SIMPLE Sesame Ginger Stir-fry

Here's a really simple, delicious, healthy dinner idea for you.  It's right at the top of my list of my favorite meals.

First, get yourself some of this delicious stuff next time you are at the store . . .

Then chop up any kind of left over veggies you have in your refrigerator and steam them.  My favorite veggies to use are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and celery (all of which we have recently gotten in our Bountiful Basket!).

Next, chop up some chicken and cook the pieces in a pan on the stove.  Add some of the ginger dressing to the chicken and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve the veggies and chicken over some brown rice, top with a little more ginger dressing and VOILA . . .

. . . a really easy, delicious, healthy meal!

Potato Broccoli Soup (with bacon on top!)

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My kids had a day off from school last week due to the cold. I'm sure many of your kiddos did as well. BUT...does it have to be 40 BELOW ZERO with the wind chill before YOUR kids get out? It does for mine. So, when I say it was cold freezing IT WAS COLD! And nothing tastes better on a cold day than soup. And I was thrilled to find this delicious recipe for Potato Broccoli Soup on the very popular blog, Made. And as fate would have it, guess what was in our basket this week? The two main ingredients for the soup, red potatoes and broccoli. I just might cross my fingers for another cold day this week. I'd be happy to make it again! ENJOY!

Beef, Broccoli, Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

I'm sitting next to my husband who is watching our DVR'd version of the Super-Bowl.  When we lived in California we always got together with friends and made grilled pizzas, but this year, we just stayed home and had a lovely day with our family.  We started the game while the kids were still up but we didn't get very far along so the husband is finishing it now.  I know nothing about football but I do look up for the commercials.  We made Lisa's fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips for dessert tonight; something we rarely have at our house.  Richard must have thought he died and went to heaven.  :)  Especially since dinner was amazing as well. 

When I saw the broccoli in our Bountiful Basket this week, I knew I was going to try this recipe and now it's in my recipe box.  Only recipes I will use again end up there.  I decided to add the red bell pepper we got yesterday, as well as some yellow and orange I had on hand.  I think bell peppers are good in everything.

This was a simple recipe.  The preparation was easy-peasy and the cooking didn't take too long.  Give it a try this week.  Much healthier and I think better tasting than take-out.  This recipe came from the Weight Watchers website, like many of mine do. 

Beef, Broccoli, and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry
2 1/2 T cornstarch, divided
1/4 t salt
3/4 pound(s) lean sirloin beef, trimmed and thinly sliced against the grain
2 t canola oil
1 C chicken broth, divided
5 cups broccoli florets
1 T ginger root, finely minced
2 t minced garlic (I used 4 smallish cloves)
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (I used more and next time will use even more.)
1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 C water
**I added a half red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, sliced

Instructions
1) Toss the beef in a mixture of 2 T cornstarch and salt.  Mix until coated.
2) Heat oil in a large nonstick wok over medium-high heat.  Add beef and stir-fry until browned.  Transfer to a bowl.
3) Add 1/2 C broth to pan, loosen any bits of food on sides and bottom of pan.  Add broccoli (and peppers) cover and cook, stirring occasionally until broccoli is almost crisp-tender.  Add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper.  Stir fry for about 1 minute.
4)  In a cup mix together soy sauce, remaining broth, 1/2 T cornstarch, and water until well blended. Add to pan, reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened.  Return beef to pan and toss to coat. 

We served ours over basmati rice.  Lucky husband, he gets the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. 

Tuna Casserole with Broccoli & Other Veggies

Now I know many of you will just pass this recipe by purely because it's a tuna casserole, but it was seriously good.  You should have seen my 15 month old eat like it was going out of style.  He's a good eater but lately has been picking veggies out of things. But this meal he ate every last bite and it was chock full of vegetables.  The 3 year old on the other hand, well, let's just say she is very much 3!! 

So grab yourself 2 cans of tuna, some no-yolk noodles and let's get cooking the Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole from the site skinnytaste.com.  I did make a few modifications so that I could just use what I had at home without having to run to the market.

*6 oz. no-yolk noodles
*1 T butter
*1 medium onion, minced
*3 T flour
*1 3/4 c chicken broth
*1 c milk (I used skim, that's what I had on hand.  Maybe I should have used the baby's whole...mmmm)
*mushrooms cut to your preference (i don't love mushrooms but know they add great flavor.  i used 4 oz. diced and it was perfect for us.)
*broccoli, cut into small pieces, about 2 cups
*3 stalks celery, sliced
*2 large carrot, diced
*1 c frozen peas, thawed
*salt and pepper to taste
*2 cans tuna in water, drained
*1 c medium cheddar cheese
*2 T Parmesan cheese
*2 T breadcrumbs.  I used 1 slice BB bread that I let dry out and pulsed it in my food processor.  Didn't use it all

*oven 375 degrees, 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray

1)  Cook your noodles so that they are a little undercooked.  Drain, rinse and set aside.

2)  melt the butter in a large skillet, add onions and cook until tender.

3)  stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly

4)  slowly whisk in broth and stir until well mixed.  add milk and bring to a boil.

5)  add vegetables and let cook on medium heat until mixture begins to thicken; about 10 minutes

6)  stir in drained tuna

7)  stir in cheese and noodles.  mix until well coated.

8)  pour into greased 9x13 pan.  cook for 20-25 minutes on middle rack.

9)  remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to set up. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go have the leftovers for lunch. 

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Smoked Mozzarella

We had another delicious meal for dinner last night.  I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but it's been a good week of food already!

This meal was a great way to use up three items from this week's basket . . . broccoli, asparagus, and pears!

I made this great pasta dish and served steam asparagus and these delicious and healthy (for muffins, at least) pear muffins on the side. 

Enjoy!

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Smoked Mozzarella

*Note: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions.
*Serves 6-8

Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (I made my own in my food processor.)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ounces smoked mozzarella, shredded
8 ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into pieces (I didn't use the oil-packed tomatoes. They are way higher in calories and fat and twice the price of plain sun-dried tomatoes.  So that's what I used . . . a 3.5 oz package of ready to use sun-dried tomatoes and chopped them up.)

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. 

In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli. The broccoli cooks quickly so stay close! Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the salt, pepper, and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Twice Baked POTATOES

It's pretty much guaranteed that if we get a bag of potatoes in our baskets, I will make these. They make a perfect dinner; fast, filling, and most importantly, delish.  It's originally a weight watchers recipe but really, I just dump stuff in.  I figure out how many potatoes I want, and then just eyeball the amounts of everything to my liking for that day.  Sometimes I love tons of broccoli, other times I am in more of a cheesy mood.  You know how that is, right?

Here's what you need: 

-POTATOES baked with the insides scooped out.  do this carefully.  leave a edge so they don't fall apart.
-GREEN ONIONS diced
-BROCCOLI cut into tiny florets and steamed.  (you could use frozen, but I don't like the consistency)
-CHEESE grated
-SOUR CREAM
-BUTTER
-MILK
- HAM diced (they are just as good without)

Prepare baked potatoes and carefully scoop out the inside.  In a mixer, combine scooped out potato with the remaining ingredients.  Mix until combined.  Scoop back into potato shells, filling generously.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through and slightly golden brown. 

Hopefully when we get a 5 lb bag of taters in our baskets, these will become a standby for you too!

broccoli, broccoli, broccoli . . .

Have you felt like you have had broccoli coming out of your ears the past couple of weeks?  Getting broccoli three weeks in a row sure made us feel that way.  We love broccoli in our house, but it sure seemed like a lot!

We finally used up the last of our broccoli late last week with these two really quick and easy but delicious recipes.  

Sunday night we had my parents, Grandma and Kim's family over for dinner.  My husband and I made these amazing homemade bread bowls (the Italian Bread Bowls) and served this incredible Broccoli Cheese Soup in them.  Both items were a total hit with everyone!

I was surprised at how easy the bread bowls were to make.  And if you are lucky enough to have a Kitchen Aid, they will be even easier.  I don't have a Kitchen Aid (I am dying to get one!), but luckily, I do have a strong husband who did all the mixing and kneading.

And the Broccoli Cheese Soup came together in a jiffy!  Honestly, it was so quick and easy.  I am positive this soup will become a regular in our house.

 Earlier in the week, we made a broccoli casserole.  The recipe comes from a recipe book put together and given to me as a wedding gift by one of our family's dearest friends.  My husband and I made it a couple of months ago and honestly, I liked it better the first time for some reason.  When we made it this week it just didn't taste as good to me.  My husband still gobbled it right up.  But me . . . I don't know what my deal was.

Give it a try and let me know what you and your family think . . .

Quick Chicken Divan

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh broccoli, cut and steamed

1(10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 cup uncooked rice, cooked in 2 cups water

2 cups chicken, cubed and cooked

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese

2 TBS butter, melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12x8 baking dish.  Place cooked rice in dish.  Sprinkle chicken and broccoli evenly over the rice.  Combine lemon juice, soup, mayonnaise and cheese; spread over chicken and broccoli.  Toss breadcrumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over casserole.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes uncovered.

Mixed Emotions---You Be the Judge

I'm really hoping that someone looks past the food combination here, and tries this recipe, because I really want another opinion. 

If I'm being honest, it wasn't my favorite, BUT I did want to keep going back for more?! 

What's that all about? 

My family loves broccoli and usually we eat it steamed or in stir-fry.  Since I've been getting my BB I have been trying to venture out with how we eat our fruits and veggies. You know, trying to mix it up a little. So with that in mind, tonight I made Broccoli Cheese Cornbread. 

Yes, you heard me right. Broccoli in cornbread.  If it's any consulation, my daughter who won't eat anything with color in it, didn't even question the green specks and ate it all right up.  

After I've had a few hours to think about it, I think it would pair well with a cheese quiche or something rich and decadent; not the grilled chicken breast we ate it with...

Ingredients:

1 C flour

1 C cornmeal

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

4 eggs (I used egg beaters)

2 T butter, melted

1 C cottage cheese

1/2-1 onion, chopped (I used 1/2)

fresh broccoli, chopped fine

1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease an 11x7 inch baking pan.

2)  Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

3)  Melt the butter and combine with eggs, cottage cheese, and onion. Stir the egg and cheese mixture into the flour mixture.  Fold in the broccoli.  Pour batter into the prepared pan. 

4)  Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick into the center of the pan comes out clean.  

**original recipe found at allrecipes.com

So, if you're brave, give this one a try and then come back and let's talk about what YOU thought of the recipe.