Day #302 - Baked Chicken Breast and Succotash

Last night was the premiere episode of  "The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs" on Food Network.  During the episode, the chefs were challenged to be innovative while cooking an entire pig over an outdoor fire pit.  One of the teams created a succotash as a side to their pork entree.  For some reason, I had the word "succotash" running through my head all day, so I had to make some for dinner.  I browsed online for a few different recipes, and then combined them into one.

For my main protein, I seasoned a couple chicken breasts with salt & pepper, then baked in a glass dish in a 400-degree oven while I prepared my succotash.

I chopped some thick-cut bacon and browned it in my skillet.  After removing the bacon and draining most of the fat, I sauteed some finely chopped shallot until translucent.  I added diced red bell pepper, frozen corn kernels, frozen lima beans, and frozen edamame, and cooked until tender.  I added the cooked bacon back to my pan, seasoned with a little crushed black pepper, added a splash of milk, and let simmer, covered, over low heat until the chicken was cooked fully.

Day #301 - Quick Taco Soup

On the bus ride home from my taiko class, the weather was rather gloomy.  Cold, windy, and drizzling rain. It comes as no surprise that I was craving soup.  Between a quick stop at Target, and the contents of my fridge, I was able to throw together a quick Taco Soup.

I started by cooking down some diced green bell pepper in my soup pot, then tossed in a can of Rotel tomatoes, a can of kidney beans, some leftover taco meat, a diced cooked turkey burger, and a cup of V-8 tomato juice.  I let this mixture simmer on the stove for 20-30 minutes.   I topped my bowl with some shredded cheddar cheese and served with a small handful of Doritos (my splurge treat for tonight).

Day #300 - Pork Melt

Tonight I wanted to use up the last of the Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin in my refrigerator.   I sliced it thinly, layered it on a whole grain sandwich round, topped it with BBQ sauce and smoked gouda cheese, and cooked it in my toaster oven until warm and melty.   The sweet sauce and smoky cheese helped balance out the pepperiness of the pork. 

Day #299 - "Summer in October"

Tonight was Game 7 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.   As I donned my Cardinals game attire and prepared to say goodbye to the 2011 baseball season, it seemed fitting that I would have a summertime dinner.

I grilled a couple Jennie O turkey burgers, which I served on a whole grain bun with BBQ Sauce, Smoked Gouda cheese, and romaine lettuce.  A cup of fruit salad (kiwi, mango, strawberries, and blueberries), and a handful of cherry tomatoes rounded out my "summer in October" meal

Day #298 - Peppered Pork Stir-Fry

Remember that really peppery pork I had a couple nights ago?   I decided it would be perfect for a pork stir fry.   I sliced the tenderloin into strips, and stir-fried it in my skillet with a bag of frozen vegetable mix (carrots, broccoli, celery, snap peas) and a few dashes of soy sauce.

The black pepper added nice flavor to the stir fry without overpowering the dish.

I didn't make any rice or grains to go with my stir fry, so I ended up eating two bowls of the meat & vegetables.  That is the best part anyway.

Day #297 - Beef Quesadilla

Tonight I was looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner.  I grabbed two whole grain tortillas, loaded them with shredded cheddar cheese, leftover taco meat, and some salsa, and made myself a giant microwaved quesadilla. 

Day #296 - Taco Night

Taco night!

Do you ever just get those cravings for tacos?   I did.  Which of course meant a special trip to the grocery store on the way home from work so I could buy ground beef, taco seasoning, whole grain tortilla shells, black olives, and salsa.  But it was worth it.   My giant burrito was delicious!!

But since that didn't fill me up, I went back and made a small taco salad as well: