Baked Oatmeal

This is my new favorite breakfast!  I have never been able to eat that slimy, gummy boiled oatmeal again since I found this recipe.  It's the same oatmeal goodness with a much improved texture!  I pour a little milk over each serving.

I have altered the original recipe, so I'll post my version below.  There are tons of variations of baked oatmeal with different fruits and such that you can find searching online.  I always have on hand the ingredients for this version.

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk

1/2 cup applesauce or pumpkin

2 tablespoons melted butter or canola oil

1 large egg, beaten

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

original recipe

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

This is good, if you like this sort of thing.  I used turkey sausage.

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Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

I have really cut back on the meat we eat, and try to cook vegetarian at least 2 nights a week.  I found this recipe before I started doing that, and it was really good.  So I'll share it here.

This is basically a hamburger patty with a delicious rich mushroom gravy.  The red wine vinegar adds a nice depth of flavor to the finishing sauce.

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Moroccan-Style Lamb and Chickpeas

This is one of my greatest discoveries of the last year.  We really love this dish.  It's very easy to make, and super if you're stuck in a meal rut and need something different.

You can sub ground chicken or turkey for the lamb.  I serve over whole wheat couscous.

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It's really handy to buy tomato paste in those tubes that you keep in the fridge.  Then you don't have to worry about what to do with a half can of tomato paste.

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We're big mushroom fans, and we love these.  I've used the really large white mushrooms; they're cheaper.  But portobellos have the best flavor if you want to splurge.  You can serve this as an entree with vegetable sides and maybe french bread.

Instead of grilling, I bake at 350 for 10 minutes with a little parmesan on top.

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Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

This is so good, and not too hard.  It's healthy and light, but really satisfying with the crunchy coating on the fish.  No need to go out for fish and chips!

I can't buy panko at the Commissary, and regular breadcrumbs make it soggy, so I use all cornflakes.  It works great, and it's probably cheaper than panko too.

I really love the homemade tartar sauce!

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We love these.  They're surprisingly good.  You should try them.  I think they're just as satisfying and filling as regular hamburgers.

Increase the seasonings a bit for more flavor.  After processing, these come out a little soft, but they cook up fine.  I used an ice cream scoop to portion them, and then flatted them when they were on the griddle.  Once cooked they hold their shape better.

Top with regular hamburger toppings.  Then come back and tell me how you liked it.

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Sauteed Chicken in Mustard and Herb Sauce

This is really delicious and easy for a quick dinner.

I finished the sauce with milk and butter since I never have cream.  Served over bulgur made with chicken stock.

(Side note: Bulgur is one of my favorite whole grains.  If you've never tried it, you should.  It does take about 50 minutes to make though, so you'll have to start it in advance.  If there's not going to be a lot of sauce to spoon over it, I make it with chicken stock instead of water to give it some flavor.  Bulgur is the grain used in tabbouleh.)

RECIPE

These recipes from the Martha Stewart website are not really printable.  It's kind-of annoying.  You might have to copy and paste.

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This is a great comfort dish.  Throw everything in and let it cook, then I like to shred the chicken to make a sort-of chicken gravy.  Or you could leave it whole like they did.  I serve over brown rice, but you could use mashed potatoes or anything.

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