WHAT'S COOKIN' THIS WEEK? February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted my weekly menu, but I’ve been keeping up with the menu planning a little bit off line. This week, my heart is back in it. I wanted a mixture of light-hearted meals and heavy hitters. Some are a little healthier than others, but it’s OK to enjoy some fat every once in a while.

First, I’ll be making a halibut dish for Valentine’s day if I can find the halibut. If you can’t find halibut, tilapia works too. It’s my husband’s favorite! I’ll also make a light wheat pasta dish, a chicken casserole with stuffing mix and some nachos to round out the week. The nacho recipe I found while waiting in the pediatrician’s office for my daughter’s check up one day. They are fantastic and super easy to make.

Remember, own what you family eats one meal at a time. Save time, save money, save your waist line and save headache by planning ahead.

MONDAY – Happy Valentine’s Day!
Fresh Herbed Halibut
Steamed vegetables
Brown rice
Riesling

TUESDAY
Pasta carcione
Garlic bread
Fruit cup

WEDNESDAY
(night off due to other family commitments)

THURSDAY
Chicken stuffing casserole
Peas

FRIDAY
Chicken nachos


RECIPES


FRESH HERBED HALIBUT (allrecipes.com)
Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) halibut fillet
• 1 large lemon, quartered
• olive oil for brushing
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dill weed

Directions

• Preheat the oven's broiler and coat a baking sheet or broiling pan with olive oil.
• Rinse the fish and pat dry. Place on the greased pan, and brush with olive oil or coat with olive oil cooking spray. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedges over the entire fillet, and season generously with salt first, then garlic and finally dill.
• Broil for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the fillet is opaque and can be flaked with a fork. Broiling time may depend on the thickness of your fillet.

PASTA CARCIONE (allrecipes.com)
Ingredients

• 10 ounces spinach, rinsed
• 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions

• Remove stems from spinach and stack leaves together; chop thin longer strips instead of square chops and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and place in a large bowl.
• Drizzle olive oil over pasta and add salt and pepper to taste, spinach and tomatoes; gently toss.
• Add feta cheese and serve warm or room temperature.

CHICKEN STUFFING CASSEROLE (From Yakeroo)
Ingredients

• 2 diced baked chicken breasts (pre-cooked chicken cubes work great and save time!)
• 1 c. cream of chicken soup
• 1 stick butter/margarine
• 1 c. sour cream
• ¾ c. chicken broth
• 1 box Stove Top stuffing

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix soup, sour cream and cooked chicken in medium bowl
• In separate bowl, mix butter and stuffing
• In a 9x9 pan, put ½ stuffing
• Pour chicken mixture over top
• Spread rest of stuffing over top of chicken mixture
• Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees

HEALTHY CHICKEN NACHOS (Accent Health)
Ingredients (pick what you want and skip the rest)

• 8 ounces flour tortillas
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Juice from one lemon
• Juice from one lime
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 4 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup canned black beans (rinsed well)
• 2 ounces green chilies, drained
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese blend
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup salsa
• ½ cup finely sliced green onions
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup light or fat-free sour cream

Chips

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together water, lemon juice, lime juice, and canola oil.
• Working quickly, dip each shell in the lemon and lime solution.
• Make a stack with the tortillas, then cut them into quarters.
• Spread the chips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
• Season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings that you desire.
• Bake until the chips are crisp and golden, about 12 to 16 minutes.

Toppings

• In a sauté pan, heat olive oil until warmed.
• Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
• Add in chicken and chili powder and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
• Add in black beans and stir to warm.
• Remove from heat.

Serve

Layer the chips with toppings as desired.

What's cookin' this week? January 17, 2011

This week I'm keeping things simple. Everything I need is already here, so no grocery shopping! Yay! Healthy doesn't always have to be complicated.

So here it is!

MONDAY
Pasta with marinara
Garlic bread
Side salad

TUESDAY
Tacos (with ground turkey instead of beef)
Fresh peppers and hummus

WEDNESDAY
BBQ chicken (Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce)
Peas

THURSDAY
Pork Loin (didn't get to make it last week)
Broccoli and cheese

Enjoy!

What's cookin' this week? - January 10, 2011

Week two of tasty healthy meals for your family this year. This week comes from three different cookbooks – the two from last week plus the Betty Crocker Quick Fixes cookbook. This week is full of new meals and new tastes.

So here’s the menu! Pick at least one night this week to make a healthier meal for your family. Own what your family eats one meal at a time.

Bon Appetit!

MONDAY
Black bean burgers
Sweet potato fries (just cut up some sweet potatoes into strips, put some olive oil and a little seasoning and bake in the oven)
Fresh fruit

TUESDAY
Stir fry (a meal in itself)

WEDNESDAY
Herbed pork loin roast
Brown rice
Peas

THURSDAY
Fettuccini with ricotta, tomato and basil
Garlic bread
Side salad

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES

Black bean burgers (Start to finish – 25 minutes)
Ingredients
1 can black beans undrained
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles undrained
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 tsp chili powder
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
6 hamburger buns, toasted
2 Tbsp. mayo or salad dressing
1 ¼ c. shredded lettuce
3 Tbsp. chunky salsa
Avocado slices (optional)

Instructions
In food processor or blender, place beans. Cover and process until slightly mashed. Remove from food processor to medium bowl. Stir chiles, bread crumbs, chili powder and egg into beans. Shape mixture into 6 patties, each about ½ inch thick. Coat each patty with cornmeal. In a 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook patties in oil 5-10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and thoroughly cooked on both sides. Spread bottom halves of buns with mayo. Top with lettuce, patties, salsa, avocado and tops of buns.

Stir Fry
Ingredients
(Use whatever you have left over in the fridge, but here are some of my favorite options)
1 lb. chicken cut into cubes
Pea pods
Green peppers
Red peppers
Onions
Zucchini
Broccoli
Stir fry sauce (I use Tastefully Simple’s stir fry sauce)
Rice

Instructions
Heat oil in Wok over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, pea pods, zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from Wok. Add 2 more tsp. oil to Wok and cook chicken 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Return veggies to Wok and add stir fry sauce. Cook about another minute until heated through. Serve over rice.

Herbed Pork Loin Roast
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. red pepper
1 (2 1/2-pound) pork loin roast, trimmed of visible fat
2 tsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, mix rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper and red pepper. Rub the roast with olive oil, then herb mixture. Let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat a large non-stick ovenproof skillet to medium-high heat. Add pork and sear on all sides (including both ends) until just browned. Transfer to oven and roast 30-35 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center registers 158F. Cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Slice into thin slices, pour any pan juices over top and serve.

Fettuccini with ricotta, tomato and basil
Ingredients
2 pkgs. (9 oz.) refrigerated fettuccini
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 ½ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped (2 cups)
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions
Cook and drain fettuccini as directed on package using 4-quart saucepan. Return to saucepan.

In small bowl, mix butter, ricotta cheese and ¾ cup of parmesan. Toss with fettuccini.

Serve fettuccini topped with tomatoes, basil and remaining ¼ cup parmesan cheese.

What's cookin' this week? January 3, 2011

Santa made it pretty clear this year that he wants me back in the kitchen. J I’ve been combing through new cookbooks to create menus for the next few weeks. I hope you can find some meals your family can enjoy. These are just inspiration so take it and make it your own.

As usual, I make dinner Monday – Thursday and Friday is usually leftover night or dinner out with the family.

This week’s menu comes from two cookbooks – Better Homes and Gardens – Fast and Fresh Family Dinners and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook.

MONDAY
Rosemary Chicken with Veggies and Pasta
(A full meal in one dish so no need for sides)

TUESDAY
Salsa, Bean and Cheese Pizza
Veggies and hummus

WEDNESDAY
Roasted Tilapia with fire-roasted tomatoes and olives
Mixed fruit

THURSDAY
Blue cheese and chops with rice
Green beans

I hope you enjoy this week's recipes and take the first step this year to owning what your family eats one meal at a time.

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES

Rosemary Chicken with veggies and pasta (start to finish – 30 min.)
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. plain or spinach linguine (we are using cheese tortellini)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 med. zucchini and yellow squash cut into ¼-inch slices
½ cup apple juice
2 tsp. fresh rosemary or ½ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
2 Tbsp. chicken broth or dry white wine
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Instructions
Sprinkle chicken with lemon-pepper seasoning. In a large skillet, cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Add garlic to skillet. Cook for 15 seconds. Add zucchini, squash, apple juice and rosemary. Bring to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together broth and cornstarch. Add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes. Serve veggies and pasta with chicken.

Salsa, Bean and Cheese Pizza (start to finish – 20 minutes)
Ingredients
4 6-inch corn tortillas (or use flour tortillas if you already have them)
4 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 jalepeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans
1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes
4 oz. shredded cheese (Mexican, cheddar, Monterey jack)
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Place tortillas on an ungreased baking sheet. Lightly brush tortillas with 1 tsp. olive oil on both sides. Bake for about 3 minutes on each side or until light brown and crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onion, chile pepper, and garlic with remaining 3 tsp. olive oil over medium-high heat until onion is tender. Stir in black beans and tomato. Heat through.

Sprinkle tortillas with half of the cheese. Spoon bean mixture over cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for about 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Roasted tilapia with fire-roasted tomatoes and olives
Ingredients
2/3 cup canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
12 small green olives with pimientos cut into quarters
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pound tilapia fillets
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.

In medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with juices, olives, onion and garlic until mixed.

Lightly mist fillets with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in an 11”x7” glass or ceramic baking dish. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Roast until the fish flakes easily and is no longer translucent in the center – 10-12 minutes.


Blue cheese and chops with rice (start to finish – 45 minutes)
Ingredients
2 ½ cup cooked brown rice
4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup apple juice
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional) – we’ll be leaving these out
½ tsp. salt
¼ + 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
4 boneless pork chops (1/2 – ¾ inch thick)
1 red pear, cored and chopped
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 2-quart square baking disk and a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, green onions, 2 Tbsp. of apple juice, walnuts, ¼ tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Spoon rice mixture into prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, stir together the thyme, ¼ tsp. salt and the ¼ tsp. pepper. Rub onto both sides of chops. Cook chops in skillet over medium-high heat until browned, turning once. Arrange browned chops on top of rice mixture. Pour remaining apple juice over chops.

Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes (or less if chops are thinner) or until no longer pink inside and juices run clear. Transfer chops to serving plates. Stir chopped pear and blue cheese into hot rice mixture. Serve with chops.

1.1.11 - What's #1 on your list of resolutions this year?

Happy New Year healthy taste budders! It’s time to get back in the kitchen and take control of what our families are eating. Thanks to Santa, I have some new tools to make delicious meals that are tasty and healthy for my family this year. New pots and pans, new knives and new cookbooks…I’m armed and dangerous!

For the new buds, the purpose of this blog is to share my journey of preparing healthy and tasty meals for my family. You’ll find weekly menus, recipes, interesting articles and other tools to help you do the same for your family. I’m a working mom and wife, so I need meals that are quick and easy. You won’t find meals that take hours to prepare on this blog!

So what’s your #1 resolution this year? I’m making the same commitment I did last year.

Own what my family eats one meal at a time.

Stay tuned for the first of many healthy and tasty menus of the year!

What's cookin' this week? September 20, 2010

Hello healthy eaters! Fall hasn’t quite decided to arrive yet in Ohio, but my body is ready for it to be here. I’m doing a little “fall dance” and having a fall comfort food week. Maybe the soups and pastas will inspire some cooler weather, turning leaves and all the fun of fall! I am looking forward to baking some pumpkin, apple and other yummy fall treats in the upcoming weeks. I’ll be sure to post some recipes. What are some of your favorite fall dessert recipes? My co-workers LOVE when I get the baking itch because they typically benefit.

So, this week is not only comfort food, but it’s also reader recipe week. Thanks ladies for sending these recipes in! I am looking forward to trying them out. We'll enjoy them for lunches all week too!

MONDAY
Chicken Tortilla Soup (I had a package of the veggies and seasoning for this, but I'm sure you can find plenty of recipes for this fabulous fall favorite)

TUESDAY
Smart Taste Pasta
Garlic Bread
Salad

WEDNESDAY
Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
Crispy bread

THURSDAY
Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

FRIDAY
Leftovers and relaxing

Smart Taste Pasta
From Micheline Ricker

Ingredients
Rotini or Spirals (try wheat)
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 lb of ground turkey
Choice of tomato sauce
Choice of shredded cheese – try Italian blend

Instructions
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Boil pasta per box directions
Saute onion and green pepper and turkey
Once turkey is done, add mixture to sauce and then add sauce mixture to your noodles in a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese and bake 20 min.


Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
From Anne MacFarland

Ingredients
1 can diced green chilis (little tiny can)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2c diced green onion (can use more or less if you want)
1 can cream of potato soup
1 package taco seasoning
1 package Steamfresh corn (already microwaved for 3min)
Chicken broth (I use about 3c, but you can use less or more depending on how thick you want the soup)
1 roasted chicken (the kind you buy cooked from the grocery store)
1c sour cream (I use lite)
1-2c shredded cheese (any kind...I like the Mexican mix)

Instructions
Shred chicken. Saute onions in soup pot for a few minutes in a little bit of olive oil. Then add to soup pot: tomatoes, chilis, potato soup, taco seasoning, corn, and chicken broth. Bring to boil. Turn down heat to med-low and add chicken. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Serve. (I like to serve this with a salad or just with crusty bread depending on how hungry we are).

Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
From Mari Jo Sellers and Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Serves: Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatapi corkscrew shaped pasta twists
2 1/2 cups raw broccoli florets, available packaged in produce department
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups yellow sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard

Directions
Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni. Heat a medium pan over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve. To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender. While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat a little to bring sauce to a quick boil. Simmer sauce to thicken about 5 minutes. Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli. Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, about a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

What's cookin' this week? Sept. 13, 2010

Fall usually means crazy schedules and lots of traveling for us. This year doesn’t seem to be any different. Last week we had something going on every night so we were able to use up some frozen leftovers from previous weeks and grab some healthy meals to go. But, this week looks a little calmer and I’m eager to get back in the kitchen.

In a few weeks, I’m having a Thirty-One party and Tastefully Simple party. This week, I’m using up some of my Tastefully Simple stuff so I can order more next week! If you haven’t checked out Tastefully Simple items before, check out their web site at tastefullysimple.com. If you don’t have these items, you can always substitute something similar. I always try to use up what I have at home and I have quite a bit of this stuff. These recipes are also pretty simple so I only have a dozen items on my grocery list. Woo hoo!

Also, remember an easy way to make any meal healthier is choosing better or healthier ingredients like low fat or fat free products or substitute ground turkey for ground beef. Try it before you turn your nose up. They aren’t that bad.

YOUR TASK THIS WEEK: send your favorite healthy recipes. Next week is going to be reader’s favorite recipes week. I already have a few that I’m excited to try, but need some more so send them my way!

So here is this week’s menu based on some yummy Tastefully Simple recipes.

MONDAY
Bountiful Greek Pizza
Fruit salad

TUESDAY
Pesto Chicken (my hubby’s favorite!)
Green beans

WEDNESDAY
Creamy spinach and herb penne
Beer bread
Fruit

THURSDAY
EZ Meatloaf
Corn
Leftover beer bread

FRIDAY
Leftovers


Bountiful Greek Pizza

Ingredients
Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®
12 oz. beer
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground pork sausage
1 Tbsp. Greek oregano
2 Tbsp. Onion Onion™
1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™
Water as needed
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
6 oz. can black olives
Grated mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend (optional)

Directions
Prepare bread as directed on package with beer, Italian seasoning and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spread in greased 9 x 13 baking pan; drizzle with olive oil. Brown sausage with oregano, Onion Onion™, Garlic Garlic™ and water if needed. Spread sausage mixture evenly over uncooked bread batter. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, olives and optional cheeses, if desired. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Makes 10-12 servings.


Pesto Chicken

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. water
8 oz. softened cream cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
Crushed crackers or breadcrumbs (Ritz work well)

Directions
Prepare Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix as directed on jar with olive oil and water; mix with cream cheese. Pound chicken breasts flat; spread mixture on top. Roll up chicken, dip in egg, and roll in crackers or breadcrumbs. Place on greased baking sheet; bake at 425° for 35 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Spinach & Herb Penne

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
4 Tbsp. Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups Penne pasta, uncooked

Directions
Melt butter in skillet, add flour and whisk on low until mixture turns a golden color. Slowly add milk and continue to whisk. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes; stirring continuously. Add all other ingredients. Turn heat to low, and cook until pasta is soft and sauce has thickened; about 8-10 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add a little milk. Makes 2 servings.


EZ Meatloaf

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™
2 Tbsp. Onion Onion™
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/2-3/4 cup buttery snack cracker crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. ketchup

Directions
Combine all ingredients except for the ketchup. Place in a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Spread the ketchup on top. Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.