One big thing I’ve been doing lately is trying to cook from my cookbooks more. I have a huge cookbook collection that I covet, yet sadly they are just sitting pretty on a shelf in my kitchen the last couple of years. How did that happen? (The internet, that’s how). Well, things are changing. My kids have heard me talk about how I miss cooking from my cookbooks and they’ve been pulling some off the shelves and onto the kitchen table lately so that we can look through them and find something to try. This has been fun for all of us!

I bought this cookbook last year when it came out – Aarti was one of my FAVORITE Next Food Network Star contestants and I watched her show regularly after she won her season (did she win her season? I can’t remember now). Total sadness that it is no longer on air. My daughter loved her show too, and my husband and I pretty much were introduced to Indian food because of her (LOVE). This recipe for Kheema comes from her cookbook and made it to our meal plan this past week. We loved it.

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My family and I just got back from spending a glorious week at the beach. We rented a place in Sanibel Island, a tiny little piece of land surrounded by water off the coast of southwest Florida.

Paradise I call it.

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The post Post Vacation Eatin’: Veggie Cobb Salad with Bush’s Red Kidney Beans appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

This is another one of Mary Ann’s recipes that I have tried recently, I made this along side her potstickers one Friday night and I felt like we were eating guilt free take out. It was so much better than takeout because I knew exactly what was going in it and knew it was all so fresh. Look at all those veggies!

The original recipe calls for chicken, but I found some mahi mahi on sale that day and decided to make it a fish and veggie stir fry instead. Once everything was cooked I tossed the mahi, veggies and sauce with some cooked soba noodles.

This really was oh so good. I can’t wait to make it again.

Zucchini and Mahi Stir Fry

Ingredients:

Marinate:

• 1 pound cubed mahi mahi (with fish only marinate for 20-30 minutes max)
• 1 Tbls oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbls soy sauce

• 2 large zucchinis, halved and sliced 1" thick
• 2-3 yellow squash, halved and sliced 1" thick
• 1 large onion, halved and sliced
• 1 large carrot, halved and sliced
• 1 tsp ginger root, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Mix and set aside until needed- 1 Tbls cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup oyster sauce, ¼ cup water.
2. Heat 1 Tbls oil in wok until hot. Stir in half of the fish and cook until done. Remove fish and repeat with other half. Heat 1 Tbls oil in wok and stir in vegetables and flavorings. Stir fry veggies until tender and then add cooked fish. Stir in sauce mix, stir and cook until thickened. Serve with soba noodles or hot rice if desired.

Recipe adapted from Meet Me in the Kitchen

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(for a printable version of this recipe click here)

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I am one tired mom. I have never been so happy for a weekend to end. I have been solo since Thursday while Daddy was in Phoenix for work. My daughter has been sick the last two days so we’ve been cooped up in the house, not a good scenario when you have to entertain a 4 year old active little boy who is constantly moving and bouncing around. Luckily I have great neighbors with kids the same age that he was able to play with a bit while I stayed in with little Gina. If I really think about it, I’m basically tired from doing nothing! I’m just so happy that Daddy will be returning tomorrow and things will get back to normal around here.

I made these sandwiches last week before the big trip. My 4 year old son, Sammy, is a bit of a picky eater and doesn’t always like trying new foods so I wanted to stir up some excitement about dinner by telling him we were eating Sloppy Sammies that night. Boy, did that make his eyes open wide…he liked that a lot. Of course, he had no idea what Sloppy Sammies were, nor did he ask either. He happily ate his dinner that night.

Yes it was that easy. Amazing.

Sloppy Sammies

Ingredients:

• 1.25 lb lean ground turkey
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1 med onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 TB mustard
• 2-3 TB brown sugar

Directions:

1. In large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, saute onions, carrots and red pepper until softened. Add ground turkey and continue to cook until browned. Add seasonings to meat and veggie mixture and cook through.
2. In small bowl combine tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, mustard and brown sugar. Add sauce to turkey and veggie mixture and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes until sauce is warmed through and starts to thicken.
3. Serve on whole wheat or potato rolls.

Follow AggiesKitchen on Instagram and show us what recipes you are making from the blog! Use the hashtag #aggieskitchen - I'd love to see what you are cooking up!

(for a printable version of this recipe click here)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

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