Recipe: BBQ Chopped Salad

My sister in law works for a restaurant called California Pizza Kitchen. They serve a salad that I am madly in love with!! I believe it is called the BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad. You would think I would know the full name of this dish, but when I go visit her at work, she knows my order so I don't even look at the menu!

Due to my work schedule, I do not visit CPK as often as I would like which means I crave that salad more than often. I finally called her and asked exactly what they put in their salad so I could make some at home. I did not measure a darn thing, I just threw it all together and enjoyed my salad. It is such a filling, tasty salad especially in the summer when I can get some of the ingredients straight from my garden!

Ingredients
chopped Romaine and Iceberg Lettuce
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
black beans
white corn kernnels
fresh chopped basil
fresh chopped cilantro
BBQ sauce
ranch dressing (I make homemade buttermilk ranch)
diced tomato
diced jicama
chunks of avocado
grilled chicken breast
lime

First, we grill the chicken breast and then dice it up. I do not eat the chicken, but my husband loves it. He usually bastes the chicken in the BBQ sauce for added flavor. In a big bowl I add the lettuces, cilantro, basil and jicama. I don't add anything else simply because if there are leftovers, I don't want anything ruined. In my own bowl I add in the lettuce mixture, then I add corn, tomato, beans, cheese, avocado, fresh squeezed lime juice, BBQ sauce and ranch and then I toss it all up. It is that easy! The real recipe calls for tortilla strips, but I don't care for those. If I take the time to make it all nice and fancy like CPK, it looks something like this (the hubs enjoys his salad with all the fixings, minus the strips):

Recipe: Overnight Blueberry French Toast

I am usually all about eating healthy, but sometimes you just need to indulge!! This recipe is almost like a dessert instead of a breakfast dish and it is worth every single calorie swallowed. My dear friend, Kathy, published a cookbook a few years ago with all of the proceeds going to a scholarship that is very near and dear to my heart. I happily purchased a cookbook and began searching for yummy recipes to make. Overnight blueberry french toast has become one of my absolute favorite recipes from this cookbook! I have made it many times for holidays, brunches and even a Sunday night breakfast dinner. We're actually having this evening along with bacon and scrambled eggs. I don't make this often as it is quite an indulgence, I don't even know how many calories is in one serving (not sure I want to know!).

The recipe calls for sliced french bread. Due to food allergies I cannot use just any french bread. Most bakery breads are made in the same facility as peanuts or tree nuts so I usually have to make my own which adds on prep and bake time. I recently discovered that the Jimmy John's in my area sells its day old loafs of bread for $.50 a piece. Two loaves of Jimmy John's bread is perfect for this recipe! Best of all, it is allergen safe for Brennan.

Ingredients
French baguette cut into one inch slices
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions
Lightly grease a casserole dish. Arrange bread slices in the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over the bread. Turn the bread slices to coat evenly. Cover the bread and refrigerate overnight. Just before baking sprinkle the berries over the bread. Heat butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan until bubbly. Drizzle over the berries. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until set. Enjoy!!

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread

It is mid-October and pumpkin food is everywhere you turn. A friend made the comment that she was making pumpkin bread and from the moment I heard her say that I have been craving pumpkin bread. I've never made it so I searched around on my cell one day on my lunch break (well I don't get breaks so I searched while eating and teaching, bad confession!) and decided I'd make time to bake today. I am a busy lady, so busy that I felt the need to multi-task while attempting to bake and totally screwed up the recipe. It is baking now, smells so amazingly yummy, but it certainly is not what I set off making. I hope it tastes good otherwise I wasted all the ingredients and time on nothing! Lesson learned: take time to relax! If you can't even follow a recipe for bread you are doing too much and need to carve time for the simple things in life!

*Update: Dear Lord that bread was simply amazing!! I will make it the wrong way every single time I bake it! It is so moist and has a very subtle pumpkin flavor. Alex begged for pumpkin bread each morning for breakfast. A slice of this tasty bread with a cup of greek yogurt and a banana has been his breakfast of choice all week! We cleared the entire loaf and I need to make more tonight if I can muster up the energy!

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel (I omitted this)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Since you are making this my "messed up way" just mix it all together!! Seriously, I mixed the cream cheese, one egg, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour together until it was really creamy and set it aside. Then I sifted together the rest of the ingredients into a bowl. If you want to follow the “Melissa Way” just dump the pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture and make sure you blend it together well. Then place it all inside a lightly greased loaf pan and bake on 350 degree for a very long time...this is where I wondered what the hell I did as the bread wasn't baked in the 45 minutes I had written down. I bet this bread cooked for a good 90 minutes! Keep checking on it to make sure it isn’t burning. This pumpkin bread is seriously addicting! Enjoy!

I'm always looking to make recipes healthier. I plan on making this bread this week, but I will sub local honey for the sugar, all natural applesauce for the vegetable oil and I'll do a "half and half" mixture of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. If I make the bread I'll update with results. 

Recipe: Healthy "Cookies"

I don't know about you, but I love to indulge in cookies. My favorite is a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, however I am pretty open to eating any cookie you pass my way. A few weeks ago I was obsessed with Ginger Snap cookies. That love affair has come and gone and now I am back to my beloved chocolate chip cookie. Over the past several months I have lost some weight. It took me awhile to drop three sizes and I am damn proud of my accomplishments! I do not want to sabotage my efforts, but I cannot live without my sweets! Then my friend Abby shared this amazing cookie recipe with me and I am in love!

Now, you cannot make this recipe and except it to be a traditional cookie. It is actually far from anything you'd bake, but it satisfies my sweet tooth, is fairly healthy in my opinion and best of all it is so easy to make!! I'll have to see where she found this recipe so I can give credit where it is due, but for now I shall just share this little gem with you!

Ingredients
2 very ripe bananas (think brown to black colored peel)
1 cup of quick oats
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
In a bowl, mash bananas well.

Mix in the oats.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon tablespoons of batter onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

These are awesome straight from the oven! I save the leftovers and just popped them in the microwave when I was ready to indulge. I've certainly eaten my fair share today!

Thank you Abs for sharing this with me!! xoxoxo

Recipe: Potato Soup

My goodness, it has been nearly two months since I last posted! So much has happened in the past two months, I was just super busy. I broke my foot and in addition to the boot I needed physical therapy three times a week. Then our sweet old dog Nick became very sick and needed around the clock care. We had to make the heart wrenching decision to put our boy to sleep. It was such a very sad time, I still miss him terribly. Our other dog, Miles, is just lost without his companion. It is very sad. Brennan woke up one night with a high fever and before long I was caring for a very sick little boy. He tested positive for Influenza B and was down for nearly nine days! We were practically drinking bleach in an effort to keep the illness at bay. Whatever I did worked because nobody else caught it! So to say I have been busy is an understatement!ion

The boys and I started Christmas vacation this afternoon. It is cold and windy and snowy. Winter has finally hit our area! I don't know about you, but warm comfort foods are a must on wintry days like this. As I snuggled on the couch under a blanket watching The Polar Express with the boys, I decided we needed a big pot of potato soup for dinner. Luckily I had all the fixings on hand so potato soup was on the menu!

This soup is easy to make, tastes amazing and is a crowd pleaser, kiddos included! I am not sure how much this makes as I do not really measure stuff out. Bryan had two bowls, I had one and the boys each had one small ladle full. I was still able to put the leftovers in a small plastic container so I am guessing 6 servings? You can always adjust the amounts for your needs.

Ingredients:
5 russet potatoes, baked and skinned
6 slices of bacon, reserve the grease
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons butter
2.5 cups half & half
2.5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
2.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
sour cream, green onion for garnish, if desired

Directions:
1. Bake potatoes until fully cooked. Peel potatoes, mash well.
2. Cook bacon. Reserve a few slices for garnish, crumble the rest.
3. In a large pot heat up bacon grease. Add in diced onions and garlic and cook until tender.
4. Add in butter and cook until melted.
5. Add in potatoes, bacon crumbles, half & half, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Heat all the way through, but do not boil.
6. Once heated, add in cheese, stirring well. Continue to simmer on low heat.
7. Ladle into bowls, adding sour cream, bits of reserved bacon, shredded cheddar and green onions as desired.

Recipe: Cookies & Cream Popcorn

I am stuck at home, for the most part, so I have found myself having the munchies quite a lot. I'm trying not to eat as I cannot exercise much, but let's face it, I need some comfort food!! A friend of mine passed along this popcorn recipe a few weeks ago so on Friday night I decided to cave in and make this sweet treat. Holy  goodness is this stuff delicious and addicting!! I cannot stop eating it. I bet I gain 6lbs from this popcorn! You have to make this, share if need be, but make this! I promise you will love it. And if for some odd reason you hate it, I promise I'll be a good friend and come take it off your hands (and pile it upon my thighs!).

Ingredients
Oil of your choice (I used about 2 TB coconut oil)
Popcorn (I didn't measure, just enough to cover the bottom of the pot)
24 Oreos, crushed
16oz white chocolate, melted

Directions
1. In a large pot heat up about 2TB of oil. Once heated, pour in popcorn kernels. Shake the corn a few times to evenly coat. Soon the corn will start to pop!

2. When the popcorn is fully popped (be sure not to burn it!), remove it from the pot and place it in a large bowl. Be sure to discard as many unpopped kernels as possible.

3. In a Ziploc baggie or food processor, crumble Oreos into a fine crumble. Toss crumbled Oreos on top of the popcorn.

4. In a microwave safe bowl, begin to melt the white chocolate. Be careful to not scorch the chocolate! When fully melted, pour the chocolate onto the popcorn. Using a large spoon mix everything together well. The chocolate will stick to Oreo and then stick to the popcorn. You will have to mix for a few minutes to ensure it all mixes.

5. Let the popcorn sit until the chocolate firmly sets. You can also place the popcorn in the fridge.

Store in an air tight container. I stored half of the batch in the fridge because I like my chocolate cold. I stored the other half on the counter. Either way is amazing! Be sure to take out as many unpopped kernels as possible; believe me, your teeth will thank you for that extra step!! Enjoy!!

Recipe: High Protein Pancake Muffins

The boys and I are back to school and our regular school time schedule is back in full swing. I'm up every day at 5:45am to get ready. Brennan is up at 6:15am because it takes him so long to wake up each morning. While he tries to wake up, I start breakfast which is served about 6:30am. Alex gets up, we eat, the boys get dressed, brush their teeth and we are out the door at 7:15am. Alex goes to our cousin's house two days a week and attends preschool three days a week. I pack a load of food for Alex to take to our cousin's house so I don't really care if he eats breakfast at home because I know he will graze the whole time he is there! When Alex is at preschool he eats a healthy snack at 9:30am and he eats lunch at 11:00am so again, I know he will have access to good food to fill his tummy. Brennan and I are a different story. Brennan eats lunch at 11:10am; that is a 4.5 hour gap between breakfast and lunch. I walk into my own classroom and I don't stop until noon. I may be able to sneak a quick snack in while the children are at recess, but even then that is rare because I am cleaning, pulling in book bags, answering emails, etc. I know that eating breakfast is vital, but nothing is sticking with us to keep us satisfied until lunch! I started making protein drinks for Brennan and I to sip on the drive to school. He has his drink finished around 7:40am so I feel better knowing that not only does he have a full belly from breakfast, but he also has a tummy full of 20g of protein drink made with low-fat milk. Now he only has a 3.5 hour gap between meals. He tells me he feels full and isn't hungry in the mornings so it must be working! Alex refuses to drink the protein drinks so that just leaves more for us!

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a high protein pancake muffin. I was skeptical at first thinking it must be filled with sugar or some type of additive, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ingredients. The nice thing about this recipe is you can change up the type of breakfast meat. For the batch I made I used maple sausage links and veggie bacon, but you could easily used crumbled sausage, pork bacon, diced ham, etc. The boys tore these "muffins" up!! They freeze very well so I've been able to cook these up in the morning for a quick, hot, healthy breakfast that is full of protein to fill the tummy. Best of all, they are so easy and fast to make! According to my friend who created this recipe, it is high protein based on the fact the liquid is limited and the protein from the greek yogurt, extra eggs and meat bulk it up.

Ingredients:
3 cups oat pancake mix (I used Quaker brand, but regular mix would still work, not as much protein)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
4 eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
breakfast meat of your choice

Directions:
1. Mix the first five ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Line a mini-muffin pan (or regular sized muffin pan, your choice) with liners or spritz with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Fill the muffins 2/3 of a way full with pancake batter.
4. Place meat into each muffin tin.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until fully done.

Note on the meat: When I used the links, I sliced one link into fourths. I placed one piece in each mini-muffin and two pieces in each regular sized muffin. I pressed the links into the batter so the muffin would form around the meat, but you can just place the crumbed meat on top (some might sink into the batter, but some will stay on top).

A great big thank you to my friend Tonya for posting this recipe!! It is a new family favorite!

Memorial Day Foods

This weekend I have been cooking up a storm! Bryan commented to me what a good cook I've become so I must be doing something right these days! I am usually very conscious about cooking as healthy as possible, but I 'll be very honest, my extended family isn't on the same wave length as I am. Healthy to them is not adding ice cream onto the heaping pile of cake or not adding creamer to the coffee. When I cook for them I pretty much disregard all health notions because I know it will just be met with a fight and it isn't worth it n the end.

Today we BBQed brats, burgers and dogs and as sides I grilled fresh corn on the cob, made some doctored up beans, made a delish caprese salad and baked a peach dump cake. Everyone else supplied the rest of the sides. I'll be the first to admit that the beans were loaded with fat and sugar, but they were a hit. I will only make these bad boys for special occasions like a holiday BBQ. The caprese salad was divine! The basil came fresh from my garden! I cannot wait to pick tomatoes from my garden, too. I would happily make and devour this light, tasty dish throughout the summer months. The peach dump cake was another yummy hit. This cake is so easy to make, you have to try it at least once! The smell of the cinnamon and peaches baking fills the kitchen with a heavenly scent!

Southern Style BBQ Baked Beans


Ingredients
56oz of pork & beans
11oz can of pork & beans
3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons of dry mustard
1/2 green bell pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
8 slices of bacon, cut in half

Directions
1. In an iron skillet, fry the bacon slices just enough to render some bacon grease. Keep the bacon soft and half cooked, do not cook all the way! Remove bacon, but keep the grease in the skillet.
2. Place diced onions and peppers into the grease and cook until tender.
3. In a small bowl mix together the BBQ sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses and dry mustard. Pour mixture into the skillet and mix together well with the onions and peppers.
4. Pour the cans of beans into the skillet, mixing well with the sauce. Simmer on low to medium heat until it starts to bubble.
5. Transfer beans into a baking dish. Place the slices of bacon on top of the beans. Bake on 320 degrees for 2 hours. You want the sauce to be thick like syrup.
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Caprese Salad


Ingredients
2 tomatoes
2 balls of fresh mozzarella
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
coarse sea salt
pepper
fresh basil leaves

Directions
1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into thick slices.
2. On a small plate or platter, alternate tomato slice with a mozzarella slice and so on.
3. Tuck a piece of fresh basil in between each slice of tomato and mozzarella (the pattern will look like red/green/white, red/green/white, etc).
4. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the dish.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle lightly with the vinegar.
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Peach Dump Cake


Ingredients
2 cans of peaches in heavy syrup
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter
ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Spread both cans of peaches with the syrup on the bottom of a casserole dish. (I used a 9x13 dish, but you could use a small dish if you want a thicker cake.)
2. Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix over the peaches.
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and place on top of the cake mix.
4. Sprinkle the cake with ground cinnamon.
5. Bake on 350 for about 40 minutes.

Happy Memorial Day to all of my family and friends. A very special thank you to all of the brave women and men (past, present and future) who have served in the military for our freedom. Without you we wouldn't have the luxury of backyard BBQs or visits with family and friends.  Bless you!

Recipe: Avocado Pasta

First, can I just say how much I loath this new format??!! When I log on I can't even see my blog, it shows me goofy charts and percentages of how many page views I have, how many comments, etc. Just go to my page! Why doe these sites always have to mess things up?

OK, on to the recipe. I've never made this before, but my sister-in-law swears to me it is tasty. She said my nephew loved it so I am hoping my boys enjoy it as well. I'm getting ready to start making this so I'll report back with the kid approved results later!

Ingredients
1-2 ripe avocados
1/2 lemon, juiced
lemon zest
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
6oz whole wheat pasta

Directions
1. Cook pasta until al dente, drain. I'm using thin whole wheat spaghetti, but you could use any type pf pasta.

2. Place garlic, olive oil and lemon juice into food processor and process until smooth (I do not have a processor so I am using my Magic Bullet). Add in pitted avocado, salt, pepper and basil and process until smooth and creamy.

3. Pour sauce onto pasta and toss well to coat. Serve immediately. This dish doesn't reheat well due to the avocado.

This makes two servings. I'm increasing everything a little to make enough for our family, however I do not want leftovers since it doesn't keep very well.

Avocado is a great alternative for cream based pastas. In fact, I use avocado in place of mayo on my sandwiches. True, avocados are high in fat, but it is healthy fat!They are also high in fiber (about 10 grams), Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folate.

Update: I made this, it was a hit!! I would recommend using two cloves of garlic. I only used one clove and it just wasn't enough for our liking. My sister-in-law made this dish for our Mother's Day Brunch and she used a great little noodle called bucatini. This is on my favorite list!

Recipe: Chickpea & Brown Rice Burgers

Tonight I made "burgers" for dinner. Bryan, my "meat and potatoes" kinda guy, ate two of these burgers and raved on how good they tasted. Score! Brennan ate a small slider (another score!) and Alex, well, he hasn't eaten much this past week due to his steroids so I am not counting him in this poll! I really liked this recipe and I plan on making it again. I will warn that these burgers do not have the same texture as a beef or even a turkey burger, but they are tasty and much healthier for you than the red meat variety. I served these babies on King's Hawaiian Rolls with spicy brown mustard, romaine leaf lettuce and thin slices of roma tomatoes (the boys added cheddar cheese to their burgers).

Ingredients
2 cups of cooked and drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg, whisked
coarse sea salt & pepper to taste
parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. Mash brown rice and chickpeas together until they form a thick paste
2. Add in minced shallots and garlic, stirring well
3. Whisk in one large egg
4. Add in sea salt & pepper, to taste. Add in parsley.
5. Form into patties
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Cook patties on both sides until browned.

Our patties crumbled a bit so I may try two eggs next time. Of the three people who actually ate dinner, all three enjoyed the burgers so I'll call this one a hit! We ate this with baked fries and steamed broccoli.

Recipe: Whole Wheat Waffles

My boys love breakfast foods. If I allowed it, they would eat breakfast for every meal. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, french toast, oats, cream of wheat, yogurt, bacon, fruit....they love it all. Pancakes and waffles are probably their absolute favorites. I can easily whip up a healthy batch of pancakes, but I could never make waffles because I didn't have the right equipment. I make sure I buy whole wheat varieties and when possible I buy organic. A few weeks ago my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I knew instantly that I wanted a waffle maker. When I opened up my new waffle maker on Christmas Eve Brennan just about burst with excitement! Seriously, the child was happier than I was to receive this gift! He is so funny.

Earlier this week I made a run to Whole Foods where I picked up a package of organic whole wheat flour, organic frozen blueberries and my organic/cage free eggs and organic milk. I was on a mission to make the healthiest waffles possible! Tonight for dinner we had whole wheat blueberry waffles, uncured bacon and scrambled eggs. My kids were in Heaven!

This recipe is easy to make and my kids gobbled them up one after the other. If you have a waffle maker I highly suggest making this. Tonight we made a blueberry version; next time I will omit the berries and make a cinnamon waffle. Either way, I know exactly what went into the meal, I can make enough to freeze for future meals and I can change up the variations to our liking.

Ingredients
2 eggs (separate the yolk from the whites, you will use it all)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon stevia (you can use white sugar)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pureed blueberries

Directions
1. Preheat waffle maker/iron. I sprayed mine with non-stick spray so the waffles would come out easier.
2. Beat egg yolks in a large with a mixer. Beat in flour, milk, applesauce, stevia, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and berries until well blended and smooth. Fold in egg whites.
3. When the maker/iron is hot, pour the mix onto the hot top, close and cook until golden brown. Be sure you do not over pour the batter, you will get a mess!
4. Enjoy with 100% maple syrup!

NOTE: Pureed fruits cook better than whole chunks of fruit.

If you do not want to add in blueberries, add in 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Chopped nuts are also tasty and healthy when added to the brown sugar and cinnamon variety.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie

I was asked to bring a dessert this year to both my grandpa's house and my mother-in-law's house for our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration. I am really starting to enjoy baking and cooking so I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and tackle a pie. A few years ago I tried to make a pumpkin pie, but for some reason the filling never set. Who knows what I did, but I have been afraid of pie ever since. This year I was determined to bake a delicious pie for my family.

After much research I decided on this one particular recipe because frankly it sounded easy! I need easy recipes; the less steps the better the outcome, right!? On Monday evening I made two pies for Brennan's Teacher Appreciation Committee. I'll admit I tasted the batter and boy was it good. The smell of the baking spices filled my kitchen and I was hopeful for a sweet result. I'm happy to report they turned out perfect! I happily delivered my pies to St. Joesph on Tuesday morning....I had conquered pumpkin pie!! Tomorrow morning I will bake up two more pies to share at dinner with my family.

 Pumpkin Pie

9 inch deep dish pie crust

15oz pumpkin

14oz sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves (to your liking)

Preheat oven to 425. Mix all ingredients well, pour into pie crust. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40 minutes.

Recipe: Beer Cheese Soup

The weather has been cold and rainy...the perfect weather for a warm, hearty soup! I am not a big soup fan, but there is something about a really good beer cheese soup that gets to me. Bryan and I usually go to J. Buck's each February for Valentine's Day and this is where my love for this particular soup blossomed. I'll admit, this is not the healthiest meal, but it is warm and steamy and filling, just perfect for a blustery autumn day.

I read about 15 different recipes and each one was slightly different from the other. Knowing what I like and what Bryan will eat, I made my own version and it is pretty damn good if I say so myself! Tweak the ingredients as needed to fit your needs. Then sit back and enjoy a nice bowl of soup!

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of finely chopped carrots
1.5 cups of finely chopped celery
1.5 cups finely chopped onion
Minced garlic (fresh)
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
Cayenne pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups of broth (veggie or chicken)
2 cups of beer (I used Bud Light)
1/3 cup of butter
1/3 cup of flour
4 cups of half & half
6 cups of cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. In a large pot combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper, broth and beer. Cook on low-medium heat until the veggies are the consistency you desire. I believe I cooked my veggies for about 30 minutes.

2. In another pot warm butter, stir in the flour. Slowly add in the half & half and whisk until it gets thick. Take the pot off of the heat, then add in the cheese, stirring constantly until everything is mixed well. Be sure to keep this cheese mixture warm otherwise it will start to harden.

3. Slowly stir the beer mixture into the cheese mixture.

4. Add in the spicy brown mustard, ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes until everything is heated.

This was not a kid-hit in our house. Brennan told me he is too young to drink beer and Alex told me it smelled like a butt so they had grilled mozzarella cheese sandwiches that evening. Bryan and I loved this soup!

Recipe: Tuscan Beans

I stumbled across a super easy, super healthy recipe in one of my many magazines and decided to make it for dinner last night. Seriously, it was really tasty, filled us up and best of all was healthy. Alex didn't eat anything for dinner because he was in a mood, but Brennan gobbled it up.

Ingredients:
1lb white beans
8 cups water
garlic
Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Rinse beans and place in a crock pot. Cover with 8 cups of water.
2. Add in garlic and Italian seasoning to your liking.
3. Cook on high until beans are soft and tender and most of the water has been observed.

A couple of things....
1. The original recipe said to cook the beans on high for 3h 15m. I'm not sure what is wrong with my pot because it took more like 7 hours. Last night's dinner was actually tonight's dinner because the beans were still too hard at 5pm. Once the beans were cooked I placed them in the fridge. I think they actually tasted better this way because the flavors had a chance to mesh.

2. I used diced garlic from the fridge. I buy this little glass container of garlic that is already diced and ready to use rather than using dried garlic. Schnucks was totally out of fresh garlic otherwise I would have used that. I have no clue how much I used, maybe 2-3 tablespoons?

3. The original recipe called for cannellini beans. I looked at Walmart, Schnucks and Shop-n-Save with no luck so I went with white northern beans as the recipe said it would be a good substitute. I wonder if subbing these beans altered the original cook time?

In addition to the beans I served a green salad, crusty french loaf bread and a small side of clementine oranges. The oranges were mainly for the boys because getting them to eat salad is like asking them to eat a turd! It was a healthy, filling dinner that's for sure!

Beans are an excellent source of nutrition. They are high in minerals, fiber and protein. One cup of white northern beans is about...........200 calories; 12 g of fiber; 12% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of calcium; 21% RDA magnesium; 35% RDA potassium; 45% RDA folate; 16% RDA of vitamin B6; and 20% RDA iron. These beans are also very low in sodium. Beans are a wonderful addition to soups, salads, stews and as a main dish.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Rigatoni

I have really missed blogging! Work responsibilities have thrown me for a loop and by the time I get finished with family life I am just too darn tired to blog. I need to start making time for blogging because it is my little get away from the hustle and bustle of real life.

Anyway, autumn appears to be in full swing around here. That doesn't mean we will not see 80 degree temps again until next year, this is St. Louis after all! I love summer, but autumn is pretty high up there on my list. I love the sights and sounds and smells of the season. I especially love the food that represent autumn. I have been doing a lot of cooking lately and I cannot wait to share my recipes. Tonight I made a very simple pasta dish. While this isn't necessarily an autumn dish it sure was tasty and comforting after a weekend of camping in the cold. Best of all, my boys GOBBLED this down in record time. I think this may be one of the pastas that I will add into my regular rotation. Served with a green salad and crusty bread, you have yourself quite the meal!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 white wine
1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 heavy whipping cream, warmed to room temp
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound whole wheat rigatoni
basil to taste

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a saucepan, add chopped onion and cook until onion is soft.

2. Add the chopped garlic and saute until you can smell the strong garlic odor.

3. Add white wine and cook down until almost evaporated. Stir often.

4. Stir in crushed tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes.

5. Stir in heavy whipping cream, season with salt, pepper and basil.

6. While the sauce cooks a bit longer, boil the rigatoni until just tender. Drain and return to pot.

7. Combine pasta and sauce and serve with sides of your liking.

Again, not the healthiest, but yummy! I used canned organic tomatoes since my garden tomatoes have not produced much this year. The basil was from our garden and tasted great.

I need to start taking pictures and posting my creations!!

Recipe: Fajitas

Every Sunday morning I sit down with my pad of paper and pen and I create a weekly meal plan for dinners. Breakfasts and lunches are fairly easy, but dinners can be a bit of a struggle for many reasons. While I try to limit most of our evening activity I can't totally exclude everything. Thursday is our busy night thus far, with soccer practice AND Tiger Cubs so on that evening so we usually eat dinner out someplace semi-healthy (think Bread Co). Alex is also in this super picky food mood right now so it is no telling what he will or will not eat. Seriously, the kid could scarf down chicken on Tuesday and by Thursday he hates it....so is the life of a 4 year old! Right now the boys, especially Brennan, are on a Mexican kick so at least once a week I try to make something themed around beans, rice and cheese. I am a vegetarian and by the looks of Alex's food preferences he is leaning towards a mostly meat-free diet so beans are a great source of protein for us. I know Brennan is getting protein from the chicken, but the beans are an added bonus of protein, fiber and other vitamins/minerals.

Tonight I decided we would have fajitas. I hate cooking meat so I was quite happy when Bryan volunteered to grill the chicken. Best of all, we cooked everything outside so my kitchen stayed fairly clean! Here is the recipe we used for Tequila Lime Chicken and Veggie Fajitas:

Ingredients:


1lbs of all natural, organic chicken breast
Tequila (to your liking, we just splashed some in to mix all of the ingredients)
Lime juice (to your liking)
4 peppers (I used a combo of red, orange, yellow and green)
Onion
Fajita dry mix (I used a store bought brand, but it contained the least amount of ingredients)
1 cup water

Whole wheat and/or corn tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

Directions:


1. Place sliced chicken breast, tequila, lime juice, 1/2 cup water and half of the fajita dry mix into a zip lock bag, marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Slice onion and peppers into strips; place veggies into zip lock bag along with the rest of the tequila, lime juice, 1/2 cup water and the rest of the fajita mix, marinate at least 30 minutes.

3. Place chicken breast slices onto grill, discarding marinade mix. Grill until fully cooked.

4. Place veggies inside a grilling basket, discarding marinade mix. Grill to your liking (I prefer tender-crisp).

5. Once all the meat and veggies are grilled start assembling your fajitas and enjoy!

Bryan likes meat, veggies, shredded cheese and hot sauce. Brennan will only eat meat, beans and shredded cheese on his fajitas. Alex likes black beans, sour cream and shredded cheese fajitas. I make mine with black beans, veggies, shredded cheese and light sour cream. I guess in a true sense these are not traditional fajitas, but I love making them because everyone can make their dinner to their specific liking. I served black beans and fresh kiwi as sides. It was a hit with everyone!

Apple Picking

Last Friday was an absolutely beautiful day. The sky was brilliant blue with not a cloud in sight. The temps were mild and a slight breeze was in the air. It was the kind of day that begs you to be outside having fun. Brennan had a half day of school due to teacher meetings and I get off at noon every day so I decided we would make the most of the gorgeous day. After contemplating a variety of ideas I decided we would go fruit picking at Eckert's in Illinois. I was expecting to go peach picking, but I was thrilled to find out it was opening day for honeycrisp apple season!

Honeycrisp apples are our absolute favorites! Honeycrisps are created by pollinating Macoun and Honeygold apple varieties. The outcome is a sweet, lightly tart, firm apple. We like to eat them in their natural form, but I have also made applesauce, apple pie and apple crisp with them and all of the goodies were tasty.

Bryan decided to surprise us by taking off two hours early. After a quick lunch we loaded up the car and headed over to Belleville. We usually take the river ferry across the Mississippi, head into Grafton and visit the Eckert's in Grafton, but that day we decided to explore the Belleville location. This particular Eckert's is about 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis so it was a nice drive that allowed one tuckered out 4 year old an opportunity to cat nap!

I will never go apple picking on a weekend again; Friday afternoons are the way to go! We walked right up to the tractor and instantly boarded the wagon. Peaches were still available for picking so we gathered boxes and bags and headed out to the orchards. The boys had so much fun riding on the tractor/wagon ride. I'll admit, I had fun, too! The driver was an older man who was so sweet. He drove us out to the apple trees first and we picked two big bags of apples. Alex thought it was so neat that he could eat apples straight off the trees. Brennan was dying to pick peaces so we loaded the tractor again and headed to the peach orchards. These peaches were the biggest peaches I had ever seen! Brennan stashed on in his pocket and decided he would eat it later (he dropped it so many times it bruised all over, though). We loaded up the tractor again and headed back to the country store. As we sat high in the wagon my eyes fell upon the acres and acres of farm land filled with fresh fruits and veggies. Oh how I wish I could live on a farm! Most people are shocked when I say this, but I really wish I could live in the country, growing my food and tending to a few animals. I guess you could say I have changed a bit! It was such a neat time watching the boys explore, pick the fruit, eat it right off the trees, chase grasshoppers and have a good time. I love knowing that we have opportunities to show our boys where their food comes from, who tends to the fruits and veggies, who cares for the farmland, etc. Many times were take our food for granted. It is easy to grab a handful of greens or a bag of apples at the local grocery store and never once think about who planted the seed and tended to them all season long or to think about how did that zucchini get from the farm to the kitchen table.

Tonight, right before bed, I am going to make some homemade applesauce with some of our apples from Eckert's. Tomorrow morning when the boys wake up they can enjoy some warm cinnamon applesauce with their breakfast. The following recipe is SOOOOO easy, it tastes great and the smell is heavenly (imagine autumn bursting from your walls).

Ingredients:


Apples (I usually use 6-8 big apples, it all depends on how much you want to make)
1/2 cup water
Ground cinnamon (to your liking)
*1/4 cup real sugar (if desired; could also use Truvia, Stevia, etc.)

Slice apples, place into crock pot. Add water, cinnamon, and optional sugar. Turn pot on low and in a matter of hours enjoy your applesauce. I leave the skin on the apples because there is a lot of fiber and nutrients in the skins, however you can peel this off if desired. I like my applesauce warm, but it is also very good cold.

Recipe: Pasta Con Broccoli

I absolutely love pasta and this particular recipe is so easy and so tasty. My boys devour this pasta dish and Brennan usually asks for seconds. I have attempted to make a few tweaks here and there in order to add to the nutritional content. The following recipe is based on four servings. I serve this dish with salad, garlic bread and fruit so we usually have a very small amount of leftovers (about enough for one leftover lunch). Enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 ounces of large whole wheat pasta shells (original recipe calls for regular white flour noodles)
2 cups of fat free half & half (original recipe calls for full fat half & half)
4 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 small can of all natural tomato sauce (original recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of sauce)
1 cup of broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

*Original recipe calls for 2/3 cup of sliced mushroom, but we do not care for mushrooms so I do not add them.

Directions:
1. In a large cooking pot, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until about half-way done. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.

2. Add cream, butter, garlic, tomato sauce, broccoli, salt & pepper. Bring to a hard boil.

3. When noodles are fully cooked and sauce has thickened, add in the mushrooms. Stir to combine.

4. Remove the pasta from the heat, add the Parmesan cheese and toss.

5. Enjoy!

I have made this with fresh broccoli as well as a bag of steamed broccoli. The men in the house prefer the bagged broccoli because they like softer, well done veggies. I prefer the fresh broccoli, but as long as they are chowing down on that green stuff I'll eat whatever! I buy florets rather than chopped broccoli, but that is just my preference. I also prefer the real block of parm cheese as compared to the dried variety that comes in the green shaker can. I usually buy a small triangle of Parmesan cheese, shred it, use some in this recipe and save the rest for either lasagna or whole wheat pizza pockets.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Muffins

I love muffins, cakes, cookies, you name it. Usually these goodies are not too healthy, but I have found a great recipe for whole wheat sweet potato muffins. I think they are pretty darn healthy so I feel good feeding these to my family. The boys love these muffins! They are a hit in our house. Best of all? They smell incredible as they bake. It is sorta like autumn in a cup!

• Muffin Mix:
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup honey
• 1 (6 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
•  
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds (I omit almonds due to allergies)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners; set aside. Prick sweet potato several times with a fork and place onto a baking sheet.
2. Bake the sweet potato in the preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork. When the potato is cool enough to handle, peel and mash.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Stir in the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, honey, yogurt, and mashed sweet potato, just until all ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.
5. Blend together the oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle topping over unbaked muffins.
6. Bake muffins in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 12 to 15 minutes. 

Recipe: Zucchini Sliders

In May, after a long day of teaching, running Brennan to batting practice and visiting Bryan's gravely ill grandmother in the hospital, I realized I needed to fed my family dinner. It was late and there was still a lot to do before bedtime so we decided to stop by Ruby Tuesdays for a quick bite to eat. Our "safe restaurants" are limited due to Brennan's food allergies, but Ruby Tuesdays is simply wonderful with meeting his needs. If you are  in the St. Charles area and have dietary concerns, the Ruby Tuesdays on Mid Rivers Drive is a good option.

Usually when we go out to eat my choices are limited (although I could technically eat anything on the menu, unlike my sweet boy). I usually order a baked potato, salad, steamed veggies or a wrap minus the meat. As my eyes scanned the menu I noticed they had zucchini mini cakes. I happily ordered my dinner, excited that I had a new option.

These zucchini cakes were awesome! Shredded zucchini, red bell pepper, feta cheese....YUM! They were served on a slider bun with lettuce, tomato and a pickle (I opted to not add the mayo) and the sides were a salad and fries. I was stuffed and happy. I decided that I had to find a copy cat recipe to make at home and so my search started. I finally found a recipe and gave it a go tonight.

My kids refused to eat these sliders because they saw what went into them! The sight of red pepper and zucchini about sent them into a tailspin so I can officially say these are probably not kid-friendly unless you have a big veggie lover in your house. Bryan loved them and I thought they were OK; not Ruby's level, but I will most certainly make these again with substitutions here and there. The recipe I found called for parmesan cheese and I am not a big fan of it. I think it tastes and smells like vomit. I will use feta next time just like the Ruby version. I will also omit the salt because I thought the other spices were strong enough for my liking. Here is a modified version, a version I will make next time.

• 3 cups (2 medium) zucchini, coarsely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I will omit this)
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I will use feta)
• 1 egg
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning (or substitute below)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or plain yogurt
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I didn't use this as I didn't have any on hand)

Old Bay Substitute

• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp dried leaf oregano
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray baking sheet with canola oil. (I lined my sheet with foil and spritzed the foil with oil, much easier clean up!)
• Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater.
• Squeeze grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel. Zucchini should be fairly dry, and you should have about 2 cups after removing it from the towel.
• Place zucchini and remaining ingredients in a bowl; mix well.
• Form into 12 patties (approximate 2-inch diameter), and place on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Then turn each cake over and bake for another 8 minutes.

I wish I knew where I found this recipe so I could give credit, but I just saved it onto my computer the night I stumbled upon it. Thank you to the original owner of this recipe! I ate my zucchini slider with lettuce and tomato and a small amount of ranch dressing. Bryan added a small amount of cheese on top and just ate it plain. They are a good alternative to a traditional meat slider. In addition to the zucchini sliders we had steamed spinach, baked potatoes and a fruit salad. It was a healthy, easy, filling dinner. The boys were content with everything other than the sliders and I was OK with letting them just eat potatoes, veggies and fruit.

Happy eating!