Japanese Beef Curry

Life has been CRAZY!  Sorry for the super lack of blogs.

As we are speaking, K is making a beef curry (recipe courtesy of her neighbor in Japan).  We decided to celebrate the end of our internship, my new house in Jacksonville, my new ginger look, and having the first evening in a while to eat together.  What better way to celebrate all of this than cooking, wine, and Christmas music? Exactly, I couldn't think of anything better either.

She's not telling me the recipe, so I can't tell you, but I see rice, potatoes, carrots, onions, beef, and other deliciousness.

Spaghetti Squash

It's been a while.  For those of you that check routinely, I apologize, and for those of you that don't...well, shame on you.  Life got in the way.  We've had a lot of teaching and football games to attend to.

We have been cooking.  We've made a couple different chilis, soup, cakes, and other odds and ends.  I would post the pictures, but my blackberry decided to be a stupid phone and delete EVERY picture off of my media card.  That was not one of my happier moments.

K is gone and I'm all by my lonesome, so I decided to whip up something that we just had around the house.

I'm making a spaghetti squash with a lemon butter garlic sauce.  Depending how hungry I am I might throw a roll in there too.

I started by poking holes in the squash with a skewer and cooking it on 375 degrees for an hour.  Then I waited about 50 minutes and started my sauce.  I melted a bit of butter and added a spoonful of garlic and half a lemon.  I let this melt and sit together while the spaghetti squash finished up in the oven.

Three simple ingredients.  One delicious sauce.

Once the squash was done, I let it cool, then cut it in half and used a fork to turn the vegetable into a healthy noodle.  Pour the sauce on top, and there you have it- four ingredients, one fulfilling, delicious meal.

Add some parmesan cheese on top to make it a bit fancier.  The roll (all natural Alexia French roll)  has a garlic herb butter in the middle, slightly melted, which gives this dish some extra flavor.


Although I admit this looks bland, it is packed with different flavors that make every bite delicious and satisfying.

Spaghetti Squash skeptics be warned.. this is a dish sure to change the minds of even the most picky vegetable eaters.

A Hodgepodge of Meals

Who said you had to have dessert last?  I'm saving the best for first.  "Ginormous Creamy Frozen Caramel Crunchcake" is the best treat a hungry girl could ask for.  Take two Quaker rice cakes (the recipe calls for the caramel flavor, but chocolate works too) and spread FF Cool Whip between two of them.  Freeze for an hour or so, and then you have a delicious treat waiting to be devoured right in your freezer.  Seriously, we keep them on hand just in case.  The cool whip tastes just like ice cream.  It is to die for.  This is a crunchy, satisfying treat that won't leave you feeling guilty.  What's not to love?

This looks like Mickey Mouse!

Next up, we have a mix of two meatloaf recipes.  We weren't sure what to make for dinner last night, so we combined two of the recipes to fit what we already had on hand.  We took ingredients and ideas from "Crazy-Good Turkey Taco Meatloaf" and "Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf Minis."  We practically took any of the ingredients we had in our makeshift pantry (our place doesn't have a pantry, so we made one out of a bookshelf...it works) and put them into a muffin pan.  30 minutes later we had a dinner that came out looking like an eyeball.  Hey, we are in the the Halloween spirit!  We were unsure of the outcome, and had the pizza delivery number ready to go, but they turned out pretty well and we gobbled them up.  Next time, we would add the taco seasoning because it would give it that extra boost of flavor that I believe ground turkey always needs.

Dinner tonight was a family recipe from a very good friend of mine.  Her family is from Minnesota, and despite her hilarious accent that comes out after a few glasses of vino, she has the best recipes, which she lovingly gave to me.  What are friends for?

Tonight's special is Tater Tot Casserole.  I happen to hold a special place in my heart for the little crispy brown tots, which is why I am a big fan of this dish.  I used ground turkey, instead of beef, and extra veggies to try and make up for the lack of healthiness in this dish.  I would give you the recipe, but I can't give away someone else's family secret.  But, I'm sure if you ask nicely I could get permission.  Once again, this meal can not disappoint.  One way to my heart is tater tots....and some wine.

Happy Eating :)

Pre-Oven

Post-Oven

Tater Tot Perfection

"Big Bowl of Breakfast" & More!

Saturday morning was another glorious game day.  We began ours with a big, hearty bowl of breakfast.

 This extremely filling breakfast was the perfect start to a football-filled Saturday.  This is a mixture, of egg beaters, broccoli, turkey sausage (instead of Canadian bacon like the recipe called for), potatoes, and of course, cheese.  Add a mimosa, and it is the perfect early game day treat!

Next up...the perfect margarita!!

I love spice, and I love margaritas.  The only problem is the calories and sugar in them.  Thanks to a real housewife, I can have my cake and drink it too.  All you need to do is slice up a fresh jalapeno-leave the seeds in- and add to a glass of Skinnygirl Margarita!  It's best if the jalapenos can soak in there for a bit so that flavors are stronger.  Cheer!

Tonight, our main dish was Coconut Rice with Black Beans.  It was full of flavor and creamy.  The jasmine rice soaked in butter, minced shallots, light coconut milk, water, and a pinch of nutmeg, until the rice soaked up all the liquid and was ready to be mixed with the black beans.  Add a dollop of FF sour cream on top and a dash of fresh lime and you are good to go.  I bet the margarita above would compliment this meal well.  Tomorrow will be a good Monday with leftovers like these to look forward to.

Here's to a week of new recipes and lesson plans.

"Pan Fried Chicken Parm"

Here is a hearty Italian dish that everyone will think is deep-fried and delicious.  I know, we though thought the same thing- healthy chicken parmesan?  Well, my friends, with some help from Hungry Girl it's possible, and it is good.  We took chicken, mixed some spices and egg beaters together, and cooked them on a skillet.  Then we topped them with tomato and mozzarella cheese.  Serve with a salad and you are good to go.  Some red wine and candle light wouldn't hurt either.

This is something we whipped up last night-- oh, the joys of having a fridge filled with vegetables.  We used spinach, onion, bell peppers, olives, tomatos, and of course, cheese!  We added some salsa and some FF sour cream on top- this was much better, and healthier than a Mexican restaurant.  The only thing missing was a margarita, preferably jalapeno flavored (a new favorite).

Here's some fall fun-- just a little something to make us smile :)

**Make sure you check labels before you add things to your food.  E made pumpkin oatmeal again before school- keep in mind that 6 AM is early- and grabbed cumin instead of cinnamon.  Those flavors bear no resemble on your tongue.  Rookie mistake.**

"Ez as 1-2-3-Alarm Turkey Chili" & "Fancy-Schmancy Oatmeal"

FYI:  We are in a very festive mood-- HELLO FALL!!

So, picture a cartoon character with smoke coming out of its' ears.  Got the image?  Ok- that was us last night eating this chili...and at lunch today.  This recipe should come with a warning sign -- Beware: Super Spiciness Ahead!"

On a better note, it was pretty darn good.  We had to add some FF sour cream and cheddar cheese to the mix to tone down the heat, but the burn felt good.  It cooked in the crock pot for about three hours and made our house smell delightful!  It was full of flavor-- beans, vegetables, turkey, spice!  No one would ever know it was only 176 calories a serving (not including our additions).  Watch out for the adobo sauce; it will get you.

New Crock Pot :)

Perfect Fall Meal

This morning, we got up a little bit early to make a real breakfast.  We made some "Fancy-Schmancy Oatmeal!'  We made some oatmeal (not instant!) and added some fall flavors to the mix-- pumpkin (duh), honey, cinnamon, stevia, and a dash of salt.  It sounds complicated, but it was so easy and we will be making this again very soon..probably tomorrow.  It was so filling and healthy!  There's no better way to start out the day than with a good breakfast and in a fall mood.

What a perfect fall color!

"Sweet 'n Sassy Boneless Hot Wings"

Seriously, who knew healthy could be this good?  These are another must.  These little chicken nugs were super easy to make, and were spicy and delicious.  We guarantee that this would be a smash hit with anyone, even guys...just leave out the details about how healthy they are!  This is one recipe we will be sure to make again and again.

Basically, you bake chicken (coated in egg beaters and whole wheat flour) and then dip it in a mixture of delicious sauce.  If you want to know what that sauce is, ask us or BUY THE COOKBOOK.  It's worth it.  FYI, we split one serving and had a fresh salad and it was more than enough!  Now we have yummy leftovers for lunch tomorrow-- it's always good to have a lunch to look forward to...it helps get us through that next period of high-schoolers.

Wine and (blue) cheese .. yum!

Fresh ingredients make all the difference.

Here it is!  

"Outside-In Cheeseburger Patty"

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

MMMM MMMM GOOD

Every now and then a girl needs a burger.  Not a veggie burger, not a turkey burger, but a real beef, juicy, meaty burger.  We found the solution to the red meat craving, without breaking the calorie or fat bank.  And here it is...

Can't you just smell it from the other side of the computer??

Here's the most important part...it includes cheese.  It is a big cheesy, gooey, yummy mess.  The trick you ask...Laughing Cow (whoever invented this is quite brilliant)!

The next trick is serving it on a bed of lettuce, and not on a bun.  Honestly, we didn't miss the bread at all.  It was so cheesy and flavorful that the bread would have just gotten in the way!

Place the seasoned meat (don't forget worcheshire sauce) on a plate and indent the middle.  Add a wedge of LC cheese and cover the top by patting it back together.  Cook about 5 minutes on each side using a grill or saute pan.  Top away!  We placed ours on lettuce and topped with onion, ketchup, mayo, and pickles!

Even hungry girls can eat the real thing ;)

Mexi Mess and Brownies

This past weekend was filled with football and friends, but no cooking.  It's nice to take a break every now and then, but I am excited to get back in the kitchen!

Last Thursday, we couldn't decide what creation to whip up so we took a gander in our kitchen and decided on enchiladas.  These turned into something we called a Mexi Mess.  We used ground turkey (instead of beef), enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, black beans, corn, wraps, various cheeses, and healthy toppings-- they turned out amazing.  The leftovers were perfect for lunch at school the next day!

Before baking...

Delicious toppings :)

Mexi Mess

Although our original intention was enchiladas, it became an enchilada salad (aka Mexi Mess), and was scrumptious.  Mmmmmm.  Having a grocery shopping addiction isn't all the bad....

Another treat was a pillsbury recipe for cashew brownies.  They had homemade fudge, cookie dough, cashews, and other bits of goodness.  These were a hit at the game!

"Honey Mustard Pretzel-Coated Chicken Fingers"

Day 17, September 22nd:

Tonight's dish is a yummy version of chicken fingers and a spur of the moment brussel sprout dish.  I love having a well stocked kitchen so that anything is possible.

The chicken was another easy meal to throw together.  Mix, marinate, coat, cook, but OMG it was to die for!  BRILLIANT!  This puts the captain crunch chicken to shame.  The pretzel coating was still crispy and every bite was coated to perfection.  We added some Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard for dipping.  This will definitely be a repeat recipe.  

The brussel sprout recipe was a random find thanks to the internet.  Brussel sprouts in cheese sauce-- Food Network is awesome.  This took some time and effort, but good food is worth the work!

 

"Spicy EZ Mac n' Cheese"

Day 16, September 21st:

This was good, but could have been better. The basic recipe was whole wheat noodles, queso fresco laughing cow cheese, frozen cauliflower and cheese, cilantro (we left this out), and some spicy seasonings. We used broccoli instead because the store was out of the cauliflower. To us, it was a little bland, but it took about 15 minutes and was a cinch to make. Although quick recipes are a must, it doesn't leave much room for blogging.

Next time, these are the additions I would like to add: fresh jalapenos, tomatoes, corn, turkey sausage (or some kind of meat), and possibly a dollop of reduced fat sour cream.  It also needed LOTS of salt. But on the bright side... you cook, you learn.  Cook on fellow hungry girls!

"Planet Hungrygirl Sweet n' Cap't Crunch Chicken"

Day 15, September 20th:

Tonight we made delicious fibery and sweet chicken tenders.  This recipe was adapted from the chicken appetizer at Planet Hollywood and made for people, like us, who are trying to eat healthy.  These chicken tenders consisted of captain crunch and fiber one cereals with a few seasonings, which coated the outside, to create a delicious treat.  The best part was how simple it was to make!  Just dip in egg beaters, dip in the mixture, and cook!

The dipping sauce was so basic, yet such a perfect combination!  Just mix honey mustard and creamy dijon mustard (we used a Grey Poupon version) together for a sweet sauce to compliment your meal.  Your friends will be impressed...and so will you.

On Holiday

Day 9-14, September 14-19th:

Well, the reason for the lack of posts is that E was in Ireland.  It was lovely!  Since I wasn't cooking over there I took some photos of the food that I enjoyed for your viewing pleasure.  I learned that everything is "brilliant" or "lovely" and there are always at least 2 courses.  There are no appetizers; everyone has their own personal starter.  My jeans are noticing.

Lemon and Lime Tortlette

Scallop Starter

John Dory (fish) with Lobster Ravioli

Steak - possibly the most amazing one I've ever had

Check out those rasberries!

Deep Fried Brie with Cranberry/Apple Sauce -- AAAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGG!

Fish n' Chips :)

I ate like a king...now it's back to healthy food :)

K made these while I was on holiday--- how beautiful!

Bagel Pizza

Day 8, September 13th:

Birthday Cake

Day 7, September 12th:

E's birthday!  Here is the finished product of the cake, as promised:

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Buttercream Icing