Poached Eggs

Above are some beautiful eggs that I got from a friends farm. The green ones are so pretty, and I read years ago that they are lower in cholesterol.

~Poached Eggs~

I love poached eggs and I make them a few times a week so I thought that I would share how I do it.

Fill a medium fry pan half way with water and heat to a boil. turn down the heat to a simmer and add your eggs. Let them cook until the whites are firm and the yolk is still runny. Serve with wheat toast.

Fruit Tart

"Mexican" Style Stuffed Poblano Peppers

My son asked for stuffed peppers the other day so I thought I would try something new, something with poblano peppers because I really like the flavor of poblanos.  These were a hit with the kids!

3 large Poblano Peppers
1 small Poblano pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped 
3/4 cup partly cooked rice
10 oz. lean ground beef
1/2 cup frozen corn
3 oz. grated cheese of choice, I did 50/50 cheddar and pepper jack.
1 jar green salsa
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion power
salt and pepper

In a large skillet saute the onions and chopped poblano until onions are translucent.  Add the ground beef to the skillet and chip as it cooks to make small pieces.  Turn off heat once beef is just about done and add the spices, 1/2 of the green salsa, corn, rice and cheese, stir to combine.

Cut the 3 large in half and remove the seeds and any white membrane stuff.  Stuff the peppers with the ground beef stuffing and place in a oven proof dish.  Once all peppers are stuffed add the remaining green salsa on and around the peppers.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes covered, uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.  

I served with plain low fat yogurt.  

Spinach and White Bean Gnocchi

Recently I was searching the web for some menu inspiration.  I have found that I have not been inspired much in the last year or so, all the recipes were not new or not for my family and going out to eat either leaves me feeling underwhelmed or overwhelmed but not inspired.  

My kids love gnocchi, they prefer in in tomato soup of all things, but I wanted to find a new vegetarian dish that I thought they would eat.  When I happened upon gnocchi with chard and white beans I was inspired.  I did not do the exact recipe but used it as a base for the following, which was a hit even with my hubby who is not a gnocchi fan.   Best of all this dish is FAST!

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoons 
1 16-ounce package gnocchi, I found Meijer brand in the freezer section and wow are frozen gnocchi so much better than the packages you find in the pasta area.
4 cloves garlic cut into little slices.
6 cups washed, fresh organic baby spinach 
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat a large pot of salted water to cook the gnocchi in.

While pot of water is coming to a boil heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent.  Add the tomatoes and spinach and cover until spinach is wilted. at this point the water should be boiling and ready for the gnocchi.  It only takes about 3 minutes for the gnocchi to float to the top of the water, when they do skim them off and add them to the skillet with the tomatoes and spinach. Stir in the beans, seasoning, and heat through.  sprinkle cheese over the top of dish and cover for about a minute until the cheese is melted.  Serve.  

Menu, menu, menu

I very much liked my menu this week so I thought I would post for future reference.

Fish tacos:  this turned out great for first attempt!
Gnocchi with tomato spinach sauce...must post recipe before I forget!
breaded chicken with creamed spinach and mushrooms
burgers DD made.
herb grilled chicken on sub buns

Granola

This is a copy paste of my friend over at 64 sq ft kitchenGr Warda's granola.  I make it often and wanted to thank her for such a great recipe.  thanks friend for this! 

Recipe: Adapted from here
- ½ lb quick oats
- ¼ lb white whole wheat flour
- 2 oz unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 oz flaxseeds
- 7 oz of coarsely chopped nuts (I use walnuts with almonds or with hazelnuts but you can use whatever you like)
- 1 cup, packed dark brown sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup water
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
Preheat your oven at 300F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, flax seeds, coconut and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, butter and water and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then stir in the salt, vanilla and spices. Pour the mixture over the oats mixture and stir well to coat (Doing this with your hands is much better). Let stand for about 10 minutes.

Spread the mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers, and allowing space between the clumps for the hot air to circulate. Slide it into the middle of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for another 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is a uniform golden brown and completely dry; this usually takes me about 30-45 minutes from the beginning of baking to finish. Cool completely on a wire rack (out of reach from your companion) before using.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Serve as desired.