Laura Eats and Runs

Bountiful Baskets Weekly Dinner Plan 9/10/11

2011-09-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

The bounty this week wasn't as bountiful as last week. Oh well.

The goods:

large bananas
2 heads of cauliflower
8 oz. California fresh figs
1 head spinach
1 head romaine lettuce
1 bag seedless green grapes
6 sweet potatoes
4 peaches

Breakfast:

Fruit and Nutella
Fig and Banana Smoothie

Lunch:

Salad
Leftovers

Dinner:

Monday: Joey D's Perfect Chinese Chicken Salad (Off the back of a salad dressing bottle I need to use.)

Tuesday: Maple Glazed Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Wednesday: Primal Sheperd's Pie

Thursday: Costco Turkey Burgers and Corn on the Cob

Friday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Saturday: Cashew Sweet and Sour Pork

Sunday: Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers and salad

Other:

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Bountiful Baskets Menu Plan 3/3/11- Paleo Style

2011-09-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

The above picture is of Jackson before the BYU vs. Ole Miss game. I made "Cougar Tails" and "Cougar Paws" and he was thrilled. Lately, Jackson has been quite the jokester. As he helped me in the kitchen he said: "Mommy, maybe you should make Cougar bums...Hahahahaaaa." Love that kid. I haven't posted a menu plan in ages. I stopped getting a Bountiful Basket for awhile because the quality seemed to be dwindling, but I decided to get one yesterday and I was happy with my offering. Yeay!

Here's what I got:

2 heads of romaine lettuce
spinach
celery
cauliflower
potatoes
mangos
green grapes
pears
tomatoes
plums

I chopped up my lettuce and mixed it with the spinach. Then I put it into gallon storage bags so the mix would last longer. We're going to be eating a lot of freaking salad in these parts this week! Lately I've been sort of obsessed with Mark's Daily Apple. It's a website that promotes living and eating like our hunter/gatherer Paleolithic ancestors. There are a myriad of reasons I'm interested in this approach, but maybe I'll explain that in another post. Just wanted to explain why I have a bunch of Paleo recipes on the menu for the week.

Here's my plan:

Breakfast:

Eggs. sauteed zucchini, and turkey bacon
Zucchini, Banana, Almond Smoothies (I have zucchini coming out of my ears)

Lunch:

Leftovers from dinner
Salads

Dinner:

Monday: Chicken tenders with Sauteed Cauliflower and Zucchini. (Veggie recipe from: The Paleo Diet for Athletes)

Tuesday: Rosemary Chicken with Orange Maple Glaze + Salad

Wednesday: Paleo Taco Salad

Thursday: I have class: Leftovers

Friday: Lime Grilled Chicken + Salad

Saturday: Potato Soup

Sunday: Souvlaki with veggies, (rice for Andy and Jackson)

Desserts:

Other:

Homemade Salad Dressing

Lebanese Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Onions- M'farraket Batatah wa Bassal

2011-06-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Lebanese Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Onions
Adapted from Lebanese Cuisine

4 T. olive oil
4 medium potatoes, peeled, washed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
kosher salt to taste
1 T. basil pesto (optional)

Put olive oil in a large frying pan and place over a medium heat. When the oil is hot (to test the heat drop in a cube of potato, and if the oil bubbles around it, it is read) put in the diced potatoes and saute until lightly golden. Add the onions and cook until both potatoes and onions are golden brown. In the meantime, break the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk them lightly before pouring over the potatoes and onion. Season with pepper and salt to taste and scramble until the eggs are done to your taste.

Note: Basil pesto isn't a part of Lebanese cuisine to my knowledge, but I often buy a big jar of it at Costco. I've started adding pesto to this egg recipe and it's a great addition.

Favorite White Bread...Ina Garten Style

2011-06-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

I think I've blogged before about my infatuation with Ina Garten. I love how she uses mostly simple, quality ingredients and makes everything look and taste like Heaven. Some people find her show boring, but I think her voice is kind of soothing. She makes me want to go eat dessert in the bathtub or something. Her "Honey White Bread" recipe from her "Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook" is my go to white bread recipe. It doesn't have a lot of sugar, which makes it less chewy than other recipes, but I still think it's super tasty. I usually make one big loaf and a few mini loaves or two big loaves with this recipe.

Honey White Bread
From the "Barefoot Contessa at Home" Cookbook

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm whole milk (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3/4 stick)
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
2 extra-large egg yolks
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Pour water into mixer fitted with dough attachment. Add yeast and sugar; stir and allow them to dissolve for 5 minutes. Add milk, butter, and honey. Mix on medium speed until blended. Add the egg yolks, 3 cups of the flour, and the salt. Mix on low speed for about 5 minutes. With the mixer still on low speed, add 2 more cups of flour. Raise the speed to medium and slowly add just enough of the remaining flour so the dough doesn't stick to the bowl. Add the flour slowly; you can always add more but you can't take it out. Knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for a minute, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Grease a bowl with butter, put the dough in the bowl, then turn it over so the top is lightly buttered. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in volume. Grease two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans with butter. Divide the dough in half, roll each laf into a loaf shape and place each in a prepared pan. Cover again with a damp towel, and allow to rise again for an hour, until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the dough is ready, brush the tops wit hthe egg white and bake the breads for 40 to 45 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped. Turn them out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Lebanese Cannellini Beans and Meat Stew- Fassolyah bil-Lahmeh

2011-06-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a big bowl of beans, seasoned the Lebanese way...

Lebanese Cannellini Beans and Meat Stew- Fassolyah bil-Lahmeh
Adapted from: 'LEBANESE CUISINE- More than 250 Authentic Recipes from the most Elegant Middle Eastern Cuisine"

2 cups dried cannellini or Great Northern Beans (can also use kidney, lima or navy)
1 tsp. baking soda
About 1 lb. pork meat from the leg or shoulder or lamb meat from the shoulder
2 or 3 bones (optional)
4 T. unsalted butter
1 large onion, sliced
5 cups water
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
5 oz. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

The night before:
Put the beans to soak in three times their volume of water as they will double in size. Stir in one tsp. baking soda. This should soften them and help reduce their cooking time.

Directions:
If you are using pork, cut in in chunky pieces. If you are using lamb, strip the skin off, discard it, and get rid of as much fat as you can and cut as with the pork. Met the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and brown the meat. Remove to a plate. Add the sliced onion and cook, sturring occasionally, until soft and transparent. If you are using the bones, rinse them under cold water before adding to the onion. Saute the bones until they lose all traces of pink. Return the meat to the pan, add water, and 1 tsp. chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil.

Drain the soaked beans and rinse them under cold water. Add the meat and onion and boil gently, covered, for 45 minutes or until the beans are tender. Dilute the tomato paste in a little water and stir into the broth. Season with cinnamon, allspice, pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste. Put the lid back on and simmer for 10 more minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the beans are cooked. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with homemade bread and fresh fruit.

Turkey Taco Wraps- No flour, No Sugar

2011-06-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

After I made those coyote crap balls the other night, I decided if this healthy thing is really going to work out, I had to make food with flavors that I enjoyed. I LOVE Mexican food, so I decided to make these taco wraps. They were a winner!

Turkey Taco Wraps
Adapted from Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook

1 pd. lean ground turkey
1/2 to 3/4 package taco seasoning
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 medium onion, chopped

Brown turkey in skillet. Drain off any liquid. Add taco seasoning with amount of water indicated on package. (Don't forget to do this...I made these twice, once without added water and with water was much better.) Spoon mixture onto lettuce leaves and top with tomatoes and onion. Roll and serve.

Body/Life Change Menu Plan: Taking a Different Approach to Eating

2011-05-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't coyote poop. These are the Peanut Butter Balls listed below from the Bodybuilding.com website. They were okay and they are definitely filling. I don't think I would've made them though, if I didn't already have all the ingredients on hand. Kind of a waste of natural peanut butter and honey in my opinion. Money doesn't grow on trees in these parts...

This week went pretty well with my goal to eat clean. I messed up once, because I bought some sweets for visitors and caved, but otherwise, it was a success. What I've learned though, is that making an extensive post about what I eat every day is just too time consuming for me. Consequently, I'll just menu plan once a week and post what I'm eating then. After reading a bunch of nutrition related food blogs, I've decided that I'm not going to follow the tenets of eating clean exactly. My main focus is to not eat refined flour and really limit my sugar intake. I will mostly be using whole wheat flour, nut flours, and honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar as sweeteners to accomplish this. I will not be drinking milk, (rice and almond milk will by my replacement,) but I will allow myself to eat Greek Yogurt. I think these goals are more realistic than becoming Tosca Reno overnight.

Here's my menu plan for the week:

BREAKFAST

Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Kashi Go Lean Crunch (I bought this stuff last week and it was awesome.)

(May add fruit, honey, and rice milk to all over these)

SNACKS

Protein Shake- Six Star Professional Strength Whey Protein Elite Series "Triple Chocolate"
Sliced Banana, Cottage Cheese, Nutmeg, Honey
Apples with Natural Peanut Butter
Fruit Smoothie with Rice Milk and Scoop of Whey Protein
Peanut Butter Balls
Protein Packed Pudding
(I'm going to see how the pudding is with rice milk, not skim milk.)

LUNCH
Leftover Spaghetti Bake
(The Spaghetti Bake wasn't bad but I have it coming out of my ears!)
Salad
Taco Wraps (From Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook)

DINNER
Baked Potato Extreme
Chicken Mushroom-Spinach Quesadillas
Chicken, Mixed Veggies, Brown Rice
Turkey Tacos from "Lite Lion House Recipes"
Leftovers

Saturday: Armenian Skewered Meat Kabobs

Cooking with Jackson: I'm going to try to cook or bake something with Jackson once a week. This week we're going to make Williams-Sonoma Pretzels.

Clean Eating: Day 2

2011-05-23T18:16:00.001-07:00

So today I started my day off right with Cottage Cheese and Bananas:

I arrived at school, however, and there was a box of chocolates on my desk. Are you kidding me? Is the PTO trying to sabotage me or something? I can endure a lot of treats, but chocolate is my Achilles heel. It was painful to know I was just a drawer away from chocolate all day. I tried to pawn them off on my husband when I got home, but now he's acting all competitive with losing weight and denied me, so I drove to my friend's house and forced the chocolate upon her. Your welcome Amber.

So the moral of today's post is: I'm awesome because I endured having chocolate in my desk all day and then got rid of it.

I had a snack of carrots and hummus and then leftover Tex Mex Chili for Lunch and Dinner. I also had a strawberry banana shake made with rice milk before class. Today I wasn't very creative with my food, but I had class after work. I'm going to have a protein shake after the gym tonight, but that's it. Wish me luck. If I could endure a box of chocolates today, maybe I can endure anything.

Clean Eating: Day 1

2011-05-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

As one of my New Years Resolutions, I decided I wanted to eat 75% clean. Although I cook healthy a lot, I have pretty much tanked with my goal so far. My 30th birthday is nearing however, and hitting the big 3-0 has given me new motivation to not feel and look like crap. What is eating clean you ask? The Joy of Clean Eating website gives a pretty good explanation, but in a nut shell, it's eating food as close to it's natural state as possible. It's not really a diet; it's more like a lifestyle.

I only accomplish goals when I break them into parts so my first goal is to eat clean for a week. My reward on Saturday will be a Magnum Ice cream bar. I have a coupon for a box and they look pretty delicioso:

After reading several clean eating blogs, I've realized that many clean eaters adapt their desserts to be clean as well. I'm not going to do that. This girl has her limits. I'd rather have dessert less often than have a pseudo-dessert.

I've started off day 1 eating Cream of Wheat with Strawberries and a dollop of honey. (Some clean eating purists won't even eat honey, but I'm going to allow honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar.)

For a snack I had an apple with natural peanut butter. Yum!

For Lunch had a grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with EVOO:

That was a little well done but tasty...

For Dinner I made Tex Mex Chili:

I tried to drink a lot of water..but I could have done better. I also should have made another snack. Anyways, not bad for my first day.

Clean Eating:Tex Mex Chili

2011-05-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Went to the library this weekend and picked up Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook. It has a lot of recipes with Splenda in them, which I don't endorse, but this recipe looked pretty good, and it was. I'm trying to embrace clean eating, and this recipe is nutrient dense and contains no refined flours or sugars. I don't know a ton about agave nectar, but I used it as a substitute for Splenda here, and it tasted good. I tried making banana bread with agave this weekend and it was nasty. I think I'm still more comfortable using maple syrup and honey as sweeteners. Maybe because I know more about them. I just bought agave because Tosca Reno told me to, and she's really good looking for an old lady. I thought it might rub off on me. Here's the recipe:

Tex Mex Chili
Inspired by Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook

1 pound lean ground turkey
3 links Turkey Sausage
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
One 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, with liquid
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
honey or agave nectar
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Chili powder to taste

Brown ground turkey and sausage in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and green peppers. Cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, and honey or agave nectar and simmer about 10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and chili powder (be sure to taste chili as you go to find desired heat level.) Cook over medium-low heat until all veggies are tender and chili thickens, about 30 minutes.

Broccoli and Chicken Quiche

2011-05-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

As a Foobuzz Publisher I received a coupon for a free carton of these fancy shmancy Eggland Eggs...

Actually they're pretty affordable, but they're chalked full of all the good stuff. Besides having cute little stamps, they also kick ordinary eggs' trash in a number of ways. Eggland's Best eggs have:

25% less Saturated Fat
35% more Lutein
10 times more Vitamin E
3 Times more Vitamin B12
2 Times more Vitamin D
115 mg of Omega 3- double the amount in ordinary eggs
10% of the daily recommended intake of folic acid

That's a lot of nutrition folks. I was thinking of making my Mom's Cinnamon Rolls with these bad boys, but as I was pondering their nutritional value, I decided to make something healthy: QUICHE. I first started liking quiche when I lived in Uruguay. They know how to make everything the right way down there. Probably because they use animal fat. No wonder I gained 5 pounds when I lived next store to a panaderia.

Uruguay + Panaderias + Dulce de Leche = Heaven. Anyways, on to my quiche recipe...This isn't Uruguayan and it doesn't contain animal fat, but it is pretty dang good for being healthy.

Broccoli and Chicken Quiche
Inspired by "The New Rules of Lifting for Women"

2 cups wheat bread, torin into small pieces
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 T. water
5 large Eggland's Best eggs
1 tsp. minced garlic (I buy a big jar at Walmart)
1/3 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
kosher salt, to taste
nutmeg, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 chicken breast, shredded (Season to taste when cooking)
2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup monterey-jack cheese, shredded.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease pie dish with olive oil.
2. Place bread pieces, olive oil, and water in blender or food processor. (My Ninja does the job right.) Blend until your bread kind of looks like dirt.
3. Press dirt, I mean bread mixture, into the bottom of your pie plate. (This should look like a crust.) Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Cook chicken breast with onions and garlic. Remove and shred chicken breast.
5. Whisk together eggs, cooked garlic and onion, evaporated milk, plain yogurt, salt, nutmeg, and pepper.
6. Place shredded chicken and broccoli pieces on bread crust in pie plate.
7. Pour mixture over chicken and broccoli and sprinkle with Monterey Jack Cheese. Bake for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Armenian Cumin Meatballs (Cuminov Kufta)

2011-04-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

Another easy Armenian recipe here. The sauce is what makes these meatballs for sure! This dish originiated in Izmir, a town in Turkey on the Aegean Sea. It is prepared in many ways by the Armenians and Greeks. My great grandparents were from Turkey, so that makes this recipe even cooler. Served with Armenian Rice Pilaf and veggies.

Cumin Meatballs (Cuminov Kufta)
From Secrets of Cooking Armenian/Lebanese/Persian

1 pound ground lamb or beef
1 large egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 T. vegetable oil

Tomato Sauce:

1 T. tomato paste
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground peper to taste

1. Mix meat, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Divide into 20 equal-size balls. Roll each ball into egg shape. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add meatballs, brown on all sides. Remove from skillet, and set aside. Drain skillet.

3. Pour 3/4 cup water into a measuring cup. (The bigger kind that measures liquid.) Add tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper and then stir together. Pour into skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cook 5 minutes. Return meat to skillet and cook just until heated through.

Armenian Potato and Meat Bake (KEDNAKUNTZOROV MEES)

2011-04-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to find cheap Armenian recipes that are easy enough to make on a week night. I made this tonight and my big boy and little boy both said two thumbs up. Don't forget the bell peppers, tomatoes, or parsley because they really complimented this recipe.

Armenian Potato and Meat Bake (KEDNAKUNTZOROV MEES)
From Secrets of Cooking Armenian/Lebanese/Persian

1 pound potatoes
1 pound ground beef, lamb, or turkey (I used turkey)
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
Dash Paprika
Dash Cayenne
Kosher Salt to taste
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper seeded and sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
3 T. tomato paste
2 T. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
2. In a bowl mix together meat, parsley, spices, bread crumbs, and onion. Shape into 2-inch size pieces, (same as potatoes.) Place in heatproof dish, alternately with potatoes.
3. Arrange pepper slices and tomatoes over meat.
4. Mix together tomato paste, 1 cup water, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes and meat. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Great served with salad. Serves 4

Yes, I'm mommy's helper.

Yes, I have strawberry jam all over my face.

Yes, I'm awesome.

BBQ Chicken Salad

2011-04-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

This salad is heaven on earth for so many reasons. I LOVE Southwestern ingredients. I know that we Americans eat way too much corn, but black beans, corn and tomatoes must have been destined to be served together. They are the perfect trinity. Pure bliss. I usually grill chicken to add to this recipe, but I decided to cut down the time involved and added Tyson's Grilled and Ready Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast instead. I don't like serving a lot of packaged foods, but these chicken strips are 98% fat free and, even better, have no preservatives. That's a short cut I can feel good about. Mixing BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing together is a little sinful, but it definitely kicks this recipe "up a notch."

BBQ Chicken Salad
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 cups Tyson's Grilled and Ready Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast
1 head Romaine Lettuce, rinsed and torn
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
crushed tortilla chips (optional)
2/3cup Ranch dressing
1/3 cup BBQ sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the lettuce, cilantro, corn, tomatoes, and black beans. Top with the diced chicken breast and tortilla chips
In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing and barbeque sauce. Serve on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss with the salad to coat.

Disclaimer: As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, I received a coupon for a free bag of Tyson Grilled and Ready Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast.

Bountiful Baskets Weekly Dinner Plan 4/9/11

2011-04-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I got a lot of great produce at Bountiful Baskets this week. I've never cooked with Chayote Squash though...That should be interesting. Here's the list of what I got:

1 bunch of bananas
1 cantaloupe
9 lbs. of strawberries
6 oz. blueberries
8 oranges
6 apples
1 bunch celery
1 head romaine lettuce
2 heads cabbage
5 chayote squash
small tomatoes

Sunday- Ina Garten's Chicken Noodle Soup
Monday- BBQ Chicken Salad (Going to post this recipe this week.)
Tuesday- Armenian Potato and Meat Bake- From "Secrets of Cooking Armenian/Lebanese/Persian"
Wednesday- Chayote and Sausage Stew or Costco Taquitos (I have class)
Thursday- Costco Taquitos or Leftovers (I have class)
Friday- Spaghetti and Strawberry and Feta Salad
Saturday- Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad
Sunday- Lebanese Chicken Kebabs

Other stuff: I had oatmeal with some of my blueberries this morning and it was delish. I used half of my strawberries to make Strawberry Freezer Jam since BabyJ loves Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches so much. I think I'm also going to make some of Ina Garten's White Bread as a special treat to myself. Love her recipe. I froze the other half of the strawberries to make smoothies with the Coconut Milk I got on sale at Smith's this week.

Kid Friendly: Egg in a Heart

2011-04-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Another non-revolutionary but simple recipe here. I've seen this recipe in the Pioneer Woman Cooks Cookbook, Paula Deen's My First Cookbook, and Tiana's Cookbook, so no one gets credit. This is a great recipe for kids to make, but sometimes I take one of these out the door with me on the way to work, because it's so quick and easy. Here's the recipe:

Egg in a Heart

1/2 T. butter
1 slice 100% whole wheat bread
1 egg
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Cut a hole in the center of bread with heart cookie cutter. Put a pat of butter in the skillet and let it melt over low heat. Put the piece of bread on top of melted butter. Tap the egg gently on the side of the counter and then pull the sides apart with your fingers, breaking it right over the hole in the bread.

Let the egg cook until the bread is golden, about two minutes. Turn the bread over with a spatula, egg and all. Don't put as much butter in the pan as I did here, unless you're planning on clogging your arteries. Cook until the egg and bread look done, about another 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle with some kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy!

Kid Friendly: Pigs in a Blanket

2011-04-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

I'm a little embarrassed to post this recipe on my blog. But, I decided to anyways, because I'm having fun documenting my kitchen adventures with Baby J. I'm one of those mean moms who doesn't buy my child hot dogs very often. Horrible I know. When Baby J and I go to the mall however, we have a tradition of going to "Hot Dog on a Stick." Between giving him corn dogs and riding escalators, our mall dates pretty much translate into him thinking I'm the best person on the planet. It's wonderful actually.

I found a coupon for crescent rolls today, and I saw this "recipe" if you can call it that, in Paula Deen's My First Cookbook, so I thought I'd give it a try. When Jackson saw that I bought hot dogs he was pretty ecstatic. He actually took them out of the refrigerator and carried them around the house for awhile...

See, I'm doing him a favor by not buying mechanically separated meat very often...When he does get it, it's like he's going to Disneyland or something. If he ate hot dogs all the time they'd lose their intrigue.

The two things I changed about Paula Deen's recipe is that I used turkey dogs instead of beef hot dogs and I didn't cut them all in half. I liked the ones I cut in half more though, because their was a higher bread to hot dog ratio, but Baby J preferred the ones with the whole hot dog. It's really up to you what you do with your pigs; the sky's the limit. Here's the recipe:

Pigs in a Blanket
Adapted from Paula Deen's My First Cookbook

Turkey Hot Dogs
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls (8 rolls)
Ketchup
Mustard

Other supplies:

Parchment Paper
Cookie Sheet
Small, sharp knife
Cutting board
Oven mitts or hot pads
Wide spatula
Big plate

Directions:

Turn on the oven to 375 degrees. Put the parchment paper on the cookie sheet. Separate the dough into 8 triangles. Cut each of the hot dogs in half crosswise. Place each hot-dog half on the wide end of a roll and roll it up. Space the hot-dog rolls evenly on the parchment-don't let them touch. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 13 minutes, until the rolls are nice and brown. Transfer the pigs to a plate. Let the pigs cool for a few minutes.. Serve with ketchup and mustard. Makes 8 pigs.

Baby J rolling his piggy.

Yes, he was excited.

And he still went for his fruit first. Trained him well.

Kid Friendly: Turkey Meatloaf Squares

2011-04-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

We frequently eat ground turkey at our house. Meatloaf, on the other hand, is a rarity in these parts. I usually don't like eating big blocks of meat, but I've found one meatloaf recipe I really do like. Today, I decided to put my meatloaf into single serving portion squares. There are 3 good reasons to do this:

1. Kids think it's fun.
2. You can put ketchup on some squares and BBQ sauce on others. (I'm a BBQ sauce woman myself.)
3. They cook WAY faster. Most meatloaf recipes take like an hour to make...This only took 20 minutes.

Those are some pretty good reasons, aren't they? I think meatloaf tastes good with salad, but I made some sweet potato fries today that weren't too bad either. Meatloaf sure isn't very pretty, but this recipe is really filling and good. Instead of grading cheese, I put squares of cheese in it. If you're lucky, you'll find a bite of melted goodness. Here's the meatloaf recipe:

Turkey Meatloaf Squares
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 small onion, chopped and sauted
3/4 colby jack cheese
BBQ and/or ketchup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a bowl, mix the turkey, milk, bread crumbs, onions and eggs by hand. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the cheese cubes into the mixture. Transfer to squares pan and top each square with ketchup or BBQ sauce.
Bake 20-25 miutes in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Kid Friendly: Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

2011-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

My little man is a fan of his broccoli. I had some leftover from last week, so I decided to put it to good use before it went bad. I've never made a cheese sauce before. Mostly because when I think of cheese sauce I'm reminded of the kind that comes in a can that you spray on crackers. Do they still make that nasty stuff? I have nothing against artery clogging food, but I prefer mine to not be served in a spray can and taste like plastic. I told Baby J that his broccoli would make his muscles grow, and the whole time he was eating this he was yelling: "Look, my muscles are growing!" I'm so glad I have a two year old.

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce
Adapted from Paula Deen's: My First Cookbook and a Whole Foods Market recipe

Serves:4

1 bunch broccoli, and 3 stems washed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 T. butter
2 T. unbleached white flour
1 tsp. dijon mustard
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup 1% milk

Steam broccoli until tender in water. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour, mustard powder and salt to taste. Gradually stir in milk and/or sour cream, whisking over med-low heat until thickened. Add cheese, stirring until completely melted. Don't overcook or the cheese will become stringy. Make this dish right before you serve it.

Put broccoli into serving bowl and pour cheese sauce on top.

Bountiful Baskets Menu 3/26/11

2011-03-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Went to Bountiful Baskets with my helper, Baby J, and my friend Amber this morning. Here's what I got:

5 loaves 100% whole wheat bread
1 head Romaine Lettuce
7 sweet potatoes
4 tomatoes
11clementines
9 bananas
1 cantaloupe
1 bunch asparagus
2 mangos
6 apples
2 grapefruit
3 zucchini
1 bag carrots

I paid $10 for the 5 loaves of bread and $15 for the fruit and veggies. Pretty great deal if you ask me! This is what I'm making this week:

Sunday- Taco Salad
Monday- BLT Sandwiches (Use Whole wheat bread though) and Broiled Grapefruit
Tuesday- Cassoulet and Ciabatta bread
Wednesday- Leftover Cassoulet Soup with bread (I have class tonight)
Thursday-Chicken, Mango, and Rice Salad
Friday- Turkey Meatloaf with Sweet Potatoe Wedges and Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce
Saturday- Chicken and Asparagus Kebabs

Kid Friendly: Banana Chocolate Squares

2011-03-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Today I didn't have to work so I decided to do some baking with Baby J. I told him we needed to go buy chocolate chips to make muffins, and he got super excited and said he was making "Lightning McQueen" muffins. Love that kid.

I love my apron Grandma O!

A skilled dry ingredient mixer...

My mom always enlisted me to mash the bananas when she made banana bread. I don't think I ever mashed with his finesse though.

Spatulas and Thomas the Train are necessities in every kitchen.

When Jackson heard the oven ring he ran downstairs in a frantic shouting: "They're done Mommy! Hurry!" I pulled the squares out and then we patiently waited for them to cool off...

Patience is my virtue.

Jackson was very pleased with his final product. And so was I. Yum.

Banana Chocolate Squares

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kid's Baking and Allrecipes

2 1/2 cups All-purpose unbleached flour
3 1/2 teaspoons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 dashes cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs are room temperature
2 capfuls vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet mini chocoalte chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin squares with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using the electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar for about 3 minutes, until creamy. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add 1 egg and beat until blended. Add the other egg and the vanilla and beat until well blended. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Pour in the milk and mix just until blended. Add the rest of the flour and the chocolate chips and mix until blended. Using the 2 large spoons, one to scoop and one to push, fill each square with batter. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 21 to 23 minute until muffins are golden brown. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and set it on the cooling rack to cool. Tip the muffins out of the pan onto the rack and serve warm or cold.

3/19/11 Bountiful Baskets Dinner Menu Plan

2011-03-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here's what I picked up this morning at Bountiful Baskets and below are the recipes I'm going to make this week:

5 Loaves of Ciabatta Bread (Will use 2 this week and freeze 3)
Asparagus
Swiss Chard
Cilantro
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Celery
Cantaloupe
3 Mangos
Bananas
5 Oranges
5 Apples
3 Tomatoes

Saturday Lunch- Swiss Chard with Fresh Garbanzo Beans and Tomatoes with Honeyed Oranges (From the Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Clean)
Saturday Dinner- Salmon or Chicken with Ladolemono Sauce, Balsamic Asparagus, and Brown Rice
Sunday Dinner- Marinated Baked Pork Chops and Leftover Balsamic Asaparagus
Monday Lunch- Black Bean Avocado and Mango Salad with Cilantro and Lime
Monday Dinner- Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Ciabatta Bread
Tuesday Dinner- Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Turkey Sausage with Salad
Wednesday Dinner- (I have class...leftovers)
Thursday Dinner- (Class again, will make this the night before.) Ina Garten Chicken Noodle Soup (Will use leftover carrots, and celery) with Ciabatta Bread
Friday Dinner- Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry with Chicken and Broccoli
Saturday Dinner- (Free Day)
Sunday Dinner- Black Bean and Mango Tostadas with Shredded Chicken

That's all folks!

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

2010-12-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Rolls make me think of my momma. I thought I'd take advantage of being with my mom over the holidays and make cinnamon rolls with her. We decided to try a new recipe and it was a real keeper! The secret to my mom's icing is to add a little orange zest. I also added raisins to these and they were heavenly!

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened
raisins

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
orange zest to taste

Directions

Mix together warm milk and yeast in a small bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add flour, salt, sugar and stir to combine.
Mix in eggs, margarine and yeast milk on low until a loose dough forms.
Gradually increase speed to medium until dough begins to climb the hook. Add a little flour if it seems too sticky.
When you have a dough ball, remove it from bowl, grease another large bowl, set the dough ball in & cover lightly in a warm place about 1 hour. (A good way to do this is to turn on the oven to 200 degrees and turn it off after it's heated up. Then place dough inside covered with a damp towel.)
After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup melted butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle with raisins. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly buttered 9x13 inch baking pan or 2 circular glass pie pans. Cover and let rise.
If you are making these the evening before store in the refrigerator overnight. (Remove and let warm to room temperature 30 minutes before baking)
If you want to cook these immediately cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in volume, about 45-60 minutes.
When ready to cook preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and orange zest.
Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving. Enjoy!

Weekly Dinner Plan: 10/17/10

2010-10-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

I went to Bountiful Baskets this morning and came home with a laundry basket full of fruits and vegetables for the week. I really like the idea of a community food co-op because it makes fruit and vegetables more affordable, forces me to integrate more variety into our diet, and supports local farmers.

The following is what I brought home for 15 bucks in my basket:

1 Bag Grapes
8 apples
3 Pomegranates
Bananas
3 Grapefruit
4 Oranges
1 head broccoli
1 bag carrots
2 heads of lettuce
3 bundles of leeks
4 large tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 zucchini
1 cantaloupe

And this is what I'm gonna do with it this week:

Monday- Luscious Lima Bean Soup and Salad with Pomegranate and Pecans

Tuesday- Crisby Orange Beef, Broccoli, Brown Rice

Wednesday- BLT Sandwiches with Sweet Potato Fries and Cucumer and Tomato Salad

Thursday- Cassoulet and good bread

Friday- Tortilla Pie with Chicken and leftover Cucumber and Tomato Salad or basic salad

Saturday- Free Day

Sunday- Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Snack: Broiled Grapefruit

Dessert: Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

Weekly Dinner Plan 10/3/10

2010-10-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Monday-Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Tuesday- Oaxacan Tacos

Wednesday- Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Sloppy Joe Sandwiches and Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday-Free

Sunday- Crispy Orange Beef, Rice, Broccoli

This week, I'm going to try my Uncle Craig's "Sunday Night Malt" for my dessert.