July 13 - Taco Salads

It was taco night on Tuesday at the Risser household! The kids ate theirs in soft taco shells and the boy and I had them in salad form. I put black beans, corn, meat, cheese, sour cream and hot salsa on mine, but the boy skipped the beans and corn, and instead added tortilla chips. They were easy to make and scrumptious! My least favorite part? Putting all of the toppings away afterwards...just annoys the crap out of me for some reason?!?

Another Guest Blog!!

My dear friend, Julia, agreed to guest blog on Dining with the Rissers! She, like myself, is a former public relations guru who left it all for the kiddos. We could sit and "talk shop" for hours on end (preferably over a glass or two of wine!) while the kiddos play. We met through the Coatesville MOMS Club, and in the fall, Lindsay and one of her daughters will be in the same preschool at about the same times. We'll have lots of opportunities to enjoy a few cups of coffee and let her 7-month old son and Luke chase each other around the house! Here's what she wrote...

Our family has fallen into pretty regular mealtime traditions. We have a very busy household with three children under the age of five, so designating certain days for particular meals makes a lot of sense. And on the weekends we try to make meals that don't require a lot of fuss. Saturdays, when my hubby is often in charge of the kitchen, we usually have homemade burgers on the grill. Todd is a big guy, from western Pa., and likes his meat and potatoes like the best of them. He's a great cook, too, having managed a restaurant and bar throughout most of his college career. Being the health-conscious mom and wife that I am, I try to make sure we all watch our fat and cholesterol intake.

This week I decided that turkey burgers would be a perfect option, whipped up easily but with a bit of a gourmet twist. With my gentle instruction, he made the patties and then I topped them with roasted red peppers and feta cheese. (Although, the girls ate their burgers sans topping, with the exception of some ketchup and mustard.) Served with a side of sweet potato fries and a nice glass of pinot noir, we had a delicious and healthier version of our regular favorite.

Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
2 1-lb. packages of ground turkey
McCormick onion powder
McCormick Grill Mates Hamburger spice
Roasted red peppers (we got these from a favorite Italian deli my dad goes to in NJ)
Athenos Feta cheese (chunk), from Wegmans, cut into small slices
Alexia Julienne Sweet potato fries, sold in frozen section of Wegmans
Rolls of your choice

Directions

1. Mold ground turkey into patties.
2. Season with onion powder and hamburger spice.
3. Grill over medium heat.
4. Put turkey burger on roll and top with feta.
5. Add roasted red peppers.
6. Serve with sweet potato fries, baked according to directions.

Apr. 8 - Hot dogs & Mac-n-cheese

We wound up having visitors until late afternoon yesterday, so the hot wings I was planning to make got bumped to Friday's menu. Instead, I realized at 5:30 p.m. that I had nothing defrosted and had to figure out something quickly. I found two hot dogs in the freezer, called the boy up and asked him if he wanted me to grill those up. He said he'd rather eat them cut up in his Kraft macaroni and cheese...throwin it back to food we ate when we were kids!

By the time I started making the mac-n-cheese, it was after 7:00 and I opened up my milk. Food Fail. It was spoiled. Gah! Linds hates the stuff and Luke still nurses, so they don't drink it. The boy and I also do not have a taste for it (yuck!). I ended up having to run to three different neighbors' houses until I found someone home to give me a quarter-cup. After I came home, Luke was screaming, so the boy finished dinner, and I put Luke to sleep. After that was done, Linds needed to be put to bed, so there she went. By the time I was done, it was after 8:00, so I ate the rest of a turkey hoagie (thank you, Christy!) and leftover artichoke dip with veggies (thank you, Sarah!).

LOL - not the most glamorous of meals, but it sure tasted good!

Feb. 9 - Turkey Mini-Meatloaves

On the recommendation of a friend, and needing a dose of healthy eating (snowed-in snacking, Superbowl junk food and eating out are not friendly to the hips and thighs!), I made turkey mini-meatloaves and roasted root vegetables. The entire meal was under 450 calories and very filling - I still feel full an hour and a half later (which is not usually the case). If you're looking for something low-cal but that is full of flavor, I definitely recommend it!

The boy enjoyed it, although picked around the spinach in the meatloaf. Lindsay devoured it - I didn't even have to beg or force her to take another bite. In fact, she ate a half of a loaf herself - pretty big portion for a three year old! I blended it and watered it down a little for Luke, figuring it was even healthier than just one veggie and one fruit, but he did NOT like it...screamed and fussed and refused to even swallow it. Oh, well, can't please them all?!?

I forgot to take a photo, but here's the photo from the site:

Turkey Mini-Meatloaves w/ Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients
For the meatloaves
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
5-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the glaze
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce

For the roasted root veggies
3 large carrots, cut on the bias
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut on the bias
1/4 cup asparagus (about 4 stalks)
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grind the bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl, and pour milk over crumbs.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, and stir until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with soaked crumbs. Add the turkey, cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine the mixture with your hands until well mixed; it will be quite wet.
4. Pack 1 cup of the mixture into a 1-cup dry measuring cup. Invert the cup onto a rimmed baking sheet, gently shaking the cup to release the mixture. Gently pat the mound to smooth its shape. Repeat three times with remaining mixture. Bake mini meatloaves until cooked through and golden, about 45 minutes.
5. While the meatloaves are cooking, make the glaze: In a small bowl combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Brush over meatloaves.
6. To make the roasted root vegetables: On a baking sheet, toss all the vegetables in the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add to the oven along with the meatloaves and roast for 35 minutes, stirring midway through baking. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with herbs.

The prep time wasn't too bad - maybe about 20 or 25 minutes, but you can easily make the loaves ahead and refrigerate/freeze until you're ready to bake them.