My Afflation

I loved dining at Palo, but did not try this particular meal. Now I need to go buy some tuna steaks and substitute in some Paleo friendly risotto. Don't forget steamed veggies on the side. And for mom, some Moscato :) Grilled Tuna Ingredients  4-6 tuna steaks salt and pepper to taste olive oil lime juice Directions : Place tuna steaks and olive oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the grill for medium heat. When coals are very hot, scatter a handful of hickory or mesquite wood chips over them for flavor. Lightly oil grill grate. Season tuna with salt and pepper, and cook on the preheated grill approximately 6 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a serving platter, and drizzle with freshly squeezed lime juice. Serve immediately. Risotto (adapted from Cynthia Underground )  Ingredients 1  head   cauliflower 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (or truffle oil if you have it) to taste   olive oil 1/...

Sometimes I can't pull dinner out of a hat. I have the ingredients but no clue how to pull them together. It's rare. Today was one of those days. We are on a mission to eat everything in the house before going grocery shopping again. Too much food has been going to waste. The chest freezer is almost empty (which the Teen pointed out has never happened in his memory). <a href="http://storify.com/dananner/crowdsourced-dinner" target="_blank">View "Crowd-sourced Dinner" on Storify</a> Recipes: Butternut Squash Soup It's a little watery since I omitted the heavy cream, but both the Hunk and the Teen approve. Ingredients 2lbs butternut squash, diced 1 onion - diced 2 cloves garlic or equivalent garlic powder 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste 1 TBSP olive...

I had a FABULOUS weekend, even if I did end up gaining a pound this past week. The Hunk and I have been talking about camping for over a year now, I love it, but haven't had anyone to go with. My son didn't think I was capable of doing it even though I used to take him. Apparently getting my nails and hair done these days disqualifies me from being able to "rough it". A few weeks ago The Hunk was trying to surprise me with a reservation but wasn't having any luck. Research goddess that I am, I found an open beach-side reservation at McGrath State Beach . Before we got there, I didn't know that the campground would be  closing soon . Our only criteria (by the time we got frustrated with Reserve America's reservation system), was beach and open some weekend in May. And not too far from Santa Barbara. McGrath is on the border of Ventura and Oxnard (before this past weekend I thought Oxnard was IE or up by Lompoc. It just *sounds* like it belongs in the...

Herb-Roasted Lamb Loin Chop Last night I was at a loss as to what to prepare for dinner.  We had these tasty lamb loin chops from F&E that I was saving for Easter dinner, but two people I cook for don't like mint jelly. What's up with that???? Also my daughter was going to be at her Dad's for Easter, and since lamb is a family tradition I opted to make it early. I present herb-roasted lamb loin chops.  Sides were F&E brand three cheese risotto and steamed broccoli.

Red Beans and Rice I love foods with Cajun spices even though I was raised in CA and not introduced to them until college. I haven't made Red Beans and Rice in a long while (the proper way takes quite some time), but I got this made in less than an hour. When you have all the ingredients on hand I think this falls into one of those 30-minute-or less recipes. 

Tweet Ingredients : 1 small onion - chopped 2 garlic cloves - minced 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 quart chicken stock 1 sweet potato (or yam depending on where you live) - peeled and cubed 1 potato - skin on, cubed 1 can diced tomatoes (15oz) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon sea (or kosher) salt. 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter. Directions : Sauté the onion and garlic in the canola oil. Add the chicken stock, sweet potato, potato, diced tomatoes, spices and peanut butter. Simmer 10-12 minutes.  (You can end the cooking here or proceed to step 4) (This is where it exploded on me . The consistency didn't look right and I knew my kids would not eat sweet potatoes looking the way they did.) Take 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup and blend in a blender. May also work if you have a potato masher to mash the potatoes and give the soup a thicker consistency. Mix with remaining soup. Serve with whole wheat rolls and a ...

In the interest of killing two birds with one stone, I am combining A Southern Fairytales' Mouthwatering Mondays with Mamavation Monday . Why? Because I miss posting delicious recipes on Mondays for your enjoyment, and two, I am going to try to pledge to the sistahood . Delicious and healthy can be done. Even for a carb addict like myself. Regarding the Sistahood, I can't do everything they want a pledge to do because of my work and commute schedule, but I can do my best to get moving. And in fact did this past weekend (oh boy my arms!). Remembering to post pictures will be hard, but I can do that tonight. I got in 60 of the proposed 100 minutes of movement yesterday. Come to think of it, I walked on Tuesday and Thursday, so I think I went over the 100, woot! Thank goodness for CardioTrainer. Last week I actually had time to menu plan, and all the new recipes went over swimmingly, even the one that exploded in my face. There have been no complaints about having to eat lefto...

It’s not red/orange because you don’t use any food coloring and well, I don’t have a tandoor oven or BBQ. This moist, delicious, and simply NOM recipe has an equally interesting history . There is also an alternative recipe on that site. This is as homemade as you can get without buying the Tandoori sauce from somewhere like Trader Joe's . Prep Time: 8 hours, 45 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Ingredients: 1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, skinned and trimmed of all visible fat 1/2 cup to 1 cup plain yogurt (start with 1/2 and add more yogurt to taste. Yogurt will cool the heat of the spices) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander  1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (an equal amount of all-spice can be substituted for the coriander, cardamom, and cloves – that would be 1.5...

The next few weeks, recipes will be brought to you by Since I know from experience that Fresh and Easy isn't everywhere, I will provide ingredients and/or substitutes where necessary. Bon apetite! Ingredients: If shopping at F&E 1 pack F&E Beef Fajitas 1 pack F&E Whole Wheat Tortillas 1 bottle F&E Ranch Dressing 1 bag avocados 1 count iceberg lettuce If shopping at a regular grocery store: 1 lb. flank or bottom round steak, thinly sliced 1 onion, sliced 1 green and/or red bell pepper, cut into strips 1 pkg. fajita seasoning 1 dozen (whole wheat) flour tortillas 1 bottle ranch dressing 4 avocados (preferably Haas) 1 head iceberg lettuce Directions : Pit and remove avocados from their skin and place in a mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of ranch dressing per avocado to the bowl and mash with a fork (or blend in a blender like my mother did). Set aside. Take lettuce and cut head in half, shred thinly. Heat large saute pan on medium high heat. Once warm, add 1-2 table...

Also known as Fudge Drops. My mom made these for a bake sale last week and I gushed about them on twitter. They are QUITE delicious. This post is especially for @ crispydragon , who asked for the recipe. Enjoy! Ingredients: 8 oz. semisweet chocolate and 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 350F. Grease baking sheets; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter/margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in sugar until creamy. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla (make sure mixture has cooled some, otherwise the batter will be thin). Blend flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts and remaining chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon...

Summer is perfect for salads using in season fruits and vegetables. This salad was a hit at a 4th of July potluck this past weekend. Josh used to like it with strawberries. They add an extra bit of sweetness. Ingredients: 1 cup (fat-free) mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 medium bunch broccoli, cut into flowerets (about 6 cups) 4 cups loosely packed torn spinach 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/4 cup crumbled bacon 1/4 cup raisins optional: strawberries and pine nuts Directions Mix dressing, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serves 10 Related articles by Zemanta Recipe: Spinach and Strawberry Salad Fruit Slinger, Chicago (thekitchn.com) Healthy Recipe: Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (fitsugar.com)

This was Sunday dinner. Again, it passed the taste-test of my picky, semi-vegetarian niece. Ingredients: 1 lb beef, cubed 16 oz pkg frozen broccoli cutlets 1 red bell pepper, diced optional – mushrooms 2 teaspoons oil Sauce : 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon crushed garlic 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger Directions: Mix all sauce ingredients together, set aside. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok, add beef. Cook until browned Add bell pepper, broccoli and sauce Turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes Serve with rice. Serves 6 If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can thicken it with flour or cornstarch in the last few minutes.

Kid-tested. Mom approved. This is a very basic casserole dish that can be added to and adjusted in many different ways. My picky 4-yr old niece loves it this way though. Just add veggies on the side. INGREDIENTS * 1 pound ground turkey * 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce * 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream * 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese * 1 (12 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles * 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese * salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, season and sauté the ground turkey for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned. Drain the turkey, stir in the tomato sauce, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cream cheese. Mix well and set aside. 3. Cook noodles according to package directions. Place them into a 9x13-inch baking dish, then layer the turkey mixture over the noodles. Then layer the sour cream mixture over the turkey, and top with cheese. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F ...

Image by kattebelletje via Flickr In honor of all the belt-tightening going on around these days, here is a pretty tasty and filling low-cost stew. This is also a protein-rich, yet meatless, meal. (Don’t faint Rachel, there’s got to be a few vegetarian Texans by now ) . Serves 6. Ingredients 2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 3 cups water or broth of your choice 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed 2-3 medium carrots, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained Directions 1. Sautee onions and garlic in the oil 2. Stir in remaining ingredients 3. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer about 40 minutes. Serve with bread or rice.

I never did get around to posting this … so for this week, here’s to omega-3 fatty acids :) Truth in reporting, this is one recipe for salmon that is on my list of "To Try". My kids and I all love salmon, but they prefer it baked with veggies , a simple butter and dill seasoning, or with Cajun seasonings. Maple - Dill Glaze 1.5 tsp Dijon Mustard 1TBSP balsalmic vinegar 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic 1 tsp dill weed 1/2 tsp salt 2 TBSP canola oil 4 (4-6 oz.) salmon fillets, rinsed and patted dry 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen vegetables Directions :  1. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, syrup, garlic, dill, and salt. Gradually whisk in oil. Place 3 TBSP glaze in a resealable storage bag with salmon. Marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. 2. Brush grill pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat (or breakout the George Foreman). Once grill is hot, place fillets, skin side up, in pan. Cook 10-12 minutes, turning onc...

With the permission of the best twitter DJ on the planet ( @adbert ), I present his yummy Receta de Empanadas: Here is my worldest famous recipe of Argentinian "empanadas." =) Empanadas are very popular all over Latin America, there are thousands of variations...Each house have 3 or 4 variants. But this one is the Best of the Best. ;-) he he he. Ingredients: Crust (Masa): ------------- - 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour - 1/8 -1/6 teaspoon salt - 4 ounces stick butter or margarine. The real recipe is made with "fat cow": tastiest but heavier! LOL - 1/3 cup milk Or you can buy the Crust. =P Filling (Relleno): ------------------ - 1 pound ground beef / corned beef. Mom is mom, she prefer ground beef. - 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil, olive extra virgin preferred. - 1 large onion, finely chopped. I said: Finely! - 1 red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, finely chopped. What I said? Finely! - 2 hard cooked eggs, finely chopped. Have to explain? Fi-ne-ly! - 10 green olives, f...

Mouth-Watering Monday 2/9/09 Serves 8-10 Salad: 1 pkg. (10 oz) blend of romaine and leaf lettuce 1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn kernels, thawed 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes 1/2 small red onion, peeled and sliced 1 avocado, chopped 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Honey-Lime Dressing 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup olive or canola oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tsp garlic, minced Directions: 1. Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. 2. Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl just before serving. 3. Pour dressing over salad; toss until evenly distributed. 4. Season to taste with salt and pepper Serve with additional cheese and dressing on the side.

(photo courtesy of urlgirl ) This is actually a quick meal to make. The longest part is making the Mexican rice, so you may want to do that first. Actually, make the salsa first so it can chill unless you don't mind room temperature salsa ... and now onto the food! Fish: Pan-sear in virgin olive oil with lemon or orange juice cilantro and a few other seasonings. Whatever you have on hand will do. Rice: You can either use Zatarain’s mix or … Sautee 1 cup rice in butter or oil with some chopped onion until a light brown. Add one can diced tomatoes with juices, and 1 cup chicken broth. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Black Bean Salsa: 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 11 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained 1 t minced fresh jalpeno pepper 1 avacado, chopped 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or subst. 1 t dried cilantro) 1/4 c. diced red onion 1/4 c. ...