This was actually last night's dinner. I just can't seem to get back in the swing of posting every day, but I pinky swear I'm trying to! The weather here has been awesome lately, so the boy wants to be outside all the time. And he wants mommy outside playing with him, so most of my time (except when he's napping) has been spent hanging out on my patio. Not that I mind, I'm just not getting a whole lot done! Oh well, he's only young once and he's not always going to want me around, so I should enjoy it while I can.
We were originally going to have this on Wednesday night, but we ended up having tacos instead. I didn't post the recipe because everyone knows how to make tacos. My friend Jen B. had told me about gnocchi at Trader Joe's, so I got some last time I was there. I'd only had them in a frozen entree thing from TJ's before, so I was interested in trying them with something different. I was quite pleased with the result! I cooked two chicken breasts on my grill pan, cut up eight ounces of mozzarella into small pieces, cooked the gnocchi per the pacakge directions (boil water, add gnocchi, wait until they float to the top of the water), and I made some pesto. I tossed it all together, and VOILA! Dinner was served. Since the rest of it wasn't anything difficult or requiring a recipe, here's my low-fat pesto recipe. I found it online last summer when I had a ton of basil to use up (don't you just love fresh basil?! I could sit and smell it all day long...if I wasn't spending my days sitting on my patio. Maybe I should take some basil outside with me to sit and smell...). I love pesto but the usual version is rather unhealthy because of all the oil. This one is super easy to do and low fat!
Low Fat Pesto Sauce
2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Combine stock and garlic and heat in the microwave on high for 5 minutes (or heat on the stove). Allow to cool. Chop basil in food processor. Add cooled stock, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Whirl until everything is finely chopped and blended.
*****
I didn't end up having pine nuts last night, so I used macadamia nuts instead. It was that, pecans, or walnuts, and I figured macadamia nuts were closer than pecans or walnuts. It turned out really good! And I got to use my new microplane to grate the parmesan!! Jen B. and I skipped out on photography class Wednesday night and went to Sur La Table and AJ's, our fancy schmancy grocery store here in Phoenix. I've been wanting a microplane for SO LONG, so I finally got one Wednesday night.
I heart Sur La Table. I wish I had endless amounts of disposable income so I could do some real damage in that store.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Review
I'm giving the raviolis a mixed review. The filling was really yummy, but the raviolis TOTALLY fell apart when they were in the boiling water. The husband liked them, the boy did not, but he hasn't been eating dinner very well lately, so his opinion doesn't really count. I think I would make the filling again but maybe put it in shells or manicotti with a bechamel sauce. Also, I didn't get 48 raviolis out of it...more like 32 I think. Maybe it was because I didn't use all the spinach.
Prosciutto Ravioli
So, I thought I was being really creative with my dinner tonight. I had some prosciutto in the fridge and saw wonton wrappers on sale at the store last week, so I thought, "Cool, I'll use the wonton wrappers and make my own raviolis with prosciutto and some ricotta." Then I was reading through a Giada De Laurentis cookbook (Everyday Pasta) and saw a recipe for prosciutto raviolis using wonton wrappers. I was so bummed...I thought I'd had this great original idea, but really it was something I just tucked away in the back of my head. Lame! Oh well. Here's the recipe:
Prosciutto Ravioli
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
48 wonton wrappers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Freshly grated pecorino
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, prosciutto, egg yolks, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Brush the edge of the wrapper lightly with water. Fold the wrapper in half, enclosing the filling completely and forming a triangle. Pinch the edges to seal. Transfer the ravioli to baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. (Can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Melt the butter in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add the oregano and stir 1 minute. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Working in batches, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the ravioli to a large shallow bowl.
Pour the oregano butter over the ravioli and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle the pecorino over the ravioli and serve.
*****
I'm using lowfat ricotta and some Egg Beaters instead of egg yolks. I also only have half a package of spinach, and I have parmesan not pecorino. This is my first attempt making something like this, so we'll see how it turns out!
Prosciutto Ravioli
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
48 wonton wrappers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Freshly grated pecorino
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, prosciutto, egg yolks, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Brush the edge of the wrapper lightly with water. Fold the wrapper in half, enclosing the filling completely and forming a triangle. Pinch the edges to seal. Transfer the ravioli to baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. (Can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Melt the butter in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add the oregano and stir 1 minute. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Working in batches, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the ravioli to a large shallow bowl.
Pour the oregano butter over the ravioli and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle the pecorino over the ravioli and serve.
*****
I'm using lowfat ricotta and some Egg Beaters instead of egg yolks. I also only have half a package of spinach, and I have parmesan not pecorino. This is my first attempt making something like this, so we'll see how it turns out!
Macaroni and Cheese
Phew...the birthday weekend is all over, so things can start getting back to normal! One of the first things we're doing is taking our house back from the toys that have overtaken our entire living space! We're converting our guest room into a play room, and I CANNOT WAIT!
Aside from that, I'll be glad to get everything back on track and be able to update here everyday. I didn't do much cooking over the weekend which was nice. My family came over for dinner last night, but my mom brought everything with her, I just seared tuna steaks and made some Pasta Roni. I did make my mother-in-law's macaroni and cheese on Sunday night for part of Will's birthday dinner. It was a huge hit! Even my cousin who is probably the world's pickiest eater liked it. I've posted it before, but here you go again!
Aurelia's Macaroni and Cheese
(these are "unmeasured ingredients", add to your taste)
hot boiled macaroni (8 to 12 ounce bag)
1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese (~8oz)
parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
butter or margarine (1/2 stick)
few tablespoons of milk
salt/pepper
boil macaroni
drain
mix all other ingredients into the hot macaroni
place in 350 oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted
(toss in other cheeses as you like. ie american is good)
*****
I used two bags of shredded cheese in mine and then topped it off with a little more. Luckily we always have a ridiculous amount of cheese on hand in the fridge.
Aside from that, I'll be glad to get everything back on track and be able to update here everyday. I didn't do much cooking over the weekend which was nice. My family came over for dinner last night, but my mom brought everything with her, I just seared tuna steaks and made some Pasta Roni. I did make my mother-in-law's macaroni and cheese on Sunday night for part of Will's birthday dinner. It was a huge hit! Even my cousin who is probably the world's pickiest eater liked it. I've posted it before, but here you go again!
Aurelia's Macaroni and Cheese
(these are "unmeasured ingredients", add to your taste)
hot boiled macaroni (8 to 12 ounce bag)
1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese (~8oz)
parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
butter or margarine (1/2 stick)
few tablespoons of milk
salt/pepper
boil macaroni
drain
mix all other ingredients into the hot macaroni
place in 350 oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted
(toss in other cheeses as you like. ie american is good)
*****
I used two bags of shredded cheese in mine and then topped it off with a little more. Luckily we always have a ridiculous amount of cheese on hand in the fridge.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hummus
I was looking in a Weight Watchers cookbook and came across a hummus recipe. The husband and kid (and I) both LOVE hummus, so I thought I'd give it a try. I got the stuff at the store this week and made it this afternoon.
Hummus
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
In food processor or blender, puree all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon water.
*****
I used nonfat sour cream instead of the yogurt and skiped the allspice because I didn't have any. And I think I used a little more than 2 tsp olive oil. I tasted it after pureeing for awhile and thought it needed a little more.
It's really yummy and comparable, I think, to Trader Joe's hummus. Not nearly as good as Pita Jungle's here in Phoenix (probably the best hummus I've ever had), but pretty good.
Hummus
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
In food processor or blender, puree all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon water.
*****
I used nonfat sour cream instead of the yogurt and skiped the allspice because I didn't have any. And I think I used a little more than 2 tsp olive oil. I tasted it after pureeing for awhile and thought it needed a little more.
It's really yummy and comparable, I think, to Trader Joe's hummus. Not nearly as good as Pita Jungle's here in Phoenix (probably the best hummus I've ever had), but pretty good.
Herb Crusted Pork Roast
Finally, I'm caught up! Pork loin roasts were on sale at the grocery store this week, and I still had mine in the fridge, so I didn't even have to defrost anything. We've only had this one other time before, but it was really yummy. It's in the oven right now and smells so good!! THe husband loved walking in to a house that smelled like yummy dinner. Normally I don't even start dinner until he gets home. I'm a good little homemaker wife tonight I guess. ;)
Herb Crusted Pork Loin
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes, fat side up, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.
*****
I'm only using a 1.5 pound roast because we can't eat a whole four pound roast. After I made this last time we found out that the leftover meat isn't nearly as good as when it's fresh, so I wanted to do a smaller one so we'd eat most of it tonight. We're going to have baked potatoes with it and maybe some peas or green beans.
Herb Crusted Pork Loin
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes, fat side up, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.
*****
I'm only using a 1.5 pound roast because we can't eat a whole four pound roast. After I made this last time we found out that the leftover meat isn't nearly as good as when it's fresh, so I wanted to do a smaller one so we'd eat most of it tonight. We're going to have baked potatoes with it and maybe some peas or green beans.
Chicken Soft Tacos
Wednesday night we had chicken soft tacos for dinner. Last time I made it, Will loved it. Wednesday was his birthday (my baby boy is two!!!), so I figured this would be good since he really liked it and I needed something quick since I had my class that night. Will didn't eat any of it this time! I hate how finnicky toddlers are when it comes to eating! The husband and I really liked it at least.
Chicken Soft Tacos
1.5 pounds frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
Various taco fixings
Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. In small bowl, combine tomatoes and taco seasoning. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred. In a medium bowl, place shredded chicken and add sauce from crockpot until saucy-ness level of chicken is to your liking. Serve in tortillas with whatever taco toppings you like.
Chicken Soft Tacos
1.5 pounds frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
Various taco fixings
Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. In small bowl, combine tomatoes and taco seasoning. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred. In a medium bowl, place shredded chicken and add sauce from crockpot until saucy-ness level of chicken is to your liking. Serve in tortillas with whatever taco toppings you like.
Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus Vinaigrette
Once again I've fallen behind in my posts! This was our dinner on Tuesday night. My friend Jen B. recommended it to me after she made it a few weeks ago. It was from the January issue of Cooking Light. The vinaigrette sauce was sooooo good!!
Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 2 fillets to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining fillets.
Add white wine to pan; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Combine shallots and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add shallot mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons sauce.
*****
So I felt pretty dumb the day after I made this. I thought I had cooking sherry to use, but when I looked in the fridge I couldn't find it. I had no idea what to substitute for it, so I went with white wine vinegar. The next morning the magazine was still sitting open on the counter and it flat out said "Sherry vinegar is mildly acidic. If you can't find it, substitute white wine vinegar." Way to be a thorough reader, Claire!
We had a really yummy couscous along side the fish that was in the magazine, but it wasn't an "official" recipe. It was basically couscous with some dried cranberries, slivered almonds, flat leaf parsley, and olive oil mixed in. Quite tasty!
Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 2 fillets to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining fillets.
Add white wine to pan; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Combine shallots and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add shallot mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons sauce.
*****
So I felt pretty dumb the day after I made this. I thought I had cooking sherry to use, but when I looked in the fridge I couldn't find it. I had no idea what to substitute for it, so I went with white wine vinegar. The next morning the magazine was still sitting open on the counter and it flat out said "Sherry vinegar is mildly acidic. If you can't find it, substitute white wine vinegar." Way to be a thorough reader, Claire!
We had a really yummy couscous along side the fish that was in the magazine, but it wasn't an "official" recipe. It was basically couscous with some dried cranberries, slivered almonds, flat leaf parsley, and olive oil mixed in. Quite tasty!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Spicy Black Bean Soup
As of yesterday the husband and I are back on Weight Watchers. I'm hoping to be able to drop 10 pounds or so, but we'll see what happens. I always struggle with what to have for lunch if we don't have leftovers and just end up snacking all afternoon, so today I'm making up a pot of soup. I love having soup for lunch, and this recipe is really good. I haven't made it in forever, but I've had the ingredients on hand for quite awhile. It's a Weight Watchers recipe and only three Points per serving!
Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 sprays cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), finely chopped
4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes
11 oz canned yellow corn, drained
Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.
Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.
Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving (makes 8 servings).
*****
Oh man, I'm so excited to have this for lunch! I just love soup!
Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 sprays cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), finely chopped
4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes
11 oz canned yellow corn, drained
Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.
Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.
Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving (makes 8 servings).
*****
Oh man, I'm so excited to have this for lunch! I just love soup!
Review
We ended up having the frittata last night. I didn't have an onion, so I sauted the spinach and added in some garlic and Italian seasoning with it, then added in the roasted red peppers. Instead of parmesan I used feta and added a little more seasoning in with the eggs. Oh man, was it ever good! The regular recipe is good to begin with, but I really liked it this way. And I didn't miss the onions at all! I'll probably leave them out going forward when I make it.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Spaghetti and Meatballs
I heart spaghetti and meatballs! I'm really excited for dinner tonight. We didn't end up having the frittata last night because neither of us were hungry. The husband said why didn't we have it tonight, but I've been dying for spaghetti and meatballs. This is my mother-in-law's recipe, and it's so good. I've tweaked it a little the last few times I've made it.
Meatballs
lean ground beef – 2 pounds or more
Italian bread crumbs ( 1 to 1 1/2 cups)
chopped onion – 1 chopped fine
parsley (1 1/2 tab minced)
grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 cup)
eggs –2
salt/pepper
garlic powder
Mix ingredients for the meatballs (ground beef, italian bread crumbs, chopped onion, parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and eggs. Salt and Pepper. Shape into balls and fry in a little olive oil.
Sauce
3 jars Ragu Sauce traditional 1 lb 10oz
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
Italian Seasoning
Onion
Garlic
Bay leaf
Meatballs or Italian susage
½ to 1 cup of water
Saute onion and garlic. Brown paste. Add Ragu and previously browned metballs. Add sugar, Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Simmer 1-2 hours.
*****
I only used one pound of hamburger and forgot the parsley. For the sauce I just used one jar of Ragu. I cook the meatballs in the pot I'm going to use for the sauce so the bits on the bottom of the pan get absorbed into the sauce. I used my new enamel pot (okay, it was a Christmas present, but this is the first time I've used it). Once the meatballs were all done I added some garlic to the pan and deglazed it with a bit of red wine. Then I added in the other stuff. I let just the sauce simmer for awhile and then added in the meatballs.
Meatballs
lean ground beef – 2 pounds or more
Italian bread crumbs ( 1 to 1 1/2 cups)
chopped onion – 1 chopped fine
parsley (1 1/2 tab minced)
grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 cup)
eggs –2
salt/pepper
garlic powder
Mix ingredients for the meatballs (ground beef, italian bread crumbs, chopped onion, parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and eggs. Salt and Pepper. Shape into balls and fry in a little olive oil.
Sauce
3 jars Ragu Sauce traditional 1 lb 10oz
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
Italian Seasoning
Onion
Garlic
Bay leaf
Meatballs or Italian susage
½ to 1 cup of water
Saute onion and garlic. Brown paste. Add Ragu and previously browned metballs. Add sugar, Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Simmer 1-2 hours.
*****
I only used one pound of hamburger and forgot the parsley. For the sauce I just used one jar of Ragu. I cook the meatballs in the pot I'm going to use for the sauce so the bits on the bottom of the pan get absorbed into the sauce. I used my new enamel pot (okay, it was a Christmas present, but this is the first time I've used it). Once the meatballs were all done I added some garlic to the pan and deglazed it with a bit of red wine. Then I added in the other stuff. I let just the sauce simmer for awhile and then added in the meatballs.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Vegetarian Frittata
Phew...finally I'm all caught up! My husband always makes dinner for me on Valentines Day, so I was off duty last night. It was such a treat! Although, he made what I had planned on having tonight, so I had to do some quick thinking. I had some spinach from the portobello pitas earlier in the week, and we haven't had this frittata in quite awhile, so that's what we're having. I also have a red pepper I need to use up. I'm excited, this is always so good!
Vegetarian Frittata
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch crescents
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cut into a chiffonade
1 bell pepper, preferably red, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch die
6 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
8 grinds cracked black pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Generously butter a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Add onions and saute until browned. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in the roasted pepper and remove from heat. Spoon the vegetables into the buttered pie plate, distributing evenly. Let cool.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a larege bowl just until yolks and whites are blended. Add salt, pepper, parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly.
When vegetable mixture has cooled, pour egg mixture over it, again making sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Dish can now be set aside, covered and refrigerated, for up to 8 hours before baking.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the frittata are golden brown and the center is set but still slightly creamy. Do not overbake. Remove frittata to a rack and let cool approximately 15 minutes. Carefully loosen frittata from the paln with a metal spatula. Slide out and continue to cool on rack. To serve either hot or at room temperature, slide frittata onto a flat surface and cut into wedges.
*****
I think I'm just going to saute my red pepper instead of roasting it. And instead of parmesan, I'm going to use feta. For one thing, I'm out of parmesan, and for another I have feta to use and think it would taste really good with this. The husband was going to happy hour after work, so we'll probably eat after the little man goes to bed.
Vegetarian Frittata
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch crescents
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cut into a chiffonade
1 bell pepper, preferably red, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch die
6 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
8 grinds cracked black pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Generously butter a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Add onions and saute until browned. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in the roasted pepper and remove from heat. Spoon the vegetables into the buttered pie plate, distributing evenly. Let cool.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a larege bowl just until yolks and whites are blended. Add salt, pepper, parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly.
When vegetable mixture has cooled, pour egg mixture over it, again making sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Dish can now be set aside, covered and refrigerated, for up to 8 hours before baking.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the frittata are golden brown and the center is set but still slightly creamy. Do not overbake. Remove frittata to a rack and let cool approximately 15 minutes. Carefully loosen frittata from the paln with a metal spatula. Slide out and continue to cool on rack. To serve either hot or at room temperature, slide frittata onto a flat surface and cut into wedges.
*****
I think I'm just going to saute my red pepper instead of roasting it. And instead of parmesan, I'm going to use feta. For one thing, I'm out of parmesan, and for another I have feta to use and think it would taste really good with this. The husband was going to happy hour after work, so we'll probably eat after the little man goes to bed.
Tofu Stir Fry
I had planned on making chicken stir fry for dinner on Wednesday night, but I used my last chicken breasts on Monday. I didn't want to have to come up with a whole new dinner, so I modified it and used tofu instead of chicken. I love stir fry for dinner--it's so easy! BTW, I buy Yoshida's teriyaki sauce at Costco, so I usually always have it on hand. We like things saucy, so I tend to add quite a bit of sauce.
Tofu Stir Fry
1 package extra firm tofu
1 package (one pound) frozen stir fry vegetables
Teriyaki sauce
Rice
Drain tofu. Spray large skillet or wok with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook until lightly browned. Remove tofu from pan, add stir fry vegetables and cover. Cook until veggies are heated through. Return tofu to skillet, add in teriyaki sauce. Stir and let teriyaki sauce heat through. Serve over rice.
Tofu Stir Fry
1 package extra firm tofu
1 package (one pound) frozen stir fry vegetables
Teriyaki sauce
Rice
Drain tofu. Spray large skillet or wok with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook until lightly browned. Remove tofu from pan, add stir fry vegetables and cover. Cook until veggies are heated through. Return tofu to skillet, add in teriyaki sauce. Stir and let teriyaki sauce heat through. Serve over rice.
Portobello Pita Pockets
Don't you love when something goes on sale that you normally think is too expensive? It's pretty silly of me because a package of portobellos is usually $3 at my grocery store, but I never want to spend that much on them. They were on sale for $2.50 this week, and somehow that price is totally fine for me! Anyway, I was excited they were on sale because we hadn't had them in awhile. I think last time I had some I made Portobello Parmesan, and I know the husband likes these pita things so I figured I'd make them instead of the parmesan ones.
Portobello Pita Pockets
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 medium portobello mushroom caps (3-4 inches in diameter)
2 whole wheat pita pocket bread rounds, cut in half
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach leaves
4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
Combine vinegar, oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture. Brush both sides of the onion slices and mushroom caps with remaining vinegar mixture.
Heat grill (or grill pan) to medium high heat. Place pita bread rounds on grill, grilling 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill. Place onions and mushrooms on grill; cook 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender and have grill marks, turning once.
To assemble sandwiches, cut pita rounds in half. Line each pita round with spinach leaves, one slice cheese, one slice onion, one mushroom cap, and tomato slices. Drizzle each pita with reserved vinegar mixture. Serve immediately.
Portobello Pita Pockets
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 medium portobello mushroom caps (3-4 inches in diameter)
2 whole wheat pita pocket bread rounds, cut in half
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach leaves
4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
Combine vinegar, oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture. Brush both sides of the onion slices and mushroom caps with remaining vinegar mixture.
Heat grill (or grill pan) to medium high heat. Place pita bread rounds on grill, grilling 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill. Place onions and mushrooms on grill; cook 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender and have grill marks, turning once.
To assemble sandwiches, cut pita rounds in half. Line each pita round with spinach leaves, one slice cheese, one slice onion, one mushroom cap, and tomato slices. Drizzle each pita with reserved vinegar mixture. Serve immediately.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
My menu for the week is downstairs, so I'm having to do all of this from memory! Not easy for those of us afflicted with Mommy Brain! Monday night we had stuffed chicken breasts. They were so yummy!! The recipe calls for goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh thyme, but I used feta, prosciuto, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. I love stuffing chicken...you can do so much with it!
Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, without oil, minced
2 oz. soft-type goat cheese
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 4-oz breasts
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup wine, dry, white
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup canned chicken broth, fat-free
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
IN a small bowl, stir together sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and thyme. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a horizontal slit through the thickest part of each breast, creating a pocket. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper and dust with flour.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and warm over high heat. Add chicken and brown well. Remove and set aside. Add white wine to pan and boil until almost all evaporated.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp chicken broth until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture, reminaing chicken broth and tomato paste into white wine. Return chicken breasts to pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, without oil, minced
2 oz. soft-type goat cheese
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 4-oz breasts
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup wine, dry, white
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup canned chicken broth, fat-free
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
IN a small bowl, stir together sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and thyme. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a horizontal slit through the thickest part of each breast, creating a pocket. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper and dust with flour.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and warm over high heat. Add chicken and brown well. Remove and set aside. Add white wine to pan and boil until almost all evaporated.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp chicken broth until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture, reminaing chicken broth and tomato paste into white wine. Return chicken breasts to pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Review
The Napoleons weren't as fantastic as I thought they'd be. They had looked so good in the picture on the website, but the actual result was only okay. Well, we liked them and they were super easy, but they just weren't as great as I'd hoped. I mixed in some sour cream with the beans to make them a bit creamier and so they'd go further. I don't think one can of beans was really enough, but two would be too much. I'd make them again if I had everything on hand for them and needed something to make, but I don't think I'd purposefully buy the ingredients to make them.
Doot Doot
I'm sure you're saying, "Doot doot? What is doot doot?" It's what my two year old son calls ketchup. Get it...ketchup...catch up? Ha!
I can't believe I haven't updated since Sunday. This week has been ridiculously busy, but I didn't think it had been THAT bad. I'll start with a review of the Napoleons and then update my recipes for the week. What a slacker I am!
I can't believe I haven't updated since Sunday. This week has been ridiculously busy, but I didn't think it had been THAT bad. I'll start with a review of the Napoleons and then update my recipes for the week. What a slacker I am!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Mexicali Napoleons
Ahhh...finally! Finally we're done eating leftover pizza from Friday night, and finally I get to try this recipe!! I had a sheet of puff pastry leftover from something, so I checked out puffpastry.com for recipes. There were several that sounded good, but I had just about everything on hand for this one. I've been wanting to make it all week, but I wanted to wait for the husband to be well again.
Mexicali Napoleons
1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 can (about 16 oz.) Pace® Traditional Refried Beans
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. drained canned chopped green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped tomato
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 400°F.
UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into 2 rectangles. Place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 15 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
HEAT beans. Split pastries into 2 layers, making 12 layers in all. Spread beans on 6 bottom layers. Top with cheese, chiles and top layers. Spread top layers with sour cream. Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and cilantro.
*****
Mmmm...I can't wait to try it! I'm not sure what we're going to have with it, I haven't thought that far ahead yet.
Mexicali Napoleons
1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 can (about 16 oz.) Pace® Traditional Refried Beans
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. drained canned chopped green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped tomato
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 400°F.
UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into 2 rectangles. Place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 15 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
HEAT beans. Split pastries into 2 layers, making 12 layers in all. Spread beans on 6 bottom layers. Top with cheese, chiles and top layers. Spread top layers with sour cream. Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and cilantro.
*****
Mmmm...I can't wait to try it! I'm not sure what we're going to have with it, I haven't thought that far ahead yet.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Grilled Pizzas
Well, the husband is on the mend. Woo hoo!! We're having grilled pizzas tonight, and I'm so excited! We haven't had them in quite awhile. I bought two crusts at Trader Joe's today...one plain and one garlic and herb. I'm hoping to get two pizzas out of each dough, but we'll see. I don't remember how big they are. I'm going to use the plain crust for BBQ Chicken Pizza. The garlic and herb I think I'm going to do one margherita pizza (basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella) and one with red peppers, caramelized onions, and feta. I have a red pepper I need to use, so I thought that would be good.
For the BBQ Chicken Pizza I mix chicken with some BBQ sauce, not a lot, just enough to lightly coat each piece. I use BBQ sauce as the sauce for the crust. For cheese I do a mixture of smoked mozzarella and regular mozzarella. Then I top it with cilantro or green onions. Yum!!
Since it's been awhile since we've done grilled pizzas, here's a link to a tutorial on how to grill them in case you haven't tried it:
Cooking Light's How to Grill Pizzas
It says on there to flip after three minutes, but we've found it to be closer to five. It may depend on the grill, too. Grilling pizzas is totally addicting, so consider yourselves warned. I'm totally excited for this dinner tonight, plus we're going to have baked brie as a pre-dinner snack!
For the BBQ Chicken Pizza I mix chicken with some BBQ sauce, not a lot, just enough to lightly coat each piece. I use BBQ sauce as the sauce for the crust. For cheese I do a mixture of smoked mozzarella and regular mozzarella. Then I top it with cilantro or green onions. Yum!!
Since it's been awhile since we've done grilled pizzas, here's a link to a tutorial on how to grill them in case you haven't tried it:
Cooking Light's How to Grill Pizzas
It says on there to flip after three minutes, but we've found it to be closer to five. It may depend on the grill, too. Grilling pizzas is totally addicting, so consider yourselves warned. I'm totally excited for this dinner tonight, plus we're going to have baked brie as a pre-dinner snack!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Crockpot Chicken
The husband is on the mend, so it's back to real dinners! Good thing because we didn't have a lot of random dinner stuff on hand. Last night the kid had chicken nuggets and I had a can of chili. Thankfully those days were short-lived!
I had gotten out a chicken to do in the crockpot, and that's what we're having tonight. I wasn't feeling overly inspired with it, so I cut up an onion and put that in the cavity. I mixed together some lemon pepper and Pasta & Co House Herbs and spread under the skin. I got a late start on it, so I've had the crockpot on high for the last five hours. When I checked a couple hours ago there wasn't much liquid in the pot, so poured some chicken broth over the top of the chicken.
I'm hoping it's done in time for us to eat...last time I checked it, the temperature of the chicken was still too low! I think we're going to have feta mashed potatoes with it and maybe some peas of green beans.
I had gotten out a chicken to do in the crockpot, and that's what we're having tonight. I wasn't feeling overly inspired with it, so I cut up an onion and put that in the cavity. I mixed together some lemon pepper and Pasta & Co House Herbs and spread under the skin. I got a late start on it, so I've had the crockpot on high for the last five hours. When I checked a couple hours ago there wasn't much liquid in the pot, so poured some chicken broth over the top of the chicken.
I'm hoping it's done in time for us to eat...last time I checked it, the temperature of the chicken was still too low! I think we're going to have feta mashed potatoes with it and maybe some peas of green beans.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
No dinners
The husband came down with some kind of cold yesterday, so I didn't make dinner last night and probably won't tonight either. I was going to do a crockpot chicken today, but I forgot to set it up before we left this morning. We'll probably have that tomorrow. I'm so bummed because I have a new recipe I want to try that I'm so excited about but the dinner keeps getting pushed back! :(
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sloppy Joes
So, did everyone have a nice weekend? I forgot to say that we were going to Houston for our nephew's birthday. We left Friday and got home last night. It was so fun, I love my niece and nephews so much! Will had a great time playing with his cousins, and my in-laws were there, too, so he got to spend time with his Texas grandparents whom he doesn't get to see very often. A good time was had by all.
Now it's back to our regular routine. I'm trying to use up some stuff we have on hand this week, so tonight is sloppy joes. It seems like we just had these, but when I went to copy the recipe it was about two months ago. Or I used different tags and made it more recently. ;)
Sloppy Joes
1 pound hamburger (or one box Boca grounds)
1 can Campbell's Chicken Gumbo Soup
1-2 cups ketchup, depending on taste (or how sloppy you like them)
Brown hamburger in skillet. Add in chicken gumbo soup, gradually add in ketchup until mixture reaches desired consistency/sloppiness. Serve on hamburger buns.
*****
I love sloppy joes...so tasty and so easy! We're having crinkle fries with it and probably some kind of vegetable. I'm trying lately to make sure we have a vegetable with dinner every night. Oh! Maybe I could sneak in some sweet potato puree. I bet that would work! But we'll still have a vegetable. :)
Now it's back to our regular routine. I'm trying to use up some stuff we have on hand this week, so tonight is sloppy joes. It seems like we just had these, but when I went to copy the recipe it was about two months ago. Or I used different tags and made it more recently. ;)
Sloppy Joes
1 pound hamburger (or one box Boca grounds)
1 can Campbell's Chicken Gumbo Soup
1-2 cups ketchup, depending on taste (or how sloppy you like them)
Brown hamburger in skillet. Add in chicken gumbo soup, gradually add in ketchup until mixture reaches desired consistency/sloppiness. Serve on hamburger buns.
*****
I love sloppy joes...so tasty and so easy! We're having crinkle fries with it and probably some kind of vegetable. I'm trying lately to make sure we have a vegetable with dinner every night. Oh! Maybe I could sneak in some sweet potato puree. I bet that would work! But we'll still have a vegetable. :)
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