Kiy's Recipe Box

Zesty Cheese Ravioli
Cooking Light

Ingredients:
½ cup water
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese ravioli (such as Contadina)
2 cups finely chopped spinach (5 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add ravioli; cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 5 minutes or until done.

Stir in spinach, sugar, and pepper; cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield

(Ky Note: I double this every single time!)

2 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 505(26% from fat); FAT 14.5g (sat 8g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 25.8g; CHOLESTEROL 107mg; CALCIUM 476mg; SODIUM 640mg; FIBER 7.4g; IRON 5.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 69.7g

Elizabeth Taliaferro , Cooking Light, APRIL 2000

Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad
Cooking Light, Quick Dinners, December 2001, page 16

8 cups torn spinach, (about 1 [10-oz] bag)
1 8-oz pkge presliced mushrooms
2 12-oz cans mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 oz)
2 Tbsp chopped pecans
½ cup fat-free raspberry vinaigrette (ie: Girard’s) (Kiy Note: We use Marie's)

1. Place 2 cups of spinach on each of 4 plates. Arrange ½ cup mushrooms and 1/3 cup oranges over spinach. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 ½ teaspoon pecans; drizzle each with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.

Yield: 4 servings

Kiy Note: We tend to eat this a lot, I just didn't think to post it. It's easy and a bit more special than a regular green salad, but takes no more time to make. I always have the ingredients on hand and have used feta in place of the blue cheese quite often. I have even used shredded cheddar for a friend who was so sure she wouldn't like the feta. Lately, I have taken to chopping up an apple and tossing it in too. Nice crunch and extra goodness!

Last week I made the Cinnamon-Beef Noodles. Oh gosh! Seriously, try this dish. Even Emi ate the meat, and Emi doesn't really eat meat all that much. Make sure you let it simmer until it's nice and tender, that is definitely the secret. For those that cannot imagine cinnamon with a beef (or meat dish) you really cannot taste the cinnamon. I was concerned about it, but decided to give it a try. There is a hint of something, but I couldn't tell it was the cinnamon. It really is an amazing (and easy) dish to make. And, it must be fool-proof. I didn't read the ingredient list as closely as I should have. It calls for rice wine or sake, NOT rice wine vinegar (big difference). I looked on-line and there really isn't a sub, but 'the powers that be' think that possibly a sweet white wine could be used in a pinch. None of that in the house either, but I did have some Merlot. Not sweet, not white but ... wine! It seemed to work just fine, but I do have rice wine/sake on my grocery list. Seems I am going to need it in my pantry as this recipe is a serious keeper! Thanks Gina, keep those yummy recipe ideas coming!

Emi is finally down for the night, so I am going to cut this short and steal a couple of hours for ME! I have finally picked up my stitching again and it's calling my name. Have a wonderful, and safe, holiday weekend.

Don't forget to stop by Laura's at I'm an Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan Monday.

• Sunday: *What I Didn’t Get to Last Week
• No matter how much I plan or promise myself I won’t laze out and just say, “scrounge night”, it happens. At least once a week. So, I end up with a menu and (usually) ingredients for one meal (sadly, sometimes more than one). So here is my plan to not waste anything and to use up that meal. If, on the other hand I am fabulously organized and manage to make all planned meals … I hereby declare Sunday nights PIZZA night. Order in, Kiy does nothing, Pizza night!
• This week it was the Fresh Salmon and Tuna Steaks from our newly found fish monger (using the Asian-Style Grilled Tilapia recipe), lo mein style noodles, sautéed zucchini from the farmer’s market. However, we didn’t have that tonight as our fish monger closed on Sunday’s. We will have it later in the week, on a day that is convenient for Jeff to stop on his way home (last week, there wasn’t a day that was for him).
• Instead, we had CORN (haha!). I finally got to use this, thanks to many who told me about it, especially Tamy at 3 sides of crazy. We ate up ALL the leftovers, made Emi a cheese omelete, and made me happy to have a mostly empty fridge. Off to the grocery store tomorrow, yes on Labor Day!

• Monday: Steaks on the grill with Thai Cowboy Steak Marinade, baked potatoes, Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad (I’ve been craving this salad!)

• Tuesday: Cooking Light’s Zesty Cheese Ravioli, probably some frozen peas for Emi

• Wednesday: Salmon and Tuna steaks night, I hope!

• Thursday: Leftover Buffet

• Friday: Hamburgs on the grill (beef farmer bugers), homemade sweet potato fries, peas and/or carrots

• Saturday: Free Nite

Original Post: Menu Plan (August 31 – September 6)

We ended up getting our hot weather back for the weekend so I've taken some liberties (it's my MP after-all!) in switching things around. I didn't get a chance to make the Chicken Tortilla Bake last week (spent too much time playing outside with Miss Emi, the weather was SO nice!). And since I want to double it for leftovers and lunches it will never fit in the convection oven. It ended up being just this side of hot today, and neither of us was willing to shut up the house and turn on the a/c just for dinner! So I am moving that dish to later in the week and we are going to cook out tonight. Yum!

My friend Gina shared a recipe with me last week that I just can't get out of my mind. So, I have it on the menu for this week even though buying yet more beef was not in my grocery budget. Check out the Cinnamon-Beef Noodles, doesn't that look totally yummy?

Jeff had last Friday off, so he went to the farmer's market with Emi and I. While we were there, we talked with the fish guy. Come to find out, he has a store here and it's quite near Jeff's office. A fish monger, just like Alton Brown! Sweet, we are quite thrilled with this latest development. Now if we could just find a pork and chicken farmer, we'd be set! Oh, and the fish monger has a local source for buffalo. We love buffalo steaks, ground meat, just about anything!

The Orange-Ginger Chicken recipe is an oldy but goody. I used to make it all the time and for some reason got out of the habit. It's quick and very easy, and extremely tasty! It's one of those, no-one can mess it up recipes!

Don't forget to stop by Laura's at I'm an Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan Monday!

• Sunday: *What I Didn’t Get to Last Week
• No matter how much I plan or promise myself I won’t laze out and just say, “scrounge night”, it happens. At least once a week. So, I end up with a menu and (usually) ingredients for one meal (sadly, sometimes more than one). So here is my plan to not waste anything and to use up that meal. If, on the other hand I am fabulously organized and manage to make all planned meals … I hereby declare Sunday nights PIZZA night. Order in, Kiy does nothing, Pizza night!

• Sunday: Hamburgs on the grill, homemade French fries, Oriental Salad, cantaloupe slices, grapes

• Monday: Cinnamon-Beef Noodles, frozen peas for Emi, green salad for Jeff & I

• Tuesday: Fresh Salmon and Tuna Steaks from our newly found fish monger (yes, probably using the Asian-Style Grilled Tilapia recipe, yum!), lo mein style noodles, sautéed zucchini from the farmer’s market

• Wednesday: Chicken Tortilla Bake – this week’s *What I Didn’t Get to Last Week

• Thursday: Leftover Buffet

• Friday: Orange-Ginger Chicken, steamed rice, sugar-snap peas

• Saturday: Free Nite
• We tend to need a night of not making dinner for various reasons. I am factoring this in my menu plan each week, but it won’t necessarily always (or often) be on a Saturday.

Original Post: Menu Plan (August 24 - August 30)

Cinnamon-Beef Noodles
Nina Simonds , Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Kiy Note: My friend Gina shared this recipe with me. Told me it's a family favorite so I knew I had to try it. I am excited as I have never thought to pair beef and cinnamon. I bet it's really tasty and different!

Kiy Update (02/2008): After making this now twice, I have come to realize ... it's a soup! Go figure, I thought I did something wrong the first time but nope, it came out exactly the same the second time. The flavor is simply amazing and honestly, it does not taste like cinnamon. I can't tell you what the cinnamon does but it definitely adds to the dish! YUM!!!


In this classic version of red-cooking, the meat is simmered in a soy sauce-based mixture for a long time until tender. Seasonings such as ginger, garlic, and cinnamon provide extra flavor. This method can be used to cook a variety of meats, including pork, lamb, chicken, and duck.

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1½ cups rice wine or sake
¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½ inch cubes
8 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
4 cups hot cooked wide lo mein noodles or vermicelli (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

Preparation:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add half of the beef, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and beef. Return beef to pan; add water mixture, onions, garlic, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard ginger slices and cinnamon. Stir in spinach; cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Serve over noodles.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup beef mixture and ½ cup noodles)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 403(14% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.3g); IRON 5.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 80mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.4g; SODIUM 1080mg; PROTEIN 30.5g; FIBER 2.9g

Last week went well, menu plan-wise. I actually made (ready for it...) everything! Not necessarily on the night it was listed, that rarely happens, but everything was made. I am still tweaking the Chicken Merlot. I swapped the amounts of merlot and chicken broth, that was too much Merlot, so next time I think I will use half a cup of each. It was still very good, and Jeff loved it, it was just a bit much for me. Oh, and Emi loved it too. Go figure. The maple chicken was good, but we couldn't taste the maple at all, just the bbq flavor. It memory serves (rarely does!) there is maple flavoring in the spice isle, I may try that next time. It will also save on some of the sugar/calories. I will just taste the mixture to make sure it doesn't need any sweetener or something.

Something new this week, beef! We don't eat a lot of it so we decided, if we are going to eat it at all eat the good stuff! At our farmer's market there is a local beef farmer guy (like my technical terms?) who has okay prices, a bit higher than the grocery store but we know where THIS beef comes from! We ordered about 20 pounds (some steaks, some hamburg patties, some ground beef) and it arrived yesterday - he delivers too! So, steaks are on the menu for Monday. Yum!

As always, don't forget to head on over to Laura's at I'm an Organizing Junkie for more MPM!

• Sunday: What I Didn’t Get to Last Week
• No matter how much I plan or promise myself I won’t laze out and just say, “scrounge night”, it happens. At least once a week. So, I end up with a menu and (usually) ingredients for one meal (sadly, sometimes more than one). So here is my plan to not waste anything and to use up that meal. If, on the other hand I am fabulously organized and manage to make all planned meals … I hereby declare Sunday nights PIZZA night. Order in, Kiy does nothing, Pizza night!
• This week it’s: Nothing! Plus, we are going out to dinner with friends. No cooking for Kiy!

• Monday: Fresh steaks with Thai Cowboy Steak Marinade, baked potatoes, Jerk-Grilled Corn on the Cob

Tuesday: Breakfast! Ham & Cheese Omelets, hash browns, fresh fruit salad

• Wednesday: Chicken Tortilla Bake (one pot meal)
• I will double this and freeze most for leftovers and easy lunches, this has become a huge fav in our household

• Thursday: Leftover Buffet

• Friday: Asian-Style Grilled Tilapia (sick of seeing this yet? we aren't sick of eating it ... it's that good!), wild rice, Eggplant-Tomato Gratin (fresh eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini from the farmer’s market)

• Saturday: Free Nite
• Dinner with friends (rescheduled from last weekend)

Original Post: Menu Plan (August 17 – August 23)

Portland and Menu Plan

Well, if you thought last week's menu was lacking, wait 'til you get a look at this weeks! Jeff is still gone this week (home on Saturday, whooohoooo!) so I don't need to cook 'real' meals. But Darling Emi and I still need to eat.

But, instead of eating ... we are going on a road trip! I am that kind of gal, and want Emi to enjoy taking off to find new and fun things to do (at almost the drop of a hat). Jeff and I came up with a budget our checking account could handle. Everything had to be in this budget: Gas, hotel, admissions to whatever, food, and all the little etc's that happen along the way. Emergency's (should they dare to occur) are not included. So with that in mind, I instantly thought of Portland. Not too far a drive, and I really want to see both the Chinese and Japanese Gardens (have for quite awhile now). So I sat down to planning and found all kinds of stuff to do in Portland. I know we will have to go back, there is so much to do there! (above: Portland Japanese Garden)

We leave early Monday morning, drop the doglet off at our great (GREAT!) kennel. Then a 'quick' 4-5 hours drive (depending on how Emi does) to Portland. Here is our plan (with a toddler, it's a loose plan!):



Monday: Portland Japanese Gardens
Tuesday: Oregon Zoo
Wednesday: Portland Children's Museum - specifically the Water Works Exhibit (and yes, I'm bringing an extra set of clothes for Emi)
Thursday: Portland Classical Chinese Garden





The zoo and the museum are for Emi, the gardens for me but I do think she will enjoy the gardens too. Monday and Thursday are travel days, with Tuesday and Wednesday being our long days of sightseeing. My thought is to hit both places in the morning, back to the hotel for lunch, nap and swimming. However, if we are both loving where were are we will just stay. I am going to pack our lunch both days, we can either eat them out or back at the hotel. (above: Children's Museum - Water Works)

While it seems ambitious, I am pretty laid back and really, it's all about Emi. If we wake up Monday and she's not having a good day I will cancel or push back Max's kennel and our hotel reservations and play it by ear. But, unless she comes down with something I doubt I will need to do that. She loves an adventure and going bye-bye, but the long car ride should be interesting.


Okay, we really are eating (were you wondering?). To keep this under (or rather, at) budget, I am taking our food. Breakfasts are covered by the hotel (nice perk and I only looked at hotels that did this). Also, the rooms all have a fridge and microwave in them, that was also one of my requirements. I figure we will eat pretty big breakfasts as the other two meals will be a bit skimpy. Lunches and dinners I am bringing: whole wheat bread, smoked turkey, sliced cheese, peanut butter, strawberry preserves, yogurt, nectarines, grapes, bananas, apples, crackers, chunk cheese (to slice for cheese and crackers), and graham crackers for Emi.

I am also going to steam, rinse and refrigerate some frozen peas. Emi loves them cold as a snack and they are perfect for when she needs something and is in the stroller. The other thing I am going to do is to cook some small cheese-filled tortellini. Same thing, rinse and fridge them. They will make a good munching lunch or dinner. Depending on how the budget is doing, I may splurge on dinner out one night but maybe not. I am thinking that once we are back at the hotel, we won't be interested in going out.

I am very excited and it's killing me to wait to leave until Monday. But I really didn't want to do touristy stuff on the weekends and while most kids are still out for the summer, I think that there will be fewer crowds on the week days vs. the weekends. We shall see!

Signing off (Jeff has the laptop). But I promise to take lots and lots of pictures and blog about our adventure when we get back. Once I've recovered. :)


P.S. Oh, and for more (real) menu plans, head on over to Laura's. She ever-so-kindly hosts MPM each week.

Original Post: Portland and Menu Plan (Aug 3 - Aug 9)