On the Menu: Barbecue Shrimp, Oven-Fried Chicken with Crunchy Broccoli Slaw, Beef and Noodle Toss, Sesame-Coated Pork Chops, Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage

The blog hasn't been updated because maternity leave came to an end and I am back working full-time.  My long term sub did an amazing job and my "school babies" miss her, but were happy to see me.  Teacher Appreciation week was this past week and my class surprised me with a binder of recipes.  How sweet is that?!  I can't wait to try them and post them on here! 

They both love to wear headbands!  My sis was in town this past week spending time with my parents.  She came to my classroom on Friday as our Mystery Reader.  She sent in 5 clues for me to read to see if the kids could guess who was coming to read.  They never did guess and her clues really threw them for a loop.  Her clues were:  I love plane rides.  I love my niece and nephew.  I am a doctor.  I have one sister.  I help people walk.   They asked her questions like, "What kind of doctor are you?"  "Where do you live?"  "Are you married?"  "Do you have kids?"  They thought she was so cool!  One little girl said, "She is such a cool sister!"  Sis and I then went to go pick up Dempsey Boy and Miss Tessa.  She spent the night with us and spent the day on Saturday celebrating my graduation.  My mom made a cute cake that looks like an open book.

I am hoping to do some more cooking this week.  The hubs is cooking dinner tonight for Mother's Day with assistance from me.  Here's his meal he's going to make:

Barbecue Shrimp adapted from Southern Living
1 1/2 lb. unpeeled jumbo raw shrimp
1 large lemon, cut into wedges
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place shrimp and lemon in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish.  Stir together dressing mix and butter.  Pour butter mixture over shrimp, stirring to coat.  Bake, covered, at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink, stirring once.  Remove shrimp mixture from oven, and sprinkle with parsley.

Ryan and my dad love my mom's potato wedges.  Ryan prides himself on now being able to cook these himself.  He wants to make these as a side for Mother's Day dinner.
Baked Potato Wedges with seasoned salt adapted from Bon Appetit
8 large Russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.  toss in bowl with butter, oil, and seasoned salt.  Arrange in single layer on 2 bakign sheets.  Bake until tender and golden, turning potatoes and rotating sheets halfway through baking, about 45 minutes. 

Oven Fried Chicken with Crunchy Broccoli Slaw adapted from Real Simple
Canola oil, for the rack
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
salt and black pepper
2 3/4 pounds bone-in chicken parts, skin removed
1 cup crushed buttery round crackers
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo
1 tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 pound broccoli, chopped, about 4 cups
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 small shallot, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lightly coat with oil.  In a shallow baking dish, combine the paprika, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Place the crushed crackers in a shallow bowl.  Remove the chicken from teh buttermilk mixture and coat with the crackers, pressing gently to help them adhere.  Place the chicken on the rack and bake, turning halfway through, until crispy and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the center of the thickest piece of chicken 40-45 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Add the broccoli, carrot, adn shallot and toss to combine.  Serve with the chicken.

Beef and Noodle Toss
8 oz. lasagna noodles
12 oz. boneless beef sirloin, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes
8 oz. sliced crimini or button mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 14 oz. can beef broth

Break noodles in half; cook according to package directions.  Drain.  Meanwhile, season beef with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Toss with flour.  Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meat, andy remaining flour, and the tomatoes to skillet.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until beef is well browned, stirring often.  Add mushrooms and garlic.  Cook 5 minutes more.  Add broth; cook 3 to 4 minutes more or until beef is done and liquid is slightly thickened.  Add cooked noodles to skillet; stir gently to coat.  Heat through. 

Serve with steamed green beans or broccoli.

Tangy Sesame-Coated Pork Chops
4 6-ounce lean center-cut loin pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
4 tbsp. Dijon mustard, divided
1/3 cup each:  dry bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp dried parsley OR 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
cooking spray

Trim away excess fat from pork chops.  Spread 1 tbsp mustard on sides of each pork chop.  Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, parsley and garlic powder in shallow bowl.  Coat pork chops and place in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until chops are tender. 

Nutrition:  297 calories, 36g protein, 9 g carbohyrate, 13 g fat, 82 mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 454 mg sodium

Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage adapted from Real Simple
12 ounces orecchiette
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage links, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pesto
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the green beans and peas during teh last 3 minutes of cooking.  Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and vegetables and return them to the pot.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6-8 minutes.  Add the sausage, pesto, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine.  Add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry.

I hope you enjoy these meals with your family!

Finding time to cook

Dempsey is finally getting on a schedule, so I am hoping to find some time to cook.  Here's the schedule I am using for him that we also used for Tessa.
6 a.m.:  Wake him up and feed 5 oz. bottle
6-8:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
8-10:  nap
10:  wake him up and feed 5 oz. bottle
10-12:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
12-2:  nap
2-4:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
4-6:  nap
6-8:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time, bathtime, books, prayers, bedtime at 8
8-10:  bed to sleep
10:  wake him up to give him one last bottle to help get thru the night
He will usually sleep until about 2 or 3 and we'll get up to give him another 5 oz. bottle. 

So, you can see he eats every 4 hours and takes three 2 hour naps during the day.  We are working towards this schedule and he's doing pretty well.  We're trying to get him used to soothing himself as best he can and not putting him to sleep by holding him.  This is easier said than done!  But, we're getting there!

I'm hoping to use his 4-6 nap to get dinner ready.  I will be trying to make the following meals:  Oriental Chicken, Super Sloppy Joes, Sesame Orange Pork Chops, and Chicken Sausage Quesadillas.

Oriental Chicken:  This recipe is adapted from Once a Month Cooking.
2 tbsp sweet butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
1 tsp pepper
1 5-ounce can chow mein noodles

Melt butter in a medium saucepain over low heat.  Add flour and stir over medium heat until bubbly.  Add broth, water, soy sauce, garlic powder, chicken, and pepper; simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve over chow mein noodles.

I would also like to serve egg rolls with this dinner.  Maybe I'll find some that are already made to serve alongside.

Super Sloppy Joes With Deviled Potato Salad:  Courtesy of Rachel Ray (Don't use that canned stuff!  Make your own sloppy joes!)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
• Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad. Have plenty of napkins on hand!

Deviled Potato Salad:

5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced

Coarse salt
1/4 onion
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise, eyeball the amount
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Boil potatoes in water seasoned with coarse salt until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out. Let the potatoes stand 2 minutes, then spread potatoes out on to a cookie sheet to quick-cool them.
In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, grate 1/4 onion using a hand grater. Add mustard and mayonnaise, paprika and cayenne pepper sauce to the grated onion and stir to combine. Add potatoes to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute dressing. Season potato salad with salt and pepper and taste to adjust your seasonings. Top servings of salad with chopped scallions.

Sesame Orange Pork Chops:  My awesome cousin, Heather Dixon, uses the site, Moms Who Think, to get a lot of crock pot recipes.  I checked the site out and loved it!  Here's a crock pot recipe to try.

Ingredients:
3 pounds pork chops
2 cups orange juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 cans mandarin oranges drained, (11 ounces each)
1 can pineapple tidbits drained, (8 ounces)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Place pork chops into the crock pot.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the orange juice until well combined. Pour orange juice mixture evenly over chops.
2. Cook on  low 6 to 8 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before serving add the oranges and pineapple, warm for  20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over each pork chop.  Serve with rice or broccoli.

Chicken Sausage Quesadillas:  Chicken Sausage is on sale this week at our grocery store and I have a coupon!  This should be an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
12 8 inch flour tortillas
1 pkg. Johnsonville Chipotle Monterey Jack Cheese Chicken Sausage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 cups colby jack cheese, shredded
Salsa

Place 3 tortillas on a large greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle each with sausage, red pepper, green onion and cheese.  Top each with a tortilla.  Place baking sheet on center rack in oven.  Broil for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Cut into wedges.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Serve with salsa.

Goodbye 2011! Hello 2012!

Whenever New Year's comes around, I think of my dad.  He is all about "wiping the slate clean and starting fresh."  He loves taking out last year's resolutions and seeing how we all did.  We used to even have competitions and keep score as to who kept the most resolutions.  Ryan and I now do our own resolutions.  We make some as a couple and family and then write down some personal ones of our own. 

2011 was an eventful year.  We found out we were pregnant on Memorial Day weekend. We went on an awesome vacation with my family to the beach for the first time in a looooong time, and I went back to teaching at a school I have always loved when they finally had a position open up.  In 2011, we saw two of our family member's diagnosed with cancer-not cool.  My dad spent 7 weeks undergoing radiation and we just got good news before the New Year that he is healing well and his scans are looking good.  He is an awesome example of having a good attitude and determination throughout his ordeal.  We're really proud of him.

So, here's to 2012.  I'm hoping for a healthy year for everyone in the family!  We will finally get to meet our little guy sometime in the next few weeks and I will graduate from grad. school in May.  Hopefully, these fun events just mean there are more to come.

New Year's also means the end of winter break.  It's back to work this week, so I need to be really organized when it comes to our dinners!  I am going to try the following recipes this week:  Sardinian spaghetti, Chicken Chili Stew, and Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce.

I came across the Sardinian spaghetti recipe while searching for New Year's meals to make on Food Network.  I always read the reviews when looking at a recipe on this site and they all were raving about this recipe.  I might make some extra sauce to have frozen and then keep this on hand for anyone who may need a meal due to current surgeries or babies!  The recipe calls for saffron threads, but I think I may just use saffron.
****Sardinian Spagheti****

Prep Time:

30 min

Cook Time:  40 min       Level:  Easy
Serves:  6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian fennel sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained, seeded and halved, with 1/2 cup juice reserved
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 pound spaghetti
• 1 cup shredded pecorino cheese

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 7 minutes. Push to one side of the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add the tomatoes, stirring to break them up a bit, and cook until the edges brown and the oil turns red, about 6 minutes. Stir the sausage and tomatoes together.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes to the skillet, then scatter the saffron over the mixture. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, 1 cup basil and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add the spaghetti, cooking liquid and reserved tomato juice to the sausage sauce and toss, about 3 minutes. Top with the pecorino and the remaining 1/2 cup basil.



I have an amazing mom who made me a cookbook last year with family recipes in it.  I love it and use it often!  I also have a close relationship with my aunt who did the same thing this year!  She gave us a binder with recipes she uses and that have been favorites in her household.  I have always wanted to try her chicken chili stew.  She actually got this recipe from a friend of hers who is the mom of a friend of mine from college.  Small world!

***Chicken Chili Stew***
6-8 boneless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic minced
3 medium onions diced
2 T olive oil
6 15 oz. cans chicken broth
6 15 oz. cans Great Northern bans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
2 10 oz. cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
4 t cumin
1 t oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in an 8 qt. pan.  Add chicken broth and chicken breasts.  Bring to boil and cook.  Remove when done and set aside to cool.  When cool, shred chicken.  Add remaining ingredients plus the shredded chicken.  Keep on medium heat for about an hour until the soup thickens and serve.  Yield 10-12 servings .  Add grated cheese as a garnish.


When we first got married, I didn't have a whole lot of experience cooking my own meals, let alone figuring out what to have for dinner.  I frequented the website epicurious.com A LOT to figure out what to cook.  I came across this pork chop recipe and have made it many times.  The sauce makes the dish.  I never knew pork chops paired so well with dijon mustard, but it does!  So yummy! 

***Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce***
4 pork chops
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 T unsalted butter
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup country style Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 degreesF.
Heat a dry 12 inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot.  Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add oil to hot skillet, swirling to coat, then brown chops, turning over once, about 8 minutes total.  Transfer to a shallow baking pan, reserving skillet, and bake, uncovered, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet, then cook shallots in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened 3 to 5 minutes.  Add broth and any juices from baking pan and boil, scraping up any brown bits, 2 minutes.  Add mustartd and cream and return to a boil, then add lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.


Happy New Year and Happy Eating!

32 Weeks...

I think the Lord shows his sense of humor through a pregnant woman's body.  At 32 weeks, I am actually feeling better than I was at 25-26 weeks, but this belly is definitely a-growin'.  I am at that point where getting from a sitting to a standing  position takes twice as long as it used to and bathroom breaks occur mostly at night.  Tessa likes to look at my belly and say, "Look at your belly, Mama!  It's sooo big!"  She is so innocently honest, and I love it.  She also likes to put her head on my belly to see if Dempsey will kick her.  He usually does.  His pesky little brother side is already manifesting itself.

The heartburn and acid reflux that comes this late in pregnancy has definitely started to settle in, but it has not stopped me from wanting to eat everything in sight.  Moderation is key!  This week, I need to get rid of MORE rockfish (and he's out fishing again today, so who knows how long we will be eating rockfish), and london broil and porkchops are on sale at the store.  And of course, I had to throw in a stew recipe.  This week we are making:  sausage stew, broiled rockfish cakes, dry rubbed london broil, and garlic-parmesan pork chops. 

*This recipe makes A LOT of stew, so feel free to reduce whatever you want and use whatever you have in the fridge.
Sausage Stew

yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds veal or pork sausages
• 3/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages

• 4 onions, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 1 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 10-ounce package frozen green beans
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation

Heat heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausages and cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sausages to plate; cool slightly. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from saucepan. Add onions to saucepan and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Add bell peppers and garlic and continue cooking until bell peppers just begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine and boil 1 minute. Add potatoes, tomatoes, broth and tomato paste. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in green beans, sausages and herbs. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Add all cheeses and stir.

*I've made something like this before, but this recipe is much simpler than what I made before.  I can't wait to try them.
Broiled Rockfish Cakes
Ingredients:
1 pound shredded cooked rockfish
1 large egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Rockfish Preparation  (Foil Steamed):Remove skin and all dark meat, then place filets in foil packet
Drizzle with fresh lemon juice
Lightly salt and pepper
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of basil over filets
Seal packet tightly-cook 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Cooking time will vary with thickness of filets. Fish should flake easily.
Mix all ingredients together, excluding rockfish, with whisk. Add rockfish to dressing mixture. Put covered mixture in refrigerator for about 1 hour. After 1 hour, form cakes with mixture and return to refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.
Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place cakes on cookie sheet and place under broiler at low temperature until they are beautifully browned. Flip, and do the same for other side. There is no filler in these cakes, it is just pure delicious rockfish.

*I haven't made this recipe in a while, but dry rubbing london broil or marinating it is pretty much the way to go when cooking it.  I'll probably serve this with mashed potatoes and maybe a side of cooked carrots. 
Dry Rubbed London Broil
Adapted from Food Network recipe courtesy of Dave Lieberman

Ingredients:
1 (2 pound) London Broil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 recipe Dave's rub               (mix all ingredients in a small bowl)
   -2 tablespoons chili powder
  - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
   -1 tablespoon sweet paprika
   -2 teaspoons garlic powder
   -4 pinches salt
   -15 grinds black pepper

Rub London broil with olive oil and then coat generously with dry rub.  Let stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature.  Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Place meat on grill and grill for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare.  Remove from heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing on the bias.


*Pork chops pair really well with Dijon mustard.  I've found that any recipe that has Dijon mustard included with pork chops is delicious.  I hope you like this recipe as much as we do!  I'll probably serve this with a salad, rolls, and some kind of apple-something.
Garlic Parmesan Pork Chops
adapted from Southern Living

6 boneless pork loin chops
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper.  Stir together milk and mustard.  Dip pork chops in milk mixture; dredge in breadcrumbs.  place pork chops on a rack in a broiler pan.  Back pork chops at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic, and saute 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in cream, wine, and cheese; reduce heat, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes ( do not boil).  Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter until melted.  Serve with chops.