Baked Mushroom Rice

Oookayy so I truly am a mushroom lover.  Honestly, I think my favorite kind of pizza is cheese with mushrooms. I must be 80 years old or something.  But I feel a tad better because my meat-loving husband also adores mushroom pizza.  So there.  It's cool to love mushrooms.
Anyway... even if you don't love mushrooms all that much, you will most likely, probably still love this dish.  I pretty much am obsessed with it and want to make it again right now.  It's got a TON of flavor.  a ton.  The only thing I think I will change next time is that I will use brown rice instead of white because brown rice is much healthier.  This recipe is from the Our Best Bites cookbook- a really awesome blog with awesome recipes.

P.S. I tried this with chicken broth as well, and it did NOT taste the same- it is much better with the beef broth.


Baked Mushroom Rice
from Our Best Bites, published on Sue's Favorites
Yield: 6-8 servings

2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cups beef broth
1/2 cup apple juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients in the pan. Transfer mixture into 9x13 dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Facts: (1/6 of recipe) 158 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated), 10mg cholesterol, 1400mg sodium, 1g fiber, 5g protein

The Best Broccoli You'll Ever Have

So sometimes Pinterest is the best invention ever. I mean, you get to look at photos of the perfect house, perfect food, gorgeous girls with the perfect bodies in perfect clothes... what a great way to feel so uplifted about our own perfect lives, right?! Ha but no I really do enjoy it. I tried one of the recipes I pinned just a few days ago- it advertised that this was "the best broccoli you'll ever have..."

The best? I've never even had really good broccoli so I didn't have much to compare it to. BUT nevertheless I wanted to try it out since I had all the ingredients.

And... it is phenomenal!! Soo flavorful and crunchy and tart and sweet and just all around amazing. It will become a routine side dish for me for... ever.

Amazing Roasted Broccoli

1-2 heads of broccoli, cut into small parts
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
zest of a lemon
juice of a lemon
3 Tbsp. pine nuts (optional)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (I used thinly grated Monterey Jack)

Preheat oven to 425. Now the key is to have SUPER dry broccoli. I didn't wash because I believe the high temperature of the oven will kill the bacteria... but if you do wash, then dry obsessively. Place on cookie sheet lined with foil. Toss with 3 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Add garlic slices in with the broccoli. Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until "crisp-tender and the tips of some florets are browned."

After you take it out, zest a lemon over the broccoli, and squeeze the juice over it as well. Add 1 more Tbsp. of olive oil, pine nuts, basil and cheese.

And enjoy!!!!

The second part of this picture (the chicken and rice will come later- this chicken recipe is not to miss!)

The Best Cheese Ball/Cracker Dip

Surely you've heard of Allrecipes.com  right?  Tell me it's true.  They have millions and billions of recipes (okay maybe not billions...) that are submitted by users and then rated and reviewed by lots and lots of people.  Basically, all the good recipes have thousands of ratings and you can tell it's gonna be a winner.

Well, last Thanksgiving I tried out this cheese ball recipe from Allrecipes.com and let me tell ya... it is SO a winner! I'm making it again this year and cannot wait! It is perfect with crackers (any kind) and is so addicting... not to mention a snap to put together!  Oh and it makes two cheese balls, which is perfect for me since I am going to my parents' house and my in-laws' house for two Thanksgivings.  One for each!

Cheddar Cheese Ball Dip
from Allrecipes.com

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (1 ounce) package Ranch-style dressing mix
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 4 pecan halves

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mix. Form into one large ball or two smaller balls. Roll in chopped pecans to coat surface. Decorate the top with pecan halves. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

A Thanksgiving Favorite: A Paula Deen Staple!

My mom and I started a new Thanksgiving side dish a couple years ago that is not completely traditional to your average Thanksgiving dinner.  We made macaroni and cheese. Yes, you heard me! Creamy, cheesy, and fat-laden, Paula Deen's macaroni and cheese is the BEST macaroni and cheese I've ever had.  Hand's down.  It wins in all categories: cheesiness, creaminess, easiness and (unfortunately) probably unhealthiest as well. :/  But we are talking Thanksgiving here.... I'm sorry but that is no day to diet.  If you are only making this ONE day a year, then I think it's perfectly and marvelously allowable!

I LOVE green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and pie, don't get me wrong. But this is the dish I'm looking forward to most this year! It's my all-time favorite!
The only alterations we made to the recipe were that we left out the eggs, based on the reviews.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese 
adapted from Food Network

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Okay FINALLY I'm posting again! Ha it seems like I'll do really great at posting for a week or so, posting every day, and then all of a sudden I get super busy and don't post for a long time.  I really want to break this habit, I do... but I am just so stinkin busy all of the time! I barely have time to cook/bake the things I put on here!

 

However,  I did make this  fabulous pasta salad a few weeks ago... and it was SO good!! We brought it to a potluck dinner and it got many compliments.  My husband rated this as a "keeper."

Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro


Boil pasta in salted water until cooked.  While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.
First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.
Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender.  (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil)  Process until smooth.  With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated.  Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.
When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool.  Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest.  Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn),  and chicken if desired.  Toss with dressing.  Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.  For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving.  Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top.  Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings

Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuit Poppers

If there's one type of food that I love, it's bread.  I can eat it any way, in any form, in any flavor, at any meal.  I LOVE it! There would be NO way I could ever do a low-carb diet... anyway, these biscuit poppers are so easy and so quick to make.  They would be a perfect compliment to a Mexican-themed dinner, or alongside your breakfast egg scramble.  Or heck, just scarf em down for dessert.  See? I told you I love bread.


Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuit Poppers
Adapted from Betty Crocker

2	cups Original Bisquick® mix (or Bisquick Heart Smart mix)
2/3	cup fat-free or low-fat milk
1/2	cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
4	medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1. 1 Heat oven to 450°. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, cheese and onions until soft dough forms.
2. 2 Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (or a little larger if you want them to be more of a standard biscuit size) onto cookie sheet.
3. 3 Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Brush butter over warm biscuits. (Note: I did not follow this step- I left out the butter and I was perfectly okay with it) Serve with salsa if desired

Holiday Green Bean Casserole

Okay, so I know that Green Bean Casserole is traditionally consumed on Thanksgiving.  And, let's face it- that recipe off the back of the French's fried onion can is SO good!  I started thinking- really radical thinking here- that none of the ingredients in green bean casserole are particularly designated "holiday" or "Thanksgiving" ingredients...green beans? No.  Mushrooms? Nope.  Fried onions? nada.  So why not apply the "holiday" part of the recipe name to Easter? Eh eh?

 

However, I did NOT make the traditional recipe from French's onion can.  I found this recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook, a healthier version, which guaranteed that "you'll never go back to the old version after trying these green beans!"  Now I don't know if I'd be so bold as to say that I will never ever go back to eating those... after all I'm not even the one who makes it on Thanksgiving... but this WAS very good.  It was lighter and healthier and very flavorful and cheesy.  Just be sure to boil the green beans for long enough- check that they are the right texture- because ours were just a tad crispier than we intended.  But it was still great.

Holiday Green Beans

Holiday Green Be

• 8 cups cut fresh green beans (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• Place beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, onion and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in beans and cheese until blended.
• Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray (dish will be full). Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over the top.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 12-16 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup equals 144 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 108 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/2 starch

Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme

As much I wish weren't true, I'm not a HUGE veggie lover.  Don't get me wrong, I really like potatoes, and corn and carrots and snap peas and just about most other veggies.  But I don't completely LOVE them.  I don't crave them, you know?

I especially don't like cucumbers or zucchinis.  Funny how the name of this post is zucchini, yeah?

 

Well, this recipe that I found at Real Mom Kitchen pretty much changed my mind!

The soft, baked zucchini and yellow summer squash taste delicious with the savory herbs and feta cheese.  I will definitely make this again!

Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme

• 4 medium-sized zucchini, or a mixture of zucchini with yellow squash, sliced lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch slices (about 8 cups sliced squash)
• 1 T olive oil (or less, depending on the pan)
• 1 T minced garlic
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup crumbled feta (not tightly packed)
• 1/2  T dried thyme
• 2 T grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T lemon juice
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry squash, then cut off stem and blossom end and discard. Cut squash lengthwise in half, then slice into half-moon slices about 1/4 inch thick. (Kayln used a mandoline with a 7mm blade, but I just used a knife.)
2. Heat olive oil in large non-stick frying pan, add garlic and saute about 45 seconds (just long enough to season the oil, don’t let the garlic brown.) Add squash slices and saute about 4 minutes, turning a few times. Squash should be barely starting to soften.
3. While squash cooks, break eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup and beat until egg yolks and whites are combined. Stir in sour cream, feta, thyme,  Parmesan, and lemon juice.
4. Spray a 2 quart gratin dish or glass casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. Layer half the squash in the dish, then season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. (Remember the feta is salty, so it won’t need a lot of salt.) Pour over half the egg-feta mixture and use the back of a spoon or a rubber scraper to spread it over the squash. Repeat with another layer of squash and the rest of the feta-egg mixture.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling, slightly set, and top if lightly browned. Serve hot. Makes 6 side dish servings.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara

You know what? Sometimes life gets really busy.  And I'm sorry that it has to be that way.  But if it wasn't, well, then... I might have more time to blog.

I think its all about... oh yeah- prioritizing?  Yeah.  First things first.  Well today is a first.  Not only am I actually being diligent and posting, but I am posting a recipe that I made TODAY.  As in a few hours ago! It is still in my stomach as I type.

I've never tried spaghetti squash before, but only heard pretty good things about it.  It's literally shaped like thin, noodley strands that resemble spaghetti!  I approve of anything resembling spaghetti and this is no exception.  Super easy, very healthy, and incredibly yummy. It tastes just like pasta! That's all I have to say about it, other than you should make this.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara


1 large spaghetti squash
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded Italian cheese)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.  Use a large, sharp knife to cut the squash in half.  Scoop out the seeds and place the squash halves facedown on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the shells are tender enough that you can pierce them easily with a fork.  Remove the squash from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350.  With a fork, scrape the squash strands from the shells into a large bowl.  Mix with the sauce, parsley, and about two-thirds of the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place the mixture in a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the squash mixture is heated through and the cheese topping is golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition per serving: 90 calories, 3.5g fat, 3g fiber, 11g protein, 11g carbohydrate

Honey Glazed Carrots

My first memory of steamed/cooked/soft, yummy carrots is of my mom's weekly Sunday roast dinner.  Ever since I can remember, a juicy rump roast with potatoes and carrots aromatically simmered in the crock pot all Sunday morning and into the afternoon when we returned from church.  

The simple crock-pot meal is still today a family favorite. I mean, it's just pure comfort food!

These carrots reminded me a tad of the large cooked carrot halves my mom threw in with the roast; soft and tender and juicy.  Dare I say, however, that these glazed carrots are even better??

They are SO simple to whip up in five minutes and are a great way to jazz up your daily vegetable intake.  YUM!

Honey Glazed Carrots

1/4 cup water

3 cups chopped carrots (or baby carrots)

1 tsp butter

1 Tbsp honey

nutmeg to taste

In medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the carrots and cook, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are tender.  Drain.  Add the honey and butter to the hot saucepan, and stir until they are melted together.  Add the carrots and gently toss.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  

*Carrots can also be cooked in the microwave.  Cooking times will vary.

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

I personally think that the coloring of a food or recipe is really important to its appeal.  And, personally, this salad hits the mark, wouldn't ya say?

I've never made a "greek" recipe before, and to be honest the thought kind of intimidated me.  Kind of.  Not the THOUGHT of greek food; because that I love- pitas, hummus, olives, tomatoes... all are very delicious.  I've also never cooked barley, but the barley in this recipe is the shining star!  It's cooked in chicken broth so it has a warm, but mild flavor, and when combined with all of the other ingredients, its nothing short of fabulous! 

This recipe was a Family Dinner Grand Prize Winner this year on www.myrecipes.com! Woo! 

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

• SALAD:
• 2  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/8  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1  cup  uncooked pearl barley
• 2  cups  cubed seeded cucumber
• 1  cup  grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2  cup  cubed yellow bell pepper
• 1/3  cup  reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4  cup  chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 
  DRESSING:
• 3  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh basil
• 1  teaspoon  minced fresh thyme
• 1  teaspoon  red wine vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 3  garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

1. To prepare salad, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

2. Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3. To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Makes 8 servings (serving size= 1 cup)

Nutrition: 230 calories, 9.8g fat, 18g protein, 18.3g carbohydrate, 3.2g fiber, 38 mg cholesterol

Chinese Chicken Salad

For being 195 calories, this was pretty darn good, if I must confess.  The broccoli slaw mix is a fast and easy and healthy way to jump start this recipe- it can be found next to the bagged lettuce in most stores. You really have to let it refrigerate for 2 hours though- this softens the slaw and combines all the flavors in a lovely, Asian-y way! Another shortcut- buy pre-cooked chicken strips and chop 'em up! Delish.

Chinese Chicken Salad

One 16-oz. package dry broccoli slaw mix

12 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, chopped

1 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 cup canned mandarin orange segments packed in water or juice, drained and chopped (and rinsed, if packed in juice)
1 cup chopped scallions
3/4 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up! Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together until well mixed.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Stir well before serving.  Enjoy!

Makes 5 (1 1/2 cup) servings

Nutrition per serving: 195 calories, 2.75g fat, 595mg sodium, 21g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 12.5g sugars, 22.5g protein

Brown Sugar-Baked Acorn Squash

My mom made us eat our veggies growing up, but they mostly consisted of potatoes, corn, carrots, salad... you know, the kid-friendly foods that moms repeatedly use to get their kids to get their nutrients.  Nope, Mom never made squash for us, in fact if you had asked me what that was, I would probably have confused it with cauliflower or some other unfamiliar veggie.

Well, you see, at college, my good friend, McKenzie, and I, occasionally cook dinners together.  She introduced me to this seemingly bland and boring vegetable.. which I quickly changed my disposition of it to be a delicious, sweet, nutrient-powerhouse!

There are several kinds of squash; so far, I have tried acorn, butternut, and yellow squash.  Although all are delicious, my favorite is definitely acorn!

Here is a no-fail, delicious recipe that will completely change your mind about squash.....  I made this for my family and all of my younger siblings wanted seconds.  Yes, it is that good.  And super simple, and healthy!  Plus squash is loaded with nutritents and fairly low in calorie.

Brown Sugar-Baked Acorn Squash

whole acorn squashes (number depends on how many servings you want- 1 squash can usually feed two people)

brown sugar

cinnamon

butter (if desired)

maple Syrup (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a fork, poke several holes in each squash.  Place in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to soften the thick core.  Then, with a large butcher knife, slice each squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.  Prepare a baking dish with about a 1/2- 1 inch of water in the bottom.  Place the squash halves in the dish, cut side down, and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove dish and pour out the water.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon into the center of each half (if you want, butter the insides before adding sugar) and bake, center side up, for 20 more minutes.  Remove, cool, add syrup and/or more brown sugar if desired, then enjoy with a spoon!