new recipes, 2013–part 3.

This was not a good month for new recipes! The only successes were pretty unhealthy.

Chicken Egg Rolls – Ugh. Maybe I’m just picky about what kind of Asian food I like? These just weren’t enjoyable.

Sweet and Sour Citrus Chicken Stir Fry – Normally, I’m a huge fan of Our Best Bites. I actually don’t think that I have ever made one of their recipes that I didn’t love. This wasn’t bad, exactly, it just wasn’t great enough that I wanted to save the recipe to use again.

Fried Chicken – Fried chicken is one of those basic, simple dishes – but I’ve never actually made it before. M requested it for her birthday dinner, so I decided to give it a shot. It turned out pretty well, I think!

Coconut Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Fair warning – these are horrible for you. I mean, seriously – absolutely no redeeming nutritional value. But they are very good and also very easy to put together.

Creamy Taco Soup – Just not that good. I don’t know why. I’m the only one who ate it, and we tossed the leftovers.

new recipes, 2013–part 2

Triple Chip Blondies – Oh, wow. So good and pretty easy. But, very rich, so a little goes a long way.

Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos – These are a great way to use up leftover roast, though in my case, I actually cooked a roast in order to make them (which required a bit more planning). They’re tasty and have a slight kick (just remember that’s coming from someone who is a totally wimp when it comes to spicy). The trickiest part for me was getting the tortillas to roll without breaking. I eventually figured out that if I completely roll them, instead of using the roll-and-fold-over method like I do with tacos or enchiladas, it works better. (I also love the chicken version).

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken – I was out of town for a week for business, staying in a hotel with a small kitchen, and this is one of the meals I chose to make because it fairly easy to buy/bring what I needed. It was okay – not incredibly flavorful, but it came together quickly, was inexpensive, and was healthy, too. You could also do something similar using salsa instead of the canned tomatoes with green chilies and spices.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry – This meal was super easy to put together and so very good – and bonus, it was really healthy, too. I’ll definitely be making it again. Probably next week.

Pork and Peanut Stir Fry – I’m a big fan of stir fry – they’re quick, easy to adapt to taste, healthy and versatile. This version was good, but I left out the scallions (I’m just not a big fan). I’ll definitely make it again, but I think next time I’ll add in some veggies – maybe broccoli or green beans.

new recipes, 2013–part 1

Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteaks – This isn’t the first time I’ve tried to make cheesesteaks in the crock pot. I used Steak-umms, because then I don’t have to worry about slicing the meat. They were okay, but the meat just really didn’t seem to have a lot of flavor. I like using the crock pot not only because it’s easy, but because some people in my life don’t like onions and bell peppers, and cooking them all day in the crock pot makes them a little less potent. Next time I’m just frying everything in a skillet.

Oven Steak Fries – These were a last minute addition to the night’s meal, because I needed a side for cheesesteaks and fries sounded good. They were easy (especially since I didn’t need to peal the potatoes) and tasted delicious.

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pastry Pockets – Puff pastry is such a fun thing to work with – it’s pretty easy, even if it’s a little messy, and the results are usually impressive. These were no exception. I did make a few changes – I didn’t include the sun dried tomatoes (because I just didn’t feel like buying them), and I used turkey bacon instead (because Missy and her girls don’t eat pork). I’d definitely make these again, and they would work really well as a party food.

Spanish Rice – I liked this, though I had to adapt it to what I had on hand (no bacon and diced instead of stewed tomatoes). I’m going to try it again this weekend with the right ingredients.

Skinny Monkey Cookies – These are kind of like a healthier version of a no-bake, except that you bake them. They got mixed reviews here – about half of us liked them and half didn’t. There is definitely a banana flavor, but if you like bananas (I do!) you might really enjoy these. They are also pretty simple, which I appreciate.

And a tip – did you know that you can shred chicken breasts using a stand mixer? It’s a little messy because you need to cover the top of bowl with your hands to avoid pieces flying out, and the chicken needs to be warm (even hot) for it to work, but it’s a lot easier than doing it by hand!

new recipes, part 6.

[Sources: 1 – Taste of Home, 2 – Stay-At-Home Artist,
3 – Our Best Bites, 4 – jujugoodnews.com]

Enchilada Stuffed Shells – These were okay, they just didn’t have a ton of flavor. Not bad, but just not one of those recipes I would absolutely keep to make again.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup – I love chicken noodle soup, and I love thick, creamy soups, which this definitely is. It was pretty easy to put together, even with the addition of the cream sauce. It made a lot, and it got rave reviews. It’s definitely something I’ll make again, especially as comfort food this winter (after I’m done hobbling around on crutches, that is).

Baked Sweet Potato Fries – Honestly, I kind of winged it on this one. I didn’t measure out anything, just peeled and cut the sweet potatoes, then dumped olive oil and the seasonings on them. I also skipped the coriander, because I didn’t have them. The result was definitely tasty, but I wasn’t careful about laying out each piece so they weren’t touching (I was in a hurry), so they weren’t very crispy. Still, they were good. And easy enough that I’ll make them again.

Orange Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry – This recipe just really didn’t have much flavor! The orange flavor didn’t come through at all. It was edible, but there wasn’t much to it, really. I have another recipe for orange chicken (from here). It’s a less healthy, but much tastier and easier. Maybe I’ll try a hybrid someday.

new recipes, part 5.

[Sources: 1 - Our Best Bites, 2 - Inspired by Charm, 3 - My Blessed Life, 4 - Inspired by Charm]

Baked Pasta and Broccoli with Ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce – This was good, and I love that it was full of healthy things like broccoli and cauliflower. Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that just really doesn’t have a lot of flavor to me, so I really like the idea of using it in a puree. That said, it didn’t take quite some time and made a huge mess of my kitchen, so I think this is one of those recipes that I’ll save for special occasions.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies – I love to eat cookies, but I have to be in the right mood to want to actually bake cookies. I pinned a couple of recipes recently that have inspired me, including this one and the one below. These were really good! Plain oatmeal cookies are a little bland for me, but I love the added combination of dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Parmesan Potato Wedges – Easy and tasty. I pretty much eye-balled everything, and I cut the potatoes in chunks instead of wedges. Still, it’s an easy side dish, and definitely something I would make in the future. As a bonus, this is one of the few new recipes I’ve tried that I think my dad would like, and maybe even my brother, too.

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies – Oh my word. These were seriously amazing. Not super easy, very messy, but oh so worth it – I got a ton of compliments! If you decide to make them, here are a couple things you should know. First, these really spread out – so much so that I ended up with some oddly-shaped, smushed-together cookies. I’m actually thinking next time I might try smaller cookies and cut the caramels in half. Second, the parchment paper is really helpful. I did it both with and without, and it was definitely easier with.

new recipes, part 4.

[Sources: 1 – Our Best Bites, 2 – Our Best Bites, 3 – Oh She Glows, 4 – Urban Nester]

White Chicken Chili – This was really, really good, and I’ll definitely be making it again. I used pre-cooked chicken, which made the whole thing come together really quickly.

Berry Vinaigrette – I don’t think I’ve ever tried a recipe from Our Best Bites that I haven’t really liked, and this was no exception. It’s quite different from the type of dressing that I normally use. It makes quite a bit, so I wouldn’t make it just for myself. I used raspberries and left out the poppy seeds (just because I thought I had them on hand but didn’t).

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash – I’ve gotten several large patty pan squash from my CSA and wanted to try stuffing them. I used this recipe to understand how to prepare the squash for stuffing, but used my own recipe for what I put inside (ground turkey, red onion, garlic, zucchini, brown rice, tomatoes). The filling was good (it usually is), but there was something about the squash. I like yellow squash (usually with other flavors) and I love zucchini, but I just wasn’t a fan of the patty pan squash.

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Bananas, and Chocolate Chips – I have a basic baked oatmeal recipe that I like, but I thought it might be fun to try a version with fruit and chocolate chips. In this case I used strawberries and left out the walnuts. I also used a larger pan (who has a 10 1/2 x 7-inch pan?) and didn’t really measure out the chocolate chips. Next time I’ll use less chocolate chips and more strawberries, because although it was good, it was definitely more of a dessert than a breakfast.

Eggplant Parmesan – I was a little nervous about this one, because the only time I’ve tried to cook with eggplant before, I didn’t really enjoy it. I was never quite sure if it was the eggplant or just the recipe. But I had a huge eggplant that I had to either use or let go bad, and I figured that when you fry something, it’s usually good. I liked it. Next time I think I might try a baked-but-breaded version.

Homemade Applesauce – My mom has been making homemade applesauce for as long as I can remember. In fact, I’m so spoiled by it that I really don’t eat store-bought applesauce at all. She makes a ton of it in the summer, then freezes it and we eat it the rest of the year. This year I got to help her. The process itself is pretty simple, if time-consuming. I’ll definitely make it again, though I think a big part of the enjoyment was doing it with my mother.

my dealer.

Because some conversations are just too funny not to record.

The other day I had dinner with my parents, and I brought corn from my CSA. This is the conversation I had with my dad.

Dad: Is that from your dealer?
Me: Yes, Dad. It's the same place I get my pot.

fruit and veggie inventory.

Have I mentioned that I love my CSA? I do. It's a great deal, the variety of stuff is amazing, and it lasts all season. And, bonus, Michael and Michelle are just really fun and personable. This is definitely something I'll be signing up for next year.

But, one of the challenges of a CSA is making sure that I use up all the fresh produce every week before it goes bad. There's lots of fresh stuff around the house, which is fantastic, but if I'm not careful and don't plan ahead, I'll find myself throwing away a cucumber, for example, that has gotten a little...fuzzy. And with T and K living here, the refrigerator is full enough that there isn't I can't necessarily see everything in one glance, like I could before.

(Did I mention that I have new roommates? T and her daughter K are staying with me for a few minutes. Among other things, this means a lot more stuff in the refrigerator.)

As OCD/anal-retentive as it sounds, I had this idea that if we kept some kind of list/inventory on the front of the refrigerator, it would be easier to plan food, knowing what we had on hand and what needed to be used up. I could have bought a dry-erase board, but this solution was cheaper (and cuter, too).

I've seen lots of projects using the glass in picture frames with dry-erase markers, so I picked up a multi-color pack of mini markers ($3.50) and a simple 8x10 frame ($4). I filled it with a piece of scrapbook paper that I had on hand and added magnet strips (that I also had on hand) to the back of the frame so it would stick to the refrigerator. I was going to just do a simple list, but K wanted to make it color-coded and pretty.

We'll see how well the fruit and veggie inventory list works, but I think this could also be used for a grocery list, instructions for dog sitters - lots of other things.

By the way, this is just the stuff that's either in the bottom part of the refrigerator or in the fruit bowl on the counter. It doesn't include things in the freezer or canned goods in the pantry. See how healthy we are?

new 2012 recipes, part 3.

[Sources: 1 - Mommy Hates Cooking, 2 - myrecipes.com, 3 - allrecipes.com, 4 - Our Best Bites, 5 - SparkRecipes]

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins - My brother, sisters, and brother-in-law play in a kickball league, and I made these muffins for breakfast before their all-day kickball tournament. I tried them a bit later, and they were good! I they didn't have a ton of banana flavor, though - I think next time I would add more of that.

Collard Greens - I signed up for another CSA this year, with Seeds of Life Nurseries. I wasn't crazy about the one I signed up for while I was living in Virginia, but this one is amazing. There's a ton of variety every week, and it's almost all stuff that I love. There's been very little waste this time around. Earlier in year, we got a lot of greens and lettuce, including collard greens, which I've never tried before. I tried a new recipe they sent with the produce, but I burned them.

Turnip Gratin - Turnips were another item that came in with the CSA, so I found this recipe to try. I halved it and just used turnips, and it was very good! It took a bit of time to make, so I probably won't do it all the time, but maybe for special occasions.

Lite Italian Salad Dressing - This was good, I think. I used it in another recipe without tasting it directly, so I'm not really sure.

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins - These muffins are another thing I made for the kickball tournament. I haven't tried them, but my mom and nephew said they were really good.

Unstuffed Cabbage - I wanted to like this, I really did. I think I just don't like cabbage. I was really bummed, too, because I really hated wasting all the other good stuff in this, but it was just too hard to eat around it.

new 2012 recipes, part 2.

[Sources: 1 - www.hiddenponies.com , 2 - www.kevinandamanda.com, 3 - www.kraftrecipes.com]

Quick Crustless Quiche

Very good and also easy, so I'll definitely be making this again.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Katie and Jacob joined me for dinner the night I made this, and we all enjoyed it. I have a lot of chicken recipes (just ask my family), so it was nice to have something a bit different. It really wasn't that spicy, which was perfect for us. All of the kick comes from the Rotel, so you could easily just use diced tomatoes, instead.

Rustic Italian Chicken and Rice

Loved this! I made a few changes to fit the stuff I had on hand. The biggest change was that I realized just as I was getting ready to cook, that I didn't have enough rice. So, I substituted with orzo, which was good but not nearly as healthy.

Pulled Pork BBQ

My sister Kelli shared this recipe with me. It's super easy - just mix up the BBQ sauce and pour it on pork tenderloin and cook it all day. I made this when having a bunch of people over for dinner and was worried I wouldn't have enough, so I threw in a couple of boneless pork chops I had on hand.

Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna


Not good at all. The consistency was all wrong, and there was so much cheese that the end result was so high in fat, that it seemed to negate the benefits from the veggies. I have a couple of veggie lasagna recipes  (not for the slow cooker), so I'll just be sticking with those in the future.

new 2012 recipes, part 1.

One of the goals that I consistently set each year is to try several new recipes. Here is the first set for 2012:

[Sources: 1 - www.kraftrecipes.com, 2 - www.chef-in-training.com, 3 - www.laaloosh.com, 

4 - thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com, 5 - www.skinnytaste.com]

Chicken, Cheese and Spinach Manicotti

I made a couple of changes to this recipe, just to suit my taste and what I had on hand - I eliminated the eggs, changed the spices a bit, and used ricotta instead of cottage cheese. It was pretty easy to put together, especially since I cooked the chicken earlier in the day in the oven. I like the idea of stuffed manicotti better than a lasagna made with similar ingredients, because they are already portioned. The leftovers were good, too, and I had enough for a few lunches, plus dinner with Mom. I'm definitely making this again.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

Good! But the leftovers - not so much. I do think this is probably one of the only new recipes that I will try this year, that both my dad and brother would enjoy, so I might save it as something to make for them, when I wouldn't be counting on the leftovers.

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

This was a bit different than most things I cook, mostly because I don't use red meat all that often and even then, it's usually hamburger. But it was good and I'd like to try it again, though next time I think I would add more teriyaki sauce, because it seemed a little thin.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

These seem kind of weird, I know, but they were really good. I used ground chicken, and skipped the taco sauce (instead just adding a bit more salsa). I also used 2% milk cheddar, instead of the cheddar and monterey jack combo, and just eyeballed how much I wanted.

The only thing about this recipe is that it took quite a bit of time, since you need to cook the taco meat and the shells, then assemble and bake it. It used a lot of pots and dishes, which is something I'm a bit more sensitive to without the use of a dishwasher. All in all, it was tasty enough that I will probably make it again, but not often.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Also good, though I have to be honest that if I'm using my crockpot, I'd really rather not have to do a lot of prep work (notice a theme here?). This recipe didn't require a lot, but there is a little bit of sauteing and cooking in a pan at the beginning. And since I already seem to have so many similar recipes, I'm not sure I will make this again.

sunday inspiration - food.

Row 1, left to right:
Chicken Cacciatore with Rice from Hunt's Recipes
Peanut Butter Trifle from Just Sew Sassy
Pasta with Roasted Broccoli from Gina's Skinny Recipes
Eggplant Parmesan from Newly Woodwards
Caramel Sauce from The CooCoo Nest

Row 2:
Spanish Rice from Our Best Bites
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers from A Year of Slow Cooking
Summer Salad from Everyday Insanity
Phyllo Fruit Tart from Gina's Skinny Recipes
Chicken Potpie Empanadas from Real Simple

Row 3:
Chocolate Croissants from From Glitter to Gumdrops
Holiday Cheese Truffles from Beneath My Heart
Zucchini Pizza Bites from Gina's Skinny Recipes
Banana Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies from Inside BluCrew Life
Meatless Enchiladas from One Lovely Life via Life is Just a Bowl of Cherrys

tonight.

Tonight, I:

• visited one of my CASA kids
• (finally) dropped off the first round of  stuff-to-donate that have been sitting in my living room for a week

• started packing for my trip to Frederick tomorrow
• straightened my house so my dogsitter won't be shocked when she walks in the door 
• finished a Christmas gift for my sister (that's one down and many more to go)
• picked up the curriculum for the next Bridge Kids unit
• dropped off my spare key to the dogsitter and some of the materials for this year's Operation Christmas Child event to one of this week's volunteers
• and made this cake. 

(image source: Apple Cider Cake from Eat at Home)

Unfortunately, my cake didn't come out nearly this pretty. In fact, at first only about two-thirds of it even came out of the pan at all.

The plus side is, when its that much of a mess, you can try a piece and no one has to know. Unless you post that you tried a piece on your blog, and then everyone who reads it will know. But I don't care - because it tasted wonderful.

new recipes, part 5 (and done).

I finally finished my recipe goal for the year - here are numbers 22-25.

Slow cooker chicken with salsa and cream cheese

This is a variation on salsa chicken tacos - a recipe I make frequently because its easy and so versatile. Sometime ago I saw a version that included cream cheese, though I can't remember where. It wasn't bad, but I'm not sure I liked it enough to make it again.

Grilled stuffed zucchini

I loved this - it was so good that I've already made it again twice, including a veggie version with brown rice instead of the Italian turkey sausage. I've also used leftover filling to stuff bell peppers, which was also amazing.

Bacon-wrapped green beans

I had some green beans in the refrigerator that I needed to use, and was kind of bored at the idea of just steaming them like I usually do. So, I wanted to try this recipe for bacon-wrapped green bean bundles - except all I had was turkey bacon, and I didn't have the rest of the ingredients for the sauce, so I skipped that part. Very good, so next time I'm going to actually try the way the recipe.

Red beans and rice

I'm undecided on this one. I know that red beans and rice is one of those traditional regional dishes that comes with really strong opinions on the way its supposed to be made. It was okay - not bad, but also not amazing. So I'm kind of wondering if I'm just not wild about red beans and rice in general, or if it was just this version.
For more recipes and reviews, see part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

new recipes, part 4.

Almost there! These are recipes (goal #14) 16-21:

Baby Red Potato Salad

Even before I cared about the fat content of the food I was eating, I wasn't a fan of thick and heavy mayonnaise-based salads, and this version is good. I made this for as Easter picnic with friends.

Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers

Very good, and very filling! I did a couple of things differently, just to fit my tastes - I used twice the amount of brown rice (I don't use white rice at all anymore), and I left out the mushrooms. And although I made up the entire amount of filling, I only made two peppers at first, since I wasn't sure how well they would reheat. I put the rest of the filling in the refrigerator, and made up more the next night.

Black Bean and Corn Relish

I found this recipe when I was looking for a way to create Chick-fil-A's Southwest Chargrilled Salad. Salads make for easy weekday lunches, because I can marinate and broil several chicken breasts over the weekend, and the salads are easy to put together in the morning. And if a salad has enough liquid-y stuff, then I don't add dressing to it at all. This recipe has a bit more kick than Chick-fil-A's (but not so much that the average non-spicy-food-wimpy person would probably notice). I added it to a mix of salad greens, tequila lime marinated chicken, and a bit of salsa.

Strawberry Bread

I've made strawberry bread before, but it didn't turn out as tasty as I thought it would, so I decided to try another recipe.  The batter was more dry than I expected, but I decided to trust the recipe. When I checked on the bread after 35 minutes, it was bubbling up over the sides on the pan (and some had fallen to the bottom of the oven). I tested it with a toothpick to see if it was done, and since the toothpick came out clean, I took the pan out of the bread to let it cool. When I went back, it had fallen, and it really hadn't cooked all the way through.

I'm not sure exactly what went wrong, but the parts of the bread that were cooked were really good, so I think I'll be trying this again. Next time I think I might use a bit more baking soda, full the pans a bit less, and definitely let it cook longer.

Fruit Salsa

So easy - I'll definitely be using this one again! I made mine with pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, and blackberries, then added lime juice and some sugar.

Baked Cinnamon Chips

Also easy, and goes great with fruit salsa.

new recipes, part 3.

Last week and this week have been really busy, as I've spent three nights a week in training to become a CASA, which means I not only take lunch to work, but also dinner to eat just before I leave. So, the weekends before, I've made a bunch of food all at once, to have leftovers ready throughout the week. Its working really well, even for days that I don't have training, because getting dinner when I get home is a snap.

These are some of the recipes I've used (13-15 of 25):

Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry

I think I've only really had curry once before, though my recipe for chicken broccoli divan calls for some of it, and I like that. This recipe, of course, calls for significantly more. It was good, but you can definitely taste the curry, and it has a little kick. I might use a bit less next time. Of course, I'm kind of wimpy when it comes to spicy food.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Yum, yum, yum. One tip I read before regarding spinach rolls - if you add a bit of olive oil to the water when boiling, before you add the lasagna noodles, it keeps them from slipping together. Super easy to put together - if my dad would eat ricotta, I'd make these for family (and use meat instead of spinach in his).

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Good, quick, easy, and it makes a TON.

new recipes, part 2.

These are recipes 6-12 of 25.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

Good, easy. Definitely making it again.

Crockpot Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

When Mom and Dad were visiting, and Dad and I were building the closet shelves, I wanted something I could easily make for dinner that wouldn't require a lot of prep time. This definitely fits in that category, but it needed to cook a lot longer than the recipe stated, even on high - the meat was done, but the peppers and onion needed more time. I ended up turning the crockpot down to low and letting it cook for several more hours, then reheated it for dinner the next day. Still really good, either on a roll like a traditional cheese steak, or on top of rice - I'll probably make this again.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

I've had this recipe saved for a few months, but re-discovered it when I was cleaning out my to-make list one night. Perfect, because I was just about to make something simple for dinner, like pasta with jarred spaghetti sauce. I cooked the chicken in the microwave (which I hate doing, but I was hungry) and when I browned it on the stove with the sauce, I added some herbed spinach blend to it. I'd definitely recommend it!

Lemon Feta Chicken with Oregano

This is another really easy recipe - I made it for company, and they loved it! The prep for the recipe is really simple - juice a lemon, mix it with a few herbs, slather them on the chicken, and throw it in the oven. Love recipes like that!

Chicken Ropa Vieja

Writing a review of this recipe is really hard, because I didn't like it, but I think its probably because of how I tweaked it. As much as I love using my crockpot, especially during the week, I've found that anything that needs to cook only a short time (meaning less than a full workday), or that requires much work after I get home, just isn't a good fit for me.

The first part of this recipe calls for cooking the chicken in the crockpot, then shredding it and reserving some of the broth for use later. I did this the night before, then just let the crockpot cool and put the whole thing in my refrigerator. What I probably should have done instead is take the chicken out, shred it, then save the broth I needed separately. Instead, I did this the next evening, and the chicken ended up somewhat slimy and with a very odd consistency, especially when cooked with the reserved broth and tomato sauce later (I also substituted chicken broth for the dry white wine called for in the recipe).

Southwestern Bean Salad

I made this the same night as I made chicken ropa vieja (see above), and since I didn't end up eating that dish, I didn't eat much of this easier. What little I had was good, but the next day, I threw the rest in the crockpot with some frozen chicken breasts, salsa, and taco seasoning to make filling for chicken soft tacos.

Chicken, Broccoli, and Cashew Stir-Fry

This recipe was good, and was pretty easy because I did a lot of the prep work ahead of time (mostly chopping the carrots, garlic, and scallions). I'd never tried soba noodles before, and while they were good, I think I prefer to eat stir-fry with rice.

new recipes, part 1.

5 recipes down, 20 to go (#14)!

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parmesan is definitely one of my top comfort foods, and this crockpot version was just as easy and good as the oven method that I usually use. This year, unlike last year, I'm primarily interested in quick recipes that don't involve a lot of work when I get home, especially when I'm having company for dinner - and this one is definitely going on the list!

Chicken Pesto Panini

I'm pretty sure that any time you put something between focaccia and grill it its going to be amazing. This was no exception.

Parsnip Gratin

Good, though I'd like to try parsnips cooked another way, maybe roasted instead. I'm not sure I really know what they taste like.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries (adapted)

Good, really good. I adapted the recipe a bit - I didn't have any coriander, so I left that out. And I used some frozen sweet poatoes I had in the fridge, which made the pieces a bit more soggy to work with. Still really good.

Tortellini Corn Chowder

This recipe calls for low-fat cheese tortellini, which I couldn't find. So I know that definitely affects the nutritional information, but the fat count is pretty low to begin with. This soup was pretty good, and I think I would make it again, but it was a little lacking in flavor. I used dried basil instead of fresh - maybe that would have made enough of a difference. Still, I like thicker soups, and this definitely fits the bill.

tumblr.

I use Tumblr to keep track of anything I want to save - recipes, project ideas, organizational tips.

I added the link to my sidebar.

Just in case you're interested in what I find interesting. :-)

2009 recipe review.

This is a comprehensive list of all the recipes I've tried this year, as part of goal #13. Some were good, some were amazing, and some were utter failures.

When possible, I've linked to both the recipe and my review.

1. Soft vegetable tacos (recipe) (review)
2. Mexican chicken tortilla soup (recipe & review)
3. Chicken pot pie (recipe) (review)
4. Creamy chicken rice soup (recipe)
5. Feta and spinach dip (recipe) (review)
6. White chicken chili (recipe) (review)
7. Crockpot pot roast (recipe) (review)
8. Creamy broccoli casserole (recipe) (review)
9. Macaroni and cheese (recipe) (review)
10. Ham and potato chowder (recipe) (review)
11. Mexican chicken casserole (recipe) (review)
12. Curried couscous w/ broccoli and feta (recipe)
13. Hummus (recipe)
14. Blueberry yogurt muffins
15. Parmesan roasted cauliflower
16. Paradise dessert pizza (recipe)
17. Crockpot corn chowder (recipe)
18. Shredded beef tostadas (recipe)
19. Chicken and orzo supper (review)
20. Strawberry sauce (recipe) (review)
21. Chicken & noodles paprika (review)
22. Baked creamy chicken taquitos (recipe) (review)
23. Golden baked pork cutlets (recipe) (review)
24. Florentine lasagna roll-ups (recipe) (review)
25. Cheesy zucchini bake (recipe) (review)
26. Mini cherry cheesecake tarts (recipe) (review)
27. Grandma's vegetable soup (recipe & review)
28. Caramel toffee fruit dip (recipe)
29. Farfalle with zucchini (recipe)
30. Pumpkin bread (recipe)
31. Grill-roasted corn salsa (recipe)
32. Potato-cheese chowder
33. Crockpot chicken fajitas (recipe)
34. Tropical coconut cheeseball (recipe)
35. Apple cake (recipe)
36. Pumpkin bread (#2)
37. Taco seasoning
38. Southwestern pizza con queso (review)
39. Apple burritos (review)
40. Slow cooker provencal chicken and beans (recipe)
41. Southwestern beef wraps (recipe)
42. Crockpot broccoli casserole (recipe)
43. Herbed potatoes (recipe)
44. Chicken cordon bleu (recipe)
45. Blueberry tart (recipe) (review)
46. Chicken alouette (recipe) (review)
47. Slow cooker enchilada casserole (recipe) (review)
48. Sugared cranberries (recipe) (review)
49. Hot Caramel Apple Cider (recipe) (review)
50. Stuffed pizza rolls (recipe)

Bonus: Homemade cinnamon rolls (recipe)