And ever so easy.

Chicken broth.

Peas.

Baby bok choy. (this MADE the soup)

Water chestnuts.

Shredded carrots.

Bean sprouts.

A little bit of chili paste and soy sauce.

Some angel hair pasta.

And 3 scrambled eggs.

Guys. This smelled fantastic.

And looked pretty too.

And tasted even better.

I ended up using a lot of different utensils because I’m not that great with chopsticks.

I feel so much better. I love how it turned out. I loved that it renewed my interest in the kitchen. I love that I pulled myself out of the kitchen funk I was in.

egg foo young drop soup (or something like that)

2 quarts chicken stock

2 cups fresh peas

3 baby bok choy (choys?), halved and sliced

1 1/2 cup shredded carrots

8 oz. package bean sprouts

4 oz. water chestnuts, roughly chopped

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp red chile paste

2/3 box angel hair pasta (12 oz or so)

3 eggs

Heat broth to boiling. Add vegetables and soy sauce. Cook until veggies are soft, about 20 minutes. Add soy sauce and pasta. Cook until pasta is done, 4-6 minutes. Reduce heat. Scramble eggs and drizzle into soup.

Serves 8.

Nutritional info (per serving): 252 calories; 2g fat; 39g carbs; 3g fiber; 10g protein.

My sweet friend BubblyHeart was telling me how her sister makes and freezes burritos and I thought I’d give it a try. These turned out beautifully.

I started with roasting sweet potatoes on a baking sheet (tossed in olive oil, honey, sweet paprika, salt and pepper) and corn in a baking dish (I would have wrapped in foil if I wasn’t out). They stayed in here about 30 minutes, stirring the potatoes once and flipping the corn once.

(Gah. My oven is abysmal.)

Then I got the rest of the guts going. With a little olive oil in my favorite red skillet, I softened some onions.

Then I added a can of black beans that I had rinsed and drained.

I added half a cup of tomato sauce and half a cup of this lovely sweet barbecue sauce.

I turned the heat down to low and let that bubble away while the oven veggies got ready for the game. (I also moved on to making other recipes, but that’s for another day.) When the sweet potatoes had a little bit of crunch to the outside, I added them into the skillet. I also cut the corn off the cob and added it too.

By this time, everything was warm and flavored, so I went ahead and rolled them up. I opted for taco sized shells since regular sized ones are a commitment. Since I’m doing bento-type lunches so often, some days all I need is one burrito. Heat the shells in the microwave (which I love having right over my range), put in a spoonful of filling and roll ‘em up!

I know it isn’t easy, but try to get both ends rolled in.

I wrapped them in two layers of plastic wrap, then in an airtight container in my freezer. I have every intention of wrapping them in foil, just as soon as I remember to do that.

I wrapped up all but one, and my dear sweet husband was happy to make sure it was tasty. It got his approval.

I’m excited to tell you about my breakfast burritos too, but Nathan ate the first one from frozen this morning and I want to make sure it gets good reviews first.

I’m loving this frozen burrito thing. And the barbecue sauce gives it such a different flavor that the usual Mexican burrito. What fillings and seasonings should I try next?

Sweet Potato Black Bean Barbecue Burritos

2 sweet potatoes, chunked

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper

2 ears of corn

1 small onion, chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup tomato sauce

½ cup barbecue sauce

17 taco-sized burritos

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine sweet potatoes, paprika, honey, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Toss well and spread on a cookie sheet. Remove husks from corn and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on a second cookie sheet. Bake both until soft, 25-30 minutes.

In a skillet, add remaining tbsp of olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft. Add black beans, tomato sauce, and barbecue sauce. Allow to cook until sweet potatoes are soft. Remove from oven and add to black bean mixture. Cut corn off cobs and add to black bean mixture. Stir well.

Heat shells in microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften. Wrap filling up in taco shells.

(I froze these burritos. After allowing to cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Then stack in airtight container and place in the freezer.)

Makes 17 burritos.

Nutritional info (per burrito): 134 calories; 3.9g fat; 26.2g carbs, 10g fiber; 7.2g protein.

Perfect day for soup!

Tomato Balsamic Soup (based on this recipe)

But first I had to model my Christmas present from Nathan

Set oven to 500

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray

Drain 2 cans of whole tomatoes and put them in the dish along with

an onion chopped up

and 5 cloves of garlic, peeled

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup beef broth

a tablespoon of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

and pour it over tomatoes

Bake until everything is nice and smushed. It took mine about an hour.

Ladle all the goodness into your blender

add 1/2 cup beef broth

and 3/4 cup half and half

and take the top out of your lid for ventilation. Or bad things would happen.

Cover the hole with a towel and blend up nice and smooth.

And remember to take a picture before you let it cool and put it in the fridge to eat the next day. (Next to the upcoming Corn Chicken Chowder recipe.)

Or at least take a picture the next day at dinner. Or the day after at dinner.

Imagine that picture here, okay?

]]> http://questionsfordessert.com/2010/01/03/sing-songs-about-the-moon/feed/ 2 questionsfordessert DSC00036 DSC00038 DSC00039 DSC00041 DSC00044 DSC00042 DSC00046 DSC00047 DSC00048 DSC00049 DSC00050 DSC00065 DSC00067 DSC00068 DSC00069 DSC00070 DSC00071 DSC00073 http://questionsfordessert.com/2009/11/17/you-remember-me-when-the-west-wind-moves/ http://questionsfordessert.com/2009/11/17/you-remember-me-when-the-west-wind-moves/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:09:43 +0000 krissie http://questionsfordessert.com/?p=2745 Continue reading →]]> Seriously, people. I am about to rock your socks off.

Say hello to Chicken Barley Stew. I based this pretty much on a recipe in a magazine. I think it might have been out of Clean Eating. I don’t remember it’s in the big pile o’ magazines in my living room floor. Regardless, socks – be prepared to be rocked.

Take an acorn squash. Cut it into slices and put it in the oven. Salt and pepper. 10 minutes. Then flip. Until soft. While that’s going…

A tablespoon or so of butter in a big ol’ pot.

Followed by a diced onion.

When the onions are soft, drain and rinse 2 cans of black eyed peas. Add them to the pot.

Have your helper measure out a cup of barley

And add it to the pot too.

I added a box of chicken broth. I ended up adding about another cup or so over the course of the cooking. The barley is really thirsty.

Then we added the meat off a rotisserie chicken that the helper had shredded while I was getting it started.

Thyme and basil. About a teaspoon of each. Salt and pepper too.

When the squash was done, peel and chunk it. Add it to the soup.

It cooked for a little while – I straightened up the kitchen and watched the liquid level. And then it was ready.

And it was amazing.

Don’t let this scare you away if you don’t want to use the squash. It would be just as good without it. Next time, I’ll probably leave the squash out. Or add more. It just didn’t seem to add that much. The recipe called for potatoes and carrots. I don’t think I’ll add them either.

So nice on a cool fall evening. You need some of this stew in your life. Amen.

Preheat oven to 475. Take an acorn squash…

Peel it and cut it into chunks. Line a sheet with parchment paper and throw the squash in the oven. For 18-20 minutes.

Brown a pound of ground beef. I used bison. It was great.

When browned, take it out of the pot and put it in a bowl.

To the pot, add a big onion that has been chopped

and a can of diced chiles

Let this all get soft, about 8 minutes or so.

Drain a bag of frozen corn

and a bag of frozen lima beans

and pull the squash out when it’s ready.

Get all your cans together and open.

a can of black eyed peas (I would use 2 next time)

2 big cans diced tomatoes and 1 little can

I ended up adding about 2 cups of tomato sauce and a cup of water ’cause it wasn’t soupy enough for me

some salt, pepper, and little oregano and you get this:

Sticks to your ribs! Just a slightly different take on vegetable soup. Yum!

(this is based on a Southwestern Succotash Chili recipe from this month’s Rachael Ray magazine. I messed with the amounts, but the ingredients are pretty much the same.)

We start with olive oil and garlic in the bottom of a beautiful blue pot. (I don’t think I see anything in this one. Do you?)

2 large onions, chopped. And add them to the pot.

2 big turnips. I chopped them up and added them to the pot too.

Grab your assistant and put him to work. Today he’s just shredding an organic rotisserie chicken. He won’t complain too much.

3 apples. Chop them up nicely – peel and all – and throw them in the pot.

4 cans of cannelini beans and about 6 cups of chicken broth. Add to the pot along with the chicken that the assistant shredded.

Since I don’t believe in thickening stuff, I use a masher. Transfer a few ladles of the soup to a bowl with a lip. And smash.

So this is the soup pre-mashed addition…

and in goes the mash.

Spice time! A palmful of cumin

about the same smoked paprika

and some white pepper. and salt.

it looked kinda dry after the mash, and I was out of chicken broth. So I added some of what I was drinking.

tah-dah!

i shredded some gouda…

and it was time to eat!

I love Autumn in a Pot! I think you will too!

Half package of penne pasta into boiling water

Artichoke hearts. I love them, but find them very briny. I always rinse then and chop them up. But both steps are optional.

And then I add a can of white beans to the collander. Drain and rinse them too.

When the pasta is halfway cooked, add 1/4 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes to the pasta water. This softens them and plumps them back up.

Now onto the dressing. Start with EVOO.

Add some mustard. I bought this locally made stuff last week. So good.

Wasn’t vinegar-y enough, so I added some more of this. Salt and pepper and the dressing was done!

Rinse and tear up a head of lettuce. I’m not sure exactly what this was. Similar to romaine but not as stalky.

Put the beans and artichokes in a heat-safe bowl.

Drain the pasta and add to the bean mixture.

Add the dressing – as much as you think it needs. I didn’t use all of this.

Add a little goat cheese and tah-dah!

Such a yummy pasta salad! You can eat it warm or cold. Enjoy!

]]> http://questionsfordessert.com/2009/08/17/when-i-dont-have-to-run-day-2/feed/ 4 questionsfordessert IMG_1659 IMG_1662 IMG_1660 IMG_1661 IMG_1664 IMG_1665 IMG_1666 IMG_1667 IMG_1669 IMG_1668 IMG_1671 IMG_1673 IMG_1675 http://questionsfordessert.com/2009/06/15/too-much-to-love/ http://questionsfordessert.com/2009/06/15/too-much-to-love/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:46:15 +0000 krissie http://questionsfordessert.com/?p=1960 Continue reading →]]> For today’s Meatless Monday, we start with the bounty from Nathan’s solo trip to the Farmer’s Market.

Saute the onion in about a tablespoon of butter.

Add the asparagus, chopped up.

Add the mushrooms, also coarsely chopped. Let cook until the asparagus is almost soft to your liking (think like al dente for pasta).

While the veggies are cooking…

Mmmm. Smoked mozzarella. Shred this in a bowl. Preferably one with a spout. It makes later steps easier.

Add a tub of cottage cheese to the mozzarella.

More Farmer’s Market bounty. 8-10 eggs. Scramble them up. Add them to the cheeses.

Mix all the cheeses and eggs together. Add the veggies, salt, and pepper.

Pour the mixture evenly into 2 9-inch pans sprayed with cooking spray. I topped one of them with sliced tomatoes. (I didn’t put tomatoes on the other one because I’ll freeze it for lunch leftovers.) Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes.

Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Mmmm. We love Meatless Mondays.

***************************************************************************

I’m looking for some new ideas for Meatless Mondays. Anyone have any ideas for me? Send me a link and I’ll try it! But, be warned. I’ll leave out the celery. Celery makes me angry.

I’m excited to see what you send me!

I came across this recipe for Tortilla Pie from Martha Stewart about a year ago and have had it bookmarked since then. I decided to try it today. Of course, I just used the recipe as a suggestion, but I make my own path.

Tonight started with a good swirl of olive oil in a pan. Anyone see anything in this? A seahorse maybe?

Added a chopped onion and some minced garlic

and a can of green chiles, chopped up

some cumin

Let the onions, garlic, and peppers cook until soft, about 5 minutes or so.

Then add in rapid succession

2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

a bottle of beer

2 cans of diced tomatoes, drained. I took the scissors to them to chop them more

and I add smoked paprika to just about everything

a bag of frozen corn

the green parts of 4 green onions, finely chopped

and let this cook until most of the liquid is cooked out.

While this is cooking, get out your 9 inch springform pan. Cut big tortillas to the shape of the bottom of your pan so there will be a tight fit in your springform pan. Is this step really necessary? I don’t know. But I’m always thankful when I follow Martha’s directions that make me raise an eyebrow. (Like when she told me to add butter and cheese to gnocchi sauce…)

The problem with this step? You will have these little tortilla strips. Eat just one. Give the rest to your husband/boyfriend/roommate/out the window. I had a hard time not eating them all. I made Nathan eat them.

And this is where the fun starts. Just like lasagna. Tortilla on the bottom

Layer with the black bean mixture and some cheese

Repeat until you’ve used all of the bean mixture. I had 5 layers

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes

This is a great time to do some cleaning. If you’re anything like me, you will destroy your kitchen during the prep of this meal. I mean, my kitchen was such a mess! I got started on the dishes, counters, and sweeping. Just as I started with the sweeping, the smell was so fantastic I could hardly stand it. I finished just as the timer went off and was greeted with this.

(Imagine angels singing. Seriously.)

As I took the outside off the pan, my wonderful husband stated, “That is beautiful! Just like you!”

He just loves me ’cause I can cook.

Top with sliced green onions. Cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream.

Of everything I’ve ever cooked, you must try this.

You will be thankful.

Start with farmer’s market bounty – 2 zucchini, a squash, and 2 tomatoes. Chop the zucchinis and squash.

Put a good swirl of olive oil into a dutch oven. (Does anyone else see a naked woman pregnant with multiples or is it just me?)

Put another pot of water on to boil. Add some salt.

Put some minced garlic in the olive oil – to your taste.

Add the zucchini, squash, and salt and pepper.

Let them cook about 5 minutes, stirring quite often. Then add the chopped fresh tomatoes…

And the can of diced tomatoes. Roasted if you can find them. These are so good.

While that is cooking, add a bag of frozen gnocchi to the water, give it a stir, and let it get good and tasty.

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and add to tomato and squash pot.

And then, just because Martha said so, I added a tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

That woman is brilliant.

And we have another meatless Monday recipe!