Category: Side dishes…veggies

Steak, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Pan Steamed Broccoli

Beef, Date Night, potatoes, Side dishes...veggies

Hey guys! Hope you all had a lovely Valentines Day! We spend it together as a family. Last year, I made fondue. This year I made steak and potatoes. Not just any kind of potatoes; twice baked potatoes. I have made these before on the blog. Of course, I have made steak on the blog lots of times. Here is a recap with some pretty food pictures.

Ribeye https://funfoodiefamily.com/2013/08/19/perfect-ribeye/

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Twice Baked Potato:

I wrapped 4 potatoes in aluminum foil and baked them for about 45 minutes. I cooked 5 pieces of bacon in a pan. I let potatoes cool a bit, then I spooned the potato filling in a medium bowl leaving the skins. I mixed  in 2 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of sour cream. I spooned the mixture into skins and added shredded mild cheddar and the chopped bacon on top. Put back in a 350 oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted all over the top.

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Broccoli- I cut all the florets off 2 stalks of broccoli. I put them in a pan with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a couple tablespoons of water. Then I put a top on them and cooked them on med. heat. I shook the pan every so often. It cooked about 12 minutes- still bright green and tender but not mushy. You can save your stalks to put in soup or use to make veggie stock!

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Spicy Veggie Couscous

Asian, grains, potatoes, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Hello again! So I was thinking about what I wanted to take for lunch tomorrow. Today I ate a  whole wheat wrap with spicy chicken, spinach, and hummus  from my school.  I added a bit of  Light Ranch (the only kind they have) to the mix. It was actually pretty tasty. I would get that again! The menu tomorrow is not very promising, although they do have a veggie burger. Unfortunately, by the time I get to the veggie burger, it is  pretty cold and stale. I don’t think many middle school kiddos choose it. Who can blame them…

So tonight I had some couscous left over at dinner. I also had half of both a yellow and orange sweet pepper, 1 jalapeno, 1 sweet onion, 1 small head of broccoli, and 2 cloves of garlic leftover from last weeks groceries. I chopped up all the veggies and cooked them in a bit of peanut oil for about 10 minutes. Then I added the couscous and a bit of soy sauce and pepper to add a bit of flavor. I stirred well, and cooked for another 5 minutes. Now I have a yummy lunch for tomorrow! =)

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Spicy Veggie Pasta

Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Last night we had a whatever you want/clean out the fridge/breakfast for dinner kind of night. I made this for myself using leftover veggies, less than half a container of thin spaghetti, and the end of the parmesan cheese. I even had plenty of leftovers to bring to work for lunch and share with a couple of work friends.

Spicy Veggie Pasta

1/3 package of thin spaghetti
1 onion thinly sliced
1 container mushrooms, quartered
handful of baby carrots chopped
1 container of spinach.
1 teaspoon, or more, of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
tablespoon or more of parm. cheese
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat your olive oil and add onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Cook down until tender. Add your spices. Mix well. Add in your wine. Reduce. Add in your spinach and a little more olive oil. Cook the spinach down and mix with the rest of the veggies.

Meanwhile, cook pasta. Add your pasta to the veggies when the pasta still has a bit of a bite to it. Add in about a cup of pasta water- a little bit at a time to your desired consistency. Add in your cheese and mix well! Enjoy!

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Sesame Garlic Cod with Sesame Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Seafood, Side dishes...veggies

Evening kids! Hope everyone had a great weekend. We went out to Mexican Friday night, out to lunch at our favorite Chinese spot on Sat., followed by a super fun time at the Pumpkin Patch. Today we slept in until 9:30!!!! Then I made bacon, eggs, and cinnamon rolls. Always a hit! We pretty much sat around being lazy, watching TV, and snuggling together on the couch. Pure bliss! I also went to one of my favorite places; the grocery store. I know lots of people who hate going, but I adore it. I mostly bought stuff to make lunches, a few staples, and a couple of quick and easy dinner ideas. Here is the one I made tonight.

Sesame Garlic Fish with Sesame Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Sesame Garlic Fish-

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of butter, melted with 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large piece cod, cut in to 3-4 sections (or other white fish, like Tilapia)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons sesame oil.

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional- I only used it on half, since my girls would be eating this. It just adds a peppery kick, which they don’t like.) If you have a lemon or some citrus, it would be great with a bit of juice or zest in the pan cooking with it.
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat pan on high.
Melt butter and add your olive oil
Add the garlic and turn down heat to medium
Add your sesame oil and stir in with butter and garlic.
Add your fish filets- salt and pepper, but use with caution. The sesame oil is very salty. Add red pepper flakes if you wish.  If you have a lemon or some citrus, it would be great with a bit of juice or zest in the pan cooking with it.
Turn over when fish changes color one-quarter of way up and seared side has turned brown, 3 min.
Once you turn over, cook one minute, then take the pan off the heat. Let it sit for a minute or so, then take out of the pan to rest.

Sesame Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot or half an onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, small spouts left whole, larger spouts halved
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Turn pan to make sure olive oil coats pan.
Add shallots/onions to the pan and saute 2 minutes.
Add sprouts and cook 3-4 minutes cut side down. Add your sesame oil in a circular motion in the pan. After they start to smoke, stir your sprouts. Cook until fork tender. Again, if you have a lemon or some citrus, it would be great with a bit of juice or zest in the pan cooking with it.

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Baked Enchilada Farro with Beans and Corn

grains, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Mexican, One pot meal, potatoes, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Happy Tuesday, ya’ll! So the other day I made this.
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/08/30/enchilada-farro-with-beans-and-corn/

It is super healthy and delicious, but after a few servings, I needed to find a way to change it up. So, I made it into tacos. Yum. Then I made it into this cheesy bake. All I did was add a another small can of enchilada sauce and 1 jar of salsa to the mix. Then I spread it into a sprayed casserole dish and topped it with shredded cheese. I baked it at 350 until all the cheese was melted and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Freezing half of this for my future. 

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