Academy Awards Appetizers

Since the Academy Awards are on this weekend, naturally, I started thinking about what I wanted to eat while we watch them.  This Artichoke Spinach Dip really, really, could be one of my favorite recipes EVER! I'll be making this on Sunday, for sure!  What are your plans for the Academy Awards, aka, Oscars?



Ingredients:
3 tbs butter
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of salt
3 tbs of flour
3 1/2 cups of milk
1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 tsp of ranch seasoning mix
3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese; Plus additional 1/4 for top (I liked shredded for top, but anything works)
1 10oz package of frozen spinach defrosted and drained (you can place it in a dish towel once it is defrosted and give it a good ringing to get all the water out)
1 can of artichoke hearts chopped finely
Chips, baguette or veggies to dip with

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  While oven is heating, place a large skillet or sauce pan over medium heat and begin melting butter.  Add garlic and flour and stir together for a couple of minutes until a thick paste forms. Slowly whisk in milk. (Make sure you whisk and add milk slowly so lumps don't form!)  Bring to a bubble and add the cream cheese.  When it is melted and combined add the parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Add the ranch seasoning mix.  Check the seasoning at this point. (I didn't need more salt, but you may want to add a little more.  A little cayenne or hot sauce would be delicious too!)  Add spinach and artichoke hearts.  Stir well and remove from heat.  Transfer to a greased baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place in oven and bake until bubbly and the cheese is golden.  Serve with tortilla chips, bread or veggies.

Perfect Penne

This recipe has a lot of similarities to my Mediterranean Chicken Bowties recipe, which is really tasty so if you haven't made it, check it out!  Anyway, getting back to this recipe... If you are looking for a healthy, fast delicious dinner, look no further!  Here it is!

Recipe:
1 lb. penne pasta
1 can of artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
2 cups of fresh spinach
3 tbs of sundried tomatoes julienned (plus 2 tbs of the oil)
1/2 cup of kalamata olives drained
1 pkg of garlic & herb chicken sausage (Trader Joe's) chopped on the bias
1/2 cup of white wine
1 tub of fresh marinated mozzarella
fresh basil to garnish

Directions:
Start by preparing your penne pasta according to packaged instructions.  While waiting for pasta, in a large skillet over medium heat add a couple of tablespoons of the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes.  Add your sliced chicken sausage and brown lightly for about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, olives and wine.  Reduce wine and add the artichoke hearts and 1/2 a cup of the marinade from the mozzarella. (This has all the herbs and seasoning that you'll need to make this pasta delicious!) When the pasta is al dente, reserve a cup of the cooking water, drain and add the penne to the skillet with the sausage.  Stir to coat the pasta and add a little of the cooking water to loosen the sauce, if needed.  Remove from the heat and toss in the spinach and mozzarella.  Serve immediately.

Here are pictures of two of the key ingredients in this recipe, so you know what to look for at the grocery store!

It looks amazing, doesn't it?!  Enjoy!

Back From Vacation

I've been incommunicado for the last week or so.  My family and I took a much needed vacation to Disneyland!  My girls had a fantastic time!  We had three day park hopper passes and I can say we were in full Disney mode all three days.  We rode a ton of rides, saw shows, met princesses and rode the horse drawn carriage.  I don't think my legs have ever been this sore!

We also had a great visit with my brother and sister in law and were able to squeeze in a quick stop at the beach before we headed home.



Once we arrived home reality struck.  Our washing machine died on us half way through our second load of laundry.  And as any of you who have traveled with kids for 5+ days know, there was a ton of laundry to do!  Our car wouldn't start. (It's been suggested the washing machine talked to the car and they conspired against us!)  Yesterday we spent the day shopping for a new car.  Not because of the dead battery, we got that fixed, but it was just time to replace my husband's old car.  Luckily we found what we were looking for and it wasn't too painful.  So since I've been back I've been going non-stop and hadn't had a chance to update my blog!

Well, I'm back, folks and ready to write again, so I'll be posting lots of new things this week!  In the mean time, here's a few more of my favorite photos from our trip!  I hope you had an amazing week too!  Happy Sunday!

She's sooo tired here, but she waited in line for a while and she was really excited to meet Jessie!

What's for Dinner?

What's for dinner?  Probably a question you get asked a lot.  You may even be asking yourself what's for dinner right now!  Since I started blogging I'm not making the same meals as often because I'm constantly trying out new recipes.  My family is pretty supportive of this, and understands the need for new recipes, but sometimes they just want me to make their favorites.  This Meatball Stroganoff fiits in this category.  It is a favorite of both my husband's and mine (my kids like it too!) and has been something he asked me to make a few times lately.  I finally got around to planning my menu this week and knew this had to be on it.  Since it's fast and easy to make it's the perfect weeknight meal.  You'll find the link to the original recipe here!  What's one of you family's favorite recipes?  Leave me a comment below and tell me what's for dinner at your house tonight!

Roasted Broccoli & Sausage Orecchiette

Remember the Roasted Broccoli I made the other day?  You can find the recipe here!  I was thinking today about how great it would be with pasta and little Italian Sausage.  Well, I was was right!  It was great. One of the best things about it is how fast you can make it.  If you're stumped and looking for a fast, family friendly dinner, look no further!  Make this!

 Ingredients:
16 oz. orecchiette pasta (or any short pasta, such as penne)
4 cups of broccoli florets
non-stick cooking spray
2 tbs olive oil
3 links of Italian Sausage (mild or spicy) casings removed
1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
Pinch of red pepper flake
1 tsp of garlic powder
zest of one lemon plus juice of lemon
1/2 tsp salt (plus salt for pasta water)
1 cup of reserved pasta water

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Place the broccoli on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt, garlic powder and red pepper flake.  Toss with your hands until oil lightly coats all of the broccoli.  Place in oven and roast for about 10 minutes, turn and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, then remove.

Prepare pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta and broccoli is cooking, heat a medium non-stick skillet and add the sausage.  Cook until it is brown and remove with a slotted spoon.  Discard grease.  When pasta is cooked, drain and transfer to the skillet (remember to reserve a cup of water).  Add sausage back to the skillet and about 1/2 of the reserved pasta water.  Sir and add the Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice of the lemon. If the pasta seems tight add more water, if not serve in bowls, top with the broccoli and garnish with a little extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4

Looks amazing, doesn't it?!  Enjoy!

Buttermilk Breaded Pork Chops

Have you ever seen the really thin pork chops on sale at the grocery store and you didn't quite know what to do with them?  You may have even cooked up a few, but they ended up tasting dry and over cooked? Well, I have the answer to your problem.  Soak them in buttermilk!  That's right, these simple, tender and delicious chops were marinated in buttermilk and they taste amazing.  They are also a perfect weeknight meal since they hardly take any time at all to make.

Here's how I did it:

Step 1

Place your chops in a large resealable bag and pour enough buttermilk in to evenly coat them.  I use about a cup.  Place the bag in your fridge for up to 8 hours.  I like to do this in the morning and let them set in the fridge all day.

Step 2

In a low shallow dish combine 1 cup of panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of regular breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Then remove the chops and coat them with the breading mixture.

Step 3

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and heat your baking sheet as well.  Once oven is preheated, spray your baking sheet with non-stick spray and place your breaded chops on the baking sheet.  Put in oven and cook for 20 minutes.

Here's what to look like when they are done!  Delicious and tender!

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup regular breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

4 thinly sliced pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

non-stick cooking spray

Follow the instructions above to prepare.  I served my chops with Butternut Squash Risotto.  I'll be posting that recipe later this week, so be sure to check back soon!

Shrimp & Grits

We've finally been seeing a bit of winter in Northern California.  With all the talk about drought, the rain is a welcome sight.  It also makes me want to hunker down in my pj's, (my girls did this yesterday!) watch movies and eat comfort food.  After a long day of shopping with my father-in-law yesterday, our quarterly trip to Costco, I was soaked and exhausted.  I couldn't think of anything more comforting than a big old bowl of shrimp and grits.

One of the first things you need to know about grits is that I actually didn't use them.  Shrimp with polenta just doesn't have the same ring to it, so I called them grits.  The truth is, I wasn't quite sure what the difference between grits and polenta actually is, so I did a little research to find out.  If you're from the south and have an opinion on this, please don't be offended!  In California we don't eat a lot of grits!  Both polenta and grits are stone ground corn.  The difference lies in the variety of corn used.  Polenta is made from a variety of corn called flint corn, while grits are made from a variety called dent corn.  The difference between the two is that grits often have a mushy consistency when cooked and polenta has more of a bite to it. Please, use whatever you prefer or have on hand.  I had polenta, that that's what I used.

Step 1

Ingredients for polenta:
1 cup of stone ground grits
2 cups of milk
2 cups of water
2 tbs of butter
1/4 cup of heavy cream

Directions:
Bring the milk and water to a boil in a large sauce pan.  Slowly whisk in polenta.  Continue to stir frequently until thick and creamy.  Finish by stirring in butter and heavy cream.

Step 2

Ingredients for rub:

2 lbs of 31-40 count shrimp

1/2 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you don't like super spicy reduce to 1/4 tsp, if you like heat you can add more, I found 1/2 tsp to be a good middle range)

Directions:

Mix spiced together in a bowl.  Add shrimp and coat with the rub.

Step 3

Ingredients for Sauce:

Olive oil

1 each of red bell pepper, green bell pepper & yellow bell pepper diced into 1/4 inch pieces

1 onion diced

2 cloves of minced garlic

3 stalks of celery diced

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of dry white wine

2 tbs of butter

flat leaf parsley or chives to garnish

Directions:

In a large saute pan (I love my non-stick caphalon) heat 1 tbs of olive oil on high heat.  Add Shrimp and cook until they just begin to turn pink. Remove from pan and set aside.  

Add another tbs of olive oil to the same pan.  Add vegetables and cook until they begin to soften.  Add wine, Worcestershire and cream and stir until combined.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook and thicken, about 20 minutes.  Add shrimp back to pan and stir in 2 tbs of butter.  Remove from heat and serve over hot polenta or grits immediately. 

It looks like a giant bowl of comfort food, doesn't it?!  Enjoy! (How could you not?!)

Plans for a Big Girl Room

My baby is growing up.  She turned two in December and since then I feel like she's gotten so big!  She is talking like crazy.  She's starting to potty train.  Just this week she gave up her pacifier!  I know we're going to be making the transition soon from nursery to big girl room, so I started to plan.  This week we took the side off of her crib and replaced it with a guard rail, so she doesn't fall out!

When I was pregnant with my second baby, I couldn't wait to find out if I was having a girl or boy.  When we found out we were expecting another girl, I got to work on her nursery right away.  I found the bedding for her crib at a resale shop that sells gently used baby items.  It was from Pottery Barn Kids, and I loved the pattern.  I would never have been able to afford to buy it from Pottery Barn, but I really got a great deal. For the rug, bed skirt, bumper, two sheets and the quilt I paid $100.  I found out the pattern was Daisy Garden, and splurged on the valances to match.  Since Ella was our second baby, I already had the crib and most of the gear that babies need, so a little splurge wasn't too far out of the budget.

I made the pom poms myself since mobiles are expensive. I wanted something with a bright pop of color for her to look at when she was laying down, and the pom poms were perfect.

She's loving the fact that she can climb in her bed and read and play with her dolls.  I know she'll be ready for a twin pretty soon.  I've been eyeing these headboards and dresser I saw at a local antique store.

They're pretty pricey, but they've been there for a while now, and I just may attempt to negotiate and make an offer on them.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I'm holding off until after our trip to Disneyland.  We will see... If it's meant to be, then it will work out. 

Oven Roasted Broccoli

This is pretty much my favorite "side dish" ever.  First of all, I love broccoli!  It's one of my favorite vegetables, so I make it a lot.  I've been known to steam it and mix it in with my mashed potatoes, I love to throw it in when I make pasta with alfredo sauce, it goes great in my favorite yellow curry, I could go on {and on, and on...}  Anyway, this is a really fast and easy way to "spice up" your broccoli.  I hope you'll give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli (trimmed and cut into florets) or a bag of broccoli florets

1-2 tbs of olive oil

1 tsp of sea salt

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

a pinch of red pepper flake (use as much as you like, I like it spicy!)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Place the broccoli on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt, garlic powder and red pepper flake.  Toss with your hands until oil lightly coats all of the broccoli.  Place in oven and roast for about 10 minutes.  Flip with a spatula and return to oven for about 10 more minutes or until roasty, toasty like the one above!  Enjoy!

Bow Ties in Tomato Cream Sauce

I love a good cream sauce and this lightened version is satisfying and delicious.  It has just the right amount of creaminess and the turkey sausage really makes it a complete meal.  My whole family loved this dish, and I have a feeling it will be going on our weekly rotation for a while!

Ingredients:

1 lb. of bow tie pasta

1 package of turkey sausage (I use the Jennie O brand) sliced

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 an onion diced

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of heavy cream

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of cheddar jack cheese

flat leaf parsley or green onions to garnish

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package directions -3 minutes (You want to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. The starch helps the sauce to thicken.)  In a large skillet over medium heat saute onions and garlic in the olive oil.  When softened, about 5 minutes, add the sausage and brown lightly.  After the sausage has browned up add the tomatoes, broth and cream.  Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.  Add the cheese and stir until it is melted completely.  Check the seasonings, the sausage and cheese are both salty so you may not need to add much or any salt depending on your preferences.  Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce, about three minutes.  Serve immediately and garnish with parsley or green onions.

Doesn't it look great?  My kids gobbled it up!  I hope your will too!