I'm running so behind this month! I figured out my recipe plan a couple weeks ago, but I haven't had a chance to get it typed up on here till today...the day on which I will ALSO be cooking. I feel like I've been living in my car all month, for starters, running around like a chicken with my head cut off...it's a good thing my dogs like car trips, because seriously...it's been ridiculous. Work has been insane, Millie's been sick, I've been feeling run down all month, and I feel like I haven't given my apartment a good clean-freak-level cleaning in MUCH too long (it's actually making me a little crazy...I'm probably doing that today too). Anyway, with all that going on, I was half-tempted to have another remix month, but I decided after much deliberation (ummm...maybe like 10 whole minutes worth...that's a lot of time on a month like this!) that I'd rather try some new stuff again. I hit up Pinterest and found some good-looking recipes, and off we go! New items are marked with an asterisk, repeat items are linked to the original, and calories are calculated at CalorieKing.com. Soooo, here's the plan:
Tuna Bouchons (284 calories) with Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes* (75 calories) for 8 servings at a total of 359 calories each.
Beef Enchilada Pie* (290 calories) with a Crescent Roll (100 calories) for 6 servings at a total of 390 calories each.
Bacon Caramelized Onion Mac & Cheese* (324 calories) with a Crescent Roll (100 calories) for 10 servings at a total of 424 calories each.
Crockpot Cube Steak* (263 calories) with Cream Cheese Corn (120 calories) for 6 servings at a total of 383 calories each.
Lazy Sunday Casserole* (195 calories) with a Biscuit (170 calories) for 6 servings at a total of 365 calories each.
All that said, I better get to work if I'm gonna cook all of that today too! Recipe posts later :)
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Cream Cheese Corn...
Ahhh, another Pinterest special :) The picture looked so good, I couldn't say no! The original recipe can be found at Budget Savvy Diva. I did add some onion and bacon, since I had them on hand from my other cooking and thought it would be a good addition. Since I waited a little while to post, I have had a couple of servings and it's delicious. You certainly wouldn't need the added ingredients, but I probably still would if I had them on hand. I also doubled the recipe and changed the original portion size to go with the taco cups I made this month. It's super, ridiculously easy too, so that's always a bonus. Oh, and I forgot to take an ingredients pic on this one...sorry! Here's the recipe as I made it:
Cream Cheese Corn
12 servings - 120 calories each
Ingredients
2 - 16 oz. bags frozen corn
2 T. butter
8oz. block cream cheese
2 T. bacon bits
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Here's the easy part...mix all ingredients together in saucepan, and heat, stirring occasionally until cream cheese is incorporated and onions start softening. And that's it! Enjoy! :)
Cream Cheese Corn
12 servings - 120 calories each
Ingredients
2 - 16 oz. bags frozen corn
2 T. butter
8oz. block cream cheese
2 T. bacon bits
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Here's the easy part...mix all ingredients together in saucepan, and heat, stirring occasionally until cream cheese is incorporated and onions start softening. And that's it! Enjoy! :)
Twice Baked Potatoes...
Alrighty, I've procrastinated posting these couple of recipes for long enough...it's been a busy week since I cooked, and I just haven't been motivated to get on here and type everything up. But I had an awesome, productive day yesterday, so we're going to try to keep up the momentum! So this is my own personal recipe for twice baked potatoes. Rarely can I say any of these are anything that I put together on my own...I'm a recipe girl for sure...but on a particularly stubborn afternoon a couple of years ago, I decided twice baked potatoes really can't be that hard...and lo and behold, they weren't :) lol. Plus, I do the first round of "baking" in the microwave, so that saves time. The beauty of the baked potato is that you can put whatever you have on hand in it. If you have bacon or ham or vegetables or whatever hanging around the kitchen, throw it on in! The recipe below is what I actually put in today, and is for 8 potatoes, since that's how many I was making to go with the meatloaf portions, but obviously, you can adjust it for whatever you actually need :)
Twice Baked Potatoes
8 servings - Approx. 250 Calories Each
Ingredients
- 8 small to medium russet potatoes
- 1 to 1 1/4 c. milk, to desired consistency
- 1/2 c. + 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 2 T. diced green onions or chives
- 2 T. bacon bits
- 2 T. butter
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Wash potatoes and pierce with a fork several times. While still wet, microwave potatoes between paper towels in 2 batches until tender (approximately 8-10 minutes on high). Cut a thin slice off of the top of each potato and scoop out the inside into a bowl, and set the skins on a baking sheet. Mix in butter until melted. Add all other ingredients (reserving the second 1/2 c. of cheese) and mix...add more milk if necessary...you want to make sure it's creamy or when you bake it again, it'll be dry. Spoon mixture back into the potato skins. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. And that's it :) Enjoy!
Twice Baked Potatoes
8 servings - Approx. 250 Calories Each
Ingredients
- 8 small to medium russet potatoes
- 1 to 1 1/4 c. milk, to desired consistency
- 1/2 c. + 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 2 T. diced green onions or chives
- 2 T. bacon bits
- 2 T. butter
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Wash potatoes and pierce with a fork several times. While still wet, microwave potatoes between paper towels in 2 batches until tender (approximately 8-10 minutes on high). Cut a thin slice off of the top of each potato and scoop out the inside into a bowl, and set the skins on a baking sheet. Mix in butter until melted. Add all other ingredients (reserving the second 1/2 c. of cheese) and mix...add more milk if necessary...you want to make sure it's creamy or when you bake it again, it'll be dry. Spoon mixture back into the potato skins. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. And that's it :) Enjoy!
Friday, June 8, 2012
July Recipe Plan...
July is going to be a remix month. With the social plans and commitments I have in the next month, time and money are at a bit of a low point, and I'm saving energy and creativity for my planned scrapbooking weekend, so I'll be pulling favorites from old menus and adding in just a couple of new side dishes to put on here. Recipes I've already done on here are linked, new items have an asterisk, and as always, calories are estimated at CalorieKing.com. Here goes:
- Chicken Pillows (335 calories) with Potatoes ala Boulangere (117 calories) for 8 servings at 452 calories each.
- Sausage Rolls (334 calories) with Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes (123 calories) for 6 servings at 467 calories each.
- Taco Cups (203 calories) with Cream Cheese Corn* (120 calories) for 12 servings at 323 calories each.
- Meatloaf (250 calories) with Twice Baked Potatoes* (250 calories) for 8 servings at 500 calories each.
- Tuna Noodle Casserole (310 calories) with a Crescent Roll (100 calories) for 6 servings at 410 calories each.
- Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries & Pistachios (223 calories each)
It worked out well substituting walnuts for the pistachios last month in the baked honey oatmeal, so I might try the leftover pecans I have around this month. I don't think it probably matters, since I primarily see it as a texture bonus anyway. lol :) Also, the twice baked potato recipe is actually mine (I know, right?) from a bunch of experimenting a few years ago, and I haven't made them in forever, so I figured it was about time, even though the calories aren't exactly great. I might figure out a way to slim them down a little before I actually cook...I'll post the updated calorie info when I actually post the recipe. And that's all for today...cooking in a couple weeks!
- Chicken Pillows (335 calories) with Potatoes ala Boulangere (117 calories) for 8 servings at 452 calories each.
- Sausage Rolls (334 calories) with Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes (123 calories) for 6 servings at 467 calories each.
- Taco Cups (203 calories) with Cream Cheese Corn* (120 calories) for 12 servings at 323 calories each.
- Meatloaf (250 calories) with Twice Baked Potatoes* (250 calories) for 8 servings at 500 calories each.
- Tuna Noodle Casserole (310 calories) with a Crescent Roll (100 calories) for 6 servings at 410 calories each.
- Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries & Pistachios (223 calories each)
It worked out well substituting walnuts for the pistachios last month in the baked honey oatmeal, so I might try the leftover pecans I have around this month. I don't think it probably matters, since I primarily see it as a texture bonus anyway. lol :) Also, the twice baked potato recipe is actually mine (I know, right?) from a bunch of experimenting a few years ago, and I haven't made them in forever, so I figured it was about time, even though the calories aren't exactly great. I might figure out a way to slim them down a little before I actually cook...I'll post the updated calorie info when I actually post the recipe. And that's all for today...cooking in a couple weeks!
June Recipe Update...
Well, the time has come to recap another month of recipes. Here we go!
Penne Rosa with Chicken - I apparently had a moment of amnesia when I picked this recipe and actually decided to go with the whole wheat pasta they recommended. I WANT to like whole wheat pasta...I keep trying it over and over again in all sorts of different dishes...I just don't like it though. I don't think it picks up flavors as well, and it just seems bland no matter what I do. That said, I may still try this again sometime, only with regular pasta. Substituting the swiss chard for spinach worked out swimmingly though, and I will keep that in mind if my sister's in town again.
Santa Fe Enchilada Bake - This was really good and hearty. I would consider making it with beef sometime as well. My only sticking point is the corn tortillas...I might try it with flour tortillas next time...for some reason I have a bit of a texture issue with corn tortillas, and while it wasn't SUPER noticeable, it bothered me every once in a while. I'll give it another try with some new variations though sometime.
Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce - This was the big winner for the month. Ohmigosh was it ever delicious. I will DEFINITELY be making it again. I feel like it'd be a good go-to dish for when company is over too. We'll see :)
Creamy Chicken Casserole - This was good. The potatoes were DELICIOUS, and I will definitely be making them again, possibly on their own. The chicken wraps were alright, but not super impressive. Worth a shot to try again, but not at the top of my list.
Ham, Sauerkraut, and Apple Rolls - These were good too. At least I did learn this month that I DO like sauerkraut, at least in this particular situation. As with the creamy chicken casserole though, it was nothing to write home about necessarily. And the potatoes weren't nearly as flavorful in this preparation. I probably won't be making this again, but I AM glad I tried it.
Pain au Chocolat - Oh my lord...was this ever amazing. It was totally worth four days of prep. My sister and I kept a couple at the house, and I took the rest to work, and they were all gone when I came back on Monday, so they must've thought they were alright too. I'll only be keeping these in mind for special occasions or when I'm feeling particularly domestic though, because 1) they simply must be terrible for you, and 2) it's a lot of work. lol :)
Next up, the July menu plan... :)
Penne Rosa with Chicken - I apparently had a moment of amnesia when I picked this recipe and actually decided to go with the whole wheat pasta they recommended. I WANT to like whole wheat pasta...I keep trying it over and over again in all sorts of different dishes...I just don't like it though. I don't think it picks up flavors as well, and it just seems bland no matter what I do. That said, I may still try this again sometime, only with regular pasta. Substituting the swiss chard for spinach worked out swimmingly though, and I will keep that in mind if my sister's in town again.
Santa Fe Enchilada Bake - This was really good and hearty. I would consider making it with beef sometime as well. My only sticking point is the corn tortillas...I might try it with flour tortillas next time...for some reason I have a bit of a texture issue with corn tortillas, and while it wasn't SUPER noticeable, it bothered me every once in a while. I'll give it another try with some new variations though sometime.
Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce - This was the big winner for the month. Ohmigosh was it ever delicious. I will DEFINITELY be making it again. I feel like it'd be a good go-to dish for when company is over too. We'll see :)
Creamy Chicken Casserole - This was good. The potatoes were DELICIOUS, and I will definitely be making them again, possibly on their own. The chicken wraps were alright, but not super impressive. Worth a shot to try again, but not at the top of my list.
Ham, Sauerkraut, and Apple Rolls - These were good too. At least I did learn this month that I DO like sauerkraut, at least in this particular situation. As with the creamy chicken casserole though, it was nothing to write home about necessarily. And the potatoes weren't nearly as flavorful in this preparation. I probably won't be making this again, but I AM glad I tried it.
Pain au Chocolat - Oh my lord...was this ever amazing. It was totally worth four days of prep. My sister and I kept a couple at the house, and I took the rest to work, and they were all gone when I came back on Monday, so they must've thought they were alright too. I'll only be keeping these in mind for special occasions or when I'm feeling particularly domestic though, because 1) they simply must be terrible for you, and 2) it's a lot of work. lol :)
Next up, the July menu plan... :)
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Ham, Sauerkraut, and Apple Rolls...
And last but not least, the last recipe from Kayotic Kitchen for this month. These rolls are served on cheesy potatoes...how could you go wrong, right? Honestly, I've never had sauerkraut before (yeah, I know...sheltered, right?). I felt like the concept of the sweet of the apples vs. the sour of the sauerkraut vs. the saltiness of the ham was a good one though, so off we go on a new food adventure for me. lol :) Obviosly with the hope that it works out, or I'm going to have a lot of this to power through before the end of the month. Such is life, eh? You never know till you try! Here we go:
Ham, Sauerkraut, and Apple Rolls (on cheesy potatoes)
8 servings, 501 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. potatoes, quartered
- 1 lb. sauerkraut
- 2 sweet apples, finely chopped
- 8 ham slices (again, I used the thin sliced Budding meat, so I actually used 4 slices for each roll instead of one of the thicker cut slices, for a total of 32 slices)
- 2 c. grated cheese (I used Boar's Head Chipotle Gouda...yum!)
- 1 1/2 c. milk
- 4 T. flour
- 2 oz. butter
- Nutmeg
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Pre-boil the potatoes (I did this in a casserole dish in the microwave...filled dish with water and microwaved 15 minutes on high). Drain and place in the bottom of a baking dish. In a skillet, heat apples on medium high until they start getting tender, then add sauerkraut and seasonings. Turn heat down to low and simmer for about five minutes. Assemble rolls by putting a generous amount of sauerkraut mixture into the center of the ham and rolling it up. Repeat for all 8 rolls (I actually had enough saukerkraut mixture left over for a ninth roll, so I made an extra), and set aside Clean out your skillet (or grab a new one if you're feeling like doing extra dishes). Heat butter over low heat. Sprinkle in flour, and stir constantly over low heat for about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, continuing to stir constantly. Turn up heat and bring to a boil (still...keeping an eye on it and stirring frequently) till sauce thickens. Turn down heat, stir in cheese, and continue to stir until melted. Spoon half of the sauce over potatoes. Place rolls on top of the potatoes in the baking dish. Spoon the other half of the sauce over rolls. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
So, as I mentioned earlier, I got an extra roll out of this recipe, and it was, afterall, dinnertime when I finished making this dish, so I had the extra and a few potatoes, and it was quite tasty. I officially like sauerkraut...at least when it's with apples and potatoes chipotle gouda bechamel sauce. lol :) How could you not, really? Anyway, that concludes cooking for this month (unless my Pain au Chocolat actually turns out properly tomorrow, in which case I'll post pictures and a link for the recipe for that. I was going to type it all up, but holy cow baking has a lot of directions, eh?).
Don't be afraid to leave a question or comment! :) I'd love to hear if anyone else tries any of these and how they turn out for you! Enjoy! Oh, and I have to give a shout-out to my biggest fans...this is a pic of my puppies, Lucy and Millie, who sit right in the doorway to the kitchen all day when I'm cooking...they're little goofballs :) Night!
Ham, Sauerkraut, and Apple Rolls (on cheesy potatoes)
8 servings, 501 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. potatoes, quartered
- 1 lb. sauerkraut
- 2 sweet apples, finely chopped
- 8 ham slices (again, I used the thin sliced Budding meat, so I actually used 4 slices for each roll instead of one of the thicker cut slices, for a total of 32 slices)
- 2 c. grated cheese (I used Boar's Head Chipotle Gouda...yum!)
- 1 1/2 c. milk
- 4 T. flour
- 2 oz. butter
- Nutmeg
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Pre-boil the potatoes (I did this in a casserole dish in the microwave...filled dish with water and microwaved 15 minutes on high). Drain and place in the bottom of a baking dish. In a skillet, heat apples on medium high until they start getting tender, then add sauerkraut and seasonings. Turn heat down to low and simmer for about five minutes. Assemble rolls by putting a generous amount of sauerkraut mixture into the center of the ham and rolling it up. Repeat for all 8 rolls (I actually had enough saukerkraut mixture left over for a ninth roll, so I made an extra), and set aside Clean out your skillet (or grab a new one if you're feeling like doing extra dishes). Heat butter over low heat. Sprinkle in flour, and stir constantly over low heat for about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, continuing to stir constantly. Turn up heat and bring to a boil (still...keeping an eye on it and stirring frequently) till sauce thickens. Turn down heat, stir in cheese, and continue to stir until melted. Spoon half of the sauce over potatoes. Place rolls on top of the potatoes in the baking dish. Spoon the other half of the sauce over rolls. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
So, as I mentioned earlier, I got an extra roll out of this recipe, and it was, afterall, dinnertime when I finished making this dish, so I had the extra and a few potatoes, and it was quite tasty. I officially like sauerkraut...at least when it's with apples and potatoes chipotle gouda bechamel sauce. lol :) How could you not, really? Anyway, that concludes cooking for this month (unless my Pain au Chocolat actually turns out properly tomorrow, in which case I'll post pictures and a link for the recipe for that. I was going to type it all up, but holy cow baking has a lot of directions, eh?).
Don't be afraid to leave a question or comment! :) I'd love to hear if anyone else tries any of these and how they turn out for you! Enjoy! Oh, and I have to give a shout-out to my biggest fans...this is a pic of my puppies, Lucy and Millie, who sit right in the doorway to the kitchen all day when I'm cooking...they're little goofballs :) Night!
Creamy Chicken Casserole...
This is another recipe from Kayotic Kitchen that looked delicious. I could've picked all recipes from her website this month, but I thought that would be a little narrow of me, plus all the ones I liked had potatoes...and as much as I like potatoes, having them for every meal for an entire month is still not the best idea in the world. Anyway, I like how she talks about swapping things in and out to make the same dish with a bunch of different variations so it can more easily transition for seasons, who's coming to dinner, what your kids are willing to eat (if you have kids, which I don't), etc. I used the recipe as it was, but I'll be keeping in mind alternatives for future use. Also, I didn't realize she was using a large can of cream of mushroom soup instead of a small one, so I had to recalculate calories with the addition of another small can, so it's now 362 calories per serving (as opposed to the 330 in the menu plan). That said here's the recipe as I made it today!
Creamy Chicken Casserole
8 Servings, 362 calories each
Ingredients
- 2 oz. bacon
- 1 lb. potatoes, sliced
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins (usually 8-10 strips)
- 8 slices ham (I bought the thin cut Budding ham, so I wound up using 4 slices for each roll instead of 1 of the regular thicker cut ham, for a total of 32 thin slices)
- 8 slices cheese (I used colby jack, but you can use whatever you want)
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 4 T. sour cream
- 1/2 c. shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but use what you like!)
- Seasonings, to taste
*Note: I used microwave bacon because I didn't read the directions thoroughly before I made my grocery list...and yes, I'm aware that's one of those lessons you're supposed to learn in grade school, but sometimes I forget...either way, it worked out fine, so use whatever you want :) Also, there's only one can of soup in the picture, but I DID use two.
Directions
Pre-boil the potatoes (I went ahead and did that in the microwave in a casserole dish...12 minutes on high). Lay the bacon out on the bottom of a baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Assemble the rolls: Lay out your piece(s) of ham, top with a slice of cheese and a chicken strip, then roll up and put on top of the bacon in the pan. Repeat for the other 7 strips. In a separate bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and seasonings. Spoon 2/3 of mixture over rolls. Top with pre-boiled potatoes. Top potatoes with remaining soup mixture. Top the whole thing off with the shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees (uncovered) for approximately 45 minutes.
I've gotta say, I hate handling raw chicken. Normally I just dump it directly from the package into the hot pan without ever touching it, so actually touching it kinda bothered me. I don't anticipate this to be an issue for most people...I'm just a little cuckoo, I guess. Other than that hurdle to overcome, this recipe was totally easy to make. Plus it looks/smells super tasty. I'm adding a crescent roll to each serving for a total of 462 calories per serving. I'll let you know how it goes!
Creamy Chicken Casserole
8 Servings, 362 calories each
Ingredients
- 2 oz. bacon
- 1 lb. potatoes, sliced
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins (usually 8-10 strips)
- 8 slices ham (I bought the thin cut Budding ham, so I wound up using 4 slices for each roll instead of 1 of the regular thicker cut ham, for a total of 32 thin slices)
- 8 slices cheese (I used colby jack, but you can use whatever you want)
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 4 T. sour cream
- 1/2 c. shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but use what you like!)
- Seasonings, to taste
*Note: I used microwave bacon because I didn't read the directions thoroughly before I made my grocery list...and yes, I'm aware that's one of those lessons you're supposed to learn in grade school, but sometimes I forget...either way, it worked out fine, so use whatever you want :) Also, there's only one can of soup in the picture, but I DID use two.
Directions
Pre-boil the potatoes (I went ahead and did that in the microwave in a casserole dish...12 minutes on high). Lay the bacon out on the bottom of a baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Assemble the rolls: Lay out your piece(s) of ham, top with a slice of cheese and a chicken strip, then roll up and put on top of the bacon in the pan. Repeat for the other 7 strips. In a separate bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and seasonings. Spoon 2/3 of mixture over rolls. Top with pre-boiled potatoes. Top potatoes with remaining soup mixture. Top the whole thing off with the shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees (uncovered) for approximately 45 minutes.
I've gotta say, I hate handling raw chicken. Normally I just dump it directly from the package into the hot pan without ever touching it, so actually touching it kinda bothered me. I don't anticipate this to be an issue for most people...I'm just a little cuckoo, I guess. Other than that hurdle to overcome, this recipe was totally easy to make. Plus it looks/smells super tasty. I'm adding a crescent roll to each serving for a total of 462 calories per serving. I'll let you know how it goes!
Santa Fe Enchilada Bake...
This recipe is from Kraft Foods, which I've historically had really good luck with. The added bonus of recipes from this website, is they already have the calories figured out for you (Hooray! No searching through each ingredient on CalorieKing.com for this one!). I really like enchiladas, but I find that they're a pain the butt to make...so with the introduction of a casserole version of the enchilada...problem solved! Plus I'm always looking for some sort of Mexican food to add into the rotation for my freezer meals to change it up a little. This one was super easy (as is a requirement for the bulk of the meals I make, I guess...lol), and with the addition of the salsa that I used, I feel like it's gonna bring a lot of flavor to the table. I used Desert Pepper Salsa - Roasted Tomato, Chipotle & Corn - Medium Hot. I'm sort of obsessed with Desert Pepper Salsas lately. Salsa = low calorie snack = my favorite thing. lol :) They've got a massive array of flavors, but I figured the chipotle corn one would work well with this recipe. Here we go:
Santa Fe Enchilada Bake
8 servings - 370 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 lg. onion, chopped
- 1 lg. green pepper, chopped
- 2 c. salsa
- 1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen corn
- 12 corn tortillas (6 inch)
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 1/2 c. shredded mexican style cheese
Directions
Spray large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat to med/med-high. Add chicken and sear on both sides (season to taste). Add onions and peppers and cook until tender. Stir in salsa and corn. In baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, arrange six tortillas. Layer on half of the chicken mixture, half of the sour cream, and half of the cheese. Top with another 6 tortillas and repeat layers. Cover with foil (make sure to tent it so you don't melt all your cheese onto the foil), and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional ten minutes.
As always, let your casserole sit for at LEAST 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. That way it has a chance to set up so you have a nice slice when you cut it, instead of it collapsing when you plate it up. Looks/smells very tasty...I'll be excited to try this one, and I'll let you know how it tastes when I update later this month!
Santa Fe Enchilada Bake
8 servings - 370 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 lg. onion, chopped
- 1 lg. green pepper, chopped
- 2 c. salsa
- 1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen corn
- 12 corn tortillas (6 inch)
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 1/2 c. shredded mexican style cheese
Directions
Spray large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat to med/med-high. Add chicken and sear on both sides (season to taste). Add onions and peppers and cook until tender. Stir in salsa and corn. In baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, arrange six tortillas. Layer on half of the chicken mixture, half of the sour cream, and half of the cheese. Top with another 6 tortillas and repeat layers. Cover with foil (make sure to tent it so you don't melt all your cheese onto the foil), and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional ten minutes.
As always, let your casserole sit for at LEAST 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. That way it has a chance to set up so you have a nice slice when you cut it, instead of it collapsing when you plate it up. Looks/smells very tasty...I'll be excited to try this one, and I'll let you know how it tastes when I update later this month!
Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce...
So I had a massive math error on this one when I was originally figuring it out. I remember thinking at the time that it didn't sound quite right (but it was late and I was tired, so alas), so I sat down and entered everything into CalorieKing.com again today before making it. Sure enough, I miscalculated on the walnuts pretty substatially...I'm not sure how, but I was definitely off. Sooooo...contrary to the menu plan, this dish will now be SIX servings instead of four and 511 calories instead of 470...whoops! :) Anyway, it seemed to have all worked out as far as portion size, etc., so it's all good. I think I stumbled on this recipe on FoodGawker, although it could have been Pinterest...it's all starting to blur together this month. The original is found on Kayotic Kitchen (which will be used for THREE recipes this month, if you can believe it...she's got some good looking stuff on there!). The whole "Kayotic" thing was sort of ironic, since once I got into the recipe, there were some dramatically different measurements reflected in the ingredients list than were referenced in the actual body of the recipe. I went with whatever looked right to me and/or what I actually had on hand. I would normally have used a spinach tortellini, but again, as my sister will be in town, I skipped the spinach in order to avoid an accidental trip to the ER. I also doubled the recipe (the measurements I actually used are reflected in my recipe below), as the original recipe was intended to be a side dish, and I'm making entree portions. Anyway, here we go:
Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce
6 Servings, 511 Calories each
Ingredients
- 1 med. onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 oz. walnuts
- 2 - 9oz. pkg. tortellini
- 2 oz. shredded parmesan
- 1 T. olive oil
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Flat leaf parsley, to taste
Directions
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes to bring out the flavor, and then run through food processor/chopper; set aside. Mix together mascarpone, parmesan, and parsley; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions (don't forget to salt the water). While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a skillet to med/med-high. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender (I browned mine a little, which I hadn't intended to do, but I got distracted for a couple minutes by a phonecall, and let them go a tiny bit too long...either way, it'll be fine). Add mascarpone mixture, and stir until melted and combined with onions/garlic. Stir in walnuts. Mix in drained pasta and enjoy!
This looks really tasty...I tried a little bit of the sauce and really liked it. I think the portion size will be fine...I was a little worried when I made it into two extra servings to keep the calories semi-reasonable, but it looks like it'll be plenty. I'll let ya know how it all turns out :)
Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce
6 Servings, 511 Calories each
Ingredients
- 1 med. onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 oz. walnuts
- 2 - 9oz. pkg. tortellini
- 2 oz. shredded parmesan
- 1 T. olive oil
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Flat leaf parsley, to taste
Directions
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes to bring out the flavor, and then run through food processor/chopper; set aside. Mix together mascarpone, parmesan, and parsley; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions (don't forget to salt the water). While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a skillet to med/med-high. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender (I browned mine a little, which I hadn't intended to do, but I got distracted for a couple minutes by a phonecall, and let them go a tiny bit too long...either way, it'll be fine). Add mascarpone mixture, and stir until melted and combined with onions/garlic. Stir in walnuts. Mix in drained pasta and enjoy!
This looks really tasty...I tried a little bit of the sauce and really liked it. I think the portion size will be fine...I was a little worried when I made it into two extra servings to keep the calories semi-reasonable, but it looks like it'll be plenty. I'll let ya know how it all turns out :)
Penne Rosa with Chicken...
Well, it's that time again...time for a month's worth of cooking in an afternoon! Woot! There are a couple of unusual things about this month:
1) Calories are a little higher than I typically plan for (still not unreasonable for a lunch or dinner, but higher than normal)...partly because I had a mathematical error on the Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone (posted later), partly because I found some recipes that I really wanted to try (calories be damned), and partly because I've been finding myself more prone to snacking between meals lately, and I'm hoping having something a little more substantial will curb the urge to snack...those snacks add up!
2) I found myself substituting a quite a bit for recipes this month. Chicken for shrimp (I have a texture issue with shrimp...I know, I'm crazy), swiss chard for spinach (my sister's visiting this weekend and she's deathly allergic to spinach, so I prefer not to have it in the house at all when she's here to avoid potential disasters), etc. etc. Before I started this whole cooking en masse thing, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to substitute (I love me a good recipe...I'm great at following directions!), but the further along I get, the more comfortable I'm feeling with it.
That said, this was one of the recipes I altered most. I found the original at Back to Her Roots. It featured spinach and shrimp, so if you're not deathly allergic to spinach and you don't have a massive texture issue with shrimp, I highly recommend you try the original. lol :) It looked delicious in the pics, and the calories were pretty reasonable, so I knew I wanted to make it this month! Here's the recipe:
Penne Rosa with Chicken
6 servings, 375 calories each
Ingredients
- 12 oz. whole wheat penne
- 1 T olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 med. tomatoes, chopped
- 4 c. swiss chard, roughly chopped
- 1 lb. boneless chicken breast tenderloins
- 1/2 c. pasta sauce
- 1/3 c. Greek Yogurt (0% plain)
- 1/4 c. shredded parmesan
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions
Cook penne according to package directions (skip the salt and/or any oil they suggest to add). In a large skillet (one that you have a lid for!) over medium high, heat the olive oil. Add chicken (seasoned to taste) and sear on each side. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings and let cook down until chicken is tender and vegetables have released liquid. You could leave the chicken pieces whole, since they're pretty small, but I just grabbed two forks and pulled mine apart into smaller pieces in the pan. Add in swiss chard and cover to let wilt for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to low. Stir in drained pasta, greek yogurt, and pasta sauce. Top with shredded parmesan for serving.
I thought the portion size was fine to not need any other side with it, although if you wanted to squeeze 8 portions out of it, you could add some garlic bread or some other side dish pretty easily. It looks and smells delicious, but I restrained myself from tasting it...we'll see when I heat up my first portion in a couple of days. As always, I'll update sometime mid-month to let you know how it turned out!
1) Calories are a little higher than I typically plan for (still not unreasonable for a lunch or dinner, but higher than normal)...partly because I had a mathematical error on the Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone (posted later), partly because I found some recipes that I really wanted to try (calories be damned), and partly because I've been finding myself more prone to snacking between meals lately, and I'm hoping having something a little more substantial will curb the urge to snack...those snacks add up!
2) I found myself substituting a quite a bit for recipes this month. Chicken for shrimp (I have a texture issue with shrimp...I know, I'm crazy), swiss chard for spinach (my sister's visiting this weekend and she's deathly allergic to spinach, so I prefer not to have it in the house at all when she's here to avoid potential disasters), etc. etc. Before I started this whole cooking en masse thing, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to substitute (I love me a good recipe...I'm great at following directions!), but the further along I get, the more comfortable I'm feeling with it.
That said, this was one of the recipes I altered most. I found the original at Back to Her Roots. It featured spinach and shrimp, so if you're not deathly allergic to spinach and you don't have a massive texture issue with shrimp, I highly recommend you try the original. lol :) It looked delicious in the pics, and the calories were pretty reasonable, so I knew I wanted to make it this month! Here's the recipe:
Penne Rosa with Chicken
6 servings, 375 calories each
Ingredients
- 12 oz. whole wheat penne
- 1 T olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 med. tomatoes, chopped
- 4 c. swiss chard, roughly chopped
- 1 lb. boneless chicken breast tenderloins
- 1/2 c. pasta sauce
- 1/3 c. Greek Yogurt (0% plain)
- 1/4 c. shredded parmesan
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions
Cook penne according to package directions (skip the salt and/or any oil they suggest to add). In a large skillet (one that you have a lid for!) over medium high, heat the olive oil. Add chicken (seasoned to taste) and sear on each side. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings and let cook down until chicken is tender and vegetables have released liquid. You could leave the chicken pieces whole, since they're pretty small, but I just grabbed two forks and pulled mine apart into smaller pieces in the pan. Add in swiss chard and cover to let wilt for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to low. Stir in drained pasta, greek yogurt, and pasta sauce. Top with shredded parmesan for serving.
I thought the portion size was fine to not need any other side with it, although if you wanted to squeeze 8 portions out of it, you could add some garlic bread or some other side dish pretty easily. It looks and smells delicious, but I restrained myself from tasting it...we'll see when I heat up my first portion in a couple of days. As always, I'll update sometime mid-month to let you know how it turned out!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
June Menu Plan...
Well, cooking has been bumped up a week or so this month, due to scheduling issues, so I got to work on my menu plan early. I went through and had it planned out once last night, and then I realized two things...1) every single recipe had potatoes in it, and 2) every single recipe had to be made in the oven. Now, having learned my lesson (again) last month with the too-many-thing-to-go-in-the-oven problem, I knew I had to revise. And I love potatoes...and I mean LOVE potatoes...but every meal for a month...maybe not. So, I sat down again tonight and putzed around Pinterest and Food Gawker till I found a good mix. The recipes are all new to me this month, cuz I finally ran out of recipes from my rotation prior to start the whole food blog thing. I'm sort of getting to the point where I should be rotating things back in that I've already made (I do like a lot of them and would like to have them again), but I'm enjoying trying new things so much that I want to keep picking new stuff. So...I suppose when I get tired of always doing new stuff, I'll start rotating back in my old favorites too. We'll see. As always, calories are estimated by counts given on CalorieKing.com (although a couple actually had the calories listed with them in the original recipe...hooray!). Here's what happening this month:
*Penne Rosa with Chicken - 6 servings = 375 Calories
*Santa Fe Enchilada Bake - 8 servings = 370 Calories
*Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce - 4 servings = 470 Calories
*Ham, Sauerkraut & Apple Rolls on Cheesy Potatoes - 8 servings = 501 Calories
*Creamy Chicken Casserole - 8 servings - 330 calories + Crescent Roll = 430 Calories
I'm also going to be making the Baked Honey Oatmeal w/Raspberries & Pistachios (223 Calories) again...a double batch this time, cuz I liked them so much and ate them early in the month, and then missed them for the whole rest of the month.
And in other exciting news, my sister is coming to visit next weekend! She hasn't been up since the beginning of the December, and we haven't had a true sisters' weekend since...ummmm...a really long time...over a year probably. We're sort of celebrating our birthdays, since we didn't actually get to see each other on either of our birthdays this year. Sooooo...a celebration calls for dessert, yes? I've been pining over this recipe I found on Pinterest for Pain au Chocolat (essentially an insane chocolate croissant on crack). It takes FOUR DAYS to make these things. FOUR! Insanity. But I'm going to attempt it...it looks soooooo good. So assuming I actually get this recipe made AND it doesn't turn out horrendously, I'll be posting that info too...but no calories...it's a celebration, remember? Calorie-free! :) And that's all for now...cooking next Thursday, so recipes will be up sometime soon after that!
*Penne Rosa with Chicken - 6 servings = 375 Calories
*Santa Fe Enchilada Bake - 8 servings = 370 Calories
*Tortellini with Walnut & Mascarpone Sauce - 4 servings = 470 Calories
*Ham, Sauerkraut & Apple Rolls on Cheesy Potatoes - 8 servings = 501 Calories
*Creamy Chicken Casserole - 8 servings - 330 calories + Crescent Roll = 430 Calories
I'm also going to be making the Baked Honey Oatmeal w/Raspberries & Pistachios (223 Calories) again...a double batch this time, cuz I liked them so much and ate them early in the month, and then missed them for the whole rest of the month.
And in other exciting news, my sister is coming to visit next weekend! She hasn't been up since the beginning of the December, and we haven't had a true sisters' weekend since...ummmm...a really long time...over a year probably. We're sort of celebrating our birthdays, since we didn't actually get to see each other on either of our birthdays this year. Sooooo...a celebration calls for dessert, yes? I've been pining over this recipe I found on Pinterest for Pain au Chocolat (essentially an insane chocolate croissant on crack). It takes FOUR DAYS to make these things. FOUR! Insanity. But I'm going to attempt it...it looks soooooo good. So assuming I actually get this recipe made AND it doesn't turn out horrendously, I'll be posting that info too...but no calories...it's a celebration, remember? Calorie-free! :) And that's all for now...cooking next Thursday, so recipes will be up sometime soon after that!
May Recipes Update...
Almost forgot to do my update on new recipes from May's menu plan! Here we go:
Chicken Pillows
YUM! Love these things...those with the Potatoes ala Boulangere that I put with them were a perfect meal. They reheated well, and actually the cracker topping stayed pretty crispy despite the microwaving. Next time I'll stuff them a little fuller/more evenly...I was pretty tentative on how much would fit in the crescent for the first couple, so those were a little small. But yeah...delicious.
Broccoli, Cheese & Mushroom Flipsides
Okay, these were tasty...quite tasty actually, and they reheated well. However, I probably wouldn't make them again for my meals. The short version of why is this: It just doesn't feel like a meal to me if there isn't meat. Occasionally I can make it work if there's some sort of dense pasta involved, but usually, not so much. So yeah...the bad news is, I'd never make it as a vegetarian. The good news is, I have no desire to be a vegetarian. lol :)
Sausage Rolls
Awesome. Totally making these again...often. I used hot breakfast sausage, and it gave it just a little bit of kick that was totally delicious. They didn't keep much of the crispiness upon reheating...although next time I'm going to try hitting it a little more with the broiler to help remedy that situation. Either way, the flavor was so good I didn't mind.
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes
Another keeper. With the panko added in there, and the cheese, it totally reads as a potato pancake (did I mention I love potatoes?), but with less calories and even better texture. They reheated well too...I was thinking I might need to sour cream or something like that to top them off upon reheating, cuz I was worried they might be dry, but it wasn't at all necessary...they stayed moist and delicious. I was also worried about the cauliflower "smell" (you know what I'm talking about) being an issue upon reheating, but it really wasn't at all (which is good, cuz it would have been totally unappetizing otherwise). So yeah...yum!
Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries and Pistachios
This was the big winner of the month! Finally found my oatmeal recipe to put into semi-permanent rotation. In fact, I'm going to be making them again in June...a double batch this time :)
So yeah, that's the recap. That's all for now :)
Chicken Pillows
YUM! Love these things...those with the Potatoes ala Boulangere that I put with them were a perfect meal. They reheated well, and actually the cracker topping stayed pretty crispy despite the microwaving. Next time I'll stuff them a little fuller/more evenly...I was pretty tentative on how much would fit in the crescent for the first couple, so those were a little small. But yeah...delicious.
Broccoli, Cheese & Mushroom Flipsides
Okay, these were tasty...quite tasty actually, and they reheated well. However, I probably wouldn't make them again for my meals. The short version of why is this: It just doesn't feel like a meal to me if there isn't meat. Occasionally I can make it work if there's some sort of dense pasta involved, but usually, not so much. So yeah...the bad news is, I'd never make it as a vegetarian. The good news is, I have no desire to be a vegetarian. lol :)
Sausage Rolls
Awesome. Totally making these again...often. I used hot breakfast sausage, and it gave it just a little bit of kick that was totally delicious. They didn't keep much of the crispiness upon reheating...although next time I'm going to try hitting it a little more with the broiler to help remedy that situation. Either way, the flavor was so good I didn't mind.
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes
Another keeper. With the panko added in there, and the cheese, it totally reads as a potato pancake (did I mention I love potatoes?), but with less calories and even better texture. They reheated well too...I was thinking I might need to sour cream or something like that to top them off upon reheating, cuz I was worried they might be dry, but it wasn't at all necessary...they stayed moist and delicious. I was also worried about the cauliflower "smell" (you know what I'm talking about) being an issue upon reheating, but it really wasn't at all (which is good, cuz it would have been totally unappetizing otherwise). So yeah...yum!
Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries and Pistachios
This was the big winner of the month! Finally found my oatmeal recipe to put into semi-permanent rotation. In fact, I'm going to be making them again in June...a double batch this time :)
So yeah, that's the recap. That's all for now :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
Another Year Down...
Well, time marches on, eh? I turned 30 today (well, I guess yesterday, technically, since I'm a couple hours past midnight). Yeow! And let me tell you, probably once a week I think, rather wistfully, of how easy things were in college...how you could see your friends every day if you wanted to. Don't get me wrong...I wouldn't go back in time or anything, even if I could. I like where I'm at in my life. However, it's amazing how difficult it gets to coordinate work and home and friends once you're out in the real world. And it just keeps getting more difficult as people get married, have kids, move away, change jobs...and around and around we go! I say this every year, but this year I'm really going to make a better effort MAKE time to see my friends! I think I made some improvements this year, but still...there's got to be a way to figure it out. I'll keep working on it. Meanwhile, if anybody figures out the magic formula, please let me know :) lol. Have a good one!
Baked Honey Oatmeal w/ Raspberries & Pistachios...
First off, can I just say that I don't get peoples' obsession with pistachios? I mean, yeah they taste good, but seriously. It's the same problem I have with chicken wings. It's a lot of work for not a whole lot of payoff. That said, they are quite good in this recipe, so I guess I'll consider dealing with the shells again to have this recipe again (or perhaps I'll try another nut in there altogether). I've been obsessed with trying to find a go-to oatmeal recipe for the freezer rotation, and I do believe this might be it. I gave in to temptation and ate one while they were still warm and ohmigosh...soooooooo good. I'll definitely be making them again. The original recipe is on Munchin with Munchkin. I used 2% milk and just went with generic honey, but otherwise I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. Here goes:
Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries & Pistachios
6 servings, 223 calories each
Ingredients
1 c. rolled oats
2 T. honey
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. raspberries
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. pistachios
Directions
Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into greased muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing from tin. Try not to eat them all right away :)
Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries & Pistachios
6 servings, 223 calories each
Ingredients
1 c. rolled oats
2 T. honey
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. raspberries
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. pistachios
Directions
Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into greased muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing from tin. Try not to eat them all right away :)
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes...
It seems like cauliflower is popping up in the lieu of potatoes all over the place these days. I'll admit, I was resistant to the idea at first. However, when I saw the picture of this one, I thought it was worth a shot. I had a little piece of one and it was really delicious...like potato pancakes only with a creamier texture inside. The original recipe is at A Good Appetite and her pictures do way more justice than mine do. One of these days, I'm going to figure out how to be a better food photographer. Until then though, at least they're good enough to tell if things have gone horribly awry mid-recipe :) lol.
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes
8 servings, 123 calories each
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
2 eggs
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. panko
1/2 tsp. cayenne (more or less, to taste)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil
Directions
Cook florets in boiling water until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain and mash while still warm. Stir in cheese, panko, eggs, and seasonings. Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high. Spoon cauliflower mixture into patties in skillet, and cook till golden brown on each side.
I'm serving mine with sausage rolls for a total of 457 calories :)
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes
8 servings, 123 calories each
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
2 eggs
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. panko
1/2 tsp. cayenne (more or less, to taste)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil
Directions
Cook florets in boiling water until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain and mash while still warm. Stir in cheese, panko, eggs, and seasonings. Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high. Spoon cauliflower mixture into patties in skillet, and cook till golden brown on each side.
I'm serving mine with sausage rolls for a total of 457 calories :)
Sausage Rolls...
I stumbled across this recipe on FoodGawker.com, another one of my favorite idea sites. The original recipe is at Serious Eats. It's really easy and only has four ingredients (what?!? I know!). Oh, and I forgot to take an ingredient picture...it was the end of the day, afterall. lol :) I really wanted to try one, but maintained a bit of willpower and waited. They sure smelled delicious though!
Sausage Rolls
6 servings (2 rolls per serving), 334 calories per serving
Ingredients
1 lb. puff pastry, thawed
1 lb. pork sausage (casings removed, if necessary)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
Directions
Divide sausage into 12 equal balls, and shape into 4" links. Set aside. Cut puff pastry into 12 equal pieces, approx. 4"x5". Spread each piece of puff pastry with mustard. Roll a piece of sausage into each piece of puff pastry, sealing with a line of egg wash. Brush each roll with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until pastry puffs and browns nicely.
I'm serving mine with cheesy cauliflower pancakes (recipe to follow) for a total of 457 calories each serving :)
Sausage Rolls
6 servings (2 rolls per serving), 334 calories per serving
Ingredients
1 lb. puff pastry, thawed
1 lb. pork sausage (casings removed, if necessary)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
Directions
Divide sausage into 12 equal balls, and shape into 4" links. Set aside. Cut puff pastry into 12 equal pieces, approx. 4"x5". Spread each piece of puff pastry with mustard. Roll a piece of sausage into each piece of puff pastry, sealing with a line of egg wash. Brush each roll with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until pastry puffs and browns nicely.
I'm serving mine with cheesy cauliflower pancakes (recipe to follow) for a total of 457 calories each serving :)
Broccoli, Cheese & Mushroom Flipsides...
This was another Pinterest find. The original recipe is at lisa is cooking and also has a recipe for homemade crust as well. Me being me, I went ahead and used a store-bought Pillsbury crust :) One thing about the original, in no way do I see that you would ever need anywhere NEAR as much broccoli as they called for. I could've made 25 or 30 of them with the pound of broccoli they called for! That said, I scaled down the amount of broccoli in the recipe...and that still might even be a little too much.
Broccoli, Cheese & Mushroom Flipsides
10 servings, 345 calories each
Ingredients
1/2 pound broccoli florets, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts
2 c. shredded cheddar
1 egg + 2 T. water, beaten
Seasoning, to taste
Directions
Combine broccoli, mushrooms, cheese (save a little cheese to put on top later) & seasonings in large bowl. Roll out pie crusts and cut 10 circles approx 6" in diameter (I just used a cereal bowl to estimate the size). Brush the whole top side of the first circle with a light coating of egg wash. Spoon broccoli mixture into the center of the circle. Fold dough over and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Repeat with the next 9 flipsides. Brush each flipside with egg wash. Use a knife to cut three slits in each, and the sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-25 minutes until golden brown.
I'm serving mine with Parmesan Hashbrown Cups for a total of 446 calories. Since both parts of this meal are pretty portable, I went ahead and just packaged them in ziploc baggies this time (yay for saving freezer space!). Enjoy!
Broccoli, Cheese & Mushroom Flipsides
10 servings, 345 calories each
Ingredients
1/2 pound broccoli florets, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts
2 c. shredded cheddar
1 egg + 2 T. water, beaten
Seasoning, to taste
Directions
Combine broccoli, mushrooms, cheese (save a little cheese to put on top later) & seasonings in large bowl. Roll out pie crusts and cut 10 circles approx 6" in diameter (I just used a cereal bowl to estimate the size). Brush the whole top side of the first circle with a light coating of egg wash. Spoon broccoli mixture into the center of the circle. Fold dough over and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Repeat with the next 9 flipsides. Brush each flipside with egg wash. Use a knife to cut three slits in each, and the sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-25 minutes until golden brown.
I'm serving mine with Parmesan Hashbrown Cups for a total of 446 calories. Since both parts of this meal are pretty portable, I went ahead and just packaged them in ziploc baggies this time (yay for saving freezer space!). Enjoy!
Chicken Pillows...
Weird name, huh? I thought so too. But the picture looked good, and there were rave reviews on Pinterest (oh, Pinterest...how I love thee), so I figured let's give it a try! I found the original recipe at Chef in Training. The original also has a recipe for a sauce to put on top, but since that doesn't lend well to reheating (things got soggy), I went ahead and skipped that. If you're eating them right out of the oven though, definitely check out the link, because it sounds tasty :) One thing I learned in the midst of this recipe...crescent rolls will hold WAY more filling than you would expect. If you let them warm up just a tiny bit, they'll stretch like crazy, and you can fill them right up. Initially, I didn't see how I could possibly fit all that filling into 8 crescents, but it was no problem at all. Here's the recipe:
Chicken Pillows
8 servings, 335 calories each
**I forgot to put eggs in the picture**
Ingredients
1 can crescent rolls
8 oz. package cream cheese
2-3 c. shredded chicken, cooked
1/4 c. butter
1 egg
Crushed crackers for breading (whatever you have...Club, Ritz, Saltines, etc.)
Directions
Soften butter and cream cheese. Stir together until creamy. Add chicken (and seasonings, if desired) and stir.
Get two bowls prepared, the first with the egg and 2 T. water beaten togther, and the second with the crushed crackers in it. Roll out crescents on a cookie sheet. Stretch out the first crescent, put a large spoonful of filling in the center, and then fold the crescent in around it so the filling is fully enclosed. Dip the top of the packet in the egg and then in the crackers and place in cookie sheet. Repeat with the next 7 crescents. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Chicken Pillows
8 servings, 335 calories each
**I forgot to put eggs in the picture**
Ingredients
1 can crescent rolls
8 oz. package cream cheese
2-3 c. shredded chicken, cooked
1/4 c. butter
1 egg
Crushed crackers for breading (whatever you have...Club, Ritz, Saltines, etc.)
Directions
Soften butter and cream cheese. Stir together until creamy. Add chicken (and seasonings, if desired) and stir.
Get two bowls prepared, the first with the egg and 2 T. water beaten togther, and the second with the crushed crackers in it. Roll out crescents on a cookie sheet. Stretch out the first crescent, put a large spoonful of filling in the center, and then fold the crescent in around it so the filling is fully enclosed. Dip the top of the packet in the egg and then in the crackers and place in cookie sheet. Repeat with the next 7 crescents. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
I'm serving mine with Potatoes ala Boulangere for a total of 452 calories per serving.
Ham and Potatoes...
Ah yes...another recipe that's not really a recipe. We used to have this all the time when I was growing up. One time, many years ago, I made it for a roommate of mine. When I told her what I was making, she said, "ham and potatoes isn't a recipe...it's just two ingredients???" To which I say...there's more than two ingredients...and even if there wasn't, what's your point? A few things to note: 1) I normally buy the frozen potatoes o'brien from Ore-Ida because it already has peppers and onions in it (and yes, I'm that lazy sometimes), but I just got a bag of hashbrowns this time instead. 2) It didn't occur to me that swapping to a whole bag of potatoes and adding the onion and pepper to that would impact the number of portions (I was placing my grocery order at 2am...I may not have been quite all there), so it's actually 6 servings instead of the 4 called out in the menu plan. 3) I have some spatial planning issues, so I ALSO didn't realize when I dumped it in the hot frying pan that the pan wasn't nearly large enough for all that, so I then had to pull half out and do it in batches because I don't have a big enough frying pan...my advice: make certain you have a big enough pan to begin with, because it's a major pain in the butt to be pulling half-cooked food out and moving it from place to place to get it finished. And without further ado:
Ham and Potatoes
6 servings, 356 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 bag hashbrowns
- 1 pkg. ham steak
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
- Olive oil
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Dice onion and pepper and add to potatoes. Coat bottom of pan with olive oil, and put potato mixture into pan over med/med-high heat until tender. Stir in seasonings. Cube ham and add to potato mixture. Continue to heat until desired level of browning is reached (mine steamed a little bit thanks to my spatial meltdown, so it didn't turn out quite as brown as I'd like, but it still tastes delicious, and I got some good color on the ham). Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and enjoy :)
Originally I was going to add a crescent roll, but the portion was pretty good already, so I decided against it. So each serving will be approximately 356 calories.
Ham and Potatoes
6 servings, 356 calories each
Ingredients
- 1 bag hashbrowns
- 1 pkg. ham steak
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
- Olive oil
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions
Dice onion and pepper and add to potatoes. Coat bottom of pan with olive oil, and put potato mixture into pan over med/med-high heat until tender. Stir in seasonings. Cube ham and add to potato mixture. Continue to heat until desired level of browning is reached (mine steamed a little bit thanks to my spatial meltdown, so it didn't turn out quite as brown as I'd like, but it still tastes delicious, and I got some good color on the ham). Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and enjoy :)
Originally I was going to add a crescent roll, but the portion was pretty good already, so I decided against it. So each serving will be approximately 356 calories.
Pasta Alfredo...
Okay, so this Pasta Alfredo is actually sort of my thing. It was the first thing (and one of the very few things) I ever really made without a recipe...a creation of what was in the house a few years back when I didn't feel like going to the grocery store. Honestly, it's barely a recipe, and probably barely counts as actual cooking, but oh well. lol :) It's easy, tasty, and reheats well...and that's the main thing. It was a staple for the first few months I was doing these freezer meals, but I hadn't made it in quite a while. I like it because it's really easy to swap in and out ingredients based on what you have. I've made it before and added ham, or bacon, or mushrooms...whatever you like. For today, just peas...because I love peas, and I don't need much of an excuse to add them to my dinner :) Here we go:
Pasta Alfredo
6 servings, 405 calories each
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 1 T. olive oil
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions (Add 1 T. of olive oil to water to keep from sticking). Drain pasta and return to pot. On low heat, add alfredo sauce, seasonings, and peas. Leave over heat until heated through. And that's it!
I'm serving mine with a crescent roll for a total of 505 calories per serving. It's a little bit higher calories than I normally do for these (actually this whole month is a little higher than normal...but hey, you only live once, right?), but it's worth it :) Enjoy!
Pasta Alfredo
6 servings, 405 calories each
Ingredients
- 2 sm. packages tortellini (I used Buitoni chicken & prosciutto this time, but I've used all sorts of different kinds...both fresh and dry)
- 1 jar alfredo sauce - 1 c. frozen peas
- 1 T. olive oil
- Seasonings, to taste
Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions (Add 1 T. of olive oil to water to keep from sticking). Drain pasta and return to pot. On low heat, add alfredo sauce, seasonings, and peas. Leave over heat until heated through. And that's it!
I'm serving mine with a crescent roll for a total of 505 calories per serving. It's a little bit higher calories than I normally do for these (actually this whole month is a little higher than normal...but hey, you only live once, right?), but it's worth it :) Enjoy!
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