Week 34: Recipe #3--Slow Cooker Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

I found this recipe on a blog I follow called On Our Dinner Table.  They borrowed it from Six Sisters Stuff (see both links below).  I've never had a Philly Cheese Steak before, so I admit I have nothing to compare these to, but these were so good!  Easy to throw together, and the whole family loved them.  Plus, they cook in the crockpot, which means a great smelling house when you come home!  I served these with fruit.  Makes 4-6 sandwiches.

Photo from Six Sisters Stuff

You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 lbs. beef round steak (I bought the kind already sliced for stir frying)
• 1 green pepper, sliced thin
• 1 med. onion, sliced thin
• 1 can (14 oz.) beef broth
• 1 envelope Italian dressing mix
• 1 large loaf french bread, sliced into sandwich lengths (I used hoagie buns)
• provolone cheese slices

Preparation:

1. Cut steak into strips (if not buying it pre-cut).  Grease a slow-cooker and place meat inside.  Place pepper, onion, broth, and dressing mix on top.  Cook on low for 8 hours.
2. Place provolone on top of hoagie buns.  Broil until melted.  Top with meat.

Recipe and links:  http://www.onourdinnertable.blogspot.com/2012/04/slow-cooker-philly-cheese-steak.html

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com

Week 34: Recipe #2--Spicy Black Bean Burgers

I found this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen blog (see link below).  These were pretty good, although I made mine not-so-spicy.  I usually buy the Morningstar brand of frozen black bean burgers from Costco, but these had more flavor, and weren't really that hard to make.  The only trouble I had was getting the burgers to stay together; they fell apart pretty easily, but that didn't matter once they were inside the bun.  I served these with sweet potato waffle fries and fresh fruit.  Yum!  Makes 4 burgers.

Photo from Tasty Kitchen blog

You'll Need:

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans
• 1/2 whole onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 whole red pepper, stem and seeds removed, chopped
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tblsp. of your favorite hot sauce (I used much less)
• 1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro
• 1 c. panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tblsp.  canola oil
• 4 whole burger buns or kaiser rolls

Preparation:

1. Drain the can of black beans.  In a mixing bowl, mash the black bean with a fork or a potato masher.
2. Use a food processor to chop the onion, garlic, and red pepper until very fine.  Stir the mixture in with the beans.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, hot sauce, and cilantro.  Add this into the bean mixture and combine well.
4. If the mixture has a lot of liquid, strain with a cheesecloth or let it strain through a colander with very fine holes.  Once the excess liquid has drained off, return the bean mixture to the bowl and stir in half the bread crumbs.
5. Use your hands to form four evenly sized patties.  Coat the outside of the burgers in the remaining bread crumbs.
6. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.  Cook burgers in the pan until heated through and slightly browned on both sides.
7. Put the burger on top of a bun.  Dress with all your favorite burger condiments and enjoy!

Recipe and link:  http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/03/spicy-black-bean-burger/

Week 34: Recipe #1--Bacon, Pear, & Raspberry Grilled Cheese

These were tasty!  I love grilled cheese, and this was a flavor combination I hadn't yet tried.  My youngest devoured hers, and my 3 year-old liked it, too.  I found this on the Tasty Kitchen blog (see link below).  Being a grilled cheese sandwich, they were super easy to make, and not a lot of prep.  We'll definitely have these again.  I served these with fresh strawberries.  Makes 2 sandwiches.

Photo from the Tasty Kitchen blog

You'll Need:

• 4 slices sturdy, grainy wheat bread
• 3 Tblsp. raspberry preserves
• 8 slices red pear, thinly sliced
• 8 slices cooked bacon 
• 4 slices muenster cheese
• 1 Tblsp. butter

Preparation:

1. Preheat griddle or panini press to medium-high heat.
2. Assemble 2 sandwiches in this order:  bread, 1 1/2 tablespoon preserves, 4 slices pear, 4 slices bacon, 2 slices cheese, bread.
3. Spread butter on the top and bottom of the sandwich and grill for 4-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.

***Note from original recipe post:  My slices of bacon were pretty small and thin, which is why I used 4 on each sandwich.  I think 2 regular slices per sandwich would be plenty.

Recipe and link:  http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/04/bacon-pear-raspberry-grilled-cheese/

Week 33: Recipe #5--Turkey and Potato Skillet

This recipe was delicious!  I found this on Pinterest, and it comes from a site called The Lovely Pantry (see link below).  I will definitely be making this again (in the near future!).  We all loved it.  I followed the recipe exactly, and it was super easy to make.  Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so it's easy to throw together on a busy weeknight.  I served this with fresh fruit.  Makes 6 servings.

Photo from lovelypantry.com

You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tblsp. olive oil
• 1 Tblsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 3 Tblsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tblsp. white vinegar
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large white potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 c. sweet peas, thawed from frozen (or canned)
• 1/2 c. sweet corn, thawed from frozen (or canned)

Preparation:

1. In a hot skillet, add olive oil.  
2. Add onion, saute until softened.
3. Add garlic, stir until softened.
4. Add ground turkey and use a spoon to break into small chunks.
5. Sprinkle salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano.  Stir to incorporate.
6. Brown the turkey for about 8 minutes on a medium-high heat.
7. In a small bowl or measuring cup, add ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and broth.
8. Mix with a spoon until a smooth consistency is achieved.
9. Pour over the turkey, stirring to combine.
10. Add cubed potatoes, stir and cover over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
11. Add the corn and peas and cover for another 5 minutes.
12. Stir to combine.

Recipe and link:  http://lovelypantry.com/2012/03/turkey-and-potato-skillet/

Week 33: Recipe #4--Healthy Mac and Cheese

I found this macaroni and cheese recipe on oprah.com (see link below).  It was really good!  A great healthy alternative to the regular comfort food.  The girls both liked it, and couldn't tell there was butternut squash in it.  Other than the time it took to puree the squash, it was really quick and easy to throw together.  I served this with green beans and some fresh fruit.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Photo from www.oprah.com

You'll Need:

• 1 pkg. (12 oz.) whole-wheat or gluten-free macaroni, cooked
• 1 1/2 c. butternut squash, cut into small cubes, boiled and pureed
• 1 c. lowfat organic milk (I used soy milk)
• 1 Tblsp. organic butter or butter alternative
• 4 Tblsp. nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 c. grated or shredded part-skim cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
• 1/2 c. grated or shredded part-skim jack cheese
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tblsp. shredded parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put butternut squash puree in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the milk, butter, and yogurt and continue to stir until incorporated.
3. When the puree begins to simmer, slowly start adding the cheeses, mixing the entire time.
4. When all of the cheese is melted and the sauce begins to thicken, season with a little salt and pepper, to taste.  Continue to add seasoning until desired flavor is achieved.
5. Stir in one quarter of the cooked macaroni at a time, until all of the pasta is saturated with cheese sauce.
6. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish.  Sprinkle parmesan on top and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove casserole from oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Recipe and link:  http://www.oprah.com/food/Healthy-Mac-and-Cheese-Recipe

Week 33: Recipe #3--Sweet Potato Kale Pizza with Rosemary & Red Onion

This recipe looked interesting--I am a fan of sweet potato (and pizza), so what could go wrong?  I loved this.  I loved that all of the different flavors came together perfectly.  My husband liked it, and my little one liked it, but the 3 year-old wasn't a fan of the kale or red onion.  However, she picked them off and ate the rest.  This recipe came from a site called Two Peas & Their Pod (see link below).  I served this pizza with a green salad and grapes.  Makes 1 pizza (about 8 slices).

Photo from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

You'll Need:

• your favorite pizza dough (I used store-bought refrigerated dough)
• 1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced, about 1/4 in. thick
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbslp. olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper, for seasoning potato and onion slices
• 1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 c. chopped kale
• 1 Tblsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the sweet potato slices and red onion slices in a bowl and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place on a large baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender.  Make sure you turn them once during the 20 minutes.  (I forgot this step; still turned out fine.)  Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.
2. Turn the oven to 500 degrees or as high as your oven will go.  If you have a pizza stone place the pizza stone in the oven to get hot.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough, using a rolling pin.  Roll it out to about 3/8 of an inch.  Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal.  Lightly brush the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  In a small bowl, toss the kale with balsamic vinegar.  Top the pizza dough with mozzarella cheese, sweet potato slices, kale, red onion slices, and fresh rosemary.
3. Place the pizza in the oven--directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.  Slice and serve warm.

Recipe and link:  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/sweet-potato-kale-pizza-with-rosemary-red-onion/