Steak Tacos with Pico De Gallo

Where do you draw inspiration for your meals? Do you look to pinterest to find something that will satisfy your family & your wallet? Do you check out five bazillion cookbooks at your library, hoping you'll actually have time to look through one entire book before they are all due in three weeks? Are you a food blog addict & steal recipes from your beloved bloggers?

I am guilty on all three accounts. I pin waaaay too many recipes to actually try, check out waaaay too cookbooks to actually read, & devour waaaay too many food blogs to actually keep track of.

But I also like to take some of my life experiences & apply them to the food we eat & my most of my favorite experiences have come through traveling.

My very first time in Mexico lasted just over a few hours. My dad & step mom brought us to Arizona for spring break or something, so we made the few hour drive to Mexico, basically to cross the boarder, buy a few treasures to prove that we were there & journey back to the States. It was less than impressive & I don't even think we had lunch. Depressing!

My second time to Mexico was more of a deep plunge. I studied abroad in Mexico City & Oaxaca City, getting to experience both the crazy big city Mexico & the quaint work-your-bootie-off Mexico. I was studying Women's Rights & Globalization, so we saw & experienced some pretty heavy things. We learned first-hand from many women who were suffering to gain their rights, earn a decent wage, & support their families. We watched demonstrations, we visited museums, we toured significant places of Mexican history. And of course, we ate incredible food.

Have you eaten traditional Mexican food? I'm not talking about the taco-whatever you get, covered in refried beans, Spanish rice, & gallons of melty cheese. I'm talking about fresh & simple ingredients, lots & lots of cilantro, & a flavor that is comparable to none.

Here in La Crosse, we don't have too many authentic Mexican joints. Our favorite (by a landslide) is Burritos House, which looks like a shady little place you should speed past, but believe me, it's da bomb. 

I'll never forget my first meal from a street vendor in Mexico City: shrimp tacos. Our instructors advised us against eating from the vendors because, well, you know... we were American & would probably get sick. But when these shirmp tacos were staring me in the face, I just couldn't resist them. A few other (probably naiive) students joined me in devouring these tacos & we didn't regret it one bit. We ate plenty of other funky things (like grasshoppers!) but these tacos were definitely the right choice.

Since being in Mexico, it has really changed how I like to eat this kind of food. Although I love a good melty cheese most days, sometimes I'd rather pass & enjoy each of the individual flavors in the fresh veggies & herbs that make Mexican food really come alive.

Have you ever traveled somewhere that has "wrecked" how you used to eat that region's food?

Steak Tacos with Pico De Gallo
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
1 4-ounce steak sliced very thin
Salt & pepper to taste
Lime juice to taste
8 corn tortillas
1 recipe for Pico De Gallo
1/4 cup cheese (we used 1 string cheese, but you could also use crumbled queso or any mild white cheese, shredded)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions
Prepare your Pico & set in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Make sure that you slice your (raw) steak very thin & season with a little bit of salt, pepper, & lime juice. We cooked our steak in a cast iron skillet for just a couple of minutes (you can also cook it on the grill if you are going the 100% anti-oven rule, just cook it as one whole piece & then slice it. We really liked how when you slice it before cooking, each piece gets evenly cooked & a tiny bit crispy). Cook the steak to your level of comfort (we go medium rare).

Then warm up your corn tortillas, either in an additional cast iron skillet, on the grill, or in your toaster oven/microwave. Next, layer two tortillas on top of each other & add the steak, chilled Pico, cheese, & cilantro (we use two tortillas per taco so that they don't rip when we stuff them full of the ingredients).

Smoked Salmon Salad

There was a time in my life where creme brulle was my "usual." For dinner, I regularly ate fillet mignon or artichoke slather. Lobster bisque was common & often times I would try to sample the most expensive red wines possible (which weren't always better than the cheap-o stuff, by the way). You might be wondering, how in the heck did I afford all these luxuries? These meals weren't cheap, & they definitely were not in my budget. But I wasn't into "dining & dashing" or washing dishes to make even. These meals were given to me as a bonus for working at one of the finest cafes I have ever worked at/dined at. Ever.

The Scenic Cafe in Duluth, MN.

Although this was, by far, one of the most challenging jobs I have ever had (I worked mostly in the summer, in a tiny building with no air conditioning, which caters more often than not to tourists & wealthy crunchy people with all kinds of preferences, allergies, & opinions), I learned so much about food while working there. I really believe this is where my passion for things like chocolate caramel tarts & pistachio crusted goat cheese were born. Heck, I didn't even know that arugula was a thing before working there. My foodie addiction can be blamed on this gem of a restaurant.

There were many, many more meals spent at the Scenic. It was & probably still is, one of the best places to celebrate anything.... birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, you name it. But the thing that's really exceptional about the Scenic is that it's also the perfect place to stop on your way back from a hike or just when you want a homemade bowl of soup & crusty bread. You don't get looked at strangely if you come in wearing chacos & smell of sunscreen, but you also can expect to see people dressed in their best.

It was the first (fancy) place we took Ruby after she was born. She was just six weeks old when we celebrated our 2nd anniversary & we didn't want to go anywhere else besides the Scenic. So I snuggled her in my Moby wrap & prayed that she would make it through our meal happily, which she most definitely did. She must have know that creme brulle was coming later.

This smoked salmon salad is inspired by the Scenic. Although it is sadly no longer on their summer menu, it remains dear to my heart. There were many a day when all I wanted after a sweaty, frustrating shift was a big plate of fresh lettuce & cherry tomatoes, covered by hunks of salty salmon & cheese. I didn't want something heavy or hearty (although the portions at the Scenic are more European than American), so a light salad was just the trick.

And it's the perfect meal for the days when you can't bear to turn on the oven. There's absolutely no cook time for this meal. The salmon & cheese are packed with all kinds of energizing proteins & you'll be quite satisfied with yourself for choosing such a healthy option for dinner. And believe me, you'll also think that you're getting away with something scandalous, because it tastes that amazing!

Make sure that you get wild caught smoked salmon. We purchased ours at our local food co-op & although it's pricey, a little goes a long way. This salad is best served with, you guessed it, more crusty bread & a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. 

Smoked Salmon Salad
Ingredients
Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 pack of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 ounces plain goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces smoked salmon
Balsamic vinaigrette
Baguettes

Directions
Chop the lettuce & place it on two large plates. Pile on the sliced cherry tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, & smoked salmon. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette & serve with a toasty baguette.

Shredded Chicken Nachos in Mini Bell Peppers

 

Do you find it basically impossible to make a batch of nachos without using up an entire bag of tortilla chips, or is that just one of our problems? No matter how many people we are serving, it's like all of our common sense/attempts at portion control goes straight out the door. Speaking of portion control, on the bag of our favorite tortilla chips,  it says the serving size is 9 chips. NINE. And there are apparently 11 servings in a bag. Riiiight.

So we may have a tortilla chip addiction, I get that. And while I would happily eat chips more than just about any other junk food, let's try a little harder to be sensible here. Nachos don't have to be total gut bombs & they most definitely can be a legitimately tasty, even boarder line healthy meal if you just use a little creativity.

Lucky for me, I found that creativity on the world wide web. Looks like someone else has a chip obsession that they're trying to slowly creep away from too. Now's the time to be real-- when I first shared this recipe idea with John, his initial comment was, "that sounds like a mistake." Point taken. It seems like something I would make & then consequently have a bag of chips on standby so when we didn't like the first bite, that we could slide the contents off the peppers onto the chips & then just eat our nachos in peace. But stay with me now.

John approved! He loved them & so did I! They were super nacho-y, still crunchy & filling & they totally satisfied that salty craving that I was having for nachos. I might have over-compensated for the lack of chips by adding more cheese... but cheese is probably more healthy than chips anyway, right?

One more bit of honesty here. I still served some chips along side of our chip-less nachos. Buuuut, I put 2 servings in a bowl & then we enjoyed them as a compliment to the nachos, not as the main event. Baby steps, baby steps!

Shredded Chicken Nachos in Mini Bell Peppers

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, sliced, white parts & green parts separated
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup salsa
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound mini bell peppers (these are usually sold by the bag in the produce section near the full-sized bell peppers)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar/Monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup cilantro

Additional salsa for topping if desired

Greek yogurt for topping if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic & the white parts of the green onions & cook & stir for about 1 minute. Mix in shredded chicken, black beans, & chili powder. Toss until all the ingredients are well-coated with chili powder & the chicken is warm, about 1-2 minutes. 

Remove from heat & stir in the salsa. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Slice the ends off each mini bell pepper & slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds & ribs & press each half open so the peppers are as flat as possible. Arrange close together in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Spoon chicken mixture evenly over pepper halves. Top with cheese. Bake nachos for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven, top with cilantro, remaining green onions & if desired, additional salsa & Greek yogurt.

Recipe adapted from Heat Oven to 350

Chicken & Vegetable Egg Rolls

I really love cooking with my husband & I feel really blessed to have a guy in my life who enjoys cooking with me, for me, & even without me. It's one of the things that really helped us bond when we were dating & has  aided us in continuing to invest in each other now that we've been married for a little over 3.5 years.

You really learn stuff about people when you're in the kitchen together. Sometimes it's pretty, but sometimes it's really not. We get into most of our disagreements in the kitchen, but we almost always have some of our best conversations in there, too. Somebody needs to get smart & design a house where the kitchen is more of a focal point (I'm talking comfy chairs, fireplaces, hot tubs...)

In the beginning of our dating relationship, I learned that John is an absolute by-the-book cooker/baker. He levels things, he uses measuring cups, & he never, ever eyeballs ingredients when putting them in a recipe (the exceptions would be when there's an ingredient he doesn't like, when a recipe calls for margarine, or when he's making anything that involves oil).

Me on the other hand, well, let's just say I could use some help in this department. I'm getting better about using the right ingredients & the correct amounts (& consequently I think my cooking is improving!) But I'm kinda lazy & I absolutely will (almost always) refuse to go get some ingredient I need if we don't have it because I don't want to leave my project unattended. I'll just try to sub something & it sometimes turns out.

I'll never forget the first tiramisu that we made together. John was horrified (but oh so gentle with me because we had just started dating!) at my techniques. "Did you put in enough vanilla?" "How many eggs have you used?" "Were those peaks stiff enough?" It makes me laugh now, because our styles haven't changed much, although I will say that we are meeting more towards the middle (for the record, this tiramisu didn't turn out & I'm pretty sure I and something to do with it).

As much as we are growing, we still take bold chances sometimes. Our latest adventure was with these egg rolls. OK, they're called egg rolls for a reason, right? Well guess who didn't have enough eggs (we needed one egg)? Did I call my neighbor to get an egg? Did I walk the 4 blocks to buy some? No. We made them without eggs & they actually turned out. We were both a little nervous that they would become "unglued" as they were frying, but it all worked out. They were crispy & delicious & I'm thinking that we need to change the name to "chicken & veg rolls" because of the lack of egg.

John & I have learned to give each other a little bit of space in the kitchen & respect each other's styles. He's realized that baked goods don't need to be coated in white sugar to be tasty & I've learned that yes, sometimes, they do. I think we owe it to ourselves to try that tiramisu again sometime soon, what do you think?

Chicken & Vegetable Egg Rolls

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded or finely diced
1 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup potato, peeled & shredded
soy sauce, about 2 tablespoons, or to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 package egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil for frying
1 egg, beaten & mixed with 1 tablespoon water (egg is optional, but encouraged)

Directions

Mix cut veggies in a large bowl. Heat a large skillet & drizzle with olive oil. Stir fry the veggies in two batches, adding the soy sauce & pepper just as the cabbage starts to wilt. Cook veggies until just underdone, as they will cook more when you fry the egg rolls. Place cooked veggies in large bowl & mix in the chicken. Let the mixture cool slightly before rolling. 

Lay out a wrapper, brush egg mixture on two adjacent edges, spoon as much as you can fit (3-4 tablespoons) into a wrapper, & roll according to package instructions (if you don't have an egg, you can just wet the corners with a bit of water).

Heat the vegetable oil, about 1-1 1/2 inches deep, in a frying pan.  Fry the egg rolls 4-5 at a time, turning as they get to a golden brown color. Remove to paper towels, or a wire rack to drain & cool. I've also heard that you can bake egg rolls, too, but John is anti-baking when the other option is deep frying. Surprise, surprise.

Recipe adapted from Food Pusher

Tuna Zucchini Cakes

Oh tuna.

I've been on a non-stop hunt to find scrumptious tuna recipes my whole life. Although I do enjoy a simple cold tuna sandwich or a crispy, bubbly tuna melt every now & again, that's about as far as my tuna adventures have gone. I would be willing to make a good old fashioned tuna salad every now & again, but John has a strong dislike (hate?) of all things cold-noodle-mayo-salad-based. I can't blame him... most of them aren't very good (especially when drenched in mayo, or even worse... sweet tasting Miracle Whip).

Sweet salads are really a nightmare around here. You know what I'm talking about. They always end up at summer BBQ's because a BBQ doesn't seem right without one, when in fact it's the salad that just isn't right. How on earth someone decided to put fruit + jello + cottage cheese together & then have the guts to call it salad is beyond me. We avoid food like this at all cost & I shudder a little bit every time I think about it.

How this relates to tuna, I'm not sure.

I found this recipe on Pinterest one time when I was especially determined to find more creative ways to eat tuna. I wrote a little bit about it in this post & now I'm finally getting to posting the recipe. They really are quite the yummy meal- Ruby loves them, I love them, & John doesn't get super excited about them (but does willingly eat them). They also freeze very well, so it's a great option for a quick, nutritious lunch when I'm trying to lure Ruby away from her usual peanut butter & honey sandwich.

Do you have any savory tuna recipes that you share? Post in the comments below!

Served with sweet potato wedges

Tuna Zucchini Cakes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 can light water-packed tuna, drained & flaked
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs or wheat germ
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions
In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion & cook until tender. Remove from heat. 

Add the tuna, 1/2 cup bread crumbs or wheat germ, zucchini, eggs, parsley, lemon juice, salt & pepper to onion mixture; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into six 1/2-in.-thick patties & coat with remaining bread crumbs.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown & heated through.

Recipe taken from Taste of Home

Breakfast Pizza

Hello, it's the Haas Machine eating breakfast for dinner again. Surprise, surprise.

The other week I made my very first cinnamon rolls & they turned out pretty well. After that, breakfast has still been on my mind, even more than usual. This time, I decided to go a bit more crazy & made breakfast pizza. I figured that the combo of breakfasty-type foods (eggs! bacon!) earthy flavors (scallions! shallots! chives!) & pizza (crust! cheese!) would be a win, win.

Turns out it was a win, win, win.

Part of this win was the bacon that I bought from the Holmen Meat Market. I don't venture to Holmen all that often, but when I do it's usually for meat. I love how all of the meat that they sell is from local farms (all of the pork is from Holmen!) & how high quality everything is. Plus the market has all kinds of exotic teas, wines, beers, jams, & homemade salsas for sale. I think I spent half of our food budget there, but it was soo worth it. Good bacon is always worth it.

I was very weirded out by cracking eggs on to my pizza crust, but it got way less weird when I took my first bite. John even groaned, it was that good (especially when just a slight nod of approval is his non-emotional way of saying something is incredible). We will be making this pizza again (maybe even for breakfast some day if I'm really motivated) & I'm anxious to experiment with even more breakfasty toppings. Maybe we'll throw hash browns in the mix or some hollandaise. Ooh, or biscuits & gravy? Is that too far?

What's the strangest, most delicious thing you've put on a pizza?

Breakfast Pizza
Ingredients
For the dough:

2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4-ounce package (or 2 1/4 tsp) fast acting yeast

3/4 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cornmeal, for dusting
Bread flour, for dusting

For the pizza:
6 bacon strips
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 cups shredded mozzarella
6 large eggs
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Chives, minced
Scallions, trimmed & thinly sliced

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together yeast, warm water, sugar & olive oil. Let sit for about 3 minutes to fully dissolve & activate the yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour & salt. With a rubber spatula, gradually mix the yeast mixture into the flour until just combined & dough barely holds together. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter surface dusted with flour. Knead the dough with flour-dusted hands until the dough has become smooth & elastic, about 10 minutes. The surface should bounce back slightly when pressed. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil & place the dough in it. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap & set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Once doubled, punch the dough down & divide it into 2 equal pieces. Knead each slightly to form a uniform ball. Set aside & cover them with plastic wrap to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if you have a pizza stone, place it on the oven rack to warm & preheat the oven to 450. Generously dust the surface of a pizza stone with cornmeal.

Heat a large pan to medium-high, add the bacon strips, & pan-fry until crisp. Put the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels, let it cool, & then crumble into bite-size pieces.

Lightly dust a work surface with bread flour. Working with one ball of pizza dough, dip your hands & your dough in the bread flour, & pat the dough down into a disk shape. Once the disk is large enough, drape the dough over your fists and carefully start stretching & expanding the dough from underneath to form a round that is 10 to 12 inches in diameter.

Place the dough on the prepared pizza stone. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the dough &, using your fingers, brush the dough evenly with the oil. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella on to the dough. Crack 3 eggs over the top & season with salt & pepper.

Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, checking on it after 5 minutes & rotating if necessary to ensure that it is baking evenly. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted, & the egg yolks are cooked to medium, carefully transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle with half of the bacon, shallot, chives & scallions.  Prepare your second pizza the same way.

Dough recipe taken from the Food Network

Pizza recipe adapted from Dolcetto Confessions

Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, & Garlic

I know I keep saying that we're not big soup fans, but here I go again with another soup recipe. What's happening to me? Maybe it's the chilly winter breezes that have been lingering around, or the hope of spring (when all soup recipes in our house go out the door until fall). Truth be told, I was looking for a meal that incorporates lentils & I stumbled upon this gem & looked no further.

Have you ever gotten on a little healthy food kick? You know the kind that causes you to pick something up at the store because it just sounds like it would be healthy (quinoa anyone?) You don't necessarily have a plan to cook with it or any idea how to even prepare it, but just sticking it in your little cart already makes you feel like a better person. Yeah, me too.

That's what happened with these lentils. They somehow found their way into my cupboard & after sorting through my kitchen during an emotional organizational stress release session (don't worry, there's definitely a post coming on this), I vowed to eat them soon.

Lentils have always seemed like just a filler to me. I remember soups growing up where lentils were soft, mushy, & flavorless, so I wasn't exactly thrilled about eating them. Even as I was dishing up this soup, I told John that I was doubtful. In fact, that's why I made a side of cheddar scallion scones to go with them. I figured if the soup was a total bust, then at least I could eat my frustration out with some hearty, cheesy, oniony carbs!

OK, this soup is covered in sauteed garlic for crying out loud & it is originally from the Smitten Kitchen, so that should have been my first clue (the cookbook is waiting for me at the library right now!) It's hearty, it's delicious, & I am so pleased that there are bowls of left-overs waiting for me in the fridge because the reality is that winter really likes to mess with my heart this time of year.

Do you cook with lentils? What are your favorite recipes for them?

Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, & Garlic
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
3 large links of pork sausage, casings removed (you could use Italian sausage, but I don't really like it, so we went with a plain sausage & added Italian seasonings to it while it was cooking)
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled & sliced into half-moons
4 cloves garlic, sliced (reserve half for later in recipe)
Kosher salt
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup brown lentils, sorted & rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups water
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 cups shredded Swiss chard leaves or kale
Grated Parmesan cheese to finish

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot on medium. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, first two garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, & a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until the vegetables soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water, & more salt & black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer & allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.

When the lentils are cooked, add the chard & cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Remember to discard the bay leaves.

To finish, divide soup among bowls, then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil & 2 garlic cloves to a small skillet & heat over medium until the garlic softens. Drizzle this over soup bowls, & top with fresh Parmesan. 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage & Eggs

Ooh, breakfast for dinner is my favorite. Every time I think about making it, I think about the movie Juno. You know, the part where Bleeker isn't hungry & his mom says, "but puppy, I made your favorite: it's breakfast for dinner!" Yes, that runs through my mind every.single.time. & it's not like it's my favorite movie or anything. Let's just say that breakfast for dinner is very near & dear to my heart.

Breakfast, brunch, whatever, it's amazing. And I'm convinced that breakfast has the best of all foods (french toast?! cinnamon rolls?! pancakes?! eggs benny?! omelets?! any kind of eggs?!) because let's face it, waking up & braving the day can be challenging sometimes. At least if you have a delicious meal to start you off right, the day can be a little sunnier.

Don't even get me started on my love for all things sweet potato. I just adore them.  They are loaded with all kinds of nutrients, they make a great substitute for most potato recipes (especially fries), & best of all, my kid loves them just as much as I do. I've even put them in muffins before & everyone in the house scarfed them down. Sweet potatoes are where it's at.

This recipe is especially tasty because the sweetness of these potatoes pairs well with the saltiness of the sausage & the fragrant evergreen-ness of the rosemary (which is been known to help improve the memory, by the way). Plus, there's a ton of garlic & it's topped with a few fried eggs. 

I suppose it could be made into a vegetarian-friendly meal. I'm not sure what I would sub for the sausage... maybe a veggie sausage or some lovely meaty mushrooms would do the trick. I would just add some more seasonings to get the right flavor.

Are you a breakfast junkie too? What are your favorite recipes?

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage, & Eggs
Serves 2-3
Ingredients

1 pound onions, about 1 large
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound fresh sausage or chorizo
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 2 medium potatoes
3 large garlic cloves
2 long stalks rosemary, about 1/4 cup of leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions
Heat the oven to 450°F. Peel the onions & cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions & sprinkle lightly with salt. Lower the heat slightly & cook the onions for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, & lowering the heat if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are light brown.

Meanwhile, put the sausage in another skillet & brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until it is browned & beginning to crisp. Drain away any excess fat.

While the onions & sausage are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. Finely mince the garlic & rosemary leaves, & toss them in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, & a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are light brown & the sausage is crispy, stir these into the sweet potatoes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper & spread out the sweet potatoes evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for about 20 minutes or until they are soft & browned.

Make small wells in the sweet potatoes & fry up an egg to your liking. Place the egg in the center of the hash & serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

I grew up in northern Minnesota. Ahh, the land of meatloaf for dinner once a week, hot dishes (or casseroles for non-Minnesotans) at every shin dig, & the spiciest condiment in your house was usually ketchup, or at least it was in my house. We ate pretty simply growing up-- lots of taco, spaghetti & tuna helper dinners. But we also ate lots of potatoes.

It might be obvious to everyone else, I'm starting to realize that when you're the meal planner of the household, you get to decide what you eat. Sure, you can't completely decide (um, if we could afford to eat sushi more than twice a year, I would so be there) but you can cater meals to your liking. Growing up, we ate potatoes a lot because my mom is boarder-line obsessed with them. Every time we had a "fancy" dinner, the baked potatoes would come out for sure. And if things were especially exciting, the "top the tater" would also make an appearance (basically sour cream with chives). Oh those were the days.

When I made this baked potato soup, I couldn't help but think of my mom. I just know that she'll love it. It's rich & creamy & salty & cheesy. It's perfectly paired with crumbled bacon & grated sharp cheddar. And what's best is that you stick everything in the crockpot & then forget about it all day long. It's the perfect meal for those super busy days when you know cooking is just not gonna happen. No matter if you're from Minnesota or Montana, this soup is a tasty comfort.

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
1/2 medium/large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock or broth
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

Directions
Add potatoes, onion, garlic, salt, & chicken stock to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours. Add the softened cream cheese & puree soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated. Top with your choice of garnishes & enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Mama Loves Food

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Chicken enchiladas have always been a favorite meal of mine, but they have especially been memorable since July 25th, 2011, when they made my water break. You see on that day, I waddled my 38-week pregnant body up to Woodman's to do a massive grocery shopping extravaganza (Woodman's is always an extravaganza, but when you're that pregnant & it's summer, it's just massive). I was doubling up on a lot of our meals back then so that I could have one for dinner & freeze another for when the baby arrived. On that particular day, I was whipping up a batch of chicken enchiladas.

After I unloaded the car, I got started cooking. I wanted to try & get most of the cooking done before it was too miserably hot, so I was working as fast as I could. I sat down while I started cutting up the chicken & when I stood up, I was absolutely convinced that I had just wet my pants (when you're pregnant, surprisingly wetting your pants isn't really shocking after it's happened a dozen times).

I then proceeded to waddle upstairs to change my clothes. Something just didn't seem right though, so I called John & together, we researched if that could have been my water breaking. We found all kinds of "tests" I could do, but in the end, we wisely called our midwife, who asked me a few questions & then suggested that I come in to her office to do an "official" test. 12 hours later my contractions started & 8 more hours later, Ruby was in our arms! Badda bing, badda boom!

So every time I see a recipe for chicken enchiladas, I kind of get a little sentimental. And I thought I would experiment with this recipe, which calls for penne pasta instead of tortillas. To top off the sentiment of it all, we brought this meal to a family in our church who just recently had a baby. I found it fitting.

This recipe could easily be turned vegetarian by subbing the chicken for beans or more vegetables. Just make sure that you check the ingredients (if you're a hardcore veg) on you can of enchilada sauce because some contain chicken stock.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (or a few breasts put in the crockpot & then shredded)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 can green chili enchilada sauce (10 oz)
2 cups shredded cheese (any kind, but I like mozzarella or something else creamy & mild)
1 8 oz block of cream cheese
12 oz Penne pasta

Optional topping ideas
Avocado

Green Onions
Black Olives
Tomatoes
Sour Cream

Directions
Preheat your broiler to low. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Boil pasta according to package. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet & cook onions for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic & red pepper & cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauce. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add cream cheese & stir until they are melted & heated through.

Drain pasta & add to the skillet with the cheese sauce & mix well. Put everything in a baking dish & top with the shredded cheese. Stick it in the oven (low broiler) for a few minutes until cheese has melted & is beginning to get brown & bubbly. Serve & garnish with desired toppings.

Recipe adapted from Navy Wife Cook

Chicken, Chickpea, & Pesto Salad

I'm always on the look-out for a simple & satisfying salad. Salad is usually like soup in our house... sure we eat it every now & again, but if it's not packed with protein, we usually wind up lurking around in the kitchen before you know it. Well, this one did the trick. With all the chickpeas & chicken, it was quite the filling meal. This salad was also very quick to prepare & I imagine that it would be the perfect "I don't want to cook at all" meal for those long, hot summer days.

I was able to use up some of the basil pesto that I prepared & froze this summer for this recipe. For some reason, my basil plant went into high productivity mode & I was trying to use up as much as I could. Turns out, when you pick basil leaves, it just makes them produce even more! But it has been quite the blessing because pesto is sometimes very expensive (especially if you want to use the non-powdered mixes). I was able to use this recipe & freeze it into ice cube trays & then once it was frozen, I put it in a glass jar in my freezer. Now, every time I need to use it, I just take out a few cubes the night before & viola! Pesto!

I especially like to use pesto on grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches, on pasta, & now on this salad. What are your favorite uses for pesto? What salads have you found that satisfy your family's appetite?

Chicken, Chickpea, & Pesto Salad

Ingredients

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

Olive oil
1/2 large cucumber, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
15 ounces chickpeas
1/3 cup Basic Basil Pesto
Lemon
Coarse salt & ground pepper

Directions

Cook the chicken breasts in a bit of olive oil & garlic. Once the chicken is mostly cooked, add the pesto until well-mixed. In a bowl, mix together chicken/pesto mixture, cucumber, celery, & chickpeas. Add a squeeze of lemon. Season with salt & pepper. John liked this best served warm, but I liked it both at room temperature & warm.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Did you get in on the stuffed pepper craze that was going around this summer? I tried making stuffed peppers for the first time when looking for a way to use the gazillions of peppers that I grew in my garden & I was so pleased to find something that we could really enjoy. 

This recipe calls for using ground turkey, but you could most definitely make them vegetarian & omit the turkey. I'd just add some more seasonings & maybe some more beans to make up the difference (or try experimenting with sauteed mushrooms or zucchini). And contrary to popular belief, it isn't strange at all to eat an entire pepper (I was a little worried, especially with the green ones!) Because they are painted with oil & baked for awhile alone, they get all roasty & delicious. 

And you know what? They are downright delicious! They are hearty & filling & suuuuuper satisfying. We had a BBQ at our house the other night & I made up a bunch of these babies (I made them ahead of time & then we warmed them on the grill) as a side. We had a few left & my (anti-left-over) husband volunteered to take them for lunch the next day. Boom!

My favorite way to top these is with a heap of cilantro, but you can also top them with a slice or two of avocado, sour cream, or really anything else you have your little heart set on. And if you're still a little weirded out by eating a big chunk of a pepper, check out this recipe for crispy quinoa bake, which is pretty much the same thing, just more incorporated.

Southwest Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients

Olive oil
1/2 lb lean ground turkey (or 1 small chopped zucchini & 1/2 pack of chopped mushrooms, sauteed)
1 cup chopped onions
1 heaping tbsp of homemade taco seasoning
2 cups of cooked rice (we used a combo of white & brown)
4 bell peppers, halved & seeds removed
16 ounces of black beans
1 cup of frozen corn
1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa
Shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh cilantro, avocado slices, &/or sour cream to top

Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil (I use a designated paint brush, hence my "painting" reference above) & roast in a baking dish about 20-25 minutes just until cooked through. Remove the peppers from the oven & allow to cool until you can handle them.

Cook your rice according to the package. Meanwhile, cook the turkey until it is just browned (if using zucchini & mushrooms instead or in addition, saute them in a little bit of olive oil). Add the onions & cook until they are translucent. In a bowl, add the taco seasoning, cooked ground turkey, onions, black beans, corn & rice. Add in the salsa & mix well.

Carefully spoon the mixture into each half of the bell peppers & place back into the baking dish. Cook the peppers for another 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked all the way through. Before removing from the oven sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese. Place back into the oven & broil until the cheese is melty, bubbly, crusty, & delicious!

Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro, avocado slices &/or sour cream just before serving.

Recipe adapted from Simply Love Food

Naan Thai Chicken Pizza

Have I ever told you how much we loooove peanut butter in this house? We seriously scarf up jars of this nutty little butter faster than you can say "dang it Vikings, how come you can't ever make it to the Super Bowl?" OK, so I'm not even that big of a football fan, I just happen to be from Minnesota, & we gotta represent every once in awhile. There.

Back to the peanut butter.

So, we love it. For breakfast. For lunch. And when I can get away with serving it for dinner, we love it for dinner. And we also love anything ethnic-inspired, so this recipe was a no brainer. I knew we'd all be full & content after this meal.

Naan Thai Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
1/3 cup chunky style peanut butter (we adore Smuckers Natural)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chile sauce (we used Siracha)
2-3 green onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts, grilled & shredded (we chopped)
4 pieces garlic naan bread
1 tsp melted butter
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Directions
Heat oven to 400F degrees. Mix all the sauce ingredients together (peanut butter through lime juice) in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until peanut butter melts. Simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, thin with a little water or chicken stock.

Brush the naan with melted butter. Top each with the mozzarella, chicken, scallion, & sauce (the recipe says to also put the cilantro on before you bake the pizza, but I don't like how cooked cilantro loses its flavor, so I put it on right before I served it). Place on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from adventuresinthekitchen.com

Coconut Chicken Nuggets

We are (real) chicken nugget junkies around here. Nuggets that don't have real chicken kind of freak me out. The truth is, they should really freak me out.... but they are good, right? Well, forget about those fast food nasties, because once you take the 15 minutes to make your own, there's no going back! We made these for dinner last night & I'm still thinking about them

Coconut Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

1 chicken breast per serving

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 whisked egg

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup crispix

1/2 cup (unsweetened) coconut (next time I'd use 3/4 cup)

salt & pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, & dust with whole wheat flour (you don't want the chicken to have any moisture), then dip them in the egg. Food process bread crumbs, crispix, coconut, & salt & pepper. Put all these dry ingredients into a gallon-sized bag & throw the floured-chicken pieces into it to coat. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. I like to dip mine in a bit of local honey!

Recipe created by John Haas

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This recipe is killer. It's been in my family for who knows how long & it's guaranteed to please. I can't remember a Christmas day without this comforting soup-- it always reminds me of that special time of year & makes me feel at home no matter where I'm at. Forgive me for my lack of measurements... when I called my mom she said that you just add as much as you want to... so go with your intuition & enjoy!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
Chicken

Celery

Cream of chicken soup + milk or half & half (or heavy cream)

Wild rice

Onion

Bacon

Directions
Cook the chicken & bacon separately. Cook the onions & celery with the bacon. My mom soaks the wild rice overnight so it doesn't take so long to cook, but you can just add it to the bacon, chicken, onions, & celery when you mix in the cream of chicken soup & milk-- it just takes longer.

Salmon Burgers

Yum! Yum! Yum! These were so yummy & incredibly easy to make. I'm thinking about making batches & batches of them & freezing them so we have them on hand all the time, especially after the little one is hatched (they were that good). I grew up with the ever-dreaded salmon patties (canned salmon anyone?) so I was a bit hesitant to try this, but I figured if Real Simple has done it, then it must be alright. Alright it most definitely was!

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds skinless salmon fillet cut into 1-inch pieces

4 scallions thinly sliced (I actually used fresh chives from our garden instead)

Kosher salt & ground black pepper

Buns/rolls of your liking

Directions

You can either grill or pan fry these babies (we pan fried tonight due to lack of time so I'm sure they'll be even more amazing next time on the grill!) Pulse the salmon chunks in a food processor until coarsely chopped & somewhat chunky, then add the scallions (chives) to mix. Shape the salmon into 4 nice sized patties & dash with salt & pepper. Grill, turning once & cook until opaque (do not squish the burgers). Serve on a bun with whatever condiment you like- we plopped on a heap of homemade guac, cheese, tomatoes, & sprouts.

Salmon burger recipe taken from Real Simple Magazine

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Who doesn't love a good, hearty soup in Siberia-like temperatures? (Especially one that's garnished with bacon?!) John found this recipe this week & we decided to give it a whirl. We were not disappointed at all & now have plenty of left-overs to get us through this chilly weekend (it's -7 degrees right now).

Cheddar Corn Chowder
Ingredients

8 ounces bacon, chopped

1/4 cup good olive oil

6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

12 cups chicken stock

6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)

10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)

2 cups half-and-half

1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon. 

Recipe taken from foodnetwork.com.