Lingucia with Veggies

Lingucia is a favorite in our house! I mean it is probably a favorite in all households in this area and it should be.  You can grill it, make a sandwich, add cheese, grind it into a sauce, add it to your hamburg for an extra kick, slice it with some veggies over rice (as I did below) and so much more.   I like the following the best as you get everything a meal should have in one quick easy dish, AND it tastes even better left over!

Ingredients:

Lingucia sliced 

1 can Black olives

1 cup red, yellow orange peppers sliced

Olive oil and garlic tomato sauce (I use Bertoli)

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

3 cups cooked whole grain brown rice

Start by cooking the lingucia in a large skillet.  Once almost cooked fully ass the sauce, veggies and seasoning.  Cover the pan and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

Check the tenderness of the peppers to determine if it should simmer longer. Serve over the rice and Enjoy!

American Chop Suey

American Chop Suey is made differently in almost every home. I find it to be a recipe that you grew up with that gets passed down with small tweaks.  To be honest it was never one of my favorite meals since I don't eat hamburg so I always would take the noodles plain with some sauce before mixing it together.  On the other hand it is one of my husbands FAVORITE meals and his mothers version is much different than my mothers version so I have learned to make her version over the past year.  The one change that I made is that I add extra hamburg and Italian sausage since that is Scott's favorite part.

I start be removing the sausage from their casings (I use about 3 or 4) and adding them to about 1lb of hamburg in a large skillet.  I combine them and cook until no longer pink.  I then add a tablespoon or so of Basil, Italian Seasoning and garlic powder with salt and pepper to taste.  Once mixed together I add 1/2 of a large sweet onion, 1/2 a green pepper (I used orange this time since that is what I had) and 1/2 a red pepper.  I cover the pan and simmer until the veggies are tender. 

Once they are tender I add in a box of pre-cooked elbows or shells (- the bowl i took out for myself!) and a jar of vidalia onion spaghetti sauce and mix together.  I let this simmer for about 10 minutes and then it is ready to ENJOY!

BLT Pasta Salad

The ""BLT" Bacon Lettuce and tomato turned into a tasty pasta salad side dish!"

Now as you know from the Bacon wrapped corn on the cob post, my husband loves his bacon!  So here I took the classic BLT and turned it into the perfect meal.  Here we both get our favorite things, pasta and bacon!  You will need the ingredients below to get started:

Ingredients:

1 Box Mini Bow Tie Pasta (cooked) 2 Ripe Heirloom Tomato's (chopped) 2 Cups Iceberg Lettuce (chopped) 5 Strips Apple-wood Smoked Bacon (cooked and chopped) 1 Can Medium Black Olives (Sliced) 1 Cup Ken's Light Ranch Dressing 1/2 Cup Ken's Ranch Dressing 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seed Oil 2 TBSP Lemon Juice 1 TBSP Dried Basil 1 TBSP Black Pepper 1 TBSP Salt 5 TBSP Bacon Bits Once you have the above items prepped and ready to go you can follow my easy to follow instructions below:

Combine Ranch dressing, Sunflower Seed Oil and Lemon juice in large bowl. Add Basil, Black Pepper and Salt. Next, Stir in prepared pasta and mix well to coat pasta. Gently Stir in Tomatoes, Lettuce and olives. Lastly stir in the chopped bacon and bacon bits. Refrigerate for 1 hour and ENJOY!

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

I love pasta salads and make them year round.  Most people give them up once fall arrives.  They are easy to throw together and make a great lunch for the week.  This Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad is one of my favorites.  You have your carbs, veggies, dairy and meat all in one, PERFECT meal!   This also only takes about 25 minutes from start to finish and will get you about 8 good servings.  This receipie was passed down from my mother in law and one of my husbands favorites as well! To get started you will need......

* 8 oz. Mini Bow Tie Pasta
* 2 1/4 Cups Diced Plum Tomatoes
* 1/3 Cup Capers (rinsed and drained)
* 1.4 Cup Banana Peppers (sliced)
* 2 TBSP. Cider Vinegar
* 1 TBSP. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1/2 TSP. Dried Oregano
* 1/8 TSP. Salt
* 3 oz.Pepper Jack Cheese (shredded)
* 1 oz. Salami (Chopped)
* 1 Garlic Clove (Minced)


Once you have everything prepped and ready to go it is quite simple, first cook the pasta, drain and set aside. Next combine all other ingredients in a large bowl, add pasta, stir and Enjoy!

Parmasan Pasta Salad

So last night I was starving when I got home from work and wasn't really in the mood for any meat!  My husband cooked himself some delish chicken but while we waited I through together a quick on the spot pasta salad with what we had in the house.  I love using Barilla Veggie Pasta.  You get a full serving of veggies in each serving without having to add in the extra's.

Once this was done cooking I drained the pasta and tossed it with some EVOO.  I added a few shakes of grated parmesan cheese, that melted right into the warm pasta, a little parsley and a little basil.  I finished it up with 1 can of sliced black olives and sea salt.  For throwing something together at the last minuted it was absolutely delish and my husband agreed! Had to write about this one to make sure I never forget how to make it!

Spicy Pineapple Crockpot Chicken

I love the taste of rich foods with lots of flavor and a bit of spice, but after that I always feel like a need something a little sweet.  To cover all the flavors above I came up with my latest crockpot meal.  I love using a crockpot as I can prepare dinner before leaving for the day and it is done and ready to go right when I walk int he door 8 hours later!  It also slow cooks the meat to really infuse and soak up all those yummy flavors!  For my Spicy Pineapple Chicken you will need the following:

Roughly 10 Chicken Tenders (may be frozen)
1/2 Jar Tostitos Pineapple Peach Salsa
1/2 Bottle Archer Farms Hot Chile Pineapple Grilling Sauce
1/2 Package of McCormick Fajita Seasoning
1 Bottle Light Beer
1 Cup Water

I always begin by lining my crockpot with a liner, this means no clean up later! Place the chicken in the bottom of the pot and sprinkle with 1/2 a package of Fajita Seasoning.  Next pour in 1/2 the beer and water around the chicken. Top the chicken with 1/2 bottle of Hot Chile Pineapple grilling sauce and spoon the salsa into the liquid.  Cover, set to low and go on with your day.  Return roughly 6-8 hours later and shred the chicken.  Return chicken to the pot and ass the other half of the beer.  Let simmer on low for about 30 minutes more while you cook rice to serve it over.

 Place the Spicy Pineapple Chicken over rice and top with sea salt and parsley! The perfect mix of spicy and sweet all in one bowl.....Enjoy!

Fried Coconut Shrimp and Mashed Butternut Squash

So tonight we both felt like seafood, as you can't eat chicken and pork EVERY night!  I picked up some shrimp and coconut on my way home and couldn't help but grab a delicious butternut squash as I walked by the veggies! This is one of my favorite veggies but it is sad as it means Fall is fastly approaching.  I like to prep all my ingredients before I begin.  In one bowl I mix 3/4 cup of beer with one egg, in the next flour and in the last coconut.  I also have peeled my shrimp (about 30) and removed their tails as well as cut up my squash to get it boiling in the prepared water. 

I first coat the shrimp in the beer mixture, then the flour, beer mixture again and finally the coconut before setting aside on a cookie sheet.  Once done place in the fridge for about 20 minutes while you heat your vegetable oil on the stove.  Once the oil reaches about 350 degrees it is time to throw in the shrimp!  I do it in 2 to 3 batches and place on a plate lines in paper towels to help absorb some excess oil. 

Once the squash is fully boiled and soft (about half an hour) drain and return to the pan.  I use a potato masher to mash the squash and add 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of margarine and salt and pepper to taste!  Lastly it's time to place everything on a plate and.......

ENJOY!

Farmer Market Finds: The Husk Tomato

After work this evening I headed to the local Farmer's Market in Mattapoisett, Ma.  I love fresh sweet corn and it is getting to the end of the season in New England so it was a must to grab a few ears.  While I was there I came across a carton of Husk Tomatoes! I love these little fruits.  These come out in late summer and are also known as Ground Cherries, Dwarf Cape Gooseberries or Strawberry Tomatoes. As you see below they have a papery looking husk that reminds me of a paper Chinese lantern!

 The main purpose of the husk is to be able to tell them apart from a poisonous form that do not have a husk.  Once peeled from their husk you will find a small fruit inside about the size of a grape.  The flavor is one you will have to taste for yourself but I would have to say it is a cross between a cherry tomato and some type of sweet fruit, I can say one thing, Delish!

I have bought these a few times now and never seem to actually cook with them nor add them to a salad.  They are just so good on their own we always end up eating them before I can even think of what to do with them!

Fajita Quesadilla

Tonight I felt like Mexican food after working a 10 hour day! Quesadilla's are so simple to make and easy to make two versions at the same time. I'm on a health kick so I used low fat ingredients and whole wheat tortillas while my husband had the most fat he could take!

I start by cooking a yummy filling made of Fajita seasoning, chicken and sweet bell peppers.  Now I am not a pepper person at all but once they are cooked down with the seasoning you can barely tell they are there but still get the nutrients of a veggie.  Once that is done and my quesadilla maker is pre-heated I add a tortilla, a layer of cheese, black olives, the cooked filling and a final layer of cheese.  Top that with a second tortilla, close the cooker and wait for the light to turn green...........ding! Within minutes it is done and ready to serve!

I like to add some low fat sour cream and picante sauce for dipping!  the little cups are not needed but don't they just look too good! Enjoy!

Smoothie on the go!

So I recently moved and have been out of touch with cooking.  We are now settled and back to cooking normally.  With winter and Holidays fastly approaching I have decided to change my eating habits to prepare for those few extra pounds everyone seems to gain during the holidays! My main rule is to eat nothing white (with the exception of 1% or Almond milk and eggs), I can still eat rice, pasta and bread but they all have to be whole grain.  Breakfast is the hardest meal for me as I wake up and go every morning with no time to eat.  To make sure I get my morning nutrients I prepared the below breakfast smoothie this evening so it is ready to grab and go in the AM!

I like to mix up my fruits but for this one I used 2 banana's, 1 mango, 1 cup mango greek yogurt and almond milk.This cup also has a stirrer on the bottom to mix it up a little after sitting in the fridge all night.  I found this awesome cup at my local Marshall's for only $3.99!

Sauteed Squash - Farmer's Market

This time of year one of my favorite things to do is to go to the local Farmer's Market that is held every Sunday on the lawn of Fairhaven High School. All the produce is locally grown and extremely fresh and flavorful. This week I came across Zucchini Balls that I just had to try.  I also grabbed a couple summer squash to go with them.

I decided to saute them on the stove while my husband was busy on the grill cooking our citrus marinated chicken tenderloins. I began by slicing the squashes and heating about 3 tablespoons of oil on the oven.  Next I added the squash to the heated oil and added 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. I covered and let simmer for roughly 10 to 15 minutes checking frequently.  I then added two tablespoons of margarine and continued to cook covered for about another 10 minutes. 

You do not want to over cook the squash as it will just turn to mush.  This is why cooking time can vary depending how thickly you cut the slices, so always keep a close eye on it while cooking. We now have the perfect veggie to add to our citrus marinated chicken and garlic mashed potatoes! 

As always, ENJOY!

BBQ Chicken Wings

I have to say that after every marinade and seasoning I have used I always go back to BBQ Sauce.  There is nothing like grilled chicken wing loaded with Honey BBQ Sauce.  Also, very very simple!  All you need is chicken wings and BBQ Sauce, coat the wings in sauce and toss on the grill.  I like to flip frequently and paint on additional sauce as you go to keep them moist.  Once completely cooked take them off and add one last coat of sauce and ENJOY!

Italian Herb Chicken

 

One of my favorite meals to make is Italian Herb Chicken over Whole Grain Rice.  It is so flavorful and hearty but yet one of the most simple meals to make. Here is a list of items you will need to get started:

1-2lbs of chicken tenders

1 can of hearty tomato basil soup

1 large can of Italian style stewed tomato's

1 package of McCormick Slow Cookers Italian Herb Chicken

2 bags of boil in a bag Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Rice

 Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners

Now before you start you will find a recipe on the McCormick Seasoning package but I like to tweak it and find my version tastes much better. Now I first line my slow cooker with the most wonderful creation int he planet, a Reynolds slow cooker liner.  This will save you tons of time scrubbing once your done as I find most people leave their food in the cooker to store until its gone, not realizing how difficult it will be to clean later on.  Once the cooker is lined cut the chicken tenders in half and place in the bottom.  Combine the seasoning mix with the soup and tomato's.  Pour this mixture over the chicken.  Now you can either set it on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours depending on how far in advance you start to cook.  When there is 15minutes left prepare your rice by following the instructions on the package.  Lastly pour the Italian Herb Chicken over a bowl of rice and top with some fresh parsley to taste and ENJOY!

Fresh Summer Salad

With all this heat lately no one really feels up to cooking but you still need dinner.  I love a great salad, and no not just a bowl of lettuce, a SALAD!!  These days you can find pretty much anything in a salad and many combo's you wouldn't typically think of pairing together.  My favorite is to add some fruit  and nuts to your veggies, especially berries! Below I chose a mix of romaine and red leaf lettuce with tomato's, cucumbers, black olives, pecans and raspberries to top it all off! Add a splash of Raspberry Vinaigrette and you have yourself a nice healthy cooling summer meal! And don't forget, you can always throw a piece of chicken or some leftover chicken you may have to add some protein to your dish.

Grilled Pizza

Who wants to light the oven in the summer time?  Well I know I sure don't if it is not necessary, especially at 450 when you are cooking a pizza!  So tonight we decided to cook our pizza on the grill!  We began by preheating our pizza stone on the grill for about 10 minutes.  We lightly coated the stone with about a TBSP of EVOO before putting in on.  While the stone was heating I prepared out ingredients.  Now me and my husband have completely different tastes when it comes to pizza so we do a half and half.  You can see our choices we used below.

 

Once the ingredients were prepared it was time to roll out the dough.  You can do this with a rolling pin or by hand.  I find it easiest to do it by hand and by the time you are done you can place it right onto the heated stone and cover.  I cook it on each side for about 2 minutes per side.  Now its time for the fun.  Create your pizza with the toppings of your choice, cover and let cook for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 

I always like to do a layer of cheese right on top of the sauce and a second layer on top of the toppings to hold it all in. As you can see below the cheese on top should be melted but not browned as the heat of the grill can cause the pizza to burn easily so you want to make sure to keep a close eye on it!  Enjoy!

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob

Okay everyone, here it is, the one everyone has asked for with the exact recipe on how to make it.....

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob

6 Corn - Husked and cleaned
1 package hickory smoked bacon
Cajun Seasoning
***I make my own version by mixing together the below,
*2tsp salt
*2 tsp garlic powder
*2 tsp paprika
*1 tsp black pepper
*1 tsp chili powder
*1 tsp onion powder
*2 tsp dried oregano
*1 tsp Italian Seasoning
*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
6 sheets foil

Rub Seasoning onto the cleaned corn
Wrap each piece with 2-3 pieces of bacon
Wrap in foil tightly and twist ends to tighten (can use 2 sheets if needed)
I have a charcoal grill so we cooked for 20minutes turning every 5 minutes then closed the vent so the heat wouldn't be as hot and let cook for an additional 25minutes.
Check one piece to make sure the bacon is fully cooked and enjoy (I know my husband sure did)!

Grilled Cornish Hen

As you know, today was my grandmother's birthday and after that delicious rich cake who would have thought we would ever need to eat dinner?!?!?! WELL we did and decided on Cornish Game Hens!  These hens are tricky to grill as they are small and can dry out easily.  With the food processor we created a wet stuffing consisting of mainly celery, onions and a mixture of spices.

We then used a combination of those spices to coat the outside with to give the skin that extra flavor before sending them off to the grill!

 As you can see we were so anxious to bite in that we forgot the after picture.  The meat was very flavorful and extremely moist!  I can not wait to enjoy the rest for lunch tomorrow! 

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake

This delectable Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake was made for my grandmother's birthday today.  When I asked her what she would like she said "you know I love chocolate" so chocolate was what I gave her!  I began with a basic chocolate batter and swirled chocolate fudge with chocolate chunks throughout the batter.  Once cooled I added a chocolate fudge filling with milk chocolate chips for a crunchy twist.  I then Frosted the entire cake in a chocolate buttercream frosting and completed it with semi sweet chocolate chips hand placed one by one!  Now THIS is what I call a Heavenly Chocolate Cake! Happy Birthday Gramma!