Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Meat, Savory, Snacks, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

vietnamese summer rolls with hoisin-peanut sauce

Recently I’ve begun a healthier eating plan and started a workout routine in an attempt to lose about 30 pounds before my 30th birthday, which is coming up in 6 months. I’ve had this recipe in my head for a while now, several years, in fact. I first had a Vietnamese-style summer roll at Pei Wei of all places, and I know that it’s not the most authentic of restaurants to experience a Vietnamese dish for the first time, but they had the basic elements down. I made a version of these at home about 7 years ago, but I have to say, these came out much more successfully!

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AmandaMay 29, 2013September 13, 20153 Comments

Dinner, Fall, Lunch, Main Dish, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

creamy mushroom soup

For a few years now, I’ve been a big fan of the blog Smitten Kitchen. Deb’s photos and food are absolutely stunning, and her posts are really engaging. What’s not to love?

She originally posted this recipe for cream of mushroom soup way back in 2007. I’ve had it bookmarked for what seems like ages, and I finally got a chance to make it! I know right now in AZ it’s not exactly soup weather, but depending on where you are in the US, it still feels very much like winter. So, if you’re looking for something to take the chill away, or if you’re just looking for a simple and tasty lunch or dinner idea, you’ve come to the right place!

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AmandaMay 4, 2013September 14, 2015Leave a comment

Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Salads, Savory, Sides, Spring, Vegetables, Vegetarian

brussels sprout salad with radish + feta

I live in a vegetable-challenged household. I do all the cooking, and my boyfriend and our roommate tend to be picky eaters, especially where certain vegetables are concerned. Sadly, this salad was not the thing that won them over to the world of green and crunchy veggies. I, on the other hand, loved it!

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AmandaApril 12, 2013September 14, 20152 Comments

Dessert, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Meat, Savory, Sweet

savory and sweet empanadas

Growing up in the southwest, I feel obligated to like empanadas. There’s just so many damn good variations of fillings one can cram into their flaky dough, that it’s almost impossible to not find something you’ll like.

I know a lot of people who have really only eaten sweet dessert-type empanadas, pumpkin or pineapple being very common, but I’m partial to the savory fillings. I don’t know if I’d enjoy the common Spanish filling that includes green olives and hard-boiled eggs, but luckily making them in my own kitchen means I can fill them with whatever I’d like!

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AmandaMarch 13, 2013September 14, 20151 Comment

Breads, Dinner, Lunch, Savory

lazy pesto bread

A short while back, Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread made the rounds on the interwebs. It’s still super popular, as more people discover the recipe all the time. It’s a miracle of bread- and dough-making technique, perfect for all the people out there who feel that a good loaf of homemade, crackly-crusted bread is beyond them. The ingredients are mixed by hand into a rough dough which sits at room temperature for several hours, and then gets baked in a cast iron dutch oven. When I first made it, I was shocked that a loaf of bread so good was able to come from my crappy electric oven.

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AmandaFebruary 12, 2013September 14, 20153 Comments

Dinner, Fall, Main Dish, Meat, Savory, Winter

meatloaf-lettes!

When I was growing up, I don’t really recall eating a lot of meatloaf. It’s a very basic, homey kind of dish, yet I do not have a lot of memories of my mom cooking it for dinner.

Once I started cooking on my own, it was not a dish I would have chosen if I had my pick. Red meat, while tasty, has never been my go-to entree of choice, primarily because I’d rather have something more healthy and more vegetable-heavy. For better or worse, ground beef is always generally inexpensive and that’s a definite plus when shopping on my limited budget. Save for the rest of the ingredients, which are generally pantry staples, one meatloaf runs a little over 4 bucks and can serve almost as many people. It’s great because you can still turn out an easy, delicious meal when hard times are upon you. I’m glad I decided to embrace the humble dish that is meatloaf. Now, it’s one of my bi-weekly staples for dinner, and I just love it. Try this version and I dare you to tell me that you don’t also love it!

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AmandaJanuary 22, 2013September 14, 20151 Comment

Dinner, Fall, Savory, Sides, Winter

super creamy mashed potatoes

I know this is the second post on potatoes in about as many days, but can you blame me? Potatoes are just so damned tasty. Mashed potatoes are one of those foods that I could just eat for the entire meal. It wouldn’t be balanced, for sure, but it would be a meal! They’re the best kind of comfort food. Warm, filling, with a hit of butter for good measure. I always used to make my mashed potatoes with the standard butter and milk, but then I started replacing half the milk with sour cream. They was good, but not great. It was when I used all sour cream and no milk, that I was finally satisfied with my mashed potatoes. These are creamy and slightly tangy, rich but not overwhelmingly so. Perfect with any meal, or as a meal in themselves if you’re so inclined. Don’t worry, I won’t tell.

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AmandaJanuary 20, 2013September 14, 20154 Comments

Dinner, Fall, Savory, Sides, Vegetables, Winter

rosemary roasted baby potatoes

If I had to say which side dish I cook the most, it would definitely be potatoes. They’re cheap, taste great, are quick to cook, and don’t require a lot of fancy ingredients to make them taste fantastic — salt and pepper is generally all they really need, and maybe a bit of butter if you feel like gilding the lily.

Both food snobs and picky eaters alike can find something to love in potatoes. One such satisfying dish is these simple roasted baby potatoes. They’ve got the necessary salt and pepper, as well as some fresh rosemary and garlic to punch them up a bit. Since the little potatoes are left whole, the outside takes on a slightly crispy texture, absorbing all the herbs and all that tasty fresh garlic. The insides stay perfectly creamy and soft, with nothing but earthy potato flavor.

These little taters are very simple to prepare and will do just fine left to their own devices in a hot oven while you prepare the rest of dinner on the stove. They are excellent with roast chicken, and would be equally welcome with a good steak and a simple salad. My favorite accompaniment for these guys? Just a bowl and a fork, thank-you-very-much.

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