Cheese Steak sammies

One of my favorite portion control tricks is to chop or shread meats and pile them to add volume and make them look "bigger"... Case in point - I took 5 oz of chuck steak and turned it into two mounded cheese steak sammies.. one for The Hub:

And the slightly less caloric version for me:
..and there was meat left over!!

BTW - my project this summer is to make some lighter versions of The Hub's faves (like the mack and cheese on his plate above) that are actually easy to throw together, so stay tuned!

To make these cheese steaks, I chopped the steak and tossed in Worcestershire Sauce and some black pepper; then tossed the meat in a hot skillet and shuffled until just cooked before adding some 2% cheese... couldn't be easier or faster. (I was also able to pass off leftover Mac and Cheese from lunch the day before as a fresh yummy side dish by adding a bit of liquid to refresh - avoiding picky eater pouting)

She freezes WHAT?

The Hub was evidently unaware that the majority of the eggs he eats nowadays are frozen.. I figured this was common knowledge since there are plastic containers filled with stacks of these little froze egg pucks (which I freeze in muffin tins and then pack in plastic containers with a piece of wax paper in between each one)... I load up during sales or when I find the grade B eggs at my King Soopers - duh - does he not know me AT ALL!?

Seriously, I will freeze anything once just to see if it works - and I refer to this website quite a bit as well (and others as well): About.com freezing

I freeze milk (and coconut milk) in 1/4 cup messurements so I can grab what I need for recipes:

Good deals on fruits and veggies result in stocking up and freezing as well - I currently have parcooked carrots, roasted sliced red and green peppers, cooked corn removed from the cob, strawberries, and jalepeno and adobo peppers, which I ALWAYS have in there- all frozen in ziplocks with the air squeezed out, and waiting for me to use their goodness.

Of course you are talking about the girl who used to freeze individual portions of Pizza Hut pizza when she lived alone... BTW - it worked perfectly.

Happy hording, people!

Chicken Piccata Improvised

Recently I had a suggestion that I should make Chicken Piccata for The Hub as something different that he would enjoy -and I agreed whole-heartedly!

Actually, I kind of started craving it - but alas, there were no capers in my fridge or pantry cabinet.. :(

NEVER FEAR - DIRTY MARTINI MIX IS HERE!!
I needed something salty and pickle-ie tasting, like capers, so I improvised. Refering VERY loosely to the recipe provided by the suggester (because I don't want her horrifed looking at this and thinking "that is NOTHING like my piccata!") I used two b/s chicken breasts, which I seasoned lightly with lemon pepper and then pan sauteed (I skipped dredging out of laziness more than anything, I admit it) until done but still nice and juicy.
Then I removed those to a plate and tented with foil while I squeezed the juice of two lemons into the skillet and used it to deglaze the pan a bit. I followed that with one ounce of dirty martini mix (a big bottle of olive brine used to keep us drinkers in afternoon cocktails once the olive jar runs dry) and let the mixture reduce until it was a glaze.
I added the chicken back to the pan and turned to coat and make sure everything was good and hot, and it got served with steamed broccoli and carrots.

I have to say, it was good... it tasted "picatta-y"..

McGyver has nuthin' on me.

Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Salad

Shrimp was on sale for $3.99 an lb this week so I grabbed a pound for us.. I think we could have done with 1/2 lb - it was actually a LOT of shrimp for two people. (I had yummy leftovers the next day for lunch!)

Anyway, I actually prepared this a lot like my sweet and spicy chicken - using the same spices as a rub before cooking (I toned down the amount tho, sprinkling instead of rubbing it all over like I would with chicken so it wouldn't overwhelm the shrimp) and then cooking it in a hot skilet until just pink and opaque before removing it from the heat and finishing it with honey thined with a little apple cider vinagar. [
I tossed that to coat all the shrimp and let it sit while I mixed some spinach and romaine with carrots and green peppers and radicchio (which I watched The Hub pick out while wrinkling his nose) all together and then added a dressing made from:
a generous drizzle of red wine vinegar
a teaspoon of olive oil
1/8 teaspoon of yellow mustard
and a good sprinkle each of Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper

I heaped the shrimp on beds of the salad and it was ready to enjoy!

Great summer dinner!!

Stolen Moments - cooking quick and healthy for kids..

Or, in my case, for the very picky Hub!! I thought some of these were great ideas!
The zucchini and the mac and cheese look really promising!!
Check it out here

PS - what do you think of the pumpkin puree in the pizza recipe? Would that work or be gross?

You say potato..

I say BAKED POTATOES OLE!!
The Hub and I are both potato fiends, there is no denying that - and I think the potato gets a bad rap, personally... The humble potato isn't just a dangerous carb bomb waiting to explode and leave you reaching for your stretchy pants - that is just not true at all!!
What can a potato offer? How about half your rec. daily Vitamin C intake? Loads of Potassium (take that, banana!) and fiber too? Yep - it is in there... (eat the skin please!)

And potatoes really aren't the calorie-cow people assume (How many people remember their moms doing baked potato diets when they were younger? Funny how perceptions change, eh?)

So when we do have baked potatoes, I like to make them the star of the show and do a toppings bar so everyone can have what best suits their needs and wants.
Last night was my "famous" baked potatoes ole - with Mexican themed topping selections and lean ground turkey spiced with cayenne, garlic, and cumin on top of the 'taters. The Hub went for light sour cream, shredded cheddar, and jalapenos on top of his turkey-covered potato; while I chose lots of spicy salsa and a measured tablespoon of light sour cream as well..
Mmmmmm... I love you potato...

Poll -Good or Gross?

Researching "healthy alternatives" to some of my biggest junk foodie weakenesses, I came across this recipe from Hungry Girl for "fries" and my first thought was "Yum!"

But let's get real - do you actually think it would work and turn out "french frie-y" - or would it be like roasted squash? What might make the difference?
Is it worth a try, or should I just drive on - What do you think?