a bean counter's food blog
I’ve been in a bit of a cooking rut lately. I’ve cooked up a storm and destroyed my kitchen on a near-daily basis, but the results have been pretty dismal. I made NC pulled pork sandwiches. Blegh. I made turkey meatballs. Blah. I made sausage and potato gratin. Meh.
But then, I made THIS:
Would you believe me if I told you this saucy plate of Mexican goodness clocks in at under 350 calories?
Shut the front door.
The process of planning out a dinner for the BF and I usually involves 1-3 hours of research, googling, cookbook flipping, blog reading and a substantial amount of quality time spent on allrecipes.com. This will result in a list of 3-6 options with corresponding website links and/or attached photos, which I will then email to the BF for his consideration. If I’m lucky he’ll rule out 1-2 items on the list that aren’t striking his fancy and then leave the final decision up to me. More often than not, he’ll respond that all the items on the list in question look fabulous and that “everything you cook turns out delicious” (LIES!!!!!) and then leave the final decision up to… you guessed it. Moi. This is a little game I like to call For the Love of God Will You Make a Decision, Man, or FTLOGWYMADM, as we say.
I wouldn’t say I’m indecisive. The problem is my decision making abilities are clouded by my gluttonous desire to eat the world once over. When I do finally reach a decision I stick to it with a supernatural stubbornness, but getting to that point can be a wee bit exhausting. Decision making on an empty stomach is horrid after all, and I’ve mentioned a time or five before that bad things happen when I don’t eat.
All I want is a plate full of deliciousness.
A mound of this, perhaps:
After playing our normal round of FTLOGWYMADM and going through the subsequent mental debate, I decided to go with this recipe for Bruschetta Chicken pasta I saw on Iowa Girl Eats. It’s really not much of a recipe, and that makes me love it all the more.
This pièce de résistance of this dish is the balsamic drizzle. Simply simmer a cup of balsamic vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes. The vinegar will reduce by about half, and once removed from the heat it will continue to thicken as it cools.
While I waited for the balsamic vinegar to reduce, I got to prepping my veggies.
The asparagus was for the pasta and the sprouts were our side dish. Love me some veg.
Jarred bruschetta sauce is the secret behind the simplicity of this pasta dish. Thank you Trader Giotto 🙂
This pasta was so simple, in fact, that I decided to squeeze in a little nap.
Before I fell asleep at the pan, I cut the chicken into big chunks, seasoned with S&P, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder and tossed into a saute pan with 2 tsp olive oil. Then I dropped 6 ounces of penne pasta into boiling water.
Once the chicken was cooked through, I sautéed the veggies with garlic salt, black pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil.
When the pasta reached al dente, I combined the chicken, asparagus, jar of bruschetta, and penne in the skillet and sautéed until everything was heated through.
Last but not least, I topped the pasta with a little balsamic drizzzzzzle:
This pasta was DELICIOUS, filling, and balanced, and the tangy balsamic drizzle wowed my tastebuds. I will definitely be adding this recipe to the playbook.
Bruschetta Chicken Pasta Ingredients List (serves 4)
Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats
Pumpkin. Whoopie. Pies.
Three things I adore in life—some pumpkin, some whoopie, and some pie—all mashed into one sweet oh-so-fluffy treat.
It’s childish, yet somehow sophisticated and completely perfect. I’ve been drooling over this recipe for AGES. I bookmarked it the moment I laid eyes on it… but I’ve been purposely avoiding making these whoopie pies because I know myself. I KNOW how I am when it comes to sweets. I have no backbone, no will power, no shot in hell of “just saying no.” I knew these pumpkin whoopie pies would be good. Too good. Visions of me double-fisting whoopie pies has haunted my dreams for months.
After all this build up and anticipation, I finally made whoopie last night. It was everything I hoped it would be and so so so much more.
I was right. Surprise, surpriiiiiise. These whoopie pies were TOO good. Downright addicting. They make every inch of my body smile. My eyes smile at the sight of the adorable little pies all lined up in perfect rows of four. My finger tips smile beneath a sticky layer of cake crumbs. My lips smile as they feel the softness of the pie against the creaminess of the icing. My heart smiles every time I see or hear or speak the word “whoopie.” I know it’s not just me.
Luckily, I was able to pawn most of the pies off on my fellow Charlotte Food Bloggers at our meet up last night. Isn’t that the purpose of baking after all? To make sinfully delicious treats and force them on friends, family, and coworkers so that you don’t eat them all yourself?
After some debate (there’s always some debate when it comes to me and food) I decided to use this adaptation of the whoopie pie recipe I found on Eat Live Run (with a minor tweak).
Ok then, let’s make whoopie!
Yes, I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old. So sorry.
First the mix the following in a large bowl:
Then stir in:
In another bowl combine the following:
Dump the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.
Next, I used a cookie dough scooper to scoop out 24 cookies onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Slightly flatten the cookies (this will help the cookies get that flat whoopie pie shape… clearly I forgot this step… whoopsie pie, perhaps?):
Into a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes!
Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time to get your ice on!
Beat the following together in medium bowl:
Beat for TEN MINUTES. Sorry 
. Then stir in:
Scrape the icing into a baggie, snip the end, and pipe the butter cream deliciousness onto half of the cookies:
Don’t worry. It doesn’t have to look perfect. Clearly.
Actually, from this angle this does look pretty perfect….
Gently sandwich the cookies together.
You will inevitably be smiling at this point. Just try to eat them one at a time 🙂
When I think of pork, the first word that comes to mind is “BLAH.”
What are we having for dinner?
Pork.
BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Perhaps I was subjected to too many dried out pinky-thin chops as a child. Or perhaps I was too enveloped in my love affair with the other two other-white-meats. Given that my one true love in life is FOOD, it hurts my heart to dislike something. I actually force myself to occasionally eat the hated food(s) in question in hopes of maturing my palate and someday rising above these childish dislikes.
That’s dedication people.
Watch out kidney beans, olives, eggplant, and every species of fish known to man. I’m coming for ya.
In an effort to branch out, I decided to try and cook up some pork tenderloins. I’d never cooked pork tenderloins before, and the ONLY other time I’ve attempted a pork dish was this pork chop flop, which clearly no words can describe.
This Allrecipes.com recipe for Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin was my inspiration, subject to a few mweaks. The result was, well, it definitely ain’t yo’ grandma’s pork.. or your step-mother’s pork as the case may be. Sorry to put you on blast, Sally. 
This pork was JUICY and super flavorful with equally balanced sweet and heat. I never thought I’d use “flavor” and “pork” in the same sentence. Just did. Take THAT pork chop flop. TAKE THAT.
These tenderloins were SUPER simple. All you do is mix the following in a large ziploc baggie or large bowl with lid:
Plop 2 pork tenderloins (approx 1.25-1.5lbs each) into the bag/bowl and shake the crap out of it to evenly coat the loins with the seasonings. Lay the tenderloins out on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray, then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil across the top:
Cook in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning half way through.
Let the meat rest for a few minutes, then transfer to a cutting board to slice:
Crazy blurry photo courtesy of my iPhone!
Dare I say I LOVED this pork???
The BF declared “this was the best meat he ever had.” To which I responded with a perfectly timed and completely appropriate “that’s what she said.”
Speaking of appropriate, I cannot type or say the word “loin” without giggling. Apparently, my palate isn’t the only thing I need to work on maturing.
To round out the meal, I made Rachael Ray’s Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes:
This was just OK—a bit on the bland side, so I doubt I will make it again.
Thank god for potatoes. They totally made up for the orzo. Halved baby red potatoes, coated with some EVOO, garlic salt, black pepper, and a touch of cayenne pepper roasted at 500 degrees for 20 minutes:
I can honestly say I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.
Feel free to leave inappropriate meat jokes for the BF in the comments. I’ll be sure to pass them along 😉
Sweet Chili Pork Tenderloin (serves 6)
Step one: combine all of the ingredients other than the pork in a large Ziploc baggie or large bowl with lid. Place the 2 pork tenderloins (approx 1.25-1.5lbs each) into the bag/bowl, seal, then shake to evenly coat the loins with the seasonings.
Step two: spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, lay the tenderloins on top, then and drizzle them with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cook in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning flipping way through.
Step three: Let the meat rest for a few minutes, then transfer to a cutting board to slice.
Happy Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! This football season, we have purposely and sincerely dedicated Sundays to slooooow cookin. This week my crockpot was graced to the brim with Cheesy Sausage and White Bean Chili (adapted from Sandra Lee’s Cheesy Chorizo Chili Recipe).
Isn’t it pretty???
Despite how beautiful the final product might appear, the process of slow cooking usually results in some sort of mess in the kitchen. Well, actually it’s all cooking. Me merely stepping a foot into the kitchen should serve as fair warning of impending disasters. One dish usually results in a few sauce splatters on the wall, some chopped onions on the floor, no less than 7 dirtied utensils, a burner or two accidentally left on, and every inch of counter littered with various cooking debris. So, I’m not exactly organized in the kitchen… What can I say? I like to become one with my food 
The key to any successful slow cooked meal is a few glasses of wine to pass the time. You might suggest that I use all that waiting time to clean the mess I’ve created in the kitchen. To that I say, “I cook, you clean. So quit your yapping and get to scrubbing.”
To assemble this chili, you’ll first want to brown your sausage in a skillet. Any turkey or chicken sausage will do—I prefer a spicy variety like Harris Teeter Hot Chicken Sausage or Jennie O’ Hot Turkey Sausage.
Next gather up your ingredients:
Don’t mind the Limited bag in the background… I partook in a bit of retail therapy this weekend. I scored a few sale items and am feeling MUCH better, thank you.
Toss all your canned goods, spices, and cooked sausage into the crockpot and mix to combine. Then, let the chili cook for 6 hours on low. When it’s time to chow, I like to top my chili with a dollop of Trader Joes fat free Greek yogurt, some sliced green onions, and a few corn tortilla chips:
This chili is a beautiful rust orange color, pretty darn thick, and extremely tasty. Even though this chili doesn’t have the standard tomato sauce chili base, it hit all the right notes on the seasoning scale. Jarrod and I both gave this chili two thumbs up… We had some for lunch… and then some for dinner… and between the two of us devoured the entire batch in a period of six and half hours. Don’t judge.
Total cheesy comfort in a bowl.
Cheesy Sausage & White Bean Chili Ingredients List (serves 5)
Stats on one serving: 366 calories, 49g carbs, 7g fat, 35g protein, 14g fiber