Salmon with Pumpkin Pasta

Yes, I understand that pumpkin is mostly a fall ingredient, but squash is in season during the winter. Hey, pumpkins are a squash! I know technicalities. I still love pumpkin. In this recipe you get a slight pumpkin flavor, and the nutmeg really makes it just perfect.

It is kind of sad that the holidays are over; it's my favorite time of year. Well, now that it's a new year, it's a chance to make this one better than the last. 2014 wasn't a horrible year, though there are some things that didn't go perfectly. Of course that happens with every year. I know 2015 will be hard, but I know we can push through and make it great! Happy New Year!!

Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Okay, I know that fall is pretty much over; but if you are like me, then you will cook with pumpkin as long as you can. I discovered last year that fresh pumpkin is definitely worth the effort. Up until then, I had always used canned. Then I decided to take the plunge and try roasting a pumpkin and making my own puree. After all that I made myself a pumpkin pie. Oh. My. Goodness. That was the best pumpkin pie I had ever had (up till then of course). After that I have went the fresh pumpkin way if I could, or had the energy.

It's really easy converting a recipe from canned to fresh.

Rosemary-Lemon Roasted Chicken with Fresh Harvest Salad

I think roasted chicken is one of my favorite meals to make. It is so easy, and absolutely gorgeous when it comes out of the oven all golden brown. I'm sure I've said this before, but I love pretty food!

This is a great fall recipe. So fresh with all the vegetables, and the rosemary gives the chicken a whole other dimension of flavor. Rosemary and lemon is such a great combo. Make this on a cold fall night and your family will love you forever. Make the salad first so it has time to chill while the chicken is cooking. Then as the chicken cooks, you can make whatever dessert you want, or sit down with a glass of beer and your loved ones. :)

It has been a while since I last posted, but I have had a tough last couple of months. On top of my husband leaving for training in another state, I have had been dealing with an anxiety disorder. I have been having panic attacks since high school, but they were years apart. For some reason starting in October I have had multiple attacks and severe anxiety on random days; usually for no reason. Now, I am learning how to keep myself calm in stressful situations. Yoga and chamomile tea have become staples in my daily life and I am realizing that cooking is also relaxing to me. So, luckily for me, one of my favorite things to do in life also helps keeps me relaxed. 

With my favorite season upon us, I will definitely be "relaxing" with tons of fall flavors and dishes. :)

Fajita Bowl (can be vegetarian or not!!)

I am so excited for fall to start! The changing colors and brisk mornings. September to December has always been my favorite time of year. Not only for the weather, but for the food. The pumpkins, squash, and spices that come out around this time makes everything better. Just writing about it makes me ready to start pulling out my fall decoration and make my own pumpkin puree. Well, with only a couple weeks until the official first day of fall I can start planning! I might even do it a few days early. :)

This fajita bowl is a quick and flavorful way to curb any Mexican craving you may be having. I was on a huge craving at the time, but I didn't want to go out and eat a plate full of greasy rice and beans. So, I found this recipe. Low in calories and full of nutrition. The avocados have the good fats, the beans give out extra protein, and of course your daily serving of veggies. If you are not a meat eater, you can substitute large portabella mushrooms for the chicken. So no matter what your eating style is, or if you are on a specific diet, this recipe would be great for you!

Healthy Halibut with Strawberry and Poblano Relish

Ever since I started cooking, I have gotten more and more into the presentation. At first I didn't care how it was presented, as long as it tasted good. Now that I have learned so much, I am all about pretty food. With every dish, I try really hard to make sure everything is cut evenly and that it still looks as good as it tastes. I find myself getting upset if something goes wrong. My husband can definitely tell you how my mood will go from high to low when I mess up. Once I had friends over and they were laughing at me because I was upset about a dish I was making. I knew it would taste okay, but something went wrong and I knew it wasn't going to look as good as I wanted. In the end it all looked fine and tasted fantastic.

Well, that tangent was all because I love the look of this dish. The gorgeous white fish with the vibrant green cilantro and bright red strawberries. I mean, who can say no to something so pretty!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

If I ever meet someone that says they don't like mashed potatoes, I wouldn't know how to act around them. Should they even be considered a person? Well, of course they should, but I would just think they are a really weird person. :)

I have heard of substituting cauliflower for potatoes in a mashed potato recipe before, it always sounded a little weird to me though. I knew it would be a great way to hide vegetables when you have people who doesn't like veggies. Now, I will honestly say that nothing is as good as the real thing, but this a fantastic healthy and quick version. Just like potatoes, you can season this mash with any flavors you and your family love. This recipe was a definite try for me, because I love roasted garlic!! Of course, I added a little dash of cayenne pepper, but you can do any seasoning you want. Rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, etc...this a blank canvas. A very healthy blank canvas!!

Grilled Salmon with Basil Sauce

When you love to cook, you kind of need people to cook for. Sounds about right...right? For the last few weeks, and a couple more to go, my husband has been out in the field. After the first few nights I realized how boring it is without him. Mind you we have no kids, so it's just me and our two year old dog. Well, since it's summer she gets tired after ten minutes of play, and sleeps for hours on end. Therefore, she is absolutely no help to my boredom. I keep finding recipes I want to make, but it serves a million people. I have made a few of those, and had lunch for work and dinner for the next night. Maybe it's just me though, but I can't stand eating the same thing for every meal, or more than two nights in a row. That just means leftovers go to waste when it's just me. Enough of my venting!

Thankfully, when I found this recipe my husband was still home so I was able to eat delectable flaky salmon. Now that the weather is ridiculously hot and I'm melting slowly, I need recipes that will not turn the oven on and make our house 20 degrees warmer. That is where the grill comes in. Then when you put salmon on that grill, it makes life perfect. This was such a simple dish, but full of flavor. Prepping the salmon couldn't be easier, and you get a great smoky flavor from the grill. Once you pour over the sauce, you have an inexpensive dish that doesn't taste cheap at all!

Open Faced Enchilada Veggie Quesadillas

Well, I have decided to go back to calorie counting. When I lost weight a few years ago that was one of the ways I was able to stay on track. Ever since we have moved here to Colorado, I have been slacking on my eating and exercise habits. I will still exercise now and then, but a routine would never stick. So I have decided to try something I know helped me in the past. Honestly, even after a few days of counting I do feel loads better! There really isn't anything bad about calorie counting, but my big sweet tooth has to be tamed that is for sure. I have to find different ways to curb my sweet cravings. Small pieces of chocolate, a bite of a lemon bar, fruit...etc. If you are thinking about calorie counting it does take a lot of will power and a good workout routine. Start out with an easy daily goal and then work down from there. Then add in whatever workout you did for that day and you will be able to eat a little more too. 

Enough about my crazy self! On to delicious food!!

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

It's grilling weather!! Time to get outside and grill anything you can find. Okay maybe not anything, but I bet you could find something. :) If you don't have the ability to grill outside I will strongly suggest getting a cast iron grill pan. That pan as gotten so much action in my kitchen in the winter time when it was impossible to grill outside. The cast iron still gives it a little bit of a smokey flavor and always produces beautiful grill marks, you know if you are like me and like your food to look pretty.

Along with grilling it's also a great time for avocados. So many things to get out a do after being stuck in the house for months with freezing temperatures and snow. Now get outside and fire up that grill with this light and fast seafood meal. If you wanted to grill a different type of fish go for it, I have always preferred salmon. Plus salmon is a great fish that holds up to grilling.

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

The best recipes for a hot day are light, refreshing dishes that don't weigh you down. An ethnic remix to a beloved classic is a great twist on any spring day. Chili Rellenos is one of those classic Mexican dishes you will find on any restaurant menu. What if you are craving that fantastic dish, but you are a little too lazy to go into all the work? Don't worry that happens to me every night. Dinner would never happen in my house if I didn't like cooking so much. :)

With a little hot sauce and fluffy eggs, this twist on a classic is a great way to add a little bit of Mexico into your home. On top of the flavor and ease, this recipe is also lightened up. Tasty and healthy? Why aren't you making this right now?! :) I would personally add more chilies if I make this again, but it was a hit with my husband either way!

Slow Cooker French Dip

My slow cooker is one of my favorite appliances in my kitchen. If I could cook everyday with it I would! Pretty sure if I got determined enough I could find nonstop recipes that would allow me to use this beauty all the time. For now I don't have an infinite number of slow cooker recipes but I do have this gem right here. 

Cool Salmon & Couscous Salad with Snap Peas, Orange, & Mint

I have been tempted to try a lot of new things. Like a cold salmon couscous salad for example. I would have never even thought twice about making this. When I saw this recipe I was actually excited to try it. So much nutrition and flavor! 

Now I had to cook my snap peas before mixing everything together. I am allergic to raw snap peas. I know weird. If they are cooked though I am all good. So just so I wasn't thrown any curve balls while eating I simply sauteed the snap peas for a few minutes. This dish is so flexible you could really do anything you want.

Flour-less Brownies with a Secret Ingredient!

This cold snowy day has been a great day for lighting a fire, reading, and baking brownies. Not just any brownies mind you. Brownies that are lower in calories and made with a "secret" ingredient. I put that in quotes cause it's really not much of a secret. I have heard about this recipe many times but I never believed that this specific ingredient could taste like brownies. Oh man was I wrong.

Lemon-Pistachio Chicken

I really enjoy productive days off. Today I checked a few things off my list, as well as a few others that I wasn't expecting. Good thing I did everything early and now I can relax for the rest of the day. Pretty sure I'm going to cut this post short so I can go have a beer and wait for dinner to cook itself in the crock pot (to be posted soon).
:)

This recipe is great as a light lemony dinner. If you love lemon, and I mean LOVE, then you will enjoy this. It's very "airy" and summery. When it starts getting warm outside I promise to make this again, because this is definitely for one of those nights where it still above 90 and you just want to cool off. Yum!

Hominy & Jalapeno Chicken Soup

When it's below 10 outside you know it's time for some soup. Especially if you plan on staying inside to watch the 2014 Winter Olympics. Every night we just turned on whatever event is playing. The event we like the most is curling. Unfortunately it seems to be the only event that plays in the middle of the night where we live. As long as we wake up at 3 am we can watch it. Probably won't happen as much as we want. :) 

This is a fantastic flavorful Mexican style soup. It's great because you can really dial the spice up or down, depending on how you like it. The original recipe called for the peppers to be seeded, but I know in this household we want to be breathing fire! So I decided to leave in the seeds, as well as adding a little more chili powder. For us it still wasn't as spicy as we like, so my husband ended up adding a little hot sauce to his third helping. Pretty sure after his third bowl I knew this dish got a double thumbs up. Along with being tasteful, this recipe was also very easy. It requires time, but most of that time doesn't require any action. So if you want a simple but exotic dish, here you go! 

Barbecue Turkey Sloppy Joes

This has been one crazy week. So much going on with work and home. Especially when we were sitting with a high in the single digits for a couple days in a row. Not much fun let me tell you. When you step outside and your face instantly stings...nope. No thank you. Good thing there is such a thing as comfort food. 

If you want sloppy, cozy, finger licking, saucy deliciousness then makes this. Sloppy joes are a staple in any household I believe. I remember eating sloppy joes when I was a kid and getting that filling all over my hands. Aw, the time when it was socially acceptable to be messy. Now we are adults and have to actually clean ourselves. Oops, off topic. Anyways. I love barbecue sauce on pretty much anything. With this recipe you could get any flavor barbecue sauce every time you make it and it would be like a brand new recipe. I only had original in my pantry this time, but I usually go for the sweet and spicy kind. After working around the warm cozy sandwich you still have all that fell out on to your plate. It's like seconds. :)

Where have I been?!

Wow, I pretty much just dropped off the face of the earth with this blog. So much has happened in the last 6 months that I have had almost no time to post. I have still been cooking but I never got around to taking pictures. Who knew that having a full time job with a husband and fur-baby at home would take up so much time!

One thing that I am proud of is that we finally got out of an apartment and moved into a house. It is so nice having more room. Plus not having to hear voices, music, and TVs through the walls. The most is a few dog barks and I can live with that. Leia (our adorable boxer mix pup) loves the space as well. It took her a while to get used to the new house; but after a weekend of accidents and horrid smells she understood that this is her house and she can run around as much as she wants. We have only been here a couple weeks and there is already a path etched in the dirt where she has sprinted in circles in the backyard. I can also say I feel a lot better knowing she isn't stuck in a small apartment without daily exercise.

Along with more space for Leia, I have more space in the kitchen. This is my first place in ages that has an island. Cooking the few dinners that we have has been so easy; plus more fun! My husband can come in to help without the two of us bumping into each other because of the lack of counter space. I have a feeling that with more space I can get back to posting new recipes.

So I am announcing here and now that I will start capturing meals with my camera and posting them. I still have so much to learn with cooking and love sharing them with the world. I may start off a little slow, but I know that once I get back into I will remember how much fun I had. Here I go!! :)

Manicotti w/ Meat Sauce

Man, this has been one hot summer. Living in the midwest, compared to the Pacific Northwest, has been a definite change for us. We were used to summers that get up to only 70 maybe 80 degrees. Now we are close to 100 degrees. Thankfully we have AC. :)

I have been making Manicotti since I was a teenager. My mom has been making it since I can remember. This was one of the first dishes I made for my husband when we started dating, so you can say I know Manicotti. There hasn't been one recipe that I have stuck with though. I like to mix it up. This was the first time I have made this with a meat sauce, and really liked it. One thing I love about Manicotti is that you can do whatever you want to the filling or sauce. The picture of ingredients doesn't show the Italian Seasoning, because I decided to add that in later. You could really put anything you like in the filling. I love a versatile dish!

To make it easier on yourself, and not make a huge mess, put the filling in  large zip lock bag (or a pastry bag if you are fancy and have one). Snip off the corner and twist the top to apply pressure.

Look how easy that is to fill those delicious shells! No mess and really quick!

Manicotti
adapted from Cooking for Less Pasta

Ingredients:
1 container (15oz) light ricotta cheese
2 cups (8oz) shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
1 package (8oz) uncooked manicotti shells
1 lb ground lean turkey
1 jar (26oz) pasta sauce (any kind/flavor you like)
2 cups water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan, and garlic in large bowl; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Fill manicotti shells with cheese mixture; place in 13x9 inch baking dish. 
3. Brown turkey in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to break up meat. Season with salt and pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Drain fat. Stir in pasta sauce and water (mixture will be very thin). ** Pour sauce over filled manicotti shells.
4. Cover with foil and place dish on a baking sheet, incase of any overflow. Bake for 1 hour at 375º or until the sauce is thickened and shells are tender. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. 

**At this point, before pouring sauce over manicotti shells, I seasoned the meat sauce with some red pepper flakes and more Italian seasoning. You can skip that or put in any other spices you like.

Serves 6.

Nutrition: Calories 497; Fat 21g; Protein 40g; Carbs 41g; Cholesterol 159mg; Fiber 4g

Oven Fish n' Chips

My goodness has it been hot this summer. Well, hot for me. This is the first summer I have spent out of the PNW in about 15 years. Even though I may be melting, I still want to spend all day in the hot kitchen cooking up delicious food. Since it is so hot, a light and easy meal is the best way to go. This dish would definitely fit that bill. It was fast and really good. Of course you could do anything you like for the "chips". I found a great recipe for actual baked sweet potato chips that I will definitely be trying.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Oven Fish N' Chips
adapted from tasteofhome Guilt Free Cooking

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium baking potatoes (1 pound) {could use sweet potatoes}

Fish:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs (could also use crushed cornflakes)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound frozen haddock fillets, thawed (could use cod, I used tilapia because that is all I could find.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil and pepper. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2in strips. Add to oil mixture; toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Back at 425º for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, combine flour and pepper in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat egg substitute and water. In a third dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese and cayenne pepper. Dredge fish in flour, then dip in egg mixture and roll in bread crumbs.
4. Place on a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Brake at 425º for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 
5. Serve with potatoes chips, and tartar if desired. 

Serves 4

Nutrition: Calories 243; Fat 2g;  Carbs 28g; Cholesterol 67mg; Protein 27g; Fiber 0mg 

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Wow, it has been a really long time since I last posted. Almost three months. What have I been doing with myself? Well, I started working full time about three months ago. Ever since then I haven't had much time to try new recipes. I had to get used to my new hours of working, and I really had to get used to both my husband and I working full time. For months it was just him working and me staying home with the dog. I had all the time in the world to plan out our weekly meals and work on new recipes. Well, three months of working and I think we are getting settled in our new ways. I have been looking for recipes that able me to prep ahead of time and allow my husband to finish right before I get home. So as you may guess I have been using my crock pot A LOT!

Now I'm going to try my hardest to get back into taking pictures and posting recipes, but I can't guarantee lots of posts.

Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to in the last few months though!

My husband loves to hike and spend the beautiful days outdoors. So I have been happy to join him and so has our pup Leia! We got her around February and were instantly in love. Thankfully she is an outdoors dog and loves to go on hikes with us. Living in Colorado Springs we have a plethora of trails around us so we will have plenty to do. Right now with the temperature above 90º we haven't been hiking much. Being from the Pacific Northwest anything above 75º I'm melting. Definitely have to get used to this heat!

Done with our crazy life! Here is a great healthy recipe that will spice up any night!!

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps
adapted from P.F. Changs recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 onion, mince
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or less if you like it less spicy)
dash of pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1/2-8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
10-12 large outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet on high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, then cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add garlic and ginger then continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine soy sause, vinegar, oil, peanut butter, water, honey, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir to combine.
3. Add green onions and water chestnuts into the skillet then cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through.
4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves.