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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Summer Berry Trifle

When you're in between having a baby and your sister's wedding, there's not a lot of room for dessert, sadly.  Enter - this trifle.  It's not from scratch or made with whole grains, and doesn't use coconut oil, but you can throw it together in about 15 minutes and not feel too guilty about splurging on it for breakfast the next morning (oops). 

I started making this and had to go look for my trifle dish.  I knew I had one somewhere.... apparently on the mantel and filled with pinecones?!  Not sure when/how that happened - can I blame pregnancy brain?  Let's just say trifles will be happening more often around here.  Especially when they're as refreshing and delicious as this one.

Summer Berry Trifle
Ingredients:
2/3 store bought angel food cake
2 pints strawberries, sliced
2 pints blueberries
6 tbsp fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 package sugar-free cheesecake instant pudding mix
8 oz fat-free frozen whipped topping

Directions:
Thaw the fat-free frozen whipped topping in the refrigerator for 4 hours. 

Whisk the condensed milk and water in a bowl. Whisk in the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set; fold in the whipped topping.

Arrange half of the cake in the bottom of a 14-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the blueberries. Spread half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with 1/3 of the strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then add half of the remaining blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a pretty pattern - or just dump them on, depending on your timeframe. ;) Cover and refrigerate at least one 1 hour. 

Source: skinnytaste

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green smoothie

I know what you're thinking: I went from s'mores cupcakes to a green smoothie.  Yep, I did, because this baby weight isn't going to lose itself.  I promise, though, this is a healthy option that still tastes like a frozen treat (especially if you haven't had the real thing in a while).

Since we spent our fourth anniversary in the hospital with Ruby, we were a little delayed on the whole gift/celebrating thing. (We did order Thai food in the hospital instead of eating the cafeteria food, woohoo!)  We decided to get ourselves a Vitamix blender since it is the "fruit and flowers" anniversary, and this sounded like a fun option.

This blender is no joke - it doesn't fit on our countertop and sounds like a lawnmower while it's running.  But it does produce some restaurant quality frozen drinks!  The high-powered equipment isn't a requirement for this smoothie though... I drank these pretty regularly from our normal $20 blender that came with Lane into our marriage.

To make life easy (and to give myself the ability to make a smoothie with one hand while holding a baby with the other), I packaged up the ingredients for one smoothie in ziplocs and put them in the freezer.  Now my fruit/spinach won't go bad before I get a chance to use it!

Green Smoothies 

Ingredients:

½ banana (frozen or not), cut into chunks

½ cup chopped frozen pineapple
½ pear (or apple), coarsely chopped
1 cup orange juice
1 cup baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth.  Serve immediately.

Source: Annie's Eats

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honeydew cucumber cooler

You know that feeling you have when you've been out of town - the one where you've been eating out constantly and all you want are some vegetables and home cooked meals?  Well, that's how I felt after my trip to Seattle.  So when I saw this recipe in my new Real Simple magazine, I knew it was calling my name.

I have officially become an Indiana wimp when it comes to heat - the high was 85 and I went to the pool, drank about 80 gallons of water, and then decided today was the day for this refreshing drink.  It totally hit the spot.  I drank it on the patio with a plate of the broccoli pesto pasta I posted yesterday , and it was wonderfully green and delicious.  Next time I may do half sparkling water in the glass to cut the sweetness a little and add some fizz.

Honeydew Cucumber Cooler
Ingredients:
1 honeydew melon, peeled and chopped
1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced, divided
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Directions:
Puree melon, half of cucumber, and mint leaves in a blender until smooth.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher.  Add lime juice and remaining half of cucumber slices.  Stir well, then serce over ice, garnished with lime slices, if desired.

Source: Real Simple magazine, July 2013

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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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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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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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valentine funfetti blondies

So apparently I'm clumsy in the kitchen.  Enough that my dog has noticed, and when I'm in there, his permanent spot is in between my body and the counter.  Yeah, it's pretty convenient.  He eats whatever I drop - spinach, celery, carrots - he has no problem eating anything.  This time, he got to feast on quite a few heart shaped sprinkles as I spilled them all over the place making these delicious blondies.  I mean, sprinkles are good for dogs, right?

Blondies. So delicious, I may even like them more than brownies.  I searched and searched for a funfetti blondie recipe to use up the last of my Valentine stash, but all the recipes were for cake batter blondies, which just wasn't what I wanted.  I finally decided to just go with this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, because I've never had a recipe from her that wasn't perfect!  They turned out great, and with only 5 ingredients for the basic recipe, pretty easy as well.  If you have some sprinkles that you're dying to use, or you're just in the mood for a cute and festive treat, make these funfetti blondies!

Valentine Funfetti Blondies
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
½ cup Valentine sprinkles

Directions:
Butter an 8x8 pan.  Mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth.  Mix in egg and vanilla.  Add salt, stir in flour, and mix in sprinkles.

Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until set in the middle.  Cool before cutting, at least 30 minutes.  (I let mine cool for an hour and they still needed some time to set.)

Source: Smitten Kitchen - look at her post for more ideas on adapting these!

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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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valentine party popcorn

Have I mentioned that I love Valentine's Day? Oh wait, yes I did.  I have a slight problem when it comes to "impulse buying" at the grocery store, so this recipe was a great way to use all the Valentine's cuteness I found. It's almost endlessly customizable, so I may make a football version for the Superbowl party we're going to on Sunday.  As soon as I figure out who's playing. :) 

The recipe as written makes enough to overflow out of two freezer size ziplocs.  I think dried cranberries or cherries and pecans would be fun additions as well!  It wouldn't be overkill to use a whole bag of M&Ms - that's what I originally planned to do - but let's not talk about what I did with them instead, ok?

Valentine Party Popcorn
Ingredients:
2 bags lightly salted popcorn, popped
4 cups pretzels, broken into pieces (not crushed)
½ bag Valentine M&Ms
2 bags candy melts (I used pink and white)
2 oz heart-shaped sprinkles

Directions:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.  Divide popcorn, pretzels, and M&Ms between the two baking sheets and toss to combine.  Melt 1 bag candy melts according to package directions, then use a fork to drizzle evenly over the mixture on both baking sheets.  Sprinkle quickly with half the sprinkles.

Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator and allow to set for about 10 minutes.  Melt the second bag of candy melts.  Take the mixture out of the refrigerator and toss, then repeat with the second round of candy and other half of the sprinkles. Chill again for about 10 minutes, then toss and eat up!

Source: inspired by She Wears Many Hats

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