Boy (n.) 1. a noise with dirt on it

I used to own scrapbooking paper emblazoned with this statement.  It’s perfect and I’ve never forgotten it. If you have boys, have entertained their chaotic play in your home, or been anywhere that boys like to hang out (i.e., near dumpsters, dead animals, or mud puddles) I am sure you can agree this is quite an accurate definition

So, what do you make for dinner when you’re going to have a houseful of these creatures for a sleepover??

Sloppy Joes, of course!  I figured Sloppy Joes were something that would please everybody, fill their constantly hungry bellies, and also be quick and easy to make.  After hunting around a bit for the right recipe, I settled on one from Rachael Ray. They were fantastic! They were saucy, just a little bit sweet, and finished with a zesty kick. The brown sugar, Worcestershire, and seasoning mix were the perfect combo and gave me just what I was hoping for. I got thumbs up from all the boys and the hubby as well.  Score!

I even made my own version of Montreal steak seasoning, since I had none on hand. I knew what the ingredients were, but not the proportions, so I took a guess and loved the results.  I’ve included that below as well, but you can just as easily use the real stuff (by McCormick) if you have it!

Sloppy Joes
adapted from Rachael Ray
Serves 8-10

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons steak seasoning blend (recipe below)
1 Vidalia onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 - 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 whole grain hamburger rolls, lightly buttered and toasted

Julie’s Steak Seasoning (makes ~ 2 tablespoons needed for this recipe)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Heat a large nonstick skillet or 4-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add oil and ground turkey to the pan. Brown the meat for a few minutes, breaking it up as you stir. Add the brown sugar and the steak seasoning and cook for a few minutes, stirring as needed.

When the meat has browned, add onion, red peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste, stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer.

Scoop the meat mixture onto the toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides, like sweet pickles, sliced tomatoes, sliced fruit, or cucumber salad.

Ever hear of them? They are rock stars in the nutrition world — two dietitians with serious street cred when it comes to healthy and family friendly recipes. They have cookbooks, blogs, podcasts, and oodles of kick-butt recipes great for kids and their grown-ups. And they are totally the inspiration for today’s recipe: chicken empanadas. They took on Paula Deen’s recipe and made it lighter and healthier, with more veggies, less fat, and even whole grains.

As luck would have it, I did not have any kind of peppers on hand, but was able to pilfer a red pepper from my mom to provide some color.  Being a flour-and-roll-it-out kind of gal when it comes to handling dough, I was skeptical at simply using the little bit of oil to help stretch the dough into the required shape.  It worked very well, though, and gave the crust nice color and texture. 

So, if you’re looking for something just a wee bit different that won’t scare off your kids, give this a try.  Call it a calzone if that makes it seem more kid-friendly. You won’t be wrong. It’s just the South American version. You can modify the filling ingredients to accommodate tastes — there are just so many things you could add!  Onions, broccoli, spinach, sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, green pepper, Gorgonzola, pesto, bacon, scallions, roasted red peppers…

Chicken Empanadas
Recipe courtesy of Meal Makeover Moms, adapted here based on available ingredients
Serves 8

2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken (8 to 10 ounces cooked)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (half a bell pepper)
3 ounces light cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
One 16-ounce pizza dough

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place the chicken, Cheddar cheese, corn kernels, bell pepper, cream cheese, cumin, and pepper in a large bowl and stir until well combined.

3. Place the oil in the center of the baking sheet. Roll the dough in the oil until it’s completely coated. Use your fingers to gently stretch the dough until it covers the entire baking sheet. Your pizza dough should resemble a large rectangle at this point. Use your fingers to pinch together any tears in the dough.

4. Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the wider bottom half of the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Carefully fold the top part of the dough over the filling. Use a fork (tines facing towards you and away from the pizza) to press the edges together. Make three 1-inch cuts across the top to allow steam to escape.

5. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Slice into 6 stuffed pizza pocket pieces and serve.

Photo by www.vealfacts.com

I loved their enormous brown eyes, their constant lowing, and the way they’d turn their heads towards you when you walked by.  I felt sad they were chained to their very small stalls, which I know now was to prevent them from getting too much physical activity, which would have toughened up those otherwise tender and fatty muscle fibers.

Towards the end of our week there, they asked us to help load them onto a huge cattle truck which would send them to their slaughter.  What?? That was an eye-opener for me on Where Food Comes From, and made me glad, once again, that I was reigning at the top of the food chain. I kept my shock to myself, though, and went along with the plans.

Our job was to make sure these big hairy babies kept moving on the right path towards the truck ramp.  At the time it was kind of exciting, and I thought not once about the potential for harm.  It all went well, but picture for a moment the scenario if one of these beasts had decided he was just not going to follow the herd.  Perhaps he’d had a vision about his impending doom, or had had his fortune told by a hoof-reader, or had seen the Grim fashioned out of oats in the bottom of his grain trough.  What would 100-pound me have done if this 450-pound baby decided he just wasn’t getting on that truck?  Or worse, urged the herd to move in another direction?

As I said, all went well and I lived to tell the tale of Man vs. Beast.  It’s probably no surprise, though, that I am no fan of veal. The above memories, plus it’s funky texture, convinced me it wasn’t something I wanted to eat. In searching for a cool new meatball recipe to try, though, I was surprised to see so many that included veal. I finally came across an Asian-inspired recipes that, though originally veal-based, used ground turkey.

I had to modify this quite a bit, not having any ginger root or fresh cilantro in the house. Still, they were a huge hit with the whole family as well as my daughter’s BFF, who helped her to finish the leftovers the next day.  The lime sesame dipping sauce was excellent, and so popular there wasn’t much left by the time I got to it.

Meatballs are a bit “hands-on” but cook up quickly in a hot oven, and are a great meal to make ahead if your family is eating in shifts, like mine does a couple of nights a week. I left the cooked meatballs covered on the stove, and the rice cooking in the steamer while I headed out to karate with the youngest. My greatest fear was that, should they be a success, there wouldn’t be anything photo-worthy when I finally returned.

As it was, the dipping sauce was almost gone, but here’s my effort at capturing the deliciousness of this dish (with my iPhone, since the camera seems to be having a crisis):

Asian Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce
Serves 5-6
Adapted from What Did You Eat? (check her fresh herbs version, which I’m sure is even more flavor-packed)

Meatballs
1/4 c. nonfat milk
1/4 c. Panko breadcrumbs
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg white, beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons dried cilantro (or 1/3 cup fresh, chopped cilantro)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger root)
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce 
Salt to taste

Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Put all meatball ingredients into medium mixing bowl. Using your hands, combine thoroughly. With your hands, form meatballs to the approximate size of a ping pong ball.  Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and cook until done (minimum temperature 165 F when tested with meat thermometer). This should tak about 15 minutes.  While they are cooking, combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. 

Serve with dipping sauce and a side of steamed Jasmine rice.

Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day is a somewhat big deal here, especially this year, because it happens to be the anniversary of my first date with Mark– 25 years ago! Back in 1987, our big night on the town consisted of Pizza Hut and the latest Michael J. Fox movie, “Light of Day” with Joan Jett.  We actually re-created that date on our 15th Valentine’s Day and discovered with some chagrin that the movie wasn’t any better the second time. While we don’t go hog-wild celebrating (it’s just not our style) we sure acknowledge this milestone each year in little ways.  You can say a lot on just a little Post-it note

Now, married with three DNA projects running around the house, it seems this tradition is genetic.  Today we were showered with hugs and kisses, homemade Valentine’s cards, heart-shaped objects, and in grand fashion, a scavenger hunt complete with clues and a hidden message, leading to a gigantic card hidden under a bed. It was truly awesome to see our kids freely expressing their love with joy and honesty. They may not be all that clean, quiet, or tactful– but surely we are doing something right!

What did I contribute to this love-fest? Normally I get the kids little tokens, like a card and some candy. Last year, I wrote them each a love letter (which, if I recall, thrilled one, embarrassed one, and made the other just smile sweetly). This year, Mark and I happened to hit a huge Clearance sale at a sporting goods store and so snagged them each a fleece jacket at a great price. Yes, this is much more of a gift than we would normally give them, but the thought of hanging onto these until Christmas seemed virtually impossible. I was either going to lose them or forget about them, and either would have aggravated me to no end.  Besides, I had gotten myself one as well (a kids’ XL) and certainly wasn’t waiting 10 months to wear mine! So here is me with my little Valentine’s, all in our new jackets

The rest of my V.D. plans involved putting together a nice dinner of haddock, fancified with candles, real napkins, and some sort of festive dessert.

The table turned out nice…

The dessert (just a simple vanilla pudding parfait with some red food coloring) turned out, well, you decide…

The haddock turned out great. I can’t believe I never tried corn flakes as a coating before! So crunchy and delicious, it was the perfect addition for this mild-tasting fish. A little homemade tartar sauce on the side was all it needed. A side of broccoli, sweet potato fries (Alexia foods), and some crusty French bread, and we had ourselves a feast.

While some may not realize this, haddock, cod, tilapia, and similar white fish cook up quickly in the oven – about 20 minutes at 425 degrees. So, if you would like to add more fish to your diet, go for it! It is so much easier than you might think.

Healthy Oven-Fried Haddock
Serves 5-6

1.5 pounds haddock fillets
3 cups corn flakes, crushed
1/2 cup flour
2 egg whites, whisked together with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Divide haddock fillets into 5 or 6 similar sized portions. Put cereal, egg whites/water, and flour in three separate shallow pans (I use pie tins or round cake pans). Prepare baking sheet by placing a cookie rack inside of it.

First, dredge the fish fillet in flour; shake off excess.  Next, dip the fillet in the egg white until all sides are covered. Then, press the fillet into the corn flakes, making sure to cover the entire fillet.  Put each fillet on the cookie rack/baking sheet.

Drizzle one teaspoon of melted butter over each fillet. Bake in 425 degree oven for 18-22 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

In my not-that-adventurous 20′s, on the rare occasion I actually made chicken salad, I would add light mayonnaise and maybe celery if we happen to have any.  Truth be told, I was more of a tuna salad girl, and, even then, the extent of my daring was to add celery salt.

In my getting-to-know yourself 30′s, I discovered the delight of combining chicken with something sweet, like grapes, golden raisins, or cranberries sauce. Believe me, that was a huge leap!

Now, in my unplugged, energized, hear-me-roar 40′s, my fave way to prepare this is to combine the sweet with the savory, add crunch via nuts and celery, and season with a combo of salt, pepper, and usually basil.  I almost always use chicken that I have roasted or stewed myself, but have used canned chicken (rinsed to rid it of all that extra sodium) and it works just as well.  Make it the night before, let the flavors mingle, and it is truly fantastic.

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
Makes ~ 5 cups of chicken salad
(enough for 6 generous sandwiches)

2 c. chicken, cooked and cut into bite-size chunks
2 medium celery stalk, diced
1 large handful dried cranberries (~ 1/3 cup)
1 large handful chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons mayonnaise (I really like Smart Balance and Hellman’s Reduced Fat with Olive Oil)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Mix with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined and mayonnaise is incorporated evenly. Adjust seasonings according to your taste.

Serve on a whole grain roll, flour tortilla, toasted whole grain English muffin, or atop a green salad. Enjoy!

What’s so great about Brussel sprouts? Well, there’s the obvious – they are GOOD FOR YOU. Yep, they are of the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside superstars like broccoli, bok choy, and collard greens. That means they are chock full of Vitamin C, a great source of fiber, and packed with phytochemicals which research indicates is protective against certain cancers.

All good news, but none of that matters if it doesn’t taste good. Roasting vegetables creates caramelization, deepening the flavor, resulting in something totally different from that same vegetable steamed or sautéed. If you are interested in introducing a new veggie to the family, this is a great way to start. It is so very easy, only takes 4 ingredients, and the oven does most of the work for  you. The Brussel sprouts brown up thanks to the olive oil and a ripping hot oven, and the salt and pepper season them to further tantalize the taste buds. They taste a bit sweet,rich, salty and toasty. We seriously could not get enough of them today!

I think that was just about my proudest moment ever: Me, beaming widely, and my kids popping Brussel sprouts like they were M&M’s. Wow. Talk about a dietitian-mom’s dream-come-true

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Serves 4
Adapted from The Food Network and the Barefoot Contessa

1-lb bag of frozen Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt (or any coarsely ground salt) and ground black pepper, to taste

I don’t do so well with that kind of thing.

This was never highlighted more clearly when my son, Casey, broke his arm on the playground a few years ago.  The pain and panic on his face was enough to get me jump-started into action. I quickly handed off the other two kids to my sister, and got him in the car to head to the hospital. That parental hormone”fixitall” kicked in pretty hard and my one and only goal was to get him to the ER as quickly and safely as possible. As a result, I didn’t notice the signs of impending disaster until I was a few miles down the road.  Sweating, light-headedness, spotty vision, ringing in the ears – yep, I was going to faint.  What??! NOW? Are YOU KIDDING ME? What a miserably inept parent I turned out to be. Fixitall, indeed.  Suddenly, ashamedly, Casey’s crisis was now somehow about ME. Pathetic.

I did the only thing I could do (after pulling over and slapping myself in the face several times, to no avail). I called 911.  When they asked my location, I replied I was on the town line between North Reading (my hometown) and Reading.  “Well, which town would you like me to call to respond, ma’am?”  Reading, of course! I might have been faint, but I wasn’t crazy.  If I asked for North Reading, it would’ve been like a bizarre high school reunion. “Jules, is that you? Jeesh, you don’t look so good. How ya been?” As it was, it was bad enough with strangers. Despite my protests, they gave me the works — oxygen, EKG, an IV, the gurney, and a chauffeured ride to the ER in the ambulance. All because my blood pressure registered 75 over zero. Stupid vasovagal syncope. Poor Casey had to ride in the little seat alongside me, and just kept saying, “Mum, how come you’re lying down?” The good news? My little crisis (and the stuffed bear the EMT gave him) helped get his mind off his pain.  A few hours later we were home and all fixed up, and a few days later he was doing cartwheels with his cast on. Kids sure do bounce, huh?

What, pray tell, does this have to do with bacon and Nutella?? Get to the point already, girlfriend!

OK, so what’s a girl to do while the boys are watching the game? I kept myself busy in the kitchen, while still able to keep an eye on the score, the funny commercials, and the awesome entertainment (please, God, let me be rockin’ it like Madonna when I’m in my 50′s). I’d had a mind to try something with bacon, and settled on a very enticing recipe sent to me by Laura, a faithful reader and friend who knows of my love for bacon.

Now, chocolate and bacon together might not sound good at first. But if you like to mix the sweet and savory, if you like a little kick wrapped up in a morsel of heaven, then you’ve got to try this. It is easy as anything, and delicious as sin. And, I bet, would satisfy the most intense PMS cravings to boot. Maybe that’s why none of the boys in the house thought too much of it. No matter. I loved it, and in the end, if momma’s happy, so is everybody else

Sweet-and-Spicy Nutella Coated Bacon
adapted from the Detroit Free Press

6 thick slices bacon (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Nutella
Coarsely ground sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

!) Combine brown sugar, chili powder and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

2) Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange bacon slices on baking sheet, making sure they do not overlap. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on desired crispness, then remove from oven and carefully flip bacon slices.

3) Sprinkle each slice liberally with sugar-pepper mixture. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes (or until desired crispness). Cool bacon slices on paper towels until they have cooled to room temperature.

4) When bacon has cooled, place Nutella into a small bowl and microwave on high for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, until softened. Transfer bacon slices to a piece of waxed paper on a large plate. Using a silicon brush or icing spatula, lightly spread or drizzle Nutella onto the top of each bacon slice. Wait a few minutes for Nutella to set, then sprinkle lightly with coarsely ground sea salt. Place plate into refrigerator to allow Nutella to continue to set. Serve cold or at room temperature.

CHOMP!

Flash forward twenty years to…now. You can find me whipping up a batch at least three times a week for my oatmeal-crazed family. We eat it for breakfast, after school, and sometimes as a post-karate snack before bed. I don’t mind supporting this particular habit as there isn’t a grain much more wholesome than oatmeal. It’s a little bowl of energy, full of carbohydrates, fiber, and even a decent amount of protein to balance things out, not to mention a good dose of nutrients like folate, thiamin, and manganese. Somehow knowing how good it is for me makes it taste that much better. Or, maybe it’s all the good stuff we put on top?

The oatmeal itself is just the beginning – a blank canvas on which we create our gastronomical masterpiece. There are countless toppings to be considered – raisins, dried blueberries, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, chocolate chips, Nutella, peanut butter, jelly, granola, bananas, apples, and cinnamon.

Take a look at some of our latest faves…

PB & J Oatmeal

Oatmeal with Raisins, Walnuts and Brown Sugar

Peanut butter Nutella Banana Oatmeal

The possibilities are endless and I am sure we’ve barely scratched the surface.  What about my beloved bacon? Pears? White chocolate? Maple syrup?  Coconut? The possibilities are deliciously endless. Butterscotch chips…  Pudding…  Cookie crumbles…

One last thing before I go…if you want to see what a true oatmeal obsession looks like, check out this gorgeous blog by Kath, who has devoted countless posts, words, recipes, and photographs to her favorite breakfast cereal. She truly pulls out all the stops!

What will you put on your oatmeal?

This recipe is just one of many delicious ways to prepare sweet potatoes. I discovered this on one of my favorite recipe blogs, For the Love of Cooking, and again she did not disappoint. They were rich and naturally sweet with just a touch of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Me, my boys, husband and mother all loved them. Yes, the 6-year-old rejected them, still quite particular in her tastes, but I continue to persevere in that realm. I just know she will eventually come around.

Side note: I was inspired to make these after one of my interns shared a delicious dish – bite-size roasted sweet potatoes served atop a green salad, like croutons. What a cool idea! I’m now bit by the roasted veggie bug. Up next? Brussel sprouts and beets!

Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine melted butter and olive oil. Lightly coat a 9×13 pan with spray oil. In a large mixing bowl, toss cubed sweet potato with butter/oil mixture until well coated. Add spices, sugar and salt, and toss again until all are distributed evenly. Spread potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Roast in the oven for 60-75 minutes. Potatoes will be fork-tender.

Enjoy!

Pork tenderloin again? Is that all you eat??

No, definitely not. My first love is chicken.

Are you getting kickbacks from the pork industry?

Wouldn’t that be nice? But, no.

Yes, this is the 5th pork loin recipe I’ve put out there. But I have to do it. I have to share when a recipe makes my mouth soooo happy. It uses a two-step flavor infusion (i.e. rub it now, sauce it later), which makes for an amazing, tender meat with a sweet and mildly spicy glaze.  The bonus? It’s so easy to do. Honestly, I find the hardest part about cooking sometimes is just having the right dang ingredients on hand! I had to borrow apricot preserves from my mamacita

There are three reasons I love cooking with pork tenderloin:
#1 It is LEAN. Three ounces contains just 3 grams of fat and has a whopping 22 grams of protein. The other white meat indeed!
#2 It is TENDER. My kids never, ever complain that it’s ‘chewy’ — their main complaint about lean cuts of beef.
#3 It is VERSATILE. You can morph this easy-going meat into any type of meal you want – sweet, savory, spicy – it all works. You can slice it, shred it, or chunk it. It works in chili, stew, soups, and is delicious as a protein shake (just kidding — paying attention?!)

Is my unabashed love for pork making you uneasy? Never mind, just take a gander at the recipe below, borrow critical ingredients from your neighbor, mom, pastor, or bestie, and get cooking!

Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Ginger Glaze
Serves 8
Recipe from Allrecipes.com

2 – 1 pound pork tenderloins

Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Juice of one lime (or substitute ~2 tablespoons of lemon juice)

1) Place ingredients for the spice rub in a small bowl and combine well. Rub spice mixture onto tenderloins on all sides. Cover the meat and place in refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

2) While grill is heating up, melt the apricot preserves in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in remaining glaze ingredients. Set aside half the glaze to serve alongside at mealtime.

3) Grill the tenderloins over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes (or for about 10 minutes on a George Foreman-type grill). When there is just 4 minutes of cooking time left, brush the meat with the glaze and cook for 2 minutes, then turn the meat and brush the other side with glaze, cooking for a final 2 minutes. Remove from grill when temperature reads a minimum of 145 degrees F.

4) Let the meat sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Brush with additional glaze if desired.