The Blonde Diaries

Quick and Easy Meal Idea

Last week, before the holidays and my subsequent gorging on Turkey and Ham, I made a pretty quick and easy meal that I wanted to share. I did not remember to take a photo but I did freeze the left overs so maybe when I unfreeze it later on I will remember and post a photo. I did not go off of a particular recipe for this meal idea. I actually got the idea from a dish I had at an Italian restaurant last year that Mike and I went too and I thought it would be easy enough to recreate at home which it was. This is my version of Cheesy Shrimp Risotto.

1 box of Risotto (Parmesan flavored works nicely)
1 package of medium sized shrimp (I purchased the cooked, pre-peeled and pre-veined version)
1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots

Prepare the Risotto following the box directions. Boil the Shrimp until cooked and tender. Heat peas and carrots until cooked. Once everything is cooked (takes about 10 minutes total for all 3) combine into a bowl and stir until everything is well mixed. Spoon onto plates and serve. I haven’t perfected this recipe but next time I plan on adding more cheese to give it a more cheesy taste.

It’s Steak Night again!

We are trying to do steak night again. This time around Mike wants to try the Smith & Wollensky method since he heard from a coworker that that is the best way to prepare a steak. I don’t see what was wrong with the George Foreman method I tried last time but apparently that was not a “proper” way to do it per Mike. So we are off to church right now and have the steaks out on the counter warming up to room temperature. After church we are stopping by Mike’s apartment and grabbing the cast iron skillet since it is stove top and oven safe and giving this a try. Basically from what I have read online we are to heat up the skillet as hot as possible and sear the steaks on one side for about 1 minute then flip and throw in the oven for 2 minutes per side and we are suppose to have the perfect Medium steaks. I’m letting Mike do most of the handling of this little adventure especially since it calls for using the cast iron skillet which is really heavy. If this method works as we believe it will I will report back tomorrow with exactly what we did, how long, and pictures.

Wish us luck!

Crock Pot Recipe Series Recipe #6

The week before the Memorial Day holiday I was suppose to be spending time traveling all over England, Scotland, and Ireland. As luck would have it my trip was canceled and I got to enjoy my week off from work hanging out at home while Mike studied for the Regulation section of the CPA exam. I had my family pop over for a few days and wasn’t quite sure what to feed them but I knew I had some basic ingredients in my fridge/freezer: beef, biscuits, and the cajun trinity so I popped open a cookbook and found Ground Beef & Biscuits and decided to give it a go. It turned out to be really good and if it wasn’t for the peas even my picky brother would have loved it (he just “liked” it). So if you are in a rut or short on time try this recipe out!

Ground Beef and Biscuits

1.5 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
10oz pkg frozen peas, thawed
2 7.5oz cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2 cups fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

1. Brown ground beef, celery, and onions in nonstick skillet
2. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and oregano
3. Add tomato sauce and peas
4. Pour into slow cooker
5. Arrange biscuits over top and sprinkle with cheese
6. Cook uncovered on high for 1-1.5 hours

Nutritional info: 370 calories, 9gms fat, 35mg cholesterol, 38gms carbohydrates (3gms fiber, 5gms sugar), 34 gms protein

My observations: If you have read my other recipes that I have posted you know that I always have to add a little something or take a little something away from the original recipe. This one was no different. Instead of worrying about buying frozen celery and onions, I just defrosted some of my cajun trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) and used that. It was just fine. Another item, I only had 2 12oz canisters of biscuits and that proved to be too much. If you are in that situation just use one can! Lastly, my sew chef did not tell me to cook uncovered so I put the lid on it. The recipe turned out fine and the biscuits came out unharmed. So if you forget don’t worry!

Disney Dining: Cold Strawberry Soup

One of the most popular and longest threads you will find on any Disney related message board is the “food photos” thread. These threads are basically show and tell pictures of everything people ate on their trip. Now if you are not a die-hard Disney fan this concept may sound odd to you. Believe me, it took me a while to understand as well. But after reading an 82 page post I now get why it is a helpful planning tool. If you don’t know anything about the restaurants and the food they serve looking at pictures will help you decide on your reservations.

In those 82 pages I found a picture of 1900 Park Fare which is a character meal at the Grand Floridian. This restaurant apparently has a very tasty and very popular Strawberry Soup which is sold cold. I am super excited to give it a try as I have never really tried a cold soup and I love strawberries. I thought it might be wise to go ahead and post the recipe for it as well in case I come back loving the soup I can easily find the recipe! Normally I would make this first before posting but I don’t want to make this at home before trying the real thing. So if you happen to make this or have made it before please post and let me know how it turned out for you.

1900 Park Fare: Cold Strawberry Soup

Note: Takes all of 10 min to make. Store it in a pitcher in the fridge and eat it for about a week.

• 2.5 pounds frozen strawberries, thawed w/juice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• fresh strawberries, for garnish.

1. Mix strawberries, cream, sour cream, and yogurt in blender until smooth
2. Add sugar, if desired
3. Chill. Stir well before serving
4. Garnish with fresh strawberries

Another Note: There was discussion on whether or not you could sub in low-fat/non-fat ingredients and the consensus was no because the soup would not thicken and blend together since it is not cooked.

Crock Pot Recipe Series - Recipe #5

I have been a sauerkraut convert ever since my trip to Walt Disney World in September of 2006. Mike and I ate at the German restaurant, Biergarten, in Epcot which served a variety of German food on their buffet. Since it was a buffet and I wasn’t required to clear my plate before having seconds, I decided to heed to Mike’s nudging and try just a little spoonful of sauerkraut with my bratwursts and it has never been the same since. My Polish grandparents and father have never been so proud that they have another sauerkraut convert in the family.

I found this almost perfect recipe in my crock pot cookbook and decided to give it a try. It was very flavorable and has quickly become a favorite of Mike and mine’s. Word of warning though: Like anything that includes cabbage or sauerkraut, this item will leave a rather strong odor in your kitchen before, during, and after cooking. It is well worth it though and you should just open a window or crank your A/C down and circulate your air It is very low calorie/low points so if you need something to add to your diet give this recipe a try.

3 ingredient Sauerkraut Meal

2 c low sodium BBQ sauce
1 c water
2 lbs thinly sliced lean pork chops, trimmed of fat
2 lbs sauerkraut, rinsed

1. Mix together BBQ sauce and water.
2. Combine BBQ Sauce, pork chops and sauerkraut in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours.

Per serving: 300 cal, 11 gms fat, 18 gms carbs, 3 gms fiber, 32 gms protein.

Made 6 servings and was about 6-7 WW points per serving.