Dinner for Two, Please

2012-02-07T12:02:00.000-05:00

These two recipes came from Pinterest, of course. They were delicious easy to make and paired well together. I went with the easy way out and added a bag of Bird's Eye Steam Fresh Green Beans

Honey Garlic Pork chops

Ingredients:

Directions:

Mix together ingredients for sauce; honey, soy sauce, and garlic.
Let pork chops marinate in sauce. (I used thicker chops and only let them marinate for about 45 minutes. Next time I will let them sit longer because of their thickness. I didn't feel like they had quite enough flavor.)
Cook the pork chops to temperature on a grill. (I used the George Foreman, cooked for about 8 minutes, and got great results!)

Roasted Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

12 to 15 Baby Red Potatoes
Garlic Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil.
Add the potatoes and let them boil for around 30 minutes or until they are soft enough to pierce all the way through with a fork.
Preheat oven to 450.
Remove each potato and let them rest for about 5 minutes on a towel.
Use another towel to gently press the potatoes to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Drizzle olive oil over a shallow baking dish.
Transfer the potato rounds to the dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and garlic salt.
Flip the potatoes and drizzle with oil and salt.
Bake the potatoes for about 30 min or until nice and crispy.

Baked Egg Cups

2012-01-15T12:44:00.000-05:00

My latest interest has been Pinterest! As most people also are, I am addicted. I will admit it. I find myself spending countless amounts of time pining and adding pictures to this pin board style website. All of this time is spent with motivation to recreate each pin at some point. Well I figure the best way to make use of this addiction and to also get back on the blog is to start making some of the delicious dishes I see. Let me tell you, they are delicious!

This super easy and quick recipe is almost identical to a breakfast dish that I use to make for Meatless Monday, Shirred Eggs. Pinterest gave me a great idea though for a delicious way to change it up, use lunch meat as a cup for added tastiness and to boost up your protein count.

Baked Egg Cups

(Picture courtesy of Pinterest)

Ingredients:
Sliced Lunch Meat of Choice, I prefer turkey
Eggs
Salt
Pepper
Toppings of Choice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400
Spray muffin pan with non stick spray
Line muffin cup with one slice of lunch meat
Crack one egg into each lined cup
Sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper
Top with your choice of cheese, vegetables, sauce, etc.
Bake for around 10-12 minutes, until the yolk is cooked to your liking
(I prefer my yolk a little on the runny side, the lighter side of 10 minutes.)

The first go round I lined two cups each with a slice of turkey lunch meat. I cracked an egg in each respective cup, added a little salt and pepper, and topped it all off with shredded parmesean cheese. Delish!

Second go round I tried two different variations. On one cup I used turkey meat and topped the egg with salt, pepper, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. For the second egg I used turkey meat and topped it with salt, pepper, and pesto. All three of these variations were awesome in their own way.

I think I love these baked eggs because they are so simple to make and you are in and out of the kitchen in less than 20 minutes with minimal clean up! I also am loving the fact that they are so versatile and you can top them with whatever you fancy or whatever you have in the kitchen. That's always a big plus for me.

Unhealthy tip: Next time I think I'm going to go a little bit further and try a BACON cup. MMMMM....Bacon!!!

Healthy tip: Try your baked egg cups with just egg whites. There are two super easy ways to do this.
1. Seperate the egg whites from the yolk and just cook the cups with the whites.
2. Cook the egg cups a little longer and when you cut into the cooked cups you will be able to easily remove the fully cooked yolk from the middle.

Simple Southern Favorites

2011-11-04T23:22:00.000-04:00

The next two recipes use turkey sausage, green pepper, onion, and chicken broth in addition to a few other ingredients. I think they are both quick and easy to make. The additional ingredients only vary slightly so when I make one I usually make the second in the next day or two. Since I don't use a whole pepper, onion, or sausage for either recipe I need to use what's left while it's still fresh. The two meals are also prepared almost identically. The first recipe, Gumbo, is prepared as a soup. The second recipe, Shrimp and Grits, is prepared as a mixture to top a bed of grits.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

1 8 oz Chicken Breast 1 link or 7 oz Turkey Sausage

1/4 Medium Onion 1/2 Green Pepper

1 Can of Tomatoes and Okra Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Cajun Seasoning Oil

Brown Rice

Begin cooking your brown rice. Typically brown rice will take 30-45 minutes. Once the rice starts cooking this should be enough time to prepare and simmer your gumbo having both finish at the same time.
Chop your green pepper and onion.
Cut your sausage into thin slices.
Saute your green pepper, onion, and sausage in a pot together with a small amount of heated oil. Season to taste with cajun seasoning.
While you're sauteing the first three ingredients slice your chicken breasts into thin, small strips.
Once the vegetables soften and the sausage shows the first signs of browning add the chicken.
Cook together until the chicken is almost cooked throughout.
If the mix seems too greasy you can drain it. Since I'm using turkey sausage I usually don't drain to keep the flavor.
Add your can of tomatoes and okra along with chicken broth until the pot is about 1/2 way full.
Let simmer on medium-low heat for at least 15 minutes if not more.
Serve over brown rice with cornbread.

Serves 4

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Around 30 Medium Size Shrimp 1/2 Link or 7 oz Turkey Sausage

1/4 Medium Onion 1/2 Green Pepper

Low Sodium Chicken Broth Oil

Grits Cheese

Heavy Cream (Optional)

Chop your onion.
Cut your green pepper and sausage into thin slices.
Saute in a frying pan with a small amount of heated oil.
Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
While you're sauteing the first three ingredients peel and devein your shrimp.
Once the vegetables soften and the sausage shows the first signs of browning add the shrimp.
Cook together until the shrimp just begin to pink. This can happen quickly depending on the size of your shrimp.
Add enough chicken broth to allow the mixture to float. Not too much.
I prefer a light broth so I only use chicken broth. If you prefer more of a creamy or gravy sauce add cream to the mixture.
Let simmer and thicken for a few minutes, enough time to allow the shrimp to cook throughout
Depending on the type of grits you are using allow enough time to prepare so that the grits will finish the same time as your shrimp mixture. I often will just use instant grits that only take 5 minutes to prepare. Add cubes of cheese to taste to give your grits that extra boost of flavor. A few suggestions are cheddar cheese, pepper jack, or gouda.
Serve the shrimp mixture over a bed of grits.

Serves 4

Pinterest Dinner

2011-10-27T11:45:00.002-04:00

Last night’s dinner was fueled by my Pinterest addiction. I took a look around my Mmmm, Mmmm, Good board and found three recipes that worked with stuff I had in the kitchen.

Menu

Cucumber Cup Salads, Bacon Wrapped Chicken, Garlicky Fries.

(Following the below links will take you to my Pinterest. You can then click on each items respective link for original postings.)

Cucumber Cups

These very cute cups were very easy to make. They do only hold a minimal amount of salad. I assume you can perfect your skill in constructing the cups over time.

Slice thin strips of cucumber with a vegetable slicer.

Leave the peel on. It will help your cups stand up. I also sliced my strips with a knife. They weren't quite thin enough so I used a bar glass to shape them, then placed glasses in the freezer to help set the cups.

Toss a small salad.

Once the cups are set stuff them with your salad.

Garnish with two half slices of bacon sticking up the back side of the cup.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Very tasty, very easy, but cooked a little too long

I always buy the value pack of boneless chicken breasts. I then take each breast, trim it, cut it into a 4 oz portion, package two pieces in a freezer bag, and freeze. This really helps down the line with portion control, defrosting, and meal planning.

Take a 4 oz piece of chicken and slice it into 3 nice size chunks.

Season or baste it with sauce of your choice.

I used an all purpose dry rub. Other recipes I have seen recommended the basting the uncooked chicken with honey mustard. I'm not a honey mustard fan so I chose to skip the sauce. However, my chicken did turn out a tad on the dry side. Perhaps using a sauce would have helped prevent this.

Wrap each chunk in a half strip of bacon.

Place in a baking dish.

Bake on 425.

Cooking times will depend on your size of chicken pieces. Baking for 45 minutes alongside the potatoes below was a little too long for mine.

Garlicky Baked Fries

5 New Potatoes

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

Dry Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Warm 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic for about 1 minute in the microwave.

Slice 8 New Potatoes into Wedges.

Toss the wedges in the warmed garlic and oil.

Microwave potatoes in oil for about 5 minutes. Stirring once half way through.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Sprinkle mixed dry ingredients over warmed potatoes and toss.

Bake on 450 for about 30 minutes

Flip wedges once halfway through cooking

I'm baaack..Asparagus Fritters

2011-10-20T14:33:00.000-04:00

After a super long hiatus I’m back. Caught up in the whirl wind of life I somehow allowed blogging to fall off the To Do List. What this now means is that I have a surplus of recipes, pictures and even a food festival to throw in. So enjoy!

I found this recipe while browsing through another blog, Closet Cooking. I always enjoy trying new things, new concepts, even putting a new twist on an old favorite. I thought this was a great recipe to try because I love asparagus and who doesn’t care for a little bit of fried goodness?

Here is Kevin from Closet Cooking's Recipe……..

Asparagus and Feta Fritters

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 handful dill, chopped
1 handful parsley, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour (I like to use whole wheat)
2 tablespoons oil

Directions

1. Grate or process the asparagus in a food processor. (I actually just chopped-Ruby)

2. Mix the asparagus, herbs, green onions, feta, flour, egg, salt and pepper and enough flour that the mixture will hold together.

3. Heat the oil in a pan.
4. Spoon the asparagus mixture into the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Avgolemono Sauce

Ingredients

· 1 egg (lightly beaten)

· 1/2 lemon (juice)

· 1 tablespoon dill chopped

· 1 tablespoon capers

Directions

1. Whisk the egg in bowl until frothy.
2. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice followed by the water.
3. Heat in a small sauce pan while whisking until the sauce thickens, mix in the dill and capers and remove from heat. (Do not bring it to a boil.)

I tried the fritters two different ways. Of course as I was making the first batch I tried a few as a snack. They are delicious on their own. I imagine they would make a great accompaniment to a salad or also served as an edible garnish aside a meat dish. For dinner I served the fritters topped with a poached egg and avgolemono sauce just as Closet Cooking suggests. The egg and light zestiness of the sauce definitely complimented the fritters in their search to become a full meal. I served them alongside roasted potatoes and green beans with parmesan olive oil sauce from SteamFresh. Overall, a very delicious meatless dish.

Vidalia Onion Pie

2011-06-03T12:40:00.001-04:00

Being born and raised in the south how have I never had, much less even heard of, Vidalia Onion Pie? I'm not sure, but once a coworker mentioned this in the office I knew I had to try it! Who wouldn't love a savory pie made of sweet vidalia onions, filled with a light egg mixture, and baked to perfect fluffiness? I know I would!

My coworker passed on the recipe she uses, Paula Deen's. I took a quick look and knew this would be a piece of cake...or should I say a piece of pie! ;-) After discussing this delicious treat with my boss we thought maybe adding some cheese would make this the pie even better. In comes the parmesean!

So with a lot of inspiration from Paula Deen and my coworkers I present you.........

Vidalia Onion Pie

One area of the pie was left without bacon for another coworker.

Ingredients:

1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced 6 slices of bacon

2 tablespoons of butter 2 eggs

small 8 oz container of sour cream 1/2 cup of milk

salt 1 pie shell

Parmesan cheese 3 big spoonfuls of flour,

(appox. 3 tablespoons, I can never find a measuring spoon!)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cook 6 pieces of bacon to well done. You want them crispy because you'll be crumbling them later.
3. As soon as the bacon is finished remove it from the grease and immediately add your onions to the pan. I also added 2 tablespoons of butter.
4. Saute the onions in the bacon grease until they are really soft and not quite browned.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 3 big spoonfuls of flour.
6. Add 1/2 cup of milk, 1 small container of sour cream (8 oz.), and a few sprinkles of salt. Mix all these ingredients together until the mixture is really smooth.
7. Layer your sauted onions in the bottom of the pie crust. Then top the onions with your egg mixture. I had a little extra egg mixture. If you're using a deep dish crust, it should fill it right up.

8. Top the uncooked pie with a generous handful of shredded parmesean cheese. Then top with crumbled bacon.
9. Bake for 40 minutes or until the pie is firm in the middle.
10. Remove your pie from the oven and let it cool.
11. Slice and serve

***If your pie crust starts to brown too soon, cover the crust with a thin piece of aluminum foil.

Inspired Vidalia Onion Pie

Big Day

2011-06-03T10:31:00.000-04:00

Today is officially the big day!

Thanks to our friends over at Foodista Dinner for Two, Please is being featured as the Blog of the Day!

Yay!

Please check out all their great tips on incorporating different ingredients and using new techniques and tools, as well as the awesome recipes and blogs that have been submitted to this foodie community!

Quick Dinner Ideas: Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake

2011-06-01T16:53:00.000-04:00

In another rush to make something for a dinner I had forgotten to plan I started scrambling around the kitchen looking for something to whip up. I wanted to make something good, didn’t want to run out to the store, and it had to be something fairly easy because I was exhausted. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a Publix Apron’s Recipe Card. The recipe was for a dish the Publix Snack Man was making the other afternoon. As I began to read down the list of ingredients I realized it called for gnocchi, Philadelphia Cooking Cream, a new favorite, and vegetables I loved, but didn’t have in the house. “Guess I won’t be making this one tonight.” There was also no way I was getting the lover boy to eat artichokes and roasted red peppers without warning him beforehand either. I set the card down and as I walked away I realized I could easily put my own spin on the recipe using things I had in the kitchen and preparing differently so it didn’t take as long. So here is my homemade, Publix inspired, version of what will become a new favorite!

Publix inspired….Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake

3 Chicken Breasts Cubed and Cooked

1 Package of Sliced White Mushrooms

1 Bag of Microwaveable Steamed Broccoli

1 Package of Prepared Gnocchi

1 Container of Philadelphia Original Cooking Cream

Butter

Garlic, Salt, Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Boil water for the gnocchi. Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and let them cook until they begin to float. As soon as they being to float remove them from the water.

I did not go all out and make the gnocchi myself this time. I was not that adventurous or energetic. However, the prepared gnocchi turned out just fine
2. Melt some butter in a pan and sauté the package of mushrooms with garlic, salt, and pepper to taste until the mushrooms are soft.

3. Microwave the broccoli approximately ¾ of the directed time.

4. Add the cubed chicken and broccoli to the sautéed mushrooms just to warm.

5. In a mixing bowl add your chicken mixture, cooked gnocchi, and the whole container of Philadelphia Original Cooking Cream and mix well.

6. Transfer all of this to a casserole dish and bake from about 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 350.

7. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese for the last 5 minutes.

Voila!

Thank you Publix!

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake

Cinco de Mayo

2011-06-01T16:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!...a little late, I know!

You all know I love a celebration! So in honor of everyone’s favorite Mexican holiday we went with a Mexican inspired dinner.

Carnita Style Chicken Tacos with Fajita Rice, Corn, Chips & Salsa, and ice cold Coronas!

I slow cooked the chicken all day. Before I left for work I threw three chicken breasts in a crock pot filled with water and a taco seasoning packet. By dinner time the chicken was falling to pieces. I drained the chicken and shredded it finely. I should have reserved some of the water to let the shredded chicken soak in while we constructed our tacos, but by the time I realized this it was too late. Next time I’ll have to keep this in mind. The tacos were served with shredded cheese, diced onions, chopped cilantro, and lime. Keeping tacos simple and authentic like this is my favorite way.

I will shamefully admit that our Fajita Rice did come out of a Rice-A-Roni box.

The corn however, was delicious. I pulled the husk down on two ears of corn and cleaned them off. I then rubbed them with butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili pepper for a little spice. I wrapped the ears back up in their husk, wrapped them again in aluminum foil, and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes.

The corn was so good even little Dank wanted some!

The dinner was also served with chips, salsa, and some very refreshing coronas! Ayi yi yi!

Fiesta Foreva!

Taco

Meatless Monday

2011-06-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

Breakfast:

One Egg, Gouda Grits, Mango

Breakfast was fairly simple. I had one egg over easy topped with parmesan cheese with gouda grits and a diced mango.

Lunch:

Eggplant Stack

Yes it was frozen, but also very delicious. I tried to trick myself by eating it off a plate instead of out the plastic tray.

Dinner:

Goat Cheese Pizza and Blue Cheese Salad

I was in a mood from some good cheese. My pizza was topped with mozzarella, LOTS of goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and parsley. My salad was rather simple with greens, carrots, celery, and some delicious freshly crumbled blue cheese.

Quick Dinner Ideas: Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-05-02T17:00:00.001-04:00

I'm in a rush, five million things to do before, during, and after work, walk the dog, clean the house, lover boy's asking me what's for dinner.....Dinner? Oh my goodness! What is for dinner?

Ever been there before? Sure ya have!

I find myself in this situation quite a bit. I usually run to the computer and google "quick, easy, dinner ideas," because at that point in the day I can no longer think. I try to quickly browse through the results and find something I can make with what I have on hand.

With nights like those in mind, I'd like to start adding some quick, easy dinner ideas to the blog. Not only is it helpful for me to be able to go back and see what I made last time I was in a bind, but I hope it also helps when you're caught up in life's fast lane.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is great if you have leftover chicken breasts hanging around the kitchen.

All you need:

3 Chicken Breasts

1 Can of Diced Water Chestnuts

12 Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves

2 Carrots

Sesame Seeds

Peanut Sauce

This recipe takes about 20 minutes with prep time if the chicken is already cooked!

The fantastic thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile. You don't have to use green leaf lettuce. You can use any type of lettuce you prefer. You can even switch up the chicken with beef or shrimp. Also, try using different vegetables like peppers or mushrooms if you have them around.

You can find my own personal recipe here at Foodista....

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Meatless Monday....or Bust!

2011-04-27T15:18:00.001-04:00

So this Meatless Monday was a BUST!
I was not happy with pretty much anything about it!
Here we go....

Breakfast:

Shirred Eggs

I went with my current Meatless Monday favorite, shirred eggs. I topped the eggs with parmesan cheese and parsley pesto. I'm not sure why, but something about it just didn't do it for me today. :-(

Lunch:

Broccoli and Cheese Soup, Grilled Cheese

For lunch I brought broccoli and cheese soup and a grilled cheese. This didn't go well either.

How do you mess up a grilled cheese?

I made the sandwich in the panini maker. The first go round I did not cook it long enough. The cheese was no where near as ooey and gooey as I prefer. I stuck the grilled cheese back into the panini maker, left the kitchen for a few minutes, and came back to a panini maker filled with cheese in every ridge and two pieces of bread. All of my cheese had melted out of the bread!

Ugggh!

(Picture was pre panini maker disaster)

Dinner:

(Picture courtesy of 101 Cookbooks)

Gnocchi

So when it came to dinner I needed something to cheer me up. I decided to make delicious potato gnocchi. Lover boy and I both LOVE gnocchi. Now I have never made gnocchi before from scratch. I've seen it made on television, read countless articles and recipes, and have watched just about every contestant on Top Chef bomb at it.

I get it....it's hard to perfect.

Apparently you need to be an Italian grandmother to make delicious, homemade gnocchi. This is exactly why I chose this recipe! How to Make Gnocchi like an Italian Grandmother Recipe

You know me... I like a challenge. I said to myself, "I can do this. I can make anything!" So off I went......

As I prepared the potatoes and made the dough everything seemed to be going just fine. The dough was just floured yet tacky enough. I rolled the dough out, cut it in sections, and began to shape each gnocchi. This seemed to be working out well for my first time.

Just as every recipe said....this is something that you perfect over time. After working with the gnocchi you realize what works and what doesn't.

In walks lover boy....with his know it all self. :-) Here he goes telling me how gnocchi is an Italian art form and all about his grandma making it when he was a child.

You're grandma has a gnocchi recipe?! Why'd ya wait til now to tell me this?!

Still, so far so good.

Now it's time to cook the gnocchi.

I boiled the first batch in the same starchy water I used to cook the potatoes. I let them rise to the top and spooned them out as they floated. Luckily, I had a lot of extra gnocchi...

.....MUSH!

Now what?

I knew that I wanted to serve the gnocchi with a brown butter, sage sauce. I already had some butter and sage simmering in a pan. I threw the second batch of gnocchi straight into the butter and let it sauté for about 5-10 minutes. This batch came out a lot better!...a lot more edible!

As far as the finished product goes, I think I did ok. Just ok. I gave myself a C on the grading scale. I had an edible finished product, but not something I'd like to brag about. I think it still had too much of a potatoey taste to it, but the brown butter sage was just enough to correct that.

Overall I think that the gnocchi won this battle, but I gave it a good fight.

And I will be back!

Gnocchi

Giveaways!

2011-04-27T11:12:00.002-04:00

I love contests. Between my lover boy and I we win lots of things! Maybe he has the luck of the Irish and maybe I'm...well just lucky!

Now that I'm part of two, and hopefully more to come, blogging communities I'd like to get involved in giveaways. I see lots of bloggers doing contests that give away some really cool things. I suppose once you have a good number of followers you are able to reward said loyal followers with awesome prizes. Sounds good to me!

Non-food related, here are links to two awesome giveaways: Nautical by Nature's Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway and Pink and Green Everything's Dahl House Frame Giveaway.

Shabby Apple has the cutest collection of dresses to fit every body type. And they aren't too badly priced either!

Check it out!

Meatless Monday

2011-04-19T14:48:00.000-04:00

I'm going to keep this short and sweet.....two posts in one day!

Breakfast:

Shirred Eggs with Parmesan Cheese and Chives

Seedless Navel Orange

Repeat from last week.

Lunch:

Moe's!

Black Bean Over Achiever Taco

Chips, Queso, and Salsa Verde

Dinner:

New Recipe!

Cornmeal Crunch

(which can be found at Profesional Bakist and 101 Cookbooks )

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Parsley Pesto

2011-04-19T14:23:00.001-04:00

I've been meaning to share this recipe for a while. While browsing through my inbox, I subscribe to a million food newsletters, I came across a fantastic looking dish. Martha Stewart's Lamb Chops with Parsley Pesto immediately caught my eye. We love mini lamb chops and the contrast of the bright green parsley pesto on top just made my mouth salivate. Apparently, parsley pesto is something Ms. Stewart is quite fond of. She seems to use this as a main ingredient in tons of recipes. I'll also show you how I continued to use the pesto in different ways.

Let's start with the main dish:

I followed Martha's recipe and served up mini lamb chops and parsley pesto. It was accompanied with Matt's favorite side starch, onions and potatoes, and sauteed green beans. The parsley pesto topped the chops and was actually very simple to make. It has such a fresh taste, I absolutely loved it. I couldn't wait to try it on more dishes.

The parsley pesto was easy to preserve. I keep almost every food container that even seems reusable. I just happened to have a small, glass Classico pesto jar that I saved a while back. I transferred the leftover pesto to the jar, topped it with olive oil, and stored it in the refrigerator.

Here are a few more ways to use it:

Breakfast Wrap

I wrapped eggs, cheese, and parsley pesto in a flour tortilla.

Sandwich

I made a sandwich with Boar's Head Cajun Turkey, sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and parsley pesto.

Brunch

This is an original and a definite new favorite.

I'm calling this Caprese Benedict!

Toast, Pan Seared Ham, Poached Egg, Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Tomatoes, Parsley Pesto, and Basil

Try changing things up by making a new accompaniment and using it with some of your favorite dishes!

Meatless......

2011-04-14T10:15:00.000-04:00

So I've fallen a little behind in posts and I did not succeed in my last goal. :-( I didn't follow the meal plan and I didn't post on every dinner that we made. I also skipped Meatless Monday two weeks in a row! I actually failed miserably at my blogging goals!

However, Meatless is back...and with vengeance! Thanks to some creative ideas from co-workers, Crystal and Meshia, I had Meatless Miércoles! ....(that's Wednesday for all you non Spanish speakers)

Well the day started off rough...to say the least. Breakfast was non existent so I started off with an early lunch and ate what was breakfast for a snack before my afternoon obligations.

Lunch

Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque

I used sourdough bread, creamy havarti, muenster, and pepper jack cheeses to make this gourmet grilled cheese. My sandwich was accompanied by a bowl of Select Harvest's Zesty Tomato Bisque and fresh chopped basil. It was delicious!

Snack

Shirred Eggs and Seedless Navel Orange

My shirred eggs were fantastic! This was a test recipe. In the office I'm working with select kitchen appliances; microwave, toaster oven, panini maker, and a toaster. I baked the eggs in the toaster oven with parmesan cheese and chives. OMG!...loved it! I also sliced up a seedless navel orange which really made me happy as well.

Dinner

Mushroom and Herb Risotto, Sautéed Zucchini

I've made risotto before....out of a box. This was my first time making it from scratch. Homemade risotto takes some tender love and care. It requires constant stirring and slowly adding liquid in small portions to get that perfect creamy texture. I added sautéed mushrooms, fresh sage, basil, oregano, chopped chives, and parmesan cheese. I was impressed and will definitely be making more in the future. I felt like I was lacking in my vegetable intake for the day so I also served up some sautéed zucchini. The fun thing about risotto is that you can add or top it with whatever you like to fancy it up. Matty's risotto was topped with a pan fried chicken breasts.

So I'm back in the game! Meatless meals have returned, I have a lot of new ideas for future dinners, and a few back logged things to post about! Look forward to some new great things.

Up next: Last week's Parsley Pesto Debut

Topped Filet Tuesday

2011-03-30T12:07:00.000-04:00

Rachel Ray's Tenderloins were delicious!

You can find her recipe here...Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola and Herbs and Roasted Garlic and Grape Tomato Pasta with Basil and Arugula

If you are trying this recipe at home I would suggest a few small changes. I caramelized the filets in the pan for 2 minutes, at least, on each side instead of Rachel Ray's suggested 90 seconds. I also left the oven on warm after putting the steaks in the oven instead of turning if off all together. This produced a nice Rare-Medium Rare steak. When making the pasta she also tells you to cook the noodles al dente or slightly firm because they will cook longer once you mix everything together. I did not find this to be true, they did not continue to cook later. I will leave the noodles cooking in the boiling water a little longer until they are to my desired firmness.

This dinner didn't even take that long to make. If you are a beginner then I would suggest doing some prep work before you start. I'm a kind of do it all at once, multi-tasker in the kitchen. I like having 10 different things going on around me at the same time. Pot on every eye, pan in the oven, sauces and such on the countertop. It makes me feel like I'm a chef in a big city restaurant on a busy Friday night.....just a dream.

I did really enjoy making this meal....and eating it!

Meatless Monday: Round 3

2011-03-29T11:10:00.000-04:00

Self Evaluation: A-

Italian always seems to be a comfortable, easy way to go with Meatless Monday meals. Most ingredients used in Italian dishes are very versatile and absolutely delicious, well to me at least. This week's meatless dishes definitely have an Italian theme to them. Enjoy!

Breakfast:

One Egg, One Egg White, Pesto Omelet, and Cinnamon Toast

Omelets are easy for me to make at work with a limited kitchen. I used my pesto that I brought for my pizza to add some pizazz to my eggs.

Lunch:

Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza

This is a favorite of mine, Meatless Monday or not. The original chef who designed this pizza is up for debate. However, it seems agreeable that a tomato, basil, mozzarella pizza was made in honor of Queen Margherita in 1889 on her visit to Naples. This pizza proudly displays all the colors of the Italian flag.

Dinner:

Eggplant Stack and Brocollini

I won't lie, I stole this idea from Real Housewives of Miami. I baked eggplant slices to a nice crisp. They were then stacked with fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes, and fresh sliced basil. I then topped each stack with baby arugula and parmesan. On the side I served up so oven roasted broccoli raab. It was sooo delicious!

Tuna Sunday

2011-03-28T11:56:00.000-04:00

Dinner was delicious!

Blackened Seared Tuna Steak (on sale at Harris Teeter), Sticky Sushi Rice, Fresh Express Double Carrot Salad with Makoto Ginger Dressing

My only complaint was I cooked the tuna a little longer that I prefer. I like a rare tuna steak, bright red throughout. This piece was definitely a little more on the medium side, but still absolutely delicious!

Looking forward to....

2011-03-27T17:57:00.000-04:00

The goal for this week is to create a menu, stick to it, and have a daily short update from each evening's dinner. I wanted to give a sneak peek of what you can expect to see!

Sunday

Blackened Seared Tuna, Sticky Rice, Salad with Ginger Dressing

Monday

Eggplant Stack, Broccoli Raab, Salad

Tuesday

Filet Topped with Gorgonzola and Herb,

Garlic Tomato Pasta with Basil and Arugula

(Rachel Ray Recipe!)

Wednesday

Baked Italian Sausage Pasta, Salad

Thursday

P.F. Chang's Beef and Broccoli, Rice, Egg Rolls

Friday

Baked Chicken Wings, New Potatoes, Broccoli and Cheese

Saturday

If I stick to this menu for the entire week the reward is going out somewhere!

Meatless Monday: Round 2

2011-03-22T16:49:00.000-04:00

So here we are, Tuesday afternoon. It's debriefing time for Meatless Monday: Round 2.

Well what can I say?

I was pleased that I made homemade meatless meals and didn't wait until the last minute and buy pre-made "convenience" items.
I still am finding myself with random weird meat cravings I never knew I had.
I still want to step it up tremendously though in the weeks to come.

What did I eat this week?

Well I did get a little more creative with the meals, as promised. However, I am not completely satisfied. I want to really get into this and cook some awesome meatless meals. I did do a lot better than last week though.

Breakfast:

Tomato Basil Omelet and Cream Cheese Bagel.

SMILE! It's breakfast time!

I used one egg, one egg white, and fresh cut tomatoes and basil; felt good about that. On the side I served up a delicious everything smart bagel with light cream cheese

Lunch:

Small Spinach Salad and Spaghetti

I feel like I could have improved here. I loved my spinach salad, but I did go with plane ol' noodles (should have used whole wheat noodles!)and Ragu. Not very creative.

Dinner:

Mexican Pizza, Fiesta Rice, and Broccoli

A true Taco Bell knock off and it was delicious!

This ended up being a lot more food than I initially expected. Half of the pizza accompanied with a little rice and broccoli was plenty....made great leftovers for lunch today though!

P.S. I feel like I need to confess. I did cheat a little. While I was a Publix I ate a very small, two bite sample of beef strognaoff. ..... It was a sample and the lady was so cute that I couldn't say no.

Happy St. Patrick's Day....of course!

2011-03-19T14:36:00.002-04:00

As usual, I'm a little late....of course! I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe St. Patrick's Day.

Being that the holiday was on a Thursday, Matt and I did the responsible thing. We stayed in instead of fighting the drunken crowds at every drinking establishment around town.

However, I am not one to pass up any reason to celebrate! Thursday night for dinner Matt and I followed tradition....of course!

We dined on corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes.

Whose tradition? Not mine, I'm not Irish, but Matt is! Whether or not this was his tradition before is highly debatable, however it will now become just that.

As would only seem correct with most of our celebrations, this dinner is not exactly authentic Irish. It is very much an Irish American tradition. The celebration of St. Patrick was first noted as an official holiday in the 17th century. At that time in Ireland beef was considered a delicacy. Pork and bacon were much more commonly seen around the dinner table. A broiled piece of bacon was traditionally used in Irish meals. During the Great Famine of the 18th century many Irish immigrated to America. It was here in the states, where it was more affordable and accessible, that beef was substituted during dinner.

So, Cheers! To the Irish, St. Patrick, Irish Americans, and well drinkers around the world....of course!

Fun Fact: President Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Dinner Menu consisted of Corned Beef and Cabbage with Parsley Potatoes!

UPDATE!!

Corned Beef Hash

With this quick breakfast idea in mind, I saved a small portion of the corned beef and potatoes from Thursday's dinner for Sunday's breakfast. I've never been a fan of corned beef hash. I personally can't stand the taste or texture. Everything about it says NO! to me. However, with my leftovers and "I can make anything taste good" attitude I decided to try my hand at this classic breakfast dish.

Of course....it was delcious!

The corned beef and potatoes were so crispy, the egg just perfectly cooked. When you cut into the egg the yolk oozed into the hash!

Matty and I both were very pleased with the outcome!

Meatless Monday

2011-03-14T12:07:00.001-04:00

Last week my mom and I were having a conversation on a movement that she heard about, Meatless Monday. Apparently cutting meat out of your diet one day a week has numerous health and environmental benefits, from lowering your risk of cancer to reducing your carbon footprint. Who'd a thought?

As a challenge to myself I have pledged to join Meatless Monday! At first I thought this would be a difficult task. I went back and forth with myself on whether I could really do this.

"I love steaks .... and chicken .... and shrimp .... and fish! How could I possibly go a WHOLE day without eating any meat?"

"There are plenty of vegetarians out there. It can't be that bad."

And the best one ... "This could be a good thing. Aren't all vegetarians skinny?"

I sat and listed all of the meatless dishes I could think of and realized, I CAN do this! Matt is not happy at all about this idea, to say the least, and I don't think he will be participating.

So for today's menu:

Breakfast:

Nancy's Quiche Lorraine

Lunch:

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Champagne Dressing

Lean Cuisine Mushroom Tortelloni

Dinner:

Mini Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce

So here I am, my first Meatless Monday. This should be......fun?

(Due to the newness of this idea today's meals are not homemade, except for the salad....Sorry! I promise that more creativity and time will be given to next week's Meatless Monday Meals.)