Pho and Chicken Parmigiana with Spaghetti Squash and Linguine

Good morning, y'all! On this day, Husband took me out for Pho for lunch! Since he's not a soup man, or the most adventuresome eater, this was really sweet of him! I had been craving Vietnamese food since I made that Pad Thai! The smell of fish sauce always reminds me of the dipping sauce you usually are served with Imperial spring rolls, which makes me think of the Vietnamese restaurant near my parents, which makes me think of Pho, therefore, the smell of fish sauce inevetibly makes me crave Pho! I always want to try something new when I go out for Vietnamese, there are many things that sound really good, but oh, that Pho! Even on a super hot day, I want a big, hot bowl of soup, it is THAT good!! This Pho was seriously the best I have EVER had! The broth itself was incredibly flavorful, I could have eaten it as is, but I love my Pho with fish sauce, hoisin sauce and siracha. I'm not sure if the chili oil they brought out was for the Pho or Hubby's fried rice, I haven't had it served with Pho before, but Man didn't want it, so I poured a good bit of it in, too! Like I said yesterday, Pho is one of the foods I like to sweat while I eat! He kind of made fun of me about the sweat, but, whatever, I like it! I added in almost all of the cilantro and basil they brought out in, and all of the bean sprouts, lime juice, and jalapenos! It was incredible!! You get an enormous bowl for $7. Back home, the same sized bowl is $5, and there is another Pho house here that serves it for $4, but I really really liked this one, I think I'll stick here. They also have an enormous menu, so if I ever do go and can stand the thought of not having Pho, there are plenty of things I would like to try! There has only been one time I haven't gotten Pho, and that was because I wanted JT to eat and I knew soup wasnt something he could really eat then! I had lemongrass chicken that time, and it was very good! The only things I didn't like about that place were that they didn't serve mint with the Pho, and they didn't serve the dipping sauce with the Imperial spring rolls. They gave us some packets of sweet and sour sauce, which I wasn't really in to, I like it on Chinese egg rolls, but not on those, so I just poured some fish sauce on when needed. I missed the dipping sauce, though. All in all, that place was wonderful! Next time I go, I'm going to try the preserved lemonade.


This bowl isn't very full, because I already ate a bit of it before the thought of taking a picture hit. I was just so excited! Beh beh's little arm back there is dipping Cilantro into the soup they brought out with Hubb's meal, which he gave to the little toot! I'm notoriously a noob with chop sticks, so he helped me figure it out and showed off his rice eating skills. He was stationed in Japan for a year, he had lots of practice! (Yes. That is a T-rex in the background. Baby had to have it!)


Husband was going to have duty the next day, and deployed the day after, so this would be the last dinner I would be able to make him for a while. So I made him Chicken Parm with whole wheat linguine tossed with spaghetti squash. I WAS going to sautee broccoli rabe, which is super yummy, but I went to the commisarry a few times between when we originally did the shopping and this evening and could never find it. Which is a strange coincidence, because the last time I had gone, before I made this menu plan, they had a lot of it! Just my luck! Anyway, I'll still post that recipe, because it IS good, I just couldn't make it. Boo!



For the Chicken Parmigiana;
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook.

2 small onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
cooking spray
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Splenda
salt
pepper
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs (I had Panko on hand, so I used that)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil. crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 egg white
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
fresly grated parmesean cheese

For the sauce, cook onion and garlic in a saucepan coated with butter flavored cooking spray over medium heat until tender. Carefully stir in undrained tomatoes (Tomatoes have a tendency to splatter when intorduced into a hot pot.), sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occationally. If you want a smoother sauce, with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender, puree sauce until it is the consistancy you like. Stir in basil and set aside, covered to keep warm. (If you don't need to sauce up your chicken as much, halve the sauce recipe. I like a lot of sauce, though.)

Meanwhile, halve the chicken breasts horizontally through the middle, as if you were butterflying, but go all the way to make 4 pieces. On your meat cutting board (You do have one for meat and one for produce, right?), lay out the chicken breasts in a single layer, top with plastic wrap, and pound slightly until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, basil, thyme, oregano, and the 3 tablespoons parmesean cheese. In a small bowl, beat together egg whites and buttermilk. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, and dredge in breadcrumbs.

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, over medium heat, cook chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. Plate the chicken and top with sauce (If you're serving with the pasta and spaghetti squash, reserve some sauce to toss with them, if desired.). Then, top with the mozzarella cheese and grate some fresh parmesan cheese over top.

This recipe serves 4.

For the spaghetti squash;
This recipe takes about 50 minutes to cook and prep.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
salt
pepper
cooked whole wheat linguine (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Halve squash lengthwise, remove and discard seeds. Place halves, cut side down, in a large baking dish. Using a fork, prick the skin all over. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender (For mine, it took 40 minutes.).

With a fork, scrape pulp from shell. Toss with pasta, if desired, along with the parmesean, oregano, salt and pepper. If desired, toss with some of the reserved sauce from the Chicken Parm, or another pasta sauce.

This recipe serves 6.

If you want to make the broccoli rabe that I didn't get to;
This takes about 20 minutes to make.

2 pounds broccoli rabe
1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
salt
pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
cooking spray
crushed red pepper flakes
lemon wedges

Wash broccoli rabe and remove woody stems (Reserve for making a stock.). Coresly chop the leafy greens.

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, saute bell pepper, basil and garlc, and season with salt and pepper, for 2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe. Using tongs, toss and cook vegetables for 4 to 6 minutes, until broccoli rabe is crisp-tender. Plate and sprinkle with red pepper and freshly grated parmesean. Serve with lemon wedges.

This recipe serves 6.

Enjoy!!

Kinda Spicy Oven-Fried Catfish, Jalapeno and Chipotle Hush Puppies, Spicy Mustard Potato Salad, Tartar Sauce, and Buttermilk Ranch

Hi!! On this day, I made oven fried spicy catfish, hushpuppies, and a spicy mustard potato salad!! Yummm!! Hubbs went back for a second filet, and Little Man ate an entire filet half!! Of course, baby attacked the hushpuppies first! I very very rarely fry, the only other time I have since we got married was when I made shrimp po-boys! The night we told his parents I was pregnant we invited them over for dinner. I asked his mother if there was anything in particular she may want, and she asked me to make something from back home (They're from Ohio, I'm a Texan!) that they may not have had before, so my mind immediately ran to Po-Boys and Seafood Gumbo (Minus the oysters. I don't like oysters cooked, they almost always end up tough. So, I've never attempted to cook oysters myself. I like my oysters raw on a really crunchy cracker with tobasco, horseradish, coctail sauce, and lemon. Yum! I do like them steamed at times, but when I have the choice, it's always raw, baby! But I digress...) Gumbo, Pho, and Thai curries are foods I like to sweat while I eat. Why? I don't know, but I like it! It's the same reason I sinus cleanse with wasabi when I eat sushi! I like the pain! Haha! Anyway, if I was making it just for myself, I would have made this good and spicy, then threw Tobasco on top at the table. But, you know, going with stereotypes, I toned it down. A LOT! Why did I get started on this? Oh ya, frying! So, Hubbs was a bit surprised when I told him I was making something that can only be prepared in copious amounts of oil! It was awesome, I drained them super well, we're good! Lol! My God, that little thought of mine turned out to be quite the monologue! Anyway, On with the show!


Ya, I propped up the fish on a hush puppy! Don't hate, enjoy the height! :)

Fish looks, delicious, huh? You want that moving along your tastebuds, don't you? Here's how you do it!
This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and cook.

2 catfish filets, cut in half crosswise on a bias
salt
pepper
1 egg white
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, beat egg white with buttermilk. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Dip fish into the egg mixture, let excess drip off, and dredge in cornmeal mixture. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the fish. Spritz the top of the fish with cooking spray so the top will turn golden and yummy looking!

Pop in the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness, until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

This recipe serves 4.

I failed to include tartar sauce in the picture, but here is how you make it (This is a low-fat version of a traditional tartar sauce. This version saves about 96 calories per 2 tablespoons!):
This recipe takes 10 minutes to prepare and 2 hours to chill.

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup dill pickle relish, drained (Or, if you prefer a sweeter flavor, use sweet relish.)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons capers, drained

In a small bowl, stir all of the ingredients together. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. This will keep for up to a week.

This recipe makes 1 cup, or 8, 2 tablespoon servings.

For the awesome, slightly spicy and very crispy hushpuppies;
This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prep and cook.

1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
salt
pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 canned green chile, finely chopped (No one wants to bite down on a huge piece!)
1 chipotle pepper, minced fine
Canola oil for deep frying

In a medium bowl stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, green onion, green chile, and chipotle pepper. Add all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened, batter will be lumpy.

Drop batter by the tablespoon into deep, 350 degree oil (Make sure you use a frying or candy thermometor. You want the temperature exact. If it's too hot, the outside will burn before the middle has cooked. If it's too low, the batter will suck up the oil and you will be left with a greasy, nasty mass.), no more than 5 at a time, and cook for 1 minute to 1 1/2 minutes on each side, until pretty and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with some cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chaceries, Zatarans, and Slap Yo Momma) the second you place them on the towels. Repeat with the remaining dough until you've made all of your hush puppies!

This recipe made 16 hush puppies for me, but it will depend on how big, or small,you make yours.

For the buttermilk ranch dressing for the hushpuppies;
This takes 15 minutes to prep and make.

3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup light mayonnaise (Add more if you want yours thicker, or some plain yogurt.)
1 teaspoon dried parsley, crushed
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce (I added this to tie in to the chipotle in the hushpuppies)

In a small bowl, stir all ingerdients together. Add more mayo (or yogurt) or buttermilk until you've reached desired consistancy. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

This recipe makes 1 cup.

And, finally, if you would like to accompany all of this deliciousness with my spicy mustard potato salad, do this;
This takes about 20 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to sit.

2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered so they're bite-sized
salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
pepper
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1/2 cup grated carrots (about 1 medium)
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Put potatoes in a large pot. Cover with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until fork tender, but not mushy. Drain and return to the hot pan to dry slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and honey. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oils. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes, cabbage, carrots and chives, and toss lightly to coat completely. Set aside while you cook your meal to allow the flavors to marry and potatoes to absorb all of the flavor.

This recipe serves 6.

I hope you enjoy this dinner as much as we did!!

Porkchop Skillet, Italian Marinated Potato Salad, and Broccoli and Cauliflower Bake

Hi, guys! How's your day going? I hope all is well!! On this day, I made a porkchop skillet dish with butternut squash and zucchini, a marinated potato salad, and a broccoli and cauliflower bake. Super yummy!!!

I always use bone-in pork chops when the recipe calls for a chop, even when I'm going to cut the meat off the bone to finish the dish. The reason being that when I've made boneless chops they never came out as moist and tender as when I made them on the bone. Per pound, it's cheaper to buy the meat on the bone, anyway! It doesn't take any longer to cook, so why not save the money and add flavor! Speaking of adding flavor, remember what I always say about leaving the skin on the potatoes! Don't throw away flavor and nutrients by peeling the potatoes!




For the pork chops;
This recipe takes about 35 minutes to prep and cook.

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick.
salt
pepper
cooking spray
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup orange juice
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon snipped fresh sage

Trim excess fat from chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet coated with sooking spray, cook chops over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, turning once, until brown (Why the chop looks white in the picture, I'll never know.). Toss together squash, onion, and rosemary and spoon over chops. Pour stock and orange juice over the veggies and chops. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Add zucchini and sage. Cook, covered, 5 minutes more, until pork chops are cooked through. Transfer chops and veggies to plates, reserving juices. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Spoon over chops and veggies to serve.

This recipe serves 4.

For the marinated potato salad;
This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook, and 30 minutes to marinate.

2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium), cut into bite-sized pieces.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons spicy mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, crushed
salt
pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved
1/2 red onion, finely chopped

Place potatoes in a large pan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender (Don't make them too mushy, you want big pieces of potatoes, not mashed!), drain well and add back to hot pot to cook off any remaining water. Do not rinse or chill. You want the potatoes to still be hot so they suck up all of the flavors from the dressing. You don't have to worry about the heat turning the dressing, since we're not using mayo.

While potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes, pepper, tomatoes, artichokes, and onion and toss well to coat. Let stand 30 minutes to allow the potatoes to absorb all the flavor, while you prepare the rest of your meal!

This recipe serves 8 to 10.

If you want to make the broccoli-cauliflower bake;
This recipe takes about 40 minutes to prep and cook.

4 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
3 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
cooking spray
1 can low-sodium, 99% fat free cream of mushroom soup
3 ounces swiss cheese, grated
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 slice whole wheat bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pan, cook broccoli and cauliflower, covered, in a small amount of salted boiling water for 6 minutes until almost crisp-tender, but not quite. Drain.

In the same pan, cook onion and garlic in cooking spray over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, cheese, milk, and basil and thyme. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until bubbly and cheese has melted. Toss in broccoli and cauliflower and transfer to a cassarole dish.

Tear bread into pieces and pulse in food processor until you have crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the cassarole and spray lightly with butter flavored cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

This recipe serves 8.

Enjoy! It's delicious!

Blackened Beef Stir-Fry

Hey, guys! I'm sorry it's been a while since my last post. Husband just deployed again, so I was wanting to spend time with him during the day, since he had a few days off, instead of sitting at the computer. While he's gone, I'm going to be cooking less frequently, because It's just going to be behbeh and me eating, so we're going to have a lot left over! It works out, though, it will save money, which is always a fantastic thing! :)

That night, I made a blackened beef stir fry. I love my steaks blackened, I love the spicyness and crust you get from a blackened steak, and any time we go out for steaks, I always order mine that way. The only reason I don't usually do it at home is because I almost always make my steaks with either a red wine pan sauce or some sort of topping (My favorites are roasted garlic and blue cheese!), and I don't want a war of flavors in my mouth, competing for supremecy! I was really in the mood for some blackening, so I went for it tonight! High five! Great success! :)


Ya, I don't know what was the deal with the enormous piece of green onion. I never noticed it until just now!

If you want this hot bowl of love on your table, here's what needs to go down;
This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and cook, and 2 hours to marinate.

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 pound boneless sirloin
2/3 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
cooking spray
1 16-ounce package frozen stir-fry vegetables
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 radishes, very thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias

Combine the spices in a small bowl, reserve 1/4 teaspoon of the seasoning, and rub half of the remaining on both sides of the meat. Cover and chill 2 hours to overnight to allow the flavors to penetrate into the meat.

Freeze for 5 minutes until slightly firm to make slicing easier. Trim excess fat from meat and slice thinly across the grain into bite-sized strips. Sprinkle both sides of the strips with the other half of the seasoning.

In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved 1/4 teaspoon seasoning, beef stock, tomato paste and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook vegetables over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Remove from pan and spray the pan with cooking spray. Add beef strips and cook, stirring, for 2 minuteis, until meat is browned but still pink in the middle. Push meat from the center of the pan. Whisk sauce again and pour into the center of the skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables and stir to coat with sauce, heat through. Serve over rice and garnish with radishes and green onions.

This recipe serves 4.

Yum, yum, yum!! Try it!!!

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Pea and Corn Salad, and Fried Potatoes

Good afternoon!! For dinner yesterday, I made braised ribs, fried potatoes, and a corn and pea salad. It was very yummy!! Pork ribs is one of those dishes that if I went anywhere as a kid and it was on the menu, I knew what I was getting immediately! Chicken fried steak was another, and when I went somewhere like T-Bone Toms that had both (Everything they have is phenomal, by the way!), I had a big decision to make!! I don't know why I don't make ribs or chicken fried steak very often, as much as they still remain some of my favorites, except for that I love so many foods, I want to eat them all!!




To make these awesome ribs;
This takes about 10 minutes to prep, 2-8 hours to marinate, 2 hours to cook, and 15 minutes to rest.

4 to 5 pounds meaty pork spareribs (You could also use pork loin back ribs, or even beef ribs would be good.)
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 cup red wine (I used Pinot Noir)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey (Spray your measuring cup with cooking spray first so it comes out easily.)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons beef stock
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Combine pepper, salt, chili powder, sugar, onion and garlic powders, parsley and oregano in a bowl to make the dry rub. Massage all of the rub into both sides of the ribs. Place on a shallow baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove ribs from refrigerator set aside to allow the chill to come off of them.

In a large bowl, combine wine, juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, beef stock, and hot sauce. Pour some over the ribs (I tried to pour it all on at once, but then the pan was too full to go in the oven. I poured it back out and started with a cup and a half and added more when it was time to baste.)

Place uncovered roasting pan in the center of oven. Braise for an hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, until meat is tender, basting every 20 minutes. Move the ribs to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.

While the ribs are resting, whisk the sauce remaining in the pan to release any browned bits and incorporate any caramelized sauce. Pour into a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it has thickened some. If you want it thicker, make a slurry out of 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon water, whisk and add in a little of the warmed sauce to temper and whisk well. Whisk slurry into the sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

Cut ribs into serving pieces (I like cutting them into individual ribs, but you can cut them into groups of 2 or 3 if you want.), plate, and drizzle with a little reduced sauce. Serve remaining sauce in individual ramekins for dipping.

This recipe serves 4.

If you want to make this nice, light, corn and pea salad;
This recipe takes 15 minutes to assemble and an hour to chill.

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 16oz package frozen corn, thawed (Just place in a collander under running cool water.)
1 16 oz package frozen peas, thawed
1 cup jicama, peeled and chopped
2 stalks thinly sliced celery
4 green onions, sliced thinly on a bias
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, mint, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add corn, peas, jicama, celery, onions, and bell pepper, and toss well to coat with dressing. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

This recipe serves 10 as a side dish, or could serve 4 as an entree.

Those awesome fried potatoes should be made this way;
This takes about 35 minutes to prep and cook.

cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes, sliced (Leave the skins on. Except for Potassium, all of the fiber and nutrients are in the skin. The skin is yummy, too! Don't waste all that flavor!)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
salt
pepper

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds (If it burns, you need to clean the pan and start over, the burned garlic flavor permiates the pan and makes the food bitter.). Layer potato and onion in the skillet, sprinle with thyme, salt, and pepper, and toss to season all of the potato and onion slices. Cook, covered, for 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Uncover and cook 15 minutes more until potatoes are tender and browned, turning occasionally.

This recipe serves 4.

Chicken Pad Thai and Thai Style Cucumber Salad

Chicken Pad Thai for the win!! I used to have this awesome cookbook of authentic Thai and Vietnamese food, but it got lost during one of my moves 3 years ago, as did ALL of my cookbooks. I'm still unhappy about that, I had some pretty awesome ones, including one from Brennan's of Houston I was given when I worked there that was signed by the author, who was my GM at the time. :( Oh well. The smell of fish sauce always make me think of Imperial spring rolls, and thinking of that always makes me think of this awesome Pho place back home. I could smell the fish sauce on my hands all evening, from picking up after messy baby, and there's a Pho place a few blocks away from me here, so I know what I'm having for dinner on Husband's next duty day!! I am craving some Pho!! I also made a Thai-style cucumber salad. It was very yummy, too!!



For the pad thai;
This recipe takes about 35 minutes to prep and cook.

8 ounces right noodles
1/4 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
3 tablespoons fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce (This was a little spicy for husband, so cut back if you want it more mild.)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
cooking spray
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
2 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes, or until pliable but not soft.

For peanut topping, combine lime zest and peanuts in a small bowl and toss. Set aside.

In another small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chile sauce and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan with the garlic. Cook and stir until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Spray the pan again and add the egg. Cook for 30 seconds, flip, and cook another 30 to 60 seconds until set. Remove from pan and chop.

In the same skillet, heat the canola oil over high heat. Add the bean sprouts and rice noodles, and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the sauce and chicken, toss and cook for another minute, until heated through. Divide among 4 plates and top with the egg, green onion, cilantro, and peanut mixture.

This recipe serves 4.

For the cucumber salad;
This recipe takes about 5 minutes to prep.

juice from 2 limes
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 large jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, jalapeno, and garlic together in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, onion, and mint and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

This recipe serves 4.

Enjoy, guys! It's really good!!

My Son's Happy 2nd!! Carrot Cake, Roasted Garlic Sirloin, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Creamed Spinach

Hey guys! Friday was my little handsome boy's second birthday! I made him a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting in the shape of Buddy, his favorite character on Dinosaur Train! It looks like a little kid made it, but it still came out cute, I think! My son LOVES steak, so for dinner I made steaks topped with mashed roasted garlic, creamed spinach, and twice baked potatoes. It was very yummy!!! My oven was running from nap time until dinner, so my kitchen got pretty warm. But, everything was so yummy, I didn't care!





If you want to make the yummy yummy carrot cake;
This takes about 60 minutes to prep and bake.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
6 egg whites
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple in its own juice, undrained
2 cups shredded carrots
2/3 cup walnut
1/2 cup raisins
light cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8x8 baking pans or a 13x9x2 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves.

In another large bowl, beat egg whites with clean, dry beaters until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in sugar, then applesauce, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Using a spoon, stir in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Then stir in, one at a time, the pineapple, carrots, walnuts, and raisins.

Spread batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpic inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Frost only once the cake has cooled completely.

For the frosting:
This takes maybe 3 minutes to make.

1 8-oz container light cream cheese
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, marshmallow creme, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until thuroughly combined.

This makes 15 to 20 servings.

For the steak;
This takes 30 minutes to prep and 14-22 minutes to cook.

2 whole garlic bulbs
3 teaspoons snipped fresh basil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak
grill seasoning

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut the top off of the garlic, to expose the ends of the cloves. Remove any loose papery layers, leaving the bulb intact. Set on a piece of foil, sprinkle with herbs and oil, fold up the foil and seal to completely encase the garlic, leaving space for steam to build up. Set on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim outer fat from steaks. Sprinkle with grill seasoning and massage seasoning into meat. Grill to desired doneness, turning once. For medium rare, 14 to 18 minutes, for medium to medium well, 18 to 22 minutes (I like my steak warm but still bloody, so I cooked mine for 14 minutes.)

To serve, cut steaks into 4-6 pieces (Mine made 5 palm-sized servings). Squeeze garlic cloves from the bulb and mash with a fork, reserving remaining oil and herbs. Spread garlic cloves over steaks and drizzle with reserved oil and herbs.

This recipe serves 4.

The twice baked potatos should be prepaired this way;
This recipe takes 75 minutes to prep and cook.

4 baking potatoes
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper
salt
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake potatoes for 40 to 60 minutes, until tender. Let stand a couple of minutes. Cut a slice off of the top of each potato, finely chop the skin from the slices, and place skin and pulp in a bowl. Scoop out the inside of the potatoes and add to the bowl. Mash potatoes how you want them, add yogurt, garlic, pepper, salt, and milk, and combine to desired consistancy. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and chives. Divide among the potato shells. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 2 minutes more or until cheese melts.

This recipe serves 4.

For the yummy yummy creamed spinach;
This takes about 5 minutes to prep and cook.

1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
cooking spray
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
dash nushmeg
3/4 cup Monterrey-Jack cheese
freshly grated parmesean cheese

Thaw spinach, drain, wrap in a dish towel, and squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch. Set aside.

Lightly spray a cold skillet with cooking spray. Add onions, basil, oregano, and nutmeg. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Stir in the milk mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add the cheese and cook and stir until melted. Stir in spinach and cook through.

Serve and top with parmesean cheese.

This recipe serves 4.

Our son had a wonderful birthday, and the food was awesome!! I hope y'all like it!!