Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

April 18, 2017

Alright, who needs some midweek dinner recipe lovin? I know I do! I go for a few things when I attempt my meal planning on a Sunday night.

1) Ease – When you work full-time, add on a commute, allow time to pick-up Lo and get home, sometimes it is 6:30 pm or 7 pm before I am even standing in my kitchen. I actually enjoy cooking but I do not enjoy it when it feels like another chore on an already busy day.

2) Semi-Healthy – I know. I sound like a jerk. Semi-healthy? Really? Could not just go for the healthy? I am real, people. Real I tell you! Maybe I have not yet mastered my meal planning and maybe I have not studied up on nutrition enough, but for me, #1 and #3 matter so much. If that Mac’ N Cheese calls for whole milk, butter and cheese – I am doing it! I do though always opt for fresh over processed and really strive for veggies and color. So there. Give me some slack.

3) Delicious – Yep. Mac’ N Cheese! 🙂 Nathan and I enjoy food. We love to eat. We barely eat breakfast and lunch is always on the go or at a desk, so dinner is kind of special and homemade always tastes best.VIEW STORY »

One Skillet Sausage Penne

July 17, 2016

Winner. Winner. I have your Sunday dinner.

No, seriously, I have your dinner all planned. Most likely you have all the ingredients too and if not, well, then high-step yourself to the market.

I love pasta! I love everything about it. The heartiness, how it soaks up all the flavors that are fused in the pot, how its BFF for life is cheese and they are unstoppable, how cozy and warm I feel when it sits there looking all gorgeous at me.

You are gorgeous!

There is absolutely zero Italian bloodline running through my veins but I adore Italian food. I think if I ever made my way to Italy, I would eat my way through every town, spending a ridiculous amount of money on food. But, hey, that’s just me.

This dish is so delectable, and incredibly easy. Everything about it screams, “Get in my Belly now!”

ONE SKILLET SAUSAGE PENNE

1 lb of Ground Sage Sausage
1/2 of a Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 of a Yellow Pepper (diced)
1/2 of a Orange Pepper (diced)
1/2 of a Yellow Onion (diced)
2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
2 Cups of Penne Pasta
1 – 24 oz Jar of Pasta Sauce (I used Five Cheese Flavor)
1 Cup of Water
1/3 Cup of Half & Half
1/2 Cup of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Dried Basil, to taste

Instructions:
In a large skillet cook sausage on medium heat, until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Add diced bell peppers and onion to skillet. Cook for about two to three minutes, then add the minced garlic. Stir to combine all ingredients and add salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jar of pasta sauce and stir. Once combined, add 1 cup on water and combine. Add dried penne pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Once the pasta is tender, add the half and half and cheese. Plate and sprinkle dried basil, to taste.

Buon appetito!

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Shrimp Salad Sandwich

July 20, 2015

Loyal readers, you know me by now. I am a simple girl just trying to get by.

New readers, oh, hello! Thanks for joining my party. I am a new mommy, wife and full-time business professional. Basically, I am just like your wife, your sister, your friend, heck, I am like a lot of woman out there who seem to stack on more and more responsibilities as the years go by, forgetting that our days are not getting longer. Well, in essence they are but we still are dealing with 24 hours, people. Quit adding to your plate!

I am part of a club, a club of really tired Momma’s! The RTM Club. There, I stake claim to the name. So, what I deal with is real life issues such as stress and demand and hungry bellies. See, I can deal with the stress and demand and actually try my very best to remedy a solution but damn you, hungry bellies, you never go away.

So, back to the RTM Club, we like to find ways to eliminate processes without sacrificing quality. Am I right, RTM’s?

This here is a recipe that does just that. I whipped this up while unloading groceries, feeding a baby some sweet potatoes and packing a bag for a little evening pool dip. See? You will love me and this recipe!

Shrimp Salad Sandwich:
Serves 2

1 Lb of Shrimp (I get mine steamed and seasoned at the market to save time!)
2 Stalks of Celery – Finely Diced
1/4 Cup of Mayo
Lemon Juice to taste
Old Bay to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup of Lettuce
2 Croissants

As mentioned above, if you can get your market to steam and season your shrimp for you, do it, as it will save you so much time in the kitchen! Peel and chop the shrimp and set aside. Dice two celery stalks and add to bowl. Add 1/4 of a cup of Mayo and then continue to add more Mayo by the spoon if this does not fit your desired consistency and flavor. HERE is where you store the mixture in the refrigerator so you can feed and change your baby and head to the pool. Not down with that? Skip ahead. Add the juice of about a half a lemon and stir. Season the mixture with Old Bay, salt and pepper. To assemble sandwich add a layer of mayo to one side of a croissant, add a spoonful of mixture, a handful of lettuce and the croissant half.

Serve alongside an ear of corn and savor the flavors of sweet summertime!

Seriously, this dish is so easy, I even had time to make a simple strawberry shortcake for dessert. Four ingredients: Strawberries, Honey (for sweetening and to pull the juices), Sara Lee Pound Cake and Cool Whip.

I am not a Saint, nor mother or wife of the year, but I swear my husband wanted to know what alien possessed his wife’s body to make such a dinner from start to finish. Raise your forks, RTM’s, this one is for you. Enjoy!

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Easy Eggplant Parmesan

April 1, 2015

The past few weeks have been so incredibly busy with work. Major events and projects have collided together creating late nights, early mornings, skipped meals and crash and burn evenings. Dramatic, much? I know.

My dear husband has had to really take charge, as my parenting and household upkeep has been needless to say, slacking. After receiving a frantic call from my husband that consisted of a one way street conversation of – “Get home!” I was slightly nervous as I turned the front door handle and stepped into a quiet house. As I peeked into the nursery I saw my husband rocking a wide-eyed baby as he mouthed “be quiet.” I ninja-tip-toed out of the room and over so many baby items scattered across the floor. The house looked like we were robbed. As if a robber knew that somewhere under the building dust some serious loot resided and combed every inch of our home throwing bottles, diapers and baby clothing in complete madness.

I walked into the Master Bedroom and saw all of Baby Lo’s Diaper Bag belongings out and about throughout the room. Blankets, a formula dispenser, diapers, baby clothes, more diapers, even the Infant Tylenol and Vitamin D Drops which were neatly stored in their boxes and tucked away in a pocket of the diaper bag were out of their boxes and laying scattered across the bed (I am completely organized in the wrong places in life these days).

“Umm… what happened here tonight?” I asked. I think my husband had a twitch in his eye as he stated, “Onesie. I just needed a onesie.”

“And you thought maybe you would find it inside the Tylenol box?”

We still are laughing about that one. Needless to say, he warned me to buy more onesies, like boxes and boxes, but he has also been super helpful and amazing with taking care of Baby Lo, our home and even me.

So, in an effort to gain some normalcy back into our lives, I decided a home cooked meal is just what we needed.

EASY EGGPLANT PARMESAN:
Serves 4

1 – Eggplant
2 – Eggs
1 Cup of Breadcrumbs (Italian Flavored)
1 1/2 Cups of Shredded Parmesan
3 tsps of Dried Basil
1 – Jar of Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce
2 Cups of Shredded Mozzarella
Pepper to taste
Fresh Basil to garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the skin of an eggplant and cut 1/3 of an inch pieces, so you have various circle size bites (basically, do not cut lengthwise). Beat two eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl or plate mix 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp of dried basil. Dip the eggplant in the egg, coat evenly, and then dip into breadcrumb mixture, again, coat evenly. Place eggplant on baking sheet. I end up using two sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

I use a 9×13 baking dish since this recipe serves four. Coat the bottom with pasta sauce. Place a layer of eggplant and add a spoonful of sauce. Add 1 cup of Mozzarella, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 1 tsp of dried basil and pepper to taste. Repeat the layering with eggplant, the remaining sauce and cheeses and season with 1 tsp of dried basil and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden and gooey, like this!

Garnish with fresh basil and serve alongside salad and bread! Delicious and easy!

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Sausage And Pesto Pizza

March 18, 2015

One item that is typically always in my refrigerator is a pizza crust. Now the toppings, well that is another story, but a pizza crust, yes, you will find. Pizza is an easy solution to weeknight dinner predicaments. Since, we are creatures of habit in my household, we typically lean towards pepperoni and cheese or a version of a supreme depending on what vegetables are available. My personal favorite is our buffalo chicken which is a recipe we have perfected, but every now and then we get creative. In my opinion when you mix creativity with simplicity in the kitchen, well boys and girls, you have culinary success!

This recipe was adapted from another Blog, Food n’ Focus. I stumbled upon the post on Pinterest and after I made some adjustments based on the ingredients I had on hand, I decided to share with you.

SAUSAGE AND PESTO PIZZA:

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Pre-made Store Bought Pizza Dough
4 Sweet Italian Sausage Links
1/2 Cup of Pesto
1 Cup of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Cup of Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Jar of Artichokes
Handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano Shavings
1 Package of Pre-Cooked Chicken

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove casing from the Sweet Italian Sausage Links and crumble the sausage. Cook the sausage in 1 Tbsp of Oil in a skillet on medium high. Once cooked through, remove and drain.

Start by spreading 1/2 a cup of Pesto over the Pizza Dough. Then layer on 1 cup of the Shredded Mozzarella Cheese and 1/2 cup of Shredded Parmesan Cheese. Add the Artichokes and the Pre-Cooked Sausage to the top of the Pizza. Sprinkle the top with a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano Shavings. Place the Pizza directly on the top oven rack and place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any food. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Remove and sprinkle with fresh basil.

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Easy Fish Tacos

February 22, 2015

When it comes to making dinner I am drawn to “easy” recipes. Why make things hard on yourself if you don’t have to? You won’t find any crazy ingredients in my recipes. In fact, I always find myself laughing at certain TV show Chefs who boast the easy peasiness (is that a word? My spell check is currently saying no. I am saying yes and just made it one) of a dish they made before the camera using ingredients I am not sure are sold in grocery stores within a 100 mile radius from here. If a recipe calls for an ingredient that I need to Google to know what it is, I usually mentally check out.

I say hail to the easy recipes of this world and want to provide one to add to your repertoire. If you love fish tacos, then I think you will enjoy this dish. It is light and tasty. Good news – if you make this recipe during the brutal winter months like I have, well then boys and girls, for a brief moment old man winter knocking outside your door morphs into a good looking pool boy on standby with a refreshing Pina colada. This recipe seriously reminds me of summer!

So, if you don’t want to take my word for it take the imaginary pool boy’s. Let’s go!
Easy Fish Tacos:
Serves 2 – 4

Fish prep

1 – 1.5 lbs of Cod
Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste

Slaw prep

2 Cups – Packaged Cole Slaw with Carrot
4 – Green Onion Bulbs – Diced (both white and green part)
1 – Garlic Clove – Minced
1 – Lime (Juice)
1 – Avocado – Diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauce prep

1/2 Cup – Sour Cream
1 – Lime (Juice)
1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp of Chili Powder

Extra ingredients

Tortillas (I use small corn, served warm)
1 – Can of Black Beans

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange Cod on a baking sheet and season both sides with Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. While fish bakes, prepare the slaw and sauce. For the slaw, combine the Cole Slaw Mix, diced Green Onion Bulbs, minced Garlic Clove, juice of one Lime and diced Avocado in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. In another bowl mix the Sour Cream, juice of one Lime, Garlic Powder and Chili Powder. Once the fish is done cooking, move the cooked fish to a bowl and shred. To assemble, heat the tortillas in the microwave. Be sure to cover with a paper towel. Cook for 15 – 20 seconds. Spread the sauce down the middle of the Tortilla, add a spoonful of fish, top with slaw and serve. I cooked Black Beans on the stove top and served on the side. Enjoy!

Let’s Talk… Stromboli

June 10, 2014

It has been awhile… I know! I am ashamed to say that I have neglected you and I am here to make things right. You know the saying, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Well, let’s just say I am playing that card right now.

Busy week nights are the worse, aren’t they? I mean you are busy all day only to get home to more to-do’s that need done. Dinner shouldn’t be stressful, but it can be, so, I try my very best to plan ahead and schedule “easy” meals on weeknights.

Let’s talk… Stromboli! This is an all-time, go-to favorite for when I have had enough but still want a nice meal. I must point out too that this is one of my little sister, Liv’s favorite, so it is kid-approved.

EVERYTHING PUT THE KITCHEN SINK STROMBOLI:
Serves 2-4

1 – Pizza Crust Dough
1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese
6 Slices of Sandwich Pepperoni or you could substitute Regular Pepperoni’s
3-4 Slices Deli Ham – Diced
Handful – Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1/2 Green Pepper – Sliced
1/2 Yellow Pepper – Sliced
1/2 Small Red Pepper – Diced
Oregano to Taste
Basil to Taste
Garlic Salt to Taste
Pepper to Taste

Start by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and unroll the Pizza Dough Crust. Spread out the dough to make a large rectangle shape. You will want to add all you ingredients down the center of the dough, leaving about three inches of dough per side free to fold at the end. Add 1/2 cup of mozzarella down the center of the dough, lengthwise. Then add your filling. I usually fill by layering Sandwich Pepperoni Slices, diced Deli Ham, sliced Green and Yellow Peppers, Bacon Bits, diced Red Onion and the other 1/2 cup of cheese. Then season the filling to taste with Oregano, Basil, Garlic Salt and Pepper. Fold one side over filling and then fold the second side over and pinch the dough so it sticks. Fold both ends, width-wise back so that the filling is covered by the dough. Carefully flip so that the seams are down on the baking sheet. With a knife cut four slits in the top of the dough and then sprinkle to dough with Oregano, Basil, Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and cook through. I cut mine into sliced width-wise and serve with a side of Marinara.

This is such a fun and easy recipe! Plus, you can change it up. Try Ham and Cheddar Cheese filling or Philly Cheese Steak with beef sirloin, mozzarella, onion and peppers. Share your variations in the comment section below!