Food For Foodies

Zucchini, Spinach, and Onion Quiche

2011-07-15T03:51:00.003+04:00

I just made up this dinner because I was out of mushrooms and I really had planned on making a Spinach and Onion Quiche, but it is AWESOME, so I wanted to get it down before I forgot what ended up in it. :) Enjoy!

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a bowl stir together the flour and salt with a fork. In a separate bowl, whisk the water and oil so it gets thicker. Pour into flour and stir with a fork until it all combines. Press into bottom and sides of pie plate.

Filling:
1 zucchini, peeled and small diced
1 large handful of baby spinach, washed and chopped
3 green onions, chopped

Saute all filling ingredients in a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and then a little bit of nutmeg and cinnamon. Spread evenly over crust in pie plate and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Custard:
6 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon to taste

Whisk ingredients and pour over filling ingredients and bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until set. Remove and let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

SO GOOD!

Arayes and Garlic Paste

2011-01-26T02:55:00.002+04:00

I will post more soon, but these are the most important ones to get posted! :)

Garlic Paste:

I know this is the one that people REALLY want, so I’ll add it first. These are approximations and it definitely takes some trial and error.

2-3 good sized heads of garlic (not cloves, the whole head), peeled
1-2 tablespoons each of salt and lemon juice
A whole bottle (about 3 cups) of MILD (super important for taste) olive oil (not extra virgin)

Put the garlic and at least a tablespoon of salt and about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a blender and pulse until the garlic is nicely chopped. Ever so slowly, pour a tiny stream of oil into the blender as it is blending. One mistake I made was having the blender at too high of a speed, but it need to be going pretty quick, just not “liquefy”. The goal is to make sure the oil is emulsifying and it should grow in volume and become white. You have to be very careful not to pour too much oil in at once or the whole mixture will separate and it isn’t as good and will have a topping of oil forever. So, thick and frothy is the goal. You will likely need more salt and lemon juice… don’t be afraid to add more, until it tastes the perfect blend between the 3 flavors (salty, lemony, and garlicky). Good luck! (Store leftovers in a glass jar in the fridge.)

Arayes:

This was my favorite dish while we were in Abu Dhabi, but I have Americanized it both for ease and because it really doesn’t taste that much different. It is tough to find items like garam masala, so I just changed it to fit what is sold at MY stores. J

· 2 lbs ground lamb (if you can’t find it, ask the butcher… there usually isn’t very much stocked, but it IS usually there)

· 1 cup packed parsley

· ½ cup packed mint leaves (at Winco it is only available in organic in the “weird vegetable” section)

· ¼ cup pine nuts (I have had two people tell me they hated pine nuts and then tried this recipe and liked them fine. Don’t leave them out, they really are what makes this dish for me)

· 1 onion, chopped into quarters

· 1 tsp salt

· 1 TBSP lemon juice

· ½ tsp garlic powder or minced garlic

· ½ tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves

· 5 or so pita bread, cut into 8 wedges each

In a food processer, pulse until finely chopped: onion, parsley and mint. Put meat in a large bowl and add all ingredients including food processor mixture and combine with your hands (or mix it in your awesome KitchenAid mixture that your dear husband got you for Christmas). Take a small amount (a heaping teaspoon or so and spread it evenly on one side of a pita triangle. Top with another pita wedge and place on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray (I used to use a crap-ton of oil for this, but in an effort to make it healthier, opted for cooking spray and it ends up just as freaking yummy). Repeat this process until you run out of meat and/or pitas.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until browned on the bottom (about 10 minutes), flip and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve with garlic paste.

"Sakana" Veggies

2010-12-16T20:52:00.003+04:00

We have a hibachi-style restaurant here that I LOVE, but who wants to pay upwards of $25 a plate? Instead, I trial-and-errored my way to perfecting the veggies that they do on the grill there. Here they are!

Sakana-style Stir-Fried Vegetables

1 large onion, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced length-wise and then into thick strips

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup broccoli florets

1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, cut into quarters

1 tsp sesame seeds

2 TBSP butter

garlic powder (to taste)

tsp salt (to taste)

soy sauce (to taste)

1) Heat a wok with the butter until it is bubbly and hot, then add the veggies and stir-fry until desired tenderness (I like mine to stay a bit crunchy, so about 4-5 minutes).

2) Season with salt and garlic powder (start with about 1/2 tsp and then add more if you want more)

3) sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame seeds and serve. It is great with either steamed white rice or fried rice.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken Soup

2009-10-06T12:19:00.002+04:00

Simple. Super yummy. A new family favorite.

Crock Pot Chicken Soup:

2 onions, chopped
2-3 carrots, cleaned and sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
3 TBSP parsley
1 2-3 pound fryer chicken, cleaned
4 cups of water

Put all ingredients in Crock Pot in the order listed above. Cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high for 4-6). One hour prior to serving, remove chicken from Crock Pot and let cool slightly. Remove skin and discard and pull meat from carcass and return to Crock Pot. Serve hot with garlic bread and a salad.

Enjoy!

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

2009-10-06T11:35:00.005+04:00

Back when we lived in Boise, one of my favorite restaurants was this Thai place called (appropriately) "Thai Cuisine" lol. They have this coconut soup that I absolutely love, but I have never even considered trying it because it has ingredients like lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. Not only would I not know where to find these ingredients here, I never would even try because I'd only use them for this one soup. So I've just been going without. Until last night. I saw someone using regular similarly-flavored ingredients in another Asian soup and I was like, "Hey, I could do that!" So I came up with the following, which was surprisingly CLOSE. It wasn't exactly the same, but the whole family loved it nonetheless and I will just keep working on the flavor balance to make it perfect.

Coconut Chicken Soup:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut-up into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chicken stock (I used homemade)
2 cups coconut milk
1 onion, cut in half and sliced into strips
3 cups button mushrooms, quartered
8 slices fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil

1) Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a soup pot, heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 2-3 minutes.
2) Add the stock, coconut milk, mushrooms, ginger, chili paste, basil and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
3) Add the chicken and simmer another 5 minutes.
4) Add the lemon juice and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: September 28th

2009-09-28T09:11:00.002+04:00

Last week was kind of a crazy week and this one will be too as we continue to pack and organize things so we can go home. But here is part of a menu this week. I still need a few days, but we will probably end up eating out one day and maybe getting simple deli foods (salads, etc) another day.

Grilled Burgers, oven fries, mixed veggies

Chicken Milan, garlic pita chips, steamed broccoli

Grilled Chicken, Baked Beans, side salad, Garlic bread

Mushroom Cream Pasta, steamed artichokes with butter and mayo

For more meal ideas, check out Orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday page.

Mushroom Cream Pasta

2009-09-28T08:52:00.003+04:00

This recipe was inspired by Macaroni Grill's Mushroom Ravioli. That was the best sauce I've ever had and I set about to recreating the flavor. I didn't measure anything, so I'll just go through the process. All measurements are eyeballed.

Mushroom Cream Pasta:

Start with:

6 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

In a little bit of olive oil, over medium-low heat, add the onions and saute until softened (5-7 minutes), add the mushrooms and cook until softened and then add the garlic and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often. Set mixture aside.

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk together. Allow the flour to cook until golden brown, then slowly add in whole milk, whisking each 1/2 cup until the sauce has thickened. I add about 1/2 cup at a time until about 2 cups total have been added. I also added 1/2 cup chicken broth with 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar mixed into it during the thickening process.

Once the sauce has been thickened, add, to taste, about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the cinnamon slowly, but it is the key to the awesome flavor. Once the sauce is a sweetly savory yumminess, add the vegetable mixture back into the sauce and heat through. Add about 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan to the sauce and stir until it melts.

I served this over whole wheat spiral pasta, but my husband and I agreed it would have been perfect over linguine. Sprinkle some fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: September 14th

2009-09-14T15:03:00.003+04:00

Because I am going back to the States soon (and without my laptop) I plan to post many of our family favorite recipes in a hurry so I have access to them back home.

For now, here's our plan this week:

Shrimp Tacos with lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, onions, and sour cream
-I tossed the shrimp in a bowl with lime juice, a dash of salt, and some garlic powder them sauteed them in a little EVOO over medium-high heat for a few minutes. When they were sauteeing, I sprinkled them with a good amount of chili powder. That was it. Assemble them with the garnishes and enjoy. HUGE family favorite last night!

Easy Chicken Stuffing Bake

Swanson Pan-Sauteed Chicken with Vegetables and Herbs with steamed jasmine rice

Bean and Cheese Burritos with salsa and lettuce

Baked Chicken with Pea Salad

For more menu ideas, check out Orgjunkie's website.

Menu Plan Monday: September 7th

2009-09-07T15:10:00.002+04:00

Here's what we're having this week:

Apple Chicken Quesadillas with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with homemade egg noodles, garlic toasts, and side salad

Shredded Chicken Burritos garnished with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and salsa

Funky Chicken with Sesame Noodles and steamed broccoli

Meat Loaf, Au Gratin Potatoes, steamed broccoli, and corn bread

Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti with garlic bread and a side salad

For more menu ideas, check out Orgjunkie.com.

Menu Plan Monday: August 31st (and Crab Dip recipe)

2009-08-31T08:58:00.003+04:00

This week for lunch I am making Chimichangas with guacamole for me and Egg Salad for Stu to take to work. Here are our dinners:

Barbecue Chicken Burritos, fries, and steamed mixed vegetables

Chicken Milan, buttered noodles, and steamed broccoli

Crab Rangoon searved with sweet and sour sauce, fried rice

Broccoli Soup with dinner rolls and Ritz crackers

I will also be making this Crab Dip with the leftover crab:

1 package of cream cheese
4 oz. imitation crab meat, flaked
1/4 cup favorite salsa

Roughly chop the crab and then mix with the cream cheese and salsa. Serve with Wheat Thins. So yummy!

For more menu ideas, visit Orgjunkie.com.

Menu Plan Monday: August 24th

2009-08-24T07:59:00.003+04:00

I'm back after two weeks in North Carolina on vacation and I have to say: It's nice to get back into the meal planning and cooking thing. I've just started posting my meal plans a few weeks ago, but I've been meal planning for over a year now. I don't know what we ever ate before that!

So, here's what we're having this week:

Pita pizzas with salad/ sliced fresh tomatoes

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce, steamed white rice, and a salad

Baked Chimichangas on a bed of chopped lettuce, steamed rice, steamed mixed veggies
(for the chimichangas, I'm using the linked recipe, but instead of frying them, I now brush them lightly with veg. oil and bake them on a cookie sheet, turning once, at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. My husband and I both agree they're even better this way, and it saves tons of empty calories by not frying them.)

Taco Soup with Ritz crackers

Cheeseburger Pie and steamed broccoli

For more menu planning ideas, check out Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: July 27th

2009-07-27T12:02:00.003+04:00

Here is our menu this week! Don't forget to check out Orgjunkie's page for lots and lots of menu idea for this week.

(Also, in case you're wondering why there are only 5 meals every week, it's because I only plan the 5 week night meals. On our Friday we typically go out to eat or order in, and the "odd" day we'll grill out with friends or make something simple and easy.)

Meals:
Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce, steamed rice, salad with tomatoes and olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Shredded Chicken Burritos, oven fries and mixed veggies
Pan-sauteed Chicken with Spinach/Tomato mixture (see recipe below), and garlic bread
Crepes filled with sweetened cream cheese, scrambled eggs, and homemade strawberry reduction sauce(and a squirt of whipped cream :))
Hamburgers on the grill garnished with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and cheese, oven fries and steamed mixed veggies

Pan-Sauteed Chicken with Spinach and Tomato Mixture:

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp each dried basil, dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Put everything except oil into a large ziplock, shake well to coat chicken. Saute over medium heat for 7-9 minutes or until no longer pink inside, turning once. Set aside.

For the "sauce":

either 10 ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained, or 1 pound of fresh baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
12 grape tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup slices green onions
1/2 teaspoon each, salt and garlic powder
olive oil

If using fresh spinach, saute in oil until wilted. Add the tomatoes and green onions and cook until tender. Add the salt and garlic powder and stir to combine.

If you'd like, you can add your favorite flavor of feta to the mixture for a yummy change (we do this about half of the time)

Spoon a bed of the spinach/tomato mixture onto a place and top with the cooked chicken.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: July 20th

2009-07-20T11:57:00.002+04:00

Ok, if you haven't discovered THIS site yet, check it out. This woman is fabulous and I've stolen both her organizing tips AND used this Menu Plan Monday linky to get ideas for my weekly meal plans for months now. So it is time to share the wealth! This is my first time of participating and I hope I can remember to post this weekly.

So here is our menu for this week:

Pigs in a Blanket with salad
Taco Soup (from freezer) with Rita crackers and salad
Spaghetti (sauce from freezer) with broccoli and garlic bread
Pan-sauteed marinated chicken breasts with simple buttered noodles and frozen mixed veggies
Shredded Chicken and Carmelized onion Quesadillas with carrots and dip and watermelon

Hopefully I'll see you again next week! Haha

Go check out other menu ideas at OrgJunkie's site!

Crab, Onion, and Swiss Omelet

2009-07-08T12:30:00.003+04:00

This is a fast breakfast recipe. I am always on the look-out for something other than cereal for breakfast that doesn't take much prep work or time. This one was a nice, tasty alternative to boring cereal or eggs and toast.

Crab, Onion, and Swiss Omelet:

1/2 cup diced imitation crab or lump crab meat, picked free of shells
2 Tablespoons minced onion
1 slice Swiss cheese
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil

1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the onions in the oil for about 30 seconds then add the crab meat.
2. Cook crab until heated through, then transfer from pan into a small bowl, set aside.
3. Return pan to the heat. Beat the eggs and water, seasoning with salt and pepper and add to skillet.
4. Rotate the pan in a circle over the heat so that the eggs stick to the upper edges of the pan.
5. When eggs are set, place the slice of cheese on one side of the skillet and then layer the crab/onion mixture on top of the cheese, spreading it out so it covers one half of the eggs.
6. Fold half of the eggs over onto it's self, covering the ingredients.
7. Slide omelet out of pan onto a plate and serve hot.

This is great with avocado slices as a garnish on top of the omelet. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Taco Soup

2009-05-06T16:44:00.002+04:00

I adapted this recipe because I couldn't find some of the ingredients here. It turned out wonderful. I especially liked it with Ritz crackers dipped into it. Super easy to make.

Crock Pot Taco Soup:

1 lb. shredded chicken (I used the leftover chicken from the double batch I made for the enchiladas)
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn
1 can tomato and chilies
2 can diced tomatoes (or one large can)
1 TBSP green chili paste
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1/2 bottle of your favorite Ranch dressing (I used Delightfully Light)

1) Add all ingredients to Crock Pot (for the cans of beans and corn I drained the liquid and then filled them back up with water, but you can just dump them in). Stir to combine well.
2) Cook on low for 4 hours.

Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or drain some of the liquid off and eat it inside of a tortilla.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce

2009-05-06T16:28:00.002+04:00

I invented these the other night because I really really wanted enchiladas, but finding enchilada sauce here is pretty difficult. These were a big hit with the whole family (even the 1-year-old!) and we will definitely have them again soon. Sorry I didn't get a picture. They wen't too fast for me to even think about it!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth, divided
salt and pepper
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP green chili paste
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional, don't use if you want a more mild flavor)
1/2 cup salsa (whatever your favorite happens to be)
16 small tortillas (corn or flour, whichever you prefer) <---I used flour
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sauce:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP chili paste

1) I learned this nifty trick: Place the chicken breasts in a slow-cooker with 2 cups of chicken broth and a little salt and pepper on each breast. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, then remove and shred with two forks. You can use this methods for any recipe that calls for shredded chicken. I love it (the chicken is so tender and flavorful) and I usually make a double batch so I have enough for a whole other meal.
2) Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions for about 5 minutes (until translucent, but not brown), add the garlic and chili paste and cook additional 2 minutes. Let cool.
3) In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, the onion mixture, and salsa and combine.
4) In a shallow dish, heat the remaining chicken broth in the microwave until warm (not too hot).
5) Dip one tortilla in the broth on both sides and then place a line of the chicken mixture down the center. Roll and place seam-side down in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

For the Sauce:
1) Heat the butter over medium heat and add the flour, wisk together. Allow flour to cook for about 1 minute and then slowly add the milk and chicken broth a little at a tine, wisking constantly. Allow to thicken then add chili paste.
2) Pour over enchiladas in dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Enjoy!

Cream Dried Beef on Toast (aka Chipped Beef on Toast, or Shit on a Shingle)

2009-04-26T16:32:00.004+04:00

When I was little, my Mom used to make this for breakfast every year on Easter. I would get so excited to get the egg hunt over with so that we could eat! I couldn't get ahold of my Mom for her recipe, so I had to improvise it on my own. I thought it tasted almost exactly the same, so I guess I got it close enough. This was a HUGE hit with my boys. My husband said, "Oh, yum!" FOUR times during the course of his meal and my monkey ate almost all of his. Enjoy!

Cream Dried Beef on Toast:

1 jar dried beef, rinsed and diced
6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup butter (you can use a butter substitute, I did)
1/4 cup flour
approx. 6 cups of skim milk
1 cup whole milk (to make it creamier)
salt and pepper to taste

1) Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low-medium heat. Wisk in the flour and let it cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly (if your roux constantly tastes gritty or like flour, you're not letting your flour cook long enough).

2) Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, stirring very often until thickened. Allow the sauec to thicken before pouring all of it in. You may need more of less than recipe calls for, depending on thickening.

3) Add in the dried beef and allow flavors to combine for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Add eggs and cook additional 3-4 minutes, allowing flavors to combine.

Serve over toasted bread. Enjoy!

Sydney's Bruschetta

2009-04-26T16:22:00.004+04:00

We just got back from Italy last week and while we were there, we fell absolutely in love with the bruschetta. In the UAE, we cannot compare with the quality and freshness of the ingredients we found in Rome's food, but I wanted an easy and still tasty way to make this appetizer. What I came up with was definitely good. Using as many fresh ingredients as possible is the key to making this dish perfect.

Sydney's Bruschetta:

3 vine-ripe tomatoes (the fresher, the better)
Good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon good Balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper, and basil to taste
fresh, crusty bread, thickly sliced

Seed and chop tomatoes. In a bowl, combine tomatoes with vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add basil to taste. Do not go overboard on the spices, let the tomatoes be the star.

Toast bread and then drizzle with plenty of GOOD olive oil. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the bread and heat under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

White Chicken Chili

2009-04-06T18:00:00.003+04:00

Ok, so I am not normally a chili fan, but my husband is, so I feel bad if I don't cater meals to him sometimes. Luckily, I found (and changed, of course) this recipe so that it is now a family favorite. It is a Crock Pot recipe (so I love it), it has shredded chicken (so Kaden loves it) and it is spicy and beany enough that Stu loves it too. We all ate the leftovers for lunches and cleaned our bowls every time. Give it a try!

White Chicken Chili:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans of Great Northern Beans (white beans)

2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium works)

1 cup chopped white onion

2 cans chopped green chilies (I couldn't find any here so I just used a few teaspoons of the paste)

red pepper flakes to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Place the chicken and chicken broth in the Crock Pot and cook for 5 hours on low.

2) Shred the chicken with two forks in the Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2 more hours or until the onions are softened.

3)Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. We also got out the tortilla chips the next day for lunches and they were awesome too!

Enjoy!

Pita Pizzas

2009-03-25T12:51:00.002+04:00

Pita Pizzas:

As soon as we made these they became a new family favorite! I just spread a pita with a mixture of fat-free cream cheese and light Ranch dressing and then we topped it with our favorite ingredients (Mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, onions, turkey, etc.).

Bake in a 400 degree oven until the pita is crisp, about 10 minutes. So yummy!

Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Linguini

2009-03-22T17:54:00.005+04:00

As I mentioned, Stu has been wanting us to eat healthier again, so this week I made my weekly menu with only vegetarian main courses. We will see if we stick to it or not, but last night's dinner was a HUGE hit! Kaden and Stu both had it for lunch today too.

Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Linguini:

6 ounces of Linguini
2 cups seeded and chopped cherry tomatoes
1 package of Organic frozen spinach (10 oz.) (thawed and squeezed)
1 cup chopped green onions (white and green parts)
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (you can use your favorite of the flavored variety if you'd like)

1) Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until done.
2) Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, tomatoes and green onions and saute until soft.
3) Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder, stir in the feta cheese.
4) Heat, stirring until warmed and cheese is melting.
5) Toss with the pasta and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Avocado Burritos

2009-03-19T12:54:00.002+04:00

The hubby and I go back on forth on health kicks. This time it was him (I was content to just sit there and eat a tube of cookie dough). So I invented this meatless recipe since we LOVE both avocados and Mexican food. Perfect combo. Even my 20-month-old loved this recipe!

Vegetarian Avocado Burritos:

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp lime juice (I didn't have fresh so I just used the fake stuff)
6 flour or corn tortillas

Garnishes:
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar cheese
chopped tomato
shredded lettuce

1) Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined.
2) Warm tortillas if desired and spread with avocado mixture, then top with your favorite garnishes. We used all of the one mentioned above.

If you like beans, this would be a good way to add some protein to this meal. I ate these by themselves for lunch, but with some Mexican rice, this could definitely be a whole meal. I was surprised how satisfied I felt. Enjoy! :)

Creamy Cheese and Onion Grits

2009-02-24T20:34:00.003+04:00

These were awesome. If you like grits, give this recipe a try! :) This is only for one person since I was having dinner alone.

Creamy Cheese and Onion Grits:

1 cup of milk (I used fat free)

salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon of butter

3 Tablespoons of uncooked grits

2 Tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons of chopped green onion

1) Bring the milk, salt, and butter to a simmer SLOWLY, being careful not to scald the milk.
2) Stir in the grits and gently simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until thickened and cooked.
3) Stir in the green onions and turn off heat. Add cheese and stir to combine.

I served it with scrambled eggs. My son kept asking for bites. It was very good and simple to make. Enjoy!

Biscuits with Apple Topping

2009-02-17T11:50:00.004+04:00

I wanted to make a dessert that wasn't too heavy or sweet, so I thought this recipe worked perfectly! It ended up being AWESOME and the apples could even be used as Apple Pie filling. The whole family loved this one! I didn't even have a chance to take a picture of it before it was half-devoured! :)

Biscuits with Apple Topping:

3 cups of thinly spiced apples, peeled

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

splash of Almond extract

1 can Biscuits

1) In a saucepan (no heat), stir together all ingredients except biscuits. Let sit for 15 minutes.

2) Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until apples are tender.

3) Transfer apple mixture to a 9-inch pie plate, spread out evenly. Top with biscuits and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top.

4) Turn them upside down onto a serving dish and serve warm.

Enjoy!

French Onion Salisbury Steak

2009-02-09T13:02:00.005+04:00

No longer merely a nasty TV dinner, this adapted Salisbury Steak recipe was an instant hit at our house and will definitely make its way into our usual meal rotation. Enjoy!

(This recipe has been made Muslim-friendly with the omission (with substitution) of pork and alcohol... Enjoy! :))

French Onion Salisbury Steak:

1 pound of ground beef

1/4 cup fresh minced parsley

2 Tablespoons minced white onion (or chopped scallions)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 cups sliced onions

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cheese Toasts (recipe to follow)

1) Combine ground beef, parsley, onions, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well with hands. Shape into balls and flatten into patties (as many or as few as you prefer).

2) Place 2 Tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish and dredge patties. (Reserve the other tablespoon of flour for later).

3) Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add patties and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan.

4) Add the onions and sugar to the pan and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Saute for 1 minute. Sprinkle remaining flour over the onions and then cook 1 minute. Stir in broth and vinegar and then add salt to taste (about half a teaspoon).

5) Return the meat to the pan and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, simmering for 10 minutes.

6) Serve on Cheese toasts with soup ladled over the meat. Garnish with cheese and parsley if desired.

Cheese Toasts:

6-10 slices of a baguette, sliced diagonally, about 1/2 inch thick.

Butter or margarine

garlic powder

1/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400 (F) (200 C).

2) Lightly butter bread slices on one side and place butter-side up on a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle each slice with garlic powder and top with cheese.

3) Bake until toasts are crisp, about 8-10 minutes.

Sydney's Fabulous Nachos

2009-01-28T15:58:00.002+04:00

Nachos are such an easy and yummy food. So we decided to make them "dinner" tonight. Here is my adaptation of Nachos:

Sydney's Nachos:

1 lb. good pork sausage
1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
Garnishes of your choice (guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, etc)

1) In a medium skillet, cook the sausage with the garlic over medium heat. Add the seasonings and cook well. Drain on paper towels.

2) Arrange a layer of chips on a baking sheet and top with sausage, cheese, and onion. Add another layer of chips and repeat.

3) Bake in a 450 (F) oven for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with any toppings you like.

Enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

2009-01-28T09:01:00.001+04:00

Last night I made this hearty soup and it was a family hit. My son absolutely loved it and the hubby and I ate ever bite in our bowls (Stu even went back for seconds). Here it is:

Baked Potato Soup:

4-5 medium-sized baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter (I used low-fat spread… it works just fine)
2/3 cup flour
6 cups low-fat milk
A few shakes of garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
6 green onions, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled (low sodium J)
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F and bake the potatoes until fork tender, about 1 hour. (I did the potatoes in the late morning and let them cool so they were easy to handle by the time I was ready to start dinner.)
2) Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly blend in the flour with a whisk until thoroughly blended. Cook the roux until a very pale golden.
3) Gradually add milk the milk, letting it thicken. Add garlic powder and season with salt and pepper to taste, whisking constantly.
4) Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the interior and set aside.
5) Chop up half the potato peels and discard the remainder.
6) When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potato.
7) Add green onion and potato peels. Whisk well, and then add the sour cream and bacon.
8) Add cheese a little at a time, whisking until all is melted.

I served this with buttered rolls and a side salad. Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Muffins

2009-01-21T13:02:00.004+04:00

In the ongoing search to find healthy snacks for my 18-month-old, I stumbled across this recipe. It has been adapted to be healthier and ended up pretty good. Great option for kids and it is sweet enough to feel like a treat, but healthy enough to keep Mom happy! :) Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Muffins:

3/4 cup chopped mandarin oranges (we buy fresh by the case at a local market, so I used fresh. Canned would work fine too though)

1-1/2 cups flour (use whole wheat to make it healthier)

1-3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup applesauce (this was instead of the shortening the recipe called for)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup fat free milk

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.

2) In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them together. Add applesauce and whisk until little balls form.

3) In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Pour into middle of flour and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

4) Fold in oranges. Pour into muffin pan, filled about 3/4 full in each cup.

5) Bake 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Freezes well.

Counting Calories: Week 2

2009-01-17T17:59:00.002+04:00

So this week I feel like I did pretty well again. I lost another kilo, or 2.2 pounds and I still haven’t had any real cravings that I felt like I couldn’t control easily. I found out this week that the two best ways for me to fight cravings are first to try brushing my teeth. My son loves to brush his teeth every time we pass by the bathroom, so I find myself taking advantage of this by brushing mine 3-4 times per day too. If I am craving something sweet particularly, this is a great method.
The other thing I try is drinking a full glass of cold water (not so I get a headache!). A lot of the time I think I feel hungry, I really am just thirsty, and the cold water is so much more satisfying for me than luke warm water.

Anyway, here is what I ate this week. My meals have been pretty boring and repetitive, so don’t expect any fabulous gems in there:

Sunday: (total calories: 875)
Breakfast: tea with honey, a poached egg on toast
Lunch: Salad with turkey, tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, and light italian dressing and a handful of tortilla chips.
Dinner: Soy Balsamic Chicken, fresh green beans, 1/2 baked potato, and a dinner roll
Snack: Popcorn and a packet of Fun Dip (you know, the sugar that you eat with a stick!)

Monday: (total calories: 1,242)
Breakfast: Mini Fritattas, tea with honey
Lunch: Salad with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and a turkey and avocado sandwich
Dinner: Ground Beef Stroganoff, dinner roll, salad with balsamic vinegar

Tuesday: (total calories: 1,414)
Breakfast: tea with honey, Total cereal with milk
Lunch: Lipton Cream of Chicken Soup packet, turkey and avocado sandwich
Dinner: Tuna Macaroni and Cheese and a dinner roll

Wednesday: (total calories: 1,296)
Breakfast: tea with honey, cereal and milk
Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich
Dinner: Barbeque chicken burritos, french fries
Snack: popcorn

Thursday: (total calories: 1,498)
Breakfast: tea with honey, egg sandwich
Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich, a mandarin orange, Lipton cup-a-soup, and some prepared, but not cooked blueberry muffin mix (yep!)
Dinner: Chili's Crispy Chicken Salad, Pepsi, Spinach and Artichoke dip and tortilla chips

Friday: (total calories: 1,213)
Breakfast: tea with honey, Total cereal and milk
Lunch: leftover tortilla chips and spinach dip, a lettuce wrap with turkey and feta cheese, and a pita with garlic paste
Dinner: Breakfast! Pancakes and scrambled eggs
Snack: Popcorn

Saturday: (total calories: 1,157)
Breakfast: tea with honey, cereal and milk
Lunch: turkey sandiwich
Dinner: Hamburger with avocado, French Fries and tomato slices on the side.

Soy Balsamic Chicken

2009-01-12T10:20:00.003+04:00

The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make! We had this last night and it was a HUGE hit! It is super low in calories and fat and was sooo tasty. We ate it with baked potatoes and fresh green beans from the market. YUM!

Soy Balsamic Chicken:

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1) Mix together the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until the sugar is dissolved.
2) Put cleaned and dry chicken in a large sealable plastic bag, add the soy mixture, force out excess air and leave to marinate for up to 24 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer chicken and marinade to a large shallow baking pan (do not crowd chicken) then roast in middle of oven until chicken is cooked through for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
4) Skim the pan juices and reduce on the stove until about 1/4 cup is left (about 4 minutes). Spoon over the chicken and serve.

Counting Calories: Week 1

2009-01-10T17:02:00.003+04:00

With the start of the new year, I decided, like thousands of other people, to try to lose a few pounds and get into better shape. Since I am not making fat-filled yummy delights, I figured I might as well post what I AM eating, in case I can help someone else to lose a little weight too.

My plan is to eat between 1,200 and 1,550 calories per day. I am not currently following an exercise regimen since it is usually the first thing to derail my diet. So I decided to get myself into the habit of healthy, low-cal eating first, THEN work on adding in some exercise.

This first week I lost 3 pounds... here is what I ate:

Sunday: (total calories: 1,546) This was our Anniversary and Stu made breakfast AND we went out to eat at dinner. I had to be very careful about what I chose at dinner to make sure not to go over.
Breakfast: 1 slices French toast, light syrup, tea with honey.
Lunch: Turkey, Swiss, and avocado sandwich, lightly spread mayo, 2 slices of an apple, and a fresh mandarin orange.
Dinner: Pulgogi and rice at a Korean Restaurant and a Pepsi.

Monday: (total calories: 1,693) I went over this day. I found that I was too hungry to not have a snack between lunch and dinner and then our dinner was pretty high calorie and then we decided to have some champagne.
Breakfast: tea with honey, 1 egg scrambled with cooking spray and a half an English muffin.
Lunch: Cream of chicken Cup-A-Soup and 10 Ritz crackers.
Dinner: Stu's fabulous burgers with cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato, lettuce, and ketchup, and French fries. Snacks: popcorn, tortilla chips with avocado, and a half of a pita spread with peanut butter and honey. Champagne for dessert.

Tuesday: (total calories: 1,188) I guess I tried to make up for yesterday by eating under the calories I should. This is not a good idea and will make you more weak and irritable than thin and healthy.
Breakfast: tea with sugar, one poached egg on toast with margarine, and a half of a banana.
Lunch: soup and crackers (same as yesterday)
1st Snack: half a pita with mayo and ham
Dinner: Light beef and broccoli over brown rice. 2 Sugar cookies for dessert.
2nd Snack: Popcorn

Wednesday: (total calories: 1,228)
Breakfast: tea with sugar and 2 mini frittatas
Lunch: Cup-A-Soup, an apple, 2 slices of deli turkey, a piece of Arabic bread and garlic paste.
Dinner: Homemade bean and brown rice burritos, garnished with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.
Snack: popcorn and 2 sugar cookies

Thursday: (total calories: 1,495)
Breakfast: Fruit N Fiber cereal with milk, tea and honey
Lunch: Arabic bread and garlic paste, an apple with cheddar cheese, a handful of tortilla chips.
Dinner: Dinner at Chili's: 1/3 an order of the Crispy Chicken salad with oriental dressing and about ten chips with 2 Tablespoons of spinach and artichoke dip.

Friday: (total calories: 1,482) This was the day we had to do a border run to get new visa stamps, so we ate out for lunch at KFC.
Breakfast: tea with honey, 2 mini fritattas, 1 slice of bread with margarine
Lunch: Fish sandwich with tartar sauce, a few bites of a rice bowl, and a small diet Pepsi.
Dinner: Grilled pork chop and a slice of garlic bread.

Saturday: (total calories: 1,326)
Breakfast: Fruit N Fiber cereal with milk
Snack: A Grande non-fat mocha from Starbucks.
Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich with mayo and a cup of Cranberry Juice.
Dinner: Grilled Cheese sandwich, tomato basil soup
Snack # 2: popcorn

I hope everyone else's diets are going well for them! Good luck!

Shrimp and Grits

2008-12-11T18:20:00.005+04:00

Embracing a small part of our combined heritage, Stu and I decided to have Shrimp and Grits for dinner. Below if the recipe I used, which was described as being “Carolina Shrimp and Grits”. It was pretty good we decided. Try it!

Shrimp and Grits:

2 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup quick-cooking white grits
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup chopped green onions1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

COOKING:Combine chicken broth and 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in grits. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix cream cheese and half and half into grits. Cover and simmer mixture until almost all liquid has evaporated and grits are tender, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Stir in green onions. Remove mixture from heat.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté just until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Remove skillet from heat.

Spoon grits onto center of plate. Top with shrimp and drizzle with lime butter from skillet.

(During the cooking process I also seasoned the shrimp a tiny bit of salt and a decent amount of pepper… so if you like your shrimp more flavored, that’s a good way to go!)

Meatloaf

2008-12-08T17:27:00.003+04:00

Once again, meatloaf is another thing I tried for ages to find the "perfect" recipe for. Instead I always ended up calling my Mom to get her yummy recipe. After a while I have found what I believe to be the BEST meatloaf in the world. If you don't agree, you have my permission to STOP reading my blog altogether! (Except you Eva, since this recipe has pork, you must still read it anyway)

Perfect Meatloaf:

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. good pork sausage (you can use the "hot" style, but I prefer plain)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1) Put it all in a large bowl and squish it together to combine it with your hands.
2) Shape it into a loaf and put it in a loaf pan. Squirt a little more ketchup on top and rub it all over with your fingers then lightly sprinkle on a little more brown sugar.
3) Bake in a 350 degree (F) oven for an hour. Check the middle to make sure it is cooked through, then slice and serve.

This is a HUGE family favorite at our house and it is so simple to make!

Enjoy!

Perfect Breakfast Sandwiches

2008-11-25T11:00:00.002+04:00

When you're sick of the same old thing, here's another quick idea for a FABULOUS breakfast!

Breakfast Sandwiches:

2 Eggs
2 pieces of bread
butter
salt and pepper
ketchup
Shredded cheddar cheese

1) Spray a small pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
2) Crack the eggs into the pan and break the yolk.
3) Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
4) Toast bread and spread lightly with butter and ketchup.
5) Flip the eggs when they start to turn golden on the bottom.
6) Assemble the sandiwiches and add slices of the cheese on top of the eggs to melt. Enjoy!

Barbeque Chicken Burritos

2008-11-16T11:18:00.001+04:00

These are just yummy! Stu and I came up with them last night when we wanted something easy for dinner!

Barbeque Chicken Burritos:

1 lb. poached and cubed chicken breast pieces
½ cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup Barbeque sauce
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
1 avocado pitted, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper

1) Sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender.
2) In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sautéed onion, barbeque sauce, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
3) Assemble the burritos with the chicken mixture topped with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

Enjoy!

Almond-Apple Chicken Salad

2008-11-11T12:06:00.002+04:00

Here is another one of my adapted recipes. I have never really found a perfect recipe for chicken salad as my tastes prefer, so here is my invented one!

Almond-Apple Chicken Salad:

1 large chicken breast, poached and cut into small chunks
1 medium sized apple of your choice, cored and cut into small pieces
½ cup seedless green grapes cut in half
½ cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup slivered almonds
1 Teaspoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

1) Toast the almonds in the olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
2) In a large bowl combine all ingredients and stir well. Add salt and pepper a little at a time until it tastes perfect according to your own preference.

Tips for this Recipe:
- serve in a pita, on Ritz crackers, regular loaf bread, in a Hoagie roll, or on a bed of lettuce for variety.
- Add some chopped hard-boiled eggs if you’d like.
- For a more rich flavor, poach the chicken in water with chopped onions, garlic and parsley.

My Mini Frittatas

2008-11-09T11:53:00.004+04:00

Tired of cereal for breafast? (Me too!) Try this! You can make these ahead and then just heat them up for breakfast or even just a nice (South Beach or Atkins friendly) snack!

Mini Frittatas:
5 Eggs
¼ cup skim milk
¼ tsp. salt
Dash of white pepper (or use regular, whatever)
½ cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
½ cup each of chopped green onions, red bell pepper, yellow pepper, mushrooms
Olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 375 (F). In a small bowl, wisk the eggs, salt, and pepper together and set aside.
2) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until tender.

3) Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray and evenly distribute the mixture in the pan. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of the vegetables.

4) Pour the egg mixture into each section of the pan until it is almost full.

5) Bake for 13-15 minutes until the egg is set. Let cool a few minutes before removing them from the pan. Enjoy!

Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry

2008-11-02T09:37:00.003+04:00

I just love stir-fry, especially the styles that highlight nuts. So here is yet another one of my adaptations! This recipe, like most Asian cuisine, does not have to be exact. Whatever you have at home with work great and tasting the sauce as you go is the key to it coming out perfect.

Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry:
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced into strips against the grain (helps to keep the chicken tender)
1 cup chicken stock or broth (I use homemade since it tends to be more flavorful)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons heated, softened peanut butter
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced white or yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks (optional)
you can also add cabbage too, but since I don't like it, I omit it.
1/2 cup peanuts

1) In a small bowl, wisk together the chicken stock, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, and ginger, set aside. Do not worry if it is lumpy from the peanut butter, with heat in the skillet it will combine.
2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken strips and cooking, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes until just no longer pink inside. Remove chicken and juices to a bowl. 3) In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water until smooth. Add to sauce mixture.
4) In the same skillet, add the vegetables and stir-fry with 1/4 cup of the sauce for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the chicken back to the skillet with the remaining sauce. Allow flavors to combine, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Be sure to taste to make sure the sauce is perfect. If it needs more soy sauce or brown sugar to balance, add some a dash at a time. 5) Serve in a bowl over white or brown rice as a complete meal and top with peanuts for crunch. We didn't have peanuts this time so I used cashews and they were fabulous as well.

Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

2008-10-29T09:11:00.003+04:00

Until about a month ago, Stu and I were being really careful about what we ate. We've both lost a lot of weight since we moved here and we''d been trying to be good. Unfortunately for the past, I don't know, two weeks or more, I've been picking out recipes that aren't the healthiest. We're going to now get back on track and last night was the beginning.

Do you love chicken nuggets, like me, but feel guilty about the deep-fried-ness? Here's my answer!

Sydney's Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Dip:

For the dip:
1/4 cup mayo
3 Tablespoons mustard (I use spicy brown for a better kick)
2 Tablespoons honey

Stir them well, and tada! Dip!

For the nuggets:
1 lb. chicken breats, cut into "nugget" sized pieces, about 1-2 inches. (You can also cut them into strips if you prefer)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes (optional, but it does make them prettier)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, finely crushed (I use a rolling pin)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk (I use fat free)

1) Preheat oven to 425 (f). Put flour, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large Ziplock bag and shake so ingredients combine. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat them evenly.
2) Place the cracker crumbs in a bowl and wisk the egg and milk together in another bowl (start an assembly line).
3) Remove the chicken one pieces at a time and dip it into the egg mixture, then roll in the cracker crumbs and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
4) Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve with honey mustard dip. Yum!

This is a huge favorite of Stu's. So much so that he'll ask for it so often I actually get sick of eating it. Kaden LOVES chicken this way too. Enjoy!

Tips for this recipe:
- Try to keep an eye on the chicken so they don't overcook or they tend to get dry.
- Serve with homemade fries for a "Happy Meal" with half the calories!

The Basics Series: Poached Eggs

2008-10-28T09:32:00.003+04:00

Since I started this blog I've had a lot of good reception from friends and family, which is so great to me. BUT, the more I talk to my culinarily-challenged friends, the more I realize how few people of my generation are taught the basics in the kitchen. So instead of posting only my creations, I figured I might as well also post my "basics" recipes too.

This morning I had poached eggs for breakfast, so for those of you who'd like the yumminess of poached eggs, but don't want to sift through the overly complicated recipes on the internet, here you go!

Poached Eggs: (this is for one person)

2 large eggs
2 pieces of your favorite bread
butter
salt

1) Begin by filling a skillet about half-way with water, bring to a slow boil.
2) In the meantime, toast your bread. Spread it lightly with butter as soon as it comes out and is still piping hot.
3) When water is boiling, crack eggs into a bowl and carefully pour them into the water, letting them slide out gently into the water. (Feel free to crack them right into the water, but I've talked to people worried about dropping part of the shell in, or splashing the water on themselves. Fear not, this is the pain-free way!)
4) Turn the heat down to a slow simmer. The higher the heat, the more it will break up your eggs. Cooking them slowly and they come out perfectly round and pretty. After about 2-3 minutes of cooking (don't let the yolk harden), remove them with a slotted spoon. You know they are done when the white are white and no longer clear.
5) Place each egg on top of a butter slice of bread and sprinkle very lightly with salt. Smash them and enjoy!

Tuna Melts

2008-10-27T10:02:00.002+04:00

Sometimes simplistic is the way to go. Last night I didn't want to do anything too complicated so I make some tuna melt sandwiches, veggies, and mac and cheese (right out of a box!). They were fab!

Tuna Melts, Sydney Style:

4 slices of your favorite bread (this is for two people)
1 can of white tuna in water
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices Gruyere Swiss cheese
2 tablespoon butter

1) Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread, put two of them butter side down in a skillet, add one slice of cheese to each piece of bread.
2) In a bowl, flake tuna and combine with mayo, relish, and salt and pepper, mix well. Spread on top of cheese slices in the skillet.
3) Top with the remaining slice of cheese and finish with the last slice of bread, butter side out.
4) Heat skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown and crispy, turning each sandwich once.

Tips for this recipe:
- serve with tomato or chicken soup to dip it in. This is so good and is the perfect comfort food as the days get cooler (for all you lucky folk where you actually HAVE cooler weather)
- Swiss and tuna are a great combination together, but you can substitute the cheese for cheddar or whatever your family prefers.
- Use a large flat spatula to turn the sandwiches to the insides don't fall out on the turn.

Enjoy!

S'getti and Meatballs

2008-10-24T13:43:00.002+04:00

Last night we had spaghetti and meatballs. Usually I just make sauce with the meat in it, browned first, but I though I should try my hand at meatballs!

My Meat Balls:

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 pound of pork sausage
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I can't get those here so I pulled the croutons out of the cabinets and rolling-pinned them into breadcrumbs. Worked just fine)
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
If you want, add some fresh chopped basil and/or parsley for color and freshness in the flavor.

Preheat oven to 375 (f). In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with your hands and shape into 1-2 inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (this helps with clean up!). Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning them once during cooking to keep them from sticking.

Place balls in a saucepan and add your favorite spaghetti sauce (homemade or not, whatever), let them simmer together for about ten minutes.

In the meantime, you can make some awesome garlic bread!

Yummy Garlic Bread:
Melt half a stick of butter in a skillet over medium heat, add about 3 cloves of garlic that have been chopped roughly. Stir together and let the flavors combine for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and Dip your favorite crusty bread into the butter (sooo bad for you, I am sure, but you can also brush it on with a pastry brush if it makes you feel any better). Bake in the oven for a few minutes to toast the bread nicely. These were a huge hit!

Serve together with some boiled spaghetti noodles and a side salad. Yum!

Potato Cakes

2008-10-23T10:55:00.002+04:00

Last night we had Baked Pepper Chicken, which I've already posted the recipe for here. I also made potato cakes and just some frozen mixed veggies on the side. The Potato Cakes are always a big hit, here is the recipe:

Potato Cakes:

2 cups grated potatoes, the water squeezed out (I literally just pick up a small handful of them and squeeze as much of the water out as I can)
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
oil for frying

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add about 2 Tablespoons of oil to the pan, let it heat up. Drop spoonfuls of the batter to the oil, cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, flip, fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towels. Kaden and I eat them as they are, Stu likes them with ketchup.

Enjoy!

My Creation: California Rice Balls

2008-10-22T08:49:00.005+04:00

This is another one of my thrifty knock-off meals. I’m a sushi fan of the California variety. There is something heavenly about the flavor combination of crab, avocado, and the nuttiness of sesame. Since I don’t have a bamboo mat, and my husband doesn’t like seaweed, I decided to create a new take on the California roll. These were so easy to make and were a big hit with Crab Rangoon for dinner last night!

California Rice Balls:
1 cup Jasmine rice, uncooked
1 ½ cups water
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 avocado, peeled and cut into small chunks
5 crab sticks, sliced into small pieces

1) Put the rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
2) Let rice cool enough to handle then transfer into a large bowl. Add the vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce and stir hard (you want the rice to come apart a little bit so it is sticky enough to stay together). Have a small bowl of water nearby to moisten your fingers to handle the rice.
3) Take a small amount in your hand and flatten it out to about 2 inches in diameter. Place a piece of the avocado and a piece of the crab in the center and fold the sides up around it. Put as much rice as is needed to enclose the filling on the top and form rice into a ball, using a little more water on your hands as needed.
4) Place balls on a tray and refrigerate for at least an hour to cool completely.
Serve with soy sauce if desired. (Or even pickled ginger and wasabi if you’re really craving sushi!)

These really were great and totally hit the spot for sushi… If you like cucumber like is traditional in typical California rolls, add that too. I’m just not fond of cucumber and this was my recipe! Haha.

Here is my Crab Rangoon Recipe from last night:

¾ cup crab meat, flaked
2 green onions, chopped
½ cup cream cheese, softened
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon each, Worcestershire and soy sauce (optional)
Wonton wrappers (I actually used sambosa wrappers this time because it was all I could find [I live in the Middle East] so experiment!)
Oil for frying
Sweet and Sour sauce, for dipping

1) In a large bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients.
2) Lay out the wonton wrappers and put a small amount of the filling in the center of each, fold over and seal with water, pressing firmly so the filling doesn’t fall out.
3) Heat a skillet over medium heat and add about a quarter inch of oil to the pan. Add the wontons a few at a time, making sure they are not touching each other. Fry about 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with your favorite sweet and sour sauce.

Enjoy!

Full Disclosure: I had the leftover rice balls for breakfast!

Crab Tacos

2008-10-21T09:51:00.004+04:00

With the economy doing just FABULOUS, these are the days when being creatively frugal really count. If you're like me, there are only so many days per month when boring old tacos are a viable option. Sooooo, I adapted a recipe for crab tacos! The only "fresh" crab I can get here comes straight out of the polluted Gulf, so I opt for imitation crab. It's almost as good when it is used in dishes, and is very cheap, comparatively. So here is the recipe that I loved, the hubby still prefers his BEEF, but he liked them well enough.

Crab Tacos:
1 package imitation crab (or 8 oz. fresh crab), flaked
½ cup chopped onion
Dash of chili powder
2 limes, sliced
1 tsp. olive oil
8 hard taco shells
1 cup iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped green onion

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the crab and a dash of the chili powder, according to your own preference. Cook until crab is warmed, about 2 minutes.
2) Put taco shells on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for about 3 minutes.
3) To assemble tacos: put a little of the crab mixture in a shell, top with cheese, lettuce, avocado, and green onions and then drizzle with lime juice (this MAKES the taco, don’t miss this step!) Enjoy!

If you have leftover crab mixture, use it to fill an omelet the next morning (like I did!).

Egg Drop Soup and Pot Stickers

2008-10-19T15:11:00.005+04:00

I am beginning to wonder if I wasn't born the wrong race. I discovered the fabulousness that is Asian food right before we moved to Abu Dhabi. I tried my hand at Pot Stickers and Sweet and Sour Pork and realized Asian food wasn't nearly as daunting as the strange and plentiful ingredients lists suggested.

I realized I don't have to fear Asian food, I can embrace it, change it, and make it better! Which is what I did with both my Egg Drop Soup and my Pot Stickers recipes. I have yet to find a perfect single recipe for either dish and it has been frustrating to me.

Well folks, this is our dinner tonight (along with some Fried Rice from last week leftover) and here are the perfected Sydney-style recipes!

Egg Drop Soup (so easy it's sinful):

3 Cups Chicken Stock (I make my own stock every so often and freeze it in portions for later use… this was one of those occasions)
½ teaspoon ground ginger (add more or less, depending on your taste)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 green onions, chopped (use both the green and white parts)
¼ teaspoon each, garlic powder and onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Here are a few key tips for this recipe before we even begin:
- do not overbeat the eggs, just wisk them enough to be combined, not enough that they start to bubble, this screws up the stringy texture of the eggs in the soup.
- This one is IMPORTANT: Don’t add the eggs while the heat is still on. Again, you can make perfect soup easily, just follow the directions! :)

1) In a medium saucepan, boil the stock, onions, and soy sauce.
2) Add the remaining ingredients except the eggs and let this all simmer together for about ten minutes, covered, so the flavors can combine.
3) Turn off the heat and remove the lid. In one direction begin stirring the soup. SLOWLY drizzle the egg into the pot as you keep stirring. Stir about 30 seconds, slowly, and always only in one direction. This helps create the wonderful stringy texture we all love in egg drop soup. If you stir randomly or pour too fast, you’ll get large clumps, and who wants clumpy soup? :)

Sydney's Chicken Pot Stickers:

As I mentioned, I have adapted this recipe over about 8 months now. Other recipes just never seem to get it right.

Ingredients (Pot Stickers):

1 large chicken breast, uncooked
2 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
salt and pepper
wonton wrappers
canola oil

1) Slice chicken breast into strips, place in bottom of a pan. Season with salt and pepper and add enough water to cover. Put on lid and bring to a boil. Cook until chicken is no longer pink (only about 5-10 minutes).
2) While chicken is cooking, slice vegetables and add to a small bowl. Add the soy sauce, and ginger.
3) Let chicken rest until it is cool enough to handle. Chop very finely, add to mixture. Stir to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. This is your filling.
(I make my own wontons, but if you don't, there are plenty of good ones available at the store.)
4) Place a scant teaspoon in the center of each wrapper and wet edges to seal. Mine are never perfect looking, don't worry if they are lop-sided or weird looking, they'll still taste just as good!
5) Place prepared pot stickers on a baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth to keep from drying out while you prepare the rest.
6) Heat about 1 Tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat, arrange 8-10 pot stickers in the oil at a time, don't let them touch each other. Cook them for 2 minutes without touching them.
7) Add 1/4 cup of water (or a little more, depending on the size of the pan you are using... the water should come up no more than half-way on the pot stickers, but should be touching all of them.
8) Turn the heat down to low and immediately cover. Cook additional 2 minutes. Remove them to a plate placed in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining wontons.
9) Easily clean the pan between batches by adding water and letting the pan deglaze. Pour out and wipe clean. Serve with fabulous dipping sauce.

Sydney's Fabulous Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, chopped
dash of sesame oil

combine all ingredients, stir well. Can be served warm or cold.

Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions about any of my dishes. I'll be happy to answer any!

Hamburgers and Salad

2008-10-18T13:25:00.003+04:00

We made some GREAT hamburgers and salad for dinner on Thursday (our Friday) night. Here are the recipes. I didn't take a pic of the hamburgers, but here is the salad!

Stu's Perfect Hamburgers:

1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup chopped green onions
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl with your fingers until well mixed. Shape into patties. Makes 4-6 patties, depending on the size. Grill until no longer pink inside.
We served them on fresh buns with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayo, and avocado. Sooo good!

Sydney’s Favorite Salad:

½ head Iceburg lettuce, torn
½ cup sliced green onions
1 apple, cored and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 small tomato, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 small carrot, grated (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Put first 6 ingredients into a large bowl and toss together. Drizzle with desired amount of olive oil and vinegar and toss. Spoon into serving bowls and grate cheese over top.

Weekly Menus

2008-10-14T09:38:00.003+04:00

I don’t know how many families out there prepare a weekly menu and shop with it in mind, but we sure do! To a bizarre degree actually. I keep watching these people on TV talk shows come on as guests with sure-fire ways to “cut spending” and “reduce your grocery bill by half”. Bull crap. I already DO all of their tips! So what are WE supposed to do?

First we plan out what we are going to eat for the week. This includes me opening up Food Network’s site and scrolling through my list of recipes saved on the computer. Inevitably I will choose MAYBE one recipe from these lists and we’ll settle on easier meals like “grilled chicken” instead of something from a recipe.

After the meals list is made we figure out what we have and what needs to go on the grocery list (you’ll notice I am using the “we” term here… Stu’s job is to watch TV on the couch while I make these lists and occasionally say “sure that sounds good”). We’re easy eaters for breakfast… cereal. Lunch for Kaden is either leftovers or a sandwich and grapes or watermelon. Stu takes leftovers and I eat soup or whatever I can create (this usually means either garlic paste with Arabic bread or a French baguette sliced and topped with some Gruyere cheese). But for dinner I try to cook something every week night. Our grocery list contains EXACTLY what we need. But, because of the inflated prices of food here, we still spend over a hundred bucks a week for two and a half people. We buy NO pre-made meals (mostly because they don’t sell them) and most of our cart is produce and baby stuff. Since we spend almost $20 on a pack of 70 diapers, and $16 for a can of formula, usually the bulk of our spending is on baby stuff. Even wipes run pretty expensive here. But every time one of the “experts” comes on TV I get all excited, hoping for new tips, usually to no avail (and I’m not freaking making my own bread when it’s less than 50 cents here).

Anyway, so here is our menu for the week, feel free to steal ideas. We don’t pick what day it will be on, we usually decide during the day which one we feel like having that evening.

Day 1: Grilled Steak, mashed potatoes, and frozen mixed vegetables.
Day 2: Three-Cheese chicken pasta bake (recipe follows), mini garlic toasts, and frozen corn.
Day 3: Hamburgers with cheese, tomato and lettuce, French fries.
Day 4: Rice, peas, and hamburger skillet meal.
Day 5: Chinese food meal (fried rice, steamed chicken wontons, sweet-and-sour chicken)

So, this I invented last night and it was pretty good. I call it 3-Cheese Chicken Pasta bake!

3-Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake:

1 lb. uncooked chicken, cut up into bite-sized cubes
3 cups uncooked spiral pasta noodles
½ cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
½ Jar of pasta sauce (I used traditional Ragu)
Basil seasoning
½ cup Sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Boil water for noodles, add noodles, cook until tender. Drain, set aside.
2) In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add to drained pasta. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil and add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook until no longer pink, add to pasta mixture. Add a little sauce at a time to the pasta mixture until desired amount is achieved. Sprinkle with basil seasoning and mozzarella cheese, stir. Pour mixture into a glass baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with parmesan cheese.
3) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Whatever-We-Have Pizza

2008-10-12T10:35:00.007+04:00

Stu and I LOVE to make homemade pizza, but sometimes you don't have the traditional "pizza" fixin's. So we started doing "pizza night" on Fridays and we would watch a movie while we ate. (Good date night idea too, for those who are searching) The problem with this set-up is that you will inevitably NOT have one or SEVERAL of the typical ingredients. So here is our version of pizza night!

S&S Homemade Pizza:

1 pizza crust (we head to Winco, Papa John's, or just buy frozen... but if you can get one pre-made from a pizza shop, it's going to be the best)

Assorted Veggies from your fridge, we use any combination of the following :
zucchini
button mushrooms
white, red, or green onions (or all three!)
roasted garlic
bell peppers or any variety
spinach (use fresh baby spinach and but it into strips for best results)
tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes
yellow squash

Meat: This is where it gets fun, you can either use just veggies, or any leftover meat you have. My personal favorite is the pull the leftovers from a deli roasted chicken and use that. Make sure that any meat you use has already been cooked. We love the little ham slices you can get pre-packaged at the store. Try using seafood too!

Cheese: We usually stick with mozzarella, but we've also tried adding cheddar, feta, parmesan, and Swiss.

For the sauce: (either use a canned sauce, or try my variation of a "white sauce")
1/2 package of cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use the stuff in the jar, OR mince it myself, whatever you have time for)
Ranch dressing

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 (F).
2) Spread the pizza dough out on a floured pizza stone or a baking sheet; stab it all over with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming when it is baking.
3) For the sauce, combine the cream cheese and garlic in a bowl and stir. Add a few teaspoons of Ranch at a time, stir and taste. Add more until you get your own desired taste.
4) Spread the sauce all over the pizza dough.
5) Sprinkle cheese over the dough, not to thick, you don't need as much as you'd think.
6) Top with any or all of the above veggies and add your choice of meat.
7) Bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pizza. Watch it carefully. Pizza is done when the edges are lightly browned and cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Tips for this recipe:
- make sure you slice all of your veggies very thinly so they do not hold in too much water and make your pizza runny on top
- Do not use too many ingredients. Try to pick four or five ingredients to top the pizza with so it is not too thick and the flavors complement each other.
- Let pizza stand for a few minutes before cutting it. It will hold together better this way.

- For families with picky eaters, separate the dough into smaller rounds for personal pizzas and let each member top their pizza with their favorites.

- Try doing a half-and-half pizza with different toppings on each side of the pizza. (Or for ML and Jeff, BIG pieces of food on one side, and smaller chopped pieces on the other!)

Pepper Chicken

2008-10-11T21:10:00.003+04:00

This dish is so easy and actually leaves your baked chicken moist! I am one of those people who can never bake chicken breasts without them turning out dry, so this is the perfect recipe if you're like me!

Pepper Chicken:

4 uncooked chicken breasts
1/2 one white onion, thinly sliced
2 cups bell peppers, sliced (we use red, green, and yellow, but use what you have!)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. basil seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). Line a baking pan with foil (minimizes clean-up). Drizzle the foil with olive oil.
2) Sprinkle baking pan with some of the black pepper and basil. Lay the chicken breasts on the foil.
3) Drizzle the chicken with oil, using a spoon or brush to evenly coat.
4) Sprinkle with remaining seasoning. Spreaf the onions and peppers over the chicken.
5) Cover the pan with another layer of foil and seal the sides. Bake 30-45 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.

Tips for this recipe:

- Make sure to use plenty of oil, (don't drown the chicken) it will be more juicier this way.
- We eat this with rice and a side of veggies and it is a huge hit in our family.

Crab Cakes (for Shelly :))

2008-10-11T16:23:00.002+04:00

Ok, like Shelly I have had a REALLY hard time finding a recipe for Crab Cakes that are really good. This one is a start, though I still don’t think it is perfect:

Crab Cakes:

1 lb. of crabmeat, picked free of shells (you can also use imitation, as I had to last time, the flavor isn’t quite as good, but they still turn out pretty good)
1/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers
3 green onions, finely chopped (both the green and white parts)
1 egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise (you may need a little more)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash of chili or cayenne powder (to taste)
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup of vegetable oil, for frying.

1) In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully place cakes into pan and fry until browned (about 4 minutes) then flip and fry for 3-4 more minutes until brown.

3) Remove from pan to paper towels. Serve warm with Avocado Sauce (recipe to follow).

Spicy Avocado Crab Cake Sauce:

1/2 medium California avocado, pitted, peeled and mashed
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each, salt and sugar
dash of chili powder, to taste
1/4 cup milk

Stir ingredients together slowly, leaving some chunks of avocado if you like. Add more chili powder for extra kick. Serve with crab cakes.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Soup

2008-10-11T15:56:00.002+04:00

All of my recipes that I post will be adaptations from other recipes. I almost never like how recipes turn out when I follow them to the letter, so I have changed, simplified, and perfected my recipes so you don't have to!

Broccoli Soup:

1 Pound of fresh broccoli florets
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 large garlic cloves, chopped or minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

1) In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and cook over moderate heat for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender.

2) Add the broccoli and water and bring to a boil. Simmer of moderate heat until the broccoli is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

3) Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender and puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper, blend again and taste. Add more as needed.

Tips for this recipe:
- Serve with canned Grands biscuits for a complete, filling meal.
- Stu likes this soup to be a little more chunky so try pulsing the ingredients in the blender to get a nice chop, without pureeing. It is good too.
- Kaden Approved and Tested: Serve to young children on a split open biscuit, spread on like a jam. Cut up for the younger ones. Mine loved it!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2008-10-11T15:54:00.002+04:00

Sydney's Sweet and Sour Chicken:

1 pound of chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/4 cup flour, and a little salt and pepper

olive oil

1/2 cup sliced white or yellow onion

1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper

1/2 cup slices red bell pepper (throw in yellow pepper if you like it as well... I usually use any combination of bell peppers that I have on-hand)

one medium carrot cut into small pieces (or grated... I tried this last time and it was really good too)

2 garlic cloves, minced (or chopped, whatever)

1 cup pineapple chunks (I use fresh since it's so easy to come by here, but canned are fine too)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar (I use balsamic because I love it so much)

1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger root (either fresh or powdered... I tried powdered last time and it was still just as good)

ketchup

1) put the cut up chicken into a large ziplock bag with the flour (can add some salt and pepper to taste, I'd say 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of each), shake it up well to coat.

2) In about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, saute the chicken until slightly brown (it will cook a little longer in the sauce so don't worry if it is still slightly pink inside.

3) remove the chicken and set it aside, rinse pan, add about one more tablespoon of olive oil and sauce the vegetables (onion, peppers, carrot, garlic)

4) add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, add the chicken back to the mixture and bring to a boil until chicken is cooked through and flavors have had a chance to blend well... about ten minutes.

5) I add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of ketchup to give it that red color you typically see at Chinese restaurants. It is purely cosmetic, but you can also use it to balance the flavors if you are having a hard time making it taste right... be sure to test the flavor before you serve. Add a little more soy, brown sugar, or even ketchup to balance.

Tips for this recipe:

- Remember that brown sugar is your best friend here... it is perfect at making too much soy more mild tasting.

-Serve over brown rice.

Chicken Chimichangas

2008-10-11T15:53:00.002+04:00

Sydney's Chicken Chimichangas:

1 -2 pounds of chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 small can of chopped green chiles (or cut up the whole ones if that is what you have)

1/4 cup cooked white or brown rice

1/2 cup chredded fat free cheddar cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1 package flour tortillas

oil for frying

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine onion, chiles, cooled rice, 1/4 cup of the cheese, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3) Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper and cook in small amount of olive oil until lightly browned, remove from heat and add to other ingredients in bowl. Stir well.

4) Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture into the center of each tortillas and fold corners in and roll into a pouch.

5) In a small frying pan, add about 1/4 inch of oil for frying, heat over medium heat. Test the oil with a tiny piece of a tortilla. When it lightly bubbles and floats to the top, the oil is hot enough.

6) One roll at a time, place the fold side down in the oil, turning once. Fry about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels. Finish remaining rolls.

7) Place all fried chimichangas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Put in oven 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with rice and vegetables.

Sydney's Fried Rice and Egg Foo Yung

2008-10-11T15:52:00.002+04:00

These were posted on the other blog but I decided they should go here too in case you wanted to try them!

Sydney’s Fried Rice:

2 cups cooked white rice
½ small white onion, or two medium scallions, chopped
¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 TBSP olive oil
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
Soy sauce
Salt and pepper

1) 1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and rice. Stir and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

2) Reduce heat to medium and add vegetables to rice mixture. Cook 2-4 minutes until veggies are warmed through.

3) Spread the mixture out to the sides of the pan, leaving space in the middle for the eggs.

4) Add the eggs, and scramble until cooked firm.

5) Mix the eggs with the rice and vegetables, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir.

6) Sprinkle very lightly with soy sauce and stir well, taste to see if it needs more. Do not add too much, it really needs very little.

Sydney’s Egg Foo Yung:
6 Eggs
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
¼ cups chopped mushrooms
½ cup already cooked frozen shrimp, thawed
1 TBSP soy sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Egg Foo Yung Sauce:

½ cup water
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube

1) For the sauce, heat the water and soy until hot, crumble the bouillon cube into the water, stir. Keep warm over low heat.

2) Wisk the eggs in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, soy sauce, stir.

3) Add onions, mushrooms, and shrimp (or any other meat you have on hand) to the mixture and stir to combine.

4) Heat a small pan over medium heat, add about 1 TBSP olive oil and then add half of the mixture to the pan, allowing eggs to set.

5) Cook about 4 minutes until the eggs are slightly brown. Flip with a spatula. Cook until eggs are fully cooked. Repeat process with the remaining mixture. Makes two large servings.

Serve with or over the fried rice, spooning the sauce over the dish, as desired.

Welcome To My Food Blog!

2008-09-11T15:51:00.000+04:00

After hearing so much response from my other blog about the recipes I included there, I decided to go ahead and take my love of food and cooking to a new level and share more frequently (and in a better venue for those who actually want to read recipes). So this is specifically for foodies like myself who can't get enough recipes, as well as the once-a-week busy Mom with too few recipes in her stash.

I know I cannot be the only Mom standing with the fridge door open day after day trying to come up with something to make for dinner. So, here are some more option for you! :) Enjoy the new blog!

Sydney