Simple Plates

Baby Sous Chef

2013-09-18T10:01:00.006-07:00

September? Well, how did that happen? I'll tell you how it happened. It's a Girl!

Simple Plates is over joyed to announce the addition of Baby SP to our family.
We are so overwhelmed with love for this bundle of love!
Simple Plates posting may be fewer and farther between from before but I promise not to quit! The recipes might even be "more simple" now that they will be created between feeding, changing, bath time and snuggle time. So stay tuned, my friends, and join me for another ride down a winding, curvy and sometimes bumpy road that is life. How sweet it is!

Summertime Favorites

2013-07-19T09:56:00.001-07:00

This month we are celebrating three years of Simple Plates! I admit year three's posts have been few and far between but I prefer quality over quantity (lame excuse). This heat is getting to my brain and blocking my inspiration (another lame excuse) so I decided to search the SP archives to revisit a few summertime favorites. I hope these oldies will keep you cool!

Slaw Dogs with Mango

Chicken Pineapple Sandwich

Whipped Sorbet

Corn Summer Salad

Shrimp Scampi

Simple Coleslaw

2013-07-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

It is summer so let us have a conversation about coleslaw. I am very picky about my coleslaw and normally only like my own. And the reason for that is a lot of people and restaurants put sugar in their slaw.

I do not put sugar in my coleslaw.
I repeat.
I do not put sugar in my coleslaw.

I also don't put sugar in my iced tea which apparently is a sin in the South but let's continue...

We all have different taste buds and different likes so I will not judge you (to your face) if you do like sugar in your slaw. Here is my very basic coleslaw recipe that is versatile and can be used to top off your fish tacos, your pork tacos, sausage dogs or served as a side dish.

Simple Coleslaw
(The measurements will depend on your group size and personal preferences.)
cabbage, shredded
carrots, shredded or diced
red onion, diced
green pepper, diced
Jalapeno, diced
salt and pepper to taste
red wine vinegar
mayo
Combine your veggies, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and mayo. Depending on the size of your coleslaw you will add more vinegar and mayo but I recommend starting with about 1 tsp of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of mayo.

Fridge Clean Out Quiche

2013-06-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

When my fridge needs a good cleaning I will make a quiche/frittata and a salad. Confused? I am not talking about the cleaning of the fridge surface. I am talking about cleaning out of the small amounts of veggies, meats, cheeses, and grains that may have accumulated for the last week or so. You didn't throw those away, did you? I didn't think so! Not my readers!

Before we get started, you may be wondering the difference between a quiche and a frittata. After limited research I am satisfied by the simple difference of a quiche is French and has a crust while a frittata is Italian and crust less. The similarities are combining eggs, cream or milk, and any other ingredient on hand and finishing it in the oven.

Here is what my most recent clean out looked like:
Crust:
1 cup of cooked quinoa (you can use rice or just skip the crust)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
Mix the quinoa with the parmesan cheese and one egg. Layer the bottom of a cake pan with the mixture and bake on 375 for 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

Quiche:
6 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 cup of habanero spiced cheese cubes
Combine 6-8 eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and whatever you have cleaned out of your fridge. Pour mixture into your pan and cook on 350 for about 35-45 minutes or until eggs are set. The length of cook time will depend on how many eggs you are using and your ingredients.

Not bad for a fridge clean out!

Then I cleaned up some more by making this salad:
arugula, dates, almonds, corn, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Dinner served! Fridge cleaned! Grocery store trip needed..

Grapefruit de Mayo

2013-05-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hello friends, readers, strangers.
I do not know if you know this about me, but I hate to waste food. Especially fresh produce someone has grown in their garden or picked from a tree and they want to share with me. Recently, my Mom challenged me with a large amount of grapefruit. See exhibit A

Exhibit A

Oh yeah! I got this.
Grapefruit and Avocado Salsa
(served 2 on top of fish and with tortilla chips)
3 grapefruits
1 avocado
1/4 small red onion, diced finely
handful of cilantro, chopped
juice from 1/2 lime
salt and pepper

Cut grapefruits in half and cut between and around the pith. Remove segments and squeeze juice into a separate bowl. Toss grapefruit with red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then add avocado, gently combine and serve.

*My grapefruits were extremely juicy. I used the juice of 1/2 of grapefruit for the salsa. And I found two other recipes that will use the remainder of the grapefruit juice.
Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Grapefruit Margarita

Steakhouse Egg Bake

2013-04-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

In my last blog post I said I was going to focus on salads in the month of April. However, the ample April showers are throwing off my game. I am a "moodafoodie" and a "weatherfoodie" and I just made those terms up. It means my food cravings and cooking are inspired by my mood and the weather. It is hard for me to eat a salad on a rainy day. So I am not sharing a salad recipe today. Sorry!

Today I am expanding on the blog post in which I revealed that you can take ANY leftovers from ANY restaurant,"throw eggs on it", and make a meal. Recently, my husband and I were treated to a great meal at a steak restaurant by a work colleague. At the end of dinner I tried to avoid eye contact as I casually started packing up the leftover creamed spinach, mushrooms, and bits of steak. Do you see where I am going with this? Oh yeah. Steakhouse egg bake. I risked a little embarrassment for you and maybe just a wee bit for me. You are welcome!

Leftover Steakhouse Egg Bake
Serves 2-4 (depending on how much leftovers you have)
steak, chopped
creamed spinach
roasted mushrooms, chopped
red onion, sliced thinly
4 eggs
cheddar cheese, grated
2 white corn tortillas (or flour tortillas, or leftover bread, or potatoes, or fries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Layer tortillas (or your carb of choice), spinach, mushrooms, steak and red onion. Break eggs on top and stir them up a bit with a fork. Drizzle a small amount of milk on top of the eggs to keep them from drying out. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the egg whites are cooked.

Chop

Layer

Bake and eat!

Cabbage Ramen Salad

2013-04-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

It is April and in some parts of the country it is "springish". It is time to step away from the comfort food, plant our gardens and fire up the grill. I would like to take this month and focus on salads.

I love salads or slaw's made with crunchy, shredded cabbage. I have enjoyed a cabbage salad that has raw ramen noodles and an Asian dressing several times in my life. A majority of the recipes online use the flavoring packet that comes with the ramen noodles and I tend to enjoy my salads without a side of MSG. I did some research, combined some recipes, and came up with a dressing sans MSG. The ramen noodles add more crunch and are interesting. However, I will understand if the idea of consuming ramen noodles in any capacity freaks you out a bit and urge you to try the recipe without them.

Cabbage Ramen Salad (serves 4)
1/2 bag of shredded cabbage or tricolor slaw mix
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup radishes, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or almonds)
1 bag uncooked ramen noodles, broken into bits

Dressing
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1.5 Tbsp sugar (more to taste)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil

Combine salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients and taste. Per your taste, you may add a dash more salt or sugar. Dress salad and serve.

Stuffed Sweet Potato

2013-03-06T06:30:00.002-08:00

Have you ever "waited patiently" for something in your life?

wait (verb) Stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens.
patient (adjective) Able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious.

In some circumstances it can be unhealthy for us to delay action until a particular thing happens. And please raise your hand if while you wait for something or someone you do not become annoyed or anxious. Oh boy! That discussion deserves its own blog post.

Perhaps, it would be healthier for us to "hope" and to "hope patiently".
hope noun-a desire or expectation for a certain thing to happen

So I admit it, I am looking forward to, waiting and hoping for the arrival of spring, warmer temperatures, my garden to produce, and my grass to turn green. However, in no way will I delay any action until then. To do that would be to miss the last little bit of winter with its colorful sunrises, crisp chill in the air, and comforting warm foods.

Stuffed Sweet Potato
(serves 2 as a meal)
2 large sweet potatoes
1 or 2 chicken breast, cooked
1/2 green bell pepper (onions or any other color bell pepper)
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse your sweet potatoes. Use a fork to prick a couple holes around the potato. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for about 40-50 minutes. They are done when you can put a fork in them and their is a sweet syrup dripping from them. While the potatoes are roasting, add olive oil to a small pot on medium heat. Add bell peppers (or onions) and saute for a few minutes. Add black beans and cumin and simmer on low. When potatoes are done roasting, slice them down the middle, add butter, top with black beans, chicken, and sour cream.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-02-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

The back story of this cookie as I remember it, is that my mother and my aunts acquired this recipe from a member of their La Leche group back in the mid to late 70's. The cookies were packed with oats and wheat germ and other healthy things (never mind the sugar and the butter) that helped keep one "regular".

And so we ate them.
And we ate them a lot.
And we ate a lot of them.
And sometimes we even called them breakfast.

Myself and all 345 cousins (slight exaggeration but not much) of mine enjoyed every bite after a marathon game of Marco Polo in the pool or after a hard day of crawfishing out of the ditch using bologna as bait.

These cookies are my favorite. They are a part of my past and they will be a part of my future. They are soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. They are not overly sweet and they taste even better the next day. The recipe has been altered over the years but this is the version I am sharing.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes 24 cookies)
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
9 ounces dark chocolate chips
3/4 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Combine wet ingredients with a mixer and then gradually mix in dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

I like to freeze them in individual cookies so I can bake them a few at a time. Scoop out individual cookies and put them on a baking sheet in the freezer for a couple hours. Remove them and place in a container for storage. Add a few minutes to the bake time when you pull them from the freezer.

Broccoli Salad

2013-02-06T06:58:00.001-08:00

It's time to come clean about a couple things:
I frequently try to spell broccoli with two l's and one c and have to "google" it. Every. Time.
I made this dish in November and I am posting it in February.

Now I didn't have to admit these things but I did. Because I am honest. And because the mini Christmas tree in the background of the picture may have given me away. And because someone from my family may have ratted me out that I made this dish for Thanksgiving.

Regardless, the broccoli salad is a hardy winter salad that can be made ahead of time and is also good leftover. This salad is made a number of ways and using varying amounts of sugar and mayo but the below recipe is how I generally like my broccoli salad (less sugar and mayo).

Broccoli Salad
Serves 6-8 as a side dish
1/2 cup almonds, toasted at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes
8 cups of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp vinegar (white vinegar or red wine vinegar)
1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste

Combine broccoli, almonds, red onion and dried cranberries. Add sugar, salt, vinegar and mayo. Taste and add more salt and mayo to your preference. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until serving.

Fruit Salad

2013-01-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

Do you have a simple plate that you make frequently without even thinking about it?
A recipe that most of your entire extended family (which is a million people) have made.
A recipe in which the act of preparing it brings a flood of memories.

For me, that simple plate is no more or no less than fruit salad.
The most basic fruit salad you can imagine without jello and without added sugar.

This fruit salad is great by itself, on top of cottage cheese, mixed with yogurt, or piled high on waffles. You can use whatever fruit you have on hand. If your fruit bowl is full and no one has touched it in a while take some time and make this fruit salad and watch it disappear.

Fruit Salad
(this is a small version that serves 2 for about a week)
2 cups fresh strawberries (or frozen defrosted)
2 apples
3 oranges
1/2 cup pecans

Cut fruit into bite sized pieces, add nuts, toss and refrigerate. All of the fruit juices will meld together on their own. No sugar needed.

Avocado Salad

2013-01-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

I struggled a little when deciding if this dish deserved a post.
And then I glanced at the top of my blog and saw this:
sim·ple/ˈsɪmpəl/[sim-puhl] –adjective- not elaborate or artificial; not complex
If "simple" didn't deserve a post, this blog wouldn't exist.

If I were stuck on an island and I could only have one food item with me, it would be a toss up between avocados or popcorn. The avocado wins since it has more calories and contains monounsaturated fats, potassium, fiber, and vitamins B, E and K. I could go on and on about my love affair with the avocado but I will spare you and share the easiest side dish you will ever serve.

Avocado Salad

(serves two as a side dish)

one avocado
salt and pepper

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

Slice avocado in half and remove the pit. Leaving the avocado in its skin, run a knife lengthwise through the avocado and then run the knife in the opposite direction. Your avocado should be diced but still in tact in the skin. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the avocado and then fill the middle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Hit Reset w/ Tilapia and Garlic Snap Peas

2013-01-08T06:47:00.002-08:00

Welcome to the New Year of 2013!!
I apologize for my late arrival but I have been busy pressing the "reset button". You know that button you wish you had to get you back on track after much holiday indulgence. I will never beat myself up about more time cuddling on the couch with family and less workouts during the holidays. And I would never curse myself for enjoying lots of rich and comforting holiday brunches, lunches and dinners topped off with some sugar on top. But once January rolls around, I will expect myself to push that "reset button". My reset consists of more active time and less couch time and refocusing on my intake of fresh fruits, veggies and natural food. So if your reset or resolutions look something like that you might enjoy these recipes.

Topped Tilapia (serves 2)*
1 tilapia fillet
10 white button mushrooms, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3-4 tbsp bread crumbs
3-4 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Add olive oil to a skillet and turn to medium heat. Saute veggies for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and combine with oregano, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Gradually add olive oil until mixture sticks together. Sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper and drizzle the tilapia with olive oil. Spread the mixture evenly over the fillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes in 400 degree oven.
*This recipe comes from a stuffed mushroom recipe I use that always results in leftover stuffing. The amounts in the recipe are estimated to the best of my knowledge. You may end up with a little more or less than you need or want.

Garlic Sugar Snap Peas (serves 2-3)
8 oz sugar snap peas
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
canola or olive oil
salt
Add oil to a skillet and heat on high. Add peas and saute for 2-4 minutes. Add garlic, stir and remove from heat.

Smoked Paprika Kale Crisps

2012-12-14T08:45:00.002-08:00

I have tried several variations of kale chip recipes and this one is by far my favorite. There are a couple things that make it stand out from the rest:

- The author bakes the chips at 300 degrees. A majority of the recipes I have tried are 350 degrees or above in which the chips tend to brown too fast and unevenly.
- The author "had me" at smoked paprika. If you don't know how I feel about smoked paprika you can read about it here.

Smoked Paprika Kale Crisps
2 bunches of kale
1 Tbsp olive oil
Smoked Paprika and salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the kale and tear into large chip size pieces. In a bowl, toss the kale with olive oil and use your hands to rub the oil onto the kale leaves. Sprinkle generously with smoked paprika and less generously with salt. On a baking sheet, bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges of the kale raise slightly and start to brown and are crisp to the touch. Watch it closely and check often because they will go from perfect to overdone in a second. The crisps are best when served immediately as a snack or appetizer.

Bagel Sandwich

2012-12-03T07:58:00.002-08:00

Anybody out there have excess cream cheese laying around their house due to the holidays? I do. My husband found cream cheese on deep discount when he was shopping ingredients for his Thanksgiving cheesecake. Now I am not your "eat cream cheese everyday in every dip or every casserole you can pin on Pinterest" kinda girl. But when something is in my fridge, I do feel a certain obligation to use it. Enter the bagel sandwich weekend phenomenon. There are so many variations of this sandwich it makes my head spin and the corners of my mouth turn into a smile.
I would love to hear your creative bagel sandwich ideas. Send them to me.

Salmon & Arugula Sandwich (serves 2)
2- Nature's Own 100% Wheat Thin Sliced Bagels
4-5 oz leftover grilled salmon
cream cheese
red onion, thinly sliced
handful of arugula tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
Toast bagel and spread with a generous amount of cream cheese, add salmon, top with red onion and arugula.

Roast Chicken, Cranberry & Arugula Sandwich (serves 2)
2- Nature's Own 100% Wheat Thin Sliced Bagels
4-5 oz leftover roasted chicken (or turkey)
cream cheese
cranberry sauce (yep, straight out the can is how Mr. SP likes it)
handful of arugula tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
Toast bagel and spread with a generous amount of cream cheese, top with cranberry sauce, roast chicken, and arugula.

Simple Salmon Grilling Marinade

2012-11-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

All I want for Christmas is a simple "go to" salmon marinade for grilling. Every time I decide on salmon for dinner I end up spending too much time looking up my favorite food blogs, browsing Pinterest, and searching Google. What did I do last time? Why can't I remember and why didn't I write it down? Well, no more! I am going to blog about it for all the world (or a handful of readers) to see. Now next time I grill salmon I can search my own blog. And wasn't that the reason I started this blog in the first place? Oh, you thought it was for fame and fortune. Nah, that just happened.

Grilled Salmon Marinade
(marinates about 1.5 pounds salmon)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
Marinade salmon for at least 30 minutes and then put on grill (estimate 350-400 degrees) for 20 minutes. It's the right blend of salt and garlic with a small hint of maple.

I failed to get a picture of the salmon.

So instead I will share a picture of the adult "Elf on The Shelf" that Mr. SP and I call "Wino on The Counter". Last year our nephew gave us a Santa suit to dress up our wine. We are waiting to wake up and find him hanging from the chandelier.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts w/ Matchstick Sweet Potatoes and Red Onion

2012-11-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

Before I started this blog I was hung up for quite some time on what to use for a name. I came up with Simple Plates very early on and kept tossing it around but didn't completely love it. In hindsight, there is no other name that would have described how I cook, how I write, and how I live. And sometimes I think I need to remind my readers of why I named my blog as such. Perhaps I should designate the difference between "Very Simple Plates" and "Simple Plates"; however, that would not be simple and so I will refrain.

I like my roasted veggies when they start getting that brown look to them. The red onion brings a suprise sweetness to this dish and smells amazing. The bit of time it takes to cut the potato into matchsticks is completely worth it and such a fun treat that can be eaten with your fingers right out of the bowl.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts w/ Matchstick Sweet Potatoes and Red Onion
(serves 2 as a side)
1/2 lb brussel sprouts
2 small sweet potatoes (one medium)
1/4 red onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim the ends off of your sprouts. Pull the outer leaves off and slice in half. Wash and peel your sweet potatoes and cut into very thin long matchsticks. Slice the red onion in thin long slivers. Toss all veggies with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes. Eat.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

2012-11-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

SP Rule: When entertaining others, never serve a recipe that you haven't taste tested previously.

After I nervously committed to making a black bean and sweet potato chili for my guests, that voice in my head kept repeating the SP rule. I am so thankful that some rules are made to be broken. The original recipe is by Real Simple Magazine adapted by Cookie and Kate and then adapted further by Simple Plates. As skeptical as I was, I am so thankful that I didn't leave out the cinnamon or the cocoa powder the recipe calls for. It was delicious!

I loved this chili almost as much as I love Halloween. I will make this chili every year for anyone who shows up to help hand out candy to adorable ghouls, goblins, skeletons and princesses. Hopefully none of the trick or treater's can identify which house slipped in some boxes of nature's candy (raisins) or they may not return. Mwahhahahahah! I'm so evil!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
(Serves 12-16)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 purple onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 medium sweet potatoes, chopped
6-7 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp cayenne* (gradually add more if you like it really spicy)
3 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2- 28 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
2-14 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2-14 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken broth

Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot on medium heat. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes, add bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes, add sweet potatoes and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir in spices and let saute for one minute. Add diced tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Turn to low and let simmer for one hour. Add beans and let simmer on low for another hour. Sweet potatoes should be cooked through and chili ready to serve.

You can visit Cookie and Kate to get a beautiful picture of the chili.
Trick or Treat!

Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul

2012-10-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

Funk. I recently got caught in one. It lasted only a few days, but that was a few days longer than normal. Usually my funks go out as quickly as they come in. But this one had a hold on me and I couldn't shake it. I think we all go through these moments in our life where we are down, frustrated, irritable or sad. Regardless of how long your funk lasts or the reason for it, I think the best thing to do is acknowledge it and just let it be. Try getting some fresh air, exercising, eating healthy, but most of all go easy on yourself. You are normal. Funks happen. "This too shall pass."

It just so happened this recent funk of mine ended when I made my first ever homemade chicken soup. Coincidence? I think not.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Makes about 7-8 servings
6 cups chicken broth *
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz button mushrooms, diced
1-2 cups carrots, chopped
1-2 cups celery, chopped
1 tsp salt and more to taste**
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1.5 pounds chicken breast, cubed
2-3 cups small pasta
1.5-2 cups water

Add 2 tbsp butter to a soup pot on medium heat and saute onion for about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant then add carrots and celery and saute for a few minutes. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme and saute for a few minutes. Add two cups of broth at a time to the pot and let it come to a simmer before you add the additional cups of broth. Once all broth is added, let simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes. Taste the broth and add another teaspoon of salt if needed. Add chicken and let it simmer for about five minutes or until cooked thouroughly. Bring soup to a low boil and add pasta until cooked al dente. If your pasta expands and you need more broth add water and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and salt again if necessary. Turn off heat and serve.

*The secret to my chicken soup was the broth. My dad grilled a whole chicken the weekend before and I used the carcass (what a gross word) to make the broth. You can use a grilled or roasted chicken or even a rotissere chicken from the grocery. Once you remove the chicken from the bones, (we had already eaten the chicken but you could reserve it to add to the soup) place the carcass in a pot, cover with water and let it boil for an hour. Remove from heat and strain through a colander. Discard bones and use broth for soup. I will never ever ever discard of the carcass again! This broth was amazing!

**Salting a soup is tricky. An under salted soup is fixable ; an over salted soup is a disaster. I started with 1 teaspoon of salt while sauteing the veggies, added a second teaspoon once all the broth was added and then a third teaspoon after the chicken and pasta was added. It could probably have used a tad bit more but I stopped there and added a pinch to the bowl after served.

Stuffed Tomatoes

2012-10-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Alright, Alright! I realize this is not really a seasonal post but in our neck of the woods if we are really lucky we can get a fall tomato crop. And I found these big, red, beautiful tomatoes at the flea market the other day. Get a load of that! The flea market has great produce along with the following random items I saw available for purchase:

puppies (that are so cute you almost decide to buy one, then you wise up)
chickens & pigs (that are so cute you almost decide to buy one, then you smell them)
an antique telephone (that is so cool you almost decide to buy it, then you hear the price is $100)
a beautiful parrot (that is so pretty you almost decide to buy it, nah not really)
boiled peanuts (that smells so good you almost decide to buy them, and then you do)

Enough about that, onto the stuffed tomatoes. I would use them as a side dish or a main vegetarian dish with a side of pasta or light lunch with a salad.

Stuffed Tomatoes
4 tomatoes (big and somewhat firm)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1-2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Core tomatoes. Remove the insides with a spoon and set aside. Salt the tomatoes and leave them upside down to drain while making the stuffing. Combine insides of tomato with quinoa, cheese, basil, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil and breadcrumbs. Stuff the tomatoes with quinoa mixture and then top with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes on 400 degrees until breadcrumbs are browned and you can fork the tomato.

Tomato and Feta Dip

2012-09-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

This fresh and flavorful dip is a stray from the everyday creamy, cheesy concoctions that make an appearance for pregame appetizers. Not that there is anything wrong with creamy or cheesy but sometimes we are looking for something different. A friend served us the original recipe as an appetizer with bread and we were hooked. I tweaked it a tiny bit and served it with pita chips. I believe this dip will probably attend game day at our house frequently.

If (and that is a big IF) there are any leftovers, you can throw the rest on top of pasta or chicken for a tasty lunch or dinner.

Tomato and Feta Dip
(serves 2-4 as an appetizer)
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
6 oz crumbled feta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
handful of chopped fresh basil
salt, pepper, oregano

Simple Product Review

2012-09-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted to do my first product review and I was a bit hesitant. Rounding up 10+ friends to have a tasting party seemed like a challenge to me. And then a light bulb went off (flash) and the wheels started turning (squeak). And I realized my perfect participants were right at my fingertips everyday. I do know a group of highly motivated women who are focused on balanced intake and having fun while they sweat. Thank you to the ladies of Studio Fitness for helping me out with the review.

And while they were all willing to taste the product, very few were willing to pose for pictures. (Thank you Cindy for being my model and a great one at that!)

Frush is the product my fellow adrenaline addicted friends helped me review. Frush is a yogurt and fruit drink being marketed for its health benefits and great taste. Overall the tasting was a success with ten out of seventeen reviewers claiming they would purchase this product. My testers loved the 9 grams of protein the drink provided but about 1/3 of them were concerned with the 36 grams of sugar in the serving. (It is unclear how much of the sugar is added and how much is from the natural fruit.) The overall favorite flavor was strawberry and the least favorite flavor was peach. Many of the testers commented that it would be a good option for a quick breakfast or a before or after workout snack. While I love the 9 grams of protein provided, I personally thought the product was too sweet for my taste buds.

And in Simple Plate style I will keep my review short and simple. I enjoyed it and look forward to many more. The one thing I re-learned from this experience is how different we all are, how different our opinions are, how different our thought processes are, and how awesome that makes the world go round.

Tailgate Chicken

2012-09-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Regardless if your team color is purple, or red, or orange; it is that time again.
Dust off your mini Weber grill, lay down the tailgate, and paint your face.
It's football season, y'all!

And while overly passionate and nasty fans that talk too much trash bum me out; fans who welcome any team to pull up a chair and enjoy the game make me smile. I have the perfect recipe for grilled chicken that can be enjoyed on sandwiches or cut up in bite size pieces and shared with a hungry vivacious crowd.

The best recipes are the ones where you don't dirty your measuring cups. So just go with the flow and feel the freedom of less dishes to wash. After all, we are tailgating!

Tailgate Chicken
Chicken breasts
olive oil
salt and pepper
smoked paprika*
Worcestershire

Salt and pepper the chicken, generously sprinkle with smoked paprika, drizzle with olive oil and Worcestershire. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. Throw on the grill for about 20-25 minutes.

*My brillant cousin introduced me to smoked paprika recently and it changed my life. Do not try to substitute paprika for smoked paprika. They are extremely different. Go ahead and add smoked paprika to your spice cabinet. It will change your life also.

Quinoa (keen-wah) Bites

2012-08-30T15:09:00.003-07:00

I almost always have leftover quinoa. Extra quinoa makes a super healthy and quick lunch the next day thrown on top of greens, wrapped in a tortilla, topped with beans or stirred into a frittata or quiche. And if you are looking for fun, you could always try "quinoa patties" or "quinoa bites".

I have tried several variations but I really like the recipe below written by Squash Blossom Babies . The recipe is just my style: simple and versatile. The author puts her mixture into a mini muffin tin to bake and the quinoa comes out in these cute little crunchy bites of goodness. This recipe would work well with any veggie, herb, and cheese on hand. You could use them as appetizers, snacks, or a side dish with dinner. You could also get crazy with some type of sauce for dipping.
Have fun!

Quinoa Bites

Written By Squash Blossom Babies

barely adapted by SP

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chopped mushrooms*
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
Combine ingredients, divide into a 6 cup muffin tin or a 12 cup mini muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

*original recipe uses grated carrots

Leftovers? Throw Some Eggs On It!

2012-08-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

Original Baked Eggs

A year or so ago I shared a recipe for Baked Eggs that I use often for weekend brunch or week night dinner. One weekend my brilliant husband suggested we use our restaurant leftovers from the night before to make the baked eggs. These leftovers just so happened to be Mexican. The brunch just so happened to be spectacular.

What evolved from there was a very tasty experiment. We love to "throw some eggs on it" and taste what happens. We have used leftover burritos and tortilla chips, pizza and french fries, Cuban sandwiches in Key Largo, fried okra in Alabama. I will admit there are times when I doubt the outcome. And it turns out great. Every. Single. Time.

Some friends of mine recently sent me a picture of their "Greek Baked Eggs".

We are starting a frenzy!

Don't be scared.

"Throw some eggs on it" and send me a picture!

Leftover Baked Eggs

Serves 2-3 (add eggs and leftovers to serve more)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of a casserole dish. Add and layer your leftovers.

Crack 2-3 eggs on top and break the yolk. Splash a bit of milk on the eggs to keep it from drying out. Top with cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until eggs are done.

Fried Okra Baked Eggs

Mexican Baked Eggs