Thoughts, Plans And Shenanigans
I have set up a list of all the recipes that have been posted here on the blog to make it easier for you to reference them if you’re looking for something and need to find it quickly.
Just click on the image above. It will always be in my bar over there as well, so it is easy to find.
Many of you have asked for my baked oatmeal recipe. I used to make one that was so, so good, but not so healthy. I happened upon a recipe on the web on a WLS board and have been tweaking it for the past few months until I reached a point where it was reliably making the same moist, yummy goodness I had enjoyed in the not-so-healthy version.
This is a great breakfast bar. I usually eat one (almost) every day. They are great to make ahead and freeze or refrigerate. I make a batch about every two weeks, refrigerate my squares and warm one a day in the microwave.
The little princess loves them, too, as does SuperMan.
If you don’t have protein powder, you might have to fiddle with the moisture levels. I had to increase the moisture (adding the Greek yogurt) to get it the right consistency after baking with the added protein from the powder. I have a non-WLS friendly recipe, so if you are interested in that, let me know in the comments and I can put it up here.
Here’s the recipe:
Baked Oatmeal
This is easily refrigerated or frozen and can be reheated. I usually make a batch and refrigerate until ready to eat. Then you can warm a square in your microwave for about 30 seconds and it tastes just-baked fresh.
And here is the link to print it out via allrecipes.com
I am having one of my favorite salads for lunch today.
I don’t know why, but I have been on a salad kick lately. Maybe my body needs the greens. It doesn’t matter. I’m just loving eating salads again. I haven’t had many since my surgery because it seemed silly to fill my belly with salad instead of protein. Now that I’m getting closer to my goal, I’m eating a little more variety and the salads are back! Yay!
This is one of those salads you’d get at a fancy restaurant. All dolled up on a pretty plate and you’d think you were getting something super special. Until you deconstruct the salad and see how stinkin’ easy it is to make.
Then, it goes from “super special salad” that you eat only on occasion to “super duper salad” that you can eat anytime.
The magic of this salad is the blend of flavors. The creamy, pungent gorgonzola mixed with the sweet crunch of the pears and topped with the bite of the balsamic dressing.
Yum.
Sigh.
So good.
Here’s what I use:
You need:
That’s it!
Super-easy.
Assemble your salad thusly and then drizzle with your dressing.
This is not a salad you want to “drown” in dressing.
You want the Balsamic to be a compliment to the cheese and pears.
And, quite honestly, the greens are just the transport vehicle for the yumminess.
(to me, anyway)
You can also add a little grilled chicken if you're feeling a little bit crazy. (or hungry)
Try this today.
You will be glad you did.
Trust me.
(have I steered you wrong yet?)
Happy Friday to you all!
I haven’t shared any new recipes this week, so I thought I’d give you a treat today and post a new one. It’s not new to me, it’s a well-loved family favorite, but I don’t think I’ve ever shared it on the blog before.
This came to me through some of my past Weight Watchers friends. It can be WW friendly very easily by using ground turkey and low-fat cheese in the recipe. I’ve tried making it low carb before by substituting sweet potato for the baking potato but that wasn’t very well received by the family. Sweet potato is too mushy when baked and the sweet flavor didn’t meld very well with the spiciness of the cumin and chili powder. Oh well. Lesson learned.
This is a great make-ahead recipe and it also freezes well and doubles well. So if you are a fan of making 2 while you’re making one, this is a great candidate. You could serve one for dinner tonight and freeze the other one for dinner on another night. I’ve also doubled it before to serve to a large crowd.
I usually serve with salsa and sour cream to top the casserole. Other than that, I don’t think it really needs much else. It’s just yummy all by itself.
I hope you enjoy.
You can access the recipe for printing from here.
Hearty and delicious recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Yields: 8 Servings
Ingredients
1 teaspoon Olive oil
1 pound Ground beef or ground turkey
2 medium Bell pepper diced
1 medium Onion diced
1 can Diced tomatoes (I use mild Rotel or Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Chilies)
2 cups Mexican blend cheese shredded
1 can black beans
Chili powder
Cumin
1 tablespoon Minced garlic
Salt/pepper to taste
2 large Baking potatoes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Using a mandolin, slice potatoes on the bias (diagonal) into thin slices (about 1/8" thick). Set aside.
Brown meat in skillet with olive oil, seasoning with Houston House Seasoning, chili powder and cumin.
Add onion & bell pepper and cook until vegetables begin to soften.
Mix in tomatoes and season to taste.
Cook 5-6 minutes.
In a greased 13×9 casserole dish, layer potatoes and meat mixture, adding cheese between layers.
Top final layer with cheese.
Bake 40-50 minutes, covered. Bake additional 10 minutes uncovered to brown cheese if desired.
Serve with salsa & sour cream for topping.
Happy Monday!!
I am so loving this fall weather. Makes me feel so alive and so much like baking and creating.
Busy week in our house this week – the girls had a break from dance classes last week, but we’re back on the normal schedule this week so we will be busy. I’ve got some comfort foods planned and hoping to find time to do a little baking as well, but we will see.
Here’s what’s on the menu for us this week:
And, well, I don’t know what else. I’ll see where the week takes me, I guess, but this gets me started. I’ll probably toss in some chili or a crock-pot meal in the mix but I will wait to see where the week’s agenda goes.
I hope you have a great week! Check out other menu plans over at orgjunkie.com.
My family loves chicken. So much so that I think I could cook it for them every day and they would be happy. Well, except for BigGirl (the Meatasauraus) who needs her steak and “pork butt” to be happy.
I seem to cook an awful lot of chicken recipes. Do you?
This past weekend (as you know if you are a regular blog reader) I cooked 2 5-lb chickens on the grill. I used my beer can chicken recipe and they turned out super good. 
We ate some chicken on Sunday with our spaghetti and then I deboned the rest and saved it for recipes this week.
Last night I made chicken and dumplings (and a mess in my kitchen) and chicken salad with those leftovers.
I thought I’d share the recipes with you today.
But first, I must confess one thing. When I cook, I’m one of those “dab of this, pinch of that, sprinkle a little of this” kind of cooks. So, when you read my recipes, especially these two, remember that fact and feel free to get creative as you cook them. I approximated in the recipes what I did last night while I prepared these two things, but other than the dumplings, the rest was just eyeballing it and flying by the seat of my pants (how is that for mixing my metaphors?)
Anyway, thought it was important to get those disclaimers out of the way.
If you don’t think of yourself as a good cook, I know it is a little intimidating to try to follow someone’s recipe when they don’t give you actual, definite amounts to go by.
But one thing to remember. Cooking is more about the blending of flavors and seasonings and less about science. Baking, well, that’s a whole ‘nother blog post. Baking IS science. And I have the disaster stories from my experiments to prove it. Baking is more precise.
Cooking, on the other hand is more like art. Just go with the flow and see where it takes you. Usually to something good.
Ok, enough of my ramblings. I know you really just came here for the recipes anyway. 😉
Here’s a link to the chicken & dumplings recipe. I changed it only in that I used the leftover chicken and I substituted half whole wheat flour for my dumplings. BigGirl said it was the best chicken and dumplings I’ve ever made. She ate two helpings.
Here’s the chicken salad recipe. It is an approximation of the chicken salad my friend Donna makes. It’s got some non-traditional ingredients, but I love it. I eat it all by itself, unadulterated with bread or crackers (although it is good that way, too)
I hope you enjoy.
I’m not going to be cooking much this week. That is because I spent a lot of time cooking this past weekend. We had company all weekend and dinner guests Sunday night – I cooked several big meals and we’ll be enjoying the bounty of leftovers for a few days. I love it when that happens. I love cooking, so it’s not a chore to me, but it is really nice when you cook a little extra and can take a break – especially after a marathon cooking session.
Here’s what we have planned for the week:
That should take us through the week quite well. I have no idea what we will do Saturday night – SuperMan and I have plans and so the kids will probably do something easy like pizza.
What are you doing this week? Any good recipes to share?
Join us over at orgjunkie.com for your Menu Plan Monday.
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I bet you thought I wasn’t going to post a menu plan today… didn’t you? Since I posted on another topic this morning, you probably thought I was slacking off… Well, it would be understandable given the fact that I got home from out of town last night and had no clue what was in my fridge and pantry. But a quick survey remedied that.
Here’s what I’ve got planned for the week:
What’s on your menu this week?
Join us over on OrgJunkie.com for a link up of menu plans for the week!
I haven’t been in the mood to cook all week. We’ve been eating on leftovers and sandwiches for dinner most nights. My best intentions from Monday’s menu planning have been for naught. Today, however, I feel a little different – thinking about what to cook for dinner and I’ve tossed out the “plan” from Monday and moving on to cooking something that inspires me.
So, today I am baking.
First up was the baked oatmeal I love and that I make WLS-friendly so I can have it for breakfast. That’s cooling on the counter now. (minus a square I’ve already nibbled for my breakfast)
Next up is my beef with egg noodles & gravy. That will be supper. I’ll be getting it into the crock pot soon.
I’m also going to bake some bread.
Trying to decide between my recipe for Portuguese Sweet Bread or a new recipe I found for Oatmeal Bread. The Portuguese Sweet Bread never survives for more than a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. The kids and SuperMan LOVE it. The Oatmeal bread sounds yummy (and healthy) so I’m not sure which one I will make.
Do you make homemade bread? I love doing it and it’s one of my favorite fall traditions. It’s so easy if you have a bread machine – and so much better for you than the store-bought breads with all their preservatives and additives.
And, it makes the house smell so good. Add that smell to the crock-pot smells, and who WOULDN’T want to come home for supper?
I’m off to channel my inner Betty Crocker…
Planning out this week’s menu wasn’t too difficult.
I knew I wanted something special on Tuesday (it’s my birthday) and then I had a list of recipes I’d flagged from other menus I’ve seen – so it was just a matter of pulling it all together into a single list.
Big Girl is home sick today so I think I’m going to change my original plan and make some soup for tonight’s dinner. Here’s what’s on the agenda for the week:
Friday, we will be eating out and the weekend will be filled with SuperMan’s high school reunion activities.
What are you eating this week? Join us over at orgjunkie.com and link up your Menu Plan Monday.
Thoughts Along Life's Highway 