Election Night Menu!

Here is our election night menu:

"Pigs in Lipstick" (Turkey hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls with a ketchup smile)

"It's Raining Democrats" Dip with Blue Tortilla Chips

This recipe was originally called "It's Raining Men" Dip (AKA Buffalo Chicken Dip). I got it from www. stiritupwithjackie.blogspot.com. It is FANTASTIC!

It's Raining Democrats Dip

Ingredients:
1-8 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese
1/2 C Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
1/2 C Buffalo Wing Sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste
2-3 C Shredded Cooked Chicken (from rotisserie chicken)
2 Scallions, sliced (oops...I forgot)
(I also added approx. 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese)

Celery Sticks & Tortilla Chips for dipping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the cream cheese into a medium-sized bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds to soften slightly. Whisk in salad dressing, wing sauce, cheese, salt & pepper until smooth. Stir in the shredded chicken until just coated. Spread the mixture in a pie plate and drizzle the top with additional wing sauce if desired. Bake the dip for 15-20 minutes until mixture is heated through and edges are bubbly. Cool slightly and top with scallions.





"Barack-olli & Cheese Casserole"

Broccoli & Cheese Casserole

From : http://www.allrecipes.com/

Ingredients:

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 C Milk

2 tsp. Mustard

1 (16 oz) Pkg. Frozen Broccoli Florets, thawed

1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/3 C Bread Crumbs

2 T. Butter, melted

Directions:

Stir the soup, milk, mustard, broccoli and cheese in a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Mix the bread crumbs with the butter in a small bowl and sprinkle over the broccoli mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

"Joe Six Packs" (rootbeer)

Palin Ale (ginger ale)

"Biden Time to the Whitehouse Cupcakes" (white cupcakes with white frosting)

"McCain's Balls to the Walls" (Nutter Butter Balls)

Nutter Butter Balls

I'm not sure of the source of this recipe.

Crush one package of Nutter Butter Cookies and mix in 1 pkg of softened cream cheese. Make into balls and chill. Dip in melted chocolate. YUMMY!

We had a great time!

Spaghetti Squash

I was rather intrigued by the idea of spaghetti squash, never having had it. All I can say is WOW! This stuff is amazing. I cut a large spaghetti squash in half, drizzled olive oil and sprinkled salt & pepper over it-then baked in a 400 degree oven for one hour. I let it cool enough to handle it and took a fork and pulled the squash out. Then, I sauteed it in some olive oil and garlic-YUM! Delicious and way better nutrition-wise than spaghetti! Maya LOVED it, but this is what Suri thought of it...

Maybe next time?!

Mediterranean Barley Salad

We have had a box of barley in our pantry for about a year. I didn't really have a clue what to do with it, so I thought about it for a while (ok, a long while). Since it's been really warm lately, I thought maybe some type of salad would be good. So, off I went to www.allrecipes.com and sure enough-I found a recipe that sounded really good-barley, corn, black beans, peas, and more-what's not to love?! This salad was beautiful, very colorful, refreshing and tasty. Now I wonder why that box of barley sat in the pantry for so long!

Mediterranean Barley Salad
(modified from www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
3 C Barley, cooked
1 Can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
1.5 C Frozen Corn
1 C Frozen Peas
3 Tomatillos, chopped
10 Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
1/4 C Olive Oil
Juice from 3 Limes
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Add the barley, beans, corn, peas, tomatillos, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt & pepper together. Combine the dressing with the salad mixture. Enjoy!

Refreshing Summer Orzo Salad

I found this recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and decided to try it out. It sounded delicious and it definitely was! I will be making this one again...

Refreshing Summer Orzo Salad

from http://www.allrecipes.com/

Ingredients:

4 C Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
1 (16 oz) package Orzo pasta
1-1/2 T Butter ( I left this out as it wasn't necessary)
1/4 C EVOO
1-1/2 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 C Pine Nuts
1 C Pitted Kalamata Olives
1 (2 oz) Jar Capers, with liquid
12 oz. Basil-Flavored Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 (10 oz) Bag Fresh Spinach Leaves, chopped
1 T Lemon Juice (I used lime)

Directions:

1. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain well, then pour the orzo into a bowl, and toss with the butter to keep it from sticking; set aside. NOTE: I cooked the orzo until most of the liquid was gone, but I didn't bother to drain-there was no need to. Orzo tends to get dry, so I felt that leaving the little bit of broth would be the better way to go.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, and pine nuts. Cook and stir until the pine nuts have toasted to a light golden brown.

3. Stir the pine nut mixture into the orzo along with the olives, capers, feta cheese, spinach, and lemon juice. Serve either warm or cold, but it's better the next day.
I had this both warm and cold-it was FANTASTIC either way. Enjoy!

Pad Thai, Skinny Bitch Style!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Pad Thai, but it's not exactly the most "diet-friendly" dish. When I saw this version in "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" I knew I HAD to make it. And, am I ever glad that I did! It was really great!

Pad Thai
(from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, page 92)

Ingredients:
6 oz. Rice Stick Noodles
1/4 C Agave Nectar
1/4 C Mirin
3 T Ketchup
3 T Tamari
1-1/2 T Lime Juice
1 T Thai Chili Sauce
2 T Coconut Oil (I used Safflower Oil)
14-16 oz. Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 Scallions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 C Bean Sprouts
1 Carrot, Shredded
1/4 C Chopped Cilantro
1/4 C Chopped Roasted Peanuts (oops-I forgot to chop mine!)
4-8 Lime Wedges


Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the agave, mirin, ketchup, tamari, lime juice, and chili sauce; set aside.
Heat the oil in a 12-14 inch skillet over high. Add the tofu and stir-fry for 4 minutes (I did mine longer until it was browned. I would also recommend seasoning the tofu with s&p first). Add the red onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and the agave nectar mixture and stir-fry until the noodles are softened and evenly coated with sauce. Add the scallions, bean sprouts, and carrot and stir-fry until all the ingredients are well combined and heated through.
Transfer the pad thai to plates or a platter; garnish with cilantro, peanuts, and lime wedges, and serve. ENJOY!

Big Ass Veggie Burrito

This recipe is from "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch". It is absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this one again!



Big-Ass Veggie Burrito
(from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch)
Ingredients:
1 C Brown Rice
2 C Water
1/2 tsp. plus a pinch of fine sea salt (I used Kosher)
1 (15 oz) Can Black Beans
1 T refined coconut oil (I used Safflower)
1 Yellow Squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 Mild Green Chile, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 Red Onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 Zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Ground Coriander
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 Tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used Tomatillos)
2 T Lime Juice
4 (12-14 inch) Whole Wheat Tortillas, heated (I used Ezekiel from the health food store)
1 lb. Vegan Cheddar (I used about a cup of regular cheddar), shredded
1/2 C Coarsely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
2 Scallions, thinly sliced
Directions:
In a 1 to 2 quart saucepan over high heat, combine the rice, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand, covered at least 10 minutes. (I used my rice cooker)
Meanwhile, place the beans and their liquid in a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Cover and set aside. (I skipped this process and simply drained & rinsed the black beans. Canned beans tend to have a lot of sodium, so by rinsing you can get rid of a lot of it).
Heat the oil in a 10-12 inch skillet over medium high. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and chile and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini , garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and the remaining salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes, or until all the vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 4 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Stir in the lime juice.
To serve, lay a tortilla on a work surface and top with 1/4 of the rice, arranging it in a column down the middle of the tortilla, 2 inches from either edge. Top with 1/4 of the beans, 1/4 of the veggies, 1/4 of the cheese, 1/4 of the cilantro, and 1/4 of the scallions. Fold one side of the tortilla up and over the fillings, fold in the edges, and continue rolling the tortilla to the other side, making a tight bundle. Transfer the burrito to a plate, seam down. Repeat with remaining tortillas-makes 4.

Chicken Pilau

We had friends over for dinner Saturday night. Jason & Rebecca love Indian food, so Anand made some of our favorites.

We had Chicken Pilau, Chicken Tikka Masala, Basmati Peas with Rice, and for dessert we had fresh berries with light whipped cream and a biscotti. It was a great meal! You may ask "but Nicole, I thought you were going vegetarian?". We are working towards that but are "cleaning out the freezer" first. Once the chicken is gone, it's gone. We have to decided that, for now at least, we will be eating seafood though.

So, without further adieu, here is the recipe for Chicken Pilau...

Chicken Pilau

Ingredients:

Waldorf Wheat Berry Salad

My husband & I started doing South Beach diet about 6 weeks ago. We feel great and have both lost weight. In my quest to become more healthy, I decided to read the book "Skinny Bitch". It was a huge eye opener for me and we have both decided to go the vegetarian route-or at least work towards it. I also have the cookbook "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" that goes along with the book. It has some really great recipes. Today, I went into the natural food store and picked up some groceries for the first recipe-Waldorf Wheat Berry Salad. It was DELICIOUS! This will be a staple for us-we both loved it.

Waldorf Wheat Berry Salad (adapted from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch)

Ingredients:

1 C Hard Wheat Berries (available in the bulk section of natural food stores and many supermarkets)
3 C Water, plus more for soaking
1/3 C Safflower Oil
1/4 C Apple Juice
2 T Rice Vinegar
2 T Agave Nectar
3/4 tsp. Fine Sea Salt (I used Kosher)
1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 Celery Stalks, thinly sliced
2 Scallions, thinly sliced
1 Sweet-Tart Apple, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used Fuji)
1/2 Small Red Onion, diced
1/2 C Dried Cranberries
1/2 C Chopped Pecans
1/2 C Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions:
In a 2 to 3 quart saucepan, combine the wheat berries and enough water to cover by 2 inches and soak, refrigerated, for 6 hours or overnight. (If you don't have time for the overnight, use 1/2 cup more water and cook for thirty minutes more, or until tender).
Drain the wheat berries, return them to the pot, and add the 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 50-60 minutes until the berries are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the safflower oil, apple juice, rice vinegar, agave, salt & pepper. Once the berries are cooked, drain any water left in the pan and transfer the berries to a large bowl. Toss with about half the dressing and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Once the berries are cool, stir in the ingredients and remaining dressing, tossing gently. Serve cold.

YUM!

Indian Lentils

My husband had soaked some lentils and gave me the scoop on how to cook them. This was my first lentil dish, and I was pretty impressed-it was really, really great! This one will be a regular in our home.

Indian Lentils

Soak approximately 2 Cups of lentils for at least 6-8 hours (we soaked them in the morning before we left for work). Drain lentils-place in dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil on stove top. Let boil until lentils are soft-add 1 can diced tomatoes at the end of cooking. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add 1 T Mustard seeds to pan and let crackle. Add 1 T Cumin seeds and 1 red chili. Carefully add this mixture to the lentils & their "broth". Add 1 T Tamarind paste, 1 T Brown Sugar, 3 T Sambar Mix, and salt to taste. Once mixed and seasoned to taste, add 2 T chopped Cilantro. Serve over brown rice.