Blueberry Crisp - The Week's Ungirdled Recipe!

It’s blueberry season (or almost, depending on where you live) so this week, a super-yummy, totally Ungirdled recipe using this nutritional powerhouse (read about all the nutritional benefits below).  Because I am all about keeping the Ungirdled sisterhood healthy and happy, here is a recipe from my friend and neighbor you’ll be making again and again because it is THAT EASY and THAT GOOD!  It’s similar to the cherry dump cake recipe many of us grew up with. 

Blueberry Crisp

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained (I use the kind in its natural juices)

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

¾ cup sugar (I only use a couple of tablespoons)

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

Vanilla ice cream

Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.  Layer ingredients (except for ice cream) in order listed.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden.  Scoop warm crisp into dessert bowls and top with vanilla ice cream.  Be ready for marriage proposals from the single gentlemen and even a few from the married ones. 

This is so good, you’ll almost be irritated at your company when they go back for seconds (which they will) because you know that means less leftover for you.  If you are having more than 10 folks for dinner, you’d better make two.  Trust me.  Plus, you’re making everyone much healthier by making plenty of this dessert!

Blueberry nutrition facts:  Blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as rich in the minerals potassium, manganese, magnesium. They are very high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Scientists at the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Center say blueberries rank number 1 in antioxidant benefits when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables, and the total antioxidant capacity of blueberries is TWICE that of spinach and THREE times that of oranges.  Other studies suggest they are effective in lowering cholesterol and may help prevent Alzheimer’s and a number of cancers.  They are now considered more effective than cranberries when it comes to stopping the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections from adhering to the walls of the bladder.  All this is just the tip of the iceberg.  For more on the nutritional power of blueberries, visit here.

Photo from myrecipes.com

 

Fresh Tomato Bow Tie Pasta - Ungirdled Recipe Of The Week!

This recipe is an easy, quick throw-it-together thing (meaning SUPER UNGIRDLED) you can tinker with to your liking.  We make it all the time and everyone always wants the recipe, even though there really isn’t one, but here is how it’s thrown together:

•  1 lb. box of bow tie pasta

•  10 teaspoons (or 3.5 TBS) of chicken bouillon

•  1 pint or more of grape tomatoes or an equal amount of whatever variety of fresh tomatoes you have on hand (more is better if you have it.  I always like using grape tomatoes.  They’re easy and the flavor is always nice and sweet.)*

•  8 ounce block of feta cheese, crumbled (I like to get a big ol’ tub of it from the wholesale club)

•  Extra virgin olive oil

•  5-6 cloves fresh garlic minced*

•  Handful of fresh basil*

•  Shredded parmesan

•  Red pepper flakes

Bring 10 cups water and 10 teaspoons of chicken bouillon to a rapid boil.  Add the bow ties and cook per package directions (about 11-12 minutes).  Meanwhile, pour about two tablespoons olive oil in a bowl and add half the garlic to it.  Cut grape tomatoes in half (or cut whatever type of tomatoes you’re using in small chunks – if you have large tomatoes, you’ll want to seed them) and add to the bowl.  Cut basil leaves into thin ribbons over tomatoes.  Toss all together.  Just before the pasta is to be drained, reserve about 2/3 cup of the pasta water and set aside.  Drain pasta, pour about two tablespoons of olive oil in the warm pan and place it back on the burner you’ve turned to low.  Toss the rest of the garlic in the pot, stir and cook for about a minute.  Pour in pasta water (this starchy water makes the pasta creamy) and a handful of the crumbled feta and stir.  Add the pasta and turn to coat.  Add the tomato mixture and the remaining feta and gently toss.  Serve immediately with parmesan cheese and red pepper on the side. 

We serve this with flank steak (see last Tuesday’s post), salad and crusty bread for a really Ungirdled, yummy, casual dinner party.  Enjoy!

* I like to save slicing tomatoes, mincing garlic and cutting basil for my guests to do.  I want them to feel at home, and more importantly, this frees my hands for drinking.  If you don’t grow your own basil in the summer, you really should.  It’s easy and grows like a weed and saves you lots of money.  Just pinch off the tops of your basil plants as they start to flower and water frequently, and you should have basil all summer long!

Chipotle Tamale Pie - Ungirdled Recipe Of The Week!

If you're like me, you are always in search of an easy (UNGIRDLED), tasty, nutritious, and budget-friendly recipe. Well, here’s one!  It comes from Ingrid Hoffmann at Food Network (check out their helpful site.  (I have made it several times in the last couple of months and my family loves it.  Currently, this recipe has a five star rating out of 222 reviews on Food Network's site!)  Ingrid hosts FN's Simply Deliscioso – you gotta love that title, and when you watch, you can’t help but love Ingrid.  She is one cute tamale!  Here's her recipe with my suggestions based on my experiences making it:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound, lean ground turkey (sometimes all I can find at my grocery are 20 oz. packages which I use just fine.)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped  (I used the frozen chopped onions you buy in bags to make it super easy)

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I can’t find a can this small, so I use the regular size and drain it – works out well)

2 chipotle chiles, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, from can chipotle in adobo  (You can find these in the Mexican foods aisle of the grocery in small cans.  My family likes things hot, but if you don’t, you might want to use ½ or 2/3 this amount until you discover how much heat is right for you.)

1 cup grated Cheddar  (I have used the Mexican cheese blend when that’s what I have on hand and it works well, too.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 (8.5-ounce) package cornbread mix (I always use Jiffy)

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease an 8-inch baking dish with the butter and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, the onions, green peppers, and garlic and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and sprinkle the meat mixture with the cumin.

Add the beans, tomatoes, chiles and adobo sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until heated through and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and cilantro.

Spread the turkey mixture in the prepared baking dish, pressing down on it with the back of a spoon to make an even, compact layer.

Combine the cornbread mix with milk and egg. Spread the cornbread batter over the turkey mixture and bake until the cornbread is golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the tamale pie stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

I like to top this with a dollop of sour cream – adds a cooling taste and texture - and serve with a salad of crisp romaine, corn, avocado, black beans, chopped tomato and onion with ranch dressing.  Enjoy!!

Prep Time:  20 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Difficulty Level:  UNGIRDLED!

Serves:  Ingrid says 8, but if you have any teenage-type boys in you house , you're gonna need a margarita or two with this and you need to know this won't feed 8 of those type of creatures, I mean people.  our family of four (including two of the aforementioned teenagers) leaves no more than two servings of this yummy stuff which makes for a wonderful lunch the next day.