Roasted Vegetables

This isn't really a recipe at all, but rather more of a starting point for quick meals during the week.

Every Sunday, I try to roast a big pan of vegetables to have on hand. Usually I toss chopped onions, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast them at 400 degrees until they're tender and brown, but you could use whatever combination you like. Then I just put them in the fridge to use for various meals:

• as a side dish, with a rotisserie chicken from Costco and a loaf of bread
• mixed with eggs and a little bit of cheese for a vegetable frittata
• tossed with cooked couscous, parsley, feta, olive oil, and lemon juice, served with chicken sausages from Trader Joe's
• inside a quesadilla
• mixed into a big salad
• over a baked potato with a little bit of mozzarella or cottage cheese for protein
  
• cold, out of the pan, at the counter (instead of, or at least before, all of the candy in the house)

Again, this isn't a recipe or particularly creative, but it helps me to have something healthy in the fridge that's ready to go when I need it.

Slow Cooked Stuffed Peppers

I don't do much crock-pot cooking, but when I do, I always think, "I should totally be cooking more stuff in my crock-pot!" Anyway, here is an easy and yummy recipe for stuffed peppers using the crock-pot. I prep the peppers the night before and then throw all the stuff in before I leave in the morning. And it makes the house smell so yummy when I get home!

Slow Cooked Stuffed Peppers

1 package (about 7 oz) Spanish rice mix
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup diced celery
1 small onion, diced
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
1 package taco seasoning
1 egg, beaten
3 med green bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup, undiluted*
1 cup water

1. Set aside seasoning packet from rice. Combine turkey, rice, celery, onion, chilies, taco seasoning and egg in a large bowl. Divide mixture evenly among pepper halves.

2. Pour tomatoes with juice into slow cooker. Arrange filled pepper halves on top of tomatoes. Combine soup, water and reserved rice mix seasoning packet in medium bowl. Pour over peppers. Cover; cook on LOW 8-10 hours.

* Last time I made these, I used about 2 cups of Trader Joe's Low Sodium Tomato Soup instead of condensed soup and maybe a half cup of water. It made them a little more saucey (which we liked), so feel free to play around with the soup/water mixture.

Perfect Pasta

I should be Italian. I really should be. I feel that way back in my family someone must have been Italian. There is no other way to explain just how much I love Italian food. I think I could eat it every meal. Really, I could. Imagine my delight when a few months ago my beloved Bon Appetit arrived in the mail and it was devoted to everything Italian. I was in heaven; I couldn't put it down. Now, imagine how excited I was to discover a whole article on making the perfect pasta. Oh, giddy night before a field trip excited. In that article I found the simplist, most delish pasta sauce recipe that I have ever had, and it only has 5 ingredients.

Cacio E Pepe (serves 2)

Kosher salt

6 ounces pasta (I use whole wheat spaghetti)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, divided (use a really flavorful butter. I made this at my mom's and it wasn't as good because her butter was not all that tasty)

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

3/4 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan

1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino*

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.

Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining butter. Reduce heat to low and add Grana Padano, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted. Remove pan from heat; add Pecorino, stirring and tossing until cheese melts, sauce coats the pasta, and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve.

The most amazing thing about this recipe is how it is just begging to be modified. Toss some broccoli in the water at the last minute or two, maybe saute some mushrooms in the butter and add some peas. Whatever your tastes are, experiment to suit. My favorite modification is a corn sauce that I make all too often right now. I made it for a dinner party on Saturday and everyone said it was their favorite sauce of the night. The ground corn creates a creamy, milky sauce. Yum.

Cacio E Pepe with Corn (serves 2)

Kosher salt

6 ounces pasta (I use whole wheat spaghetti)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, divided

Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn. Set aside 1/2 the kernels.

1 medium onion diced

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan*

1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino*

Using a mortar and pestle, grind 1/2 the corn kernels until they have released all milk and are pretty much mush. Set aside.

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in pan, add pepper and onion. Saute onion until it is translucent but not browned. Add whole corn kernels, season with salt and cook about 4 minutes, or until corn is cooked through. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining butter. Add ground corn kernels, tossing with tongs to incorporate. Reduce heat to low and add parmesan, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted. Remove pan from heat; add Pecorino, stirring and tossing until cheese melts, sauce coats the pasta, and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve.

*Trader Joe's sells a Parmesan/Pecorino mix that I use for everything. This is what I used for these recipes.

Honey Joys

If you are looking for treats on go on the kids table, then this is a classic Australian birthday party goodie - and super easy.

Thanks to KidSpot.com.au for the following Honey Joy Recipe

Ingredients:

• 90g butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes

Method:

• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• Line 24 hole patty pan with paper cases.
• Melt butter, sugar and honey together in a saucepan until frothy.
• Add Kellogg's Corn Flakes and mix well.
• Working quickly spoon into paper patty cases.
• Bake in a slow oven 150°C for 10 minutes.
• Cool.

Notes

Sprinkle a few crushed peanuts over the top if nut allergy isn't a problem.

Tested by The Australian Women's Weekly TEST KITCHEN.

This recipe was created by Kellogg's nutritionists.

Sweet Potato Risotto

I am a rice lover.  Perhaps because I have a wheat intolerance, but more likely because it is delicious and easy, not to mention versatile.

Tonight, I am going to try a new recipe I took from Betty Crocker.  I am going to substitute some items since I do not want to go grocery shopping, and add a protein (I am thinking shrimp).  Click the link, or see the details below.  Check back to see how it turns out :)

Ingredients:

2

tablespoons dry white wine or water

1/3

cup chopped onion

1

garlic clove, finely chopped

1

cup uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice

1/2

cup mashed cooked sweet potato (I use the canned kind from Trader Joe's)

3 3/4

cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton), warmed

2

tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I will use soy cheese in the hopes that my son will eat it)

1/2

teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1/8

teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1Spray 3-quart nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Heat wine to boiling in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic in wine 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in rice. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• 2Stir in sweet potato and 1/2 cup of the broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is completely absorbed. Stir in an additional 1/2 cup broth. Continue cooking about 20 minutes, stirring constantly and adding broth 1/2 cup at a time after previous additions have been absorbed, until rice is creamy and just tender; remove from heat.
• 3Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Italian Rice and Beans

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks: Vegan Yum Yum. Its a weekly menu item and is SUPER fast and very nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Brown Rice (i use the microwavable bags from Trader Joes)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 3 teaspoons Italian herbs of your choice (basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary etc)

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes cut into strips (i use the julienned ones)

1/4 cup pine nuts (already toasted from Trader Joes work great!)

1 can great northern beans; rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 large handfuls baby spinach

Zest from 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

step 1 Start cooking the rice (or just pop it in microwave for 3 minutes :))

step 2 Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat

step 3 Add the herbs, tomatoes, and pine nuts. When the pine nuts start to turn golden brown, add the beans. Toss gently, trying your best to keep the beans whole.

step 4 Add the salt and vinegar and stir gently. Turn the heat to LOW.

step 5 Place spinach in one layer on top of the beans. Place the hot, steaming rice over the spinach and leave for 30 seconds or so, until you see the spinach wilt. Mix gently and taste. If it doesn't have the kick you want, add in a little more vinegar and salt to taste.

step 6 Grate lemon zest on top of rice and beans and serve.

Easy lunch boxes

I am always on the search for the perfect storage solution.  I love purses, bags and containers.  I am a frequent visitor of The Container Store and IKEA.  I reorganize our cabinets and house often (to my husbands dismay!).

I was recently introduced to these cool lunch boxes by a friend.  I like the size and simplicity.  They have 3 compartments which is perfect for a sandwich, fruit/veggie and a cracker.  It has helped to eliminate the massive amount of plastic containers and snack bags I was washing on a daily basis, and has eliminated my need for plastic baggies.  The containers are plastic--but, they are BPA free.  Best of all is the price.  For 4 containers and4 different colored lids--they cost less than $15.  They also fit inside of a Crocodile Creek lunch box with some room to spare.

The lids aren't super tight, so packing wet food or fruit wouldn't be a good idea, but it makes it easy for the kids to open the lids up.  If you kiddo's are prone to dumping or spilling their food out--these would not be a good fit.  And if you child eats in the stroller or on the go I wouldn't suggest them either.

There are a ton of websites now on Bento Box styled lunches and ideas, I stick to the basic sandwich with fruit theme.

Spinach, Cheddar Quiche

thought id start this off with something i made tonight. it was super good! if you like quiche. im gonna be posting a lot of Weight Watchers recipes because that is what i follow. but hopefully you all can find some that work for your family! i only know the 'points' information. i dont have the other info (cals, fiber etc). Just know that it is 'healthy'. :)

note: i substituted spinach for broccoli and i sauteed portobello mushrooms (diced) with the onions. good!!

Paul liked this recipe a lot. we are shoving it down Fia's face so she can have yogurt. enjoy!

Ingredients 6 oz pie crust, 9-inch, refrigerated 2 tsp olive oil 1/2 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped 1 1/4 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese 1 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese 1 large egg(s) 2 large egg white(s) 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or more to taste 10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well-drained 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese Instructions Preheat oven to 375ºF. Press pie crust into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan or a 9-inch pie pan; refrigerate until ready to use. To make filling, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl and add ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, egg, egg whites, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well and fold in broccoli. Spoon mixture into prepared crust and level surface with a wooden spoon; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until a knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving. Notes Not a broccoli fan? Substitute spinach in its place.

Welcome

This site was designed to act as a central location for the posting of recipes, meal planning ideas, lunch box suggestions, and overall help for busy parents who are saddled with the responsibility of meal planning.