, we ate here twice.

Wednesday – Dinner @ Jalapenos in Breckenridge, CO: Delicious, authentic Mexican food. Plus, the waiters always make it a fun evening. Last year we had our margarita pitchers comped; this year we had tequila shots on the house to start the evening off.

Menu Plans 01-25-10

2010-01-24T21:19:00.003-05:00

We're going on vacation next week so my goal for this week is to clean out the freezer!

Monday - Pulled Pork Tacos, Jasmine Rice, Salad
Tuesday - Beef Roast, Brown Rice, Broccoli
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken, Pasta, Salad
Thursday - Chili Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday - Vacation! We'll be skiing in Breckenridge, CO for the next week.