It’s the first Monday of the new year!  ! – ?  I’ve always had a love/hate relationships with Mondays.  To me, Monday has always been the start of a new week.  I’m sure this is a big debate for some of you.  The fact that one can select either Sunday or Monday as the first day of the week in any e-calendar is an indicator that this is a dividing subject.  Yes, Mondays can be tough in the sense of getting back into a routine, having that alarm clock go off rather than easing into wakefulness, and having to go back into the office.  (Those of you with kids may be laughing at any of the three previous statements!  Fur babies count, too! )  For some reason, Mondays are to me the first chance to get things right in the new week.  Hubby had both the 1st and the 2nd off from work, so we’ve been in extended vacation mode since last Wednesday.  I’d like to call this Monday the first chance to get things right in the new year!

So far, I think we’re off to a great start!  (Let’s revisit in a week 😉 )  I managed to menu plan for the first half of the week yesterday.  Lately, I feel like I’ve been scrambling to meal plan, grocery shop, and cook on Mondays, which leaves me feeling unorganized.  Hubby and I did some pseudo-organizing in the kitchen yesterday, and we decided we wanted to work on cleaning out the pantry.  How many open boxes of pasta do we have?  Too many!  How about containers of rice?  Again, too many!  So, this first meal of the week is attempting to use up some of that rice.  I found a mushroom risotto recipe on Pinterest that is made in the (gasp!) crockpot!  We’re giving it a go!  I LOVE risotto, but it is a time-consuming dish with all the necessary stirring.  You probably know by now that I LOVE my crockpot (French Onion Soup, Enchiladas, Chicken Stock, or BBQ chicken anyone?), so anytime I can put it to use AND simplify a complicated dish, that’s a win-win in my book!

Slow Cooker Risotto

(Wilderness Wife via Pinterest)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saute pan and over medium heat saute the shallots until they are translucent.
2. Coat the inside of the slow cooker with olive oil.
3. Add the sauted shallots and oil to the slow cooker.
4. Add the rice and coat with shallot/oil mixture.
5. Add ¼ cup of wine and chicken broth.
6. Add the salt and thyme and stir ingredients together.
7. Place cooker on slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or until liquid is absorbed into rice.
8. minutes before the rice is done, sauté mushrooms in sauté pan with 1TBS of olive oil and ¼ cup of white wine.
9. Stir cream and cheese into slow cooker and stir. Let the mixture heat for another 5 minutes.
10. Serve with mushrooms on top. (And, of course, my favorite side salad!) (And, of course, a glass of white wine – the one already opened for the recipe would be perfect 😉 )

Mushroom Risotto

I’ll be 100% honest and confess that this risotto is not AS good as the real thing, but it is pretty darn close.  And, the fact that I didn’t have to stand by the stove and stir it for 20 minutes while trying to entertain a toddler more than makes up for the slight difference in texture.  😀

Bon Appétit!

Well, it’s definitely that time of year.  Time for sneezes, sniffles, and coughs, and just plain yucky-ness!  (That is my official term!)  The cold windy weather doesn’t help either.  It just makes me want to snuggle up under a blanket on the couch with a good book and stay there until Spring 😉  Too bad (or maybe thankfully) Munchkin doesn’t agree.  There is not much that slows him down, not even a cold.  So, if I can’t escape, I might as well embrace this wintertime with a little feel-good recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup!

I mentioned the other day that we’ve been battling colds in our house for over two weeks now.  Munchkin came down with a cold first, and then Hubby caught something.  I thought I had escaped it because I wasn’t having any symptoms, and then one day it hit me.  And, it hit me hard.  It took me the longest to get over it, and so, I decided I needed the magic that is chicken noodle soup to get me over the hump.  I think it helped 😉  Along with multiple trips to the new Arden’s Garden just down the street from us.  (Thanks, Hubby!  He even stopped one morning before going to work to get me a fresh smoothie plus reinforcements, including the ginger shooter, for the day.)  We all seem to have a lingering tickle in our throats, but we are almost fully recovered.

I’ve made a couple versions over the years, and they have somehow morphed together into this recipe. It’s so nice to have a straightforward recipe on days when you’re not feeling 100% yourself or when you’ve been caring for someone else not feeling his or her best. (Aren’t babies just pitiful when they’re not feeling well?)

You could make this recipe in the crock pot by just throwing all the ingredients in and cooking on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, but I think it’s just as easy and actually quicker on the stove.  Plus, I like to sauté the veggies first for an added layer of flavor.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs skinless chicken thighs (The dark meat has extra nutrients to battle sickness and bone-in will add some extra flavor to the broth; skip the skin, though, or you’ll end up with a fattier broth.)

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS herbes de provence

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 TBS EVOO

1 TBS turmeric

Fresh thyme sprigs

Water

2 bay leaves

Egg noodles  (Look for ones made of just flour, egg and water)

Fresh dill

Fresh parsley

Juice of 2 lemons

Instructions

In a large stockpot, heat EVOO on medium and sauté chopped veggies with garlic, ginger, and herbes de provence.  Once the veggies are soft and the onions are translucent, add the chicken, turmeric, bay leaves and thyme sprigs.  Fill the pot with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for about 45 minutes, until chicken has cooked through and the broth has developed its flavor.  Remove the chicken and pick the meat off the bones.  Turn up heat until broth is boiling.  Then, add the dill, parsley, and noodles and cook to al-dente.  Add the chicken meat back and juice 2 lemons into the stock.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Bon Appétit!

We don’t eat a lot of eggplant usually.  I like eggplant – when I order it out, but it always somehow falls flat when I cook it at home.  Maybe it’s like tofu and requires a secret club to know how to prepare it?  Is it just me?  So, I see recipes including eggplant that look delicious, but I hardly ever work up the courage to try them.  Well, not this time!  This is actually the second time I’ve made this recipe – it’s that good!

I think the secret for this recipe is letting the eggplant sit.  The first time I made it, I didn’t have the full 40 minutes to allow it to sit.  It was still good, but this time was even better!  (I also omitted the olives and the capers.  We’re a little selective on olives in our family.  I don’t have anything against capers – I just forgot them!)

Eggplant Pomodoro With Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, (about 1 pound or 5 cups), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces angel hair pasta (sub quinoa pasta for gluten free)
• 1/4 cup chiffonade basil

Instructions

1. Place eggplant in a colander and season generously with salt. Fill a 1-gallon plastic bag with water, seal tightly and place over eggplant to weigh down. Let stand for 40 minutes
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add wine, lemon juice, tomatoes, olives, and capers. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 5 to 7 minutes more.
4. Remove from heat, add butter and stir till it’s melted.
5. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot
6. Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes or according to package directions.
7. Drain and divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle basil on top.

Munchkin was such a fan of this dish, too.  He had 3 servings of eggplant to go with his pasta.

Bon Appétit!

Tonight’s recipe is such a staple in our house that I’m surprised I haven’t already shared it.  It was adapted from an old Rachael Ray recipe; I say “adapted” because I no longer use a recipe and make a different variation every time; I say “old” because this recipe is not even on the Food Network website!  My whole family has gone through a big 30-minute-meals phase over the years.  Between us, we probably own all of the cookbooks.  (I think I’ve mentioned how fondly Hubby thinks of 30-minute-meals, right?)

I can safely say that this is a guaranteed 30-minute-meal.  While this meal is actually two separate recipes, they go perfectly together for a couple of reasons:  1) The oven temperature is THE SAME.  (Hallelujah!  How many times have you attempted to prepare several recipes for a meal only to find that they all need a different oven temperature.  So. Annoying.)  2) You can easily prep one recipe, pop in the oven, and then prep the other recipe.  No overlap.  This is especially beneficial to someone like me who forgets what she’s saying mid-sentence.  I often tell 5 stories within 1 story.  Oh, wait. . .were we discussing Meatless Monday here?  😀

Aside from the ease of preparation, I love this recipe simply because it lends itself so well to variation (what I also call improvisation).  Seriously, as long as you have the portobellos, you can make do with whatever you have in the fridge.  Don’t let the lack of specific ingredients keep you from making this.  I promise:  It will still be delicious!

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary & Garlic

Ingredients

1 bag of small potatoes (I used Yellow Dutch tonight; red or purple are also great!)

3 TBS EVOO

Salt & Pepper

5 Pinches Dried Rosemary (Recipe technically calls for fresh, but use what you have)

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Cut potatoes into small wedges.  (I cut them in quarters lengthwise and then in half.) In a bowl, drizzle the potatoes with the EVOO, then add salt & pepper to taste along with the rosemary.  (If using dried rosemary, I like to crush it in between my palms as I’m adding it.  I feel like this step releases the flavor of the dried herb.  I could be totally making that up.)  Place on baking sheet.  Roast for about 12 minutes.  Then, add in the garlic and stir the potatoes around.  Roast for another 12 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and starting to brown.  (I like my roasted potatoes especially crispy, so you can continue to cook for an additional couple of minutes to your liking.)

After you have put the potatoes in the oven, you can now work on the portobellos.

Roasted Portobellos

Ingredients

4 portobello caps (1 cap is usually enough for each of us, although the recipe calls for 2 caps per person to make a “burger.”)

EVOO

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

Arugula (or other baby greens)

4 slices of Mozzarella (any cheese will do; I actually used provolone because that’s what I found in the store.  You want 1 slice per cap)

OPTIONAL:

Roasted red pepper

Prosciutto (obviously not suitable for Meatless Monday, but a delicious addition nonetheless.  😉 )

Directions

Place portobellos gill side up on a baking sheet.  (I choose not to trim out the gills; some people prefer an actual cap.  If you do choose to scoop out the gills, you will definitely need 2 caps per person!)  Sprinkle with salt & pepper; then, drizzle with EVOO and balsamic.  Roast for about 12 minutes.  Add the cheese slices and roast until melted, about 2-3 minutes.  (If using prosciutto, add it now as well.)  Add a handful of arugula to each cap.  Sprinkle again with salt & pepper and a drizzle of EVOO and balsamic.  (If using the roasted red pepper, chop and add with the arugula.)

Your potatoes and portobellos should finish cooking at about the same time.  Perfection!

Roasted Portobellos with Arugula and Roasted Potatoes

Bon Appétit!

I thought of tonight’s Meatless Monday recipe last week.  I was trying to remember some of my other go-to soup recipes as we got hit with a full-on winter cold spell around here!  I remembered how good this soup tastes!  It may appear to be a difficult recipe because of roasting the broccoli, but it takes no time at all and really adds another depth to the flavor.  Hubby was satisfied with one bowl!

We were down at my sister’s for Halloween last Friday, so we were able to check out the PTC Farmers Market Saturday morning.  If y’all live in the area, check out the “almost perfect” table at Annie’s Baking table.  I got a bag of muffins and a whole wheat loaf of bread for $5.  What a deal!  While, soup and grilled cheese is a favorite cold-weather meal, somehow cheese soup AND a cheese sandwich just seems like a bit much.  (My Hubby would disagree, I’m sure!)  Instead, I toasted a couple of slices in the oven with a small pat of butter after the broccoli was done roasting and then rubbed it with the cut side of a garlic clove.  I also fixed a small side salad with red onions, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Munchkin is still learning how to use a spoon to actually eat, rather than just make noise, but we dipped some pieces of bread into the soup for him.  I’m a firm believer that kids should eat what the rest of the family eats.  Thankfully, our little eater hasn’t made it an issue, yet.  (I’m hoping it never happens!)  He happily gobbles up whatever is put in front of him.

I found this recipe several years ago on The Kitchn.  This is one of my favorite sites for recipes and general kitchen know-how.  Check it out!

Roasted Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil, divided
1 leek, washed (I bought a pre-trimmed leek to save on prep time)
1 medium waxy potato
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds)
6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or water (I used a combination of vegetable stock that I had leftover from this recipe and made up the difference with water)
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Lemon wedge
Crème fraîche or yogurt (optional) (I used Crème fraîche; sour cream or even goat cheese would work as well!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Thinly slice the white and light green portion of the leek. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is soft. While the leek cooks, peel and chop the potato into 1-inch chunks. Add the stock and potato to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

While the stock is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli into florets and spread onto two sheet pans. If the excess broccoli stalks are tender and tasty, they can be peeled and added to the pans. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the broccoli, sprinkle with a little salt and put the pans in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes. Stir the broccoli and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

Once the stock is boiling, add the broccoli and bring to boil again. Simmer until both the potatoes and broccoli pieces are tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches with a regular blender. Add the cheese and stir until it has melted and incorporated into the soup. Taste soup and adjust the seasoning. If you are not serving the soup with crème fraîche or yogurt, add a squeeze of lemon. Serve topped with a small dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, or a grind of fresh pepper.

Roasted Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

My favorite kitchen gadget during cold weather is my immersion blender.  If you don’t have one, I would seriously recommend investing in one.  You will save so much time (and sanity!) not having to transfer soups in and out of a blender or food processor.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy;  ours is actually a hand-me-down from Hubby’s grandfather.  I’m not sure what he was doing with an immersion blender to begin with, but we definitely lucked out as a result!  I had no idea what I was missing!

Bon Appétit!

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!