Cranberry Sauerkraut Meatballs

Sound nasty? Well guess what? IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Love love love love love. Not only did I love it, but so did my husband, mother, father, brothers, little sister, 3 year old toddler and 9 month old baby! It was great fresh, it was great as leftovers and it was REALLY easy to put together. 4 ingredients for the sauce? I can handle that.

If you have ever bought bagged meatballs you will know that they are expensive. I was interested in eating this for dinner, not in making this for a party. So I did homemade meatballs. I think I ended up with.... probably about 15 meatballs. What this means is that the sauce to meatball ratio was MUCH higher. But we loved the sauce so much. My kids ate no meatballs - just sauce over brown rice.

The nutritional information I have included with this recipe is based on the 66 servings you can get from the bag of meatballs that you buy. This is assuming you are taking this to a party. I made my meatballs homemade style and I have included my recipe for basic meatballs as well.

The recipe and picture are courtesy of Taste of Home and can be found at this site here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Cranberry-Sauerkraut--Meatballs?pmcode=IMADV01T&_mid=2325232&_rid=2325232.558202.228586

CRANBERRY SAUERKRAUT MEATBALLS

From Taste of Home

·         1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce

·         1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained

·         1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce

·         3/4 cup packed brown sugar

·         1 package (32 ounces) frozen fully cooked homestyle meatballs, thawed

In a 4-qt. slow cooker, combine the cranberry sauce, sauerkraut, chili sauce and brown sugar. Stir in meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen.

Nutritional Facts1 meatball with about 1 tablespoon sauce equals 53 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 142 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 1/2 starch.

HOMEMADE MEATBALL RECIPE

From Shayla's Kitchen

Servings 15

1 lb. hamburger (or pork, chicken or turkey)

1/2 cup oats

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 tsp salt

Few grains pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup milk

Mix together all ingredient and roll into balls. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place meatballs in skillet and brown on all sides. Drain meatballs on a paper towel. Place browned meatballs in sauce in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.

Pineapple Lime Glazed Ham

Holidays are a bit unconventional in our family because my little brother is a VERY VERY VERY good chess player and he travels a lot to different tournaments with my mom. Since they were in Philadelphia over Easter we had to delay our Easter dinner. Trust me, this ham was well worth waiting for. It is so much better than a Honey Baked/Glazed ham, I don't think we will be able to go back. The entire family loved it and we all agreed that we would rather eat that any day.

We BARELY adapted the recipe at all from Real Mom Kitchen. She used 1/4 cup honey dijon mustard, and we used 2 Tbsp normal dijon mustard. We definitely felt like it was the perfect amount. The taste of the mustard was not prevalent but just enough and we felt that the honey dijon would have made the glaze unnecessarily sweet.

This wonderful recipe and picture are courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found at this site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/10777/pineapple-lime-glazed-ham/

Pineapple Lime Glazed Ham Adapted from Real Mom Kithcen

Servings 12

Nutritional Information OF GLAZE! per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 83, Carbs 20, Fat grams 0, Protein 0 (Full nutritional count will depend on what kind of ham you use) 

o    1 (9-10 pd) fully cooked bone in ham, butt or shank portion 

o    2 limes

o    8 thin slices of fresh ginger

o    2 cups pineapple juice

o    1 cup apricot preserves

o    2 Tbsp dijon mustard

1.      Bring your ham out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you are going to cook it.

2.      Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Oven the ham with the flat side down. Now using a paring knife, score a crosshatch pattern around the ham. Try to just pierce through the top layer. The cuts will expand with the cooking process.

3.      Line your roasting pan completely with foil. You will thank me later for this one. Place your roasting rack in your roasting pan. Place the ham on the roasting pan flat side down. Then pour some water into the bottom of the roasting pan, you want it about 1/4 inch deep.

4.      Place ham in the oven and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound.

5.      While the ham bakes, prepare the glaze.

6.      Zest the limes and set zest aside.

7.      In a sauce pan, add the juice of the limes you just zested, along with the ginger slices and pineapple juice.

8.      Bring to a boil and boil for about 8-10 minutes until reduce to about 1-1/2 cups.

9.      Remove from the heat and remove the ginger slices. Then mix in the apricot preserves, dijon mustard, and reserved lime zest until well blended.

10.  Remove the ham from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. If there is no water in the bottom of the pan, add more. Brush the entire ham with a coat of the glaze. Once the oven has reached the 425 degrees, return the ham to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

11.  Remove the ham from the oven and baste with glaze again cook for 15 minutes. Baste the ham with the glaze 1 more time and cook for 15 more minutes. Slice ham and serve. if any glaze remains, you can microwave it until bubbly, about 30 seconds, and drizzle over the ham sliced if desired. (I highly recommend it) A 9-10 pound ham should serve 12.

My Menu

*Please note that all menu plans are subject to LIFE! If you get your heart set on seeing a particular recipe appear on the blog within the next week and it never appears... just send me a message and I will send the recipe on to you.

MONDAY, APRIL 16TH =  Cranberry Sauerkraut Meatballs (No... I didn't end up making these last week even though they were on the meal plan. We had leftovers instead. So I am making them tomorrow!)

TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH = Avocado Pesto Pasta

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18TH = Slow Cooker Black Bean Enchiladas

THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH = Breakfast Pizza

FRIDAY, APRIL 20TH = DATE NIGHT!!!!

SATURDAY, APRIL 21ST = Two-Bean Sloppy Joes

(All food pictures are from Pinterest and I stake NO claim to them! I will site proper sources with each recipe as I make them this week!)

Eggs and Canadian Bacon in Pita Pockets

As I was reading through this recipe when I was about to go and make it I thought... wow... I bet this is going to taste pretty bland. I wasn't okay with that and wanted something with a WOW factor. So... I changed it. Quite a bit. The recipe below is my adapted recipe (which we loved as did my mom and family when she made it with my changes the next day).

The great thing about this recipe is that it is really versatile. You could add whatever you wanted to the recipe: green peppers, red peppers, fresh red or yellow onion, etc. Tailor it to fit your own preference. The following recipe fit ours. :-)

The original recipe and picture are courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens and can be found at this site here: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pork/eggs-and-canadian-bacon-in-pita-pockets/

Eggs and Canadian Bacon in Pita Pockets

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Servings 4

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 259, Carbs 21, Fat grams 10, Protein 22 (Based on using 1/2 cup cheddar cheese) 

·         2 eggs

·         4 egg whites

·         2 cups baby spinach leaves

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         3 ounces Canadian-style bacon, finely chopped

·         4 ½ teaspoons water (or milk)

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (or sundried tomatoes or roasted red peppers…)

·         Salt and Pepper to taste

·         Crushed red pepper (optional)

·         Nonstick cooking spray

·         2 large pita bread round

·         ¼ - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat a nonstick skillet lightly sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. Add spinach, garlic, chives and Canadian bacon. Cook until spinach is wilted.

2. In a small bowl beat together egg, egg whites, water, salt & pepper and crushed red pepper (if desired).

2. Add egg mixture to skillet. Cook, without stirring, until mixture begins to set on the bottom and around edge. Using a spatula or a large spoon, lift and fold the partially cooked eggs so the uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking about 2 minutes or until eggs are cooked through but are still glossy and moist. Remove from heat.

3.Cut pita bread in half crosswise. Fill pita halves with egg mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Well, it does happen occasionally. We didn't like this one. I even added the juice of a whole lime and about 16 oz of sweet corn. It tasted spicy and that was about it. The adobo sauce could have had a lot more of a presence and the cayenne didn't add anything to this dish - it just took away. All of the other reviewers on the recipe did like this one and said it was the "perfect amount of spice." I disagree, but maybe you want to give it a shot? I didn't like it enough to try it again and try to "fix it."

My husband did try one of his burritos with cheese (we don't normally eat a lot or any cheese) and he said it made a big difference in the taste. Good luck if you try it!

*UPDATE 4/15/12: Okay.... so I couldn't just leave it alone. This recipe makes a TON and we had so many leftovers that I just didn't want to see going to waste. Besides the corn I added originally, I browned a pound of ground pork and mixed it with a can of tomato sauce, about 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and 1 1/2 tsp paprika. I added this to everything we had leftover (which was most of the recipe) and it tasted SOOO much better! We had it for dinner last night and again for lunch today. And there are STILL leftovers. I told you it makes a TON!

Follow this link to see the recipe, courtesy of Tasty Kitchen: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/spicy-bean-and-rice-burritos/

Spicy Garlic-Ginger Noodles

Okay people. I have now made this recipe 5 times. In a month. No I am not kidding. When recipes are this easy and this delicious they MUST be repeated. Multiple times.

I have made this recipe with regular spaghetti noodles, whole wheat spaghetti noodles, and special rice noodles that I bought from this cute little Asian market. It is fantastic every single way. If you are looking for the most nutrition - go with the whole wheat.

The measurements are a bit odd on this since the original recipe calls for 250 grams of spaghetti. I used 400 grams of rice noodles tonight and doubled everything else and it was perfect. If you double the recipe don't completely double the noodles and go to 500 grams. At most I would use... 12 ounces of spaghetti noodles.

If you do not like spicy things you can still make this dish. Don't use the sriracha at all. If you have no idea what that is it is available in every grocery store and looks like this:

It is HOT. I never double this when I double everything else and it is still quite a spicy dish. You can also cut back on the amount of jalapeno you use.

We love this dish. Even my 3 year old ate a whole bowl with a whole jalapeno and a tsp of sriracha in the dish! Yum. Yum. Yum!!!

This recipe and picture are courtesy of Poppytalk and can be found at this site here: http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-addiction-spicy-garlic-ginger.html

Spicy Garlic-Ginger Noodles
Adapted from Poppytalk

Makes 6 Servings
Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 334, Carbs 57, Fat grams 8, Protein 10 (Based on using whole wheat noodles) 

400 grams (about 12 ounces) spaghetti (whole wheat or 100% buckwheat soba is fine)
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 large red pepper, sliced thinly (or use 2 carrots julienned, or 1 or 2 bulbs baby bok choy, sliced)
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (remove seeds and membrane if you want less heat)
4 tablespoons soy sauce (1/4 cup)
3 - 4 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce (optional but I have never left it out)
1 teaspoon sriracha
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoon sesame seeds + additional for serving

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add in noodles. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter and add in onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté over medium heat. Let this get soft but not browned. Add in the red pepper and jalapeno.

In a small dish, stir together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin, sriracha, and sesame oil together. Set aside.

Drain pasta when cooked to al dente, add to pan with the onion-pepper mixture and pour over the sauce. Toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. Garnish with additional sesame seeds.

Monterey Chicken

Monterey Chicken used to be one of my favorite things to get at Chili's. Moist and juicy chicken covered in barbecue sauce, melted cheese and bacon. Needless to say, this is a pretty indulgent meal. But I have good news for you - there are things you can do to make this dish without having to feel super guilty for eating it!

First off, acquaint yourself with turkey bacon. Yes. Do it. Don't whine at me and tell me that it isn't the same. It has EXACTLY the same flavor! And if you cook it correctly, it has the same texture. And guess what? It only has a portion of the calories and fat of normal bacon. And no, it is not packed with tons of sodium to make up for the taste. AND it is only $10 for a box of 3 big packages at Sam's Club. Just do it!

Secondly, you do not need a ton of cheese to enjoy a meal. Let me repeat. You DO NOT need a ton of cheese to enjoy a meal. Cheese should be viewed as a condiment. It doesn't have much of its own flavor - it relies on other things. Just a little sprinkle of cheese and you will be set. Plus, I challenge you to cut back on the amount of cheese you use and be AMAZED at the flavor that your food has all by itself.

Thirdly, there are a lot of options for barbecue sauce. Read some nutritional labels. I have heard tell that Harmons has some amazing 0 calorie sauces. I haven't checked it out yet but I am definitely interested. However, if you follow the other suggestions I have made and just use your barbecue a bit sparingly you should be just fine. (I used Sweet Baby Ray's.)

Fair enough? Okay. If you want to use normal bacon, smother it in cheese and use a cup of barbecue sauce per chicken breast that is totally your call. But I promise you, this is a fantastic and flavorful recipe as is.

MONTEREY CHICKEN
From Shayla's Kitchen

Makes 6 Servings
Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 196, Carbs 11, Fat grams 7, Protein 24 (Based on 1/4 cup each cheese and BBQ sauce)

6 large chicken breast halves (for easier cooking on the grill cut the fat half of the breast in half lengthwise again)
6 slices of cooked turkey bacon, cut into small slices
1/4 - 1/2 cup cheese of choice (I used mozzarella)
1/4 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce of choice (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
*2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles
*3 sliced green onions
*Juice of 1 large lime

*I had homemade pico de gallo that I used instead of the Rotel, onions and lime. If you don't have it, this will be a good substitute.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes until chicken is just cooked through. You want it to be tender and juicy, not tough. Place chicken in a 9x13 dish and top with barbecue sauce. Spread the barbecue sauce around so that it covers the top of your chicken breasts. Sprinkle each breast with bacon slices and cheese. Pour both cans of Rotel on top of the chicken followed by the green onion slices and the juice of the lime. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

FANTASTIC AND EASY SIDE DISHES:

ROASTED BROCCOLI: Cut up a 1 lb head of broccoli into florets. Toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp EACH salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet and roast in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

SAUTEED GREEN BEANS: Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and heat on medium high heat. Rinse 16 oz. frozen green beans so there is no visible ice. Place green beans in skillet and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Sautee until beans are hot and start to brown and blacken (just a bit) on the outside.