Grandma's Kitchen Table

CEiMB: Mixed Berry Cobbler

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Pamela at Cooking with Boys and is Mixed Berry Cobbler.  It can be found on page 239.  It can also be found here. Thanks, Pam, this was a definite winner here. 

The ingredient list for this is short for the filling:  bag of frozen mixed berries, whole wheat flour, sugar, and fresh grated orange zest.  It just gets stirred together and plopped into the baking dish.  Ingredient list for the topping:  whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, low-fat buttermilk and canola oil, which gets mixed and spooned onto the top of the berries before baking in the oven.
It was all very easy and very tasty, something I will make again.  It is also something that is particularly nice to have for the winter months when fresh berries are not that great in the markets.

Next week's hostess is Jessica of Johnstone's Vin Blanc.  She has selected the Fettuccine with Crab & Asparagus recipe on page 164 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Salmon Cakes with Ginger-Sesame Sauce; Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spinach (or not); and Sloppy Joes

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Sarah at Sarah's Kitchen Adventures and is Salmon Cakes with Ginger-Sesame Sauce.  It can be found on page 226.  The recipe can also be found here.  Thanks, Sarah, as I might not have tried this one, so it was fun to find out that we actually enjoyed it very much. 

The ingredient list for this is short:  canned salmon (yes, I cannot believe I used canned salmon, but it was good fixed this way...all the same, next time I will make it with fresh salmon, yes, indeed, as I can imagine just how much better that would be), eggs, bread crumbs, scallions, parsley, pepper, olive oil (left out the cilantro and the water chestnuts as we are not fans of either). 

Ingredient list for the sauce was is even shorter:  Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. 

Combine the ingredients, make the salmon cakes, fry in a tiny bit of oil (1-1/2 teaspoons) for five minutes per side and then dress with the sauce which you already made and have sitting in wait. This sauce compliments the salmon cakes so nicely.  Delicious! This is one easy recipe! 

Now, I need to catch up a bit, so bear with me as I post the recipes from the last two weeks. 
On August 5th, Jennifer of The Rookie Baker hosted the group with the recipe for Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spinach, found on page 162 of So Easy.  Wow, was this spicy, Jennifer!  Mark loved it, but Matt and I were both a little hesitant with declaring it a definite repeat...maybe a definite repeat with the heat turned down a bit. 

You might notice I did not include the spinach...absolutely just forgot to add it in at the end, sometimes things like this happen around here with distractions and whatnot.  The whole wheat spaghetti was great with this, gave it an extra nutty flavor. 

The ingredient list:  olive oil, red onion, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, shrimp, and spinach leaves.  The whole process is fast and easy, perfect for a week night when fast and easy is preferable.
On August 12th, Chaya of Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog hosted the group with the recipe for Sloppy Joes on page 91 of The Food You Crave.  This one was a big hit around here, the guys like Sloppy Joes and this in general was a nice/healthier version of the old standby. 

Ingredient list was long, but mostly common ingredients everyone has on hand:  lean meat, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, red bell pepper, pinto beans, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, molasses, Worchestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and hamburger buns to serve it all on. 

I think this could be a regular repeat as long as Matt is around as he is the Sloppy Joe King and I could easily make them once a week for him, as it is, I try to make them at least once a month.  This version is a tasty one for sure.

Next week's hostess is Pam of Cooking with Boys.  She has selected the Mixed Berry Cobbler recipe on page 239 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Mango Lassi and Chicken with Warm Tomato and Corn Salad

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Leslie at Lethally Delicious and is Mango Lassi.  It can be found on page 43.  The recipe can also be found here. 

The ingredient list for this is short:  mango, yogurt, honey, and ice.  It all gets thrown together in a blender, whirled about for a short time, and poured into an ice cold glass. 

Be aware, this makes a whole lot of lassi, so I would say you could serve twice as many with the whole recipe, i.e. 8 rather than 4 as the glass size I have photographed here is really too much for one person, better to let two share it.  Very tasty and refreshing.  Thanks, Leslie, we loved it and it will be making an appearance now and again around here.

Next week's hostess is Jennifer of The Rookie Baker.  She has selected the Shrimp fra Diavlo with Spinach recipe on page 162 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

The recipe chosen last week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Danica at Danica's Daily and is Chicken with Warm Tomato and Corn Salad.  It can be found on page 144.  The recipe can also be found on Danica's site here. 

I'm a week late with this as last week Matt and I were away at a swim meet and I didn't manage to get it made before I left.  So here it is...would not have wanted to miss out on this one as it is such a fresh and refreshing dinner for summer. 

Chicken, corn, tomatoes, avocado, garlic, scallions, a little oil, salt, pepper, and lime juice and that's it.  It was delicious, enjoyed by everyone, and definitely a repeat.  Who knew they would eat avocado when previously "no thanks" was all I heard regarding the lovely avocado?  Surprises every week. 

Next week's hostess is Leslie at Lethally Delicious.  She has selected the Mango Lassi recipe on page 43 of The Food You Crave.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Panzanella with Chicken Sausage

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by Peggy at Pantry Revisited and is Panzanella with Chicken Sausage.  It can be found on pages 146-147.  The recipe can also be found here. 

The chicken sausage part was great, Mark grilled them for us and they tasted very nice and light, not greasy like a regular sausage tastes, so I am all for that part.  Chicken sausage is the way I am going from now on for any sausage grilling as I am not a big fan of sausages in general.  The guys are Italian sausage guys, the spicier the better, so we are a divided household in this regard. 

Now, about the tomato, cucumber, onion, bread cubes salad...you all know what's coming right?  This is not a wet bread loving household.  The guys wouldn't even try it with bread cubes, so I made theirs without.  I tried, I faithfully cubed up some multigrain bread baguette and tossed it into the bowl gently to mix it with the dressing (very gently so hopefully it wouldn't get too soggy), and I tried one piece of the wet bread cube...and then picked all the rest out and tossed them aside.  Confirmed:  we are not a wet bread loving household.  The rest of the salad and the dressing was great, though. 

So, Peggy, the dinner was a success with a minor adjustment.  Thanks for the pick...and my discovery of chicken sausages!  (And, in case you were all wondering about the third item on the plate, the guys wanted "something else" with this dinner "like potatoes or pasta or something," so I made Giada's Gnocchi and tossed on some Parm Reg cheese as everything is better with cheese!)

Next week's hostess is Danica at Danica's Daily.  She has selected the Chicken with Warm Tomato and Corn Salad recipe on page 144 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Pesto Potato Salad

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Liz at The Not So Skinny Kitchen and is Pesto Potato Salad.  It can be found on page 144.  The recipe for making the pesto can be found on pages 144-145.   Both recipes can also be found here. 

Thanks, Liz, this is one of those recipes that I would have passed by had it not been for your selection, and now that I have made it, and it was such a hit, I will be making it again and again.  We have lots of basil this summer and this recipe is a fine use for some of it. 

I used this recipe two ways, last night I made it and served it at room temperature with grilled flank steak.  With the other half of the recipe, I chilled it and will use it cold, the way the recipe instructs. 

The only things I changed were that I peeled the potatoes after they cooked as some of my guys don't like potato skins, and I had Mark grill the peppers with the steak and then I cut the peppers in chunks for the potato salad with pesto as I thought we would like both the potatoes and peppers cooked, not just the potatoes.  It was really good that way, we enjoyed the cooked potatoes with the cooked peppers and I am looking forward to trying it all cold for lunch.   

Next week's hostess is Peggy at Pantry Revisited.  She has selected the Panzanella with Chicken Sausage recipe on page 146 of So Easy.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

CEiMB: Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, was selected by Bri at Yoshimi vs. Motherhood and is Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans.  It can be found on pages 156-157.  It can also be found here. 

Mark and I enjoyed this recipe and Matt liked it for the most part, although he picked out every single bean as he did not care for those.  Ingredients are:  Tomatoes, Garlic, Olive Oil, Salt, Black Pepper, Cannellini Beans, Penne Pasta, Lemon Juice, Basil, and Parmesan Cheese. 

The tomatoes and garlic are roasted in the oven, the pasta cooked in a pasta pot, and everything assembled with a light dressing bringing it together.  I liked the light dressing for this, no heavy sauce at all, which is nice with pasta.  I would make this again, leaving out the beans for Matt, of course. 

Next week's hostess is Liz at The Not So Skinny Kitchen.  She has selected the Pesto Potato Salad recipe on page 144 of The Food You Crave.   You can find the CEiMB blogroll here. 

CEiMB: Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by my good friend Margaret at Tea and Scones and is Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives.  It can be found on pages 182-183.  Joanne at Apple Crumbles also posted the recipe here at the end of last week's entry. 

Both Matt and I enjoyed this very much...Mark thinking it was okay but not on his top ten list.  Ingredients are chorizo, boneless chicken thighs, onion, garlic, chicken broth, peas, white rice, tomatoes, green olives, salt, pepper, tumeric, and saffron.  There is a bit of prep, a bit of cooking things separately and then reuniting them for the final stint in the oven, but all in all, each step was easy.  The only thing I changed was that I put the peas in after it was cooked as we do not care for peas that are overcooked and discolored.  That worked out well, they were perfect. 

It was delicious, easy enough on a busy weeknight, and something I will make again soon when Matt and I find ourselves for dinner with Mark being away.

Next week's hostess is Bri at Yoshimi vs. Motherhood.  She has selected the Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans recipe on page 157 of The Food You Crave.   You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.  

CEiMB: Salmon Florentine and Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts

Please note that this is not a particularly good photo of all this.  For some reason, my camera (totally the fault of the camera operator, me, because I don't know how to adjust for this) always shows spinach as dark, almost black, when in fact it was a nice and pleasing green color on the salmon.  I think I needed to shoot this in natural light but there wasn't any by the time we had dinner, so use your imagination.

The recipes chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, were ones that I got to select for the group as the main leader of the group is on a bit of a break so a few of us are trying to keep it going in her absence. 

The recipes are Salmon Florentine and Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts and both can be found on pages 196-198, page 196 being a full page photo of the two recipes.  You can also find the recipe online for the Salmon Florentine here, and you can find the recipe online for the Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts here. 

Both recipes were extremely easy, the only thing that I changed was that I used fresh spinach, which I wilted a bit, instead of the frozen cooked spinach that the recipe calls for...I figure she did that for ease, but it was just as easy for me to do it from fresh and I had that on hand already. 

The salmon is baked under a topping of spinach, ricotta, shallots, garlic, sundried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  It bakes for 15 minutes.  The Quinoa Pilaf is just as easy, Quinoa cooked in chicken broth, with the addition of parsley, lightly sauteed onion, and lightly toasted pine nuts when the Quinoa was finished. 

It was all just delicious, extremely easy on a busy weeknight, and something I will make again soon.

Next week's hostess is Margaret at Tea and Scones.  She has selected the Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives recipe on page 183 of So Easy.  This looks like a great recipe, hope you all have a great time with it! 

You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.  

CEiMB: Turkey Meatballs with Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole Wheat Spaghetti AND Meatball Heroes with Tri-Colored Peppers

The recipes chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, were selected by me and are rewinds as there was no recipe posted for this week (not sure why, maybe because it's a holiday weekend).  I figured I would post a rewind of something that I made from the book that was very much enjoyed here, just in case you would like to make it also. 

The group had already made this meatball recipe before I joined, so I made Ellie's Turkey Meatballs with Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole Wheat Spaghetti (on pages 164-165 or found here).  Okay I didn't have whole wheat pasta on hand then, but I would recommend using that instead of the plain spaghetti that I used that day.
I then used some of the leftover meatball mixture for Ellie's Meatball Heroes with Tri-Colored Peppers (page 92 or found here), made with the BBA Italian Bread that I made into sub rolls for the guys.  Trust me, there are meatballs in there, they are just hidden by the cheese and peppers.  And, btw, one half of one of these will fill you up if you are a girl...if you are a teenage boy swimmer, two will do.

Both meals were a big hit.  I need to make those again soon actually.  Definitely.   

CEiMB: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Nutty Compote

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book So Easy, was selected by Nicole from Dishin' and is Whole Wheat Apple Pancakes with Nutty Compote, found on pages 61.  What a great choice, Nicole, we loved these pancakes, thanks.  Nicole has the recipe posted on her site today.  

Each Sunday I make the guys what is referred to as "a big breakfast," i.e. something other than portable food in hand going out the door to swim practice or work, which is all they want the other six days of the week.  I have tried to suggest making and eating a good breakfast each day and they have resisted all efforts.  But, on Sunday, I get to make things that I don't normally get to make and they enjoy every single bite each week. 

This week I decided, since it was Mother's Day, that these pancakes of Ellie's would be a fine way to celebrate the day.  The nutty compote on the top makes it all seem so special and out of the ordinary.  Ellie had factored in drizzling on an additional tablespoon of syrup (not needed, so I didn't include that, although the guys did put butter on the tops of their pancakes as well), and believe me when I say that this plate of two pancakes is one too many as they are very filling and satisfying, one is more than plenty.  Requests for a repeat accompanied the empty plates.  Definitely.  

Next week's recipe:  Chocolate Egg Cream, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 306-307.

CEiMB: Lemon Garlic Marinated Lamb Chops

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, was selected by Debbie from Dining with Debbie and is Lemon Garlic Marinated Lamb Chops, found on pages 190-191.  Debbie has an interesting link about lamb cuts on her site and if you would like the recipe you can get it by clicking here. 

With grilling season upon us, fresh fruits and vegetables becoming readily available, I dusted off my Greek cooking books and vowed we were in for Greek night once a week around here over the summer.  Ellie's recipe this week, grilled lamb in a Greek-inspired marinade, sounded like just the place to begin, you can't get more Greek than lamb.

The marinade olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, garlic, salt & pepper was easy enough, ingredients I always have on hand.  Marinating the lamb chops for about 45 minutes before grilling 6 minutes per side was just the level of commitment needed on a busy weekday evening.  Absolutely wonderful in taste and texture, definitely a repeat. 

The rest of the meal consisted of Double Lemon Avgolemono Soup, Red & Yellow Peppers with Halloumi and Pine Nuts drizzled with a little Garlic Olive Oil, and the Pain a l'Ancienne for BBA that I made today.  We even had dessert, although not Greek...next week's TWD Mixed Berry Tart as I am just that far ahead of things this week.  It's Greek One Night a Week for the summer...and Ellie's lamb chops were a great way to start it all off. 

Next week's recipe:  Whole Wheat Apple Pancakes with Nutty Compote, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, on page 61.

CEiMB: Crab Cakes with Smarter Tarter

I did a rewind recipe this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, as I could drum up no interest from the guys on the one actually chosen for this week, which was Hash.  Instead, I finally got around to making the Crab Cakes with Smarter Tarter, found on pages 240-241. This recipe was chosen Christmas week by Lauryn of Bella Baker.  Click here to see Lauryn's post with the recipe. 

We enjoyed this recipe very much, The ingredient list is not long, nor is the process time consuming, so go to Lauryn's site for the whole deal.  I did really like that it was all baked in the oven, so other than flipping it once half-way through the cooking time, there was not a lot of fuss cooking. The taste is just wonderfully fresh and delicious.  Definitely another keeper. 

Next week's recipe:  Lemon Garlic Marinated Lamb Chops, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 190.

CEiMB: Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, was selected by Teresa from A Blog About Food and is Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce, found on page 56. 

 

I am a big summer roll fan.  I can make them for lunch and I don't have to have a lot of fancy ingredients, can hold out a few items from dinner the night before, have any number of sauces that I can throw together at a moment's notice in a very little amount of time, and am just as happy as can be with a summer roll for lunch or a snack. 

 

Ellie's summer rolls were very nice, the dipping sauce a good accompaniment with the ingredients she chose for the recipe (red lettuce, Asian noodles, basil, mint, shrimp, shredded carrot), and a simple assembly line action to put it all in order.  Definitely worth a go.  A repeat?  Sure, why not.  I wing summer rolls all the time, so as to whether or not I would use those exact ingredients again just depends if I have them on hand at the time. 

 

The sauce (water, sugar, chili sauce, rice vinegar, carrot, scallion, lime juice, soy or fish sauce) is nice, I would use that again.  The only thing I changed was that I added two more shrimp to each roll as the recipe called for one shrimp in each, and I was fairly sure that the guys would be less interested if there was only one shrimp.  (I actually wasn't sure if the guys would eat them, but the recipe made six and Mark ate three of them, declaring them very good, so guess that means they were a hit.  Usually when I make summer rolls, the guys go for the sandwich making materials at hand, so I am looking at this as growth.) 

 

Next week's recipe:  Southwestern Hash and Eggs, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 30.

CEiMB: Garlic Basil Shrimp

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book So Easy, was selected by Margaret from Tea and Scones and is Garlic Basil Shrimp, found on page 151. 

 

It's always great fun to get to make a recipe that a friend has chosen, so I enjoyed making this one knowing that Margaret was making it also and enjoying it.  Margaret is from Louisiana, she's naturally inclined toward all shrimp recipes and there are many really great ones on her blog.  We all love shrimp here, and we enjoyed this recipe very much.

 

The ingredient list is not long:  shrimp, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, dry white wine, grape tomatoes, basil, salt & pepper.  It is all brought together in an easy and quick manner and served over orzo, one of Matt's favorite pastas.  

 

Like so many Ellie recipes, the taste is just wonderfully fresh and delicious.  Definitely another keeper.  Mark said, "Ooh, you can make this one again any time."  High praise indeed.  

 

Next week's recipe:  Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups with Herbs and Cheese, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 56.

CEiMB: Miso Glazed Cod

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, was selected by Alison from Veggies and Valentino and is Miso Glazed Cod, found on pages 230-231.  

We enjoyed this recipe very much, The ingredient list is not long:  cod, white miso, dark brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and mirin.  The technique is simple:  brush the marinade on the cod an hour before cooking, broil 3-4 minutes and then cook at 350 degrees for another 7 minutes.  The taste is just wonderfully fresh and delicious.  Definitely another keeper.  

Next week's recipe:  Garlic Basil Shrimp, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, on page 151.

CEiMB: Pasta Puttanesca

The recipe chosen two weeks ago for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, (yes, I am running a bit behind, so thanks for being patient) was selected by Jen from What Jen's Cooking and was Pasta Puttanesca, found on page 158.  Jen also has it posted on her site. 

 

This is an excellent recipe, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olives, capers, oregano, argula (I used fresh spinach instead), and I did put on Parmigiano Reggiano after the photo.  I did not use the anchovy paste.  Guys would flip if they knew that was in there so I just left it out.  I followed the instructions, except that I simmered it longer as I had learned from cooking with the Marcella Hazan book how to do that so that it really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes and ingredients in a deep and lovely way.  Ellie has it simmering for just a short time, five minutes, but I took it as far as it needed to go, about 30 minutes, to have all the water and juices reduced down to where it looks like the photo here...hard to describe, you just know it when you see it as you are cooking.It's thick, juicy, and yet not runny. This adds so much richness and taste, each flavor being distinctive, yet an overall blending of the ingredients together.  It was good after the recommended 5 minutes, but it was heavenly after the longer simmering time.  Try it, you will see what I am talking about in this regard.

 

A winner of a recipe.  We all just loved it.  Thanks, Jen, for a wonderful pick.   

 

This week's recipe (and I hope to get to that sometime over the weekend):  Marinated Chicken & Grape Skewers, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, on page 185.

CEiMB: Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, was selected by me and is Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo, found on pages 86-87.  (The recipe is all over the net, so while I don't usually give recipes on my site, this one is easy enough to find, so I will share it here as well, with full credit to Ellie and her recipe book listed above.  Buy her books, you won't be sorry, as you will cook from them time and time again.)  

 

I had a list of about 100 recipes that I wanted to choose, but it's still soup weather, and soup is one of my most favorite lunches, so soup it is this week.  The soup goes together easily and makes a very large pot of soup just wonderfully full of flavor.  There aren't any unusual or expensive ingredients, which makes it a great choice as well. 

 

I gave it a run so that I could make sure I could highly recommend it.  I made it exactly as she wrote it and it was wonderful.  The next time I made it, I upped the lemon to 4 Tablespoons as that was the size of my lemon, and it was even better in my opinion because I love lemon and it went so nicely with the chicken and thyme.  The third time I made it, I used lemon thyme as well as the extra lemon juice, and although the recipe was perfect as originally written, it is now highly addictive to this lemon-loving nut.  

 

The soup freezes well, as I tried that, and is just great to have on hand in the freezer.  Am thinking this is a recipe not just for soup-eating weather, but one I will use year in and year out.  I hope you all enjoyed making and eating it as much as we did. 

 

Next week:  Pasta Puttanesca, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 158.

 

 

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

4 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orzo, preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

 

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Per serving:
Calories 280; Total fat 10g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 6g, Poly fat 1g); Protein 26g; Carb 22g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 139mg; Sodium 291mg
Excellent source of:
niacin, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C
Good source of:
copper, folate, iodine, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, pantothenic acid, thiamin, vitamin B12, vitamin K, zinc

CEiMB: Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave, was selected by Rachel at Rachel Hearts Food and is Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce, found on page 196.  Rachel has it on her site today as well.  Thanks, Rachel, this was a great recipe, one that we will use again and again. 

 

The recipe was amazingly easy, very tasty, and although I cannot photograph meat for the life of me, on the plate it looked wonderful.  I liked learning the new technique, well, new to me, of slicing the pork as directed so that it will cook faster, always a plus on a week night.  The sauce was light and tasty and although the Whisk Chick in me wanted to add that tiny bit of butter at the end to smooth it all out, I resisted, and I have to say that I did not miss it.  The sauce complimented the meat nicely.  Definitely a repeat:  we all loved it. 

 

Next week:  Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on pages 86-87.

CEiMB: Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Bake

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book So Easy: Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, was selected by Heide at Chez Zero and is Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Bake, found on page 52, and Heide has it on her site today as well.  Thank you, Heide, it was a great choice, we all loved it. 

 

I have been missing in action here for a couple of weeks.  With the steak recipe I decided to wait and make it when we could thaw out the grill, and I had intended to do the Chocolate Mousse recipe, but I don't like chocolate, and the guys found out I was buying tofu for it and nixed the whole idea.   

 

While Ellie has this week's recipe listed in the breakfast section of the book, that did not work out this week as the only breakfast we have together is on Sunday mornings, and last Sunday morning was a bit disjointed with Matt needing to serve a Mass that was right in the middle of breakfast time.   

 

So I made it tonight.  For dinner.  It was a fine dinner, with eggs, broccoli, onions, cheese, whole wheat baguette, and ham.  HAM????  Ellie doesn't say a thing about ham in the recipe, but since I was making it for dinner and the swimmer is this close to state, I figured I better up the protein a bit and while eggs are not his favorite, he can be talked into them if ham is involved.

 

Another great recipe...we would like it with or without the ham, and someday soon it will find itself on the breakfast menu as it is something you can make ahead and bake at a later time.  Oh, so convenient with that added advantage. 

 

Next week:  Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's book, The Food You Crave, on page 196.

CEiMB: Curried Chicken Salad

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book So Easy: Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, was selected by Sarah at Sarah's Kitchen Adventures and is Curried Chicken Salad, found on pages 67, or you can also find it on the web, click here.   Thank you Sarah, as this is a chicken salad loving household.  Matt could eat it by the tons every single week. 

I was really looking forward to making this chicken salad recipe and having the taste of curry in it as well as having it be a more calorie friendly version.  It did not disappoint.  I won't list the ingredients, etc., because if you are that interested you can click on the website and have a look for yourself. 

Make it:  it's easy, it's wonderfully fresh tasting, and the portions are large, we were able to make it go twice as far as it said as one cup size portions were huge, the half-cup size much more manageable at lunch.  I ate it with the lettuce and it was perfect, the guys opted for it in sandwiches and felt it was perfect that way as well.  Another keeper, it was a big hit here.  

Next week:  Marinated Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's new book:  So Easy:  Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, on page 177.

CEiMB: Emerald (and Ruby) Stir-Fry with Beef

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book So Easy: Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, was selected by Alyssa at Alyssa's Two Bites and is Emerald Stir Fry with Beef, found on pages 122-123, or you can also find it on the web, click here.  

I get it, all the vegetables in this are green, so the title is Emerald, but I had to add the Ruby part because the guys just don't eat snow pea pods (I think it falls in their list of Real Guys Don't Eat......), so I decided to sub in a red pepper for the snow peas.  I like to stay true to a recipe the first time, but the red bell pepper was $1.00 and the snow peas were $4.99, so I was thinking the red pepper was looking better and better and I knew that they would eat that and not just toss it aside like they would the pea pods.  It also brightened things up a bit, and I am hoping Ellie is not frowning because it is, after all, a more nutritious sub. 

I haven't made an actual stir-fry before.  Oh, I have a wok, and I have thrown veggies and meat in there and sallied them about but I have never actually put it together with an actual stir-fry sauce until today.  Chopped and diced everything earlier in the day so it was ready to go, just had to make the rice and put it all in the pan for the tossing about in the oil and sauce and dinner was ready in a flash.  Which is good, because there was more Big Ten Basketball on tonight.

Did we like it?  Yes, it's a keeper, and I think I might just wok some more things in the near future as it was a very satisfactory experience.  Once again, Ellie rules. 

Next week:  Curried Chicken Salad, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's new book:  So Easy:  Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, on page 67.

CEiMB: Five Layer Mexican Dip

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's web entry at Food Network, was selected by Karena at Mama Cooks and is Five Layer Mexican Dip, recipe found on the web here.  

 

Another keeper.  So simple, so easy, so very very good and good for you!  Ingredient list:  Black Beans, Corn, Onions, Cilantro, Avocado, Lime Juice, Tomatoes, Scallions, 2 kinds of Peppers, Cheese, Cumin, well you can click on the link and check the list yourself, and then go make it...it's easy, it's good, it's healthy, and it skips all the fatty ingredients found in most layered dips.   

 

I baked some whole wheat tortilla chips and broke them into pieces to serve with the dip, perfect match.  The only thing I changed was that I put the whole thing in an 11x7 inch dish rather than an 8x8 one so that it wasn't as deep and went a little further per portion for guys watching basketball games. 

 

It was perfect for watching Big Ten Basketball games.  You are watching the Big Ten Basketball games each week, right?  I thought so, just checking to be sure. 

 

Next week:  Emerald Stir Fry with Beef, recipe found in Ellie Krieger's new book:  So Easy:  Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, on pages 122-123.

CEiMB: Arugula, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Pizza

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Maria at Half Meatball Half Matzah Ball Children and is Arugula, Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Pizza, found on page 173.  (Maria has the recipe and some great photos posted on her site under this date.) 

This recipe is definitely a keeper.  So simple, so easy, so very very good!  Ingredient list is short:  red onion (to be caramelized), arugula (to be just wilted in with the onions at the end), 6 inch whole wheat tortillas (to serve as the pizza crust), and goat cheese to scatter on the top.  Toss it in the oven for 10 minutes and you have one very fine lunch at only 141 calories. 

A picture is worth a thousand words, enjoy...and make the pizza recipe just as it is written as it is perfect!  Thanks for the pick, Maria, I loved it. 

Next week:  Five Layer Mexican Dip, recipe found on the web here.

CEiMB: Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Mary at Popsicles and Sandy Feet and is Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup, found on page 77. 

This was absolutely delicious, the guys pronounced it "most excellent" and further stated "you can make this all the time, it's really great."  So, what was I thinking only making a half a recipe of this?  I was thinking that sometimes the guys around here can be a little finicky when it comes to eating nuts IN things.  I was thinking I have the only kids in the world who will not eat peanut butter.  I was thinking I wasn't really prepared to eat a whole recipe all by myself in case it didn't work out.  I was thinking I was playing it safe.  Now I am thinking I should have made an entire recipe of it. 

What's in this wonderful soup?  Well you can go here and see for yourself as it is the same recipe, although on the site it is called Nutty Sweet Potato Soup instead of Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup as it is titled in the book. 

The recipe is super easy, combine onion, red bell pepper, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peanut butter, a little honey, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic, fresh ginger, chicken broth, and top it all off with some freshly sliced scallions after whirling it through the blender.  I would offer you some, but there isn't any left.  You are on your own.   Definitely a keeper.  Thanks, Mary, we loved it!

Next week:  Arugula, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Pizza, page 173.

CEiMB: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs, Confetti Chili, Mom's Turkey Meatloaf, and Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Tessa at Handle the Heat and is Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs, found on page 212. 

These were delicious, one of Mark's favorites so far as he likes dark meat chicken and mustard, so the combination was a treat for him.  Recipe is super easy, combine mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and marjoram to brush on top of skinless chicken thighs and bake for 50 minutes.  The sauce forms a sort of crust on the top of the chicken, which looks and is great.   Definitely a keeper. 
I have been a little behind here at CEiMB in posting recipes that I have made, so here are a few rewinds.  I made last week's Confetti Chili, found on page 187, and there might not be another chili recipe in this house from now on...this was fantastic.  We were all a little skeptical about the corn in the chili, but the hot chipotle adobo chilis in it made the corn a refreshing little tidbit.  I will be making it again soon as chili is a favorite for eating while watching ballgames. 
Another favorite was Mom's Turkey Meatloaf, on page 216.  I had never made turkey meatloaf before as the guys are big fans of beef meatloaf and I wasn't sure how it would go over to be serving a turkey version.  They ate it with great enthusiasm, not a bit left over.  It's a little hard to compare it to beef meatloaf, so we started to call it Turkey Loaf and they decided they would eat it anytime I wanted to make it.  I loved the red peppers in it...the rest of the ingredients with the ground turkey breast were oats, milk, onion, eggs, Worchestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce.  Go ahead, try it, it's very good! 
One more recipe for this segment was Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta, on page 234.  (Affectionately called "Shrimp on the Floor" around here in tribute to Cathy as, believe it or not, this was the recipe that finalized my decision to buy this cookbook and start cooking.  I figured anything that looked that good on the floor must be worth making.) 
The combination of the flavors in this dish is wonderful.  I love Greek flavors, and there are plenty of them in this recipe:  tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, feta cheese...combine that with the shrimp and this recipe was another hit around here. 

I've just shown you four recipes, buy the book already and start cooking!  It's all wonderful.  Next week:  Crab Cakes with Smarter Tarter Sauce, page 240-241.

CEiMB: Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Farah at Confessions of a Novice Baker and is Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables, found on pages 160-161.

 

Another hit of a recipe around here, enjoyed by all four of us.  Shrimp is a regular guest on our menus as we all like seafood and this was a fine way to showcase it. 

 

The recipe was easy:  make the linguine, meanwhile assemble the remaining ingredients and cook according to the directions, things like asparagus, garlic, shrimp, lemon juice, white wine, parsley, tomatoes, Parmigiano, salt & pepper.  As I was making the sauce, since it uses a cup of pasta water, I was thinking this sauce was going to be very watery and runny, even after reducing a bit.  The Whisk Chick in me wanted to secretly just add 2 teaspoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of cream at the end to thicken it up a bit and give it some depth of flavor, but I resisted. Twice.  Because, I really wanted to add that extra bit at the end.  You know what?  I am delighted that I resisted because the recipe is perfect as written. 

 

The sauce is absorbed further by the pasta, the tomatoes with their juice give the sauce a nice soft pinkish hue, the flavorings from the ingredients, spices, wine, and lemon juice are very refreshing and light and the whole dish turned out perfectly wonderful.  I wouldn't change a thing the next time I make it.  Guys all loved it just as it was, so am thinking this one is a definite keeper.   

 

Next week:  Carrot, Green Apple, and Mint Salad, page 131.

CEiMB: Pumpkin Pie Muffins

The recipe chosen this week for

CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Oddball Oven Mitt  and is Pumpkin Pie Muffins, found on page 21.  

 

Yep, they taste just like Pumpkin Pie, which is to say, they were an extra big hit with Mark as he is the Pumpkin Pie lover around here.  They disappeared very quickly, all dozen of them, as we thought they tasted wonderful. 

 

I had one straight from the oven and it was warm and moist and delicious.  That was the only one I had, so I can only go by the guys' recommendations that they were great room temperature also...my recommendation is to eat one straight out of the oven all warm and toasty.   

 

Muffins are a very popular item around here as they are what we refer to as "portable food," i.e. they can be taken in hand out the door on the way to swim practice, school, or work.  With teens that is sometimes the only kind of food that works on occasion. 

 

A great recipe, definitely a keeper, and you just need to buy this book and cook from it as it has such great recipes with a very nice selection and variety.   

 

 

Next week:  Linguini with Shrimp, found on pages 160-61.

CEiMB: Easy Chicken Quesadillas

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Marthe at Culinary Delights and is Easy Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas, found on the web, link here. 

 

These were delicious and a great place to use that leftover chicken from the Poulet Roti I made earlier this week.  Inside the whole wheat tortillas is a mixture of chicken breast, mushrooms, onions, spinach, salt & pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cheese.  It is quick to pull together, especially since the ingredients all fairly common players at our house. 

 

We loved it just the way it is, but of course the guys had to add sour cream and salsa, which the recipe recommended, to make it a complete success. The recipe is on the web, so there is really no excuse for you not to pop over there, get the recipe and make your own.  You won't be sorry! 

 

Next week:  Pumpkin Pie Muffins, page 21.

CEiMB: Tuscan Vegetable Soup

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Lobster and Fishsticks and is Tuscan Vegetable Soup, found on page 85. 

 

Okay, it's soup, stop yawning as this is really excellent soup.  The flavors are wonderful together, it gets even better when it sits for a day or two and you heat it up again, and on these cold/rainy/getting-darker-earlier-than-usual days, it's just the thing to make you feel all warm and snuggly. 

 

As usual with Ellie, all nutrition all the time, no fake ingredients, and easy, easy, easy to make.  I made it exactly as she had written the recipe, but I did not add the additional parmigiano on the top as I only like cheese on top of soup when it is French Onion Soup, all else pales by comparison.  Highly recommend making this soon, it was a big hit here. 

 

Next week:  Easy Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas, found on the web, link here.

CEiMB: New York Breakfast (in Little Italy)

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Sara from imafoodblog and is New York Breakfast, found on page 24-25. 

 

New York Breakfast, as you probably already know, is thinly sliced smoked salmon on toasted pumpernickel with a smear of cream cheese, a couple of cucumber slices, some tomato, thinly sliced red onion, and a few snips of fresh chives to top it all off. 

 

I had everything in house except the smoked salmon.  Three choices:  1) Be happy with prepackaged supermarket smoked salmon, drive to the store and get that; 2) Drive downtown Indy, 13 miles each way to get some really good fresh smoked salmon; or 3) Sub in the prosciutto that I had already on hand.  I subbed the prosciutto. 

 

So, I present to you:  New York Breakfast in Little Italy, my version of this week's recipe.  And how did it work out?  I made it, I took photos for the blog, I turned my back to put down the camera, Matt walked in, thought it was for him, he ate it, and said, "This is great, do you have any more of these?"  Apparently so as I wasn't going to get to eat that one.  I'm going to miss him when he goes off to college, no doubt about it. 

 

Next week:  Chicken Chop Suey, found on page 207.

CEiMB: Sweet & Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Leslie from Lethally Delicious and is Sweet & Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, found on pages 94-95. 

   I love grilled cheese sandwiches.  I think I survived on grilled cheese sandwiches as a child, seriously, as I was a bit of a picky eater, okay, more than a bit.   I might still be.  For instance, you will note that this grilled cheese sandwich is not squished with a pan to make it flat like the recipe directs, and you might also note that there are no crusts on the bread because I don't like crusts, ever.  Okay, a tad picky about things. 

  However, despite my pickiness about incidentals, the recipe is wonderful.  I used homemade bread (we don't use anything else around here anymore actually ever since I learned how to bake bread myself), and Ellie specifies thinly sliced white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced pepper jack cheese, caramelized diced red onions, and tomato between the slices of bread, grilled to perfection. 

  Happy, happy, happy...this is one great sandwich.  Thanks, Leslie! 

  Next week:  New York Breakfast, found on page 25.

CEiMB: Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza

  The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Joanne from Apple Crumbles and is Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza, found on page 174. 

  Black beans have never been one of my favorites, so I was a bit skeptical about doing this recipe.  Cabbage and tomatoes baked on the top of a black bean dip on top of a whole wheat tortilla...hmmm...wasn't sure about the sound of any of it.  I figured I would make it for lunch and then report to the guys as it didn't sound like anything they would like either. 

  Oh, was I wrong!  This black bean dip is very very good.  It's black beans, onions, garlic, hot pepper, cumin, salt & pepper, cilantro, and a little water, all whirled about in the food processor and then spread over the 6" tortilla, topped with shredded cabbage, topped with tomatoes, and baked in the oven for ten minutes.  That's it.  130 calories total.  Huge amount of "pizza" for 130 calories.  

  It's a keeper...and a quick, tasty, and easy lunch for me when I am home alone.  Am I going to let the guys in on this?  Eventually.   

  Thanks, Joanne for choosing this recipe as I would never have tried it in a million years on my own. 

  Next week:  Sweet & Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, found on page 95, hosted by Leslie at Lethally Delicious.

CEiMB: Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

  The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Pamela from Cookies with Boys and is Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, found on the web here. 

  Absolutely delicious, especially the tangy sauce.  The ingredient list for the sauce is rather lengthy, but each ingredient brought something to the party...I wouldn't change a thing. 

  I made Anadama buns to go with it for the guys as they love those with their molasses flavoring and I knew it would be a good combination with the pulled chicken, so they had those.  I opted for a whole wheat tortilla as I had some left from last week's chicken salad entry, and it was really good in that also.  Note:  One whole one of these pulled pork wraps is way too much...I ate half and then wrapped the other half and warmed it up the next day for lunch.  It was very filling. 

  Everyone loved this recipe, so it will be a repeat and next time when I need something quick when everyone is on the run, I will put it in the crockpot on low for a few hours so it will be ready for those nights when everyone "scoops and scrams."

  Next week:  Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza, hosted by Apple Crumbles, found on page 174.

CEiMB: Waldorf Chicken Wraps

The recipe chosen this week for

CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Johnstone's Vin Blanc and is Waldorf Chicken Wraps, found on the web here.  

  We make chicken salad quite a bit around here as it is one of Matt's favorites...he eats two at a sitting.  We also like Waldorf Salad quite a bit around here and it is one of Mark's favorites.  I was eager to try this week's recipe because it combined the two recipes, and also for it's "slimmed down" version, using Greek yogurt in place of much of the mayonnaise. 

  The recipe goes together quickly, with all the usual suspects: chicken, mayo, lemon juice, S&P, some new additions like Greek yogurt, apples, grapes, walnuts, thyme, and then it all gets snuggled inside a romaine lettuce leaf and enveloped in a whole wheat wrap.  It can be made ahead and ready for assembly into the wraps with very little time and effort on a busy week night. 

  Best of all:  it tastes great!  Definitely a keeper, definitely a repeat, sooner rather than later.  I'm pretty sure it's my new chicken salad go-to recipe.

   Next week:  Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, recipe found on the web here. 

CEiMB: Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

   The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Cathy at The Tortefeasor and is Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, on pages 54-55.   

   I had been looking forward to this recipe ever since Cathy selected it, not only because it looked great, but because it is always even more fun to make a recipe that a friend selects!  The recipe does not disappoint in the least...all the flavors combined with the grilled chicken to make an absolutely wonderful dinner.  We all thought so...four out of four...it was a hit! 

   The marinade for the chicken strips went together easily, the chicken bathed in it for about two hours here as I had other things going on (i.e. our cookie jar was empty and Matt wanted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, so I was multitasking with that), and once the chicken was grilled, I could have stopped right there because that marinade gave the chicken a very lovely flavor with a hint of everything that went into it.  

   In the recipe, however, Ellie had Part 2, which was a spicy dipping sauce, and that sent the guys raving about the chicken with that on it.  Myself?  Well, I liked it, and it did have a nice little kick to it, and I would make and eat it again, but I'm just saying that I was a happy camper even before the dipping sauce. 

   The dipping sauce is bold, a little spicy, and overpowers the delicate flavor the marinade gave to the chicken, so I could be happy with A) the chicken in the marinade and then grilled and eaten; or B) the chicken with no marinade and then grilled and eaten with the dipping sauce.  In my mind, the sauce cancelled out the effect of the marinade by overpowering it.  Just my thought anyway. 

   The beauty of this is that you could skip one of the parts and be perfectly happy with the outcome.  The guys, of course, would vote for having the spicy dipping sauce every time.  There will be a repeat.  It was that good. 

   Next week:  Waldorf Chicken Wraps, recipe found on the web here. 

CEiMB: Thai Beef Salad

  The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Jen B's Cooking Carveout and is Grilled Thai Beef Salad on page 107. 

  I have eaten very little Thai food in my life and was excited to see this recipe so that I would have a chance to actually make something with Thai flavoring.  Oh my, this does not disappoint as the flavors in the marinade/salad dressing were absolutely delicious. 

  It all went together quickly and easily, the only real time consuming part being the recommended marinating time. Thai Beef Salad will be a happening dish around here from now on. 

  I do need to get better at grilling, i.e. not get distracted and lose track of the time, or try to do this in a rainstorm again.  My steak got a little bit too done (not that nice juicy red center I like best), but in the end that did not matter at all as the flavors from the marinade and dressing made it all taste delicious, despite the semi-neglectful grilling.  (Mark is the grill master around here...now you know why!  Hopefully, next time he will be available.)

     Next week:  Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, on page 54-55, hosted by Cathy at The Tortefeasor.

CEiMB: Stuffed Turkey Burgers (One Sentence Blogging Week)

   This week's cooking for the CEiMB blog along, which uses recipes from Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life was chosen by Peggy from Pantry Revisited and is Stuffed Turkey Burgers on page 218 if you would like to make these moist and delicious burgers at your house, and yes, you do, as they are very good with 97% lean ground turkey, surrounding a delightful surprise in the middle of diced roasted red pepper and shredded mozzarella, grilled 7 minutes on one side and 7 on the other, nestled in a whole wheat bun, and needing only perhaps a little mayonnaise and pickle (according to Mark) to top it all off for a most tasty and delicious dinner, and if that isn't enough, then join us next week for the Grilled Thai Beef Salad, on page 107.

CEIMB: Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting

  It's my first week cooking for CEIMB blog along, which uses recipes from Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle. 

  This week's recipe was chosen by Leanne from Enjoying My Favorite Things and is Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting, on pages 284-285. 

  I've actually made a few of Ellie's recipes before, downloading them from FN.  What impressed me the most is that she uses almost all fresh ingredients and doesn't sub in things that are not "real food," instead making things healthier (less fat and fewer calories) by little methods she has learned as a dietitian.  Things like using one whole egg and one egg white for a recipe that calls for two whole eggs, using applesauce for part of the oil to keep moisture in baked goods, choosing lower fat cheeses and using the higher fat cheeses in smaller quantities when they can really make a statement, etc. 

  This recipe makes really wonderful looking/ wonderful tasting carrot cupcakes.  Not too sweet, which sometimes carrot cake can be, moist, tender, and definitely worth making again.  The guys loved them, too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The only thing I would change is that this recipe had no raisins and we love raisins in carrot cake, so the next time I make them, I will poke three little raisins down into the batter in those little cupcakes before they go into the oven.  I don't think three little raisins will make much of a difference in the calorie count (which is, btw, for one cupcake with the delicious lemony cream cheese frosting, 230 calories), and it will make us extremely happy to happen upon those little bits of raisin in our carrot cupcakes.  Otherwise, I would not change a thing about this recipe.  

  We ate them for breakfast like we do on busy days with muffins: grab one and go.  We also ate them for dessert in a more civilized manner.  They were absolutely delicious.

  Next week's recipe is Stuffed Turkey Burgers, on page 218, and was chosen by Pantry Revisited.