Rainy California Style Italian Wedding Soup

Despite the famous song,"It Never Rains in Southern California" it's honest to God actually raining in Southern California. Having spent about 95% of my life in the finicky weather of the Midwest, I never thought I'd get caught up in the hysteria of a pending storm. I mean, its just rain, right?! Well, I suppose not really as the flooding roads are clearly ill equipped to handle rain and so are the drivers!


After driving through rivers that were once roads and barely escaping panicked drivers, I returned home to the realization that I had never anticipated the difficulty of taking care of a dog when it rains. If you live in Seattle or some other rainy clime, please do enlighten me! A simple walk around the block turned into a muddy adventure and a smelly wet dog, followed by some fun wrestling as I tried in vain to clean up said odorous dog.


Well after getting myself slimed by my once cute, but now stinky mutt, I settled in for some nice warm and cozy leftover soup last night. I spotted this recipe on Allrecipes.com and doctored it up with some garlic, veggies and spices and used ground turkey instead of beef. This is even tastier the next day as the flavors have a chance to meld. While I loved the combo of orzo, meatballs and veggies, I may experiment with adding some lemon juice for a little extra flavor in the broth.

Hope you had a good weekend and stay warm out there!

California Italian Wedding Soup

1/2 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 large carrots, sliced
1 large celery stalk, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup orzo, uncooked
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cups finely sliced spinach
grated Parmesan cheese for topping

1.In a large bowl, mix together the meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, parsley, green onions, salt & pepper; shape into 3/4 inch balls.

2.In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add in carrots and garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes and add celery. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add in broth and increase heat to high. When boiling, drop in meatballs. Stir lemon zest and orzo. Season with a dash of salt and pepper, and the oregano. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender, stirring frequently. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

Asian Noodle Bowl with Chicken

The web seems to be full of healthy recipes, resolutions, and new starts these days. Though I personally haven't resolved to cook healthier in 2010, I have been quite obsessed with Ellie Krieger's new healthy cookbook. I believe this may be the third recipe of hers this week! Alas, all good things must come to an end as I also received a yet-to-be-used Fry Daddy for Christmas and must get this unhealthy new gadget to work.
Before I start frying everything in the kitchen, I'll leave you with this nice and healthy soba noodle bowl full of colorful veggies and lean chicken. Sadly I forgot my favorite quasi-veggie, the baby corn. I first decided to love baby corn as a child, mainly because it had the word 'baby' in the name. After all these years, the mini-me version of corn still makes me smile.


Moral of the story: don't forget your baby corn! Despite the missing ingredient, we greatly enjoyed this recipe. I added a little garlic rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper for good measure and think this was a good call. I also happened to use Polynesian marinated chicken breasts since they were on sale in the butcher case at Henry's. I'd say this is a pretty flexible recipe -- feel free to substitute meats and veggies as you please!

Healthy Asian Noodle Bowl
adapted from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week
8 ounces soba noodles (my package was closer to 9.5 ounces)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 bunch scallions
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless skinlesss chicken breast, sliced thinly (lightly season with salt and pepper)
1 15 oz can baby corn, drained
1/2 pound broccoli florets
1/2 pound shiitake musrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon roasted garlic rice wine vinegar (i used Nakano brand)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a large wok over medium high heat. Add scallions and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the veggies, broth, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cook until broccoli and peppers are crisp tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the noodles and sesame oil and toss to combine. Garnish with scallions if desired.

Ellie's Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens

For all you go-getter-New Years-resolution-people who happened to be clogging up the gym tonight at 6pm, here's an uber healthy meal that I made not while trying to be healthy, but because I was cold.

Alas! Lucky me, it also happened to be quite a hearty meal and left me with a bead of sweat on my nose when dinner was finished. Chock full of goodies, this soup packs 30g of protein per 2 cup serving and gobs of iron from the lentils. Add in some carrots, kale and celery and you've got yourself a vitamin packed power meal.

I was initially skeptical of this recipe because I gravitate towards thick soups, not broth based soups, and let me tell you this guy uses a lot of broth - 12 cups to be exact! However, the hint of lemon gives the soup a lift and brings out a good flavor. Tastes are sometimes hard to change though, and I think next time I'll experiment with smashing some beans or lentil to make the soup a little thicker. All in all this was a good soup that I'll make again.


Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens
adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week
(definitely one of my new favorite cookbooks!)
2 tsp canola or olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz green lentils
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
8 cups chopped kale leaves (about 6 oz)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1. Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium- high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add 12 cups of the broth, the lentils, basil, thyme, garlic salt and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the kale, and cook until the lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir occasionally while simmering. When finished, stir in the lemon juice and zest and serve.

Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale & Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays everyone! Being a relative newcomer to California, I still have a hard time adjusting to a warm & sunny Christmas. Where's the snow, people? Luckily (or unluckily) our house is so poorly insulated that we will probably spend our nights sipping hot cocoa and wearing fuzzy slippers anyway. Here's to wishing all of you warm and cozy nights with your family :)


This yummy & healthy dish is my new holiday favorite. Surprisingly, this veggie dish was the hit of our Thanksgiving spread (I'm still partial to dessert, of course) and I plan on bringing it to Christmas dinner at our friends' house tomorrow. Sauteed kale, green beans and mushrooms are nicely spiced with red pepper flakes, lemon and Parmesan cheese. It doesn't get much easier than this, folks!

Have a very Merry Christmas and stay warm!

Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale
adapted from my favorite cook I love to hate (Giada)

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 14 mushrooms)
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and slice into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used a 1/4 teaspoon)
1 bunch kale (1/2 pound), rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan + extra for sprinkling

1. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan to taste and serve immediately.

Soft Potato Quick Rolls

After consecutive days of being unable to breathe due to an unfortunate constriction in my waistband, I began to seriously second guess my holiday gluttony. I love my family but more importantly, my family loves to eat. After a yummy Thanksgiving feast and days of shuttling my parents around to each of our favorite restaurants in town, things were surely getting a little tight. Luckily, I awoke this morning to discover that my pants had finally granted me a freebie by stretching out so I can resume eating leftovers. {{sigh of relief}}.


Last night hubby and I desperately wanted turkey sandwiches but could not subject ourselves to a 10th grocery store trip in a week. I scoured the internet for a quick sandwich roll recipe and found several using a common theme of potato flakes, onion powder, yeast and a muffin tin. With a total rise time of about 50 minutes (split between two sessions), these rolls were ready right before bed time, a perfect time to gorge on bread, dont you think?

I must say i'm desperately in love with this easy recipe. I added Parmesan cheese, used roasted garlic potato flakes and threw in a little extra sugar. Next time, I may try adding real garlic and some cheese. The possibilities are endless!

Soft Potato Quick Rolls
adapted from Allrecipes and King Arthur's Flour

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup dry roasted garlic potato flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and stir. Add potato flakes, salt, egg, oil, onion powder, cheese and 1 cup of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour. Continue stirring until smooth, scraping batter from sides of bowl.

Cover and let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 20 to 30 minutes. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

Once risen, punch down dough. Spoon dough evenly into greased muffin cups. Let rise until batter reaches tops of cups, or about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Honey Beer Bread

Let me caveat this post by noting that though this turned out to be the recipe from hell, it was utterly delicious and something I will make again and again- perhaps one of my favorite pumpkin recipes. And because you are probably much more attentive and organized than me, I presume you shouldn't experience one problem when baking and enjoying this super healthy bread.

So, why the recipe from hell?

Monday: Measure out ingredients only to find I am out of sugar. Postpone making of bread.
Tuesday: Hubby buys sugar but I'm too lazy to make bread. Realize we only have IPA which is too hoppy for bread.
Wednesday: Go out to store in search of pumpkin beer to find they carry only 1 brand and its $11 for a 6-pack. I'm not made of money here, folks. Settle for using the Kirin Light in my fridge. Arrive home. Too late to make bread.
Thursday: Oops, where's the flax seed?. Send hubby out to store. Oops, food processor does not grind flax seed very well. Power through these setbacks. Decide to put raisins in one of the loaves only to have the entire package of raisins fall into the dough. DOH!This damn bread better be good....

So, there you have it! It may have taken nearly a week to make this pumpkin bread but it was clearly worth it. As a cold weather hater, fall has traditionally served as a sign of bad things to come. However, along with pretty fall leaves I've always loved the food that comes along with fall and just about anything pumpkin flavored.


This bread makes 2 loaves so consider halving the recipe if you're unable to consume 2 whole loaves with your husband alone. We don't have these problems! Enjoy and don't forget to read the ingredient list before proceeding :)

Pumpkin Honey Beer Bread
adapted from Cooking Light

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup ground flaxseed (try using a coffee grinder to grind the flaxseed)
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup honey or pumpkin beer (at room temperature)
1 tablespoon honey
3 large eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup raisins
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour,

salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk.

3. Combine 1/2 cup water and ground flaxseed.
Combine sugar, oil, beer, honey and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at

medium-high speed until well blended. Add flaxseed mixture and pumpkin.

4. Beat at low speed just until blended. Slowly add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Stir in raisins. Divide batter between 2 (9 x 5–inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes -1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette

Back in grade school, I won the perfect attendance award not one but two grades in a row. As a child I was blessed with a strong immune system and really never, ever got sick....except for the one time I faked it to skip school. Luckily I've stayed pretty healthy into adulthood and have never gotten the flu despite being too much of a wuss to willingly subject myself to a flu shot.

This year, fueled by the flu media frenzy, I lined up with the masses and sat down for my first ever flu shot. Good news: it didn't hurt. Bad news: I'm sick now. boo.

I don't blame the shot - I know its a killed virus vaccine but I can't help but wonder at the bad coincidence. Ho Hum.

What does this have to do with a salad you might ask? Well, I admit not much though I did search for a recipe containing oranges to get my ever important Vitamin C dosage for the day. Wives tale or not I still overdose on Vitamin C when not feeling up to my grade school glory days of health.

Beyond the Vitamin C, this salad is heart friendly and chock full of other goodies: omega-3 fatty acids & Vitamin D from salmon, beta carotene & Vitamin A from spinach, and heart healthy olive oil. The flavors came together quite nicely and after a meal like this, I hope my immune system will get a kick in the right direction!

Grilled Salmon and Spinach Salad with Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette
Cooking Light

Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons black pepper
Cooking spray
1 package fresh spinach
4 oranges, each peeled and cut into 6 slices

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl and stir well with a whisk.

3. Drizzle lemon juice over salmon fillets; sprinkle with black pepper. Place fillets, skin sides up, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove skin from fillets; discard.

4. Toss spinach with vinaigrette to taste. Add spinach and oranges and serve immediately.

Black Bean Mushroom Burgers

First off, congrats to the winners of the Macy's shopping giveaway! Amber (lucky #3) would host a black and white themed party while Kerstin (lucky # 15) wants to host a Mexican themed party with guac and margs. Yum! Thanks for entering the giveaway and let us know what you buy!

On to other good stuff...Do you ever find yourself making something that tastes so delicious but looks utterly unattractive? Well, file me under "ugly but yummy" because I truly struggled whether I should post these or not. In the end, I couldn't resist because we loved these Black Bean Mushroom burgers so much.

Among good things in life, black beans and mushrooms hang out at the top of my list. Unlike other things that hang out up there (cake & ice cream), these ingredients are actually good for me and you. Even better, my carnivore hubby gave these a big thumbs up so rest assured, you too can subject a vegetarian meal upon your favorite meat eater.

Grab your handy dandy food processor and get to work. Black beans are whirled with sauteed baby bellas, a little bread crumb action and cilantro. Add goat cheese and form into yummy patties. Though we fired these up on the grill, things got a little messy and next time I will just saute them in a pan with a lot of cooking spray and/or olive oil. They're a little too fragile for the grill in my opinion. Serve on toasty English Muffins and you have yourself a veg treat!

I found these tasty burgers on Culinary in the Country and stayed pretty true to the recipe so head on over there to check it out. My only recommendations would be to use a full tub of goat cheese, consider using more bread crumbs, and to saute these babies!

Sweet Chili Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I tend to be quite a busy body so I continually struggle with sitting around doing nothing. On the plus side, I tend to be fairly productive, spending my weekend days running around from one errand to the next, but it's certainly a negative when I can't just relax and the weekend leaves me exhausted! Well, lucky for me, college football season is in gear so that means lots of Saturday lazy days couch time is in store.


While I truly love college football, it's quite possible I love the snacks & munchies we make for football couch time even more. On Saturday, I decided to make something refreshing and an old-standby for Amer-asian food fans everywhere - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Google Chicken lettuce wrap recipes, and you'll find quite a plethora of PF Chang's Copy Cat recipes. I decided to mix a few ingredients from several recipes, add a few touches of my own and see how things turned out.

These were delicious, but its hard to mimic the absolutely perfectly round lettuce cups served at restaurants. Do they hire someone just to pick out perfect heads of lettuce?! If you know the secret, please share.

Have a great week and stay tuned for a**shopping** giveaway this week!

Sweet Chili Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from various internet sources

1 pound ground chicken or turkey
Montreal Grill Seasoning (by McCormick) & salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
1 -2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
dash of black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 cups Cole Slaw (cabbage & carrot) mix
3 scallions, chopped on an angle
1 can sliced water chestnuts, diced into small pieces
1 head of romaine or iceberg lettuce

In a medium bowl, sprinkle chicken with grill seasoning, salt and peper. Stir to combine.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine sesame oil,hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sweet chili sauce, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Heat a large skillet to hot. Add olive oil, then chicken. Cook chicken 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the red peppers, cabbage and carrot mix, scallions and water chestnuts and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Add sauce mixture and saute until all is warm, about another 2 minutes.

Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken salad in the center of each lettuce leaf

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta and Caramelized Onions

As summer comes to a close, I find myself wondering "how'd it get so freakin' hot here?!" San Diego, land of mild climes has become a perpetual hot box. Needless to say I haven't embraced any reunions with the kitchen. I dared to turn on the oven a few days ago and we paid the price after two consecutively sticky days.



While I will always be someone who just loves steamin hot food, salads have never seemed more appetizing. This is one of my favorites with you guessed it, feta cheese! (sorry Brittwilk!) Toss a few summer ripe strawberries with chopped spinach, feta, grilled asparagus and caramelized onions and you have yourself a cool meal that won't leave you sweating! We tried this with a little bit of Annie's Natural Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette.

Hope you all have a great weekend and a happy Labor(less) day! I'll leave you with a recent picture of our big puppy, Sadie, taken on a hike this morning. She looks happy, huh? That's because we're in the shade! :)



Strawberry Salad
recipe by hubby

1 small red onion, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bag of baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 pint of strawberries, sliced
1 small package of reduced fat crumbled feta (about 3oz)

1. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Slowly saute red onion slices until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add asparagus and saute lightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. In a large bowl, toss chopped spinach, feta cheese, and strawberries. Add cooled veggies and toss with your favorite dressing.

Saffron Couscous and Chicken with Apricots and Chickpeas

The other day I found a Sunset magazine just chock full of great recipes. Before living on the west coast, I thought it quite pretentious that a whole magazine was dedicated to the lucky people living on the picturesque west coast, already drenched in good weather. I mean, I was stuck in the middle of the country and spent more than half of my year in freezing temperatures. Instead of taking weekend road trips to picturesque coastal towns, I drove through traffic. Well, needless to say I have fallen in love with Sunset magazine and become "one of those lucky people." Yay for California :) After having these recipes hanging on my fridge, I finally got around to making them and am quite happy with the results.

I particularly loved this dinner because it required no grocery trips for me. Having quick and easy recipes that can come straight out of the pantry are always a lifesaver during the week. We grilled up some chicken and simmered it with a zesty sauce full of diced apricots, chickpeas, tomatoes and a hint of spice. Though I can't say I love spicy food, there is just something special about the sweet & spicy flavor combination. As a side, we whipped up some saffron couscous from the Sunset magazine article I have hanging on my fridge. While this was yummy (I love all couscous, so am rather easy to please), I think next time I'll add another spice yet to be determined to add a flavor kick.

I couldn't seem to get a great photo, but this chicken is uber yummy and definitely worth a try!


Chicken with tomatoes, apricots & chickpeas
Adapted from Sunset Magazine

1 pound chicken tenders
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic
1/3 cup dried apricots
1 tbsp sugar
3 minced garlic cloves
1 can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Sprinkle chicken tenders with kosher salt & ground pepper
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet/saucepan over medium high heat then add spices (cumin through cayenne). Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, turning once. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Add tomatoes, apricots, sugar and garlic cloves to the skillet. Return chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in garbanzo beans and parsley. Cook until beans are heated through.

Saffron Couscous

Also adapted from Sunset, Feb '09

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup raisins
ground pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth, 1 tbsp butter, saffron and salt to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat & cover tightly. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Melt remaining 1/2 tbsp butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add carrot and cook, stirring occasionally until carrot is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add raisins and saute an additional 2 minutes.

3. Stir almonds and carrot raisin mixture into couscous, fluffing with a fork.

Sesame Five-Spice Shrimp en papillote

Thanks for all the notes about Sadie! She's truly a great puppy though I'm not sure how I'll deal with her in a few months. She's already 47 pounds but has the most ginormous lion-sized paws. I think we have a Marmaduke on our hands!

On to the food, hubby cooked Five Spice Shrimp for Man Food Mondays. My favorite Monday tradition has not died, I've just been a lazy blogger.


Always out to impress, he tackled this recipe which called for en papilotte cooking. Fancy-schmancy, huh? Ok, it was very easy but it still sounds cool, right? Steaming the shrimp in parchment paper resulted in some of the most tender & juicy shrimp I've ever had. To top it off, a slightly sweet & spicy marinade made me very happy - is there any better taste combo?

Pair this with any veggies you like....the spiced shrimp is definitely the star of the show! We ate big bowls of steamed brown rice along with our own personal lovely packets. Cooking with parchment paper has become one of our favorite ways of cooking. I suppose this way two hungry eaters don't have to fight over second helpings...we each get our own bundle of food!

Five Spice Shrimp en papilotte
Eating Well

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice wine
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds raw large shrimp. peeled and deveined
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 red bell pepper, chopped

1. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, five-spice powder and crushed red pepper (if using) in a large bowl. Add shrimp and mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F

3. Add corn, snap peas and bell pepper in a medium bowl. Prepare large rectangles of parchment paper.

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer one-fourth of the shrimp into the middle of the parchment paper. Place one-fourth of the vegetable mixture (about 1 cup) on top of each portion of shrimp.

5. Close the packet to cover the ingredients. Starting at the top, seal the packet by folding the edges together in a series of small, tight folds. Twist the tip of the packet and tuck it underneath to help keep the packet closed. Place the packets on a large rimmed baking sheet (packets may overlap slightly). Bake until the shrimp are just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and boil until reduced slightly, just a few minutes.

7. Let the packets rest unopened for 5 minutes. Serve the shrimp and vegetables drizzled with the reduced marinade and a side of steaming hot brown rice.

Lobster Mac and Cheese with a shot of protein

There are few things in this world that I might crave more than Lobster Mac 'n Cheese. The simple creamy, cheesy decadence of macaroni and cheese is one thing, but then toss in chunks of lobster? Oh.Dear.Mama.

If I told you that this recipe is actually GOOD for you - and I mean really good for you - would you believe me? Thanks to the magic of quinoa pasta, I'm happy to bring you a reduced fat, super high in protein and fiber, yet still delicious meal. Yes, I know it sounds too good to be true, but I would never lead you astray. Already a cheerleader for quinoa, I couldn't believe my good fortune when I stumbled upon quinoa pasta at Henry's.

Made of corn flour and quinoa flour, you can rest assured that eventhough you're eating something absurdly delicious, you're also filling your body with a complete protein and all the essential amino acids you need. Amazing, huh?!

Oh, and the lobster and cheddar cheesiness is a nice touch as well.

Although the folks at Ancient Harvest boldly remind you not to overcook with an exclamation point, we have found that the pasta take a little longer than the box claims. In our household, we tend to stick to the "pick a noodle out of the pot to see if it's done" pasta cooking method.

We've also found quite the treasure in Trader Joe's Langostino Tails. A bag runs about 8-9 dollars, making lobster chunks an affordable and easy to make luxury while allowing our mac 'n cheese obsession to continue on a weekly basis.

Quinoa Lobster Mac 'n Cheese
2 8 oz. boxes quinoa pasta (available at health food stores like Henry's, Whole Foods), cooked according to package directions (plus a few minutes boiling time)
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 lb Velveeta, cut into cubes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp coarse garlic salt
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar
1/2 -1 cup frozen peas (we use the full cup as pea lovers!)
12 oz of frozen langostino tails (bought at Trader Joe's)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Melt butter over medium heat until almost bubbling. Add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk & broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for about 2 minutes or until smooth & thickened. Reduce heat.

2. Add sour cream, Velveeta chunks, Parmesan, ground mustard, pepper & garlic salt. Continue stirring until smooth and cheese melts (this may take awhile). Once cheese is melted, add shredded cheddar and stir until melted. Stir in peas & lobster. Add drained pasta to pot and stir until combined with cheese sauce.

3. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer pasta to the dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Cumin Spiced Chicken with Green Tomatillo Sauce

I apologize for my MIA status from both my blog and your blog, but life has been overwhelming lately! I know there are many of you with kids, a job, a mortgage, a hobby, a dog, a cat, and a life. Seriously, I do not know how you do it!

This June, hubby is finishing his Masters degree and I'm throwing him a bash! I've been looking forward to planning and cooking for his party until I realized how quickly June is approaching. What am I making? I have no freakin' clue!

I'm hoping you could all help me. Send me you favorite party recipes & ideas to newlywedcook at gmail dot com! If I end up using of one of your recipes, I just might have a prize for you! I wish I were organized enough to tell you in advance, but I promise not to let you down.




Meanwhile, here's a fancy looking dinner I threw together when I could actually remember what day of the week it was. Chicken breasts are spiced with cumin and marinated in olive oil and garlic and then grilled & topped with a fresh tomatillo sauce. Though I love salsa verde, I've never made anything with tomatillos.


I guess I had never really seen a tomatillo before either, because I was pleasantly surprised at how cute they were. Leave it to me to think a fruit is cute.


We served the birds with one of our favorite side dishes - Summer Black Bean Quinoa Salad - which made for a nice and hearty protein filled dinner, perfect for Cinco de Mayo. Oh, too bad it's Cinco de Seis. Told you I didn't know what day it was.

I promise I will be back to my old self soon & sorry for this rambling post. I think we all get a freebie every now and again, right?!

Cumin Spiced Chicken with Green Tomatillo Sauce
Adapted from Cooking Light 5/09

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless,boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 pound fresh tomatillos
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (I admit, we skipped this - we're wimps)

Cooking spray


1. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Mix well and place chicken and marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Combine tomatillos and broth in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cover and cook 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Combine tomatillos, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, sugar, salt and jalapeño (if using) in a food processor; process until smooth.

4. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with a dash of salt. Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Serve with tomatillo sauce.

Good Ol' Tuna Noodle Casserole

I'm very fortunate to have ended up quite the adventurous eater. As a child, I would pick and chose foods with ardent fury that I simply would and would not eat. Would you believe I never ate beans until college? ...told my friends' parents that I was allergic to milk because I hated the taste? ...refused to eat any sandwich that had been contaminated with pickle juice?

Well, luckily for us all I have turned out to be quite a charming and not-so-picky adult. :)

The worst offender on my "do not eat" list was hands down - canned tuna. I simply couldn't sit next to a friend or classmate who had a tuna sandwich. In college, my study buddy brought a snack pack of tuna and crackers and I swiftly put an end to our study dates.

I don't recall the first time I got over the canned tuna hurdle, but I can now safely say that tuna noodle casserole is one of my favorite comfort foods. While it certainly doesn't bring back any nostalgia of childhood, family dinners or momma's cooking, it does remind me of the early days of my relationship with hubby.


Back when we were dating, I enjoyed cooking but had a very small kitchen and limited supplies (think a mish-mosh of pots and pans from college, the majority of which were hand-me-downs from my mother's kitchen or garage sale purchases). Since I was very much a budding cook, I stuck to lots of recipes using "convenience foods" like condensed soup or pre-packaged stir fry mixes. My recipe repertoire had its limitations, but I always had a few standbys that I knew would impress. Cooking for a new boyfriend required me to be calm, cool and collected in the kitchen (none of which I am today!) Tuna noodle casserole was my favorite dish to throw together so we could spend more time being googly-eyed and all that stuff that new couples enjoy.

Today, I like to think that I have gotten much better in the kitchen, but we still enjoy good ol' tuna noodle casserole more often than not. It's simple, delicious, and easy. To my old study buddy - I apologize. I'd be happy to have you and your tuna cracker snack pack over any day.

Good Ol' Tuna Noodle Casserole
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup diced onion
1 cup milk
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups frozen green peas
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
3/4 box of rotini cooked according to package directions
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450° and spray a 2qt casserole dish lightly with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3-4 minutes. Add milk and soup. Cook 3 minutes; stir constantly with a whisk.
Add peas, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic salt and tuna. mix well. Add drained noodles and toss to coat noodles with sauce. Pour into casserole dish.

Combine breadcrumbs and cheese; sprinkle on top and spray breadcrumb topping with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 450° 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Fish Minestrone topped with Parsley Herb Pesto

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We don't have any family in town, so we tried to enjoy the day by taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine and plan on having a nice dinner at home. Lately, I have been cooking quite a bit from my favorite big headed beauty's new cookbook, Giada's Kitchen.


I love her new collection that focuses on fresh ingredients and a bit of a California spin on recipes like this Fish Minestrone Soup. Aside from the great food, the cookbook also seems to offer uh, a little bit of candy for the eyes. Giada's stylist has an uncanny knack for picking out tops that accentuate her big...smile. I mean, is this cookbook G-rated? The Giada montages are something else!

Well, if anything, Giada's latest seems to have gotten hubby more interested in picking out dishes for dinner so I suppose that's a plus.

I had a few initial doubts about this soup as the actual broth isn't seasoned with anything more than salt and pepper. The mixologist in me felt inclined to run to the spice rack, but I resisted and just followed the recipe for once.

The fish seasons the broth nicely and a mixture of oregano, fresh Italian parsley and olive oil tops the soup and really kicks up the flavor. Giada calls it an herb sauce, but as you can see from the photos it's a little bit more of a pesto consistency so I've taken the liberty to rename.


Contrary to my assumption, the minestrone was full of flavor and quite hearty. Zucchini, carrots, onions, garbanzo beans and cannelini beans round out the soup nicely and are certainly a nice change from the typical Italian tomato based minestrone.

I highly recommend checking out Giada's Kitchen (for both the recipes and your husband's entertainment) and plan on making the Grilled Shrimp with Tomato Artichoke Broth tonight!

Fish Minestrone with Herb Pesto
adapted from Giada's Kitchen

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup fresh green beans, cut into bite size pieces
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 lb red snapper filets
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Herb Pesto Topping
2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, zucchini and green beans. Stir to combine and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and the broth. Cook until the broth simmers, about 5 minutes.

Season both sides of the fish fillets with kosher salt and pepper and add them to the soup. Simmer until the fish is cooked through. Season the broth with salt & pepper.

For the herb topping:
While the fish cooks, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic & white wine vinegar in the food processor. Pulse the machine until it forms a paste. Add olive oil in a steady stream while the food processor runs. Add salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with the herb pesto as desired.

Heart Shaped Salmon & Shrimp Maki

As a child I had a true affinity for eating things shaped liked other things. Dino Nuggets? check. Peeps? check. Star shaped fish sticks? check.

I must confess that my affinity hasn't gone away, but luckily for all of us I've progressed to less processed, more tasty foods shaped like other things. My latest attempt? Heart Shaped Maki, of course.

Ok, ok. So they may look like the hearts you drew in grade school when you couldn't quite get the shape right. ...but, they're still cute don't you think?

These rolls are filled with a combo of sauteed shrimp & salmon and topped with a dollop of sweet chili sauce. Some households may fly through bottles of condiments such as ketchup or mustard, but in our house we consume sweet chili sauce for sustenance. Mae Ploy is our personal fav.

Back to the heart shaped sushi. My Mom (uh, and me) are kitchen gadget freaks. I mean, the Magic Bullet is still one of my favorite kitchen toys. In any case, she sent me a Sushi Maker she recently saw a demo of. Consisting of a series of plastic molds and guides, the sushi maker allows you to make the traditional round maki, square shaped maki, and the lovely heart maki you must be oohing and ahhing over.


I think we still need some practice to get the rice / filling amounts right in the molds, but this is an addicting new hobby. Rolling sushi with a mat isn't difficult, but stuffing molds is oh so much fun!

Though we've used different sushi rice recipes in the past, I tried out Pioneer Woman's and was quite happy with it. I did end up with way more sushi rice seasoning (su) than I needed, so use it judiciously and don't saturate your rice.

See this previous post for filling & rice cooking ideas!

Quick & Easy Creoleesque Chicken & Shrimp

I don't usually wake up too late on the weekends, but for some reason Daylight Savings really did a number on me. After taking a nice long stroll around Lake Miramar, hubby and I went to grab some groceries for the week. Upon returning home, I couldn't keep my eyes awake and proceeded to pass out for 2 hours...on the ground...like an animal! I enjoy naps and all but typically those of the 15 minute variety. Waking up from a 2 hour nap just leaves me groggy and crabby.

Needless to say I wanted to make something quick and easy for dinner. Chicken & Shrimp Creole is an old standby that I love to make, especially after a long day at work. Or... a long day of sleeping on the ground. It's easy, flavorful and I usually have everything on hand. Well, maybe not the okra, but I feel that's an expendable ingredient if you have to omit. I served this on top of short grain brown rice, but it's equally as tasty with some noodles or even just a hunk of bread.

PS. I don't claim that this is in any way "authentic" Creole. I just don't really have a better name for it :)

Quick Creoleesque Chicken & Shrimp

nonstick cooking spray
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped into cubes
Montreal chicken seasoning
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 cup frozen cut okra, thawed
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a medium bowl, season the chicken with Montreal Chicken Seasoning. Stir to combine evenly.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add red bell peppers, okra, corn and spices (sugar through ground red pepper), stirring to combine. Pour tomatoes over chicken mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Uncover; stir in shrimp and cook until just turning pink, about 3 minutes. Add parsley and butter, stirring until butter melts.

Honey Pistachio Biscotti

The other night a girlfriend and I went out for margaritas. We had great fun and a few drinks, but realized we were a little old when we couldn't take the loud music anymore and ended up at a nearby coffee shop sipping chai tea lattes and nibbling on biscotti. Margaritas and chai tea? That's a girls night if you ask me.


If you're in the San Diego area, The Living Room in La Jolla is quite an eclectic little spot, perfect for people watching and GOOD biscotti. I fell in love with their pistachio biscotti, most of all because it had a cute green tint. I'm one of those people who will like food if it's cute, mini, or a fun color.


Since we're in a recession and all, I figure that I should make my own biscotti as opposed to spending $3 for one small, but oh-so-heavenly stick. I even decided I'd make mine green too, but ultimately forgot that part while cooking. I'm known to do that. Hubby was happy because unlike me, he doesn't think green food is attractive unless it's a veggie.


I found this recipe from Ellie Krieger, one of my favorite monotone Food Network chefs. At least she doesn't have a big head, right?!

These biscotti are not quite as sweet as others I've made, but it's a nice change of pace. They pair well with tea and are an excellent mid-day snack. Other biscotti recipes instruct to turn down the oven after the first bake and let the biscotti harden at a low temperature for a slow bake; Ellie's bake at the same temperature throughout, so the process is a little more speedy! Enjoy.

Honey Pistachio Biscotti
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey (I also added a few dollops of agave nectar for good measure)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios
sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat together the sugar, honey, eggs, oil, zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract until well combined. In batches add the dry ingredients until the mixture forms a dough. Stir in the pistachios.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times. Shape into a log about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. Sprinkle the top with sugar to taste. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes,or until the top is firm. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Arrange on the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake the biscotti until golden 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. If you like yours crunchy, turn off the oven and let the biscotti sit in there for a little while longer.

Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes

If you couldn't tell, I absolutely love, adore, & worship desserts. Ask me to pick a favorite and I'd first salivate thinking of all the delicious treats I've come to know and love. Tiramisu? Bourbon Bread Pudding? Mint Chocolate Chip ice Cream....Oh my. The choices. The calories.


Believe it or not, I'd have to say that I'd pick angel food as one of my top 3 favorites (I just can't pick a favorite, ok?). A treat that even Gym Barbie could love, angel food is essentially made from cake flour, egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Read my lips: I am yummy but fat free!

I've always wanted to make my {one of top 3} favorite dessert, but buying a huge tube pan that I'll use for nothing more than one dessert seems like a whole lot of commitment to me. You also need to let the whole angel food cake cool upside down for an hour. Not one for patience or large kitchen pans, homemade angel food cake hasn't really been an option until I came across this tasty recipe from Baking Bites.


With a hint of lemon, these cupcakes are light, fluffy and sweet. I absolutely loved them. Hubby loved them too, but finally admitted to me that he felt a little *cheated* because they were so light! Back to chocolate and calories, I guess :)



Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes
Courtesy of Baking Bites
3/4 cup superfine sugar, divided
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one lemon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, sift together cake flour and 1/4 cup superfine sugar.
3. In a large bowl, beat room-temperature egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar and salt. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup of superfine sugar while the mixer is on high speed, beating the egg whites to soft peaks.
4. Fold in flour mixture, adding it in two or three additions.
5. Divide evenly into prepared muffin tins. The tins should be quite full.
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown. The tops will spring back when lightly touched.
7. Cool on a wire rack (no need to flip them upside down, as is usually done with full-sized angle food cakes).

Lemon Icing Drizzle
Confectioner's Sugar
fresh lemon juice

Combine confectioners sugar with lemon juice until the icing is a drizzable (is that a word?!) consistency. Drizzle on top of cooled cupcakes.
Makes 12 cupcakes.