food Archives | Page 22 of 22 | Winstead Wandering

what i’m loving wednesday

February 4, 2015 by Abby

I’m pretty excited about what I’m sharing in this week’s post. Most of the items I’m mentioning are things I’ve been using/watching/doing for a while now.

mason jar salads

There was a pin a couple years ago that seemed to be everywhere. The post detailed how to prepare several salads, including dressing, in mason jars and eat them throughout the week. The post promised that the salads would stay fresh for several days. The catch: you had to vacuum seal the jars, just like when you can fruits and vegetables.

That was ridiculous to me. I never gave the idea a second thought. Until a few months ago, when I read this. The post goes into much better detail than I ever could, but the gist is that, if you pack your salad ingredients in the right order, everything will stay fresh and there’s no need to vacuum seal anything.

the blacklist

Surely J. and I aren’t the only ones hooked on this show. I won’t even try to get into the plot, but it stars James Spacer and it is so good. If you’re into shows like White Collar and Burn Notice, you should definitely check out The Blacklist. Be warned, though, it’s quite a bit darker than either of those shows.

pretzel chips

One of my biggest craving weaknesses is for something salty and crunchy. I try not to buy tortilla chips too often, because tortilla chips lead to nachos and nachos lead to pants that don’t fit. I don’t really buy crackers, either, like cheez-its or wheat thins. So what do I reach for when I can’t fight that craving anymore?

Pretzel chips (this is a link to the brand we buy, but they’re currently $8+ a bag, which is way more than we usually pay). The whole family loves them. They’re crispy and salty and perfect for dipping in hummus or as a vehicle for tuna. My kids eat them plain or with slices of cheese. They offer a better calorie count than tortilla or potato chips, too: 110 calories for 13 crisps.

green smoothies

Green smoothies are another one of those things that have been talked and blogged and written about a million times. I first started drinking them a few years ago, when I as pregnant with B. There are so many recipes floating around Pinterest that I won’t add mine to the mix (plus, I don’t really follow a recipe) but I will throw in my two cents. J., my non-vegetable eating husband with the palate of an eight-year old, loves these. Even though the primary ingredient is spinach, I can’t reiterate enough that they don’t taste like spinach. G. and B., who are as vegetable-averse as their dad, love a good “monster drink”, too.

Note: if you don’t have a blender capable of blending ice or a frozen banana, I highly recommend getting a Magic Bullet. I’ve had and used mine steadily for four years, including to make all B. and G.’s baby food, and I’m just now considering buying a new one.)

soma panties

We’re getting intimate on the blog today. Over the course of my adult life, I’ve owned underwear that fall all over the price spectrum, from cheap Walmart multi-pack to Victoria’s Secret. And I have to say, I’ve been happier with the panties that fit somewhere in the middle- think Target individually-sold pairs- than with the more expensive brands.

Until I met Soma. My mother-in-law picked up a few pairs of Soma panties for me at the outlet a few weeks ago. These underwear are incomparable. They’re comfortable and soft, yes, which I would expect from a pair of pricey underwear (though if you hit a sale, they’re cheaper than VS). But they’re so much more than that. The leg holes are lined with a thin layer of silicone- it sounds crazy, I know, but it’s hard to explain- that keeps them from riding up or giving you an underwear line; Soma calls it “vanishing edge”. They stay perfectly in place all day, regardless of what you’re wearing them under. If you splurged on a pair- or six- of Soma panties, I don’t think you’d be disappointed.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. When you click those links and make purchases, you support me, this blog, and my family.)

What are you loving this week?

garlic parmesan pasta

February 2, 2015 by Abby

Pasta gets a bad rep. Sure, most people agree that it’s delicious.But then there’s talk of the carbs and the glycemic index and suddenly pasta doesn’t seem like a great option.

Though I am by no means a nutritionist, I’m here to tell you that pasta can be healthy. If you choose a whole grain version and eat just one serving, you don’t have anything to worry about.

The best way to ensure your pasta is good for you is to add good stuff to it. Chicken, broccoli, milk, peas. Of course you’ll likely want to add cheese, too, but with moderation, it’s all good.

This pasta is delightful on its own. It’s coated in the creamy cheese sauce and sprinkled with herbs. The sauce is garlicky and flavorful without being heavy. In the batch pictured here I added just chicken, but I’ve also made it with onions and peppers and it was brilliant.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta
adapted from Lil’ Luna

1/2 box whole grain pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I use skim)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
additional add-ins, such as chicken or vegetables (optional)

[Read more…]

what i’m loving wednesday

January 28, 2015 by Abby

Happy Hump Day! Here are the five things I’m most in love with this week:

serial podcast

I knew this podcast was a big deal because of the number of articles I’ve seen about it on news and magazine websites. I never listened, though, because I wasn’t sure I could get behind the whole podcast thing. I imagined it would be like talk radio, which was my favorite thing to fall asleep to in the car when I was little. Finally, it was the subject of the podcast that intrigued me enough to listen to the first episode.

The whole thing is told by a reporter who is looking into a 1999 murder. A guy, Adnan, is in jail for killing his ex-girlfriend, Hai, when they were both seniors in high school, but the reporter isn’t so sure Adnan is guilty. If you’re at all into true crime as a genre- I so am- you have to listen to Serial. Be warned, though: you won’t want to read, watch, or listen to anything else until you’ve finished.

thinking out loud

I know this song has been out for a while, but I’m just now discovering it. The video, the lyrics, his voice- I love everything about it. If you’ve not yet watched the video, you should. Ed Sheeran is quickly becoming one of my top five favorite gingers.

caesar vinaigrette

Caesar dressing is one of my favorites. When I’m trying to make smarter food choices, though, cutting out creamy dressings is a no-brainer. That’s okay, because I also love balsamic vinaigrette. Sometimes you have to mix things up, though, which is why I’m so glad I recently found a Caesar vinaigrette dressing. I haven’t yet found it at a grocery store, but Amazon keeps me stocked up.

trivia crack

You’ve heard of this, right? It’s a trivia app. You answer questions in different categories and play against opponents, either friends or random people. There’s a little more to it, but basically the player who answers the most questions correctly wins. As someone who relishes the chance to put my wealth of trivial knowledge to the test, I can’t get enough of this app.

potato cutter

I know, I know. In one paragraph I’m discussing making healthy food choices and in the next I’m introducing you to my new favorite French fry-making kitchen product. But potatoes aren’t bad, especially when eaten in moderation. And with this potato cutter, you can have a batch of crispy oven-baked fries whipped up in less time than it takes to cook a turkey burger. If you’re looking for an indulgent French fry recipe that doesn’t bankrupt your calorie allotment, I highly recommend these skinny Texas cheese fries from skinnytaste. And did I mention the fry cutter costs under $5?

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. When you click those links and make purchases, you support me, this blog, and my family.)

brown sugar balsamic strawberries

January 24, 2015 by Abby

Strawberries. Balsamic vinegar. Sugar. These are a few of my favorite things. They’re also three things I never would have imagined combining into one dish, let along enjoying. But a few years ago, I stumbled across a recipe- if you could even call it that; it basically just listed the three ingredients- on a blog I don’t recall. I was intrigued, and I happened to have everything I needed, so I threw it together.

The berries get tossed in the rich brown sugar and the acidic balsamic vinegar. Everyone rests in the fridge for a few minutes, getting chilled and cozy. When you pull it out to eat, the sugar and vinegar have come together to form a sweet and tangy sauce. The vinegar has begun to break down the berries, making them soft and delicate. It’s all a pretty lovely process.

It’s important to note that I’ve never followed a recipe when making this dish. I measured the last time I made it so that I’d be able to provide a recipe here, but keep in mind that there’s not really a wrong way to combine these three ingredients, so feel free to play around with it.

[Read more…]

sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake

January 19, 2015 by Abby

We’re no strangers to brinner- breakfast + dinner- around my house. In fact, we probably have it at least twice a week. I love it because most breakfast options are fast and frugal, which are two huge factors I use in determining what we’ll be eating each week.

The other thing I love about the meals in my brinner rotation is that they can all be easily customized. One meat can be subbed for another, vegetables can be switched out based on what you have around, and using a specific kind of cheese isn’t that important.

All of the above apply to this sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake. You could easily use bacon or ham instead of sausage and add any kind of veggies you like (to the whole dish or just to a portion). I use a cheddar cheese blend, because that’s what I usually have on hand, but most anything would work.

That’s a chubby toddler hand sneaking in to steal a grape 🙂

sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake
adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff

1 small can of crescent rolls (you only need four rolls; you can always buy the regular size and find another use for the leftover four)
1/2 pound ground sausage, cooked and drained
3/4 cup shredded cheese
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced onion

[Read more…]

cinnamon roll bars with cream cheese frosting

January 15, 2015 by Abby

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? I know I do, and I even make them on occasion. I’m not afraid to work with yeast and there’s just something about a warm homemade cinnamon roll that defies description.

But this is real life. Sometimes it’s 10 p.m. and you remember, as you’re about to climb into bed, that you promised a group of students you’d feed them at your 7:30 a.m. meeting. And since cinnamon rolls are certainly not happening, you rack your brain for a simpler solution. Something mouth-watering, yes, but something that comes together quickly.

That’s where these cinnamon roll bars come in. The base is a box cake mix, so it doesn’t take too many more ingredients for them to come together. I love to bake the bars the night before, then whip up the frosting in the morning and frost them right before I walk out the door.

These bars are so easy, yet so moist and rich, that they could easily become a new make-ahead holiday favorite. Or, if you really love the people in your life, make them this weekend.

Cinnamon Roll Bars
adapted from Cookies & Cups

For the bars:
1 box white or yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (I’ve used light or dark; both work fine)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cinnamon
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional)

For the frosting:
1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

[Read more…]

homemade microwave popcorn

January 11, 2015 by Abby

Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. I love salty foods, and I love to be able to munch on something while I’m working or watching TV, so popcorn is a natural fit.

My reason for making it myself, rather than buying bags of microwave popcorn from the grocery store, is two-fold. First, this homemade method is so much less expensive than the store-bought variety. Second, those pre-made bags are loaded with preservatives and chemicals. While I’m not a poster child for natural, organic living, I do try to make healthy choices when I can, especially when the healthier option is cheap, easy, and, in my opinion, even better tasting than the other option.

After popping a bag of this popcorn, you have a blank canvas just waiting to take on whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. My current favorite is butter, kosher salt, and garlic powder. I’ve been known to toss in a little Parmesan cheese, too. I’ve also enjoyed my popcorn with cinnamon sugar and with chili powder and garlic salt (not all in the same batch).

homemade microwave popcorn

1/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1 brown paper lunch bag
toppings of choice: butter, coconut oil, kosher salt, cinnamon sugar, garlic powder, brewers yeast, and Parmesan cheese are a few that I’ve either tried or had recommended to me

[Read more…]

french bread pizza

January 10, 2015 by Abby

The other day, I made what I consider to be a brilliant discovery.

I don’t remember what I was originally looking for, but I noticed that Walmart sells, in their bakery department, fresh loaves of French and Italian bread for $1. ONE DOLLAR. When I saw the price, my mind buzzed with possibilities. Oh, the things I could make with a $1 loaf of bakery-fresh bread.

So, of course, I bought a loaf.

French bread pizza can, of course, be made using homemade bread; I make it that way often. But even those, like me, who love to bake, sometimes need a go-to meal that’s easy to throw together and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. When that’s the case, this pizza fits the bill.

The only ingredient you really have to have is the bread. Beyond that, you can use- or not use- whatever sauce, cheese, and toppings you have around. I find that this meal is a great vehicle for leftovers. If I have chicken and vegetables in the fridge from a meal earlier in the week, I’ll chop them up and call them pizza toppings. And, unlike a traditional pizza recipe, this one easily accommodates eaters with different preferences. Just give each person their own section and let them customize the meal.

French Bread Pizza

1 loaf of French (or Italian) bread, homemade or from a bakery
toppings of choice
Oregano
olive oil
garlic salt

[Read more…]