tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47587096304085429222024-03-13T15:25:50.630-04:00Confessions of a Food JunkieUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-88442327101216018832012-11-15T20:43:00.000-05:002012-11-15T20:43:25.473-05:00Chicken Cordon Bleu FlorentineI'm baaaack! It only took a year! But I'm getting back in the swing of things, slowly but surely.<br />
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Like many of my recipes, this one happened by accident. I was going for a rolled and stuffed chicken breast, but when I opened the package of chicken, I knew there was no way that was happening. I bought "thin cut" breasts, not knowing that that meant they'd also be the size of a credit card. There was no way I was rolling them. So I topped them instead. Turned out great.<br />
<br />
1 lb. thin cut boneless skinless chicken breasts<br />
sliced deli ham (I used 5 large slices cut in half)<br />
1 large bag of chopped spinach, cooked with all water squeezed out<br />
1 1/4 c breadcrumbs<br />
2 egg whites<br />
1/4 c light sour cream<br />
1/4 c Parmesan cheese<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
garlic powder<br />
onion powder<br />
sliced mozzarella cheese (as many slices as you have pieces of chicken)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a baking sheet.<br />
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Season the chicken to your taste and place on baking sheet. Top each piece with a slice of ham.<br />
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In a large bowl, mix the spinach with the egg whites, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and spices to taste (I heavily spice our food). Mix well so all ingredients stick together well.<br />
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Spoon spinach mixture onto the ham; spread to edges of ham.<br />
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Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and top each piece with a slice of mozzarella. <br />
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Put back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is done and cheese is bubbly.<br />
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Quick, easy and so so good.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-38812872324902898802011-11-13T18:00:00.000-05:002011-11-13T18:00:34.884-05:00Pumpkin Pie SquaresOrdinarily I don't like pumpkin pie. I like pumpkin flavors, like muffins, cakes, coffee creamer, etc., but I have never liked pumpkin pie. Now, as these squares are currently cooling on my stovetop as we speak, I can't tell you if they taste like pumpkin pie or not. All I <em>can</em> tell you is that they smell amazing (and the lone swipe I took off the beater was pretty darn tasty). <br />
<br />
The original recipe from food.com had a different topping...I substituted oatmeal for the pecans because, well, I don't have pecans. You work with what you have, right?<br />
<br />
<br />
Crust:<br />
1 c flour<br />
1/2 c brown sugar<br />
1/2 c oatmeal<br />
1/2 c softened butter<br />
<br />
Filling:<br />
2 c canned pumpkin<br />
12 1/2 oz evaporated milk<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp ginger<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp cloves <br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
3/4 c sugar<br />
<br />
Topping:<br />
2 Tbsp melted butter<br />
1/2 c chopped pecans (I used quick oats)<br />
1/2 c brown sugar<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the crust ingredients together and press into a lightly sprayed 9x13 pan. Bake 15 minutes.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Beat well with a mixer.<br />
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Pour the filling onto the hot crust, bake 20 more minutes.<br />
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Stir together the topping ingredients, sprinkle on top of the filling.<br />
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Bake 20 minutes more.<br />
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Let cool, cut into squares. Bet they're good served topped with whipped cream, eh?<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-74049854696013548002011-10-23T20:20:00.000-04:002011-10-23T20:20:39.470-04:00Cappuccino Yogurt MuffinsIt's no secret that I love coffee. Nor is it a secret that I love muffins. Or it least it shouldn't be, I have enough recipes for them posted! I came across this recipe in <em>The Maxwell House Coffee Drinks & Desserts Cookbook</em>. Moist and yummy (plus your house will smell amazing).<br />
<br />
1 1/2 c flour<br />
1/2 c sugar<br />
1 envelope instant cappuccino mix, any flavor<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
2 large eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1/2 c cold brewed strong coffee<br />
1/2 c coffee or vanilla flavored yogurt<br />
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, melted<br />
1/2 c toasted chopped almonds<br />
1/2 c chopped dried apricots, or other dried fruit<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 375. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.<br />
<br />
Stir the flour, sugar, cappuccino mix, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Stir the eggs, coffee, yogurt, and melted butter in a medium bowl until well blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in the almonds and apricots. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.<br />
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Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack.<br />
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Make 1 dozen muffins<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-30912178086934511032011-10-23T20:05:00.000-04:002011-10-23T20:05:01.418-04:00Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake SquareThis one is going to be short, sweet and to the point. Taken from <em>Zucchini, Pumpkins & Squash</em> by Kathleen Desmond Stang.<br />
<br />
Gingersnap crust:<br />
About 20 gingersnaps, broken into large pieces<br />
1/4 c granulated sugar<br />
3 Tbsp butter, melted<br />
<br />
Cheesecake filling:<br />
11 oz (8- and 3-oz pkgs) lowfat cream cheese, softened (I like Neufchatel)<br />
1/3 c lowfat sour cream<br />
1/3 c granulated sugar<br />
1 Tbsp flour<br />
1 lg egg<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
1/2 c pumpkin puree<br />
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 325. Line bottom and sides of 9x9x2-inch square pan with foil. Grease the foil on the bottom and 1 inch up the sized of the pan.<br />
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To make the crust: Process the gingersnaps in a food processor or blender until very finely chopped. You should have about 1 c of crumbs. Combine the gingersnap crumbs, sugar and butter in a small bowl. Pat into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool on a rack.<br />
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To make the filling: Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and flour in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Place 3/4 c of the cream cheese mixture in a bowl and stir in the pumpkin puree and brown sugar.<br />
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Spoon the plain cream cheese mixture evenly over the crumb layer in the pan. Dollop the pumpkin on top and swirl with a fork to make a decorative design. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm in the middle when gently shaken. Cool in the pan 1 hour. Chill thoroughly.<br />
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To serve, lift cheesecake and foil from the pan. Cut into squares and remove from the foil to a serving plate.<br />
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Makes 16 pieces.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-56586839078609281392011-10-07T12:58:00.001-04:002011-10-07T13:00:29.467-04:00A Taste of Italy, The AftermathSo our celebration of all Italian food has deliciously come and gone. It was perfect fall weather for an outdoor party featuring all cozy and warm dishes. We had a fire going outside and all the fun Italian music a person could dance to (if you don't know any of Louis Prima's songs, you need to!). I am going to post all of the recipes I made, but here is what we had:<br />
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*White Bean Dip with Pita Chips<br />
*Antipasti<br />
*Ravioli <br />
*Hot Sausage and Peppers<br />
*Mushroom Stew<br />
*Mussels in Wine Sauce<br />
*Chicken Rigatoni with Butternut Squash Sauce<br />
*Caponata<br />
*Tomato Pie (not a traditional pie filled with tomatoes. Google it to see it's basically pizza without cheese)<br />
*Chicken Eggplant Rolls with Ziti<br />
*Anginetti (Iced Lemon Cookies)<br />
*Zuppa Inglese (the Italian version of an English Trifle)<br />
*Biscotti<br />
*Limoncello (liquer) <br />
*Grappa (brandy)<br />
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Phew! Just picturing the table makes my stomach growl. I hope I didn't miss anything! I hope we do it again, with a whole new table of dishes. Next time I'll invite ya.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cw5dypnMh2g/To8vJNXVblI/AAAAAAAAAGA/fVEBwooY3-o/s1600/DSCF3333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cw5dypnMh2g/To8vJNXVblI/AAAAAAAAAGA/fVEBwooY3-o/s320/DSCF3333.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter...Gabriella Mozzarella, whatsamattafayou?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-51833429564237162662011-10-07T12:40:00.000-04:002011-10-07T12:40:17.556-04:00White Bean Dip with Pita ChipsSo I'll admit it...I'm a bit of a scatterbrain. In my last post, I gushed about all the fabulous dishes that were going to be at our feast of the Italian foods, and how I was going to post the pictures of said deliciousness. Wellllll.....I never took any pictures. Not of the food, anyway. Of everything else, yes. But not the food. I will, however, post the recipes I made anyway, because they were fantastic. You'll just have to picture in your mind how great they will look.<br />
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I found this bean dip in one of Giada DeLaurentiis's cookbooks. Full credit goes to her, as I followed the recipe exactly for a change. And boy was it good! For such an easy recipe with few ingredients, it's really a winner. I did double the recipe, however, because singularly it only makes about a cup of dip.<br />
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A note...Giada gives the directions for making your own pita chips. This is a no-brainer, and I'm not going to include it because I went the easier way and bought 2 bags of Stacy's pita chips (which are as close to homemade tasting as you'll find!)<br />
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<br />
2 (15 oz ea) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed<br />
juice from 1 lemon<br />
2 garlic cloves<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
parsley<br />
2/3 c olive oil<br />
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In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse on and off until coarsely chopped. With machine still running, gradually mix the olive oil until creamy. Season if necessary with more salt and pepper.<br />
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It's that easy! Serve cold or at room temperature with the pita chips.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-46349667171237948202011-10-01T21:21:00.000-04:002011-10-01T21:21:38.579-04:00A Taste of ItalyMy family loves to get together. Doesn't matter the time of year, we don't need a reason, we just enjoy each other's company. Throw good food into the mix and it just doesn't get much better. <br />
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A couple of years ago we had our own Oktoberfest, complete with goofy hats with feathers and decorations. All we were missing was leiderhosen. We all contributed different German dishes and ended up with enough food to feed an army. Even our beer was German. While we were stuffing our faces, we all agreed that we'd like to do it again another year, but this time with Italian food. My father is full-blooded Italian, so we grew up eating a lot of it. <br />
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That day has arrived, and we're gathering once again at my parents' place for our Taste of Italy. I spent the day preparing for my contributions. I will post the recipes once I have taken pictures at the party.<br />
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To start, I made White Bean Dip with Pita Chips, a recipe I found in a cookbook by Giada DeLaurentiis. That chick knows her Italian food! She did state that the pita chips are not authentically Italian (duh), but they go nicely with the dip. She's right; my little taste-test proved it.<br />
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Next I made my meatballs. Mom asked me to make them, and she's prepared the sauce to go with them. We both had a lot to make, so we went in 50/50 on this one. The meatballs in one word are....amazing. Or as one girl says on this new show I've been watching, "ah-mahzing".<br />
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I knew I wanted to make a dessert or two, since no one else was. I started simple with a cookie called Anginetti. It's a lemon cookie with a lemon icing. They look and smell glorious. I cannot attest to their taste though...the recipe made less than 2 dozen cookies.<br />
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Finally, I decided a second dessert was in order. After a lot of recipe searching, I found Zuppa Inglese. The literal translation is "English Soup". That just sounds nasty. But several other dictionary-type websites kept referring to it as an English trifle. I assume it's the addition of ladyfingers that makes it Italian.<br />
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Speaking of ladyfingers, I apparently live in an area where they just aren't available. I tried every grocery store in our county AND a few in the next county over. No luck. So....I had to make my own. I was very nervous about it. It's an involved process involving making a meringue-like base, and I wasn't sure I could do it gently enough. Psssh. No problem. They came out just perfect. I am assembling the Zuppa Inglese tomorrow (the morning of the party) because I think doing so ahead of time will make everything soggy and soupy. Hmm, maybe that's why it's called English Soup...<br />
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Anyway, once we laugh, drink, and stuff ourselves close to explosion, I will post my recipes and the pictures to go along with them. Cheers!<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-61581342727007403312011-09-26T16:59:00.000-04:002011-09-26T16:59:28.886-04:00Cookbook Giveaway!Who wants a chance to win a cookbook? Go <a href="http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2011/09/menu-planning-101-e-book-review-and.html">here</a> for all the details!<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-18386602148398375262011-09-25T20:58:00.000-04:002011-09-25T20:58:56.029-04:00Pumpkin Spice Ring with Cinnamon GlazeFall means pumpkins and apples. To me, at least. We had a family barbeque to go to, and I didn't want to show up empty handed. I decided a quick dessert would be my best option, as I tend to wait til the last minute <em>for everything</em>. Not long after scouring the internet for ideas, I came up with this. It was a <em>huge</em> hit. I think every person there complimented me. Can't complain about that!<br />
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Cake:<br />
1 (18.25 oz) box angel food cake mix<br />
1 c canned pumpkin<br />
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice<br />
1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/8 tsp nutmeg<br />
<br />
Combine pumpkin and spices. Mix well and set aside.<br />
<br />
Mix cake as directed on box. Fold in pumpkin. Pour in ungreased tube pan (I used my Pampered Chef stoneware bundt pan). Bake at 350 til lightly browned, using the box directions as a guide. Remove from oven, cool completely before applying the glaze.<br />
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Glaze:<br />
4 oz Neufchatal cheese (or any cream cheese)<br />
2 Tbsp 2% milk (original recipe called for cream)<br />
1 c confectioners sugar<br />
1 Tbsp vanilla<br />
1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 1/2 c raisins<br />
<br />
Using a mixer, blend together cheese, vanilla, and milk until light and fluffy. Stir in the spices and sugar. Drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with raisins.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-7782080362843099502011-09-14T19:32:00.000-04:002011-09-14T19:32:33.783-04:00Rox's Rockin' ChiliMy mom is an amazing cook. I learned about 95% of what I know about cooking from her, and it has become our shared hobby. She's even published her own cookbook. Her chili has been a family favorite since my childhood. When I struck out on my own, she made me a little cookbook of her basic recipes and thankfully this little nugget was one of them. We had this tonight for dinner, and everyone left the table full and happy.<br />
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Mom tends to make enough food to feed the county, so I have scaled this down to feed my family of little eaters. Once the kids get bigger, I imagine I'll be using her full recipe. But until then, this works for us.<br />
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1 (20 oz) can kidney beans<br />
2 (28 oz) cans tomato sauce<br />
1 lb lean hamburger (frozen)<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
2 cans mushrooms<br />
3 Tbsp chili powder<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
1 Tbsp onion powder<br />
1/4 tsp sugar<br />
Note: do not use any garlic as it will taste too much like spaghetti sauce<br />
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In a large pot, bring the hamburger and about 2 an inch of water to a boil. Keep scraping the hamburger off the frozen bulk as it cooks. When the hamburger is all broken up, reduce the heat to medium-high. Do not drain the water off of the hamburger! Add the onion. Cook until onions are soft. Add the tomato sauce, kidney beans (plus their liquid), mushrooms and spices. Turn burner to low and simmer for at least 2 hours.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-53349447697991270122011-09-11T09:09:00.000-04:002011-09-11T09:09:45.965-04:00Caramel Apple CupcakesBirthdays are a big deal in my family. My mother's birthday was the other day, and yesterday we had a picnic at one of the local state parks. It was a beautiful day for a picnic! As the baker in the family, I felt it was my duty to make some rocking birthday dessert, and as we were doing a picnic I wanted to take something picnicky. Enter Caramel Apple Cupcakes.<br />
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Once in a while I have to break out of my usual mold and use a prepackaged mix. When it comes to cooking and baking, I like to make as much as I can using "real" ingredients. But when I found this, I knew I had an easy winner on my hands. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What we do to the poor person with a birthday</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdx3nAv6B-0/TmyvV2a6CbI/AAAAAAAAAFk/uFBej63r9lk/s1600/DSCF3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdx3nAv6B-0/TmyvV2a6CbI/AAAAAAAAAFk/uFBej63r9lk/s320/DSCF3194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 package (18 1/4 oz) spice cake mix</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 c chopped and peeled tart apples</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">20 caramels</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 Tbsp milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 c finely chopped pecans, toasted</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Fold in apples. Fill paper lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a saucepan, cook the caramels and milk over low heat until smooth. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with pecans.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hKPClj0LES0/Tmyyb7EC8VI/AAAAAAAAAF4/OA5fMw4atOk/s1600/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hKPClj0LES0/Tmyyb7EC8VI/AAAAAAAAAF4/OA5fMw4atOk/s320/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvqGMlY7Otg/TmyykYlL0XI/AAAAAAAAAF8/64JqDueMo-c/s1600/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvqGMlY7Otg/TmyykYlL0XI/AAAAAAAAAF8/64JqDueMo-c/s320/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%25289%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMm5kEn-IE0/TmyyAUnDaEI/AAAAAAAAAF0/DNC2HTZT49g/s1600/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMm5kEn-IE0/TmyyAUnDaEI/AAAAAAAAAF0/DNC2HTZT49g/s320/Caramel+Apple+Cupcakes+%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Obviously I did not have the pecans, but I included them in the recipe because they would be <em>so good</em>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-63054392653586828902011-09-05T13:58:00.000-04:002011-09-05T13:58:17.259-04:00Zucchini Cornbread CasseroleIt has been over A MONTH since I've added a recipe. Shame on me and slap my hand. This little thing called <em>life</em> hasn't allowed me much time for what has become my favorite hobby. Hopefully with school starting, things will settle down around here and I can get back to it.<br />
<br />
I found this on allrecipes.com. As usual, I modified it to suit our tastes. Even my pickiest eater liked it. It smelled awesome while baking!<br />
<br />
4 c shredded zucchini<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1 (8.5 oz) package Jiffy cornbread mix<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp ground black pepper<br />
garlic powder<br />
onion powder<br />
Beer Can Chicken BBQ seasoning (or any other BBQ seasoning you have)<br />
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, Jiffy, and spices.<br />
<br />
Stir in half of the cheese. Spread into the dish, top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-41619185811109565312011-07-31T21:19:00.000-04:002011-07-31T21:19:30.995-04:00Chocolate Zucchini CookiesI love using zucchini in dessert-type recipes. Sneaks in a little veggie for the kiddos....except my oldest is hip to it and insists she doesn't like zucchini, even though I insist to <em>her</em> that it's kind of tasteless. She did, however, inhale one of these cookies like she was never going to eat again. So I'd say it's kid-tested, kid-approved. The zucchini is about the only thing good for you <em>in</em> these cookies, but hey, sometimes ya just gotta live a little.<br />
<br />
1/2 c butter<br />
1/2 c sugar<br />
1/2 c brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1/3 c oil<br />
2 1/4 c flour<br />
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 3/4 c grated zucchini<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two cookie sheets.<br />
<br />
Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and oil.<br />
<br />
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the zucchini. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the prepared sheets.<br />
<br />
Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.<br />
<br />
Makes 24 cookies.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-82702028435378720702011-07-31T21:09:00.000-04:002011-07-31T21:09:05.582-04:00Zucchini Egg BakeI know, I know....more zucchini. Get used to, every day I have one or two more to pick out of the garden! But I will mix it up by giving you both sweet and savory ways to enjoy the ever abundant veg. I made chocolate zucchini cookies the other night (I'm posting that one too) and had leftover shredded zucchini I had to use up. My best recipes come when I just start throwing stuff together. This was no exception. SOOO good. <br />
<br />
I don't have any pictures of it, because my kitchen doesn't have the right lighting for nighttime pics. Everything has an orange glow to it. Stupid kitchen. Have I mentioned how much I hate my kitchen? It has, however, made me learn to do a lot in very little space. That's my silver lining for the day.<br />
<br />
<br />
6 eggs<br />
splash of milk<br />
2 c shredded zucchini<br />
1 c croutons<br />
1/2 c chopped pepperoni<br />
1/4 c shredded cheese of your choice (I had mozzarella)<br />
spices to taste:<br />
salt (go easy, remember both the pepperoni and croutons are already salty)<br />
pepper<br />
garlic powder<br />
onion powder<br />
Beer Can Chicken BBQ seasoning (or any other BBQ seasoning you have)<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a pie plate with nonstick spray.<br />
<br />
Scramble the eggs with the milk. Add the spices, mix well. Stir in the zucchini, croutons, pepperoni and cheese.<br />
<br />
Pour into the pie plate. Bake for 20 minutes or until it is done in the center.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-90512948077327406612011-07-26T13:50:00.000-04:002011-07-26T13:50:24.866-04:00Zucchini Pasta TossZucchini is something that I have a love/hate relationship with. When I plant my garden, I mentally rub my hands gleefully together in anticipation of the promise of an abundant harvest. By the end of the gardening season, I hope to never see another zucchini again. Right now I'm in the middle stage of the relationship...I'm enjoying going out to the garden every day and picking one or two, but now they're starting to pile up on my counter.<br />
<br />
Usually I am the zucchini bread queen of the world. It has been so hot here the last few weeks, the last thing I wanted to do was start the oven. I didn't know what to make for supper, and when that happens, creativity strikes. This is what I came up with, and it was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. The fam agreed.<br />
<br />
<br />
1 box pasta (I used radiatore)<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
4 c shredded zucchini<br />
3/4 c shredded cheese of your choice (I had mozzarella on hand)<br />
1/2 c plain yogurt<br />
Spices to taste:<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
onion powder<br />
cumin<br />
<br />
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, being careful not to brown it too much. Stir in zucchini, one handful at a time, stirring after each. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring ocassionally. Spoon the yogurt into the zucchini, mix well. Turn heat down to low and let rest while pasta is cooking, stirring ocassionally.<br />
<br />
Once pasta is cooked and drained, return it to the pasta pot. Stir in the zucchini. Stir in the shredded cheese until melted. Serve hot with crusty bread.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-13048684052274712732011-07-06T15:53:00.000-04:002011-07-06T15:53:13.063-04:00Berries and Cream Dessert TrianglesHappy post-4th of July!<br />
<br />
We went to a barbeque at my parents' house, which has become tradition. I was recruited, among other things, to make dessert. This turned out to be such a lovely dessert. It was easy, as the crust is pre-made sugar cookie dough. I made these triangles on my Pampered Chef bar pan, which was the perfect size. Most recipes I make rarely turn out looking like the picture, but these turned out so pretty, just like the picture. This was a hit with even the pickiest of eaters. My cousin's future stepson redefines "picky eater", and he loved these. He said they tasted like a Toaster Streudel, and darned if he isn't right. A cold Toaster Streudel, but still delicious.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6NyFLpAlY4/ThS745OwORI/AAAAAAAAAFg/HlV2UppZ0fs/s1600/d2675b9f-cd8a-4986-af4d-eab2cd295351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6NyFLpAlY4/ThS745OwORI/AAAAAAAAAFg/HlV2UppZ0fs/s320/d2675b9f-cd8a-4986-af4d-eab2cd295351.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of pillsbury.com<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="IngredientGroupHeading"><u>Crust</u></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">2 rolls (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div></div><div class="IngredientGroupHeading"><u>Filling</u></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">1 cup white vanilla <a class="cimotif" href="" style="border-bottom: green 2px dotted; color: green; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">baking</a> chips (6 oz)</div></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div></div><div class="IngredientGroupHeading"><u>Topping</u></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">1/2 cup sugar</div></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">2 tablespoons cornstarch</div></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">1/3 cup water</div></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries</div></div><div class="ingredient IngredientItem"><div class="amount quantity">2 cups fresh blueberries</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">Heat oven to 350°F. <a class="cimotif" href="" style="border-bottom: green 2px dotted; color: green; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Spray</a> bottom of 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Press cookie dough in bottom of pan. <a class="cimotif" href="" style="border-bottom: green 2px dotted; color: green; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Bake</a> 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. (I did this step a day in advance).</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">In small microwaveable bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted and can be stirred smooth. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in melted chips until blended. Spread mixture over crust. Refrigerate while making topping.</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Cool 10 minutes.</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">In medium bowl, gently stir strawberries and 1/4 cup cornstarch mixture together until well mixed. In another bowl, gently stir remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch mixture and blueberries together until well mixed. Spoon strawberry mixture lengthwise over half of cream cheese mixture and blueberries over remaining half of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes.</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">Cut bars in half lengthwise; cut each half into eight 3 1/2-inch triangles. Store in refrigerator. </div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity">You can find the original recipe <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/berries-and-cream-dessert-triangles/2f2203a1-dc65-430b-8f90-298571edb36b/">here</a>.</div><div class="amount quantity"> </div><div class="amount quantity"> </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-43012522918086633072011-06-24T19:20:00.000-04:002011-06-24T19:20:19.316-04:00Frosted Rhubarb CookiesAh, rhubarb. Pretty much a summer staple around here. When most people think of rhubarb, they automatically think of strawberries. Not me. I like my rhubarb recipes sans strawberries. Don't get me wrong; I like a good strawberry rhubarb pie, but it's not a necessity.<br />
<br />
As I've mentioned before, once a month I make cookies for my father. Well, they're specifically for him, but my mother enjoys the occasional cookie as well. Good for me, because I get her feedback as well. Most of the cookies I make for him are a "first time" recipe and I want to know if it's a keeper or not.<br />
<br />
This cookie is a keeper.<br />
<br />
I wish I would have taken a picture. Alas, laziness prevailed and I have no photographic proof of these delightful cookies.<br />
<br />
You're just going to have to make your own to see how yummy they look. And smell. And taste...<br />
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A side note: I added about 1/4 cup of ground flax seed. Gotta sneak the good stuff into Dad's monthly cookies for the folks whether they like it or not...I'm talkin' to you, MOM!<br />
<br />
<br />
Cookie:<br />
1 c butter<br />
1 1/2 c brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
3 c flour (I used white whole wheat)<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 c rhubarb, chopped<br />
3/4 c coconut<br />
<br />
Frosting:<br />
3 oz. cream cheese, softened<br />
1 Tbsp butter, softened<br />
3 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.<br />
<br />
For the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies. Store cookies in the refrigerator.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-32983197823635612752011-06-14T16:11:00.000-04:002011-06-14T16:11:52.420-04:00Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel BarsNot following a recipe finally bit me in the butt. That's not to say these bars aren't fantastic, but they're not what I anticipated they'd be. If you aren't a dunce like I am, and don't leave out key ingredients, these will be just great.<br />
<br />
I used all of my chocolate chips a few weeks ago, but I figured I could substitute. Uh, hello? <em>Chocolate chip</em> cookie pretzel bars? What I did have was squares of white baker's chocolate that I had bought when I made the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spaghetti-and-meatball-cake-recipe/index.html">spaghetti and meatball cake</a> for my dad's birthday. I thought I'd shave some of the white chocolate into the batter and call it good. At the end of the day, you'd never know it was even in there. Before tossing it into the oven, I thought, "Ooh! I'll stir in some of the chocolate peanut butter I have! That'll make up for not having chocolate chips!" It didn't. Probably because I only had about a half of a cup left in the jar.<br />
<br />
Please don't think this is something you should pass up. I just left out a key ingredient. Lesson learned. You can find the original recipe with a picture of what it's supposed to look like <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-pretzel-bars/">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-79134388137859581112011-06-13T20:27:00.000-04:002011-06-13T20:27:49.479-04:00Cheesy Corn Dog MuffinsWhen I was a kid, my mom used to buy us corn dogs from the Schwans truck every summer. Hot, crunchy, slightly greasy outside, soft inside, salty hot dog...I loved them. And meat on a stick? What kid doesn't think that's a good idea? I haven't had a corn dog in many many years, so when I came across this recipe, I first thought of those Schwans corn dogs, then of how my kids would enjoy these.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jPyYCcvU2M/TfaqmT1JpkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/A3AbiKvKiik/s1600/DSCF2362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jPyYCcvU2M/TfaqmT1JpkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/A3AbiKvKiik/s320/DSCF2362.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As with every recipe I make, I do try to incorporate some healthier ingredients without changing the overall idea of the recipe. So instead of regular hot dogs (which I avoid feeding the kids as much as I can), I used the venison hot dogs my father-in-law had made from one of the deer he shot this past hunting season. They are really good, and really lean, as deer are not a highly fatty animal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SinEBdZaFeI/TfaqvpxYu2I/AAAAAAAAAFc/MDb4SsQiZgg/s1600/DSCF2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SinEBdZaFeI/TfaqvpxYu2I/AAAAAAAAAFc/MDb4SsQiZgg/s320/DSCF2363.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When these muffins came out of the oven, my 2-year-old son took one look at them and said, "Ooh...hot dog!" (which in his words came out "hot dawg") He inhaled his once it was just barely cool enough to eat, and even my picky daughter gave it her approval.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uw7X7Hf0abw/TfaqcP6NM5I/AAAAAAAAAFU/aiq1X09ONjc/s1600/DSCF2361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uw7X7Hf0abw/TfaqcP6NM5I/AAAAAAAAAFU/aiq1X09ONjc/s320/DSCF2361.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
They really do taste like a corn dog!<br />
<br />
1 1/2 c flour (I used white whole wheat)<br />
3 tsp salt<br />
2 1/4 tsp baking powder<br />
2 Tbsp sugar<br />
3/4 c cornmeal<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 c buttermilk*<br />
1/4 c butter, melted<br />
4 hot dogs, sliced in half lengthwise and cut small<br />
1 c shredded cheese (I used colby jack)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray 12-muffin tin (or 24 mini muffin, which is what I used).<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add cornmeal, mix well.<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then stir in the buttermilk* and melted butter. Stir liquid mixture into the dry mixture, stirring just until blended. Add cheese and hot dogs. Mix well.<br />
<br />
Using a large ice cream scoop, evenly fill the cups. They will expand!<br />
<br />
Bake 18-20 minutes (or 15 minutes for minis) or until lightly browned. Serve hot.<br />
<br />
*If you do not have buttermilk, you can do this: Place 1 Tbsp vinegar into a measuring cup. Add just enough milk to reach the 1 cup mark. Let stand 5 minutes. Voila. Buttermilk substitution.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-37587822188000915732011-06-02T16:11:00.002-04:002011-06-02T16:22:42.089-04:00Oatmeal Peanut Butter & Honey BarsToday I was cleaning up all of the junk I have accumulated on my desk. It was a lot. A <em>lot</em>. I'm a notorious pack rat (don't worry, you won't see me on an episode of "Hoarders"). When I came across a pile of recipes, I wasn't surprised. Some were torn out of magazines, some were still in magazines, some were printed off the computer, and others were handwritten. This recipe was one of the handwritten ones. Like most of my recipes, this is a no fuss, small mess, quick and easy bar recipe that uses mostly ingredients you'd have on hand. I have tweeked it to my (and my family's) liking. For example, I added the peanut butter and replaced the 1/2 cup of nuts with the seeds.<br />
<br />
I just took it out of the oven and it's not yet cool enough to cut, but I'm <em>dying</em> to dive in. I can't wait for my daughter to get home from school...I hope she loves them. I'm no nutritionist, but I think as far as after-school-snacks/cookies/bars go, it's fairly healthful. I can't see how she won't like them, they smell heavenly. Keep your fingers crossed...<br />
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2dI93VFO0I/TefssBWuvvI/AAAAAAAAAFE/MAEhtKGcPuQ/s1600/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2dI93VFO0I/TefssBWuvvI/AAAAAAAAAFE/MAEhtKGcPuQ/s320/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25282%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go into the oven!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgcqk9ljt5w/TeftHaE5c0I/AAAAAAAAAFM/B0bf4HphW1I/s1600/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgcqk9ljt5w/TeftHaE5c0I/AAAAAAAAAFM/B0bf4HphW1I/s320/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25283%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFRtjzgyr0o/Tefs1AYMy1I/AAAAAAAAAFI/z_fvjw6VlyQ/s1600/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFRtjzgyr0o/Tefs1AYMy1I/AAAAAAAAAFI/z_fvjw6VlyQ/s320/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars+%25284%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't resist, had to take a bite.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-Ed52QBxPU/TeftP9Wlc5I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/3lg-dxFaHtI/s1600/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-Ed52QBxPU/TeftP9Wlc5I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/3lg-dxFaHtI/s320/Oatmeal+PB+Honey+Bars.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I drizzled with honey for aesthetic purposes...then I had to eat it. Darn!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
2 c oats<br />
1 c whole wheat flour<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp apple pie spice<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1 1/2 c milk<br />
1/4 c honey<br />
1/2 c chunky applesauce<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
3/4 c dried fruit (I used dried apple)<br />
1 c raisins<br />
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds<br />
2 Tbsp flax seeds<br />
3 Tbsp natural peanut butter (I used Naturally More)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375.<br />
<br />
Place first 6 ingredients in a bowl, mix well.<br />
<br />
In a separate bowl, mix the milk, applesauce, egg, honey and vanilla.<br />
<br />
Combine the two mixtures. Stir in the fruit and seeds. Spread into a sprayed 11 x 7 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and golden. Cool completely before cutting.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-65320304478278297632011-05-29T19:28:00.000-04:002011-05-29T19:28:39.896-04:00Best French Fries EverWho doesn't love french fries? Especially homemade ones. Mine are so simple, so easy, so healthy, so <u><em>tasty</em></u>, you'll wonder why you ever bought a bag of them from the freezer section. And you never will again! Two ingredients is all it takes. I suppose since they aren't deep-fried, they are neither french nor fries, but what else am I going to call them? "Roasted Potato Rectangles"? Doesn't quite have the same ring.<br />
<br />
5 russet potatoes (or whatever you have on hand)<br />
sea salt<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick spray. Slice your potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise (to resemble steak fries). Place in one layer on the sheet, sprinkle lightly with sea salt.<br />
<br />
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the slices has started to bubble and brown.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-37537863415292750602011-05-27T16:44:00.002-04:002011-05-27T16:52:46.593-04:00Rhubarb SquaresRhubarb rocks. One of the best things about it is the fact that it's an abundant vegetable...or is it a fruit?...which means there's a lot of it and a lot of different ways to use it up. My husband brought some home from his parents' house and I'm still trying to use it up. I found this recipe, which was so tasty it didn't last long enough to get a decent picture of it. Unfortunately, the picture from the original recipe (on allrecipes.com) does it no justice, and in fact looks kinda gross. <br />
<br />
<div> </div>One thing about this recipe that I didn't care for is the thinness of it. It calls for a 11x7 baking dish, which I think is too big, hence the thinness of it. I'm absolutely going to make it again, but use a smaller baking dish to thicken it up a bit. I'm also going to play with the crust a little bit, and if it turns out I will re-post it for you. I made this recipe almost exactly the way it says...notice I said almost. I added 2 tablespoons of flax seeds to the crust. It gave it a little nutty crunch that worked nicely with the rhubarb. But if you don't have them, don't stress. I happen to have them on hand because a breakfast bar recipe I've been playing with calls for them.<br />
<br />
<div> </div>Here it is...enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div> <br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 cup all-purpose flour</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/3 cup confectioners' sugar</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/3 cup butter or margarine</li><br />
</div><div class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">FILLING:</div><div><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 cup sugar</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1/4 cup all-purpose flour</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">2 eggs, lightly beaten</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li><br />
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">3 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb</li><br />
<div class="directions" style="margin-top: 10px;"><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a bowl, combine the flour and confectioners; sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">For filling, combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. Stir in rhubarb; pour over warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm if desired. Store in the refrigerator. </span></li>
</ol></div></div><h3 class="recipe-details-lg"> </h3><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-2124189923840839192011-05-23T20:12:00.001-04:002011-05-23T20:13:49.295-04:00Turkey Meatballs with a TwistI love meatballs.<br />
<br />
I love their convenient size. I love the taste, texture...and these days what I especially love about them is they are a great way to stretch a pound of ground meat just a little bit further by adding more and more ingredients to them.<br />
<br />
I haven't made them in a while, and my ground meat of choice is chicken. Of course they were out of it when I was grocery shopping the other day, so I grabbed the turkey instead. I like to change things up when it comes to my meatballs so we don't get sick of them, and I rarely make them to serve with spaghetti. That just occurred to me. I'm not sure why I don't. This recipe is yet another variation of my evolving meatball.<br />
<br />
A note: the taco sauce is not overpowering in it's flavor. I made my husband guess the "mystery ingredient"...he couldn't. Once I told him what it was, he said, "Oh, ok. I taste it now." <br />
<br />
I apologize in advance for not having any pictures...there was a minor mishap involving my husband and kids outside just as I was getting ready to call them in for dinner, and it was Mommy to the rescue. Taking pictures of my food was the furthest thing from my mind! But they looked delicious, I promise!<br />
<br />
<em>Turkey Meatballs with a Twist</em><br />
<br />
1 lb ground turkey<br />
1 1/2 c whole wheat breadcrumbs<br />
1 c shredded cheese of your choice (I used a blend of monterey jack and mozzarella)<br />
1 egg<br />
splash of milk<br />
1/4 c mild taco sauce<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
onion powder<br />
coriander<br />
cumin<br />
*all spices to taste<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Using a small scoop (or tablespoon) to measure, roll meat mixture into small balls. Place on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, serve hot.<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-42412709120297058622011-05-20T11:58:00.000-04:002011-05-20T11:58:08.493-04:00Crispy Honey ChickenI have recently found a new blog that I love. This girl is after my own heart. The first thing after the title of her blog is "Where Gluttony Meets Fitness". Is this where I say, "You had me at <em>hello</em>"? Her recipes are wholesome and (most) are fairly healthful. She's extremely entertaining, and as much as I want you to read my blog, I think you should check her and her recipes out (see following link).<br />
<br />
This Crispy Honey Chicken is the first of hers I decided to try. As usual, I have changed the recipe so much from it's original state that I can say what I made is based on her recipe, and is not actually what she has posted. You can find her original recipe (along with her amusing anecdotes): <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/11/crunchy-honey-chicken/">here</a>. <br />
<br />
I will make this recipe again, as my family went wild over it. The best part is that you can change it up with different vegetables each time so that you have a different meal every time you make it. This is how I made mine.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbwghL_Rd9w/TdaKgBlAC1I/AAAAAAAAAEI/VTILKKH820E/s1600/DSCF2156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbwghL_Rd9w/TdaKgBlAC1I/AAAAAAAAAEI/VTILKKH820E/s320/DSCF2156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrots, meet Broccoli.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--j-XEUmgieY/TdaKrOXYj-I/AAAAAAAAAEM/xxgh9-yZAHA/s1600/DSCF2158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--j-XEUmgieY/TdaKrOXYj-I/AAAAAAAAAEM/xxgh9-yZAHA/s320/DSCF2158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excess oil on the chicken is no match for my paper towels!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C8iQzR5EKes/TdaLRUsnUOI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/Qg5ZmK_-UW0/s1600/DSCF2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C8iQzR5EKes/TdaLRUsnUOI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/Qg5ZmK_-UW0/s320/DSCF2159.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrots and Broccoli meet Mushrooms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-baV5yD8-ViU/TdaMGZWckDI/AAAAAAAAAEU/ad4s1K3LSQY/s1600/DSCF2160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-baV5yD8-ViU/TdaMGZWckDI/AAAAAAAAAEU/ad4s1K3LSQY/s320/DSCF2160.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slivered Almonds, ready for toasting! Did you know you can toast nuts in the microwave? Cool, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5BVoURh1vDE/TdaMbCGe-9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/vQ_wnL0gWHA/s1600/DSCF2161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5BVoURh1vDE/TdaMbCGe-9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/vQ_wnL0gWHA/s320/DSCF2161.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go, without the toasted almonds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9HjY9POr1l8/TdaMqzhPpAI/AAAAAAAAAEc/fTUIEz0PbZ8/s1600/DSCF2165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9HjY9POr1l8/TdaMqzhPpAI/AAAAAAAAAEc/fTUIEz0PbZ8/s320/DSCF2165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And with the toasted almonds (for me!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cut into thirds<br />
2 egg whites<br />
1/3 cup cornstarch (or flour – for dredging)<br />
1 cup broccoli florets<br />
1 1/2 c baby carrots, sliced lengthwise<br />
1 can mushrooms, drained<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon soy sauce<br />
1/4 cup honey<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 c slivered almonds, toasted, if desired*<br />
<br />
Prepare and slice all veggies. In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch or flour. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies, including mushrooms, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.<br />
<br />
Cut chicken and season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip (repeat if necessary, make sure your chicken is cooked through!) Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed.<br />
<br />
Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce. Sprinkle toasted almonds over top. Serve with orzo pasta or rice.<br />
<br />
*To toast nuts in the microwave: Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Add nuts in a single layer. Pop in microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Return to microwave for an additional 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave's power level, until lightly browned and fragrant. Be careful, they're hot!<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758709630408542922.post-81255311390599416842011-05-12T08:55:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:36:24.155-04:00Creamy Avocado PastaIn my quest for healthier eating, I've tried to embrace the avocado. I think the health benefits outweigh the fact that they are high in fat (although it's the healthy kind of fat). I never even tried avocado until I was an adult, and my first taste of it was less than stellar. There was a man in my office that would bring one for lunch, slice it open, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and eat it out of the skin with a spoon. How easy, I thought. So I bought one and tried it that way. It did not make the best first impression.<br />
<br />
My next attempt was to make a dip that my daughter might eat as an after-school snack. I had read a recipe but forgot where I saw it, so I tried to wing it. I used the avocado, great northern beans, a plum tomato minus the skin, and some spices. I blended it up in the food processor...and was not impressed.<br />
<br />
My cousin is a vegetarian who studies nutrition and dietetics in college, and only eats organic foods. I talked to her over Easter dinner, and she shared with me a bunch of her recipes. She said this creamy avocado pasta is one of her favorites, so I thought the third time must be the charm. It was! I didn't necessarily use the organic ingredients the recipe called for, but I don't imagine it affected the flavor all that much. It is so tasty, and as the title claims, creamy. And EASY! Avocado skeptics of the world, unite!<br />
<br />
1 med. avocado, pitted<br />
juice of 1 lemon, plus the zest of half the lemon<br />
2-3 garlic cloves<br />
sea salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
6 oz of your choice of pasta<br />
<br />
Boil your pasta according to the box directions.<br />
<br />
Make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice and olive oil into a food processor (or blender). Process until smooth. Add in the pitted avocado, salt and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy.<br />
<br />
Pour over hot pasta and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest. Serve immediately.<br />
<br />
<u>NOTE:</u> This dish does not reheat well due to the avocado in the sauce.<br />
<br />
Original recipe found at <a href="http://www.ohsheglows.com/">http://www.ohsheglows.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">If you think this looks interesting, tell me! If you try it, I'd love to know!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0