Tex-Mex Lasagna

This is my new favorite mexican type casserole.  The whole family loved this!  It's adapted from Cuisine At Home.

14 corn tortillas, cut into thirds
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 can of chopped mild green chili's
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 Tbs minced garlic (about 6-8 cloves)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbs chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups black beans (I typically start with dried, then prepare.  If you use canned, rinse and drain)
16 oz shredded cheese.  I used 8 oz triple cheddar and 8 oz mexican blend.  You could use pepper jack if you want it a little more spicy.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray

Arrange tortillas in a single layer on baking sheets.  Bake until slightly crisp, about 15 minutes.

Saute' onion, bell pepper, chilis, corn and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until softened, 3-5 minutes.

Stir flour, chile powder, cumin and coriander into vegetable misture, then stir in broth.  Bring to a boil and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Line bottom of baking dish with 1/3 of the tortilla strips.  Layer with 1/3 of the black beans, begetable mixture, and cheeses.  Repeat twice, using 1/3 of the ingredients in each layer, ending with cheese.

Bake until cheese is bubbly and melted, 30-35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with Avocado Lettuce Salad.  YUM!

You could also substitute chicken for the beans, or just add both.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

I have been looking for a great slow cooker orange chicken.  I saw a couple on pinterest, and I found the comments (on the actual blog post) to be very mixed.  People either loved it or hated it, it was too orangey, it was bitter, chicken was soggy, chicken was dry, etc.  So, I decided to google for a recipe.  I looked at probably 15-20 different sites and every single recipe was identical!  Interesting thing is, if a source was noted on any of the posts, they didn't match the others.  So, although the same recipe is out there, they don't lead back to one source.  So, I allowed that to be my inspiration and tried to create my own.  This is what we came up with.  We loved it.  My daughter, who doesn't like chicken, had 3 helpings!  I understand everyone has preferences, and I do love to hear feedback on my recipes, so even if you don't like it, it's okay.  Cooking is an Art right?  We can change things to our likings.

One reason we all love the crock pot is because we can basically turn it on in the morning and let it go all day.  I think that this recipe will NOT work that way.  It's just too long.  For me, I love having dinner set to go when the kids come home from school.  I want to hear about their day and be available to them without having to multi task and make dinner at the same time.  So, even though this isn't an all day slow cooker recipe, it was still very helpful for me because it gave me that time with the kids.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
canola oil
1/2 cup pineapple orange juice concentrate, thawed  (100% juice)
3 tbs ketchup
1/4 cup honey
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1- 1 1/2  inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks sliced
1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
1 green onion thinly sliced for garnishing


Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a bowl.  Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a fry pan.  Brown the chicken pieces, working in batches if necessary.  Don't crowd the pan.  The chicken does not need to be cooked through because it will be going in the crock pot.  Your pan should be very hot before you brown your chicken, then it will not stick and you will get a nice golden color with some crispiness.  Make sure you use canola oil, or another oil that can stand high temperatures, olive oil will not due here.

Once you brown all your chicken, place it in the slow cooker.

In a separate bowl combine the juice, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.  Whisk to combine well.

Pour over the chicken add your vegetables* and stir.  Then set your crock pot on low for 2 1/2 hours

This recipe is definitely a little more prep than a typical set it and forget it recipe.  But it was well worth it  for me.  If you work, I would do this recipe on the stove top, it will go relatively quickly.

*I added my carrots, celery and onions right away, and my peppers a little later so they wouldn't be mushy.  Almost any veggies would work in this, or no veggies.
Also, if you like heat, I would definitely add some red pepper flakes.

Would love your feedback!

Tostadas

Have I mentioned I love Mexican food?  One of the great things about tostadas, is you can load them up however you want.  The ones I made here are a vegetarian version, but we've had them before with meat too.  I love the crunchy shell, great texture! 

Vegetable oil
Flour tortillas
Refried beans (we did homemade, but you can use canned)
Guacamole
Cheese
Sour cream
Taco seasoning
lettuce
tomato
Cilantro

This list includes what these are made with, but of course you can add beef, chicken, pork, onion, black olives, and so on, whatever you like!

Heat oil in a large pan.  There should be about a half inch or so of oil in the pan.  If you aren't sure when it's ready, just sprinkle a drop of water in it, if it sizzles, it's ready.  I did 1 tortilla at a time.  It will puff up while it's cooking, you may want to press the bubbles out, so you have a somewhat level surface to put your toppings on.  Fry the tortilla, flipping once, until it's golden on both sides.  It won't take long.  You'll notice that the first few will take a little longer, then it starts going really quick.  Lay the tortillas on a baking sheet lined with paper towel.

After your finished, start loading up your toppings.  We did the refried beans first, then a layer of guacamole, then cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro.  I mixed some sour cream with a bit of taco seasoning, and topped it off.  That gave it a little color and a burst of flavor.

Yummy!  

Chicken Enchiladas

This is another great recipe that I got from the "Apples of Gold" Study that I did and have talked about before.  Again, not sure whose recipe it was, so if you're out there, let me know!

I top these enchiladas off with enchilada sauce.  It's a great sauce that can be used on lots of Mexican dishes.  I found this great site, Cooking Mexican Recipes, that has authentic mexican recipes.  Rockin' Robin is definitely that--Rockin'!  She was very helpful when I contacted her with questions, and her site has these awesome videos!  You know exactly what your dish should look like.

2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken**
1/2 cup onion
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs butter
1 can chopped green chilies
1 cup or so of black beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cheddar cheese, plus more for topping.

**Great tip for shredding chicken, is to put it in your Kitchenaid mixer with the paddle, while its still hot.  Turn it on low and your chicken is shredded in about 30 sec.  Found that in Pinterest, works like a charm!

Sautee' the onion and garlic in butter.  Add the rest of the ingredients.

Place about 1 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan

I put the mixture on one side of the tortilla, roll once, fold sides over, and roll the rest of the way, then place seam side down.

Top with the sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 until warmed throughout.

Makes about 12.

Enchilada Sauce

This recipe is adapted from Rockin' Robin over at cooking mexican recipes.  Robin grew up in a Mexican Restaurant. Okay, probably not literally, but you get the point.  Visit her site to learn more about her.  I was wondering if this sauce would be too spicy (as in hot) for my little ones and contacted Robin.  She got back with me within the same day and was very helpful.  This sauce definitely has alot of flavor!  I did think it was a bit too much for my kids, but I've made the adjustments here for our liking.  You can check out the original recipe at Robin's site, and you should.  She has a video on making this sauce, and lots of tips about mexican cooking in general.  And you know I love Mexican!  A special thanks to Rockin' Robin for all you do!  Make sure you leave her a comment telling her I sent you!  Okay, on to the recipe:

2 cups Chicken Broth
2 Tbs Chile Powder  (use 1/4 cup if you like lots of flavor)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 pinch of ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 of a tsp)
a little less than 1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbs plus 1/4 tsp flour
3 tbs vegetable oil


In a 2 quart sauce pan add the oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, lower the heat to low and add the flour.


Mix with a wire whisk for about 1 to 2 minutes stirring constantly. You want to see a little bubble going on. Then add the chile powder and whisk in till fully mixed.


Slowly pour in the 2 cups chicken broth. Turn the heat up to medium again and stir till fully mixed.
Add the cumin, garlic powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar (the sugar is a little secret to eliminate any bitter taste from the chile powder) stirring after each addition. Bring to a boil as you continue to stir.
Once boiling, stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.


Turn off the heat, this enchilada sauce recipe is done.




You will notice that as this sauce sits it will form a "skin" on the surface. This is normal and in fact the longer the sauce sits the thicker this skin becomes. All you have to do is peel the skin off and throw it away.

Katsudon

This is a Japanese dish, a rice bowl. My husband told me the other day that this was his favorite thing when living in Japan. I was thrilled to make something for him that was his "favorite". He pretty much loves everything and doesn't often request a dish. Also, I currently have a guest living with me from Japan. He is just here for a month, so I was nervous about whether or not this was going to taste American-Japanese, or authentic. Yuske told me it tasted just like his mothers! That made my day. I will warn you, this is not a healthy dish. It's Japanese comfort food, and we all loved it!

This dish is usually made with pork, but we did the chicken version. Also, it's best when each bowl is served individually. I was nervous about this too. I thought it would take forever, but it actually went pretty smooth. Some prep work ahead of time helped. I will give you the recipe for 1, so if you are serving more, you will just repeat the process. So, here we go:

For the chicken:
1 chicken breast
1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbs flour
more flour for dredging
panko bread crumbs
oil for frying (enough to come up a few inches in your pan)

Pound the chicken a little to thin it out. Maybe 1/2 inch or so.

Heat oil.

Dredge the chicken in the flour, then dip it in the egg mixture. Let the excess fall off and then coat in the Panko bread crumbs. (these are Japanese bread crumbs and are much crispier) Drop in your oil and let it cook. Once it gets golden brown on one side, flip it over until the other side is the same. Set aside and slice.

For the sauce:

1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon granulated Dashi (Japanese Soup Stock-found at your local asian/oriental market)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 to 2 oz sliced onion, about a handful
1 lightly beaten egg
1 bowl of prepared rice

Combine the water, dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and onion in a small pan. When it begins to boil, add the chicken.






Then pour the egg on top and around the chicken. Cover and cook for about 90 seconds until the egg is just set.
Then slide the contents of the pan onto the rice (which you've already put in the bowl).






And there you have it!

Okay, so here's how I made it easier on myself:

First I prepared all the sauces. I took 5 bowls and put the sauce ingredients with the onions into each one.

Next, I did all the chicken. It took about 2 beaten eggs mixed with 1 1/2 tbs of flour. I did fry them 2 at a time so the pan did not get crowded. I put some flour for dredging on one plate and the panko on another and added more if I needed to.

Once I had all the chicken done and set aside, I started on each bowl. As the sauce was heating up, I beat 1 egg. When the sauce was boiling, I added the chicken and the egg. Then cover it and put some rice in a bowl. By this time, your dish was about done and you could top off your rice.

I just had my family begin eating so no one's got cold. And we still ate together as a family.

This is definitely a more involved dish. I would love to know if you try it!

A huge shout out to mamaloli. This is where I found an awesome recipe, and she was kind enough to answer all of my questions. She's got lots of great dishes on her site too.

Fresh Salsa

I love summer time, and I love summer eating! All the fresh fruits and vegetables....YUM! Here is a fresh salsa recipe I got from my friend Jayne. Jayne is just an amazing woman and she gave me some of her salsa the other day and I had to get the recipe. The way I made salsa is real similar, but I just couldn't figure out what was missing. Now I know! Which I guess just gives me peace of mind. But I just had to share her recipe. It rocks!! And if there's one thing I could eat everyday for the rest of my life it's chips and salsa... or mexican food in general. I hope you enjoy it!

4 cups tomatoes (about 8-10)
2 cups green pepper (about 2)
1-2 jalepenos, depending on the heat level you want. removing ribs and seeds makes it milder**
3/4 cup onion
1 head of garlic (not 1 clove...the whole head)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 bunch cilantro
1 tbs cumin
2 tbs brown sugar

Place all ingredients, roughly chopped, in a food processor. Process until desired consistency is reached. I do mine about 30 seconds or less and pulse a few times. If you don't have a food processor, finely chop all your vegetables and mix everything together.

**I reccommend using gloves when working with jalepenos. Even after washing your hands there is residue that is left behind and if you get that in your mouth you'll be burning for hours!

Thai chicken wraps

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (I sliced mine for quicker easier cooking, you can use tenders too.)

Teriyaki sauce (recipe follows)
Vegetable oil
Creamy peanut butter
Whole Wheat tortillas
Canned pineapple cut into small chunks
baby spinach
sliced green onion (optional)


Place the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, I like to do a couple hours.  Discard the marinade and cook the chicken in hot oil in a skillet on medium high heat until done, about 4-6 minutes on each side.
Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces.


Spread a little peanut butter on each tortilla, top with chicken, pineapple, spinach and onions if desired.  Roll up and enjoy!


Teriyaki sauce:
2 tsp fresh ginger (or 1 of dried ginger)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
3 tbs honey
1 garlic clove crushed
1 scallion sliced


Mix well.

lighter bean and cheese enchiladas

This great dish is adapted from 'Everyday food' magazine.

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 cups black beans rinsed and drained (I use dried and prepare them but you can use canned)

salt and pepper

tortillas

3 tbs olive oil

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 white onion diced small (1/2 cup reserved for serving)

4 tsp chili powder

2 tbs white vinegar

1 can tomato puree

2 cups vegetable broth

fresh cilantro leaves for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 350.   In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in black beans.  Season with salt and pepper.  Warm tortillas until softened and easy to work with.  Working with one tortilla at a time, lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray, place 2 rounded tbs cottage cheese mixture down the center of each, then roll tortilla around filling.   Place seam side down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake tortillas until heated through, about 8-10 min.

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan heat oil over medium high.  Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 minutes.  Add chili powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.  Whisk in vinegar, tomato puree, and broth; bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.  To serve, divide enchiladas among plates, top with 1/3 cup sauce, and sprinkle with onion and cilantro.

Here I served it with "spoon" corn bread.  Enjoy!

pizza dough

I love home made pizza dough.  I just use my bread maker.  Here is the recipe:


1 cup plus 1 Tbs water
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp regular active dry yeast


Put all ingredients in your bread maker in the order listed and set it for dough cycle.  2 hours later you have dough ready to go!
It makes 2 pizza crusts.

Korean Beef BBQ

I found this on our best bites.  I've made some substitutions.  I loved having some grilled food... a little reminder of summer.  :-)

I used my grill pan, instead of freezing outside.  

Korean BBQ Beef

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

1 1/2 lb. stew meat

1/2 c.  pear juice (1 4 oz. bottle of pear juice from the baby food aisle is perfect and cheap)

1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce (regular soy sauce makes it taste vaguely like beef jerky)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. chili garlic sauce

1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1-2 red bell peppers (or different colors), chopped into large pieces
2 sweet onions, chopped into large pieces

Combine pear juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chili sauce, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add stew meat.  Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. 


Thread the onions and peppers onto a skewer.


Preheat the grill. While the grill is heating, thread the meat onto skewers. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, being careful not to let the meat get too cooked. Serve immediately; serves 4-6.

mmm raw meat!

Taco Soup

What's better than hot soup and yummy bread on a cold day in MI?  Mmmm!  Actually, sitting poolside on an 85 degree day with an icy cold drink, but hey, I'm thankful for seasons.


This is again from our best bites.  


1 lb.  lean ground beef 
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1.25-oz. packet taco seasoning (about 1/4 c.)
3 c. water, divided
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained or if you used dried, it will take about 1 1/2 cups dried beans.  when you soak and cook them you should have the right amount
1 can corn, drained (or frozen)


Toppings: Pico de Gallo, light sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.


Heat a large soup pot over medium. When ready, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 c. water. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 c. water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 10 12-oz. servings.Slow Cooker Instructions: After browning the meat, place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

Peanutty Chicken

Another 'fancy' name!  Only Kidding.  This is also from one of my kids cookbooks.  I've been really impressed so far with these recipe's.  They are kid friendly, the kids are able to help, and the recipe's are great for both the kids and the adults!  My kids love to help in the kitchen, and yes, it takes a little more time and patience, but they really take ownership of the meal and enjoy eating something they helped prepare.


1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tbs lime juice
4 tbs coconut milk
4 tbs creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 lb corkscrew pasta
2-3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup shredded carrot
3 green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped peanuts


Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.


Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain the pasta and place in a big bowl.  Add sauce chicken, and veggies, toss gently to blend.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Corn Quesadillas

I'm not sure why these are called quesadillas, because they don't look anything like a traditional quesadilla, but it is fun to say:  "corn quesadilla's"  It's just more catchy than corn enchiladas, or something.  Anyway, I adapted this recipe from "the toddler cookbook".  This is one of the books my little one's got for Christmas.  And of course, they were great helpers.


These were really good!  For both kids and adults.  :D


1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 red or orange pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups black beans
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs honey
corn tortillas
salsa
11/2 cups grated cheddar cheese


My measurements are probably not exact just eyeball it.


Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry onion and pepper for 3 minutes.  Add corn and black beans and cook for 2 minutes until the onion and pepper are soft.  Add vinegar and honey--after 1 minute remove from heat.


Warm the tortillas in the microwave so they will be easy to work with, you may want to do it in batches.  Spread half of each tortilla with a tbs or so of salsa.  Then add the corn mixture, and sprinkle some cheese.


Roll your tortilla and place on a rimmed baking sheet.


Top with cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese topping is lightly golden.


ENJOY!

Here's the filling...love the colors!

My little helpers... they are SO serious!

Before the broiler...

and after.

We topped ours with a little sour cream and avacados.  This is a pretty quick and easy meal to prepare.  Let me know what you think!

Pastitsio

One of the kids gifts this Christmas was a kitchen apron and a kid's cookbook.  They love to help in the kitchen and were thrilled.  This dish came from one of those cookbooks.  I changed up a couple things, and it was a great dish!  Very easy too.  And it's pronounced pah-STEET-see-oh.  Enjoy!


1 box elbow macaroni
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1 jar tomato basil pasta sauce
a splash of red wine  ( I just go by taste)
a dash of sugar  (I go by taste here too)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 10 oz container fresh Alfredo sauce (I used Buitoni and liked it.  I don't like most jarred alfredo sauces)
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese


Preheat oven to 350.  Cook macaroni accordin to package directions; drain and set aside.


Meanwhile, cook ground beef, onion and salt over medium high heat, breaking up meat until it is no longer pink.  Drain well and return to skillet.  Stir in pasta sauce, wine, sugar and cinnamon.  Brig to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered about 5 minutes.


Spoon half of macaroni into a 9x13 lightly greased dish.  top with meat mixture.  Spoon remaining macaroni over meat mixture.  Spread Alfredo sauce over macaroni, and sprinkle with cheese.


Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Makes about 8 servings.

Black Beans and rice

I really haven't intentionally been eating no meat dishes, but lately I have been more drawn to them.  I recently watched "Food Inc".  Have you seen this?  Basically it traces your food to where it actually came from.  Now, I've always been an advocate for real food, not processed.  And I always thought that when I bought all natural chicken, I was buying something good.  you know, just your basic chicken breasts, fresh or frozen, Tyson was a good name brand.  Well, the movie is a real eye opening experience.  You may not want to know, so I won't tell.  But it really was very interesting.  It's a documentary.  If you have netflix you can watch it instantly. For many years now I've bought my beef from a local connection.  So I know that it is good and has been grass fed, which is what cows were designed to eat.  Anyway... I have not become a vegetarian by any means, but I do feel alot safer eating food when I know where it came from.  So, on with the recipe.  This is quite filling for a meatless dish.  But again, you can always add meat.  :-)  I use dried beans mostly because I have a friend whose dad is a bean farmer.  I get all my beans from them.  Kidney beans, cranberry beans, navy beans, pinto beans, black beans... etc. 

2 cups dried black beans (or 4 standard size canned black beans) 

1/2 yellow onion

6 garlic cloves

1 bunch cilantro

1 palmful cumin (about 1 tbs, or to taste)

8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 c. whole grain brown rice

2 avacados

1 tomato

1 jar salsa

Sour cream

tortillla chips

flour tortillas

If you're using dried beans, you'll need to prepare them according to the pkg. instructions.  Since my dried beans are so fresh, I bring them to a boil and let them simmer for about 2 hours and they are ready.  The older the beans are the longer they take to soften.  So, if you get them from the grocery store, while they stay good forever, you just don't know how long they've been on the shelf.  Still, I think better than canned, just because the canned adds preservatives.  But either will taste great. 

Preheat the oven to 325

Heat black beans in a pot over medium-high heat, keeping a good amount of liquid.  Chop onion and cilantro, mince garlic and place all in a saucepan and saute'.  After the beans have heated for about 20 minutes, stir the sauteed ingredients into the black beans. Add cumin. In a separate pot, begin preparing brown rice.  I use a rice cooker, so just do whatever works best for you.

Pour black bean mixture into a 9x13 inch pan and add shredded cheese on top covering well.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Serve blac bean entree over teh brown rice, having a nice spread of chips, salsa, sour cream, extra cheese, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and tortillas for toppings/sides.

Rice noodles with edamame

After making the pad thai, I had these wonderful noodles left over, since the package I bought contained more than enough.  So, I whipped up a side dish to complement pretty much anything.  If you've never tried edamame (ed-uh-mah-mee) they are wonderful.  I buy them at costco in the frozen section.  you just boil them in their pods, then drain and pinch the beans out.  These soy beans are packed with nutrition and protein.  My kids love them too.  Half the fun for them is getting the beans out.

1 pkg edamame

1 bell pepper (I used red and yellow, so 1/2 each) sliced

1 carrot sliced or julienned

1 small onion, sliced

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tbs sesame oil

2-3 tbs soy sauce

Prepare the edamame according to package instructions.

Saute' the peppers, carrots and onion in olive oil.

Prepare the noodles according to package instructions.

After the noodles are done, drain them and put them in a large bowl.  Add the sesame oil and soy sauce, vegetables and edamame.  Toss gently and enjoy!

Pad Thai

One of my favorite things to get at the local Thai restaurant is the famous pad thai.  I was so happy to find a recipe.  I never really thought about how to make it, but I really liked this recipe.  Maybe even better than the one I get at the restaurant.  But then again, food always tastes better when you didn't cook it yourself!  haha!

I made this with chicken, but to make it a vegetarian meal, just leave out the chicken and add veggies of your choice.  And of course, you could substitute another meat if you like too.  I tend to not make things real hot-spicy, but this is a great dish with heat (add the cayenne) if you like to kick it up.

2-3 bonless skinless chicken breasts very thinly sliced.

8 ounces dried, wide and flat rice noodles.  (you may find these in the Asian foods section at the grocery, I had to go to the Asian market to find mine)

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

3 tbs soy sauce

cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

2 tsp vegetable oil

3 scallions, white and green parts seperated and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 large eggs (optional), lightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts

1.  Soak noodles according to package instructions.  Drain.  In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce

2.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high.  Cook chicken until done, set aside.  Add to the skillet, scallion whites and garlic and cook stirring constantly until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Add eggs (if using) and cook, scraping skillet with a rubber spatula, until eggs are almost set, about 30 seconds.  Transfer egg mixture to a plate.  Ad noodles and soy-sauce mixture to skillet; cook, tossing contantly, until noodles are soft and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.  Add egg mixture and toss to coat, breaking eggs up gently.  Add chicken.  Serve noodles with lime wedges, topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Mojito BBQ Chicken

This is not your ordinary BBQ.  A great citrus-y marinade.  This is a great one to double up on, throw the second batch of chicken in the marinade and put it in the freezer and it'll be ready for a quick and flavorful meal.

2 tbs grated lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbs chopped fresh mint
1 tbs honey
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 3 1/2 pound chicken cut into 6 pieces with skin removed from all but wings (or just by pick of the chick...much easier)
1 lime cut into wedges and fresh mint sprig for garnish

Mix all ingredients (except chicken) well.  Reserve 1/2 the marinade in a seperate bowl and refrigerate.  Put the remaining marindae in a bag with the chicken pieces and turn to coat.  Marinade for 2 hours up to overnight. 
Preheat grill and coat grill rack lightly with oil.  remove chicken from marinade and girll, turning occasionally until cooked through.  About 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the reseved marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Serve as a sauce over the chicken.
Enjoy!  Gotta love grillin' season! 

Eggplant Parmesean

This recipe is adapted from Everyday Food Magazine and the Pioneer woman.  I wanted to do the eggplant, but the PW's sauce on her chicken parmesean I liked much better.

2 large globe eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs (I used italian)
Vegetable oil, for frying

½ cups Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cups Chopped Fresh Parsley
 Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (the real stuff, that you grate yourself... so much tastier!!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Put the eggplant in a colander tossed with 1 1/2 tsp salt.  This extracts water out of the eggplant.  Let it stand for 30 min.

2.  Meanwhile, start your sauce. Heat the olive oil and butter on medium until melted.  add the onion and garlic and cook for about 2 -5 minutes.  Add the wine and reduce to about half.  This should take a few minutes.  I find I usually need to turn the heat up just a bit for this.  Add your tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

3.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Heat vegetable oil on stove on med. high.  It should come to about 1/2 way up the pan.  Dredge the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the egg, then lightly coat with the breadcrumbs.  To test your oil, drop a pinch of breadcrumbs in, if it sizzles it's ready. 

4.  Once it's ready, place a few slices of eggplant in the oil at a time.  Don't crowd.  They need about 2-3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown.  Remove and place on a rack over a baking sheet. 

5.  Put about 1 cup of sauce in a 9x13 pan, then put half the eggplant on top. Top it with cheese (you can use the parmesean here, or a blend of mozzerella, or an italian blend.), then more sauce.  Place the rest of the eggplant on top, and top with sauce and parmesean cheese. 

6.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.

You can serve this over pasta, or by itself with a salad.