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Chicken with Banana- now with pictures

Good evening! Ok, so I have been extremely busy with work and the holiday season, but I managed to make this recipe again this week- and managed to take pictures before it was all gone again. Oh yeah, because it was all gone - no leftovers :)


I am posting the same recipe again, but this time, with pictures on a step-by-step basis.
Again, this is one of my favorite recipes and it gets better every time I make it :)

Enjoy, and please post a comment if you end up making this recipe, would love to hear your feedback.
Beijos,
Thais

Ingredients

A 3 lb chicken, quartered
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, grated ( I also use dried onion flakes)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
1 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio from Trader Joe's works awesomely)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 ripe bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tbsp butter

Directions: 
Season the chicken with the lemon juice and salt. Heat the butter in a casserole and stir in the onions, tomatoes and sugar. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for about 5 min, uncovered, turning the chicken pieces once. Add the wine, cover the casserole, and simmer for about 45 min (3.0 on the dial, ceramic top). Heat the oven to 450 degrees, because you will put the casserole in the oven after the chicken cooks :)
Use a pancake pan/shallow pan, butter it, and saute the bananas until they are a golden brown, on both sides. Once this is done, and the chicken is cooked, arrange the chicken pieces and the delicious liquids in a square Pyrex pan. Put the banana on top, cover with the cheese, a few 1/4 inch squares of butter, and bake for about 10 minutes.

Salmon with Red pepper pesto

Happy Saturday! I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! I spent it with family in North Carolina, and had way too much good southern food. I cooked this recipe last week, but just now got around to posting it. I will be posting a few more this coming week, hope you're enjoying time with friends and family :) This is a fast, 20 minutes meal from Cooking Light.

Ingredients
4 6-oz fresh salmon fillets (Costco has the best prices right now)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
7 almonds
1 garlic clove

Directions
Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with 1/2 tsp salt. Coat pan with olive oil, cook for 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. In the meantime, you can prepare the pesto, which is so easy it should be banned ;) combine salt, bell peppers, and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Serve pesto over fish. Saute garlic spinach and serve it with fish.

Enjoy- again, this is so easy you can make it in 20 minutes or less ;)
Beijos

Slow-cooker Chipotle Beef Tacos with Cabbage

This is a great Monday recipe, because you can prepare the ingredients the night before, leave it in the refrigerator, and put them all in the slow-cooker the next morning. For those of you who know me well, you know I don't like to cut or eat raw onions. For this recipe, I asked the hubbie- who happens to love onions- to cut it for me the night before, so I could add onions to the recipe. I got this recipe from my favorite magazine, Real Simple.

The whole house smelled like this wonderful roast, so I highly recommend. We even had a friend over for dinner that night and he enjoyed this dish very much. Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 lbs beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces ( Winco offers these for $8.88)
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 3 tbsp chopped canned chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
kosher salt
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
12 6" flour tortillas

Directions
In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, toss together the beef, onion, garlic, chipotles, oregano, bay leaves and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, on low for 8 hours.

Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, cilantro, lime juice and 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap tortillas in foil and bake for 10 minutes.

Transfer the beef to a medium bowl, and shred, using 2 forks. Serve it with cabbage, tortillas, sour cream. I added a bit of shredded cheese for extra flavor. This recipe yields 6 servings, at 431 calories per serving.

Beijos,
Thais

Pear Prosciutto Pizza

Good Friday! I hope you're all enjoying the wonderful produce that is in season this time of year. I love pears, and think they make great additions to dinner dishes, so I was happy when I found this Pizza recipe from Cooking Light Magazine.

I have one shortcut: I did not make the dough: I bought it at Winco, as they have the best dough for $1.29 a ball :) If you live in Portland, Hot Lips Pizza also sells their dough, which is marvelous.

Hope you enjoy this recipe, there were barely leftovers with this one.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of Gruyere cheese ( I preferred this one over goat cheese)
1 tbsp of flour
4 cups of baby spinach ( I buy the organic kind at Costco)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 450. Roll dough into a 14 inch circle on a floured surface. Brush dough with olive oil, and sprinkle the cheese. Place dough in a round stone, and bake for 13 minutes. In the meantime, mix other ingredients in a medium bowl.  Remove dough, place salad over the cheese, mix, and bake for additional 12 minutes.

I bought the prosciutto at Trader Joe's, which gave me a good excuse to buy a bottle of Pinot Grigio to go with this pizza. Each serving is at 393 calories, not counting the wine.

Enjoy,
Beijos
Thais

Chipotle-Rubbed Flank Steak

Happy Friday! I am so happy I have the menu all planned out for the month of November, and if you'd like a copy, just email me and I will send you the file and shopping list.

I am going to try to stick to a budget of $400 or less for food, for the month. So, with that in mind, this recipe is a super deal: 1 1/2 of flank steak was $8.88 at Winco, with Gorgonzola from Costco and a side of Brown Rice. Total overall prize was $20, serving 4 ( although we were hungry and there is no leftover). The cooking technique is broiling, which means your oven does all the cooking :)

Enough of the chit-chat. I got this recipe from Cooking Light, but modified it slightly. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 lb flank steak, trimmed
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp all-purpose flour
2/3 cup low-fat milk
1 oz of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 tsp butter

Directions
Preheat broiler to high. Combine first 3 ingredients. Sprinkle steak with chipotle mixture. Place on a broiler pan; broil 5 minutes on each side ( I did that and left a little longer for me. Hubbie likes his steak super rare, and I needed 5 more minutes on each side for a medium-well level). Let stand for 5 minutes, cut thinly diagonally, across the grain.

Start cooking the brown rice. For the sauce- which I must warn you, is pretty garlicky, but still awesome- heat the olive oil on a sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden. Add flour, cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add the milk, boil. Reduce heat and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat, add cheese and butter. Pour over the steak and serve with brown rice.

This is also a pretty light recipe- 240 calories per serving ( 3 oz of steak and 3 tbps of the sauce).

This also reminded me a bit of churrasco (Brazilian style steak), as the sea salt helps to seal some of the moist tenderness in the steak. This is for sure a new favorite.

Beijos,
Thais

Butternut squash and Brie pizza

This is the second recipe, and I found it on Real Simple, but modified a bit :) I used butternut squash instead of sweet potato and a store-bought pizza dough. It was so yummy I didn't even get a chance to take a picture- so it is going pictureless :) But I promise it is a great weeknight, quick recipe. Now, for the calories count- I didn't do it either because it is Brie after all.


Ingredients
1 lb frozen pizza dough, thawed cornmeal for the pizza stone.
2 cups of butternut squash, cubed and peeled
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 tbsp olive oil
4 oz Brie, sliced

Directions

Heat oven to 425. Shape the dough into a large oval and place on a cornmeal dusted pizza stone. In a medium bowl, toss the butternut squash, thyme, 3 tbsp of olive oil and pepper. Scatter over the dough and top with the Brie. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve it with salad. and maybe a little wine ;)
Beijos

Creamy, Light Macaroni & Cheese

Good Sunday! It has been a very busy month, and I have found myself without time for posting recipes. I will be posting two today, that use the same seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. People often think of butternut squash soup, but this legume can be used many different ways, as I found out. Since we all lead busy lives this day, I also found a shortcut: you can buy pre-cut butternut squash at Coscto! Thus the picture on this recipe. I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine

I will also be posting a recipe of a delicious butternut squash and Brie pizza following this one.

Ingredients
3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth ( bought mine at Trader Joe's)
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
Cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Start the pasta pan, cooking it according to package directions. Combine squash, broth, milk and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Place the hot mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper and yogurt. Remove the center lid of the blender to allow steam to escape. Secure lid in place, place a paper towel over the opening, and blend until smooth. Place blended mixture in a medium bowl and add the cheeses, stirring until they are all combined and melted.

Once pasta is cooked, add it to the squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 glass or ceramic dish coated with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Mix it with the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the hot pasta mixture.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

This amazing dish comes at -drum roll- 390 calories and 10g of fat, with 6g of saturated fat.

Enjoy! Beijos,
Thais

Cuban braised beef and peppers- a.k.a. Ropa Vieja

Good evening! I found this recipe from a while back, and always meant to try it, but never did until now :) I love ropa vieja, and this is an easy take on it. If you have a crockpot, all you have to do is prep it in the morning, and let it cook for the rest of the day- super easy and practical. It is also a bargain recipe, as you can buy 2lbs of flank steak for $15 at Winco. Happy cooking, Dale mami ;)

Ingredients
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ( or more :)) ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
2 lbs flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds


Directions
In a 5-to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on low for 7 to 8 hours. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid ( mine was pretty shredded by that time :)

Serve it with brown rice, avocado and fresh cilantro, or brown rice and banana chips from Trader Joes.
Beijos,

Caribbean Mango Tilapia

Happy Monday! I have a somewhat spicy recipe to warm up these fall nights we have been having in the Pacific NW. I got this from Cooking Light Cookbook, and it is one of my new favorite recipes. The flavors are so unique, and it is not every day that we get to have mangoes from Brazil( !!!!) in our neck of the woods, so we have to take advantage of that.


I bought the mangoes at Winco and the Tilapia at Costco- as always, a terrific buy.
Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 serrano chiles, peeled ( you can find them at Winco)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups chopped peeled mango
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
4 (6oz) of Tilapia fillets

Directions
Combine the first three ingredients in a food processor, process until minced. Add mango and next 5 ingredients, process until smooth. Place mango mixture in a big zip-lock bag, add the Tilapia to the bag and let it marinate in juices for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. I served this recipe with rice and steamed broccoli, so I started cooking the broccoli at that time. Turn your oven on to Broil, so you have plenty of time for the oven to heat up.

Remove fish from bag, saving the marinade for later. Place fish in a broiler pan, cook about 4 minutes each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
In a separate pan, add marinade and heat up over medium heat, cooking for 5 minutes. You will be able to smell the heat- I am not joking ;)

Once fish is cooked, pour marinade over fish and serve with rice and broccoli. I am happy to report that there were no leftovers from this meal :) Each serving comes in at 263 calories, 6g of fat and 19g of carb.

Beijos
Tomorrow's recipe: Braised Cuban Beef

Mother's Bistro Meatloaf- or pretty close :)

Happy Sunday! Life has been busy yet again, and I am behind three recipes. Not to worry, I will post them this week, one per day, so you can enjoy them one at a time.

The first one is Mother's Bistro Meatloaf. Mother's is an amazing restaurant in Portland, OR, and they make homemade comfort food, elevating it to a gourmet level. Lisa Schroeder's cookbook Mother's Best has been one of the best buys I have made in years- her mac & cheese recipes are to die for.

I made meatloaf- which is not a dish I grew up with- and just loved the taste of it. Unfortunately, it does not photograph as well, but then again, this is not the point of this blog. I also used a few tweaks and substitutes to the original recipe. I used ground turkey, as opposed to ground beef for a healthier option. My friend Kelly was over for dinner and loved it. We had leftovers for the week, which we ate with bread. If you have a chance to visit Portland, Mother's is a great place to have a memorable meal, sometimes even better than what your mom used to make :)


Ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium green bell pepper
2 large eggs
2 lbs of lean ground turkey ( available at Costco)
2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 strips of bacon
Store-bought turkey gravy

Directions
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. When hot, add butter and green peppers. Cook until the peppers start to brown, about 5 minutes. If needed, lower the heat and cook for another 15 minutes. Set aside and let it cool.
Heat oven to 350F. Grease two standard-size loaf pans. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, add the peppers, ground turkey, thyme, oats, 1/4 cup of ketchup, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Press the mixture into the two loaf pans, distributing equally. Pound the pans a couple of times to get rid of air pockets. Place bacon strips on top of the pans, about 3 strips per pan. Bake for one hour.

After one hour, remove and place two loafs on a broiling pan, down side up, and bake for another 20 minutes. This part makes sure that the meat is cooked thoroughly, and the bottom part of the meat was in the pan and usually retains most of the juices released in the process.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Serve with gravy and salad.

Brazilian Beef Strogonoff

Good evening! So, it has been busy and I have not posted a recipe in a while, but here it comes one that is worth the wait :) Growing up in Brazil, this was one of Marluce's favorite recipe to make. Marluce is my second mom, the cook and housekeeper who has graced our lives for the past 20+ years, and whom I miss so much :) Hope she gets to read this- Marma, te amo- and is proud of the picture.

One of the essential ingredients for this dish is Creme de Leite, which you can find at Winco, in the Hispanic Food section ( see my Quiche recipe for the picture of what Creme de Leche looks like).

Ingredients
1 lb of  petite sirloin steak, cut up in cubes
1 can of stemmed mushrooms ( champignons if you find them)
4 tbsp of butter
4 tbsp chopped dried onion flakes
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of beef stock
2 tbsp of ketchup sauce
2 tbsp of flour
1 can of creme de leche

Directions
Heat up the butter in medium-high heat, in a large sauce pan. Add the onion flakes and let them brown, for about 3 minutes. Add the steak and cook for 5 minutes, browning the meat on both sides. Lower the heat to medium, add mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef stock, tomato sauce and creme de leche. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until sauce thickens. I use homemade tomato sauce and it makes a big difference.

Serve over rice, with dried banana chips for some extra Brazilianess- who would have thought we can say Estrogonoffe?

Next recipe is Mother's Bistro famous meat loaf
See you tomorrow-hopefully
Beijos

Rustic Peach Tart

Tomorrow marks the start of fall- and the end of summer, unfortunately. One of the biggest rewards of living in the Pacific NW is the produce that we get here. And the peaches are just out of this world, sweet and of melt-like-butter consistency. If you don't know what to do with peaches, you can make a simple tart, using store-bought pie crust.

I got this recipe from Real Simple-one of my favorite magazines- and it did not disappoint.

Now, it may not be picture-perfect, but the flavors were amazing. Combine it with Tillamook French Vanilla ice cream and you have heaven on earth :)

Ingredients
1/3 cup all purpose floer
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
8 peaches, sliced and if desired, peeled ( I left mine with peel on)
1 Pillsbury pie crust

Directions
Heat oven to 425. Rinse the peaches and pat dry. Cut each in half, discarding the pits. Slice the peaches into wedges about 1/2 inch thick. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, nutmeg and 3/4 cup of sugar. Add peaches and toss.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Arrange the peaches in the middle, careful not to overflow. Fold the outer edge of the dough over the peaches, allowing it to fall into pleats, leaving the center uncovered.

Lightly brush the top of the dough with icy water. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350 and bake until the juices bubble and thicken, about another 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Each serving is 256 calories, but they are just sooo worth it :)

Tomorrow, Brazilian Beef Strogonoff

Empadao de Frango

Good evening! This is a great party recipe, and one that you will see often in Brazilian parties. I made it last night and the smell reminded me of Brazil. I had more than my fair share, because it turned out soooo good. Hubby had many helpings too.

One note- when you see the picture, please know that I didn't make enough dough to cover the entire dish- so I used some leftover pie crust dough. I will also share a recipe that uses pie crust, so then again, nothing goes wasted :)

Ingredients
For the dough:
3 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of butter
1 egg yolk and one egg, beaten
1/2 cup of part-skim ricotta


For the filling:
2 lb of cooked chicken breast, pulled ( I just buy a rotisserie chicken and use the breast meat for this recipe)
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tomato, without skin
1 can of corn
1 can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp of flour
3 cubes of chicken bouillon
1/2 can of Kalamata olives, cut in pieces


Directions
For the dough, combine the flour and the melted butter, until mixed well and uniform ( I do it by hand- it is a great stress-reliever :) Add the other ingredients, mixing well. Make it a ball and wrap it in a clear film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, split the ball and use the first half to cover a 9'inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

For the filling, place 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy pan. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add chicken, 2 cups of water and 3 cubes of chicken bouillon. Cook for 5 minutes, mixing well. Add the flour, tomato, tomato sauce and corn, and lower the heat, cooking for another 10 minutes. Set aside.

Once the first part of the dough is cooked, add the filling, and take the second half of the dough and cover the entire pan. Use one egg yolk and brush it over the dough to make it golden brown. Like I mentioned in the beginning, I didn't make enough dough, so I used a half pie crust to cover the part that I couldn't get to. This means that if you don't have time to make the dough, you can use frozen pie crust and it will turn out the same way :))

You can notice the pie crust, huh?
Now- if you have time for desert, and you still have peaches, I am posting a Rustic Peach Tart recipe tomorrow night.
Have a great week,
Beijos

Cranberry Chicken- Crock Pot recipe

Good evening! I know, I have been amiss, but I am back :) I will bring the menu for the rest of the month by the end of this weekend- you can count on that! In the meantime, I have a fabulous fabulous easy recipe to share with you. You know how some weeks you're just so busy with work and family that you wish there was a magic helper to cook dinner for you? well, with this recipe, such a helper is called The Crock Pot :) I got this recipe from a dear friend who is an amazing woman- mother, grandmother, mentor, and all around one of the kindest and sharpest woman I have ever met. And let me tell you- she can cook.

The hubbie was so impressed by this sauce that he saved every last drop of it in little glad containers to use it again later :) I don't have pictures of it, but please give it a try- it is so darn easy you really have nothing to lose :)

Ingredients
3 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts, defrosted
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 bottle of French Dressing (Winco has an amazing one)
1 package ( 3 oz) of Lipton dry onion soup mix

Directions
Place the chicken on the bottom of the crock pot. Mix the other ingredients in a bowl, and pour over the chicken. Set the timer for 10 hours and let it cook on low. That's it :) I served it with brown rice.

The whole house smelled like heaven and at the end of a long day at work, nothing better than having dinner ready to go :)

New recipes to come- I promise :)
Beijos
Thais

Blackened Tilapia with steamed carrots

Happy Holiday weekend! I am sorry for not posting sooner, it has been crazy busy at work. I made this last week, when the hubbie was in town, for a nice weeknight dinner. I got the recipe from Real Simple, and it has been a great addition to our menu. I bought a package of frozen Tilapia fillets at Costco, and have found two different recipes to make them :)

I am also making tomato sauce today, and will post that recipe soon. I am working on the September menu, and perhaps a better way to post it on this site.

Happy Labor day weekend!


Ingredients
4 6oz Tilapia fillets
2 tbsp of Blackening Cajun seasoning ( I found this at Winco)
3 tbps of Canola Oil
1 1/2 lbs of baby carrots
1 package of corn bread, for serving with

Directions
I sprayed the fillets with cooking spray, and then rubbed the Blackening seasoning on them. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and place canola oil in the skillet. Wait until oil is heated, about five minutes, and place the fillets in the skillet. Cook each side for at least 3 minutes before turning. In the meantime, steam the carrots and season them with salt and pepper.

I served this with cornbread and the hubbie placed hot sauce on the cornbread, which he says was awesome :)

I will post more recipes this coming week, watch for the September menu coming soon :)

Trinidadian Chicken Stew

Good morning! Here is a recipe for dinner tonight, one that is easy, simple, and that I got from one of my favorite TV chefs: Giada De Laurentis. She can cook and she is so personable, I trust her dishes. I got this one about three years ago, and have made a few times when all you want is really good comfort food that is also good for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, halved
4 small skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
1 tbsp ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 whole canned tomatoes
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups of water

Directions
In a heavy, bottomed 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until very dark, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, ginger, 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Cook, until the chicken is brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme, 2 tbsp of parsley, carrots, potatoes and hot water. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Basmanti brown rice- I got mine at Trader Joe's.

Pasta Bolognese, Mamma Mia!

Happy Thursday! One of the best things about summer is growing vegetables. If you can have a vegetable garden, by all means, invest on the little plants and they will give you so much goodness in return, especially tomatoes. I make my homemade tomato sauce once a year, and this is what I used for this pasta Bolognesa. I don't remember where I got this recipe from, but it has been with me for the past 6 years or so. For the first time, I used ground turkey and it turned out fantastic, same taste, and better for you. If you buy tomato sauce, I recommend trader joe's brand, with simple tomato and basil. Let this recipe add the rest of the flavors to the sauce.

Ingredients
4 tbsp of butter
1 lb of angel hair pasta
1lb of lean ground turkey ( Costco sells 5 packs for $15, a deal!)
2 tbsp of dried onion flakes
2 tbsp of fresh chopped basil
2 cubes of beef bouillon
1 1/2 cup of hot water
1 can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp of tomato puree
4 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions
Cook the angel hair pasta according to directions in the package. Heat a medium size skillet at medium-high heat, melt the butter and brown the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the ground turkey, in small increments, breaking any chunks with a wooden spoon. After the meat is browned for a bit, and juices are flowing in the pan, add the tomato sauce, the tomato paste. Dissolve the beef bouillon in the hot water, then add to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until slightly reduced, for about 20 minutes. Pour over pasta, only mixing the portions as you serve them. Add Parmesan cheese before serving.

This is such a simple recipe, but one that is always a favorite amongst friends. The turkey made it much lighter, and all the flavors that make this an amazing dish are still there.

Quiche da Nete

Happy Monday! Sorry that I have not posted any new recipes for almost a week, there has been much traveling involved lately. I did, however, make this amazing Quiche recipe last Wednesday night, and this is a must have, specially if you like Quiche.

I got this recipe from my Aunt's cook in Manaus, Brazil. Her name is Nete. She is what you may say an extraordinary chef that works as a cook due to her modest upbringing. She could be behind any 5-star restaurant in Brazil or the US, but she is the private cook for my very lucky Aunt and her family. This woman is amazing. She did a Wild Duck Risotto that can put many a grown chef to shame. I was lucky- and pested her enough in my last visit to Brazil- to learn her Quiche recipe. Yes, this is for homemade dough- no store bought dough can compare. And the filling can be changed, customized to your liking. Enjoy!
Nete- essa receita 'e pra voce, muitos beijos :)

Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups of flour
- 4 sticks of melted butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 200 ml (1/3 cup) of very cold water


For the filling:
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 cans of table cream ( pictured in this recipe)- you can find them at Winco, in the Hispanic section
- 1 cup grated Gorgonzola cheese
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cup chopped black forest ham
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Mix the flour, butter and egg together, by hand. Slowly add the water, mixing well to make sure the dough is of uniform consistency. Part the dough in half, make a ball with each half, place it in cellophane paper and chill it overnight, preferably in the freezer. The dough should be the same consistency as a Play-dough thing.

When ready to bake, place the dough in a pie dish, or one of those false-bottom pans, that you can unlatch after the Quiche is baked.  Heat the oven to 350. Mix the beaten eggs, add the table cream, cheese, ham, and mix it well with a wooden spoon. Pour mixture in the baking dish, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Since you will have enough dough for one more Quiche, you can leave it in the freezer for another month, and you can come back and play with the filling recipe :)

I must also report that this is a "no-leftover" recipe, certainly one of hubbie's favorite.

Enjoy! Bom apetite!

August menu ready- email me if you'd like a copy

Good evening! Sorry it took me a while, but the August menu and shopping list is ready. Just send me your email- or leave me a comment with your email- and I will send it to you.
Cheers to August!

Skillet Pork Chop Saute with Peaches

I cooked this recipe over the weekend, and it is a great way to use the amazing peaches that are just now in season, they are pretty down insane, so good and sweet they get this time of year. This is a recipe from Cooking Light magazine and it is super easy and fast. Let me admit that I don't cook Pork Chops often, as we don't eat a lot of Pork in Brazil, but these were yummy. I had an extra thick piece, and burned the olive oil a bit :( The sauce turned out a bit more burned than I wanted to, but the peaches were still intact and insanely delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
4 4z center-cut boneless pork loin chops, trimmed (Winco and Costco have these at great prices)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly chopped garlic
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 peaches ( or more, if your heart desires :) each cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp honey
2 tsp butter

Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat. Sprinkle chops evenly with salt and pepper. Add chops to pan, and cook until done. Remove from pan and keep warm. If the oil is a bit burned, dump it and pour in 1 tbsp of fresh olive oil. Add garlic, thyme and peaches to pan, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter. Pour over the pork chops. I served these with fresh sugar peas and steamed asparagus.

Feijoada- Brazilian Black Beans

Happy Monday! This is the most popular dish in Brazil. Growing up, this was a must at all meals, with some farofa (cassava powder, cooked up with butter), but I couldn't find the cassava powder here.
This is my mom's recipe-- can you tell I miss my mom? :) I typically make these beans on the pressure cooker, but as I know most people don't have pressure cookers, I did it the old-fashioned ways. In order to make these, you need to soak the beans overnight. You will also need a slow cooker, like a crock pot, to allow for the flavors to brew overnight. Two 15 oz bags of black beans will work.


Ingredients
2 15oz bags of dried black beans
1 package of Linguica sausage (Winco sells these)
1 8 oz package of bacon
9 dried bay leaves ( do not compromise- you need these)
6 tomatoes, chopped and seeded
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

Directions
Leave the beans soaking overnight. In a large saucepan, turn up to medium heat and add the olive oil, saute the tomatoes, garlic and chopped bacon. Once the tomatoes are melted and well-blended, add the sliced Linguica sausage. Cook until the bacon is well cooked, but still tender. Add the beans and enough chicken broth to cover the beans, and cook on medium heat until they are soft, for about 90 minutes. Transfer them to a slow cooker, and cook them overnight. As you are transferring the beans, mash some of the beans and add it to the slow cooker. Cook it for about 10 hours. You should have lots and lots of beans. I freeze them, and when I am ready to defrost it, I just add a bit of chicken broth and let it simmer.

In Brazil, we add smoked pig's ears and pig's feet, but I cannot find the same delicacies here. I add salted pork when I can find it at the store, but they were out of it at Winco.

These will make your entire house smell like heaven :) Enjoy!

Brazilian Carne Assada

Happy Sunday! As promised, here is the recipe for Brazilian Carne Assada. Now, keep in mind that this is very different than the Mexican Carne Asada. I think the closest thing it resembles is the Cuban Ropa Vieja, because it is more like a stew meat. My mom makes it so yummy, and my version came close, but not like hers. I guess I will just have to keep trying :)

You will need a pressure cooker, or you may also cook slowly overnight in a crockpot. Just make sure you brown enough of the meat to seal the outside, and slow-cook the inside of the meat, where the flavor will reside.

Ingredients
2 lbs of round ribeye steak ( Costco sells these in packages of 2 for $16.70 total)
4 tbsp of ketchup
4 tbsp of olive oil
8 tbsp of worcestershire sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced and cut
6 tbsp of dried onion flakes
5 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 medium carrots
3 medium size Yukon potatoes, sliced in thirds
2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. 

Directions
You will want to marinate the steak overnight, so that the meat can absorb all these amazing flavors. Rub each cut with 2 tbsp of ketchup, olive oil, worcestershire sauce, garlic and dried onion flakes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready to cook, heat the pressure cooker opened at medium heat, with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the chopped tomatoes, and let it cook for 5 minutes. Then add the meat, with its juices, and turn it a few times, to make sure it is browned on the outside. Once you see seared marks on the meat, add the carrots and potatoes and 2 cups of chicken broth. Cover and seal the pressure cooker, cooking it in medium heat for 45 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let the pressure cooker cool down before attempting to open the seal.
Cut into the meat to ensure the center is cooked properly. If not, add 2 more cups of chicken broth and let it cook for additional 30 minutes in low to medium heat.

I served one of the steaks with brown rice, and freezed the other one for a second meal later in the month :) My mom would be proud, and the hubbie ate all of his servings and then some :)

Baked Penne with summer vegetables

Happy Monday everyone! This is a recipe I cooked last night, as it was originally in the July menu, and I just didn't get around to it. It is from July's edition of Cooking Light magazine. I used penne instead of ziti, as this is what I had in my pantry.

Serve it with a nice salad, and it is a perfect summer meal. Perfect if you have a vegetable garden and don't know what to do with all the squash and zucchini you get these two months.

Ingredients
4 oz uncooked penne
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped yellow squash ( thin round slices)
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped tomato
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 oz) of shredded mozzarella cheese ( buy the block, and shred it prior to cooking)
2 tbsp fresh basil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup (2 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Directions
Cook pasta first. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a skilled over medium-high heat and add olive oil to the pan. Add squash, zucchini and onion, sauteeing for 10 minutes. Add tomato, garlic, and sautee for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Once pasta is cooked, add pasta to this mixture, and add mozzarella cheese. I also added crushed red pepper flakes for some extra heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the ricotta and the egg together. Add this to the pasta mixture, and blend well. Spoon this into an 8-inch square dish, coated with cooking spray. Top it with the rest of mozzarella ( and if you have none left, just grate some more :))
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until bubbly and browned. Serve it with salad. This will give you 4 portions, each with 301 calories,12 g of fat and 4g of fiber.

Tonight I am cooking my mom's recipe of a Brazilian Carne Assada. Let's see how it turns out :) Recipe to come tomorrow or later tonight, after Zumba class.

Menu planning saves you money :)

If you have been following the blog, you know I have a menu planned for the month of July, with carefully listed shopping ingredients and a plan to follow it. I have been shopping at three places throughout the month: Winco, Costco and Trader Joes. I kept all my receipts and I am happy to report that my grocery bill this month, for all the recipes in the blog and in the menu came to a total of $373.30, which is around $12.50 per dinner, for two people.

I am thrilled with this budget, let me see if I can do better next month. More money saved means more shoe money, right? :)

My famous empanadas

So, if there is one recipe that folks keep asking me over and over and over again is my famous empanadas. These are originally called "pasteis de ricota" in Brazil, but here, they are baked empanadas, a much better alternative to the deep-fried companion. I love making these, because I do make the dough from scratch, and it is a relaxing task, especially on a weeknight. Let me know what you think :)


Ingredients
Dough:

- 1 1/4 cup of ricotta
- 1 cup of melted butter
- 2 cups of flour
-1/4 tablespoon of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 drops of olive oil

Filling:
- 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg white
- 2 cooked/smashed potatoes ( white or red)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Mix all the ingredients for the dough together, minus the egg yolk and olive oil. Flatten the dough and cut round shapes, either with forms or glass cups. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the filling. With a small spoon, place the filling at the center of each round shape. Fold over and close the empanadas, using a fork to seal the borders. In a bowl, mix egg yolk and drop of oil. Brush yolk/oil mixture over each empanada. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over each empanada (optional: I used the Parmesan for the filling, but not for topping). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Other options for filling: Sun-dried tomatoes, pulled chicken/pork, spinach with ricotta, ham.

Share these with friends, family and loved ones. There is never leftovers of these little guys :)

Roasted Tilapia, potatoes and lemons

Good Sunday! It has been a week since I posted some new recipes, it has been busy both at work and at home. I will be posting two recipes from the menu list from this last week, so please visit the specific posts for directions. This recipe is from Real Simple, October 2010 edition.


Also, I will be planning August's menu here today, and will have that post tomorrow :) Please spread the word, so if you want the menu and shopping list, leave me a comment with your email and I will send it to you.

Ingredients
1 lb baby potatoes
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 6oz skinless tilapia fillets (Costco has awesome prices for frozen tilapia)
1/2 tsp paprika

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, lemon, rosemary, 2 tsp of olive oil and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Roast, tossing once until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.
Toss the olives with the potato mixture. Place the fillets on the baking sheet, drizzling the fish with remaining olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Continue to roast until potatoes are golden brown, and fish is crisp, about 20 more minutes.

This is super healthy and flavorful. It serves 4 people for sure.
I will be posting empanadas next :)

Scallops in Parchment ( in Papillote is the French term)

This is a super easy recipe :) I made this last week, as we went out to dinner Friday night and last night, hubby cooked stir-fried (yummm!!). I don't know where I got this from originally, but I know the technique is an old one. This is to replace the butternut squash soup on the menu, since I had that earlier in the month.

Also, if you bought the bag of scallops from Costco, you can use the other half to cook this recipe :) See, I am doing what I can to stretch your dollars ( and mine too).

Ingredients
1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
1 15 oz can of white beans
2 cups of baby carrots
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry

Directions
Heat oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Gently toss the tomatoes, beans, carrot, parsley, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Tear off four (4) 15" squares of parchment paper ( aluminum foil will work too) and arrange on two baking sheets. Spoon some of the bean mixture in the center of each squared. Place the scallops on top of the beans. Repeat for all four squares. Fold the edges over several times to seal. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer packets to a plate. When opening, be careful with the steam that will escape from parchment.

This is a delicious recipe and healthy, as the scallops are cooked in steam.
I don't have pictures tonight, but tomorrow night, Steak and Asparagus, I will post some. Busy busy summer nights :)

Have a great week :)

Stuffed peppers- Recipe from Weight Watchers cookbook

Good morning! Sorry for not posting last night, we decided not to cook and just snacked on leftovers, as they were piling in the refrigerator. On Wednesday night, however, we had one of Bryan's favorite recipes: Stuffed bell peppers. I love this one too because it is a nice way to blend veggies, rice and meat, in a healthy way. This recipe is from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. With 224 calories per serving, this is worth making more and saving for leftovers throughout the week.

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef ( I used 91% lean, 9% fat)
2 cups of cooked Basmanti Brown Rice ( Trader Joe's has the best best kind. Cook this ahead in chicken broth)
1/4 cup green peas, fresh if you can/frozen if not in season
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
6 green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, tops cut off and seeded ( the orange kind is my favorite)
1/2 cup tomato sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice (cooked, pretty please), peas, cheese, tomato sauce, garlic, thyme, and basil. Loosely stuff the peppers with the mixture, put them on a casserole dish- standing. Cover with pepper tops, and aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cook for 20 additional minutes, uncovered. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

This last time I replaced the peas for canned mushrooms.
Per serving ( 1 stuffed pepper)- 224 calories, 6g of fat, 29g carbs, 4g fiber.

This makes 6 servings, as I increased the recommended portions- again, hubby-favorite.

 

I will not be cooking tonight, as we're going out to eat. Tomorrow, it will be steak night.

Also, if you have suggestions of recipes, or if you made some of the recipes shared on the blog and you want to share how they turned out, please send me an email.

Happy Friday!

Pappardelle pasta with baby spinach, herbs and ricotta

Pappardelle? yes, Pappardelle. This is a wide-ribbon pasta that, until Trader Joe's come to town, I couldn't not find anywhere else, so I used penne pasta instead. This is what it looks like, with the help of lovely Instagram to add some flair to it

This is a fun, delicious and nutritious way to eat pasta, spinach and fresh herbs. I got this one from Cooking Light magazine, April 2011.

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked pappardelle pasta
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 cup skim-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups ( or more, if you are Popeye) of baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill ( the game changer of this recipe :))
3 tbsp of grated Pecorino Romano
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions
Start by cooking pasta, with salt. When ready, drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Add ricotta cheese to 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and mix it by hand well, until blended. Combine hot pasta, cheese mixture, spinach, Pecorino, herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper, and mix it well. If needed, add the other 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to moisten. I usually don't need this other 1/2 cup.

This makes for a very yummy, healthy pasta. Lots of leftover, as the pasta is plenty plenty for two.

Here is a picture, with lots of Instagram flair.

For those of you with the July monthly menu, I have changed the order a bit, but promise I will cook all the recipes in the menu. Tomorrow night, instead of the quesadillas, I am going for a healthier option of Scallops in Pappillote.

Email me if you'd like the menu and shopping list :)

BBQ glazed salmon with green beans and bell peppers

I found my favorite Nora Ephron quote, as published in Gourmet, August, 2009: "I don't think any day is worth living without thinking about what you're going to eat next at all time". Couldn't this be more true? Especially when your significant other asks you "what's for dinner tonight?", well, now you have it planned, haven't you? Smart jelly bean you are :)

This Salmon recipe comes from Real Simple, my favorite magazine. It has saved my life more often than not. I changed it slightly, but I have included a link to the original recipe. It is super easy, perfect for a weeknight- and with Salmon at $17 for almost 2 lbs, you can cook this dinner and have lunch the next day too :)

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb green beans
2 cups diced mini-bell peppers
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/4 lbs of salmon filler (Costco has great selection for awesome prices)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce ( or more, if you love BBQ sauce like I do)

Directions
Place a rack on the very top of your oven, at the highest possible spot. Heat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. While it is heating, heat up a medium skillet in medium-high heat, drizzle the olive oil, and heat up the peppers and tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes. Add the green beans and saute for another 10 minutes, until the beans are browned on either side.

Cut the salmon into 4 to 5 equal pieces ( about 6 oz each). Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, set the fillets on the sheet equally apart from one another, and brush the fillets with plenty of BBQ sauce. Bake until cooked, about 15 minutes.

Serve the salmon with the green beans. We had two pieces leftover for lunches.
Tomorrow, I will post a mean pasta dish that involves no meat :)

Rotisserie Chicken with Cauliflower Gratin

It's a weeknight recipe that I made yesterday, because I am still not feeling 100% recovered from this cold. And we had a concert to get to- which was amazing- so, the food had to be good and fast. I bought a rotisserie chicken from Costco- the best $4.99 for the value- and cooked the Cauliflower Gratin. This is a recipe from a book that was an inspiration to me, in terms of cooking " French Women Don't Get Fat", by Mirelle Guiliano. This books tells you simple recipe and secrets for eating well, and yet not having to worry about your waistline. She emphasizes cooking with the fresh produce you have at hand, with the thought that food tastes best- and is best- for you when it is in its peak and in season. A concept that in Brazil, is often filled with mangoes in November, corn in June, bananas year round :). Enjoy the cauliflower, this is one of Bryan's favorite side dish.


Cauliflower Gratin
1 medium-size head of cauliflower
2 cups of 2% milk
1/2 tsp of salt
1 egg
1/2 cup grated cheese ( I use either Gorgonzola or Pecorino Romano)
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Directions
Turn your bake on to broil (550 degrees Fahrenheit). Trim the cauliflower, separate the flowerets, and cook in milk and the 1/2 tsp of salt until tender ( 10 to 15 minutes in 4.5/5 heat). Reserve 1/3 cup of the milk, and drain the rest.
Beat the egg with the milk reserved. Arrange the flowerets in a square baking dish. Add the cheese to the egg/milk mixture, and pour over the arranged flowerets. Cut the 1 tbsp of butter into little squares, distribute them throughout the cauliflower, and broil the gratin until brown, about 13 minutes. Serve hot.

Thoughts on food

I love this blog, if you haven't already realized this :) and the main reason I started this blog, is because I didn't grow up cooking. Not at all. Being from Brazil, we always had a maid- which I consider my second mom- who cooks amazing, amazing food, and I never bothered to learn how. I fully regretted this lack of respect for food when I moved to the US to go to school and had to prepare my own meals. I regretted and cursed at it even more after I got married, and had to learn how to cook for two- which meant, all the little mistakes in my recipes could no longer get overlooked, because someone other than myself was going to be eating them for dinner :)

Nora Ephron, whom I admire and director of "Julie and Julia", has this amazing quote "Whenever I get married, I start buying Gourmet magazine." The beauty of this is that it is so true, and totally outdated now that Gourmet is no longer in print. But the thought is there, and it signifies the thought on this blog: share simple recipes, easy recipes so that you can cook more and eat out less, whether it be for yourself or for your family. Because in the end, we are what we eat, and if we control what we eat, we control who we are and who we become.

In the meantime, every time I visit family in Brazil, I bug all the cooks and all the maids I can find to learn their cooking recipes and secrets. I am certain many of them could put  5-star chefs to shame with their amazing cooking techniques.

Pork tenderloin and Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes

Happy Saturday! I know I haven't written in the last two days, I have been under the weather a little bit, so sorry :)

Hope you're enjoying the blog. If you're following the recipes for the month, this was on the menu Wednesday night. Bryan, my gorgeous man, cooked the Pork Tenderloin according to the instructions. Not much secret there.

I made the Asparagus, which is an amazing side dish, one that is fast ( 20 minutes) and goes with most things :) I find those the best kind of sides :)

Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions
Cook asparagus in boiling water, for about 5 minutes in medium heat. This will leave them crisp, but just cooked enough to add flavor to the mix. Drain, and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the garlic, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Cook until tomatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.
Arrange asparagus in a serving dish, pour the tomato mixture on top.

Glad to report that there are no leftovers on this one :)
The next night, we had store bought Butternut Squash Soup. The Pacific Foods brands, that they sell at Costco, is marvelous.

I am keeping track of the b ( short for Budget) and will report at the end of the month how much we allocated to all this delicious food. Hopefully you guys are enjoying, and following along.

Now on to go see the Avett Bros. concert :)

Easy Tamale Casserole

So, hopefully by now you realized that I am crazy about recipes, and have lots of them, from many different places :) My husband has to put a cap on the number of cookbooks I have, otherwise, I will go nuts for sure :)

Whole Foods Market has great recipes. Even better, they made an iPhone app that houses a lot of those recipes, and you can search for recipes by the ingredients you have at hand. Really pretty cool.

If you are following the menu, and have been shopping the items on the list, you may do what I did: use the leftover beans from the Black Beans and White Rice recipe for this recipe, instead of using canned beans. It certainly added some extra spice to these tamales.

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1 15oz canned black beans ( I used the ones from Black Beans recipe, see index)
1 jar medium salsa (Mrs. Renfro's has the best ones, their peach salsa is super flavorful and not too spicy)
1 12 oz box gluten-free corn bread and muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup low fat milk
1 to 1 1/2 slice jalapeno pepper ( optional, for extra heat)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large sautee pan, brown the meat and jalapeno. Cook thoroughly, for about 10 minutes. Add beans and salsa, simmer over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes. Let it cool a bit, then place it in a 9 x 12 inch casserole dish.

Prepare the cornbread mix according to instructions. Place mix over the other ingredients. Smooth out to cover. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown.

 I love love love this recipe, because it mixes the sweet of the cornbread with the spice of jalapeno and salsa. It is the next best thing to my next door neighbor's real tamale, which I am sure takes longer than the 30 minutes needed to cook this one :)

Please email me if you have questions, hope you're enjoying the blog so far :)

Pasta with creamy red pepper-feta sauce

Good evening,

This was last night's dinner. I just finished reading "Medium Raw", by Anthony Bourdain, and he said that at one point, it is hard to find different words to describe food, which is so true :) This was a great dinner, with the right ingredients. I got this recipe from chef Ellie Krieger, from the Food Network, about 5 years ago. The feta cheese used in the recipe was a mix of sheep and goat's milk ( bought it at Costco) and the fresh parsley is to die for. If you have the chance to have an herb garden- if it is a flower box herb garden, it is the best investment you can make on turning simple recipes into wow-recipes. Enough talking, let's get to the food. I will post tonight's dinner menu here shortly.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion ( dried onions work as well)
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped ( minced garlic works well as well, 2 to 3 tsps)
1 (16 oz) jar of roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock ( you used some of it during the Turkey Meatballs recipe)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese ( about 6 oz)
1 lb pasta ( I prefer Penne, because it absorbs the sauce better)
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Saute onion and garlic until soft and brown, about 5 minutes. Add roasted red peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly. Place ingredients in a blender, add the chicken stock and feta, leaving about 2 tbsp to serve with pasta. Process until smooth and nicely orange. Mix it with pasta, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta water to add to sauce if too-thick. Season with salt and pepper, serve it with parsley and feta cheese.

The feta makes this sauce amazing and yet healthy- great alternative to your good old Alfredo sauce :)

Salmon with Rosemary Potatoes

Happy Monday! I wanted to share what we cooked for dinner on Saturday. For those of you following the calendar, I did not cook yesterday because it was too beautiful of a day and we barbecued at the lake instead :) I will post yesterday's recipe later today.


On Saturday we ate this amazing recipe, so easy to make ( 30 minutes or less), and easy to clean (you only use one pot) :) and if you never made these rosemary potatoes, you will be making them more often, as a side dish, as they are easy to make and great to eat :) I modified this recipe from the Real Simple Cookbook, Meals Made Easy. I highly recommend this book, as I have done a few really easy recipes from it. Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 lbs of red potatoes, halved ( wash them prior, as you will eat them with skins)
4 tbsp of Olive Oil
1 tsp of salt
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary herb
1 lemon
1 lb Salmon Fillet, with skin and scales if applicable ( Winco sells these prepackaged and ready to go)


Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve the potatoes, drizzle a 9" pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil, and season the potatoes with rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast them for 30 minutes. In the meantime, cut up the salmon into 3 or 4 equal pieces. It is important to make the portions smaller, as you will be placing them in the same pan that the potatoes are currently roasting. After 30 minutes of roasting, move the potatoes to the side, add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, and place salmon fillets in the middle. Cover each with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of lemon. Roast for additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool for 2 minutes and serve. Yummy!!

I should also mention that this is a pretty health recipe, as the salmon is pretty much just cooked on heat, no additional ingredients needed.

I should mention that it was the perfect night to cook this recipe as I had spent the better part of the afternoon picking strawberries and making strawberry jam. Will see if we use jam in one upcoming recipe, for ideas, let me know :)

Later tonight, I will post the Roasted Peppers fettuccine recipe :)

Black Beans and Yellow Rice

Happy Saturday morning! I cooked this last night for dinner, and will warn you, it is yummy, but you must soak the beans for 8 hours prior to cooking, so if you're planning on cooking it tonight, get those beans started now :)

This is another Cooking Light recipe, with 438 calories per portion, 11g of fat, 64g of carbs and 6g of fiber. It was pretty yummy and spicy :)


Ingredients
1 pack of dried black beans (15 oz- I made extra so I would have leftover :)
Cooking spray
1 pack of Chorizo sausage ( you can find these at Winco, typically in a 10 oz packet)
6 cups of water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups of onion ( I use dried onion flakes instead)
1 orange bell pepper ( or 2, if you cook the whole pack of beans)
1 jalapeno pepper, minced ( seeds included for extra heat)
2 garlic cloves
1 cup rice
1/4 tsp of ground tumeric
3 cups of fresh tomato
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Sort, wash the beans and soak them for 8 hours, with 2 inches of water above the beans.
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and add Chorizo, saute for 3 minutes, add beans and 4 cups of water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add 4 more cups of water and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, or until you have a thick sauce. Stir in salt, pepper and cumin.
Once the beans are cooked (after 2 or so hours), heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and tomatoes. Cook for 8 minutes and then pour this mixture into the beans.
Start the rice, bringing 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice, add the ground tumeric to the water. Cook for about 20 minutes.

This is definitely a recipe for Friday/Saturday/Sunday night, because the beans take longer to cook, unless you have a pressure cooker ( which I have), but most people are afraid of them ( including me sometimes :))

Happy Saturday everyone!
Tonight I am cooking Salmon with rosemary potatoes :)

Scallops with Spinach and Paprika Syrup

Good evening,
This is a later post than the last ones, sorry for the delay. This is one of my husband's favorite recipe, and since it takes 20 minutes or less, it was perfect for yet another night when I teach Zumba. I got this one from Cooking Light magazine, which is an awesome magazine, chock full of nutritional information and great recipes. You can also check their online companion, www.myrecipes.com.

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsps of olive oil
1/2 lb of jumbo sea scallops (Costco currently sells a 2 lb bag for $20)
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
10 oz fresh baby spinach

Directions
Bring the sugar, paprika, red pepper and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook on medium (3 to 3.5) for 4 minutes or until mixture thickens. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (5 to 5.5). Add 1 tsp of olive oil to pan, swirl to coat. Pat scallops dry with paper towel, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook in the skillet. They are so easy to overcook that a good tip is to set your time for 2 minutes, cook them one side, and then flip them, and set your time for another 2 minutes. That way, you will not overcook them, guaranteed. Set them aside on a serving dish, cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Add remaining olive oil on the skillet, add garlic and let the garlic brown before adding spinach. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes, or until wilted and coated with garlic and olive oil mix. Serve spinach, with scallops on top and drizzle paprika sauce over the scallops.

I will be cooking the black beans recipe tomorrow, although not the traditional Brazilian dish, Feijoada. This recipe is also a Cooking Light recipe, and it is a budget recipe, with each serving costing less than $1.86 :)
Because most people don't have a pressure cook pan, I am going to do it the old-fashioned way, which means you must rinse, clean and pick the bad beans tonight, set aside and cover it with 2 inches of water. Let the beans soak for 8 hours before cooking it tomorrow night.

It's almost Friday :)
Happy Loopy Day,
Thais