I spotted a recipe like this on Pinterest and immediately saw the potential for a WW-friendly recipe. I finally got around to making it tonight because we were going to have my brother-in-law over for dinner, and he's wild about shrimp. We had to reschedule with him, but I figured I'd test this recipe out anyway.
I made significant changes to the original recipe that I found here, but I'll bet the original is fantastic. We liked this meal a lot. It was a little involved to make and took about an hour or so, but I'm sure you could do some prep work to save time. I made this meal WW-friendly. As far as I can tell, using SparkRecipes' recipe calculator, these seem to be about 4 points an enchilada. The enchiladas were pretty spicy, but had great flavor. The cream sauce was great! Give it a try:
The shrimp:
12 oz. bag of medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss shrimp in the oil and salt and pepper. Place on a cookie tray and roast for about 6-8 minutes, until they are pink and firm. Let cool and then dice into bite-size pieces. I chopped them up pretty small. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.
The filling:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 slices of white onion, separated
1 carrot, peeled and grated (I used my peeler to make long peels of the carrot)
1/2 C. of sweet bell peppers, sliced thinly (I used those tiny peppers)
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
About 8 Whole wheat fajita tortillas
1 C. fat-free cheddar cheese
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook on medium heat, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn. Let the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and peppers, oregano and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, tossing to combine. Remove from heat.
The sauce:
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/2 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. fat-free sour cream
(this will probably make more than you need)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. garlic powder
Set a saucepan on medium heat and add the enchilada sauce. Stir in the chicken stock and heat for about a minute, stirring. Stir in the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Stir as it heats. After a few minutes, add seasoning and remove from heat.
Place a spoonful of the filling on the tortilla and add a generous pinch of cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down in a baking dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Continue for the rest. Cover in a generous amount of sauce, but you will probably have some left over. Top with cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes, then turn on the broiler for about 3 minutes.
This will serve 4, if each person eats 2 enchiladas (8 WW points total. I don't know how many WW+. 10, maybe?). I served it with black beans and rice, which is really fantastic with the cream sauce. Delicious!
xoxo,
A
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
1.31.2013
Some Good Ol' Chicken
I got a beautiful Dutch oven for Christmas from my mom. I have been dreaming about lovely things to make in it. Today, I made its inaugural meal, and it didn't disappoint. I was inspired by "lemon rosemary chicken" by http://franziskasfood.wordpress.com, but I made it my own. It's easy and very tasty, but you have to have an hour to spare, because that's how long it took to cook in my oven.
Here's what I used:
10 very small red potatoes (you could easily cut large ones in half)
1 lemon, halved
4 small shallots, peeled
dried rosemary, to taste. I probably used about 2 Tbsp.
tsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 cup white wine
4 fresh chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
4 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of one lemon
Preheat your oven to 400 and after washing the dirt off the potatoes, put them in a pot and cover them with water. Set the burner to high heat and once the water is boiling, let them simmer for about 9 minutes. You don't want them really soft- you're just cooking them enough so they won't be hard after roasting.
If you have time to do this earlier, then marinate the chicken longer. I, however, had like, 10 minutes and it was fine. Combine olive oil, honey, chili powder, some salt and cracked pepper, and lemon juice and marinate the chicken thighs.
When you've drained the potatoes, place them on the bottom of the roasting tin (or in this case, the Dutch oven. I'll bet a roasting tin would make everything nice and crispy, but the oven worked well too!). Stick the lemon halves and shallots in with them, too. Add 1/2 of the rosemary. Pour the wine over the potatoes, and add some salt and cracked pepper.
Arrange the chicken thighs, skin-side up, on top of the potatoes. Cover with any residual marinade. Add the last of the rosemary. Cook for one hour in a Dutch oven (maybe 45 minutes in a roasting pan). Make sure the juice runs clear when you pierce the chicken.
Remove the skin from the chicken (healthier!) and serve with the potatoes, cut open. Spoon a little of the juice from the bottom of the pan onto the chicken and potatoes.
I found this recipe to be easy and very good. It was pretty healthy, too, as long as I didn't gobble up too much of the wine/oil juice. The original recipe called for thickening the juice with milk and cornstarch, but I felt I'd rather spend the calories elsewhere. There was an almost buttery taste, yet no butter was used. The wine flavor cooks out, of course, and the lemon/rosemary/shallots were not overpowering. Plus, it made my house smell amazing. Are there any other rosemary fans out there?!
This served Mike and me, with some potatoes left over that I couldn't eat. You could easily have added more potatoes and more thighs to fit in the Dutch oven and serve more people.
Try this out soon! You won't be disappointed! Next time I might use my roasting pan!
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xoxo, A
Here's what I used:
10 very small red potatoes (you could easily cut large ones in half)
1 lemon, halved
4 small shallots, peeled
dried rosemary, to taste. I probably used about 2 Tbsp.
tsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 cup white wine
4 fresh chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
4 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of one lemon
Preheat your oven to 400 and after washing the dirt off the potatoes, put them in a pot and cover them with water. Set the burner to high heat and once the water is boiling, let them simmer for about 9 minutes. You don't want them really soft- you're just cooking them enough so they won't be hard after roasting.
If you have time to do this earlier, then marinate the chicken longer. I, however, had like, 10 minutes and it was fine. Combine olive oil, honey, chili powder, some salt and cracked pepper, and lemon juice and marinate the chicken thighs.
When you've drained the potatoes, place them on the bottom of the roasting tin (or in this case, the Dutch oven. I'll bet a roasting tin would make everything nice and crispy, but the oven worked well too!). Stick the lemon halves and shallots in with them, too. Add 1/2 of the rosemary. Pour the wine over the potatoes, and add some salt and cracked pepper.
Arrange the chicken thighs, skin-side up, on top of the potatoes. Cover with any residual marinade. Add the last of the rosemary. Cook for one hour in a Dutch oven (maybe 45 minutes in a roasting pan). Make sure the juice runs clear when you pierce the chicken.
Remove the skin from the chicken (healthier!) and serve with the potatoes, cut open. Spoon a little of the juice from the bottom of the pan onto the chicken and potatoes.
I found this recipe to be easy and very good. It was pretty healthy, too, as long as I didn't gobble up too much of the wine/oil juice. The original recipe called for thickening the juice with milk and cornstarch, but I felt I'd rather spend the calories elsewhere. There was an almost buttery taste, yet no butter was used. The wine flavor cooks out, of course, and the lemon/rosemary/shallots were not overpowering. Plus, it made my house smell amazing. Are there any other rosemary fans out there?!
This served Mike and me, with some potatoes left over that I couldn't eat. You could easily have added more potatoes and more thighs to fit in the Dutch oven and serve more people.
Try this out soon! You won't be disappointed! Next time I might use my roasting pan!
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xoxo, A
8.08.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Homemade Pesto and What to Do With It
I have a thing about wasting basil. I hate to do it, but somehow it used to happen ALL. THE. TIME. I used to buy the packaged basil they sell at the grocery store, but I could never use it all before it went bad, which happened surprisingly quickly. Then I got wise and for even cheaper, I'd buy a basil plant to keep in my window-- perfect, right? Just pluck off the leaves when I need them? Well, you're assuming I can actually keep plants alive. So that failed. Then Bestie Jr.'s husband showed up at the door with a big sprig of home-grown basil, as big as the plants I used to buy. They were my ride, and in my haste to get out the door, I stuck it in a glass of water. And it lasted over a week, allowing me to make bruschetta and flatbread pizza. However, we were about to leave on our three-week vacation, and I still had several good leaves of basil that I just couldn't waste.
I decided to try my hand at pesto, and then freeze it for a later use.
It was a success! It was easy to throw together and when I wanted it, I broke it up in a pan on medium heat and let it melt, mixing it with an Alfredo sauce. It made an absolutely delicious sauce for our pasta and chicken!
I didn't really follow a recipe. I took out my food processor, and after rinsing the basil and spinning it in the salad spinner, I tossed the leaves in. I didn't have any pine nuts, but I did have slivered almonds hanging out in my freezer. So I tossed some of those in. I didn't add too many, because I knew I could always add more. This is how I cook-- I experiment and don't measure. It's annoying for those who need specific measurements, but it's freeing and fun and builds your cooking instincts, so I recommend it!
I added lots of freshly crushed garlic (I use my glorious Pampered Chef garlic press)-- about three cloves, and then of course, olive oil. Next was some salt and pepper. I was light handed with everything, because I only had so much basil, and I knew if I over-did it, it would be ruined. I ran those things around in the processor until the almonds were in really little pieces and it had formed a green paste. It was fairly thick, and smelled wonderful! I put the mix in an airtight container, and a few weeks later, it was perfect!
If you really need a pesto recipe, they're not hard to find. But I encourage you to experiment, and don't let those basil leaves go bad again!
One recipe that looks similar (although this includes cheese) can be found here.
Well anyway, happy basil-ing. From one sprig, we had bruschetta chicken, Margherita flatbread, and chicken pesto pasta. All healthy, all flavorful, and all easy!
xoxo, A
I decided to try my hand at pesto, and then freeze it for a later use.
It was a success! It was easy to throw together and when I wanted it, I broke it up in a pan on medium heat and let it melt, mixing it with an Alfredo sauce. It made an absolutely delicious sauce for our pasta and chicken!
I didn't really follow a recipe. I took out my food processor, and after rinsing the basil and spinning it in the salad spinner, I tossed the leaves in. I didn't have any pine nuts, but I did have slivered almonds hanging out in my freezer. So I tossed some of those in. I didn't add too many, because I knew I could always add more. This is how I cook-- I experiment and don't measure. It's annoying for those who need specific measurements, but it's freeing and fun and builds your cooking instincts, so I recommend it!
I added lots of freshly crushed garlic (I use my glorious Pampered Chef garlic press)-- about three cloves, and then of course, olive oil. Next was some salt and pepper. I was light handed with everything, because I only had so much basil, and I knew if I over-did it, it would be ruined. I ran those things around in the processor until the almonds were in really little pieces and it had formed a green paste. It was fairly thick, and smelled wonderful! I put the mix in an airtight container, and a few weeks later, it was perfect!
If you really need a pesto recipe, they're not hard to find. But I encourage you to experiment, and don't let those basil leaves go bad again!
One recipe that looks similar (although this includes cheese) can be found here.
Well anyway, happy basil-ing. From one sprig, we had bruschetta chicken, Margherita flatbread, and chicken pesto pasta. All healthy, all flavorful, and all easy!
xoxo, A
5.16.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies
Warning: while healthy, these are highly addictive and you won't be able to stop eating them! I found this recipe on Pinterest, but the original recipe is found here.
I have an incurable sweet tooth. Seriously, it's a problem, especially now that Hband and I are on Weight Watchers. I find that if I can say "no" and never have that first taste of sugar, I'm alright... but if I take one taste of that sugary carbo goodness, I'm gone. I'm just gone-- down for the count in diet-world.
But these-- these are healthy, and not so sweet that I find myself needing more and more sweet things afterward. A lot of these healthy "cookies" are really more like baked oatmeal bites. I happen to like the consistency-- that dense, moist texture-- but Hband's not a huge fan. Plus, these weren't quite sweet enough for him. Maybe next time I'd add a little honey. I did think they were good as is-- so good that I really have to make myself stop eating them (but I don't feel guilty... there's no dairy, sugar, or flour in them!).
Plus, they are so, so, so very easy to make. I literally made them in ten minutes.
Here's what you'll need (makes 30 cookies):
3 ripe bananas
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
And in other, completely unrelated news, one year ago today, I said "yes" when he asked, "will you?" I'm so glad I said yes-- it's only gotten better and better. I'm so thankful he chose me out of all the girls in the world, and God saw fit to bless me with this man of my dreams. :) Prayers answered; dream come true.
xoxo, A
Here's what you do:
Nutritional Information (per cookie): 47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus
Enjoy!!
I have an incurable sweet tooth. Seriously, it's a problem, especially now that Hband and I are on Weight Watchers. I find that if I can say "no" and never have that first taste of sugar, I'm alright... but if I take one taste of that sugary carbo goodness, I'm gone. I'm just gone-- down for the count in diet-world.
But these-- these are healthy, and not so sweet that I find myself needing more and more sweet things afterward. A lot of these healthy "cookies" are really more like baked oatmeal bites. I happen to like the consistency-- that dense, moist texture-- but Hband's not a huge fan. Plus, these weren't quite sweet enough for him. Maybe next time I'd add a little honey. I did think they were good as is-- so good that I really have to make myself stop eating them (but I don't feel guilty... there's no dairy, sugar, or flour in them!).
Plus, they are so, so, so very easy to make. I literally made them in ten minutes.
Here's what you'll need (makes 30 cookies):
3 ripe bananas
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
And in other, completely unrelated news, one year ago today, I said "yes" when he asked, "will you?" I'm so glad I said yes-- it's only gotten better and better. I'm so thankful he chose me out of all the girls in the world, and God saw fit to bless me with this man of my dreams. :) Prayers answered; dream come true.
xoxo, A
Here's what you do:
Nutritional Information (per cookie): 47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus
Enjoy!!
5.09.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Confetti Salsa
Is there any satisfaction equal to that when you are known for some kind of "famous" recipe, and it's requested of you? I love that. For me, it is my confetti salsa. I was once told this was mandatory for me to bring to every single party. Ever. Sadly, it's taken a hiatus for a while. I think this summer is the time to bring it back.
In all honesty, this recipe came to me via my Aunt Maureen (as did her Monster cookies... to be featured here at a later date). But I made it my own and man, is it good. I could proabably eat the whole lot of it.
This recipe makes a huge bowlful, so either make it for a party or store the rest in individual containers. By the way, I took this off my original cooking site (short-lived) called "Quarter-Life Crisis Cooking." By the time I'd have time or means to make something of that site/name, I'd no longer be in the "quarter-life" age range. I'm pushing it already. Oh well. For those of us who are pushing "quarter-life," this is healthy, which we all know we need these days-- it has protein, fiber, and veggies!
Here's what you need:
Almost all of these ingredients can be bought at Aldi for very cheap. The scallions, vinegarette, and dressing mix would have to be bought elsewhere.
Here's what you do:
Gently stir everything together and let it sit, covered in the fridge. The longer it sits the better, because the flavors marinate. The avocado will lose it's gorgeous green, though.
Difficult directions, right?
Other uses for the salsa besides the typical "put it on a chip":
1. lettuce wraps-- pull apart large leaves of lettuce from the head and pile a bit of salsa, perhaps some shredded chicken or fish, and/or some shredded cheese. Roll up and enjoy! This is HEALTHY!!
2. enchiladas-- warm corn tortillas in the microwave. Spread warmed fat-free refried beans on the tortilla, top with shredded chicken and cheese, or one or the other. Make up as many as will fit in a pan. Bake at 350 until slightly crispy on the outsides-- about 15-20 minutes-- and top with the salsa. This is also HEALTHY!
3. breakfast-- toast a wheat pita, scramble up some eggs or egg whites, and top with the salsa. Delicious and HEALTHY!
And honestly... I've put this on a sandwich before. It was messy. No judgments. Also don't judge this crappy picture, taken ages ago.
Doesn't that just scream "SUMMER" to you?
xoxo, A
In all honesty, this recipe came to me via my Aunt Maureen (as did her Monster cookies... to be featured here at a later date). But I made it my own and man, is it good. I could proabably eat the whole lot of it.
This recipe makes a huge bowlful, so either make it for a party or store the rest in individual containers. By the way, I took this off my original cooking site (short-lived) called "Quarter-Life Crisis Cooking." By the time I'd have time or means to make something of that site/name, I'd no longer be in the "quarter-life" age range. I'm pushing it already. Oh well. For those of us who are pushing "quarter-life," this is healthy, which we all know we need these days-- it has protein, fiber, and veggies!
Here's what you need:
- 1 seeded and diced red bell pepper
- 2 ripe avacados, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1/4 of a red onion, diced very small (I'm not a red onion fan... add more to taste)
- 4 chopped greens of scallions
- 1 can "Mexicorn," drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 can petite diced tomatoes; try to get the ones with chiles
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegarette (I use lite)
- 2 packages of Good Seasons dry salad dressing mix
Almost all of these ingredients can be bought at Aldi for very cheap. The scallions, vinegarette, and dressing mix would have to be bought elsewhere.
Here's what you do:
Gently stir everything together and let it sit, covered in the fridge. The longer it sits the better, because the flavors marinate. The avocado will lose it's gorgeous green, though.
Difficult directions, right?
Other uses for the salsa besides the typical "put it on a chip":
1. lettuce wraps-- pull apart large leaves of lettuce from the head and pile a bit of salsa, perhaps some shredded chicken or fish, and/or some shredded cheese. Roll up and enjoy! This is HEALTHY!!
2. enchiladas-- warm corn tortillas in the microwave. Spread warmed fat-free refried beans on the tortilla, top with shredded chicken and cheese, or one or the other. Make up as many as will fit in a pan. Bake at 350 until slightly crispy on the outsides-- about 15-20 minutes-- and top with the salsa. This is also HEALTHY!
3. breakfast-- toast a wheat pita, scramble up some eggs or egg whites, and top with the salsa. Delicious and HEALTHY!
And honestly... I've put this on a sandwich before. It was messy. No judgments. Also don't judge this crappy picture, taken ages ago.
Doesn't that just scream "SUMMER" to you?
xoxo, A
5.02.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Breakfast "Cookies"
Good morning! I love me some milk and cereal, don't you? I think my favorites are Honey Nut Cheerios and Krave. But after so many days of milk and cereal again and again, with a banana thrown in, I need a change. That's where these come in. I initially made them for Hband, thinking he'd like them. He doesn't eat breakfast right away, so I need to make him something he can take with him to work. Turns out he didn't like these too much, but I did. They had raisins in them (for him), and I don't like raisins... but I still liked these! They added perfectly to the texture and taste.
The best part? They're good for you. Seriously. No added sugar, no flour, no dairy. Just goodness. I got this recipe from Pinterest, here (picture from the same source). I couldn't find the original person who posted it, so if someone knows, pass it on to me, please!
Ingredients:
Mash up the bananas and throw everything together and mix well. Plop balls of the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.
I added a bit more oats because mine seemed kind of runny, and I baked it for about 20-25 minutes, not 30. You may have to just check on them. You want them soft, but not runny, and certainly not burnt.
I stored them in the fridge, and I found them better after a couple days. They reminded me of those Milkbite granola bars. They were soft and moist little oatmeal bits that were deliciously sweet, without any added sugar! They were so easy to make, and I felt good eating them. I think you will, too! Give them a try!
xoxo, A
The best part? They're good for you. Seriously. No added sugar, no flour, no dairy. Just goodness. I got this recipe from Pinterest, here (picture from the same source). I couldn't find the original person who posted it, so if someone knows, pass it on to me, please!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 C oats
- 2-3 very ripe bananas
- 1 C unsweetened applesauce
- Handful of raisins or craisins
- Cinnamon to taste.
Mash up the bananas and throw everything together and mix well. Plop balls of the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.
I added a bit more oats because mine seemed kind of runny, and I baked it for about 20-25 minutes, not 30. You may have to just check on them. You want them soft, but not runny, and certainly not burnt.
I stored them in the fridge, and I found them better after a couple days. They reminded me of those Milkbite granola bars. They were soft and moist little oatmeal bits that were deliciously sweet, without any added sugar! They were so easy to make, and I felt good eating them. I think you will, too! Give them a try!
xoxo, A
4.25.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Easy Pantry Trifle
Holy. Cow. Girl (or Boy, I guess), you have got to make this. It's so easy. It's a pantry-cleaner and a crowd-pleaser. Plus, you have the option to make it very low-calorie!
And never, in my experience, has something so easy looked so good. So slaved-over. So June Cleaveresque.
I call this the "Easy Pantry Trifle" because truly, it's SO easy (I set it all up the night before and then assembled it in like, 2 minutes the next day), and you literally can mix and match flavors of whatever's in your pantry. And it's a trifle because, um, well, that's what it is.
Here's what I used:
1 package of cook and serve chocolate pudding (you could just as easily do instant and any flavor; even the sugar-free, low-calorie ones work)
1 boxed mix of Devil's Food Cake, prepared as directed and baked in a 9"x13" pan (you could easily pick up a pre-made pound cake or angel food cake-- bonus-- angel food cake is low in calories!)
1 big package lite cool whip (again, any kind would work here)
3/4 box of Nilla Wafers, crushed (any kind of cookie would work)
The night before, I baked the cake and set it aside, covered. Then I made the pudding, covered it, and refrigerated it. I put the cookies in a Ziplock bag and crushed them with a rolling pin, then set them in the fridge with the pudding. Why? I don't know why. I also took the cool whip out of the freezer and thawed it in the fridge. I only had the smaller package of cool whip, but I would definitely say go for the big one. That stuff is GOOD.
The next day, as dinner cooked, I cut the cake into about 1" cubes, which was easy to do since I wasn't cutting it when it was piping hot, as I usually do (I know, shame on me). I first put down a layer of the cake cubes, all around the bottom of the trifle bowl. Empty spaces are OK if they aren't huge. Then I spooned a layer of pudding, making sure it seeped between the cracks in the cake cubes. Then I added a cool whip layer, then topped that with a crumb layer. I continued this pattern again, and then I was out of room. So I put one more layer of cake cubes around the outside, this time not filling in the center, then poured the rest of the crumbs into the center of the top. I covered it with plastic wrap and refrigerated it.
It got Hband's approval, and it looked impressive, what with the layers and all.
By the way, I had about 1/4 of the cake left over, so you can use that for mini-trifles if you have mini-trifle bowls, or just eat the cubes and feed them to your husband who is laying on his recliner watching TV, like I did.
Here's what's great about this dessert though, besides the fact that it is DELICIOUS: I just made it up, the night before, with whatever I had. I was like, Hey, I have pudding. And cake mix. And cool whip. And what cookies do I have? Mint Oreos and Nilla Wafers. "Hey Mike! Which cookie crumbs do you want on the trifle-- mint Oreos or Nilla Wafers?" "NILLA WAFERS!" "OK then."
And that was that.
Here were some other ideas of flavor combos you could try:
Low-calorie: use lite cool whip and sugar free vanilla pudding, and angel food cake. Add berries, too!
Decadent: use devil's food cake or brownies, cool whip, and dark chocolate pudding. Add caramel sauce and Heath bar pieces or Reese's, crumbled, and Oreo crumbs. WOW.
Sundae: use cool whip, any kind of cake, and vanilla pudding. Add hot fudge, bananas, crushed peanuts, and those delicious cherries I can't spell!
Nutty: use pound cake or angel food cake and pistachio pudding, with cool whip. Add crushed pistachios for crunch.
OMG: try brownies, chocolate, or vanilla cake, with cool whip and chocolate pudding and NUTELLA. Yes, Nutella. Crush up some of those hazelnut candies-- Rocher? Is that what they're called?
S'mores: use chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, marshmallow fluff, and graham cracker crumbs.
Just think of all the combos! It's practically endless, with all the cookie choices! What combo would you try?
xoxo, A
And never, in my experience, has something so easy looked so good. So slaved-over. So June Cleaveresque.
I call this the "Easy Pantry Trifle" because truly, it's SO easy (I set it all up the night before and then assembled it in like, 2 minutes the next day), and you literally can mix and match flavors of whatever's in your pantry. And it's a trifle because, um, well, that's what it is.
Here's what I used:
1 package of cook and serve chocolate pudding (you could just as easily do instant and any flavor; even the sugar-free, low-calorie ones work)
1 boxed mix of Devil's Food Cake, prepared as directed and baked in a 9"x13" pan (you could easily pick up a pre-made pound cake or angel food cake-- bonus-- angel food cake is low in calories!)
1 big package lite cool whip (again, any kind would work here)
3/4 box of Nilla Wafers, crushed (any kind of cookie would work)
The night before, I baked the cake and set it aside, covered. Then I made the pudding, covered it, and refrigerated it. I put the cookies in a Ziplock bag and crushed them with a rolling pin, then set them in the fridge with the pudding. Why? I don't know why. I also took the cool whip out of the freezer and thawed it in the fridge. I only had the smaller package of cool whip, but I would definitely say go for the big one. That stuff is GOOD.
The next day, as dinner cooked, I cut the cake into about 1" cubes, which was easy to do since I wasn't cutting it when it was piping hot, as I usually do (I know, shame on me). I first put down a layer of the cake cubes, all around the bottom of the trifle bowl. Empty spaces are OK if they aren't huge. Then I spooned a layer of pudding, making sure it seeped between the cracks in the cake cubes. Then I added a cool whip layer, then topped that with a crumb layer. I continued this pattern again, and then I was out of room. So I put one more layer of cake cubes around the outside, this time not filling in the center, then poured the rest of the crumbs into the center of the top. I covered it with plastic wrap and refrigerated it.
It got Hband's approval, and it looked impressive, what with the layers and all.
By the way, I had about 1/4 of the cake left over, so you can use that for mini-trifles if you have mini-trifle bowls, or just eat the cubes and feed them to your husband who is laying on his recliner watching TV, like I did.
Here's what's great about this dessert though, besides the fact that it is DELICIOUS: I just made it up, the night before, with whatever I had. I was like, Hey, I have pudding. And cake mix. And cool whip. And what cookies do I have? Mint Oreos and Nilla Wafers. "Hey Mike! Which cookie crumbs do you want on the trifle-- mint Oreos or Nilla Wafers?" "NILLA WAFERS!" "OK then."
And that was that.
Here were some other ideas of flavor combos you could try:
Low-calorie: use lite cool whip and sugar free vanilla pudding, and angel food cake. Add berries, too!
Decadent: use devil's food cake or brownies, cool whip, and dark chocolate pudding. Add caramel sauce and Heath bar pieces or Reese's, crumbled, and Oreo crumbs. WOW.
Sundae: use cool whip, any kind of cake, and vanilla pudding. Add hot fudge, bananas, crushed peanuts, and those delicious cherries I can't spell!
Nutty: use pound cake or angel food cake and pistachio pudding, with cool whip. Add crushed pistachios for crunch.
OMG: try brownies, chocolate, or vanilla cake, with cool whip and chocolate pudding and NUTELLA. Yes, Nutella. Crush up some of those hazelnut candies-- Rocher? Is that what they're called?
S'mores: use chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, marshmallow fluff, and graham cracker crumbs.
Just think of all the combos! It's practically endless, with all the cookie choices! What combo would you try?
xoxo, A
4.18.2012
Recipe Wednesday: No-Fuss, No-Fail Meal
Last Thursday on date night, I made a no-full meal that did not, and I believe could not, fail. I had bought a Perdue chicken (the best in my opinion) for 99 cents a pound (hooray!), and a big ten pound bag of russet potatoes. So here's what I did with those things, plus some spices and oil:
I slow-cooked the chicken for 9 hours. It was so moist and succulent, it literally fell apart off the bone. "You made good meat," Hband said. And I had chicken broth left over.
I roasted the potatoes. Simple, but they were so good I actually got a compliment from Hband. Plus, he literally licked his plate clean. Best compliment ever. But I am ashamed to say we ate almost ALL the potatoes. We're gluttons.
Here's what you need:
Take the giblets out of your chicken and rinse it. Rub it down with olive oil and cracked pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Place it in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (mine warmed for another hour until I got home from work). DONE.
Preheat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and cut into about one inch cubes. Place in a bowl and fill halfway with water. Cook in microwave for about ten minutes (you want them to be firm still, not soft and boiled). Drain well. Pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a roasting pan or casserole pan. Toss your potatoes in and cover with pepper, salt, onion powder, basil, and crushed garlic, to taste. Roast in the oven for about an hour, but be sure to toss them around halfway through. You want them to brown evenly. Be sure they're not burning. You should have shriveling, crunchy browned potato chunks when they're done.
I served these with broccoli, and it was a feast. This could easily feed four, with some leftovers.
I was inspired by this and this.
Go, and do likewise.
xoxo, A
I slow-cooked the chicken for 9 hours. It was so moist and succulent, it literally fell apart off the bone. "You made good meat," Hband said. And I had chicken broth left over.
I roasted the potatoes. Simple, but they were so good I actually got a compliment from Hband. Plus, he literally licked his plate clean. Best compliment ever. But I am ashamed to say we ate almost ALL the potatoes. We're gluttons.
Here's what you need:
- a chicken that will fit in your slow cooker
- olive oil
- cracked pepper
- kosher salt or sea salt
- 6 medium russet potatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- crushed and dried basil leaves
- onion salt
- garlic powder
Take the giblets out of your chicken and rinse it. Rub it down with olive oil and cracked pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Place it in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (mine warmed for another hour until I got home from work). DONE.
Preheat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and cut into about one inch cubes. Place in a bowl and fill halfway with water. Cook in microwave for about ten minutes (you want them to be firm still, not soft and boiled). Drain well. Pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a roasting pan or casserole pan. Toss your potatoes in and cover with pepper, salt, onion powder, basil, and crushed garlic, to taste. Roast in the oven for about an hour, but be sure to toss them around halfway through. You want them to brown evenly. Be sure they're not burning. You should have shriveling, crunchy browned potato chunks when they're done.
I served these with broccoli, and it was a feast. This could easily feed four, with some leftovers.
I was inspired by this and this.
Go, and do likewise.
xoxo, A
4.11.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Energy Bites
Well, let's just say I made this recipe back when I thought we'd need a lot of energy for working out after school. We had started P90X, and instead of eating right after work, we were working out. That lasted just a few days, after we hated our lives/I pulled a muscle/I rammed a weight into my thumb, but the little snacks I whipped up have lasted. We love them.
This recipe is not unique to me, and I know, I know... I fail again because I don't have pictures. But this is so easy that you don't need pictures. I don't really know how good these are for me, but they do give me needed protein and energy, and are perfect little snacks if you can pop a couple in your mouth from the fridge.
I found this recipe here. There are lots of variations of this all over the Internet-- especially Pinterest. But this is the one I tried, so I can vouch for it. She has other notes, but this is the way I made them, and they were YUM.
Combine room temp. peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Then add the rest. Once combined, put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then form into little balls and put in a Ziploc bag and store in the fridge. DONE!
See how easy? This makes like, 20 bites, depending on how big you make them. Be careful you don't keep popping them into your mouth... that's easy to do! Enjoy your energy bites!
xoxo, A
This recipe is not unique to me, and I know, I know... I fail again because I don't have pictures. But this is so easy that you don't need pictures. I don't really know how good these are for me, but they do give me needed protein and energy, and are perfect little snacks if you can pop a couple in your mouth from the fridge.
I found this recipe here. There are lots of variations of this all over the Internet-- especially Pinterest. But this is the one I tried, so I can vouch for it. She has other notes, but this is the way I made them, and they were YUM.
- 1/2 C peanut butter
- 1/3 C honey
- 1 C old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 C shredded unsweetened coconut (I used sweetened because it's what I had)
- 1-2 tsp vanilla (more like 1.5 for me)
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 C other add-ins (I used chocolate chips the first time, but then opted out the second. I don't like crunchy chocolate, and when they're cold, the chocolate is crunchy. EW.)
Combine room temp. peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Then add the rest. Once combined, put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then form into little balls and put in a Ziploc bag and store in the fridge. DONE!
See how easy? This makes like, 20 bites, depending on how big you make them. Be careful you don't keep popping them into your mouth... that's easy to do! Enjoy your energy bites!
xoxo, A
4.04.2012
Recipe Wednesday: BBQ Calzones!
Mkay, this is my favorite thing to eat, currently, though it's probably not too good for my recent health consciousness. However, this is easy and unbelievably delicious!! I just made them not more than an hour ago, and they have been devoured. They were devoured so fast that I don't have any pictures, however. SORRY!! I'll make them again and add pictures later. For now, follow the directions and it will be YUM.
First, make this pizza dough either in advance and refrigerated, or fresh. I had mine in the fridge. Now, the last time I made calzones, I used half the dough for ONE calzone (twice as much as the original blogger recommended). It was HUGE (I ate half; Hband ate whole). This time I made two smaller calzones out of half the dough. It's probably a more normal portion size, but I found myself wanting more! In reality, it's the right size, and way easier to maneuver when placing on the pizza stone.
This recipe is for two small calzones (half the batch of dough).
Aside from the ingredients you'll need for your dough (basic recipe-- if you have yeast, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry), this is what you'll need:
pizza stone
shredded or chopped cooked chicken, about two handfuls. Leftover chicken? Perfect use!
shredded pepper jack cheese (two handfuls)
About 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I love Sweet Baby Ray's)
French fried onions from the jar-- about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup olive oil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder in it
Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with your pizza stone already in the oven.
Manipulate one small ball of dough on a floured surface until it makes a rough circle. Be sure there aren't any holes. I don't roll it out; I stretch it with my fingers. Spoon half the BBQ sauce onto one half of the circle. Add one handful of chicken, one handful of cheese, and about half the friend onions. Pull the other side of the dough over and roll up the edges of the crust so you have a nice little half-moon pocket. Do the same to the other small ball of dough.
Brush the olive oil mixture onto the tops of the calzones. Use metal spatulas to put onto the already hot pizza stone. Cook for about 15 minutes. Be sure to COOL before eating that molten lava goodness.
These things are amazing. You could fill them with anything, really. I've made buffalo chicken, corned beef and ricotta, etc. You could make them with pizza toppings, ham and cheese, veggies... the possibilities are endless! Enjoy!
xoxo, A
First, make this pizza dough either in advance and refrigerated, or fresh. I had mine in the fridge. Now, the last time I made calzones, I used half the dough for ONE calzone (twice as much as the original blogger recommended). It was HUGE (I ate half; Hband ate whole). This time I made two smaller calzones out of half the dough. It's probably a more normal portion size, but I found myself wanting more! In reality, it's the right size, and way easier to maneuver when placing on the pizza stone.
This recipe is for two small calzones (half the batch of dough).
Aside from the ingredients you'll need for your dough (basic recipe-- if you have yeast, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry), this is what you'll need:
pizza stone
shredded or chopped cooked chicken, about two handfuls. Leftover chicken? Perfect use!
shredded pepper jack cheese (two handfuls)
About 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I love Sweet Baby Ray's)
French fried onions from the jar-- about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup olive oil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder in it
Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with your pizza stone already in the oven.
Manipulate one small ball of dough on a floured surface until it makes a rough circle. Be sure there aren't any holes. I don't roll it out; I stretch it with my fingers. Spoon half the BBQ sauce onto one half of the circle. Add one handful of chicken, one handful of cheese, and about half the friend onions. Pull the other side of the dough over and roll up the edges of the crust so you have a nice little half-moon pocket. Do the same to the other small ball of dough.
Brush the olive oil mixture onto the tops of the calzones. Use metal spatulas to put onto the already hot pizza stone. Cook for about 15 minutes. Be sure to COOL before eating that molten lava goodness.
These things are amazing. You could fill them with anything, really. I've made buffalo chicken, corned beef and ricotta, etc. You could make them with pizza toppings, ham and cheese, veggies... the possibilities are endless! Enjoy!
{source}
xoxo, A
3.28.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Newlywed Pasta!
Why do I call this Newlywed Pasta, you might ask? Simply because it's one of the easiest, quickest, healthiest, most delicious recipes I've made several times in my new marriage. Of course, I made it before we were married, too, but "tuna meal" isn't as catchy as "newlywed pasta," is it?
This pasta is just so good. The flavors meld perfectly. In fact, it's so good that it convinced me to like tuna. Seriously. I couldn't stomach the smell of tuna (still kind of can't), so I'd never eat it. Until I tried this, out of love for Hband and his love for tuna. Now I'll never go back. Then again, I'll never go forward to tuna salad, either. *shudder*
Newlywed Pasta: please forgive the inexact measurements-- it
you'll need:
to make:
In a large pan/skillet, warm your oil over medium heat.
Enjoy without guilt! Let me know if you like it/don't or have more exact measurements.
xoxo, A
This pasta is just so good. The flavors meld perfectly. In fact, it's so good that it convinced me to like tuna. Seriously. I couldn't stomach the smell of tuna (still kind of can't), so I'd never eat it. Until I tried this, out of love for Hband and his love for tuna. Now I'll never go back. Then again, I'll never go forward to tuna salad, either. *shudder*
Newlywed Pasta: please forgive the inexact measurements-- it
you'll need:
- spaghetti-- enough for two. I've tried whole wheat and it works well.
- olive oil-- enough to fill your pan/skillet about 1/4" (eyeball if you think it's enough for your pasta)
- water-- about 1/4 C
- lemon juice-- real or bottled, about 1/4 C
- crushed garlic-- to taste (I use two large cloves)
- cracked pepper, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- dried parsley-- about 1 tsp
- Any other seasonings you prefer-- I add a little of Marie Cavender's or today, seasoning from The Columbia restaurant
- 1 large can of water-packed tuna
- flaked parmesan for top/garnish
see how little my kitchen is and how easily this can be made in a tiny space?!
In a large pan/skillet, warm your oil over medium heat.
Add your crushed garlic. Don't overheat the oil or the garlic will burn.
Meanwhile, boil your water for the pasta and then add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Do not over boil. Quick tip: put a spoon on top of the saucepan and the water won't boil over!
Increase the heat just a bit to med-high.
Add water and lemon juice. Be sure not to let it get too watery. Eyeball it. It should still look like enough oil to coat your pasta. If you have to decrease something, decrease the water.
Add salt, pepper, and any other seasonings. I give most attention to the red pepper flakes and dried parsley. I add lots of pepper flakes because we like it spicy! Your oil should not boil; it should be simmering.
When your pasta is done, add the drained tuna to the oil and stir a bit; let the oil coat it a bit. You'll have to let it heat up again. The tuna will cool it off a bit.
Look how clean the area is! This meal is easy to clean as you go.
Finally, remove the pan from the heat and add the drained spaghetti to the pan. Use tongs to toss the pasta in the oil and tuna mixture.
Your pasta should be fully coated and mixed with the tuna. Add parmesan to the top. We were out, therefore no parmesan.
xoxo, A
3.21.2012
Recipe Wednesday: Shredded Buffalo Chicken!
Wednesdays shall be henceforth known as Recipe Wednesday. Even though my darling dearest wanted to be cute and suggested "Wecipe Wednesday." I may have laughed just a little/almost choked on my carrots.
Before I started dating Hband (that's husband, by the way, just in case anyone was confused), the thought of hot sauce made my stomach churn. The smell alone was disgusting. My dad liked it on his enchiladas, and all I remembered was that pungent smell and the crusty, rusty ring it collected around the cap. Gross.
I also didn't care for wings. In fact, I'm not even sure I started thinking about them until I was in college and heard my brother talking about meeting up with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings.
But then I moved to Florida, and either it's something here in Florida, or wings are having a moment, because suddenly, every guy I knew was crazy about wings, especially buffalo wings. I couldn't have cared less about them. I didn't like eating chicken off the bone, and they smelled funny.
And then I started dating my now husband, who ordered hot buffalo wings every single time we did the happy hour 1/2 price apps at the Applebees with the group. He loved them so much. I can picture him now: The plate arrives, he stoops down and inhales deeply, then gives a little twitch at that pungent smell, and dives in. Soon there is sauce all over his face and hands, and the smell will linger for hours.
I mean, he really loves those things. So I thought the least I could do was try them. I did. And I LIKED them. Yeah, I really liked them. "What's in this sauce?" I asked.
"Hot sauce and margarine, I think."
"...What?! Hot sauce? Gross!"
But it wasn't gross, it tasted delicious. I am now therefore a buffalo sauce fan... but not so much wing fan. What, I just still don't like eating meat off the bone! What are we, Vikings with turkey legs?! We've developed silverware, people!
In an effort to incorporate buffalo sauce into our dinners but without bones, I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it out when we were dating. It was an instant success, and probably one of the easiest meals I've ever made, ever. Plus it fed us for days.
Before I started dating Hband (that's husband, by the way, just in case anyone was confused), the thought of hot sauce made my stomach churn. The smell alone was disgusting. My dad liked it on his enchiladas, and all I remembered was that pungent smell and the crusty, rusty ring it collected around the cap. Gross.
I also didn't care for wings. In fact, I'm not even sure I started thinking about them until I was in college and heard my brother talking about meeting up with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings.
But then I moved to Florida, and either it's something here in Florida, or wings are having a moment, because suddenly, every guy I knew was crazy about wings, especially buffalo wings. I couldn't have cared less about them. I didn't like eating chicken off the bone, and they smelled funny.
And then I started dating my now husband, who ordered hot buffalo wings every single time we did the happy hour 1/2 price apps at the Applebees with the group. He loved them so much. I can picture him now: The plate arrives, he stoops down and inhales deeply, then gives a little twitch at that pungent smell, and dives in. Soon there is sauce all over his face and hands, and the smell will linger for hours.
I mean, he really loves those things. So I thought the least I could do was try them. I did. And I LIKED them. Yeah, I really liked them. "What's in this sauce?" I asked.
"Hot sauce and margarine, I think."
"...What?! Hot sauce? Gross!"
But it wasn't gross, it tasted delicious. I am now therefore a buffalo sauce fan... but not so much wing fan. What, I just still don't like eating meat off the bone! What are we, Vikings with turkey legs?! We've developed silverware, people!
In an effort to incorporate buffalo sauce into our dinners but without bones, I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it out when we were dating. It was an instant success, and probably one of the easiest meals I've ever made, ever. Plus it fed us for days.
(source)
Shredded Buffalo Chicken in the Crock Pot:
I found this recipe here, but I've tweaked it just a bit.
Needed:
- one package of frozen chicken breasts (I use 2.5 lbs because that's what I can find and it fits in a smaller crock pot)
- one packet of dry Ranch dressing mix
- one bottle (I used about 3/4ths of a bottle) of buffalo sauce (I've used Ken's)
Directions:
- Dump the whole bag of frozen chicken into your crock pot.
- Cover with sauce. I've found 3/4ths a bottle gives it the right kick for me. Hband likes more, so I put extra on his sandwich at the end.
- Dump the packet of dry Ranch mix on top.
- Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 7 hours.
- Take the chicken out after 7 hours and use two forks to shred into pieces. This should be easy after 7 hours-- it should come apart by itself.
- Separate fat particles and throw those away. What's great is those easily come off now that they've been slow-cooked.
- Put the shredded chicken back into the crock pot full of buffalo sauce/chicken juice and cook on low for another hour.
- After that hour, your chicken is done! Use however you'd like. Here are some of my favorites:
Sandwich:
Put the chicken on a hoagie roll of some kind. I add pepper jack cheese and a little Ranch dressing. Some might like blue cheese or blue cheese dressing. Use your imagination! This is usually the first way I use the chicken after cooking.
Pizza:
Make or buy some pizza dough (Publix has some mighty good pizza dough)and mix some Ranch dressing and buffalo sauce together. Apply a thin layer of that mixture for sauce, then add chicken. Top with pepper jack cheese. This was a little too strong for me, but had good flavor.
Pockets:
Use crescent rolls as dough pockets. Apply Ranch dressing to the dough, then top with chicken and some pepper jack cheese. Roll or pinch up so the sides close, then bake! These were yummy!
Potatoes:
Bake up some potatoes (you can even do this in the crock pot for hours!), then top with chicken and pepper jack cheese, and maybe Ranch, too, or sour cream.
These obviously all have similar flavors, but that's the point: those flavors are delicious! Instead of getting burnt out on buffalo, try freezing the leftovers (I did and it worked great!) and using one buffalo meal a week. We had enough chicken for three full meals with leftovers of each.
Happy buffaloing!
xoxo, A
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