Potato Cakes with Feta Dressing

I have learned a very life lesson.... I should not be left alone for 2 weeks with the kids... I gained 6 pounds in 12 days?! Who does that?

I would make the kids dinner but I needed to do a million other things so I would wait to eat until way late at night, which is a big no no, and of course I had to have dessert...at all times of the day :) I am used to cooking enough food for the 4 of us plus enough to have leftovers the next day...minus a person eating 2 of those portions equals a woman right here who eats like a full grown trucker :/

I've slowly started getting back in the kitchen now that I am adjusting to our new life routine...i.e. the start of school, carpools, moms meetings at church, events, classes, etc... it took me a while to figure out a new routine, but I'm on the way :)

I really have been trying to be mindful of using everything I have in my home and not just popping out to the store for an ingredient or two. I do not normally use regular white potatoes, they are not the nutritional star that sweet potatoes or yams are, but I had one lonely one and I wanted to use it.

Hello lovely potato cake...YUM!

100% 'Real' Food - all real, whole ingredients. I read labels like textbooks, so check yours to make sure your cheese is just cheese and no fillers or preservatives, same with your yogurt. I always use organic eggs and dairy products and fruits/veggies on the dirty dozen list. I want to make my meals as wholesome and nutritious as I can without having to rely on preservatives, fillers or junk. I save those things for when I hide in my closet at midnight sneaking desserts ;)

Ingredients
1 large russet potato, peeled
1 small sweet onion, peeled
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons scallions, roughly chopped
1 tsp granulated garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dried rosemary

Using a food processor's shredding disc, or a box grater, grate the potato and onion directly into a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Squeeze out liquid, set aside.

In large bowl combine spices and flour

Add egg, feta and scallions and mix until an almost batter like consistency

Squeeze potato and onion mixture again over the sink to remove remaining moisture and add to egg/flour/spice mixture

Refrigerate for approximately 5 minutes, or the time it takes to heat a small cast iron pan over medium high heat with oil until shimmering. You can use a different heavy pan, but cast iron is 100% the best option for this and produces the absolute best results.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees F

When oil is hot, add half of the potato mixture and use the back of a wooden spoon to spread out mixture the diameter of a pan, about a 5-6 inch circle.

Cook about 4-5 minutes or until the potato mixture is set and golden brown on the bottom. Carefully flip and cook on second side until golden brown about 4 more minutes. Transfer to oven, add more oil if necessary and wait until it is back to shimmering. Add remaining  potato mixture, spread and cook on both sides. Remove from pan, let sit 3-4 minutes.

While potato is cooling, mix up feta dressing/dip in a magic bullet, blender or small food processor

Feta Dip (makes about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tablespoon scallions

Process all together and serve.

These are great for any meal! You can top with an egg for breakfast, some pulled pork or barbecue chicken for lunch or dinner, cut into wedges for a light lunch with a salad or as a side dish. Hot or cold, these are Fabulous!!

**Note, to reheat do NOT use the microwave - they will be a soggy mess :( Use the oven set to 350, and bake on a baking sheet about 7-10 minutes or until hot. **

Look at these babies!!!

Crisp and golden on the outside but fluffy and moist on the inside! YUM YUM YUM!!!

Orange Ginger Chicken

 My husband recently had to leave for a week for a work trip so it was me and these crazy little people alone :) They keep me entertained, that's for sure.



 

 
 

 

 

I wish I could say I was cooking up gourmet meals every night at 5pm while wearing my prettiest apron to my freshly scrubbed well behaved children sitting patiently at the dinner table...

 

Laughing Yet?? ;) Yeah, me too.

 

They did get fed, and it was all homemade and healthy, but that's as far as it went. And to be truly honest, I sat at the table while they ate relishing in the fact that I could cook later for myself and eat quietly after the kids were in bed....it's the small things, right?

 

My hubby will eat most anything I cook, but he really would be ok if he never ate any sort of Asian food ever, so I took the opportunity to cook some for myself and not feel guilty :)

 

Orange Ginger Chicken (without the husband guilt)

 

Yes!! It's SO good!!!

This recipe is really just for the sauce, so you could use it with pretty much any meat or vegetables. You could use boneless skinless chicken breasts - cube them, bake them, pan sear them, fry them...whatever.

 

My chicken was the good old flour and pan fry kind. I imagine pork could work well here too.

Whatever you use, I would cook up the chicken (or pork or whatever) separately and have that ready. I would transfer the meat to a plate to rest but KEEP the good pan juices to start the sauce.

 

 I think its best to prepare the sauce and then add it slowly to the meat to taste. Asian food can be pretty flavorful and the last thing you want to do is have soppy soggy sauce laden chicken...no good.

 

Orange Ginger Sauce

 

1 clove garlic, minced
3 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1 cup fresh orange juice

1.5 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce (organic is recommended)

1 teaspoon oil ( I used grape seed oil but coconut or olive oil would work as well)

 

Use the pan you cooked your meat in, just transfer the meat out but keep the good pan juices at the bottom. Add the teaspoon oil and heat to medium/medium high. Add in ginger and garlic and sauté a couple of minutes until browned but be careful to not burn.

 

Add in chili sauce and grated orange peel and cook one minute more. Add in orange juice and soy sauce, stir to combine and loosen anything stuck to pan. Reduce heat to medium if not already there and cook 5-10 minutes until sauce reduces by about a third and is slightly syrupy but not sticky. Take sauce off the heat and add in sesame oil. Let sauce cook slightly and add to meat a little at a time.

 

Top with toasted sesame seeds and green onions...and sit in a quiet room and eat slowly without any guilt :)

 

Happy Eating...

 



 



It's been a while! Plus, Chicken lettuce wraps!

Well, um, so, yeah....

It's been a while since I have last posted... kind of wish I had a valid excuse or reason - like hey sorry I won the lottery, been traveling or man, that shark bite sure made it hard to type... but nope, just life :)

That's what great about a blog, it doesn't care if you are away for a while, it's still waiting there for you when you return - a method I would not suggest for relationships :)

So onto the FOOD!

I have been working hard to eat clean and healthy and work out diligently and it has finally been rewarding to see weight come off... I think I do better with weight loss in the summer anyway. It's Arizona, you could stand outside for a few hours and probably sweat off 3 pounds :/ But summer is the time for salads and fresh summer produce and it's just so stinking hot I don't feel like turning on the dang oven!

I have been really loving a simple watermelon, basil and feta salad...so refreshing :) I think I may have a slight problem with feta... I like it too much! If I could put it in everything I just might.

I was thinking about dinner the other night and I really didn't want to turn on the oven but I was really craving something hearty yet light - yeah, I confuse myself too :) I knew I wanted some kind of salad involved, but I also wanted something warm, but nothing too heavy or full of cream/butter.

I happened to have a package of ground chicken breast that I needed to use and I had no desire to make a meatloaf or meatballs or burgers, so I figured I would just see what else I had on hand. This is truly how most of my meals come about, I see what I have, what looks good, what needs to be used and somehow someway it will become a meal. Major successes have stemmed from this method, and some quite spectacular fails as well, but it keeps me accountable to using what I have and not being wasteful.

Don't those look pretty!! Hearty, light, warm, filling, healthy - major success :)

So as you may have realized, I am not too good with measuring, I just kind of taste as I go, but I am working on that :)

For the wrap
2-3 romaine leaves (you could sub collard greens, iceberg lettuce, etc...)

Garlic Sour Cream
Sauté 3 cloves garlic in a bit of olive oil until fragrant but not burned, transfer to a food processor or magic bullet and whirl up, add in about 1/4 cup sour cream, blend again, keep refrigerated until you use it.

Chicken Filling
1 package ground chicken breast (mine was about 3/4 of a pound)
1/4 cup chopped kale
1/4 cup diced zucchini
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced bell pepper, any colors
1/4 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to your taste - my kiddos were eating this so I kept it mild)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat olive oil to medium heat, add in carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, all spices and herbs and sauté until vegetables are cooked but still have a bite to them (no mushy veg, ack) - about 6 minutes
Add in ground chicken, kale and garlic, cook until chicken is cooked through - about 6-8 minutes
Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding in more spices/herbs to your liking. Let simmer at low heat for an additional 5- 8 minutes to really develop the flavors (or skip this step and eat directly from the pan with a spoon)

Add to lettuce, top with sour cream and EAT!

Happy Eating

Saucy Short Ribs

Short Ribs....

 

For some reason they get a rap for being really difficult, they aren't. Nope! And they are a pretty inexpensive cut of meat which is great as well. They just take time.

Something you should know about me, I am not patient. I try to be, but then I just get frustrated :) Not patient at all.

 I just do not have the time to stand in the kitchen all day babysitting food. If I did that, there would be one child or the other in the emergency room daily... My kids are dare devils and very sneaky ones at that :)

So, back to me not being patient. If I am going to cook a meal, I do not want it to be a huge production. I want to cook and get it on the table to feed my family, and I want it to taste amazing. I do not use my crockpot a lot because, although a great invention, I have a hard time being home and just seeing my food cook there and not go messing with it. See, I told you I am not patient :)

So when I make short ribs, I do so on Sundays. I am out of the house early and not back for a few hours, so when I get home, these babies are tender and delicious and best of all...Ready To Eat!

I served these delicious ones up with a cauliflower puree and crispy Brussels sprouts. YUM!!!

Saucy Short Ribs
2 pounds boneless short ribs
1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine the above ingredients in a zip-loc bag and shake to coat all ribs
Heat a cast iron or other heavy bottom pan to medium high
Add a drizzle of oil and wait until oil is hot, but not smoking
Brown ribs on all sides and place in slow cooker

In same pan, add the following ingredients

2 tablespoons butter (organic or grass-fed is always recommended)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves, or 3 small, garlic - minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (I used the trader joe's brand)
Cook until onions are transparent, watch garlic so it does not burn

Add in the following ingredients to deglaze the pan

1 cup stock (I used homemade vegetable stock, but any kind will work)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
Stir to combine everything

Pour all ingredients on top of ribs in slow cooker, set to low (8 hours) or high (4 hours) depending on your desired setting. When you take them out the meat should very easily shred/separate.

Carefully remove meat and strain the liquid into a saucepan, cook down until a thick, saucy, sticky syrup remains. Place the ribs back in the sauce, turn to coat, remove ribs to the plate with puree, top with Brussels sprouts and sauce.

Cauliflower Puree
1 small head cauliflower, about 2 cups of florets
1.5 cups whole milk, half and half or heavy cream (you can use lower fat milk, it just wont be as creamy)

Combine milk and cauliflower in a saucepan, cook on medium heat until cauliflower is very tender.
Transfer cauliflower to heavy duty blender with about 1/4 cup of liquid. Blend until very, very smooth, adding in more cooking liquid as necessary.
Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Trim up about 1 pound of Brussels sprouts and cut each in half
Heat olive oil in a pan until oil shimmers
Add in Brussels sprouts and cook without flipping or stirring for about 5-7 minutes, until cut side down is very golden brown
Flip and cook another 5-7 minutes without turning until this side is golden brown as well.

So if you look at this as a whole, the ribs cook themselves in the crockpot and you just spend about 15 minutes whipping up the puree and Brussels sprouts to go with it and you have a beautiful, hearty, wholesome, real food from real ingredients. YUM!!

Happy Eating :)

Mini Quiche with a Sweet Potato Crust

So it was Mother's Day...

These little faces greet me each morning...

 But on Mother's Day they greeted me just a little bit later than normal... it was the best gift in and of itself :) I mean I love my children, they are the best thing to happen to me, but man when then sleep in!

I figured I would make breakfast for the family as I do everyday, I was offered breakfast in bed, but alas I am happiest in the kitchen making food I know will nourish and fill my family. Oh, and I am a complete control freak :) There is just something about the unknown..you should see me decide on a meal at a restaurant I haven't been to.... yeah, not pretty.

These were super yummy, quick litte quiches that tasted amazing and were free from that guilty feeling you get when you realize you basically just ingested a pie crust filled with butter....for breakfast...filled with eggs and cheese....yeah.

Mini Quiches with Sweet Potato Crusts

Crusts
Par cooked sweet potato/yam or both shredded...
yup precook those babies, its really the only way to make this crust work. scrub them up, pop them in the oven and cook until they are tender with just a little bit of 'bite'left in them...don't bite them, just push on them and they should not be completely mushy.

Let the potatoes cool, peel and then roughly grate them. Press into a mini tart pan with removeable base (you can also do this in a large tart pan or even muffin tins - just grease the muffin tins or they will stick). When you are pressing in the potatoes make sure to get the whole thing covered and go up over the side edges a bit because they will shrink a bit while cooking. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.

Precooked - i used one small sweet potato and one small yam

Bake at 425 for about 15-20 minutes. You want the crusts to brown up but not burn, so watch carefully. Remove, set aside and turn down oven to 400.

Quiche



3 eggs
2 tablespoons milk or cream
choice of fillings - sauteed for a few minutes
(I used spinach, zucchini, asparagus, bell pepper, scallions and shallot sauteed in a bit of olive oil until spinach was wilted and shallot was almost translucent)
2 tablespoons grated cheese - I used parmesan

veggies all sauteed up and ready to be used

ingredients...i think i need more color here :)

Add sauteed ingredients to the par baked crusts
mix up eggs and milk/cream, season with salt and pepper to your taste
Pour egg mixture into crusts to almost the very top
Top with cheese

Bake at 400 for about 12-20 minutes (time will depend on size of your baking dish) or until eggs are set and golden brown.

All golden, bubbly and delicious

Remove your quiche from your tart shell (if using) by placing tart pan on top of a small bowl and letting tart ring slide off.

Ahhh, look at the beautiful butter and guilt free crust

Garnish with chives or sliced scallions and enjoy :)

And thank your mom, she's pretty great.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Cocoa mini cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream and salted caramel sauce

 

 

I love salt.... seriously, it is a hard core love affair with that stuff...
I like sweets of course, but they are SO much better when they have a bit of salt in them.
Salt just enhances all of the flavors and makes everything pop...right in your mouth - YUM!

Salted caramel is everywhere these days... sauces, ice cream, cakes, brownies, everywhere. It is pretty much the perfect base for a myriad of desserts...and maybe chips or something, I mean it is pretty amazing.

This is simple, quick and only has 5 ingredients... most of which you probably have in your home right now...so read on and then quick, run to the kitchen and whip up a batch of this yumminess!

Salted Caramel Sauce

2 cups sugar ( I used evaporated cane juice crystals)
3/4 cup (or 12 tablespoons) butter - cut into pieces
1 cup room temperature heavy cream
1.5 tablespoons flaky sea salt (large pieces are what you are looking for here)
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and scraped to get the seeds out (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)

Add all sugar to a heavy bottomed saucepan
Stir sugar until all sugar has melted
Once all sugar has melted, carefully watch but do not stir until sugar turns a deep amber color and reaches 350 degrees (use a candy thermometer clipped to the pan to help with this step if desired)
As SOON as sugar reaches 350, add the butter in and stir until melted
Remove the pan from heat and add in HALF of the cream and vanilla bean seeds/extract (be careful, it will bubble up and possibly splatter), stir well
Whisk in sea salt and let pan cool on stove (turned off) about 5-10 minutes
Add in remaining cream and stir to incorporate
Store in a bottle or jug in the refrigerator for up to a month (if it lasts that long)

Stir in the cream, yum

adding in remaining cream



Oh, she's so pretty!

Tummy Tamer Lolliops

Stomach sickness is awful... period.

There is just something about when your stomach is feeling upset that makes it hard to do anything else. I can work through headaches, colds, runny noses, allergies, etc... but when my stomach gets sick, forget it, I am out.

I jsut returned from a really fun quick break away with my husband. We needed it. I am so happy we went :) We hit the beaches of California and took a quick day at Disneyland. It was great!

One of the most fun things about vacationing is eating :) Oh is that just me, ok then...

I am happy to report I ate everything under the sun, a lot of things I normally do not eat. And then I paid the price. My stomach quickly let me know that it really couldn't wait for me to be home cooking like I ususally do.

We all know how great ginger is for when we are sick, but there are almost zero brands of ginger ale that are free from high fructose corn syrup and some have absolutely zero actual ginger in them... fail.

I wanted to think of a way to incorporate ginger in a fun, easy to eat, portable way... thus the lollipop was born.

These babies are good! Full of fresh grated ginger, lemon zest, lemon juice and honey. oh and they are corn syrup free too!

Lemon Ginger Lollipops
(makes 8 big ones, or 16 small ones)

natural (not bleached) sugar and honey make brown pops, but they sure taste amazing!

1 cup sugar (I used organic evaporated cane juice sugar)
1/3 cup water
1/8 tsp cream of tarter
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (do not use the powdered stuff)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon honey
1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
8 big lollipop sticks (or 16 small ones)

honey is missing here, but there is the ginger, lemon and zest

Line a baking sheet with parchment (not waxed) paper, and spread out sticks - set aside
In a heavy bottomed pot fitted with a candy thermometer, over medium heat, add sugar, water, lemon juice and cream of tarter
Stir until all sugar is dissolved
Turn up heat to medium high/high and let boil (do NOT stir) until it reaches hard ball stage (about 310 degrees) . It took me about 7 minutes.(if you drop some of the liquid into ice cold water it should harden to the point of breaking and no longer be sticky)
Working very quickly after the temperature reaches the right stage, remove pot from burner, plunge bottom of pot in water, add in honey, lemon zest and ginger, stir, and carefully pour onto sticks.
Let set up about 10 minutes.
Brush tops of lollipops with more lemon juice and sprinkle with more zest and ginger if desired.
Let set until completely dry and peel from paper.

Happy Eating...