The Pampered Chef Italian Dressing

I love salad.  I really do.  Ask my husband.  Ask my friends.  I. Love. Salad.

So tonight on my way home when our neighbors invited us over for pizza (yet another of my favorites!), I jumped on the offer and insisted on bringing a salad.  I wasn't even close to being home from work yet, thanks to my horrifying commute, but knew immediately what needed to happen when I got home.  Two words:  Salad Dressing.

Now just any salad dressing, The Pampered Chef Italian Dressing from my salad dressing maker thing.  Yes, that's a technical term.  I wish I could share the recipe for this with you, but I really have no idea of the amounts of balsamic or oil - I just fill to the line in the amazing salad dressing maker thing.

Long story short - this is the best salad dressing ever.  My suggestion - contact your Pampered Chef consultant and get a The Pampered Chef Salad Dressing Maker Thing right away.  And if you don't have a Pampered Chef consultant, contact mine!

The Pampered Chef Italian Dressing

Blogger Note:  In no way was I compensated for this post - I just love The Pampered Chef!

Veggie-Loaded Cashew Chicken

You know how when you order cashew chicken from a Chinese restaurant it's always more celery than chicken and cashews?  And remember how I told you there are a few - yes, a very short list - things my husband really doesn't like?  Well, celery is a big one of them.

This cashew chicken recipe is fully-loaded with veggies - more mushrooms than most of our friends would be interested in, a diced onion, garlic (lots of garlic), and much to my husband's dismay, pea pods.  (He really is the best - doesn't mind that I cook with pea pods, just chooses to push them aside.)

While I would doctor the sauce a little next time to add a little more flavor, maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes, less vinegar, and some fresh ginger, this is a good, healthy option, (with no celery) for cashew chicken.

Veggie-Loaded Cashew Chicken

Veggie-Loaded Cashew Chicken

What You Need:

• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 8-oz packages sliced mushrooms
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut into small chunks
• 2 c snow peas
• 1/2 c unsalted cashews

How You Do It:

1. In small bowl, mix broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger.  Mix to combine and until cornstarch dissolves.
2. In a large skillet, saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms until tender, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add chicken, snow peas and cashews.  Mix to combine and cook until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender, 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir sauce and add to skillet.  Mix to combine and cook until sauce has thickened.

Veggie-Loaded Cashew Chicken recipe adapted from Hungry Girl.

Loaded Oatmeal Cups

Nothing smells better in the fall, or any time of year really, than cinnamon.  And this afternoon, after packing the in-laws house all weekend, it was time to whip together a quick and easy recipe for breakfast for the week.


Both the husband and I understand the importance of eating breakfast, so something like these little cups loaded with cinnamon and fruit are perfect for us in the morning.  While the hubs has a cup of coffee and breakfast in his red chair watching SportsCenter, I grab something to eat once I get to the office.

Cold, room temperature, or warmed up, these loaded oatmeal cups are full of the Fall flavors of apple, apricot, cranberry, and of course, cinnamon.

Loaded Oatmeal Cups

Loaded Oatmeal Cups

What You Need:

• 1 ½ c milk
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 ¼ c quick-cooking oats
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 c peeled chopped apple
• 1/2 c chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 c raisins
• 2 tbsp craisins
• 1 egg, beaten 

How You Do It:

1. Combine milk, brown sugar, and butter in a small  saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix oats, cinnamon, apples, apricots, raisins, and craisins, and beaten egg.
3. Stir in the milk mixture.
4. Fill 12-cup muffin pan with mixture.
5. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

Loaded Oatmeal Cups recipe adapted from FoodNetwork.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and yours a very delicious Thanksgiving!

Salmon & Spinach Bundles

Last night I made my all-time favorite salmon recipe.  I know, I make a lot of salmon – we love it and it’s good for you. But this one, this one tops them off (in my book, of course).

Flaky salmon, steamed inside a crescent crust, topped with creamy cheese, and wilted spinach… O. M. G.  And while it looks like such a heavy meal, this really is quite light. 

Your whole meal, protein – dairy – greens – carbs, all in one little package.  You really can’t go wrong.  I mean, really can't go wrong...

It was just what I needed after two excruciatingly long days at the office.

Salmon & Spinach Bundles

Salmon & Spinach Bundles

What You Need:

• 1 roll reduced-fat crescent rolls
• 2 6-oz pieces salmon
• 2 tbsp spreadable cheese (I used Boursin Garlic & Fine Herb)
• ½ c baby spinach leaves

How You Do It:

1. Roll out the crescent rolls and break into two large rectangles, pressing the seams together.
2. Place salmon in the middle of each rectangle.
3. Spread cheese on top of salmon.
4. Top with spinach leaves.
5. Fold up sides of crescent around salmon/spinach to make a package and place on baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes. 

Salmon & Spinach Bundles recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Orange Chicken with Asparagus

"It takes kind of like orange chicken from the Chinese restaurant," the hubs said tonight over dinner.  Success!

While take-out orange chicken usually is deep fried in sticky sauce with over-steamed broccoli, this version is sauteed and has a sauce, but nothing oh-so-sticky.  With a hint of sweet heat from the orange, honey, and red pepper flakes, the orange flavor shines through.  And, the asparagus is still a little crisp and adds a little crunch and green to the dish.  And maybe the best part... it takes no time to cook and is done all in one big skillet.

Another make-your-own-take-out for the books...

Orange Chicken with Asparagus

Orange Chicken with Asparagus

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• juice and zest of one orange

How You Do It:

1. Heat oil in large pan.  Add chicken, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until just slightly pink inside.
2. Add asparagus to pan and cook until desired tenderness and chicken no longer pink.
3. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, and juice and zest of orange.  Add to pan, stir to combine, and heat through.

Orange Chicken with Asparagus recipe adapted from FitnessMagazine.com.

Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon

Well folks, it's good to be back.  Super Storm Sandy knocked us off the grid for a solid week, with power out for a complete seven days.  I am happy to report no real damage to our house or our family's houses.  We lost some trees in our backyard and the power was out for longer than we really enjoyed, but we had no damage.  We continually remind ourselves it could have been a lot worse.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who suffered and are suffering.

Now then... tonight I finally got back in the kitchen!  (Thank you to my mother-in-law who had power one day earlier than us and had us for dinner last night.)  Both the husband and I made separate grocery runs today to start and restock our now-freshly-emptied-and-deep-cleaned refrigerator, so we had goods to cook up something delicious.  Not only that, but it's time to get back into the heathy kick.  One week of boiling pasta on the stovetop in the dark and snacking on pantry items means back to the gym and back to the diets.

And to the hubs's request, fish was on the menu tonight.  This easy salmon recipe takes minutes to prepare, takes no time to bake, and has a slightly sweet, but not over-powering flavor.  The pecans give a little crunch and the fish comes out perfectly flaky.  A winner for my first night back in the kitchen.

Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon

Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon

What You Need:

• 2 salmon filets
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp chopped pecans

How You Do It:

1. In a Ziploc bag, combine honey, soy sauce, and pecans.  Mix to combine.
2. Add salmon and let marinate while your oven preheats to 425*.
3. Once the oven is ready, place salmon on baking dish and top with pecans and glaze.
4. Bake at 425* for 15 minutes.

Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.