Where you are always allowed to play with your food!
Refrigerator Dump Salad… romaine, kale, parsley, cilantro, carrots, radishes, and celery.
Added some chopped bacon wrapped pork and cooked bugler (cooked according to package).
Added to a mason jar for a mostly healthy lunch tomorrow (with lite ginger dressing).
Just needs a few crunchy croutons on top!
Hey guys! I hope everyone is well. I didn’t really get a chance to blog this weekend. It was pretty busy. Becca had a cheer competition and her team won first place!
Sunday we went to see Zootopia. It was a great movie! I highly recommend it.
I didn’t add a meal plan this week, because I have 2 meals from Blue Apron and some random ingredients leftover from last week that need to be used up. Blue Apron from this week was Beef Empanadas. They were pretty delicious. We even have another serving that I froze for an upcoming meal. 
Tomorrow I am making their Chicken Souvlaki. It looks super tasty. I also made another frittata kind of like this one, but with mozzarella and prosciutto instead. TH my college friend is coming over for Chinese. Friday we are going to start Becca’s birthday celebration weekend. Medieval Times (first time going) on Friday, birthday slumber party on Sat., and birthday dinner with grandparents on Sunday.
Tonight, I made a sausage and fennel pasta with arugula. This is proof that as long as you have a few key ingredients in your pantry and fridge, you can always have a yummy meal. Here is how it went down.
Ingredients
I box pasta- I used mini-farfalle (tiny bow-ties)
1/2 bulb of fennel, chopped
1 pound ground mild Italian Sausage
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
2 heaping spoons Marscapone (or cream cheese)
2 handfuls of arugula
Parmesan Cheese- as much as you like \
2 tablespoons butter
olive oil…
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook your fennel down in about 3 tablespoons olive oil (with a good pinch of salt and pepper), about 5 minutes. Add your sausage and brown.
Boil your SALTED water. Add pasta and cook until al dente (has a bite to it, not mushy). Remember to reserve a mug full of starchy cooking water.
Meanwhile, add the garlic and tomato paste. Incorporate and cook about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and soup. Mix well.
Add in the Marscapone. Mix well.
Combine in the arugula and add in the pasta. Mix well and top with Parmesan. Add some starch cooking water if needed.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to combine at the end.
Hello all! So last night I was all set to make my normal meatloaf recipe but wrapped in bacon. Then I went to unwrap my beef and it was spoiled! Boo! Well, I wasn’t going to let a little spoiled meat get the best of me, so I trashed it and decided to wing it. I found a package of chicken sausage, so I decided to grind that up with a red pepper and an onion. It turned out really good, but I think it was too big of a change for my family. They said it was good and ate it, but they love my original meatloaf recipe and said they were missing the beef. I loved the change and except the bacon wrapping, it was lighter with the chicken sausage and veggies added.
Bacon Wrapped Pork Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken sausage
1/2 pound ground mild Italian sausage
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
8 strips of bacon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well. Spray the bottom of a baking dish and place on strips of bacon on bottom with sides sticking out. Using your hands, form the meat it into a loaf. Place it on top of the bacon in the pan. Wrap the strips around the top. Add more on top or sides if needed. Bake the meat loaf, uncovered, until cooked through, about 1 hour.
Pour off the melted fat, slice the meat loaf and serve.
Funny story—-I put it on a sheet pan with aluminum foil. The bacon grease set a small fire in my oven. Use a baking dish 😉
Hey guys! So as predicted, this week has been super crazy! Monday Becca had cheer practice, so she ate a cheese quesadilla. We took her to practice and the rest of us ate at a local Greek place. I had a bowl of lentil soup and falafel with pita (eating leftovers tomorrow).
Tuesday night my parents picked up the girls from school. They took them for a snack and then took Katie to her cheer practice. I was stuck at bus duty until late (middle school gets out the latest here), so the hubby went to the first curriculum night. I got home, started cooking dinner, and then helped Becca with her homework. I made a version of my chicken and mushrooms. Delish!
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/02/11/creamy-chicken-with-mushrooms-and-onions/
Hello little toes =)
Last night I also browned my pork for my crock pot rendition of Pork Ragu. https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/10/21/crock-pot-pork-ragu/
Tomorrow night will be another cheer night. Thinking of making something with sausage. Have a great night!
So this happened tonight…
Stuffed Mushrooms- Brown some ground Italian Sausage. Put in the middle of mushrooms. Top with mozzarella. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Italian Parmesan- Brown some Italian Sausage in the casing. Put a bit of sauce (homemade or jarred) to the bottom. Add sausage and top with more sauce and mozzarella. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Serve with a side of pasta and crusty bread.
Fun Foodie Family 