Grandma's Kitchen Table

CEiMB: Herbed Chicken Salad

      This week for CEiMB, I made Herbed Chicken Salad (on page 169) from Ellie Krieger's book, Comfort Food Fix. I never get tired of trying new chicken salad recipes.  It's one of my favorite lunches at home and packs up just as easily for carting to work.

      The ingredient list: chicken breast, lemon, salt, pepper, celery, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh chives, and fresh tarragon. 

      The recipe replaces half of the mayo with a half measure of Greek yogurt which lends a lovely tang to the dressing, lightening it up in taste and calories.  I have ample herbs growing this time of year, chives and tarragon being in that lineup, so the addition of those was key to making it have a different taste to what I am used to, the tarragon being a little bit like licorice but not quite, if you know what I mean.  It was wonderful with the chicken and dressing.  Definitely making this one again. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes. click here.

CEiMB: BLT with Avocado Spread

      This week for CEiMB, I made BLT with Avocado Spread (on page 125) from Ellie Krieger's book, Comfort Food Fix. I will also apologize for this less-than-wonderful photo of it all, believe me, BLT sandwiches are not that easy to photograph, if you do better, send me your tips for trying to show the inside ingredients without the outside falling apart into a big mess, I will be eager to hear them.

      The ingredient list: avocado, lemon juice, salt, pepper, bacon, bread, romaine, and tomatoes. 

      This is just your basic Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich with a slight twist:  the avocado spread used in place of mayonnaise.  Of course, Ellie also recommends using whole wheat bread (sorry, the day I made this we had just one Hearty Pepperidge Farm sandwich white loaf in the house) and just 2 slices of nitrate-free bacon for a healthier version. 

      It was a big plus a few years back to learn that avocados were "good" for you, that the fat in them was the "good" fat, etc. because this is an avocado-loving household.  Substituting the good-for-you avocado spread for the not-so-good-for-you mayonnaise seemed liked a fine idea. The spread is easy to make, just mix the avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together and use it as a spread for your sandwich.  One avocado for 4 sandwiches. 

      I am pretty sure I am never going back to mayo on my BLT again...from this day forward: Ellie's Avocado Spread will be my weapon of choice.  It's that good.  Go make one: it's the perfect time of year for it, the tomatoes are glorious.

      To check out other Ellie recipes. click here.

CEiMB: Apple and Spinach-Stuffed Pork Chops with Mustard Wine Sauce

      This week for CEiMB, I made Apple and Spinach-Stuffed Pork Chops with Mustard Wine Sauce (on page 157) from Ellie Krieger's book, Comfort Food Fix. 

     The ingredient list:  onion, apple, garlic, spinach, sauerkraut, pork chops, salt, pepper, flour, turmeric, caraway, Dijon, white wine, and chicken broth. 

     This was delicious, easy to prepare, full of flavor, and that sauce alone is worth the price of the book.  I have made the sauce to use on flank steak, chicken, fish, and the pork chops.  A win every single time.  This entire recipe is packed with flavor and excellent.  Definitely a repeat, I'm not a big pork chop lover, but Mark is, and I have to say, I really did like these very much. (This was a really large pork chop and served 2 people.)

     To check out other Ellie recipes. click here.

CEiMB: Honey-Crisp Oven-Fried Chicken

      This week for CEiMB, I made Honey-Crisp Oven-Fried Chicken (on page 171) from Ellie Krieger's book, Comfort Food Fix.  (You can also find the recipe online here.) 

      The ingredient list:  chicken thighs, buttermilk, Cornflakes cereal, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and honey. 

      There are those who, every once in awhile, need to have a fix of some kind of fried chicken.  Attribute it to my childhood if you will, but about once every other month or so, I go in search of fried chicken.  I do not fry chicken at home as I cannot stand the mess and the hassle and I wouldn't do it often enough to get to be reliably good at making it.  I think it is the crunch factor as the chicken is chicken, so it must be that crunchy outside that is so appealing. 

      This recipe requires no frying.  So it isn't truly fried chicken, but there is that crunch factor that makes this a great substitute.  It's not messy, it's not a hassle, and it's easy and quick.  We really liked the chicken made this way...it was moist, crunchy, crispy, and looked beautiful on the plate...all of that and great tasting.  The spice combination in the coating is spicy with a kick of heat, very nice.  Definitely a repeat.
      To check out other Ellie recipes, click here.

CEiMB: Angel Food Cake with Mango Sauce

      This week for CEiMB, I made Angel Food Cake with Mango Sauce (on page 230) from Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy.  (You can also find the recipe here online.) 

      The ingredient list:  mango, fresh lime juice, sugar, Cointreau or other orange liqueur (optional), and angel food cake. 

      The recipe is fast and easy, especially if you want to buy an angel food cake rather than bake one.  I love fruit desserts like this...and the combination of lime and mango is just sparkly and delicious, sweet and sour all in one, very refreshing.  Definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, click here.

CEiMB: Roasted Pork Loin with Parsley-Shallot Sauce and Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

      This week for CEiMB, I made Roasted Pork Loin with Parsley-Shallot Sauce (on page 198) and Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes on page 268 from Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave.  (You can also click on the recipes to find them online.) 

      The ingredient list for the Pork Loin:  garlic, salt, olive oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and pork loin.  The ingredient list for the Parsley-Shallot Sauce:  parsley, shallot, Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper.  The ingredient list for the Sweet Potatoes:  olive oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, sweet potatoes. 

       Both recipes were delicious and easy enough for a week night.  The sauce looks shockingly green but it compliments the pork so nicely.  I will definitely make that sauce again, it would be nice with chicken as well.  Definitely a repeat as Mark loves pork loin and this was a good recipe for it, the sauce was just wonderful. Oh, I already said that, didn't I? 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Spicy Chicken Fried Rice with Peanuts

      This week for CEiMB, the group made Spicy Chicken Fried Rice with Peanuts from Ellie Krieger's new book, Comfort Food Fix, on pages 174-175.  (You can also find the recipe on Chaya's blog, here, as this was her choice for the group this month.) 

      The ingredient list:  soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, red chili flakes, canola oil, onion, scallions, red bell peppers, garlic, fresh ginger, water chestnuts, cooked chicken, cooked brown rice, and chopped unsalted peanuts. 

      This was a lovely lunch, nice and light without a lot of heavy oils or any greasy feeling left on your tongue (as is often the case with recipes such as this).  It has a real nice hot kick to it with the red pepper flakes and sesame oil.  Very nice.  I did leave the water chestnuts out as we don't care for those, but other than that, the recipe was made as written and worked wonderfully well.  Recipes like this are nice as you can mix them up as far as the veggies you have on hand, etc.  Shrimp would be nice in place of chicken as well.  Definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous; Broccoli with Toasted Garlic

     This week for CEiMB, I chose to make two recipes:  the Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous on page 205 (and online here) and Broccoli with Toasted Garlic on page 249 (and online here) of Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave. 

      The ingredient list for the chicken recipe:  olive oil, chicken breasts, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh spinach, balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and couscous. 

      The ingredient list for the broccoli recipe:  broccoli, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.  

      Time to give another shout out to one of my favorite cooking "help" sites called Eat Your Books.  This site allows you to key in all your own cookbooks and access the recipes in them according to author, book title, or ingredient.  I have had a membership in it for a year now and cannot tell you how many times I go to it each week and how much money it has saved me by quickly finding recipes in my books for me to use up ingredients that I have a portion of that needed to be used up.  This week I had a half a can of tomatoes, a half a bag of spinach, some broccoli, and 2 chicken breasts. 

      I listed my ingredients and the generator kicked up lots of choices.  I settled on this one in a matter of minutes and dinner was on the table in less than a half hour.  Delicious, every single forkful, and lots of Vitamin C as someone (not me) is still trying to kick the end of a cold.

     Definitely a repeat.  To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.    

 

CEiMB: Hearty Beef Stew

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Hearty Beef Stew on page 137 of Ellie Krieger's new book, Comfort Food Fix.  I could not find the recipe online for you, so you'll just need to buy the book and get all the recipes!  It's a very nice book, I am a big fan of Ellie's recipes and style of cooking, so I was more than delighted to find it under the Christmas tree this year.

      The ingredient list:  flour, salt, pepper, paprika, lean stew beef, olive oil, onion, rutabaga or turnip, carrot, russet potato, tomato paste, dry red wine, beef broth, and green peas. 

      In the book she lists the make-over statistics for each recipe, which I always find interesting to read.  While her version was down just 10 calories per portion for the recipe, the sat fat count was reduced from 8g to 3g, the cholesterol count was reduced from 120mg to 50mg, fiber was increased from 4g to 8 g, and sodium was reduced from 1200mg to 340mg.  All of that seems to point the finger in the direction of making this one again, replacing it with my go-to beef stew with just one minor change. 

      The change I would make would be to leave out the flour...the recipe has instructions to coat the meat with flour and then brown it.  I know this adds to the thickness of the stew juices, but I just don't care for that flavoring and gumminess that flours gives (not a lot but I am a bit picky, so it was enough that I didn't like it).  I much prefer to just brown the spiced meat and let the potatoes do their job of adding a bit of thickness by squashing some of them along the way so the starch from them can thicken things up a bit, and if that doesn't seem satisfactory enough, maybe add a little cornstarch or arrowroot, but only just a little.  The potatoes would have worked well here as they were very soft by the time the meat was cooked nicely tender.  Other than that, this is a very good beef stew.  Definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Portobello Lasagna Rollups with Easy Tomato Sauce

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Portobello Lasagna Rollups with Easy Tomato Sauce on pages 152-153 of Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave.  You can find the recipes online here. 

      These were fun to make and they look so cute all done up in their little packages.  This would be a great recipe to make ahead, park in the frig, and then bake in the oven when guests were coming for dinner, or on a busy weeknight.  The portions are large, the book states that each person would get 2 rolls but that is way too much if you are serving a salad and maybe some garlic breadsticks with it, one of the rolls is plenty.  Next time I will adjust the recipe accordingly to figure the portions. 

      The mushrooms were wonderful and one doesn't miss the meat at all.  That said, if meat was desired, you could use a meat sauce rather than just a tomato sauce.  Rather than stand the rolls on end, which was really pretty in the photo in the book, I positioned them on their sides so that they would fit in my baking dish better.  Definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Cherry-Almond-Chocolate Clusters

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Cherry-Almond-Chocolate Clusters on page 214 of Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy.  You can find the recipe online here.  

      Ingredient list:  whole roasted almonds, dried, cherries, and bittersweet chocolate. 

      Mark hasn't had a chocolate treat all week, so I decided to make these as they were quick and easy.  I also had all the ingredients on hand.  The whole thing takes less than five minutes to make, and when dealing with chocolate, I have found that it's best to just get in and out as fast as possible.  It makes 12, 150 calories each, for those of you wondering.  Definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Cheddar-Apple Quesadilla

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Cheddar-Apple Quesadilla on page 26 of Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy.  You can find the recipe online here.  

      Ingredient list:  apple, tortilla, and cheddar cheese. 

      I was looking for a simple easy quick lunch, my eyes landed on this in the book and in about ten minutes I had a delicious lunch.  It's that easy.  And, it's very good.  The melty cheese on the crispy apple is a wonderful combination.  Definitely making this again and again...love recipes that you usually have everything to make it on hand at any time.  This would make a good ball-game watching snack as well.  Why did it take me so long to make this?  (Note: the photo is a little deceptive as this is a small plate and it is one half of one quesadilla, so you can use the whole quesadilla if you are feeding guys with this for snacks.)

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Sirloin Steak with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Parmesan Steak Fries

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Sirloin Steak with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Parmesan Steak Fries on pages 169-170 of Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy.  You can find both of the recipes online here.  

      Ingredient list for steak:  steak, shallots, flour, canola oil, chicken broth, salt, pepper, whole-grain mustard.  The ingredient list for the fries:  potatoes, canola oil, grated Parmesan cheese, and salt. 

      Easy enough, steak and fries.  The fries were quick and baked in the oven and not fried in oil...they were nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which is how we like them. 

      The steak is really just how you like it and then you drizzle on the mustard sauce which is really good.  Really good.  It's made with chicken broth, mustard, and a little flour to thicken it up.  Did I say that this was really good on steak?  This is really good on steak.  I can think of several other things this would be good on as well...chicken, pork, fish, vegetables...I am thinking this is a new "go to" sauce recipe, you know, the kind that you print off and tape to the inside of your kitchen cabinet because that way you don't have to go looking for the book when you want to make it often.  I'll have this one memorized soon, no doubt, mustard-loving family that we are and all.  

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Savory Peach Chicken

      This week for CEiMB, I chose to make the Savory Peach Chicken on page 143 of Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy.  You can find the recipe online here.  

      Ingredient list:  orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, canola oil, boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, chicken broth, peaches, brown rice, almonds, and broccoli spears (I subbed in asparagus as that is what we had on hand at the time). 

      This dish has a definite Chinese-type flavor profile, combined with the fruit, made it a nice change of pace around here as we rarely make things like this.  It came together quickly, so is perfect for a weeknight dinner.  The soy sauce, rice, and asparagus tamed the sweetness of the peaches/orange juice/brown sugar combination nicely.  Definitely worth making again sometime when we are in a chicken-rice-asparagus-Chinese kind of mood. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

      This week for the newly structured CEiMB, yes, the little Ellie group has been reborn and we are now structured a bit differently, I chose to make the Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup on pages 204-205 of Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy. 

      We decided that with our busy lives, etc., it made sense to change the format of the group a bit to lessen the commitment to posting a certain number of times (we now can post at will and leave our links under the week indicated at the main site when we post so that means if you would like to cook along with us occasionally and leave your link, you are more than welcome to do so, just post, link, and you're included), and we are all free to make whichever Ellie recipe we would like to make each week, i.e. free choice!  This way it fits in with family tastes, budgets, desires, and most of all gives us a chance for some fun each week at picking our favorite recipes.  All good.  We are also now posting on Fridays. 

      You can also find the recipe for this Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup online here. 

      Ingredient list:  tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, chicken broth, black beans, cumin, chili powder, hot pepper sauce. 

      I love soup, no surprise that I would head straight for a soup recipe given the first opportunity.  This was good, nice and roasty-tasting from the oven roasted tomatoes and the cumin, a little spicy from the chili powder and hot sauce, just a whole lot of flavor in this soup.  I added a little parsley to pep up the photo a bit, but the soup itself doesn't need a single other thing.  Soup weather is here, this is definitely a repeat. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

A Little Ellie Everyday: Open-Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

      This week for A Little Ellie Everyday, I made the Open-Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich, from Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, found on page 115 and also online here. 

      Do you ever grill chicken breasts and then end up with one or two extra and wonder what to do with them?  Add this recipe to the line-up, it's easy, quick, healthy, and delicious!  We made them on a ballgame-watching night, and while a bit messy to eat (you need a knife and fork), a really nice option for a meal while watching the games....think of it as tailgate food at home. 

      Ingredient list:  cooked chicken breast, marina sauce, fresh spinach leaves, mozzarella cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and Italian bread. 

      To make this a little easier for the guys to eat (Mark wanted a closed sandwich, so I did put a bread top on for him), I think I will shred the chicken next time and mix it in the marina sauce, top with the spinach and the cheeses...kind of like a pulled pork/chicken sandwich, as I think it would be easier to pick up and eat with the hands that way.  Great recipe. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

A Little Ellie Everyday: Greek Salad Pitas with Feta Spread and Turkey

      This week for A Little Ellie Everyday, I made Greek Salad Pitas with Feta Spread and Turkey, from Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, found on page 80.  You can also find the recipe online here. 

      Ingredient list:  feta, yogurt, lemon juice, oregano, grated lemon zest, pepper, whole-wheat pita pockets, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, mint leaves, turkey breast (I used grilled chicken). 

      First let me say that the little sauce is just wonderful, the lemon zest in it really adds a zing to the feta and yogurt and goes so nicely with the pepper and oregano.  Then let me say that it was all very good and a healthier version of some Greek sandwich-type things like this that I have eaten out.  Finally, let me just note that this is way too much for a lunch portion:  after a bite, I pulled the whole thing apart, ate it as a salad with about half of one-half of the pita bread and called it a day. 

      After this, I would cram two-thirds of it into one-half of a pita pocket at best, two half-pockets are a bit much.  At least for my idea of lunch...I wanted to have room for watermelon because, after all, just how long is watermelon going to last with summer fading? 

      It's a good recipe...instead of the other half of the pita bread I would rather toss a couple of grape tomatoes, a black olive or two, and a chopped up scallion into the mix.  Oh, yeah, that would be a great Greek Salad Pita.  To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

A Little Ellie Everyday: Asparagus with Lemon and Tarragon

      This week for A Little Ellie Everyday, I made Asparagus with Lemon and Tarragon, from Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, recipe found on page 252. 

      Quite often when I am searching for a new recipe to make I get caught up in the photos and chose something that has a photo (maybe because I figure I can see where I am going with it), pick a main dish, and call it a day.  Lately I have been trying to remember to look for side dishes to accompany a main dish, something new and different to do with the same old line up of vegetables that we use as side dishes around here. 

      Such was the case when I was searching for a side to go with the shrimp and pasta that I had marked for Wednesday's dinner.  I had asparagus on hand, so I chose this recipe (which I must have passed hundreds of times while looking through the book, it has no photo).  And such a happy outcome as it was light and tasty, perfect with shrimp and pasta. 

      Ingredient list:  asparagus, olive oil, grated lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh tarragon. 

      It's a great little recipe and takes only moments.  The flavors of lemon, tarragon, and asparagus are just wonderful together, a little zip most welcome.    To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

A Little Ellie Everyday: Caesar Salad with Lemon Pepper Shrimp

      The group at CEiMB has been one of my absolute favorites for a couple of years.  Not only do I like Ellie Krieger's recipes, but I love all the ladies that I have come to know through the group and cooking/baking the recipes with them.  Now that Matt is on his way to college and Mark and I are looking at Empty Nest, I am revamping my group participation for the blog-alongs knowing that I can't do so many (Matt can be counted on to put away most anything I cook/bake/make) and that the recipes chosen by a group are not always going to match how Mark and I eat when it is just the two of us here, i.e. I choose recipes where I can buy something and have it serve for a couple different recipes of my choice. 

      School starts back in a couple of weeks, so I will be back at work, and I have decided that I would like the freedom just to chose my own recipes each week for my Ellie selections.  I find myself cooking Ellie's recipes each week, more than one of them a week, and have certain ones I enjoy over and over for lunch.  I also like to buy things at the market when they are on special and in season...so with a great deal of thought, I have decided that I will exit my formal participation in the CEiMB group and continue to cook/bake/make Ellie's recipes (posting some) on my own.  Sigh. 

      I'm just going to call it A Little Ellie Everyday because I use either a recipe or a technique from Ellie every single day, that's how much I like the way she cooks/eats/rolls.  For this week, I was making grilled shrimp for my Twitter Chef Avatar, Rick Bayless, and I knew I could grill extra shrimp a la Ellie and make her Caesar Salad with Lemon Pepper Shrimp from The Food You Crave, page 102, you can also find the recipe online here. 

      Ingredient list:  Shrimp: shrimp, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Garlic-Scented Croutons: French bread, olive oil, garlic, and salt.  Salad:  pasteurized egg, garlic, anchovy paste (I left this out), Dijon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmigiano Regiano, salt, pepper, romaine lettuce, and the croutons and shrimp. 

      This was absolutely delicious, the dressing is a nice combination with just a little tang to it from the lemon juice and mustard, the croutons were tasty yet not saturated in fat like the ones I find at the store in the packages, and it all went together quickly, the shrimp take just minutes to grill.  Definitely something I can do over and over again. 

      To check out other Ellie recipes, you can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread

      The group at CEiMB has decided to post recipes only bi-weekly as everyone gets a bit busy in the week and we were finding that we didn't want to miss recipes, thinking every other week would be easier to manage.  I have to admit, I am a bit behind, so I thought what I might do to catch-up and make some of the ones I missed, is to post on the "off" weeks as well, using those opportunities to post rewinds. 

      Here's my first rewind, and I am a little embarrassed that I did not get this one made/posted as it was my choice for the group, shame on me.  Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread is found in Ellie Krieger's book So Easy on page 34.  And it was, sooooo easy!  Easy is always good, but even better is delicious, and it was that as well. 

      Ingredient list:  cinnamon raisin bread, walnuts, plain Greek-style yogurt, honey, fruit (peach, pear, apple, mango, etc.).  I also sprinkled a little cinnamon on it at the end for the photo as otherwise the pear just looked too boring. 

      The Honey-Walnut Spread can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days so this is really fast because all you need to do is toast the bread, apply the spread, slice some fresh fruit to top it off, and enjoy...it's even portable as you can tote it with you out the door if need be.  Wonderfully fast, easy, delicious, healthy, what more could you ask for in a breakfast food or snack?  Definitely a repeat.  

      Next week's assignment is Soba Noodle/Veggie Salad with Chicken Satay, chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily, and the recipe can be found in Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave on page 139.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Chicken Pepian

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB,   was Chicken Pepian, found on the internet HERE.  The recipe was chosen by my good blogging buddy Bri at Yoshimi vs. Motherhood and is a great find! 

      I had never worked with tomatillos before so I was looking forward from the first mention of this recipe to having something new to try.  Tomatillos are so cute in their little paper wrappers, which you strip off, toss, and then wash their sticky little selves before using.  We roasted those and the poblano pepper (another ingredient I have never used and had fun trying out) to make a sauce for the chicken. 

      Ingredient List:  tomatillos, poblano pepper, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, peppercorns, allspice, cumin, onion, garlic, cilantro (I subbed in parsley instead), chicken broth, jalapeno pepper, salt, chicken, and lime wedges. 

      Oh my goodness this sauce is delicious, tangy, spicy, garlic-infused.  The whole recipe cooks in a short amount of time (probably 30 minutes start to finish) so I can see that I will be making this one again soon, the guys absolutely loved it, and so did I.  (I confess, I was skeptical of offering them chicken in a GREEN sauce as they tend to shy away from green sauced food for some reason, but trust me, this was very, very good, and it gets less green when you cook it.)  If you want it spicier you can play around with that aspect, but for us it was just perfect. I served it on basmati rice with a small garden salad.  Perfect.  Not sure what next's week's recipe is, so it will be a surprise!

CEiMB: Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, was Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, found on pages 210-211 in Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave.  The recipe was chosen by my good friend Margaret at Tea and Scones and is a great find for a weeknight dinner.  You can also find the recipe here.

      Everything cooks in one pan and once you load it up, you stick it in the oven for a total of about an hour with no fuss and very little cleanup. 

      Ingredient List:  Roma tomatoes, zucchini, fennel, olive oil, salt, pepper, chicken, garlic, grated lemon peel, fresh lemon juice, and chopped rosemary.
      The vegetables are perfectly roasted at the end of the time and the chicken is nice and moist.  I had to cook it just a little longer than the recipe stated because Matt picked up the chicken breasts at the store for me and I swear they are the largest chicken breasts I have ever seen...leave it to a man to go for the largest breasts possible, right?  Just saying...

      Thanks, Margaret it was enjoyed by all and we have enough left over for another meal as well!  Next week's assignment is Chicken Pepian, chosen by Bri of Yoshimi vs. Motherhood, and the recipe can be found here.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, was Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto, chosen by Ellie Krieger herself for our group, how cool is that?  It's a brand new Ellie recipe and she gifted it to us to give it a try.  It's really good. 

      I don't usually post recipes here, only internet links provided by the cookbook authors, but Ellie put the recipe on our CEiMB site where anyone can view it, so I am including this one for you here.

      I followed the recipe as written, she gives the option of using ripe plum tomatoes or a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, I chose to do the can of fire-roasted as plum tomatoes in the markets right now are not all that great and the fire-roasted tomatoes in the can are wonderful.  Other than that, I used all the same ingredients and all the same measurements and the result was delicious. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto

Olive oil cooking spray
1 1/3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and quartered (about 6 medium) or 1 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 pound Whole Grain Spaghetti (note: I like Barilla)

If using fresh tomtatoes, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes on the tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they are soft and slightly charred. When the tomatoes are nearly done, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a medium dry skillet, toast the almonds over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the garlic and process until they are finely ground. Add the roasted or canned tomatoes, basil, vinegar and pepper flakes to the processor. As the processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Add the parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt and pulse to combine.

Add the pasta to the water and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain and return the pasta to the pasta pot or to a serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Season with additional salt to taste. Serve garnished with whole basil leaves.

Makes 6 servings
Serving size: 1 ¼ cups

Prep time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 36 minutes

      I hope you give it a try because it is easy, healthy, and very very good.  We all enjoyed it and it will be making the regular rotation around here in the future.  This was such fun to have a new recipe from the author.  Thank you, Ellie! 

      Next week's assignment is Muesli Parfaits, chosen by Sarah of Sarah's Kitchen Adventures, on page 36 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Sage-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Apple Slaw

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy, was Tuna Noodle Casserole, chosen by Peggy of Pantry Revisited and found on page 191 of Ellie's So Easy book.  You can find the recipe here.  I didn't make it, sorry, but we are not tuna fans here and when I polled the crew they shot it down.  I promise to make your next choice, Peggy, really, I do. 

      So instead, I made a rewind of a recipe that had been made before I joined the group:  Sage-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Apple Slaw, from Ellie's The Food You Crave book, pages 194-195.  You can find the recipe here. 

      Mark loves pork chops, the rest of us are rather so-so on them, but I knew he would enjoy these, and he did like them quite a lot.  The recipe is easy, the greatest amount of time is spent chopping  the apple, carrot, cabbage for the slaw and that wasn't bad at all.  The warm slaw part was delicious, tangy and nice from the cider vinegar.  Definitely a repeat for Mark, he even took leftovers in his lunch the next day. 

      Next week's assignment is Wheat Berry Salad, chosen by Leslie of Lethally Delicious, on pages 68-70 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Crispy Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Sauce

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy, was Crispy Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Sauce, chosen by Jennifer of The Rookie Baker and found on page 200 of Ellie's The Food You Crave book.  You can also find the recipe here. 

      These were fun and easy and quite good actually, a nice bit of tender white chicken breast covered with a crispy coating.  The sauce was tangy with the mustard, which we loved as we are definitely a mustard-loving family. 

      I followed the recipe just as Ellie wrote it and was happy with the results.  I would change just one thing the next time I make this, and that is that instead of baking them on a spray-coated baking tray, I would put them on a wire rack on a baking tray and cook them that way as the tops were nice and crispy doing it on the baking sheet, but the bottoms were not, so I'm thinking doing it on a wire rack on top of the tray would give it a crispy coating all the way around the chicken. 

      This is a nice recipe for snacking while watching ballgames or for lunch or dinner, easy, fast, delicious.  Definitely a repeat. 

      Next week's assignment is Waldorf Chicken Wrap, chosen by Peggy of Pantry Revisited, on page 84 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Savory Chinese Chicken Salad

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy, was Creamed Spinach chosen by Liz of The Not So Skinny Kitchen.  You can find the recipe here. 

      The photo above is obviously not the creamed spinach that Liz chose, and apologies to Liz as we do eat spinach uncooked and even ever so slightly wilted, but creamed spinach is not a happening thing around here because no one will eat it and the guys rebel at even the smell of it, so instead I made the Savory Chinese Chicken Salad recipe from Ellie's The Food You Crave book, pages 110-111, chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily and you can find that recipe here.  (Liz, I promise to make the next recipe you choose, okay?)

      This recipe was chosen a couple of weeks ago and I didn't get it done that week, so figured I would sub it in this week.  I didn't plan on subbing in the photo, however.  The photo above is from Ellie's book because while I made this dish and did nice photos of it, my photo card split in two and the photos were lost after the salad was already eaten for lunch (fortunately I had downloaded all the other photos on that card previously and didn't lose all those).  Anyway, I hijacked Ellie's photo and want to say that mine looked pretty much like that minus the water chestnuts as I did not use those...I can only get canned ones here and they always taste like the can, very tinny, so I just don't use those. 

      The salad was easy and tasted wonderful...the dressing was something I will make time and again for salad and summer roll dipping sauce as it was very good, a little bit of heat from the Sriracha was nice.  Definitely a repeat. 

      Next week's assignment is Crispy Chicken Fingers, chosen by Jennifer of The Rookie Baker, on page 200 of Ellie's book The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Blueberry Coffee Cake

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy book, was Blueberry Coffee Cake chosen by Bri of Yoshimi vs. Motherhood.  You can find the recipe here. 

      I tune in to all of Bri's entries as she has just become that sort of friend, always love to hear what is going on over there and what she is whipping up in her kitchen.  She makes things for her groups and then she also ventures out and makes things that just take her fancy.  Although this sounds like a weird reason to like someone's blog, I like the fact that Bri has certain things foods she or her family just do not like so she often substitutes so I learn a lot from all her experiments/research on what does and what doesn't work when one is substituting.  Each week I learn something new, what a deal!
      This little blueberry cake was delicious and so very easy to make.  I did need to bake it for about 15 minutes longer than the recipe stated, but that could be due to the differences in ovens. 

      We all loved it and Mark took it in with his lunch for a couple of days as well.  The fresh blueberries baked up nicely in this, I served it warm out of the oven and they just melted into each bite.  Definitely a repeat. 

      Next week's assignment is Creamed Spinach, chosen by Liz of The Not So Skinny Kitchen, on page 175 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Aromatic Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy book, was Aromatic Beef Stew with Butternut Squash chosen by me.  You can find the recipe on page 176 or here. 

      When I learned it was my turn to choose a recipe for the group I figured I would chose one that still fell into the "winter" category as we are still having cold weather here, something that would appreciate a good soup or stew for instance.  As of late I have been expanding my cooking repertoire to include Indian food with the help/guidance of Leslie and Margaret, so when I saw the ingredients for this stew, I knew this would be a great choice along those lines as well. 

      The spicing in this stew is wonderful.  Here's what you need:  stew beef, olive oil, onion, ginger, garlic, butternut squash, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, whole-wheat couscous, almonds, and parsley (optional). Once you have these you can click on the above link to find the full recipe and directions. 
      We all loved this stew.  I made it according to the directions with the same ingredients, and the only variation that I incorporated was that I stuck it all in my crockpot on high for four hours.  It was perfectly done and the flavors had combined wonderfully well.  I also liked the tenderness of the beef from cooking it at that temperature for that long.  This will definitely be making an appearance regularly in the stew rotation here.

      Next week's assignment is Ellie's Savory Chinese Chicken Salad, chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily, on page 110 of Ellie's book The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Banana Splits with Pineapple-Brown Sugar Topping

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's So Easy book, was Banana Splits with Pineapple-Brown Sugar Topping chosen by Shandy of Pastry Heaven.  You can find the recipe on page 227 or here. 

      Mark loves dessert, no matter what we have for dinner, he always likes a little something sweet to finish off the meal.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy, or a lot of it, just a little something to end the day.  These little banana splits of Ellie's were perfect.  They were easy to make with ingredients we have on hand always, and definitely fit the "little bit sweet" to end tonight's meal.  We all enjoyed them and they will definitely be a repeat.  Thanks, Shandy, another Ellie hit!

      Next week's assignment is Aromatic Beef Stew with Butternut Squash, chosen by me, on page 176 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Four Cheese Baked Penne

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's recipes online at FN Tv, was Four Cheese Baked Penne chosen by Lindsay of 71 Cookbooks.  You can find the recipe here. 

      We are a pasta-loving family, I think I might have mentioned that before once or twice.  Always happy to see pasta show up in the rotation for the cooking groups as I know the guys will be happy trying out a new recipe. 

      This recipe did not disappoint, it was very good and if I didn't know it was reduced in calories, I would not have been able to specifically say it was as it was absolutely satisfying and delicious.  The spices/herbs called for are a great combination of flavors, and the chili flakes give it a nice little kick of flavor, most welcome and delighful.  Definitely a repeat. 

      Next week's assignment is Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage, chosen by Sarah of Sarah's Kitchen Adventures, on page 158 of Ellie's book So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Fettucine with Creamy Red Pepper Feta Sauce

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's recipes online at FN Tv, was Fettucine with Creamy Red Pepper Feta Sauce chosen by Jess of Learning to Love Vegetables.  You can find the recipe here. Thanks, Jess, this was a very good choice for this pasta-loving family.

      This week's recipe is certainly easy, all you have to do is boil the fettucine, and make the red pepper feta sauce with jarred red peppers, chicken broth, olive oil, onion, garlic, feta, a little salt & pepper. 

      When the pasta is ready, toss the pasta in it, top it with some crumbled feta and parsley.  It's that simple. 

      The taste is light and refreshing and the feta really shines, so splurge on a good feta for this.  Definitely a repeat, it was delicious. 

      Next week's assignment is Four Cheese Baked Penne, chosen by Lindsay of 71 Cookbooks.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Vanilla Spice Oatmeal

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was Vanilla Spice Oatmeal chosen by Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet.  Mary is just a whole lot of fun, if you haven't visited her blog before, you must do so soon, always something good going on over there.  You can find the recipe on page 39 of the book or here. 

      This oatmeal is absolutely delicious and takes very little time to throw together, so there is absolutely no reason for you not to give it a go soon. 

      It is wonderful as written, but I can also think of other ways to change it up and have it stay true to the concept...simply switching out raisins for dried cranberries, using almonds instead of pecans...it can go on and on.  Such a nice thing to have on a cold snowy morning like we had today.

      Next week's assignment is Fettucine with Creamy Red Pepper  Feta Sauce, chosen by Mary of Learning to Love Vegetables.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars chosen by Heide of Chez Zero.  You can find the recipe on page 40 of the book or here. 

      These bars mix together quickly and bake for just 30 minutes, so in no time at all you can have a homemade granola type bar with a nice fresh taste for bigger savings economically than buying commercial pre-packaged brands.  They are good, nice and flavorful with the fruit flavors, the nuts add a nice crunchiness, and overall they are a bit chewy in texture, quite nice all the way around. 

      Next week's assignment is Vanilla Spice Oatmeal from Ellie's book So Easy, on page 39, chosen by Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Beef and Mushroom Barley Soup

       The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was Beef and Mushroom Barley Soup chosen by Jennifer of The Rookie Baker.  Great choice, Jennifer, this was really good!  You can find the recipe on page 89 of the book or here. 

      We got to make soup again this week, lucky me as I love making soup and eating soup.  It's always just so nice to sit down to a bowl of steaming hot soup, especially this time of year with the cold dark nights over the dinner hour.  You can click on the link and get the recipe, list of ingredients, and directions for how to make it, so I will just leave you to do that.  I will say, this recipe is definitely going to be making frequent appearances around here...we all enjoyed it.

      Next week's assignment is Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars from Ellie's book So Easy, on page 40, chosen by Heide of Chez Zero.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: White Turkey Chili

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was White Turkey Chili chosen by Leslie of Lethally Delicious.  Great choice, Leslie, it was excellent!  You can find the recipe on page 189 of the book, on Leslie's site, or here. 

      We are a chili-loving family in cold weather.  I think I could make chili once a week and the guys would be totally happy, never tiring of it.  That said, I was a little nervous making this and calling it "chili" because to them, "chili" is ground beef and red sauce/red beans with a whole lot of chili pepper and chili powder.  Yep, that's "chili" around here. 

      This recipe isn't red at all.  It's made with ground turkey breast, onion, celery, peppers, and hominy...something I have never eaten before and am now asking myself why I haven't...it's good.  This version of chili with cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt tastes like chili spice and acts like chili spice, so that all combined with the other ingredients made for one very delightfully delicious bowl of chili. 

      Although it looks very mild and innocent in the photo, it packs a punch!  Guys loved it...raved about it in fact.  Definitely a repeat, soon!  (Oh, and the bowl of chili was supposed to be topped with a dollop of sour cream, but I forgot completely about that at serving time...so we had it without the sour cream.  Since we have some left over (it makes a HUGE pot of chili), we can try it with the sour cream on top then.)

      Next week's assignment is Beef and Mushroom Barley Soup from Ellie's book The Food You Crave, on page 89, chosen by Jennifer of The Rookie Baker.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Baked Beans with Ham

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was Baked Beans with Ham chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily.  You can find the recipe on pages 179-180 of the book, on Danica's site, or here. 

      Mark loves ham and beans, something he brought with him from his childhood.  My family made them as well, but I never really ate them as they always served them over cornbread and at the time, that was too many ingredients "touching" for my palate.  I would like to say that things have changed considerably, but they have not...I am still more about food not touching too much on a plate or palate. 

      That said, I ate these baked beans and ham of Ellie's and they were good.  I didn't put them on cornbread or anything, but by themselves they are good and have a little bit of a barbecue flavor to them which is different and nice, well, I guess that is because they are a take on baked beans rather than just ham and beans. 

      Repeat?  Yes, probably so, and I will still make and serve the cornbread on the side so those who can will and those who don't want to don't.  It's all about compromise, right?  Right.   

      Next week's assignment is White Turkey Chili from Ellie's book So Easy, on page 189, chosen by Leslie of Lethally Delicious.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing chosen by Peggy of Pantry Revisited.  You can find the recipe on page 77 of the book or here. 

      What a great Ellie recipe, Peggy, thanks, we all loved it.  Not only did this taste great, it was easy and quick on a busy week night. 

      The meat mixture is just lean ground beef, black beans, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and water.  The spices flavored the beef and beans nicely, not too spicy, spicy enough.  The dressing for the tomatoes is olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper.  The topping is grated cheddar cheese and crumbled baked tortilla chips.  All of this goes on top of a bed of romaine lettuce.  Easy simple, all the food groups nicely represented, definitely a repeat for us.   

      Next week's assignment is Baked Beans with Ham from Ellie's book So Easy, on pages 179-180, chosen by Danica's of Danica's Daily.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Tortellini Spinach Soup

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was Tortellini Spinach Soup chosen by Bri of Yoshimi vs. Motherhood.  You can find the recipe on page 90 of the book or here. 

      Another soup, what a deal for me as I love soup and it is officially soup weather here in Indiana.  This one is absolutely delicious and just perfect for a cold snowy day like today.  When we finished having it for lunch, Mark got busy putting together a helping to take to work for lunch tomorrow.  It was that good. 

      Ingredient list is easy:  Onion, garlic, carrot, celery, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, chicken broth, spinach, tortellini, and freshly grated Parm Reg cheese. 

      It all comes together, simmers for a bit, and is ready in hardly any time at all.  Healthy, delicious, and quick, for what more could you ask?  Try it, I think you will like it.

      Next week's assignment is Beef Stroganoff with Green Beans and Grainy Mustard from Ellie's book So Easy, on page 120-121, chosen by Liz of The Not So Skinny Kitchen.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Sesame Teriyaki Chicken Thighs and Orange Pistachio Wild Rice Salad

      The recipes chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, were free choice, meaning we had a chance to pick any recipe that we hadn't had a chance to make that had already been made by the group.  I chose to make Sesame Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, found on page 209 and here, and Orange-Pistachio Wild Rice Salad, found on page 147 and here, and I served them with plain steamed asparagus glistened with a tiny bit of butter. 

      The chicken was wonderful, definitely a repeat, easy and tasty.  The wild rice salad was also wonderful, definitely a repeat.  Weeknight recipes with a bit of flair.

      Next week's assignment is Tortellini Spinach Soup from Ellie's book So Easy, on page 90, chosen by Bri of Yoshimi vs. Motherhood.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Cioppino

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was by Margaret of Tea and Scones and is basically a fish and seafood soup called Cioppino.  It can be found on page 199 and also here. 

      We like a good soup around here.  We love seafood and fish as well.  The soup was good, I am happy we made it and tried it, but probably not a repeat.  Definitely not the fault of the recipe at all...we just happen to like our soup and fish/seafood separately.  We did like it the night we ate it, but it just didn't have enough "wow" factor to inspire me to make this particular recipe again. 

      The soup was easy to make and comes together quickly for a busy weeknight dinner.  The ingredient list is:  Onion, Celery, Garlic, Thyme, Bay, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Tomato Paste, Dry White Wine, Tomatoes, Fish Stock, Red Wine Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Shrimp, Scallops, Halibut, and Parsley (which I didn't have so I threw on some fresh thyme leaves instead). 

      Every single ingredient is one we like, guess we just don't really care for wet fish, which sounds strange, but all acts of finickiness sound strange to others, right?  I can think of many other recipes I would rather make with halibut, scallops, or shrimp.  Thanks for the pick, Margaret, as I would have made it sooner or later because I am all about the soup recipes and trying new ones, I hope you loved it as I know how much you love your seafood/soups/stews down there in Louisiana!   

      Next week's assignment is to choose our own recipe for Thanksgiving week.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was my selection and is Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese.  It can be found on page 137 and also here. 

      We like a good pasta salad here, so when it came around to my choice again, I was looking at all the pasta selections that had not been chosen so far.  This one sounded great and after making it, I can say, this is one great pasta salad recipe, worth repeating time and again.

      The ingredient list is not long:  pasta, walnuts, feta, red onion, spinach, walnut or olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.  

      I had some at room temperature just after I assembled it, delicious.  I had some cold from the frig, delicious.  I had some the following day just to see how well it held up, delicious.  It holds up very well, something you could make the day before and have on hand for a gathering with no problem at all.  Definitely a repeat.   

      Next week's hostess is Margaret of Tea and Scones, she selected Cioppino on page 199 of  So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Mushroom, Onion, and Basil Pizza

      The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Joanne at Apple Crumbles  and is Mushroom, Onion, and Basil Pizza.  It can be found on page 176 and also here. 

      We like pizza around here...I always think of pizza as sort of guy food, teen food, kid food, so those groups being well-represented, chances of making and serving a pizza to everyone's satisfaction is pretty good.  This pizza was no exception.  The guys loved it.  The girl?  Well, let's just say that I have been making homemade crusts from various yeast doughs recently and am becoming rather spoiled in the pizza crust department.  This recipe uses one of those pre-made pizza crusts that comes in a tube in the refrigerated section of the grocery market.  Not my favorite. 

      The toppings were fine, caramelized onions, mushrooms, garlic, cheese, tomato sauce, and I did sub roasted peppers for the sun-dried tomatoes because, well because, sun-dried tomatoes here fall into the "chick food" category for some reason and the guys don't particularly like them...read that the guys pick them out and toss them aside, so no real reason to be putting those on in the first place.  I also left off the basil on the top because we are just really tired of basil right now.
      It was a good pizza, not a great pizza because of the crust, but a good pizza.     

      Next week's hostess is Me!  I selected the Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese on page 137 of  The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Presto

     The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Marthe at Culinary Delights  and is Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Presto.  It can be found on pages 100-101 and also here.  

     We like spaghetti.  We like egg dishes.  We just don't really care for the spaghetti and the eggs all in one dish mixed together and touching.  I know what you are thinking, and it was not just me, it was the overall assessment here.  Nothing at all wrong with the recipe, just personal tastes. 

     From the title of "Salad Presto," I am not sure what I was expecting, but the recipe is just basically a salad with a light dressing.  It was good, we liked that part very much. 

     Repeats?  Probably not, but good to try things once. 

Next week's hostess is Joanne of Apple Crumbles.  She has selected the Mushroom, Onion, and Basil Pizza on pages 176 of  The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Chicken Pot Pies with Phyllo Crust

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Shandy at Pastry Heaven and is Chicken Pot Pie with Phyllo Crust.  It can be found on pages 202-203 and also here.  Thanks, Shandy, I will be making this one again, it was delicious, healthy, and a great dish for cooler weather. 

I followed the recipe as written with one exception:  I switched out the green beans for carrots as my family is a big fan of carrots in pot pies.  It was a great switch, the carrots look pretty and tasted nice with the combination of other flavors. 

The phyllo dough top crust (there is no bottom crust to get soggy) is interesting in that it is not as rich as a pie crust, so lacking a little in flavor in that regard, but nice in that it is much more calorie-friendly and it develops a nice crunchy crust which is fun to break into when eating.  The parmesan cheese on the top adds some of the flavor back in, so missing the butter/lard crust isn't all that bad.  It was all very good, definitely a repeat.

Next week's hostess is Marthe of Culinary Delights.  She has selected the Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Pesto on pages 100-101 of  So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Apple Brown Betty

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Jessica at Learning to Love Vegetables and is Apple Brown Betty.  It can be found on pages 240-241 and also here.  Thanks, Jessica, this will be a frequent guest at our house as Matt's favorite warm dessert is Apple Crisp.  This is a great version of it.

 

 The ingredient list:  Apples (I used Honey Crisp), apple cider, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, whole wheat bread, and walnuts (I left out the nuts).  The recipe was easy to prepare, much like any other Crisp/Brown Betty recipe I have ever made, with the exception that this recipe calls for cooking the apples on the stovetop a bit before assembling it in the baking dish.  They are baked with a cup of apple cider and I thought there would be too much liquid as I was ladling it into the dish, but somehow the liquid all gets absorbed during the baking as it was not present in the finished product.  It was all just perfect.  Definitely a keeper.
 

Next week's hostess is Shandy of Pastry Heaven.  She has selected the Chicken Pot Pies on pages 202-203 of The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Tomato-Tortilla Soup

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Mary at Popsicles and Sandy Feet and is Tomato-Tortilla Soup.  It can be found on page 76 and also here.  Thanks, Mary, it comes just in time to put it into regular rotation of soups that we enjoy during the cooler weather. 

The ingredient list:  Tortillas, Canola Oil, Salt, Onion, Garlic, Cumin, Chicken Broth, Diced Tomatoes, Jalapeno, Oregano, Lime Juice, Sour Cream, and Cilantro (I subbed in Chives as we do not care for Cilantro). 

The soup was easy to make, tasted great the first day and even better the second.  The only thing I would do differently the next time is that I would increase the number of Jalapeno Peppers I use as the guys thought it needed a more aggressive taste from those.  It's a wonderful recipe, full of all sorts of healthy ingredients, and what is not to love about a bowl of soup on a cold day?  Definitely a keeper.  

Next week's hostess is Jessica of Learning to Love Vegetables.  She has selected the Apple Brown Betty on page 241 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Blueberry-Almond French Toast Bake

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Heide at Chez Zero and is Blueberry-Almond French Toast Bake.  It can be found on page 55 and also here.  Thanks, Heide, we all enjoyed it. 

The ingredient list:  Whole-Wheat Baguette, low-fat milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, blueberries, almonds, and dark brown sugar.  The recipe is easy and delicious, and we were plenty skeptical as we do not care for wet bread type things. I only made a half recipe as I wasn't certain it would go over well.  The eggs, however, seemed to make it behave more like a quiche than a bread pudding.

The nicest feature of this recipe is that you can prepare it the night before and pull it out ready to put in the oven the next morning for breakfast which makes it perfect for holiday mornings or when you have overnight guests.  The guys say it is a definite repeat.     

Next week's hostess is Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet.  She has selected the Tomato Tortilla Soup on page 76 of The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Energy Bars

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Liz at My Table, Their Table and is Energy Bars.  It can be found on page 39 and also here.
The ingredient list for these is longer than most of Ellie's recipes:  oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, dried apricots, almonds, raisins, dried dates, nonfat dry milk, cinnamon, maple syrup, and eggs.  I made them exactly as she said and they turned out delicious.
Easy, delicious, and healthy, definitely a repeat.     

Next week's hostess is Heide of Chez Zero.  She has selected the Almond French Toast Bake on page 55 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Melissa at Melissa's Kitchen and is Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce.  It can be found on pages 18-19 and also here.

The strawberry sauce is easy:  strawberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice, heated slightly.  The pancakes themselves had all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, buttermilk, skim milk, honey, and vanilla extract in them.  A delicious combination, wonderful pancakes! 

Whenever I make a recipe, after the guys have eaten, I usually ask, "Is it a repeat?"  This week, before I even had a chance to ask, Mark announced that it was "a definite repeat soon and often!"  I would say this recipe was a hit, not only with Mark, but with all of us. The portion size is very generous, three pancakes with the sauce is an awful lot in one sitting, so if you aren't extremely hungry or if you aren't a guy, one will probably suffice.    

Next week's hostess is Liz of My Table, Their Table.  She has selected the Energy Bars on page 39 of The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Fettuccine with Crab & Asparagus

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Jessica at Johnstone's Vin Blanc and is Fettuccine with Crab & Asparagus.  It can be found on page 164. 

I will just leave that for you this week as this recipe was not a hit here and probably the less said about it the better.  Was it Ellie's fault?  Absolutely NOT.  We are not big fans of canned crab, so my thinking self should have stopped right there and either used fresh crab claw meat, substituted shrimp, or thrown in the towel.  I think the shrimp would have been the ideal way to go as the rest of the recipe was absolutely wonderful...just not the crab part.    

Next week's hostess is Elina of Healthy and Sane.  She has selected the Baked Felafel Sandwiches from the web here.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.