My Best Friend's Kitchen

::two week menu::

2010-01-07T08:30:00.001-08:00

::wednesday:: black beans, rice and tortillas {{sorry, but we like it!}}
::thursday:: crockpot pot roast, salad, and bread {{folks visiting, hence the real-looking meal!}}
::friday:: nachos (appetizers), Mexican Chicken Casserole, black beans, and cilantro-lime rice {{again, folks in town}}
::saturday:: to friend house for dinner, taking Easy Key Lime Pie {{soooo good!}}
::sunday:: pizza bar - make your own {{we're experimenting with a kid friendly & fun meal for when we have people with kids over to dinner? we don't know.}}

::monday:: hubs in the field
::tuesday:: out to dinner
::wednesday:: crockpot soup, hopefully a white chicken chilli recipe i'm hoping to get my hands on; if not, then this one
::thursday:: Diablo Shrimp Pasta - recipe to come
::friday:: variation on this Mac & Cheese - I don't do it in the crock - recipe to come
::saturday:: breakfast for dinner - probably using up extra veggies from Sunday's pizza extravaganza
::sunday:: burgers and sweet potato fries

I'm back on the bandwagon!!!

::two week::

2009-09-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

monday:: salad wraps
tuesday:: taquitos & chips & dip
wednesday:: chicken fajitas & sweet corn on the cob
thursday:: {{eating out}}
friday:: southwest turkey burgers, sweet potato fries, corn on cob
saturday:: chicken salad on sourdough
sunday:: honey mustard chicken & green beans

monday:: {{husband in field}}
tuesday:: mexican pizza
wednesday:: spinach feta pasta
thursday:: pesto chicken quesadilla
friday::{{eating out}}
saturday:: salad wraps
sunday::

::two week menu::

2009-08-23T09:08:00.001-07:00

monday:: {{husband in field}}
tuesday:: 7 layer dip
wednesday:: diablo shrimp pasta
thursday:: leftovers
friday:: red and white spinach lasagna, parmesan zucchini, crunchy tossed salad, and garlic bread {{we had guests - which is why we had so much food}}
saturday:: sloppy jo, slop-sloppy joes
sunday:: salad wraps

monday:: {{husband in field}}
tuesday:: taco chicken & wild rice
wednesday:: basil mozarella pizza
thursday:: {{Vegas - picking up sis at la aeroport}}
friday:: chicken aflredo pasta {{use leftover alfredo from lasagna}}
saturday:: shrimp nachos
sunday:: {{Vegas - taking sis to la aeroport}}

mediterranean turkey burgers

2009-07-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

as promised, the turkey burgers. i know, i know, there must be thousands of people holding their breath, waiting...

but seriously, these are good. once upon a time, i went to eat at Red Ruby for dinner. and i got an avocado turkey burger. and it was my first turkey burger. and i fell in love. since i don't eat red meat, this was a real discovery. so i decided i would start ordering turkey burgers anywhere we went to eat to see how they stacked up. then my friend suggested i just make some. she told me how to do it, told me to google 'mediterranean turkey burgers' if i forgot any of it, and ta-da. well, i did forget, and i did google, but it wasn't like what she said. SO i don't know if the title up there is correct. so be it.

okay, so i'm not doing a recipe card for these because they are "so simpo!"

1. dice 3-4-5 cloves of garlic, whatever you feel like.

2. heat up the garlic in some olive oil in a saucepan, maybe 2 T. ish

3. throw in a few handfuls of baby spinach. i use whatever i need to finish out the bag before it goes bad. this will wilt way, way down, though, so don't be scared.

4. remove from heat.

5. cut up some mozarella chunks. i actually used one string cheese because that was all i had. plus, i put cheese on top, anyway, so i don't want to go ridiculously overboard.

6. combine the cheese and the spinach mixture in a meat-safe bowl. (that means one that you will wash really, really, really good. can you tell i'm not really a pro at preparing meat?) add your ground turkey. i use the leanest i can buy, and chad is usually nice enough to do the squishing. this means two things. a. i don't have to do it. b. the patties will turn out enormous! but i can't complain.

7. add some salt and pepper if you like. you don't need too much, the garlic will really flavor it for you.

8. cook until there is no pink. we are, sadly, sans grill, so we cook them on the foreman, but they still turn out delicious.

9. remember, since your turkey is very lean (even if you don't get the leanest), no spatula-squishing while they're cooking! you'll squish out all the juice and then your burger will be dry.

since there's spinach in there, i don't put any lettuce on top, but i definitely add tomato. this last time, i threw in some chopped up green onion into the patty and that was smashing. otherwise, grill up some onion while you're cooking the patty and put that on top. mmmm. and, like i said, i still put cheese on top.

do not be afraid of the picture. i'm sorry it's not a better one, but that's all we got before they disappeared. and that's not weird white turkey meat hanging off the edge, it's lots of delicious melted cheese stick.

::two week::

2009-07-05T13:42:00.001-07:00

monday:: {{home alone}}
tuesday:: chicken salad sandwiches {{on sourdough}}
wednesday:: paninis: turkeys, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, provolone & sweet potato fries
thursday:: 7 layer dip & chips
friday:: tomato feta pasta
saturday:: {{dd}}
sunday:: chicken enchilada casserole

monday:: {{home alone}}
tuesday:: taco tuesday!
wednesday:: egg salad sandwiches {{america's test kitchen recipe}}
thursday:: lemon zuc pasta
friday:: {{dd}}
saturday:: baked toquitos
sunday:: turkey burgers, corn on the cob, and brazillian lemonade

::two week menu::

2009-07-05T13:27:00.001-07:00

i was talking with sis today about my two-week dinners and she asked that i share them so she could get ideas. here are my disclaimers:

i'll not post a grocery list since the ingredients that i have on hand will vary from yours.
i'm not that great at this, yet, but i'm working on it.
i'll only list my main dish since i usually just grab vegetables for the sides from whatever is available and cheap. i may update sides after i do my grocery shopping... we'll see.
monday nights i don't plan anything since the husband is in the field
i plan at least once/week for eating out {{dd}}.
wednesdays we usually get home late so that's typically a sandwich meal, or something easy.

hope this helps someone!

Lemon Herb Zucchini Pasta

2009-04-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, this recipe is another from one of my favorite recipe blogs, Our Best Bites, and I love it! I've made it 3-4 times and the last time I made it, it wasn't as good as I remembered. It's all in the parm - don't make it if you don't have the fresh stuff. I didn't realize I was all out, until it was too late, so I used the stuff in the green bottle. Medium. But with the real stuff, it's absolutely delicious - and it's got some lemon flavor that's not too strong, so Chad really loves it, too.

BANANA BREAD

2009-04-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

So I think most people have a go-to banana bread recipe, but if not, this one is delicious! I love it hot with melted butter, straight out of the oven, or the next day, with cream cheese. Mmmm...

This recipe came from my Test Kitchen cookbook, with some slight modifications by me.

*Tip: Do not try to substitute applesauce for the yogurt. Um, I may or may not know from experience. And if you don't have vanilla yogurt, you can even try a flavored that you think may turn out okay. No wheat flour? No problem, go back to the full amount of all purpose.

Enjoy!

CHILI by Karen

2009-02-15T15:37:00.001-08:00

TACO CHICKEN SOUP

2009-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

VEGGIE CHILI

2009-02-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome, Tasty Tuesdays! Well, not that it really concerns the blog...there is no tasty tuesday on this blog. It's a work thing. Once a month, at work, we have a theme and anyone who wants to participate brings a dish and a recipe. January was "soups, stews, and chilis".

We had 5 folks who brought a dish, but I only got 3 recipes. Hmmph, we'll have to keep working on this! But what this means for blogger-land is that this website will start getting new posts again!

So without further ado, my recipe: from Mom, a veggie chili.

Chad and I both agree that this is good. But it's really good when you add sour cream and avocado. Just our opinion.

thanksgiving...

2008-11-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of new recipe cards lately... it's been a while since we've had a quiet weekend!

BUT... I'm thinking recipes.

We're travelling for Thanksgiving, so I don't have to worry about the big stuff. But I'm even worried about the little stuff. So I've been trying recipes for items we have to take.

I tried this over the weekend and though I've never liked the stuff, I'm a convert! It's coming with us.

And "baked" this last night to take to work today. BIG hit, although it wasn't quite cheesy enough for me.

And we'll take these if only we can find the right kind of cheese...!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving with loved ones all around. As always, if you find a recipe, or get one at the dinner table, share it with us and you'll get a recipe card...(recipes listed above coming soon)

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

2008-11-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

When I first got this recipe from Ms. O, I have to admit: I looked it over, set it aside and it took me a while before I made it. BIG mistake. I finally put the ingredients on my shopping list last week and we both LOVED it... once it actually turns cool here (yep, folks are still wearing sundresses. It's NOVEMBER!) this will become a staple. I halved this recipe, since it's just the two of us, and we got 4 good size portions out of it (2nds for ::him:: and lunch for ::me:: the next day). Also, I couldn't find the anaheim, so I skipped it and it turned out awesome. I cut out ALL the stems and seeds, and it had just enough heat for me, but I'm kind of a wuss...you can crank up the heat as much as you want with seeds, though. And, as always, be careful when cutting peppers so you don't get the "heat" in your eyes (make sure to wash thoroughly, etc.) Thanks, lady!

EP's Apple Crisp

2008-10-30T08:33:00.001-07:00

Okay, here's a recipe that I found on this blog and it is soooo good. I hate to admit it and I kind of feel un-American saying it, but sometimes I think Apple Crisp is boring. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. Usually I don't have enough crumb to apple ratio, and the apples are just...cooked apples. But this recipe is different. So much crumb! Like seriously. I actually added the "heaping" to her recipe because I could have done with MORE apple. Okay, enough exclamation points and capitals....it's good, try it, you'll like it. Oh, and since it's made of apples, it's okay to heap on the ice cream and whipped cream. Although, I'll be honest, I'd just go for the ice cream on it...it's sweet enough. Anyway, enjoy, and thanks, EP!

CARAMEL APPLE CIDER

2008-10-29T10:58:00.001-07:00

This stuff is amazing. I've been drinking it forever and finally got around to looking for a recipe...voila! ...and so easy! I've tweaked it a little since I first blogged about on my personal blog and I think it's juuuust right now. Not just for Autumn either...Christmastime? Perfect.

Carrot Cupcakes

2008-10-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that I can't remember where this recipe came from, cuz it's fabulous. One of the girls at work brought in her uber-healthy cookbook full of recipes that is every kid's worst nightmare. And these were in there. It's hard to mess up a carrot cake, but this recipe is awesome because it's chock full of all the good stuff. I don't like carrot cake where you only get maybe one tiny piece of carrot in each piece. What's the point?

Anyway. Full of nuts and carrots, and soooo moist. As far as the frosting: just find a recipe in your cookbook for the cream cheese frosting if you make these soon. I'll try to find a really good recipe and post it later because the recipe I have always turns out a little too...sticky. It's delicious, though, to add either some zest or juice of lemon OR orange to the frosting...or try coconut on top. Just have fun experimenting. My favorite is the lemony cream cheese frosting (of course). These are also really good for breakfast without the frosting (if you're too weaksauce for sugar in the morning).

*and thanks to Martha for the photo!

Autumn Time

2008-10-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

I just love Autumn. It's hands down, one of my four favorite seasons. I kind of miss it a little bit here in my neck of the woods; we seem to skip it a little bit where I work, and it's just not as fabulous where I live. But in my MIND it's still Autumn. And part of the reason is the food. And part of the reason is because it means the holidays are coming. Some of my favorites: Caramel Popcorn, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies, Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider, Wassel (mmm!), Carrot Cake (or cupcakes!) and anything else that's baking in the oven...Stay tuned this next week for more favorite autumn recipes!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2008-10-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Jill made these last year when she came to visit, and I have to admit, when I saw the ingredients, I was skeptical. They are delicious!!! Soooo good. I made a batch on Sunday to take around to some neighbors. They didn't make it. All gone. Hmm, so one more batch tonight to go around, FOR REAL! They're great for functions, or giveaways, too, because it can make so many cookies.

Warning: They may seem undercooked when you first take them out, but they just need to set up a little bit. Also, from experience, if you use a cooking stone for cookies, don't use them on this recipe. Just a regular old-fashioned cookie sheet works best. Enjoy!

MOM's GRANOLA

2008-10-19T17:37:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about this granola lately! I finally asked my Mom for it, got the recipe, and made it tonight. Even better than I remember, actually. As a kid it was a little too healthy tasting for me. We used to add raisins, I think, but you can add any dried fruit or whatever you want. It stores really well, and is amazing for breakfast as a cereal with milk. It's also good just plain, or with yogurt. Enjoy!

ITalian Breakfast Burritos

2008-09-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Love this dish, and I make it ALL the time, but rarely for breakfast. Usually for brunch when we have guests or for dinner. Basil is my all-time favorite herb, so here it's a double whammy with the fresh and the pesto. Inspired by a Readers Digest recipe, I think???

STONE SHRIMP NACHOS

2008-09-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, this recipe was copied from the "Rock Shrimp Nachos" off of the Thanksgiving Point menu. Soooo delicious! I had this dish several years ago when it was a quesadilla dish...amazing then, amazing now. Super easy to throw together, but so tasty. You can buy the smallest round of queso fresco, it's just a crumbly cheese, and you can use as much or as little as you want.

WE'RE BACK!

2008-09-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I inadvertently took a month long hiatus. Things just got crazy during August, but we're back now! This month if you have any recipes to send in, let's have 'em! Cards will be posted soon after we receive the recipe. Thanks! This month's theme:

“Soups and Stews”
Fall is coming and that means cool, brisk weather. Nothing better than a hot bowl of (vegetarian) chili with lots of cheese, or some steamy soup. Enough said. (It doesn't HAVE to be vegetarian...you can send in anything!)

OUR BEST BITES Garlic Bread Seasoning

2008-07-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

"I love this stuff...since I've gotten the recipe, I just keep it in my pantry ALL of the time...awesome in the pizza sauce, awesome on garlic bread, awesome with plain pasta and a little bit of butter. Mmmm, I just love it. Thank you, Best Bites! (As you can see, I made these cards before they changed their name...oops. Oh, well.)

*photo used from Our Best Bites

OUR BEST BITES Pizza Sauce

2008-07-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

"...as promised, the pizza sauce recipe that I use now, since finding it on the "Our Best Bites" (formerly "The Daily Bite") blog, linked at right. I use the honey and it's delicious. Now you're wondering, "What's the garlic bread seasoning?" Coming up...and since I'm posting that, I'll post their amazing breadstick recipe, too. I guess it's a Dedication-to-Our-Best-Bites-Day today...enjoy!"

MY BEST PIZZA

2008-07-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Okay, here is my favorite pizza...I used to order it from Smokehouse while I was in college...ooh, so delicious, and here is my take on it. The ingredients may seem a little vague. Use your favorite crust recipe or ready-made and your favorite pizza sauce (I've always just mixed stuff together until it's flavorful enough, but found a great one from The Daily Bite, my favorite recipe blog, so I'll post it later). I usually just get one of those crust mixes from Wal-Mart because if I wait for crust to rise after we get home from work, we're not eating until 10 o' clock! Use as much or as little spinach as you want, depending on how much you like spinach. As far as the artichokes, use whatever size jar you want. Just remember how delicious and juicy those artichokes are! Basil - use the fresh stuff! Queso fresco - a recent discovery of mine...I find it near the cream cheese at Wal-Mart, so that may give you an idea where to start looking, and add a lot! Enjoy!"

SALMON CHEESE CASSEROLE

2008-07-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

"i like to make this in the summer because it is made in a crock pot/slow cooker so it doesn't heat your house up. it's also low fat/cal so you don't feel guilt when you eat it. it's delicious!!"

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

2008-07-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

2008-07-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

HOMEMADE POPSICLES

2008-07-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to both Anna and Kim for this one...they were on the same track this month!

ROASTED SALMON

2008-07-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

*Note: Salmon may be grilled to keep down the heat in the house and cucumber sauce may be made with low fat/ fat free sour cream and mayonnaise as a healthy alternative.

...and the CUCUMBER SAUCE

2008-07-08T15:24:00.001-07:00

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

2008-07-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

"This is awesome! I apologize because I don't have a link to where I found it...somewhere online, but I went back to try and search it I found about a million of this same recipe, so...this is supposed to be like the "Alice Springs Chicken" at Outback Steakhouse, and it's delish! I love slathering it in the honey mustard...mmmm, good! Most recipes actually call for bacon, but since I was creating this for myself, I left it out...I also added onions to my mushrooms, which I would highly recommend!"

HEALTHY Summer Meals - JUNE

2008-06-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

All right, gals, here's June's theme. Summer is here. And hot. Everyone feels sticky and sweaty and...well, you get the idea. So let's get healthy again. If you do weight-watchers, or southbeach, or any of the diets, send in one of those healthy-low-point-low-whatever-happens-to-be-bad-for-you-but-still-tastes-good recipes. If you're not into that, another idea: nobody likes to turn on the oven in the summertime, so if you know a good no-bake or bake-ahead dinner, send that recipe instead!

Send to me by the end of June.

WHIPPED CREAM GOODNESS

2008-06-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

"This is so yummy and goes great with a BBQ....I call it whipped cream goodness or I think it is whipped cream jell-o salad or something like that. The cottage cheese is optional---but its sooo good, you should try it at least."
-Kim (UT)

MARINADE TO DIE FOR

2008-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

"Here is my BBQ recipe for this month, I hope you enjoy it!" -Sarah (WA)

LIME SHERBET TREAT

2008-06-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

"my may recipe is perfect for all those pregnant friends and family of yours! i CRAVE it when prego. This is perfect for a hot summer's day treat and the secret flavor is in the macaroons, so no graham crackers!!!"
-Andrea B. (UT)

Lemon Apple Coleslaw

2008-06-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

"Here is a BBQ recipe that I like. I usually half it because it seems to make sooo much. I like the nice refreshing taste."
-Vickie (NM)

Baked Spinach Dip

2008-06-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

"I invented this recipe for a friend's baby shower. She is a real health nut and doesn't even eat sugar so I was trying to avoid all the sour cream and mayo-type of spinach dip recipes. This one is great! And, the yogurt kind of makes you feel like it's somewhat healthier. It was actually hard for me to write it down though because I don't ever measure anything so I'm sure I do it a bit different every time I make it. So it's not a scientific recipe and feel free to add or take away anything you want. People always love it when I bring to a party or cookout!"
-Suzanne (AR)

BabyBack Ribs

2008-06-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

"This recipe comes courtesy of my sister in law, McKell. Very easy to make, extremely messy to eat, and, oh, so good!! We usually do pork ribs, but you can do whatever... "
-Andrea (TX)

BBQ/Summer/Picnic Foods - MAY

2008-06-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming! Let the BBQs begin! Send in any recipe that you love for use at BBQs, picnics, potlucks, etc. Some ideas: favorite marinades for different types of meat or vegetables, any homemade BBQ sauce, side dishes, picnic drinks, or a light summer dessert recipe! (In case you haven't noticed, this is pretty much a free-for-all. So send whatever!)

Thanks!

TART LIME TART

2008-06-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

SALSA VERDE

2008-06-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

SALSA VERDE

2008-06-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

EASY REFRIED BEANS

2008-06-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

PIZZA DOUGH

2008-06-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

MONTEREY FRUIT CUP

2008-06-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

MEXICAN PIZZA

2008-06-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

MEXICAN PIZZA

2008-06-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

2008-06-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2008-06-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

CILANTRO LIME SALSA

2008-06-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

BIG KAHUNA BURRITO

2008-06-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA

2008-06-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

TORTILLA SOUP

2008-06-05T09:30:00.001-07:00

7 LAYER BEAN DIP

2008-06-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

"CINCO DE MAYO" - April

2008-06-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

So we’re going Mexican! If you have any main dishes that you love, send those! We’re also looking for dips, appetizers, side dishes or virgin drinks. (I know it’s not REAL Mexican, but does anyone have a secret recipe for the delicious lemon rice or tomatillo dressing from Café Rio? I would LOVE to have those!). Ole! Ole!

TACO SALAD

2008-06-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

PASTA CHICKEN SALAD

2008-06-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

GREEN JELL-O SALAD

2008-06-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

CHICKEN SALAD

2008-06-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

ORIENTAL CABBAGE SLAW WITH CHICKEN

2008-06-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

BROCCOLI SALAD

2008-06-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

BOWTIE PASTA SALAD

2008-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

BLACK BEAN & CORN SALAD

2008-06-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

APPLEBEE'S ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

2008-06-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Calling for Salads! - March

2008-06-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

The weather is getting a little bit warmer…people are starting to think about working out and getting in shape, swimsuits (blech!) so we’ll try and take a bit of a healthy route this month. (At least in theory!) Send in your favorite salad recipe…as with every month, don’t limit yourself…think big…fruit salads, vegetable salads, pasta salads, main course salads, potato salads, you name it!

SUGAR COOKIES

2008-06-03T14:20:00.001-07:00

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2008-06-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

CHEDDAR BREAD

2008-06-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

CARAMEL POPCORN

2008-06-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

CRUNCHY TOSSED SALAD

2008-06-03T13:03:00.001-07:00

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

2008-06-03T13:02:00.001-07:00

FEBRUARY FAVORITES

2008-06-03T12:58:00.001-07:00

All right, folks, Month One of "Helping Alison to become a Better Cook and Achieve at Least One New Year's Resolution". I mean, the Recipe Exchange.

We're going to start with something easy since I'm getting it to you a little late...and since it's our first one.
YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE. Easy, right? Just email me one of your favorite recipes before the first of March. It can be anything...a dessert, a salad, your Mom's roll recipe, an appetizer or an entree for special occasions. Whatever floats your boat. Send a picture if you can get one, along with any background you feel like (where you got the recipe, variations you've tried, problems you had, etc.). Then I will (promptly) get it all in one file, and email it out to everyone else. Voila! You'll have ten new recipes to try out, practically overnight!
Thanks, everyone! I can't wait to see what everyone sends in!