Plucky's Second Thought

View from the plane about ready to leave Cleveland!  Chicago bound for 2 weeks!

From my favorite cupcake place… Main Street Cupcakes in Rocky River, Ohio!

Such a rough day for the Princess!

Easy Chicken Pad Thai!!  Made this tonight for the first time and it was DELICIOUS!!  :)  Having leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Ingredients: 8 ounces of Lo Mein noodles; 4 Chicken Breasts; 3 cups of mixed bell peppers; 4 Tablespoons brown sugar; 3 Tablespoons lime juice; 4 Tablespoons soy sauce; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 6 green onions, chopped; 1 Tablespoon olive oil; Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish) ; Peanuts, chopped (for garnish) | Directions: In a large pot, boil the noodles according to the package directions. In the last five minutes, add the peppers. Drain and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next cook the chicken fully. Next, add the noodles/peppers and soy sauce mixture. Toss until the noodles are well coated with the sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the green onions. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

Its a Chipotle night!

I could totally go for a Melt sandwich today! Yum…

Countdown!

Noodles with Turkey Sausage and Cabbage!  This is one of my family favorites.  It’s really delicious and pretty healthy for you as it is a Weight Watchers Recipe.  :)  Enjoy!!

Ingredients: 4 hot or sweet Turkey Sausage links, cut into 1” pieces; 1 carrot, chopped; 1 onion, chopped; 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 cups chopped cabbage; One 14½ oz can diced tomatoes; 1 cup low sodium chicken broth; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 cups hot cooked egg noodles | Directions: 1. Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat. Add sausages and cook, until almost cooked through. Add carrot, onion, celery and garlic; cook until softened. 2. Add cabbage, tomatoes, broth and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, until sausages are cooked through and veggies are tender (about 10 mins). 3. Serve noodles topped with sausage and veggie mixture.

Stuffed Peppers! These were amazing! Altered the original recipe a bit, but they turned out awesome!

Ingredients: 2 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 pound ground turkey; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne; Large pinch of allspice; Kosher salt; 1 14-ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes; 1 small bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped; Chopped fresh parsley, for topping (optional) | Drizzle the bell peppers with 1 tablespoon water in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave 10 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey, garlic, thyme, allspice and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the sausage is brown and crisp, about 3 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup water to the pan. Pile the kale on top, cover and cook until the kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir the kale into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange the bell peppers on top, cover and simmer until the kale is just tender, about 8 minutes. Divide the peppers among plates. Spoon mixture into the peppers. Top with parsley.

So I made Kale Chips for the first time today and I must say, ADDICTIVE.  :)  LOVE ‘em!  When they were done, I sprinkled some parm…so good.  :)