Next Weeks Ambition

Next weeks ambition is this weeks grocery list. Over the next week I'm planning on giving a few new goodies a try. Here's what I've planned... we'll see how it goes.

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream - the hubby can suck it up and eat the tomatos. They're GOOD for you!

Salami-Mozarella Calzone - what could be better than meat and cheese wrapped in pizza dough. Really.

Lemon Loaf - This recipe makes two loaves. I figure it would be good as a take-along breakfast. 

Prarthana's Butter Paneer & Chicken - this is a delicious Indian recipe that I don't have a link for because it comes straight from Prarthana! Creamy rich sauce with chicken, peppers, garlic and paneer (an Indian cheese). I can't wait to try it myself. I'll be sure to add the recipe with a post so all you foodies can give it a try too!

Have I mentioned how much I love to cook? I know there's another one I was going to try but it has completely escaped me... oh well. 

I'll be adding new recipes and cocktails this weekend as well so keep an eye out. 

Until next time!

UPDATE - Cheesy Quinoa Bites! That was it. 

Healthy Snacking

My goal this year has been to work towards a healthier me. Obviously that should include eating well and feeding my body with the right kind of nutrients. I had the munchies over the weekend and instead of reaching for leftover Easter candy I decided to expirement a bit with some fun alterations to healthy snacks. 

Apple Crisps

Ingredients:

2 apples (I used Red Delicious... they were on sale)

Cinammon

Sugar (optional)

Cooking Spray

 

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

Slice all of your apples extremely thin. Take your time and use a super sharp knife.

Lay all of your apples in a single layer on two baking sheets. Sprinkle your apples with cinnamon and sugar to your tast.

Bake the apples for approximately 1 hour at that low temperature. I kept checking on mine because I wasn't sure how long it would take for them to cook and ended up turning up the temperature to 225 degrees for another hour or so. They won't burn quickly so just keep an eye on them. 

Peel them off of your foil and store in an airtight container.

Thin, crunchy, snack attack.

Crispy Parmesan Edamame

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen edamame (could probably use fresh as well)

Parmesan cheese and garlic powder (or any other spice you'd like to eat)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread out your edamame in a glass baking dish. If you use the whole bag of edamame, I used a 13x9x2 baking dish.

Spinkle the edamame with all of your spices.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking sporadically for crispiness.

These are pretty guilt free. :)

Enjoy!

Arancini!

Arancini - one of my favorite dishes. This was an awesome challenge to make with many mistakes, but, totally fun an turned out pretty yummy!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white rice, cooled
½ cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs, separated
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Oil, for frying
1 cup store-bought or homemade marinara sauce

Directions:

Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.

Cook the rice to the included directions.

Prepare your additional ingredients for assembly.

Wine is a must. Always. Especially when cooking Italian.

Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture. DON'T FORGET THIS STEP (like I did). Your rice won't be quit sticky enough without that cheese and egg.

Form each arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.

Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining arancini.

Perfecto!

Thanks for your help Dad!!

Notes:

Sushi rice is best for this recipe even though it's an Italian dish, however, Uncle Ben's white rice works well too. Just be wary, it's NOT minute rice. It takes a while to cook, and awhile to cool. 

I made my arancini a little too large. The consistency was too much rice and not enough cheese. It needed a bit more flavor so next time I will most likely add some garlic and rosemary or a spicy ingredient to amp it up.

You CAN'T rush the cooling of the rice by putting it in the fridge. Spread it out on some tin foil, like below, on a cooling rack. Will cool quicker without destroying consistency or flavor.

This one takes the CAKE!

Strawberry Coconut Cake

There is just no way to completely describe this cake.

Ingredients

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix
4 T. strawberry gelatin powder (I used one box of Jello, sugar free strawberry)
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
2 T. granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. pureed strawberries
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced
1 c. coconut, finely shredded in food processor

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl and stir together. Beat in oil, eggs, water, strawberry puree, and vanilla. Mix well.

Stir in diced strawberries and coconut.

Pour into two 8- or 9-inch round pans, greased and floured. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

Let your rounds cool completely before putting any icing on. I found that springboard (bottom cake) pans work much better than pie rounds (top cake). The sides come out softer, non crispy, and you don't have to trim the edges. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
2 16-oz. boxes powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla, and then slowly add your powdered sugar.

Put a layer of icing between your two layers of cake. Frost the outside. Spatula's make it super easy. No need for special tools.

I love coconut, so I toasted coconut to toss on the outside. Put a thin layer of coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at about 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes. WATCH CLOSELY!!!!!! Coconut will go from toasted to scorched in SECONDS.

And voila! Pretty cake on the inside, tasty alllllll over.

Enjoy!

Girls Night... Take 2

In the way of girls nights... this one. was. epic. At least food wise! I had such a blast making all of these tasty treats. Especially a strawberry coconut cake I'll be putting up soon! I hope you find an opportunity to make any of these pretty, healthy treats!

Carrot and Zucchini Bars - the original recipe can be found here. However, I did alter it a bit.

Ingredients 

2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil 
1/4 cup honey 
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot 
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
 
1 (8 oz) pkg reduced fat cream cheese 
1 cup powdered sugar 
1 T lemon zest

Shred your carrot and zucchini.

Mix your eggs, brown sugar, canola oil and honey in a large bowl. You'll want to fold in your veggies as to not destroy their textures.

Slowly add the flour, baking powder and baking soda mixture to the vegetable mix.

Spread the batter in an ungreased, 13x9x2 pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. Let it cool completely before you ice your bars. 

Obviously icing is never "healthy". But it sure was tasty!!

Beat an 8oz package of reduced fat cream cheese (softened) with 1 cup of confectioners sugar and lemon rind.

My next goal is to take a cake decorating class. It's silly that I got so much bliss out of putting icing in a plastic bag and messily piping these yummy bars!

Sun Dried Tomato and Cream Cheese Dip

Ingredients
 

- 5 garlic Cloves

- 2 teaspoons olive oil

- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

- 1/2 cup sherry

- 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Roast your garlic cloves drizzled in olive oil and wrapped in tin foil at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until they are soft enough to squeeze the pulp out. 

While you're doing that, toss your sun dried tomatos in a soup pot with your cooking sherry. Simmer until the tomatos are soft and the liquid is just about gone.

Toss everything but your parmesan into a food processor and puree. Scoop all your tasty goodness out and place in a ramekin or shallow bowl and stir in your parmesan cheese.

Avocado Mousse

Want an easy treat?

- 2 Avocados

- 1/2 cup Greek style yogurt, fat-free

- 1 teaspoon salt

- Juice of 1 lime

- 1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Combine in food processor... serve with veggies. 

Man was that a tasty night. :)

It's a "Thai"!

What do you get when you cross coconut, spicy pepper, egg noodles and basil? 

A tasty dish that is super easy to make and hot hot hot! (Thought I had some lame pun there, huh?)

I've had a craving for Chinese/Thai lately so I decided to take matters into my own hands and create a Thai inspired dish. My favorite Thai restaurant (Cafe Asiana), which I haven't been to in years, used to make 1 of my 2 favorite dishes, Thai Sticks. I haven't tried whipping up a batch of those yet, but thought I would expirement with Coconut Noodles. Below is what I came up with, give or take. Adjust the heat to your tastes.

Ingredients

1 14.5oz can coconut milk

8oz egg or rice noodles

3T Tomato Paste

1T of chili sauce

Chili Pepper

Hot Sauce (I use Franks, probably because their catch phrase is "I put that sh*t on everything!")

Ribboned basil

Toasted coconut

Thinly sliced scallions 

Toss the coconut milk, tomato paste, chili sauce and chili pepper into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer until it thickens up.

It should look something like this.

While that's cooking toss the egg noodles in boiling water and cook to directions.

Toss your coconut into a toaster oven or the oven at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes. Be aware - coconut is VERY delicate and will go from slightly toasted to scorched in seconds. Don't take your eyes off of it. Ribbon some basil and slice some scallions.

Toss your sauce and noodles together. Put a serving in a bowl and top with your coconut, basil and scallions.

It's that easy.