Tag: from scratch

#8/52 Homemade Hamburger Helper

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Have you heard of SuperCook? It is a website/app that gives you recipe ideas based on what ingredients you have. It has been a week and a half since I have been to the grocery store and let’s just say the pickings are slim. I headed over to the website and got the idea for a homemade hamburger helper. I then looked at several recipe ideas and decided to try out Natasha’s version from Salt & Lavender. Our family is a fan of lower meat ratios, so I opted for a half lb. of ground beef and added a half cup of chopped red pepper. It turned out delightful! Easy to make and quick to clean up. We paired it with a piece of garlic bread and some sautéed green beans.

INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef (we did a half lb.)
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1 red pepper chopped (optional – we did half a red pepper with half lb)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Add the beef and onions to a soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef has browned (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as you go along. If there’s a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.
  • Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.
  • Reduce the heat so it’s not furiously boiling (a rapid simmer is good). I ended up cooking mine over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 13-15 minutes). I stir it every couple of minutes.
  • While it’s cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).
  • Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed. I let it sit for a couple minutes prior to serving (soaks up the sauce and flavors more), but you can serve it right away.

Also I think I am going to start a “Tomato Paste Recipes” section because every recipe calls for 2 Tbsp and they do not sell it like that….WHY????

#7/52 Tuscan Chicken

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A little late posting this, but I made a damn good Tuscan Chicken last week and I’m excited to share the recipe with you!

I decided to try the Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe from downshiftology, and was so happy I did.

This recipe was very easy to prep, didn’t make a lot of dishes, and was ready to eat within 30 minutes. The flavors of sun-dried tomatoes are becoming a new favorite for me. I’m not sure why I haven’t cooked with them more to this point. We paired this delicious dish with rice and a vegetable mix of brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and broccoli.

Ingredients
● 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
● 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or a mix of individual spices such as oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary
● 1 teaspoon kosher salt
● ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
● 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
● 4 garlic cloves minced
● ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
● ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
● 2 cups baby spinach
● 1 ½ cups heavy cream
● ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan

Instructions
1. Prep the chicken. Season both sides of each chicken breast in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and set aside.
3. Cook the onions. In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil and the onion. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion has softened.
4. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and saute another minute, until fragrant.
5. Add the spinach, and saute another minute, until just starting to wilt.
Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese, stir together, and bring to a simmer.
6. Let it simmer. Place the chicken back in the skillet and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

#3/52 Italian Stuffed Peppers

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This recipe from well plated was okay. We opted for ground turkey, and I’m pretty sure my husband didn’t notice it wasn’t beef. In my opinion, turkey doesn’t have much flavor, so I did HEAPING teaspoons of Italian seasoning, doubled the red pepper flakes (would do more next time), and added extra mozarella by accident.

Our peppers were on the thicker side, and I wish I would have cooked them for closer to 50 minutes instead of 35. All in all, these stuffed peppers are on my “OK” list. I think the next time I try stuffed peppers; we might check out a different recipe. Do you like stuffed peppers? What are your favorite ingredients to stuff them with?

Ingredients  

  • 4 large red bell peppers
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or up to ½ teaspoon if you like more spicy
  • 1 can no salt added diced tomatoes with juices, 15 ounces
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or orzo (if using orzo, undercook it slightly)
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella provolone (or a mix)
  • ½ cup Parmesan divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Slice the bell peppers in half from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and membranes then arrange cut side up in the prepared baking dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, then pour in the can of diced tomatoes and their juices. Let simmer for 1 minute.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the rice (or farro) and ½ cup of the Mozzarella and ¼ cup of the parmesan. Mound the filling inside of the peppers, then top with the remaining cheeses.
  4. Pour a bit of water into the pan with the peppers—just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil. Serve hot.

52 New Recipes in 2023, #1/52 Sublime Swordfish

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2 years ago, I started a journey to lose some weight in a healthy way, my New Year’s resolution was to make one healthy snack a week. Well, this year my New Year’s resolution will be to make one new recipe every week for a year. As a domestic engineer, meal planning multiple meals a day is exhausting. I have found that I am more motivated to cook when I am trying something new! So, please leave me some comments if there is a favorite dish you love and want me to try. I am really excited to embark on this culinary adventure and grateful to have you here for the ride! If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do so at the end of this blog post.

The first new recipe of the year is Swordfish. I decided to try the Best Grilled Swordfish recipe from Tasting Table, and I am so happy I did! This is definitely a recipe I will make again in the future; the taste was sublime. I decided to pair it with pesto spinach and cheese tortellini and sauteed green beans. If you try it, let me know what you think too.

Ingredients

  • 3 lemons
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup olive oil, divided
  • 4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the lemons and fresh herbs.
  2. Zest and juice 1 lemon into a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Juice a second lemon into the cup, but do not zest it. Then, add the thyme to the mixture.
  3. Finely mince the garlic or paste using a garlic press
  4. Add ½ the garlic to the lemon and thyme mixture. Then, add ¼ cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine the marinade.
  5. Dry the swordfish with a paper towel.
  6. Using 1 teaspoon of salt, season both sides of the fish.
  7. Place in a zip-top bag and add the marinade.
  8. Place in a shallow dish and marinate in the fridge for up to 20 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Pick the fresh basil leaves and fresh parsley leaves from the stems, and coarsely chop. (You are looking for about ½ cup of each basil and parsley after the leaves have been chopped.)
  10. Add the leaves to a food processor. Add the juice from the remaining lemon, ½ teaspoon of salt, the rest of the garlic, ¼ cup of olive oil, and the red pepper flakes. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped (do not process until smooth), about 5 to 7 pulses.
  11. Heat the grill using high heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Clean well with a grill brush. Then, reduce the heat to medium.
  12. Remove the fish from the marinade and place it on the grill.
  13. Grill the swordfish for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until it easily releases from the grill and the inside is flaky and opaque — or a probe thermometer registers 130 F in the thickest piece of fish.
  14. If desired, cut an additional lemon in half, and grill it for 3 minutes. Serve with the fish for a final squeeze of freshness.

Meals for 2+

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I don’t know about you, but leftovers are not my favorite to eat. To mitigate having so many, I have started cutting everything in half and it is the perfect amount for our small 3 person family. Sometimes there are even leftovers for me or my daughter to have lunch the next day.

So today I wanted to share our go to meatloaf recipe, a perfect comfort food for those cold day cravings. It’s pretty basic and classic, but it’s how we like it. I also started a food Instagram recently, so if you want more meal ideas then I have time to blog check it out!

—–>> https://www.instagram.com/sahmthingtasty/ <<—–

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef
  • ½ envelope of dried onion soup mix
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 3 ounces water
  • ½ Tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • ¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves
  • Glaze:
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Mix, and brush evenly on top of the meatloaf before it goes into the oven.

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Line a loaf pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together onion soup mix, egg, water, and Italian seasoning.
  4. Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onions, and garlic, and mix thoroughly until just combined
  5. Place mixture in the loaf pan, pressing down lightly. It is smaller so you will make a “loaf” shape as it won’t fill out the pan. (it might if you double the recipe!)
  6. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes or until the middle reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit
  7. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and serving

Notes

  • Don’t overmix the meatloaf or try to press down too much when you fill the pan; this will result in an overly-dense, tough meatloaf.
  • I make the glaze twice so I have extra to drizzle on top after we bake it, yum!

Week 43

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Halloween is in 5 days! Which means… festivities? Things look a lot different this year with COVID. I am anti-social myself, however, if you’re into holiday parties, this weeks snack is one of those delights you don’t have to feel bad about snacking on!

Bat Bites!

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • black seeds or black sesame seeds for a more mild flavor
  • blue corn tortilla chips
  • black olives
  • pimentos
  1. Place the goat cheese, cottage cheese, salt and pepper in your food processor and pulse 6-8 times until combined.
  2. Scoop out the cheese and form into golf ball sized balls (about 1 1/2 and 2 ounces or 3 balls).
  3. Roll the balls in black seeds until they are completely covered.
  4. Slice some olives for the eyes and place on the cheese balls, insert pieces of pimentos in the center of the eyes. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight to firm up.
  5. Before serving, insert 2 tortilla chips on each side for bat wings.

I opted for some garlic and herb goat cheese, and I do not regret that decision. Goat’s milk has more medium-chain fatty acids than cow’s milk; these types of fat are rapidly absorbed in your body and less likely to be stored as fat. It may be easier for some people to digest than cheese made from cow’s milk, this may be because goat’s milk is lower in lactose and contains different proteins. In particular, goat cheese contains A2 casein, which may be less inflammatory and less likely to cause digestive discomfort than the A1 casein found in cow’s milk.

Cottage cheese is much higher in protein than other cheeses. Several studies indicate that eating high-protein foods like cottage cheese can increase feelings of fullness and help decrease overall calorie intake, which in turn may lead to weight loss

Black seeds, also known as black cumin, nigella or by its scientific name Nigella sativa. It grows up to 12 inches tall and produces a fruit with seeds that are used as a flavorful spice in many cuisines. In addition to its culinary use, it has been used for headache, toothache, nasal congestion, asthma, arthritis, and intestinal worms. It has also been used for pink eye, pockets of infection, and parasites. Today, black seed is most commonly used for asthma, diabetes, hypertension, weight loss, and  digestive tract conditions.

The black seeds taste like a combination of onions, black pepper, and oregano. They have a pungent, bitter taste and smell. They were incredibly more flavorful than I expected them to be, so I would probably use less seeds than pictured or make them bigger in size to sweeten the ratios, I prepared six balls from the recipe originally. There is some scientific evidence to suggest that black seed might help boost the immune system, fight cancer, reduce swelling, and lessen allergic reactions by acting as an antihistamine.

Week 41

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I took a stroll through my garden this morning to see how everything was doing, as we near fall and cooler temperatures approach. To my delightful surprise, I discovered quite a few strawberries in my little patch! I also found a lot of Cayenne peppers if anyone has some good ideas for those. My garden inspired this week’s healthy snack, Strawberry Oatmeal Bars. YUM!

For the Strawberry Bars:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil – melted
  • 2 cups small-diced strawberries
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon  freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon-ish of honey

For the Vanilla Glaze (optional, but huge yes)

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar – sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon milk – any kind you like
  1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Pour in the melted coconut oil and stir until it forms clumps and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture, then press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Scatter half of the strawberries over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lime juice and drizzle honey. Scatter on the remaining berries, then drizzle more honey. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You will have some fruit showing through.
  4. Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely (you can speed this process along in the refrigerator).
  5. While the bars cool, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Feel free to add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle with glaze, slice, and serve.

Week 33

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Fruit Tarts

Every ingredient in this treasure is made possible by pollinators 🐝 thank you bees

These are delightful, it’s hard to stop at one!

Almond flour is high in protein, manganese, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats, low in Carbohydrates, and contains fiber. 

Greek yogurt is full of protein, probiotics, B12, potassium, a work out recovery food, iodine, and calcium.

Berries are loaded with antioxidants, help improve blood sugar levels and insulin response, help fight inflammation, and help lower cholesterol.

Recipe

Crust

  • 2.5 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. cold butter
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 egg white

Filling

  • 8 oz. greek yogurt (vanilla or whatever you like)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. cardamom
  • 1 cup berries of choice

Stir together almond flour and salt. Use fork to cut butter into mixture until a rough sand texture forms. Add honey, apple cidee vinegar, and egg white and mix. Divide evenly between 12 greased muffin cups, then use your fingers to press into a tart shape. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden.

Stir together yogurt, honey, cardamom, and vanilla. When tarts are completely cool, fill with yogurt mix, then top with berries and an extra drizzle of honey.

Enjoy!

Week 32

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Cherry Pomegranate Limeade Popsicles

A break from Zucchini!! 

Cherry Pomegranate Limeade Popsicles

These are stellar, the sweet and the sour combo is very refreshing.

OG Recipe
4 tablespoons sugar (i used half)
4 tablespoons water
2 cups fresh cherries pitted
6 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Dissolve sugar into water, add everything to blender, and pour into a Popsicle mold! 8 plus hours later, you’ll be in for a treat!

Cherries have a low glycemic index, are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Pomegranate gets its color from polyphenols, which not only give it its vibrant ruby color, but also are a strong antioxidant. Pomegranate also contains a very large amount of vitamin c, and may be able to help prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s alike. It helps improve digestion, and can reduce inflammation in your gut.

Limes are a huge immunity boost. They also reduce heart disease, improve complexion, and increase iron absorption.

Combo Week!

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28 – From The Garden – 29

For week 28 I made pickles! I made 3 different batches, one with regular white sugar, one with coconut sugar, and one with honey 🍯 So far our favorite is the coconut sugar! It’s surprisingly the most spicy, I added jalapeños to all three. I had to give these at least a week and make sure these sugar substitutes still tasted okay before I recommended them to y’all! 🙃

Refridgerator Pickles Recipe from one of my best friend’s mom. (shout out to Kyle Eckroth’s Mom!!)

  • 4 to 6 cups sliced cucumbers
  • 1/2 cup sliced onions
  • 3 to 4 sliced jalapenos
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup sugar (white, coconut, or 1/2 cup honey)
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. celery seed
  • 1 Tbsp. canning salt

Put together in a glass bowl, stir, and put in refrigerator. Stir occasionally for half a day, they’re good for 3 to 4 months.

Week 29 is Zucchini Bread! I used whole wheat flour, coconut sugar as healthier substitutes, and opted in for some crushed walnuts. Yum!

Zucchini Bread Recipe

  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1.5 eggs
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  1. grease and flour one loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
  2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
  3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes before removing bread. Enjoy!

Makes 12 servings = 1 loaf pan