Pepperoni Portobello Pizzas

Last night's meal was Pepperoni Portobello Pizzas with leftover bean soup from the night before. These were really quick and delicious, but I could have probably eaten three or four. Also, I couldn't find the mushrooms as cheap as I probably needed to for meeting the price per serving listed in the recipe. But it's still a good, healthy, quick meal for when you need one. Even the baby wanted more!

White-Bean Zucchini Soup

Last night we had White-Bean Zucchini Soup, and it was a hit! The baby kept squealing for more, and John particularly enjoyed the slight crunch that the zucchini added. I also threw ingredients into the bread maker for cornbread which paired well with the soup. This is a very quick dinner, as long as you follow the directions (which I didn't do)!

To keep the ingredients fresh and be sure that I knew exactly what was in the soup, I made the beans by simmering them for three hours with a chopped onions, a couple strips of bacon, salt, and pepper. (As a bonus, I made a little extra so I can use the beans for a chili recipe in a couple days.) Also, instead of chicken broth, I used the liquid made from making the beans which was already well seasoned. Once the beans were done, it was easy to add everything else to the pot and call dinner done in time to let the baby play in the backyard while I raked some leaves before John got home. This could be a veggie meal if you use veggie broth and take out the bacon, but it was good just as it is!

Distractions and Changes

A cute little kid has been occupying most of my time lately. We do eat dinner, and we even cook most nights (or have leftovers). In order to give myself the chance of updating our recipes more regularly, I will now link to the recipe I used and eliminate pictures unless I have extra time available. Sorry to make it less interesting, but it's the best chance to update this site. I'll try to note any changes I made in the text since I'm not writing out the full recipe with them.

We're also exploring the world of no eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seeds, and seafood. I think that's everything; it's hard to remember it all. Hopefully it'll be temporary, but those are the doctor's orders for now. Anyway, I enjoy chicken nuggets/tenders and fries on occasion, but since the pre-prepared versions have egg in them or are fried with things that include one of the above "bad" foods, I decided to try out making them myself last night.

The Chicken Nuggets and Sweet Fries worked out pretty well except everything could have been crispier. Next time I'll try a slightly higher temperature from the beginning instead of waiting until later in the baking process to increase it. Also, to maintain the desired "no egg" meal, I substituted a combination of mustard and honey instead of honey mustard which I now know has mayonnaise in it (bad food). Next time I'll use more to give the chicken better flavor.