Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party and Giveaway!

Happy Friday everyone!  Welcome to another fantastic linky party!  We have some great prizes from our sponsors this week.  One Thanksgiving Plaque from Krafties by Kasie, one set of coasters from Art is Everything, and one table runner from Sage and Kai.  Good luck!  These are fantastic prizes just in time for Thanksgiving!

Not-a-Lotta Tostada

I just LOVE tostadas.  The crispy shell.  The fresh veggies.  The spicy salsa.  Mmmm.  Not to mention the edible bowl!  That just makes any soup or salad better, right?  :)  The only problem I have with tostadas is the fact that they are usually very big.  I mean ginormous!  For someone who is trying to manage their portions, it makes it kind of difficult to have because you don't want to waste a bunch of food!  Also, the huge fried tortilla isn't going to help that waistline of yours.  Well, I fixed both of those problems!

These tostadas use soft taco-sized baked tortillas!  You heard me, BAKED!  And it is so easy you won't believe it.  The size is perfect for a light dinner, or it can be a side dish if you prefer a bigger meal.  Once you have the shell, fill it with whatever you like and enjoy!  Below are the ingredients we used, but I didn't list any quantities since it is to your taste.  Just make it up as you go and have fun! 

Ingredients

flour tortillas

spray oil

black beans

lettuce, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

onions, chopped

green onions, chopped

cheese, grated

salsa

guacamole

sour cream

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Flip over a standard muffin tin.  Lightly spray both sides of a tortilla and place in the open space between the muffin wells.  Weigh it down with some dried beans or something similar (I used dried chickpeas).  Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes until the edged are golden and crisp.
4. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Top with whatever you like and serve!

Kitchen Essentials - Food Scale

So I have to admit, I only recently thought about getting a kitchen scale.  I began making my own bread, and lots of places I looked recommended getting a scale since weighted measurements are much more accurate (an important factor for bread-making).  I have had this OXO Food Scale for a few months now, and I love it!  I use it for more than bread.  I find myself weighing out an ounce of almonds for an afternoon snack to help control my portion size.  But the thing I love best has to do with the fact that I don't like to use canned goods.

Given that I cook my own beans, roast my own pumpkins, etc, recipes that call for "a 15 oz can" of an ingredients have always been a guessing game for me.  Now I can roast and puree a pumpkin and weigh out exactly 15 oz!  Need 10 oz of roasted tomatoes?  No problem!  What about 4 oz of tomato sauce?  Easy!  I love it!

This particular scale is great because it has a "zero" function which allows you to put a bowl, plate, or paper towel on top (which all weigh something!) and zero out the scale so you are only weighing what you are adding in. That feature is also great of you are adding several weighed measurements into a single container.  You can add 16 oz of white flour, zero the scale, and add 5 oz of whole wheat flour.  Sure you could do the math yourself, but who really wants to?  :)

Needless to say, this gadget has become a kitchen essential for me.  I don't even know how I lasted so long without one!  What are your thoughts - do you measure or weigh your ingredients?

Easy Italian Green Beans

My local farm grows the best green beans.  They are always perfect, filled with flavor, and easy to cook.  I had been looking for a simple way to incorporate green beans into an Italian meal for some time.  This recipe is so easy I can't even believe it!  My 3 year old loved them as well as the adults in the family.  If you want a great way to incorporate green beans into your family's diet, give this recipe a try.  It's a winner for taste and ease!

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
dash of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Steam the beans until they are crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain and set aside.
2. In a fry pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Saute for 1 minute.  
3. Add green beans.  Toss to evenly coat the oil and seasonings.  Cook an additional 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Adapted from Sandra Lee

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  The stress of Halloween is over.  The candy is out of the house.  Time for some good, old-fashioned fruits and veggies!  HOORAY!  We had a great run to the farm this week and picked up some red watermelon, kale, red leaf lettuce, romaine, carrots, cilantro, tomatoes, green beans, and green bell peppers.  With this great assortment, we will be making the following meals this week:

• Fettuccine Alfredo with my Olive Garden Salad and some Italian-Style Green Beans
• using the romaine, tomatoes, and green beans

• Make Your Own Quesadilla with Restaurant Style Salsa and a Mini Tostada Salad
• using the green bell pepper, cilantro, red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, and some left over baby sweet onion from last week

• Burger Night with Roasted Carrots, Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mayo Dip and a side salad
• using the remaining lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots

• I will be making Kale-slaw for lunch
• using the kale

We will be enjoying the watermelon for dessert.