I hope all the mother’s out there had a wonderful day yesterday. I had a great day with my family. We had early dim sum with my husband’s family and then went to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens afterwards. I just love the botanical gardens. We got a family membership this past year which we have thoroughly enjoyed. Their newest exhibit, Imaginary Worlds, is great – huge animal sculptures made out of plants. Both of our children loved it!

This past week’s menu them was visiting old recipes that I haven’t made in a while but are family favorites. Last year at this time I was a bread-making fiend. However, I got out of the habit and haven’t made much in a while. I love homemade bread and I was glad I got out my breadmachine this past week. My Cinnamon Raisin Sunflower Bread is one of my favorites. I now use all white whole wheat flour in the recipe and it turned out perfectly. E and C gobbled it up. Guess I’ll be making more bread this week!

Yummy Chicken and Tofu Enchiladas

Another oldie, but goodie recipe is Rotisserie-Style Chicken which I also made this past week. I think we will be making many variations of it this summer once it heats up and I don’t want to heat up the kitchen with the oven. I am still amazed at how good this turns out in my slow cooker and how easy it is! The leftover chicken is perfect in my Chicken and Tofu Enchiladas. Another recipe that I forgot how good it was! I also changed up the sauce a bit and instead of using sour cream, I used 6 oz of plain Greek yogurt and about a 1/2 cup milk. It was delicious (too bad I didn’t snap a new picture of it!).

Here is what we will be having this week:

Monday: Garden Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti with Broccoli

Tuesday: Meyer Lemon Slow Cooker Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Wednesday: Vietnamese Ginger Scallion Fish with Brown Rice and Roasted Butternut Squash

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna (working on perfecting a new recipe) with a Spinach Salad and Rosemary Bread (another recipe I’m working on perfecting)

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper (i.e., clean out the fridge)

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – May 13 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

May? How did we get here. I completely forgot it was Cinco de Mayo yesterday until the day before. I think my head still thinks it is March. April was a blur. And the weather here isn’t helping – it certainly feels like March. I’m sure that will change soon enough though and I’ll be wishing for cooler days.

The Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken from this past week might be a new family favorite. I followed the recipe fairly close, though I used less honey, about 1/3 cup. We tend to not like our dishes too sweet. Even my husband was impressed. And it certainly meets my criteria for easy slow cooker recipes – not much prep work involved! The Shrimp and Grits also went over really well with everyone. Of course with some bacon pieces added, I knew my son would love it – bacon might be his favorite food (that he only gets occasionally). I still don’t know how that happened. But a little bit goes a long way to add flavor.

Here is what we will be having this week:

Monday: Veggie Frittata with Sliced Strawberries and Cinnamon Raisin Sunflower Bread

Tuesday: Rotisserie-Style Chicken with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples

Wednesday: Chicken and Tofu Enchiladas with Strawberry and Orange Salad

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chicken Sausage and Pepper Pasta with Steamed Broccoli

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Happy Mother’s Day (no idea yet what we are doing, but I’m not planning it!!)

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – May 6 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Well I got too complacent with almost a whole month of being illness-free in this house and then E got sick again. A middle of the night trip to the ER derailed me for a day or two (though she is fine – just a really nasty virus that is thankfully almost gone and so far has escaped the rest of us). Luckily my mother-in-law rescued us again with some wonderful Vietnamese food one night.

From this past week’s menu, the Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa was even better than I had hoped. The sauce really makes the dish. My husband thought olives would make it perfect, and I will try that next time. I enjoyed making it in my rice cooker (always fun to find new ways to use it), though there was still a bit of prep work involved and dishes. I actually made this for my family on a night that I had my book club so I didn’t really get to eat it until the next day.

How many of you prepare dinner for your family even on a night when you know you aren’t going to be there? It isn’t often that I’m not home with my family for dinner, but it does happen on occasion. I try either to have leftovers planned, something out of the freezer or I will cook a dish for them.

Here is what is on tap this week with lots of fresh fruit added:

Monday: Pinto Beans and Rice with Collard Greens

Tuesday: Garden Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti with Broccoli

Wednesday: Shrimp and Grits with Romaine Strawberry Salad

Thursday: Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Friday: Slow Cooker Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Roasted Potatoes

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – April 29 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

My heart was heavy this past week with all of the tragedies and disasters happening not just in our country, but around the world. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the events in Boston and West, Texas. I struggled to go about business as usual and needless to say, my menu plan derailed as well. It was difficult at times to follow all that was happening while at the same time shielding my children from the news. C just isn’t old enough yet to hear of it and I dread the day when I do have to try and explain such tragedies.

We had quite a bit of leftovers in the fridge and freezer to see us through, and I did manage to make a few meals. And I’m so glad I finally made the Crock Pot Picadillo as it was delicious. The whole family loved it. The leftovers were perfect in tacos. I can see this dish making more appearances on our table.

And I did manage to participate in Recipe Redux this month with my Sesame Honey Cupcakes with Red Bean Paste - an Asian twist to refresh the cupcake. These were surprisingly delicious. Even C loved them, though he wasn’t a fan of the frosting, which is quite an opposite reaction for him, usually he eats the frosting and leaves the cake.

Here is our plan for the week:

Monday: Sunflower Zucchini Pie and Pineapple

Tuesday: Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa and Roasted Carrots

Wednesday: Garden Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti with Broccoli

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Slow Cooker Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Roasted Potatoes

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – April 22 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

This month’s Recipe Redux theme was the cupcake conundrum – still a trend or over it? Quite frankly, I think the trendiness of cupcakes is waning and another dessert will be all the rage soon. Nevertheless, I decided to refresh the cupcake by adding an Asian twist, something trend reports say we will be seeing more of, Asian-inspired desserts.

One of my favorite Asian desserts when we are having dim sum are the sesame balls. They are a hollow dough filled with red bean paste, lightly fried and rolled in sesame seeds. Certainly not the healthiest option, but something I only eat on occasion. So it felt only natural to take my love for red bean paste and sesame and turn it into a cupcake. Different, yes. Tasty, absolutely.

Tahini, which is essentially sesame seed paste, lends a subtle nuttiness to the lightly sweet cupcakes. I found this recipe for Honey Sesame Cupcakes that would be a good foundation. I made a few modifications to the recipe, using white whole wheat flour which is my baking go-to for just about everything these days, instead of all-purpose. You really can’t tell a difference. Also, I dialed back on the amount of sugar and honey since the red bean paste adds a good bit of sweetness on its own. Then I created my own frosting recipe. You could make your own red bean paste from adzuki beans, or just purchase it already prepared from an Asian market (I was strapped for time so that is what I opted to do).

My 15 month old loved the cupcakes. She couldn’t get enough. My 4 year old loved the cupcake part, but wasn’t a fan of the frosting, which is odd for him as it is usually the opposite way around. My husband also gave it his seal of approval after looking at them with some skepticism initially. As for me, I loved the balance of sweetness with the hint of sesame nuttiness. Enjoy!

The post Recipe Redux – Sesame Honey Cupcakes with Red Bean Paste appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Dr. Susan Mitchell, Neva Cochran and me

But it was a fabulous trip. I met some amazing dietitians, many I have long admired via social media, and some I have worked with the past few months as part of the Corn Refiners Association RD network. In fact, that was why I was in Texas. I sat on a panel discussing sweeteners in schools and putting science first in controversial discussions. It was a great session, if I do say so myself. The Corn Refiners Association, who sponsored the session, really rounded up some great and extremely knowledgeable RDs to provide evidence-based information as well as a wealth of experience. I was honored to be included. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. I had a fabulous time. And although it was hard to be away from my family, even if for just a night, it was also really nice to be in a quiet hotel room by myself and sleep!

Now back to the menu plan. From this past week’s menu, the Lentil Sloppy Joes were a hit. This is a different recipe than I’ve used in the past and I really liked it. E ate them up – I was so surprised. There really is quite a bit of spice to them between the chili powder and the smoked paprika. I actually added about a tablespoon of honey at the end to help mellow it a little and add a hint of sweetness for balance. C is not a big fan of heavily spiced foods though he ate a good bit for him. E seems to enjoy a lot of spice with her foods and I hope that continues!

Here is what is planned for this week, with plenty of fruit for dessert:

Monday: Crock Pot Picadillo with Brown Rice and Broccoli (third times a charm at actually making it this week!)

Tuesday: Parmesan Mustard Baked Salmon with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

Wednesday: Taco Bar with a variety of toppings, served with an Avocado Strawberry Salad

Thursday: Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna and Pineapple

Friday: Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa and Yellow Squash

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – April 15 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Our children had Spring Break this past week and we took a day to go to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to see all of the tulips in bloom, which were stunning.

Thankfully it wasn’t too cool and it had stopped raining. The kids loved it, as always. We got a family pass this past year and we have loved having it. There are some wonderful exhibits coming up that I can’t wait to see. Once the weather really warms up, their sprinkler fountain is fun for the children. And I’d love to attend some of the cooking classes in their edible garden.

Of course I got a little side tracked with last week’s plan, so I’m going to try again with 2 of the dishes this week. My Breakfast Pizza with Cauliflower Crust recipe that I created actually made a great dinner one night. I also made an impromptu vegetable soup for dinner one night that was just fitting with the cold, wet weather we had one day. Of course we had grilled cheese to go along with it – one of my favorite pairings.

Here is what is on tap this week, plus plenty of fresh fruit:

Monday: Veggie and Turkey Sausage Frittata with Fresh Pineapple

Tuesday: Lentil Sloppy Joes with Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns and Roasted Zucchini

Wednesday: Chicken Sausage, Sweet Peppers and Spinach over Whole Grain Pasta

Thursday: Crock Pot Picadillo with Brown Rice and Broccoli

Friday: Evening Out

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – April 8 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Breakfast pizza is something I grew up eating. My father is a great cook, though he mainly keeps to meat and breakfast for his repertoire. Somewhere along the line when I was young, he started finding all kinds of recipes that he would make on Sunday morning or for holidays. Breakfast pizza was one that stuck with us and is a family favorite. His recipe is fairly similar to the one on the back of a Jimmy Dean sausage package, minus the potatoes.

When I saw the Build a Better Brunch recipe contest on Healthy Aperture, I just knew I had to do breakfast pizza. After much thought, I decided I couldn’t redo my dad’s recipe. It just didn’t feel right. So I created my own, capitalizing on the cauliflower pizza crust trend that is running rampant on Pinterest and blogs all over the internet. I had been wanting to try it and thought this was the perfect opportunity for it. After researching around, I adapted this cauliflower crust recipe (if you want great picture by picture instructions on how to make the crust, this is an excellent post), and I must say the results blew me away. My mother-in-law couldn’t believe it. I love cauliflower but the rest of my family does not. They didn’t even know what hit them with this one! And both my 4 year old and 14-month-old gobbled it up. Occasionally sneaking in an extra vegetable is okay in my book.

Disclosure: This recipe was entered into the Build A Better Brunch recipe contest on Healthy Aperture. I was not compensated in any way for this post. Though if I win, (FINGERS CROSSED!!) I could win a Vitamix or a KitchenAid mixer. I really want a Vitamix!

The post Breakfast Pizza with Cauliflower Crust appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Happy April Fools Day! I always remember 2 distinct jokes that happened within my family on this day. The first was when I was very young, my grandmother put cotton balls in some of her mouth-watering biscuits and most of the adults gobbled them up without noticing. Of course the children were excluded from the trick so I didn’t have to worry about it. The second was when my father hid my sister’s car from her and she thought it was stolen. Our French exchange student thought we had all lost our minds!

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. We dyed eggs, had our annual neighborhood egg hunt and spent time with family. Just the way it should be! My contribution to our Easter lunch was Dill Roasted Carrots – such a simple and delicious side dish. Too bad I didn’t get a good picture! I will have to make it again and post.

This past week’s menu went mostly as planned, except for the fish sticks, which will appear again this week in hopes I follow through with making it! Here is what is planned for the week:

Monday: Vegetable Fried Rice with Sautéed Snow Pea Leaves

Tuesday: Flaky Fish Sticks from The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Wednesday: Chicken Sausage, Sweet Peppers and Spinach over Whole Grain Pasta

Thursday: Crock Pot Picadillo with Brown Rice and Broccoli

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Simple Supper

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – April 1 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.

Well this past week was a complete bust. One by one, the entire family became violently ill. Apparently we all had the norovirus, without the fun of a cruise. Though truth be told, I can’t imagine being that sick away from my home. I would not wish that upon anyone.

So this week will be a repeat of last week since there was no cooking last week. Except for chicken soup. My mother-in-law made for us the simplest, best chicken soup. Chicken thighs covered in water with large chunks of ginger, simmered for an hour or so. It was divine and was the perfect comfort to what was ailing us.

So here is our menu this week, with a few modifications:

Monday: Whole Grain Pasta with Broccoli, Olives and White Beans

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Lemongrass Pork over Brown Rice with Broccoli

Thursday: Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini

Friday:  Flaky Fish Sticks from The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Saturday: Evening Out

Sunday: Easter Dinner with family (not sure of exact plans just yet)

Need some more menu planning inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

The post Menu Plan Monday – March 25 appeared first on Ann Dunaway Teh.