Healthy Eating

Operation Get Healthy has resumed after vacation.   I thought I'd share some of my recent favorites.

Overnight Oats (Aldi had all ingredients)

1/2 cup instant oats (from the tall tube, not the packets)
Teaspoon of flax powder (I bought seeds and grind them)
Teaspoon of chia seeds
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Teaspoon of light agave
10 raspberries
Enough vanilla almond milk to cover all ingredients. 

Pile up the ingredients, cover and refrigerate over night.  
Next morning, stir well and enjoy (I squish up my berries to spread their flavor throughout).

Southwestern Salad. (Aldi had all the ingredients)

A friend recommended some tweaks and this was my final ingredients list.

Chunks

Black Beans

Red bell pepper

Cherry tomatoes

Green onions

Cucumbers

Dressing

Cut back on the cilantro

Over half the avocado

Lime juice

Pre-crushed garlic

A little extra olive oil than they say

White vinegar (didn’t have the fancy stuff)

Salt and pepper

*I might add a jalapeno next time.

I let it set overnight to mesh the flavors and then served over fresh cut Romaine.

 

And my store bought treat of the week was this little box of heaven.  Yum!

Crabbier Than Crabby

Yesterday I hated the world.  I was so cranky I couldn't handle myself!  I was in desperate need of some grace and junk food!   When my husband didn't want to split a banana split with me, I lost it.  Poor man thinks I'm mental.

Anyway, I decided to get my hair done thanks to a salon coupon and I put myself to bed early and today I'm back to normalish.  Not surprisingly, CD1 came to visit so I see the Doc Thursday. 

In other weekend news, I made this recipe.  Perry and I loved it, Keith not so much.  I also got in some Hobby Lobby, Kohls, Trader Joes and consignment store shopping. 

Happy Monday (Wow that post was a jumbled mess)

Snow Day Cooking

Working from home during Snowmagedon allowed me to work 7-3 today, so I had extra time for dinner prep! I decided to try mini meatloafs (meatloaves?) and paired it with steamed red potatoes and cheesy broccoli.  Yummy. 

I tweaked this recipe.  I added diced red bell peppers to the skillet, I replaced crackers with 3 pieces of bread softened with milk then shredded (Thanks, Jenni), I added some Worchestire to the mix and I didn't add as much ketchup on top of the "muffins."

They were a big hit (even the neighbor's dog devoured one) and I had plenty to freeze for another night.  Definitely a repeat recipe! 

Blue Apron

I've been in a major menu rut and read about Blue Apron on a blog.  A few weeks later a FB friend posted a picture of her jambalaya and mentioned it was a Blue Apron meal so I finally bit the bullet and signed up. 

The cost was a bit intimidating, but when you compare it to going to a restaurant, it's actually cheaper and healthier.

Our first box:
1. Gnocchi - Keith loved it and I hated it.  I like plain fruit or fruit desserts, but despise fruit with meat, pasta, etc.  This whole meal tasted like Pledge, but my husband gladly ate my portion and loved it.
2. Chicken Charlemagne - This was an OK meal.  The mashed vegetables and roasted veggies were good, but again the gravy had a fruity taste.
3. Korean Pork Ragu: This dish was AMAZING!  I could eat it again and again and Keith totally agrees!  Yummy. I added extra spicy sauce to mine and we're on the hunt for the ingredients.

Our second box:
1. Chili: I really enjoyed this one, but it was too spicy for Keith.   Adding a little sour cream to the finished product made the meal.
2. Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice: This broke my meat and fruit combo rule.  If I had my way, I would have left the fruit out completely, but I added it for Keith, who again couldn't eat it because it was too spicy.
3. Buffalo Chicken Legs: This recipe set off the smoke alarms - cooking chicken at 450 degrees makes smoke lol.  The chicken was really juicy and flavorful, and the side salad was surprisingly good.  Keith's chicken was served bare so he didn't get to enjoy the spice on this one.

Overall, it's been fun to cook together and try new foods.  We're not making this a weekly thing, but I'd definitely recommend it to add some fun and variety to dinners!

Casserole Love

This recipe was a huge hit at brunch so I thought I'd share (my modifications are in parenthesis)

Pecan French Toast

2 loaves Pepperidge Farm cinnamon swirl bread (I used Walmart brand)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar (I accidentally left out)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I replaced this and nutmeg with Pumpkin Pie Spice)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (see above)
Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat until blended but not too bubbly. Dip bread in egg mixture and arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish. Make two layers. (I tore the bread into small pieces so it would all fit in my pan.  I highly recommend doing this.)  There will be leftover liquid, you can spoon some extra onto the bread and then discard the rest.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare and spread praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. 

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (used Pumpkin Pie Spice again)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (see above)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Griswolds and Goodies

Saturday morning was spent running errands and feeling sorry for the people with a sheer look of panic in their eyes as they rushed to shop for gifts. 

Stumbling across some awesome coupons at Target for baking ingredients (Cartwheel and text to save) inspired me to attempt peanut butter balls for the first time.  

I quickly learned it's time to invest in the commercial size KitchenAid, but overall it went well.  I of course turned on Christmas Vacation to enjoy while rolling the filling. 

It's nice to enjoy some laid back days before the holidays. 

My Grandma's Super Healthy Recipe
3 sticks of butter softened
1 bag of powdered sugar (2 lbs)
1.5 jars of peanut butter (27 oz.)

Mix together and form into balls. Freeze for an hour or more. 

Melt candy coating bars and dip balls. (I obviously haven't perfected this technique)

Dry on wax paper.

Enjoy!

Christmas Cookies

When I was little,  my Grandma helped us make Christmas cookies every year.  It is one of my favorite childhood memories, so of course it was time to teach Perry how it's done.  

Now don't be too jealous of our artistic skills!  Luckily we bake better than we decorate!  These things are delicious!

Gotta love a good Pinterest recipe (Yes the sour cream sounded nasty to me too, but it made the best cookies I've baked in my 32 years).

Recipes a la Riggle

The latest dinners:

Chicken Pot Pie: I borrowed a recipe from AllRecipes and made a few tweaks.  I used frozen mixed vegetables, skipped celery, added 2 diced potatoes, tossed in some onion and garlic powder and used the refrigerated pie crust. I also baked the bottom shell for about 3 minutes before adding contents. 

Pizza Quesadillas: My sister recommended these and they were a hit.

Warm pepperoni in skillet and set aside.

Lay a large flour tortilla in pan.  Spread a very small layer of pizza sauce on half.  Add shredded cheese, pepperoni and any other toppings (I used canned mushrooms and jalapenos) and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Fold over and warm on both sides until cheese melts.  Serve with warmed pizza sauce.

Back In The Kitchen

With the recent stress that life has thrown our way, I've really been slacking on cooking meals.  Cereal, sandwiches, pizza and dinners out have become the norm.  I promised myself that I'd do better this week so here are the recipes that made the list.  Next week, we'll focus on healthier meals, but baby steps people.

Italian Sausage Pasta

Boil a box of fettuccine or linguini.  Drain.

Add EVOO to a frying pan.  Cut a package of Italian sausages into small chunks. (I remove the skin too) and brown these.

When 3/4 cooked.  Add half of a small chopped onion and 2 sliced bell peppers (red, orange or yellow taste best, but green works) and finish cooking.  Add a large spoon of chopped garlic.

Pour contents of skillet over pasta.  Sprinkle with fresh, grated parmesan cheese.  Enjoy! 

French Onion Chicken and "Baked" Potatoes

Cook 4 large chicken breasts on high in a crockpot for 3 hours.  Drain water from chicken, chop or shred into small pieces and return to crock pot.  

Mix together one can of French onion soup and a cup of reduced fat sour and dump into crock pot.  Cook on high for an hour. 

In separate crockpot, cook potatoes.  Wash and dry them, stab them, wrap them in foil and cook on high until soft.  (Approx 4-6 hours)

*Note: We didn't love this chicken recipe.  Keith thinks it would taste better on beef.

Crockpot Sloppy Joes and French fries

Monday night I browned ground beef and onions and stored that in one container and in another container combined the following ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 brown sugar
4 TBSP yellow mustard
4 TBSP apple cider vinegar
A healthy dash of Franks hot sauce

Tuesday morning it all got dumped in the crockpot and cooked for 8 hours on low. 

Oven baked French fries completed the meal.

Tailgating Treats With A Kick

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner to share my favorite tailgating recipe.  It's not healthy,  but it's Oh so tasty.   Enjoy!

Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe

2 bricks of cream cheese (low fat is fine)

1 cup of mayonnaise (low fat is fine)

1 4oz can diced chilies – drained

½ 4oz can diced jalapenos – drained (using the whole can makes it VERY spicy)

½ cup of plain bread crumbs

¾ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (located with refrigerated cheeses)

Mix the mayo, cream cheese, chilies and jalapenos together. Spread in a small baking dish. Cover with the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbly. Optional: Turn on the broiler for 2-5 minutes to brown the top.

Serve warm with crackers, bagel chips or toasted French bread.

Great hot or cold.   Enjoy :)

Image borrowed from Pinterest.

Recipes from the Riggles

I'm very guilty of cooking the same meals over and over again.  I think I got it from my Mama.  I don't remember a huge amount of variety growing up (what she cooked was amazing though). 

I've been trying my best to try some new things lately.  I thought I'd share my experiences.  One of these days I'll remember to take pictures of my concoctions.

Pork ribs in the crockpot:  Basically you put the ribs in the crockpot,  add a can of Coca Cola and some coarse sea salt and cook on low for 6-8 hours.   We had some dinner plan changes so instead of eating them immediately,  I put them in a baking dish with Sweet Baby Rays and warmed then in the oven the next night.  Everyone raved about them.   I'll definitely be cooking them again when my local store has another sale.

Crockpot Roast: I stole this recipe from Pinterest (hollybirdio is my username).  They call it Mississippi Roast.  My only modification was cutting back on the butter and adding a little juice off the peppers.

Mexican Rice:  I pieced a recipe together based off a variety of recipes and reviews.  1/4 cup of canola oil,  1 tsp each of onion powder and garlic powder,  1/2 tsp each of cumin,  chili powder and salt.   Warm oil in skillet and dissolve spices.    Add 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice.  Brown and stir for 5 minutes.   Add 1-1/2 cup chicken broth and 1 can Rotel.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and cook covered until desired texture.  We like ours mushy so I cooked for approximately 20 minutes.  Next time I think I'll try less oil and won't freak out over how moist it was when I added broth/Rotel;  it quickly cooked down.

Cheesy corn: It was so unhealthy that I'm embarrassed to share,  but I'll say when you add corn,  ham,  cheese and cream cheese, magical things happen.  Again,  I blame Pinterest. 

That's all the spontaneity I've mustered up lately.  Stay tuned for more Recipes from the Riggles :)

I'd Kill For a Potato or Pizza

We’re watching carbs at the Riggle household.  I could kill someone for a pizza, but we’re surviving.  It has been fun experimenting so far. Below are a few of the kitchen creations we’ve attempted in the last few weeks. 

Cauliflower Pizza Casserole – My recommendation would be to cook this in a bigger pan so it gets a little firmer.  Tasted a bit liked mashed potatoes instead of a firmer casserole.  We also added some pizza sauce to pick up the flavor. 

Eggplant Lasagna – I combined 10 different recipes and made my own.

1 large eggplant sliced into thin pieces

Olive oil

Italian seasoning

Pound of hamburger

Large jar of spaghetti sauce

Brick cream cheese

Shredded hot pepper cheese

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Slice the eggplant, coat both sides with a mixture of olive oil and seasoning.  Roast in oven for 20 minutes on 350 on several cookie sheets.

Brown and chop hamburger with minced onion, garlic powder and salt/pepper.

Add sauce and simmer on low. 

Melt cream cheese in microwave for 45 seconds.  Add a dash of water to prevent burning. 

In glass pan, add ladle of sauce/meat, layer eggplant, add a layer of cream cheese and shredded hot pepper cheese then add more sauce.  Repeat to add desired number of layers.  On top, add last row of eggplant, a thin layer of sauce and then parmesan cheese. 

Bake on 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until boiling.

Cool a bit and then serve (serving immediately is too messy)

Avocado Salad – I modified a Pinterest recipe

2 ripe avocados – cubed

½ container cherry tomatoes diced

½ small red onion diced

Heaping spoonful of diced garlic

½ cup feta cheese

Red Wine Vinegar – 2 TBSP

Olive Oil – 4 TBSP

Squirt of lemon juice

Salt/Pepper, Onion Powder. 

Mix all ingredients and serve. 

Note: Next time I will add some jalapenos. 

Chicken Noodleless Soup – A good warm up food for a cold day. 

2 large pieces of celery chopped

30 baby carrots diced.

1 small onion diced

30 pea pods diced

4 cups chicken broth

Heaping spoonful of minced garlic.

8 chicken tenders thawed.

Parsley, Basil, Salt, Pepper, Savory seasoning.

Layer veggies and seasoning, add chicken and pour broth over everything.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred chicken before serving.

Bobby Flay Kind of Day

Today I’ll be Bobby Flay and Throw Down some recipes that we’ve tried lately.  I don’t know if you can even call these recipes since I never measure ANYTHING, but I'll share anyway.

BBQ Pizza (stole this idea from Cici’s Pizza)

Similar recipe: BBQ Pizza

2 store bought Flatbread crusts

Small container of pulled pork in BBQ sauce

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

Green Peppers – diced

Onions – diced

Brush crusts with olive oil

Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce on shells

Microwave pulled pork and scatter on top of sauce

Add peppers and onions (I would recommend sautéing these first…unless you like super crunchy veggies on pizza)

Add another layer of BBQ sauce

Top with cheese

Bake according to crust directions

Shrimp Lo Mein

My version is so far from authentic Chinese food that I can’t even find anything close to link to. 

Sautee veggies in vegetable oil – we used mushrooms, peppers, green onions, garlic and water chestnuts. 

Whip 2 eggs and add to the side of wok to scramble.

Add tail-off shrimp after rinsing and cook until pink

Add a packet of pre-cooked lo mein noodles.

Add stir-fry sauce, soy sauce and Sriracha Sauce (depending if you like it hot)

Toss around and serve

Chicken Pot Pie

I use that recipe as my base but Hollynize it quite a bit based on reviews.

1. I cook frozen mixed veggies, two peeled and diced potatoes, onions and mushrooms in chicken broth along with 4 large chicken breasts. 
2. When cooked, drain the veggies and chicken but catch the broth in another bowl. 
3. Cube up chicken and sit those ingredients aside.
4. I double the ingredients for the sauce and reuse the chicken broth I boiled ingredients in.  (The regular recipe makes the pie very dry!)  I skip the onions because they are in the veggies.
5. I also add a ton more seasonings to the mix.  Salt, pepper, celery seed, savory seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. 
6. Mix the sauce, chicken and veggies in a bowl. 
7. I use the premade box crusts – roll out the bottom one, brush with egg whites and fill with guts and add 2^nd crust on top.  Repeat for a second pie (doubling sauce makes plenty of guts for 2).  Seal the crusts, slit the tops and bake on bottom shelf on 375 for 45 minutes. 

The hubby has given all three a thumbs up.  I think he is tired of chopping onions for me, but seems quite content when his belly is full lol.

Holly Hall/Rachael Ray….see a similarity there?

No, me neither, but it was worth a shot.  And hey, I have her cookware (shout out to the awesome bridesmaids who got me that for a wedding shower gift!!)

The latest things cooking in those pots:

Update on the Ham, Potato, and Broccoli Casserole that I mentioned here.

I followed some of the tips and tricks and here is my version – everyone had seconds so it must have turned our alright =)

1 - 16 oz bag of frozen crinkle cut fries

1- 16oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli - thawed

1 1/2 cups of cooked, cubed ham (I bought a bag from Aldi)

1 small can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 can of milk

1/4 cup mayo

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garlic salt

Onion powder

Black pepper

Preheat oven to 375

Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Layer bottom with single layer of french fries, add a layer of broccoli, then sprinkle ham evenly on top. 

In a small bowl, mix together milk, soup, parm cheese, spices and mayo.  Pour mixture evenly over ingredients. 

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

Add cheddar cheese to top of casserole and bake an additional 10 minutes. 

Then there was the Pinterest recipe that caught my eye.  I was mid-cooking this dinner when I remembered that we were suppose to be at my Grandma’s for dinner so we loaded this up and took it for a side item.  The bowl was licked clean and the recipe was demanded.  Will definitely make again (Only modification was I used less noodles than listed simply because I only had half a pack in the pantry.)   

Fried Cabbage

And Potato Soup – recipe from my friend Debbie Arnette.  This ain’t healthy folks, but it is amazing on a cold day. 

Wash, peel and dice 7 large potatoes

Cut up 15 baby carrots - I slice into 4 pieces

Boil in 3 parts water, 1 part milk (until veggies are covered) with a few dashes of celery seed, salt and pepper.

Mix one packet of pepper gravy mix with the water required on the package to make the rue.

Slowly add this into the veggies/broth after they become soft.  Continue to stir as added. 

Add one can of nacho cheese or pepper jack Campbell’s soup, 4 large chunks of Velveeta cheese diced (I use Jalapeno) and a few TBSPs of butter. 

Cook until thick and all ingredients melt down. 

Chef BoyarHolly

When my husband and I started dating, I think he was appalled by how often I ate out.  He would volunteer to cook for me, and ask why we didn’t just cook something, but I’d blow past all of this and insist on eating at a restaurant.  At the time, I never really stopped to question why, but recently I have solved the mystery.  I HATED MY KITCHEN.  Or more accurately, I hated my lack of a kitchen.  I despised trying to find counter space, I hated digging out pans, pots and utensils from the dungeons, I hated trying to shove stuff back in after it was clean….I just hated it.  Now, enter new kitchen and suddenly I am the next Emeril minus the BAM! 

I’ve been trying new recipes, making freezer meals and having a blast in the kitchen.  We’ve had pot roast, meat loaf, shrimp dip, cheesy chicken and veggies, hot sausage pasta, and some other classics.  Stuffed peppers, chicken fajitas and steak fajitas are waiting in the freezer. 

Here are a few of the recipes that I have tried for the first time. 

Banana Bread

Review: I trusted the husband to keep track of this while I took a shower so the ends are a little extra crispy.  It’s definitely moist and tasty and a good way to use up bananas.  I was out of nuts, so we are missing that component, but I will add them next time I make it. 

Tortellini Bake

Review: This was a hit with my family.  Next time, I will use less sauce and more spices.  It was a tad on the bland side and too saucy, but still a good, quick meal. 

And here is what’s for dinner tonight.

Ham Potato Broccoli Casserole

I’ll be back with a review on this and some of the freezer meals another day.

BAM!!!

Perspective

Disclaimer: I freak out easily, I want things done now now now, I have a certain way I want them done too…..in saying that, this method of madness has worked for me for 31+ years, so why fix what isn’t broke?!? Lol

Anyway, not my point. 

When I get my mind focused on something, I have a tendency to beat the dead horse, and then kick it a few times just for good measure.  So, we scheduled an appointment at The Meadows to see the house they are building that would be very similar to ours.  Keith was hospitalized for a brief stay (heart scare – he’s fine whew) and we had to reschedule.  So finally, July 3 arrived and we went to see our home.  I left there completely disappointed.  There are so many things that didn’t match the picture in my head…..the living room is small, the dining room is almost non-existent, the master bedroom and bath are a joke and the “modification” to move the laundry upstairs only further cut into our space.  Basically, it wasn’t our dream home. 

So we left, I shed a few tears and then I called in my MOHs….I decided that April and Heidi could fix it or talk me off the ledge (see Disclaimer above).  So we drove back out and walked through again.  I think I left there liking it even less.  I feel claustrophobic in that house....there is not room for our existing furniture, there is not room to put a pack and play by the bed one day (God willing), there is not a big space to host friends and family for dinner…..it just isn’t right. 

So I left again and really started feeling sorry for myself.  Then I remembered what I had planned for that evening.  I went to Kroger and Wal-Mart to gather groceries and went home so Heidi, Keith and I could make casseroles, dips, meatloaf, etc.  I wish they were for a dinner party or a shower or something fun, but in this case they weren’t.  That night we cooked for a close friend of Keith’s who is caring for his young children while his wife goes through chemo for Stage 4 colon cancer.  The moment I remembered that, I just forgot about the house. 

Suddenly walls, windows, square footage, etc. didn’t seem important.  Taking care of our friends and loving them in a way that so many people loved Dad, Heidi and I was all that mattered.  So we mixed, shredded, stirred, stuffed and were thankful we were all healthy enough to do so. 

On Thursday morning, we delivered the food, mowed their yard for them and sat back and chatted with their family.  The house was the last thing on my mind.  Don’t get me wrong, the house crept back in there as the weekend went on, but suddenly I’m not spazzing as much, I’m just going with the flow the best that my personality allows.

I’ve always hated when people tell you “someone else has it much worse than you,” I think it is cold and uncaring.  Everyone is allowed to be upset, we have a right to be sad, and yes in reality, there is always someone else in a far worse situation BUT it doesn’t make your heart hurt any less to be told that.  So I guess, the point of saying all this is, sometimes when things seem to be “the end of the world as you know it,” take the time to do something for someone else who is walking a rough road.  It quickly puts a lot into perspective……

Sidenote - links to two of the recipes we tried....Thank You Pinterest!!
Easy Meatloaf
Dorito Taco Bake

We also made Sausage Stuffed Shells, Mexican Rigatoni and Buffalo Chicken Dip.