Indian-inspired spinach and tofu

Have you ever eaten something that you liked, but knew you could make better, or significantly cheaper? That’s how I felt when I had one of Amy's Kitchen's Indian spinach tofu wraps. I loved the wrap, and the convenience of it being frozen and easy to grab on the way out the door, but at about $3 a pop, I felt guilty buying them. I knew it couldn't be that hard to recreate, and since the ingredients are all listed on the pack, I just had to try and figure it out.

The recipe was pretty quick to throw together. I made three wraps to freeze for later, and ate the remaining serving with a piece of wheat naan. I really enjoyed it both ways, and even ate it at room temperature, since I didn't have access to a microwave when I ate it. It's fairly healthy, and the spinach and tofu alone is only about 100 calories (though bread or a wrap will obviously add to that).

Indian-inspired Spinach and Tofu
Makes 4 servings, can easily be doubled

Ingredients :
1 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
8 oz baby spinach
1 tsp curry powder*
1/2 tsp ginger powder*
1 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 block firm tofu, cut into cubes
1/8 cup broth (chicken, veggie, etc.), optional
*Spices can be altered to taste. The addition of turmeric would also be good, though I didn't add any, because I was out.

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large rimmed skillet (a large sauce pan would probably work too). Sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add spinach (you will need to add it in two or three parts, because it won’t all fit in your pan). Add part of the broth with each addition of spinach. Turn the leaves until all the spinach has been added and wilted. Add spices. Remove from heat.
4. Using a food processor or blender, mix together the tofu and the spinach mixture until desired consistency.

If making wraps, I recommend assembling them and baking them in the oven for about 15 minutes at 325, so they are golden on the outside and a bit crisp. They can then be cooled and frozen.

Parmesan Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

First, let me say that if this all comes across a little wonky, I'm sorry, but I took some Dayquil this morning, and it tends to make me a little loopy.

My husband and I are generally pretty boring with vegetables. Out of convenience, both is time and size, we make a lot of those Green Giant boxed vegetables, focusing more on the main dish than the sides. As much as I enjoy those veggies, especially because they are so simple and my husband cannot screw them up, lately I'm been bored of them, and decided we need to eat more variety when it comes to veggies.

If you eat all your veggies out of boxes and bags, you may think you don't like Brussels sprouts. I was sure I didn't like them. They were always slimy and tasted "too green." Then, I learned that Brussels sprouts can be cooked in ways that DON'T cause them to be mushy and gross. This recipe turns out sprouts that are tender without being mushy, and with the addition of garlic and cheese, have a completely different taste than those Brussels sprouts you ate as a child. Everyone should give Brussels sprouts a second chance, because these truly were delicious. Served with a simple chicken, they really added to the meal.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off bottom on sprout and remove outer leaves. Cut Brussels sprouts into quarters or halves, depending on size.
2. Mix oil and garlic in a medium bowl. Lightly toss sprouts in the oil mixture.
3. Pour sprouts and oil into a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese even across the top.
4. Bake 35-50 minutes, until centers are tender, stirring about every 10 minutes. If sprouts begin to char before being tender, cover dish with foil.

Spinach artichoke grilled cheese.

I have always loved spinach and artichoke dip. Even when I thought I didn't like spinach (because apparently I was confused as a child), I still always wanted spinach and artichoke dip. I love the flavor of artichokes, and the creaminess of the dip. Yum! Of course, when I saw a recipe that blended my favorite appetizer with a grilled cheese sandwich, I knew I had to try it. I changed a few things from the original recipe, adding roasted red pepper, using laughing cow cheese instead of sour cream, and cutting down on shredded cheese. The end product was delicious, with just enough creaminess and plenty of flavor, and, with a filling that was less than 200 calories, I didn't feel guilty eating it.

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
1 Tb olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
1/3 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
2 wedges light creamy Swiss laughing cow cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese
4 slices bread

Instructions 1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Most of the liquid should be evaporated.
3. Add artichoke hearts and roasted red pepper. Sauté about 2 minutes and remove from heat.
4. Stir in laughing cow wedges until melted.
5. Scoop half the spinach artichoke mix onto a slice of bread. Add half of the shredded cheese and top with another slice of bread. Toast sandwich in prepared skillet*, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. Repeat with remaining filling and bread.

*I like to spray my skillet with Pam to toast my sandwiches, rather than using butter, though either method would work.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Homemade easy fancy dress

When my aunt told me the only thing my goddaughter wanted for Christmas this year was dress up clothes, I knew I had to make her some homemade dresses. Unfortunately, I don't have much experience sewing, espeically not sewing without a pattern. After searching the internet a bit, I found a few different ideas, and just hoped they would work. For this dress, I found this video, which had a basic tutorial, and used that to make something I thought would be quick, easy, and cute. I was happy with the end product, and it only took about 30 minutes total.

The amount of each fabric you need will depend on the size you need to make. Since I was making a dress for a 3 year old, I didn't need much fabric at all. In fact, I used an old jersey knit shirt as the base fabric. You also need a piece of tulle, and a piece of lace.

To start off, you need to cut a bodice piece from your knit fabric. The piece will be a rectangle, with the long side being your approximate waist measurement(this may need to be increased slightly if your waist is much smaller than your bust), and the short side being the length you want the bodice(my piece was 20" by 11"). You also need to cut a skirt piece from your knit fabric. This piece will be a trapezoid shape, with the top length being the same as your long length of the bodice piece. The bottom of your trapezoid should be a few inches longer(4-6", depending on stretch of fabric). The easiest way to do this is to fold your fabric in half, and measure from the center. This way, both angular sides of your trapezoid should turn out the same. The height of your trapezoid should be about how long you want your dress to be.

Next, cut your piece of tulle. The tulle should be about twice the length of your waist measurement(but the same height as your trapezoid piece). Pleat and pin the tulle onto the waist-length side of the trapezoid piece, pinning the tulle onto the right side of the fabric. Sew a quick baste stitch to keep the pieces together.

Cut a piece of lace the same size as your tulle. Again, pleat and pin onto the trapezoid piece, on top of the tulle(your fabric should be in this order:lace, then tulle, then knit). place your bodice piece on top, with the right side of the fabric facing the lace. pin, and sew along the waist line.

You should now have one piece thats all attached. Simply pin and sew the back seam and voila! Since I didn't know my cousin's exact size, I added two tie straps to the top, but they are not necessary. In the below diagram, you can see the sizes of each fabric piece I cut.

If these directions aren't completely clear, feel free to ask for clarification. I've never written sewing instructions before.

Christmas presents for a little princess...

Merry Chirstmas everyone. I know I'm a day late, and that I haven't posted in a bit, but I've been very b usy making Christmas presents. I made a few different gifts, and a dress for myself, but most of my time was spent thinking up and sewing dress up clothes for my cousin and god-daughter. She is OBSESSED with dressing up and being a princess, so I used some pieces of fabrics my mom had laying around from the years of making me and my cousin Christmas dresses to make a few fun outfits for my adorable, soon-to-be three year old cousin. (Sorry, this post is pretty image heavy).

I started off making her and her older sister tutus. The pictures really don't do them justice, and they are really way prettier than they look here. I was in a rush to take pictures and get them wrapped, so I didn't have time to get any great ones, but hopefully, when they get back from their vacation, I can get a few pictures of the girls in them.

The tutus are made out of rolls of tulle, and were pretty quick to make. Everything else I made is out of fabric either my mom or I had in our stashes.

This dress was simple, made out of some muslin I had laying around, and a piece of lace from a shirt. I shirred the back so it wouldn't need a zipper or buttons, but apparently I didn't get a picture of it.

This dress was cut from a shirt, so I simply sewed in the sides and cut new straps. The fabric is really stretchy and glittery, so it should slip on easy and sparkle away.

This fabric was my favorite in the stash, but I didn't have much, so I could only make a skirt. It's difficult to tell in the picture, but there is a layer of tulle underneath that peeks out the bottom, and causes the skirt to have just a bit of poof. This is probably my favorite of the pieces I made, but only because it reminds me of the matching dresses my cousin and I had for Christmas when we were little, using this fabric.

Last but not least, I made this cute dress out of some jersey, tulle, and lace. I think I will post a tutorial for it tomorrow. It was pretty quick to throw together, once I figured out exactly what I was doing, but I think it will be worth sharing.

I also made a scarf for my aunt, and a wall decoration for my cousin, but, of course, I forgot to take pictures of them. If I can, I'll have them each snap a pic for me so I can share them.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all!

Mexican-insipred Chicken and Rice Casserole

When I was younger, I always thought I didn't like rice. My parents would make white rice in a variety of different forms, and I would never eat it. At one point, in the attempt to make me eat it, my dad started putting cinnamon sugar on my rice, hoping the sweetness would make me enjoy it. I never did.

As the years went on, I started to eat rice in small amounts, as long as it wasn't too mushy and had a lot of flavor. I'll eat rice in my chipotle burritos, and I love fried rice, but I never really made rice for myself. My husband loves rice in pretty much any form, and always wants me to make it, so when I saw this this recipe for creamy chicken and rice casserole over at Pinch of Yum, I figured I would try it, assuming he would love it. I was right, he loved it, and so did I. All I changed was halving the entire recipe, making 4 instead of 8 servings. The brown rice gives the casserole a lot of texture, while the homemade cream sauce has a much better flavor than your typical canned cream of chicken soup.

After making the recipe once, I decided to add my own twist to it, and give it a bit of Mexican flair. I added black beans, bell pepper, and corn, plus some hot sauce and changed up the spices a bit. Overall, the dish turned out great, and I would recommend it, either in its original state, or the way I made it with the Mexican flair. I'm sure it could be customized in many other ways too by simply switching the veggies and spices.

Mexican-inspired Chicken and Rice Casserole
Serves 4

Ingredients:
For cream sauce: 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
3/8 cup flour
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Tapatio*

For casserole:
Cream sauce (see above)
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice, rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1 cup bell pepper, diced
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
2 slices pepper jack cheese*


To make the cream sauce:
1. Combine the chicken broth and 1/4 cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, seasonings, and hot sauce into the remaining 1/2 cup milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms.
3. Pour the flour/milk mixture into the saucepan over low heat and stir continuously until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes.

To make the casserole:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish well.
2. Combine the uncooked rice, cream sauce (from above), and water (I actually did this in the saucepan to save a dish). Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Place boneless chicken breasts on top of the mixture, and sprinkle seasoning.
4. Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.
5. After 45 minutes, remove foil. Carefully remove chicken and set aside. Stir in beans, corn, and pepper. Reposition chicken on top of the mixture, and bake an additional 30 minutes or until rice and chicken are cooked through and top is slightly browned.
6. Remove from oven. Carefully shred chicken, mix together, and put cheese on top. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*Other hot sauces can be used in place of Tapatio. Shredded cheese would also work, if you do not have sliced pepper jack.

I know the recipe sounds like a lot of work, but it is really quite simple, just a few quick steps, then waiting for it to cook. This made my house smell AMAZING, and the 10 minutes waiting for it to cool were torturous.

Source: Adapted from A Pinch of Yum

Pumpkin Dinner Roll

As I believe I mentioned in a previous post, my sister-in-law is pregnant with her first baby. Since they were not finding out if baby is a boy or a girl, I needed a gender neutral theme for the shower, and decided to go with pumpkins, since I know she loves fall and pumpkins (her wedding was even a fall theme). These little rolls went perfectly with the shower, and it was quite simple to achieve, giving a cute, festive treat.

This isn't really a recipe, more just a way of preparing something. I didn't even make dinner rolls fresh (too many other things to make, especially after the cake fiasco), but instead used frozen rolls which you let defrost and rise for a few hours.

Once the rolls are risen and ready to be put in the oven, you simply press down on the dough ball a bit, and cut slits (about 8) in the rolls, leaving the center uncut. They will look a bit like flowers when they are uncooked. Bake the rolls (follow the directions for your roll recipe), and let them cool a bit. To make my rolls look a bit more orange, I melted some butter and added a bit or orange food coloring to it, and then brushed the rolls with the orange butter.

For stems, I decided to use small pieces of chocolate bars, though other food items would work well (pretzels, pecans, etc). After the rolls begin to cool (but are still slightly warm), you simply press the chocolate bar into the center, pressing down so it sticks (since the roll is still a little warm, the chocolate should melt a bit, allowing it to stay on.

That's it! With just a little extra work, you end up with cute pumpkin shaped rolls, prefect for a fall party or Thanksgiving.