Holiday Food Flashback

As I am sure is the case with many of you, I have just started in on the prerequisite New Year cleanse. Coming up for us over the next week or two are a lot of healthy soups, water and salads. But that doesn’t mean I can’t look back at and reminisce about some of the amazing meals we had over the holiday season, right :) Just consider this preparation for your next big get-together! Bookmark this one for later if you can’t risk the temptation.

Beyond the to-die-for local Italian cuisine we had after Christmas while up north, we also had a boatload of tasty dishes before we even left Atlanta, and they were all made at home from scratch. My uncle and his girlfriend, visiting us from New Mexico for the Christmas holiday before we went up north, granted my birthday dinner wish of enchiladas and whipped up chicken enchiladas with a homemade green chile sauce with ingredients they brought with them from their home. I was in heaven. I don't have the recipe but this one from Tyler Florence is similar and sounds good. Thank you, Tim and Adrienne! 

We also tried out the famed Burgundy Mushrooms and Creamy Rosemary Potatoes from Mrs. Ree Drummond herself for our big Christmas Eve dinner. Y’all. Make these dishes at your next formal meal. They are so worth it. I dreamt that night not of sugarplums, but of mushrooms dancing over my head. Bonus: both are also really good as leftovers, so the huge portions will pay off.

For my birthday dessert, my mom surprised us all with an ice cream cake with big wow factor that couldn’t be easier to put together. Our family doesn’t really do the whole “birthday cake” thing, preferring alternate treats to finish out our special days. Pies, tortes, flan and even banana enchiladas have been on the menu in the past for us. This ice cream cake, just like those, doesn’t disappoint.

Tip: This recipe would make a great kid’s birthday party treat since it makes a lot of small servings without the prep, mess and cost of traditional ice cream and birthday cake. 

Thanks to my mom and family for all of the wonderful meals! And now, I will fast. Ha! Happy cooking, everyone.

Ice Cream Sandwich Layer Cake 
Recipe courtesy of my Mom :)

Two boxes of mini ice cream sandwiches
One 8 oz. container of whipped topping (such as Cool-Whip)
One cup of finely chopped candy bar of your choice (Heath Bars would be excellent!)
Chocolate sauce

Arrange one box of the ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Top with half of the container of whipped topping, spreading to cover the sandwiches. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped candy bars over the top. Repeat with second box of sandwiches, remaining whipped topping and candy bars, and drizzle with chocolate sauce to finish. Place dish in freezer for at least 2-3 hours or until firm. Slice into squares and serve. Serves 12-15, or more with smaller slices.

Pie Time

Even though I have been crazy-busy, spending time together at home at night cooking a good meal is one way I have tried to add some balance back into my world. We both love to cook over here, so dinnertime is a perfect stay-at-home date night opportunity. It is nice to have a beer or a glass of wine, turn off the phones and laptops, talk about what happened that day and really just sit down and relax. Good food makes it all the better, and so when I can pre-plan out a few meals on a weekend, it makes it easier to sit back at the end of the day and just make whatever is scheduled on the menu. It also cuts down on the impromptu "I am tired and want pizza" nights. Cough. Tonight. Cough.

Last week, we went almost the entire week without eating any meat, just by accident. I attempted to have a nice balance of meals, but from mushroom soup to veggie chili, meat just wasn't calling to me when I picked out the recipes last Sunday. What's awesome, though, is that we didn't even miss it. We tried out three new recipes, found two keepers (that mushroom soup was ehhh) and I had some fantastic, healthy leftovers for lunches, too.

Believe it or not, that pizza above is made out of cauliflower! This pizza crust was a bloggy find that I pinned and nearly forgot about, but my mind kept coming back to it. I am so glad we tried it, because it was healthy-ish (note: there is definitely some cheese involved) and it leaves room for some experimentation when we make it again.

Things we learned and/or I have noticed in the original blogger's comments since making it:

1) A pizza stone, while helpful for regular crusts, didn't do much for this crust. Ours did not hold up to picking up and we had to eat it with a fork and knife casserole-style. Next time, I am going to stick to the nonstick pan they recommend and see if that makes a difference. The recipe does note that it's not a sturdy pizza though.

2) The crust has a lot of natural moisture. Put another pan below it in the oven in case it drips at all (ours did), or use a jelly roll pan instead (a pan with edges). Some readers suggested squeezing out excess moisture from the riced cauliflower too.

3) There is so much cheese in the crust, stick to lots of healthy, natural toppings and sliced mozzarella instead of grated cheese. You really don't need much more than that. We used basil and canned tomato sauce and it was heavenly.

4) Triple the proportions of the recipe to make a full-sized pizza. We used almost the entire head of cauliflower this way, but it definitely ups the cheese and egg count, so be sure to count that in any calorie or WW points! You will get a lot more servings out of it this way.

Enjoy! You can find the recipe for this great cauliflower pizza crust here with Lauren Conrad, but originally here over on Eat. Drink. Smile. (love that blog! This cauliflower recipe sounded fab, too.). 

Meal Surprises & a Giveaway

In typical spring fashion, I have been trying to balance an insane social schedule with an attempt to maintain/improve my physical health. Early morning sleep-in sessions have gradually been replaced with some personal training and boot camp sessions, and any evenings I skip the usual glass of wine help the cause, too. I have a beach trip coming up at the end of the month (Congrats, Meg! Can't wait to celebrate with you!) so I have been hitting the pavement once or twice a week for a run, too, to make sure my body looks bikini-ready.

On top of all of that is the never-ending struggle to eat healthy, well-rounded meals. I have skipped out on official food tracking of late, but have been trying to keep the health mentality in mind when selecting foods and meals to make during each week.

While I am a coupon-clipper amateur, I do pride myself in finding great ways to stretch my weekly food budget, which varies from $30 up to $80 depending on how many meals we are eating at home that week. So you can imagine my glee when eMeals reached out to me to test drive their meal-planning system!

Here's a little about the system:

eMeals relies on a team of experienced meal planners, writers and editors to create
new dinner menus every week that are designed around grocery store sales, seasonal
specials and diet preferences. For as low as $5.00 per month, subscribers download a
recipe plan for the week with a matching aisle-by-aisle grocery list. The easy-to-follow
recipes usually contain fewer than seven ingredients to allow for prep times of less than
30 minutes. It also helps families stay within a predictable budget by being prepared
with a detailed list to use at the grocery store.

The eMeals program has over 30 meal plan options to choose from and provides a
consistent and reliable approach to food budgeting by factoring the weekly cost of
ingredients into each menu plan.

I got to select my meal plan of choice, which gives you options for different large grocery stores as well as nutrition level and family size. Plus it shoots out the weekly coupon and BOGO specials along with an expected budget total.

Publix Meals for Two meal plan, here we come!

I headed out this weekend to go shopping for my first list of items. This is what a plan looks like. This is a sample - the full plan is customized per week and is completely filled out just for me:

We have busy weeks with a few evenings of night school for the S.O. and usually a few nights out for yours truly. So I usually shoot to cook at least four meals at home per week. That gives us enough food for lunches and some to enjoy on leftover nights, and if we are in a bind, I usually have something in the freezer, too. This week, we are low on everything (including freezer meals) and plan to eat at home more than last week, so it's restock time!

I used my seven-day printable list from eMeals to pick out my favorite five meals for this week to pick up at the store. I just crossed of the items/meals I didn't need. The meals look really tasty, and include well-rounded sides like salads and veggies. It has some great variety (I hate getting into cooking ruts). The shopping list was supposed to cost around $60 pre-tax if I stuck to it exactly. I skipped about $10 items' worth, but then got an additional $35 of re-stock staples like cereal, salad dressing, paper towels and a Publix sub (ok, not a staple, but it was lunchtime!). I am pretty impressed with the amount of food I brought home for $90 including all that extra stuff. All of the prices were dead-on, and it was really easy to follow the list and pick out exactly what I needed. I can't wait to have these five meals this week!

Are you interested in eMeals for yourself? Well, you are in luck! eMeals is graciously giving away a three-month subscription to one of my readers! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to quickly and easily enter.



Can't wait to win? You can also sign up here for your own subscription, and use the code BLISSDOM when you register to get 15% off your plan! :)

And don't forget that you can also check out the eMeals blog for recipes, tips on how to simplify your life, organize your days and plan family fun.

Are you ready to win and save money on your weekly shopping trips?! Best of luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: eMeals partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote their meal subscription services. I received a meal plan test account from eMeals in exchange for this promotion. This post contains affiliate links. The winner of the giveaway in this program will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

Slow-Cooked on a Fast Night

Are you a slow cooker addict? This has been one of the most fun appliances I have had the pleasure of owning. Well, alright, it's tied with the stand mixer; it's hard to deny the appeal of that beauty, too :)

Over the past year, we have both enjoyed learning what types of foods and combinations work well in the crock pot, and have had a few less-than-stellar learning experiences in the meantime, too. Lean meat = a no no, cream of anything soups are amazing transformers of even the blandest ingredients, and I am still amazed at how great just onions and carrots and celery can be when cooked for 10 hours. When we walk in the door late each evening, dinner is just there and waiting. Amazing.

The learning curve has paid off. Yesterday's creation (read: I made it all up) was a pure WINNER. The best part was that I threw it together in only five minutes before running out the door to work. The meat was frozen, and all I had to do was peel and chop a few carrots. All of that "effort" later, and we had an inexpensive, healthy, gourmet meal just like Mom used to make. I have included the recipe below for you to try out in your own crock pot, if you please. The chicken shreds down and almost just melts in your mouth, and the resulting sauce is rich but healthy.

The other thing I wanted to tell you about were the noodles we served this chicken and carrots casserole over. I picked up a bag of Organic Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli from Trader Joe's on a whim - gluten and wheat free, cholesterol free and sodium free, made totally from brown rice and water. Since I am a Northern-born gal, I love me some traditional pasta, but I am also willing to try out healthier and lighter options here and there.

My take: This stuff was great! I couldn't tell at all that it was not regular pasta. Granted, I wasn't eating it plain, but I still think this pasta would be fantastic under a red sauce or tossed with cheese and oil, too.

Ok, time for the recipe! Enjoy it, all!

Chicken and Carrot Slow Cooker Casserole
Serves 4-5, WW points = 6 + pasta

1 lb. frozen chicken breasts
4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Penzey's Forward seasoning (or your own creation of paprika, etc.)
1 cup frozen green peas

Layer chicken, carrots, soups and seasonings in crock pot. Cover and cook on Low 10-12 hours. Stir in green peas during last 10-20 minutes while pasta cooks. Serve over pasta of choice.

Recipe Binder Challenge: Tuscan Bean Soup

It's Fall, so that means it's soup time again! Hooray! 

Soup has always been one of my favorite things to make - they are easy, multi-faceted and are great at helping me control my diet. It's hard to pass up homemade soup for lunches at work, and they are perfect when you roll in late at night and are craving dinner fast.

This one, straight from my always-overflowing Recipe Binder, was a great one reminiscent of something you'd have over at some Italian Grandma's home. It originally called for baby carrots, but since I had some extra time and despise those odd-shaped little things, I used regular carrots and amended the recipe as needed.

Mangia!

Tuscan Bean Soup
Amended from Better Homes & Gardens
Serves 5-6

4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 32-oz. box reduced-sodium chicken broth
2-3 Tbsp. fresh Italian herbs, chopped, or 1-2 tsp. dried
2-3 cups fresh spinach
Freshly cracked black pepper

 1. In a Dutch oven, cook and stir carrots and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until cooked.

2. Smash about half of beans with a fork. Add all beans, broth, herbs and pepper to carrots and onions. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add spinach just before serving, stirring gently to wilt it. Serve in bowls with crescent rolls or bread of choice on side.

Note from KJM: Since our patio herb planters are still overflowing, I used fresh herbs instead of dried. I used basil, Italian oregano and thyme, chopping them until they were finely minced.

Salty and Sweet Summertime

Growing up in the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia, I have extremely fond memories of summertime. If my brother and I weren't running around in "The Woods" behind our house, I spent the days cruising my bike down the hill (though I can not remember as much pedaling back up that same hill later ... ) towards our pool, where I'd go to practice for an hour, break for a pizza lunch and then hang out with friends for hours, flipping around on rafts and (likely) annoying the lifeguards.

This guy was popular back then.
So was flannel.

 

Later, as little 13- and 14-year olds, we thought we were so cool when we could dive down to the bottom of the "deep end" during Sharks and Minnows, and we'd chuckle at the younger kids who had to have their moms there chaperoning swim time. We'd "lay out" (i.e. pretend to get a tan without really knowing what that even meant) and gossip over the latest pop-star magazines.

Truth: I had my first post-Limited Too "grown-up" shopaholic moment at the pool as a kid flipping through a JCrew catalog and seeing their new strappy blue plastic flip flops. How fun! They would match my newest swim team Speedo!!

Today, summertime is much different. While I crave the sunshine and lazy days spent poolside, I am much more interested in not messing up my straight hair with the GA humidity while en route to work, and in planning upcoming vacations to places that are far away from our Atlanta chlorine.

This doesn't mean I still don't try to recreate those carefree summer days, though. The neighborhood BBQs stand out in my memory, and one dish in particular comes to mind as I think of those fun cul-de-sac parties. I don't know to whom to credit this one (Mom, any idea?) but thank you, thank you, thank you for making this at those gatherings. It's a standby of mine today for a Fourth of July party, and after making it again yesterday, I remember why I love it so much.

Pineapple Pretzel Salad

Courtesy of one of our true Southern lady neighbors
Serves 12

2 cups crushed pretzels
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
16 oz. light cream cheese
2 cups confectioner sugar
16 oz. light Cool Whip, defrosted
16 oz. crushed pineapple with syrup
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Combine pretzels, sugar and butter, and press into the bottom of a 9x13 dish with a fork. Cream together cream cheese and confectioner sugar, folding in Cool Whip once blended. Pour on top of the pretzel bottom.

Bring pineapple and cornstarch to a boil. Let cool, spread over the filling and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares and serve.

Note from KJM: While the recipe is really best once it sets up overnight (or all day), you can make it a few hours ahead of time, too.

Binder Challenge: Break for Breakfast

Do you have a birthday tradition?

Since my birthday is two days before Christmas, I am usually somewhere far, far away from the office, and typically very, very near to a pedicure chair and a good cocktail. Beyond that, I don't have too much of a "tradition" on my birthday; I just like to be relaxed, have fun and be with my family and loved ones.

Others I know have traditions like taking a birthday trip, or doing a birthday physical challenge like a marathon (who are you people?!), or even going on a shopping spree at the mall with birthday money. Dinners out are the norm, as are drink dates with friends. However, not very many people I know like to make a Birthday Breakfast a "thing" for their big day. And what a shame, too, since the popular weekend brunch places are that much easier to go to if you happened to stop by on whatever weekday your birthday lands.

I have linked to this recipe before, but there's nothing that could hold me back from posting about it in full after I made it and it turned out looking this good ...

For the past few years, I have made this fah-bulous breakfast tart by request for the man on his special day. This tart is all about the presentation. It's a rustic dish with herbs and meat scattered across the top in a haphazardly-chic way, but it's not exactly a quick fix meal. It's worth it, though, for the days when you have a little extra time and want to make a really big impression. The tart technically serves four (pair it with fruit salad and coffee for a European flair), but you will have a single piece and realize it really is better off serving two hungry people, it is that tasty :)

Breakfast Tart
Amended from a Williams Sonoma winter catalog circa 2008

1 sheet puff pastry dough
1 egg, lightly beaten into a wash with 1 tsp. water
3 oz. creme fraiche (find it near the cream cheese)
2 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
8 bacon slices
4 eggs
Chives, cut on the bias into half-inch strips

Thaw puff pastry dough overnight in the fridge. Preheat oven to 425, and put bacon in on a cookie sheet to cook until crisp, about 10-15 minutes (this makes the bacon nice and flat when it's done). Lightly grease another cookie sheet.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 1/2 inch thickness and a 10x8 inch rectangle. Score edges 1/2 inch in from the edge with a paring knife, and prick center with a fork numerous times. Place on prepared sheet, and brush edges with egg wash. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Combine creme fraiche and cheese in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture over pastry, keeping border clean. Lay bacon on top, slightly overlapping pieces. Bake for 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Remove from oven, and pop any air bubbles with a fork. Crack eggs onto tart, spacing them evenly across. Bake until egg whites are set and yolks are still soft, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with chives and serve.

KJM Tip: Use a cookie sheet with edges for the tart. When you crack the eggs on top, they have a tendency to run all over the place before they set up. Including onto the bottom of your oven. Not that I speak from experience or anything.

Binder Challenge Recipe: Do the Dip

Between our monthly Girls Nights and the random evenings entertaining all the guy friends coming over to the condo, I have amassed a little stack of go-to appetizer recipes that please a crowd while keeping me out of the kitchen. You may remember the guac bites; they may reign as one of the all-time favorites amongst my family and friends. I also love anything that I can put into a puff pastry cup, like this great Southern Living recipe that fills them with red pepper jelly and goat cheese. Yum!

Since I highly recommend you take advantage of the summer and host more friends in grown-up gatherings at your place, whether by the pool or by the grill, I want to share another easy and tasty appetizer recipe that is sure to wow the crowd. This one is perfect with pita chips (make your own by slicing up pita or flatbread and baking until crisp!), pretzel sticks or tortilla chips. I love the added bite of the hearts of palm; it upgrades your basic spinach dip into something special.

Caveat: this one may not be 100% WW-friendly once you realize you want a lot more than the serving size :)

Garlicky Spinach Dip with Hearts of Palm
Recipe amended from Cooking Light, March 2005
WW points per 1/4 cup with 8 pita chips: 3

2c. shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend - the one with Asiago, Parmesan and Mozzarella
1/2c. fat-free sour cream
1 14-oz can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1 10-oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 8-oz block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 6.5-oz. tub light garlic and cheese spreadable cheese (like Alouette Light)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, reserving 1/4 c. of shredded cheese. Spoon into a 1 1/2 quart greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Note from KJM: I didn't have time to soften the cream cheese, so I cut it into blocks and just stirred it to blend together once it had baked. Then I sprinkled the remaining cheese on top at the end, instead.

Binder Challenge Recipe: A Middle Eastern Delight

Some of my favorite recipes are the ones I make up. I throw ingredients together on a whim, using what my mama taught me and my gut to figure out how much of this and how little of that will taste the best in the end. Cooking with simple, natural ingredients makes this method both convenient (really, how wrong can you go when you have only 5 things in that dish?) and healthy (a few sauteed vegetables plus broth plus grated cheese = #soupwin).

While we technically use a "recipe" for this healthy side dish (or light lunch, like I enjoy it!), you can wing the measurements a bit and still end up loving it. Serve with hummus, flatbread, olives and feta cheese for a fun meze arrangement.

Image Source

Tabouli
From Falafel's Drive-in, San Jose, CA via Food Network

1 c. water
1 c. fine cracked wheat (we use a plain box of couscous)
1 c. minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 c. minced fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. finely chopped yellow onion
3 tomatoes, diced
2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sea salt

In a large mixing bowl, pour the water over the cracked wheat and cover. Let stand about 20 minutes. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the oil, lemon juice and salt. Chill and serve.

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: Weeknight Simplicity

As I am sitting here jamming out to Coldplay (Viva La Vida = one of my top five albums EVER), having a glass of wine and enjoying the otherwise silence of the condo on a relaxing weeknight, I start to think about all the truly wonderful meals we have been having recently.

Sure, some of them have been enjoyed out at new-to-us restaurants (Rosebud brunch = oh. my. goodness.) or at old favorites (enjoying the springtime patios for sushi at Aja or Mexican at Pancho's). But other meals have been whipped up here at home, taking into account our budgets and our cramped schedules. Because honestly, the one thing you don't want to be doing when the weather is this nice outside is slaving over a hot stove.

Image Source

The outdoor grills have been a lifesaver for all of that. The fresh foods of the season remind me how easy a quick lunch or light dinner can be if you have great ingredients. Grilling up some marinated shrimp while sweet onions bake in a foil packet is a mindless activity, leaving you free to have a beer and relax.

And if you aren't sure when you might make it home from the busy day at the office, why waste all the extra hours of daylight we are getting by staying indoors? A crock-pot meal can be ready when you are, and easily transportable to the patio. Don't restrict yourself to thinking only of the flaming hot stews and soups of winter; the crock-pot is multi-dimensional.

The recipe I am going to share today is one of those latter crock-pot meals perfect for any season. This one can serve a huge crowd, or a family of two or four for a few days, like it did us. We didn't see a bigger piece of meat readily available at our store, but no worries. The one- to two-pound roasts turn out fine, just with more sauce than probably needed. Nothing a good slotted spoon can't fix. I can't wait to search around for the bigger piece next time, though, because then the ratio of saucy veggies to meat would be absolutely divine.

Enjoy this one with some crusty bakery rolls and your favorite picnic sides like potato salad. Mangia!

Tangy Barbecue Sandwiches
My version adapted from the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook (recipe submitted by Lavina from MI and Lois from PA)
Makes 10-14 big sandwiches

2c. chopped celery
1c. chopped onions
1c. each ketchup, barbecue sauce and water
2 tbsp. each apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder or any hot ground spices you have on hand
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast, browned
10-14 fresh rolls or buns from your bakery

Combine all ingredients except roast and buns in a slow cooker. Mix thoroughly and add roast on top. Cover and cook on High for 6-7 hours (or 5-6 hours if a smaller roast or under the minimum fill-line). Remove roast, cool and shred meat, trimming off any excess fat. Return to sauce, heat well and serve on buns.

Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: Mediterranean Delight

The recent streak of warm weather here in Atlanta (literally a week after a dusting of snow -- we have such odd weather here) does nothing but remind me that shorts, tank top and bikini season is rapidly approaching. We have started taking a closer look at some of the things on our weekly menus, and are trying to consciously swap out higher-fat meals for things that will give us high energy while remaining low-calorie and low-WW Points.

Don't get me wrong; the frozen Italian meals-in-a-bag are still in the freezer (there are always great coupons for those, and they are easy to throw together on a late-night weeknight) and Chin Chin and Piu Bello will still get calls every other week or so. But I really feel my best when I load up my plates with fresh vegetables and lean meats, so why not proactively design our menus around that?

To kick it all off right, our Sunday trip to Publix involved more time than usual in the Produce section, because we had three recipes in mind for the week ahead. I am so excited to share two of them with you here. If you have ever even remotely considered doing something like the Mediterranean Diet, these two recipes are definite winners in our books.

Broccoli Chickpea Puree -- What is termed by it's New York Times author as "green hummus," this mixture comes out tasting nothing like broccoli, but is chock full of broccoli's nutrients anyway. We (ok not me, I just watched haha) whipped this tasty recipe up in under 10 minutes, and it makes a ton!

I smothered mine on whole-wheat pita bread, or you can also use it as a spread for a sandwich -- turkey, sprouts and tomato might be great. They also recommend putting it on crostini, serving it up warm.

          * WW Points per 1/4 cup: 4

Tabouli -- I have termed this the best tabouli (tabbouleh? tabouleh? Why do they insist on spelling it differently everywhere?) that I have ever had, much to the pleasure of the chef (again, I didn't actually DO much of this cooking this weekend. I played "sous chef" and helped with prep and mindless chatter instead, hehe). This version of the traditional Middle Eastern salad is fresh with lemon juice, mint, parsley and salt, and the cracked wheat (we used whole wheat couscous) makes it a filling dish without being heavy. I kid you not, I can't wait to have this as part of my lunch today, it is that good.

          * WW Points per 1 cup: Approximately 4

Our tip: Make both of these and use together on a warm pita. Oh. My. Goodness.

Can I book my trip to Greece now, please?

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: N/A

This week was absolute bananas for my poor little Blackberry in the scheduling department. It started off innocently enough with a regular day at work on Monday ... followed by dinner out on Monday, lunches out Wednesday and Thursday, dinner out on Wednesday, and then an evening out on Friday. Oh goodness gracious. Let's just say my weigh-in this morning for #WW reflected all of that good wining and dining, even after having chosen (slightly) better choices at each place (I'm not discouraged though - it's a new week ahead, huzzah!)

So guess what? I didn't try any new recipes this week. Oh, except for when I thought brown sugared red potatoes were so tasty in the cast-iron, that they MUST be good when baked like that too, right? Wrong. Brown sugar and the carby potatoes and the oven did not mix. Burned sides of the potatoes = FAIL.

What I DID try this week, though, was a host of restaurants, both old and new. Here's my quick run-down of what I loved about the two new-to-me places with my brief one-time visit. I will be hitting both of them soon again. Just not all in one week again ha!

Wisteria: I am so clueless about Inman Park. I have eaten lunch there a grand total of one times (Fritti) and enjoyed the little neighborhood feel ... but that was it. So when a great gal pal wanted to do a girls night at Wisteria for her birthday, I gladly accepted, knowing that I would finally find out more about this little part of town and it's great foodie scene.

It didn't disappoint. The atmosphere and the incredible menu selections (think American with a Southern angle) were fantastic. I could have eaten any of the massive meaty entrees (a beef tenderloin burger? I die), and their fish dishes looked healthy with a flair of indulgence, like the Georgia Pecan Atlantic Salmon over wildflower honey spaghetti squash. I can't wait to head back here with my family, the man, other friends -- anyone! It's a great all-around restaurant for any group.

Highland Bakery: Nom nom nom. On my unexpected trip here for lunch this week, I avoided the Peanut Butter French Toast since it was over-indulgence week already. I decided I might save that for a pre-Lent feast instead :) So I hit up the ... White Cheddar Pimento Cheese sandwich. What? Ok fine, so I didn't choose the healthiest option after all. But goodness, was it worth it. Buttery and grilled and cheesy, oh my. I can't wait to go there more often and try each of the items on the menu.

Did you try any new recipes or places this week? What did you like or dislike about them?

Crockpottin' Around

When you are a homeowner, or anyone that is out on their own in the world, sometimes your wish list isn't filled with things like shoes or new outfits. Sometimes, that shiny bauble at the local jewelry store calls to you, but you know instead it's time to go buy replacement air filters or Swiffer dust pads. The weekly bills don't often reflect time eating or socializing on the town as much as they do the purchase of groceries and laundry detergent.

Even so, I find some serious thrill in the management of a home. Keeping things in order and running smoothly makes me happy. I am less and less tempted by the shiny "extras," and more and more tempted by awesome things that are really going to make an impact on my everyday life.

Enter the CrockPot. This wonder of an appliance has been at the top of my wish list for the last year or so. The only issue (besides money on hand) was that most basic crockpots aren't made for people that are out of the house for more than the 8-hour maximum cook setting. Being a person that is often gone for 10-12 hours a day, that wasn't going to work for me. I couldn't be turning on the food at 7am and having it shut off at 3pm, when I wasn't getting home until 6:30.

So when this baby arrived under the tree this year, I was thrilled. The original Crock-Pot has this great programmable Designer Series that come with an automatic "warming" feature. Instead of shutting off at the end of the 8 or however many hours, these guys switch over to "warm" for up to 6 hours. That means that when we get home at the end of our 12-hour days, the food is ready and hot and perfectly cooked.

We have used the crock-pot at least once, if not twice, each week since the holiday. One thing that has been a challenge is learning how to actually best use a crock-pot. There are some basic strategies to pick up before you start in with recipes, so I thought I'd share some of my takeaways here. For all of you crock-pot veterans, this is old news, but I bet a lot of you are rookie crockpotters just like I was :)

• You don't need to use much liquid. Too much liquid, and you end up stewing the meat, and it gets tough. Less than a cup of broth, beer, wine or water is really all you need to steam things up and tenderize the meat.
• Lean meat doesn't work. We made this mistake with a lean cut of beef. Pick up the fattier pieces of meat that have lots of marbling. That all breaks down during the slow cook time. Too lean, and you end up with jerky-consistency. Betty Budget Tip: the fattier cuts are usually cheap-cheap-cheap. $4 for a huge hunk of that kind of meat can often feed your family for at least two meals!
• Brown the meat before it goes in. This especially goes if you are a visual-eater and want your meal to look pretty in the end. It also helps to sear in flavor during cooking.
• Fresh herbs should be added at the end of cook time. Their flavors disappear during it, otherwise. Dried or ground herbs, however, can be added in the beginning.
• Get creative. We have been adding in all sorts of vegetables and meats and liquids to ours. A surprise winner so far was a pork shoulder that we roasted with broth, onions and celery. Shredded onto marble-rye bread with some apple-vinegar slaw to top it off, these became easy and healthy Reubens. Yum!

As part of my weekly recipe recaps, I now will be able to start incorporating more slow-cooker recipes. I can't wait to share with you what we learn about dishes made in these genius and easy ceramic cookers. I have one of the Fix It and Forget It books on hand for reference as we create and ideate with ours.

If you don't have a slow cooker yet, consider getting one as both a way to vary your cooking experience and a method of controlling your budget and nutrition goals. Plus, how can you go wrong with something that cooks the food for you? :)

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: Derby Day in December

I let the entire weekend slip by without posting about last week’s Binder Challenge. But you will forgive me, won’t you? After all, I was busy transforming the condo into Winter Wonderland:

I won't lie -- I have been struggling with continuing the Binder Challenge amidst the crazy holiday season, and it’s not even a week into December. But I did fit in two new recipes last week, and here are the outcomes!

The first was a NYT Frittata featuring ricotta cheese and mint. I cooked and flipped it on the stovetop because I was too hungry to wait the 30 minutes for the oven method, and it turned out fine, if only a little less puffy and pretty.  

Verdict: A keeper. Six eggs and low-fat cheese make for a filling brunch or light dinner dish without a lot of calories, and it was great as leftovers at lunch the next day.

The second recipe was a smashing success. I earmarked Bourbon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin earlier this year around Derby time, but decided against hosting a race-watching party in the end. The recipe went back into the folder, and there it stayed until I pulled out the Maker’s, picked up tenderloins on sale, and went to town. 

Verdict: A keeper. The result was a somewhat boozy yet pleasantly sweet tenderloin full of moisture and flavor. It paired perfectly with quinoa (cleaning out the cupboards!) and wilted spinach splashed with soy sauce, and was again a great leftover meal for lunch. This would be fantastic on Game Day, so I am marking this one to have with biscuits at tailgates next year!

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: A Brunch Option

While last week was not one for trying lots of new recipes (we all have our favorite cranberry sauce and family stuffing recipes, after all), I did take the opportunity to try out a new choice for brunch on a lazy Saturday morning with our relatives. The Pumpkin Pecan Braid from Pillsbury came together quite quickly, and looks really professional when you pull it out of the oven.

Verdict: a good stand-by for the holidays. Since I am all about throwing away or keeping recipes with this whole Binder Challenge thing, we all deemed this yummy treat good enough to savor again. It tastes like a quick and easy pumpkin pie, and who doesn't love pie for breakfast? It'd be perfect with your favorite cup of coffee or tea and some fresh fruit on the side.

Pumpkin Pecan Braid

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet

Filling
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp milk
1 tbsp chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and egg yolk. Stir in pecans.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; firmly press edges and perforations to seal. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle.
3. Spread filling in 3 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough rectangle to within 1 inch of ends.
4. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle just to edge of filling. Fold strips at an angle across filling, overlapping ends and alternating from side to side. Beat egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over dough.
5. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving platter.
6. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm coffee cake. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pecans.

Enjoy!

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: From Mexico to Italy

Week Two of the Binder Challenge and we are still going strong. So strong, actually, that I am hoping we find some so-so recipes soon, or else this "binder cleanup" will only lead into buying a bigger binder, since we won't have discarded enough pages from this one!

This week, we tried out two main course dishes of differing ethnicity and difficulty. Let's start with the easier, but no less flavorful, of the two.

Mushroom and Poblano Enchiladas, featured in the September BH&G issue, were an easy, healthy and flavorful way to start off our week. For those of you unfamiliar with them, a poblano pepper is a spicy green pepper that is the star in Mexican dishes like Chiles Rellenos. They have the ability to kick your socks off with their heat, but they can also be surprisingly mild. It makes mealtime fun, not knowing which version your selection might be!

While the basic enchiladas in the recipe are probably great, I thought they needed something on top to complete the meal. So we added a can of warmed enchilada sauce all over the top, and left them under the broiler a bit longer to heat all of that through. The result was an easy go-to recipe that took all of 30 minutes start to finish.

The second meal we made this week is one I might usually term a "Sunday Dinner" due to the sheer length of prep time. You have to peel and dice and roast and bake and simmer. But at its core, Risotto with Butternut Squash, Pancetta and Jack Cheese from Cooking Light is a comfort meal worthy of serving to your haughtiest of dinner guests. Oh my goodness, it was SO GOOD. This squash version quickly dethroned the Parmesan Risotto with Spinach and Scallops that has been our go-to favorite risotto.

The downside? This recipe makes just enough for four main dish servings ... but you are going to want to eat it all between two people, it is that good! So make a hearty side salad to serve with it, and your guests will be full and happy as they depart :)

Stay tuned next week for our next recipe attempts!

Weekly Binder Challenge Wrap-Up: Some Fall Soups

So far, so good on the Binder Challenge. For those of you just tuning in, I am weeding through a massive binder chock full of cooking and baking inspirations. Being an avid home cook and baker, I have found myself earmarking recipes every which way, but then never actually trying them. I prefer variety in my weekly meals, but it doesn't always happen, and I end up falling back on some of my favorites over and over again. Thus, the Challenge, and you get to hear about the successes and failures.

It's Fall, so why not dive into the toasty soup recipes I had stored away. First up, a fun Mexican Winter Chili from BHG, which the man immediately dubbed "his most favorite soup ever" without even trying it or seeing the finished product. The assembly smells that good! Cocoa powder, poblano peppers and pork combine with pumpkin and cream and broth into a filling, seasonal batch of warm goodness. I used an inexpensive boneless pork shoulder in lieu of stew meat.

Verdict: A Keeper. Except I am going to amend the recipe a bit over time -- less pumpkin, more broth, and more cocoa for a mole-appeal. The meat also might be great shredded up instead! It goes great with a dark bread to dip in, too.

Next up, a soup that is all cheesy and beer-based and not really quite as healthy haha. Horseradish Cheddar Beer Soup from Souper Jenny was featured in the AJC last year. The AJC's Living and Food sections usually have some easy weeknight meal ideas if you are looking for inspiration. Her instructions were a bit off for us home cooks -- you don't have to cook the garlic, then the flour, for five minutes each, or you risk burning the concoction before you ever get the beer and cheese in! If you don't have an immersion blender, use your food processor to get it blended up well.

Verdict: A Keeper. It won't be on my regular rotation, since I usually prefer my soups to be a bit lighter, but this one is awesome with dark bread (we used pumpernickel for both soups this week) on a cold, rainy day!

The Binder Challenge: Part 1

I get baking and cooking inspirations from everywhere.



Behold my cooking binder. This nifty tabbed folder holds recipes from every type of publication. Print-offs from Yum Sugar or Southern Living. Tear-outs from Cooking Light or the newspaper.



Hand-printed cards from Mom, and hand-printed cards of my own.



I just can't get enough.



Part of the resulting problem, though (other than what really would work better is an actual binder with ringed pages haha), is that I forget to reference this treasure trove of ideas, or the wonderful recipe books I own, when I am in the mood for a menu-change. I often select something brand-new, instead, and try that. As a result, I have accumulated a lot of recipes that have never been attempted.

This summer Winter (I wrote this draft months ago, FAIL), a goal of mine is to actually try (and then keep or discard) some of these meal ideas. And you, my friends, will hear about the failures and successes sure to follow :)

First up: I told you about the fantastic burgers we had in Ohio over the summer. So what catches my eye while flipping through, what else, the coupon pages of the Sunday paper shortly after our trip, but an ad from Dole Pineapple for Teriyaki Burgers, complete with coupons for some of the main ingredients.

Done! These tasty-sounding burgers took top precedence on my must-make list. What resulted was true fabulousness, and I had to share it here. If you associate turkey burgers with words like dry or flavorless, you won't after having this one, I promise. They are healthy, cheap on the budget, and company-worthy to serve.

This recipe? A total keeper -- it's front and center in the binder :)

Turkey Teriyaki Burgers
Enjoy with some handmade potato wedge fries or a salad.

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple slices
1/2 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
2 lbs. ground turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
8 hamburger buns (or sandwich thins, if you are watching your waist!)
8 slices cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1. Drain pineapple; reserve 1/2 cup juice. Reserve 2 pineapple slices for snack or other use.
2. Stir together marinade and reserved pineapple juice in small bowl.
3. Mix together turkey, ginger, breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup teriyaki mixture. Shape into 8 patties.
4. Grill patties, brushing with remaining teriyaki mixture, until desired doneness. Place pineapple slices on grill and cook until light golden brown.
5. Serve burgers on buns with cheese and pineapple. Serve and enjoy!

To grab a printable card directly from Kikkoman, click here.