Weekly Menu 5/19 - 5/23

So, I have a bit of a confession to make. I'm almost out of recipes.

See, I usually have at least five days of scheduled recipes all lined up and ready to be shared with you. Sometimes its even 10 recipes. Except, I didn't bother to make a bunch of food in the weeks leading up to my Florida trip and then I only cooked once while we were there, which resulted in two recipes.

So what does that mean? Just that if/until I create a back log of recipes again, I won't be posting every day. Which isn't all that unusual. Not a lot of bloggers have a recipe to share every single day. Plus, isn't it more about quality than quantity?

I still have an absolute ton of recipes that I want to make, but there is also the small issue of June 1, 2013. See, that marks 10 years since I graduated high school. And there is a reunion. Nothing fancy, we're all just meeting up at a bar, however, when you haven't seen people in a long time, you wish to look your best right? And what does that mean? That I'm going to be eating pretty healthy foods from how until June 1st to see if any of this extra weight falls off by then.

This week starts my super healthy eating adventure. If you've checked out Eating Well's website, you may have found that they offer different diets by number of days and by calories to consume. All but one of my recipes is coming from there. Ironically, two are recipes I've previously made. At least for one of them, it gives me the chance to possibly take a better picture.

Since Tom isn't about to embark on this healthy food adventure with me, the changes to the meals he will eat are listed in italics. 

Sunday - BBQ pulled chicken (on a bun), brown rice, steamed green beans (with a sauce)

Monday - Veggie burgers (cheeseburger), grilled zucchini fries (chips), salad 

Tuesday - Green Eggs and Ham Frittata, salad

Wednesday - Grilled Steak with Baby Bell Peppers, brown rice 

Thursday - Spicy Soy Pork, brown rice, steamed green beans 

I'm not sure I can even get Tom to consume that much brown rice so I may need to come up with another place for his steak and pork. Possibly a bag of fries or maybe a baked potato.

For breakfast, I'm having whole wheat waffles with fruit and lunch will be plain tuna on whole wheat toast with a salad. Fun huh?

Although I am making my recipe swap recipe which is a dessert. I am sure I will more than enjoy this. 

Strawberry Granola Parfait

I am probably the only person in the world who absolutely loved McDonald's Fruit and Yogurt Parfait. The full sized parfait was the perfect amount for me to eat and be full until the next meal. Unfortunately, since I really probably was the only person who enjoyed it, they stopped making the full sized ones and reverted to the snack size. And sometimes, I can't even find a McDonald's that still serves even the snack size!

One of the greatest things about a parfait is it can be as simple or as complex as you want. You can use homemade or store bough granola with a wide array of ingredients. You can even use cereal, although I would suggest a heartier one like Kashi, that can hold up to the yogurt. Speaking of yogurt, you can go regular or Greek. Flavored or plain. Full fat or fat free. Fresh fruit is optional, as is your fruit selection.

A few years ago, I needed something quick to take for breakfast that I was going to eat at work. We didn't have any milk, so I substituted some yogurt and put it in a small plastic container. I dumped some Kashi cereal on top and a handful of fresh strawberries and ran out the door. I didn't even think that I was eating parfait, albeit a poorly prepared one that was not visually interesting in the least.

A few weeks ago, when trying to figure out what to have for breakfast, I scribbled down yogurt and granola and then it dawned on me that I was eating a parfait. I really don't know what caused that realization, but it was pretty and something I could blog. Win!

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 1
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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt (I use Dannon Light & Fit)
• 1/2 cup granola 
• 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• mint leaf, for garnish 

Directions:
1. Spoon half of the yogurt into a glass. Top with the granola and then the remaining yogurt (or make layers). Add the fresh strawberries and mint on top.

The directions for this are kind of lame. I mean, you just layer stuff. I think you can figure that out on your own, but it doesn't seem right to make a recipe that doesn't involve some sort of directions.

Fun Fact: I totally intended to make this with vanilla yogurt, however it was right next to the strawberry yogurt and I picked up the wrong one. 

Improv Challenge: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

I am quite embarrassed to admit that I only heard of sopapilla a few years ago. This is particularly embarrassing because it is commonly made here into a cheesecake bar form. Cheesecake made with cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract. As in, like my favorite combination ever. How I managed to let a dessert made with my favorite ingredients slip past me for so long is just blasphemy, but at long last, I can now say that I have partook in the wonderful delciciousness of sopapilla.

Which leaves you asking one of two questions. 1 - What does that have to do with the Improv Challenge or 2 - What is an Improv Challenge?

We'll start with question 2. The Improv Challenge is a delicious idea thought up by Kristen of Frugal Antics.  She provides us participants with two ingredients each month and we can make absolutely anything we like, given those ingredients are included. There are no requirements to participate, if you find the ingredients pleasing go for it. If not, sit out that month. And now as to what that has to do with the challenge, well the ingredients for this month were cinnamon and sugar.

I realize these aren't the star ingredients in the sopapilla cheesecake bars, however, they do provide the topping and since I had planned to make the sopapilla regardless, it only made sense to use it for my challenge recipe.

Now, if you are one of those people really concerned about how you are going to look in a bathing suit in a few months, I sadly must say, this is not the recipe for you. It is one of those recipes that would make Paula Deen proud considering it involves "A stick of butter, y'all!" So uh, just keep that in mind.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Source: Pillsbury
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

• 2 packages crescent rolls 
• 2 bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Meanwhile, press one can of the crescent dough into the prepared baking dish, making sure to pinch together all of the triangles to form a smooth sheet.
4. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent dough and then top with the remaining can of crescent dough, also pinching the seams together to form a smooth sheet.
5. Pour the melted butter over the crescent roll.
6. Stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the melted butter.
7. Bake for 30 minutes then let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and cut into 12 bars. Serve cold or warmed in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Would you believe me if I told you that I think this is the most incredible dessert ever and it may just become your new favorite? You should, because I am pretty sure that it is mine. Which means that I like it more than creme brulee...yeah, I can confidently say that.

Apologies to my other Improv Challengers, I had some technical difficulties today and I am SUPER late to add this to the inlinks. 

Taco Calzones

Tacos + calzones. Two foods you typically wouldn't see together. To be honest, its the combination of foods from different cultures that are my favorite ones. Like the kung pao chicken tacos. Two other foods that typically wouldn't be combined. I love being able to take common dishes from different cultures and combining them into one.

While this greatly pleased me on a combination of cultures level, it greatly pleased Tom as tacos and calzones are two of his favorite foods so combining them together could only produce something wonderful. 

Taco Calzones

Source: Coffee and Cannolis

Servings: 4

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Ingredients:

• 1 refrigerated pizza dough, divided into 4
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 cup shredded taco cheese
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• sour cream and salsa, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. 

2. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning to coat and drain any fat. 

3. Place each piece of pizza dough on the baking sheet. Divide the ground beef among each, placing on one side of the dough. Top with cheese and cilantro, then fold over the other half of the dough to create a pocket. Pinch the seams closed with your fingers or a fork. 

4. Using the tip of a sharp knife, create three slits in the top of the dough to allow the steam to escape. Spray the tops with each non-stick spray. 

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve with sour cream and salsa. 

These are tasty! Tom doesn't like salsa and opted to dip his directly into taco sauce. Once I pulled these out of the oven I realized that we didn't have any sour cream left, so I just had mine with salsa. I will definitely be making these again! 

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

My internet friends had been talking about making these spinach lasagna roll ups for quite some time now instead of making regular lasagna. After hearing about how good they were so many times, I decided to try out the recipe myself and make these up the weekend before we left for Florida.

I didn't even think to look for a recipe, I just went with the typical ingredients that would go in a lasagna, added spinach and just rolled up the lasagna noodles with the ingredients inside, instead of layering them together.

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 3-4
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Ingredients:

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 8 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flaked
• 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained 
• 28 oz. jar marinara sauce 
• extra mozzarella for topping

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente. They need to be soft enough that you can roll them up, but not fully cooked because they'll fall apart.
2. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Stir well until combined, then fold in the spinach.
3. Place cooked lasagna noodles flat on a baking sheet. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture down the center of each noodle then drizzle with 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of the marinara sauce.
4. To freeze, pour 1/4 cup of marinara sauce into a freezeable dish. I used the small foil loaf pans. Roll up each lasagna noodle and place tightly next to each other in the dish. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of sauce to just cover them. Add a pinch of mozzarella cheese, cover with foil (or a lid) and freeze.
5. To bake, pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into a baking dish (just enough to coat the bottom) and place lasagna rolls on top. Drizzle with additional marinara sauce to cover and top each lasagna roll with a pinch of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

To bake from frozen, let thaw completely in the refrigerator (at least 12 hours) and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I went light on the marinara sauce on these which made them a little bit dryer than I preferred, however, for a relatively quick meal and something that can easily be frozen and pulled out the freezer in the morning for dinner that evening, these are pretty good! I'd like to experiment with the recipe some more, adding different ingredients into the lasagna.

Fat Bread

After my aunt, cousin and I agreed that the jambalaya recipe absolutely needed to be made, I noticed that fat bread was served along with the jambalaya.

I can't say I'd ever heard of fat bread before, but I was instantly sold when I saw that it included Salad Supreme. Many, many moons ago when I was just a kid, I remember being at the grocery store with my father and picking up a jar of this seasoning. I think my father was trying to eat healthier and thought adding flavor to a salad with something like this might really help him out.

It didn't take long until I was shaking the Salad Supreme over more than just a salad.While its definitely good over a salad, my favorite way to enjoy this seasoning is on top of a baked potato. I also don't feel complete dipping baby carrots into Ranch dressing as a snack unless there is some Salad Supreme mixed into the Ranch.

Anyway, I wouldn't have thought to add Salad Supreme to bread, but I was more than ready to try it out.

Fat Bread
Source: So Tasty, So Yummy 
Servings: 20ish slices
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Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1/2 stick softened butter
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tsp. Salad Supreme 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Slice the bread lengthwise and then into 1-2" pieces. Spread the butter over the pieces, then sprinkle with the garlic powder and onions, Top each piece of bread with a pinch of both cheeses.
3. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the Salad Supreme over the bread and serve.

This has got to be one of the easiest side dishes ever but it is JUST. SO. GOOD! I could not control my hand from continually reaching to the plate of bread. I'm guessing its called fat bread because you want to eat so much of it that you'll get fat. 

Weekly Menu 5/12 - 5/16

This is going to be a very short post as my allergies are making me threaten to chop off my nose and I have absolutely no interest in sitting at a computer with tissues stuffed in my nostrils. You're welcome for that visual.

First, Happy Mother's Day to all of the mom's out there! I hope you're having a wonderful day!

Sunday - Beef Wellington, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Corn 

Monday - Ricotta Gnocchi with Herbed Butter and Bacon 

Tuesday - Southwest Egg Rolls with Southwestern Chicken Skewers

Wednesday - Bacon Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese, Fries, Salad

Thursday - Herb Parmesan Chicken Tenders, Stuffing, Green Beans

The Beef Wellington was Tom's choice for his birthday dinner and I am hoping to get a much better picture so I can update it on here. Also, he invited his brother and wife to dinner so I'm cooking for a crowd! I'm still going to keep the wellingtons individual as I feel like you can better gauge the cooking times.

I'm off to pop a Zytrec and lay in bed.