Pasta with Pesto & Shrimp

Food Category: PG, Bum Lovin'
Difficulty: Easy

Boil whole grained pasta according to package directions. Once cooked & rinsed, toss with pesto sauce.

Serve with shrimp. Sautee 1/4 cup chopped onion & 5 slices of center cut bacon. Drain the fat. Sautee raw (peeled, tail on) shrimp in a bit of evoo & add back the bacon & onion. Season with basil, salt & pepper.

Side dish: frozen, nuke-in-the-bag mixed veggies (corn, baby carrots, asparagus) and green beans.

Chicken and Stuffing

Food Category: PG, Southern Comfort
Difficulty: Easy

Season chicken tenders with poultry seasoning & sautee in evoo until cooked through. Set aside.

Peel & slice 3-4 large sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon, cover & bake at 400F until totally cooked. Mash with a fork.

Served with mashed potatoes, microwaved frozen peas, Stove Top stuffing & package of Homestyle gravy.

Lasagna

I don't really have a kick-butt lasagna recipe, but this one turned out pretty darn good. I mostly followed the recipe on the back of the Skinner box. I did add some spinach & tri-color peppers to my meat.

And, I used 1/2 whole wheat pasta - just to see if we could tell.

I did NOT cook either pasta before I layered it with the good stuff in the pan. It cooked beautifully & we could not tell the difference between the white & wheat pasta.

If you don't precook the pasta, add about twice as much sauce as you would other wise.

I made one for tonight's dinner & I have another made up in the freezer (not cooked) for another meal.

Leftovers

I had enough leftover chili in the freezer for us to have Frito Chili Pie.

YoYo

I had Bunco plans. Man ate leftover chicken/rice & the kids had chicken strips.

Stir Fry Veggies & Rice

I've been so far behind that I am posting this just so I can have it on record -- for when I run out of meal ideas!

Stir Fry in evoo: shredded cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, onion & pineapple. Season with soy sauce & sweet chili sauce. Add leftover Sticky Chicken.

Serve with Jasmine rice.

Chicken Club Salads

Food Category: PG, Bum Lovin', High-5
Difficulty: Easy

The good stuff:

lettuce
shredded carrots
sliced cucumbers
radishes
avocados
chopped leftover Sticky Chicken breast.

The really good stuff:

2 slices center cut bacon
1/2 serving grated cheddar
1 boiled egg
croutons
fat free 1000 Island dressing

Leftovers

Leftover enchiladas for us -- as we rushed out the door to a band concert.

Beef Enchiladas

Food Category: PG, Bum Lovin'

Difficulty: Easy

Yesterday, I noticed that I had defrosted some beef but failed to do anything with it. So, I cooked it & socked it in the fridge for tonight. Any kind of leftover beef (roast beef, brisket, etc) would be great for these enchiladas -- just add the right seasonings: cumin, chili powder, paprika, smoky sweet pepper, cayenne & salt. I used 1/2 tsp each to season to beef loin steaks.

Sear the meat on both sides, then reduce heat to very low & cook with a splash of red wine or beef broth, chopped onion & crushed garlic until the meat is very tender. You could also use the crockpot. When the meat is cooked, chop & add pan juices. Either use immediately, or refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Assemble the enchiladas:

Fill whole wheat flour tortilla with the chopped/shredded beef, grated cheese (cheddar/jack) & sauteed 1/2 onion & tri-color peppers (about 1/3 of each).

Place into a 9X13 baker on top of enchilada sauce. This particular red sauce is a mixture of crushed tomatoes (still had some hanging in the fridge from pizza night) & the same seasonings I put into the meat.

Top with canned enchilada sauce (I also mixed in the rest of the crushed tomatoes) & grated cheese. Cover with aluminum foil & pop into a preheated oven - 400F.

Bake covered for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Uncover & continue to cook until the cheese begins to brown.

Serve with a side salad: lettuce, shredded carrots, cucumbers, Catalina dressing & Fritos.

I'm calling this meal Bum Lovin' only if you use whole wheat tortillas, drain the fat off the meat, use cheese sparingly & load up on salad (with fat free dressing). One enchilada and a salad is more than filling. But, I ate another 1/2 of one just for flavor's sake.

Leftover potential: The salad won't keep, but the enchiladas will be fine in the fridge for a few days. Microwave on medium power to reheat.

Southwestern Eggrolls

Food Category: PG
Difficulty: Easy

I began with the intention of following the Chili's Southwestern Eggroll recipe, and for the most part I did. Except for I cooked on a much larger scale & didn't pay too much attention to proportions - not that it really matters the ratio of corn to onions, know what I mean?

Here's roughly what I used:

• 2 cups of cooked chicken (I used Mimi's Sticky Chicken from last night)
• 1 chopped onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 of each: red, green & yellow bell pepper
• 1 can vacuumed-packed corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1/3 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup chopped frozen spinach
• 1/2 crushed tomatoes (b/c I had some in the fridge)
• several splashes of Taco Sauce (again, in the fridge)
• 8 oz (weight) grated cheddar cheese
• 8 burrito size spiced tomato tortillas
• 8 taco/fajita size spinach tortillas

To make the Eggroll Filling:

• Sautee bell peppers in 2 T olive oil for 3-4 minutes
• Add onion & continue to sautee for 3-4 minutes
• Add 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• Add the spinach & cooked until heated through
• Next, toss in the beans, corn, chicken & jalapenos
• And, 1/2 t each, more if you choose: chili powder, cumin, paprika, smoky sweet chili blend, cayenne & salt
• Remove from heat & add cheese
• Stir until cheese melts & mixes in

To assemble the Eggrolls:

• Microwave the tortillas in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel for 45-60 seconds on high
• Spread 1/4-1/3 cup of filling on one side of the tortilla
• Roll "eggroll style" turning the sides in as you go
• You can "seal" with a bit to cream cheese

To cook the Eggrolls:

• I sprayed the Eggrolls with olive oil, placed seam side down on a baking pan &
• Baked at 425 until crispy & golden, turning once 1/2 way through (about 15 minutes)
• (The original recipe calls for the Eggrolls to be frozen & then deep fried)

To serve the Eggrolls:

• Cut in 1/2 crosswise & serve with a dipping sauce.

I really, really wanted & tried to make the avocado dipping sauce BUT avocados in Europe are terrible & it was a waste of my time & energy & ingredients. I had to resort to serving with Ranch dip. Next time, in the absence of decent avocados, I'll make Haus Salsa.

If I had good access to fresh jalepeno & poblano peppers, I would have added some. Maybe next time I'll throw in a chopped chipotle or two.

Personally, I don't think these have to be deep fried. It's more mess to clean up, more calories to burn off & it's not necessary for flavor. If you spray & bake, these are actually kind of healthy.

Leftover Potential: These were a huge hit & there were none leftover. If you did have leftovers, you can reheat in the oven or freeze for later. If you anticipate leftovers, I'd freeze before cooking.

Mimi's Sticky Chicken & Bratkartoffeln

Food Category: PG, Southern Comfort
Difficulty: Easy

Mimi's Sticky Chicken has got to be the best roasted chicken ever. If you have never roasted a chicken, don't be intimidated. Just rub seasoning all over the inside, outside & under the skin, then pop into a hot oven. It's that simple.

If you have heat (as in picante and not caliente) sensitive people in your Haus (wimps & small children) notice that the recipe does call for 3 kinds of pepper (cayenne, black & white). I do not think this recipe is hot in anyway, just flavorful.

This roasted chicken is great the first time around & perfectly wonderful for leftovers. I roasted 2 chickens tonight (adding some rosemary that I had lying around) because I need chicken-as-an-ingredient for meals later in the week. My oven is not big enough for a roasting pan, so I shoved both chickens into my 9X13 stoneware dish, breast side down.

Sorry about the chicken butts - that's just how it was!

This is yet another example of how small the oven is.

The chicken was served with Bratkartoffeln. Tonight I used mostly peeled red potatoes & some wunderbar Bratkartoffel seasoning I picked up at the Wiesbaden Christmas Market.

I started by cooking 2 slices of bacon, adding some evoo, then dumping the potatoes, onion & seasonings in the pan.

Meat & Potatoes were served with microwaved green peas & mixed veggies, also nuked.


The chicken carcasses & veggies from the roasting pan went into a stock pot. I'll have lots of broth for soups & sauces. I'll freeze it to use later.

Leftover potential: Endless possibilities for the chicken. Tomorrow I am making Southwestern Chicken Wraps to take to a party. The rest of the leftover chicken will keep in the fridge for a few days, or the freezer for a few months. Veggies can be reheated in the microwave or frozen in the soup-bucket. Potatoes: reheat in the microwave or in a pan, add to breakfast burritos.

Yo-Yo

At the Tree Lighting & Santa's Workshop, we all went different directions for food. I had a pulled pork sandwich & Man had a bean burrito.

And, I'm fairly certain the kids had cookies & Cheetos.

Yo-Yo

Afternoon snack of leftover pizza. Followed by a dinner of Triscuts, cheese & turkey lunchmeat.

Homemade Pizza

Food Category: PG
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate, depending on how you feel about making dough

The Crust

I make my dough in the bread machine on the dough cycle. This pizza crust recipe is very similar to the one I make BUT her method for cooking the pizza is the only way to go. Place a cold stone in a cold oven & preheat both at the same time to 425-450F. Assemble the crust on parchment paper & transfer the pizza/paper to the hot stone with a pizza peel. The link above has more detail.

• 1 1/4 cups warm water (around 110F)
• 3 T yeast
• 1 T sugar
• 1-2 t salt
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 cups of flour (can be 50/50 white & whole wheat)

This recipe will make two 14-15" pizzas.

The Sauce

• 1/2 of a large can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 clove crushed garlic + 2 t evoo (microwave for about 30 seconds)
• 1-2 t each oregano & basil

Our pizzas were topped with Canadian bacon, mozzarella & cheddar.

This is just how small my oven is.
The pizza is on my 15" baking stone & filling most of it.

The adult pizza also had red onions & pineapple.

Serve with a side of the sauce. Lots of good lycopene & the crust is just begging for something!

As good as this is, I'm still perfecting my crust. I'll get back with you on perfection later.

Leftover potential: We reheat our pizza in the toaster oven on 400 until heated through.

Bacon Cheeseburgers

Food Category: PG

Difficulty: Easy

These were made with 1/4 pound of ground sirloin (pan grilled), pepper jack & cheddar and two slices of center cut bacon. I think I might have squeezed enough lettuce & spinach on my burger to count as a veggie serving. The burgers were built on onion rolls & served with individual bags of chips & raw veggies. My guess is that the entire meal is around 800-900 calories - not horribly bad in the scheme of things.

A note on the bacon . . . a 3 slice serving of cooked center cut bacon is only 60 calories. Yes, most of that is fat, but that's a lot of flavor for not many calories. Just something to consider if you are cutting back.

I'll remind you of this again in January.

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken with Jasmine Rice

Food Category: PG, High-5
Difficulty: Easy

Pssst. Here's what is keeping this meal from being Bum Lovin': I pan fried (not even spritzed with evoo & baked!) lumpias, wrapped them in foil & kept them in a warm oven until ready to serve. They were so good!

Start the cooking prep by marinating 3 chicken breasts for at least one hour.

Chicken Marinade

Thinly slice 3 chicken breasts & 1/2 of an onion. To the chicken & onion add:

• 2-3 T of sweet chili sauce (It's in the picture below on the far right - purchased at the commissary.)
• 2 T of pineapple juice (from an 8 oz can of pineapple chunks)
• 2 T of soy sauce
• 2 t sesame oil
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• few shakes of run-of-the-mill chicken seasoning

Stir Fry Veggies

• Cut 2-3 large carrots into thin strips, not quite Julienne
• Stir fry in a bit of evoo for 3-4 minutes
• Add 2 cups broccoli florets & continue to cook until almost tender crisp
• Add 2 cups of cole slaw mix & stir fry for 2-3 more minutes
• Season with salt, pepper, sesame oil & soy sauce
• Remove from pan and set aside

(If using frozen broccoli, cook in the microwave & toss with the other veggies at the end of the cooking process.)

Stir Fry Chicken

• Add a bit more evoo to the pan over high heat
• Toss in the marinated chicken and stir fry until cooked through
• Remove chicken from the pan, leaving the juices
• Set chicken aside

Sweet & Sour Sauce

Mix together with a wire whisk:

• 1/4 c Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• 1/2 c vinegar
• 1/2 c pineapple juice (the rest of the juice of the 8 oz can)
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1/2 c water w/1 teaspoon chicken granules (or 1/2 c chicken broth)
• 2 heaping T of cornstarch
• 1-2 t sesame oil
• 1-2 T sweet chili sauce

Bring pan juices to a boil & add the sweet & sour mixture. Cook over medium high heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the pineapple chunks & remove from heat.

Serve with Jasmine Rice, cooked in a rice cooker & lumpias, either pan fried or spritzed & baked!

Leftover potential: Straight up leftovers for lunch. To reheat the eggrolls, wrap in foil and bake in the toaster oven until heated through. Remove foil & bake for a few more minutes to crisp them up.

Christkindlmarkt Fest Foods

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we visited 6 Christmas Markets. It just doesn't get any better.

Flammkuchen, Glühwein, Bratwurst, Rindswurst, Kartoffelpuffer (Reibekuchen) mit apfelmus, Kinderpunsch, Pommes Frites, Mandeln, Pizzabrot . . .

Zur Rose

Thanksgiving Buffet

We waited in line for 1 hour and 20 minutes at the Wiesbaden Dining Facility. We were part of the 2000+ people who were served in a 4 hour time period.

It was still less time than cooking and doing dishes!

And, it was worth the wait. Turkey, shrimp cocktail, roast, filet mignon, lobster tail, ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, dressing, rolls, gravy, salad bar, strawberry shortcake, pumpkin pie, ice cream.

Yo-Yo

We are leaving for Germany tomorrow and will be gone through the weekend. Dinner tonight will most definitely include cleaning out the fridge. It's all good. Here's what we have to choose from:

BBQ beef & beans - enough for one more sandwich
Salad - enough for one person
Minestrone - whatever doesn't get eaten, gets frozen
Chicken from the Kindy Thanksgiving Feast - enough for 2 servings
Wheat rolls, also from the Fest -- 4 left
Pecan tassies, Feast again - 11 left

Whatever leftovers from the Feast were mine to start with. Here's how I made the kid-friendly chicken.

Chicken on a Stick

• Toss frozen chicken thighs with: a drizzle of evoo, Turkey Rub, rubbed sage & thyme.
• Defrost one bag of frozen, boneless & skinless chicken thighs in the fridge overnight.
• The chicken marinates as it defrosts.
• When the chicken is totally defrosted, cut into small bite sized chunks & thread onto wooden skewers (soak the skewers in water for 1 hour prior).
• Line a baking pan with foil, place chicken sticks on to pan & put into a hot oven (400F).
• Bake for 20 minutes, turning 1/2 through, or until the biggest pieces of chicken are cooked through.

Buttery Bread Machine Rolls

I followed this recipe posted on RecipeZaar with the following exceptions:

• I used 2 cups white flour & 2 cups of whole wheat.
• Made 32 smaller rolls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• I let the dough rise a second time for over 1 hour.
• I baked at 350F.

Pecan Tassies

Shall we mosey on over to Not Just Strudel and see how they are made?

OK, fine. There are only ten nine tassies left now. I think I'm going to have to call dibs on the salad for dinner.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Food Category: PG, Southern Comfort
Difficulty: Easy

With all the festive cooking going on this time of the year, there's less time to actually cook dinner. Last night I was up to my elbows in sugar cookie dough & pecan tassies and ended up with no time to cook dinner. So, I pulled chopped BBQ beef out the freezer & pimped out a can pork-n-beans (add a little mustard, BBQ sauce, brown sugar & heat in the microwave).

Viola! Dinner.

Serve with a big side salad. The bigger the salad, the more butt-friendly this meal is. Which is very important this time of the year. Two days before Thanksgiving is no time to be piggin' out. Save your appetite & calories for the right day.

Leftovers

I cleaned out the refrigerator & made minestrone which is what MiniMe & I quite happily ate for dinner w/a side salad. Man needed a little more meat, so a rummaged around in the freezer & triumphantly produced leftover meatloaf. That with salad & Naan bread (and a side of soup) pulled together a real meal in no time flat. Laze-E ate Naan bread and a salad, only because she was full from 2 bowls of afternoon-snack cereal.

Breaded & Baked Chicken

Food Category: PG, Southern Comfort
Difficulty: Easy

Breading

1 cup bread crumbs
1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle of your favorite flavors: garlic/onion powder, seasoned salt, salt/pepper, basil

Chicken

• Cut 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts in half crosswise to make 4 servings.
• Lightly coat with flour. You can toss them into a bag with some flour.
• Then dip into an egg/water mixture (50/50).
• Then toss in a plastic bag with breading to coat.
• Place chicken on a preheated baking pan. You can use parchment paper for non-stick & easy clean up.
• Drizzle with evoo or spray with a cooking spray.
• Place baking pan into a hot oven (400F).
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown & crispy, turning 1/2 way through.

Serve with:

Roasted potatoes: Peel & cube 4-5 medium baking potatoes, lightly toss with evoo & season with salt, onion powder & pepper. Bake at 400F on a hot baking pan lined with parchment paper for 15-20 minutes, turning once.

Green beans: Cut with kitchen shears one slice of center cut bacon & cook over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered. Add cut frozen green beans to the pan and a bit of water. Cover and cook until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally. Season with salt/pepper.

Leftover Potential: Beans can be frozen for soup. Chicken can be reheated in a toaster oven (keeps it crispy). How about a chicken sandwich for lunch? Potatoes can be added to scrambled eggs and make an appearance on a breakfast burrito.

Pizza Dip

Food Category: PG-13 with Food Porn tendencies

Difficulty: Easy

My pizza dip is a slightly pimped out version of the Pampered Chef recipe that was super-popular back in the mid-late 90's. It's a great potluck, party & snack dish. I make my dip in a 9X13 stoneware dish because it will stay hot for quite a while out of the oven.

Pizza Dip

Soften one package of cream cheese (full fat or not) in the microwave on the lowest setting. You want a consistency that is easy to stir & spread.

To the cream cheese add:

• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon basil
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (either powders or shredded)
• 2 large crushed cloves of garlic

Mix well and spread into the bottom of a baking dish.

Pour one large can (26 oz) of spaghetti sauce on top of the cream cheese.

Sprinkle the sauce with precooked & well drained Italian sausage (2-3 links, casing removed).

Top with 2-4 cups of mozzarella cheese & a sprinkling of more Parmesan.

Top the cheese with other favorite toppings. I used sauteed onions & tri-color peppers. Mushrooms & black olives would have been great, too. I left the onions & peppers off the kid-friendly side.

Bake in a 400F until heated through & the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Serve with crusty French bread, either toasted or not. And, a salad.

Leftover potential: I don't know from experience, but I think this would keep well in the fridge for a few days. Reheat in either the microwave or oven.

Leftovers

I made Potato Soup for lunch & there was plenty leftover for dinner. So, that's what I had. Man had leftover Greek food for our last restaurant trip & the girls had leftover spaghetti.

Cheap? Yes. Exciting? Depends on what you think about leftovers.

Spaghetti for the Kids

Man & I had a little Hell & Farewell shindig to attend, but I "cooked" spaghetti for the kids before I left. I'm using "cooked" in the very loosest sense . . . meaning I boiled the pasta and dumped a can of cheap spaghetti sauce on top. My only embellishment was a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

They didn't mind my culinary slacking. They probably didn't even notice the lack of loving in the form of meat, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, etc. etc. etc.

Dinner for the adults included a catered BBQ buffet. Normally, that might be a bit scary here in Brussels, but this particular buffet was catered by some of our spouses. Apparently, I'm not the only HausFrau in town who can cook.

Leftovers

For dinner we had leftover chili, grilled cheese sandwiches & raw veggies with Ranch dip. While I didn't actually "cook" dinner, I did make muffins before I went to "work" this morning. Yes, I do have a food porn banana bread recipe, made with a cup of butter, white flour & lots of sugar. I'll save that one for Not Just Strudel. This particular muffin recipe is definitely the healthier, lower fat version.

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Sift together & set aside:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg

In a separate bowl, cream together with an electric mixer:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup pack Splenda Blend - brown sugar

Then:

• Add 2 eggs & beat until smooth
• Mix in 4 über-ripe bananas (I leave mine a little on the chunky side)
• Stir in 1/2 cup applesauce

Gentle stir dry & moist ingredients together just enough to incorporate the flour mixture.

Fill lined muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 20-25 minutes (or until passes the Toothpick Test). Makes 16 muffins.

Texas Beer Chili

Food Category: PG-13, High-5
Difficulty: Easy

Tonight, I added a few more veggies & less meat than I normally do, but it still turned out characteristically HausFrau delish. The veggies are definitely in the background & won't be obvious to any veggie-haters. Of course, you can always used an extra 1-2 pounds of meat & less veggies and beans.

Texas Beer Chili:

• Brown 2 lbs of lean ground beef in a big ol' soup pot, remove from pot & drain fat. Set aside.
• Add about 2 T evoo to the pot & chopped tri-color bell peppers. I chopped most of 3 peppers - the rest is in the fridge for a future meal - maybe cheese steaks or minestrone.
• Sautee on medium high heat until the peppers have given up most of their liquid.
• Add the chopped onion. One large or 2 medium. Sautee with the peppers until most of the liquid is cooked off.
• Add the shredded carrots. About 2 large carrots -- double handful.
• Toss the drained meat back into the pot.

• Heat meat & veggies over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Add 350-500 ml of beer -- preferably a German Dunkel.
• Toss in a lot of crushed garlic - about 4-5 decent sized cloves.
• Continue to cook until the beer has reduced by half.

The picture is cloudy because of all the steam coming off the beer.
But this is an idea of how much garlic to add.

Now it's time to add: can of pumpkin, large can of crushed tomatoes, 3 cans (6 cups) of beans (your choice as to what kind), 4 cups of beef broth (or beef granules in 4 cups of water) & chili seasonings (I totally cheat and use Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit -- it's got great flavor & has never not made an awesome pot of chili. Don't add the masa thickening agent until later!).

Stir everything together & reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook for 45-60 minutes. Once the veggies are looking thoroughly cooked, add the masa, stir & remove from heat.

Tonight we made Frito Chili Pie -- just ladle the chili into a big bowl & top with Fritos, extra-sharp cheddar & chopped chives. Other great toppings: sour cream, chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes (if that's you thang), chopped peppers, etc.

Leftover Potential: Hopefully, you'll have leftovers. I was so incredibly sad the one time I took chili to a potluck lunch. I was hoping to come home with leftovers for dinner but ended up having the potluck participants practically lick my crock pot clean. I came home with dirty dishes & a house that smelled wonderfully of chili. But, sadly, no chili. Leftover chili will hang out in the fridge for a few days & it freezes well. Besides chili pie, you can slap chili on hotdogs, baked potatoes, nachos or serve it with cornbread.