Have you ever...

 

seen such pretty clocks? Why didn't I think of this?  I want one for every room! Check out LAM Designs . Pure Genius. I might stock up for birthdays.And Mother's Day. And Christmas. Or... I could just use THIS book that I bought last year with the best of intentions. Maybe coming across these gorgeous clocks is a sign that I should actually learn to make them myself.

My New Favorite Sandwich

I saw this in a recent Cooking Light publication and I rushed out to get the ingredients to make it. It is so good.Unusual but oh so good. I think I want one every day~!

 

 Pear Walnut Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
• 8  (1.1-ounce) slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 2  Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 1  cup  alfalfa sprouts

Preparation

1. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese evenly over each of 8 bread slices. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon walnuts evenly over each of 4 bread slices. Top each evenly with pear slices, sprouts, and 1 bread slice. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.

photo and recipe - Cooking Light

Easter

Fat Witch Brownies

My sister turned me onto these brownies a few years ago. And I am forever grateful. Not only are they soooo good, they make excellent gifts. The packaging is so cute and I can always count on them to reach my friends and family in one piece. It makes people so happy to open the boxes and see these yummies. A bit pricey but well worth it. If you like brownies.I'm just sayin'. Find them HERE . You won't be sorry.

Spicy Orange Beef

Easy weeknight meal. I use brown rice and add a few cups of broccoli and double the sauce. I used Simply Orange brand orange juice and the orange flavor really stood out. I will be adding this to my rotation because of the ease of preparation and the fact that all my kids eat it with no complaints.


SPICY ORANGE BEEF
Cooking Light
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup beef mixture and about 1/3 cup rice)
Ingredients

* 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 pound boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips
* 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
* 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
* 3/4 cup (1-inch) slices green onions

Preparation

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Combine rice and salt, tossing well.

Combine garlic, pepper, and beef, tossing well.

Combine rind, juice, cornstarch, and soy sauce, stirring with a whisk.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef mixture and onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add juice mixture; cook 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Serve beef mixture over rice.

Chicken Stuffed with italian Sausage and Breadcrumbs

Photo-Randy Mayor

This recipe is from Cooking Light. I have had this recipe ear-marked for a few months and I am glad I tried it. I used hot italian sausage and added a 10oz package of frozen spinach that I thawed and drained. It was very good.It was a bit dry but I think it is because I used ginormous chicken breasts and I did not pound them to like thickness. They took forever to cook. Next time I will know better. Everyone in the family liked the chicken. I will make it again. I served baked green beans and wild rice with it. It is a heavy meal, so I will reserve it for colder weather.



Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 chicken breast)
Ingredients

* 1 (4-ounce) Italian sausage link
* 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 1 (1 1/2-ounce) slice sourdough bread, toasted and crusts removed
* 1 garlic clove, halved
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* Cooking spray
* 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

Remove casing from sausage; crumble sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion, and celery; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is browned and onion is golden. Add wine to pan; cook 1 minute or until most of liquid is absorbed.

Rub each side of bread with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Coarsely crumble bread; add to sausage mixture. Stir in parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed; toss to combine.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place half of stuffing on one side of each chicken breast half, leaving a 1-inch border around sides. Fold remaining half of each chicken breast over stuffing, and secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add stuffed chicken breast halves to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side. Add chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove the wooden picks; slice breasts in half. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
233 (29% from fat)
Fat:
7.6g (sat 2.5g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:
21.9g
Carbohydrate:
11.5g
Fiber:
0.9g
Cholesterol:
65mg
Iron:
1.6mg
Sodium:
774mg
Calcium:
47mg

Lia Huber, Cooking Light, APRIL 2005

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine, softened 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2.	In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

Spring Love Via Boden

I received the Boden Spring Catalog yesterday. And today I am waiting for my package. Well, it will be here in about a week. I am ready for spring and ready to wear a bit of spring fashion. I purchased the navy blue corsage necklace.And two cardigans. And a ruffle t-shirt. I love everything in their catalog. Oh, how I wish I could have one of each and every piece. At least I can look at the catalog and dream. I really , really love the striped uptown coat. But I think my husband would not like the loudness of the colors.Or the price tag. And since I am a stay at home mom, I really have nowhere to wear it. Except to the playground.Or around the yard. Seems a bit inappropriate. But I want one anyway. Check out all the loveliness over at Boden  .

Mini Frozen Peanut Butter Cups

Yes this is a weight watchers recipe.But it is sooooo good. I have made these a few times to keep in my freezer for when I want something sweet and peanut buttery.So easy to make and about 25 calories per cup. You can make these in a regular muffin pan and it makes 12. But the calories per cup is around 55 ,depending on how full the cup is. I prefer the mini muffin pan. I picked up some easter candy cups and used those. Just hide them from your kids. They love them too!

Mini Frozen Peanut Butter Cups

1 container Cool Whip Free
6 T peanut butter

Mix the cool whip and the peanut butter until blended well. Line a mini muffin pan with paper candy cups. You can find them at most supermarkets with the muffin cups. They are just smaller. Spoon the peanut  butter mixture into each cup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a few hours.

Menu Monday

I have really been neglecting my blog this month. I have a list written of recipes , crafts and etsy items I need to post. Problem is getting the motivation .I have to admit I do not spend as much time on the computer as I used to. I think I got a little burned out. And my readership is virtually non-existant, so I rationalize my not posting by telling myself that no one reads my blog anyway. So I put it off. I am going to try to be a bit more diligent in posting.Perhaps a few times a week. I am sticking to my menu plans for the most part. There have been a few times when I switched meals or we went out to dinner. But I just add those meals to the next week. This week I am using all new recipes. I am looking forward to getting into the kitchen again and making new meals.the boys are getting a bit tired of the same food over and over.Time to change it up a bit. And you will notice that our meals are healthier. I have made a commitment to lose weight this year and have already lost above and beyond what I had set out to do ( on a month by month basis) .Now that I am concious of the food I am eating I have more healthy options on the menu.

Monday - Chicken stuffed with italian sausage and breadcrumbs
Tuesday - Spicy Orange Beef
Wednesday - Creamy Fettucine with shrimp and bacon
Thursday - Meatball Calzones
Friday - Vegetable Lasagna
Saturday - Grilled Mojo Chicken
Sunday - Spanish Garlic Soup and Caesar Salad

Check out more menu ideas at OrgJunkie .

Menu Plan Monday

It is Monday again.Time to post the weekly menu.You can find hundreds of menu ideas over at OrgJunkie .

Monday - Chicken Vino Bianco
Tuesday  - Black Bean and Corn Burritos
Wednesday - Mexican Cottage Pie
Thursday  - Meatball Calzones
Friday - Fish Fry
Saturday - Potato and Leek Pizza
Sunday - out with family

A Decoupaged Picture Frame

I have a friend that has a daughter. Her birthday is coming up and since her mother just decorated her bedroom in greens and browns, I decided to make a cute picture frame to go on her shelf. It started out as a wood frame from Michael's.I stocked up on these frames a few years ago and had every intention on making cute frames for Christmas gifts.Hasn't happened yet.Maybe this year. Especially since this one turned out to great. I used green and brown scrapbook paper and a few coats of modge podge. Then I glued ribbon to the inside of the picture square.Added a piece of old sheet music and a matching bird . All I did was cover the wood bird with brown scrapbook paper and cut out a wing. I like the way it turned out. I hope she likes it.