Farro w goat cheese & veggies (healthy)

healthy and yummy!

-Farro (the grain that I used) - you can get it by the rice and couscous in either Trader Joe's or Wegman's

-chicken broth

-olive oil

-fresh cheese - i used goat cheese but really, any soft and creamy cheese will work. If it's not a really soft/melty cheese, just make sure that it's at room temperature or that you microwave it for a couple of seconds before you add it to the farro. I used 4 ounces

- orange zest

-a big bunch of chopped basil 

-veggies i used: red onion, yellow pepper, green pepper but you can use anything really.

　

　

1. Cook the farro according the directions on the package, but substitute some of the measured water for a cup or so of chicken broth. Also add salt and a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the boiling water.  

2. After farro is cooked (you do not drain it) add the cheese and a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Mix it gently until all of the cheese is mostly melted and combined. Then, grate the orange zest into the farro, and mix again. Then, add basil and whatever veggies/fruit/herb combination you're putting in, and mix it. Taste it and add salt/pepper/red pepper, if it needs it.

(thank you, katie, for this recipe!)

Cannoli cupcakes!!

CANNOLI CUPCAKES!! SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!
Took a long time to make but totally worth it. Yummy!!
I used fat free ricotta and less butter than the recipe called for, so I consider them some what healthy LOL
Although vanilla bean is very expensive it made a huge difference in the taste of the frosting!
I tweeked the recipe I found online, but the design idea, well, that was all me :) :)

http://foodfolksandfun.net/2011/02/cannoli-cupcakes/

Buffalo chicken eggrolls

buffalo chicken eggrolls are my go-to. No real recipe.
I mix shredded cheddar cheese with blue cheese cumbles, ranch dressing, and hot sauce (enough to fill the number of eggrolls you are making), add some broccoli slaw for crunch and then top it off with shredded chicken marinated in hot sauce. Then fold up the egg roll wrappers like a burrito and bake for about 15 minutes. Oh, you gotta spray the outside of the eggrolls with pam before you put them in the oven so they brown instead of burn. Done and done! :)

Lemon cupcakes w blackberry buttercream frosting. Delicious!!!

These were an unexpected HUGE hit at work! I got so many compliments, and even some requests to make more. I think I had more fun making them pretty than eating them though lol

The hardest part was pureeing (is that a real word?) the blackberries and sifting out the seeds. Other than that, it was cake! Pun intended :)

http://tideandthyme.com/lemon-cupcakes-with-blackberry-buttercream-frosting/

Italian style drunken noodles

This sauce turned out a bazillion times better than I expected!

Angel hair with herbs in a white wine reduction sauce

This was soooooo easy I def recommend it :)

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/six-herb-linguine-recipe-ghk0511

Simple thin crust pizza

Didn't feel like cooking too much tonight lol sorry people!

Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream

My fabulous coworker Allison made this cake for Easter...
Her recommendation is add the coffee and vanilla during the cooking process. Other than that she followed the recipe exactly, including freezing the layers before frosting. No way to frost them otherwise.

http://kitchenhealssoul.blogspot.com/2011/11/chocolate-cake-with-coffee-buttercream.html

Turkey burger platter

Mini turkey burgers with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes drizzled with fat free balsamic vinaigrette atop a bed of spinach. Back to being healthy!