Asian Beef and Noodle Bowl Filed under ( beef, main dishes, pasta, presto pasta nights, veggies )

My interest in food is still pretty new. Back when I was first married my cart was mostly filled with frozen TV dinners, and boxed meals. Every once and a while I would get all romantic and make my man spaghetti, but that was about the extent! And being poor college students (which we still are!), we felt like it was very important that we buy the biggest crate of ramen noodles we could find. I know, bless our hearts! That huge crate sits in our closet still (can it really go bad?) and I maybe pull one out for my kids about once every six months. I can't bring myself to just throw it out, wasting food is such an abomination in my mind, I wouldn't be able to sleep for days!

So, I was pretty happy to find this recipe, calling for ramen noodles! I like it a lot because you DON'T use the salt laden flavor packet, and it includes a lot of wonderful healthy ingredients like spinach and carrots. You could really mix this recipe up and use chicken, shrimp or even tofu. My kids liked it a lot too, BONUS!

I'll be submitting this to Reeni for Pasta Presto Nights!

Asian Beef and Noodle Bowl
Adapted From Better Homes and Gardens, 30 Minute Meals

Ingredients

4 cups water
2 packages ramen noodles
2 teaspoons chili oil, or any oil plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I didn't even bother with the heat)
12 oz beef flank steak or top round steak, trimmed and cut into bite sized strips
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups fresh torn spinach
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large saucepan bring the water to boiling. If desired, break up noodles, drop noodles into the boiling water. (Save or discard flavor packets). Return to boiling, boil for 2-3 minutes or until noodles are tender but still firm, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles, set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, ginger, and garlic; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until beef has reached desired doneness. Carefully stir beef broth and soy sauce into skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.

3. Add spinach, carrot, cilantro, and cooked noodles, to skillet; stir to combine. Heat through.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 381 cal, 17g fat, 34mg chol, 2g fiber, 30g carbs

Points per Serving: 9

French Dip Sandwiches Filed under ( beef, cheese, crockpot recipes, main dishes, quick and easy, sandwiches, Soup )

By now most of my friends know that when you have a converation with me, inevitably it's going to be about food. I don't mean for it to happen, it just does, and it makes me so happy! So while having a food conversation with my adorable friend Angela, she mentioned having a homemade French Dip recipe. My husband and I LOVE French dip, but I admit that I've only ever done it with packaged au jus and not from scratch. So when I got the recipe, I was thrilled to discover that I had EVERY single ingredient to put this together. Hallelujah, don't you love that!

This literally takes about five minutes, if that, to throw together in your crockpot, and then you get to smell it brewing all day. I was so excited to eat it that night. I used hamburger buns because it's what I had and, but normally I would probably make this on a hoagie or kaiser roll. I toasted the buns with some really sharp provolone, which was the perfect compliment to the savory meat. My kids also really loved it, which doesn't happen all the time. They thought it was so fun to dip their sandwiches in the "soup" and at once point my daughter wanted to just drink it! Angela suggests adding an onion soup mix to the mix, which I will definitely do next time I make this! I could really go on and on about this sandwich, so you're just going to have to try it for yourselves!

French Dip Sandwiches
Thanks Angela!

Ingredients

1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast (Mine is often smaller than this, 2-3 pounds works fine too. And I usually cut it into a few pieces so it will cook faster/better.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used minced garlic)
2-3 cups beef stock or water
package of onion soup mix (optional)
French Bread or Rolls for sandwiches

Directions

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water (i used beef stock) to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender (mine completely fell apart after sitting on high for seven house, mmmm).

Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.
(Sometimes I'll make up some beef broth & mix it with the remaining broth if I want more dipping sauce.)

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, Soup, veggies )

This is it, the final day before the biggest dinner of the year! Is everyone ready? Are we? NOOO! Fortunately our dinner is being split amongst three families, so at least I'm not procrastinating the entire dinner! Truth be told, we were about to head to Costco for some last minute shopping, but my poor little girl is suffering from a pretty bad stomach ache. I'm hoping she feels better soon, especially for tomorrow!

This is a recipe I found on Pam's site, For the Love of Cooking. I know you've been to her page, it's fantastic! I pretty much want to make every recipe she posts. This soup was a real crowd pleaser and definitely something that I'll be making often. It's hearty and healthy, with fantastic flavor. The recipe instructs you to cook it in the oven, but I cooked it on the stove top for quite a few hours and it was fantastic. Give it a try!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving friends! I'll be looking forward to hearing how your holiday was!

Teresa

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad Filed under ( beef, cheese, light recipes, main dishes, salad )

Salads are definitely one of my favorite everyday meals. But if I'm going to have a salad, especially for dinner, it has to be something that's going to sustain me, keep me full and have lots of flavor. And here it is.

This salad is so rich and meaty that even my husband was able to eat it without complaining that all he's eaten is "rabbit food." The smoky steak, and crumbled pungent Gorgonzola are rounded off perfectly with a slightly sweet Dijon vinaigrette. It's very rich, but not overwhelming, a perfect dinner.

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad
Cooking Light September 2009

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 pound lean sirloin steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (i used a flavored rice vinegar, i liked the sweetness)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon EVOO
6 cups torn Bibb lettuce (I used romaine)
3/4 cup thinly sliced, peeled cucumber
1 cup thinly sliced red pepper strips (i did tomato instead)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

Directions

1. Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; rub evenly over both sides of steak.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add stead to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn steak over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Place steak on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across grain into thin slices.

3. Combine vinegar, mustard, remaining salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, and shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad; toss gently to coat. Top salad with steak and cheese.

Serves 4: 1 1/2 cups salad, 3 oz steak and 2 TB cheese

Per Serving: 269cal, 12.4g fat, 9.4g carb, 2.6g fiber, 57mg chol

Points per Serving: 6

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce Filed under ( beef, chicken, grill, light recipes, main dishes, meat, quick and easy )

Sadly, I believe that our grilling days are just about over for now. Our apartment does not allow grills, so we had to take ours to a better place. The one thing that consoled me was that summer is over, and grilling is not the primary way to cook anymore. I will still miss my grill all the same...a moment of silence please.

And now onto the food. I love BBQ sauce, but I just don't think you can beat the homemade stuff, especially when it's made like this. The base is balsamic vinegar, which makes it a very tangy dipping sauce, but comes out so sweet and gooey when grilled right onto the meat. You can't go wrong. And the good news is you can do it in your oven too, so don't let the cool weather get in the way of having fabulous BBQ chicken or steak!

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
By Giada DiLaurentiis

Ingredients

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken or steak:
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

For BBQ Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken or steak:
Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Adobo Flank Steak with Summer Corn and Tomato Relish Filed under ( beef, food tip, grill, light recipes, veggies )

This was a really fun and different way to make steak. The marinade is full of smoky flavor and the corn relish adds a freshness and sweetness that balances the dish out perfectly. I would even make the corn relish as a side dish. In my opinion this will come out the very best if you use all fresh ingredients, including fresh corn on the cob and fresh red peppers roasted yourself. Also, be aware before making this that you will want to marinade the steak overnight.

Adobo Flank Steak with Summer Corn and Tomato Relish
Slightly adapted from Cooking Light Healthy Summer Grilling

Ingredients

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 (1 1/4lb) flank steak, trimmed

RELISH:
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped roasted bell peppers
2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Combine first nine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, scraping sides and occasionally. Combine steak and marinade into ziplock bag and marinade for 24 hours. Discard bag and marinade.

2. Prepare Grill

3. Place steak on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

4. To prepare relish, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in tomato and next 4 ingredients. Serve with steak. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

Serves: 5 (3 oz steak with 1/2 cup relish)

Per Serving: 303 cal, 14.9g fat, 25g prot, 16.5g carb, 2.7g fiber

Points per serving: 7

I think I saw Rachael Ray do this, but for an easy way to cut your corn off the cob without getting corn everywhere, but a small bowl inside a big bowl. Use the small bowl to prop your corn off, and then the big bowl catches it. Cool huh! It will save you from a mess.

Nacho Beef Bake Filed under ( Beans, beef, cheese, light recipes, main dishes, pizza )

One of my favorite things about cooking is all the exciting things there are out there to try. New ingredients, new cooking techniques, new experiences. It's so fun, but it's also nice to come back to what's familiar and what you know will be delicious.

That's exactly how I felt when I saw this recipe. With it's flaky crescent roll crust, flavorful taco meat, and melty cheese topping, how could you go wrong? I loved it before I even bought the ingredients for it, and my family loved it too. The best part is that it came from my Healthy edition of Taste of Home, so I didn't have to feel as though this comfort dish was going to make me any less comfortable in the waistline!

Nacho Beef Bake
Slightly Adapted from Taste of Home, Healthy edition May/June edition

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 tubes refrigerated low-fat crescent rolls
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
chopped lettuce
chopped cilantro
chopped tomato
chopped avocado

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, water and taco seasoning; mash slightly. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until heated through; set aside.

2. Unroll crescent dough and press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; seal seams and perforations. Spoon beef mixture over dough. Spread sour cream over beef mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with lettuce, tomato, avocado and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Baked Spaghetti Filed under ( beef, cheese, main dishes, pasta, sauces )

I just love a baked pasta. It's bubbly, it's gooey, and the noodles have soaked up all that delicious flavor. Ah, it's heaven in a dish!

I don't make spaghetti that much because, even though I really like it, I like to save it as a bake up dish when I've completely run out of food, energy, or creativity. But when I saw this recipe on Mommy's Kitchen, I knew it was time to pull out the beef and noodles! I adapted this recipe a bit, but make sure you check out the original one at Tina's blog too, she's got some awesome stuff!

I made this with my own spaghetti sauce that I posted a long time ago.

Baked Spaghetti
Adapted from Mommy's Kitchen

Ingredients

9 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 batch spaghetti sauce
2 tablespoons either olive oil or basil oil (basil infused olive oil)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions


Heat oven at 375. Prepare spaghetti sauce according to directions. Toss noodles with oil and Parmesan cheese. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray and arrange noodles in pan. Pour spaghetti sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.



I would also like to send a huge thank you out to Kathy at Three On Food and Katherine at Smoky Mountain Cafe for this adorable award.


These are the guidelines for the award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

So here it goes:

1. My passion for food is a fairly new one. It wasn't until I was on maternity leave with my second baby that I discovered the Food Network channel. Ina Garten was the first TV chef I watched and I immediately fell in love. Shortly after that I became very excited about trying new things.

2. I've always prided myself on being a very non-picky eater, but to my dismay, I've realized that there are a few things I just can't get myself to like. Goat cheese, tofu (at least when I prepare it), and ricotta being the biggest ones.

3. I'm pretty much always on a diet, which means that when you see me diving headfirst into a plate of cookies, I'm cheating.

4. Standing at 5'0 I've always had the ability to make everyone feel very tall. Luckily, being short has never bothered me.

5. Even though I've been a stay-at-home mom for two years, I still feel like I'm getting the hang of it. Sometimes I wonder if that feeling ever goes away.

6. I am enjoying every minute of living in the east. I don't honestly know how long we'll be out here, but we're having a lot of fun with our new experiences.

7. I can't wait to have my dream kitchen. It may not be for a long time, but I think all the time about how I want to build my kitchen when I get the chance. It gets a bit bigger everytime lol!

And I'd like to pass this on to:
1. Sophia at Burp and Slurp
2. Sara at Sara in the Kitchen
3. Alissa at Spunky Girl Eats
4. Barbara at Barbara Bakes
5. Denise at Keeper Worthy Recipes
6. Reeni at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
7. Aggie at Aggie's Kitchen

I also want to thank Emaline at The Open Pantry for this lovely award:


I'd like to pass this on to:
1. Sarah at Delectable Dining (did I get your name right?)
2. Rachel at Rachel vs Kitchen
3. Itzy at Itzy's Kitchen
4. Judy at Judy's Kitchen

Whew! Congratulations ya'll and keep on cookin!

Grilled Steak with Avocado-Lime Salsa Filed under ( beef, grill, light recipes, main dishes, veggies )

A few weeks ago I won my very first giveaway from my friend Dar over at Girlichef, check her out, she's awesome! I was so excited, and I got such a fun product, this green chile infused sea salt.

Being the curious gal that I am, I couldn't resist but dip my finger in there and try it out, what a flavor! The heat and fullness completely pop right out of that salt, I couldn't wait to use it in a meal!

So I used it in this, and it was a hit all around the table. The steak had a wonderful bold flavor, which was balanced perfectly by the delicate avocado salsa. The only advice I have is to go easy on the salt when flavoring your salsa, the steak will already be so rich and you won't need a lot of extra salt to keep the flavor. Plus I think the avocados and tomatoes stand pretty well on their own.

Grilled Steak with Avocado-Lime Salsa

Adapted from Cooking Light June 2009

Ingredients

Steak:

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons grated lime rind

1/2 teaspoon salt, or green chili infused sea salt

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (I didn't have any, so I just used more chili powder)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 medium sized steaks of your liking

Salsa:

1 cup diced peeled avocado

3/4 cup finely chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt, or green chili infused sea salt

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tobasco) I didn't use this on account of my young'ns

Directions

1. To prepare steak, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub chili powder mixture evenly over steaks. Cover and chill an hour (don't coat the steaks too heavily, just a light layer over each side, otherwise it will be too strong).

2. Prepare grill to medium high heat.

3. Place steak on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain in thin slices.

4. To prepare salsa, combine avocado and next seven ingredients (through pepper sauce) in a medium bowl. Cover each steak with generous helping of salsa and dig in!

Gorgonzola Burgers Filed under ( beef, cheese, main dishes, quick and easy, sandwiches )

Isn't Gorgonzola grand? Honestly, it just might be my favorite cheese, of course, name any other cheese, and you're likely to get the exact same sentiments!

I loved these burgers, they were so juicy and full of flavor, just look at all of those chunks of Gorgonzola!


On my bun, rather then mayo, I spread a nice layer of avocado on each side. A little salt and pepper, a little more Gorgonzola for good measure, and VOILA! Of course, a nice slice of tomato and red onion would have been magical too, but someone (me) was too lazy to fetch them at the market. Fortunately this will not be the last time I make these burgers!


Gorgonzola Burgers

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (I like to use lean, but any fat percentage would be fine)
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 cup crumbled Gorganzola cheese, and extra to sprinkle on top
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns
avocado
red onion
tomato

Directions

Combine beef, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, cheese, garlic and salt and pepper until completely combined (just dig in with your hands, don't be shy). Shape into four equally sized patties. With these particular burgers I liked it grilled well done, so that the meat is cooked through and cheese is melty. Place in bun, add condiments, most importantly your extra Gorganzola! Enjoy!

Dinner with The Sister's Cafe Filed under ( beef, cheese, chicken, main dishes, meat, Mexican food, tortillas )

If you've never visited the Sister's Cafe before, you are missing out. They were actually one of the very first food blogs I had discovered when joining this new world of food bloggers and I've been in love with them ever since. I don't think they've ever posted anything that didn't look good to me. Here are two things that I've recently made from their blog.

My husband lives for his meatloaf. He requests it often and it's what he gets for his birthday every year. I like it okay, but it's not necessarily anything I crave. However, I CRAVE this meatloaf. It's made of half turkey, half beef and is full of all sorts of goodies like sour cream and a box of stuffing! It's insanely easy to put together, but it makes a lot, so be sure to half it if you only want one. Check out the recipe here.

These Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas we made a while ago, and they've been our favorite enchiladas since. I prefer the green sauce when it comes to enchiladas, which is what this recipe uses. However, it also adds a fabulous spin by coating your chicken in a deliciously sweet honey lime sauce, giving the whole dish a burst of delicious flavor. They are also wonderful light and healthy. Go check them out here.


Thanks for all of the fabulous recipes ladies, keep them coming!

Roast Beef Panini with Caramelized Onions and Butter Cheese Filed under ( beef, cheese, main dishes, panini, sandwiches )

My first panini post, it's about time! My sweet, amazing mom got me a panini press for Christmas after knowing that I was drooling over one for sometime. In all honesty I haven't used it near as much as I should just because I'm still getting acquainted with some good recipes, but it does make a killer grilled cheese for my kids!

This sandwich is very quick and easy and PACKED with flavor. I loved the sweetness of the caramelized onion, with the full flavored cheese and rich roast beef. The cheese that I got was found at Kettle Kitchen Village in Intercourse, PA (that's right Donna, Intercourse, PA, I thought you'd enjoy that!).

Kettle Kitchen is full of food prepared by the Amish community, and oh my gosh do those people know how to cook. The funnest was the cheeses and meats. I picked up some butter cheese at the strong recommendation of my cousin-in-law. It's very delicious and it kind of a cross between provolone and a very sharp cheddar. It's a strongly flavored cheese that is incredibly creamy and melts like a dream. Since I know butter cheese isn't very available though, you could sub with just about any cheese you'd like, Swiss, provolone, fontina, their all fantastic. In fact, the first time I made this, I used Gorgonzola, which was just as tasty.

I got my caramelized onion recipe from my Aunt's blog Sugarbliss...Cookies etc. It's a very easy and delicious way to caramelize your onions, and you can use them in so many ways.

Ingredients (per sandwich)

1 ciabatta roll, or kaiser roll
5-6 slices roast beef
3-4 slices favorite cheese, or 1/8 cup Gorgonzola
1/4 cup caramelized onion

Directions

Assemble sandwich, I like to put the cheese as the middle layer to adhere it all together. Place on heated panini grill and grill until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Filed under ( beef, cheese, light recipes, main dishes, meat, onions, pasta )

Thank you for all the kind words concerning my daughter! She appreciated them too!


Our very first meal here in Philly was, of course, the Philly Cheese Steak. But when you live in Philly, they're not called Philly Cheese Steak, they're just called "steaks." You learn these things. And when you go to the famous Pat's or Geno's, there's a very specific way of ordering them. You can't use a lot of words, and you can't hesitate. You use the term "wit" if you want onions, specify what kind of cheese you want, and you get the heck out of the way, otherwise their is going to be trouble. It's a very serious business.

I LOVE our city's sandwich, especially with bacon, ohmygosh, drippy, greasy goodness. But as you can imagine, when you eat one, it's there to stay, usually right in my thighs, so I don't eat them often.

Instead, it's fun to find substitutes like this, still delicious, still cheesy and flavorful, but a lot nicer to my hips.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta
Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked dumpling or wide egg noodles
1 lb beef boneless sirloin steak, about 3/4 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
14 oz can beef broth
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 11x7 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, remove fat from beef. Cut beef into 3/4 inch pieces. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook beef and pepper in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Stir in onions and bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into baking dish.

3. In medium bowl, beat broth and flour with wire whisk until smooth. Add to skillet; heat to boiling. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens; remove from heat. Stir in half and half and mustard. Spoon over beef mixture. Stir in cooked noodles.

4. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Serves 6: 1 1/3 cups

Per Serving: 260 cal, 5g fat, 2g fiber, 24g prot, 30g carb

Our Philadelphia Family!

Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream Filed under ( Appetizers, beef, cheese, main dishes, party food, sandwiches )

Don't let the simple look of these little sandwiches fool you, they pack a powerful punch!

About two years ago, when my little food blog was but an infant and I wasn't sure if I was going to catch the food blogging bug or not, I posted this appetizer recipe. I had gotten the idea from a Cooking Light magazine, and they were so good that for the past two years I've never completely gotten them out of my head.

I did things a bit different this time and turned these into finger sandwiches instead of toasts, which is how they originally appear in the recipe. For toppings I used roast beef, Gorgonzola cheese, salami and a mixture arugula and spinach. But what really makes these babies pop is the sauce you use to coat both pieces of bread. It's a very simple mixture of sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic and herbs, but the taste is so unique and unforgettable, and absolutely perfect for a whole variety of different toppings. I'm already planning on making myself a nice little panini with the stuff tomorrow! These little sandwiches are perfect for parties, baby or bridal showers, or just those quiet moments when your kids are napping. Hope you enjoy!

Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 loaf soft white or sour dough bread
1 package deli thin sliced roast beef (or preferred meat), cut to fit size of sandwich
1 package salami, cut to fit sandwich
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
handful of spinach and arugula

Herb Cream:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB minced fresh chives
2 TB low-fat mayo
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Directions

Stack bread on top of each other, about four high. Slice in half, and then trim off all crust. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb cream on each slice of bread. Add all ingredients to one slice of bread, and top with the second. Press gently on sandwich and secure with toothpick if desired. The bread will dry out quickly, so keep covered as much as possible until serving.

Portobello Mushrooms and Sirloin Strips over Spinach Pasta Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, meat, mushrooms, pasta )

Life definitely has a sense of humor. My last post I complained about my awful day, which, let's face it, involved a wet bathroom floor and a whiny son. Two days later we ended up in the ER with our daughter who had insane stomach pains. We were admitted, a million tests were done, and nothing could explain why she was in so much pain. The pain lasted for days and was incredibly stressful. Thankfully she's better, back to school and happy as ever. I'll tell you one thing though...

It made my last "bad day" post look like a walk in the park. It was a good lesson to learn, I'll be a lot slower to whine about the everyday inconveniences, that's for sure!

On to the food...

I have this big red cookbook that doesn't have a single picture in it. Being the five year old that I am, I've never used it. If there's not a big pretty picture next to a recipe, how can it possibly be good?

Turns out, it can.

This was a really fun recipe because of how different it was. Tangy sauteed steak and portobello mushrooms over a bed of spinach fettuccine. It was packed with great flavor and very filling. The whole family slurped it up.

Portobello Mushrooms and Sirloin Strips over Spinach Pasta
Adapted from The New American Heart Association Cookbook

Ingredients

12 oz boneless sirloin steak
1/2 cup red wine
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 medium cloves minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, crumbled
12 oz portobello mushrooms, sliced
8 oz dried spinach fettuccine

Directions

Trim all fat off steak, slice into strips.

Combine wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, olive oil and oregano in a large plastic bag. Add mushrooms and beef to marinade. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning often.

Prepare pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for one minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the beef mixture to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. Cook the remaining beef mixture.

Return the reserved beef mixture with any juices to the skillet. Increase the heat to high. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

To serve, spoon the pasta onto plate. Spoon the beef mixture and sauce over the pasta.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 381 cal, 29g prot, 47g carb, 4g fiber, 7.5g fat

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, meat, quick and easy, sauces )

We love steak in this house, and I especially love to pump them full of flavor with a good marinade. I found this recipe in Cooking Light, of course, and the whole family really loved it. The only regret I have is not saving part of the marinade as a dipping sauce, the hubby got to them too fast and I didn't get a chance! So, make sure you save part of the marinade as a dip, and then let me know how it was! AND, if you want a great fried rice recipe to go with it, check out this recipe at Tummy Yummies, it's a winner everytime!

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak
Found in Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 (1 pound) flank steak, trimmed

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup hoisin mixture; spoon remaining mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag, discard marinade.

2. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

3. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill four minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Serves 4: 1 serving is three ounces steak with 1 tablespoon sauce

Per serving: 194 calories, 7.1g fat, 24.5g prot, 6.4g carb, 0.5g fiber, 37mg chol, 1.7mg iron

Points per Serving: 4

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, meat )

Isn't it funny how your tastes change as you get older? When I was younger, the worst words ever uttered from my mom were "we're having meat loaf for dinner." NOOOOOOOO! And the food wars began.

Now I think meat loaf is great, I've made several different kinds, and I make them often. I think that's what I like so much about it, it's so versatile!

The first thing I thought after I made these was how fun they would be for entertaining. I love the idea of everyone getting their own little meat loaf, it feels so welcoming and personalized. Plus, you can't go wrong with a meat loaf that is gushing with cheesy pockets, and full of great flavor. Give these a try, you'll love them!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Cooking Light January 2011

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 256 cal, 11g fat, 28g prot, 11g carb, 0.9g fiber

Have your tastes changed? What kinds of things do you like more/less now that you're older?

Bertolli-Fest! Filed under ( beef, chicken, main dishes, meat, pasta, review, sauces )

Being a Foodbuzz Publisher definitely comes with it's perks. Like when you get to sample sauces like these.

I was given the Four Cheese Rosa sauce and Arrabbiata sauce to do whatever I wanted with. The possibilities are endless, and the sauce was delicious.

The Arrabbiata sauce is probably my very favorite jarred spaghetti sauce I've tried thus far. It's got a very subtle and pleasant heat to it, and is packed with a strong, chunky tomato flavor, which I love. It was put to wonderful use in this cheesy lasagna.


Delicious! I mean, come on, who doesn't love lasagna?

The Four Cheese Rosa sauce was another fun one. I browned four chicken breasts in olive oil, put them in a dish with artichoke hearts and capers and poured the Rosa sauce over all of it. After baking, it was accompanied by a bed of fettuccine and adored by the whole family. The sauce by itself is very good, I love the hint of tomato flavoring in the creamy white sauce, but I loved it even better after being baked in the briny capers and artichoke hearts. The saltiness marinated throughout the whole dish and gave it it's own unique flavor. I highly recommend both dishes, as well as these great Bertolli products!



Creamy Chicken with Capers and Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients

4 medium sized chicken breasts
1 jar Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa sauce
3-4 tablespoons capers
1 jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Parmesan cheese, if desired
2 cups cooked fettuccine noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown each side of chicken breast, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Place chicken in an 8x8 baking dish.

2. Arrange capers and artichoke hearts evenly over chicken. Pour sauce over dish and spread evenly over all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve over fettuccine noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

French Onion Soup Filed under ( beef, bread, cheese, main dishes, onions, Soup )

I have a new love in my life, and he's simply delicious. He's French, very hot and beefy. He also at his best when you keep him full of bread, wine and cheese. I'm totally hooked, and even though I'd rather keep him all to myself, I suppose I'll introduce you...


A few weeks ago I became obsessed with owning a set of French Onion Soup bowls. I'm not really sure why, especially because up until that point I had never actually made French Onion Soup before, and yet, I needed these bowls! Well after a few weeks of online shopping and yearning, I finally got a lucky break at William Sonoma and am a proud owner of French Onion Soup bowls. It's the simple things that keep us happy, right?

Since then I've already lost count how many times I've made myself this luscious soup. It's the best lunch in the world and I really can't get enough. I think what I love about it is that it's so unique. Beefy broth nestling a bed of croutons and a gooey layer of cheese, mmm. What else could you ask for.

I told myself that I was going to try a bunch of different recipes, but truth be told, I can't deviate from Tyler Florence's recipe. It's so easy and delicious, I'm hooked!

French Onion Soup
Tyler Florence

Ingredients

•1/2 cup unsalted butter
•4 onions, sliced
•2 garlic cloves, chopped
•2 bay leaves
•2 fresh thyme sprigs
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
•3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour (I quit doing the flour, it only seemed to make the soup unnecessarily lumpy)
•2 quarts beef broth
•1 baguette, sliced
•1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Family Favorite Meatloaf Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, meat, quick and easy )

You really can't deny the grandness of meatloaf, it's one of those dishes that has been around forever, and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I've made many a meatloaf and up until now I've never had one that has stood out, or made a huge impression, until this one. I know these pictures are underwhelming, but this was SUCH a delicious meatloaf packed with so many mouthwatering flavors. It's also done with a beef, turkey blend which makes it less greasy and a lot lighter. I've never made a meatloaf with horseradish and Dijon mustard before, and I was a bit nervous because usually those flavors tend to overwhelm, but the amount was just enough to give it just a hint of sharpness, but not too much to repel the chill'ns! Our whole family loved this dish, I have zero leftovers to prove it!

Family Favorite Meat Loaf

Taste of Home Healthy Cooking, April/May 2009 edition

Ingredients

1/3 cup egg substitute
1 6oz can tomato paste divided
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, divided
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the egg substitute, 1/2 cup tomato paste, mustard, 1 teaspoon horseradish, oats, soup mix, garlic powder and steak seasoning. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture and mix well.

2. Shape into a loaf and place in a casserole pan or cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Combine the water, sugar, remaining tomato paste and remaining horseradish; spread over meatloaf.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 350, for 40-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165. Drain if necessary.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 250 cal, 10g fat, 763mg sod, 16g carb, 3g fiber, 24g prot.

Points per Serving: 5