Quick stir-fry for a busy night

I wanted to make a quick stir-fry one night and decided to make one with tofu. It's nice to have meatless meals, and tofu soaks up the flavor of whatever it's cooked in so it's a great addition to a stir fry.

I didn't use a recipe and didn't measure anything. All I did was press and cube the tofu, then baked it in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

I heated oil in a pan, then tossed in some peanuts and crushed red pepper flakes. After heating those I added the baked tofu and a bag of frozen veggies (I thawed them first), along with some garlic and ginger, and also a bit more of the soy sauce. Cook over medium heat, then let simmer if you want the sauce to thicken a bit.Serve over rice and enjoy!

A new kind of pie

As promised, here is the 2nd Mexican recipe for this week. This was a fun way to use my springform pan, and it was a fun meal to eat. We ended up scarfing this tortilla pie before running off to catch an early movie, and it kept us full and happy for hours.

The only thing I disliked was that it took a lot longer than 8 minutes to evaporate most of the beer. Maybe I had the heat too low, but it took more like 20 minutes.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
from EllySaysOpa

Ingredients:
4 (9-10″) flour tortillas
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion
1 jalapeno, minced (remove or leave seeds and ribs to your preference)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 oz. beer
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen tri-colored bell peppers
4 scallions, thinly sliced (plus additional for garnish)
8 oz. shredded cheddar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a springform pan with a little cooking oil. If necessary, trim your tortillas to fit into the pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans and beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer until the beer is almost completely evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the peppers until warm. Add the corn and scallions. Remove from heat, and season to taste.

Fit a tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan. Layer with 1/4 of the bean mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat layering 3 times, finishing with 3/4-1 cup of cheese on top.Bake 20-25 minutes, until cheese melts. Let rest 5 minutes before removing from pan, sprinkling with scallions, and slicing into wedges.

You can never have too many recipes for dip!

If you're looking for a simple dip to bring to a party, look no further. This dip takes just minutes to throw together, it travels well, and it can be cooked in the microwave. Perfect!

Hot Spinach Dip, slightly adapted

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used greek yogurt)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese until blended. Stir in spinach and mozzarella cheese. Spoon into an ungreased microwave-safe 9-in. pie plate.Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4-5 minutes or until bubbly, stirring twice. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Love the red sauces

There's almost nothing better than a good marinara-type pasta sauce. I enjoy a good vodka sauce every now and again, and this recipe was *fairly* good. I think it's just a tad too spicy, the red pepper flakes overwhelm this sauce. You could barely taste the rich creaminess of the heavy cream, and the vodka flavor was nowhere to be found. If I make this recipe again I'll definitely modify the ingredients to better fit my tastes!

Penne alla Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:
-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
-4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
-2 tablespoons vodka
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-fresh basil (as much or as little as you want)
-1 tablespoon butter (optional)
-1 box of penne

Directions:
1. In a large pot, boil salted water and cook penne about 10-12 minutes.
2. In large, deep saute pan, heat olive oil on medium.
3. Saute garlic until soft, do NOT burn!4. Add tomatoes and red pepper, cook down about 15 minutes.5. Add parsley and vodka, cook alcohol out–about five minutes.
6. Add cream and basil, turn down heat.7. Finish with a tablespoon of butter to make the sauce silky smooth.
8. Toss in pasta, top with Parmesan and serve!

Stewy Greek Bowl

I love feta cheese, and any recipe that incorporates feta is a winner for me. :) This recipe was really good, I can't wait to make it again! I used regular black olives since I didn't have kalamata olives, and it still tasted great. This made wonderful leftovers, too.

Stewy Greek Bowl
from A Girl and Her Carrot

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped (or red)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, quartered
• 1-15 oz can navy, garbanzo, or black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2-15 oz can other bean of your choice
• 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped, fresh (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1-6 oz can tomatoe paste
• 2 cups low-sodium, chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1-2 large handfuls (1-2 cups) spinach, fresh, washed
• 1/2 cup, cooked. Whole wheat orzo, brown rice, quinoa or other grain of choice (optional for serving)
• Feta Cheese, garnish

Directions:

• Chop onions, garlic, cilantro, and olives. Heat a small skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil to pan. Heat for a few seconds then add onions and garlic, cooking until onions are slightly translucent (4 minutes).
• Place a heavy saucepan or dutch oven on the stove and add beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, olives, lemon juice, and cilantro . Stir to combine then add garlic and onion saute. Cook for 30 minutes until thickened. After 25 minutes add the spinach and mix so that it wilts nicely.
• Cook the grain of your choice. Take off the stove and serve in a bowl, top with sauce mixture, Feta cheese, and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.

Pie #3 - Success!

I'm still a little intimidated by making pies, but I'm getting better! This was my 3rd pie that I've ever made, and while the crust still doesn't look super beautiful it tasted amazing! It was ridiculously rich and was basically a big sugar bomb, but we loved every single bite. :)

Glazed Apple Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (15 ounce) package pastry for double

-crust pie

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter, softened

Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup cream, and 1/4 cup butter. Heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla; stir into saucepan. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine the apples, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well.
Line a 9 inch pie pan with pie dough. Pour thickened filling mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Arrange apple mixture evenly over filling. Top with second crust, seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in top crust.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Cool for at least 30 minutes.
In small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon softened butter. Blend until smooth; pour evenly over warm pie. Refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving (longer is better).

Marinara sauce

I'm always on the lookout for the perfect marinara sauce. This one looked good and easy as it's a crockpot meal - it was quite tasty and I'd make it again. I served it over gnocchi, and I'm sure it would be just as good on regular spaghetti noodles.

Miller's Marinara

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canola oil (I used olive oil)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree

2 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons white sugar (omitted)

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion until tender.
In a slow cooker, mix the onion, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato puree, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, and pepper.
Cover slow cooker, and cook sauce 8 hours on Low.

Time to get healthy after the holidays

I hope you're enjoying the holiday season, and splurging on delicious foods. I'm trying to make healthy meals when I can, to offset some of the more unhealthy (but so worth it!) holiday options.

This recipe is easy and a wonderful option for a busy weeknight. We enjoyed this served with a little extra rice on the side. It makes wonderful leftovers, and next time I'll use an extra pepper or two as we had a lot of the filling left over!

Stuffed Green Peppers
from Prevention RD

Ingredients:
4 large green peppers (or poblano if you want spicier)
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 15oz can black beans
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup 2% Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the package instructions.

Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs.

Place the peppers in a baking dish skin side up. Broil for 3-5 minutes and then flip the peppers and broil 3-5 minutes longer.

Drain and rinse the black beans. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the beans, salsa, corn, a quarter cup of cheese, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the filling for about 2-3 minutes in the microwave (or until warm), stirring after each 30 second increment. Stir in the rice.

Spoon the filling into each half. Top with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Make this Christmas morning!

If you want a healthy, delicious hot breakfast for Christmas morning you need to give this recipe a try. I've been making this recipe every Sunday morning for the past month and it's incredible. It's pretty healthy (not too much added sugar) and with oats and fruit it's a good start to any day. I've made this with both apples and bananas, and with maple syrup and honey. I think the bananas with honey version is my favorite so far. This makes 6-8 servings, and it reheats wonderfully.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
from Elly Says Opa

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1.25 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. ginger
a couple grates of whole nutmeg or 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2-4 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 cup milk (I used skim)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 cup raisins, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, toss together the oats, spices, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl (or in a large measuring cup), whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.

Spread the diced apples in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, and top with about two-thirds of the raisins. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Drizzle the milk mixture over the oats, distributing as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the remaining raisins over the top of the oats.

Bake the oatmeal for 30-40 minutes*, until the top is golden brown and the oats have set. Remove the oatmeal from the oven and serve hot with additional maple syrup, if desired.

Notes: I baked this oatmeal for 30 minutes the first time and it was a little dry. The second attempt was baked for 25 minutes and it was much, much better.

Roasted broccoli is good!

I used to dislike broccoli. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't go out of my way to eat it. I recently discovered how awesome roasted veggies are, and ever since this discovery I've liked broccoli. This recipe just kicks it up to another level of awesome, and it is a wonderful healthy side to pair with any meal. I served this with the mac and cheese recipe posted earlier this week, and it went really well together.

Best Ever Roasted Broccoli
from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

2 heads broccoli, cut into large florets

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

salt & pepper

1 teaspoon lemon zest

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

parmesan cheese to taste

5-6 leaves fresh basil, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay broccoli and garlic slices out on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss to coat and roast for 15-18 minutes, or until garlic and tips of broccoli are golden brown (don’t over-cook as garlic will taste bad if burnt.)

2. After removing the pan out of the oven, sprinkle on lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and basil.

A new twist on a classic

Is there anyone who doesn't love mac and cheese? It brings back memories of childhood, with that lovely little blue box sitting next to the stove. I've grown up and no longer enjoy the boxed classic, but this recipe caught my eye. It's a lot healthier with butternut squash providing a wonderful base, and it's incredibly tasty, too! We absolutely loved this recipe, and aside from the blender explosion this recipe went off without a hitch!Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
from Prevention RD

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (I used a frozen diced version)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 cup (4 oz) pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup (1 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 lb uncooked whole wheat pasta

Directions:

Combine squash, broth, garlic, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth.

Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyere, parmesan, and Parmesan cheese. Add pasta to the squash-cheese mixture, stir to combine and serve immediately.Notes: I didn't have the listed cheeses, so I just used cheddar, a little cream cheese and parmesan instead. It still tasted awesome, and was creamy and gooey.