Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
2.28.2013
Darn Good Green Beans
11.03.2012
Lately...
- ...my dear ol' blog has been neglected. I have had so much going on with wrapping up my job at the Chamber, to transitioning to my new job as a full-time mom, to adjusting to my part-time job, to enjoying my time with the little guy, to weekends with family, etc. etc. that my blog has honestly been the last thing on my mind.
- ...we celebrated Halloween with the cutest puppy you've ever seen!
- ...we have been LOVING watching the Cats this season (I mean, we LOVE every season, but this season has been especially fun!). While Mason and I have not ventured to Manhattan yet, Brandon has gone up a few times. And of course, Mason is a true Wildcat fan!!
- ...the Fall colors around here have been amazing! We have loved watching the trees in our yard change colors. What we have not loved are the leaves that
weBrandon have to pick up.
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| {This pic was taken through our window and our neighbor had just mowed up his leaves...} |
- ...I have made a couple of tasty recipes! These Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies were AMAZING and Brandon gave this Jalapeño Popper Dip two thumbs up! Funny story about the dip. I had made it for our Tuesday night Bible study group and put it in the oven to bake while we met and when I came upstairs to take it out of the oven I realized that I never turned the oven on. So, we had M&Ms for a snack that night. Oh well...at least our friends can laugh with me!
- ...we visited Megan and Kevin and their sweet boys in Oklahoma. We had not been down there in a LONG time and we wanted to have have Megan take Mason's six month pictures and our family pictures. Of course, the pictures turned out amazing (the picture of Brandon and Mason melts my heart!) and we had a wonderful time hanging out with our two little families :) Here is a pic of our three boys (who would have ever thought we would have three boys between the two of us?!?).
Well, I think that is all for now. I need to ease back into this blogging thing :)
7.15.2012
Weekend Wrap-Up
We had an awesome weekend! Lots of down time, lots of Mason time, got a few things accomplished and also spent time with some friends -- can't beat that!
Friday night we ordered take-out and just hung around the house, watching TV. We had had a long week so it was nice to just unwind as a little family of three.
Saturday morning we got up and spent time with the little man. After breakfast Brandon headed out to work on the deck a little more while I made a grocery list and piddled around the house. Right before lunch Brandon headed to the lake with some friends. Mason is too little to be out in the sun so we opted out of the lake adventure. Instead, we ran errands and I made food for our bbq with the same friends that evening. Mason is a good sous chef and great company in the kitchen! We made:
Raspberry Black Bean Dip a la So Long Saloon in Manhattan
1 block cream cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped and sauteed
1/2 bottle Bronco Bob's Raspberry Chipotle sauce
1 c. shredded cheese
Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish. Top with beans, onions and raspberry sauce. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Top with cheese and bake another five minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Stuffed Jalapenos
22 jalapenos
1 lb. pork sausage
1 block cream cheese
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
Cut jalapenos in half and remove ribs and seeds. If you want the peppers to be less spicy, soak in water for several hours. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet. Drain fat. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Add sausage and mix well. Spread about one tablespoon of sausage mixture in each pepper half. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes.
S'mores Bars
1 12 oz. box Golden Graham cereal
1 bag small marshmallows
5 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips
Pour cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a microwaveable safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and butter. Microwave on high for two to three minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract. Pour over the cereal and stir to cover cereal. Pour in chocolate chips and mix well. Spread in a greased 9x12 baking dish and put in the refrigerator to set up. Cut into squares before serving.
After the crew got back from the lake (they had quite an adventure that involved two boats breaking down, people getting stranded and hitching rides on other boats, etc. etc. etc. -- lots of fun!), we headed to our friends' house for the bbq. We had a fun time hanging out and laughing and eating a lot of yummy food. Mason did great as well, until about 9:00 when he was just ready to be done. So, we headed home and got him ready for bed and we followed shortly behind him.
Mason's sleep schedule was a little off on Saturday night so we didn't make it to church on Sunday morning :( We laid low and got a few things done around the house. After lunch, I headed to run errands -- Target and the grocery store -- and then came home and took a little nap. Brandon and Mason got in some good guy time while I did my thing. Later in the evening we went to visit our friends the Wendlers. We gave them some formula that we aren't using and they are lending us their Bumbo chair. Here is a pic of the boys hanging out. It's not the best pic because it was taken on my phone, but it was too cute not to share!
After we left the Wendler's house we went to Baskin Robins to celebrate National Ice Cream Day :) I got a scoop of chocolate almond in a sugar cone, Brandon got a scoop of chocolate chip in a cake cone, and Mason wished he could have had a scoop of strawberry ice cream ;) After our ice cream treat, we made our way home and got Mason ready for bed. And that concludes another weekend.
Friday night we ordered take-out and just hung around the house, watching TV. We had had a long week so it was nice to just unwind as a little family of three.
Saturday morning we got up and spent time with the little man. After breakfast Brandon headed out to work on the deck a little more while I made a grocery list and piddled around the house. Right before lunch Brandon headed to the lake with some friends. Mason is too little to be out in the sun so we opted out of the lake adventure. Instead, we ran errands and I made food for our bbq with the same friends that evening. Mason is a good sous chef and great company in the kitchen! We made:
Raspberry Black Bean Dip a la So Long Saloon in Manhattan
1 block cream cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped and sauteed
1/2 bottle Bronco Bob's Raspberry Chipotle sauce
1 c. shredded cheese
Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish. Top with beans, onions and raspberry sauce. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Top with cheese and bake another five minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Stuffed Jalapenos
22 jalapenos
1 lb. pork sausage
1 block cream cheese
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
Cut jalapenos in half and remove ribs and seeds. If you want the peppers to be less spicy, soak in water for several hours. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet. Drain fat. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Add sausage and mix well. Spread about one tablespoon of sausage mixture in each pepper half. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes.
S'mores Bars
1 12 oz. box Golden Graham cereal
1 bag small marshmallows
5 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips
Pour cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a microwaveable safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and butter. Microwave on high for two to three minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract. Pour over the cereal and stir to cover cereal. Pour in chocolate chips and mix well. Spread in a greased 9x12 baking dish and put in the refrigerator to set up. Cut into squares before serving.
After the crew got back from the lake (they had quite an adventure that involved two boats breaking down, people getting stranded and hitching rides on other boats, etc. etc. etc. -- lots of fun!), we headed to our friends' house for the bbq. We had a fun time hanging out and laughing and eating a lot of yummy food. Mason did great as well, until about 9:00 when he was just ready to be done. So, we headed home and got him ready for bed and we followed shortly behind him.
Mason's sleep schedule was a little off on Saturday night so we didn't make it to church on Sunday morning :( We laid low and got a few things done around the house. After lunch, I headed to run errands -- Target and the grocery store -- and then came home and took a little nap. Brandon and Mason got in some good guy time while I did my thing. Later in the evening we went to visit our friends the Wendlers. We gave them some formula that we aren't using and they are lending us their Bumbo chair. Here is a pic of the boys hanging out. It's not the best pic because it was taken on my phone, but it was too cute not to share!
After we left the Wendler's house we went to Baskin Robins to celebrate National Ice Cream Day :) I got a scoop of chocolate almond in a sugar cone, Brandon got a scoop of chocolate chip in a cake cone, and Mason wished he could have had a scoop of strawberry ice cream ;) After our ice cream treat, we made our way home and got Mason ready for bed. And that concludes another weekend.
5.06.2012
Quick Lunches
**Not sure what is up with the formatting!**
Since Mason has joined our family, my time in the kitchen has been pretty limited. We were blessed to have wonderful friends and family provide us with meals shortly after we got home so I didn't have to cook, but since then I've had to come up with quick meals that can be easily prepared so we can spend as much time as possible with Little Man! And, believe it or not the hardest meal for me to prepare is lunch.
You see, I'm not a huge sandwich fan and I'm also not a huge leftover fan. My leftover limit is like one, maybe two, meals after the original. And I just can't take cold cuts slapped on boring bread day after day. I do love all kinds of salads, but Brandon isn't the biggest fan so I end up having to eat those all by myself, which then takes me back to the first point -- I don't like leftovers all that much.
However, I recently came across a couple of tasty jazzed up sandwich recipes that I have tried and really liked so I thought I would share them!
Turkey and Tomato Panini
(courtesy of Eatingwell.com)
Roast Beef Sandwich
1 recipe Comeback Sauce (recipe below)
4 hoagie buns, baguette (the best option in my opinion), toasted
8 ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
Spread as much or as little of the sauce on your bread, then layer the roast beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato and top with the other half of the bread.
Comeback Sauce
(courtesy of SyrupandBiscuits.com)
Since Mason has joined our family, my time in the kitchen has been pretty limited. We were blessed to have wonderful friends and family provide us with meals shortly after we got home so I didn't have to cook, but since then I've had to come up with quick meals that can be easily prepared so we can spend as much time as possible with Little Man! And, believe it or not the hardest meal for me to prepare is lunch.
You see, I'm not a huge sandwich fan and I'm also not a huge leftover fan. My leftover limit is like one, maybe two, meals after the original. And I just can't take cold cuts slapped on boring bread day after day. I do love all kinds of salads, but Brandon isn't the biggest fan so I end up having to eat those all by myself, which then takes me back to the first point -- I don't like leftovers all that much.
However, I recently came across a couple of tasty jazzed up sandwich recipes that I have tried and really liked so I thought I would share them!
Turkey and Tomato Panini
(courtesy of Eatingwell.com)
- 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 8 slices whole-wheat bread
- 8 ounces thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli turkey
- 8 tomato slices
- Spray butter
Roast Beef Sandwich
1 recipe Comeback Sauce (recipe below)
4 hoagie buns, baguette (the best option in my opinion), toasted
8 ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
Spread as much or as little of the sauce on your bread, then layer the roast beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato and top with the other half of the bread.
Comeback Sauce
(courtesy of SyrupandBiscuits.com)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Heinz ketchup
1/4 cup chili sauce ( I prefer Heinz or DelMonte. DO NOT substitute Thai Chili Sauce)
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup light olive oil
juice of one lemon
Mix all ingredients well and store in refrigerator overnight. This sauce is good on sandwiches, burgers, salads, as a dip for french fries, etc.
1.30.2012
Weekend Wrap-Up + 2 Recipes
We had a busy and eventful weekend and the time flew by, but I suppose that is just how it goes!
- We spent Friday evening hanging out at Mel Hambelton Ford. Why you ask? Well, we traded in the Fusion for a "new-to-us" Explorer. The car buying process is not my favorite past time, but the people at Mel Hambelton made it as pleasant as possible. And now, we have extra room, a lower car payment, and I'm not driving a car anymore.
- Once we got home we spent the rest of the night cleaning house so we could focus on other projects the rest of the weekend. I must say, it was a really nice to go to bed on Friday night knowing I didn't have to get up and do chores in the morning!
- We got up leisurely on Saturday morning and headed out to run a few errands. I left my garage door opener in the old car so we had to go back to the dealership to pick it up. Then, we went to Kohl's so Brandon could get a new pair of jeans to wear with his birthday cowboy boots. He got Levi's and not Wranglers so I've decided to call him an "urban cowboy" since he's not sporting the true cowboy jeans :)
- We also hit up every home improvement store on our side of town pricing paint for our walls. We are looking at the paint and primer in one and locally Lowe's had the best price. We bought one quart to test out in our bathroom to see if we like it. We probably won't get to painting the bathroom until later in the week, though.
- Saturday afternoon I made a new cookie recipe and I must say, they lived up to the recipe title!!
- On Saturday night we attended our first Wichita Thunder hockey game with a friend and her husband. She got tickets from her office and invited us to sit with them in a loge box. None of us had attended a hockey game before so we were all pretty entertained!
- Sunday we got up and went to church, did our grocery shopping and went up to the hospital to see little Brooklyn. Let me tell you, this little girl is quite the over-achiever! She was born 11 weeks early and has been in the hospital exactly two weeks and while we were there, they received word that she was ready to move upstairs to the special care unit and out of the NICU!! She will still be in the hospital for a little while, but she's progressing so well! I would post a picture, but I haven't asked permission from her parents so you will have to trust me when I say she's a cutie!!
- After our visit at the hospital we headed home and painted a little more trim and dare I say, we are like 95% finished!! We still have the staircase and the kitchen cabinets to do but those projects require a little more time so we are not going to rush getting those started.
- For dinner, I made one of my mom's recipes that I had forgotten about until I found it tucked in my recipe binder. It is a good Sunday evening meal because it does take an hour to bake, but it was so good and Brandon gave it the thumbs up, which is even better:
Steak Mozzarella3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Paprika
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 lb.s cube steak (I used round steak cut into pieces and then pounded a little)
Vegetable Oil
6 oz. tomato paste
3 cloves garlic
2 c. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Mozzarella cheese slices
Combine the first five ingredients in a shallow dish. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the meat in the egg and then in the flour mixture and brown on both sides in heated skillet. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer meat to a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat until all the meat has been browned.
In the same skillet, saute the garlic for about a minute (you can also use onion, but I did not). Add in the tomato paste, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Simmer mixture for 5-10 minutes and then pour over the meat. Top with mozzarella cheese slices. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve over hot egg noodles or with mashed potatoes. - After dinner we were stuffed and happy, but Brandon continued to change door hardware and hinges so we could put the house back together. We finally crashed in bed for a little mindless TV watching before we drifted off to sleep.
11.29.2011
Christmas 2011: Baking
I mentioned yesterday that I had Christmas baking recipes swirling in my head. I'm planning to make up a few trays to deliver to our new neighbors and a few other friends and since December 1 is Thursday I decided that I should do a little less swirling and a little more list making. So here I am with a list of recipes that I want to try out this year.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: I made these for Thanksgiving and got compliments from my 4 and 5 year old nieces so I know they were a hit!
Soft Gingersnap Cookies: A new recipe this year. I love gingersnaps and figured a soft gingersnap couldn't be terrible :)
Candy Cane Marshmallow Sticks: I'm thinking of setting up a hot cocoa bar when I host my family for Christmas and I think these guys would be a perfect addition to the bar.
Peppermint Bark: One of my favorite Christmas treats. Speaking of Peppermint Bark, have you tried the Dove variety? They are delicious!
Oreo Pops: Because they are festive and easy.
Banana Bread - Mini Loaves: My friend Ali has a great banana bread recipe that I plan to use. And, I'll probably add chocolate chips.
Peanut Butter Blossoms: A Christmas staple.
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies: I made these for Valentines Day and liked them so much that I'm making them for Christmas too. Plus, they are very cute and festive.
Lemon Shortbread Cookies: Another new recipe. I've developed a strong love for all things lemon and I think these would be a nice Christmas cookie.
Chocolate Crinkles: Because these should appear on every plate of Christmas cookies.
Looking at this list, it would appear that I need to start baking! The beauty of most of these cookies is that they will freeze well so I can make them ahead of time and pull them out when I'm ready to assemble the plates.
What are you baking this year? What are some of the Christmas baking staples in your house?
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: I made these for Thanksgiving and got compliments from my 4 and 5 year old nieces so I know they were a hit!
Soft Gingersnap Cookies: A new recipe this year. I love gingersnaps and figured a soft gingersnap couldn't be terrible :)
Candy Cane Marshmallow Sticks: I'm thinking of setting up a hot cocoa bar when I host my family for Christmas and I think these guys would be a perfect addition to the bar.
Peppermint Bark: One of my favorite Christmas treats. Speaking of Peppermint Bark, have you tried the Dove variety? They are delicious!
Oreo Pops: Because they are festive and easy.
Banana Bread - Mini Loaves: My friend Ali has a great banana bread recipe that I plan to use. And, I'll probably add chocolate chips.
Peanut Butter Blossoms: A Christmas staple.
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies: I made these for Valentines Day and liked them so much that I'm making them for Christmas too. Plus, they are very cute and festive.
Lemon Shortbread Cookies: Another new recipe. I've developed a strong love for all things lemon and I think these would be a nice Christmas cookie.
Chocolate Crinkles: Because these should appear on every plate of Christmas cookies.
Looking at this list, it would appear that I need to start baking! The beauty of most of these cookies is that they will freeze well so I can make them ahead of time and pull them out when I'm ready to assemble the plates.
What are you baking this year? What are some of the Christmas baking staples in your house?
9.16.2011
Pinnable Me Friday - Pumpkins
The cooler weather and the definite change in the season has me thinking about all things fall, especially pumpkins. So, today is all about pumpkins as decorations, treats, and the color in apparel.
DECORATIONS:
I love the texture of this wreath and the addition of pumpkins is just too cute.
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If I had any "art" skills, I'd be making these! So cute!
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A sparkly fall or Thanksgiving table.
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TREATS:
My love for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in brownie form!
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My favorite morning drink is the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. If this recipe is really good, it could save me a lot of money.
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Pumpkin Whoopies
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APPAREL:
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Happy Friday!
DECORATIONS:
I love the texture of this wreath and the addition of pumpkins is just too cute.
A beautiful use of pumpkins in a front porch planter.
If I had any "art" skills, I'd be making these! So cute!
A sparkly fall or Thanksgiving table.
TREATS:
My love for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in brownie form!
My favorite morning drink is the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. If this recipe is really good, it could save me a lot of money.
Yum!
Pumpkin Whoopies
APPAREL:
Happy Friday!
8.19.2011
Pinnable Me Friday - Menu Planning
This week, I decided to use Pinterest to get inspiration for my meal planning. Most of these are main dish ideas so I listed what I intend to serve on the side below the pictures.
Meal Idea #1
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I thought the Asian inspired chicken strips would go nicely with the peanut noodle salad and would make great leftovers to take to work the next day.
Meal Idea #2
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This isn't the most low-fat recipe, but I thought it sounded good and Brandon even gave the go-ahead! I will probably make some kind of salad to serve on the side - cucumber & tomato or just a tossed green salad.
Meal Idea #3
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We like pork chops but I have a hard time figuring out different ways to cook them and this recipe stuck out to me. I think I will serve sweet potato cakes and some kind of veggie on the side.
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This one didn't make it on the menu for this week because we already had a pork dish, but I think this sounds awesome and plan to make it very soon!
Meal Idea #1
I thought the Asian inspired chicken strips would go nicely with the peanut noodle salad and would make great leftovers to take to work the next day.
Meal Idea #2
This isn't the most low-fat recipe, but I thought it sounded good and Brandon even gave the go-ahead! I will probably make some kind of salad to serve on the side - cucumber & tomato or just a tossed green salad.
Meal Idea #3
We like pork chops but I have a hard time figuring out different ways to cook them and this recipe stuck out to me. I think I will serve sweet potato cakes and some kind of veggie on the side.
Honorable Mention Meal Idea
This one didn't make it on the menu for this week because we already had a pork dish, but I think this sounds awesome and plan to make it very soon!
Happy Pinning!
8.12.2011
Pinnable Me Friday - Dips!
I have a "Yum Yum Yum!" Pinterest board that I post delicious looking recipes to, in hopes of trying them all at some point. As I was looking through my collection, I realized I've posted several dips recipes so today, I'm going to share a few with you.
I'm a big fan of 7-Layer dip, but Brandon is not a big fan of refried beans so this dip satisfies both of us.
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Nutella + Greek Yogurt = Need I Say More? I plan to make this dip and serve it with fresh strawberries and vanilla wafers for a small group get-together that we have coming up soon.
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Call me old-fashion, but I love a good cheeseball and this one seems like a fun twist on an old classic.
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Forget the french onion dip that you buy in the carton. This homemade version is so easy and blows the store-bought variety out of the water!
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Happy Friday!
I'm a big fan of 7-Layer dip, but Brandon is not a big fan of refried beans so this dip satisfies both of us.
Nutella + Greek Yogurt = Need I Say More? I plan to make this dip and serve it with fresh strawberries and vanilla wafers for a small group get-together that we have coming up soon.
Call me old-fashion, but I love a good cheeseball and this one seems like a fun twist on an old classic.
Forget the french onion dip that you buy in the carton. This homemade version is so easy and blows the store-bought variety out of the water!
Happy Friday!
7.21.2011
Summer Salads
With the recent heat wave, I've not had much motivation to do any real cooking, as in turn on the stove or oven. So, I challenged myself to find recipes that require very little, if any, cooking and thanks to my favorite blogs, I found a few that fit the bill.
I am always looking for good "take to work" lunch recipes as I'm not the biggest fan of eating leftovers over and over, nor am I a fan of deli sandwiches. This salad uses fresh veggies that are currently in season and the addition of chicken makes it a great entree salad that fills me up and stays with me all day (as opposed to a lettuce salad), which then keeps me from snacking in the afternoon. And, most importantly, the only cooking required was boiling water for the pasta. This would be a great recipe to make for your next picnic, pot luck, or luncheon.
Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn (I used fresh corn on the cob)
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken (I used a store bought rotisserie)
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)
Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
Boil pasta in salted water until cooked. While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.
First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.
Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender. (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.
When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool. Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest. Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.
Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings
Brandon is a big fan of Asian cabbage salads, but I always think they need something more. Don't get me wrong, I really like the original recipes, but when I saw this recipe with the added veggies I knew I had to try it. I thought the added "crunch" of the veggies would be perfect and I was right. Also, this recipe required NO cooking at all!
Asian Cabbage Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T toasted sesame seeds*
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted*
Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken
Dressing:
2 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
1 t kosher salt
2 t soy sauce
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t sesame oil
* To toast almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using.
Begin by making the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a jar or tupperware bowl, cover and shake.
Next, place all of the salad ingredients, except almonds and sesame seeds, in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Place the salad in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes prior to serving. Top with toasted almonds and sesame seeds just before serving.
I tossed the salad ingredients and left the dressing off since I knew we wouldn't eat it all at one meal. Then, I just dished out enough salad for our meal and dressed while I made the rest of our meal and it was perfect. To me, there is nothing worse than a leftover soggy salad.
Aside from these salads, I also found a crockpot recipe that I plan to try this weekend for my sis-in-law's early birthday dinner. I also used a loaf of jalepeno cheddar bread from our farmers market along with fresh tomatoes to make a pretty awesome BLT.
What are some of your go-to summer recipes?
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| {Photo courtesy of Our Best Bites} |
I am always looking for good "take to work" lunch recipes as I'm not the biggest fan of eating leftovers over and over, nor am I a fan of deli sandwiches. This salad uses fresh veggies that are currently in season and the addition of chicken makes it a great entree salad that fills me up and stays with me all day (as opposed to a lettuce salad), which then keeps me from snacking in the afternoon. And, most importantly, the only cooking required was boiling water for the pasta. This would be a great recipe to make for your next picnic, pot luck, or luncheon.
Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn (I used fresh corn on the cob)
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken (I used a store bought rotisserie)
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)
Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
Boil pasta in salted water until cooked. While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.
First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.
Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender. (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.
When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool. Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest. Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.
Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings
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| {Photo courtesy of Our Best Bites} |
Brandon is a big fan of Asian cabbage salads, but I always think they need something more. Don't get me wrong, I really like the original recipes, but when I saw this recipe with the added veggies I knew I had to try it. I thought the added "crunch" of the veggies would be perfect and I was right. Also, this recipe required NO cooking at all!
Asian Cabbage Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T toasted sesame seeds*
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted*
Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken
Dressing:
2 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
1 t kosher salt
2 t soy sauce
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t sesame oil
* To toast almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using.
Begin by making the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a jar or tupperware bowl, cover and shake.
Next, place all of the salad ingredients, except almonds and sesame seeds, in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Place the salad in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes prior to serving. Top with toasted almonds and sesame seeds just before serving.
I tossed the salad ingredients and left the dressing off since I knew we wouldn't eat it all at one meal. Then, I just dished out enough salad for our meal and dressed while I made the rest of our meal and it was perfect. To me, there is nothing worse than a leftover soggy salad.
Aside from these salads, I also found a crockpot recipe that I plan to try this weekend for my sis-in-law's early birthday dinner. I also used a loaf of jalepeno cheddar bread from our farmers market along with fresh tomatoes to make a pretty awesome BLT.
What are some of your go-to summer recipes?
12.30.2010
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
One of the gifts I received for Christmas was this cookbook:
Chinese Noodles with Sesame Dressing
8 oz. Chinese noodles (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 T. vegetable oil
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until tender, according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold water until completely cool Transfer to a large bowl and toss with vegetable oil.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over noodles and toss to coat.
See, this is the gift that keeps on giving. It was given to me and now I'm sharing it with you!!
I have heard good reviews of this book, so I thought I would add it to my Christmas list this year. Let me tell you, I've already tried two of the recipes and I have been extremely pleased with both. Most of the recipes are relatively quick and easy and pretty much use basic ingredients. Plus, it has a whole seciton devoted solely to side dishes, which is one category I always struggle with. The book also contains several yummy looking fish recipes, which is another category I'm a little scared of. I know we need to eat more fish, but I'm always nervous to try new recipes because I'm not used to cooking fish.
So, after flipping through the cookbook, I decided to try three recipes this week, one of which was this recipe for Asian Salmon Patties. I don't particularly like salmon, but I thought the ingredients in this recipe sounded good so I decided to try it and believe it or not, I loved it (and so did Brandon)! If you are wanting to incorporate more fish into your diet, you should definitely give this one a try!
Asian Salmon Patties
1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, finely chopped
2 shallots, minced
2 T. finely grated peeled ginger
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sesame Mayo (see recipe below)
In a large bowl, gently combine salmon, shallots, ginger, egg, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Form mixture into eight patties, about one inch thick, packing each firmly; transfer to a plate. Freeze until just firm, about 20 minutes.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook salmon patties (working in batches) until browned on both sides and just opaque throughout. Serve with sesame mayo.
Sesame Mayo
1/3 cup mayonaise
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
I also served this dish with the recommended side dish of Chinese Noodles with Sesame Dressing and it was a perfect combo!
8 oz. Chinese noodles (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 T. vegetable oil
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until tender, according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold water until completely cool Transfer to a large bowl and toss with vegetable oil.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over noodles and toss to coat.
See, this is the gift that keeps on giving. It was given to me and now I'm sharing it with you!!
12.19.2010
Fa la la la la
Tis the season to be jolly and boy have we been having a jolly good time! In the past couple of weeks, we/I have:
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures at our office parties, my BUNCO party or of our small group packing up the Angel Tree gifts, but I do have a pics of the IMAX opening and our girls night. I also have a couple of recipes to share, so bear with me!
For my BUNCO party, I made a really yummy punch so I thought I would share the recipe here in case anyone is needing a good, refreshing and not too sweet punch for a Christmas gathering this week:
6 parts Ocean Spray® 100% Cranberry & Raspberry Juice (could also use Cranberry-Pomegranate juice)
In a pitcher, mix Ocean Spray® 100% Cranberry & Pomegranate Juice and orange juice. Stir in gingerale. Fill with ice and serve.
In recent years, our small group has helped with the Angel Tree ministry by making dozens and dozens and dozens of cookies to hand out along with the gifts. We have always enjoyed making the cookies, but this year we were all so busy that we couldn't find much time to make cookies, so we decided to make up some food bags to pass out. We also talked about how this is a Christian ministry, but we weren't doing much to spread the word about Jesus with these families, so we found the poem below, printed it out and attached it to the food bags with a candy cane. I think it is a fun poem that also talks about Jesus:
Look at a CANDY CANE, what do you see? Stripes that are RED like the BLOOD shed for me!
WHITE for my Savior, Who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for JESUS, My Lord that's for sure!
Turn it around And a staff you will see ---
Jesus, my SHEPHERD, Is coming for me!
The IMAX opening really deserves a post all of it's own, but I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of the building. Brandon and his team put in so much time and effort and got this building built in less than six months!! Pretty amazing!!
This past Thursday, the Warren folks had a huge VIP preview party and we were lucky enough to score an invitation. It was definitely fun to be there with the movers and shakers in the city and to experience the theatre for ourselves, but the movie selection was not up our alley. TRON Legacy 3-D was the movie and to be honest, we wouldn't recommend it to others. But, like I said, it was more about the experience than the movie. Here are a couple of pics from the evening:
Finally, tonight I had the privilege of hosting the three girls from our small group for a nice dinner and gift exchange. I've known each of the girls for different amounts of time, but they honestly are some of my best friends. We've seen each other through a lot and they each have blessed me in so many ways. I'm so thankful God brought us all together and I hope our friendship continues for many years to come!
I wanted to make this dinner special, so I used my china and I had the following menu (links for all but one of the recipes are included):
Filet Mignon in Mustard-Balsamic Vinegar Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon)
½ cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
About 30 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 425 degrees. In ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, in hot oil, cook filet mignon until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Place skillet in oven, bake about 5 minutes for rare or until desired doneness. Remove meat to warm platter; keep warm.
To skillet, add chicken broth, vinegar and mustard. Add some cornstarch to chicken broth if you prefer a thicker, gravy-like sauce. Over medium-high heat, meat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly and scraping until browned bits are dissolved. To serve, spoon sauce over steaks or serve sauce on the side.
Three out of the four recipes were new recipes that I had never tried. Thankfully, these girls are used to being my guinea pigs and are willing to try out all of my new recipes. In my opinion, all of the recipes were quite tasty, but I am a little biased!
So, there you have it. Play-by-play of what we've been up to. I absolutely love this time of year and as much as I long for some down time, I've loved every minute of the past couple of weeks. It really doesn't get much better than spending time with friends and creating memories!
- had two office Christmas parties
- hosted my BUNCO group Christmas party
- we've organized 216 gifts for our church's Angel Tree and packed 108 food bags with our small group
- attended the VIP opening of the new Warren IMAX Theatre that Brandon worked on
- gone bowling (and I bowled the best rounds of my life!!) with people from Brandon's office
- had a date night out that included looking at Christmas lights
- hosted a fun girls Christmas dinner and gift exchange
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures at our office parties, my BUNCO party or of our small group packing up the Angel Tree gifts, but I do have a pics of the IMAX opening and our girls night. I also have a couple of recipes to share, so bear with me!
For my BUNCO party, I made a really yummy punch so I thought I would share the recipe here in case anyone is needing a good, refreshing and not too sweet punch for a Christmas gathering this week:
| CRANBERRY-RASPBERRY GINGER SPLASH |
|
1 part orange juice, chilled
4 parts gingerale, chilled
4 parts gingerale, chilled
In a pitcher, mix Ocean Spray® 100% Cranberry & Pomegranate Juice and orange juice. Stir in gingerale. Fill with ice and serve.
In recent years, our small group has helped with the Angel Tree ministry by making dozens and dozens and dozens of cookies to hand out along with the gifts. We have always enjoyed making the cookies, but this year we were all so busy that we couldn't find much time to make cookies, so we decided to make up some food bags to pass out. We also talked about how this is a Christian ministry, but we weren't doing much to spread the word about Jesus with these families, so we found the poem below, printed it out and attached it to the food bags with a candy cane. I think it is a fun poem that also talks about Jesus:
Look at a CANDY CANE, what do you see? Stripes that are RED like the BLOOD shed for me!
WHITE for my Savior, Who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for JESUS, My Lord that's for sure!
Turn it around And a staff you will see ---
Jesus, my SHEPHERD, Is coming for me!
The IMAX opening really deserves a post all of it's own, but I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of the building. Brandon and his team put in so much time and effort and got this building built in less than six months!! Pretty amazing!!
This past Thursday, the Warren folks had a huge VIP preview party and we were lucky enough to score an invitation. It was definitely fun to be there with the movers and shakers in the city and to experience the theatre for ourselves, but the movie selection was not up our alley. TRON Legacy 3-D was the movie and to be honest, we wouldn't recommend it to others. But, like I said, it was more about the experience than the movie. Here are a couple of pics from the evening:
 |
| {In the limo on the way to the party....yeah, that's how we roll!} |
 |
| {The project team - Evan (assistant superintendent), Don (head superintendent), Brandon} |
 |
| {Ready for our 3-D movie experience} |
Finally, tonight I had the privilege of hosting the three girls from our small group for a nice dinner and gift exchange. I've known each of the girls for different amounts of time, but they honestly are some of my best friends. We've seen each other through a lot and they each have blessed me in so many ways. I'm so thankful God brought us all together and I hope our friendship continues for many years to come!
 |
| {Christy, Emily, Ali, and me} |
I wanted to make this dinner special, so I used my china and I had the following menu (links for all but one of the recipes are included):
- Filet Mignon in Mustard-Balsamic Vinegar Sauce
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
- Chocolate Banana Brad Pudding
Filet Mignon in Mustard-Balsamic Vinegar Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon)
½ cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
About 30 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 425 degrees. In ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, in hot oil, cook filet mignon until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Place skillet in oven, bake about 5 minutes for rare or until desired doneness. Remove meat to warm platter; keep warm.
To skillet, add chicken broth, vinegar and mustard. Add some cornstarch to chicken broth if you prefer a thicker, gravy-like sauce. Over medium-high heat, meat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly and scraping until browned bits are dissolved. To serve, spoon sauce over steaks or serve sauce on the side.
Three out of the four recipes were new recipes that I had never tried. Thankfully, these girls are used to being my guinea pigs and are willing to try out all of my new recipes. In my opinion, all of the recipes were quite tasty, but I am a little biased!
So, there you have it. Play-by-play of what we've been up to. I absolutely love this time of year and as much as I long for some down time, I've loved every minute of the past couple of weeks. It really doesn't get much better than spending time with friends and creating memories!
