Chocolate Chunk Pretzel Love

....or at least that's what I'm calling it since today is Valentine's Day.  (Happy, happy BTW)

This is the snack goodie, we whipped up before we went to a Super Bowl party the other weekend. It's one of my favorite treats. It's sweet, it's salty. You can make it as sinful or as "healthy" as you choose depending upon your choice of ingredients.

For this batch, I used:

(1) full-sized bag of mini pretzels

Half of a cup unpopped popcorn (which will yield a big ol' bowl of air popped corn)

(2) bags of Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Chips

(1) bag miniature marshmallows

Approximately half of a cup red cinnamon heart candy

On the stove top, I melted the chocolate chips and marshmallows over low heat in an 18" oval roasting pan. Once the chocolate chips were fully melted, I kept the roaster on the burner, added the popcorn and pretzels until almost coated and then sprinkled in the cinnamon hearts making sure they were evenly mixed. (I wasn't so concerned about getting the marshmallows completely melted. It was fun to hit a chunk of marshmallow, anyway, during the devouring process.)

Spread the whole mess on a large cookie sheet and find room in your 'fridge for it to cool.  After that you can break it up into pieces and store in a Ziplock bag (preferably in the refrigerator if you are not giving/sharing/inhaling it right away).

You could certainly use true dark chocolate instead of just chocolate chips, add sliced almonds, raisins, peanuts, bits of dried apricots......oh how the list goes on!

Look out, people will be waiting in the wings to snitch this stuff!

Egg Cups

I probably shouldn't label posts like these as recipes.  Recipes are exact, measurement-by-measurement, precise instructions.  However, the label "recipes" is a lot shorter than "I made this up and threw in a bunch of ingredients about 10 minutes before I knew people in this house were REALLY going to want to start gnawing on some type of food unit and going to get super grumpy".  So, off we go with easy egg cups.

It's kind of WYSWYG...what you see is what you get, but I made them kind of Tex-Mex, so I'll fill you in a bit.  First I put a piece of roast beef (Healthy Ones brand at Super Target doesn't have any nitrates ~ hooray.) in some of the muffin cups. And let me tell you, after having cooked some without such a base, DO NOT DO THAT in metal. Without the meat "crust", it ate my muffin tin in a way that I could not have imagined egg would be capable of doing. So, Mr. Egg obviously needs some sort of security blanket, or he gets very angry and does naughty things.

So back to the roast beef base, or ham or whatever you want....even a rolled out English muffin works...   In a bowl I combined some black beans (canned), along with fresh diced tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, black pepper (or cayenne pepper), garlic powder, and a dash of sea salt.  I added that next to the muffin cups.  Finally, I just cracked an egg on the top of each one and sprinkled shredded cheese to finish it off.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, serve with a veggie and some yummy, crusty bread if you like and you have, once again, fed the troops.

See? Egg eyes and avocado nose and mouth. Yeah, I know. I'm easily amused.

Citrus Pasta with Ham and Shrimp

I haven't posted a recipe in awhile, so here's a very simple dish for a busy August night.

Citrus Pasta with Ham and Shrimp

(Keep in mind I don't measure....you don't need to either. You know how you'd like it to taste. Just flavor accordingly.)

Deveined shrimp

Ham pieces

Halved grape or cherry tomatoes

3 small zucchini

Linguine or any sort of pasta

Olive Oil (1-2 Tbs)

Butter (1 Tbs)

Garlic

Sea Salt

Ground Pepper

White Wine

Lemon Juice (1-2 Tbs)

Lime Juice (1 Tbs)

Parsley (1 Tbs)

Saute zucchini, shrimp and ham pieces in olive oil, butter, and remaining ingredients. After a couple of minutes, add tomatoes until fully heated.

Add to cooked and drained pasta.

Shred parmigiano reggiano on top of each serving.

Pork Loin a New Way

-Want a super tender pork loin? Want to turn your oven up as high as it will go? Yea? Yea! Do it, do it!! Live on the edge! (Can you tell how exciting my life is?) I tried it, I liked it, I'm stickin' with it.

This nifty cooking method isn't anything I'm going to take credit for. I simply found it on-line. Here's what I'll call your Cook-It-Hot Pork Tenderloin link: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Perfect-Pork-Tenderloin-63828

I'll note a couple of things in addition to what the recipe offers.  Really get your oven up to 550 if you can. You might even want to cut the loin in half or thirds if it's really big and thick. I also feel most comfortable with the internal temperature at that 170 degree mark. I have made larger cuts of meat like this and at the end, just cooked them at 350 to push the temperature back up, making sure it's safe to eat.

I can't find a small enough roasting tray that will fit in most of my cookware, so I simply roll up some tinfoil and place it on the bottom.  That way the meat doesn't sit in the fat that drips down.

Peel away or cut off as much of the fat as possible and then rub with seasonings. I used sea salt, rosemary, thyme and onion powder this time.

Tender! Will this be your new way of cooking tenderloin too?

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Thai Stew

Last week I had some sort of "bug" that had me feeling pretty oogy.  I think my husband came down with it today.  So I wanted to make a warm-in-the-tummy something for tonight's dinner.  (*Side Note:  Exactly one week ago today we had 82 degree weather, and this morning it snowed.  Ha, ha, ha ~ Oh, that Mother Nature...isn't she just such a hoot?)

I had a chicken in the oven, and at 5:10pm I wondered, "Oh geez.... what am I going to do with that bird this time?"  (*Another side note:  Did you catch that "oh geez" bit?  Midwestern.  I've lived elsewhere.  I know that east coasters are not declaring "Oh geez."  But it's fun....just kind of sums it up sometimes.  Try it.  Say "Oh geez."  Very good.)

Back to my elegant fowl and the soul-warming stew that emerged.

THAI STEW (Remember, I don't measure, but I'll try to give some estimates this time.)

Extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tsp.)

Onion

Garlic

Red pepper

Chicken broth (about 1 cup)

Soy milk (about 1 cup)

Potatoes, cut into chunks (2-3)

Chicken and/or garbanzo beans

Canned tomatoes (1 can)

Basil (to taste...1/2 tsp.  You can always increase it to 1 tsp.)

Cilantro (to taste...1/2 tsp.  You can always increase it to 1 tsp.)

Black pepper (to taste)

Ginger (1/4 tsp.)

Lime juice (2 Tbsp.)

Soy sauce (2 Tbsp.) (I use Bragg Liquid Aminos....tastes the same yet good for you.  Go figure.)

Peanut butter (~3 Tbsp.)

Dark brown sugar (1-2 tsp.)

Coconut extract (1/4 tsp.)

I boiled the potatoes separately to speed things up until they were mostly done and then drained them.

Saute the onion, garlic & red pepper in olive oil.

Add chicken broth & soy milk (you can use evaporated milk if you prefer, but the unflavored soy was really good).

Add all of your seasonings and peanut butter.

Once the peanut butter is melted, add chicken and/or garbanzo beans and potatoes.  Heat thoroughly.

(Add extra love if you're serving someone who's under the weather.)

Corny Pancakes

I'm all for breakfast at night. So belly up Paul Bunyan, the dinner bell just rang!


CORNY PANCAKES

1-1/4 cup whole wheat flour (pastry flour is best, but I just used regular this time)
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
Big pinch of salt
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1-2 Tbs sugar (optional)
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup orange juice (increase if needed)
2 tsp Bragg apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil

Whisk the dry ingredients for about a minute (it helps to fluff the pancakes). In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients and then add dry & wet together. Stir until blended together. Spoon batter onto heated griddle.

This recipe is easily cut in half.

Lemon Shrimp Quinoa

Here's a simple dinner from my standard "5:00 ~ What The Heck Am I Supposed To Feed Us?" bag of tricks.

Lemon Shrimp Quinoa (There's no measuring here)

*Quinoa (Measure 1:2 ratio with water. I also used part homemade chicken broth and some white wine.) (If you can purchase the quinoa in bulk, I'd go that route. It's cheaper that way.)
*Shrimp (thawed from the frozen variety)
*Red, yellow and green peppers
*Olive oil
*Sea or kosher salt
*Lemon juice (I used bottled, but fresh squeezed is always more flavorful.)
*Onion and/or garlic (there's that vampire thing again)
*Cilantro

Toasted Cranberry & Walnut Chicken Sandwiches

I scored some of Target's Archer Farms cranberry-walnut bread on sale for just $1.75. It's not 100% whole wheat like we normally get, but for this once-in-awhile specialty bread, I make the exception. It's wonderful toasted for an addition to any meal. This made a quick and yummy dinner.

Toasted Cranberry & Walnut Chicken Sandwiches:

Cranberry-Walnut bread (or any similar specialty bread), toasted
Chicken breasts
Fresh spinach
Raspberry jam (I like the Trader Joe's Low Sugar Organic variety)

Spread a layer of jam on 1 slice of the sandwich, and the following on the other slice.

Mix together:
Smart Balance Omega Plus light mayo dressing, onion and/or garlic powder (depending on how much you need to deter vampires), Craisins


You could melt a piece of provolone cheese on the bread as well. I'll bet it would be good with a little blue cheese as well. For an extra kick in the mayo mix, add a bit of horseradish (also a potential vampire obstruction).

It's one of those 2-napkin type sandwiches. Enjoy.

Tuna And Frog Salad.....Frog Optional

Do you have a Trader Joe's where you live? If so, then you know how lucky you are. There's an on-going list in my kitchen of the things I always need/want from there. So, for this "throw together" meal, I used two TJ's products. Although it was really good, it's certainly not necessary to specifically use the TJ's items.


Spinach Salad:
Organic spinach
Canned tuna in water, drained
Raw pecans (toasted by Moi)
Trader Joe's champagne pear vinaigrette (I swear, this dressing can go on everything).
Ground pepper

Avocado & Mango Salad:
1 avocado
1 peeled & diced mango
Sunflower seeds
Pinch of salt
Dribble of honey

Trader Joe's garlic naan bread, toasted. (What great stuff. It comes frozen with 4 pieces to a packet. Very tasty.)

1 purple, kooshy frog (optional) (Ok, so my 2 1/2 year old has quite an arm. She even tossed this one LEFT handed!)

Excuse me, waiter. There's a frog in my salad.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Quiche is a nice treat once in awhile. One that I often times forget about when I'm struggling with yet another dinner dilemma. Ty was on dinner duty, as I was heading out for an acupuncture appointment and errands. Brilliant in his field, and yielding a great household handiness, his "geniusness" falls short when he reaches the threshold of the kitchen. Peanut butter toast is quite comforting, but since I'm certainly happier when there are vegetables involved, something a little more "meal like" always seems in order. So when he's in charge, I usually order up left-overs, tuna sandwiches, scrambled eggs, veggie corn dogs, you know....that type of thing. I was relieved when I remembered quiche! It's a very simple recipe, that I prepared in no time and headed out the door leaving Dad in charge of simply taking it out of the oven. (And don't forget to shut the oven off.) He added toast (one of his specialties, as you'll recall), and everyone's belly had something warm and healthy in it. Now, what's for dinner tomorrow??


2 tsp. canola oil
1 medium onion
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 1/2 cups grated light cheddar cheese
6 large egg whites*
1 large egg*
1/3 cup low fat or fat free cottage cheese
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 nutmeg
garlic

*Or use any combination of 4-5 eggs, as that works equally as well

1) Preheat oven to 375. Coat 9" pie pan (glass is preferred ~ turn oven down 25 degrees if glass is used) with cooking spray.
2) Heat oil & onion for about 5 minutes, then add spinach about 3 more minutes until moisture has evaporated.
3) Sprinkle cheese evenly in pie pan. Top with spinach mixture.
4) Whisk together eggs, cottage cheese and remaining ingredients, then pour over spinach.
5) Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Bratwurst Soup

Soup is awesome, isn't it? It's like a blank canvas is for a talented artist. Empty pot=unlimited options. You just can't go wrong with soup. Anything goes ~ food and spice combinations are all fair game. With that said, I bring you, from my mom's kitchen, bratwurst soup.



Turkey brats ~ Broiled first, cut up and then added to soup, otherwise it's waaay too greasy.
Broth ~ Your choice...from beef to chicken to vegetable. I don't think it makes much difference. I always get a low-sodium variety.
Onion
Garlic
Potatoes ~ Can also do a half & half with spaghetti or some other noodle, just for kicks.
Carrots
Peas ~ Frozen veggies get me through many meals during the winter months.
Pepper
Mrs. Dash original blend

Even if you "don't cook", soup is forgiving. Let your creative juices flow.

Wanted: Pumpkin Lovers

I'll warn you, if you hate pumpkin, you can skip this post right now. (Go ahead & take a tool around while you're here, at least. Enjoy.) If you're on the pumpkin fence, so to speak, stay with me. If you're a pumpkin lover, I've got a winner for you.

I have this as part of my breakfast sometimes. It's also a nice snack with my afternoon coffee. (Mmmmm ~ afternoon coffee......) Plain, fat free yogurt is certainly a staple in my refrigerator. We eat it with fruit, sometimes mixed in with cereal as well. It can be great for cooking & baking, but I have come discover the wonderful effects of sour cream in baked goods. (Another day, another post.)

If you aren't used to the lack of ALL THAT SUGAR in regular yogurts, I still encourage you to try this. If you start with mixing the plain yogurt in with vanilla yogurt, you can surely make the switch entirely at some point.




Key ingredients:

Plain, fat free yogurt

Canned pumpkin

Nuts ~ Pecans lend a nice, sweet flavor, but walnuts are yummy too. Don't forget to toast them in the oven! For a delicious variation, instead of raw nuts, I'll mix in peanut butter. Now that's good!

Flax ~ You had to figure....

Cinnamon ~ ....these would show up again.

Golden raisins ~ Yes, golden. Regular ol' raisins are ok, but there's something about the golden variety. It adds a special sweetness.

So now you've got crunchy, you've got chewy, you've got sweet, and you've got healthy!

Oatmeal Options

My girls and I love oatmeal. It's a fast and simple breakfast for weekday morning crunch time. There are so many flavor combinations that you're bound to come up with your own favorite. Here a few suggestions from my personal "cafe".

I use the old fashioned oats (not the 1-minute variety). I think they have a better texture. See what you think. As of last summer, I was a complete peanut butter hound, only to discover that my love for it was really too much a good thing. I have added other nut butters (another word I like....nut butters. Not as good as "nutmeats", but nonetheless, kind of funny.) to our repertoire. I like to add almond butter to our oatmeal for a filling meal with a good amount of protein to boot. The jar with the red top is ground flax. I add a little to a lot of things we eat. It has a wonderful nutty flavor. However, if you do not currently eat flax, start out slowly. Your gut will thank you. Also, I sometimes add a little powdered milk to my oatmeal combos. It gives it a creamy flavor. Make sure you stir the dry ingredients together before adding the water or the powdered milk will end up in big chunks that no one will want to eat. Often times I add a few raisins to this mix as well, although I didn't picture it here. Finally, might I introduce you to organic cinnamon? I am lucky enough to find it at a decent price in the bulk section of a local grocery store here (I don't typically buy the pre-packaged variety.). You don't have to use organic, but I have discovered that it is a stronger and heartier flavor, and it's so very good for you. I add it to every bowl of cereal or yogurt we eat. To sweeten the oats a little, I add dark brown sugar.


Another favorite of ours is a blueberry and raisin partnership. Mmmmm! The flavors really play off each other. I also use the standard additions of flax, cinnamon and a little powdered milk here as well.

Here are a few more variations not pictured:
Chunks of frozen peaches and maple syrup (instead of brown sugar). This combination is really good with the powdered milk. It tastes like peaches and cream.
Frozen strawberry slices and banana
Apple chunks and Craisins
Peanut butter and dates

So if you're bored with the same old, same old breakfasts turn to Mr. Quaker and let me know what you come up with.

Super Simple Suppers

I have been on a bit of a non-cooking/just throwing something together kick. Here's what we ate the last 2 nights:

Mexican roasted potatoes:
Potatoes, quartered, microwaved until mostly soft (to speed things along) and then roasted.
Pinto beans, black olives, green peppers, corn & McCormick's Taco Seasoning (I used half of a packet). Heat in pan, spoon on top of potatoes & sprinkle shredded cheese. Add sour cream if desired.

We also had avocado on the side, but a green salad with tomato would have worked.

Mexican Roasted Potatoes

Cilantro & Thyme Flatbread sandwiches: (This was a really good one!)

Flatbread (I just happened to get some at Super Target with the cilantro & thyme, which gave me the idea)
Pieces of pork loin (which I had in the freezer & ready to go)
A couple of slices of Hormel Natural Baked Ham
Swiss cheese
Provolone cheese
Hearty spicy brown mustard, yellow mustard, Smart Balance Omega Plus mayo (a blob, squirt or dollop of each one). Mix together along with ground pepper, cilantro and thyme.

Top flatbread with mustard dressing, slices of both provolone and swiss cheeses, pork loin pieces and ham. Heat in oven until warm & bread is toasty.

Brussel Sprouts: (really, they were yummy)
Heat frozen brussel sprouts in microwave until mostly thawed, transfer to frying pan with olive oil, ground pepper, sea salt & just a bit of the sandwich mustard sauce. Coat & heat. Be oh-so healthy!

Cilanto & Thyme Flatbread Sandwiches

Tortellini Soup

I never know what to make for dinner. It's also a rare occasion that I actually know what we're going to have much more than 30 minutes before we need to eat. If I have to roast a chicken or pork loin, well then, yes, I plan ahead. But usually it's something I pull out of thin air. Tonight was one of those nights. And I do say, I am always pleasantly surprised at how yummy things turn out tasting. Here's the recipe for your eating enjoyment. Try it sometime! Remember, I don't measure.

Box of DaVinci Multicolor Tortellini (lowest in fat & best flavor, in my book)
Olive oil
Garlic cloves
Sea salt
Pepper (some freshly ground)
8oz sliced mushrooms
About 6 tomatoes cut in chunks (canned would be fine too)
Parsley
Most to all of a 15oz container of ricotta cheese (fat free or low-fat variety)

Cook the tortellini separately & drain. In same pot, add everything else (except parsley & ricotta) until mushrooms & tomatoes are tender. Add parsley & ricotta at end. Serve when fully heated. Yum.

One each for Papa Bear, Momma Bear, Little Bear and Baby Bear