Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Last night we had our wonderful neighbors over for dinner. We decided to make this recipe, because it’s quick and it only calls for a few ingredients. We ended up adding some curry to it too, and wow, it turned out sooo good!!
So here’s the recipe.
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti *
1 pound spaghetti
1 shredded chicken, shredded (bones and skin discarded)
1 (18 ounce) Three Cheese Sauce Recipe Starter
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper (optional: curry powder)
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large (about 9×13") baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cook pasta until slightly under al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box calls for. Drain and add pasta to a large bowl. To the bowl, add the shredded chicken, peas and the Three Cheese sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly on top. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve with sour cream. Enjoy!
*Recipe found here
Dinner with friends
I’ve never had to cook a completely vegetarian meal before for a dinner party.
I have to admit, I was a little intimidated.
But it turned out great and it was a huge hit. Whew!
Course 1: Tabouleh salad (recipe coming soon!)
Course 2: Veggie “Meatloaf” with marinara sauce; Oven roasted red potatoes with rosemary and garlic; Steamed corn
Course 3: Pineapple mango sundae with whipped cream, lime zest, ginger and fresh mint
Day 1 of Summer Race
Very early splendid breakfast: little floating polenta (puliszka in Hungarian) islands. Topped with cottage cheese, peach, chia seeds and vanilla almond milk. 
Then I started my online summer English class and did a quick workout:
Did some cleaning and I completely reorganized my closet. Yeaahh!! The best motivation to finish a big project like that is if you simply throw everything out in a big pile. Our apartment is not that big, and there is really no room for an obstacle course. So I was forced to get rid of the mountain. I like tricking myself like that when nothing else seems to work 
Then I had this wonderful, nutritious spinach-strawberry salad for lunch (with goat cheese, and some crispy pretzels instead of croutons) before hitting the road: 
Made a whole wheat pepperoni pizza for The Squarehead, so he’d have something to chew on when he runs home for lunch between his math classes:
Then I took that famous food safety training class in Akron with this amazing girl. She loves the Lord and is not afraid to boldly talk about her faith. Love that about her! She just got engaged recently and will be getting married in December. I’m SO happy for her!!! 
After work I was starving!! So I grabbed this delicious snackie while making dinner. All-natural peanut butter on homemade, whole wheat bread. And a side of diced celery. I love PB with celery!!!!!! 
Dinner was this amazing block of melted Amish cheddar cheese. (You can never go wrong with cheese!!) I just mixed in the veggies (corn and peas) and spiced it up a little. 
We ate it with some spinach and a thin-wheat, honey-mustard turkey sandwich (I was really craving some meat today). And some icy cold, fresh grapefruit-orange juice of course. 
A perfect end to a perfectly busy day. I did so many things today that it really feels like it was 2 days in one!! (Do you ever feel like that?)
A little rest and then it starts all over again, in just a few hours 
Business classes in the morning! I’m so hoping for some good professors this semester.
I’d better go get my share of cuddling before it’s too late. ‘Cause the truth is, I kinda like this geeky, math genius fellow sitting next to me. —Can you guess what he’s doing? Yep! You got it! Math homework!! I don’t know. There’s just something about smart guys, don’t you think?
I soooo love Sundays!!
Church was awesome. As always. So many people re-dedicated their lives at the end of the service! What a blessing to witness that!!!
Also, today we got to pick up our cute little soup bowls that we painted for each other for our anniversary. Aren’t they charming?
Then it was time for some frozen yogurt. I stole a strawberry from this guy. He didn’t seem to mind sharing. Then I reached into my magic purse and guess what I found? Some healthy peanuts and dates. So glad I always carry some emergency snacks with me. Just for times like this. Now that’s much better! 
On our way home we did a little shopping and bought a giant, comfy new case for our little “Canon baby”. We don’t have kids, and pets either. We’re into cameras instead At least for now.
And since we love books too, we got this awesome Adobe Photoshop book as well. It seriously has all the photo editing tricks in it! Can’t wait to study it!! 
Oh, and let’s not forget about those healthy, organic goodies either! Wasabi mustard! Now that’s something!! And check out that Green tea chai with pomegranate!! Yummyyyyy! 
And of course I couldn’t say NO to these pretty little things either (not that I wanted to. Ha!)
A shiny little hair band and a totally Reka-style, colorful scarf. I love accessories!!! 
Dinner was fabulous tonight!! I’m definitely a big fan of raw eating. So, FOR ME dinner was home-fermented sauerkraut (with salsa), cabbage rolls (stuffed with TVP) topped with fresh dill, green olives, dehydrated crispy carrot strips, orange wedges, and a small side salad (with cauliflower florets). Now that’s RAW food for ya! 
And FOR HIM: a couple of toasted whole wheat thin-buns with grilled eggs, mozzarella, pepperoni and veggies. And some baby carrots and potato chips on the side. 
Right now we’re watching “The Time Traveler’s Wife” (2009). (Have you seen it?) It’s a really well done movie, but it’s so sad. I think it’s always a sad story when you can’t be with the one you love…
I’m just glad my hubby is here to stay!!! I can’t even imagine my life without him. He completes me.
Hope you had a good weekend.
Tomorrow the rat race (summer semester) starts again for us.
Class in the morning, then I’ll be taking a Food Safety training in Akron. And then work ‘till pretty late. So I might not be able to do a post tomorrow. Or maybe just a short one. We’ll see.
Popping, hopping hot little fellas
Heyhey!!! Check out what I just got in the mail! A Gymboss interval timer!! I’ve been wanting one of these for a very, very long time, and I was finally able to find a good one on Amazon the other day! I’m SO excited! I’m a huge fan of High-intensity interval training (HIIT), and this little gadget will make my life soooo much easier! The beep volume on it can be adjusted and it even has a vibrate option, so I’ll be able to use it at the gym as well!! 
Last night I got home very late from work and it was way, waaay past my dinner time. So this morning we started the day off with an awesome, big, nutritious Bfast. 
We decided to have grilled, spicy egg-strips on spinach leaves, with a side of fruit combo and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. 
After TS left for work, I did a sweaty Iron Yoga session, and man, oh man it felt really good! I’ve been experimenting with some different styles of yoga lately, so I’m borrowing this DVD from the library. Although the guy in it is kinda annoying, the combination of balance and weight training poses did give me a really good calorie-burn for the day!
Then I went to work and made lots of healthy, delicious smoothies, salads, wraps and panini sandwiches. I’m so excited because I am getting much better and faster at it each day! I don’t have to be so focused on the ingredients anymore so I have more time to interact with each customer. I love working with people! And I absolutely love talking about healthy foods, or anything health-related for that matter! And now I even get paid for it! Yep! Life is bueno. 
After work I completed a huge grocery-shopping mission. We were out of so many things, so I bought a TON of stuff.
Like fruits (apples, kiwis, blueberries, citrus for squeezes): 
Veggies and fresh, organic herbs: 
Canned goods (jalapeno, green and black olives, beets, beans, tomato sauce, almond milk, cocoa powder, soy sauce): 
Whole grain tortillas, barley, pretty napkins and some stuff to make a banana cream pie for TS: 
And a cute little hair pin! I have so many hair bands, ribbons, flowers and pins already, but I can’t help it. I just love them! I’m a really girly girl, and The Squarehead loves it! 
I was on my own for dinner tonight. I didn’t have to worry about cooking 2 different kind of meals because TS just wanted a banana-chocolate smoothie. Yep. He instantly forgot about how tired he was from all the projects he’s been working on at work. I love my hard-working husband. He never complains. I want to be like him when I grow up 
I felt like having spaghetti tonight, but since it’s so hot out there, I wanted something light and low- calorie. So I made some zucchini noodles in the spiralizer! 
I sprinkled it with spices, coated it with some tomato sauce and added some goat cheese crumbles and stuffed olives for decoration. It almost tasted like REAL spaghetti noodles!!
It was so good with the salad and the grilled, marinated tofu slice.
Washed it down with a wonderful cup of iced coffee. I like happy endings! 
We’re getting ready to watch the movie “Whatever works” Have you seen it? Supposed to be good.
And we even invited these hot bouncy little fellas to the party! Look how excited they are to arrive! They are all over the place! 
Hot-air corn popper. That’s what I’m talking about! Forget about the microwave popcorn bags. Not good for you! –Did I sound like your mamma?
And more vanilla ice coffee to end a perfect day! Decaf. Of course.
Movie time with my Cutie One!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Photo-Food Log
| BREAKFAST: Whole grain bran flakes with almond milk. Toppings: strawberries, blueberries, sliced almonds, coconut and a half blueberry-acai yogurt. |
| LUNCH: a packed fruit-salad (apples, pears, strawberries, oranges, bananas and honeydew) |
| SNACK: A wedge of whole-wheat homemade bread, topped with melted goat cheese and fresh curly-parsley. Juicy peppers on the side, rustic-style |
| DINNER: Shrimpies and mashed veggies, left from last night’s dinner, with an amazing Blue cheese-Apple Salad and a blueberry tea. |
Delicious Oriental-style Stir Fry
Dinner was awesome tonight! We made an oriental-style Shrimp Stir Fry.
I love shrimpies in any form, but this version was truly a winner! 
First we made the side dish: Mashed Cauliflower & Potatoes:
1. Microwave veggies for 20 minutes on high.
2. Drain and mash.
3. Add some garlic powder and sea salt for taste
(*you can also add some almond milk/soy milk if you want it to be creamier)
Then, we made the Shrimp Stir Fry:
For the ingredients we used:
1 bag (12 oz) of pre-cooked shrimp
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen (or canned) peas
1/2 cup frozen (or canned) corn
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
And for extra flavor we used:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and ground black pepper
(*Careful with it though. It makes it pretty spicy!)
Next:
1. We cooked the thawed shrimp (without any oil) until all the water evaporated from the pan.
2. We added all the other ingredients and spices in the order listed above.
3. Then we let the mixture sauté (on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes), stirring it occasionally.
And Voila! Magic just happened. Yumm!
Serve over mashed veggies (or brown rice) and top with soy sauce.
It was a total improvisation!! I’m so glad that it turned out not only good, but mouthwatering good! A keeper!
Buon appetito!
Quick & Delish Spaghetti Dinner Recipe
“A very wise man (my husband) said this once: “The point of good experimentation is good documentation.” I’m pretty sure he was referring to his nerdy scientific experiments, but I right away applied it to my own little “adventures” in the kitchen. Why not? The guy is a genius, so he’s probably right! What’s the point of creating an awesome recipe, if you can’t make it the 2nd time? People often ask for my recipes when we go to brunches and I’m always so embarrassed when I’m not able to recall more than 3-4 of them. Well, this has got to change! So here is to new beginnings! Cheers!
Last night I ended up whipping up a really quick, but delicious spaghetti dinner. And guess what I had in my hands the whole time? That’s right! Paper & pen!!!! It will take some getting used to, but it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility
To make it, this is what I used (in this order) :
▶ Whole grain thin spaghetti pasta
▶ a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
▶ 1 medium size onion, chopped
▶ 2 pounds lean ground beef/turkey/soaked TVP (whichever you prefer)
▶ 1 1/2 cup warm water (until meat is covered) 
And some condiments/spices:
▶ 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (mine was already salted a little)
▶ 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
▶ 2 teaspoons garlic powder
▶ 1 teaspoon salt
▶ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (a mix of Marjoram, Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary)
▶ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
▶ 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 
For toppings and decorating you can use:
▶ Fresh oregano, cilantro or basil leaves
▶ Sliced, pitted black olives
▶ Shredded cheese of your choice
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Set aside and cover to keep warm. 
2. In a separate pan sauté the onions with a little olive oil and add your choice of meat. Cook until meat is brown.
3. Add warm water and cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. 
4. Stir in the can of crushed tomatoes into meat mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients as well. Bring to a boil while stirring it occasionally.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. 
6. Serve hot over noodles, with sour cream and/or cheese.
It tastes even better with a side of fresh strawberry-spinach salad! TS would def. agree with that statement. I mean, just look at the guy! You would think that the poor fella is never ever fed!!
Served with my cute little hand-painted Hungarian spatulas. Aww. A little piece of home 
7. Garnish with olives and fresh herbs if you’d like.
Or just wear it on your back. It’s entirely up to you how you choose to serve it.
Another “antwacky” day I guess
☂ So rainy out there! Yuck. But how are ya? シ
Wow. Is it really getting dark out there already? I just got home, can you believe it? Where did the day go? This week is moving along super-duper quickly for some reason.
I had a mandatory school meeting this afternoon and I didn’t get anything done yet. So this will be a quick one. I’ve got so much to do! The kitchen is a mess, TS doesn’t have any lunch for tomorrow yet (he won’t be home the whole day), and I’ve got a TON of homework that is due!! Yeah, life is busy as a beaver arounf here, but no matter how hectic it gets, I always, always make time for a nice, sit-down meal I really hate don’t like eating on the go from boring white plastic containers. Some people eat all their meals like that, every day. Not me. Nope! U-uh!
♨ I hope that TS and I will always find time to light a candle and eat together
Breakfast today was a slice of toasted whole wheat bread with Tofutti soy cream cheese and strawberries.
For an in-between snack I had this (I always carry fruits and/or veggies in my purse): 
Then, a quick stop at home for lunch: a big salad (Romaine lettuce, pears, carrots, red bell peppers and cabbage) with a mix of spicy beans and lentils, for some needed protein. It was SO good. A perfect combination of tastes! But do you wanna know what was even better? 
This beauty!!! Dark chocolate almond milk. I’m not a big chocolate milk fan, but this I really, REALLY like! Thumbs up for Silk!!!!!!!!! 
And a quick, light dinner: an open-face “sandwich”!
Homemade tuna salad with cut-up spring onions, bell peppers and radishes on Romaine lettuce leaves. With a side of juicy organic Jonathan apples. Doesn’t seem like much, but it was very satisfying. Very delish! I’ll post the recipe for it this week sometime if you’re interested. 
And for the rest of the evening: homework, cooking, dishes/cleaning, and exercise (while watching the Biggest Loser show for some extra motivation!). 
One of the reasons I like writing this blog is because I love challenging myself to learn/use new English words. I love looking up new vocabulary and trying to use them right away in conversations. Sometimes I make awful, TERRIBLE mistakes, haha, but that’s how you learn a language, right? By trial and error. I especially love American expressions and slang.
So here is a fun slang that I have never, ever heard before:
antwacky (adjective) Meaning: old-fashioned or unstylish. Usage: “There’s no way I’m buying that antwacky dress.”
I’m gonna go now, put on my “antwacky” pajama and get comfy
Nighty-night! ☾
Ѽ HefiA
