Turkey & Bean Chili

I made another meal for a friend who just had a baby (yes another...in case you are wondering I have 14 friends altogether who either just had a baby or are expecting a baby!) It has literally been the snowiest January in New York City's history, so I thought chili and corn muffins (recipe here) would be perfect!

Turkey & Bean Chili
1 1/4 lb ground turkey
2 T canola oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 T ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce + 1 can water (i.e. don't throw the can out)
3 T brown sugar

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, drizzle 1 T of the canola oil and add ground turkey, making sure to break up into small pieces with a spoon or spatula as it cooks (about 7-8 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat, drizzle with remaining canola oil and add onion, red pepper and garlic. Sautee until onions and pepper just start to become tender.

Add the ground turkey, beans and all of the spices and stir until the spices become fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomato sauce, then fill the tomato sauce can with water and add to the pot as well. Stir well to incoporate. Bring up to a boil, add the brown sugar, then reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Taste the chili for any adjustments in seasoning. If it becomes too thick, add more water. If it is too watery, add some tomato paste if you have it (about 1-2 T) or more tomato sauce if you have it. Serve with corn muffins.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones

After a very long and tiring week my husband and I decided to treat ourselves to a brunch in. No, this is nothing like a sit in where we formed an organized protest against, what? A busy work week? Hardly. We simply decided to cook ourselves a nice brunch once our son went down for his nap...a quiet, peaceful, delicious brunch.

My husband made my favorite omelette, cranberry bacon (recipe here), and I tried my hand at something new, blueberry scones that were whole wheat. The omelette did not disappoint, and the scones were good but I would alter the recipe next go around (as noted below). All in all a great respite from a busy week.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones
3/4 cup butter, cold and diced
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour (next time I suggest 1 1/2 cups ww + 1 1/2 cups all purpose)
2 T sugar (next time I would try 1/4 cup)
pinch of salt
2 1/2  baking soda
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk (I did not have any, so I mixed 2 tsp white vinegar with 3/4 cup milk)
1/2 cup wild blueberries (fresh, for frozen then thawed and drained well)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender. In another small bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Set aside 2 T of this mixture for brushing onto the dough later.

Stir the egg mixtureinto the dry mixture until a soft dough forms. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly across the dough, then gradually knead the blueberries into the dough until they are (mostly) uniformly distributed. Roll the dough out again  until it is about 1/2 inch thick (you may need to add more flour to your counter at this point).

Using a biscuit cutter, or cookie cutter shape (whatever you like), cut out the scone shapes and place on a greased baking sheet. Brush each scone with the reserved egg and buttermilk mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

I decided to make a lemon glaze for these scones by combining 2 oz. lemon liquor with 1/2 cup confectioners sugar until a smooth glaze formed. Spread over the warm scones after they've been out of the oven about 5 minutes. If I had a lemon, I would have added some lemon zest both to the dough and to the glaze.

Vegetable Chowder & Corn Muffins

New York City public schools have only called a snow day something like 8 times in 30 years. Snow does not shut this city down, especially the schools. My husband is a high school teacher, by the way, so this is relevant to us today because school is closed today. Yes, closed. SNOW DAY! We were literally out playing in the snow with our son before 8am.

What is more perfect after a couple hours in the snow than soup? I decided to make a hearty vegetable soup. I don't believe I have ever made a soup the same way twice, and I have never followed a recipe for soup. I just get down my dutch oven, persue the refrigerator and cabinets and toss a bunch of stuff in. Sometimes it is chicken broth based, sometimes it is a milk based chowder, but today I chose to just use water and amp up the flavor with spices. It was super satiating and warmed us right up.

Vegetable Chowder

2 T canola oil

3-4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

4 cups water

2 cans corn, drained and separated

1 T cornstarch

2 T milk

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can white beans, rinsed and drained

1 8 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables (mine had lima beans, green beans and peas)

Heat a large cast iron dutch oven (or your largest pot if you don't have one) over medium heat. Circle the pot with the oil and add the carrots, onion and red pepper. Sautee a few minutes before adding the garlic, then stir to combine. Add the spices and stir until they become fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Pour in the water and turn the heat up to medium high.

Add one can of the corn and both cans of beans to the pot. Meanwhile, in a small food processor, add the second can of corn, the milk, and cornstarch. Pulse until a thick, creamy corn mixture forms. Add the creamed corn to the pot, stir well to combine.

Once the soup comes up to a boil, add the frozen vegetables, stir well, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes until thickened. Serve with corn muffins (recipe follows)

Corn Muffins

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil.

Preheat oven to 400 deg F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder (I use a large whisk to mix all the dry ingredients well). Add the milk, egg and oil and stir to combine.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup (until they are 3/4 full). Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Wheat Germ & Thyme Breaded Chicken

I saw on a tv program a few months back where woman on a strict diet used wheat germ to bread her baked chicken instead of bread crumbs. I didn't have a recipe for this, just the idea, so I thought I would try to create something similar. I frequently use wheat germ in cooking, as it is a healthy alternative to refined carbs, so I thought this would be simple enough. Well, it was simple, but it did not turn out as I had originally envisioned.

Since baking chicken breasts can sometimes leave them dry and flavorless, I decided to marinate them in lemon juice (which I think pairs well with thyme), olive oil and a little salt and pepper. After marinating about 3 hours, I patted them dry, coated them in an egg wash and rolled them in wheat germ and dried tyme. They looked and smelled delicious. I baked them on an elevated wire rack, in hopes that they would crisp up on all sides. No such luck, even with coating the rack with cooking spray, when I pulled the chicken off the rack the entire bottom tore off and stuck to the rack. Fabulous. And, the breading was barely crisp. It ended up tasting really good, the chicken was very tender, but the breading was just a bit of a mess. Oh well, you win some you lose some. I whipped up a lemony sour cream dip to accompany the chicken and it was all good (1/4 cup sour cream, 1 T lemon juice, 1/2 tsp dried parsley)

The real winner of tonight's meal was the roasted garbanzo beans. So good. So easy. Combined with a side of couscous with roasted red peppers and walnuts, the dinner actually came together nicely. 

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 T olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch all spice

pinch cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. In a small bowl combine all of the spices together. In a medium bowl, toss the garbanzo beans, olive oil and spice mixture and coat well. Lay the beans out in a single, even layer on a baking sheet and bake 50-60 minutes until roasted. You may need to stir them or give the pan a shake a few times during roasting. The beans should be a toasty color and crunchy. If they come out chewy, they need to roast longer. 

Blackberry Brandy Glaze

Tonight's creation was inspired by a sandwich I used to love at a place called Zaxby's (a southeastern restaurant). I had chicken fingers and whole wheat rolls, so all I needed was a delicious sauce...Zaxby's chicken finger sandwich used a teriyaki sauce, but I went in a slightly different direction. Still a combination of savory and sweet, I decided to marry brandy and blackberry jam! It was incredible, actually, and I will totally make this again!

Blackberry Brandy Glaze

1/4 cup sugar

1 T cornstarch

3 T brandy

1/2 cup water

2 T blackberry jelly

2 T red wine vinegar

1 T ketchup

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

dash: garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add the remaining ingredients and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened (about 15 minutes). Use a glaze for grilled chicken or pork, or use it to coat chicken fingers for a sandwich or salad.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Well, I just had to use up the last half cup of pumpkin I had just sitting in the refrigerator like a derivative beauty of my all time favorite, pumpkin pie. Just enough to throw together a smoothie for an afternoon snack! It is healthy, tasty, and even 1 year old approved!

Pumpkin Smoothie

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

5-6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding more or less ice to reach your desired consistency.  

Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal

I had some leftover pumpkin from the wraps last week, plus I have been sick all weekend, so it wasn't too hard to think of a comforting lunch for me...what is more warm and cozy than oatmeal? I've never made pumpkin oatmeal, but I love them separate so I think I will love them together!

Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal

1 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cup milk or water
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Stir together the quick oats and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 1 minute, being careful to watch so the mixture does not bubble over the rim (you may need to stir once or twice while cooking). Add more milk or oats to reach your desired consistency, if necessary, and cook for another 30 seconds.

In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Add to the cooked oatmeal and combine well. Heat through, and serve.

I am fighting a cold this weekend, so I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top of my oatmeal to make this a special treat and lift my spirits (sniff, sniff).  

Spinach Stromboli

Weekend dinners invariably include pizza (homemade or otherwise). After cooking dinners all week long, I feel entitled to a night off. Normally pizza night is a welcome respite, even if it is homemade. Assembling pre-made dough, marinara sauce previously made and waiting in the freezer to be thawed, and toppings is just as easy as walking down the block to the pizza joint. But tonight, I just was not feeling it. I wanted the ease of pizza night, without the pizza. The solution was pizza's cousin, stromboli. I had never made one before, but I had eaten one before and so I thought that qualified me to create one. 


Spinach Stromboli 

1 package frozen whole wheat pizza dough, thawed

1 cup marinara sauce (my recipe is here); or use store bought

2 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (or 4 oz. mozzarella + 4 oz. cheddar)

1 egg, lightly beaten, + 1 few tsp water to thin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano (or basil)

If you are making the marinara from scratch, make this about 30-60 minutes before you are ready to assemble the stromboli. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Sautee just until the onions start to become tender. Add the spinach and cook another 3 minutes or so. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle shape, about 10" x 14". Spread the marinara over the dough evenly, leaving about a one inch border around the edges. Add the spinach mixture evenly over the marinara, and sprinkle with cheese.

Starting from one of the short ends, roll the dough into a jelly roll shape and press the seams of the dough together to seal, folding the end pieces over as well to seal the entire roll.

Beat the egg with a tsp or two of water, to thin, and brush the egg wash mixture all over the stromboli. Combine the garlic powder and dried oregano in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the stromboli. For an added bonus, sprinkle any extra cheese you may have on top as well (parmesan would be great if you have it) 

Place on a baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes until done. Serve with extra marinara sauce for dipping.   

The result was delicious, however there was an important lesson learned: lay the rolled stromboli SEAM SIDE DOWN on the baking sheet before baking. I neglected to think about this step, being my first crack at this dish, so about 20 minutes into baking my stromboli began to split apart at the top. 

Barley Barley

I had an abundance of chicken stock remaining after I made the Moroccan Chicken earlier in the week, so I went on a hunt for what, besides insipid rice, I could cook with 4 cups of chicken stock. 


My pantry revealed wheatberries, wild rice, polenta and pearl barley. Wheatberries have to soak for hours before they can be cooked, something I was not prepared to wait around for, rice, well see above, and even a hearty portion of polenta would not require anywhere near 4 cups of stock. Pearl Barley was the clear choice.

Not taking into consideration what I would do with the cooked barley, I dumped 2 cups of it into a large pot with the 4 cups of broth and let it rip. Approximately 45 minutes later I had well over 4 cups of cooked pearl barley. This nutty little grain is delicious, but can be very discriminating when paired with other ingredients. Hmmm. 


Well, here is what I came up with:

Arugula Barley Salad

1 bunch of arugula

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

1/4 cup salted cashew pieces

1 cup cooked pearl barley, warmed

Pomegranate dressing (my recipe here)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss lightly. Serve immediately.


Mediterranean Barley
2 cups pearl barley, cooked
1-2 small carrots, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped nuts (any variety you like)


Combine the barley and carrots in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the oil, balsamic vinegar and honey. Pour into the barley mixture and add the olives and nuts. Stir well to combine. This can be served warm or cold.


This ended up being very hearty and nutty, but definitely could use a fresh herb like flat leaf parsley or cilantro! 


Barley Baked Beans
2 cups pearl barley, cooked
2 cans (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 medium onion, finely chopped 
1/3 cup molasses
2 tsp wocestershire sauce
3 T ketchup
2 T dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 300 deg F. Pour cooked barley into large bowl and combine with remaining ingredients. Pour into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake for 1 hour, covered, stirring occasionally. 


Raise temperature to 350 deg F and bake an additional 30 minutes until beans are thick and bubbling. 


These were hearty and delicious! You can alter the sweet versus tangy by altering the amount of brown sugar and/or dijon mustard. Crumbled bacon would have been an excellent garnish for these. 

Cranberry Bacon Omelette

Brinner again, with something even easier than pancakes: an omelette. This is probably one of my favorite omelette combinations, which was inspired by a brunch dish I ordered from Popover Cafe here in NYC. True, I was 7 months pregnant at the time and the combinaiton of salty and sweet was irresistible, but I found post-partum I still love this combination.

Cranberry Bacon Omelette

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

1/4 cup dried cranberries + 1/2 cup hot water

3 strips bacon (cooked or uncooked)

Put the dried cranberries in the hot water to plump, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Beat together in a bowl the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a large skillet over medium heat. Cover and let cook for 3-5 minutes. Meantime, if you're using uncooked bacon, cook the bacon in a skillet and drain on a paper towel. Cut into thick, chunky pieces.

Once the bottom of the omelette is almost set in the skillet, sprinkle on the cheese, cranberries and bacon pieces. Turn half of the omelette over on itself, replace lid and turn off heat. Let set for another 5 minutes as the residual heat finishes cooking it through. Divide in two to serve.

Blue Cheese Pumpkin Wrap

Let me preface this by saying that if you think this dish sounds weird, it was. Weird, but good. This was one of those occasions where I simply needed to use certain ingredients before they went bad, namely blue cheese, so I concocted this strange wrap. True, you probably could never serve this in a restaurant, and you likely would not serve it to guests, but for a quick dinner for me and the hubs it hit the spot. Good, but weird!

Blue Cheese Pumpkin Wrap

4 whole wheat flour tortillas

1 T olive oil

1 can pumpkin

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Arugula salad mix

4 T crumbled blue cheese

4 T chopped walnuts (candied with 1 T butter + 1 T brown sugar)

4 strips bacon (I used pre-cooked, but you can cook your own too)

If you are using uncooked bacon, go ahead and cook the bacon in a skillet and drain on paper towels. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, pumpkin and spices and stir well. Turn off heat. Meanwhile, add the chopped walnuts, butter and brown sugar to a small skillet and cook over low heat until the walnuts are candied (about 5 minutes). Turn off heat. Crumble the bacon strips (each wrap will get one strip's worth of bacon pieces).

To assemble the wraps, spread an even layer of the pumpkin around each wrap, leaving about a half inch border. Add the arugula and top with blue cheese, walnuts and bacon pieces. Wrap up and serve. Makes 4. 

Healthy(er) Lemon Bars

One of my husband's favorite desserts is lemon squares, so when I made a batch to accompany the Moroccan Chicken for my friend who had the baby, he was left with a yearning for more than the two I had held back for him. Oh, but they are so fatty! The crust alone has an entire stick of butter in it. Basically the entire dessert is butter, sugar and eggs. In fact there is hardly any lemon juice! So. I decided there has to be some way to make them, at least slightly, more healthy. Here went nothing!

Healthy(er) Lemon Bars

Crust:
1/4 cup all purpose flour + 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 T canola oil
2 T butter

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl (the mixture will look mealy). Press into 8x8 glass baking dish. Bake at 325 deg F for 20 min.

Filling:
2 eggs + 1 egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients with a mixer on high for about 3 minutes, until lighter in color. Pour filling onto hot crust and bake an additional 30 minutes. Dust with confectioners sugar.

The consensus? They are good! Sure, they don't taste like their much more naughty counterpart, but still a very satisfying lemon treat! My husband noted that the crust was very different, although good, and the filling was pretty close. I will take it, especially on my first try.

When I make these again, I will probably make a few alterations: Use 4 T of butter and no canola oil in the crust, and add a couple of tablespoons of flour or maybe cornstarch to the filling mix to add a little body. Otherwise, a success in my book...I'm quite sure they will all be consumed.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Tagine is a Moroccan dish, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked...I do not have this special pot, but the result from my slow cooker is equally as satisfying. This dish is a great comfort food dish, but it's also quite healthy. I serve it kind of like a stew. I made it this week for a friend who just had a baby, and doubled the recipe so my family coud have it as well. The recipe below is for the single batch:

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 cups chicken broth

1 (14 ½ oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

2 onions, chopped

½ cup dried apricots, chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries (golden raisins would work as well)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 T ground cumin

1 T cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp crushed coriander seed

½ tsp ground paprika

4 whole cloves

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoon water

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

hot cooked couscous or rice

Place chicken in a slow cooker. Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, onions, apricots, dried cranberries, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, cloves, and paprika in medium bowl; pour over the chicken.

Combine tomato paste and water in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir mixture and beans into the slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center and sauce is thickened.

Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Seve with couscous or rice.

Sometimes I add a dollop of sour cream or even greek yogurt to the top for extra zip.

Sneaky Chicken Nuggets

This was my first crack at making a sneaky chicken nugget. Most recipes call for chicken tenderloins, not ground chicken, so I wasn't sure how they would turn out. They were really good, and one-year-old approved! When I make these again, I will probably add the entire bag of vegetables (I wanted to make sure on their debut, the nuggets didn't give themselves away with too many vegetables!)

Sneaky Chicken Nuggets

2 lbs. ground chicken
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp salt (divided)
1/4 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp garlic powder (divided)
1/2, 16 oz. bag frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat would be even better)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 T wheat germ
cooking spray

Combine the ground chicken, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. In a blender or food processor make a veggie puree out of the mixed veggies and water. Add more water if needed to make the puree smooth, but not runny. Add the veggie puree to the chicken mixture and combine well.

On a large plate or platter mix the bread crumbs, panko, wheat germ, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder and combine well with your finger tips.

Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Take out about a tablespoon or so worth of the chicken mixture and form it into a nugget shape, roll and cover completely in the breadcrumb mixture and place on the baking sheet (this will probably take at least 2 baking sheets, it makes about 60 nuggets). Bake 20-25 minutes until crispy.

Apple Whole Oat Pancakes

We are big fans of Brinner around here, breakfast for dinner. Tonight's brinner was pancakes. I usually make pancakes from scratch, but I have some left over pancake mix from Christmas baking, so I decided to use it and fix it up with some add ins of my own.

Apple Oat Pancakes

2 cups honey wheat pancake mix (I used Krusteaz)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
4 oz. applesauce (this is the size of a single serve container)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl to make the pancake batter. Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter onto a hot griddle for each pancake and bake 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook an additional minute (cooking time will vary depending on how hot your griddle is). Serve piping hot with warm maple syrup!

This recipe could handle another 4 oz. of applesauce if you want to up the apple flavor, and/or add diced apples. Similarly, adding another 1/2 tsp of cinnamon would amp up the flavor as well. Go easy on the quick oats, more than 1/4 cup might make the batter too thick and result in fiberous, healthy tasting pancakes...yes, I intentionally made these "healthy", but I always strive to make healthy food taste delicious, not necessarily healthy. Enjoy.

Mini Egg "Muffins"

My son really likes eggs, but like any 1 year old is not nearly patient enough for it to cool after I cook it...hunger-induced tantrums often follow the placing of said egg in the freezer for a quick cool down. So, I thought maybe I could make an egg "dish" and keep it in the freezer to always have on hand when he asks for eggs.

I came up with these little egg muffins (NOT to be confused with the McMuffin, of course!). I basically just whipped together eggs and milk and cheese and poured the mixture into a mini muffin pan and baked. These little egg muffins are the perfect size for small hands and are quick to heat up and serve...plus they have some spinach mixed in for extra nutrition.

Mini Egg "Muffins"

6 eggs

2-3 oz. shredded cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and well drained (you could use bell peppers, broccoli, whatever)

1/4 cup milk

Whisk all ingredietns together in a bowl until well combined. Pour into mini muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 way up. Bake on 350 deg F for about 15 minutes. The muffins will rise quite a bit, but fall as soon as you take them out of the oven; this is to be expected.

Blue Cheese Salad

So by now it should be evident that we are practicing some impressive austerity, if I may say so, with our dinner menus since the (heavy) holidays. Yes, another salad to grace the Breaking Bread site. Well you have to admit they have all been delicious, hearty salads...I mean there is nothing like adding insult to injury with an anemic salad. If you are going to do it, you have to remove the stigma of eating like a peace, love and granola rabbit and enjoy a nice quality but healthy salad. So. Tonight's version was a Blue Cheese Salad. My husband and I LOVE blue cheese. I know, some people hate it, but if you like it you will like this salad:

Blue Cheese Salad
Any salad mix you like (I used an organic spring mix)
Crispy chicken fingers (I used frozen, but you could make them fresh or use rotisserie chicken, etc.)
2-4 T Blue cheese crumbles (depending on how much you like blue cheese)
1 Granny Smith apple, diced (I only had Macintosh, but I KNOW Granny Smith would have been superior)
1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (if I made this again I would candy the walnuts to further balance out the tart cheese)


Dressing:
4 T blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp onion powder
2-3 oz. cold water (to thin out as desired)


Assemble the salad with desired amount of each topping. To make the dressing, place all ingredients and just the first 1-2 oz. of water in a food processor. Add drops of water accordingly to thin out the dressing to desired consistency (you could also use milk or buttermilk for a richer dressing).

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

Christmas is over, people, but I am left with more than a pile of dead needles on my living room floor and a huge vacant spot in the corner that I swear was not that massive before the holidays...I.have.candy. Candy in the freezer, candy in the candy dish, and candy canes that once adorned my now dead and discarded tree. 


I am not hanging on to candy canes for the next year, because face it nobody eats candy canes outside the month of December and you know it. What to do? Well, I do need to bring a snack tomorrow for the first moms group meeting of the new year, so how about...wait for it...candy cane sugar cookies! Oh wait, you already figured that out from... oh yes, the post title so aptly provided :).

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Any flavor candy canes you have! (about 3-4 crushed; I used a meat tenderizer)
A few drops of peppermint extract
A great sugar cookie dough recipe (click here)


Make the sugar cookie dough as directed. Fold in the crushed candy canes and the peppermint extract (if you have a flavor candy cane that will clash with the peppermint flavoring, you can leave out this ingredient completely). Roll into 1" balls and place on a baking sheet. Use a fork to make a hatching pattern, if desired (sort of like a classic peanut butter cookie). Bake in a preheated oven on 350 deg F for 10-12 minutes. 

Creamy Shrimp & Fettuccine

Talk about a turn around! This recipe came out of thin air, which often times ends in a total dinner mishap, but tonight it turned out surprisingly good. The impetus for the concoction, if you can call it that, it's rather basic really, was that I needed to use some frozen shrimp (cooked, ugh!). I prefer frozen shrimp that are uncooked so I can add the flavor of the particular dish I am cooking to them, but this is what I had. 

I grabbed some vegetable fettuccine out of the pantry and got it boiling (this stuff is fabulous by the way, it is pasta that is in part made with vegetables so it has one serving of vegetables per 4 oz. serving of cooked pasta!). Hmmm, how to bind pasta and frozen cooked shrimp (well, I did thaw them first, but I'm just underscoring my distaste for this little variety!)? Something creamy...maybe alfredo'esque? Sure!

I found some cream cheese in the refrigerator, grabbed the milk and a few other basics and gathered them around my empty skillet to see what I could come up with:

Creamy Shrimp & Fettuccine

1 lb. vegetable fettuccine pasta (you can use regular fettuccine if that is all you have on hand)

3 T butter

3 cloves of garlic, minced 

Splash of white wine

4 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 lb. frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

Salt and pepper to taste

water or skim milk, to thin out the sauce if need be

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and sautee until garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds to a minute; don't burn it). Add a splash or two of white wine and reduce the heat to low. Add the cream cheese (which melts easier if you add it in little chunks instead of one 4 oz block), and dried basil. Stir well until cream cheese is melted. Add the shrimp and coat well. 

Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain well and toss in the skillet with the creamy shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it out a bit with a few ounces of water or skim milk. Serve immediately. 

Admittedly, when I do have a dinner mishap I can read the perfunctory smile on my husband's face as he lifts his fork to his mouth, but not tonight! This simple dish received requests for additional showings in the near future :).

Taco Salad

Honestly there is nothing salient about this dinner; this taco salad has all the usual suspects of a taco salad: lettuce, tomato, black beans, cheddar cheese, shredded chicken, salsa, etc, etc. The only thing a bit unique about tonight's meal was 1) I used the tortilla bowl trick mentioned in the fish taco post here and 2) I made a pretty delicious sour cream dressing which is about all you're going to get out of this:

Taco Salad Dressing

2/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup skim milk

1-2 T lime juice, as desired

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. I made mine pretty runny so it drizzled over the salad really well, plus it makes the dressing go a lot further with multiple salads. The slight hint of cumin paired with the expected flavor of sour cream on a taco salad was quite nice!

Asian Chicken Salad

This salad took an interesting turn as I was preparing it. I had planned on a run of the mill Asian salad with Chinese noodles, mandarin oranges, etc., but after I made the Asian dressing, I thought it tasted disgusting. So, plan B for a dressing to pair with an Asian salad...


I noticed that I had some leftover Asian sauce from tossing the chicken fingers, so I rooted through the refrigerator and found some ranch dressing I had made a few days earlier. Hmmm? Could this work? I thinned it out a bit with some water and added it to the Asian sauce in the skillet. Yes, it's true that it is quite unconventional to mix a ranch dressing with an Asian one, but it was really good. Seriously, just try it...unless you are one of those people who don't like the food on your plate to touch, in which case you would certainly not appreciate this bizarre mixture of flavors. But everybody else, seriously:

Asian Chicken Salad
Frozen chicken fingers (baked & warm)
Salad mix (any mix you like)
1 can mandarin oranges
1 package Chinese noodles
Salted, roasted peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
3 T soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Dressing
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 oz. water


While the chicken fingers are cooking in the oven, make the Asian sauce that you will toss them in by combining the sugar and cornstarch in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk these dry ingredients together, then add the water, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic and continuing whisking until well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened. Add an ounce or two of water if the sauce gets too thick; whisk occasionally. 


Go ahead and assemble the rest of the salad with the greens, oranges, peanuts and Chinese noodles. Once the chicken fingers are finished cooking, toss them (hot) in the Asian sauce (you will have more sauce than you need), and place on the assembled salad. Turn off the heat for the Asian sauce to make the dressing (you will use what is left of the sauce in the skillet).


In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing until smooth; add water as needed to thin it out. Once the dressing is made, pour it into the skillet with the remainder of the Asian sauce and stir well to combine, adding water if it gets too thick. Use this combined mixture as your dressing (again, sounds weird, but it is a good combination of Asian and ranch).

Fish Tacos (Salad Style)

I had a  lone piece of frozen tilapia in my freezer that I have been meaning to use in a dish, but as aforementioned, I have a delicate relationship with fish. I went ahead this afternoon and took the fish out of the freezer to thaw to force me to use it in a yet to be determined dish. All afternoon, while I cleaned and played with my son, the little back part of  my brain that produces my dinner creations was whirring. What do I do with this fish, what do I do with this fish?

Well, that little part of my brain must have been rebelling, because my husband ended up being my inspiration...he said, what about fish tacos? He had just had fish tacos at a restaurant before Christmas, so fish tacos it was. But, as always, I wanted to mix it up. I decided to marry the idea of a taco salad with fish tacos. Voila! They.Were.Delicious.

Fish Taco Salad

Peanut oil for frying
1 pound mild, flaky fish fillets, cut into bite sized pieces (such as cod or tilapia)

3/4 cup pancake mix (I used a honey wheat pancake mix)

2 T Everything Rub (click here)

1/2 cup beer (a nice amber beer would be good)

4 whole wheat tortillas

Any lettuce mix you like (I used a spring mix)

1 tomato, diced

Cooking spray and a muffin tin for forming the tortilla bowls

Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1 lime, juiced + zest

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

To make the tortilla bowls, place the tortillas on a paper towel and microwave for 10 seconds to soften them up. Turn a 12 cup muffin pan over (bottom side facing up) and spray with cooking spray. Carefully wedge each tortilla between 4 cups to form a bowl shape. Spray each tortilla with cooking spray and cook 10-12 minutes in a preheated 350 deg F oven. When the edges just start to brown, they are perfect. (This is a great alternative to greasy, fried taco bowls and they are just as crunchy)

In a medium bowl, combine the pancake mix, rub, and beer until mostly smooth, then drop in the fish pieces and coat thoroughly. Heat oil in a large skillet (I did not deep fry these, I pan fried them in shallow oil and turned once during cooking).

Drop a few pieces of fish at a time in the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden brown. Remove with tongs and drain on a plate with a paper towel. Repeat in batches until all fish is cooked. Discard batter. (Note: my husband swiped the batter and coated some onion slices for impromptu onion rings!)

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with lime zest, oregano, cumin, and dill. Set aside.

To assemble, fill the bottom of the tortilla bowls with the lettuce mix and top with fish and diced tomato (throw on any other toppings you might like such as avocado slices or cilantro). Drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.