Best damn turkey meatloaf

I've decided to share my beloved meatloaf with you folks. It's only cause I like you and I feel guilty for not blogging much these days. I prepared this Sunday and just tossed it in the oven last night for 55 minutes and it was delightful.
Jeni's Best Turkey Meatloaf
Makes a 9 inch loaf (about 5 servings)
Ingredients:
20 ounces lean ground turkey (breast)
2 eggs
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use store bought dried stuff)
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tb ketchup (for topping)
5 large white button mushrooms, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tb oil
1 tsp ground sage
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt, divided
dash of black pepper
handful of parsley, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and onions (sprinkled with 1/2 tsp salt) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except the 3 tb ketchup. Add mushrooms and onions. Knead ingredients with hands until everything is mixed evenly. Dump into a nonstick 9 inch loaf pan and form a loaf with a rounded top. Top with remaining ketchup and bake for 55 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting.

Lemon herb roasted fingerling potatoes

We don't actually celebrate easter, a tradition which will likely change with the addition of a child, but that doesn't keep us from using it as an excuse to have a tasty meal! For Sunday dinner, I made a slow roasted chicken, roasted asparagus, and lemon herb roasted fingerling potatoes (hmmm seems roasting everything was in the cards).
Lemon Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs mixed fingerling potatoes, washed and sliced in half lengthwise
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp (2 cloves) crushed garlic
2 tbsp chopped italian parsley
1 minced shallot
1 tsp kosher salt
cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients but potatoes in a large bowl. Stir well. Add potatoes to bowl and toss to coat. Spread potatoes on cooking sheet and roast in bottom half of oven for 10 minutes. Flip potatoes and roast 10-12 minutes more.

Spicy rigatoni with spinach and mushrooms

I wasn't in the mood for marinara or pesto last night so I opted for a simple treatment of ricotta, red pepper, garlic and salt and pepper. This was actually much better then it looks.
Spicy Rigatoni with Spinach and Mushrooms
Makes 4 entree servings
Ingredients:
1/2 lb rigatoni
2 spicy Italian sausage links, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb frozen chopped spinach
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1/4 cup part skim ricotta
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook rigatoni al dente in salted water per package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2–1 cup of the pasta water. In a large saute pan, cook sausage until no longer pink over medium heat. Deglaze pan with a little water and add mushrooms. Cook another 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently stir in pasta, spinach, ricotta, garlic and crushed red pepper. Add reserved water until desired consistency and continue cooking until spinach is heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken and bean enchiritos - future cooking

These were excellent and this combination of meat and beans is certainly not set in stone. Please modify as you like, but this was how I made these the other night and the meat had PERFECT flavor. I think taco hell was onto something with using flour tortillas instead of corn. Yum! I'm excited to have made 2 meals with this. My freezer is slowly filling!Chicken and Bean Enchiritos
Makes 8 enchiritos(4 servings)
Ingredients:
1 tb oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground chicken (turkey would be just as good)
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 can refried beans (or black beans)
1 4 oz can whole green chiles
8 flour (light whole wheat) tortillas (soft taco/fajita size)
1 14 oz can enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mexican blend)
2 green onions, sliced

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and chicken until cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). Break chicken into small pieces with a spoon or spatula as it's cooking. Combine all spices in a small bowl then stir into cooked chicken and onions. Add water to skillet. Stir well to coat evenly. Simmer over medium-low heat for 9 minutes or until no longer watery. Turn off heat and mix beans into the skillet.

Preheat oven to 350. Slice green chiles into 16 strips. Lay a tortilla flat on a plate and scoop about 1/2 cup of meat/bean filling into the middle. Use spoon to spread in a line to the edges. Cover with two slices of green chile and roll up.
Place into a 9x13 (I used 2 8x8s) casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. When the pan(s) is full, cover with enchilada sauce. Top with shredded cheese and green onions.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and broil until cheese is bubbly.
These are so much easier to make with flour then with corn tortillas. They roll up really nice without crumbling or needing to coat in fatty oil first. Enjoy!

White bean and kale soup - future cooking

Last night I made a white bean and kale soup to freeze. I've had good experiences with freezing and reheating soups so I figured I would try a new one. I think soup is underrated in its potential to be a perfectly rounded meal alone.

I actually had enough of this for both of us to bring for lunch today too. I modified it quite a bit from the Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Italian Recipes, but their recipe was a good base for mine. This is easily made vegetarian by substituting veggie bouillion for the chicken.White Bean and Kale Soup
Makes 6 entree servings
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper
6 cubes chicken bouillion
4 cups water
2 cans cannellini beans (aka great northern beans), rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid
4 cups raw kale, chopped

Directions:
In a 4 qt or larger pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent. Add garlic, dried herbs and pepper, and saute one minute more. Add bouillion, water, and tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Add beans and reduce to low. Simmer 5 minutes. Add kale and simmer 5 minutes more. You can salt to taste, but honestly, I didn't add any. The bouillion provided plenty.
I had a burst of energy last night so I also made enchilada style burritos for dinner and to freeze. That recipe follows tomorrow!

Makeshift minestrone

Monday night I wanted to make and Italian-esque veggie soup but didn't have the traditional ingredients for minestrone. What I ended up with was tasty and went well with the pesto bread, but not your traditional minestrone. Next time I might add some tomato sauce or paste to thicken up the broth a little though.Makeshift Minestrone
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (about 1 tbsp)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp sugar
32 oz chicken broth (you could use veggie)
2 cups water
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup dried pasta (I used gemelli, but macaroni or penne would be really good)
4 cups kale, washed and chopped
grated parmesan for topping

Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat in 4 qt or larger pot. Add leeks and carrots. Saute until leeks are just tender. Add garlic, basil and rosemary and saute one minute more. Add salt, sugar, pepper, broth, water and tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta, kale and chick peas and reduce to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated parmesan.

Rosemary lemon chicken

I bought a big family pack of boneless thighs and separated them into 4 separate meal portions (8 servings). A pretty good deal for 10 bucks. While looking through my pantry and fridge for inspiration on how to prepare Sunday dinner, I decided on a bit of an Italian (go figure) theme. I served these on top of garlic and chive smashed yukon potatoes, with a side of steamed broccoli. Can't wait to eat the leftovers!
Rosemary lemon chicken thighs
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tb lemon juice
1 tb olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
cracked pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium dish. Toss well with tongs to coat chicken evenly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Heat skillet (in my case a grill pan) over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes. Flip and cook 3-5 minutes more.

Holy guacamole!

So as I indicated earlier this week, I had avocados. What do you do when life, er, Trader Joe's gives you avocados? You make guacamole! My friend from Guatemala will go on a 10 minute rant about how the only ingredients in guacamole should be lime juice, avocados and salt. While his guacamole is traditional, I prefer it with the addition of a couple of more ingredients.
Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 diced tomato (I've used chunky salsa instead in a pinch)
1 1/2 tb lime juice (I used the bottled stuff, so start with a little less if you're using the real thing)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste if you like it saltier)

Directions:
Cut avocados in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seed. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon into medium bowl. Break up the avocado into smaller pieces with a fork. Add all ingredients except the tomato and mash with fork until almost creamy. I like chunks in my guacamole. Add tomatoes and stir to combine. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

No brainer taco salad

Last night I set out to make my guacamole and discovered, upon slicing open my first avocado, that I'm going to need to wait a few more days. I saved this avocado by cubing it, tossing it with some lime and salt and throwing it onto a taco salad.

Sometimes dinners like this are just comforting in that they are non-events. Clean up is minimal. Effort is minimal and flavor is not compromised. I don't think I've ever made two quite the same, but here's how it went down last night.No Brainer Taco Salad
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey browned and cooked with taco seasoning (served warm)
1 can refried beans doctored with some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt (served warm)
1 head romaine lettuce chopped
1 can of sweet corn, drained and tossed with a little salt
1/2 can of small black olives
12 grape tomatoes sliced in half
4 thin slices of red onion
1/2 cucumber
1 firm avocado, cubed and tossed with lime juice and salt
about 30 chips
shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream to individual liking

Directions:
Assemble on plate. Wow that was tough!

I put all my cold ingredients around the perimeter. Then I fanned out my chips and covered with beans, then meat and a tiny bit of shredded cheese. This worked out well and kept the cold ingredients from getting wilted by the warm ones.

Chicken Florentine Rollatini

Using what I had on hand at home last night, this was the concoction I came up with. It's a little messy to make, but then again, dealing with stuffed/rolled raw chicken always is. Packed with flavor, it was a nice change from the same old chicken breasts!
Chicken Florentine Rollatini
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the filling:
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves of minced garlic
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped (you could sub artichoke hearts)
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tb oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
For the chicken:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
1 tb dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Directions:
Heat 1 tb oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add spinach and sundried tomato and stir to combine. Remove to a medium bowl and stir in ricotta cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cut a long piece of plastic wrap. Place 1 chicken breast on one side and fold the other side over. Press edges to seal.
Pound chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness. Repeat with remaining breasts. Spoon equal amounts of filling about an inch from one edge of each breast. Roll each breast like a burrito and secure shut with toothpicks.

Preheat oven to 350. Toss dried herbs and salt together on a small plate. Coat chicken breasts evenly with herb mixture. Heat 1 tb oil in large skillet over medium heat. Gently add chicken to pan and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Remove to baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to sit 5 minutes and remove toothpicks before slicing.

How to stink up your house - Brussel Sprouts

I remember liking brussel sprouts as a kid. I later had them on a truck stop buffet and they were mushy and bitter and just not good in any way. I decided at that time, that they were not good.

Skip years ahead. I'm standing in the grocery store on Saturday and I see them on sale. I know they're in season. I've seen lots of appetizing posts on blogs and decide that I want to try preparing them myself. I purchase a little over a pound. When I got home, I looked through some cookbooks and online and decided how I wanted to prepare the mini cabbages. I think they turned out great, even though they stunk up my house.

Brussel Sprouts
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed
2 tb olive oil
2 tb butter
3 large shallots, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
a splash of lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil brussel sprouts in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking and keep the pretty green color. Cut the brussel sprouts in half.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until they are just softened (about 3 minutes). Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the brussel sprouts and butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Saute for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with parsley, lemon juice, and toasted almonds. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken and whole grain stuffed cabbage rolls

I'm sure you remember what happened the last time I touched a cabbage. If not, here's a reminder. About a month ago, I encountered mass hysteria in my poor kitchen while I attempted to stuff cabbage into something. Monday I decided to attempt the reverse. Instead I stuff something into cabbage! Though still a little messy, this went much better and we both gobbled up the results. Again, I didn't use a recipe. I used what I had on hand and needed to cook up. Let me say, cabbage isn't the most beautiful vegetable, but it sure can taste good, so pardon my colorless photography.
Chicken and Bulgur Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Makes 12 rolls (4 large entree servings or 6 small servings)
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked bulgur (or brown rice), cooked in water and bouillion per package instructions
1 head of green cabbage
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1 tb olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 handful fresh sage, chopped (if using dry, reduce to 1 1/2 tsp)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, choppped (if using dry, use 2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tb minced garlic
1 handful fresh italian parsley, chopped
olive oil for drizzling
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Directions:
Heat 1 tb olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken and onion. Add salt, pepper, sage, rosemary and garlic. Stirring, cook for another minute or two over medium heat. If pan is large enough, add parsley and bulgur or rice and mix through. Otherwise mix in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.Core cabbage and place stem side down in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. You core it to make removing the hot leaves easier.Reduce heat to medium and carefully remove an outer leaf from the cabbage with metal tongs. place on a plate and spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into the middle of the curled up leaf. Fold sides in and roll from the end nearest you toward the other end. This may work more like folding then rolling, depending on the rigidity of your cabbage leaves. Be patient and don't worry if it rips. It will still taste great. (Not sure what happened to the photo of me folding the little buggers, I definitely took one, but can't find it)

Preheat oven to 400. Place roll seam side down in a large, lightly oiled 9x13 pan. Continue removing leaves and stuffing and rolling until you have used up all of the filling. I placed all rolls in the pan facing the same direction to make removal easiest.Once your pan is full, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with parmesan, cover and bake for 25 minutes. If my hubby liked sour cream, I would have served these with a mustard cream for dipping. As they stood, they were still great and a well-rounded meal all in one package.

Photo Essay – A salvaged dinner

So you may recall my post from yesterday, an inquiry as to how to cook turnips. I decided last night that I would create a mashed root vegetable dish to accompany the chicken tenderloins and spinach that I needed to cook. I only had turnips, potatoes and carrots from the root category so I decided to use them all. It started simple and innocent enough...

Ingredients:
4 tennis ball– baseball sized turnips (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
4 medium yellow potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
2 large carrots (peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces)
4 ounces light softened cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add turnips and potatoes. Return to a boil and add carrots. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Drain well, add cream cheese and mash with an immersion blender. Add salt and garlic and mix well. Check seasoning, then salt and pepper to taste. Oh and this probably makes 6–8 servings. It's quite a lot.

I did all of this (except the cream cheese) and much to my surprise my mash was more of a puree. Turns out boiled turnips hold a lot of water. I almost thought about tossing it all out and then I decided to add the cream cheese. Good decision ;) To perfect the consistency in the future, I'd probably use a higher ratio of potatoes.

So I was disappointed, because the plate started out looking like this:Not too appetizing. It looked like a plate of melted orange sherbet. I was starting to swear at myself for not just following one of those uber-fattening gratin recipes...Every once in awhile we all have a big flop in the kitchen and I was thinking this would be my most recent. The orange of the carrots was throwing me off, despite it tasting pretty good. I decided to wilt some spinach and season with salt and pepper and see how it progressed.Okay so it was looking a little better and I liked the subtle sweetness of the puree combined with the mellowness of the spinach. I had some chicken tenderloins that I tossed with a tiny bit of olive oil and a little bit of pre-made lipton "garlic and herb" soup mix. I decided to grill those babies over some med-high heat in my grill pan and see if dinner was salvageable after all.
And you know what? Dinner was not only saved, it turned out really good. My hubby had no clue of the struggle that had transpired before he got home. The mash was well balanced and the flavors and textures were well complimented by the spinach and chicken. Despite it's bizarre color, I even thought it actually looked mildly appetizing on the plate with the other components. Hubby raved and I enjoyed it. Try something new, outside your comfort zone and wing it.

Sage pork chops with shallot gravy

This is an easy, low calorie method for making really flavorful pork chops. The original recipe is here. I used boneless chops so I only simmered for around 30 minutes. I also subbed olive oil for the butter, reduced the salt to 1 tsp and added 1 tsp of garlic powder to the dry rub.

When the chops were done, I removed them to a platter and poured all of the broth into a measuring cup. I then added 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 sliced shallots to the pan. I cooked over medium-high heat until the shallots were translucent and added 4 tbsp of flour. I cooked over medium heat until it started to bubble a little. Stirring constantly, I slowly added the broth back to the pan, a few tablespoons at a time. I continued this slow process until I had a nice thick gravy. I plated a chop, topped with oven roasted yukon potatoes and covered it in the shallot gravy. Dinner was easy!!!

Kale with Bacon

Growing up mostly in the south, you'd think I'd be well versed in greens. Truth is I never had even tried collards, turnip, or mustard greens until I was in my mid-twenties. My upbringing was not a southern one, especially when it came to food. The only cooked greens I ate as a kid were kale and I still get a hankering for them from time to time.

I love the recipe below because of the balance of flavors. The bitter earthiness of the kale is paired well the smoky bacon and balanced nicely with the acidity of the vinegar. You could also leave out the bacon and make this a completely vegetarian dish! This comes from the Joy of Cooking and really the only thing I've altered is the cooking time. I still like my greens with a bit of bite when it comes to texture so I cook them for less time then originally recommended.

Kale with Bacon (Adapted from the Joy of Cooking)
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of kale (washed)
1 small onion diced
2 slices bacon chopped (I used hickory smoked)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
splash of red wine vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Strip kale leaves from stems and discard. Roughly chop kale into bite-size pieces. In a large pot cook bacon. Remove to paper towel to drain. Add olive oil and diced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add minced garlic and kale to pot, stir to cook down kale so that all of it will fit. Add salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and continue cooking another 10-12 minutes. Add the splash of red wine vinegar and the crumbled bacon to the kale and toss. Check for seasoning and serve.

We had this with some gnocchi tossed with marinara, turkey spicy italian sausage, mushrooms and fresh parmesan and a green bean and carrot mixture.

Cauliflower gratin

I was craving mac and cheese last night, but had no mac. I did, however have a behemoth head of cauliflower. This is what I came up with. It definitely satisfied the craving. We had it with corn and baked chicken tenders served over wild rice. Yum!
Cauliflower Gratin
Makes 6-8 side servings
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower, washed and broken into florets
2 tb butter
2 tb flour
1/8 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used a combo of sharp cheddar and mozzarella)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (I'm trying to use a box up, can you tell?)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Steam cauliflower until crisp tender. In a large sauce pot (large enough to fit the head of cauliflower), melt butter and stir in flour over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme and cook a minute. Slowly add milk (1/4 cup at a time), stirring constantly. Once all milk is added, increase heat to high and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 4 minutes. Reduce heat again to low and add cheese and sour cream. Stir until melted and combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, combine panko, oil and garlic powder.

Add cauliflower to pot of cheese sauce and gently stir until all cauliflower is coated. Drain off any excess liquid and pour into a 3 qt casserole (broiler safe) dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400 on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Broil on high until the top is crispy and bubbly. I broiled mine from the middle of the oven and it took about 10 minutes. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving.

Crispy Thai tilapia

My aim last night was to make a healthy meal. I thawed out some frozen tilapia filets and searched my pantry for inspiration. This is what I came up with. The flavor is subtle, but I enjoyed it alongside some stirfried garlicky broccoli and sticky jasmine rice.
Crispy Thai Tilapia
2 servings
Ingredients:
2 thawed tilapia filets
1 egg
1/2 tsp sriracha hot sauce
1 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

If you are unfamiliar with Sriracha, familiarize yourself. This is the best tasting, non-vinegary hot sauce around (in my opinion). It's incredibly versatile. You've probably seen it in the asian section of your grocery or you could find it in an asian grocery.It's not usually this dark of a red. Mine is really old (expired 2006!) but I still used it last night and I'm not dead yet...Back to the recipe.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Rinse tilapia and pat dry. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and set aside. In a large shallow dish, beat egg with sriracha and milk. In another dish, combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder and ginger powder. Stir well.

One at a time, dip tilapia in egg wash and then into the breadcrumbs. Turn and press breading into the filet to coat evenly. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and spray each side of the fish with canola cooking spray. Repeat with other filet. Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake 10 minutes more.

Cream of vegetable soup

This weekend was much cooler then recent weeks with high temperatures remaining in the 70's and lows in the 50's. I was inspired by the cool air to cook up warm things. This started with a cream of vegetable soup on Saturday. Soup is usually made of whatever I have on hand and I think it's a great way to clean out frozen and fresh veggies. Now we have easy lunches for this week! I will warn you that I use no cream in my cream soups because I like to keep them pretty guiltless, but they're still packed with flavor and I never miss that cream. I doubt you will either.

Cream of vegetable soup
Makes 6 large bowls
Ingredients:
16 oz frozen corn
1 head broccoli washed and cut in florets
4 medium potatoes cubed
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 tbsp flour
32 oz chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
1 tsp dried crushed thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (for kick)
2 tbsp minced garlic (could use powder instead)
handful of chopped parsley (for color, optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil potatoes over high heat until tender, drain and reserve. In a large pot, saute onions in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add minced garlic, thyme, basil, red pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and saute one minute more. Add in flour and stir well. Stirring and scraping bottom of pan, continue cooking another minute or so.

Slowly add milk about 1/4 cup at a time and continue stirring until you have a thick gravy. Slowly add chicken stock so that the thick liquid is slowly diluted. If you add too much liquid at any point, the creaminess will completely separate. Slow is key.

Add in cooked potatoes and blend with an immersion blender to break them up and add body to the soup. Leave some chunks for texture. Add broccoli, corn, parsley and cheese, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a crusty bread.

Cornmeal crusted tilapia and crashed potatoes

Last night's dinner was a very healthy one. With all of my fellow food bloggers trying out Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes (actually she got them from someone else, so I'm not sure if I should attribute them to her or them, alas I'm lazy), I decided to finally give them a try. I think I definitely should have boiled them longer and baked them at an even higher heat (450). When I went to smash them, they didn't smash easy, but instead slid around on the greased pan and just mashed a little. I made an ungraceful mess and it's only fair to share that with you. Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes (my adaptation)
Ingredients:
medium red potatoes (I used 6)
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
chopped fresh rosemary and parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender (I ended up having to boil for like 20 minutes). Place on a seasoned cooking. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and with a potato masher, gently smash each potato. Drizzle with olive oil, chopped rosemary and parsley, kosher salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. These would have been great topped off with a little bacon and some cheese too. I ate with a dollop of sour cream and it was sooooooo good, despite my mess in the kitchen! Big thanks go to Pam for her endeavor and her adaptation (which I based mine off of).We ate these with mixed greens (straight out of the can, but heated) and cornmeal crusted tilapia. Despite it not being fried, it was actually very crispy and wonderfully spiced.

Cornmeal crusted tilapia
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 egg
4 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
2 tilapia fillets or loins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a baking sheet with canola oil cooking spray. Combine the cornmeal and spices on a plate. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Dip the tilapia fillets in the egg and then in the cornmeal mixture, turn and press breading into the fish to coat all sides. Place on the baking sheet and spray both sides of fish lightly with canola oil. Bake about 20 minutes.

Calabacitas

A calabacita is a mexican squash, or at least that's what it's called at the grocery. It's also a mexican dish of squash, onions, corn and tomatoes. I originally found it on allrecipes, but have modified greatly to my own liking. This is what I tend to serve as a veggie dish with most mexican style meals I make.

Calabacitas
Makes 6 side dish servings
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 calabacitas or 3 zucchini chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
8 ounces frozen corn
1 large tomato chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 small can of diced green chiles (I forgot them this time)
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or other mexican crumbling cheese
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
fresh chopped cilantro (if that's your thing)
salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges to garnish

Instructions:
Heat oil over high heat and add squash and onions. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir to flip over squash and cook 2 minutes more. Turn heat down to medium, drain excess liquid. Add corn, garlic, chiles and all spices. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and continue cooking until corn is heated through. Add tomatoes and cook another minute.
Add crumbled cheese and remove from heat. Serve with a lime wedge.