Category Archives: Quick & Easy

by | January 5, 2010 · 7:59 am

Healthy Veggie Pesto

I love the flavors of traditional basil pesto but the heavy oils don’t always feel very healthy. Inspired by a post I saw on The Kitchn blog awhile ago, I whipped up this veggie based alternative. The flavor is much more like pesto than broccoli but you use a lot less oil and get loads of nutrients that you don’t get with regular pesto – plus, it’s a great way to sneak in the greens if you have any veggie-phobe eaters in your house!

Whole wheat broccoli pesto

Veggie Pesto
1 head broccoli (or spinach or kale)
approx 1/3 C low fat ricotta cheese
1/3-1/2 C sliced almonds*
1 small shallot or 1/4 onion
1 large garlic clove
1/4 C water
approx. 1/4 olive oil
kosher salt, pepper
*omit almonds if you have a nut allergy

Trim broccoli into florets and place in a microwaveable bowl. Add 1/4 C water and cover with paper towel. Steam for 2 minutes. Drain water and place broccoli in a large food processor or blender. Add shallot, garlic, almonds, ricotta, 1/4C water and puree. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse until combined. Add enough olive oil to achieve a desired consistency, approx 1/4C (it should be creamy and semi-thick not oily and runny). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: I don’t often use exact measurements with sauces, so these are approximate.  Experiment with quantities to get the consistency and flavor that you like.

Healthy pesto pasta

Serve with whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken and feta cheese for a hearty and healthy meal!

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by | December 11, 2009 · 9:08 am

3 Easiest Appetizers Ever

If you are anything like me, you often end up having impromptu gatherings with only hours to spare. While a bag of tortilla chips and jar of salsa works to moderately appease the appetites of your guests, you can do better without much more work. These three appetizers are guaranteed to satisfy hungry bellies and make you look like the true haute homemaker you really are. Each recipe uses no more than four ingredients (ones I always make sure I have on hand). A total prep time of 15 minutes for a night of food and fun – do you think you can handle it?

Harry and David’s Onion and Pepper Relish

In our Under $25 Holiday Gift Guide, one of my top picks was Harry and David’s Onion and Pepper Relish. This dip is my husband’s favorite. All you do is use half a jar of the relish and mix with one package of cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat Philadelphia). Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.


Mustard Ranch Pretzel Dip

This dip involves only four simple ingredients and isn’t too harsh on the waistline.

Mix together and serve with pretzels:
1/2 C. low-fat mayo
1/2 C. low-fat sour cream
1/2 package dry Ranch dressing mix
1/4 C. yellow mustard

Some people aren’t real mustard lovers. If you are one of them, simply add the mustard slowly and taste to your liking.

Easy Chili Cheese Dip

I’ve been making this dip since the days of my college dorm room. With a glass pie plate, a few ingredients and a microwave, you can make this anywhere.

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese
1 can Hormel Chili, no beans
1 package shredded cheddar or mexican-style cheese

Spread the cream cheese at the bottom of a pie pan. Spread Hormel Chili across the top of the cream cheese. Top with a few handfuls of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, or microwave for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Anyone can conquer one or all of these to create a great party atmosphere without all the fuss.

Feel free to share your five minute appetizers with us! I’d love to add more to the arsenal.

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by | December 9, 2009 · 9:03 am

Buttermilk Pancakes

I grew up eating bisquick pancakes.  You know, the pre-measured mixes where you just add milk, eggs and oil.  They always did the trick and were easy enough to make, so I never thought about going out and finding a pancake recipe that was made from scratch.

Well, that all changed a couple months ago when I discovered my Grandma’s Buttermilk Pancake recipe.  I whipped up a batch of these homemade pancakes and quickly realized that taking a little extra time to measure out my own ingredients, and add a few extra special ones, made a world of difference.  These pancakes were light, airy and sweet.  I may never go back to the box!

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter or oil
2 eggs

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the remaining buttermilk, butter or oil and eggs and beat well until combined. Fry in a well oiled pan.

This recipe works well cut in half for a smaller group.

Haute Homemake Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t worry!  Simply take one cup of regular milk and add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.  Let stand 5 minutes and use as much as the recipe calls for.

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by | November 25, 2009 · 8:02 am

Apricot Jalapeno Pulled Pork {4 ways}

I am a true believer in quick weeknight meals, which can be very difficult for a foodie. But I would much rather spend time with my husband and daughter on a Tuesday night then spend an hour in the kitchen which means I needed to figure out some shortcuts to help me whip up quick and delicious meals without sacrificing flavor and nutrition.

I find preparing foods on the weekends, when I tend to have more time,
and freezing them for later can save me a lot of time during the week.
The trick is knowing what will freeze well and how to use it up. A
couple weeks ago I made one of my favorite recipes, Apricot and
Jalapeno Pulled Pork. I used up some of the pork that night and froze
the rest in 3 individual portions to use later in the month. As
promised, here are all the meals I made with this delicious pulled
pork!


Pulled Pork Tacos
First I made pulled pork tacos and served the Apricot Jalapeno Pork on warm flour tortillas with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

Spicy Quesadillas
A week later, I thawed out some pork and make quesadillas complete with black beans, fresh corn and pepper jack cheese.

Pulled Pork Nachos
The next week we unexpectedly had friends over for the Packers/Vikings game (oh, Brett Favre). I needed a meal that would please a crowd and it needed to be made quickly. I thawed the frozen pork in the microwave and then simmered it in a mixture of bbq sauce and broth. Next,  I layered chips, shredded cheese, green peppers and the pork on an oven safe tray and baked them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

BBQ Pork Pizza
Finally, we used the last bit of pulled pork on a bbq pizza. I used my favorite whole wheat pizza crust and topped it with with bbq sauce, cheese, thawed pulled pork and green pepper rings then baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

A little bit of planning led me to 4 easy weeknight meals that I was
able to throw together each in under 20 minutes!

Tips for freezing food:

Invest in some good tupperware or ziplock freezer storage bags, both work great to store food.

Always be sure to properly label the contents of the bag, including the date it was made.

I make it a rule to eat anything I freeze within a month to ensure it will still taste great and will be safe to eat.

Move the food from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before
you intend to use it or thaw the food in the microwave immediately
before cooking with it. Never leave food out on the counter to thaw.

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by | October 30, 2009 · 8:52 am

Chipotle Sloppy Joe with Simple Slaw

My husband is somewhat of an anomaly and does not particularly like your regular old lunch lady sloppy joe sandwich. So I decided to switch it up a little and create this Chipotle Sloppy Joe with Simple Slaw from Cooking Light.

Sloppyjoe

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 small presliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
  • 1  (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1  pound  lean ground sirloin
  • 1 prechopped green bell pepper
  • 2  tablespoons  tomato paste
  • 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 1  (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • Whole wheat hamburger buns

 1. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Remove 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 1 chipotle chile from can; chop and set aside. Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain excess fat if necessary. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in chopped chipotle chile, adobo sauce, tomato paste, and next 3 ingredients (through tomato sauce); cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture over bottom half of each bun, and top evenly with onions and top half of bun.

This meal tastes great with pickles and a simple slaw. To make the slaw, combine 1/3 cup light or olive-oil mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or the Splenda equivalent, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add 3 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw, tossing well to combine.

sloppyjoe2

This dish received two thumbs up and the leftovers were even taken to work the next day for lunch!

***TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR THE NOVEMBER 3-WAY INGREDIENT! (10/30) Vote Today!!!***

stef

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by | October 16, 2009 · 8:07 am

Sweet Potato Fries

While Anne’s husband moaned and groaned about sweet potatoes, mine voted for them! So this week, I am making one of his favorite side dishes (and mine) – Sweet Potato Fries. This dish is a simple, savory and a very healthy alternative to the greasy, oil soaked delicious devil of a French fry.

Ingredients:

  • One medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 1 Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Lemon juice – fresh or store bought
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper

SPFries1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the sweet potato strips onto a non-stick baking pan (I usually line mine with foil). Brush the olive oil over the fries. Squeeze lemon juice over the fries. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook fries for 12-15 minutes. I love these fries nice and crispy. When they start to get dark edges, they are ready to eat.

One medium sweet potato serves 2-3 people.

SPFries2

Helpful Hints:

Sweet potatoes can be very hard to cut into. If yours requires too much elbow grease, peel it and stick it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften it up.

The silicone basting brush is one of my favorite kitchen utensils. It is great for spreading olive oil on fries, bread for paninis, quesadillas and more. Get yours here.

Squeeze lemons cut-side up to prevent seeds from falling onto the pan.

This side is great with barbeque!

stef

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by | October 2, 2009 · 8:19 am

The Ultimate Chicken Salad

I am always looking for recipes that last for more than one meal. This one I created a few years ago and it has been a favorite ever since. Not only is it easy to make, but versatile and healthy. Make this recipe for yourself or for a side or main dish for a luncheon or shower. 

Chicken Salad

 Ingredients:

 Approx 1 lbs. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

2 stalks of chopped celery

1 chopped apple

½ small chopped red onion

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. slivered almonds

Approx. 1 c. low-fat mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

 Mix well and chill.

 Chicken Salad1A few notes:

For the chicken – I boil boneless skinless chicken breasts in a water/chicken broth mixture. You can also use the microwavable Tyson cubed chicken.

I typically use any type of green apple, but in the fall, use whatever you’ve picked at the orchard!

Mayo made with olive oil is a great lower fat mayo alternative. When adding the mayo, start with ½ cup and keep adding mayo until it reaches your desired consistency.

You can substitute grapes for apples and/or pecans or walnuts for almonds.

Serve it on a bed of lettuce, toasted bread, a croissant or baguette, or eat it by itself!

PS: TODAY (10/2/09)  is the LAST DAY to vote for the HAP Three-Way ingredient. Place your vote so you can view the recipes you want to see!

stef

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by | September 23, 2009 · 8:41 am

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Panini

It is just about the end of tomato season and the last of my tomatoes have all decided to ripened at the same time. This has, of course, caused my family to go on a week long tomato eating binge because I can’t stand to see any of them go to waste.

One of my favorite end of summer meals to use up these mouth watering beauties is a tomato and fresh mozzarella panini. They are quick, easy and oh so good.

You only need 3 ingredients.

Fresh tomato moz- small

Ok, well 4 if you include butter or olive oil.

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Panini

Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Crusty French bread

Olive oil or butter

Just cut up some good French bread and slice up your tomato and fresh mozzarella. I usually seed my tomatoes by cutting them in half and giving them a good squeeze over the sink so they don’t make my bread soggy.

Then layer your tomato and mozzarella slices in-between the bread, butter or oil the side you will grill and grill them up in a grill pan or Panini press. If you don’t have either of these, then just grill them up “grill cheese style” in a frying pan.

Fresh tomato and motz sandwhich - small

They are the perfect end of summer sandwich.

anne

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