Homemade Pizza Pockets

These delicious little pockets were inspired by my mom, who makes them for breakfast rather than dinner. She fills hers with sausage, potatoes, peppers, onions and cheese and they are so yummy! Maybe not so nutritious, but easy to make and definitely a kid pleaser, or a husband pleaser who just happens to be a kid at heart.

Pin It

ต้มข่าไก่ - aka Tom Kha Soup

Tom Kha soup is a creamy and flavorful Thai dish that is so tasty, I can't even begin to describe it. If you've never tried it, go to your favorite Thai restaurant and give it a shot! Then come home and try my recipe - slightly adjusted to meet my needy taste buds.

The one trick to making Tom Kha a success is to find the right ingredients. Uwajimaya is an amazing store in Beaverton, OR that carries a wide variety of products from all over Asia and they have everything you need to make Tom Kha. It's well worth the trip and don't forget to check out the candy aisle - where you can't read the labels and picking a package is sorta like playing Russian Roulette.

Pin It

Red Pepper+Feta Stuffed Chicken

This is an excellent recipe that is requested over and over by the hubby. For the most part, it's quick, easy and cheap! Cheap is always good these days. The chicken will cost you the most but the pepper was $1.50, the feta about $2 and I already had the seasonings on hand.
If you don't agree with the "easy" part the first time you try this recipe, give it at least one more shot and perhaps it will be better the second time around. I have tried other "stuffed chicken" methods - mostly cleaving the chicken to flatten it out, laying the stuffing on top, rolling the chicken, inserting a toothpick to keep it all rolled together then cooking it on a skillet... UGH! It's messy, annoying and not easy. The stuffing always came out both sides, the toothpick burned and the meat didn't cook all the way through.
The method below is way easier - so give it a try!

What you need:

2-4 medium-thin chicken breasts (not too thick or too thin, got it?)

1 medium red pepper (chopped, about 1/4 of a pepper per breast)

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 T parsley

Salt

Pepper

*Heat oven to 375 degrees

What to do:

1. With a sharp knife, cut a long slit in the thicker edge of the chicken breast creating a "pocket".

2. Combine the chopped red pepper with equal amounts feta. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. 

3. Stuff the chicken breast - and I mean STUFF! Get all the goodies in there.

5. Heat and oil a large skillet to medium-high. Carefully place the stuffed chicken breasts onto the pan and sear on both sides for about 5 minutes. Scoop off all fat.

6. Place the entire pan in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

A delicious side option to go with your stuffed chicken breast: 

Chop up some brussel sprouts, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Toss with olive oil, pepper and salt. Stick the brussel sprouts and garlic in the oven while you are searing the chicken breast. After about 10 minutes add the mushrooms and continue roasting in the oven with the chicken.

Serve and enjoy! 

Pin It

The Whole Chicken and Nothing But the Chicken

I've always found it to be a crappy deal when I buy bagged frozen chicken breasts at the store. I grew up with the ease of reaching into the freezer, pulling out a couple chicken breasts, popping them in the microwave to defrost and then adding them to a meal of choice. So easy! So quick! No mess and no hassle! Well except for the fact that it is a total rip off....
Pin It

Homemade German Pancakes

Who says you have to wait in line for 2 hours at a breakfast joint just to get delicious German pancakes?? My husband claims that he used to make German pancakes ALL the time when he was a bachelor, to which I thought Ya right!  These pancakes are served in a restaurant for a reason. They are too tricky and you do not know what you are talking about. To my surprise, he was spot on that even a single man could make these German pancakes by himself.
There are a few variations of the recipe but this one is practically fail safe. You can make these German pancakes in no time and they are uber tasty - or as Dwight from the office would say,  PERFECTENSHLAG!
Pin It

Mexican Style Chipotle Chili

I REALLY love chili. It's usually very easy to make and it's perfect for all those cold winter nights. One great thing about chili is that you can add whatever ingredients you like, such as different types of beans, jalapenos, various herbs and spices and so on until you get the taste you desire or the volume you need. Add a little cornbread on the side and you've got yourself the perfect meal! You can always make extra and freeze it for later.
Pin It

Frozen Cilantro Cubes

Cilantro is a delicious herb that can be included in almost any recipe -- salsa, spaghetti, taco meat, salads, dips, etc. It adds a fresh, bright flavor to your food and also has a few health benefits; it is rich in antioxidants, reduces bad cholesterol, and contains lots of minerals.
The only thing that drives me crazy about fresh cilantro is the limited shelf life. Like most fresh foods, if you don't use it quick enough it will go bad way too fast. Fresh cilantro doesn't contain any preservatives so after a week, I find it in my vegetable drawer all slimy and wilty. Thank goodness it's cheap but I hate wasting food!!
I heard from a friend that Trader Joe's sells frozen cilantro cubes in a little pack, although I'm not sure of the price; all I know is that I can buy a bunch of cilantro at Fred Meyer for .50¢ - .70¢ -- so I wondered, how can I make my own frozen cilantro cubes? Here is my little experiment...

Pin It

Famous Tebo Brownies

This is a recipe that has been used in my family for years. My mom was born a Tebo (without the w, so no relation to you know who) and the Tebo family is famous for a few things, well two things. There is a Mt. Tebo in Washington state and this mouth watering brownie recipe that was passed down from my great grandmother.
Now, I like simple food and this recipe is definitely simple. It seems like people are always adding extra "goodies" to their food to make it taste better, which is not always necessary especially if you are watching your calories or fat intake. Some would add caramel, chocolate chips, frosting, etc to these brownies but honestly they don't need it! They are tasty as is -- chewey, chocolatey, delicious and simple. Don't get me wrong, they pack about 200 calories per brownie... but it's well worth it.
Pin It

Italian Style Stuffed Bell Peppers

It's the end of the month and we're playing the game of "how long can we last with the food we've got??" By this time, our array of grocery items is pretty random and bleak. We've got pasta but no sauce; lettuce but no dressing; jelly but no peanut butter. So in an attempt to use up various ingredients, I invented this little monster of a meal. I will admit, it's random. BUT it turned out pretty darn good.

Ingredients:
4-6 bell peppers
1 box of Rice-a-Roni Herb and Butter (or whatever brand, flavor you have sitting in the cupboard)
Olive oil
1 lb ground turkey or beef
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small onion (chopped)
A handful of crimini mushrooms (chopped)
1 can diced tomatoes (other veggie options could be spinach, zucchini or squash)
Italian Seasoning aka Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan Cheese


Prepping the bell peppers:
I like to blanch my bell peppers before stuffing them in case they don't cook well in the oven. To do this, fill a large pot with water and set to boil. Cut, gut and clean the bell peppers by cutting around the stem of the pepper, removing it and scraping out the insides. Sometimes I like to cut mine in half as well.
When the water is boiling, set the peppers in for about 5 minutes or until the color starts to brighten up. Don't leave them in for too long or else they will get too soft. Drain them and set them out to cool.

Stuffing:

• Cook rice according to package directions. This should take about 20-30 minutes so you can prep the rest while it is simmering. 

• Put some olive oil in a large frying pan and heat on medium. Saute the chopped onion and garlic for a few minutes then add the ground meat. Cook the meat until it is slightly browned.
• Add the can of diced tomatoes, chopped mushrooms (and other veggies if you choose) and all the seasonings. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

• Set the oven to 350 degrees
• When the rice is finished, add it to the meat mixture and combine all the ingredients. Carefully stuff each of your bell peppers and place them in a 9x13 or larger glass baking dish. 

• Sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese and put them in the oven for 20-30 minutes. If you are worried about them getting dry in the oven, you can add a little water to the bottom of the pan. 
• And voila! Enjoy your end-of-the-month-scraping-the-bottom-of-the-pantry-italian-style-stuffed-bell-peppers.

Pin It

The Beauty of Flavenoids Cont.

After doing more research, I've discovered that "green smoothies" are all the rave! Major health nuts like Green Smoothie Girl and Mark have some great recipes for these green slimy concoctions and I was definitely hesitant at first. Kale in a smoothie?? I can understand some V8 juice here and there but bitter veggies mixed with sweet berries for my morning wake up call did not sound too appetizing.

My latest obsession over kale caused me to continue browsing through various websites and reading comments about the taste and benefits of green smoothies. After reading the nutritional benefits of these green smoothies, I was pretty convinced. Not only that but the ease of making the smoothies seemed attractive as well as the hopeful idea that it would keep me fuller, longer through out the morning. Cereal can get pretty boring and my stomach is usually growling before 10am.
Pin It

The Beauty of Flavenoids

Kale is a quiet ninja. It sits in the produce area among the carrots and bell peppers, often missed and unaccounted for. I never see it on a restaurant menu, it never shows up at family dinners and it just doesn't stand out in the grocery store, like the apples, broccoli or lettuce. No one would notice it unless they were looking for it and yet it is one of the most healthiest vegetables you can consume.
It's often colored with dark green, medium green or purple. Kale's thick, curly leaves can range from a slightly sweet taste to a bitter, potent taste. It's a hardy green that screams health.

Pin It

Red Curry with Basmati Rice

One way I absolutely love to relax and rewind is to cook a fantastic meal. I don't care how long it takes or what ingredients are required, as long as I have a glass of wine and can savor the fruits of my labor afterwards. It's how I can forget about all those annoying people at work and get into a normal state of mind. One of Andrew's recent string of complaints is about how long it always takes me to make dinner. A majority of the nights we don't end up eating until 8:30pm or 9:00pm because I always decide to make a grandiose dish after getting home from the gym. I'm a believer in eating healthy home cooked meals so I'm not trying to eat garbage every night just because "it's late". Plus, I just love to experiment in the kitchen with different combinations, spices and flavors and oh boy when that chicken comes out of the oven all tender, juicy and hot, it's soooo worth it! Our friends Ashley and Josh have a blog that has inspired me to post my newest favorite dish.
Pin It