A Cooking Baker

I love chimichurri!   What is it, you ask?  It's a condiment, sort of like pesto, maybe, and it's Argentinian in origin.  The first time I had it was at a wedding reception, and it was served with some beef kebabs.  It was AWESOME.  So of course, when I got home, I hit the Internet, and started searching for some chimichurri recipes.  Here's one I made not too long ago - it was very good - love the fresh, herby flavor! Serve chimichurri with beef, pork, chicken - it works with anything.  You can also use it to marinate meat before grilling.  Try it this week! Chimichurri 1 c. packed flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/2 c. packed cilantro leaves 1/4 c. fresh oregano leaves (optional) 2 tbsp. white onion, chopped  2 cloves garlic, chopped 2-3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. crushed red chile pepper 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Finely chop the parsley, fres...

Yesterday we watched baseball in the rain, and the temp was in the 40's.   It took too long to thaw out, so I didn't get a meal plan done last night.  We've got a crazy week as a family, so here are some of the things I'm planning on - I have almost all of the ingredients on hand so we can be flexible, but avoid random trips to the store.  Feel free to share your go-to meal(s) when your family is on the go in the comments! Burgers & Brats with veggies and chips or fries Chicken kebabs with bell peppers, red onions, and zucchini with salads Breakfast sandwiches, hash browns, and fresh fruit Penne with veggies, with side salads Ricotta, herb & tomato flatbreads with salads Leftover pepper steak from the freezer over some rice or noodles

Have you ever realized you're missing an ingredient after you started making dinner? I usually take stock of ingredients before I start, but tonight I swore I had BBQ sauce, and I planned to make BBQ Chicken Caesar Wraps.  Well, chicken's on the grill, and I have no BBQ sauce.  Oops...   So, I finished grilling the chicken and the asparagus I had on, and then I went inside to brainstorm.  I found some quinoa, but since it takes about 20-25 minutes, I needed something faster - the husband was on the way home, and the kids were hungry!  Ah-ha!  Couscous!  It's quick (under 10 minutes), so I threw some water on, and got that going.  I dug in the fridge and found a little bit of feta cheese and some sun-dried tomatoes hiding in the back of the fridge.  I chopped up a handful of the sun-dried tomatoes, and threw those into the couscous with a big clove of garlic I squished in the garlic press.  Then I sliced up the grilled chicken and...

I'm lacking consistency with the meal plans lately - sorry, everyone!  If you're in need of some inspiration, you can always search older posts with meal plans for some ideas.  Here's a general plan for this week - I'll firm it up once I get it figured out: Simple Beef Chili (we have some in the freezer) Pork Carnitas (freezer meal) Salads - lots of veggies in the fridge Sloppy Joes Asian Marinated Chicken

I love the Internet! It's 4:30pm, and I forgot to marinate the chicken for the "naked" (no tortilla) chicken fajitas I had planned for dinner.  I'm at my computer, so I Google "chicken fajita recipes" and find some I like, and here's what happened - an easy, delish marinade I was able to make with ingredients I had on hand that the whole family liked. Perfect! You can do them "naked" too, or wrap them in a tortilla, or top a salad, etc.  I actually had tortillas out, and no one went for one - not even the kids!  It's great to see everyone getting on board with healthier changes.  This could easily be done for a freezer meal - just throw it all together in a bag, knead to coat, and freeze.  Thaw in the fridge, throw on the grill, and dinner is ready! Chicken Fajitas 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 big cloves of garlic, minced juice of half a lemon (I'd say 2 tbsp. worth, so maybe a whole one if ...

I don't like to veer TOO far off the beaten path with pizza. But occasionally, I see something I just have to try - or give another try!  I've had BBQ Chicken Pizza before, and not been wowed, but I gave it another shot, and it was pretty tasty, actually.  This works great as an appetizer, dinner tonight, or as a freezer meal. I'm guessing on amounts here - I kind of just sprinkled ans tweaked as I went.  This made 1 pizza that was about 9" x 12". BBQ Chicken Pizza 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & diced 1 cup-ish fontina cheese, shredded 1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded 1/2 cup to 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (I don't like it too sweet) 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped red pepper flakes, if you like 1 par-baked pizza crust (make your own, or purchase) I lightly brushed some BBQ sauce on the crust, but you can skip that if you like, and drizzle some over top instead, or whatever floats you...

Still hunting for some new freezer meals... Here's another freezer meal or something you can prep and make for dinner tonight!   When you find pork tenderloins on sale, stock up - they're so versatile - you can feed a crowd with a fancy platter of sliced medallions, or build sandwiches for something more casual.  I steer clear of the pre-marinated ones - I like to know what the ingredients are, and control the flavors myself. Balsamic Rosemary Pork Tenderloin 2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 Tbs soy sauce 2 Tbs olive oil 1 Tbs minced garlic 1 Tbs brown sugar 1 tsp of grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground) 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary Combine ingredients in a freezer storage bag and "knead" to mix. Add pork tenderloins. Seal bag and refrigerate overnight (less works, but at least 6-8 hours is preferred).  If you're doing it as a freezer meal, throw it in the freezer, and when you're ready, thaw overnight in the fridge.    T...

Who doesn't like meat on a stick? I have fond memories of a dinner party we went to once where we all made kebabs together, the dudes went out and grilled, and the ladies chatted and set the table and whipped up some sides.  Cooking with your guests is always fun, if you have the space. Kebabs are a great meal for a guest participation.  Here's a simply recipe I found and tweaked - try it with friends, your family, or to stock the freezer: Ginger-Soy Beef Kebabs 2-1/2 lb. beef tenderloin ½ c. soy sauce (we prefer reduced sodium) 2 tbsp. honey 2 tbsp. sesame oil 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced 1 tbsp. mirin or rice wine vinegar Cut the tenderloin into one-inch cubes. Combine soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and mirin in a one-gallon zip-top bag.  Add meat and "knead" to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, or put in the freezer for a freezer meal.  Thaw overnight to prepare from freezer. Thread be...

I LOVE Penne Rosa at Noodles. Here's my attempt to recreate it - and my family loves it, so knock-off or not, it's a keeper for us.  I tried to quantify the amounts as much as I could, but sometimes, just throwing a handful of something in works, too!  I made a big batch, so we had some leftovers for lunch - it's fab reheated.  You could easily feed a crowd by making a larger batch and serving family-style. You could also make this vegetarian by omitting the chicken - you won't miss it.  Knock-off Noodles Penne Skillet 8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced (diced for my family - they need them small!) 1 bunch fresh baby spinach leaves (I used a container of Organic Girl I had), chopped 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 box (12-16 oz.)  penne pasta (I used whole grain) 1/2 to 3/4 c. half & half (or heavy cream if you like to splurge)* 1 c. Arrabiata pasta sauce* 1/2 c. Feta cheese crumbles (I used Athenos reduced fat) 1 medium onion, diced 2-3...

I'm on the hunt for new, lighter recipes for summer. This one is freezer-friendly and great for the grill!  We picked up a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and so that's what we used, served over some rice noodles I had on hand - you could marinate whole breasts, cutlets, or cut up meat for kebabs.  Asian-Inspired Marinated Chicken 1 to 1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-2" pieces for kebabs) or thighs 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced 2 scallions, minced 1/4 c. soy sauce (we prefer low sodium) 1/4 c. teriyaki sauce 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp. honey 1 tbsp. sesame oil 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds Combine all ingredients in a bowl, or right in a freezer storage bag.   Add the chicken, and toss to coat.  Refrigerate overnight, or for as long as you can (a few hours, at least).  You can throw the whole package in the freezer if you're doing a freezer meal, or put the meat ...

We're always up for Chinese - especially a healthier version.  Here's a recipe for Sesame Chicken I ripped from a magazine and tweaked a bit.  The whole family enjoyed it. You could do it as a freezer meal, too - maybe whip up enough for dinner tonight and one for the freezer or a friend! Sesame Chicken 5 tbsp. soy sauce (we prefer low-sodium) 4 tsp. toasted sesame oil 2 tsp. honey 1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into about 1" chunks 6 tsp. canola oil 3 scallions, thinly sliced 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated 3 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/4 c. chicken broth (we prefer low-sodium, organic) 1 tbsp. sugar 3 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. rice vinegar 1 tsp. chili paste 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted Whisk together 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp, sesame oil, and honey in a bowl.  Add the chicken pieces, and toss to coat.  Marinate at least 20 minutes.  Remove chicken from marinade (using a slotted spoon to let excess marinade drip off...

I'm missing the 80 degree weather we had in March! It's been weird here in Wisconsin - I was looking through photos, and saw pics of the kids playing in the snow, and pics of the kids playing outside in shorts, and it was the same month!   We had the grill fired up just about every night, and had all but retired the chilly weather recipes.  Here we are on Spring Break this week, and of course, and it's lightly snowing and in the 30's. I'm longing for that warm, sunny weather again, and this recipe jumped out at me.  I made it at a cooking class last year - it's ridiculously easy, and the relish is like tasting summer.     Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Corn Relish For the relish: 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp. sugar (I prefer to leave this out, or substitute a little squirt of honey) 2 c. grape tomatoes 1 c. fresh corn kernels 1/2 c. red onion, diced 2 tbsp. fresh parsley (Italian flat leaf), chopped 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped salt & pepper to ...

Brunch, anyone? Springtime is the right time for some delicious brunch recipes, I think!  I love whipping up egg bakes and breakfast casseroles, but the kids aren't huge fans, so I usually only do it when we're entertaining or when I need to bring a dish.  These kinds of dishes are great when you've got family staying with you, or you need to feed a crowd.  When I tested the recipe, I cut it in half and just made an 8" x 8" pan - the baking time was about the same.      I've tried baking them and then freezing in smaller portions, but I feel like they are a little dry and don't taste quite as nice reheated than when they're baked fresh.  Here's a tasty breakfast bake recipe I recently found & tweaked - you can make it in advance, which is nice. Spring Vegetable Strata 1 tbsp. olive oil 4 scallions, sliced 1 tbsp. garlic, minced (about 2 cloves) 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 2 c. broccoli, chopped (you could...

Happy Easter, a little early! This weekend is Easter Sunday, and we will be spending time with family, attending church, and heading out for an Easter brunch.  I'm sure many of you will be sitting down to enjoy a lovely meal featuring a HAM.  I have partaken of many an Easter ham dinner, but I enjoy it most when it's incorporated into a recipe, versus the star of the show.  I've got a number of uses for you for those Easter ham leftovers.  If you have a favorite ham recipe, please feel free to share! Some no recipe needed uses: make a hot ham & Swiss sandwich with a good roll - use some brown mustard, too toast an English muffin, heat up some ham, scramble some eggs, and melt a little cheese on it for breakfast dice it up, throw it in a pan to heat it and brown it a little bit, and top a baked potato with ham, cheese and broccoli  make Stromboli with ham, broccoli  & cheese cut some thin slices and make a Cuban! Here's the recipe I like: ...

We love grilling our veggies - great flavor! Jalapeno cream?  Yes, please! This is another keeper from a Staci Joers class I took years ago.  The citrus flavors with the cumin and peppers...so good!  I made a few tiny tweaks.  You could do this as a freezer meal, and just include the recipe for the cream. Beef Fajitas with Jalapeno Cream 1 lb. beef skirt steak (or flank, sirloin or round steak), trimmed and pounded out to 1/4" thickness 2 tbsp. lime juice 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice 3 tbsp. EVOO 3/4 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. dried oregano hot pepper sauce to taste 1/2 - 1 tbsp. EVOO 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly (any color peppers you like) 1 green bell pepper, sliced thinly 1 onion sliced (yellow, red, white - whatever works, we like red) 1/2 c. sour cream (or Greek yogurt) 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced 1 tsp. fresh lime juice 4 tortillas, warmed (for freezer meal, just include a package of tortilla she...

Just got home, so trying to do my meal planning now....  Here's a rough draft - I'll probably tweak it tomorrow! Chicken Gyros  - or at least some Greek-inspired grilled chicken, with some grilled veggies on the side Pepper-Crusted Pork Loin with some mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli Beef Fajitas with Jalapeno Cream with some chips & fresh guac and some fruit or raw veggies Turkey Meatball Subs  - saw these yummy looking meatballs on Barefoot Contessa this week, sweet potato fries, raw veggies & Greek yogurt dip Homemade pizza or stromboli - I uncovered some frozen pepperoni and salami in the freezer, lots of frozen peppers and onions from my random veggie bag, and some baby spinach I need to use up... (I'll find the dough recipe I like and add it, or you can search the blog if you're looking at this RIGHT NOW)  Side salads or raw veggies or fruit on the side.  OR, maybe we'll try this BBQ Chicken Pizza - looks delish! Main Dish Salads o...