The Loosle Chronicles

Here’s a great dish I found using really simple ingredients. It was delicious! It’s also very forgiving…so you can really change it up as you please. I didn’t have dill so I used flat leaf parsley. Try it…it’s delicious! AND healthy!

Brown Rice Salad w/ Spinach and Tomatoes

 Adapted from Everyday Food|January|February 2010

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp red-wine vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp sugar (I used honey)

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 c cooked brown rice

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced

2 c baby spinach

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, dill, garlic, and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add rice, cucumber, spinach, and tomatoes and toss to combine.

Serves 4|203cal; 8.1 g fat; 4 g protein; 29.9 g car; 3.6 g fiber

I have to share this with you because I am hoping to have a lot more recipes on here that include brown rice. So, I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this recipe, but I tried it and fell in love. It’s easy and effortless…how can anyone go wrong?

Brown Rice

Adapted from Pinch My Salt

Brown Rice, Water (at least 4 cups to every 1 cup of rice), Kosher salt to taste…

So far pretty simple, right!?! …Now here are the insturctions from Pinch of Salt:

“Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds, swirling the rice around with your hand.  Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.  When water boils, add the rice, stir it once.  Turn heat to medium and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 30 minutes, pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.  Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat.  Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes (if your pot lid isn’t extremely tight, place a piece of aluminum foil over pot then place the lid on top of foil for a tighter seal). After ten minutes, uncover rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt to taste.”

I don’t know about any of you, but I LOVE chicken cordon bleu. I’ve never made it myself until about a month ago. I didn’t have a recipe because I figure there’s not much to it…right? heehee. So, I made it up and I’m sure Jon was nervous, but he loves me so he ate it. AND he loved it! So here’s what I did. BTW, I’m not very specific. I really think every recipe has room for doing whatever you want with it. This will definitely be one of them. I’ll give you the ingredients, but I’m not going to say how much I used because I have no clue. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Breasts

Deli Ham

Swiss Cheese

Italian Bread Crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Egg

Salt & Pepper to taste

Pound the chicken breasts out (I did this by placing the chicken between plastic wrap and then used a mason jar to pound it). Season with salt and pepper. Then place a few slices of ham and swiss cheese toward the end. Roll it all up and use toothpicks to secure the ends. You want to try to get all the cheese and ham wrapped in the chicken. Then beat an egg or two (depending on how many pieces of chicken you’re making) in a dish that will allow you to coat your chicken. And in another dish add some bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese. Now, you’re going to dip the prepared chicken in the egg mixture. Then coat it with the bread crumb mixture. Then place it on a sheet pan. Bake it in 350 degree oven for 20-30 min or until chicken is cooked thru. I’m sure there’s a sauce you can make with it, but Jon doesn’t usually like the sauce. Have fun!

Jon and I had homemade pizza Friday night. It was DELICIOUS!! My MIL, Patty, shared this recipe with me. Thanks Patty! Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Pizza Dough (Thin crust pizza…double for thick dough)

1/2 cup scalded milk

3 Tbsp. oil

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 pkg. yeast

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup warm water

Add sugar, salt, oil to scalded milk, cool. Dissolve yeast in water, add milk mixure to yest. Knead in 1 3/4 cup flour. Let rise 15 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Press dough into pizza pan. Bake pizza dough without toppings for 5 minutes. Remove and top with desired toppings. Put back into oven and back for about 10 minutes (times vary).

Ok…so I was on Bakerella’s website and found this recipe! How could I possibly pass it up? Obviously, I couldn’t! heehee. I know. I’m supposed to be losing weight, but I couldn’t resist. I promise you these were EASY and DELICIOUS!! You’ve got to try it. If you’re a coupon person you’re in luck because this will probably be one of the cheapest desserts you’ll find because all it calls for is one box Betty Crocker Brownie Mix and one Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix. Just follow the directions on the brownie mix and on the cookie mix. Pour the brownie mix into a 9×13 inch pan. Then drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoon. I pressed my cookie dough into the brownie batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Then to top it off you can mix up some ganache! Jon preferred it without the ganache, but I liked it with. So…please go and try this…RIGHT NOW!! It’s free points & free calorie day! hahaha. Enjoy!

Here’s the recipe for the ganache from Bakerella’s site!

Chocolate Ganache
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp butter

• In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.
• Pour over the chocolate morsels.
• Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Pour over brownies and let set before cutting.