Creamy Spinach Ravioli

I am always on the lookout for vegetarian recipes that I will actually want eat, and that doesn't happen very often. Not that I am against vegetables or anything...I just really like meat :) This one, however, looked really really good, so I figured I better try it out!


Creamy Spinach Ravioli
Source: The Pampered Chef: It's Good For You

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz) sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped shallot
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 packages (9 oz) refrigerated whole wheat light cheese-stuffed ravioli
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen creamed spinach in low-fat sauce, thawed
• Grated Parmesan, if desired

Preparation

1. Thinly slice mushrooms, chop shallot, and dice red bell pepper.
2. Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot or serving dish. Cover and keep warm.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and add mushrooms, shallot, bell pepper, garlic, and black pepper. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender.
4. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese and evaporated milk. Continuing stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
5. Stir in the creamed spinach and simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes until heated through.
6. Pour the mixture over the ravioli and stir to coat. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.

Recipe Swap - Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 

This week's recipe swap was for a main dish salad. I love salad, so I was excited for this swap! When I received my recipe from The Jey of Cooking, I have to admit I was a little nervous because most of the ingredients were outside of my comfort zone. I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes, K doesn't like quinoa, and I had yet to try goat cheese even though it was on my list of things to try! So...while I was excite to try something new, I was afraid I wouldn't like it. 

My fears however, were unnecessary. This turned out to be a very tasty salad - and I actually really liked the sweet potatoes!! The goat cheese was a little tangy, but I liked it. The flavors went well together and I am really glad that I got this recipe! It helped me to step outside of my comfort zone and discover new flavors that I actually like! Thanks to Jey for sharing!

Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Source: The Jey of Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and diced
• 1 Cup Quinoa, cooked
• 2 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
• 1/2 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese 
• Raspberry Vinaigrette (Recipe Follows)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, put the diced potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until sweet potato begins to brown.
2. Make your vinaigrette.
3. Add spinach to a plate. Top with quinoa, goat cheese,  pomegranate seeds and sweet potato. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Source: Cooks.com

• 1 c. raspberry vinegar
• 1 c. olive oil
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tsp. salt

1.       Combine all ingredients and mix well in mixer or food processor.
2.       Mix until dressing thickens and is well blended.
 

Salmon with White Wine & Lemon Sauce

 When I first saw this recipe on This Woman Cooks, I knew that I would have to add it to the food calendar asap. It incorporates another set of my favorite ingredients...salmon, white wine and lemon juice!! When I finally got around to making this (after having it on the calendar for awhile, and having to keep pushing it back), it worked out really well. It happened to be one of my super-cook nights (when I cook multiple meals in one night), and K had to work a little late so I was able to get all three (yes, three) meals cooked  before he got home! That meant we could eat dinner together, talk about our day, and then just spend time together, without me having to be in the kitchen all night. Win!

The sauce was really quite delicious, and I even soaked up the excess with my roasted potatoes as I was eating. Nom nom nom. If you love (or even slightly like) salmon, you should definitely give this recipe a try!!

Salmon with White Wine and Lemon Sauce

Source: This Woman Cooks

Ingredients 

• 2 Salmon Fillets
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 lemon

Preparation

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. When the skillet is very hot, sear each side of the salmon, 2-3 minutes per side. Salmon is done when it is slightly opaque and flaky. Remove salmon and cover to keep warm.
2. In the same pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute shallots until softened and beginning to color, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in butter and parsley. Squeeze in half a lemon. Spoon over fish.

Black Bean & Avocado Quesadilla

Have you ever had one of those weeks that seems to last forever, and every time you turn around something else is going wrong? It could be at work, home, school...whatever you have going on in your life. Well, last week was one of those weeks for me. Nothing major, no catastrophes...just a lot of little issues all week long. I couldn't wait for Sunday to just relax and veg out at home. And that's exactly what we did. We laid around most of the day watching Game of Thrones, and for dinner I made these Quesadillas from Amy at Sing For Your Supper. They fit the bill just right...no fuss, just simple and delicious.

Black Bean & Avocado Quesadilla
Adapted from Sing For Your Supper

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar this time)
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• sour cream for dipping
• lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

1. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
2. Place 1 tortilla down, spread with cheese and beans. On the other tortilla spread mashed avocado and sprinkle a bit more cheese then lay on top of the bean and cheese tortilla.
3. Cook until the bottom tortilla is slightly browned and little crispy, then flip over with a spatula. Cook until cheese is melted and bottom is slightly browned and crispy. Remove from heat and cut into 4 triangles. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
4. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Shhhh! Don't tell K that there is curry in this dish! He hates curry. At least the brown curry that is used incessantly in Japan. I don't blame him...it looks disgusting. I never ate it, but he did on accident because he thought it was some kind of gravy. Yikes! They sure love curry over there. Almost as much as they love mayonaisse, but that's another story for another time.

I found this recipe on my friend Sarah's blog - A Taste of Home Cooking - and knew that I had to put in on the menu right away! I did not heed her advice, however, on not using lite coconut milk, but only because I had already bought it when she told me. Next time I will listen. It was really good, but the regular coconut milk would have made it a little creamier. I like creamy dishes. Yum. I served this over Jasmine rice, and I'm in love. I love shrimp, so now I have another good recipe to add to the rotation! Thanks again, Sarah!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Source: A Taste of Home Cooking (Modified from Skinny Taste)

Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 big cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

 Preparation 

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on high heat. Pat shrimp dry, season with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until they just turn pink, then remove to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high, add more oil if the pan looks dry, then add scallion whites, red curry paste and garlic. Sauté one minute.
3. Add coconut milk, and fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, then return shrimp to the pan and coat with the sauce.
4. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens. Serve over jasmine rice.

Lemon Basil Pork Chops

Pork Chops and I don't have the greatest history. As many times as I have tried, I just haven't cooked any that I loved. So, I stopped trying a couple of years back. And then, I saw this recipe on Melissa's blog, I Was Born To Cook...and I knew I had to give it another try! These were so simple to make with only a few ingredients, and the lemony taste was perfect for my tastebuds! I probably overcooked them a bit, so they were a teeny bit tough, but not too bad. Next time I will decrease the time about 5 minutes or so. And I will be making them again!!

Lemon Basil Pork Chops

Source: I Was Born To Cook

Ingredients

• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1 tsp dried basil leaves
• 4 boneless pork chops

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the egg and lemon juice in a shallow dish. Combine the bread crumbs, butter, lemon peel, and basil in another dish and mix well.
3. Dip the pork in the egg mixture first, then coat each side with the bread crumb mixutre.
4. Place the chops into the baking dish and cook for 22-28 minutes, depending on thickness, until the juices are clear.

Pistachio-Crusted Tuna with Mustard-Dill Cream Sauce

I came across this recipe about a year ago, and after I'd made it it became the first fish dish that I had prepared that I actually loved! I love fish prepared by others, in restaurants and such, but had never found one that I made at home that really wowed me. This one definitely did. It doesn't take very long to make, and the sauce is what sold it for me!! I'm a sauce girl - I like some sort of sauce on just about anything, and everything! And, as if it needed anymore selling - it's healthy too!!! Hard to believe sometimes that food that tastes so good, can actually be healthy - but I try!!! You should definitely put this one on your menu soon!!

And just as a random-fact side note - the Reader's Comment that shows on the recipe page is mine!! :) I love it that much!

Pistachio-Crusted Tuna with Mustard-Dill Cream Sauce

Source: Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced shallot
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill, divided
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 4 4-ounce tuna steaks, 1-1 1/4 inches thick
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Place shallot, bay leaf and wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce until the wine is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard bay leaf and transfer to a small bowl.
2. Add sour cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dill, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir to combine.
3. Put breadcrumbs, pistachios, the remaining 1 teaspoon dill and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Process until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
4. Dredge both sides of the tuna in the pistachio mixture.
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tuna and cook until browned, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve with the lemon-dill sauce.



Strawberry Cake Pops

We had a very busy Father's Day weekend. Saturday we went to a BBQ for K's family, and Sunday we had a housewarming party/BBQ for his boss. I, of course, offered to bring a dessert to both! I already had cake balls or pops in mind, and as of Friday had decided to make strawberry cake pops with white candy coating. However, as I was driving home from Michaels, supplies in tow I had a brilliant idea!! It's summer, we are going to a BBQ...why not make cake pops that look like strawberries?? So, I went back to Michaels to get red candy melts, and began the process - which I completed over 2 days.

I made the cake pops for his family BBQ, and while it was a challenge in the beginning to figure out the process, they came out pretty cute. However, getting into a hot car with them proved a bit disastrous. Several of the strawberries decided they would rather be pops, and slid down the stick to sit on the styrofoam below...but most of them made it intact, and they were a big hit with the family. Not to bad for my first attempt at pops!

However, I did decide that for the remaining half, I would just prepare them as cake balls - since we would be traveling to the second BBQ as well. I found the preparation to be much easier for the balls, and while I had a minor equipment malfunction (my decorating tip refused to stay in the bag, so I had to apply the leaves with a knife), I think they turned out pretty darn cute! I am still working on perfecting the smooth texture, etc as I see in Bakerella's book...but for a novice cake baller...I am pleased with the results. As a side note, after I thought of my brilliant strawberry idea, I remembered that I had also seen one in Bakerella's Cake Pop book. I didn't follow her decorating suggestions, I used my own...but you should definitely check hers out!!

Strawberry Cake Pops (or cake balls)

Ingredients/Tools

•  Strawberry Cake Mix* (as well as water, eggs & oil as specified on box)
•  1 container Strawberry Icing*
•  Medium cookie scoop (or tablespoon)
•  Wax Paper
•  2  Cookie Sheets
•  2 - 14 oz bags of red candy melts
•  1 – 14 oz bag of green candy melts
•  Black decorating gel or edible marker (or white if you prefer)
•  Leaf decorating tip
•  Disposable piping bag (or a Ziploc works, too)
•  Plastic bowl (deep, but narrow) for the red candy melts
•  Serving table spoon
•  Toothpicks
•  Large styrofoam block (for cake pops)
•  48 lollipop sticks (for cake pops) or,
•  48 mini cupcake liners (for cake balls)

*Feel free to make your own cake/icing from scratch, of course!!

Preparation

1.   Mix and bake cake as directed on the packaging. Allow to cool completely. While still in the pan, cut the cake into 4 sections. Remove the first section and crumble into a large bowl so that there are no large pieces remaining, only cake crumbs. Repeat this process with the remaining three sections.

2.   With a spatula, scoop ¾ of the can of frosting into the bowl of cake crumbs, and mix well. Do not use the entire can or the mixture will be too wet.

3.   Use a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion out 48 balls. As you scoop them, roll each one between your hands to form a smooth ball, and then use your fingers to create a strawberry shape. Lay them onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet as you go. Once you have shaped all 48 balls, put the cookie sheets into the refrigerator for 20 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes) to firm them up. If you put them in the freezer, be sure you don’t allow them to freeze!!

4.   Pour the first bag of candy melts into the plastic bowl and melt according to package instructions. Each package will coat approximately 24 pops/balls, so prepare the second package when needed. When ready, remove the first cookie sheet from the refrigerator or freezer.

5.   For cake pops, stick 1/2 inch of the lollipop stick into the melted candy, then place the stick into the bottom of the strawberry no more than half-way through. In one motion, fully submerge the strawberry in the melted candy. Remove and allow excess candy to drip back into the bowl. Stick the pop upright into the Styrofoam block to dry.

6.   Repeat this process with remaining pops.

7.   For cake balls, have wax paper laid out on the counter or on a cookie sheet. Place the strawberry into the bowl of melted candy, and use the serving table spoon to cover in candy. Try not to move the strawberry so that pieces of cake do not mix into the melted candy. Scoop the strawberry out of the candy and tap your spoon lightly on the side of the bowl to remove the excess candy and create a smooth texture. Hold the spoon at an angle over the wax paper until the strawberry falls onto it. If you are having trouble, use a toothpick to help it off of the spoon. If there is excess candy around the strawberry, use a toothpick to separate it, by “drawing a line” around the strawberry – so that once it dries, the excess will not be attached.

8.   Repeat this process for remaining balls.

9.   Once the red candy has dried, place ½ of the green candy melts into the piping bag or Ziploc baggie. Heat according to package instructions. Allow to cool slightly, then insert the leaf decorating tip. Pipe 4 leaves onto the cake pops, or 3 leaves (leaving the back side plain) on the cake pops. Place back into the Styrofoam or onto the wax paper to dry.

10. Once this layer is dry, use the black (or white) decorating gel or edible marker to place black dots (seeds) onto the strawberries. For the cake pops decorate all sides, for the cake balls only decorate the top. The black decoration gel does not dry completely, so be careful when storing and/or transporting!

11. For the cake balls, once you have added the “seeds” place each strawberry into a cupcake liner for storage/presentation. 

Lemon-Blueberry Scones

I've mentioned in previous posts that I am not a huge breakfast person...but I do love blueberry muffins. Now, this is not a post about blueberry muffins, but my love for them (along with lemon-anything) is what prompted me to try these scones when I found them on Amy's Sing For Your Supper blog. She takes such beautiful pictures, and her food always looks so good! How could I resist trying these??

And I'm so glad that I did!! They had just a hint of sweetness, and the tart tanginess from the blueberries and lemon zest made my taste buds squeal with delight! Ok, so my taste buds didn't really squeal, but they would have if they weren't smothered by the scones. Maybe.

Lemon-Blueberry Scones
Source: Sing for your Supper

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest of 2 large lemons
• 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash.
• sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Beat egg, buttermilk and lemon zest together and set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add the butter and using a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers cut it into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture the size of peas.
4. Pour the egg and cream into the flour/butter mixture and stir to combine with a rubber spatula. Very gently, fold the blueberries into the dough, being careful not to crush them. When the mixture is totally incorporated, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out circles and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; or cut the dough into squares or triangles, if you prefer!
5. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, then sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the are nicely browned.

Panko Crusted Chicken with Soy Sauce Glaze

My goal for this week was to prepare several recipes that I have been drooling over, from some of the blogs that I follow. It's been a hectic week so I haven't been able to cook much, but finally tonight I was able to prepare one of the dishes that I have been salivating over for weeks!! I found this on Kut's Kitchen, and I am so glad that I finally got to eat it! It was easy to prepare and the sauce was so good! As warned, the sauce is very flavorful, so you don't need a lot on the chicken...best served on the side for dipping. But it is an amazing sauce! And the chicken - so crunchy!! I love panko :) This dish will definitely be making a recurring appearance in my kitchen!

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Soy Sauce Glaze
Source: Kut's Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg,  beaten
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp  canola oil
• salt & pepper, to taste 

For Soy Sauce Glaze

• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder 

Preparation

1. In three separate bowls, place the flour, egg, and panko crumbs. Cut the chicken into slices, and season with salt & pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Dredge each slice of chicken in the flour, then the egg, then coat very well with the panko crumbs. Place chicken into skillet and cook until browned on the bottom, 3-4 minutes. Turn over and cook until bottom is browned and chicken is cooked through, another 2-3 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, combine all the glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken and bubble. If it is too thick, add water 1 tsp at a time until it reaches your desired thickness. Likewise, if it is too thin add cornstarch 1 tsp at a time to thicken. 
4. Drizzle sauce lightly over the top of the chicken, and serve sauce on the side. 

Recipe Swap - Cinnamon Rolls

This week's recipe swap theme was breakfast. I'm not much of a breakfast cooker, so I had to invent something for my contribution, and what I received from Nichole at The Cookaholic Wife, was a recipe for Cinnamon Rolls. K loves cinnamon rolls, so I couldn't have been happier with this!

Cinnamon Rolls

Source: The Cookaholic Wife (originally from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 3 cups All Purpose flour
• 1 envelope rapid rise yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp from jar)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt

• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Tbsp milk 

Preparation 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, water, 2 tbs. butter, rapid rise yeast and egg. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Slowly add the flour mixture into the stand mixer and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms. 
2. Switch to the dough hook attachment and mix for 6-8 minutes until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. 
3. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Smear the dough with the softened butter and then sprinkle with almost all of the cinnamon sugar mixture. 
4. Starting with a long end, roll up the dough tightly until it forms a log. Sprinkle the roll with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut the dough into 12 pieces, approximately 1 1/2 inches wide. 
5. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and place the rolls in the pan. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes. The rolls will almost double in size. 
6. Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the melted butter, milk, vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until a thick frosting forms. 
7. Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Spread the frosting over the rolls. 

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Have you ever had one of those weeks, where you just need a margarita? Or five, perhaps? Well, I didn't have any margaritas, but I did manage to consume two pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream this week. I had such an amazing menu planned for this week - several recipes from fellow bloggers that I was excited to try out. But, as it happens sometimes, life got in the way and cooking had to take a backseat for a couple of days. But alas, I managed to sneak in one of those yummy recipes!!

I came across this recipe for Beer-battered Fish Tacos on the blog Pink Parsley, and it sounded so good!! I made beer-battered tilapia awhile back, and K really loved it, so I figured these would be a big hit. The avocado crema is what really sold me, though!



And the mango salsa is so pretty! I love pretty food.

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

modified slightly from Pink Parsley

Ingredients 

• 1 lb firm white fish (I used cod & tilapia)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beer
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• vegetable oil, for frying
• Tortillas or taco shells

Mango Salsa

• 2 mangos, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 tsp chili powder
• 2 Tbs minced fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Crema

• 1 avocado, pitted 
• 1-2 Tbs plain greek yogurt
• 1 Tbs sour cream
• juice of 1/2 lime
• hot sauce to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine 1 cup of the flour, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the beer, whisk to combine, and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the yeasts to develop.

Pat the fish dry, season with salt and pepper, and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Toss with the remaining 1/2 cup flour.

Combine all the ingredients for the mango salsa in a medium bowl.  Taste and season with more salt, lime, or hot sauce if desired.

Use a fork to mash the avocado in a medium bowl.  Add the yogurt, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime, and continue mashing to form a smooth sauce.  Season with salt and hot sauce, if desired.

Heat 1/2-inch oil in a large skillet, and working in batches, shake off the excess flour from the fish, then coat with the beer batter.  Being careful not to overcrowd the pan, fry in the hot oil, turning once, 3-5 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, and repeat with remaining fish.

Warm the tortillas and fill with fish.  Drizzle with avocado crema and top with mango salsa. 

Beef Stir Fry

It's been a long week so far...a very long week. I've had plans to cook 2 meals every night - one for our dinner, and one for our lunch the following day. But K has been working super late on a project at work and 1) hasn't been home anywhere near dinner time, and 2) I've been extremely tired this week. However, I finally got around to at least making something for us to take to work for lunch. Starting out in the kitchen at 9 pm, and being done and cleaned up by 9:30...not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

I've noticed recently that I make quite a few Asian/Stir fry-type dishes. This is not a bad thing, just not something that I do with intent. I guess we really like them! And they are usually pretty easy to throw together. Always a plus in our house. I have a recipe similar to this one for Orange-Teriyaki Beef with Noodles, but thought I would give this one a try since it was a bit different. I couldn't really taste the orange-marmalade at all, which was a bit disappointing since that is supposed to be the highlighted flavor...but it was still a tasty stir fry.

Orange-Scented Beef Stir Fry

Modified from: Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon oyster-flavored sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce*
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 12 ounces beef top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger (I was out of ginger so I used this)
• 1 small orange bell pepper, diced 
• 2 cups frozen broccoli florets

Preparation 

1. Combine 1/4 cup broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, marmalade, oyster sauce, vinegar and chile-garlic sauce in a small bowl; mix well.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add half the beef; stir-fry until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Stir-fry the remaining beef in 1 teaspoon oil; transfer to the plate.
3. Add ginger, bell pepper and broccoli; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup broth, cover and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Push the vegetables to the sides. Stir the sauce mixture and add it to the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. Stir the vegetables into the sauce and return the beef to the wok; toss to coat. Serve over rice or fine egg noodles.

*The last time I used chile garlic sauce in a dish it was really spicy, so I only added 1 teaspoon to this. I wish I had used more, but I suggest adding a little bit and tasting to reach your desired level of spiciness! Better safe than sorry!

What's Baking: Triple Layer Lemon Cake

The June theme for the What's Baking challenge, hosted by Heather at  Hezzi D's Books and Cooks, was to make a Layered Cake. I have never made a layered cake that I can recall, so I was excited for the challenge. I don't make full-sized cakes very often, because I don't really have a reason to...I prefer cupcakes or some other small treat for no reason at all! However, we do have a monthly staff  birthday lunch at work, so I volunteered to make the cake instead of purchasing one this month! Perfect timing!

I found this recipe on Better Homes & Gardens website, and since I love lemon-anything, and it is Summer, it seemed like the perfect flavor! I ran it by the birthday girls at work (we have 5 this month!) and they were all excited about it, so onward we go!

This was not only my first time to make a layered cake, it was also my first time to make lemon curd. The term in itself is a bit odd...but it's lemony, so I was up for trying it! Honestly, I wasn't very thrilled with the outcome. It tasted good and lemony, but for a filling I would have preferred that it be thicker. Maybe it was user error, maybe that's just the nature of curd...either way, I think next time I'll just use the delicious icing in between the layers.

Everyone at work seemed to love it, and that's all that really matters. I love to feed them tasty treats. And they love to hate me for always bringing in treats that they can't resist! Please excuse the pictures...I had to run out and cut/take pictures before they all got in line!

 

Before the rush

 
TRIPLE LAYER LEMON CAKE

 Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1/2 recipe Lemon Curd (Recipe Below) or 1 cup purchased lemon curd
• 1 recipe Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (Recipe Below)
• Lemon peel curls (optional)

Preparation

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour three 9 x 1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice; beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk or sour milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour into prepared pans.
3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.  
4. To assemble, place a cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with half of the Lemon Curd. Top with second layer; spread with the remaining Lemon Curd. Top with third layer. Frost top and sides with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and store cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with lemon peel curls. Makes 12 servings.

 Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:  

1. Finely shred 1 teaspoon lemon peel; set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; and 1 teaspoon lemon juice; beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 cups additional powdered sugar until spreading consistency. Stir in the lemon peel.

Lemon Curd:

from Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients 

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons water
• 6 beaten egg yolks
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut up

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
2. Stir half of the lemon mixture into the egg yolks. Return egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add butter pieces, stirring until melted. Cover surface of the curd with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour or for up to 48 hours.

Tweedle-de-dees

Do you have a childhood memory of a dessert or treat that your mom used to make? One that you can't recall seeing or eating anywhere else? Well, these little chocolate devils would be the one for me! We call them Tweedle-de-dees - similar to, and known to others as, No Bake Cookies. I thought about them the other day and asked my mom for the recipe. I remember being in the kitchen with my mom, and sometimes my brothers too, making these cookies and waiting for them to set so we could gobble them up!

I have no idea where the original recipe may have come from...I asked my mom and she said that she got it from my Grandma way back when. So, who knows where it came from or if she came up with it on her own?

I've never seen, heard of, or had them anywhere else in my life. Until I started trying to find the source, anyway...I found nothing to match it, but did find No Bake Cookie recipes that have similar ingredients. Who knew?!? Well, someone obviously, but it wasn't me. I was oblivious...thought these were a special treat just for little ol' me (and my brothers). I think I'll just stick to that theory...it's a much happier memory that way! ;)

Mine didn't come out quite as good as Mom's, but they were still pretty darn good. I chock it up to being my first time to make them, so I will (hopefully) perfect them with practice! Besides, everyone at work seemed to love them...they gobbled them all up!

Tweedle-de-dees

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups uncooked oats
• dash of salt
• 1 cup coconut (optional)
• 1 cup pecans (optional)

Preparation

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla. 
2. Bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. 
3. Pour oats (coconut & pecans if using) into a bowl, and stir chocolate mixture into it. Mix thoroughly.
4. Drop by the teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool completely before packaging or storing.

Take me away to Margaritaville!

I saw this recipe on How Sweet It Is a few weeks ago, and knew immediately that I had to make it. I had to push it out a few weeks on the food calendar due to vacation and the detox diet, but as soon as we broke free of that (until next week, anyway), I knew I had to make it. And it was definitely worth the wait!! Crispy, tequila-marinated chicken with avocados and strawberries...yes please! And if you happen to have a margarita on hand to enjoy with the tacos - even better!! I still had some baking to do, so I refrained from indulging in the bottle of tequila that seemed to be staring at me from the counter. Really...it was...I'm not crazy!

Crispy Margarita Chicken Tacos with Strawberry-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from: How Sweet It Is


Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• zest of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1.5 cups panko bread crumbs
• 4Tbsp whole wheat flour
• zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 4 large strawberries, chopped
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• juice of half a lime
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 4 4-inch tortillas (whichever type you prefer)

Preparation

1. Combine oil, tequila, lime juice, lime zest, and coriander in a baking dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then slice into strips lengthwise. Add the chicken to the marinade, cover and put in the fridge until ready to make.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine panko, flour, lime zest and coriander in a bowl. Lay a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Remove chicken from marinade and coat strips in panko mixture, pressing so the crumbs stick. Lay them on the baking sheet then give them a quick spray of non-stick spray. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, then bake 10 more.
3. While chicken is cooking, combine avocado, tomato, and strawberries and cilantro. Mix with salt, pepper and lime juice.
4. Heat tortillas if desired, then serve with crisp chicken, salsa, and toppings of your choice (cheese, lettuce, etc).

Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Soy Sauce

First, let me apologize that I've been on an unintended hiatus for a few days. Sometimes life gets in the way, and cooking just doesn't fit into the schedule. My waistline is more upset about it than you are, I  promise :) But, I'm back in action now, and will be cooking and posting my little heart out!

I only have a few go-to pork tenderloin recipes, and this one has recently been added to that list. It is really easy to make, and tastes great! It pairs nicely with mashed potatoes and sweet corn.

Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Soy Sauce

Modified from Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• dash ground red pepper
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch-thick medallions

Preparation

1. Whisk soy sauce and sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in garlic, ginger, red pepper and oil.
2. Place pork in a resealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal the bag, squeezing air out. Turn the bag to coat the medallions. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the bag once to redistribute the marinade.
3. Pour contents of bag into a skillet and cook over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes per side until cooked through. 

Super-Sausage Breakfast Sammich

So, I decided to get a little experimental with breakfast this week, and I came up with a something that combines all of my favorite breakfast stuff into one amazing sammich! K really liked it, and didn't even complain about not getting his apple cinnamon pancakes! Score!

Super-Sausage Breakfast Sammich
A Sweet Beginnings' Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Ground Pork or Breakfast Sausage
• 1 Tbsp maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp grape Jelly
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked & crumbled
• 4 eggs
• 4 slices cheese (your choice!)
• 4 mini croissants (or English Muffins or Biscuits, if you prefer)

Preparation

1. Mix pork, bacon, maple syrup, jelly, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, thyme & shredded cheese together in a bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. Form sausage mixture into four 1/2 inch patties, big enough to fit on your biscuit. Heat a skillet to medium-high and cook patties until there is no pink in the middle, 3-5 minutes per side. 
3. Meanwhile, spray another skillet with cooking spray and cook your eggs over-medium (unless you like runny yolk on your sammiches!), and season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. If using biscuits, bake according to package instructions or recipe directions. Otherwise, toast your English muffin or Croissant, and spread jelly or butter on each side if you prefer. Then layer with your sausage patty, egg, & cheese.

Serve with hash browns and a side of fruit :)

Gonzo for Chicken Salad

I love salad. Especially entree salad with grilled chicken. I slightly modified this recipe from Men's Health magazine to fit my fancy for salad fixin's, and it made a wonderful detox-friendly meal for K & I. And enough for a second helping later on ;) It is super simple to make - I was able to throw this together while K & I talked about our day at work. Fast, simple, and delicious...that is my kind of weeknight meal! Well, at least sometimes it's nice :)



Gonzo Chicken (slightly modified)
Source: Men's Health


Ingredients

• 2 cups spring salad mix 
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, grilled and diced
• 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Balsamic (or Red  Wine) Vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Grill chicken and set aside to cool.
2. Drain & rinse chickpeas; chop walnuts and dice avocado & tomato. 
3. Place salad mix & spinach leaves in large bowl. Top with chickpeas, chicken, walnuts, avocado & tomato. Mix olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl and drizzle over the salad mixture. Mix all together, season with salt & pepper, and serve.