Meal Review Monday #13: Banana Bread Pancakes

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

Up this week: Banana Bread Pancakes from Chef-in-Training.

Image from Chef-in-Training. Please respect the creator and pin from the original site!

I love banana bread, and I love pancakes, so I just had to try this recipe! I mean, what could be better than two breakfast treats in one?

Meal Review Monday #12: Gratineed Pineapple

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

On the menu today: Gratineed Pineapple by Wives with Knives. (I just love that blog name! Hilarious.)

Image from Wives with Knives. Please respect the creator and pin from the original site!

Phew! This weekend has been a blur, to say the least! A family wedding on Saturday and moving into our new home (yay!) on Sunday has left this momma worn out!
The wedding was lovely, though, and it is indescribably nice to be in a house again with my little family after spending the last two years in a shoebox-sized apartment. We have space to stretch, and breathe, and create, and cook!
You know by now that I love cooking, and things like weddings inspire me to cook fancier things. I would say this dish qualifies as fancy.

Two-Minute Tuesday #9: Cookie Dough S'mores

Welcome to Two-Minute Tuesday, where I share quick tips, tidbits, and ideas!

So it has officially been summer now for a few days! I love summer! Playing outside, going to the pool, having cookouts--it's all wonderful.

German Chocolate Tres Leches

My husband's birthday was last week, so I was asking him what kind of cake or cheesecake he wanted. Last year I made him a chocolate tres leches cake I had found on Pinterest, so I asked if he would like that again. He replied that he wanted a German chocolate tres leches.

Meal Review Monday #7: Stuffed Mini Peppers

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you all get some time today to relax with your family and friends and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

The recipe I'm reviewing today would be quick to add to your picnic menu this afternoon: Stuffed Mini Peppers. They're so simple and tasty.

Meal Review Monday #6: Pan-Seared Brussels Sprouts

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

I hope you all had a great weekend! We're busy packing and getting ready to move two states away, so it's been chaotic around here. We will be back in our hometown, though, with all of our immediate family and most of our extended family, which we are super excited about, especially with having a kid now.

In the midst of all this craziness, however, I am still (somehow) finding time to cook.
This week's Pinterest recipe: Pan-Seared Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans by Rachel Schultz.

 Image from Rachel Schultz. Please respect the creator and pin from the original site!

I like brussels sprouts, but I don't have them often, because they're usually kind of boring. I had never tried them in a recipe like this.

Now, if you're not a fan of brussels sprouts, you won't like this recipe, but if you are, you should give it a try. This dish really fancies-up boring old brussels sprouts, and makes an impressive-looking side.

I would recommend using fresh sprouts, though. I used frozen (because the recipe doesn't specify) and mine didn't look nearly as pretty as hers. The taste wasn't affected, though! The combination really worked well: the tart cranberries, the tangy cheese, and the crunchy pecans all complemented the brussels sprouts perfectly.

It didn't take too terribly long to prepare, either. The longest part was prepping the sprouts, but it wasn't too tedious.

All in all, my final rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. Give it a try the next time you want a fancy side dish!

Have you tried this recipe? Do you agree with my rating?

Need a tasty main dish to go with this recipe? Try my Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Meatballs.

Meal Review Monday #4: Peanut Butter and Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

The first three Meal Review Mondays have featured some not-so-healthy recipes. While I love a good splurge recipe as much as more than the next person, I also love finding healthy foods that also taste good, which is why this week I'm reviewing a healthy fruit dip recipe.

Meal Review Monday #3: Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

Welcome to the third installment of Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

On the menu today: Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting.

Image from Life's Simple Measures. Please respect the creator and pin from the original site!

I had some overripe bananas the other day, and decided I wanted to branch out from my usual banana bread. I perused Pinterest, and decided these tasty bars seemed like just the right thing. That brown butter frosting was calling my name.

Meal Review Monday #2: Beer Mac n Cheese Soup

Welcome to Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and got to spend lots of quality time with your families. This was Baby Girl's first Easter, so of course we had a lot of fun. I love experiencing life through her eyes.

Our church had a petting zoo, complete with pony rides, and a picnic and egg hunt after service, and then we had a cookout with our little family in the evening. It was a long, busy day, but a perfect one. All three of us enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Three-day weekends are lovely, but it sure does make it difficult to get back in the swing of things come Monday morning. In fact, I think Mondays--especially ones after holidays--call for some serious comfort food to help ease the transition back into the work week.

Meal Review Monday #1: Cheese and Nut Stuffed Shells

I've decided to start a weekly feature that I think will be really fun! Meal Review Monday, where I review Pinterest recipe finds.

You all know how much I enjoy cooking, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'm always trying out new recipes I find on Pinterest. Lots of them are great, but some of them are not-so-great. There's nothing more frustrating than spending half the afternoon on "the best ever" new recipe, only to discover it's actually pretty mediocre. Have you noticed that almost every.single.recipe gets called "the best ever"? How are you ever supposed to choose which things to actually make?

Avocado Tacos

This is sort-of a two-part post. My original intent was to post a recipe for fish tacos (coming soon) and just kind-of throw this one in there. My husband had been craving fish tacos, but I don't really eat seafood, so while he made his fish tacos, I made delicious fried avocado tacos. Win-win. But I decided these were awesome enough that they needed their own post. :)

You will need:
Oil (for frying in a skillet)
A couple of ripe avocados
Flour
1 egg
1/4 C of milk
Salt & pepper
Cumin (or taco seasoning)
Tortillas

Suggested toppings:
Cheese
Purple cabbage
Tomato
Mango
Tomatillo
Sour cream

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
While the oil is heating, slice your avocados.

You will need three bowls--cereal bowl size works fine.
Bowl 1: Put in just a bit of plain flour (1/2 C or so should be plenty)
Bowl 2: Whisk together the egg and milk.
Bowl 3: Mix a handful of flour with some salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Some Mexican oregano would probably also be delightful.

Each of the avocado slices gets dipped into each of the three bowls in order.

The first coating of plain flour just needs to be a light dusting; wipe or tap off any excess. This fine dusting helps the egg mixture to stick, but too much flour will make the egg mixture slide off.

After this fine dusting with flour, dunk the pieces in the egg mixture and then into the seasoned flour mixture. If you're finding that more batter is sticking to your hands than to the avocados, try rinsing your hands after every couple of slices. I rinse my hands after every two pieces or so; it takes a little more time, but it prevents the batter building up on my fingers and helps more of it to stay on the avocado where it belongs!

When the avocados have gone through all three bowls, pop them into the heated oil in the skillet.

Let them cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown, and then flip them over to cook the second side.

When they are golden brown on both sides, remove them from the skillet and place them on a paper towel to absorb some of the grease.

Place the avocados in a tortilla and pile on the toppings! I like shredded cabbage, chopped mango, tomato, tomatillo, cheese, and sour cream.

This makes a pretty hearty and filling vegetarian meal. I love to eat it with chips and fresh salsa--or better yet, make a mango salsa to eat with it. Yum. I love fruit salsas! Enjoy, and let me know what toppings you prefer!

Basil Garden Frittata

I have a lot of fresh produce on hand right now, which I love! Fresh produce is just so good--infinitely better than it's canned or frozen counterparts. It takes a little more effort in preparation, but the taste is worth it!

Today for lunch, rather than my usual sandwich-and-yogurt routine, I decided to throw together a frittata. I'm a fan of my Sweet Potato Frittata, but I decided to change it up this time, to use all of the produce I had that was calling my name. And unlike the other recipe, which is a hybrid frittata/quiche (quittata?) this is an actual frittata. :)

Warm, cheesy goodness. This thing is packed with fresh flavor, and is actually healthy, too! Double win!

*Scroll to the end of the post to download a printable version of the recipe*

You will need:

1/2 T butter
1 potato
8 stalks asparagus
1 Roma tomato (I love Roma tomatoes. They're my fave!)
4-5 fresh basil leaves
4 eggs
1/2 C shredded mozzarella
Salt & pepper to taste

You will also need an oven-safe skillet or pan for this recipe--something that does not have a plastic handle! I LOVE my pots and pans set, which were a wedding gift. They are stainless steel so I can scrub them with steel wool, and they are safe to stick in the oven or under the broiler.
This is the exact pan I used to make this recipe:


Melt the butter in your pan.
Chop up the potato into 1/4" cubes. You want them to be small so they cook through fairly quickly; unless you just want to wait a long time to eat. :)

Toss the potatoes in with the butter and let them start cooking. Cut the asparagus into 1" pieces, and then toss them in with the potatoes.

Give them a good stir, and continue to stir them every few minutes so they cook evenly.

Meanwhile, chop your tomato and your basil leaves into 1/2" pieces.

Beat eggs in a small mixing bowl.

Add tomato, basil, and mozzarella to eggs.

I actually used fresh mozzarella, because it's my favorite, but I got lazy after shredding about half of it, so I cubed the rest and tossed it in. You can see the delicious gooey chunks in some of the upcoming pictures.

Pour egg mixture into skillet with potatoes and asparagus. Give everything a good stir, then let it cook.

Continue cooking until the bottom is done and the top is just starting to set. This only takes a few minutes as the skillet is already hot.

Place the pan in the oven under the broiler. Broil until top is cooked and just starting to brown. I set my broiler on low, and it took about 10 minutes. Some broilers don't have various heat settings, and all ovens cook differently, so watch it carefully. It's easy to burn things under the broiler.

I like to eat my frittata while it's still hot; others prefer it at room temperature. Either way, cut yourself a slice and enjoy your fresh, tasty, healthy meal!

Right-click the image below to download a printable version of the recipe.

Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

Fall and winter is the time of year I love hearty, feel-good, "comfy" meals. Unfortunately, most of these meals are also heavy and calorie-laden. Add in holiday food and the fact that I tend to spend more time indoors, curled up on the couch during winter, and it's really easy to pack on a few pounds at this time of year. I'm still trying to get back to my pre-baby body, and hubby and I are also training to run a 5K, so I've been making an effort to make healthier meals, which is where this lasagna comes in. It's a healthier choice, but still has a lot of the hearty, feel-good qualities of a traditional lasagna.

Just as a disclaimer: I believe in moderation in all things, so most of my healthy meals are going to still have pretty "normal" ingredients. You won't find a lot of no-carb, no-fat, no-dairy, no-anything-that-tastes-good here. I believe in balance, and that your body needs a certain amount of all of those things. I am not a fan of fad diets, but I am a fan of making smarter choices every day, which is what you will find in my healthier recipes. Of course, I will continue to offer recipes for not-quite-as-healthy dishes, as well. :) Life is short, and meant to be enjoyed; what better way to do that than with a rich meal or tasty dessert once in a while? Again, for me, it's all about balance.

Fresh Vegetable Lasagna
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 jar spaghetti sauce
3 C shredded mozzarella (I like to use reduced fat)
16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese (you may use ricotta if you prefer)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T balsamic vinegar (optional)
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced*
2 C fresh spinach*
1 C kale leaves, torn into smaller pieces (or use baby kale)*
2-3 zucchini, sliced*

Note: Some ground turkey would also make a nice addition to this recipe if you don't want to make it vegetarian. Just brown it up first and mix it in with the spaghetti sauce, then follow the directions listed below.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix 2 C of the mozzarella with the cottage cheese, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.
Spread a small amount of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan (to keep the noodles from sticking).
Layer in the pan: 3 lasagna noodles, cheese mixture, zucchini, tomato, spinach and kale, spaghetti sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining 1 C of mozzarella.
Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

*These were vegetables that were in season and I had on hand. This recipe would be delicious with sliced carrots, eggplant, yellow squash, etc. I also think some fresh basil would taste fantastic added in with the spinach and kale. Mix it up and see what vegetables you like!

Sweet Potato Frittata

Today was one of those days when I was looking around my kitchen trying to figure out what to make and realized I really need to go to the grocery store. Ugh. I didn't feel like getting out, especially since I wore the baby out with a shopping trip yesterday, so I tried to come up with something using ingredients I had on hand.

Enter sweet potatoes and green onions. I also had a few eggs and some cheese, so I decided to make a frittata. Okay, for all you foodies out there, I did not cook it the way a frittata is technically supposed to be cooked; I baked it like a quiche. However, I did not add milk or cream to it, so it's not really a quiche, either. I decided the ingredients made more of a difference than the cooking method and that, therefore, it is closer to a frittata. (I do think adding some milk to it would make a delicious quiche, though.) Whatever you call it, the results were pretty tasty.
I also made it crustless, because I'm trying to eat fewer white carbs, but you could use a crust.

Sweet Potato Frittata/Quiche
3 sweet potatoes, baked, cooled, and peeled (I baked them in the microwave)
5-6 green onions, chopped
4 eggs
3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom of a pie plate or casserole dish (or put in your crust).
Cut the sweet potatoes in half and squoosh them out of their peels, then cut them in cubes. Toss the sweet potatoes and onions in the bottom of your pie plate.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cheese, a couple dashes of salt, and some pepper to taste. Pour over sweet potatoes.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

I love the simplicity of this recipe! It's tasty as it is, but I want to try it again, adding in some more spices or maybe some bacon. I would love to hear your additions!