A new season of the biggest loser started last night, so to go with that I made a new healthy recipe that I felt was lacking something, it just needed some more flavor. This one is meatless. :-D Maybe it was because I substituted swiss chard for the broccoli rabe since Jewel apparently doesn't stock it anymore. Too bad I don't accross the street from a Trader Joes. I added 2 tbsp of Garlic Garlic and then I added another tbsp because, like I said it just needed something more! I think it is the broth that you add, too much broth IMO.
Broccoli Rabe, White Bean and Fontina Pasta from Eating Well
Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat shells, fusilli or chiocciole
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, or 8 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
2/3 cup Toasted Breadcrumbs, optional (see Tip)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions. Stir in broccoli rabe (or spinach) during the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Dry the pot.
Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Add beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and the pasta and broccoli rabe (or spinach). Cook, stirring, until the mixture is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add cheese, stirring until it melts. Serve immediately, topped with Toasted Breadcrumbs, if using.
To make toasted breadcrumbs, trim the crusts from 2 slices of whole-wheat sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor into coarse crumbs. Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Funny Children who are mine:
On listening to me making a Dr. Appt for Her:
Anna says: Why do I have to have a check up at the dr. I say: because your school says so. Anna says: Ohhh It's because I talk all the time, that's why. Did Mrs. Ziel call you? LOL!!!!
On going to bed after 2 weeks off school:
Bryce says: Ma, you are lucky, you have a job but you only work a few hours a week. I have to go to school all the time. I say, I know Bryce I am living the life. Go to school and maybe someday you can work as little as I do. :-D
While watching the Biggest Loser, two contestants are introduced as being from Pennsylvania:
Patrick says Ma, Is Pennsylvania where all the Vampires come from? No Patrick, That is where Cousin Chris and Aunt Lisa live, Transylvania has Vamps.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
A new decade!
Well here we are it's 2010! A new decade is here. I like the start of a new year, I like resolutions and trying different things. In fact I found an app for that, well actually it is an app for making vision boards. For me that is where I put my goals for the year, and goals are what I like to make at the beginning of the year as opposed to resolutions. Goals just sound better to me.
Anywho on my vision board I have run the Chicago Marathon. So that is a big goal. Tom is starting out the year on the exercise and healthy eating bandwagon. I've been making some meals out of my Weight Watchers Slow Cooker book and my Best of Cooking Light Cookbook. Last night I made Brie and Caramelized Onion Stuffed Chicken Breasts and as a side I made stuffing because I thought stuffing with stuffed chicken breasts was funny. But the stuffing was tooooo salty. The other side I made was fresh spinach sauteed in Tastefully Simple Meyer Lemon Infused Oil (from last summer's catalog I really really hope it comes back this spring!) and Garlic Garlic. And that turned out really good. It's hard to believe that the Stuffed Chicken Breasts was a light recipes but it is and it was great!
Today I have Mediterranean Beef Stew with Olives and Basil in the slow cooker. This recipe is from the Weight Watchers cookbook. Tommorow's dinner, I dont know yet, I have to get a list together and venture out in the cold for provisions.
All of this typical January Weather, the cold and the snow we never totally get used to having, is really making me look forward to the Tastefully Simple Leadership trip next week. I love palm trees. Esp. when it's winter!
Anywho on my vision board I have run the Chicago Marathon. So that is a big goal. Tom is starting out the year on the exercise and healthy eating bandwagon. I've been making some meals out of my Weight Watchers Slow Cooker book and my Best of Cooking Light Cookbook. Last night I made Brie and Caramelized Onion Stuffed Chicken Breasts and as a side I made stuffing because I thought stuffing with stuffed chicken breasts was funny. But the stuffing was tooooo salty. The other side I made was fresh spinach sauteed in Tastefully Simple Meyer Lemon Infused Oil (from last summer's catalog I really really hope it comes back this spring!) and Garlic Garlic. And that turned out really good. It's hard to believe that the Stuffed Chicken Breasts was a light recipes but it is and it was great!
Today I have Mediterranean Beef Stew with Olives and Basil in the slow cooker. This recipe is from the Weight Watchers cookbook. Tommorow's dinner, I dont know yet, I have to get a list together and venture out in the cold for provisions.
All of this typical January Weather, the cold and the snow we never totally get used to having, is really making me look forward to the Tastefully Simple Leadership trip next week. I love palm trees. Esp. when it's winter!
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Little Drummer Boy Saves Christmas
I think I have a little cold. I really should have made some Chicken Noodle Soup tonight, but instead I made a mistake into dinner. (a dinner the kids wouldn't eat but I enjoyed.) Yesterday I went to Aldi and thought I purchased 2 cans of Chicken Noodle Soup (their version of Chunky soup). The kids call it twisty noodle soup and they like soup for breakfast, and I figure it's a good breakfast on a cold foggy day, such as this AM. So I opened a can of soup this morning and looked down, and well wouldn't you know it, I had grabbed one can of 'twisty noodle soup' and 1 can of Chicken Corn Chowder.
You are not surprised to learn no one was going to eat Chicken Corn Chowder for breakfast are you? Of course not.
This afternoon, I thought I might as well try and do something w/the open can of soup. What I came up with was,
1 can of Chicken Corn Chowder
1 1/3 uncooked rice
1 cup h20
1 cup chopped up leftover cooked cauliflower
1 teaspoon Garlic Garlic (TM Tastefully Simple)
about 1 tbsp Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning (TM Tastefully Simple)
Mix it all together in a casserole dish, cover said dish w/Aluminum foil and bake for about 45 min at 350 and I served it to myself with baby carrots.
Today Patrick told me he is going to make a movie where the little drummer boy saves the baby Jesus from the evil dark lord. Sounds like a blockbuster for the holiday, the little drummer boy defeats the evil dark lord through his magic sound. I told him he needs to write this stuff down!
You are not surprised to learn no one was going to eat Chicken Corn Chowder for breakfast are you? Of course not.
This afternoon, I thought I might as well try and do something w/the open can of soup. What I came up with was,
1 can of Chicken Corn Chowder
1 1/3 uncooked rice
1 cup h20
1 cup chopped up leftover cooked cauliflower
1 teaspoon Garlic Garlic (TM Tastefully Simple)
about 1 tbsp Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning (TM Tastefully Simple)
Mix it all together in a casserole dish, cover said dish w/Aluminum foil and bake for about 45 min at 350 and I served it to myself with baby carrots.
Today Patrick told me he is going to make a movie where the little drummer boy saves the baby Jesus from the evil dark lord. Sounds like a blockbuster for the holiday, the little drummer boy defeats the evil dark lord through his magic sound. I told him he needs to write this stuff down!
Monday, December 7, 2009
My Holiday Open House Menu
Simple Sweet Bell Pepper Pinwheels
Perfectly Potato Cheddar Quiche
Meatballs with Pomegranate Chipotle and Merlot Sauce in the Slow Cooker
Cheesy Chive Warm Dip Mix with Bread
Oh So Olive Dip mix and Assorted Veggies
AND FOR DESSERT:
Nana's Apple Cake prepared with 1 cup fresh cranberries. Topped with Warm Up! Instant Mulling Spice mixed into Cool Whip.
Apple Crisp Cheeseball Pizza
Awesome Amaretto Cocoa and For the Love of Cookies!
The open house is on Wed and the weather doesn't sound too promising, it will be the coldest weather we've had since last winter, but hopefully people will come because I really don't need to be alone with all of the above! Today is our team Christmas party and I've been running around the house all day making sure I don't forget anything I am supposed to bring such as my ornament for the xchange, a couple of gifts for team members. And the damn cookies for the cookie exchange. LOL we were supposed to bake 65. I started out a few days ago making spritz cookies but those didn't work out. I couldn't get my cookie press to work. I was in a cookie exchange yesterday, so for that one I took peppermint cream Oreos, dipped those in white chocolate and put sprinkles on top. I went through 4 bars of white chocolate for 47 cookies. Today I didn't want to go and spend $20 on more white chocolate So today I made Warm Up! Shortbread Cookies, which is a variation on a recipe that has been on my fridge for weeks. Duh! Should have made those the first time around. Only problem with today is that I ran out of flour and so there is 1 batch of cookies (42 cookies) instead of 65 and at this point I have to go with what I've got!
Here is the recipe. Warm Up! Instant Mulling Spice is a new product this fall. :-D
WARM UP! SHORTBREAD BY VICTORIA HAMEL
1 cup softened butter
1 tsp. pure almond extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons Sugar
2 cups flour
For sugar coating blend:
2 tablespoons Warm Up! Instant Mulling Spice
4 tablespoons Sugar.
Mix well in order given. Shape into 1 inch balls. Bake at 300 for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly and roll in sugar coating. Makes 4 dozen.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wine Pairings for Holiday Meals
Wondering what wines to serve?
* Chardonnays pair well with Turkey
* Cabernet Merlot blends are a great match for a Crown Roast. The kids want me to make one of those so they can see the little chef hats on it. LOL
*Gewurztraminer, or the Gewurztraminer/Reisling blend that Coopershawk Winery sells, goes really well with the saltiness of a yummy holiday ham.
*Making a Roast Duck? Go with a Malbec.
*Roast Lamb? Try a Pinot Noir!
Now what about for Tofurkey? There is no agreement on this one being that it is not white nor red meat!
Some say go with a Pinot Gris or Chardonnay others say a light red such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Nouveau. (I like the Charles Shaw Beaujolais Nouveau myself)
* Chardonnays pair well with Turkey
* Cabernet Merlot blends are a great match for a Crown Roast. The kids want me to make one of those so they can see the little chef hats on it. LOL
*Gewurztraminer, or the Gewurztraminer/Reisling blend that Coopershawk Winery sells, goes really well with the saltiness of a yummy holiday ham.
*Making a Roast Duck? Go with a Malbec.
*Roast Lamb? Try a Pinot Noir!
Now what about for Tofurkey? There is no agreement on this one being that it is not white nor red meat!
Some say go with a Pinot Gris or Chardonnay others say a light red such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Nouveau. (I like the Charles Shaw Beaujolais Nouveau myself)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Guess what we are watching tonight?
Yippee! I love National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! I might even make a cup of our Awesome Amaretto Cocoa
So yummy you don't need any cookies with it. And speaking of cookies, I found some seasonal ziploc baggies for my cookie exchange cookies (ie the only cookies I'm going to be making) So now I am ready to get out the cookie press and make some spritz cookies.
Come to think of it the Awesome Amaretto Cocoa would pair nicely with some yummy Spritz Cookies.
Ingredients
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 3 egg yolks
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Directions
1. Mix the butter or margarine, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Add the flour and mix by hand.
2. Spoon into cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars.
3. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 7-10 minutes.
And yes, I'm going with the Christmas Tree Cookie Shape.
All I need is some moose mugs (Available on Amazon.com 2 acrylic mugs for $49.99!)for my cocoa and the holiday movie watching experience will be complete.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Camembert Cheese
Aldi has some yummy cheeses on special purchase this week and I picked up a wheel of Camembert cheese for only $2.99, so I need to make this easy and really delicious Camembert Cheese Pasta recipe by Jamie Oliver. I couldn't find my copy of the recipe so I googled it and here is the recipe and for fun it has metric measurements. Anna and I are the only ones who will eat this in our household, so if anyone wants a serving or two, let me know!
Exciting news, one of my recipes made it into this month's Tastefully Simple Everyday Easy Recipes, click here to check it out!
Ingredients
(serves 4-6)
- a box of Camembert Cheese (250g)
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, pick the leaves off the woody stalk
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 100g grated parmesan cheese
- 400g dried rigatoni
- 150g fresh spinach
Directions
1. Open the box of cheese and unwrap it. Place it back to the wooden container (Note: mine did not come in a wooden container so I placed it in a oven safe dish like what you see in the photo).
2. Score a circle into the top of the skin, then lift it off and discard.
3. Lay the garlic slices on top of the cheese, sprinkle some pepper and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves over the top and gently pat with your fingers to coat them in the oil.
5. Bake the cheese in a preheated oven of 180C (350F) for about 25 minutes, until golden and melted.
6. When the cheese has 10 minutes left to cook, add the pasta to the pan and cook according to packet instructions.
7. When the pasta is cooked, add the spinach to the pan - it only needs cooking for 10 seconds or so.
8. Drain the pasta and spinach to the pan and let it wilt.
9. Drizzle with a couple of good lugs of extra virgin olive oil and add the grated Parmesan. If the sauce is too thick for you, add a splash of reserved cooking water to thin out a bit. Season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir.
10. Remove the cheese from the oven. Divide the pasta between your serving bowls. Either drizzle the melted Camembert on top or pop cheese on the table and let everyone help themselves to a lovely, gooey spoonful.
Exciting news, one of my recipes made it into this month's Tastefully Simple Everyday Easy Recipes, click here to check it out!
Ingredients
(serves 4-6)
- a box of Camembert Cheese (250g)
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, pick the leaves off the woody stalk
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 100g grated parmesan cheese
- 400g dried rigatoni
- 150g fresh spinach
Directions
1. Open the box of cheese and unwrap it. Place it back to the wooden container (Note: mine did not come in a wooden container so I placed it in a oven safe dish like what you see in the photo).
2. Score a circle into the top of the skin, then lift it off and discard.
3. Lay the garlic slices on top of the cheese, sprinkle some pepper and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves over the top and gently pat with your fingers to coat them in the oil.
5. Bake the cheese in a preheated oven of 180C (350F) for about 25 minutes, until golden and melted.
6. When the cheese has 10 minutes left to cook, add the pasta to the pan and cook according to packet instructions.
7. When the pasta is cooked, add the spinach to the pan - it only needs cooking for 10 seconds or so.
8. Drain the pasta and spinach to the pan and let it wilt.
9. Drizzle with a couple of good lugs of extra virgin olive oil and add the grated Parmesan. If the sauce is too thick for you, add a splash of reserved cooking water to thin out a bit. Season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir.
10. Remove the cheese from the oven. Divide the pasta between your serving bowls. Either drizzle the melted Camembert on top or pop cheese on the table and let everyone help themselves to a lovely, gooey spoonful.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thanks-giving
So many things to give thanks for!
* Buses that take the kids to and fro school
* Barilla Plus Pasta
* That I'm not lactose intolerant! I love gouda, edam, Dubliner cheddar cheese, etc. etc. etc.
* Working from home means I can go for a 1 or 2 hour run most every weekday morning whilst Anna is in school!
* That I am not injury prone and can run w/o pain.
* Bryce loves Cub Scouts, and Patrick isn't interested in it--meaning I don't need to take out a 2nd mortgage on a 2nd mortgage to pay for the scouting expenses for 2 kids.
* Earned a free Trip to Cancun with Tom
* All the great hosts who invite me into their homes which leads me to earning free trips!
* Going to Tastefully Simple's Leadership Wild Ride w/my Tastefully Simple friends.
* Earning the Leadership trip totally free!
* That I'll be in Florida in mid January.
* All the stuff that is only available during select times of the year:
Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Peppermint Bark, Sierra Mist Diet Cranberry Splash, the Dairy Queen Blizzard w/crunched up peppermint candy and chocolate chunks.
* That I lost 15 pounds this year
* Actresses who don't get botox or facelifts, it's so distracting when they do, they look weird.
* Patrick loving holiday traditions and party planning.
* being in walking distance of a Dunkin Donuts
* Tom having a job and HEALTH INSURANCE!
* All the great women that make up my Team! They ROCK!
* That Tastefully Simple redid their compensation plan so I make more money as a leader and at my parties, plus the hosts get more free stuff!
* Boots, it just makes the wintertime more livable when you can wear boots.
* People who shovel their sidewalks.
* That I don't have to fly on a plane to do the Chicago Marathon in 10/10
* Facebook, I love seeing how the people I know are doing!
* Aldi's and Trader Joes cheap food, cheese and wine!
* The kids not wanting 50 thousand things for Christmas.
* Anna asking for a Bruschetta Cheese Ball Mix in her Christmas Stocking.
* my iphone!!!!! Love that there is an app for Constant Contact
* Steve Dahl Podcasts
* A warmer than average November
* I can take a vacation from work when the kids have Winter Break
* All the moms who want to help w/Anna's classroom parties!
* My kids having great teachers and living in a great school district
* I like my family and they like me.
* Kids and the magic of Christmas.
* Good Babysitters
* Living in Chicagoland
* The internet
* the Kindle app on my iphone, finally the problem of a reading light to read in bed is solved!
* Good Friends and Great Family.
* Buses that take the kids to and fro school
* Barilla Plus Pasta
* That I'm not lactose intolerant! I love gouda, edam, Dubliner cheddar cheese, etc. etc. etc.
* Working from home means I can go for a 1 or 2 hour run most every weekday morning whilst Anna is in school!
* That I am not injury prone and can run w/o pain.
* Bryce loves Cub Scouts, and Patrick isn't interested in it--meaning I don't need to take out a 2nd mortgage on a 2nd mortgage to pay for the scouting expenses for 2 kids.
* Earned a free Trip to Cancun with Tom
* All the great hosts who invite me into their homes which leads me to earning free trips!
* Going to Tastefully Simple's Leadership Wild Ride w/my Tastefully Simple friends.
* Earning the Leadership trip totally free!
* That I'll be in Florida in mid January.
* All the stuff that is only available during select times of the year:
Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Peppermint Bark, Sierra Mist Diet Cranberry Splash, the Dairy Queen Blizzard w/crunched up peppermint candy and chocolate chunks.
* That I lost 15 pounds this year
* Actresses who don't get botox or facelifts, it's so distracting when they do, they look weird.
* Patrick loving holiday traditions and party planning.
* being in walking distance of a Dunkin Donuts
* Tom having a job and HEALTH INSURANCE!
* All the great women that make up my Team! They ROCK!
* That Tastefully Simple redid their compensation plan so I make more money as a leader and at my parties, plus the hosts get more free stuff!
* Boots, it just makes the wintertime more livable when you can wear boots.
* People who shovel their sidewalks.
* That I don't have to fly on a plane to do the Chicago Marathon in 10/10
* Facebook, I love seeing how the people I know are doing!
* Aldi's and Trader Joes cheap food, cheese and wine!
* The kids not wanting 50 thousand things for Christmas.
* Anna asking for a Bruschetta Cheese Ball Mix in her Christmas Stocking.
* my iphone!!!!! Love that there is an app for Constant Contact
* Steve Dahl Podcasts
* A warmer than average November
* I can take a vacation from work when the kids have Winter Break
* All the moms who want to help w/Anna's classroom parties!
* My kids having great teachers and living in a great school district
* I like my family and they like me.
* Kids and the magic of Christmas.
* Good Babysitters
* Living in Chicagoland
* The internet
* the Kindle app on my iphone, finally the problem of a reading light to read in bed is solved!
* Good Friends and Great Family.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
testing
I am using MS word to write my blog post just to see how it works. I have a bad headache but don't feel like getting up to get ibuprophen, or is it ibuprofen? Ah, it's fen not phen. Though I don't think ibuprofen is going to fix my headache.
RANDOM THOUGHT:
I feel bad for Prime Minister Brown of England. I too have dreadful handwriting. I think he probably should switch to sending email condolences.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
In a perfect world
Perfect only exists in the dictionary, but just for fun, in a perfect world after all the wishes for goodwill on earth, this is my list.
1. a new laptop that runs super fast and never takes more than 3 seconds to load a page.
2. everlasting funds to purchase kindle books.
3. a second home in Hawaii
4. a new pair of running shoes 1x a month
5. 8 days a week.
6. a kitchen aid mixer with all the trimmings. :-D
and no flu bugs!!!
1. a new laptop that runs super fast and never takes more than 3 seconds to load a page.
2. everlasting funds to purchase kindle books.
3. a second home in Hawaii
4. a new pair of running shoes 1x a month
5. 8 days a week.
6. a kitchen aid mixer with all the trimmings. :-D
and no flu bugs!!!
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