Very Veggie Pasta

January 23, 2012 By Kate 1 Comment

Life is good around our house. We’ve lived here for a year and a half and I think we’re finally starting to feel like we’ve done every project that we’ve wanted to do. Since the start of the year, Eric has painted and rearranged all of the kids’ bedrooms and we’ve done some redecorating in a few of the rooms. Our project list gets smaller and smaller each week.

Now that we’ve gotten all of that work taken care of, I need to start really focusing on some new meals on a more frequent basis. We’ve been eating a lot of our old favorites lately, and while no one is complaining, I’m really itching to get back to spending more time working on new recipes.

This dish originally started out as sauteed veggies, but as they were cooking, I decided to mix things up a bit for a new side dish. It turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the Parmesan Chicken Fingers we had for dinner and I think it would go great with a lot of other meals too. In fact, it’s robust and flavorful enough that it could easily serve as a main course too. I’m definitely excited to make this again in the future. I’m thinking I’d like to make some on a Sunday night and then eat it for lunch for the next few days. It would be perfect for that.

Very Veggie Pasta

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 12 oz. bag frozen French-style green beans, thawed
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. oregano
  • 1 t. dried basil
  • 1/2 t. garlic powder
  • 1/2 t. pepper
  • 1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 lb. cooked pasta

1. Heat olive oil and add mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, until the start to brown. Add sliced pepper, green beans and seasonings and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine well. Enjoy!

  • Share/Bookmark

PB&J Breakfast Sandwich Cookies

January 15, 2012 By Kate 9 Comments

I first started making breakfast cookies a few years ago and they’ve become a staple in our home ever since. I love the versatility of them almost as much as I love what a quick and easy option they are in the morning. Not to mention, it’s never a struggle to convince any of the kids to eat a cookie for breakfast!

These PB&J Breakfast Sandwich Cookies are simply the next level of awesome in the breakfast cookie line-up. Layering two together with a healthy layer of strawberry or raspberry jam makes for a very filling breakfast that’s still healthy and even a little sweet. It’s perfect! Just a few ingredients and a few minutes are all you’ll need to whip these up.

PB&J Breakfast Sandwich Cookies

  • 3 c. oats
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 1/2 c. peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 c. milk
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • Preserves, jam or jelly of your choice

1. In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peanut butter, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

2. Roll a rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball, place on a cookie sheet and repeat until done. With the palm of your hand or the greased bottom of a glass, press cookies into a circle.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until just firm and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Spread jelly on the bottom of one cookie, top with another and repeat. Enjoy!

This recipe came together easily for me but the proper baking temperature had me stumped. I was really torn between cooking at a lower temperature for a longer time and cooking at a higher temperature for less time. Fortunately, I was able to try out 4 different options (everything from 325 degrees to 400 degrees) thanks to my Frigidaire Gallery® Range with Symmetry™ Double Oven. I divided the cookies into 4 batches and then cooked two batches at a time, each at a different temperature. This was the first time I thought to do this and I’m so excited by how much easier it’s going to be when developing new recipes. I am just loving this oven!!

Full disclosure: I was provided with a brand new Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range with Symmetry Double Ovens at no cost to me for participating in the Frigidaire Test Drive campaign. As always, all thoughts and opinions will be entirely my own.
  • Share/Bookmark

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Rice

January 8, 2012 By Kate 3 Comments

Here in Michigan, Coney Island restaurants are a staple. You’ll find one in nearly every strip mall and it’s rare to drive more than a block or two on a main road without seeing at least one, at least in the Detroit-area. The restaurants serve Greek-American style food in addition to the ever popular Coney Dog.

One of my favorite things to get when we go to a Coney restaurant is Chicken Lemon Rice Soup. It’s a rich, flavorful, creamy soup that is so comforting. It’s one of those recipes I’ve thought about recreating countless times, but I always opt not to because I love it as a rare treat, and that’s how I want it to remain.

However, the flavor is definitely worth duplicating on a regular basis. So, when I’m craving the soup, I love to throw this quick replacement together instead. The flavor is very similar, although this dish is definitely much healthier and lighter without all the additional cream and the addition of broccoli. And best of all, it’s a one-dish meal, so it takes very little prep work or clean up. Sure, it’s not as easy as sitting down at a restaurant and being served a big, steamy bowl of soup, but this definitely fulfills my cravings without any of the guilt.

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Rice

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into florets*
  • 1 1/2 c. white rice
  • 1 1/2 t. salt
  • 1 t. thyme
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 c. water
  • 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 T. dried parsley)
  • Freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Additional salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 5 minutes, just until browned. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in broccoli, rice, salt, thyme, pepper and lemon zest.

2. Pour in the lemon juice, chicken stock and water. Stir just to incorporate. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in parsley and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

*Note: You can use frozen broccoli if you’d prefer. Just add it during the last 5 minutes of the simmering process instead of before boiling.

  • Share/Bookmark
Blog Widget by LinkWithin