hamburger stroganoff

now this is more alan's style. this is from cooking light. here is the recipe. one of the reviewers suggests adding nutmeg for some 'pop.' i might try that next time.

i also sauteed some red and green peppers as the recipe suggested for some veggies. (alan passed on them. alex tried them). this made A lot! mmm, leftovers!

ham and asparagus casserole

found this delicious dish in my gmail box. 'casseroles under 300 calories.' here it is

i made a few modifications. alex and i loved it. alan liked it - which we have now defined as he will eat for the initial dinner night, but not for leftovers.

chicken cilantro tortilla soup

straight from the progresso recipe card. or found here online.

super delicious! the whole family enjoyed it.

shrimp and broccoli stir fry

orzo with sausage, peppers, and tomatoes

i had some sweet italian turkey sausage in the fridge to cook up and was a little burnt out on tomato sauce/traditional pasta flavors. then, i remembered we had some orzo and was determined to find a recipe for this combination. this is what i found. and i had 90% of the ingredients on hand. i only had to buy fresh tomatoes and parsley. it's a winner!

makes 4-6 servings

• 3 c chicken broth
• 1 lb orzo pasta (1 box)
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 package mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 Tb chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. boil chicken broth and some water in lg saucepan. add orzo when boiling and cook according to package (~10minutes)

2. while pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in lg skillet over med-high heat. add turkey sausage and saute until cooked (~4minutes).

3. then add garlic, cook 1 minute.

4. finally add peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. add drained pasta and sausage mixture in large serving bowl.

6. add salt pepper and parsley. mix well.

7. add parmesan cheese and a little more parsley to top.

green cheese chicken nuggets

1 c cooked chicken (i used canned)

1 c spinach (i used a package of frozen)

1 c mozzarella cheese

1 egg (i just used the yolk)

1/4 c breadcrumbs and extra to roll

Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. combine ingredients in food processor until they stay together.

2. scoop into balls - a cookie dough scoop works well.

3. roll in breadcrumbs (and parmesan)

4. smooth gently to form a nugget

5. place on cookie sheet

6. bake 375 for 15 min, or until done. turn once 1/2 way through.

shifting gears

now that alex has started eating solid foods, i have begun a new search of healthy recipes that allow for easy tasty eating.

the food processor has come in very handy lately. i just need a way to store my extras, especially now that we have a chest freezer. i love the ideas of freezing in serving size (muffin tins, nuggets, etc) and just taking what i need for meals. we have a food saver, but it's hard to reseal the plastic each time. maybe i'll just invest in some heavy duty freezer bags, but i'd like a more environmental and economical solution.

a month ago, i made him apple chicken nuggets. i will have to post the recipe next time i make these. and today, it's green chicken nuggets!