What I Ate: Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

I took a twist on one of Mr. J’s signature dishes, huevos rancheros. It was good, but I think I might like the regular method better. I whipped out the big griddle to do the quesadilla and egg at the same time.

The Three Bite Rule - Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients:

2 taco-sized tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheddar, monetary jack, or pepper jack cheese
1 egg
salsa & guacamole

Directions:

Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Bring heat to medium heat and lay one tortilla down and top with cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros Then lay the other tortilla on top.
Cook for about 3 minutes.
Spray top tortilla, and carefully flip the whole quesadilla.
In a separate pan, heat to medium and fry the egg.
Top quesadilla with a sprinkle of cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros
Serve with salsa, guacamole, and the egg.
The Three Bite Rule - Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros
I love the yolk with the tortilla and cheese. Seriously, the yolk is like nature’s sauce. I also could eat guac or avocado for breakfast daily. Have I told you lately how much I love savory breakfasts?
The Three Bite Rule - Quesadilla Huevos Rancheros
I probably will stick to the single layer/traditional way. I think the super crisp tortilla that is almost blistered into crispness is better.

Do you ever do that? Take a regular dish you love and amp it up, only to decide it was better as-is?

Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole

I tend to not spend a lot of time on side dishes. This one could be a meal-in-one. I’ve seen a lot of broccoli and wild rice dishes but I did mine with a few slightly- healthier touches. There’s no canned soup here, and no heavy cream, no cheese, and  so little butter. There is some serious flavor (and sodium) from the broth so season accordingly or swap out low sodium broth if you’d like.

The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups wild rice
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1/2 tsp Krazy salt  (or a mix of salt, italian seasoning, garlic powder)
2 large carrots, diced
2 celery stocks, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbs garlic, diced
3 tbs wheat flour
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper
2 cups broccoli florets, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cup wheat panko

Directions:

Cook the wild rice in water and vegetable broth until fully cooked through.
Mix in sprinkle of Krazy salt and spread into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
In a dutch oven, cook carrots, onions, and celery in 1-2 tbs olive oil for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
Add in garlic and wheat flour, stirring well.
brocc_rice_casserole_veg_590_390
Pour in vegetable stock, wine, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Increase heat to medium high, cover, and let look for 8 minutes at a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
In a separate pot, boil broccoli florets for about 4-6 minutes. They should be cooked through but slightly crisp.
Pour the broccoli on top of the rice layer.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
The carrot/celery mixture will have thickened up. Pour on top of the broccoli layer.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
Melt butter and mix in olive oil and panko.
Sprinkle over the top and bake for 20-30 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
I liked this, but phew! It seemed like a lot of work for just a side. I love the velvety sauce over the broccoli. I would probably leave it at that next time. The rice wasn’t really necessary. The highlight is the illusion of creaminess with the broccoli and the toasty crumbs on top.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
It made a ton and I felt like we ate it a million times. I’d half this or freeze half next time. I also would question the rice. This would be good for a crowd, or as a side with just about anything else…fish, pork, chicken, steak, sausages, turkey, etc. I think it could be a good one for Thanksgiving or a potluck. It definitely has a winter vibe so I wouldn’t be whipping this one up for spring.

Not to worry, I’m done with the heavy winter foods. I have a breakfast what I ate up next, then a lightened up snacky treat, and maybe a cocktail (if I get my act together).

Potato Soup with Loaded Potato Toppings

New England is in that in-between winter and spring time so I have (at least) one more truly wintery meals…don’t hold me to it. The warm days remind me that spring is coming and the cold days give one last chance to wear a favorite sweater one more time, or to make one more hearty meal. I wanted to do a potato soup and figured I’d mix it up with the “loaded” potato ingredients being toppings. This soup relies on some pureed potato to thicken it. I also thought some sweet potato in there would be fun.

The Three Bite Rule - Potato Soup with Loaded Toppings

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, diced fine
4 potatoes, pealed and cooked
1 sweet potato, pealed and cooked
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock
1/2 cup half & half or cream
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
4 slices of bacon
2 green onions
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper

Directions:

Boil or bake the potatoes until cooked through.
In a heavy pot or dutch oven, cook the onions for about 5 minutes in a little olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions until translucent and soft.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Soup with Loaded Toppings
Add the chicken/veggie stock. Be sure so scrape the bottom to mix throughly.
Add in the cream and wine, reducing the heat to medium low.
When the potatoes are fully cooked, chop them into bite-sized chunks. Add half the potato & half the sweet potato into the pot.
Add garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp in a flat pan. Add a teaspoon of the bacon drippings into the soup pot, discarding the rest.
Chop the green onions and grate the cheddar.
Carefully ladle most of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Or, use an immersion blender.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Soup with Loaded Toppings
Return to the pot, adding the rest of the potatoes & sweet potatoes.
Add in garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add more broth if it is too thick.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Soup with Loaded Toppings
Top with shredded cheddar, green onions, and bacon!
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Soup with Loaded Toppings

This was really good. Toppings make everything more exciting to have the cheese, bacon, and onions for toppings instead of cooked within the soup. I didn’t blend it all the way but I loved it thickened with the potato, rather than a ton more cream, butter, or anything else. By blending it then adding in more chunks on purpose, you get the best of both worlds!

I don’t make soup all the time but this seemed so appropriate on a Sunday night with a pretzel roll to dunk.

What I Ate: Chicken Parmesan Subs

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

These easy chicken parmesan subs have a few special touches that make them wayyy better than take-out. The secret is pesto on the bread. I do the same kind of thing for meatball subs. The roll also needs to be toasted…otherwise it will get soggy from the marinara in .2 seconds.

These rolls lived in the freezer until I needed a quick dinner. I like soft rolls for this (rather than ciabatta or sourdough rolls). I used breaded chicken tenders making this an even easier dinner.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Parmesan Sub

Ingredients:

3 chicken tenders
2 sub rolls
3 tbs pesto
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tbs grated Parmesan
3 slices of provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
Cook chicken tenders until cooked through.
Spread pesto and a drizzle of olive oil onto the rolls.
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Parmesan Sub
Toast the rolls in the oven for 5 minutes.
Top with chicken and tomato sauce.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Parmesan Sub
Cook for 10 minutes.
Top with Parmesan and provolone cheese and return to the oven until melted.
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Parmesan Sub

Some of my other fav sandwiches for dinner are: 
chicken and pear sandwiches with arugula and sharp cheese
fig jam and prosciutto on strong ciabatta
sliced turkey, cranberry, and brie panini on nutty wheat bread
Italian grilled cheese with breaded eggplant
some panini tips

any quick dinner ‘wiches to recommend? 

Quebec Getaway

I’m baaaack! I took Monday off because

IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!!

Mr. J and I went to Quebec for a long weekend. It was just what I wanted. Quebec is super cute and the food was fantasic. I very much appreciated getting to see the city without running ourselves ragged. Well, we could not have run. It was -15 degrees part of the time. I have a whole new appreciation for weather in the 20s and 30s. We enjoyed the old city and poked around between meals.

Quebec_fontWe were just across the square from Chateau Frontenac, the most photographed hotel in. the. world.

quebec_lower
It just looks like the set of a musical. I felt like any moment I’d have to step aside for a horse-drawn carriage with the heroine singing a tune as she passed snow covered shop steps and lit trees next to ice sculptures. That didn’t happen. But this is for real though, this is what it looks like. So cute!

We ate some really great meals. The best one was at an adorable French bistro. I, of course, got duck confit. This one came with a citrus salad of herbs and more duck confit. Ahhh-mazing.
Quebec_duck

Mr. J got steak frites
Quebec_steak
The creme brûlée didn’t photograph well, but it was MAPLE creme brûlée which was every bit as good as it sounded.

On a more casual night we got burgers, a boozy milk shake, and coq au vin poutine!
quebec_poutine

Cheese curds are so interesting. I was thinking the texture would be too much for me, but it wasn’t. I found them to be sort of like fresh mozzarella. I don’t understand the squeak?

We had a half day our 3rd and final day, which was also my birthday. We started with pain au chocolat.

quebec_pain
and croissant egg sandwiches for the best of both worlds.
quebec_eggsand

Actually, another best that morning was that we got an extra coffee by accident! One bfast came with coffee so we added another. They gave us 2 and then the one came with the food. Jackpot! Happy birthday to me!

Quebec_falls
We took a quick ride (to defrost) over to the frozen waterfalls. Pretty spectacular. See that speck near the orange snow-fence? That’s a person. These falls are huuuge! I wasn’t sad that the 500-stairs up the side are closed for the snow. #nextime

It was a great getaway. I loved it. You should follow me on instagram. I went #happy, and I’m onto a new photo challenge, and I have a family birthday celebration this coming weekend. I’m a pretty lucky girl! (despite coming back to a clog in our sink drain/disposal and the pup having a seizure in our first few hours of sleep being home.)

February In Review

How is February over already? Time is kind of zooming past me. Normally I only feel like time-flies when I’m super busy and over-scheduled. February wasn’t exactly like that but work is busy and I love it. I’m ready for Mother Nature to see the other side, but that might mostly have to do with Mr. J being a one-armed bandit after a hockey injury resulting in a dislocated shoulder. #notfun

The Olympics have taken over the last few weeks of February. Sis had a very themed party. I took a terrible assortment of pics resulting in either an awkward portrayal of a great theme or no blog post…I went with the latter. At least from here you can check out the Jenner Juice (throwback Pepsi), some Olympic torches int he background and Olympic rings in the foreground. I got snowboarding and Austria for a medal pool and was a winner! I was pretty close on the USA medal count though! IMG_3910
I snuck in a few spring-inspired dinners to look past the snow:
like caprese stuffed chicken
The Three Bite Rule - Caprese Chicken
and mojito shrimp which might be my fav photo this year
The Three Bite Rule - Mojito Shrimp
I used some leftover fondue to make some pretty rock-star Kale Mac & Cheese
The Three Bite Rule - Kale Mac & Cheese
My last favorite meal of February has to be Prosciutto, Fontina, and Fig Panini

The Three Bite Rule - Fig & Prosciutto Panini
So, what’s next for March? I’ll have a birthday getaway that I’m sure will be filled with delicious goodies.

Goals update:
#yearoftheflower is going strong, thanks to Mr. J for Valentine’s Day
self-imposed cooking challenge: I made a quickie Curry Carrot Soup that was pretty good, and definitely something different for me.
foodie excursion: the best chicken burger I’ve ever had at Grass Fed & a spur of the moment dinner at Sky for a flatbread that totally needs to be recreated at home.

With February coming to a close do you know what that means? On Monday I will feel like the camel from the commercial GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!? My birthday is riiiight around the corner, and it’s a biggie!

Kale & Portobello Breakfast Strata

Again, I’m on the quest for not-sweet breakfast ideas. I wanted to try to make something that wasn’t all that egg-y. I love eggs but breakfast seems to be either sweet or eggs or fruit. That’s it. I figured I’d try to make something not heavy on the eggs, just for a challenge.

This veggie strata isn’t all that authentic – I went light on the eggs and light on the bread. It is really heavy on the kale and mushrooms to make it filling. I liked it, but wouldn’t eat it weekly. I made a ton and froze a few slices once I got tired of it.

Google helped me come up with a name for this. There’s a fine line between quiche (traditionally has crust, more egg than other ingredients) versus frittata (crustless, often has potatoes)  versus strata (crustless, with bread in it).

The Three Bite Rule - Kale & Portobello Strata

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups kale, deveined and chopped
1 pt portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup swiss cheese
3 slices of light wheat bread, cubed
salt & pepper
2 tbs grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
In a large bowl, add kale and mushrooms.
The Three Bite Rule - Kale & Portobello Strata
Add in the onions, cheese, and bread.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder. Add in salt & pepper to taste.
The Three Bite Rule - Breakfast Strata with Kale & Portobello
Add the egg mixture into the veggie mixture, stir well until evenly coated.
Pour the mixture into a large baking dish, sprayed with non-stick spray in a thin even layer. (mine didn’t all fit so I put the remainder into a smaller ramekin.)
Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake for 30-minutes.
Let cool and serve a room temperature or slightly warmed.
The Three Bite Rule - Breakfast Strata with Kale & Portobello
This made about 8 very sizable servings for me. It seemed like a ton. There’s only 3 eggs and 3 slices of bread in the 8 servings. It would be an easy way to use whatever veggies you have around. I’m lucky that work not only provides lunch daily but there’s a salad everyday, but who doesn’t need more veggies daily? I liked that it definitely seems different than quiche or eggs. It was good to start the day with a serious serving of veggies for a savory breakfast.

Mushrooms are a great way to bulk up the quantity of food, without adding anything bad. They’re great fillers to meatballs or to make salad more filling or burritos or anywhere to reduce the meat without feeling hungry afterwards.

What else should I whip up for savory but easy breakfast?

Turkey Meatballs with Garlic Sauce over Faux-Mashed Potatoes

When I meal-planned and started photographing this dinner, I hadn’t thought twice about the cauliflower mashed potatoes. I make these faux-mashed potatoes occasionally but I did realize I hadn’t blogged them in years, since making Balsamic Glazed Chicken. It’s a great way to lighten mashed potatoes or to stretch out the little potato you have. I used the potato as a base topped with turkey meatballs and a super quick sauce.

Cauliflower doesn’t really have all that much flavor so I honestly think people wouldn’t notice anything different about the potatoes. Plus, adding the cauliflower will add a ton more vitamin C, some added calcium, potassium, protein, & other good stuff without affecting the flavor or texture at all. Potatoes really shouldn’t be the enemy but adding some fresh or frozen cauliflower is a no-brainer.

The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Meatballs over Faux Mashed Potatoes
I came up with this idea thinking that frozen turkey meatballs would make for a quick weeknight dinner. The meatballs and garlic sauce were Trader Joe’s ingredients. Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs are hands down, better than any others. I was intrigued by the garlic sauce and ended up adding it to a few different dinners. It doesn’t make/break this dinner though. I included a really easy alternative.

The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Sauce Meatballs

Ingredients:

3 turkey meatballs per person
1/2 cup garlic cooking sauce (or double the broth (below) + 2 tbs diced garlic)
1/2 cup chicken stock
splash of white wine
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp thyme, dried or fresh rosemary
2 potatoes, pealed or unpealed
2 cups cauliflower
2 tsp cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp butter
salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large pot of boiling water, cook potatoes and cauliflower florets until fully cooked through.
In a flat pan over medium heat, add garlic,
Defrost meatballs and add to a flat pan with garlic sauce, stock, wine, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low.
Drain cauliflower and potatoes putting them into a big bowl.
Add cream cheese, milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Meatballs over Faux Mashed Potatoes
Blend until smooth, or until texture of your preference. I leave some lumps.
The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Meatballs over Faux Mashed Potatoes
Top potatoes with meatballs spooning some sauce over the top.
The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Meatballs over Faux Mashed Potatoes
I liked this one a lot. It was a nice change from the usual. I guess it is along the lines of Swedish meatballs just without a creamy base. It was a easy use of already-made meatballs but would work well with chicken or pork medallions or beef.

I always forgot how much more mashed potato it seems like from the potatoes you start with. My faux-mashed potatoes are about half potato half cauliflower.

The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Meatballs over Faux Mashed Potatoes

Cauliflower Mashed potatoes would be great for mashed potato pizza. I also like blue cheese mashed potatoes with some blue cheese dressing for a subtle flavor. I guess I don’t make potatoes all that often. Hmmm.

What I Ate: Curry Carrot Soup

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

This literally couldn’t be easier. It was a nice change of pace for a quickie dinner. I came home from a class at the gym and either I want something light to not un-do my workout OR I want something filling and rich.

Ingredients:

4 large carrots with the tops cut off
1 cup veggie stock
1 cup water
1 tsp curry powder

Directions:

In a large pot, cook carrots in stock and water over high heat, for 15 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Curry Carrot Soup
When carrots are cooked though and soft, blend until smooth, either with an immersion blender or in a stand blender.
Return to the pot and add the curry and some pepper.
The Three Bite Rule - Curry Carrot Soup
Cook another 5 minutes. Add more water if desired.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Curry Carrot Soup
I was a little heavy handed with the pepper. hahaha oops. I thought the curry flavor was so good with the sweet carrot flavor.

It freezes well too. Ready. Set. Soup!

Maple Peanut Butter Granola

I cringe every time I see the price of granola at the grocery store. It’s like $4-something per box, and that box is definitely smaller than the Cheerios! I googled around to see if there were any tricks for granola. Turns out, it is just super easy. Wait till you see the price per serving!

I went with peanut butter, maple syrup, salted sunflower seeds, and oats. I was hesitant to use lots of pricey nuts until I figured out cooking times…next time! I loooove all things peanut butter. I got some maple peanut butter for xmas and it wasn’t my favorite brand on it’s own so I thought I’d amp up the maple-ness with it for granola.
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola

I can’t wait to try some other variations. It was the perfect not-too-sweet granola to top coffee greek yogurt!
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups oatmeal (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325-degrees.
Over medium low heat in a small pot, melt peanut butter and maple syrup together. Stir occasionally.

The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
In a large bowl, mix oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and sunflower seeds.
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
Add the vanilla into the maple peanut butter and remove from the heat.

The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
Mix the peanut butter mixture into the dry mixture with a spatula. Combine well.

The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
Spread onto a baking pan lined with a baking mat or lined with parchment paper.
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
Bake for 15-20 minutes. I did 15 minutes and let it cool. (It wasn’t the crunchiest it could be so, I’d bake for 20 minutes next time.)

The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
Let cool completely and break into crumbled chunks. Store in an airtight container.

I love this. I didn’t make a huge batch because I needed to see how it went. Next time I might double it or increase it a bit. I do like the idea making small batches different each time to test ’em out. The peanut butter with cafe latte Greek yogurt was great. I loved it with coconut and vanilla Greek yogurt too.

The Three Bite Rule - Maple Peanut Butter Granola
It’s pretty good for a sweet treat in addition to breakfast. I’d love some chocolate chunks or mini chips and more nuts next time!

cost breakdown: 
2 cups of old fashioned oats = $0.53
1/2 cup sunflower seeds = $0.42
1/2 cup peanut butter = $0.40
1/2 cup maple syrup (I don’t buy the real stuff) = $0.50
total = $1.85 for about 6 servings or $0.30 per serving.

that’s insane. THIRTY CENTS per serving. annnnd you know what’s in it. It could go up a lot depending on what goes into it. But I’d love walnuts or almonds and a 1/2 cup of those is not going to put this close to a $1 per serving. I think I’m likely to end up with more like 8-10 servings since it’s just a sprinkle onto of my yogurt. Case closed. I’m making my own from now on.