Recently, I was able to take advantage of a trial for Home Chef. I usually cook meals at home from my own recipes (or ones that I have found online), however often times it is the "same old stuff" and has gotten repetitive. Spaghetti, pork chops, chicken breasts, etc... all usually seasoned the same way because I have memorized the recipes and - honestly - it's easy to just throw something together! I love to cook - like really, really love to cook, but the depression I have has made me almost always exhausted and so cooking things from scratch or more complex takes a seat on "the back burner" *yes, pun intended*. 

So, when I got the offer to try Home Chef, I was really interested. I had seen ads ever for the "Fresh Dinner Delivery Services" but had not wanted to try them because I didn't see the value in them. I mean, I knew how to cook. I could look up a recipe and I could make it. What I was lacking was inspiration and the drive to want to make something "new". Not to mention, some of the recipes I have seen on services like Blue Apron, Plated, etc - they seemed intimidating, and although the recipes were there, if I wanted to just try a complex recipe with my own store bought ingredients, I would have to buy all the ingredients in FULL, not just the 2oz of whatever I need, and there goes the price $$$.

Here are the basic run-downs for Home Chef, thanks to A Common Connoisseur blog:

Price

• All Home Chef meals are priced at $9.95 per serving, however I have seen that every so often they offer a "premium" meal (for example, Filet Mignon) for $19.95 if you so choose. 
• Delivery is free for orders over $40, and they don’t charge sales tax. Shipping is $10 for orders less than $40.
• Select any number of dinner meals for 2, 4, or 6 people.
• They have no less than ten (yes, ten) different meal choices each week.
• Additional offers, if you choose: one breakfast ($9.95/serving), one smoothie ($4.95/serving) or one fruit basket ($4.95/serving)
• They offer many promotions in magazines, on Facebook or search “Home Chef” promo codes online.
• Active subscribers have access to a referral program, where you can earn credit for every referral that signs up with Home Chef. Both you and your reference will receive a $30 credit.

Delivery

• Can send weekly deliveries Tuesday through Friday.
• You can select the day of week that’s most convenient for you.
• You can skip weeks according to your availability or interest in the menu.
• Cancellation is easy, there is no committment whatsoever.

Menu

• You can choose any meals that you want, they are not automatically pre-selected and set in stone.
• They will offer suggestions based on your preferences but you can remove those from your cart very easily.
• Create a Diet Profile: Omnivore, Meat, Seafood, Pescatarian, Vegetarian and Vegan.
• Identify dietary preferences: ingredients to avoid, low-calorie or low-carb meals
• Offers subscriptions for gluten-free and dairy-free also.

The two meals I selected for the week were Parmesan Crusted Salmon with a Arugula and Tomato salad, and Pork Shumai Meatballs with Sugar Snap Peas. I have never made either at home, and the only time I have ever cooked salmon has been from a "ready made" recipe or bag from Publix. 

The box arrived (per FexEx) at 11:30am on a Friday. I was at work until 4pm and was slightly concerned, but I had read previous reviews that they pack everything very well with many ice packs and lots of insulation, so I was not terribly worried. I arrived home at 4:15pm and opened the box, and as I was told to expect everything was still very cold. 

Each meal had it's separate bag with all the ingredients needed, and the meat was vacuum packed for each meal. The vegetables were bright and fresh, from the arugula to the tomatoes, the single scallion and the two garlic cloves. Each was perfectly portioned for each meal, down to the 2oz of sesame oil and the 4oz of Ponzu sauce for the meatballs. Each bag and container was clearly labeled so I can grab each one very quickly during cooking. 

I am so happy to say, both dishes came out AMAZING. The instructions were extremely easy to follow and provided a much needed boost in ideas for cooking in my household. My husband and I loved each dish. The only modification I made was I added a pinch of Parmesan cheese to the Arugula and Tomato salad with the salmon, as I thought my husband may like it. Other than that one minor addition, I stuck strictly to each instruction for each recipe. 

Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Arugula and Tomato Salad

Pork Shumai Meatballs with Sugar Snap Peas

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone in a "cooking funk", or a couple who wants to add some different meals to their home menus. You can even do this for families, however our son is a very picky eater and refuses to eat anything that isn't bacon, toast, chicken nuggets, or other form of bland food. The portions are plentiful and it is easy to add a third piece of protein (or split the protein you have) to accommodate a third person, such as our teenager. 

By the way - the teenager was very excited! :)

If you would like to try it yourself, you can do so with a coupon for $30 off your first box at this link: Try Home Chef!

Happy cooking!

-Kim

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake

This sounds so incredibly YUMMY! I cannot wait to make this...

(Credit to Andrea's Country Home Cookin')

CINNAMON ROLL SWIRL CAKE

Batter:

3 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:

1 cup butter, soft to the point of almost melted*

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp cinnamon

Glaze:

2 cup powdered sugar

5 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the butter.Once mixed; slowly pour in the butter. Stir into batter.Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

While the cake is warm ~ drizzle the glaze over the cake. 

Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

I put this recipe together this afternoon, because I was in a pinch with a - surprise! - fellowship night at our church that I had forgotten about. It turned out to be incredible, and I saw many people go up for seconds! Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

-INGREDIENTS-

1/2 of a large sweet onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

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2 large chicken breasts, cubed

1 pound hot smoked sausage, cubed

2 tbsp olive oil

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2 boxes Zatarain's Jambalaya w/ Cheese

2 cups chicken stock

1 can diced tomatoes w/ garlic & onion (do not drain!)

-DIRECTIONS-

1. Heat up the pressure cooker and add the first four ingredients. Cook until slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pressure cooker and set aside.

2. Add the next three ingredients to the pressure cooker, and cook until the meat is done. Remove and set aside with the vegetables.

3. Add the last three ingredients to the pressure cooker (remember to include the juices with the diced tomatoes as well). Stir, the place the lid on. Set the cook time for 8 minutes. When done cooking, add the vegetables and meat back into the pressure cooker, stir until combined, and then place the lid back on (only to keep warm, not to cook) so that the flavors blend together.

4. ENJOY!

Wolfgang Puck Pressure Cooker - my review

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you will know that last week I purchased my first ever HSN product - an Electric Pressure Cooker made by Wolfgang Puck. I bought it on Sunday afternoon and it was at my door by Thursday (and they said it would take up to 10 days... very quick shipping!). Ever since I have had it everything I have cooked in it has been incredible - no joke.

The thought of buying a pressure cooker had never crossed my mind. I was laying in bed trying to take a nap between the morning & evening church services when I flipped the channel to HSN. I saw that they were having their kitchen products presentation with Wolfgang Puck when I decided to watch for a few minutes. Before I knew it, Hans was in there watching with me... they were cooking frozen solid chicken breasts with dry pasta and only a cup full of chicken stock - in 8 minutes - and VIOLA! - dinner was done. When I saw that, I was sold. Before I knew it, I was on the phone with an HSN rep and had ordered the beautiful red & silver machine.

When it arrived on Thursday afternoon and I pulled it out of the box, everything was basically already put together. All I had to do was put on the gasket to vent or seal the steam and I was done (that just snapped right on so no big deal there). I read the manual and then contemplated what to make.... Aha! BBQ pulled pork!

So, I only slightly defrosted the pork roast because I definitely wanted to see if this bad boy could really make a good dinner in no time from something frozen. I put it in there, added one cup of chicken stock and some salt/pepper/garlic, set the cook timer for 40 minutes, and walked away. After it was done, and finished depressurizing (it only took maybe 3-5 minutes to do so), the pork was so tender and easily shredded with two forks. I added some BBQ sauce and was SOOO happy!

Yesterday I decided to try a recipe I found for Pressure Cooker Pot Roast. This came out so good I was practically licking the plate! I put in all the ingredients, set the timer for 45 minutes, and again - went about doing other things. When there was about 10 minutes left, I made some mashed potatoes & corn to go with it. When it was actually finished, I removed the lid and again, the roast was fork tender - and the juices and spices combined with a tad bit of cornstarch made an AMAZING gravy for the roast & the potatoes!

This has to be my new favorite kitchen product. Thank you so much, Wolfgang Puck, for an excellent product!

(In my next post I will share a recipe I created today for Pressure Cooker Jambalaya!)

Kim's "Grown Up" Macaroni & Cheese

I have been on a mission recently.

I am tired of the "blue box" macaroni & cheese.

I mean sure, it is okay for the kids on occasion, but for Hans & I it just doesn't have that ooey, gooey, yummy cheese flavor I am looking for. It's just missing something (well, a lot actually).

So, for the past couple of months here & there I have been looking for a good, solid, savory macaroni cheese recipe. For adults.

I have yet to find one that stood up to all of my expectations. Many have had almost everything and they were good, don't get me wrong. None of them were able to knock me off my feet though.

So, I combined all my favorite ingredients for each of the recipes and eventually, made my own. Here it is!

Kim's "Grown Up" Macaroni & Cheese

16oz box of Rotini pasta, or Elbow pasta (your choice)

10 slices bacon

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8oz block sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp Dijon mustard

dash Worcestershire sauce

dash hot sauce

salt & pepper to taste

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2 tbsp melted butter & 1/4 c Italian style breadcrumbs (for topping)

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1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
2. Cook pasta until 2 minutes below the box directions (so if it says 11 minutes cook for 9 minutes).
3. While the pasta is cooking - slice bacon and cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Drain and reserve 2 tbsp or so of the drippings. Cook the onion and the garlic in the drippings for 2-3 minutes or until slightly translucent. Drain w/ the bacon.
4. In the same pan, add 3 tbsp butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour and cook for one minute. Slowly add the milk, cup by cup, until combined and thickened. Then, add the heavy cream. Cook on medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat, then add the spices (nutmeg, thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce). When combined, finally add all the cheeses.
5. Add the bacon/onion/garlic mixture to the cheese sauce. When combined, add the cooked pasta.
6. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with some cooking spray, then add the cheesy pasta mixture. In a separate small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tbsp butter and breadcrumbs, then sprinkle on top. Bake for 30 minutes. ENJOY!!

Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce

Tonight I planned on making BBQ Chicken Calzones for dinner, and I always have BBQ sauce on hand in the event I need a yummy condiment to something. I was going through my ingredients list for the calzones and I had everything. Onion, check. Bacon, check. Chicken, yep, check. BBQ sauce. I opened the fridge and lo & behold I was out! However, Jacob was napping and Bradley was very content playing his Wii and I hated to bother either of them. What was I to do?

Well I will tell you what I did. I searched online and found a decently rated BBQ sauce recipe and I made it my own! You know what - it turned out amazing, and was super easy to make. It only took 20 minutes and a few ingredients that I already had on hand! I can honestly say I doubt I will ever go back to purchasing store brand now that I know I can make the good stuff on my very own stove top.

For all you that want it, here is the recipe. Makes about 16 ounces and will keep well in the fridge for weeks. ENJOY!
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Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 onion, peeled and diced
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste, if you like spicy then go for it!)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1) In a medium saucepan, mix lemon juice, onion, distilled white vinegar, water, brown sugar, prepared mustard, ground black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper and vegetable oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 20 minutes.

2) Stir ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and liquid smoke flavoring into the mixture. Return to boil, then remove from heat. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Goodbye, Fast Food!

One thing that has been a challenge for me on this new leaf that my husband & I have been turning over with "eating healthy" is that if I want to have breakfast in the mornings that I work, I can no longer either 1) go down to my work cafeteria and get whatever fried/high fat items that they have that morning or 2) go to McD's.

Fast food is my weakness! I think I am the only person in the world who actually really likes the food at McDonalds, with all it's unhealthy greasiness. Their fries are awesome. Anyway, back on track, here. My point: eating healthy and being on a diet isn't always that convenient. So, I have had to improvise.

I was going to purchase some breakfast sandwiches from the store that were pre-made so I could put them in the microwave at work, but OMGoodness they were so high in fat and calories! So, that was not an option. Then I thought to myself, self, you can make those yummy sandwiches yourself - in bulk - on your day off and then freeze them just like good ol' Jimmy Dean did, and make them low fat.

*GASP*

And that is exactly what I did:

English muffin with 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

Add 1/4C cooked Egg Beaters and one slice of bacon, halved

Put them both together...

...then wrap, and freeze!

I've already tested this out and if you take one and put it in the fridge the night before, it will be thawed by morning. Grab it, put it in your purse, reheat for one minute in the microwave and you are good to go!

McD's verson has got nothing on this - for a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese biscuit at McD's it is 420 calories and 23 grams of fat.

My version has 215 calories and 8 grams of fat. Not too bad, that is 205 less calories and 15 less grams of fat!

(Not to mention 5 WW pts versus 10 WW pts - that is half!)

WOOHOO!

Cute Lil' Cake Pops Recipe

ENJOY!!!

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Cute little Cake Pops

August 25, 2009 at 3:22 pm by Leslie Green

I had to jump on the Bakerella bandwagon and make some Cake Pops! I see them all over the Food Web World. They really are simple to make, but very time consuming. Of course, I made them even more difficult with all the different decorations. I love self induced torture!

And, I must say, they did have a very lengthy photo shoot. Probably about 80 pictures! My husband thinks I’ve lost my mind. But I constantly remind him that I didn’t lose it, my children have sucked every bit of brain from my skull. Just like he constantly reminds me that his gray hair is caused by me! Again, I blame that on the kids too!

Recipe after the break:

Here is what you need:
1 box cake mix
1 can cream cheese frosting
50 lollipop sticks
Melting chocolate of your choice

1. Bake a cake per the box directions (I used a yellow cake mix). Let cool completely. Crumble cake or place in food processor and pulse until completely ground up. Transfer crumbled cake to a large bowl.

2. Put a can of cream cheese frosting into the crumbled cake and mix until completely combined. Roll cake mixture into balls the size of about a quarter and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or other non-stick surface.

3. Melt your chocolate per package directions. Dip one end of your lollipop stick into the melted chocolate (works as a glue) and then place the chocolate end into the cake ball about half way. Place them in the freezer to they get nice and firm.

4. One they are nice and hard you can dip them in the melted chocolate. Push the stick into a block of Styrofoam and decorate them with whatever you have on hand, like sprinkles. Place them in the fridge — covered — or you can keep them at room temp for a couple of days if covered!