P.S.

If you decide to make the tuna casserole...like I did tonight...throw the broiler on when the casserole is done to brown the cheese and make the breadcrumbs crunchy.  You'll be glad you did.

For Chris: Our Favorite Tuna Casserole

We make a lot of meals from two cookbooks, Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry.  One of our favorite recipes from Crazy Plates is called "Tickle Me Elbows", a WONDERFUL tuna casserole.  I have modified the recipe to suit our tastes.  It is great leftover and is perfect to take to work the next day.

I wish I could include pictures, but they're on our old computer, which Chris has with him.  Anyway, make this tonight...you'll thank me!

Favorite Tuna Casserole (modified from Crazy Plates, a gift from Erin in 2001)

2 cups (dry) elbow or shell wheat pasta (we prefer Barilla whole grain)
1 can water-packed tuna, drained
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 diced bell pepper (any color)
1/4 cup diced pimento
1 can condensed cream of celery soup OR 1 can organic cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk (if using condensed soup, omit if using can of organic soup, as it isn't condensed)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for top of casserole
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/4 tsp black pepper
Handful of whole wheat breadcrumbs (plain or seasoned)

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water and drain again.  In large bowl, combine cooked macaroni, drained tuna, celery, bell pepper, and pimento.  Toss to mix.

www.healthvalley.com

Combine soup and milk (if using condensed soup!) in a small saucepan.  Heat soup over medium heat until smooth and warm.  Add shredded cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted.  If you're feeling crazy, toss in a little extra cheese!  Remove from heat, stir in mayonnaise and black pepper.

Pour sauce over noodle mixture.  Mix well.  Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and breadcrumbs.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

My current favorite, www.iansnaturalfoods.com.

What is your favorite tuna recipe?

Weight Watchin'

I think I mentioned early on in this blog deal that Chris and I were doing Weight Watchers...which might be hard to believe considering how much we like to eat.  Well, we originally started the program last summer, in preparation for our wedding.  We both lost weight before the big day.  I lost about 16 pounds, to be exact. Chris was somewhere around 10 lbs., I believe. 

The beauty of WW is that you can eat whatever you want, as it teaches you portion control and how to make better choices.  When we left for our wedding and honeymoon, we had been trained.  Since that time, we haven't been counting points, but we have kept our good habits.  The weight loss has been slower...but I just had to share that, as of this morning, I've lost a total of 24 pounds!  And no, I'm not going hungry.  We both feel better and are proud of our healthy choices...that allow us to indulge when we want.  We'll never go back to our old ways.  Thank you, WW!!!!!  Has anyone else tried WW with success? 

And what's for dinner tonight, you ask?  I'm actually taking advantage of some prepared foods.  We're having penne pasta and tomato/mozzarella salad.

Saturday Night Penne Pasta

1 teas. olive oil
handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 links of Archer Farms Chicken/Mushroom Sausage (or other lean sausage of your choice) sliced
2 tbs. parmesan cheese
1 jar Newman's Own Marinara

Heat saute pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Toss in mushroom slices and sausage slices.  Saute until mushrooms are soft.  Add garlic.  Saute until garlic is fragrant.  Add jar of marinara and stir in parmesan.  When sauce comes to a boil, lower heat and simmer until dinner time.  Serve over your favorite penne pasta with parmesan to garnish.  Have you tried Barilla Whole Grain or Barilla Plus?  We love 'em!

Tomato/Mozzarella Salad

1 large tomato, sliced
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 tbs. olive oil
1 teas. balsamic vinegar
Pinch of dried basil (or a few tbs. chopped fresh, if you have it)
kosher salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Layer tomato and mozzarella slices on a plate or shallow dish.  Sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.  Enjoy!

Gobble, Gobble

We bought ground turkey breast last night and I was eager to get to work with it in the kitchen for tonight's dinner.  Usually I buy ground turkey breast at Whole Foods and keep 1 lb. packages of it in the freezer, but we haven't been down there in a LONG TIME, so I bought the standard package at the regular grocery store.  After googling turkey burgers, I modified a recipe I found and came up with a delicious result. The burgers were juicy and flavorful.  Chris and I actually high-fived at the dinner table! I wish I had more pics to share, but I didn't think of taking them...I didn't know this would be so good. Enjoy!

Friday Night Turkey Burgers

1 pkg. (1.25 lb.) ground turkey breast (not just ground turkey...the breast is much leaner)
1 egg
1/4 c. whole wheat bread crumbs (I used Ian's Panko)
1/4 c. grated carrot
1/4 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped (any bell pepper would work)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
1/8 teas. ground pepper
1/2 teas. kosher salt

Grate carrots and chop peppers, garlic, and onion without cutting off part of the nail on your index finger like I did.  Oh, and have you tried the band-aid waterproof fingertip band aids?  I had to go to the store after dinner...I think I'll be needing to protect my digit for a while.  It only took me two tries to figure out how to wrap it up. Good thing I'm so smart.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and hope you have somone else to touch the meat as you nurse your injury.  Luckly, Chris took over from here. Divide mixture into 4 patties.  Brush grill pan with olive oil and heat pan over medium heat. Place patties on pan and cook until done (fancy, I know...we didn't time the cooking).

Top with your favorite cheese and allow to melt.  Serve on thin buns (we like using the new "sandwich rounds" that you can find at any store)  This week, we had Nature's Own on hand.  We also like the Oroweat ones.  If you haven't tried them, they're in the bread aisle.  They are great for sandwiches, homemade garlic bread, and burgers. You'll save a ton of fat a calories and, if you buy the multigrain or wheat ones, you'll get a lot of fiber.  Love it! Spread buns with mayo or miracle whip or condiments of your choice.  Serve with a salad.  We paired our burgers with one of our favorite salads have two burgers left to enjoy another day...

Cranberry Salad for Two

2 big handfuls of mixed greens
1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
1 pear, chopped into cubes OR  handful of grapes, halved
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/8 c. chopped walnuts
1/4 c. Newman's Lighten Up Raspberry and Walnut Dressing (this stuff is AMAZING, RIP Paul!)

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl.  Divide into two servings in salad bowls or on plates with your main dish.


And, on an unrelated note, I thought I would leave you with a little something extra because I'm so generous.  Behold, the view from our living room/kitchen/dining room the other day.  Yes, life is glamorous when you live in a downtown loft in Oklahoma. What a sweet ride.

Do you have any ground turkey breast recipes to share? I also use it for our favorite chili, but I'd love to hear what you have done with it.




 

Annette's Cranberry Chicken

When I thought of what my wedding would be like, I always wanted to have my wedding shower guests share recipes with me.  As my mom was planning my wedding shower (along with the help of Erin and Stephanie, my sister-in-law Melissa, and my cousins Annette and Natalie), she asked Alissa at Mew Paper Arts to design the invitations, complete with a blank recipe card for guests to bring along with them to the shower.

Much to my delight, my guests arrived at my shower last August with recipe cards in tow!  The shower was at the Dish Restaurant in my hometown.  It was simple and perfect, just as I had always imagined it would be.

My cousin and godmother, Annette, made the trip all the way from Minnesota to share the special day with me.  I have always admired Annette.  She's beautiful, smart, and witty...and ridiculously stylish.  I hate to admit that I am terrible about keeping in touch.  Annette, however, has always sent cards and packages for my birthday and Christmas each year.  Every year I tell myself I will do better at keeping in touch...it's certainly not because I don't care.  We asked Annette to present our wedding rings at our ceremony last August.  We were so very glad to have her there that day.  She, by the way, looked smashing in a ivory, purple, and brown dress...a perfect compliment to our ivory and brown wedding.  

http://www.jakeholtphotography.com/

A while back, I tried one of the recipes that Annette brought to the shower.  I loved that she included a note that she had received the same recipe at her own shower. Annette's Cranberry Chicken is delicious!  We had it along with some whole wheat stuffing.  Next time I make this dish, I think I'll see how it is with little less butter when browning the chicken.  Cutting some out has really helped as Chris and I watch our weight. And, I think I'll try dredging the chicken in whole wheat flour, too.  But, I went all out and followed the recipe on its maiden voyage.  Yum! I hope you'll try this recipe, too.  It's comfort food at it's best. With a salad and side dish, it would be the perfect Sunday dinner!

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and brown in the skillet with butter.  As you can see, I cut the chicken into chunks rather than flattening it out.  We only had 3 breast halves, so I thought the pieces would strectch it out a bit. The chicken cooks up to a gorgeous golden brown.  Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.

The cranberries, water, brown sugar, and nutmeg are next.  Combine them in your hot skillet and drool as you see it blend together.

After the cranberries burst and the sauce looks all bubbly and delicious, add the chicken back to the skillet, baste, then cover.  Let the chicken hang out and simmer for about 20 minutes, basting occasionally.  This is a great time to prepare your side dishes!  I took a shortcut and prepared my Stove Top Whole Wheat Stuffing.  It's pretty much against everything I stand for...you know, being processed and artificial and all, but it does pack some fiber and it's pretty darn tasty.

I put a few scoops of stuffing on our plates and layered the chicken on top.  Make sure to spoon on some extra cranberry sauce.  It was soooooo good!

Tofu Parmesan

This one's for you, Ranger Amy!  Tofu parmesan has quickly become a favorite in our little household.  I found it in the fabulous Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry cookbook.  Don't walk, run, to buy this book!  While you're at it, you should also buy Crazy Plates, too.  Both cookbooks were gifts from Erin and I have used them every week since receiving them.  You won't miss calories or fat one bit! I've made some modifications to the Tofu Parmesan to suit our tastes. Even meat eaters are sure to love it.  It's really easy and makes pretty good left overs.

Tofu Parmesan

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

 1 lb. extra firm tofu

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 c. + 2 tbs. freshly grated parmesan

1/2 tsp. each dried basil and dried oregano

1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 egg

1 jar of your favorite sauce (or homemade sauce if you're feeling fancy)

1/2 c. freshly shredded mozzarella (ok, let's be honest, we don't measure the mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray and set aside.

Remove the tofu from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the tofu into 8 equal slices.  Lay the slices out on paper towels to drain.

To prepare the breading, mix the breadcrumbs, seasoning, and 1/4 c. parmesan in a bowl or breading tray.

Break the egg into a bowl or tray.

To bread the tofu, pat it dry one last time and dip each slice first in the egg and then breadcrumb mixture.  Make sure both sides are completely coated.  Place breaded tofu slices on prepared baking sheet.  Spray the tops of the slices with the olive oil spray.  Bake for 8 minutes on each side (yes, that means 16 minutes total).  Remove from oven and leave oven on.

Prepare a casserole or deep baking pan by spraying it with olive oil spray and spreading a layer of sauce on the bottom.  We use our small, oval Rachel Ray pan (THANK YOU AMY!!).

Layer the slices of tofu on top of the sauce.  We usually have two layers of tofu slices.  Top with remaining pasta sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.  Don't be shy with the cheese!  I also sprinkle some of my leftover breading crumbs on top.

Bake for about 15 minutes.  To brown the cheese, then turn the broiler on and broil for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

We like to have our tofu parmesan with pasta.  I'd suggest preparing the pasta water while the tofu is baking.  We typically enjoy this dish with Barilla Whole Grain Angel Hair pasta.  Although, we recently had it with regular spaghetti.  Either way, it is just perfection!

Guest Blog: Erin and Stephanie

Erin and Stephanie are also from Valpo.  They graduated from high school a year before me.  Although we had mutual friends in high school, we didn't hang out.  We reconnected at Purdue and spent two school years living in an apartment together...acting crazy, cooking, laughing, and having fun.  I don't remember what life was like before the girls were in it.  They are my best friends and they stood beside Chris and I at our wedding as our Maid and Matron of Honor.  I love these girls.  (photos by Jake Holt)

Erin...

Stephanie...

They spent this past weekend together, missing me I'm sure.  Erin sent this blog entry about their weekend:

Stephanie made the 5 hour trip from Evansville to visit Erin in Mishawaka. When Stephanie arrived, the apartment smelled of cake baking in the oven & Erin was preparing the spinach artichoke dip.

Together, they prepared Brian Botano’s Tomato & Garlic Crouton Salad, only adding the olives to Erin’s bowl.

Erin & Stephanie ate dinner while watching four wonderful episodes of the World Series of Pop Culture VH1 that Erin DVR’ed for this special occasion. After each devouring two bowls of salad, dip with crackers & raspberry lemonade, it was time to make the whip cream frosting for the chocolate cake.

This is the cake that Erin requests as her birthday cake every year, but instead of making homemade cake like mom, Erin used a Pillsbury box mix. The best part about the cake is that it also makes a delicious breakfast treat. We enjoyed our cake and coffee while watching a new show on comedy central that we found by accident, Human Giant.

We played Just Dance on the Wii, which amounted to 30-45 minutes of aerobic activity. After a shower, it was time for dinner.

While the rice was cooking, Stephanie shredded the cheese and cut the peppers and onions for our fajitas. Stephanie reminded Erin of the time at Purdue that we were having enchiladas & she was going to make rice pilaf to go with the dinner. Silly Stephanie! Erin cooked the steak & veggies in a grill pan on the stove. Topped with shredded cheese, salsa & sour cream, the fajitas were delicious! We could only eat a couple bites of the rice since we made the fajitas so large! We ate the fajitas and enjoyed the Christmas episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The only thing missing from this fun weekend of friendship, fun & TV, was Stephanie & Erin’s dear friend Lauren. They both wish Lauren would have been there to complain about the TV shows they both enjoyed watching, laughing hysterically! Also, Lauren probably wouldn’t have gotten a piece of cake, because there was only enough for each of us to have 4 large pieces, not exactly enough to share.

Aunt Cindy's Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

We received a wonderful package from Aunt Cindy, Uncle John, and Hannah for Christmas.  In addition to Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake Mix (can't wait to try!!!!!), the package included a mason jar filled with the dry ingredients for Aunt Cindy's Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. 

We decided to bake the cookies on New Years Eve....and they were delicious!  I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of cranberries (although I have recently discovered how good they are on salads) or white chocolate, but these cookies are such a wonderful combination of flavors.  These cookies are soooo good!  Hope you'll try them today and think of my lovely aunt from Georgia.

I used my Doughmakers cookie sheet.  I have had it for several years and just love it.  These wonderful pans are made in the US by a company in Indiana.  I know my mom and Chris' sister, Amy, have also used them.  Although they're not non-stick, everything slides right off. 

Aren't they beautiful?  We shared some with our neighbors, packaged some for our trip to Arizona (more on that later), and put a few in the freezer for later.  Yum!  I'd love to hear what you think after you try them!  Thank you Aunt Cindy!

Chris and Dave's Banana Nut Bread

Chris and my dad have a long history of dates at Starbuck's filled with long conversations over mochas and banana nut bread.  They talk about life, love, and eachother's good looks.  Over the summer I picked up a recipe card for Banana Nut Bread at Starbuck's and tucked it away in my recipe box.  This afternoon I stumbled upon it and decided to give it a shot.

I hope you can read the recipe below.  The spoon is covering up 3 bananas in the upper right.  It calls for 1/2 cup vegetable oil.  To trim a bit of fat, I used 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 unsweetened applesauce instead.  I do the same thing with my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and no one knows! I wasn't paying attention and accidentally added all of the walnuts into the batter rather than sprinkling some on top and it was just fine, so I think you can do that either way...

Batter with walnuts...

Ready to bake...

Out of the oven...I blame the odd shape on top on my loaf pan...must not be big enough.  It's a Pyrex.  That also meant I had to bake it over 60 minutes to get the toothpick to come out clean, so watch out for that...

Perfect Christmas Eve Dessert.  Coffee in the French Press and Chris and Dave's Banana Nut Bread...

Chris reported that the bread tasted just like the real thing!  You should try this one, you won't be disappointed!

You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta

Lauren is the one that cooks 99% of the time, where I do the clean up. However, tonight the wind of change blew in and I made dinner!! The below recipe was the very first meal I made for Lauren when I lived in Valparaiso, IN and she was working at Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore. She lived with her dad but stayed with me most of the time.

I was not single for long after this!!!!

I started dinner before she got home from work but when she arrived we had to take some pictures. This is a shout out to Vicki (my second mom) for getting my own personal apron!

This is a very simple pasta dish to make.

Me in action!!

After the heavy cream was added!! Don't you want to drink it?

And here it is!!

The Details!

You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta

(Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced (I did not have shallots, I used 1/4 cup chopped onion)

1 cup vodka

1 cup of chicken stock

1 can crushed tomatoes (32 oz)

Coarse salt and pepper

16 oz pasta (I used 13 oz), such as penne rigate (I recommend whole wheat pasta)

1/2 cup heavy cream

20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Directions

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer.

Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it).

Stir in cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, romove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves.

ENJOY!