Polenta - Have you tried it?

Polenta is one of my all time favorites! If you have not tried it, now is the time. If you don't know what polenta is, it is ground cornmeal and very similar to grits. This is the kind that I like to buy, http://www.bobsredmill.com/corn-grits_polenta.html. Just adding water to the polenta is not tasty, so don't try that, but you should try this.....http://joythebaker.com/2013/01/baked-polenta-with-tomato-and-basil/. Not only was the polenta delicious, but so was the tomato sauce. The combination of the two melted in my mouth! I am planning on using that recipe again for sure.

This polenta dish was SO good and SO easy. I made it when I was home alone with the baby and pretty much ate the whole thing, but decided it would be better if I had some for leftovers. I've always made polenta on the stove top, so I was really glad to find a recipe where you can bake it instead.

I also really enjoy Ina Garten's take on polenta and have made this delicious recipe as well, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/creamy-parmesan-polenta-recipe/index.html. I skipped the creme fraiche, but maybe would add it next time.
 
Come and join my love for polenta and try one (or both) of these dishes! Enjoy!

P.S. I seemed to have misplaced the picture I have taken of this dish. I think it got mixed in with all of the baby pictures I have been taking :)

Orzo Vegetable Soup

I originally started this blog post by saying that I'm ready to lose this extra baby weight and eat super healthy all of the time, but I decided to take that part out just in case in a couple of weeks I post a cookie recipe!

Something that I really struggle with is making sure that I eat more vegetables. When going out to eat, it is easy, I just order a salad or a side of green beans, but at home I don't always feel motivated to go the extra step. So, with keeping that in mind, I am going to try harder to incorporate more veggies into my meals. One of the best ways to do that is to add it to what I am making, like putting spinach in my lasagna. I don't think I will go as far as adding black beans to brownies, but I did make this soup loaded with veggies. Here is the recipe for some good, warm vegetable soup....

What you  need:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 zucchini chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of chickpeas or any kind of beans
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup orzo
sea salt
ground pepper

How to make it:

Using a large saucepan over medium heat, pour in the olive oil and then stir in the onion and garlic. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the carrots and zucchini. Cover and let cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Pour in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer.

Stir in the dried oregano and orzo, season with salt and pepper, and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the orzo looks fully cooked.

That's it! Super simple. No excuse not make this healthy soup. I have been eating it for lunch and it is deliciously satisfying. This is a perfect meal to make on a Sunday afternoon and put in individual containers to have for lunch during the work week. Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars!

I've always wanted to make homemade granola bars, but assumed that they would just be a lot of work to make, so I always avoided the idea. Then I came across a recipe to make pumpkin butterscotch granola bars and after making them, they weren't hard to make at all! And they turned out way better than any granola bar from the grocery store. They were soft and chewy, just the way I like them. I even froze some for later and once thawed out, they still had that soft and chewy texture.

The nice thing about making homemade granola and granola bars, is that you can make them however you want. You can add ingredients or take away ingredients based on your liking.

Here is the recipe that I used...http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2012/10/11/pumpkin-butterscotch-granola-bars/. I used canola oil instead of vegetable oil and I skipped the almonds due to a nut allergy in the house. Next time I think I will add some ground flax seeds for an added healthy boost. I will definitely be making these again soon. Enjoy!

Toasted bread, ham, Dijon mustard, & melted cheese all in one bite!

I have already talked about one of my favorite sandwiches, the croque monsieur....ham, melted cheese, Dijon mustard.....you get the point as to why it's a fav of mine. Well I decided to make the croque madame, the same sandwich, but just open-faced.

Here's what you'll need....

4 slices of bread (I bought a loaf of crusty whole wheat bread and cut off slices)
Butter

Cooked ham (I used leftover thick cut ham from Christmas)
Dijon mustard
Grated Gruyere cheese (Swiss would work too)
Salt and Pepper

Serves 2

What you need to do....

Place the sliced bread under a broiler and toast one of the sides. Remove from the oven and butter the non-toasted side.

Place a slice of ham on each piece of bread, top with some mustard and cheese.

Put back in the oven and broil again until the cheese is melted. Top with salt and pepper.

That's it and it tastes so good! Enjoy!

I'm cooking again & what I ate on New Year's Eve!

Hello Everyone! I am back and it feels great to be cooking again! I took a much needed break and by no means am I able to cook every night like I did pre-baby, but at least I am able to get in the kitchen again every once in awhile.

For Christmas, I got Ina Garten's new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa, Foolproof - Recipes You Can Trust. Here is a link in case you are interested in getting one yourself, http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Contessa-Foolproof-Recipes-Trust/dp/0307464873/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357149032&sr=8-1&keywords=ina+garten+foolproof. I love Ina Garten's recipes and this cookbook did not disappoint!

I stayed in for New Years Eve this year and I decided that I was going to make dinner and use recipes from my new cookbook. I made salmon & melting cherry tomatoes with green beans gremolata. Doesn't that sound delicious? Well it was!

Here is the recipe for the salmon...

The recipe below is to serve 4, but I when I made it, I halved the recipe. I used 2 - 6 oz. pieces of salmon.

Olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups (1 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp  balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves (I used parsley instead since I bought it for the green beans too)
2 lb salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces


Preheat the oven to 425F.

Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium saute pan.

Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 tsp  salt and 1/2 tsp  pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato sauce thickens slightly. Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and basil or parsley.

Meanwhile, place a large cast-iron pan (or any pan that can go in the oven ) over high heat for 5 minutes. Brush the salmon all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place it skin side up in the pan. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until browned. Turn the salmon skin side down with a small metal spatula and transfer the pan to the oven for 8 minutes. (The salmon will not be completely cooked through.) Remove the fish to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Reheat the tomatoes, season to taste, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature along with the salmon.
Serves 4.

Green Bean Gremolata

I learned that Gremolata means a condiment or topping that typically consists of chopped herbs, lemon zest, and chopped garlic. I found this recipe not only in the cookbook, but on the internet too.....http://www.oprah.com/food/Green-Beans-Gremolata-Recipe-Barefoot-Contessa-Ina-Garten.

Here are some more recipes from the cookbook posted on Oprah.com, http://www.oprah.com/food/Ina-Garten-Recipes-Barefoot-Contessa-Recipes/1.

What a perfect meal for those who need to detox after the holidays or for someone like me who is trying to eat salmon (a superfood) at least once a week. Enjoy!