Busy Mommy Gourmet Living

Chickpea Salad with Cilantro Pesto

2012-04-11T14:33:00.000-05:00

This salad is a really nice and light dish for a summer dinner and the cilantro pesto really gives it a good flavor kick. The original recipe called for only chickpeas but I wasn't sure if the texture of all those chickpeas was going to go over very well with my kids so I used one can of chickpeas and one can of cannellini beans just to add a texture they were used to. The beans were a good balance to the stronger taste and firmer texture of the chickpeas, but you could always substitute the beans and use all chickpeas. I served it hear with a citrus marinated grilled flank steak and some crusty french bread.

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro

1 sm clove garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp hot paprika

1 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 med carrots, grated

1/4 cup red onion, diced

In a food processor or blender combine olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, 3 tbsp water, and 1/2 tsp salt; blend until smooth.

In a medium bowl toss the chickpeas, cannellini beans, carrots, scallions, the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp of the pesto together until just coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine | September 2011

Enjoy!!!

Best Ever Banana Bread

2012-04-10T14:09:00.003-05:00

I love lazy Sunday mornings! We usually spend it out on the back porch with a hot cup of coffee and something fresh out of the oven. This last Sunday, which happened to be Easter, we enjoyed these banana muffins right out of the oven while we watched E hunt for Easter eggs. It was a perfect Easter morning.
This banana bread is super moist; almost a cake consistency. It literally melts in your mouth. Add a little butter and you have heaven. You can give it a little crunch by adding nuts. Walnuts or pecans work best but any kind you like will do. I have even had people tell me they add pumpkin seeds. To each their own, right. I used to add walnuts but my kids won't eat it with the nuts included soooooooo, well you know, they got axed. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. They rarely last 15 minutes.

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

2 lg eggs

3 med bananas, slightly over ripe

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray muffin tins with oil or insert muffin liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside.

In a large bowl beat together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Next add the banana and beat on medium until most of the lumps are gone. Add the flour mixture beating until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Fold in the nuts (if using).

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Adapted from: Grandma Godfrey's recipe

Enjoy!!!

Chicken Fried Rice

2012-03-26T17:40:00.003-05:00

I love Chinese food! That being said I don't like to make it at home because of the usually numerous ingredients needed to give a dish an authentic Asian taste. This recipe relies more on the vegetable and only has two main flavor ingredients; soy sauce and sesame oil. With the chicken it's a meal all by it's self.

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp soy sauce, plus 2 tablespoons

1 tsp sesame oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

1/2 pint Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1/2 pint mushrooms, sliced

2 cups cooked white rice

1/2 pk shoe string carrots

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup rotisserie chicken, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine eggs and 1 tsp. soy sauce, set aside.

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tsp sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and egg mixture; stir gently to scramble. When set, remove egg mixture from the wok and remove the wok from heat. Cut up any large pieces of egg mixture.

Pour vegetable oil into the wok. Return to medium-high heat. Add celery and sprouts; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add rice, carrots and peas; sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, stir-fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until heated through.

Add cooked egg mixture, green onions and chicken ; stir-fry about 1 minute, until heated through

Adapted from: RECIPE. COM | Fall 2011

Enjoy!!!

Valentine's for Ellie's class

2012-02-08T13:55:00.000-06:00

So valentine's day is right around the corner and for the first time in the history of me having children I am actually done with my daughters valentines and not hastily writing out those little cards the night before the class party. I really wanted to do something different this year so I went on Pintrest to get some ideas. WOW! There were so many cute and ingenious ideas it was really hard to pick just one. I am always amazed at what people come up with. I went back and forth on several then let the boss pick which one she liked. E decided to go with the "I dig you" valentine we saw on thefryfamilyblog.blogspot.com.

I couldn't find the exact same shovels at the store so I went with more of a scoop. They were a little more expensive than I would have liked but I didn't think I had enough time to order them off the internet. I got blue for the boys and pink for the girls. I think I will stock up on shovels for future projects in the summer when they are really cheap. I also went with jelly beans instead of M&M's, mostly just because I like them better :)

I really would have loved to buy the cute stamp cutters and do a fancier tag but I was already over my budget with the scoops so I opted for a little heart stamp and white tags instead. I'm hoping that as I start to do more of these little projects I will learn how to do them a little cheaper and build up my crafting supplies.

I think they came out very cute though and E is very pleased and excited about giving them to her friends as well.

I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup

2012-02-03T16:43:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week I purchased a gigantic bag of cilantro and it has been inspiring my dinners all week. Yesterday I made a soup using left over rotisserie chicken and a big handful of the cilantro. It came out really good with a decidedly Mexican flair to it and it was super easy. We topped it with homemade corn tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, and a little fresh cilantro. Yum.

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 lg red onion

2-3 carrots, chopped small

1 c cilantro, chopped

8oz can tomato sauce

32oz carton chicken broth

1 can corn

splash lime juice to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 the meat off a rotisserie chicken, chopped

shredded cheese

avocado

extra cilantro for serving

Soup

In a large pot sauté garlic, onion, and carrot in olive oil until softened, about 4 minutes. Add cilantro and cook 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, broth, and lime juice. Cook until boiling then add corn, salt and pepper, and chicken. Cook until heated through.

Tortilla chips

canola oil

6 - 8 corn tortillas

salt

In a large pan heat oil until hot but not smoking. Stack tortillas and cut into strips then cut strips in half. Add half the tortilla strips to the oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook until golden then flip over. Remove from pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with second half.

To serve soup spoon into bowls and top with chips, cheese, avocado, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!!!

Chicken Cilantro Lime Quesdillas

2012-02-01T17:26:00.001-06:00

TeckMan is out of town again this week, so it's just me and the girls at home. Now, I don't know about you but for me this automatically means I don't feel like cooking, because let's face it, the girls really don't care what I make as long as they are full at the end of it. But, I guess I still need to feed the monkeys, so armed with that most wonderful of modern marvels, the precooked rotisserie chicken, and a newly discovered gigantic bag of cilantro at Costco, I decided to throw together some quesadillas.

Quesadillas happen to be my go to for a quick meal I know the kids will eat without question and they are also really great for using up leftovers like bean salad or pretty much any kind of meat. Last night it happen to be chicken, and paired with the cilantro (my second favorite herb on the planet), a little onion, a splash of lime...ahhh yum!

I usually use the uncooked tortillas and grill them on the flat grill. I think they get a little crispier than the regular ones but, having said that, it takes a little longer to cook them. I guess it's up to you if it's worth the wait. I think it is.

Now, because I just threw these together I don't really have any measurements. Just be sure to think about how many people you have and make enough filling to accommodate. I think sometimes the best creations come when you just throw a little of this and a little of that in anyway. It's always fun to experiment.

Filling

rotisserie chicken, chopped

big handful cilantro, chopped fine

red onion, chopped fine

sweet bell pepper, any color, chopped fine

avocado, chopped fine

splash of lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

flour tortillas

shredded cheese

Combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well.

I use a flat grill to make these because it allows me to make two at a time but you can use a fry pan as well, just make sure it doesn't get too hot or you'll burn the tortillas before all the cheese is melted. Cook one side of the tortilla until lightly golden, about 10 to 20 seconds depending on which kind of tortilla you have, remove from pan. Place another tortilla on the grill and repeat . Flip over and layer cheese, filling, then cheese again. You don't need all that much cheese, just enough to hold the tortillas together. Top the filling with the remaining tortilla, uncooked side up. When the bottom tortilla is done flip over to cook the top tortilla. Remove from pan and cut into four pieces. Serve with sour cream, taco sauce, or Tabasco sauce.

Enjoy!!!

A beautiful weekend in the country

2012-01-10T15:33:00.003-06:00

So E and I found ourselves in the unusual position of being the only ones home this last weekend. TechMan was away on a business trip and my older kids were at their dads, which left E and I with a quiet house and a lot of free time. So, figuring that I could use the relaxation and E would enjoy a change of scenery, Friday afternoon I packed a small bag, loaded up the dog, picked E up from school and over the hills and through the woods to Grammy and Grandpa's house we went. Now when I say over the hills and through the wood that's exactly what I mean because their house lies on thirteen acres directly on the Trinity River that to get to you have to pass through a lot of meandering hills filled with cows and horses and a two and a half mile trek down a dirt road that literally winds through a forest.

This is our favorite place to go to when the hubby and I need to relax and unwind. It's a no makup, sitting on the back porch surrounded by nothing but the river, trees, and the occasional deer, kind of weekend; aaahhh, so peaceful. For the kids, it's about the fun. The kind of fun they can only get at Grammy and Grandpa's house. (I think that's just the coolest thing and the kind of memories they will remember forever.)

It's about an hour and half drive, so we got there just in time for dinner. K had made a delicious chicken and wild rice soup that we ate out on the deck by the fire, while E played with Grampa's constellation app on his ipad that shows where all the stars and planets are in your part of the sky. (very cool technology)

You can find the recipe on the recipe page.

The next morning was a little chilly so we had our coffee by the fire again. E waisted no time getting on with the fun and she spent the better part of the day on her 4wheeler and doing crafting projects with Grammy in her art cabin. (Aren't you jealous, a whole cabin just for her crafting projects, I know I am!)

That's the cabin in the back.

That afternoon we decided to make cookies. E and I made these rosemary orange thumbprints that are... melt in your mouth... enjoy with a hot cup of coffee... totally mommy's, (and maybe daddies too, if you feel like sharing) divine. These aren't the cookies you make for the kids. These are the cookies you make when you have some girl friends coming over for afternoon coffee.

These are without a doubt my favorite big girl cookies, at least for the moment.

You can find this recipe on the recipe page.

E helped me with my cookies but she won't eat them so K helped her make these snicker doodles as well. (I didn't want her to feel left out while I was daintily chowing down on the rosemary thumbprint.)

What else can you say about snicker doodles but "YUM". As cookies go, these are an all time favorite for the kids in my house, big and little. If you have never made them you should give it a try. They are supper easy and really, really yummy.

Sunday afternoon E and I said good buy to Grammy and Grampa and headed back to civilization, rounding out our wonderful weekend with a dinner out, just her and I. (Because who wants to cook after a weekend like this)

It was a great relaxing weekend, just what I needed to unwind after a busy holiday month, and as I sit here and write about it I am so looking forward to this afternoons cup of coffee and cookie. (Who am I kidding, it will probably be more like "cookies", as in 2,3... half a dozen. Who needs will power!)

Tell me where you go when you need to unwind.

Rosemary Orange Thumbprint Cookies

2012-01-10T12:52:00.004-06:00

These are my favorite big girl cookies at the moment. Although marmalade is not one of my favorites, heating seems to take a lot of the bitterness out of it and it works really well with the rosemary, adding just a hint of sweetness. If your having girl friends over for afternoon coffee these would be the cookies to make. They are totally, melt in your mouth, divine.

1 cup flour

1/2         cup         cornstarch
1              tsp          snipped fresh rosemary
1/4         tsp          salt
3/4         cup         butter, softened
1/3         cup         powdered sugar
1/4         tsp          almond extract
1/4         cup         orange marmalade
                              powdered sugar

In a small bowl combine flour, cornstarch, rosemary, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl beat the butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and almond extract; beat until well combined, about 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over beat.

With clean hands, form a ball with the dough, incorporating any flour left in the bottom of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape dough into 24 1 1/4 inch balls and arrange 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Using your thumb, make an indention in the center of each cookie and fill with about a 1/2 tsp of the marmalade.

Bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on wire racks then sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

And yes, I did eat the three that are missing. Along with half a dozen others.

To store, layer between wax paper in an airtight container.

Yields: about 24 cookies

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookies | 2011

Enjoy!!!

Mrs. Sigg's Snickerdoodles

2012-01-10T11:45:00.003-06:00

These cookies are supper easy to make and never last long in my house. It's fun for the little ones as well because they get to get their hands dirty rolling the dough in the cinnamon and sugar. YUMMY!!!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2         cup         shortening
1 1/2      cup         sugar
2                              eggs
2              tsp          vanilla
2 3/4      cup         flour
2              tsp          cream of tartar
1              tsp          baking soda
1/4         tsp          salt
2              tbsp       sugar
2              tbsp       cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar on med-hi speed for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt, mixing well to incorporate. Add to butter mixture and beat until combined.

In a small bowl stir together remaining sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into balls and roll in the sugar-cinnamon to coat all sides and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 8 minutes for soft cookies or 10 for crunchy cookies.

As you can see they were a big hit with E. I think she ate a little more than half a dozen before we were done baking the whole batch. Each picture was a different cookie!

Good times!
Enjoy!!!

Yields: about 48 cookies

Recipe gotten from: allrecipes.com by Beth Sigworth

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2012-01-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

This soup was recently made for us during one of our trips to my parents ranch house. My mom, K, got the recipe out of her Taste of Home Classic Cookbook and OMG it is heavenly. With its creamy texture full of veggies, shredded chicken, and wild rice it is the definition of comfort food. It's not the most healthy soup, with all that 1/2 & 1/2 and butter, but every once in a while, on a really cold winters day, it's perfect. Add a salad or some hot buttered bread (your already in for all those calories why not go all the way) and you have a great cold weather meal. Just so you know, this recipe makes a huge amount, 10 to 12 servings. If you don't need quite that much you could always freeze half for another night or just cut the recipe in half.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 med onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, diced

2 carrots, diced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups wild rice

2 cups 1/2 and 1/2

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 tbsp fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

In a big Dutch oven or soup pot, saute onion, celery and carrots in butter until onion is transparent. Reduce heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook until bubbly. Gradually add the broth, stirring constantly to avoid getting lumps of flour. Bring to a boil; boil for one minute. Reduce heat and add rice cream, chicken, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-05T17:36:00.001-06:00

So here we are once again. At the beginning of a brand new year, full of possibilities and new resolutions for the future, rainbows and blah blah blah. I mean really, do people ever really keep up with the resolutions they make at the new year anyway. I'm not a cynical person but seriously, it's just another year. With that being said, and not wanting to come off like a complete scrooge, in the spirit of new beginnings and all that, I suppose there are a few things I would like to change in my life. We all have some things we can improve on, right. So after much reflection I came up with a list of changes, improvements and things I would like to accomplish. Here are a few I deemed worthy, or should I say appropriate, for the blogosphere.

1. For a while now I have only been posting recipes in an effort to whittle down my pile of magazines. It has been a little bit slow going because most of the time I forget to take pictures. I kind of get in a groove with cooking and before I know it it's almost time for E to get ready for bed and we have to eat quickly. That is one of the things I would like to change this year. I am re-implementing (because I used to do this and somehow got out of practice with it) weekly menus so I can spend less time deciding what to make and thawing out meat (because I always forget to take it out of the freezer) and more time actually eating the dinner and enjoying time with my family, and oh yea taking some pictures.

2. I would really love to post all the recipes I have clipped and put into a binder, that is now overflowing, so that I can have a one stop shop for all my menu planning forays . Having to sort through all those clippings really does take the fun out of menu planning.

3. I went around the house and made a list of things I wanted to get done for each room. Admittedly, it is kind of a long list especially because the house we are in is a little older and really could use some TLC and a smidge of updating. I am presenting Tech Man with the list tonight, which I am sure he will be just thrilled about. (hee hee hee)

4. I am really going to try to make time to do more little projects with E. We did a few over the Christmas break and she really loved it; and we came away with some pretty cute things (of course I forgot to take pictures).

So I guess it's not so bad to be hopeful for the new year after all. Actually I'm kind of excited to get started and even as I'm writing this I have thought of other things I can add to the list. I think I'll start with the picture wall I have been trying to do for, oh, about two years now. My sister will be so proud of me. I'll let you know when it's done.

Tell me what New Year's resolutions you have committed to.

Turkey Meat Ball Soup

2011-11-04T13:38:00.000-05:00

I love when the weather gets cold enough for soup and you can't go wrong with meatballs. What kid doesn't like meatballs. This soup has a lot of flavor and is great for dunking your crusty bread in and as I explained to my husband, we don't need a salad on the side because the salad is in the soup! :) Well it sounded good at the time. Hope you enjoy the soup, the salad is optional.

Meat Balls

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs

1 lg egg

2 scallions, chopped fine

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp fresh thyme or sage, chopped

Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

2 lg carrots, peeled and chopped

1 med onion, chopped fine

1 lg carton (48 oz) fat-free chicken broth

1/4 c lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

2 c spinach, trimmed and chopped

1 c mini pasta or extra fine noodles for soup

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

Meat Balls

In a large bowl combine turkey and next 5 ingredients. Form into 1-inch balls and set aside.

*To really get the ingredients mixed together well this is best done with your hands instead of a spoon. I love this part. I know it's squishy; doesn't it just take you back to when you were a kid, all those mud pies you made, not. It feels kind of cool oozing through your fingers though. Don't have too much fun, now you have to roll it into little balls.

Soup

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and then add the carrots and onion cooking about 5 minutes to soften them. Add the broth, lemon juice, sage, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer. Gently drop meat balls into simmering broth then lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pasta, cooking for 2 minutes then add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan, salt and pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Recipe adapted from: Family Circle | March 2011

Enjoy!!!

Skirt Steaks with Corn Cakes and Fresh Salsa

2011-11-04T11:47:00.000-05:00

I must say that this dish has become one of my favorites. The meat is juicy and the flavor of the salsa go's perfect with the chili powder on the meat. And then you have this corn cake underneath that soaks up all the juices from both. Yum! There weren't even any left overs for lunch the next day :( Ah well, I guess I'll just have to make it again. Yeah!!

Steak

1 lb skirt steak

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

Corn Cakes

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp olive oil

1 c whole milk

1 lg egg

Salsa

1 can corn

2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped

1/4 c red onion, finely diced

1 avocado, chopped

1/4 c cilantro, finely chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

dash garlic salt

shredded cheese

sour cream

hot sauce

lime

Heat grill to med-high. Season steak with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side for med-rare. Let the meat rest 5 minutes before slicing.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. In a separate bowl whisk together the olive oil, milk, and egg. Making a well in the middle add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking to incorporate; don't over mix. Mix in 1/4 of the can of corn for the salsa in to the batter.

Heat a non-stick skillet coated with olive oil to medium high. Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter in to the skillet and cook until golden, turning once.

Serve the corn cakes topped with the steak, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and lime wedges

Serves: 4

Recipe adapted from: RealSimple | July 2011

Enjoy!!!

Tabbouleh with Chicken and Peppers

2011-11-03T13:25:00.002-05:00

I've really been into trying to get more whole grains into our diet lately and this is one of those dishes that I feel I can accomplish that. It's nice and light but satisfying and doesn't leave you hungry an hour later. It's great for a light dinner but I like it even better the next day for lunch; gives it time for the flavors to really meld together. Even E. liked it, although she did pick out the peppers because, didn't you know, those are YUCKY. Hey, I'll take it. She ate the rest and that equals success in my book.

1/2 cup boiling water

3/4 cup shredded cooked chicken

1 1/2 cup diced tomato

1/2 cup chopped sweet peppers, red, yellow, orange

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup chopped avocado

1/4 cup minced mint

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine bulgur and boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until the bulgur is tender. Drain out excess water and return bulgur to bowl to cool.

Add chicken and remaining ingredients and toss well. * I usually add extra lemon juice and olive oil to moisten it up a little, plus I like the extra tang. Start with whats in the recipe then add extra to taste.

Serve with a 7 grain baguette, sliced and brushed with olive oil mixed with garlic salt then toast in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Serves: 4

Recipe adapted from: Cooking Light | March 2009

Enjoy!!!!

Tex-Mex Calzones

2011-11-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

This is one of those recipes that I've had for a few years and I always passed it up because I thought it was going to be too much work. Well, I'm happy to report that I was completely and totally wrong. (You better read it again because those words don't often leave my lips, something I'm working on admitting more often) This was super easy and really flavorful. E. and I had a blast making them. We added a bean and corn salad on the side to round out the meal. Even my teenagers loved it. Score!!!!

8 oz ground turkey

1/2 onion, chopped

1 sweet bell pepper, any color

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup fire-roasted salsa verde

1 11 oz can thin crust pizza dough

3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

cooking spray

sour cream

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a nonstick skillet cook turkey about 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add onion and next 4 ingredients, through garlic, to pan and cook 4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Remove pan from heat and stir in the salsa verde.

Unroll the dough and divide into 4 equal portions; rolling each portion in to a 6 x 4 rectangle. Using the bottom half of the rectangle, spoon 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture and top with about 3 tablespoons of cheese then fold the other half of dough over and press to seal the side. Transfer to a baking sheet coated with cooking spry and bake for about 12 minutes or until the tops are golden. Serve with sour cream.

*I didn't post this one right away and have since made it again using chopped up rotisserie chicken instead of turkey that I added with the salsa verde. It was equally delightful and just as flavourful and it would be hard for me to pick which way I liked it better. I guess the best way is with which ever meat I have on hand :)

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from: Cooking Light | March 2009

Enjoy!!!

Minted Watermelon Salad

2011-10-21T14:46:00.002-05:00

This is a very refreshing summer salad that goes great with most grilled meats and fish. We had it here with the Horseradish Steak Wraps.

4 cups seedless watermelon, cut up in thin pieces

1 cucumber, halved ,seeded, and sliced thin

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 tbsp canola oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and toss well to coat. Chill for 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from: Real Simple

Enjoy!!!

Horsradish Steak Wraps

2011-10-21T14:39:00.001-05:00

For those of you who love horseradish this wrap is fabulous. It.s not too spicy with just enough tang. The recipe out of the Rachel Ray Magazine called for filet mignon. I can't always afford that so I went with a cheaper flank steak. It turned out great as far as I'm concerned and I didn't get any complaints from my family either. I served it here with a minted watermelon salad that's also fabulous and refreshing in the summer.

1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp prepared horseradish, drained

1 clove garlic

olive oil for brushing

2 onions, thick sliced and left in rings

salt and pepper

1 1/2 lb flank steak, trimmed

4 wraps

1 bunch spinach, stems removed

Preheat your grill to medium.

Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, horseradish, and garlic. Set aside.

Brush the onions with olive oil and place them, rings intact, on the grill; season with salt and pepper. Cover the grill and cook until softened and lightly charred, turning once, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.

Pat the beef dry and brush with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness and transfer to a cutting board; let rest about 5 minutes. Thinly slice the meat cutting crosswise.

Grill the wraps just until warmed through but not crisp. Spread a heaping dollop of the horseradish sauce and layer the spinach, meat and grilled onions then roll up.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from: Rachael Ray | June 2011

Enjoy!!!

Greek Bulgur Salad with Shrimp

2011-10-21T14:17:00.001-05:00

The picture doesn't do this dish justice. I love salads and this one is particularly good because the bulgur keeps you full longer. The dressing is light and tangy and goes great with the shrimp.

For the dressing

3 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp prepared mustard

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

1/8 tsp each, salt and pepper

For the salad

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup flat- leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

2 lb cooked, peeled shrimp

1 bag baby spinach

1/2 large red onion, sliced

12 pitted black olives

2 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Pour the bulgur in a large bowl and stir in 2 cups of boiling water. (the water has to be boiling to cook the bulgur) Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for about 10 minutes. Test the bulgur to make sure it's not underdone, if it is let it sit a little longer. If there is still water in the bowl you can drain it out. Stir in the tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, and 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and set aside.

In a separate bowl toss together spinach, onion, olives and remaining dressing. divide spinach mixture among 4 plate and top with bulgur, shrimp, and feta

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from: Family Circle | July 2011

Enjoy!!!

Balsalmic White Beans with Spinich

2011-10-21T14:10:00.000-05:00

This is a very simple bean dish with lots of flavor. You can change it up by using a different dressing, just be sure to use one thats oil based.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 large onion

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 can cannellini beans or other white beans

2 tbsp balsamic salad dressing

2 cup fresh spinach leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Heat skillet to med-high and add olive oil to pan. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add carrots and sauté 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add beans and dressing, stirring to combine. Cook until dressing is reduced by half. Add spinach and cook just until wilted then remove pan from heat. Spinach will continue to cook a little more in the pan. Serve immediately.

Yields: 4 small servings or 2 big ones

This is one of my own throw-togethers that we ended up really liking.

Enjoy!!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

2011-10-05T14:31:00.002-05:00

I came across these while surfing the web and thought they sounded good for Fall. OMG! These are some of the best tasting cookies I've come across in a long time. We will definatly be making these again.

2 sticks butter, softened + 3 tbsp for sautéing apples

2                              apples, peeled and chopped
2                              eggs, at room temperature
3              cups       oats
2              cups       flour
1              cup         sugar
1              cup         brown sugar + 3 tsp for sautéing apples
3              tsp          cinnamon
1              tsp          salt
1              tsp          baking soda

Preheat oven to 375°.

Melt 3 tbsp butter on med-low heat in a non-stick pan. Add apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 3 tsp brown sugar and stir until bubbly. Reduce heat and let apples simmer for 3 minutes then remove from heat.

I used one green and one red apple to give it a little tange but I think they would be good with two of either color as well.

Yum!!!

In a large mixing bowl combine oats, flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Set aside

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together 2 sticks butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each. Add dry ingredients; mixing until well combined. With a wooden spoon fold in apple mixture.

Spoon dough on to greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes

Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

Recipe adapted from www.kitschygirlsguide.blogspot.com

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-10-05T13:30:00.004-05:00

Here in southern Texas fall is pretty much nonexistant untill November and the only way to tell that the seasons are changing are the Christmas decarations that start showing up in the stores in September and the cans of pumpkin that finaly arrive back on the shelves at the grocery store. During this last weeks grocery store trip low and behold there they were; just in time for a baking spree this last weekend. So, in honor of the Fall we won't have, E and I decided to make these cupcakes. They truly are a little slice of heaven!!!!

For Cupcakes

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

1              cup         packed brown sugar
1              cup         granulated sugar
4                              eggs
2              sticks     butter, melted
1              15oz       can pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare muffin tins with paper cups or coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add both sugars slowly and whisk until there are no lumps. Set aside.

In a separate bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer until well combined and lighter in color. Add pumpkin and mix to combine. Add butter and mix again. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in tins and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8              tbsp       butter, softened
4              cups       powdered sugar
1              tsp          vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until very smooth.

This isn't a very stiff frosting so you will want to keep the piping simple if that's how you're going to apply the frosting. Slathering it on with a pastry spatula always works great too. Either way these cupcakes taste great.

Recipe adapted from www.kitschygirlsguide.blogspot.com

Enjoy!!

They were so good I put two pictures!

Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

2011-10-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

I loved these tacos because of all the lime. There's just something about citrus that wakes your taste buds up; so refreshing. The kids loved them because, you know, anything they can eat with their hands. So all around I would say these were a winner. I served them with a bean salad that really complimented the tacos.

For the avocado cream

1/8 tsp grated lime rind

1 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

2 tbsp low-fat milk

1 small avocado, diced

For the slaw

1 1/2 cups angel hair slaw mix

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

For chicken

1 lb skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips

3/4 tsp ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

8 corn or flour tortillas

1. Combine rind, juice, and next 3 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine slaw mix and next 6 ingredients; tossing well to coat and set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with spices. Coat pan with cooking spray or olive oil and add chicken to pan, stirring frequently. When cooked through remove chicken from pan and serve warm.

Serve chicken with slaw on the tortillas and top with the avocado cream.

Yields: 4 servings

Recipe adapted from: Cooking Light / May 2011

Enjoy!!

Getting Organized

2011-10-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

The first stop on my journey is to get more organized and I have decided to start this quest for organization by first de-cluttering the house. My husband (hence forth referred to as TechMan) and I are considering downsizing in the spring to a town house. It would be the same amount of rooms but a little less square footage and less back yard and no front yard. I think this is actually TechMans main motivation for the move, no more mowing in over 100 degree, 90% humidity weather. (Welcome to Houston) Needless to say we won't have room for all the "stuff" we've seemed to accumulate over the years. I'm not talking about the furniture, although doubtless some of it will need to go. No, this is all the little stuff that just seems to pile up; you know all that stuff that you told yourself you'd use one day so it got thrown in a closet or cupboard and there it sat. It's still sitting there now, waiting for you come and put it to good use.

Nowhere else, at least at my house, is this more evident than in the kitchen. I love kitchen stuff, and when I say love kitchen stuff I mean I LOVE kitchen stuff. Bed Bath and Beyond is like heaven for me, and although I don't buy a lot of stuff from them, unless I have a coupon and I just can't live without it, I seem to have acquired a lot of the stuff that lines their shelves. You see my family knows that I love kitchen stuff and so when they are cleaning out their kitchens and feel guilty about throwing certain things away they think "a ha, Alysia loves kitchen stuff, I'll give it to her. She'll put it to good use". And so it comes to my house and sits in my cupboards. Yay me. It's sad, I know.

But no more. I will not feel guilty for getting rid of things I don't use! (Well, maybe a little.)

And so I set out on my quest. I emptied all the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and went through everything one piece at a time. My rules were simple.

1. Have I used it in the last six months?

2. Is it something I will use for the holidays?

3. Do I have more than one of this item and if so do I need more than one of this item?

With my rules in hand I rolled up my sleeves and got to work

After several hours of slogging through pots and pans, utensils, bake ware, casserole dishes, etc., I finally got the pile down to a more manageable size and actually freed up a whole shelf. Score!!!

Inspired by my success in the kitchen I am ready to tackle the rest of the house.

You should have seen the kids faces when they were informed that their rooms where next on my hit list. Priceless.

These are a few of my favorite pieces.
1. Casserole/Baking dishes. I got rid of all the ugly ones and kept these. There is actually a third one that goes with this set as well but I thought it might be overkill.
2. The Calphalon non-stick pans. These are my all time favorite pans to use. They go straight from the stove to the oven and are great for making fritatas.
3. Dutch Oven. Great for stews or roasts.
4. Nesting bowls. You can never have enough mixing bowls.
5. Mixer. This is my go to item when ever I'm in the mood to bake, which is often. It's really a life saver.

Feta, Roasted Pepper, and Basil Muffins

2011-09-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

These muffins are a great accompanyment to a big salad in the summer or a hot bowl of soup in the winter. They are even good as a savory breakfast or light lunch by themselves.

2          cups     all-purpose flour
2          tsp       baking powder
1/2       tsp       baking soda
1/2       tsp       salt
3/4       cup      crumbled feta cheese
1/2       cup      jarred roasted red bell peppers, patted dry and chopped
4          tbsp     finely chopped fresh basil
1          cup      buttermilk
1/4       cup      olive oil
1          large    egg

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil the muffin tins.

Whisk the flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt), set aside. In a separate bowl mix together the feta, peppers and basil; set aside.

Pour the buttermilk into the measuring cup. Add the olive oil and the egg and whisk together until blended. Make a well in the center if the dry ingredients. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and stir gently with a spatula until there are not more streaks and the batter is fairly smooth. Gently fold in the feta mixture until evenly distributed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before running a thin knife around the edges of the muffin cups to free them from the pan. Lift the muffins out and transfer to a rack to finish cooling (you need to be careful because they tend to fall apart when they are hot).

Yields: 12 muffins
This resipe adapted from Sur la Table / The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet
Enjoy!!!

Herbed Salmon

2011-09-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

This is a great Salmon recipe but it also works well with other fish. I use it a lot with Steal Head Trout and Cod.

1          lb         salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1          lg.        lemon (1 tsp lemon zest, juice from 1/2 of the lemon)
1          tbsp     snipped fresh dill weed
1          tbsp     snipped fresh tarragon
1          tbsp     snipped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
1/2       tsp       salt
1/2       tsp       pepper
2          tbsp     butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse fish and pat dry. Set aside.
In a small bowl, grate 1 tsp zest from lemon. To this add the snipped herbs, salt, pepper, and butter; stir to combine. Spread evenly over fish.

Heat a non-stick oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add salmon, herb side down. Cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn fish over; squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over the top and place the skillet in the oven for 3 to 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Transfer to plates and drizzle with pan juices. Top with additional lemon zest and snipped herbs if desired.

Yields: 4 servings
This recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine \ July 2011.

Enjoy!!!