Grab them and get in the kitchen and make these fun recipes together!

Back by popular demand…

Here is the recipe that started it all!

I couldn’t get the boys to eat meatloaf and mashed potatoes!

So foolish considering that they like everything in that dish.

But they wouldn’t actually put it in their mouth sooooo….

We came up with a fun way to make them together.

Meatloaf Cupcakes were born!

Here’s a lighter turkey meatloaf version…we’re slimming down for summer!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 ½ lbs ground turkey

1 egg, beaten

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ c bread crumbs

2 T Worcestershire sauce

¾ c chili sauce (you can use ketchup too)

½ c onions, finely chopped

½ c carrots, finely chopped

½ c mushrooms, finely chopped

½ c red pepper, finely chopped

½ c canned fried onion strips

S&P

1 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed

½ c milk

3 T sour  cream

2 T butter

S&P

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Place your peeled cubed potatoes in large pot of cold water over high heat.  Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 8-10 minutes after water boils depending on the size of your cubes).

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, onions, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, fried onions and S&P.  Mix together with your hands until combined.  Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.  Mold your meatloaf mixture into cupcake sized balls and place in muffin pan.  You’ll get about 8-10 cupcakes.  Place in oven and cook at 375 for about 25-30 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and return to pan.  Pour in your milk, sour cream and butter, and season with S&P.  Using a hand mixer whip your potatoes until smooth and set aside to cool a bit.  Take a large plastic Ziploc bag (or a pastry bag if you have one) and cut a small hole in the bottom corner.  Spoon your mashed potatoes into the bag then pipe out the potato on top of the meatloaves to look like frosting on a cupcake.   Serve ‘em up hot, who doesn’t love cupcakes?  Especially for dinner!

Meaty Morsel:  Decorate the tops of your cupcakes with BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, anything you or your kids can think of.  Let them have fun with this, they’ll have more fun eating it!

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What’s better than Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day?

When it’s waiting for you after the parades…

This Crock Pot version is easy and delicious!

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 8 hours

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 3-4 pound corned beef brisket (with seasoning packet)

1 lb potato cut into bite sized pieces

1 bag baby carrots

2 onions quartered

1 bulb fennel, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 can beef broth

3 T apple cider vinegar

2 T brown sugar

2 T soy sauce

2 garlic cloves minced

S&P

1 head cabbage cut into 6 wedges

WHAT TO DO:

Toss potatoes, carrots, onions, fennel and 2 whole garlic cloves into the bottom of a slow cooker.

In a large measuring cup combine beef broth, spice packet from the corned beef brisket, cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, S&P and stir to combine.

Place the brisket, fat side up) on top of vegetables in slow cooker.  Lay wedges of cabbage around brisket.  Pour beef broth mixture over corned beef and cabbage.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove corned beef from slow cooker and slice thin on an angle.

Serve on a platter along with veggies and potatoes.

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This week features the beautiful and brand new

Rapunzel from Disney’s new Tangled

The hubs took the boys to see this flick.

They all loved it.

But all I could think of when trying to come up with a recipe was…

Rapunzel, Rapunzel throw down your….

ANGEL HAIR!!!

So here it is…

This is a super delicious quick dish that comes together in a flash.

Rapunzel’s Rainbow “Tangled” Angel Hair Pasta

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb box angel hair pasta

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 T butter

1 zucchini cut into ribbons

2 carrots cut into ribbons

1 yellow squash cut into ribbons

1 box grape tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 t crushed red pepper

S&P

parmesan cheese

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a big pot over hot water for your pasta.  Cook according to package directions for al dente.  Angel hair cooks very quickly!

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat extra virgin olive oil and butter over medium high heat.  When the oil is warming add in your garlic and crushed red pepper.  Be sure to keep a careful eye on it.  As soon as it begins to brown add in your vegetables.  Season well with S&P.  Let the veggies soften up while your pasta cooks.

When your pasta is done, drain well and add to the skillet of veggies.  Toss well to coat and add grated parmesan cheese.

Serve and enjoy!

Now it’s your turn…

If you want this adorable Magical Glow Rapunzel doll to call your very own…

Send in your Tangled recipes!

Contest ends Friday at midnight!

Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

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Yup, it’s the carrot.

Who doesn’t love a carrot?

They’re perfect!

Perfect for snackin’

Perfect for dunkin’

Perfect for roastin’

Perfect for grabbing a big bag and eating on the go!

To show our appreciate for everything carrot I’m going to feature some of our favorite carrot recipes over the next few week.

Let’s give it up for our favorite orange fella!

Asian Glazed Roasted Carrots

What you need:

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t sesame oil

1/2 t minced ginger

1/2 t minced garlic

1 T soy sauce

1 T mirin

5 dashes chili oil

1 T honey

S&P

1 pound baby carrots

1 t toasted sesame seeds

cilantro for garnish

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place the first 10 ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Place the carrots in a 13×9 baking dish.  Pour your mixture over the carrots.  Mix well to coat.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Roast at 425 for 3o minutes.  Remove from oven and place on serving dish.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro for garnish.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more exciting carrot recipes….

What’s your favorite way to eat carrots?

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I am a big fan of appetizers and finger food.  I feel very strongly it is a great way to get kids to try new foods.  Kids, especially young ones, are by nature grazers.  Apps create an opportunity to get your kids to try new things in a non threatening manner.  Parties or small get togethers are an excellent place to get started.

Thus, we have the crudite plate.  It’s a fixture at every dinner at our house with more than just the family involved.  Since it’s Halloween we’re doing the creepy crudite plate.  Let’s get ‘er done…

Creepy Crudite

Toothpicks

1 green pepper, ribs cleaned out, top plus 3 slices cut off, reserve slices to use as legs.

carrots

celery

radishes

mini peppers

broccoli

cauliflower

cucumbers

olives

cherry tomatoes

All of the above should be cut into bite sized pieces and arranged artfully on a plate.

The key to a good crudite is the dip.  The veggies are a merely a vehicle to get the dip from the plate to your kids mouth, but in the meantime they do manage to get a carrot or two in there.  My favorite party dip ever is Barefoot Contessa’s Pan Fried Onion Dip.  It’s amazing.  But feel free to pick up a packet of ranch or onion dip at the store and mix it up with some Low-Fat sour cream or even greek yogurt.  Be sure to chill it in advance and get busy making your creepy pepper to store it in.

Take your hollowed out pepper and stand him in the middle of your platter.  Using a sharp knife cut 3 small holes in each side.  Cut each slice into 2 pieces and stick one side of each slice into the holes you just made.  Next slice one of your olives in half.  Using your toothpick stick the olives to the pepper to create eyes.  Do the same for the nose.  Fill your pepper with dip and have at it.  Eating veggies was never so fun or spooky!

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You go to school…

you head off to work…

you take the kids to soccer…

pick up your dry cleaning…

and head on home…

Walk in the door and voila…

Dinner is served!

Serves: 6                        Prep time:  15 minutes                        Cook time: 9 hours

2-3 lb bottom round or rump roast

1 T  canola oil

3 large  carrots, cut in large chunks

3 large celery stalks, cut in large chunks

1 large onion, cut in large chunks

1 cup white mushrooms whole

1 lb  small red potatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 package dry onion soup mix

1 10 oz can low sodium cream of mushroom soup

½ cup beef stock

S&P

Special Equipment:  Slow cooker

In a large skillet heat oil over high heat.  Season your roast on all sides with S&P.  When oil is smoking add meat and brown on all sides.  Meanwhile add your veggies to the bottom of you slow cooker.  When your meat is browned, place on top of veggies.  Add in your chopped garlic, and season with S&P.  Sprinkle your dry soup mix over meat and veggies then pour on your soup.  Pour stock over veggies and cover.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve this with a side salad and crusty bread or just enjoy as is…this is a one pot wonder!

I hereby christen the 3rd week of October

Crock Pot Week!

Gather your best recipes and send them in.

If I use one of yours…

YOU WIN!!

A copy of our cookbook to call your very own.  Fire up your crock pots in honor of the guy (or girl – come on now, we all know it was probably a busy mom) who created them and pay some tribute.  If you can actually tell me who did invent the crock pot you win too!  Well, you win mad props from me anyway!

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2 T                                  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves                        garlic

¼ c                                chopped onion

¼ c                                    chopped red pepper

¼ c                                    chopped carrots

¼ c                                    chopped mushrooms

1 28 oz can                        san marzano chopped tomato

1 ½ T                                    dried Italian seasoning

S&P

1 box                                    linguine, spaghetti, whatever floats your boat

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the oil over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot add onion, carrots, and mushrooms.  Sautee until veggies are soft and onions are translucent, about 7-9 minutes.  When your veggies are soft add the garlic to your pot.  Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring often.  Sprinkle in S&P and your Italian seasoning.  Stir.  Pour in tomatoes and stir to combine.  Bring your sauce up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes then puree your sauce so it’s smooth.  You can use a hand blender, a food processor, or a stand up blender.

Be sure to make this one in large quantities.  You can double or triple this recipe and keep it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it in ziploc bags so you always have a healthy marinara sauce on hand for pasta, or veggie dipping!

If you’re here from the Tuesday Follows, welcome welcome! Be sure to leave us a note to let us know you were here so we can return the favor. Now, what can I get ya to nosh on?

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1 lb chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup sliced carrots

1 bell pepper chopped

1 T canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced

a couple of dashes chili oil

a couple of dashes sesame oil

1/2 T fish sauce (optional and available on your asian foods aisle)

2 T soy sauce

1/2 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

2 cups brown rice cooked according to package instructions (you could use white if you haven’t watched the Today show too many times and are now scared of anything with the word white in the title a la white bread, white rice, etc.)

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.  When the oil is hot add garlic and ginger and stir well to flavor the oil.  Have your chicken on hand and ready to go so that as soon as the garlic begins to brown toss in your chicken.  Toss well and allow chicken to brown stirring often (hence the stir-fry).  When you chicken is browned well toss in all of your veggies.  Stir and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until they just begin to soften a bit.  

Season with chili oil, sesame oil, and fish sauce.  Cook for a minutes.  Add soy sauce and cook for another minute.  Pour in your teriyaki sauce and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Allow to simmer for a few minutes while you spoon your rice into a mound on the center of each plate.  Top with stir fry mixture and plenty of sauce.  It’s good and good for you!  How can you beat that combination?  Ok, who wants dessert?

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1 thawed sheet of pastry dough

3 large chicken breasts

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 T butter

4 cups chicken stock

2 yellow onions, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup medium-diced carrots

1 10 oz package frozen peas

1 10 oz package frozen corn

1 zucchini, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

S&P

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with 1 T olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Cut the chicken into large dice.  Turn up the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and remaining oil and saute the onions over medium low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Toss in carrots, zucchini, and celery and  cook for two more minutes.  Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add S&P and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, peas and corn. Mix well.  Pour into a 13×9 baking dish.  Cover with pastry dough.  Cut a few slits into the dough to allow steam to escape.  I like to sprinkle the top with a bit of fleur de sel (or any other course salt) but you can use whatever you like.  Bake at 375 for 1 hour.  Serve with a side salad.  I dare you not to lick the plate!

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Melissa D’Arabian’s Pot Roast Carbonnade

Serves: 6  Prep Time:  20 minutes Cook Time:  2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into large lardons
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into large cubes
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Generous tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces beer (dark or light, depending on your preference)
• 6 prunes
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 cup beef stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the bacon and cook until it renders its fat and almost becomes crispy. Remove it with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook over low heat until they are deep in color and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Remove the onions to a plate, leaving as much fat in the pot as possible. Add the vegetable oil and mix it with the bacon fat. Raise the heat to high. Season the beef liberally with salt and pepper and sear, in batches, until nicely browned on both sides.

Once the meat is browned, add the first batch of meat back to the pan along with the onions, carrots and bacon. Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute before deglazing the pan with the beer. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and put it in the oven to braise until the beef is tender, about 2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pot roast to a serving dish.

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