Pesto Meatball Buns

I have a small confession to make. I've been a bit of a Pinterest stalker as of late. Scrolling through the food and craft sections, pinning things here and there. I need to stop.

But then there are things out there like this -- it may not be quite the same as the original pin, but it really gets my creative juices flowing.

The original recipe was more of a straight meatballs with mozzarella and marinara dipping sauce, which is good, but not what I typically go for. However, the concept intrigued me. I've been in a pesto mood as of late, so I decided that was the direction I was going to head with these. I swapped out the mozzarella for Parmesan, then added in pesto, and in true "if you give a mouse a cookie" fashion, I threw in some roasted red peppers and sauteed mushrooms. Just because.

Pesto Meatball Buns

Adapted from: Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom

8 Pillsbury Grands biscuits
8 frozen meatballs, thawed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
5 1/2 tablespoons pesto
3 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
6 ounces roasted red peppers, diced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their juices and it has mostly evaporated.

Cut your biscuits in half and lay out on a clean work surface. Top each half with 1 teaspoon pesto, 1/4 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, half a meatball, roasted red peppers, and mushrooms. Fold edges of biscuit dough over the filling ingredients and pinch together. Place filled buns onto prepared baking sheet (it's okay if they touch).

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and garlic powder. Brush butter mixture over tops of buns. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for 17-21 minutes, or until buns are golden.

Makes: 16 buns (appetizer serving size: 2 buns)

We went to town on these for dinner the other night, but I actually think they'd work better as an appetizer or a side dish than an entree. Such is the life of my husband nowadays, I swear the poor thing never gets a normal meal. :)

I will say, while we both found these to be delicious, they were a little bit of work and took longer to throw together than expected. It probably didn't help that I tried making 24 of these by cutting the biscuits into thirds, not halves. Just. Don't do that. The dough becomes too thin and you start getting holes in the buns. I've adjusted the recipe above to reflect a better quantity for the amount of ingredients.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 140g
Amount per serving
Calories 375	Calories from fat 226
% Daily Value
Total Fat 25.1g	39%
Saturated Fat 8.7g	43%
Cholesterol 24mg	8%
Sodium 974mg	41%
Total Carbs 28.9g	10%
Dietary Fiber 1.9g	8%
Sugars 7.2g
Protein 10.6g
Vitamin A 16%	Vitamin C 61%
Calcium 11%	Iron 15%

Beef Empanadas with Black Bean Dipping Sauce

Shhhh. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. And it's a good one.

Everybody assumes just looking at empanadas that they involve quite a bit of work. A little bit of time? Yes. A lot of work? No. Oh, and about that little bit of time? Most of it involves waiting for the puff pastry to thaw and the empanadas to bake. So you can be off doing whatever else strikes your fancy, and not running around the kitchen.

Another assumption about empanadas? They're hard to make. Once again, not true. If you are capable of cooking ground beef, cracking eggs, and cutting in a relatively straight line, you're hired. That's about as difficult as it gets. Brown ground beef, mix in spices, take off heat. Cut square into 4 smaller squares (I think we learned this one in kindergarten). Brush egg yolks around edges (yet another awesome kindergarten-acquired skill, painting!). Two scoops of beef mixture, fold into a triangle, and voilà. Trust me, it can be done.

That's the thing about assuming, it makes an as... well, you know how the rest goes.

Want to practice? Empanadas, not assuming.

This is a great starter recipe. A simple blend of spices provides a little bit of heat while the dipping sauce brings a creamy coolness. A yin and yang. Not to mention a little "wow" factor to those friends not in the know.

Beef Empanadas with Black Bean Dipping Sauce

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, June 2011

1 pound ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 (17.3 ounce) packages (3 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 large egg yolks
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sour cream
1/2 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 green onions, chopped, divided

Warm a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and garlic; cook for about 3 minutes, or just until beef is done, stirring often. Break meat into smaller pieces using a wooden spoon while cooking. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Allow mixture to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Lay out the puff pasty on a clean work area. Cut each sheet into four equal 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares (12 square total). In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush egg yolks around the edges of each square. Spoon equal amounts of filling into the center of each square. Fold edges over (forming a triangle) and press down to seal. Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges together. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops of each empanada with the egg yolks. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and puffed.

Meanwhile, add beans and sour cream to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the tomatoes and half the green onions. Top with remaining green onions.

Makes: 12

These empanadas, by all means, should be simple and straight-forward to make. And they are, if you have all the ingredients. What a lovely little surprise when I pulled the beef out of the fridge and discovered it was a nice brown color instead of bright red with a "sell by" date for 5 days earlier. Gross. And into the trash. Since the puff pastry was already thawing, I set out for what would be grocery run #1.

After I came home and read the recipe further, I realized I also didn't have the tomato paste. Grr. I made the hubby do grocery run #2 on his way home. And then... I realized my cilantro had gone bad. After Adam had already been at the store. So, we just didn't have cilantro.

Lesson learned. Make sure your ingredients are fresh, and the recipe was actually on your weekly menu (ergo, all the ingredients already purchased) before starting a meal.

Then you can enjoy hassle-free easy-peasy empanada making. Which I highly recommend.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 184g
Amount per serving
Calories 593	Calories from fat 284
% Daily Value
Total Fat 31.5g	48%
Saturated Fat 9.9g	49%
Cholesterol 95mg	32%
Sodium 195mg	8%
Total Carbs 52.5g	17%
Fiber 6.7g	27%
Sugars 1.5g
Protein 25.4g
Vitamin A 7%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 9%	Iron 29%

Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak

Flank steak. Adam and I's arch nemesis in the kitchen.

You can count the number of times we have attempted making any kind of steak at home on one hand. Easily. It's 4.

And of those, how many times did we either overcook or massively under-cook (and spend forever trying to get it cooked to the right temperature) the steak? 4.

That might explain why we prefer to get steak elsewhere.

I must have been off in la-la land when picking this recipe out for dinner last week. Why on earth would I pick a steak recipe with our stellar track record, not to mention I'm not a huge steak person? Sometimes, things are meant to be.

It took a bit of patience, and lots of testing with the meat thermometer, but we finally got the steak in the golden 130-135 degree range. After pulling it off and letting it rest a few minutes came the final test. We cut into the steak with breaths held -- was it overdone? Was it still completely rare? Instead, we were presented with a perfectly pink and juicy center with a nice outside crust full of balsamic flavor. Steak - 4, Us - 1.

Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak

Adapted from: Cooking Light, May 2010

1/3 cup blasamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons brown sugar
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 4 pieces
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a gallon-sized ziploc bag, combine balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Add steak and seal bag. Flip bag several times to coat steak. Let steak marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, pre-heat grill (to medium-high if using a gas grill).

Remove steak from ziploc and place on a plate. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Set aside. Pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer steak from plate onto the grill once hot. Cook steak for 5 minutes on each side, basting with reduced marinade every few minutes, or until steak reaches an internal temperature between 130 and 135 degrees F. Remove steak from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Serves: 5

I wanted a little something else to go with the steak that wasn't my typical go-to bagged salad. I decided to make quinoa again, this time off the cuff with things from our fridge. Since the hubby actually had to debate going back for seconds versus a bowl of ice cream, I figured it must be pretty dang good. And if it's good, why then, I must share it with you! :)

Quinoa with Basil, Feta, and Roasted Red Peppers

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup rinsed and drained quinoa to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup crumbled feta, 2 tablespoons chopped basil, and 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar and stir well to mix.

Serves: 10 as a side

Nutrition Facts - Balsamic Flank Steak
Serving Size 161g
Amount per serving
Calories 279	Calories from fat 102
% Daily Value
Total Fat 11.3g	17%
Saturated Fat 4.7g	24%
Cholesterol 75mg	25%
Sodium 485mg	20%
Total Carbs 3.0g	1%
Sugars 2.7g
Protein 37.9g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2%	Iron 15%

Nutrition Facts - Quinoa
Serving Size 71g
Amount per serving
Calories 71	Calories from fat 16
% Daily Value
Total Fat 1.8g	3%
Saturated Fat 0.7g	3%
Cholesterol 3mg	1%
Sodium 168mg	7%
Total Carbs 10.9g	4%
Fiber 1.2g	5%
Protein 2.9g
Vitamin A 4%	Vitamin C 13%
Calcium 3%	Iron 4%

Hot Dogs with Poblanos, Pepper Jack, & Tomatillos

Memorial day is coming up, which means summer is just around the corner. We all know what summer entails -- long warm nights, grilling out, and pool parties or lake trips. Okay, maybe scratch that last one, there's no way I'm ready for swimsuit season.

Hot dogs, brats, and burgers are summer's standard party fare, but there's no reason they have to be your plain jane meat on bun smothered and covered in ketchup and/or mustard. Maybe topped with cheese. If you're lucky.

Next time you decide to throw a cookout, break out of tradition and switch things up with a hot dog bar. Start with the basics -- a good quality hot dog and some buns, then add additional fixin's for some fancy-pants hot dogs like Cheddar Dogs with Cider-Braised Leeks and Apples, Manchego Cheese and Garlic Dogs, or these Hot Dogs with Poblanos, Pepper Jack, & Tomatillos all grouped together and labeled. (Think about those suggestion lists you see at Mongolian Barbecue restaurants.) Trust me, your guests with thank you.

Hot Dogs with Poblanos, Pepper Jack, and Tomatillos

Adapted from: Bon Appétit, January 2011

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 poblano chiles, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 cup onion, diced
6 all-beef hot dogs
1 cup salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6 hot dog buns
4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons crumbled Cotija or Feta cheese

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add poblanos and onion, sautéing until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.

In the same skillet, add hot dogs and 1 cup water. Cover and boil until hot dogs are heat through, about 5 minutes.

Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, stir together salsa verde and cilantro. Place 1 hot dog in each bun and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle each hot dog with 1 1/2 ounces of cheese. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 1/2 minutes. Serve topped with chile-onion mixture and sprinkled with 1/2 tablespoon Cotija cheese and salsa.

Serves: 6

Of all the different kinds of fancy hot dogs I've made, Adam has officially claimed these as his favorite. They have a nice kick from the poblanos which goes nicely with the milder salsa verde and the salty cheese (I used Feta, since it was about half the price and it was still delicious). Sigh. And now I want to have a party just to have a hot dog bar...

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 378	Calories from fat 209
% Daily Value
Total Fat 23.2g	36%
Saturated Fat 9.4g	47%
Cholesterol 55mg	18%
Sodium 964mg	40%
Total Carbs 24.9g	8%
Fiber 1.6g	7%
Sugars 4.6g
Protein 18.2g
Vitamin A 13%	Vitamin C 12%
Calcium 24%	Iron 9%

Pasta in a Creamy Tomato Beef Sauce

As a few of you may already know, Adam and I ran in the Pittsburgh Marathon this past weekend after many, many, many (seemingly endless) weeks of training. We had fairly crappy weather during our training and the day of the marathon proved no different -- nice and rainy. Although not quite as bad as last year. I think I'm doomed to have crappy weather during all my long races (if it's not raining, apparently it's going to be ridiculously cold).

Regardless, we made it. A little worse for wear and a bit slower than we were hoping for, but we crossed the finish line all the same. I think the both of us can agree that it's by and far the hardest thing, mentally and physically, we have ever done. (Although I will admit it was a tad bit easier than last year as I knew what to expect from those last 6 miles.)

Before all the chaffing in weird areas, sore feet, and painfully tired legs, we had to decide on a pre-race meal. The pre-race carb-loading dinner is definitely not a new concept (many races even host pasty parties the night before), although one singular high-carb dish isn't going to make all that big of a difference in the long run. (The whole carb-loading plan usually takes about a week to do correctly.) We didn't follow a strict diet during our training, even the week before, but it's always been a tradition with me to eat a nice pasta dinner the night before a big race, so I figured I would stick with it. I opted to go with a very traditional beef and tomato sauce with a little cream cheese added for that extra bit of creaminess -- nothing too out there or crazy, yet a nice little twist on the ol' spaghetti and meat sauce.

Pasta in a Creamy Tomato Beef Sauce

Adapted from: The Meat and Potatoes Foodie

1 pound rigatoni, or other medium-sized tube pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic
1 pound ground sirloin
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
4 ounces tomato paste
1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, lightly drained
2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Cook the rigatoni to al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and tender. Increase the heat to medium and add the ground sirloin, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon to gently break up the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until just done.

Add the wine to the dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is almost dry. Lower the heat to low, then add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, cream cheese, and oregano. Stir well until the cream cheese has fully melted. Add the pasta to the beef mixture and toss with 1/3 cup of pasta water. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted.

Serves: 8

This dish is almost exactly what I expected -- simple and traditional with a little bit of extra nuance from the wine and cream cheese. Nothing you really haven't had before, but quite satisfying all the same.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 438	Calories from fat 106
% Daily Value
Total Fat 11.8g	18%
Saturated Fat 5.3g	27%
Cholesterol 68mg	23%
Sodium 365mg	15%
Total Carbs 49.8g	17%
Fiber 3.6g	14%
Sugars 5.4g
Protein 28.9g
Vitamin A 17%	Vitamin C 19%
Calcium 11%	Iron 29%

Irish Beef & Beer Stew

This is what I get for letting Adam pick what's for dinner. I was struggling trying to come up dinner for the week, again, so I tossed my recipe binder to Adam and told him to pick something. Of course, he finds a recipe not marked but has both beer and beef in the title. Why am I not surprised?

If you haven't noticed by now, I don't really do a lot of beef. I very rarely, if ever, have steak-craving, and surprisingly, Adam never really asks for just a big chunk of red meat. If and when red meat shows up here, it's usually in the form of ground beef/round/sirloin. That I can handle. When I was still in high school, trimming meat, especially chicken, grossed me out. I literally could not do it. After having to actually feed myself, I finally got past my trimming chicken aversion, but not so much for other meat (i.e. beef).

So there I was last night. Standing in the kitchen looking at a huge slab of chuck roast wondering what in the heck I was supposed to trim, and what was I supposed to leave, and oh gross why is that hard? I'm sure my face was priceless at times. But I somehow managed to slice and dice my beef and get it in the pot. I had such reservations about it though. I just couldn't imagine that cut of beef becoming tender in just two hours. I was oh-so-wrong, and glad of it. Instead of being tough and chewy, the beef was tender -- almost to the falling apart stage. Win. Now go throw some Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes in the oven. Surely you'll want the beer-laced food festivities to continue after you finish this stew, right?

Irish Beef & Beer Stew
Adapted from: Cooking Light, December 2009

3 bacon slices
2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups onion, diced
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness beer
2 cups carrot, sliced in 1/2-inch thickness
1 3/4 cups parsnip, sliced in 1/2-inch thickness
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons stone-ground Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf

In a dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until done. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add half of beef to drippings in pan, cook 5 minutes, or until brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add onion to dutch oven; sauté 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté an additional 4 minutes or until starting to turn tender. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, carrots, parsnips, broth, mustard and seasonings to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Serves: 8

Not being a huge beef stew lover, I have to admit this was pretty good. The caraway seeds are fairly potent, however, so if you're a typical eyeballer when it comes to measuring things out, I'd err on the side of caution with those. The only thing that I didn't really care for in this dish was the mushrooms. Wait, mushrooms? I though I had changed my mind on those. For the most part yes, but for some reason, the way they are treated in this recipe reminds me of why I didn't like them in the first place. Although Adam was more than happy to take them off my hands.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 598	Calories from fat 335
% Daily Value
Total Fat 37.2g	57%
Saturated Fat 14.3g	72%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 148mg	49%
Sodium 668mg	28%
Total Carbs 16.9g	6%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g	13%
Sugars 4.5g
Protein 44.1g
Vitamin A 92%	Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 6%	Iron 30%

Shepherd's Pie

Raise your hand if you stuffed yourself silly last night on wings, nachos, beer, and everything else no-so-good for you. My hand is raised. Well, minus the wings and beer. We did build-your-own-burritos and I had wine instead. Then we topped everything off with some brown butter brownies, but that's another story.

Let's just say I need a salad.

Too bad that's not what I have for you today. It's not light. It's not low calorie. But it does have veggies in it. That counts for something, right?

Adam was asking for comfort food last week, so comfort food is what was served. (Except for the Kung Pao Chicken, because I just couldn't take a week of super heavy foods.) He rarely makes any dinner requests, so really, how could I refuse? If you're still in search of hearty meals to cancel-out the fact that there's 3 feet of snow outside your window, then search no farther. I am usually not a big fan of the typical meat-and-potatoes meal, but for this, I'll make an exception.

Shepherd's Pie
Adapted from: Kraft Foods

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 3), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound ground sirloin
1 onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed, drained
1/2 cup water
1 (1 ounce) package onion soup mix
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and garlic and cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown meat and onions over medium-high heat. Drain and return to skillet. Stir in corn, water and soup mix; cook 3 min. or until water is absorbed, stirring frequently. Divide into 4 16-ounce baking dishes.

Once potatoes are tender, drain and return to pan. Add cheddar and cream cheese. Mash cheese and potatoes together until potatoes are smooth and mixture is well blended, adding milk as needed when mixture becomes too thick. Spread potatoes over meat mixture. Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

Serves: 4

Let's just say the only reason Adam didn't go back for 3rds and 4ths was due to the fact that I baked them in separate ramekins for us to enjoy for lunch the following day. Although I'm pretty sure he thought very seriously about it.

Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for this recipe at first. It was ground beef and mashed potatoes together, so? The addition of the onion soup mix really gives this that extra kick it needs, and the fact that I essentially doubled the amount of cheese in the mashed potatoes didn't hurt either. I think this one will stay around for next time Adam asks for comfort food.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 599	Calories from fat 243
% Daily Value
Total Fat 27.0g	42%
Saturated Fat 15.1g	76%
Cholesterol 162mg	54%
Sodium 926mg	39%
Total Carbs 40.5g	13%
Dietary Fiber 4.5g	18%
Sugars 4.7g
Protein 48.9g
Vitamin A 15%	Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 29%	Iron 33%

Cheddar Dogs with Cider-Braised Leeks and Apples

Or, the most awkwardly named hot dogs. Ever. But they are fancy-pants hot dogs, and they are delicious, so there is an upside here.

The last time I made fancy-pants hot dogs was back in July and involved Manchego cheese, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, and were fantastic. These hot dogs are from the same series by Bon Appétit, Around the World in 80 Dogs (or something like that, that issue from 2009 has long since disappeared), so I had high hopes.

Hot dogs rarely make it on to our weekly menu. I'm pretty sure the last time we had them was in July, and before that... never. They just aren't something I crave. Or that Adam asks for. I was flipping through my collection of unmade recipes the other day trying to figure out what to eat, and I paused when I came to these. We had part of a 1/2 gallon of cider hanging out in the fridge that wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and some leftover bourbon from our big dinner party back in October. This seemed like a good opportunity to use up some random ingredients. Lucky for us, these were pretty good, I might actually consider making them again without being prompted by those soon-to-go-bad ingredients.

Cheddar Dogs with Cider-Braised Leeks and Apples
Adapted from: Bon Appétit, July 2009

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups apple cider
1/4 cup bourbon
6 hot dog buns
6 teaspoons coarse ground mustard
6 all-beef hot dogs, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

In large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add leeks and apple. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add caraway seeds, allspice, salt and pepper. Pour in cider and bourbon; bring to boil while stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until most of liquid is cooked away, about 16-20 minutes.

Place hot dogs in buns and spread 1 teaspoon mustard on each. Sprinkle with cheese and top with leek mixture.

Serves: 6

These hot dogs may be delicious, but they are also quite messy, so make sure you grab a napkin and stretch out those jaw muscles before digging in.

Isn't that hot dog holder super cute? You can find the pdf to make your own (and even one for french fries) over at Bakerella. I swear she comes up with the cutest ideas!

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 444	Calories from fat 220
% Daily Value
Total Fat 24.5g	38%
Saturated Fat 10.7g	53%
Cholesterol 46mg	15%
Sodium 1050mg	44%
Total Carbs 37.9g	13%
Dietary Fiber 2.6g	10%
Sugars 13.8g
Protein 13.3g
Vitamin A 14%	Vitamin C 9%
Calcium 18%	Iron 19%

Get Up and Move Challenge Day 8: What are healthy choices I can make when I'm on the go?

Let's face reality here, as much as we would all love to have healthy, well-planned out homemade meals for every meal, there are just times it's not going to happen. When we started this 30 day challenge, we said we were going to not only try to get in exercise everyday throughout the month, but also attempt to make healthy choices. How can we do that when our schedule puts a damper on our food-making time and those golden arches are just beckoning in the distance?

While it may be tempting to give up and just eat anything when passing through those fast food doors, all is not lost. Healthy eating is definitely not synonymous with McDonald's or Wendy's or Burger King, but there are choices you can make that won't completely throw your day out of whack.

So you're running late for work and don't have time for your usual early morning fare. Time-wise your best option is to swing through McDonald's drive-thru on your way and gobble it down before you get to work. Life happens. What can we do?


Instead of opting for that Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle, switch it up with a Fruit 'n' Yogurt Parfait and an English muffin with jam or jelly.

Breakfast at McDonald's [1]
	Sausage, Egg, & Cheese McGriddle	Fruit ‘n’ Yogurt Parfait & English muffin with jam
Serving Size	201g	219g
Calories	560	355
Total Fat	32g	5g
Saturated Fat	12g	1.5g
Cholesterol	265mg	5mg
Sodium	1360mg	365mg
Carbs	48g	67g
Protein	20g	9g

Wow. There are some big differences! For almost the exact same amount of food you would save 205 calories, 27g of total fat, 10.5 g saturated fat, 260mg cholesterol, and almost 1,000mg of sodium! I think your heart and blood pressure would thank you on this meal alone!

So we made a healthy choice for breakfast, that got the day back on track! Until we realized we forgot to bring our lunch (which is probably now sitting out on the counter). There's a Wendy's near by, what kind of choices do we have there? (And we're really in the mood for chicken...)

Lunch at Wendy's [2]
	Sweet & Spicy Asian Boneless Wings, Medium Coke	5 pc. Chicken Nuggets, Sweet & Sour Sauce, Side Salad with Italian Vinaigrette, Medium Coke Zero, Small Frosty
Serving Size	873g	1047g
Calories	740	685
Total Fat	18g	28g
Saturated Fat	3.5g	5.0g
Cholesterol	80mg	60mg
Sodium	2495mg	910mg
Carbs	118g	86g
Protein	33g	21g

Just to recap:
This:

+

Versus this:

+ + +

You can get almost 200g more food for 55 less calories, 20 less mg of cholesterol, and the big kicker: 1585 less mg of sodium. While it's true that we did increase our levels of total fat and saturated fat, the saturated fat is still only 25% of your daily value, which is pretty good.

And last, but not least, we need to swing by Burger King on the way home from soccer practice with the kids. Even though we are a little "fast-fooded" out, a burger doesn't sound all too bad.

Dinner at Burger King [3]
	Double Whopper w/Cheese Small Fries Medium Coke	Double Cheeseburger Apple Fries w/Caramel Value-Size Onion Rings Funnel Cake Sticks Medium Diet Coke
Serving Size	1128g	958g
Calories	1520	970
Total Fat	82g	45.5g
Saturated Fat	27.5g	16.5g
Cholesterol	160mg	105mg
Sodium	2010mg	1355mg
Carbs	148g	111g
Protein	56g	30g

Once again, we have a huge difference! Even adding another side AND a dessert, still saves you 562 calories, 36.5g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, and 655mg sodium when you switch out a double cheeseburger for a double whopper.

So how did we end the day?

Daily Total
	Not-So-Healthy Choices	Healthier Choices
Serving Size	2202g	2224g
Calories	2820	2010
Total Fat	132g	78.5g
Saturated Fat	43g	23g
Cholesterol	505mg	170mg
Sodium	5865mg	2630mg
Carbs	314g	264g
Protein	109g	60g

Huge, huge difference! The "healthier" choices saved us right over 800 calories (an entire meal!), 53.5g fat, 20g saturated fat (an entire day's worth), 335mg cholesterol (over a day's worth), and 3235mg sodium (a day and 1/3 worth). In fact, our "healthier option" choices placed us pretty much on the nose for where we want to be with a 2,000 calorie diet (same as what your Daily Value percentages are based off of on your nutrition labels). We did go slightly over in some health-factor areas (3g over for saturated fat and about 200mg over for sodium), but overall I would call choosing healthier options during the day a success!

There are definitely "healthier" option at these restaurants than the ones I chose, but I thought it would be better to compare foods that you really want to eat, and were similar to the "unhealthy" options rather than comparing a burger to a salad.

Eating fast food may not be quite as dangerous as you thought. And you don't have to sacrifice some of your favorite options in order to eat healthier either!

What are some of your favorite fast food places to eat, and what could you choose that would make it healthier?

[1] McDonald's Nutrition Facts: http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf. November 8, 2010.

[2] Wendy's Nutrition Facts: http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/nutrition.pdf. November 8, 2010.

[3] Burger King's Nutrition Facts: http://www.bk.com/cms/en/us/cms_out/digital_assets/files/pages/NutritionInformation.pdf. November 8, 2010.

Cream Cheese Lasagna

So I know I just said that I'm not a huge "meat and potatoes" type person, but I feel like this particular homemade classic dish might be an exception to that rule. See, I have a very, very strong aversion to making dishes that require being ladled into a 9x13 ban and baked, i.e. casseroles. It's not that casseroles are really all that bad (usually), but it's just that there is so.much.of.it. and when you only have two people... you end up eating it for days on end. And then you never want to see it again for a very long time.

Well, Adam picked up a nasty cold from our nephew the other weekend, and by that following Tuesday he was not feeling so hot. We just had soup on Monday, so no repeat there. I needed a comfort food. Something I don't make all that often. Searching through some recipes I had tucked away, I came across this cream cheese lasagna that sounded fabulous, and I figured it would hit the spot. I thought I was being smart -- I'll make lasagna and then we can freeze it in individual-sized portions so we don't have to eat it all at once.

Wow, was I so wrong. And yet so right. This lasagna was in fact totally fabulous and completely hit the spot with the sick kid. He was super excited when he found out I was making lasagna, even more so when he found out it involved pepperoni. So how was I wrong? There was no freezing of this lasagna in any sort of way. Rather than sitting around growing mold, this was gone in just a few short days. Even I wished I was capable of taking down half of the pan in one sitting. And that just rarely happens.

Cream Cheese Lasagna
Adapted From: The Meat and Potato Foodie

6 Lasagna noodles
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup onion, chopped
salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup fat-free low-sodium beef broth
1 (8 oz) package reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (4 oz) package pepperoni or salami slices
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large stockpot over high heat, bring water to a boil (fill pot about 3/4 full). Add lasagna noodles and 1 teaspoons olive oil and cook according to package directions until al dente (olive oil helps to prevent the noodles from sticking together).

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, and cook until they start to become fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the ground beef, breaking up into smaller bits with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with garlic powder and red pepper flakes and cook until brown (about 8-10 minutes) stirring often. Turn off heat and stir in tomato sauce, paste, and broth until the mixture is fully incorporated.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Stir in the eggs until well mixed, then add in the salt, nutmeg, parsley, basil, lemon zest, and Italian seasoning.

Spray a 12x8x2 glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread part of meat mixture on the bottom of the pan so it is lightly covered. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles. Spoon half of the cheese mixture over the noodles, spreading evenly across the noodles. Top with 1/2 the pepperoni, followed by 1/2 the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture, lasagna noodles, cheese mixture, pepperoni, mozzarella and finally the shredded Parmesan.

Cover lasagna with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, dabbing off excess grease from the pepperoni if necessary prior to serving.

Serves: 12

When preparing lasagna, it is always crucial to perform a thorough mise en place to be able to just whip those layers right out. Note to self: don't leave the noodles hanging out by the sink while everyone else is having fun on the counter. You are highly likely to forget them, again. That's right, I carefully applied each and every layer to this beautiful work of art and was almost done, only to turn around and find the colander still half full of noodles. Oh yeah, I totally forgot to add in the second layer. Hmmm. Well, after scrapping off all the pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, I managed to get them in there and re-covered, then topped with the Parmesan. Whew. Crisis averted. Not really all that pretty anymore, but still delicious. Make that super-creamy-slightly-spicy-meaty-goodness fantastic. Nom. nom. Now I want to go make another batch.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 370	Calories from fat 194
% Daily Value
Total Fat 21.6g	33%
Saturated Fat 10.9g	54%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 118mg	39%
Sodium 1929mg	80%
Total Carbs 15.2g	5%
Dietary Fiber 1.0g	4%
Sugars 3.8g
Protein 28.6g
Vitamin A 15%	Vitamin C 9%
Calcium 24%	Iron 15%