Cajun scallops and rice

Here is one of those recipes that will be "on deck" for a long time, not because it looks less delicious than any of the other recipes, but because it is one of that special occasion recipes. Due to Eric's lack of interest in sea food there is no way this will be in the normal weeknight dinner rotation, but I am determined to sneak it into my life somehow!

What you'll need:
2 Tbsp butter
3 scallions

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 cup white rice
1 bay leaf
4 cups frozen chopped greens, such as collards or kale, squeezed dry
1 lb medium sea scallops, foot muscle removed
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the rice, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stir then cover and simmer until rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the greens.
2. Season the scallops with salt and sprinkle one side with the Cajun seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, then the scallops, spice-side down, cook until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the parsley and scallion greens into the rice and season with salt. Serve with the scallops and lemon wedges.

It is so beautiful...

Slider night recipes

Last night felt like a sneak peak of the rapidly approaching fall season. College football, beer and burgers, or in this case, sliders! I found some inspiration in one of Rachel Ray's magazines where she featured 12 different sliders. We chose to make the buffalo chicken as one of them and then just a plain meatball slider as the other. Unfortunately, we wolfed them down before I could take pictures...so today you will just have to use your imagination.

For the plain meatball sliders you'll need:
1/2 lb Ground beef
Slider buns
Sliced cheese (I used a really good chipotle cheddar)
Seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg
I also added a blend of all my favorite burger seasonings

For the buffalo sliders you'll need:
1/2 lb Ground turkey
Slider buns
2 Tbsp Franks Red Hot
1/4 cup butter
Celery
Blue cheese dressing
Blend of my favorite chicken seasonings
1 egg
Italian breadcrumbs

1. In separate bowls mix together your meats and their respective seasonings. Each bowl should get one egg and about 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Mix the ingredients well and form into small pattys about 2 x 2 inches.
2. Using a grill pan or a skillet cook your slider pattys (cook the different types of meat separately, not in the same pan at the same time. I recommedn cleaning the pan between meats).
3. Melt your butter in the microwave or in a saucepan then add your Frank's Red Hot. This is your buffalo sauce. This can be drizzeled onto slider. Also thinly slice a few celery stalks, I used the mandolin. Top your buffalo slider with these for some crunch.
4. Assemble your sliders with all your favorite toppings. For the plain slider I did ketchup, mustard, crispy jalepenos, cheese, and lettuce. For the buffalo slider I did the blue cheese dressing, a drizzle of buffalo sauce, and the celery.


There was also a brisket slider on that list....maybe that will be next gameday! Go Green!

Powered up pasta recipe

So ther other morning I woke up feeling great, ready to go for a run. You know sometimes I am just like "yea, I'm going to run 10 miles" even though I have NEVER ran more than 3 miles in my life.....but I was feeling motivated...there is nothing wrong with that. So I get about...1/2 mile down the road and I am DYING. It felt like I had a ten pound brick on my chest while I'm trying to get my run on. So eventually I gave up and attributed it to the fact that I had slept in so late I missed breakfast and lunch and my body needed some substance in it! So naturally I launched right into making food.

I was craving pasta. I knew I needed some protein. I had no meat. What now. COTTAGE CHEESE TO THE RESCUE!

Here is what I came up with.

What you'll need:
Whole grain pasta (I used penne)
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup or so shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup or so shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 Tbsp fresh basil
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup thawed frozen spinach
1/4 cup corn

1. Cook pasta according to package. This recipe makes enough sauce to cover about 2 servings of pasta.
2. While pasta is cooking in a small saucepan melt your butter over med heat with your minced garlic clove for about 1 minute. Add your flour and use a whisk to incorporate butter and flour to a paste. Keep stirring letting flour mixture cook for about 3 minutes. Turn burner down to low and slowly add milk to flour and whisk well until all clumps of flour are gone. This will begin to thicke
n and be the base for your cheese sauce. Now you can add your cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. I kind of did a pinch of the shredded cheeses, its up to you how cheesy you want your mac. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
3. Add your basil to the cheese sauce. Thaw spinach and corn if they are fozen and add them to the cheese sauce also.
4. Once everything is incorporated into your sauce and your pasta is cooked stir the sauce into the pasta and top with some panko if you like a little crunch on top.

Thank goodness for cottage cheese...only 80 cals in that 1/2 cup serving and BOOM 14 grams protein. Who needs chicken in their pasta...

White chicken lasagna recipe

This recipe was a little bit labor intensive, but ohhh was it worth it! I made my own white sauce, PACKED it with veggies, and added cheese cheese and more cheese. So good. 

What you'll need: 

9 lasagna noodles (make a few more if you tend to break some while they cook)

1 chicken breast

1/2 cup thawed frozen spinach

6-7 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Also cook chicken by steaming it in a shallow pan with about 1 inch of water, covered, until cooked through. Seasoned with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic salt. When cooked, shred chicken with a fork and set aside.

2. In another skillet, cook your mushrooms and onion until tender and starting to brown with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add spinach and garlic to veggies and cook for another minute. Now add your butter to the veggies, let it melt, then add the flour. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes. Now you can add the broth and let the sauce simmer and thicken. Turn the heat down to low and add milk and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Sauce should be thickened a little bit but it will still be slightly runny, it is not a thick sauce. It thickens when it is baked. 

3. Finally add your shredded chicken to the sauce and you are ready to start building your lasagna. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a glass baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray and spreading about 1 tbsp of your white sauce on the bottom of the pan. Now start with layering 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan followed by 1/3 of the white sauce mixture and then 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, another 1/3 of the mixture, another 1/2 cup mozzarella. Do one more layer, this will be your top layer. Add the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan to the top of the lasagna and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese on the top is melted and golden brown. 

Phew! That was a lot of work! Promise you the first bite will make it all worth it though. Oh, and we ate it with a bosco stick, man those things are good!

 

Tofu stroganoff recipe

Thanks to my very best friend in the whole world I recharged with new recipes! For my birthday Carly got me a subscription to Eating Well magazine and I am more than excited to get trying out these new recipes. Even better, they are healthy!

The first recipe that caught my eye from my first magazine was this tofu stroganoff. I am really into this because Eric LOVES beef stroganoff and requests it for dinner all the time. He even made his mom give me her recipe because it is one of his favorite meals. So I was thinking this would be a fun new version to try.

What you'll need:
1 14oz package of extra-firm tofu
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
8 oz whole wheat egg noodles (6 cups dry)
3 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp dry sherry
10 oz baby bella or button mushrooms
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp flour
2 cups mushroom or veggie broth
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1. Cut tofu into small strips (2 x 1/2 inches). Pat tofu dry with paper towel and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook egg noodles according to package.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook tofu in a single layer, gently stirring every few minutes until golden brown on all sides. Add 2 tbsp of sherry and cook stirring until evaporated. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the pan. Add onion, mushroom, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently until the mushrooms are cooked through. Sprinkle with flour stirring for 1 minute. Stir in broth and remaining 3 tbsp sherry, bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened (3-5 minutes). Stir in tofu. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
5. Serve over egg noodles.

Sounds good and easy, perfect! Now the question is will it stand up to mama Panlener's beef stoganoff....

I made Golombkis!

Its true everyone, this arab-american girl made a polish feast....and it was GREAT! Originally I thought I was going to try this recipe but I just knew that I wasn't going to like the tomato soup based sauce so I called Eric's mom and she gave me her recipe. Her recipe uses tomato sauce instead of soup, which I thought would just make for a much more homemade taste rather than the processed taste of tomato soup. Also, I must say this was actually really really easy and affordable.

What you'll need:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp basil, chopped
1 head cabbage (10 outer leaves)

1. Cook brown rice according to package instructions.
2. While rice is cooking remove about 10-15 of the large outer leaves from a head of cabbage and boil them for about 10 minutes, until they are soft.
3. Place chopped onions in a skillet and cook until tender. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain fat from pan and add garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, cook for another minute. Add cooked rice to the beef mixture now, I also added about a tbsp of tomato sauce at this point just to give the meat some more flavor.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking dish by lining with tinfoil and spraying with cooking spray.
5. Now start making the cabbage rolls by taking each cabbage leaf and cutting out the thick vein in the middle, making a V-shape cut out in the bottom of the leaf. Place about 1/4 cup of the beef mixture onto the middle of the leaf. This part is a bit challenging because the leaves are very tender and tear easily. Just be patient and don't worry if the leaf doesn't wrap around the filling perfectly, it will all taste the same in the end as long as you get a good beef to cabbage ratio for each roll. Place the completed rolls into the greased baking dish.
6. Make the sauce by putting a cup of tomato sauce into a small bowl. Add the sugar, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper and about a tsp of water. Mix together to drizzle over the cabbage rolls in the dish. Cover the dish tightly with tin foil and bake for 40-50 minutes.

To my surprise Eric was thrilled with the way these turned out. I thought for sure there was no way mine were going to stand up to the polish families traditional meal...but apparently I can be quite versatile! Now what was also great about this is that you can take the same beef mixture and put it in green peppers to make some killer stuffed peppers. I personally took my leftover beef and put it on a taco shell, added some lettuce, cheese, and hot sauce and I had some tacos for lunch the next day. So overall I was really pleased with this and definitely recommend everyone tries it!

Honey mustard kielbasa and potatoes recipe

Today was one of those "empty out the pantry" nights. It is back down to like -2 degrees here in Lansing, and that means this girl is NOT going out to the grocery store...time to improvise. I went with a package of kielbasa that was going to go bad soon, some potatoes that were just taking up too much space, and my very last onion. Throw in some seasoning and make a good sauce and we're good to go! This recipe was so hearty and flavorful. I am not a sausage eater, I think it has a weird texture, it freaks me out...just not for me. But tonight was another story. These little sausage pieces got crispy and caramelized and were perfect with the potatoes. This recipe is so easy and cheap it would be crazy for you to not try it.

What you'll need:
1 1/4 lb potatoes, about 4 (I used russet because thats what I had, but I would do baby reds in the future), cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 lb kielbasa, cut in 1/2 inch rounds
1 large onion cut into roughly 1 inch chunks
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and garlic salt. Transfer into a baking dish lined with tin foil sprayed well with cooking spray.
3. Bake for 55-60 minutes stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender and beginning to brown.


Ta-da! Super easy and I had all of the ingredients just waiting to be used at my house. Perfect quick weeknight meal.

See Eric's contribution to the plate? Yes, those are green beans with crushed up Ritz crackers in them. I have never heard of it before, but it was actually really good....

Golombki recipe

I must start out by saying that I had no idea what a golombki even was until my polish boy told me that he was wishing for some. So I did some research and found this delicious looking recipe in Taste of Home magazine. After running the recipe by Eric to make sure this was the real deal I decided it needed to be added to the list of things to try. I sure hope it is as good as it looks, and I hope I can live up to his mom's version (although I am sure I can't, she is a fabulous cook). 

What you'll need:

1 medium head of cabbage

1/2 cup uncooked instant rice

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed tomato soup

1 1/4 cup water

1. Cook cabbage in boiling water just until outer leaves pull away easily from head. Set aside 10 large leaves for rolls. Refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use. Cut out the think vein from the bottom of each leaf, making a V-shaped cut. 

2. Cook rice according to package instructions. Cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cook rice and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Place 1/2 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf, overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides, roll up beginning from cut end. Place rolls in a greased baking dish. Combine soup and water, pour over top. 

4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes until cabbage is tender. 

Even though this recipe passed on Eric's end, I think there are so many changes that I would make. I think there is potential for A TON more flavor if you used regular rice, not instant, and you cooked it in the tomato broth. I would also not use condensed tomato soup. I hate the taste of that stuff, I would go for more of a crushed tomato sauce. Season that up nice and it will get thick and yummy as it bakes. I would leave the cabbage leaves and beef raw and let the tomato sauce cook everything together. This is all just a plan in my head...whether it would work or not is the question...but I can't wait to try it!

Let me know if you have a favorite golombki recipe!

Homemade Udon noodle recipe

If you recall a few months ago I had a little incident with an exercise injury so I had a lot of free time while I was unable to go to work. So something that I had been wanting to try was make my own pasta but I didn't have any eggs and I sure didn't want to go out to the store (I was permanently in my jammies that week). Then I found that Udon noodles don't contain eggs, also I have been dying to get more use out of my food processor so this recipe was a really exciting discovery.

After I made the noodles I did a quick stir fry with just some green beans, stir fry sauce, soy sauce and garlic. 

What you'll need:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 tbsp salt

1. Put flour and salt into food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Remove feed tube and run the machine while you slowly add water. Once all the water has been added let the machine run for a few more seconds until the mixture is evenly combined. It will be very crumbly, not gathered into a ball. If you do not have a food processor put the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle for the water then slowly work the water in by hand.

2. Transfer your dough onto a work surface along with all the small bits and knead vigorously for 10-15 minutes until the dough is a very smooth texture (like an earlobe). Once the dough is finished seal it in a zip top bag and let rest for 2-6 hours on your counter. 

3. Once your dough is rested roll it out onto a lightly floured work surface so it is about 1/8 inch thick. Aim for a rectangular shape. Now to cut your noodles make very thin strips and then roll strips out and stretch them so they are thin and about twice as long (cut them to desired length after stretching).

4. Start a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt and add your noodles in batches. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the noodles float to the top and are chewy tender. Once the noodles float remove them from the pot and rinse with cold water. Once all of your noodles are cooked and rinsed they are ready to use!

This was pretty easy, except for the fact I had strict orders to not use my arms so kneading the dough was not a pretty sight. But other than that these were awesome. They were so thick and chewy, which was great in my little stir fry. I would definetly recommend this recipe if you are interested in making a handmade pasta but haven't tried it before. The key is to not freak out when it seems like you have WAY too much flour and not enough water. KEEP KNEADING and it will come together, I swear. 

Good luck! 

Jalapeno popper chicken recipe

This is another recipe that I made a loooong time ago and haven't made it since. Not for lack of love, because we did love it. I think what has happened was when we made it the recipe called for 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning and this was when Eric was new to his soux chef duties and I had turned my back and oops, he dumped the whole seasoning packet into the breadcrumbs. So the chicken basically tasted like a taco and I think it turned us off to it a little bit. But I am so ready to give it another go, because this is a yummy dinner.

What you'll need:
2 chicken breasts
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 cup panko
2 tsp canola oil
1 egg
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a baking dish by setting a greased bakers rack over a baking sheet.
2. In a skillet over medium heat add panko and oil and stir until panko begins to brown and get crispy. Remove from heat and add taco seasoning, stir to combine.
3. In a shallow bowl beat your egg. In another small bowl combine your cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos. Cut a small pocket into the sides of the chicken breasts, almost butterflying the chicken and stuff the cheese mixture into the breasts. Secure opening with toothpick if needed.
4. Dip the stuffed chicken breasts in the egg and the roll through the panko mixture, coating all surfaces. Place breasts on the prepared baking rack and put into oven for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Like I said, this recipe is really a winner and easy to make. Just make sure you don't dump the whole taco seasoning packet in!

Snow peas and beef stir-fry recipe

So I make stir-fry ALL THE TIME. It is literally the best meal, all you do it take all of your favorite things, soak them in soy sauce and stir them together! I have never actually followed a recipe when making my stir-fry. I really do just take all my favorite veggies and protein and cook them up and add a good sauce. The reason this recipe from Taste of Home caught my eye was because they made their own stir-fry sauce,which I have never done and would like to try. Not to mention that picture...it is irresistible.






What you'll need:
1 beef top sirloin steak (1 1/2 lbs), thinly sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry or water
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced thin
8 oz cooked fresh snow peas
hot cooked rice

1. In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, and sugar. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a large bowl; stir in 1 tbsp oil and garlic. Add beef, toss to coat. Let beef mixture stand for 15 minutes.
2. Heat large skillet over med-high heat. Add half the beef mixture, stir fry for 1-2 minutes until no longer pink. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining beef.
3. In the same pan, heat remaining oil over med-high heat and add mushrooms and onions. Cook and stir until mushrooms are tender. Add snow peas, cook 2-3 minutes longer or until crisp tender.
4. Stir in remaining soy sauce mixture into pan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir 1-2 minutes until sauce is thickened. Return beef to pan, heat through. Serve over rice.

Sounds awesome. Wouldn't change a thing! So if you are looking for a good stir fry recipe but aren't sure where to start, I think this should be the place.

Beer battered fish tacos recipe

Fish tacos were my next adventure in my week of house sitting. Like I said before, Eric loves to fish. So one of the days we were house sitting he went out ice fishing and I told him "If you bring me home fish, I will make them delicious for you." So challenge accepted, he brought me 15 bluegill fishies and taught me how to fillet them. Yes, you heard me right, I filleted them myself and it was awesome (bake breaking work, but awesome). What was also great about this is I made a really nice fresh broccoli coleslaw to put into the taco and I also did a beer batter using my own home brewed beer.

What you'll need:

1 lbs fish fillets, you can use whatever white fish you would like, I used bluegill because that is what Eric caught me

1 cup fish batter mix, or make your own (here is a good recipe)

1/2 cup beer, I used my imperial pale ale

shredded mexican cheese

flour tortillas

1 cup coleslaw, homemade or prepared (here is a good recipe)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juice 

1 cup oil, for frying

1. If you are making your own coleslaw start by preparing that and let it set in the fridge while you prepare your fish.

2. Heat your oil, you need it to be about 1 inch deep, over med-high heat until there are ripples on the surface. Mix up your batter according to the box instructions or the recipe you are following. Simply dip the fish fillets in the batter, letting excess drip off, then drop into your hot oil. Do this is batches, letting the oil heat back up in between batches. The fish should be in the oil for a total of about 5 minutes until the outside is golden brown and the inside flakes apart, turning them over a few times during the frying to make sure all sides are brown. Once they are done place them on a plate lined with paper towel or on a baking rack over a pan. 

3. To assemble your tacos heat up your tortilla and add the fish, and coleslaw. Top with cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. 

Winner winner fish taco dinner! Eric LOVED it, couldn't get enough. This was the most self sufficient meal I have ever made. The only reason I used the batter mix was because we had it in our pantry, but I think I would make my own in the future because the ingredients are simple and in my kitchen. Using my own beer and filleting the fish though I think made the meal taste that much better. 

Garlic-crusted roast rack of lamb recipe

Holy smokes this sounds so good. This would have been the PERFECT dish at my family's holiday dinner. Instead we had a ham, which is odd becuase my dad is Muslim. I think that from now on we make this! He would LOVE that.

Also, please note all of my dishes that I have found that encorporate rosemary! Makes me so happy!


What you'll need:
1 head garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 racks of lamb, frenched, 2 lbs each

1. In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary and olive oil and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub the garlic- rosemary oil all over them. Set the racks fat side up on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roast the lamb in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the racks and roast for 10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. Transfer the racks to a carving board, stand them upright and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Carve the racks in between the rib bones.

This is a very classic recipe with simple, fresh ingredients. Sign me up. I will be making this.

Honey mustard chicken recipe

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS holiday! I have had quite the break from posting anything due to the ice storm that knocked out my power for a few days. But I am back and have LOTS of things to share.

So I am going to let you in on my strategy for picking recipes to try.

• When I find a recipe online the first thing I do is check the ingredient list. If there are more than like 4 items that I don't have in my kitchen I am usually turned off to it because I don't want to break the bank making a meal every night. That is where things start getting expensive. It is much more cost effective to utilize the ingredients that you have in creative ways so you are not getting bored of the same flavors and still not buying outlandish ingredients that you are only going to use once and then will go bad in your pantry.
• The next thing I look at is the comments. This is where you are going to get a pretty good idea about whether this recipe is going to be successful. If there are a lot of negative comments about how they couldn't get the recipe to work or it didn't turn out chances are there is something wrong with the recipe, not the cooks. This is also where you can find good ideas of ways to alter the recipe. It is a great way to get inspiration for customizing the recipe to your taste as well as what works and what doesn't.

Moral of the story: I really urge, if you find a recipe that looks good, check out the comments and do your research. It can really save you some time and possible kitchen disasters.

Without further rambling, I give you Honey mustard chicken!

What you'll need:
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/4 cup smooth dijon mustard
1/2 honey
3 tsp olive oil
1 drop 100% pure rosemary essential oil (optional)
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
3-4 springs fresh rosemary

1. In a small bowl combine the mustards, honey, 2 tsp olive oil, and rosemary oil.
2. In a saute pan or cast iron skillet add 1 tsp on olive oil. It make it easier if you can use a stove to oven dish for this. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the onion and garlic mixture. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken and arrange the rosemary springs around the pan.
4. Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce and continue to cook and additional 20-30 minutes uncovered or until the chicken is browned on top and cooked through.

So, as I read this recipe I thought "wow, 50 minutes baking at 400? That is way too long, that can't be right." What do I do? Read the comments! Turns out the recipe creator really crowds her pan and it took an extra long time to cook. Other than that, there were MANY comments of people that actually made the recipe and said it was perfect. So there you have it. Do your research and you will be way more prepared when you walk into the kitchen.

Broccoli and cheese soup recipe

I'm just going to keep on rolling with our comfort food theme for the day. I just looked out the window and thought "gosh, I wish I had some broccoli and cheese soup right now" and everyone knows once you get that on the brain there is no stopping until you get some (and I recommend it be this one). This recipe makes a nice big portion so you can make it and refrigerate it for lunch a few times that week or freeze a big tupperware of it and bring it out another night.

What you'll need:

1 head of broccoli

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded carrots

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup half and half

3 tbsp flour

3 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp each garlic powder, basil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

1. Prepare the veggies by chopping about 2/3 of the broccoli in small florets and leaving the other 1/3 as larger chucks. Shred the carrots and dice the onion.

2. Add your chicken stock to a medium sized pot on med-high heat. Add the small chopped broccoli, onion, carrots, and garlic to the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes covered. 

3. Make the roux in your large pot, I used a dutch oven here. Start by melting your butter on med-low heat then add the flour and whisk constantly until you have a crumbly mixture. Keep stirring for about 3 minutes to cook the flour. 

4. Slowly add the liquid from the stock pot, it is fine if a few veggies jump in. Whisk the broth mixture until all of the flour clumps have dissolved and then throw in your veggies. Keep the heat on a low setting now and add your half and half, stir to combine. You do NOT want to let this mixture boil or it will curdle. 

5. Now is a good time to give your big chunks of broccoli a quick steam. You can do this by putting them in the microwave with some water or in a pot of boiling water. 

6. While your broccoli is steaming let the soup get warmed back up (heat still on low). Once it is warm turn your heat off and add the mozzarella and cheddar cheese, stirring to combine. 

7. Now add your steamed broccoli into the soup and add your seasonings. Give or take on the spices to your taste. Cayenne will add spice so go more or less to your taste. Serve this hot with a pinch of cheddar on top and a sandwich or bread stick.  

This recipe is really to die for. It is the perfect consistency and adding the big broccoli chucks at the end really give you those big piece of broc you want!

Lemon rosemary Cornish game hen recipe

Let's just call today "Comfort food Saturday"...not very catchy but whatever. I am just going to keep sitting in my bed posting all my favorite cozy weekend recipes for you all to enjoy!

This was a dish that I was very hesitant to make because I was really intimidated by the actual act of eating one of these things! Of course Eric begged me to make them, so I did...but I was worried. I imagined that I would be digging through this bird scavenging meat off the bones, and that was just terrifying and totally unappetizing (sorry for the visual), but once they came out they were so irresistible I dug right in and scavenged away! They were amazing, I think I found and are every piece of meat that little bird had to offer. These were really fun to make, they look BEAUTIFUL and they are a great meal for a weekend night in with friends or family. 

What you'll need:

2 Cornish game hens (multiply this recipe for a family dinner if needed)

1 lemon, quartered

4 springs fresh rosemary

3 tbsp olive oil

1 whole garlic bulb

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

2. Rub hens with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one lemon wedge and one spring of rosemary in cavity of each hen.

3. Arrange in a heavy roasting pan and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes then reduce heat to 350. 

4. In a mixing bowl whisk together wine, chicken broth and remaining oil. Pour over hens then continue roasting for 25 minutes longer, basting evenly every 10 minutes.

5. Remove cooked hens from pan and put juices and garlic into a sauce pan and boil for about 6 minutes until it begins to thicken. Spoon over hens and serve. 

Yum Yum Yum!

Beef and mushroom braised stew recipe

Can you tell I am feeling really cozy and in the mood for comfort food today? This is another recipe I found in Taste of Home and the thing that drew me to this was that it was beef and mushrooms rather than the normal beef, potatoes, and carrot stew. I tend to find potatoes to be dry when I am eating them in a stew and, as we all know, I HATE cooked carrots. So this recipe is perfect because I LOVE mushrooms, they are basically my favorite thing to eat and I want to add them to everything I make, and I try pretty hard to do so! I think this is a unique way to make stew and will be an amazing meal on a cold Saturday or Sunday night.

What you'll need:

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-3 lbs), cut into 1 in cubes

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms (I would do baby bellas)

1 medium onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carton beef broth (32 oz.)

1 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup brandy

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp each dried parsley flakes, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper

3 tbsp flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat; brown beef in batches. Remove from pan.

2. In same pan, add mushrooms and onions; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in beef broth, wine, brandy, tomato paste and herbs. Return beef to pan and bring to a boil. 

3. Bake covered for 1 hour. In a bowl, mix flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into stew. Bake covered for 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened and beef is tender. Skim fat and serve with mashed potatoes. 

Pot roast recipe

Snow + lazy day = comfort food for dinner. This recipe is the perfect lazy/snowy day meal! I have only ever had one attempt at making pot roast and it was a fail. It was oily and lacked flavor and was not cheap, so I haven't given it a second try yet. I am really hoping that this recipe will be a good comeback from last time.

This recipe comes from Taste of Home in their Sunday dinner section. I won't argue with the experts, this will be perfect for an upcoming Sunday Dinner.

What you'll need:
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 lbs)
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
3 lbs medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 lb medium carrots, cut into 2 in pieces

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Brown roast on all sides. In a small bowl whisk water, garlic powder, pepper, and gravy, dressing and soup mixes until blended; add to pan. Bring to a boil. Bake covered 1 1/2 hours.
2. Add potatoes and carrots, cook 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Skim fat if necessary.

Easy peasy!

I wouldn't make any changes here, partially because it sounds amazing the way it is and partially because I have no authority to engineer a pot roast recipe with my track record! I think I would serve with some white or brown rice. Maybe this will be Christmas dinner!

Baja fish tacos recipe

This recipe and photo come from The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife's blog. I have landed on her site many times while browsing through Pinterest and spotting a tasty looking dish!

I always want to try and get Eric to eat fish. It is so good for you and easy to make delicious dishes with but he is so against seafood. Something spectacular has happened since the lakes have frozen here in Michigan though; Eric is catching fish and wants to cook and eat them! So I am ready to put my best foot forward and make him a yummy fish dish that will segue him into a seafood eater.

Look how "Pure Michigan" he is!

What you'll need:
1/2 lb fresh talapia or cod fillets
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups coleslaw blend
8 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1. Brush each fillet with 1 tbsp of lime juice; sprinkle with taco seasoning.
2. Cook fillets in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat for 3-3 1/2 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily, drizzling 1 tbsp of lime juice over the fish as it cooks. Remove fish to a plate and flake with a fork into bite size pieces.
3. In a large bowl mix the mayo, remaining 1 tbsp of lime juice and 1 tbsp of cilantro. Add the coleslaw to the bowl and mix gently.
4. Top the warmed torillas with coleslaw, fish, shredded cheese and remaining cilantro.

There really isn't much I would change aboutt his recipe! It sounds great and so refreshing. The one thing that would change would just be the type of fish. Because Eric is catching blue gills and they are also a mild fish I would use those, since they are free!! The rest sounds great, can't wait to make Eric embrace his inner fish eater!

I made the spinach stuffed chicken!

So let me set the scene for this...I was in a terrible mood, it was such a long day at work. Then I call Eric and he says he is fishing and will be home in an hour and a half and that we could order a pizza if I wanted (he could obviously tell I was having a mood) which I thought was just a great idea, until I realized I had no money. So I go up to the kitchen and it was almost like autopilot that I made this dish! It came together so quickly and easily and was actually really fun to make! (Sorry my picture is blurry)

I made all of the changes that I thought I would in the original spinach stuffed chicken recipe, so I guess I do know myself well!




What you'll need:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, filleted so you have 4 thin pieces of chicken
1 cup thawed spinach or wilted fresh spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten







1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking dish lined with tin foil and sprayed with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl mix together the spinach, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of each salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning (I used Mrs.Dash). Give it a good mix. Also prepare your breading station. All you need is one bowl with the beaten egg and one shallow bowl with the breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a skillet on med-high heat with about 1 tbsp olive oil. Place a heaping spoonful of the spinach mixture onto the chicken breast and spread to cover in a thin layer. Then roll the chicken from end to end so the mixture is wrapped inside. Take the rolled chicken and dip it into the egg and then roll through the breadcrumbs to coat. Set the roll into the hot skillet
seam side down, allow it to sear shut then flip to get a crust on the other side, about 5 minutes per side. Once you flip the rolls over you may need to use a toothpick to ensure the roll stays secured.
4. Place the chicken rolls into the prepared baking dish and put into the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the chicken is crispy on the outside and the inside is reading at least 170 degrees. Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese about 15 minutes into the baking process if desired.

I served this up with some instant mashed potatoes, because lets be honest, I had already outdone myself for the day.