Kielbasa Grain Bowls

Ohh you know I love a good grain/rice bowl! I wasn’t planning on blogging this one but it is too good not to add to the repertoire…and it is always helpful for me to remember my own ideas! I used turkey kielbasa with fresh pineapple, raw green bell peppers, and brown rice which were so great together with the easiest sauce drizzled over the top.
Kielbasa Grain Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
The rice went into the pressure cooker, because it does magical things to brown rice. The turkey kielbasa is already cooked, but just got a little caramelization in a cast-iron skillet when it was too hot to even turn on the grill. The sauce is just a few quick ingredients. The little one loved everything about this combo. He’d be glad to live on rice.

Kielbasa Grain Bowls (for 4)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups brown rice
13 oz turkey kielbasa (or Polish sausage or chicken sausage)
1/2 green bell pepper
1 cup fresh pineapple
3 tablespoons bbq sauce
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions:

Prepare the rice and set aside.
Slice the kielbasa into 1/2 inch disks and sear in a medium skillet with a drizzle of oil, over medium heat, until warmed through and it begins to caramelize around the edges a bit.
While the kielbasa cooks, chop the pepper and pineapple.
Whisk (or shake in a jar) the bbq sauce, teriyaki sauce, and maple syrup.
Assemble the bowls with rice, kielbasa, pepper, and pineapple. Then drizzle the sauce over the top.
Enjoy!
Kielbasa Grain Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
Kielbasa isn’t an ingredient we have all the time but it was fun for something different and I loved the flavor. It already being fully cooked was also a perk! The little guy is not always into meat lately but he ate a bit of this. I want him to keep being exposed to everything and we’ll see what happens.

I thought of mixing a little dijon into the rice just after finishing eating. You do it and tell me how it is!

Honey Rosemary Cream cheese on BLTs

Somebody at work brought salt bagels and honey rosemary cream cheese from Bagelsaurus for a breakfast party and I couldn’t get over this signature combo. I loved the woodsy but sweet cream cheese with a salty bagel. I knew I had to have it again before I’d get to Bagelsaurus, so I made some for a sandwich! I wanted pretzel rolls but ended up with some quality sourdough. I used the rest of the honey rosemary cream cheese for breakfasts and will totally make some again.

I like BLTs to be in that order. This one got an exception, but I normally feel quite strongly about this. Lettuce in the middle is tricky to photograph so I ventured to this BTL. Do as you wish. Does it matter to you? Don’t worry- I still like you even if you don’t care the order. 🙂

Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Also, about half my greens are basil for a little summery kick to this.

Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese & BLTs (for 2)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cream cheese (I used whipped, or regular works too)
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons honey
~2-3 strips of bacon per sandwich, cut in halves
sandwich bread/rolls/bagels
tomato
greens

Directions:

Finely chop the rosemary. Mix up the cream cheese, rosemary, and honey.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Refrigerate until serving – keeps in the refrigerator for ~1 week.
IMG_7195
Pan fry the bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels.
Slice the tomato & chop the greens, if needed.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Generously spread the cream cheese on to the insides of the bread and build the sandwiches.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Slice & enjoy!

I really loved this combo. I almost added avocado but it wasn’t quite ready. Add a fried egg and serve on a bagel for a really magical experience! I liked the cream cheese here instead of any cheese on the BLT. How amazing would it be on a pretzel roll or salt bagel? That’ll be next for me!
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
The cream cheese was really easy and could easily be mixed up in advance. It would be a really fun to serve with local bagels for house guests or to bring as a hostess gift! I only made a bit but you could make a little or a ton!

Light Lemon Dip for Fruit

On my quest for more appetizers up my sleeve, I went lemon-y for a dessert/fruit/brunch-ish dip and it couldn’t be easier. I love that it can be prepped ahead of time, or mix it up and eat it immediately! I wanted to go all-out and make a huge board overflowing with dippers for it, but then again, I’m 36 weeks pregnant, hot, always tired, and I wasn’t feeding a huge crowd. This hit the spot with just strawberries and some graham crackers to dip.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Fruit Dip
Lemon Fruit Dip (serves ~8-10)
6 oz cream cheese (softened is helpful, not required)
4 oz vanilla Greek yogurt
4 oz Cool Whip
1 pkg lemon pudding mix
1 tablespoon lemon juice
lemon zest from half a lemon
2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
dippers: fruit slices; vanilla wafers; graham crackers/animal crackers; fruit as kebabs; cookies; etc

Directions:
Add all the dip ingredients into a bowl.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Fruit Dip
Whip with a mixer (or food processor or blender).
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Fruit Dip
Taste and add more fresh lemon juice if desired, or thin it a bit more with additional yogurt/cool whip if desired.
Enjoy! Or refrigerate until serving.

This totally hit the spot for being fresh and bright but creamy and very dip-able. I didn’t think of it fast enough, but any leftovers would be great between graham crackers like an ice cream sandwich then wrapped individually in plastic. Leftovers of everything would make fun individual trifles!
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Fruit Dip
I added the yellow since the lemon powder isn’t all that yellow and I wanted it to pop. This is an easy one to prep the night before and bring to a summer gathering or to serve when guests arrive! My little one was napping when I served this but he tasted when I made it and liked it. I think it’d be an easy excuse for a dessert!

Go all out and make a huge & beautiful board of fruit, cookies, and treats and share with me!

June 2018 Recap

Countdown is ON. I’m now 35 weeks pregnant, with about 5 weeks left. Woah. June felt speedy probably also because it is the end of work’s fiscal year so there’s a lot happening. Everything I cooked this month was pretty quick without a ton of ingredients…perfect for summer, right?!

This month I made Mr. J’s birthday burger as a Garlic Lovers Burger which was fun. I also used a Beyond Meat one for mine and was really impressed!
The Three Bite Rule - Garlic Lovers Burger

I’ve been into smoothies so I re-did, and healthify a Chocolate Cherry Smoothie. The little one likes to have some when I do.
The Three Bite Rule - Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
This Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp was so perfect to balance the juicy shrimp with sweet and tartness.
The Three Bite Rule - Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp
I expect blogging to slow down a bit in my final stretch these next 5 weeks until my due date. Stay tuned for a few summer-y things- possibly with wider stretches between posts! Next week I have some extra days off so we’ll see if I can get some wish-list items made and I will likely post again after the holiday. Happy Independence day!

The Little One:

He’s all about the yard work right now- rakes, his mower or trailing daddy who is mulching/planting/and making a green house. He and I have been enjoying my summer Fridays with an early release. We’ve gone to new playgrounds, the library, and just been home for extra playtime outside. We did a joint bday & father’s day which was so perfect for swimming and grilling. He loved the big pool again this year and I was grateful he ate some of everything since celebratory meals aren’t when he can usually focus on eating his normal amount. Our town really loves Flag Day and the parade was fun. The amount of pasta and of rice/grains he can put away continues to astound us. He out-ate both of us the other night with pasta with pesto on it was quickly made before heading to a concert outside.

Bump Update:

I’m really feelin’ it and can tell I’m slowing down. Everything is getting hard to do. I often wake up around 4 which is not. fun. It does mean I am reading a lot. Food-wise I am super into smoothies- my fav right now is a green-based version of this PB & J smoothie. I re-do it soon with the healthier tweaks I’ve made. I made a Trader Joe’s run which I think will greatly expedite and simplify dinners. Hallelujah! While at TJ’s, I found individual serving packs of Chocolate & Cashew Trek Mix which is life-changing right now. I’m getting more full and wanted smaller but more frequent meals spaced out a bit more. Sometimes meals feel like a means to an end and I’m not super interested or passionate about the actual food. Baby girl is a mover & shaker…much like her big brother.

This Year’s Goals:

Year of the candle: I pulled out one I hadn’t tried yet that somebody gave me forever ago. It is sweet and quite fragrant. It is a good one since I smell so much while pregnant.   
Cook more appetizers/snacks: 
I made Breakfast-Inspired Deviled Eggs
Taking time to blog thoughtfully: 
ehh, this wasn’t really something I focused on.
Journal the cute moments of my little one: He tells us he was “dreaming about ____” which is means there’s something he wants to do. 
What I’m reading: 
 I read Big Little Lies & Sunshine Sisters and I’m almost done with another. 
What I’m watching: 
we watched Game Night which was so so funny. I started a binge list for maternity leave.

Bacon, Cheddar & Ranch Garlic Bread

This delicious dish skates the line of garlic bread or maybe even a flatbread. This is so good and so easy. Share with others – everyone will love this. We ate it for dinner with some salad but I can definitely see it being a fun app or side.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon, Cheddar, Ranch Garlic Bread
The garlic cooks in the bacon drippings and butter meaning the full flavor of the bacony-tidbits goes onto this. It mean the crunchy brown bits from the pan soak into the bread.

Bacon, Cheddar & Ranch Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

~6 strips of bacon
1 loaf Italian bread or baguette
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons dried Ranch seasoning
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon chopped chives or parsley (optional)

Directions:

Chop then pan fry the bacon until crisp. Spoon onto paper towels to drain, but reserve the grease in the pan.
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Slice the bread and pop it into the oven while the oven preheats- just to start to warm through.
Add the butter and garlic to the pan with the bacon drippings. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.
Spoon over the bread and then top with ranch seasoning, cheese, and bacon.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon, Cheddar, Ranch Garlic Bread
Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese melts and the bread gets golden around the edge. Optional: Sprinkle chives over the top.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon, Cheddar, Ranch Garlic BreadSlice into 1 inch slices. Enjoy!

This was a really fun one. We had it for dinner with some salad and it totally hit the spot. I loaded up the bacon because, well, it is bacon! The little one ate all the bacon off his pieces first, then ate the rest.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon, Cheddar, Ranch Garlic Bread
I had the bread in the freezer and always freeze bacon, so this was easy to pull together.