Life and a Little Pasta Primavera

Wow - I can't believe it has been two months since I posted! Things have been absolutely crazy.  In addition to the normal craziness of a mother of 2 (almost 3) we recently put our house up for sale.  I can not even stress how exhausting it is to be pregnant and trying to sell a house.  We are doing it "by owner" to try to save a couple bucks and between the cleaning, open houses, regular showings (and being 7 months pregnant) I feel like I don't have time for anything extra. 

Did I mention that Emma started soccer, and Aiden started baseball? Ouch! ;)

They are lucky they are so cute or else I am not sure that I could juggle everything right now!

I did squeeze in a run/walk today which was a rare treat.  I couldn't turn down the beautiful weather and my neighbor's offer to go with me.  We ended up going about 3.4 miles which included a poop stop for Utley (yes...the dog) and a bathroom break for me.  I just can't run like I used to! lol...



After the run I had to get the kids from school and decided to make dinner super early.  I was STARVING and needed something quick and easy to satisfy me as well as the kids when they decided to eat.  Enter this little gem that I got super cheap with a coupon:

I was a little hesitant.  I always made alfredo type sauce from scratch and wasn't sure how this would turn out.  Let's just say I was pleasently surprised! Here is what I came up with:



I found an awesome new veggie stand near my house.  Everything is super cheap but really fresh so I stocked up yesterday on a ton of veggies.  The only thing I would have done differently in this dish is add mushrooms.  I didn't have any and didn't necessarily miss them, but I love mushrooms in a primavera.  The recipe is approximate as I just chopped and tossed as I went...


Pasta Primavera

8 oz dry penne
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 of a red onion (chopped large)
2/3 cup baby carrots (make nice size chunks)
2 tomatoes (seeded and chopped large)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 green pepper chopped
2 tbsp butter (I use Light Life by Bob Greene - saves a few calories)
1 tbsp flour
1 cup skim milk
1 tub Philadelphia Cooking Creme - Italian and Herb
Parmesean Cheese
Black Pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Add broccoli and cauliflower during last 3 minutes of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

In a saute pan, melt butter and add rest of veggies and garlic.  Cover and cook about 10-15 minutes until carrots are soft enough - stirring occasionally.  Add flour and make sure it is dispersed evenly among veggies.  Add milk and stir to create a thin sauce.  Add cooking creme and stir until all combined.  Add in drained pasta/veggie mixture and stir until sauce evenly coats everything.  Top with parm cheese and black pepper (salt if you need it too). 

That is it - super easy and I thought it was really good.  It is heavy on the veggies, so if you need more pasta than veggies give or take some of the ingredients.

I am not one to buy processed foods at full price but if you can find the $1.50 off Philadelphia Cooking Creme coupon I would definitely give this a try!

Until later!

Cobb Salad Extravaganza!

I was hoping my in-laws were going to be able to make a trip down to see us this afternoon, but unfortunately they couldn't make it. I had planned to make a salad when they came and didn't let their absence deter my dreams of making the biggest and best salad EVER.  I got the idea after reading my friend Kristi's blog Ja Cie Kocham and seeing this... http://www.kristihane.com/2009/08/cobb-salad-platter/ .  I pretty much duplicated what she did!

From left to right here are the ingredients:

1 - Cubed extra sharp white cheddar
2 - Avocado
3 - Eggs
4 - Grilled chicken marinated in bottled Italian dressing
5 - Bacon
6 - Cucumbers
7 - Red bell peppers
8 - Scallions
9 - Baby bella mushrooms
10 - Cubanella peppers
11 - Grape tomatoes

And the blank slate:

All of the boiling, grilling, and chopping paid off in a big way!  Here is the husbands finished product:

At this point, I was too hungry to even stop to take a picture of mine.  Just imagine the biggest salad you have ever seen completely covered in veggies, eggs, cheese, a bit of chicken and drenched in this:



Oh yes...It doesn't get better than that.  I think I am going to be full for days. 

Cheaters Chicken Pot Pie

I was in the mood the other night for something totally comforting.   I had just received a Woman's Day magazine in the mail so I started flipping through for inspiration and came across a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. 

Growing up my Pot Pie always had a top and bottom crust with chicken and veggies in the middle swimming in gravy.  Since being in Lancaster County, Pot Pie is basically a soup with big homemade "pot pie" noodles and chunks of chicken.  I haven't made the kind with crust in a long time and when I found this recipe using frozen puff pastry for the crust I considered it cheating...but I just had to make it anyway. 

I changed up the original recipe a little by adding a potato and switching up the spices.  The original recipe called for fresh tarragon.  I used half of the amount called for, but the husband was not a fan at all.  If I made this again, I would up the thyme and poultry seasoning and take out the tarragon completely.  If you are a fan, by all means, tarragon it up :)

Here is what I did:

Cheaters Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 cups of chicken stock (I used homemade but you can buy it too)
2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks (white and light green parts sliced into half-moons)
5 medium carrots (cut into circles)
1 extra large potato cut into little cubes (mine was about 1 pound)
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
Frozen puff pastry, thawed ( I ended up using 1 and 1/3 sheets because my dish was oval)

In a deep skillet or pot, heat up chicken stock and add chicken breasts sprinkled with poultry seasoning.  Simmer until chicken is almost fully cooked.  Remove the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle.  Reserve the chicken stock in a bowl for later use.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Using the same skillet, heat the olive oil and add the leeks, carrots, and potato.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook about 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened, but not fully cooked.  Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.  Add the wine and scrape all of the veggie bits off of the bottom of the pan.  Slowly add the 2 1/2 cups of reserved chicken stock.  Bring to a boil. 

Add the peas, parsley, tarragon, and thyme along with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. 

Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and cover with the puff pastry. 

Vent the top and bake until the pastry is golden brown. 

Mine took 30 minutes but the original recipe said 35-40 minutes.  I say check it at 30 minutes and then add additional time if needed.

It helps if you have a great helper too.  I recommend adorable 4 year olds :)

Hope you like it!

Panko Crusted Cod with Sweet Pea Risotto

I haven't cooked fish for a while.  Mostly because I haven't been cooking much at all but also because I haven't been finding very good prices on fish lately.  Finally yesterday I couldn't take it anymore and needed something to eat other than chicken or vegetables (I cook pork and beef for my family but I do not eat it).  I headed out and found some cod at a decent price at a local market.  I read a couple of recipes online and then decided to do my own thing with the topping.  To be honest, if I could do it over, I wouldn't have used cod.  In my husbands words, "the topping is great but the fish itself doesn't even taste like anything." I had to agree with him, and would use a fish like tilapia or flounder in the future.

Panko Crusted Cod

Ingredients:

Two cod filets (My two filets together came up to 1.6 lbs)
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 tsp old bay
1/2 tsp lemon pepper (I have one of those grinders)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated parmesean cheese (do not include in topping mix)

Lightly grease a baking dish with butter or olive oil.  Place the filets side by side in the bottom of the dish.  Mix together all of the topping ingredients, including the olive oil.  Spread the topping evenly over the fish. Finish with the parmesean cheese sprinkled evenly on the top. 

Bake uncovered at 375 for 20 minutes.  I finished mine at a broil for about 2 minutes to crisp up the top a little more.

I needed a side dish to go with this and decided that I would try risotto.  I had never made risotto before but had the arborio rice in my pantry that I had bought a long time ago.  I found a recipe by Rachel Ray for a Sweet Pea Risotto and decided to give it a try.  I really loved it and will definitely make it again. 

Sweet Pea Risotto
Slightly adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock (I used homemade but you can use canned)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine, plus a little more for the end
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup parmesean cheese
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper

In a medium saucepan, warm the chicken stock over medium heat.  In a non-stick saute pan, melt the butter and olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft.  Add the rice and cook for about 1-2 more minutes.  Add the wine.

Stir until combined and then add about one cup of chicken stock at a time until you use it all.  In between each cup of stock, place a lid on the rice and stir about every minute or so.  When the liquid is about 2/3 of the way absorbed, add more stock.  You'll see what I mean when you start doing it.  It should take about 20 minutes or so to get all 4 cups of stock into the rice. 

When you are about 3 minutes from serving, add the peas and the 1/2 cup of parmesean.  The cheese will help to thicken up the sauce a bit.  At this point I added another spash or two of white wine for that extra flavor boost.  You can skip that part of you don't like the added wine flavor.  I think it made a big difference personally. 

When I served it, the risotto looked like this:

I don't know how it compares to other risotto, but I thought it tasted amazing.  It was thick and creamy and had just the right amount of sauce for me.  I heard somewhere (I think Top Chef) that risotto is supposed to spread out on the plate.  Mine did a little, but not much.  If you want it to "spread" I guess add a little more stock at the end so that it is a bit saucy"er" !

I topped this dinner off with some simple roasted cauliflower. 

Hope you like it!

Cheesy Chicken, Tot and Broccoli Casserole - and an Announcement :)

I have had a major hankering for tator tots lately.  Mostly I have been enjoying them loaded with ketchup, but when I came across an idea online for a casserole with tots, I knew I had to make it.  This is a definite mom recipe, and not one that is going to win any culinary awards, but if you have kids you'll thank me :)  I most apologize for the lack of pictures.  I was starving and forgot to take one until I had already placed some on everyone's plate.  You'll still get the idea...

I made this recipe even easier by using a rotisserie chicken that I had picked up at the market.  The poor chicken was made into chicken sandwiches, Cheesy Chicken, Tot, and Broccoli Casserole, AND a batch of chicken stock.  I mutilated it, but feel good that I used the WHOLE thing. 

Cheesy Chicken, Tot, and Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
1 can campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1 can campbell's 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1 pound cooked and cubed/shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie but feel free to cook some and cube)
2 broccoli crowns cut into florets and stems cubed (uncooked!)
About 1/2 bag of tator tots frozen - I ended up using a bit more
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
Pinch Salt
 1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley

In a large bowl, combine soups, milk and spices.  Whisk until smooth. 

Fold in chicken and broccoli.  Place in the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish.  Place the tator tots in an even layer on top of the chicken mixture.  Top with the shredded cheddar cheese. 

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover with foil.  Return to oven and bake another 20 minutes.  Remove foil and broil for 3 minutes just to give the tator tots a little more crispness and make sure that the cheese is all melted.  Remove and serve!

I served this with texas toast and the whole family loved it.  I was afraid the husband would think I was crazy, but once he mashed his tots into the casserole, he was a happy man. 

On an exciting note, I want to share that my husband and I are expecting our third little one in the end of July!!  I hope this explains the sporadic posts for the last couple of months as well as the tator tot obsession.  I have never experienced food aversions like the ones I have during this pregnancy.  I think I lived on fruit and vegetables for a whole week because NOTHING else sounded remotely appetizing. 

I am officially 16 weeks along, and feeling great so I should be back in the kitchen full swing - although there will probably be some weird cravings to satisfy so bear with me :)

Simple Marinara Sauce

Sorry for the extended vacation - the holidays overwhelmed me and I found myself busy with everything in life besides cooking.  There is some other news that I would love to share...just not yet ;)

In the meantime...my wonderful husband got me a Le Creuset Dutch Oven for Christmas this year. 

After bugging me since Christmas Day to make him a marinara sauce in it I started to think the gift was really for him instead of myself.  He got his wish yesterday when I put together a simple marinara and allowed it to simmer the day away on the stove top.  You definitely do not have to cook the sauce as long as I did, I was just home all day so I had the pot on low for about 9 hours.  I took pictures but can't find them on my camera or laptop for the life of me.  Honestly...it looked like sauce...I think you'll be ok without the pics :)

Simple Marinara

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup red wine ( I used a homemade Diego Red but your favorite red cooking wine is fine)
1 32oz can crushed tomatoes
1 32oz can whole peeled tomatoes (I used with basil)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried bay leaves (mine are crushed, if you have whole, just put in one whole leaf and fish it out at the end)
Salt/Pepper

Heat olive oil in the bottom of the pan.  Add diced onions and saute until soft.  Add garlic and allow to cook about 4 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add red pepper and red wine.  Stir to get all of the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Simmer about 5 minutes with the lid on. 

Add crushed tomatoes.  Add whole peeled tomatoes by crushing with your hand.  If you like a completely smooth sauce, run the whole tomatoes through the blender before you add them.  I like a little substance to mine so I crush them by hand. 

Add sugar, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. 

Simmer on low with the lid on for as long as you want.  I would recommend at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to combine.  Like I said, I did about 9 hours.  I also made meatballs and sausage in the oven and then placed them in the sauce during the last hour of cooking.  Serve over your favorite pasta, or use this sauce in my Vegetable Parmesan recipe. 

Enjoy!

A Manic Monday

I woke up this morning feeling a little blue.  I recently cut caffeine out of my daily routine so I needed something else to wake me up and put me in a good mood.  Running crossed my mind first but I am not into running in the cold, and I don't last too long on the treadmill.  I never thought I would say Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred and good mood together, but that is exactly what I did this morning to start my day off right.  It was the most grueling 20 minutes of my life, and my arms hurt as we speak, but it was a fun and quick way to get in a work out. 

After that, things shaped up a bit.  Kids got in the bath, I got some laundry done, and Aiden was shipped off to kindergarten.  Emma was my big helper today and we went grocery shopping and did some cleaning when we got back. 

All day I wanted to order a pizza for dinner, but after hitting the grocery store I knew it made no sense when the house was full of food.  That doesn't mean dinner can't be easy however, so I made up a Chicken Divan dish in no time at all.  (I do realize it is only 5:00pm and I am already posting about dinner, but I got it done early so I didn't have to do all the dishes at 8:00 at night!)



Chicken Divan

Ingredients:
3-4 cups of chopped fresh broccoli
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup motz/parm blend (I got Kraft shredded Italian blend)
3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

 On the stove, place your chicken breasts in a pan and pour the can of chicken broth over them.  With a lid, simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the pan but reserve the broth from the pan.  While the chicken is cooling, start the cream sauce.

Melt the butter completely in a medium sized saute pan.  Add the flour and whisk until combined.  Add the milk and 3/4 cup of the reserved chicken broth.  Keep whisking until the clumps dissolve and the mixture begins to thicken.  Add the nutmeg, black pepper, and 1 cup of cheese.  Whisk until the cheese is completely melted.  Add the white wine, stir to combine, and remove from heat. 

Meanwhile, in a casserole dish, place your broccoli and 1/4 cup water and microwave until tender, about 4 minutes.  Drain the water and keep the broccoli in the bottom of the casserole dish. Top the broccoli with 1/2 of the cheese sauce mixture.

Cube the chicken once it is cool enough to handle, and place on top of the sauce layer.  Add the rest of the sauce on top of the chicken and sprinkle the shredded parmesan on the top of that.  Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the top starts to turn golden brown and the sides are nice and bubbly. 

I served mine with Long Grain and Wild Rice from Uncle Ben's.  Doesn't get much easier than that :)

Beef Stew

It's Wednesday and I have class tonight.  My parents graciously agreed to come over to watch the kids between when I have to leave, and when my husband gets home from work.  I promised them dinner so dinner I shall make. 

I think by now you all know how much I love my crockpot.  It is probably one of my favorite ways to cook meals.  I think my crockpot loves to cook Beef Stew.  It comes out perfectly every time.  I wasn't planning on posting this recipe because it is one of those things where I change it up all the time depending on what I have on hand.  Luckily (or not!) for all of you, my friend P asked me for the recipe, and what better way to get it to her than by sharing it here. 

Beef Stew
inspired by Roni at www.greenlitebites.com

Ingredients:
2 lbs cubed beef (I buy mine already cut)
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 smallish yellow onions, cut into quarters
8 oz mushrooms (if I have them)
2 regular sized cans of beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup ( I use 98% fat free)
1 tbsp worchestire sauce
garlic powder
black pepper
dried parsley

Throw the meat and veggies into the crockpot.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the soup with one of the cans of broth.  Mix until combined and dump into the crockpot.  Add the other can of broth.  Add the worchestire sauce and sprinkle the garlic, black pepper, and parsley over the top.  I never measure, just do a couple of shakes.

Put on the lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  If you like your stew a little thicker, add some orzo, bulger or any other grain you like into the crockpot about 30 minutes before you serve.

Dinner's Goin' South!

Yesterday was one of those days when I just couldn't get out of my OWN way.  I even posted on facebook about a dilema - chocolate cake with peanut butter icing and watching tv or hitting the treadmill.  Ultimately, the cake won - duh! How could you resist this anyway...

I used Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe and my secret PB Frosting.  If your nice, I might share it with you one day ;)  The only thing I change in the cake recipe is I add instant coffee granules, about 1 tsp to the boiling water.  I grew up with my mom and grandmother putting coffee in chocolate cake and so I always do it to mine too.

Considering the type of day I was having, I needed something quick, easy, and something everyone would eat without giving me a hard time.  Enter Jenna's Barbeque Pulled Chicken recipe from the blog "Eat Live Run".  I have made this multiple times, and it is always a hit.  I served mine with baked beans (Bush's Vegetarian from a can), coleslaw (bought at the local market) and corn muffins (they may or may not have been Jiffy).  I'll tell you what, it doesn't get easier than this and the whole family LOVED it.  

The next time your day is going south, take dinner there too!  You seriously must make this chicken.  It will become a staple in your house too.  I promise.

Portobello Sliders

We had friends over for dinner last night and I knew I had to make one of my favorite vegetarian meals - Portobello Sliders.  These little burgers are so flavorful, you don't even think about not having meat as a main course. I paired the burgers with sweet potato fries and a romaine salad with homemade roasted garlic dressing.  Don't worry - all the recipes will be coming your way because you will definitely want to make all of it! 

Portobello Sliders

Ingredients:
12 "stuffer sized" portobello mushrooms.  (Weis carries them if you are a PA person)
2 tbsp dry rub (optional - can use a pre-made or make mine**)
6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1 large yellow onion
2 tsp olive oil
12 slider rolls (I used Pepperidge Farm - wheat)
1/2 cup barbeque sauce (There is no other BBQ sauce in my life other than Sweet Baby Rays!!)

** Recipe Below

Start by slicing your yellow onion and sauteing it in a small pan with 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-low heat.  You want your onions to be golden brown, soft and caramelized.  This process will take about an hour.  Stir them occasionally so that they do not burn.  When your onions are almost done, start the grill and begin working with your mushrooms.

Wash and de-stem your mushrooms.  Place them hole side down on a dish.  Sprinkle with dry rub and set aside until you are ready to grill. 

Once the grill is hot, brush a little olive oil on the top of the mushroom and place them hole side up on the grill.  Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until beginning to get soft.  Now, brush a little BBQ sauce in the hole and flip them over.  This will allow the BBQ to caramelize a bit on the mushroom.  Cook about 3 minutes like that.  Brush the top of the mushroom with BBQ sauce and flip again so that the other side will caramelize.  Now that the hole side is up again, reduce the heat to low and stuff some of the shredded Gouda cheese into each of the holes.  Fill with cheese to the top - don't be shy!  Cook only until the cheese is melted, you don't want your mushrooms to get too soft and fall apart. 

Now you have to toast your buns!  When the cheese is melting, open all of your slider buns and place them on the grill with the inside part touching the grill.  They will toast quickly so don't walk away for too long!

Time to assemble these bad boys! Take your bun, and place a mushroom on the bottom part - cheese side up.  Top with caramelized onions and a bit more BBQ sauce on the top.  Close it up and enjoy. 

You are going to LOVE these.  I promise!

Dry Rub (I use it on EVERYTHING!!)

Ingredients
8 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp old bay
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix it all together and use it on everything! I store mine in an old shaker container and just sprinkle it on meats and veggies before they go on the grill.

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

Part of my cooking frenzy earlier this week (maybe last?) included this Chiles Rellenos Casserole.  It may not look like much, but it is packed with flavor.  I personally thought it tasted like an enchilada with green sauce minus the tortilla (see-saving calories already)! I served it with whole grain brown rice that I added corn to before I cooked it and some homemade guacamole .  It was a hit with the whole family.  I didn't want to make it too spicy for the kids so the husband and I added a touch of Tabasco when we were eating it to kick up the spice.  The guacamole helps with that too. 

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

1 can old el paso green chile enchilada sauce

1 cup diced red onion

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 can vegetarian refried beans (FYI regular refried beans have LARD)

1 can (4oz) diced green chiles, drained

1 1/2 cups reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese

1 cup corn kernels (frozen works great)

1/2-3/4 cup black beans

1/4 cup flour

1/2-3/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. 

Chop the red onion and put into a saute pan and add the green enchilada sauce and the chicken breasts.

Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork, about 30 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the sauce and set aside until it is easy to handle.  Don't throw away the sauce - it's good stuff! 

Once you can touch the chicken without burning yourself (I am not patient enough!) shred it and set it aside. 

While your chicken is cooling, take the reserved sauce still in the saute pan and bring back to a simmer.  Stir in the flour to thicken it up.  You are basically making a roux.  Stir constantly so it doesn't burn for 2 minutes. 

Slowly add the milk to make a creamy sauce.  If you need more milk, add a little at a time until you reach a nice pourable yet creamy consistency.  Remove from the heat and set aside. 

In a small bowl combine the corn, black beans, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.  Set aside. 

Now comes the fun part - layering!  Start with the refried beans.  Make a nice even layer in the bottom.  Next, place the shredded chicken on top and the diced green chilies on top of the chicken.  Put the black bean and corn mixture next and top that with the cheese. 

Watch out for cheese monsters who identify as "helpers"!

Top the whole shebang with the sauce you made on the stove. 

Bake for about one hour or until the sauce is set on the top and the casserole is brown around the edges. 

Voila!

Beer Battered Tilapia with Homemade Tartar Sauce

I always have to make dinner early on Wednesdays because I attend classes at a local university in the evening.  Tonight is no different, and I needed a quick and easy meal to throw together while I was preparing for a pretty big presentation I am doing in class tonight.  I had tilapia in the freezer and my husband brought me home some organic pumpkin ale.  I am not a huge beer drinker, but once in a while I like a frosty one :)

I served the tilapia along side fresh steamed broccoli and smashed red bliss potatoes from my CSA.  I think everything turned out fabulous!

Beer Battered Tilapia

2 cups flour (plus one cup to the side for dredging tilapia)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp old bay

2 eggs

12oz beer (I used an organic pumpkin ale)

tilapia filets (I used 2 lbs and I had extra batter left over)

oil/butter for frying

Heat your oil/butter in a skillet over medium heat.  While that is heating, mix your batter ingredients in a bowl.  Put 1 cup flour in a dish or bowl to dredge tilapia in.  Now, take your fish and coat it in the flour mixture then cover it with batter and place it in your hot oil.  I had to do two batches.

Drain the cooked tilapia on paper towels to soak up some of the oil. 

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Homemade Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayo
1 tsp zesty honey mustard (or dijon)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp lemon pepper (I used a grinder)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried parsley
Squeeze of lemon

Mix it all together and chill for 20 minutes or so until really cold and the flavors have a chance to combine.  Serve with Beer Battered Tilapia! :)

Cheesy Smashed Red Bliss Potatoes
2 lbs red bliss potatoes
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp cream (I used half and half)
2 tbsp light butter (Land o Lakes has a good one)
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Boil the red bliss potatoes whole with the skin on until a fork can be inserted into the middle of them and come out easily.  This should take about 35 minutes.  Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and add mash until you reach your desired consistency.  I like mine a little chunky :) Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.  That's it!

Until tomorrow!

A Vegan Tale

It all started when my dad and I passed a truckload of pigs driving to school during my senior year.  One of the pigs had his nose stuck and it was bleeding.  After that fateful car ride, I didn't eat meat for 6 months.  I think it was more from disgust than anything else.  Nothing dramatic happened for me to start eating meat again, one day it just wasn't so gross. 

That was 1999...think now 2007. 

Meat is back to being gross.  It started out being about the animal cruelty part of eating meat and transformed into just a more nutritionally sound way to eat.  I love my veggies, so it wasn't hard.  I was a vegetarian for 2 years before I dabbled into veganism.  I followed a vegan diet for 8 months and I felt amazing.  I was  loving all of the experimenting with soy, tempeh, and TVP.  Just one thing was making my veganism difficult...the rest of my family wasn't vegan.  They weren't even vegetarian.  If I would have given my husband a piece of seitan, he probably would have thrown it at me.  The only person I almost had convinced was my son who was only 3 at the time. 

Being a vegan in a family of carnivores was difficult.  Having to balance work, kids, house, and life, I didn't have time to prepare two meals all the time.  Slowly but surely dairy crept back in.  At least then we could order a cheese pizza on Friday nights! 

Now to present day...I eat fish and poultry.  I still feel bad about it. I would consider myself a conscious meat eater, and I try to at least buy free-range organic when I can.  All of that history to basically say that I love cooking a vegan meal.  I love the wholeness of the ingredients, and the full feeling you get when you combine vegetables and grains without being stuffed to the gills. So...when I have the chance, vegan or vegetarian hits my table.  Here is what I came up with yesterday before I headed out on a 3 mile run:

Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp diced red onion
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vegan chicken broth powder (I use Frontier)
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 tsp rubbed dried sage
1/2 cup black beans
1 baby butternut squash (mine was the size of a pomegranate)
Black Pepper/Parsley

Start by peeling your butternut squash all over the outside with a vegetable peeler to get the tough skin off.  Next cut in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. 

In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced onion and saute until tender - about 5 minutes.  Add water, broth powder, quinoa, and sage.  Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the black beans.  Stuff the filling into the butternut squash.  Sprinkle black pepper and parsley on the top and then place the squash on a baking sheet.


Ready to go into the oven!

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.  The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your squash, and the thickness.  Mine was a baby so it cooked relatively quickly.

Remove from the oven and enjoy!