LAZY Crock-Pot Freezer Cooking

Most areas of my life both suffer and benefit from my unpredictable moods. One week I'm in a mood to clean the house as if I'd invited Martha Stewart for brunch, and other weeks I let the dishes pile up until I have to hunt for something *anything* to contain my morning cereal. One week I'm Julia Child, the next week we're eating frozen pizza. One thing that makes the most of my manic housekeeping personality is occasional freezer cooking.

Two Saturdays ago I decided to shake things up and try a new kind of freezer cooking. Instead of chopping veggies for hours, standing over a hot stove for a few more hours, and cleaning up for hours after that, I turned to my beloved crock pot for a gentler, happier freezer cooking experience.

I love my Hamilton Beach 6-quart Set-n-Forget Programmable
Slow Cooker more than any appliance I've ever owned.
Even my Kitchen Aid mixer! Don't tell her, though! ; )

This is how I made a ton of delicious food while socializing, reading, going to church, and watching TV:

1. I prepped each recipe, generally with little effort or time investment, right before I plopped it in the crock pot. This required a cutting board, knife, and sometimes a frying pan. 

2. I chose the appropriate cook time and setting for my schedule. I cooked three of these recipes on high for 3-4 hours while doing other things. The other two I cooked for about 8 hours on low overnight. While the recipes were cooking I washed off my cutting board and knife and put any other dishes in the dishwasher.

3. Once each recipe was finished, I immediately emptied the food into a different dish to cool, cleaned the insert (careful not to burn!), and started the next recipe in minutes. This is the key - no letting the dirty insert cool with caked-on food, and no wasted time! While the next recipe was cooking I divided the cooled food into freezer bags and froze them flat on a cookie sheet until stiff and ready for stacking.

In a little over 24 hours I had made enough food to last us at least three weeks.

All of these recipes are from the Crock Pot Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection cookbook. I've tried them all and they're delicious! Anything in italics below is my own addition or substitution.

Chipotle Chicken Stew
This is somewhere between chili and chicken tortilla soup.
With minimal prep work!

Chipotle Chicken Stew

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1 can (15 ounces) navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf

Cilantro sprigs (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients, except cilantro, in a 4 1/2 quart crock pot (mine holds 6 quarts - worked fine). 
2. Cover; cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Cream Cheese Chicken with Broccoli - picture it over pasta.
This was our favorite! Probably the least healthy, but most delicious!

Cream Cheese Chicken with Broccoli

4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package (1 ounce) Italian salad dressing mix - I added an extra package at the end of cooking
2 cups sliced mushrooms - I used 16 oz fresh mushrooms (we love extra mushrooms)
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10 3⁄4 ounces) condensed low-fat cream of chicken soup, undiluted 

1 bag (10 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed (or Neufchatel cheese)
1⁄4 cup dry sherry

1. Toss chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian salad dressing mix. Place in 5-quart crock pot. Cover; cook on LOW 3 hours.

2. Coat large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add mushrooms and onion; cook 5 minutes over medium heat or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Add soup, broccoli, cream cheese and sherry to skillet (and second salad dressing mix); cook and stir until hot. Transfer to 4 1⁄2-quart crock pot. Cover; cook on LOW 1 hour (I recommend uncovered to thicken!). Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Yield: 10-12 servings 

Mama's Beer Chili
The beer adds sweetness and the corn adds texture.
We ate this with Fritos and shredded cheese. Yum!

Mama's Beer Chili

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large vidalia onion, diced
4 tbsp garlic, crushed
1 1/2 - 2 lb ground turkey
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup beer, (dark preferred)
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp curry powder
3 Tbsp hot sauce
1/3 cup honey
10 oz frozen corn
1 can (15oz) pink beans or kidney beans
1/3 cup canned green chilies
3 beef bouillon cubes
1-2 tbsp flour, to thicken

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Add onion, cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes.

2. Add turkey to skillet. Cook and stir until turkey is no longer pink. Drain fat and discard.

3. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until mixed. Transfer to 4 1/2 quart crock pot. Cover; cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Nice 'n' Easy Italian Chicken - picture it over pasta.
Not the prettiest dish, but really tasty. I love that it has so many veggies,
but they cook down so that you don't notice them -
would still be good for picky eaters.

Nice 'n' Easy Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 26-oz jar pasta sauce

I added: garlic salt, oregano, and crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except pasta in slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve over spaghetti.

Yield: 4 servings

Country Sausage and Bean Soup
The sausage and tomato are a nice change of pace from plain
black bean soup. This stuff is really hearty and filling!

Country Sausage and Bean Soup

2 cans (14-oz each) chicken broth

1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup dried black beans, rinsed and sorted
1 cup chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar 
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
nonstick cooking spray
6 ounces reduced-fat country pork sausage
1 cup chopped tomato

1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce (I used more - love that stuff!)
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine broth, water, beans, onion, bay leaves, sugar and ground red pepper in crock pot. Cover; cook on HIGH 4 hours, or on Low 8 hours

2.  Coat large skillet with cooking spray.  Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage; cook until beginning to brown, stirring to break up large pieces.  Drain fat.

3. Add sausage and remaining ingredients, except cilantro, to crock pot. Cover; cook on high 15 minutes to blend flavors.  To serve, sprinkle with cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings

I hope you'll give these incredibly easy and tasty recipes a chance. I'm loving the flavors and the fact that I haven't had to cook dinner for two weeks! As a bonus, these recipes are budget-friendly and pretty heavy in veggies and legumes.

What are your favorite crock pot recipes? What do you like to freeze for a rainy (or lazy!) day?

Five Ways to Eat Your Veggies (And Love It!)

Don't tell anyone, but lately I've been in a vegetable rut. In fact, if I didn't have the letters "RD" after my name I might just live off of cereal, ice cream, and Nutella. But I don't. You may have noticed that the recipes I feature in the "What's Cooking" box usually don't include a ton of veggies and you might be thinking that we should have scurvy. But never fear, we're not deficient yet.

During our first year of marriage, I cooked two or three elaborate meals each week. They usually included a green and yellow vegetable and meant that I a) didn't spend enough time with my husband and b) had lots of leftover produce rotting in my fridge. Eventually I realized that cooking random veggie side dishes was a big drain on our time and budget, so since then most of our veggies have been the frozen steam-in-bag variety, salad, or extras incorporated into our main dish. These options are so easy that we have no excuse to fall short of our quota and they seriously reduce waste. But they can also get tiresome.

Lately I've missed being excited about vegetables instead of just scarfing them down between bites of meat or pasta, so I decided to experiment with some fresh and flavorful recipes that feature fantastic produce. Here are a few ways that we've been eating our veggies lately:


Cheesy Zucchini and Red Onion Flatbread

This is delicious. The recipe calls for canned pizza dough, but I thought fresh dough from the Publix bakery would be better. I'm sure this is way better, but it doesn't really work right with the technique described in the recipe. I will definitely make this again, but next time I'll keep the dough flat instead of folding it in half. I also might try reduced-fat veggie cream cheese in place of the Alouette.

Chewy, cheesy, and delicious!

Rolling the fresh dough didn't work, so I stretched it instead.

The recipe calls for an extra layer of cheese and herbs in the crust.

I wanted to use all my zucchini, so I crammed it on!

The fresh dough puffed in the oven - no folding next time!

Peach Salsa

I grew up in a family of salsa purists, but ever since we tried Newman's Own Peach Salsa, Michael and I both prefer our salsa with a sweet kick. This recipe has a similar tangy, sweet flavor that I just can't get enough of. Although, next time I'll use about half the pickling spice because it was a little strong. Also, I nixed the pears since I had plenty of peaches and I think it's probably best without them.

Warning: this took a long time to make thanks to all the peeling and chopping. Do yourself a favor and check out this quick tutorial on  blanching and peeling tomatoes and peaches before you start. Oh, and by the way, this recipe makes a gallon! I cut it in half and we will still never finish it, so choose your yield wisely.

Check out that pretty produce!

Sorry about the grainy phone pic!

Eggplant Parmesan

 I hated eggplant as a child and I still don't really like it, but when I wound up with free seeds I decided I had to grow some. I was expecting tons of eggplant to experiment with and adjust my taste buds, but after waiting all season for two tiny fruits I decided to play it safe with this fried and cheese-covered favorite. It doesn't disappoint.

My two little eggplants all sliced up.

Breaded, fried and ready to swim in sauce.

Yum, yum, yum!

Olive Garden Salad

This is the perfect way to revive your salad habit. Go crazy and throw in some croutons and olives and toss with this tangy dressing. It's not just like the restaurant dressing as it claims - I added some extra corn syrup and garlic salt to balance the flavor, but it seriously hit the spot. Serve it with soup and breadsticks for a satisfying restaurant-style meal.

Doesn't look that appealing by itself, but it's tasty.

Sometimes a few croutons go a long way in making me excited about salad!

Crockpot "Baked" Sweet Potatoes

I LOVE sweet potatoes, but I hate to wait for them to cook. I also don't like heating up the oven to cook them. So even though I could eat these super-nutritious sweeeties every day (I just about did for my first two years of college), we hardly ever eat them at home. Until now! This is so easy you can't even call it cooking, and I think it tastes better than oven-baking. The recipe calls for five sweet potatoes, but I nestle two snuggly in my little two-quart slow cooker and they're perfect - it just depends on how many will fit. And if one sticks out, just cut the tip off and cram it in - it'll be just fine. I don't pay attention to the time - just cook them on low all day long. These are great by themselves or used in recipes like casseroles, soups, and this yummy-looking gnocchi I plan to make soon.

I don't have any pictures of these, but they're gooey and browned just like they would get in the oven. We just might eat a ton of them before fall is over!


I hope I've inspired you to show your veggies a little more love. You won't regret it! Can you think of any other tasty favorites I left out?

Host Your Best Shower Ever! Part Two: Food

Let's be honest: aside from seeing old friends, the best part of a shower is the food! (That and basking in the glow of soon-to-be motherhood or marital bliss I guess?) There are tons of great finger food recipes out there, but many times the most popular items are slightly unexpected versions of classic offerings. The spread Haley, Laura, and I put together for Teresa's shower this weekend was probably my favorite yet, so I thought I'd share the menu, then give you a few tips for choosing the best bites for your next shindig.

I will be making these cute fruit cones for every event till I die!

Haley sets a pretty table!

Teresa's Bridal Shower Menu
Houston's Spinach Artichoke Dip and Chips
Caprese Skewers
Sausage Cheese Balls
Fresh Fruit in Waffle Cones
Cream Puffs
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Raspberry Filling and Semisweet Ganache
Lemonade

We halved mozzarella balls and tomatoes, then folded over basil leaves.

Ganache cake with gum paste decorations. I had great helpers!

My biggest challenge? Keeping it simple!

Haley's artichoke dip was absolutely divine! But it took a lot of time. So did cutting up all the fruit and veggies for the waffle cones and caprese skewers. I tend to be an overly ambitious cook, which results in delays, a frazzled hostess, and lots of dirty dishes. So I was glad we were including other items that required very little preparation. My favorite celebrity chef, Ina Garten, recommends to always entertain with a few special dishes and a few that are ready-made or only need to be assembled. In our case, the cream puffs, cake, and lemonade were waiting for us in the fridge and the sausage balls only needed to be warmed.

Haley making fantastic spinach dip!

Laura working on the caprese skewers

Here are some more go-to items for entertaining:

Ready-made items
Frozen (thawed) cream puffs or eclairs
Store-bought cheese straws
Crackers with cheese spread such as Alouette
Hummus and pita triangles
Pre-cut veggies or fruit and dip
Candy in the color scheme

Make-ahead or heat-only items
Sausage cheese balls
Cold dips and spreads
Toasted spiced nuts
Deviled eggs
Meatballs (slow cooker)
Shrimp cocktail
Finger sandwiches (make the day-of)
Warmed frozen rolls with honey-baked ham and mustard
Frozen seasoned chicken wings or drumettes
Most desserts
Most drinks

Enough recipes to last you several showers

Because not everything can be that simple (or maybe it could and I just over-complicate things!) here are a few of my favorite tried-and-true recipes for showers and parties.

BLT Dip - Mound the dip in the center of a large plate, top with tomatoes, arrange lettuce in a ring around the dip, and slices of french bread around the lettuce.
Sweet Pepper and Gorgonzola Bruschetta - make the topping and toast the bread in advance, then warm together just before serving
Veggie Squares
Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits- cut smaller than called for
Brie and Cherry Pastry Cups
Southern Living Cream Cheese Pound Cake - the best you'll ever eat!
Chess Squares
Marbled Chocolate Treats
Cosmo Slush - can be made without the alcohol

I hope these recipes and tips come in handy the next time you're entertaining! Anybody have some great shower recipes that I left out?

Easter Weekend Part Two: How to Host an Awesome Easter Lunch

I love Easter. And since it's the one major holiday that we don't spend with family, we've started a tradition of celebrating with our church family. We love our church. And I don't just mean that we know good people there or we're involved in fun activities or we enjoy the services. We are in love with our church. If you asked me what was going right in my life right now I would say 1. my marriage, 2. my church, 3. my job. In that order. God has been so good to us in leading us to a church that teaches sound doctrine, that cares for its members in accordance with scripture, that encourages us in our future plans to go on the mission field, and provides ways for us to grow and serve. It's been exciting to see our little body grow in the past few years and the hardest thing about leaving Augusta next year will be leaving Berea. Okay, I'm not gonna think about that right now. Sigh...

Last year we sent out an email to the whole church asking if anyone would like to come to our house for Easter lunch. As expected, most people already had plans, but two sweet families joined us and we had a great time. This year, however, our church has added a ton of new members, so as much as we would have loved to send out an open invite, our little house just doesn't have the space. We asked around and ended up with three families that have been great friends to us since we started attending Berea.

In case you didn't know this about me, I have a laid-back personality most of the time, with a Martha Stewart alter-ego lurking below the surface. If there is something to be cooked, color-coordinated, or covered in crepe paper I start planning with cheetah-like intensity. Usually I talk myself down from purchasing all new tableware to match a color scheme and hanging decorations from anything that doesn't move. But it takes some effort. In fact, I usually walk a tight-rope between making a big deal out of a special occasion and making guests feel comfortable. My mom and her mom are great at putting together a nice meal, setting a beautiful table, and making any occasion feel special. But in this age, people don't know what to do with a pickle fork. So I try to remind myself that it's not fancy dinnerware that makes an occasion - it's including details that are meaningful to your guests.

Yes - that is a pickle fork.

This picture won't turn around, but they're bunnies and chicks
decorated with fondant and royal icing.

The week before Easter I picked up some springy table cloths, some lemons and limes for an easy centerpiece, coordinating napkins, and sweet little buckets to hold candy for the older kids. I usually hate the look of disposable plates, but these pretty plastic plates feel fancy without needing a run in the dishwasher. Everything came from Target. I was really pleased with the way all of this looked together, but I'm glad I didn't spend any more because once the room was packed with people the decorations kind of got lost.

While we were finishing up preparations for lunch we snacked on deviled eggs, cheese straws, almonds, pickles, sugar cookies, and Easter candy. As much as I prefer to serve food family style, our table would have been way too crowded. Having a buffet table also allowed parents to go through the line and make plates for their children before the adults settled in for our meal. Another thing I'll remember for the future is using big cups for adults and small cups for kids. I hate drinking out of tiny disposable cups. It's a weird peeve of mine. But large cups are way too easy for little hands to spill. The easy solution: buy both.

The necessary components of an Easter lunch for me include: ham, deviled eggs, potatoes, a spring vegetable, and a fruity dessert. So, I planned to take care of those and Emily, Lydia, and Amanda filled in the rest. We ended up with far more food than we could possibly eat and everything was delicious. You can follow the links to get my recipes.

Easter Menu

Orange Glazed Ham
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Pineapple Casserole
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Macaroni and Cheese
Deviled Eggs
Broccoli Casserole
Rolls
Hummingbird Cake
Banana Pudding
Easter Sugar Cookies
Fresh Lemonade 

That really does look like a ton of food! Even with 15 people we barely made a dent in most of the dishes. If you've ever hosted a large meal you know things are way too busy to stop and take pictures. I'm so glad our guests were thoughtful enough to bring their own yummy dishes. Emily's broccoli casserole and mac and cheese were the ultimate in comfort food. And Lydia's pineapple casserole went so well with the ham that it might have to become part of my standard Easter lineup. Amanda's banana pudding was super rich and fortunately I have the recipe, so I'll definitely be making it in the future.

Before and after lunch the kids entertained themselves outside by hunting Easter eggs and swinging in the hammock. It's so fun to have friends with adorable children!

 

As always, the best part of lunch was the conversation afterward. We love sharing our home with our friends and look forward to the next time we get to be hosts.

Here's the best sight a wife can see: her wonderful husband doing the dishes! He was so sweet to help me get everything done, from  cleaning and cooking to mowing the lawn. After everyone left he and Fitz indulged in a well-deserved nap.

In case you're wondering, the easiest way to host an awesome Easter lunch is to have fantastic guests! So, Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend!

Old Friends, New Fun (and Food!)

So, I'm a bit behind, but my oldest friend, Katie, came for a visit two weekends ago and we had a blast! If you're in the market for some good recipes scroll down to get the details on what we ate while she was here.

Katie and I have been friends since third grade. We spent our summers together - mostly at her house, because she had a pool, a hammock, and an endless supply of IBC rootbeer. As we grew up we went to church together and saw each other often, but developed different interests and groups of friends. She went to culinary school in Charlotte, I went UGA in Athens, so we only saw each other a few times throughout college. The last time we saw each other was at my wedding. But some friends can just pick up where they left off.

Among other things, Katie brought with her
three packs of IBC rootbeer!

It's interesting that although we have very different jobs, both of our careers revolve around food. She actually considered becoming a dietitian after finishing culinary school and I thought about starting a catering business for a while (she works as a catering manager). So when the two of us are together you know there's going to be some good food.

To give you the Cliffs Notes version of the weekend, we ate at The Rooster's Beak on Friday night and had a mediocre dinner, but fantastic conversation. After Michael went to bed we had a late-night dose of girltalk. In the morning, we sat down to a no-fuss breakfast that I'd made the day before. I planned for us to have scones, biscuits, and homemade applesauce in a continental-style breakfast, but on a plate, along with the yummy cinnamon bread Katie brought, it turned out to be a very brown, very starchy meal. It was great! Haha.

Since it was a rainy day we occupied ourselves indoors by prepping food for dinner (we share a compulsion to prepare for the next meal as soon as we finish the one before it : ) and brainstorming for my brother's wedding cake. Once the rain died down we went to Surrey Center, which is my favorite place to shop in Augusta. We wandered around until the stores were closed and then headed back home to cook dinner.

Even in the yucky drizzle Michael was a great grill master! While he grilled the pork tenderloin Katie cooked up the brussels sprouts, which were fabulous. Honestly, if you think you don't like them try this recipe! We also threw together a spinach and strawberry salad since we've been loving that lately and made the fudge sauce to top the super-easy banana ice cream we'd made after breakfast. Dinner was ready for the table and oh-so fresh. This was a great springtime meal: satisfying without being heavy, healthy without skimping on flavor.

We were sad to see Katie go, but so very glad she came. I just wish I'd gotten a good picture of us! The only one we have doesn't do justice to either of us, so instead I'll post these pictures from the last time we saw each other.

Wedding reception hug!

The middle school sleepover crew.

Platypus face! You just never grow out of some things!

Without further adieu, here are the recipes from our delicious weekend:

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I use a little less)
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg (I used a large egg)
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
Coarse sea salt, optional (I highly recommend this)


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.
Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.
Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

Dough may be prepped and refrigerated 1-2 days in advance.

Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics 2008

It was a drab-looking, carb-laden breakfast, but it hit the spot.
Also, I forgot the egg wash on the biscuits, so they weren't
as pretty as usual.

Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce
Yield: 4 cups

10 Winesap, Golden Delicious or other cooking apples
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1-2 tsp cinnamon

Core, peel, and cut apples into chunks.
Combine all ingredients. After cooking, mash to desired consistency.

Slow cooker: Cook on Low for 5 hours or on High for 3 hours.
Stovetop: Add enough water to cover apples, cover, and cook on medium-low 45 minutes.

This picture just won't turn the right way.
Believe me, it was a beautiful meal!

Herb-Marinated Loin of Pork

1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
2-3 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill and brush with oil to prevent the pork from sticking. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill, turning a few times to brown on all sides, for 15-20 minutes, or until the meat registers about 137 degrees at the thickest part.  Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least ten minutes.  Slice and serve.

Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics 2008

We were hungry, so we forgot to take a picture before serving!

Browned-Butter Brussels Sprouts with Almonds
Serves 4 to 6

Katie actually just made this dish up in her head, but I found a very similar recipe from a random website in case you'd like to replicate it (it's a keeper!).

1½ lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed
¼ cup butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup chopped almonds, unblanched
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook Brussels sprouts for 5 to 8 minutes or until almost tender. Refresh under cold water and drain well. Let cool slightly. Cut sprouts in half and place cut-side down on a paper-towel-lined tray to drain. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before next step.

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet until it is just starting to turn golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Stir in lemon juice and almonds and cook until butter is browned. Add Brussels sprouts and toss to coat well and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish.

 Jennifer Mackenzie - LCBO

Banana Fudge Sundaes

 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 ripe banana, peeled, diced (for garnish)

Puree 3 bananas, 3/4 cup condensed milk, half and half, corn syrup, and lemon juice in processor until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
   
Heat 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan over medium heat; add chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if sauce is very thick.
   
Divide ice cream among bowls. Drizzle sauce over; top with diced banana. (Added step: we bruleed the diced bananas with a little sugar using my food torch!)

Bon Appetit March 2011

Torching the bananas: a fun, but optional step.

Chocolate wafer cookies added a little texture.

Doesn't all that just sound delightful?! What are your favorite springtime meals?