My cousin, Bradley, is a huge yoyo fanatic, so for his birthday I made him some yoyo shaped cake pops. He wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Some of the pops had peanut butter candy coating per his request.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Chicken Chimichangas
Yield: 6 servings * Overall Price: ~$10 * Calories: 380
Ingredients:
2.5 cups shredded cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled green salsa
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. Combine first 7 ingridients in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500 for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa.
Thoughts:
These were really easy to make and were really good. Queso fresco wasn't available when I went to the store, but shredded Monterey Jack worked just fine.
Ingredients:
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled green salsa
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. Combine first 7 ingridients in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500 for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa.
Thoughts:
These were really easy to make and were really good. Queso fresco wasn't available when I went to the store, but shredded Monterey Jack worked just fine.
Girl Baby Shower Cake Pops
I was so excited I got to make pink rattles for a baby shower! They wanted strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting.
Sorry this picture doesn't have good contrast.
Steak Baguettes with Pesto Mayo
Yield: 4 servings * Overall Price: ~$13 * Calories: 346
Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) boneless beef sirloin steak (about 1 inch thick), trimmed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons refrigerated pesto sauce
1 (12 ounce) piece white or whole-grain baguette, split in half horizontally
1 cup packed baby arugula (about 1 ounce)
3 (1/8-inch-thick) red onion slices
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise
Directions:
1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add steak to pan, and cook 2.5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from pan, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak across grain into thin slices.
2. Combine mayonnaise and pesto, stirring until well blended. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Layer bottom half of bread with arugula, red onion, steak, and tomato; top with half of bread. Cut sandwich diagonally into 4 equal pieces.
Thoughts:
This was soooo good! It was also easy to make. All the flavors just hit me and everyone else right. I can't wait to have this sandwich again!
Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons refrigerated pesto sauce
1 (12 ounce) piece white or whole-grain baguette, split in half horizontally
1 cup packed baby arugula (about 1 ounce)
3 (1/8-inch-thick) red onion slices
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise
Directions:
1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add steak to pan, and cook 2.5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from pan, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak across grain into thin slices.
2. Combine mayonnaise and pesto, stirring until well blended. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Layer bottom half of bread with arugula, red onion, steak, and tomato; top with half of bread. Cut sandwich diagonally into 4 equal pieces.
Thoughts:
This was soooo good! It was also easy to make. All the flavors just hit me and everyone else right. I can't wait to have this sandwich again!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Blue Cheeseburger
Yield: 4 servings * Overall Price: ~$10 * Calories: 294
Ingredients:
1 pound 93% lean ground beef
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 (1.8 ounce) white-wheat hamburger buns
4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
Directions:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
2. Heat nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Place hamburger patties in pan, and cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Top bottom half of each bun with one patty, tomato, and lettuce, if desired, and remaining half of bun.
Thoughts:
I haven't had a hamburger in a while, but this one was one of the best of had. I love blue cheese, so that was a plus, but even for people who aren't a big fan of it (my mom) it wasn't too overpowering.
total fat 12.4; protein 26.9; carbs 22.2; fiber 5.2
Ingredients:
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 (1.8 ounce) white-wheat hamburger buns
4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
Directions:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
2. Heat nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Place hamburger patties in pan, and cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Top bottom half of each bun with one patty, tomato, and lettuce, if desired, and remaining half of bun.
Thoughts:
I haven't had a hamburger in a while, but this one was one of the best of had. I love blue cheese, so that was a plus, but even for people who aren't a big fan of it (my mom) it wasn't too overpowering.
total fat 12.4; protein 26.9; carbs 22.2; fiber 5.2
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Chicken, Asparagus, and Tomato Rotini
Yield: 4 servings * Overall Price: ~$15 * Calories: 419
Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta)
Cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and asparagus to pan; saute 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic to pan; saute 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, basil, vinegar, and oil to chicken mixture in pan. Top with cheese.
Thoughts:
I'm a little obsessed with asparagus and pasta, so picking this recipe was a no brainer. It didn't disappoint either.
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and asparagus to pan; saute 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic to pan; saute 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, basil, vinegar, and oil to chicken mixture in pan. Top with cheese.
Thoughts:
I'm a little obsessed with asparagus and pasta, so picking this recipe was a no brainer. It didn't disappoint either.
Blueberry Crisp
Yield: 8 servings * Overall Price: ~$10 * Calories: 217
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Coat an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cornstarch evenly in dish.
3. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla, and blueberries in a large bowl; toss. Place in prepared baking dish.
4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a bowl of a food processor; pulse twice to combine. Add butter; pulse 5 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Spoon topping evenly over blueberries, packing down lightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minuets or until golden.
Thoughts:
This was soooooo good! It wasn't hard either. I used frozen blueberries because I was making this later in the week and didn't want them to go bad before I could use them. If you go the frozen route, DON'T defrost them. With them still frozen they're easier to mix with. Add a little bit of time cooking though.
Ingredients:
 |
| Served here with light vanilla ice cream |
2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Coat an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cornstarch evenly in dish.
3. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla, and blueberries in a large bowl; toss. Place in prepared baking dish.
4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a bowl of a food processor; pulse twice to combine. Add butter; pulse 5 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Spoon topping evenly over blueberries, packing down lightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minuets or until golden.
Thoughts:
This was soooooo good! It wasn't hard either. I used frozen blueberries because I was making this later in the week and didn't want them to go bad before I could use them. If you go the frozen route, DON'T defrost them. With them still frozen they're easier to mix with. Add a little bit of time cooking though.
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