Wednesdays can be tough. It isn’t called “hump day” for nothing! Middle of the week; last weekend is a distant memory; the coming weekend not quite close enough. (Although, I think I could give an explanation as to why each day of the week can be hard! 😯 ). For the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with one-pot meals, and I have to tell you that I’m hooked! So far, these have been easy prep AND easy cleanup. Can’t beat that!
Tonight’s pick was no exception. I went in a new direction tonight with a Mexican dish, unlike the previous pastas (Meatless One Pot Pasta and One Pasta with Andouille, Tomatoes & Basil). It’s also a double whammy in that it qualifies as a one-pot wonder AND a Meatless Monday pick. I served it with some tortilla chips; a little shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar would have been a great addition. (You can also see that I served it on our fine china in honor of our *GASP* 9-year anniversary!) We all had seconds! If you happen to have leftovers (we barely scraped together a small Tupperware container), they would be delicious rolled up in a tortilla.

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

Damn Delicious via Pinterest
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapenos, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn kernels (use frozen organic corn)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
• Serve immediately.  Serve with tortilla chips, and top with a little shredded cheese.

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

Bon Appétit!

I can’t take FULL credit for finding tonight’s recipe. I pinned it recently from my sister’s board. We hung out last week for a jewelry party (so fun!), and she mentioned she had just made it. I remembered the pin when she mentioned it and decided it would go on this week’s menu.

I LOVE butternut squash and love finding creative ways to incorporate it into a meal. This was a perfect pick for Meatless Monday: it highlights all the best flavors of the veggies, AND it’s filling enough to be the mainstay of the meal. Although I was a little behind schedule today, I was still able to get it on the table within an hour – about half an hour active prep and another half-hour cook time.  I served it with (what else?!) my favorite side salad; tonight’s selection included spring mix, craisins, and white balsamic vinegar.  YUM!

Butternut Squash & Spinach Stuffed Shells

(Key Ingredient via Pinterest via Pinterest 🙂 )

(My comments in red)

Ingredients

1 box jumbo shells (Look for whole wheat, although very difficult to find; I had to settle for white pasta because I had run out of time to stop at Whole Foods!)

Butternut squash (buy whole and chop yourself or buy pre-chopped to save yourself a little prep time)

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup frozen spinach

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

Peel of 1 lemon

Freshly grated nutmeg (this is a delicious addition to both greens and squash!)

1 stick butter

10 sage leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Peel, chop and toss in olive oil your butternut squash, then in a hot oven roast at 425F for 15-20 minutes. Cook your jumbo pasta shells according to directions. In a bowl add 2 cups of ricotta, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, 1 fresh smashed garlic clove (coarsely chopped), 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, 1 egg, salt, pepper, your cooled down roasted squash, around 2 cups, and grated lemon peel. (And, grated nutmeg!) Stuff the shells with the mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. Make a sage brown butter sauce by melting 1 stick of butter in a sauté pan until golden brown and bubbly. Add at least 10 sage leaves until slightly crisp. Turn off heat, and squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Place your shells in a 400F oven until heated through around 20-25 minutes. When finished, spoon your warm sage sauce all over, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Bon Appétit!

We were out of town this weekend in the mountains (Ah – wish I were there now!), and I put off my menu-planning until late yesterday.  After two days of scrounging, it was time for a balanced meal.  I knew I would be limited on time since I had to menu-plan, grocery shop, and fix dinner in about two hours.  The crock pot was out – that is the one down-side to crock pot meals.  I thought of the one pot pasta I had recently made and decided that sounded good.  I went to my Pinterest Board to see if there were any other one pot pastas that could work, and I found one!  This recipe also comes from Damn Delicious (via Pinterest).

I was able to prep and cook all under 30 minutes, which really is a small miracle in my house, especially with a munchkin demanding hugs as I work.  If you’re wondering what you’re going to make for dinner tonight to avoid ANOTHER night of take-out, this is it!

One Pot Pasta with Andouille, Tomatoes & Basil

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti  (I used whole-wheat angel hair)
• 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced  (I used Aidells – NO NITRATES! Watch out – it does have a little kick!)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cups halved grape tomatoes  (Any tomato will do, just be sure to cut into large bite-size pieces)
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, sausage, onion, tomatoes, basil, garlic and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan.
• Serve immediately.

I was lazy and didn’t feel like making a salad, but my favorite side salad would be a perfect addition.  (If you fix it while the pasta is cooking, you’ll still make the 30-minute-meal mark!)  Hubby had seconds and Munchkin had thirds!

One Pot Pasta with Andouille, Tomatoes & Basil

Bon Appétit!

We almost always have a salad with dinner.  Somehow, I feel like I’m eating healthy as long as there’s some green on the table.  Eating pizza – serve a salad; eating a hamburger – serve a salad.  It goes with practically every meal.  I’ve mentioned that I don’t use bottled salad dressing.  Most salad dressings are chock-full of additives – corn syrups, sugars, preservatives. Because I’m a stickler for ingredient lists, these never make their way into my fridge.  Plus, dressings are SO easy to make.  Seriously, all you need is a little EVOO and a vinegar of your choice.  My go-to is balsamic.

A few of my Grocery List posts have included mention of a side salad (check out French Onion Soup, Chicken Pot Pie, and Roasted Tomato Soup).  I’m going to share with you my all-time FAVORITE salad dressing. Once you make it, I guarantee it will be one of your favorites, too!

Remember when I said that I love most things French? Well, here’s another example. This dressing is a variation of the one my French family made while I was on foreign study in Versailles. (Now, that would be a throwback Thursday post!) I say variation because I honestly can’t remember exactly how Sylvie made hers. This recipe is a result of many attempts at trying to replicate it. It’s not the same, but I think I have created a pretty awesome version, if I do say so myself.

Once you’ve made the dressing, you can drizzle it on any salad combination. We eat all kinds of greens in our house: spinach, arugula, spring mix, romaine. And, just the other day I was reminded how good this dressing is on just some red leaf lettuce. Seriously, that’s all you need. But, if you’re feeling gourmet, throw in some seasonal fruit and a little cheese.

Favorite Side Salad

Ingredients

Greens (any kind or combination; I use one large handful per person)
Fruit (fresh or dried; right now for fall, I’m loving apples and pears)
Cheese (whatever you have on hand; soft or hard)

For the dressing

1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
1 pinch Herbes de Provence
1 pinch Salt
Several grinds Pepper
2-3 TBS EVOO

Directions

In a large salad bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Once combined, whisk in the EVOO. Add greens and other toppings. Toss just before serving. You can also prepare the dressing in a separate bowl and drizzle, but why dirty another dish when you don’t have to? Untossed, the salad will stay fresh for several hours.

In my opinion, the Herbes de Provence are what really make this dressing special. You can leave them out and still have a nice vinaigrette. But, they are worth it! You can buy them at Williams-Sonoma, and, even with making this dressing several times a week, it has lasted me almost two years! (I’m sure you can find other versions, but I happen to love the clay jar the WS blend comes in; it’s usually sitting out on the shelf above my stove.)

Here is what my dressing looks like:

Dijon Vinaigrette

Bon appétit!

Who doesn’t love a nice bowl of soup when it’s cold and rainy out? How about a homemade bowl of soup? Better yet, a soup that you’ve thrown in the crock pot and let simmer while you do something more productive with your time, like maybe watching last week’s Parenthood episode?

I love just about all things French. French onion soup is no exception. I’m not sure when my obsession actually began. I took French in high school, but I’m guessing it started before that. Maybe I have my grandma to thank: she practiced French grammar workbooks as a hobby! Regardless, you can’t beat a bowl of slow cooked onions topped with crusty bread and gooey cheese in my book!

In honor of Meatless Monday, I do want to acknowledge an oversight in my previous Meatless Monday post for Roasted Tomato Soup. The point of Meatless Monday is to avoid meat. For me, I like the challenge to be creative with vegetable-centered recipes. I am not a vegetarian. I eat all kinds of meat. I think it’s OK to eat fatty foods, in moderation, just as I think it’s OK to eat sugar, again in moderation. I think Meatless Mondays are a great way to keep meat consumption in check, which to me is just an overarching philosophy for my life in general. While I’m not a fan of meat-industry practices as a whole, that’s another can of worms. I choose to approach Meatless Mondays from a nutritional standpoint, and I think vegetables should be the mainstay of our diets. So, in posting my tomato soup recipe, I overlooked the fact that it calls for chicken stock. Obviously, if you’re a vegetarian, you probably already caught that. But, if you’re new to Meatless Mondays and to the idea of moderating your meat consumption, you may have missed it as well. While I do think the chicken stock adds a level of hardiness to the soup, in order to make it a true Meatless Monday, you should use vegetable stock.

I bring this up because today’s recipe is another case in point. This French onion soup is made with beef stock. For Meatless Monday, though, you should substitute vegetable stock. Given the cheese AND bread, I don’t think you’ll miss the beef. 🙂 Serve a side salad with a Dijon vinaigrette, and you have a complete meal.

Directions:

• Over medium heat, sauté the onion in butter until soft and translucent.
• De-glaze cooking skillet with some of the beef stock; this is the secret to that taste.
• Add to slow cooker along with the remaining beef broth.
• Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
• Cover; cook on High for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
• Divide soup into appropriate containers.
• Seal and freeze.
• When ready to enjoy your French Onion Soup, remove from freezer and place in a microwave dish with 2 tbsp sherry; heat for 5 minutes.
• Add Parmesan cheese to your onion soup bowl. Place one slice of toasted bread over the cheese. Fill bowl with soup.
• Top with shredded Gruyère cheese.
• Place under broiler to melt your cheese.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Bon Appétit!

Get ready to feel warm and cozy!  I’m going to share one of my favorite comfort food recipes.  I took dinner the other night to a friend with a precious new baby girl, and I chose a classic:  Chicken Pot Pie.

Let me start out by saying that this recipe is a little more involved than my usuals.  But, stay with me; it’s SO worth it!  It probably took me about an hour from start to finish, and that includes digging through my very unorganized pantry and fridge.  Not TOO terrible.  I’m telling you, it’s worth it!  Also, remember how my hubby thinks I used every tool in the kitchen when I cook?  Well, he might actually have a valid argument after this dish.  Have I mentioned that it’s worth it? 😉

So, there are several steps to this recipe:  Cook the chicken (you could also use a rotisserie chicken!), chop and sauté the vegetable filling, and make the biscuit dough.  But, after all these steps, it does become a one-pot meal.  I usually just serve a side salad along with it, and there you have a complete meal.  I found this recipe on Eating Well, and it really is a healthful and nutritious take on the classic.  I love how fresh all the ingredients taste, and the herb biscuits on top add an extra layer of flavor.

Are you ready for a little taste of fall?

(My comments in red.)

Chicken Potpie

Preparation

1. To prepare filling: Heat 1 teaspoon [olive] oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots; cook, stirring, until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until browned and their liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the onions and carrots to the pan. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup broth; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in chicken (or turkey), peas, sour cream, salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 2-quart baking dish.
2. To prepare biscuit topping & bake potpie: Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk whole-wheat [pastry] flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and thyme in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or 2 knives, cut butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Add buttermilk and oil; stir until just combined. Drop the dough onto the filling in 6 even portions. Set the baking dish on a baking sheet.
3. Bake the potpie until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

You can also bake in individual servings.  Just watch the cooking time. 

When I take dinner to friends, I always make enough for own dinner.  The last thing I want to do is prepare two different meals in one day, especially when you’re taking the extra time to make a special recipe like this one.  There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit of it, too!  This recipe makes 6 servings.  If Hubby and I need leftovers for lunch the next day, I’ll go ahead and just double the recipe.  However, if we have a surplus of leftovers from previous meals during the course of the week (like we did this week!), I’ll just make the recipe as is.  So, I put together two individual-sized dishes for us and put the rest in a throw-away aluminum baking tin.  That gave my friend enough for some leftovers, too!

Of course, that all depends on the family you’re feeding.  In our stage of life, we are usually feeding new parents, so a 4-serving recipe gives them two meals.  Always a plus, if you ask me!  We had very generous friends when Munchkin was born who also gave us large-portioned meals, and I can’t tell you how amazing it was to not have to scrounge up lunch the next day.  In those early weeks, you are really just trying to survive and keep a tiny human alive with feedings every. two. hours.  Any time you don’t have to spend thinking about feeding yourself is a bonus!

Chicken Pot Pie

Bon appétit!

You know all those recipes that call for cooked chicken?  Well, the last thing I want to have to do is cook BEFORE I start cooking!  But, I have come up with the simplest way to cook chicken.  This method will leave even frozen chicken juicy and moist.  Seriously.

Easy Bake Oven Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast
• EVOO
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F.  In a baking dish, drizzle chicken with EVOO.  Combine spices and rub onto chicken.  (Get your hands dirty!) Bake for 10 minutes.  Flip to the other side, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Bon appétit!

Another Monday!  The fall weather is really setting in at our house which means that my crock pot is in full swing!  I use it plenty during the warmer months; I’m not afraid of a summer chili night.  But, it seems that cooler weather is just meant for slow-cooked food.  I have several favorites on the rotation, but this has to be one of the easiest.  And, it’s quick!  This is a plus if I’m trying to throw it together at the last minute.  Because it’s a veggie meal, everything is basically cooked before it goes into the pot.  The cooking time just ensures that all the flavors meld together.

This recipe also lends itself to variation.  The seasonings are basic, but you could definitely run wild with experimentation.  I think I’ve used a different salsa every single time I’ve made this.  That in itself provides a different flavor each time.  Go ahead – have fun!

I’d also like to note that I have had really good luck with all of the Real Simple recipes I’ve tried.  (One of my other go-to recipes is a brat and sauerkraut recipe in the crock pot; not exactly meant for Meatless Monday, but I’ll be sure to share it at some point!)  Real Simple is one of the few magazines I subscribe to, and I love that there’s a little bit of everything in it, including recipes.  Check it out!

Now, time for some meatless cooking!  (My comments in red.)

Slow-Cooker Bean and Spinach Enchiladas

1. In a medium bowl, mash half the beans. Add the spinach, corn, cumin, 1 cup of the Cheddar, the remaining beans, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mix to combine.
2. Spread 1 jar of the salsa in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Dividing evenly, roll up the bean mixture in the tortillas (about ½ cup each) and place the rolls seam-side down in a single layer in the slow cooker. Top with the remaining salsa and Cheddar.
3. Cover and cook until heated through, on low for 2½ to 3 hours.

Before serving, toss the lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl with the lime juice, oil, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the enchiladas and sprinkle with the scallions.

This recipe states that you will use 8 tortillas.  I have found that the filling gives you double that.  You can either make the 8 enchiladas in a single layer and use the leftover filling for something else.  (It’s excellent in quesadillas or on nachos.)  Or, you can just go ahead and make 16 enchiladas in 2 layers. 

Slow-Cooker Bean and Spinach Enchiladas

Meatless Monday: Slow-Cooker Bean and Spinach Enchiladas served with side salad

Bon appétit!

So, I mentioned in my Everday Lentils post that I came across a recipe discrepancy.  I’m not usually in the habit of comparing recipes from multiple sites.  Sure, I’ll compare a couple of recipes to see which one I want to make, but usually I follow just one, especially on the first time.  After I’ve tried a recipe, I may experiment a little, but honestly, most of my “experimentation”  is really just a result of making do with ingredients on hand. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started cooking only to find one ingredient didn’t make it onto my list!)

But, you may remember that I recently came across a new menu planning website, Pepperplate.  This week was the third week using Pepperplate for menu planning and grocery shopping.  It’s a breeze!  Really, I’m loving just about everything about Pepperplate so far.  I like that it’s an app AND a website, so that I can update at the computer or from my phone.  I like that it has a calendar to plan meals by the day.  I like that I can add to my shopping list directly from that meal plan.  I like that the grocery list is sorted by aisle.  I like that I can edit the grocery list, deleting items I already have on hand, adding items not specifically included on my menu, or moving items between categories.

The ONLY issue I have had so far is that Pepperplate imports directly from only a handful of websites.  There is the option to manually enter a recipe, and copy and paste works well, but I’ve found that a lot of my Pinterest recipes come from individual blogs. Thankfully, these are also generally included in the all-inclusive food.com or foodnetwork.com libraries, which are supported in Pepperplate.  I included the link to The Dr. Oz show website because, well, that’s how I originally found the recipe.  However, when I went to add it into my Pepperplate, I discovered that it was not supported. A quick google search led me to foodnetwork.com. The recipe appeared to be the same. It was in proofreading the recipe to add my own comments that I realized an ingredient was missing.  Only because I had improvised, ahem, experimented 😉 .

Regardless of the mix up (user error), y’all should really give Pepperplate a try!