Two Yummy Recipes We've Tried Lately

I love trying new recipes. Sometimes they turn out great and other times, well... we'll leave that to your imagination. One thing I love about this blog is that there's always something new and yummy to try. Two recipes we happened to find lately were scrumptious and so I thought I'd share them with you all.
The first recipe was a Baked Pork Chop Recipe. I haven't done pork chops much because they seem hard to flavor, but these turned out very moist and flavorful. I'll definitely be doing this one again.

The second recipe was one I found on a container of feta cheese. It's a recipe for Cranberry, Feta, & Toasted Walnut Salad. It is going to be one of my favorites for a while and is very easy to make. The recipe is as follows:

10 oz. mixed salad greens (I just used Romaine - what we always use)
1 c. dried cranberries
6 oz. oven roasted chicken breast, cubed
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 c. tangy tomato bacon dressing
(I used Ranch, but even a strawberry vinaigrette would be fun)
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled

Combine 1st four ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing just before serving, toss to coat. Top with cheese.

back at it...

Here is another week of meal's for your viewing (or eating ;) pleasure....

*Monday: Leftover Potato Salad (I am SO not a fan of goopy, mayonaisse-y potato salad--so I copy my friend Amy's version, by mixing cooked/cubed potatoes, sliced green onions, diced red peppers, and chopped egg in a bowl. I mix 1/2 mayo. with 1/2 plain yogurt--I guess on amounts based on the amount of veggies/egg--add a little steak sauce and some salt and pepper. Pour sauce over potato mixture and coat well. I'm telling you--it's the first yummy and actually fairly healthy potato salad you'll eat...), corn on the cob and bread with olive oil/parmesan/pepper. I know...really random meal...

*Tuesday: Teriyaki Salmon with jasmine rice and asparagus

*Wednesday: Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables and salad

*Thursday: French Onion Soup

*Friday: Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto and Baked Sweet Potatoes

*Saturday: Michigan, here we come! Again...

*Sunday: Michigan dinner...

***For the next week, we will be out of town--trying some fun dutch oven cooking as we camp!!!--so if someone else wants to post their weekly menu, please feel free!***

Salem's Yummy Pretzel Bread

After staying at Salem and Burke's for about a week. I felt spoiled. We had such good food (mostly prepared by Salem) that it made me want to go home and prepare some yummy eats for my own family. I could not, however, find pretzel bread anywhere and I was craving those yummy sandwiches we had at Salem's. So I looked online to find a recipe for it and found this. They turned out really yummy. I'm still tweaking things to find out how to make them as good as the bakery does that Salem goes to. But these are definitely worth trying at least once. Hope you get a chance to make some!

I survived!

I made it through my race, and actually had lots of fun. The night of the race, Burke and I snuggled up to watch this movie, that my Dad had recorded. It was pretty fascinating-and eye-opening. So in-lou of my weekly menu, I would encourage everyone to watch (although be warned--it is a little graphic) at least the trailer of this film.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to promote whether or not organic is best, or how much high-fructose corn syrup is okay, but I do know that it scares me many times when I think of what we consume on a regular basis. I LOVE the idea of having a huge garden, where I can grow all my own veggies, and cook more simply. I feel a little stuck, because I don't know exactly how to change my eating to be getting exactly what I need--and how to avoid all the "fake" stuff. But I think it's pretty safe to say that after watching this movie, Burke and I have definitely decided to eat a little less meat, a little more fresh, and in general to just not eat AS MUCH. We are supposed to eat to survive, not for pleasure. So from now on, it's going to be healthful and wholesome around here. I want to take care of my body--and my families' as well. Now go watch that movie!!!

another week...

*Monday: Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Brown Rice

*Tuesday: Baked Potatoes (with every topping I can think of)...oh how I love Potatoes...

*Wednesday: Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas and Black Bean Soup

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Pasta, Pasta, Pasta--carb. loading for my race tomorrow!!!

*Saturday: Race Day in MI! Rose's for dinner

*Sunday: Post Race Day meal (not sure what it will be...but it will be good...)