Eggplant Meatballs

I'm BAAACK. Can you believe it?  I wonder if I even have anyone who cares but I am gonna give this blog another shot. :)

A couple days ago I saw someone cooking eggplant meatballs on the Today Show.  I had never heard of them before and I thought they sounded really good.  I couldn't however find the recipe on their website so I kind of just went off of what I remembered from the show.  I think they turned out really good. They are also really easy.  Give em a try.  If you do I would love to know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Eggplant
• olive oil, salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs (I used 1/2 C of italian style and 1 C plain)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 t. oregano
• 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• 1 t. salt
• Canola oil
• marinara sauce
• spagetti

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut eggplant in half, place on cookie sheet and brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 35 minutes. 

In the meantime combine breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, garlic and salt in a mixing bowl. When eggplant is finished scrape it out of its skin and combine it with other ingredients.  Mix well. 

In a heavy sauce pan heat about an inch deep of canola oil on medium high heat.  Roll up mixture into balls and place into the oil.  Fry each side in oil for about 3 minutes or until brown (it will depend on the heat of your oil and how dark/crispy you want them).  Place eggplant balls onto paper towels to drain for a minute and then place into hot marinara sauce.  Serve over spagetti. (I am also going to enjoy an eggplant meatball sandwich tomorrow for lunch!)

Here is the eggplant oiled, salted and peppered ready to go into the oven. 

 Just out of the oven.

Scraping the eggplant out of its skin.

My bowl of ingredients.

The ingredients combined with the eggplant.  I know, doesn't that just look so appetizing?

Frying the balls.  I like em dark.

 Place them in the marinara sauce and enjoy!
By the way, creating this post made me crave them so I went and ate a cold one out of the fridge and it was really good!  I can't wait for my meatball sandwich tomorrow.

7 Grain Whole Wheat Bread

I am a bread snob. I am really picky about my bread and I don't like any store bought bread sold in the stores in the Boise area.  Everything has too many nasty ingredients that are too hard to pronounce. I know very well that they are not needed to make bread. And if that wasn't enough I really think they are nasty.  I order my bread from Utah and it is shipped to me monthly.  That works great until we sometimes run out and then we have to go bread less, buy from Great Harvest which I do love but my girls don't and it is more on the expensive side or deal with nasty bread until my next shipment comes. I would eventually like to get to a place where I make all our bread but I have not found the perfect recipe yet.  I have tasted some good bread from friends but most of those recipes require a Bosch because they make something like 8 loaves. I can't afford a Bosch right now so that is going to have to wait.  Anyway, I have found/created a recipe that I really love.  The only problem is the base recipe that I started with only makes one loaf.  Which is good since I don't have a Bosch yet but I am going to try and double it next time and see how that goes in my Kitchen Aid.  Okay enough all ready, I will now get to the recipe. :)
The thing I love about this bread is that it is the perfect balance of moist, dense and crunchy.

7Grain Whole Wheat Bread

• 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 
  
  1/4 cup  vegetable oil
• 
  
  1/4 cup Agave Nectar (you could sub Honey)
• 
  
   2 1/2- 2 3/4 cups fresh ground Whole Wheat Flour (if you don't have a grinder buy a really good whole wheat flour)
• 
  
  1 cup 7 grain mix ( I got it in the bulk section at Winco)
• 
  
  1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
• 
  
  1/8 cup vital wheat gluten
• 
  
  1 1/4 teaspoons salt

 

Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. Add the other 1/4 cup of flour if you think it needs it. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan (20 min-1 hour). A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Here is a picture of the 7grain mix so you can see what it looks like-

Here is a picture of Agave encase you don't know what it is- 

Roasted Cauliflower

Did you know you can bake cauliflower in the oven? I will be honest, I just learned this.  I guess I just never thought about it before.  I can easily say this is one of my favorite veggies now.  It is safe to say that even those who really dislike veggies will like these.  My girls ate them and said they tasted like french fries and I realized they kind of do.  They are super easy too.

Roasted Cauliflower

• One head of cauliflower
• 1 T Olive oil
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut cauliflower into individual florets and place on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower, sprinkle salt and garlic powder over it to taste. With a spatula toss cauliflower to evenly coat it with olive oil (you may do this in a bowl with a lid and shake it to get more even coverage, I just don't want to dirty extra dishes). With a fine cheese grater, grate Parmesan cheese over cauliflower.  Bake in oven for 20-25 min.  Serve immediately to preserve crunchiness. 

*There are many other possibilities for toppings. You can just do olive oil and salt; or olive oil, pressed or chopped garlic and lemon juice; olive oil, red pepper flakes and cheese etc. Have fun.

Kale

Kale is another one of those great vegetables like chard that we should try to eat as much as possible.  But also like chard and possibly even more so it is not the easiest vegetable to eat.  But I believe that if you don't like a certain vegetable you just have to find a way to cook it that helps you like it.  When my parents came to visit this past weekend they shared two really great recipes for Kale.  I seriously love these recipes and can't wait to get to the store to buy more Kale so I can cook them again. They are both wonderful sides but I could eat the salad as my main dish.

This first one was given to my mom from one of her friends who got it from a friend but my Mom made some really great changes to it that make it even better.

Kale Salad with Oranges

1 bunch kale

1 T olive oil

1/4 t kosher or sea salt

1 lime, juiced

1 t balsamic vinegar

1 T red onion, finely chopped

1 orange, peeled & sliced

*I don't think it would hurt to double everything in this recipe for 1-1 1/2 bunches of kale.
 
Chop or tear kale leaves into small pieces discarding the thick stem. Steam kale for 5-6 minutes just to soften it. Drizzle the kale with olive oil & sprinkle with salt. Massage the kale with your hands to soften it, then allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. In a small bowl combine lime juice, vinegar and onion. Pour over kale and toss. Add the orange. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

*optional- you can also add other greens to this salad such as broccoli florets or water cress.  Just steam them with the Kale. We added water cress to the salad pictured above.

Kale Chips

This recipe was given to my parents by my Aunt Linda.  It was so good.  You can eat these as a side or a snack anytime.  I can't wait to eat it as my movie snack.  I LOVE THEM.

1 bunch of Kale
1 T olive oil
salt *optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and strip leaves from the thick stem and rib. Dry in a salad spinner. Drizzle olive oil over leaves and massage into them. Either lay out whole leaves onto a cookie sheet or you can tear them into individual pieces. Sprinkle with a little salt.  Bake for about 9 minutes until they are crunchy.

 *we should have removed more of the stem then we did in the picture above.

Now go eat you some Kale!

Pizza

Need an idea for dinner?  Make pizza!  It is a great go to on days I have no idea what to cook.  The ingredients are things I usually have around and making them from scratch is easy.   Pizza gets a bad rap. But there is a way to make it healthy by using thin whole wheat crust, not too much cheese and lots of vegetables.  Also if you make the bulk of your meal being salad with one slice of pizza then you're golden.  Especially if the pizza isn't loaded with veggies (like the one above). There are so many options for toppings that I usually just look in my fridge and see what I have and do that.  Some really great combination's are:

• pesto sauce, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, red onion (above)
• tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh sliced tomato
• tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, zucchini, black olive, bell pepper, artichoke, onion, and Feta cheese.
• pesto, mozzarella cheese, artichoke, mushrooms, red onion.

Possibilities are endless. You can either put fresh veggies on and cook or saute them first in olive oil and garlic for a little different taste.  Either way.
Some tips to making a great pizza are:

• Use a pizza stone. If you don't have one, buy one.  You won't be mad you did.  The pizza cooks so much better and makes a huge difference. I got mine from Williams Sonoma a couple of Christmases ago, I see them at T.J Max and Ross all the time, I think Pampered Chef sells one, or you can buy an untreated tile from home depot and it works the same.  You cook with them on the bottom rack in your oven so you never even have to take it out.  Having it in there will not effect your other cooking.
• Get a pizza peel. It makes putting it in and getting it out much easier. You can get it at all the same places as a pizza stone. Except maybe home depot. Unless you have mad carpenter skills.
• Make your own simple tomato sauce (recipe below).
• Use fresh mozzarella whenever possible. You can get it at any grocery store, Costco probably has it for the best price. When you use fresh.  Instead of grating it, slice it off into chunky slices and put it on the dough before the sauce. Similar to this-

If you don't have a pizza stone I don't want to discourage you from making pizza.  It is still really easy. The trick will be to either really oil your pan or just use corn meal to prevent it from sticking. I have made plenty this way too and it will be great.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
The main part of the recipe is from my sister in law, Laura. The only thing I do differently is add flax and use all whole wheat. It is such an easy recipe because you do not have to let it rise.  If you do, I think it turns out a little bit better but you really don't have to which is perfect in a time crunch.

1 C water
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 pkg. yeast
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons of ground flax seed

Dissolve sugar, yeast and salt in warm water. Mix in vegetable oil. Add flour one cup at a time and mix (or knead) until dough is smooth and elastic. Spread out or roll out into circle.

*also you can buy some really great pre-made crusts that I use when I am even in more of a time crunch.  Winco sells a really great whole wheat crust in the cheese section.  If you have a Whole Foods they have a great one too.

Tomato Pizza Sauce
Simple is better.  Promise.

1 can of whole tomatoes
1/4-1 t. sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of dried oregano or a bit more if it is fresh

Drain most of the fluid and remove seeds (optional).  With an immersion blender, blender or food processor blend tomatoes.  Then add sugar, salt and oregano.  There you have it!

Pizza Assembly

With Pizza Stone: Preheat oven to 525 degrees
Roll or spread out dough.  I like it better thin.  Sprinkle an even light coat of corn meal on pizza peel.  Lay dough down on peel.  Spoon sauce on. Assemble toppings.  Right before you place the pizza on the stone sprinkle some additional corn mean on stone.  With pizza peel slide pizza off onto stone.  Cook for 8-12 min.  Depending on how thick the dough is and how many toppings.  Ready when cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. Use the pizza peel to take it off the stone.  Enjoy.


Without Pizza Stone: Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Roll or spread out dough.  Put oil or cornmeal on on pizza pan or cookie sheet.  Place dough on it.  Spoon tomato sauce on it. Assemble toppings.  Put in oven and cook 15-20 minuets depending on how thick crust is ans how many toppings.  Enjoy

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Wow, I am sorry to my 11 followers (love you guys!) that I have been failing miserably. 

I honestly am sorry that I have not been regularly posting. 

A combination of going out of town, jury duty, a virus on my computer, 

a virus in my body and life are responsible for that. 

But I think I am back in business. 

By the way, I love when you let me know you have tried something and your feedback on the recipe is great

Let me know if you ever find any great changes that improve a meal and please send me your favorites.  

We went to LA to spend some wonderful time with my Brother Taylor and his wife Kayce. Kayce made this 

awesome soup for us that they learned how to make in a cooking class at Sur Le Table. This is the original 

recipe posted first and then my variations on the recipe second.  The variation makes it vegetarian but the 

orignial really is wonderful so I need to include that one.  If you don't like bacon, want a healthier version or

want a vegetarian version that follow the second recipe.  It is still extremely delicious, I promise!

Sur Le Table Butternut Squash Soup
Yield: 6 servings
 
4 bacon slices
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound carrots, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored,a nd chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California bay leaf
3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 cups heavy cream
Mascarpone to garnish (optional) we did not do this step
 
1. Cook bacon in a 4-6 quart heavy pot over medium heat until crisp.
Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
 
2. Add garlic and caraway seeds to fat in pot and cook, stirring
occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add squash,
carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt,
and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are
tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.
 
3. Puree about 4 cups in blender, in batches if necessary, until
smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and
season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Stir in cream. Serve topped with crumbled
bacon.
 
4. Finish with a dollop of mascarpone.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Apple Soup  

2 T olive oil 

4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds (I did not have these so omitted them and it was still great but if would be best with them)
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound carrots, chopped
1 Large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California bay leaf
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (Pacific foods one is my favorite)
2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 cups heavy cream (or 1 cup milk/1 cup cream)

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and caraway 

seeds and saute for minute, stirring occasionally.

2.Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt,
and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are
tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.
 
3. Puree about 4 cups in blender, in batches if necessary, until
smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and
season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Stir in cream. Serve 

Bean and Cheese Quesadilla

This is my first recipe suggestion from a friend! Thanks so much Katie!  Brad is out of town and I was running errands with three really hungry girls until 5:30 today so I got home and needed something quick.  Perfect!  Katie had just emailed me this recipe and it looked good and easy.  It is a great variation on a boring cheese quesadilla and it is really good and adds some health. Ayden and Laela scarfed it down.  Alex on the other hand wouldn't try it and went to bed hungry because she was too stubborn to try something that had beans in it.  I know she would have liked it too.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion {i used more}
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter, divided
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Directions
1.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
2.Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

{I didn't have monterey jack cheese so I used pepper jack for mine and sharp cheddar for the girls without the red pepper flakes since Ayden can't handle the spice.  I also used the uncooked tortillas and a nonstick pan so the butter was not necessary.}

Thanks so much Katie!! Keep em coming.

I think this blog is just a great place for ideas whether they are difficult or easy recipes sometimes we just need an idea because we all know that deciding what to make it half the battle! So send me whatever you have. 

This is one dang good cake {a dang cute baby too if I say so myself}

I was craving a carrot cake and since Laela isn't old enough to care what kind of cake she got I decided my cravings could be met.  I was at the store and called Brad and asked him to look up a carrot cake recipe online and tell me what was in it so I could get the ingredients.  He was a little worried about being responsible for picking the recipe but I could tell from the ingredients it would be good, and it was.  Go get it here.

Laela love it!

Snack Attack

Want an idea for a great snack?  Here ya go.

• handful of grape tomatoes cut in quarters (or about 1/2 tomatoes diced)
• half of a cucumber peeled and diced
• 2 T feta cheese
• drizzle of olive oil
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• Triscuits

Combine all the ingredients and enjoy!

Teriyaki Portobello Burger and Artichokes

Ingredients

• Portobello Mushrooms (1 per person)
• Teriyaki sauce/marinade (I used Veri Veri Teriyaki but you can make your own)
• fresh pineapple- sliced (1 slice per person)
• onion- sliced
• sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1 T olive oil or butter
• lettuce
• tomato
• Ciabatta bread

Directions
Brush clean and remove stems of portobello mushrooms. Marinade in teriyaki sauce at least an hour prior to cooking, flipping and re-coating once. Grill onion, pineapple and mushrooms at the same time.  Saute onion in tablespoon of olive oil or butter on medium-high heat until browned and slightly transparent.  In separate pan grill pineapple slices on medium-high heat until warmed and browned about 5 minutes flipping once. In another pan ( or I used my panini press)  grill mushrooms for 8 minutes (4 min. on each side if not in press). Baste with more teriyaki sauce as you grill.
*may all be grilled on barbecue also.  I just wasn't about to go light it up since the last time I did I singed my hair off.  hehe
Toast ciabatta bread, place mushroom on bottom slice of bread and top with a couple slices of mozzarella cheese, then the pineapple, onion, tomato and lettuce.  Enjoy!

We ate the burgers with a tossed green salad and steamed artichokes. Artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables.  They are a spring veggie so this is a good time of year to eat them.  To prepare, cut the tip of all the leaves off and cut the stem.

Place in a steaming basket and steam for 20 minutes for small artichokes and up to 35 minutes for larger ones.  Fresh artichokes will steam faster.  Check them after 20 minutes by plucking one of the leaves.  If it comes out easily and the bottom part that you eat is tender then it is done.  Serve with an aioli sauce.

• 2 T of mayonase
• 1/2-1 t. lemon juice
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Tex Mex Enchilada Pie

I received this recipe (by Phyllis Greenwood) from my friend Jen and it is a really great go to recipe when I need to make something quick. I have made a few slight changes from the original recipe however. Most of the ingredients come from your pantry or freezer and the others are usually things I always have. It is very similar to a Mexican Lasagna and you can really do a whole lot of variations of this same kind of thing. Give it a try and I am sure you will like it.  It is also a great way to get your kids to eat zucchini since it is totally undetectable.
(once again, I will have to make it and add pictures)

Ingredients

• 9 oz. frozen corn
• 1 (16 oz.) can Black beans
• 1 1/2 C shredded cheese (Mexican blend or other)
• 1/2-1 t. cumin
• 1 (16 oz.) jar of Chunky Salsa
• 10 (5 inch) corn tortillas
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
• 2 1/2 C grated zucchini (about 2)
• 1/4 c black olives, sliced
• sour cream (optional)
• sliced Avocado (optional)
• diced tomato (optional)

Lightly coat 9 or 10 inch pie plate with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat and saute garlic for 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes until it is limp and moisture begins to evaporate.  Stir in corn and salt. Cook 2 minutes and add drained and rinsed black beans, cumin, salsa and fresh cilantro. Arrange 4 tortillas in an overlapping circle across bottom of pie plate.  Spoon 1/2 zucchini mixture over tortillas ans sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese. Repeat tortillas only using 3 this time. Add remaining zucchini mixture and cheese.  Top with olives.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until top is browned.  Serve immediately and top with sour cream, avocados and diced tomatoes. May keep warm in oven uncovered for 20 min.  Re-heats well in the oven as leftovers. Jen recommends eating it the next day with a fried egg.  Yum...

Rainbow Chard and Potato Burritos

I receive the majority of my produce from a company called Brown Box Organics. They delivery fresh, organic, locally grown produce weekly to my door step. It does pose an interesting challenge as you cannot easily plan ahead for your meals. I will often open up my box and then try to figure out what to make for meals that week. As you get used to it, it becomes kind of fun and it forces me to get creative and eat things that I normally wouldn't buy. One of the things I got this week was a really beautiful bunch of rainbow Chard. This is what it looks like- Beautiful!

Photo courtesy of uprisingorganics.com

All varieties of Swiss Chard have unbelievable nutrition benefits. Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E and dietary fiber. It is a very good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and protein. In addition, Swiss chard is a good source of phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid. There are studies that show chard is very important in digestive, colon, immune, lung, bone, vision and heart health. It is also a great vegetable for diabetics because it has a protective effect on the kidneys. I read once that if vegetables got grades Chard would be valedictorian. If there is one vegetable we should all try to include in our diet chard would be a wonderful choice.
I do not love the taste of chard however, I can gulp it down but it isn't a favorite. I have been in search for a recipe that prepares it in a way that makes me love it. I believe a big reason people don't like vegetables is because they prepare them all wrong. So I figure you just have to find a way to cook it that you like. After searching recipes for ideas, pulling bits from each one adding some of my ideas I created a dish that makes me LOVE it! So here you go.
(I took pictures but I used my old broken camera because I couldn't find my good one and so they are awful pictures. All you photogs out there, please forgive me!)

Rainbow Chard and Potato Burritos with Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients

• One large bunch (8-10 leaves) of Rainbow Chard (any variety of swiss chard will be great) Strip the leaves from the stems of the chard, and chop the leaves and coarsely slice the stems
• approx 9 small red potatoes (or golden potatoes)- 1/2 inch diced
  
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1/2-1 medium onion chopped
  
• 2-3 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
• 1 t. salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4-6 oz crumbled feta cheese
• sour cream
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde- see recipe below or you substitute with any store bought Salsa Verde
  
• 6 Tortillas
  

Directions
In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the 2 tablespoons oil. Add the potatoes and cook until golden brown and tender, about 8 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper, to taste. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Add the onions and garlic to skillet, and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the Swiss chard stems, cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the leaves, and remaining salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are wilted, about 5 minutes more.

The beautiful colors do soften as it is cooked. But the red stays pretty vibrant, the picture washed it out a little more.

Combine the potatoes with 1/2 cup of the cheese and the Swiss chard mixture.

Assemble burritos by taking one tortilla and place 1/6th of the mixture inside. Fold in sides then roll tortilla into a burrito shape. Place seam-side down in a baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and mixture. Spoon a couple tablespoons or more of tomatillo salsa over each burrito and cover with remaining cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream.
*I used tomatillo salsa that I canned last summer using vinegar instead of water. It was very strong so I only used a couple tablespoons. If you make it fresh I think you can smother the burrito and it will be even better.



Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Found on allrecipes.com submitted by Kimberly Binning

Ingredients:

1 pound tomatillos, husked 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 serrano chile peppers, minced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste 2 cups water

Directions:

1.	Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chile pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
2.	Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.

Side note:
Also, I am a total whole wheat kind of girl with one exception, tortillas. I use whole wheat tortillas most of the time but sometimes the taste of whole wheat doesn't fit very well with the flavors of the dish or a flour tortilla can just make it that much better. I think this burrito is one of those. Not just any flour tortilla though. I love these ones from Costco that come uncooked and you heat them up in a skillet with out any oil. They were perfect for this burrito.

Chunky Marinara

When I had Laela my friends Krissy and Kirsten brought me an amazing Spicy Shrimp Linguine for dinner. It has become a favorite. I am not sure if it is Krissy's own recipe or where she got it but I have since used the base of the sauce to create two other yummy meals. So here are three recipes that all use variations of the same chunky marinara. I think it would be a great idea to double or triple the sauce and freeze it to have on hand. I am going to make all three soon and add pictures. So if you are the kind of person who only likes to make a meal if you can see a picture of it first, hold on, they will be coming. I need to get used to taking pictures of my dinners. I was going to wait but I figured I should at least get the recipes on here. If you have any questions please let me know! Enjoy.

Krissy's Spicy Shrimp Linguine

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 box whole wheat linguine (or fettuccine)
  

Saute onions and oil until onions are transparent. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. Add shrimp, stir in sauce until pink. Serve immediately over whole wheat linguine noodles. Serve with a tossed salad.

Vegetable Fettuccine
Ingredients

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 yellow, orange, red or green bell pepper or combination chopped
• 1 zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 1 C sliced mushrooms
  
• any other similar vegetable you have on hand (eggplant, asparagus etc.)
  
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1 box whole wheat fettuccine
  

Saute onions and oil until onions shortly after add bell pepper. After a minute or so add rest of the vegetables. Saute until onion is transparent and other vegetables are putting off liquid but still firm. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. Serve immediately over whole wheat fettuccine noodles. Serve with a tossed salad.


Lasagna Rolls (adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional in this recipe, I don't put it in so my kids will eat it)
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes

Bechamel Sauce

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 t. all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups of whole milk (or a little cream added to any other milk)
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg

Lasagna

• 1 (15 oz.) container part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 C plus 2 T grated Parmesan (not green can stuff)
• 1 large egg, beaten just to blend
  
• 3/4 t salt (plus more to salt water for noodles)
• 1/2 t. ground black pepper
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 12 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 C shredded mozzarella

Directions
Add a tablespoon or 2 to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles just until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange in a single layer on a backing sheet or parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent from sticking and drying out.

Meanwhile make marinara sauce. Saute onions and oil until onions are transparent. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper (optional), tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. And preheat oven to 450 degrees.

While that is simmering make bechemel sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the sauce. Turn off heat or keep very low.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Butter or pam 13X9 glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on workable surface and spread about 3 T of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at one end roll noodle up. Lay roll seam down, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup+ marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and 2 T Parmesan. Cover with foil. Bakc until heated through and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 min. Uncover and back until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve along side extra marinara sauce and a salad.

*For a lower calarie/fat option. Omit bechamel sauce and pour a shallow layer of extra marinara sauce on bottom of baking dish before you put rolled noodles down. Continue with recipe.

Emerils Vegatarian Chili

This recipe is for sure one of my favorites. Everyone will love it.

Emeril Lagasee's Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Essence, recipe follows, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Essence and green onions and serve.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Roasted Potatoes

You will not use all of the Essence but it is really great to have on hand for other dishes or ready for the next time you make chili. Experiment with it. One of my favorites is to toss red/golden potato, yams and sweet potatoes in olive oil and Emeril's Essence then cook in a baking dish for 45min-1 hour in 425 degree oven. Stirring once halfway.

Brussels Sprouts

I have had this blog ready for recipe posts for a while but I have had a hard time picking the first recipe. There is something about it being the first recipe that makes me feel like it has to be amazing. So it has been holding me back because I can't think of the perfect one. So when my friend Brittany asked me for my brussels sprouts recipe I decided that could be my first one and then the hurdle of making the first post could be out of the way. Here ya go Brittany!

*see notes for recipe variation as seen in photograph (photo taken on Christmas 2009)

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries (almonds)
salt
4 pounds brussels sprouts- stemmed, cut in half and all loose leaves removed
1 red onion, medium diced
4 T butter
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 C dried cranberries
freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1 C slivered almonds

To cook the sprouts you can either steam or boil them. To steam- bring water to boil at the bottom of a large pot and place steaming basket with sprouts in pot, cover and reduce heat a little bit and steam for 8 minutes. To boil- bring 10 C of salted water to boil. Add sprouts for about 8-10 minutes. Until medium tenderness has been reached.

In the meantime, in a large sauce pan over medium heat add 3 T of butter. Add the red onion. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 min. Stir in red wine vinegar and brown sugar and cook until liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Drain sprouts from water (if boiled) and add to the pan with the onions. Stir to coat and add in remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir in cranberries. Season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

*To make like photo. Replace cranberries for slivered almonds(or just have both). In separate sauce pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil/vegetable oil and add almonds. Toast them in the oil until golden brown. Add them in at the end and stir well.

Another option:

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
preheat oven to 425 degrees
Brussels Sprouts- stemmed, cut in half and all loose leaves removed
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Place sprouts in a large bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to be lightly coated, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir it around until everything is coated. Pour onto cookie sheet.
Cook in hot oven for 30 minutes. Stir/flip halfway through.