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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

best burgers ever

2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 c bbq sauce (i like the spicy honey flavor best)
1 egg
1/8 - 1/4 c parmesan
seasoned salt, pepper, and old bay, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
cheese

mix all but cheese and form into 6-8 3/4 inch thick patties. grill or cook on 300 degree griddle. melt cheese over tops.

beef stroganoff

this is quite possibly my favorite meal out of all the recipes i've got. i've got somewhere around 1000, so to single this one out is a big deal.

1 lb. beef chunks
flour
2 tablespoons fat (i use butter)
1/2 c chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

dip meat in flour and brown in hot fat. add onions, soup, sour cream, salt, and pepper. may need water (for consistency). simmer until tender (about 1 hour). serve over rice or noodles.

* i don't coat the meat in flour, i just brown it as is. it tastes the same in the long run.
* i add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic.

spaghetti a la philly

this is from a cream cheese package, but it's really yummy!

1/2 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 lb. ground beef, browned
24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
parmesan cheese

mix meat, spaghetti sauce, and cream cheese. serve over pasta and top w/ parmesan. serves 6.

* for vegetarian, omit ground beef

stir fry

this is a something a friend of mine came up w/ a couple years ago. it's become one of our favorite meals.

2 chicken breasts, cut to bite-size
8 oz. veggies, your choice (we like california blend)
1 c yoshida's gourmet sauce
1/4 c italian salad dressing
splash lemon juice

cook chicken till done, then add remaining ingredients and saute till veggies are tender. serve over rice. serves 2.

* for vegetarian, omit chicken or substitute tofu.

cheesy baked shells and broccoli

i'm always on the hunt for new, yummy mac & cheese recipes, and this is one of them. if i'm remembering correctly, i got it out of a kraft foods magazine.

3/4 lb. medium pasta shells, cooked (about 5 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 c whole milk
2 c grated cheddar or gruyere, divided (8 oz.)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon papper
16 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed

heat butter in large pot over medium heat. add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. whisk in milk. stir occasionally until slightly thickened (4-5 minutes). add 1 1/2 c cheese and stir till melted. stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper. add pasta and broccoli and toss to combine. transfer to broilerproof 1 1/2 quart pan (8 inch square). sprinkle w/ remaining cheese. broil until golden brown (3-4 minutes). serves 4.

chocolate ganache

this is a collaboration of recipes i found on allrecipe.com. i think it's awesome, but you can be the judge of that for yourself!

2/3 c heavy cream
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (i'm sure any kind will work, this is just what i used)

heat cream over meium-high heat till surface quivers - DO NOT BOIL! pour over chocolate chips and whisk, starting in the center and working your way out. cool to desired consistency - pourable or spreadable - and use to frost cake. cool completely in fridge before serving.

cheesy salsa burgers

i LOVE burgers, but i like to play around w/ what goes into the meat. here's my latest creation:

2 lbs. ground beef
6 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
1 c salsa verde
1-2 eggs

mix together by hand and form into 6 patties. grill to desired done-ness. serve w/ a bun and topped w/ your favorite condiments (we LOVE these w/ chipotle mayo on top). serves 6.

cafe rio style pork tacos

these pulled pork tacos these are seriously one of the BEST things i've ever tasted in my life. here's the recipe (well, it's actually 3 recipes):

pork barbacoa

3 lb. pork loin roast
1/2 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced onions
1 can el pato salsa de chili fresco (you can find it in the mexican/latin section of the grocery store; it's a little yellow can)

place all but salsa in crockpot and cook on high 5 1/2 hours. shred meat and stir in salsa just before serving. (this has very little liquid, so i HIGHLY recommend using a crock pot liner! and don't worry, i promise it's juicy and tender!)

cilantro rice

2 c uncooked rice
2 c minced cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 c salsa verde
2 tablespoons minced onions
2 c chicken broth (more or less, according to directions on the rice packaging)

cook on stovetop - DO NOT USE A RICE COOKER! place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. turn off heat, cover pot, and let steam till tender.

creamy tomatillo dressing

1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 c mayo
1/2 c buttermilk
3-4 tomatillos
1 c fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

peel and wash tomatillos till soapy residue is gone. combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend/process till smooth. store excess in fridge.

layer tortilla chips, meat, rice, and your favorite taco toppings (cheese, lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, etc.), then top w/ creamy tomatillo dressing. yum!

fried pork chops

thanks to kayla for this recipe!

3-4 thick cut pork chops
1 cup half and half or buttermilk or whole milk
1 egg
1/4 cup thai peanut sauce
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon dill
1 clove garlic, finely minced

put a frying pan on the stove with about an inch of oil (i use canola), and turn the stove to high to heat oil. while heating, mix egg, peanut sauce, and milk in a bowl. in separater bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, paprika, pepper, dill, and garlic. pat pork chops dry, then dredge in flour mixture. dunk them in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture again (you can repeat this as many times as you want, but the flour should always be the first coating; the more you repeat it, the thicker the breading). when the oil is nice and hot, put breaded pork chops in, and turn heat to medium. cook about 5-7 minutes per side, or till golden brown and pork is cooked through. let stand about 5 minutes before serving.