Weekend Fun!

What a weekend! The living room has been painted all one color! We've been waiting for this for quite some time. Fresh paint goes a long way for making a 70+ year old house feel new again.

A quick pic from my phone.

Dan's probably just glad to be able to sit down for a few! What great help he is!

Now..what did we eat? 

Friday night, in an effort to not clean up two separate messes, we went out to eat at Samurai at 37th St. N. & Woodlawn. So. Good!

Their yakisoba noodle plates are fantastic. Look at all those veggies! Tender chicken & steak (Dan's order) & a great sauce. Check them out!















Ok, but could I make it through a weekend without cooking? No way!
Grilled lemon-pepper chicken with fresh corn salad
Serves 3-4 (or 2 with fantastic leftovers)

1 whole chicken
4 lemons
2 ears corn
1/4 onion, finely diced
1/2 package feta cheese, crumbled
1 green pepper
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

To prep the chicken, take it out of the packaging, give it a quick rinse & pat it dry. You can grill your chicken as is whole, but it helps speed the cooking process if you cut down the back with kitchen shears & flatten out the chicken. The chicken can be grilled either in a foil packet or in a cast iron pan. Place the chicken in your vessel of choice.

Cut the lemons in half & squeeze the juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon salt & as much freshly ground black pepper as you like. Wrap the chicken with the foil packet or if in a skillet, cover with foil. Grill over a hot fire for about an hour (or in the oven at 450 degrees for about an hour), checking with a meat thermometer. You can brown the chicken & crisp the skin by removing the top layer of foil in the last 15 minutes or so of cooking. When the chicken is about 160 degrees, remove from the grill or oven & cover to rest for about 10 minutes. The chicken will continue to cook while resting.

Meanwhile, roast the red pepper in the oven or over the grill until well charred & bubbly. Place in a paper sack to sweat until cool enough to handle. Cut the corn from cleaned ears & place in a bowl. Add onion, feta, chives, & a swirl of EVOO. Season with salt & pepper to taste. When the pepper is manageable, peel the skin from the pepper and remove the seeds. Finely dice and mix in with the salad.

Carve the chicken & serve with salad. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

A little later tonight, but just as tasty. I fully intended these to be kebabs, Lori, but it would help to have skewers, wouldn't it? They are on my grocery list!

Sesame Chicken!
Serves 2

2 chicken breast cutlets
1/4 cup + 1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 t. sesame oil
1 t. Aji-Mirin rice seasoning
1 T. sesame seeds
2 cups thin green beans
1 t. garlic, minced
1/2 cup rice

Cut each chicken piece into two long pieces. Marinate in 1/4 cup of the soy, sesame oil and rice seasoning for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the rice according to directions. Heat an oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans, the remaining soy sauce and garlic & saute to cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken to pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook until done, about 8-10 minutes, turning once & sprinkling other side with sesame seeds.

Serve over rice & enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Everyone managing the crazy weather out there?
Its even affected dinner, with so little natural lighting from outside thanks to the clouds rolling in, the pictures for tonight are less than perfect.

Tonight's dinner comes from Mark Bittman -- I read his blogs on runnersworld.com & this post sounded pretty good for dinner tonight. I also used his cornbread recipe, which you can find from the link above. Watch the cornbread closely, once it begins to pull away from the sides, test it with a toothpick.

I did add a little shrimp into our lentils for some extra protein & went with diced bell pepper rather than celery because its what I had on hand. Remember that recipes are only guidelines, you'll want to stick a little more closely to them when baking where the right chemistry can be more important, but don't be afraid to experiment! Cooking & playing in the kitchen should be fun, not intimidating!

Enjoy!

Weekend Kitchen

Happy weekend everyone!
Yesterday's post was delayed for good reason -- I was cuddling sweet baby Lilian!

Pretty sure you'll forgive the delay.

Friday wasn't without food, though. The other reason I went to see this sweet little one was to take her new parents a meal! Congrats to you, Lora & Nathan!

Sloppy Joes & Salad!

Joes:
20 oz ground turkey
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar

Brown the turkey in the bottom of a medium-large stock pot, season with salt & pepper. Break down the turkey as much as possible while browning.

Add chili powder to season first, then add tomatoes & bell pepper & sugar. Let simmer for at least 2 hours to thicken. You can always transfer this to a crock pot & let it go!

Ranch-style dressing:
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt & pepper to taste
1 bag American-style salad mix

Mix all ingredients but the salad mix in the bottom of a medium-large bowl. Toss in salad mix and use your hands to mix thoroughly.

Enjoy your Joes on whole wheat buns with the salad.

What else is on our plates? Jerk chicken!

Jerk Chicken

1 chicken breast cutlets
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1 lime
2 cups thin green beans
2/3 cup rice

Marinate the chicken with 1 tablespoon EVOO or corn oil & jerk seasoning at least 30 minutes. Use less seasoning if you are looking for a less spicy adventure.

Cook rice according to directions. Heat 1 teaspoon EVOO or corn oil in saute pan over medium heat. Cook chicken 1-2 minutes & then add green beans on top. Cover & cook 4-5 minutes more until chicken is done. Serve over rice & enjoy!



Don't worry, Lori, kebabs are coming soon!

What's for dinner?

Breakfast Burritos!
We love breakfast for dinner. Here is a protein-packed meal that is great any time of day!

Serves 2

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
3-4 large eggs
1/4 cup (or two small handfulls) of sharp shredded cheddar
1 t. cilantro
1/4 t. ground red pepper
2 10" whole wheat/low carb tortillas

In a cast iron skillet, heat a little spay oil & sauce onions & peppers with a pinch of salt until the onions are transparent & the peppers begin to soften. Sprinkle in ground red pepper & stir to combine. Add the beans & cook 3-4 minutes, mashing some of the beans as you stir. Remove from pan & divide between the tortillas.

While the veggies are cooking, scramble the eggs with a pinch of salt & freshly ground pepper & the cilantro. in the skillet, scramble the eggs until they are just done & no longer wet. Divide the egg between the tortillas. Top each with half of the cheese and enjoy!

What's for dinner?

A cooler night calls for some comfort food!
Mac & Cheese
Serves 2 (with a bit of leftovers)

2 cups whole wheat rotini
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2 chicken cutlets
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
2 T. EVOO

Season chicken with salt & pepper & grill over medium heat in a cast iron skillet until just done, about 2-3 minutes per side if fresh, 4-5 minutes per side if frozen.

Set aside when done.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta & broccoli according to directions for pasta.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, roughly slice into 1/4 inch strips.

When the pasta is just tender, reserve 1 cup of the water & drain using a fine colander or mesh strainer to keep all of the broccoli bits. Return to pot.

Add reserved pasta water and EVOO to the pot, mixing everything together. Crush some of the broccoli to coat the pasta. When the cheese has melted into the sauce, remove from heat & stir in chicken.

Enjoy!


I'm about due for some fresh ideas -- tell me what you'd like to see for dinner!

What's for dinner?

Day 2 of the migraine keeps us to super fast dinners. The hubby loves salmon, so here we go:

Salmon-artichoke pasta!
Serves 2

1/3-1/2 pound whole wheat thin spaghetti

1 can pink salmon, boneless, in water
1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained (reserve about 1/2 cup of the juice)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to directions. Drain & set aside. In same pot, heat a little spray oil & saute onion until it begins to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add drained artichoke hearts & cook 1-2 minutes. Add salmon, garlic, & thyme & cook 1-2 minutes more.

Remove pot from heat & stir in yogurt then fold in pasta. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

A persistent migraine can put quite a damper on creativity for dinner or the energy to make it!
So here we go with a quick leftover dinner or maybe a delicious snack idea.

A quick recipe for a sort of "cowboy caviar"
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen (defrosted)
1 medium-large tomato, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 t. salt
dash of fresh cilantro (I added a little dried cilantro as well)

Mix together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve as a quick, fresh bean dip with tortilla chips.

The rest of dinner was just leftovers -- so thankful the hubby is always excited about burgers. Too bad for me, I put way too much on my plate.

 Enjoy!

Weekend Kitchen

Weekend Kitchen & Other Fabulous Things

Knitting

Yesterday was my sister-in-law's birthday. This year, she asked for a penguin! This little guy was a fun challenge -- the pattern is available here.

It must be all in how you stuff your penguin, because his shape didn't turn out quite the same. Zelda still enjoyed some time in the sun room with him!

Happy Birthday, Amy!
















Food

This weekend felt perfect for some re-imagined comfort food. Just because it's "comfort food" doesn't mean it has to be ridiculously high in calories.

Oven-fried Chicken with Buttermilk Yogurt, Roasted Broccoli, & Garlic-Chive Smashed Potatoes
Serves 2

Buttermilk Yogurt:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon buttermilk blend
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon parsley

Roasted Broccoli:
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
1 tablespoon EVOO
salt & pepper to taste

Garlic-Chive Smashed Potatoes:
3-4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup skim milk
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Oven-Fried Chicken:
2 pieces chicken breast
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon parsley
1 egg plus 2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the racks at the second and fourth positions.

Mix all ingredients for the buttermilk yogurt in a small bowl & refrigerate until ready to serve.

Toss all ingredients for roasted broccoli in a medium bowl. Set aside until ready to roast. If possible, place baking dish in the oven while heating.

Wash & dry the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-2 inch pieces. In a medium pot, cover the potatoes with salted water & bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, pound the chicken to about 1/2 an inch with a heavy-bottomed pan. Cut each piece into 1-inch wide strips and set aside. In a pie pan, whisk eggs until well-beaten. In another pie pan, mix the corn meal, flour, & spices.

Put the broccoli in the oven on the top rack.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the egg mixture first, then in the corn meal mixture, pressing in to be sure the chicken is well coated. Lay the chicken pieces on a baking rack over a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake the chicken on the bottom rack in the oven until done, about 12-14 minutes.

While the broccoli & chicken are baking, drain the potatoes & return to the pot. Add milk, butter & garlic & smash together. Stir in chives, cover & set aside.

When the chicken is done & the broccoli is slightly browned, serve with the potatoes and yogurt dip.

Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

What's for dinner?
Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 2

1 medium eggplant
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion, roughly diced
4 slices reduced fat mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
garlic
oregano

Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. With spray oil, lightly spray a 9X9 inch baking dish & spread the eggplant out. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, brown turkey, season to taste with salt & pepper.

In a medium sauce pan, heat a little spray oil over medium heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add about 1 teaspoon of garlic and 1 teaspoon oregano & sauce until fragrant. Add tomatoes & simmer the red sauce until ready to assemble the dish.

When the eggplant is tender, remove them from the baking dish. Starting with a little red sauce, layer the eggplant, ground turkey, sauce, and mozzarella slices in the dish. End with a little more red sauce & top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees until the sauce is bubbling, about 20-25 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Shrimp Tostada
Serves 2

This is a really fast & filling dinner, can't go wrong with that combination!

15-20 shrimp, frozen
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 zucchini, julienned
1/4 cup salsa
4 small whole wheat or low carb tortillas

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat spray oil in pan over medium heat. Add salsa & shrimp, cooking until the shrimp are just done, pink & curled. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toast tortillas two at a time in oven until slightly puffy and lightly browned. Remove from oven & set on a rack to cool.

In the same pan, saute the onion & zucchini until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add beans & cook until heated through. Add shrimp back to pan & stir to combine.

Top toasted tortillas with shrimp and veggies. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Fast Monday! Egg Salad Sandwiches sound great on such a hot day, so here we go!

Egg Salad Sandwiches
Serves 2

4 pieces of toast
2 handfuls of spinach
4 hardboiled eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
(all spices to taste)
parsley
garlic powder
onion powder
salt & pepper

Peel the eggs & rinse. Roughly chop the eggs and a mix with the yogurt & spices. You can refrigerate the salad for a bit or start with cold eggs.

Layer the spinach on top of the egg salad on the toast & enjoy. Add other veggies like cucumbers or sliced bell peppers for an extra cool & crisp taste.

Enjoy with an glass of iced tea!

Weekend Window

Huge post -- lots of food this weekend & a little knitting, too. The food I will share, but the knitting will have to wait a few more days because its a bit of a surprise!

Friday:
We had just a quick Friday dinner that escaped posting due to a Wichita Community Children's Choir concert. Great job, kiddos! We had a great time!

This is a quick, one-pot dinner that is especially great if you have leftover hot dogs from a BBQ or cookout. You can easily change up the ingredients -- substitute broccoli or peas for the green beans, add more hot dogs, or use any kind of melty cheese you like.

Mac & Cheese with Grilled Hot Dogs & Green Beans
Serves 2

2 cups whole wheat rotini
1 + cup long green beans, frozen
3 grilled all beef hot dogs, diced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 t. butter

Cook pasta according to directions. When the pasta is just tender, about 2-3 minutes before its done, add in green beans & hot dogs & cook until the pasta is al dente.


Drain the pasta mix and return to pot. Add in milk & butter to melt, then add in cheeses & stir to melt & mix. Season with salt & pepper to taste.


Saturday:
Thanks to Liz & Ryan for giving me the excuse to make a veritable feast for dinner Saturday!

Spaghetti & Meatballs:

Meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 egg
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic
1/4 yellow onion, shredded
salt & pepper

Use a box grater to shred 1/2 a yellow onion, setting 1/2 aside for the spaghetti sauce. Shredding the onion will help break down the long strings inside to bring out great flavor in much less time.

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. It helps to use slightly moist hands to mix the meat, handling as little as possible. Make into about 20 meatballs, rolling in your palms to shape. Refrigerate at least 1/2 an hour.

To cook, I set them on a rack above a rimmed dish & broiled at 500 degrees, about 10 minutes, until they are browned. This helps to lighten up the dish rather than frying.

Spaghetti & Sauce:
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 yellow onion, shredded
1 T. garlic
1 T. oregano
1 bunch fresh oregano

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 t. EVOO over medium heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt until fragrant, just 1-2 minutes. Add garlic & dried oregano & saute another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add in tomatoes & let sauce come to a simmer. The sauce will begin to thicken & needs to simmer at least 20 minutes. Add meatballs in when you start boiling the water for the spaghetti. Stir in fresh oregano just before serving.

Cook 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti according to the directions.

Spinach & Romaine Salad with homemade vinaigrette:
juice of 2 lemons
1/4-1/3 cup EVOO or grapeseed oil
1/2 t. basil
garlic to taste
salt & pepper to taste
1 bag romaine mix
2+ cups spinach

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil to make an emulsion. Add spices in & whisk. Taste to adjust flavors if necessary. I tend to like my dressing a bit more tangy, so you can always start with less of the lemon juice.

Using your hands, toss romaine & spinach with dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When everything has come together, enjoy your dinner with crusty baguettes & some great friends!

Thanks, mom, for letting me play & experiment in the kitchen. You gave me the freedom to play & I am thankful!

What's for dinner? Cinco de Mayo!

Fajitas!
Serves 2

2 chicken breast pieces
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
minced garlic
4 medium tortillas
fresh cilantro & green onions

Warm tortillas in a warmer in the microwave for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Wrap them in paper towels to keep them soft.

Heat 1 teaspoon EVOO in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until browned & just cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan & set aside.

Add peppers & yellow onion to pan with a pinch of salt & saute until soft & fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. While the veggies are cooking, slice the chicken on an angle with a sharp knife.

Add minced garlic & cook another 1-2 minutes. Add chicken back to the pan & cook just through, about another minute. Remove pan from heat. Add cilantro & green onions.

Serve on tortilla & enjoy with chips & salsa for a fun Cinco de Mayo dinner!

What's for dinner?

Parmesan-sage crusted swai with roasted broccoli on rice
Serves 2

1 large fillet swai, tilapia or other whitefish (or 2 small fillets)
1/2 bunch broccoli, washed & cut into florets
3/4 cup brown rice
1 piece whole wheat bread
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 t. sage
1/2 lemon

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook rice according to directions or in a rice cooker.

If frozen, defrost the fish in cool, running water, about 10 minutes (the water doesn't have to be fast-moving, but a little action helps the process).

Cut broccoli and roast with a little canola spray & salt & pepper. Its helpful to use a baking sheet or stoneware piece that has enough room for the broccoli & fish.

While the broccoli is roasting, in a blender or food processor, blend the bread, parmesan, & spices until crumbly & set aside.

When the fish has defrosted, pat dry with paper towels & lay on baking sheet or stoneware with the broccoli. A hot cooking surface will help to cook the fish more quickly. Top the fish with crust mixture, pressing into the fish. Put the dish back into the oven for another 12-15 minutes until the fish is done & flaky. You can poke at the fish a bit in the thickest part & see if its done.

Serve the fish with broccoli over rice, squeeze on a little fresh lemon juice & enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Breakfast! And fun with leftovers. Can leftovers even be fun?!
So many left over burgers from Hubby's birthday & this is what came of some of those leftovers...

Random Mexican-style Leftover Breakfast Hash:
Serves 2 very hungry people, but you can easily adjust this down. We had a bit of leftovers & this probably made enough for 3.

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 leftover burger patties, diced
1/2 t. cilantro
1/4-1/2 t. ground or crushed red pepper (use less if using ground)
1/4-1/2 t. garlic powder
3-4 eggs, lightly beaten
tortilla chips

Heat a little spray Canola oil in a medium-large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute onions & peppers with a pinch of salt until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add in tomatoes, burger meat and spices. Saute until heated through, about another 4-5 minutes. Set aside skillet mix or divide onto plates. Scramble eggs in skillet until cooked through, about 5 minutes, seasoning with a little salt & pepper. Serve eggs on top of skillet mix with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Spring Pasta with Shrimp

Serves 2

2 cups short pasta, today it was fusilli

1/4+ pound shrimp, at least 5 pieces per person

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 - 3/4 cup peas

garlic

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, heat either 1 t. EVOO or a few seconds of spray  oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook onions with a little salt until they soften and sweat, this will help develop a little bit of a sauce. Add the shrimp, peas, & garlic & cook until the shrimp have curled & just turned pink. Drain the pasta & stir it in with the shrimp. Serve with a little grated Parmesan on top!

After dinner, I watching a little Ciao Italia on PBS & Mary Ann mentioned that she never serves cheese on top of seafood. I hadn't heard that before. What do you think? 

If it tastes good, why have rules? Dinner was pretty tasty (and filling!) to me, you'll have to try out the recipe for your self and let me know how it tastes to you!

Nickki's grand opening at Firefly yesterday was a pile of fun! She's done a fantastic job with the studio & so many people are looking forward to classes this week. Nickki managed to snag a great picture of the breezybyhand stretch headbands available at the studio. Way to be, girl, taking fantastic photos while hosting your own grand opening! So proud of you, Nic!

Weekend Kitchen

A little something different for the weekend -- bean dip & homemade tortillas!

Not much for measurements in this recipe, just what sounds good to you!

black beans (about 1 can rinsed)
1-2 tomatoes, diced & drained
1/2 onion, diced
2 ears of corn, grilled & cut
1 roasted red pepper, diced
1 bunch of chives, roughly chopped
salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl & spread in a 9x9 pan.

Top with a little sour cream, which will spread better if you leave if on the counter while you put together your dip.

To roast the red pepper in the oven, turn your oven on to broil. Put your red pepper on the top rack & broil until the sides have become mostly blackened & are soft, turning & checking every few minutes. When your pepper is done roasting, put it in a paper sack & seal tightly. Let the pepper steam in the bag to help remove the skin. When the pepper has cooled a bit, you can peel off the skin & dice up for dip.

Homemade tortillas can sound like too much work, but while they require just a bit of time, they are not difficult. If you have a bread machine, they are even easier!

3 cups flour (I used a mixture of cornmeal & whole wheat flour, but just about any mixture of flours would do)
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 T. vegetable oil

If you're using a bread machine, layer the wet ingredients below the dry ingredients & use a quick dough recipe. This dough won't need to rise, but it will need a cycle that will knead. Let the dough rest about 20 minutes before rolling it out.

If you're not using a bread machine, don't worry, this will still be easy. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add in the wet ingredients & using either your hands or a rubber spatula, work to form a dough. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead the dough until soft, this should only take a few minutes. Let the dough rest about 20 minutes before rolling out.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces & roll out one at a time. Cook them in a dry skilled over a medium heat until cooked through & lightly browned, about 4-5. Transfer to a baking sheet & using a pizza cutter, slice the tortilla into chips. Spray with a tough of cooking spray & lightly salt. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees until browned & crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Let the chips cool on a rack. Keep in an airtight bag if necessary, these are definitely best fresh.

Enjoy this different twist on chips & dip!