Menu Plans

Menu Plan

Sarah

Week of March 26

Monday: black beans and rice
Tuesday: out to dinner
Wednesday: class for me/Ben fends for himself
Thursday: chicken tacos
Friday: spaghetti 🙂 night before the IU mini marathon!
Saturday: breakfast for dinner
Sunday: appetizers & desserts at church

~~~

I must report that last week I didn’t really make anything on my menu plan. Well, I did–but just in different forms. Not really sure what my deal was… but there definitely were some yummy things we ate… one of which I’ll be sharing tomorrow!

10 Minute Lunches, Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches and Wraps

10 Minute Lunch #4: Cinnamon Curry Tuna Wraps

Sarah

So, I was very, very brave on Wednesday. Perhaps you saw my tweet? I rarely, if ever, tweet, but I felt that my midday activities were worthy of such public notification.

It all started a few minutes before I was going to break for lunch. I’m fortunate enough to have a campus job I can do remotely [at home (!)], so I had been working hard all morning and happened to glance over at my phone as it lit up with a call from my dentist office. I hadn’t been since December, and already have my next appointment scheduled, so I thought it was odd. When I answered the call, I found out that the claim for the x-rays/checkup in December had been denied and that my insurance company claimed my coverage had been terminated.

Terminated? News to me.

After I told the nice lady from the dentist office that I knew I had coverage and thanked her for calling before sending me the $150 bill, I logged into my insurance account online to get some info and called Ben for instructions on what to say to the insurance company when I called [he works in insurance so he’s a pro at these things]. Then I took a deep breath, expecting the worst, and dialed the phone. Pretty much right away I talked to someone and found out that, imagine that, I do have dental insurance. Righto.

And I did on the date of my last appointment, too. Well looky there.

But apparently the claim had been mis-processed as a medical claim, not a dental claim, so that’s what the situation was. A few questions later, I was good to go, and called Ben and my dentist office back with the good news. 🙂

Then I skipped to the kitchen and whipped up this tasty tuna salad lunch in a jiffy, thanks to some inspired googling earlier in the day.

Like my insurance snafu that I went into expecting the worst and emerged happy in a matter of minutes, this tuna salad might seem risky from the exterior. However, I’m confident that one bite will turn your uneasiness into delight at this 10 Minute Lunch that makes a double portion–perfect for an extra filling lunch or lunch for two.

Fragrant curry powder pairs with sweet cinnamon, tangy mustard, and crunchy celery for a new take on boring tuna. You can take this wrap on the go, or enjoy it at home… perhaps even hot with cheese, if that’s your thing. It’s not mine–that would certainly not be the happy ending that my insurance claim situation and tuna wrap found, but if it’s yours… go for it! 🙂

How do you like your tuna?

Cinnamon Curry Tuna Wraps [inspired by Allrecipes.com]

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounce can tuna in water, drained
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
  • a third of a stalk of celery, chopped in small pieces
  • lemon pepper
  • dash ground cinnamon
  • smidgen curry powder [yes, smidgen is an actual measurement, but it’s just a small amount so don’t fret if you don’t have this measuring spoon
  • 2 tortillas, for serving
  • spinach, for serving

Non-directions:

  • Mix together all ingredients except spinach and tortillas, then adjust seasonings if necessary.
  • Layer spinach on top of each tortilla, then top each with half of the tuna salad.
  • Roll into a wrap and enjoy!

Time: 5 minutes.

Yield: 2 delicious lunches!

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Sarah

So, almost immediately after pinning this awesome looking recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken, Tina commented on my pin with her rave reviews. I knew it looked good, but hearing how fabulous it was made it even more appealing. But what about this recipe made it so wonderful, when I hadn’t even tasted it?

Was it the combination of garlic and ginger? Honey and soy sauce? Toasted sesame oil and crushed red pepper flakes? Or [gasp] even the ketchup and canola oil and onion?

I’m not sure. Does it even really matter, though? I’m not sure it does.

Simple ingredients come together to make something fantastic in this Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken. And the best part is that it only takes four hours to cook in the crock pot. [Side note: I despise calling a crock pot a “slow cooker.” It sounds so… ugh… to me. Hence the name change.]

Ben loves anything Asian-inspired, so you can be sure that this was a huge hit in our house. The flavors are just the right amount of sweetness and kick, but feel free to add more spice if that’s your thing. This is a must make, so if you’ve been thinking about it… go for it! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken [adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff and Foodie with Family]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • black pepper
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • hot cooked rice, for serving
  • steamed broccoli, for serving
  • sesame seeds, for serving

Directions:

Season chicken thighs with black pepper and lay in bottom of crock pot.

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, canola oil, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour mixture over chicken thighs and flip chicken to coat. Cook on low for 4 hours, then remove chicken to a plate.

In a second bowl, combine cornstarch with water until dissolved. Then pour into liquid in crock pot, return chicken, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until thick.

Break up chicken with two forks, then serve over hot cooked rice with steamed broccoli. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then enjoy.

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola

Sarah

I’ve never been to New York City, but I know that when I do someday, Alice’s Tea Cup will be my first foodie stop. My mom owns about a zillion cookbooks, and one that I always love to browse when I’m home was created by the owners of the NYC area chain of tea shops. It’s aptly named Alice’s Tea Cup and it is full of recipes for fun teatime sweets, breakfast treats, and even good info about the proper way to brew tea. I’ve made a scone recipe from the cookbook that was just so-so [probably because I didn’t make the buttery glaze to go on top], but I wanted to give the cookbook another chance. I am so glad I did, because Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola is simply magnificent.This phenomenal granola combines three types of nuts [almonds, pecans, walnuts] plus sesame seeds and coconut, as well as two types of dried fruit to make a nutty-sweet comination that is absolutely essentail in a good granola. It is a bit more museli-like than a traditional chunky granola, but that doesn’t detract from it’s crunch. But the real added bonus to this granola comes from its spices: the usual suspects of cinnamon and nutmeg… and vanilla tea! I’ve never used tea as a spice before, so I was a little unsure what it would be like, but it’s absolutely wonderful. The tea adds some delicate sophistication to the crunchy hippie treat [ha, ha].

Overall, this is a granola recipe that is perfect as is… but could definitely be improvised based on the contents of the cupboard. We enjoyed it served over yogurt or with milk, but as with any other granola recipe… the possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to make it to NYC to try the original version, but for now, I’m glad I can enjoy it at home when the mood strikes.

What’s your favorite granola fixings? Have you ever been to Alice’s Tea Cup in NYC? Wanna take me? 🙂

Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola [from Alice’s Tea Cup]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 heaping teaspoons vanilla tea leaves [I used a vanilla-cinnamon tea, and just cut open one tea bag]
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a large jelly roll pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except honey and butter. Mix together thoroughly, then stir in honey and butter.

Spread the mixture on prepared baking sheet, and pack down with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. Remove granola from oven when it is golden brown. It will harden as it cools.

Break granola into chunks and store in an airtight container. Serve with milk or yogurt.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: about 7 cups.

Linked up with…

Menu Plans

Menu Plan

Sarah

Week of March 19

Monday: Greek Yogurt Pancakes
Tuesday: black beans and rice
Wednesday: class… boo. so ready to be done with school.
Thursday: Lasagna Soup
Friday: dinner with friends
Saturday: roasted chicken
Sunday: out to eat

 

~~~

So maybe you noticed there was no menu plan last week. And no blog posts either for that matter.

Well, one of the perks of still being in school is SPRING BREAK! I know the stereotype of grad school is that you have all school, and no breaks. Well, you can be like that. Some people are.

Or you can go to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina like me. [Photo borrowed from my sister’s Facebook album of the past since my photos aren’t on my laptop yet… since I didn’t take it with me.]

Ben and I enjoyed spending the week with my parents, sister, and her fiancé. We had a huge 3 bedroom condo on the beach… there were plenty of comfy beds and enough space to go around… well, maybe with the exception of Kathleen’s fiancé, Grant, who slept in the living room all week [sorry! next family vacation you two will be married :)].

It was a glorious week of walking the beach, reading by the pool, shopping, 70 degree temps, sunshine, eating [I never want dessert again… ughh… I think I had ice cream at least 6 times. On the bright side, we did finish a 1 lb tub of spring mix and a 5 lb bag of carrots, no thanks to my dad :)], and celebrating Ben’s birthday, which happened to be yesterday. Yes, he’s a St. Patty’s baby. 🙂 Unfortunately we had to travel back on his actual birthday so we celebrated all week long with the best ever wild berry pie and his favorite chicken dish.

Now it’s back to the real world, and our kitty, who was mighty happy to see us when we picked her up from the “country club” where she boards during our long trips.

The only two memorable meals from the week before vacation were Chicken Paprika and Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, both of which I’ll put on the to-blog list. 🙂 I think everything else didn’t happen… it was a crazy week, and [what seems like] a long time ago.

Hope you all get a spring break of sorts soon! Highly recommended. 🙂