November: The Month of the Freezer Meal

In an effort to curb grocery costs and make life easier for myself, I've been researching and saving recipes for meals that I can prepare ahead of time that freeze well.

When I was pregnant with AJ, one of the best things I did was make and freeze about 7 meals that we were able to pull out of the freezer after she was born.  In the first days of new motherhood, it was invaluable to know that dinner was in the freezer if sh!t hit the fan.  I'm planning to do the same preparation a few weeks before baby #2 arrives.

In the past three years, it seems that crock pot cooking and freezer meals have become way more popular and I've found a few websites that have some great-looking recipes I'm going to test-run before the baby arrives.  One main site is the Six Sisters' Website.  They claim that you can prepare and complete 8 dinners in just over an hour.  I am planning to test their theory this month.

I also have a few of my own recipes that I know freeze well that my family likes that I'm planning to make this month.  I think I'll have more than 10 meals in the freezer that we can pull out as life gets crazy and we start to travel for the holidays.  I can't wait to just be able to pull a pan out of the deep-freezer when we get home from a trip and have a home-cooked meal the night we get home!

Here are the meals I'm planning to make this month:

• Chili
• King Ranch Chicken Casserole
• Slow Cooker BBQ Spareribs
• Black Bean Taco Soup
• Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
• Chicken Cacciatore
• French Dip Sandwiches
• Hearty Beef Stew
• Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken
• Cilantro Lime Chicken w/Corn and Black Beans
• Pasta e Fagioli
• White Bean Soup w/Grilled Sausage
• Homemade Pasta Sauce

The only two of the above recipes that I've made before are chili and homemade pasta sauce, which, technically I don't make, since D makes it.  The chili recipe I make is loosely based off the one I linked above, but I've changed it so much that its really different from the above recipe.

I'm kind of excited to get all these prepped and frozen, there is nothing better than having a fully-stocked freezer, and not just with frozen pizzas, but actual meals.  I also feel like most recipes for freezer meals are big enough that we can eat off them for at least an extra day with the leftovers.

So, if you'd like to join me in cooking up a storm, feel free, but I'll be posting about how these recipes come together, if we like them and what my overall thoughts on them are.

2012 Goals: January Update

I thought I'd do a little update on how I'm doing with my 2012 goals now that the first month of the year is complete (umm, how did it go so fast?).

My goals are in bold italics and my updates are in regular italics.

***

1. Save money, reduce debt. Well, we were doing really well with the saving money part of this one until D's car got towed and we had to use the money we had in our savings account to get it off the tow truck. No, I didn't blog about it, mostly because I was really mad about it, but now you know. I am making a point to "pay myself back" so that we're still putting a little bit into savings for January. As far as reducing debt, we are using the snowball method and we plan on putting our tax refund toward credit card debt.

2. Lose weight. I have to admit that I haven't really been concentrating on this one as much as I should. There were a few days that I took AJ outside in the stroller and ran/walked a little. I've also been going to yoga, but so far the scale has really been yo-yo-ing based on what and how much I eat on any given day.

3. Eat healthier. I've been just okay on this one. I've made an effort to make healthier meals a few times a week, but the portion control isn't quite there yet. I think that mostly everything we eat is fairly healthy in moderation, but when I start out my diner with a plate full of rice, its probably not going to qualify as healthy, even if it is brown rice. I've been trying to eat healthy lunches and breakfasts, which in turn helps me to save money because I'm not eating out or grabbing something on the go. I made home made granola and I've been eating light soups (Campbell's and Progresso) for lunch. I'm also trying to make an effort to make salads to go with dinner because then we'll hopefully fill up on veggies before digging into the main dish.

4. Be more patient. I think I am doing better with this one for the second half of the month than I did for the first part. Its interesting that while I feel I'm being more patient with AJ, I've also found that there is a clear line that determines behavior that is unacceptable. If she commits one of these acts, there is no need for patience on my part, she goes straight to punishment. On the other hand, if its something little, I try to stay calm and repeat myself. I'm also trying to get down to her level and have her look me in the eye before I lose it over something little.

5. Exercise more. I've been going to yoga, I've walked/run a few times but overall, I would say that I pretty much failed at this one for the month of January.

6. Maintain a positive attitude. When it pertains to certain aspects of my life, I have been doing a good job at remaining positive. Other areas of my life still manage to induce a mini-panic attack and I get snippy about it. I've been trying to be positive and upbeat as a whole though, so I'd say I did okay on this one. I am hoping that by the time we find out if we're moving or not (maybe in another 3 weeks, maybe longer) I'll be able to take it in stride and remain positive about listing our house (and it selling, fast, for our asking price!). ;)

***

Looking at my goals and evaluating how I did for January has made me realize that a lot of the things I wanted to change for 2012 were loosely based on how well I am able to manage my own stress level and the amount I worry about things. These are two things as a whole that I would like to change about myself and I think that by setting smaller, quantifiable goals, I'll be able to help myself find and maintain techniques that work for me.

I also like the idea of checking in at the end of each month to keep track of how I'm doing with each goal. It helps me to remember what I'm striving for and reminds me to continue the good work (or to pick up the slack where I feel I've been lacking).

What about you? How are your 2012 goals coming along?

The Best Thing I've Made In A Long Time, Possibly Ever

If you are a loyal follower of the old blog here, then you may already know about my new favorite recipe site, SkinnyTaste.com. I tried a few new recipes from the site last week. I blogged about one already on my food blog (the Stuffed Cabbage Casserole, which was okay) but the one I made on Thursday was possibly the best dinner I've ever made.

I'll preface by saying that it wasn't the easiest dish I've ever made, but it was worth every step and this dish has easily earned a spot in our regular rotation.

***

Chicken with Mushrooms in a Garlic and White Wine Sauce

8 chicken tenderloins, 16 oz total
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup fat free chicken broth
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 200°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside in a warm oven.

Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds; add mushrooms, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, chicken broth, parsley; stir the pan with a wooden spoon breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few more minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Top the chicken with the mushroom sauce and serve.


***

You should also make this side dish to go with it. They really pair perfectly.

***

Baked Rice with Peas

1 cup uncooked long grain rice
14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
5 oz (1/2 package) frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of tin foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes.
Bake 45 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). When 45 minutes is up, remove from oven and let it sit for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice, (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.

***

There you go, friends. Make this, soon.

Christmas Eve and the Feast of the Seven Fishes

I haven't really talked about our Christmas plans on my blog because we don't have a ton of plans. We decided to stay here this year and spend Christmas just our little family. We are going to wake up in our own beds tomorrow morning and relax, eat, open presents and just chill. I can't wait. I will share my Christmas day menu with you all soon (after Christmas, obviously). With that being said, we're having some people over for dinner on tonight.

I wasn't too sure about making some big crazy prime rib or something (because I like cooking, but don't want to eff myself over and be the fool who ends up having to order out on Christmas Eve because something went terribly wrong).

I decided that something much easier, like the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner of The Feast of the Seven Fishes. In my apparently warped mind, this was more sane than the alternative. Ha! Now I'm making six seafood dishes (amongst various frozen appetizers) to serve our guests this evening. One of the guests is bringing a seafood dish, so I only have to make six recipes instead of seven (should lighten the load a little bit, at least).

Here's what I'm making.

Shrimp Cocktail (because I'm being lazy on this one)

Baked Scallops

Lemon Garlic Flounder I'm using Flounder instead of Tilapia

Chez Lorraine's Baked Salmon

Fried Calamari

Crab Cakes (I bought these pre-made from our local grocery store, so no recipe, sorry!)

As you can see, most of these recipes are very simple, but the ones I've made before are delicious and the new ones sound fantastic, so I'm excited to get to work in the kitchen!

I'll post an update after Christmas to let you all know that I survived what will undoubtedly be known as "Seafood Extravaganza 2011" or "The Christmas Beth Went Crazy" for generations years to come! Wish me luck!

What's For Dinner?

I haven't posted a menu in a while and I've been spending quite a bit of time menu planning now that Fall is here and I can start using the oven again!  There is just something about this time of year that makes me want to bust out my pumpkin candles and make some chili!

Tuesday: Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Salad
Wednesday: Portobello, Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
Thursday: Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing
Friday: Ravioli, Homemade Sauce, Garlic Bread
Saturday: Vegetable Beef Soup and Homemade Bread
Sunday: Chicken Divan with White Rice
Monday: Homemade Pizza with Green Salad

You'll notice that I'm mixing in some Summery recipes with my go-to Fall/Winter dishes.  Since we're kind of in the South we're officially at that awkward time of year when I really desperately want it to be Fall but we are still seeing temps solidly in the eighties everyday.  My solution to this dichotomy is to just start making hearty meals and wearing Uggs and scarves in the house.  Then when I have to go outside, I switch back to my shorts & flip flops.

I'm also planning on making Pumpkin bread and I officially added Apple Cider to my grocery list for next week.  I know that many of us in blog-land love Autumn, and I'm right there with you!  I have to do anything and everything I can to get myself into the spirit of Fall.

What are you planning for dinner this week?

Stump Burning and My Labor Day

We didn't have much planned for the long weekend, but we did know that our neighbors cut down a dead tree a few weeks ago.  After cutting the tree down, they realized that there was no way they were going to be able to pull the stump out of the ground.  They decided that they wanted to burn it by basically having a bonfire on top of it.  Sunday night we grabbed a little cooler we had filled with beer and headed over.

We chatted and laughed and had a grand ol' time!

This morning I woke up and felt like total crap!  Oops.

I had some coffee and some water and was starting to feel a little more normal, but as is typical when I enjoy beers, I was feeling very hungry around 2 pm.  I decided that instead of eating something and then making dinner a few hours later that I'd just make dinner at 2.  (Oh yeah, I'm really weird.)

I made "soothing lettuce wraps" which are also known as Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Kimchi Pancakes, which turned out more like Kimchi Dumplings.

As "dinner" was just about finished, I got a text from my neighbor across the street who wanted to know if I wanted some pie.  Um, hello!?

So she brought over what was more like a custard, but seriously so delicious.  It was a pear custard pie.  Yum!

I don't know about you, but when you are feeling a little under the weather (okay, hungover), there is nothing better than a big, mid-afternoon meal to make your headache disappear.

What We've Been Up To: Instagram Style...

Since I've apparently decided to limit my blogging to once a week (unintentionally, I swear), I decided that you all deserve some photo evidence of all that has been going on around our house lately.

There has been some apple eating.

We've also done some intense TV watching.

And there was a little laying on the dog as well.

We moved most of AJ's toys from the family room upstairs into the bedroom that is connected to her room. I put her tent in there along with lots of other fun stuff and she has been enjoying the change of scenery!

My dad came to visit for a night, so AJ and Grandpa played in the tent in her new playroom.

After he left, AJ and I hung out in the tent for a while. (I may or may not have filled the tend with pillows & blankets so I can relax comfortably keep a close eye on AJ while she plays.)

I've done some running along this path (but not nearly us much as I should be doing).

And we've spent a good deal of time smoochin' and lovin' on this baby girl.

Last but not least, we had visitors this weekend (my FIL) and he bought us a deep-fryer! I know you're probably thinking, gross, that is terribly unhealthy! Well, you'd be right, but the food that came out of that deep-fryer? Delish.

I realize these don't look like pickles, but they're the sandwich stackers, so they are long and skinny.

We made fried pickles, fried shrimp and hush puppies. I'm not going to be able to take any credit for the hush puppies because they are simply a mix that you add water to, but man, they were good!

Hush puppies!

I posted the fried pickle recipe on my food blog, you should go check it out!

And yummy, yummy shrimp!

I hope you'll forgive me for not posting very much!

Must Read: Super Boring Post About Nothing!

Okay, so I figured that it had been long enough with no posts from me. I'm sucking it up and considering that this is my only job (you know, aside from going out to lunch and taking care of AJ) I should have something interesting for you.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Don't get me wrong. We've had a lot of excitement and done many interesting things since you heard from me last, but I don't have any pictures of any of it.

That's a lie. I have taken 2 pictures since Thursday. I have one picture of food and one picture of AJ. The thing is, lots of pictures could have been taken, but then the paranoia sets in and I fear that people will know who I am and where I hail from (not like 98% of you reading this don't already know) and come find me while I'm sleeping. You know, rational things like that.

AJ was with my in-laws this weekend while I headed to Iowa for a Bachelorette party. They took her to the zoo and had lots and lots of fun!

I also had fun, but in a vastly different and not-at-all-AJ-appropriate sense. I will say though, that as far as Bachelorette parties go, this one was tame. Much tamer than my own was. It was held at the bride's parent's house, and it was a pool party. The weather was okay, but not hot enough for me to want to get in the pool, so I drank many beers, played bags (cornhole?), and ate cupcakes, Buffalo Chicken Dip and lots of other yummy foods.

Sunday morning we were laughing about how old we all are because no one was hungover, we had all gotten a good night sleep and we were having a lengthy discussion about the merits of Fiestaware dishes versus other dishware. These are definitely not the things we discussed at my Bachelorette party 3.5 years ago (not that I remember much from that weekend, anyway). The funny thing was though, it was fun!

I'm super excited for the wedding this weekend, but I'm starting to get even more excited to get back home. I'm glad that I am able to see lots of friends and family, but I'm ready to sleep in my own bed again and just get back into our normal routine!

Before any of that happens though, AJ and I are going to meet my cousin's new baby, Kaley! She was born at the beginning of June and I can't wait to meet her, see her squishy new-ness and maybe even hold her!

In case you made it this far into the boring, picture-free post, here are the two pictures I've taken over the last 4 days.

My pizza at lunch today. Mmmmmm.

AJ having a morning snack.

I promise if you stick around another week or so I'll have some new baby pics along with other fun stuff we're doing the rest of the week and hopefully wedding pictures and lots of college roomie pictures from the weekend.

Well, we made it halfway! We got to Ohio yesterday afternoon and we were able to get out and play outside, run around, visit with family (two of my Aunts and Uncles, my paternal grandparents, three cousins and my Aunt's mom) and just enjoy not being in the car!

We're staying with my Aunt and Uncle and today we have dinner plans with my maternal grandparents and another cousin. My grandpa was recently moved into assisted living and I was informed that he doesn't look to good, so I'm a little nervous about seeing him, but glad we have to chance to go.

Also on the docket for the day is a trip to Skyline Chili (AJ's first!) for lunch and then a special visit to Jeni's ice cream after that! I promised AJ ice cream because everyone had ice cream last night after dinner, but it was too close to bedtime for AJ to have any.

I'm down in the basement now and the wireless Internet signal is kind of weak down here, so this afternoon while AJ naps I'm going to try and get the post about our travel day up (complete with pictures), so look for it!

For now folks, I hear AJ, so i guess thats my cue to get her and start heading upstairs

Get In Mah Belly!

If you've been reading my {lack of} posts lately, you know that AJ and I are about to embark on a semi cross-country drive back to Hometown, USA for a little family time with my grandparents, a wedding, sleepovers with AJ's grandparents, dinner with relatives, and ohhhh, dinner with the relatives.

FIL, are you listening?

I need me some homemade gravy, pasta, meatballs, sausage, and maybe some manicotti and garlic bread.

Please notice that I said NEED, not want. I NEED someone to make me a delicious, multi-course, homemade Italian meal.

Oh, I also need to get some real Hometown, USA food while I'm home too.

You can bet that I'm going to make every effort to eat at Skyline Chili when I stop in Ohio to visit my grandparents. Also, at bloggy BFF Moe's urging, I'm going to hook myself up to an IV of eat some Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream as well.

I don't even consider Columbus, OH to be my hometown (although I did live there for several years as a youngster). I have lots (and lots) of family there and my parents grew up there though, so its kind of a second hometown for me (or third, but that's another story).

Also, in case it wasn't clear, I equate food with happiness. A visit home isn't complete without at least trip to the best hotdog restaurant ever, or a sandwich (complete with hot peppers) from Potbelly. Don't even get me started on pizza. Oh, pizza. How I miss you when I'm gone.

Sidenote: I'm sure other cities have pizza as well. Its just not the same. Let's not get into a debate on whether Windy City pizza or Big Apple pizza is better. Just agree to disagree, k? Mmmk!

So folks, to wrap up the story, I'm going home to eat. I will most likely return to the land of eternal summer a good 20 5 pounds heavier than when I leave here next week. I'm also going to drink. Lots. I am going to a bachelorette party and a wedding sans bebe, I mean, what do you expect?

I just hope I don't gain too much to fit back in the car at the end of the trip! ;)

Summertime And The Living Is Easy.

I don't know about you, but I love the lazy days of Summer. There's just something to be said about a bonfire, a beer and a brat hot off the grill.

Where we live, we're already in the throws of Summer, the high today is supposed to 95-degrees. We've been attempting to stay cool, but at the same time, we're enjoying the sun and sand!

My in-laws were in town this weekend, and we made a trip up to the big store and bought a few fun things, one being a little plastic kiddie pool for AJ to splash around in and the other being an electric ice cream maker.

Keep an eye on my new cooking blog, This American Kitchen, next week (and all the time) for the recipe we used to make the ice cream and for other Summer-time treats!

Here are a few glimpses into what we've been up to this past weekend:

We had some friends over for a summer dinner and I busted out my Nora Fleming bowl with the beach ball charm on top! It goes perfectly with my Fiestaware.

I had an excess of strawberries after we got our farm box last week, so I canned them! The recipe will be on my food blog in a few days.

We grilled pizza. Yep, we're adventurous like that. It was delish! This recipe will also appear on my food blog in the next week!

And finally, I've spent every waking moment some quality time pinning beautiful things on Pinterest. Megan from Magnolias and Mimosas invited me and I'm so glad she did!

So, as you can see, I've been busy around here, cooking, entertaining, playing and relaxing! Oh, I've also enjoyed some ice cold beers on a friend's boat and eaten homemade ice cream with family. ;)

What are your plans for the summer?

P.S. AJ pictures coming as soon as I can steal get them from my FIL's camera.

Party Food and Menu Planning

We've had a lot of visitors from out of town lately, and to add to that, we've been busy celebrating birthdays. Since we have been feeding lots of extra people, I've had a lot of fun menu planning the past few weeks.

Menu planning for large groups of hungry party-goers is a lot different than the usual menu-planning I do (for two)! Its been fun to make and serve things that I normally don't make, and I want to share our dinner menus for the last few weeks. Part of the reason that its been fun is because we're kind of on a budget, so I didn't want to go crazy and serve everyone filet mignon, but I also didn't want to seem cheap! Ha!

So here you have it!

3/7 Monday:
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

3/8 Tuesday:
Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema and Crunchy Apple Salsa

3/9 Wednesday:
AJ's Birthday! We ate out at Red Robin

3/10 Thursday:
Sausage, Cheddar, and Onion Quiche with Spinach Salad

3/11 Friday:
Cowboy Skillet Casserole

3/12 Saturday (D's family came to town):
BBQ Chicken Thighs, Steak, Macaroni Salad, and Grilled Asparagus

3/13 Sunday (Party Day!):
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Homemade Sauce, Garlic Bread, Salad and Birthday Cake

3/14 Monday:
Take-out Chinese

3/15 Tuesday:
Stuffed Pepper Casserole

3/16 Wednesday:
Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Cole Slaw, Roasted Red Potatoes

3/17 Thursday (St. Patty's Day):
Corned Beef and Cabbage

3/18 Friday:
Chili and Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

As always, my preferred recipes are linked up, so try them out and enjoy!

I've never made corned beef and cabbage before, so it should be interesting. I'm hoping that it turns out, because I really love it and I'll be super disappointed if its yucky!

Doing The Right Thing....

I'm feeding my kid.

Yeah, I know, you're thinking, who doesn't feed their kid? I'm not sure about that question, but I have another one for all of you mama's out there.

What do you feed your kids or what did you feed your kids when they were 12 months old?

I know a lot of people swear by feeding their kids the same things they themselves eat, and I agree with that. My problem is, we don't really eat at the same time was AJ, and the food we eat tends to be spicy, so I don't want her to burn her mouth off! This is where my problem begins.

The whole point of feeding your kid the food you eat is that its easier for you, which for us, is not the case due to the fact that I usually have to make her different food at a different time than ours.

I feel like AJ eats the same food at every meal and I can't imagine how boring that must be for her. For breakfast she usually eats scrambled eggs and fruit (either bananas or blueberries). Sometimes I give her pancakes. Lunch is typically three of these things: turkey, goldfish, cheese, green beans, carrots and kiwi.

For dinner she gets usually the same thing as lunch, but sometimes I make macaroni and cheese, which she enjoys. She also likes hot dogs and animal crackers.

Now that I listed it all out, I feel like she has more of a selection than I realized, but I still feel like we're getting into a rut.

Has anyone else run into this problem? What did you do to make meal time easier for yourself? What kind of food do you serve your toddlers?

I look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions.

Soup For YOU!!!

As you can tell, D was gone this week, so I made soup.

I love soup, but it tends to not really be enough for a full dinner for D, so I rarely make it when he's home. That is, unless I make grilled cheese or serve a salad and bread with it. The point is, I made soup this week and it was heavenly.

Our mail is finally catching up with us from the move and the address changes, so we got our February issue of Family Circle late. In it, however, was a whole section of recipes for homemade soup! I saw two recipes that caught my eye, so I decided make them this week while D was gone. They were so good, so I'm sharing them with you!

Red Pepper-Tomato Soup

Makes 6 servings; Prep Time 15 minutes, Cook Time 8 minutes

1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers in brine, drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
1 c low-sodium and fat-free chicken broth
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c heavy cream
croutons, for serving

1. Combine drained peppers and diced tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.

2. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add pepper-tomato mixture, tomato puree, chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat just to simmering, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream. Return to stove and heat through. Ladle soup into bowls; top each with a few croutons.

For this recipe, I also added a little bit of red pepper flakes to spice it up a tad and it was delicious. Also, since I was making this for only one person and the recipe feeds 6, I froze the soup before adding the cream so when I defrost it in the future, I'll just add a little cream to my bowl and stir it in.

The next soup I made was totally different, but something I'd been wanting to try for a while.

Winter Veggie Bisque

Makes 6 servings; Prep time 15 minutes; Cook time 12 minutes

1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
3 carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 tbsp butter
2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen cooked winter squash, thawed
3 c vegetable broth
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 c heavy cream

1. Shred onion, apple, and carrots either with a box grater or with shredding blade in food processor. Heat butter in large pot over medium heat. Add shredded onion, apple, and carrot. Cook 7 minutes, until softened.

2. Stir in squash, broth, sugar, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.

3. Transfer mixture to food processor fitted with chopping blade or to blender. Puree until smooth (do this in batches, if necessary). Return to pot and stir in heavy cream. Gently heat through.

Again, I froze the leftovers of this soup before adding the cream, so if you plan to make this and freeze, I would keep that in mind. I also couldn't find frozen squash at our commissary, so I just oven roasted some butternut squash in the morning and then let it cool. After if was cool, I cut it into chunks and used that instead of the frozen variety.

I hope you all enjoy these recipes, I know I'm already looking forward to our next "soup dinner" so I can break out these from the freezer!

Breakfast, Anyone?

I've never been a breakfast at breakfast-time person. I much prefer cold pizza or leftover chinese food in the morning. Coffee? No, thanks, I'll have a Dr. Pepper at 7 am any day, though!

Does that make me weird? Is it gross that its 9:45 am and I'm eating hot and sour soup and pork fried rice? No, I'm not pregnant, I've just always been this way. Its not that I don't like breakfast food, I like bacon, eggs, pancakes, and waffles as much as the next girl, just not for breakfast.

D, on the other hand couldn't be more obsessed with breakfast. In fact, his favorite dinner is, you guessed it, BREAKFAST! The man could eat eggs until he turned into one.

AJ seems to be taking after her Daddy. Her favorite thing to eat in the morning is eggs! I've started adding shredded cheese to them to get some more calcium in her diet and she is in heaven!

We've noticed lately that she doesn't seem to be eating as much as she has in the past (we're thinking she might be sprouting another tooth here soon) and eggs are always a sure hit with her. At least I know that she's eating a good breakfast, even if I'm eating crab rangoon. ;)

Menu Monday

I've started menu planning pretty seriously again since we moved into the new house (something about cooking in my new, awesome kitchen). I'm trying to accomplish two things at once, we want to start eating more healthy and I want to expand our usual rotation of dinners to spice things up.

I got the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everday Cookbook for Christmas and I've already made two recipes from it that were both big hits at our table, despite all her recipes being vegan. I promise I'll share those with you guys in the next few weeks. For now though, here's our menu for the week.

Sunday 1/23: Green Chile Turkey Burgers, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Monday 1/24: Waldorf Chicken Salad
Tuesday 1/25: Pork Tenderloin, Glazed Carrots, Salad
Wednesday 1/26: Seared Pork Tortas, Sweet Potatoes
Thursday 1/27: Turkey Meatloaf, Acorn Squash
Friday 1/28: Chicken Caesar Salad
Saturday 1/29: Turkey Tenderloin, Root Veggie Mash

If you're interested in any of the recipes for the menu items above, let me know in the comments and I'll post some of them for you guys!

What's For Dinner This Week?

I realized recently that I've been posting a lot of recipes for yummy things, but I haven't really been talking much about what we've been eating on a regular basis, i.e. what's for dinner? I've been making some new and exciting recipes lately and I think they deserve a mention, so here we go!

The other night I made these fish tacos. They were absolutely delicious, but even better, they aren't battered and fried like lots of fish taco recipes, so they were pretty healthy, too!

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema
via Cooking Light

Ingredients

• Crema:
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets
• Cooking spray
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (we used hard shells)
  
• 2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 394 (14% from fat)

Fat: 6.3g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.5g,poly 1.5g)

Protein: 40.3g

Carbohydrate: 40.1g

Fiber: 5.5g

Cholesterol: 70mg

Iron: 3.5mg

Sodium: 857mg

Calcium: 233mg

I added a Tomato-Apple Salsa that I made up for a little sweetness and crunch. I was going for something like a mango salsa, but there weren't have any mangoes at the grocery store this week.

Tomato-Apple Salsa
1 sweet apple (we like Braeburn), chopped
1/2 package grape tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 red onion, minced
lime juice
salt
pepper
olive oil
white vinegar

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Spoon onto fish tacos for sweetness and added crunch.

We were both in heaven when we ate this dinner on Friday. It was so.good. I hope you enjoy it next time you get a hankering for tropical food!

Appetizer Recipe #7: Crab Cakes with Remoulade and Mango Salsa

7. Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce and Mango Salsa
(Recipes submitted by my brother, B)

Yumm-O!

Crab Cakes:
3/4 pound lump crabmeat
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
3/4 cup mayo
1 egg, beaten
2 green onions, minced
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Mix. Shape into cakes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cake patties until crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.


Mango Salsa:
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 red onion, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
Minced Jalapeno
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Mix


Remoulade:
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
2 teaspoons milk
1 & 1/4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon minced celery
1 teaspoon minced white onion
1 teaspoon minced green bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt

Mix


Well folks, that wraps up the week of appetizer recipes from our Appetizer Cook-off in Florida! They were all wonderful and come highly recommended by my entire family! Hopefully next time you are in need of an appetizer for a party or gathering, you can find a use for one of these!

Appetizer Recipe #6: Teriyaki Scallops

The next recipe is actually the winning recipe. My sister's boyfriend, Z, submitted this one and it was amazing! If you are in a location that is known for good seafood, or you otherwise just happen to find some large fresh scallops at the store, make this recipe!

This recipe is nice because other than the scallops, fresh ginger and sake, you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry. Make this for a special night, maybe a date night in or as an appetizer for a holiday dinner.

Teriyaki Scallops
(Recipe submitted by my sister's boyfriend, Z)


1 lb scallops halved crosswise (make 2 round pieces from each scallop).
2 tbsp grapeseed oil, divided
1/2 c sake
1/2 c honey
2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c soy sauce
3 tbsp BBQ sauce
salt
pepper
2 tbsp minced green onions, to garnish

Season scallops with salt and pepper. Over high heat, sear in 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (about 1 min each side). Remove from pan and set aside.

Remove pan from from heat, pour off excess oil, and de-glaze pan with sake

Place pan back on heat and add honey, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and BBQ. Bring to boil; lower heat to simmer and cook til thickened. Add scallops back to pan and toss to coat. Heat through. Remove from heat and add green onion. Serve immediately.

Appetizer #5: Soppressata and Cheese in Puff Pastry

I know you've all been dying to find out what I made for the competition, and you don't have to wait any longer! I was a little nervous beforehand because this is a new recipe for me; I found it in my new Barefoot Contessa cookbook that I got for Christmas.

This turned out great! Everyone raved about how good it was. D even mentioned that I could make it for dinner and serve it with a veggie as a main dish.

5. Soppressata & Cheese in Puff Pastry
(Recipe submitted by me via Barefoot Contessa)


1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 thin slices soppressata salami
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and lightly roll into a 10-inch square. Place it on the sheet pan and brush the pastry with all the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the soppressata in overlapping layers on the mustard and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the soppressata, also avoiding the border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Lightly roll the second piece of puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Lay the pastry directly on top of the first square, lining up the edges. Brush the top with the egg wash, cut three large slits for steam to escape, and chill for 15 minutes.

When the pastry is cold, trim the edges with a very sharp knife to make a clean edge. Bake the pastry in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once while baking, until puffed and brown. Allow to coll for a few minutes, cut in squares, and serve hot or warm.