Desserts are one of my favorite things. During the week, though, I rarely have time to make anything dessert related. So, while I was making dinner on Tuesday night, I had a great idea – oatmeal muffins! Conveniently, the oven was already pre-heated to the temperature I needed to cook them since I was roasting veggies. It was as though the baking stars had aligned, and I just had to bring my dreams of coconut chocolate chip oatmeal muffins to life.
I haven’t had oatmeal in awhile, and we have giant container of oats in our pantry. So while at work, I was trying to think of ways to put them to good use aside from a typical oatmeal cookie or overnight oats. I’ve never made muffins before, but since I’m a huge cupcake fanatic I thought it might be a nice change of pace. Plus, I’m obsessed with coconut and chocolate, and when they’re combined, it’s like kryptonite.
You really only need about 20 minutes start to finish to whip up a batch of these badboys. This was some nice prep work for the cupcakes I’m planning to make for the fiance’s birthday! I have visions of slathering these with almond butter for breakfast, or with a spoonfull of vanilla ice cream for dessert…
Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins – makes 12 muffins –
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup oatmeal (not instant) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup butter 1 cup milk 1 egg 2/3 cup of shredded coconut 1 cup of chocolate chips
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees 2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl (including coconut) 3. Heat butter, and stir in milk and the egg. Add that mixture into the dry mixture, to combine, finally adding in the chocolate chips. 4. Spoon mixture into greased cupcake/muffin tin, and bake for 15 minutes.
As I’ve mentioned before, my fiancé and I have tortellini once a week, almost every week. We originally started the tradition because of the Wednesday night radio show that he did, which required a quick dinner. There’s no more show these days, so we have some more free time in the kitchen, but there are plenty of times we just want something quick and easy. Sometimes if we have leftovers (like this yummy pumpkin turkey chili), I’ll throw it on top instead of sauce just to snazz it up.
After using up most of the Philadelphia Creme, I still had a little bit left. So, I decided to make our usual tortellini with a southwestern/santa fe twist. When I realized I still had enough left to make another meal with it, it immediately made me think of the story of Strega Nona and her magical pasta pot that was never ending. This was one of my favorite books in elementary school, and I remember making my parents read it to me all the time – my dad was always so animated when reading it, too. It was a Caldecott Honor book!
At any rate, it was a nice twist on something different. Even though our meals are planned a week in advance (so I can grocery shop accordingly), and I was planning on pairing the tortellini (or as we call it on our house, torts) with regular tomato sauce, there’s always a little wiggle room with the menu. Plus, since my 10 mile run on Sunday was successful(ish), I’m all about the carbo-loading this week for the half marathon this coming Sunday! I have a feeling I’m going to wind up clocking about the same time, give or take, for this half as well. Which, considering the lack of training I’ve been afforded, I can’t complain! I’m just hoping I’ll eventually be back to feeling 100% so I can actually get a new PR!
Santa Fe Tortellini – Serves 2 –
Ingredients: 3 cups of uncooked tortellini (I used Barilla’s ricotta & spinach style) 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1 medium green pepper, sliced 2 Tbsp cooking oil 1 Tbsp chili powder 1/4 cup chunky salsa 1/4 cup shredded cheese 1/4 cup Santa Fe style Philadelphia Cooking Creme
Directions: 1. Cook tortellini according to package (bring water to a rolling boil, cook for 11 minutes until tenter) 2. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet, and add onion and pepper, sautéing for about 5 minutes over medium heat until it begins to soften. 4. Add chili powder and salsa, cooking an additional 2 minutes. 5. Remove from heat, and add in cooking creme and shredded cheese, making sure to combine well. Top with additional shredded cheese.
Since I didn’t use all of the Philadelphia Creme when I made the Baked Southwestern Pasta Skillet, I needed to figure out what to do with it. I decided to make enchiladas, since we hadn’t had them in awhile. I’ve made them with eggplant, poblano peppers, and some with your typical veggies (onions and peppers). So, this time I decided to combine it all! Since the creme takes the place of enchilada sauce, it’s super quick and easy.
After reading up on tons of wedding blogs, I’ve realized that I should try and tone my arms so they look fab in my wedding dress. Since I used to swim, I have pretty defined arm muscles as it is, without doing any extra work; it’s leftover residual muscle definition. But, I realized I want to make sure I don’t look bulky (something easily accomplished through swimming), and I’ve been noticing that my arms are looking nice and toned simply from yoga. So, in addition to some yoga, I decided to add in some free-weight exercises also. Conveniently, FitSugar recently posted “How to Tone Your Arms Picture-Perfect For the Big Day,” which offered up tons of exercise suggestions I can add to my repertoire. So, that was on my to-do list before getting to work on dinner.
After getting my arms nice and tired, I threw together these veggie packed enchiladas. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the rest of the eggplant and green pepper I have from this recipe!
Veggieful Enchiladas – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp cooking oil 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp Adobo 1/2 eggplant, peeled and diced 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/2 large green pepper, sliced 1 hot pepper, diced (optional – I used a habanero) 1/4 cup Santa Fe styled Philadelphia Creme + 1/4 cup 1/4 cup shredded cheese + 1/4 cup 6 burrito-sized tortillas
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Heat oil in skillet, and add onions and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Add eggplant, and spices, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until onions, peppers, and eggplant are soft. 3. Stir in 1/4 cup of cooking creme, cooking until headed through, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of cheese, and remove from heat. 4. Evenly fill tortillas with filling, and place in a greased 8 x 11 baking dish. 5. Top with remaining cooking creme and cheese, and bake for 15 minutes.
I love sushi, but since it usually requires us to go out (I’m not much of a fan of the pre-packaged kinds at the grocery store), it can get a little pricy. So, I decided to try and make my own. I’ve never tried to make sushi before in my life, so it was definitely an interesting experience. I figured it couldn’t be that hard, though, since all I needed was some short grain rice, nori, and veggies to fill it with.
Before the sushi making extravaganza, though, I had to get in a long run. My poor left leg has been plagued with injuries since October. It first started out with pulled ankle and Achilles muscles due to going to fast and furious with my Vibram Five Fingers. Once that had finally cleared up, I developed shin splints in November from ramping up the mileage too quickly after coming back from the original injury. Then, during the Disney Half, I managed to fracture (or at least severely sprain, but I wouldn’t know because I refused to go to a doctor, duh) a metatarsal bone in my foot. Finally, after all that, I was ready to start running mid-March. Up to this point I had only done 4 miles, so Sunday marked my first “long” run, of 8 miles. My left shin has been bothering me a little, but I’ve been icing like crazy to hopefully keep it at bay. My goal was to stay under 9;30 minute miles, and I did that without problem, finishing in 1:14:20. I got to be a little “hardcore,” though, as I bled through my sock. This seems to be a somewhat regular occurrence for me, though and it doesn’t hurt. I’ll spare you the picture (yes, I took one).
I’m still planning to run/walk the RU Unite Half April 17th, so we’ll see. I wasn’t 100% sure if I could mentally handle just doing a run/walk, but after reading Caitlin’s More Half Recap (who is also injured) I know I can do it! And I also have officially signed the fiancé and myself up to run the Philadelphia Marathon this November 20th!
But back to the sushi. For our roll, I threw in some avocado (finally ripe from last week), cucumber, and smoked salmon. I was a bit nervous about the whole rolling technique, but it’s actually really easy! We grabbed a sushi kit that had the bamboo mat in it along with the nori, short-grain “sushi” rice, sushi vinegar, and also soy sauce and wasabi. I’m glad that it came with so much, so next time we just need to get our filling and the rice and nori. I had a ton of fun making it, and can’t wait to try it again with some different goodies inside.
Homemade Sushi – Makes 4 full rolls –
Ingredients: 1 4oz. package of smoked salmon 2 cups sushi rice (short grain white rice) 1/4 cup sushi vinegar 4 slices of nori (dried seaweed) 1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced (long ways) 1/2 avocado, sliced
Directions: 1. Cook rice in boiling salted water, about 15-20 minutes. Add sushi vinegar and allow to cool. 2. Once rice is cooled, lay a nori sheet on top of the bamboo mat. Moisten your hands, and spread about a 1/4 cup of the rice on the nori in a thin layer, leaving about 2 inches at the edge of the far side of the nori. 3. Layer the cucumber, avocado, and salmon across the middle of the nori. Using the bamboo mat, starting at the edge closest to you, begin to roll away from you, until the nori is completely rolled. 4. Remove the mat, and slice the roll in 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces.
No, this post isn’t about Christmas or winter. Though it was snowing Friday morning, April 1st. Get yourself in check, Mother Nature!
Anyway, the first time I had falafel was while working in my dad’s office at Rutgers University the summer before my senior year of college. My dad, the purveyor of hidden deliciousness, brought me to a little restaurant across from the Middlesex County Courthouse; G&P Lebanese Pastry & Fast Foods. I immediately fell in love, and have been meaning to try my own for awhile.
Thankfully, the recipe I wound up using didn’t require me to deep-fry the falafel. As we all know, I haven’t yet mastered the whole hot oil and frying thing just yet. I’m still trying though – I wont’ give up! Aside from the fact that hot oil isn’t my friend in the kitchen, this baked version also means they’re at least slightly healthier. The recipe comes from The Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook, which is seriously right up my alley. All of the recipes are quick, easy, and best of all, cheap. The falafels were no different, though I did have some trouble locating the tahini, but I didn’t give up and eventually found it in ShopRite (we really need to find a better grocery store).
I think these bad boys would be great on a bed of lettuce, as a Middle Eastern burger, or just how we had them – in a pita with lettuce, hummus, feta, and hot sauce. Yum!
Falafel via Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook – makes about 8 patties –
Ingredients: 1/2 medium red potato (I wound up throwing in a whole small red potato) 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 (15 1/2 oz.) can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained 3 Tbsp lemon juice 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Tbsp tahini 1/2 tsp paprika (I did a full tsp) 1 Tbsp parsley (I omitted) Salt Pepper
Optional ingredients: Whole wheat pita Feta cheese shredded lettuce, tomato, and onion Tsiziki sauce Hot sauce
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Place the potatoes in a pot of water (enough to fully cover potatoes), and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. 3. While the potato cooks, heat the oil in a small skillet and slowly sauté onion until soft, about 8-10 minutes. 4. In a medium bowl, mash the beans, potato, and lemon juice. Add the onion, garlic, tahini, paprika, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine. The mixture will have a consistency similar to cookie dough. 5. Lightly oil a baking sheet with vegetable oil/spray. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet, forming 3-inch pancakes. Place in the oven and bake for 15-minutes.
I finally got around to making the huevos rancheros I had planned for last week, on Monday. It was yet another edition of breakfast for dinner. We still had a bunch of corn tortillas left from when I made fish tacos, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try and finally use them up. For whatever reason, ShopRite doesn’t sell ripe, or almost ripe avocados (at least at the one near me). So, if you want a ripe avocado you need to buy it at least 2 weeks in advance. Unfortunately this meant no avocado on our huevos rancheros, but at least I’ll be able to use them in two weeks… So frustrating!
This is a quick and easy dinner, but can definitely be made any time of the day. I don’t really know much about “traditional” huevos rancheros, so I kind of just did my own thing, based on the flavors I tend to enjoy most in burritos, tacos, etc. I really like the idea of being able to customize the meal depending on what you’ve got in your pantry, and how you feel that day. These would be great for brunch, with a whole bunch of toppings laid out like a finxin’s bar so everyone can pick and choose. I should have a brunch party soon!
Huevos Rancheros – Makes 4 –
Ingredients: 4 small corn tortillas 4 eggs 1/2 cup shredded blended cheese 1/4 cup chunky salsa 1 Tbsp cooking oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 1/2 green pepper, diced 1 chipotle in adobo, diced 1 serrano chile, sliced
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Meanwhile, preheat oil in skillet. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add green pepper, serrano, and chipotle chile, cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes. Set aside. 3. Once oven is heated, place tortillas directly on the highest oven rack; warm for 3 minutes. 4. Using the same greased skillet, cook each egg over-easy, leaving on either side just until it begins to crisp. 5. Remove tortillas from oven, and spread salsa evenly between four tortillas. As each egg is cooked, add to each tortilla, top with onion and pepper mixture, and finish off with a sprinkle of cheese. 6. Once all tortillas have been topped, put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
Having off on Thursday and Friday to take care of some personal things allowed me to get reacquainted with my tiny, but efficient kitchen. Our current kitchen is easily a third of the size of our previous, but the counter space is about the same. Plus, we now have an electric stove, which adds extra counter-space when it isn’t being used. But I digress, as no one is interested in my cooking space (it’s boring).
After I got home, I headed out for a 4-mile run. I had debated the gym all of Wednesday, and when I woke up to an inch of slushy cold snow plastered to my car, was convinced I’d be spending my afternoon with the treadmill. Despite the early morning snow, it really wasn’t that cold out, and by 9am there weren’t any signs of precipitation. So I threw on some tights, a long-sleeve shirt, and sweatshirt, and got to work. I find that when I run in the cold, I feel painfully slow, but am almost always pleasantly surprised with my pace. In the summer, I also feel painfully slow, and that’s usually because I am. At any rate, the 4 miles weren’t all that bad.
After my run, and some quality homework time while cuddling with the cat, I got to work in the kitchen. I found a recipe for a potato, leek, and feta tart on Real Simple. I’ve actually never purchased leeks before, and I probably won’t again for awhile – they were $4 each, and I had to buy two! My fiancé balked at the price and said, “this thing better be good.” So, the pressure was on. It’s definitely a perfect meal for a snowy Spring day. Oh, that pains me to write.
Hopefully I can start making some Spring appropriate dishes soon. I fear we might be skipping Spring and heading right into Summer. We’ll see though…
Potato, Leek, and Feta Tart – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons 2 small zucchini, cut into half-moons kosher salt and black pepper 1/2 cup crumbled Feta (about 2 ounces) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 Red Bliss potatoes (8 ounces), thinly sliced 1 store-bought 9-inch piecrust
Directions: 1. Heat oven to 375º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, zucchini, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Feta and dill. Add the potatoes and toss to combine. 2. On a piece of parchment paper, roll the piecrust to a 12-inch diameter. Slide the paper onto a baking sheet. Spoon the potato mixture onto the piecrust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edge of the piecrust over the edge of the potato mixture. Bake (covering with foil if the crust gets too dark) until the piecrust is golden brown and the potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes.
When I was in college, sometimes the cafeteria would have pierogies at lunch, or even dinner. They were always plain ‘ole potato filled, and swam in a sauce of butter, oil, and sautéed onions. Now don’t get me wrong, they were delicious, but I just couldn’t bring myself to get them most of the time. I knew that if I did, I would likely be spending the rest of the day with stomach pains, as I really can’t handle a lot of grease. For awhile when I was in elementary school, I couldn’t eat pepperoni pizza, and had to blot my pizza while all my classmates looked at me as though I had three heads. But if I didn’t, I was sure to spend the rest of my night in the bathroom – it was no fun.
Thankfully, growing up my parents always baked pierogies when they were made. Though, they were usually served alongside kielbasa, which is pretty greasy in itself (which is why I barely ate it). In cooking them a few times myself (always the frozen kind, though, I haven’t branched out to make my own), I’ve mastered the art of baking them first, and then just throwing them in a pan with already sautéed onions and cabbage just for a few minutes to mix everything together, leaving it still pretty grease-less (though I’ll admit there is a little).
Apparently mother nature has been confused, and even though it was in the high 70’s last Friday, there has been a snow/rain/hail mixture going on since Monday. So, these pierogies were a great warm and hearty dish to have while it was thundersnowing outside on Wednesday night! While I would like to at some point try and tackle making my very own pierogies (or at least a somewhat passable version of them), for now I’ll just stick to the frozen kind. At least this meal is semi-homemade?
Pierogies with Onions & Red Cabbage – Serves 2 –
Ingredients: 1 box of frozen pierogies, any flavor (I used 4 cheese) 1 medium sized yellow onion, sliced 1/3 cup shredded red cabbage 2 Tbsp cooking oil 2 tsp salt
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add pierogies and cook for 15 minutes. 2. In a skillet, heat oil and add sliced onion. Sautee for 5 minutes. Add salt and cabbage, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until onions and cabbage are soft. 3. Once pierogies are done in the oven, transfer them to the skillet. Combine all the ingredients, and cook together for an additional 5 minutes before serving.
On Monday, I had grand plans of whipping up some huevos rancheros for Meatless Monday, but my plan was foiled when on top of my stressful day, I came home to a note from a professor telling me that my latest homework assignment was incorrect, and in order to get points, I should consider doing it over again. After a serious breakdown (the original assignment took me 4 hours!), I got crackin’ while the fiancé threw together some tortellini for us. I took a break for dinner, and then got back to the homework, finishing in about 2ish hours. So, hopefully I’ll get to try my hand at the recipe I had brewing next week.
I always hate when I miss a day in the kitchen, so I was happy to have time to make something on Tuesday night. After seeing quite a few commercials for the new Philadelphia Crème, and also receiving a $1 off coupon, I decided to pick some up. Of course, I gravitated towards the “Santa Fe” style, and thought it would make a great creamy and cheesey (and quick!) pasta dish. I’m always up for trying new things, and I think this cooking crème is a nice substitute for a healthier version of an alfredo. It comes in four different flavors, so it’s really versatile. The little tub even came with some recipe ideas attached, which was pretty neat!
I’m happy to report that since I started running last week, I’ve tackled 2, 3, and 4 miles! Even though it’s been extremely difficult to breathe (apparently my lungs forgot how to work under pressure), I’ve been able to keep it under 9 minute miles, without pushing myself. It’s nothing spectacular, but considering I really haven’t run since January, and throughout December only ran maybe 3-4 times, I can’t complain! The discomfort in my foot isn’t completely gone, but it goes away within a mile or so of starting the run, and isn’t a pain so much as it just feels “weird.” I’m hoping this means I can finish the race on April 17th (hey, I want that medal!), and then take a little time off before starting again to train for the big guy, the Philadelphia Marathon. Fingers crossed!
But back to the food… I highly recommend checking out the Philadelphia Crème if you’re looking for a quick dish that easily adds a lot of flavor. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty skeptical (and a little weirded out) of the idea at first, but I’m glad I decided to give it a try. It was quick and easy, which has been all I can afford to devote my time to the past few weeks. The semester is thankfully coming to a close in the next few weeks, so hopefully before the next one starts up (it’s never ending!) I’ll get to spend some more time in the kitchen. If only there were more hours in the day…
Baked Southwestern Pasta Skillet -Serves 4-
Ingredients: 2 cups pasta (I used elbow, you can use any kind you’d like) 3/4 cup black beans 3/4 cup corn 1 can diced tomatoes & jalapenos 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 Tbsp cooking oil 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a jack and cheddar combo), plus another 1/2 cup 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Philadelphia Crème – Santa Fe style 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Prepare pasta according to package 3. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet, add onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add black beans, tomatoes, and corn, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Set aside. 4. Once pasta is fully cooked, combine in skillet with sauteed mixture, add Philadelphia Crème and 1/2 cup of cheese, making sure to combine evenly. 5. Transfer pasta to a greased baking dish, top with bread crumbs and bake for 10 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Ever have one (or multiple) of those days where you feel like you just don’t stop going and going? Well, that’s how my weekend felt! I’m certainly not complaining, but it left me little time to spend in the kitchen.
On Friday after work, a group of us decided to go to a local Mexican restaurant for happy hour to take advantage of the 70+ degree weather, where they have $2 Sol beers all day, every day. Conveniently, that’s also the name of the restaurant. We wound up hanging out for a solid 3 hours, and ordered some nachos and stuffed jalapenos – delicious! By the time we got home, we were zonked, so fiancé and I each grabbed a slice of pizza from our local pizzeria that we pass on the way home, and caught up on the excess TV we hadn’t finished from Thursday night.
Saturday was all business, but it started out with the fiancé making buttermilk pancakes! While I love cooking, it’s always appreciated when someone else does it for me. After fueling up and enjoying an episode of DC Cupcakes, I hit the books. Four hours later I came up for air, just in time to head to the grocery store! On our trip I picked up some leeks for a recipe later this week. Little did I know that they were about $4 each, and I grabbed two. Holy moly they are expensive! This feta, leek, and potato tart I’m making on Thursday better be delicious. Dinner was a quick peanut stir-fry that I was too hungry to photograph. We then went to see Paul, which was absolutely hilarious, and stopped to take some pictures of the “super moon.”
Sunday, the “day of rest” was far from it. I was up early to head to my parent’s to meet with a potential wedding florist. After my mom and I did that, we stopped at my favorite bagel spot, Bagel Chateau, where I picked up what I think is one of their best sandwiches. I know it’s New Jersey so everyone assumes we all love “pork roll” or “Taylor ham”… but I’m not a fan. Instead, I got what they call a “dutch,” which is a mixture of eggs, potatoes, and cheese served up on your bagel of choice. It was just what I needed to fuel my run! After a trip to Trader Joe’s my mom and I headed to the park to get our run on. My mom is new to running, so I was super psyched to see her finish an entire mile without stopping! I did three, which is a great feat considering my foot. I’m starting to think I’m back in the running game, but I don’t want to jinx it. I then headed home to finish up even more homework.
Where was my fiancé during my super busy Sunday, you may ask? Oh, he was just completing his Rita’s Ice Tour, 2011 edition. Last year, I too accompanied him on the adventure, but couldn’t due to my schedule this year. They stopped at 14 Rita’s and sampled a different flavor at each. Head over to his blog to read about it!
I really slacked on Sunday night’s dinner, too. I headed up some Gardin chipotle lime “chicken” strips, and paired it with some southwestern hash-browns. The hash-browns were a nice gussied-up version of just plain ‘ole pan-fried potatoes, and I think would go well at any time of day. Yum!
Southwestern Hash-Browns – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 4 cups frozen hash-browns 1 yellow onion, diced 1/2 cup black beans 1/2 cup corn 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp Adobo 1 tsp cumin 1 Tbsp taco seasoning 6 Tbsp cooking oil
Directions: 1. Preheat skillet with 3 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add a layer of hash-browns to cover the skillet (2 cups). Cover, and let cook for 12 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in another skillet, preheat 2 Tbsp oil, add sauteed onions, and cook for 5 minutes until onions begin to become translucent. Add black beans and corn, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Set aside. 3. After 12 minutes, flip the hash-browns, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside. 4. Repeat steps 1 and 3. 5. Combine the hash-browns and bean mixture back in the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes.
Foodosaurus Rex 
