Ashley Cooks!

Caramelized French Toast

2010-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my friend Andrea for sharing this delectable French toast casserole with me. It's almost like a bread pudding--warm, caramelly, YUM! It's very rich. We served this at a Young Women's breakfast with fresh fruit and orange juice. It was so easy to make the night before and refrigerate until baking the next morning. If you're looking for a decadent breakfast casserole, this is it!

Caramelized French Toast

1 1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c butter
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp corn syrup
1- 1 3/4 inch slices french bread
4 eggs slightly beaten
2 1/2 c milk, half and half or cream
1 Tbsp vanilla
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c melted butter

Cook first three ingredients over medium heat 5 min. or until bubbly. Pour into bottom of 9X13 baking dish. Arrange bread slices over mixture in pan (cover bottom of pan with one layer of bread and squeeze in the slices so there are no spaces). Mix together eggs and next 3 ingredients and pour over break slices. Cover and chill at least 8 hours (overnight works well for the next morning!). Before baking, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and then pour melted butter over top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. (Syrup on bottom of pan will thicken as it cools slightly. Eat right away for thinner syrup; allow to cool for thicker syrup.)

Spinach & Corn Enchiladas

2010-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

This recipe was created on a "What am I going to make?" night when I needed to use a bag of spinach and half a bunch of cilantro before they spoiled and I was in the mood for Mexican food. After we all devoured these, I proclaimed this a recipe success. I love that the filling is so creamy without any cream (although I was generous with the cheese).

Spinach & Corn Enchiladas
1/8 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 t cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1 can no salt added whole-kernel corn, drained
1/4 c cilantro
1 6-oz bag baby spinach
2 cups shredded cheese
6-8 medium (soft-taco size) flour tortillas
1 10-oz can red enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly at a boil for one minute (it should be nice and thick). Reduce heat to low and stir in cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Incorporate corn and cilantro. Fold spinach into mixture, remove from heat, and continue folding for about one minute. Coat the bottom of a greased baking dish with a small amount (1/8-1/4 cup enchilada sauce). Generously fill each tortilla with spinach mixture, top with 1/8-1/4 cup cheese, roll and place seam-side down into baking dish. Fill remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Tortilla Pie

2010-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

My friend Kathryn shared this recipe with me and it is a hit at our house. Think Mexican lasagna. The original recipe comes from Parents magazine. It calls for a package of fajita chicken but I usually just use two cups of shredded chicken. I've also used ground turkey and it would be an easy vegetarian meal if you just use the beans and corn. I love that the top tortilla gets crispy around the edges! I like serving this with sliced avocados or guacamole.

Mile-high Tortilla Pie (Parents Magazine)
1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 ounces) whole-kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 jar (16 ounces) chunky mild salsa
1 pack (10 oz) fajita-style cooked chicken (or, use cooked shredded chicken or ground turkey or beef, or omit to make this a vegetarian meal)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (this adds something but it's great without it, too)
5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
Sour cream, optional

Heat oven to 425. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, salsa, chicken and cilantro. Coat the bottom of a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla in coated pan. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the bean mixture and 1/4 of the cheese. Layer three more times, finishing with the last tortilla. (I sprinkle some cheese on top). Bake in oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese melts and filling is hot. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Nanaimo Bars

2010-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Recently, I attended a dessert club. This is like a book club, but instead of reading and then discussing books, everyone makes a dessert and then shares it. Awesome, right!? The theme for the first dessert club was "new recipes." I've been wanting to try this recipe for Nanaimo Bars for quite sometime so this was a perfect chance. And, there is no baking required! Some stove top work but other than that, just spreading and cooling. I was thrilled that they turned out looking as good (or almost) as the picture online. They are named after a city in British Columbia where a woman invented the recipe. They are very sweet and rich but so delicious. I liked them best cold out of the refrigerator and in some way the taste reminds me of an oreo cookie. Enjoy!

Pasta with Peas, Chives, and Cream Sauce

2010-10-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

I could eat pasta with alfredo sauce every night for dinner, so when I come across a recipe that looks like an "easy alfredo" I always try it. Another reason I was enticed by this Real Simple recipe was that I was able to use the chives from our garden. Also, both my kids will always eat noodles and peas. They love them! I used two cups half and half in place of the heavy cream and milk and it worked well. A nice, comforting pasta dish.

International Dateline Chicken

2010-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is another recipe from the Cook's Country Best Lost Suppers cookbook. It's sweet and savory and I love the dates in the dish! I used 4 boneless, skinless, whole chicken breasts and cut my browning time to about 7 minutes and simmer time to about 15 minutes. You can save even more time if you're using chicken breast halves.

International Dateline Chicken
4 (12-ounce) bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1/2 cup minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup pitted dates, finely chopped
1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tsps of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the skin.

2. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil in the pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the bell pepper, onion, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits.

3. Return the chicken breasts, along with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the thickest part of the breasts registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil.

4. Mix the orange juice and cornstarch together in a bowl. Add the juice mixture and the dates to the pot and cook, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the oranges and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Blueberry Muffins

2010-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Though blueberry season is over, these muffins (thank you for posting this recipe, Kari!) can be made with frozen blueberries (that's what I used) and will still be the most delicious blueberry muffins. They do take a little more work than a standard blueberry muffin but they are worth it. Just that sugary coating on top, yum! The batch lasted about 18 hours at our house.

Latin Baked Chicken

2010-10-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

Easy, easy, easy! Only five ingredients (lime, honey, soy sauce, chipotle, chicken) for this delicious dish! The flavors are great. A friend told me to freeze the extra chipotles in adobo. After mincing all the chiles (in the can using kitchen scissors), I separated them into two-tablespoon-sized portions and popped them in the freezer. Perfect!

Summer Barley Salad

2010-10-05T10:05:00.003-04:00

This Summer Barley Salad was easy, quick, and healthy. The dressing with the lemon is light and bright, and I recommend doubling the dressing so you can add more. The feta adds a nice richness to the salad. I used a whole cucumber instead of olives. You could really change up the vegetables in this dish to what you may have on hand.

Taco Seasoning

2010-10-03T20:03:00.000-04:00

One evening, as I was almost done browning ground turkey for tacos, I realized I didn't have a packet of taco seasoning. I love those little packets. They make ground turkey taste great and really are easy. So, I hurried to the computer and checked allrecipes to find a recipe for taco seasoning. I won't be buying taco seasoning packets again. This combination is so much better (and cheaper and healthier). I may be making this in bulk and giving it out as a holiday gift, it really is that good and handy!

Taco Seasoning
1 T chili powder
1/4 t garlic
1/4 t onion
1/4 t red pepper
1/4 t dried oregano
1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Combine all ingredients and add to one pound of browned and drained ground meat. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water, stir and simmer over low heat about 5 minutes.

Coconut Lime Granita

2010-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

This summer I was on a lime kick. Any recipe, sweet or savory, with lime on the ingredient list made it onto my to-try list. I was squeezing lime in my water. And, my favorite flavor combination was coconut-lime. I mentioned this flavor craving to my friend Kari, who has the most amazing baking blog, and the coconut-lime craze got her too. After I saw her post on Coconut Lime Granita, I had to make it. It was so easy and so delicious! No time for a photo of this tasty dessert at our house, I was too interested in eating it.

Asian Chicken Salad

2010-09-28T10:28:00.001-04:00

This salad makes it into my recipe rotation at least once every two weeks. The dressing is amazing and the salad is totally customizable.

Asian Chicken Salad
Dressing (recipe adapted from Allrecipes):
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tablesoon sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Salad:
Two hearts romaine, chopped
Two whole chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
One can mandarin oranges
One cucumber, sliced
One carrot, sliced or shredded
Chow Mein Noodles (Safeway has these for 99 cents for a 6 oz bag-I usually use half a bag)
Sliced almonds (optional)

Combine dressing ingredients and refrigerate while assembling all salad ingredients except noodles. Toss salad with dressing, divide among plates, and top with noodles and almonds.

Screaming Noodles

2010-09-12T14:03:00.006-04:00

Did you hear about my huge recipe accomplishment? Well, I decided to try some of the other recipes in the cookbook. Screaming Noodles, is now in my regular rotation because it is quick, cheap, and a nice vegetarian option. It's named "Screaming Noodles" because the first time the kids saw it they screamed until they tried it, then, they liked it. I normally use a pound of rotini, or whatever short pasta I have on hand. I always omit the fresh parsley. I've added the spinach earlier, to the sauce and let it wilt before I pour the sauce on the noodles. The spinach clumps quite a bit that way, but if you like spinach cooked more, you should add it earlier than the recipe calls for. I like the dish both ways. Here is the recipe from the Cook's Country Best Lost Suppers cookbook:

Screaming Noodles
1 pound wide egg noodles (or other pasta)
Salt
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 (5-ounce) bags baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Pepper

1. Bring 4 quarts water ot a boil in a large pot. Add the noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the noodles and return them to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon slat in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add the cottabe cheese, Parmesan, and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Stir the sauce into the noodles, adjusing the consistency with the reserved past cooking water as needed. Stir in the spinach, one handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Black Bean Burgers

2010-04-13T14:01:00.001-04:00

Different and delicious! These black bean burgers were fun to make and good to eat. I omitted the jalapeno. After reading some reviews, I used a potato masher to mash the beans. It was helpful. I also used a whole egg instead of two egg whites and that seemed to help hold the burgers together. The salsa is great. I kept the avocado sliced and added it for Jack, who loves to eat avocado slices. Sweet potato fries were a great side with this.

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-02-06T15:42:00.003-05:00

The smell of these cinnamon rolls baking on Christmas morning while we opened presents was wonderful. The recipe is aptly named "Clone of a Cinnabon". These cinnamon rolls, and the to die for frosting, are amazing! I don't have a bread machine and used my stand mixer instead. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in the bowl of the mixer. Mix in the sugar, butter (I think butter is better), salt, and eggs. Add flour and mix. With the dough hook, knead the dough into a large ball. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Continue with #2 in the directions. I also followed the advice of one of the reviewers of the recipe who suggested flipping the pan over after it comes out of the oven. This is essential! I turned the pan upside down onto a cookie sheet. The sugary filling coated the entire roll. Yum, yum, yum. And the frosting is so good! These are irresistible--I think I might have eaten half of them in two days. Enjoy!

Buche de Noel

2010-01-29T10:41:00.003-05:00

For a challenge and treat, I decided to challenge myself and make a Buche de Noel for Christmas. We had Christmas dinner with some friends and I only had to make a salad and dessert so I had the time to try this decadent dessert. A few years in a row my parents bought a Buche de Noel from a little French Bakery and we'd have that with our Christmas dinner. It was always so delicious and beautiful! With meringue mushrooms and leaves it truly looked like a log in the forest. I was really worried about making the actual cake, or genoise, which needed to be rolled and stored in the fridge, then unrolled, filled, rerolled, then frosted. I found this Martha Stewart recipe and tried that. Well, the cake did not turn out. It was almost paper thin and rolling it was a major task. I may have overbaked it but something else was really wrong, I wasn't sure. But, determined to make the Buche de Noel, I tried this recipe. I was thrilled when the genoise turned out. An electric mixer with a whisk is a must. I beat those eggs like crazy! After it was rolled in the towel, I wrapped the entire thing in plastic wrap and refrigerated it overnight. The filling in the Allrecipes recipe is basically just chocolate whipped cream, which is fine with me. Delicious and easy. However, the cake is already very rich so I recommend cutting the cocoa powder in the filling to 1/3 or 1/4 cup. The Allrecipes recipe doesn't include a frosting so I took a shot at Martha Stewart's. Well, once again I was met with failure (I nearly shed some tears over all that wasted butter). So, I tried a simple chocolate buttercream using this vanilla buttercream recipe, just adding cocoa powder. It's difficult not to eat the frosting with a spoon. It was easy to spread on the cake. I cut of the end of the cake for the top "branch" on the log. I shaved some milk and dark chocolate over the top and dusted the entire thing with powdered sugar for a snowy effect. For my first Buche de Noel, I think the overall result was pretty good. The dessert was very rich. I'm going do research over the next year and try another Buche de Noel next year. Send me any tips you may have!

Roasted Chicken with Lemon Curd

2009-11-09T21:17:00.002-05:00

Chicken with lemon curd? I know it sounds unusual but it is so delicious. My friend Kari (see previous post to find her baking blog) brought us this chicken with a "new baby meal" just after Myla was born. We gobbled it up and as soon as I was really cooking again, it was the first new recipe I tried. The original recipe is for a whole chicken but it works just as well (even better & easier) using leg quarters or drumsticks and thighs. The original recipe included a recipe for lemon curd but I'm not even including it. Make your day easier and just go buy it! You can usually find it next to the jams and jellies or in the baking aisle. This chicken is fantastic!!!

Roasted Chicken with Lemon Curd

1 (3-lb) roasting chicken (or 3 lbs of chicken pieces with skin on)

1 T chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup lemon curd

2 large lemons, halved

1. Preheat oven to 450. Remove chicken giblets and stuff, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Loosen skin with fingers (do this with the chicken pieces, too).

2. Combine rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub under loose skin, all over meat. (This gives the chicken such fabulous flavor).

3. Place chicken, breast side up, on broiler pan coated with cooking spray (or put chicken pieces in a greased or foil-lined 9x13 pan.) Pierce skin with fork. Brush chicken all over generously with lemon curd (I just spooned it on and spread it around, flipped the chicken pieces over and spread the rest). Arrange lemons around chicken (I skipped this step).

4. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake an additional 1 hour until thermometer registers 165. (For legs reduce both times - about 20 minutes at 450 and about 40-45 at 350, until juices ran clear and thermometer was about 165.) Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, let stand 10 minutes.

Banana Muffins

2009-11-09T21:03:00.002-05:00

If you're looking for a new way to use those overripe bananas, here it is! This muffin recipe that I found on my friend Kari's awesome baking blog, is easy and delicious and even a little bit healthy, too (whole wheat flour and oats and bananas!). We love them for a mid-morning snack and they freeze really well, too! Enjoy!

Barbecue Chicken with Mustard Glaze

2009-10-05T21:27:00.002-04:00

This recipe from Cooking Light is tasty, quick, and easy. You probably have all the ingredients on hand! My mom made this for us when she was here helping after Myla was born. We used chicken breasts and instead of grilling, we baked them for 20 minutes, brushed on the sauce, and then baked for 10 additional minutes. The spice rub and sauce makes the chicken so flavorful. Give this one a try!

Peach Raspberry Crisp

2009-09-14T22:05:00.003-04:00

I've wanted to post this recipe before peach season was over and I think I'm a little late. But, keep it in mind for next year! This peach crisp is amazing and the addition of raspberries . . . delicious! The topping is very rich but wow, is it good! Obviously the above picture is before the topping and baking but I just love the color combination. I halved this recipe. As apple season approaches, try Ina's apple version of this dessert. Don't you just love Fall?! For another great peach dessert, try this peach blueberry crostata.

I'm Published!

2009-07-17T14:31:00.003-04:00

Well, I do have my name in name in this cookbook. And, it's my mom's recipe that's published. But still, pretty cool, right?! Here's the story. Over a year ago my mom learned that Cook's Country (America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Illustrated) was holding a recipe contest for the Best Lost Suppers. My mom suggested I enter her Chicken and Rice Dish. I submitted an online entry and totally forgot about until a few months ago I got a letter congratulating me because my recipe had been chosen among the 1,000 plus entries. Pretty exciting! Well, I just received my copy of the book in the mail and was pretty excited so I thought I'd better post it while I have some time on my hands (tomorrow is baby #2's due date and I'm just sitting and waiting!). Of course, being America's Test Kitchen, they tested the recipe and made some changes to it (specifically adding carrots and peas), but I like it just how I've got it on the blog. Give it a try.

4th of July Ice Cream Cake

2009-07-17T14:27:00.000-04:00

Inspired by this recipe, I made an "ice cream cake" for a 4th of July dessert. I used an 8x8 pan, spread whipped cream in the bottom, layered the ice cream sandwiches, spread on more whipped cream, and then topped with strawberries and blueberries. Delicious! The only problem is the berries, of course, freeze right along with the whipped cream and sandwiches when you put the dessert in the freezer. But, I didn't mind. I mean, frozen berries, whipped cream, ice cream sandwiches--that's my kind of summer dessert! And, it took about five minutes.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-06-30T15:50:00.002-04:00

Here's an easy way to make a box mix of brownies extra delicious! This recipe is adapted from Pillsbury. I had the bigger box of brownie mix so increased everything for a 9x13 size.

Your favorite brownie mix (for 9x13 brownies)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
4 T butter

Prepare brownie batter. Mix peanut butter and honey together. Grease 9x13 pan. Pour half of batter in pan. Using 1/2 cup of pb mixture, drop teaspoonfuls evenly over the brownie batter. Spread remaining batter in pan. Bake according to box directions (I baked mine for about 30 minutes at 350). Let cool completely. Spread remaining peanut butter mixture over cooled brownies. Melt chocolate chips and butter together in microwave. Mix and spread over peanut butter. Let cool completely. Delish!

Barbeque Apricot Chicken

2009-06-30T15:41:00.002-04:00

This recipe was in my email one day and I needed an idea for dinner and happened to have all the ingredients. Well, I used 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken, and reduced my cooktime to 40 minutes. I suggest doubling the apricot jam to 2/3 cup. I found it to be quite tasty. This is an easy alternative to bbq chicken. I served the chicken with brown rice and roasted broccoli.

Roasted Broccoli

2009-06-30T15:31:00.003-04:00

Last week I made this Ina recipe for roasted broccoli. I didn't have a lemon or basil, and I omitted the pine nuts, but it was delicious anyway! This is definitely going to be my new way of making broccoli. Broccoli is probably my least favorite vegetable. Back in elementary school, emboldened by a news report that President Bush (HW) hated broccoli too, and with the encouragement of my mom, I recorded myself singing "Decorate your tree with broccoli" and sent it with a letter about our mutual distaste for the green veg to the then President. I received a nice (form) letter and signed picture in return. I wonder if anyone actually listened to that recording. I actually enjoyed broccoli this way. Try it!

Fry Bread Recipe

2009-06-24T15:26:00.003-04:00

Here's a better recipe for Fry Bread if you're going to make Navajo Tacos, which I've been making a lot lately.

1 cup flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Pour milk over dry ingredients and stir with fork until clumps. Flour hands and mix (don't knead) into a ball. Separate dought into 4 pieces. Flour hands and shape into discs (thin). Cook 3-4 minutes per side in 350 oil .

This is easy and good, though not close to authentic, and much better than the original recipe I posted.

Baby Shower Treats

2009-06-17T12:14:00.006-04:00

Recently some friends (thank you Christi, Taryn, & Tessa) threw a fabulous baby shower for me with dessert on the menu: fresh fruit, a chocolate fountain, and plenty of treats. It was so fun and the food was amazing so I had to post some of the recipes here. These darling cupcakes had the most delicious frosting. Here is the recipe they used for the cupcakes and frosting. This will be your new favorite buttercream!

Taryn used a Giada recipe to make these light and airy meringues. She left out the espresso powder--they were perfect with the mini chocolate chips! For another great meringue dessert, click here.

I love raspberry and chocolate together so these Chocolate Raspberry Bars were the perfect treat! It's another recipe from Giada.

These darling onesie-shaped sugar cookies frosted with royal icing were the shower favors. Too cute! Here are instructions from Martha Stewart. Taryn's trick for icing the cookies is to put the royal icing in squeeze bottles. Make your edge, then fill and spread. It works so well!While I'm drooling over desserts, here's a recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies my friend Erin sent to me. Thank you Erin! These are delicious and different. They taste like mini strawberry scones. For added sweetness I topped them with a powdered sugar glaze. Erin also had the great idea of topping them with whipped cream. Yum! A fun summer dessert.

Lately . . .

2009-05-29T15:09:00.003-04:00

We've had a couple of weeks of really good meals, if I do say so myself, even though I haven't been trying anything new. Here are some of the recipes from the archives that I've found especially satisfying:

* Chicken Katsu
* Cafe Rio Chicken Salads
* Steak Sandwiches (I used a london broil steak that was on sale and while it was still partially frozen sliced it very thinly. I added slices of provolone cheese when the steak and peppers and onion were still in the pan. It melted and was gooey and delicious!)
* Rice & Beans with Avocado (we never get sick of this)
* Chicken Tostadas
* Chicken Souvlaki with yogurt dipping sauce
* BBQ Chicken Pizza (with pineapple!) and Spinach Salad
* Orecchiette with mini meatballs
* Eggplant Tomato pasta
* Chicken Sandwiches with grilled pineapple (add honey mustard for more flavor!)
* Brown's Black Bean Salsa (this was especially requested for a Memorial Day BBQ)

Breakfast at Market Lunch at DC's Eastern Market

2009-05-02T13:49:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday morning we drove to DC's Eastern Market to get breakfast at what is arguably the market's most popular vendor, Market Lunch. We went to the market about a year ago but the line for Market Lunch breakfast was so long that we didn't wait. We went earlier (about 9:00--they serve breakfast until noon on weekends) this time and waited only about twenty minutes. The wait is totally worth it. We ordered Blue Bucks (blueberry buckwheat pancakes) and french toast. The french toast is really good but the Blue Bucks are amazing! Please go try them if you need a Saturday morning outing in DC. Afterwards, you can stroll around the farmer's market or arts and crafts market. Market Lunch has a lot of other offerings on the breakfast menu, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and about a dozen varieties of Eggs Benedict, even one with crab cakes. It all looked delicious! But, for me, the Blue Bucks are a must. Here's a review of Market Lunch, including the address. A couple of notes: they only take cash, and try to obey the the seating rules (they're posted on the wall). The owner (you can see his picture in that review) was there keeping a close eye on people sitting at the table and kicked off a mom with two kids who hadn't ordered their food yet. Probably a little brutal but it keeps the system working and once you do get your food, there's a seat open for you. Have fun!

Ina Garten Potato Salad

2009-05-02T13:39:00.002-04:00

I love potato salad and this recipe from Ina Garten is delicious! I did make a few changes. I halved the amounts, used red potatoes, used green onions (just the green part) instead of red, only used whole-grain mustard (but a full 2 Tablespoons to keep the mustard/mayo proportion the same) and added about a cup of cubed cheddar cheese (I love cheese in potato salads). The salad has a strong mustard flavor that I love and the dill adds a wonderful flavor! Also, Ina's method of cooking the potatoes makes perfectly done potatoes. Try it!

Lemon Meringe Cupcakes

2009-05-02T13:16:00.002-04:00

First off, please do a Google Image Search for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes so you can see how cute these cupcakes can really be. My piping didn't turn out the way I wanted to but you get the idea. This recipe is from a little magazine called "Crazy for Cupcakes" that my mom picked up at the grocery store and sent to me. I bought lemon curd at the store and thought it was good and easier than making it, but I'm sure homemade would be better. Here's a recipe that might work. I made regular sized cupcakes but I think the presentation would be better in the jumbo size. I couldn't find a lemon cake mix so used a vanilla and added lemon juice and zest but I couldn't taste it at all. One of my problems with the piping was that I didn't beat the meringue enough, and I didn't work fast enough when I piped it on, all my squeezing kind of took the life out of the meringue, I think. But, they still were a great spring treat, and the meringue on top is much different than your normal frosting. Here's the recipe:

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

1 package lemon cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
3/4 cup prepared lemon curd
4 egg whites, at room temp
6 Tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line 9 jumbo muffin cups with paper baking cups.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Increase oven temp to 375.
Use serrate knife to cut off tops of cupcakes even with tops of baking cups (Do not remove paper baking cups). Scoop out small hole in center of each cupcake with teaspoon; fill hole with generous tablespoon lemon curd. Replace cupcake tops.
Beat egg whites in medium bowl with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Continue beating while gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe meringue onto top of each cupcake, or spread meringue over cupcakes and use small spatula to create peaks.
Place cupcakes on baking sheet. Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until peaks of meringue are golden.

Variation: This recipe also makes 24 standard cupcakes. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups; prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions. Scoop out teaspoon-size hole in each cupcake and fill with generous teaspoon lemon curd. Pipe or sread about 1/3 cup meringue over each cupcake; bake as directed above.

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

2009-05-02T13:02:00.003-04:00

If you like lemon, this Ina Garten recipe will be a new favorite. Despite the two cups (!) of cream, the pasta is not very heavy (which may or may not be a good thing) but rather light and tangy. The lemon flavor was noticeable but not too strong because I used one very large lemon instead of three. Also, I opted to use baby spinach in place of the arugula, which I don't love. I really liked it with the spinach and the pasta was a great spring-time, vegetarian meal. And, all those veggies totally offset the creamy sauce, right?

Chicken Souvlaki with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

2009-04-25T16:36:00.002-04:00

This recipe from Rachael Ray was a hit. I cut four chicken breasts into strips before marinating and then grilled them on a grill pan. The yogurt sauce is fantastic on the chicken and I cut a lot of fresh veggies for a side that were perfect to dip in the sauce. I also made this pasta salad to go along with the dinner. I happened to have goat cheese and used that instead of the feta and the heat from the pasta even intensified the goat cheese flavor so it was really strong, but I still liked it, very creamy and different. I don't recommend trying it with goat cheese but if you love feta, you'd really enjoy the pasta.

Strawberry Shortcake

2009-03-30T16:04:00.002-04:00

We have been eating a lot of strawberries lately since they are now in season and on sale. I tried this recipe for the strawberry shortcake and loved it. I just used the shortcake part of the recipe, then added sugared strawberries, and fresh whipped cream. This is a biscuit-type shortcake not a fluffy cake-like shortcake but it is delicious. Grating the butter makes it so easy to incorporate and I used very cold, not frozen, butter and it worked fine. I also opted to skip the egg washing step. And, to make it easier, I just divided the dough into six portions and shaped them into rounds with my hands. Yummy summer dessert!

Alligator Cupcake Cake

2009-03-17T13:49:00.003-04:00

I have to brag and say this is one of my proudest baking (really decorating) achievements. I made this alligator cupcake cake for Jack's birthday. It was actually quite easy thanks to the idea from the Hello, Cupcake cookbook. Check it out!

Spanish Chicken Cutlets with Olive Rice

2009-03-17T13:42:00.002-04:00

I tried this recipe from Rachael Ray and really liked it. It's a new and different way to cook chicken breasts and the rice is delicious and so flavorful! I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of piquillo peppers. I didn't take the time to make the sauce and I didn't miss it.

Pasta Carbonara

2009-02-25T13:52:00.003-05:00

I know this is not a healthful meal but it was delicious. I was reading a novel by Adriana Trigiani, who always incorporates food and recipes into her books, and she was describing in detail this dish being made and I just had to try it! Here's what I did:

1/2 pound linguine
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
4-6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 T cream
2 eggs, beaten

Fill pasta pot with water and bring to boil and cook pasta according to directions. You want the linguine to be done cooking right about when you are ready to add it to the sauce. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in large saute pan. Add bacon and onion and cook until bacon is crisp and onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook additional 1-2 minutes. Mix parmesan, cream and eggs in a bowl. Drain linguine but reserve some (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta water. Turn saute pan heat to low and add pasta to pan. Once all pasta is added, slowly pour in egg mixture, tossing pasta as you do so. Continue tossing pasta and sauce, adding as much pasta water as needed to attain desired consistency. Toss until pasta is completely coated. Traditionally, the pasta and bacon mixture is removed from heat before adding the egg mixture so the egg doesn't curdle, which leaves the egg a little under-cooked. I wanted to ensure the egg was cooked thoroughly so I left the pan on low heat and once the pasta was completely coated, I put a lid on the pan and left the heat on low for an additional five minutes. This is a delicious indulgent meal.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-12T15:11:00.003-05:00

These are my favorite Valentine's treats. You'll need:

Your favorite sugar cookie dough, well chilled
Heart cookie cutters
Seedless Raspberry Jam
Powdered Sugar
Water

Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut equal number large hearts and large hearts with smallest heart cut from center. Bake according to dough recipe. Slightly warm jam in microwave and mix well with spoon. To make glaze, mix powdered sugar and water and spread a thin layer on cut-out cookies (after cooled). Brush whole cookes with a small amount of jam. Add cut out cookies to top. Spoon a small amount of extra jam into center of cookies. Eat and love!

Tortilla Soup

2009-02-12T09:19:00.004-05:00

When we were visiting our friends the Heussers, Erin made us delicious tortilla soup using this recipe. This week I thought I'd give it a try because I needed a new crock pot recipe. I roasted four chicken breasts the day before because I wasn't going to be home at all the day the soup was to be cooking. But, Erin said she just throws frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and then shreds it when it is cooked before adding the soup ingredients. I didn't have a bay leaf and didn't miss it. This soup is so flavorful and so easy! Give it a try!

Tortellini Soup

2009-01-27T16:15:00.004-05:00

This is a delicious and hearty soup perfect for a cold winter's day, which happens to be just the kind of day we are having today in DC! The recipe is easy, as well, since it calls for prepared tortellini (I used dry pesto tortellini from Trader Joe's--I bet refrigerated cheese or mushroom would be delicious in this recipe). Here is the recipe. I love the swiss chard in the soup! I added a half of a chopped onion which I sauteed with the carrot before adding the broth and other ingredients. I actually omitted the chicken (I just used prepared chicken stock) and thought the soup was totally filling without it. You could easily make this a vegetarian meal by using vegetable stock.

Sweet Potato Wedges

2009-01-27T16:09:00.002-05:00

This is another dish I made for Thanksgiving. We always love having sweet potato fries so I thought I would do something along those lines instead of a sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone seemed to love these and they were easy, too! Here is the recipe.

Pear, Cranberry Salad

2009-01-27T15:55:00.004-05:00

This is a salad I made for Thanksgiving. It was a hit with all the dinner guests and it is one of my favorite combinations. Here's what you need:

One bag Spring Mix salad
Three very ripe pears, sliced into thin wedges
Candied Pecans or Walnuts
Dried Cranberries (I like using Trader Joe's Orange Flavored dried cranberries)
Goat Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil

Combine vinegar and olive oil to make dressing. Toss other ingredients in bowl. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

2009-01-27T15:40:00.004-05:00

Wow--I must have been studying up on my food photography during my blogging hiatus. I wish--I copied the picture from the food network website. I have been neglecting my blog lately but I do have many new recipes to share! For Christmas, my mom gave me an autographed copy of Giada's newest cookbook, New Italian Favorites. An awesome gift! Giada's Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs was the first dish I tried from the book and it was amazing. Keep in mind, it was in the "(Not) Just for Kids" section of the book so I'm sure everything else in the book is even more delicious! You can find the recipe in the book or here, on the Food Network site. I used ground turkey instead of chicken and mini shells because I could not find orecchiette. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. Making and cooing the meatballs is quite a bit time consuming but really, I thought it was totally worth it. It is delicious and different and I love that the chicken broth, tomatoes, pan drippings, Parmesan, and mozzarella end up making this amazing sauce. The recipe makes a ton but really, we could have eaten this for three days in a row and not gotten sick of it (We finished it in two). I loved it, Matt loved it, and Jack loved it. It's a winner!

Penne with Squash and Prawns

2008-12-01T21:14:00.002-05:00

When my mom was visiting, she used this recipe to make a delicious meal. It is so different and flavorful. We made a few changes. We mashed the squash right in the pan witn a potato masher instead of pureeing it. We used chicken stock instead of vegetable stock and didn't needed to use milk since we used about two cups of stock. We omitted the basil and it was still delicious. We used penne instead of rigatoni and two pounds of shrimp rather than one. This was a great meal!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2008-11-23T21:16:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I know BBQ chicken pizza is nothing new but I thought I'd post this because I was so happy with the change in regular pizza and the ease of prep for this meal. I made crockpot bbq chicken sandwiches earlier in the week (chicken breasts plus a bottle of bbq sauce). A few days later, I rolled out a pizza dough, spread on a small amount of bbq sauce, then topped the pizza with mozarella and the leftover bbq chicken. The pizza was scrumptious!

Sweet Potato Ravioli

2008-11-23T21:10:00.004-05:00

I came across this recipe in Cooking Light magazine and thought it sounded delicious. I loved using the wonton wrappers (after much searching and the help of great Wegman's employees, I found these in the produce section). We all loved these as a side dish and Jack and I had them for our lunch the next day. The filling is similar to a sweet potato casserole filling, sweet and fragrant. I didn't make the sage butter but just drizzled a little melted butter on top. Very good and different!

Baked Acorn Squash

2008-11-23T21:01:00.002-05:00

I adapted a recipe from this website for an easy and delicious Fall side dish:

Baked Acorn Squash

1 Acorn squash

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 T Honey

Preheat oven to 400. Cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end (It's easier if you zap it in the microwave on half power for a few minutes). Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out. Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Drizzle the honey on each half. Bake in the oven for about one hour, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned.

Back to the Blog with Chocoalte Cake!

2008-11-23T20:53:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness, I've been the biggest slacker on my blog lately. It's been over a month since I've posted anything. I have made a few new things in the past month so I'm going to get a lot of posts done right now. First up, a fabulous dessert! Thanks to Taryn for this recipe for a chocolate cake. I made it for Matt's birthday and it was delicious and so easy!

Chocolate Cake to "Dah" For:
1 box chocolate cake mix (any kind of chocolate, I used Devil's Food)

3 oz. milk chocolate instant pudding (must be instant pudding)

8 oz. sour cream

9 oz. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

1 cup oil

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

Mix cake mix and pudding, then add all other ingredients. Bake @ 350degrees for 60 minutes. (Check @ 50 minutes) Do Not Overcook.

I baked the cake in two 9-inch rounds and put a layer of chocolate whipped cream in between the layers. Then, I frosted the cake with plain, sweetened whipped cream. Delicious! Taryn suggested chopping up your favorite candy bar to add in between the layers and sprinkle on top.

Cocoa Chimichanga

2008-10-08T14:15:00.003-04:00

What a delicious, easy, and different dessert. Try this recipe. Adding whipped cream probably ruins the whole "healthy dessert" idea but I couldn't resist.

Chicken with Tomatillo and Cilantro Sauce

2008-10-08T13:55:00.002-04:00

Okay, I don't blame you when this picture does not entice you to try this recipe. But, this chicken is actually delicious! If you like cilantro, you will love it! The tomatillo and cilantro make such a fresh, tasty sauce. I cut back the onion to about a quarter and it was still delicious. Try this for a new take on chicken breasts!

Rosa Mexicano

2008-10-08T13:29:00.002-04:00

A few Saturdays ago (well, maybe it was about two months ago, time flies!) we drove into DC to walk around and find some place to eat. We ended up in the Gallery Place/Chinatown area. We stumbled upon Rosa Mexicano and decided to try it out. It was great! Matt had the carne asada tacos al asador and the steak was delicious! I had the Budin de Pollo and the dish was excellent. The sauce was fantastic! We ended the meal with the Paraiso de Chocolate which was a very rich, dark chocolate souffle. Very decadent. I recommend it only to those who love dark chocolate. I do so I loved it. And, the sweet tomatillo sauce that accompanied it was very different! We saw that the most popular item on the menu is the guacamole that they make at your table in big black stone dishes. We didn't think we would be able to eat it all ourselves but next time we go we'll definitely try that. We really liked the fancy twist on mexican food at this restaurant. It was excellent! To top it off, Jack was so good and the waitstaff was very friendly to him. What a great evening!

Black Bean Stoup

2008-10-08T13:25:00.001-04:00

I love this soup recipe from Rachael Ray. I like to serve it with grilled cheese. Yum!

Cajun Flounder Caeser Salad

2008-09-26T14:47:00.002-04:00

This is a quick and easy meal that we always love. Dust fish filets (I have used salmon and flounder but I think this would work with just about any fish and would also be great with shrimp) with Cajun seasoning. Put into oven to broil. Meanwhile, make and dress a Caesar salad (I keep it simple with romaine, tomatoes, bottled dressing, and shredded parm). Divide salad between plates and when fish is cooked, place on top of salad. I like serving this with garlic bread.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with White Beans

2008-09-26T14:37:00.004-04:00

I came across this recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine and was surprised at the short ingredient list and even more surprised that I had all the ingredients (this rarely happens for me with a Martha Stewart recipe). I used boneless, skinless breasts and had a little bit of a hard time making the pocket for the bean mixture, I haven't tried that before. This chicken was delicious! It was so flavorful and different. I used kalamata olives which gave the bean mixture a nice strong flavor. I found the cooking time on the recipe to be a little too long but I did have the rack on the lowest level, so that might have been my problem. This is a really tasty way to dress up a chicken breast. I'll definitely be making this again.

This Week's Menu

2008-09-22T14:17:00.002-04:00

Monday 9/22:
* Stuffed Chicken Breasts
* Spinach Salad
* Rice

Tuesday 9/23:
* Mexican Lasagna
* Corn

Wednesday 9/24:
* Cajun Flounder Caeser Salad
* Garlic Bread

Thursday 9/25:
* Stuffed Shells
* Steamed Broccoli
* Garlic Bread

Friday 9/26:
* Black Bean Stoup
* Grilled Cheese

Saturday 9/27:

Sunday 9/28:
* Chicken Enchiladas
* Salad

Caramel Banana Cupcakes

2008-09-22T14:07:00.002-04:00

Thank you to Erin for sending me this recipe for this amazing cupcakes. If you like bananas and caramel, you will love these. Oh my goodness, the frosting, I can't even tell you how good it is (probably because it's pretty much pure butter, but really, if you're going to have dessert, you might as well really have dessert!). These cupcakes take a lot of work so if you do make them, be sure to have a good amount of time set aside, and know that you will be washing your mixing bowl a few times throughout the process (I don't think I would have made these without my stand mixer). I made the full batch and came out with 16 cupcakes. For the frosting, I cut the butter to 1 1/2 sticks and still had extra frosting. I also needed to cut the cooking time down by about 5 minutes (probably because I have a hot oven and was using a dark, non-stick pan). After you make these you will probably want to stick a caramel in the middle of all of your cupcakes. I loved biting into them and finding the gooey caramel! Let me know your secret if you're able to restrain yourself from sneaking a few caramels while your making these. I certainly wasn't.

Chicken Stir Fry

2008-09-22T13:55:00.005-04:00

My mom suggested this recipe. It is really simple and delicious and a new way to prepare chicken. She used broccolini and sliced red pepper and I tried that combination which was great, especially since we're not the hugest fans of mushrooms. You can really use whatever vegetables you want; It's the sauce that makes the dish good. I recommend doubling the sauce and slicing your chicken very thinly. I served this with chow mien noodles.

Baked Ziti

2008-09-22T13:46:00.003-04:00

I adapted the recipe on the back of the pasta box to make this baked ziti which turned out really well. You can cut down the ricotta so you only have to buy a 15-oz container. I really like using a bit more, though.

1 pound ziti, cooked and drained

1 28-0z can marinara sauce (TJ's is the best!)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T dried basil

1 T dried parsley

1 t oregano

20 oz low-fat ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded mozarella cheese

1/3 cup shredded parm

Adjust seasonings to taste and combine all ingredients besides 1/2 cup mozarella and the parm in the pasta pot until all fully incorporated. Transfer to greased 9x13 pan. Top with remaining mozarella and parmesan. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

Feta Chicken with Zucchini

2008-09-18T13:17:00.012-04:00

I normally don't love the recipes from Real Simple but since I had all the ingredients on hand, I tried this one. I used on zucchini and one yellow squash. The lemon is really strong in this dish so don't make it if you don't like lemon. The best part is the warm feta cheese on top. The feta I used had herbs and spices mixed in and that added a lot.

Basil Burgers

2008-09-18T13:17:00.009-04:00

A yummy twist on turkey burgers: Add chopped basil and Wochestershire sauce (to taste) to the meat before forming into patties. After grilling, top with mozzarella and sliced tomato. Spread hamburger buns with basil-garlic mayo. Yum!

This Week's Menu

2008-09-18T13:17:00.006-04:00

Monday 9/15:
* Basil Turkey Burgers
* Fries

Tuesday 9/16:
* Feta Chicken with Zucchini
* Rice

Wednesday 9/17:
* Baked Ziti
* Caesar Salad
* Garlic Bread

Thursday 9/18:
* Chicken Stir-Fry
* Lo-Mien Noodles

Friday 9/19:
* ?????

Saturday 9/20:
* Dinner out?

Sunday 9/21:
* Baked Dijon Salmon
* Boiled Potatoes
* Broccoli

Broiled Sea Bass with Pineapple-chili-Basil Glaze

2008-09-18T13:17:00.003-04:00

Thank you to Shireen for sending me this great recipe. She used it with Salmon and loved it. I tried it with Tilapia and it was great. I think it would work well with most fish. It is such an easy recipe and tastes wonderful.

Broiled Sea Bass with Pineapple-chili-Basil Glaze (from Cooking Light)
3 T Pineapple preserves

2 T rice vinegar

1 tsp. chopped fresh basil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove

3/4 tsp. salt

4 (6 oz) sea bass or other firm white fish

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat broiler

2. Combine first 5 ingredients and 1/4 tsp. salt in small bowl

3. Salt the fillets with 1/2 tsp. salt and black pepper. Place the fish on a broiler pan lined with aluminum foil (easy cleanup!) Broil 5 minutes. Remove from oven brush fillets evenly with glaze and broil an additional 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Sweet Bruschetta

2008-09-13T22:31:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my mom who told me about this delicious sweet bruschetta. She had it at a little Italian restaurant and told me how good it was and how the restaurant made it. It is so delicious and different. The restaurant drizzled the bruschetta with olive oil but I tried honey which really made it sweet and a dessert bruschetta.

Italian bread, toasted (I used TJ's Tuscan pane)
Mascarpone Cheese
Fig Preserves
Thinly sliced apple
Honey

Spread cheese over toasted bread. Add preserves over cheese. Top with apple. Drizzle with honey. Yum!

Erin's Roasted Vegetable Salad

2008-09-13T22:24:00.003-04:00

Thank you to Erin for sending me this wonderful recipe of hers. This salad is delicious! Have you ever seen a more colorful salad? I omitted red onion and used balsamic vinegar to dress the salad. I accidentally picked up the Feta cheese with Meditteranean herbs and spices but it was great on the salad!

Erin's Roasted Vegetable Salad
1 carton grape tomatos, halved
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into thick strips
1 orange pepper, seeded and cut into thick strips
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
handful Kalmata Olives, sliced
Feta cheese
Red wine vinegar
Garlic powder or chopped garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil

Move oven rack to its highest setting. Turn oven to Broil on High. Brush Peppers, Zucchini and Squash lightly with olive oil (both sides) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place veggies on baking sheet and place in oven to broil aprox 10-12 min, until spotty brown. Flip veggies once at about 5 min. Remove veggies from oven and let cool. Place tomatos, onion, olives, cheese into a large bowl. Once roasted veggies have cooled, cut into bite sized pieces. Place cut veggies in bowl with other ingredients. Add garlic powder, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to incorporate.

Eggplant and Tomato Pasta

2008-09-13T22:18:00.003-04:00

This is a really wonderful sauce for pasta. The eggplant makes it so hearty and flavorful. The recipe does take some extra time so make sure to plan ahead and do your chopping earlier in the day. Also, it took me about 30 minutes of cooking the eggplant to where it was as browned as I wanted. I used four large chopped fresh tomatoes, served the sauce over rotini (Jack loves this curly pasta) and topped it with grated parm.

This Week's Menu

2008-09-08T14:02:00.004-04:00

Monday 9/8:
* Cheese Enchiladas
* Refried Black Beans
* Steamed Corn

Tuesday 9/9:
* Mexican Lasagna
* Salad

Wednesday 9/10:
* Eggplant and Tomato Pasta
* Garlic Bread

Thursday 9/11:
* Erin's Roasted Veggie Salad
* Falafel with Cucumber Sauce

Friday 9/12:
* Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
* Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday 9/13:
* Dinner out?

Sunday 9/14:
* Pan-Fried Tilapia
* Rice
* Steamed Broccoli

This Week's Menu

2008-09-02T14:23:00.003-04:00

Sorry for so many repeats on this week's menu. We took a last-minute road trip this weekend so I have a lot of unused food in the fridge that I bought for specific meals. As far as the food on the road trip, I think the funnel cake (at Hershey Park) was the best part. But, the delicious Pennsylvania Dutch meal was excellent, as well. The raisin bread they served with the meal was so good!

Monday:
* Day off from the kitchen, too!

Tuesday:
* Chicken Enchiladas
* Refried Black Beans
* Salad

Wednesday:
* Slippery Shrimp
* Rice
* Broccoli

Thursday:
* Chicken Katsu
* Rice
* Cucumber Salad

Friday:
* Italian Baked Pastina
* Caeser Salad

Saturday:
* Turkey Taco Salads

Sunday:
* Baked Dijon Salmon
* Rice
* Broccoli

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-09-02T14:18:00.001-04:00

Try this recipe that my friend Taryn posted on her blog. These cookies are delicious! I had no will power when I made these!

Calzones

2008-09-02T13:58:00.002-04:00

To make two big calzones using store-bought pizza dough this is what you need:

One store-bought pizza dough
2 T olive oil
2 cups sliced vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, onions, whatever you have on hand)
1 clove minced garlic
1 cups marinara sauce
One cup mozarella cheese

Saute vegetables in olive oil about 8 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and marinara sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes. Divide dough and roll out into two circles. Spoon vegetables onto one side of the circles, top with chees, fold dough over and pinch closed. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

This Week's Menu

2008-08-25T16:04:00.003-04:00

Monday 8/25:
* Chicken Chilaquiles
* Steamed Carrots

Tuesday 8/26:
* Tomato-Caper Flounder
* Pasta

Wednesday 8/27:
* Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese

Thursday 8/28:
* Veggie Calzones
* Spinach Salad

Friday 8/29:
* Chicken Katsu
* Rice
* Cucumber Salad

Saturday 8/30:
* Eggplant Parm Sandwiches
* Caesar Salad

Sunday 8/31:
* Slippery Shrimp
* Rice
* Broccoli

Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream

2008-08-25T15:56:00.002-04:00

One box Devil's Food Cake Mix and required ingredients
One Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted

Bake cake in two round cake pans. Let cool and slice off any mounds if necessary. Whip cream and add powdered sugar to taste. Spread 1 cup whipped cream on bottom layer and add top layer. Set aside 3/4 cup whipped cream and mix melted chocolate in with remaining cream. Spread chocolate whipped cream on top and sides of cake. Add remaining plain whipped cream to top of cake. Yum!

Easy Empanadas

2008-08-25T15:49:00.002-04:00

This is what I came up with for lunch on Saturday. We liked them so much we had them again for lunch on Sunday and I had to post them. We had leftover taco meat but I didn't want tacos. We also had a pizza dough but Matt didn't feel like pizza and whala . . . empanadas. I rolled out the pizza dough, sliced it into six rectangles, mounded taco meat and cheese on one end, then folded the dough and pinched the packet closed. They took about 15 minutes to bake in a 400 degree oven and they were great. This week I'll try calzones with the dough.

Chicken Katsu

2008-08-23T13:04:00.002-04:00

This was such a good meal! Chicken Katsu is one of my favorite Japanese foods. I used this recipe for the chicken. It was easy and really good. I made a Tonkatsu sauce to dip the chicken in which although not authentic, was good and easy to remember: equal parts (I used 2 Tbsps) Soy sauce, sugar, katsup, and Worcestishire sauce. For a side I made a cucumber salad that I love: slice one cucumber add three tablespoons rice vinegar and two tablespoons sugar. Toss together and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

This Week's Menu

2008-08-18T14:37:00.002-04:00

Monday 8/18:
* Italian Baked Pastina with Zucchini
* Caesar Salad

Tuesday 8/19:
* Double Decker Turkey Tacos
* Spinach Salad

Wednesday 8/20:
* Chicken Katsu
* Cucumber Salad
* Rice

Thursday 8/21:
* Tex-Mex Salad

Friday 8/22:
* Chicken Chilaquiles
* Steamed Carrots

Saturday 8/23:
* Baked Flounder
* Broccoli
* Rice

Sunday 8/24:
* Chicken Picatta
* Pasta
* Spinach

Red Potato Salad with Blue Cheese

2008-08-17T20:20:00.002-04:00

I tried this recipe for a different potato salad that I could take to a barbeque. I didn't have buttermilk so I blended some whole milk with some greek style yogurt to make about 1/2 cup of dressing. I then added the dijon mustard and blue cheese to the yogurt mixture. The tang of the yogurt was great in the salad. I omitted the vinegar and bacon. The salad turned out great. I think it will be my new favorite potato salad for a while.

Brown's Black Bean Salsa

2008-08-17T20:16:00.004-04:00

This is a fantastic recipe! Thank you to Erin for sending it to me. I took it to a party and it was gobbled up in record time. I wish I had taken a picture; it's so colorful and looks as delicious as it is.

Brown's Black Bean Salsa

1/2 tsp crushed cumin
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 (15 oz) can corn, drained
1/2 red pepper, minced
1/2 purple onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Toss all ingredients together. Cover and store in refrigerator. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes about 3 cups

Peach Blueberry Crostata

2008-08-17T20:05:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite summer desserts. I should have posted it earlier since blueberries and peaches will soon be out of season. Here is the recipe. I don't have a pizza stone. I just cook it on a lightly floured cookie sheet and it turns out fine. I love this dessert!

Crispy Breaded Shrimp with Garlicky Beans

2008-08-17T19:58:00.002-04:00

When I was going through some of my old magazines, I came across this recipe in Real Simple. I love Real Simple but I've never been too impressed with their recipes. After reading one of the reviews I was inspired to use panko for breading the shrimp and I opted for not using the rosemary. So really, I totally changed the recipe. But, I still made the shrimp. This made for quite an interesting combination in the meal. The beans were okay, I wouldn't make them again. The shrimp, though, was really tasty. All I did was dip them in panko, spray them with olive oil cooking spray and then cook them for about 10 minutes at 400. I had some plum sauce that we dipped them in and it was a great combination.

This Week's Menu

2008-08-12T13:22:00.003-04:00

Monday 8/11:
* Cobb Salad

Tuesday 8/12:
* Cheese Enchiladas
* Spinach Salad

Wednesday 8/13:
* Crispy Breaded Shrimp with Garlicky Beans

Thursday 8/14:
* Fake Jerk Chicken
* Rice & Peas

Friday 8/15:
* Chicken Tostadas

Saturday 8/16:
* BBQ

Sunday 8/17:
* Turkey Loaf
* Sweet Potato Fries
* Steamed Veggies

Fake Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas

2008-08-12T13:06:00.003-04:00

Here is a quick version of unauthentic Jerk Chicken. It's spicy and flavorful and a different way to cook chicken breasts!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
juice of one lime
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Shake all ingredients in container or plastic bag. Refrigerate at least one hour. Grill! I used my indoor grill pan and grilled the chicken breasts about 5 minutes per side.

A traditional Jamaican side dish is rice and peas, which is really rice with kidney beans. It's delicious because you cook the rice with coconut milk. This is the recipe I used but I made some changes. Use whole green onions (scallions), not a regular onion. Just put two scallions in the pot with the liquid and when the rice is done you can remove them or eat them if you'd like. I didn't use the liquid from the can of beans. I added enough water to the coconut milk to make five cups of liquid. I didn't add the tablespoon of oil, and I used a jalapeno because I couldn't find a scotch bonnet. After I added the rice to the boiling liquid, I put the lid on the pot and turned the heat to low. It took about 20 minutes to cook. This is a good almost-Jamaican meal.

Tex-Mex Salad

2008-08-08T14:15:00.004-04:00

Check out the picture and recipe for this salad here. It looks great in the trifle dish and would be fun to take to a potluck or party. I don't have a trifle dish but it still looked and tasted delicious. The cornbread adds such an unexpected and tasty sweetness and texture to the salad. For three big servings, I used one and a half romaine hearts, one and a half cans of black beans. I used only cheddar cheese, didn't use Sazon seasoning and didn't miss it, and I also added a sliced avocado. The salsa tomato mixture adds a lot to the salad. I made my own dressing that I adapted from the Cafe Rio Salad dressing. The dressing turned out fantastic:

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg Ranch Dressing dry mix 
3/4 cup milk 
1 cup mayonnaise
5 tomatillos, peeled and halved 
2 cloves garlic
1/3 bunched cilantro
juice of half a lime

Blend ingredients together in a blender.

Baked Dijon Salmon

2008-08-08T14:06:00.002-04:00

This salmon is so delicious! A big thank you to Erin for sending me this recipe. We loved it! The pecan breadcrumb mixture with the dijon and honey--so good! Try this recipe!

¼ CUP BUTTER--MELTED
3 TBS DIJON MUSTARD
1 ½ TBS HONEY
¼ CUP DRY BREAD CRUMBS
¼ CUP CHOPPED PECANS
FEW DASHES OF DRIED PARSLEY
4 SALMON FILETS

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400. IN SMALL BOWL, MIX TOGETHER BUTTER, MUSTARD AND HONEY--SET ASIDE. IN ANOTHER SMALL BOWL, MIX TOGETHER BREAD CRUMBS, PECANS AND PARSLEY.- BRUSH EACH SALMON FILET WITH HONEY MIXTURE THEN SPRINKLE THE TOPS WITH THE BREAD CRUMB MIXTURE--LIGHTLY PAT THE TOPS TO COMPRESS TOPPING. BAKE SALMON FOR 12-15 MIN OR UNTIL FLAKY.

This Week's Menu

2008-08-04T15:08:00.002-04:00

Monday 8/4:
* Chicken Enchiladas
* Steamed Veggies

Tuesday 8/5:
* Baked Dijon Salmon
* Rice
* Steamed Broccoli

Wedensday 8/6:
* Tex Mex Salad

Thursday 8/7:
* Slippery Shrimp
* Rice
* Marinated Cucumbers

Friday 8/8:
* Fake Jerk Chicken
* Rice & Peas
* Spinach Salad

Saturday 8/9:
* Cobb Salad

Sunday 8/10:
* Fry Bread Turkey Tacos

Chicken Parmesan

2008-08-04T13:23:00.003-04:00

After watching Food Network the other day, I used this recipe to make chicken parmesan. I followed the recipe exactly but I did not make my own bread crumbs. The chicken was delicious.

Falafel

2008-07-30T20:31:00.005-04:00

I don't know what made me decide to try to make falafel but I'm glad I did. I really like falafel and this turned out well.

I know falafel isn't really a Greek food but I always had it at this Greek place in San Diego. So, there's my segue to make a plug for Mamma Mia! (it's set in Greece) Go see this movie! I know a lot of people who have loved the musical. I haven't seen the musical but the movie was great. I saw the movie last night and I've had the music stuck in my head all day and I want to go see it again! You will laugh so much and have so much fun. The music is great, the plot is fun, the cast is excellent.

Okay, back to food. For the falafel I used this recipe, to which I made a few changes. I doubled most of the ingredients but just used one onion. I microwaved the beans for a few minutes and they were then quite easy to fork mash. I didn't have fresh parsley so I used a couple of Tablespoons of dried. I didn't have coriander either. I used baking soda instead of baking powder. Instead of putting all the bread crumbs into the mixture, I mixed in half and set the other half aside. I formed the balls, flattened them into patties, then dipped them into the bread crumbs. This worked really well. I don't think the mixture would have been moist enough if I had mixed in the entire amount of breadcrumbs. Also, dipping the patties in breadcrumbs gave them a great crust when I fried them in a little bit of olive oil. I put the patties in warmed pita bread, topped them with tomatoes, and a dcucumber yogurt sauce:

8 oz Greek (Mamma Mia! is set on a Greek island!) style yogurt (plain)

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1 t dill

1 t salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor.

Steak Sandwiches

2008-07-30T20:15:00.004-04:00

Thin cut beef bottom round steaks were on sale a couple of weeks ago and I decided to use them for steak sandwiches. I pounded the steaks even thinner and cut them into strips. The sandwiches turned out really well. I grilled some onions for my sandwich, and that addition was fabulous! I love steak sandwiches. I need to plan a trip to Philadelphia so I can get a real one!

Quick Steak Sandwiches

1 pound thinly cut steak, sliced into strips

Marinade:

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t chili powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t dry mustard

1/4 c Wocestershire sauce

4 steak rolls

Provolone Cheese

Grilled onions

Sliced tomatoes

Lettuce

Mayo

Mix all ingredients for marinade and pour over steak strips. Marinate at least 30 minutes. Add steak and extra marinade to hot skillet and saute until completely cooked. Pile steak into rolls and add desired toppings.

This Week's Menu

2008-07-28T21:14:00.002-04:00

Monday 7/28:
* Italian Baked Pastina
* Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday 7/29:
* Steak Sandwiches
* Spinach Salad

Wednesday 7/30:
* Falafel Pitas
* Cucumber Sauce

Thursday 7/31:
* Chicken Parmesan
* Pasta
* Caesar Salad

Friday 8/1:
* Slippery Shrimp
* Steamed Broccoli
* Rice

Saturday 8/2:
* Rice & Beans
* Sliced Avocado

Sunday:
* Tilapia
* Zucchini Ribbon Pasta

Strawberry Pie

2008-07-28T20:58:00.003-04:00

I thought I'd take advantage of strawberry season and make a strawberry pie. I stumbled across this recipe for strawberry pie and was sold on the idea of a shortbread crust but I didn't want to make a filling requiring gelatin. So, I tried this recipe for the filling. As I was reading the reviews on the filling recipe, I read something about spreading melted chocolate on strawberry pie crusts so they don't get soggy. Strawberries, chocolate, and a cookie crust? That seemed like a fantastic idea to me. I doubled the crust recipe and I was glad I did. It was difficult for me to even cover the pan with the doubled amount. I baked it and then spread on melted chocolate. I followed the filling recipe exactly and it turned out okay. It just seemed too jammy for me. I think this is a preference thing. If you like a jammy strawberry pie, the recipe seems great. Maybe I should try one with gelatin next time. Don't think I didn't eat the pie, though. I couldn't get enought of that crust! The chocolate makes the pie really rich and I think it might be too rich an addition for a lot of people, but I loved it. The combination of the cookie crust and the melted chocolate . . .my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Lasagna

2008-07-28T19:50:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of this lasagna because it always looks (and tastes) delicious. And, it's easy! I haven't been as on top of my blog lately because during all my recent spare time I've been reading The Host (thanks Carley!) by Stephenie Meyer, the author of the Twilight saga. The book is really good, not as good as Twilight, but it's an easy read and extremely gripping. I haven't been able to put it down the last few days. I finally finished it today so here I am on my blog! Here is an easy version of meat lasagna that I always love.

Easy Meat Lasagna

1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can Marinara sauce (Trader Joe's canned Marinara is excellent)
1 tsp dried basil
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
1 lb small curd, low-fat cottage cheese
1 egg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups mozarella cheese

Brown turkey, adding onion and garlic after a couple of minutes of cooking time. Drain grease. Add Marinara sauce and basil to turkey. Stir and let simmer about 5 minutes. Combine cottage cheese, egg, and parmesan cheese. Grease a 9x13 pan. Layer:

Sauce
4 Noodles
Cottage Cheese
Sauce
Mozarella Cheese
4 Noodles
Cottage Cheese
Sauce
Mozarella Cheese
4 Noodles
Cottage Cheese
Sauce
Mozarella Cheese

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This Week's Menu

2008-07-22T13:34:00.003-04:00

Monday 7/21:
* Chicken, Rice, Tomato Dish

Tuesday 7/22:
* Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas
* Guacamole

Wednesday 7/23:
* Lasagna
* Caesar Salad
* Garlic Bread

Thursday 7/24:
* Black Beans & Rice
* Sliced Avocado

Friday 7/25:
* Chicken Enchiladas
* Spinach Salad

Saturday 7/26:
* Beef Fajitas

Sunday 7/27:
* Tilapia
* Steamed Broccoli
* Boiled Potatoes

Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle

2008-07-21T15:00:00.002-04:00

I saw an episode of 30-minute meals (I love that it's on when Jack is taking his nap) where Rachael Ray made this meal. It looked really good and I gave it a try. The tilapia turned out great and was so easy. I burned the balsamic sauce, I think my pan was too hot when I added the butter, but I don't think the fish needed anything at all. The pasta was pretty good. I used San Marzano tomatoes but I'm not sure that they were worth the extra money. I thought using the mascarpone cheese to make the sauce creamy was a great idea and it seemed to help the sauce a lot. Trying this recipe has induced me to try tilapia more often.

This Week's Menu

2008-07-14T14:34:00.003-04:00

Monday 7/14:
* Mexican Lasagna
* Spinach Salad

Tuesday 7/15:
* Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter
* Creamy Farfalle with Bacon and Peas

Wednesday 7/16:
* Rice and Beans
* Sliced Avocado

Thursday 7/17:
* Grilled Chicken and Ratatouille

Friday 7/18:
* Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Saturday 7/19:
* Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

Sunday 7/20:
* Slippery Shrimp

Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

2008-07-14T14:12:00.003-04:00

This recipe is great. It's easy and delicious. I used bacon instead of pancetta and didn't have mint to use in the cheese. I also used low fat ricotta. The bacon, garlic, and red pepper really adds a lot of flavor to the marinara. This was a great meal!

Chicken Tostadas

2008-07-14T13:35:00.002-04:00

I was inspired by this recipe to try making chicken tostadas. I followed the recipe's instructions for frying the tortillas and they were so good. I made my own topping. The tostadas turned out so well. We had them again the next day. Here's what I used:

6 corn tortillas

1/2 cup oil

1 can refried beans

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup salsa

shredded spinach

corn

chopped tomatoes
chopped avocado

shredded cheese

Fry tortillas, about 30 seconds per side in hot oil, and drain on paper towel. Heat refried beans. Mix salsa and chicken together and heat. Spread refried beans on tortillas. Add chicken then top with spinach, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

2008-07-11T14:52:00.003-04:00

This is a pretty good pasta casserole. I doubled the recipe and added one sliced zucchini but it would have been better with two. The parmesan bread crumb topping is good. Jack loved this dinner. He had so much fun picking up the curly pasta.

Roman Style Chicken

2008-07-11T14:48:00.002-04:00

This recipe is so good! I used four boneless skinless chicken breasts, and bacon instead of prociutto. This meal was a great new way to make chicken.

This Week's Menu

2008-07-06T21:34:00.003-04:00

Monday 7/7:
* Turkey Sloppy Joes
* Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday 7/8:
* Mozarella Chicken Sandwiches
* Spinach salad

Wednesday 7/9:
* Roman Style Chicken
* Boiled Potatoes

Thursday 7/10:
* Italian Baked Chicken & Pastina
* Salad

Friday 7/11:
* Chicken Tostadas

Saturday 7/12:
* Chicken Club Wraps

Sunday 7/13:
* Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce
* Spinach Salad
* Garlic Bread

Chicken Enchiladas from Real Simple

2008-07-06T20:33:00.002-04:00

I found this recipe while I was browsing the July issue of Real Simple and I though it would be a good alternative to the chicken enchiladas I normally make. I grilled a lot of chicken earlier in the week and used 4 shredded chicken breasts for the filling. I used half of a can of corn, chopped vidalia onion instead of red onion, flour tortillas instead of corn, and a can of green enchilada sauce instead of making the green salsa. I made the enchiladas earlier in the day and when they were ready to be baked, poured the sauce over and cooked them for 20 minutes at 400. I really liked the filling for these enchiladas especially since it incorporates a couple of vegetables. It was a little more time consuming than my regular enchiladas but still easy.

Chicken Club Wraps

2008-07-06T20:15:00.003-04:00

I found delicious looking spinach and garlic pesto tortillas at Wegmans (Thank you to Taryn for giving me the tour of this awesome grocery store!) and I had to find some way to use them. After Andrea introduced me to Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing (thanks Andrea! It is now my favorite salad dressing), I decided I absolutely needed to use them together. I loved this dinner. Here's what I used:

4, 10" Spinach & Garlic Pesto Tortillas
4 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing
1 avocado, sliced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Shredded cheddar cheese

Combine chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes in large bowl and toss with enough dressing to generously coat. Split salad between four tortillas. Top with avocado, bacon and cheese. Roll wraps and enjoy!

Grilled Salmon

2008-07-02T20:47:00.003-04:00

Well, this dinner turned into grilled chicken. I was going to use this recipe to make salmon last night but the seafood department at the grocery store was out of the salmon filets that were on sale. I thought the marinade sounded really good, though, so I made it and marinated four chicken breasts and then grilled them on the grill pan. It was tasty on chicken but I bet it's even better on salmon. I served the chicken with garlic bread and spinach salad.