Carbo Load

My son is running the Fuzz Run today so to get him ready for the big race - I decided to serve a big pasta dinner last night.  What we like to call "carbo loading."

I've made this recipe for my family for years and everyone loves it so much that it has become one of my quick and easy "go to" meals.  I've made it with all different kids of ham, including lunch meat ham and leftover Easter ham.  I've made it with cream, half and half and milk depending on how much fat I want to cut out of the recipe.  I usually don't add the walnuts because no one, except me, really likes them in their pasta.  Personally, I think they add a nice nutty crunch to the dish. 

Fettuccini with Basil, Ham and Walnuts
9 ounces fettuccine                1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
¾ cup heavy cream                crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 ¼ cups diced ham                1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan

Cook fettuccine in salted water.  Drain.  In saucepan, combine cream, ham, cheese, basil and red pepper flakes.  Cover and cook 5 minutes - do not boil.  Add pasta and walnuts and toss to coat. 

The boys are off to the race - good luck. 

Bon Appetit!

Flavors of Fall

I realize that Fall doesn't officially begin until the 23of of the month but the cooler weather has me thinking about it already.  I love this time of year.  Anxious for a Fall to begin and not willing to wait for the official start to the season - I put my Fall decorations up in the house last weekend.   The mantle is full of pumpkins and the smell of apple cider is filling the house.  Let Fall begin!

I love the colors, the smells and the flavors of Fall.  Warm cinnamon, crisp apple and creamy pumpkin recipes fill my table this time of year. 





Today's Fall recipe - Apple Raspberry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.  It's super easy and really delicious.  Crisp apples drizzled with a hint of cinnamon - a perfect Fall flavor combination. 

Apple Raspberry Salad with Vinaigrette
2 red apples                                            Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons lemon juice                    3 Tablespoons oil
8 ounces lettuce                                       2 Tablespoons raspberry vinegar
¼ cup walnuts                                         1 Tablespoon chopped onion
fresh raspberries                                      1 Tablespoon honey
                                                                    ½ teaspoon cinnamon

The directions are simple, combine the salad ingredients (listed on the left) and then combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a separate bowl.   Drizzle vinaigrette over salad just before serving.

I served this salad with pork ribs and sweet potatoes.  I was super exited that I had enough salad left over to eat for lunch the next day - and I'm usually not a huge fan of leftover salad.  This salad not only looks pretty - it tastes just as good as it looks.  The flavors of Fall - yum.

Bon Appetit!

Perfect end to a healthy day

I think that I have the happiest dog in the world.  I took Mia for a walk in the park the other day and I know she was smiling at me.  Who says that dogs can't smile?

There is nothing like a nice long morning walk to clear my mind and help me to refocus on the really important things in my life.  There is something about being outside that helps me put things back into perspective. 

When I get home from my walk, I feel energized and ready to tackle the rest of my day - Mia has other plans.






For me, healthy living means exercise AND good nutrition.  It really doesn't make sense for me to do one without the other.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoy a sweet treat as much as the next girl - but I try and eat them in moderation.

I like to incorporate fish into our diet at least once a week and one of my favorite fish dishes -  Parmesan Fish.  I make this recipe quite a bit for my family.  We all love it, it's super easy and I can prepare the dish in the afternoon while the kids are still in school.  

Parmesan Fish
Italian Dressing  - I use whatever type of Italian vinaigrette that I happen to have on hand.             
Panko Bread Crumbs
Fresh Parmesan Cheese - Use the best Parmesan that you can find.            
Fish filets - Any light and flaky fish filets will do.  (tilapia, cod, perch, bass, etc.)
Salt and Pepper

Place fish in baking dish.  Pour dressing over fish.  The fish can marinate in the dressing for up to 4 hours. Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Bake 20 minutes at 350.





The key to this dish is REALLY good Parmesan cheese.  I am lucky enough to have a friend who brings me great Parmesan from France and Italy on a regular basis.  (Thanks, Ben)




Even if you don't have an international cheese connection, you can still make this fish dish.  Check out the cheese selection at your local supermarket.  (Trader Joes has an awesome selection of imported cheeses too.)

Bon Appetit!

Cook once - eat twice

Why cook one meal at a time when you could double the quantity and save some for another night?  Those of you that follow my blog regularly already know that I often cook a chicken or a turkey on the weekend and use the leftover meat throughout the week.  I use it in salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, casseroles and tacos.  It's a big time saver to have cooked chicken on hand when time is short and my family is hungry. 



Last weekend I roasted a chicken in my ceramic dutch oven that I got as a Christmas gift from my brother.   (Thanks, Chinky) I used an herb roasted turkey recipe that I have been making for a couple of years.  (It works just as well with a chicken as it does for turkey.)



 Herbed Roasted Turkey (or in my case - Chicken)
Brine:                                            Herb Paste:
2 cup salt                                      1 ¼ cups fresh parsley leaves
2 gallons water                            4 teaspoons fresh thyme
12-14 pound turkey                    2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves
                                                        1 ½ teaspoons fresh rosemary
                                                        1 shallot
                                                        2 garlic cloves
                                                        ¾ teaspoon lemon zest
                                                        ¾ teaspoon salt
                                                        1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
                                                        ¼ cup olive oil

Dissolve salt in water in stock pot.  Add turkey and refrigerate 4-6 hours.  Remove turkey from brine and rinse under cool water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  (You can skip this step because if you purchase a roaster chicken that has already been injected with a saline solution.)





For herb paste, process, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest and salt in cuisinart until finely chopped.  Add mustard and olive oil.  Pulse.








Spread paste under turkey skin, inside cavity and on the skin of the bird.  Place turkey in a ditch oven and roast, uncovered for ½ hour at 400.  Cover and roast turkey for 1 more hour.





 


 Warning:  This bird will come out of the oven with green herbs on the skin.  This may discourage finicky eaters who are hesitant to eat anything green.  If your family is apprehensive, don't rub the paste on the top of the bird.





If you like the taste of fresh herbs, you will love this chicken.  It smells phenomenal while it's cooking and it tastes even better.  We ate more chicken for dinner than we usually do so I only ended up with 2 servings leftover for another day.

What to do with my 2 servings of leftover chicken? - Tabbouleh!  This was my first attempt at homemade tabbouleh so I chose to start with a recipe.  I clipped this recipe for Chicken Tabbouleh with Tahini Drizzle out of the September issue of Cooking Light magazine.  What I ended up with didn't really resemble the original recipe but I must say that it was pretty tasty.  I loved the fresh herbs (especially the mint) and the crunch of the bulgur. 

Chicken Tabbouleh
1 1/4 cups water                                               1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup uncooked bulgur, rinsed                      1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil                                    2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt                                                   2 Tablespoons fresh mint
1/2 pound chicken, cooked and diced          1 green onion, sliced thin

Combine water, bulgur, 1 T. oil and 1/2 t. salt in saucepan.  bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1o min.  (Do not stir)  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.   Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

I ate the chicken tabbouleh for lunch on the day that I made it and then I ate it again the next day.  It was even better the second day.  The flavors brightened after it sat in the refrigerator overnight. It's official - I'm a tabbouleh fan!




Bon Appetit!

Dreamy muffins

I don't know if anyone else goes to bed at night, thinking about what they are going to have for breakfast.  On most nights, I fall asleep thinking about which yummy treat I will make for myself in the morning.  I go over all the possible breakfast options in my head before I finally settle on one, just minutes before I drift off to sleep.  I get so excited about my impending breakfast that I've even been know to dream about it. 

A couple nights ago, I made a batch of coffee cake blueberry muffins before I went to bed.  I was really tempted to eat a warm muffin because they smelled so good.  (I don't normally eat anything between dinner and breakfast - which probably explains some my fascination about breakfast.)  I finally decided that the best way to resist the urge to snack was to go to bed.  I tried to hard to forget about the warm treats cooling on the counter but the sweet aroma of muffins was lofting through the air.  I definitely had muffins on my mind as I fell asleep. 

After 8 hours of eager anticipation about my morning muffin, I had really high expectations.  It definitely did not disappoint.   My muffin was moist and delicious and the crunchy cinnamon streusel topping was exquisite.  I also had some fresh fruit and a banana with my coffee cake blueberry muffin - a perfect breakfast. 

Coffee Cake Blueberry Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour                                 Streusel Topping
3/4 cup sugar                                      1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder             1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt                                1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup butter, melted                       2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
Combine flour, sugar baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, combine butter, egg, milk and vanilla.  Mix well.  Slowly add the egg mixture to flour mixture.  Gently fold in blueberries.
Fill muffins cups.
Combine streusel ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over muffins.  Bake muffins 20-25 minutes at 400.

Since I am still very new to food blogging, I spend time on other food blogs to get a sense of what other people are blogging about.  One of my favorite food blogs is "For the love of cooking."   If you haven't seen this site - you should definitely check it out.  This is where I found the recipe for these delicious muffins.  (Thanks, Pam)  She has some amazing photographs of her food and some really great recipes. 

The girls decided that they didn't want to wait until morning to eat their muffins.  They ate their muffins for a bedtime snack.









 I am happy to announce that this is the first blog that has been published from my new ipad.  My wonderfully talented and technical husband has my ipad up and running like a champ.  Now I can update my blog even when I am away from my computer.  Yea.






Bon Appetit!

Thank you meals

I am such a foodie that whenever I need to send a thank you gift, I naturally think of food first.  In this case, I wanted to leave a small thank you gift for some friends that allowed us to use their cabin for the weekend.  The homeowners were not at the cabin with us so as a small token of appreciation I prepared several small meals and left them in their freezer.  When the homeowners returned to the cabin, they were able to enjoy meals at their convenience. 

I wanted to make meals that could be easily defrosted and reheated and I wanted them to be large enough to serve 2 adults.  Lasagna was one of the first things that came to my mind.  (It freezes really well and most people like it.)  I divided my lasagna recipe between two disposable 4x6 containers and one 8x8 Pyrex dish.  I left the two smaller lasagnas in the freezer at the cabin and I froze the 8x8 lasagna for my family.

Lasagna (makes one 9x13)
Sauce:                      
1 T. oil                       
1 pound ground beef               
1 cup chopped onion             
3 cloves garlic            
½ cup chopped parsley         
6 ounces tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons basil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon pepper
56 ounces crushed tomatoes

15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 boxes oven ready lasagna noodles

Heat oil in skillet and add ground beef.  Cook until browned.  Add onion, garlic and parsley.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Combine ricotta, egg and Parmesan cheese.








Pour 1 ½ cups sauce in baking dish.  Layer 1/3 of noodles and ½ of the ricotta mixture.  Top with 2 cups sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.  Repeat.
Top with remaining noodles and sauce and mozzarella.



 Bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees OR cover and freeze for anther day.



I store my uncooked lasagna in the freezer for up to 6 months.  I covered the tops of the small aluminum containers with plastic wrap and then added the plastic lid.  I labelled each meal and also wrote the cooking instructions on the lids.







I defrosted the lasagna that I had frozen for my family last weekend.  It was a really busy weekend and there were 6 hungry people at my house for lunch on Saturday.  I cooked the lasagna, sliced some crusty Italian bread and lunch was served.  After lunch, all that was left was one small corner that I saved to eat for lunch later in week.  (I guess everyone liked it.)

This is a really basic lasagna recipe.  It's the perfect meal to keep in your freezer and pull out on a busy day when there is no time to cook.

Bon Appetit!

Movie Night Snack Mix

The rain started to move in last night so we decided to stay home and have family movie night.  I took my daughter to Wal Mart to choose a movie from the Redbox and she convinced me that we needed to pick up some movie night snacks while we were there.  In typical teenager fashion, she suggested gummy worms and candy corn.  The only way that I could possibly imagine combining those two flavors was in some sort of trail mix.  We picked up some cereal, pretzels and yogurt covered raisins along with our gummy worms and candy corn and headed home.  

I still wasn't completely sold on the idea of a gummy worm, candy corn trail mix so I suggested that we have a "make your own" trail mix night.  We put our snacks in small bowls and then added a few goodies that we pulled out of the pantry.  (A great way to use up the last little bits of cereal and crackers from the pantry. )

Pumpkin seeds                                                             Peanuts                                                     Almonds                                                                        Goldfish 

Candy Corn                                                                   Mini saltine crackers

Pretzel rings                                                                  Pretzel sticks

Cinnamon Cheerios                                                    Gummy worms

Yogurt covered raisins                                                Mini club crackers

I found some leftover orange paper and rolled them into cones to use as our trail mix holders.  I secured them with a piece of tape at the bottom of the cone to hold it together.

 

Before we started the movie, we took turns creating our own unique mix of goodies.  

My daughter's trail mix: mini saltines, cinnamon Cheerios, pretzel rings, candy corn and gummy worms.

My son's trial mix: yogurt covered raisins, gummy worms and candy corn.

My trail mix is pictured at the top of the blog.  (Pretzel rings, yogurt raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon cheerios and candy corn.)  It was mighty good - I loved the cinnamon cheerios in my mix.  The kids went back and refilled their cones at least two more times during the movie.  The homemade trail mix was a hit.  Give it a try.

Bon Appetit!