Chicken and Dumplings, My Way

Holy moly. I told my Moo that I'd just use some chicken breast and gnocchi and see what happened. Well, I wasn't expecting these yummy results, so much so that I went in for seconds. As always with a one pot wonder, start with your prep first...cleaning, chopping and piling so all you do is drop in the pot as you go. ENJOY, I know I did.

First, heat up some oil, lots of minced garlic and a red onion in a large soup pot, add a tbsp of lemon juice and a squirt of red wine vinegar. Next add two cubed chicken breasts and your herbs and spices: a tsp basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Brown the chicken and remove from the pot.
Next, add three small sized carrots, roughly chopped and a diced celery stalk. Sauté until softened and then add about half a cup of white wine and let the wine cook out.
Add two tbsps cornstarch and allow to absorb then dissolve a veggie stock cube and about one cup water. Simmer for ten minutes, and allow sauce to thicken and keep adding boiling water until it is the desired thickness you want.
Finally, add about 1/4 cup diced red pepper, and a handful of green onions and fresh dill, your chicken, a package of gnocchi and simmer until gnocchi are soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in a big bunch of arugula, let it wilt down and done!

So Moolicious!

Orange Almond Breakfast Loaf

A simple orange inspired me to make some kind of cake as well as some ground almonds and sour cream that needed to be used. I made it from scratch, which might seem scary but if you use ingredients and measure out what you're used to then have no fear. It was yummy!

First, set out what you need:
A lightly greased and sugared loaf dish
An orange, zest and juice
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsalted margarine, melted
3/4 tbsps almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup ground almonds
Sliced almonds for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift flour, ground almonds, the powders together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Whip egg whites together with zest until soft peaks form. Then slowly beat in sugar. Set aside.
4. Add whole egg, sour cream and extracts to melted margarine. Then add flour mixture to this.
5. Gently fold in egg white mixture until batter is well mixed and pour into your dish. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and bake for about 50 minutes.
6. Once the loaf has cooled slightly, brush with orange juice and one tbsp sugar mixture.

Slice and enjoy.

Moolicious!

Souped up Chicken Noodle

This soup was inspired by a classic chicken noodle soup. With a few extra twists, this soup was a yummy meal for a cold night.


Start with your prep:
-cube one small zucchini, dice one medium red onion, dice a few button mushrooms, slice a few small carrots, green beans, two celeries and set aside.
- prep a medium pot for poaching your chicken. So put onion, with peel, garlic cloves, salt, hot peppers, carrot peelings... And chicken. Cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, set aside. Reserve poaching broth.
-In your soup pot, heat up olive oil then saute your onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, then add carrot and celery. Saute for 5 minutes, then add 2 cups chicken stock and strain poaching stock right into the soup. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Next add green beans, and a small shaped pasta, fresh dill sprigs. Cook for 5 more minutes or until beans are cooked and pasta is al dente.
- Finally add your zucchini mix, the chopped chicken, a handful of fresh baby spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Moolicious!

Spaghetti and Shrimpballs with Mussels

Oh so delish. It may seem like this dish is complex but really it isn't and it's the type of thing you'd get in a restaurant for 30.00$. It made date night at home extra special.

Prep first: boil your spaghetti noodles and set aside. Clean your mussels and discard any open or cracked ones. Set aside.

For the Shrimpballs:
In a food processor, pulse together a bag of clean, thawed shrimp with 3 cloves garlic, small handful cilantro, salt pepper and bread crumbs until the mixture has the consistency of ground beef. Set in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to make balls.

For the broth:
In a soup pot, heat up olive oil and lightly fry a shallot and 5-6 cloves of minced garlic.
Deglaze the pot with a cup of white wine and bring to a simmer.
Add a cube of garlic stock, a cup of strained tomato liquid and a bottle of clam juice.
Add about a cup of water with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, a piece of lemon, a bunch of basil and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Now for cooking the shrimpballs: form your balls about golf size, and set on a plate. Once they are all made, place in your broth and cook for 6 minutes or so. Remove.
Next add mussels to the broth, cover and cook for 8 minutes until they open.

Ready to eat? Place some noodles in a bowl, with a few shrimpballs and pour the hot broth and mussels over top. Sprinkle a few basil leaves and parm cheese over top.


Moolicious!

Leek Potage

I think potage just sounds fancier, but basically this is a savory leek soup with bacon and white wine to give it a lot more depth. Perfect for date night. Enjoy.

1. Slice and clean the white parts of 5 leeks. Set aside.
2. Chop up about 4 slices of bacon and sizzle it up in your soup pot until crisp. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the leeks, 2 diced potatoes and 5 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until softened about 10 minutes.
4. Next add about half a cup of white wine, about 1 cup carrot juice (I used Bolthouse Farms brand) and a box of chicken stock. Grate a bit of fresh ginger if you have on hand. Bring to a simmer and leave it for 30 minutes
5. Finally, blend the mixture so that it's creamy and thick. I used a handy hand held mixer, but you can slowly do it in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bacon.


Moolicious

Veggiesangna

This lasagna was created because Mike wanted his meatballs served on the side, so my wifely duty was to make this possible. It was delicious and full of veggies and cheese, perfect when accompanied by a side of Italian inspired meatballs. Enjoy.

For a quick sauce, I used about 2 cups liquid tomatoes, mixed with pesto and minced garlic. You may only need a cup as you layer and the rest was used for my meatballs.

Cook your green spinach noodles to al dente about 5 minutes and set aside.

For the veggies: saute 2 cleaned and chopped leeks in oil with 2 cloves minced garlic for about 8 minutes then add half a bag chopped fresh spinach and let it wilt. Remove from heat and add a container of ricotta cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside. At this point you can add some more veg if you want, I
used some frozen peas and corn.

Grate about a cup of mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

Now that you're ready, it's layering time. Prep your lasagna dish with a drizzle of oil, some sauce and then layer with noodles, leek mixture and some sauce. Repeat until no noodles remain and then top with your mozzarella. Bake for 35 minutes at 350.


Moolicious!!!

Turkey Meatball and White Bean Soup

Yummy soup for a hot September day...This hearty and healthy soup is a blend of minestrone, Italian wedding soup and a classic chicken noodle. Whatever the inspiration, it turned out great.

For the meatballs:
- you'll need two pounds or so of ground turkey. Add a pinch of rosemary, a tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper, a handful of bread crumbs and mix well. Form into golf ball sized meatballs and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

- next, heat your soup pot with olive oil and saute 5 cloves of garlic, minced and 1 shallot, minced and 3/4 cup barley for two minutes.
- add 1 box of chicken or turkey stock, and about 2 cups boiling water, and 2 stalks chopped celery. Simmer to cook the barley, about 30 minutes.
- with about 8 minutes remaining, add about a cup of your favorite frozen tortellini, a can of small white navy beans and a bag of spinach and the baked meatballs.
- season with salt and pepper, ladle and enjoy.


Moolicious!

Bachelorette's Almond-Raspberry Cake

Julie made this cake pre-wedding, with peaches instead of raspberries and it has inspired me to combine my two favorite dessert loves; almond and raspberries. The recipe calls for a whipped cream and peach topping, but I left those out. I hounded her for the recipe, so I can't take full credit. Thanks Julie Poolie! I will think of you after biting into my third, fourth and fifth piece...

You'll need: 6 eggs, separated, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup ground almonds, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted , container of fresh raspberries and sliced almonds for the top.

Preheat oven to 325.
1. Grease bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan and lay with parchment paper.
2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form and then slowly add in 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, beat egg yolks with the rest of the sugar (3/4 cups)
4. With a spatula, stir in the ground almonds, flour, salt, almond extract and butter and then gently fold in the egg whites.
5. Pour half the batter in the pan followed by a layer of raspberries and then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle enough sliced almonds to cover the top and bake for about an hour.

Moolicious

Labour Day Muesli

This has been my summer go-to breakfast, lunch or post work out snack. Today, I made it along-side a half bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon spread. We enjoyed it after a tough Labour Day hike up Mount Royal. It's great because you can use any kind of fruit you have on hand.
In your bowl, put a handful of large rolled oats, about 1/4 cup plain yogurt, dollop of grape jelly, a few sliced grapes, strawberries, red raspberries, half a banana, a drop of milk, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of sliced almonds. Mix together and let the oats soak for a few minutes. Enjoy.


Moolicious

Thanksgiving Shepherds Pie

Ooooh lala, this was so good. I feel that I made something like this before. I really can't take credit for it...credit is owed to the flavors of Thanksgiving all in one casserole dish. Pour your favorite hot gravy over the top and you will make this again and again. Easy, leftovers and so Moolicious.

1. Start by browning up some ground turkey or chicken with a diced onion and add your spices and herbs; anything that reminds you of Thanksgiving... Dash of sage, thyme, dry oregano, basil... Then add meat to your casserole dish with about 1/2 cup chicken stock and 1/2 cup frozen peas poured over-top and a sprinkle of frozen corn niblets if you have on hand.
2. Next boil some sliced carrots for ten minutes and put them over the peas.
3. Finally boil a blend of potatoes (2 small) and one sweet potato diced for ten minutes, then mash, adding butter and a splash of milk. Add to the top and spread evenly.
4. For the stuffing crust, fry one minced celery stalk with olive oil and a sprinkling of bread crumbs and add a dash of sage and thyme, then sprinkle over the casserole.
5. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until top gets golden brown.



Moolicious!

Picnicking Prosciutto Sandwhiches

We had prosciutto sandwiches on our first picnic together years ago so I always make them when we want to dine, al fresco. Enjoy.

You'll need:
A package of prosciutto (the canadian is better in our opinion; less fat, tastier), arugula, sliced provolone, fresh Italian tomatoes, pesto, olive oil, salt and pepper and a fresh baguette.
Slice the baguette to open then spread pesto on both sides, followed by a layer of prosciutto, tomato, cheese and top with arugula and olive oil, salt and pepper.


Moolicious

Tempting Ten Minute Stew

I thought of stew the other day and had a hankering ever since. So to welcome the weekend and the fall, I threw this together, saving lots of time***..and boy was it delicious. I say ten minutes because that's about all it takes to get the ingredients ready. Once it goes in the oven, just forget about it...which will be pretty hard because it smells soooo good! Enjoy.

You'll need:
- One onion, diced
- 5 plump cloves of garlic, minced
- Herbs: dash of thyme and rosemary, a bay leaf, a tsp dry oregano and basil
- about 1/3 cup cornstarch
- About 2 lbs stewing beef (already cubed and ready to go) ***
- Handful baby carrots***
- Handful green beans
- Liquids: 1 1/2 cups boiling beef broth, half cup red wine.
- 3 Italian tomatoes, diced
-half a package of onion soup mix***
- about 2 cups kale, bite sized pieces
- half a package of gnocci***
- bunch of chopped, fresh dill and green onions for the finish.

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Heat up olive oil and add onion, garlic, herbs and meat for 4-5 minutes, saute.
3. Add baby carrots, beans, cornstarch and stir so that the cornstarch thickens.
4. Add liquids, tomatoes, dill and wait for a simmer, then pop it in the oven for an hour and a half.
5. With about 20 minutes remaining, add kale and gnocci. When done, top with more dill and green onions. Serve with a baguette if you wish!


Moolicious!

Moolicious Chicken Enchiladas

It's great when chicken breasts are on sale and you stock up, but there's only so much bbqed chicken you can eat so here's a new and fool-proof way to use it up. Enjoy.
I made enough for two plus leftovers for lunches.
You'll need:

-2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
-1/2 fennel bulb diced
-1/2 an onion diced
-1/2 tsp thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes
-3 cloves garlic minced
-liquids: 1/4 cup tomato juice and 1/4 cup water and juice from one lemon
-3 tomatoes diced
-3 scallions chopped
-handful of sliced green olives
-5-6 diced pepperoncini peppers
-5 regular sized tortillas
-topping to reserve: about 2 cups jalapeno havarti or cheddar and scallions.

Okay, step by step:
1. Heat your frying pan with oil and saute fennel, garlic and onion for two minutes, then add the chicken and season with salt, pepper and
herb mix.
2. Add liquids and bring to a simmer, put on low and cook, covered for about 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, add olives and pepperoncini and strain over a bowl, reserving the liquids for later.
4. Preheat oven to 375
5. With your fingers, shred the chicken into small bits and then spread each tortilla with the mixture and roll up, then place in your baking dish seam side down in a row.
6. Top with tomato and onion mix and pour the liquid over the top followed by a blanket of grated cheese.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, top with green scallions and enjoy.


Moolicious

Cheesy Baked Polenta

This is a nice side dish that can be eaten in any season. First off, prep all of your ingredients and it will come together in no time.

Grate some sharp cheddar, chop two green onions, wash a handful of baby onion sprouts, chop two huge cloves of garlic, slice a tube of polenta into quarter inch pieces.

Now, preheat oven to 375.
Drizzle olive oil into a square baking dish, as shown, and place the polenta overlapping in three rows.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, minced garlic, green onion, the sprouts, and sprinkle the cheese over top.
Bake for about 45 minutes...


Moolicious!

Ultimate Summer Salad

Here is a summery salad idea that goes great with any main meat course.

For the dressing:
In a measuring cup put a squeeze of dijon and honey, good olive oil...maybe 1/3 cup, a squirt of lemon juice and red wine vinegar and a clove of minced garlic and a tsp each of dry basil and oregano.
The salad:
Chop and drop an avocado (sprinkle with lemon juice to maintain color) a handful baby heirloom tomatoes, handful baby spinach, chopped pickled beets, half a cucumber, handful diced feta and a few chopped up pickled jalapenos.
Drizzle yummy veg with the dressing and mix well. You will have leftover dressing to use in your week.

Moolicious

Dirty Monkey Fruit Shake for Two

Sorry, no picture for this one. It was too good and we gulped it up in seconds. Here's what you do:

Place the following in a food processor:
Two bananas, two heaping tbsps of light peanut butter, two small strawberry yogurts, roughly 3/4 cup milk, small handful ice cubes, squirt each of honey and corn syrup, dash of cinnamon, two large handfuls of fresh blueberries. Pulse until smooth and serve in two large glasses. Finish off with a sprinkling of raw rolled oats. Voila.

Moolicious!

Crispy Pan Fried Haddock with Sprouts

I loved making this because it basically cooked itself. The salad requires a bit more prep but it's worth it. Enjoy.

For the salad:
Get your bowl ready with a generous spritz of olive oil, a shot of balsamic and red wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves, a tsp of dry basil and oregano, salt and pepper and zest from one orange.
Next simply add one can drained chic peas, one can drained corn niblets, a diced tomato, a giant handful of fresh baby spinach, some chopped basil leaves, finely sliced red onion, and some diced feta cheese. Mix well and voila... You can add more salt and pepper if needed.

For the fish:
The key to a crispy coating is to first get your frying pan nice and hot with a generous coating of olive oil.
Next, leave it alone on medium high heat for about 8 minutes.

Season your fish with salt and pepper and coat with a light dusting of flour and panko bread crumbs then add to pan. Flip over after 5 minutes or so for another 4 minutes. Remove and spritz with fresh lemon and top with some fresh onion sprouts!
Done and ready to impress.


Moolicious

Borsht, Just Like Baba's

Here's a tribute to Pollacks everywhere. My mom and cha cha have been giving me tips on how to make an authentic beet soup. I took some of their ideas, added a few of my own and came up with a yummy version. Enjoy!!!

For some time saving, you'll need a food processor for slicing or grating the beets, onions and carrots. It won't get your hands and kitchen messy!


Needs: 
1 can sliced beets and juice
half a large red onion
3 medium fresh beets, peeled
2 medium carrots
5 cloves garlic
Handful of fresh green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
Handful of fresh dill sprigs
Spices: salt, pepper, 1 tsp each fennel seeds, garlic powder, coriander, ginger.
Liquids: 2 cups chicken/veggie stock, 3 cups water (or more if desired). 

Step 1: Puree the can of beets with a handful of dill and 3 cloves of garlic, set aside in a small bowl.
Step 2: Heat up some olive oil in a large soup pot
Step 3: Slice the onion, add to the pot and saute until softened
Step 4: Slice 2 beets and shred the last one and the two carrots, add to pot and mix in the spices and some chicken stock and water.
Step 5: Bring to a simmer and add the pureed beet mix and remaining whole garlic cloves (you'll remove these before serving)
Step 6: Add the green beans and cook through
Step 7: Allow to simmer on low for a while (I did about 30 minutes)
Step 8: Get ready to eat...add some more s & p if you wish and serve in soup bowls with a nice dollop of sour cream!


Moolicious!

Sweet Potato Fish Soup

Soup's on! This winter, we ate a lot of healthy soups and now that summer is here, I want to continue on with the tradition. I think soups are a great way to stay in shape throughout the cold seasons and when summer arrives, ideally you want to have that, "ahhh, I can continue working out and eating well without worrying about getting into shape all over again" feeling. So, here goes. Happy Summer and Happy Birthday Dad.

Get all of your ingredients ready:
- Peel and dice one small white onion, 6-7 cloves of garlic, 2 chopped scallions, garlic baguette, and one large yam. Get 2 cups chicken or veggie stock ready. Set aside.
- Prep spices: about a tsp of each: oregano, basil, fennel, caraway seed, crushed coriander.
- Clean two large pieces of fresh tilapia and about 12 large shrimp. Set the tilapia on a baking tray, season with salt and pepper and bake at 425 for about 15 minutes or so. Set aside.

1. In your large soup pot, heat up olive oil and a small spritz of sesame oil. Saute onion and garlic for a couple minutes then add diced sweet potatoe. Saute until softened, about 5 more minutes.

2. Add stock and all spices, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until potatoe cooks.

3.  Next, blend with a hand held blender so that you have a nice, smooth pureed soup. You may want to add some agua (about 1 cup or so... taste and see if you need more salt).

4.  Allow to simmer 5 minutes, and add the shrimp and a handful of chopped scallions. Cook the shrimp until pink.

5. Now for assembly, place a piece of the baked tilapia in your stew bowl, with chunks of garlic baguette and ladle the puree over the top. Top with fresh arugula and a lemon for some pizazz.


Moolicious!

Mediterranean Potato Salad

Summer is finally here! Time to start busting out the BBQed everything, trying new things, sunbathing, reading, swimming, traveling, and making salads, of course. Here's a simple way to impress a crowd minus the traditional creamy mayo dressing. Enjoy.
1. Cut in same sizes and then bowl one small bag (about 2 cups) small mini potatoes in lightly salted water for about 12 minutes.

2. While that's happening, make your dressing and other fixings. Add the following to a medium sized salad bowl:
- 2 tbsps olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, juice from half a lime, 1 heaping tsp black olive tapenade, 2 tsps garlic paste (or jarred garlic), and yes, the secret ingredient- about 5 anchovies minced, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, dash of fennel seed, salt and pepper.  Mix well, then add some extras: Dice up 3 stalks of celery, mince 1 small shallot, 2 cloves garlic, finely minced and add to bowl. Finally, add a handful of prepared coleslaw (you can find in your salad section) and some celery leaves.

3.  When the taters are done, add them to the bowl and mix while hot so all the flavors can absorb. Mix well and allow to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.


Moolicious!

Cauliflower-Potatoe Mash

HI!

I made this by accident the other day. It's a slight take on bangers and mash...You know how you get a cauliflower on sale and then you're stuck with it for two weeks? how much more raw veg and dip can you take??? Well, here's a tasty way to use it all up.

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook half a head of cauliflower, chopped in pieces and two medium potatoes, chopped to roughly the same size. Boil about 12 minutes and drain and keep all veg in the pot. Add a pat of butter, 2 fresh basil leaves, a handful of fresh parsley, salt and pepper and a splash of milk. Mix with a hand blender until smooth.

It's that easy.

I served it with boiled asparagus, and chorizo sausages with a side salad.

Moolicious!

Buffa's Birthday Pizza with Sweet Onions

Happy Birthday Buffa!
This pizza pie is for you (even though we ate all of it). It has simple ingredients that come together for a pizza party in your mouth. The sauce here is caramelized onions, spread all over the top. The dough recipe is a new one, but it came out great. You can half it and make two thin crusts, but I used all of it for one and it was doughy and fluffy.... Enjoy.

The toppings you'll need:
- Caramelize 2 onions in a pan- 20-30 minutes, deglaze with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
- Cook 6 slices of bacon, then chop
- Goat cheese
- Fresh mozarella/bocconcini, sliced
- Chopped, fresh parsley
- Handful of fresh arugula
- Olive oil, salt, pepper.

For the dough:
- In the morning prep your dough.
- In a large bowl, put 1 and 1/2 cup warm to hot water. Sprinkle with 1 tsp pizza yeast and a tbsp olive oil, and a dash of sea salt. Wait 5 minutes until foamy.
- Next add 1 cup all purpose flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Let sit for 5 minutes and add another 2 cups of flour. Now you judge, maybe you need more... but keep using your spoon to stir/mix, until it doesn't stick to the bowl anymore. No kneading needed!
- Allow dough to rest in an oiled bowl for the day.
- Two hours before dinner, punch it down, and roll it out on a floured surface.
- Place it on a long baking tray and brush with good olive oil.
- Slide it in the oven and let it rise again- two hours.

Assemble and bake!
- Preheat oven to 450. Nice and hot.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove add all toppings except arugula and parsley. - Be sure to spread your onions on like you would a sauce.
- Bake for another 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the pizza and top with arugula and parsley.
- Drizzle olive oil on top, cut and serve!



Moo-frickin' licious.

Lemon and Cranberry Cake with Pina Colada Frosting

This cake is a nice twist on lemon loaf. It's quite similar, actually, but the cranberries and frosting give it a little more zing. Enjoy.

You can also use a whisk for this, so no need to clean all sorts of electric equipment.

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, whisk together 5 tbsps salted, softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar, a drop of pure vanilla extract, zest of a lemon. Add 3 small eggs to this and mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 tsp each baking soda and baking powder and 1/3 cup fresh cranberries.

In a measuring cup, put 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.

Now, mix together ingredients in 3 batches, milk/flour alternating.

Pour in loaf dish and bake for 40minutes.

Remove and brush loaf with mixture of 1-1 tbsp sugar and lemon juice, on all sides.

For the icing:

Mix together 1 cup icing sugar, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, spritz of lemon, 3 tbsps unsalted butter, a sprinkle of vanilla extract and a few drops of yellow food color.

You can judge the consistency and add more amounts of each, depending how you like it.

Spread on cake once it has cooled.

Moolicious!!!

Filet Mignon with Herbed Egg Noodles and Asparagus

Here's my favorite Valentine's day dinner. It really takes about 15 minutes to come together, so you have more time to snuggle and share a romantic dessert ;)

1. Allow two nice filet mignons to sit at room temperature, season with sea salt and pepper.

2. Prep your pots. One large pot with water for pasta and asparagus and a frying pan with oil for your shrimp and use the same pot for your mignons.

3. Clean and chop the ends off your asparagus, set aside.

4. Chop 3 nice cloves of garlic.

5. Prep a large serving bowl for the shrimp-pasta. In the bowl, put a couple tbsps olive oil, dry parsley, basil, oregano, a dash of red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice and some of the chopped garlic, and a few pats of butter.

6. Heat up water and your frying pan, cook garlic and shrimp in the oil and put in large bowl, then in the same pan, heat up oil and put filets in, 2 mins on each side, if you like it rare.

7. Cook asparagus and noodles together. I used a package of fettuccine egg noodles...they take about 6 minutes. Put noodles over the shrimp and mix. Add Romano cheese. Done.

8. Assemble your plates and eat!!!!!

Moolicious!

Comfy Chicken Pot Tartlets

Here is a healthy, romantic spin on chicken pot pie...for you and your lover to enjoy on Valentine's Day. Skip the cream and use a can of evaporated milk...yum.

You'll need:

- 12 small tart shells

- 4-5 large boneless skinless chicken thighs

- some cornstarch ...maybe a tbsp

- 1 sliced shallot and one minced clove of garlic

- 1 medium diced carrot

- 5-6 sliced mushrooms

-1/4 cup peas

- herbs/spices....dash of thyme, dry basil, dry parsley, cayanne pepper, salt and pepper

-1 can evaporated milk.

1. Bake tarts at 425 for about 12 minutes, remove and allow to cool.

2. In a large pot, heat up some oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until well done and golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.

3. Drain some of the fat, next saute the shallot and garlic and diced carrot for about 6 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.

4.Sprinkle in cornstarch and let it absorb into the oil and veggies, then add a splash of water and your can of milk. Let it thicken.

5. When chicken has cooled, chop it in bite sized pieces and add to the pot with the herbs/spices.

6. Remove from heat, add frozen peas.

7. When mixture has cooled, spoon it in tarts, top with some Romano cheese and bake for 15 minutes or so.

Cool and enjoy!

Moolicious!

Pumpkin 'n Quinoa Oatmeal Cookies

I wanted to try quinoa in a healthy cookie but I didn't have all of the ingredients. I needed a mashed banana and some apple sauce but I didn't have any...but ah ha, I did have canned pumpkin purée, so that's what I used and they turned out amazing...oh and über healthy.

In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups oats, 1 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cups brown sugar and 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut and a pinch of salt and a handful of chocolate chips.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 eggs, a tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup canola oil and about 1/2 cup pumpkin.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the dry with the wet, form into equal mounds, push down slightly with your palm, form with about 2 tbsps for each and bake for about 15 minutes. Lucky for Moo, I had some left over pumpkin to make some pumpkin pie tartlets.

Moolicious!!!

Sweet Potato 'n Stuff Soup

Since the New Year started, we have been fueling up on veggies.

Here is an awesome soup recipe that you don't have to feel guilty about.

So, you heat up some oil in a large soup pot and add one minced onion, a small carrot and your spices...a dash of cumin, turmeric, cayenne, coriander, salt and pepper.
Next, sauté barley, split peas and wild rice (totaling 1 cup combined) for a few minutes. Next add about 4-5 cups water/chicken broth combo. Allow barley blend to cook and add 1 large sweet potato, cut green beans and red pepper and a handful of small pasta noodles if you wish.
Allow to simmer for about 15more minutes and before serving, wilt in some fresh spinach, a few fresh tarragon sprigs and some chives.

Moolicious!!!!

Mashed Potato Plouxie-Pie

Stefanie inspired me to make mashed potatoes and this Shepherd's Pie was the end result. It is not a huge serving, so think of a smaller baking dish (square?) instead of a lasagna dish. If you want to feed a family, just double up.
When I think meat and potatoes, I think Polish...so, I put my own spin on this old classic. It must be in my genes. You can serve this with a side of dill pickles....enjoy.

For the meat layer:

Heat up some olive oil in a pan, fry up a small onion and garlic for a few minutes and add a package of lean ground beef. As it is cooking, season with a sprinkle of cumin, cayenne pepper, fennel, salt and pepper. When done, place in a medium baking dish, then top with a handful of frozen corn and peas (Stefanie is not a fan of peas...so you can leave these out)

For the potatoes- the star of the show:

Peal and chop about 5-6 smallish potatoes evenly and place in a pot with water and a tbsp of sea salt. Boil until tender...drain.

In the hot pot, put a tbsp butter, and a tbsp jarred or fresh horseradish, a splash of milk, add the potatoes and about 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, mash and mix. Are you thinking pierogie????

Finally, taste and see whether you need salt, pepper etc and mix in a handful chopped chives.

Assemble. Add the potatoes to the meat and spread evenly, top with a dash of paprika and cayenne and top with a bit more cheddar cheese. The beauty of all this is that you can prep in the morning and bake off for supper time.

Preheat oven to 350 and bake for about 30 minutes.

Moolicious!