Fresh (Greek Pita Pizza)

So...it's been a while.  

 

First, we remodeled our kitchen (yay!) and I wasn't able to cook or bake for almost 12 weeks. 

Then, I had a beautiful new kitchen.

Then, I woke up one morning to take the exam to get certified to administer chemotherapy.  This is a certification that I've wanted to get since I started nursing school.  A friend from work and I took the class together, driving up to North Jersey to this tiny little community hospital and sitting in a freezing cold room with no windows through boring lectures about side effects and IV access and tumor lysis syndrome.  And on the morning of the last day of the class when we were to sit for the exam, I took another test of my own.  

Turns out, we have a Hennebaby 2.0 on the way!!

Down on the Farm (Spaghetti with Sugar Snap Peas)

If you met me for like 10 minutes, you'd realize that I don't grow things.  Except my kiddo, thank goodness.  Green things, however, shrivel up and die in my presence.  I don't understand why...I water and place in sunlight and follow all the directions and yet somehow even the hardiest bamboo withers under my loving gaze.  The only plant that I have someone managed not to kill is a potted aloe plant that my gramma gave me about 4 years ago that sits in the window of my living room, which only proves that it is probably not a real plant, but a prop, placed by a covert government agency to spy on me.  (Hey, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.)

This is why I don't even attempt to garden.  I bought some herb plants a few weeks ago at the grocery store, and they lasted exactly three days.  Three days.  Insects live longer than my plants.

Needless to say, the only fresh produce that enters my house comes from the grocery store or the farmer's market. So, when my BFF suggested that we go to Johnson's Farm and pick strawberries, I was skeptical.  Pick our own produce?  I didn't want to be responsible for decimating entire crops with just the touch of my black thumbs.  Oh well.  Surely these poor plants would have enough protection from real farmers to withstand an afternoon with me.  I strapped the kiddo into the Baby Bjorn and away we went, to toil in the fields like my ancestors.

Tractors are, apparently, fascinating to babies.

Winter Woes (Chicken Pot Pie Soup)

I had a plan for this winter.  It involved cozy sweaters and blankets and hot cocoa.  There was cuddling in front of the fireplace, sipping tea, showing my kiddo driving snowflakes out of the windows.  Maybe even some shoveling snow - I can deal.

There were dinners of rich beef stew, pasta, chicken pot pie, macaroni and cheese - warm and hearty comfort food.

Maaa!  What's for dinner??

Instead, we got warm temperatures, rain, and no weather-induced time off for my golfer hubby.  And to that I say "pffffffffft".

Blame It on the Rain (Eggplant Rollatini)

Apparently, it's going to rain this weekend.  Judging by the crowds of people stocking up on toilet paper and bread, Hurricane Irene promises to be the biggest thing to hit the Northeast since, well, since the Snowpocalypse of 2010.   Or, if you believe the newscasts, The Great East Coast Earthquake of 2011.

Our hurricane preparation:  Buy bottled water and batteries.  Bring in the patio furniture.  Fill up the gas tanks.  Check, check and check.  The mass panic out there isn't doing anyone any good.  Although, I am happy that Target decided to open all their registers just for the occasion.  It was like Black Friday in August!  Along with my flashlight and batteries, I got cute shoes and a huge tote bag, both on sale.  Weatherproofing win!!

Not really photogenic.  But genuinely delicious!

Tortellini Love (Santa Fe Chicken Tortellini)

School is almost over.  In 15 more days, I will have successfully completed the requirements (I hope) to graduate this program, sit for the NCLEX and become a Registered Nurse.  We are soooooo close.  I can feel it.  I can taste it.  I can see it.  Over the past few weeks, my classmates and I have been stumbling around, exhausted, overworked and stressed to the max.  Now, this is changing a little.  We smile a little bit more.  We look at each other with the fondness that you feel for people with whom you realize your time is short.  Our time is short, both with each other and in our busy days. 

Because of this, I've been trying to cook things that are easy and self-contained.  I'm a fan of the casserole.  The one pot meal.  The one bowl brownies.  If it can be scooped onto my plate and eaten together, I'm a fan.  Who wants to fuss with side dishes?  

Snow Day (Pizza)

Hey, guess what.  There was a little bit of snow last night.  Just a tad.  Like, this much:

Layla was in frolicking heaven.  She tries to run through it, but it's a little too deep for that, so she ends up with this bunny hop/kangaroo kind of move.  It's hysterical!  There's nothing quite like a happy, carefree dog to make you feel like all is right in the world.

It's been fun... (Veggie Panini)

Not to wax poetic for you, but 2010 was a wonderful year.  A lot of great things happened this year - I left my despised job, we adopted Layla, I started school, Bob had a successful year at the golf course, we traveled some, I discovered solace in baking and started this blog.  Just about all of my 2010 resolutions came true.  Except that one about becoming a Victoria's Secret model and writing the great American novel.  Oh well.  

My 2011 resolutions are pretty simple.  Finish school.  Get a job.  Make a quilt.  Enrich my friendships.  Conquer my fear of vegetables.

Saturday Night Picnic (Tomato Bruschetta, Corn-mato Salad)

Since moving into our house, I've been clamoring to host a party.  I didn't care who came or how many there were or what we were eating, I just wanted to play Martha Stewart.  So, less then 2 weeks after we moved in, we had a Halloween party.  Then we hosted Thanksgiving for both our families.  Then we had a Christmas party.  Then we hosted Christmas dinner for both our families.  Then I took a looooooong nap.

Then, one hot Saturday morning, I went to the Collingswood Farmer's Market to gather ingredients for another little dinner party, this one with our best couple friends and much less drama.  I had found great recipes for baked tomatoes and some cheesy cornbread.  

Our friends brought the veggies and some awesome corn salad.  This was by far the most healthy looking dinner we've had in a long time.  Since corn and tomatoes are in season, these are some delicious ways to use them up while they're fresh and tasty! 

(Our Saturday night summertime feast!)

Baked Tomato Bruschetta

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

4 tablespoons olive oil

2-1/2 cups cubed French baguette

2-1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces (I scoop the goop out, but feel free to leave it in if you like it)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup sliced fresh basil

1 cup romano cheese

Heat the oil in a shallow pan.  Saute the bread cubes until they are toasty croutons, about 6-7 minutes.  Combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of the cheese.  Cook with the bread cubes in the oil for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the basil, pour into a baking dish and top with the cheese.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until cheese is melty.

We spooned this on top of grilled chicken, topped with a slice of mozzarella cheese and finished in the oven for about 4 minutes.  Voila - healthy chicken parm!

Kristen's Corn-mato Salad

Ok here is the recipe, BUT I kind of just did my own thing and used this recipe as a guideline. So, I didn't measure the cilantro out really.  :)

 

6 ears fresh corn, husked

2 small containers of grape tomatoes

1 medium red onion

chopped fresh cilantro 

3/4 cup Italian salad dressing

 (sweet and salty and delicious!)

I grilled the corn first then cut the kernels off.  Then I chopped the onion and cilantro together in the food processor.  I cut the grape tomatoes in half and put them in the bowl first, then added the corn and cilantro/red onion mix.  I seasoned everything with salt and pepper. Next I put the salad dressing on top and mixed it all together.

I was also thinking of just mixing it with some olive oil and some lime juice to give it more of a Mexican feel, but I chose the Italian dressing instead. I think to make it more Italian I would add basil instead of cilantro and the Italian dressing or red wine vinegar and olive oil. So you can do this a couple different ways, which is fun!  I also thought about adding peppers too. It's a fun dish because you can play around with it and there isn't much you can do to mess it up!

Cheesy Cornbread

(adapted from The Cilantropist)

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 cup milk

1/3 cup olive oil

3/4 cup Mexican corn mix (corn, peppers), drained

4 tablespoons pickled jalapeno peppers

(Cheesy, spicy and maybe just a little bit corny)

Combine the cornmeal, flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil, corn and peppers.  Mix in the cheese.  Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, stirring until just combine.  Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan, top with remaining cheese and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

All dishes best enjoyed with good friends.  :-)

Sweet Granola Goodness (Savin' Lives Granola Bars)

Now that we're in the hospital 3 days a week, grab and go foods have reemerged into my diet. I carpool with a friend in the morning - she brings the coffee and I whip up the breakfast sandwiches, and we enjoy our mornings on the road. With breakfast at 6 am every morning, by lunchtime/ after care discussion at 12, I'm starving!! Necessity is the mother of new recipes, so I made some granola bars for us to throw in our bags, along with the iTouch, stethoscope, penlight, alcohol wipes, reflex hammer, black pen, medical tape, bandage scissors, name tag, security badge and other various nursing paraphernalia that we're forced to lug around with us.

These were a little frustrating because they didn't stay together terribly well, but I think it's because I used half left over Bear Naked Granola and half rolled oats. Next time I'm going to do it with just the oats (since I used up all the granola) and probably some wheat germ (which I didn't have at the time). That should improve the consistency and make them hold their shape better. Otherwise, cut the honey down to 1/3 cup.

(Mid morning deliciousness!)

Savin' Lives Granola Bars
(adapted from Alton Brown)

1-1/2 cup Bare Naked granola (I used vanilla almond)
1-1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup honey
1/4 packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 to 1-1/2 cup dried fruit

Toast the oats and pecans on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. While they're toasting, combine brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla and salt over medium heat until completely combined. Remove the oats and pecans from the oven, turning it down to 300. Combine oats, pecans, granola mixture and dried fruit, then add sugar mixture. Stir until all the oat mixture is completely coated. Press into an 8x8 greased pan and bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars. I wrapped them individually for easy access in the morning.

(No time to sit down and eat - we're busy savings lives!!

...well, maybe assisting a little.)

Chili at 90 degrees (Chicken Chili)

Today was the first truly rainy day we've had in weeks, and it brought the temperature down to bearable. Kristen and I went to the farmers market this morning and got soaked! When I got home, I curled up in my sweats and finished the work I had for clinical next week. The lazy, dreary day needed some sugar and spice to pep it up. Enter....beanless chicken chili.

I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but it's photocopied in my trusty blue binder, waiting to be slow-cooked. It's not really "chili", since it has no beans, but it's a spicy chicken stew-ish dish that was delicious with some homemade cornbread. It turned out so well, with the chicken fall apart juicy and the peppers and onions simmered to perfection. This will definitely be a repeat recipe at our house!

Chicken Chili Stew
1-1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp + 1 tsp chili powder
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes in juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1 box (9 oz) frozen corn, thawed, optional
2 tbsp cornmeal



(I opted out of the frozen corn, since we didn't have any and I was too cozy and comfortable to go out into the rain and get some.)

Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, brown chicken with 1 tsp chili powder, about 5 minutes. (You can brown half the chicken at a time, if it fits better in your skillet.) Transfer to your slow cooker.

Add remaining 2 tbsp chili powder, onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, lemon juice, water, brown sugar, cumin, bay leaf and cocoa to slow cooker and mix well. Press down to form and even layer, and top with corn kernels, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the outside. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until chicken and veggies are fork-tender.



At 20 minutes before cooking is over, gradually stir in cornmeal until well blended. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes, until mixture thickens. Serve, sprinkled with shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese.

Golden Cornbread
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2-4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1-1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk and oil. Add to dry ingredients; stir until just moistened. Pour into greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake 20 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Butterscotch Ganache, oh my gosh! (Pierogis & Blondies)

OK, so hubby came up with the title for this one.

Today I made blondies with butterscotch ganache and pierogies for dessert. Or, maybe it was supposed to be the other way around. Anyway, whichever way you eat it, they were both delicious!

This recipe I adapted from Real Simple. I can't find the original on their website, and I changed it up a bit anyway. Next time I would use ground beef instead of the meatballs (the original called for chorizo or Italian sausage).

Meatie Potato Pierogi

1 package potato & onion pierogi

3/4 pound meatballs, sausage or ground beef/turkey

8 oz marinara sauce

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 red onion

shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the ground beef, meatballs or sausage in a skillet. Drain the fat off, add the onion and the sauce. Cook until sauce is bubbly, then add tomato. Prepare the pierogi (I boiled them, but you could also saute them with some garlic). Plate the pierogi, top with the meat sauce, sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Butterscotch Blondies

This recipe I adapted from one of my favorite food blogs, smitten kitchen, which is fabulous site for newbie foodies like me. The link should take you to her recipe, but check out everything on the blog, it all looks amazing!

I added mini chocolate chips to the blondie base and topped the entire thing with butterscotch ganache. I doubled the amount of ganache I thought I would need, but it turned out that I could have made do with the usual amount, so that's what I'm going to post. Double or halve however you want.

Blondies

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

pinch salt

1 cup flour

3/4 ish cup mini chocolate chips

Beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, then add egg, vanilla and salt (I made these by hand, since it didn't seem to warrant dirtying the stand mixer). Mix in flour until completely combined (batter will be a little soupy). Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 25-27 minutes in a lightly buttered 8x8 glass pan.

Ganache

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chips in a glass or stainless bowl. Heat cream on the stove just until it boils, stirring constantly. Quickly pour the boiling cream over the chips, stirring until melted and combined. Let stand until cool before drizzling over the blondies. Ganache will run off the sides, giving it a decadent dripping effect.

Let stand until cool. Eat! (As if you could resist all that...)

The Not So Humble Pie Pie Contest has officially come to a close, and Ms. Humble is going to name the winner this week. Cross your fingers for me! If I win, I'll post the recipe for my famous Cinnamon Yum Yums. If I don't win, I'll be sad and dejected, then post the recipe for the Yum Yums. Oh please please please please!! :-)