Tabbouleh Salad

Lunch is by far my favorite meal of the day! it's actually the only meal during my day that I can sit alone and chew and digest without having to share, or clean up a spill and break up a fight between the little ones, if you have kids you defiantly know where I'm coming from! eating in peace is a hot commodity!. Today was a bit different though; I decided to whip myself up some Bulgar rice and I was going to have a some chicken on the side (boring! I know!)  so I said to myself "I know there has got to be a way where I can jazz this up!" and low and behold I came across tabbouleh salad which I love, love, love! I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I did! and for the weekend try to make a little extra! it's great for snacking!  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours!

Adapted from: Ina Garten 

What you need:

1 cup bulgar rice

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How To: 

Place the bulgar in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

Funfetti Pancakes

Every weekend I always make the family a huge breakfast, I guess it's my mommy guilt kicking in because during the week we only have time to open to our eyes throw on whatever clothes on that we can find and have a quick bowl of cereal and race out the door.

So on Saturday I was making pancakes for breakfast as I normally do and my daughter and son were helping me prepare them to put on the griddle, when my daughter asks  "can we put sprinkles in them?" and of course I said " why not?! go ahead!" this stroke of genius from my 4 year old was a major hit in our house.  Such a big hit that we even made it again for Sunday morning breakfast!

I hope you all enjoy this as much as we did! they are super simple to make and they are sure to be a hit in your house also!   Happy eating from my kitchen to yours!!




What you need:

2 cups Original Bisquick  mix 

1 cup milk

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons of baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon lemon extract  (a drop)

3 teaspoons of sugar 

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1/2 cup of sprinkles 


How to:

• Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)

Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To keep warm, place in single layer on cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in 200°F oven up to 10 minutes.

Notes:

When stirring ingredients use a wire whisk or fork if any clumps are left over do not worry because they will disappear while cooking.

Shepard's Pie 

Today was a real busy day, I went to my women's group meeting at church and that takes a good 2 hours of my morning and then I had to hit up the grocery store thereafter.  That is when I realized that I hadn't even taken anything out for dinner!  So I decided that I would pick up some ground turkey and a sack of potatoes and shepherds pie immediately came to mind.  This shepard's pie is a bit different than the traditional though,  It is a bit more healthful and it doesn't weigh you down when you're done.  This is a super quick meal to make and you can even opt to make this ahead on the weekend and pop it in the oven on you're busy weeknights.  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours! 

Making the Potatoes what you will need

• 1-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• 2 tbsp fat free sour cream
• salt and pepper
• paprika

The filling

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, diced
• 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup fat free beef broth
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp of Italian seasoning 
• salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large saute pan brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Discard any fat in the pan, add oil, onion and garlic and saute on medium heat about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and saute another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, chopped meat and mix well.Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

Spread the meat mixture on the bottom of a 11x7 glass baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a fork to scrape the top to make ridges and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Note:  Feel free to substitute the ground turkey for any other kind of ground meat that you may prefer. 

Easy Onion-Herb Focaccia bread

Sunday dinner is an absolute, must have ritual at my house.  I practically cook a massive buffet and everyone comes over, hashes out their week, watches whatever sports are on and we all eat and hang out from the late afternoon until the evening.  It's my favorite day of the week, because it allows us all to get together veg out and get ready for yet another long week ahead of all of us.

Anyhow I had some canned pizza dough in the freezer that I had been meaning to use for quite some time.  So I decided to make with it this onion and parmesan focaccia bread (which is to die for! I made 2 of these and there was none left!).  I hope you all enjoy this as much as my family did!  Happy Eating! from my kitchen to yours!  

Delightfully adapted from : www.thefoodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1lb of refrigerated pizza dough

Flour

1 onion thinly sliced

Olive oil

Chopped rosemary

Sea salt

Red pepper flakes

Fresh parmesan cheese 

On a floured surface, roll out 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle; press into an oiled rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary and/or oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and a big pinch of sea salt. Brush half of the herb oil over the dough, then set aside until puffy, about 1 hour. Make dimples in the dough with your fingers and top with thin onion slices and shaved parmesan. Bake at 400 until golden, about 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining herb oil.

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

Chicken and broccoli happens to be one of my favorite take out foods! However;   I find that most times there is way to much salt added and it's also way to oily.  So I decided that I would make my own take out for dinner! It's clearly less expensive, I made it quicker then if I placed an order from the Chinese restaurant, it's healthier and it's budget friendly as well.  My family really enjoyed this and I hope yours will too!!  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours! 

Delightfully adapted from WW 360

Ingredients

	2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
	1/2 tsp table salt, divided
	1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
	12 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), thinly sliced
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced sodium, chicken broth, divided
	2 tsp minced garlic
	2 1/2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets
	2 tsp lemon zest, or more to taste*
	2 Tbsp fresh parsley, fresh, chopped
	1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• On a plate, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat.
  
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate.
  
• Put 1 cup of broth and garlic in same skillet; bring to a boil over high heat, scrapping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add broccoli; cover and cook 1 minute.
  
• In a small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of broth, 1/2 tablespoon of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.
  
• Cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in chicken and lemon zest; heat through.
  
• Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice; toss to coat. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Creamy Orzo with Butternut Squash

Pasta is always a family favorite around here, I can get away serving just about any vegetable with pasta, even to my husband whom isn't a really big fan of many vegetables.  I made this and I thought to myself "well I may not have many takers because I put butternut squash in here" However that was on the contrary. I was able to sneak in the butternut squash and no one even complained or most importantly noticed!!  I made a massive portion of this dish and it was gone the same night.  That is typically my best indicator if a dish has been "family approved"  I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family did!  Happy Eating, from my kitchen to yours!  

Delightfully adapted from: WW weekly

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	2 cup(s) uncooked butternut squash, cut into small cubes
	1/2 tsp olive oil
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
	1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
	1 cup(s) uncooked orzo
	1 1/2 fl oz water
	1 cup(s) canned, chicken broth
	1 tsp fresh thyme, fresh, or 8 whole sprigs (sprigs preferred)
	2 Tbsp fat-free half-and-half
	1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
	1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. 
  
• In a medium bowl, toss squash with oil and salt; spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between squash cubes. Roast, stirring halfway through, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add orzo. Stir constantly until orzo begins to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Add water, broth and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  
• Remove thyme sprigs; stir in half-and-half, cheese and roasted squash. Season well with salt and pepper; serve. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes

• A medium-sized, 2 pound squash will yield approximately 3 1/2 cups of diced squash cubes. 
  
  Peel the outside of a whole butternut squash with a sturdy vegetable peeler. Trim the ends and cut it in half lengthwise. Use an ice cream scoop or melon baller to easily scoop seeds and membrane from each half. 
  
  Pre-cut butternut squash is widely available in supermarkets and is a great shortcut for time-pressed cooks. Be sure to trim down the pieces to small, even-sized cubes or slices before roasting to allow for better browning.

Tomato and Feta Frittata

After I went to the gym this morning I was STARVING!!! So, I decided to make this figure friendly; yet absolutely amazing frittata.  It really has all the essential elements you would want in a dish, protein,  veggies, and a tiny smidgen of carbs for those of us who NEED our carbs! (I happen to be one of those people!)  Anyhow it was really quick and easy to make...actually quite effortless.  This dish is great for all meals, and it's also great for a make ahead meal as well.  It keeps well in the fridge and it's great for a high protein snack!  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours!! 

Delightfully adapted from Weight watchers 360

Ingredients

1 small shallot, chopped

2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half if large
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons dried panko
Directions:
Preheat broiler to low heat

Coat a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Add shallot to skillet; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper; stir in tomatoes and shallot.

Coat bottom and sides of same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet; cook until almost set, loosening edges of frittata occasionally, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over eggs; top with panko.

Place skillet under broiler, 4 inches from heat; broil until cooked through and panko browns, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from broiler immediately and let sit for 1 minute; cut into 4 wedges.  Garnish with fresh basil.

Note: If you don't have Panko bread crumbs plain or Italian bread crumbs work fine as well.