Front Burner

I enjoy a good bowl of soup.  I'd even make it for dinner if I thought I could get away with it.  But my husband is a filling meal full of meat kind of guy so not only can I NOT get away with soup for dinner, I must also NEVER make anything vegetarian... minor restrictions I've been able to abide by for the last 10 years.  But it doesn't stop me from pulling out the recipes.  I see them... I long to try them... and I file them away.  Until recently when I thought to myself  "hey, why not make soup for lunch?"  I'm the only one I have to please (I didn't serve it to my kids) and the leftovers will take care of lunch for days.  I actually invited my good friend Tracey to lunch and baked some homemade bread (for what is soup without bread?!)  But her kids got sick the night before and she had to decline the invitation at the last minute.  It didn't stop me, I was determined.  I would make my soup and bread and I wouldn't be the only one to enjoy it!  I packed some up, warmed right off the stove and out of the oven and drove it to her doorstep... this girl aims to please and pleasing I did.

*Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home Healthy Cooking*


White Bean Italian Sausage Soup


1 lb. Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 minced garlic cloves
4 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup medium pearl barley
1 large carrot sliced
1 celery rib sliced
1 tsp. minced fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp, minced fresh rosemary (or 1/8 tsp. dried, crushed)
6 cups chopped fresh kale


In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Drain if necessary.


Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes, barley, carrot, celery, sage and rosemary.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir in kale; return to boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer another 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and kale is wilted.

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I can't seem to settle on just one salmon/crab cake recipe and tend to try just about any one I find.  They're versatile and delicious and they're a hit with the kids.  But I'd almost go as far as to say that these were pretty exceptional.  A winner in my book :)  With a little squeeze of lemon and a dip in some Old Bay aioli, dinner perfection!

*Recipe courtesy of Family Circle magazine*

Salmon Cakes


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced small
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
2 cans (7.5-oz each) pink salmon
1 egg
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 1/4 teaspoons Old Bay or other seafood seasoning
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 5 minutes until slightly softened.  Remove to a large bowl.

Drain salmon; remove bones.  Add to bowl with cooked vegetables along with remaining ingredients.  Combine well and form into small cakes, about 1/3 cup each.

In same skillet, add remaining tablespoon of oil and heat over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add cakes to pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Old Bay aioli:  Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic and 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay (or other seafood) seasoning.  Serve with cakes for dipping.

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I decided to branch out last month and try making some new freezer meal recipes. I love my "fall-backs" but variety is always good too. More often than not, I end up being pleasantly surprised as was the case with this meal. The kids seemed to enjoy it (I think they can sense peanut butter from a mile away...) and I found it incredibly tasteful as well.

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Um... seriously? There really was no way these could turn out badly. Raspberry? Yum... Cream cheese? Yum... Chocolate? DOUBLE yum! I really could have used a little more cream cheese but hey, recipes are for experimenting... so maybe I'll double the cream cheese filling next time :)

I told the girls at work that I would bring in a batch of brownies and dug out this Cooking Light recipe. Stuck them in the oven and with 25 minutes left to bake, a minor disaster struck our household as my 3-year-old daughter tripped, fell and split her chin open, sending blood all over the dining room floor. As I (slightly overreacting) loaded us all up for a trip to Urgent Care, to my dismay I had to pull the "not yet done" brownies from the oven. Of course my daughter's well being was more important at that point...

But a little skin glue, a bandaid, a sticker and a chocolate milk for being a good sport seemed to remedy the situation. In the process I happened to get called off from work but decided to "rebake" the brownies in an attempt at salvation anyway (no way I was tossing them without at least trying...) It took a little more time than I had anticipated but I managed to bake them back to near perfection. Of course, being called off work meant they were mine for the taking (my "brownie disliking" husband actually ended up enjoying this twist on the classic and ate a few himself.) They lasted a good week... I had to pace myself.

But fear not, I aim not to disappoint my sweet coworkers. The pictured batch was my second round baked for the shift I actually worked which was kindly displayed in the common room and devoured shortly after.

As much as they love to "hate" me for sabotaging their diets, I love them as some of my best food critics and deep down, I know they truly "love" me too ;)

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These muffins are one my favorites. Well... muffins in general... pretty much my favorite. But when I find one that seems a little "healthy" AND tastes great, it tends to top my list. The photo isn't the best since the muffins were a day old at this point. These are really best eaten on the day they are made. I suppose the recipe could be halved so as to only make a half dozen and not have so many soggy leftovers. Muffins with streusel topping don't tend to freeze well either so I don't know that I would recommend that option. Heck, just make a full batch and invite the neighbors over :)

Wheat Germ Streusel Banana Muffins

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups mashed banana (about 3 med.)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

For Streusel:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. cold butter
2 Tbsp. finely chopped walnuts or pecans

In a large bowl combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl beat the bananas, egg, oil and applesauce until well blended. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Coat muffin tin with cooking spray; fill 2/3 full with batter. For streusel, combine brown sugar, wheat germ and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle evenly over batter.

Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool.

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My long-time very close friend, Sarah has, for years, been one of my best food critics. Probably because she never dislikes anything I make and enjoys being the test subject for new recipes(exempting the "spinach stuffed chicken with apricot sauce" that I served when she had morning sickness... I think she still gets nauseous when I talk about that recipe...)

We used to get together on occasion for lunch and I always used it as an opportunity to make something new. I remember making "wraps" one time that we both absolutely fell in love with. Unfortunately, to this day, I still can't remember what was in them...

So when she scheduled her yearly visit for my birthday (the one time a year when I send my husband and children away for a weekend of respite with a much loved friend) I dug out this recipe and decided to try it out. I loved it... she raved... and she ended up taking home my printed out copy :) That's my beloved food critic and friend!


Turkey Wraps with Maple Mustard Dressing

4 fresh asparagus spears
4 teaspoons stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon reduced fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 sandwich wraps (such as Flat Out brand flatbread wraps found in the bread aisle)
1/4 lb sliced deli turkey
1/4 medium avocado peeled and thinly sliced
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded lettuce (or 1 cup sandwich sprouts)

In a large skillet, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 2-4 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry.

Combine mustard, mayo and syrup; spread over each wrap. Layer with turkey, avocado and bacon, asparagus and lettuce/sprouts. Roll up and cut in half.

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Little individual servings of goodness. If you've never had (or made) popovers I suggest you do it now. This savory version is a perfect pairing as a side to almost any meal. I describe the texture as being similar to that of a crepe... silky, smooth, egg-dominating feel and taste. The only resemblance to a muffin being its size and shape. High in protein (8 grams per popover) as eggs and milk are the two major ingredients. Save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat individually for 15 seconds in the microwave for a yummy snack.

*Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers: 3 WW Points per (1 popover) serving*

Cheddar Green Onion Popovers

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