In a Nutshell

     I think I quote movies too much. Or I think in quotes. Or something weird like that. My first thought as I was going to relay this past few weeks “in a nutshell” to you was the one Austin Powers gives all curled up on his bed yelling, “This is me in a nutshell, help help! How did I get into this nutshell?!” I know. Strange. But I really feel like I am quite literally IN a nutshell to. I will spare your interest as to What type of nutshell it actually is!
     So life is cruising along. I am all over the board constantly with eating healthy. I love it. My family doesn’t so much. Neither does my schedule, as in, I do not always have time to make vegetarian lasagna from scratch kids. Sometimes not even a super nutritious breakfast, we’re talking cheerios baby. (I am pretty sure it qualifies as healthy in this day and age right?) All depends I guess on who you talk to. I am very split between mostly veg, and this newer mindframe of “heck yeah animal fat! (so long as it’s grass fed!)” Which p.s. isn’t cheap either. Are these healthy doctors in bed with the supermarkets and quick food industry or what?! Ugh. On a lighter note, I still love food each and every day, so thats good. Kids are crazy as ever, but it is summer, no excuse for not blogging right? Plus I really need to hone in on my writing skills, as I have FINALLY decided on a major. PERMANENTLY! (Hold on to your seats! Anyone who knows me will realize this is an amazing feat. If not a miracle. It’s only changed 312 times in the last need I say how many years since I graduated?!)
     English. With a creative writing emphasis and art history minor. That way I can teach if necessary and write when desired. More on that later. AND, I begin Yoga teacher training in August! I am SO uber excited. Thanks hubs for going back to school so I can too! At this rate, I just may graduate with my kids! HA!
     So, my littlest is trying to walk (yeah he is only 8 mos old) and the boys are crazy as ever, and then here is me saying this is not quite all of them, I wonder when we should have another! Agh! In all seriousness, I love being busy, so why not?! On an even more important note, I am actually cooking one of my new favorite recipes AS I WRITE, so what a fitting time to blog all about it? I got this recipe from a fabulous gal out in St. George, UT at a Bosch cooking class of all places, and with her permission I am sharing it will all you lovely folks! It is sooo easy, refrigerates great, and is meatless, effortless, not tasteless, and.. um... money-less (cheap!), low fatless, and virtually potless! No wonder I love it!

     Penne With Broccoli and White Beans
       Courtesy of April Fazzini, from Creative Cooking with April

3 bunches broccoli (about 4 c)
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil + 1 tbsp
3/4 pound (350g) whole wheat penne pasta (I just use the 13.25 oz box)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (opt)
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (that pre minced garlic is GREAT too!)
2 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tbsp dried if needed)
2 15 oz cans cannellini or other white beans, drained
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to boil, adding a drop of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking. Once boiling, add pasta and set timer for 8-10 min. Rinse broccoli and cut florets off. When pasta has 3 min left, add broccoli to pot with the pasta and keep cooking. Drain pasta/broccoli and set aside. In the pot used for the pasta, heat the 1/3 oil, 1/2 tsp salt, red pepper flakes, pepper, oregano and garlic stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add the beans, pasta and broccoli, stir. Reduce heat to low simmer for about 2 min. Mix in feta and serve!

Pass MORE of the pumpkin please!

    This recipe I confess is apparently a repeat...I just searched my archive and saw it way back at the beginning. However, it is so very good that it is definitely deserving of another print, especially as it is so very fitting to the season. Without any further adieu, my most favorite and might I add ever popular pumpkin pie recipe. It is crustless (save on the carbs, heaven knows we all need that over the holidays!) and even the most determined self proclaimed pumpkin pie haters have been converted to the way of the crustless pumpkin pie...

     Mom’s Famous Crustless Pumpkin Pie


1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
4 Tbsp butter softened
2 13 oz. can evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
1 c. Bisquick Baking Mix
2 15 oz. cans Pumpkin (or the equivalent of 4 c. fresh or 1 large 29 oz can )
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350^, spray 4  9” pie plates evenly with a light coat of cooking spray. Beat all ingredients in a large bowl till smooth. Once pie plates are evenly filled, bake until golden brown and an inserted knife comes out clean, about 50 min - 1hr depending on your oven. Let set for 10 min or so. Serve with homemade whip cream or vanilla ice cream. 


P.S. This recipe can easily be cut in half for only 2 pies. We go through ‘em like crazy though, so I always make up the whole batch. Also makes a GREAT quick breakfast. You do the math, the ingredients are no more “sugary” etc than breakfast cereal, and kids LOVE it! Serve with milk instead of ice cream and your kids just may sing to you the favorite...Bill Cosby style... morning music of    “Mom is great, gives us...Pumpkin Pie!"

Don’t let the Goat Cheese get Ya...

     That’s right! Don’t let it intimidate you either! At approx. half the calories and fat for just the regular goat cheese too (try 80 calories and 5 g fat per 1 oz. vs. 80 FAT calories and 9-10 g fat per 1 oz. of oh so yummy cheddar cheese) this is quite a delicious treat to add flavor variety to all sorts of dishes. Today’s special? Farmer’s Market tomatoes served up Caprese style. At least that was what they called it in the restaurant, so I will make my version the with the same name too. Ultimate fav about this one? Not only is it so rediculously easy, but a major crowd pleaser, can double as just a side dish vs. appetizer, AND it tastes GREAT too.  Check out the bottom for another quick summer lovin’ but no oven “dish” perfect from those extra summer peaches you may not know what to do with too...


     Tomato and Goat Cheese Caprese

1 large heirloom tomato
2-3 sprigs basil, torn
1-2 tbsp goat cheese crumbles
5-8 pitted Kalamata olives
olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper for drizzling

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on a platter, sprinkle torn basil, goat cheese crumbles, and olives. Drizzle olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper and POOF, you are DONE!

     Grilled Peaches

2-4 peaches sliced in half and pitted
olive oil
balsamic vinegar if desired

Rub the peaches in oil, grill on a hot BBQ for 3-5 min. per side (make sure not to char ;o)
Serve with an extra splash of balsamic if desired.
PERFECT for a BBQ dinner one night, or as dessert with a little beat of cheese or cream to end an oh so good meal.

Jamaican Me Crazy Sweet Potatoes

     This dish is dedicated to my kids...mostly because they do make me crazy, but the contents of this meal pretty much rock in my book and are a little like my kids. Spicy, zippy, sweet, colorful, and the perfect blend of what really makes a dish de-lish. It can even totally pull off a summer or a winter dinner fix. I got the idea from the restaurant Claim Jumpers that I used to go to in Vegas with the hubs back when we had more money and were trying to wooo (sp?) each other. Then I found a version I liked on the internet, and altered it to my specs. Basically it is a baked sweet potato slathered in a sort of jamaican style jerk seasoned chicken and topped with some super yum mango salsa and a little drizzle of honey. You bet your boots it is too good to be true. And for all of you that just may be bored with what else to do for dinner, this one def. qualifies as a winner, and super easy meal that is even kid friendly (we just skip the spicy salsa and viola!)

     Check it...http://whiskedawaycooking.blogspot.com (also another great site for some fun recipes and cute stories of cooking in the kitchen)

Important Note; I will re-type below for the “just in case purposes”. Also, she calls for Papaya, I used mango since I have a ton from the farmers co-op here. I also did not use as much onion, basically cut it to 1/4 of an onion plus a small shallot because I HEART them...also used half a red pepper and a whole fresh jalepeno for serious kick. Adjust your amounts to fit your needs though and maybe even prepare earlier to sit for a few hours! I did at lunch while kids were eating (also letting the chicken marinate) so dinner was a snap once I threw it together. Love it.






Jamaican Sweet Potato

2 sweet potatoes (try to get the kind with orange flesh--they might technically be yams), baked until the skins are crisp and the flesh is tender (poke holes in the potatoes, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt, cook directly on oven rack)

1 small white onion, diced (or 1/4 plus a shallot)
1 red bell pepper, diced (or 1/2)
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
1 fat clove garlic (or two small), minced
8 slices jarred jalapeno, minced (or one fresh one diced)
1 papaya (~1 lb), diced (or one mango)
2 tbsp lime juice (used 1 whole lime)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
(mix all these together, refrigerate until needed)

2 6-oz chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried chives
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp black pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
(mix all spices together, coat chicken pieces w/extra virgin olive oil then the spice mixture, you can let marinate til ready to use, then cook chicken in skillet w/a little more olive oil)

butter
honey
green onions

To assemble:
When potatoes are done, cut them open and add about 1 tbsp butter (optional); top with salsa and chicken; add green onions; drizzle with honey

AVOCADOS

     And what is not to love about them? If you are not one of those green California mild fruit lovers, then I am determined to find atleast 1 recipe that would appeal to you. After all, according to http://www.allaboutavocados.com/ they are not only loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, and folate, they even contain 60% more potassium per ounce than bananas and are high in rich oil content, namely vitamin E. One last important note, if you are on the mediterranean diet... otherwise known as flat belly diet...avocados are a practically a must!
     I found this recipe quite some time ago when I held a healthy baking class for some friends, and quite like it as a fun treat for my kids once in a while. I  much prefer it as a fruit dip though, so get your fresh cut fruit ready, and serve at any get together and I think you will be quite pleasently surprised!




     Chocolate Avocado Pudding

(from http://rawfoodrightnow.blogspot.com)


2 avocados
½ cup raw carob powder (or raw cocoa or raw chocolate powder)
1 cup dates (Medjools ideally)


Blend all ingredients until mixture is smooth and creamy and no lumps. Taste first, Add more avocado if you’d like it richer and/or creamier; add more dates for extra sweetness or add more carob for a stronger chocolate flavor.


Check out http://www.recipezaar.com/Avocado-Pudding-164833 for an addt’l pudding recipe variation

Quick Kale Saute

     Got this idea from several sites suggesting to cook Kale like you might most southern greens. I improvised and used leeks and fresh bagged spinach to make it go farther and add interest. Turned out super yum. Check the salmon (can you tell this is my favorite fish?!) recipe we served with the Kale. Also very quick to prepare, and quite tasty, the kids LOVED the crust! Now I am wondering why I ever gave Kale such a bad rap!



     Quick Kale Saute


1/2 to whole head of kale (depends on number serving!) washed and very thinly sliced
1 large leek thinly sliced till you reach the top tougher green parts
2 large handfuls fresh washed (bagged is easier too!) spinach torn or thinly sliced
Olive Oil
minced garlic
salt and pepper for flavor


Heat a good 2 Tbsp to 1/4 c olive oil in a pan till very hot
Add 2 tsp of minced garlic (I love the jar kind for convenience, add more if you like it even more garlicky!)
once starting to brown (30 sec to 1 min) add the kale and leeks. Let saute for 2 min or so on each side, add the spinach and saute another 1-2 min. At this point you may need to add a little water to replenish the fluid and steam the vegg a little. Cover for 1 min or so, then turn off and move the pan to sit till ready to eat. A-MAZING!




     Easy Pecan Crusted Salmon


1 lb fresh salmon filet
salt, pepper, garlic seasoning mix, olive oil
Enough Pecans to make about 1/2 c crushed
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp butter


We buy the salmon that has the skin still, no big deal, but make sure you rinse the fish under fresh water and pat dry. Place on a lightly sprayed piece of foil large enough to wrap the fish inside a baking dish to ease in transfer. Preheat oven to 350^. Rub with a little olive oil to allow seasoning to permeate fish better. Sprinkle with garlic seasoning mix if you have it; or use the salt, pepper, and just garlic if you don't, adding a little rosemary and thyme for added flavor if you prefer. Use a fabulous blender or chopping apparatus (like Gary!;o) to grind those nuts down finely. Add the brown sugar and butter with a fork and cut the butter in till well incorporated. Top salmon, close foil, and bake for about 15 min, then open the foil and turn on the broil till well browned and carmelized, about 3-4 more minutes.
Serve with some of those garlicky greens up top, some brown rice pilaf or new potatoes for extra tasty goodness!

What the...?

     So I just spent 30 min of my precious blog posting time filling out all that "google bio" and personal info related to blogger junk. Hmmm. Not really sure about the point to this exercise. Why would I want to add my personal bio url address as a signature to my emails? Did I miss something in the new techno world of computers and blogs, bios and the like? I thought it was kind of a joke so I gave myself the name easy e. Maybe I should work on professional-ism, class, or some other over used -ism to describe myself and present some smiley story about me. Oh well, pretty sure I failed that subject in school too.

     Quick update on life. It is still crazy! Had a friend come down and visit from Oklahoma (we were in alaska together while her husband was deployed and I even got to attend her first sons birth!) Anyway, because we are 'closer' to each other, she made the 5 hour drive down with kids in tow (and pregnant belly might I add) and Wooohooo was it fun! She has 2 boys and another boy on the way. Let's just say testosterone levels here were
  OUT OF CONTROL.
Love it. She could only stay 2 days, but it was beautiful any way you sliced it, and I am quite sure she needs to put a blog together for her much more appropriate ways of throwing parties, and presenting the more "Martha Stewart" side to my rather red neck (at least I think it is, I seem to be getting in touch with my roots out here, I am pretty sure we have some Kentucky bluegrass running through our vains from my mom's side!) take on food, life, raising kids. That is why I had to force her to make me chocolate chip cookies as her allowance to stay here! (p.s., almond extract works great in place of vanilla in those cookies when you are ghetto and don't have all your ingredients on hand!)  Someday I will have some more class for all you little loyal fans out there. At least I hope you are all there!

     Now on to the juice. As in, what is really going on and why I am giving you some brief update and lame excuse for no new recipes for the last week. We are going to buy a house! Yup, the hubs decided that it was a good time to buy. SO now we are scrambling to find something, and get closed in enough time before the baby, and me to take full advantage of the hubs before more training starts. Which means (I am so excited) I get to go look at houses in Utah this weekend! *sigh* I have it all lined up and even my dad is going to be that way for a couple days to give me some back up. I can hardly wait! The long and short of all this is I will be gone and pre-occupied (my additional excuse for everything) for a few days and I am going to leave you with this tasty morsel (the only somewhat original thing we have cooked in a week!) before I go...

     Chicken (or Tofu, or no Meat) Thai Green Coconut Curry


4-5 chicken tenders (or sub firm chunks of tofu) sauteed in a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, then chopped (super silken tofu works to be dissolved right into sauce if desired instead)
about 1/3 of a jalepeno finely diced
about 1 heaping tbsp fresh ginger finely sliced (matchstick style, skin removed)
1 small can bamboo shoots (use 1/3 or so, save the rest for a quick asian salad) also finely sliced (matchstick style)
1 13.5 oz can lite coconut cream
1 tsp finely chopped fresh basil (or dried is fine too, fresh really does rock though)

Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste, use about 2 tsp-1 tbsp or to your liking
(Ingredients are as follows in case you want to make your own from your cupboard; 
green chile, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (thai ginger), salt, shallots, spices, kaffir, lime)
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Pot of rice on the side (brown basmati or jasmine are great!)


Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil (stir frequently) Pour 2-3 or more large serving spoons over hot rice and enjoy!


*We like to serve this with Thai Kitchen's Pad Thai for Two (follow directions on box) and some ubber good Lumpia (Thai egg rolls, preferably homemade, I will give you the recipe when I come back!)*

Thanks hubs

     Don't you love it how on a particularly emotional day (I won't mention of course who was the cause of most of the turmoil...) your significant other or even someone else special in your life will come through and totally make the day at least end better? Well thanks to the old husband, that is exactly what happened. After that long and stressful day, compounded by a few or more taxing conversations about money, kids etc. he managed to pull it all together with even more sit down time...maybe a little crying time, and YES, a Weinerschnitzel Chilli Cheese Dog.
*sigh* Life was most sweet again. SO, by a quick raise of hands out there, lets see who has a secret chili dog passion? Anyone? No? What about you, over on the left, trying to hide behind that hat...yeah I saw your hand. Any other late night craving secrets? Do tell. I love to swap juicy stories (and when I say juicy, I mean "where's the best place around here for a seriously juicy and amazing burger?!") You may not call that healthy, but I am pretty sure that mental health definitely qualifies as a key component factoring in on your overall daily health quotient. AND, the naturally occuring endorphins from such food eating bliss are sure to create such a rush, thereby aiding in increasing one's metabolism, consequently expelling the unwanted fat promptly and producing an overall cleansing affect on the body that might not have even been experienced without the said chili dog. Yeah...or something like that! The real beauty of this happy hour hot dog was that it really was a happy hour for it...after a few tears, mommy and daddy time, NO interference from the TV, and trying to get settled in bed we were back to our newlywed tricks.
 Don't sit there blushing like you don't know what I am talking about. 
Anyway, food was something that brought us together (you know, the whole "hey, you like food, I like food, we should make out" thing). Seriously, though. Since there wasn't a Del Taco around for those ever delectable chicken soft tacos or bacon double del's, we settled for the dog at 11pm and proceeded our late night talking and laughing ritual, just like the old days, til well past midnight. Maybe you folks are more fun and do that regularly. I am pretty sure we hit our middle age hump long before now...so the buzz is still keeping me afloat today. And just to add sweet sticky icky sugary gooey syrup with whip cream and a cherry on top...I found leftover pine nuts in the cupboard today due to a seriously zealous packer of a husband who lugged them in his weighed down and no air-conditioned car all the way from California. i think I'll keep him. And what a good thing it was too, because I threw together an amazing Chicken and Rice Pilaf Salad that would not have been complete without it. So go on, laugh at the anti-blogger who now posts all my most intimate of intimates out into cyberspace (what comedian was it anyway who said blogging is just a glorified diary and that we used to hide that behind lock and key underneath your mattress!) Kick back and chuckle that I am no longer able think rational thoughts about my day without turning them into some headline for my next post. Get a good giggle out of the fact that I did name my Blender 'Gary'. Whom I might also add has become such a favorite of my 5 year old that he informed me today that 'when I am super old like grandma (sorry mom) and he is a daddy and has kids he will take my blender so he can use it'. I promptly responded with "Just because I am old doesn't mean I won't still use it, or even share it with you!" to which he replied, "Well then when you are asleep I will sneak into your house and steal it away and you'll never know!"
Kids say the darn'dst things don't they?
I tried to fool him with the old, "well I'll get an alarm that goes off when you sneak in my house" technology response and he just threw his head back and laughed, ever so  cynically might I add. How do you even respond to that? Maybe we'll hold a contest at some point and I can just will Gary to the winner. Seems fair. And since I am still so high off of a good night lack of rest and a yummy satisfying lunch, I figured it was time I share my lunch-time easy idea with you, so enjoy the salad and maybe even some late night food raids of your own,     
just for sanity puposes.

     Chicken and Rice Pilaf Salad

• 4 chicken breast tenders (or 2 chicken breasts) or Tofu (optional) cooked in a saute pan with a little olive oil and italian spice, basil and garlic, or whatever else suits your fancy. Be sure to add salt and pepper.
• Leftover rice pilaf, homemade pilaf, or any other plain leftover grain such as quinoa, barley, brown rice etc (basically whatever might be in your fridge or could quickly cook up. Try the 'Near East' brand of quick foods as it has no msg, and great ingredients.Warm it through if using a leftover.
• 1/2 - 1 whole summer squash and zucchini chopped into rounds
• 1/4 of a white onion diced
• 2-3 tbsp. pine nuts toasted (or any other delicious nut favorite or even just a nut you happen to have around like walnuts or pecans)
• Mixed greens (salad) and extra olive oil and lemon juice are all optional, see below

After cooking chicken, set aside and quickly saute the veggies. Toss all the ingredients together til well incoporated and take a quick taste to check seasonings. Add any as needed and serve alone or over a nice bed of mixed greens with an extra shot of olive oil and squirt of lemon juice. Delish! Leftovers great for lunch to go. If vegetarian, simply omit the chicken and add Tofu or nothing at all!

Where to Begin Today?

     I am always so humbled by a return to routine, to life "by myself". I think that is why I find such joy in cooking and in food, it is truly one of the only things I can control (and really though that is only to a certain extent!) It is also the one thing that remains consistent in my life, despite my reliance upon it (you simply have to eat!)
     I am going to delve into my personal life for a moment (like I don't do that already) and take a step back a week...well almost 2 now to my little trip to the east coast with my sister. It was a great week, and honestly who doesn't enjoy some time away from kids/reality/spouses/life etc. One thing I have learned the most through my life of traveling is how much you have to be able to adjust to change...quickly. For example, I could not control my eating situation (or that of my children for that matter) on such a trip at all times. I could not exercise the same, and in some ways I was even more at the beck and call of someone else (not that she was demanding, we just had a lot of scheduling for friends and activities to coordinate). This was an ok time for this, that is exactly how you manage in such a situation; you press forward, have fun, and look back with amazement at all that you accomplished, and all that you may even have been given the opportunity to discover about yourself, your loved ones, or the world around you. I love that I have learned this from my life. Maybe others learned it in a more normal fashion, but my lessons have come from moving about 11 times before I even graduated high school, and a shocking 11+ since.
     Now what is it I am getting at exactly? Not sure. Only that I have been repeatedly reminded in both little and big ways, what is really important and how easy it is, on a daily basis even, to loose sight of that. While I was in DC on our last official day of leisure, we were able to make it over to the Holocaust Museum. What an experience. I lived in Germany, Berlin actually during a very tumultuous time. Back in '89-'90 when the wall was coming down in fact. It's not like I grew up without any idea of what things were like in other countries, or in history for that matter. I did live in several places, other than the U.S. before I was a teenager. My mother was also quite avid in her studies and we were fairly well informed about this type of event in history for example. Maybe it just hit hard after visiting all the memorials around DC, or taking a stroll through the Smithisonian's American History Museum and getting the opportunity to see that original 28x32 ft Flag that inspired our National Anthem. Maybe it was the visits with old friends, people I haven't seen in over 9 yrs (who gets an opportunity to do that very often?) or the long talks finally with my sister about family, life, and the few things she began to share about her deployment and why it has reinforced her conviction and hope even more that somehow we must still be trying to fight for something good. Maybe it was simply being reunited with my own little family, and then how quickly I have taken it for granted, that I feel so reflective over that single 2 1/2 hour visit.
     I think I am now beginning to understand why parents try so desperately to cram some things down our throat while we are selfish teenagers, or why they wish that awful universal parent wish for us..."I hope you have children just like you!" I know now that there is a time and place for understanding things in our own personal time and place in life, something I didn't understand wholly maybe until now. This very day even. How very important a family is! What a great work I AM doing each day, even if the only "world" I save is my own little one that I created right here. What I teach my kids will matter, it will reflect in who they become. I think that is why I have such a passion for healthy food too. Don't get me wrong, if you look in my fridge right now you would see hot dogs, and maybe some chicken nuggets and ice cream in my freezer. And no, my meat is not grass fed right now. I am pretty sure we even have enough leftover Easter candy to produce 2-3 more Easter baskets if needed...but that is what makes this ok. Just like I said above, it is your ability to adapt at any given time that is a blessing. Next week we can try harder to stick a few more veggies in at dinner, or skip the ice cream all together. I know my body and mind will thank me for it. I will feel better, and be that much more able to function at the best of my ability, which sadly at this time I may or may not be doing. But it is ok today. It is ok to spend the afternoon playing out side, blowing bubbles with the kids, enjoying the sunshine on my face, and the freedom I have to enjoy it. Now if only I could find that baking sheet, then I really could be in business with that possessed old oven in there...

It seems that whenever I feel dysfunctional in my kitchen, I always want to cook fish. Sorry for all you non-fish lovers out there! But this is an easy recipe I can manage with my two simple pans, and the kids always seem to love it! Plus, all that east coast eating inspired me to pull this one out of the attic and dust it off sorta speak...it may not be a G&M Crab Cake, but it will do nicely!

     Salmon Patties


14.75 oz can Salmon (like Bumblebee Pink, Red is higher quality but pink is cheaper and works fine) drained
1 egg
1/4/-1/2 c. crushed saltine crackers (or whatever you have around, bread crumbs work too!)
salt, pepper, and italian seasoning to taste
1 tsp each olive oil and butter for the pan


Heat oil and butter (oil with the butter allows the butter not to burn and still carry over the butter flavor which is super yum) in the bottom of a large skillet. Mix the rest of the above ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. I personally liked about 1/2 tsp of each of the spices. Grab a handful of the mixture (yes with your bare hands, make sure they are clean!) and smoosh into a palm sized fairly flat patty. Place in the hot oil butter, and repeat until the pan is full. Cook for about 2-3 min on each side, or til brown. Place on a paper towel covered plate and repeat until mixture is used up. No need to add more oil, you can also do this with a no fat cooking spray to save on calories! Serve with sweet potatoes on the side (like sweet mashed or baked, even quick french fried ones work great too), a fresh salad and even steamed veggies. Easy, quick, yummy, and kid friendly! 

Canned Dinners Makes Me Smile

     And for two main reasons...#1 being obviously the convenience. #2 however that I can stock and re-stock my cupboards, hit case lot sales, save money, save food storage, and make in turn easy meals later after loading my pantry with cheap and quick deliciousness. My recipes of choice? A super easy delish bean and leek soup that I stole from a friend's mom (thanks to your mom Kati!), and toasty french bread with bruschetta on half of the loaf and another quick bean spread for the other. I confess that although these meals are not entirely made from cans, last night was a perfect night for warm yummy food. Although I had little preparation to do, I was able to involve the kids and even (yes I am very proud of this one) get out of the negative funk I was in ALL day. It must be the weather out here in Denver. That or I am just not used to being indoors most days. Whatever the reason, nothing warms the soul like hot soup and an olive oiled toasty baguette. Plus I got a good read out of the whole days work. Yes, I do read cook books in my "spare" time like some people pour over a good novel, and while I like to read a great classic too, absolutely nothing beats a well written and inspiring piece of cookbook literature. My newest feast of choice (and only within a week of my last selection too!) is "The Healthy Kitchen, Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit" by Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley which I have included another amazon.com link, AND which is where I got the bean spread idea (with a little doctoring of my own as usual) Enjoy!

The Healthy Kitchen on Amazon.com






     Quick and Easy Leek Soup


2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1/3 of one large leek thinly sliced from the white/light green side
1 can great northern beans (white cannellini beans) or 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
olive oil (optional) and pepper to taste, extra chicken bouillon to taste


Bring the chicken broth and beans/peas to boil. Add the leeks and boil for another 3-5 minutes til leeks are soft. Taste and add any pepper, olive oil and/or bouillon to your liking. I have had the soup with either the peas or the beans, loved both, but the beans provided a more mild flavor. Also used a half tsp or so of olive oil and good helping of pepper and even a half tsp or so of the bouillon (I liked the soup a little more rich) Either way it is yummy! Serve with more fresh ground pepper and even some parmesan cheese as a delicious topping. Thanks again to Kati's mom! Serves 4-6 Adults




     Toasty French Baguette w/Bruschetta and White Bean Spread


1 whole loaf french bread
olive oil


Cut the french bread into medium rounds vertically off of the loaf (I have to say this because I turned it into garlic bread slices first w/o thinking...oops!) brush or place one side of each piece in olive oil. Load up a large cookie sheet/pizza pan and broil for 2-3 minutes til lightly browned. Then follow other steps for either toppings below. Use half of the baguette for each topping or the whole loaf for which ever one you prefer. Can serve many for an appetizer, or 4-6 adults for a meal with the above soup.


     Bruschetta


2-3 tomatoes diced small, or 1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic minced
2 basil leaves finely chopped and more for topping
pepper and olive oil to taste
Thinly sliced mozzarella or Goat Jack cheese
For extra zip add some crushed red pepper, 1/4-1/2 c chopped bacon (like the pre-packaged already chopped refrigerator kind) 1/4 c finely diced red onion and/or 2 tsp finely chopped green onion.


Mix thoroughly and top each piece of bread with a heaping tsp or so of bruschetta. Add the thinly cheese and another thin slice of fresh basil to the top of each piece. Broil again for another 2-3 min or so til cheese is mostly melted and bread is browned nicely. Serve and enjoy!


     White Bean Spread


2 c great northern beans (cannellini beans, about 1 can)
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
dash salt
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil


Add all ingredients to food processor and puree. Then either leave the spread as a dip for the toasted bread like my book suggested, or spread a tsp or so on each little round and add a little of the thinly sliced cheese from above and broil for an additional 2-3 min. Turns out quite nice warmed like the bruschetta!

Why

     Why is a very important word. Not only does it help one relate to others or create understanding (i.e. Why someone is acting the way the are), but it can also explain a state of learning. For example, the "Why Phase" of childhood. It just hit me the other day that I am going to be in the never-ending, question asking, universal discovery phase for at least, oh- the next 5-10 years of my life. (I feel like I just recounted some prison sentence!) On the subject of understanding however, I have decided to look in retrospect at this last week by asking a few "Why" questions myself;  
Why am I feeling this way? (confusion) Why did we change our plans almost literally the day after we made them (some desperate attempt to remain in control) Why did Adam struggle with his first spanish question ever in the most important interview of his known military career, right before graduation, and thus affect the result of not only that test, but quite possibly the outcome of our future pay grade? (sick irony) Why did I dye my hair dark dark brown with fantastically 70'sish bangs? (I found out I was pregnant a few weeks ago and I thought this would be "easier", plus I got bored) Why do we still not have orders that will allow us to schedule our move that needs to be complete in exactly 1 week and 6 days because we already signed paperwork to sign out of a house that we will no longer be in come 2 weeks from now (Life can stink, people don't do their jobs, and sometimes it is just not fair) and of course on a more important philosophical note, Why do bad things happen to good people and thus good things happen to bad people (Again, life stinks, people can make their own choices...yadda yadda....the Gods must be crazy etc)
     So, what brings me to such a deep and introspective point in my life? Could it be that this whole move was seemingly dependent on this new little life we were so graciously and un-expectedly blessed with? Could it be that we have had more learning experiences in this last 6 months than the last 6 years of our marriage? Could it be that the Gods MUST be crazy, and thus even laughing at us and more specifically me at this very moment of thoughtful contemplation? And why wouldn't they laugh? Haven't we all laughed at others or our own children as they sort through the mysteries of life, not in a maniacal way (hopefully, if so you may need medication) but in a completely humane and personally relatable way, that is meant to bring compassion and a lightness of heart that could soften even the most hostile of environments? Alas, it is more for my own good. What are the words to that song from Anna Nalick, "2 am and I'm still awake writing a song and if I get it all down on paper it's no longer inside of me threatening the life it belongs to" (or something like that) I have found an outlet now, and other than the food that I love to experiment with and make, it's this new opportunity to write that has been most satisfying.
     And with that, I am going to add some completely satisfying dinner recipes for you to enjoy. While I am not guaranteeing that they are very healthy or nutritious in terms of fat and calories much less veggie content, they most certainly are gratifying comfort foods that will satiate your pallet, appease your appetite, and fortify any sullen spirit.


     Chicken Alfredo con Broccoli


1 pint heavy cream of whole milk
1/2 c butter + a little more for the pan 
1/2-3/4 c parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder or more if desired
salt and pepper to taste, other seasonings for chicken
8 oz fettucini noodles cooked and drained
4 chicken breasts
1 crown broccoli or steamer bag of broccoli
olive oil for pan


Heat saute pan over med-high. Add a little olive oil and butter to coat pan. Cook chicken breasts with a little garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper (or other desired seasonings) for about 3-4 minutes per side til no longer pink. Drain pan and set chicken aside to rest (this is major, don't cut it up for at least 5 minutes). Combine butter and cream. Simmer til melted, add parmesan and garlic, and simmer for another 15-20 over low. While simmering, cook and salt broccoli in a saucepan of shallow water over med. heat til soft (or use those fantastically economical and time saving steamer bags of broccoli from Birds Eye in the microwave, awe-some). Make sure you cook the fettucini in the meantime. Chunk chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss pasts lightly with sauce, chicken bites and broccoli. Serve Hot, with extra parmesan if desired. Tip* a little cream cheese added to the sauce will thicken and add more substance to the alfredo.


     Easy Chicken Pot Pie


1 box ready crust with 2 pie crusts (or your own recipe)
1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can cream of chicken soup (opt for 99% fat free)
any left over mixed veggies (also a great use for Birds Eye steamer mixed veggies)
Optional; 1 diced potato and onion, any addt'l mushrooms
1 can chicken or leftover cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste


Cook potato and onion in a saute pan til soft. Add mushroom if using, chicken and vegetables. Heat through, and add cans of soup and mix thoroughly. Place a pie crust in a 9'' pie pan, prick the bottom a couple times. Add the mixture, place addt'l crust on top (or fill the pie plate without a crust and only top with a crust to save on calories) Bake at 425^ for about 20 min or til crust is golden brown. Let rest a few minutes if you can! Kids love this topped with cheese


     Sweet and Quick Turkey Meatloaf


1 lb ground turkey
1/2-1 c pureed leftover veggies (usually tomato, broccoli, mixed veggies, whatever)
1/4 - 1/2 c diced onion (sometimes I blend this as well for ease)
1 egg
crushed saltines or breadcrumbs (leftover rice pureed as well works here! or even oats, basically whatever type of grain you have on hand to absorb the juices/fat)
spices to taste (basil, onion, garlic, salt, pepper etc)
about 1 tbsp ketchup plus 2 tbsp ketchup
brown sugar
BBQ sauce


Preheat oven to 375^. Mix (by hand is a little easier) all above ingredients in a large bowl except the 2 tbsp of ketchup and brown sugar. Add to a lightly sprayed large loaf pan (not the little ones!) Mix ketchup and brown sugar and add to the top of the meatloaf. Poke a couple of times with a knife. Bake at 375^ for about and hour til meat is no longer pink. If your family does not like the ketchup kind (my hubby doesn't) then omit ketchup topping. We just leave a little uncovered and make a smidge of chicken gravy on the side for him, and even the kids for dipping. 


      Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole (from the Food Network)

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.