Country-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Wow, what a week! We just started Phase II of Jamie Eason's LiveFit Program, which involves a lot of lifting, a lot of cardio, and a few less calories. Needless to say, Aubrey and I are SORE. Luckily, it's also been a lot of fun. I got to do lifts I've never done before (barbell step ups, holy cow!), and I had more energy this week then I've had in a long time.

If you're familiar with Jamie Eason, you know that she's very big on Clean Eating. It's exactly what it sounds like. We eat clean, lean and as unprocessed as possible. Lots of lean meats, veggies and whole grains. We keep sugars to a bare minimum and temporarily have said goodbye to cheese, fatty meats, and junk food in general. It was a shock to my system at first, my stomach didn't know what to do without being consistently lined with fat and sugar, but I'm learning to love it. The benefits far outweigh the candy and Cheetos that I miss on occasion. I sleep better, my skin and hair seem healthier, and I haven't been sick in a long time. I'm still a firm believer in moderation and I don't think having a cookie or slice of pizza is the end of the world, but I definitely want to keep eating as clean as possible long after I'm done with this program.

Since our day to day eating is fairly basic, my husband and I decided that Sunday we would make an extra effort for a really nice dinner. This is what we had tonight and we loved it so much that I'm skipping a bunch of stuff to share it with you now. London Broil, pounded and breaded in a flavorful whole grain breading and cooked to a medium-rare. It was delicious, but the mushroom gravy was the best part, and made such a great topping to the steak and potatoes.

I made mashed potatoes by boiling red and sweet potatoes. Drain and mash with a splash of skim milk and a spoonful of greek yogurt which is tangy and makes a great substitute for sour cream. I can't even tell a difference. I highly recommend this dish, give it a try!

Country Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

10 ounces sliced white or cremini mushrooms
1 lb lean round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 equal pieces
sea salt and black ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour, divided
2 large egg whites
3 slices whole-wheat toast (Ezekial bread), cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup skim milk

Directions

Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet, pound steaks to quarter-inch thickness. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place two tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in a separate shallow dish. In a food processor, combine toast, onion, oregano, thyme and garlic powder. Process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a third shallow dish.

Add steaks to dish with flour and turn to coat both sides. Shake off excess flour and transfer steaks to egg whites. turn to coat both sides and transfer steaks to bread crumb mixture. Again, turn to coat both sides.

Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook two to three minutes per side, until brown on the outside and pink on the inside. Remove from skillet and cover in foil.

Prepare gravy. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook for about five minutes, or until liquid is released. Add beef broth and bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and remaining tablespoon of flour. Add milk mixture to mushrooms and simmer three to five minutes, until mixture thickens. Spoon gravy over steaks just before serving.

Serves 4: 313cal, 9g fat, 27g carb, 5g fiber, 35g prot, 302mg sod

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Since we are (hopefully) moving in a year, I've been trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible lately. And as painful as it's been, I've even been getting rid of some of my books, including my cookbooks. Let's face it, as much as I love cookbooks, there's no point in holding on to a book that hasn't been used in years.

I feel like I gained way more then I lost by getting rid of a few cookbooks though. Since I was forced to leaf through all of my cooking books and magazines, I was able to rediscover a TON of recipes that I haven't tried yet. I almost felt like I had just gotten a whole new stack of books and magazines, just by going through them.

This was a recipe that I couldn't wait to try. I have never made stuffed shells before, but when I saw that they were full about about five different kinds of cheese, there was no hesitation. These are hearty, meaty, gooey and very family friendly. They're also made over to be lighter, so pretty much everyone wins with this one. Enjoy!


Cheesy Stuffed Shells
Adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking, April/May 2008

This recipe serves 12! It makes a ton, so you may consider halving if you aren't feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground beef (I used turkey)
1 Italian turkey sausage link, casings removed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large onion
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasonings (I always like extra seasoning, so go by taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons garlic salt (optional)
24-32 pasta shells, cooked and drained

SAUCE:

3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (lighter recipes always omit salt, I know it's better for you, but I just can't stand it, so salt according to taste)

Directions

1. Crumble turkey or beef and sausage into a large nonstick skillet, add fennel seeds and onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is cooked through. Drain if needed.

2. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in spinach, ricotta and egg. Add 1 cup mozzarella, cottage cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Stuff pasta shells with meat mixture. Arrange in two 11x7 baking dishes, coated with cooking spray (I filled one 9x13 and one 8x8 for later). Combine sauce ingredients; spoon over shells. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

Thank you for all the kind words concerning my daughter! She appreciated them too!


Our very first meal here in Philly was, of course, the Philly Cheese Steak. But when you live in Philly, they're not called Philly Cheese Steak, they're just called "steaks." You learn these things. And when you go to the famous Pat's or Geno's, there's a very specific way of ordering them. You can't use a lot of words, and you can't hesitate. You use the term "wit" if you want onions, specify what kind of cheese you want, and you get the heck out of the way, otherwise their is going to be trouble. It's a very serious business.

I LOVE our city's sandwich, especially with bacon, ohmygosh, drippy, greasy goodness. But as you can imagine, when you eat one, it's there to stay, usually right in my thighs, so I don't eat them often.

Instead, it's fun to find substitutes like this, still delicious, still cheesy and flavorful, but a lot nicer to my hips.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta
Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked dumpling or wide egg noodles
1 lb beef boneless sirloin steak, about 3/4 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
14 oz can beef broth
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 11x7 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, remove fat from beef. Cut beef into 3/4 inch pieces. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook beef and pepper in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Stir in onions and bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into baking dish.

3. In medium bowl, beat broth and flour with wire whisk until smooth. Add to skillet; heat to boiling. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens; remove from heat. Stir in half and half and mustard. Spoon over beef mixture. Stir in cooked noodles.

4. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Serves 6: 1 1/3 cups

Per Serving: 260 cal, 5g fat, 2g fiber, 24g prot, 30g carb

Our Philadelphia Family!

Portobello Mushrooms and Sirloin Strips over Spinach Pasta

Life definitely has a sense of humor. My last post I complained about my awful day, which, let's face it, involved a wet bathroom floor and a whiny son. Two days later we ended up in the ER with our daughter who had insane stomach pains. We were admitted, a million tests were done, and nothing could explain why she was in so much pain. The pain lasted for days and was incredibly stressful. Thankfully she's better, back to school and happy as ever. I'll tell you one thing though...

It made my last "bad day" post look like a walk in the park. It was a good lesson to learn, I'll be a lot slower to whine about the everyday inconveniences, that's for sure!

On to the food...

I have this big red cookbook that doesn't have a single picture in it. Being the five year old that I am, I've never used it. If there's not a big pretty picture next to a recipe, how can it possibly be good?

Turns out, it can.

This was a really fun recipe because of how different it was. Tangy sauteed steak and portobello mushrooms over a bed of spinach fettuccine. It was packed with great flavor and very filling. The whole family slurped it up.

Portobello Mushrooms and Sirloin Strips over Spinach Pasta
Adapted from The New American Heart Association Cookbook

Ingredients

12 oz boneless sirloin steak
1/2 cup red wine
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 medium cloves minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, crumbled
12 oz portobello mushrooms, sliced
8 oz dried spinach fettuccine

Directions

Trim all fat off steak, slice into strips.

Combine wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, olive oil and oregano in a large plastic bag. Add mushrooms and beef to marinade. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning often.

Prepare pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for one minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the beef mixture to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. Cook the remaining beef mixture.

Return the reserved beef mixture with any juices to the skillet. Increase the heat to high. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

To serve, spoon the pasta onto plate. Spoon the beef mixture and sauce over the pasta.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 381 cal, 29g prot, 47g carb, 4g fiber, 7.5g fat

My Favorite Pasta Salad

People always say that summertime is a good time to lose weight. Since it's hot out, your appetite lessens, and everyone would rather munch on fruit and veggies instead of rich soups and casseroles.

And it makes sense, but somehow summer still ends up being the toughest season for me to maintain my weight. And the reason is that I'm such a sucker for those delicious potluck and barbecue foods. Potato salad, pasta salad, apple pie, lemon bars, cheeseburgers and hotdogs grilled over charcoal, the list goes on. Give me a plate of that goodness, combined with awesome friends and a warm summer night, and life truly doesn't get better. I'm already looking forward to it, I just might have to replace the extra potato salad with a juicy slice of watermelon instead.



This pasta is one of my summer faves. It's so easy to make, keeps for several days and is delicious either cold or room temp, making it a very convenient picnic item. You have most likely had a version of pasta salad similar to this, but I had to post this anyway because it's just so dang good.


Pasta Salad

Ingredients

2 packets Italian Dressing, prepared according to directions, I used the less oil option (using the stuff from the packet vs. the bottle really does make a difference, it's worth the extra step!)
1 lb tricolor pasta
8 oz salami, diced
8 oz provolone or pepperjack cheese, diced (I used provolone for this, but next time I will use pepperjack, I like a good kick)
8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green pepper
2 cans olives, sliced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions, drain and cool.

2. Combine all ingredients and toss well. Keep chilled, it tastes best after it has a few hours to sit and blend flavors.

When is it hardest for you to eat healthy. Any tips on maintaining during those times?

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Isn't it funny how your tastes change as you get older? When I was younger, the worst words ever uttered from my mom were "we're having meat loaf for dinner." NOOOOOOOO! And the food wars began.

Now I think meat loaf is great, I've made several different kinds, and I make them often. I think that's what I like so much about it, it's so versatile!

The first thing I thought after I made these was how fun they would be for entertaining. I love the idea of everyone getting their own little meat loaf, it feels so welcoming and personalized. Plus, you can't go wrong with a meat loaf that is gushing with cheesy pockets, and full of great flavor. Give these a try, you'll love them!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Cooking Light January 2011

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 256 cal, 11g fat, 28g prot, 11g carb, 0.9g fiber

Have your tastes changed? What kinds of things do you like more/less now that you're older?

Roast Pork Loin with Pineapple-Raisin Sauce

I like pigs. They're cute, chubby, seem to have a sweet enough disposition, and they taste so good! They give us bacon in the mornings, ham during the holidays, and delicious pork loins, ribs and chops the rest of the time. And the best part is that a lot of these cuts of meat are lean and quite healthy in moderation. Sorry vegetarians, but I just don't see myself splitting up with meat any time soon, 'specially the delicious pig!

I absolutely loved this combination of savory garlicky pork covered in this tangy sweet sauce. The sauce was very reminiscent of a chutney to me, and I couldn't get enough of it. I started out with a thin layer on my pork, but the more I ate the more I piled on, the flavor is just delicious. If you don't like fruit with your meat, might I suggest leaving the sauce out and just trying the pork loin. After inserting entire garlic cloves and coating with herbs, the pork itself is just lovely. Enjoy!



Roast Pork Loin with Pineapple-Raisin Sauce
Cuisine Magazine December 2010

Ingredients

1 2-3 lb pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, cut in half
salt and pepper to taste

SAUCE:
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 with oven rack in center position. Line a shallow roasting pan with foil. Let pork roast stand at room temp 30 minutes.

Combine oil, rosemary, sage and thyme in a small bowl.

Pierce top of pork to make six slits 2-inches apart on either side. Insert garlic half into each slit.

Score top of pork by cutting in a crisscross pattern. Rub herb mixture onto pork.

Roast pork 20 minutes, then flip and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of the pork registers 145 and meat is slightly pink, 20 minutes more. Remove pork from pan, tent with foil and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Stir together pineapple and brown sugar for the sauce in a small sauce-pan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, 3 minutes. Add raisins and ginger.

Whisk cornstarch and broth together, then slowly add to pineapple, stirring constantly. bring sauce to a boil until thickened. Stir in vinegar and serve with pork roast.

Per Serving: 236 cal, 6g fat, 25g carb, 1g fiber, 19g prot

Corn Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes and Lime Aioli

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away?! It's so hard to believe how fast this month has been going. I am starting to look forward to my turkey and mashed potatoes!

I made this a few months ago as a summer dish, but I also think it would serve as a pretty great appetizer for you Thanksgiving spread. The corn fritters are savory with a hint of sweetness, and paired with the roasted tomatoes, prosciutto and aioli, it's a dynamite combo. And if you're not up for adding another dish to Thanksgiving, it can stand pretty well on it's own, we actually enjoyed these for dinner. Enjoy and happy Wednesday!


Corn Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes and Lime Aioli
By Cooking Light

Ingredients

4 ripe tomatoes, halved (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (3 ears)
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cold water
4 cups loosely packed arugula
4 (1/4-ounce) slices prosciutto

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Arrange tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle tomatoes with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and have lost a lot of their moisture.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add milk and egg; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, corn, green onions, and salt.

4. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls into pan to make 6 fritters; cook 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges are golden. Carefully turn fritters over; cook 2 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and remaining batter.

5. Combine mayonnaise, juice, garlic, and water. Place 1 fritter on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 tomato half and 1/2 cup arugula. Repeat layers with remaining fritters, tomato halves, and arugula, ending with fritters. Top each serving with 1 prosciutto slice; drizzle with 4 teaspoons aioli.

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia

Vacations are awesome, lots of relaxing, chatting with friends, staying up late, and eating, Eating, EATING. And not eating just any food, you're eating vacation food. I'm talking potato salad, french fries, cookies and brownies. All the Mexican food you can get your hands on, seeing as it's not so easy to get to in Philly. Lots of fast food and restaurant food, because who wants to cook, or DIET while on vacation? And it's fun...until you get home, when the last thing you want to see on this green earth is a hamburger.

So what do you do when you've just gotten home from vacation, and you're tired, and hungry and detoxing from a month of vacation-style eating? Enter tilapia from Cooking Light.

A quick trip to pick up some tilapia and limes and we were in business. One great thing about sea food is that it takes very little time to marinate and cook. Only fifteen minutes soaking in a sauce that is made of things you most likely already have, and fifteen to bake, and you have a fish that the whole family will hoover down. I could not believe how quickly both of my picky munchkins gobbled this up. My husband and I were also crazy about this dish, especially given that we aren't really that crazy about tilapia. But the flavor is wonderful and it's so healthy. You must give this a try! The recipe can be found here.

Cantaloupe, Proscuitto and Blue Cheese Salad and a Summer Break

I'm as giddy as a kid in a candy shop right now! By this afternoon I'll be greeted by two of my very favorite people in the world.

And it's so appropriate that we're sitting with food in this picture because one of things we love to do most, besides laugh, is EAT! We've already had several discussions on what we will be making and where we will be eating when they get here. My reason for sharing this is that I am going to be MIA, for a week, or month, or two. It's hard to say really, but I just really want to soak up all the time with my family while I have them with me.

But as a goodbye, I'd like to share my new favorite summer salad. When I came across this recipe in this month's edition of Cooking Light, I got scared, and then a little intrigued, and then really excited to make it. It's an interesting combination of foods, but all of their flavors come together so well, making this a very filling, yet very refreshing salad. Definitely give it a try, you can find the original recipe here.

A few changes I made, I couldn't find Cabrales cheese, so I just used a low-fat blue cheese, which was delicious. I also used red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar, but the second time, instead of making a vinaigrette, I just used my Newman's Own balsamic dressing, which was also very good. This is one that I can't wait to make for my mom and sister!

Enjoy your summer months! Soak up the sun, eat great food, and I'll be back soon to read all about it!

Dinner with The Sister's Cafe

If you've never visited the Sister's Cafe before, you are missing out. They were actually one of the very first food blogs I had discovered when joining this new world of food bloggers and I've been in love with them ever since. I don't think they've ever posted anything that didn't look good to me. Here are two things that I've recently made from their blog.

My husband lives for his meatloaf. He requests it often and it's what he gets for his birthday every year. I like it okay, but it's not necessarily anything I crave. However, I CRAVE this meatloaf. It's made of half turkey, half beef and is full of all sorts of goodies like sour cream and a box of stuffing! It's insanely easy to put together, but it makes a lot, so be sure to half it if you only want one. Check out the recipe here.

These Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas we made a while ago, and they've been our favorite enchiladas since. I prefer the green sauce when it comes to enchiladas, which is what this recipe uses. However, it also adds a fabulous spin by coating your chicken in a deliciously sweet honey lime sauce, giving the whole dish a burst of delicious flavor. They are also wonderful light and healthy. Go check them out here.


Thanks for all of the fabulous recipes ladies, keep them coming!

Bertolli-Fest!

Being a Foodbuzz Publisher definitely comes with it's perks. Like when you get to sample sauces like these.

I was given the Four Cheese Rosa sauce and Arrabbiata sauce to do whatever I wanted with. The possibilities are endless, and the sauce was delicious.

The Arrabbiata sauce is probably my very favorite jarred spaghetti sauce I've tried thus far. It's got a very subtle and pleasant heat to it, and is packed with a strong, chunky tomato flavor, which I love. It was put to wonderful use in this cheesy lasagna.


Delicious! I mean, come on, who doesn't love lasagna?

The Four Cheese Rosa sauce was another fun one. I browned four chicken breasts in olive oil, put them in a dish with artichoke hearts and capers and poured the Rosa sauce over all of it. After baking, it was accompanied by a bed of fettuccine and adored by the whole family. The sauce by itself is very good, I love the hint of tomato flavoring in the creamy white sauce, but I loved it even better after being baked in the briny capers and artichoke hearts. The saltiness marinated throughout the whole dish and gave it it's own unique flavor. I highly recommend both dishes, as well as these great Bertolli products!



Creamy Chicken with Capers and Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients

4 medium sized chicken breasts
1 jar Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa sauce
3-4 tablespoons capers
1 jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Parmesan cheese, if desired
2 cups cooked fettuccine noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown each side of chicken breast, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Place chicken in an 8x8 baking dish.

2. Arrange capers and artichoke hearts evenly over chicken. Pour sauce over dish and spread evenly over all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve over fettuccine noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Italian Style Shephard's Pie

This is more of my attempt to get back to the classics, which has been a lot of fun, and very rewarding as my family really likes their down to earth, oldtime cookin! This was inspired by the remainder of my Newman's Own Sockerooni Spaghetti sauce.


I did my best to keep this as traditional as possible, or at least the way I remember it, while adding a bit of Italian flare. I'm definitely not an expert of Italian food, but I can say fairly confidently that this turned out to be one tasty pie! The key were the mashed potatoes, which were mashed with a good helping of sweet mascarpone cheese and tangy pecorino romano, oh my goodness, talk about creamy amazing potatoes! I sauteed my fresh green beans with chopped shallots a bit of white wine,just until al dente, which gave them a great flavor and a nice contrasting crunch. The beef I cooked with onions, garlic, plenty of Italian seasonings and enough sauce to give it good moisture and flavor, but not so much to make it to thin. Put the whole thing together, top with mozzarella, and you've got yourself a great dinner. This would go great with a nice crusty bread!

Italian Style Shephard's Pie
A Blog About Food

Ingredients

1 lb ground lean beef
1 chopped yellow onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt, or garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups Newman's Own Sockerooni Sauce

1/2 lb fresh green bean, trimmed and halved width wise
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
2 teaspoons white wine
salt and pepper

2-3 yukon gold, red, or russet potatoes boiled (if red, i don't bother peeling)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup pecorino romano
splashes of milk to desired consistency
salt and pepper

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Spray an 8x8 casserole pan and preheat oven to 375.

2. For beef, saute onions and garlic until soft. Add beef, cook until browned. Drain. Add Italian Seasonings, salt, pepper and sauce. Simmer until thick, and adjust seasonings to liking. Pour beef mixture into pan and spread until even.

3. For green beans, saute beans and shallots until both are slightly soft. Add white wine and cook until wine has completely dissolved. Add salt and pepper to taste, and pour beans into casserole pan. Spread evenly over beef mixture.

4. For potatoes, smashed with both cheese and add milk as desired to thin. Add salt and pepper to desired taste. Spread over beans evenly until smooth. Cover with mozzarella cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Do you ever make a dinner, that's so good that you feel like the household culinary champ of the world? It's not too often that I make a dish that every single person in my family not just likes, but absolutely loves, sending them back for seconds. This was that meal for us, and I know that it's nothing fancy and new, but let me just tell you about these meatballs.

I had made meatballs in the past, and was totally turned off by them. Since I browned them before baking them, I felt like I was basically eating spaghetti, with big hunks of burger on top, and it wasn't very good. So, I didn't make any for a while. But when I got my Newman's Own Spaghetti sauce, I thought it might be fun to give meatballs another chance.

I found a great meatball recipe on recipezaar. Nothing fancy, just your regular meatball ingredients. But I didn't brown them this time, instead, I rolled them into balls and placed them on a cooling rack, on top of my baking sheet, which was covered in foil to catch all the fat that the meatballs rendered off when baking. The result were soft, flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs that my family couldn't stop eating. They were also wonderful as sandwiches in your favorite marinara a few meals later. These are a definite new favorite at our house.


And the Newman's Own sauce? Not bad! I'm normally not one for jarred spaghetti sauces, I always feel like they are too sweet and lacking a lot of flavor, but this stuff was much more robust and full of great flavor. I still added a bunch of minced onion and garlic, but I just can't help myself there! I also used some of it for a Shepherd's pie that I'll post soon. I'm all about the classics right now baby!

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Adapted by Recipezaar

Ingredients

Hot cooked spaghetti noodles
Newman's Own Spaghetti Sauce, or preferred Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper

Directions

1. Cover a large baking sheet with tin foil and place a cooling rack on top of that. Preheat oven to 375.

2. In a large bowl, blend bread crumbs, beef, eggs, cheese, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on top of baking rack. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

3. Assemble spaghetti, meatballs and sauce, and be sure to have lots of napkins!

CEiMB: Marinated Flank Steak with Gorganzola Sauce

Well, the snow has stopped falling and the sun is shining, now it's just a matter of digging ourselves out! I actually can't complain too much about the snow storms though, I've had my husband and kids home to myself for two great days, and we've done a lot of playing and tromping through the snow.

I was really excited about this one, because I love steak, and I love blue cheese. My husband is not a fan of blue cheese, but he like Gorgonzola...I know, apparently he can REALLY taste a difference.

I made a few changes with this recipe. Rather then grilling the onions, I caramelized them. I also made my sauce with fat free half and half instead of buttermilk, added fresh parsley and lots of ground black pepper. This was a really good dish, and the flavors were outstanding. I was still the only one that liked the Gorgonzola sauce, but I'm kind of used to that :) Thanks for hosting Blair, from Deliciously Golden!

The recipe can be found here.

Is everyone getting ready for Valentine's Day? Glenn and I are thinking about making our own dinner at home? Does anyone have any good suggestions for a nice dinner at home for two?

Blogtastic Eats

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the best things I've made have come from other people's food blogs. I mean, you guys really know your food! The tragedy is that there are SO many great bloggy dishes, and only three meals in a day, I never feel like I'll be able to try them all. But even if I don't, rest assured, your pictures and descriptions always leave me drooling, and hungry! Here are two great finds that I recently tried, and must be shared.

I found these fantastic meatballs over at Gina's Weight Watchers blog. And while I'm not quite as strict on the diet as I should be (ahem), I still really try to eat delicious but healthy foods like this. Have you ever tried the potstickers from Costco. No, not the ones in the freezer, the fresh one, made with chicken, yeah, those! Aren't they awesome? These meatballs taste A LOT like them. They even come with a similar tasting sauce. They are juicy and full of flavor and were a hit with the whole family. You can find the recipe here.

Thanks Gina!


The second thing we made was Coleen's Pineapple Banana Bread. This was a bread that I just couldn't get out of my head, and I'm so glad I didn't! It's like summer in bread form. With the combination of banana, pineapple and coconut, it's the closest you'll come to eating a Pina Colada. Definitely try this, especially if you are buried in three feet of snow and need some sunshine in your house! The recipe can be found here. Thanks Coleen! And here's a picture of my daughter when I told her we were going to make banana bread.


She gets excited.

Is anyone else out there having a snow day? Not only is my girl home from school, but my husband is as well! I have to tell you, waking up to a lazy weekday morning, and having aebelskivers with my husband is not a bad way to start the day, although I'm not quite sure about having the deal with the snow everytime. Stay warm my friends, and keep cooking up those wonderful dishes!

Brisket

My husband was raised in Texas, which has given him a taste of good old southern food. One particular thing he asks for quite a bit is brisket, a cut of meat that I'm not very familiar with, and definitely never cooked before. So finally a few Sundays ago we thought we'd try our hand at some good old southern brisket. We found a lovely cut at Costco (I love Costco, I really do), and I found a recipe for a marinade at Recipezaar. Now, from what I understand brisket is normally dry rubbed and then smoked, but we thought we'd try something different. We cooked it in the oven for about five hours. We went about our business while it was cooking, and when we walked into our apartment complex (mind you, we live on the second floor), we could smell the brisket in the lobby! And it smelled GOOD! I made two briskets and I shredded the first one, which I thought it would be okay since it was practically falling apart after being cooked for so long. Not a good idea, it was tough, stringy and dry after I shredded it. Slice it, against the grain, and it will be juicy and rich with a great bark on the outside. I'm definitely sold on brisket now, but I do think next time I'll be more traditional and make it with a dry rub.

Brisket
Recipezaar

Ingredients

4-6 lbs beef brisket trimmed
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Mix ingredients and cover both sides of meat. If you do this with your hands, you may want to use gloves so you don't smell like liquid smoke for four days, it's strong stuff!
2. Wrap in foil and seal.
3. Marinate overnight in refrigerator.
4. Bake in 300°F oven for 5 hours, or at 275°F for 6 hours. May cover with barbecue sauce during last hour, leaving uncovered. I suggest Sweet Baby Ray's!

I served this with a broccoli salad, which I will post later and these mixed fingerling potatoes, that I also found at Costco. They are white, red and purple little potatoes that are so good coated in olive oil, herbs and roasted. Look for them next time you're there, they're so fun!

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Sadly, I believe that our grilling days are just about over for now. Our apartment does not allow grills, so we had to take ours to a better place. The one thing that consoled me was that summer is over, and grilling is not the primary way to cook anymore. I will still miss my grill all the same...a moment of silence please.

And now onto the food. I love BBQ sauce, but I just don't think you can beat the homemade stuff, especially when it's made like this. The base is balsamic vinegar, which makes it a very tangy dipping sauce, but comes out so sweet and gooey when grilled right onto the meat. You can't go wrong. And the good news is you can do it in your oven too, so don't let the cool weather get in the way of having fabulous BBQ chicken or steak!

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
By Giada DiLaurentiis

Ingredients

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken or steak:
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

For BBQ Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken or steak:
Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

We love steak in this house, and I especially love to pump them full of flavor with a good marinade. I found this recipe in Cooking Light, of course, and the whole family really loved it. The only regret I have is not saving part of the marinade as a dipping sauce, the hubby got to them too fast and I didn't get a chance! So, make sure you save part of the marinade as a dip, and then let me know how it was! AND, if you want a great fried rice recipe to go with it, check out this recipe at Tummy Yummies, it's a winner everytime!

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak
Found in Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 (1 pound) flank steak, trimmed

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup hoisin mixture; spoon remaining mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag, discard marinade.

2. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

3. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill four minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Serves 4: 1 serving is three ounces steak with 1 tablespoon sauce

Per serving: 194 calories, 7.1g fat, 24.5g prot, 6.4g carb, 0.5g fiber, 37mg chol, 1.7mg iron

Points per Serving: 4