Friday, June 22, 2012

Spinach and Ham Pasta Florentine


I'm always on the hunt for fun, easy pasta dishes that my whole family will like. And it's always a bonus if that pasta dish uses leftover ingredients. This recipe in particular was inspired by leftover ham.

I baked a ham out of the blue one day and a few days later, there was still a bit leftover. There was also some lunchmeat that was on it's last leg. I hate wasting food so I thought I would use 'reuse' both in a new way. What immediately popped into my head? A Chicken Florentine recipe that was in a cookbook my mom got many years ago from her friend who lives in California. It is a mixture of creamed spinach and ham stuffed into  a chicken breast and baked. I remember it being pretty darn tasty. (I haven't had that chicken in a very long time and I might just have to steal that cookbook from my mom so I can make it now.)


Monday, June 18, 2012

Grilled Pineapple


Have you used your grill yet? We've been using ours quite a lot lately. Charring up some food on the grill is a great way to have tasty food that is healthy, too. You don't need a lot of extra fat when you grill so it's a nice way to eat good food and feel good about what you eat.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Coconut Ice Cream


I recently acquired my very first ice cream/frozen yogurt/sorbet maker. How cool is that, right? I secretly always envied those that already had one because they are able to make combinations that you just can't find at the grocery store. I'm not really a big fan of ice cream, but the ability to make sorbet is mostly was lured me in. Something about the smoothness of a sorbet is just so simple, appetizing and inviting.

Well, with every new appliance that enters my house, I have to use it to it's full abilities. This means that I had to make an ice cream right away. My husband is an ice cream freak, but sadly for him, my first attempt had to be a coconut flavored concoction. He hates coconut. He went to Dairy Queen that night.


Sunday, June 10, 2012

Apple Butter BBQ Sauce (and Pork Chops)



I canned some homemade apple butter last fall and have quite a bit leftover. I love the stuff, but a person can only eat - and give out - so much. Homemade is really only at it's peak for about a year after it's canned so I really need to use it up. I know I still have a couple months, but one of the ideas I had is best with warm weather.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Cold Taco Dip


The perfect taco dip can sometimes be hard to come by. There are so many different styles and ingredients that it's hard to find one that is, essentially, just a dip with a taco flavor. But, then again, that's the beauty of food, right? The ability to create so many different variations based one one small idea is what makes creativity in the kitchen come alive. It's a matter of combining different things to achieve different results and hoping that the outcome tastes good.


Friday, June 1, 2012

The Avocado Topping Experiment #1

I recently came across an avocado recipe on Pinterest that I just knew I had to try. Well, it's not so much a recipe as it is an idea of what to do with an avocado. This particular idea had an egg being cooked in an avocado half. Yum, right? (You can find the Pinterest blog post here: http://foodbeast.com/content/2012/01/13/idea-baked-avocado-and-egg/ and the original post here: http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/oettz/baked_avocado_and_egg/

When I looked at this picture (to the left) that was pinned on pinterest, I was in love. How could you not be? Avocados are one of the best tasting foods out there and even though they are a fatty food, it's the good fat. How can there be good fat you ask? Well, there is a certain kind of fat that actually lowers cholesterol and is good for your body. I swear. And as long as you eat them in moderation, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. Don't believe me? Check this out: http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/oettz/baked_avocado_and_egg/. There are also plenty of other sources out there that will tell you the same.

Back to the dish at hand...