Hi Everyone!

Sorry this post is two weeks late! My computer wouldn't let me upload photos but I finally figured it out. Also, I have been so busy, I just started by 5th clinical out of 6! I am learning so much but being back at 40+ hours a week is a little bit of an adjustment. I can't wait to post some of my favorite new exercises on here. For today, I am posting two recipes that I made for a New Year's Eve party we went to. We went to a game night at our friends' house, Megan and Kraig, to celebrate the new year and we had an awesome time. Kraig is Chad's cousin and was a groomsman in the wedding and Megan was our fabulous wedding coordinator. Pictures of the epic night are below.

The last two recipes in the appetizer section were both bruschetta recipes so I decided to make them together and cut both recipes in half. The first recipe is from the Rehfeld family, I mentioned Mary Rehfeld in my last post, and the second recipe is from Kath Dore. Kath is a long time friend of my parents and she has two beautiful daughters, Shannon and Kelly. They are my age and we all grew up together. I have memories of Kath being an amazing cook when she would cook for us while I was playing with Shannon and Kelly at their house on Mountainside or on their beautiful boat.

Tomato Bruschetta:

Ingredients (this recipe did not have measurements included so I had to improvise):

• Long, thin french bread (I used one loaf for both recipes and cut both recipes in half, was just enough)
• Ricotta cheese (I ended up using about 1 cup, a little less would probably have been sufficient)
• Fresh basil (I used about 10 leaves)
• Basil paste (I used about a tablespoon I think, a little less maybe next time)
• Olive oil (I used about 1 tbsp)
• Minced garlic (I used 3 tablespoon, this may have been too much)
• 2 packages of grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Preparation

1. Slice bread thin, I did about 1/2 inch, I wouldn't go any thinner than this or you may burn in the oven and bread is too crispy. Brown under broiler, a minute or two on each side.
2. Mix ricotta, olive oil and basil paste.
3. Heat cast iron skillet with 2-3 tbsp olive oil and minced garlic. Watch out, the garlic burns quickly and may ruin taste of tomatoes. Add tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until carmalized, about 10 minutes).
4. Spread ricotta mixture on bruschetta, top with tomatoes and a little bit of chopped basil.
5. 
   

Avocado Chimchurri Bruschetta:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped (the smaller the better in my opinion)
• 1 loaf of french bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Preparation:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in small bowl.
2. Whisk in oli then stir in cilantro and parsley.
3. Fold in avocado cubes.
4. Spoon on toasted breaded and serve (toast the same way as in the other recipe).

12/27/12 Recipe #2: Chili Cheese Squares

Hi again,

This is being posted a few days late as I made this recipe on Thursday night when my parents were still visiting. They left this morning and we had a fun filled last few days so I am late to post this. It is always so good to see my parents, as you all know they are truly amazing people and Chad and I are extremely lucky to have them. We had a great two weeks filled with quality conversation, delicious food, shopping, game nights, lots of fun workouts and a beautiful few days in Ashland.

12/27/12 Recipe #2: Chili Cheese Squares

This next recipe is from Karen Rehfeld. She is the mother of one of my best friends, Mary. Karen and Bob were not able to attend our wedding but Mary made the trip and was one of my bridesmaids. Mary is such a great friend and an amazing women. She always brings a smile to my face and I wish we lived closer so I could see her more often.

 

I cut this recipe in half since there were only four of us that night for dinner and used a glass pie pan to bake it in instead of a 9x13 glass pan. We cut it in pie slices and ate it with a salad and french bread. Kind of like a quiche, yummmm! Below is the full, not half, recipe and directions.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 10 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 oz chopped green chilies (we used ones from a can)
• 1 pint cottage cheese (small curd, we used low fat)
• 1 lb grated monterey jack cheese (we used jalepeno monterey jack, perfect!)

Preparation:

1. Melt butter, pour 2 tablespoons into pan and spread around bottom and edges.
2. Beat eggs slightly. Add rest of butter, flour, baking powder and salt. Blend well.
3. Stir in chiles, cottage cheese and jack cheese.
4. Pour in pan, bake at 400 for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 more minutes. (for the half recipe I baked at 400 for 15 minutes and 350 for 10-15 minutes)
5. Cut into small squares (or pie slices) and serve warm or cold.
6. May be frozen and reheated in foil.

Very easy and delicious, enjoy!

12/26/12 Recipe #1: Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

Hi Everyone,

I have been wanting to start this blog for a while so I'm finally doing it! To give you a little background I recently got married and we received an amazing gift from my Aunt Susan. She gave us a cookbook that she had put together with recipes from many of our family and friends, 55 recipes in all. WOW, what an amazing gift! To honor this wonderful gift I have decided to blog my way through cooking all the recipes in the book from cover to cover.

As many of you know I am also currently attending graduate school for physical therapy and will graduate with my doctorate in May. I have a passion for healthy living through exercise and for this reason I have decided to included exercises periodically throughout my blog. These will be exercises simple enough for anyone to follow and beneficial to all (in my opinion ;))

Feel free to post back comments, exercises of your own, stories, ANYTHING! I would love to hear from you all often :)

12/26/12 Recipe #1: Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

This recipe is from my Aunt Rhonda (one of the red headed aunts).

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove pressed (I used two, I love garlic!)
• 6 large portobello mushrooms stemmed and gills scraped out
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (I substituted low-fat cottage cheese and it turned out great!)
• 1/2 cup + 6 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsp fresh basil chopped
• 6 1/3 inch thick tomato slices from heirloom tomatoes
• 7-8 oz fontina cheese thinly sliced (I used about 3 oz and that was plenty)

Preparation:

1. Prepare barbecue on medium-high heat (can also use a broiler).
2. Whisk EVOO, balsamic vinegar and pressed garlic clove in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange portobello mushrooms on rimmed baking sheet, gill side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I use fresh ground pepper and fresh ground sea salt but any will work). Spoon generous tbsp dressing into each mushroom; swirl to coat.  

4. Stir ricotta cheese/cottage cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange tomato slices on plate, season with salt and pepper. Slice fontina cheese.

 

5. Place mushrooms on grill, gill side down. Grill until edges begin to soften, 3-5 minutes.
6. Transfer mushrooms back to baking sheet, gill side up. Nestle 1 tomato slice into each mushroom. Divide ricotta cheese mixture atop sliced tomatoes, spreading to cover. Top with fontina cheese slices. dividing equally. Sprinkle 1 tbsp  parmesan cheese over each. Carefully return mushrooms to grill. Cover bbq and cook until mushrooms are soft and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle remaining chopped fresh basil over. Place mushrooms on plates, drizzle remaining dressing around mushrooms and serve.

This recipe turned out great! Chad said "this is the best thing you've ever cooked for me!" My parents are currently in town and we served this as the main dish of our dinner with a salad and french bread. We each ate 1-1.5 mushrooms a piece and that was plenty! This could also be served as an appetizer, if you cut it into pieces.

Enjoy!