Source: My mom
Ingredients:
2 lbs pork roast or boneless pork ribs, cut into 1 inch cubes (I used one fairly large pork chop - but it wasn't close to 2 lbs, I'm guessing)
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks (do not drain)
2 green peppers, cubed (I used one green and one yellow - but I should have used red since the pineapple is yellow ;) - also, I've made it with one pepper and one onion and that's yummy, too.)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (I used a touch less than 1/2)
salt, black pepper, garlic powder and a dash or two of hot sauce
cornstarch mixed with water (to thicken) (I used 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch in a drizzle of water - probably could have used a bit more since it didn't get super thick; my most recent time making it I used 2 TB in 1/3 cup water, but that probably was too much because it got thicker than I was expecting. 1 TB is probably just right.)
1/2 - 3/4 cup vinegar (I used ~1/2 cup)
soy sauce to taste (I used a few shakes - I don't really have any idea how much it was; up to 1/4 cup tastes good to me)
steamed rice (to serve)
Directions:
Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brown in stock pot on medium heat (I used a little bit of oil). Cook until well browned. Add beef broth, sugar, juice from pineapple, hot sauce and vinegar. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add green peppers, pineapple chunks and desired soy sauce. Cook until meat is very tender (this will take about 30-40 minutes). Add more beef broth or vinegar and sugar while cooking if needed (I didn't need to the first time, but my most recent time I added 1 cup water as it was cooking). Mix water and cornstarch together then slowly add to sweet and sour mixture. Cook until thick. Serve over rice. Serves 6-8.
Notes:
I've made sweet and sour chicken dishes many, many times - it's one of our favorites and pretty regular in the ol' meal rotation. But there was a pretty good sale on pork chops this week and instead of buying my usual chicken breasts, I bought pork instead. Yum! What a pleasant change! Good stuff here!
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins
Source: Sally's Baking Addiction, via Megan
Ingredients:
for the crumb topping:
1/3 cup (67g) light or dark brown sugar (I used light)
1 Tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted (I used salted)
2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour
for the muffins:
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (I used salted)
1/2 cup (100g) light or dark sugar (I used light)
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature preferred (mine were straight from the fridge)
1/2 cup (120g) yogurt (I used plain, but you can use any flavor or sour cream is a good substitute)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (Meg said she used 1 cup whole wheat + 3/4 all purpose, so I did, too)
1 teaspoon baking soda (I'm pretty sure I forgot this now that I'm looking at it - they rose just fine!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60ml) milk (any kind)
1 and 1/2 cups peeled, chopped apple (2 small apples) (I used one fairly large fuji and I didn't peel mine)
for the glaze: (neither Megan or I made the glaze - I thought they were plenty sweet and delicious (and messy!))
1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream (or milk for a less creamy texture)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
First, make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, the cinnamon, and melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour. The crumb topping will be thick and crumbly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray a jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. (I used a regular 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper liners, and it ended up making 13 muffins.)
Make the muffins: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on high until creamed, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and uniform in texture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly mix with a whisk. Add the milk, gently whisking until combined and little lumps remain. Fold in the apples with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Spoon the muffin batter evenly between all 6 muffin tins. There may be enough to make a 7th muffin in a 2nd batch, depending if there were a few extra apple chunks thrown in. Fill the muffin tins until they are full all the way up to the top. Press a handful of the crumb topping into the top of each; crumble it with your hands to make some big chunks.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees, then keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350F degrees and bake for 21-23 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these jumbo muffins take in the oven is about 26-28 minutes. (For the regular muffins, I did 5 minutes at 425F and then 14 at 350F - but I should have checked them even earlier than that - I think they were almost too done.)
Make the glaze: whisk all of the ingredients together and drizzle over warm muffins. Muffins stay soft, fresh, and moist at room temperature for up to 5 days. Unglazed muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.
Notes:
While Skyping recently with my mom, Cal and I saw Mugs in the background making muffins. She shared the recipe with me and I made them the next day for my November Muffin of the Month. These were mighty tasty fresh, but I think they actually improved overnight because they were even more moist in the morning. I love the big chunks of apple and the crumbly top. (But don't make these if you hate crumbs - they are definitely not a "clean eating" muffin!)
Ingredients:
for the crumb topping:
1/3 cup (67g) light or dark brown sugar (I used light)
1 Tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted (I used salted)
2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour
for the muffins:
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (I used salted)
1/2 cup (100g) light or dark sugar (I used light)
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature preferred (mine were straight from the fridge)
1/2 cup (120g) yogurt (I used plain, but you can use any flavor or sour cream is a good substitute)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (Meg said she used 1 cup whole wheat + 3/4 all purpose, so I did, too)
1 teaspoon baking soda (I'm pretty sure I forgot this now that I'm looking at it - they rose just fine!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60ml) milk (any kind)
1 and 1/2 cups peeled, chopped apple (2 small apples) (I used one fairly large fuji and I didn't peel mine)
for the glaze: (neither Megan or I made the glaze - I thought they were plenty sweet and delicious (and messy!))
1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream (or milk for a less creamy texture)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
First, make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, the cinnamon, and melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour. The crumb topping will be thick and crumbly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray a jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. (I used a regular 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper liners, and it ended up making 13 muffins.)
Make the muffins: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on high until creamed, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and uniform in texture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly mix with a whisk. Add the milk, gently whisking until combined and little lumps remain. Fold in the apples with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Spoon the muffin batter evenly between all 6 muffin tins. There may be enough to make a 7th muffin in a 2nd batch, depending if there were a few extra apple chunks thrown in. Fill the muffin tins until they are full all the way up to the top. Press a handful of the crumb topping into the top of each; crumble it with your hands to make some big chunks.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees, then keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350F degrees and bake for 21-23 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these jumbo muffins take in the oven is about 26-28 minutes. (For the regular muffins, I did 5 minutes at 425F and then 14 at 350F - but I should have checked them even earlier than that - I think they were almost too done.)
Make the glaze: whisk all of the ingredients together and drizzle over warm muffins. Muffins stay soft, fresh, and moist at room temperature for up to 5 days. Unglazed muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.
Notes:
While Skyping recently with my mom, Cal and I saw Mugs in the background making muffins. She shared the recipe with me and I made them the next day for my November Muffin of the Month. These were mighty tasty fresh, but I think they actually improved overnight because they were even more moist in the morning. I love the big chunks of apple and the crumbly top. (But don't make these if you hate crumbs - they are definitely not a "clean eating" muffin!)
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Apple Cider Syrup
Source: here
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves (I accidentally only added 1/4 teaspoon, but I think it was plenty spicy)
1 cup apple cider (regular apple juice works too)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter
Directions:
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and spices in a small saucepan. Add cider and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to boil and thicken. Once thick, remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
Store in the refrigerator.
Notes:
We had the missionaries over for dinner last night, and, as has become a tradition for us, we served them breakfast for dinner. This time it was french toast with this delightful syrup as a most delicious topper. Gregg especially enjoyed it. I think we may need to keep apple cider around all year just so we can have this syrup, too. Super yum!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves (I accidentally only added 1/4 teaspoon, but I think it was plenty spicy)
1 cup apple cider (regular apple juice works too)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter
Directions:
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and spices in a small saucepan. Add cider and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to boil and thicken. Once thick, remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
Store in the refrigerator.
Notes:
We had the missionaries over for dinner last night, and, as has become a tradition for us, we served them breakfast for dinner. This time it was french toast with this delightful syrup as a most delicious topper. Gregg especially enjoyed it. I think we may need to keep apple cider around all year just so we can have this syrup, too. Super yum!
Melting Roasted Potatoes
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, making sure one of the oven racks is in the upper-middle position.
Square the ends off the potatoes by cutting off the rounded edges (you don't have to chop off a lot, but you want the ends flat) and then cutting the potatoes into about 1-inch thick slices.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 9X13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish (don't use glass as it can shatter when adding the chicken broth later).
Roast the potatoes for 20-22 minutes, until the bottoms are browning around the edges. Remove the baking pan from the oven and flip the potatoes with a flat spatula. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, flip the potatoes again and add the chicken broth and garlic. Roast once more (last time, promise) until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced just slightly, about 15 minutes.
Serve the potatoes with the sauce drizzled over the top.
Notes:
Oh my yummy yum! These were simply mouthwatering! So flavorful and so soft! And besides the fact that you have to take them out and flip them a couple of times, it's really such a super simple recipe. Oh man, I could be in trouble with this recipe in my memory - potatoes every day!
Ingredients:
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, making sure one of the oven racks is in the upper-middle position.
Square the ends off the potatoes by cutting off the rounded edges (you don't have to chop off a lot, but you want the ends flat) and then cutting the potatoes into about 1-inch thick slices.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 9X13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish (don't use glass as it can shatter when adding the chicken broth later).
Roast the potatoes for 20-22 minutes, until the bottoms are browning around the edges. Remove the baking pan from the oven and flip the potatoes with a flat spatula. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, flip the potatoes again and add the chicken broth and garlic. Roast once more (last time, promise) until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced just slightly, about 15 minutes.
Serve the potatoes with the sauce drizzled over the top.
Notes:
Oh my yummy yum! These were simply mouthwatering! So flavorful and so soft! And besides the fact that you have to take them out and flip them a couple of times, it's really such a super simple recipe. Oh man, I could be in trouble with this recipe in my memory - potatoes every day!
Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce each) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and use the rest to rub over the pork tenderloin on all sides.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it is rippling and hot. Add the pork tenderloins in a single layer and cook the pork until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes total (flipping as needed). Transfer the pork to an aluminum-foil lined baking pan and bake until the meat registers 140 degrees at the thickest part, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter or plate and tent with foil, letting it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
In a bowl, combine the reserved spice mixture, ketchup, vinegar and sugar and brush over the cooked pork. Slice the pork and serve.
Notes:
This was my first attempt at cooking a pork tenderloin. I've seen (and pinned) tons and tons and tons of recipes, but had yet to try one until our local City Market had a sale on a roast that I couldn't pass up. I think, because it was my first time working with this cut of meat, and because my tenderloin was closer to 3 1/2 pounds instead of the smaller ones suggested in the recipe, I overcooked mine. Sad. I cut it into four pieces, hoping to approximate the thickness of a smaller loin, but even still, I kept cooking it because my meat thermometer hadn't reached 140 degrees yet. Maybe I just need a newer/better thermometer? Anyway, it did turn out a little bit tougher than I was imagining, but it definitely wasn't inedible. On the contrary! And I've been loving it sliced thinly on sandwiches for leftovers for days now. :)
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce each) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and use the rest to rub over the pork tenderloin on all sides.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it is rippling and hot. Add the pork tenderloins in a single layer and cook the pork until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes total (flipping as needed). Transfer the pork to an aluminum-foil lined baking pan and bake until the meat registers 140 degrees at the thickest part, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter or plate and tent with foil, letting it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
In a bowl, combine the reserved spice mixture, ketchup, vinegar and sugar and brush over the cooked pork. Slice the pork and serve.
Notes:
This was my first attempt at cooking a pork tenderloin. I've seen (and pinned) tons and tons and tons of recipes, but had yet to try one until our local City Market had a sale on a roast that I couldn't pass up. I think, because it was my first time working with this cut of meat, and because my tenderloin was closer to 3 1/2 pounds instead of the smaller ones suggested in the recipe, I overcooked mine. Sad. I cut it into four pieces, hoping to approximate the thickness of a smaller loin, but even still, I kept cooking it because my meat thermometer hadn't reached 140 degrees yet. Maybe I just need a newer/better thermometer? Anyway, it did turn out a little bit tougher than I was imagining, but it definitely wasn't inedible. On the contrary! And I've been loving it sliced thinly on sandwiches for leftovers for days now. :)
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Source: Skinny Taste
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (I subbed with more green pepper)
1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups tomato sauce (I accidentally only used one small can, and it was plenty of tomato for me)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (I subbed with oregano, plus added basil and creole seasoning)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat, if any. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of soup in each bowl, topped with about 1/2 cup of rice.
Notes:
I love stuffed peppers, but not so much the proportion of stuffing-to-pepper. Change the dish into soup form, problem solved! This was hearty and delicious; the kids topped theirs with a little cheese which was extra yummy. Next time I think I'll sneak in some diced mushrooms and/or zucchini to boost the veggie ratio.
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (I subbed with more green pepper)
1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups tomato sauce (I accidentally only used one small can, and it was plenty of tomato for me)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (I subbed with oregano, plus added basil and creole seasoning)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat, if any. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of soup in each bowl, topped with about 1/2 cup of rice.
Notes:
I love stuffed peppers, but not so much the proportion of stuffing-to-pepper. Change the dish into soup form, problem solved! This was hearty and delicious; the kids topped theirs with a little cheese which was extra yummy. Next time I think I'll sneak in some diced mushrooms and/or zucchini to boost the veggie ratio.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
Source: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese and milk just until moistened.
2. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 2in apart (mine were much closer to fit all 12 on one pan, but it was just fine!) onto an un-greased baking sheet. Press a couple of shreds of cheese on the top of each muffin. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes:
Wanting some sort of bread to go with our Homemade Bean with Bacon soup Thursday night, but not having a ton of time to make my usual go-to (Oatmeal Wheat bread) that day, I was very pleased to see this recipe pop up in my feedly list. These biscuits really couldn't be easier or quicker . . . or more delicious. Win, win . . . win!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese and milk just until moistened.
2. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 2in apart (mine were much closer to fit all 12 on one pan, but it was just fine!) onto an un-greased baking sheet. Press a couple of shreds of cheese on the top of each muffin. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes:
Wanting some sort of bread to go with our Homemade Bean with Bacon soup Thursday night, but not having a ton of time to make my usual go-to (Oatmeal Wheat bread) that day, I was very pleased to see this recipe pop up in my feedly list. These biscuits really couldn't be easier or quicker . . . or more delicious. Win, win . . . win!
Salsa Roll-Ups
Source: Kraft (and some ideas from the comments section)
Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened (can use reduced fat)
3 Tablespoons salsa
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup cheese, finely shredded
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 can olives, finely chopped
Directions:
Mix salsa and cream cheese until blended. Add olives and mix. Spread a layer on each tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of chili powder and cheese. Roll up tightly. Cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices.
Notes:
I saw this recipe pop up around Super Bowl time and I thought it sounded like a great football-watching snack. I never made them, though, and the bookmark had just been sitting idle in my recipes folder, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be used. Well, that opportunity happened to be Halloween. We got invited to a little get-together at some ward friends' home. I was told I didn't need to bring anything, but I felt like I should contribute something to the meal. Luckily I had everything I needed to whip these up in just a few minutes before we headed out. They were totally delicious and quite the hit.
Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened (can use reduced fat)
3 Tablespoons salsa
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup cheese, finely shredded
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 can olives, finely chopped
Directions:
Mix salsa and cream cheese until blended. Add olives and mix. Spread a layer on each tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of chili powder and cheese. Roll up tightly. Cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices.
Notes:
I saw this recipe pop up around Super Bowl time and I thought it sounded like a great football-watching snack. I never made them, though, and the bookmark had just been sitting idle in my recipes folder, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be used. Well, that opportunity happened to be Halloween. We got invited to a little get-together at some ward friends' home. I was told I didn't need to bring anything, but I felt like I should contribute something to the meal. Luckily I had everything I needed to whip these up in just a few minutes before we headed out. They were totally delicious and quite the hit.
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Source: my mom, Peggy (I think she said it came from an old ward cookbook from years ago)
Ingredients:
1 cup rice (not cooked - yet)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 - 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional - suggested by by sister) (I went with them)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 6 oz can mushrooms (optional) (I opted for the mushrooms)
1/4 cup pimento (optional) (I left these out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional) or cracker or bread crumbs (I went with bread crumbs)
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk (I used evaporated milk + 1% milk)
chicken broth (see directions)
3 cups cooked diced chicken (I used probably 2 cups for a double batch)
2 Tablespoons parsley
Directions:
Cook rice. Cook onion (and green pepper, if using) in butter until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Add enough chicken broth to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups. Gradually stir into flour mix. Add cream. Cook and stir until thick. Add rice, mushrooms, chicken, pimento, parsley, salt and pepper. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with almonds or crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Notes:
My mom always made a double batch of this casserole and froze one to have on hand to take to someone in need in the ward when she served as Relief Society President. She even made it for us when she came to visit/help after Callie was born, and boy was it tasty then! Our Relief Society President recently had a baby, so I decided to bring her this comforting, warm, delicious casserole as a dinner for her and her family. I, too, doubled it, keeping one for us. It comes together pretty quickly and it really hits the spot. Another variation by my sister is to leave out the mushrooms and pepper and add broccoli instead. Sound delish!
(Notes for me for the future: when I doubled the recipe, I used 1 can evaporated milk + 1% milk to make it 3 cups; mushroom liquid + 1 can chicken broth + water from boiling chicken to make it 3 cups.)
Ingredients:
1 cup rice (not cooked - yet)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 - 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional - suggested by by sister) (I went with them)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 6 oz can mushrooms (optional) (I opted for the mushrooms)
1/4 cup pimento (optional) (I left these out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional) or cracker or bread crumbs (I went with bread crumbs)
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk (I used evaporated milk + 1% milk)
chicken broth (see directions)
3 cups cooked diced chicken (I used probably 2 cups for a double batch)
2 Tablespoons parsley
Directions:
Cook rice. Cook onion (and green pepper, if using) in butter until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Add enough chicken broth to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups. Gradually stir into flour mix. Add cream. Cook and stir until thick. Add rice, mushrooms, chicken, pimento, parsley, salt and pepper. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with almonds or crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Notes:
My mom always made a double batch of this casserole and froze one to have on hand to take to someone in need in the ward when she served as Relief Society President. She even made it for us when she came to visit/help after Callie was born, and boy was it tasty then! Our Relief Society President recently had a baby, so I decided to bring her this comforting, warm, delicious casserole as a dinner for her and her family. I, too, doubled it, keeping one for us. It comes together pretty quickly and it really hits the spot. Another variation by my sister is to leave out the mushrooms and pepper and add broccoli instead. Sound delish!
(Notes for me for the future: when I doubled the recipe, I used 1 can evaporated milk + 1% milk to make it 3 cups; mushroom liquid + 1 can chicken broth + water from boiling chicken to make it 3 cups.)
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Squash, Sausage, and Spinach Pasta
Source: Skinny Taste
Ingredients:
11 oz. (4 links) spicy chicken italian sausage (I used 1/2 - 1 lb of reduced fat sage sausage)
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced (I just used one large squash - I have no idea how much that was in comparison to 1 lb)
1 tbsp butter
10 oz pasta of your choice (I used penne. I've used rotini in the pasta for butternut squash sauces and they absorb too much of the sauce)
1/4 cup shallots (I used green onions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups baby spinach
2 tbsp fresh shaved parmesan cheese
4 sage leaves, sliced thin (I omitted because I was using sage sausage)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.
2. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
3. Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, saute sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter, saute the shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta (I used between 1 - 2 cups) to thin out the sauce to your liking. Add baby spinach and stir in parmesan cheese and sage.
5. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated. Serve.
Notes: I usually try to stay away from pasta, but sometimes the heart needs what the heart needs - er, stomach. I was especially craving a squash and sausage combo, so after a quick search of my favorite blogs, I found exactly what I was looking for. This was so creamy and delicious. Served along side a pile of green vegetables, I almost didn't feel guilty about eating a second helping... and a third.
Ingredients:
11 oz. (4 links) spicy chicken italian sausage (I used 1/2 - 1 lb of reduced fat sage sausage)
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced (I just used one large squash - I have no idea how much that was in comparison to 1 lb)
1 tbsp butter
10 oz pasta of your choice (I used penne. I've used rotini in the pasta for butternut squash sauces and they absorb too much of the sauce)
1/4 cup shallots (I used green onions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups baby spinach
2 tbsp fresh shaved parmesan cheese
4 sage leaves, sliced thin (I omitted because I was using sage sausage)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.
2. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
3. Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, saute sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter, saute the shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta (I used between 1 - 2 cups) to thin out the sauce to your liking. Add baby spinach and stir in parmesan cheese and sage.
5. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated. Serve.
Notes: I usually try to stay away from pasta, but sometimes the heart needs what the heart needs - er, stomach. I was especially craving a squash and sausage combo, so after a quick search of my favorite blogs, I found exactly what I was looking for. This was so creamy and delicious. Served along side a pile of green vegetables, I almost didn't feel guilty about eating a second helping... and a third.
Chicken & Sweet Potato Soup
Source: Who Else?
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 red onion, finely diced (I used yellow)
I red bell pepper, diced (I used green)
3 ribs celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
7-8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or use about 3-4 cups of shredded, cooked chicken) (I wanted a little more emphasis on the veggies, so I reduced the amount of chicken and increase the amount of sweet potato)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I used oregano)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 bay leaves (I only used 1)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (personal addition, see note)
Directions:
1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring often, about 5-6 minutes, until softened. Add bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook 5-6 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients (except chicken, if you're using cooked), stir well, and bring to a low boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 40-45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. If using cooked chicken, stir it in at this point and let it heat through. Discard bay leaves, stir in cheese, and serve.
Notes: Yum! I was planning on trying a different new soup recipe tonight, but at the last minute I felt lazy and tried this one instead. I'm so glad I did! It was perfectly hearty and flavorful - Bret and Melia gobbled it up faster than any dinner we've had all month. I obviously made a lot of substitutions to accommodate what I had in the pantry, but I don't think that any of them made much of a difference. However, towards the end of cooking, I was very distracted and I thought I had the rest of the recipe memorized enough to close the laptop, so I didn't realize until now that the cheese that I stirred in wasn't even part of the recipe! I think it was from the other soup I was planning on making. Ha! But having tasted the heavenly creaminess that it added to the soup, I don't think I could make it without the cheese in the future. What a happy accident!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 red onion, finely diced (I used yellow)
I red bell pepper, diced (I used green)
3 ribs celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
7-8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or use about 3-4 cups of shredded, cooked chicken) (I wanted a little more emphasis on the veggies, so I reduced the amount of chicken and increase the amount of sweet potato)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I used oregano)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 bay leaves (I only used 1)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (personal addition, see note)
Directions:
1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring often, about 5-6 minutes, until softened. Add bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook 5-6 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients (except chicken, if you're using cooked), stir well, and bring to a low boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 40-45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. If using cooked chicken, stir it in at this point and let it heat through. Discard bay leaves, stir in cheese, and serve.
Notes: Yum! I was planning on trying a different new soup recipe tonight, but at the last minute I felt lazy and tried this one instead. I'm so glad I did! It was perfectly hearty and flavorful - Bret and Melia gobbled it up faster than any dinner we've had all month. I obviously made a lot of substitutions to accommodate what I had in the pantry, but I don't think that any of them made much of a difference. However, towards the end of cooking, I was very distracted and I thought I had the rest of the recipe memorized enough to close the laptop, so I didn't realize until now that the cheese that I stirred in wasn't even part of the recipe! I think it was from the other soup I was planning on making. Ha! But having tasted the heavenly creaminess that it added to the soup, I don't think I could make it without the cheese in the future. What a happy accident!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Apple Pie Mini Muffins
Source: adapted from a recipe in Parents Magazine, November 2013
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 2 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice + milk to 3/4 cup, stirred and allowed to sit for 5 minutes)
1 egg
2 apples (I used only one - a Gala - but the recipe called for 2 Granny Smiths), peeled (if you want to, but I didn't) and chopped in 1/4 in cubes
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (didn't have any so left 'em out)
1/2 cup rolled oats (I used quick oats since I don't have a food processor)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 36 1 3/4 inch muffin cups with paper baking liners (or just spray 'em with nonstick cooking spray); set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Melt 1/4 cup butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in apples; set aside. In a food processor (or just in a bowl with your hands and a couple of forks) combine pumpkin seeds (if you have them) oats, and remaining butter and brown sugar.
Fill liners almost to top. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of seed mixture. Bake for 15 minutes (mine were nearly overdone at 13 so watch closely!) or until lightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes; remove from cups and let cool completely. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for a month and thaw on the counter.
Notes:
Muffin time again - I was cutting it rather close this month. But I made it! I was perusing through a binder of recipes that I had collected from various sources (newspapers, magazines, backs of boxes, mailers, etc) when I came across this one that I must have clipped last year (but I didn't remember doing so). They looked pretty in the picture and the recipe sounded tasty, so I decided this would be my official October Muffin of the Month. They were really cute being cooked in the mini muffin tin and they made perfectly pop-able snacks for us. My only complaint is that I wish I had checked them a few minutes earlier because I think they were a bit dry/overcooked (and, like I noted above, I didn't even let them go the full 15 minutes!). But they still tasted pretty good - I especially loved the bits of cooked apple that were sprinkled throughout.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 2 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice + milk to 3/4 cup, stirred and allowed to sit for 5 minutes)
1 egg
2 apples (I used only one - a Gala - but the recipe called for 2 Granny Smiths), peeled (if you want to, but I didn't) and chopped in 1/4 in cubes
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (didn't have any so left 'em out)
1/2 cup rolled oats (I used quick oats since I don't have a food processor)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 36 1 3/4 inch muffin cups with paper baking liners (or just spray 'em with nonstick cooking spray); set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Melt 1/4 cup butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in apples; set aside. In a food processor (or just in a bowl with your hands and a couple of forks) combine pumpkin seeds (if you have them) oats, and remaining butter and brown sugar.
Fill liners almost to top. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of seed mixture. Bake for 15 minutes (mine were nearly overdone at 13 so watch closely!) or until lightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes; remove from cups and let cool completely. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for a month and thaw on the counter.
Notes:
Muffin time again - I was cutting it rather close this month. But I made it! I was perusing through a binder of recipes that I had collected from various sources (newspapers, magazines, backs of boxes, mailers, etc) when I came across this one that I must have clipped last year (but I didn't remember doing so). They looked pretty in the picture and the recipe sounded tasty, so I decided this would be my official October Muffin of the Month. They were really cute being cooked in the mini muffin tin and they made perfectly pop-able snacks for us. My only complaint is that I wish I had checked them a few minutes earlier because I think they were a bit dry/overcooked (and, like I noted above, I didn't even let them go the full 15 minutes!). But they still tasted pretty good - I especially loved the bits of cooked apple that were sprinkled throughout.
Cake Mix Cookies
Source: My grandma, Margaret Elwood
Ingredients:
1 German chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup oats
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (white chocolate chips are pretty tasty, too)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 in. balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes at 350°.
Notes:
Super quick. Super easy. Super duper tasty. Pretty much sums it up. These have been a favorite of mine for a long time, but I haven't made them forever. I got a bunch of white chocolate (that had been dyed green) skeleton bones as a Halloween treat from my friend and, after eating one, I knew I couldn't just eat them plain - they were so sweet! So, I chopped them up roughly and added them to this batter in place of the chocolate chips. Perfection!
Ingredients:
1 German chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup oats
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (white chocolate chips are pretty tasty, too)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 in. balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes at 350°.
Notes:
Super quick. Super easy. Super duper tasty. Pretty much sums it up. These have been a favorite of mine for a long time, but I haven't made them forever. I got a bunch of white chocolate (that had been dyed green) skeleton bones as a Halloween treat from my friend and, after eating one, I knew I couldn't just eat them plain - they were so sweet! So, I chopped them up roughly and added them to this batter in place of the chocolate chips. Perfection!
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Chicken Marsala
Source
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 oz prosciutto or bacon
1 onion finely chopped (I added)
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry marsala wine (or chicken broth)
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)
Directions:
1. Place flour in shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Coat the chicken evenly with the flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Transfer to crock pot once browned.
4. In the same skillet, brown the prosciutto or bacon until it becomes crisp. Remove onto paper towels.
5. Add onion to skillet and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until both the onion and mushrooms have browned. Once brown, stir in wine and broth, scraping up the browned bits of prosciutto stuck to the pan.
6. Pour the mushroom and wine sauce over the chicken in the crock pot.
7. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.
8. Top with the cooked crumbled prosciutto and chopped parsley right before serving.
Notes: I'm trying to increase my healthy crock pot recipe repertoire. Although this doesn't rate super high on the healthy scale (hello bacon grease), it gets a perfect score for both deliciousness and ease. This will definitely become a regular in our household.
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 oz prosciutto or bacon
1 onion finely chopped (I added)
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry marsala wine (or chicken broth)
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)
Directions:
1. Place flour in shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Coat the chicken evenly with the flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Transfer to crock pot once browned.
4. In the same skillet, brown the prosciutto or bacon until it becomes crisp. Remove onto paper towels.
5. Add onion to skillet and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until both the onion and mushrooms have browned. Once brown, stir in wine and broth, scraping up the browned bits of prosciutto stuck to the pan.
6. Pour the mushroom and wine sauce over the chicken in the crock pot.
7. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.
8. Top with the cooked crumbled prosciutto and chopped parsley right before serving.
Notes: I'm trying to increase my healthy crock pot recipe repertoire. Although this doesn't rate super high on the healthy scale (hello bacon grease), it gets a perfect score for both deliciousness and ease. This will definitely become a regular in our household.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Source: The Amazing Mel
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1/2 cup (2 ounces) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (I used vegetable oil instead)
1 large egg yolk (I just used the whole egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for pressing)
for the icing:
2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), cream together the powdered sugar, granulated sugar and butter with a handheld electric mixer until combined. Slowly drizzle in the coconut oil and mix. (I thought this was super weird, but it really turned out great.)
Add the egg yolk, vanilla and pumpkin and mix until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix well.
Scoop 2 tablespoons (this seemed HUGE! when it was a ball, but the cookies weren't too big - I just didn't get nearly as many as she said she did - Mel said it yields 2-3 dozen cookies but I got closer to 1 1/2 dozen) of dough at a time and roll into balls (if the dough seems sticky, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or lightly grease your hands - I was able to roll them right after mixing). Place the balls on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Using a drinking glass with a flat bottom, dip the glass in the 1/2 cup sugar (lightly grease the bottom of the cup the first time to help the sugar stick) and press each cookie to about 1/4-inch thick, dipping the glass in the sugar between each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
For the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly add the milk (or cream) and whisk vigorously until smooth. Use more or less cream depending on the consistency you want (the thinner it is, the easier it will set so the cookies can be stacked).
When the cookies are completely cooled, swirl a little icing on top of each cookie.
Notes:
I saw these pop up on Mel's site recently and immediately pinned them (as I am wont to do with any Mel recipe). My sister Heather told me she made them for Conference and they were a hit with the Elwoods, so I knew I couldn't delay making them myself. I wanted to make them for one of our October road trips and I ended up making them for our Colorado Springs adventure. They made a most delicious dessert for Gregg and me, munching them on the big hotel bed while Cal snoozed in her pack 'n' play in the corner. (Nope, we didn't share.)
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1/2 cup (2 ounces) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (I used vegetable oil instead)
1 large egg yolk (I just used the whole egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for pressing)
for the icing:
2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), cream together the powdered sugar, granulated sugar and butter with a handheld electric mixer until combined. Slowly drizzle in the coconut oil and mix. (I thought this was super weird, but it really turned out great.)
Add the egg yolk, vanilla and pumpkin and mix until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix well.
Scoop 2 tablespoons (this seemed HUGE! when it was a ball, but the cookies weren't too big - I just didn't get nearly as many as she said she did - Mel said it yields 2-3 dozen cookies but I got closer to 1 1/2 dozen) of dough at a time and roll into balls (if the dough seems sticky, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or lightly grease your hands - I was able to roll them right after mixing). Place the balls on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Using a drinking glass with a flat bottom, dip the glass in the 1/2 cup sugar (lightly grease the bottom of the cup the first time to help the sugar stick) and press each cookie to about 1/4-inch thick, dipping the glass in the sugar between each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
For the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly add the milk (or cream) and whisk vigorously until smooth. Use more or less cream depending on the consistency you want (the thinner it is, the easier it will set so the cookies can be stacked).
When the cookies are completely cooled, swirl a little icing on top of each cookie.
Notes:
I saw these pop up on Mel's site recently and immediately pinned them (as I am wont to do with any Mel recipe). My sister Heather told me she made them for Conference and they were a hit with the Elwoods, so I knew I couldn't delay making them myself. I wanted to make them for one of our October road trips and I ended up making them for our Colorado Springs adventure. They made a most delicious dessert for Gregg and me, munching them on the big hotel bed while Cal snoozed in her pack 'n' play in the corner. (Nope, we didn't share.)
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta {Mel's Version}
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
for the seasoning:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want to up the heat) (my kids thought it was too spicy even when I used only 1/4 teaspoon - so use as much as you can handle!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
for the chicken and pasta:
2 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips
2 bell peppers, any color (I prefer red and orange), sliced into thin strips (I only had one - a red one - and it seemed to be plenty)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin half moon slices
12 ounces fettuccine noodles (I decided to use a whole pound package because I hate having half-open pasta bags in my cupboard just hanging out)
for the sauce:
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I skipped the broth and just upped the milk to 2 cups total since I used more pasta than she called for)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix together all the seasoning spices in a small bowl and toss all but 1 teaspoon of the mixture with the chicken pieces, reserving the 1 teaspoon for later. (Since I had already made up a very similar Cajun spice mix a long time ago, I just used ~1 Tablespoon of that for the chicken and 1 teaspoon for later.)
Bring a large pot of salted (I never salt my water - am I a bad pasta maker?) water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions.
While the noodles are boiling, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and cook until golden on each side and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside, leaving as much liquid in the pan as possible.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the reserved spice mixture over the top and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened. Scrape the veggies on top of the chicken.
Return the skillet to the heat and make the sauce by adding the butter and garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds or so until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cream cheese in large pieces and whisk or stir until smooth and thick.
In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, broth and cornstarch until well combined.
Gradually pour this mixture into the skillet, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste (I'd suggest about 1/4 teaspoon each and work up from there as needed).
Add the chicken, peppers and onions and stir to coat with sauce. Remove from the heat.
Once the noodles are finished cooking, drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and toss to coat the noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, garnishing with green onions, if desired.
Notes:
I had made a different version of Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta a long time ago and we really enjoyed it then and the handful of other times I have made it since. I liked the flavor and creaminess and the relative ease of the dish, but when I saw Mel post her own version, I knew I had to give it a try. And I knew that I wouldn't ever go back to my old ways once I did. That's sort of the way it goes with her recipes. She's just that good. I really liked the extra creamy-factor from the cream cheese, but I actually thought the pasta was better the second day (reheated, of course) after it had a chance to really meld together in the fridge overnight. Good stuff here. And although the recipe looks long, it really isn't too involved and is actually pretty quick to whip together.
Ingredients:
for the seasoning:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want to up the heat) (my kids thought it was too spicy even when I used only 1/4 teaspoon - so use as much as you can handle!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
for the chicken and pasta:
2 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips
2 bell peppers, any color (I prefer red and orange), sliced into thin strips (I only had one - a red one - and it seemed to be plenty)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin half moon slices
12 ounces fettuccine noodles (I decided to use a whole pound package because I hate having half-open pasta bags in my cupboard just hanging out)
for the sauce:
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I skipped the broth and just upped the milk to 2 cups total since I used more pasta than she called for)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix together all the seasoning spices in a small bowl and toss all but 1 teaspoon of the mixture with the chicken pieces, reserving the 1 teaspoon for later. (Since I had already made up a very similar Cajun spice mix a long time ago, I just used ~1 Tablespoon of that for the chicken and 1 teaspoon for later.)
Bring a large pot of salted (I never salt my water - am I a bad pasta maker?) water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions.
While the noodles are boiling, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and cook until golden on each side and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside, leaving as much liquid in the pan as possible.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the reserved spice mixture over the top and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened. Scrape the veggies on top of the chicken.
Return the skillet to the heat and make the sauce by adding the butter and garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds or so until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cream cheese in large pieces and whisk or stir until smooth and thick.
In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, broth and cornstarch until well combined.
Gradually pour this mixture into the skillet, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste (I'd suggest about 1/4 teaspoon each and work up from there as needed).
Add the chicken, peppers and onions and stir to coat with sauce. Remove from the heat.
Once the noodles are finished cooking, drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and toss to coat the noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, garnishing with green onions, if desired.
Notes:
I had made a different version of Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta a long time ago and we really enjoyed it then and the handful of other times I have made it since. I liked the flavor and creaminess and the relative ease of the dish, but when I saw Mel post her own version, I knew I had to give it a try. And I knew that I wouldn't ever go back to my old ways once I did. That's sort of the way it goes with her recipes. She's just that good. I really liked the extra creamy-factor from the cream cheese, but I actually thought the pasta was better the second day (reheated, of course) after it had a chance to really meld together in the fridge overnight. Good stuff here. And although the recipe looks long, it really isn't too involved and is actually pretty quick to whip together.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Apple Lattice Pie Baked in an Apple
Source: I mostly used the ideas from here, though if I had more time and inclination, I may try this fancier version
Ingredients:
4 large Granny Smith apples
1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar (for sprinkling on top)
1 (14.1 ounce) package Pillsbury rolled pie crust (use just 1 of the 2 crusts in the box)
*or make it from scratch using this super easy recipe:
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
3 Tablespoons milk
Directions:
 |
| Maryssa, Izzy, Evee and Karla with their creations |
Ingredients:
4 large Granny Smith apples
1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar (for sprinkling on top)
1 (14.1 ounce) package Pillsbury rolled pie crust (use just 1 of the 2 crusts in the box)
*or make it from scratch using this super easy recipe:
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
3 Tablespoons milk
Combine flour and salt in a small bowl. In a cup, combine oil and milk. Quickly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix as little as possible. Dough should be pliant, not dry. Immediately roll out (between two pieces of wax paper, if you like). Immediately fill with filling and bake as soon as possible. Makes 1 small crust - just enough to top these little apple pies!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the top off each of your apples and scoop out the inside of the apple. A knife and a spoon work well to hollow out the apple.
In a small bowl, mix the apple pie filling with the cinnamon. Spoon the filling into the well of each apple.
Unroll one pie crust and cut it into fourths; one for each apple. Then cut each quarter into 1/4-inch strips.
Lay strips of the dough on top of the apple. Then take one new strip at a time and alternate weaving it over and under the pie strips already in place. Repeat until the top of the apple has been covered. Trim excess pie crust around the edges with a knife. Sprinkle crust with cinnamon sugar, if desired.
Place apples in a baking dish and fill with 1/4-inch of water. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from baking dish and enjoy.
Notes:
For an activity with the primary girls this month I decided that making a tasty fall treat would be fun. I knew we didn't have a lot of time or real kitchen expertise in these girls to work with, so I was looking for something quick and easy but still unique that I could teach them how to make. These cute little personal apple pies were just the thing. They loved scooping out the apple wells while I whipped up the crust. And then they each covered the filling with their own versions of a lattice top. We even had an impromptu jumping jack competition in the church kitchen while waiting for the last 5 minutes of the apples' bake time! There were many ooohs and aaaahs as they devoured their treats. It's the simple things, right?
Slice the top off each of your apples and scoop out the inside of the apple. A knife and a spoon work well to hollow out the apple.
In a small bowl, mix the apple pie filling with the cinnamon. Spoon the filling into the well of each apple.
Unroll one pie crust and cut it into fourths; one for each apple. Then cut each quarter into 1/4-inch strips.
Lay strips of the dough on top of the apple. Then take one new strip at a time and alternate weaving it over and under the pie strips already in place. Repeat until the top of the apple has been covered. Trim excess pie crust around the edges with a knife. Sprinkle crust with cinnamon sugar, if desired.
Place apples in a baking dish and fill with 1/4-inch of water. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from baking dish and enjoy.
Notes:
For an activity with the primary girls this month I decided that making a tasty fall treat would be fun. I knew we didn't have a lot of time or real kitchen expertise in these girls to work with, so I was looking for something quick and easy but still unique that I could teach them how to make. These cute little personal apple pies were just the thing. They loved scooping out the apple wells while I whipped up the crust. And then they each covered the filling with their own versions of a lattice top. We even had an impromptu jumping jack competition in the church kitchen while waiting for the last 5 minutes of the apples' bake time! There were many ooohs and aaaahs as they devoured their treats. It's the simple things, right?
Thursday, September 25, 2014
M&M Cookies
Source
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flor
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups M&Ms
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla, mixing to combine. Add flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, stirring to combine. Add M&Ms, stirring to combine.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Notes: We had leftover M&Ms from Cohen's birthday cake, so I decided that this classic would be a fun treat to make with the kids and freeze for future lunches. I had also heard good things about pudding cookies, so I was excited to try it! We weren't disappointed! Yum! I doubled the recipe so that I could use a whole box of pudding. (There was a little extra, but I just dumped it all in.)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flor
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups M&Ms
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla, mixing to combine. Add flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, stirring to combine. Add M&Ms, stirring to combine.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Notes: We had leftover M&Ms from Cohen's birthday cake, so I decided that this classic would be a fun treat to make with the kids and freeze for future lunches. I had also heard good things about pudding cookies, so I was excited to try it! We weren't disappointed! Yum! I doubled the recipe so that I could use a whole box of pudding. (There was a little extra, but I just dumped it all in.)
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Source: Inspired by these recipes I found on pinterest, and taking some ideas from my favorite tortilla soup recipe from my old neighbor Camilla, I mostly made this one up on my own (kinda fun!).
Ingredients:
~2 cups celery, diced (I used a bunch of odds and ends pieces I had in my fridge, but I'd guess probably 4-5 stalks should do ya)
~2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced (I got this from 4 medium carrots)
1 large onion, diced
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 heaping cup cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream o' chicken soup
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2+ cups water (I used the leftover water that I cooked my chicken in - is that legal?)
ground black pepper and parsley, to taste
2 Tablespoons cornstarch + 3 Tablespoons cold water
Directions:
Heat the oil in a 5 quart soup pot. Dump in the celery, carrots and onions and saute until the onion is translucent and the veggies start to soften. Add the frozen peas and corn, cream o' soup, chicken broth and water. Stir well to mix everything. Season with pepper and dried parsley. Simmer on low for at least a half hour (I had mine cooking for about an hour). For the last ten minutes of simmering, add the cornstarch-water mixture and watch it magically thicken up nicely.
Notes:
I saw a couple Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipes floating around on pinterest recently and the idea just sort of stuck in my head. I didn't think ahead today in time to make it in a crock pot like the recipes I found suggested, but this stove-top version worked out nicely for our needs. (I think it would work out fine in a crock pot, too, and may use that idea in the future.) I tweaked the recipes I found (I didn't add mixed frozen veggies since I didn't have them and I didn't add potatoes because that seemed kind of weird to me for a chicken pot pie dish) and was really pleased with the results. We gobbled ours up tonight (even though it wasn't really a soup-weather sort of night) with some hot whole-wheat biscuits and it was quite the delicious meal.
Ingredients:
~2 cups celery, diced (I used a bunch of odds and ends pieces I had in my fridge, but I'd guess probably 4-5 stalks should do ya)
~2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced (I got this from 4 medium carrots)
1 large onion, diced
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 heaping cup cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream o' chicken soup
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2+ cups water (I used the leftover water that I cooked my chicken in - is that legal?)
ground black pepper and parsley, to taste
2 Tablespoons cornstarch + 3 Tablespoons cold water
Directions:
Heat the oil in a 5 quart soup pot. Dump in the celery, carrots and onions and saute until the onion is translucent and the veggies start to soften. Add the frozen peas and corn, cream o' soup, chicken broth and water. Stir well to mix everything. Season with pepper and dried parsley. Simmer on low for at least a half hour (I had mine cooking for about an hour). For the last ten minutes of simmering, add the cornstarch-water mixture and watch it magically thicken up nicely.
Notes:
I saw a couple Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipes floating around on pinterest recently and the idea just sort of stuck in my head. I didn't think ahead today in time to make it in a crock pot like the recipes I found suggested, but this stove-top version worked out nicely for our needs. (I think it would work out fine in a crock pot, too, and may use that idea in the future.) I tweaked the recipes I found (I didn't add mixed frozen veggies since I didn't have them and I didn't add potatoes because that seemed kind of weird to me for a chicken pot pie dish) and was really pleased with the results. We gobbled ours up tonight (even though it wasn't really a soup-weather sort of night) with some hot whole-wheat biscuits and it was quite the delicious meal.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Eggplant Zucchini Bolognese
Source: from my mom via an Elwood Family Cookbook (I don't know where she got it though)
Ingredients:
1 16 oz package penne pasta
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into1/4 inch slices
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (I didn't have this, so I used a shake-shake-shake approach and just added some garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, marjoram, oregano and basil)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer to a large cookie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain grease. Stir in tomato puree, Italian seasoning and brown sugar. Drain pasta; stir into tomato mixture and roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.
Notes:
I noticed this one in a cookbook my cousin compiled a few years ago. I decided it sounded tasty, so on a whim I bought an eggplant at the store (along with zucchini and summer squash - someday I'll grow all three in a garden of my own, but today is not that day) and whipped this up for Sunday dinner last week. It was flavorful and delicious and full of yummy vegetables. Callie loves her noodles, so she was in heaven (especially since penne are more easily eaten by her as opposed to spaghetti noodles). We all enjoyed this meal and I'll be keeping it around for the day when I can use my own home-grown veggies!
Ingredients:
1 16 oz package penne pasta
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into1/4 inch slices
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (I didn't have this, so I used a shake-shake-shake approach and just added some garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, marjoram, oregano and basil)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer to a large cookie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain grease. Stir in tomato puree, Italian seasoning and brown sugar. Drain pasta; stir into tomato mixture and roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.
Notes:
I noticed this one in a cookbook my cousin compiled a few years ago. I decided it sounded tasty, so on a whim I bought an eggplant at the store (along with zucchini and summer squash - someday I'll grow all three in a garden of my own, but today is not that day) and whipped this up for Sunday dinner last week. It was flavorful and delicious and full of yummy vegetables. Callie loves her noodles, so she was in heaven (especially since penne are more easily eaten by her as opposed to spaghetti noodles). We all enjoyed this meal and I'll be keeping it around for the day when I can use my own home-grown veggies!
Brigham City Peach Cobbler
Source: The Essential Mormon Cookbook
Ingredients:
for the filling:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (I don't know why, but we had to double this and the sugar-cornstarch-water mixture never really got thick on the stove - we carried on and it all thickened up great in the cobbler, so I don't know what was up with that)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (ours didn't come from Brigham City, but they did come from Palisade, via the grocery store, so that's close for us Coloradans)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon butter
for the topping:
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
Ice cream or whipped topping
Directions:
For filling, in a large saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add almond extract. Stir in peaches, lemon juice, and the 1 tablespoon butter; heat through and keep warm while preparing topping.
For topping, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl combine egg and milk; add all at once to flour mixture, stirring just to moisten. Turn hot filling into a greased 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole. Immediately spoon on topping in 6 mounds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings. This recipe also works well with 4 cups fresh raspberries or blackberries, or a combination of raspberries and peaches.
Notes:
Nothing beats Kim's Fruit Cobbler recipe, but I had heard rave reviews about this one from my family and had to give it a try. Turns out it is mighty delicious, and actually quite similar to Kim's. This one differs with the addition of almond extract (I liked it, but I think 1 teaspoon might have been a bit too much) and the batter is a little stickier. Yummy stuff those peaches. Even yummier baked up in a bubbly, warm cobbler. Hooray for summer!
Ingredients:
for the filling:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (I don't know why, but we had to double this and the sugar-cornstarch-water mixture never really got thick on the stove - we carried on and it all thickened up great in the cobbler, so I don't know what was up with that)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (ours didn't come from Brigham City, but they did come from Palisade, via the grocery store, so that's close for us Coloradans)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon butter
for the topping:
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
Ice cream or whipped topping
Directions:
For filling, in a large saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add almond extract. Stir in peaches, lemon juice, and the 1 tablespoon butter; heat through and keep warm while preparing topping.
For topping, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl combine egg and milk; add all at once to flour mixture, stirring just to moisten. Turn hot filling into a greased 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole. Immediately spoon on topping in 6 mounds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings. This recipe also works well with 4 cups fresh raspberries or blackberries, or a combination of raspberries and peaches.
Notes:
Nothing beats Kim's Fruit Cobbler recipe, but I had heard rave reviews about this one from my family and had to give it a try. Turns out it is mighty delicious, and actually quite similar to Kim's. This one differs with the addition of almond extract (I liked it, but I think 1 teaspoon might have been a bit too much) and the batter is a little stickier. Yummy stuff those peaches. Even yummier baked up in a bubbly, warm cobbler. Hooray for summer!
Banana Carrot Muffins
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe . . . always
Ingredients:
2 cups lightly measured flour (10 ounces) (if I would have had whole wheat flour ground before making these at 8:30 at night after Callie went to bed, I'd probably use it for half or more of the flour, but alas, I did not, so I used all unbleached all purpose in this batch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I upped it up to a full teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 very ripe medium bananas)
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup no-sugar added applesauce
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely grated carrots (no need to peel beforehand) (mine was a heaping cup from about 3 medium carrots)
a healthy handful of raisins (this was my addition to the recipe, and I only added it to half my batch, but next time I won't leave 'em out)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or line ~18 muffin cups (I got 17 from my batch) with cooking spray or muffin liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl or in a large liquid measure, whisk together the bananas, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the carrots (and raisins!). Fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Don't overmix!
Divide the batter evenly (I always use my 2 Tablespoon measuring spoon which equals an 1/8 cup - it works perfectly for filling muffin tins, I've found) in the prepared pans and bake for ~15-20 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes:
September is here and these were the muffins I decided to make as my muffin of the month. They were delicious, especially with the raisins. A fun little variation on the typical banana bread muffin I usually make; I especially liked the colorful pop of orange from the carrot flecks. Callie, as usual, totally devoured these little muffins. And I loved them warm from the oven with a little (or medium-sized, let's be honest) dab of butter melting inside. Yum!
Ingredients:
2 cups lightly measured flour (10 ounces) (if I would have had whole wheat flour ground before making these at 8:30 at night after Callie went to bed, I'd probably use it for half or more of the flour, but alas, I did not, so I used all unbleached all purpose in this batch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I upped it up to a full teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 very ripe medium bananas)
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup no-sugar added applesauce
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely grated carrots (no need to peel beforehand) (mine was a heaping cup from about 3 medium carrots)
a healthy handful of raisins (this was my addition to the recipe, and I only added it to half my batch, but next time I won't leave 'em out)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or line ~18 muffin cups (I got 17 from my batch) with cooking spray or muffin liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl or in a large liquid measure, whisk together the bananas, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the carrots (and raisins!). Fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Don't overmix!
Divide the batter evenly (I always use my 2 Tablespoon measuring spoon which equals an 1/8 cup - it works perfectly for filling muffin tins, I've found) in the prepared pans and bake for ~15-20 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes:
September is here and these were the muffins I decided to make as my muffin of the month. They were delicious, especially with the raisins. A fun little variation on the typical banana bread muffin I usually make; I especially liked the colorful pop of orange from the carrot flecks. Callie, as usual, totally devoured these little muffins. And I loved them warm from the oven with a little (or medium-sized, let's be honest) dab of butter melting inside. Yum!
Epicurean Chicken Pasta Salad
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
for the Salad:
10 ounces (actually anywhere between 8-12 ounces) rotini pasta (I found that 3 ounces = 1 cup dry, so I used 4 cups dry)
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded (I dropped this to about 1 cup shredded and didn't miss the extra)
1 large sweet-tart apple, cored, diced (Mel prefers Honey Crisp for this salad - I just used a Gala)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced small (about 1 cup)
1 15 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained very well (I had a 20 ounce can and used about half of it)
1/2 cup red grapes, halved (my grapes were ginormous so I quartered them)
2/3 cup sliced almonds (I think I just used about 1/2 cup I think)
for the Honey Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup light or regular sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
Directions:
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.
In another small or medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently to mix so that all the ingredients are evenly coated with the
dressing.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour (the salad may dry out a bit if refrigerated for much longer - you can make extra dressing or reserve part of the dressing to stir in right before serving). (I had leftovers for days and I didn't notice any drying effect, so I may make it a few hours in advance without any worries in the future if needed.) I also felt like it needed just a touch more salt (maybe because I didn't salt my pasta water?) so I sprinkled some on my serving when eating.
Notes:
I saw this salad pop up on Mel's blog recently and thought it looked mighty tasty. The honey-lime dressing really tickled my fancy. So I whipped it up to serve as a side for a dinner of Marv 'n' Joes, courtesy of Mom's garden tomatoes. That's a late-summer meal if I've ever had one! Also interesting to note: this salad was the cause of Callie's very first documented temper tantrum. She wanted MORE noodles and wasn't happy when I suggested she eat a bite of grape or chicken before I gave her more.
Ingredients:
for the Salad:
10 ounces (actually anywhere between 8-12 ounces) rotini pasta (I found that 3 ounces = 1 cup dry, so I used 4 cups dry)
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded (I dropped this to about 1 cup shredded and didn't miss the extra)
1 large sweet-tart apple, cored, diced (Mel prefers Honey Crisp for this salad - I just used a Gala)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced small (about 1 cup)
1 15 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained very well (I had a 20 ounce can and used about half of it)
1/2 cup red grapes, halved (my grapes were ginormous so I quartered them)
2/3 cup sliced almonds (I think I just used about 1/2 cup I think)
for the Honey Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup light or regular sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
Directions:
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.
In another small or medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently to mix so that all the ingredients are evenly coated with the
dressing.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour (the salad may dry out a bit if refrigerated for much longer - you can make extra dressing or reserve part of the dressing to stir in right before serving). (I had leftovers for days and I didn't notice any drying effect, so I may make it a few hours in advance without any worries in the future if needed.) I also felt like it needed just a touch more salt (maybe because I didn't salt my pasta water?) so I sprinkled some on my serving when eating.
Notes:
I saw this salad pop up on Mel's blog recently and thought it looked mighty tasty. The honey-lime dressing really tickled my fancy. So I whipped it up to serve as a side for a dinner of Marv 'n' Joes, courtesy of Mom's garden tomatoes. That's a late-summer meal if I've ever had one! Also interesting to note: this salad was the cause of Callie's very first documented temper tantrum. She wanted MORE noodles and wasn't happy when I suggested she eat a bite of grape or chicken before I gave her more.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Kielbasa Tinfoil Dinners
Source: inspired by a photo on pinterest that had no recipe to go along with it
Ingredients:
1 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 discs
1 green pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks (are you noticing a theme here?)
1-2 Tablespoons butter
salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley, to taste
Directions:
Even though I originally intended to make this as a foil pouch meal and cook it on the grill, I actually ended up just tossing everything into a 9x13" baking dish, adding a couple dollops of butter on top, and seasoning to taste with whatever I grabbed from the spice cabinet. Then I covered the casserole with tinfoil and baked at 375 degrees until the potatoes were tender. I honestly can't remember how long it took; probably 30-45 minutes, I'm guessing.
Notes:
I love tinfoil dinners, but I normally make them with a ground beef patty, sliced potatoes, and carrots and onions, with a squirt of ketchup for moisture and seasoning. When I saw this photo pop up in my pinterest feed, I knew I had to give it a try. It was fantastic! So flavorful and delicious. We all loved it.
Ingredients:
1 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 discs
1 green pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks (are you noticing a theme here?)
1-2 Tablespoons butter
salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley, to taste
Directions:
Even though I originally intended to make this as a foil pouch meal and cook it on the grill, I actually ended up just tossing everything into a 9x13" baking dish, adding a couple dollops of butter on top, and seasoning to taste with whatever I grabbed from the spice cabinet. Then I covered the casserole with tinfoil and baked at 375 degrees until the potatoes were tender. I honestly can't remember how long it took; probably 30-45 minutes, I'm guessing.
Notes:
I love tinfoil dinners, but I normally make them with a ground beef patty, sliced potatoes, and carrots and onions, with a squirt of ketchup for moisture and seasoning. When I saw this photo pop up in my pinterest feed, I knew I had to give it a try. It was fantastic! So flavorful and delicious. We all loved it.
Enchilada Zucchini Boats
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, halved
8-12 ounces lean ground turkey or ground beef (depends on how meaty you want this dish to be)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed (I tried a new trick ala Pioneer Woman and grated mine on a microplane zester - it worked okay, but I don't know if I'll ever do it again - kinda messy!)
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and membrane removed if you want less heat)
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (didn't have this so I just upped the cumin to 2 1/2 teaspoons)
15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination)
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Scoop out the center of each zucchini, discarding the seeds and leaving the outer zucchini flesh about 1/4-inch thick, forming little zucchini boats. Sprinkle the cut side of each zucchini with a little bit of salt (a pinch for each zucchini half). Set aside while preparing the filling.
In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the ground turkey or beef over medium heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into little pieces as it cooks. Once cooked all the way through, drain any excess grease, except for 1-2 teaspoons, and scrape the meat to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook the mixture until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, and coriander. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the sauce and spread across the bottom of the pan.
Stir the cooked meat and beans into the remaining sauce in the skillet.
Scoop an even amount of the meat and sauce mixture into each zucchini boat, piling it on.
Cover the baking dish with a layer of lightly greased foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and layer the cheese over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes more until the zucchini is fork tender.
Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top and let the zucchini enchilada boats rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
I've never made zucchini boats (nor have I ever eaten them, I don't recall), but the ones I've seen or heard about always seemed to have a little Italian flair - marinara sauce, Italian sausage, etc. I love me some enchiladas, so when Mel posted this one, I knew I had to give it a whirl as my first foray into zucchini boat goodness. I'm hooked! (Though I actually thought these tasted more like chili on top instead of enchiladas - it's all the same sort of spices, right?) And I think Gregg and Callie are fans, too. (Callie gobbled up an entire boat herself for dinner and Gregg ate 3, with another as a late night snack before bed!) These are yummy!
Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, halved
8-12 ounces lean ground turkey or ground beef (depends on how meaty you want this dish to be)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed (I tried a new trick ala Pioneer Woman and grated mine on a microplane zester - it worked okay, but I don't know if I'll ever do it again - kinda messy!)
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and membrane removed if you want less heat)
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (didn't have this so I just upped the cumin to 2 1/2 teaspoons)
15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination)
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Scoop out the center of each zucchini, discarding the seeds and leaving the outer zucchini flesh about 1/4-inch thick, forming little zucchini boats. Sprinkle the cut side of each zucchini with a little bit of salt (a pinch for each zucchini half). Set aside while preparing the filling.
In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the ground turkey or beef over medium heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into little pieces as it cooks. Once cooked all the way through, drain any excess grease, except for 1-2 teaspoons, and scrape the meat to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook the mixture until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, and coriander. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the sauce and spread across the bottom of the pan.
Stir the cooked meat and beans into the remaining sauce in the skillet.
Scoop an even amount of the meat and sauce mixture into each zucchini boat, piling it on.
Cover the baking dish with a layer of lightly greased foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and layer the cheese over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes more until the zucchini is fork tender.
Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top and let the zucchini enchilada boats rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
I've never made zucchini boats (nor have I ever eaten them, I don't recall), but the ones I've seen or heard about always seemed to have a little Italian flair - marinara sauce, Italian sausage, etc. I love me some enchiladas, so when Mel posted this one, I knew I had to give it a whirl as my first foray into zucchini boat goodness. I'm hooked! (Though I actually thought these tasted more like chili on top instead of enchiladas - it's all the same sort of spices, right?) And I think Gregg and Callie are fans, too. (Callie gobbled up an entire boat herself for dinner and Gregg ate 3, with another as a late night snack before bed!) These are yummy!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Scotcheroos
Source: My aunt, Kathryn Clark
Ingredients:
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I especially love it with chunky)
6 cups rice crispies cereal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Place cereal in large bowl. Melt Karo syrup and sugar over low heat, until sugar is dissolved. Add peanut butter and mix until melted. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until the cereal is completely coated. Spread evenly in rimmed cookie sheet. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl, 1 minute at a time and stirring well between heating. Spread chocolate mixture over rice crispies (it might not reach all the way to the edge, but the edges are good to nibble on plain). Cool and cut into squares.
Notes:
Every family party or campout that I can remember seemed to not be complete without a pan of scotcheroos. Most often they were made by Kathryn, but I remember making many a batch of these delicious treats myself. They're super quick and super easy and best of all they're super yummy. I just saw a recipe on Pinterest that used Chex cereal instead of the rice crispies and that intrigues me enough to give it a try next time I whip up some of these treats.
Ingredients:
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I especially love it with chunky)
6 cups rice crispies cereal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Place cereal in large bowl. Melt Karo syrup and sugar over low heat, until sugar is dissolved. Add peanut butter and mix until melted. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until the cereal is completely coated. Spread evenly in rimmed cookie sheet. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl, 1 minute at a time and stirring well between heating. Spread chocolate mixture over rice crispies (it might not reach all the way to the edge, but the edges are good to nibble on plain). Cool and cut into squares.
Notes:
Every family party or campout that I can remember seemed to not be complete without a pan of scotcheroos. Most often they were made by Kathryn, but I remember making many a batch of these delicious treats myself. They're super quick and super easy and best of all they're super yummy. I just saw a recipe on Pinterest that used Chex cereal instead of the rice crispies and that intrigues me enough to give it a try next time I whip up some of these treats.
Zucchini Muffins
Source: adapted from a zucchini bread recipe from an old neighbor from 1150 North, Michael Hendricks
Ingredients and Directions:
In a large bowl, mix:
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs (I have subbed 1/2 cup plain yogurt for 2 of the eggs before and it worked great! - you could probably sub all three without much issue, just use 1/4 cup yogurt per egg)
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
Add:
3 cups flour (I like half whole wheat when I have it handy)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup frozen cranberries (optional)
Pour into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350° for ~20 minutes (I think) (mini muffins take about 15 minutes). Makes 21 muffins (or ~50 mini muffins).
Notes:
August is here and zucchini muffins were the muffin of choice this month. I've usually made this recipe as 2 loaves of zucchini bread (bake for ~1 hour) rather than muffins, but I decided to give the ol' muffin version a try. I also made a couple more adjustments to make them a titch healthier than the original recipe (subbed applesauce for half the oil and cut the sugar amount in half). I think they turned out delicious. They certainly looked delicious - perfectly domed and golden brown with lovely flecks of green peeking through. I usually make my muffins in paper muffin liners, but I didn't this time and they rose so well. I may never go back to the wrappers!
Ingredients and Directions:
In a large bowl, mix:
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs (I have subbed 1/2 cup plain yogurt for 2 of the eggs before and it worked great! - you could probably sub all three without much issue, just use 1/4 cup yogurt per egg)
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
Add:
3 cups flour (I like half whole wheat when I have it handy)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup frozen cranberries (optional)
Pour into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350° for ~20 minutes (I think) (mini muffins take about 15 minutes). Makes 21 muffins (or ~50 mini muffins).
Notes:
August is here and zucchini muffins were the muffin of choice this month. I've usually made this recipe as 2 loaves of zucchini bread (bake for ~1 hour) rather than muffins, but I decided to give the ol' muffin version a try. I also made a couple more adjustments to make them a titch healthier than the original recipe (subbed applesauce for half the oil and cut the sugar amount in half). I think they turned out delicious. They certainly looked delicious - perfectly domed and golden brown with lovely flecks of green peeking through. I usually make my muffins in paper muffin liners, but I didn't this time and they rose so well. I may never go back to the wrappers!
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Spaghetti Lasagna
Source: Gregg's missionary cookbook compiled by his mom (with some adjustments by me)
Ingredients:
1 large can or jar (~24 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 package (16 oz) spaghetti or angel hair noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 large carton (~16 oz) cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 lb ground beef, cooked and seasoned (I think Gregg used to use sausage, too, and that was tasty)
grated cheese (usually cheddar, but mozza (or a combo) is yummy, too)
Directions:
In a 9x13" casserole dish, place cooked spaghetti noodles in bottom. Mix eggs with cottage cheese and pour over noodles, spreading to cover everything. Crumble ground beef over cottage cheese mixture. Mix spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce and pour over all. Gently stir just to allow sauce to penetrate to the bottom noodles of the dish. Top with grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-40 minutes.
Notes:
This is a recipe that Gregg used to make when we were dating. He'd make a full casserole dish of it and eat it for a week as fuel for his biking escapades. A few times, when I'd be over at his apartment around meal-time, he'd share with me. I loved it. I mean, I love spaghetti and I love casseroles (and I love him) - what's not to love? I've started adding the extra can of tomato sauce because I felt like the full big package of noodles needed a little more sauce than just one big can offered. This way I don't have to guess if I've cooked enough spaghetti and everything comes out saucy and delicious. Win-win. We eat this pretty regularly around these parts and the leftovers are great for lunches for the rest of the week.
Ingredients:
1 large can or jar (~24 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 package (16 oz) spaghetti or angel hair noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 large carton (~16 oz) cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 lb ground beef, cooked and seasoned (I think Gregg used to use sausage, too, and that was tasty)
grated cheese (usually cheddar, but mozza (or a combo) is yummy, too)
Directions:
In a 9x13" casserole dish, place cooked spaghetti noodles in bottom. Mix eggs with cottage cheese and pour over noodles, spreading to cover everything. Crumble ground beef over cottage cheese mixture. Mix spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce and pour over all. Gently stir just to allow sauce to penetrate to the bottom noodles of the dish. Top with grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-40 minutes.
Notes:
This is a recipe that Gregg used to make when we were dating. He'd make a full casserole dish of it and eat it for a week as fuel for his biking escapades. A few times, when I'd be over at his apartment around meal-time, he'd share with me. I loved it. I mean, I love spaghetti and I love casseroles (and I love him) - what's not to love? I've started adding the extra can of tomato sauce because I felt like the full big package of noodles needed a little more sauce than just one big can offered. This way I don't have to guess if I've cooked enough spaghetti and everything comes out saucy and delicious. Win-win. We eat this pretty regularly around these parts and the leftovers are great for lunches for the rest of the week.
Chicken Enchiladas
Source: My mom
Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 can (use your soup can) or less milk (use this if you don't have chicken juice to add to your sauce)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can chicken chunks (save juice) or 1 lb. cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I'm a little skimpy lately and can get by with ~1 cup shredded chicken for 8 enchiladas and we haven't missed anything)
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
8 flour tortillas
Directions:
Mix soup, sour cream and chicken juice (or milk). Spread enough of this mixture to cover bottom of 9x13" casserole dish. Inside each tortilla, layer some chicken, a little onion, chiles, and cheese. Roll and place seam side down in dish. Cover tortillas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and salsa.
Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 can (use your soup can) or less milk (use this if you don't have chicken juice to add to your sauce)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can chicken chunks (save juice) or 1 lb. cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I'm a little skimpy lately and can get by with ~1 cup shredded chicken for 8 enchiladas and we haven't missed anything)
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
8 flour tortillas
Directions:
Mix soup, sour cream and chicken juice (or milk). Spread enough of this mixture to cover bottom of 9x13" casserole dish. Inside each tortilla, layer some chicken, a little onion, chiles, and cheese. Roll and place seam side down in dish. Cover tortillas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and salsa.
Notes:
This is one of my very favorite comfort food meals of all time. And my mom must have known that since she made them for me while she was here helping after Callie was born. I just love them (and her) so! Very quick to assemble and cook, they make a great weeknight meal. I've also made them on a Saturday night and kept them in the fridge uncooked till Sunday afternoon when I didn't feel like "cooking". Leftovers (if you have any) are the best! Oh! And any other meat can be used in place of the chicken - we used to have these with ground beef or leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.
Tater Tot Casserole
Source: here, via Pinterest
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey (I used more like 3/4 lb ground beef)
1/2 onion, diced (I threw in the whole onion because we love onions)
1 - 32 oz package ore ida crispy crowns or tater tots (I just used store brand tots - cheap and tasty enough)
1 - 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz container sour cream or light sour cream (I just used a healthy spoonful from a 1 lb package - not quite half, so not quite 8 oz)
1 cup milk (I didn't really measure my milk, but I poured it into the empty soup can about halfway or a bit more full)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
pepper, to taste
seasoned salt, to taste
garlic salt, to taste
Directions:
Brown ground beef and diced onions, adding, pepper, seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Drain.
Pour ground beef & onion mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. In a separate bowl mix together the soup, sour cream and milk.
Pour the soup mixture over on top of the ground beef layer spread evenly to cover the meat mixture. Top with tater tots, sprinkle with grated cheese over the entire casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
Notes:
Now this isn't going to win any health-food awards. But if you're looking for comfort food, this sure hits the spot. We all really liked it - Cal wasn't a huge fan of eating it with her hands for some reason (usually she's all about the finger food) but when I spoon fed it to her, she gobbled it right up.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey (I used more like 3/4 lb ground beef)
1/2 onion, diced (I threw in the whole onion because we love onions)
1 - 32 oz package ore ida crispy crowns or tater tots (I just used store brand tots - cheap and tasty enough)
1 - 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz container sour cream or light sour cream (I just used a healthy spoonful from a 1 lb package - not quite half, so not quite 8 oz)
1 cup milk (I didn't really measure my milk, but I poured it into the empty soup can about halfway or a bit more full)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
pepper, to taste
seasoned salt, to taste
garlic salt, to taste
Directions:
Brown ground beef and diced onions, adding, pepper, seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Drain.
Pour ground beef & onion mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. In a separate bowl mix together the soup, sour cream and milk.
Pour the soup mixture over on top of the ground beef layer spread evenly to cover the meat mixture. Top with tater tots, sprinkle with grated cheese over the entire casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
Notes:
Now this isn't going to win any health-food awards. But if you're looking for comfort food, this sure hits the spot. We all really liked it - Cal wasn't a huge fan of eating it with her hands for some reason (usually she's all about the finger food) but when I spoon fed it to her, she gobbled it right up.
Pineapple Poppy Seed Muffins
Source: I adapted slightly from here, via Pinterest
Ingredients:
for the muffins:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk (I subbed ~3/4 teaspoon lemon juice + milk to 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained and juice reserved
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons (or more) reserved pineapple juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Make a well in center and add the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and butter. Mix until just blended (my mixture was thick), then stir in crushed pineapple and poppy seeds. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter till about 3/4 filled.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are set and light golden brown on top. (They did not “puff” in center too much.) Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice until smooth (may use more pineapple juice if glaze is too thick). Remove muffins from oven and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Drizzle glaze over each muffin while hot. Let cool for about 10 minutes. About 14 muffins.
Notes:
I came across a couple different pineapple muffin recipes on pinterest a while ago and this is the one I ended up choosing for my July Muffin of the Month. Oh me! Oh my! They were amazing! Gregg declared them my best muffin yet. And that's saying something because I've made a TON of muffins in my time. These little beauties taste just like pineapple upside down cake. They're delightful! Note that they are super, super moist muffins, and they really taste best on the first or second day, but we did keep them for about a week and they all got eaten! Another note: the original recipe called for a cream cheese surprise in the middle of the muffin, but I didn't have any cream cheese, so I just skipped that part. They were delightful as is, but if you feel like adding even more oomph, go ahead and check that out.
Ingredients:
for the muffins:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk (I subbed ~3/4 teaspoon lemon juice + milk to 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained and juice reserved
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons (or more) reserved pineapple juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Make a well in center and add the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and butter. Mix until just blended (my mixture was thick), then stir in crushed pineapple and poppy seeds. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter till about 3/4 filled.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are set and light golden brown on top. (They did not “puff” in center too much.) Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice until smooth (may use more pineapple juice if glaze is too thick). Remove muffins from oven and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Drizzle glaze over each muffin while hot. Let cool for about 10 minutes. About 14 muffins.
Notes:
I came across a couple different pineapple muffin recipes on pinterest a while ago and this is the one I ended up choosing for my July Muffin of the Month. Oh me! Oh my! They were amazing! Gregg declared them my best muffin yet. And that's saying something because I've made a TON of muffins in my time. These little beauties taste just like pineapple upside down cake. They're delightful! Note that they are super, super moist muffins, and they really taste best on the first or second day, but we did keep them for about a week and they all got eaten! Another note: the original recipe called for a cream cheese surprise in the middle of the muffin, but I didn't have any cream cheese, so I just skipped that part. They were delightful as is, but if you feel like adding even more oomph, go ahead and check that out.
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Source: Mel (I feel like we should be on a first name basis since I am on her site so much)
Ingredients:
for the brownies:
10 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food coloring (optional) (I used blue instead and called mine "Aggie Blue Mint Brownies" after a very popular Aggie Ice Cream flavor)
for the chocolate ganache:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk since I had that and no cream - worked like a charm)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
Directions:
For the brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. (If using a glass baking pan instead of aluminum, decrease the baking temperature to 325 degrees F.)
In a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa, sugar and honey. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
For the mint layer, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, milk, mint extract and food coloring (if using) until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
For the ganache, heat the cream (or milk) and butter until just barely simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the mint extract. Spread the ganache evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate for an hour or so until the chocolate layer has set.
Cut into squares and serve. These taste best chilled in my humble opinion.
Notes:
When I first saw these posted on Mel's site I knew I had to try them. But I also knew that I didn't want the temptation of them sitting around my kitchen and me eating the entire pan (with Gregg's help, of course). So I cut them into squares and then wrapped them in saran wrap (not individually or really very well - just sort of used the saran wrap to separate them into layers so they wouldn't all stick together) and then slide the stack into a ziplock bag and froze them. A few weeks later I got them out for our Elwood Family Reunion and they were as good as fresh! Pretty dang delicious, actually.
Ingredients:
for the brownies:
10 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food coloring (optional) (I used blue instead and called mine "Aggie Blue Mint Brownies" after a very popular Aggie Ice Cream flavor)
for the chocolate ganache:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk since I had that and no cream - worked like a charm)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
Directions:
For the brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. (If using a glass baking pan instead of aluminum, decrease the baking temperature to 325 degrees F.)
In a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa, sugar and honey. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
For the mint layer, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, milk, mint extract and food coloring (if using) until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
For the ganache, heat the cream (or milk) and butter until just barely simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the mint extract. Spread the ganache evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate for an hour or so until the chocolate layer has set.
Cut into squares and serve. These taste best chilled in my humble opinion.
Notes:
When I first saw these posted on Mel's site I knew I had to try them. But I also knew that I didn't want the temptation of them sitting around my kitchen and me eating the entire pan (with Gregg's help, of course). So I cut them into squares and then wrapped them in saran wrap (not individually or really very well - just sort of used the saran wrap to separate them into layers so they wouldn't all stick together) and then slide the stack into a ziplock bag and froze them. A few weeks later I got them out for our Elwood Family Reunion and they were as good as fresh! Pretty dang delicious, actually.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Dutch Oven Enchiladas
Source: A man doing a demo at a 4-H day camp many, many years ago
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cans enchilada sauce (or you can make your own here - I used about 3/4 of this recipe to equal about 2 cans)
2 cans tomato soup (there's also a nifty substitution you can use for this)
1 small can diced green chiles
9-12 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheese, grated
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
garnish: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced olives
Directions:
Season hamburger and onion with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown over medium heat. Drain grease. Add enchilada sauce, soup and chiles to meat. Cover bottom of Dutch oven with a layer of sauce mixture. Layer three tortillas, sauce and cheese about 3-4 times - until it reaches the top (I like to aim for 4 layers with 12 tortillas total - it seems to not be quite as soupy that way when it's all cooked up). Cook for 15-25 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve with garnish.
Notes:
One day my sister, brother and two cousins and I were hanging out at the Cache County Fairgrounds at a 4-H day camp. One of the stations or classes that we could attend was about Dutch oven cooking, and since it gave out samples of the finished product, of course we were there! This was the recipe being demonstrated that day and we were all so impressed and amazed and delighted over its goodness (we had apparently never had enchilada casserole before) we made sure to memorize the recipe (I think we went back to the demo at least twice more, cementing the recipe in our minds) to tell our mom when we got home. It's been a staple at family campouts and cookouts and Sunday dinners ever since. We always make it in a Dutch oven, either on the camp chef or with coals if we're outside or straight in the oven if we're home, but really it can be made in any big casserole dish, and we've even been successful with it in the crockpot!
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cans enchilada sauce (or you can make your own here - I used about 3/4 of this recipe to equal about 2 cans)
2 cans tomato soup (there's also a nifty substitution you can use for this)
1 small can diced green chiles
9-12 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheese, grated
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
garnish: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced olives
Directions:
Season hamburger and onion with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown over medium heat. Drain grease. Add enchilada sauce, soup and chiles to meat. Cover bottom of Dutch oven with a layer of sauce mixture. Layer three tortillas, sauce and cheese about 3-4 times - until it reaches the top (I like to aim for 4 layers with 12 tortillas total - it seems to not be quite as soupy that way when it's all cooked up). Cook for 15-25 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve with garnish.
Notes:
One day my sister, brother and two cousins and I were hanging out at the Cache County Fairgrounds at a 4-H day camp. One of the stations or classes that we could attend was about Dutch oven cooking, and since it gave out samples of the finished product, of course we were there! This was the recipe being demonstrated that day and we were all so impressed and amazed and delighted over its goodness (we had apparently never had enchilada casserole before) we made sure to memorize the recipe (I think we went back to the demo at least twice more, cementing the recipe in our minds) to tell our mom when we got home. It's been a staple at family campouts and cookouts and Sunday dinners ever since. We always make it in a Dutch oven, either on the camp chef or with coals if we're outside or straight in the oven if we're home, but really it can be made in any big casserole dish, and we've even been successful with it in the crockpot!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Source: The original Kim Blanchard
Ingredients:
1 quart water
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
salt to taste
flour to thicken (2-3 Tablespoons)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and boil till thick. Should be the consistency of thin gravy.
Notes:
I never seem to have canned enchilada sauce on hand, which always made me shy away from enchilada recipes that I love. Finally I realized that Kim has this great homemade recipe. Now I'll never be without! I had made (and posted about) a different recipe I found online a couple years ago. It has now been deleted from this blog because this one is so much better! Simple, quick, cheap, tasty. Can't go wrong here.
Ingredients:
1 quart water
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
salt to taste
flour to thicken (2-3 Tablespoons)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and boil till thick. Should be the consistency of thin gravy.
Notes:
I never seem to have canned enchilada sauce on hand, which always made me shy away from enchilada recipes that I love. Finally I realized that Kim has this great homemade recipe. Now I'll never be without! I had made (and posted about) a different recipe I found online a couple years ago. It has now been deleted from this blog because this one is so much better! Simple, quick, cheap, tasty. Can't go wrong here.
Stroganoff
Source: The original Kim Blanchard
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb stew meat, slow cooked until tender (I always just use ~1 lb ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned)
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (I always use cream o' mush)
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 cup beef broth or water (I always use 1 soup can of water)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream (I always just use a big spoonful - I never measure, but I don't think it's quite a cup)
1 16 oz package egg noodles
Directions:
Saute onion and mushrooms. Add meat. Add soup, ketchup, water (or broth), Worchestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Stir well to mix and simmer for a half hour. While the stroganoff is simmering, boil your egg noodles according to package directions. Drain. Just before serving, stir in sour cream to the stroganoff mixture. Serve over hot egg noodles (I always just mix all the noodles and all the sauce together in one big pot and serve it that way).
Notes:
I know there are a million stroganoff recipes out there, but here's another one to throw into the mix. I found it in Gregg's missionary cook book, compiled by his mom before he left. It's not fancy, but it is quick and really tasty. We have this quite regularly around here and it's a hit with the whole fam.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb stew meat, slow cooked until tender (I always just use ~1 lb ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned)
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (I always use cream o' mush)
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 cup beef broth or water (I always use 1 soup can of water)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream (I always just use a big spoonful - I never measure, but I don't think it's quite a cup)
1 16 oz package egg noodles
Directions:
Saute onion and mushrooms. Add meat. Add soup, ketchup, water (or broth), Worchestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Stir well to mix and simmer for a half hour. While the stroganoff is simmering, boil your egg noodles according to package directions. Drain. Just before serving, stir in sour cream to the stroganoff mixture. Serve over hot egg noodles (I always just mix all the noodles and all the sauce together in one big pot and serve it that way).
Notes:
I know there are a million stroganoff recipes out there, but here's another one to throw into the mix. I found it in Gregg's missionary cook book, compiled by his mom before he left. It's not fancy, but it is quick and really tasty. We have this quite regularly around here and it's a hit with the whole fam.
Teriyaki Burgers
Source: Kay Lynn Larsen (who I don't know, but it's her name that appears next to this recipe in my mom's old ward recipe book that this came from)
Ingredients:
1 egg, partially beaten
2 slices bread, torn up (I usually like to use the heels of a loaf - they're always left behind and work perfectly in this recipe!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl (don't be afraid to use your hands and just mix it all together!). In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients. Then pour liquid over meat mixture and mix till everything is incorporated. Mold into patties (I usually make mine heart shaped - I'm a nerd - and can get 5 to 6 decent-sized patties from a batch) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Broil just until they hold together, and then turn over. (Do not overcook.) (I don't always broil them - sometimes, if I'm making sweet potato fries to go with them, which is pretty much every time I make them, I just cook them alongside my pan of sweet potatoes at whatever temperature I decide to cook them that day - anything from 375 to 415 usually works great, depending on when I started dinner and how soon we need/want to eat it!) Serve with ketchup and/or horse radish for dipping. (We don't eat these with buns like normal burgers; instead we eat them more like meatloaf or something - just by themselves with sweet potato "fries" on the side.)
Notes:
This is a recipe I remember having a handful of times growing up and for some reason just always loved. It makes quite a regular appearance in our dinner rotation these days. Callie LOVES them and can eat a whole patty herself! If you have a cookie sheet that you don't care too much about, these can also been cooked out on the grill (on the cookie sheet - they're really moist and don't hold up well on a grate) when it's too hot to heat up the oven inside.
Ingredients:
1 egg, partially beaten
2 slices bread, torn up (I usually like to use the heels of a loaf - they're always left behind and work perfectly in this recipe!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl (don't be afraid to use your hands and just mix it all together!). In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients. Then pour liquid over meat mixture and mix till everything is incorporated. Mold into patties (I usually make mine heart shaped - I'm a nerd - and can get 5 to 6 decent-sized patties from a batch) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Broil just until they hold together, and then turn over. (Do not overcook.) (I don't always broil them - sometimes, if I'm making sweet potato fries to go with them, which is pretty much every time I make them, I just cook them alongside my pan of sweet potatoes at whatever temperature I decide to cook them that day - anything from 375 to 415 usually works great, depending on when I started dinner and how soon we need/want to eat it!) Serve with ketchup and/or horse radish for dipping. (We don't eat these with buns like normal burgers; instead we eat them more like meatloaf or something - just by themselves with sweet potato "fries" on the side.)
Notes:
This is a recipe I remember having a handful of times growing up and for some reason just always loved. It makes quite a regular appearance in our dinner rotation these days. Callie LOVES them and can eat a whole patty herself! If you have a cookie sheet that you don't care too much about, these can also been cooked out on the grill (on the cookie sheet - they're really moist and don't hold up well on a grate) when it's too hot to heat up the oven inside.
Dad's Potato Salad
Source: My dad, Richard Elwood
Ingredients:
red potatoes, boiled and cubed
onion, diced fine
eggs, hard boiled and diced
miracle whip
mayonnaise
milk
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Wash and boil your potatoes till they are tender. (Dad always leaves the skins on and peels them after they were cooked using a paring knife to gently peel away the skin from the potato.) Cut them into bite-sized cubes and place them in a large bowl. Dice an onion (or half an onion . . . or less - totally depends on your taste here and I tend to go for less) and add it to the potatoes in the bowl. Peel and chop a few hard boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes and onions in the bowl.
For the dressing, mix equal parts mayo and miracle whip in a small bowl. Add a sqirt of yellow mustard. Slowly add a little milk to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over potatoes, onions and egg and stir to coat. Sprinkle paprika over the top and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes:
My dad always makes the potato salad for big family gatherings like Memorial Day or Fourth of July picnics, Hardware Ranch trips, and even Callie's baby blessing. His is really the only potato salad that I really like. So many times I've seen one served somewhere and thought, "Yeah, potato salad!" And then I take a big scoop and am utterly disappointed. Every time. I'm finally learning to avoid the potato salad at food functions or restaurants and save myself the heartache. ;) This year, on Memorial Day, I attempted to make Dad's "recipe" myself to eat with our Shake and Bake Chicken since he wasn't here to do so for me. I don't think my salad was quite as good as his, but with a couple of decades of practice maybe I can catch up.
Ingredients:
red potatoes, boiled and cubed
onion, diced fine
eggs, hard boiled and diced
miracle whip
mayonnaise
milk
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Wash and boil your potatoes till they are tender. (Dad always leaves the skins on and peels them after they were cooked using a paring knife to gently peel away the skin from the potato.) Cut them into bite-sized cubes and place them in a large bowl. Dice an onion (or half an onion . . . or less - totally depends on your taste here and I tend to go for less) and add it to the potatoes in the bowl. Peel and chop a few hard boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes and onions in the bowl.
For the dressing, mix equal parts mayo and miracle whip in a small bowl. Add a sqirt of yellow mustard. Slowly add a little milk to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over potatoes, onions and egg and stir to coat. Sprinkle paprika over the top and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes:
My dad always makes the potato salad for big family gatherings like Memorial Day or Fourth of July picnics, Hardware Ranch trips, and even Callie's baby blessing. His is really the only potato salad that I really like. So many times I've seen one served somewhere and thought, "Yeah, potato salad!" And then I take a big scoop and am utterly disappointed. Every time. I'm finally learning to avoid the potato salad at food functions or restaurants and save myself the heartache. ;) This year, on Memorial Day, I attempted to make Dad's "recipe" myself to eat with our Shake and Bake Chicken since he wasn't here to do so for me. I don't think my salad was quite as good as his, but with a couple of decades of practice maybe I can catch up.
Shake and Bake Chicken
Source: My momma, Peggy Elwood
Ingredients:
2 cups dry bread crumbs
½ cup flour
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shortening
chicken pieces (I like to use the boneless skinless thighs or regular drumsticks)
Ingredients:
2 cups dry bread crumbs
½ cup flour
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shortening
chicken pieces (I like to use the boneless skinless thighs or regular drumsticks)
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients (minus the chicken) together. Skin the chicken (if it has skin) and roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at ~350 degrees F until chicken is cooked (times will vary depending on the pieces of chicken you're using - a good starting point is usually about a half hour and check from there). This makes a lot (I coated two big packages of chicken legs and I still have some left over!), but the extra crumb mixture will keep for a long time in a ziploc bag in the fridge. Note: put a small amount of crumb mix in a bowl for dipping/rolling your chicken in and add to it as needed. That way your extra crumbs stay chicken juice-free and you can have more deliciousness on another day.
Notes:
According to family legend, this was something my mom made for my dad on one of their first dates . . . and the rest is history! My memories of it usually involve a President's Day outing to Hardware Ranch to see the elk and go sledding, picnicing on cold Shake and Bake and Dad's potato salad in the car afterwards. We recently made and devoured it for a Memorial Day picnic in the mountains of Colorado. Whatever the memories or tales around this chicken may be, it's definitely delicious and worth making. As Gregg loves to quote every time we make or eat this, "It's shake and bake, and I helped!"
Individual Fruit Pizzas
Source: I've seen the idea a few places on Pinterest, including here and here, but I used my mom's tried and true sugar cookie recipe and the cream cheese frosting recipe from this cake
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
6 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 level tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
6 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 level tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
for the icing:
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3.5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (I used 1% milk instead, and while the recipe author said it would be less creamy than cream, I thought it was divinely creamy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt (I skipped this because I had salted butter)
for the fruit toppings:
(*I was making these for a Young Women activity, so I picked fruit that went along with the value colors, but you can use whatever you like/is in season)
bananas, sliced
blueberries
strawberries, sliced
kiwi, sliced
mandarin oranges, drained
fresh pineapple, cut into small, thin slices
purple grapes, halved
fresh peaches, sliced
Directions:
First, make the cookies: Sift baking powder with flour. Work shortening into flour as you would for pie crust. Add sugar, beaten eggs, sour cream, salt and soda. Mix well (I usually have to get my hands dirty and really knead everything together in the bowl). Add flavoring (more kneading by hand at this point to get it all mixed in and stuck together in a big ball). (I usually like to let the dough chill in the fridge for a few hours before rolling it out, but it's not completely necessary.) Roll out, cut into desired shapes (~4-inch circles in this case), and bake at 400° for about 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
While the cookies are baking, mix together the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream (or milk) to thin out, if desired. (I ended up with about 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk and it was silky smooth and easy to spread.)
When the cookies are cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting and top with fruit as desired.
Makes about 3 dozen 4-inch diameter cookies (and frosting to cover each one of them).
Notes:
As I mentioned above, I prepared these little treats for our New Beginnings refreshments. Instead of icing and decorating cookies for everyone, I decided to make it a do-it-yourself dessert bar. I put all the fruit into individual bowls (with cute labels - I don't know what came over me), had a tray of cookies and a few bowls of frosting and let the young women, parents and leaders go to town decorating their own. It was a huge hit with everyone who attended (and with Gregg and me who got to eat the leftovers for the rest of the week!).
 |
| My cute fellow leaders showing off the spread. (We also had someone bring some mini cupcakes, pictured in the top left corner there - just so you know that's not part of the fruit pizza dealio.) |
 |
| Smiles all around. |
Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
for the sauce:
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
for the pasta shells:
24 large pasta shells (about 3/4 of a 12 ounce box)
(*If you want to use the entire box of shells (there are usually about 32 shells total in a 12 ounce box), prepare an 8X8-inch pan in addition to the 9X13-inch pan and consider increasing the filling and sauce by half.)
for the filling:
16 ounces (2 cups) cottage cheese
15 ounces (about 2 cups) part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess liquid
(*Make sure to squeeze as much liquid out of that spinach as possible so the shells don't have excess liquid (letting the sit for a few minutes after baking will help that, too).)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
(* If you'd like to reserve some of the cheese (or shred extra) for sprinkling on top of the shells and sauce before baking, feel free!)
Directions:
For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the sauce simmers, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place them in an even layer on paper towels or parchment.
For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Add the spinach and mix until combined. Stir in the cheeses.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon about half of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly. Fill each pasta shell with an even amount of the filling (about 1/4 cup per shell, more or less) and place the shells on top of the sauce in the pan - making three rows of eight shells.
Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake five or so more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the shells sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
(*This makes a great freezer meal. Before baking the shells, after they have been fully assembled and covered in sauce, cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze. I usually bake from frozen, adding an hour onto the baking time and uncovering for 15-30 minutes instead of just a couple of minutes (so it would be about an hour and a half covered and then 15-30 minutes uncovered).)
Notes:
So this was pretty much amazing! But really, how could it not be? Pasta filled with ooey-gooey cheese topped with a lovely marinara? Pretty much heaven, if you ask me. It's kind of similar to a manicotti recipe that I grew up with, but instead of having to stuff the cheese mixture into a tube-shaped shell (or a trick we learned was to cut the cooked tube open, place the filling at one edge and roll up the noodle around the cheese), you just scoop it directly into an open shell. Super easy. Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients. This really came together quite quickly (not super fast, but not as scary and long as it seems) on a recent Saturday evening. I didn't bake it at the end but instead kept it in the fridge for Sunday dinner. I think it took about an hour to cook cold from the fridge, but it was worth it to not have to do any prep. Just pop, bake and devour. Delish!
Ingredients:
for the sauce:
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
for the pasta shells:
24 large pasta shells (about 3/4 of a 12 ounce box)
(*If you want to use the entire box of shells (there are usually about 32 shells total in a 12 ounce box), prepare an 8X8-inch pan in addition to the 9X13-inch pan and consider increasing the filling and sauce by half.)
for the filling:
16 ounces (2 cups) cottage cheese
15 ounces (about 2 cups) part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess liquid
(*Make sure to squeeze as much liquid out of that spinach as possible so the shells don't have excess liquid (letting the sit for a few minutes after baking will help that, too).)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
(* If you'd like to reserve some of the cheese (or shred extra) for sprinkling on top of the shells and sauce before baking, feel free!)
Directions:
For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the sauce simmers, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place them in an even layer on paper towels or parchment.
For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Add the spinach and mix until combined. Stir in the cheeses.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon about half of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly. Fill each pasta shell with an even amount of the filling (about 1/4 cup per shell, more or less) and place the shells on top of the sauce in the pan - making three rows of eight shells.
Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake five or so more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the shells sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
(*This makes a great freezer meal. Before baking the shells, after they have been fully assembled and covered in sauce, cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze. I usually bake from frozen, adding an hour onto the baking time and uncovering for 15-30 minutes instead of just a couple of minutes (so it would be about an hour and a half covered and then 15-30 minutes uncovered).)
Notes:
So this was pretty much amazing! But really, how could it not be? Pasta filled with ooey-gooey cheese topped with a lovely marinara? Pretty much heaven, if you ask me. It's kind of similar to a manicotti recipe that I grew up with, but instead of having to stuff the cheese mixture into a tube-shaped shell (or a trick we learned was to cut the cooked tube open, place the filling at one edge and roll up the noodle around the cheese), you just scoop it directly into an open shell. Super easy. Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients. This really came together quite quickly (not super fast, but not as scary and long as it seems) on a recent Saturday evening. I didn't bake it at the end but instead kept it in the fridge for Sunday dinner. I think it took about an hour to cook cold from the fridge, but it was worth it to not have to do any prep. Just pop, bake and devour. Delish!
Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Source: here, via Pinterest and my sister Megan
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (later you'll see that it says to process the oats in a food processor, since I don't have one, I decided to just use quick oats instead; my sister Megan also didn't blend her oats and she has used both old fashioned rolled and quick oats with success)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
(*I halved the icing recipe because I thought it seemed like it would be way too much - turns out it iced exactly half of my batch, so the amounts are right. But the un-iced cookies were tasty, too, so you can do what you like.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until partially ground, about 15 seconds (as noted above in the ingredients list, both Megan and I did NOT do this step and the cookies were totally great). In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground oats, for 30 seconds.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed). Allow cookie dough to rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
Scoop dough out about 2 Tbsp at a time and drop onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven 11 - 15 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and milk and dip tops of cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to run off or alternately spread icing over cookies. Return to wire rack and allow icing to set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes:
When my family came to visit at the beginning of June they brought a batch of these cookies along for the trip. They were nice enough to share with us after dinner one evening, and oh boy! What a treat! I didn't hesitate long after they had left to whip up my own batch of these marvelous goodies. They're so good. Just like the ones from the store. But better. I love the spiciness from the cinnamon and nutmeg and the sweetness from the perfectly hardening glaze. Triple yum!
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (later you'll see that it says to process the oats in a food processor, since I don't have one, I decided to just use quick oats instead; my sister Megan also didn't blend her oats and she has used both old fashioned rolled and quick oats with success)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
(*I halved the icing recipe because I thought it seemed like it would be way too much - turns out it iced exactly half of my batch, so the amounts are right. But the un-iced cookies were tasty, too, so you can do what you like.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until partially ground, about 15 seconds (as noted above in the ingredients list, both Megan and I did NOT do this step and the cookies were totally great). In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground oats, for 30 seconds.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed). Allow cookie dough to rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
Scoop dough out about 2 Tbsp at a time and drop onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven 11 - 15 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and milk and dip tops of cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to run off or alternately spread icing over cookies. Return to wire rack and allow icing to set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes:
When my family came to visit at the beginning of June they brought a batch of these cookies along for the trip. They were nice enough to share with us after dinner one evening, and oh boy! What a treat! I didn't hesitate long after they had left to whip up my own batch of these marvelous goodies. They're so good. Just like the ones from the store. But better. I love the spiciness from the cinnamon and nutmeg and the sweetness from the perfectly hardening glaze. Triple yum!
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