Wild Rice Butternut Squash Salad

Are you planning your menu for Thanksgiving? It looks like I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year, so I'm excited to try a few new recipes in addition to our family favorites. This is one of the dishes I'm planning to make. It's refreshing and the flavors scream fall. Both my husband and I loved it, the kids weren't sold on it, but I'm going to make it anyway.

Do you experiment with new dishes for holidays or stick with your family favorites? Share your Thanksgiving sides with me! I'm always looking for new ideas.

2 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped butternut squash
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & fresh ground pepper
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced kale, lightly massaged
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3 cups cooked wild rice, warm

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the cubed butternut squash with the olive oil and spread over a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 25 minutes until the squash is fork tender.

While the squash is roasting, combine all the dressing ingredients together and mix with an immersion blender.

In a bowl, combine the kale, cranberries and basil. Toss in the warm rice and roasted squash to slightly wilt the kale. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed. This salad should be served at room temperature.

Source: Heart Beet Kitchen 

Quinoa Mac & Cheese

My little guy loves mac & cheese...I mean, really loves it. I know it's the one thing that he will always eat without fighting me. He's starting to be picky and also with sitting at the table to eat, so needless to say, our dinners have not been very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to this phase being over.

I'm always trying to find new ways to incorporate protein into his food, because he doesn't like meat. He loved this and it was great to send in for lunch to daycare. Madeline was just so-so on it, but I made it her eat it anyway. :) I remember my mom making me eat baby brussel sprouts and baked lima beans as a kid...I now like brussel sprouts, but not the limas. This recipe is also easy to make and I always have the ingredients on hand, so I know I'll be making it again. The original recipe called for a breadcrumb topping, but I'm not a fan of crust on my mac & cheese, so I left it off.

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 tsp minced garlic

2 large eggs

1 cup skim milk

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

salt 

Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. I used vegetable broth to cook the quinoa. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 

While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the eggs, minced garlic and milk in a large bowl. Add in the cooked quinoa and cheese. Mix well until some of the cheese melts. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with leftover grated cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Let set 5 minutes before serving. 

Source: Smithalicious

Chickpea, Tomato and Cucumber Quinoa Salad

We had a little taste of summer a couple weeks ago and when that happens, I try to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen! Luckily for me, we finally bought a grill this year and my husband has been doing a lot of cooking...which gives me a little break in the kitchen. Grated, I do love cooking, but there are days when one child is hanging on your leg and the other is asking you 500 questions...cooking is next-to-impossible.

This salad was one of those sides that I could throw together, while Ross made BBQ chicken legs and thighs on the grill. It was a super light salad and perfect for summer picnics, especially since it's mayo free. I know I'll be making it many more times this summer!

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup diced english cucumber

1 cup quinoa, cooked

2 Tbsp red onion, minced

2 Tbsp cilantro, minced

juice of 1 1/2 limes

salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

In a medium sized bowl, combine all the ingredients right before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If preparing ahead of time, keep in refrigerator until ready to eat. 

Source: Skinnytaste

Spinach Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Ever since we moved, I've been completely slacking on meal planning and eating healthy. Now that we're pretty much settled, I'm back on track and will be posting new recipes more frequently. We loved this salad, the quinoa, spinach, sweet raspberries, crunchy walnuts and the bite of the blue cheese. I served it with flank steak but it would pair nicely with grilled chicken or pork chops. It would also make a great side dish at Thanksgiving!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1 bunch of fresh spinach, ends trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts

2 Tbsp reduced fat blue cheese

In a medium pot, bring the 2 cups of water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed all the water, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and a teaspoon of salt. Add the chopped spinach, cranberries and walnuts to the bowl with the warm quinoa. Drizzle the olive oil-lemon dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Divide into 3-4 portions and top with a small amount of blue cheese. Serve and dig in! 

Source: Pretty Delicious Cookbook by Candice Kumai

Crunchy Quinoa Salad #TheSaladBar

It's time for the monthly installment of The Salad Bar Monthly Blogging Group.
Each month, a theme is assigned and there's pretty much free reign to make a salad that highlights the featured ingredient or salad type. This month's theme was Asian inspired salads. There's so many ways to follow this theme but I decided to go with a quinoa based salad that has a peanut dressing, lots of veggies and topped with green onions and peanuts. It was so good and it makes a lot...we were eating it for lunch and dinner for days. It can be either eaten at room temperature or cold and it was good both ways.

1 cup uncooked, rinsed quinoa

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 cup shredded carrots

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts

Dressing

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp olive oil

In a medium pan, bring two cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, stir and cover. Reduce heat from high to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool. 

For the dressing, combine the peanut butter and honey in a small bowl. Microwave for 20-25 seconds to soften. Add in the ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and both oils. Stir until well combined and smooth. 

Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl and add in the dressing. Stir to combine. Add in the chopped vegetables except for the green onions. 

Scoop out a serving and top with green onions and peanuts. 

Source: Thirty Handmade Days

Strawberry, Arugula and Quinoa Salad

While we're big fans of quinoa, I haven't used it much in salads and more as a side dish. Now that I made this recipe, I can't wait to make different types of salad. This was amazing and going to be my go-to option for lunch for the next several months. I can't until local strawberries are available because it will be even more delicious. My husband who doesn't like fruit in his salad, actually enjoyed it and had seconds at lunch! Shocking...I will convert him eventually! :)

I've listed the recipe which I doubled below, since I wanted leftovers.

1 cup quinoa, dry
2 cups water
2 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
6 oz reduced fat feta cheese
1 cup chopped arugula
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp red onion, minced
4 Tbsp honey

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool before assembling salad.

In a small jar, combine the balsamic vinegar, salt, red onion and honey. Shake to combine well.

When ready to serve, add the cooled quinoa, strawberries and arugula. Stir to combine. Lightly dress with the balsamic-honey dressing and top with the desired amount of feta cheese. Dig in!

Source: Domestic Fits

The Secret Recipe Club: Creamy Coleslaw

It's time for The Secret Recipe Club! For this month's assignment, I was assigned The Bad Girl's Kitchen. Min created her site as a place to come and share favorite recipes with friends and family. Sounds one of the reasons why I started my blog as well!

Pouring over the hundreds of recipes, I settled on a simple recipe for coleslaw. I've been trying for years to find a recipe similar to my grandmother's and this one was pretty close....not 100% but close. Both my daughter and I really enjoyed it, my husband likes his more on the vinegary side, but since he's not cooking, I'm making it the way I like it. :)

I served the coleslaw with french dip sandwiches and it was perfect. This recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled) for larger amounts and it would be great to bring to your first summer cookout! Yes I'm thinking about summer as we just dealt with a major snowstorm over the weekend...luckily for me, I'm in warm Tempe, AZ right now for a conference.

1/2 cup lowfat mayo

2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
14 oz bag of coleslaw mix

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the coleslaw mix into a large bowl and coat with the dressing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for dressing to start to break down the cabbage and the flavors to blend. I like it best after it's been sitting for 24 hours.

 Want to be part of the Secret Recipe Club? Join here!

Braised Short Ribs over Creamy Cheddar Cheese Polenta

My husband is a huge fan of short ribs and it seems whenever we're out for a fancy dinner, that's what he gets. I treated myself this Christmas and bought a dutch oven. I've been wanting one for a couple months and finally Kohls had a great sale that I couldn't pass up. So far, I'm loving it and can't wait to cook more using it.

These short ribs are amazing! They are fall off the bone delicious. I know whenever I want to make a special meal for my husband, this is what I'm going to make. The polenta makes a nice bed for the short ribs to rest on and I loved the first bite of short rib, polenta and sauce. YUM!

Short Ribs
8 whole beef short ribs
1/4 cups flour
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
2 shallots, finely minced
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 sprigs rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and then drege in the flour. Set aside while you heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, brown the ribs on all sides, approximately 45 seconds per side. Remove the ribs and set aside to rest.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, carrots and shallots to the dutch oven and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the cooked on pieces of veggies and meat. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and then season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the browned ribs to the liquid. They should be almost submerged, if not, add additional broth so they are almost covered. Add in the rosemary sprigs.

Put the lid on the pan and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours and then reduce the heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. The ribs should be fork-tender and just about ready to fall off the bone. Remove the pan and allow to sit covered for at least 20 minutes before serving. Skim any fat off the top of the broth before serving.

Polenta
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
4 ozs sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium pot, bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking continously to avoid clumps. I need to get better at this since our polenta was a little lumpy...it was still tasty!

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed. When polenta is cooked, stir in the butter and cheese. Season with additional salt if needed.

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Savory Corn Casserole

This year for Thanksgiving, I wanted to try something different. While we kept with some our traditional dishes, I chose to make a savory corn casserole instead of just plain corn. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it worked out and the majority of us enjoyed it. There's a secret ingredient in it...it's not a huge favor but adds something that changes the flavor of the casserole. It would also made a great compliment to ham.

3 cups low-fat milk
2 Tbsp honey
1 vanilla bean
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cups finely diced onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and honey over medium-low heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrap the seeds with the tip of a knife. Add the seeds and the pot to the milk. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, turn off the heat and let the vanilla steep for 10 minutes. Remove the pod and discard.

While the milk is steeping, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high hea. Add the corn, onion and salt and pepper. Cook the mixture until the onion is translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully pour the vanilla milk into the vegetables. Whisk together until well blended.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Sprinkle the flour and cornmeal over the eggs and whisk to combine. Add 2 tablespoons of the corn-milk mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk the remaining corn-milk mixture into egg mixture until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Eating Well Magazine

Cheese and Veggie Quinoa Bites

I've had a little bag of quinoa sitting in my pantry for the last couple of weeks and I knew if I didn't use it soon, it would get pushed to the back, never to be seen until the next time I cleaned those cabinets. So of course I turned to Pinterest (notice a trend here? LOL!) and there was a recipe for cheese and veggie quinoa bites. They looked so cute and something I could use to get some more vegetables into Madeline. She’s been getting a little picky lately so I knew I had to do something about that and these were the perfect little thing to get her to eat spinach without making a big deal about it. I don’t know what is up with her and vegetables, since this was the same little girl at age 2 who wanted to eat salad every day for lunch!

I’ll definitely be making these again! They’re so tasty and a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have laying around.

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 eggs
3 carrots, shredded
1 ½ cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
½ medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbsp flour
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture into small balls and place into each mini muffin cup. Press down lightly to make sure the mixture is firmly packed.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: The Curvy Carrot

Mini Potato Au Gratin

These are the cutest little things! I made them a couple weeks ago, see I told you I’m that far behind in blogging J and devoured them! They would be perfect for a dinner party since you can serve them on a platter and let everyone pick which one they want. The base recipe is has the perfect combination of seasoning and cheese but you could easily change up the seasoning and type of cheese – the possibilities are virtually endless! I’ll be making these over and over again!

B sized potatoes

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

 Garlic powder

12 tsp aged sharp cheddar cheese

12 Tbsp light cream

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Slice them very thinly. You could use a mandoline but since I don’t have one, I just did it by hand and it worked out fine.  Lightly spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Layer two slices of the potato in each muffin cup. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add two more slices of potato and season with salt and pepper and 1 tsp of cheese. Continue adding two slices of potatoes and seasonings until you fill the cups with potatoes. On the last layer, finish with just salt and pepper. Pour one tablespoon of cream into each muffin cup.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and the top layer is crispy.

Source: Delishh

Roasted Garlic Dill Potato Salad

I’ve think I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m not a huge fan of potato salad. I’m not really sure what I don’t like, but it’s just something I that I usually pass over at picnics and parties. I’d rather have macaroni or pasta salad. My husband and daughter are much bigger fans than I am so; I usually make it for them. Since I don’t have a stand-by recipe for potato salad, I always go off searching for a new one each time I make it. This recipe is from Tasty Kitchen and highlights dill…which I think goes perfect with potato salad. I changed up the recipe slightly and used roasted garlic mustard instead of Dijon mustard. We’re still adding condiments back into our fridge since it was replaced in July (our other one decided July 4^th was the perfect time for a compressor to blow!) and I didn’t have Dijon mustard. I didn’t even get to sample this as it was gone in no time. See I told you my husband and daughter like potato salad!

1 ½ lbs red potatoes

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup low-fat sour cream
1 ½ tsp roasted garlic mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup Vidalia onion, chopped
1 Tbsp dried dill

Wash and scrub potatoes but do not peel. In a medium pot, add the potatoes and cover with water and season with salt. Boil potatoes for 20 – 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Allow potatoes to cool enough to handle and cut into bite sized pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, garlic, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Fold in the potatoes, celery, onions and dill. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Chill overnight or for at least 6 hours to allow flavors to combine.

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Farmers Market Skillet

We have been enjoying all the fresh fruits and vegetables this summer and I'm not looking forward to that ending in a couple of months. There's nothing like a vine-ripened tomato from your garden or fresh picked corn on the cob. This recipe highlights all things I love about the summer! There's zucchini, corn, tomatoes, basil and a refreshing vinaigrette. This skillet can also be made into a cold salad - perfect for those summer picnics!

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 green onions
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
2 Tbsp chopped basil
salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 garlic clove, microplaned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Using the chicken stock, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Once cooked, fluff the quiona with a fork and let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside.

Using a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown. Add the zucchini, corn and green onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute until just tender and then add the quinoa and half of the vinaigrette. Stir well and cook for an additional minute.

Add the remaining vinaigrette, tomatoes, feta and basil to the skillet. Stir well to combine. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

If you want to make this a cold salad, do not combine the quinoa into the skillet. Let all ingredients cool separately and then combine the cooked quinoa, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, feta, basil and vingairette into a large bowl. Chill until you're ready to serve.

Source: Iowa Girl Eats

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love mac and cheese? It's another one of Madeline's favorite things but I have been relying on that blue box a little too much lately. I've been looking for a quick recipe that I can make during the week especially since I'll be starting back to work in 2 weeks. I'm amazing at how quickly the last 7 weeks have gone by. I'm looking forward to the daily interaction with adults, but will defintely miss spending time with my kids and seeing the bond between Madeline and Cooper grow. I know they'll both be fine at daycare and Madeline starts Kindergarten in less than a month!

Back to the mac and cheese....I loved this recipe and will experimenting with different cheese and adding veggies to spice things up a little. The one thing that really made this recipe over the top is the addition of shallots. I rarely use shallots when cooking...not really sure why I don't use them more often, but now I just might.

12 oz dried pasta
2 cloves  garlic, minced
1/4 cup shallot, finely minced
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (or whatever cheese you like)
2 oz freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup half and half
4 oz lowfat plain greek yogurt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt water before cooking pasta. Cook the pasta according to the directions to just until al dente. Reserve one cup of the cooking water and then drain pasta well.

Immediately, return the pasta to the pot and add in the garlic, shallot and cheeses. Stir to combine. Mix in the half and half, yogurt and butter. Stir to combine all ingredients until the mac and cheese  is creamy. If needed, add a small amount of the cooking water to adjust the consistency of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Annie's Eats

Chickpea and Tomato Salad

We're all big fans of chickpeas so I knew when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I had to make it. My daughter gobbled it up! It was a nice refreshing salad especially during this crazy heat we've been in having in the northeast. I can't wait for more of our fresh cherry tomatoes to ripen and make this again. I know we'll be eating this salad a couple more times this year!

15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
bunch of basil, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
drizzle of honey
salt

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, vinegars, oil, honey and salt. Add in the chickpeas and tomatoes and stir to coat with dressing. Sprinkle with basil and stir. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Source: Green Lite Bites

The Secret Recipe Club: Beet & Orzo Salad

I'm excited to be back participating in this month's Secret Recipe Club! I took off last month in anticipation of the birth of my son, Cooper.

This month I was assigned Corina's blog, Searching for Spice! Corina and I have a lot things in common - new babies (she had a little girl in April), trying new recipes and using our blogs as a way to record those new recipes. After searching through her recipes, I found one that looked and sounded delicious - Couscous, Beetroot and Feta Salad. My husband was a little skeptical of the salad, but since it was totally different and something I never would have thought to try on my own, we gave it a shot....and I'm so glad I picked this recipe. The salad was so refreshing, especially during one of the many heatwaves of the summer. I changed up the recipe slightly - using orzo instead of couscous and I used pickled beets instead of just cooked beets.

Orzo, cooked according to package (I made 1/3 box for 4 servings)
pickled red beets
1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese
fresh basil, roughly chopped
roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
fresh ground pepper
olive oil

Divide the orzo between 4 bowls. Top with pickled red beets, feta, basil and sunflower seeds. Season with fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Want to be part of the Secret Recipe Club? Join here!

Creamy Quinoa Primavera

Geesh where has the time gone? These last couple of weeks have been so busy and I can't seem to catch up. I think between trying to get ready for baby boy, Madeline being a terror at bedtime and trying to work ahead 3 months to get things ready....I barely know whether I'm coming or going! I have about 6 weeks until my due date, but who knows when this little guy will want to make his entrance into the world. I've been dreaming about going into labor on June 6th, so we'll just have to wait and see.

I had made this recipe back on Easter for lunch at my mom's. See I told you I can't seem to catch up! :) It was a nice change from our traditional fare and definitely something that can be changed up using different veggies depending on what is fresh. It would be great to change it up to a Greek style in the summer when cucumbers and tomatoes are in abundance!

1 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (I used a tricolor blend)
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 ozs cream cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 cups thinly sliced or bite sized pieces assorted uncooked vegetables (I used carrots, spring peas, asparagus)
3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Rinse quinoa throughly according to package instructions. In a medium sized pot, bring the stock and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and cover until quinoa is cooked according to package instructions, usually between 20 and 25 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute until golden. Stir in vegetables and cook 3 to 5 minutes depending on how tender you like your vegetables.

Dump the quinoa in a large bowl. Stir in the cream cheese and basil into the cooked quinoa. Add the vegetables and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Source: Let's Dish

Pineapple Stuffing

This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law. She always makes it for Easter and it's a sweet treat to go along with ham. This year for Christmas, my mom made a ham and I brought a casserole of pineapple stuffing. While it's not the healthiest, it's ok to splurge and enjoy the holidays!

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
4 slices white bread, broken into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the eggs and sugar. Add the bread pieces, stir to combine. Add the pineapple with juice and mix together all ingredients.

Pour into a 4 quart casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour or starting to brown and the stuffing is set. Check the browness at 45 minutes and cover the dish with aluminum foil if the stuffing is browning too quickly.

The Secret Recipe Club: Green Onion Scalloped Red Potatoes

It's that time of the month again for The Secret Recipe club! I was super excited when I received my assignment this month...Get Healthy with Heather! Heather received my blog as her first assignment when she joined the SRC. She made my cream cheese, feta and cranberry roll-ups with a little bit of a twist. I'm glad I'm able to return the favor and make one of her recipes. I had a tough time chosing what to make but decided on her recipe for Green Onion Scalloped Red Potatoes.

I'm not a huge fan of scalloped potatoes but my husband is. I think in our 11 years together, I've never made him scalloped potatoes, so needless to say when he saw these on the menu, he was excited! The recipe was super simple and used ingredients I had on hand. The potatoes turned out good, except the milk never really thickened up. I'm thinking it might have been because I used skim milk but I'm definitely going to be making this recipe again and figuring out why the milk didn't thicken. It was still tasty!

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4-5 red potatoes
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt & pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and garlic until softened but not brown.

Slide the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds and cut the butter into very small pieces. Arrange 1/4 of the potato slices on the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with 1/3 of the sauted onions, 1 tablespoon of flour and a few pieces of butter. Repeat this process 2 more times. Finally, top with the remaining 1/4 of the potato slices. Season generously with salt and pepper and the last few pieces of butter. Carefully pour the milk into the dish making sure not to distrub the potato layers. Fill the casserole dish to just under the top layer of potatoes; you may need more or less milk. Top the casserole with the chopped green onions.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until the potatoes are fully cooked. Let the casserole sit for about 15 minutes for the sauce to thicken before serving.

Want to be part of The Secret Recipe Club? Join here!

Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole

My friend Shannon shared this recipe with my online mom's board. I've talked about my mom's board before but I just need to reiterate how important they are in my life. I've been friends with these girls for a little over 4 years. I know how can you be friends with people you've never met and only talk on the Internet. It's much more than that. I've meet close to 50 of the girls through traveling for work and get-togethers. We're behind each other through any time of situation you can imagine - births, deaths, marriage, divorce and everything in between. It's beyond amazing to have such a great support system! I love my OOF girls!

So back to food, the real reason you're here. I've cooked with quinoa before and it's growing on me more and more. It's such a great, nutritious grain and a way for me to get protein into my daughter. I love the nutty flavor it has when it's cooked.

10 oz can low-sodium condensed cream of mushroom or broccoli soup
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp milk
1 1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese (I use monterey jack)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash of grated nutmeg
2 cups cooked broccoli
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
panko bread crumbs
parmesan cheese

Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve until the water runs clear. In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy (or the white ring is visible). Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. I used 4 medium sized ramekins.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, mayo, milk, cheese, sugar, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and cooked broccoli.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish(es). Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on top of quinoa. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or 20 to 25 minutes for ramekins or until the edges are bubbly and golden. Let cool slightly before eating, otherwise you'll burn you tongue...trust me.

Slightly adapted from: Eating Well, Living Thin


Recipe made by: The Jey of Cooking