Hoisin Chicken with Ramen Veggie Stir-Fry

This, again, is an outcome of my trying to use everything perishable in my refrigerator before the move commenced! This could only be more simple if you are one of the Jetsons and simply have to push a button for the meal of your choice, wait 0.5 seconds, and have a delicious, hot meal ready for your gastronomical pleasure! Oh, how I miss that show!

Tasty, yes? Let's begin!

For the lovely chicken;

This takes roughly 12 minutes to make!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise

salt

2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder

cooking spray

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

green onions, bias sliced

roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and 5 spice on both sides. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray and oil, cook chicken for two minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for three minutes. Baste with Hoisin and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, until cooked through. Garnish with green onion and peanuts.

This recipe serves 4.

Here's how to throw together the stir fry!

This recipe takes 10 minutes to prep and cook.

2 packages Ramen noodles, any variety you choose (I used Oriental this time.)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, bias sliced, divided

salt

2 carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into short strips

2 teaspoons chinese 5 spice

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

black sesame seeds

In a small pot of boiling water, stir in the seasoning packet from the noodles until dissolved and add the pasta. Cook until tender, about 3 or 4 minutes, breaking the block apart with a spoon as it softens up. Drain, reserving a little liquid (I usually keep about a cup), add back to the pot, toss with oil, and cover to keep warm (I know the seasoning packet sounds pointless, since you drain it away, but it helps season the ramen,).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet prayed with cooking spray over medium heat, add the onion, reserving enough for garnish (I would save one onion) and garlic. Season with a little salt and cook until they begin to soften, about a minute. Add in carrot, celery and bell pepper, a touch more salt and 5 spice, cook, stirring often, until crisp tender, about three minutes. Add the pasta in (adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed) and stir-fry another minute or two until warmed through. Garnish with reserved green onion, peanuts, and black sesame seeds (I know there are none in the picture. It was an afterthought!).

This recipe serves 4.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Broth and Noodles

My husband was all sick and gross one day, so I ran out and got a chicken to make him some soup! That would be because I am an amazing wife, if I do say so myself!! :) Chicken noodle soup is one of only two soups my husband will eat, but he will only eat these two soups when he's sick. The other is a potato soup I make with ground beef or shredded chicken and chicken stock which is incredible as well! When I make a broth forward soup, where it is the star, I always make it myself, because then it is eight thousand times better! I also make my own noodles, so I'll just break this recipe into it's three parts!

Ya, of course I put cheese on there! What do I not put cheese on??

To start, you need to make broth;

I don't salt my stock. You can if you chose to, but I prefer to add the salt to whichever dish I'm using the broth for.

This takes at least three hours, but you can simmer as long as you wish.

1 stewing chicken plus boney parts you may have in your freezer from butchering another bird, or three pounds of scraps from butchering. (Neck, backbone, wings, any scrap with a bone.)

3 stalks of celery with leaves, cut into large chunks

2 carrots, cut

1 large onion, unpeeled and cut up

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (If you have none, use 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.)

4 sprigs parsley

2 bay leaves

2 large garlic cloves, smashed and unpeeled

8 cups cold water

(If, whenever you're making stock, you're making another dish, throw in the scraps from the veggies you're chopping for it as well. So, go ahead and prep the veggies for your soup now, it will add more deliciousness to your broth.)

If you are using leftover pieces from butchering a bird, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and roast the bones for 20 to 30 minutes until browned.

Place chicken and bones into a large stock pot, with at least a 6 quart capacity. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for at least 2 1/2 hours. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove the bones and vegetables. Discard the bones and give the veggies to your cat. Or throw them away, better yet, compost them. Whatever you choose!

Strain broth through a fine seive lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Skim the broth or clarify it by returning strained broth to the pot and stir in an egg beaten with 1/4 cup cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes and strain again. If you're chilling it for another use, you can refrigerate and scrape off the hardened fat from the top, but I find clarifying to be the easiest method for defatting broth.

This makes about 8 cups.

While the broth is doing it's thing, make the noodles:

I like to add dried herbs to my homemade pasta, and used basil for these, you can leave it out if you like or use whatever herb you like. I've also used frozen, drained spinach, which is in my pasta recipe from earlier.

These noodles take about 1 hour to prep and cook.

2 cups whole wheat flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)

2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (Save the two whites for an omelette.)

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together 1 3/4 cups flour and salt. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, water, and oil together. Pour into well in flour and mix well. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour onto a clean kneading surface. Turn dough out and knead until it is smooth and elastic, a good 8-10 minute arm workout! Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each out into a 12x9 inch rectangle, about 1/16 inch thick. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Lightly dust dough with flour, loosly roll up into a long log, and cut 1/4 inch wide strips and shake to seperate. Cut into 2 inch lengths. To use immediately, cook for 2 minutes and drain. To dry for storage, lay out on a wire cooling rack and let dry for an hour, until completely dry. Store, refrigerated, in an wirtight container for 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

When I make these noodles as part of a soup, before I add the stock to the veggies for my soup, I pull out enough to cook the noodles and then place a strainer over my soup pot when draining my pasta to return the stock to the pot, toss the noodles with a little extra virgin olive oil and store in an airtight container in my refrigerator, and add them to the bottom of the bowls before I add the hot soup, it warms them through very well, and that way I don't have fresh noodles sucking up all of the moisture and falling apart in my leftovers.

This makes about 5 servings if you plan to have them as a main player of your meal.

For the main event, the soup;

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook.

1 cooked chicken, from making your stock

1 onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen green beans

2 teaspoons salt

8 cups chicken broth

pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Siracha sauce (optional)

Remove and discard skin and fat from chicken. Cut the meat from the chicken and shread.

In a large pot sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, carrots and celery, seasoned with salt. Add chicken and saute so some of the meat becomes a little crispy on the edges. Add the broth, peas and green beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered,  for 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in the parsley. Ladel into bowls, grate parmesan cheese over the top, and sprinkle with additional parsley. If you're wanting to open your sinuses, or just dig spicy soup, add some Siracha to taste! This soup is also really good with a teaspoon of basalmic vinegar stirred in, even with the Siracha!

This recipe makes 8 to 10 servings!

Enjoy! This is some delicious soup!!!

Roasted Shrimp Alfredo and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Here I go again with the roasted veggies!! You can't stop me!! :) I wanted a different spin on shrimp, sauteed is awesome, but I've done it alot!  So I roasted it, and it came out amazingly!!

Mmmhmm, looks good, doesn't it?

To get that amazing alfredo on your table;

This takes about 20 minutes to prep and make.

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (Leaving the tails on may be pretty, but it's annoying to eat, so leave them off, please!!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

8 ounces whole wheat pasta, whatever cut you have around the house

1 small to medium clove garlic, minced

1 cup evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 to 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (Pre-made seasonings are usually mostly salt, so go easy with it, parmesan adds a good bit of salty flavor, as well.)

1/2 tablespoon butter

basil, cut into a chiffonade

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together shrimp, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Lay out in an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Roast until pink and firm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta one  minute short of package directions, to al dente doneness.

In a small saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat, saute garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds and add milk. Bring to a light bubble, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken and stir in butter, cajun seasoning, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and add parmesan. Drain the pasta well and toss with the sauce. Plate as prettily as you can and top with shrimp. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and basil. Enjoy! It's very awesome!!

This recipe serves 4.

For the Brussels sprouts:

This recipe takes about 40 minutes to prep and cook.

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim any ends off of the sprouts and peel off any yellow outer leaves. Halve each one and toss in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until browned on both sides, turning halfway through. Plate and top with cheese!! Mmmmm!!

This recipe serves 4.

Onion and Mushroom Sauced Steaks with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes

I'm sorry I haven't updated my blog in so long! Once my son started waking up as soon as I end my workouts on the weekdays, I haven't had a ton of time to update! Add to that planning a move, packing, moving, and trying to get settled, and being overwhelmed with how many meals I didn't post, I procrastinated a bit! So, let's see how many I get done today! :)

This is my "Fantastic. I want steak but didn't plan a steak meal this week." recipe! It also happens to be my husband's favorite way that I make steaks, so this was actually planned, but I tend to use it when there are a few rogue steaks in my freezer from packs of 6, which seems to be how most steaks I buy come. My favorite pan sauces always include some sort of alcohol, and when I come across a recipe that calls for a different liquid, I always substitute part of it with wine, beer, or liquor, whatever's in my house. I have even made beer and bourbon gravies! If you don't have any in the house, or don't cook with alcohol, you can always use a stock that matches the meat (or a vegetable stock if you aren't eating  meat that night) you're serving the sauce with. Pan sauces are my favorite things to play with, you can make them with juice and soda, even, and they're amazing!!

My favorite way to make any vegetable, which you may be able to tell if you have read a few of my blogs, is to roast them. I adore the caramelization you get when you roast, and, of course, the cheeseaholic I am gets an excuse for gratuitious cheese use!! What goes better with that roasted flavor than a nice slightly sharp cheese?? :)

Looks awesome, right?

To make the steak;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook, but depends on what kind of steak you use.

4 steaks, whichever you like (I used chuck that was leftover from a large package this time.)

grill seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce, divided

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced thick or quartered, about half of a 10oz package

1/4 cup dry red wine (This time I used a Cabernet/Shiraz blend)

1/4 cup beef stock

1/2 tablespoon butter (3 teaspoons if you're scooping it from a tub)

salt

pepper

1 tablespoon thyme, divided

Season the steaks liberally with grill seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sprayed with cooking spray and coated with oil, cook steaks to desired doneness (I like medium-rare, so I cooked my chuck steaks about 4 minutes on each side.), sprinkling with the  tablespoon of Worstershire after you flip, and remove from pan to let rest and tent with foil.

Spray the pan with more cooking spray, if necessary, lower the heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until the onion is tender and mushrooms begin to brown. Add the 2 teapoons Worchestershire, stir to coat the veggies, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat so you don't burn your house down, and add wine. Scrape the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan, let come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until it has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. If you dip a spoon into the sauce, run your finger down the back, and the line stays put, it is ready. Stir in butter until it melts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in half of the thyme leaves. Plate the steaks and top with the sauce and veggies. Sprinkle the top with the remainin thyme.

This recipe makes 4 yummy servings!!

For the roasted broccoli;

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and cook.

2 heads broccoli, cut into long spears (Use those stems! They're yummy and you already paid for them!)

2 tablespoons olive oil (Don't waste your extra virgin to cook with.)

salt

pepper

juice of 1/2 of a lemon (Juice from half of an orange is amazing, as well. Just use an actual orange, don't use what you drink with breakfast. It usually has sugar added, and won't work as well.)

freshly grated parmesan (I also is use swiss on them, which is delicious, also!) 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay the broccoli spears on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Spread out in an even layer and roast for 20 minutes, until the florets brown. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the broccoli to brighten it up, and garnish the top with some parmesan cheese.



This serves 4!

To make roasted potatoes;

My husband loves the crispy, brown potatoes on the edges of the foil packet when his mom grills potatoes. I wanted to make them a bit healthier, and the crispy ones are the best, so why not just make an entire sheet pan of crispy potatoes?

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook.

4 medium to large Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, sliced to a medium thickness (Not paper thin, but not terribly thick. Yukon Gold is my favorite!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with remaining ingredients. Spread out on an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 20 minutes. Switch on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the tops turn a nice golden to medium brown and crisp up.

This makes 4 servings, or two and a half if my husband is eating them!

Herb Crusted Flank Steak with Wild Mushroom Barley Rissoto and Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage

So, this was pretty freaking awesome, if I do say so myself!! I was very proud of this!! The crust on the steak was nice and crisp, the risotto was creamy and delicious, and the sweet tang of the cabbage offered a really nice contrast to the risotto!! Little Man is always excited about steak, but was equally as excited about the barley once he took a bite!

For the yummy yummy in your tummy steak;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook.

1 1.5 to 2 pound flank steak

juice from 1 lemon

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

pepper

1/3 cup Panko

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons dried parsley

3 tablespoons dried basil

Preheat broiler.

Lay flank steak on a synthetic cutting board. Score the surface on both sides, making very shallow cuts on the diagonal, about an inch apart in an "X" pattern.

In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, mustard, and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture and place in another small bowl. To the 2 Tbsp mustard, add Panko, Parmesan, oil, parsley, and basil, mixing well. Pour the mustard over the top of the steak. Spoon the Panko mixture over the top, pressing to adhere. Lay on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Broil for 20 minutes. If the topping browns too quickly, lower the rack. The meat should be medium rare (160 to 170 degrees), dark pink in the middle. Be careful not to over cook, the meat will become tough, much like eating an old shoe!

This recipe serves 4-6.

For the Wild Mushroom Barley Ristotto;

This recipe takes about 55 minutes to prep and cook.

2 large shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms (I used Cremini, but you can use any mushroom, or combination of mushrooms you like. Oyster, button, or chanterelle would be wonderful in this, too!)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 cup barley

2 1/2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon roasted garlic tomato paste

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

In a medium saucepan sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, saute shallot and garlic until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add parsley, thyme and barley and cook stirring, until heated, about a minute. Add 2 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until it is almost absorbed and barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of the stock and tomato paste. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender and creamy, about 10 minutes. If it becomes too dry, add a little more broth to moisten.

Stir in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

This recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

For the braised cabbage;

This recipe takes about 50 minutes to prep and cook.

4 cups sliced red cabbage

2 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Splenda

1 cup fresh pitted cherries

1/3 cup dried cherries

basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large saucepan, combine all ingerdients. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil.

Bake until the cabbage is tender, but still crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes. Garnish with torn basil leaves.

This recipe serves 4.

Chuck Steak Stir Fry

This recipe came from my trying to use up the meat we have in the house! We're moving soon, and I hate food waste, so I'm trying to use all I have around! I had two chuck steaks leftover in my freezer from something I made a while back, so I figured I'd stretch the protein with a veggie packed stir fry! This was awesome! The only downer is that now when my son sees corn he starts asking for baby corn! I guess I need to start keeping some on hand, he loves them!!

To put this hot bowl of awesome in your belly;

This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prepare.

1 cup brown rice

2 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

6 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias

1/2 pound chuck steaks (2 steaks, roughly), cut into thin strips

2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice

salt

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons beef stock

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon Splenda

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 carrot, diced

2 handfuls sugar snap peas

1 can baby corn, drained and rinsed

1 can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 can bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed 

In a small pot, combine rice and beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender. Toss with one teaspoon sesame oil and  2 green onions.

Meanwhile, season beef evenly with 5 spice and salt. In a large skillet or wok sprayed with cooking spray, cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until just seared outside and still pink in the middle. Drain on paper towels.

For the sauce, in a small bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons beef stock, hoisin, ginger, 2 teaspoons of the garlic, cornstarch, Splenda, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In the skillet or wok sprayed with cooking spray, lower heat to medium. Add 3 green onions and the remaining garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and carrot, season again, and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add snap peas, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, and warm through. Add meat back to pan and stir in the sauce. Toss well and simmer until thickened.

Serve in bowls over rice. Drizzle the tops with the 1 remaining teaspoon sesame oil, and top with the remaining green onion. Enjoy!!

This recipe serves 4.

Gumbo Pot Pie

I really wanted to have some gumbo when I was doing my menu plan, but my husband doesn't like soup, so I decided to try to thicken it up and make a pot pie out of it! It was really good!!! We all enjoyed it, our son especially, he seems to have a soft spot for pot pies!

Here is what you need for this recipe;

This takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook.

1/2 pound turkey kielbasa sausage, cut into bite sized slices

cooking spray

cajun seasoning

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes 

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon paprika

salt

pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup diced tomatoes (You can use canned if you want, just make sure to drain them.)

1/2 cup okra, sliced thick

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed

fresh oregano

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking pan or ramekins with nonstick cooking spray, inside and on the rim.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute sausage over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Season chicken with cajun seasoning, and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain. Spray the pan again and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery, and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in thyme and seasonings, along with stock, tomatoes and okra. Stir in chicken and sausage. Make a slurry from the corn starch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk the slurry into the gumbo, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer until thickened.

Lay the puff pastry out, and turn your baking dish(es) upside down on top. Cut the pastry about 1/2 inch around the dish. If you need to, gather scraps and roll them back out to make toppers for additional dishes. 

Pour the gumbo into a baking pan, or ladel into ramekins. Lay the pastry on top, and press into the sides to stick. Cut slits into the top, spray with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cajun seasoning.

Bake for 20 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and puffed up. Let rest 5 minutes before serving, and sprinkle the top with oregano and parmesan cheese!

This recipe serves 8-10.

This was very delicious! I hope you devour it as quickly as we did!

Onion and Mushroom sauced Steaks with Mustard Worcestershire Macaroni and Cheese!

The first thing Hubby wanted me to make him when he came home was cube steaks and a baked potato. I very rarely serve two starches with a meal, but I was in the mood for cheesy pasta, so I loaded it with roasted veggies to compensate! It was super delicious!!

For the yummy steaks;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt

pepper

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

grill seasoning

4 cube steaks

1/2 cup beef stock

fresh parmesan cheese

oregano

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, saute onion and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper until softened. Stir in mushrooms and continue to cook until they begin to brown. Toss in one tablespoon worcestershire and the thyme. Move the onions and mushrooms around to make room for the steaks.

Season steaks on both sides with grill seasoning. Spray the empty areas of the pan with additional cooking spray, and cook the steaks 5 minutes on each side, sprinkling with the remaining worcestershire when you add them to the pan. Add the beef stock and distribute the onion mixture around the pan. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes until the steaks begin to tenderize.

Plate the steaks and top with onions and mushrooms. Grate some parmesan over top and sprinkle torn oregano leaves over the top. Enjoy!!!

This recipe serves 4.

For the yummy macaroni;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and make.

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup peas, thawed
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1/4 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Russet potato, chopped (skin on!!)

1 carrot, chopped

2 cups whole wheat macaroni

2 cans evaporated skim milk

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

basil

parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a targe bowl, toss peas and corn with oil, salt and pepper. Lay out on the baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, add onions, garlic, carrot, and potato. Saute until tender and carrot and potato start to brown slightly, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt the water. Add the pasta and cook until Al dente, according to package directions (9 minutes for mine).

In a medium pot over medium heat, scald milk, stirring occasionally to avoid forming a skin. Make a slurry in a small bowl by whisking the corn starch with 2 teaspoons water until fully dissolved. Add a couple of tablespoons of hot milk to temper the slurry. Once tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges of the milk, add the slurry. Let simmer until the milk begins to thicken, then add mustard, worcestershire, cayenne, salt and pepper. Whisk in cheese until melted. Toss in all of the veggies and pasta, and stir until everything is evenly coated in cheesy sauce!

Portion out and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and torn basil!

This recipe makes 8 side dish servings.

We all bake potatoes our own ways. This is mine;

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes well. Dry thuroughly, do not prick,  and place directly on the baking rack for 45 to 50 minutes until tender but not mushy.  Slice an "X" in the top, squeeze to open up, and top in whichever way you wish!!

White Bean and Pasta Soup

Right before Man came home, I had a couple of my girlfriends over for dinner! This is what I made, and it was very yummy!! I didn't take a picture of it that day, but I did shoot a few pictures of it the next day. However, I had just gotten back from the pool with the little one, and the lens fogged up for a little bit, so this picture is a bit, shall we say dream like? Don't let the fuzzy image fool you, it was delicious!!

Here is what I did;

This recipe takes about an hour to prep and cook.

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 red potatoes, chopped

2 large handfuls kale, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water, whatever you want.

1 bag cooked and frozen Great Northern beans, with liquid (If you're using canned, drain liquid and add 1/2 cup water or chicken stock)

1 bag cooked and frozen Red Kidney beans, with liquid (Same deal as the white ones if you use canned)

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 cup whole wheat macaroni or other small cut pasta

mozzarella cheese

fresh parmesan cheese

oregano

basil

Spray a large pot with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic, carrot, celery, and potato, seasoned with salt and pepper, until starting to soften, 5 minutes. Add kale and saute an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted. Add red pepper flakes, stock, beans, and tomato and simmer 30 minutes. Bring back to a boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Add additional water as the pasta cooks if the soup becomes too thick. Taste for seasoning and readjust accordingly.

Ladel into bowls and grate mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over top, tear oregano and basil with your hands and sprinkle over the top. Devour! It's fantastic!!

This recipe serves 8.

Whole Wheat Spinach Fettuchine Sauced Two Ways

Good morning! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have a lot to post by now! I made this pasta a while ago and froze it for later use. I went through my freezer to use up what was in there, so decided to make it, and use half with one sauce, and the other half a different way. Husband was still gone, so I had enough to make two different ways, but one recipe of the pasta will feed four.

Shh, don't say it. I don't have pasta hangers, so I used ones from the closet!

Here's how to make your pasta:

This recipe takes an hour to prep, and 2 to 9 minutes to cook, depending on how you cut it.

2 3/4 cups whole wheat all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, add water, spinach and oil. Add to the flour and mix well.

Sprinkle a clean surface with the remaining flour. Turn our dough and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12 inch square, about 1/16 inch thick. If you use a pasta roller, pass through according to the machine's directions until it is 1/16 inch thick. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Loosly roll up and slice to desired cut (Fetucchini, would be about 1/4 inch wide, linguini should be 1/8 inch. For lasagna, leave the dough unrolled, and slice into 2 1/2 inch strips.)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, and add pasta. Fetucchini and linguini will take about 2 minutes to cook, lasagna will need 3 minutes. If you use the pasta for ravioli or tortellini, that will take 7 to 9 minutes.

If you wish to store the pasta, after cutting, hang the pasta on pasta drying rack, or hangers, or lay out on a cooling rack and let dry for 1 hour, or until completely dry. Store in an airtight container and chill for up to three days, or freeze in a ziplock bag.

This recipe makes 4 entree-sized, or 6 side dish servings.

Here are the two different ways I prepared the pasta:

This was super cinchy, all I did was boil half of the pasta in super salty water. I had a baggie with half of a jar of veggie primavera sauce leftover from the Spinach Lasagna I made a while back in the freezer that I thawed and heated over the stove, and added some French cut green beans to and let heat through. I then added the pasta to the sauce and gave it a good toss, plated, and shredded some mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over top, and garnished with some oregano leaves and basil cut into a chiffonade. Yummmmm!!!

This made 2 servings.

This isn't gorgeous, but it was delicious!!

I cooked the remaining half of the pasta. In a small saucepan, I brought 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk, salt and pepper to a boil, brought to a simmer, and let bubble gently for 5 minues, until it had thickened up, and added 1/2 cup of peas to heat through. I then took the pot off the heat and added 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, and tossed the pasta in the sauce!

For the chicken, I cut the breast in half along a diagonal and seasoned each half with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. In a pan over medium-high heat, I seared the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, then put in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes to cook through, sliced the meat, spread it over the pasta and garnished with a little extra Alfredo and freshly grated parmesan cheese! It was very good!!

This serves 2.

Veggie Packed Minestrone

Good afternoon!! I made this awesome minestrone the other night!! SO good! It's vegetarian, and would be vegan if you omit the parm at the end. It's very filling and flavorful, so great for omnivores and herbavores alike! I made this in my slow cooker, but you can definitely make it on top of your stove.

This is D. Licious!

To get this in some of your bowls;

This recipe takes about 10 minutes to prep and 6 to 8 hours to cook!

6 cups vegetable stock

2 carrots, chopped

1 large red onion (By large, I mean enormous!) or 2 medium

3 ribs celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 zucchini, cubed

2 red potatoes, cubed

3 handfulls kale, slightly chopped

1 cup dry barley

1 can white northern beans, rinsed or drained (Or a thawed bag, liquid and all if you make your own.)

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1 28 oz can Italian crushed tomatoes

salt

pepper

2 sprigs fresh oregano

4 or 5 big basil leaves

freshly grated parmesan

Combine all ingredients besides oregano, basil, and parmesan in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Aim for 8, you get better flavor the longer you let it simmer. Ladel into bowls. Grate some Parmesan over the soup. Tear the oregano with your hands, chiffonade the basil, and sprinkle both atop the cheese. Enjoy!!

This recipe serves 12!

Because the barley will suck up the liquid, when you heat up your leftovers, you may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water or stock and stir it in prior to reheating.

If you wish, serve it up with the Roasted Garlic and Grilled Scallion Buttermilk Biscuits I made with the Florentine soup!! I also served this for lunch with a pannini made with spicy brown mustard, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and deli ham on whole wheat bread, grilled and pressed until the bread was crisp and cheese melty! It's amazing with both, as well as on it's own!!

 

If you don't want to wait all day, or don't have a slow cooker, you can make the soup this way;

This method would take 1 hour and 15 minutes to prep and cook!

Saute onions and garlic in a large pot sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add in the rest of the vegetables, except the beans and kale, and saute 5 minutes. Add in the kale, broth, barley, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 50 minutes. Add the beans and parsley and simmer 10 more minutes. Ladel into bowls and top with freshly grated Parm, torn oregano, and chiffonaded basil.

Roasted Veggies Shells and Cheese

Okay. I don't typically buy prepackaged foods. They're usually made with preservatives and artifcial ingredients, none of which are good for you. However, I was browsing the banged up packaging, very well concealed isle at the store, and found this box of organic, all natural shells and cheese! Then I looked at the price and decided to get it for a day I'm tired of leftovers but don't feel like going all out with cooking. Tonight was the night! To prove this was really all natural, I'm going to show you the box!

I paid a dollar for this!!! I had to get it when I looked at the price! The only defect was a slightly smashed top!! Look at the ingredients, kindergarteners could pronounce the words, and I know what each of them are!!! Annatto, by the way, is a natural ingredient. It is made from the pulp that surrounds the seeds of the achiote trees in the tropical areas of the Americas. It's used as a coloring agent in cheeses and makeup, and is used as a spice in Latin America, Spain, and the Carribean.

I served this with the leftover chicken from the White Girl Chicken and Waffles!

To put this delicious cheesy pasta love in your belly;

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and cook.

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen french cut green beans

1 carrot, diced small

2 red potatoes, diced small

cajun seasoning

cooking spray

1 box organic, natural shells and cheese

3 tablespoons fat free milk

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish

salt

pepper

basil, cut into a chiffonade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all frozen vegetables in a collander and set under running water, tossing often, until thawed, about 2 or 3 minutes. Meanwhile dice the carrots and potatoes so everything is roughly the same size. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the thawed vegetables out onto a paper towel and blot until dry. Add all vegetables to the baking sheet, sprinkle with cajun seasoning and pepper, toss, and spread out in an even layer. Spray more cooking spray on top and roast for 10 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until Al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and add cheese packet, milk and butter. Stir until cheese has reconstituted in the milk. Stir in mozzarella and parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in roasted vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate and top with additional parmesan cheese and basil! Enjoy, it's fantastic!!

This recipe serves 6 as a side dish.