KEYS!!!!

It's time for exciting news!!! Friday, I picked up keys to my next new adventure. After a few years working for Life is Good (Love them! Check them out, for real, love them! www.lifeisgood.com) it is time for a new adventure. I've been sitting on this bit of fun information, waiting to get my keys because it didn't feel real until I had them in hand.

I accepted a super cool job opening and managing a different specialty clothing store called TINA Stephens. We will be opening late this month, so I am busy setting up shop and getting all those little details worked out.  Hooray!!!

That being said, you can't work on an empty belly. I'm trying to get myself in better shape these days. I quit smoking, I go to the gym regularly, and I eat pretty lean, healthy meals. One of my favorite meals is Chicken Lo Mein. I sent it to my friend, Kate who requested the recipe be blogged.

The recipe is inspired by my Cooking Light project. The original recipe called for flank steak, but I had chicken on hand.

Mmmm Asian inspired supper. Delish!

This isn't your grocery store, canned lo mein. This is a party in your mouth! Fresh, filling, and easy.

So, here, just for you KB, is my Chicken Lo Mein.


Chicken Lo Mein
Serves 3

4 oz uncooked linguine
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 TBS olive oil
1/2 TBS minced, peeled, fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped broccoli
3/4 cup sliced onion
8 oz chicken, cut into thin strips or cubes**
1 1/2 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS brown sugar
1/2 TBS oyster sauce
1/2 TBS chili paste with garlic (huy-fong chili garlic sauce is my go to brand)
sesame seeds to garnish


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Combine noodles and sesame oil, toss well to coat. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion. Saute 3 minutes. Add chicken, saute until done.

Add pasta to skillet. Toss well. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and chili paste. Toss well to coat all.

Garnish lightly with sesame seeds. Serve hot.

** Original recipe calls for 8oz flank steak if you prefer to make beef lo mein vs chicken. 

Spaghetti Fantastic-O

Growing up my mom made supper pretty much every night. She worked all day, came home, and cooked for the family. (Don't be mislead- Dad cooked too, and still does!)

This was always one of my favorite things about growing up. Not just a good home cooked meal, but the ritual. See, we helped our mom make supper. 

Let me backtrack for just a moment. I enjoy routine. Structure makes me happy because I like to know what to expect. So from kindergarten through my senior year of high school I was not sad that I knew what was going to happen from 7am-5:30pm M-F. I was woken up by alarm - either my radio clicking on or my dad singing to me. Showered, ate breakfast, waited for the bus and went to school. At 3:10 I rode the bus home for almost an hour. Go in the house, get a snack (You can have a Little Debbie or a bagel with cheese, or if Dad made cookies, you can have 2 cookies.) then do homework. By the time homework was done, it was time to make supper. 

Mom would tell us what we were making and we would get the ingredients out, measure, chop, stir etc. Then, here's the best part. Mom asked us about our day. Everyday. So we got to talk and tell her what was great, what we felt needed improvement, and of course tell her the latest drama. 

Then, we'd set the table and plate up supper. We sat together as a family. We prayed for God's blessing on our food and our lives. And we talked. This, to me, is still the best way to grow together and support one another. 

What we made for supper changed over the years, but the central theme never did: Good food, fellowship, and family. 

I have an entire cookbook of favorite recipes from my childhood. Things Mom made, things Dad made, my friend's parent's recipes for dishes I loved. My mom hooked me up when I moved out!

Now, I have 2-3 more cookbooks I've filled in with new favorites from family suppers. One of my mom's favorites is Spaghetti Fantastic. I call it Fantastic-o because it's fun to say LOL. Mom said she could eat this everyday. I believe her! It's very easy, quick, and versatile. You can easily swap out any of the veggies for what you have on hand or what's in season. 

Whatever you cook, do it with love. And share it with someone you care about. <3 div="">

Spaghetti Fanastic-O

Serves 2

4oz chicken breast

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

4oz spaghetti (NOT angel hair), DRY

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1 large sprig fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms

1 large tomato, chopped OR 7oz canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup zucchini or green beans, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 TBS olive oil

2 TBS Parmesan Cheese

Dice chicken breast. Brown in a large skillet. 

Add all ingredients except zucchini and Parmesan cheese into the pot. (If using green beans instead of zucchini, add them in now with all other ingredients) COVER and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes. 

Uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add zucchini last five minutes of cook time. 

Season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve. 

Butternut Squash Pasta

The weather has been cool and rainy here in southern Georgia. As the weather changes, I start craving those fall favorites. My brother shared a recipe with me last year for butternut squash ravioli. I have made gluten free ravioli wrappers, but they are very tedious. A quick and easy fix? Take the filling and toss it with gluten free pasta.

When he made it, Adam made his own fresh ricotta cheese. It was warm and creamy, the consistency was less grainy than store bought ricotta. I fell in love with it. If you have the time, I recommend making your own.

This recipe is very basic, but has all the flavors of fall that I love. Roasted root vegetables, salty cheese, dried cranberries, and earthy sage. The leaves may not change here, but my palette certainly knows it's time for fall!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures my friends. Cheers!

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 small butternut squash
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
2-3 fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Gluten free pasta, cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Peel and dice butternut squash. Quarter onion. Toss squash, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn onto a prepared sheet pan. Roast 35-45 minutes until golden brown and softened.

Puree vegetables in a food processor or blender.

Combine 1 cup puree*, ricotta cheese, and egg. Warm over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in nutmeg. Set aside, keep warm.

Cut sage leaves into thin strips. In a small skillet, brown butter. Add sage and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes.

Toss squash and sage butter with pasta. Sprinkle with cranberries, Parmesan cheese, and pepitas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


 * You will have more than one cup of puree from the vegetables. It's great as a thickener in soup or frozen for another batch of this pasta.

Taco-Chili Skillet

This recipe evolved from Mom's taco chili recipe. I was really longing for the flavors of her chili, but it's been blisteringly hot.

Jon mentioned the other day that he missed hamburger helper. Then it hit me- add some pasta to the chili and thicken the sauce.

It was a home run. :) Super easy and delicious.

I hope your summer is going well and you are staying cool! And hopefully, you haven't been carried away by a waterspout like the one we had in our neck of the woods this week:

A local dolphin tour business re-posted this photo of the waterspout. I couldn't tell you who took the photo, but it's a great shot of the action. I didn't actually get to see this water tornado, but the girls at work could see it from the parking lot. They tell me it was so clear and clean it was unbelievable.

Jon and I go to the beach often and check up on our turtle babies. They should be hatching some day soon. Hopefully we will get to see them make their way to the Big Blue! If we do get the opportunity to see the miracle, I will try to capture it on film. So fingers crossed and prayers said :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Taco-Chili Skillet
Serves 6-8

8 oz pasta (I used gf shells)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 envelope taco seasoning + 2-3 tsp chili powder + 1 tsp cumin
1-2 TBS dry ranch dressing mix *
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can light kidney beans, drained
1 can rotel tomatoes
1/3 cup chunky salsa
1/4-1/3 cup beef stock*

Shredded taco cheese, optional
Sour cream, optional

Cook pasta in lightly salted water for 7-9 minutes until almost done. Drain well. Set aside.

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Season as desired with salt and pepper. I used Adobo seasoning.

Add remaining ingredients through beef stock. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes until thickened.  Gently stir in pasta.

Serve with a garnish of cheese and sour cream.


* As always, if you are gf- be sure you are using gf products. Just a heads up, some brands of dry dressing mix and beef stock contain gluten. Read your labels carefully :)

Crock Pot Mac N Cheese!

I. LOVE. pasta. Any shape or size I am so there. It's quick and easy, plus it's a nice filling meal.

As if I needed any more help to adore oodles of noodles, some brilliant mind in history said- hey, lets go ahead and add some cheese this boring old pasta.

Um, yea. I'm in.

Lucky for this gluten free chica there are endless pastas made with alternative flours. As I have said in the past, I am a huge fan of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. (But let me tell you a secret- the cooking time on the package- HOLY OVER KILL BATMAN! Seriously. Cook it as you would traditional wheat pasta, about 9-10 minutes.)

They have just about every shape you could ever possibly need. Note to self- find some of their "grand shell pasta" to make stuffed shells with manicotti filling....

Please hold while I wipe the drool from my keyboard. ;)

Ok, back to that whole mac meets cheese business!

I saw this recipe over at A Whisk and A Prayer and knew it was going on the menu. We served it with grilled pork chops and a little tomato cucumber salad. The best part? Not heating up the kitchen baking this dish in the oven!

I did tweak it to make it a. gluten free and b. to give the cheddar flavor that we have come to expect when we have mac n cheese. It was a huge hit in our house. Give it a whirl and enjoy!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Crock Pot Mac N Cheese

Gluten Free Version

1 1/2 cups 1% milk (I used Lactaid)

One 12 oz can evaporated fat free milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted, cooled to room temp

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups (6oz) shredded Italian blend cheese

1 1/2 cups (6oz) shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz gluten free elbow macaroni

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/2 tsp paprika for color

1/4 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs seasoned with a pinch of garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning

1 tsp olive oil Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Simmer for 4 minutes. (Yes, 4 minutes.) Drain well.

Spray the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray. In the prepared crock pot, combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt whisking until until smooth. Add a dash of hot sauce if desired.

Add the shredded cheeses (not the Parmesan) and macaroni, sprinkle with black pepper and fold gently with a spatula to coat evenly. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and paprika on top.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. Turn off the heat.It will keep warm for quite a while even after being shut off. 

Just before serving, saute the seasoned bread crumbs with olive oil and sprinkled them over the top.

Deconstructed Lasagna

I have birthday brain.

Today is my Gram's birthday. Last month was Dad's birthday. Next month is my birthday. It's birthday madness I tell you!

My family has a fun tradition for birthdays. The birthday boy or girl gets to choose what to have dinner and  dessert. Growing up, my brother always had the same thing- Chili dogs, velvetta shells and cheese, and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Every June 26th we knew that was the plan.

For my birthday it was always the same thing as well- Daddy's Lasagna and angel food cake with vanilla frosting (the color of the frosting changed every year. The year I went with blue sorta freaked my aunts out...)

We never really figured out we could have requested to go to a restaurant to eat. But really, it didn't matter. It was our one day of the year to have a choice all to ourselves. And there was always something special about mom cooking your meal and dad baking your cake.

I still have the Pyrex mixing bowl set and hand mixer that was always used for birthday cakes. Even though I have a beautiful stand mixer, I still mix every birthday cake batter I make in the largest orange Pyrex bowl using that same hand mixer.

As we've gotten older, we have expanded the birthday supper to include an activity for the day. Last year I chose to go to The Okefenokee Swamp to see the gators. This year, we are going to Cumberland Island to see the wild horses and spend the day on the beach. My supper choice has yet to be determined, but I think I may just attempt to make a gluten free angel food cake or gluten free chocolate root beer cake. (Both of these recipes are from a pair of gluten free sisters who always make rockin' recipes.)

It's not my birthday, but I have had a hankering for some lasagna. The recipe I am sharing today is super easy. It's loaded with veggies and it's oh so delicious!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Deconstructed Lasagna
Serves 5

8 oz gluten free pasta shells
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb lean ground beef
garlic salt, onion powder, pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dry Italian herbs
8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
1/4 cup beef stock
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, DO NOT DRAIN
1-2 TBS tomato paste
5 cups baby spinach
3/4 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/8 cup shredded mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking- spray a large deep skillet with cooking spray. Saute onion, garlic, and beef. Once browned, add mushrooms. Add beef stock. Cover and simmer until mushrooms are tender- about 7-8 minutes.

Add tomatoes(with juice), tomato paste, and seasonings. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta. Stir in spinach.

Dollop cottage or ricotta cheese over all. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Place lid on the pot and let warm through OR broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Lasagna Soup, take 2

Lasagna soup is my all time favorite soup, no other soup even comes remotely close. I posted the recipe last winter when I discovered it. I have made it several times since then.

Then, I went gluten free. I was REALLY disappointed because the soup had cheese tortellini. Today I decided to give it a new twist.

I omitted the tortellini and added about a cup of diced butternut squash. It was. phenomenal. I like it better than the original recipe.

Jon agreed the new, more veggied up version is delicious. The fact that he loves when I put more veggies in a dish still confuses me to no end. This is the man who claims he can live by meat alone...

This soup gets better as it sits. The pasta will continue to suck up the broth even after cooking- when reheating leftovers simply add a little water or chicken stock to return it to a soup consistency.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Lasagna Soup- Gluten Free Version
Serves 4-6

8oz lean breakfast turkey sausage
1/4 cup minced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
8oz tomato sauce
3 cups fresh spinach
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. basil + 2 tsp. oregano OR 4 tsp dry Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup diced butternut squash
3/4 cup gluten free pasta shapes- spirals or shells work best
diced or shredded mozzarella cheese


Brown the turkey, onion, and garlic together in a soup pot.

Add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Add in the spices. Bring the soup to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Cover and simmer soup for 30 minutes or longer.

Stir in the diced butternut squash. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.

Add in the spinach and pasta. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

In the bottom of each serving bowl- sprinkle about 2 TBS of shredded cheese or a few small cubes of diced cheese. Ladle in soup. Top each bowl with additional cheese.

Cheesy Veggie Pasta (GF)

I don't really know where to begin, so I'm going to start in the middle. (Just because I can!)

Fall is my season. It always has been. I love the smells, the sounds, the crisp air. And the jack-o-lanterns. I carve anywhere between 4-6 pumpkins each fall. This year I decided to carve(in addition to my real pumpkins) foam pumpkins using a hot knife. I did a small and large.  The great thing about these is I can use them again next year :)

Little Monsters!

Wise old owl

As fall sets in, Jon and I spend a large chunk of our free time together at the beach. The cooler temperatures remind me of Minnesota summers. I can't think of a better way to pass the time- with my sweetheart, beach combing while the cool breezes wrap their arms around us.

Ocean fishing

Some Black Eyed Susans in the middle of a sand dune.

Crashing waves

Beautiful clouds

Sea Oats

Peace & Serenity. This is my happy place.

The later part of summer (yes, September is summer here) was spent testing various gluten free recipes. The majority of them were no cook or grill recipes.

And, I spent some time getting comfortable going to eat at places where I didn't know what was going to be served. This isn't a big deal when you have no dietary restrictions. But let me tell you from personal experience- when you are gluten free(or any other allergy/restriction for that matter), it can be a very scary task to go out and eat. Or attend a luncheon. You don't know what's lurking in things like sauces, dressings, and coatings. It's been a challenge, but I am learning how to handle myself and ask for what I need. And at this point in my gf journey, I couldn't ask for anything more. :)

So, lets get to a recipe shall we? I'm sharing a recipe for cheesy veggie pasta. Yes, pasta. Yes, gluten free. And Jon can't tell the difference in the pasta. We both love this dish. I most often pair it with a simple grilled chicken breast.

That's about it for now. I am beyond thrilled to be back in the kitchen, doing my thing and sharing the good times with all of you.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Cheesy Veggie Pasta
Serves 2-3

3 oz gluten free pasta shapes
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1/2 cup sliced yellow squash
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 small tomato, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz Gouda or Swiss cheese
1/2-3/4 TBS corn starch
2/3 cup milk
*Optional*
1 cup fresh spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile saute mushrooms, garlic, squash, and zucchini together in a skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pain when veggies are tender.

Mix milk and corn starch together. Pour into the skillet, gently scrapping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a low simmer to thicken.Remove from heat. Add cheese, stir to melt.

Add drained pasta. Toss to coat. Add sauteed veggies. Add tomatoes and spinach. Toss to coat and slightly wilt the spinach.

Serve immediately.

Oodles Of Noodles! (GF)

I've been feeling less than fabulous this week. A little sinus thing turned into a full on cold including laryngitis. Not fun for anyone.

When I don't feel well, I crave comfort foods. Chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese toasty (a grilled cheese sammy cut into 4 fingers OR into 4 triangles then arranged on the plate with the points facing like two cute little butterflies), mac and cheese. You know- gluten filled foods of doom...

So, I made an Asian chicken noodle soup. A beautiful chicken broth infused with garlic, ginger, Chinese 5 spice, and a little hot sauce. Add some diced chicken and rice noodles and your good to go. A big bowl of comfort filled with cold killers.

I toasted one of my cheesy buns so it got that toasty, nutty, cheesy flavor.

But I still wanted mac and cheese.  And then it hit me. I can make noodles! DUH. I've made my own pasta for years.

The challenge was finding a gluten free noodle recipe that had been reviewed by enough home cooks to be worthy of testing.

I found a recipe and made a small test batch. See:

Yummy GF egg noodles!

For my mac and cheese I simply cut smaller pieces about the size of skinny elbow macaroni. I simmered it in simmering salted water, drained it and dressed the pasta with homemade cheese sauce. Delicious.

It hit the spot. The flavors and textures were spot on. (Keep in mind homemade pasta is a little bit chewier than store bought.)  I was thrilled with the results.

I'm looking forward to playing with the flavors now- I'm thinking a sun dried tomato would be yummy. Or even a basil tomato... hmmm.... :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Egg Noodles
Makes 2 servings

1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 TBS oil*

Combine tapioca flour, corn starch, xanthan gum, and salt together in a small bowl.

Whisk together egg and oil. Pour into the flour mix. Stir to combine.

Dump out onto a clean counter top. Knead and work the dough for 1-2 minutes. (The dough will be stiff, just keep working it until it holds together)

Sprinkle the counter with a light dusting of corn starch. Roll the dough out as thin as you can possibly get it. Mine was almost transparent and still handled really well. Slice into desired shape (spaghetti, macaroni size, lasagna, etc)

Let air dry several hours and store in the freezer

OR

Prepare immediately:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Add a little oil to prevent sticking. Add pasta. Keep water at a low simmer. Cook pasta 10-12 minutes until done. Drain pasta well.

* Some of the recipes I saw called for 1 egg yolk in place of 1 TBS of oil. The choice is yours. I chose to use the oil this time.

Wheat Free Update/ Lemon Buddies

So. It's been 21 days since I went wheat free to help alleviate my chronic kidney stones and kidney pain. Here's what I know-

1. I haven't felt this good in years. Probably since before my first surgery to remove some large stones that were stuck in my ureters about 6 years ago.Subsequent surgeries left a lot of scar tissue and inflammation in my ureters. (Inflammation that I aggravated, unknowingly, by ingesting wheat)

2. I don't miss gluten filled foods the way I thought I would. I have always been a pasta and bread sort of girl. So I was very sad that I would have to do without. BUT there are great companies like Heartland who make products like this:

GF pasta that actually tastes so good Jon-boy didn't even know the difference!

As for the bread, well I haven't tackled that one yet. The little blocks of "bread" I see in the supermarket scare me to death. I mean have you looked at it? It's a tiny brick. For all I know it was a brick that was spray painted to look like bread! Don't get me wrong, I am sure that there are some great products out there, but I don't want to pay $7 for that tiny little thing I don't even know if I will like. There are many gf bloggers (like Lynn) who have bread recipes that look like bread. Fluffy, white, homemade bread. I intend to give them a go and see what I can do.

In the meantime, though, I have developed a liking for white corn tortillas. They make a great sandwich wrap, both sweet (like jelly sammys) and savory (ham and cheese anyone?)

3. I have found that my body functions so much more efficiently when not trying to process wheat. Cutting out wheat meant also cutting almost all processed junk that I really liked (ramen noodles, Little Debbie snacks, and desserts) I've even managed to slim down a little bit as a result. I've lost enough "extra padding" that I was willing to cut my long hair off and donate it(What? No one wants to look like a fat toddler with a bad haircut. Sometimes when I have short hair that's how I feel! Don't judge me LOL). I love the way this cut turned out :)

4. As a cook with a fair amount of experience under my apron, I find new recipes and techniques less daunting. I was petrified when I first read my list of foods I was supposed to avoid. All I could see for a few days was "bad" food. It was difficult for me to see past that list and explore all the foods I could enjoy. Now, I embrace the challenges. I get to seek out new ingredients and culinary adventures.

5. You gotta shop around (the store). My frugal nature sometimes makes shopping a HUGE challenge. Gluten free foods that are marketed specifically as gf tend to be more expensive. That's the nature of the beast, you get to pay extra for companies to print on the package "a naturally gluten free product". But I've found that good, thorough label reading lets me find foods that are gf without the high price tag. I am blessed that I don't have to worry so much about cross contamination. I can eat foods that are processed in facilities that process wheat, dairy, and nuts. I shop the entire store reading labels as I go (just because a product doesn't say it's gf, doesn't mean it isn't. You just have to read the ingredients.) So even though it takes us longer to get through the store that it used to, it's worth it in the long run both financially and health-wise.

6. And finally, my sweet husband is very supportive. He tries not to bring a lot of the non-safe foods home that I like. He helps me find alternative foods for those I shouldn't eat anymore. And when I prepare a new dish he always gives it a go. (In the game of give and take I try to make things that are familiar to him. Example- We'll have grilled pork chops with a new side dish.)

So, friends, that's the wheat free update. I will leave you with a yummy little treat recipe for Lemon Buddies. My dad makes half the batch with lemon and half the batch with lime. Then, he mixes them together for lemon-lime buddies. Yum!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Lemon Buddies
160 calories per 1/2 cup serving

9 cups Rice or Corn Chex cereal

1 ¼ cups white vanilla baking chips

¼ cup butter or margarine

4 tsp grated lemon peel

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

2 cups powdered sugar

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; gently shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container in the freezer. Best when served cold directly from the freezer.

Quick & Easy Shrimp Stew

1. I wanted a quick and easy meal.
2. I cook from scratch.

Numbers one and two don't always go together.

Sure, there are those meals I plan ahead and do the prep work for two meals, but that really doesn't happen as often as it should.

But, lucky for us tonight's meal was fast, made from scratch, and delicious. Jon even requested some of the leftovers be sent with him for his lunch tomorrow. That's always a huge compliment :)

Six ingredients, about 20 minutes, and nearly no prep work involved- this is one of those super simple recipes anyone can do.

My favorite part? I got to use fresh basil from my little spice planter on my back patio. YAY!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Shrimp Stew
Serves 5
282 calories per

2 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
4 cups frozen broccoli florets
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, basil UNDRAINED
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
14 oz medium shrimp, raw- peeled and deveined
2 TBS fresh basil, cut into thin strips
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, bring chicken stock to a rolling boil. Add broccoli, tomatoes, and orzo.

Simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes- until pasta is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Remove from heat.

Stir in shrimp. IMMEDIATELY cover. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. Shrimp should be opaque(no longer see through) .

Stir in basil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread.

Meatless Lasagna Rolls

These were, stellar.

Honestly, I ate these for 3 days. They just got better each day.



They have all the things I adore about lasagna-only made lighter and quicker.

I served homemade basil bread sticks as a side for this dish. They are a new creation of mine. This was a huge deal for me. I only recently have learned how to deal with yeast breads. I am starting to get more comfortable with them so I decided it was time to experiment.

My favorite part of making the dough is watching the yeast bloom. It's like a little science experiment every time! And the smell, it sends me over the moon every single time. Love it.

I took my basic pizza dough recipe (yeast, water, honey, salt, and flour) and doctored it up with a heaping tablespoon of very finely chopped basil.



Look how pretty the dough is with flecks of basil. It was so aromatic. Definitely a happy smell :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Meatless Lasagna Rolls
Serves 6
245 calories per

6 lasagna noodles*
1/4 cup egg beaters OR 1 egg beaten
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
14 oz meatless spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 375.

Cook lasagna noodles until done- about 10 minutes. Drain and lay flat on a baking dish to cool.

Combine egg, cheeses, spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Score into 6 even sections.

Spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

Working with one noodle at a time- scoop out one section of the scored cheese mixture and spread over 2/3 of the pasta, leaving empty space at one end of the noodle.

Starting at the filled end- roll up. Some of the filling will push down the length of the pasta as you roll, this is why you left a space at the end. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling.

Cover with remaining sauce.

Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.Remove from oven. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

* I used oven ready noodles because they have ridges in them. Just boil up as you normally would in salted water.

Basil Bread Sticks
96 calories per
Makes 12

2 tsp honey
1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces), divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping TBS of very finely chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray

Dissolve the honey and yeast in 3/4 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add basil.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until dough just starts to come together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down and divide into 12 balls (about 1 1/2 oz per). Roll into bread stick shapes. Lay onto a baking prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray surface of dough with cooking spray, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Cover with a tea towel. Let rise 20 minutes.

In an oven preheated 375, bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Brush with melted butter if desired.

We have stir fry

Jon loves Korean stir fry. This is no big secret at our house.

This recipe is very similar, only with less steps and less work.

Jon gave this recipe a 9 out of 10. That means it was amazing in his universe. :)

Also no big secret- I detest oyster sauce. Seriously. My mom eats it on green beans. Why she feels the need to kill perfectly good green beans is beyond me.

BUT.

I have to admit, it was fantastic in tonight's stir fry recipe.

The best part of this recipe is you probably have most of the ingredients already. I say most because, well, I don't know many people that keep oyster sauce on hand(myself included- Thanks for the oyster sauce, Mom!).

With that I give you- beef and broccoli lo mein. Enjoy!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Serves 6
327 cal per

8 oz uncooked spaghetti
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp peanut oil (olive oil works fine too)
1 TBS minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped broccoli*
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 1/4 lb flank steak, trimmed and cut across the grain into long, thin strips
4 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS oyster sauce
1 TBS Franks hot sauce OR your favorite chili paste

Cook pasta according to package directions omit any oil, drain. Combine pasta and sesame oil, tossing well to coat.

While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes.

Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done.

Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

* Frozen broccoli works really well for this recipe. Throw it in directly from the freezer, just be sure to drain any excess liquid before adding the steak.

Funky comfort food

When I was a kid, every great once in a while my dad would make us a really easy dinner that was one of my favorites. I still love it today- tuna gravy on toast. Really simple- a can of undiluted cream of chicken soup, a can of well drained tuna, and milk to thin everything out a bit. Serve over cubed toast. Mmmm. I still have times when I absolutely CRAVE tuna on toast. It's a comfort food for me.

Though simple mention of this meal made my mom cringe (a feeling my husband shares), she did make tuna-noodle casserole when I was growing up. I still don't understand why she likes tuna-noodle casserole but not tuna on toast. It's the same thing only over noodles...

Jon says warm tuna isn't natural. So, I flew solo on this CLP recipe. I was fine with that, I just scaled it down to two servings. It had creamy noodles with a crunchy topping, just the way tuna-noodle casserole should be.

So, here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Tuna- Noodle Casserole
Serves 2
400 cal per

1/2 TBS butter or margarine
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 (10 1/2-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 1/2 cups cooked egg noodles (about 3 ounces uncooked pasta)
1/2 cup frozen green peas or corn, thawed
1/2 TBS lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (6-ounce) can low-sodium tuna in water, drained and flaked
3 TBS dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes.

Add milk and soup. Cook 3 minutes; stir constantly with a whisk.

Combine soup mixture, noodles,lemon juice, salt/pepper, and tuna together in a 1quart casserole.

Combine breadcrumbs and cheese; sprinkle on top.

Bake at 450° 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Christmas Joy

Well, this was the first time in far too many years that we have all been together as a family for Christmas.

Best. Christmas. Ever.

We went for pancakes at Mom and Dad's then took a walk on the beach. Thank you Dad for the pictures. (I got new binoculars and so I was far too excited with my new toy to take pictures.

Looking for sharks teeth :)

The pretty ocean.

A one legged seagull, no really, he only had one leg. Something must have eaten the other one.

The crazy surfers. There were two of them. The water temperature is about 55 F this time of year. The air temperature was only 60.

My sweet boy, he says he will bleed the purple of the Vikings until the day he dies...

Pretend one leggers. These funny little birds will hop away from you on one leg, only putting the other leg down if they absolutely have to. It's cold out!

For Christmas I made a wreath for my mom. I have been waiting to post it's picture so I wouldn't spoil the surprise.

My dad was gifted Wilton baking pans. He is a big fan of their cookware.

My brother and sister-in-law arrived late afternoon from the state of Virginia to join the festivities. It was delightful to have their company.

I made a ton of Christmas cookies this year. I played with various techniques for frosting. Adam and Nadine (my brother and his wife) gave me a decorating set for frosting cakes and cookies. If only I had that when I was frosting my millions of cookies! Definitely will be using the new set in the future though :D



Let's see, what else? Oh! Today is my parents 30th wedding anniversary! YAY! Here's the card I made them (I can only post this now because I know they are on the way to my house so they won't see it until later). The lily is a traditional flower for the 30th anniversary.

Back to the food of it all, after all, that is why some of you are here right?

It's cold, I never really thought it could be cold if it was above zero, but it is. There are rumors it even snowed overnight Christmas Eve around these parts. I didn't see it, I am ok with that.

When it's cold, what do I make? Soup!!!!

I found this soup originally here. Love this blog, and hey, she's from MN. Bonus!

So, that's a very brief overview of the last few days. Go make some soup. And enjoy your afternoon!

Me, I've got to go celebrate my parents wedded bliss with my family :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Lasagna Soup
Serves 4-6

1/2 lb. Italian turkey sausage (I used 90/10 mild breakfast turkey sausage)
1/4 cup minced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes
8oz tomato sauce
3 cups fresh spinach
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cheese tortellini or ravioli
an additional 1/2 cup pasta (I used small shells)
1/8 cup mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes (we just used shredded mozzarella, sprinkled over each bowl and stirred in as we ate)


Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a large stockpot. Add in the minced garlic and onion and cook until the Italian sausage is done.

Then, add in the tomatoes {undrained}, tomato sauce, and broth. Add in the spices. Bring the soup to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or longer.

Then, add in the spinach and pasta. Simmer for about 20 minutes while the pasta cooks slowly.

Remove from the heat and then add in the diced mozzarella cheese.

Serve warm with a crusty bread.

The mystery that is my husband

We've discussed this many times, Jon-boy claims he doesn't do hot dishes.

And yet, he continues to ask me to save and make recipes that are hot dishes! He definitely keeps me guessing.

Tonight we had a jumble of ingredients that I somehow managed to make into a meal. Jon took the first bite and said to me, "Save this recipe, I don't know what you did, but save it. It's so good!" Well, good thing I have a good memory! ;)

So, here's to the mystery boy.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!


Quick Chicken & Pasta Skillet
Serves 4
277 calories per serving

9 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast- diced
3 cups dry rigatoni pasta
1/4-1/3 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil
1 very large tomato, diced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Simmer pasta until al dente. Drain.

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add diced chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is almost done, 7-10 minutes.

Add dry Italian seasoning, diced tomato, and chicken broth. Simmer, uncovered 10 minutes.

Add tomato sauce. Toss in drained pasta.

Stir in fresh parsley.

Top with shredded cheese. Cover the skillet to melt the cheese. Leave covered for about 5 minutes before serving to allow the pasta to finish cooking through in the sauce. Serve hot.

By Jon's Request

The other night I made a new recipe called Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Toss. It came from a cookbook entitled "A busy cook's cookbook." Most of the recipes are 20 minutes or less.

Jon called me after he got off work to inform me he was "starving!" I grabbed the ingredients for the pasta toss, and dinner was on the table 15 minutes later- just in time for my hungry hubby to arrive home. He devoured it! He said I must share this one. And so I shall :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Toss
Serves 3-5

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
5 oz spiral pasta or other pasta shape (I prefer 3 minute quick cooking)
2.5 oz bag, precooked bacon pieces
1/2-1 (10 oz) can healthy request tomato soup, undiluted*
1/2 cup reduced fat, shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef, onion, and garlic together in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Drain any fat on paper towels. Crisp bacon up in the same skillet.

While the beef is browning, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain well.

Mix pasta, beef, bacon, and soup together. Top with cheese. Serve hot.

*You can use the soup one of two ways- You can use 1/2 can of soup and add water to dilute to your preferred thickness. OR you can use the entire can for a thicker, richer sauce.

Fall Fun

I don't really have a good lead into this so... just read and enjoy:

My mom came over today and we did an art project for her church's fall festival. One of the activities for the kiddies is Trunk Or Treating. Each participating family decorates the trunk of their vehicle for the trick or treaters at the festival tomorrow.

Well, mom can't just smack some balloons and garland on her trunk and call it good. (I wouldn't let her if she tried) If she was going to do this thing, she was going to do it right, especially since she asked for my help ;)

She decided, after doing a web search (did ya catch that? Halloween, web... Alright, it was funny to me) to have The Doors of Mystery (Sounds cool right?!)

So, with my dad's help, we went in search of supplies. We found foam board, little wooden signs, a black gauzy background with spider webs, and three different textured "sleeves". Then, after a small side trip to Pier One Imports we wandered back to my house to work on putting it all together.

Here's what we did:
We cut three holes into the foam board, attached our sleeves (a lambs wool sleeve, a scrubby washcloth sleeve, and an oven mitt) then we covered the entire board with the black gauze.

Small doors go over each of the holes marked 1,2, or 3.

Then, the whole thing gets set up in the trunk of the car. Behind the board, there are two boxes for candy. If you choose the hole with the oven mitt you loose (play the "sorry, not a winner" music of your choice in your head at this point) But, not really- if you choose the dead end sleeve, you can pick a prize from the prize bucket. (Did you really think we'd make children cry at a church festival?!)

The wooden signs say: Doors of Mystery and Choose Wisely! They are hung above the sleeves along with some mummy wraps for some atmosphere. Fun huh?! It was a HUGE hit with all the kiddos at the event.

Are you ready to see it?!



It was a fantastic afternoon, but all that work and creativity makes a girl hungry. My mom thought ahead on that though. She and my dad grabbed a rotisserie chicken and the couscous salad she made last night. It was fantastic!

The couscous recipe was originally from Sweet Tomatoes, my favorite buffet restaurant. Seriously, if you every get the chance to eat at a Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation, GO! (In CA they are called Souplantations for some reason...) She changed it just a little to fit with what she had in her cupboards. Let me tell you, it was stellar! Dad said it's good heated up too.

That's what I am going to share today- Couscous Salad. Here's the original recipe from the Sweet Tomatoes website: http://blog.souplantation.com/september-recipe/

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

8 oz dry couscous
1 3/4 cup water
3/4 TBS vegetable or chicken bouillon base


3 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1 scant tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive or canola oil


1/2 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup diced or crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced celery (1/4 inch dice)
1/3 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1/4 cup snipped chives

Boil water and bouillon base together. Remove from heat. Immediately add couscous. Stir and cover. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes. Remove the lid. Fluff with a fork and cool.

Whisk together lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oil.

In a medium/large bowl mix couscous with all remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing. Toss to coat. Serve well chilled.

Skinny Carbonara

Traditional carbonara sauce is laden with heavy cream, butter, eggs, cheese, and crispy bacon. And to make matters worse (or better depending on how you look at it...) it's served over empty calories known as "enriched pasta". These things just don't fit into this girl's daily diet.

As a pasta lover and a cheese lover I had to find a better way to indulge in this decadent dish.

I finally accomplished my goal a few days ago.

I came up with a skinny version of carbonara pasta filled with mushrooms, turkey bacon, cheese, and smarter pasta (a yummy option that is full of fiber that's not whole wheat!).

Ronzoni smart pastas look and taste like typical enriched pasta, but they have a secret! They have a whopping 6 grams of fiber per 2 oz serving and only 180 calories. Regular pasta has no fiber and is 200 calories per 2oz. I'm just sayin....

But, the best part? Jon couldn't tell the difference when we had it the other day in chicken noodle soup. That is a winner in my book. :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Smart Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 1
275 calories

1 1/2 oz Ronzoni smart spaghetti or linguine
2 slices pan fried turkey bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chopped, fresh mushrooms
1/2 tsp flour
1 tsp I can't believe it's not butter light
3 TBS skim milk
1 1/2 TBS shredded Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt and pepper

Simmer pasta in lightly salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and keep warm.

Spray a non stick skillet with butter spray. Saute mushrooms until tender. Remove from pan, keep warm .

To the skillet add the butter and flour. Stir together until smooth.

Add milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese.

Toss in pasta, mushrooms, bacon, salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

She's Alive!

So, I haven't been posting as often as I'd like. But, I haven't been cooking a lot either. As most of you know, I live in MN. It's cold 97% of the year. Ok, so maybe that is an exaggeration, but it's cold a lot. Well, it's summer here, which means I have about 4 weeks total of lovely, warm days. I spend those few fleeting weeks on lakes and in my garden. No time for bloggin!

My garden is doing quite nicely this year. We've already had some delightful spinach and mixed salad green salads. The kale is just about ready to be harvested as well. The peppers and tomatoes are growing stronger each and every day. I have high hopes that I will get some good yields again this year.

Fishing has been tops this summer. I have a new "honey hole" as some call it. Whenever I need a quick fix I boogie out to the lake and do some pan and bass fishing. I have yet to be skunked this year :) And of course, whenever I get the chance I go boating with my friend, Kate. She, like me, lives for the water and the tranquility of freshwater lakes. We truly are a great team.

As for cooking, when I am home I don't want to heat up the house so I make a lot of quick fixes, sandwiches (rustic french bread, thin sliced meat, cheese, piled high with fresh veggies, and usually a smear of homemade pesto to top things off), home made spring rolls, grilled meat (usually pork chops at Jon's request), and other easy, cold meals.

Jon has a pasta salad he likes to eat, particularly in the summer. I just don't have the patience to make it a lot. It is super easy and only has like 4 ingredients, but that seems like a lot of work most days... :) I am usually asked to make a double batch when I do take the time because Jon will eat this salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I will post both the original salad and the quick salad recipes. Super great for summer picnics since there is no mayo in either version. Enjoy!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Jon's Favorite Pasta Salad
Serves a bunch ;)

1 box rainbow macaroni noodles
1 small bottle zesty Italian dressing
cooked, crumbled bacon to taste
1/2 cup diced carrots

In a small bowl mix carrots and a small amount of the dressing. Set aside.

Boil pasta until tender, but do not over cook. Rinse well with cold water until cool. Drain well.

Mix in marinaded carrots, bacon, and dressing. Stir well. Refrigerate, covered. Stir every half hour for the first 2 hours. Serve well chilled.

* You may want to add diced tomatoes, cheese, bell peppers etc.

Becca's Quick Pasta Salad

1 Suddenly Salad Classic mix
2 medium diced tomatoes
diced, fresh mozzarella
chopped turkey pepperoni

Prepare the salad according to the package (Boil pasta for 8-10 minutes until tender. Blend seasoning packet with 3 TBS water and 2 TBS oil. Rinse pasta with cold water. Drain well. Add seasoning.)

Add tomatoes, cheese, and pepperoni.

Easy Peasy.