Brie & Cranberry Cups

Apps for dinner might be a new tradition here! I didn’t have an occasion so I just made these delicious bites for dinner with a few other snacks and it was so fun! Phyllo cups get filled with brie and whole berry cranberry sauce and just a bit of rosemary – just a little assembly required.

The Three Bite Rule - Cranberry Brie Cups

Cranberry not your jam – lots of alternative ideas below!

Brie & Cranberry Cups
Ingredients: (app for ~6)

1 package phyllo cups (15 mini cups)
1/2 wheel of brie
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 sprig of rosemary
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Slice the brie into small pieces. Open and stir the cranberry sauce.

The Three Bite Rule - Cranberry Brie Cups

Chop the rosemary while the butter is melting then stir together.
On a baking sheet, lay out the phyllo cups and fill each with 2 small pieces of brie (to mostly fill the cups but not over the top edge).
Spoon a tiny dollop of cranberry on top, then spoon butter/rosemary into the cups.
Bake for 5-8 minutes as the package indicates and until the brie melts.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Cranberry Brie Cups

I had whole berry cranberry sauce and used it for these Thanksgiving Hot Wraps so I froze the remainder and here it is! These brie cups would be great with some raspberries or blackberries, out of the oven they could get a dab of jam (don’t bake that), or some pieces of bacon or caramelized onions.

We had these little cups as well as some crackers and dip, some caesar salad, and some ranch popcorn chicken. Everyone liked something and it was a fun meal.

March 2022 Recap

March is on the way out and in comes April. I’m excited for Easter and the next season and I love the daylight! I like to usher out one season for the next, but I loathe talking about the weather – moreso I guess I’m not interested in people complaining about the weather to me.

This month in a spirit of variety, I made these Thanksgiving Hot Wraps with deli turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and greens and the best part is burrito-izing it. So good – and much more appreciated outside of Thanksgiving time.

The Three Bite Rule - Thanksgiving Hot Wraps

I also made Nutella Chia Pudding with Strawberries which requires the make-ahead brainspace but it is breakfast your tomorrow will thank you for. I looove the nutella flavor with the strawberries.

The Three Bite Rule - Chocolate Chia Pudding

I gave a revamp to Gyro-Style Wraps with hummus, chicken sausage, fries, and tomatoes.

To wrap up the month I did a mine vs. theirs for Pasta with Shrimp or Chicken and Blistered Tomatoes. I did shrimp, the rest had chicken. After I made it I thought about how good it would have been with a crunchy lemony breadcrumb topping. Do it! I’m envisioning that showing up another way.

The Three Bite Rule - Shrimp Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

What’s next? Hmm I’m thinking about ideas for Easter brunch foods and I just did apps for dinner one night and feel like that might be a new tradition.

The Little Girl:
She’s psyched that it is sandbox season again! She’s awaiting picnic time and wants to eat at a restaurant. We’ve cut her off of Oreos since it is confirmed she just eats the filling. She’s very into the thermos lunches but said to stop with the cheeese sticks – where my girl, do you expect to get some protein?

The Big Guy:
He’s had fun playing with school-friends. I feel like it’s asking somebody on a date but worth it to see him connecting with others. He just started a lego extracurricular class – so legos, after school with other kids, what could be better?

Goals:
Year of nail polish! I got a new topcoat which I’m not sure yet if it lives up to the hype (this one)
More international food inspiration: More Mediterranean – gyro wraps
More soups/salads: Does salad-bar count?
More apps: nope, not this month
More fun drinks: ehh
Updating photos: I redid the photos for these gyro-like wraps
What I’m reading: I read The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute which was so interesting, and We Are the Brennans which was page-turning, I thought Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt’s Creek would be a coffee-table book but it actually had lots to read, then I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue which was the best book I’ve read in awhile.
What I’m watching: Tournament of Champions
What I’m listening to: nothing new.

Pasta with Shrimp & Blistered Tomatoes

Pasta is a weekly must-have at our house and most often we rotate between a few basics like tomato sauce, pesto, alfredo, meatballs and we change up noodles, tortellini, or the occasional lasagna. This was a bit different and I did a shrimp or chicken topping option (I’m the only one who likes shrimp at the moment).

The Three Bite Rule - Shrimp Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

The tomatoes burst and provide some sauce and the touch of cream and olive oil made it quick and light! Swap the protein for scallops or bacon or sausage or whatever you like!

Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes & Shrimp or Chicken
Ingredients: (for 5-6 servings)

1 pound linguine pasta
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
shrimp (pealed, deveined large shrimp) and/or roasted chicken (pealed, chopped)
1 tablespoon mixed herb seasoning (Todd’s Dirt is our fav, or Italian Seasoning, or Oregano + Garlic Powder)

The Three Bite Rule - Shrimp Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

Directions:
Bring salted water to boil and cook the pasta.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the tomatoes in a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Give them a shake every few minutes – it will take ~5 minutes to pop and release some juice.
When the pasta is mostly cooked (~2 minutes less than the package instructs), drain it reserving a little pasta water and return the pasta to the pot. Add the butter, and cream in, plus a splash of pasta water (start with a few tablespoons) and toss together, then add the tomatoes in and continue to cook over low heat. Add more pasta water if needed.

The Three Bite Rule - Shrimp Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

In the skillet used for the tomatoes, add another drizzle of olive oil in and bring to medium-low heat. Add the shrimp in the pan and sprinkle with herbs. Cook for just a minute or two on each side to turn pink but remain a C shape not an O shape. Remove from the heat promptly to avoid overcooking. (I did some chicken and some shrimp.)
Serve the pasta with chicken or shrimp on top and one last drizzle of olive oil.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Shrimp Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

I always need a bit more sauce than I think so keep that pasta water or a splash of broth or more cream. The kids wouldn’t necessarily request this one, but everyone ate enough and I got to have shrimp so, win-win!

Gyro-style Wrap with Chicken

{originally published in 2017 and updated in 2021}

We love Mediterranean flavors so these wraps are inspired by a gyro, or souvlaki – using chicken sausage or this time- flavored ground chicken. The fries inside make it so fun.

Gyro Style Wraps with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:  (for 2 wraps)

2 chicken sausages or ~1/3 pound ground chicken
2 cups/handfuls of frozen seasoned fries
2 wraps: tortillas, pitas, etc
1/2 of a cucumber
~3 tablespoons hummus
tomato
optional: lettuce, roasted red peppers, creamy caesar drizzle, feta

Directions:

Bake the fries, according to the package.
Pan sear the chicken sausages or the ground chicken into patties. Then slice.

Lay out the wrap and spread with hummus. Then top with tomatoes, chicken sausage/chicken burger pieces, and fries.

Roll and enjoy!

Wrap the bottom in wax paper or foil for street-food eatability. Is eatability a word? WordPress seems to think so and isn’t correcting me!

I liked the seasoned fries in there. It was a great use for an itty bit in we had in the freezer. These totally hit the spot and I think the fries + chicken sausage + hummus makes this – at least us grown ups thought so. The littles each ate elements disassembled. We had them with some orzo salad too. The fries only needed 20 minutes so in the time I plopped them into the oven, I then just cooked the meat and prepped the filling and they were done. Poof! Din-din!

Nutella Chia Pudding with Strawberries

While I’d be most likely to head savory for breakfast – this idea stuck with me for ease of prepping in advance, and I love love nutella.

The Three Bite Rule - Chocolate Chia Pudding

I’m also into this because it wasn’t so so so sweet – and was something I could feel good about.

Nutella Chia Pudding with Strawberries
Ingredients: (serves 2)

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon Nutella
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
~1-2 cups strawberries (mine were frozen, defrosted, sliced)
Sprinkle of sugar & sprinkle of water
whipped cream

Directions:
Mix together the cocoa powder, nutella, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk to mix into a paste. Then add more milk until completely mixed.
Add in the chia seeds and stir well.

The Three Bite Rule - Chocolate Chia Pudding

Refrigerate overnight, or at least 3+ hours (give an additional stir after the first 30-minutes).
Slice the strawberries & add a sprinkle of sugar and water (can be done ahead).
Serve with strawberries & whipped cream.

The Three Bite Rule - Chocolate Chia Pudding

Enjoy!

The nutella provides the flavor and sweetness and the cocoa powder adds to the chocolate flavor without being sugary.

Let’s talk about the texture – it is slippery and cool. It wouldn’t be for everyone. I need some variety in texture – the strawberries help that for me. This would be good topped with something crunchy like granola, nuts, cereal, etc. Frozen dark cherries would be delightful too!

Two servings is ideal so you aren’t committed to eating this all week. It is so much easier than baked oatmeal or anything that requires any cooking!