Ja cię kocham…

Every year, the hubby and I bust out one of our four grills, (I know, I know.  Who needs four grills?  Apparently we do!)  and host a BBQ of sorts.

We decided to have the BBQ on Saturday rather than on Memorial Day to give us time to relax and enjoy the weekend.  I don’t know about you, but I end up completely exhausted when I host a dinner and work the next day.  There needs to be a day off AFTER holidays just to recuperate!   I vote for Easter Mondays off!

Lately I have really been trying to keep family meals simple.  If you recall my Mother’s Day Dinner at all, you remember that each dish consisted of 5 ingredients or less.  For Memorial Day I decided to do a potluck to keep the wallet happy and also to keep the stress level at a minimum.  I also chose recipes that I could either prep or completely make the day before the BBQ.  This allowed me to have time to enjoy my morning cup of coffee on the deck and casually vacuum the house without running around like a crazy person.

Oh, and it gave me time to dress in theme and take pictures of myself.

What?  You don’t wear patriotic pinwheels on your head?  I blame it on being a teacher.

Just so you can mentally prepare yourself, I have to warn you that the dessert that you are about to encounter is addicting.  Even when you are completely filled to the brim, and ready to roll over and surrender to the day’s gorging of food, you will eat this dessert.  And then you will eat more.  I’m not kidding.

I baked the brownies (which is a miracle in itself) the night before and prepared the trifle dish 2 hours before the BBQ.  You can very easily make the whole thing the night before, but I was busy making my great-great grandmother’s Potato Salad and Poppy’s Cucumber Salad.

I have warned you.  If you make this, you will not want to share it.  You will want to hide it in the back of the fridge and eat it when everyone leaves.  So just make two.  One for your guests and one for you.  I will not judge.

Big Bowl Brownie Dessert
Source: Betty Crocker
Serves 16

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix
water, vegetable oil, and eggs as called for on brownie mix package
2 cups whipping cream
1/4-1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar (depending on how sweet you like your whipped cream)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (or any fruit filling)
2 Tbs. sliced almonds for garish (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F if using dark or nonstick pan).  Bake brownies as directed on package and allow to completely cool.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. In small bowl, combine pie filling and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Cut brownies into 1-inch pieces. In 3-quart glass bowl, layer half of the brownies; top with cherry pie filling and half of the whipped cream. Top with remaining brownies and whipped topping; sprinkle with almonds. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

I woke up this morning to a dreary, rainy day that was simply begging me to be lazy.  No problem, Lazy Sunday,  I will listen to you.

Lazy Sundays can be tough because there is nothing on the itinerary forcing me to wake up, shower, and get moving and for some reason I always feel as if there is something that I could do that would alleviate the stress during the week.  Should I do laundry?  How about pick a room to clean?  Why must I insist on being productive on a perfectly good Lazy Sunday?!  Let’s just sit at the kitchen table, looking out the sliding glass door with a steaming cup of coffee and a good book.  Sounds good, huh?

Instead of changing the sheets and mopping the floor, I am going to whip up a very simple and sophisticated mocha that immediately whisks me away to my favorite little corner cafe with budding flowers and early morning chatter.  Maybe I’ll make pancakes, too.   Or home fries.  I’m going to see where my motivation leads me (or doesn’t lead me).  For now, I’m just going to sip my mocha and enjoy a morning filled with nothing to do.

Toasted Almond Mocha

Source: Claire Robinson of 5 Ingredient Fix
Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces sliced almonds
4 cups milk
4 tablespoons honey
4 shots espresso or 1 cup very strong coffee
4 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds on a sheet tray in 1 even layer and toast in the oven until fragrant and light golden, about 7 minutes.

Put the toasted almonds and milk in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until steaming and hot, but not boiling, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the honey and stir until incorporated, then strain through a fine mesh strainer.

In a warm mug or heatproof glass, mix an espresso shot or 1/4 cup coffee with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and then top with the toasted almond-infused milk. Repeat with remaining espresso, cocoa and hot milk.

In my last post I talk about indulging a little bit in the foods that we want.  Sometimes I HAVE to have fettuccine alfredo or my ranch dressing on my salad.

Okay, I always have ranch dressing, but it’s on the side.  (I have friends that are very health conscious that are now going to scold me for admitting to the ranch – hehe.)  What I’m getting at is the fact that there are some foods that I cannot substitute with fat-free ingredients.  Ranch dressing being one of them.

I’d rather eat a salad with NO dressing than a salad with fat-free ranch.  Bleck.  It’s just NOT the same!

There are other foods that I have absolutely no problem substituting low-fat or healthier ingredients for the fattier ones.  Honestly, I like to make most classic dishes healthier.   Chicken Parmesan is one of them.

But please, PLEASE don’t EVER ask me to consume fat-free ranch… or fat-free cheese for that matter.  Eeeeew.  I swear that stuff isn’t even food.  (Don’t worry about me too much.  I do like part-skim and low-fat dairy so my arteries won’t completely clog…)

Often when I need inspiration for a healthy twist on a dish, I turn to Ellie Krieger of the Food Network.  As a very popular nutritionist with her own cooking show, Ellie is the one to look up for lightened up meals without compromising the flavor.  (She doesn’t use fat-free cheese.  That’s my kind of girl!)

All of my friends at work know what a foodie I am.  Every day, I’m asked questions about cooking or health facts.   One of my friends (who is equally as obsessed with the Food Network as I am) brought in this recipe.  8:30 in the morning she sees me, runs to her purse, grabs the recipe, slams it on my clip board and says, “you have GOT to try this!”.

So I did.  And she was right!  And after eating it for myself I realized that her excitement for this dish was very much appropriate.

Hopefully this healthier version of Chicken Parmesan will be one that you add to your collection!  Some people do not like to mess with a classic, but I think this one is tasty enough to meet your standards!

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

Source: Ellie Krieger
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each) (I used honey-wheat sandwich thins because they are my current obsession!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Olive oil cooking spray
1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan

Directions:

(Serving size, 1 piece chicken with sauce and cheese)

Calories 410; Total Fat 11 g; (Sat Fat 4.5 g, Mono Fat 2.7 g, Poly Fat 1.2 g) ; Protein 50 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 110 mg; Sodium 1200 mg

I give you the final recipe from my Mother’s Day Dinner Menu!

Oh boy these were amazing.  I know these aren’t the healthiest version of green beans out there, BUT it is okay to indulge every so often!   The beauty of this recipe is that you can use as little or as much of the fattening ingredients as you would like.   If you are being cautious about your caloric intake you can make the proper adjustments (center-cut bacon, turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, reduced fat cheese, etc.) to meet YOUR needs.   You don’t have to follow the recipe exactly.   It still tastes good even if you use less cheese or omit the bacon.  I just thought that this was the perfect compliment to my Rosemary Pork Tenderloin.

Does my plate look good?  Trust me, it was amazing.  So make this meal, savor it, and then go relax on your porch, deck, or couch.  I went on my parents’ deck….

My husband, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and I all went to Temple University for undergrad so of course there is a TU flag at my parents’ house!  Even though my Mom and Uncle went to different colleges, they still have pride for the Cherry and White.

Just had to throw that out there

Nutty Green Beans with Bacon and Blue Cheese

Source: Claire Robinson of 5-Ingredient Fix
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Kosher salt
2 pound green beans, trimmed (frozen are fine, just thaw them before using)
4 slices bacon
4 ounces blue cheese, cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups toasted whole pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Have you ever made something that is so unbelievably fantastic that you don’t understand how you lived before trying it?   Something so good that you seriously consider putting on the list of things you would make sure to have if you were stranded on a desert island?

This dish is one of those things.  Honestly, if I had to choose only one thing that I was allowed to eat for the rest of my life, this would be a deep consideration.

Mom and I were preparing for Christmas dinner last year, and she came across this recipe by Tyler Florence.  Ever since she brought this gem into our lives, every person that has consumed it falls in love instantly and wants the recipe.  Now I have had a lot of incredible potato dishes in my life but this one by far surpasses every single one of them.

So what are you waiting for???!!!   Get crackin’ on some Gratin!

Scalloped Potato Gratin

Source: Tyler Florence
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.

While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes.

Sometimes I wonder if I need to go to some kind of therapy for my obsession with food.  Seriously.  I wake up and think about food.  As I’m getting ready for work, I’m thinking about dinner possibilities and while I’m at work I’ll jot down a potential grocery list for the dinner that I am concocting in my head.

We won’t talk about my subscriptions to the Food Network, Real Simple, or  Cooking Light magazines that I anxiously wait for every month.

But I will talk about my new favorite TV show on the Food Network, 5 Ingredient Fix.

Oh man, this show is kick butt because each recipe entails only 5 ingredients (not counting the salt and pepper that we should already have in our cupboards).  You all know I’m all about minimal ingredients!

Claire Robinson, you’re awesome.  Thank you for keeping it simple.

When you make this dish, the aroma of fresh rosemary and bacon will swirl around the house making your guests eager for dinner.   They’ll think you were in the kitchen all day preparing.  So while they all think you’re slaving over the stove, grab yourself a cocktail, kick off your shoes, and relax.   They’ll never know that you put little effort into such a flavorful dish.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Source: Claire Robinson of the 5 Ingredient Fix
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves, plus 4 sprigs rosemary, with hard woody stems
5 large garlic cloves, 2 cloves minced, 3 cloves smashed
2 pork tenderloins, about 1-pound each
4 slices maple bacon

**You’ll need kitchen twine!**

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, fresh ground black pepper, chopped rosemary, and minced garlic and mix well. Rub the mustard mixture over the surface of the tenderloins and wrap in plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place rosemary sprigs and smashed garlic in the center of a roasting pan. Remove the plastic wrap from the tenderloins and top each with 2 slices of maple bacon. Tie with kitchen twine to secure bacon strips.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer, inserted in the tenderloins, registers 160 degrees F. Remove from oven when desired doneness is reached and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove kitchen twine, slice and serve with your favorite sides. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and garlic.

My mom, sister, and I not only share DNA but a deep love for this dip.   My sister had a few wedding dress fittings and each time we were finished at the bridal boutique we went to the same restaurant for tea.  Each time we stared at our options on the menu, looked at each other and smiled as one of us inevitably said, “Do you want to split the pumpkin hummus platter?”.

OF COURSE WE DO!  It’s to die for!

This platter came with olives, pitas, and crudite.  Oh so good.  So we decided to make our own.  I decided not to use tahini (ground sesame seeds) in this hummus, and I’m happy to share that the flavor wasn’t negatively affected.   The consistency is different than that of a typical store-bought hummus.   This recipe is a little chunkier, but it definitely feels lighter and fresher.

I had to laugh because I come walking into my parents’ house with groceries and am so excited to get started on dinner when I realize that I brought absolutely nothing to dip into the pumpkin hummus.  Oops.

If it’s not a cake that I forget, it’s chips for the dip!  Geez!

Lucky for me my mom is a genius!  She whipped out some whole wheat wraps, did a little mommy magic and gave me some awesome pita chips for the hummus.   The pita chips were so stinkin’ easy that I made them last night for dinner.  I had three leftover wheat wraps in the fridge that were in there just long enough that I couldn’t fold them without them tearing.  I never thought of making chips out of them.  It seriously took less than 10 minutes from start to finish.  Gotta love that!

This whole hummus and pita recipe takes less than 10 minutes.   Just a little zip, zip of the food processor while your oven bakes and you have a fabulous appetizer.

Pumpkin Hummus withe Semi-Homemade Pita Chips

Source for Hummus: Libby’s Pumpkin Website
Source for Pita Chips: The Mommy

Serves 8

For Pita Chips:

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat wraps
cooking spray or 1 Tbs. olive oil
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.

With a pizza cutter or knife, cut wraps into 8 equal triangles and place on baking sheets.  Spray wrap triangles lightly with cooking spray or gently brush with olive oil.  Flip and gently coat other side of wrap with cooking spray or oil.  Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Bake for 5 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown.  Flip them.  Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes making sure to watch them carefully because they can burn very quickly.  Take them out and let cool.

For the Pumpkin Hummus:

Ingredients:

1 can (15.5 oz.) chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
sprinkle of paprika (optional)

Directions

Place chickpeas, pumpkin, lemon juice, water, garlic, salt and pepper into food processor; cover. Blend for 1 minute or until smooth.  Additional water, a teaspoon at a time, can be added if a smoother consistency is desired. Stir in parsley. Top with paprika.  Serve immediately or refrigerate in tightly covered container for up to 4 days. Makes about 2 cups.

I hope all of the Mommies in the food blog world had a FABULOUS Mother’s Day!!  I can envision your sweet, little children bringing you breakfast in bed or making a darling card out of construction paper and stickers and the grown up children giving you a phone call or paying you a visit that simply made your day.

You deserve it, Mommies.  You have worked so hard all of our lives to bring us the best that life has to offer and we thank you!

In case you didn’t already pick up on this – I absolutely adore my mom.  And honestly, she makes it very easy for us to love her.  The Mommy is such a giver and is literally the strongest, most loyal and loving woman that I have ever met.  Growing up she braided my hair, ironed my clothes, wrote me cute notes in my lunch box, drove me to dance lessons, cheered me on at field hockey games (which she still does even though I’m all grown up), and much, much more.  I don’t know what I would do without my mom.  I love you, Ma!  You’re the most beautiful woman on this planet, and I thank God for you each and every day!

Bearing this in mind, this Mother’s Day was very bittersweet this year because it was so exciting to celebrate the many accomplishments of my mom but we were missing another mother of equal importance.

My Mom and her Mom (Mom Mom) in 2007.

As you  learned from this post, our amazingly wonderful Mom Mom passed away less than a month ago.  In the few weeks since then we have been fortunate enough to have much to celebrate – my mom’s birthday and my sister’s wedding.  We are so thankful to have many joys in our lives at a time that can often be overwhelming.

Even though Mom Mom wasn’t physically present at our Mother’s Day Dinner we made sure to honor her by using her dishes.

Small things such as preparing a loved one’s favorite meal or using his or her every day dinnerware brings about a sense of comfort and love.

Are the dishes adorable?!  I think so!

This Mother’s Day, The Mommy and I made a simple but fabulous dinner.  It wouldn’t be a family meal without The Mommy and I in the kitchen cooking together!

Normally when I’m cooking a family dinner, I make a detailed schedule of when to prepare and cook each dish and inevitably wind up behind schedule for some reason like talking too much or forgetting something like BAKING A CAKE.  Yes, I forget to bake cakes.  I’m that bad.

Thankfully, this meal was very relaxed in terms of preparation and cooking.  Maybe I’m getting a knack for cooking family meals.

We made very low maintenance dishes that required few ingredients and minimal active prep time.  For once I didn’t have every last detail written down and wouldn’t you know it – everything came out PERFECTLY and ON TIME.

Sometimes I look back on past meals and wonder why I feel the need to make things so complicated.  I’m truly learning that less is more.  I know I keep saying that over and over again in this blog, but I cannot stress it enough!  LESS IS MORE!

I’m going to give you the run down of our menu and will post individual recipes in the near future.  I’m just too excited about this meal that I want to show you what we made!

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Pumpkin Hummus with Semi-Homemade Pita Chips

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Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

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Scalloped Potato Gratin

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Nutty Greens with Bacon and Blue Cheese

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And we had vanilla bean ice cream with chocolate syrup for dessert!

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It was delicious!  I loved being able to spend more time with my family without having to constantly pop into the kitchen to check on the food.  After dinner, we sat around with coffee and chatted around the table until 10pm!  It doesn’t get any better than that.