FC Day 17 - Sichuan Chicken

As you all know by now, I am working with a food calendar in preparation for our upcoming trip to the Bahamas, but sometimes life just gets in the way of "plans". Things come up and no matter how well laid-out, plans can change. But I make adjustments so that I can still prepare all the meals that I've promised you I would :) This weekend's plans were altered completely because my brother whom I haven't seen in 12 years (yes, that's right...TWELVE YEARS) came into town from out-of-state. So, you can understand why I would blow off the food calendar, right? I knew you would :)

Before the weekend festivities began though, I did manage to squeeze one dish in - Sichuan Chicken. This was a first-time dish, although we eat Asian-inspired dishes pretty regularly, and I have to say that I think it turned out pretty well. It was easy, it was quick, and it was tasty! 

Next time, I will double the sauce recipe, because I liked it that much, and use broccoli in place of the snap peas. I'm just not a huge snap pea fan. Broccoli, however, I adore. :)

Sichuan Chicken
Source: Eating Well

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, or thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon sherry cooking wine
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 1/2-inch-thick slices ginger, smashed
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 scallion, minced

Preparation

1. Whisk broth, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, sesame oil, ¼ tsp cornstarch and crushed red pepper to taste in a small bowl.
2. In another bowl combine chicken, sherry, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 ½ tsp cornstarch and garlic.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Swirl oil into the pan, add ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Carefully add the chicken mixture, spread out into 1 layer. Cook until the chicken begins to brown, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, stir-fry for 30 seconds. Spread the chicken out again and cook for 30 seconds. Continue stir-frying until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Add snap peas and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir the Sichuan Sauce, swirl it into the pan and stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Discard the ginger, transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve immediately over rice or noodles of your choice.

FC Day 16 - Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms & Brown Gravy

This is one of those easy to throw together meals, that tastes really good. Usually. This time it tasted really great! I made a few modifications from the original Betty Crocker recipe, and if I weren't watching my waistline for our upcoming trip, I would have gobbled up a second helping!! You should definitely try this if you are looking for a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal!!

Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms & Gravy
Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Bisquick mix
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbs Worcesteshire sauce**
• 1 Tbs dried minced onions
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1 4.5 oz jar slices mushrooms, drained
• 1 12 oz jar beef gravy

Preparation

1. Mix beef, egg, 1/4 cup Bisquick, pepper, Worcesteshire, minced onions & garlic powder in a large bowl.
2. Shape mixture into 4 oval patties, 1/2-inch thick, and dust each side with remaining Bisquick.
3. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat, and cook patties about 6 minutes per side, until brown & crisp.
4. Remove fat from skillet, if there is any and add mushrooms and brown gravy. Cook a couple of minutes longer until gravy is hot and patties are thoroughly cooked.

**The addition of the Worcesteshire did amazing things for this dish!! It's great without it, but it has a little extra zing and I do love me some Worcesteshire sauce!!!

FC Day 15 - Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This dish from Robin Miller @ the Food Network is one of my few stand-by favorites that is a fairly frequent repeat. K really likes it, it's his favorite pork tenderloin dish by far. I've made a few modifications from time-to-time out of necessity (using ground ginger, or sushi ginger because I couldn't find pickled ginger at the store, for example), but I pretty much stick to this one as-is. I can't think of anything to substitute or add that would make it any better. Can you?



  I served this with garlic & herb roasted potatoes and steamed corn. Yum yum yum.

Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Source: Robin Miller @ the Food Network 

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• salt & pepper
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup of tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
• 1 Tbs chopped pickled ginger

Preparation

Cut the pork into 1/2 inch-thick rounds and season both sides with salt & pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear each side, about 2 minutes.
Add the preserves, tamari sauce, and ginger and simmer about 5 minutes.

FC Day 14 - Beer-battered Tilapia with Chile Garlic Mandarin Orange Sauce

That's a mouthful, isn't it? And a mighty spicy one at that. Woo-wee!! Now, don't get me wrong, I am a lover of spicy foods, but when I dipped my spoon in the sauce-bowl for a taste-test, I was not expecting that it would bite back! But now I'm jumping ahead of myself. Let me back-track just a bit. I do my grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday for the following week. I look at the food calendar, go through each recipe, and make my grocery list. Somehow though, I managed to miss one of the primary ingredients for this particular recipe. The beer. Awesome. So, on my way home from work today, I had to stop at the convenient store by my house to buy a single beer.

I don't like beer, I don't drink beer, and I certainly don't stop at the Shell on the way home from work to buy beer. Except for today. I'm sure I looked a little lost, wandering around by the beer cases trying to find a single, 12 oz beer. No such luck. But I did find the 'tall boys' hanging out in the giant ice-bucket-thingy near the front register. Now, what kind of beer should I buy? I don't care, just grab one and let's get up outta here!! So, I grab a Bud Light, pay, and leave. It feels a bit foreign and weird to be carrying a beer out of the Shell station, but I couldn't imagine trying to substitute something else in its place!

Now, back on topic :)



The devil sauce



 Despite the heat, it was a great meal. K scraped off his 'sauce', because even though I am a fan of the spicy, he is not. I was nice though, and I warned him before he dug in so that he could taste it. Then I whipped up some tartar sauce for him to use instead. See, I'm a nice girlfriend :) He did comment on how much he liked the batter, and that it was the best  batter he'd had. Guess it's a good thing I stopped for that beer, huh?

Beer-battered Tilapia with Chile Garlic Mandarin Orange Sauce
Adapted from: Robin Miller @ the Food Network

Ingredients

• Vegetable Oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2/3 cup beer
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tilapia fillets, about 5 oz each
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 2 tsp Chile Garlic Sauce***
• 1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained & chopped
• 1 Tbs fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

1. In a shallow dish, mix 1/2 cup flour, beer, baking powder, & egg. Put the other 1/4 cup flour in another dish.
2. Heat enough oil to shallow-fry the fish, in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Salt & pepper both sides of the fish. Dredge the fish in the plain flour, coating both sides and shaking of any excess flour. Next, dip the fish in the beer mixture to coat both sides.
4. Add fish to the hot oil and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain oil.
5. While fish is cooking, mix the lemon juice and garlic sauce in a bowl, then add oranges and cilantro and mix together. Serve sauce over the fish.

***Adjust this amount according to your tolerance for spice. Sarah, if you are reading this...you should cut the amount way down, since you are not a friend to super-spicy foods :) *Hugs*

FC Day 13 - Bay Scallops Gratin

I came across this recipe on Sarah's blog, A Taste of Home Cooking, awhile back while K & I happened to be on a horrific detox diet, and it looked like something that I could modify to fit the diet. And it was. And it was the most delicious thing I had put in my mouth in a week. Seriously. But now that we are past that diet, I added it to the food calendar so I could make it the way it was intended to be made...with butter! Silly me, I didn't think it could get much better than the first time I made it...I was wrong. So very wrong. I think the flavors are a little much for K, but I adore this dish and will probably make it many, many more times in the future. And not many dishes strike me that way.  You should try it...you will love it. Trust me.


The original recipe came from Ina Garten and the Food Network, and I followed it pretty closely. I made a couple of modifications like omitting the Pernod - I've never heard of it for one, and I didn't have any in the house, or the desire to go purchase it :) I only used 1 shallot, and I used white wine vinegar in place of the dry white wine. Oh, and I pretty much cut the recipe in half. I don't need 6 servings for K & myself...because I would eat them...all of them. I really love this recipe - but a note for anyone who wants to take it for lunch leftovers to work - Scallops smell extremely fishy when re-heated in the microwave!! My apologies to my co-workers...I made that mistake the first time around, but not this time, or in the future. Promise!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3 Tbs butter, softened
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium shallots, minced
• 2 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto , minced
• 3 Tbs minced fresh Parsley
• 2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 Tbs dry white wine
• 1 pound fresh bay scallops

Preparation

1. Heat over to 425 degrees.  Place gratin dishes on a sheet pan, or you can use a casserole dish.

2. To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of a food processor (you can also use an electric mixer or a hand mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, shallot, prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the olive oil slowly until combined. Fold the panko in with a rubber spatula and set aside.

3. Preheat the broiler, if it's separate from your oven.

4. Place 1 tablespoon of the wine in the bottom of each dish. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and distribute them among the dishes. Spoon the garlic butter mixture over the top of the scallops. Bake for 12 minutes, until the topping is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes, until browned.

5. Serve with your favorite side dishes - Enjoy!

Little Chick Sugar Cookies

I love Betty Crocker. That may be frowned upon in the culinary or baker's world, but I don't care. Betty Crocker's website has introduced me to countless adorable treats and tasty recipes, without which I may not have ever discovered my true love for cooking and baking. I look to her website whenever a holiday is coming up, for inspiration in creating adorable treats to take to my co-workers. This Easter was no exception. Look at these Little Peepers. Adorable. How could I resist giving it a try?

And while I did adopt the decorations for this cookie treat, I used a homemade recipe for the cookies and the icing, instead of the pre-packaged sugar cookie mix. Betty won on this cuteness competition. The cookie and the icing taste delicious, but my decorating was less than  perfect. I guess it's always a gamble when you use the spoon-drop method versus cookie cut-outs for sugar cookies. Most of mine came out looking like eggs, instead of pretty round circles. So, I made a few of the chicks, a few decorated eggs, and the rest are just little sugar cookies with yummy icing. Lucky for me, my co-workers love any goodies I bring them, and they don't care if, or how, ugly they are!!



And here's my little chick-a-dee!



Sweet Beginning's Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat together butter and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Stir in flavorings and egg, mix well.
3. Stir in flour and baking soda.
4. Drop heaping tablespoon's onto foil-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 9-11 minutes until just set. Remove to cooling rack, and cool completely before decorating.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
1 lb confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla (and food coloring, if using any) and beat until frosting is smooth.
4. Generously frost cookies, and decorate!

FC Day 12- Chicken Thighs with Pear & Leek Sauce

I'm usually a white-meat kinda girl, but I thought I'd give this recipe from Eating Well a try. Not too shabby, for dark meat ;)

The trimming, cutting & peeling is most of the work, but once you get started, it’s a pretty quick and easy process. I though that the combination of ingredients was interesting: leeks, pears, and currant jelly…well, pears & currant jelly aren’t that odd of a pair, and maybe leeks aren’t either, but I’m sort of new to the whole cooking-with-leeks game, so you’ll have to bear with me. 


Chicken Thighs w/Pear & Leek Sauce
Source: Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 large firm ripe pear, peeled and diced
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons currant jelly

Preparation

1. Place sliced leek in a colander; rinse and drain well.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes. Add pear and 1/4 cup broth; simmer until the pear is soft and the broth is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup broth and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add currant jelly to the pan and cook, stirring, until melted. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn to coat with sauce.

Pizza on the Grill

When we got our new BBQ pit about a month ago, K picked up a few BBQ books as well, including one for Pizza on the Grill. Not so surprisingly, I had never heard of such a thing, but I was intrigued. My brother from Alabama is coming into town next weekend, and we are having him & his wife, along with another friend couple over to watch UFC, and K wants to make Pizza on the Grill, so we decided to do a trial run with just the two of us this weekend. We didn't use any of the pizza recipes out of the book, just the techniques, so that we wouldn't wind up dropping the dough into the coals...hehehe.

The most exciting part for me, though, was making our own pizza dough and sauce. I figured, hey...if we're gonna do this, we may as well do it all the way!! Both were pretty easy and turned out tasting pretty good.





Did you know that some people and pizza chains use grits to roll their dough in? I did not know that. Guess I learned something new, eh?





Prepped and ready to be wrapped for rising



For the sauce - and no, I did not use cookies, that is just the picture on the brown sugar bag ;)

 Mmm...looks tasty, right?



 Dough has now risen, been beaten and kneaded, and is ready for rolling out (in the grits, might I add)





It has begun...won't be long now!!



 Pizza #1 - Canadian Bacon & Pineapple



 Pizza #2 - Pepperoni & Mushroom - K was a little anxious to eat it and stole a piece before I got the picture ;)

In case you didn't notice, these pizzas are not your ordinary out-of-the-box round variety. Nope. They have to be shaped based on the type of grill you are using, and where the coals or burners are. "Organic shapes" is what the book calls it :) I'm good with that. They turned out pretty good; the sauce was really good. A few adjustments we will make next time: higher temp in the grill or put the pizza directly over the heat for a bit to make the crust more crispy, try some different cheese combination's - the mozzarella alone was a little bland, and more pepperoni - I may have shorted K a bit, on accident!

The most difficult part of the process occurred once we got the pizza on the grill - when it was time to turn it, and again to flip it. The book suggests using tongs...this does not work :( So, we used two spatulas and still struggled a bit. But with practice, I'm sure we will master those aspects of it as well.

For the dough (from Pizza on the Grill)

- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for coating the bowl
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1. Mix the water, honey & oil in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit until it gets foamy.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour & salt. Add the water mixture 1/2 cup at a time until fully incorporated. If the dough is sticky, add more flour; if it is stiff, add more water. Continue to mix until it feels elastic. Spread onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and easy to work with. Do not overwork or it will be tough.
3. Oil a third bowl, and place the dough in it, turning to coat all sides. Drizzle a little extra oil over the top of the dough. Seal tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise, about an hour. Dough will double in size.
4. Punch the dough down and knead on a slightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 2 equal balls.
5. Spread grits onto your rolling surface, and roll out 1 ball at a time. You can use a rolling pin, or just stretch it into your desired shape by hand. Once rolled to your desired shape and thickness, spread about 1 Tbs of oil on each side. Now you are ready to grill!!
6. Grilling instructions vary depending on the type of grill you own...but grill over indirect heat for 3 minutes, then turn 180 degrees and repeat. Remove pizza onto pan, flip over and apply toppings, then return to grill for 5 minutes. Turn 180 degrees and grill for additional 5 minutes until bottom is crisp and cheese is melted.

 For the sauce (A Sweet Beginnings original)

- 3 mince garlic cloves
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 1 can tomato puree (29 oz)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
- 2 Tbs brown sugar
- 2 Tbs dried oregano
- 2 Tbs dried basil leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. In a large pot, saute  garlic and oil for 2 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 30 minutes.

Easy as pie!! :)

FC Day 11 - Baked Ziti

I don't usually make a lot of Italian dishes, because they usually are not easy to make "low fat" or "healthy", but I was able to come across a few while making this round of the Food Calendar. One of those, that I actually picked out for T and the Care Calendar is Baked Ziti with Fire Roasted Tomatoes from Betty Crocker. I made it once before a long while ago, and I remember liking it, and it's easy to re-heat (for T).

As it turns out, T wanted to make me dinner last night, to thank me for everything I've done for them since Colton's arrival. Totally unnecessary, but I let her anyway :) But, that meant that, again, I would be a night behind on the food calendar. Not to worry, I'm pretty good at making up time. We have to eat lunch at some point, right? I can catch up that way!

I happened to be off of work today, for Good Friday, so after I spent the entire day cleaning our house from bottom to top, I made my way into the kitchen to prepare some nourishment. It definitely hit the spot.

At only 320 calories...you can't beat this dish!!


Baked Ziti with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Source: Betty Crocker


Ingredients

2 1/2	cups uncooked ziti pasta
1/2	lb extra-lean ground beef
1	large sweet onion, chopped (1 cup)
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
1	medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1	can (15 oz) Muir Glen® organic tomato sauce
1	can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
2	teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4	teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1/4	teaspoon pepper
3/4	cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook and drain pasta as directed on box.
2. Meanwhile, spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked.
3. Stir zucchini into beef mixture; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Add drained pasta; toss to coat. Spread in baking dish.
4. Cover dish tightly with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Recipe Swap (FC Day 10) - Seared Wasabi-Sesame Tuna with Avocado Cream & Maple Soy Sauce

I recently joined a Cooking Board, and several of the members participate in a Recipe Swap every week. In fact, I actually joined the forum because of the Recipe Swap. This is my first week to participate and the theme is Asian. Awesome! And on top of it already being a great theme, I received the most amazing-looking recipe from Brianna, and it worked out perfectly for me to substitute it for what I was already planning to cook tonight.







This dish was by far one of the best that I've come across in a long time. Next time I will add a little more spice to it, because I like a lot of spice, but it tasted great just the way it is! I served it with sauteed asparagus and brown rice.

Seared Wasabi-Sesame Tuna with Avocado Cream & Maple Soy Sauce from Brianna


Ingredients

2 Tuna Steaks
Wasabi - to your heat preference
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 Tbs canola oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 lg avocado
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs olive oil


Preparation

1. Rub both sides of the Tuna with the preferred amount of wasabi.
2. Pour the sesame seeds onto a plate and press both sides of the tuna into the seeds.
3. Heat the canola oil over high heat, and sear the tuna about 20 seconds on each side.
4. Slice the tuna into 1/4 or 1/2 inch slices.
5. Combine the soy sauce and maple syrup in a small saucepan and boil over medium heat until the mixture is  reduced by half.
6. Puree the avocado, lemon juice, water and olive oil, then season with salt & pepper to taste.
7. Spread the avocado mixture onto your plates, place tuna slices in the middle and drizzle the sauce on top.

FC Day 9 - Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl

It's no secret that K misses certain dishes from Japan. This recipe from Eating Well was not a specific dish that we had while over there, but it is similar to they type that he likes, so I added it to the Food Calendar to try it out. Good thing I did! It was fast and super simple to make, it reminded him of Gyudon (which was his favorite dish in Japan), and it tasted great! I didn't put quite as much broth into the bowls when we ate as the picture on EW's website shows, but it was still very tasty.



Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl (from Eating Well)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups instant brown rice
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 large egg
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Cook brown rice according to package directions.
2. Pour broth into a heavy medium saucepan, with sugar, soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Stir egg whites and whole egg in a small bowl until just mixed. Add chicken to the simmering broth. Gently pour in the egg mixture, without stirring. Sprinkle scallions on top. When the egg starts to firm up, after about 3 minutes, stir it with chopsticks or a knife.Spoon rice into 4 deep bowls and top with the chicken mixture.

FC Day 8 - Turkey-Stuffed Portobellos

Amazing. I mean, the only thing I can think of to say after eating this dish is, A-maz-ing. The texture and the flavors all melded together so perfectly, I couldn't believe it.

In case you haven't read the 'About Me' section, I hate mushrooms and onions. Hate them. So, I was nervous about cooking this from the get-go. I chose this recipe because K really likes mushrooms, and it is something different from our normal fish & chicken dinners. The cheese also made me nervous. We've had some bad experiences with "weird" cheeses, and this one smelled a little foot-ish out of the package. But I prepared it as instructed (no variances since I am pretty much a mushroom novice) and sat down with K to try it out. I cut into the monstrosity, got every part on the fork and took a big bite...and I loved it. K raved about how much he liked it, and how surprised he was at the flavor as well. I could barely taste the ingredients individually, yet there was a subtle hint of every flavor in each bite. Amazing. Did I say that already?

The only changes I will make for next time is to put less turkey in each cap, and to put more onion mixture and cheese on top. I served them with a side salad, and neither one of us could finish our plate because the dish was so filling, we think due to the amount of turkey. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground sage (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 4 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely shredded fontina cheese

Preparation

1. Position rack in the lowest position; preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cook oil and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to prevent scorching, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
3. Meanwhile, combine sage, rosemary, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a small dish. Place turkey in a medium bowl and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Gently mix with hands to combine. Form into 4 equal balls. Rub mushroom caps on both sides with Worcestershire. Place one turkey ball in each mushroom cap, patting down to fill the cap. Place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake the stuffed mushrooms on the bottom rack until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, spread the onion mixture over the filling and top with fontina. Continue baking until the cheese is melted and golden and the turkey is cooked through, about 10 minutes more.

Blueberry-Almond Cupcakes with Lemon Glaze

I waited all week for the weekend (don't we all?), but not for the usual reasons. I was anxious to get my bake on. That's right...my weeks are so busy that I look forward to the weekend so I can bake, bake, bake! But I didn't want to just bake any ol' thing...I wanted to come up with something of my own that I could share with you all!

I saw a recipe in Martha Stewart Cupcakes that looked good - Blueberries and Cream cupcakes, but I am not much of a fan of whipped cream icing - only for the travel factor though. So, I decided to create my own blueberry cupcake with an alternate frosting...or in this case, glaze. 



The batter was to-die-for and the glaze I could have licked straight out of the bowl. But the over-all outcome...eh...it needs a bit of tweaking yet. I needed a ton more blueberries, possibly pureed and dropped into the batter once it was in the cups, because it was hard to taste any blueberry at all most times...but aside from that they were delightful!

A Sweet Beginnings Original Recipe: Blueberry-Almond Cupcakes with Lemon Glaze

*Disclaimer: I am not saying that no one on the planet has ever come up with a recipe similar to this, but I was unable to find one in my cookbooks or by searching online, so to the best of my knowledge, this is an original recipe. 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk at room temperature
• 2 cups blueberries 

For the glaze: 

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
• 4 Tbs lemon juice 

Preparation: 

1. Heat oven the 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt.
3. With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until they are "fluffy". Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each one until fully incorporated. Beat in Almond extract.
4. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, starting with flour, beating until fully combined after each addition. Fold in blueberries.
5. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake until  pale golden, about 15 minutes for minis, 25 minutes for standard size. Transfer to wire rack to cool before removing from pan.
6. Whisk together all glaze ingredients and use immediately.

FC Day 7 - Lamb Chops w/Beer & Mustard Sauce

I've never made a lamb chop before. I've never eaten a lamb chop before. Hell, I don't think I'd ever even seen a lamb chop before I bought these at the store. But, lamb is supposed to be a lean meat, and a sophisticated one at that. So, I decided we should try it, and this recipe looked interesting. You know, move up in the culinary world, from the comfort of our own home. We tried ground lamb once awhile back, for lamb burgers...we were not impressed. But I decided to try the chops and just see how it turned out. It was actually a pretty simple process, and it turned out pretty well!

I served mine with Garlic and Herb Green Beans and Roasted Red Potatoes, and while I wasn't crazy at all about the sauce - it tasted to me very much like beer and nothing else - the lamb was pretty good, albeit gamey. I have another lamb chop recipe planned for the end of the month, maybe I will like that sauce better :)

Ingredients

• 2 lamb rib chops, about 3 ounces each, trimmed
• 2 Tbs mince garlic, separated
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 12-ounce bottle bottle beer, divided
• 2 tablespoon molasses
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Rub lamb chops with oil, 1 Tbs of the garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops and brown well on both sides, 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a small ovenproof dish and roast until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
4. Meanwhile, pour beef broth and 1 cup of the beer into the pan; stir in molasses and the remaining garlic. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in mustard.
5. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons beer in a small bowl. Add to the sauce in the pan and whisk until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

FC Day 6 - Baked Eggplant Parmesan

The food calendar got a little off track on Friday, as our Thursday night dinner was pushed to Friday. But fear not, I was able to get all caught up by the end of the weekend! K & I will be taking the Eggplant Parmesan to work for lunch tomorrow...but hey, I got it cooked and that's what counts, right??

I can't recall having this dish the standard (i.e. fried) way, so I can't compare the taste, but awhile back I was looking for something to make for dinner for our Vegetarian friends, while still keeping it healthy. This is what I found, and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
 

Baked Eggplant Parmesan 

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 3 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (1 ounce), divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups Tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, (3 ounces)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet and an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Peel Eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk egg whites and water in a shallow dish until frothy. Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg-white mixture, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. 
3. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the eggplant slices over, and bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.
4. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Add a layer of the remaining eggplant slices and top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.



Food Calendar Day 5 - Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin

I have discovered that I like combining mustard, maple, and/or balsamic vinegar as marinades/sauces very much. I mean VERY much. This recipe was no exception, however it was exceptional! I acquired it from eatingwell.com, as I do many of my eat-healthy recipes for the food calendar, and made a few little tweaks to the ingredients. This is how it came to be:

I served mine with a baked potato and corn, and the sauce was so delicious! I used every drop out of the pan - next time I will probably make more sauce. :)

Ingredients:

- 3 Tbs Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 Tbs maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of the mustard together with the salt and pepper and rub all over the tenderloin.
3. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet* over medium-high heat; add pork and brown on all sides.
4. Transfer pan to oven and cook for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and transfer tenderloin to cutting board for 5 minutes.
6. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add cider vinegar and boil to de-glaze for 30 seconds.
7. Add maple syrup and 2 Tbs of mustard, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer until sauce thickens.
8. Slice the tenderloin and serve topped with the sauce.

Simple Saturday

It is a gorgeous 75 degrees in Central Texas right now and Sunny is taking full advantage of the backdoor being open :)

I decided that something light and simple would be great for lunch today. I dug through the fridge to see what fruits we had, and then put together some ham, turkey, cheddar & tomato panini to go with strawberries, kiwi, and grapes. Simple and delicious!

Simple Panini

Ingredients:

- 4 slices whole wheat bread
- Miracle Whip (or real mayo if you like that better)
- 4 tomato slices
- 6 slices of ham
- 6 slices of turkey
- 2 slices of cheddar cheese

Preparation:

- Put miracle whip on all 4 slices of bread
- Layer 1 slice of cheese, 3 slices of ham, 3 slices of turkey, and 2 tomatoes onto 2 slices of bread.
- Top each with 1 of the 2 remaining slices of bread and put onto  pre-heated panini press.
- Lock down lid for about 1 minute; Remove onto a plate, slice in half diagonally and serve with chips or fruit.

Food Calendar Day 4 - Chicken Spaghetti

My best friend, Tracy, just had her first baby on March 21st and before he was born we set up a Care Calendar for her & her husband, so that friends & family nearby could sign up to take them dinner a few nights a week. I signed up for practically every Thursday, and this week I signed up to take them Chicken Spaghetti.

I have fond memories of chicken spaghetti in my childhood. Mom would make it every so often and the kids would gobble it up. Once I left the nest and actually developed a desire to start cooking, this was one of the first recipes I asked for. I still call her each time I make it, just to be sure I'm not forgetting anything, and this time was no different. I think it makes her happy; both that I am one of the few in our family who actually enjoys cooking, and that I still come to her for ideas and advice. So, this meal was made for my best friend and my boyfriend with all the love that Mom made it for us with.



 *Side Note* I apologize for the poor presentation - I make these Care Calendar meals the night before as I take them to Tracy's house straight from work on Thursdays, so they go straight into Tupperware  instead of onto a plate!


Ingredients:

- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Spaghetti noodles
- Velveeta cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 small cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 can Rotel
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation:

- Cook Spaghetti according to package directions
- Cook Chicken until no longer pink in the middle; set aside to cool
- In a large pot, combine cream of chicken, Rotel, milk, chicken broth & Velveeta
- Stir occasionally until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth
- Cut or shred chicken into-bite sized pieces
- Add chicken to sauce and stir; add salt & pepper to taste
- Serve over Spaghetti noodles

A side salad and garlic bread are nice accompaniments

Food Calendar Day 3 - Gyudon

K and I went to Japan for a few weeks last year, and since coming back to the states, he has told me on numerous occasions that there was one particular dish that he missed more than anything...Gyudon from the Yoshinoya restaurant chain. A few weeks back a friend of his that he met in Japan posted a picture - he had found a recipe and made Gyudon. Now the pressure was on. So, a couple of weeks ago we bought all of the ingredients to make it, and made our first attempt. It tasted good, but the beef wasn't sliced quite thin enough. I used flank steak, which in itself is usually cut thin...but it's hard to make thin slices out of it. This time around I bought sirloin steak, and used a paring knife to make my cuts. That worked much better. It's still a work in progress, trying to perfect it, but each time it gets better!


Ingredients:

4 cups cooked plain Japanese rice (long grain white rice works fine...just cook completely and let it sit to get sticky)
1 lb thinly sliced beef
1 small onion
1 1/3 cu Dashi
5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sake (we didn't use sake this time)

Preparation:

- Cook rice
- Slice onion thinly
- Cut beef very thin, in bite-sized pieces
- Make Dashi
- Put Dashi, soy sauce, sugar, mirin & sake in a pan
- Add onion slices and simmer for a few minutes
- Add beef and simmer for a couple of minutes - do not overcook!
- Serve beef mixture over hot rice

Food Calendar Day 2 - Marinated Mahi Mahi

We are on to day 2 of the food calendar, Grilled Mahi Mahi with Brown Rice & Sauteed Zucchini. Now, let me just preface this recipe with the fact that I LOVE Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Garlic and Worcestershire Sauce. That said, what could possibly be better than a recipe that uses all of those ingredients in a marinade??? Not much, my friend. Not much at all.

I'm sure that my beloved, K, thought I was a bit odd as I oohed and aah'd with each delectable bite, but by golly...that was some good fish!

I only used 2 fillets, but all of the marinade...the more the merrier!!! I also baked mine at 400 degrees in the oven for about 12 minutes, versus grilling it.

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons Olive oil
6 tablespoons Lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons Chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Soy sauce
4 mahi mahi fillets, about 4 to 6 oz. Each (or use swordfish or halibut)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice

PREPARATION:

In a small bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. Sprinkle fish fillets with salt and pepper; place into a gallon-size zip-top bag and pour in marinade. Seal and shake gently to coat fish evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 6 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-low. Grill fillets, turning carefully, 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until fish begins to brown and flakes with a fork.

Spoon a good 1/2 cup of brown rice onto each individual dinner plate and top each with a fillet of fish. Garnish with lemon wedges and more fresh herbs, if desired.

Cake Balls - 1st Attempt

Part of my inspiration for starting my own food blog was my growing love for baking. I came across Bakerella's website, and found her book about Cake Pops. Oh my. Not only are they delicious, but they are super adorable...and those are my favorite characteristics for dessert treats! So, I ordered the book and anxiously awaited it's arrival. It seemed to take forever! But finally, it arrived on Thursday. I took it to work on Friday to show everyone, and to warn them that they would all be my guinea pigs (in addition to K, of course).

I did my grocery shopping on Saturday, and wouldn't you know it - I forgot the cake mix. DUH!! So, a second trip to the store...not my favorite place to visit on a Sunday evening. Once I had all my ingredients I headed home to begin my mini-masterpieces -  Triple Chocolate Cake Balls. That's right...chocolate cake, chocolate fudge frosting, and chocolate candy melts. Heaven.

The whole process wasn't hard, but boy was it messy! I had to wash my hands about 20 times, it seemed. I got about 42 little balls of cake made, and into the freezer to firm up. I was so excited I could hardly stand to wait! I heated up the candy melts, double checked the instructions in the Cake Pops book, and dropped in the first ball. I covered it up with melted candy, and scooped it out with the spoon. I tapped my spoon on the edge of the bowl like I was told, and then carried it over to the wax paper where it was supposed to just slide off the spoon. No such luck. Maybe I'm impatient, but instead of waiting I just used a toothpick to gently help the ball off the spoon. And repeat a BUNCH of times :)

I'll be the first to admit, they look nothing like Bakerella's. They look more like Truffles, but they tasted delicious and it was my first try. That just means I'll have to keep trying. And K will have to keep taste testing. Many times.

Here they are:

Food Calendar Day 1 - Mahogany Glazed Chicken

So, every now and then before a vacation when K & I decide we need to shed some pounds, I will make a "food calendar" of meals that we will have up to the time of vacation. Well, it's that time again. We are going to the Bahamas in just under 5 weeks, so starting yesterday we are back to the food calendar. I try to cook every night anyway, but our lives can get hectic (just like everyone else's) and some nights it easier to hit a drive-thru. However, when I make the food calendar, it somehow seems easier to stick to it. Maybe because I don't have to decide what we're having for dinner the night before or the day of...ya think? :)

First up on the menu: Mahogany Glazed Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Broccoli. Yum.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rice wine, or medium-dry sherry
• 1/4 cup strong-brewed black tea
• 1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, or orange juice
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (about 1-1/4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil, divided
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Preparation

1. Combine rice wine (or sherry), tea, juice, soy sauce and honey in a 2-cup glass measure; set aside.
2. Combine cinnamon, ginger, pepper and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture evenly on both sides of chicken breasts.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, reduce heat to medium and cook until golden outside and no longer pink inside, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add bell pepper, scallions and garlic; sauté for 30 seconds. Add the reserved rice wine-tea mixture. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low and return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Simmer gently, spooning the sauce over the chicken, until heated through, about 1 minute.
6. Slice the chicken into thin diagonal slices and fan on plates. Spoon the sauce and vegetables over. Serve immediately.

Colossal Club

I am a club sandwich fanatic...I LOVE them! I don't know why, but I do. And every time we go to a sandwich shop, that is what I get. So the other day while looking at this blog I saw a  delicious looking club, and decided that it would make a great lunch for Kim & I this weekend. And. It. Was. Yum.

Tasty Teriyaki Turkey

Try to say that 3 times, fast! I had some ground turkey in the freezer that I wanted to use, so I went out searching for a recipe, and found this one on the Tasty Kitchen website. Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs. Sounded better than turkey meatloaf did, so I decided to give it a whirl. They were actually surprising easy to make, and I served them up with white rice and a yummy side salad. I made some modifications to the original recipe, using dried, minced onions and ground ginger instead of fresh grated...but it turned out pretty dang good!

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

• 1-¼ pound Ground Turkey Meat
• ½ whole Medium Yellow Onion, Grated (I used Dried, Minced Onions)
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Grated Ginger (I used Ground Ginger)
• ¼ cups Chopped Italian Parsley
• ¾ teaspoons Chinese Five Spice Powder
• 1 whole Egg
• ¼ cups Plus 2 Tablespoons Of Dry Breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper

FOR THE SAUCE:

• ⅓ cups Rice Vinegar
• ¼ cups Packed Brown Sugar
• ⅓ cups Water
• ¼ cups Soy Sauce
• ¼ cups Canola Oil
• 2 teaspoons Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Seeds

Preparation Instructions

Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, five-spice powder, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix well to combine. Using a 2 tablespoon portion of the turkey mixture, form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.

Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Sauce:

In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, soy sauce, 1/4 cup canola oil, ginger, garlic, flour, and sesame seeds. Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.

At the 15 minute point, remove the meatballs from the oven and brush the meatballs liberally with the sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately, with sauce.