Lemon Grilled Asparagus

Sunday, May 12, 2013: The weekend of Mother's Day 2013, my old college roommate, Hayley, had a wedding shower here in Fort Worth. Her step-sister hosted it with the other five bridesmaids. Chelsea, Sarah, Lindsey, and Hannah are Hayley's sisters, Lauren and JK are two of Hayley's good friends from high school, and Hayley's future sister in law was also a hostess.

Hayley's wedding shower
JK, Jen, me, Hayley, Lauren, Erin, and Emily

We toasted Hayley's wedding with mimosa punch, and showered Hayley with half of the inventory from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. The next day was Mother's Day, and we chose to shower my own mom by grilling out at the lake.

Andy and I got the stuff to make quite the meal- Tequila Shrimp Skewers, salad, Zatarain's Jambalaya Rice, and Lemon Grilled Asparagus. Andy has become quite the grilling-pro and always works as the grill master at Cabana #3. My mom loved the meal, and we all sat down to eat to a beautifully descending sun on the front porch.

Granny popped in to say hi on Mother's Day at Cabana #3

We had made everything except the Lemon Grilled Asparagus before- click on the links above for the recipes.  We wanted a side that was light since we were also having rice, and I thought the zest of the lemon would compliment the spiciness of the Tequila Shrimp well. And it did! We had ourselves a healthy, delicious meal and ended the night with a blazing sunset.

A Mother's Day toast by sunset

Lemon Grilled Asparagus
Servings: 4; Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 2

Tequila Shrimp Skewers, Jambalaya Rice, salad, and Lemon Grilled Asparagus

• 1/2 c lemon juice
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 tsp fajita seasoning

1. Wash & cut asparagus
2. Soak asparagus in the lemon juice
3. Sprinkle fajita seasoning on top
4. Grill for 6-8 minutes, turning often

Keep on cookin'!

-Katherine

OMG Chicken

Me, Keri, Kate, Chaney, and Sam- 4 of my 21 Year Old friends
at lunch at Uncle Julio's

Do you ever have one of those weeks where it seems like everything that happens is too good to be true, and you find yourself asking, "Is this real life?"  My 2012 birthday week was one of those weeks.  All of my oldest girl friends, my "21 Year Girls" as I call them, happen to be in town from Houston, Austin, Colorado, California, and La Vernia.  All of my best friends had RSVP'ed "yes" to my birthday weekend at the lake.  I got to see my best college friend the weekend before because it was her bachelorette party.  It was, indubitably, the best week ever.  And yes, I mean ever.  I got to see every single one of my favorite people in the world that week, and it was my birthday, too!


Keri, me, Sam, and Kate
swimming at Sam's parents' house, high school style!

So, continuing with the perfection that was birthday week, I add in now quick and easy meals.  Part of the beauty of dishes that marinate overnight is that you have more free time the day on which you're planning to serve.  This is especially helpful for weeks like birthday week when all I wanted to do was socialize and have fun.  For example- OMG Chicken.  I found this recipe on Pinterest, only to discover that it is really from Hellmann's Mayonnaise.  Seeing as mayonnaise is just fat in a jar, I decided to figure out a way to healthify the recipe.


Whitney, me, Sam, Frances, Kate, and Keri
5 of my 21 Year Old Friends
at the lake for my birthday weekend

 I replaced the mayo with fat-free plain Greek yogurt, and I replaced the fatty Parmesan cheese with reduced-fat parmesan.  Plopped it in the pan, covered it, and dinner was rarin' to go for the next night.  All that was left to do was turn on the oven and bake.

Andy and me watching the sunset at the lake on my birthday weekend

Seeing that I had some free time, and this is my birthday week, I decided to take Ulta up on their offer for a free birthday brow wax.  (Yeah, PS, Ulta will give anyone a free eyebrow wax on their birthday- fun fact!)  I kept looking down at my toes, thinking of my chipping nail polish and how heinous that was going to be at my lake birthday party this weekend when my phone rang.  It was my mom, and she was wondering when we had appointments for our nails because she really needed a manicure before my godsisters' debutante party on Friday.  Great minds think alike.  "Well," I said, "I was just noticing how much my toesies need some TLC- wanna meet me up by Tom Thumb and get a birthday pedicure?"  As I've mentioned before, my dad's birthday is June 9, mine is June 10, and my mom's is June 11, so birthday week has always been a family tradition.

Whitney and me with Fernando, a birthday cake topping tradition
at the lake

I offered to pay for her manicure, and she offered to pay for my pedicure.  We had a little glass of wine and chatted it up, while she oo'ed and ahh'ed at her first shellack manicure.  "You mean to tell me that this will last more than one day?!"  She was amazed.  Truth be told, it's the only kind of polish that ever lasts on me, too.  Afterwards, we strolled on over to Charming Charlie where I found a $30 dress marked down to $19.  Even better, at the cash register? It rang up as only $10!  Happy birthday to me!  The best part of our afternoon girlie time was that I wasn't stressed out about getting home to make dinner.  I walked in the door, preheated the oven, and the OMG Chicken was on it's way.  I made Garlic Lime Asparagus, too, but that takes very little work, and was easy-peasy.  Thank you for both my pedicure, and a fun girls' day for birthday week, momma!  I love you more!


Andy and me at Bonnell's for my birthday dinner

 After our mother-daughter nail time, Birthday Week was officially rolling.  Andy and I had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Bonnell's, where we indulged in Elk Mini Tacos, Texas Shrimp and Grits, Pepper-Crusted Buffalo, and kangaroo.  Then came birthday weekend, which was kicked off with lunch at Uncle Julio's with 4 of my oldest girlfriends.  After that, we all went to our friend, Samantha's, house, to go swimming.  Later that night, we headed out to the lake for a weekend full of birthday fun in the sun.


OMG Chicken
Hellmann's Mayonnaise, altered & healthified by Kate Strickland
Servings: 4; Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 7


OMG Chicken, Texas Toast Light, and Garlic Lime Asparagus

• 1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 4 teaspoons Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs (or, place 1/2 c croutons in a ziplock bag. Add 1 tsp Italian Seasoning. Roll over bag with a rolling pin until finely crushed)

1. Place yogurt and cheese in a sall bowl and mix.
2. Lay chicken breasts on baking sheet (I line my baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean up easy)
3. Rub yogurt mixture evenly all over each chicken breast.
4. Marinate, covered, overnight for best results, but at least 2 hrs.
5. Evenly sprinkle bread crumbs atop each.
6. Bake for 25 min at 425.

Keep on cookin'!
-Katherine

Firecracker Salmon

My mom and me at my 4th Annual Holiday Cocktail Party, December 2011

Andy and I spent the entirety of last Mother's Day at the lake with my mom (read about Mother's Day 2011, Andy and my's first date, and Strawberry Shortcake here).  Since we had spent last year's with my mom, we decide to try to get up to Wichita Falls to spend some time with Andy's mom.  We ate lunch at Pelican's with both of Andy's parents, his sister, Carly, Carly's husband, Slate, and their two year old son, Greyson.

Carly & Mrs. Jennings serving Greyson his 2nd Birthday cake

The highlight of our meal was a slight confusion with the manager- see, when the manager came around to our table to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day.  She gave both Carly and Andy's mom a card with a gift certificate inside, and then she awkwardly looked at me.  Hesitantly, she looked from Carly to Mrs. Jennings to me- back to Mrs. Jennings, back to Carly... and then quickly said, "Happy Mother's Day to you, too," handed me a gift card and scuffled off.  I simply said, "Thanks." Hey, I'll claim little Grey if it means I get free food out of it!

Andy and Mrs. Jennings at the Jimmy Buffett Concert in June of 2011

After lunch, Andy and I picked up a Midwestern State University diploma frame to match both my TCU and UT frames in our future sports room (ok, yes, it's a "man-cave").  After lunch, we laid around Andy's parents' house for a bit before heading to the lake to see my mom.

I finally finished the last wall in the sports room-
Andy's & my diplomas and licenses are all framed!

My mom had made me a deal that if she bought the groceries for dinner, Andy and I would have to cook. Fair enough.  My mom loves salmon, so I thought I'd try a new salmon recipe from one of my iPhone apps.  I'm pretty sure Firecracker Salmon is my new favorite salmon dish- it was spicy and fresh, and absolutely mouth-watering with just enough zip and zap.  For sides, we had Garlic Lime Asparagus and Grilled Corn- how healthy we all were!  We ate dinner on the front porch of our little cabana while we watched the sunset, thinking of our Granny Coleman and Granny Poirot, and being thankful we have such amazing moms!

Firecracker Salmon

All Recipes

Servings: 2

Grilled Corn, Garlic Lime Asparagus, and Firecracker Salmon

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Garlic Lime Asparagus and Firecracker Salmon

1. Place salmon filets in a medium glass dish. 
2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the peanut oil, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and salt. 
3. Whisk together well, and pour over the fish. 
4. Cover and marinate the fish in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
5. Prepare an outdoor grill with coals about 5 inches from the grate (or on medium heat), and lightly oil the grate.
6. Grill the fillets for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part, or until fish just flakes with a fork. Turn over halfway through cooking.

Keep on cookin'!

-Katherine

Rosemary Porkchops

My mom and me on the gondola in Vail, Colorado

Chicken has long since been my favorite main dish- I like it fried, baked, grilled, battered, stuffed, and shredded.  But what about "the other white meat?"  Pork chops are called "the other white meat" due to being high in protein, low in fat, and moderate in cholesterol.  Essentially, pork chops are almost as good for you as chicken, but chicken packs a little bit more protein.  The average raw pork chop contains 33 g of protein- more than half of the recommended daily value for adults.  Like chicken, they are low in fat, and they are very versatile.  Pork can be used in pork tenderloin, fried pork chops, baked pork chops, or grilled pork chops.

My mom and me on the beach in Jamaica, February 2008

When I was younger, my mom would offer to cook one of the following meals almost every night: chicken fajitas, spaghetti, chicken fettuccine, steaks and baked potatoes, pork chops and macaroni and cheese, or pork chops and rice.  Like mother, like daughter- I have inherited both her cooking skills and (most of) her meal preferences.  The one of these recipes I have replicated the most is baked pork chops and rice.  My mom would bake the pork chops (Baked Pork chops recipe coming soon) with onions and rice all mixed together, making for a juicy, succulent meal, each part of which complimented another.  My mom would make the Rice-A-Roni Chicken flavored rice, and now I buy the same one, but the version with 1/3 less sodium. 

My mom and me at my 5th birthday party at Tillery Park in Fort Worth
with one of the horses from Benbrook Stables, June 1991

The recipe below is not for my mom's baked pork chops, but instead is a spin on them with the help of the fresh rosemary from my garden.  In my signature Katherine in the Kitchen style, I have taken a comfort food recipe from my childhood, but I have added my own healthy twist.

Rosemary Pork Chops
Servings: 2, Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 5

Rosemary Porkchop

• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 chops (106 g each) lean, boneless pork chop
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Combine lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, and oil in a small bowl
2. Sprinkle pork with 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper
3. Rub 1/2 the rosemary mixture over the pork
4. Put the pork on a plate, then cover and refrigerate at least one hour, or up to several
5. Grill over medium heat for appr. 6-7 mins on each side

Keep on cookin'!
-Katherine

Lasagna Roll Ups

My dad, Dr. Sam, me, Melynda, and my mom at my UT graduation, May 2008

My mom's friend, Melynda, and her daughter, Susan, and I have all been talking for months about organizing a mother-daughter dinner for the four of us.  My mom met Melynda originally through Melynda's brother, Miller, who has since passed.  Miller and my mom met through their mutual friend, Mike Cochran, whose wife makes the Mississippi Sin Dip.  After not seeing Melynda for a while, she re-met her through their mutual friend, Dr. Sam, at the Cowtown Marathon.  Even smaller of a world, Melynda was in a grief support group after her brother passed.  The leader of the group was my ex-boyfriend's dad, who took grief support training after losing his wife to breast cancer over ten years ago.  Oh, Fort Worth never ceases to amaze me.  I met Melynda with my parents one night, and I knew she was going to be like another aunt to me.  She is so much fun, and always up for something social! 

Melynda, Susan, me, and my mom at Dr. Sam's Suite Night at the Rangers' Game, 2009

Susan, Melynda's daughter, has a precious little boy named Andrew who I've been dying to meet, so Susan suggested we have the first annual mother-daughter dinner at her house.  Being huge fans of Pinterest, Susan suggested that we each bring our favorite recipe or Pinterest dish- something light and new.  Oh, gracious, now not only do I have recipes pinned on my Pinterest boards, but I have my food boards divided into categories- snacks, dinner, drinks, and sweets.  How to choose what to take?!

My dad, Dr. Sam, my mom, and Melynda at Cabana #3

I literally clicked on my "Din Din" (dinner) board, closed my eyes, and pointed.  Lasagna Roll-Ups were the lucky chosen ones.  Easy, light- they would be perfect! Susan made Chunky Avocado Dip, also a Pinterest recipe.  Melynda made Rosemary Biscuits that were full of flavor and delicious.  My mom made a "build-you-own-salad" mini-bar.  My cousin, Kyle,'s girlfriend, Jess, had made this mini-salad-bar on Thanksgiving Day at my Aunt Judy's house, and my mom could not stop raving about it!  In her defense, it was a really great idea- everyone could add the toppings of their choice (great for me who likes tomatoes and my mom who can't stand them) and their own dressing.

Melynda, Dr. Sam, and me at Santa Rita Cantina for my UT graduation party, May 2008

We spent the evening explaining Pinterest to my mom (who is still working on Facebook- trying to decide if she wants "Amy Sue" from 1st grade to be her friend or not), having girl talk, and talking about the different DIY and craft projects that we wish we had unlimited funds to put together.  The Lasagna Roll-Ups were a hit- everyone had just one, and they were filling and simple.

My mom, me, and Melynda at my dad's Welcome Home from Denali party on the 4th of July at Cabana #3

Lasagna Roll Ups
Kate Strickland via Pinterest
Servings: 8; Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 6

Lasagna Roll-Ups before popping them in the oven

• 3 c chopped cooked chicken
• 1/4 c skim milk
• 1 c ricotta cheese
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 c crumbled feta cheese
• 8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 2 c Prego spaghetti sauce

Lasagna Roll-Up

1. In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheeses, milk, and pepper
2. Spread some of mixture on each lasagna noodle and roll
3. In 13x9 baking dish, spread 1 c spaghetti sauce
4. Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in baking dish
5. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce
6. Cover dish with foil
7. Bake at 375 for 30 mins or until hot
8. Sprinkle, if desired, with additional parmesan cheese

Keep on cookin'!

-Katherine