Blueberry and Pear Crisp

This is what happens when you are stuck at home, sick as a dog all week. I am so bored, I decided to whip up a lovely crisp with the fruit I had on hand. I didn't have ice cream or whip cream to make my picture look fancy, but I promise it's still yummy.

2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. blueberries or 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen blueberries, thawed
1/4 c. sugar
3-5 pears, peeled and cored
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven 375 degrees.
Put the blueberries, pears, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice in the bottom of a buttered cake pan or dish.

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in bowl. Cut butter in dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over fruit and bake for about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream or nothing at all jerks, what do I care.

Cumin Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Wow time flies when you forget you have a food blog...

My beautiful Auntie Shelley gave me this recipe and it is fantastic. It's healthy and delicious and super easy.

1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (depends on how hot you like it)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 fully ripened avocado
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin and pepper. Rub on chicken. In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until no longer pink in the center. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine avocado, tomato, cucumber, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1/2 tsp of salt. Serve over chicken and enjoy

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!