Our Fabulous Bites

  Recipe I saw and want to try Butter-Free Lemon Pasta Ingredients Cooked spaghetti (1 box) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cups mixed mushrooms 2 tbsp shallots, chopped 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped Cooked oatmeal (1 cup of steel-cut oats, 4 1/2 cups of water, and 1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube) 1 cup grated parmesan 1/2 tbsp lemon zest 2 tbsp chives, chopped 1 tbsp basil, chopped 1/2 cup of peas, cooked 4 tbsp lemon juice Salt and pepper Directions In a large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Then add 1 cup of oatmeal and one cube of chicken (or vegetable) bouillon. Cook for 15 minutes. In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, strain about 1/2 cup of liquid from the cooked oatmeal. Add this liquid to the pan after step 3 is complete. In a large pan over medium heat, add about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Add grated Parmesan and a dash of lemon zest to the pan. Stir until cheese is melted. Add chives, basil, and peas. St...

 Hazel chose this for dinner and it was a hit for most of the family.  There is a lot of flexibility with the recipe.  Feel free to swap out veggies for different ones.  We are planning on trying out some variations and see what we think.  I was a big fan of purple cabbage and spinach in mine. It is a bit time consuming to make with all of the prep work. Ingredients for 4 bowls: 1.5 cups rice 3/4 pound ground turkey, or thinly sliced beef, or a plant-based substitute 1 cucumber 2 cups shredded carrots 4 eggs 3/8 cup soy sauce 3 Tablespoons honey or white sugar 2-3 Tablespoons sesame oil 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 tablespoon gochujang or another red chili paste (we used sambal oelek because it was what we could find, and we loved it, but we need to try the more authentic gochujang) The following are optional toppings: purple cabbage, thinly sliced  sautéed spinach  chopped and sautéed zucchini  seaweed flakes...

 I was surprised when most of the kids really enjoyed this.  I was afraid of the awesome sauce, but when I tried it with the squash, I thought it paired well.  By itself, I thought the sauce strange.  Isla loved the sauce, with or without the squash.  I like that you don't have to peel this squash, the skin was tender enough to eat.  I did peel off some of the bumps.   Ingredients : 3-4 medium delicata squash (2 pounds) 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper For the awesome sauce / dip 1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraîche 2 tablespoons hot sauce (we used a Mexican hot sauce) 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/4 garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon dried dill Instructions: Preheat the oven to 450. Wash the squash.  Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Slice into half-moons, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  Place slices in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake squash on a baking sheet ...

This is an easy recipe and comes in handy when I just want to throw something together.  It isn't a show stopper but gets dinner on the table and zucchini into my kids.  I don't usually peel my zucchini, but my kids don't notice the zucchini (or yellow squash) when I peel it. Ingredients: 8 oz uncooked linguine  4 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 medium) 4 tsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup plain yogurt  3/4 cup cheddar cheese 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Directions: Cook linguine according to package directions.  Pat zucchini dry and sauce in oil until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.  Transfer to serving bowl.  Add yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper and mix.  Add cooked linguine to serving bowl with zucchini mixture. Toss to coat and serve.

Ingredients 1/2 cup quinoa 1 cup water 1/3 cup craisins 8 ounces washed kale, chopped into bite-size pieces 2 -3 ribs of celery chopped 1/2 cup sliced almond 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or parmesan cheese Dressing (use the following, or I like it with a French vinaigrette also) 1/4 cup olive oil 2 T lemon juice 2 tsp dijon mustard 2 teaspoon honey or agave syrup 1 minced garlic clove 1/2 tsp fine salt (like sea salt) ground black pepper to taste Directions 1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.  Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and add the craisins and cover the pot.  Let it stand for 10 minutes and then fluff with fork and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. 3.  Assemble the salad:  Place the kale in a large bowl.  Sprinkle it with salt and massage t...

I am pretty sure I'm the only one looking at this blog anymore, and that is okay.  I still like using it to record recipes I find and want to repeat. Jeff chose this for dinner one night, and I was a bit afraid of the dressing, but I wanted to set a good example for my kids so I tried it.  Turns out, I liked it.  Everyone liked it, though my son wished we had left out the chickpeas.  So I gave him my chicken, and he gave me his legumes, and we were both happy.  Jeff and I thought the cheese was a waste.  We didn't really taste it, so why include it?  The dressing is similar to Thousand Island Dressing, but we thought this tasted better than what we have had from the store.  ( I don't normally care for thousand island dressing on salad, but I liked this salad) Serves 4-6 servings, takes about 45 minutes to prepare. New York Chopped Salad Salad Ingredients 1 pound bone-in skin-on chicken breast 1 tablespoon olive oil kosher salt ground...

My title might be off, but I think that is what my friend said when she made these for us.  These are easy and simple and pretty yummy.  Rees & I both really enjoy the combination of corn and poblanos together. Ingredients : Corn tortillas, heated 4 oz of cream cheese, in cubes 3-4 Poblanos 1 zuchinni, diced (optional) 1 cup Frozen or fresh corn Salt & pepper to taste Directions : Roast the peppers or char on the stove top then peal the skin.  There should be some black spots around the pepper before you take them out of the oven.  (i really prefer to do this in advance so the peppers can really cool down before I try to peel the skin off)  Slice the peppers. Saute peppers, corn in a pan with a little bit of oil.  Add cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese has melted and mixed with veggies.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Spoon mixture inside a tortilla and eat like a taco. *note: sometimes I like to add a small amount o...

photo cred: juliasalbum.com  We had this last week and it was easy to gobble up. I did make a change, and that was to run the sun-dried tomatoes through a food processor, because I'm not a fan of the texture when they are in big chunks, and that solved the problem.   Garlic Shrimp and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Pasta and Sauce 1/2 lb shrimp 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil salt 1/4 tsp paprika 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 c milk 1 tsp dried basil 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 1 c parmesan cheese 8 oz pasta, I used angel hair, the original recipe called for fettuccine In a large skillet, saute minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in oil (I used the oil from the tomatoes) for one minute until garlic is fragrant. Add shrimp, sprinkle with salt, paprika, and cook on medium heat for about 2 more minutes. Add milk, basil, and crushed red pepper to the skillet, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Whisk in the parmesan cheese to mel...

photocred: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com We had this tonight, and we found it both delicious, simple, quick, and filling. You can really just load up any vegetables your heart desires, but I'll put what we used.   Pasta Smothered with Roasted Vegetables Your choice of pasta, I used cavatappi Broccoli, cut into pieces Yellow squash, cut into half-moons Carrots, chopped Grape tomatoes, halved Onion, chopped (not too small) Red pepper, chopped 6 cloves garlic, chopped Dried herbs - I used sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano. s&p evoo Place veggies in a large bowl, cover with evoo, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Mix it together and then transfer to baking pan. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are charred a bit and caramelized. Cook your pasta. I got crazy and tossed the pasta in some butter, and enjoyed those calories. Place roasted veggies on top of pasta, sprinkle some fresh parm on top, an...

So, horrible photo. But A) Indian food can go either way: Beautiful, yummy looking bright colors everywhere, or what looks like every color blended together. And B) I get home from the gym after the sun is down, so the lighting is gross by the time I get plating my dish. It's the taste, though, that truly matters. And I personally liked this dish. The girls were eh about it, but I'd like to think they'll learn. Josh and I both agreed it needed some extra s&p than the original recipe called for, and I ended up loading on a whole lot more cilantro than what's pictured. Then, I was very pleased. Plus it is extremely filling.  So if anyone makes this, let me know what you think! New Delhi Vegetable Curry and Couscous 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 5 cups assorted vegetables cut into 1 inch pieces (cauliflower, onion, sweet peas, asparagus, and bell pepper) 1 can garbonzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained 1 3/4 cups b...

Josh and I loved this salad. Don't be fooled, it might look simple, but it can pack a punch with flavor. Josh described it well, as having a bit of a ceviche flavor, minus the raw fish. After eating it we wanted to head to our Peruvian joint and eat ceviche. The girls verdict, I'm not sure. Abigail said she didn't really like it, but then she kept eating it...the girl loves cucumbers. She said she prefers the balsamic ones best. Either way, we'll be eating more cucumber salad. Tangy Cucumber Salad 2 cucumbers, sliced thin Kosher salt 2-3 tsp sugar, depending on how sweet you'd like it (I only added 1 tsp, at most, because I didn't want sweet.) 1/4 cup white or cider vinegar 2 tsp dijon mustard Red onion, sliced thin (I have no measurement here, I just threw it in) First toss your cucumbers with salt and let them stand for a while. Then rinse and drain, squeezing the water out of them. But don't stress about getting all the water o...

I really like this cool cabbage slaw.  I like to pour the dressing over the cabbage about an hour before serving. Cabbage Slaw 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup olive oil 3-4 cups chopped or shredded green cabbage 1/4 cup chopped scallions 1/3 small red onion, thinly sliced Directions 1. combine cabbage, red onions and scallions in a bowl. 2. Mix together mayo, sugar, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Beat it until thouroughly mixed. 3. Pour into bowl of vegetables and mix until well combined. Serve cold.

My friend, who is a good cook, gave me this recipe and I really like it.  Rees however is not a fan so it isn't for everyone I guess, but chances are, you are going to like it.  I'll admit when I saw the ingredients I thought teriyaki with Italian cheese sounded odd but be brave and I think you'll be happy you tried this. Note, this recipe makes A LOT!!!  My friend makes it for baby showers so she usually wants plenty, but for many of you, halving the recipe is more practical. Spinach Pasta Salad 16 oz. package of bowtie pasta 1 cup canola oil 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce 2/3 cup white vinegar 6 Tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 1 to 2 bags fresh spinach 1 (6 oz) bag craisins 3 (three) cans mandarin oranges ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 bunch chopped green onions ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds 6 oz. honey roasted peanuts 1 cup fresh 4 cheese Italian blend Blend vegetable oil, teriyaki sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Pour   o...

A few weeks ago Costco had these people seeling their homemade Peirogi's, for just a limited time, I guess. I had never had one, so I was excited to sample...the main reason we go to Costco. Anyways, we loved them, and I figured they were something we could make ourselves and Abigail reminded me daily that we needed to. So we finally made them yesterday, and they were a hit! Fun to make, especially if you have mini chefs, or as Abigail likes to call herself, "sous-chef" :) Pierogi's are basically a dumpling, that you boil and fry up. And they are generally filled with a mashed potato mixture, that you can really put whatever your heart desires. You can also make dessert pierogi's, which I fully intend on doing, as we have a plethora of dough left over. Savory Pierogies Dough: 3 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 c Plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream, but I love the tanginess of the yogurt) 1 egg 3/4 c water Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. In a separ...

I found a similar recipe on Pinterest, made one or two adjustments and ended up with something we all thought was good.  I would give it a 7 out of 10.  It is a fairly healthy pasta dish, I think, (we used whole grain penne) which was also a plus.  Make it easier tip:  Make the sauce & pasta in advance.  Then cook the cauliflower when you are getting ready for dinner and toss it all together right at the end. Rees was afraid of the capers but was easily able to pick them out.  I don't recommend getting rid of those capers, they add a good touch.   Isla loved this stuff and I was pretty excited she was chowing down cauliflower which can be an acquired taste.  If you aren't a cauliflower person, you can decrease the amount this calls for or I was thinking you could probably swap it out for some chicken.   Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Cauliflower & Capers Serves 6 Ingredients  The sauce: 3 roasted red b...

I'm not thrilled with this photo at all. I whipped these up and the time of day was not great for photos. So I'll work on a better one ;) Anyways, LOVE these!!! Super delicious, and great for summer...and all year :) We could eat bowls of this stuff. Seriously simple, quick, and scrumdidliumptious. Balsamic Cucumbers Cucumbers, as many as you'd like Kosher or Sea Salt Balsamic Vinegar, you could really use any vinegar you love, as well Slice up the cucumbers and cover with salt, mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. After refrgerating, rinse off the cucumbers. Pour vinegar over the top, sprinkle some ground pepper, and mix well. That's it! Then enjoy those babies! Bon Appetite!

I saw this recipe, and I wanted to like it.  I wanted Jeff to like it.  And we did!  This is easy and good too.  We ended up making 4 sandwiches using rolls similar in size to hoagie rolls and had plenty of leftover veggies which I used for pizza toppings and that was quite yummy too.  I'm going to make this a regular dinner chez-Thomas. Grilled Veggie Sammys 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced (it depends how strong of garlic you want) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 sliced red bell pepper 1 small zucchini, sliced 1 small yellow squash, sliced 1 small red onion, sliced olive oil & veggie oil kosher salt & pepper 1 french baguette, or some sturdy rolls Feta or a different mild cheese Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix mayo, garlic and lemon juice.  Set aside. Combine all veggies on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oils*, salt & pepper.  Toss to coat.  Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, until veggies ...

Aren't peppers red,orange, and yellow peppers beautiful? Anyways. We made these last week, and all three of us really enjoyed them. They are quite filling, and all around healthy! And since we've been having bizarre weather here that has included 90ish one day and 54ish the next (yep, ridiculous), we decided to have an "Autumn" meal :) Stuffed Peppers Large bell peppers, remove tops, ribs and seeds. 2 cups grain (we made adobo rice) 1 tsp safflower oil, whatever oil you use 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 large carrot, grated 1 medium potato, diced (we used red potato) 3 roma tomatoes, diced 1 cup corn, do yourself a favor and use fresh or frozen, not canned a few mushrooms, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (omit to make vegan) 1 tbsp red pepper flakes 1/2 cup green onion, chopped 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juiced 1 tsp hot sauce (we add more for heat) garlic powder & cumin (we just threw it in...

Photo and Recipe from:   whatsgabycooking.com I love potatoes, and I love these potatoes! They were easy to make and I don't feel like they took much time to prepare. I love the crispiness of the skins and the flavor reminded me of seasoned curly fries, which I also love. 4 cups cubed potatoes (about 3/4 of an inch on all sides) 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp garlic salt 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp pepper 4 Tbsp parmesan cheese 1. Preheat oven to 425. 2. Place the cubed potatoes in a baking dish. You can spray the baking dish with baking spray to eliminate anything possibly sticking. 3. Pile on the remaining ingredients. Using your fingers, carefully mix everything around so that all of the potatoes are well coated. 4. Transfer the dish into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and toss the potatoes with a pair of tongs. Put the dish back into the oven and bake for another 15-25 minutes, until they are golden and crispy. ...

We just had this potato salad and liked it quite a bit. Ingredients 12 potatoes Lawry's seasoned salt 16 Green onions, sliced 2 Cups small curd cottage cheese 2 cups mayonnaise Optional add-ins: cucumber, celery, water chestnuts, pickles, olives... (we just had cucumbers in the one we tried) Boil, drain, cool and dice potatoes. Divide in three (salad is arranged in 3 layers). 1st layer: Mix together salt, pepper & Lawrey's seasoned salt (all to personal taste), green onion & 1/3 potatoes. 2nd layer: Mix 1/3 potatoes, 2 cups cottage cheese and add on top of 1st layer. 3rd layer: Mix remaining 1/3 of potatoes with mayo and add as last layer. Let set 6-8 hours or longer in a fridge. Then mix all together. You can add the add-ins either now or in the first stages, up to you.