Recipes

Pinch me or Kiss me because I married Irish! I’m a Murphy! A nice big slice of Irish Soda Bread is necessary St. Patrick’s Day or any other day you’re in the mood for delicious bread!
In our home we go all out with a dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes with big slices of Irish Soda Bread to nibble on throughout the day.  I also made some fantastic green popcorn too!
What is Irish Soda Bread?
Irish Soda Bread is a yeast-free bread, that uses baking soda as the rising agent.  It is typically very dry and engulfed by raisins or currants. There are loads of variations throughout Ireland and many countries have their take on this bread
This year I opted for Ida Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, as she has never failed me.  Her recipe is very simple and delicious.  I made 2 changes, which I highlight below.

Homemade Taco Seasoning – Easy and Cheap!
Using spices that typically occupy our spice racks, a Smart Mama can make her very own taco seasoning.  We are lovers of tacos – hard & soft – and taco salad.  I keep a pack of ground turkey in the fridge for a yummy Mexican night!
Recently Isabella pleaded with, “Mom, can we pleeeeeeeeeasssssse have tacos tonight!”  Unfortunately, I didn’t think I could deliver because I had run out of the taco seasoning packets.  A quick glance at the spice rack, especially when I noticed the bottle of Chili powder, made me realize that I probably had everything the packets contain right here in my own kitchen.
There are tons of recipes online with varying ingredients to make your own taco seasonings.  The spices you need are more than likely already on hand in your kitchen!

I recommend that you hold onto an empty …

Fresh local produce is something a Smart Mama LOVES!  I’m sure you all agree!  Whether you’re at a local farmer’s market, partake in a farm-share or have a great produce department at your grocery store, the freshness of good produce is something we all want for our families.

My near 5 year old has developed a recent fascination with red peppers.  I need to jump on this before the fascination turns to disgust like asparagus did last month.  (I’m sure I’m not the only mother dealing with a stubborn eater!)  This locally grown veggie is great at summertime.  It’s perfect for grilling, adding to kabobs and including in salads.

As we transition from summertime schedules to the school routine, I continue to look for recipes that are not only are healthy and easy to make, but they must be yummy too. During a recent trip to Publix Isabella had a blast …

Another great slow-cooker YUMMY recipe for back to school days!  I adapted this recipe from EatingWell.com.  It tastes great with a serving of brown rice and salad.  My daughter, the picky eater, LOVED it.  The chicken comes out moist, which is a challenge for many of us when making chicken.  Leftovers taste great, too.  I served a thigh and the sauce on top of salad greens and it was great.

As we get ready for the crazy back to school schedule, we need to stack our decks.  We need to have plans in place to increase our chance of success.  The slow cooker is a busy Smart Mama’s friend!  It can be the sous chef that we have always longed for.  Dedicating often less than 15 minutes, a Smart Mama can get dinner organized during nap time, while kids are in school or even before they wake up!

The slow cooker cooks dinner throughout the day, giving you time to do the other millions of things on your to-do list!  As we begin this school year, I hope to share meals that are both easy and yummy, perfectly inline with a Smart Mama’s needs and appetites!

My opportunity as a Hormel Extended Family Blogger is inspiring a little Iron Chef for Smarty Pants Mamas this week!  Let’s try using an ingredient that is often a pantry staple.  It’s used “as-is.”  It’s used in appetizers, entrees and more.  Think of ways you have or could use it.
So, this week I put before you…. Hormel® Chili with Beans!

Yummy! How can you use it?
Here’s my favorite way (compliments of my step-mother-in-law) of using it in a quick and easy appetizer!

It’s always a crowd pleaser and a staple anytime the guys are watching the game! Many variations can be found of this dip.  Maybe you have your own.
Mexi-Melt of Beans
Ingredients

1 can of Hormel® Chili with Beans (without beans if you prefer)
1 box of cream cheese
1 package of shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 325, or have microwave ready.  In an oven-safe/microwave-safe medium …

I welcome Karen Boykin of  www.lacabezagrande.com as a guest writer this week!  You may remember her delicious sounding suggestion of making Chilaquiles when I asked readers to suggest ways to use leftover taco meat.  Her idea is a perfect use of pantry staples, that’s nutritious too!
Karen plans on devoting part of her blog to fresh food and cooking, as she’s in the process of a diet and lifestyle makeover.
Liven Up Those Leftovers!

Stretch your food budget too, with this Mexican-style recipe, suitable for breakfast, lunch or a hearty snack. They’re called chilaquiles and they’re made in a variety of ways with tortilla chips or corn tortillas – either as fried strips or layered whole, like lasagna. The toppings are up to the cook. The one thing they have in common is that they are an inexpensive use of leftovers, combined with staples that …

It’s nearly the 4th of July. I can’t believe it! What does the 4th of July mean to you?  A reason to BBQ, head to the beach and enjoy a day off?  That’s the answer for many of us.  Let’s try to remember on this 4th, the reason we celebrate – our independence!  The parties, fireworks and more are all in tribute to our successful independence from Great Britain.  Our fight continues overseas as our servicemen and women risk their own lives in the name of freedom!  This 4th before heading to the BBQ or the beach, think about those men & women.  Consider having the kids make some handmade cards to send over to the troops, thanking them for what they do each day for us.
Now, let’s get onto the yummy foods we all love during the summer BBQ season.  At your party, be a …

This past week I had a very proud moment, I welcomed my husband Tom to the land of blogging.  Drum roll please….here’s Smarty Pants Dada!  He’s chock full of stories, advice and more that he hopes to share with you and the dads in your home!  Head over the SmartyPantsDada.wordpress.com and take a look!  Follow him on Twitter too!  @SmartyPantsDada
For his 1st guest post, he is sharing his(our) experience with Harmony Valley Foods and a fantastic contest they are holding!  Please enjoy his post!
Never in a million years did I think I would try a dehydrated veggie burger mix, until a unique opportunity presented itself, my wife Smarty Pants Mama received a package of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger mix to try.
I was incredibly skeptical at first, I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  Then I thought about what …

Using leftovers can be a challenge.  Serving them the same way can often be a bore. Earlier this week I made tacos for dinner, feeding my husband, father in law, 4 ½ year old & myself.  The 2 pounds of ground beef proved to be much more than we needed.
Does that ever happen to you?  Maybe it is an intentional extra vat of ground beef, chicken or shrimp that you make in hopes of using a portion for a future meal.  Other times it’s more of a woops, where you really overestimated the tummy sizes of your dinner guests!
Thank you to the fabulous readers of SmartyPantsMama.com, I have a great list of ways to use the taco meat (ground beef) leftovers!  What do you think of the list?  Which leftover creation would be 1st on your list?
1.  Katie suggested…

to add it to beans and make chili. …

Well I’m a Smart Mama of 2 now!  This week we start our postpartum healthy eating routine!  Gone are the days of endless bowls of ice cream, chips and dip and spoonfuls of peanut butter!  Tom has been a great pregnant spouse…he put on weight as I did throughout the last 9 months!
Our 1st phase of returning to normal, healthy eating begins with dinners this week.  We’ve decided to try a different SkinnyTaste.com recipe each day, as we have learned through experience that her recipes are always delicious and healthy.  I began by looking through the circulars to see what the protein deals were for the week, (chicken, pork chops and shrimp) and I searched throughout Skinny Taste for recipes to use our proteins!
Monday:
Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce
Pork chops are one of our favorites and there’s nothing like a good …

I’m exhausted.  Yes, as a mommy of a newborn (just 9 days old) and a 4 1/2 year old my energy and time on hand is very limited!  Dinner these next few weeks must be simple and not complicated.  I’m also trying not to break the bank by ordering out every night – you know that is what I really want!
Monday was the 1st day of really being a stay at home mom of 2.  My husband was off at work.  I had the girls, with one at least in school for half the day.  I picked up the house, I napped and enjoyed my girls!  Again, with limited time I needed to cook up the London Broil that we bought over the weekend at Target.  I needed an easy recipe, one with limited ingredients and steps.  I searched and came across some great ones but …

 
We’ve all seen the commercial, come across the ad in coupon circulars and more for the Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats using Kelloggs Rice Krispies cereal!  You watch it, especially with kids, and you have the instant desire to make them.  They look adorable and they don’t look to difficult to make!
Well for a “nothing thankfully planned on this Thursday afternoon” type of day, I stopped by Target and picked up the ingredients.  My daughter was ecstatic when I picked her up from pre-school with the news of what we would be doing!
The first steps are your standard Rice Krispie Treats recipe….melt the butter, add the marshmallows and stir in 6 cups of cereal.

 
 
Now it got a little more challenging!  We took out 2 larger sized plastic eggs and began to stuff them each with the mixture.  This is when we realized that the direction to butter …

It’s been some time!  Here’s our yummy menu for the week!  Please understand that I’m nearly 35 weeks pregnant so my cravings are in full force!
Monday:
Pollo Tete
I’ve shared this recipe a few years ago.  It was given to me by 2 cousins at my bridal shower.  They each wrote up the recipe not knowing their sister was writing up the same one to share with me.  It’s that easy and good!  I’m serving it with rice and sautéed zucchini.
Recipe:  http://smartypantsmama.com/2008/04/free-for-me-friday-yummy-chicken/
Tuesday
Skillet Chicken Nachos
I subscribe to the Betty Crocker Dinner Made Easy newsletter.  This past weekend a recipe for Chicken Nachos popped up.  I haven’t stopped thinking about them since!  (pregnancy mind!)
Recipe:  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/skillet-chicken-nachos/9bf0c3be-09dd-4b1b-8cf4-a9cfa979b232?WT.dcsvid=MzI1ODgzNTg5MAS2&rvrin=34BA3A72-8369-4CFC-A090-F58ECF284E25&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_DME_04_10_2011
Wednesday
Braised Pork Chops with Mushroom & Onions
Here’s another recipe I received at my shower.  Another one that’s super easy and yummy!

2 tsp. olive oil
2 large onions, halved & sliced thin
1 …

Below is this week’s dinner menu at this Smart Mama home.  This week is a little crazy in the here, we’re moving!  Not far, just 4 miles away…but honestly the distance isn’t the challenge; it’s the packing, moving and unpacking. Add to the situation that I’m 5 months pregnant making it a wee bit more of a pain!  So here’s the menu, taking in mind that we are cleaning out our cupboards, fridge and freezer with this week’s recipe!
Week of January 31, 2011
Monday:
Pork tenderloin, Cuban black beans and rice
Pork recipe: I’m making life easy with this one.  I’m going to season the pork with salt, pepper, lime and onion and bake it at 425° for 25-30 minutes.
UPDATE:
Just finished eating our dinner tonight and the pork came out delicious! I ended up adding a diced onion, juice of half a lemon, a little olive oil …

Below is the dinner menu at this Smart Mama home this week.  I typically do this each Sunday night, but last night I was a bit distracted with the football games.  I have found pre planning each week’s dinner menu saves me time throughout the week.  I hit the grocery on Mondays to purchase the items that I need to complete the dishes.  I also let my husband and daughter pick two of the night dishes.  This week my husband asked for hamburgers & macaroni & cheese (not together) for my daughter.
Here’s the menu with links to the recipe I’ll use.
Week of January 24, 2011
Monday: Hamburgers with caramelized onions, corn and Mashed Maple Squash (I’m using delicata squash)
Squash recipe:  http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mashed_maple_squash.html
Tuesday
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
This is a friend’s recipe that is super simple.  I actually made it last week and had so much leftover that I …

I know you want to stay warm with the cold weather that is approaching across the nation!  Here is a delicious YUMMY recipe that is sure to warm up tummies in your home!
Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped red pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can black eyed peas, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup quick cooking barley
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans stewed tomatoes

Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic & red pepper.  Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite recipe that you would love to share with Smart Mama readers?  Please email SmartyPantsMama@gmail.com to learn how to be a guest poster!

As we each continue to Delve into 12 this week, attempting to consume 12 ounces of seafood, I wanted to share a favorite taco recipe. This recipe, as well as many others, are part of the awesome Delve into 12 gift basket that will offered as a giveaway next week! Be sure to share a comment to let me know that you are taking on the challenge!
Tasty Tilapia Tacos
Ingredients

2 lbs fresh tilapia fillets
8-12 whole wheat soft tortillas
1/4 cup of olive oil

Sauce

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded
1/2 cup plan low fat yogurt
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1 avocado, pit removed & sliced
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Toppings

Shredded cabbage
Salsa
Fresh lime wedges

Directions

Combine cilantro and jalapenos in a food processor.  Mix until coarsely chopped.
Add yogurt, sour cream, avocado and lime juice.  Blend until smooth.  Keep this sauce refrigerated until need.
Brush tilapia fillets with olive oil and grill over medium …

Are you wondering what is Hood Simply Smart Milk?  I was.  Here’s what I found out:
Hood found an innovative, natural technique called ultra filtration to remove some of the water that makes lowfat milk look and taste watery.  The result is simply delicious milk rich in nutrition and taste.  Simply Smart: All the taste, without all the fat.
Not bad. Right? Many of us love milk and most of us use it in cooking. But the skim milk we typically drink does not provide the proper consistency that we need in recipes.  Secondly, the skim milk, well it tastes like skim milk; milk that has been watered down to be of the desired calorie and fat content.  Hood has felt our yearning for the richer tasting milk that we all drank once upon a time; with its Simply Smart milk products.  Simply Smart Fat Free, 1% and Fat …

I wanted to make these delicious sounding zucchini strips I saw on SkinnyTaste.com.  It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon. My daughter had been in school all morning and then refused to nap. You know the kind of day I’m talking about.  She wanted to “help” me in the kitchen. I figured why not. It was a good way to use up some of her energy!
It was a great recipe, a very easy recipe, a very kid friendly recipe. Measuring breadcrumbs. Measuring cheese. Cracking open an egg.  I did take over when it was time to separate the egg white!  That was it.  She took the zucchini strips that I had cut and dipped them into the egg white, dropped them into the breadcrumb bag, shook the bag and carefully placed them on the baking sheet.  She loved it. We baked them and ate them. …

Guest Poster: Gigi from KludgyMom.com
This week I welcome Gigi, a stay at home mom who parents, cooks and lives haphazardly!  She blogs about it all at http://www.kludgymom.com

Straight out of Martha Stewart’s Great Food Fast is this recipe for cashew chicken. I am still a stir-fry novice; I’ve made some with flank steak a few times but needed to branch out and try some chicken. I love cashew chicken when I eat Chinese out – it’s one of my favorite dishes.   This was incredibly easy and fast to pull together and it tasted really good. I wouldn’t say it was exactly like cashew chicken you’d get in a restaurant, but still had great flavor and was inexpensive to prepare. The biggest endorsement I can give this dish is that my husband …

I have a new secret ingredient!  It’s what Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing to the United States in the late 1700s.  Vanilla!
I was recently provided with a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste to try.

Are you wondering exactly what is vanilla paste and how does it differ from extract?  Flavours Magazine (April 2009) describes it as “a concentrated vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds ,suspended in a gum paste, and may contain alcohol.  It gives foods the authentic appearance of vanilla seed.”
Reviewing the Nielson-Massey site (http://www.nielsenmassey.com) I came across a number delicious recipes but the Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade recipe quickly caught my eye.  I knew I had to try it!
Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic parsley
1-1/2 …

Here’s a recipe that’s fairly easy and healthy! I have included nutritional information below.
Chicken with Apricots ~ Serves 4

Pecan halves, 2 oz
2 teaspoons of margarine
3 ripe apricots, quartered and pitted
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
4, 4 oz chicken breast halves
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon of freshly ground ginger
1 scallion, white & green parts, thinly sliced (separated)
½ teaspoon of grated lime zest
1 teaspoon of cracked red pepper
½ cup of chicken broth (or dry white wine)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350.  Place the pecans in a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool.  Crumble the pecans with hands or masher.
In a large skillet melt margarine on medium high heat.  Add the apricot.  Sauté the fruit for 5 minutes to soften and lightly brown.  Stir the apricots frequently. Remove fruit from pan and set aside on plate.
Add oil to pan.  Lightly salt and pepper the chicken.  Place …

Ever wonder what’s another way to use the yummy Vlasic Stacker Pickles in your fridge? I’m sure!  Well here’s a recipe for a glorified meatloaf sandwich I came across and I couldn’t stop drooling!  As the recipe stands, it wins no award for great nutrition, however a few tweaks and it can turn into a great, healthy meal.  In purple I’ve made some healthy adjustments.
BUFFALO MELTS
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds, ground BUFFALO MEAT (ground turkey or lean ground beef)
2 EGG YOLKS (1/2 cup of egg yolk)
1 small ONION, chopped
SALT and PEPPER to taste
1/2 cup, TOMATO SAUCE
4 slices SOURDOUGH BREAD (whole grain bread)
1 jar, VLASIC® STACKERS PICKLES
4 slices CHEESE ( reduced fat cheese)
DIRECTIONS:
1.      In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground meat, egg yolks, onion, salt and pepper well. Use your hands!
2.      Stuff mixture into a bread pan or deep baking pan.
3.      Add tomato …

Here are some great recipes provided by Wellspring Camps, the nations leading weight loss organization, that you won’t feel guilty about indulging in!
Black Bean Dip
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
1 -15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can green chilies
1 cup salsa
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
optional: 1/4- 1/2 c cilantro
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Add salt if needed.
Calories: 42
Fat: 0g
Sour Cream Chicken
Ingredients:
1.25 lbs. Chicken breast, boneless skinless
1 cup Onions, Chopped
1.5 Tablespoons Paprika
½ teaspoon Salt
2 cups Chicken broth, fat free
2 cups Sour Cream, fat free
2 teaspoon Flour
Method:
1.        Lightly spray pan (oven safe dish) with cooking spray and place chicken breasts in pan
2.        Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes
3.        Sautee onions in a skillet (use cooking spray) until translucent, not brown
4.        Add chicken broth, paprika, and salt – reduce stove to low heat.
5.        Stir flour into the …

Bowties with Eggplant and Portobellos is a fantastic pasta dish, ideally using organic ingredients for the best taste.  I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS!  It’s a fairly easy recipe.  It would make a great dish for a dinner party!  It’s super colorful and plates well! Let me know what you think.
Ingredients:

1 bulb garlic
1 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed, about 2-3 cups
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, or 3 to 4 fresh peeled diced tomatoes
1 box of bow tie pasta
1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°.  Combine eggplant, mushrooms, vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, basil, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Meenwhile, peel garlic and place in foil. …