simmered italian rice

recipe courtesy of swanson (campbellskitchen.com)

prep: 10 min; cook 25 min. makes 4 servings

1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp italian seasoning, crushed
3/4 c uncooked long-grain white rice (zataran's is my favorite)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese (i also add a random amount of romano)


1.  heat broth and italian seasoning in saucepan to a boil.
2.  stir rice and spinach in saucepan.  reduce heat to low.  cover and cook 20 min or until rice is tender.  stir in cheese.  add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

quick and easy oven baked chicken parmesean

1lb fresh chicken breasts
panko (or regular) bread crumbs
jarred marinara sauce
mozzarella cheese
grated/shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano

1. salt and pepper both sides of chicken. cover both sides in bread crumbs and lay on a foil-lined (for easier clean-up) baking pan.

2. baked at 400 for 20 min or until cooked through. top each chicken breast with marinara sauce and cheeses. sprinkle with oregano. bake an additional 5 min or until cheese is melted (i usually then broil it for a few minutes to get the cheese yummy and brown).

as a side dish, i usually prepare fettuccini noodles and either toss them with some of the left-over marinara or with butter/parmesean/parsley.

new orleans red beans and rice

tradition is, you serve these on monday.

recipe adapted from emeril lagasse

serves 6-8; appx 4 hours cooking time after beans soak overnight.

16 oz dry red beans (camila)
2tbsp olive oil
1 c chopped onions
1/2 c bell pepper
1/2 c celery
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
2 links savoy sausage, sliced
1.5 tsp chopped minced garlic
32 oz chicken broth
water
rice (i love zatarans)

cover beans with water and allow to soak overnight. drain and rinse.

heat oil in large stock pot over med-high. saute onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, peppers, and thyme 5 minutes. add the bay leaves and sausage. saute 5-6 minutes. add beans, garlic, chicken broth, and enough water to cover the contents well. bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 2 hours. add more water if it becomes too dry or thick. use wooden spoon to mush 1/3 of beans to side of pot and cook 1.5 hours more until creamy and beans are soft.

serve over white rice and with cornbread on the side!

jamba juice pomegranate paradise

i found this online, but i'm not sure where...oops.

1 cup pomegranate juice blend (i used v8 fushion pomegranate-blueberry juice)
1/2 cup strawberries, frozen
1/c cup mangos, frozen
1/2 cup peaches, frozen
1/2 cup ice

mix all together in your blender and enjoy!

notes: this is EXACTLY like the one at the store. and it doesn't cost $4 for a serving. no added sugar, just pure tastiness!

pesto chicken florentine

recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com (adapted a bit)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 jar alfredo sauce (i used bertoli's light version)
2 tablespoons pesto
1 (8 ounce) package dry penne pasta (i used some veggie rice pasta i had on hand)
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese

Directions

1. season chicken (salt, pepper, a little tony's) and cook in 1-2 tbsp heated oil for 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
2. remove chicken from skillet once cooked and place in foil, covered.
3. in same skillet, heat 1 more tbsp oil over medium. add garlic, saute for 1 min. add spinach and saute all together for 3 or so minutes.
4. add alfredo and 2 tablespoons pesto; set aside.
5. in a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
Add chicken to sauce and then toss in pasta. top with cheese and serve.

notes; very easy and delicious! a variation i read on this said to top with diced tomatoes before serving. yum! oh, the possiblities...sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts...

also, it reheats beautifully. i even froze some. we'll see how that comes out when i use it on a busy night!

sugar-free pumpkin muffins

courtesy of http://ladonnamobile.wordpress.com/


1 and 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup water
optional:
3/4 cup raisins or miniature semisweet chocolate chips–NOT milk chocolate which is too sugary–but this does add sugar to the recipe, though just a bit.

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then mix together until combined. Bake in muffin cups at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

notes: super easy, quick and wholesome recipe. the kids loved these, and i loved that they were so good for them. of course, i like some sugar in my muffins but these are great for the kids. packed them up and froze some of them for a rainy day.

bug's chocolate sheet cake

for the cake:
1 c butter
2/3 c water
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp salt
2 c sugar
2 c flour
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

for the frosting, add the following together:
1/2c butter, melted
3 tbsp cocoa
2 c sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk
1 c finely chopped pecans (optional)

1. melt butter; whisk in water and cocoa.
2. add salt, sugar and flour.
3. in separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla and baking soda
4. combine mixture and pour into a greased jellyroll pan (9x13).
5. bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes
6. ice while warm for glazy-type frosting (as shown) or cool completely for more traditional buttercreme texture.

this is super-moist and light. so, so, so tasty. don't expect it to rise much. i particularly love the texture with the pecans mixed in, but it's great either way. also makes a very pretty (very light) cupcake.

egg-less chocolate chip cookies

recipe adapted from bakerella.com (milk and cookies)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (substituted for total 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp water (substituted for 2 eggs)
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.
3. With a mixer, beat butter and both sugars until well blended.
4. Beat in egg substitute (or eggs) and vanilla.
5. Add flour mixture in two additions until combined.
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
7. Use a mini ice cream scoop to drop cookie dough on a parchment covered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Tip from bakerella: About half way through baking, sprinkle reserved chips on top of cookies. This is just to make them prettier so, some of the chips are seen on top.

bonus to using the egg substitute: this is a cookie dough you can safely sample! ;) cookies are definitely denser with the addition of the whole wheat flour, but consensus in our house is the chocolate chips more than make up for it! super-tasty!
the dough freezes perfectly...nice to have for rainy days.

edit: i've now made these with eggs and somehow, even though it's how the recipe was created, we didn't find them near as tasty. hum? fluke maybe?

lunchbox muffins

recipe adapted very liberally from sneakychef.com

SCORE! mama felt like super-mama with this one!!!

1/3 c. wheat germ
1/3 c. oat bran
1/3 c. white whole wheat flour (i use king arthur's)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each salt and baking soda
2 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 6 tbsp water to form thick consistency (substitution for 2 large eggs)
1.5 tbsp light agave nectar (substiuted for 2 tablespoons sugar)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 single serve container mott's (no sugar added) applesauce (i used cranberry-apple flavor) or 1/2 c. if using the big jar.
1/4 c. pureed carrots (i used baby food)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat germ, oat bran,flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flax mixture (or eggs), agave nectar (or sugar), oil, applesauce, and carrots. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until the flour is just moistened.

3. Fill each muffin cup almost to the top, spooning about 1/4 cup of batter into each and bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm out of the oven or wrap and store in refrigerator (for up to 3 days) or freezer (for up to 3 months).

notes: these aren't your average indulgent muffin...but surprisingly, they aren't bad. they aren't very pretty and they don't rise. texture is different...very much like an oatmeal cookie. just a hint of sweetness (i would, of course, like more...but i'm addicted to sugar). amazingly, the kids were in love with these and thought it was super-special to have a muffin for lunch! and as mentioned, i felt like super-mama thinking of all the wholesome goodness they were putting in their bodies!

hawaiian party sandwiches

2 pkgs hawaiian party rolls
1 lb shaved ham
1lb grated swiss
1 stick butter
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp yellow mustartd
2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1. melt butter and mix poppy seeds, mustard, and worcestershire sauce together.
2. slice entire package of rolls in half all together (top to bottom...so you have all the roll tops stuck together and all the roll bottoms stuck together).
3. drizzle juice yummy mixture on both sides. add ham and cheese.
4. place tops on bottoms and put more juicy yummy mixture on top.
5. bake 10-15 min at 350 until warm and melted throughout.

slow cooker: two-bean minestrone

1 can (15oz) dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can (150z) garbanzo beans, drained
1 bag (1lb) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano, undrained
1 vegetable bouillon cube (or equivalent in granules)
1 can (11.5 oz) vegetable juice (v8)
1 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
refrigerated basil pesto

1. in slow cooker, mix all ingredients except macaroni and pesto.
2. cover; cook on low 8-10 hours.
3. stir in macaroni 15-20 minutes prior to serving. top each serving with teaspoon of pesto.

notes: so easy and so good! i usually serve with cheese toast or grilled cheese on the side.

lasagna

30 min to prepare, 30 min to cook

2lbs ground beef or turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups tomatoes
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar

1 24oz carton cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp basil
1/2 cup parmesean/romano cheese
1 lbs mozzarella cheese
6 lasagna noodles

1. boil noodles until tender; drain; rinse in cold water.
2. brown meat slowly. add next 7 ingredients to meal. simmer uncovered while preparing remainder of dish. combine cottage cheese with next 5 ingredients.
3. spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray; layer as desired: 3 noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 meat mixture, 1/2 mozzarella. repeat. bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

notes: this makes a lot and freezes perfectly. i usually freeze 1-2 portion sizes per bag so that i can have more flexibility with re-heating (quick lunch for one or another whole meal).

muddled-herb potatoes

appx 15-20 min.

2lbs small red potatoes, quartered
1/4 c thinly basil
1/4 c chopped fresh chives (i usually omit)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/4 tbsp if dried)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper

optional: 2-4 tbsp melted butter, grated parmesean

1. boil potatoes 10 min, or until tender; drain well
2. place them in a bowl, add teh remaining ingredients, and coarsely mash to "muddle" (or bruise) the herbs to release their flavors.

notes: very easy and tasty. i add the butter and parmesean until it tastes just perfect.

fresh green bean casserole

2lbs fresh green beans
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 c fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1. heat oven to 400. fill large bowl halfway with ice water and set aside.
2. steam green beans on stove, about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. immediately transfer beans to ice water to cool. strain and blot dry.
4. heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. add garlic, cook until soft.
5. remove from heat, toss in bread crumbs, butter, salt, pepper and beans.
6. transfer to a baking dish. bake until beans are tender and bread crumbs are golden, 18-20 minutes.

swiss spinach strudel

recipe from pillsbury

about 45 min total time

1 egg
1/2c reduced-fat chives and onion creme cheese spread (from 8 oz container)
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1 c shredded swiss cheese (4oz)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 can reduced fat crescent rolls or 1 can recipe creations flaky dough sheet
2 tbsp italian style bread crumbs

1. heat oven to 375. in large bowl, beat egg. add cream cheese and blend well. add spinach, cheese, seasonings and mix well.
2. if using rolls, unroll dough onto ungreased sheet. press to form rectangle; firmly press perforations to seal. if using dough sheet: untoll dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. press to form 12x8 rectangle.
3. spoon and spread spinach mixture lengthwise on half of dough. fold untopped half of dough over filling. press edges and ends to seal. spray top with cooking spray (or butter) and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
4. bake 18-24 minutes or until golden brown. cool 5 minutes then cut into slices.

notes: this recipe is good, but not great. i end up tweaking it a bit each time i make it.

beef stew

adapted (very liberally) from bhg.com; 6 servings

1 package stew meat (already cubed)
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 package baby carrots
1 can french-cut green beans (no salt added)
2 cups diced frozen onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can beef consomme
1 package egg noodles

1. salt and pepper meat. in a skillet, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil and sear on med-high, then lower heat to cook meat through.

2. place meat in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. sprinkle with tapioca. stir in carrots, onions, and garlic. pour broth and consomme over meat mixture in cooker.

3. cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. add green beans (drained) 1-2 hours prior to serving. salt and pepper to taste and serve over bed of egg noodles.

notes: this was a new recipe that i totally winged b/c, as i went to make it, i discovered i didn't have any of the right ingredients. :) still, it came out pretty well and i'd make it again (although it wasn't a big hit with the kids). i seared the meat the night before to make my morning prep all the more easy. also thickened stew before serving with cornstarch paste because i felt it was a bit thin.

cheese ravioli with pumpkin sage sauce

recipe adapted from buitoni ad

ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (or white wine vinegar)
1/2 cup chopped onions
jar of alfredo sauce
1/2 cup pure pumpkin
1 tsp ground sage
1 20oz. package buitoni refrigerated four cheese ravioli

1. cook butter, wine, and onions in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and sauce is reduced.
2. stir in sauce, pumpkin, and sage. cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
3. prepare pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
4. stir reserved water into sauce and toss with pasta.

notes: super yummy and ridiculously quick and easy. new recipe and the baby wouldn't eat it, though.

december meal plan

i'm back...left-overs are all used up, as are nearly all the frozen meals i had stock-piled. time to start all over!

spaghetti
swiss spinach strudel, mixed veggies and fruit on side
burgandy beef stew
grilled chicken, broccoli and gruyere gratin

hamburgers, sweet potato fries
cheese ravioli with pumpkin sage sauce
taco bake
chicken noodle soup

vegetable curry
slow cooker pork chops, fresh green bean casserole, skillet potatoes
vegetable risotto with shrimp
lasagna

brupper
slow cooker minestrone with grilled cheese sandwiches
pan-seared tilapia with citrus vinaigrette, steamed broccoli and carrots
spinach/mozzerella chicken sausage, green beans, sweet potatoes

bug's sweet potato casserole

2 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

topping:
1 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. flour
1 c. finely chopped pecans

1. mix sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla together.
2. place mixture in large, shallow baking dish.
3. to make the topping, mix butter with flour and sugar, using fork or pastry blender. add nuts and mix together.
4. sprinkle topping on mixture.
5. bake for 25 minutes in 350 degree oven.

notes: seriously, one of two casseroles from jamie's family that made me want to join the family!! little ol' me, the just-say-no-to-casseroles girl (i generally like my food simple and separate thankyouverymuch). and to think, i didn't even think i liked sweet potatoes before this dish was introduced to me some 10-12 years ago! :)

if using whole, cooked sweet potatoes, you'll generally need about 3 average-sized ones to get to 2 cups. canned ones work fabulously, too, and are much easier, but you have to make sure you get plain sweet potatoes (not in syrup) and that can be hard to find sometimes.

if making the recipe as is, put in 9x9 square pan. if doubling, put in 9x13, but don't double the butter and don't double the topping.

sausage cheese balls

1lb pork sausage in a roll (jimmy dean, etc.)
3 c. bisquick
1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. form small balls and place on a cookie tray.
2. bake 15 min. at 325 degrees, flipping half-way

notes: perfect, easy appetizer. always a crowd favorite!