Guinness Beef Stew with Puff Pastry Topper

I’m not really Irish, but I love holiday food. Also, my man is Irish, so I figured I would try to give him some of his favorite foods this weekend. Read: potatoes (mashed for me, please!), beef, and beer. This beef stew is hands down the best beef stew I’ve had/made. Mix in some of the crunchy buttery pastry topper, and it. is. heaven. Really.

Thai Butternut Soup

I whipped this soup up in about 15-20 minutes and it has so. much. flavor. The original recipe (cooking light) called for red curry paste, but I since I have a big tub of a green curry paste in the fridge that I love, I used that instead – use whatever you like.

Another note about the curry paste. I have to insist that it really is worth seeking out an asian market for some authentic stuff. That little jar of thai kitchen curry paste isn’t doing you any favors in the flavor department. I really love the tub of curry I found at my local Super 88 which is Maesri brand, but I’ve also heard that Mae Ploy is really good too.

Bruschetta Chicken with Avocado and Balsamic Drizzle

OMG was this good. This is a perfect example of how the right combination of super simple ingredients can produce something 100% fabulous. Brian and I loved this dish – a keeper!

Roasted Romaine: Caesar Style

I’m not sure where this craving came from, but I really wanted some sort of warm salad. Hot lettuce may sound like an odd choice, but I tell you, it was delicious. It may be my go-to salad from now on.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatball Boats

So we’ve been doing the low-carb thing for a couple weeks now. It’s recipes like these that keep me keepin’ on. I love so many things about eating limited carbs, except for the obvious lack of pasta. BUT, to the defense of this diet/lifestyle, there’s no shortage of cheese (hello, lover), meats, eggs, and veg – also many of my favorite foods. I actually feel a lot more energetic and “lighter” eating this way, so it’s all good.

Oh, and by the way, this dish is AMAZING. Tender (but still with a little bite) spaghetti squash with perfect meatballs, tomato sauce, and melted cheese? How bad could that be. It’s the first time spaghetti squash hasn’t pissed me off – that’s saying a lot since I’ve given it a lot of chances subbing for pasta. I used Mario Batali’s tomato sauce recipe which is my go-to recipe for quick-cooking tomato sauce. I also used my favorite meatball recipe for the meatballs (I subbed almond meal for the bread crumbs), but use whichever is your favorite. Same goes with the sauce. For this dish, instead of frying the meatballs, I just dropped them in the tomato sauce to cook for about 35-40 minutes. I did this, along with cutting and de-seeding the spaghetti squash, ahead of time on the weekend, so come weeknight, it was a very easy dinner to put together. Perfection.

Broiled Salmon with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa

I haven’t been doing a lot of home cooking lately due to weekends away and weeknights traveling for work, so when I had a day off and a chance to feed my body something healthy and fresh, I immediately knew I wanted this for lunch. Simple broiled salmon, whole wheat couscous, and a citrusy salsa with rich avocado and piquant jalapeno.

Salt and Vinegar Crusted Oven-Fried Fish Sandwiches with Old Bay Mayo

I wish this picture properly portrayed how AWESOME these sandwiches are. I’ve been craving fish and chips lately but wanted it to be slightly healthier if I was going to make it at home. Fresh, thick pieces of cod coated in crushed salt and vinegar chips and baked until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Slather a roll (whole wheat for health!) with mayo seasoned with old bay and go to town.

And, yes, I realize that instead of frying (to be healthier), I just coated it in already fried things (chips), but it’s the kind of girl math that works for me.

BBQ Pulled Pork and Jalapeno Pizza

It’s the age old question. What to do with a ton of leftover pulled pork. I’ve been pretty inventive with this dilemma in the past (pulled pork sweet potato waffle cheese fries, pork stuffed peppers, porky cornbread). This time, I craved pizza (shocking). The crispy multigrain crust (Hannaford has a yummy one…so does Whole Foods) holds up really well to the pulled pork and the jalapenos puts it over the top with a fresh punch.

Crispy Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a super easy way to make stuffed/rolled chicken of any kind – in this case, I used ham and thin slices of swiss cheese. These are coated in a crispy panko coating and baked until crispy on the outside and moist and cooked through on the inside. Also, and this really is an unnecessary addition and a bit of an indulgence, since I try to avoid super processed foods, but I ALWAYS heat up Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup thinned out with a little water or chicken broth to use as a sauce. It’s delicious and mandatory for me, mostly because that’s what my mama does.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

This was a bit of an experiment. I wanted to see how little work I could actually do to make something so incredibly yummy. Seriously – the only thing you have to do is season a huge hunk of pork and toss it in the slow cooker with some garlic, onions and maybe some fennel if you’re feeling fancy. Cook on low for 10 hours, which to me is the perfect length of time for a slow-cooker recipe because that’s how long I am usually out of the house on a work day. What’s up with those 4-hour slow-cooker recipes? If I could slow-cook something in 4 hours, then I could real-cook that same thing in probably 30-45 minutes, which would probably be less work in the planning department. I digress. This pork is amazing and will be the only way I make pulled pork in the future. I served it on some whole wheat buns with some greek yogurt coleslaw on top. YUM.

Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits

Biscuits filled with homemade and healthy chicken pot pie filling. Comes together in about a half hour and is perfect when you want a dose of comfort food with a nice hit of veggie goodness.

Chicken Sausage and Kale Soup with Cannellini Beans

I would like to start this whole shebang by saying this type of dish is my favorite kind. One, it’s loosely inspired by a recipe, but really much more based on ingredients you already have in the fridge that you didn’t have a plan for. Two, it comes together in about 20 minutes. Three, it’s freaking delicious. And finally, it’s healthy! Made with flavorful andouille chicken sausage (Trader Joe’s), a bunch of chopped kale, and some other pantry staples, this is a weeknight winner.

Guinness French Onion Soup

This is my go-to french onion soup recipe. I’ve made it countless times but have never been able to get a decent picture. Melted cheese in a bowl, while in theory is AWESOME, isn’t the most appetizing thing to look at on a website. This french onion soup has a nice sharpness due to the sherry vinegar and guinness, which I just love. The original recipe calls for irish cheddar, but I add in a little gruyere for it’s melty-ness.

Escarole-Stuffed Haddock with Sherry Tomato Sauce

This dish is perfect to start the year off on a flavorful note. Serve with pasta or some crusty bread for mopping up the yummy sauce.

Cod Cakes

I made these cod cakes on Christmas Eve and they were a huge hit. In fact, I made them early in the day (and reheated them in the oven when it was time to serve) and people kept popping in the kitchen to steal one. SO delicious and easy.

Creamy Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese inspired by Panera. Actually, it’s inspired by Pinterest since I’ve never even had Panera’s mac and cheese. When I do indulge in mac and cheese, I tend to prefer it to come from my kitchen and to be of the baked variety. I am a sucker for those crispy ever-so-slightly burnt edges. That said, I’ve been (always am…) craving Panera’s lethally delicious Broccoli Cheddar Soup, so I decided to meld the two. So, while I can’t say that I know this to be an exact replica of Panera’s popular mac & cheese, it was yummy, easy, and decadent, and the original recipe is said to come from Panera itselft. AND, it included one of my very favorite, and very under-rated cheeses, the American Cheese, white, thinly sliced from the deli. Yum.

Lighter Chili Rellenos

So you’re probably thinking, “this thing is covered in cheese, how is it ‘lighter’?” Well, friends, this thing is usually sans veggies, deep-fried AND covered in cheese. This is actually a vegetarian meal you can feel pretty good about. Yes, there’s cheese. But cheese makes the world go ’round. And it’s covering loads of corn and veg. Now, I will warn you, poblano peppers can be a little inconsistent in their heat levels. I’ve had them when they’re very spicy or very mild – tonight we sure got some spicy ones! But just dollop some greek yogurt or sour cream on top and all is mellowed out.

Salmon Tacos with Sriracha Ranch

These tacos are super easy, super light and super flavorful – the perfect break from heavy, complicated holiday-type foods. This was served with a cool, vinegary slaw, but honestly, crunchy shredded lettuce would have worked just as well. Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew

It’s recipes like this one that make me love my slow-cooker. Browning the meat ahead of time adds so much to the flavor and texture of slow-cooked foods. Bone-in chicken legs and thighs in a flavorful broth seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, coriander.  The apricots and the chickpeas add great texture too. Serve with some whole wheat couscous and some middle eastern flatbread – yum.

Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese

Melted goat cheese? Why have I never melted goat cheese before? This smells (and tastes) divine. It is a simple make-ahead recipe too, which I love to do on Sundays to make weeknights easier. Just make the filling, stuff the peppers, and refrigerate. Pop them in the oven on the night you’re ready to serve them and poof – instant dinner.  Please try it with the goat cheese before you get all crazy substituting the cheese. The goat really makes this recipe.