The Hungry Wife

Bacon and Tomato Cups are always a hit at family events!  This is a delicious dish to pass or appetizer, the recipe which I got from my mother-in-law.  Every Christmas she makes these, and they are absolutely everyone’s favorite.  My mother-in-law has seemed to perfect the Bacon and Tomato Cups recipe over the many years she’s been making it, and even with the high demand, they never seem to run out!  She always has some hiding in the fridge or freezer, ready to be heated up and enjoyed on Christmas morning, too!

Bacon and Tomato Cups, continued…

This Green Tea Smoothie is another favorite of ours on hot sunny days.  Fruit of any color is delicious in a smoothie made with green tea, but at The Hungry Wife we lean toward pale green honeydew, and sometimes we add kiwi, too.  Be sure to use a food processor when making smoothies with kiwi: Blenders are more likely to crush the bitter kiwi seeds for this Green Tea Smoothie.

Green Tea Smoothie, continued…

You know it’s summertime when zucchini and summer squash are everywhere.  Between our home garden and the CSA farm, The Hungry Wife is overflowing with zucchini.  We have been working overtime trying to find recipes and unique ways to use up all our zucchini surplus.  This Sausage and Zucchini with Cheeses recipe, is an excellent way to put a dent in all the squash.  It is nice and versatile, you can serve it at brunch or as a light supper (The Hungry Wife’s favorite way to eat it).

Sausage and Zucchini with Cheeses is easy to make, and can be made ahead of time.  Just keep it in the fridge and pop it in the oven when your ready to cook.  If your not a big zucchini fan, I encourage you to try out this recipe.  With the help of sausage and cheese, the zucchini is nicely hidden within the casserole and can be enjoyed by all, even the kids.  The Hungry Wife likes to use hot Italian sausage in this recipe, but some breakfast sausage would be excellent too, especially if your making it for a brunch.  Get your helping of veggies and embrace all the joys that summer crops have to offer.
Sausage and Zucchini with Cheeses, continued…

There is nothing better than some good shrimp.  Whether it is an appetizer, or for the main dish, shrimp are a big hit.  One of the really nice qualities of shrimp, is that they are incredibly versatile, and taste great grilled, sauteed, fried, baked, boiled, or served as a cocktail, with a squeeze of lemon.  Even if your not a big shrimp fan, I think this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe might just change your mind.  It is awesome and needs to be shared with all.

The first time I had Bang Bang Shrimp was at Bonefish Grill, and it was delicious.  A mix of crunchy, crispy fried shrimp coated in a slightly sweet, spicy, creamy sauce, served on top of a bed of lettuce.  It is awesome, and clearly lots of people think so.  Since first tasting the yummy bits of Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish, The Hungry Wife has noticed similar items popping up on menues in restaurants like Applebee’s and TGI Fridays.  Now you can make Bang Bang Shrimp at home, and enjoy it whenever you want.  This recipe is straight forward and easy to make, so next time you are looking for a way to cook up some shrimp, give this a try.
Bang Bang Shrimp, continued…

Ah, Macaroni and Cheese, the ultimate comfort food. There is no food that more people love, than a hot, creamy, cheesy bowl of Classic Macaroni and Cheese. No recipe collection is complete without a Macaroni and Cheese recipe. Buying the blue box with the powdered cheese does not compare to making it yourself, and it doesn’t take much longer.

This Classic Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a blank slate, which you can add ingredients to, try out different types of cheeses, and even bake it in the oven to make a nice crispy, cheesy top.  Here, comfort food finds its definition in the traditional cheesy macaroni.  For a little extra zip, add a shake of hot sauce.  For some other ideas, you can add chopped onions, caramelize the onions, or use onion salt.  Chopped ham can be mixed in with the dish, so can veggies, like broccoli, zucchini, or bell peppers.  Doen’t be afraid to use your imagination when making Mac and Cheese, or eat it just as it is, classic.
Classic Macaroni and Cheese, continued…

Irish oats, sometimes called thick oats or steel-cut oats, take close to half an hour to cook on the stovetop, so baking them takes no longer and leaves your hands free from stirring over the stove.  And besides the convenience, there’s no need to worry about burning the oatmeal at the end.

The result for Oven Apple Oats is a very creamy and fluffy oatmeal that is lighter than bread pudding, but somewhat reminiscent of it.  Made with milk (a longstanding Celtic tradition), this sweet combination of apples, maple syrup, and currants is one of The Hungry Wife’s favorite oatmeals.
Oven Apple Oats, continued…

In the classic, Italian-type frittata, everything is stirred together in a bowl before you pour it into the hot skillet.  With dill, mint and feta, this Zucchini Rice Frittata has Greek and Balkan overtones.  Use this Zucchini Rice Frittata recipe as a basic template, and try different cheeses, vegetables, or herbs, or use croutons or potatoes instead of rice – or no starch at all.  If you wish, puree eight ounces of tofu in the blender with the eggs, water, and salt for a nutritious boost of soy protein.

Leftovers are good served either cold or at room temperature.  If you do not have an ovenproof skillet, instead of placing the skillet under the broiler, cover and cook the skillet on the stove top until frittata is firm.
Zucchini Rice Frittata, continued…

Smoothies are a quick and delicious way to give yourself a refreshing pick-me up at any time throughout the day.  They can be a simple duet of frozen fruit and soy milk or an elaborate blend of several fresh ripe fruits juice, milk, vanilla, and peanut butter.

Smoothie combinations are endless, and the basic directions are simple:  In the blender, whip up 1 to 2 cups of fruit, a cup of liquid, and maybe a teaspoon or two of a flavoring and/or sweetener.  Let the suggestions below inspire you, and your smoothies will be thick, frosty, and refreshing.  Refrigerate any extra and stir or re-blend if needed.

• Fruits: fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches, plums, bananas, pears, blueberries, cherries, melons
• Liquids: orange, apple, apricot, berry, or cherry juices; soy milk, dairy milk, buttermilk, yogurt, flavored yogurt; greet tea; tropical fruit “nectars” such as mango or papaya
• Flavorings: pure vanilla or almond extract, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, peanut butter
• Sweeteners: maple syrup, sugar, honey

You know you should eat breakfast.  But what if you can’t face solid food so early in the day?  Try drinking a smoothie as your morning meal.  This smoothie is easy to make and easy to consume.  You can even take it along to work to sip on the commute or at your desk.
Banana Fruit Smoothies, continued…

This Asian Fried Rice is everything you’d expect it to be and much more.  Normally fried rice is pretty simplistic in its ingredients.  The Hungry Wife Asian Fried Rice recipe adds in a whole new dimension.  You still get all the deliciousness, but with some extras.  I love that when eating this dish that I can taste each ingredient individually.  Nothing overpowers or takes away from the fried rice, all of it is subtle and perfect.

Hearty enough to be the main dish, you could even add some tofu or chicken for extra protein, but also makes an awesome side.  I think you’ll really like the different twist on the usual fried rice.  Feel free to experiment around a little.  Swap the bok choy with other types of cabbage and taste the subtle differences between cabbage varieties.  You can even try out different types of mushrooms to see what you like best.  When I made this last night, I used baby bella mushrooms, which are one of my favorites.  A note on ingredients:  if you are having a hard time finding soy miso in your local grocer, you can also go to an asian specialty store or you can use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base.  What you are looking for is a soy miso paste that comes in a jar.  This Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base is close to it and will give you a very similar effect.
Asian Fried Rice with Bok Choy, continued…

Carne Asada Recipe:  Carne Asada is a roasted beef dish, that literally means “roasted meat”.  Carne Asada is typically made with thin slices of marinated meat, that is grilled and used in tacos and burritos.  This recipe is slightly different.  By using a beef round roast and cooking it in the oven for 3 hours, you get a super flavorful, moist beef that pulls apart easily for perfect taco sized portions.

Although this Carne Asada takes 3 hours to cook, it is extremely easy to prepare.  The green salsa complements the Carne Asada very well, and it adds a nice color to the dish.  Our family loves the crunchy cabbage in our tacos, but, if your not too sure about using cabbage then substitute with lettuce.  Also, you can use just soft tacos or pre-made hard tacos if you like.  Next time taco night rolls around at your house, try this recipe instead of the typical seasoned ground beef tacos.
Carne Asada Recipe with Green Salsa, continued…

Beets – If root vegetables are underrated, they are probably considered the worst of the lot.  So much so, in fact, that many people have never cooked fresh ones (since boiling them can sometimes make a bit of a mess in the kitchen).

Once solution to this dilema, try baking beets whole, wrapped in foil (bake at 400 degrees, on a baking sheet, about 1 hour or until tender).  Not only will you discover a whole new flavor, but cleanup is a snap.  And when you try them, make a few extra.  They are a delicious and colorful addition to many dishes: You can dice or slice them and add to a salad; cut in julienne, toss in butter and serve as a side dish or garnish or marinate them and serve as part of an antipasto plate (with a slice of salami, some good olives, a bit of cheese, etc.).  Or puree the baked beets smooth or coarse, season with a touch of nutmeg and work in a piece of sweet butter, and discover a whole new vegetable dish.

One nice part of buying these at farmers’ markets is that you can often find them with their green tops attached.  To prepare the greens, cut them from the roots, wash well, trim off thick stems, and steam or saute in butter.  And a new development, found at some farmers’ markets, is golden beets, which taste like red beets but lack their pigment, betanin.
Orange Glazed Beets, continued…

Chicken Parmesan – no good recipe collection is complete without it.  Recently a The Hungry Wife fan asked about a good Chicken Parmesan recipe, and this is what popped into my head.  Although we have not made it recently enough to have pictures, it is unforgettable.  Chicken Parmesan does not need to be complicated, and there are a lot of recipes out there that can make it harder than it seems.

This Chicken Parmesan recipe is perfectly portioned for two people, but can easily be made for extra servings.  All you have to do is increase ingredients to reach the desired serving size and instead of using an ovenproof skillet to bake the chicken, place chicken that has already been cooked in skillet into a 9 x 13-inch pan and cover with sauce and cheese and cook as directed in the recipe.  This also works if you do not have an ovenproof skillet.  No need to go buy one, simply use a casserole dish to finish that baking portion.

For many people, Chicken Parmesan is a comfort food.  To make it all the more special, be sure to cook up your own sauce with the recipe provided.  If you are short on time, you can use jarred pasta sauce.
Chicken Parmesan For Two, continued…

Delightfully delicate these Sweet Potato Pancakes are permeating with the enticing aroma of lemon, these deep golden-brown, thin pancakes are moist inside with crisp edges.

For breakfast, serve them plain or with butter or maple syrup.  For lunch or supper, top the Sweet Potato Pancakes with sour cream  and put a chunky salsa on the side.  For dessert, serve at room temperature drizzled with equal parts of lemon juice and honey stirred together and top with freshly whipped cream.  For another simple lemon syrup, stir together 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup.

For ease of cooking, combine the wet ingredients in a 1-quart measuring cup with a pouring lip, stir in the dry ingredients, and then pour the batter directly onto the hot skillet.
Sweet Potato Pancakes, continued…

Huge turnips came in this weeks CSA delivery.  I was pretty excited about this root vegetable, but also a little apprehensive about what to do with them.  I had to dig deep into my recipe collection, but I found some nice ways to prepare turnips and gave one of them a try.

Growing up in upstate New York, where there is a relatively short growing season, many of the local organic farmers grow root vegetables that sweeten in the ground as the air turns frosty.  This typically winter produce, is best featured by roasting the parsnips, carrots, beets, turnips, and rutabagas to draw out their natural sweetness and flavor.

If you would like to make this a more substantial vegetable side dish, try cooking up some greens and serving the roasted turnips on top of them.  The Hungry Wife suggests using hardy greens that last late into the growing season, such as Swiss or ruby chard, collards, kale, turnip greens, or mustard greens.  To prepare them, you can sauté some minced garlic in olive oil, and add some crushed red pepper as desired, and your choice of greens.  Cook, stirring them often, for about 15 minutes, until they are tender.
Oven Roasted Turnips, continued…

Since moving to South Carolina last year, The Hungry Wife has been trying to embrace our new southern lifestyle.  A lot of that is trying out new foods, and ways to cook them.  So, when we saw this Creamy Pasta and Greens recipe in our local newspaper this morning, we thought to give it a try.  And are we glad we did!

This recipe is one of the best things The Hungry Wife has made thus far.  It has all the creamy deliciousness of an alfredo cheese sauce, mixed with the semi-bitter greens, sweetness of the bell peppers, little bit of heat from the crushed red pepper, and of course, the salty, smoky taste of yummy crispy bacon!  Everything is better with bacon.

Collard, turnip, mustard  – The Hungry Wife can take about any leafy green vegetable and make it sing.  Greens are rich iron and good for you, but many people love them simply for their taste.  If you can eat spinach, you’ll love all the other greens.  If you have never tried greens before this is your chance.  Creamy Pasta and Greens is pretty simple to make, and the best to eat.  Maybe not the most healthy recipe, but without a doubt, the most tasty and comforting.
Creamy Pasta and Greens, continued…

All of us at The Hungry Wife had a great time tinkering with this perennial favorite.  The simplest egg salad made with fresh eggs, crisp celery, a good mayonnaise, and quality mustard is hard to beat.  But hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise are a fine vehicle for a host of other ingredients and seasonings.

Here is an egg salad that can be eaten as a sandwich, spread, or canapes, or stuffed into ripe juicy tomatoes shells, crisp cucumber shells, or bell pepper halves.

Serve Scandinavian Egg Salad as a sandwich between slices of whole wheat bread, baguette, or a coarse country-style bread with tender leaf lettuce and sliced tomato.  As an appetizer, serve with sesame crackers, pita, or rye crackers.

Reduce the fat content of Scandinavian Egg Salad by discarding the cooked yolks of five of the eggs.  If you don’t have a 2-quart saucepan, a larger one is okay – just use enough water to immerse the eggs completely.
Scandinavian Egg Salad, continued…

Who doesn’t love a good cup of soup?  Everyone has a favorite kind, and at only 123 calories per serving, you just might find this Creamy Broccoli and Carrot Soup to be you new favorite.  The crunchy pepper relish provides an interesting counterpoint to the creamy broccoli and carrot soup.  The relish serves to compliment the curry powder and yogurt in the soup.  If you like, try the soup both ways, with and without the relish, I think you’ll find that the relish adds something really special and completes the Creamy Broccoli and Carrot Soup.

I used canned cream of mushroom soup as a shortcut in this recipe.  Sometimes, for variety, I use cream of celery soup instead.  No matter which type you use, look for brands low in fat and sodium.  Don’t let this Creamy Broccoli and Carrot Soup fool you, it  is simple to make and tastes really good.  All the ingredients are balanced very well, nothing is overpowering.  One last tip, if you have a smaller food processor like I do, puree the ingredients in batches and then mix together well.
Creamy Broccoli and Carrot Soup with Pepper Relish, continued…

This Pasta with Easy Summer Sauce only requires a bit of chopping, and the green beans in the recipe cook right along with the pasta.  Here in Columbia, South Carolina it gets hot.  Really hot.  They call Columbia “famously hot” after all, and they weren’t joking.  The temperature is reliably around 90 everyday, and it’s only May.  So, what could be better in hot weather than a sauce that needs no cooking at all?

Pasta with Easy Summer Sauce, continued…

Strawberry shortcake is a simple, delicious dessert that everyone loves.  Being a summer baby, every year when my birthday came around, mom would ask me what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday.  I always picked strawberry shortcake, and mom would make up a batch at home for family and friends.  I love how the strawberry shortcake is assembled in layers.  Making your own shortcake does not take long, and you will be thrilled with the results.  Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up the yummy strawberries, but forego the pre-made individual round pound cakes.  If you are looking for some variety in your life, substitute sliced peaches for the berries.
Strawberry Shortcake, continued…

Artichoke Lasagna Rolls are a perfect way to use up left over lasagna noodles.  I always seem to have a few left in the box – not enough for a whole pan of lasagna.  You may assemble the rolls ahead and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake them.  Any leftover Artichoke Lasagna Rolls reheat nicely – just microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes.  When I made this recipe, I only had no-boil lasagna noodles in the pantry.  So, instead of making rolls I simply made lasagna the classic way (by layering sauce, noodle, ricotta mixture, mozzarella ect.), just on a smaller scale using the 8×8 dish.

Sometimes you need scaled-down recipes.  Maybe you live alone or with just one other person.  Maybe the rest of the family is out doing something else, and you don’t really feel like preparing a lot of food.  No matter why you’re on your own, this is a recipe to turn to.  Artichoke lasagna rolls are also awesome if you are looking for low-fat recipes.  Coming in with 545 calories, 12.7 grams of fat, 8.4 grams dietary fiber, 10 mg cholesterol, and 547 mg sodium per serving, Artichoke Lasagna Rolls and good for you too.  You don’t have to be a non-meat-eater to appreciate the deliciousness of the low-fat recipe.
Artichoke Lasagna Rolls, continued…