Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry

I really wanted to make this stir fry and was sad I couldn't eat rice with it. Turned out, I really didn't need the rice.

The ONE fatal mistake I made in this recipe...I forgot the lemon juice. DOH...It was delicious regardless.

To bulk up the meal a bit, I also added sugar snow peas...chopped. The combo with asparagus and snow peas was nice.

Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry
Recipe from: SkinnyTaste.com

Makes 4 Servings
1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

Photo from SkinnyTaste.com

Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or Tamari for GF)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil, divided
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fresh black pepper, to taste

Lightly season the chicken with salt. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and soy sauce. In a second small bowl combine the cornstarch and water and mix well to combine.

Heat a large non-stick wok over medium-high heat, when hot add 1 teaspoon of the oil, then add the asparagus and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Increase the heat to high, then add 1 teaspoon of oil and half of the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Set aside.

Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil and cook about 1-1/2 minutes. Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture and stir well, when it simmers return the chicken and asparagus to the wok and mix well, remove from heat and serve.

And in case you care, Calories: 268 • Fat: 7 g • Carb: 10 g • Fiber: 3 g • Protein: 41 g

Another side note, if you double the sauce in this recipe - like I did - don't use twice as much soy sauce, cut it with some water. You'll thank me later.

Cowboy-Style Beef with Vegetable Ragout

Low Carb...It's hard. I miss my carbs.

My plan for the week is done and I'm determined to stick to it this week. One meal at a time.

Made this tonight for dinner. Made a few changes to it to use what I had on hand. Turns out it was fantastic. I'll make this again.

Cowboy-Style Beef and Vegetable Ragout
Recipe from Cooking Light

1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock, divided [JW only had regular chicken stock]

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 pound 90% lean ground sirloin

1/2 tablespoon reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce [JW - is this a thing? I had no idea. Used my normal W sauce.]

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup onion

1 1/2 can diced tomato [JW - I had a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis. It really made this dish to me. I'm not a fan of heated up tomatoes (like fresh tomatoes tossed in a dish). ]

1/2 tablespoon unsalted ketchup

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Combine 2 tablespoons stock and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add beef; cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and white parts of green onions; cook 2 minutes. Remove mixture from pan.

Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup tomato and ketchup; cook 3 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture, remaining stock, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in beef mixture, green parts of green onions, and remaining 1/2 cup tomato. Sprinkle with chives.

JW - So I put the onions, a diced carrot and the beef in the pan to begin with and cooked them together. Added the W sauce, seasoning and then Rotel tomatoes. 

Makes 2 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

317 calories

CARBOHYDRATE 12.

FIBER 2.0g

PROTEIN 26.0g

Grilled Vegetable and Flank Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

This was a tasty dinner. I threw in some sauted mushrooms to round out some veggies. I really liked the blue cheese vinaigrette that topped the entire meal. I think a bed of lettuce with this would have been perfect. I'll make this again. Well, I'll make the vinaigrette again for sure. I think it would be exceptional with chicken.


Grilled Vegetable and Flank Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Recipe from MyRecipes.com

Photo courtesy of MyRecipes

1 (1-lb.) flank steak, trimmed

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

2 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise

2 (1/2-in.-thick) slices red onion

1 red bell pepper, quartered

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)

½ c halved grape tomatoes

Heat a grill pan over medium-high.

Coat steak with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Place steak on a cutting board.

Place squash, onion, and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; toss. Arrange vegetables on grill pan; cook 4 minutes. Turn and cook 2 minutes. Chop into bite-size pieces.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, sugar, and cheese. Divide vegetables and tomatoes among 4 plates. Cut steak into thin slices; top with vegetables and vinaigrette.

20 Minute Garlic Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

Last week I got on board with prepping and cooking my weekly meals. Work has slowed down enough that I'm not exhausted by the time I get home. I'm trying very hard to take control of my eating and really focus on good solid meals.

Tonight, however, was not a "healthy" meal. It could be...maybe. It was delicious. Better than take out. I got a bit heavy handed on the sesame oil. I think 2 tsp is too much. If you want just the flavor of sesame, use just one tsp.

This came together in the amount of time it took the water to heat and pasta boil, so 20 minutes at the most.

20 Minute Garlic Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Recipe from Therecipecritic.com

Photo from therecipecritic.com

8 ounces lo mein noodles, or spaghetti noodles
3 cups broccoli florets
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 ounce flank steak, sliced against the grain
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, shredded
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon pepper

In a large pot with boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions. Add the broccoli the last 5 minutes of cooking and let them cook until tender. Drain the noodles and broccoli.

While the pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a medium sized skillet. Cook the steak until no longer pink. Add the garlic, and carrots and cook for a minute more.

In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper and pepper.

Add the spaghetti to the skillet and pour the sauce on top and toss until incorporated.

Crumbly Lemon Creme Bars

My dad used to love lemon bars. I made them so often as a kid that I could make them without looking at any recipes. That love of lemon bars he passed down to me. Still not quite sure if its because HE loved them, or because we had them all the time I grew to love them. Either way, they're a favorite.

I've gotten lazy over the years and have used the box lemon bars. They're just as good and way quicker. When I stumbled onto this recipe in one of my cookbooks I knew I had to make it. I've not tried it yet but based on what's in them, I'm sure I'll love them.

Crumbly Lemon Bars
Recipe from The Hungry Fans Gameday Cookbook

1 1/4 c four

Photo from Dinner, then Dessert

1 1/4 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 T unsalted butter, melted
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T finely grated lemon zest
1/3 c lemon juice
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8X8 baking pan with butter.

Whisk together the flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Stir in both sugars, and mix until no clumps remain.

Stir the vanilla into the melted butter, and pour it over the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, stir until you have evenly moistened crumbs. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and gently press into an even layer.

Bake for 15 minutes. remove from the oven and set aside. Leave the oven on.

Whisk together the condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Pour the lemony filling over the warm crumb crust, and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden. remove from the oven, and let cool at room temperature, about 1 hour.  Once cool, cover and refrigerate for another hour, and then cut into squares and serves.

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls

I'm trying to eat better. And to do that I need to plan and prep. If I have things ready to go, then I'm less likely to make bad choices.

I also need to measure. The "eye-balling" technique doesn't work for me. What I think 1/2 c of pasta is and what it really is - is a bit off, let's just say.

This recipe is a great one. Super easy to prepare and put in a container for lunch the next day.

It calls for Farro. Which I've never had before or made. Turns out it's a lot like barley and it's pretty darn good.

Also didn't want to spend the $$ on a jar of tahini so made a substitute based on something I found on the Internet (creamy peanut butter and sesame oil). It's a nice substitute if you're not wanting to buy tahini and let 99% of go to waste.

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma bowls
Recipe from Cooking Light Diet

Photo from Cooking Light Diets

6 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
Dash of paprika
1/4 cup plain 2% Greek reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 (8.5-ounce package) package precooked farro
1 cup chopped English cucumber
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken and oil in a large bowl; toss to coat. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cumin, and paprika in a bowl. Add spice mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat.

Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon cumin, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat farro according to package directions . Place 1/2 cup farro in each of 2 bowls. Top each farro serving with about 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cup cucumber, 1/2 cup tomatoes, about 1/3 cup chickpeas, and 2 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt mixture. Top with parsley and black pepper. Reserve remaining farro for another use.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

A lifetime friend came by for dinner tonight. He's a foody and so I wanted to make something delicious, but not "difficult". I didn't want to be in the kitchen the whole time and not have time to chat with him.

So I made this meal - Creamy Chicken Pasta. To say it was delicious doesn't really do it justice. It was FANTASTIC...and not low in calorie.

I made a side spinach and strawberry salad that's my go to salad these days. It was a nice evening hanging with a friend I've had for 30 years. A lot's changed and yet at the same time, nothing has.

I only changed one thing - shocking, I know. I used just regular mushrooms. I didn't get fancy with a variety of mushrooms.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Photo from MyRecipes.com

Recipe from: MyRecipes.com
Serves 6 (it says it serves 6, but really it serves 4.)

9 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
Cooking spray
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup unsalted chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 ounces chopped wild mushroom blend
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Combine 1/4 cup stock and flour. Add flour mixture, 3/4 cup stock, and half-and-half to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mascarpone, and 2 tablespoons parsley.

Heat a skillet over medium heat; coat with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add thyme and mushrooms; cook 8 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, and mustard; cook 30 seconds. Add pasta and chicken mixture; toss. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley.

Summer Chicken Parmesan

So you all know I love to cook. And you all know I need to lose weight. The two often fight each other. I love my comfort foods and I love to eat. The key, for me, has always been balance. And I've never been good at that.

I've been down this road before and when I get to when I'm willing to try again, I ride that motivation wave for as long as I can. I started getting Cooking Light magazine a hundred years ago and have collected several recipes. Today, however, I discovered a Cooking Light Diet Plan. It offers up those recipes I love and lets me modify as I need.

Tonight I made the first dinner that shuffled through. I only made a couple minor modifications to this.

The first being I couldn't find Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs, so I used what I had.
The second is, I'm not a fan of warmed tomatoes (that aren't already pulverized and in sauce). So I sauted the zucchini then let it cool to room temp. Then put the tomatoes, zuchini and basil together for a side salad. Oh and I added some cucumber to that mix, cuz I had it.



Summer Chicken Parmesan
Recipe from Cooking Light

Photo from Cooking Light

Makes 2 Servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and about 3/4 cup vegetables)

• 2 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup plain whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 (4-ounce) chicken breast cutlets
• 1/4 teaspoon plus a dash of kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini (about 1 medium)

1. Preheat broiler with oven rack in middle position. Place flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour; dip in egg, and dredge in breadcrumbs.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cutlets; cook 1 minute on each side. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
3. Top cutlets with cheese; broil 1 1/2 minutes. Heat remaining oil in skillet. Add zucchini; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining dash of salt, tomatoes, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes. Serve with chicken, and top with basil.

398 calories

• CARBOHYDRATE 25.0g
• CHOLESTEROL 143.0mg
• FIBER 4.0g
• PROTEIN 37.0g
• SODIUM 521.0mg
• FAT 16.2g
• SATURATED_FAT 4.5g
• MONOUNSATURATED_FAT 7.4g
• POLYUNSATURATED_FAT 2.0g
• CALCIUM 191.0mg 
• IRON 1.0mg
• SUGARS 3.0g 

Quick Chicken Picatta with Parslied Orzo

For the first time in, I don't know how long, I actually followed the recipe. Turned out fantastic. I made the all the servings so I'd have 3 for the rest of the week. Everything measured out and in the fridge for the next three days. I put asparagus alongside this dish.

This is an easy Chicken Picatta and doesn't overpower the lemon flavor.


Quick Chicken Picatta with Parslied Orzo
Recipe from Cooking Light. com

Photo courtesy of Cooking Light

1 cup uncooked whole-wheat orzo
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 (4-oz.) chicken breast cutlets
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
8 thin lemon slices, seeds removed
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Spread orzo on a baking sheet; cool 10 minutes. Place orzo in a bowl; add 1 tablespoon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a platter (do not wipe out pan).

Add shallot and garlic to pan; cook2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons juice and lemon slices, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low; add capers and butter, stirring until butter melts. Spoon lemon mixture over chicken. Serve with orzo.

Beef Cabbage Soup

I had seen this recipe floating around the internet for some time. It looks good, but I always think things look good then I make them and they're meh.

This soup was actually good, feeling and oh so good. Did I mention it was good? It took about 30 minutes to prep and get in the pot, which isn't much time. You could cut down that time by buying pre-chopped veggies if you like.

I did not use the whole head of cabbage. That seemed like too much cabbage to me, so I used just over a half. The head of cabbage I got wasn't exactly a "small" head either.

Other modifications I made:

• I didn't buy enough beef broth so adjust to 6 cups with water. Threw in a dash of Worcestershire sauce to help balance the beef flavor that I had watered down. 
• I put in about a Tablespoon of tomato paste. No reason other than I think it needed a bit more depth.

Beef Cabbage Soup

Recipe from Cafedelites.com

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 pound 500 grams rib eye or scotch fillet steak, cut into 1-inch pieces (trimmed of visible fat)

1 stalk celery chopped

2 large carrots peeled and diced

1 small green cabbage chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 cloves garlic minced

6 cups beef stock or broth

3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley plus more to serve

2 teaspoons each dried thyme and dried rosemary (or dried basil and oregano)

2 teaspoons onion or garlic powder

Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 pound 500 grams rib eye or scotch fillet steak, cut into 1-inch pieces (trimmed of visible fat)

1 stalk celery chopped

2 large carrots peeled and diced

1 small green cabbage chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 cloves garlic minced

6 cups beef stock or broth

3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley plus more to serve

2 teaspoons each dried thyme and dried rosemary (or dried basil and oregano)

2 teaspoons onion or garlic powder

Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste

Jambalaya

Tonight was another Sunday dinner. This month my theme was you had to bring something that started with either the letter of your first name or your last. So, I made Jambalaya. And oh boy was it fantastic.

I doubled the recipe for 7 people. We had enough for dinner, seconds, and perfect amount for everyone to take home some.

I did two types of sausage, Andouille and Linguisa. I like the flavor profile of them both. They, with the cajun spice, have just the right heat to it.

Super easy recipe, that you could make for a week night dinner.

Jambalaya
Recipe from Gimmesomeoven.com

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Photo from GimmeSomeOven.com

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
3 small bell peppers, cored and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stock pot (or a very large, deep sauté pan) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the stock pot. Add bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, cooked chicken and sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.

Add the shrimp and okra, and stir to combine. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Taste season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed. Remove from heat.

**I took out the okra and bell pepper from this recipe.  You'll see in the recipe above where the okra comes into play. The bell pepper is sauted with the onion, celery and jalapeno.

Tex-Mex Pulled Chicken Tacos

The sister-in-law and Blueberry were over to scrap today. The Pioneer Woman made these tacos in her show on Saturday and I knew I had to give them a try. Sure enough, delicious.

Tex-Mex Pulled Chicken
Recipe from Pioneer Woman

Photo from Food Network

2 medium tomatoes, quartered
2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1 medium white onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound thin chicken cutlets
12 flour tortillas
2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into 8 wedges, for serving
8 ounces salsa
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces crumbled cotija cheese
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high.

Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers to a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the oregano, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss everything together to get it all coated with the oil and spices. Push it to one side of the baking sheet. Lay the chicken flat on the other side and season it with salt and pepper.

Broil for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and vegetables and return to the broiler until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are softened and charred, about 5 more minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in kitchen paper and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds Remove, unwrap and put on a platter.

Shred the chicken. Spoon the roasted vegetables into a blender with any juices from the baking sheet and blend until smooth. Toss 1 cup of the sauce with the chicken. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it. Put the remaining sauce in a bowl to serve on the side.

Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa, sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges and cilantro.

Strawberry and Steak Salad

I've done a horrible job preparing for weekly lunches. Not only does it get costly, but I don't eat great. I decided this week I'd plan and prepare for the week.

Enter Strawberry and Steak Salad. When they say we eat with our eyes, they aren't kidding. I fell immediately for this salad photo. It has all the things I love, tossed into one salad.

Strawberry and Steak Salad
Recipe from Cuisine at Home, April 2019

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 c white balsamic
3 T strawberry jam
2 T olive oil
1 T minced shallot
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

For the salad:
2 T olive oil
2 NY strip steaks (8oz each) seasoned with salt and pepper
1 sweet onion (3 c)
1 bag spring mix
8 oz fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
1/3 c crumbled blue cheese
1/3 c chopped roasted and salted pistachios

For the vinaigrette, whisk vinegar, jam, oil, shallots, and Dijon. Season with salt and pepper.

For the salad, heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high until shimmering. Add steaks and cook until desired doneness. Set aside.

Add onion to skillet, cook over medium heat until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice steaks against the grain into strips.

Toss spring mix, strawberries, blue cheese, pistachios with vinaigrette, top with steak and onion.

Navy Bean Soup

Tonight I mead Navy Bean Soup. I can't help but think of Dad as I made this. He loved Navy Bean soup. I made the beans from scratch and he'd be so proud.

This was delicious. I sorta over cooked the beans so they were mushy. It was still great though.

The recipe doesn't call for it, but I dropped in 3 ham hocks as the beans cooked. And I didn't "sprinkle" my soup with bacon...I dumped the bacon in.

Her recipe has spinach and I don't do cooked spinach. Here's the real recipe.

Second, SkinnyTaste is one of my favorite blogs with some darn good recipes.

Navy Bean and Bacon Soup

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

3 15 oz cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
4 slices center cut bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 T tomato paste
4 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves

Cooking Beans from scratch. Used Great Northern Beans. 

Soaked them the night before. 

Drained and rinsed them.

Cooked with 6 cups hot water for 1.5 hours.

Then picked up the recipe from there.

In a blender, blend 1 can of beans with 1 cup of water.

Sauté the bacon in a large pot until crisp. Set aside on paper towels.

Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste then add the pureed beans, beans, broth, rosemary and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low until the beans and vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes. Place 2 cups of the soup in the blender and puree to thicken, then add back to the soup along with the spinach and stir until wilted. To serve, ladle into 6 bowls and top with bacon.

Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Janet came over for some scrapbooking time and I figured we'd eventually wander downstairs to watch the Superbowl. Really didn't care who won that game. I wanted to find something I could make early and just pop in the oven.

Enter Chicken Shepherd's Pie.

I am a fan of Shepherd's Pie. Well to be fair, I'm a fan of Cottage Pie. Apparently "Shepherd's Pie" is with lamb and "Cottage Pie" is with beef. Either way, it's a nice comfort food for me. and it makes a ton!

This recipe is super simple and will be a crowd pleaser now doubt.

Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Photo courtesy of Cook's Country

Cuisine At Home Feb 2015

2 T unsalted butter
1 c celery, diced
1 c each diced carrots and sliced buttons
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 c flour
1/2 c dry sherry
2 1/2 c low sodium chicken broth
4 c shredded chicken
1 c each frozen peas and pearl onions, thawed
1 T minced fresh thyme
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 c unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 1/2 c shredded white cheddar
1 egg
1 T Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400F.

For filling:
melt 2 T butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic; cover and set aside until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Add sherry and stir until absorbed. Stir in broth, then add chicken, peas, onions and thyme; season with salt and pepper.

Bring filling to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer while preparing the topping; about 20 minutes.

Topping:
Boil potatoes until done.
Crush potatoes with potato masher, then add 4 T butter and blend with hand mixer on low speed until potatoes are smooth. Stir in cheese, egg and Dijon; season with salt.

Spoon topping over filling in pan and bake pie until topping is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes; let stand 15 before serving.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas isn't the same anymore now that Mom is gone. I still feel the pull to be around family and so am hosting Christmas dinner tonight. I spent an hour or so thinking about what I wanted to cook and decided on these recipes.

We must start with Clam Dip. It's tradition. And I realized I have no written recipe for Clam dip...so here you go.

Mom's Clam Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened (I like to use the 1/3 less fat one)
1 can minced clams (drain the juice into a glass)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 T Worcestershire sauce (give or take)

Mix this together. Do it by hand though. A mixer makes the cheese rubbery.  Add clam juice to loosen it up. Should be dip consistency that you can dip a chip into and not have it break.

Pretty easy, right?

For dinner I'm serving the following:
My Spinach Salad
Garlic Steak & Cheesy Bacon Potato Hash Foil Packs
Cheesy Broccoli

Janet's bringing dessert, so that'll be a surprise.

My Spinach Salad
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

3 whole Eggs
7 slices Thick Cut, Peppered Bacon
1 whole Red Onion, Small
1 package Mushrooms, White Button
8 ounces, weight Baby Spinach, Washed Dried And Stems Removed
3 Tablespoons Reserved Bacon Grease
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 dash Salt

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs.

Fry bacon until crispy/chewy. Remove to a paper towel.

Remove 3 tablespoons grease and set aside.

Add 2 add'l tablespoons of grease to a separate skillet over medium heat.

Slice red onions very thinly, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Slice mushrooms and add them to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Chop bacon.

Peel and slice eggs.

Make hot bacon dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, sugar, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.

Add spinach to a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, and bacon on top. Pour hot dressing over the top; toss to combine.

Arrange eggs over the top and serve.


Garlic Steak & Cheesy Bacon Potato Hash Foil Packs
Recipe from Cafe Delites

1/2 cup garlic butter divided
For The Potatoes:
26 ounces baby Yukon potatoes (or 750 grams), washed (peeled or unpeeled), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup onion diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup diced bacon cooked
1/3 cup scallions (or green onions/shallots), sliced
For The Steak:
2 pounds whole eye fillet (or ribeye) steak (or 1 kg)*, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Pat dry with paper towel for best results.
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded**

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Make a batch of this Garlic Butter. Divide in half and melt in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Combine the potatoes and the onions in a bowl. Pour the melted garlic butter over the top; set aside.

Spread the remaining non-melted butter over the steak to evenly coat.

FOR WELL DONE STEAKS:

Slice your fillet into 2-inch thick slices (if the pieces are too small they will dry out). If you like your steak dry, cut them smaller.

FOR MEDIUM RARE STEAKS:

Cut your fillet into 4-inch long pieces (see above pictures or video for reference). The bigger you cut them, the more juicy the steak will be once its done. For rarer steaks, but them bigger (5 or 6 inch pieces).

Tear four or six 15-inch (40cm) pieces of heavy duty foil and arrange on your kitchen counter or bench top. Divide steaks and potatoes among the top half of the foil sheets. Sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper

Fold up the sides of the foil first over the steak and potatoes, then fold up the entire bottom half of the foil over the ingredients to join the ends. Fold down to seal, pressing the seal tightly to prevent any juices from spilling out.

Place foil packets on the HOT grill, cover and cook for 7 minutes on one side. Flip and cook on the other side for a further 5 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through, (about 12 minutes all together). CAREFULLY open the foil packets (being careful of the escaping steam). Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes, and loosely tent with the foil again to allow the cheese to melt through for a further 3 minutes while still on the grill.

Top the potatoes with the cooked bacon, garnish with the scallions (or green onions), and season with a little extra salt and pepper, if needed.

For Stove Top:

If you can, use a cast iron skillet or a heavy based pan. Preheat skillet over medium heat. When foil packs are ready, place them in the hot, preheated skillet to cook for 7 minutes, covered (you may need to do them in batches of two). Flip and cook for a further 7 minutes (covering again), until done.

For Oven:

Preheat oven to 220°C | 430°F. Prepare foil packs; place packs on a baking sheet/tray, and bake for 20-30 minutes in the HOT oven. Flip packs and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. OPTIONAL: open foil packs being careful of trapped steam, and broil for 3-4 minutes, until charred. REMEMBER the result of meat depends on how large or small you cut your pieces!

Cheesy Broccoli
This recipe was originally for Brussel Sprouts. But those are gross, so I swapped in the Broccoli. If you're one of those odd balls that like Brussle sprouts, then by all means use them instead.
Recipe from Betty Crocker

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ vegetable broth
2 lb broccoli, trimmed, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (6 oz)
1/2 cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.

In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat broth to boiling over high heat. Add broccoli; heat liquid back to boiling. Cook 2 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer sprouts to baking dish. Reserve 1 1/2 cups broth.

In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with whisk. Stir in reserved 1 1/2 cups broth and the whipping cream; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat; add Swiss cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Pour sauce over Brussels sprouts.

In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Stir to coat. Sprinkle mixture over sauce. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned and edges are bubbly.

Mom's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Yet another recipe from mom's gray tin box. I'd love to cook through this entire box, but it'll take some time. Maybe that could be my goal for next year.

Mom didn't make these cabbage rolls a lot. They were a family favorite, but it does take a bit of effort. I can only imagine she'd come home from work, tired, and the last thing she'd want to do is make cabbage rolls. This would have been a weekend meal for us for sure.

Only a couple of changes that my sister and I remember mom doing, that the recipe doesn't indicate. I'll put those notes below.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Recipe from Mom
Serves 6-10 (It really depends on how many rolls each person eats. 6 for sure.

12 large cabbage leaves
1 1/4 lb hamburger
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 T wesson oil
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce (Mom used tomato soup - so I did)
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c water
1 T lemon juice or vinegar

Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes, or until limp; drain.

Combine next 7 ingredients (hamb through poultry seasoning). Place equal portions of meat mixture in center of each leaf. Fold sides of each leaf over meat; roll up and fasten with toothpicks or string.

Brown in hot oil in very large skillet. Pour tomato sauce over. Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice. Stir into tomato sauce. Simmer covered on hour, basting occasionally.

JW Note: Okay, I didn't fry them. Mom put them in the oven. She combined the tomato soup, sugar, water and lemon juice and poured it over the rolls in a 9x13 dish. She baked it at 350 for like 45 minutes or so.

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower is one of those veggies that's super good for you but really doesn't have much of a taste. I like to bake it at high heat and get it all crispy on the outside.  Tonight for Sunday dinner, I decided to try this cauliflower gratin. I added broccoli too thinking it was a nice addition.

Cauliflower Gratin
Recipe from ??

1 head cauliflower, divided into 1 in florets
4 T unsalted butter, divided
1 c diced onions
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
3 T flour
1 1/4 c whole mil
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c grated Gruyere
1/2 c grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425.

Coat a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook cauliflower in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again.

Melt 2 T butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Off heat, stir in Gruyere and 1/4 c Parmesan, then stir in cauliflower until completely coated; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 T butter, combine with bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 c Parmesan and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over gratin and bake until crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbly, 25-30 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken

Tried a new recipe for Sunday dinner tonight. I'm not great at cooking chicken for guests because I like my chicken WELL done. And most people think dry chicken is gross. Well, tonight I decided to give this a go.

It Was..DELICIOUS. If I'd make it again I would bake the chicken instead of fry it. Frying it took too long to get everyone on the table at the same time.

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken

Photo from Rachel Ray Mag

Recipe from Rachel Ray Magazine

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
Salt and pepper
4 thin-cut chicken breast cutlets
2 tablespoons oil

Combine all ingredients up to oil; marinate 45 minutes (or overnight). In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; brown cutlets on both sides until cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Monterrey Chicken-Rice Bake

I pulled out another recipe from Mom's gray tin of recipes. This one sounded interesting and a bit weird all at the same time. I mean who uses cottage cheese in something like this? Gross.

I ultimately decided that I was going to follow the recipe exactly as it says to. The only thing I ultimately forgot to do was season the darn thing. Had I not forgotten that this would have been much better. As it was it was just meh.

I also didn't add the Monterrey grated cheese. I already had some shredded cheese in my drawer and just chose to use it instead. I really think Monterrey shredded cheese would have made this more creamy.

Monterrey Chicken-Rice Bake
Recipe from Mom or Grandma

1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c sour cream
3 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 can (4oz) diced green chiles
1 tsp salt
1/8tsp garlic powder
3 c cooked chicken - chopped
3 c cooked rice (cooked in chicken broth)
1 c grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 tomatoes coarsely chopped
3/4 c coarsely crushed corn chips

Blend cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add mix to remaining ingredients except corn chips. Pour into a shallow 2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with corn chips.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 Minutes.