penne and spinach alfredo

well, it's been quite a while since i've had anything to share here, but now that i do, i can't wait to get it out there! a little background: i've recently decided i'm fed up with my body's year-long plateau in the baby weight loss department, and to kick start myself, i decided to do 2 weeks of clean eating. i'm halfway through, and while i haven't been perfect about it, i can see and feel the difference! this whole past week, i had this idea rolling around in my head for a pasta dish, and i finally decided to make it for dinner tonight. it turned out fantastically! so without further adieu, here it is!

penne & spinach alfredo

2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken

1 teaspoon morton's nature's seasons

1/2 c light cream

1 tablespoon flour (ideally whole wheat, but all i had on hand was white)

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1/4 c parmesan

handful baby spinach, torn

8 oz. (half a box) whole wheat penne rigate, cooked and drained

shredded asiago for garnish

preheat oven to 350. sprinkle chicken pieces with morton's nature's seasons and place in greased pan. bake for 10-15 minutes till juices run clear. cut into bite-sized pieces. set aside.

over medium heat, whisk together cream, flour, salt, and pepper. continue whisking until mixture thickens slightly. add parmesan and combine. remove from heat and add chicken, baby spinach, and pasta. sprinkle with asiago to serve. serves 3.

the best part about this dish? it's only 494 calories per serving!

and ok, yes, it's a little high in fat and low in protein, but you could always add more meat and use milk instead of cream. but when i made this, i'd just gotten through a 4 hour rehearsal for the nutcracker, and i was STARVING. i needed to get quick calories, so i opted for this version. and you know what? it was delicious. i will definitely make this again, though i'll tweak the recipe a bit (and update here when i do).

bbq sauce 2 ways

do you ever get tired of the same old grocery store bbq sauces? i knew i could do WAY better, so i gave it a whirl and tried not one, but TWO different bbq sauces. i did a sweet and tangy carolina bbq sauce and a super spicy traditional sauce. here's what i did:

carolina bbq sauce

*note: this is NOT exactly the proportions i used when i made it. mine turned out WAY more mustard-y than i wanted, so i've adjusted my recipe after the fact w/out testing it. in the original trial, i used a whole 14 oz, bottle of french's yellow mustard.

1 c yellow mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 c worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder (you can also use 1 clove fresh minced garlic)
2 tablespoons dry onion (or about 1/4 to 1/2 fresh chopped onion)
2 tablespoons honey
5 drops liquid smoke (i used mesquite flavor)
1/4 c brown sugar

mix everything together w/ a whisk or fork and reduce over low heat 30-60 minutes to desired thickness.

"pants on fire" bbq sauce

1 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c worchestershire sauce
5 drops liquid smoke (i used hickory flavor)
2 tablespoons (yes, you read that right) cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

mix everything together w/ a whisk or fork. reduce over low heat for 30-45 minutes to desired thickness.

both of these recipes make about 1 cup of sauce each. i used them to baste a half rack of baby back ribs each and had JUST enough. next time i have ribs, i'm planning to double each recipe so there's enough for more frequent basting, as well as dipping sauce.

* these can be frozen if you want to make a bunch ahead of time to use later.

fiesta ranch bacon cheeseburgers

these have just a little bit of kick to them, which makes them so yummy!

2 lbs. ground beef

1 egg

1 packet hidden valley fiesta ranch mix

1/2 c bread crumbs

garlic powder and pepper, to taste

combine all in large bowl

form into patties (i do 4 oz. patties, so this recipe made 8)

heat up the grill or a frying pan and cook

melt cheese on top and finish w/ bacon and a bun. i like to put kroger's 3 cheese ranch dressing in place of ketchup/mayo/mustard for these. garnish w/ lettuce, tomato, and onions, if desired. enjoy!

triple berry protein shake

i decided to treat my kids to "ice cream" for lunch today and came up w/ this. it turned out really well!

4-6 frozen strawberries
6 fresh raspberries
20 fresh blueberries
1/2 banana
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tblsp sugar
1/2 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (i used vanilla whey powder)

throw it all in a blender, blend till smooth, and enjoy! serves 1.

turkey stew

i come up w/ this on the fly and it turned out well, so i wanted to share!

1 lb. celery, sliced
1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 lb. broccoli florets
1 teaspoon morton's nature's seasons
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
turkey drippings, cooled, solids skimmed off
4 c water
1/4 c cornstarch
1 lb. turkey meat, cooked and diced

simmer veggies and seasonings in turkey drippings and water 15 minutes till tender. add turkey. ladle out about 1 1/2 c of broth into a cup and whisk in cornstarch. return broth to pot and mix well. serve over rice. serves 8.

smoky mac & cheese

i came up w/ this on a whim, and i have to say, it turned out perfectly! i hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

1 lb. box pasta, cooked and drained
1 c milk
2 tablespoons butter/margarine
1/4 c flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 c parmesan
1 c shredded cheddar
1/2 tablespoon worchestershire sauce

heat milk and butter over medium heat until melted. whisk in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper. keep stirring until slightly thickened. add cheeses and stir constantly till melted and smooth. whisk in worchestershire sauce last. pour over pasta and toss to coat. serves 6.

* tip: the longer you let the sauce cook, the thicker it'll be. if you like it runny, turn the heat off immediately after adding the cheese - it'll still be warm enough to melt it completely. i let mine cook for about 5 minutes and it ended up a little thicker than i liked, so i added a little water.

on the label "vegetarian"

i just wanted to make sure that i say this: any recipe labeled "vegetarian" is something that doesn't call for meat. there may be eggs or dairy. nothing w/ a face has this label, everything else does.

frozen food life

my mom gave me this list of frozen food life, as well as foods to NEVER freeze, so i thought i'd share it w/ you all.

ice cream/sherbet - 1-3 months
beef: ground - 3-4 months
roast/steak - 6-12 months
stew - 2-4 months
bread: quick - 2-3 months
yeast - 3-6 months
milk - 1-2 months
cake: baked, un-iced - 2-6 months
cheese: natural - 1 1/2 - 2 months
pasteurized/processed - 4 months
chicken: parts - 9 months
whole - 12 months
eggs - 12 months
fish: fatty - 3 months
lean - 6 months
fruit: citrus and juices - 4-6 months
others - 8-12 months
giblets - 3 months
gravy/broth - 2-3 months
lamb: chops or roast - 6-9 months
margarine - 6-9 months
pie: baked - 4-6 months
baked crust - 6 months
unbaked crust - 1 1/2 - 2 months
pork: chops - 3-4 months
roast - 3-6 months
sausage - 4-6 months
seafood: cooked lobster/shrimp - 2-3 months
uncooked shrimp - 12 months
turkey: parts - 6 months
whole - 12 months
veal: cutlets or roast - 6-9 months
veggies - 10-12 months

never freeze:

* light cream, buttermilk, yogurt
* cooked eggwhites
* custard pies, cream puddings
* green onions, lettuce, greens, tomatoes, radishes, unblanched veggies
* icing made w/ egg whites
* mayo, sour cream

some of the things on the do not freeze list are ok to freeze (things like yogurt and sour cream are alright to freeze), just expect them to taste/feel different when you thaw them.

loaded baked potato soup

this is a great meal on a cold day. it'll fill you up while it warms you up!

4 large potatoes, baked, skinned, and cut into chunks
2/3 c butter
2/3 c flour
6 c milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 green onions, chopped
12 slices bacon, crumbled
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar
8 oz. sour cream

make a white sauce of butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. add green onions, bacon, cheddar, and sour cream. crumble in potatoes. heat and eat.

easy beef stew

1/2 lb. stewing beef, thawed
veggies, your choice (i like potatoes, carrots, and celery)
3 cans cream of potato soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 c water
pepper, to taste

place meat and veggies in crock pot and top w/ soup and soup mix. pour water over all and sprinkle w/ pepper. cook on low 8-12 hours. serves 2-3.

broccoli cheese soup

1 lb. frozen broccoli florets
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
58 oz. chicken broth (that's 7 1/4 c)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans cream of celery
2 cans cream of chicken
1 1/2 c potato flakes
morten's nature's seasons
paprika
8 oz. shredded cheddar

simmer broccoli, onion, garlic, broth, and oil till tender. add cream soups and stir till smooth. add potato flakes and season to taste. add cheese last and stir till melted. serve in bread bowls.

* for vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and cream of celery or asparagus in place of the cream of chicken

freezer jam

here's a quick and easy way to make your own jam. it tastes like fresh fruit! once you've had this, no other jam will taste nearly as good.

2 c mashed fruit
4 c sugar
3/4 c water
1 package fruit pectin

mix fruit and sugar and let stand 20 minutes. in a small saucepan, conbine pectin and water. boil for 1 minutes and immediately pour over fruit mixture. stir 2-3 minutes. pour into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. cover and let stand 24 hours. store in freezer until ready to use (up to 1 year). once thawed, store in fridge up to 3 weeks.

* this is VERY sweet. i only use 3/4 - 1 c of sugar per 2 c of fruit.

strawberry pie

1 c sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarck
3 tablespoons strawberry jello mix
2 c fresh strawberries (NOT frozen)
baked pie shell
whipped cream

in a pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and jello together. slowly add 1 c water and stir to make sure there are no lumps. boil and stir 5 minutes until thick. let cool. add berries. spoon into pie shell. top w/ whipped cream and refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

mushroom chicken (or turkey)

this is a rich, creamy favorite.

chicken or turkey pieces
1 family size can cream of mushroom soup
3 cloves garlic, minced
veggies, your choice (i like to use broccoli or carrots)

place meat, soup, and garlic in crock pot. cover and cook on high 3 hours. add veggies and continue to cook 1-2 hours. serve over rice.

taco chicken

i love this variation on chicken tacos. it's quick and easy and fun to eat!

chicken pieces
chicken broth (or 1 c water per chicken bouillon cube)
taco seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped

place all in crock pot, cover, and cook on high 4-6 hours. serve w/ rice, cheese, veggies, sour cream, salsa, tortillas/chips, beans, or whatever other toppings you prefer.

italian pork chops

yummy breaded, baked pork chops

1/2 c italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c green onions, chopped
butter
pork chops

mix bread crumbs, cheese, seasoning, and garlic in a small bowl. dip chops in water, then dredge in bread crumb mixture. repeat as desired. place in baking dish and top w/ green onions. dot w/ butter. bake at 400 for 30 minutes till done.

italian meatloaf

this is the only meat loaf i make, but i love it!

1 can meat spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 c bread crumbs
1/2 c chopped onions
1/2 c green pepper, chopped
3 eggs, beaten
parmesan

mix all but 1/2 jar of sauce w/ hands and press into loaf pan. bake at 400 for 45 minutes. pour remaining sauce over top and sprinkle w/ parmesan. bake an additional 15 minutes. serves 6.

*i use 2 lbs. of ground beef and split the meat mixture between 2 loaf pans. i also omit the green pepper.

creamy chicken

this is a recipe from one of my college roommates. it quickly became a family favorite.

chicken pieces
1/2 c water
butter
1 packet italian dressing mix
1 family size can cream of chicken soup
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

place chicken in crock pot. sprinkle w/ dressing mix and cream cheese. pour soup and water over all. dot w/ butter and cover. cook on low 6-8 hours. serve over rice.

* when i make this, i omit the butter. it doesn't make much difference in anything other than calories and saturated fat.

dad's meatballs

these aren't your typical meatballs. instead of the little 1 1/2 inch meatballs you put in spaghetti sauce, these are meant to be a stand-alone meat as part of your dinner.

2 lbs. ground beef (or half ground beef and half sausage)
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c butter or margarine

mix all except butter and form into 3 inch balls. melt butter in frying pan and brown meatballs on all sides. cover and simmer on led-low heat 30-45 minutes. remove meat and whisk i flour to make gravy. serve over rice or potatoes.

*i use a few tablespoons of olive oil in pace of the butter when i make these.

cheesy crockpot chicken

this turned out better than i'd imagined and we'll DEFINITELY be making it again!

boneless, skinnless chicken breasts
10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
10 oz. can fiesta cheese soup

place chicken in crock pot and cover w/ soups. cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. serve over rice or noodles.