Some New Inspiration for Dinner

I just heard about this website, created by Tamra Davis..... She created all these great little cooking shows at home. I really enjoyed watching them and felt very inspired to create some new, healthy meals. My favorite thing about the shows is how she let her little boys help make dinner and how creative she lets them be.

If you have a few minutes, you should check it out:

http://www.tamradaviscookingshow.com/

Let me know what you think.... : )

Halibut and Hearts

This was a quick and yummy recipe I saw on Food Network. I don't know how much of a difference the Saffron makes. I used marinated Artichoke Hearts and we served it over rice. I think the chicken broth and artichoke hearts gave the majority of the flavor.

3/4 cup Chicken Broth
12 ounce can Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped - halved or quartered (marinated or plain)
1 tsp. saffron threads
4 halibut fillets
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Heat Olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season all sides of halibut fillets with salt and pepper. Sear the halibut in the heated oil. (About 2 minutes each side) You want the halibut to be a nice golden brown. Remove Halibut and set aside away from heat. In the same pan, add chicken broth, artichoke hearts, and saffron. Bring this mixture to a simmer and return halibut to the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes (until fish is fork tender.) DO NOT OVERCOOK. Halibut will cook VERY quickly and can get rubbery if overcooked. Quickly remove from heat and serve.

Chicken with Feta Cheese

I made this last night because I was totally craving feta cheese and I loved this recipe! The only thing I didn't think about was how my kids aren't really fans of feta.... so they weren't so into it. Next time I will make their chicken with mozzarella in the middle and I know they would LOVE it! The sauce that this recipe makes is so good! (Picture and recipe from everydayfood.com)

Serves 4

• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, (about 3 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine feta and oregano. Make a pocket in chicken breasts: Holding chicken flat with palm of one hand, make an incision in thicker side of each breast with a paring knife. Carefully pivot the knife to create a deep pocket, keeping the other side of the chicken breast intact. Stuff pockets with feta mixture, dividing evenly; generously season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes per side.
3. Cover skillet, and continue cooking until chicken is opaque throughout and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 160 degrees. about 5 minutes more. Remove chicken to a platter, and keep warm.
4. To the skillet, add chicken stock, and cook, stirring up brown bits with a wooden spoon until reduced slightly. Add lemon juice and butter. Reduce the heat to low, and swirl pan until butter is melted, and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve chicken drizzled with sauce.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is an easy soup that I make for my family often in the winter. It's kid friendly because it isn't spicy, but you could add some tobasco if you like it with some heat.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – cut into bite sized cubes
1 T. oil
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp chili powder
1 ¾ tsp oregano
1 sweet red, yellow, or orange pepper (or a combination), chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
24 oz. chicken stock (or I use 3 c. water & 4 chicken bouillon cubes)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
3 T. fresh lime juice
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano; cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the chicken cubes, chopped peppers and cook until chicken is done. Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 7 minutes. Add corn and black beans; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Add cilantro just before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with tortilla chips.

Usually, I'll serve the soup with cheese quesidillas and chips and salsa.

Twisted Kisses

I have seen these on lots of other blogs but I thought I would post them here. My family loved this super easy recipe and my kids loved being so involved. I LOVE the way they taste and just how easy they are to make and I love that there is no mess!!

1 package Hershey Kisses (we used hugs too.)

1 package milk chocolate M&M's (we used Reese's pieces)

1 package pretzles

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or tinfoil

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Lay out pretzles on the wax paper and place a Hershey Kiss on each pretzle.

Place in the oven for 4-6 minutes (remove when the kisses have softened)

Once out of the oven press an M&M on each kiss.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Sandwiches

These were absolutely to die for!

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 large slices challah or Italian bread, (cut 3/4 inch thick)
4 ounces thin semisweet chocolate bar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


1) In a large, shallow dish, whisk together eggs and milk; set aside.

2) Form two sandwiches with the bread and chocolate (break chocolate as necessary to cover bread without extending over edges); dip both sides of sandwiches in egg mixture to coat.

3) Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat; transfer sandwiches to skillet. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Cut in half, and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Pumpkin Blender Wheat Waffles

My friend Christina forwarded this recipe to me from http://everydayfoodstorage.net/ We just tried these waffles this morning, and they were pretty good. You can make them completely from food storage.

Pumpkin Blender Wheat Waffles
1 Cup Milk (3 T. Powdered Milk and 1 C. Water)
1 Cup + 2 Tbs Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked
2 Eggs (2 T. Powdered Eggs and 1/4 C. Water)
2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Pureed, Cooked Pumpkin
1-1/2 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tbs. Sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender. Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour batter into hot prepared waffle iron from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!)
For a yummy variation, put chopped pecans on the top of the batter in the waffle iron before closing.

Apple-Onion Pork Chops

I got this recipe from Allrecipes, and I really liked it. The apple chunks get very tender and were almost applesauce when I served them. I just piled the toppings on top of the porkchops.

I think it needs a side dish, and I'm guessing you could add some little red potatoes in the pot and they would cook up great. I'll update you if I try it!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 (4 ounce) lean boneless pork loin chops
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, divided
• 2 cups sliced red onion (1/2 inch slices)
• 1 large tart apple - peeled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, brown chops in 1 tablespoon oil on both sides over medium-high heat. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, cook onions and apple in remaining oil over low heat until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Return pork chops to the pan. Add vinegar; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until meat is tender.

a tid bit I forgot about my families favorite meal

In case you didn't read the comment I left, I forgot to mention to add 1/4 tsp salt and a dash of pepper to the roux after you add the milk.

Our families favorite dinner - gets gobbled right up!

MAC & CHEESE, BROCCOLI & FRUIT SALAD: This takes about 30 minutes!
While pasta water is boiling, start fruit salad (see *).
Cook 1 lb. of your favorite pasta in a large pot(we like bow tie) don't forget to salt the water when you add the pasta. While it cooks make the white sauce (or roux)
In a small sauce pan (with tall sides) melt 4 TB butter over medium heat, or just a tad warmer. Then whisk in 4 TB flour until it's smooth. Slowly, while whisking add 2 cups milk (we use 1%). Continue to check on it and give it a stir while you prepare the rest of the meal, it will start to thicken up, when it's just barely thickened, turn heat to low. Grate about 2 cups, give or take of your favorite cheese (we use mild cheddar and sometimes a combo of that with mozzarella too), set aside.
*Prepare the fruit salad by draining off two cans of peaches (and chop into bite sizes if needed) and save about 1/2 cup of the juice. Add peaches to a bowl along with one large can drained mandarin oranges. Use 1/4 package of a small package of vanilla pudding and whisk in the peach juice. Stir into the fruit and let sit in the fridge until serving time, then add one banana sliced and toss in.
Steam a bunch of broccoli in the microwave by cutting into bite sized pieces, add a few TB of water, cover and cook checking every few minutes and giving it a stir, total time is about 7-9 minutes.
When the pasta is done drain it off and put it back into the pot. Stir in the white sauce,toss in the cheese and stir until all the pasta has cheese on it, then cover with the lid.
While you grab all you need to dish up, the cheese will melt up and be ready to serve. I usually bake mine in a casserole dish, but discovered if you let it sit in the pot for a few minutes it's just the same as if you bake it essentially except for a golden crust on the top, but time is too precious!
We have what we call "Dinner Captain" where a kid gets to choose the meal and help prepare it and my 5 year old boy ALWAYS chooses Mac & Cheese.