New Year, Old Recipe

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging over the past few months. Life has been so busy that blogging kept getting pushed down the "To Do" list until life settled down. For those of you who have been worried about Jason the last few months, you can rest assure that he has had a full belly of delicious and nutritious foods. Two years have come and gone faster than I could have ever imagined. The last month has been full of significant life events.

Dec.4 - Last day of my dietetic internship (wahoo!!)
Dec. 13 - Graduation from my Master's program
Dec. 19 - We signed our new lease in Appleton, WI
Dec. 23 - Move in day!
Now - Studying for the R.D. (Registered Dietitian) Exam

Now that life has settled and I am focusing on finding a job and studying for the RD exam, I am able to schedule in some much needed food blogging. Here is a recipe from a few months ago that was so delicious that I kept it at the top of my "Recipes to Blog List." This burger recipe stretches the meat, adds protein and nutrition, and is absolutely delicious - I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Black Bean Turkey Burger

Ingredients

- 20 ounces ground turkey

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 c. frozen corn, thawed

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- 2 TBSP whole wheat bread crumbs

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1 ounce low-fat cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese

- Fresh Spinach

- Sliced tomatoes

- Kraft Olive Oil Mayo (optional)

- Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun Recipe

Directions
1. Preheat oven (or grill) to 350F
2. In a large bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients together. Form into about 8 burger patties.
3. Bake for for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165F.
4. Serve on a whole wheat bun with a slice of cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and olive oil mayo.

That pasta salad in the recipe was just a hog-pog recipe that I threw together. Since it was a few months ago I cannot remember exactly what I did. It is likely similar to the Cucumber Relish Pasta Salad I made this past summer. As a general rule of thumb, I take whatever vegetables I have on hand, dice them all into different sizes/shapes, add cooked and cooled whole wheat pasta, and toss them with a salad dressing or oil, balsamic vinegar (my favorite), and herbs. There is no right or wrong recipe - just be sure to taste the dressing you are making before you add it to the vegetables and pasta. Enjoy!

Tortilla Fajita Bake

Oh, life is so busy right now. Today is my first day "off" since the start of the semester so it will be my catch-up day. But, I am a (wo)man of my word, so you will get your post for the week before I get down to business.

I can't remember when I made this but I do remember it was good. I have made variations of it every few months for the past year. Jason always loves it and it is simple to make, so it is a win-win situation.

Tortilla Fajita Bake

Ingredients:

• Flour tortillas (I used white this time, but multi-grain are great because they can stand up to the juices)
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 block of part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
• 3/4 pound lean ground turkey
• Fajita seasoning packet
• Salsa

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown ground turkey and onion. Add the seasoning packet and peppers once the meat is nearly done. Cook until peppers have only a little crunch left.
2. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a casserole dish.
3. Layer dish with tortilla shells
4. Top the shells with thin, but complete layer of the meat mixture. Spread salsa over the meat mixture and top with half of the cheese. Layer with sells and follow with just the meat mixture. Top with shells and then top the shells with cheese.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the cheese is golden.

See you next week!

What to do?

People ask me tons of questions about eating. What is the perfect breakfast? Do I need breakfast? What should I eat to lose weight? What should I eat to gain muscle? How often should I eat? How much should I eat?

I could go on for hours trying to answer these questions. Eating to be healthier is really quite simple. Here are a few tips:

1. Eat Intuitively: eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. While you can "live to eat" the most important thing is to "eat to live." While something might taste good, when you are full you should stop - is that overstuffed feeling really worth it? Granted, this is easier said that done (I know from many personal experiences), the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

2. Eat at home: I strongly believe that our desire to eat out all of the time is why our country is so obese. A dinner out once and a while is fine but most Americans eat out multiple times a week. When you eat out you have no control over what goes into the food or how much food you are getting. When the waitress shows up with the over-sized double cheeseburger and unlimited fries, you are bound to violate recommendation number one. We seem to think that eating out is quicker than making a meal at home, but by the time you get to the restaurant, review the menu, order your meal, and wait for the food to come, about 40 minutes has passes and you could have made about 1/2 of the items on this blog.

3. Eat like your grandparents did: Although the media has come to tell us that things like steak and potatoes are "bad" for us they are not. Look at our grandparents - they were not all overweight in the 1940s and 1950s. But how could this be...they ate things like cream, and butter, and red meat, and potatoes??? They did not over indulge like we do today, they were more active, and they ate food that was closer to its natural source. They didn't eat processed and breaded chicken patties from the local supermarket or a burger with a brat patty on it covered in cheese (yes, this is available at Curly's Pub at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI). They ate chicken and steak from the butcher. Sure they put butter on their potatoes, but they didn't have over-sized potatoes covered with 2 TBSP of butter, 1/4 cup of sour cream, a handful of bacobits, and 2 ounces of cheddar cheese.

4. Exercise: While this has nothing to do directly with eating, it is important. It is as simple was walking for 10 minutes 3 times per day. We don't move around enough in our super-connected world. Why would we need to? We could work from our desk at home and have the local grocery store deliver our food. We can drive anywhere and can even get food brought to our car so we never have to move our legs. We have become obsessed with convenience and feel there is not enough time in the day to exercise. Looking at the big picture, wouldn't you prefer to prevent a plethora of diseases by sacrificing 30 minutes of TV and going for a walk with the family?

These three recommendations are things most people know but do not want to hear. Many people I talk to want to hear that they can eat fast food and not exercise but still loose weight and look like a celebrity. The reality is that it takes some time to break away from the norm of fast food and a sedentary lifestyle. If you are overweight, it will take some time to reach a healthier weight - how long did it take for you to get where you are? I am guessing it wasn't overnight. You may never reach what medicine calls a "healthy weight" because of the changes that have occur ed to your body over the years (if you want to know more about this feel free to email me or leave a comment and I will get back to you) but you can be healthier than you are. I promise that if you do the things above you will lose weight and feel better.

These pictures are of a dinner Jason and I had for Valentines Day. Sure, we could have spent $60 for dinner and wine for two on this special holiday, but we chose to make dinner together and eat at home. We bought good steaks from the local butcher and a nice bottle of wine. We also made a simple salad with dried cranberries, and some sauteed green beans with slivered almonds. I can guarantee that this meal was healthier and cheaper than any meal we would have got at a restaurant, and making it was half of the fun!

Everyone has the power to be healthier. It just takes a little direction and a lot of motivation. At first it is difficult and almost unconventional, but after a short while it is extremely satisfying knowing that you are treating your body the way it was suppose to be treated.

[Notice that I did not mention that in order to be healthy you must be a vegetarian or eat organic. Neither of these are required and the latter is becoming more of a trend that what it was originally intended to be. If you have the money and desire to purchase organic I highly recommend that you do this by purchasing local organic. Organic was created from the sustainability/green aspect. When you purchase organic at the store you are still putting money into big business and there are still tons of emissions going up into the air when the plane flies the produce from southern CA to northern IL. Instead, try to support local agriculture by purchasing food from your local Farmer's Market.]

Gyro Pasta

A few weeks ago we had a wedding reception for my brother, Joey, who got married in May down in Texas. He is in the army and is stationed in El Paso, TX. The family came up to meet our family and it was a wonderful time. My dad rediscovered gyros a few years ago when he found a gyro shop in downtown Appleton, WI called Gyro Kabob. It is a delicious little restaurant with authentic gyros, greasy fries, and cheap prices. Even my mom, who is a little picky when it comes to what she likes to eat, thinks it is amazing. Needless to say Joey's wedding reception was the perfect excuse for my parents to introduce the rest of our family and our new Texan relatives to Gyro Kabob.

The gyros were a hit - so popular we ran out of pita bread! This left us with a few bags of gyro meat. Jason and I were lucky enough to bring some back with us. I recently defrosted some of the meat and made this pasta dish with it. Jason has devoured most all of it in the past few days. Since gyro meat is just shaved and seasoned lamb meat, you could use lamb or beef in this recipe.


Ingredients:
- Spaghetti Noodles
- 3 cups shaved gyro meat
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cups green beans, chunked
- 2 whole carrots, sliced
- Garlic-herb infused oil*
- Feta cheese, crumbled**

Directions
1. Cook the noodles as directed. Make at least 3 servings per package directions.
2. In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the carrots and green beans and cook until the carrots are bright orange.
3. Add the gyro meat and top with about 1/4 cup oil.*** Add the pasta to the skillet, and stir well. Simmer for 3-5 minutes with the lid on. Serve warm with feta cheese.

*I made this a few months ago with dried garlic, basil, and oregano. Just throw the dried herbs in a sealed container of oil and let sit for a few hours before using. If you don't have this or want to make it, just use regular olive oil and add some garlic, basil, and oregano to the pan.

**Feta cheese usually comes in a chunk or crumbled. While the crumbled appears cheaper at first glance, it is usually twice as expensive when you look at the ounce price. Go for the chunk of feta and crumble it on your own to get more bang for your buck.

***It is not necessary to use this much oil, but I used it in place of sauce. 1/4 cup is 3 TBSP, so together this dish has 1 TBSP oil per serving

Tomato Basil Steak and Roasted Potatoes

Jason is a big guy - not fat, by any means, but big. At 6'4" and 210 pounds, he has quite an appetite. While I would love to only make the food that I like, it would mean Jason would be scavenging through the cupboards to find something more to eat. Keeping Jason well fed is definitely a priority, so I frequently make wholesome, nutritious meals that will last Jason a few days. This is the best for both of us - Jason doesn't go hungry and I don't come home to empty cupboards.

Steaks are a food that has gotten a bad rap over the past few years. Steak can actually be one of the healthiest entrees on a restaurant's menu. The key is portion size (stick to 6 ounces - this is equivalent to 2 servings of meat) and choosing a lean cut. Fillet Mignon is obviously the best, and most expensive cut. If you are looking for something a little more affordable, a sirloin is good choice. This recipe used sirloin and it was perfectly tender and seasoned.

Tomato Basil Steaks and Roasted Potatoes

Serves 4

Tomato Basil Steak Ingredients

-4 5-oz sirloin steaks

-Mrs. Dash's Tomato Basil Seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Rub the steaks with Tomato Basil seasoning.
3. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray and place the steaks on the pan. Check steaks in 5 minutes. If not done, flip and check every 2 minutes. The steaks are done when the thermometer reads 155F.

Roasted Potatoes Ingredients

-Baby red potatoes

-Italian Herb Seasoned Olive Oil (basil, garlic, oregano)

Directions

1. Cut the red potatoes in half.
2. Pour 1-2 TBSP olive oil into a large skillet that can fit a lid. Heat the over medium heat.
3. Place the potatoes in the pan with the cut side down, first placing the potato in the oil and then pushing the potato to the side. Be careful since the oil is hot. If you are worried about the oil splashing, pace the potatoes into the pan before heating the oil.
4. Place the cover on the lid and let sit for 5 minutes. If the pan seems to be getting too hot, turn the heat down to prevent burning.
5. Flip the potatoes over once the bottoms are crispy and put the lid back on until the potatoes have little resistance when a fork is inserted.

*You can add parsley before step 4 if you'd like - I plan to try this next time.

Turkey and Rice with Tomato Pepper Sauce

Turkey and Rice with Tomato Pepper Sauce

(Modified from the Best of Cooking Light Everyday Favorites recipe for Stuffed Peppers)

Ingredients

· 1.5 pounds of 93% lean ground turkey

· 1 cup diced onions

· 2 tbsp dried parsley

· 2 tsp paprika

· ½ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp ground all-spice

· 2 colored peppers (I used yellow and orange), chopped

· 2 cups tomato sauce

· 2 cups brown rice, cooked

· ½ cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat a large skilled to medium. Add the ground turkey and onion and cook for 3 minutes, breaking up the meat while you cook it. Add in the parsley, paprika, salt and all-spice and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Add the chopped peppers and cook until the meat is browned.

2. Add the pasta sauce and brown rice to the mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat for 3-5 more minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese.

*the original recipe is for stuffed peppers. Here is what you can do to make these stuffed:

1. Heat the oven to 450F.
2. Do not cut up the peppers but cook the rest of the mixture as directed. You will need at least 4 more peppers for this recipe. Cut off the tops of the peppers and discard the seeds and membrane. Do not throw out the top – reserve for later. Place peppers in the microwave for 2 minutes so they are still slightly crisp, but a little tender. Let cool.
3. Place about ¾ cup of the cooked beef mixture into each pepper and place each pepper into a sprayed baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned. Garnish with the reserved pepper tops.

A Mexican Twist on Lasagna

The other day I asked Jason what he would like for dinner, because I was out of ideas at the time. He said lasagna and then it came to me; make a lasagna with Mexican-based ingredients. Jason sounded a little skeptical, but went with it, like he usually does. The result - AMAZING! Jason finished off 4 slices easily and wanted t more...he decided to stop since he knew we had delicious chocolate candies from my parents that we would have later for dessert.

This is slightly different than lasagna because it has minimal cheese. Jason and I don't like ricotta and I didn't feel like grating cheese when I prepared this in the morning. The only cheese is on the top, but it still tastes great!


Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
-8 to 10 whole wheat lasagna noodles (depending on your pan size - you will need enough to make 2 layers)
-20 oz container of ground turkey
-1 large onion
-1 can black beans (if fresh, make sure they are soaked, rinsed, and boiled already)
-1 cup of frozen corn
-Jar of spaghetti sauce
-Jar of Salsa
-Mozzarella cheese
-Mild cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring about 10-12 cups of salted* water to a boil (if you cover the pot it will boil faster since less heat is escaping). Place 3-4 lasagna noodles in the pot and boil for 4-6 minutes, or until slightly soft. Remove from the pot and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Watch out...they are VERY hot! Place on a dish towel to cool. Repeat the process.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey. Once fully cooked, add the onion. Since ground turkey is lean and there is little fat that come off of it, I like to just cook the onion in the fat that is there instead of going through the extra steps just to swap out a few grams of saturated fat for unsaturated fat (normally you would need to drain and rinse the meat, set in a separate bowl, wipe out the pan, add oil, heat oil, and then add the onion - this saves me 5 minutes!). Cook the onion for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Leave the skillet on the burner. Add the frozen corn (still frozen). The heat from the pan will thaw the corn. Once thawed. Add the black beans.
3. Spray a 13 X 9" baking pan. Add one layer of noodles to cover the bottom. Top with half of the meat and vegetable mixture. In a back-and-forth motion, top with about 1/3 cup of spaghetti sauce and 1/3 cup of salsa. I didn't measure when I did, so add as much as you think is needed. Top with the rest of the noodles. Top those with the rest of the meat and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce and work into the meat mixture using a spatula or spoon.
4. At this point you have two options: you can place the lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you bake it, or you can bake it right away.
5. Once you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 400F. Don't add the cheese yet!
6. Bake for 30 minutes in the center rack.
7. Remove from the oven and top the lasagna with your choice of cheese. We used about 1/3 of a block of mozzarella and 1/3 of a block of mild cheddar.
8. Place back in the oven on the center rack and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

*salted water - many people say that you salt water to make it boil faster. This is incorrect. When you add salt to water it raises the boiling point, so the water will take longer to boil, but will boil at a temperature higher than normal. In turn, this makes your food cook faster. Think about this - this is why they use salt on ice outside; it 

lowers the freezing point, causing the ice to melt at 32F and below!

Turkey Chili

Jason loves this recipe and it is extremely easy to make.

Ingredients

• 10oz of ground turkey, browned
• 15oz can of kidney beans or 1 cup dried beans, soaked
• 24oz can diced tomatoes
• 15oz can stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup whole wheat elbow noodles, not cooked*
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup spaghetti cause or tomato sauce

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients into a 3-4 serving crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the side from burning.

*It is okay to put the uncooked noodles in directly because the water and heat will cook them. If you do not like mushy noodles, add them when there is 2 hours left.

Traditional Hamburger Helper

I really think this hamburger helper takes just about the same amount of time as the boxed version but tastes much better.

Ingredients

• 10oz of ground turkey (double this recipe if you are using the entire package. I use half the package for chili and half for this, which is why it is only 10oz)
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 6 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups whole wheat elbow noodles
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring water to a bowl and cook the noodles.
2. While the water is getting started, place the ground turkey in a pan and brown it. Do not drain the fat (it will only be about 1-2tbsp) and add the onion. Cook the onion until it is tender and then turn off the heat, but leave the meat and onion in the skillet.
3. Measure 1/4 cup of milk and add the flour to the measuring cup. Stir until the chunks are gone and then add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. This is a slurry method for a white sauce and is much lower in calories and fat than a traditional white sauce, which is what we want since we will be adding cheese to it.
4. Add the milk mixture to a small or medium skillet and heat over medium high heat. Continuously still with a spatula to prevent clumping. Bring to a boil and boil for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the skillet on the warm burner. Add the cheese and stir until well blended.
5. By this point the noodles should be cooked and ready to be drained. Drain and add them to the meat mixture. Pour the cheese mixture over the top and stir until well combined.
6. Serve and enjoy! You will never want to buy the box again!

Beef Roast

My crock pot is my lifesaver. Yesterday it took me a whole 10 minutes to make Jason's dinner for the next few nights. Beef Roast was on sale on Monday for $2.99/pound, so I figured I would make one of Jason's favorite meals. Here is how easy it really is:


Ingredients

-2 pounds beef roast, your choice of cut (crock pots cook slow, so a less tender cut could still be okay)
-1/4 cup water
-1 package of marinade of your choice...I used Grill Mates Tomato, Basil, and Garlic
-2-3 pound of red potatoes, washed, NOT peeled, and cut in half
-1 yellow onion, cut in 1/2 and then chopped into strips
-4 large carrots, diced into wheels

Directions:
In a 3-4 serving. crock pot, place the beef roast in the center. Put halves of potatoes in the space around the beef roast. Add water and marinade and top with the remaining vegetables. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Stuffed Herb Turkey Burgers

Turkey burgers are probably the most consumed form of meat in our apartment. Jason really likes them, so we usually stock up on the Jennie-O patties when they are on sale, so we have a quick meal on hand. However, I prefer homemade turkey burgers over the patties; mainly because I can cover up the turkey burger taste with other tasty things :)

Last weekend I was inspired by More than Burnt Toast's* version of stuffed burgers. I tried doing mozzarella stuffed burgers once before but they ended up falling a part a little. When I told Jason I was trying them again, he was skeptical, but it was my chance to prove him wrong (as all wives seems to love to do). Thankfully, they turned out great! Jason and I both loved them and I will be making them again sometime soon.

Please don't mind the super fake white bun...usually we go for the good buns, but we were at Aldis this week and all they have are those classic generic brand enriched buns. Hopefully next time we will get some good wheat buns :)

*More than Burnt Toast's Stuffed Burgers: http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com/2008/09/bifteki-yemista-stuffed-burgers-with.html

Ingredients
-20 oz. lean ground turkey
-1/4 cup bread crumbs
-1 half of a roasted red pepper, diced
-2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, diced
-1/4 cup chives, diced
-Feta Cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Start your outdoor grill.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese and mix well with your hands.
3. Form the meat mixture into a ball and with your hand, press in a seam down the middle horizontally and vertically to make the ball into 4 equal pieces (this will be the size for each of the 4 burgers. Anything smaller will be hard to stuff, but you can try!).
4. Remove 1 piece from the bowl and split it into two pieces. Flatten one piece out to be about 1/4-1/2" thick (see picture above).
5. Spread cheese in the center of the flattened piece, leaving at least 1" of meat around the cheese (size picture to the right)
6. Flatten the second half of the first patty that was reserved on the plate. Place it on top of the cheese-topped patty and push the edges together to seal the seam. Pick the ball up and work it a little to remove any visible seam line.
7. Continue with the remaining burgers.
8. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the meat reads 165F. Remember, there is cheese in the middle, so you need to only go down about 1" to read the meat temperature.

ENJOY!

Meatballs

Jason loves meatballs...what man doesn't? I personally would like to add tons of vegetables to my spaghetti instead of any type of meat. However, Jason is a man, and he needs his meat, so I decided to make him a little treat...

People often think that beef and other ground meats are "bad" for them. First, I would like to challenge everyone reading this to not call foods "good" and "bad." No one food is going to kill us and no one food is going to save us. When that one food is discovered, then I think the dichotomous thinking of "good" and "bad" can be used. Instead, we could use words like, "less healthful" and "nutritious." I think these words (much more than the latter) promote thinking of food as food and encourage the possibility of a diet that includes all foods, in moderation.

Regardless, ground meat, while it tends to be high in fat, is a great choice of a few dinners each week. It is filling and provides important vitamins and minerals, some of which include B12, iron, zinc, and B6. If you are going to chose beef and other ground meats for meals, I would strongly encourage you to purchase the leaner varieties (90% lean or higher) if possible.

Meatballs
20 oz lean ground meat (I used turkey)

1 egg

¼ cup dried breadcrumbs

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ tbsp fresh oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
salt
freshly ground black pepper
oil for frying

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Shape into 10-20 balls. Try to keep your hands wet to preventing sticking.
3. Fry in a pan for about 10 minutes, or until the temperature reads 165F. Be sure to continuously turn the meatballs until they are browned on all sides.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

Cooking with a crock-pot is probably the easiest thing I have ever done. The whole hands-on process takes about 15 minutes and you need to try pretty hard to mess it up. We like to cook crock-pot meals on days when I work during the day and Jason works at night and needs to take a lunch.

Most of my crock-pot meals are just thrown together and don't follow a recipe; I usually use whatever we have lying around.



Ingredients
-2 pounds red potatoes, halved
-4 whole carrots, chunked
-1 large white onion, diced
-2 large zucchinis, cut into discs
-3 pork chops (a little more than 1 pound)
-1 tsp ground cloves
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp oregano
-water

Directions

1. Add about 1/2 the vegetables to the crockpot; add the pork chops in a layer and cover with seasonings. Top with the remaining vegetables. Add about 1/2 cup of water. You can add more if you would like, or you can add some later on.
   
2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. I usually check on it 1/2 way though to see how it is looking. As long as the pork reads 165F (which is will FOR SURE after 7 hours!) it is done. The longer you cook it the more the flavors blend together.

Spanish Rice

At my bridal shower, my bridesmaids had the coolest idea...since they know I love to cook, they had each person attending bring a recipe for me to try out on Jason. One of them was for Spanish Rice from my Aunt Diane.

I made a few modifications, such as using fresh parsley instead of dried and using whole grain rice instead of white rice. Overall, the recipe is good. The only thing Jason suggests is more spice, and I agree. I would probably add some cumin and chili powder.

Ingredients
◦ 1 pound ground meat, browned
◦ 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
◦ 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
◦ 1/4 cup onion, diced
◦ ¾ ketchup
◦ 2 tbsp fresh parsley
◦ 1/8 tsp black pepper
◦ 1 cup Brown rice (uncooked)
◦ 2 cups water

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a pan; cover and simmer for 3/4 of an hour to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Spicy Sausage and Pepper Pasta

One of Jason's favorite meals (with or without pasta...).

One day I was in a hurry to make Jason dinner for work before I had to leave for work. After I finished the pepper and pasta mixture, I told him that it was done and all he had to do was cook some noodles to go with it. I got home from work and looked in the refrigerator to find the entire container of peppers and sausage gone...I had made enough for what I thought would like 3 meals! The next day, I asked Jason about it, and it turned out he didn't remember me saying to make the noodles and thought the entire dish was his dinner (he was watching TV, probably a cubs game, when I told him). The next time I made it, I decided to not take any chances and added the noodles right away). There really isn't a recipe because I just made it up, so you can use as much as you would like to make as many servings as you would like. I will put about how much I used in parentheses.

Ingredients
-Italian Sausages, sliced into circles (2)
-Multiple colored peppers, diced (2)
-Vidalia Onion, diced (1 large)
-Extra virgin olive oil (2-3 TBSP)
-Garlic (2 tsp)
-Parmesan cheese, fresh or from a can...I used the can because I am cheap and that is what I had on hand (1/4 cup)
-Mrs. Dash Table Blend (2 tsp)
-Noodles of your choice (about 3 servings)

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to boiling and cook noodles as directed. When they are done, drain, rinse, and return to the pan. Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, some garlic, and some Parmesan cheese to taste.
2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet to medium-high heat.
3. Add the sliced brats so a side with the largest surface area is on the skillet. Cook for a few minutes and flip. Continue cooking until the internal temp is about 160F (165F is the temp it needs to be, but you will be cooking them some more.
4. Add the diced peppers and onions to the pepper mixture. Add olive oil as needed.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes. Check the internal temp of the meat and make sure it is at 165F. If it is, turn off the heat.
6. In a large bowl, add the noodles and sausage mixture. Add the remaining cheese and seasonings and stir well.
7. Serve with a cold bottle of beer :)

The day I discovered Jason has a hidden talent

Today I was starving as I got lunch together after church. However, with my new devotion to my food blog, I knew I had to take a picture of Jason's plate before we could eat, so I asked him to grab the camera for me. To my surprise, when he brought it to the kitchen, he asked if he could take the picture...I was surprised he was interested at all in my new little hobby. Of course I let him and this is what came from it...

Amazing, isn't it? Maybe it is just me, but I think I am going to recruit him to be my new photographer!

Anyway, this recipe was a bunch of leftovers thrown together. The night before I had to work, so Jason just made Perdue Frozen Turkey Burgers on the grill. He seasoned them with Mrs. Dash Sun-dried Tomato Basil seasoning. He said it helps to season one side and then put that side on the grill to make the seasonings stick. He immediately seasons the top so those spices can soak into the burger as the other side cooks. When he made them he ate them as burgers, but for lunch, I just topped them with Feta Cheese. For the sides, there is just a simple spinach salad that I topped with Greek Vinaigrette dressing and some left of Spinach Rice Gratin (for the recipe, see "http://nutritionhealthlife.blogspot.com/2008/08/recipe-for-popeye.html "

Meatloaf and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What could be better than meatloaf and mashed potatoes? Not much! Jason and I frequently make mashed potatoes because they are quick, easy, and tasty.

Mashed Potatoes

In a microwave-safe container, place 3-4 small red potatoes that have been poked with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place a lid on the container and microwave on high for 4 minutes. CAREFULLY open the lid and push on the potatoes to see their softness. Depending on your microwave and the size of the potatoes, they may have to go for 5-10 more minutes. If they need to cook longer, turn them over and rotate so they are in different positions. Continue to microwave on high in 4 minute increments. Once they are soft, let them sit for about 3 minutes in the microwave, so they can cool off a bit and finish cooking through. Once they are manageable, mash them up with a fork (if you need, use a knife as well). Season to taste. We usually use garlic and sometimes a little butter and an Italian seasoning blend.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef or turkey

1 cup skim milk

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic

1/2+ cup Light Italian Dressing

1/4 cup ketchup

1/8 cup BBQ sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all the ingredients except the barbecue sauce together, then spread the meatloaf mixture into an ungreased loaf pan.
3. Spoon barbecue sauce and some Italian dressing on the top of the meatloaf and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Steak Fajitas

Sorry about the fuzzy picture...my camera didn't want to work right. Jason and I love using Jerk seasoning and pineapple with meats and vegetables. Here is something we threw together the other night.

Ingredients
1 can of diced pineapple in its own juices
4 oz steaks (as many as you’d like)*
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
½ onion of your choice (we used Vidalia), diced
Jerk Seasoning
Olive oil
Sour cream
Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
Tortillas
2 freezer bags (the size depends on how many steaks you have)

*you can use a tougher cut if you want to save money, because this recipe marinates overnight, allowing the acid in the pineapple to tenderize the meat.

Directions

1. The day before you plan to eat prepare the marinade; pour the juice from the can of pineapples into a freezer bag that is big enough for your steaks to all fit and not be too crammed (the more surface area each steak has with the marinade, the more tender it will become). Put the pineapple in a storage container and store in the refrigerator until tomorrow. Rub the steaks with the Jerk Seasoning and place them in the bags. Remember, Jerk seasoning has some kick, so if you don’t like spice, don’t over do it! Place that bag in another freezer bag to prevent leaking. Keep in the refrigerator overnight.
   
2. The next day, discard the marinade and grill the steaks. Once done, cut steaks into strips.
   
3. While the steaks are being grilled (if someone else is helping you prepare dinner) or shortly before or after they are grilled, heat oil in a small frying pan. Once warm, add the onions and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Then add the pineapple and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Season with Jerk seasoning (again, don’t over do it if you don’t like a little spice).
   
4. Warm tortillas for a few seconds before serving. Serve pineapple mixture and steaks with sour cream and cheese.

A Man's Meal with a Woman's Touch

I just thought this was funny, so I wanted to post it...no real recipe. Jason grilled the brats, topped them with relish, ketchup, and mustard. I sauteed some vegetables in extra virgin olive oil and added some garlic and Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil seasoning. As the post says, a man's meal with a woman's touch...I do not think I quite realize how lucky I am that Jason enjoys his vegetables!