recipe box: healthy pizza bites!

I love me some pizza bagels.  bagel bites, full sized ones.  you name it, I love it.

but they are certainly not the healthiest thing to eat...and when it came to the super bowl...i was not ready to throw my diet* completely out the window. 

*okay, not a diet per se...I just don't want to start eating bad again...and the super bowl is a slippery-slope for that...day of junk food!


so Bonnie and I started planning out our menu a few days before, and she was making guacamole, stuffed mushrooms, pigs in a blanket...and I was down for veggies and dip, baked mozzarella bites and pizza bites.  the mozzarella sticks never made it out...but I did make buffalo chicken dip instead...not for healthy-ness, but for pure deliciousness :P



but i LOVED how the pizza bites turned out, so i thought i'd share the recipe with you all :)  i found a few places on the internets that had some recipe ideas and sort of mushed them all together to make these.


I give you, pizza bites!


Ingreedients:

whole wheat tortillas
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
garlic powder
oregano

and toppings- i used mini pepperoni, but want to try peppers and onions next time!


directions:

preheat your oven to 400 degrees

using a cookie cutter- or a glass, or whatever you can cut circles with- cut as many circles as you can from each tortilla.
* I saved the extra pieces to toast up in the oven to make chips for our guacamole with :)

 on a baking sheet- i lined mine with foil- place out as many mini pizza custs as you'd like to make

add the pizza sauce, cheese and toppings

sprinkle with some garlic salt and oregano

bake for 8-10 minutes *keep an eye on them, mine took a little longer, but my oven is weird...

oh yeah, then enjoy!!



an easy, and not so unhealthy way to eat pizza!!

eating clean...or at least trying to.

so now that I finally kicked this flu- or whatever it was...I finally got back on the treadmill, and yesterday I ran 3 miles.  Well I ran probably 1.5 and did the incline pyramid for the other half...that is something I started doing with my trainer- 3 minutes at each incline of 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15...which sounded a lot easier then it was!


but I know that I have more work to do then just working out...I have been taking a good hard look at what we've been eating, and I know it's time to try something new.


I came across this clean eating by way of the twitter feed of What I Wore, and I thought I'd give it a try...at least the best I can...not eating anything processed sounds great and all...but it is sure to be mighty expensive.

and...I can not give up coffee...so I think that shouldn't screw up the whole plan of trying to eat healthy...


last night I made pork chops that I marinated- the only thing that might not fit with that is the soy sauce that was part of the marinade...and oven roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes...delish :)

tonight I'm going to try out this recipe- Shrimp with Avocado and Mango Salsa

so wish me luck...I am hoping to feel a lot better in the process, and also, to make my workouts count for a lot more, then if I came home and ate pizza ;)


but there will still be pizza.  because, let's be serious, coffee and pizza make me happy ;)

pretzels and chocolate. oh my!

I found this cute little recipe- guess where?  on Pinterest of course, and when I owed one of my classes a treat, this seemed too easy not to try.


so I bring to you, chocolate pretzel melted goodness :)

preheat your oven to about 200 degrees


on a baking sheet, on a sheet of parchment paper put as many pretzels- the square or round kind- as you can fit, or want to make

on top of the pretzels put a hershey kiss- also...unwrapping all those hershey kisses takes a while :p

bake for 4-5 minutes, the chocolate should be shiny, but not melted

then press an M&M into each....and voila!  done!!

since I am sometimes baking challenged, this could not have been easier!

mine don't look quite as nice...I don't think my oven was hot enough...as it never is...

but the students approved...there were none left :)

perfect baked buffalo wings

I don't throw the word perfect around lightly...but these wings are simply perfection.


the quest to make wings started a few months back, when our go-to delivery place was taken over by people who don't know squat about running a restaurant.


so after pouting for a while, I decided that making them myself could be a healthier and more economical solution to our Sunday football dinners...



thus began the trial and error...some were undercooked...some stuck to the pan...some were too greasy...


then it was like the skies opened up...and the light shone down on me...and I heard angels singing...


put the wings on a cookie rack, on top of the tray!


it is a really simple recipe...and I have to say, I probably won't call for takeout wings ever again :)

**just a disclaimer- I really don't measure when I make these...so for those of you who need measurements, I'm sort of just estimating what I think I do :)

you'll need:
Chicken Wings
Butter
Wing Sauce
Salt
Pepper

directions:
pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees

in a mixing bowl, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter
to the butter mixture, add in the chicken wings, sprinkle with salt and pepper- as much as you prefer- and toss
add in 1-2 cups of wing sauce- just enough to coat them

I usually let this sit for 20-30 minutes, but the longer they sit, the more they'll marinate :)


bake for 45 minutes

all the extra grease drips off- it looks a little burnt in the picture...this was a time I put the heat too high...but the wings still tasted great :)  

voila!  eat and enjoy!  serve with celery and carrot sticks and Ranch- blue cheese is just gross ;)


okay- before I offend any blue cheese lovers here...when I worked in a restaurant in college I dropped a vat- yes it was like a 3-gallon jug of blue cheese all over myself...haven't been able to look at it since :p


so go my pretties...make wings and enjoy!

Recipe Box- Chicken Marsala Pasta

one of B's favorite dishes whenever we go out to dinner, is Chicken Marsala.

so the good girlfriend that I am, I wanted to try and make it for him at home.  now my love for pasta is equal if not greater to B's love of Chicken Marsala...

so I was excited to give it a try...new recipes are always exciting!  and scary...I always seem to overlook one tiny detail- but it seems to be one that changes the entire flavor of the recipe...

like a tablespoon of pepper rather then a teaspoon...

anyway...it was time to try this one!



and it was Ahhhh-mazing!  we loved it, and it is now in the official rotation of meals!  I am not a huge fan of mushrooms, but I scooted mine onto B's plate...so it was all good :)


this recipe is from the blog: What's Cookin' Chicago
(the photos are from my own cooking experience!)

 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite sized pieces
10-12 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound dry pasta + water for cooking (I used penne, rigatoni is also good)
1 cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
minced, chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Makes: 4-6 servings

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet until foaming. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Transfer to plate when done.

Boil water and cook pasta according to the directions.

Melt additional 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet, add garlic, mushrooms and onion and cook for about 6 minutes. Add cooked chicken back into the skillet. Add the Marsala, chicken broth and cream and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce is is slightly thickened.

Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Return the pasta  to the pot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the mushrooms and chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and cook until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 1 minute, adding the reserved cooking water as needed.

Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and a garnish of chopped parsley.  (I forgot parsley!)




happy eating!!

recipe box - stuffed peppers

another new recipe success!  I have to say, that since I've made the decision to once and for all get healthy, eat healthy, and exercise...eating has turned into more of a chore then something I enjoy- which has never been true for me!  I LOVE eating...I LOVE food...hence the need to eat healthy...

I honestly could eat pizza every day...lots of carbs and cheese...and caffeine make me a happy girl :)  my three C's I guess you could say :)  but then I'd also need a forklift to get me off the couch and out of my house...so I am adopting the ever popular mantra of "everything in moderation"...I know that is not a new theory, but I know more then ever that if you tell me I can't eat something, that it is going to make me want to eat it more then ever...I am not a cold turkey dieter...I need to eat a little of the bad stuff with a lot of the good stuff...

and isn't it nice when the good stuff tastes awesome?

enter stuffed peppers...a recipe that my bestie Bonnie sent to me...and it was what we ate for dinner tonight :)


here are the ingredients that i used:

4 red bell peppers sliced in half, with the centers cleaned out
about a pound of ground beef or ground turkey
1 yellow onion, chopped
garlic- I used the stuff that comes in a jar, since that was what I had in the house- about 2 tablespoons
salt & pepper (to taste)
tomato sauce- I didn't measure, but maybe 1 cup, plus some to add on top
shredded Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese


* as you can see...I didn't really measure anything...so feel free to alter how you see fit :) *

in a skillet, heat up a little olive oil and heat the onions and garlic for a few minutes

add in the ground beef/turkey and cook until browned- salt and pepper to taste

 
cut the peppers in half, and spread out on a baking sheet
(I always line with foil- makes for an easy (read: lazy) clean up!)

mix the tomato sauce and cheese into the mixture in the skillet

spoon the mixture into the peppers

bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes
add cheese to the top of each pepper and bake for 2 additional minutes

then EAT and ENJOY!

I made a nice simple salad of cucumbers and red onion to go with it :)


and besides adding the cheese on top (depending on the kind of cheese), the whole meal is gluten free! 

Recipe Box- Granola Energy Bites

these are delicious little bites of granola, honey, peanut butter, chocolate, and coconut...and you don't even have to bake them!  these could not be any easier...and yuuuuuummmmmy!  great for a quick breakfast, or a snack...I suggest you try them :)

image from Smashed Peas & Carrots

click here for the recipe!

Recipe Box- Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

The summer of new recipes continues!  I will admit, I used to be pretty terrified of using my crock pot/slow cooker...the idea of leaving something "on" in my house all day while I was gone instilled enough fear in me to hardly ever use it besides on the weekends.  But my friends all assured me that crock pots were in fact designed for just such a use, and I had to give in a little...I mean...people wouldn't keep buying them if they burned houses down on the regular, right?


so anyway...this recipe is amazing!  I love chinese/japanese/thai food...anything with and Asian flair and I'll probably eat it :)  so this seemed like a great alternative (cheaper, healthier, etc) to getting take out...and it was a winner! We made some rice, and I sliced up some seedless cucumber to put with it...a perfect summer dinner!

I found the recipe via Pinterest, but you can get the original post here from the blog, Table for Two.

(I borrowed her photo, because I ate the dish too quickly!)

Recipe Box - Creamy Orzo with Parmesan & Asparagus

I have a ton of 'go-to' side dishes that I rotate through, most of them simple, many come from a bag...and in the interest of eating healthier, and trying to make more things from scratch, I decided to try this recipe for Creamy Orzo with Asparagus Parmesan from Sugar & Spice by Celeste.  as many recipes that I try and like...this was really easy, and very tasty :)

image from Sugar & Spice by Celeste

Once a Hokie, Always a Hokie

through the magic of the internet, twitter, etc...I came across a blog run by a fellow Virginia Tech grad, called Young, Married, Chic...I instantly bookmarked it, because if you are a Hokie you know, we all seem to have this special connection and unspoken friendship with other Hokies...so I knew I would want to browse through all the recipes for healthy eating, great ideas for hostess gifts, and then I found it...a cookbook, with recipes and stories from Blacksburg, called A Taste of Virginia Tech...so I pre-ordered it...and sometime in August I'll get it and I am SO excited to read it and try and re-create some favorites!

one of the things that I always loved about school, was definitely the food...there were so many great restaurants, not to mention the amazing dining halls...oh West End, my meal plan dollars were always well spent there!  

you can go order your very own copy here!  you know you want to :D

Cheers! Pink Fizzy Recipe

by now, if you are a loyal reader of my blog, you will know that I love Pinterest...I have to actually try and limit the number of times in a given day that I check it...but it is the source of a lot of my new favorite recipes, and this one's for a refreshing summer cocktail!


we made this Pink Fizzy to cool us down after Home Run Derby at my Dad's surprise 60th birthday party...and it was soooooo good!  This recipe is courtesy of Sutter Home :)

Recipe Box - Sweet & Sour Chicken

More new recipes here!  This recipe came from the blog Life as a Lofthouse via Pinterest (surprised, aren't you?)

I took a stab at Sweet & Sour Chicken that you bake in the oven...and I was pretty excited about it...and am happy to report it was just as good as it looked!  And another plus it was really easy!  The only thing that I thought would annoy me, was that during the hour you bake the chicken you flip it (in my case I just sort of stirred it) every 15 minutes...and it honestly kept me on my toes to prepare the fried rice that went with it.

I followed the recipe exactly and it came out great!  Another one to add to the rotation!

recipe box favorites: PF Changs Dan Dan Noodles!

In the spirit of eating healthier, and spending less money on restaurants and take out (minus pizza...pizza will always be in the diet and budget) I thought it would be fun to try and make some of our favorite recipes at home...test 1, PF Changs Dan Dan Noodles...B's favorite, and I always end up trying to steal a bite or two of his...

I found a recipe after searching on line for a while, and I am pretty impressed with it and myself!  here was the finished product...and it even got a thumbs up from the "food critic"

you can find the recipe here

but in case your lazy...it's also here :)


Just like "PF Changs" Dan-Dan Noodles

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets, cooked and minced (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking chicken
1 6-ounce package chow mein noodles
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup julienned English cucumber
1/2 cup bean sprouts


Saute chicken fillets in oil for 10-12 minutes in a skillet. Mince cooked
chicken into very small pieces.

Prepare the noodles following the directions on the package.

Make sauce by heating oil over medium heat in a saucepan or wok. Add garlic
and green onion and saute for just a few seconds, being careful not to burn
the garlic. Add soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and chile-garlic
sauce.

Combine the cornstarch with 1/2 cup water and stir it into the sauce. Simmer
sauce for about 2 minutes or until it thickens.

Add the chicken to the thicken sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Place cooked noodles onto a serving plate. Spoon chicken and sauce over the top of the noodles, then garnish with julienned cucumber on one side, bean sprouts on the other.

recipe box favorites: donuts!

I decided that I wanted to try and start branching out on my recipes, so I wasn't getting so bored at the meals I cooked day after day, week after week...B has started helping out, making his go-to dish, tacos, once a week, on the night I get home late from the gym...but besides that...I typically make 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 5 dinners a week (pizza is another big helper!)

so in the spirit of having more variety at breakfast time...I thought this coming weekend I'd try to make these donuts that came in my weekly Real Simple email :)

photo by Yunhee Kim

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 8-count package large refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat ½ cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Place the biscuits on a cutting board. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or shot glass, cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, reserving the extra dough for "holes."
3. Test the heat of the oil by dipping the edge of a doughnut in the pan. When the oil is hot enough, the edge will bubble. Place 4 of the doughnuts and holes in the skillet and cook until golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel–lined plate to drain. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, reheat, and cook the remaining doughnuts and holes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss the warm doughnuts in the mixture a few at a time. Serve warm or at room temperature.
    This recipe makes 8 doughnuts, plus holes.

recipe box favorites: chicken & dumplings

I recently tried a new recipe!  It's been a while since I've ventured away from my 'safe and easy' meals to try something new...but I saw this recipe Real Simple last week, and I had all the ingredients on hand...and all I had to do was throw it in the crockpot and let it cook all day...sold!

I made a few changes, because I didn't have heavy cream, so I substituted cream of chicken soup, and I didn't have any dry white wine, so I just used extra chicken stock...and last change was using gnocchi instead of biscuits to be my dumplings...because I love gnocchi :)

it turned out really well, and we had leftovers that re-heated and tasted just as good!

I highly recommend this one! 

For the original recipe, go here!

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound carrots (about 4), cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 6 (store-bought or Easy Drop Biscuits; see recipe), split **gnocchi**
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss together the carrots, celery, onion, and flour. Place the chicken on top and season with the poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the wine and broth.

2. Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 1⁄2 to 3 hours (this will shorten total cooking time).

3. Thirty minutes before serving, prepare the Easy Drop Biscuits (if using).

4. Ten minutes before serving, add the peas, cream, and ½ teaspoon salt to the chicken and stir to combine. Cover and cook until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more.

5. To serve, place the bottom halves of the biscuits in shallow bowls, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining biscuit halves.

recipe box favorites: pumpkin cupcakes

I know pumpkin is usually a flavor reserved for fall...but I could eat pumpkin pie, cookies, cakes of any variety all year long...

now this is a recipe I haven't tried yet...but might consider whipping up for a snack for our girls weekend coming up...

Ingredients

• 1 18.5-ounce box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 24 pieces candy corn

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.
2. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Spread on the cupcakes and top each with a piece of candy corn.

Makes 24 cupcakes



how cute are they with the little candy corn on them!? 

recipe from Real Simple

warm soup for cold nights

I love to cook, and I love to cook soups when it is cold and snowy outside...which this winter has been a LOT!

One of my new favorites- that is also really really easy to make (bonus!) is Italian Wedding Soup...I had it for the first time a few Christmas's ago, when Brett and I were at his mom's house in Florida...and I've been hooked ever since! You can make this yummy soup in just about 30 minutes!














the recipe I use is based on Giada De Laurentiis' (yay food network) recipe
photo from http://recipetips.com

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 pound of ground meat (I usually use beef, but chicken, turkey or pork would work- whatever you use for your own meatballs)
1 egg
1 small onion, grated
*I use garlic salt to season, but her recipe calls for both garlic and salt
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs- I never actually measure, but I think I use about a cup...

Soup:
12 cups of chicken stock
1/2 box, thawed frozen spinach **the recipe calls for endive, which I never have on hand...I love frozen spinach, and always have that!
2 eggs
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl, mix and form meatballs. I make mine as small as possible, but you can make yours any size you desire :)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and spinach and simmer- about 8-10 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a bowl. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

I love to serve the soup with some crusty bread, and of course a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top :)

I am Smitten (Kitchen)

I have to thank my friend Danielle for bringing to my attention one of the cutest little cooking blogs ever! Smitten Kitchen is run by Deb, out of good old NYC (where they probably have the best food, hands down...sorry Baltimore)...but she's not promoting all the fab restaurants or zillions of take-out empires the city has, no no...she's cooking up a storm!

her blog goes back about four years, and in my snow-induced lock down, I've been going through just about all of it...my "recipes" bookmark in Firefox is jam packed of new things to try...once I can hit the store for ingredients :)

the initial recipe that caught my eye, was one for mini soft pretzels...













how cute are these?? here is the direct link...but trust me, you're going to want to bookmark, and read through her entire blog (which is also broken down into categories if you're impatient :) -or not snowed in)

I could easily pick 98057084260707 other recipes to feature as well...so you're just going to have to go read, and see what I mean :)

Dr Pepper...steak??

So we all know how much I love Dr Pepper :) and my dad is a big fan too...so when I saw this recipe, I thought I'd share, and eventually try it for myself

so I bring you...Dr Pepper Tenderloin...enjoy!
(photo from www.rachaelraymag.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef fillet (preferably cut from the large end of a whole tenderloin), tied with butcher twine every inch
• 1 liter Dr Pepper
• ½ cup soy sauce
• Juice of 3 lemons (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Servings PrepTime 10 min + marinating Cook 45 min

Directions:

1. Place the beef in a deep container for marinating. Add 2 cups Dr Pepper and the remaining ingredients and mix well. Add more Dr Pepper to cover. Seal and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium. Place the tenderloin on the grill, reserving the marinade, and cover the grill (or heat a grill pan over medium heat, add the tenderloin and cover loosely with foil). Cook, turning occasionally, until the meat registers 130° on a meat thermometer for medium-rare, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a board to rest for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat and simmer until slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Slice the beef and drizzle with the Dr Pepper sauce.

Tuesday's Recipe of the Week!

I haven't tried this one yet...but it came to my email today...and it's on my list of meals for next week!

Sautéed Chicken With Corn and Edamame

Photo courtesy of Real Simple.com
find the recipe here!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces sliced bacon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh (from 2 ears) or frozen

Directions

• Heat oven to 400° F.
• In a large skillet, over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard the drippings.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and roast until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the edamame and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Break the bacon into pieces and add them to the killet. Stir in the remaining salt and pepper. Spoon onto individual plates and serve with the chicken.