Brown Sugar Flank Steak

This is absolutely divine! You must make this. I cannot tell you how good this was! I couldn't stop eating it!

Brown Sugar Flank Steak

1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C green onions, chopped
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2-2 lb. flank steak

Combine the marinade ingredients together and mix well. Marinate the steak in this marinade in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but at least 4 hours. Grill each side until the meat is cooked to medium-rare. Let the steak sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into really thin strips and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Whenever I have time to kill and I need a new recipe I go here....Tasty Kitchen. This was started by the Pioneer Woman, another one of my favorite websites. When we got the new crock pot I went on a hunt and found this delicious recipe! You must try this!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Source: Tasty Kitchen

2 lb. stew meat
2 cans golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 package onion soup mix
1/2 C water
1 bag egg noodles
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T sour cream

Cook the meat, soups, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, water, and onion soup mix into the crock pot. Cook on low for low for 8 hours or high for 5.

Cook egg noodles in boiling water. Drain.

Just before serving, stir in cream cheese, sour cream, and noodles. Serve.

Pizza Panini

This picture does not do this panini justice! Charlie bought me this amazing Panini press/indoor grill. I absolutely love it! We've been making turkey paninis a lot and I was sick of them! So, we tried these. They were absolutely delicious and terribly easy to make!

Pizza Panini
Source: Rachel Ray

3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 T olive oil
1 T dried oregano
salt and pepper
Ciabatta bread
1 ball fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil leaves, torn
Pepperoni slices

Preheat the oven to 425. Preheat the panini grill to medium heat.

Scatter the tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss them with the oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven about 20 minutes. Mash in a bowl to make a tomato sauce.

Spread tomato sauce on a slice of bread. Top with mozzarella, basil, and pepperoni. Top with another slice of bread. Press each sandwich about 5-7 minutes. YUM!

Skillet Barbecue Chicken

It's been a while since I blogged. There are 2 reasons for this....

1. I don't have the time or energy to blog.

2. More importantly, I don't have the time or energy to try new recipes!

I have been really slack in the kitchen lately. I'm working full time and by the time I'm home I mentally cannot wrap my mind around trying new recipes or sometimes even cooking at all. We're not starving here, but definitely are spending more money eating out than ever. I hate it. I feel completely responsible and lazy. Luckily, Charlie puts up with it. In fact, he doesn't even just put up with it, he lovingly tells me it's okay!

I miss cooking. I miss the days when I had all the time in the world to search for recipes to try. I miss having dinner on the table when Charlie came home. New recipes. Exciting recipes. I long for summer break, one of the luxuries of being a teacher. Working at a year round school is supposed to be awesome. A 3 week break every quarter sounds lovely. But me? No real break since Christmas. I need it. I know, I know. Most people have to work all year. No breaks unless they take a vacation. So who am I to complain? Yet I do, and will contine to complain. :)

Another joy of teaching, besides the breaks of course, is student gifts, sometimes. A lot of times we get those "apple" items. And other times we get awesome, useful things! Teacher Appreciation Week was a few weeks ago. I got Starbucks, gift cards, flowers, and a cookbook! A cookbook!!! A good one too! Better yet, a healthy one! Yay! Just what we need! So many things in the title catch my eye....

Cooking Light: a reputable source, and LIGHT!

Fast: exactly what I need right now!

Weeknight: Not a lot of time or energy needed!

So this one comes from my new cookbook!

Skillet Barbecue Chicken

Source: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals

4 Chicken breast halves

3 garlic gloves, minced

1 T seasoning blend (the recipe says Southwest Chipotle, I used some chicken seasoning I had for the grill)

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 T olive oil

1/2 C BBQ sauce

1/4 C water

Pound chicken to 1/2" thickness. Rub chicken with garlic and sprinkle with salt. Season with seasoning blend.

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. Add barbecue sauce and water to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes until chicken is done.

Egg Salad

I LOVED egg salad when I was a kid. I totally forgot how yummy it is! I like mine on toasted bread!

Egg Salad

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 C mayo
2 T Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and dice the eggs. Mix in the mayo and mustard and season it to taste with the salt and pepper. So yummy, so easy.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

I printed off this recipe last summer and FINALLY got around to cooking them! We really liked them and will definitely have them again! I cooked these in the oven to make things easier in the kitchen, but next time I'm going to make them in a pan. I also think bacon would be a really yummy addition!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

2 T oil
1 1/2 sweet onions, sliced
2 T honey
3 chicken breasts, diced
3/4 C BBQ Sauce
1 C shredded Mexican cheese
4 10" flour tortillas

Heat 1 T of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions. Cook until caramelized. Add the honey. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil and chicken. Cook until chicken is cooked through. Cover with barbecue sauce and heat through. Layer the chicken, onions, and cheese on the tortillas and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

To cook on stove top: Spray skillet with cooking spray. Place tortilla on the skillet and sprinkle the cheese over the whole tortilla. On half of the tortilla, add the chicken and onion. Heat until the cheese is melted and edges of the tortilla begin to brown. Fold over and let it sit for about a minute.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

So it's March here in NC and let me tell you what that means weather wise...absolutely nothing! I can be 60 degrees one day and snowing the next! So as we await another snowfall with anything from a trace to 3" expected I made soup for dinner! We had this with grilled cheese. Absolutely delicious! Needless to say, this was not on par with Charlie's "healthy dinner" diet, but it was yummy and warming!

I took a picture...I promise, BUT the memory card wasn't in the camera and I have no idea where the cord is! So no pic...sorry! Just trust me. It's yummy!

Tomato Tortellini Soup
adapted from Taste of Home

1 pkg. (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cans (10 oz each) condensed tomato soup
2 C vegetable broth
2 C milk
2 C half and half cream
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C shredded Parmesan

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

Meanwhile in a large pot, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Drain tortellini and add to the soup. Stir in cheese. Serve.

Chicken Fried Steak

I have been excited about cooking this for 2 weeks now! And what did I do...screw it up! After a few tears (yes, I cry over failed dinner attempts-don't judge!), some words, and a lot of frustration, I somehow managed to salvage this dinner! Next time I make it I will do it right! A lot of things went wrong with this, some my fault and some not! First, (reminder to self) DO NOT forget to tenderize the meat! The meat needs to be pounded thin or it won't cook through the way the recipe states and you will have to cook it in the oven the rest of the way through.

This was not a healthy dinner, especially when you serve it with the mashed potatoes I made tonight :)

I didn't get a picture of this dinner, but you should check out Ree's blog...she has phenomenal step by step photos of her recipes.

Chicken Fried Steak
Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

3 lb. cube steak
2 eggs
1 1/2 C milk, plus 2 C for the gravy
3 C all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 C for gravy
2 tsp. seasoned salt
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 C vegetable oil

Put the eggs and 1 C milk in a pie dish. Mix together. On another plate, mix 3 C flour with the seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Lightly season a piece of meat with salt and pepper. Dip in the egg mixture, coating both sides. Coat in flour. Dip again in the egg mixture and then back in the flour. Place on a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining pieces of meat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry 3 pieces of meat a time. Cook on one side until the edges start to look brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. Place on a paper towel lined plate and keep warm. repeat with remaining meat.

Pour the grease into a heat proof bowl. Using the same greasy pan, don't clean it, add 1/4 C grease back to the pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Sprinkle 1/3 C flour evenly over grease and mix with a whisk. ****I didn't seem to have enough grease off of my meat and this step messed up for me. I added a little (1 T) of oil to the pan to supplement.**** When the mix looks golden brown, pour in 2 C milk, whisking continuously. Let the gravy come to a slow boil. Stirring occasionally, let thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over steak.

Sweet and Sour Pork Kebabs

Finally a recipe from my new healthy cookbook that we love! Too bad it has to be grilled and that limits how often we will have it. :) This recipe was easy, delicious, and worth the few calories that were in it!

Here's the nutrition breakdown:

"Calories, fat, and cholesterol were reduced by..."
Reducing the amount of oil in the marinade
Using a leaner cut of pork, and less of it
Add bell peppers to compensate for less meat

Calories before...550
after...201

Fat (g) before...26
after...5

Sweet and Sour Pork Kebabs
Source: More Healthy Homestyle Cooking

Marinade and Pork
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 32 1'' chunks

Sauce
1/4 C ketchup
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T sugar
2 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp. dark sesame oil

Kebabs
2 bell peppers (red or green), cut into 32 1'' pieces
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks

In a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper, and salt. Stir in the pork. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Soak 8 10" bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes (to prevent burning). Thread a bell pepper, followed by a pineapple chunk and a pork chunk onto a skewer. Repeat 4 times on each skewer.

Grill over medium-hot coals. Turn the kebabs 3-4 times while cooking. Drizzle the marinade over the kebabs one minute before finished. Serve immediately.

Mexican Pasta Skillet

I get lots of emails with recipes from various sources. I usually skim them, look for something I would make, and either delete or star them for later. This one popped up from Betty Crocker around the new year when Charlie was asking me when I was going to start cooking healthy. We've had this conversation so many times in our marriage and we've only been married 6 months! :) But this week, I've really tried to pick things that are healthy. The first thing that caught my eye on this recipe was "healthified." So technically, they've taken something that isn't usually healthy and made some substitutions to make it healthier! YAY! That's my kind of recipe! This made a lot and was more than enough for dinner, lunches tomorrow, and at least one more night's dinner. We both really liked it too!

Mexican Pasta Skillet

Source: Betty Crocker

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 jar (16 oz) salsa

15 oz. tomato sauce

1 1/2 C water

2 C uncooked elbow macaroni

1 C frozen corn (I used 1 1/2 C)

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese, reduced-fat

Brown the ground beef. Add the salsa, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and corn. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Top with cheese and let the cheese melt 1-2 minutes.

***According to Betty, there are 6 servings at 370 calories each.

Baked Ziti

So I wasn't going to blog about this one, but Charlie really liked it! And when I like a recipe he doesn't it makes it to the blog...shouldn't it be the other way around as well? Don't get me wrong, it was good and edible. I just wasn't sure about the taste. It was too spicy for me and I'm not a fan of feta cheese. I just realized I put 3 tsp of sugar instead of 3 T. That probably accounts for the spicyness! And maybe if switched the feta out for something else I'd like it a lot better. This recipe makes a ton! So if you're not feeding more than 2 people I would definitely half it. Charlie's says it's much better the second day! It's going to take us days to finish this one! Let me know what you think!

Baked Ziti
Adapted from Short Stop

1 pound ziti or penne
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 T sugar
2 tsp salt
3 T Italian Seasoning
3 T dried thyme
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 C Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
2 C mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain. Return to pot and add sour cream, chopped bacon, feta, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes allowing flavors to combine and until heated through. Set aside.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 C of tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish. Spoon 1/2 of pasta mixture over sauce. Top with 1/2 of remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1 C of mozzarella and 1/4 C Parmesan cheese. Top with remainder of pasta mixture, remainder of tomato sauce, and sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover lightly with foil, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 3 minutes, or until top is golden.

Beef and Brocolli

We love our Chinese recipes. I'm still working on extending our menu of items in this area. This was a delicious recipe and so easy! We even went out for Chinese on Christmas Eve and Charlie ordered the sweet and sour chicken...he liked mine better! Yay!




Beef and Brocolli

Adapted from Delicious Meliscious


1 lb. boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 T cornstarch
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
2 T soy sauce
2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 C fresh brocolli florets (I used 2 heads)


In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sugar and garlic powder. Mix together.


In a large skillet, on medium/high heat, saute the beef strips until browned and juices evaporate. Stir brocolli and cornstarch mix into the meat. Cook until mixture boils and then thickens. Stirring frequently. Serve over cooked rice.

Taco Soup

This soup is perfect for a cold and so easy to make! I threw this together one night while cooking another meal! It was so easy and perfect to come home too! This was my first time cooking with turkey as well. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef in the recipe. We couldn't even tell the difference!

Taco Soup
Source: A Year of Slow Cooking


2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans of corns
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomatoes and chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 lb. browned ground turkey or ground beef


Brown meat. Drain fat. Add to crock pot. Sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the crock pot. Add the entire contents of the cans of corn and tomato with chili. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or low for 4-5.


Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Skillet Lasagna...Take 2!

I have posted a skillet lasagna recipe before, but this one is much better! I think this will take the place of my old recipe in our house! The recipe didn't call for any Italian seasoning, so I added my own. So easy and delicious!

Skillet Lasagna

Source: Cook's Country

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

water

1 T olive oil

1 onion, minced

salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. ground beef

10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2" pieces

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

1 C ricotta cheese

3 T fresh basil, chopped

Pour tomatoes and juice into 1 qt. measuring cup. Add water until it measures 1 qt.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until onions begin to brown. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes. Cook about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink.

Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. (This is where I added the Italian seasoning.) Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping teaspoons full of ricotta. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

My freshman year in college, while at Meredith, I found my love for Broccoli and Cheese Soup. My friends and I had this tradition of going to Chili's on Sunday nights when we all got back to school after weekends at home. I devoured Chicken Crispers and broccoli and cheese soup! YUM! A few weeks ago, Charlie and I went to Chili's for dinner. The whole reason we went there was for the soup! To my dismay, they don't have broccoli and cheese soup anymore! Sad!

I came across this recipe this summer when I was on my recipe hunts. I don't know the source, but it was delicious! The recipe says it makes enough for 4 servings. So I made the recipe plus 1/2 and it was a ton for the two of us! I was trying to make sure we had enough leftovers for lunch and we had more than enough! Next time, I think I'll stick to the original recipe. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1 small onion, diced

1/3 C flour

1/4 C butter

Pepper

2 C milk

1 1/2 C sharp cheddar, shredded

1/2 C Swiss, shredded

Broccoli, steamed, chopped (I used 2 heads and it was more than enough!)

Simmer chicken broth and onion for 20 minutes in small, covered saucepan. Heat milk in microwave for 2 minutes. In a separate large saucepan, melt butter, add flour and as much pepper as you like. Cook together for a couple minutes. Whisk in warm milk. Stir and heat over medium-high heat until soup thickens. Add broth and stir until well blended. Add cheese and broccoli. Stir until cheese is melted and combined.

Brined Turkey

We stayed home for Thanksgiving, just the two of us! Which meant I was cooking the whole meal myself! Boy, that was much more work than I anticipated! But it was delicious and worth it! I bought a small turkey breast to cook and it was perfect!

Turkey Brine
Source: My mom


Water
1 onion
2 oranges, cut into quartes
1/2 C Kosher salt
Peppercorns
1 garlic clove (of course, I used 2)


Fill a large pot half way with water. Add 1/2 C kosher salt, a handful of peppercorns, chopped onion, chopped garlic and orange slices. Bring to boil on stove. Let cool completely. Pour into roasting pan and let turkey soak for about a day. Cook turkey as directed.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Finally, another healthy recipe that we like! YAY!!! These were so easy and delicious!

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Source: Delish

4 (1/2-inch thick) pork loin chops
1 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp shredded/grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place Parmesan cheese on a plate. Season the pork chops generously with black pepper & some salt. Sprinkle garlic powder evenly over pork chops. Coat the chops with the cheese, patting to adhere.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and do not move them. Allow pork chops to cook until golden brown & crisp, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer pork chops to oven and bake for 5-8 minutes in preheated oven. You want them cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Turkey (or Chicken) Pot Pie

We had so much leftover turkey from Thanksgiving! I cooked a small turkey breast for the two of us, gave some to my sister, ate off of it for a day or two, and still had turkey leftover! So I made a pot pie with it! Believe it or not, there was still enough turkey left for a sandwich, but I don't care if I see any turkey for quite some time!

This recipe was for chicken pot pie, but I used the turkey. If you remember I made a healthy version of pot pie some time back. Charlie was NOT a fan! He loved this one. My pie plate is at my mom's so I made it in a square casserole dish. I also didn't make my own crust and only had one crust in the freezer. I wish I had used a double crust, next time!

I don't know if you can tell, but I tried to get creative with the crust when piercing it to vent. It has our monogram :)

Turkey Pot Pie

Source: Pillsbury

1/3 C butter

1/3 C onion, chopped

1/3 C all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Poultry seasoning (my addition)

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1/2 C milk

2 1/2 C shredded cooked turkey or chicken

2 C veggies (I used peas and carrots), if frozen, thawed

Heat oven to 425. Line a pie plate with crust.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Stir in broth and milk. Cook and stir until bubbly and thickened. Add in turkey (chicken) and vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon into crust. Top with second crust and seal edges. Cut slits in crust to vent.

Bake 30-40 minutes. During last 15 minutes cover edges with foil to keep from burning. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool before serving.

Baked Ravioli

I have been miserable for days now! Having your wisdom teeth out is no picnic! I finally got some pain relief this afternoon from the Dr. and was feeling up to cooking (and eating). It's nice to eat something besides a bowl of soup and a milkshake! Forget Halloween candy. That was a temptation I couldn't even imagine chewing!


Baked Ravioli
Source: Everyday Food

2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (or 6)
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or oregano
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 lb. Ravioli (I was just shy of 2 lbs)
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 C grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling water. Cook until the ravioli floats to the top, then drain.

Mix the sauce and ravioli together and pour into a large baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve!

Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce

I printed off this recipe in July and just got around to making it. Charlie was not a fan of this, which is sad because I LOVED this!!! The only thing I would do differently is pouring the sauce over the apples. The chicken was amazing and I think I would have loved the apples just as much if they weren't covered in the Honey Mustard Sauce. Don't let Charlie's opinion of this dish hinder you from making it. And if you do...invite me over!

Just a thought, a bet this would make really good pork chops! Maybe I'll try again...

Sorry there's no picture. I started a new job last week and taking a picture didn't even register! Charlie's out of town this week, so I won't be cooking. Then I have my wisdom teeth out. This will probably be the last post until sometime in November. I have a ton of pumpkin recipes up my sleeve...stay tuned!

Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce
Source: Simply Recipes

1/2 C apple cider
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
Salt and pepper
1 T honey
1 T mustard
2 T seasoned dry breadcrumbs
4 chicken breasts
1 T olive oil
2 small unpeeled apples, cored and sliced
1/2 C chicken broth

Whisk cider, cornstarch, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside. Lightly coat chicken in breadcrumbs.

In a large skillet, heat oil and add the chicken. Cook over medium heat until golden brown on one side. Turn chicken and add the apple slices. Brown the other side of the chicken.

Add chicken broth, cover and simmer about 15 minutes.

With slotted spoon, remove chicken and apples. Whisk cider mixture and then add to skillet. Cover over high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. Spoon over chicken (and maybe apples). YUM!