Source: http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1021747/pressure-cooker-pork-and-hominy-stew-recipe
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 10 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Substituted pork tenderloin instead of the pork shoulder that is called for.
Notes: I can count on one hand the number of times I have cooked at home with a pressure cooker. The pressure cooker that I have was my grandparent's and is probably almost as old as I am. Let me just say I am a little nervous around them. I tend to stand on the otherside of the kitchen just in case it blows up. And the pork cooks in this thing for 13 minutes once the pressure indicator pops up! But all that worrying was for nothing because it came out great. We substituted tenderloin for the shoulder since we had some leftover from the Moroccan dish we made earlier; in fact we still have about a pound leftover even after we made this dish. It tasted fine and just like that recipe I don't think the cut of pork makes that much of a difference. The tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork so just know you might need to add a little oil if you are going to try to brown it. But since this was in a pressure cooker I didn't need to alter the recipe at all. For those who don't know what hominy is, just think giant kernels of corn. The texture is a little starchier and it's a little blander but really works great in this stew. The picture on the link above shows the hominy and looks exactly like what mine looked like too. Super tasty recipe, took about an hour to make, and a great way to introduce a new ingredient to your friends or family. One final note - I beleive while not traditional this recipe could be considered a pozole. As far as I can tell, any stew containing meat and hominy could be a pozole but I might be wrong. Let me know!
Sara’s Comments: A lot of 5s this week! This was another fantastic soup, which I can’t get enough of in the cold weather. The pork was tender and delicious, and the hominy added a great texture. All the spices were balanced nicely.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Chicken & Caramelized Onion Quesadilla
Source: http://www.onionringsandthings.com/2013/01/chicken-and-caramelized-onion-quesadilla/
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 3.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Nothing in the kitchen smells better than onions carmelizing. They taste pretty darned good too. I thought this would be a simple but flavorful weeknight meal. It ended up taking a decent amount of time, too much really for a weeknight. The onions took quite a bit of time to carmelize down and in order to save getting everything in the kitchen dirty, I used the same pan to cook the chicken which also added to the time required. Besides the time to make they tasted really good. They were pretty thick but I had no problems with cheese not melting or the filling falling out. Perhaps in the future I would use less chicken since when it is shredded it has quite a bit more volume than when it is whole. Sara mentions that the taste, while good, is pretty one dimensional and I agree. I think in the future I would add cilantro or green onions, some fresh jalapenos, and some salsa at the table. I would definitely make this again but probably on a weekend when I have a little more time.
Sara’s Comments: This was a good solid meal, but it really shouldn’t have been called a quesadilla. They were very large, really more like burritos. While I really liked the carmelized onions, it did get a bit boring after a few bites. Would have liked less filling, and maybe more variety or something green and fresh to lighten it up.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 3.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Nothing in the kitchen smells better than onions carmelizing. They taste pretty darned good too. I thought this would be a simple but flavorful weeknight meal. It ended up taking a decent amount of time, too much really for a weeknight. The onions took quite a bit of time to carmelize down and in order to save getting everything in the kitchen dirty, I used the same pan to cook the chicken which also added to the time required. Besides the time to make they tasted really good. They were pretty thick but I had no problems with cheese not melting or the filling falling out. Perhaps in the future I would use less chicken since when it is shredded it has quite a bit more volume than when it is whole. Sara mentions that the taste, while good, is pretty one dimensional and I agree. I think in the future I would add cilantro or green onions, some fresh jalapenos, and some salsa at the table. I would definitely make this again but probably on a weekend when I have a little more time.
Sara’s Comments: This was a good solid meal, but it really shouldn’t have been called a quesadilla. They were very large, really more like burritos. While I really liked the carmelized onions, it did get a bit boring after a few bites. Would have liked less filling, and maybe more variety or something green and fresh to lighten it up.
Mexican Lime Soup w/ Chicken
Source: http://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/2013/11/mexican-lime-soup-w-chicken-recipe.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 12 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Substituted 8oz fresh jalapeno for canned chilies
Notes: Let me just say that I'm not a huge fan of soups. Don't get me wrong - I certainly enjoy them but as a meal by themselves I often times find them a bit lacking. This recipe though is certainly an exception to my rule. It tasted great and was very satisfying without being heavy. Now this is not a quick recipe since you have to boil the chicken, but it was great for a wet-weathered, late fall weekend evening. This is great dinner for pulling up in front of the TV when the weather gets nasty outside. Besides the avocado, which was a tasty garnish but could be omitted, all of these items are usually in stock in our kitchen making it a great "rescue" meal in case we get snowed in someday!
Sara’s Comments: This was a great soup for a cold rainy day. It was warm and spicy, and a little monterey jack cheese on top made it fun too. Loved the jalapenos and fresh squeezed lime juice with some avocado for garnish.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 12 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Substituted 8oz fresh jalapeno for canned chilies
Notes: Let me just say that I'm not a huge fan of soups. Don't get me wrong - I certainly enjoy them but as a meal by themselves I often times find them a bit lacking. This recipe though is certainly an exception to my rule. It tasted great and was very satisfying without being heavy. Now this is not a quick recipe since you have to boil the chicken, but it was great for a wet-weathered, late fall weekend evening. This is great dinner for pulling up in front of the TV when the weather gets nasty outside. Besides the avocado, which was a tasty garnish but could be omitted, all of these items are usually in stock in our kitchen making it a great "rescue" meal in case we get snowed in someday!
Sara’s Comments: This was a great soup for a cold rainy day. It was warm and spicy, and a little monterey jack cheese on top made it fun too. Loved the jalapenos and fresh squeezed lime juice with some avocado for garnish.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Pork with morrocan style sauce***
Source: http://bitethesegoodies.blogspot.com/2013/10/pork-with-marrocan-style-sauce_24.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 16 points each (including couscous and yogurt)
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Substituted pork tenderloin instead of the pork collar that is called for. We also doubled the amount of pork from 250 grams to 1 pound. Used a whole 5.7 ounce box of couscous instead of the 200 grams that was called for.
Notes: First, I'm going to say I loved this recipe. It was awesome! There were so many layers to the flavor. I used a whole giant jalapeno with all the seeds and ribs included, and it packed a perfect amount of heat. It tasted fantastic over the couscous with just a bit of plain yogurt drizzled over top to cool things down a bit. I doubled the amount of pork because we had it in the fridge and ~1/2 pounds seemed a little light for 4 servings. Bringing it up to a whole pound was perfect I think. I don't really know what pork collar is or where to find it but a pork tenderloin was very nice altough I did have to cook it in some oil since it is a pretty lean cut of meat. I would definitely make this again and make it for company. Just writing this makes me want to make it soon!! ***Yes - the blogger where I found this recipe spelled Moroccan "morrocan" and since this is their recipe, that's how I am spelling it too :P
Sara’s Comments: Yowza, this was delicious. It had so many different flavors and they all worked so well together. It also looked beautiful on the plate, with some yogurt drizzled on top. It also tasted great the next day for lunch. Definite 2 thumbs up!
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 16 points each (including couscous and yogurt)
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Substituted pork tenderloin instead of the pork collar that is called for. We also doubled the amount of pork from 250 grams to 1 pound. Used a whole 5.7 ounce box of couscous instead of the 200 grams that was called for.
Notes: First, I'm going to say I loved this recipe. It was awesome! There were so many layers to the flavor. I used a whole giant jalapeno with all the seeds and ribs included, and it packed a perfect amount of heat. It tasted fantastic over the couscous with just a bit of plain yogurt drizzled over top to cool things down a bit. I doubled the amount of pork because we had it in the fridge and ~1/2 pounds seemed a little light for 4 servings. Bringing it up to a whole pound was perfect I think. I don't really know what pork collar is or where to find it but a pork tenderloin was very nice altough I did have to cook it in some oil since it is a pretty lean cut of meat. I would definitely make this again and make it for company. Just writing this makes me want to make it soon!! ***Yes - the blogger where I found this recipe spelled Moroccan "morrocan" and since this is their recipe, that's how I am spelling it too :P
Sara’s Comments: Yowza, this was delicious. It had so many different flavors and they all worked so well together. It also looked beautiful on the plate, with some yogurt drizzled on top. It also tasted great the next day for lunch. Definite 2 thumbs up!
Cheez-It Mac with Braised Chicken Thighs
Source: http://funnyloveblog.com/2013/11/12/cheez-it-mac-with-braised-chicken-thighs/
PointsPlus: 6 servings @ 31 points each
Drew Rating: 2/5
Sara Rating: 2.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Do you like Cheez-It's? Do you love Cheez-It's? Could you eat almost an entire box and not get tired of the flavor? If you do, this is the dish for you! This is not a difficult recipe to make but it does take a good amount of time. The majority of it (45 minutes) is spent braising the chicken thighs and I'm not really sure if it is worth it. The chicken tastes fine but not really any better than any other way of cooking it. I'd say use whatever is the fastest way to cook the chicken because you can't really appreciate the extra time taken to braise it. I was a little disappointed with this dish. I was expecting it to be more like a mac & cheese with some chicken & a topping. It reminded me more though of a casserole, like the tuna noodle casserole I've made 100 times before. It was cheese-y but just enough to get it to stick together. When I think of a mac & cheese I picture something creamier. I'm not sure if I was expecting too much but for the time it take to cook this (1.5 hours) I was hoping for more. That being said it reheated well for having a Cheez-It topping and tasted OK. I don't think I will make this again.
Sara’s Comments: It was ok, the flavors didn’t really seem to meld to me. And I love Cheez-its… if you don’t love them you would really not like this dish.
PointsPlus: 6 servings @ 31 points each
Drew Rating: 2/5
Sara Rating: 2.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Do you like Cheez-It's? Do you love Cheez-It's? Could you eat almost an entire box and not get tired of the flavor? If you do, this is the dish for you! This is not a difficult recipe to make but it does take a good amount of time. The majority of it (45 minutes) is spent braising the chicken thighs and I'm not really sure if it is worth it. The chicken tastes fine but not really any better than any other way of cooking it. I'd say use whatever is the fastest way to cook the chicken because you can't really appreciate the extra time taken to braise it. I was a little disappointed with this dish. I was expecting it to be more like a mac & cheese with some chicken & a topping. It reminded me more though of a casserole, like the tuna noodle casserole I've made 100 times before. It was cheese-y but just enough to get it to stick together. When I think of a mac & cheese I picture something creamier. I'm not sure if I was expecting too much but for the time it take to cook this (1.5 hours) I was hoping for more. That being said it reheated well for having a Cheez-It topping and tasted OK. I don't think I will make this again.
Sara’s Comments: It was ok, the flavors didn’t really seem to meld to me. And I love Cheez-its… if you don’t love them you would really not like this dish.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Khao Soi / Chiang Mai Curry Noodles
Source: http://www.mybarecupboard.com/2013/11/khao-soi-chiang-mai-curry-noodles.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: I used 1/2lb. angel hair pasta instead of Chinese-style egg noodles. I also followed the author's suggestions in their blog post on how to marinate the chicken and their additions (extra shallots, lime juice & fish sauce). Also, instead of adding the chili oil at the end I squeezed a generous amount (2-3Tbsp) of Sriracha in during the final 10 minute simmer.
Notes: This was really good and I'm glad Sara liked it. She does not like coconut and this recipe used 2 cups of coconut milk so I knew it was a risk when I planned it. The good news is that with the curry paste and all the other spices, in the end there is really only a hint of coconut and it balances very nicely. The mix of seasoning really works and I was really surprised at how well this tasted. The Sriracha I added definitely gave it a nice kick without me breaking into a sweat. This dish is on par with all but the best Thai restaurants I have been to. Highly recommend and will make again!
Sara’s Comments: Really liked this. It has a ton of flavors and I was excited to go back for seconds. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was that it’s a little hard to eat. It’s soupy, but with full strands of spaghetti. A fork leaves all the delicious broth behind, and a spoon can’t hold the noodles. I ended up just holding the bowl to my mouth and kind of shoveling in the pasta with my spoon. Classy.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: I used 1/2lb. angel hair pasta instead of Chinese-style egg noodles. I also followed the author's suggestions in their blog post on how to marinate the chicken and their additions (extra shallots, lime juice & fish sauce). Also, instead of adding the chili oil at the end I squeezed a generous amount (2-3Tbsp) of Sriracha in during the final 10 minute simmer.
Notes: This was really good and I'm glad Sara liked it. She does not like coconut and this recipe used 2 cups of coconut milk so I knew it was a risk when I planned it. The good news is that with the curry paste and all the other spices, in the end there is really only a hint of coconut and it balances very nicely. The mix of seasoning really works and I was really surprised at how well this tasted. The Sriracha I added definitely gave it a nice kick without me breaking into a sweat. This dish is on par with all but the best Thai restaurants I have been to. Highly recommend and will make again!
Sara’s Comments: Really liked this. It has a ton of flavors and I was excited to go back for seconds. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was that it’s a little hard to eat. It’s soupy, but with full strands of spaghetti. A fork leaves all the delicious broth behind, and a spoon can’t hold the noodles. I ended up just holding the bowl to my mouth and kind of shoveling in the pasta with my spoon. Classy.
Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas
Source: http://littlebcooks.blogspot.com/2013/10/jalapeno-popper-quesadillas.html
PointsPlus: 2 servings @ 27 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: 2 strips bacon instead of 4
Notes: Quick, easy, tasty? Yes!! Healthy? Not so much! At 27 points per serving, better save up some weekly's for this but oh is it worth it! This is one of my favorite recipes I have made recently. I didn't have as much bacon in the fridge as I thought I did, only 2 strips instead of 4, but it still tasted fine and I don't think it really needed more so you could save a few points that way. The cream cheese is where most of the points come from but it's so creamy and melty! Even with 3 LARGE jalapeno peppers chopped up in there it was not very spicy. While I am still working up the courage to try a habanero, this would be the first recipe I would try it in because I think it could take it. Will definitely make again!!!
Sara’s Comments: OMG so tasty. Really nothing else to say except you need to make these cheesy pieces of wonderful. A lot.
PointsPlus: 2 servings @ 27 points each
Drew Rating: 5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: 2 strips bacon instead of 4
Notes: Quick, easy, tasty? Yes!! Healthy? Not so much! At 27 points per serving, better save up some weekly's for this but oh is it worth it! This is one of my favorite recipes I have made recently. I didn't have as much bacon in the fridge as I thought I did, only 2 strips instead of 4, but it still tasted fine and I don't think it really needed more so you could save a few points that way. The cream cheese is where most of the points come from but it's so creamy and melty! Even with 3 LARGE jalapeno peppers chopped up in there it was not very spicy. While I am still working up the courage to try a habanero, this would be the first recipe I would try it in because I think it could take it. Will definitely make again!!!
Sara’s Comments: OMG so tasty. Really nothing else to say except you need to make these cheesy pieces of wonderful. A lot.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas
Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/11/butternut-squash-and-black-bean.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 15 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: None
Notes: This is a perfect recipe to use up some delicious butternut squash. Even if you aren't a squash fan I recommend going to the store, buying a small one, and making this recipe. It's fairly straightforward as fas as enchiladas go but the squash takes it to an interesting place. The squash in the enchiladas are warm and starchy. If you've ever had a potato taco, it's in a similar place except it's a little sweeter. Recipe says it's eight servings but I think two tortillas is a perfect dinner so it ended up as four servings for us. One tortilla would probably be fine for a small child so this could easily feed a family of four with maybe some leftovers. The leftovers reheated well too - almost as good as fresh. I strongly recommend this recipe if butternut squash are in season by you.
Sara’s Comments: Super yummy, I really liked them. Only criticism is that I really didn’t taste the squash. It easily could have been all beans and I think it would have tasted the same.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 15 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: None
Notes: This is a perfect recipe to use up some delicious butternut squash. Even if you aren't a squash fan I recommend going to the store, buying a small one, and making this recipe. It's fairly straightforward as fas as enchiladas go but the squash takes it to an interesting place. The squash in the enchiladas are warm and starchy. If you've ever had a potato taco, it's in a similar place except it's a little sweeter. Recipe says it's eight servings but I think two tortillas is a perfect dinner so it ended up as four servings for us. One tortilla would probably be fine for a small child so this could easily feed a family of four with maybe some leftovers. The leftovers reheated well too - almost as good as fresh. I strongly recommend this recipe if butternut squash are in season by you.
Sara’s Comments: Super yummy, I really liked them. Only criticism is that I really didn’t taste the squash. It easily could have been all beans and I think it would have tasted the same.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Easy Chicken Korma
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-chicken-korma/
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 3/5
Sara Rating: 2/5
Modifications: Substituted boneless skinless thighs for breasts, served this over basmati rice
Notes: This was an interesting dish. While making this dish I thought it had all the right ingredients, looked good, and smelled good. As I sat down to eat it, I was anticipating something rich, spicy, and very flavorful. Unfortunately it wasn't. It was bland and goopy. The chicken was OK but other than that, not much there. I added a generous amount of salt and pepper and that helped (looking back the recipe never calls for it, but I should have listened to my inner Jacques Pepin and Taste! Taste! Taste!) but that still wasn't quite enough. Finally reaching for the Sriracha bottle brought a little life back to it and was able to enjoy it enough to deserve a 3 star rating. Unfortunately Sara never made it that far so I'm sure it will score lower for her. I probably would not make this again as there are plenty of other tasty recipes out there on the web for the same dish. This is the first time in a long time that I pulled a recipe off a corporate site (allrecipes.com) rather than someones personsal blog page and I wonder if that had anything to do with the generic taste. I picked it because it had good reviews so I don't know. Perhaps other people put their own personal touches into it to make it better as well.
Sara’s Comments: I did not like it. Very bland, and the texture was unappealing to me as well.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 3/5
Sara Rating: 2/5
Modifications: Substituted boneless skinless thighs for breasts, served this over basmati rice
Notes: This was an interesting dish. While making this dish I thought it had all the right ingredients, looked good, and smelled good. As I sat down to eat it, I was anticipating something rich, spicy, and very flavorful. Unfortunately it wasn't. It was bland and goopy. The chicken was OK but other than that, not much there. I added a generous amount of salt and pepper and that helped (looking back the recipe never calls for it, but I should have listened to my inner Jacques Pepin and Taste! Taste! Taste!) but that still wasn't quite enough. Finally reaching for the Sriracha bottle brought a little life back to it and was able to enjoy it enough to deserve a 3 star rating. Unfortunately Sara never made it that far so I'm sure it will score lower for her. I probably would not make this again as there are plenty of other tasty recipes out there on the web for the same dish. This is the first time in a long time that I pulled a recipe off a corporate site (allrecipes.com) rather than someones personsal blog page and I wonder if that had anything to do with the generic taste. I picked it because it had good reviews so I don't know. Perhaps other people put their own personal touches into it to make it better as well.
Sara’s Comments: I did not like it. Very bland, and the texture was unappealing to me as well.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Crockpot Chili
Source: http://arismenu.com/crockpot-chili/
PointsPlus: 12 servings @ 6 points each for full recipe
Drew Rating: 4.5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Halved the recipe except for the beef and tomatoes, used small can of tomato paste for fire roasted tomatoes, cooked on high for 4.5 hours and low for 1.5 hours
Notes: I am glad we halved this recipe because even cut this makes a lot. We have a pretty large crockpot and halved it filled up half the pot so the whole recipe would have been up to the brim. Even halved it fed Sara and I for three meals. We didn't exactly halve it either since we didn't halve the meat. The grocery doesn't sell less than 1lb of ground beef prepackaged so it would require going to counter to have them split a pack. We didn't think it would hurt with a little extra meat and were right, it was good. We also forgot to pick up a can of the fire roasted tomatoes so we just used a whole 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and a small can of tomato paste. It turned out nice and very tomato-y but when I make this again I will try to remember to buy the can of fire roasted tomatoes since I think it will add a nice flavor. One other note was we started this chili late, like 1PM, so we cooked it on high for almost 5 hours and then switched it to low. There was a little stuck on the bottom but overall I think this was fine. The last step of the recipe was to add water or beef broth as required. Since we had extra crushed tomatoes which were a little watery, we didn't need to add either as the consistency was fine. As far as the recipe goes, it was super easy to make as most chili's are. The taste was great! Now, granted, this is a no frills basic chili recipe so don't expect anything crazy. I call this a "foundation" recipe. By itself it was very good, but it is a good recipe to base experimentation off of. Want add something crazy? Try a different protein like turkey or tofu? Habaneros instead of jalapenos? Go for it! And we will definitely be going for this recipe again in the future!
Sara’s Comments: Super comfort food for me. I always eat my chili with lime tortilla chips and this was no exception. It adds great flavor, salt, and crunch, and I don’t need to wash a spoon. I will say it was pretty much just like every other crockpot chili recipe we’ve made (and we’ve made several), but that’s a good thing since they’ve all tasted great.
PointsPlus: 12 servings @ 6 points each for full recipe
Drew Rating: 4.5/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Halved the recipe except for the beef and tomatoes, used small can of tomato paste for fire roasted tomatoes, cooked on high for 4.5 hours and low for 1.5 hours
Notes: I am glad we halved this recipe because even cut this makes a lot. We have a pretty large crockpot and halved it filled up half the pot so the whole recipe would have been up to the brim. Even halved it fed Sara and I for three meals. We didn't exactly halve it either since we didn't halve the meat. The grocery doesn't sell less than 1lb of ground beef prepackaged so it would require going to counter to have them split a pack. We didn't think it would hurt with a little extra meat and were right, it was good. We also forgot to pick up a can of the fire roasted tomatoes so we just used a whole 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and a small can of tomato paste. It turned out nice and very tomato-y but when I make this again I will try to remember to buy the can of fire roasted tomatoes since I think it will add a nice flavor. One other note was we started this chili late, like 1PM, so we cooked it on high for almost 5 hours and then switched it to low. There was a little stuck on the bottom but overall I think this was fine. The last step of the recipe was to add water or beef broth as required. Since we had extra crushed tomatoes which were a little watery, we didn't need to add either as the consistency was fine. As far as the recipe goes, it was super easy to make as most chili's are. The taste was great! Now, granted, this is a no frills basic chili recipe so don't expect anything crazy. I call this a "foundation" recipe. By itself it was very good, but it is a good recipe to base experimentation off of. Want add something crazy? Try a different protein like turkey or tofu? Habaneros instead of jalapenos? Go for it! And we will definitely be going for this recipe again in the future!
Sara’s Comments: Super comfort food for me. I always eat my chili with lime tortilla chips and this was no exception. It adds great flavor, salt, and crunch, and I don’t need to wash a spoon. I will say it was pretty much just like every other crockpot chili recipe we’ve made (and we’ve made several), but that’s a good thing since they’ve all tasted great.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
Source: http://diethood.com/2013/10/19/roasted-butternut-squash-lasagna/
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Added 1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, see notes below
Notes: I would like to thank my parents; they are brave souls. We invited them over to eat this with us and we had never made this before. I'm not even sure how big of fans either of them are about squash but they seemed to think it was OK. I thought it was pretty good. This recipe does take a good amount of time to make, I think it took me about 2.5 hours to make, but most of that time is unattended time (just baking in the oven) so it wasn't really too bad to make on a weekend. As good as the recipe was, there was some issues with the directions. One small issue was the recipe just calls for 4 cloves of garlic but does not mention how it should be prepared (minced? whole? sliced? I minced). Another issue was the Parmesan cheese. The recipe directs you to put some sauce on the bottom (which was really thick and just basically some chucks of squash), add a layer of noodles, 1/3 of the remaining sauce (doesn't actually say remaining but I assume it is) and 1/3 of shredded Parmesan. Then it says to repeat two more times which uses up the rest of the noodles, sauce, and cheese. Then it says to pour the heavy cream over the top and then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Wait, what? I already used that up! Not a big deal, I just shredded another 1/3 cup over the top but I thought that was a little sloppy. Overall, I think it tasted really good and the leftovers reheated well. The squash in the lasagna was warm and moist, just a slight bit peppery and very earthy. I was a little worried about it coming out well, especially the part about just pouring heavy cream over the top, but it really was not a problem. I would definitely make this again next fall when the butternut squash are back in season.
Sara’s Comments: Loved this. It was a great company dish, and didn’t have too much active cooking time so we could socialize with our guests. The roasted squash was soft and delicious, and the bechamel sauce tied everything together really well. I wish we had more squash!
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 5/5
Modifications: Added 1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, see notes below
Notes: I would like to thank my parents; they are brave souls. We invited them over to eat this with us and we had never made this before. I'm not even sure how big of fans either of them are about squash but they seemed to think it was OK. I thought it was pretty good. This recipe does take a good amount of time to make, I think it took me about 2.5 hours to make, but most of that time is unattended time (just baking in the oven) so it wasn't really too bad to make on a weekend. As good as the recipe was, there was some issues with the directions. One small issue was the recipe just calls for 4 cloves of garlic but does not mention how it should be prepared (minced? whole? sliced? I minced). Another issue was the Parmesan cheese. The recipe directs you to put some sauce on the bottom (which was really thick and just basically some chucks of squash), add a layer of noodles, 1/3 of the remaining sauce (doesn't actually say remaining but I assume it is) and 1/3 of shredded Parmesan. Then it says to repeat two more times which uses up the rest of the noodles, sauce, and cheese. Then it says to pour the heavy cream over the top and then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Wait, what? I already used that up! Not a big deal, I just shredded another 1/3 cup over the top but I thought that was a little sloppy. Overall, I think it tasted really good and the leftovers reheated well. The squash in the lasagna was warm and moist, just a slight bit peppery and very earthy. I was a little worried about it coming out well, especially the part about just pouring heavy cream over the top, but it really was not a problem. I would definitely make this again next fall when the butternut squash are back in season.
Sara’s Comments: Loved this. It was a great company dish, and didn’t have too much active cooking time so we could socialize with our guests. The roasted squash was soft and delicious, and the bechamel sauce tied everything together really well. I wish we had more squash!
Cilantro Goat Cheese Pasta
Source: http://www.thekitchenpaper.com/cilantro-goat-cheese-pasta/
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 11 points each (Recipe Doubled)
Drew Rating: 2/5
Sara Rating: 3/5
Modifications: Doubled the recipe, added 4 slices of bacon
Notes: First things first, this dish needs bacon! It is suggested in the blog post and I highly recommend it. It would taste pretty flat without it. That being said, even with bacon, this dish does not make a very good meal. It gets old and boring pretty quick. As a side dish to some lemony chicken or fish, I think it would go great. This just doesn't really have that much flavor on it's own. Would I make it again? Yes as a side and not doubled. Never as a main dish. Also, leftovers where barely edible, to me. Sara fared a little better with the leftovers but I thought the pasta was hard and the cheese left a nasty pool of grease behind which wasn't there when it was fresh.
Sara’s Comments: Sounded better than it was. Without the bacon I think it would have been just a two. I love goat cheese and I love pasta but this dish just didn’t cut it. Also did not reheat well for leftovers.
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 11 points each (Recipe Doubled)
Drew Rating: 2/5
Sara Rating: 3/5
Modifications: Doubled the recipe, added 4 slices of bacon
Notes: First things first, this dish needs bacon! It is suggested in the blog post and I highly recommend it. It would taste pretty flat without it. That being said, even with bacon, this dish does not make a very good meal. It gets old and boring pretty quick. As a side dish to some lemony chicken or fish, I think it would go great. This just doesn't really have that much flavor on it's own. Would I make it again? Yes as a side and not doubled. Never as a main dish. Also, leftovers where barely edible, to me. Sara fared a little better with the leftovers but I thought the pasta was hard and the cheese left a nasty pool of grease behind which wasn't there when it was fresh.
Sara’s Comments: Sounded better than it was. Without the bacon I think it would have been just a two. I love goat cheese and I love pasta but this dish just didn’t cut it. Also did not reheat well for leftovers.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Sausage Tart
Source: http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2013/10/goat-cheese-tomato-sausage-tart/
PointsPlus: 2 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Ah the end of summer. Possibly the last dish of the year made with a fresh and local tomato. And what a way to go! Tart was simple to make and was a nice dinner for two. The tomatoes were nice and fresh, the pesto was rich and complex, the goat cheese was creamy, the sausage was slightly crisped from being on top, and the puff pastry was light and crumbly. I was able to make this quickly in between answering the door for trick-or-treaters. In the future I would just use two large tomatoes; one sliced and laid across and one diced to fill in the gaps. The only problem I had were some of the skins were tough on the cherry tomatoes once baked.
Sara’s Comments: Really liked the use of puff pastry as a kind of pizza base. I know it’s called a tart but it was a pizza in my mind. I think it was a bit too heavy on the tomatoes, which made it a little watery. Next time I would cut the amount of tomato in half and it would get a 5. Loved the pesto spread on the bottom of the tart.
PointsPlus: 2 servings @ 14 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4.5/5
Modifications: None
Notes: Ah the end of summer. Possibly the last dish of the year made with a fresh and local tomato. And what a way to go! Tart was simple to make and was a nice dinner for two. The tomatoes were nice and fresh, the pesto was rich and complex, the goat cheese was creamy, the sausage was slightly crisped from being on top, and the puff pastry was light and crumbly. I was able to make this quickly in between answering the door for trick-or-treaters. In the future I would just use two large tomatoes; one sliced and laid across and one diced to fill in the gaps. The only problem I had were some of the skins were tough on the cherry tomatoes once baked.
Sara’s Comments: Really liked the use of puff pastry as a kind of pizza base. I know it’s called a tart but it was a pizza in my mind. I think it was a bit too heavy on the tomatoes, which made it a little watery. Next time I would cut the amount of tomato in half and it would get a 5. Loved the pesto spread on the bottom of the tart.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Greek Garbanzo Salad
Source: http://jenniferskitchen.com/2012/10/greek-garbanzo-salad.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5 (5/5 as a side dish)
Modifications: Served as a main dish over a bed of lettuce
Notes: This was a very tasty salad and very easy to prepare. The fresh oregano was a nice touch and since I grow my own, I always have plenty at hand. Since I was making this as a main dish, I served it over a bed of lettuce but it would be fine on it's own as a side dish. It's a great summer recipe as everything is raw and you don't need to cook anything. A simple modification I might try in the future would be to use cucumbers instead of celery. I always seem to have more cucumbers than I know what to do with during the summer. This actually tasted better as leftovers since it allowed the chickpeas to marinate in the lemon juice, oil, and herbs. It makes plenty so you will enjoy it for a few days. Overall, a very nice salad that we will definitely be making again!
Sara’s Comments: I think this would shine with a simple piece of grilled fish or other light entrée. Great mix of textures and flavors. Not enough bulk for me for dinner though, and eating more just gets monotonous.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 13 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5 (5/5 as a side dish)
Modifications: Served as a main dish over a bed of lettuce
Notes: This was a very tasty salad and very easy to prepare. The fresh oregano was a nice touch and since I grow my own, I always have plenty at hand. Since I was making this as a main dish, I served it over a bed of lettuce but it would be fine on it's own as a side dish. It's a great summer recipe as everything is raw and you don't need to cook anything. A simple modification I might try in the future would be to use cucumbers instead of celery. I always seem to have more cucumbers than I know what to do with during the summer. This actually tasted better as leftovers since it allowed the chickpeas to marinate in the lemon juice, oil, and herbs. It makes plenty so you will enjoy it for a few days. Overall, a very nice salad that we will definitely be making again!
Sara’s Comments: I think this would shine with a simple piece of grilled fish or other light entrée. Great mix of textures and flavors. Not enough bulk for me for dinner though, and eating more just gets monotonous.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Chicken Dopiaza
Source: http://indugetscooking.blogspot.in/2013/09/chicken-dopiaza.html
PointsPlus: 6 servings @ 9 points each (Includes 1 cup basmati rice)
Drew Rating: 4.5/5
Sara Rating: 4.5/5
Modifications: Fresh methi (fenugreek) instead of dried, Boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of bone-in
Notes: Let me just start out by saying I loved this dish. This type of dish is really everything I love about Indian cuisine. It's sweet, salty, spicy, and rich. It took a little work to make but I prepped everything in advance which made the cooking go smoothly. Our local groceries didn't carry methi (fenugreek) so I was referred to a local Indian grocery called Rice 'n Spices. Unfortunately they didn't have it dried either, only the seed, but they did have it fresh so for a $1 I bought a bunch. I think it worked out as well, if not better, than the dried but I had to use a lot more, about 1/2 a cup. The only thing I would change in this recipe is that instead of using chicken breasts, which turned out a little dry, I would get thighs. Another problem I had is in the recipe it calls for you to grind the gravy into a paste. I ran it through a food mill which really turned it into a broth when I probably should have just used a blender or food processor. It turned out a little more liquidy than the picture shows, but it was fine as it all gets absorbed by the basmati rice I made with it. I recommend this dish to anyone who likes Indian food and even if you don't, give it a try. It might just be a gateway dish to a whole new cuisine!
Sara’s Comments: It was good, just the right amount of spice. As I finished the bowl, the spice was just hitting my comfortable max.
PointsPlus: 6 servings @ 9 points each (Includes 1 cup basmati rice)
Drew Rating: 4.5/5
Sara Rating: 4.5/5
Modifications: Fresh methi (fenugreek) instead of dried, Boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of bone-in
Notes: Let me just start out by saying I loved this dish. This type of dish is really everything I love about Indian cuisine. It's sweet, salty, spicy, and rich. It took a little work to make but I prepped everything in advance which made the cooking go smoothly. Our local groceries didn't carry methi (fenugreek) so I was referred to a local Indian grocery called Rice 'n Spices. Unfortunately they didn't have it dried either, only the seed, but they did have it fresh so for a $1 I bought a bunch. I think it worked out as well, if not better, than the dried but I had to use a lot more, about 1/2 a cup. The only thing I would change in this recipe is that instead of using chicken breasts, which turned out a little dry, I would get thighs. Another problem I had is in the recipe it calls for you to grind the gravy into a paste. I ran it through a food mill which really turned it into a broth when I probably should have just used a blender or food processor. It turned out a little more liquidy than the picture shows, but it was fine as it all gets absorbed by the basmati rice I made with it. I recommend this dish to anyone who likes Indian food and even if you don't, give it a try. It might just be a gateway dish to a whole new cuisine!
Sara’s Comments: It was good, just the right amount of spice. As I finished the bowl, the spice was just hitting my comfortable max.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Farro, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad
Source: http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2012/11/farro-cranberry-and-goat-cheese-salad-recipe.html
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 9 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: Served as a main dish over a bed of lettuce rather than a side
Notes: Merry Christmas! At least that is what this dish screamed to me when I ate it. I thought it tasted really good and would make a great side dish at the holidays. As far as a main dish I don’t think it was a huge success because it was a lot of the same thing every bite. Serving it over a bed of lettuce is really the only thing that saved it as a main dish. The farro was interesting and I have never cooked with it before. Compared to what I've eaten before, think of bigger grains of rice but more pillow-y or bread-y with just a hint of the bran. It is supposed to be similar to wheat berries or Israeli couscous but I haven't had either of those before either. Unfortunately this recipe just called for it to be cooked per package directions and Wegman’s only had this in stock in bulk. A quick search of the web led to this site which recommends for 1 cup of farro bringing it to boil with 2.5 cups of salted water and then letting it simmer for 15-30 minutes. I let it go 25 and it was OK; the full 30 might have been better. Since this recipe calls for it to be cooled, I ran it under some cold water when it was done to save some time. I had started dinner late and it was already about 8PM at this point. While it did cool it down, it washed all the salt off so it lost some seasoning and it didn’t cool it down enough anyway. As soon as I added it to the goat cheese it all melted together. Not that this didn’t taste good but instead of the nice picture with all the little chunks of goat cheese, it formed a kind of cheese sauce and made it a little goopy. So for next time I would serve it as a side dish, particularly around the holidays, and cook the farro ahead to allow time in the fridge to really cool off.
Sara’s Comments: I really liked the flavors but there seemed to be a little too high ratio of farro to other stuff. I think it would be better as a side dish.
PointsPlus: 8 servings @ 9 points each
Drew Rating: 4/5
Sara Rating: 4/5
Modifications: Served as a main dish over a bed of lettuce rather than a side
Notes: Merry Christmas! At least that is what this dish screamed to me when I ate it. I thought it tasted really good and would make a great side dish at the holidays. As far as a main dish I don’t think it was a huge success because it was a lot of the same thing every bite. Serving it over a bed of lettuce is really the only thing that saved it as a main dish. The farro was interesting and I have never cooked with it before. Compared to what I've eaten before, think of bigger grains of rice but more pillow-y or bread-y with just a hint of the bran. It is supposed to be similar to wheat berries or Israeli couscous but I haven't had either of those before either. Unfortunately this recipe just called for it to be cooked per package directions and Wegman’s only had this in stock in bulk. A quick search of the web led to this site which recommends for 1 cup of farro bringing it to boil with 2.5 cups of salted water and then letting it simmer for 15-30 minutes. I let it go 25 and it was OK; the full 30 might have been better. Since this recipe calls for it to be cooled, I ran it under some cold water when it was done to save some time. I had started dinner late and it was already about 8PM at this point. While it did cool it down, it washed all the salt off so it lost some seasoning and it didn’t cool it down enough anyway. As soon as I added it to the goat cheese it all melted together. Not that this didn’t taste good but instead of the nice picture with all the little chunks of goat cheese, it formed a kind of cheese sauce and made it a little goopy. So for next time I would serve it as a side dish, particularly around the holidays, and cook the farro ahead to allow time in the fridge to really cool off.
Sara’s Comments: I really liked the flavors but there seemed to be a little too high ratio of farro to other stuff. I think it would be better as a side dish.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Korean Beef Bowl
Source: http://kitchensimplicity.com/korean-beef-bowl/
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 12 points each
Drew’s Rating: 4/5
Sara’s Rating: 4/5
Modifications: None
Notes: When I first started eating this dish I wasn’t in love with it. As with many dishes though the more I ate it the more I liked it. It’s at the point where thinking back and remembering how good it was, is making me crave some more right now. Yup, it was that good and really easy to make. It had a nice balance of sweet (maple syrup), sour and salty (soy sauce), crunchy (some of the beef got caramelized in the maple syrup as it reduced), and creamy (we make a creamier style of rice). Being a very straightforward recipe, it was nice quick weeknight meal and a cheap way to get some beef into the weeknight variety. I’m sure some of my friends would be happy to know that you could easily swap the red pepper flakes for your favorite bottle with the rooster on it. The only real way I think this dish could be elevated is to buy your own meat and grind it yourself because store bought ground beef can be sketchy sometimes. A great side veg for this would be to stir fry some broccoli or green beans with some sesame oil, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Will make again for sure!
Sara’s Comments: Really good for quick meal with beef. Liked the sweetness from the maple syrup, it was unusual and delicious! Only reason it’s not a 5 is that it’s not the most attractive dish and I don’t think I’d serve it for company.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 12 points each
Drew’s Rating: 4/5
Sara’s Rating: 4/5
Modifications: None
Notes: When I first started eating this dish I wasn’t in love with it. As with many dishes though the more I ate it the more I liked it. It’s at the point where thinking back and remembering how good it was, is making me crave some more right now. Yup, it was that good and really easy to make. It had a nice balance of sweet (maple syrup), sour and salty (soy sauce), crunchy (some of the beef got caramelized in the maple syrup as it reduced), and creamy (we make a creamier style of rice). Being a very straightforward recipe, it was nice quick weeknight meal and a cheap way to get some beef into the weeknight variety. I’m sure some of my friends would be happy to know that you could easily swap the red pepper flakes for your favorite bottle with the rooster on it. The only real way I think this dish could be elevated is to buy your own meat and grind it yourself because store bought ground beef can be sketchy sometimes. A great side veg for this would be to stir fry some broccoli or green beans with some sesame oil, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Will make again for sure!
Sara’s Comments: Really good for quick meal with beef. Liked the sweetness from the maple syrup, it was unusual and delicious! Only reason it’s not a 5 is that it’s not the most attractive dish and I don’t think I’d serve it for company.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Verde Chicken Enchilada Pizza
Source: http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2013/09/verde-chicken-enchilada-pizza.html
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 26 points each
Drew’s Rating: 3/5
Sara’s Rating: 3/5
Modifications: I used a store bought pizza crust instead of homemade.
Notes: I didn’t read the recipe carefully when I selected it and didn’t notice that it wanted cooked, shredded chicken so I had to start out with that which added about 20 minutes to poach it with a little salt and whole peppercorns added to the water. I didn’t make the pizza crust for this recipe either since the package I bought for the Greek Pizza was a two pack. Unfortunately, while it worked OK for that recipe, I think for this recipe it really would have worked better with the homemade, deep-dish style crust. Another thing I would have changed is instead of the store bought shredded Mexican cheese, I should have bought a brick of Monterey Jack and shredded it myself. The store bought cheese formed a hard crust on top which doesn’t really go well on pizza. Maybe just switching the Mexican with the Mozzarella would have worked too. Pizza cheese should be hot and bubbly, not hard and crusty. I also have a bit of an issue with the Kraft Recipe Makers Verde Chicken Enchilada mix. While the sauces tasted OK mixed in with the pizza, eating it by itself as a dip for crust didn’t work because it doesn’t taste very good like that. You will have a lot leftover sauce so plan on making two pizzas or just store the leftovers; I don’t recommend using them as dipping sauces. Overall the taste was OK and it was very thick and filling earning it an average rating. I’m on the fence whether to try this again because while I’m sure it would taste better with the homemade crust and freshly shredded cheese but doing that does add a lot of time. And definitely not without some leftover chicken to start with!
Sara's Comments: Basically felt like Kraft succeeded in making a homemade meal taste like it wasn’t. Not what I think they intended. It tasted ok, and I would eat it again, but really nothing special, and definitely not worth the work involved. Also, I think their premade sauces failed as dipping sauces for the crust. Too salty and just not that good IMO.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 26 points each
Drew’s Rating: 3/5
Sara’s Rating: 3/5
Modifications: I used a store bought pizza crust instead of homemade.
Notes: I didn’t read the recipe carefully when I selected it and didn’t notice that it wanted cooked, shredded chicken so I had to start out with that which added about 20 minutes to poach it with a little salt and whole peppercorns added to the water. I didn’t make the pizza crust for this recipe either since the package I bought for the Greek Pizza was a two pack. Unfortunately, while it worked OK for that recipe, I think for this recipe it really would have worked better with the homemade, deep-dish style crust. Another thing I would have changed is instead of the store bought shredded Mexican cheese, I should have bought a brick of Monterey Jack and shredded it myself. The store bought cheese formed a hard crust on top which doesn’t really go well on pizza. Maybe just switching the Mexican with the Mozzarella would have worked too. Pizza cheese should be hot and bubbly, not hard and crusty. I also have a bit of an issue with the Kraft Recipe Makers Verde Chicken Enchilada mix. While the sauces tasted OK mixed in with the pizza, eating it by itself as a dip for crust didn’t work because it doesn’t taste very good like that. You will have a lot leftover sauce so plan on making two pizzas or just store the leftovers; I don’t recommend using them as dipping sauces. Overall the taste was OK and it was very thick and filling earning it an average rating. I’m on the fence whether to try this again because while I’m sure it would taste better with the homemade crust and freshly shredded cheese but doing that does add a lot of time. And definitely not without some leftover chicken to start with!
Sara's Comments: Basically felt like Kraft succeeded in making a homemade meal taste like it wasn’t. Not what I think they intended. It tasted ok, and I would eat it again, but really nothing special, and definitely not worth the work involved. Also, I think their premade sauces failed as dipping sauces for the crust. Too salty and just not that good IMO.
Tortellini in a Pink Alfredo Sauce
Source: http://www.misoginger.com/tortellini-in-a-pink-alfredo-sauce/
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 24 points each
Drew’s Rating: 2.5/5
Sara’s Rating: 2
Modifications: I used eggplant instead of mushrooms and leftover ham steaks for the Prosciutto
Notes: So pretty low rating on this and I will take the blame. I subbed eggplant for the mushrooms since Sara despises them. I didn’t cook them long enough and they were underdone; I should have tasted them and I didn’t. The recipe calls for the mushrooms to be sautéed for 4-5 minutes and I think I cooked the eggplant for 6. I should have gone for 9-10. I also subbed the left over, diced up ham steaks for the Prosciutto. I think this part worked. The taste was good, I always cringe at cooking Prosciutto because I think it ruins it, and using leftovers is always a good thing. Lastly, I seasoned with salt & pepper only when everything was mixed together which left some bites too seasoned and others bland. While it is important to do a final seasoning, I should have seasoned the sauce to taste to get it 95% of the way there and just adding a little, if necessary, at the end. Another thing I would change is I would add the broccoli to the cooking tortellini for the last 2-3 minutes; it was OK but tasted just a little to raw to me and I think a couple minutes in the boiling water would make them much tastier. All that being said I would try this recipe again with the changes I have noted. Another change I would try is tofu instead of the mushrooms. I don’t think it’s a bad recipe – I think I just made it poorly.
Sara's Comments: Felt like too much going on. Not sure the flavors really went well together, with the broccoli, tomatoes, ham, and cream sauce.
PointsPlus: 4 servings @ 24 points each
Drew’s Rating: 2.5/5
Sara’s Rating: 2
Modifications: I used eggplant instead of mushrooms and leftover ham steaks for the Prosciutto
Notes: So pretty low rating on this and I will take the blame. I subbed eggplant for the mushrooms since Sara despises them. I didn’t cook them long enough and they were underdone; I should have tasted them and I didn’t. The recipe calls for the mushrooms to be sautéed for 4-5 minutes and I think I cooked the eggplant for 6. I should have gone for 9-10. I also subbed the left over, diced up ham steaks for the Prosciutto. I think this part worked. The taste was good, I always cringe at cooking Prosciutto because I think it ruins it, and using leftovers is always a good thing. Lastly, I seasoned with salt & pepper only when everything was mixed together which left some bites too seasoned and others bland. While it is important to do a final seasoning, I should have seasoned the sauce to taste to get it 95% of the way there and just adding a little, if necessary, at the end. Another thing I would change is I would add the broccoli to the cooking tortellini for the last 2-3 minutes; it was OK but tasted just a little to raw to me and I think a couple minutes in the boiling water would make them much tastier. All that being said I would try this recipe again with the changes I have noted. Another change I would try is tofu instead of the mushrooms. I don’t think it’s a bad recipe – I think I just made it poorly.
Sara's Comments: Felt like too much going on. Not sure the flavors really went well together, with the broccoli, tomatoes, ham, and cream sauce.
Greek Pizza
Source: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/10/greek-pizza/
PointsPlus: 3 servings @ 20 points each
Drew’s Rating: 4/5
Sara’s Rating: 4/5
Modifications: I used a store bought premade pizza crust instead of making my own
Notes: Using a store bought vs. homemade crust probably saved about 15-20 minutes. I’m sure it didn’t taste nearly as good as one I made myself but it was fine. I really liked the freshness of the toppings on top of the melted cheese. Pretty straight forward recipe, easy to make, easy to find ingredients, and delicious! Will make again!
Sara's Comments: Really liked the flavors of this, would be better with homemade crust (of course!). I think it might have gotten a 5 then. Definitely should make again.
PointsPlus: 3 servings @ 20 points each
Drew’s Rating: 4/5
Sara’s Rating: 4/5
Modifications: I used a store bought premade pizza crust instead of making my own
Notes: Using a store bought vs. homemade crust probably saved about 15-20 minutes. I’m sure it didn’t taste nearly as good as one I made myself but it was fine. I really liked the freshness of the toppings on top of the melted cheese. Pretty straight forward recipe, easy to make, easy to find ingredients, and delicious! Will make again!
Sara's Comments: Really liked the flavors of this, would be better with homemade crust (of course!). I think it might have gotten a 5 then. Definitely should make again.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Here we go again!
First I will admit this is probably the 5th blog I have created and if previous ones are any indicator of future results, all does not bode well for this blog! All kidding aside, this is a continuation of a blog my wife Sara and I started in 2011 called Cooked Through. The premise of that blog was to review the recipes from, cover to cover, a cookbook we loved from America's Test Kitchen. The concept was good but ultimately failed simply because cooking from ATK recipes every week became a bit too much of a chore. ATK recipes are the best but they are often very time consuming. Another issue is we wanted to be able to share our cooking experiences with these recipes but couldn't actually share the recipes themselves due to copyright issues and I think this led to a lack of cohesiveness in the blog.
This led to a change in our cooking style and where we sourced our cooking inspiration. With the increasing popularity of food and recipe blogs and many other cooking sites, we found lots of new material for a blog. The limitless variety of cooking styles and cuisines on the internet means I'll never be bored in the kitchen. The added bonus is that by being able to put a link to the recipes means that now I can finally share a complete experience for my readers. Another factor in this change is that our home responsibilities shifted which put me in the kitchen cooking most of the meals.
So with a new head chef, here is a new blog!
This led to a change in our cooking style and where we sourced our cooking inspiration. With the increasing popularity of food and recipe blogs and many other cooking sites, we found lots of new material for a blog. The limitless variety of cooking styles and cuisines on the internet means I'll never be bored in the kitchen. The added bonus is that by being able to put a link to the recipes means that now I can finally share a complete experience for my readers. Another factor in this change is that our home responsibilities shifted which put me in the kitchen cooking most of the meals.
So with a new head chef, here is a new blog!
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