Cheesy Potato and Ham Bake

What you will need: 28 oz frozen hash browns, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 8 oz. sour cream, 1 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 cup cubed ham, 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients together. Place in a 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.

You may also freeze. Thaw before baking.

You could also add in onion and green pepper.

Chicken Tacos

These were super easy and delicious!

What you will need: 4-6 chicken breast, 1 cup salsa, 1 can fiesta cheese soup, one envelope of taco seasoning.

Get out your slow cooker!  Put the chicken breast in the slow cooker. I threw mine in frozen.  Pour the salsa, soup, and seasoning on top. Stir it together. Set on low for 6 hours.  Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

I also use my own taco seasoning, which is 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp paprika, 1tsp garlic, 1tsp salt.  I usually add a little extra cumin because I like it so much.

Pork Chop and Potato Bake

I apologize for not posting recently. Here is a recipe from one of those old time church cook books.  An easy one dish meal. Who doesn't love that?

What you need: 6 pork chops (I used 4), seasoning salt, vegetable oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 package (24oz) hash brown potatoes-thawed, 1 can Frenches fried onions, 1 can cream of celery soup, 1 cup shredded cheddar, salt and pepper.

Heat a little amount of oil in a skillet and brown the chops.  Sprinkle with seasoning salt and set aside.  Combine milk, sour cream, soup, salt and pepper.  Stir in the potatoes, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 can of french fried onions. Place mixutre into a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange the pork chops on top. Bake, covered, at 350 for 45 minutes or until chops are done.  Top with remaining cheese and onions; bake uncovered for 5 minutes.

Quinoa Broccoli Casserole

When I was in college the cafeteria served a dish called Chicken Divan Casserole.  It had chicken, rice, and broccoli.  Later, once I was married, I found a similar recipe in an old church cookbook.  Sometime along the road I lost that cookbook or got rid of it and never pursued trying to find the recipe again.  Then it happened, one day I saw something on Pinterest that caught my eye.  It looked like Chicken Divan Casserole, but not quite.
This recipe calls for quinoa instead of rice.  Brilliant!  There is no chicken, however, if you wanted to make this a dish with meat, you could definitely add chunks of chicken or serve a grilled chicken breast on top.
I thought this was a delightful way to serve up quinoa in a casserole.  Give it a try and see if you like it.

http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/blast-from-the-past-with-a-new-twist/

Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta

My husband has been making a creamy pasta dish for a couple of years now. I think he originally got the recipe online and has adapted it over the years.  Tonight I wanted to make a creamy tomato dish, but I didn't have his recipe so I googled and found one from The Pioneer Woman.  It called for shrimp, I had chicken.  So naturally I altered it a bit. Here is what I came up with.

What you need: 2 chicken breast halves (cooked and diced), 2 cups dry pasta, 2 tbsp butter, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 8 oz tomato sauce, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp parsley, 2 tsp basil, salt and pepper to taste, shredded cheese

First dice you onion and mince your garlic. Get a pot of salted water going for your pasta.  I used rotini because that's what I had on hand. Penne would be great too.  While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter in a large skillet and cook onion and garlic until soft.  Add the chicken broth.  Let this simmer for a few minutes and then add the tomato sauce.  Next, add the heavy cream. I didn't have any on hand so I used 1/3 cup butter and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the parsley and basil along with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the chicken and let this simmer.  Once your pasta is tender, drained and rinsed add it to the mixture.  Stir well to combine.  You can stop here and serve, but I threw in a couple handfuls of shredded mozzarella and cheddar.

My husband spices his up with red pepper flakes.

You can also add a can of diced tomatoes to this.

Green Chili with Shoe String Fries

This is a recipe I found a few years back in a Rachael Ray magazine. It an easy alternative to regular chili and I love the addition of fries. Yum-o as Rachael would say.  I copy and pasted the recipe I found on the web. I only used one pound of ground turkey.  And you must use beer instead of chicken broth; the flavor is much better.

 

Ingredients:

• One 28-ounce package frozen shoestring potato fries
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), 2 turns of the pan
• 2 pounds ground turkey breast
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin (a palmful)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• One 15-ounce can white kidney or cannellini beans, drained
• 3/4 cup beer (one-half a 12-ounce bottle) or 3/4 cup chicken broth (eyeball it)
• 2 cups store-bought tomatillo (green) salsa
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the fries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing halfway through, until browned, 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat. Season with salt and pepper, the poultry seasoning and cumin; brown and crumble the meat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the beans and stir to heat through. Add the beer and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the salsa and simmer the chili over low heat. When the fries finish baking, stir the cilantro into the chili. Transfer the chili to a medium casserole (it should be filled to the rim) and top with the scallions.

Bubbling on the stove

1. Mix a teaspoon of salt with the chili powder and cayenne. Remove the fries from the oven and top with the seasoned salt. Pile the fries on top of the casserole, evenly covering the green chili, and serve.

Topped with fries and ready to serve.

Quinoa Cakes with Sweet Potatoes

Here's a recipe from November that I'm finally getting around to posting.  I've tried many quinoa cake recipes and still haven't found my favorite.  Maybe I'm just not a fan of quinoa cakes.  I wanted to try this one because it had veggies in it.  I found this recipe on Pinterest so instead of typing out the recipe I'll give you the link.

Quinoa Cakes
http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/

As a side I did sweet potatoes.

What you will need:  2 large sweet potatoes, olive oil, course salt, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp brown sugar,
1/3 c. walnuts, crushed


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with salt.

Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Toss gently; serve immediately.



Carnitas

There simply aren't words for this recipe.  I have always loved the carnitas at Pancheros. There is just something about the flavor that keeps me coming back. So of course I wanted, needed to replicate it.  I'm not certain that the flavor is the same, but WOW!  This is a killer recipe.

What you will need:  2-3lb pork butt, arm or shoulder, cumin, kosher salt, 6 garlic cloves, 1 lime, 2 cans of beef broth, 1 jalapeno, chili powder, paprika

In a small bowl mix the salt and cumin together. I probably used 4 tbsp of each.  Rinse off your pork butt and pat dry with paper towels.  Rub the pork all over with the salt/cumin mix.  You gotta get your hands dirty so get in there and do it!  Place the pork in a large Crock pot.  Squeeze the juice from the lime over top.  Place 6 whole garlic cloves around the pork. and pour one can of beef broth around and over the pork.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  After the 6 hours take the pork out to shred. It should fall apart fairly easy. I used two forks and pulled it apart.

shredded pork



Add a palmful of chili powder and paprika (to taste). Continue to cook the pork on low heat for another 2-4 hours.  Use the second can of broth and add as needed.  You do not want the meat to dry out so make sure there is enough liquid.  At this time, slice the jalapeno into small pieces.  Add the jalapeno with seeds and ribs to the pork. Stir well.

Serve by itself, on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings or with guacamole.
If you don't like spice omit the jalapeno, but I really feel it's the secret ingredient!

Served on a tortilla with a side of salsa, sour cream, and cheese

Good Guacamole

What you will need: 2 Avocados, 2 small tomatoes, half a red onion, 1 lime, salt and pepper

In a bowl combine avocados (cut in chunks), tomatoes (diced), onion (chopped).  Add a teaspoon of salt and a bit of pepper.  While stirring, the avocado will break down a bit; this is okay.  Roll the lime against your palm and counter top to get the juices flowing.  Cut in half and squirt half of the lime juice in the guacamole. Add a little more salt and stir. The avocado will start breaking down a bit more.  Continue to add lime juice and salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Crockpot Potatoes and Ham

At least once a week I do a Crock pot or slow cooker meal.  I teach piano lessons after school and it's nice to have dinner ready when I'm done teaching.  I decided I should create a new 'tag' called slow cooker. I will go back and tag all the meals that were or can be done in a Crock pot.

What you will need: 4 good size potatoes (sliced), 2 cups diced ham, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 a can milk

In a bowl mix the soup and milk. When I say 1/2 a can milk, I just fill the soup can half full of milk.
Layer in the slow cooker: ham, potatoes, cheese, ham, potatoes, soup mix, cheese.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  I started mine a little late so I'm starting it on high for a few hours and then turning it to low.

Cottage Pie

I'm sure most of you have heard of Shepard's Pie, which is a pie with a potato crust.  Cottage pie is essentially the same thing, but this recipe puts the potatoes on top.  It's easy to make and the kids will eat it, which is always a bonus.

What you will need: 1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion (diced), one can or mushrooms or fresh (sliced), oregano, garlic powder, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper, one jar of Heinz savory gravy, 4 potatoes, margarine, milk, sour cream if you have it

Peel your potatoes and cut them into fourths.  Boil them until tender.  Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and onion together.  Drain off the grease and add the mushroom, bay leaves, oregano, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for a few minutes longer; whatever feels right and then add the gravy.  Bring to a nice simmer and then take it down to a low simmer.  Drain your boiled potatoes in a strainer.  In the hot pan, place a couple tablespoons of margarine, milk, and a spoonful of sour cream if you got it.  Place the potatoes on top and use a masher to break them apart. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then use a hand mixer to whip them.

In a 8x8 buttered dish, place the beef mixture. Fish out the bay leaves and discard them.  Spread the mashed potatoes on top.  Dot the mashed potatoes with margarine.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Dot the potatoes with butter

I served this with squash and steamed cauliflower.

Ready to serve.

Shredded Chicken with Peppers

If you like chicken tortilla soup, you'll like this dish. It's an easy one pot meal (my favorite kind).  The kids weren't too crazy about it, but they were able to pick the chicken out.  I don't know what their aversion to bell peppers is, but they don't know what they're missing.  You can use any color of bell peppers you'd like. I happened to find some really nice red and yellow at the store on sale.

What you will need: One bone-in chicken breast, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 yellow onion, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 jalapeno (minced), 2 Roma tomatoes (diced), 1 can chicken broth, 1 can white hominy

I always like to bake my chicken breast ahead of time. I stay home so I'm very fortunate to be able to do this.  If you are a working woman or man, you can throw a chicken breast in the oven the night before or pick up one of those rotisserie chickens from the meat department.  I bake the chicken in the oven at 350 for about 45-60 minutes.  When it's done I cover with foil.  After it has 'rested' I place in the fridge until needed.

Start by heating olive oil in your pan. Use a deep saute pan.  Cut your bell peppers and onion into thin strips and saute them until tender. Add the garlic, jalapeno, oregano, and cumin.  Cook a bit longer.  Then add the chicken broth, hominy, and tomatoes.  Heat to a boil, then allow to simmer while you pull the chicken apart with your fingers.  Add the chicken and heat through.  It's ready to serve or you can let it simmer longer.

I didn't do a side dish for this meal because it has protein, veggies, and grain (hominy).  Float some tortilla chips in this for an extra crunch!

P.S. I'm sorry there is no picture;)

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Acorn Squash

I am going to start this next blog with an apology.  Last time I posted a recipe I promised I would try to take more pictures of my meals and I have failed miserably.  I have three new recipes to post and not a single photo.  I'm just going to be real with you...I like food and sometimes my sight is set on eating so I just forget to get the camera out.

My husband and I enjoyed this shrimp dish just the other night. We fed the boys frozen pizza, put them to bed, and had a 'date'

What you will need: 1lb shrimp (I used frozen and just defrosted it), 1tbsp minced garlic, 1/4 cup hot chili garlic sauce, 1/2 cup sweet chili garlic sauce, 1 cup honey, 1 cup lime, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup canola oil.

Mix everything except the shrimp in a medium bowl.  Set aside 1 cup of the marinade and transfer to a large Ziploc baggie and place the shrimp in the bag.  Let marinade for 2-12 hours.  Before cooking, make a very hot fire on the grill.  Line a grill wok or basket with tin foil.  Drain most of the marinade off the shrimp.  Put the shrimp in the wok.  Cook until the shrimp is heated through and the marinade starts to crystallize.

Our grill wok.  We use this for everything!

Acorn Squash
This isn't really a recipe, it's just how I cook my squash.  There is no culinary genius to this, but in case you wanted to know how to cook acorn squash, here you go!

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut the squash in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.  place upside down on a baking sheet which is lined with tin foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Turn the squash over and place a pat of butter and a spoonful of brown sugar inside each shell.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes.  That's it; enjoy!

Roasted to Perfection

The weather is turning and there is a chill in the air.  This is my favorite time of year.  The season of comfort food! I tried two new recipes this past week; French Dip Sandwiches and Root Vegetable Gratin.

French Dip Sandwiches
What you will need:  rump roast (4-5lbs), a packet of french onion soup, a packet of roast beef seasoning (I think McCormick was the brand I used), 1 can beef broth, hoagie buns, mozzarella slices, onion, green pepper

Place the roast in your slow cooker.  In a bowl mix the broth and seasonings.  Pour over the roast and cook on low for 8 hours.  After the 8 hours, shred the beef and place it back into the slow cooker for another hour.  Before serving sandwiches, saute onion and green pepper slices in olive oil.  Heat your broiler.  Line the hoagie bun with a slice of cheese on one side and the pile of meat and peppers on the other.  Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  Serve with a side of juice from the crock pot.

Root Vegetable Gratin
This recipe came from Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade.  I like to watch the Food Network when I'm working out.  It seems to be the only time I get to watch TV and learn new recipes.  I have never tried parsnips so I thought I would try this recipe.  Here is the link for the recipe.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/root-vegetable-au-gratin-recipe/index.html
I changed a few things.  I didn't have thyme so I used a bay leaf in the milk.  I did not use the canola oil, but instead used 3 tbsp of butter.  Otherwise I followed the recipe closely.  I wasn't a big fan of the parsnips.  They have an interesting flavor. The great thing about this recipe is the base you start with. If you read the mac and cheese recipe I posted, the base is exactly the same.  You can use this base for gratin potatoes as well.

Baked Mac and Cheese with Apple Pie Squares

I have to start by apologizing for not being very creative with my blog.  I've viewed dozens of fabulous cooking blogs that have step by step pictures.  They are really fun to look at.  I can't seem to remember to take photos of my food.  When I am cooking, I am cooking.  I am fully immersed in what I'm doing and I just can't seem to remember to stop and take pictures.  Maybe others have a photographer standing over their should?  I don't know.  I will try to take more pictures, after all we do eat with our eyes first and I myself prefer a cookbook that provides pictures of the food over one that has no pictures.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is simple to make and you can play with the kinds of cheeses you use and the add ins.  I decided to make this a pizza mac and cheese.

What you will need:  3 Anaheim peppers, 1lb pasta, 2 1/2 cups milk, 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, 1/2 cup pepperoni, diced, fresh basil leaves, chopped, Italian bread crumbs.

First roast your peppers.  A simple way to do this is to turn on the broiler.  Place the peppers on a cookie sheets and broil for 5-8 minutes, turning once.  Remove them from the oven and place in a boil covered tightly with plastic wrap.  Let sit for 20 minutes.  Rinsed under cold water and peel the skin off.  Remove ribs and seeds and slice thinly.

Next, heat 2 1/2 cups of milk in a small sauce pan.  Just keep it on low heat so it warms.  Boil your pasta until it's a little undercooked.  I used whole wheat penne and cooked for 8 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of butter in a medium sauce pan until it gets foamy. I added a few onion flakes for flavor.  Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour, one at the time making sure that the mixture become smooth in between tablespoon additions.  Then add 1/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Slowly add all the milk, constantly whisking to make sure it's smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Drain your pasta and place in a large bowl.  Pour the cheese sauce over top and add in the Parmesan, peppers, basil, and pepperoni.  Stir together; add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with Italian bread crumbs.  You can buy them seasoned or if you make your own, just add Italian seasoning.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly hot and bread crumbs are browned.  You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it until you are ready to eat.  I did this and had to bake it a little longer to make sure it was warmed through.

Apple Pie Squares

What you will need: 2 cups sugar, 4 cups diced apples, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 2 cup flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder





Apples resting with sugar and oil



I start with a good baking apple, something a little tart.  Peel and core the apples and dice them.  Mix the apples, sugar and oil together and let stand for 15 minutes. 



Meanwhile mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 

 In a separate bowl beat the eggs and vanilla together.

After the apples have sat, stir them and the eggs into the dry mixture. 

It will be very thick and lumpy. Spread the cake batter into a 9x13 pan

or a 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 30 minutes if using the 9x13 pan



and 40-50 if using a spring form pan.





Serve with whipped topping





Summery Salad and To Good to Be True Dessert

I've become addicted to Pinterest.  It's a cool site (http://pinterest.com/) to find things that interest you. You can 'pin' them and put them into your boards (kind of like online files).  Of course I've been pinning recipes left and right.  Today I made a Martha Stewart dessert and a nice salad for dinner.

Martha Stewart has this recipe on her website so here is the link for you.  They are called Chocolate Coconut Bars. Super easy and delicious!http://www.marthastewart.com/313038/chocolate-coconut-bars#slide_17 


Next up was a nice summery salad.  If you want to make this, remember that the beans need to be marinaded for 6-8 hours to put them in the fridge before bed time.  Here is the link from Kalyn's Kitchen.  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/06/weekend-herb-blogging-35-oregano.html
I did change a few things in the recipe (of course).  I didn't add any extra balsamic vinegar.  I chopped up fresh basil as I have it growing on my deck right now.  Instead of feta, I threw in some mozzarella balls that I had soaking in oregano basil infused olive oil.

Served over a quinoa cake.

Here is the recipe for the quinoa cakes.  I think they lacked flavor and will work on them in the future. They did work well with the cucumber tomato salad.  http://www.handletheheat.com/2011/06/quinoa-cakes.html
Enjoy!  And don't forget to check out Pinterest:)

Shrimp Tacos with Citrus Slaw

This was taken from Real Simple Magazine.  I made a few changes.  I bought a bag of shredded cabbage, omitted the jalapeno (I didn't have it on hand), added about 3 tablespoons of sugar to the slaw, and sauteed the shrimp in butter with a creole seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 small cabbage (8 ounces), shredded
• 1 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 8 small flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the orange and lime juices, sour cream, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Add the cabbage, corn, and jalapeño and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Serve the shrimp with the tortillas and the slaw.

Black Bean Burritos and Granola

I know, know.  It's a weird combination, but I didn't serve them together.  I was a little bored this afternoon so thought I'd make some granola.  My husband comes home and says "Wow, you had time to make granola?"  like it was a big deal. I'm here to tell you that granola is super easy to make.

Granola (just one way)

What you will need: 2 cups rolled oats (old fashion or quick), 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup craisins, 6 tbsp canola oil, 4 tbsp honey.

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Spread mixture on a rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) and bake for 20 minutes.  Check in on it occasionally and stir it around.  Let cool slightly then transfer to an air tight container.  Serve with milk, yogurt, or fresh fruit.


_____________________________________________________

So, if you've been reading the blog lately....or the last 6 or so recipes I posted today you have probably noticed that I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diet.  The children are probably having the hardest time with this. Last night they had chicken strips and tonight I made them a chicken breast on the George Foreman Grill while I made quacamole and black bean burritos for the hubs and myself.

The quac recipe is already posted - try April or May?  I made up the burrito recipe and it was quite good if I do say so myself.  I discovered Manchego cheese this past weekend while visiting family.  I fell in love!  I went right out and bought myself some when I got home. It's on the pricey side, but oh so good.  Life is short, treat yourself to good cheese!

What you will need:  One can of black beans, 1/2 red onion, 1/2 green pepper, 2 garlic cloves, grated manchego cheese, small flour tortillas

Heat the black beans with their juices in a sauce pan.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small saute pan or skillet.  Add chopped onion and chopped green pepper.  Once those cook down a bit throw in the garlic.  I happened to have some sweet corn left over from last night so I cut that off the cob and threw it in too.  If you like spicy, add some red pepper flakes or jalapeno.
Warm the tortillas. Build you burrito with beans (use a slotted spoon to avoid the juice) topped with the pepper mix and that oh so good Manchego cheese.

Sorry, no pictures today. I was too involved in my cooking to stop and take pictures;)

Linguine with Zucchini and Chickpeas + How to cook Sweetcorn

Vegetarian Dish Ahead!

What you will need:  12 ounces whole wheat linguine, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 small zucchini, cut in half moons, kosher salt, 15 oz chickpeas, 2 cloves garlic, sliced, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain, and return to the pot.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often until just tender (I like mine a little firm).  Add the chickpeas, garlic, and red pepper and cook until heated through.
Toss the pasta with the reserved water and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the zucchini mixture and remaining Parmesan.
This recipe came from Real Simple Magazine.

It's sweet corn season here in Iowa!  To cook sweet corn, get a large pot and bring the water to a rolling boil.  Put the ears of corn in for 8 minutes and Viola! They are done.  Make sure to use plenty of real butter and salt!

Fish Tacos

I've never tried fish tacos before. In fact, I have always though they sounded kind of gross.  My husband and I were in Miami about a year ago and I guess we did have blue marlin tacos as an appetizer and they were simply delicious.  One of the best things I ate while in Miami.  So tonight I am making fish tacos.  I looked up several recipes and here is what I came up with.

What you will need: 1 lb white fish (I used talapia),  1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 1/2 tsp honey, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, and black pepper, 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (if you don't have it, no biggie)

Cut the fish into chunks.  Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the fish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 3-6 hours. I sauteed the fish, but you can also grill it.

Here is how the fish looked after cooked.
Good flavor.

As far as toppings, I wasn't prepared. The recipe I tried called for a coleslaw topping, but I didn't have any.  I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe so won't make it again. However, I do have a shrimp taco recipe I want to try so hopefully that one will find it's way here soon.

Barley Risotto

Do you remember eating Campbell's Vegetable Beef soup as a child?  It was one of my favorite soups because I loved the little barley.  I came across a barley risotto recipe and just had to try it.

What you will need: 3 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley, salt and pepper, one pkg or fresh or one can mushrooms (sliced), 1-2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 + cup white wine, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup diced ham steak, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, parsley

Not sure where the barley is in the grocery store?
Check by the rice or flour

Heat butter in a medium pan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the barley, salt and pepper to taste and cook.  Stir occasionally and cook until the barley is lightly toasted.  This will take about four minutes.  Add the mushrooms, rosemary and wine and cook until the mushrooms are soft and the wine is absorbed.  I started with 1/2 wine and added more later.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover and reduce to low heat until the barley is tender.  I checked the barley periodically and had to add more liquid because it wasn't as tender as I wanted it.  I didn't want to open another can of chicken broth so I added more wine.  I also added more rosemary to taste.
Once the barley is tender, stir in the ham and Parmesan and parsley.

Delicious meal and you only dirtied one pot!

So can make this dish vegetarian if you use vegetable stock and leave the ham out. Barley is full of protein and fiber so it will fill you up!