Runs With Spatulas

Half Marathon Training: Week #3

2012-01-29T17:55:00.002-05:00

Wow. What a doozey of a week. Well, at least it started off good...

Sunday: Rest

Monday: 3.5 mi run + strength

Mother Nature, how sneaky you are. After giving us a nice layer of ice and snow over the weekend, you turn around and change your mind come Monday. I woke up to pouring rain, followed by sunny skies and pushing 50 degrees in the early afternoon. I was a bit hesitant to how the trails would be but figured I'd give them a shot anyways. Instead of being covered in what looked like a nice layer of ice, the trails were covered in inches of melting slush or simply pools of water. Yeah, not going to happen for 3 1/2 miles.

I debated with myself for a while: go run the neighborhood across the street until I hit my mileage or have hubby take me to the gym later? I just couldn't pass up the incredibly warm winter weather. Although I forgot that even though the sidewalks would most likely be clear of slush, slush turns into... water. So I was definitely bobbing and weaving around a ton of puddles. Definitely by far not my fastest pace ever, but seeing as I was mostly wandering around, I'm really not surprised.

Tuesday: Yoga + 6 x 400 Intervals

After seeing what the trails looked like on Monday I knew they were still going to be a hot mess the following day. So I broke down and had Adam guest pass me into the gym so I could do my interval training on a nice, dry, non-slippery surface. Also known as the treadmill. While I kind of sort of consider hopping on a treadmill cheating (since there is no variation in the terrain and no wind resistance, things you'll never have in a race) I made sure to bring along my handy dandy heart rate monitor to make sure I was pushing myself enough. Although, when it comes to high speeds, and pushing yourself, and treadmills, one thing always looms in the back of my mind...

Yeah. I don't want to be that kid. Luckily, I felt awesome during the workout, and as expected, ran much faster than I would have outside. Usually outside I aim for 2:00 or under (giving about an 8:00 pace), and I definitely was well under that indoors: 1:55, 1:51, 1:51, 1:50, 1:48, under 1:47. And the great news is I felt like I could have done at least two more intervals. Woot!

Wednesday: 3 mile run

Well. So much for that good "I can run forever feeling". Definitely feeling the effects of the day before mixed with slippery muddy trails again. Not a horrible run, but not one of my best either.

I got sidetracked with hurrying to pick something up from school right after my run, which totally killed the whole working out vibe and I ended up skipping my strength work out. Oops. Really regretting that decision, but as we all know, hindsight is 20/20.

Thursday: Indoor Soccer Game

I went to bed Wednesday night determined to get in at least a 2 mile run and my strength workout before our soccer game. I woke up Thursday morning to a ridiculously dry throat (that took forever to go away) and feeling like I had just performed a super strenuous upper body workout the day before. Needless to say, the 2 mile run was passed on, as well as the strength workout.

The soccer game left me exhausted and unable to catch my breath (which isn't normal), only reaffirming my decision to back off of the workouts earlier in the day. Sometimes I need to yell at myself to quit being lazy, and sometimes I just need to listen to my body. Honestly though, it's kind of hard to tell which to do at times.

Friday: 7 mile run

After not feeling so hot the night before, I was a little nervous about moving the long run up a day. But, seeing as we were helping a friend move on Saturday, which would most likely take up a large portion of the day, it was the right thing to do.

I caught up with a couple friends 2 miles into their 9 miler. Which actually worked out pretty good. We held around a 9 minute or better pace for most of the run, which I was kind of surprised I was able to keep up as long as I did seeing how I felt the day before. Then around the last 5 1/2 mile mark I could feel myself slowly losing steam. I was also starving, which didn't help matters. Despite having a blah mile between 5.5 and 6.5, I finished out the run pretty strong, which I was happy about. It may or may not have helped that it was starting to get chilly as the sun was going down and I really just wanted to be done. Eh, it happens. Hopefully I'll be feeling a little stronger next week.

Saturday: ~~Rest~~ Helping a friend move.

Even though this week wasn't to the level I was expecting, I still have high hopes for next week. And I need to make sure I stopping skipping my strength workouts. :)

We've opted to move the long run to Friday again as our soccer game is on Saturday rather than the normal Thursday. Trying to do sprints after a long run = fail.

We'll see how it goes... chances of this staying "as is" is pretty slim if we go by the previous few weeks.

Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

2012-01-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

4 years.

You can do a lot in 4 years.

Get married.

Move.

Go back to school.

Move again.

Buy a car.

Keep up with a blog.

You would think at least the last thing would easily fall by the wayside in 4 years. Yet for some reason, it never did. So here we are, 4 years after the start of this blog. It's amazing how things change.

Like the photography, the cooking ability... although some things never do change. Like me trying to burn the place down.

I thought it only fitting, on the eve of my 4 year blog birthday, to have another recipe re-do. Taking a trip down memory lane to the first I ever made a cheesecake. Or in this case, cheesecakes. These Mini Mint Chocolate Cheeesecakes were rich, and dense, and definitely in-your-face minty. Which, isn't exactly my favorite flavor.

I went back and forth and back and forth trying to figure how I wanted to re-do this recipe. Make another cheesecake? But I didn't feel like cheesecake. Chances are 90% of it would end up in the trash. No, it needed to be something else.

Something portable. Why, cookies of course!

Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

Adapted from: cdkitchen & Gingerbread Bagles

1/4 cup butter
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (17.5 ounce) box chocolate cake mix

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup half & half

In the large work bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Stir in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated. Slowly add in the cake mix, 1/3 at a time. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a scoop (or a tablespoon) drop dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until done. Let cookies rest on pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and cocoa for about 4 minute until smooth. Stir in peppermint and vanilla extracts. Slowly stir in half of the powdered sugar, followed by half of the half and half. Repeat with remaining powdered sugar and half and half until combined, then increase speed to medium-high for 3 minutes, or until mixture is smooth.

Transfer frosting to a piping bag (a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well too). Spread frosting on the upturned side of half of the cookies, top with the remaining cookies.

Makes: 24 whoopie pies

Alright, I can't lie, I kind of screwed up on these. I was going for waaaay more of a cheesecake-y vibe than I got from these. Silly me, I thought simply adding the cream cheese into the cookies would come through enough, but it really doesn't at all. I should have gone with my gut on the frosting and went with a simple cream cheese buttercream with peppermint. Sigh.

And you would think after all these years I would've learned...

However, if you didn't know I was going for the whole cheesecake-reincarnation-in-a-cookie thing, you would have thought it was light and fluffy chocolate cookies sandwiching peppermint buttercream. Not a bad combo, and definitely not a bad whoopie pie.

Interested in my previous Recipe Re-Dos?
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Raspberry Glaze changed to Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Penne Alla Vodka remade into Creamy Penne Alla Vodka
Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken into Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken Handpies
Ginger Teriyaki Burgers remade into Ginger Teriyaki Turkey Buns
Easy Baked Chicken and Brie to Chicken and Brie with Candied Walnuts and Apples
Garlic Lemon Double-Stuffed Chicken into Cheesy Jalapeno Chicken

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 60g
Amount per serving
Calories 235	Calories from fat 109
% Daily Value
Total Fat 12.1g	19%
Saturated Fat 6.2g	31%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 254mg	11%
Total Carbs 31.8g	11%
Dietary Fiber 1.3g	5%
Sugars 23.0g
Protein 3.0g
Vitamin A 6%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 5%	Iron 7%

Sweet & Sour Pork Stir Fry with Sesame Ginger Rice

2012-01-25T11:02:00.000-05:00

Let me tell you a story about me trying to burn the house down. It involves pork and a wok pan. And two smoke detectors that would not shut up.

Okay, so there may not have been any actual flames (lame, I know) but there was definitely smoke and very loud beeping noises and omgcanyounottelliamjustcookingdinner? all in one go. Oh, not to mention me being clueless about any smoke whatsoever and merrily going about stirring my little pieces of pork.

Oh dear.

But somehow the pork was cooked just fine and I am still indignant about the fact that there was any smoke. Trust me. I know smoke when I see it. Been there, done that. Whatever. Maybe the fact that there's smoke detectors every 3 feet in this house doesn't help either.

Irregardless of my cooking ability, this is still delicious. Definitely spicy with a nice touch of sweet from the pineapple and pineapple juice. Yum.

Sweet & Sour Pork Stir Fry with Sesame Ginger Rice

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home, December 2011

6 ounces pineapple juice
2 tablespoons chili garlic paste
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, grated
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 ounces frozen broccoli
1 cup match-stick cut carrots
6 ounces frozen snow peas
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed

3 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients (through sherry). Set aside.

Sprinkle the salt and pepper onto the pork tenderloin. Heat a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Cook the pork in two batches until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove pork to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Wipe wok out with a clean paper towel.

With the heat still at medium-high, add the remaining canola oil. Add the garlic and ginger, stir frying for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrot and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the snow peas and white parts of the green onion, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Toss in the pineapple and reserved sauce mixture. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes, continuing to stir. Stir in cooked pork and continue to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with remaining green portions of green onions.

Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice, ginger, and sesame oil, stirring well. Return mixture to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Serves: 6

Apparently, not only do I like to set off smoke detectors, but I also can't read. Instead of adding chili garlic sauce, I added paste. Um, yes, definitely a difference. Let's just say our sinuses were very cleared out after we finished eating. (Don't worry, I've adjusted the amount above to be more, shall we say, tolerable.) Despite all my flubs, we still really enjoyed the dish.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 438g
Amount per serving
Calories 460	Calories from fat 100
% Daily Value
Total Fat 11.1g	17%
Saturated Fat 1.7g	8%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 55mg	18%
Sodium 980mg	41%
Total Carbs 60.5g	20%
Fiber 4.0g	16%
Sugars 13.1g
Protein 27.0g
Vitamin A 76%	Vitamin C 115%
Calcium 8%	Iron 25%

Creamy Mac 'n' Cheese with Spinach

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

Hot. Creamy. Cheesy. Pretty much everything you ever wanted out of macaroni 'n' cheese.

I was originally going for straight cheddar, until I realized I needed a whole pound of it and only had half. Enter the cheese drawer.

I had a few ounces of this, a few ounces of that, oh gross and that has some mold on it, into the trash it goes. Needless to say, after scrounging around in the fridge, I had a hodgepodge of cheeses heaped on the counter.

A whole lot of cheddar. A chunk of cream cheese. A little block of Swiss. Some grated Parm.

And that spinach hiding out back there looks like it's on its last legs. Alright, you can come join the party, too. It might make me feel only slightly less guilty about adding an entire pound of cheese to one.single.dish.

Eh, who am I kidding? I love me some cheese. Like a 7th grade celebrity crush love on cheese. Except better. Because I can actually have this.

Creamy Mac 'n' Cheese with Spinach

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

4 cups dried macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
5 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
3 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Bring a lot pot of water to boil over high heat. Add macaroni and cook 1 minute short of package instructions. Drain and set aside until ready to use.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for five minutes, whisking continuously.

Increase heat to medium. Add milk and mustard, whisking until smooth. Cook for five minutes, or until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into a small bowl with the beaten egg, whisking vigorously to prevent the egg from cooking. Once smooth, pour egg mixture into the sauce and whisk until smooth. Stir in all the cheese except 3/4 cup shredded cheddar, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the seasonings. Fold in the spinach and macaroni, stirring until completely coated with sauce.

Transfer macaroni to the prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden.

Serves: 8

Even though I was going for all cheddar, I'm so glad I miscalculated. The cream cheese totally adds a nice creaminess that cheddar alone could never achieve. (I still love you anyways Cheddar!) As for that spinach? Well, you can't even taste it, it makes the dish look prettier, and it kindofsortofatleastinmymind makes the dish healthier.

Next time around I may pass on the egg and all that tempering business and the whole baking the mac 'n' chee. That's just prolonging the amount of time between cheese heaven in a bowl and my belly. Not cool.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 203g
Amount per serving
Calories 469	Calories from fat 220
% Daily Value
Total Fat 24.4g	38%
Saturated Fat 14.9g	75%
Cholesterol 95mg	32%
Sodium 408mg	17%
Total Carbs 40.4g	17%
Fiber 1.8g	7%
Sugars 6.1g
Protein 21.7g
Vitamin A 39%	Vitamin C 5%
Calcium 43%	Iron 13%

2012 Goal #2 - Training for a Half Marathon: Week 2

2012-01-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

Let's just jump into the week's recap, shall we?

Sunday: Rest

Ahhh, blessed rest. Man I love it. Just not really a good thing to do it two days in a row (I had Sat off too).

Monday: 3 mi run + strength

Didn't exactly feel bad, but I could totally feel those two back to back days I had off.

Cold and snowy. But at least it kept the mud at bay.

Still hovering around a 9:30 pace, which I wish was closer to or under 9 minutes. I blame all the rutted out bike tracks and ice on the path for slowing me down. I can do that, right?

Tuesday: 30 minute tempo run + yoga

Let's just say that the day did not start out great as all I really wanted to do was curl up in a ball on the couch and not step a foot outside all day. I really did. It took a lot of motivation and yelling at myself that I was simply being lazy and there was no reason I couldn't go out and run. I think my main deterrence was I was slightly anxious about doing a tempo run -- something I've never done before. And the thought of doing something new, and hard, in the rain and cold just wasn't appealing.

But I had to. I promised myself I would actually train for a race. I couldn't give up in week 2.

Since this workout involved pushing myself (up to a "comfortably hard" pace) I decided to stay away from slippery trails and rutted out bike tracks so I could actually focus more on my pace rather than where my next step was going to be.

For those of you who aren't sure what a tempo run is exactly, it's basically a workout to help increase your lactate threshold. Say what? In short, it forces you to extend the time/distance you can run at a faster pace without dropping on the pavement thinking your legs just turned to jelly and your lungs are going to explode. (Or, ahem, maybe a better explanation is here.)

I wanted to do a warm up for the first third of the run, build up to my peak pace by the 2/3 mark, then slow back down for the last little bit. Instead of going by pace during this run, which would involve me checking my phone every 5 seconds, then chucking it in the river, I opted to focus on my heart rate instead. Here's the breakdown for my 30 minute run:

0-10 minutes - Warm up @ 9:00-9:30 pace
10-15 minutes - keep HR between 165-175 (65-75% HRR)
15-20 minutes - keep HR above 180 (75-85% HRR)
20-25 minutes - keep HR above 185 (90%+ HRR)
25-30 minutes - Cool down, roughly a 9:00-9:30 pace

Oh, and then I did yoga. And thought my hamstrings were going to peel themselves off my legs and walk away. More on that later.

Wednesday: 2.5 mi easy run

Since my hamstrings were about die a fiery death by yoga, I decided it'd be best to back it off a bit, especially since this wasn't designed to be a run to push myself on anyways.

The first mile is almost all a gentle downhill with the second mile being almost completely flat. That's my kind of ~~cheat~~ easy run.

You can barely see the stairs back up a super not fun hill in the picture. This is where I stop and walk back up to my car. I call it my "cool down".

Thursday: 2 mi run + Strength + Indoor Soccer Game

Thank goodness the hamstrings started to chill back out a bit. I added back in the strength training I cut out from the day before. A necessary evil in my mind. Sigh. Do I have to?

Friday: Yoga

Okay, let's get something out of the way here. When I talk about doing yoga, I am most definitely a beginner. A ridiculously inflexible one. Let me demonstrate. One of the poses is something called the Needle:

I am pretty sure it's named this for feeling you get in this pose. As in, there's about a thousand needles poking you in the hamstring all while laughing at your pathetic attempt to get your back foot higher than your head. Which is pointing at the ground. Epic fail.

So yeah. That's why I do this at home.

Saturday: 6 mile run

Here's the story of my 6 mile run. In 3 inches of powdery snow plus a whole lotta slushy stuff.

[Source]

The regular powder wasn't actually all that bad, but the slushy, heavy, wet snow dumped on the trail by passing cars and snow plow was a whole different story. Despite working even harder to fight through the stuff, all I did was slow down. There was just no traction whatsoever. Thank goodness I was running with a couple friends or these areas would have been a complete disaster.

It's funny looking at our pace through these areas (which is kind of an awesome feature of the iMapMyRun app), we easily added 1:00-1:30 min/mile to our pace when going through that mess. Overall, though, considering the conditions, I'm pretty happy we finished in under an hour.

Whew. Holy long-windedness.

So. Moving on. Next week.

Very similar to Week 1, with an extra rep added to the interval training.

And I'm out. Off to curl up on the couch and enjoy my day off.

Baked Mushroom Bao

2012-01-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

I have a love/hate relationship with snow. There are times I love it -- sledding, tubing, even when I'm out running (I will totally take snow over cold rain), and it's a perfect excuse to curl up on the couch and watch reruns of totally mind-numbing shows. There's something about it that makes everything just a bit softer and a bit quieter and a bit more peaceful.

Until I try and drive somewhere. There's where we get into the hate part of the relationship. One speck of snow and immediately everything slows down. Frustrating. Of course it's always best to be prudent, but 30 mph on the highway in drive-able conditions? Hair pulling.

Let's not even go into the part where the snow always seems to find its way down into my socks when I'm walking to the car and then magically dumps 5 pounds of itself into the driver's seat when I open the door. Splendid. That's my favorite.

But these little bao buns don't have such a love/hate relationship with me. Just love. I used the bao bun recipe I've used in the past and simply swapped out the filling. The buns are slightly sweet and pair so well with the uber flavorful mushroom filling. Vegetarian? Almost (sorry, there's fish sauce), but trust me, you won't miss the meat in this one.

Baked Mushroom Bao

Adapted from: Katherine Martinelli

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup very hot water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup 1% milk
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons water

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
5 1/2 cups diced mushrooms (any mix will do)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable broth (can also use chicken broth)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and hot water. Let sit until sugar has completely melted (may need to put in the microwave for a few seconds). Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and milk. Allow mixture to cool to 110-115 degrees F. Add yeast and stir well. Cover with a towel and let sit for 10 minutes in a warm, draft free spot. Mixture should be foamy on top when ready.

Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until the flour is mostly incorporated and the mixture looks shaggy. Knead dough by hand until no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a towel and let rest in a warm, draft free area until doubled in size (25 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until they start to soften, about 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released their liquid and most of it has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin, and sesame oil. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the broth and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Pour into the mushroom mixture, cooking until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl to cool until ready to use.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Flatten each section into a 3-inch round, leaving the center thicker. Add a heaping tablespoon of filling to the center of each disk, then fold the ends over each other to form a ball. Seal the seams well. Place buns seam-side down on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 teaspoons water. Brush egg wash over each bun. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until buns are golden brown.

Serves: 4 (serving size: 3 buns)

Unfortunately, I did a little miscalculation when I made these. The filling recipe claimed it made 12 buns, my bun recipe said it only made 6 buns. So I halved the filling. And it was only until I was already in the midst of things that I realized the dough amount in each original recipe was the same. Oops. So we just had really big, fluffy rolls. Next time I am definitely going for the whole filling recipe (which is reflected above). And yes, there will most definitely be a next time for these.

Side note: These pair great with some Sichuan Green Beans (which honestly might be the hubby's favorite side dish. Ever.).

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 268g
Amount per serving
Calories 376	Calories from fat 69
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7.7g	12%
Saturated Fat 1.7g	8%
Cholesterol 54mg	18%
Sodium 706mg	29%
Total Carbs 64.8g	22%
Fiber 3.3g	13%
Sugars 11.5g
Protein 12.8g
Vitamin A 4%	Vitamin C 5%
Calcium 5%	Iron 23%

Pollo con Mojo de Ajo

2012-01-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

Don't be afraid. It just sounds fancy. It's not. Promise.

It's simple and quick and oh yeah, it's Garlic Chicken.

Not all-up-in-your-face Garlic Chicken, but a nice muted but not quite subtle Garlic Chicken. A very simple profile of flavors which all come together nicely and really make a basic piece of chicken shine.

Which is a good thing. Blah chicken is just so, well, blah. Pair this with some Mexi Rice and you're golden.

Pollo con Mojo de Ajo

Adapted from: Cooking Light, January 2005

4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
4 lime wedges

Line a work surface with plastic wrap. Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer across it and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to a 1/2-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until done. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the pan. Add garlic, cooking for 1 minute, taking care not to brown it. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Scrape the pan to loosen any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until broth mixture has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice.

Serve chicken topped with 2 tablespoons sauce, sprinkled with cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Serves: 4

So, double score on working on two of my goals for the year -- take that #4 (serve more sides) and #5 (clean out my Google Reader starred items).

It's been so long since I've actually made a straight-chicken-no-frills dish. No, really, I can't remember the last time. I have to admit, it was kind of a nice change. Even the hubby, you know, the one who begged me forever ago to stop with all the chicken dishes, gave it two thumbs up.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 181g
Amount per serving
Calories 280	Calories from fat 132
% Daily Value
Total Fat 14.7g	23%
Saturated Fat 4.8g	24%
Cholesterol 109mg	36%
Sodium 351mg	15%
Total Carbs 2.3g	1%
Protein 33.3g
Vitamin A 3%	Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 3%	Iron 8%

Warm Chickpea Salad

2012-01-17T11:39:00.001-05:00

I warned you I was going for some more veggies in my diet. You know, those things I don't like to eat?

But, when they're smothered and covered in bacon drippings... they're tolerable. Even the green ones.

Honestly, I was a little scared when I was making this. Not because I thought I wouldn't like it, but I was a bit worried I may be scrounging around for something else for the hubby. That I would get that look. The "what the heck is this and why am I supposed to be eating it?" look.

Yet the look never came. I didn't have to go back into the kitchen to try and poke around for some leftovers or who knows what else. I think it was the bacon. It's excellent at hiding things. Or at least convincing you that there is most definitely meat present, and a lot of it. Even when it's not true.

Not that you have to worry about not being full from this meal. The chickpeas take care of that. Maybe, just maybe, I can get the hang of this whole eating veggies thing down. With a little help from my friend bacon.

Warm Chickpea Salad

Adapted from: How Sweet It Is

3 slices bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
7 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until bacon is browned but not completely crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all drippings from the pan except for 2 tablespoons.

Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until they start to release their juices, stirring occasionally. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, bacon, pecans, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until mixture is heated through.

Divide the mixture evenly between three plates. Sprinkle each with 1/3 of the Parmesan.

Serves: 3

Despite the fact that this can be a high calorie meal, it's actually fairly healthy for you. (I'm pretty sure you'll be set on some fiber for a while.) Although you could always opt for having this as a side rather than as the entree. Which, I think is definitely doable -- coming from someone who is horrible at timing foods together and rarely makes sides. I guess that says something, right? (And the fact that the hubby actually commented on how much he liked it says something too, I should add.)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 232g
Amount per serving
Calories 697	Calories from fat 217
% Daily Value
Total Fat 23.6g	39%
Saturated Fat 6.7g	34%
Cholesterol 18mg	6%
Sodium 256mg	12%
Total Carbs 91.7g	31%
Fiber 27.1g	108%
Sugars 16.8g
Protein 33.6g
Vitamin A 9%	Vitamin C 73%
Calcium 21%	Iron 55%

2012 Goal #2 - Training for a Half Marathon: Week #1

2012-01-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Ooo this week has been a doozey. Rainy, and wet, and cold, and snowy. The perfect set-up for the excuse not to run. Let me tell you, it was tough not to give in.

But! I knew here I would be, writing up the post, and I didn't want "passed", "lazy", "insert excuse here", to show up in lieu of the actual workout. Ha, I knew I was keeping track of my training here for a reason. Gotta keep me honest.

Which doesn't necessarily preclude me from changing things up a bit. I was planning on doing this for my workout this week, but instead, I opted switch things around slightly -- partly due to thinking things through a bit more, partly due to how my legs were feeling, and partly due to a certain nephew celebrating his 1st birthday this weekend.

Sunday:	Rest
Monday:	3 mi run + strength
Tuesday:	5 x 400 @ 5k pace + yoga
Wednesday:	3 mi run + strength
Thursday:	Indoor Soccer Game
Friday:	5 mi run
Saturday:	Rest

Not exactly how I was envisioning the week panning out, but sometimes you have to rearrange things around your schedule. Like my long run getting squished in on Friday morning instead of Saturday. Even if it meant getting up early and running in 17F weather with a windchill of -2. With blowing snow. Not ideal (would have rather had a day off), but what are you going to do?

Now that I have officially signed up for the half, it's time to set a goal time for myself. Since I'm actually attempting to train for this race, unlike my previous races, I figured this would probably be a good thing.

So, I've decided to aim for under 2 hours.

This works out to a little over a 9 minute/mile pace.

While it may not seem all that fast to some of you, it's pretty reasonable for me as my past endurance races all have me coming in well over that at the half marathon mark.

Moving on to this coming week, the original plan calls for this, though I've decided to go with this instead (surprise surprise):

Sunday:	Rest
Monday:	3 mi run + strength
Tuesday:	3 mi tempo + yoga
Wednesday:	3 mi run + strength
Thursday:	2 mi run (at 1/2 marathon pace) + Indoor Soccer Game
Friday:	Yoga
Saturday:	6 mi run

Fingers crossed I'll have the same motivation this week as last! (And maybe a bit better weather!)

Berry Almond Smoothies

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

I almost always have a nice little line up of dishes just waiting to be shared with you. No joke. I'm pretty sure there's more than I can count on one hand just hanging out, waiting for me to talk about how delicious they are...

Then this come along and cuts in front of all of them. How rude.

I couldn't help myself though. It's just that.good.

I know you're sitting over there, rolling those eyes of yours, thinking I've gone all detoxy and super health freakish. And yes, detoxy is totally a word. In my dictionary.

Anyhoo, I haven't. Just trying to meet the #1 goal I set for myself for this year. (i.e. Eat more fruits and veggies!)

In truth, I kind of forgot about the green monster smoothies as a way to trick myself into eating more spinach. That is until I ran across a different version of a berry green monster smoothie over on The Spiffy Cookie. Aha! I need such trickery in my life.

Last time I made a green monster, I used peanut butter, bananas, and apples, and it was most definitely tasty. But I love berry flavored things way more than banana, and besides, that's all I had hanging around. And berries + almond? Win. Although I love the flavor of almonds way more than chunky bits floating in my smoothie, hence, I opted for extract.

Berry Almond Smoothie

Original Recipe

1 apple, peeled and cored (I used a McIntosh)
12 ounces frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 teaspoon almond extract

Place the apple and frozen berries in a blender. Pulse until a puree starts to form. Add half the milk if it seems to not be mixing well. Add the spinach and remaining milk. Blend until mixture is smooth. Add almond extract. Mix until fully incorporated. If mixture is too runny, you can add ice to thicken it back up. If smoothie is too thick, you can add more milk.

Serves: 2

Wait! Please don't run away now that you know for sure that it has spinach in it. Cross my heart and hope to die... okay, maybe not really, but I swear, you really cannot taste the spinach in this. And it helps that this version isn't green. Just think -- one serving of veggies and about 1 1/2 servings of fruit per ~9.5 ounces (1/2 batch). Beat that V8 (especially that fiber content).

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 353g
Amount per serving
Calories 173	Calories from fat 14
% Daily Value
Total Fat 1.5g	2%
Saturated Fat 0.38g	2%
Cholesterol 3mg	1%
Sodium 50mg	2%
Total Carbs 38.2g	13%
Fiber 9.1g	36%
Sugars 25.6g
Protein 4.3g
Vitamin A 59%	Vitamin C 83%
Calcium 13%	Iron 10%

Thai Chicken Pizza

2012-01-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

I am spoiled when it comes to pizza. Last year, we would regularly trek over to a friend's house for pizza night -- but not just any pizza. Oh no.

Pierogie Pizza. Banana Pepper with Vodka Sauce Pizza. The Reuben Pizza. You get the idea. We aren't talking delivery here.

Needless to say, when I came across this recipe over on How Sweet It Is, I was sold. I love me some Thai food -- as long as it doesn't have coconut in it. Which may or may not be a large percentage of it. But that is neither here nor there.

Where was I?

Oh yes. Talking about how combining some classic Thai flavors on a pizza is a brilliant idea. Because it is. Trust. Perfect for breaking up the inevitable heavy winter food monotony.

Thai Chicken Pizza

Adapted from: How Sweet It Is

1 pound pizza dough
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon corn meal
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sweet Asian chili sauce
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 ounces shredded cooked chicken
2/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Place pizza stone (or large baking sheet, or metal pizza pan) into a cold oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

If using refrigerated dough, let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll dough out to a rough 1/4-inch thick circle. Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal (this will keep the dough from sticking to the peel). Transfer dough to the peel.

Place 1/2 cup sweet Asian chili sauce onto the dough, spreading evenly across. Top with the mushrooms and shallots. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and shredded chicken. Add the Mozzarella cheese.

Open the preheat oven and slide the pizza from the peel to the pizza stone. Close the door and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheesy is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts, cilantro, and basil.

Serves: 8

While we don't have a fancy pizza stone, and I didn't make my own pizza dough (yay for Trader Joes!), this still turned out fabulous. Even though I may have slightly under-baked it. Let's just ignore that, shall we?

Because sweet + spicy = awesome. It's an equation you really can't argue with.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 128g
Amount per serving
Calories 427	Calories from fat 220
% Daily Value
Total Fat 24.5g	38%
Saturated Fat 6.3g	32%
Cholesterol 16mg	5%
Sodium 470mg	20%
Total Carbs 37.8g	13%
Fiber 3.1g	13%
Sugars 7.5g
Protein 21.2g
Vitamin A 5%	Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 9%	Iron 13%

47 Recipes to Kick Off the New Year

2012-01-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

"I'm going on a diet." or "I'm going to lose ___ pounds." or "I need to eat healthier."

It doesn't really matter how it's worded, eating better and/or losing weight tends to end up on almost every resolution list (shoo, I know it ended up on mine). And almost every single one of those resolutions will be broken by the end of the month.

Most people outside the foodie world associate healthy eating = tastes like cardboard. Those in the know, know that it absolutely doesn't have to be the case. I refuse to eat some lackluster bland-tasting meal just because it's "healthy" for me. No wonder people can't stick to healthy eating if that's the route they go.

So to help you on your way (or at least to February), I've rustled up 47 recipes that aren't only healthy but taste great, too. And not just main dishes, but snacks, drinks, soups, sides, and lo and behold, you can have you cake and eat it too. Or, in this case, cookies.

How do I know it's healthy? 40 of the 47 recipes are either under 500 or 100 calories (depending on what it is) and qualifies for 2 or more of the following: Low in Saturated Fat, Low in Cholesterol, or Low in Sodium. The remaining 7 recipes qualify for all three of those categories but are not under 500 or 100 calories and are denoted by an *. (How do I classify my recipes? Read here.)

Appetizers & Snacks
1. Apple Chips
2. Black & Blue Fruit Leather
3. Cheese Straws
4. Haitian Chicken Pâté Puffs
5. Sweet Chipotle Snack Mix*
6. Spicy Red Pepper Hummus*
7. Tzatziki

Drinks
8. Blueberry Lemonade Soda*
9. Russian Tea

Soups & Stews
10. Ancho Pork & Hominy Stew
11. Cheese Tortellini & Vegetable Soup
12. Minestrone Soup
13. Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup
14. Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup
15. Tortellini, Kielbasa, & Spinach Soup
16. While Chili

Entrees
17. Chicken Biryani
18. Chickpeas with Spinach*
19. Chipotle Bean Burritos*
20. Cranberry Chicken with Wild Rice
21. Easy Cajun Jambalaya
22. Fusilli with Pistachio Pesto
23.Gemelli Salad with Asparagus, Pistachios, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
24. Ginger Hoisin Stir Fry
25. "Meaty" Meatless Pasta with Parmesan & Pine Nuts
26. Pad Thai
27. Parmesan Polenta & Spicy Sausage
28. Pasta with Chickpeas & Garlic Sauce
29. Pasta with Feta, Tomatoes, & White Beans
30. Pasta with Prosciutto & Spinach
31. Penne Alla Vodka
32. Pistachio Chicken Fingers
33. Radiatore with Caramelized Onions & White Wine
34. Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
35. Spicy Malaysian-Style Stir Fried Noodles
36. Spicy Orange Noodles
37. Spicy Peanut Chicken over Rice*
38. Udon Noodles with Asian Vegetables & Peanut Sauce
39. Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Sides
40. Brussels Sprouts*

Desserts
41. Chewy Amaretti Cookies
42. Chocolate Crinkles
43. Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
44. Snickerdoodles
45. Spritz Cookies
46. Sugar Cookies
47. World Peace Cookies

Looking for other combinations of these categories? Check out the newly renovated Recipe Index which now makes it easy to find recipes with certain health characteristics. Or simply choose a category from the list to the right (under Labels) if you're just interested in one.

2012 Goals - Goal #2: Run a Half Marathon

2012-01-08T22:42:00.000-05:00

Keeping in line with my 2012 goals, I've decided to sign up for a half marathon near the end of March (goal #2). Since I'm focused this time around on actually training for a race this time (rather than just building up to the distance and calling it good) I decided to share my workouts weekly with all of you.

Mostly because I love to cheat. I cut out a workout here, and a workout there, and before I know it I only ran half the workouts for the week. Oops.

And I also wanted to start bringing the other half of the title of the blog into my posting as well. Consider it another goal for 2012.

SO.

Before I actually start my training, I like to sit down and outline a training plan that goes all the way through the race. I generally start with an already well known plan such as those from Hal Higdon or Runner's World, then tweak them to fit my needs.

Step one is to determine when your race is going to be taking place:

March 31st

Check.

Step two is to count backwards to see when the start date is to begin training. For a half marathon, a typical plan is about 12 weeks.

Which of course means that tomorrow kicks off the training!

The original training plan looks like so:

Monday:	Stretch & Strengthen
Tuesday:	3 mi run
Wednesday:	5 x 400 @ 5k pace
Thursday:	3 mi run + strength
Friday:	Rest
Saturday:	3 mi run
Sunday:	5 mi run

Buuuut, that's not going to work for this kid. So with a bit of rearranging and dabbling, my plan for the week looks like this:

Sunday:	Rest
Monday:	3 mi run + yoga
Tuesday:	5 x 400 @ 5k pace
Wednesday:	3 mi run + strength
Thursday:	2 mi run + Indoor Soccer Game
Friday:	Rest/Yoga
Saturday:	5 mi run

Yeah. So. We'll see how this goes.

Baked Tortellini with Rose Sauce

2012-01-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Sister,

Happy 30th Birthday! (Okay, so I'm a day late and a dollar short -- aren't I always?) Now I get to officially tease you about how old you are now, all the while pretending that that particular number isn't all that far off for me. I have blinders, and I like them, okay?

Here's hoping you got lots of hugs from Squirt & Squishy. Okay, or maybe several tackles from Squirt and the random pat on the back from Squishy (maybe just maybe he'll get around to crawling for you one of these days).


The Squirt	The Squishy

This recipe is perfect for you -- you know, for all those time you call or text me asking what to make for dinner? Oh, don't act like you don't. Not only is it super easy, but you probably already have almost everything in your pantry or fridge. Well, except for the tortellini. AND you can feed it to both the boys, double yay.

Am I a great sister or what?

Baked Tortellini with Rose Sauce

Adapted from: Pass the Sushi

20 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (or 24 ounces of your own homemade is fine too!)
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 4 16-ounce ramekins (or 1 2-quart dish) with cooking spray; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Drain.

In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti sauce, cream cheese, milk, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and herbs. Whisk together until cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce.

Add the drained noodles to the bowl with the sauce mixture. Toss to coat. Divide the tortellini mixture evenly between the 4 prepared dishes. Top each with 1/4 cup Mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and starts to brown.

Serves: 8

As I noted above this is really really easy to throw together, especially if you have jarred spaghetti sauce handy (or if you have some hiding out in the freezer). I used cheese tortellini here, but I think you could definitely use some with meat, or even throw in some Italian sausage if you wanted to get crazy with it. ;)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 205g
Amount per serving
Calories 394	Calories from fat 155
% Daily Value
Total Fat 17.2g	27%
Saturated Fat 7.7g	38%
Cholesterol 52mg	17%
Sodium 900mg	38%
Total Carbs 39.0g	13%
Fiber 4.4g	18%
Sugars 9.2g
Protein 21.2g
Vitamin A 12%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 37%	Iron 13%

Wait, what? It's already 2012?

2012-01-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

I swear it feels like I just celebrated New Years. 2011. Not 2012. Oy vey.

2011 just flew by, and while the year had it's ups, I'm definitely ready to say good-bye and head on into 2012. Although I typically don't make resolutions, I thought this time around it might be a good idea to set a few goals for myself.

Things like:

Incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet. Actually, basically just eat healthier in general. This includes adding more of those green things to my diet, as well as trying to stay away from all those lovely processed foods. My goal is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store as much as possible.

Run a half marathon. But wait, don't I already have two marathons and two 30k races under my belt? True as it is, I am still missing out on two big race distances: the 10k and the half. As I've gone father distances than both these races, my goal is to actually train for them, rather than just building up to the required distance and calling it good.

Get back to planning a weekly menu. Boy have I really fallen off the train on this one. Between moving and a lot of events happening this summer, it was hard to come up with a weekly menu every week as we were most likely going to be gone the next. But, I need to quit using a busy schedule as an excuse. Building a menu each week makes for less headaches and "no, what do YOU want?" arguments. Not to mention less wasted food and easier trips to the grocery.

Serve more sides. Um, this is a pretty obvious one. I actually tried this a couple years ago, but didn't last too long. BUT, the way I can look at it this go around is that adding a side gives me a chance to incorporate those little green and brown things called veggies I like to avoid, as well as helping to cut down on the intake of calorie-laden entrees.

Start clearing out my Foodbuzz archives and Google Reader starred items. I really hate to admit how many recipes I've tucked away between these two sites over the years. Yes, years. And now Pinterest is not helping. These guys need a serious purge, and there's only one way to do that...

Start doing yoga again. Adam and I used to do this quite regularly a while back, but as per my usual excuse, things got busy and we stopped. I miss how much more relaxed my muscles felt and how much more flexible I was when we did yoga. It really doesn't take that much time and isn't super exhausting (at least the kind we do).

Drink more water. No, this isn't based on the fictional science about the 8 glasses of water a day. Apparently though, thirst can also present itself as hunger, which means eating a bunch of calories my body doesn't really need. So my goal is to drink a glass of water before giving in to those snack cravings as well as to drink a glass before each meal.

Aside from all the goal making hullabaloo, it's also fun at the end of each year to take a look back and see which recipes really caught your attention. Last year I simply asked Adam for his list of favorites. This year, I'm checking out which recipes you all made the most popular. And they are:

Top 10 Recipes from 2011
(according to page views)

#10 - Peppermint Hot Chocolate
#9 - Broccoli Cheese Soup
#8 - Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies
#7 - Russian Tea
#6 - Lofthouse Cookies
#5 - Red Velvet Rice Krispie Treats
#4 - Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Blossoms
#3 - Baked Red Velvet Doughnuts
#2 - Swirl Sugar Cookies
#1 - Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

2011-12-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

Mwuahaha. (That is my evil laugh by the way.)

I bet you thought I was done with cookies. So did I.

Then I saw these. And I wasn't done.

Something about the white chocolate and cherry mixture called to me. It disregarded the fact that I don't like dipping things, and said "make me". Kind of creepy, actually.

Thank goodness I was able to look past that. And my dislike of dipping desserts. (Which stems from the fact that usually the chocolate ends up everywhere -- in my case, it is most definitely "operator error".)

Case in point -- there is already chocolate on my shirt this morning and all I did was EAT it. Dang it. Somebody put a bib in my stocking. And yes, I totally had chocolate as part of my breakfast. Early lunch?

Annnnyways. We were talking about these cookies I believe. That need to go on your to-make Christmas cookie list. Which is already 3.47 miles long. Don't worry. There's still time. You can do it. I have faith.

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Adapted from: Baking Serendipity

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 ounces white chocolate baking chips, divided
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
Sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Place cherries on a paper towel to completely drain.

In the large work bowl of a mixer, stir together the flour and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender (two knives work as well).

Finish drying cherries and finely chop. Chop 4 ounces of white chocolate until fine. Using a spatula, fold the almond extract, cherries, and white chocolate into the dough until a smooth ball forms.

Scoop out a 1" ball of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the ball with the base of a drinking glass until about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat until sheet is full, spacing cookies 1-2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies have cooled, combine the remaining white chocolate with the shortening in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate, then shake of any excess. Place cookie on wax paper. Coat with sprinkles if desired; let the chocolate harden.

Makes: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Due to my recent flurry of baking activity, I failed to notice how low I was actually getting on my almond extract before making these. Turns out, I only had about 1/4 teaspoon left. Although I supplemented with vanilla, definitely think the right amount (or even a bit more) of almond extract will really make these sing. Shoo, even without the full amount they were still pretty darn tasty. My only complaint is I wish the cherry flavor was just a smidge more prominent. Then they'd be perfect.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 27g
Amount per serving
Calories 120	Calories from fat 63
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7.0g	11%
Saturated Fat 4.5g	23%
Cholesterol 12mg	4%
Sodium 40mg	2%
Total Carbs 14.0g	5%
Sugars 8.2g
Protein 1.4g
Vitamin A 3%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1%	Iron 2%

Christmas Dinner

2011-12-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness. 4 days until Christmas. FOUR DAYS. I think I've been in denial.

You would think not, as I've wrapped all the presents, and made all the cookies... but I still feel like it's at least a week off. Maybe two.

While cookies and sweets are staples of the holiday, I suppose we do have to eat. Real food, that is.

Even though we haven't quite settled on our Christmas dinner yet, I've come up with a few ideas for you if you happen to be like me, and totally forgot about the whole "dinner" thing. Since everyone goes about the main meal a little differently, I've come up with two separate menus: one fancy pants menu for those that are looking for an elegant way to serve up dinner, and another with more casual fare.

Christmas Dinner #1

Appetizer - Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms OR Chestnut Fennel Soup
Entree - Beef Wellington
Side - Mashed-Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda and Bacon OR Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Apple Cider and Bacon Dressing

Christmas Dinner #2

Appetizer - Baked Brie OR Spin Dip
Entree - Honey-Glazed Ham
Side - Cheesy Corn Bake AND/OR Honey Yeast Rolls

So... what's on your Christmas Dinner menu?

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-12-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Apparently, when I have a hankering to make something, I can't just stop with one thing. Obviously. Cookie streak anybody?

So when I decided to make breakfast the other day, naturally I got it in my head to make something else for breakfast. Not the same day. Goodness no. It's all I can do to bake cookies and make dinner in one day.

I'm pretty sure this might have been an "let's order pizza for dinner" type night.

I can't make this stuff up. Promise.

I am also apparently behind the curve when it comes to making any and everything with pumpkin. Such a shame. Because these are super tasty. I believe Adam called them "pumpkin pie lite".

And it's also a shame it took me two months to get around to using my brand spankin' new waffle maker I got for my birthday. Especially since I'm way more of a waffle fan than a pancake fan. Guess that goes to show how often we have fancy breakfasts around here.

Pumpkin Waffles

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 9 ingredients (through ginger).

In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then add the buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter. Whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients increments, whisking well to keep the batter smooth between each addition.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a soft peak (peaks that easily fall over). Gently fold whites into the batter until just combined.

Coat hot waffle iron with cooking spray. Ladle one large scoop of batter (about 1/2 cup) into the center of the waffle iron and close. Cook according to the manufacturer's instructions (mine was 3-4 minutes). Transfer waffle to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.

Waffles can be kept warm in an oven set at the lowest temperature until ready to serve.

Makes: 8 waffles

This was such a great spin on your typical waffle recipe. And really not much harder than it either, minus the whole whipping the egg white thing. Which actually took much less time that I expected (super plus).

Another great bonus is that waffles are great to throw in the freezer for breakfast another day. Just pop them in the toaster and you're golden (leggo my eggo -- don't tell me I'm the only one that remembers that). It's like we're getting homemade breakfasts every morning. Without the hassle. Now that I like.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 173g
Amount per serving
Calories 312	Calories from fat 107
% Daily Value
Total Fat 11.9g	18%
Saturated Fat 6.6g	33%
Cholesterol 118mg	39%
Sodium 468mg	20%
Total Carbs 42.8g	14%
Fiber 2.3g	9%
Sugars 10.1g
Protein 9.3g
Vitamin A 103%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 19%	Iron 16%

Baked Red Velvet Doughnuts

2011-12-16T11:21:00.001-05:00

How about we take a break from the cookies for a bit? Sounds like a good idea -- especially since my oven has not been turned on in about a week. Okay, lie.

Once.

For these.

I had originally made a different version of these a couple weeks ago when my sister was visiting, and promptly forgot to add in the melted butter. Nice.

I knew I wanted to give these another shot, but the opened package of red velvet cake mix tucked away in the pantry was calling my name. So the cake mix route I went.

Do.not.regret.

Baked Red Velvet Doughnuts

Adapted from: Gingerbread Bagels

2 cups Red Velvet Cake Mix
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons 1% milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a doughnut pan with non-stick spray (or grease with vegetable shortening).

Whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, being careful not to over mix. Some lumps from the cake mix may remain.

Transfer batter to a sandwich-sized plastic bag and snip off the corner. Use bag to pipe batter into the prepared pan, filling only about 1/2 full. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat in 3 tablespoons milk. Add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (I prefer mine more on the thin side).

Once doughnuts have cooled, place them, one at a time, face down in the glaze until the top is coated. Remove and flip right side up and place back on the cooling rack. Repeat with remaining doughnuts. Glaze may remain slightly sticky.

Makes: 2 dozen

These are light an fluffy and just what you'd expect from a red velvet cake in terms of flavor. As a doughnut... still delicious, but not exact what you get when running into Dunkin Donuts. (Okay, let's just all admit right now that we know they aren't going to be the same going into this.)

Next go around, I think I might actually switch out the cake flour for some good ol' all-purpose as these were almost too soft. Which made getting them out of the pan a rather interesting feat.

Oh, and don't cheat and skip the cream cheese glaze. It's essential. Trust.

And the best part -- I don't have to get up early to make these AND enjoy them for breakfast. It's simply stir. bake. dip. done.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 53g
Amount per serving
Calories 161	Calories from fat 43
% Daily Value
Total Fat 4.8g	7%
Saturated Fat 2.4g	12%
Cholesterol 23mg	8%
Sodium 209mg	9%
Total Carbs 27.4g	9%
Fiber 0.5g	2%
Sugars 18.7g
Protein 2.5g
Vitamin A 3%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 5%	Iron 5%

Holiday Cookie Guide

2011-12-14T11:19:00.001-05:00

Feeling a little inundated by cookies? So am I. Or maybe it's just because my last 3 out of 4 posts have been about cookies.

Though that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Of course, I got it in my head to mail cookies out again this year, which is what sparked this little flurry of cookie making. And oh my -- shipping these things are expensive!

On a side note: avoid the post office. Apparently when you tell the post office lady that the packages are FRAGILE - with it written all over - it makes it fair game for her to shake them (in front of you), then throw them into a bin in the back. Lady, I might not be able to see you do it, but I can most definitely hear the loud bang of them hitting the bin from some distance. I didn't just write FRAGILE on them for my health. Grrr.

So... if you received a box of crushed up cookies... my apologies. For going through the post office.

Anyhoo, so apparently I have far too much time on my hands. I might have made a little guide for the cookies. (I see you rolling your eyes over there, but you know you hate getting food and not having a clue what it is, don't deny it.)

I was inspired by the classic box of chocolates. Because heaven forbid I get a coconut covered chocolate. Or you may just find a bunch of fingernail punctures on the bottom of the chocolates to see what's inside. Not that I've ever been guilty of doing that before.

Not only did I include cookies, but I threw in a little baggie of Peppermint Hot Chocolate, too. With a little scrapbooking paper, fancy scissors, and Photoshop, I think they turned out cute. Okay, and maybe a little bit hard to read.

But still.

So, here's my run down on this year's must-have cookies:

Snickerdoodles
Spritz Cookies
Chocolate Crinkles
Swirl Sugar Cookies
Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Blossoms

I suggest you start at the top and work your way down. Or start anywhere, really. Because I can't rank things when they're all so good. It's a character flaw, I know. That I can deal with -- not having cookies, I can't.

Chocolate Crinkles

2011-12-13T11:14:00.000-05:00

At one point last week, at least half of my freezer was completely filled with cookies. No, but really. Even after I cleaned things out. Since then, I've mailed a few of them off, but there still remains well over 6 dozen cookies in there (probably closer to 7 or 8).

We are going to have one tasty Christmas, that's for sure.

See, I just don't believe in Christmas without a cookie plate. It's a necessity -- just part of how this holiday works. You walk by the cookie plate and grab a cookie. Christmas cookies don't come with any calories. Fact.

Okay, or so I wish.

I am not sure how I've made I through 27 Christmases and these have yet to grace the cookie plate. Kind of a crime when you think about it. Or taste them. Time to change that business. After making 2 batches of these, they are well on their way to becoming a holiday staple.

Chocolate Crinkles

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (such a Hershey's Special Dark)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In the large work bowl of a mixer, beat together the cocoas, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until the cocoa powder is well hydrated. Beat in eggs, one at a time, fully mixing in before adding the next. Add vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in thirds to the wet ingredients. Once the flour mixture is fully incorporated into the batter, cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into a tablespoon or a #50 size cookie scoop. Drop dough into the powdered sugar, roll until coated with sugar, then roll into 1-inch balls. Transfer dough ball to prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the dark, cracked part of the cookie looks baked. Let rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks.

Makes: 5 dozen

I'll admit, I was a little leery when I saw these went for oil instead of butter -- until I remembered that's how brownie and cake mixes roll, soooo I should just go with it. And you know what? It works.

These are rich and fudgey -- pretty much just a brownie in cookie form covered in powdered sugar. Totally a cookie Adam can get behind. And me. Although I usually don't discriminate, I'll back most any cookie.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 18g
Amount per serving
Calories 69	Calories from fat 21
% Daily Value
Total Fat 2.3g	4%
Saturated Fat 0.6g	3%
Cholesterol 12mg	4%
Sodium 24mg	1%
Total Carbs 11.8g	4%
Fiber 0.6g	2%
Sugars 7.7g
Protein 1.1g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1%	Iron 3%

Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Blossoms

2011-12-07T18:31:00.001-05:00

These have been on my to-make list for a year. A year people.

Last year, while we were still at home, I had purchased a bag of the candy cane kisses, and thoroughly enjoyed most of the bag before stumbling across this recipe. "Oh, well, I'll just make them for Christmas when we're out at Adam's parents."

Fast forward a couple weeks, much hair-pulling, and at least 4 grocery stores later -- there were absolutely no candy cane kisses to be found in the Kansas City area. I'm pretty sure his parents thought I was out of my mind. Well, more-so than normal anyways.

I will admit I felt slightly vindicated this year when I easily found them taking up shelf space at their local grocery store over Thanksgiving. Yes, they do exist.

As soon as I got my tush home from Kansas City I went out and bought a package. Then made these cookies. And became even more depressed that I had to wait an.entire.year to make these. Don't make the same mistake.

Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Blossoms

Adapted from: swEEts by e

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa, such as Hershey's Special Dark
36 Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In the large work bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the egg, continue to beat until well mixed. Mix in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Slowly mix dry ingredients into the large bowl, a little bit at a time until fully incorporated.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon). Place on prepared baking sheets 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Press a candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes: 3 dozen

While still absolutely tasty when eaten the next day, or a few hours after baking for that matter, these are absolutely a.w.e.s.o.m.e. almost right out of the oven. Okay, give them like 10 minutes or so, then they're awesome. The kisses hold their shape upon first inspection, but after the first bite they turn into a molten mess on the top of the cookie, which is just divine.

Microwaving is the next best thing when they're not straight-out-of-the-oven, but I have yet to find the right time to get that kiss to start getting gooey on the inside. Don't worry. I'm still trying.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 25g
Amount per serving
Calories 122	Calories from fat 63
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7.0g	11%
Saturated Fat 3.3g	17%
Cholesterol 12mg	4%
Sodium 42mg	2%
Total Carbs 14.0g	5%
Sugars 7.9g
Protein 1.3g
Vitamin A 2%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2%	Iron 2%

Kitchen Must-Haves

2011-12-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

As I was busy in the kitchen today making even more cookies, I got to thinking about all the little (or not so much) gadgets and things that make things so much easier and a breeze in the kitchen. Well, as long as they're clean anyways.

Things I just can't live without. Or, until I have to, and then I suck it up while pouting.

Multiple sets of quality measuring cups and spoons. Because let's face it, your recipe just called for you to add 1 teaspoon vanilla, then 1 teaspoon baking soda. (I kind of wish they sold these separately, as my teaspoons keep running off...)

The often overlooked pastry blender. An absolute must for pie crusts and crumbles.

The cookie dough scoop. I totally grew up using the two-spoon method, but after having one of these -- it makes life so much easier. (Not to mention my cookies all the right size!)

A kitchen scale. It's not just for those looking for portion control -- weighing out ingredients is far more accurate than measuring cups. Not to mention it works wonders with hard to measure ingredients (such as meat or veggies).

A meat thermometer -- rock it old school, or get fancy with a wireless programmable one. Either way, it's crucial for knowing when that awesome pork tenderloin is ready to come out of the oven.

Pastry bags and and couple tips. You don't have to go buck wild here, but having a few large tips (such as a 2D or 1M) make frosting cupcakes a breeze -- not to mention make them look all fancy. Oh, and I prefer the disposable bags. Makes for a lot easier clean up.

The stand mixer. What else can I say besides "love"? Maybe how awesome it is I can let it whip eggs while I go work on something else. No need to stand around holding the mixer.

If you give a mouse a cookie... you'll have to have some accessories to go with that mixer... like a Beater Blade or an extra bowl.

So tell me, what makes your life easy in the kitchen?

Swirl Sugar Cookies

2011-12-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

I am so excited for the holiday baking season. I really hope you're with me on this one, because there's a lot of sweet sugary goodness coming your way.

I can't help it. The more and more presents that make their way under our tree all nice and prettily wrapped, the more and more cookies I think I should make. Let me tell you, there's already quite a few presents.

Problem is, I'm running out of room in the freezer. And I'm less than halfway through my baking list. Looks like I need to clean out some non-essentials -- like the meat and veggies. Oh, and that bagged crockpot meal that's been hiding out in the back, since, forever. Or maybe just throw that away?

Either way, it's time to make room for the cookies. I mean, really, how can you say no to something as cute and festive as these?

Swirl Sugar Cookies

Adapted from: Our Italian Kitchen

2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon food coloring
1/2 teaspoon flavored extract (optional)
2 ounces sprinkles

Prepare 4 sheets of wax paper, larger than 11 x 9-inches; set aside.

In the large work bowl of a mixer, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. Add butter and mix at medium speed. Add vanilla, and continue mixing until dough forms a ball on the paddle. Divide dough in half, and remove one half to a sheet of wax paper, while leaving the remaining portion in the mixing bowl. Add the food coloring and any additional extracts desired. Beat until coloring is thoroughly mixed in. Transfer colored dough portion to a second sheet of wax paper.

Cover each dough portion with a sheet of wax paper, and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness (about 11 x 9). Slide dough rectangles, still between wax paper, onto cookie sheets. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Remove dough from the refrigerator. Remove the top wax sheet from each dough portion. Lightly brush uncolored dough with water. Place the uncovered side of the colored dough face down on top of the uncolored dough, so no wax paper is between the two. Lightly press together the edges of the dough portions so they seal together. Trim any overlapping dough to form straight, even edges.

Once dough becomes soft enough to bend (though still fairly chilled), start rolling up the long side of dough, forming a swirl. If any tearing occurs, simply pinch dough back together.

Place sprinkles on a large flat plate. Carefully lift dough log onto the sprinkle plate and roll through sprinkles, pressing lightly to help them adhere to the outside. Completely cover outside of log with sprinkles. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator 3-4 hours (or in the freezer for up to 2 months).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut dough with a sharp knife into 1/8 - 1/4-inch slices. Place on prepared baking sheets 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cookies remain on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Makes: about 18 cookies

Now I know I've called these "sugar cookies", but they're really more of a mix between butter cookies and sugar cookies. Soft like a sugar cookie, but the flavor definitely has some heavy butter overtones. Which, isn't necessarily a bad thing. I could totally see going in all kind of directions with different flavors and colors with these!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 41g
Amount per serving
Calories 204	Calories from fat 120
% Daily Value
Total Fat 13.3g	20%
Saturated Fat 8.1g	41%
Cholesterol 34mg	11%
Sodium 122mg	5%
Total Carbs 20.3g	7%
Sugars 9.6g
Protein 1.6g
Vitamin A 8%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1%	Iron 4%

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

2011-11-30T12:29:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to lie. The first thing on my "to-do" list once we got home from our Thanksgiving vacation was to get out all the Christmas decorations. Well, right after I took care of mounds and mounds of laundry. And after I put away my measly little box of fall decor. But then it was time to bust out the stockings, and advent calendar, and oh yes, the tree.

In the process, I may have rearranged our living room in order for the tree to go in front of the window. Maybe. By myself. Joy.

Though trying to program the fancy pants timer while upside down to turn on at different times of day... well, I left that one for the hubby to figure out. And the ornaments. I was good this year and only put the lights on the tree until he got home.

I wrapped the few presents we already had and stuck them under the tree.

It was a busy Monday.

And I'm still itching to get the lights up outside. Too bad we won't be able to borrow a ladder for another couple days.

Don't hate. I like to enjoy my Christmas decorations for more than a week before packing them all away for another year.

If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of the Christmas season. Especially Christmas baked goods. In my book, there can never be too many goodies on the cookie plate. Which, of course, is absolutely required. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Although hot chocolate might not go on the cookie plate, it sure is tasty while you're busy making all those cookies. Or sitting in front of the tree enjoying your handy work. Or after going outside and having a snowball fight. I mean really, it's pretty much a winter staple. But adding that extra little bit of peppermint flavor totally swings it into the holiday season. Yum.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Adapted from: Brown Eyed Baker

9 ounces Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses
3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Unwrap the candy cane kisses; place in a quart-sized ziploc bag. Place bag in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the powdered milk into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until any lumps are gone, and milk is ground very fine. Pour into a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa to the same food processor bowl (no need to clean). Pulse until sugar and cocoa are mixed thoroughly. Transfer mix to the gallon-sized bag. Add the frozen candy cane kisses to the food processor. Grind kisses until a powder forms; pour into the gallon-sized bag. Seal bag and shake well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Store in an airtight container.

To make hot chocolate: combine 1/3 cup of the cocoa mixture with 1 cup of hot milk in a coffee mug. Serve topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Makes: 1 3/4 pound (about 16 servings)

Even though you're adding almost an entire bag of candy cane kisses to the batch, the peppermint flavor, while definitely present, isn't overwhelming. And chocolate and peppermint? Such a perfect chilly day combo. Now I just need to work on making some homemade marshmallows to go with them...

Nutrition Facts - Mix only
Serving Size 61g
Amount per serving
Calories 234	Calories from fat 51
% Daily Value
Total Fat 5.7g	9%
Saturated Fat 2.9g	14%
Cholesterol 6mg	2%
Sodium 275mg	11%
Total Carbs 41.4g	14%
Fiber 3.0g	12%
Sugars 34.7g
Protein 10.8g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 32%	Iron 15%