crispy black bean tacos with southwest cabbage slaw

have you ever been to perry's plate?  if you're a veggie-lover like i am you owe it to yourself to click on over there.  she has some really great recipes with some amazing flavor.  she's the one that got me hooked on roasting veggies.
here's another perry's plate recipe that we love.  this cabbage slaw is fantastic (and fantastically simple, which makes it even better) and goes great on pretty much any taco you can think of - chicken, fish, steak... or these black bean ones.  you know me - i love a good vegetarian meal.  and this was a great one.

i loved how the crispiness gave them that taco stand feel without sticking the whole thing in a bit vat of oil.  and don't doubt the feta.  it totally makes them. 

crispy black bean tacos with southwest cabbage slaw

from perry's plate (originally from bon appetite magazine)

makes about 6 tacos (so i double or triple the beans and tortillas and feta - there's plenty of slaw)

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained

1/2 tsp ground cumin

5 tsp olive oil, divided

1 T fresh lime juice

2 c coleslaw mix or thinly sliced cabbage

2 green onions, chopped

1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro

6 white or yellow corn tortillas

1/3 c crumbled feta cheese

Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

1.  partially mash beans and cumin together in a small bowl. in a medium bowl combine 2 tsp olive oil and lime juice; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. season to taste with some salt and pepper.

2.  heat remaining 3 teaspoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. add tortillas in a single layer (doing batches if necessary). spoon 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla. cook for one minute, then fold the tacos in half. cook until golden brown and tortilla begins to stiffen, about 1-2 minutes per side. fill tacos with feta and slaw. add hot sauce or pico de gallo if desired.  

breakfast for dinner: baked breakfast taquitos

we almost always each exclusively hot cereal for breakfast so sometimes real breakfast foods sound really good - for dinner. like scrambled eggs or cheesy waffles. so a few weeks ago i made these baked breakfast taquitos with lime chipotle dip for dinner. they were to die for! and besides, any meal that bakes something that is supposed to be fried is a winner in my book. :) these would be great for a breakfast or brunch with friends or family. very impressive, yet easy (and the main ingredient is eggs - cheap!!)!

baked breakfast taquitos with lime chipotle dip
recipe by our best bites
with a few very minor, healthy changes by yours truly

cooking spray
12 large eggs
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher/sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cup grated pepperjack cheese
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 teaspoon hot sauce

16 6" flour tortillas
cooking spray or olive oil

dipping sauce:
1 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

preheat oven to 425 degrees. line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. spray with cooking spray and set aside.

heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. crack eggs into large mixing bowl. whisk in 1/2 cup sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. when skillet is hot, spray with cooking spray and add egg mixture to pan. using a rubber spatula, gently scrape bottom of pan and fold eggs over to scramble. remove from heat when slightly undercooked. add cheese, roasted red peppers, green onions, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste. gently fold to combine.

warm tortillas in microwave to ease rolling process. working with a few tortillas at a time, place a scant 1/4 cup egg mixture into the center of each one and roll up into a cylinder. place rolled tortillas on prepared baking sheet, seam-side down, so they are not touching each other. when all tortillas are rolled and filled, lightly spray tops with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil. bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crisp.

while taquitos are baking, coming 1 1/2 cup sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chili powder and kosher salt. stir to combine and store in fridge. remove taquitos from oven , let cool for 5 minutes, and then serve with dipping sauce.

five ingredient fridays: chipotle chicken salad sandwich

wow. friday again already? i haven't posted in a week. i have a good excuse - promise! we bought a house! a repo. they took the carpet, the doors, everything. and we're trying to get in fast so we don't have to pay rent and a mortgage for more than we have to.

so i've been busy spending hours and hours at home depot. and picking out my granite counter tops. i think i'll sleep on them instead of in our bed. i'm so excited. i'm sure they will make my food taste better. okay, maybe not, but they will decrease my prep time since i don't have to wash a million cutting boards and find hot pads to put on my counter when things come out of the oven.

if you've been busy too, throw this together and impress whoever you're cooking for. it was amazing!

chipotle chicken salad sandwich
3+ servings

2 cups copped cooked chicken (not canned, never canned)
a little less than 1/4 cup light mayo with olive oil (kraft)
1/2 a chipotle pepper*** (canned in adobo sauce), minced

combine above, mix well.

serve on favorite bread (we used homemade foccacia - drool), with avocado, tomato and lettuce.

done! hope this makes your weekend easier!

***note about chipotle peppers: they come in a tiny can with a million peppers in it, but they stay good in a tupperware in your fridge for forever so just open a can and decide to commit yourself to something chipotle once a week for a month or more. or just eat this chicken salad sandwich every other day. i've considered it.

face off: sloppy joes vs. sloppy sams

picture from allrecipes.com

we spent Christmas with my in-laws in UT this year. when all of the family (my hubby is one of 7, so this means lots of people) got together right before Christmas, my husband requested a main course on the 23rd of sloppy joes as an easy and delicious way to feed so many hungry mouths. my hubby's little sister and her husband are vegetarians, so i thought i'd make a complimentary vegetarian version that i'd made before to please both halves of the crowd. i liked having them both there as kind of a "face off". here was, in my opinion, the results of said face off:

• sloppy joes - traditional recipe, canned sauce, made with ground beef. i usually like them okay, but since i had the below alternative i couldn't even stomach the joes in comparison.
• sloppy sams - lentils, homemade sauce, sweetened with molasses and brown sugar. simply amazing. i can eat this stuff with a spoon, no bun required.

winner? clearly, the sloppy sams take home the award. cheaper, appease my lentil obsession and way healthier than the traditional joes. put them to the test in your house and let me know if they pass!

sloppy sams
4 big servings
modified from allrecipes.com, specifically here

3 cups chicken broth
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 cup chopped onion
a dash of olive oil
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses (use all brown sugar if you don't have it)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 dash worchestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns

1. combine broth and lentils in a saucepan. bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. meanwhile, cook onions with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 4 minutes. add tomatoes and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. stir in tomato paste, ketchup, mustard powder, chili powder, molasses and Worcestershire sauce; simmer 5 to10 minutes until thickened.
3. drain lentils and reserve cooking liquid (i never have any liquid to drain). stir lentils into sauce mixture, adding cooking liquid or water as needed to obtain the desired "sloppy joe" consistency. serve on buns.
   

a burger for the health minded

skinny-bovine confession (i'm discovering i have lots of these): there is nothing, i mean nothing, i love more than a good cheeseburger and french fries. or even a bad one really. i love the $1 double stack at wendy's and that is clearly not a fabulous burger.


these black bean burgers i found on sharon's blog (which she found on culinary in the country/desert) are almost better than a real beef burger. they are seriously that good. see the look on my face. sheer heaven, people. we devoured them on our new favorite find - ciabatta buns from wal-mart (6 for $2.50). i would eat anything that comes on these buns. a little expensive for everyday dinners but perfect for date night (which usually entails burgers, especially these pico and guac burgers) around our house. enjoy them!!

black bean mushroom burgers
4 big burgers

1 dash olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, finely chopped (i used cheaper mushies, but portobellos would be amazing if you can afford it!)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular)
4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread, lightly toasted
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) crumbled goat cheese (again, i used a cheaper cheese, but this would be yummy. i'm thinking feta would be awesome.)
salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 ciabatta buns, split and toasted
your choice of toppings

preheat grill. (Or grill in pan if its your only option...)

in a large skillet, heat a dash of oil over medium-high. add onion - cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. stir in mushrooms, garlic, cumin and paprika - cook until the mushrooms have released their juices, about 4 to 6 minutes. remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

tear toasted bread into pieces and place into a food processor (or blender) - process until broken down into crumbs. pour into a medium bowl. add mushroom mixture, beans and cilantro into the food processor bowl - pulse until combined, but not smooth - leave some chunky bits. scoop mixture into the bowl with the bread crumbs - add goat cheese and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. mix ingredients together, then divide into four equal portions. with dampened hands, shape each portion into 4 thick patties. lightly brush each side of all patties with oil.

place patties onto the grill and cook until thoroughly heated through and the outside has crisped, about 5 minutes per side (mine takes longer - more like 7 or 8 min). serve burgers on toasted buns and with desired toppings.

and just because i love this cute little spaghetti face....

flashback to lentils: curried coconut lentil bisque

i love lentils. so does my husband. so does my daughter. remember when i 1st started this blog and wrote about why lentils are amazing? remember when i made taco meat out of lentils? yum. remember when i posted lentil meatloaf? it's still fabulous. it sounds scary - it's not. i promise. (and yes, i have a label for lentils - i realize that is scary.)

i recently fell in love with lentils all over again when i made this fabulous meal last week.

i like ANYTHING made with coconut milk... coconut meets lentil and curry? has to be even better. this is one of those ultra-complete meals - it was dirt cheap, pretty, it felt good on its way down, it is super healthy and balanced and it tasted fabulous. and don't let the peas scare you - the sweetness of the peas is the perfect balance to the curry.

curried coconut lentil bisque
mildly inspired by recipe here
6 servings

a dash of olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder (another teaspoon if you want it hotter)
1 1/2 cups dry lentils, rinsed
6 cups chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk (always 99c at trader joe's!)
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch ginger
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup white rice, cooked in 2 cups water for 2 minutes
1 12 oz bag green peas, cooked according to directions

1. heat oil in large pot. add onions and carrots. cook 5-6 minutes. add garlic and curry. cook 1-2 more minutes or until curry is fragrant.
2. add chicken broth, lentils and coconut milk. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 35-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
3. add other spices. use immersion blender to blend soup into a bisque (a thick soup). salt and pepper to taste.
4. put rice and peas in a bowl. pour bisque over the top. enjoy!

spicy pasta with broccoli

here's a quick and easy meal i made a few weeks ago. it was delicious - and even without the parmesan!

spicy pasta with broccoli
adapted from culinary in the country
4 servings

12-15 ounces dry short pasta (i used penne)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 head broccoli (roughly 1.5 pounds), florets sliced into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup water + a little more (i used 1/2 lb more broccoli than the original recipe...)
salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) fresh grated Parmesan, divided (optional)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, seasoned and cooked according to your liking

in a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain and place back into the pot off heat.

meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. stir in garlic and crushed red pepper - cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. add broccoli and 1/3+ cup water - season with salt and pepper. cover skillet and cook until broccoli just begins to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. uncover and continue to cook until the excess water has evaporated and the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 additional minutes.

scoop broccoli mixture into the pot with the pasta and add 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) parmesan and enough of the reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce. serve with the remaining parmesan scattered on top. serve with chicken on top.

rainy day vegetable soup

happy national soup month (my only excuse for so many soup posts, i guess)! the skinny bovine's kitchen is a part of a new website/parenting forum called babble. i'm honored to be a part of it such a great group of bloggers (food and otherwise) and it really is a great resource for parents.

the folks at babble reminded me today that it's national soup month which fit perfectly with this soup i made last night for dinner. it's been so rainy all week here and i think i'm in good company with the rest of your westerners who are experiencing similar conditions. make this simple soup with a great loaf of homemade bread (i'll post the one i made soon) and you'll feel warm, toasty and satisfied in no time - for a ridiculously low-cal and low-budget dinner.

babble posted an article on soups for kids. here was my commenter's input on getting kids to like soup:
"a trick i used to get my 2 year old to like soup was to strain out the soupy part. then all that's left is the beans, noodles, mushy veggies, etc - all kid friendly and coated in a delicious broth that sooner or later they'll want to try too. i think soup can be intimidating for kids because it's hard to eat - so make it easy!"

and forgive me for no pictures - they turned out terrible for some reason!

rainy day vegetable soup
6 large servings

a dash of olive oil
1/3 of a medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can french style sliced green beans
1 large or 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 large pinch rosemary
1 large pinch thyme
a dash of black pepper
salt to taste

1. heat olive oil in large pot. add onions, garlic and carrots. cook until onions are soft - about 5 minutes.
2. add remaining ingredients, except zucchini. bring to a boil. reduce heat and cover, simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. add zucchini 5 minutes before serving.

recipe of the week: fusilli alla caprese

okay, this was ridiculously good and ridiculously easy. i made a few changes to make it cheaper and less greasy and it was still fabulous. i used whole wheat pasta, too (since i got it for $0.20 a box last week, thank you coupons). try it soon!

fusilli alla caprese
4 servings

modified from giada de laurentiis (found on my kitchen cafe)

i used mozzarella like the original recipe the night i made it, but when i ate it for lunch the next day i used parmesan and liked it lots better!

1 pound fusilli pasta (i used a little less than a pound of rotini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves (grow your own!), chopped (or about 5 tablespoons dried basil - this seems like a lot, so maybe add it a little bit at a time)
fresh parmesan cheese, for topping

cook pasta as directed.

in a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. as the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them. continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. toss to combine. add the basil leaves (if you're using dry, i'd add them to the tomatoes in the skillet) and stir to combine. serve topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

recipe of the week: not-so-fried rice

i know.... more asian food. i think it's a pregnancy thing. my dad makes the most amazing bacon fried rice. the only problem is i don't feel amazing after i eat it because it is definitely super greasy. this fried rice is super yummy like my dad's but without the grease (and it has veggies)!! enjoy!

not-so-fried rice
makes a huge wok full (about 6 servings)

2 1/2 cups uncooked white rice, cooked according to directions (i want to try it with brown rice, but i was afraid of husband mutiny against the brown. hehe.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 of a medium onion, chopped
1 1/2-2 cups (or more if you aren't using meat) veggies of choice (i used carrots and broccoli)
1 1/2 cups cooked cubed turkey or chicken - optional (i used some leftover from a huge turkey breast i roasted a while ago and froze)
5 eggs, scrambled
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
green onion tops, chopped

1. heat oil in wok on high. add onions and sautee 2 minutes or until soft. add veggies and sautee until whole mixture is damp from oil. cover and let steam until veggies are crisp-tender (open wok and stir once in a while). about half way through steaming, add meat (optional) and let sautee with the rest of the mixture.
2. add cooked rice to wok and pour soy sauce over the top. mix well. scramble eggs and add to wok. add green onions. mix well again. cover wok and let heat for a few minutes until hot throughout.
3. top with extra soy sauce if desired and very optional... tabasco - i love tabasco on my fried rice. strange i know! hope you like it!

recipe of the week: simple turkey chili

i'm back!!! we finished the big move and my new kitchen is a palace! my kitchen counter is ginormous and it makes me want to do all sorts of yummy, domestic things like roll out dough for homemade noodles, pizza and cinnamon rolls.

on to the food. i found this yummy chili a few years ago on allrecipes.com. this time i stretched it really far and used it as toppings for taco salad and baked potato bar. it was great on both! though i enjoy it as its own main dish as well.

simple turkey chili (pics are the taco salad i put it on!)
slightly modified from here
8 servings

you're probably asking yourself - "does she eat everything with a quesadilla on the side?" my answer - i'm a very hungry bovine, so yes! (almost everything mexican, that is)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (i omit)
  
• 1 pound ground turkey (i usually use 1/2 or 3/4 lb and its plenty for us - and cheaper)
  
• 1 onion, chopped (1/2 works fine)
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed
• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans - drained and rinsed (my addition)
  
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (this makes it really spicy - adjust according to your liking!)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. place turkey and onion in crock pot. cook until evenly brown and onions are tender.
   
2. add all other ingredients to the crock pot. cook for as long as desired in crock pot.

sneaky meatballs

i love to sneak things into meatballs because you can't even taste it and then you're getting a delicious extra veggie. try these! one my mom used to make and one of the only homemade meals i made when i was single in college. ha!

porcupine meatballs

i used spinach in the sauce this time and actually didn't like it! just put it inside the meatballs.

1 lb ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
1/3 cup uncooked white rice (add a small extra handful if you're using ground turkey to help it stick together better
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
a few dashes of pepper
some grated zucchini or finely chopped spinach (how much depends on you!)
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 cup water
chili powder, garlic salt and cumin to taste

1. combine turkey, rice, onion, 1/4 cup water, salt and pepper. mix well. add spinach or zucchini and mix again.
2. shape this mixture into 1 inch meatballs. you should have 15 to 20.
3. combine tomato soup, 1 cup water and seasonings to taste in a large pot.
4. add meatballs to pot. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer (covered or almost covered - depends on if covering it makes it crazy boil for you like it sometimes does for me) for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. serve over a yummy grain - i like to serve it over rice, but it would probably be yummy over egg noddles as well.

perfect shredded chicken

i've always had problems making shredded chicken. no matter what i've tried (with a few crockpotting exceptions) it is always dry and dry chicken isn't good in much of anything. then i found this cool trick for mexican shredded chicken (here) and have since adapted it to be able to use it in anything! give it a try if you have trouble with shredded chicken too.

perfect shredded chicken

(can double/triple as needed)

1 chicken breast, cut into 3 pieces

enough chicken broth to just barely cover the breasts in a pan

whatever seasonings you'd like (whatever goes with your meal! - garlic, onions, bay leaf, soy sauce, chili powder, etc, etc, etc.)

1. combine chicken, broth and seasonings into a non-stick pan. bring to a boil; turn down and simmer, uncovered, until your chicken is done in the middle.

2. turn off stove, but leave on hot burner. cover with a tight lid and let it sit for 7 minutes (or longer if you have time).

3. you can shred it right then or leave it in pieces to shred later. either way, store the chicken in the broth in your fridge.

use it for any recipe that calls for shredded chicken and adjust your spices for whatever type of taste you'd like.

and here's a yummy recipe to try. i made these salads last week and they were awesome. i thought the bbq sauce was too zingy, until i put it on the salad and then it was perfect! the zing gave it that perfect salad dressing tang. mmmm..... enjoy!

priscilla from priscilla bakes posted a similar salad last week and i laughed when i saw it, knowing i was going to post this. her's looks great too!!!

barbeque chicken salad

bbq sauce (from "cooking with the crazy lady")

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. store in the refrigerator.

romaine lettuce, chopped

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (according to above)

canned (drained) or frozen (cooked and chilled) corn

black beans (rinsed and drained)

tomatoes, chopped

your favorite low-fat ranch dressing

shredded cheese, fresh cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips (optional)

anything else you'd like on here (hearts of palm sounded good to me!)

1. make bbq sauce and chicken (both above). coat shredded chicken with bbq sauce.

2. top a bed of lettuce with bbq chicken, corn, beans, tomatoes, your extras and ranch dressing. drizzle a little bit of extra bbq sauce over the top.

replicating a favorite

do you have a dish from a restaurant that you absolutely love? i know i do. eating out is expensive, but sometimes you really just want that delicious, professional, mouth-watering restaurant taste... can you have it at home?

i think you can! the trick is just finding, or creating, the right recipe. here are a few tips:

• check the restaurant's website. some restaurants, like olive garden for example, posts recipes on their website. easy as that!
• google it. chances are there is a recipe online for it somewhere! caution: this doesn't mean it will be fabulous, but if you find it somewhere reputable, it's bound to be good!
• check your favorite food blogs. or your friends blogs for that matter. my friend amy recently posted her mom's recreated cafe rio salads and pf changs lettuce wraps. jenny at picky palate recreated one of her restaurant favorites - the pizza pie - and it looked delicious!
• recreate it yourself. check the menu at the restaurant for ingredients first. what is that flavor you just can't identify? it might just say it on the menu - i.e. "a hint of lime", "drizzled with garlic and olive oil", etc. don't forget to share it with the rest of us when it's fabulous!

enough with tips... on to the food. i got really hungry the other day for a favorite from our favorite family restaurant - macayo. not the best mexican food, but for some reason tradition always makes it taste better than it probably actually is. :) either way, i was totally craving albondigas soup, spanish for "meatball" and a macayo specialty, so i googled it and it turns out one of my favorite food bloggers - elise at simply recipes - had a recipe for it. a few skinny bovine modifications and mmmm.... we had delicious albondigas soup for dinner. check it out!

albondigas soup

adapted from simply recipes

serves 6-8

yes... my camera captured the steam coming off of the soup. way cool.

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 - 1 cup of tomato sauce (i want to use 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes next time)
10 cups beef broth (or chicken, i used beef though) (elise said: "we usually use half stock half water as the meatballs will create their own stock" - i used 8 cups broth 2 cups water since the ground turkey doens't create as strong a broth as ground beef)
2 large carrots, sliced
1 pound ground turkey
1/3 cup of raw white rice + an extra handful
1 raw egg
4 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dried oregano
salt and pepper

4 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
chopped fresh cilantro

1. heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. add onion and minced garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. add tomato sauce and broth mixture. bring to boil and simmer. add carrots.
2. prepare meatballs. mix rice into meat, adding parsley, salt and pepper. add raw egg. form beef into 1-inch meatballs (i used a small cookie scoop - worked like magic!).
3. return soup to gentle simmer. add meatballs to soup, one at a time. cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour. add spinach towards the end of the 1/2 hour. add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. garnish soup with chopped fresh cilantro.

comfort food

we had 48 straight hours of snow here this week. i'm kind of a sunshine girl, so all of that dreariness put me in the mood for some comfort food. here's what comes to mind when i say comfort food:

• it's warm - there's no such thing as a cold comfort food.
• it's delicious - duh.
• it reminds me of home - comfort foods are often something my mom or grandma made.
• it feels good - texture, flavor, nutrition - its the perfect balance and when a ton of it is sitting in your belly it just feels good!

here's my version of something my mom used to make. my husband thought i was crazy the first time i made it - until he tasted it, of course! the chicken noodle soup is perfect and simple (and even better with homemade noodles if you want to go to the effort) and the mashed potatoes push it to that next level of comfort food fabulous!

also, if you still have a big bag of potatoes from the holidays like i do this is a great way to use some of them. it's also perfect if you ever have leftover mashed potatoes from a previous meal.

comforting chicken noodles over mashed potatoes

6+ servings

7 cups chicken broth (use 9-10 cups if you just want to eat soup with no potatoes)

1/2 a medium onion, chopped

1 heaping cup sliced carrots

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon pepper (+ more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt (+ more to taste)

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 pieces

4 cups uncooked egg noodles

4 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or use baby spinach)

1. bring broth to a boil. add onion, carrots, bay leaf, salt, pepper and raw chicken. turn down heat and simmer (you can let it boil hard if you're in a hurry, but if you let it simmer really low the chicken will be more tender).

2. when chicken is done, add noodles and pull chicken out to shred. add back to soup after shredding.

3. when noodles are almost done, add spinach and continue simmering until spinach is soft.

4. spread a few mashed potatoes (from here or your own recipe) into the bottom of your bowl, top with chicken noodles. enjoy!

what is your favorite comfort food?

recipe of the week: black bean burgers and oven fries

only someone who really loves food would crave a burger and fries the monday after thanksgiving weekend. i'm crazy, but i just can't help myself. the only problems - it was meatless monday and i was less than thrilled about using a whole package of my ground turkey to make a few turkey burgers. so i jumped on allrecipes.com and found these delicious little babies and they were fabulous (and so cheap and easy to make)!! and the fries were the best oven fries i've ever had! (this recipe had the trick to make them crispy like real fries - sugar! i know, weird, but try it! the fries aren't sweet, just crispy and oh so good.)

mini black bean burgers

8 mini burgers or 4 regular-size burgers

1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon thai chili sauce or hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. if grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. if baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees f, and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. in a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. in a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
4. in a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
5. stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. divide mixture into four patties. place on baking sheet and refridgerate until ready to cook to help them hold together better. (i had mine in the fridge for about 1/2 of the day and they didn't fall apart)
6. if grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

serve on whole wheat hamburger buns or rolls with your favorite hamburger toppings.

oven fries

about 4-6 servings

2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

black pepper to liking (i added this - you don't have to!)

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees f. line a baking sheet with foil, and coat well with cooking spray. scrub potatoes well and cut into 1/2 inch thick fries.
2. in a large mixing bowl, toss potatoes with oil, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. spread on baking sheet in one layer. cook immediately and don't let them sit.
3. bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until potatoes are tender and browned. serve immediately.

black bean burgers from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Black-Bean-Veggie-Burgers/Detail.aspx

oven fries from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oven-Fries/Detail.aspx

recipe of the week: pasta pie

does anyone else get bored of their normal fall-back plan for a quick dinner? i do. one of my usual fall backs is pasta and red sauce. it's quick, it's healthy and it always tastes good, but sometimes it gets boring. i had a flashback to a delicious dish of my past - the "pasta pie" - from metro pizza back home and decided to recreate it to spice up my usual pasta and red sauce. it's definitely a carbo-load so balance out the rest of your day with lots of lean protein and veggies.

pasta pie

8 servings

1/2 recipe easy pizza dough from here

16 oz penne pasta, cooked as per directions

your favorite pasta sauce

1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

grated cheese (i used mozerella and a little bit of parmesan)

meat optional - (like ground turkey or some chicken)

1. when done rising, split in half and roll out each half thin and into the shape of a 13x9 in glass baking dish.

2. combine pasta, sauce and cheeses in a large bowl and stir until combined

3. lay one half of your pasta into the bottom of the baking dish (greased). lay the pasta/sauce/cheese mixture onto the dough and then top with the other half of the rolled out dough.

4. bake in the oven at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until crust is done.

simple turkey chili

simple turkey chili (click here to read kid reviews)

1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (less if you're extra sensitive to spicy)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. brown turkey and onion in large pot until done.
2. pour water into the pot. mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. season with chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper.

3. bring to a boil. reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

crockpot option: brown turkey and onions. combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook for however long you desire.

recipe and picture from allrecipes.com - with a few variations, of course!

easy baked pasta

easy baked pasta (click here to read reviews)

ziti noodles
mozerella
parmesan
your favorite pasta sauce
ground turkey browned with fresh garlic, salt and pepper

bake at 350 for 30 min

easy as that and it's a sure fire hit with almost any crowd!

chicken tacos

chicken tacos (click here to read reviews)

1. marinate chicken breasts overnight in a little bit of olive oil, lots of lime juice, fresh garlic and cilantro

2. sprinkle lightly with garlic salt, black pepper and cumin and grill on grill (george forman or pan grilling will work too!)

3. slice chicken into thin strips

serve as tacos: pan heated/toasted corn tortillas, cheese, cilantro, salsa, sour cream

serve as quesadillas: cheese and chicken in a flour tortilla, crisped in a pan on the stove

or serve in any other mexican-style dish!