Small Market Cook

Fruit & Walnut Barley Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Sorry it's been a while! I've have been cooking just as much as ever but I just can't seem to find the time for Blog posts... Until today! Cody and I have been trying to stick to the clean eating regimen and for the most part it's pretty dang simple. Except for those days when I simply MUST eat a Reese's PB cup. Anyway, here is a wonderful barley salad recipe that we made for dinner the other night and loved. Fresh and Easy was having a BOGO on Strawberries this week and in an effort to use them up, I added them to this salad. The result: DELISH.

Fresh & Easy Ingredients:

Fruit & Walnut Barley Salad

adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients
·         1 cup cooked barley
·         ¼ cup unsalted walnut pieces, chopped
·         ½ cup chopped peaches
·         ½ cup chopped strawberries
·         ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
·         1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
·         2 tbsp fresh lime juice
·         ¼ cup 100% orange juice
·         ½ tsp chile powder
·         ¼ tsp sea salt
·         ¼ cup low-fat feta cheese
·         Fresh basil leaves finely sliced for garnish

Directions

Toss barley with walnuts, peach, strawberries, and bell pepper. Blend oil, lime juice, orange juice, chile powder and salt in a separate bowl. Pour juice mixture over barley mixture and mix well. Sprinkle feta and basil over top and serve.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Clean Eating Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:09:00 +0000

I'm attempting a clean eating regimen. To be honest, I hate fad diets. I hate the idea of giving up something that is so much of my daily routine, especially sweets. So, I decided on a clean eating meal plan because it didn't seem like I had to "give up" all that much but rather choose foods differently. So I'm gonna call it a conscious eating plan rather than a diet and this is DAY 1.

Breakfast - Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie
Snack 1 - 1/2 cup cottage cheese w/ 1/2 cup frozen fruit & 1 tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds
1 banana
Lunch - undetermined
Snack 2 - 15 red grapes
2 Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese wedges
Dinner - Arugula Pesto Chicken
Med. baked sweet potato
1 cup chopped broccoli, steamed

This meal plan is adapted from Clean Eating Magazine.

So, this post is all about my breakfast smoothie. Here are the F&E ingredients: 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup non fat plain greek yogurt, 1 tsp 100% pure vanilla, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, and 4 tbsp chocolate protein powder.

First, I pureed the frozen raspberries in my small food processor.

Then, I added the pureed raspberries to my blender with the remaining ingredients.

then blend blend blend

This makes 2 servings so serve one now and save one for tomorrow OR treat your significant other to the other serving (which is what I did).

Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie

original recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

1 cup frozen raspberries, puréed
½ cup non fat plain greek yogurt
1 tsp 100% pure vanilla
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
4 tbsp chocolate protein powder

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend to desired consistency.

Click here for printable recipe.

Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:43:00 +0000

Happy Monday! This is my first April post and we actually have April showers here in Las Vegas. This weekend Cody & I met some good friends for dinner at Angelo Sosa's (of Top Chef fame) Poppy Den. We tried many of the small plates and were impressed with every dish. One dish that left me wanting more was their Watermelon Salad which was served with goat cheese and candied wassabi. It was fresh and delicious and I was craving it the next day so I whipped up a copy cat. I happened to be near a Trader Joe's this weekend so I purchased my ingredients from their small market! I love Trader Joe's but unfortunately there isn't one near my home, so shopping there regularly isn't really an option.

Here are my Trader Joe's ingredients:
Sliced Watermelon Spears, Goat Cheese, and cinnamon almonds (because candied wassabi wasn't available)

I cut 3 spears into cubes, placed in a shallow dish, crumbled approx. 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp goat cheese, and finely chopped 3 almonds on top. You could stop there and the salad is delish! BUT I reduced a couple tbsps of balsamic vinegar and drizzled over the top. Fresh herbs like mint, rosemary, or thyme would also pair up nicely with this salad.

Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad

2 servings

Ingredients

3 cups of cubed watermelon
3 - 4 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
6 candied almonds, finely chopped
Balsamic vinegar or fresh herbs, optional

Directions

Place cubed watermelon in small dish and top with goat cheese, almonds and other optional ingredients.

Click here for printable recipe.

BBQ Cheddar & Crispy Onion Meatloaf

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:57:00 +0000

"Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double beetloaf. I hate meatloaf."

This is the line that comes to mind whenever I think of meatloaf. It is from one of my favorite movies, A Christmas Story. Randy, Ralphie's younger brother, says this while sitting at the kitchen table poking at his dinner with a fork. I think this is the sentiment a lot of ~~children~~ people have towards meatloaf. I myself was not a fan of the the log shaped meal as a child but have grown to accept it as an adult. Especially when it is loaded with cheese and covered in a deliciously tangy sauce like this BBQ, Cheddar, & Crispy Onion Meatloaf.

Here are the Fresh & Easy players:

So these are wonderful little cheese snacks that I typically pack in my lunch but I decided to cut of 3 of them and use them in this meatloaf.

Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, cubed cheese, egg, sauteed onions, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and crispy onions in a large bowl until well combined.

Form the mixture into 4 loaves and place on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Coat with 1 tbsp of BBQ sauce. Bake in a 425 oven for 15 minutes.

Take the loaves out of the oven and coat with shredded cheese and crushed crispy onion. bake for an additional 5 minutes.

To make your A Christmas Story complete serve these meatloaves with this mashed potato substitute made with cauliflower.

BBQ Cheddar and Crispy Onion Meatloaf
adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

½ sweet onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1lb lean ground beef
1 egg
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce, divided
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
1oz low-fat cheddar cheese, cubed
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup shredded cheddar, for topping
¼ cup crispy onions, for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl combine ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, cubed cheese, pinch of salt and pepper, and sautéed onions. Mix until combined. Form the mixture into 4 loaves and place on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Coat each loaf with 1 tbsp of BBQ sauce. Bake in a 425 oven for 15 minutes.
Take the loaves out of the oven and coat with shredded cheese and crushed crispy onion. bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Click here for a printable recipe

Artichokes with Lemon Dipping Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:21:00 +0000

Happy Sunday! I just had to take a super quick moment to post about my trip to Fresh & Easy today! First off, I was determined to get there because of there 3x points promotion which ended today. As I was wandering the aisles I found the most awesomely amazing product ever. Microwavable artichokes. What a concept, right?! These puppies come pre-trimmed in a bag that is ready to be popped in the microwave for 6-7 minutes. Then, voila! Steamed artichoke perfection. I'm used to having to sit around and wait for 40 minutes or longer for the veggie to steam so I have to admit the idea of microwaving was quite intriguing. I snatched a bag and made this little dish immediately once I returned home and unloaded all my groceries!

So, here is the convenient microwavable package along with the other ingredients used. I decided to add Italian breadcrumbs after the photo shoot.

Open the bag, open the artichokes a little, and squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon.

Then add in about 2-3 tablespoons of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and 2 teaspoons of Lemon Pepper. Seal up the bag and pop it in the microwave for 7 minutes.

Meanwhile....

Make the dipping sauce in a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, juice from the other half of the lemon, and 1/2 tsp lemon pepper.

Once the artichokes are done, let them rest in the bag for about a minute and then serve with the side of dipping sauce. Yummy. For instructions on how to eat an artichoke, click here and skip to step 6. Don't forget the heart, it is the yummiest part.

Garlic & Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Shelly and I'm a carb-aholic. There. I said it. I love me some carbs. Especially mashed potatoes. I've mastered the mashed potato. It's the one thing I confidently offer to bring to Thanksgiving dinner because I know it will deliver.

You can imagine my excitement when a couple years ago mashed cauliflower recipes started spreading over the internet like wildfire. A way to eat mashed goodness without all the guilt - I'm in! So, I started trying recipes and as much as people want to claim it is just like the real thing, they are bold-faced liars! I've tried and tried and have been disappointed one recipe after the next... until I came across this one... With just a couple Fresh & Easy ingredients, you can whip up this side dish in a flash and actually enjoy it!

Here are the cast of Fresh & Easy characters that make this delish dish:

I decided that I wanted to add the Rosemary after my initial ingredient photo shoot.

Ok, seriously y'all - this is the easiest recipe EVER. Ready....
Step 1. Microwave bag of Cauliflower florets per instructions on package. Open bag.
Step 2. Place steamed cauliflower in food processor/blender with all other ingredients and pulse to desired consistency.

Ok, so it still has some of the sinful ingredients that make Paula Deen proud like butter, parmesan and cream cheese but overall I think it is still a healthier option than the original.

Garlic & Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower
Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

1 bag microwave-ready cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder ( you can use fresh garlic but I find it a little too spicy for this and prefer the powder)
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken bullion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry rosemary
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Microwave cauliflower florets using instructions on package.
Placed steamed cauliflower in a food processor or blender with remaining ingredients. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Use a spatula to scrape sides of food processor in between pulsing to ensure even texture.
Serve immediately.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Asparagus, Lemon & Goat Cheese Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:26:00 +0000

My husband and I got rid of cable about a year and a half ago. For the most part, we survive without all the cable channels but the one I miss most is Food Network. Luckily, PBS has the Create channel that has some decent cooking shows that satisfy my chef watching needs. On Sunday night, we were watching Joanne Wier's Cooking Class and she was making something with asparagus and it looked amazing. I was craving it all day Monday and knew I had to incorporate the green veggie into dinner. So, after searching the internet for asparagus pasta dishes I settled on this Bon Appetit Recipe with goat cheese and lemon.

Here's the Fresh & Easy line-up:
Rotelli (you can use any spiral pasta), tarragon (I used dried), log of fresh goat cheese (MUST BUY LOG - the precrumbled stuff just will not melt as well), olive oil (not pictured), lemon, and asparagus.

First, get a pot of salted water boiling and add pasta. Cook 7 minutes. While waiting for pasta to cook, rinse and cut the asparagus into 1-1 1/2" pieces. Add to pasta and cook an additional 3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, tarragon, zest of one lemon.

Add goat cheese by crumbling it into pieces.

When pasta & asparagus are finished, reserve one cup of liquid and drain the rest. Add back to pot and stir in the goat cheese mixture with 1/2 of the reserved liquid. If it is dry, add more liquid until desired consistency is reached. Mix until pasta is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a side salad.

If you like goat cheese, you will LOVE this dish.

Ingredients

1 pound rotelli (spiral-shaped pasta)
1 12oz. bag asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Zest of one lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 2 tsp fresh tarragon
1 4-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese

Directions

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender about 7 minutes. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes longer.
In a medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, tarragon, lemon zest & juice. Crumble in goat cheese.
When pasta & asparagus are finished, reserve one cup of liquid and drain the rest. Add back to pot and stir in the goat cheese mixture with 1/2 of the reserved liquid. If it is dry, add more liquid until desired consistency is reached. Mix until pasta is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Click here for printable recipe.

Western Baby Shower and Cowboy Caviar

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:22:00 +0000

What a crazy couple of weeks it has been! Last weekend I threw a baby shower for my beautiful best friend and mommy to-be, Rachel! I've known Rachel since I was 6 and I wanted it to be very special! (Special thanks to Lauren Earl for the photography - she is wonderful!)

She and her husband have decided on a Western theme for their nursery and it is adorable! I stuck with that theme for her baby shower and what a fun theme it was!

The Saloon

I made these chalkboard wine glasses by spray painting the bottom of a wine glass with chalkboard paint. I have twelve that I use for parties. To make them match the theme, I tied a piece of ribbon in a bow around the stem. (Shout out to my amazing friend Danielle who actually tied all the bows for this party - couldn't have pulled it off with out you!) I used chalk markers to write the guest's names on them. They are always a hit.

The Sweets Station

The pink lemonade cake was made by Retro Bakery. Their designs and flavors are fantastic.

Guest Book and Thank You Table

Chuck Wagon

I received a ton of compliments on the shower but the one thing people raved about most was the Cowboy Caviar which was actually one of the easiest things I made.

Cowboy Caviar

1 (15.8oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 (14.5 oz) can of corn, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

2 fresh medium jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 small red onion, minced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve with tortilla chips.

This is one of the easiest salsas to throw together in no time and people tend to love it. Give it a try at your next get together!

Bacon & Jalapeño PB&J

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:08:00 +0000

This is going to be one of those posts where you are just going to have to trust me.

My husband and I visited Portland in February and I was determined to visit to PBJs which is a little food truck tucked in between the shops on 23rd that specializes in gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They add ingredients to PB & Js that I would never have imagined in a million years. I had done my Yelp research on PBJs before our visit and had already decided the two sandwiches I was going to order: The Hot Hood and The Oregonian. Unfortunately, they were out of the ingredients (Challah bread, Marion berry jam, Rogue Creamery blue cheese, Oregon hazelnut butter) for the Oregonian so we ordered the Hot Hood and the Spencer. We both became immediately obsessed with the Hot Hood. They take challah bread, black cherry jam, jalapeno, apple wood smoked bacon, PBJ’s peanut butter and put it all together for grilled yummy perfection. I've been craving one ever since we left and while I'll be making a return trip in June for the real thing, I needed something to hold me over until then. So here we are - my copy cat PBJs Hot Hood aka the Bacon & Jalapeno PB&J.

(sidebar: this is in no way a replacement for the original - you must must must go to PBJs when visiting the Portland area - I insist!)

Here's our lineup:

Today I went to Glaziers, another local small market in my neighborhood. It is another great market and I feel so fortunate to have that and my beloved F&E so close. So, we start with our staples - NATURAL peanut butter, black cherry preserves, and challah bread. But wait, there's more - applewood smoked bacon and jalapeños!

First, I turned on my broiler, covered a pan with some tin foil and placed halved, seeded jalapeños on it.

I placed them under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until they charred on top. This softens the jalapenos and takes away their crunch. They looked like this when done:

Next, I cooked up the bacon... mmmmmm.... bacon!

Then I sliced my Challah bread into thick slices and spread butter on one side of each slice.

Then I placed the each slice on my griddle, butter side down. (you can do this in a regular pan over the stove if you do not have a griddle) I removed the slices once they were golden brown.

I added peanut butter to one slice and black cherry preserves to the other.

Next, I added the jalapeno (sliced) and bacon

Then sandwiched, cut in half, served with milk and DEVOURED. Even went back for seconds. These little PBJs are so yummy! I cannot wait to return to Portland for the real thing, but for now, this copy cat recipe will more than do the trick when faced with this crazy craving.

That's all for now.

Quinoa Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:31:00 +0000

I'm sure most of you have heard of Quinoa (keen-wah) - for those of you who haven't it's a magical little grain/seed. Wikipedia defines it as " a species of goosefoot, is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family." So there, now that we kind of know what the heck it is - let me introduce you to a wonderful way to use it: Quinoa Burgers.

I start with this recipe from Eating Well Living Thin. I've seen a number of recipes for quinoa burgers but this is the first one I tried and we LOVED it so much that I've never wanted to stray...

Fresh and Easy is the absolute best when you're looking for something unusual (quinoa was unusual to me at first and I had no idea where to look in the store for it). They have an entire grain/bean section with clearly marked, resealable bags. Here's what it looks like in my store:

Here's the rest of our F&E ingredient line-up:

Quinoa, carrots, onion, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, sugar, flour.

First, make your quinoa. Boil water, add quinoa, and reduce heat.

It will take a while to cook (check package) but when it is done it looks like this:

Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and combine well:

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-low to medium heat and place 1/4 cup of the mixture into the oil. I fit two patties in one frying pan:

Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve with burger fixin's. I try something different every time I make these. I served these with a tomato slice, greek yogurt and a side salad.

ENJOY!

Ingredients

1 cup rounded quinoa
1 medium carrot, grated
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup cottage cheese
1 egg
3 tbsp flour
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Olive oil, for frying

Directions

Prepare quinoa per instructions on bag.
In a large bowl, mix quinoa, carrots, onion, cheddar, cottage cheese, egg, flour, and spices.Combine well.
Heat olive oil on a fry pan at med-low heat. Drop ¼ cup mixture into fry pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Patties are fragile so be careful when flipping.
When golden brown on both sides, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
Serve with tomato, avocado, bacon and thousand island for a burger-like experience.

Makes 4 Burgers

Click here for a printable recipe

Holy Crazy Busy, Batman - What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:48:00 +0000

So, if you haven't noticed - I have been MIA for the past week! It has just been crazy around the house. I am throwing my bestie a baby shower this weekend and prepping for the event has been hectic. I am an uber planner and while there is nothing I love more than throwing a shower for my soon-to-be mommy friend, it is no exaggeration when I say that I go a little overboard on the planning. That said, I look forward to a blog post next week with lots of adorable pictures from the shower.

My poor husband hasn't had a Fresh & Easy homemade meal from his wifey dearest in a week, so it is about time I make up for that starting.... NOW! Here's the menu:

Quinoa Burgers with salad
Pineapple & Chicken Curry w/Rice & Naan
Pork Tacos w/Creamy Cilantro Slaw
Blue Cheese Crusted Filet w/Wedge Salad
(Steak recipe per request from Adrian Young who started the petition to keep F&E stores open - if you haven't signed yet, do so by clicking HERE!)

I promise to not neglect the site as much as I have recently! Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, & Pancetta Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:11:00 +0000

My husband's favorite food is pizza (well, according to him anyways - I just so happen to believe that his favorite food is hot dogs). Since this is his 'favorite' food, I'm constantly trying to come up with new pizza ideas so we can have pizza often and not get sick of it. Also, it just so happens that one of my favorite things to buy from Fresh & Easy is their ready-to-use pizza dough. They have regular, whole wheat, and garlic & herb all packed and ready to go in the refrigerator section (next to the cheeses in my store). In my opinion, this is one of THE BEST products they sell. Last night we took F&E whole wheat dough and concocted a delicious goat cheese, caramelized onion, and pancetta pizza.

Here's the ingredient line up: whole wheat pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, diced pancetta, goat cheese, yellow onion, thyme (fresh from my 'garden' - woot woot!).
Also used minced garlic, olive oil, cayenne pepper but they didn't make it in to the picture.

The first and most important step is to let your dough sit out for 20 minutes until it is at room temperature. It is almost impossible to work otherwise. So, while that is happening, prepare your other ingredients.

Fry up that pancetta! It's basically like diced up bacon - if you have bacon, you could easily use that as a substitute.

You want to cook that until it is nice and golden. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain.

DON'T TOUCH THAT PAN WITH ALL THAT PANCETTA GREASE! WE'RE GONNA USE IT.... to caramelize the onion that you have sliced into thin rings, of course!

These bad boys might take a bit (20 mins or so...) to get nice and golden. You will want to stir them occasionally but in the in between time - go work your dough.

You can use a pizza stone or a pizza pan - I chose a pan because I forgot to preheat my stone with the oven - oops! Anyway, work your dough. Remember to stir those onions every once in a while...

I drizzled olive oil on my crust and then sprinkled with minced garlic and cayenne pepper to give it a little heat.

Once your onions are done and cooled (I'm so sorry I didn't get a picture of mine), arrange them on your dough. Cover with mozzarella cheese.

Add pancetta and top with goat cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves before serving.

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, & Pancetta Pizza
Ingredients

1 pkg. pre-made pizza dough or make your own from scratch
1 5 oz. package pancetta
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin rings
1 tsp cayenne
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
couple sprigs fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 450
Let dough sit at room temperature about 20 minutes
Cook pancetta in a pan over medium heat. Cook until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.
Place onions in pan with pancetta drippings to caramelize onions over medium heat. Stir onions occasionally until a golden color is achieved. Remove and cool.
Work dough into pizza pan and sprinkle with cayenne pepper
Drizzle olive oil and garlic evenly onto dough.
Top with caramelized onions, pancetta, mozzarella cheese, and goat cheese.
Cook for 12-15 minutes until edges of crust are golden brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Serve & enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Creamy Tomato Soup (only 4 ingredients!!)

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:24:00 +0000

I just recently (I'm talking within the past year or so) became privy to the magic that is tomato soup with a grilled cheese. I know, that is complete insanity, so let me explain... Ya see, when I was a kid I would turn up my nose at pretty much anything that had tomatoes in it and unfortunately, this included tomato soup (sad face!!). I ate grilled cheese regularly - bread, butter, and cheese I could handle like a champ.

I missed out on years and years of the magical comfort food pairing. When I finally decided to give the combo a try, you can imagine my excitement! The two just belong together! Needless to say, I now crave this combo constantly. My stomach is probably trying to make up for years of neglect.

Yesterday, one of these cravings came over me and I had to have some cheesy goodness, on crunchy golden bread, dipped in warm, creamy tomato deliciousness, STAT. Luckily, While I was on my lunch break I was able to whip up a batch of this soup with a grilled cheese in 15 minutes to satisfy my craving.

Here are the ingredients -
Soup: butter, flour, 2% milk, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic & olive oil (do not drain)
Grilled Cheese: butter, french bread, sharp cheddar

I started by melting butter.

Add the flour and wisk it all together.

Add milk and wisk until there are no clumps and mixture begins to thicken.

Add can of tomatoes and mix well.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until well blended.

Make grilled cheese and serve together! YUMMMMMMM.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups 2% milk
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic & olive oil

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium heat.

2. Add flour and mix well until blended and paste is formed.

3. Slowly, wisk in milk. Continue to wisk until the sauce thickens and there are no flour clumps.

4. Add can of tomatoes and stir well.

5. Transfer to blender or food processor and pulse until well blended. Serve immediately.

TIP: Any blend of canned tomatoes would work for this soup - I’ve seen some with basil and oregano that would also work perfectly.

Click here for a printable version

Weekend Chores and What's for Dinner This Week?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:59:00 +0000

Happy Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was FULL of house work and chores - not a fun way to spend a weekend. The most exciting thing I did this weekend was plant a garden (kind of...).

Let me tell you the story of my adorable little garden. When Cody (aka the hubby) and I get bored, we go to Home Goods to wander. This can sometimes be a rather dangerous excursion as Home Goods has ridiculously cute household items. For instance, this little herb home ($19.99):

We have been wanting to plant a garden; however, we have mischievous dogs that will somehow make their way into any place they are not supposed to be. When we stumbled upon this little wooden decoration, we knew we had to give it a try! We stopped by our local nursery and picked out a few herbs to test out: cilantro, basil, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. I cannot wait to test these babies out this week!

That being said, here is this week's dinner menu:

Cobb Style Burgers for two w/Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes
Spicy Pasta w/a side salad tossed with homemade Garlic-Parmesan & Peppercorn dressing
Goat Cheese, Pancetta, Caramelized Onion Pizza
Taco Salad with Southwest Chicken Chili

Only 4 recipes for this week because the hubby is leaving town on Friday for a bachelor party so my night will probably consist of leftovers and meeting with my girlfriends for a couple drinks. Geez.... is it Friday yet??

Creamy Asiago Orzo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:55:00 +0000

Ok, so I lied... I had told everyone to check back in today for a warm soup recipe but when I got home from work last night I was HUNGRY and soup just didn't seem like it would fit the bill. So, I decided to make Italian Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago & Lemon Orzo by Sarcastic Cooking. I'll post about the chicken later because I do not want to take away from the star of this show - the orzo. It is creamy and scrumptious and I recommend you make this instant! This orzo recipe reminds me of a favorite risotto recipe except foolproof and without constant stirring. It's really a win win.

So, here are the main players in the orzo:

Flour, Italian seasoned bread crumbs, orzo, asiago cheese, lemon, onion, butter, 2% milk, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (you caught me, not ALL items in my pantry are F&E but MOST are) **Note: I cut the original recipe in half and omitted the dill because I am not a huge fan **

First, boil a pot of water and cook orzo as directed on package.

While your waiting on the orzo, melt your butter and add your chopped onion. Saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute about a minute more.

Add flour and wisk until well combined then add milk and wisk until well combined and lump-free.

ADD CHEESE! (I accidentally added too much cheese but then just added a little extra milk to smooth it out.) The consistency should be smooth and creamy, not sticky.

Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest & juice.

About the time you finish your sauce, the orzo should also be done - drain it and add it to the cream mixture.

Mix the sauce and orzo together until evenly coated. Transfer to a baking dish. Combine melted butter and Italian seasoned bread crumbs - sprinkle over the top of the dish. Top with extra asiago cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Then serve and enjoy! The hubby and I both loved this dish and I will definitely be making it again.

I served it with a simple Italian Parmesan crusted chicken breast and it was delish. I'll be sure to post that recipe later.

Thanks for reading!

Chicken Salad Wrap

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:10:00 +0000

Happy Hump Day! This week seems to be flying by and I'm not complaining. Remember how just yesterday I was bragging about how wonderful the Vegas weather had been? Well, in true Vegas fashion, that changed overnight and the high today will only be 57. I know, I know - 57 is summer weather compared to what some of my friends back east have been experiencing but 57 for Vegas is soup weather. That being said, tonight I will be whipping up a bowl of Bacon, Cheddar, Broccoli soup.

As for now, I wanted to share a quick and easy meal that can be made for a packed lunch. But first a little story time:
For a resolution this year, I decided to try to eat out at more independent, local businesses rather than chains. You would think this would be easy but my office is right next door to a Wendy's and I cannot tell you how convenient it is to run next door and grab a salad. I'm glad I made this resolution because it made me stumble upon a local bakery, Chocolate & Spice, that has become one of my favorite go-tos. They have a number of delicious items on their menu but my favorite is the Chicken Salad Wrap. One thing I didn't consider while making my resolution was just how much more expensive it would be to eat at only independent, local businesses and at $7 a pop, these wraps were breaking my budget. Which brings me to my copy cat recipe of the Chicken Salad Wrap I've come to love so much.

Here are my Fresh & Easy ingredients:
can of premium chunk chicken breast, mayonnaise, dried cranberries, pistachio kernels, apricot jam, red seedless grapes, flour tortillas

Drain the can of chicken breast and put it in a large bowl. Mash it up real good with a fork. Next add all the yummy: 1/4 cup pistachio kernels (you could use almonds, pecans, walnuts), 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup apricot jam (trust me!), 1/2 cup mayo (you can use less if you prefer lightly dressed chicken salad), and 1/2 cup chopped grapes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix it all up and then place a good amount of the mixture in the middle of a tortilla

Fold into a wrap or roll up.

Cut in half and enjoy! The next time I make this recipe I want to add chopped celery, cumin, and a little red onion just for a little extra kick.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Chicken Salad Wrap

Ingredients
- 1 12.5oz can of premium chunk chicken breast, drained
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise or greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cheries
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio kernels
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
- 1/2 cup chopped red seedless grapes
- salt and pepper
- 2 burrito size flour tortillas
Instructions
1. Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Salt & pepper to taste. Place half the mixture in the center of a tortilla then roll up or wrap.
2. <a href="http://zipth.is/@ztywns" title="Click to save this recipe. Powered by ZipList.">Chicken Salad Wrap</a>

Check back in tomorrow to find out how my soup turns out!

Sweet & Sour Kabobs

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:58:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday everyone! We've been enjoying some beautiful weather here in Las Vegas and it has made me want to dust off the BBQ and put it good use. Enter, Sweet & Sour Kabobs. (recipe courtesy of Once a Month Mom)

These little babies are so simple to make and are pretty tasty too. A great thing about kabobs is you can use your imagination for the ingredients. I chose to stick to the recipe for my skewers but encourage you to add any of your favorite veggies to this dish as you really can't go wrong. Here are my ingredients:
Fresh & Easy beef & pork meatballs (found in the refrigerator section), pineapple chunks (found in the refrigerator section - though canned would work just as well), red & green bell pepper, & onion.

Chop up the onion, red & green bell pepper in to large chunks:

Then start to skewering all your ingredients on to large skewer sticks alternating between each ingredient. I used about 3 meatballs per skewer. Once you have made all your skewers, place them in a baking dish and drizzle with the sweet and sour sauce. You want to make sure they get evenly coated so shake 'em and turn 'em around in the dish. You could also place them in a freezer bag with the sauce and shake - just be careful to not puncture the bag with the skewer.

Now, its time to grill! I placed them on our grill for about 10 minutes and flipped them around half way through.

After I flipped them, I went back inside to throw my rice in the microwave. I LOVE these F&E rice packs found in the freezer section. I use them all the time. They are just so easy - pop in the microwave for 3 minutes and you have perfect rice. One bag is perfect for me and my husband to split.

When the skewers came off the BBQ they were charred in some places and the sweet and sour sauce was lightly caramelized. They were perfection. The hubby and I split one right off the grill, just to test them out.

These skewers are yummy! Especially, when you get the bites that have a little bit of everything. Hubby says we could have added some mushrooms so I'll keep that in mind for next time.

Give 'em a try, let me know what you think...

Welcome to 30 - What's for Dinner This Week?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelly Helbert) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:37:00 +0000

Hi there! My name is Shelly and I am the Small Market Cook. I reside in fabulous Las Vegas where I work with spreadsheets by day and make delicious meals (or at least try to) for my husband at night. I spend a decent amount of time in grocery stores and my favorite places to shop are the small markets. My favorite small market: Fresh & Easy. I love the products, the location, the prices, the COUPONS... I mean, honestly, I cannot think of one thing I dislike about this store.

You can imagine my despair when I got the news that Fresh & Easy stores might be going out of business. I was sad about it. Really sad about it. I do the majority of my grocery shopping at this store and it's products have become permanent fixtures in my day to day cooking. I found myself trying to think of ways I could show my support of the friendly neighborhood market other than signing a petition on Change.org. Then it hit me, I should show how much I use their products by blogging about it. So here we are. Ready, set, write!

I celebrated my 30th birthday over the weekend (had a great time and drank way too much) and I was taken out for quite a few celebratory meals. Here I am at my "13 Going On 30" party with my birthday cake:

Anyway, I'm ready to get back to normal and make dinners for me and the hubby at home.
Here's the menu for this week:

Monday: Sweet & Sour Meatballs Skewers courtesy of Once a Month Mom
Tuesday: Broccoli, Bacon, & Cheddar Chowder courtesy of Get off Your Butt & Bake
Wednesday: Italian Parmesan Crusted Chicken w/Baked Asiago & Lemon Orzo courtesy of Sarcastic Cooking
Thursday: Chicken Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole courtesy of Favorite Family Recipes

That's all for now! Check back in tomorrow for a look at the F&E products that will make tonight's dish!

Small Market Cook

Fruit & Walnut Barley Salad

Clean Eating Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie

Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad

Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients

Directions

BBQ Cheddar & Crispy Onion Meatloaf

Directions:

Artichokes with Lemon Dipping Sauce

Garlic & Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients

Directions

Asparagus, Lemon & Goat Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

Directions

Western Baby Shower and Cowboy Caviar

Bacon & Jalapeño PB&J

Quinoa Burgers

Holy Crazy Busy, Batman - What's for Dinner?

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, & Pancetta Pizza

Creamy Tomato Soup (only 4 ingredients!!)

Weekend Chores and What's for Dinner This Week?

Creamy Asiago Orzo

Chicken Salad Wrap

Chicken Salad Wrap

Instructions

Sweet & Sour Kabobs

Welcome to 30 - What's for Dinner This Week?