Oven Brown Rice

I've been trying to transition from white rice to brown rice.  My family really likes white rice and brown has been a little harder to like :)  But this recipe makes delicious brown rice with very little effort.  You mix it together and then bake it in the oven.  It's simple and pretty fool proof.

1 cup brown rice
1 cup beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.  In a 2 quart casserole dish, mix together rice beef broth, chicken broth, butter, and garlic, & salt.  Cover and bake for 60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  You can also mix in sautéed mushrooms or any vegetable you like.  Very simple and delicious.

recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Spicy Peanut Penne

Since I'm now working, Shawn has really pitched in helping make dinner.  He made this recipe all by himself and it turned out great.  It's easy, but very flavorful. Enjoy!

1 pound penne, or any tubular pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 T. cornstarch
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
juice of 2 limes
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. honey
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon grated or minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1.  Cook the pasta according to package directions and then drain.

2.  Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add chopped chicken.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until cooked.  Add the bell pepper and cook 2 minutes longer or until tender.  Remove chicken and pepper from pan and set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T. of the milk.  Stir in the remaining milk and add to skillet.  Cook, stirring for 1 minutes or until thick and bubbly.  Cook for 1 minutes longer.  Reduce the heat to low.  (This cookbook is a healthy cookbook where she takes recipes with his fat/calories and decreases it.  The original recipe called for heavy cream, but she uses the milk thickened with cornstarch so you can do it either way).

4.  In another bowl, stir together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and ground red pepper.  Stir into the milk mixture until smooth.  Add the chicken and pepper along with the chives and cilantro.  Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.


392 calories per serving
Recipe courtesy Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole

PW Pasta Salad with tomatoes, zucchini, and feta

Shawn and I wanted something light, quick and fresh for dinner the other night.  I've been wanting to try this Pioneer Woman recipe for a while.  It was exactly what we were looking for and would be a great meal for a summer BBW with some grilled chicken or fish.

12 ounces Farfalle (bowtie) pasta (I used orecchiette pasta)

2 T. olive oil

1 whole lemon (more to taste)

salt

fresh groun black pepper

2 whole zucchini, cut into small wedges

10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta and drain.  Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Stir in chopped tomatoes, zucchini, parsley and feta.  Toss salad and put in fridge.  Best if refrigerated several hours.  Garnish with feta cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Meatloaf Cupcakes

I'm not really a meatloaf lover, but the other day for April Fools Day I wanted to make meatloaf in a cupcake pan with mashed potatoes as frosting for the kids just for fun.  I found this recipe online (www.allrecipes.com) and made a few of my own adjustments.  It turned out wonderful and moist and I will definetly make it again.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. onion flakes (or you can use fresh chopped onion)
• 1 tsp. beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cups Italian-style dried bread crumbs

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, sour cream, ranch dressing, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in celery salt, beef bouillon, onion, cheese, and bread crumbs. Form mixture into a ball and put in muffin tin.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. 
4. Take out and cover with sauce and continue baking for another 10 minutes. 
5. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving for easier slicing.