MY ADVENTURES WITH FOOD

What I Ate for Dinner: December (I forgot the date)...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:43:14 -0600

What I Ate for Dinner: December (I forgot the date) 2012

Artichoke lasagna; tomato caprese; olive oil and rosemary bread

Guilty pleasure: Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:31:11 -0600

Guilty pleasure: Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch

What I Ate for Dinner: November 22, 2012 Lightly seasoned...

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:52:32 -0600

What I Ate for Dinner: November 22, 2012

Lightly seasoned tilapia (with lime and pineapple juice)
—with yellow rice and pineapple on the side

What I Ate for Breakfast: November 22, 2012 Cinnamon rolls with...

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:48:25 -0600

What I Ate for Breakfast: November 22, 2012

Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing

New Purchase!

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:52:00 -0600

Another Mighty Leaf Tea…

This time in Chocolate Mint Truffle.
It’s a really good winter flavor.
I hope you can find and enjoy!

(Pssstt… It’s caffeine free!)

Sweet Tooth Alert!

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:49:00 -0600

When there’s a celebration going on at my family’s house, it is very likely that Chantilly cake will be had by all. We got them in little individual sizes for my mom’s birthday this year. So yum!! Fresh fruit is the best way to top this goodness off : ]

What I Ate for Lunch: November 9, 2012 A #16 with Provolone...

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:40:02 -0600

What I Ate for Lunch: November 9, 2012

A #16 with Provolone cheese from Jimmy John’s
(with a huge dill pickle on the side!)

*Side note: Jimmy John’s makes their sandwiches faster than any other place I’ve ever been to! (Seriously, in about two minutes.) If you’re looking for a quick and really tasty lunch on-the-go, I hope you have one of these by you!

Dinner Recipe: Sideline Tortilla Soup

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:47:04 -0600

(This dish was created using a recipe from the March/April 2010 issue of Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade magazine.)

This is a really simple soup to make, and it’ll taste so good in your tummy on a chilly fall/winter night! It’s not a thick or heavy soup, like some tortilla soups can tend to be. It’s actually pretty light, considering all the stuff that goes into it. Overall, I would give this dish: 4.21 out of 5 spoons.

How Many Calories Are We Looking At Per Serving?: about 235
(Calorie breakdown: about 15% fat, 47% carbs, 38% protein)

Total Time It Took Me To Make This: A little over an hour

How Many People Did It Serve?: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
3 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (10-oz.) can mild diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3.5 to 4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (11-oz.) can corn with red/green peppers, drained
1/4 cup half-and-half
Optional toppings:
Tortilla chips or pieces
Chopped avocado
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
Sour cream

***Notes About the Ingredients:
1) Obviously, you don’t have to use several cans of chicken broth. You could simply buy a carton that is big enough, if you so desire.
2) If you want to keep the dish a little more mild, you could opt to use the canned ingredients without the extra chiles or peppers.
3) Instead of using a rotisserie chicken, you could buy canned chicken and drain it. It won’t have quite as much flavor, but it still works well. Try to use a similar amount in cups. If you stick with the rotisserie chicken, you’re looking at about a 2-1/2 lb chicken to get the right amount.
4) Feel free to use any of the optional ingredients you like and to decide how much of each you want as well! Have fun with it, and make it tasty!!

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1) In a Dutch oven, place chicken broth, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

2) Stir in the chicken, black beans, and corn; return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

3) Stir in half-and-half, and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve it up!

This Dish Goes Well With: any of the optional ingredients mentioned, especially round tortilla chips for dipping and scooping!

HAPPY EATING, KIDDOS : ]

My Guilty Pleasures

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 16:09:26 -0500

Crunchy Cheddar Jalepeño Cheetos

…because I just can’t even help myself. I eat and eat and eat them… convince myself I’m not going to do it anymore… and then I eat some again. This is a junk food I continually fall short for… I probably shouldn’t even allow them in my house.

What I Ate for Breakfast: October 24, 2012 Kashi Go Lean Crisp!...

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 15:58:45 -0500

What I Ate for Breakfast: October 24, 2012

Kashi Go Lean Crisp! Cereal, Toasted Berry Crumble flavor

New Purchase!

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 15:53:00 -0500

Mighty Leaf Vanilla Bean Tea

I make mine with some sugar and a touch of soy milk, and it is scrumdiliumptious! It’s been pretty perfect for the beginnings of fall/winter weather : ]

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things!

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 15:46:00 -0500

Tazo Green Tea Latte Concentrate

…I’ve been waking up to these on many a morning, and it hits the spot every time. All you do is add some milk and go. You can put it on ice, or you can even heat it up. So yum!

(If you’ve never tried Matcha before, the taste might be quite new to you. Give yourself a couple of tries to get used to it, and I think you’ll find it utterly enjoyable. Or, I hope you do anyway! I know I can no longer resist!)

What I Ate for Breakfast: October 16, 2012 English muffin egg...

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:20:13 -0500

What I Ate for Breakfast: October 16, 2012

English muffin egg sandwich (with a glass of iced chai tea)

What I Ate for Lunch: October 15, 2012 Thin crust spinach pizza...

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:18:29 -0500

What I Ate for Lunch: October 15, 2012

Thin crust spinach pizza with Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper

Breakfast of the Day: October 8, 2012 Ghirardelli Double...

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 23:25:30 -0500

Breakfast of the Day: October 8, 2012

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate

What I Ate for Lunch: October 5, 2012 Healthy Choice cheese...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:51:49 -0500

What I Ate for Lunch: October 5, 2012

Healthy Choice cheese tortellini soup

(I don’t usually post too much info about what I’m eating for you guys, but I thought this would be a good time to make an exception…

I don’t usually like to eat these little microwavable soup things… but, in this case, this soup is one I really like. I usually stock my pantry with a couple of really convenient items, simply because I know how much I’m constantly on-the-go. Plain and simple, sometimes you just need something quick.

I originally picked out this particular soup simply because it has tortellini in it. I’m Italian, and I really dig my pastas. The good thing about this soup, though, is that it’s a soup! It’s not just a big bowl full of starchy pasta. There are lots of tomatoes in it, and the flavor is really good. It is also really low in calories and remains on the healthier side of things. It’s also surprisingly filling for such a small bowl. All in all, it was a pretty good find.

…So if you’ve got similar needs and taste to mine, let it be known that you are not necessarily selling yourself short by buying this product.)

Triple Threat Dinner: Baked Oregano Chicken with Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin and Herbed Broccoli

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:37:00 -0500

(All of these recipes were adapted from ones found on Betty Crocker’s website.)

You’re in for a special treat today! It must be extra value Friday, like on The Chew, because I’m giving you three recipes for the price of one : ]

Here’s the deal… Each of these recipes are really easy to make, and you can organize your time so that you’re working on all of them simultaneously. Start with the potatoes because they take the longest. Then do the chicken, and save the broccoli for last. This system still works well even if you have to warm stuff up again later. It really shouldn’t get that complicated. With this three-part dinner, you’re getting really simple ingredients with a lot of flavor. Really enjoyable. I’d give it: 4.36 out of 5 spoons (with the chicken getting the best rating of the three).

How Many Calories Are We Looking At Per Serving?:
410 + 220 + 110 = approximately 740 calories [with around 330 from fat]
(That’s going in order of potatoes to chicken to broccoli.)
…Here’s my advice when it comes to this: Your biggest calorie and fat count are coming from the potatoes. I also think what counts as one whole serving according to the website is a little too much. I would give yourself a nice sized piece of chicken, chow down on some of that broccoli to get your veggies in, and limit your potatoes to a smaller portion if you’re worried about calories and such… The potatoes are definitely the least healthy of all three options on your plate, but they’re still very tasty and a good companion to the flavors in the chicken. If you’re not so worried about it, just eat a lighter breakfast/lunch during the day, and treat yourself to a heartier dinner.

Total Time It Took Me To Make This:
Using the plan of attack that I described earlier, this took me around 2 hours. If you’re going to cook all of it, make sure you’ve got some time to devote to it. It’s not a super quick 30 minutes from oven to table kind of meal. Still easy, just a little more time-consuming that some of us would like, say, on a weeknight in the middle of a million other things you’re trying to get done.

How Many People Did It Serve?:
You will definitely have enough chicken and broccoli for about 4 servings, with at least that much potatoes. You’ll probably have enough for 2 servings of potatoes leftover after all else is consumed. Find a creative, yummy way to use your leftovers : ]

INGREDIENTS:
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
6 medium boiling or baking potatoes (about 2 lbs)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
Paprika

Baked Oregano Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lb)
1/4 dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/8 garlic salt
1/8 pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Herbed Broccoli
1 lb broccoli
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

***Notes about the ingredients:
1) Your bread crumbs can be any flavor for both the potato and chicken recipes. I used Progresso’s Italian Style bread crumbs, and they worked particularly well for both dishes.
2) If you prefer to use fresh herbs as opposed to the dried ones I have listed here, convert each 1/4 teaspoon of dried leaves to 1 whole teaspoon of the fresh ingredient, making sure you’ve chopped them well.
3) You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli for the last recipe. Regardless of which you choose, make sure the broccoli is cut into flowerets before cooking.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
(If you’re making more than one of these dishes in the oven at once, pay attention to the temperature and the amount of time you are cooking them. You will know when the potatoes and chicken are done based on the information in these recipes. Just be careful and keep an eye on them!)

Cheesy au Gratin Potatoes
1) Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Scrub the potatoes, but do not peel them. (The fiber underneath the peel is good for you!) Cut them into 1/8-inch slices.

3) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat.

4) Stir in the milk and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese.

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for about one minute.

5) Spread potatoes in an ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Bake uncovered for an hour.

6) Mix the remaining cheese with the bread crumbs; sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the top is brown and bubbly.

Baked Oregano Chicken
1) Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.

2) In a shallow dish, mix the bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper.

3) Remove the fat from the chicken. Spread mustard on all sides of each breast half. Then, coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture. Place the chicken into the square pan.

4) Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes, or until the juice of the chicken is no longer pink when the centers of the thickest pieces are cut.

Herbed Broccoli
1) In a 10-inch skillet, heat about one inch of water until it is boiling.

2) Making sure your broccoli is cut correctly (with the stems into pieces), add the broccoli to the water. Heat until boiling again. Boil it for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

3) Drain the broccoli, and set it aside. Wipe out and dry your skillet.

4) In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook about one minute, stirring frequently, until hot.

5) Add the broccoli. Toss gently.

…And there’s not really a need for a “This Dish Goes Well With” section this time around because everything you need is right here! If you wanted, you could add a couple of plum (Roma) tomatoes to your Herbed Broccoli recipe. Tomatoes would go well with it.

And that’s that, folks. As always, HAPPY COOKING : ]
Chow down; enjoy all of the deliciousness (hopefully with some people you love).

Treat of the Day: October 4, 2012 Homemade s’mores

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Treat of the Day: October 4, 2012

Homemade s’mores

What I Ate for Lunch: September 27, 2012 Deluxe chicken sandwich...

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:41:41 -0500

What I Ate for Lunch: September 27, 2012

Deluxe chicken sandwich with carrot
and raisin salad from Chick-Fil-A

Snack of the Day: September 21, 2012 Dairy Queen Oreo...

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:41:00 -0500

Snack of the Day: September 21, 2012

Dairy Queen Oreo Cheesequake Blizzard