Vegetable and White Bean Chowder

Are you experiencing Autumn weather yet where you live? I keep reading other blogs talking the about the sudden drop in temperatures they are having, with lovely crisp mornings and cooler evenings. I'm a little jealous. Our highs are still up in the 90's, but I was able run errands today without breaking a serious sweat every time I walked out to my car, so that's something, I guess.

I'm looking so forward to being able to wear jeans, sitting around the outdoor fire with friends on weekend nights, and being able to actually go to the park and playground during the middle of the day for a playdate, without being miserable. It is a little ways off, but that hasn't stopped me from buying an obscene amount of winter squash already or making lots of soups.

I've had my eye on this soup for quite a while now. Based off of a Moosewood recipe, it's a vegetable-laden soup with a broth base with just a hint of creaminess. Simple and easy, I love that it contains ordinary, everyday ingredients. Ones that you quite possibly already have in your refrigerator and pantry. And the beauty of it is, it's totally adaptable recipe to whatever veggies you do have on hand or prefer. The original version didn't have the white beans, but I thought the inclusion of them really helped to make this filling enough for a meal in itself.

Vegetable and White Bean Chowder
adapted from Cate's World Kitchen and Moosewood's Very Creamy Vegetable Chowder (sourced from CDKitchen)
serves 4

1 tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
2 crowns broccoli, roughly chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper (I used a Cubanelle), chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup 2% milk
3 tbsp Neufchatel cheese (or regular cream cheese)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach

Heat a Dutch Oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add broccoli, peppers, carrots, celery and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic (and dried basil, if using), cooking for another minute.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender. Add milk and cream cheese, stirring until cream cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Stir in fresh basil, beans and spinach and cook until heated through, another minute or two. 

Spring Carrot Teacakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

During the recent time I spent out of the kitchen, I found myself itching to bake. Which amuses me, because when I started this blog not quite two years ago, I didn't even enjoy baking. I think because it was too messy (I have tidiness issues), too exact of a science (I like to play with recipes), but mostly because I just was wasn't a fan of sweets. I can tolerate a counter covered in flour now, and I've actually come to like sweets, unfortunately, more than I used to. My biggest problem now with baking is that I often try to make substitutions to make them a little better for us and then sometimes wind up with a ruined baked good. Nothing worse than a severely under sweetened or overly dense treat.

Because of this, I was excited to receive a copy of Green Market Baking Book: 100 Delicious Recipes for Naturally Sweet and Savory Treats, a lovely cookbook that embraces the concept of eating locally, seasonally and healthfully, and is composed of baked good recipes without the use of refined sugar or artificial sweeteners, many that are dairy-free, vegan or gluten-free. Normally a cookbook without photos of finished products -there are none, just charming illustrations of produce scattered throughout- would greatly disappoint me, but even without, I found myself wanting to try just about every recipe in the book.

First, I made a Honey Whole Wheat Ginger Cake that we loved (warm, for breakfast with coffee or as an afternoon snack with tea), that I somehow never got to photographing. After that, I decided on these carrot tea cakes. Now I probably love carrot cake more than the average person, but anyone who tried these agreed they were wonderful. They are absolutely delicious, and the "frosting," which is a simple maple and vanilla spiked cream cheese spread, really makes them awesome.

And these are only the first two recipes from the book. I have so many more I'm planning on trying.

Spring Carrot Teacakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
from Green Market Baking Book by Laura C. Martin
makes 12 (I halved this recipe and still got 9)

for the cakes:
4 eggs
1 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1 1/4 cups light olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream (I substituted non-fat greek yogurt)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans (I used walnuts)

for the frosting:
12 oz cream cheese (I used the 1/3 less fat kind)
 1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.

Beat the eggs until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix the maple syrup, oil, sour cream or yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Add the syrup mixture to the eggs and beat for another minute.

Sift the flours, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the carrots and nuts.

Pour into cupcake liners in a muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took at least 5 minutes longer). 

To make the frosting:
Beat ingredients together until fluffy and spreadable. Use a generous dollop on top of each teacake.

Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip

Hope you all had a wonderful evening last night bringing the new year- however it was you chose to celebrate it. As to be expected, ours was pretty low key, but a really enjoyable one. Since I'm pregnant, obviously going out wasn't of interest to me, and going somewhere that required a babysitter seemed silly, so I was really happy to get an invite to spend it, family style, with some of our dearest friends at their home. They have two young children, and there was another couple there that have four, so when you count Beckett, their were more kids in attendance than adults. It made me feel incredibly grown up, but I guess it's time to face that that is very much what I am these days!

We had a really fun time, and there was no shortage of good food. I even got to try brisket for the first time. Like my friend, Jamie, who made it, I'm no beef eater, but I have to admit it was delicious. For my contribution, I brought a dessert, stuffed mushrooms and some crudites and dips. One of the dips I brought was a new recipe to me, a Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip adapted from Cooking Light. Not only is this tangy dip really pretty healthy, it's a very tasty alternative to your traditional Spinach-Artichoke Dip. Plus it's an easy, make ahead dip, so it would be a great addition to your appetizer table for the upcoming Super Bowl.

I served this with bell pepper, carrots and celery sticks, pretzel chips, Triscuit Thin Crisps and crostini. (And in case you are wondering what that other dip is, it's an old stand-by we call "Emily Dip" and it's always a crowd pleaser. I just mix about equal parts Neufchatel Cheese with light sour cream, and add light ranch dressing and cayenne pepper to taste.) I thought the two dips balanced each other out well, and the selection of dippers complimented both nicely. I love yummy dips, so I will definitely be making this one again soon.

Happy New Year!

Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip
adapted from Cooking Light via My Recipes

olive oil mister or cooking spray

3 cups packed fresh baby spinach

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 cup crumbled fat free (or reduced fat) feta

1/2 cup Neufchatel Cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese)

1/4 cup light sour cream

2 cloves garlic, smashed (or one if you prefer a less strong garlic flavor)

1 tsp dried dill (or 1 tbsp fresh)

fresh ground pepper

Remove and discard any thick stems from spinach and coarsely chop. Mist or spray non-stick skillet very lightly with oil and heat over medium. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Place several layers of paper towels onto a plate, and spoon yogurt over top about a half inch thick. Cover with additional layers of paper towels, and let stand 15 minutes, changing top layer of towels halfway through.

Scrape drained yogurt into the bowl of a food processor using a rubber spatula. Add feta, cream cheese, sour cream and garlic, and process until smooth, scraping the side of bowl with the spatula once. Remove blade and stir in cooled spinach, dill and ground pepper. Once mixed, transfer to small serving bowl, cover and chill before serving with assorted dippers of choice. (I'd like to note that I liked this even better after it had been out of refrigeration for a little bit.)

Four Cheese Garden Vegetable Lasagna

Lasagna is something I rarely make, and for a very good reason. You see, in my husband's eyes, no lasagna will ever compare to his mom's, and I was informed early on that any attempts on my part would be futile. She scoffs at the idea that hers is anything out of the ordinary, but it really is quite wonderful, plus we all know how strongly sentiment can play a part in the foods we love. When I do make lasagna, I go for unconventional recipes- such as the the Very Best Of Fall Lasagna- that bare little resemblance to the one Sage grew up eating.

This weekend, I found myself with an excess of cream cheese in my refrigerator, as well as some broccoli and green onions intended for a recipe that I completely lost interest in. Trying to think of what I could make to use them up, lasagna popped in my head. It sounded like a great idea, since I had the time to make a more involved dish and also because we've been suddenly having some chilly weather (this is after having to resort to running my a/c earlier in the week- typical Florida). I knew the version I was envisioning was different enough from my mother-in-law's that I could get away it.

I wanted to keep this relatively healthy, and with whole wheat noodles, low fat cheeses, such as cottage, and lots of veggies, I think I did a good job of managing that while coming up with a dish every bit as delicious as it's higher fat counterpart. I also opted for a simple red sauce over the bechamel that is most paired with broccoli in lasagna. The end result was a meal we all really, really enjoyed. Even Sage.



Four Cheese Garden Vegetable Lasagna
By starting the sauce first and letting it simmer while you chop all of your veggies and prepare the cheese filling, it really adds very little time your prep. But to simplify, you could always substitute 4 1/2 cups of store-bought, good quality pasta sauce.

1 (8 oz) package of Neufchatel Cheese (or reduced fat cream cheese)
1 (24 oz.) container low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
1 large head of broccoli, chopped in small florets
2 large carrots, in small dice
1 medium red pepper, chopped
4 green onions, sliced (white and light green parts only)
3/4 cup 2% mozzarella cheese
kosher salt and pepper
1 (9oz) No-Boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
Simple Chunky Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400.

Place Neufchtel Cheese and cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Add egg and 1/4 cup of the parmesan and process until blended. Transfer contents to a large bowl, along with broccoli, carrots, pepper and onion. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Set aside.

Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a large, deep baking dish (mine is 9 x 13 x 3). Arrange 4-6 noodles, slightly overlapping, breaking any as needed to fit your pan. Layer half of vegetable mixture and about a cup of marinara. Repeat another layer of noodles, remaining vegetables and another cup of sauce. Add a final layer of noodles and top with remaining sauce.

In a small bowl, combine remaining parmesan with mozzarella. Sprinkle evenly over top of lasagna. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and if desired, uncover and broil for 1-2 minutes.

Let rest for 20 minutes before serving in order to set. (It will seem liquidy when first removed from the oven).

Simple Chunky Marinara (yields 4 1/2 cups)
1 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, pureed (using an immersion blender or food processor)
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add garlic and cook for a minutes, then add all remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer for at least a half hour. Stirring occasionally.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

If you are looking for an easy-to-make appetizer for Thanksgiving, this chutney is perfect. It comes together in no time, can be made a day or two ahead and is delightful paired with cream cheese atop wheat crackers. It would also make a lovely hostess gift and could be served as a condiment with pork, ham or chicken.

I didn't notice the amount of sugar this originally called for until I'd already began making it. I wasn't thrilled with using all that sugar, but then I had a light bulb moment. I only buy jams and preserves that are sweetened with fruit juice, and I figured I could do the same, subbing the sugar and water with 100% apple juice, although I did add some honey and a touch of brown sugar. I also scaled this back (it makes a good bit) and used a Granny Smith Apple. You could use a sweeter apple if you prefer, however, I personally loved it for its tartness.

For serving, you could fill a small serving bowl with cream cheese, and nestle the chutney in the center, but for an even easier presentation, you could just pour it right over a block of cream cheese, (you know, like that red-pepper-jelly-over-a-block-of-cream-cheese appetizer that is always surprisingly popular on an appetizer table). As for the crackers, I tried a few different types, and I can tell you to skip the fancier ones. This goes best with a simple cracker, such as the whole wheat Ritz ones I used.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

adapted from allrecipes.com

I used an 1/8 of a tsp of cloves in this. Next time, I will use a pinch or two, because it was just a little too much for my taste. Adjust it to your liking.

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
a pinch-1/8 tsp cloves (depending on your preference)
1/3 cup apple juice
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp dark brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until apple is tender and mixture has thickened. Cool completely.

Store in the refrigerator. Serve with cracker and cream cheese or as a condiment with pork, ham or chicken.

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

We spent our 4th of July on the beach all day, with some of our closest friends, playing bocce ball, eating, drinking, people watching, and of course, ending the day with fireworks. At some point we realized we all had the next day off, so we decided everyone should come over for a cookout/pool party. On a whim, I said "I'll make blue cheese stuffed turkey burgers!" Not sure where the idea came from, other than I had ground turkey in the freezer and blue cheese in my fridge. Sadly, on Monday, it rained all day, and we decided not to have anyone over. We also had something other than burgers that night.

Ever since, I've wanted them. But our schedules made it so we couldn't have them until last night. Luckily, they were well worth the wait. I based them loosely off of the Herb & Cheese Stuffed Burgers I made a few months ago since I couldn't find a recipe for a blue cheese stuffed burger I liked. It was just our little family, so I only made 3 burgers, using half of a package of ground turkey, just as I did when I made the last stuffed burgers, but everything could be easily doubled to feed more people. If you love blue cheese as we do, I'm sure you'll enjoy these, and if you eat beef, I imagine that would be a great variation as well.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers
serves 3

10 oz. ground turkey (half of a 1.25 lb package)
1/4 of a medium red onion, minced (about 3 tbsp worth)
3 tbsp Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground mustard
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola (or blue cheese of choice)
1 tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese
toasted hamburger rolls, tomato slices, spinach leaves or romaine, for serving

Mix ground turkey with onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, mustard, salt and pepper. Divide into 6 equal pieces, and form each into a thin patty.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese with blue cheese, using a fork to mash and incorporate well. Spoon a 1/3 of cheese mixture in the center of three of the patties. Top with remaining patties and press edges well to seal.

Grill burgers over medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side. Serve on toasted buns with desired accompaniments.

Gorgonzola and Spinach Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

When I go to the produce market, I will buy just about whatever my 2 year old wants. There's a few random things I'll say no to, but I am happy to encourage his love of fruits and veggies. It also helps keep him occupied since there isn't a shopping cart for him to ride in. (He is awfully adorable and charming, but no one really wants a crazed toddler running around the market.) Last week, he picked out a 2 lb. bag of miniature sweet peppers. They were on sale for a terrific price, so I had no problem buying them.

We typically go through a good amount of bell peppers, but even with using them in meals and slicing them on salads, I still had a half of a bag left by the next trip to the produce store. I thought of stuffing them, perhaps similar to the Spicy Stuffed Peppers from Symon Sundays, but our a/c was being worked on, and it was far too warm in our house to even think of hot foods. So my thoughts turned to a cool dip instead, but then I thought it would be fun to fill the small peppers with the dip, for a perfect little appetizer. I found a recipe on Eating Well for a Blue Cheese Dip, and altered it a tiny bit to include spinach.

Not only were these cute, but delicious too! I just made a small batch for my family to snack on, so if I was going to make them for a party, I'd double it. If you don't have access to mini sweet peppers, the filling is a wonderful dip to serve with cut veggies, and I suspect it would make an amazing hot stuffed mushroom too. If you aren't a fan of blue cheese, Eating Well suggests substituting Parmesan, but I personally loved the Gorgonzola in this.

**I realize this is my third recipe in a row containing cream cheese. This is what happens when Sage and I each pick up a block of it when we already have one in the fridge. Don't worry, this was the last of the third package, so my next recipe should be cream cheese free.

Gorgonzola and Spinach Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
Filling adapted from Eating Well's Blue Cheese Dip

1/4 cup Neufchatel/reduced fat cream cheese
1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
1 small garlic clove, halved
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp tarragon wine vinegar (or white-wine vinegar)
1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped spinach leaves, stems discarded
1 tbsp reduced fat mayo
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
15 miniature sweet peppers (I used the smaller ones, about 2 inches long)

Using a small food processor, pulse together cream cheese, scallion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar until well blended. Add spinach leaves, mayo and pepper and process until smooth.

Transfer contents to a small ziplock bag, add Gorgonzola and gently mix to combine. Taste and adjust pepper if needed. Filling, in sealed bag, can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, at this point.

Prior to serving, trim tops off peppers and remove ribs. Snip a small corner off plastic bag and pipe filling into each pepper. (This step could also be done the night before.)

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

I seriously LOVE Southwestern/Mexican/Tex-Mex flavors. Especially when they are loaded full of veggies and beans, and minus the meat. A little over a month ago, I had a craving for such a meal, but we didn't have any tortillas. Using pasta instead, I put together a quick and easy dinner that wound up being something pretty great. I took some pictures, but like most throw-together type pasta dishes, they weren't anything special and I decided not to blog about it.

A few days ago, I was deleting a bunch of old pictures off the computer (so Sage wouldn't be able to give me a hard time for having more pictures of food on my laptop than our child,) and I came across the ones from that pasta dish and remembered how delicious it was.

Yesterday, we were coming home from a friend's house, and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It had to be 1) Quick- Sage was starving, and 2) Meatless- I had nothing defrosted. I decided to revisit that meal, and share it this time.

The original had green pepper, only yellow squash, a scant amount of cheese and was topped with light sour cream (or maybe greek yogurt, I can't remember.) This time, I used a orange pepper, added zucchini, increased the cheese, and topped it with diced avocado. Both, delicious, filling, and quick and easy- great for a week night.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

3 cups uncooked wheat or multi-grain rotini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 zucchini, diced

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

3/4 cup frozen corn, rinsed under water to partially defrost

2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream/yogurt, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, etc., for serving

Cook pasta until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute for a couple of minutes. Add squash and zucchini and season with salt, pepper and coriander, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until squash and zucchini are becoming tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes with chilies, and corn. Scatter in pieces of cream cheese, and stir until cream cheese is melted throughout. Combine with cooked rotini.

Top with shredded cheese, cover skillet and turn off heat OR transfer into a casserole dish, top with cheese, and place under preheated broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with desired accompaniments.

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms

In our house, Sage is the weekend breakfast cook. Not that I can't make it, it just happens to be one of his jobs, like mowing the lawn and fixing stuff. But for Father's Day, I wanted to let him sleep in and make him a nice breakfast. A while back I saw a recipe for baked eggs on Florida Coastal Cooking. I've been wanting to try them and this seemed like a nice time to do so.

I love spinach and mushroom when paired with cream cheese and eggs, so that's what I went with. But you could make it whatever veggies you have on hand- this would be a great way to use any leftover grilled or roasted vegetables. (Provided you actually have leftover vegetables. We never do.) Personally, I'm a fan of using the entire egg, but Sage prefers mostly whites with a touch of yolk. Since it was his day, I used 1 full egg and 3 whites, and found in this particular dish, I didn't miss the yolks.

Sage really enjoyed his breakfast- especially the pocket of cream cheese in the middle- but felt there was a little too much spinach in it. That would never be a problem for me, so I'd say adjust the amount you use according to your preference.

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms

adapted from Florida Coastal Cooking

serves 2

olive oil mister/cooking spray

1/2 small onion, diced

4 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, coarsley chopped

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1 garlic cloved, minced

3-5 cups spinach leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped or torn

1/4 cup Neufchatel Cheese, divided

3 egg whites

1 full egg

Preheat oven to 375.

Mist a medium saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium. Add onion and cook for a couple minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute and then add desired amount of spinach to pan, and continue cooking until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

Spoon mixture evenly into two ramakins that have been misted with olive oil or cooking spray. Top each one with 2 tbsp cream cheese and season with extra salt and pepper. Wisk the whole egg together with the whites and pour over cream cheese.

Place ramakins on a baking sheet and baked for 20-30 minutes or until eggs are set.

Herb & Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Let me begin by saying: Wow! These were pretty amazing. I can't remember the last meal all three of us so equally loved as much as these burgers. Beckett, who will rarely eat meat, began crying when he mistakenly thought his father was taking his burger away from him. Yeah, they are that good.

My last experience with a stuffed burger was a high school cooking class, where some fellow students demonstrated stuffing a beef burger with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickles and called it an Inside-Out Burger. I've never been much of a fan of beef burgers, but as a teenager, I thought the idea was so neat, I made them for my family. I guess they must have not been too impressive, because we never had them again. But it wasn't the fault of the concept, it was the contents. Thinking back, it doesn't even sound good. Especially for an almost-vegetarian, as I was.

So fifteen-ish years later, I found a recipe for herb & cheese stuffed burgers in Taste of Home magazine and had to give it a shot. Of the many changes I made, the most noteable were using ground turkey instead of beef, reduced fat cheeses and wheat rolls, seasoning the meat with thyme instead of sage and rosemary, and adjusting it to make three burgers, instead of four. I did opt for the more flavorful, but less healthy, ground turkey over ground turkey breast, but these burgers were so fulfilling, we were happy with a simple salad as a side to make up for it. I will certainally be making these family pleasing burgers again, perhaps experimenting with the herbs and cheeses.

adapted from Taste Of Home Magazine, February/March 201, serves 3
3 tbsp shredded 2% cheddar cheese
1 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 3/4 tsp dijon mustard, divided
1 tsp onion powder
3 tbsp Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tbsp ketchup
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 oz. ground turkey (half of a standard 1.25 lb. package)
3 whole wheat sandwich rolls
light mayo, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, optional, for serving

In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese, parsley and 3/4 tsp of the mustard. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, combine onion powder, bread crumbs, ketchup, salt and pepper, thyme and remaning mustard. Add ground turkey and mix well. Shape into 6 thin patties. Spoon 1/3 of cheese mixture into the center of three patties. Top with remanining patties and press edges firmly to seal.

Grill over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side. Serve burgers on rolls with tomatoes, lettuce and/or mayo as desired.

Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

I know the humble casserole sometimes gets a bum rap, but I am a fan. I had black beans and tortillas on hand and wanted to make some kind of layered casserole with them. I knew I could find what I was looking for on Cooking This And That, because she has tons of Mexican/Southwest dishes as well lots of casseroles, bakes and other one-dish meals. Sure enough, I found this delicious casserole.

Sage has been really good about eating meatless meals more than half of the time, so I considered adding some chicken to this for him, but ultimately I decided to take Colleen's word that in this dish he wouldn't miss the meat. She was absolutely correct- Sage agreed afterward that it was perfect as is. I did add some green pepper to it and made a few changes to get it fit the size casserole dish I had. I had flour tortillas instead of corn, but they worked great. We really liked this and will definitely make it again.

adapted slightly from Cooking This And That,
originally from Reading, 'Riting & Recipes, serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 oz.) can of Rotel tomatoes (I used mild)
1 cup salsa (or picante) sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
3 (10 in) flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used 2% mild cheddar)
sour cream, lettuce, gaucamole, etc., for topping (I intended on using more than just sour cream, but that's what we wound up with, and it didn't seem lacking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, heat oil and over medium heat. Saute onion and green pepper until soft. Add tomatoes, salsa and cumin and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in beans. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

Spray 11x7 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 of bean mixture on bottom of pan. Next layer 4 quarters of tortilla over beans, with curved edges on the outsides, and pointed edges slightly overlapping. Spread another 1/4 of bean mixture over top and cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layering tortillas, bean mixture and cheese two more times, ending with cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with desired toppings.

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Linguine

Last week I worked 6 days straight, which is 6 more than I'm used to working. It was fun to be back, but I have to admit, I really slacked when it came to cooking. Being home every day allows me to spend time browsing blogs and recipe sites for meal ideas. I'm also able to leisurely make complicated dishes if I feel like it. But last week, I just wasn't up to it. We had really simple meals, leftovers and take out. You'd think I would've been dying to get back into the kitchen this week, but I wasn't feeling inspired. Adding to that, we had friends in town to spend time with. Shortly before dinner time the other night, it occured to me I was going to have to figure out something for for us to eat. I was definitely limited with what I had on hand, as grocery shopping is another duty I've slacked on. I had some broccoli to use up and chicken in the freezer, and this meal just came together when I discovered I didn't have many pasta options.

This is perhaps not the most impressive meal ever , but it was a great way for me to ease back into the kitchen (even if it was the only night this week I did.) I wanted to put it on my blog because it shows how you can make a delicious dinner last minute, just by using what you have on hand, and without using something like jarred alfredo sauce. It also is a very adaptable recipe- you could add extra vegetables (mushrooms would be delicious in this,) change the pasta to whatever you have, or even top it with leftover chicken or turkey or without meat at all. I grilled my chicken, but feel free to cook it however you prefer.

One of my favorite parts of this recipe was something new I tried on a whim. Typically I always steam my broccoli, but I just wasn't feeling up to dirtying up another pot. I decided to chop it up into small pieces and saute it in the same pan I was making my sauce in. This worked wonderfully! I have a bad habit of forgetting about my broccoli when I've got several things going on in the kitchen and I had served it a great many times rather mushy. I'm not opposed to softer veggies, but Sage prefers his on the crisper side and my broccoli mush has become a joke between us. But with this method, it resulted in perfectly tender-crisp broccoli, and with one less pan to wash!

2 breasts chicken
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp lite butter
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves, garlic, minced
1/2 of a large head of broccoli (or use an entire one if you have it and love broccoli,) cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
1/2 (13.5) box of linguine or pasta or your choice
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp lite cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving

Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to grill or cook as desired. Cook pasta, according box. Drain and set aside.

Heat skillet over medium heat and add butter. When melted, add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, add broccoli and cook for another 3 minutes. Add broth, cream cheese and parmesan to pan, stirring frequently to blend melting cream cheese. Cook for about 7-8 more minutes, or until broccoli is to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, grill chicken. Slice or chop.

Add drained pasta to pan with broccoli. Toss to coat in sauce. Serve topped with chicken and extra parmesan.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip

I am very behind on my posts, being that this one is from Halloween! I hate to show up empty handed to a party and a few hours beforehand, I realized I was about to do that. I didn't have time to go shopping, but I had some canned pumpkin on hand I wanted to use.

I did a search and found most dips made with pumpkin used either a block of cream cheese or a jar marshmellow fluff- neither of which I had. But I had peanut butter, and I knew that paired nicely with the pumpkin. There is one basic recipe floating out there, with the slight variations being in the quanities of the ingredients. Since they all seemed nearly the same, I randomly picked one, not really noticing that this one had equal parts pumpkin, peanut butter and brown sugar. If I'd been paying attention better, I'd noticed the other recipes had a much smaller ratio of the sugar. We're talking the difference of a few tablespoons versus 3/4 of a cup! Not being a big fan of super sweet stuff, I sampled it and found it pretty much unedible. But with some tweeking, it became delicious!

This kid-friendly dip can be served with graham cracker sticks or ginger snaps, or a variety of fruits or celery sticks. We had the ginger snaps and apples, but it would be amazing on bananas. Sadly, we got to the party a little late, and no one was really hitting up the food table at that point, so I'm certain the majority of this got tossed at the end of the night. Luckily, I had saved a little of it at home, and my toddler went crazy for it on pears and celery. I feel bad for this yummy dip that it didn't get to be enjoyed as it deserved to have been, so I will be making it again!

adapted from Group Recipes
1 (15 oz.) can of pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
graham crackers, ginger snaps, fruit or celery, for serving

Combine all ingredients until well blended. (Because I had chunky peanut butter and didn't soften my cream cheese before mixing, I opted to use a immersion blender for a smoother texture.)

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake

I didn't bother wasting my time trying to get a great picture of this one. I knew it was a lost cause. Homey, casserole types of meals like this just aren't pretty- and photograph even worse. Of course the magazine that I found it in, managed to take an attractive picture, but then they don't have a hungry family waiting, hoping to get to eat while dinner is still warm.

I found this in Better Homes and Gardens this month, and was instantly sold just by the title alone- a pumpkin and black bean casserole? Sounded great to me! Then Sage just happen to mention how growing up in New England, he never once had cornbread, until he moved down here and that he loves it. It always amuses me when I discover something I don't know about him after all these years; I was unaware of his fondness for cornbread. Since this spin on Tamale Pie had such a topping, it really just cinched it for me that this was a must-make meal.

When we sat down to eat this, I could see Sage was having issues with the combination of ingredients- olives and cilantro with pumpkin? Yet with each bite, it grew on him, and halfway through he proclaimed it very good, despite being unusual. I really liked it too, but I wish the pumpkin had been more prominent. The original recipe had ground beef, and I debated on bulking up the veggies and beans, and having a meatless meal, but decided upon ground turkey. It worked well, but perhaps making it without meat would've made the pumpkin really stand out.

The recipe didn't have spices in the meat/pumpkin mixture, which was fine because the jalapeno-olive relish gave it additional flavor, but if you're not going to use it, I think spices are needed. The only other suggestion I would make it, is omitting the pumpkin puree in cornbread topping, as it's absolutely lost. In all though, this is a tasty comforting bake we enjoyed. I'm sure its not for everyone, but if you like the ingredients and casseroles, it's worth trying!

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
1.25 lb. lean ground turkey
2 cups of 1/2-inch pieces peeled pie pumpkin or winter squash
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 (4 oz.) can mild green chiles
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8.5 oz.) package of corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree (I'd omit next time)
Jalapeno-Olive Relish (optional- but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, cook turkey, pumpkin and onion until meat is cooked and onion is tender, breaking up turkey with spoon. Drain fat. Stir in black beans, corn and chiles. Heat through. Stir in broth and cream cheese until blended. Transfer to 3 qt. casserole dish.

In medium bowl, stir togethercorn muffin mix, egg, milk and pumpkin puree (if using) until just combined. Spoon over meat mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes to help set. Serve with Jalapeno-Olive Relish (recipe follows.)

Jalapeno-Olive Relish
2 tbsp coarsely chopped green olives (originally called for 1/4 cup halved, but I wanted them in smaller pieces)
2 tbsp pickled jalapeno peppers (I subbed this from 1 to 2 fresh, for a more mild taste)
6 grape tomatoes, quarted
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread

I'm not much of a snacker (or daytime eater for that matter- and yes, I know its horrible for my metabolism, but I just don't get hungry until late afternoon) but the other day I found myself really wanting a snack. And something that felt like a splurge, so my only real choice, a rice cake with peanut butter, wasn't going to cut it. I started scrounging the fridge and this is what I came up with.

It was so good that I am going to have to make it the next time we have friends over. This only made a small amount so I'll probably double or triple it. The first time I ate it with crisps I made with sun-dried polenta from a tube, but I also had it on stoned wheat crackers. Both were good but I'd probably say it went better on crackers and since that's less work, that's how I'll serve it for guests. I also won't eat the entire thing myself over the matter of days...

2 oz. goat cheese
1 tbsp lite cream cheese
1 tbsp good quality olive oil
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch of kosher salt
several grinds of pepper
3 sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 basil leaves, torn

1. Combine all ingredients in a small processor. Chill until ready to serve.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

Due to a Fantasy Football Draft, it was just me and the little one for dinner last night. Since he's not much of a meat eater, and I'm just as happy with a meatless meal, that part was a given. I had some leftover tortillas so I decided on quesadillas because they are easy for Beckett to eat.

Since my goal was to make these kid-friendly, they aren't spicey as written. I add red pepper flakes to mine and served them with chiptole salsa and pickled jalapenos. The filling could easily be stretched to make three servings, but since I wasn't serving them with a side, I wanted them to be quite substantial. As a result, they were a little hard for Beckett to handle, so he just ate the filling with a fork. Oh well- he still ate all of the insides!

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cloved garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and partially mashed

1/2 tomato, diced (about 1/2 cup)

2 tbsp lite cream cheese

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

fresh ground pepper

red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

cooking spray

2 large flour tortillas

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided

1. Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is becoming soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, cream cheese and spices. Stir to combine and cook for about two minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and add one tortilla. Sprinkle half of cheese on half of tortilla. Gently top with half of bean mixture, and fold tortilla over. When bottom side is toasted (about 1 minute or two) flip and cook for another minute or two.

3. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients. Serve with your toppings such as salsa and/or sour cream.

Emily's Pretzel and Vegetable Dip

The other day, we had a get together for my best friend, Ali, who was visiting from CA. I put out some different snacks and appetizers. I tried a few new things and some old favorites.

There is something I consistantly serve at get togethers and that is this easy dip. Years ago my neighbor, Emily, threw this together, and I've been making it ever since. The funny thing is she once asked me for the recipe, and I had to tell her she was the original creator of it!

I have never had any of this left over after a party, and since the ingredients are things I typically have on hand it can also be whipped up for unexpected guests. Usually I just make it with prepared lite ranch dressing, but I didn't realize I was low, so I just added dry ranch mix. I served it with pretzels, carrots, celery and red pepper strips.

1/2 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/4 cup prepared lite ranch dressing

2 tbsp dry ranch dressing mix (or an extra 1/4 cup of prepared ranch)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1. Stir sour cream into cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add ranch dressing, dry mix and cayenne pepper. Mix well.

2. Best if chilled for a few hours (it thickens up) but can be eaten immediately. Serve with pretzles and cut up raw vegetables.

Corned Beef Pinwheels & Garden Veggie Pinwheels

On the message board I frequent, there is a girl who has a food blog, The Novice Chef, which has the most amazing photos of her dishes. Recently she made pinwheels and they looked so tasty, I was craving them.


So for Ali's get together, Sage and I made two types. The ones he prepared were a variation of a corned beef, pickle and cream cheese appetizer he often makes. I found a recipe for a meatless one on allrecipes that had a lot of reviews and a high rating. When I went to put them together, the recipe seemed rather familiar and I realized it was actually a very similar recipe to the one on The Novice Chef. So I actually borrowed a little from both, and added carrot and took out the green onions. I mixed the veggies right into the cream cheese to make it easier on myself- so they weren't the most attractive but they were yummy. My only complaint was that the ranch dressing mix made them a little bit salty. I still got compliments on them, and at the end of the night, both kinds were gone.

Somehow, I forgot to take pictures of the Garden Veggie ones and the ones of the Corned Beef Pinwheels were horribly out of focus. In fact, all of the pictures from that night were really bad. Instead of getting better, I think I'm becoming a worse food photographer... but I'm going to blame it on the wine.

Corned Beef Pinwheels (makes about 24 pinwheels)

2 large flour tortillas

about 1/3 cup lite cream cheese

1/3-1/2 lb. Corned Beef, sliced thin

kosher dill pickles (amount will depend on size of pickles)

1. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each tortilla. Layer with corned beef slices, slightly over lapping so entire tortilla is covered.

2. Slice pickles into match sticks. Stager sections of pickles across corned beef, with slight spacing between pickles.

3. Carefully roll tortilla up, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.

4. Prior to serving, trim ends, and slice chilled rolls into 1/2 inch slices.

Garden Veggie Pinwheels (adapted from allrecipes.com and The Novice Chef)

2 large flour tortillas

1 block (8 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 tbsp black olives, diced

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1 1/2 tbsp ranch dressing mix

1/4 tsp dried basil

1. Mix all ingredients other than tortillas until well blended. Spread 1/2 of mixture on each tortilla.

2. Carefully roll tortilla up, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.
3. Prior to serving, trim ends, and slice chilled rolls into 1/2 inch slices.