PrepAhead and Dine In

Weekly Menu February 17th-February 22nd

2019-02-17T16:30:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share what's on the menu at our house this week! I recently purchased an Instant Pot and have included a couple of new recipes. I have been trying to make at least two Instant Pot recipes over the weekend to have ready to go for the week! Loving it so far!

SUNDAY:

Taco Night!

MONDAY:

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

TUESDAY:

Instant Pot Pot Roast

WEDNESDAY:

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks (bread machine)
Copycat Olive Garden Salad

THURSDAY:

Slow Cooker Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

FRIDAY:

White Pizza
Bread Machine Pizza Dough

What's on the menu this week?

2016-05-13T16:55:00.002-04:00

I take pride in menu planning! I'm weird like that! I look at our schedule, the weather and go from there! Here is what I am serving up this week!

Saturday:

In celebration of warmer weather and lots of mulch laying and deck staining, we're having this delicious grilled New York Strip with herbed butter. It's already seasoned up and in the fridge!

Sunday:

We're hoping for any rain to hold off to finish our very labor intensive deck project! To celebrate a job well done we're having these grilled apple cider glazed pork chops.

Monday:

I love a good kid friendly casserole when we have a few after school activities dominating the afternoon and evening hours! Everyone loves this chicken and rice bake that can be prepared in its entirety ahead of time.

Tuesday:

Soccer practice and my evening work event calls for this chicken and broccoli. Recipe calls for beef but substituting chicken!) in the slow cooker. Scoop and serve as needed!

Wednesday:

Lightening it up on hump day with my all time favorite salad dressing recipe given to me by a very dear friend. Grilled lemon pepper chicken over caesar salad.

Thursday:

Everyone's favorite....well, nobody's but mine actually....LEFTOVERS!

Friday:

Pizza. Always. Make your own is on tap for this week. Love this bread machine pizza dough recipe. It is my go to!

I would love some ideas for next week! What is everyone having?

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

2015-12-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

Yum! I found this recipe on Pinterest, made a few small changes and loved the way it came out! Even the kids raved about it. A keeper!

Prep Ahead Plan: Combine chicken, broth, Rotel, beans and seasonings in the close cooker and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Tablespoon onion powder
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 can black beans
1 can Rotel
1 bag of boil in a bag brown rice

Optional garnished: cheddar cheese, scallions, avocado, jalapeños

Directions:
1. Combine chicken, seasonings, beans, rotel and broth in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

2. Remove chicken and shred. Pour the remaining liquid into a pot and follow the directions on the box of your boil in a bag rice. (Boil in the bag for 10 minutes).

3. Mix cooked rice with chicken mixture, garnish and serve!

21-Day Fix Thai Inspired Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2015-03-07T16:08:00.001-05:00

This recipe is an adaptation of one I found on Allrecipes. The original recipe calls for potato but I didn't want to use up any yellow containers for the soup. I also made a few other small modifications! I really loved the sweetness and Thai flavor the peanut butter added, but you could easily skip it for a more traditional chicken vegetable soup recipe! Enjoy!

21-Day Fix Thai Inspired Chicken Vegetable Soup
a 2 cup serving = 1 red, 1 green, 1 teaspoon

Ingredients:

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat

4 carrots, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 broccoli head, chopped

1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes

2 stalks celery chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 teaspoons of dried parsley

dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Spray the bottom of a soup pot with cooking spray. Sauté all vegetables until slightly tender.

2. Add broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or so until veggies are as tender as you like.

3. Stir in peanut butter and simmer until well combined (5 minutes or so). Add salt and pepper as necessary/wanted.

21-Day Fix Shrimp Quinoa Salad

2015-03-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

I'm on day 17 of the 21-Day Fix with Autumn Calabrese and I am LOVING every second of it. If you are feeling the weight of this cold weather and snow on your body and energy level, I highly suggest you look into this program. It's not a gimmick or quick fix, it's a lesson on how to incorporate clean eating and fitness into your busy lifestyle in a way that will transform your body and mindset.

Shrimp and quinoa salad is a healthy, filling lunch that comes together quickly and makes for some easy grab and go lunches during the week.

Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Equals: 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow and 1 Orange

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa (rinsed and cooked according to package directions)

1 15 oz can chick peas

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 container of grape tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, diced

1 cup broccoli, diced

2 scallions, diced

1/4 of a red onion, diced

1 pound raw shrimp or cooked shrimp cocktail

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon tarragon

3 teaspoons dijon mustard

dash of salt and pepper

5 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions and let cool. If using raw shrimp, spray a sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Cook the shrimp until no longer opaque in the middle (just a few minutes).

2. Add quinoa, beans and all veggies in a large bowl. Stir together. Add shrimp and mix to combine.

3. With a fork or whisk, mix together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over salad stirring to make sure the dressing is well distributed.

4. Separate into 5 containers to eat as individual servings!

21-Day Fix Slow Cooker Chili

2015-02-14T14:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a long winter with lots of snow and lots of comfort food. I'm bored of the treadmill and miss our active days outside, grilling and overall lighter fare. I've been feeling so sluggish lately and I think it is in part of our over indulgence in treats, treats and more treats!

I've been eyeing the 21-Day Fix with Autumn Calabrese for a couple months now. When it went on sale this month I decided to buy it strictly for the workouts as I thought organizing the clean eating meal plan might be too much work. After reading over the guide and watching some of her videos on her clean eating plan, I decided to go for it!

I sat down and planned all 21 days worth of meals and snacks. I made Excel spreadsheets for the daily menus and grocery lists for each week. I organized a Pinterest board with the recipes and I now am ready to go!

I always do better with these challenges when I have friends to join me but I didn't have any takers this time around! So, for those of you that are interested, I created a challenge group on Facebook and am doing this a second time on March 9th. It is a closed, private group so posts can only be seen by members and will not show up in other's news feeds. Here, I will share all of the documents I have organized and all of the planning I have done! It will be a support forum for everyone to stay motivated, discuss workouts and share recipes. The official challenge begins March 9th but feel free to join the group before then!

For the record, I will not be getting on any kind of soap box lecturing about clean eating! Velveeta and Rotel happen in my house. Ice cream sundaes happen and so does bacon. I am just struggling to find a balance lately and want to go into spring feeling healthy and fit. I think this program is just what I need as a kick start and I tend to be more successful when I have friends holding me accountable.

Here is my 21-Day Fix approved dinner for Monday and lunch for Wednesday!

Two Cups of Chili= 1 Red, 1 Green and 1 Yellow container

Slow Cooker 21-Day Fix Chili
Ingredients
1 lb turkey meat
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of frozen, sweet corn
1 can Rotel
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Direction:
1. Brown turkey meat with pepper, onion and garlic. Drain
2. Add browned turkey/pepper mixture to slow cooker pot and add all remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Enjoy!

freezer meals for busy weeknights

2015-02-07T13:42:00.004-05:00

Right before Isla was born last year, I started doubling our dinner recipes on occasion and storing half of the dish in the freezer. I saved them until after she was born and had a bunch of pre-made dinners ready to go as we adjusted to life as a family of 6! It made life so much easier during those crazy weeknights when the older girls went in a million different directions.

Fast forward one year later and I'm still making a habit of having a variety of frozen dinners stocked in our freezer to make our weeknight evenings slightly less chaotic!

I thought I would share what our freezer looks like today and some of my go-to recipes for doubling and freezing!

1. Grilled Chicken Breast
Well, this is not a recipe obviously and the batch that is pictured is not actually grilled but oven baked instead! I prefer having grilled chicken breast in the freezer but our grill is currently buried under 2 feet of snow. I grill/bake boneless chicken breast with a little salt and pepper, individually wrap them and store them in the freezer. They're so nice to have on hand to defrost and throw in a salad or make some quick quesadillas.

2. Glazed Meatballs
I prepare the meatballs and freeze them. The day before we're going to eat them, I put them in the fridge to defrost. Before I put them in the oven, I mix up the glaze (the PW glaze is our favorite) right in the pan, stir in the meatballs and pop them in the oven. I like to serve these with carrot sticks and potatoes of some kind.

3. Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I love this Skinnytaste version! This defrosts quickly in the fridge. I serve it with a salad and bread.

4. Chicken Taquitos
This site has a great chicken taquito recipe that I love to use! I follow her directions for freezing and baking. She suggests writing the cooking instructions right on the freezer bag. I do this for all of my freezer meals. This way, I don't need to go and look up the recipe to find out how long and at what temp it needs to be cooked.

5. Pioneer Woman Turkey Chili
I have tried lots of chili recipes and I always go back to this one. I use turkey instead of beef and add a can of rotel to the recipe.

6. Amazing Pork Tenderloin
This is really good. Pork tenderloins always come two in a pack. It's so easy to mix up the marinade twice and freeze one, raw, pre-marinated tenderloin. I defrost it in the fridge the day before I am going to make it and dump it all in the slow cooker the next day! If you are opposed to using dry onion soup mix, you can make your own using this recipe.

7. Baked Ziti
Two of our girls don't like baked ziti and prefer plain pasta with butter. I double the recipe and bake one 9x11 pan and use the leftovers for either lunches or another dinner that week. I take the second half of the recipe and divide it into 3 separate loaf pans. This way R and L can have either gluten free or buttered pasta and the loaf pan is just enough for the rest of us! Also, this recipe calls for sour cream but I use ricotta instead.

Thanks for taking a peek inside my freezer today! Have a great week!

This week's menu!

2015-01-17T11:14:00.001-05:00

I thought I would link up this week's menu items! The recipes are all really easy and can be prepped ahead of time, of course!

Sunday: Prep Ahead: Season up the chicken Saturday night and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Slow Roasted Chicken, Steamed Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes
This is one of those rare recipes that is a hit with everyone! It's so easy and so good!

Monday: Prep Ahead: This is so easy to prepare. You can do it quickly the morning of or get everything ready the night before and store your slow cooker insert in the fridge. That's what I usually do.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, Portuguese Sweet Bread in the bread machine (scroll down for recipe), Carrot Sticks

Tuesday: Prep Ahead: Make the meatballs Monday night after the kids go to sleep and store them in the fridge overnight.
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs , Salad
We were supposed to have these last week but we ended up having bread machine crescent rolls with turkey and cheese. I don't have a link to this recipe but if you want it, let me know! It's a great one.

Wednesday: Prep Ahead: Defrost the picadillo meat in the fridge overnight.
Picadillo Quesadillas, Snap Peas
A couple weeks ago I tried a slow cooker picadillo recipe and I have to admit, it wasn't a keeper for us. I felt like we were eating chili that needed more flavor. It made a ton though so I froze it in 1 cup containers and we will use it for quesadillas!

Thursday: Prep Ahead: Prepare the entire recipe Wednesday night and store in fridge. I have actually made this recipe 2 days ahead of time and it was still great.
Baked Ziti, Salad
I love this recipe but if you don't cover it while it bakes, it dries out. Also, I always double it and get two pans out of it. It freezes really well!

Friday: Prep Ahead: Set the bread machine up with the ingredients in the morning and use the delay timer to have the dough ready at 5:00pm. I usually set the dough to be ready about an hour before I actually want to eat dinner. This way, it can rise for a half hour and the girls can have time to prepare their pizzas.
Make Your Own Pizza , Cucumbers, Red Peppers, Carrot Sticks
The girls like to make their own little creations. Talia actually prefers to make a copycat version of Domino's cheesy breadsticks.

Saturday: Prep Ahead: Mix everything in the morning and store in the fridge until ready to bake!
Tomato Basil Shrimp , Brown Rice, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

Have a great week!

lightened up butter-less shrimp scampi

2013-04-21T21:40:00.002-04:00

Here is a great weeknight recipe! Super flavorful, lightened up shrimp scampi! It comes together in about 20 minutes! I promise you will not miss the butter!

Prep Ahead Plan: Take the time to peel and devein the shrimp the night before and leave them in a bowl in the fridge. Chop the parsley and garlic the night before too! That is really the most time consuming part of the whole recipe.

Lightened up Shrimp Scampi
adapted from the Weight Watchers

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 lb raw shrimp, large, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt-free lemon & herb seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth

3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup chicken broth

8 oz cooked linguine (I use Dreamfields)

¼ cup fresh parsley chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in fresh lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning and salt and pepper.

2. Add shrimp and sauté until bright pink, stirring frequently, just a few minutes.

3. Add wine and simmer about 1 minute.

4. Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small cup and whisk until blended;

add mixture to skillet and simmer 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. If using dried parsley add it now (if using fresh, wait until serving).

5. Add cooked linguini to the shrimp and scampi sauce mixture (if using fresh parsley, mix it in before serving).

Sweetened Guinness and Teriyaki Grilled Steak

2013-03-16T21:08:00.002-04:00

Sweetened Guinness and teriyaki steak for St. Patrick’s Day

With our combined Sheridan and Eagan Irish ancestry one would think we would be serving up some corned beef and cabbage for tomorrow night’s St. Patty’s Day feast. Nope. We love the idea of that traditional Irish dinner but unfortunately, neither of us like it very much! In the past we’ve celebrated with Guinness bbq chicken or Guinness braised short ribs Tomorrow, we’re serving up another Guinness flavor infused dish. Very easy and very flavorful! Sweetened Guinness and teriyaki grilled steak!

Prep Ahead Plan: Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag either the night before or 6-8 hours before grilling! Marinate in fridge!

Sweetened Guinness and Teriyaki Grilled Steak

Ingredients

½ cup of Guinness beer

¼ cup of teriyaki sauce (I use Kikoman reduced sodium or if I'm extra ambitious, I use the homemade recipe found HERE)

2 large cloves minced garlic

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 pound steak (Whichever cut you prefer. NY strip, t-bone and steak tips work well.)

Directions

1. Combine everything except for steak in a bowl or large Ziploc bag. Mix well.

2. Add steak to marinade, moving it around to make sure the marinade is all over the steak.

3. Refrigerate overnight or for 6-8 hours.

4. Grill over medium-high heat on a covered grill 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness depending on thickness of steak and how you like your steak cooked!

Asian Shrimp (or chicken) Noodle Salad (served warm or cold)

2013-01-09T15:09:00.001-05:00

I came across an adaptation of this Asian style dressing online and thought it would be delicious served over linguini and veggies! It might be a new favorite! I used Dreamfields Pasta in an effort to reduce carbs and couldn't taste the difference! The recipe below is pictured here but I think next time I will add more vegetables. Maybe double the carrots and add broccoli too! We ate it warm for dinner but I ate the leftovers cold as a salad and it was even better the next day! A keeper!

Prep Ahead Plan: I prepared the dressing and cut the veggies the night before. It all comes together very quickly at dinner time when those 2 things are done ahead of time!

Asian Shrimp and Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup light soy sauce 1/3 cup rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (16 ounce) Dream Fields Linguine 2 carrots, cut julienne style 1 red pepper, cut julienne style Handful (or 2) of snow peas 1 pound cooked shrimp or 2 cups cooked chicken Chopped fresh cilantro (a handful or about a 1/3 cup) Chopped scallions (a handful or about 1/3 cup)

Directions:

1. In a mason jar or medium sized bowl, mix together the first 7 ingredients for the dressing. Shake and refrigerate until ready to use or put aside to use immediately.

2. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water.

3. While pasta boils prepare carrots, red pepper and snow peas by adding them to the bowl you are going to mix the entire salad together. (I like to steam them slightly so they are not crunchy but you don’t have to. I actually put them all in the bowl I’m going to mix the salad in, add a little water, cover it partially and microwave for about 2 minutes. Drain water.)

4. Mix pasta with veggies and shrimp or chicken. Pour dressing over top. Top with cilantro and scallions. Stir to combine and serve warm or cold.

Escarole and Bean Soup..lunch for Mommy

2013-01-03T10:52:00.001-05:00

What do you eat for lunch during the week? When I was working, I lined up Riley, Talia and my lunch boxes and packed them full of healthy options. The girls' lunches are still filled with a variety of satisfying, healthy treats but mine is pretty much non-existant! I never went back to work after Lola was born and since then I have been very inconsistent about feeding myself healthy lunches! I seem to have breakfast and dinner down but lunch either gets skipped or I find myself foraging, eating the remnants of Talia's soup or the crusts of Lola's peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I'm not big on resolutions but this is something I would like to be more consistent about in 2013.

Soup is always a great lunch option for me (and the kids). I make it over the weekend and we eat it for several days during the week. It's quick to reheat in between preschool pick up and the arrival of Talia's afternoon kindergarten bus! Escarole and bean soup is on the menu this week!

Prep Ahead Plan: I made this soup on Sunday and as the week goes on, the flavors marry and taste even more wonderful. Soup only gets better with time!

Escarole and Bean Soup
Ingredients
1 head of escarole, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
2 (32 oz) cartons of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
15 oz can of cannelloni beans

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for about 1 minute.
2. Add escarole and saute for a few minutes until the leaves get wilty (if that's a word).
3. Add broth and beans and bring to a boil. Simmer until the leaves are tender enough for your taste!
4. Serve with a sprinkling parmesan cheese (optional).

chicken and rice soup in the slow cooker

2012-11-07T23:49:00.000-05:00

Busy, busy, busy. Forgive my lack of posts! How do these other bloggers do it? For me, sitting at my computer for any kind of extended period of time while my children are awake is virtually impossible. Forming a coherent thought between the hours of 6:00am and 8:00pm is simply out of the question. Am I doing something wrong??? Once the girlies go to bed, my husband and I can FINALLY catch up and have some quality time before one of us crashes (usually "the one" that has to get up at 5:00am is the first to go!). I am usually not too far behind my hard working husband who leaves at the crack of dawn, but here I am tonight, up way too late, sharing my chicken and rice soup recipe for friends to enjoy!!!! I will regret this in the morning. What are the chances my kids sleep in (i.e., past 5:05am)???? :) Sleeplessness aside, it's so easy and so delicious! Please let me know what you think!

Prep Ahead Plan: Toss everything in the slow cooker insert EXCEPT for the brown rice anytime before you want to cook it! I like to do it the night before or up to one day ahead of time!

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 large or 6 medium sized carrots
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup or chopped fresh parsley or a few shakes of dried parsley
3 raw, boneless chicken breasts chopped up (You can use raw or cooked or the meat off of a store bought rotisserie chicken! Anything goes!) I used raw in the recipe pictured.
Fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste
3 (32 0z) cartons of Natures Promise low sodium chicken broth
1 boil in a bag brown rice*
Directions
1. Add everything but rice to the slow cooker insert and cook on low for 8 or more hours. 2. Anytime before serving, cook rice according to package directions and add as much of the cooked brown rice as you like to the soup (I add the whole bag).
*You can buy regular brown rice and add it to cook into the soup instead of the bag. Sometimes I do this and it soaks up too much of the broth, or my timing is off so I like to cook the rice separate!

Paula Deen's Snake Bites for Halloween!

2012-10-31T09:09:00.004-04:00

***photo credit: The Food Network***

Just thought I would share our dinner recipe for tonight! You can make it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it! (I put the food coloring on right before baking!). It's super easy to do with store bought crescent roll dough! I do half plain cheddar and half with ham and cheddar for my plain Jane's!

Here is the link to her video and recipe!

Paula's Snake Bites!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Slow Cooker Collection

2012-10-12T10:35:00.000-04:00

Breakfast Recipes

slow cooker porridge

Appetizers

slow cooker queso blanco

Soups and Stews and Chilis

slow cooker smoky turkey chili (weight watcher recipe)

slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

slow cooker minestrone soup

slow cooker pasta e fagioli -Olive Garden Style

slow cooker beef and barley soup

slow cooker (Weight Watcher) Italian beef and lentil stew

slow cooker beef stew

slow cooker garden vegetable soup

Chicken and Turkey

slow cooker chipotle lime chicken

slow cooker whole roasted chicken

slow cooker chicken and rice casserole

slow cooker chicken cacciatore

slow cooker (Wight Watcher) chicken paprikash

slow cooker creamy Italian chicken

slow cooker turkey and stuffing

slow cooker honey soy chicken

Pork

slow cooker sweet and saucy pork tenderloin

slow cooker carnitas
slow cooker kalua pork

slow cooker Thai pork with peanut sauce
slow cooker bbq ribs

slow cooker bbq pulled pork with homemade onion rolls

slow cooker maple glazed pork tenderloin

Beef

slow cooker beef burritos

slow cooker asian style pepper steak

slow cooker meatball parm grinders

slow cooker pepper steak over noodles

slow cooker steak fajitas

slow cooker tomato wine sauce

Seafood

slow cooker jambalaya

Pasta

slow cooker mac and cheese

slow cooker ravioli casserole

Baked Tomato Basil Shrimp

2012-10-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

This shrimp dish has been a staple on Sunday afternoons since football season began! It’s a great appetizer that’s easy to prepare and doesn’t require two pounds of cheese like most of my favorite football foods! Although we have been generally trying to eat healthier, we are in no way foregoing some of our absolute favorite dishes including slow cooker queso blanco and Asian style wings!!! I see those in our near future for sure!!! We’ve been serving this shrimp as an app with a bowl of toothpicks on the side but it could just as easily turn into a nice light weeknight meal when served over rice or pasta with a steamed veggie on the side! Hope you like it as much as we do!

Prep Ahead Plan: Prepare the entire recipe the night before or several hours before and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake. It tastes better when it has a few hours to marinate but it can be baked right away too.

Baked Tomato Basil Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup tomato sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

10 chopped fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

¼ teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper

2 pounds raw, deveined shrimp

olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Mix the first 7 ingredients in the baking pan and mix well. Toss in shrimp and stir.

3. Refrigerate until ready to bake or bake for 20 minutes and serve!

honey glazed soy chicken in the slow cooker

2012-09-30T07:53:00.001-04:00

Over the summer I had several failed slow cooker recipe attempts so I was excited to go two for two last week and add slow cooker meatball grinders AND this honey glazed soy chicken to my repertoire! I adapted this recipe from The Tasty Kitchen altering the cut of chicken and swapping out a few ingredients. Success!!!!

Just a note about slow cooking boneless chicken breast…..

I have dried out chicken in the slow cooker many times! I have learned that my slow cooker has a tendency to cook quickly! Chicken breasts can cook no longer than 3 hours on low in my pot. Yours may be 2 or 4. Test it and see so you don’t end up with a dried out mess!

Prep Ahead Plan: This isn’t a “set it and forget it” cook all day kind of recipe BUT it’s perfect for those crazy, jam packed hours after school where everyone goes in 10 different directions and you are the taxi service that gets them to their designated locations! Take 5 minutes and prepare the recipe in the slow cooker the night before and let the chicken marinate all night, which is even tastier. Turn it on at 3:30 and eat at 6:30!

Honey Glazed Soy Chicken

Ingredients:

4-5 skinless chicken breast (not too thin)

ground pepper (to taste)

1 cup of honey

1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 small onion, diced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 scallions

cooking spray

Directions:

1. Spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray.

2. Mix pepper, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, onion and red pepper flakes in the pot.

3. Place chicken in the honey/soy mixture, turning to coat and refrigerate overnight (or cook immediately).

4. Cook on low for 3 hours adding 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water during the last 30 minutes. Serve over brown rice topped with scallions.

Slow Cooker Meatball Parm Grinders

2012-09-24T14:09:00.002-04:00

I love having success with a new slow cooker recipe! I found the original recipe on Pinterest and made some adaptations including the addition of herbs and red wine. I also opted for 93% lean ground turkey rather than lean ground beef simply because lean ground turkey is lower in saturated fat. It is true that beef has more iron than turkey meat but I'd rather save on the saturated fat and serve a spinach salad on the side of my ground turkey meatball grinder. I guess once we loaded it with cheese all fat count considerations go out the window anyway! Either way, I hope you enjoy these quick and easy meatball parm grinders!

Prep ahead Plan: I prepared the recipe the say before and let the slow cooker insert sit overnight until I was ready to bake it!

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey

1 ¼ cups of seasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons basil (dried)

2 teaspoons parsley (dried)

2 eggs

2 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed for meatballs

For the Sauce:

2 cloves for sauce, minced or crushed

2 28 oz. cans san marzano whole tomatoes

¾ cup red wine

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 bay leave

1 Tablespoon fresh basil or a handful of fresh basil leaves torn up

grinder rolls

garlic powder

olive oil cooking spray

sliced, fresh mozzarella

iphone pic

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of a slow cooker insert with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs. Mix with hands and form into 1 ½ inch meatballs. Place them in the slow cooker.

2. Open the cans of whole tomatoes and squeeze each tomato over the meatballs. Pour any remaining juice from the cans on top of the meatballs too.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in pot and stir making sure not to mash up the meatballs.

4. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.

5. To make grinders. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray grinder rolls with olive oil spray and sprinkle them with garlic powder and bake for 5 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and place meatballs in the roll and top with sliced cheese. bake for another 5 minutes or so until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Garden Quinoa

2012-09-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

Quinoa has been a popular lunch item for us lately! Mike prefers his with olive oil, lemon juice, feta, red onion, and red pepper while I prefer mine like this! I keep a large container of garden quinoa in the fridge for a quick fix lunch. MUCH better than the crusts of grilled cheese and left over pb&j triangles I find myself eating all too often!

Quinoa is very healthy for you and an easy prep dish! Here’s a little bit about this “super food!”:

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) tastes very much like a grain; it is actually a seed and related to the spinach family. It also cooks like a grain, making it an excellent replacement for grains that can difficult to digest or for those on a gluten free diet!

Some of the nutrients in quinoa (one of the top super foods) include:

Complete protein. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.

Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient!

Fiber. Quinoa is a wonderful way to ensure that you consume valuable fiber!

Manganese and copper. Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous, disease-causing substances.

Prep Ahead Plan: Make this dish and store it in the fridge for an easy pre-made lunch during the week!

Garden Quinoa

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 pinch salt

1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tomatoes, diced

1 cucumber, diced

2 bunches green onions, diced (or chives, or red onion diced)

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly (this prevents it from tasting bitter).

2. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3. Cool to room temperature or stick it in the fridge to cool for a bit.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or storage container, combine olive oil, garlic powder lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and parsley. Stir into cooled quinoa and refrigerate.

A fridge that encourages healthy eating...thanks Pinterest..

2012-09-15T16:16:00.002-04:00

With a little help from Pinterest, I took the food we already had in the fridge and organized it in a way that would inspire healthier eating. I thought I would share!

Over the summer we started to make an extra effort to eat even healthier than we already do and work out more. I used to try to get on the treadmill a few times a week but nothing consistent. My husband who now runs anywhere from 6-10 miles A DAY (if not more) has lost over 20 pounds since July 31st simply by eating healthier and exercising. Impressive and very inspiring! I try to keep up by doing yoga and squeezing in anywhere from 16-20 miles a week. I have lots of running friends who probably don't consider that to be any big feat but it's good for me!

"If you keep GOOD FOOD in your fridge, then you will eat GOOD FOOD." I recently came across this quote on Pinterest and I couldn't agree more! I find that when healthy snack options are easily accessible, Mike, the kids and I will opt for those over something pre-packaged and/or processed. Having an organized fridge where everything is visible has really helped us to eat healthy and stay on track!

Prep Ahead Plan: Over the weekend, take some time to wash and cut fruit, boil eggs, roast meat, dice cheese and do any other prep work that lets you have lots of grab and go healthy options during busy weekdays!

Grab and Go Snacks:
On the top left you'll notice a selection of "ready to eat" foods that we can literally grab and go. Washed carrots and snap peas, hummus, pineapple chunks, cucumbers and red pepper. The kids know that they can help themselves to any of those "ready to eat" foods on the top shelf at any time!

Healthy Beverages:
Skim milk, water with lemon, water with cucumber and mint (great for your skin!), kids water bottles, orange juice (reduced sugar with no added sweeteners), 100% cranberry and pomegranate juice which tastes yummy with Pellegrino are pretty typical weekly selections around here.

Fruit:
Always fully stocked with apples, oranges, pears, lemons, etc...

Deli:
I'd like to stay from deli items on a more regular basis. They're loaded with sodium and nitrates and using our own roasted meats (even an all natural rotisserie turkey or chicken from your local market would work!). This week we have sliced roasted chicken and cubed reduced fat sharp cheddar.

Quick Protein Snacks:
On the bottom left we have lots of protein packed snacks and/or meal options like cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc...

Berries and Lunch Box Items:
My kids LOVE any kind of berry. We keep blueberries, strawberries and raspberries next to packable lunch box items like apple sauce, yogurt and Fruitable juice boxes.

Soft Cheese Drawer:
Mozzarella for make your own pizza night, feta for salads, etc. (And yes, we have real butter. It's a must on our popcorn during the occasional family movie night! NOT healthy but SO good!)

Veggies:
These are the veggies that we have with meals. This week they include different types of squash, broccoli, asparagus, salad fixings, green beans, peppers, eggplant, garlic, etc.

I'm certainly no expert on fitness, health and nutrition but I thought I would share what works for us! Enjoy the weekend!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2012-09-13T20:48:00.004-04:00

I hate saying farewell to summer but as that cooler, drier air moves in and the mornings and evenings require a light sweater, I start remembering all of the things I love about fall! If we can't swim in the pool all day then we might as well drink pumpkin lattes and light cinnamon candles! Well, my girls don't drink lattes but they do love anything and everything pumpkin! These have been a weekly dinner menu item since labor day. They're easy, delicious and loaded with everyone's favorite flavors of fall! I hope you like them as much as we do!

Prep Ahead Plan: Mix the dry ingredients the night before or even a few days before and store it in a ziploc bag. When you're ready preheat your griddle and quickly mix up the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix in the dry!

I heart my Cuisinart Griddler.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

non-stick butter spray

Directions:

1. Preheat a griddle over medium high heat.

2. Mix the wet ingredients (the first 6 ingredients) in a large bowl.

3. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet, just to combine.

5. Spray the griddle with non stick spray and drop a 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle (drop as many 1/4 cups of batter on the griddle that will fit). When the pancake starts to bubble, flip and brown the other side! Serve with confectioners sugar or syrup!

Playdate Mac and Cheese (In the slow cooker)

2012-06-05T10:01:00.001-04:00

Summertime is fast approaching and we can’t wait! As the girls and their friends spend the day swimming and playing, they work up quite the appetite! I try to choose menu items that won’t take me away from lifeguard duty and overall backyard patrol! That’s why this slow cooker mac and cheese is one of my favorite summertime lunch options!!

I love making baked mac and cheese! If you were hoping to see a recipe for the baked variety you can find it here! The one I’m sharing today is a little different! I HATE to admit that although my kids will eat the baked version, they prefer the box! Yup…Annies, Kraft, doesn’t matter what the brand is, they like it better! Yuck! I was THRILLED to finally find a recipe that is homemade but tastes like it’s from the box, only better! Did I mention you can make it ahead in the slow cooker? Perfect! I call it playdate mac and cheese! Enjoy!

Prep Ahead Plan: This mac and cheese takes about 2 hours in the slow cooker. I usually throw it in the slow cooker at around 10 in the morning so it’s ready for the hungry crowd at noon!

Playdate Mac and Cheese (In the slow cooker)

Adapted from Paula Deen

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)*

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese**

1/2 cup sour cream (I use low fat)

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

* I use regular elbows not the casserole ones

**I noticed if you shred the cheddar yourself, the cheese melts creamier!

Directions

1. Boil the elbow macaroni for 6 minutes and drain.

2. Melt the butter and cheddar cheese in a saucepan.

3. Combine macaroni, cheese and butter mixture and remaining ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 2 -2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Beach Shrimp

2012-06-02T16:46:00.002-04:00

Here is a perfect summer recipe from Southern Living! It’s quick and easy to throw together and bakes up in no time. I have served it both hot and cold and both were a hit! Perfect for a picnic on the beach or an easy app at your backyard BBQ! Welcome summer! We’ve been waiting for you!!!

Prep Ahead Plan: I have found the shrimp is more flavorful if you let it sit in the marinade for several hours in the fridge before baking!

Beach Shrimp

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp (I use the deveined, easy peel, large shrimp)

1 (16-oz.) bottle Italian dressing

freshly ground black pepper (as much or as little as you like-I use about one tablespoon)

3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

2 lemons, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons of butter

Directions

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons over shrimp mixture, and stir. Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley and dot with butter.

2. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve right from the pan!

Herbed Chicken with Lemon

2012-05-22T09:11:00.002-04:00

Here is an easy light dish that makes great use of those freshly planted herbs on your deck or in your garden. I like to serve it over sautéed vegetables and brown rice.

Prep Ahead Plan: Combine all of the ingredients in a baking dish the night before. Bake the next evening when you get home!

Ingredients:

cooking spray

4 boneless, chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (use more or less to taste)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (use more or less to taste)

¼ cup chicken broth

Directions:

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Combine all ingredients, except for the chicken, in the baking dish. Stir to combine.

3. Add chicken into the mixture and turn to coat with the herbs. Refrigerate until ready to bake or bake for 30 to 35 minutes immediately. ( Cook longer if the chicken is a little thicker. If the chicken is on the thinner side, cook for a shorter time.)

Guinness BBQ Chicken for St Patty's Day

2012-03-16T10:32:00.003-04:00

I really want to like corned beef and cabbage and get into that whole St. Patty's Day dinner tradition but I just can't seem to do it! I do need to have something festive on the menu for tomorrow and I think anything with Guinness on the ingredient list qualifies! With the weather forecast calling for mostly sunny skies and temps in the 60's, Guinness bbq chicken will be the perfect "summer is so close I can almost taste it" kind of meal! Take five minutes tonight and prepare this chicken for tomorrow night's St. Patty's Day feast! Enjoy!

Prep Ahead Plan: Prepare the chicken tonight and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it tomorrow! Alternatively, the chicken can be grilled! Reserve the marinade, boil it and baste the chicken while cooking!

Guinness BBQ Chicken
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 split chicken breasts (bone in)
1 bottle of Guinness
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dark molasses
1 teaspoon garlic powder
crushed red pepper (to taste)
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Season chicken with seasoning salt. Place remaining ingredients in the baking pan and stir to combine.
3. Place chicken in the pan and spread sauce all over the pieces. Make sure the pieces are skin side down in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes.