Pasta Salad with Chicken & Roasted Potatoes

This is dish is definitely, maybe, the easiest dish to prepare and will be a hit with the whole family. We buy original pasta salad in a box, yes that is right in a BOX! You boil the noodles and mix the sauce in, it can't get any easier. The most work you'll have is preparing your chicken which by the way is left open to interpretation. I used olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to marinate for at least one hour. Chop your chicken, marinate, and then cook. Easy as 1, 2, you get the picture.. The potatoes are red potatoes ( I prefer the yukon gold, but use whatever you like). Roasting only requires that your oven be on 450 degrees and depending on how many potatoes you dice up, we used 3, takes 20-25 mins to cook (If they're browning, you're good to go!). Again, season these however you like, I tend to use rosemary & garlic for that earthy taste but you can use whatever is laying around the pantry. This meal is light and quick and makes a great dinner for those of you who may not have the time or energy to prepare an extensive meal. For more good eats, visit foodmeetlens.blogspot.com

Asian food loves me, and i it...

Being part Japanese has its perks. Like knowing that no matter what happens in life, there is some ingrained DNA code specific gene that makes me crave anything related to Asian food culture. Granted I'm not eating bugs on a stick or pork bellies in noodle soup, but I do love a good asian inspired meal. My wife and I got a small set of Japanese plates/bowls/dipping tray/chopsticks and decided to put them to good use. So we have rice, chicken and vegetable stir fry and vegetable potstickers. I'm pretty sure we ate a very americanized version of this but, nonetheless we had the plates and we were using chopsticks so that has to count for something right? If you have a favorite asian-"esque" meal that you like to cook let me know, I'd love to try it. For more eats, visit foodmeetlens.blogspot.com

Breakfast For Dinner, Brinner?

brinner (brin-ner) noun. breakfast eaten at the time which you eat dinner. Folks, this didn't come from me, its a fact of life. Most of you, if you've been to college and had to cook on your own, have eaten breakfast for dinner; especially when you realize that you didn't plan accordingly for meals during the week and this is all you have. If you haven't had the opportunity to experience this diametrically opposed theory then maybe now is the time. We had some left over red and green peppers from a meal earlier in the week so we created some southwestern-ish scrambled eggs, the ever so incredible tater tots, and turkey breakfast sausage. Now typically I would cook much much much more than this and you can, but we're only eatin for two here. Add your own variations with grits, biscuits, corned beef hash, pancakes, or bacon. Granted, I do live in the south so it suffices to say I may be a bit partial when it comes to breakfast foods. Whatever you eat for breakfast, eat it for dinner, no matter what is and you are golden. Brinner, it's what's for.....brin..ner.... For more eats, visit foodmeetlens.blogspot.com

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Spaghetti Bake, it's like BUTTAH!

I mean it was cooked first but yeah it's baked to lock in all that goodness. This meal was so cheap for us to make I might just open a soup kitchen and feed the masses. On second thought, I'll stick to my day job. This very classic spaghetti consisted of, you guessed it, ground turkey (healthier option, bleh...) whole wheat pasta (see a trend here?), and sauce. You layer it up in a baking dish with some low fat mozzarella cheese and voila, dinner is served. The salad accompanying it really gave the meal a true Italian feel and added some great color to the shot as well. Oh, and if you're wondering, that IS a huge slab of buttah on top, and before you snicker, it might help to know that it's Smart Balance butter made with flax seed oil. Hmph.

Picture Perfect Potato

The best potatoes are from, Mexico? Ok, so not really but the best southwestern influenced potatoes came from our kitchen... This really simple dish is a baked potato with a taco on top, in essence. We topped it with fajita seasoned chicken, a taco blend cheese and pico de gallo. Nothing special right? Wrong. You need to try this. Plus, the mountain of food that resulted from this one plate could have fed me for at least 3 meals. I managed 1 though...**rubs stomach**

Pepperoni Pizza, if you're so inclined....

So it's been a while since I've posted anything, but no worries, I haven't stopped eating. Life is just a bit busy with moving into a new place and getting settled in. Regardless, I've managed to (with help of course) come up with dishes that are easier to make and while not totally healthy, not as bad for you. These mini pizzas maybe took 20 mins to prep and cook, and everyone seemed to like them. These were made with whole wheat english muffins, low-fat mozzarella cheese and turkey pepperoni. If you think you can come up with a healthier option let me know. I can make it look good, but it needs to taste good too. And yes those are paper plates.

The Next Food Network Star 2009

I'll be watching. Season 5 premiers this Sunday June 7 at 9pm est.

Picture worth a thousand bites

It's awesome when something as simple as chicken and rice can be so good. Kudos to the wife for making it because it was the first time she'd ever cooked chicken perlo. Now I know why I married her.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Sometimes all I eat are desserts. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, just kidding; but seriously. These bad boys came straight from the box and probably were some of the best brownies I've had. Take a look...