Roasted Green Beans

My new additive crave is roasted vegetables.  It gives the veggies such a different and crunchy texture as compared to steamed mushy vegetables.  I made these roasted green beans tonight to serve with my
Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken               

~1 lb of fresh green beans

~3 tbsp olive oil

~1 tsp paprika

~1 tsp garlic salt

~1 fresh squeezed lemon

~Salt & Pepper

Cut the ends off of the green beans on both sides and give them a good rinse.

Next in a large bag mix all the ingredients listed above and toss till coated.

Once evenly coated spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in a 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes.  Time may vary depending on your preference on how crispy you like your green beans.  I like mine a little more crisp.

Kate Anne

Grilled Carrots

The past few times I've bought carrots at the store I've opted to buy regular carrots and not baby.

The flavor is much better in the long carrots.

Last weekend I decided to throw a few on the grill while I cooked the chicken legs.

They turned out delicious.

Just wash and cut the ends off.

Place in some tin foil and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning.

I used a Mrs. Dash salt substitute.

Turn a time or two during cooking.

Try them...you'll love them.

The carrots before the grilling goodness.

Kate Anne

Stuffed TWICE Baked Potatoes

My husbands all time favorite dish would have to be anything that involves the use of potatoes.  Baked potatoes, fried potatoes, mashed potatoes and everything in between.  Potatoes are okay, but far from my favorite food to prepare, so a few weekends ago I started brainstorming possible creations that would be more enticing for me.  What makes a baked potato even better?  A baked potato with cream cheese and blue cheese and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  Any food that ends or beginning with the word "CHEESE" is bound to be amazing.

You'll need:

6 potatoes (I use red for everything)

4 oz Neufchatel cheese (cream cheese would work fine)

3 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup of milk (less or more depending on the size of your potatoes)

1/2 cup salsa (optional)

2 Romano tomatoes

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Next time I make these I'll use crumbled bacon.  That would make these rockin!!

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and poke holes with a fork or knife all over the potatoes.  Do not cut potatoes until after they have cooked in the microwave.

Place potatoes on a plate and microwave on high for about 12 minutes, or until soft all the way through.

Next carefully remove the potatoes from the plate and let cool a few minutes.  They are too hot right out of the microwave, but you don't want them to cool so much that they don't melt the butter and cheese.

After they have cooled a bit cut them in half and scoop out the middles into a large bowl.  Be careful not to scoop too much and break the skin on the bottom.  With an electric mixer, mix the butter, neufchatel cheese, garlic salt, pepper and salsa together in the large bowl with the potatoes.  After completely mixed, spoon the mixture back in to the skins and place in oven for about 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, take out of the oven and place the blue cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded cheese on top of the potatoes and place back in the oven for about 7 minutes longer or just until the cheddar cheese is melted.

Don't these look wonderful?!

Kate Anne

Homemade Black Beans & Corn Bread

I love beans.  And they are so good for you.  They are so loaded with sodium though if they are from a can. I do know that if you rinse them before you use them if they are from a can, that can reduce the sodium by almost half. 

 I put beans in my soups, on my salads, or even alone as a side dish. 

Since I've been on vacation from school, I've had extra time.  I made some amazing homemade black beans.

1 bag black beans

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 16 oz jar sweet salsa

1 tbsp dill

1 tsp salt

1 clove minced garlic

8 cups of water

1/2 package of turkey bacon (about 10 slices)

Soak your beans overnight according to the directions on the bag.  There is a faster method of preparing beans in a shorter amount of time.  Although I have never tried it.  The quicker method says to rapidly boil the beans for 30 minutes and then drain the water.

After soaking and rinsing your beans over night put on the stove with the 8 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low.  Beans will take about two hours on a low boil.  These beans take awhile, but they are oh so worth it.  After the beans are have been boiling and are tender add the garlic, dill, brown sugar and the salt.  At this point most of your water will have been absorbed or boiled out.  Cut the bacon, not cooked, in think chunky slices.  Add bacon, raw, to the beans.  Continue cooking beans on low for an additional 30 minutes.  If beans have lost too much water add another 1/2 cup at a time.  You do not want your beans runny.  Cooking another 30 minutes on low with cook the bacon and add some wonderful flavor.  I might have use regular bacon, but that's not what I had on hand.  I rarely ever eat regular bacon anymore.

For the Corn Bread

Make the corn bread according to directions on package.  Add 1 tsp of dill, some salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of light sour cream.  The sour cream will make your muffins so moist.  They're delish.

For the Veggie Salad

1 avocado

1 cup frozen corn (no sodium added)

2 medium tomatoes

1 tsp dill

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Add all ingredients to a large bag and shake to evenly coat.

For directions on cooking the pork go here.

Enjoy...

Kate Anne

Boneless Pork Lions & Veggie Salad

For the pork loins...

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp dill

1/4 tsp cumin

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Warm up olive oil in a pan.  Swirl oil in pan to make sure it completely coats the bottom.  Completely coat pork loins in mixture.  Add to pan and cover with lid for about 7 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes for each additional side.  Cook until juices ran clear.

For the veggie salad...

3 small tomatoes

2 zucchini

1/2 small purple onion

1 clove diced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dill

Salt & Pepper

Warm olive oil and add garlic.  Cook over medium for about a minute.  Add the onions and the zucchini and cook until tender.  The last minute or so of cooking add the tomatoes and dill.  Turn down the heat to low.  Salt and pepper salad to taste.

Bean & Cheese Chimichanga & Spanish Rice

6 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans

1 1/2 cups any kind of shredded cheese

3 tbsp olive oil

Heat up the refried beans.  Once heated put beans and cheese closer to one side of the tortilla like so

Fold one side over the beans.

Fold in both sides.

And roll.

Next warm the 3 tbsp of olive oil in skillet on medium.  When oil is hot place rolled chimis open side down.  Heat on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

You could also add seasoned meat to the chimichanga.  For a recipe for seasoned meat go here.

My next feat will be to make my own refried beans.  We eat so many beans in our home I might as well start soaking, cooking and freezing my own.

The Spanish rice idea came from a friends blog.  I loved her idea of browning the rice before cooking it.  It reminds me of my all time favorite Rice A Roni.  While Shawn and I were dating I lived on Rice A Roni.

Here's how I cooked my Spanish rice.

1 1/2 cups white rice

3 cups water

1 tbsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can of corn, drained

2 tbsp olive oil

Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat.  Add rice.  Continue cooking rice and stirring until it reaches a golden brown.

Once a golden brown add the water, oregano, salt and pepper, corn and tomatoes.  Stir and cover until all water is absorbed.  About 20 minutes.

Rice can be added to the chimichanga or eaten as a side dish.  Also if you wanted to spice things up a bit you could add some diced peppers to the rice.

Roasted Chicken & Homemade Stuffing

2 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp basil

1 tbsp caraway

1 tbsp fennel seeds

Preheat oven to 350.  First I rinsed the chicken with cool water and placed in a dish breast side down.  Next I cut the bottom on the chicken skin and folded over the sides.  I mixed the dry ingredient's above in a bowl and then rubbed it on the chicken and placed kabob stinks in the chicken to hold the skin back in place.  Next boil two cups of water and added the bouillon cubes.  Once the cubes were dissolved I added it to the bottom of the baking dish.  Next add the caraway seeds and fennel seeds to top of chicken and in water.

Place in oven for 1 hr 15 mins.  When the timer goes off, take out of oven and bast with liquid in bottom of dish.  When basting put the liquid under the skin that you cut before you placed it in the oven.

I don't have a meat thermometer, I know insane, so I have to slice the chicken to verify that the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  I cooked this baby for about two hours.  Before I carved it I let it sit about 20 minutes and let the juices redistribute.

Now for this amazing stuffing...After getting the chicken in the oven I recruited my little helper to tear the fresh bread.  He did a fantastic job!!

You'll need:

4 multi grain dinner rolls

4 large white rolls

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrots

2 cups finely chopped kale

1/2 cup mushrooms

1 tbsp rosemary

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp dill

1 tsp thyme

4 tbsp olive oil divided

Tear bread into bite size pieces.  Once all bread is torn, place in large plastic bag (I reused the one that the rolls came in) drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil in the bag, the garlic salt and the dill.  Shake bag like crazy to evenly coat.  Next place all the bread on a cookie sheet and place in the already heated oven with the chicken for 15 minutes.

These toasted bread crumbs were so good I could have just eaten these with some olive oil and balsamic.  Yea, they were that good.  But don't eat them all, we need some for our stuffing.  If my sister was here she would have eaten the whole pan.  She loves bread.

 While these cool, get the other 2 tbsp of olive oil heated on the stove and add the celery, carrots, kale, mushrooms, rosemary and thyme.  Cook over medium heat until tender.  Set aside till the chicken is done.

Doesn't this look amazing!  It smelled even better with the rosemary and thyme.

When the chicken is done cooking, set aside but remove the water that was put in before and place in measuring cup.

You're putting it back in the measuring cup because you need 2 cups.  Of course, some of it while cooking evaporates.  So measure what is left and add water to equal your 2 cups.  Only 1/4 of a cup evaporated,from mine.  Add the liquid to a large pan on medium heat.  Add the vegetable mixture.  Once it starts boiling, take off heat and add the toasted bread. Stir until all the liquid is absorbed and all bread has been added.  Cover with lid and let sit while you carve the chicken.

Amazing...Enjoy!!

Meatloaf Minis & Fries

My family and I love meatloaf.  But as much as I love meatloaf, I hate the hour of so that it takes to cook.  With these minis though, the time's cut in half.  Grab you cupcake pan and get to cooking.

1 lb ground turkey

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp bay leaves

1 clove minced garlic

1 tbsp caraway

2 tbsp cocktail sauce

1 egg

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all ingredient's together in a bowl.  Generously spray your cupcake pan with Pam.  Fill pan to the top with meat.  If using ground beef do not fill to the top with the meat mixture.  The grease from the beef spills over the side if you overfill.  If using ground turkey, it is very lean and can be filled to the top with the mixture.  Place in oven for 25 minutes.  Brush tops with barbecue sauce the last 5 minutes of cooking.

I have never cooked with Caraway before.  I have actually never even heard of it.  Have you?  This is an amazing spice. It's a very smokey taste, and smells very woodsy.

For Fries

8 potatoes cut length wise

1 tbsp bay leaves

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp steak seasoning

1 tbsp ground cumin

Place all ingredients in large bag with potatoes.  Shake to evenly coat.  Spray cookie sheet with Pam before placing potatoes on sheet.  Cook at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.  If you like more crispy fries, like I do,  place the broiler on for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Thanksgiving Dinner In About An Hour

I have to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of turkey.  Gasp...What?  I know.  Someone who doesn't like turkey?  So in my Thanksgiving dinner I'm making chicken.  The real white meat!  In my kitchen tonight I made this delicious and fairly healthy meal.

Yams are usually made with loads of butter, brown sugar and calories.  While they do taste amazing, my hips don't appreciate the extra calories.  So I tried to come up with an idea to substitute the butter and sugar.  I've got it...PEARS.  These were fantastic.  Here's what I did.  You'll need:

1 29 oz can unsweetened yams

1 16 oz can pears

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup small marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375.  Open and drain the pears and yams.  In oven safe dish spray pam.  Add yams.  Run a knife through the pears until they are finely diced.  Add the pears to the yams and stir.  Place in oven and cook for 35 minutes.  Pull out and add the marshmallows.  Put back in over for an additional 10 minutes.  Once you pull of out the oven add the cinnamon to the top of the marshmallows.

For the chicken you'll need:

8 chicken drum sticks

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tsp crushed mint

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Before I rubbed the seasoning mixture on the chicken drum sticks I removed the skin.  Heat the grill to medium and add the chicken.  Cook about 15 minutes and flip on four sides.

The chicken was great.  The mint with the taste of smokey barbecue flavor was very unique.

The stuffing was a mix from a box but instead of the butter I added apple sauce in place of the butter. 

The green beans were just frozen and I steamed them.

 And there you have it.  Thanksgiving dinner in about an hour!!

Guilt Free Potato Salad with NO Mayonnasise

While I love potato salad, it's loaded with fat and is not very good for you. And since my husband adores potatoes and would eat them for breakfast lunch and dinner, I'm always trying to figure out new things to make with potatoes. Although potato salad is not a new dish, finding a recipe without the loaded calories is another story. Here is a recipe that I've come up with that was quite tasty.

You'll need:

8 medium potatoes
(I prefer red potatoes but any will do)
1 cup light or fat free plain yogurt
2 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup sweet relish
2 stalks of celery
1 green bell pepper
2 small tomatoes
1 tbsp dill
salt
pepper

First...

I do not peel my potatoes with making this salad.  But you could certainly peel them if you like.  After chopping the potatoes boil in water for about ten minutes.  I like my potatoes a little crunchy.



Wash and dice the green pepper and tomatoes.  You could also add onion, although I am not a huge fan.
In a bowl mix the yogurt, mustard, relish, and dill, celery, and diced bell pepper.  Next add the potatoes.
Mix all ingredients together.  Add salt and pepper to your liking.  Add diced tomatoes to top for color and serve.

Enjoy your bowl of guilt free potato salad!