Weekend Fun

What is on our plate for this weekend? Baking! Gonna try this recipe for Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.


What is on your plate?

Taco Orzo Soup

Despite the warmer weather, the first real meal I made after being sick was a savory soup that is always a big hit with my family. The recipe came from a little shop in Corning, Iowa (The Fickle Frog) who made up a cookbook filled with fantastic recipes that taste like "home". Here is one such recipe.


Taco Orzo Soup serves 4
1/2 pound ground beef
4 tsp beef bouillon granules
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
5 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 cup orzo

Brown the ground beef. Drain off any fat. Add bouillon, chili powder, cumin, salsa and water. Bring this to a boil. Add the orzo and let cook until tender. Serve with your favorite taco garnishes. We like green onion, tortilla chips, and cheese.

**We have added black beans and corn to make this a heartier meal.
***Another favorite garnish is avocado


Enjoy!

If You Could Have Any Cookie ...

My youngest (aspiring chef) and I were having a discussion this weekend and the question was posed, "If you could have any cookie in the entire world, what kind of cookie would you choose?"
Without hesitation, my little guy emphatically said, "Snickerdoodles!"


So, we went into the kitchen and made some. The End.

Snickerdoodles makes 3 dozen cookies
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter, shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well-incorporated. Slowly mix in the flour mixture and combine well. Form into equal-sized balls and then roll into the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until soft and puffy. Let the cookies cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Under the Weather

A week-ago Wednesday, I was hit with a blizzard and the flu. Influenza A to be precise. I hate being sick. I hate feeling weak and useless. All of the fun things that my boys look forward to on snow days were put on the back burner and Mommy was put into isolation (aka the master bedroom) so that no one else would get sick. Daddy was in charge of meals (ie. McDonald's, Hy-Vee Chinese, etc) and the boys.

Here is what I missed, while I was in bed for 6 days...

Flatbread recipes

Per the request of a dear friend ... here is the recipe (early) before I share the pictures of my littlest "master chef" and his creations.

Low-Fat Flatbread Dough (makes 4 small single servings - 110 calories each- or a large 12" pizza)
1 cup bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup warm water, plus extra if necessary
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Mix flour and salt together in a food processor. Mix water and oil and pour over mixture until a soft dough ball forms. If the dough is too stiff, process in about another Tablespoon of warm water. Continue to process until the dough is well-kneaded.

Break the dough into four pieces. Roll out thinly into a rectangle, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and top flatbreads with desired toppings and bake.


A favorite variation:

Mexican Chicken Flatbread recipe courtesy of Pam Anderson's The Perfect Recipe
415 calories per serving

1 recipe flatbread, prepared
1 cup rinsed and drained white beans, mashed
1 cup salsa verde
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place flatbread dough on cookie sheet. Combine mashed beans with 1/2 cup of salsa. Spread bean-salsa mixture over dough. Toss remaining 1/2 cup salsa with chicken and corn. Top pizza with chicken mixture.

Bake until spotty brown, about 10-14 minutes. Top hot pizza with cheese, scallions, and cilantro. Return to oven and bake just until the cheese melts. Serves 5

What's for Supper? Winter Meal #3

This week is just filled with favorites. Favorite desserts, favorite breakfasts (especially that granola), favorite restaurant-inspired meals. As a mother to at least one budding chef, I selected some meals that he loves to help me prepare, and even one where he gets full creative license to create his own recipe. We are in for a fun week ... and very much looking forward to what is on our plate.

Baking: Fresh out of my oven...
White Chocolate Chip and Raspberry Fudge Brownies
Triple Berry Granola
Flatbread (for Menu #3)

Menu #1: My Take on Take-out
Gingered Beef Lo-Mein with Snow Peas and Spinach
Mandarin Oranges

Menu #2: Comfort Food
Brown Sugar Lemon Chicken
Rice
Spinach Salad

Menu #3: Everyone is the Chef Night
Individual Flatbread Bakes
Spinach Tortellini Soup

Menu #4: Breakfast for Supper
Omelets
Home-made Italian Sausage Patties
Yogurt and Granola


Enjoy!

Fish Tacos

Typically, the "new year" inspires me to focus on bringing a new, fresh taste to our menus - and being sure to include meals that are full of flavor, but low in calories. This is one of our favorites. It is only 310 calories for 2 fish tacos ... but you would never know it because there is so much flavor packed into this dish that you will never miss those extra calories. I hope that your family will enjoy this meal as much as our family does.

Fish Tacos
310 calories for 2 tacos - Serves 5

4 cups of broccoli slaw or coleslaw mix
1/2 cup of fat-free tartar sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 pounds of tilapia filets
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
10 corn tortillas

Combine broccoli slaw, tartar sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Cook the tilapia about 5-6 minutes on each side, until the outside of the fish flakes easily. Remove fish from pan, flake it and toss it with more lemon juice (to taste). Warm up the tortillas. Add fish and broccoli slaw mixture. Top with 2 Tablespoons of low-fat cheese (We use Monterrey Jack). Serve.

***Additional garnishes we enjoy: Avocado, tomatoes, salsa, or peppers. Get creative. There are so many options that you can do to make this recipe your own.



Enjoy!