The Retail Girl

  By esalley | May 16, 2012 - 11:29 pm | Uncategorized
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Most young women, at one point or another in their lives, has worked some sort of retail job at one point or another. As a thirty year old woman looking back on my colourful work history, I can say that I’ve probably worked at least fifteen different retail jobs! That may sound like a lot, but if you’re currently working in retail, you understand that it isn’t exactly the highest paying career, unless you’re in management, and if it’s a great store, the likelihood of you staying long enough to climb the managerial ladder is probably quite slim. If you’re working in a clothing shop, you’re probably there for the discounts, or maybe you’re collecting a fashion merchandising salary to get an in somewhere in the fashion industry later on. Either way, the retail industry is responsible for employing millions of young people every year, so it made sense to write a blog about it.

I’ve worked everything from selling paint, and hardware supplies to pet food and three thousand dollar handbags! And yes, while all retail jobs may follow a similar set of principles in their operation, each product has its own set of features and benefits, and if you don’t have the basic skills to sell a product, whether it’s a can of paint or a car, you will never become an effective sales person. It takes a minute or two to gain those skills, but once you have them, you open the door to more money, a promotion and the potential to make a career change. So if you’re someone who works in sales, no matter the sector, check back on this blog every few weeks, and I’m quite sure you’ll find something that pertains to whatever industry you happen to be working in.

As I mentioned above, I’ve worked at over fifteen different retail jobs. It’s not like this was over one year or something, I’m talking over a fifteen year work period (which funnily enough still translates into me changing my job every year), but but in reality, many of those jobs overlapped with one another. One Christmas I worked at a clothing store for the first part of the week, a pet food shop for the latter half of the week, and a shoe store in the evening. It was overwhelming, but when you live in a city where the disparity between minimum wage and the cost of living was so great, I had little choice. And this is not an uncommon story amongst retail workers; Low pay and long hours. So why did I do it?

Well, other than the obvious, which was I needed to be employed to survive, I also happened to enjoy the thrill of the sale. Sounds strange, but it’s true. I quite enjoyed the actual sales process, and enjoyed educating people about a particular product, and helping them to determine whether or not said product was a fit for their life, whatever it was. One of my favourite retail positions, by far, was when I worked as pet nutrition consultant at a local pet store. I got to spend my days rubbing noses with all creatures great and small, and I was able to help my customers make important decisions about their pets decisions. That may seem like something small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but I never missed an opportunity to educated and learn myself. It gave me a chance to get to know everyone’s story (and their pets), and sell them a product they be returning for week after week. Sounds cheesy, but retail jobs can be fun! Stay tuned!

Simple Single Breakfast Ideas

  By esalley | April 13, 2012 - 10:10 pm | Breakfast Ideas
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Hey there foodies! We’re changing this blog up a little bit. Just consider it a tune up. We’re molding and refining it and cutting the serving size down to one. Why? Because we like you, and only you, and nobody else. So these recipes are from me to you. There will be no middle man, side man, front man… Well, you get the point. Really, there is a good reason that we’re changing this blog into a single serving recipe extravaganza. I’ve been single for several months now, and I know that the transition from cooking for several people, to cooking for yourself can be a challenging one. I went from being a food blogger who experimented with meals almost every day, to… almost nothing. It’s all too easy to stop cooking when it’s just you. I mean, who are you trying to impress with that meatless meatloaf anyway?

But after a few months of digging down into bags of trail mix for breakfast, quickly slathering rice cakes with hummus for lunch, and pretending that canned tuna and avocado made a perfectly fine dinner, I’ve had it. I’m ready to get back in the kitchen and finally take some time to snuggle up to the stove, the oven, the grill, the blender, the dehydrator, the toaster oven, the food processor, or whatever else will help me make meals filled with self-love (can you tell I’m staying in a place with a lot of kitchen appliances?).

So we’ll start out with something simple and talk about some quick single serving breakfast ideas that will serve up a lot of love in a little bit of time. Tomorrow morning, if you’ve got a little bit of time before heading off to your accounting gig, skip the cereal and head for something a little more meaningful. How about:

Baked Grapefruit:

grapefruit picture

The Green Smoothie:

Or one of my absolute favorites… The Vegetarian Rainbow Chard Breakfast:

What’s your favorite single serving breakfast?

 

 

 

Simple Baked Lemon Chicken

  By esalley | March 28, 2012 - 1:00 am | Healthy Eating
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Nothing hits the spot like a baked chicken. You may think it takes hours and lots of prep time to get the perfect baked chicken, but chicken is one of the easiest dishes to master. First start with a good plump baking hen; try to go with organic if you can. Look for one at least three pounds. Also try to find a baking hen, they are larger and have more meat than a frying hen.

http://www.organicgardening.com/sites/default/files/images/lemon_garlic_chicken_300.jpg

Image by Organic Gardening

For this recipe you’ll need the following:

Baking hen
Salt and pepper
1 sprig each of fresh rosemary and thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 thinly sliced lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Make sure the cavity is clean and remove any excess fat from the cavity. Wash the chicken inside and out, and pat dry. Next fold the wings under to keep the ends from burning, and take some kitchen twine and tie the legs together. These two steps help the chicken to cook evenly and make a nice presentation.

Take your hands and gently separate the skin on the breast from the meat. Slip a slice of lemon under the skin of each breast. Salt and pepper the cavity and the skin of the chicken. Place the garlic, rosemary and sage sprigs into the cavity of the hen. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and brown the chicken on all sides.

Place the chicken into a heavy non-stick roasting pan and back at 400 degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes. After this time add the wine and lemon juice and start to baste the chicken while it bakes for another 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and place the chicken on a platter and wrap it with a clean dish towel to keep it warm.

Make a pan sauce by draining off the excess fat and bring the liquid in the roasting pan to a boil. Reduce it to about half and then transfer into a small bowl or gravy boat. The last step is to carve the chicken, serve it up with your favorite sides and the pan sauce, and enjoy.  This is an easy weekend meal or one you can let cook while you study your classes at Everest online.  As a busy adult student you want to eat healthy foods that are easy to prepare, and this lemon chicken is just what you need to do both.

Bring on the Corned Beef and Cabbage!

  By esalley | March 16, 2012 - 9:57 pm | Holiday Meals
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Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day and if you’re like me you’re hankering for some good old fashioned corned beef and cabbage. There’s a lot of different versions out there and I’ve gathered some of the easiest and what looks like the tastiest recipes on the web. I’ve tried to find recipes that don’t take all day to prepare. If you’re like me going to school and working takes up most of your days, so while you’re trying to study and pass your forensic psychology program, or what ever your major is, you can prepare a traditional Irish dinner without a lot of fuss.

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Just a Pinch

Our first recipe comes from Janet Suber on Just a Pinch Recipe Club. Her Fried Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is a quick and easy version of the Irish classic. She uses canned corned beef and the cabbage fries up in no time. In about a half an hour you’ll have a hearty dish on the table for your family.

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Food Network

I love my slow cooker and use it all of the time. The next recipe is from the Food Network for Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage. Simply prepare the ingredients and put them into your slow cooker before you go to work or school, and when you get home you’ll be greeted with the savory smell of dinner.

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Simply Recipes

At Simply Recipes one of the contributors did a taste test for baked corned beef and cabbage versus the boiled version. Both are tasty and her family liked the baked version the best. Either is a great way to enjoy this classic dish. Why not do a taste test of your own and see which one your family likes best?

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Allrecipes

The Allrecipes.com Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe uses red potatoes, cabbage and corned beef simmered in a Dutch oven. Dutch ovens are a great tool to have in the kitchen since they heat up evenly and maintain a controlled heat. You can leave your dishes to simmer for a long time on the stove.

If you try any of these recipes, let me know which one you liked best. I have fond memories of my mom making corned and cabbage all during the year. It was a staple at my house and always a treat when my mom made it. One of the fun things about making it was going to the store and picking out the brisket. The spices floating around in the juices always fascinated me. I asked my dad once what made it corned beef and he said it was because they fed the cows corn. I believed him until very recently…

May you have a blessed and Happy St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy your version of corned beef and cabbage.

Basic Equipment for Your Kitchen

  By esalley | March 3, 2012 - 12:53 am | Kitchen Essentials
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If you like to cook, and even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy it more and have better results if you have the right equipment. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a well equipped kitchen. My daughter, who wants to enter school to learn how to become an elementary school teacher loves to cook and she was asking me the other day what she needs to set up her kitchen. I’ve done some research and want to pass on to you what I’ve come across. Many professional chefs recommend purchasing the essentials at a restaurant supply store. This is where most chefs go when they need a new piece of equipment. You’ll get professional grade products which won’t break the bank.

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Kitchen Old Style

Mark Bittman (a food writer for the New York Times and best selling author) gives us advice in his 2009 article, A No Frills Kitchen Still Cooks. In his article he also recommends going to a restaurant supply store to stock up on the right equipment. Here’s his essential list:

  • 8 inch plastic handle stainless steel alloy chef’s knife
  • Instant read thermometer
  • 3 stainless steel bowls
  • Sturdy tongs (not too long)
  • Sheet pan
  • Plastic cutting board (can go into dishwasher)
  • Paring knife
  • Japanese mandolin (used for slicing and to julienne)
  • Can opener
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Colander
  • Small, medium, and large aluminum or stainless steel saucepans
  • Medium non-stick frying pan
  • Heavy duty steel pan
  • A skimmer, spatula, and assorted large spoons (don’t forget slotted ones)
  • A big whisk
  • Wooden spoons
  • Salad spinner
  • Food processor
  • Blender
  • Box grater
  • Spice and coffee grinder (this is optional, but is handy to have)
  • Kitchen scissors

According to Mark Bittman, these are the essentials you need to set up a basic kitchen. I’d add a stock pot (a large deep pot), a small non-stick skillet for eggs, and a large and small glass baking dish as well as a few assorted cake pans. If you like to make casseroles, you’ll also need various sizes of heavy duty casserole dishes with lids. Shannon Turlington, author of the Simply Cooking blog, also adds a serving tray or platter, measuring cups and spoons, a corkscrew and a kettle. It should cost around $200 to $300 to outfit a basic kitchen. Check out sales and pick up extras as you can afford them, and you’ll have a working kitchen with all the basics and a few bells and whistles in no time.

Creative Casseroles for When You’re Short on Time

  By esalley | February 27, 2012 - 1:01 am | Make Ahead, Quick and Easy
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Coming from the Midwest I grew up eating casseroles. We had tuna casserole, scalloped potatoes and ham, and any other concoction my mother could find to throw together. The beauty of casseroles is you can take what is in your fridge and pantry, add some pasta, potatoes or rice and have a quick easy meal. Many of them you can prepare ahead of time, save them in the fridge and then when you’re ready pop them into the oven.

Now that I live in the South, we don’t have as many casseroles. I’m not sure why. It could be the heat down here, the availability of fresh produce, or just a cultural difference. You all know how much I like website Just a Pinch Recipe Club, well this week they are featuring casseroles and I’ve found a few you may want to whip up for your family or for yourself.

Kielbasa Pasta Casserole

1 16 oz. package of ziti pasta
3 14.5 oz. cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes
3 8 oz. Cans of tomato sauce (You can also use 1 ½ jars of spaghetti sauce instead of stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce.)
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
Brown sausage in a bit of oil in a skillet until brown, about 5 minutes.
Combine cooked zitie, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and mix well.
Pour this combination into a 9×13 baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and top with the cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes covered with foil. Remove foil and bake until golden brown, about 10-15 more minutes.

Crescent Sausage Casserole

2 cans of crescent rolls
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 pound bulk hot sausage
1 pound bulk mild sausage
1 8 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9X12 baking dish with cooking spray.
Brown sausage in skillet and drain grease.
Mix warm sausage with cream cheese.
Take one can of the crescent rolls and unroll it. Spread it out into the bottom of the baking dish.
Spread sausage and cream cheese mixture over crescent roll layer.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over sausage layer.
Unroll second can of crescent roll and place on top.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until top is brown.

You can also take traditional casseroles like tuna noodle and add some French’s Onions to it, peas, or crush some potato chips or Ritz crackers on top. Substitute the ham in a scalloped potato and ham casserole with turkey or chicken. Use your imagination and you can create interesting casseroles for easy supper ideas.

Beyond Ramen Noodles

  By esalley | February 13, 2012 - 1:24 am | Lunch Ideas, Quick and Easy
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Ramen noodles have been the staple of college students and people short on cash since they came out on the market. Although they are filling, they’re not very nutritious on their own. But you can add taste and nutrition to your next batch of ramen noodles without breaking the bank. I know how tight cash is when you’re studying how to become a paralegal, how to become a parole officer, or any other degree program. So here’s some simple and cheap ways to make your ramen noodles less of a drag and more of a meal.http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4011/4619281989_78c508a46a_m.jpg

Frozen vegetables add vitamins, minerals and taste great. There are so many varieties of frozen vegetables to choose from, you can mix them up and add your favorites. Frozen vegetables also retain many of the nutrients present when they are picked. Many varieties of frozen vegetables have as many nutrients as their fresh counterparts and are low in calories.

Whisk in an egg to create your own egg drop soup. After the noodles are cooked,  add the spice packet, a shot of soy sauce, and whisk in an egg. Keep stirring until the egg threads and is thoroughly cooked. (I find it easier to do this if you whisk the egg in a small bowl first.) One egg has over 31 grams of protein, 24% of your daily recommended Vitamin A, and 255 of your daily iron.

Add sliced lunchmeat like turkey, chicken or ham. This adds protein and taste to your ramen noodles. You can use deli meats or purchase pre-cooked chicken strips. Four ounces of chicken has 70% of your daily protein and a significant amount the recommended amounts of B vitamins. Combine these with frozen or fresh vegetables for a complete meal in a bowl.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6059/6292646233_32ba1c682d_m.jpgIf you’re concerned about sodium, you can forego the flavor packet and use your own seasonings. Many brands of ramen contain 1600 mg. of sodium, that’s 66% of your sodium for the day. Use low sodium soy sauce, hot chili sauce, Mrs. Dash seasonings, onions, and garlic to add some punch to your noodles. I like to even use the ramen noodles as a base for pasta dishes when I’m short on cash. Ramen noodles may have gotten the reputation for being a college student and poor man’s dish, but with some imagination you can make delicious and nutritious meals with the humble ramen noodle.

Chocolate Cake in Your Crock Pot – Yes Really!

  By esalley | February 2, 2012 - 9:50 pm | Dessert, Slow Cooker
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You know I like to share easy recipes for you and your family to enjoy and the great cooks at the Just a Pinch Recipe Club are always coming up with ones that look and taste delicious. In fact, I subscribed to their email newsletter just so I could get new ideas and find recipes to share with you, my loyal readers. If you ever need any down home ideas on what to fix for dinner, snacks, lunches, or for a get together I’d really recommend this website. They even have discussion forums and products you can check out, too.

When I opened today’s email there was the most decadent looking chocolate cake staring back at me. Now I’m a confirmed chocoholic, and this cake looks absolutely wonderful. Here’s the recipe courtesy of Cindy Dominguez of Junction City, KY.

Crock Pot Cake

You’ll need:

1 chocolate box cake mix

4 large eggs

¾ cup oil

1 cup water

1 pint sour cream

1 small instant chocolate pudding mix

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the first six ingredients in your mixer on low and then add the chocolate chips by hand. Spray your Crock Pot with non-stick spray and cook on low for four to five hours. Do not under any circumstances lift the lid. Cindy serves hers warm with vanilla ice cream and drizzles the whole thing with chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Really is Good for You 

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that by adding only two ounces of dark chocolate to your diet you can increase your intake of antioxidants by 4%. Antioxidants help protect your body’s cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules missing an electron. They are produced by pollution and environmental factors. They steal electrons from your body’s cells causing damage and increasing your risk for many diseases including heart disease and cancer. Chocolate also has a plentiful supply of phytochemicals shown to improve your mood and your health. John Robbins of the Huffington Post reviewed the many health benefits in his article, Chocolate’s Startling Health Benefits. So don’t feel guilty about eating chocolate, a little bit is good for you. Enjoy the cake and let me know how you liked it and how it turned out.

Planning a Super Bowl Party

  By esalley | January 30, 2012 - 1:57 am | Party Planning, Uncategorized
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The Super Bowl is only days away and you may consider having friends and family over to watch the big game. Although the thought of throwing a Super Bowl party may make you feel like you need to study how to become an event planner, with a bit of creativity and planning you can throw a party everyone will enjoy – including you. Remember to keep it simple, the focus will be on the game and you want to be able to be with your guests enjoying the day. The last thing you want to do is be stuck in the kitchen preparing snacks and preparing complicated recipes.

Decide on a theme or decide not to have a theme. Yes it’s a Super Bowl party, but do you want to have everything matched in your favorite team’s colors? Or would you rather have an informal party with no theme or color scheme. An informal party is the easiest, but it is up to you how much time you want to spend preparing for the party.

Enlist your guests to help bring dishes. One of the most enjoyable parties is a pot luck. Everyone brings their favorite dishes to share. This takes a lot of the stress off of you because you don’t have to worry about providing all of the food and drinks. You may want to have a sign up sheet so you don’t end up with eight pots of chili and no drinks.

Have kid friendly snacks and drinks. Have easy to eat snacks and kid friendly drinks available for the kids to enjoy. Pigs-in-a-blanket, mini-corndogs, popcorn balls, meatballs on a stick, and Kool-Aid are some ideas for the kids.

Provide non-alcoholic drinks. Not everyone drinks so have some sweet tea, soda, and lemonade so that everyone has a beverage they can enjoy. Make sure you have a pot of coffee ready in case anyone wants a cup. If you live in a cold climate, why not have some hot cider or hot chocolate. These drinks are enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Have more than one buffet table if you have the room. This will avoid pile ups at the refreshment table and you can put savory snacks on one table and desserts on the other. This way guests can pick and choose easily.

Relax and have fun! This is a party after all. Mingle and have fun with your guests. If things don’t go exactly as planned, it’s not a big deal. The main theme of the party is to enjoy the game and each other’s company.

Simple and Delicious Super Bowl Recipes

  By esalley | January 21, 2012 - 10:15 pm | Quick and Easy, Slow Cooker
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Can you feel it? Super Bowl excitement is in the air. Sunday, February 5th is the big day. Fans wait all year to see if their favorite teams will meet up on the great gridiron to compete for top dog. This year’s Super Bowl is inIndianapolis,IN, but the excitement will spill over into living rooms, tailgates, bars, and restaurants all over the country. If you’re planning a get together you’ll want to enjoy the game and not be stuck in the kitchen preparing snacks. Here are some ideas for you to serve on the big day.

Spicy Popcorn 

This recipe comes from the Food Network’s Rachael Ray. It is super easy and can be fixed quickly and easily. Simply pop your favorite popcorn in a heavy pan on the stovetop (add ¼ cup of oil to the pan and heat until a kernel pops then add enough popcorn to cover the bottom of the pot), and then drizzle melted butter and your favorite spices over it. Rachael uses a mixture of cumin, sweet paprika, garlic, cayenne pepper, and salt. But you can use any spices you like and adjust the heat according to your tastes.

Hot Wing Potato Skins

This recipe is a great alternative to traditional Buffalo chicken wings. Bake four large russet potatoes about one hour until tender. After they cool, cut lengthwise and scoop out the potato leaving about ¼ inch of flesh. Season skins with salt and pepper, and brush with melted butter. Put them back in the oven at 450 with the skin side up and let them cook for about 15 minutes until crisp. Top the skins with hot sauce, bleu cheese, chopped celery, and have extra bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

Slow Cooker Chili

Nothing says Super Bowl like a hot bowl of chili. This is where your Slow Cooker comes in handy. You can make the chili the night before and let it simmer on low for game day. Brown one pound of hamburger seasoned with salt and pepper and drain the fat, add this to the Slow Cooker along with one can of chili seasoned beans, one can of Mexican style chunky tomatoes, and a small package of frozen corn. Have sour cream, chopped onions, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, and crackers for garnish.

Easy Snack Ideas

You don’t have to have complicated recipes to have a delicious spread for game day. A simple platter of celery and carrot sticks, pickles, olives and ranch for dipping is always popular. Have different types of cheese set out with some deli crackers, make a large pan of brownies, and brew some sweet tea. For the adults you can place bottles of beer in a large tub of ice. This keeps them colder than in the fridge and cuts down on the trips into your kitchen. Remember to relax, have fun and enjoy the company of family and friends this Super Bowl.

Quick and Easy Dessert Ideas for Busy Students

  By esalley | January 13, 2012 - 12:31 am | Dessert, Make Ahead
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Everyone loves desserts, I know I do. If you have a family, or just a sweet tooth, you’ll want quick and easy dessert ideas that taste good and can whipped up in a flash. If you’re single you don’t want to spend a lot of time to eat delicious desserts and you don’t want to make too much. As a college student studying how to become a teacher, earning your nursing degree, or any other program you know how precious your time is and with these quick and easy dessert ideas you can put something tasty and delicious on the table in no time.

Tiramisu Dessert Improvised 

This recipe comes from professional chef Jenise Myhre-Bellanger. She posted this on Just a Pinch, one of my favorite websites for recipes. Jenise is a chef in a women’s treatment facility and she makes her recipes for over 70 women. She doesn’t give amounts in her recipes, but you can easily adapt them for the amount of people in your family or for you and your roommates.

You will need:

Refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Heavy cream, cold
Instant vanilla pudding
Instant coffee granules
2 cups of strong coffee (espresso is best)
Unsweetened cocoa
Whole milk

Bake the sugar cookies until they are lightly brown and crispy. Remove them from the baking sheet and let them cool as you mix up the pudding mix using half of the milk called for on the box. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and fold into the vanilla pudding. Add a few spoonfuls of the coffee granules and fold in gently. Take a sugar cookie and dip it completely into the espresso or coffee. Place the dipped cookie on a plate or into a small bowl. Spoon an ice cream scoop of the pudding and whipped cream mix onto the cookie. Dip another sugar cookie halfway into the espresso, break it in two and place into the pudding mix. Dust with unsweetened cocoa and serve.

Black and White Pudding Squares 

This recipe comes from the Kraft Brands website. It uses Jell-O pudding and Oreo cookies. You can make this one ahead of time and serve it whenever you want a special treat.

You’ll need:

24 Oreo cookies finely crushed
¼ cup melted butter
1 package Philadelphia cream cheese (8 oz. softened)
2 packages of Jell-O vanilla instant pudding
3 cups of cold milk
1 package of Jell-O chocolate instant pudding

Mix crushed Oreos and butter. Press into the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Beat dry vanilla pudding mixes, 1 ½ cups of milk and cream cheese in a large bowl until well blended. Spread over the cookie crust. Beat remaining milk and chocolate pudding mix together. Spoon this mixture into a plastic food storage bag and snip off a corner to create a tip. Carefully insert the tip into the pudding/cream cheese mixture and pipe six strips of the chocolate pudding lengthwise. Run a toothpick through the chocolate pudding to create stripes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Mini Mimosas

This recipe also comes from the Kraft Brands website. It is super easy and another one you can make ahead.

You’ll need:

¼ cup boiling water
1 package of Orange flavored Jell-O gelatin
1/3 cup of cold club soda
5 slices of fresh strawberries (about 2 strawberries)

Pour Jell-O mix into a bowl and add the boiling water. Stir until the Jell-O is dissolved. Add the club soda and stir. Place strawberry slices into a 2 oz. cup sprayed with cooking spray. Pour in Jell-O and chill for at least one hour. Pop out of the cups and place on a pretty platter.

Try these quick and easy recipes and let me know how they turn out. It’s okay to use a few shortcuts in the kitchen when you’re a busy student. Why not take advantage of mixes and prepared items to make your life not only easier, but more delicious.

Add Fish to Your Diet for a Change of Pace and Protein Boost

  By esalley | January 5, 2012 - 7:57 pm | Healthy Eating, Quick and Easy
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Just a Pinch Recipe Club

Fish is an excellent choice to add some variety and an extra boost of protein to your weekly menu. While I must admit I haven’t always been a fan of fish (made things interesting during Lent growing up Catholic) it has grown on me through the years and now I do enjoy it once in a while. Fish is low in fat, high in omega-3 fatty acids and can help you to include more healthy choices in your diet. According to the Better Health Channel of the Australian Government eating fish just twice a week can help to reduce your chances of developing many health issues. These include cardiovascular disease, childhood asthma, diabetes, improve your eyesight, and reduce the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Although you can take fish oil capsules to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, the real thing is much better for you. For example a serving of salmon has 1,200 mg of omega-3’s. Compared to lean beef or lamb with only 40 mg per serving, you can see how fish is an omega-3 powerhouse. Salmon, perch, cod, tilapia, whitefish and shark are all high in this important nutrient. Baking, broiling, poaching and grilling are the healthiest ways to cook fish, but shallow pan frying with olive or grapeseed oil is also a good way to prepare it. I’ve found a recipe by Scott Anderson on the Just a Pinch website that looks really delicious. His Greek Tilapia Over Wilted Spinachdeserves a look.

Tilapia fillets
8 sweet grape tomatoes, sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian-leaf parsley
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 lg shallots, diced
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
8 oz baby spinach
1/3 c Wisconsin feta cheese, keep 1 tbsp reserved for garnish
pinch fresh ground black pepper
pinch fresh ground sea salt
1 tsp fresh lemon zest pieces

Preheat oven 350F. In a glass baking dish place the fillets and tomatoes, and sprinkle the garlic and parsley over the top. Sprinkle with lime juice. Cover with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Sauté shallots in a shallow skillet in grapeseed oil for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add the spinach and cook until just wilted. This will take about 5 minutes. Next stir in the feta and heat until melted and evenly distributed.

Place ¾ cup of the spinach and feta mixture onto each plate. Lay 1 fillet over the top and sprinkle half of the tomatoes on each plate. You can garnish each plate with cracked black pepper, coarse salt, reserved feta and lemon zest.

You can use haddock, cod or halibut if you’d rather. Any flakey fish would work. Grapeseed oil is a neutral oil, meaning it doesn’t add any flavor to dishes and is a good choice for this recipe since you want the flavor of the fish and spinach to shine through. Couscous or brown rice would be a good side dish with this recipe. So add some fish to your diet and boost your protein and omega-3 intake with this tasty and healthy recipe.

 

 

Super Simple Christmas Cookies for Your Lunchbox

  By esalley | December 4, 2011 - 3:53 am | Quick and Easy
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Who doesn’t love Christmas cookies? But who has the time to make them? With these simple recipes you can have a great treat in your lunchbox or surprise someone you love with a treat in their box. The recipes I’ve found to share only have a few ingredients and are very simple to mix up and bake. One idea is to get the kids together on a weekend and back up a bunch of cookies. You can easily freeze them in storage bags for later. Of course if your family is like mine the first batch disappears pretty quickly. So take a break from you online classes at Ashworth University, fire up the oven and have fun baking some cheer.

Melt in Your Mouth Toffee Pecan Cookies

This recipe comes to us from Joyce Newman on Just a Pinch Recipe Club. You’ll need the following ingredients:

½ cup softened butter

1 box yellow cake mix

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon water

1 package Heath toffee bits

½ cup finely chopped pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Mix all ingredients except toffee bits and pecans. Once these are mixed well add the toffee bits and pecans by hand. Using an ungreased cookie sheet, spoon the cookies onto the sheet and then bake for 10 minutes. Let them cool on a cooling rack.

White Peppermint Snowballs

Peppermint is the taste of the Christmas season. This recipe is from Food Network chef, Sandra Lee. What I like about Sandra Lee’s recipes is how she combines store bought ingredients with things you have in your pantry to make your life easier. For these festive cookies you’ll need:

1 18 ounce store bought refrigerated sugar cookie dough at room temp

½ teaspoon of peppermint extract

1/3 cup crushed peppermints, reserve some for garnish

1 cup of powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Separate the cookie dough into 8 equal pieces. Combine dough, extract, crushed peppermint candy, and ½ of the powdered sugar. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until set. Remove to cooling racks to let them cool for a bit. While they are still warm, roll them in the remaining powdered sugar and garnish with crushed peppermint candies.

Shortbread Bites

This recipe comes triple tested from the Good Housekeeping kitchens. Each little bite only has 40 calories making these a guilt free treat. For this easy recipe you’ll need the following ingredients:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons of sugar

½ cup of butter – use the real stuff – cut up into pieces right out of the fridge, the butter has to be cold

1 tablespoon of red and green nonpareils, sprinkles or ½ cup of mini baking bits

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Pulse flour and sugar until combined in your food processor with the knife blade attachment. Add butter and pulse until dough combines. Place in a medium bowl. Gently knead in nonpareils, sprinkles or baking bits until evenly distributed and the dough forms a ball. Pat dough into an 8 by 5 rectangle on lightly floured waxed paper. Freeze for 15 minutes and then cut dough into ½ inch squares. Place squares ½ inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cookies should be light brown on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. (If you don’t have a food processor you can mix them by hand.)

If you really get in the swing of things, sign up for Food Network’s 12 Days of Cookies. Everyday you’ll get a new recipe and they have all of the recipes on the website for you to view and print. Make this Christmas special and make some family memories with these easy cookie recipes.

 

 

Tasty Soup Ideas for Turkey Leftovers

  By esalley | November 25, 2011 - 10:56 pm | Healthy Eating, Make Ahead, Slow Cooker
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Thanksgiving has come and went and you might be left with some turkey to use up before it spoils. While there are plenty of recipes out there for leftovers, I thought these were super easy and sounded pretty tasty. Many of them use ingredients you probably have in your cupboard already. Using what is in your cupboard keeps you from having to run to the store. A handy thing because if you’re like me and busy getting ready for the next term of online classes at Saint Leo College, you know how precious time is in a busy schedule.

Turkey Rice Garlic Roasted Soup

This recipe uses deli turkey, but leftover roasted turkey would be even better. If you don’t have the exact canned vegetables called for, just open up your cupboards or freezer and see what you have. Improvising is part of the fun of cooking so don’t be afraid to add your own touch and swap out ingredients. Roasting garlic is easy. Just take a head of garlic, cut the top off and drizzle some olive oil on it. Roast in the over until the garlic is soft. All you need to do is squeeze the garlic head and the roasted cloves will pop right out. Roasted garlic mellows out and has a sweeter flavor than raw.

Turkey Noodle Soup

This is another easy recipe. One of the tips by the author is to use the turkey carcass to make stock. Just take the turkey carcass, bones and the meat left in the pan and boil it with some carrots, onions, celery, salt and pepper. You only need to let it cook long enough for the vegetables to get soft. Strain the stock and you’ll have liquid gold you can use as a base for soups, in savory recipes instead of canned chicken stock and lots of other places you need a boost of flavor. Like the first recipe you can use what’s in your fridge or cupboard if you don’t have the exact ingredients.

My Turkey Soup Mexican Style – Ole!

Okay so this isn’t MY turkey soup, but it sounds delicious. For a different twist on leftover turkey soup try this spicy recipe. You can adjust the heat according to your family’s tastes. Top it with some shredded cheese, extra cilantro and sour cream to complete the dish. You could even use some chopped avocado to add extra richness and cool the heat a bit.

Your Crockpot is Your Friend

All three of these soups can be made in the Crockpot. Prepare the chopped ingredients the night before, prepare the turkey stock a head of time (you can even freeze it for later use), set out the canned goods and you’ll be ready to throw everything in the crock pot in the morning. In the evening your home will be filled with great smells and all you’ll have to do it set the table and serve it up. Frozen biscuits make a great addition and are another easy trick to make your family think you’ve been in the kitchen all day long. Enjoy these recipes and post any ideas you have to use up this Thanksgiving’s leftover turkey.

All images and recipes are from the Just a Pinch website.

Nutella My New Obsession

  By esalley | November 21, 2011 - 12:50 am | Healthy Eating
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I’ve always loved peanut butter. I can remember getting caught with my fingers in the peanut butter jar as a kid. My kids got caught doing the same thing, and if you’re honest I’m sure you’ve been caught with peanut butter on your fingers, too. Lately though I’ve discovered another nut spread that has become my latest obsession.

Nutella is a hazelnut/cocoa spread that is great on almost anything. Like Guy Fieri says, “you could spread it on a flip flop and it would taste good.” A friend of mine introduced me to my first jar of Nutella and it has been a hot romance ever since. Okay that may be going a bit far, but anyone who loves chocolate can relate. When I take of the lid and see the glossy spread, I have to stick my spoon in there and get me some.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy Nutella is with peanut butter. This is a great lunch to carry with you to work or enjoy while you’re working on your online classes. It’s sort of like a Reese’s cup sandwich. You may think that since it contains chocolate Nutella is not very nutritious and full of fat and calories. Actually it has less of both than peanut butter. Let’s take a look at the figures in a serving or each (2 tbsp.):

Peanut Butter: 188 calories, 16g fat, 8g protein, 6g carbs, and 208mg potassium

Nutella: 200 calories, 11g fat, 2g protein, 23g carbs, and 151mg potassium

Nutella is lower in fat, but peanut butter beats it out for protein. Nutella is so high in carbs because it is much sweeter than peanut butter. Overall either is a good choice for a spread for sandwiches, on celery, crackers, or even over ice cream. One thing I will warn you about it is if you eat too much of it in one day, you will – how can I way this – have digestive issues. In other words you’ll “go” a lot. Other than that, I think it is a great change of pace for breakfast, lunch or a mid-day snack.

What do you think? Do you like Nutella or peanut butter? Or do you like to combine the two? Do you have any ideas on how to use the spread or favorite recipes?

Brown Bag Can Be Healthy

  By esalley | November 14, 2011 - 3:05 am | Healthy Eating, Lunch Ideas
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We’re all trying to save money and the brown bag lunch has come back into fashion. Packing your own lunch can save you lots of money. For example if you normal hit the drive through and spend $6 a day on lunch, you’ll rack up $30 a work week. That’s $120 a month and a whopping $1440 a year. What could you do with an extra $1K in your pocket?

Packing a brown bag lunch is not only cheaper, but it is much healthier. A Whopper with cheese from Burger King has 780 calories, 420 of them are from fat. It has 47 grams of total fat, and 1380 grams of sodium. Add a medium fry to the meal and you add another 370 calories, 140 of them from fat, and an additional 510 grams of sodium. This is half of your calories and almost all of the recommended sodium intake for a 2,000 calorie diet. As you can see, fast food may be convenient but it is hard on your wallet and your health.

Instead of wasting money and “waisting” your health, try these fun ideas for your lunches:

  • Use mini-bagels instead of bread for your sandwiches. These work really well with tuna or chicken salad.
  • Pack a small container of peanut butter along with some whole wheat crackers, celery sticks and carrots for dipping.
  • You can do the same with low-fat ranch dressing and fresh veggies. This can be a side dish or a main course.
  • Soft tortilla shells come in all sorts of flavors and make a nice change from bread. Add your favorite lunch meat, fresh veggies and pack some dressing to add at the last minute.
  • Fried rice from leftover rice, tofu, eggs and veggies makes a great hot lunch. Use brown rice for a fiber boost.

WebMD has some more great lunch ideas you can brown bag. When you’re working or taking college classes or online classes it is important to get proper nutrition, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Use your imagination and have fun with your lunch. It’s the one time in your day that is truly yours, so enjoy it.

Bento Boxes Lunch and You

  By esalley | November 2, 2011 - 10:18 pm | Lunch Ideas
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Have you heard about a fun trend from Japan? It’s called a Bento Box and it is a unique way to pack a lunch that is creative and can be very nutritious. Bento boxes have been used for many years in Asia as a way to carry food to work, to school, or as carryout from a takeout restaurant. The great things about a Bento Box are the servings are naturally small and you have a compartment for each food. It’s like every food has its own little seat to ride in. This keeps things from running together and becoming messy and unappetizing. Usually Bento Boxes have stackable compartments so you can pack a lot in a small space, and they’re easy to carry.

You can pack a simple lunch of fruit and veggies with some ranch dip, or get really creative like the picture shown here. Your imagination is the limit. Bento Boxes lend themselves quite well to the traditional lunch or the exotic. No matter what you carry for lunch, a Bento Box is the perfect solution to getting a tasty and nutritious lunch. At Laptop Lunches they have some tasty recipes for you to try out. Their Apple Ole Dessert Quesadilla looks really good. It has apples, lemon juice, cinnamon and is wrapped in whole wheat tortillas. The Asian Sesame Noodle Salad with angel hair pasta, sesame seeds, soy sauce, green onions and other fresh ingredients would be the perfect lunch hot or cold.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41W06LikCRL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Not only do Bento Boxes make handy lunchboxes for anyone going to work, attending online degree program, or on campus classes they also make charming lunchboxes for kids. Amazon.com has some really cute Bento Boxes listed on their website. For instance, the Kotobuki Panda Face 2-tiered Bento Box has two large compartments for food and an elastic strap to hold it all together.  So if you want something different to carry your lunch in, why not give an Asian classic a try and carry your next lunch in a Bento Box?

Vegetarian Lunch Ideas

  By esalley | October 26, 2011 - 1:24 am | Lunch Ideas
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Meatless Lunch Idea

You know that too much red meat and dairy can be bad for your health. According to the Mayo Clinic, a diet high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains gives you more vitamins, minerals and fiber. All of these are important to keep you healthy. You may think your only options for lunch are meat filled sandwiches, processed packages meals, or worse yet a burger from the drive through. Actually there are several vegetarian lunch ideas which are tasty and healthy all at the same time. They’ll give you the energy you need to get through the day, no matter if you’re at work, taking classes on campus or taking online college classes. So next time you’re packing a lunch for yourself or a family member, consider one of these vegetarian lunch ideas.

The PETA website has some really delicious vegetarian lunch ideas.

  • Good old fashioned peanut butter and jelly
  • Veggie dogs wrapped in crescent rolls baked the day before.
  • Veggie wraps, you favorite veggies cut thin and wrapped in a tortilla. Add some ranch or your favorite salad dressing and a pickle.
  • Make faux chicken salad with Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik’n Strips and soy mayo
  • Eggless egg salad is easy to make, combine tofu, soy mayo, turmeric, salt, and spices. Mash up the tofu to give you a hard boiled egg consistency.
  • Make mini veggie pizzas with English muffins and soy cheese
  • Use a Thermos and pack your favorite meatless soup like Hormel canned vegetarian chili and a pack of oyster crackers.

Cherry Tomatoe and Soy Cheese on a Veggie Cracker

Soy milk, soy cheese, tofu, whole wheat crackers, and soy mayo are all ways to substitute animal based foods in any meal. By eating more vegetable protein you can cut down on your risk for heart disease and strokes. Diabetics may find eating more meatless meals and adding more whole grains and veggies helps stabilize blood sugar. No matter what your reason for wanting to increase your meatless meals, starting at lunch is a great idea.

Do you have a favorite vegetarian lunch? What foods have you found you can substitute meat for? Let us know your ideas!

 

The Virtues of a Weekly Menu

  By esalley | October 21, 2011 - 10:28 pm | Make Ahead
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Face it; we all need to be more organized. Taking online college courses, working, taking the kids to their various activities and trying to spend time with your significant other is time consuming. If you don’t get organized you’ll be rushed, fatigued and cranky. Who wants to come home from a busy day and try to figure out what to have for dinner? Or how about standing in front of the fridge in the morning trying to come up with something to brown bag for lunch? Neither of these is fun and one way you can alleviate some of the stress in your life and get more organized is to plan a weekly menu.

A weekly menu will help you to organize your week and know what to pick up from the store. It doesn’t have to be written in stone, you want to leave room for adjustments since the unexpected will happen during the week and your plans will change. A weekly menu doesn’t have to be very detailed either. It can be as simple as brainstorming ideas for dinner and lunch throughout the week or as detailed as every dish explicitly planned out. For me the more loosely planned menu works because my family’s plans are always in flux.

Take one day a week, maybe Sunday or Saturday, and sit down with your family calendar and plan a menu. For example if your son or daughter has after school activities one day, you may want a simple dinner of mac-n-cheese and hotdogs. Or if you have more time you can whip up something a bit more substantial like a roast chicken and all the sides. Be realistic about how much time you’re willing to devote to cooking. Also be realistic about your food budget. Don’t plan extravagant meals if you don’t like to cook or don’t have a lot of money in the food budget for the week.

By taking a few hours a week planning out your menu you will not only help relieve the stress of figuring out what to cook each day, but you can actually save money by knowing exactly what you need from the store. That way you can go once and buy what you need. This helps prevent impulse buying of things you don’t really need and saves on gas by not making several trips during the week. Give menu planning a try and see if it helps you get more organized. Let me know how it works for you.

Make Ahead Dishes to Save You Time

  By esalley | October 19, 2011 - 6:08 am | Make Ahead, Slow Cooker
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If you’re like me time is valuable. With my family obligations, online college classes, and just life in general it keeps me pretty busy. That’s why I want to share with you some dishes you can make the night before and then pop them in the fridge to just heat and eat the next day. These would also be good to make on the weekend when you might have more time. That way you can freeze them and if you’ve got something you have to do at dinner time your family can take them out of the freezer, reheat them and have a delicious and nutritious dinner. You can also use your slow cooker and fix these while you sleep, or before you leave the house in the morning. Here are some of the best fix ahead dishes I’ve found.

Chef Bec’s Kickin Corn Chowder is a favorite of mine. You can adjust the heat and make it as spicy as you want. I like mine sort of mild, but the sweet corn keeps it from being too hot if you like more of a kick. Mix up some cornbread, add a green salad, and you’ve got a complete meal.

Traci’s Famous New England Clam Chowdahhhh is a traditional heavy cream clam chowder guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly Fall night. What I like about his recipe is the traditional ingredients. I’m not really a fan of Manhattan clam chowder with its tomato base, so this one is another favorite of mine. It’s so simple you don’t need to spend extra money and buy it by the can when you can make it yourself.

Buffalo Chicken Mac is a twist on traditional Mac-n-cheese. The spicy buffalo seasonings make it a family favorite. You can make this on the weekend and then pop it in the freezer for a quick and hearty meal later in the week. You could also freeze it in single serving sizes for a quick meal during the week.

Almost everyone loves spaghetti. It is one of my family’s favorite go-to meals. This is an easy and very tasty version of traditional spaghetti sauce. If you make it the night before it will be even better reheated and served over pasta. You can also freeze it in single servings or family size.

I have loved split pea soup since I was a kid. It was one of my dad’s favorite soups and I guess I inherited my love for it from him. This split pea soup is super easy, it only has five ingredients and doesn’t require any complicated prep or cooking techniques. If you want to speed up the cooking time use a pressure cooker. They’re really easy, safe, and cut down a lot on cooking time. Just don’t fill it too full or you may have green pea soup decorating your kitchen. (I won’t tell you how I know that fact.)

These are just a few of the make ahead recipes you can try. Use your imagination and you can have creative and delicious meals for your family no matter how busy you are. Enlist their help in the prep and don’t be afraid to ask them to clean up. If you’re taking classes, working and raising a family you need all the help you can get.

What is your favorite make ahead dish? If you tried any of these recipes please let me know how they turned out and how you liked them.