Category: Recipes

Main Dishes, Pork, Recipes

Blackberry Mustard Marinade

Sarah

porkEven though I’m not a big meat-lover like my husband, I still enjoy it. Before we were married, my main staple meat dishes were lasagna, meatloaf, tacos, and grilled chicken or chicken cooked with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce. Tasty, right? Umm… no, not so much anymore. Since getting married, I have come to embrace more diverse meat dishes, and have become more experimental in cooking [instead of just with baking, as before]. One of these “more diverse meat dishes” is what I affectionately call, the big hunk of meat. Pork or beef, it doesn’t matter. To me, a big hunk of meat is the same amount of work [and I’m sure this is blasphemous to some–tastes the same], no matter what type it is. So, in order to flavor up the meat, I’ve taken to some experimental marinades, using what we have in the pantry and fridge, instead of buying a pre-mixed marinade or a lot of complex ingredients. Fruit and mustard sauces are a classic counterpart to pork, since they play off each other so well. This blackberry mustard marinade is really simple and really tasty. Feel free to mix up the type of preserves or mustard used, but try to stay with good quality ingredients because that’s what really adds the depth of flavor.

Blackberry Mustard Marinade

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup good quality, all-natural blackberry preserves
  • 1/4 cup good quality, grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients and rub on a 1 1/2-2 pound pork roast, and prepare as desired. Here’s what I did.

  1. I chopped two apples into slices and laid them out in the bottom of a crock pot, and covered them with 1 cup of water.
  2. I rubbed the marinade on the pork roast and seasoned the whole thing with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Then, I cooked the whole pork roast on low for about 8 hours until it was so tender it fell to pieces! Delicious! You could also use the marinade to cook the pork in the oven in a roaster.

Click here for the printable version: Blackberry Mustard Marinade

Question of the Day: How do you feel about ‘big hunks of meat’? [sorry, vegetarians!]

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Sarah

dinner plateNeed a quick, light dinner? Well, have I got the masterpiece for you then! This Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce served over spaghetti can be prepared in less than 30 minutes… and it’s not from Rachael Ray! I whipped up this pasta on a whim last Monday night after our other dinner plans were scrapped, and I absolutely cannot stop thinking about it. Spinach. Mushrooms. Sweet peppers. Italian seasonings. All melded together with a light cream sauce. I haven’t tried this, but I bet subbing some white wine for the cream would be fantastic. Not much else to say about this dinner because I know you’ll love it!

saucey sauce
so pretty!

Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • ~1 cup heavy cream or half and half
  • ~2 tablespoons Parmesan
  • ~1 teaspoon oregano
  • ~2 teaspoons garlic
  • 1/3 cup roasted peppers, roughly chopped [I used roasted Piquillo peppers from Trader Joe’s–they are sweet, but if you wanted to use hot peppers that would work too!]
  • 9 ounces frozen spinach, cooked [don’t drain]
  • 1/2 pound spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat up a little olive oil in a skillet and then sautee the mushrooms over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste [for me, this is a teeny bit of salt with a lot of freshly ground pepper]. Stir in the cream, then add the Parmesan, oregano, and garlic. [I just eyeballed all the amounts.] Add the peppers and spinach, toss, and then simmer for about 5 minutes. When the spaghetti is cooked, return to pan and add sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Click here for the printable version: Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Question of the Day: Rachael Ray–yea or nay?

Other, Recipes, Sides

CranApple Stuffing

Sarah

So, the stuffing is one of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving dinner. It’s tied with cranberry relish [not the stuff outta a can here!] and pumpkin pie for the top spot on my plate. Mashed potatoes, turkey, green bean casserole… ehh, I’d take ’em or leave ’em. But stuffing? No way. I gotta have it.

Consequently, when Diana at The Chic Life announced the Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge 2010, I knew that stuffing would be my dish! Except, I think the technical term is “dressing” since it’s not stuffed in anything. But technicalities, people, technicalities!

This stuffing, er–dressing, is fabulous. Crisp, flavorful bread punctuated with sweet apples and cranberries and chunky, crisp but not mushy, carrots and celery, all flavored with garlic and herbs.

CranApple Stuffing - an easy, healthy stuffing recipe bursting with apples, cranberries, and carrots!

And you don’t have to tell anyone, but my stuffing is just a little bit healthier too–multigrain bread instead of white bread, additional fruits and veggies for nutrients and flavor, the omission of sausage, and the addition of wheat germ for protein, fiber, and other nutrients galore.

Hungry already? I am! Here’s the recipe, I’m headed to the fridge… leftovers are callin’ my name!

CranApple Stuffing

  • Servings: 6
  • Print

inspired by Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups multigrain French bread, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 2 tablespoons wheat germ
  • 1/2 cup diced celery [about 2 ribs]
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrot [1 large]
  • 1 cup peeled and diced apple [1 medium]
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil

Directions:

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, apple, and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss wheat germ with bread cubes in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, milk, and egg.

After fruits and veggies are softened, stir in cranberries, sage, and thyme. Remove from heat and spoon into bowl with bread cubes.

Pour egg mixture over everything and toss to coat.

Spoon into 1 1/2 quart baking dish, top with freshly ground black pepper, and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours to set before baking.

Then bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and top is crispy.

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite healthy substitution?

Appetizers, Recipes

Layered Taco Dip

Sarah

It’s no secret that I love Mexican-inspired dishes. Consequently, last weekend, when faced with the choice of what snack to bring to a girls’ night with some friends from church, I instantly thought of Layered Taco Dip. Let me just say that this version is amazing. I’ve never made a taco dip without refried beans and oodles of cheese, and while I won’t go so far to say this is a healthy version of taco dip, it’s certainly not as bad for you as it could be. Anyways…

There are six reasons I love this dip.

layered taco dip
all ready for dipping!
  1. Black beans. So tasty, so flavorful and a little bit of texture.
  2. Guacamole. Enough said.
  3. Cheese! [I never said it wasn’t there…]
  4. Sour cream. Infused with spices and onions. Ummm wow.
  5. Lettuce. Gotta make it healthy somehow 😉
  6. Tomatoes. Topped with spices and onions. Ahhmmazing!

All layered up, served with crunchy chips, naturally. Need I say more? Oh yeah… I think it’s pretty 🙂

Layered Taco Dip [adapted from The Food Network]

Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • hot sauce
  • ~2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese [shred your own! it’s better!]
  • 1 large avocado
  • garlic powder
  • cayenne pepper
  • kosher salt
  • ~1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • slightly under 1 cup sour cream
  • dried cilantro [or fresh]
  • 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, black beans, and hot sauce to the pan and heat for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat, add about 2 tablespoons of water and mash with a fork or potato masher. Don’t worry about getting them completely smooth, just mostly. Spread in the bottom of a 1 quart bowl and top with cheese.

Then, halve and pit the avocado and use a spoon to scoop out the meat. Place in a bowl, and add the lime juice and a sprinkle of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt to taste. Use a fork to mash and combine ingredients, then spread over the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, 3/4 of the green onion, a few dashes of dried cilantro, and a dash of hot sauce. Whip together with a spatula, then spoon out over the avocado. Place lettuce and tomatoes on top, and sprinkle with remaining onion and a pinch of cilantro, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Serve with tortilla chips. Since this dish includes avocados [which turn brown when exposed to oxygen], it’s best eaten the day it’s made, at least for presentation’s sake.

Click here for the printable version: Layered Taco Dip

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite party snack?

Chicken, One Tablespoon Testosterone, Recipes

OTT: Lime-Soy Chicken

Sarah

A delightfully easy, flavorful chicken dish… it’s always a hit!

Lime Soy Chicken | thepajamachef.comThis has become one of my favorite dishes.  My wife first made it early in our marriage and it’s one of those recipes that’s stuck like oatmeal scone batter to a mixing bowl.  It’s got three of my favorite flavors in it.  I love citrus, so you’ve got lime.  I love Asian flavors and soy sauce is excellent.  And it’s got red pepper flakes for some kick, and I do love spicy food.  But this isn’t too spicy, so don’t let that scare you off.  Plus, you can always tweak it to your tastes.  But anyhow, this is a rich in strong flavor dish that delights your sense of taste.  Unfortunately, my latest attempt at it hardly delighted the sense of sight so there’s room for improvement.  Presentation is perhaps my greatest culinary flaw.  I suspect my wife would agree.

Lime-Soy Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Print

adapted from an unknown magazine

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c lime juice
  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1 t crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (unless for some reason you enjoy boning and skinning the chicken breasts yourself…which would make you weird)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl (except the chicken of course).  Then marinate the chicken in it for at least 30 minutes to an hour, although I’m a big fan of overnight marinating.  The more the time those flavors have to absorb into the meat, the better.  Now it’s time to fire up your grill (or you could just broil it in the oven).  When it’s ready, place your flavor-infused chicken breasts on the grill and cook.  Unless you’re using a George Foreman (which at this time of year you should be…unless you live in the south or west in which case you can use the time waiting for your outside grill to fire up to contemplate what it would be like to experience the weather phenomenon most of us call “seasons”), turn the chicken after several minutes.  When the sweet sweet juices run clear, your chicken is done.  Remove from grill and enjoy.  It can be served with any tasty vegetable such as fresh green beans or roasted potatoes.  I served it most recently with a cilantro lime barley.  This was basically just barley cooked in chicken broth, with lime juice and cilantro added.  Also try adding bacon.  I haven’t tried this, but bacon makes everything better so I don’t see how it could hinder this either.

Question of the Day: With Thanksgiving just around the corner, what’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Mine is turkey, covered in gravy. Mmmm… or really, anything covered in gravy, except cranberry sauce; that would just be gross. Side note: my wife hates gravy. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.