Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

This pasta dish from America's Test Kitchen was quick, easy, and tasted wonderful! You should definitely try it. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but it was fantastic. We followed the directions to get the nice creamy sauce that's intended, so make sure to get the right ingredients. Oh, we did use our regular H.T. Traders (Harris Teeter) brand whole wheat pasta since it is safe for egg allergies, and that didn't affect the recipe from what we could tell. Enjoy!

Vegetable Barley Soup

We had Vegetable Barley Soup this week. This looks like the type of recipe I'd love and others in my house would tolerate. For some reason it is nearly the opposite. This is my second time making it, and I get remarks that it's flavorful and done well, but when I sit down to eat it, I'm dreading it. I can't even say what I don't like other than that maybe it isn't exciting? I even tried using chicken broth this time instead of just water, but I'm still not interested in it. I do wish as I were putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker that it would have more colors. It's a lot of white and beige with the particular veggies that go into it. So sadly I can't say this is great but I also can't say why. It does have decent flavor and the veggies are tender yet with a little crunch. If you end up trying it, let me know what you think.

Sausage and Tomato Baked Pasta

I'm surprised I've never posted this baked pasta recipe considering how many times we've made it. It's a great meal for when it's time to go shopping and you're just left with pantry items (we almost always use dried basil for this reason). Also, it's great for adding in extra leftover veggies (chopped mushrooms, shredded carrots, etc.). Finally, this meal can easily be frozen, which I do after assembling and before baking. Normally I'll double the recipe and freeze half for another night when we have less time.

Cornbread and Jim's Famous Chili

Last night we had a recipe that's been in the family for years. We made a chili recipe that was originally found on the back of a Premium Saltine Crackers box. I made it in the morning and stuck it in the slow cooker on low all day, but that isn't necessary. I served the chili with an egg free and delicious cornbread (I used regular skim milk instead of soy milk). Thanks to a friend for finding the cornbread recipe, trying it out, and passing it along to me.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Another dinner from this week was Chicken Tortilla Soup. I used leftover rotisserie chicken this time though I have made it the way the directions say. Also, I used my frozen homemade chicken broth, frozen corn, and cooked fresh beans. At the end, we each added tortilla chips as we ate since we like them to be crunchy. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Cheesy Shells and Greens

Last night's dinner was Cheesy Shells and Greens which was enjoyed by the whole family. It's a pretty quick meal other than taking stems off the spinach, but overall it's simple and well received. I've made it before but this time added in chopped leftover chicken since I had it. Also, I left out the mustard because of allergies. Enjoy!

Sausage, Spinach, and Feta Hand Pies

I love this recipe for Sausage and Feta Hand Pies. We haven't made it in a awhile, and today's cooking extravaganza explained why. It took me a long time to do this by myself, and I mean a long time, really. Also, I made double (which meant double the chopping) and froze one set for when we don't have time to cook and want a good meal. As I kept on cooking, the little boy came to help, played with play dough, had lunch, played trains, read books, and then probably repeated each at least once. Here's what the bookshelf looked like when I finally finished.

My modifications on the recipe:

• The pie crust was made with white whole wheat flour. I'm still waiting for someone to burst our bubble from finding this type of flour. We enjoy the flavor more than standard whole wheat but are supposedly getting the same nutrition. Anyone know something we don't?
• A bunch of spinach was added to the filling just before adding the tomatoes to get even more good stuff into the pies.
• The assembled pies were brushed with olive oil instead of egg for allergy reasons. The fennel seeds were left off for the same reason.

This isn't the healthiest recipe considering the quantity of butter in the pie crust and the Italian sausage, but the whole wheat and spinach additions at least try to get it a little bit back on track.

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup

I'm not sure what happened, but I've been picking winners lately. The recipes we've been trying have been really good. Maybe we were just extra hungry the past month. Even John's been telling me they're some of the best things I've made. Some are impromptu, some are from a recipe. Last night we had Italian Pasta and Bean Soup. It was delicious. Too bad the little boy wasn't as up for it. The only change I'd make to how we did the recipe this time is to use homemade chicken broth, but this time I did cook the beans fresh rather than use them from a can. Also, I chopped the spinach before throwing it in the soup to make it a little more appealing for the baby (didn't work, I guess), and I used a no egg pasta which limits my selection more than most people (threw it in cooked at the end so it wouldn't get soggy).

Chicken Fajitas

Last week we enjoyed these chicken fajitas, and especially loved the homemade guacamole. I've had a hard time getting a good avocado in the past, but this time it was perfectly ripe. I do laugh when I read the directions and it says preparation time takes 20 minutes. I suppose I could buy pre-cut onion, peppers, tomatoes, chicken, and crushed garlic, but I try to make dinner inexpensively. So, it took me a bit longer to get the ingredients list prepped, and then perhaps it was 20 minutes to cook but definitely not 20 minutes total. This recipe got top ratings from my critics, so it will be returning to our menu.

Chicken Fajitas modified from "Allegry-free Cookbook"

INGREDIENTS
3 TBSP olive oil
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 large green peppers, cut into strips
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TBSP chopped fresh chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few drops Tabasco (optional)
8 tortillas

METHOD

1. To make the guacamole, scoop the flesh of the avocado into a small bowl and mash with the chives. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add a few drops of Tabasco, if desired.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes, and stir-fry until nearly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the spices and herbs and season to taste.
3. Meanwhile, warm the tortillas on a covered plate over a pan of simmering water or wrapped in a damp towel and warmed briefly in the microwave.
4. To serve, divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, top each with a spoonful of guacamole, and roll up. You can also add a spoonful of sour cream or plain yogurt, grated cheddar cheese, or shredded lettuce, if desired.

Yield: about 4 servings

Fried Rice

We have several types of fried rice we make regularly, and here is one of the egg free versions. I thought fried rice always had eggs in it, but I guess most anything can be modified (reminds me of my egg free quiche...). This recipe is another great one for whatever leftover meat is laying around ready to use, or leave the meat out. You can also throw in veggies you have on hand. Though only peas are called for in the recipe, I added shredded carrots I had prepped and frozen over a month ago, as well as fresh chopped mushrooms. Lots of nutrition in every bite, and it's tasty, too! Remember to prep all ingredients before starting to cook, since the process goes quickly.

Fried Rice modified from "Bakin' Without Eggs"

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP grated ginger root
5 cups cold, cooked rice
2 cup frozen baby peas
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
5 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
6 TBSP chicken stock (use water if none available)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp white pepper

METHOD

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion and garlic; stir-fry 4-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
2. Add ginger, rice, and peas; stir-fry 3-4 minutes longer.
3. Add chicken; stir-fry until hot, about 3-5 minutes longer.
4. Stir in soy sauce, stock, thyme, and pepper. Stir-fry until rice absorbs the liquid and food is hot, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Taco Soup

John's aunt made this recipe when we visited over Thanksgiving; I think it came from their church recipe book. I love having this recipe on hand. All the ingredients come from the pantry or freezer. I have the ingredients stocked up for when our fresh produce is gone and it's time to go shopping. Also, this was my first go-to recipe for the slow cooker. It made me a little less scared of trying new recipes after we had some recipes that were awful several years ago.

I make some changes to the recipe from what I wrote below. It makes it a little more involved but hopefully also a little healthier. The changes include: cooking dried beans instead of using canned (just guess at amounts, it's not exact); using frozen corn; and mixing my own taco seasoning and ranch dressing (see below). These changes help reduce sodium and other unnecessary ingredients that often come from canned goods. Also, instead of ground beef, feel free to leave the meat out or substitute leftover meat, such as chopped chicken, pork, or beef. Another reason why this recipe is so great is because you can do almost anything to it, and it still tastes great. If after adding all your ingredients, you want a little more liquid, add a couple cups of water. It will be full of flavor after it's done cooking.

Taco Soup from family in North Carolina

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 cans corn
2 cans rotel
2 cans hominy
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans navy beans
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 package taco seasoning mix

METHOD

1. After browning and draining the meat, put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
2. If desired, serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings

Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1/4 C oregano, 3 TBSP chile powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBSP onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 pinch ground cloves, 1 pinch ground cinnamon. Use a couple heaping tablespoons for the recipe above.

Ranch Dressing: This is less exact as I change what I throw in each time, but sprinkle in some variety of salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika, parsley, and dried onion as you feel led.

Broccoli and Beef

Another dinner from last week was a Broccoli and Beef slow cooker meal over rice. I had to drastically alter the final cook time and temperature because of what was going on during the day. After adding the broccoli, I cooked on low for longer. This made the broccoli too soft for our taste. Also, we weren't thrilled with the flavors. I reduced the vinegar from the original and had to remove the sesame oil because of allergies, but it still didn't come out well. Next time I'll try different seasonings for the beef and get closer to the suggested cooking time and temp to help the texture.

Broccoli and Beef from "A Year of Slow Cooking"

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C soy sauce
2 TBSP white wine
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb thin beef, sliced thinly
1 bag thawed broccoli florets, about 1 lb (to add later)

METHOD

1. Add soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and red pepper to the slow cooker and mix well.
2. Add the beef and mix to coat.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the cut of meat. Thicker pieces will take longer to tenderize.
4. An hour before serving, add the bag of broccoli, cover and cook on high for another hour or so.
5. Stir gently to coat broccoli, and serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker Meal

Last week we had several slow cooker meals which was wonderful! It gave us a chance to enjoy doing some other things later in the day instead of squeezing in dinner preparations. One night we had a Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker meal. It was good, but not quite as flavorful as when I had it at a friend's house, so I'll have to figure out what I should change. I left out the chili to make it more appealing for the baby, so perhaps that's where I went wrong. I served the meal over rice but the recipe calls for couscous, so use whichever you prefer.

Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker Meal from a friend (not sure of the original source)

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 C chopped onion
1 C sliced carrots
1 TBSP curry powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 C cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 C cubed peeled baking potato
1 C diced green bell pepper
1 C cut green beans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
3 C fresh baby spinach
1 C light coconut milk

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Add curry powder, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chile; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in chickpeas and next 8 ingredients (through broth).
4. Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.
5. Add spinach and coconut milk; stir until spinach wilts.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 C vegetable mixture)

French Onion Soup and Baps

Last night we had French Onion Soup with our delicious baps. It was a flavorful and easy meal. Next time I'll add more water, maybe another 2-3 cups. There were a lot of onions for the amount of liquid, and we needed more servings. Also, the recipe called for canned beef broth. I try not to use canned broth and usually use water instead. Since there were so few ingredients, I felt I needed to add some seasoning (hence giving in to the bouillon cubes and adding some herbs), so I just sprinkled in a couple herbs that I thought would be good. For the baps, this time I made them with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. They turned out great!

French Onion Soup from "A Year of Slow Cooking"

INGREDIENTS
3 TBSP butter
2 yellow onions, sliced into rings
5 C water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp each of oregano and thyme
1/2 TBSP granulated sugar
1/4 C cooking sherry
1/2 tsp kosher salt
slices of wheat bread
swiss cheese or gruyere cheese

METHOD

1. Heat your crockpot to high and add butter to start melting.
2. Add onions to crockpot; break up the slices with your fingers, and rub them around in the melted butter.
3. Add the water, bouillon, seasonings, sugar, salt, and sherry.
4. Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-12.
5. Before serving, broil sliced bread with cheese on top until melted and browned. Then place bread in soup and eat!

Yield: 4 servings

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.

My Little Ratatouille

To prevent having Sammy think I'm referring to him as a rat, I've been calling him my little Ratatouille. But the real reason for the name was that it took me almost all of the meal preparation time to remember Remy's name! Nevertheless, my little Ratatouille was a star last night. He had a front row seat with Chefs Brewer, and he enjoyed nearly every moment of it. Rotating between the baby carrier and the bumbo seat, he was happy to watch the workings in the kitchen. Ratatouille and I manned ingredient retrieval duty, as well as food processor and snow pea trimming duty, to keep the little boy away from anything dangerous, while John took charge of all work involving exposed knives or fire.

Last night we all (since Sammy's help was essential) cooked Barbequed Pork Fried Rice and even prepped ingredients for a couple other meals this week! It was our first time cooking brown rice in the rice cooker. We've rarely had brown rice in the past, but I read that if you double the amount of water that you'd normally use for white rice, the rice cooker can also cook brown rice. We gave it a try, and it worked well. It just takes quite a bit more time for it to finish compared to how long white rice normally cooks.

We enjoyed the flavors in this meal. We were hesitant about adding ketchup to the mixture for the pork but did it anyway, and it helped with the BBQyness of the pork.

Barbecued Pork Fried Rice

(adapted from Gourmet by way of Culinary in the Desert)

INGREDIENTS

Pork Loin:
1/4 C hoisin sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp ketchup
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
16 oz center-cut boneless pork loin, trimmed

Seasoning Liquid:
3 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Vegetables and Rice:
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
3 medium leeks, halved and thinly sliced
8 oz snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine
5 cups brown rice, cooked and chilled

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare barbecued pork loin:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, and five-spiced powder. Add pork, turning to coat.
2. Place pork onto a small baking pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Place into the oven and bake until a meat thermometer registers 150 F to 155 F. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Cut pork into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare seasoning liquid: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

Prepare vegetables and rice:

1. In a large 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high.
2. Add leeks and ginger. Stir-fry until leeks begin to soften, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
3. Stir in snow peas. Add rice wine, and stir-fry until snow peas are crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add rice and pork. Cook, stirring frequently until thoroughly heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Stir in seasoning liquid, tossing well to coat evenly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Soup and Pasta

It's been awhile since my last post. We've cooked real meals far less in the last year between buying a house, preparing for the baby to come, and now being with Sam in the evenings after work. Despite everything that's going on, we're doing what we can to resume more healthy eating.

To add to some leftover pasta, I decided to make Butternut Squash Soup so we'd have enough food for dinner. I got this recipe and the can of squash from my aunt. She made it while we were visiting in New York, and I really enjoyed it, so she sent me what I needed to make it at home. While Sam was taking a short nap, I was able to chop veggies, and then I finished off the rest of the recipe with him looking on in the sling. It was quick to come together and didn't require too much with two hands, so I was able to finish. I'd say this recipe is baby friendly and tasty, too!

Next time, I may blend the veggies in a food processor after cooking them. Also, I may reduce the half and half a little more and substitute with more milk to reduce the sweetness a tiny bit. This was my first attempt at making soup, and this was a great first recipe since it's so easy.