Tuna, Buccatini & Lemon

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Wandering through the grocery store today....trying to figure out what I could whip up for lunch for me and the girls.  We decided we wanted pasta of some sort, but I wanted something other than the normal red sauce.  Then I remembered a yummy dish my friend mentioned she has made many times before.  Using simple ingredients, this dish is ready in no time.
I was a bit skeptical...I'm not a big canned tuna fan.  I was worried that this dish would just fall a little flat for me in the flavor department.  I was wrong.  (shhhh, don't tell me husband I know how to say that sentence!)
Full of flavor, good punch of protein from the fish and cheese, and my girls loved it. (so did I...I had to helpings)
Make use of those pantry items and through together this tasty dish for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.  I used Buccatini because that was all I had.  Regular spaghetti works perfect too.  

Ingredients:
1lb spaghetti
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tin of tuna fish in oil, drained (you want the oil packed version so you don't end up with dry fish)
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil (add salt if you like) and cook pasta according to directions..you want al'dente.
When the pasta is done, drain and place in a bowl that you have pre-warmed in the microwave.


While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over low heat.  Add the garlic and parsley and stir continually while gradually adding the tuna fish.  Keep the heat low so that none of the ingredients change color.  You just want to heat everything through.


Add the "sauce" to the pasta and stir to combine.  Then add the lemon juice, cheese and butter. Mix.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (add some red chili flakes for a nice kick!)
Stir well and serve at once.

Winter Veggie Stew with Chickpeas

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Still plowing forward on the veggie front.  Before living here in Saudi, I was never a big fan of butternut squash.  Thought it just tasted...well...funny.  But, in the spirit of wanting to try all things veggie, I gave it another shot when I made a ratatouille.  I loved it.  Maybe it's the squash here...its very sweet.  (and cheap!)  Whatever it may be, I really enjoy it now...along with a bunch of other lovely winter veggies.
This stew comes together quick.  The flavors hint at Moroccan and even though I couldn't find Harissa (tried two stores) it was still wonderful.  Very filling (obviously with the chick peas and couscous) and very good for you too! (only 2.3g of fat per serving and 264 calories!!) Kids gave it a thumbs up and even had seconds.  If you're not a turnip fan or if you're just afraid of their creepy looks...give them another try.  In this stew, you can barely tell the potato from the turnip.  They are soft and take on the flavors of the stew.  
A great comfort, vegetarian dish that you can easily make on a weeknight.  :)  Happy Veggie Cooking!  

Fruity Crescent Rolls

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Today we had another ladies coffee and the feature color was red.  Wear all red, a little red, a splash of red...etc.  I had my outfit all ready to go and for the girls too.  Just needed a treat to bring.
I had these crescent rolls in the fridge and the expiration date was getting close.  I had saved a recipe to try and pulled it up this morning.
Lucky for me I was able to find a box of Fruit Roll Up's at the store...the last box mind you!  I was excited and ready to bake!
This was so simple and even more horrible baking skills couldn't mess these up.  Popped out 16 rolls in just under 45min.  They weren't too sweet, nice and flaky and just perfect.
The funny thing...I didn't even think about the fact that they were red until I got to the coffee and someone mentioned it to me!  Bonus!

Ingredients:

1 (8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls

4 rolls Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll­Ups® Strawberry Fruit Snack

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles.

Unroll fruit snack rolls; cut each diagonally into 2 triangles. Place each fruit roll triangle on 1 dough triangle (fold or tuck each fruit roll so all is on dough). Roll up each dough triangle, starting with shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point; place point side down on sprayed cookie sheet. Curve into crescent shape.

Bake at 350°F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk until smooth and desired drizzling consistency.

Drizzle glaze evenly over warm rolls. Serve warm.

Fresh, Simple Homemade Tomato Sauce

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We've been blessed with a great abundance of tomatoes from our garden.  I was hoping we would end up with cherry tomatoes (my fave for their sweet flavor) but instead we have Roma tomatoes.  Not a bad thing of course, just not the ones I'd eat for a snack all by themselves. 
The other day I was chatting with my friend, who lived in Rome for 13 years, and she mentioned making a nice homemade sauce with all my tomatoes.  Hmmmm...haven't done that yet!  And, as a bonus, we got lucky and the local grocery store had some fresh pasta in stock.  Fresh sauce, fresh (well semi fresh) ravioli.  Perfect!
I Googled a bunch of recipe ideas for the sauce.  There are more ways to make tomato sauce than I would have guessed!  But, I wanted simple...pure.  I wanted the tomatoes to shine.  So, with a few ingredients and a bit of time...I ended up with a lovely sauce.  
Since then, I've made fresh sauce one other time...with the same wonderful results.  Keep the tomatoes coming! (side note:  if you ever pop into the store and find tomatoes on sale, but maybe they look like they're on their last leg...buy them!  yep you read right.  Those overripe beauties will make you a beautiful sauce!  And save keep some money in your pocketbook!)


*important tip:  take the time to peel and seed the tomatoes.  Otherwise your sauce won't be nearly as good.  It's not hard and just takes a few extra minutes of your prep time...it's worth it.  Trust me.

One Pot Chicken Stew

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We have really altered our diet recently and have cut way back on red meat.  (you'd be totally shocked if you knew my husband...every dish had to have meat in it when we were in the States.)
The meat here, well, it's different.  Not sure why...smells funny sometimes.  It doesn't taste bad, but well, I'm not overly excited to buy it.  We did find an awesome butcher shop (in Jeddah of course) so we plan to bring a cooler on the next trip and stock up on some nice pieces of meat.  (now to find a deep freezer)  
With all that said, it means that we have been eating a lot of vegetarian dishes, fish, and chicken.  I love vegetarian, but I know we have to find ways to make sure we are all getting our protein.  I'd love any suggestions for some great vegetarian main dishes!  (just keep in mind that we don't have all the fancy ingredients you can find in the States)
This little stew had it all.  Protein, veggies, and great taste.  A very simple dish to make, doesn't take long, and well, we had not a drop left.  Keep in mind that it's a stew...not soup.  Therefore, not much broth.  Fantastic meal...hats off to Giada again for another wonderful recipe!

Ingredients  (recipe from Giada De Laurentiis)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 chicken breast with ribs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained (rinsed if not organic)
• Serving suggestion: crusty bread

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. Shred or cut the chicken into bite- size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls and serve with the bread.

Smokey Rainbow Chili

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Anything with the word "rainbow" will catch my girls' attention...so when I said we were making Rainbow Chili, they both got excited. 
"But, what makes it rainbow mommy?"
"Why all the yummy, colorful veggies and beans we're going to add!"
This is such a filling dish and so totally good for you.  I've included a couple of variations you could try to switch it up and feel free to toss in some ground turkey or beef.  I served the girls' portion over some white rice with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top.  (according to my kids, everything is better with rice....and cheese.)
While you could cook this in your slow cooker, I think that the shorter cooking time allows you to have veggies that still have a bit of crunch...instead of mush.  Also, I went a bit mild with the heat (for the kids sake), but you could always amp it up by leaving in the jalapeno seeds and adding more cayenne pepper.
A great, healthy dish that will leave you full and happy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small zucchini, halved and cut into small chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (keep the pieces a bit big...helps to keep them crisp)
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 (14 ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes, with liquid  
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions:

(if using meat...brown the meat really well, remove and set aside.  Add the meat after sauteing the veggies)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in zucchini, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and onion. Cook 5 minutes, just until tender.

Add tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, black beans, corn, and kidney beans into the pot. Season with smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Balsamic-Honey Chicken Drumsticks

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I love chicken wings as much as the next gal.  When we were in the States a fave treat was hitting up the local BWW.  (aka Buffalo Wild Wings) A yummy, sticky mess of wings and a nice beer.  sigh...
Okay, so no luck with the beer here, but I can make some sticky chicken!  Found this great recipe and didn't hesitate to give it a try.  
Beyond easy to make...through the ingredients in a bag, marinate for 2 hours, drop the legs on a baking sheet and 30 minutes later you've got a killer dinner.
This would make a great dish for your upcoming Super Bowl party!  (oh man, now I really miss the States...we're hoping to possibly get the game here, but well, we'd also have to get up at 2:30am to watch and not all that sure if we'll get the commercials here)
By the way...these legs should get even the pickiest eater to chow down!  (my little one sure loved them...see picture after recipe!)
Happy Cooking!

Pan Grilled Fish and Shrimp Tacos

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We've been living here in Saudi for 3 months (hubby for 6) and we still don't have a grill.  There has to be something seriously wrong about that.  I mean, for my 23rd birthday my dad gave me money to go an buy my own grill!  Surprisingly we seem to be getting on just fine without one.  We'll pick one up soon I suppose, but in the meantime I purchased one of those cute little pans with the raised bits to make cute little grill marks.
We went to the local fish market on Friday and bought some more prawns and grouper.  Cooked some up that day at a park BBQ, but left the rest at home.  If I was lucky enough to find tortillas at the store (around here you never know what you'll find at the store on a day to day basis), I knew I wanted to make fish and shrimp tacos.
So, I was one very happy lady when I found some salsa flavored tortillas.  As much as I would have preferred corn, I was just happy to get tortillas at all.
I just loved this recipe...but the best part was the Mango-Radish Salsa.  (click the link for the recipe) Oh my was that good.  I will be making these tacos again very soon!!  (wish I still had some left over!)

Mango-Radish Salsa

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This is the recipe for the salsa to go with my Pan Grilled Fish and Shrimp Tacos.  But, if you're like me...you may just find yourself eating this right out of the bowl.  I think it helped that I managed to pick out an extremely ripe mango that was super sweet.  But all the flavors mixed together just work.  Love the bit of kick from the chili powder.  

Try this with other fish dishes or even as a side dish by itself!  

Happy cooking!

Mango-Radish Salsa:

1 mango, diced
4 red radishes, diced small

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped

1 lime, halved and juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Toss gently.  Add lime juice and toss again.  Season and refrigerate until ready to use. 

serve with Pan Grilled Fish and Shrimp Tacos

Honey and Spice Orange Chicken

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Surfing the net.  Looking for some new and interesting chicken dishes.  I get bored easily.  Need constant change in what I cook.  (a dish has to be seriously rockin' for me to cook it more than once a month.)
This one is pretty darn close.  I really enjoyed the stickiness of the honey and the flavors of the spices.  An easy dish to prepare and once it's in the oven you just need to baste every so often.  No monster cooking skills needed.
Serve up a nice side of couscous or a light salad and you've got a great meal that's budget friendly and kid friendly!  

Great Greek Salad

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It was our friends "the Greeks" (as we affectionately call them) turn to host dinner.  When asked what I could bring...she mentioned a nice salad.  
Well, last time I brought a leafy salad full of veggies.  This time I wanted something a bit different.  In an effort to impress the Greeks, I decided to try my hand at a nice light Greek salad.
The cucumbers you find here are the small ones, and they are super crunchy.  Toss in some kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, fresh tomatoes and feta and you've got yourself a super simple, super tasty salad.
Comes together fast and then just chill till ready to eat.  Give this one a try the next time you need a quick side!

Ingredients

• 6 small cucumbers, seeded and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 3 cups diced roma tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (I had to use apple cider, but I think rice would be better)
• 1/2 tsp Greek Seasoning

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumbers, olives, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, red onion, vinegar, and seasoning. 
2. Chill until serving. 
3.  Right before serving toss in the feta and stir to combine.

Chocolate-Rasberry Crescents

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There isn't much to do here in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia...so us ladies find ways to keep ourselves occupied.  One of those ways is to have a ladies get together once a month.  We all meet at a house just for us...nicknamed "the Little House" and have tea, coffee and snacks.  It's a lot of fun and we enjoy getting to visit.  Not to mention...the women here can COOK!  I mean, seriously, there are some amazing dishes each time.  (I'm never going to get in shape again at this rate!)  LOL
A few months back I signed up to get the Pillsbury daily email.  Usually its all kinds of pastry goodies that I know I shouldn't be making.  But, the other day they had some crescent rolls filled with fruit roll ups.  Man, did they look good.  Then I got depressed because I hadn't seen and refrigerated crescent rolls here.  (and there is no way I'm making those puppies from scratch...I'll leave that to my Greek friend here who is a killer baker).
Anyway, the other day the hubby had to run to the store and I asked him, in the off chance there might be some, to look for the crescent rolls.  He came home with two!!!  I was so happy.  I knew I was going to use them to make something for the ladies.
Now, I don't think I now a woman who doesn't like chocolate.  ;)  So I used some hazelnut spread and some chocolate with a creamy raspberry filling.  They turned out super yummy (or so I was told)  :)  I also made some with the hazelnut spread and peanut butter.  (hubby liked those better)  The only thing is that they didn't puff up and get super flaky.  I think the spread was a bit heavy.  Next time I may adjust the amount.  But all in all, they were a big hit. (and simple enough for my horrible baking skills to pull off!)  Now, here's the best part, you can really experiment and fill these with just about anything!  Plus...don't just think sweet...savory filling would be awesome too (I plan to try that next time I get my hands on more rolls).
Happy baking!  

Crispy Curried Roasted Chickpeas

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I'm always trying to find new snacks for my girls.  My youngest definitely has a soft spot for salty foods.  While I don't mind her getting a bit of salt now and then, I'd really rather it wasn't from a bag of chips.  I've seen recipes for chickpeas a few times and never got around to making them.  Today...well, I got around to it.
Incredibly simple to make, but the real question was whether or not my kids would want to nosh on them...
Taste tested....approved!!!  Rave results.  I love the curry flavor and the best part is that these little gems are extremely low-fat and packed with protein.
At the end of the recipe, check out some other great seasonings to try...lots of options here!  Have fun!
Happy snacking!  

soupe au pistou

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This is a wonderful veggie soup the hails from the South of France...(maybe I've been thinking too much of my upcoming trip).. :)
It's been hard to plan meals lately, but I am slowly getting back into the swing of things.  I borrowed this great cookbook from a friend here...all about soup.  I don't think she'll be getting it back any time soon!  (I've already book marked 15 recipes to try....and that was only halfway through!)  
*Note: this soup should stand a few hours before serving, so plan ahead.  Or make it the day before and pop it in the fridge.  :)
The Gouda and pesto added at the end just make the most perfect finish...I thinking I'm going to go and get another bowlful...

Sweet Potato Ratatouille

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A variety of veggies are a bit hard to find here.  It's one of those things where you just have to wait and see what arrives each week.  (making my usual weekly planning much harder to do)  It's been really hard adjusting to not being able to just go to the store knowing they will have what I need.
That being said, I was really happy when sweet potatoes popped up.  I'd been wanting to try this dish and with my zucchini plants going bonkers this was just another fun way to cook them.
I was really pleased with how nice this turned out.  Very flavorful...a hint of sweetness and just tasty all the way around.
Served it over a bed of couscous and some Simple Roast Chicken.  Both kids enjoyed it too...another great veggie side.  :)

Mexican Rice

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The other night we had another fabulous group dinner.  The theme was Mexican based (main dish was chicken tacos)  Matt and I were given the task to make a rice...either Spanish or Mexican.  I've never given much thought to Mexican rice, so I googled some recipes for Spanish.  I wasn't really blown away by anything I found...so, just for the heck of it...I googled Mexican rice.  Stumbled on this fantastic recipe.  This rice is simple, easy and super flavorful.  I loved it and so did the hubby (who's not a big fan of either type of rice)
At the dinner, I didn't give my kids any because I thought it might be too spicy...I gave them some the next day to see if maybe they would like it...and, ya, they did.  :)  Instead of adding the whole chopped jalapeno at the end, I put it on the side for people to spice it up as they wanted.  This way, my rice had just a kiss of heat.  
I couldn't get enough of it and had a good helping the second day.  This is going on my must make monthly list.  
Happy cooking!


*note...make sure to follow the directions precisely...it'll make the perfect rice.

Turkey Veggie Tray

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Need a last minute idea for your veggie platter?  Give this adorable tray a try!  :)  Super cute and easy!  
Happy Thanksgiving!  

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

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Ya Salam Cooking is my new go to blog for Middle Eastern cooking.  I've made three dishes of hers already and we've loved everyone.  Tonight's was flat out fantastic.  Beyond simple and incredibly flavorful!  

I've only cooked with lentils once before and the dish then didn't make much of an impression.  This one I can't wait to make again.

The recipe only makes enough for four.  Barely.  If you have four hungry adults, you'll be wishing you'd made more.  We had enough for the hubby, me and the girls, and we scrapped the pot clean.  Keep in mind, this will fill you up...be mindful as you eat and take your time.  It sneaks up on you!  I'm totally full and very content.  :) 

Can't recommend this enough.

Happy cooking!  !سعيد الطب

absolutely fantastic!

Thanksgiving...

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So, I'm all the way over here in Saudi and Thanksgiving seems...well, not the same.  We are having "Thanksgiving" here.  But it's a multi-cultural event and although I know it will be a lot of fun, it still won't be the traditions I'm used to.
First off, no pumpkin pie.  :'(  Very sad about that.  No pumpkins here.  BUT, we are going to have some fantastic turkey!  I'm in charge of making a killer side.  
What I want to know is....what are you making this year?  
Share your Thanksgiving meal with me...it'll make me feel part of the good ol' U S of A.  :)

Stuffed Cabbage...Arabian Style

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Going to attempt another Arabic dish tonight.  This is from the same website Ya Salam Cooking.  The Arabic name for this dish is Malfouf.  I grew up eating stuffed cabbage and though my grandmother's recipe (Grandma's Pigs in the Blanket) is different, there are still some similarities.  
The seasoning in this was amazing.  Loved the taste.  The original recipe called for less tomato sauce, but I like it a bit more saucy.  If you prefer less, just cut it back a bit.  :)
Great dish. 

Happy cooking!  !سعيد الطبخ