Grilling is the best! It gets the cooking mess out of the kitchen and sears tons of flavor into your food without fats and oils. And while healthy recipes tend to conjure up visions of quinoa and salad, healthy can be hearty too. The following recipes satisfy when you just want to sink your teeth into something substantial.
Okay, this is our vegetarian option, but we are hedging our bets with this one. This burger packs so much flavor, veggie lovers and carnivores alike will swoon. No need to make separate meals for everyone, one yummy burger satisfies all.
However, you really should check out the next recipes anyway.
Here’s a burger for those who want some meaty goodness but are watching their waistlines. The mouth-watering deliciousness of this recipe is hard to beat. However to get the low fat benefits makes sure to use very lean ground turkey: 95-99% lean. If you choose 80/20 (or greater fat content) ground turkey, you’re packing more calories from fat than you may think. In fact, 80/20 turkey is not as healthy as 90/10 ground beef when you compare calorie and fat content.
Which brings us to our last recipe which will make it very clear we haven’t forgotten about the appeal of grilled beef.
Whether you call it London broil or flank steak, it can be a delicious cut of meat, especially grilled. But–and this is very important–it MUST be marinated to bring out its full flavor and tenderness, and that marinade must be acidic. THIS marinade is perfection: I use it for parties and for weeknights.
Bonus! London broil is one of the more economical and calorie friendly steaks. Four ounces comes in around 190 calories. Your taste buds, waistline, and wallet win!
So there you have it. Three recipes to delight and satisfy.
Now go out and do some grilling and create some joy!
This is for those times when your burger reminds you of . . . a catalog bound for the recycling bin.
Erin:This is the time of year when my meal plan can safely be described as something akin to Hunter/Gather. “Forage anything edible from the fridge” seems a perfectly reasonable solution to the daily dinner question once I have taken my parenting poolside. So you can imagine my joy when my sister made these incredible turkey burgers for us at the beach. Not only did I get a delicious meal, but I now have a new summer meal plan: Grill tons of these turkey burgers. Repeat. ALL. SUMMER. LONG.
Ellen: Not to sound skeptical, but turkey burgers can be hard to do. They can get dried out.
Erin:Exactly! A lot of turkey burgers remind me of a Pottery Barn catalog . . .
Ellen: Why so specific? Why Pottery Barn over say, Ann Taylor?
Erin:I guess it’s the texture.
Ellen: Like a sisal rug?
Erin:Yeah! And also kinda like you’re supposed to like Pottery Barn, but it really isn’t all that. You know, like turkey burgers are supposed to be all sexy because they are healthy for you, but they taste like doormats. But not my sister’s, they definitely fall into the sexy category.
Ellen: On that note, behold Karen’s sexy, non-periodical tasting, amazing turkey burgers.
4-6 white/cremini mushrooms (you can be creative here and use your favorite but you will need about 3 ounces) *diced very very fine
1/2 small white, yellow or red onion *diced very, very fine
2 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
DIRECTIONS
Dice the mushrooms very, very fine.
Dice the onions very, very fine. You can go so far as to mince the onion but don't try to mince mushrooms. They get weird and pasty if you do that. If you haven't guessed, the dicing is the key to this recipe. You really want to infuse the flavor of the onion and the mushroom without making them take center stage. Their job here is mainly to help moisten the turkey burger AND give it full fat flavor and texture without the full fat of regular beef. If you are confused about the difference between mincing and dicing, mincing makes less uniform, smaller, more irregularly shaped pieces while dicing produces more uniform little cubes between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. Need a visual? Check out the great picture on this site.
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl with your hands.
Pat into 4 patties. Unlike beef, you don't need to worry about over-handling because of all of the good stuff you added to the mix. Mix, pat, and you are good to go.
Cook over medium high heat, 4-5 minutes per side, until thoroughly cooked through. These are really great fried up in a cast-iron skillet, so if you have one of those, give that cooking method a try.
These are so delicious they are worth every second dicing and mincing. They will also help you fit into the bathing suits you bought at the beginning of the season by the end of it.
Special thanks to Erin’s sister Karen and brother-in-law Dan for cooking up a special turkey burger recipe that is the perfect combination of delicious and good-for-our-“bottom”-lines. It’s easy and inexpensive too. Enjoy!
People have strong opinions about serious things like hot dogs.
Erin’s husband Steve is a purist. He likes his hot dog boiled and then topped with yellow mustard and a little relish. If you can wrap it in foil and he can eat it in a ballpark watching his beloved Orioles play, all the better. This post is not for him.
It is, however, most assuredly for you. Summer is approaching full swing now. Time to dust off your inner Donna Reed and get ready to play the hostess with the mostest. Unfortunately, May is also about the time that your energy hits a brick wall because you have been running ragged to and from sports banquets/graduations/dances/concerts. And don’t forget it ’tis the season for outdoor maintenance. As if taking care of the inside and everyone in it isn’t job enough.
The Sisterhood is here to help, because we LOVE to party. Last Father’s Day, Erin’s mother-in-law set up a hot dog bar to feed the masses. Nearly all the work for this one was on the front end which meant more time partying and less time prepping. Even better, the minions LERVED it so much that nobody complained. This meant the adults could partake of some tasty beverages and indulge in uninterrupted chitchat. These hot dog recipes come together to create the ultimate party plan, we swear.
1. Forget the grill. Fire up the crockpot.
Have you ever seen Erin pull up in front of your house? It’s like a clown car spewing a never-ending stream of kids from both minivan doors. Feed the herd or be trampled by it, we always say, so save yourself the hassle and some potential heat stroke by skipping the grill.
You can roast up to 60 hot dogs by placing them standing up in a crockpot and turning it on low for 2-3 hours. You DO NOT need to add water. It couldn’t be easier. Honestly.
You can rotate them around a little about halfway through but if you forget because you are too busy playing in the pool, everything will turn out just fine. If you are roasting about half that many hot dogs, you can lay them on their sides.
The crockpot means you have lots of hot dogs good and ready for all their fixins.
2. Set up the bar.
If your family is anything like ours, they can be a little slow on the uptake. Spell it out for them. Include directions on what kind of dogs you can make with each fixin’. You’ll appreciate the hundred questions you headed off at the pass. We added pictures to help with that whole slow-on-the-uptake issue, but you could use folded cards or little chalkboards with the recipes on them.
Make sure you have rolls and traditional toppings like mustard and ketchup available too. We always offer a yellow mustard, a spicy mustard, and an atomic spicy mustard.
To make the Blue Cheese Devil Topping (click here for the printable recipe):
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 medium green onions, minced (yields about 2 Tablespoons)
1 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Mix well and serve.
Pimiento Cheese Topping
Pimiento Cheese Topping
To make the Pimiento Cheese topping (Click here for a printable recipe):
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced pimientos
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 Tablespoons of mayo
Mix well and serve.
BLT Topping
BLT Topping
Our crew loves BLTs because duh. BLT topped hot dogs? Doggone good!
Just set up a tray with the mayo, bacon, lettuce, and tomato and, voila, instant favorite.
Sometimes you just want a little something new, something fresh, something a little exciting and different. Stop daydreaming about a cabana boy and start warming up to the idea of this hot dog bar. Whether you are whooping it up poolside, seaside, or out on the porch, patio, or lawn, this is a great way to get your party on, Sisterhood-style. We plan to follow our own advice and we hope you do too.
That humdinger of all football experiences has crept up on us once again: the Super Bowl! Specifically Super Bowl XLIX where the New England Patriots will be facing off against the Seattle Seahawks.
So be honest. Were you really up on your Roman numerals enough to know that XLIV equals 49 or have you just been unable to escape the constant media blast? We’re just going to admit the TV coverage helped us out. Fourth grade math was a loooooonnng time ago, but to be clear, it was NOT forty-nine years ago. There’s that.
Even though the media helped us with our math skills, apparently we are like Teflon when it comes to really absorbing when the Super Bowl is actually going to take place. Because here we are once again, the Wednesday before the big game, and we are just now thinking about what we need to make to feed our crews on Sunday.
But this year has a twist. We don’t just need a menu that is fast and easy, we need one that is healthy too. See, we’re on a bit of a fitness kick, and we don’t want to blow a week’s worth of workouts on one extra large bag of chips. Healthy can be delicious, so without further ado . . .
Oh wait!
Before we get to the super easy, super skinny menu, we have a Super Bowl Ballot to share that makes watching the game fun even if Seattle or New England isn’t your team . . . or even if you don’t really like football at all. We particularly like the question: “What color of Gatorade gets splashed?” See? Fun for the whole family.
We are already starting out with the lazy because we’re feeling you on the time crunch, but with hummus, red peppers, and cucumbers, this recipe is heavy on the skinny, too.
This casserole is beefy and cheesy and everything Super Bowl food should be. But what really elevates this dish to MVP status is that a serving is around 345 calories. Score!
It is seriously easy to assemble a couple of these casseroles, but sometimes you don’t feel like bothering with the oven. For those of you who would rather fix it and forget it . . .
Crockpot Chicken Bar-B-Q for a Crowd
This little gem is always a crowd-pleaser. You can even prep it today and throw it in the freezer until you are ready to thaw it out for game day. Hmmm, maybe there isn’t enough time for freezing, but you can assemble all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to pour it into the crockpot on Sunday. There’s a game plan for you!
We may be guilty of including this one in just about every recipe roundup we do, but it is just that darn good. Every single time we make it, the rave reviews pour in. Its crispy crunch complements everything, and with no gloppy mayo, it’s a healthy way to get some veggies into your gang.
Okay let’s be honest, snacking is our favorite . . .
Old Bay Lemon Pepper Seasoned Pretzels
We’re cheating a little bit with this one. These aren’t exactly low in calories, but when compared to tortilla chips and queso, this snack is the clear winner. Plus, the savory goodness of these pretzels is pure yum.
Our question this week is how to flip the switch that will change your couch potato cake-gorging ways. We talk about Fitbits, food plans, and Ellen brings some hard core doctor advice.
What can help you flip your switch? Just hit play on the soundbar at the bottom of the post.
Now you were promised the recipe for stuffed pepper soup, but we’re going to give you even more. Here are THREE recipes you can make at the same time. If you’re browning one pound of ground meat, you might as well brown two and have dinner and lunches done for the whole week.
You can follow the links to the fully printable recipes, but here are Ellen’s tips for assembling the soup, Mexican casserole, and Greek beef at the same time.
When making these recipes all at once, Ellen typically uses one pound of extra lean ground beef and one pound of extra lean ground turkey.
She browns the turkey with the onions and peppers for the soup in her soup pot (because it cooks with very little fat draining off). She cooks the beef with the onion and the pepper for the Mexican casserole in a skillet. She drains both separately and removes her quarter cup of ground beef for the Beef with Greek Yogurt Sauce. but then returns half of the turkey to the skillet and half to the soup pot. She does the same for the beef, trying to get more of the peppers back in the soup pot.
She then proceeds with all three recipes. It’s a lot of cooking, but then you have dinners and lunches for days. So worth it.
Now these recipes weren’t the only resources mentioned. Another tool we talked about was this little guide that is so very useful for planning what you are going to eat when you go out:
Now while you can easily get this awesomeness on Amazon for under $9.00, Ellen mentioned another book that is unfortunately out of print: The Skinny: How to Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. So since you can’t easily buy this for yourself, we’ll share the two philosophies in it that first helped Ellen “flip her switch.”
1. Eat what you want and banish the guilt. If you really want a food, there is a portion and a way to work it into your day.
2. You can indeed eat a few bites of something decadent, like cake, enjoy each bite, and know that there will be bites of cake in your future. You don’t have to consume it all right now.
Keeping these two philosophies in mind are a great way to supplement a diet plan so that you can kick boredom, bingeing, and guilt to the curb . . . along with your fat pants.
By the way, we were raving about the positive reinforcement our Fitbits give us. We both have Zips. You can look at the details and buy one here:
You know we love to cook. We have the recipes to prove it. So trust us when we say the kitchen maestros in your life would love anything from this kitchen gadgets gift guide! Cooks love things that make tasks easier and faster; but if the gadgets are super cool too, we swoon. Get ready to break out the smelling salts if you put any of these gifts under the tree.
Behold! The Best Kitchen Gadgets
Jenaluca Stainless Steel Herb Scissors
We love fresh herbs, but chopping them can be such a pain! This gadget for under $20 makes mincing herbs so fun, you’ll be planting them in every square inch of soil you can find just so you can use them. And see that nifty little cover? It cleans the little clinging leaves out of the blades. But the best selling point? It is dishwasher safe!
Nutri Ninja Pro Blender
Want smoothies without the grit and lumps? This is the powerful little machine for you! Now some reviewers complain that it doesn’t pulverize blueberry seeds, but we’re not sure anything does that. But it does deliver the smoothest smoothies we’ve ever made right into a container that will fit in your cup holder. So awesome.
Black and Decker 3-Cup Ergo Chopper
If you are like Ellen, onions make you tear up worse than watching Titanic. Cry no more with this chopper that makes short work of dicing up those odoriferous bulbs of flavor. Works great with carrots, nuts, celery and garlic too. This handy gadget has big advantages: compact, easy to pull out of the cabinet, and EASY to clean in the dishwasher. It’s a great addition to any kitchen.
Chop 2 Pot Plus Folding Chopping Board
Sometimes it’s the little things in life. Cooking has never been easier when you can just use the board to funnel your chopped veggies into your pot or bowl. You’re probably starting to notice a trend, but this is also dishwasher safe.
All-Purpose Silicone Spoon Spatula
If you’re thinking a spatula is not a proper gift, you are wrong! This is a spatula, a spoon, and the absolute best tool to get the last smidgen of mayo out of the jar or that bit of cake batter out of the bowl. It is awesome and it is all one piece. That means no cracks or crevices in whcih liquid or bacteria can collect. And you guessed it, it’s dishwasher safe.
Funny Attitude Apron
Do you have a special someone in your life with a flair for cooking and a well-developed funny bone? This is the gift he or she deserves. It will start all kinds of fun conversations.
Star Wars Darth Vader Apron
All of the awesome of the previous apron with the added spice of a dash of geekery. May the Force (of the pancakes) be with you.
Easy Release Grease Separator
Speaking of geekery, Ellen’s love for this gadget is borderline embarrassing. She doesn’t make gravy often, but when she does, this little gem makes it ten times easier than it ever use to be. It’s worth the cabinet space, but it’s compact design makes it easy to squeeze in there. It strains and separates all in one, but here is the secret value: it is super fun to release the gravy essence with the spring loaded handle. Not as fun as a trip to Disney World, but you gotta grab joy wherever you can.
Swiss Rex Vegetable Peeler
Erin has peeled her share of potatoes in her lifetime, and this peeler is the best. Not the fanciest or most expensive, not ergonomic or spring-loaded, it’s just eternally sharp, easy to use, and sure to be your most favorite kitchen bargain ever. Slide this into a stocking this season.
OXO Good Grips Dough Blender with Blades
Unless you are one of the blessed few who has “the touch” like Erin’s grandmother, you are going to need one of these when you attempt a pie crust. This one has stainless steel blades and a comfy grip. It does its work super-quick too. A great addition to any baker’s pile of presents!
Mauviel M’Passion 2191.26 Copper 10-Inch/4.6L/4.9-Quart Egg White Bowl with Ring
This is at the top of Erin’s wish list this Christmas. Shiny pretty things are always the way to a girl’s heart, but a shiny, beautiful thing she can use every day, well, that’s another thing entirely. This mixing bowl is almost too lovely to use, but your favorite cook (and Erin!) deserves this, right?
Tina Frey Ice Bucket – White
Gifts for the bar are welcome gifts to any home cook. This ice bucket has a retro chic that’s irresistible. A thing of beauty that will bring oohs and ahs on the big morning.
May these gift suggestions help you be the superstar this holiday season!
We love outdoor shindigs when the weather is still warm with just a whisper of crisp to it. Buuuuuuttt, there’s just one fly in the apple cider: how to keep food safe.
Ellen: I’ll admit it, I am the food poisoning police. I blame my Microbiology degree and delicate stomach. I cannot stand to serve mayonnaise based foods at a picnic or tailgate, because unless they have been kept at exactly the right temperature, you’re serving your aunt’s famous pasta salad with a side of staph aureus toxins. Why do all of the picnic foods seem to be dripping with mayo?!
Erin:My reason is simpler. I HATE mayonnaise. Picture me gagging. For real.
Ellen: Any reason that takes you to a safer end when it comes to oil and eggs is a good reason, I always say.
Erin: Imma gonna get that embroidered on a dish towel for you. Anyway, we both realized we had no-mayo recipes in our go-to party food arsenals, that when we combined them together, made a pretty great menu plan.
Ellen: Now while these recipes are without eggs, cheese, and mayonnaise, they are not miraculous. You still need to transport the ones that need refrigeration in a cooler and they can only sit out for 2 hours AT THE MOST. If it is hotter than 90 degrees, they can only be out for an hour.
Erin:You’re so sensible.
Ellen: Awwww. Anyway, whether it be a picnic, pool party, or tailgate, these recipes are easy, delicious, . . .
Erin:And MAYO FREE!
1. Appetizer/Snacks
Old Bay Lemon Pepper Seasoned Pretzels
These pretzels are so easy to make and practically scream football. Why worry about refrigerating dips and spreads when these snacks are so jam-packed with flavor you don’t need them? Warning: you should make a double batch because these tasty creations have a very hard time making it out of the door.
Don’t get us wrong. We love chili and chicken wings at a tailgate, but this is what we make when there are no outlets for our crockpots. This chicken salad keeps so well because there is NO MAYO, only avocado! With the added crunch of walnuts, apples, and grapes, this recipe feels very appropriate for fall. We often just set out a bowl of this yummy-ness with crackers and rolls, but we have been known to make paninis ahead of time if they don’t have to spend too long in the cooler.
Potato salad has always seemed like mush to us . . . until this recipe. Here, the potatoes are roasted and the mustard dressing is light. The additions of roasted corn and cilantro bumps this recipe up to total fabulous-ness.
If you want to be praised to the high heavens, then serve this slaw. We are not kidding. People go nuts for it. It’s so flavorful without a heavy, fattening dressing. It’s perfect as a side, as well as on a sandwich, but especially by the spoonful.
What can we say? This dessert has it all. It’s quick and easy to make and take; it doesn’t require cutting or utensils; and it disappears so quickly you won’t have to worry about packing up leftovers.
It’s that time of year again. Time for pumpkin coffee and pumpkin muffins and pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin shampoo and pumpkin dog food . . . oh, you get the picture. Well, if you are going to pumpkin all the things, you might as well not stop at baby showers.
Erin was pretty blown away when she went to this baby shower last fall, so of course she harassed the host until she coughed up all of her secrets. Now we are sharing all of her fall baby shower ideas with you. You can decide for yourself if this party is perfect for your little pumpkin.
Games
We know we have expressed our opinion about baby shower games in the past, but maybe we are softening in our old age or maybe the sheer volume of fun to be had just wore us down.
Pen and Paper Games
This is the treasure trove of paper party games. Click on this link and unlock a bundle of Baby Shower Games which include Bingo, Word Scramble, Name the Baby Animals, Celebrity Baby Names, What’s in Your Purse?, Price is Right, and Nursery Rhyme Quiz. Use a little or a lot. They are adorable, fun, and easy entertainment all packaged and ready to go with cute little pumpkins and everything.
Cutest Baby Contest
Of course if you want to crank the fun up to epic, it’s time to pull out the glue and glitter. This Cutest Baby Contest was the hands down favorite. Simply put, you provide a pile of washed potatoes and a boatload of craft supplies to a captive audience looking for fun. Just sit back and watch the magic happen. One caveat: If you are hosting the baby shower at your house, then skip this game altogether. Glitter is evil.
Decorate the Onesie
Everything about this is fun. Just remember to buy onesies in different sizes, wash everything before the party, and make sure you use only fabric markers and fabric paint. If you don’t, you could have a Nancy Drew mystery on your hands: The Case of the Disappearing Paint.
Measure the Belly
This is a game that would have probably made Erin dropkick someone if she had ever been able to summon anything more energetic than a waddle during her pregnancies, but this mom-to-be was adorable and friendly and happier than any pregnant woman we have ever met. Here’s hoping your mom-to-be has the same batch of pregnancy hormones, because people, especially all of the older aunties, LURVED this one. You can order your own Tummy Tape here.
Smell the Diaper
This is one of the grosser baby shower games but it provides adorable photo opps like this one so who can argue?
Tree of Good Advice
This is not so much a game as a tree-mendous idea that keeps on giving. Guests write good advice and then hang it on a tree or, in this case, some lovely fall boughs. The best part: you end up with gems like this. My heart melts.
Prizes
Don’t forget to have prizes for all the good sports who joined in the forced but fantastic frolicking. We loved the hosts’ ideas here too. She said she picked them all up at The Dollar Store.
Food
All good parties need good eats. The host of this party had a great spread that was very make-ahead friendly.
This punch tasted like autumn in a glass. It turns out that apple cider, not apple juice, adds the depth of flavor. The recipe even contains instructions if you want to offer a “spiked” version too.
Lightly toasted bread provided a great base for this savory appetizer. We would eat these on a train and in the rain and most definitely at a baby shower. Yum.
Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Fresh rye bread from Wegman’s was apparently the key to the yum in this case, but the simple idea was well worth imitating. There was not a sandwich left over.
These made Erin’s uterus hurt a little with the cuteness factor. Bonus: they aren’t that hard to make. Worth every toothpick, let me tell ya.
The CAKE!
You might not be able to have our awesome cousin make this cake for your baby shower but you can take this picture to your favorite bakery and demand some similar cuteness for your party. The oohs and ahhs are worth it.
And then there is the cake that you MUST have,
but that will not, cannot, SHOULD not be eaten . . .
The Ultimate Diaper Cake
Finally, here is the link for all the printables . Now you can pumpkin all the invitations and place cards and paper products you want to your heart’s content.
Here’s hoping your own shindig is as sweet as this one was!
-Erin
And look at the little Sweetie who came just a little while later!
My general philosophy: If it’s not chocolate, it’s not worth the calories . . . EXCEPT when it comes to this peaches and cream pie. But as good as this pie is, it only makes an appearance once a year because I am a stickler about using fresh peaches. But by one appearance, I really mean I make it three to five times during August and September. Hmm, I probably should call it a seasonal favorite.
As the years pass, what I become less of a stickler about is the pie crust. Since Anna from My Life and Kids posted this recipe last year, I have been using it as my go-to crust. So easy. But you know what is even easier? Using Pillsbury Readymade Refrigerated Pie Crust. When I am pressed for time, I use it AND NO ONE EVER KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE. Maybe I just bake for non-discerning people, but I know I make this pie more often when I don’t have to hunt for my rolling pin.
Ingredients
9 inch pie crust, unbaked: My Life & Kids recipe or Pillsbury Readymade refrigerated crust
3 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches. (At least 6 to 7 large.)
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
2 egg whites beaten or 1/3 cup liquid egg whites beaten
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
TOPPING:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out pie crust and press into a 9 inch pie plate.
Spoon peaches into the crust.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour and the salt.
Add egg, egg whites, and sour cream to the bowl, stirring until well blended.
Spoon mixture over peaches.
FOR THE TOPPING: In another small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup flour.
With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Sprinkle mixture evenly over pie.
Bake for about 1 hour, but start checking on it at 50 minutes. The crumb topping should just have a hint of golden brown.
here.
