Tasty Turkey Burgers

These burgers really live up to their name - they are TASTY. We had them for dinner Sunday night and they are delicious.  I love a good turkey burger, but I think that even folks who are a little wary of turkey would like this.  It will definitely be a regular on our grilling/burger rotation.

Tasty Turkey Burgers
Recipe from Southern Living
1 pound ground turkey
½ cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced dried onion
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons Fresh Herb Marinade*
4 hamburger buns

Combine first 7 ingredients. Shape mixture into 4 equal-size patties.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in center, basting each side occasionally with Fresh Herb Marinade. Grill buns, cut sides down, 2 minutes or until toasted. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.

* Fresh Herb Marinade
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Stir together first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Season with pepper to taste.

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Well, ahem, it's been ... a while. Sorry 'bout that. I cook - really, I do - it's just that my child, my husband, my job, my house and my other obligations (family, friends, church, etc.) keep me running. Oh yeah, I'm training for a half marathon, too, so I'm running a lot - literally. All of that leaves precious little time for other stuff I like to do, like reading and blogging. I know I'm not alone in feeling this way, either... we all could use a few more hours in our days, couldn't we?

But I made a promise to my friend Andrea and I'm sticking to it!! After this post, though, I think I'm going to start posting my recipes (okay, those I actually post) on my other blog, www.karawitherow.wordpress.com. Having one blog will be easier to keep up with and maybe - just maybe - I'll be able to keep up with one. Here's hoping!

On to better things ... food!  I found these delicious and healthy meatballs via skinnytaste.com, a great food blog full of healthy (Weight Watchers friendly) recipes. (You won't find butter and heavy cream in her recipes like you will in mine - ha!)  But despite their lack of butter, these meatballs are so, so good.  All three of us love them. I serve them with brown rice and edamame for a quick, easy, healthy meal.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Recipe from www.skinnytaste.com

¼ cup panko crumbs

1 ¼ pounds 93% lean ground turkey

1 egg

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 chopped fresh scallion (green onion)

Preheat oven to 500°F.  Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 teaspoon oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape ¼ cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce, mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.  Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.  Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 tablespoon per person.  Makes 12 meatballs. (3 large meatballs equals one serving. The photo above is of two small appetizer-sized meatballs.)

Easter Dinner Inspiration

Easter is one of my favorite holidays of the year.  I love that it’s spring and (hopefully) warm and sunny and pretty.  I love that our family gets together to celebrate the day with some of our closest friends (these days, the children outnumber the adults!).  My favorite part of the day, though, is the celebration of our risen Lord and Savior.  He is alive - hallelujah and amen!

And, I must admit, I do also enjoy the food (and desserts!) that are associated with Easter.  Big surprise, huh?!?  So when the Grace Graffiti girls asked me to do another guest post about an Easter meal I was thrilled and jumped at the chance. It gave me an opportunity to pull out a couple of my favorite side dish recipes and try a couple of new recipes, too. 

I made this meal for one of our weekly Thursday night meals with the Akins family and it received rave reviews all around (their words and Patrick’s, not my own!).

This meal is perfect for a small Easter family gathering, and would feed 8 to 10 people.  The flavors are great and go well together.  It’s also an easy meal that doesn’t take a ton of time or effort to make.  The Twice-Baked Potato Casserole can be put together on Saturday and popped in the fridge overnight.  The asparagus takes 10 minutes - total - to make, and the pork tenderloin took five minutes to prep before I put it in the oven.

Patrick and I liked the pork loin so much that it’s going on my baby girl Nora’s first birthday party menu!  I’ve also asked the Easter Bunny to put a double oven in my Easter basket …

Herb-Crusted Pork Loin
Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
One 4-pound boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests. Serves 10-12.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
8 medium baking potatoes, about 4 pounds
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup chopped chives, for garnish
6 sliced bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pierce the potatoes and place on a baking pan. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until very soft. Peel and mash the potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Add the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese, and the sour cream. Stir well. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir again. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Place the potatoes into the dish. The casserole may now be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to bake. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Garnish with the chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving. Serves 10-12.

Oven-roasted asparagus
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living
3 pounds fresh asparagus*
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted*

Wash and dry asparagus. Snap off and discard tough ends; place asparagus on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or to desired degree of tenderness. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with almonds. Makes 8-10 servings.

Dinner Rolls
Recipe courtesy of your grocer's freezer
Purchase a bag of Sister Schubert's Yeast Rolls. Bake according to package directions. Eat and enjoy.
(Really, with Sister Schubert's available, why on earth would I ever make homemade rolls??)

Carrot Cake
Recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with vegetable oil spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

Whisk the eggs and sugars together in a large bowl until frothy and the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1 minute. While whisking, slowly add the oil until the mixture is thoroughly combined and emulsified, about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the carrots.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Run a paring knife around the perimeter of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the parchment, then invert the cake again onto a serving platter.

This cake can be made as a sheet cake, a layer cake, cupcakes or even a bundt cake. The only difference is the baking time.  If making a layer cake, though, you’ll need to use a classic frosting because the cream cheese frosting isn’t stiff enough. A bundt cake could be dressed up with a Cream Cheese Glaze or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.  Baking time adjustments: for two 8-inch cake layers, reduce the baking time to 25-30 minutes. For a bundt cake, increase the baking time to about 55 minutes. For 24 cupcakes, reduce the baking time to 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

Process the cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in a food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to process until smooth, about 10 seconds, scraping down the bowl and blades as needed. (I used my hand mixer instead of a food processor and it worked fine.)

Happy Easter!

Guest blogging with the GG girls

Hey, y'all,

Check out Grace Graffiti today for a fun guest blog from yours truly!  If you're looking for a festive meal to celebrate St. Patrick's Day I've got you covered.  And while you're at it, give their super-cute home decor, jewelery and accessories a looksie.  Here are our house we're celebrating the (hopefully soon) arrival of spring with an adorable egg door hanger.  

Enjoy!

 

Saltine Chocolate Pieces

As promised, Rachael, this is for you!

Growing up, these yummy treats were a staple dessert/snack during the Christmas season. They are so yummy and everyone seems to like them - they're a crowd pleasing treat. And they're incredibly easy, quick and cheap, which makes this a win-win recipe! I keep these in the freezer and eat them cold - so good!! (But I'm also one of those people who likes her Girl Scout cookies frozen ...)

I like them so much that I've decided that they are no longer going to be relegated to just the holiday season ... I'm busting out the traditional barriers and have declared these to be year-round treats!

Saltine Chocolate Pieces
I think the recipe is from Mamie, a dear family friend
1 sleeve saltine crackers
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup chopped nuts (we prefer pecans)

Line a 10x15 cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with foil; spray very lightly with cooking spray. Cover sheet with crackers. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan and boil for 3 minutes. Pour over cracker and spread evenly. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let set for 1 minute, then spread the melted chips with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (if desired) and lightly press down. Cool until firm, then break up. Pieces can be frozen.

French Onion Soup

On Christmas Day, we all gathered together at Patrick's parent's house for Christmas dinner. Everything was delicious, but one of my favorite courses was Scott's French Onion Soup. I had never had it before, always shying away from it because of the abundance of onions. I have never liked onions, but I have recently realized that it's raw onions I don't like, not all onions. I like grilled onions, caramelized onions, roasted onions, etc. Scott is a great cook, so I knew that whatever he made would be good.

But the soup wasn't good.

It was to die for. Truly - it was the best soup I have ever tasted. It was so, so good. All of us said that the meal could have ended there and we'd be happy.

It was so good that I knew I had to try to make it.

I did on Saturday, and we ate it on Sunday, and it was almost every bit as good as Scott's. (I say almost because one, I had to do all the work and make it myself rather than just sit down and have it served, and two, because my cheese didn't get all nice and melty and stringy like Scott's. I've asked him his secret and will share it with you when I get it.) Patrick loved it and declared it "one of his new favorite meals."

Sounds good to me!

This is a perfect meal for this time of year. A couple of tips: make sure you have deep, oven-safe bowls (we don't have any ... yet ... and I had to borrow some. That is, after my sweet husband went to five different stores looking, in vain, for French Onion Soup bowls). Second, per the comments on the recipe (on the Food Network site), it's best served the day after you make it. Apparently that gives time for the flavors, specifically the brandy and wine, to meld. I made it on Saturday and we ate it on Sunday (and Tuesday) and it was delish.

Bon appetit!

French Onion Soup
A Julia Child recipe, courtesy of Food Network
1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
8 cups homemade beef stock, or good quality store bought stock (I used almost three containers of Swanson beef cooking stock)
1/4 cup Cognac, or other good brandy (Since Scott used Paul Masson brandy, I did too)
1 cup dry white wine (I used cooking sherry 'cause it's what I had in the pantry)
8 (1/2-inch) thick slices of French bread, toasted
3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyere (be prepared - this is expensive! It cost me $8.50.)

Heat a heavy saucepan over moderate heat with the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, stir in the onions, cover, and cook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Blend in the salt and sugar, increase the heat to medium high, and let the onions brown, stirring frequently until they are a dark walnut color, 25 to 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour and cook slowly, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then whisk in 2 cups of hot stock. When well blended, bring to the simmer, adding the rest of the stock, Cognac, and wine. Cover loosely, and simmer very slowly 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water if the liquid reduces too much. Taste for seasoning

Divide the soup among 4 ovenproof bowls. Arrange toast on top of soup and sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Place bowls on a cookie sheet and place under a preheated broiler until cheese melts and forms a crust over the tops of the bowls. Serve immediately.

Amaretto Cheesecake

The week before Christmas I asked my mom what dessert sounded good to her for us to have on Christmas Eve. She surprised me by telling me that an amaretto cheesecake was what she wanted.

Nothing says "Merry Christmas" and "Happy birthday, Jesus" like an amaretto cheesecake, right??

But being the people pleaser that I am, I happily obliged. I do love to make - and eat - cheesecake!

A lot of people tend to shy away from cheesecakes, but they really are easy desserts to make, once you get comfortable making them. The cream cheese needs to be very well softened, you need to scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixer well, and never, ever open the door while your cheesecake is baking. That's a big no no. If you follow those simple rules, though, you'll have a delicious cheesecake every time!

Amaretto Cheesecake

Recipe for 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust*

3 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup amaretto

1 1/2 cups commercial sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons amaretto

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Grated chocolate, for garnish

Press graham cracker crust mixture firmly on bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan (do not bake prior to filling with cheesecake mixture).

Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1/3 cup amaretto; pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until mixture is set.

Combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons amaretto; stir well, and spoon over cheesecake. Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack; chill. Garnish with almonds and grates chocolate. Yield: 12 servings.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 (5 1/3-ounce) packet graham crackers, crushed (about 1 2/3 cups)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Firmly press crumb mixture evenly over bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. For frozen pies, crust may be used without baking. For other pies, bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Yield: one 9-inch crust.

Baked Potato Soup

The cold and dreary weather we've been having lately makes me want to eat soup every day. Well, maybe not every day, but I could eat it pretty darn often. It's just so warm and filling and comforting. This baked potato soup recipe is so good, and it'll fill you up, warm you up and stick to your bones.

If you like loaded baked potatoes you have go to try this!

Whoops. I just realized that I posted this same recipe almost exactly one year ago. Oh well. It's such a good one that it deserves to be posted again. :) I promise to have more - new! - recipes coming soon, including amaretto cheesecake and sugar cookies. Yum!

Baked Potato Soup

Recipe courtesy of my mom

Serves about 4

4 large or 6 medium potatoes, baked with skin on

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

6 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Bacon pieces, cooked & crumbled. (I use the packaged Hormel or Oscar Meyer pieces; they are so easy)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 ounces sour cream

Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Remove foil for the last 15 minutes. While potatoes are still warm, cut into cubes and crumble/mash half of them. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan or dutch oven over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, green onions, crumbled bacon, and cheese. Cook until heated. Stir in sour cream. (I usually add sour cream in each bowl when serving rather than into soup pot.)

Serve with cheese, bacon, onions and sour cream on top.

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwich

My mom made this for lunch one day while Patrick, Nora and I were visiting, and we really enjoyed it, so I got the recipe and made it for us today. It was the perfect game-day dinner - quick, easy and super tasty. I made it during a commercial - it's that fast!

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwich
Courtesy of Campbell's
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) Campbell's condensed French Onion soup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pound thinly sliced roast beef
4 hoagie rolls
4 slices provolone cheese
Drained pickled banana pepper rings

Heat oven to 400. Heat soup and Worcestershire sauce in a two-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add beef and heat through, stirring occasionally. Divide beef mixture among rolls. Top beef mixture with cheese slices and place sandwiches onto baking sheet. Bake 3 minutes or until sandwiches are toasted and cheese is melted. Top each sandwich with banana pepper rings.

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Calzones

I had some pizza crust (the Pillsbury kind in the tube) in the fridge, so in my quest to find a healthy Weight-Watchers friendly recipe, I knew I wanted to make something with the pizza dough. I thought a pizza or calzone would be a good choice ... if I could find a healthy recipe.

I found this recipe while looking through my Weight Watchers cookbook, and thought I'd give it a try. It also helped that feta cheese was BOGO this week at Publix, and I was able to find a coupon. Healthy AND cheap - score!

I must admit that this isn't what I would typically think of when I think of a calzone. There's no meat (calling all vegetarians!), and there's no sauce, so it's not really as much like a pizza as I had thought. But it's not bad.

In the interest of being transparent I will say that this isn't our favorite meal, but it's not bad. If I had all the ingredients, I'd make it again, but it's not going to be one of our go-to dishes. But maybe you'll enjoy it!

And I took a photo, but can't find it anywhere, dagnabbit! It was actually really pretty!

Calzones
1 1/4 teaspoon (about 1/2 envelope) active dry yeast*
3/4 cup lukewarm (105-115 degrees) water*
2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon salt*
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a food processor, combine 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. With the machine running, scrape the yeast mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of the lukewarm water through the feed tube just until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough by pulsing until it is smooth and elastic, about 30 times. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; place the dough in the bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm draft-free place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour. (OR -- use a tube of Pillsbury pizza dough and roll it into a large circle on a baking sheet. Much easier!!)

Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the shallots and garlic until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the spinach; cook about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in the ricotta, feta, egg, mint, oregano, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle a work surface with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Turn out the dough; divide into 6 pieces. Roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle. Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling on one side of each circle, then dampen all around the edge; fold over and press with a wet thumb to seal. Transfer the calzones to the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes.

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

We can pretend that today's still Wednesday, can't we? It's my blog so it's Wednesday here (too bad I can't rewind real life).

The weather might disagree, but the calendar says that it's fall. It's almost October and when it's fall (regardless of the ridiculous heat) I want to make fallish things. Apple things, pumpkin things, squash things. You know, fallish things.

And this week I wanted a sweet fall thing. I had an apple in the fridge, oatmeal in the pantry and this recipe in my cookbook. The stars aligned and thus, I made these cookies.

They're good; they're a nice light bite of sweetness. With only 1/4 cup of sugar, they aren't overly sweet, but just enough. And the small amount of fat means that there's not a lot of dough to this cookie; it's mostly a lot of oatmeal and apple bundled together. But they are good! We've really enjoyed them this week - and guilt free because they are low fat and low calorie! I'll definitely make these again.

I hope you enjoy these little light bites of fall!

Sorry for the crummy photo; I took it with my phone. But a crummy photo is better than no photo, right?

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, toasted until lightly browned*
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray (don't spray if sheets are nonstick). (I use parchment paper instead - love the stuff.) In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, cream the brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the apple, egg, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add the oats mixture, stir to blend, then stir in the raisins (if you use them ... I didn't). Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheets, forming 12 cookies on each sheet; flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes Cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container.

*Toasting oats brings out their nutty flavor. Spread the oats in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Asian Grilled Salmon

In my continuing effort to cook healthier meals (once or twice a week), I thought it wise to try to add some fish to our diet. We both like fish, but I never cook it because I'm not comfortable with it, and, frankly, it's stinky. I have a super sensitive sniffer and a lot of smells bother me, especially bad smells. And I just happen to think that fish is one of those bad smells, especially when your bedroom, clothes, etc. all smell like fish. I like to eat fish, but I don't want to smell like it ... especially three days later!

Thus, we tend to only eat fish when we eat out. Which, since we have a four-month-old baby and live on a budget, isn't often.

But, my wise mom suggested that we grill the fish instead of cooking it on the stove or in the oven, and I thought it was a great idea. Plus I got to hand Patrick the cooking reins for the evening. Win-win!

This was super easy. It has only five ingredients, four of which I always have on hand. All I had to buy was the salmon. (I was shocked at how much it cost, though - $14 for two fillets. They were large, but still.) Patrick was very careful while he was grilling; he didn't want one ounce to fall through the grates! We ate these with roasted asparagus and roasted potatoes. The next day I had the chilled leftovers on a salad. Yum!

Asian Grilled Salmon
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa (who bears a striking resemblance to my mom)
1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)
For the marinade:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Start grill or light charcoal; brush the grilling rack with oil to keep the salmon from sticking.

While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but don't worry; it will keep cooking as it sits. (Patrick was concerned about ours being undercooked so he cooked them a bit longer, probably 7 minutes on each side.)

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Goat Cheese & Roasted Corn Quesadillas

I weighed myself this morning and was not completely disgusted. I now have about 10 pounds to go before being at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'd love to lose a little more, maybe a total of 15 pounds, but I won't push my luck. Ten will do for now, I suppose (although I do have to fit into a bridemaid's gown in May ...).

So this isn't the best-looking photo in the world (a quesadilla is a quesadilla, right?), but a bad photo is better than nothing, I guess.

This isn't a Weight Watchers recipe, but it's from Cooking Light. Close enough, eh? I found this while wading through recipes looking for something healthy but not too off the wall. You know my love for cheese, so I thought we'd give this a try.

We enjoyed this; the flavor was good and it wasn't heavy like most of the quesadillas I make (with lots of regular cheese). I followed the recipe and only used one ear of corn, which yielded only 3/4 cup of corn. Next time I make this I'll use two ears of corn - I think this could have used more. And if you want to add more substance, you could add grilled chicken, too.

All in all, this was a pretty good meal. Healthy, easy and if you like goat cheese, tasty. Enjoy!


Goat Cheese & Roasted Corn Quesadillas
Recipe from Cooking Light, March 2009
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
2/3 cup (5 ounces) goat cheese, softened
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 1 green onion)
10 tablespoon bottled salsa verde, divided
Cooking spray

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes or until browned. Place corn in a small bowl. Add goat cheese to corn; stir until well blended. Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 tortillas; spread to within 1/4 inch of sides. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1 tablespoon green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons salsa; top with remaining 4 tortillas. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with remaining 8 tablespoons salsa. Serves 4.

Calories per serving (serving size: 4 wedges and 2 tablespoons salsa): 223; Fat:8.9g; Protein: 9.9g; Carbohydrate: 28.6g; Fiber: 3.2g; Cholesterol: 16mg; Iron: 1mg; Sodium: 266mg; Calcium: 75mg

Chicken Burgers & Couscous

So I know that the title of this post may not draw you in (chicken burgers, really?), but it is a seriously good meal. Seriously. We just ate it tonight and were both very pleasantly surprised at how much we liked it. The flavors were so different than what we usually eat (couscous, for one, and dried cranberries, for another), but we loved them. And did you notice -- not one ounce of cheese in either recipe! Ha!

I found these recipes the other day I was flipping channels and saw Giada on Food Network. I stopped and watched for a while and this is the meal she was making. At first I was a little leery of chicken burgers, but like I've said before, we're fans of burgers, and I am always on the hunt for something new to try, so I figured we'd give it a whirl and see how we liked it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Well, Giada, you've done it again. The chicken burger was moist and full of flavor, and the couscous was nutty, hearty and flavorful. We had never eaten couscous before, but we both loved it. Patrick and I kind felt like we were eating California food ... I don't really know what that even means, but it's how we felt!

We've eaten regular beef burgers, turkey burgers and now chicken burgers. I'm thinking next might be bison burgers. What's your favorite burger, and do you have any non-beef burger recipes you like?


Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (we used whole-wheat buns)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup arugula, divided

For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.
For the burgers: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.
Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
To assemble the burgers: Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.

Israeli Couscous with apples, cranberries and herbs
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Israeli couscous (or barley or orzo)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium green apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, see Cook's Note

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before using.

I've read that Israeli couscous is different than regular couscous, but I couldn't find it at Publix so I just used the regular, plain, boxed couscous, and since I don't know anything different, I thought it was great! I also used dried herbs instead of fresh cause I was being lazy and cheap. I pretty much used 1 teaspoon dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh.

To be a better cook part II - DEAL ALERT!

Have you seen Top Chef? I'm a fan. Love that show. But I don't get Bravo (sad), so I haven't been able to watch this season (outside of a few weeks where we randomly got the channel. Then it went away. Tease).

But, even though I don't get Bravo anymore, I can still watch some of the Top Chef chefs in action through Top Chef University, an online cooking school. And even better, right now they're offering a month-long membership for half of - $12 instead of $24.95.

The deal is through the Wichita Groupon.

To get these deals:
1. Go to Groupon
2. At the top click “Visit more Cities”
3. Pick Wichita and order. “Side deals” are found on the right next to the main deal for the day.

Wichita- Month-long membership to Top Chef University. 23 online cooking lessons for $12

This Groupon is for the Basics & Techniques class only.

Act quick if you're interested - you only have two days to purchase this offer.

And ... sorry about no Weight Watchers Wednesday post. Wednesday was our three-year anniversary and we enjoyed a nice dinner out, so it was a no-cook Wednesday for me. But it'll be back next week.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe a while back while looking for another pasta recipe, and just tried it tonight. I'm kicking myself for taking so long to make it - it's so good! It's definitely on the spicy side, but the kick of heat was a nice change for us. We both really enjoyed it and I'll be making it again.

Oh, and I was just too lazy to take a photo. Sorry. Maybe I'll take a pic of the leftovers.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
From Southern Living 2007
12 ounces uncooked linguine
2 pounds chicken breast strips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 cup butter
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced**
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms
2 green onions (white and light green parts only), sliced**
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Garnish: chopped green onions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken evenly with Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp. salt. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Remove chicken. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions to skillet, and sauté 9 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates. Return chicken to skillet; stir in half-and-half, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add linguine; toss to coat. Garnish, if desired, and serve immediately.

*To make your own Cajun seasoning, combine 2 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.

**1/2 (16-oz.) bag frozen sliced green, red, and yellow bell peppers and onion may be substituted.

To be a better cook ...

We were out of town this past weekend, so I didn't cook Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and tonight I ate a salad while Patrick ate two bowls of Lucky Charms. Sad, I know. But I'm just keeping it real. I am glad that I have a husband who doesn't mind eating cereal for dinner every once in a while. I think he actually enjoys it.

I might not have cooked, but I did find a good article on CookingLight.com. I went there on a search for healthy salmon recipes and found this article instead (I also found what looks to be a good salmon recipe. I'm going to attempt to incorporate fish into our diet and my cooking repertoire).

I love to cook, but I am so very, very amateur. If I had the time, the money, a maid and a nanny, I would love to take cooking classes. But, alas, I am the maid and the nanny - er, mommy - and sometimes my lack of knowledge and experience means that I wing it in the kitchen. But I love to learn, and I would like to be a better cook, so I hope that reading this helps me have fewer kitchen foibles.

I've made at least 10 of these mistakes (but never, never #9), and have learned from them. Hopefully reading this list will help me avoid the other 15!

The 25 most common cooking mistakes
Click here to read the entire article
1. You don’t taste as you go.
2. You don’t read the entire recipe before you start cooking.
3. You make unwise substitutions in baking.
4. You boil when you should simmer.
5. You overheat chocolate.
6. You over-soften butter.
7. You overheat low-fat milk products.
8. You don’t know your oven’s quirks and idiosyncrasies.
9. You’re too casual about measuring ingredients.
10. You overcrowd the pan.
11. You mishandle egg whites.
12. You turn the food too often.
13. You don’t get the pan hot enough before you add the food.
14. You slice meat with―instead of against―the grain.
15. You underbake cakes and breads.
16. You don’t use a meat thermometer.
17. Meat gets no chance to rest after cooking.
18. You try to rush the cooking of caramelized onions.
19. You overwork lower-fat dough.
20. You neglect the nuts you’re toasting.
21. You don’t shock vegetables when they’ve reached the desired texture.
22. You put all the salt in the marinade or breading.
23. You pop meat straight from the fridge into the oven or onto the grill.
24. You don’t know when to abandon ship and start over.
25. You use inferior ingredients.

What have you learned from your time in the kitchen?

Weight Watchers Wednesday - Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

So, yeah, it's not Wednesday anymore. Whoops. But better late than never, right?

Living in the South, fried chicken is a big deal. It's everywhere. And it's mighty tasty. But not healthy. Not at all. But sometimes you just get a craving and want that delicious flavor. When the mood hits and nothing else will do but fried chicken, here's a yummy and guilt-free alternative to the artery-clogging and button-popping original.

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken
Courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
5 points
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 pounds chicken, skinless
4 teaspoons canola oil (it's important, flavor-wise, that you use canola oil)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Per serving (about two pieces): 229 calories, 10 g. fat, 2 g. sat. fat, 0 g trans fat, 64 mg chol, 295 mg. sodium, 11 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 23 g protein, 49 mg calcium.

Weight Watchers Wednesday - Honey-Mustard Pork Chops

How fitting that this post should come right after my cheese-and-bacon laden Bacon Quiche recipe.

But don't be fooled. It's only a once-a-week commitment that I'm making to eating healthier.

Unfortunately for me, these pesky 20 pounds I've been holding onto since Nora was born don't seem to be going anywhere. And I want them to go. Anywhere. Somewhere. Just far, far away from me. Apparently, though, it sometimes requires a change in habits to lose weight, and I haven't changed a single habit. Just wishing and hoping the pounds away isn't cutting it anymore. Thus, Weight Watchers Wednesday was born.

Every Wednesday I'm going to make a new and healthy recipe. It might come from my Weight Watchers cookbook (I'm gonna start there) or it might come from Cooking Light or another healthy food source. Wherever it comes from, though, it's gonna be healthy.

No heavy cream, no half-and-half, no "four cups of cheese" or "1/2 pound of bacon."

We'll see how this goes.

Thank goodness it's only once a week.

Honey-Mustard Pork Chops
Courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
4 Points
4 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cider or wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 (5-ounce) bone-in loin pork chops, 1-inch thick

To prepare the marinade, in a small saucepan over low heat, heat the honey until it liquefies. Stir in the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper; cool to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a gallon-size Ziploc bag; add the marinade. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the chops. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove the chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before broiling. Preheat the broiler. Discard the marinade. Place the chops on the broiler rack and broil 3-4 inches from the heat until cooked through, 6-7 minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving (1 chop): 178 calories, 7 g. fat, 3 g. saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 10 mg. cholesterol, 124 mg. sodium, 2 g. carbs, 0 g fiber, 26 g. protein, 27 mg. calc.

Bacon Quiche

At our house, we sometimes enjoy breakfast for dinner. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, cereal ...we like it all.

Yup, you read right. Sometimes we eat cereal for dinner. And we like it.

But even when I do cook breakfast for dinner, I still like it to be a quick and easy meal. This bacon quiche fits the bill quite well. It's so yummy and hearty; served with a side of grits, it's a complete meal. I don't like Swiss cheese, but I love it in this. I also love that, besides the cheese, it's a recipe made with ingredients I typically always have in the pantry or fridge.

This quiche is also perfect for breakfast or brunch. It's not very healthy, but man, is it worth the calories!

Bacon Quiche
Recipe courtesy of Suzanne Akins
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
3 eggs
1/2 cup Bisquick
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1/3 cup bacon, crumbled

Mix butter, milk, salt, pepper, and eggs. Beat well. Stir in Bisquick and pour into 9-inch cake or pie pan. Sprinkle bacon and cheese on top. (Do not mix.) Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.