Wednesday January 30, 2013

I felt like going a little healthier than usual for dinner, so I decided to make a chicken salad with cucumbers and onions and a balsamic vinegar and oil dressing. Time: 10 minutes or longer, depending on what you decide to put in your chicken salad. Ingredients used: romaine lettuce, mixed greens and spinach leaves, 1/2 of one chicken breast, 3 slices of cucumber, 1 slice of cut onion, and a light balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. Directions: In a skillet, cook chicken on medium heat. In a bowl, add romaine lettuce, mixed greens and spinach together and mix. Add in cucumber slices and the cut up onion. When the chicken is done cooking, cut into pieces and add to salad. Lightly pour the balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the salad and you're done! 

Happy Cooking!

Tuesday January 29, 2013

I decided that I wanted a "manly" meal for dinner so I made one of my all time favorite comfort foods-Sloppy Joe! This might be one of the easiest meals to make. Time: about 10 minutes. Ingredients used: 1/2 cup of chopped onions, a little more than 1/3 of a pound of beef, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 can of Manwhich Sloppy Joe sauce. Directions: saute onions in a large skillet and add in beef. While beef is browning, add in the Worcestershire sauce and stir. Once the beef is done cooking, add the Manwhich sauce and simply follow the directions on the can. That's all there is to it. Not a lot of steps, but a manly meal that will no doubt fill you up and have you wanting seconds! 

Tip: I put my sloppy joe on top of a piece of pita bread. The bread helps soak up the sauce. If you want to go the more healthy route and let go of the carbs, don't use bread, but I think the pita bread made it a little more comforty. Also, you can add about 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce in with the Worcestershire sauce for an extra kick and a little more flavor.
Happy Cooking!

Monday January 28, 2013

For last night's dinner I made balsamic lemon chicken and cheesy potatoes (potatoes au gratin). This meal has a lot of steps involved, but the end result is worth it. Time: about 45 minutes total. Ingredients used: 1 piece of boneless chicken, (I used a breast, cut in two), 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 lemon cut in half, 1/8 cup of oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons of ground pepper, 1-2 sprinkles of red pepper, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter, and 1 package of potatoes au gratin. Directions: First, prick the chicken all over so the sauce you make can soak from the inside and outside. Cut the lemon in half. In a large bowl add the balsamic vinegar, the juice from 1/2 of the cut lemon, the salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper together, mix and add the chicken. Set aside. Now, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat for about 2 minutes and melt the butter in . In a medium size bowl, mix the sugar with the juice of the other 1/2 of the cut lemon. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, while flipping both sides. (At this point, I began to make my potatoes au gratin). When the chicken is done cooking, place the chicken in the bowl with the lemon and sugar mixture. Your potatoes au gratin should be pretty close to done by now. When you're ready to serve, simply take the chicken out of the lemon and sugar mixture, and plate. Pour some of the sauce you made in the beginning over the chicken. Add your potatoes au gratin and you're done! I really enjoyed this meal. I thought the chicken was so good!! It was juicy and full of flavor. 

Happy Cooking!

Saturday January 26, 2013

I made last night's dinner with one of my sweet friends in mind, Ms. Amanda Wintenburg. She has recently moved to the BIG APPLE and posted on http://www.facebook.com/happycookingwithkim that she likes shrimp, scallops and pasta. No wonder we get along so well! After reading this, I came up with an awesome idea for a meal that I knew she and I and all of my other readers would enjoy. 

This meal just might blow your mind. Seriously. This recipe is for Quinoa with scallops and sweet peas. It's one of the more difficult recipes I've yet to make and it takes the most time, but the end result is so worth it! Qunioa is a whole grain (or seed), has more flavor than rice, is gluten free, cholesterol free, and provides all the amino acids your body needs which makes it a complete protein! Plus, it's just really good. 

(This recipe makes 2 serving sizes). Total time: 45 minutes. Ingredients used: 12 ounces of scallops, 4 teaspoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, one 16 ounce package of quinoa, 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 package of frozen sweet peas. Directions: Mix scallops with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce in a bowl and set aside. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and quinoa over medium heat. Cook and stir for about 6-8 minutes. Now mix in the garlic and add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Keep on medium heat until the water is absorbed (took me about 15 minutes). When this is done, take off heat and mix in the sweet peas. In a separate pan, add in the last 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and the last 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and mix together. Then add the quino and sweet peas and stir. Take your scallops out of the "marinade" and heat in a skillet on medium until they turn a golden color (mine took about 4 minutes to change color). When your scallops are done cooking, stir them into the quinoa and serve. 

Your quinoa should look something like this while it's cooking

Quinoa with scallops and sweet peas!

I will not be making dinner tonight (Sunday January 27, 2013) because I'm going to the Rod Stewart concert at Caesar's Palace...!? Until next time, Happy Cooking!

Saturday January 26, 2013

Today I tried out this slim down drink recommended by Dr. Oz. I heard about it before but I never actually got around to until now.  Anyone can try this, men or women. Time: Less than 5 minutes to make. Ingredients used: 1 cup of grapefruit juice, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of honey, if needed. Directions: mix the grapefruit juice with the apple cider vinegar and stir them together. If the drink tastes a little tart, you can add in the 1 teaspoon of honey for some sweetness. 

This drink is very, very healthy and it literally burns off your fat. Seriously. This drink has vitamin C that helps your body burn fat quicker, especially when you exercise. The acid that's in the vinegar sort of switches on genes that your body needs in order to get rid of fat burning proteins. Try and drink this at least once a day, before every meal that you eat. It's not a perfect world, so I know that will be hard to accomplish, but if you drink this at least once a day, your body will burn away fat.

Tip: I added in the honey to my drink, and it tasted a lot better.

*It's important that readers of this blog understand that I am in no way a doctor, let alone a medical professional. I'm getting this information from a reputable source, so if it doesn't work like you hoped, don't shoot the messenger!

Friday January 25, 2013

For dinner I made garlic lemon lime chicken with penne pasta. Time: about 25 minutes total. Ingredients used: 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 cup of lime juice, 2 cloves of garlic chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of a 16 ounce bag of organic penne pasta. Directions: boil water in a pot and add your penne. I used organic penne. It's a little bit healthier and I eat carbs like it's no one's business, so I'm trying to eat pasta in a healthy way (like there really is a "healthy" way to eat pasta. I eat way too much pasta for it to be considered healthy.) Combine the lemon juice, lime juice, chopped garlic, and salt and pepper together in a plastic bag. It should look something like this 

Shake the bag until everything looks mixed together and set aside. I used half of the chicken breast, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the whole thing. Cook the chicken in a skillet. Once the chicken and penne are cooked, take both off of heat. Strain your penne and  plate. Add chicken and pour your "marinade" over the entire dish. Enjoy!

This dish has a lot of zesty flavor. Add a salad on the side for some added protein. Happy Cooking!

I'm excited to announce the new Facebook page for Happy Cooking! Give it a look at www.facebook.com/happycookingwithkim 

For those of you that are friends of mine on Facebook, I'll be starting a page just for this blog. I don't want to cloud your newsfeeds with pictures of the food I make. If you are a dedicated reader or just want to support me in this new adventure, please "like" the new page on FB when it's done! Thank you, friends. Now on to the good stuff!

Thursday January 24, 2013
*Note, serving sizes from here on out will be for 1, unless otherwise stated

For breakfast I had a fried egg with strawberries. Time: less than 5 minutes total. Ingredients used: 1 egg and 4 strawberries. Directions: put a little cooking spray in a frying pan, so your egg doesn't stick. Crack open 1 egg (or more, depending on how you feel) over medium heat. Once egg is cooked, put on a plate and surround with strawberries. That's it! So simple, yet so delicious!

For dinner I made baked garlic lemon tilapia with wild brown rice. Time: about 15 minutes total. Ingredients used: one 6 ounce piece of tilapia, 2 garlic cloves-chopped, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a piece of parsley, 1 lemon slice, salt and pepper (if wanted), and wild brown rice. Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a sauce pan on low heat. Once your butter is melted, add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute, then add the lemon juice and take off heat. Put some cooking spray in a baking pan. Put the tilapia in the pan and lightly season with salt and pepper (if desired.) Pour the lemon butter sauce over the tilapia. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Once your tilapia is cooked, plate it and add the parsley, lemon slice and the wild brown rice. I used Rice in a Bag, which is really easy to make. All you need to do is heat the rice and it's done. 

Tip: wait until the tilapia is cooked and on the plate to add the lemon butter sauce. It might taste fresher this way.

Until next time, Happy Cooking! 

Hello, readers! I hope some of you were able to make either (or both) of Monday's meals. If you did, let me know how they turned out! I'm no professional chef, and I'm always looking for tips and suggestions. Also, if there is a particular vegetable or meat or spice you like and I haven't made a meal yet using it, please let me know. Recipes and meal suggestions are always welcome! So, let's get to it.

Wednesday January 23, 2013
For breakfast I made a Peanut Butter and Banana smoothie. Can you tell I like peanut butter and bananas a lot? *On a side note, bananas are .19 cents each at Trader Joe's! And yes, I picked up some more :) Now, onto my peanut butter and banana smoothie. Total time: 5 minutes to make. Ingredients used: 10 ounces of milk, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, and 1 banana. Directions: Cut banana into thin slices. In a blender, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth, or at a consistency you like and you're done! I used soy milk, but any milk is fine. When I was growing up, I was lactose intolerant and I would only drink soy milk, (I've since then grown fond of non-soy milk.) This quick and easy to make breakfast is great for anyone who needs to "eat" breakfast while commuting. Easily made to have on the go, this healthy smoothie will keep you full until lunchtime!

 Tip: add about 5 or 6 ice cubes for a thicker consistency. Add yogurt for some more flavor, and a scoop of protein powder for a little extra healthiness! 


The dinner I made has two parts. A spinach and mixed green salad and thin spaghetti with sauteed onions and tomatoes. Time: 25 minutes, including prep for both the salad and spaghetti. Ingredients used for salad: Spinach leaves, romaine lettuce, 3 slices of cucumber, 2 slices of a Roma tomato, balsamic vinaigrette and oil. Directions: Chop romaine lettuce at an angle, and add spinach leaves. Cut slices of cucumber and Roma tomato and add to salad. Last, pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette and mix. Enjoy! 

Ingredients used for spaghetti: a little less than half a package of spaghetti (or more, depending on how hungry you are or how many people you plan on feeding), 1/2 slice of chopped onion, olive oil, 1/2 chopped Roma tomato, three cheese marinara sauce and 3 tablespoons of red wine. Directions: Put water in a pot, and bring to a boil, add spaghetti. Pour a little olive oil (vegetable oil works too) into a pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, but not so much that the oil will hurt you. Put chopped onions in the pan on medium heat, occasionally turning them over so they don't burn. You want your onions to be a nice golden color. Next, add chopped Roma tomato into the same pan as the onions. In a separate pan, mix the red wine and the three cheese marinara sauce together, on low heat. When you spaghetti is done cooking, add three cheese marinara/wine sauce, and sauteed onions and tomato. Enjoy your meal! 

Tip: substitute three cheese marinara sauce with a nice olive oil, or a light Alfredo sauce. 

Until next time, Happy Cooking!

Welcome to my new cookbook blog! Hi, I'm Kim and here is where I'm going to be making notes and writing down all the meals that I make. I'm a huge foodie. I love to eat food, try new food, and experiment with food. If it has to do with food, I'm all about it! I decided to make this cookbook blog because it's always fun sharing recipes and meals with friends, near and far. I also want to share this blog with anyone that has the same love for food that I do. In addition to this blog, I am also in the early stages of putting my meals into an actual book.

I'll be blogging and writing my recipes when I make a meal. There might be some days where I make breakfast, lunch, and dinner and there might be some days where the only meal I make is dinner. I'll be linking my blog with my Facebook page, but check back here periodically! You never know when I'll be blogging. I came up with this whole cookbook blog idea yesterday (1/21/2013), so the most recent blog entry will almost always be from the day before. My biggest goal is to make healthy, delicious meals that will satisfy even the pickiest eater, and to always remember to write down the meals I make and blog them, for you! So let's get started. Happy Cooking! 

Monday January 21, 2013
For breakfast I made something that I like to call Breakfast Sushi. Total time (including prep): about 5 minutes to make. Ingredients used: 1 banana, peanut butter, and rice krispies pieces. You can also substitute oats or granola. Directions: cut banana into roughly 1/2  inch pieces. Cover pieces of banana with peanut butter. I like Smucker's Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, but any peanut butter will work. Last, put rice krispies pieces on the entire piece of covered peanut butter banana. This meal is great if you are on the go! It's very easy to make and doesn't require a lot of time, plus it's healthy. 

Tip: you could also substitute honey for peanut butter. If someone test's this method out, let me know how the result is!


For dinner I had Lemony Chicken. Total Time: about 30 minutes (including a 5 minute prep time). Ingredients used : 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 4 boneless chicken breast (can do less, depending on how many servings you need), 1 can of Campbell's Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 cup of black olives (can substitute onions), 4 lemon slices and 4 cups of rice. Directions: First, heat oil in a skillet. Next, add the chicken breast and cook until brown. Then, add the soup, milk, lemon juice, pepper, and olives. I used condensed fat free cream of chicken soup and 2% milk, but whatever you like is okay. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for roughly 5 minutes or until done. Serve over rice and last, top chicken breast with lemon slices. 

Until next time. As always, Happy Cooking!