A Simple Egg Hash for Dinner

To be completely honest, a breakfast hash is my secret to getting dinner on the table and getting dinner on the table FAST. Actually, come to think about it, we never really have a hash meal for breakfast. My hash dinners consist of whatever I have in the fridge or on my counter at the time, so each meal tends to be different. With that being said, the four ingredients I always toss in the pan are a meat, a potato, greens, and veggies. When finished add an egg on top (however you like your egg best), and VOILA! Dinner is served.

These meals work best on nights when I walk through the door around 6 p.m. and find Mr. B raiding the fridge because he's starving. On those evenings I know the skillet is coming out and we'll be sitting down to dinner in 30 minutes.

One thing I want to point out is I did struggle with my potatoes. Potatoes can take FOREVER and a day to cook! But last Christmas, my grandma gave each grandchild this cloth-contraption-thingy that cooks potatoes PERFECTLY, and I'm not exaggerating here, in the microwave in less than eight minutes. It's perfect for baked potatoes, and I promise, you will have the fluffiest spud ever. So on days when I'm in a hurry (like for my hash dinners), I throw a few washed potatoes in the contraption sack and under-cook them, about 5 minutes in the microwave. By the time the meat and veggies are cooked, the potatoes are ready to add to the pan for crisping.

Y'all NEED one of these! And I apologize because I have no idea where she purchased it. I think she said she bought them in Amish country. Those Amish really know their potatoes!

Egg Hash Dinner
Serves however many mouths you need to feed

*Adjust the ingredients to fit the number of servings needed and the ingredients in your fridge.

Chicken or vegetable broth
Baby red potatoes, slightly under-cooked
Sliced mushrooms
Chopped bell peppers
Chopped onion
a big container of kale
Kielbasa
Eggs, over-easy (1-2 per person)
hot sauce, for drizzling (optional)

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers in broth until desired crispness is reached (add more broth as needed). When vegetables have 2-3 minutes to go, add in kale, potatoes and kielbasa. Cook until warmed through, a bit crispy, and kale has wilted down. There are two ways to cook the eggs: Cook them in a separate pan the way you prefer, whether scrambled, poached, or sunny-side-up, etc., and then add on top once hash is plated. The other way I like to cook them with this meal is in the same skillet. I make little pockets by scooting the vegetables and meat to the side and cracking the egg over the holes in the skillet (this can also be done in a ramekin and then poured into the made holes). With the heat on low, cover the skillet and allow the eggs to cook to preferred liking. Serve on plates immediately. We like ours drizzled with a little Red Hot.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

The Munster Turkey Burger

With Memorial Day weekend right around the corner, it's definitely time to get those grills going if you haven't already. I mean, it is National Barbecue and Hamburger month. Over here, Mr. B grills year 'round. That's saying a lot considering we're in Ohio and most of the time the ground is covered in snow. If not snow, then barely above 40 degrees. But, of course, that has never stopped him from a burger or chicken breast grilled to perfection every month of the year.

I love this time of year because of the smells. I step outside my door in the early evening and BBQ smells greet my nose. It's welcoming. It's wonderful. It smells mighty tasty. Personally, I love almost anything on the grill, from steak to pizza, vegetables to peaches, salmon to ears of corn. Oh my goodness, corn. Grilled corn in the husk. YUM.

Here in Ohio, though, Memorial Day weekend is usually too early for our corn.

"Knee high by the Fourth of July" folks!

Occasionally, I may have some from last season still in the freezer. This is highly unlikely. We love our corn.

But one thing is a must this holiday. The grill. And anything and everything that can be grilled. Hot dogs, burgers, chicken breasts, black bean burgers, ribs, vegetable kebabs, sausage, and bratwurst. (You will never find me anywhere near a brat, by the way.) I could go on, but I'm going to stop with the burger.

This turkey burger stuffed with Munster cheese is one of my new on the grill must-haves. Of course, with all the fixin's. It's juicy, well-seasoned, and stacked.

It's something a little lighter for the summer, and will actually please your beef burger-eater of a husband. I promise.

The Munster Burger

Serves 4

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 T Italian seasoning
1 T lemon-pepper seasoning
4 (thin!) slices Munster cheese
All the fixin's: caramelized (or grilled) onions and mushrooms, tomato slices, dill pickles, Romaine lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, black pepper, balsamic vinegar or your favorite BBQ sauce
4 buns, if you prefer your burger on a bun

In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey with both seasonings, working the spices well into the meat. You can use a big wooden spoon or your hands, whatever works best for you. Divide the meat into four sections. My tip for stuffing your burgers --> take the lid of a mayo jar (I always keep one on hand from a previous jar), and lay a piece of plastic wrap on top. Take one section of meat and divide it in half, stuffing one half into the mayo lid. Add a slice of cheese, folding it if necessary in order to fit. Add the other half of the met on top of the cheese and press down. Wrap the sides of the plastic over the meat and press until the cheese is encased in the meat, pinching the sides together so the cheese won't leak out. (If it does, no big deal, it's just extra delicious.) Unwrap the meat, pick up the mayo lid and flip out the burger onto a plate. Continue with the other three patties. Chill the burgers in the fridge a few hours or overnight.

Heat up the grill and cook your burgers until well done. Top with anything you like. WHile Mr. B figures the more the merrier, I prefer my Munster turkey burger on a big leaf of lettuce, topped with a couple slices of tomato, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and a dash of black pepper.

*Note: I forgot to take pictures of the burger-making process, so I'm adding a link for you to get a visual of what I'm talking about. Check out this blog for an example until I post my own photos. When I stumbled across this "how to" post, I was excited to see I wasn't the only one being resourceful in the kitchen! (Plus, I love the size it makes the burgers.)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Chicken Florentine

It's National Eat What You Want Day!!!!!

Actually, I guess I saw it as DRINK What You Want Day. I knew as soon as I woke up this morning, on my way to work I was heading to Starbucks for an iced double grande dirty chai. It was fan-freaking-tastic. I was sad I only got a grande. At 11 a.m. it hit the spot. Cold. Spicy. Caffeinated. Perfection.

Anyhoo, since it is EAT What You Want Day, I decided to share one of Mr. B's favorite week night meals. It's fast, and as long as I prepare the sides ahead of time (yes, husbands. those boys), he has no problem making on the evenings I work. He loves anything he can throw on the grill.

And if I'm being completely honest, I thoroughly enjoy this meal, too. While I listed the directions for cooking this on the stove, it's quite simple to adjust the recipe for the grill. Instead of in a skillet, cook the chicken on the grill and brush on a little Italian dressing. On foil, grill up the spinach and any other sides you might enjoy with the chicken, such as zucchini chips or baby potatoes.

This.

Yes, I want this.

I'm salivating just ogling these photos.

Chicken Florentine
*inspired by a picture in a menu

Serves 4

3 Tbsp Italian dressing, divided (homemade or your favorite)
4 c lightly packed spinach leaves
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
8 slices smoked ham
4 slices Provolone cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp of dressing in large ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 minute or until spinach is wilted. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Add remaining dressing and chicken to skillet; turn chicken over to evenly coat with dressing. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through. Top evenly with ham (I like to toast my ham a bit before putting on the chicken) and cheese; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. (Or, place under broiler to brown.) Spoon spinach mixture evenly onto plates; top each with chicken.

Yeah, I was starving a little hungry, and, as you can see, the spinach never made it to the plates! But at least my zucchini chips add some color. Yum.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #14

[Original post date Dec. 2011. --Updated 4/7/15: original separate content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

#14 August: Special Diet

The Menu:
       Appetizers
Green Stuffed Appetizer Shells (Vegetarian)
Barbecued Baguettes (Vegetarian)
Party Stuffed Pinwheels (Vegetarian)
       Main Course
Italian Zucchini Pie (Vegetarian)
       Side
Coleslaw (Sugar Free)
       Dessert
Vegan Cupcakes

Jessica had the theme for this month. Lately, we had been talking about trying more vegan and gluten-free recipes because some of our family members have special diets. However, the ingredients for "special diets" can be quite on the expensive side. And when you're on a tight budget, it's not the easiest to do. Hence the reason most of us chose to go vegetarian for this month's menu. [Isn't it amazing what a few years can do? These ingredients are nowhere near as expensive now. Awesome.]

I was excited to skim through my vegetarian recipes, hungry to try something new. After much consideration, I chose the Italian Zucchini Pie, out of The 1,000 Best Recipes.

My husband and I have been on a huge zucchini kick lately. I've used it shredded, fried, baked, in patty form and, Mr. B's personal favorite, Zucchini Chips (<--- find this recipe here).

Zucchini and cheese in a pie, yes please. It sounded delicious. It looked delicious. It smelled delicious. The filling was delicious...the crust...was a little hard.

I'd make this again in a heart beat, but with a different crust recipe.

Italian Zucchini Pie
*adapted from The 1,000 Best Recipes

Serves 6

2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp
1/3 c olive oil
1 egg, beaten + 3 eggs & 1 egg, lightly beaten for glaze
3-4 Tbsp iced water
1 1/4 lb zucchini, grated
5 oz provolone cheese, grated
4 oz cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp finely chopped basil
pinch of nutmeg

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt and make a well. Combine oil and beaten egg, and almost all of the water and add to flour. Mix until mixture comes together in beads, adding more water if needed. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Heat a baking sheet. Grease a 7" pie dish. Toss zucchini with 1/4 tsp salt and place in colander for 30 minutes to drain. Squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands. Place in a large bowl and add cheeses, 3 eggs, garlic, basil and nutmeg. Season well and mix thoroughly.

Roll out 2/3 of the pastry until large enough to line base and side of pie dish. Spoon zucchini filling into pastry shell and level surface. Brush exposed rim of dough with lightly beaten egg. Roll out remaining dough to make a lid. Cover filling with it, pressing edges together firmly. Trim edges. Crimp rim. Prick top all over with a skewer and brush with egg.

Bake on hot sheet for 50 minutes or until golden.

My other favorite this month was Jenny's Coleslaw. I usually like my coleslaw a little thicker and not as sweet, but I found it to be quite tasty.

[Oh, and if you couldn't tell by now, I forgot my camera. I don't have any of the other tasty dishes. Fail.]

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. I've finally caught up! I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9-12
Cooking Club #13

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Healthy Sweet 'n' Sour Marinated Chicken

This chicken.

If there was only one chicken dish I could convince you to make, it would be this one.

Until I made my next chicken dish, obviously.

I could eat chicken every day and never tire of it. I'm 90% certain that is why I'm not a vegetarian. The other 10% belongs to a perfect medium-rare steak. A girl's gotta have her steak.

But back to this particular chicken. It's marinated and it's healthy. It's quick and it's delicious. It pleases the man in your life. It will please you.

This chicken pairs perfectly with rice and your favorite vegetable. Sometimes I add it to a stir fry or eat it cold in a lunch salad. The flavors from the marinade easily complement and are very versatile.

Which makes this chicken the most perfect chicken.

A chicken to flavor up your go-to weeknight meal. Any leftovers can flavor up tomorrow night's meal.

As I said, chicken all the time.

Sweet 'n' Sour Marinated Chicken

Serves 4

4 chicken breast halves
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c orange juice*
1/4 c lime juice*
1/4 c lemon juice*
1/4 c brown sugar
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

(*Side note: When I'm out of lemons or limes, I use a few drops of my lemon essential oil, and when there's no orange juice, the orange blossom essential oil is a fantastic replacement. Although, I recommend using one or the other of the oils because you need the liquid. But I guess you could replace it with water or stock.)

Combine all ingredients, except chicken and olive oil, in a large glass bowl. Stir to combine. Slowly pour oil into mixture while stirring with a whisk. Place chicken in marinade, cover and chill 8 hours, or overnight, turning once or twice. In a large skillet or grill pan, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Grilled Chicken Pita Wraps

These chicken pitas are fit for a KING.

Better yet, the starving husband whose appetite can hold the entire contents of one's fridge.

Know anyone like that?

Any recipe approved by Mr. B is a sure win for my blog. Any recipe approved between mouthfuls of pita jumps to the head of the class.

But, truth be told? We've been eating this chicken pita wrap recipe for years. Like back when we were engaged years. Another truth? Every time I make it, Mr. B informs me I don't make it enough.

That puts a BIG smile on my face.

This chicken pita wrap usually graces our table about every other week throughout the summer (err...shall I say warmer...) months because I really like to keep my ingredients fresh and seasonal. With that being said, lately I've been craving lighter food fare. I think it's because Ohio is buried under three feet of snow on top of five feet of snow on top of three inches of solid ice. I'm pretty sure the grass is there somewhere. Clearly, my body and appetite are over winter. So when I came across the feta cheese hiding in my refrigerator drawer, I immediately salivated over the thought of my chicken pita wraps.

They're kind of my spin on a healthier Greek pita. Add some cucumbers, tomatoes, bacon, and plain Greek yogurt. Skip the olives. Mmmmm and olive oil.... Top with chopped walnuts and all on a bed of sprouts and greens. I promise this is killer delicious and will leave you full and satisfied.

Grilled Chicken Pita Wraps

Serves 6

Feta mixture:
5 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp oregano
2 drops lemon essential oil

Yogurt sauce:
8 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

6 pitas (I like the whole wheat and flax seed ones from )
6 chicken tenders, thawed and patted dry
3 T soy sauce (LOVE marinating my chicken in soy sauce!)
juice & zest of 1 lemon
6 slices pre-cooked bacon
alfalfa sprouts
arugula or other type of leafy greens
2 cucumbers, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: 1 avocado, chopped; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped; raw walnuts, chopped

In a bag, marinate chicken in soy sauce and lemon oil mixture for 30 minutes to an hour on the counter (tossing once throughout to make sure all chicken is coated). Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together feta ingredients and leave out on the counter to "settle" for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt sauce ingredients; cover and chill in fridge until ready to use.

When chicken is finished marinating, heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Heat until cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side. Once chicken is finished and slightly cooled, slice or chop it up. Whatever fits your fancy. Now you're ready to build your pita. Start by layering on your greens and sprouts, topped with chicken and bacon. Add on chopped cucumbers, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, a spoonful of each the feta mixture and the yogurt sauce. Garnish with walnuts, eggs, onion, or avocado. Fold up what you can and devour!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Three-Vegetable Gnocchi in Olive Oil with Pesto Gouda Cheese

ONE.

TWO.

THREE.

FOUR.

Yes, that's right. This is my FOURTH gnocchi post.

I.Cannot.Help.It. It's my absolute FAVORITE pasta dish. It's definitely a winter comfort food for me.

Plus, it's super, super fast and easy and full of delicious carb-loaded pasta pillows and so, so, so, darn tasty!

Sorry. I had a moment there.

I also had a moment a month ago while at Trader Joe's with my best friend when I came across this beauty. Gnocchi was the first thing that came to mind. How GOOD would this be on my gnocchi?!?!

Of course, as soon as I arrived home I made this immediately with whatever vegetables I had at arm's length. While eating it for dinner, I was thinking about how much I was going to enjoy this meal as my next two lunches for work. And then Mr. B came into the kitchen. "Where's my dinner?" Through a mouthful of pesto-Gouda-covered pillow-y pasta I informed him his dinner was currently a pizza heating in the oven. (<--- also a Trader Joe's purchase)

"Oh."

And then he ate the rest of my gnocchi while he waited for his pizza.

"Ummm....babe, you don't like gnocchi," I said trying to hide my disappointment as I watched my work lunches disappear.

"I know. But this is good."

Three-Vegetable Gnocchi in Olive Oil with Pesto Gouda Cheese

*Serves 2-4

1 (16-oz) pkg gnocchi
1/2 - 1 c low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 c corn
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzle
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c freshly grated pesto Gouda cheese

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, but slightly under cook. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Toss in the sliced zucchini, followed by the vegetable broth and saute 5-8 minutes. (Start with 1/2 c of broth and add more if pan becomes too dry.) Add in corn and chopped tomatoes, saute another 3-5 minutes; turn off heat. Once cooked, drain pasta and add to pan with vegetables. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil, just enough to coat pasta and vegetables. (The pan should be somewhat dry; you don't need pools of oil in the pan.) Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. While still hot, grate pesto Gouda cheese over top.

Eat the entire pan before anybody else knows you made it.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Cheeseburger Casserole

Talk about cleaning out the freezer and tossing everything into a quick weeknight dinner casserole.

This casserole is a dish I throw together when Mr. B and I are craving fast food. Burgers. Fries.

But we don't eat fast food, and haven't since March of this year. We've always been "health conscious" when it comes to food, eating everything in moderation with occasional indulgences. We don't bring junk food into the house; it's just something we I don't buy. Now if there's a party and we need chips, I'll throw in a bag or two. If I'm craving ice cream and it's the dead of winter or I don't feel like waiting two days to make my own, I'll head to the store and buy a pint or smaller. Unless it's Christmas or a special occasion, you won't find candy or cookies in my house. Mr. B doesn't eat sweets. I never get dessert when we do eat out; I'd rather make it myself.

And in all honesty, it's not necessarily because we only like healthy food. It's more likely because we're too cheap. I mean, have you seen the cost of a bag of chips or a box of pastries from the bakery lately?  For the quality, I'll just make it myself. And.Mr.B.cannot.stop.eating.when.it.comes.to.chips.

I'm mentioning all of this because we had a downfall and that was running through the BK Lounge when out and about and feeling too lazy to cook. Or through McDonald's for fries. It wasn't all the time, and considering most people, our once a week fast food splurge isn't much. But this past March we made a decision to cut out fast food. Mainly because I finally convinced my husband how bad it was for us. After watching Food, Inc. he made the decision he'd never eat it again. To my surprise, he hasn't. Here it is, almost January, and the only fast food he's consumed since that declaration is a couple Subway sandwiches and an Arby's roast beef. While on vacation we stopped for his traditional Big Breakfast and he didn't even finish it.

I'm so proud. My husband is definitely a burgers and fries guy. And I know he misses the taste, not the particular restaurants. So I created this casserole dinner just for him, as a way to get his fix. This casserole is the perfect dinner for those of us who love burgers and fries. It's a healthier, homemade version to kick that fast food craving.

Cheeseburger Casserole

Serves 4

1 lb ground turkey
S.O.S. mix equivalent to 10.5 oz (prepared)
a decent-sized batch of caramelized onions and mushrooms
22 oz. pkg french fries
1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes and pickles (and other condiments optional)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. In a skillet, brown the meat, drain off fat if needed. Place meat in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, mix in the caramelized onions and mushrooms, and S.O.S. mix. Stir until combined. Spoon the meat mixture into a greased casserole dish. Next, top with half the grated cheese and the fries. Bake 30 minutes, and then sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake another 15 minutes, or until the fries are done and cheese is melted. Top with chopped tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce. Drizzle with burger condiments, if desired.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #8

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 9/22/14: original, but separate content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.] 


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in other posts) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

#8 February: Soup

The Menu:
Potato, Broccoli and Coriander Soup
Steak Chili Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Quick French Onion Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ham and Cheesy Potato Soup


With it still being winter and all, Jenny thought it would be a great month for a soup-themed Cooking Club. Soup is one of my favorites, and I am always game for some soup --even in the summer.

Who doesn't love a bowl of steaming hot soup? Oh right, Mr. B is not a fan. (Crazy.) I guess he'll be making his own meals during these chilly months.

Again, my trusty cookbook, The 1,000 Best Recipes, came through with an eye-googling soup recipe, Potato, Broccoli and Coriander Soup. As I mentioned in my Broccoli-Cheddar Soup post, broccoli in my soup is a favorite. Add in potatoes, garlic, onions, a dash of cumin, some delightful coriander and you have a super healthy winter dish.

Once all of the potatoes and broccoli were chopped, they took a swim in this pan, full of chicken broth. And then this gorgeous soup, once pureed, turned into this!

With all of the soups, we had a lot of downtime while everything was simmering. Yet the kitchen was filled with a mixture of intoxicating aromas, and we couldn't wait to grab our bowls. I LOVED it! This was by far one of my favorites, along with our Thanksgiving and Cobbler months. However, while I enjoyed the other soups, they weren't enough for me to grab the recipe cards, and the photos didn't turn out all that appetizing.

Please, please invite some friends and/or family over for a soup-themed gathering!

Potato, Broccoli and Coriander Soup
*adapted from The 1,000 Best Recipes

Serves 6

1 lb broccoli
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander (note: I had coriander kernels and used a coffee grinder to ground)
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cubed
2 small chicken bouillon cubes
about 4 c water (or you can forgo the cubes and water and substitute chicken or vegetable broth)
1 1/2 c skim milk

Lightly spray large pot with cooking spray, place over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Add 1 tbsp water to prevent from sticking. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened and is lightly golden. Add cumin and coriander and cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes and broccoli to pot, stir well and add stock cubes and water. Slowly bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Allow to cool slightly. Blend soup in batches in a food processor or blender (or if you have an immersion blender---I want one so bad---use that) until smooth. Return to pot and stir in milk. Slowly reheat, without boiling. Season well before serving.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: Calories 340; Fat 18; Fiber 5; Protein 10

Pssstt. This is also a favorite during our many Baking Extravaganzas! It's a simple, grab-and-go dish, easily prepared the day before.

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1-4
Cooking Club #5
Cooking Club #6
Cooking Club #7

[Update: Just the previous Cooking Club links!]

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Apricot Kielbasa Slices with Sweet Potato Fries + the Perfect Dipping Sauce

I am feeling fall, fall, and more fall over here, which makes these two recipes perfect for this time of year because they highlight the color orange. And orange is everywhere these days. If you don't see it out your front door right now, check back tomorrow! :)

These two recipes are courtesy of Cooking Club (recently highlighted here), theme: the color ORANGE. Given the season, I feel it's quite appropriate to share my favorite dishes from that gathering. A Cooking Club meeting which actually generated a meal Mr. B would enjoy. A definite plus, my friends.

Y'all, I don't think I've met an easier supper that tasted like it took an awfully long time to make. I remember thinking, back when I first tasted this kielbasa, this was extremely tasty. It tasted like it'd been simmering all day long on the stove. I knew I must snag a few leftovers for Mr. B. Good thing, too, because he enjoyed it so much and requested it again a week later. Except when I make it for us, I don't use quite the full jar of preserves. We like it not as sweet, letting the flavor of the sausage come through a bit more.

But these fries! Alas, there were no fries to bring home to share. But since then, I make these sweet fries all the time. A perfect way to get a healthier fries fix. And, again, we don't like them too sweet, so I halve the sugar called for.

Plus, a short bout under the broiler makes them extra crispy. A favorite finger food on game days. Perfect with or without the sauce, but Mr. B is a huge fan of his dips, so give it a try. The lime in the yogurt sauce complements the sweetness of the fries quite well. Oh, and the sauce makes enough for a double batch of fries!


Apricot Kielbasa Slices with Sweet Potato Fries & Dipping Sauce
*recipe courtesy of my friends Kelly and Jenny

Serves 4 (with big side salad)

For the kielbasa:
1 lb kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
1 (12-oz) jar apricot preserves
2 T lemon juice
2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a large skillet, brown sausage, drain, and set aside on a plate. Add remaining ingredients to skillet. Cook over low heat , 2-3 minutes or until heated through and thickened, stirring occasionally. Return sausage to pan. Cook 5-6 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm.

For the fries:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into spears
2 T olive oil
1 T light brown sugar
1/2 t kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 t ground black pepper (recipe actually calls for 1/2 t, but I love pepper on my fries)

Preheat oven 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil; grease with cooking spray. Place potato spears in ice water for 3-5 minutes to blanch. Blot with paper towel and place spears on prepared sheet, tossing with olive oil. Spread into a single layer. Combine  sugar, salt, and pepper; sprinkle on potatoes. (I didn't use this entire mixture on mine.) Bake 15 minutes, then turn fries with spatula. Bake another 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. (I like mine extra crispy, so I turn on the broiler for a few minutes.) Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, if desired.

For the honey-lime dipping sauce:
6 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 T mayo
1/ T honey
1 T fresh lime juice
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t oregano
1 t parsley
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t kosher salt

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Chill until ready to serve. Easy-peasy.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #7

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 9/15/14: original, but separate, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.] 


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in other posts) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

#7 January: Pasta

The Menu:
Blue Cheese Gnocchi
Chicken Paprikash
Pesto Chicken Pasta
Rice Noodles with Pork
Garlic-Based Red Sauce with Homemade Linguine
Shrimp/Chicken Pasta
Ham and Cheesy Mac

Someone decided pasta would be a great theme for this month's Cooking Club. And I agreed. Like, two hands up agreed.

Now that we have Andrew back, we lost Jessica's sister. She apparently wasn't as enthused about cooking as one needs to be for Cooking Club. (Cough, I'm sure it had nothing to do with last month's 9-hour cookie disaster baking, cough.)

Mmm. Pasta. I LOVE pasta. There are so many ways to eat pasta. But I definitely wanted to try something new. Gnocchi sounded amazing and I've always wanted to try it. So I thought, what's better than trying gnocchi first-hand homemade?

I went to my trusty over-the-top-fancy recipe book, The 1,000 Best Recipes, which I bought for my husband (then boyfriend at the time) when he first moved into his own apartment. I thought he might learn to cook, more so than the freezer-to-oven meals, and pork chops and a can of green beans. He took one look at this cookbook and tossed it aside (more like heaved it aside; this book is ridiculous). He prefers simpler meals, not ones with fancy ingredients and multiple steps. (Although he did brave this cookbook to make this chicken in a paprika and mushroom sauce, check out this post for the recipe, ...it is to die for. But that's it. He won't try any other recipes.)

Anyhoo, when I saw these beautiful pasta pillows drowning in a white cheese sauce, I was a goner. I didn't need to look any further. Nothing else would satisfy. I counted the days until our next meeting so I could make this amazing dish.

And it did not disappoint.

Oh, and this is such a simple recipe. Only five ingredients total in the entire dish! Potatoes and flour are all you need to make this tasty gnocchi.

Yet, I had no idea that making gnocchi from scratch would be so time consuming, and did I forget to mention a MESS! (I've never made any form of pasta from scratch, and Jessica did warn me it was messy. Uh, understatement.)

But it was so worth it. I'd stop writing this post right now just to get my hands caked with flour and potatoes in order to taste one sweet pillow-y gnocchi. Maybe I should add this to our dinner menu for next week....

However, this dish did require some patience. That yummy sauce up there eventually thickens upon standing and oh.my.goodness. Holy frijoles. (I can't wait to see Puss in Boots. That cat cracks me up.)

I think I have a new pasta favorite. Move over lasagna. My palate is too mature for you.

Oh, and a whole meal with tons of carbs...yeah, we didn't think this one through. We were stuffed and miserable by the end, but quite enlightened and satisfied.


Blue Cheese Sauce
*from The 1,000 Best Recipes

Serves 4 (with salad, but if not I could devour half myself)

10 oz cream [I used canned evaporated milk, plus 1 1/2 t xanthan gum to thicken]
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, chopped
gnocchi, homemade or cooked according to package directions

In a small pan, bring cream to a boil. Boil rapidly, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, or until reduced by one third. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over gnocchi. Scatter chives over top and serve immediately. ****I never use all of the cream called for. Place leftovers in container and store in fridge, using with other pasta, like linguine....yum.

If you have the time and ambition, make the gnocchi yourself. For a quicker version, pick up some while you're at the store. Hurry home and make this sauce!

Includes gnocchi and all of cream:
Nutritional Information per serving from cookbook
650 calories, 44 fat, 20 protein, 1.5 fiber

Nutritional Information per serving (with my adaption)
296 calories, 6 fat, 45 carbs, 14 protein, 4 fiber, 9 sugar

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1-4
Cooking Club #5
Cooking Club #6

[Update: Previous Cooking Club links have been updated, as well as the cookbook link on Amazon. More pictures coming, and the nutritional information has been updated. This is sort of perfect timing since, it's National Linguine Day. Get in your kitchen and make some homemade goodness!]

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Braised Pork {or Turkey!} and Apple Stew

With the weather turning chillier, it's time for chilis, soups, stews, dumplings, and everything else that warms the soul and your belly. I have the perfect stew for you. Not only is it quick, adaptable, and easily doubled to feed a crowd, but it's just so darn good. So good, I've made it twice in the last two weeks. And Mr. B and I have devoured it, barely leaving enough for our work lunches the next day.

This recipe was discovered when my friend brought it to one of our various Cooking Club meetings. I was drooling over it then, and I still find it mouth-watering now. Every time fall starts to peek through, I head to the market for my bushel of apples, fresh carrots, and potatoes because I must.make.this.dish.immediately. It just screams FALL to me, and it truly is a tasty way to welcome the season.

You'll often find me making this a couple times a month. Depending on the mouths I'm feeding, the why, and the where, depends on the ingredients. If I'm feeding a crowd (mostly men) or making a hearty meal for us to enjoy during the weekend football games, I use the pork tenderloin. However, if I'm making it as a week day meal, or just for me for a few work lunches, I use a turkey tenderloin and sweet potatoes. Either way, it's just divine. A hearty salad makes it a perfect meal. However, Mr. B prefers it with buttered noodles or buttered bread. He says it soaks up the broth.

I'm sure this would work well in a crock pot, too. My brother says he's going to give it a try.


Braised Pork and Apple Stew
*recipe from my friend Jenny

Serves 4 people

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb pork tenderloin (turkey tenderloin is just as tasty!), cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 T flour
14-16 oz vegetable or chicken broth
2 apples (not too sweet), cored and cut into wedges
8 baby red potatoes (or sweet potatoes)
1 c baby carrots
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 T Honey-Dijon mustard

Heat oil in 5-6 quart pot over med-high heat. While oil heats up, sprinkle tenderloin with salt and pepper; coat with flour. Cook tenderloin 4 minutes until browned, turning once. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add broth, potatoes, apples, carrots and thyme to pot. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in meat and mustard. Cover and simmer, 4-5 minutes, or until meat is just cooked through. Serve with your favorite side salad, rolls, or buttered noodles.

Nutritional Information
Pork version: 460 calories, 14 fat, 38 protein, 5 fiber
Turkey version: 362 calories, 10 fat, 22 protein, 5 fiber

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Re-Visited: Cooking Club #3

[Original post date Nov. 2011. --Updated 8/18/14: original, but separate, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in more posts to come) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!

#3 September: Ingredient Apple

The Menu:

           Main Course

Braised Pork and Apple Stew

Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs

Mango Apple Curry      
           Desserts

French Apple Tart

Spiced Apple Stir-Fry

Look at that tasty fall stew. Yum-0

Cooking Club is expanding! Our new member is actually Jessica's boyfriend and a fellow co-worker. Welcome, Andrew!

It was Jenny's turn to decide on a theme and she chose apples (because of their abundance lately), which means we must have that ingredient somewhere in our recipe. This month I chose to make Giada's  Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs and Spiced Apple Stir-Fry (<--- not sure where I found this recipe; it was just on a piece of scrap paper, hiding in my box of to-make-soon dishes). I couldn't decide which one I wanted to make, so I brought both.

Check out my new apron!

You have to make this couscous. Please make this, you will be so happy you did. Seriously. This was my first time ever eating this new food, and now I'd eat it every day if I could.  Actually, I enjoyed this recipe so much that I make it about three times a month. Everyone loved it; so the next time I made it, I brought it to work to share with my co-workers. A tiny mistake on my part. They all love it so much, that now if they find out I made some and didn't bring it in they give me a hard time. It's so good I don't even want to share. haha. I want to keep it all to myself. And every time I make this dish, I thank the Lord that Mr. B isn't into trying new foods.

The funny thing is, my best friend Jessica, not the co-worker and Cooking Club member, my other Jessica (I know, it's hard to keep up sometimes), called me up a week after I made this at our meeting. She was going on and on about this couscous recipe she recently made and just knew that I would love. After she finished describing it, I realized it was the same recipe.

Yes, my friends, it is that good.

It's so good that it's listed on the menu for my last meal ever. (You know, the question: What would you eat if it was your last meal?) Yes, I must have this.

Anyhoo, having another member in the kitchen was fun and a new learning experience all over again. I love learning about people and what they bring to the table, literally. This was another great meeting, and next to my couscous, Jenny's Braised Pork and Apple Stew was killer. However, my second dish, Spiced Apple Stir-Fry was quite tasty, and I'd love to have this every time I eat vanilla ice cream. [Actually, this is fantastic on top of a bowl of plain Greek yogurt and sprinkled with sliced almonds. I think it gives Chobani a run for its money. The perfect healthy dessert.]

Spiced Apple Stir-Fry

Serves 4-5

3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (or any favorite apple will work. Also, peeling is optional. I like the texture, so I leave it on.)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (if you don't have, ground works just as well)
1/3 c sugar <--- taste your apples! I rarely use this much sugar, probably less than half. The apples lend enough sugar themselves.
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/3 c apple cider
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp butter <--- I use coconut oil, and I think it's even better, more flavor.

Cut stacked apple slices into fourths; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and spices; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk cider with cornstarch; set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add apple slices and ginger and stir-fry, about 2 minutes. Stir in sugar-spice mixture and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Stir in cider mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and is slightly thickened. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

[I apologize for not being able to provide a photo along with this recipe. It was so good, by the time we finished filling our bellies there wasn't any left to photograph.] <--- Feast your eyes on the beautiful caramelization splendor. It tastes just as wonderful as it looks.

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. There are many more to come as I try to play catch-up before this month's meeting. I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1
Cooking Club #2

[Update: I've included the link to the French Apple Tart, a new photo of the pork stew from last week, which Mr. B devoured with a side of buttered noodles <--- follow the above link for that perfect fall recipe, and some heavenly dessert photos.]

With Love and God Bless,

Brindi