Fancy Top Ramen

Hey jerks- Wanna make your Top Ramen a tad healthier and more filling???? Add some broccoli to the cheap treat and enjoy. I KNOW!

Cannellini Bean Stew

This is a really healthy dish that fills you up.

2 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained
1 14-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
A small bag of baby carrots, cut in half
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
Salt n' pepa to taste
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, bring the beans, broth, garlic, bay leaf and carrots to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 mins. Remove the bay leaf, add the spinach, salt and pepper and stir until the spinach shrinks down. Spoon the stew into bowls and drizzle with olive oil, vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Personally, I can do without the vinegar, but I encourage trying it to see if you like it.
Suck it.

Sweet Onion and Garlic Soup

I always thought making onion soup would be a big ordeal, so I never tried. I found this recipe in REAL SIMPLE (once again) and not only was it easy, but it came out great.

3 tbs butter
1 sweet onion, chopped (2 cups)
1 head garlic, chopped
1 32-ounce container beef broth
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese
Salt n' pepa

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and onions and let it sweat for about 10 minutes. Add the beef broth and the thyme and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins. Remove from heat and add the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste (I didn't feel mine needed salt). Spoon into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve with a sliced, toasted baguette and you are welcome.

Baked Oatmeal

I want to like oatmeal so bad. I know it's healthy and it's not disgusting, yet I don't really enjoy eating it...until now! I found a recipe for baked oatmeal that let's me enjoy the healthy benefits of this breakfast treat.
Below is the basic recipe, but you can add anything you like to it- Fruit, nuts, peanut butter, honey, etc.

2 1/4 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats, uncooked
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 fat free milk
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute or 2 eggs lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In one bowl, combine oats and granulated sugar. In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar. Add oat mixture to wet mixture and mix well. Dump the concoction into the baking dish and throw it in the oven for about 45 minutes. Let it cool and eat up, wiseguys.

Artichoke Parmesan Dip

I don't know about y'all, but I love a good artichoke dip. I found the recipe below in REAL SIMPLE Magazine and it truly is real simple. It takes maybe 5 mins, no baking and no waiting for it to cool down before you can chow down.

As with any recipe, you can modify it to make more or less. The recipe below is good for 4-6 peeps
2 cans of artichoke hearts drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (not that crap in the green can folks)
Salt n' pepa
Fresh parsley

Rough chop the artichoke hearts. Throw them in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil to coat (eyeball it). Add as much fresh chopped parsley as you like (I don't like a ton), a handful of Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix that bad boy up and serve with crackers and/or a french baguette!

Yum!

Holiday Treats!

This year I decided to make holiday treats to give as gifts instead of buying gifts. Below are a couple of the baked goods I put in each package...


WHITE PEPPERMINT SNOWBALLS
This is a semi-homemade recipe that is easy as pie...or cookies
1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough (room temp)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (I actually skipped this step)
1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Break the dough up and put it in a mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, crushed peppermint candies and the peppermint extract. With an electric mixer, or your hands ( I found the mixer to be messy so I used my manos), combine all the ingredients until dough forms. Roll dough in small balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake about 10 mins and let them cool slightly but not completely. Dip the still warm cookies into the remaining powdered sugar, shake the excess and put on a cooling rack. Once they are cool, they are ready to enjoy



DOCTORED UP BROWNIES
Once again, a semi-homemade dessert. All you have to do is take some brownie mix and add whatever you want-
I made 2 different batches.
In the first batch I added white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and dried cranberries.
In the second batch I added chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and shredded coconut.



SUGAR COOKIES
I got this recipe from my good friend, Stacie. They taste just like Cookies By Design cookies and are super addictive.
Mix:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Beat:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream.

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Roll onto a floured surface and use cookie cutters of your choice. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. You can eat them as is or decorate them with icing, frosting, etc.

Return of the Mac...and Cheese

This is by far the best macaroni and cheese in the universe. It's Martha Stewart's recipe and it's insane.
It's going to seem overwhelming at first, but after you make it a few times, you can do it with your eyes shut.

Serves 12- I usually cut the recipe in half to serve 6
6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces- (this is Martha Stewart's way, but honestly I just use store bought bread crumbs- It's alot easier and just as tasty)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano (I use store bought grated pecorino Romano- I find the Gruyere to be bitter)
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. Again, if you decide to buy the store bought breadcrumbs, you can skip this step altogether.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.

4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

It's delicious right out of the oven, but it's even better the next day for leftovers.

Chicken Chile Verde

I got this idea from my brother's friend. The same friend who inspired me to start my food blog. It takes a while to make, but it's so worth it. The picture is a bit ghetto because my camera broke so I had to take it with my phone.

3 pounds skinless boneless chicken- You can get this a few ways, Personally, I like to buy it already cooked. Trader Joe's has packages of cooked chicken and they also have whole roasted chickens. Or you can buy it raw and cook it yourself. Whatever you prefer.
olive oil
3 cups chopped onions- To make it easier, I like to buy the already chopped onions from the store. I hate chopping onions and its definitely a time saver.
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
5 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 jar Trader Joe's salsa verde
2 4oz cans of fire roasted diced green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 cinnamon sticks
corn tortillas

Saute the onions and garlic in a large skillet with about 2 tbs of olive oil. Once it is done, transfer to a big pot and add the chopped or shredded chicken, corn, oregano, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, chile verde salsa and chicken broth. After the concoction comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover and let simmer for about 2 hours or until thick. As with any recipe, you can add or remove any ingredients you want. If you don't like cumin, don't add it. If you like cayenne pepper, throw it on in there. Be your own boss with this one folks.
Once the verde is done, spoon as much as you want onto corn tortillas and enjoy! You can throw some shredded cheese on there to doll it up but it's just as delicious without.

Moist and Delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Did I get your attention with the word "moist?" Here's a tasty fall dessert that people will be asking you to make year round. The good thing about this recipe is you can do pretty much anything you want with the batter... make a bundt cake, a normal cake, cupcakes, a BLT- hahaha tricked you with that one.

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
16 oz. canned pumpkin
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the sugar and oil. Add eggs (beaten). Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin and chocolate chips. Spray a cake pan or put cupcake liners in a cupcake tin and filler up. For cakes, it should bake about an hour (keep an eye on it) and for cupcakes it will take about 25-30 minutes. Once done, take out the goodness and let cool completely. I frosted the cupcakes with chocolate frosting, but you can frost them with the flavor of your choice or leave them plain. You will want to poke your own eyes out after you take your first bite, that's how good it is.

Chili Chili Bang Bang

I always thought chili was something that took hours to make, but a coworker of mine gave me a delicious chili recipe that took maybe 20 minutes and it tastes fantastic.

1 can of kidney beans (red or white- I used white)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of pinto beans
1 chopped onion
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp red chile pepper
1 can fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 package of ground beef
1 packet of chili seasoning

Brown ground beef and onions in a skillet (drain fat).
In a large pot, combine remaining ingredients (including the liquid in the tomatoes and beans). Add beef and onions to mixture and let simmer on low heat til warmed through. Scoop yourself a heaping bowl, top with raw onions and cheese and enjoy! And also, maybe sleep alone that evening.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars With Coconut and Walnuts

Here's a sweet lil treat that I can't get enough of. The picture doesn't do this gooey deliciousness justice.

3/4 cup butter melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 jar of caramel sauce/topping
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut.

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, 1/2 cup choc. chips, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup walnuts.
Press the mixture into a greased 11x17 inch pan.
Pour the jar of caramel sauce over the mixture (you may want to warm it up Kris first so it's easy to pour) and sprinkle the remaining nuts, coconut and chocolate chips on top.
You can also put half the mixture on the bottom, add the caramel, remaining nuts, coconut and chocolate chips and then put the other half of the mixture on top to make the bars a bit thicker.
Bake for 20 mins, let cool completely and enjoy.

No need to thank me, just pay it forward.

A Salad So Easy, A Caveman Could Make It

I don't have a picture for this one, but I made a fresh and easy salad for our Halloween potluck today and it was a huge hit so I thought I'd share the wealth.
Sooooo simple. Corn kernels, cherry tomatoes cut in half, chopped scallions, diced avocados, a pinch of salt and pepper, olive oil to coat the ingredients and fresh squeezed lime juice from one lime. Just mix all the ingredients together and ta-da, you are done. I didn't put measurements (cups, tablespoons, etc) because you can make as little or as much as you want. It's very light and super tasty. Here's the crazy part...I kinda made up this recipe because they were flavors/ingredients I thought would taste good together. I was perusing the recipe section of the Martha Stewart website (so?) and pretty much that exact recipe was on there!!!! I felt so smart, and extremely pretty for some reason.
Have a happy Halloween boys and ghouls!

It's The Great Pumpkin Empanada, Charlie Brown!

I really put my foot in it this time guys. I don't wanna toot my own horn, but beep beep. As I said in yesterday's post, we are having a Halloween potluck at work tomorrow and I decided to make a few dishes. I came across this diamond in the rough while Googling pumpkin recipes and it's a keeper. I added my own touch to it, obvy.

Here are the players:
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice (my own addition)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (my own addition)
2 15-ounce packages of refrigerated pie pastry (4 rounds total- I use Pillsbury)
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs milk, cream or evaporated milk
flour for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, brown sugar, 2 tbs of cinnamon, salt, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Unroll 1 pie crust at a time on a lightly floured surface. Take a 4-inch round cookie cutter (I actually used a martini glass) and start cutting out circles. You can re-roll the dough scraps to get the most circles possible out of it. Nothing goes to waste! Put a tablespoon of the pumpkin filling in the center of each circle and fold the circles in half over the filling. Press down the edges of the empanada with a fork and put on a baking sheet. With your finger, moisten the top of the empanadas with the milk and then sprinkle with a mixture of the granulated sugar and the remaining 2 tbs of cinnamon. Throw those bad boys in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Like Katy Perry said, you can eat 'em hot or cold.

Corn Muffins With Rosemary

We are having a lil potluck lunch at work Friday for Halloween. I thought this would be a good idea to try some new fall recipes. Here's a fun semi-made one I conjured up.
Buy your favorite cornbread mix. Combine the ingredients together in a bowl as directed. Add about half a cup of frozen corn kernels (thawed of course or you can add fresh corn kernels if you want to scrape them off the cob yourself) and about 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried rosemary leaves. Really, you can eyeball the corn and rosemary and add as much or as little as you like. It's not rocket science.
Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray or use baking cups (whatever your preference is). Spoon them almost to the top of a mini-muffin tin or a regular size muffin tin (I used a mini-muffin tin). Then sprinkle a tiny bit of the rosemary on top so people know it's in the muffins.
Throw them in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until they are just starting to get golden on the sides.
Let em cool and enjoy!

A Crunchy Idea

When I was a kid, my mom would make egg salad with chopped celery to give it a nice, healthy crunch. When I got old enough to make my own egg salad, I found myself following in my mom's footsteps. Recently I have been playing around with the crunch factor and I found that not only does celery work, but so do chopped scallions. Also, if you decide to make a delicious sandwich with your egg salad, throw some alfalfa sprouts on there instead of lettuce to switch it up.
Yes, I am bossing you. In my next blog, I may sass you...

Whole Wheat Pasta With Broccoli and Chicken

I have a secret I'd like to share with everyone. Whole wheat/whole grain pasta tastes the same as regular pasta. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. Not only does it taste the same, but it's better for you because it is not made with white flour. Humor me and give whole wheat pasta a whirl. If you find you don't like it as much as regular pasta, or not at all, you can punch me in the baby maker.
I was lazy today so I made a simple dish using some leftover chicken I had in the fridge.
First I boiled some whole wheat Rotini (you can use whatever pasta you like. Oh and add a pinch of salt to the pasta water to season it up a tad). While the pasta was cooking, I added chopped broccoli to the pot to make it fork tenderoni (If you add it to the same pot as the boiling pasta, it saves a step and an extra pot). Once the pasta and broccoli were done, I drained it, put it back in the pot and added my chopped chicken that I had leftover. I mixed in olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, a clove of smashed garlic and a bit of pasta seasoning from Trader Joe's. I plated it up and sprinkled fresh Parmesan cheese on top and ate it under 5 minutes. The great thing about this dish is you can eat it hot or cold.
Sorry the photo of this one isn't a bit clearer. I uploaded it after I ate it so I couldn't take another one. Sorry for your luck...

Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Pecans and Coconut

This gem came to me in Ralphs as I was shopping for ingredients. I saw a box of Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Chunk cookie mix and it caught my eye. All I needed was 1 egg, 1/3 cup oil and 3tbs of water and I was set...if I wanted to be boring. I racked my brain trying to think of what delicious additions could go into these cookies and then it came to me. Pecans and shredded coconut. So I start making the cookies per the directions on the box. Super easy, just combine the cookie mix with all the ingredients mentioned above. Once that was done, I added 1/2 a cup of pecan chips (they are smaller then chopped pecans) and 1/2 a cup of shredded, sweetened coconut. The batter smelled so good, I almost sat on my couch and gobbled it right up. I dropped rounded teaspoons of batter on an ungreased baking sheet (smash them down a bit or they will be poofy cookies as I learned with my first batch) and put 'em in my 375 degree oven for about 10 mins. After they were done baking, I took them out of the oven and quickly transferred them to a cooling rack (HIGHLY recommend getting one of these for baking. Helps the bottoms crisp up. You can get them at like Bed, Bath and Beyonce or Target).
Now I am sitting here 3 cookies in, drinking Throat Coat tea because my throat feels like a porcupine is hibernating in it, blogging about the recipe and watching Leave It to Lamas like a creep.

This just in: I burned my thumb and index finger on my right hand pretty bad picking up a chocolate chunk that got away from one of the cookies.

Ravioli and Asparagus = Delicious

Today's doctored up recipe: Ravioli with a side of asparagus

This one is super simple, somewhat healthy and about 90% pre-made.
Here's what I do...get a package of ravioli, any kind. I chose spinach and ricotta ravioli from where else, Trader Joe's (you'd think they were paying me for all the times I've dropped their name). Boil those bad boys up for however long the directions say. Once they are done, drain them and put 'em back in the pot. Then put a cheap tomato and basil sauce in a bowl and add any spices/ingredients you like. I added chopped garlic and oregano. Once that is mixed up, I throw it in the pot with the ravioli, turn the heat to low and let it just warm up the sauce. When it is done, throw a few of them on a plate and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese (you can use the kind in the green can, but it's not as fresh and delicious).
Now for the asparagus. This is a healthy side dish that couldn't be easier to make.
Preheat your over to 350. Make sure you have a good handful of rinsed and trimmed asparagus (you should trim off the bottom end of the vegetable before cooking. It's waaaay too tough to eat). In one layer, spread the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and give them a quick massage to make sure they are all covered. Then add a tiny bit of salt and pepper to season them up. Throw them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. You don't want them to be too overdone. Once they are cooked, put them on the plate right next to your ravioli and voila, you have a quick and delicious meal that looks way fancier than it is.

:)

Fat Doesn't Make You Fat, Sugar Makes You Fat!

Truer words have never been said. Maybe that's being a bit dramatic, but it's a sentence that is etched into my brain. It came from the celebrity trainer, Jackie Warner. I remember her saying it on her reality show, WORK OUT, one day and I have never forgotten it. She said nothing you put in your mouth should have more than 9 grams of sugar in it.
I don't have a new recipe today, but I figure food/recipe tips are just as exciting. If you must know, I heated up 4 Trader Joe's black bean and cheese taquitos for dinner and topped it off with 2 watermelon spears and 4 pieces of black licorice. I just wanted to share the wealth and let everyone know if you are trying to lose weight and/or be a healthier human, the first thing you should do is cut down on your sugar intake...unless you smoke crack. Then you should probably take care of that problem first because as Whitney Houston so eloquently put it, crack is whack.

Salad Tossing

Today's "recipe" is very Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade. I can't take credit for making any of it from scratch, but it's an easy and healthy way to dress up a meal. I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's. I am probably there once a week picking out delicious ingredients to play around with.
One of my favorite semi-homemade meals to make is a doctored up TJ's salad. TJ's has a ton of pre-packaged salads. I'm not talking about bags of just lettuce (although they do have that as well). I am talking about full-on prepared salads. They are in the section with other pre-made items such as pizzas, sushi and burritos.
You can pick whatever salad you are in the mood for. They have Cobb, Greek, Chinese Chicken, Chopped Italian, and many others. Today I chose the Mozzarella & Tomato salad. It's pretty basic: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, little mozzarella balls, pine nuts, olives and a vinaigrette dressing.
What I like to do is put the contents of the salad in a big bowl and then add to it. Personally, I don't like eating meat that comes in pre-packaged salads so I will bake or grill my own chicken or turkey and then slice it up into the bowl. That way I can also season up my meat however I want. I also add garbanzo beans (very healthy and super cheap for a can), sliced cucumbers, scallions, a chopped up hard boiled egg and avocado. I can turn this little one portion salad into a protein-filled 2 portioner (yes I know that is not a word-suck it). You can pretty much add anything you like to a pre-made salad and call it your own. You can even doctor up the dressing that comes with it by adding spices you like or crushed garlic. Add a good handful of whole-wheat crackers or perhaps a cup of lentil soup and you have yourself a quick and healthy meal.
I'm easing into the recipes. I know this one isn't brain surgery, but sometimes it's not as easy as you think to take something pre-made and turn it into your own creation.
By the way, my camera is charging, so you guys don't get a picture of this gem. I am pretty sure everyone knows what a salad looks like though.
Happy eating jerks!

Popping My Maraschino Cherry

Hello world, or the 3 people who are reading this! I started a blog about 2 years ago but then got bored with my own stories, so I deleted it.
Then a few months ago I saw JULIE AND JULIA and got inspired to start over and write a food blog. For some reason though, it never materialized. I was going through a really sexy phase and was so focused that I think I just plum forgot about it.
Then today, my brother sent me his friend's recipe blog and I was inspired once again (by the way, I highly recommend checking his blog out at http://eatfreak.org/. He has some amazing recipes and is a fantastic writer).
The point of this rant is to prepare these United States of America for what is about to happen. A recipe blog that millions of other people have already thought of.
Every time I drum up a new recipe or doctor up an old one, I will write about it. Even if it's disgoosting, I will blog away. You should know the good, the bad and the ugly. I will also try to take some snapshots of each recipe from start to finish so you know what it should and shouldn't look like.
I love to cook and bake and kick and if I can pass on my delicious recipes to at least one person, I will be content.