Bang for your buck

It’s no secret that I’m a planner. Not only do I religiously keep my Google Calendar up to date, I also tote around a physical planner with me, just in case. Naturally this trait of mine has spilled over into the food realm, making me a big meal planner as well. As you can see below, this is just a snip-it of last week and next two weeks in terms of our planned meals, my runs, homework assignments, and any other noteworthy events (the green is dinner and there are some holes that need to be filled):

Now that I’m student teaching, even though I’m home earlier, those hours are spent doing homework for my seminar course, studying for the Praxis II, and a fun little thing called lesson planning. Last week was my first week and there wasn’t any lesson planning, but that changed this past weekend. It’s a good thing it snowed Saturday – I had no excuse. So, I’ve been trying to find meals that I can make on Sunday and then use in different ways throughout the week.

This week, I made Bon Appétite’s Cannellini Beans with Kale, that I decided to serve over brown rice on Monday evening. At first I wasn’t sure if there would be enough flavor, but I was pleasantly surprised. The recipe is actually intended to be used for a spin on bruschetta, but it was just as delicious served over rice.

On Wednesday, I took the cooking liquid from the original recipe and 3 1/2 cups of the cannellini beans and kale, and turned into a soup using this recipe. Being able to take something so simple and use it in two completely different ways was not only a time, but also a money saver. Since the weather has actually felt like winter the past few days, this hearty soup was perfect.

I’m definitely on the hunt for more recipes like this, where I can buy a bunch of ingredients and re-use them in multiple ways.

Easy Dinner

It was only a matter of time before the cold weather arrived, and it decided to come with fanfare this week. On my run the day after Christmas I wore a t-shirt and shorts. That day last year we had a blizzard that I attempted to run through, and had to quit at 9 miles because my entire face was on the verge of frostbite. I couldn’t believe it was so warm, but kept my mouth shut – I didn’t want to jinx things, but I knew the cold was coming. Between yesterday and today, the temperature hasn’t reached above 20 degrees, and with the wind chill it has been closer to 10 and below (it “felt like” 1 degree when I woke up this morning). For a lot of people, that’s nothing. But for my tri-state area bones, that’s cold!

Of course not realizing just how cold it was going to be, I didn’t plan this week’s meals accordingly. A big bowl of chili would have been nice, but instead this week’s menu is all about quick and easy with minimal ingredients, since we’re heading down to Disney on Friday. Even though last night’s dinner wasn’t a cold weather specific meal, it was delicious. After making it I realized it was very much like a Snackwrap you’d get at McDonald’s, but this was better – much better. You can really do whatever you want with the ingredients depending on what you’re in the mood for and what you have on hand. This particular dinner stemmed from the fact that we were having veggie burgers, and we didn’t have any buns.

Healthified Snackwrap
– makes 4 wraps –

Ingredients:
4 fajita size flour tortillas
4 veggie burgers (I used Morningstar Farm’s spicy black bean)
1 cup of Quick Guacamole for each wrap (recipe below)
4 Tbsp shredded cheese
4 Tbsp your favorite salsa
Any other fixin’s (lettuce, tomato, etc.)

Directions:
1. Cook veggie burgers according to package
2. Heat tortillas in microwave, about 20 seconds
3. Cut veggie burgers in half.
4. In each tortilla, layer 2 halves of the veggie burger. Top with 2-3 Tbsp of guacamole, 1 Tbsp cheese, salsa, and any other toppings

Quick Guacamole
– makes 1 1/2 cups –

Ingredients:
2 ripe Haas avocados
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 jalapeno, diced
1/4 white onion, diced
2 Tbsp cilantro

Directions:
1. Scoop out avocado flesh into a medium-sized bowl. Mash with a fork.
2. Mix-in remaining ingredients (lemon juice, jalapeno, onion, cilantro).

Super Sides

Every year it takes me by surprise just how quickly the Holidays come and go. Only a few days ago I was echoing the sentiment I do every year; “I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. It doesn’t feel like it.” The next thing I knew we were at my husband’s parent’s house enjoying Christmas Eve dinner, and then in the blink of an eye we were leaving my family after Christmas dinner. This year has flown by and been one of the biggest years of my life yet. There will certainly be a recap of sorts coming tomorrow!

I had the honor of being a Hormel Foods Extended Family Food Blogger for part of the year, and our last challenge was side dishes. For me, side dishes are often times my favorite part of a meal, becoming the star on the plate. Growing up, we always had a few things on our plates (meat, vegetable, maybe a starch), but I’ve found myself in the kitchen mostly making meals that can all be enjoyed in a bowl, or on a small plate. This isn’t to say the dishes themselves don’t require a lot of pots and pans to get to the end result, but it’s usually just one thing.

After looking through Hormel’s website for some inspiration, I decided to make two side dishes. Growing up, I was (and still am!) a huge mashed potatoes fan. Call me crazy, but I love instant mash just as much as homemade mashed potatoes. Sure, the homemade thing is better, but in a pinch the boxed flakes aren’t half bad. So, I made bacon-ed up mashed poatoes, and a veggie loaded chili dish (because I love everything chili related). Even though chili is usually the key player, this is a perfect side to have with pork, beef, or some marinated and grilled chicken, or you can enjoy it as your main. Maybe even over some mashed potatoes!

I had seen a recipe for Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes on How Sweet Eat’s blog, and had been jonsing to try them. I was going to make it for Thanksgiving, but my mother-in-law’s plain ‘ol milk, butter, and hand mashed potatoes just can’t be replaced. In honor of Jessica and her love for bacon, I thought she’d appreciate me adding some bacon to the potatoes. And let me tell you, this was a delicious addition! (recipe below).

As for the loaded veggie chili, it’s close to my heaven. Sauteed veggies (onions, peppers, etc.) are some of my favorites, smothered in spices and combined with some Hormel chili couldn’t be easier, or tastier. I actually think this would be a great burrito filler as well, or over rice or mashed potatoes if you’re looking to have it as the star of the show. But, it’s a great side dish as well, and sneaks in a lot of vegetables without you even realizing it. Of course I’m not one to hide my vegetables, but for those of you that are veggie shy or have dining companions that are, this is a great way to get them in.

Browned Butter & Bacon Smashed Potatoes – adapted from How Sweet Eats
– serves 6 –

Ingredients:
3lbs yukon or russet potatoes (I used russet)
1 cup milk
6 Tbsp butter
4 slices of bacon (I used hormel)
3 Tbsp of bacon fat
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Chop potatoes (I left the skin on, but you can peel them first if you’d prefer) and put in a large pot, filling just above the potatoes with water. Boil for about 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender
2. Meanwhile, cook 4 pieces of bacon in a medium pan, about 4-5 minutes on each side until they’re nice and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate when done.
4. Keep the pan on, and add the butter, stirring it constantly until it begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and then return them to the pot. Using either a potato masher or hand mixer depending on if you liked smashed or mashed, mash the potatoes until they’re to your liking.
4. While mashing, add in browned butter, bacon fat, crumbled bacon, and milk. Season with salt and pepper

Veggie Loaded Chili
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
1 15 oz. can of corn
1 15 oz. can of chili with beans (I used Hormel)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp taco seasoning (I used Chipotle)
1/4 tsp Adobo
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Directions:
1. Preheat skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil, and once glistening add in onion, pepper, and jalapeño. Cook until all is just about tender, 5-10 minutes.
2. Add in spices and allow to cook together, about 2 minutes.
3. Add in tomatoes and corn, cook an additional 5 minutes.
4. Add in chili and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or by itself. Top with cheese if desired.

Creamy Avocado Quinoa

On Tuesday, I had grand plans to head to the gym after work. I packed my bag the night before and left it right by the door. All that preparing was great, especially when I walked right past the bag on my way out the door that morning. Since my husband and I work together, we take turns driving and Tuesdays are my day. After battling typical New Jersey traffic in the rain, we arrived at the gym, and I was anxious to get inside and hopefully score a treadmill. I went to reach for my gym bag… and there was nothing there. I had driven past our house in rush hour traffic for nothing.

So we turned right around, drove home, and suited up for a run in the rain. It turned out to only be a light drizzle, but I was nervous since it was already 6:45p and dark. Thankfully the weather has been unseasonably warm, so I wore a white t-shirt and as much reflective gear I could find, and squeezed in 4 miles. Rain and dark can’t keep me from running – this Goofy Challenge isn’t going to run itself in January!

While the whole wasting time driving to the gym and then driving back home kind of bummed me out, the run itself was a nice boost, as was our dinner. We’ve had about a cup of quinoa sitting in our pantry for who knows how long, so I decided to finally use it. My husband isn’t a big fan of the grain, but I figured mixing it with some of his favorite ingredients would make it better. I think it also helped that there was a jalapeno in it, making it nice and spicy while he had his foot in an ice bath.

This entire meal can be ready in the time it takes for the quinoa to cook (about 10-20 minutes), so it’s perfect for a weeknight. I also think this would be really great in a burrito. But, you can do what I did and just throw it in a bowl and go to town. It’s an odd green color, but I promise it tastes delicious.

Creamy Avocado Quinoa
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 Spanish onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, diced (more or less depending on your preferred spice level)
1 cup black beans
1 avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp oil

Directions:
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil with the quinoa, and let simmer for about 10-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and satuee the onions over medium-high heat, about five minutes. Add jalapeno and beans, cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine avocado, garlic, and cilantro. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet, being sure to mix fully, and allow to cook for an additional minute or two.
5. Remove from heat and add the avocado sauce, stirring to combine.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

It’s no secret that I love a good burger. Since I’m trying to not eat meat too frequently, I’ve been on a quest for a really good veggie burger. I’ve made a whole bunch of them since the creation of the blog, but I haven’t been super successful, until the other night. I had made a version with lentils and black beans and they were almost perfect, but needed a little more work. After making Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s cajun bean balls, I realized I could apply the same technique (no eggs, mushed and not food-processed beans, etc.), to a burger.

The hardest part for me in creating a good veggie burger was the consistency. I always find the recipes make the burger either too wet, causing them to not stick together, or too dry, making them stick together at first, but eventually flake apart and require a lot of sauces to eat them. Everything always tasted good, but the process of cooking them based on their all-over-the-place consistency caused me kitchen-induced agita.

So, I tried to take the bits and pieces of recipes that I knew worked, and left out the things that didn’t really seem to work well. Both my husband and I love spicy foods, so I of course had to add some heat into the mix, opting for a jalapeno. After telling my husband I only used one, he immediately replied, “What? Just ONE?!” until he took a bite… that single pepper wasn’t messing around, especially because it isn’t cooked, and I of course don’t de-seed it (that’s where all the heat is!). So, depending on your spice preference you can use more, less, or completely omit the pepper. We enjoyed ours with some oven fries, and topped the burgers with chipotle salsa and sour cream. If we had avocados on hand, those would have been toppers as well.

Perfect marathon-week meal 🙂

Spicy Black Bean Burgers
– makes 4 burgers –

Ingredients:
1 150z. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 c plain breadcrumbs
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium sauté pan that’s been sprayed with cooking oil, and cook the diced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chili and cumin and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl mush the beans, making sure there aren’t any whole beans, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Mix in the onion, jalapeño, and breadcrumbs until well combined.
4. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, and line with burgers. Make sure to coat the tops of the burgers with some cooking spray as well. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, flip the burgers, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Funfetti Cheesecake Bites

The past few weeks have been super busy with family events, work and work events, and this whole training for a marathon thing (which is on SUNDAY!). So, my time in the kitchen has been rather sparse – I think my husband has spent more time cooking for himself while I’ve been gone!

So this past Sunday after a successful last “long” run of 8 miles and a trip to get race day supplies, I spent the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen. I started with slow-cooker lasagna, going off of a recipe I saw posted on YumSugar. Growing up I remember my mom always bemoaning lasagna and how labor intensive it was (as you can guess we didn’t have it very often). So after seeing a recipe were I didn’t have to precook the noodles, I was all over it.

While dinner was cooking away, I got to work on my next project – Funfetti cheesecake bites. After the success of the Funfetti fudge I made for Halloween, I figured I could work Funfetti into more things. I had made Mini Oreo Cheesecakes before and they were awesome, so I took the same base recipe but instead used Golden Oreos, some Funfetti cake mix, and sprinkles. Not only was the recipe straight forward, but they are pretty darn tasty. The combination of cheesecake and Funfetti may sound weird, but it works – I promise.

This got me thinking – cheesecake is one of those vehicles that can really take on a whole bunch of different flavors. It might be time to branch out in the cheesecake world and try some different combinations. Or I can just stick to what I know and love – Oreos and Funfetti. Either way, these would be a perfect bite-sized treat to bring to a Holiday party… and you know that’s where you will be spending most of your weekends between now and the new year.

Funfetti Cheesecake Bites
– Makes 20 –

Ingredients:
20 golden Oreo’s
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Funfetti cake mix
2 Tbsp sprinkles

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Line your cupcake/muffin tin with paper liners and place one Oreo into the bottom of each lined cup.
2. With a stand or hand mixer on medium-high, beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth, then gradually beat in sugar until combined. Beat in vanilla.
3. Drizzle in the eggs a little bit at a time until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and Funfetti mix. Add sprinkles at the very end (or the colors start to run).
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cookie-filled cups, filling each one almost to the top. Bake until the cakes are set (about 22 minutes), rotating the pans halfway through.
5. Remove from oven and place pans on wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, chill the cakes in the pans for at least four hours (or up to overnight).

Sweet Potato Chipotle Beer Chili

This month’s Hormel Extended Family Food Blogger theme was slow cooking, specifically with a Crockpot. They actually sent me one in order to create my meal – how awesome! Having only just made my very first meal a la slow cooker last week (it was this), I was psyched to give a new recipe a try. I really love the idea of a slow cooker, since it gives you the opportunity to set up your meal, go about your day, and come home to something delicious. I will most definitely be putting some type of slow cooker meal into heavy rotation in our house this winter.

Because it’s fall and the weather is slowly getting cooler, I first knew I wanted to make chili, and as an ingredient have what I consider to be a classic fall food – sweet potatoes! From there, all the other ingredients kind of fell into place based on what I invision a good chili to include. And, of course I had to add beer – its such a great cooking ingredient. This also made enough for leftovers, which is always appreciated. While I don’t mind bringing frozen meals for lunch, I would much prefer a leftover, and I can’t justify eating out more than once a week (if even that).

So, after a long run and making a trip to the Halloween store in hopes of finding a costume for my husband, it was great to come home to this!

Sweet Potato Chipotle Beer Chili… with Turkey
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1.25 lbs ground turkey (or leave this out, use ground beef, etc.)
1 large Spanish onion, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 8 oz. cans diced tomatoes with jalapeños
12 oz. Mexican beer (I used Corona)
2 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 Tbsp adobo sauce [or less depending on your spice preference]
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker
2. Cook on the high setting for 2 hours
3. Serve with your favorite chili toppings (shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.)

Spicy Polenta Bake

Training for the Philadelphia Marathon has been a marathon in itself. My husband and I have had our share of setbacks and injuries over the past year, but are thankfully on the up and up. Neither of us have been able to tackle 20 miles yet, but it isn’t for lack of trying. Saturday was a 15 miler for me, and an 18 miler for my husband. Next week, I’m hoping to break 16 (my longest run yet) for at least 18 miles so I can get at least one 20 miler. Fingers crossed I can do it!

Since our mileage has been higher, we’ve definitely been hungrier. After Saturday’s 15 miler my husband insisted we had Five Guys for dinner. Since we had ran so much, I figured it was an acceptable treat, and really enjoyed it. After that indulgence, though, I was full aware that I needed something a little better for me on Sunday. So, after waking up and getting my husband to do yoga with me for the first time ever (he’s finally realizing how helpful it can be to stretch out), I decided to use up the little bit of pre-made polenta I had in the fridge.

This dish came in handy for a small brunch, followed by a late dinner, as we went to an Oktoberfest at a bar nearby, and enjoyed our fair share of German food and beers. It was just what I needed after mid-day Sunday drinking!

Spicy Polenta Bake
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
4 oz. pre-made polenta, sliced thin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 can corn, drained
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup salsa (I used Herdez chipotle flavor)
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp Adobo

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place sliced polenta on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet, and sautee onion until soft (about 5 minutes). Add chili powder, cumin, and adobo, sauteeing for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Add beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and salsa and cook for 5 minutes, until heated through.
5. Grease a 9×11 dish and layer with cooked polenta and bean and corn mixture, and top with cheese.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Meatless Monday: The TALT

There is something magical about a good sandwich. For me, it’s a little bit crunchy, a little bit creamy, and a whole lot of delicious. I’m a huge fan of club sandwiches, paninis, tortas, subs (also known as “hoagies”), and any other sandwich-like food. I grew up eating a sandwich pretty much every day for lunch, and I couldn’t complain – my dad makes a mean turkey and cheese with lettuce!

I had been craving a BLT for quite some time, but decided to make it meatless. Enter the TALT – tempeh, avocado, lettuce, and tomato. So simple, and so delicious. I used LightLife’s “Fakin’ Bacon” which has a smoky almost bacon-like taste when quickly fried in a little oil. For the rest of the sandwich, I just toasted some grain bread and topped the “bacon” with lettuce, tomato, and half an avocado. Perfect for a Monday night.

With the realization that sandwiches are perfectly acceptable dinners, I’m looking to incorporate them more in our weekly meals. If you happen to have any good sandwich “recipes” (I put this in quotes because sometimes, like above, sandwich making is a no-brainer), please feel free to pass them along!

I just recently ordered and received the Peas and Thank You cookbook, and also Appetite for Reduction. I’ve already bookmarked a bunch of recipes I can’t wait to try, and have been inspired to try and create my own concoctions from them. Hopefully this month will be full of cooking (and baking!), now that I’m finally a married woman with slightly more time.

Master Marinade

As a member of Foodbuzz and an eager Tastemaker, I was excited to receive a bottle of KC Masterpiece’s Hot Buffalo Marinade. Having just made buffalo tofu tacos, I wasn’t sure exactly what to whip up with the delicious sauce. I remembered back to my buffalo chicken pizza fail, and wanted to do something more than just grill up some marinated chicken. Enter the buffalo chicken calzone!

One of my very first posts here on the blog was about buffalo chicken pizza, so it’s clear I really enjoy it. I was hoping that by putting it in calzone form, I would have more success than my attempt at recreating the pizza. There are a few reasons for my thinking, mostly dealing with the fact that I could add copious amounts of cheese. My husband loathes blue cheese, though, so it’s always tricky when a recipe calls for that or Gorgonzola (since they taste somewhat similar). Instead of trying to add just a bit and hide the flavor, I omitted it completely this time, and replaced it with feta. I realize the tastes are different, but the consistency is somewhat the same, and feta is creamy when melted.

This was definitely a win. As I was putting it together, my husband insisted that it was more of a stromboli than a calzone, but it looked delicious regardless. I’m not one for technicalities, so I’ll stick to calling it a calzone. But either way, it was delicious. A perfect reward for making it through a Monday.

Buffalo Chicken Calzone
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 package pre-made pizza dough (I used Wegmans whole wheat)
1 can diced chicken
3 Tbsp KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade
2 Tbsp ranch dressing
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup feta, crumbled

Directions:
1. Marinade chicken with buffalo sauce for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
3. Roll out dough, and layer one half first with cheese, then onion and celery, and finally chicken.
4. Spread the ranch on the other half and around the edges. Fold that half over the first, and curl the edges to keep it closed.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve with additional buffalo and ranch for dipping!