Really. That is not an exaggeration.

Well, finally after what seems like an eternity we finally used it all up on a salad. But to spice an ordinary salad up {to Nick’s liking} he decided to make his own salad dressing, which just happens to be totally amazing. Take a look.

Nutritional Information
Servings: 6
Serving Size: approximately 2 tablespoons
Calories: 93.8
Fat: 9.3 g
Carbohydrates: 1.7 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 0 g
Points+: 3

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from In the Kitchen with David, Comfort Foods that take you home, p. 92

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Put the garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
• Add the balsamic vinaigrette, mustard, salt and pepper and pulse for 3 to 4 seconds. With the food processor running add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, until the dressing is emulsified, 10 to 20 seconds
• Enjoy over your favorite Cobb salad! 

Recently, we had some spinach to use up {we foolishly purchased two HUGE bags full of spinach and then ended up traveling around a bunch for a month.} We hate wasting food, so we did not want the spinach to spoil. Therefore, I knew it had to be put to good use for breakfast. Take a look.

Nutritional Information
Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 piece
Calories: 94.8
Fat: 6.3 g
Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
Fiber: .18 g
Protein: 7.8 g
Points+: 2

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from In the Kitchen with David, Comfort Foods that take you Home, p. 49

• Vegetable Oil Spray
• 6 large eggs
• 1 ½ spicy sausage links
• 1 ounce sun dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups coarsely chopped spinach
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Spray an 8-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet with the vegetable oil spray
• Heat the skillet over medium heat
• While the skillet is heating up, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy
• In a blender, add the tomatoes, basil, garlic, spicy sausage, salt and pepper and pulse until everything is small diced
• Add the sausage and tomato mixture to the eggs and combine
• Add the egg mixture to the skillet and cook without stirring until the eggs begin to set on the bottom, about 1 minute
• Top with the spinach leaves
• Carefully loosen the edges with a heat-proof spatula ad continue to cook for another 1 or 2 minutes
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the frittata is puffed and golden brown
• Place a plate large enough to hold the frittata bottom side up on top of the skillet
• With the plate and skillet firmly pressed together, invert the frittata onto the late
• Sprinkle with the Parmesan
• Slice into thin wedges and serve
• Enjoy!! 

I figured this was a great time to blog about eggs with Easter being right around the corner. If you are like me, coloring hard boiled eggs was a tradition growing up. I still think about doing it, but life is so busy for us right now. Last Easter we found our house and put a deposit on the land to have the house built and this Easter we are dealing with a deployment. Nick leaves Monday. So, you guessed it, I will be shedding plenty of tears! 

Anyway... where was I? Ah, yes, my love for eggs pummeling back in to my life.

That’s exactly where I have been lately. No lie, there was a week where I ate only scrambled eggs for dinner. Yep, every-single-night was the same dinner – fluffy scrambled eggs with some cheese, toast and a side of ketchup (again, the real stuff a.k.a. Heinz). I rekindled the relationship between scrambled eggs and ketchup a few months ago. Nick always eats eggs that way and I used to scoff at him. You know, because that’s the juvenile way to eat scrambled eggs. I held my head low when I realized that ketchup and scrambled eggs would always be a great match.

After that week or so of eating scrambled eggs every chance I could I quit cold turkey; that is until 2 weeks ago. 

Two weeks ago I made the mistake of making hard-boiled eggs. When I took a bite of that hard boiled egg it was instant magic. The sparks started to fly and I fell in love all over again. Making a hard-boiled egg sandwich is a work of art that not everybody has the gift of creating. In fact, I would not suggest just anybody making a hard-boiled eggs sandwich without proper planning and instruction.

Anyway, I was always worried that my eggs would not come out right. My mom, of course, makes the best hard-boiled eggs yet I never considered calling her up for help. I know, stupid mistake. Either way, Nick and I stumbled across the best way to hard boil eggs {interestingly enough, it’s the same one my mom uses. Duh!} So today I don’t have much of a recipe, just instructions to make the best hard-boiled eggs! Take a look!

Nutritional Information
Servings: varied
Serving Size: 1 egg
Calories: 80
Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 7 g
Points+: 2

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Water

Directions:

• Add a layer of eggs on the bottom of a stockpot
• Cover the eggs with ice-cold water until the eggs are submerged and the water covers the eggs by an inch
• Add a half a tablespoon of salt to the water
• Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water
• Over medium heat bring the water to a rolling boil. Allow the water to boil for one full minute. Then remove the pot from the water, cover and let the eggs sit for at least 20 minutes

VOILA!

You don’t know this, but I’m chuckling out loud because now it all makes sense. You see, my mom was a hard-working woman who not only had to work a hard day each day, but also had to juggle a picky eater, she had to maintain a household and a husband. She was an amazing mom and woman; she still is. But I never appreciated that spaghetti each week. It was a humble meal, but it was hot and she always put a little twist on it.

I always thought we were having spaghetti because she liked it and wanted to have it for dinner, which annoyed me because I did not want it. I remember she used to pile her plate with spaghetti and top it off with a bunch of grated Parmesan cheese. I do that now, you know. Often times I wonder if it is because my mom did it or if it was the beginning of my love for cheese. I still do that to this day – pile a load of cheese on my spaghetti. It reminds me of my mom. It makes me thankful that she took the time to make me a hot dinner after a hard days work. She could have easily come home and made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; I was lucky!

As I got older I realized pasta was not so bad. I actually like it and crave it now, especially with my individual twists. I try not to use bottled sauces, so my pasta usually comes in different sauce flavors so I don’t get bored with it. Take a look at my newest addiction.

Nutritional Value:
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 2 ounces pasta
Calories: 421.7
Fat: 11 g
Carbohydrates: 52.3 g
Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 9.1 g
Points+: 9

Ingredients:

 Recipe Adapted from 6 Bittersweets

• ½ pound dry angel hair pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
• ½ cup vodka
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup half & half
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
• Salt &pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Directions: 

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain & keep warm.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat
• Add onion to pan, sauté 4 minutes or until tender
• Add pepper, garlic and bouillon, sauté 1 minute
• Add vodka and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half
• Stir in 1/3 teaspoon salt, pepper and tomatoes then bring to a boil
• Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes
• Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly
• If you have an emulsion blender, puree the sauce in the pan {otherwise, place tomato mixture in blender and process until smooth.}
• Return tomato mixture to pan. Mix in the cream, and then cook the sauce for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly
• Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta & basil.
• Serve & Enjoy!! 

Oh, and he has an extremely splendid array of recipes. The first one I ended up trying was a homemade tomato soup recipe. I have been dying to make tomato soup with an awesome crouton topping and I noticed he had a great recipe that suited my needs so I gave it a shot.

I have to tell you this is probably the BEST tomato soup I have ever had in my life. Since I made it Nick has been raving about it to everybody who will listen. I think I may have to make it again before he is deployed. He loved it that much. Take a lookie look!

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Nutritional Value
Servings: 6 
Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cup soup + 3 croutons
Calories: 226.2
Fat: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 23.2 g
Fiber: 4.9 g
Protein: 5.1 g
Points+: 6

________________________________________

Ingredients:

Reciped Adapted from In the Kitchen with David, Comfort Foods that take you Home, 69-70

{Creamy Tomato Soup}

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream 

{Grilled Cheese Croutons, makes 72}

• 4 tablespoons Smart Balance Butter
• 6 slices bread
• 4 ounces American Cheese {I used Land ‘o Lakes deli cheese}

Directions:

To make the soup ~

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large stockpot over low heat
• Add the onion, salt and pepper
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 6 to 8 minutes
• Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more
• Sprinkle with the flour to make a roux, and stir constantly for 3 more minutes
• Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes
• Taste the soup and add salt and pepper, if necessary
• Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool slightly
• Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender {or with an immersion blender}
• Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cream
• Reheat over low heat just until hot. Do not boil

To make the croutons ~

• Heat a skillet over medium high heat
• Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread
• Place 3 slices of bread, butter side down, in the hot skillet
• Top each slice with cheese, then the remaining bread slices, butter side up
• Grill until the sandwiches are toasted and browned and the cheese has melted, 3 to 5 minutes per side
• Remove the sandwiches from the pan and allow them to cool slightly
• Cut the sandwiches into 1 inch squares
• Serve the soup, accompanied by the Grilled Cheese Croutons
• Enjoy!!

Wondering what I am even rambling on about? Yeah, I ask myself that all of the time. I have this weird way of being able to hear everything I’m saying during conversations, which is a nuisance especially when I am droning on and choose not to stop. For instance, I’m doing it right now. I could easily delete all of these words, yet instead I keep typing.

I need serious help.

Really, help me.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, gag reflexes. I am not sure many of you know this, but I am a picky eater. Seems odd that I would choose to start a food blog, eh? As a kid, my mom used to make meals based on what I liked. And while I appreciated it back then I am convinced it led to my obesity. Of course I am not blaming my mom, but I think there is something to be said about making a well-rounded meal for the entire family. If I did not like that meal and chose not to eat it, it would seem I would have eventually gotten the picture; hunger would ultimately set in and would have been forced to eat whatever was on my plate. But because my mom would make me another meal {separate from what she cooked and I did not like} I became spoiled… and incredibly picky.

Obviously I did not turn to vegetables and fruits. Nah, instead I became a connoisseur for fine fried food and eating out. You get the picture.

However, ultimately I completely overhauled my life and started this blog {fast forwarding through most of my life… you are welcome}. 

Now I find myself having to think about eating foods that still gross me out or don’t sound so appealing. One of those foods is stuffed peppers. I never liked the idea of a stuffed pepper. However, Nick loves them. I attempted making them once way back when I first started this little cooking blog but was ultimately not satisfied. {Still to this day I have to fight the urge to make another meal for myself when I don’t like what is on the table…sadly, sometimes I still revert back to my childhood habits.}

Still I wanted to give Stuffed Peppers a try. I’ve been looking for the right recipe for months. I have scoured the Internet, magazines and cookbooks but none of the recipes ever seemed good enough for me to try. That was until last week.

Something miraculous happened last week. I had 2 pounds of mini sweet peppers I had to use lest they go bad and I knew it was time to attempt stuffed peppers again. I found a recipe almost immediately that seemed worthy of an attempt. I knew it was divine intervention. Take a look!

________________________________________

Nutritional Information
Servings: 7
Serving Size: 2 whole peppers, 4 stuffed halves
Calories: 129.2
Fat: 5.6 g
Carbohydrates: 8.8 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 10.4 g
Points+: 3

________________________________________

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from Delish 

• 5 ounces spinach
• 2 slices sandwich bread, finely chopped
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ½ tablespoon onion powder
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage, cooked and finely chopped
• Salt
• Ground Pepper
• 14 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise & cored
• Cooking Spray, like pam
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

• In a large skillet, cook the spinach over high heat just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain and press out all of the water. Coarsely chop the spinach. Set aside
• In a large bowl, knead the chopped bread with the milk, egg and cheese to form a paste
• Knead the onion powder, sausage and spinach. Then season lightly with salt and pepper
• Using lightly moistened hands, divide the mixture among the pepper halves and lightly pack it in
• In a skillet, spray generously with cooking spray. Add the stuffed peppers, filling side down and cook over high heat until well browned, about 5 minutes
• Turn the peppers over and cook until the skins are browned and blistered, about 4 minutes longer
• Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth, cover and simmer until the sausage filling is completely warmed through and the peppers are tender, another 6 to 8 minutes
• Transfer to plates and serve with some rice!

Enjoy!!

{P.S. these were the best stuffed peppers I have EVER had. The spiciness of the sausage paired nicely with the sweetness of the peppers and tomato sauce. Not to mention I made some white rice and it all came together well. They also heat up nicely the next day!! No more gagging for this foodie!}

Nutritional Value
Servings: about 10
Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup
Calories: 332.4
Fat: 23.3 g
Carbohydrates: 13.5 g
Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 16.5 g
Points+: 9

Ingredients:

 Recipe Adapted from Closet Cooking

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces corned beef, shredded
• 1 ½ cup sauerkraut, drained
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup half & half
• 2 cups Swiss cheese
• Pepper, to taste
• Rye Bread {optional}

Directions: 

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the onion powder, garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes
• Mix in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes
• Add the broth, deglaze the pan, add the corned beef, sauerkraut, potatoes, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes
• Add the cream, season with pepper {if needed} and remove the bay leaves
• Top with Swiss cheese and broil until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes
• Enjoy!!  

Now don’t get excited, I don’t have a green beer recipe for you. I know many of you would really appreciate that, but drinking beer is still not my scene. Moreover, having a shot of whiskey is not something I do now anyway. I never quite acquired the taste of alcohol - any of it - so I simply don't drink. I can see you all rolling your eyes! 

I digress.

However, just because I don’t throw down with you beer-loving foodies, I can whip up a mean St. Patrick’s Day treat without much thought. Almost two weeks ago two of my Reuben recipes were featured in the Huffington Post. Check out these Reuben Eggrolls & Reuben Quesadillas. Well, along with my two recipes there were several others featured in the Huffington Post, so I decided to make one that looked absolutely divine. Can you disagree with this recipe?!

Nutritional Information
Servings: approximately 15
Serving Size: about 1/3 cup
Calories:  119.5
Fat: 9.6 g
Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 8.8 g
Points+: 3

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from A Farmgirl's Dabbles 

• 1 lb. shredded corned beef
• 8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
• 14 ounces sauerkraut, drained very well
• ¾ cup low fat plain yogurt
• ¼ cup Fat Free Thousand Island Dressing

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together
• Spoon into an oven-proof serving dish
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is bubbling and nicely browned on top
• Serve with your favorite crackers or bread {I used thinly sliced rye bread. I quartered each slice and toasted it for several minutes.}  

Enjoy!!

This was an incredible dip. I love all of the ingredients that go into making a Reuben and this was no exception! I lightened this recipe up a bit by substituting plain low-fat yogurt for the mayo. I'm not a mayo girl myself, so it worked perfectly! Make it, seriously!

What the heck?

Today is my anniversary – Nick and I have been together for 5 years. It has definitely been a struggle, but with any great relationship comes hard work and dedication, right?

It would be best if you agreed because any dissent may result in this foodie throwing a temper tantrum in the kitchen.

Anyway, moving along. Nick and I celebrate 5 years today. His gift to himself was volunteering for a deployment to Afghanistan. Therefore, in a couple of weeks he will be leaving me and I’ll be on my own {again} for another year of my life. I know this is something he wants to do and, like a good girlfriend that I am, I supported and encouraged his decision. However, I am still dreading the moment he leaves me and will worry like a crazed lunatic until the moment he comes home.

With all of that being said, I should warn you of something else – I am a stress and emotional eater. And while I would like to tell you all that I make healthy choices I cannot, therefore in the next year I may be making a lot of hearty, comfort foods that may {typically} pack a big punch on your waistline. However, I will attempt to minimize the effects. If you are willing to come along for the ride I will stand by my decision to health-ify those non-healthy-hearty-soul-soothing comfort foods that we all love in moments of stress.

Today I have a light and fun recipe, very similar to the one I made last week. Remember those Cheddar Cheese Puffs? Good! Take a look at these.

______________________________

Nutritional Value
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1 Puff
Calories: 74.4
Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
Fiber: .1 g
Protein: 2.5 g
Points+: 2 

______________________________

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from Cookin' Canuck

• ½ cup water
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage
• ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese {you could add more if you want!} 

Directions:

• Preheat oven 400 degrees F
• In a medium saucepan, heat the water, butter and salt. Do not boil the mixture.
• Once the butter melts, stir in the flour. Stir quickly until the mixture binds together.
• Continue to stir for another minute, while the pot sit on the heat
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let the mixture cool slightly. Stir in the 2 eggs, one at a time.
• Ensure that the first egg is fully combined into the mixture before adding the second egg
• Add the minced sage and crumbled Gorgonzola. Stir to combine.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spoon the dough onto the parchment paper. Each puff should be 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and they should be spaced an inch apart.
• Bake, without opening the door, for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375 degrees F for another 15 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
• Pierce each puff with a small, sharp knife to release the steam, which will stop them from becoming soft
• Serve immediately. 

I need help; maybe candy anonymous meetings?

However, most of the time I crave comfort food. You know the kinds of food I’m talking about – macaroni and cheese, gumbo, chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesy filled carb-rich foods that force people to the gym wear sweats for two days.

Ahhh, yes. That is what I crave eighty-five percent of the time.

Well, I was craving bread this weekend but I did not want to make any ordinary kind of bread. Instead of making regular ole biscuits I decided to make fluffy, light and airy puffs of heaven. Oh, yes, they are heavenly. Take a look.

______________________________

Nutritional Information
Servings: 16
Serving Size: 1 Cheddar Cheese Puff
Calories: 138
Fat: 10.4 g
Carbohydrates: 5.9 g
Fiber: .18 g
Protein: 5 g
Points+: 4

______________________________

Ingredients:

Recipe Adapted from Simply Recipes 

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced {or garlic salt}
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
• In a medium sized saucepan, add the water, butter, salt and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir rapidly. The mixture will form a dough ball that will pull away from the sides of the pan. It helps to use a wooden spoon to stir, as the dough will be rather thick. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Stir so the dough cools more evenly. You want the dough to be warm, just not hot so the eggs do not begin to cook when they are added to the dough.
• Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until the eggs are incorporated into the dough. The dough should become rather creamy
• Stir in the cheese, rosemary and pepper
• Spoon out small balls of the dough onto a baking sheet, with at least an inch separating each spoonful
• Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes at 425 degrees
• Lower heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed up and lightly golden
• {At this point, if you wanted, you could easily sprinkle the tops with additional cheese/garlic or brush the top with buttery garlic spread. I found the original recipe to be somewhat bland so we added the garlic to heighten the flavor just a bit. It’s totally your call!}

Enjoy!!