February 2023 Recap

February was full with school vacation, C started dance classes, some new things like the guys getting to see the cousins play basketball, superbowl snacks and (finally) snow.

I made a black bean soup that is so easy, and so filling. I was into it and think the toppings make it really fun. The kids were so-so. Serve with quesadillas for something for everyone. It reheats well which reminds me I should make it again and pack it for my work lunches.

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup
Easy Black Bean Soup

These Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls were a test which turned out great! They use very little chicken and very little broccoli so they’re a good one to have in mind for leftover uses.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls
Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Cute little Cheeseburger Hash Brown Cups were a Superbowl snack. They didn’t stay together perfectly, but I think with a little more care in the cup formation (or a more traditional size cup) would help with that.

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

I put chicken INTO waffles and loved it. Add some arugula for a fresh bite and a drizzle of maple aioli and you’ll be in love too.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles
Chicken IN Waffles made easy with maple aioli & arugula

March brings my birthday! I have a few old posts I hope to re-do sometime and I’m imagining we’ll fit in some more wintry foods. We did a little getaway to Providence during school vacation and it was so so fun. The kids did great and it is so much easier now that they can sit at restaurants and don’t need strollers/pack & plays/etc. They had never stayed at a hotel before.

The big kid:
I love his friendships. It is very heartwarming to see other parents glad to see him. I took him to my work to see Fencing and he was as enthralled with the swards as I imagined. He was glad for snow and loves sledding. He had some fun days for vacation with the grandparents and getting time for a few movie nights.

The little one:
She is so psyched for dance. Her fav game is using the stairs to pretend she’s getting on the school bus. It is fun for her but she wants to play all. the. time. so it feels repetitive for me. I can’t wait to see her actually go to kindergarten.

Goals:
Year of workwear! I got shoes this time!
Salads or side-dishes: We had salad bar, though I really need to get on some interesting sides.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: the lasagna rolls were mostly for lunches.
Monthly dates: We went out for Valentine’s Day with last-minute reservations.
Declutter/cleaning: We loaded some textiles to donate – clothes that are unusable for others.
Workouts as a routine: I wrapped up one and started a new one that’s harder and a mix of weight days with yoga days.
What I’m reading: I finished A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder which was a cute perspective of a high-schooler reexamining a cold case, Beautiful Country which was a powerful story of an immigrant family and I loved the window of life, rather than the entirety, depicted in the story. I read Don’t Cry for Me and was very moved. I just finished The Magnificent Life of Marjorie Post and thought it was like Evelyn Hugo + historical context. I need to get hopping on my bookclub one!

Cheeseburger Hash Brown Cups

These were a superbowl snack for us but cheeseburger hash brown cups would be a great non-grilling season dinner too! Mr. J grills year-round but a burger-ish app is great to use up leftovers, prepped as an app for a party, or as a twist to the format. These gave me another idea so stay tuned for that one too! 

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

They weren’t perfectly intact, but still good. I think my muffin tin in a bit bigger than usual and maybe a bit more care forming them would have helped.

Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups
Ingredients: 

~1/3 bag of tater tots (~4 per muffin cup) 
1/2 pound ground meat/meatless mix
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, or sub 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup cheese, shredded
toppings: pickles, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, etc!

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (or as tot package calls for). Spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray and put 3-4 tots in each muffin hole. Bake for ~10 minutes and then press down to mold them into the cup shape. Spray again and bake for another 5 minutes until crispy.

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

While the cups are crisping, pan fry the ground meat. When mostly cooked through, drain excess grease and add in liquid smoke, garlic powder, sesame seeds, salt and pepper.
Add in the crumbled bacon.

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

Sprinkle each cup with ground meat, and cheese.

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

Return to the oven to melt. Top with pickles and drizzles of ketchup and mustard. Enjoy!

I thought these were fun. It is easy to prep the cup part in advance and the rest comes together quickly!

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

I make a lot of lasagnas. A lot. Most often they’re for Lasagna Love so I regularly see convos about alternatives. This time they’re getting a twist and only wanted a few portions for these chicken and broccoli lasagna, all rolled up. They use just a small amount of roasted chicken and get drizzled in alfredo sauce.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls


Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls
Ingredients: (for ~4 servings)

8 lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cup roasted chicken (~1 chicken breast)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Directions:
Boil water in a large pot for the lasagna noodles. Cook until fully cooked but not the full time listed on the package. For the last few minutes, add the broccoli into the water for ~2-3 minutes.
Drain noodles and broccoli and lay out the lasagna noodles.
Spread ~2 tablespoons of ricotta onto each noodle, then assemble with smaller broccoli pieces and chicken. Add a sprinkle of cheese.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Roll them up and poke anything that falls out back into the rolls.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

In a 9×9 baking dish, spray with non-stick spray and spoon some of the alfredo onto the bottom of the pan. Add the rolls in.
Top with remaining alfredo sauce, remaining shredded cheese, parmesan, and sprinkle on any remaining broccoli.
Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until warmed through, and bubbly. Remove foil for another 5 minutes until crisp at the edges.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Enjoy! These are very comforting and a great way to use a small amount of chicken and ricotta instead of a full lasagna. I like the rolls for portioning and to not have to trim the noodles to fit a smaller pan. They reheat well and are a nice break from tomato sauce.

I make lasagnas a lot so if there’s a small amount of leftover ricotta, this would be perfect! I also use it in place of cream cheese sometimes too. Ricotta freezes fine, as does the roasted chicken (a la Costco).

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Chicken IN Waffles

I love a loaded waffle and for this traditional duo, I put the chicken into the waffle for the ease of eating it. The fried chicken balanced on top at a restaurant is beautiful, but this is the way to go when making at home. I topped with maple aioli and arugula.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles

Chicken IN Waffles
Ingredients: (serves 2-4)

2-3 chicken tenders
1 cup waffle mix + 3/4 cup cold water
2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon mayo
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups arugula

Directions:
Cook the chicken (according to the package – mine went into the airfryer for ~10 minutes).
Mix up the waffle batter adding the hot sauce.
Preheat the waffle iron.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles

Chop the chicken and add 1/4 of it onto the bottom waffle plate, pour waffle batter on top, add another 1/4 of the chicken. Close the iron and flip.
While the waffle is cooking, mix up the mayo and maple syrup.
Cook the waffles for ~4 minutes (or as your waffle iron suggests).

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles

Repeat for another waffle.
Serve waffles with a little maple aioli and greens.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles

Add another drizzle of aioli and enjoy!

I loved this. Waffles reheat fantastically so make some ahead of time and keep warm in the oven, or reheat in the toaster! It seems so decadent but ~1 chicken tender in each waffle isn’t all that much. The chicken going directly onto the waffle iron keeps it crispy and well distributed. Swap the maple aioli with hot honey for a spicy twist.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles

Black Bean Soup

This soup is so so easy and comes together quickly. It is a great weeknight dinner and a great one for anyone who may not love soup or want soup for dinner. I served with quesadilla dippers which meant everyone had a part to fill up on. We topped it with cheese, salsa verde, and sour cream.

Soup is annoying to photograph – trust me that the flavor is fantastic. It is dairy-free and easy to be vegan, if needed.

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup

Easy Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: (for 4 servings)

1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped or grated
1, 29oz can black beans
2 cups broth (chicken, beef, vegetable)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole, tortilla chips

Directions:
In a large pot, cook the carrots and peppers in olive oil for about 7 minutes over medium heat until soft and mostly cooked through.

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup

Add in the black beans, broth, garlic, and cumin. Stir well and cook for ~30 minutes over low heat.

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup

Add half or 3/4 to a blender or food processor and carefully blend. Repeat in batches for the texture you prefer. (I blended almost all of it.)

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup

Add more broth if desired. Serve with toppings as you like. Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup

One kid ate mostly soup and no quesadilla and the other ate mostly quesadilla and only a few bites of soup. I blended it a lot but wonder if they would have been more into it with more recognizable beans since they really like them. Sour cream is a good way to mellow it out a bit.

Make it ahead of time, or make in smaller batches. It would be great alongside a taco feast and has chili-ish vibes with all the toppings.