Get Cookin, Good Lookin!!

Hi there all my Good Lookin followers!!

I hope everyone has had a good week!! I am enjoying my first official day of Spring Break!! Woohoo!!!

Here's some of the deliciousness I cooked up this week:

Monday Night:
Chicken and Shrimp Stir-Fry
http://melindabesinaiz.blogspot.com/2013/02/clean-eating-chicken-and-shrimp-stir-fry.html

 (Served with Near East Whole Wheat couscous)


Tuesday:
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/03/brown-butter-oatmeal-chunk-cookies/

Wednesday:
Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/03/chicken-cordon-bleu.html

(I used Gina's pictures because my rollups didn't come out quite as pretty as hers! Still Yummy!!!)

Garlic Smashed Broccoli
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/03/roasted-broccoli-with-smashed-garlic.html

Chicken Stew
http://www.framedcooks.com/2012/12/creamy-chicken-stew.html

 (I added more celery and carrots than the recipe called for, and mine was a bit runnier, but still equally delicious! I also made this the same night as the Chicken Cordon Bleu but this was my Lunch for Thursday... So yum!!)

Thursday:
Beef & Broccoli
http://rainydaygal.com/2011/02/03/beef-with-broccoli/

(I served mine over brown rice because I hate white rice)

Check out all the Yummies that Katelyn made this week here

Next week I'll try to remember to take more of my own pictures, but y'all this food was so yummy that I couldn't stop myself from digging right in!!

Happy Friday Y'all!!

High Five for Friday!

I'm linking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk again (Cause she's fantastic!)

1. So today I'm hosting a Football themed party at work.  We started a "Fall Fantasy Football Challenge" right after labor day where my members had to come in and work out 3 times per week (which they should be doing anyway!) for a "Touchdown", if they work out more than that they get a "Touchdown" and a "Field Goal".  I love doing promotions like this, but Man! am I relieved when they are over!!  So I was up forever last night making whole wheat pumpkin muffins, and throwing a breakfast casserole in the crock pot for my morning ladies (my co-worker is bringing chilli later for our afternoon ladies!).  So far, it's been a hit!

2. Notorious Nineteen!! So two summers ago a friend introduced me to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  I read all of them that were out, bought 17 when it came out in June, then 18 when it was released last November.  Notorious 19 comes out on Tuesday, and my Thanksgiving break starts Tuesday, so I will be reading to my heart's content allllllll break long!

3. My Cate.  You're my rock..  Thanks for putting up with all my freak outs, my indecisiveness, my heartbroken and sobbing phone calls where you can't actually understand anything I'm saying but you listen regardless, my ranting and raving.  Thank you for being mad at the people who hurt me, when I'm too upset and hurt to be angry.  Thanks for helping me to realize that I deserve more than I thought I did and for teaching me not to settle.  You're the sister I would have chosen if I could have chosen a sister.  The confidence you have in me is astounding and I hope I'm worthy of it.  Love youuuuuu!

4. My BooBoo kitty.. He is just so sweet and snuggly lately.  He's very much a mama's boy, but he also likes to snuggle with my dad in the recliner, and my mom when she's not feeling very good.  My heart melts when I see those big blue eyes. He has really been a bright spot in my life.  I love him so much.

5. I have rekindled my romance with eBay.  Much to the detriment of my bank account!!  But for realllll y'all!! I love getting a good deal!! Brand new Tory Burch flats for half the retail price? Yes!, Kate Spade weekender travel bags (with a minor scuff mark?!) at more than 80% off the original price Sign me up!

Now I'm off to plan my thanksgiving menu!! Enjoy your weekend!!

The Hostess with the Mostess.

I love to entertain.  I don't think it's really a secret, but I really really do! It's rather fortunate that I do love it so much as my mom has a bad habit of volunteering me to do things.  This week I was  voluntold that I would be catering the Republican Women's Meeting and the Vice Presidential Debate watch party tomorrow.  No big deal.. I only work 40 hours a week and take what feels like a million classes.  Cater a party for 100+, pshh, piece of cake.  Not really, but I made it work.

On the menu for tomorrow we have (and since I'm such a sweetheart I'll include the links to the recipes I used as well! Keep in mind, these are close to most of my recipes, but some I've made up on my own):
Meatballs
Nutella banana bread
Peanut Butter cookie bites
Brownie bites
Skinny spinach dip
fruit tray and veggie trays
Olives (what? idk.. Mom's idea.  Just a jar of Olives )
Chili (seriously? I think we're over doing this Mom..)
My famous sweet tea (I don't give out this recipe, Sorry. I've given it to approximately 3 people in my life and one of those was her wedding present. I don't mess around y'all!)
annddd
Chocolate chip cookies

So seeing as I only have one morning off a week I had to be productive! I woke up at 8am and starting baking.  First up was the Nutella banana bread.. That stuff is crazy good. Then the PB bites and brownie bites, spinach dip, the fruit and veggie trays were ordered (to be picked up tomorrow), meatballs will go into the crock pot in the morning, and the chocolate chip cookies will be made when I get off work tomorrow afternoon. So now for your enjoyment, Food porn!

Nutella banana bread (seriously.. I die for this stuff y'all!)

PB Cookie Bites

Skinny Spinach Dip

Brownie Bites with Hershey Kisses

Since I was on such a roll, I also decided to make some egg muffins with ham and cheese (basically the SkinnyTaste version, but I didn't have any broccoli).  I make these every week or so because it takes the guess work out of stumbling around my kitchen at 4:30 in the morning before I leave for work. Grab them out of the fridge, pop them into the microwave, and you can eat them with your hands!! My dad likes to put them on English muffins, but I'm really not not an English muffin kinda girl.

Ham and Cheese Egg Muffins

Now I'm getting ready to leave work, pick up some take out, shower and get my butt in bed! Working in the morning, Spanish, baking, setting up, biology and then the watch party! So much to do tomorrow! Oh! and whatever will I wear?!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Hi Friends!

I made these Muffins on Saturday (The First Day of Fall Y'all!!), and they are SOOOOOO tasty! Seriously, I got one picture of them and when I went back to take some more pictures, they were gone. Poof! Gone! 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Goodness

About the Recipe: the original recipe can be found here, but I like to make recipes healthier so I've modified it replacing the vegetable oil with applesauce and I cut the white flour and added in the whole wheat. 

If this is your first time working with whole wheat flour, be warned that whole wheat anything doesn't tend to rise very much.  There's a scientific reason for this, but I won't bore you with that.. Just know that muffins (or bread or cookies or cupcakes or cake..) made with WW flour will never rise up the way white flour does.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Makes: About 45 mini muffins (12 regular)

For the filling:

• 8 oz. Fat Free cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:

• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•  3/4 c + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup applesauce

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp. flour
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese, egg, flour and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Set aside.
2. To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. DON'T OVER MIX! The whole wheat flour is already dense, and over mixing makes it even more so.
3. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
4. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin about 2/3 full with batter. Add a dollop of filling on top. I used an ice cream scoop for batter, and a tbsp sized "cookie" scoop for the cheesecake filling. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack (or don't!) and Enjoy!! 

A Favorite Recipe

Because I work in fitness and as a lady, we're always working to keep up our "girly figures", I absolutely love it when I can find a recipe that's delicious, and healthy. I came across this gem one of my numerous (seriously.. I have dozens..if not hundreds!) cookbooks. I've modified it a bit for my own personal tastes.


Herb Salted Steak and "Mashed potatoes"

For the rosemary salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

For the cauliflower mashed potatoes
1/2 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2–3/4 cup low-fat milk
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, chopped

For the steak
1 pound lean steak, preferably flank, about 1 1/4 inches thick
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1. For the rosemary salt, combine chopped rosemary and salt on a cutting board and chop together. Stir in the pepper; transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.

2. For the cauliflower mashed potatoes, place the cauliflower in a steamer basket, set over boiling water, cover, and steam 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of the milk, and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a saucepan and add cold salted water to cover by about 2 inches; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, return to the saucepan and heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry. Mash with a potato masher. Add the cauliflower puree, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to blend, and heat over medium-low heat, adding more milk as needed for a creamy consistency. Stir in the butter and the scallions. Cover, and set aside to keep warm. 3. Heat a grill or grill pan. Sprinkle the steak on both sides generously with the rosemary salt, pressing it into the meat. (Reserve the remainder for another use.) Grill the steak 4 minutes on one side. Turn, and grill to rare, 3 to 4 more minutes. Remove to a plate and let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice the beef against the grain. Add the vinegar to the pan and stir to incorporate any pan juices.

4. To serve, make a bed of lettuce on each of four plates. Arrange one-quarter of the steak slices on top of the lettuce. Spoon on some of the cauliflower mashed potatoes. Scatter tomatoes over all, drizzle with the balsamic-meat juices, and garnish with the chopped mint.