Easy Weeknight Stir Fry

Okay, here's the deal: if you have kids, you need this recipe in your arsenal.  This can be on your table by the time your 2-year-old can watch one episode of Little Einsteins, and even gives you a couple minutes here and there to step away and give the baby back his pacifier/toy/whatever will make him just. stop. fussing. (And if I'm honest, I did the second half of this one-handed last night because the only thing he wants is to be held while walking around.)

Make life easy and buy this Steamfresh veggie medley in the frozen section.  This means you don't have to worry about any fresh produce going bad, and you get to feel like super woman when you serve your family a healthy meal instead of ordering pizza.  (I see you, Papa John's coupon on the fridge...)

Here's how!

Start by sautéing half a chopped onion in olive oil on medium heat.  I used a red onion because that's what I had, but please use whatever you have.  This is a no pressure dinner.

Dice up about a pound of chicken, and throw it in when the onion has softened.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grate in a couple cloves of garlic and an inch or so of fresh ginger if you have it.  If you don't, no biggie.  Add some garlic powder and dried ginger to the sauce later.

 While the chicken cooks, mix up your sauce.  Chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch.

 Say hi to the two year old who wants to "help!"

 Get two bags of frozen veggies out of the freezer and open them! Ta-Da!

 Add to skillet once chicken is cooked through, then stir.  Cook until warm.

 Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 5 minutes or so until the sauce has reduced.

 Replace pacifier as required.

Serve over rice.  Make a big deal about "mini corns" and maybe your toddler will eat it too.  But you never know with toddlers!  Full recipe below.  Enjoy, friends!

Easy Weeknight Stir Fry

adapted from: Lauren's Latest and Hip2Save

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger, peeled

1 lb chicken breasts, diced

2- 12 oz bags Steamfresh Asian Medley frozen veggies

For the sauce:

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

(Use 1/2 teaspoon each of dried ginger and garlic powder if you don't use fresh!)

Directions:

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add in onion and cook until soft.  Add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grate in garlic and ginger using microplane.  Cook chicken until browned and cooked through.

Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Stir frozen veggies into chicken and cook until warm.  Pour sauce over chicken and veggies.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 5 or so minutes while you make your rice.  Serve stir fry over rice and enjoy!  Pat yourself on the back for resisting the pizza man.

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Meal Plan week of 3/7/16

Have you ever seen the show Cutthroat Kitchen on Food Network?  Basically the chefs have to complete their meal while being sabotaged by some other chef in the kitchen.  Some days, that's what I feel like while I'm trying to make dinner - Ruby is taking everything out of every cabinet, I'm tripping over it all, Charlie is licking the floor (he loves nonstick spray?? Whenever I spray it he completely licks the whole floor hoping for a taste- weird), and poor Holden is crying because he hates to be put down.  Whew.  It can get overwhelming quickly!

Having our dinner planned in advance and (hopefully) prepped during naptime takes a little of the stress off of me.  I'm still SO RELIEVED when Lane walks through the door and there is another set of hands there to help! Woohoo for Daddy!

This is a short week this week, because we are headed to my brother-in-law's family's ranch for a long weekend with them and my parents!  I'm going to try to make some special things to take with us, but I won't have regular dinners planned for Thursday - Sunday.

Monday: Santa Fe Chicken and Rice
This is a staple recipe for me.  I can have all the ingredients in the pantry/freezer, and don't have to make a special trip for any special ingredients! I like to always have something on hand so I'm not playing Chopped in my kitchen when it's dinner time.  Although that could be a fun challenge, if 5pm wasn't the worst time of day for a toddler and infant.

Tuesday: Bang Bang Chicken
This is one of our favorites!  It is pretty quick if you do the prep work and make the rice during naptime (I do).

Wednesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Nothing fancy! We will be packing up and cleaning up to get ready to be out of town, so I'll be putting my energy into that instead of dinner.

Here's what I'm hoping to make in advance to take with us:
Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls
Mint Chocolate cookies (my sister is pregnant and I think she'll love these!)
Caramel Praline Sheet Cake because I want to try it but will need to share it!

That's it for this week! I'm finalizing my cart online and picking up the groceries tomorrow.  Hooray for vacation and a short week.

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broccoli pesto pasta

Lane has been working in Seattle for the past 6 weeks, and is finally coming home tomorrow!  I haven't felt like cooking for one while he was gone, so I've been living on eggs, Lean Cuisines and sandwiches. Boo.  My shopping cart seriously looked like this almost every time I went.

But now he's headed home, and I decided I'd make myself a special meal to commemorate my last night of bachelorette-hood: a vegetarian dish that I knew Lane wouldn't feel sad about missing. ;)

This broccoli pesto was absolutely delicious, and I'm so glad the recipe made enough to freeze for later.  I was definitely skeptical at first, but I love broccoli and pesto, so why not?  If you're looking for another way to use broccoli besides just a side, or a healthier pasta sauce alternative, try this!  I promise you won't be disappointed.

I used whole wheat spaghetti because that's what I had, but next time I'm definitely using farfalle or penne.  Something about those shorter noodles seems like it would work better.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Ingredients:
1 lb. broccoli, chopped into florets
1 lb. pasta
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
½ cup greek yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Boil the broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes, until fork tender.  Remove the broccoli and place in the food processor or other bowl.  Add the pasta to the same water and cook according to package directions.  Drain, reserving about a cup of pasta water, then return the pot to the heat.

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium high heat until the butter is melted.  Add the onion and salt and saute until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Season with pepper to taste.

Add the garlic and onion mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine.  Scrape down the sides as needed.  Add the greek yogurt and process until smooth.  If needed, gradually add a little pasta water at a time until the sauce is smooth and creamy.  Toss with the pasta and serve with parmesan.

Source: Annie's Eats

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beef fajitas

Since we moved to Indiana almost 2 years ago, we haven't been to a single Mexican restaurant here.  (Don't worry, I make up for it on trips back to Texas!)  This is partly due to the fact that my husband is a blasphemous Mexican-food hater and partly because I just don't believe there could be good Mexican this far from the border. 

My assumption was (sadly) proven wrong a couple weeks ago when I went to a popular Mexican restaurant here with some friends.  In an effort to fix my unsatisfied craving for good fajitas, I tried this recipe and OH WOW.  This is what fajitas should taste like.  Marinate them all day for maximum deliciousness, or do like the original author suggests and freeze the steak in the marinade for fajita emergencies.  Bookmark this recipe, folks.  You don't want to lose it.

Beef Fajitas
Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 shot tequila (optional)
Juice and zest from 1 orange
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Large handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Place the steak in a large freezer bag or a shallow dish.  Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over steak.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.  Heat a grill (or grill pan, in my case) to medium high heat, and grill the stake for 5-6 minutes per side. 

Remove from heat and tent with foil, letting the meat rest for 15 minutes.  Slice against the grain and serve with grilled onions, peppers, queso, guacamole, sour cream and tortillas.  Or just some sliced avocado sprinkled with salt, if you're me.  Enjoy!

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

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chicken and bok choy "salad"

Oh boy, have you seen this video?  That has definitely been me for the past 5-ish days.  I spent so much time soaking up the beautiful weather yesterday that I got sunburned. And celebrated.  We've been rollerblading daily, and going to the dog park as often as I can handle cleaning my car (and dog) afterwards.  I am putting away the heavy sweaters and coats tonight, and then I'll celebrate again.

I love trying new recipes and it is not unusual for all of our dinners for the week to be completely new.  I must be really picky, because I rarely think something is worth repeating!  This recipe, however, is different.  I loved it, and ate it for lunch and dinner for days until it was all gone.  We ate it warm, but according to many, it's just as delicious cold.  Apparently that's why it's called a salad, but I'm not hip enough to understand. ;)

Yes, I realize it is quite a long ingredient list - once you've got all that assembled, you can put it together pretty fast, and it's worth it!  And if you're wondering if I have been making anything besides Asian food these days, you'll probably be glad to know that now I'm on a Mexican kick, so prepare for some can't-be-found-in-Indiana goodness coming your way soon.

Chicken and Bok Choy "Salad" with Orange Sesame Dressing
Ingredients:
For the "salad"-
4 cups brown rice, cooked
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 bok choy, rinsed, trimmed, and thinly sliced (I watched these videos to show me how) 
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds (I actually forgot these and it was still good!)
For the dressing-
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:
To make the salad, combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.  Add salt and pepper to your preferences.  Add the dressing to the bowl with the salad a little at a time, tossing gently to coat.  You may not use all of the dressing - I had about 25% left over.  This kept in the refrigerator for about 3 days in an airtight container.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from A Cozy Kitchen

 

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citrusy chicken stir fry

Lane and I went to Tennesee a couple weeks ago to meet my family at my grandma's house for her 86th birthday.  It was a great long weekend filled with good ol' southern cookin'.  After the roadtrip home and my first time at Taco Bell since college (gag), we were desperate for some vegetables.  This totally hit the spot, apparently, since we fought over the leftovers and I woke up to a text from my night-shifter husband requesting a repeat soon.  Done.

I totally recommend using fresh, but frozen broccoli will work in a pinch. We've tried it both ways and fresh wins, no question.

Citrusy Chicken Stir Fry 
Ingredients:  
2/3 cup orange juice
Juice and grated rind of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 cups broccoli florets 
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 small or medium red onion, halved and cut into 1/4″ slices

Directions: 
In a large skillet, whisk together the sauce - first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. I pour it right back in the glass measuring cup I used.  Rinse out the skillet and wipe it dry.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with corn starch.

Add about 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan to coat it. Add the seasoned chicken and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the veggies and stir occasionally until the broccoli are tender-crisp.  Add the sauce, a few tablespoons at a time, allowing the sauce to bubble up after each addition. Serve immediately over hot rice.  Top with toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Source: Our Best Bites

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spicy peanut noodles (with chicken)

Apparently yesterday was the first day of spring.  Not that Indianapolis noticed.  There is a 30% chance of snow today and the high is supposed to be 34.  I'm quite sure I'd be okay with about 50 degrees hotter.  ANYWAY, if you're also living in the tundra and need something to warm your soul, this might do it!  Don't be scared of fresh ginger or garlic - they really make the flavor here.  I'll post another recipe next week where you can use the extra.

Spicy Peanut Noodles (with Chicken) 
Ingredients: 
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp lime juice (from 2 limes)
1-2 tbsp cooking oil (I used olive)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 inches fresh ginger, grated 
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth 
1/2 tsp sugar 
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 box spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
3 scallions, chopped

Directions:
In a medium glass dish, combine the 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp oil, garlic, and ginger.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Let this marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to overnight.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, chicken broth, sugar, salt, and dried red pepper flakes.  Pour the marinade from the chicken into the saucepan and heat to a simmer, whisking until it is smooth.  Add extra chicken broth or water if needed - I added about a cup of extra chicken broth.  Cook the chicken in a skillet or on a grill pan until it is cooked through.  Slice into 1/4 inch slices.

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, then drain.  Toss with the peanut sauce and top with the chicken and scallions.

Source: Food & Wine 

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pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, and walnuts

I didn't grow up with cable, so when I went to college and finally had it in the dorm, I thought I'd waste a lot of hours catching up on all the TV time I missed as a child.  It turns out that the only thing I was really fascinated with was the Food Network.  In fact, I did spend countless hours "studying", which really meant sitting on the couch with a textbook in my lap while my roommates and I watched Giada, Paula, and Ina make things we could only imagine in our tiny apartment kitchen.

This pasta recipe (and Paula's zucchini bread!) are the two that stand out as being true food memories from those days.  I forgot about it until recently, and then it immediately went on the meal plan for this week.  It makes excellent leftovers, and if you add in some shredded chicken, your husband will even like it. ;)

Pasta with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Walnuts

Ingredients
1 pound farfalle pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 pound mushrooms, chopped

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 cup mascarpone cheese
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until according to the package directions.  Drain, then set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the pasta. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta.  Stir in the walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, via Food Network

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turkey meatballs

When I first started dating Lane, he was exasperated by how many times I'd say I didn't like something when in reality, I'd never tried it.  What seemed perfectly reasonable to me (I know what I like!) was totally illogical to him.  And that included meatballs - I'd never had one but I thought there was no way I'd want to.  In an attempt to impress him, I eventually tried a recipe, and it's now one of our favorites.  I make these at least once a month - with whole wheat spaghetti or on a sandwich, they're worth a try!

 

Italian Turkey Meatballs 
Ingredients: 
1 pound ground turkey (I use the leanest I can find)
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 egg
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 jar marinara sauce or 1 batch quick marinara sauce 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine turkey, cheese, egg, and breadcrumbs.  Roll meat mixture into 1½ inch balls and transfer to a plate.  

Heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat.  Working in batches, brown the meatballs on each side for 1-2 minutes. Once all the meatballs are browned, transfer them all back into the skillet and cover with the marinara sauce.  Cover the skillet with the lid and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.  Add the shredded mozzarella on top for the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Top with extra parmesan if desired.

Source: inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

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crunchy chicken

I have a problem, and its name is chicken tenders.  I've always been the one who picks chicken tenders (+ ranch) over a burger, and I think there may have been a time in my life when that was all I ate.  This recipe helps me satisfy those chicken tender cravings in a way that's baked, not fried.

We had this one day with a simple broccoli side, and then another as part of a Chinese chicken salad. I just used my favorite Asian dressing with a simple salad of iceberg, carrots, and slivered almonds. Slice this chicken on top and you've got a great meal!

Crunchy Chicken
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 large eggs
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs  

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Mix together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl plate.  In another dish, lightly beat the eggs together.  Place the panko in a third.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick spray.  

Butterfly the chicken so you have 4-6 pieces total.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides, shaking gently to remove any extra.  Dip into the eggs on each side and shake again to remove excess.  Finally, place in the panko, turning to coat.  Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until you have coated all the chicken.  Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick spray.

Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook

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southwestern stuffed peppers

Do you ever not feel like eating something after you make it?  Oh, that's just me?  Sometimes after I spend an hour or so in the kitchen, I just don't feel like eating what I've been smelling for the past hour.  It's like I already ate it once and the real thing just isn't interesting anymore.  (Strangely, this does not happen to me with anything involving chocolate.)

If you're like me, then you need recipes that don't take long enough for you to get uninterested in actually eating some protein.  My sister Julie introduced me to this one in December and it's become a quick favorite!  It's delicious, comes together in less than 10 minutes, and it makes great leftovers too. 

This recipe makes enough to stuff 4 whole peppers (8 halves), and you can customize however you like. (Obviously I'm not the customizing police so you didn't need my permission for that one.)

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
4 bell peppers, any color
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 package Uncle Ben's 90 second whole grain rice (or 1-2 cups rice), cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel, drained
8 slices colby jack cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a skillet, brown the ground beef, then drain excess fat.  Add taco seasoning to ground beef and stir to coat.  Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine beef, rice, beans, and Rotel; mix to combine. Remove the stems from the bell peppers and then slice in half from stem to base (hotdog style!), making sure to remove the seeds. Stuff the pepper halves with the ground beef mixture.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and then place each pepper half, stuffing side up, in the dish.  Bake for about 20 minutes, then add the slices of cheese on top of each pepper and bake again until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Source: inspired by Simply Love Food

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honey-orange pork tenderloin

On Monday, Lane told me that he doesn't really like chicken.  Oops.  I think that's the protein I use in about 90% of our meals, and the other 10% is ground turkey.  Then he told me that his favorite is beef, which I maybe cook with once a month.  Good to know after almost three years of marriage.  

Yesterday I decided to ignore his favorite again, but I wanted to try something different.  This honey-orange pork tenderloin was so easy and so delicious!  I don't have an oven safe skillet (I was scared to guess) so I did this in my dutch oven without the lid and it worked perfectly.  Although there are several stove-to-oven recipes I've been wanting to try lately so an oven-safe skillet may be in my future.  If you're in the market for an easy meal and want to get out of the chicken rut, try this!  (But I bet the glaze would be good on chicken too, hehe.)

Honey-Orange Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (mine was 1.6lbs)
1/3 cup orange marmalade
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced garlic, I was out)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the marmalade, cider vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder.  Whisk together until well combined.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce and set aside.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven (or oven safe skillet if you're lucky) over medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the tenderloin while you wait.  When the oil is hot, cook the tenderloin for 1-2 minutes on each side until the outside turns golden brown.  Remove from the heat and pour about half of the non-reserved sauce over the tenderloin.  Bake in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes, then flip the tenderloin over, pour the rest of the non-reserved sauce on it, and bake for another 10 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.  I got a spoon out at this point and drizzled the sauce that was in the pan over the tenderloin.  Then slice into ½" slices and drizzle the reserved sauce over.  Serve immediately.

Source: Our Best Bites, originally from Cooking Light

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chicken and rice soup

I'm warning you in advance, this soup is not pretty to look at.  However, it is delicious, and Lane and I were both sad when the leftovers were gone.  I am normally pretty disappointed with homemade soups - somehow I always end up comparing them to dishwater?  But not this one.  It hits the spot on a frigid winter night and has earned a permanent place in my recipe rotation.  I bet it would be good with corn in it, so I'll probably add that along with a red pepper next time.  And maybe carrots.  And I'll double the recipe so it lasts longer.  Get ready to feel warm and full!

I promise it's good; I don't know why it is so green.

Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded it, didn't really measure)
2 quarts chicken broth
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 jar pimientos, drained

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions, until the water is absorbed.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat.  Add veggies and stir around until they are soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and broth and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes to let the flavors combine.  Add in the rice just before serving.

I topped mine with a little jack cheese for the picture, but the rest of the time I ate it plain and I think it was better that way!

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats, originally adapted from Pioneer Woman

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