Herbed Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Sauce

I found this recipe in my favorite casserole cookbook last week and knew I had to make them.  I love Thai flavors, and to use them in meatballs?  I was sold.  They came out a little bland, so I added some red curry paste for some added umph. (Plus, I need to use that up!  I feel like I have been using it for years.)
Serve these over some jasmine rice and use that extra sauce for the rice.

Herbed Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Sauce

Herbed Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Sauce

Ingredients:

Meatballs
1 lb. ground chicken
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 small onion, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
Sauce
1 (14 oz.) can of coconut milk
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. chives
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red curry paste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation: 
Preheat the oven to 400 and lightly grease the baking dish with cooking spray.  Combine the milk and bread crumbs in a large bowl.
Use a box grater to finely grate the onion and garlic.  Add the grated onion and garlic to the large bowl. Mix in chicken, olive oil, egg, cilantro, and lemon juice.  Mix thoroughly with your hands.
Form into about 16 meatballs in the prepared baking dish. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan and add the curry paste.  Cook for about one minute, then add coconut milk, cornstarch, chicken broth, salt, chives, and ginger.  Whisk and cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly.  Stir in lemon juice.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs in their dish and turn down the oven to 325.  Bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Serve with extra cilantro.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles by Faith Durand

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

I wanted to use up my leftover chicken this week (you might have leftovers too if you made Roast Chicken and Vegetables) and found this recipe for buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese!  I was very excited because usually for macaroni and cheese you have to make a rue and there are so many dishes! (Actually, that part matters more for Matt, as he is Mr. Dishwasher.)  This recipe is wonderful because everything, even the dry noodles, go in the Crockpot, and it's done in two hours!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 cup milk
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup diced carrots and celery (either one, or combination)
2 cups pre-cooked chicken, diced
1/2 pound small uncooked pasta
Toppings: Bleu cheese crumbles, chopped carrots, celery, or onion

Preparation: 
Mix together evaporated milk, milk, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in Crockpot until combined.  Stir in all other ingredients until combined.
Cook on low for about 1 hour.  Stir and cook another 30-60 minutes (depending on how small the pasta you used is).
Garnish as desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Snappy Gourmet

Tuna Patties

I have found that the only way I can get Alyssa to eat any type of seafood is if I use tuna fish from a can... and thus far I have only been successful making tuna salad.  Tonight however, I decided to try something a little different and make canned tuna fish into tuna patties... or burgers if you will.  She actually ate them!  I consider it to be a success!
I served mine with a spoonful of tartar sauce on top of a polenta cake and Alyssa made hers into a burger.

Tuna Patty

Tuna Patties

Ingredients:
2 cans tuna fish
2 tsp. dijon mustard
Scant 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 small onion, diced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
1 egg
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients, except olive oil, together in a medium bowl.
Form into medium sized patties (I made about 5.)
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
Cook patties until browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Deniece K. over at keyingredient

Applesauce

Apparently Matt and Alyssa didn't know that the apples on the counter were ours, so they were getting pretty mushy by the time they asked.  They were a little too bruised to eat raw, so I decided to bake with them.  Along with apple crisp, I decided to make some applesauce.  My issue was that all the recipes I could find were for giant quantities of apples... like thirty!  I finally found this one, and I used about seven apples to make a small batch.  

Applesauce

Applesauce

Ingredients: 
About seven small apples, peeled and cored
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Preparation: 
Add all ingredients to medium stock pot over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Bring to a simmer.
Turn heat to low and cover.  Cook about 20 minutes, or until apples are very soft.
Turn off heat and remove cinnamon stick.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

I found this recipe online and this sounded like the perfect way to serve enchiladas to my sister, and as you know my love for enchiladas, I was game.  The only issue is that this recipe basically calls for no Mexican ingredients... the only way these can be called enchiladas is the tortilla shells.  However, I decided to add some more spices to these, which I'm glad I did because they would have been a little bland.

Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

Close-up!

Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas 

Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas, soft taco size
1 cup chicken, cooked, shredded
1 cup corn
2 cups shredded cheese, divided
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Fresh cilantro, for serving, optional

Preparation: 
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
Fill each tortilla with half a handful each of corn and chicken and a sprinkle of cheese.  Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish.
In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add flour and whisk into paste.  Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, yogurt, salt, pepper, cumin, and dried cilantro.  Whisk for about five minutes, until well blended.
Pour over enchiladas and top enchiladas with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Top with fresh cilantro.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food Family Finds

White Bean Stew

Today it was really cold in Philly, so I decided to make a stew for dinner... bonus, this one took about 30 minutes to make!  Of course I changed a few things, fresh spinach wasn't on sale this week, but frozen was, so I used that instead, and I added some red chili flakes for a little spice!

White Bean Stew

Matt, helping out with dinner!

White Bean Stew

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 14 oz. turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch thick medallions
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained (I used one can of cannellini beans and one of Great Northern)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp. red chili flakes

Directions: 
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion, stirring occasionally, about five minutes.
Add beans, broth, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper (both to taste.)  Crush the beans with the back of the spoon, to thicken, about eight minutes.
Add spinach and kielbasa.
Cook until heated through.
Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Eat. Drink. Smile.

Thai Red Coconut Curry

I love Thai food.  It is delicious.  I tend not to cook it that much, but only because I usually don't have the ingredients.  That all changed last week though when coconut milk was on sale.  Boom.  Thai food.
Also, as a note, I made this with chicken, but this can be made easily into a vegetarian/vegan dish with the addition of tofu and/or more vegetables.

Thai Red Coconut Curry

Thai Red Coconut Curry

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz. can coconut milk
*1 Tbsp. red curry paste (or more, depending on how spicy you want it)
**Other optional ingredients: tofu, eggplant, etc.

Preparation:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken.  Saute until almost cooked.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer over medium-low heat until desired spiciness.
Serve over jasmine rice.

Recipe Adapted from At the Corner of Happy and Harried

*Red Curry Paste can be found at Asian specialty stores

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Squash was on sale this week at the grocery store, which is perfect because with fall finally in the air, I wanted to make this fall lasagna!  Though the recipe called for more fresh herbs than I had, I still think it turned out great!

Butternut Squash Lasagna 

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:
One 3-4 pound butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 pound no boil lasagna noodles
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sage
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1 cup low sodium chicken broth (to make this vegetarian, use vegetable broth)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used a 4 cheese blend)
Ground nutmeg
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400.  Spray the casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place the squash halves, cut side up, on a large baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from oven and let cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 375.
Melt the butter in a small frying pan over low heat.  Add the garlic and saute to golden.
Stir together ricotta, eggs, and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream.  Add the sage and garlic and mix well.  Season with 1 tsp. of salt and pepper.
Scoop the cooled squash out of the skin and place it in a bowl.  Mash it with a fork and stir in the remaining cream, chicken broth, and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.  Season with 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg, 1 tsp. of salt, and pepper to taste.
Spread a few spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.  Layer with lasagna noodles, (it's okay if they overlap a little).
Spread half the remaining ricotta mixture, noodles, half the squash, and sprinkle mozzarella.
Repeat layers.
Sprinkle remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Sprinkle with nutmeg.  (Careful, it can overwhelm!)
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Take off foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let stand for 15 minutes before eating.

Recipe Adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles by Faith Durand

Eggplant Parmigiana

Before I went to the grocery store this week, I decided to check out the farmer's market.  I haven't been down there before, and my friend Hilary was visiting, so I figured we could check it out together!  Among other things, I got a lovely looking eggplant!  When I got home, I found out that mozzarella was on sale this week, so it seemed like fate.  Eggplant Parm!  Of course, I had to call my mom for her recipe. Bonus, this recipe is much healthier than normal eggplant parm because the eggplant is baked instead of fried!  Hooray!

Eggplant Parmigiana

I halved the recipe and Matt ate the whole thing.  Well, actually he ate the whole thing except for two bites.  Trust me, it's super good.

Eggplant Parmigiana 

This picture is my updated picture, because the light was better!  I served it with some arugula salad for a yummy dish! 

Eggplant Parmigiana 

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. skim milk

1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 13/4 -2 lb. eggplant (or 2 1 lb. eggplants)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 jar of your favorite sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used fresh mozzarella that I shredded)

Grated parmesan cheese (I used grated 4 cheese blend that had parmesan, asiago, fontina, and mozzarella)

Pepperoni, optional

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 375, spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs and milk in shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.  Dip eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs and arrange in a single layer on the baking pans.  Lightly spray the eggplant with the cooking spray, season with salt & pepper & spices.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 10 more minutes.
Spoon sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with a layer of cooked eggplant, pepperoni (if using), mozzarella cheese,  repeat. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly about 30 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Rosemary Sage Burger

I've been on a burger kick lately.  Probably because they are super simple to make after working all day and french fries were on sale last week.  Perfect!  This recipe comes complete with toppings, though I'm the only one that actually used them.  (Matt used just the apples and Lyss used ketchup.)  Oh well, the apple slaw and "mayo" were delicious and definitely added to the burger!

Rosemary Sage Burger with Apple Slaw and Chive "Mayo"

Rosemary Sage Burgers

Ingredients:
Burgers:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 Tbsp. rosemary
1/2 Tbsp. sage
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Hamburger buns

Chive "mayo":
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. chives
Salt and pepper, to taste

Apple Slaw:
1 apple, grated
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients of burgers, except the buns, and mix well.
Form ground beef mixture into four patties.
Heat grill pan over medium heat with olive oil.
Place patties onto grill pan.  Cook about five minutes.  Flip.  Cook another 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for chive mayo, set aside.
Combine all ingredients for apple slaw, set aside.
When burgers are done, top with apple slaw and chive mayo.
Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Self