Obvs I needed to make Buckeyes for the occasion. Despite being a long-time and kind of intense Buckeye (alum, former C-bus resident, scheduled my wedding around football, etc.), I have never made these little bits of chocolate-peanut butter candy utopia.
And now I know why. They are a pain to make. There's no picture today because mine, um, don't look that good (and are cooling in the fridge). And there's no recipe posted because you can Google it. Side note - at the suggestion of one of my co-workers (and C-bus native) I used dark chocolate. Best. Idea. Ever.
This is what they should look like:
I can promise you that mine look nothing like that.
I can also promise you come 8:49-ish tonight, the hubs and I will be cheering our team on to hopefully the NCAA Championship game. GO BUCKS!!
Tonight's fare is from EatingWell, which promised "Healthier in a Hurry." So let's review.
While I believe this recipe is meant to replace things like Hamburger Helper or some other pre-packaged sodium-fest, I don't know that I buy that this is super-healthy. You be the judge. I'm not a nutritionist, nor do I play one on TV.
I feel like this recipe was a little high in calories and sodium to qualify as healthy. And while it does include the super of all foods - broccoli - as a main ingredient - we def could have upped the nutritionals with more veggies. Plus, it was not specific enough (or at all) with serving size,which in my world leads to bigger-than-needed portions.
That being said, the "Hurry" part of this scenario certainly fit the bill. This was a snap to prepare - the only heavy lifting I had to do was cut up my chicken into chunks. And shoo off the dog, who was nipping at my heels for a teeny bit of chicken.
#DevProblems
Stovetop Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Source: EatingWell, I think March 2012 but I'm not sure
Ingredients:
8oz whole wheat egg noodles
1 14oz can reduced sodium chicken broth (used no salt added)
1 pound boneless chicken, cut into little chunks
1 14-16oz package frozen broccoli
1.5c skim milk
1/2c. reduced fat mayo
3 tbsp flour
1.5 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1.5c shredded cheese
Directions:
Place noodles in a large skillet. Pour broth over the noodles. Layer chicken then broccoli over the noodles.
Whisk milk through garlic powder in a medium bowl. Pour over broccoli.
Bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, 15-18 mins. Stir every once in a while.
When casserole is done, sprinkle cheese on top and broil lightly until browned, approx. 3 mins.
Reviews:
Despite my grousing about the health benefits, this meal was delish. While the hubs managed to pick out every last piece of broccoli from his serving, the kid and I savored our green goodness. It probably didn't need as much cheese as the recipe called for, but honestly - I love cheese and wasn't going to cut that down. We all liked the entire thing - it was warm and comforting and very filling. And probably not the healthiest.
After torturing the boys the past couple of nights with uber-healthy fare, I decided they needed a break and went with good, old fashioned meat and potatoes (Ack! No potatoes for the kid!). Of course, there's no lard or deep frying or anything particularly unhealthy involved, and this version still fits in my healthy qualifications. Shhh - just don't let them know that.
In my ongoing quest to fill our house with as many recipes as possible, I have started purchasing the Food Network Magazine. I am one of those fools who watches things like Cupcake Wars, Chopped, bake-off anything and Guy Fieri with reckless abandon. I can while away hours watching chefs I've never heard of creating bounties of deliciousness. So of course this magazine needed to find its way into my collection.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground, transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion and carrot to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl with bread and add turkey, beef, egg, and 1/2 tsp curry powder, salt and pepper.
Mix by hand (negative) until just combined. Shape into 4 small oblong meatloaves on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (I used mini meatloaf pans). Mix the ketchup and chutney in a small bowl and brush over the meatloaves. Bake until just cooked through, about 20 mins.
Yield: 4 servings Per serving (this includes potatoes and broccoli from the original recipe): 367 cals; 15g fat (4g sat); 123mg chol; 459mg sodium; 32g fiber; 29g protein
Reviews:
Kid. Potatoes. Need I say more. But, while I didn't really get a super "sweet" or "spicy" vibe from the meatloaf, I did find the overall flavor interesting in a good way. The boys also both really liked the loaves. This was also a super-fast meal to prepare.
Today was a completely fishy day for me, with a lovely tuna salad (homemade, obvs) for lunch and salmon for dinner. Color me sea-worthy.
I approached this meal with a little bit of trepidation, because the last recipe I pulled from Runner's World was not the best. Fortunately for us, this one was a bit more successful.
Unfortunately for you, I am out of words for tonight. Too much talking during the day. I'll have to remember to keep my mouth shut more tomorrow. Maybe.
Mini Salmon Loaves with Salsa
Source: Runner's World, March 2012
Ingredients/Directions:
Combine two 5-oz cans salmon (drained), 1 c. frozen chopped spinach (thawed/skipped), 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 tbsp chopped dill, juice from 1/2 lemon, 1/2 c. quick-cook rolled oats, 2 large eggs and salt/pepper to taste (skip). Divide mix among 12 lightly greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 20 mins. Serve with salsa. Yield: 4 servings (did not provide nutritionals)
We also had: Couscous with Roasted Almonds and Edamame
Source: No clue. My computer files - random word document that I saved
Ingredients:
1 med garlic clove
1.5 c. carrot juice (used water)
1/4 tsp salt (skip)
1.5 c. frozen shelled edamame
2 med scallions
4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro
3/4 c. couscous (used whole-wheat)
1 oz. roasted, unsalted almonds
Directions:
Mince garlic to make 1 tsp. Combine garlic, carrot juice, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add edamame and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 4 mins.
While edamame simmers, chop scallions to make 1/2 c. and cilantro to make 2 tbsp. Set aside. Increase heat to high and return to a boil, stir in couscous. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 mins. Fluff couscous with a fork, add scallions, cilantro and chopped almonds.
Reviews:
In addition to potatoes, the kid does not like couscous. So he ate a bite. He did manage to eat two salmon cakes, declared his brain felt smarter, and asked for his after-dinner treat. He then dipped his elbow in the couscous. Awesome. The hubs thought the salmon cakes were OK, albeit too many red peppers. But I think in his case, ANY presence of red peppers is too much for him. I thought the salmon was very, very easy to prepare, but the taste was just OK. Nothing special, not revolting. The couscous wasn't anything special.
Another week, another Meatless Monday upon us. As I was grabbing random recipes to prepare, this one caught my eye because it involves tempeh, which is something that I've never heard of or cooked with before.
For those in the dark like me, tempeh is a firm soy product that packs in a major protein punch. It has a slightly nutty texture and flavor, which was kind of fun to try and pass off as chicken to the kid. I would have tried the same bit with the hubs, but he unpacked the groceries and knew what was headed his way.
Tempeh and Broccolini Stir-Fry
Source: Cooking Light, March 2012
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs broccolini
6 tbsp chopped green onions
4.5 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
5 tsp canola oil
1 (8-oz) package organic tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 c. diagonally cut snow peas
2-2/3 c. hot white rice (used brown)
3 tsp chopped peanuts
Directions:
Cook broccolini in boiling water for 2 mins or until crisp tender. Drain and plunge into ice water, drain. Squeeze dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Combine 3 tbsp green onions and the next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a bowl.
Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over med-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil to pan, swirl to coat. Add tempeh; stir-fry for 5 mins or until golden brown on all sides. Remove tempeh from pan, keep warm.
Add remaining 2 tsp oil to pan, swirl to coat. Add broccolini and snow peas; stir-fry 2 mins, stirring occasionally. Add tempeh and vinegar mixture to pan; bring to a boil.
Divide rice evenly among 4 bowls, top with tempeh mixture. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and peanuts.
Yield: 4 servings (2/3 c. rice, 1-1/4 c. tempeh mix; 2 tsp peanuts)
The kid thought the chicken had a "funny" texture because it squished apart in his mouth. The hubs declared that the combo of tofu and broccolini would never be a win-win situation for him. Neither finished their portion. I, on the other hand, liked the tempeh. While it does have an interesting flavor and texture, I thought it was overall a good meal. Will I cook this again anytime soon? Probably not. But don't count out the temptation of tempeh (ha ha).
Ranking:
One Fork (only because the boys didn't like it - I thought it was good)
After a whirlwind couple of weeks with very few blog posts, you are going to get the pleasure of five straight nights of cooking, fingers crossed.
I actually wasn't supposed to cook tonight because of baseball, but the kid had some minor stomach pangs, so we opted out and I opted into the kitchen. As with all of the recipes I pulled this week, I just kind of grabbed this one at the last minute. (The other recipes are in the to-be-filed pile category, i.e., laying on my kitchen counter.)
I normally am not a big fan of super lemony foods. Despite the oodles of benefits of this little yellow fruit, I don't love lemonade. Or lemon popsicles. Or lemon bars. But this just sounded right tonight.
Chicken Piccata with Orzo
Source: Cooking Light, not sure of date
Ingredients:
1 c. uncooked orzo
2 tsp grated lemon rind (Yes, I did this! Yes, it was a mess!)
4 (4-oz) chicken cutlets
1/4 tsp kosher salt (skip)
1/4 tsp pepper (skip)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. white wine
1/3 c. fat-free, low sodium chicken broth (used no-salt added)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (skip)
1 tbsp capers (skip - don't like capers)
Directions:
Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Stir in rind.
While orzo cooks, heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan, swirl to coat. Add chicken, cook 3 mins on each side or until done. Remove from pan, keep warm.
Add wine to pan, cook 1 min or until liquid almost evaporates, scrapping to loosen browned bits. Add broth and lemon juice, bring to a boil. Cook 2 mins or until reduced to 1/2 c. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts. Stir in parsley and capes. Serve over orzo and chicken.
Yield: 4 servings (1/2 c. orzo, 1 cutlet and 2 tbsp sauce)
The kid was super excited about the lemon chicken, because he loves lemony items (and was actually jonesing for a lemon bar earlier today, in a completely unrelated conversation). Howevs, he declared that while the chicken was good, it was not super lemony. I disagree - the lemon taste was strong, but not in a bad way. The hubs noted he tasted the lemon most in the orzo. The meal was also very fast to throw together.
Ranking:
Three Forks
Yes peeps, I love The Beatles above all others. But I also have room in my heart for Zep (and Bowie, and the Stones, and...)
Hey there peeps. I bet you thought I'd abandoned this blog and challenge, right?
Ah - not so, ye of little faith. Last week, as noted by Chef Hubs, I battled a fierce stomach virus that left me kitchen-free in every way possible. Then... hello spring! Due to the amazingly warm (and amazingly un-CLE-like) weather, we broke out the grill and fired away. In the future, when I can plan a little bit better, I will unleash many grill recipes for your reading pleasure, but this time we stuck to turkey burgers and such, courtesy of our local markets.
This week will be equally lackluster in blog posts for you. This will be the only one until probably next weekend, due to basketball and a work trip for me. Luckily, I have two meals to share with you tonight, thanks to yet another new baby in the 'hood.
If you have never participated in a meal train, you should. They are awesome. Especially if you are on the receiving end, which we were fortunate enough to be on when I popped out the babe last year. While I don't foresee another meal train for us in our near future, I still enjoy participating.
Meal Train meal: Cheesy Beef Spirals
Source: Taste of Home Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups, Winter/Spring 2009
I also brought a lovely salad (IMO), ciabatta bread and dessert (not homemade - not enough time)
Reviews:
The meal looked awesome and it made a lot. I think Chef Hubs was salivating as I was making it. It is kind of like a deconstructed lasagna.
Our dinner: Pasta Roll-ups with Turkey and Spinach
Source: I'm not sure (was saved on my computer) - I think EatingWell?
Note: I did not include the cooked spinach because it makes me vom. I love raw spinach, but for some reason, I can't eat the green stuff cooked.
Reviews:
Tonight the hubs and I are on our own (with the exception of the snoozing baby) because the kid has baseball, so you won't get the benefit of his review. The hubs and I both liked this meal. It is a good weekend meal because it took about an hour (from start to completion, including cooking time).
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