Budget Bites

Crockpot Oriental Beef & Broccoli

2011-09-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Since we moved to Arizona, I've kept my eye out for slow cooker recipes to reduce the amount of heat coming from my kitchen. I scored this one out of the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. I'm always a sucker for Chinese recipes, and this dish did not disappoint. It was really easy and we enjoyed it very much. I couldn't find a "beef gravy" mix at the store, so I used a brown gravy mix packet and it worked fine. The meat turned out tender the flavors were really good. If you wanted, you could throw in a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes if you want a slight "kick" to the dish.

Oriental Beef & Broccoli

6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, cut into wedges (I used about 2 Tbl dehydrated onion flakes)
1-1/2 lbs beef round steak, bias-sliced into 1/2 inch strips
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (I used about 1 tsp ground ginger powder)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used my garlic press)
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1, 3/4 oz. envelope of beef gravy mix
4 cups broccoli florets
3 cups hot cooked rice

1. In a 3-1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, place carrots, onions, beef strips, ginger and garlic. Stir together water, soy sauce, and beef gravy mix. Pour over meat and vegetables in cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

3. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in broccoli florets. Cover and cook 15 minutes more oruntil broccoli is crisp-tender. Serve over hot rice.

Shrimp Orzo Skillet

2011-09-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

This dish comes from the Pampered Chef cookbook, 29 minutes to dinner. It was fast and easy, and my husband loved it- unfortunately, my boys refused to try it. Otherwise, a delicious, healthy, quick dinner!

Shrimp Orzo Skillet

Shrimp:

8 oz. large uncooked shrimp (21-25 count per pound)

1 Tbsp. fegetable oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. sugar (it brings out the sweetnes in the shrimp)

Orzo:

8 oz. orzo pasta

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup clam juice (I used chicken broth)

1 lemon

1 Tbsp thinkly sliced fresh mint (I left out and sprinkled in dry parsley with the orzo)

1 cup frozen peas

1 Tbsp butter

1. For shirmp, peel and devein shrimp. Add oil to large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until simmering. As skillet heats, comine salt, pepper and sugar in small batter bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat (I threw everything in a ziploc baggie and tossed it that way).

2. Arrange shrimp in a single layer over bottom of skillet and cook about 1 minute or until one side is browned and edges are pink. Remove skillet from heat and turn shrimp over; let stand an additional 30 seconds or until centers are opaque and shrimp is cooked through. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.

3. For orzo, in same skillet, combine orzo, pressed garlic, broth and clam juice. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 10-12 minutes or until orzo is cooked through (there will still be sauce in the pan).

4. As orzo cooks, zest lemon to measure 1 Tbsp. and juice lemon to measure 1 Tbsp juice. Thinkly slice mint.

5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in peas, butter and lemon juice. Arrange shrimp over orzo; cover and let stand 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with lemon zest and mint before serving.

Chicken Club Pizza

2011-08-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

My husband and I dined in on our anniversary this year, and this is what we made. We both loved it. My husband usually eats his vegetable grudgingly, but in his words, the tomato and lettuce on the top add a "nice crunch" and give it texture. I like this recipe, too, because I usually have everything on hand, except for maybe the bacon, so it's pretty easy to throw together. I made my own pizza crust instead of using store bought. If you use your own pizza dough, just make enough to cover an entire cookie sheet, or just use the topping ingredients to taste if you want to make a smaller pizza. The other thing I would suggest is that if you are going to have leftovers, leave the lettuce, tomato, and extra ranch off to be added onto the pizza as needed. That way the veggies don't wilt. This recipe came from a Kraft foods magazine.

Chicken Club Pizza

1 can (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust (I made my own)
1/4 cup mayo (left this out)
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing, divided (I used probably close to 3/4 cup to 1 cup to make up for the mayo)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
1-1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (don't cook it too crispy since it will also bake in the oven a little)
1-1/2 cups finely shredded lettuce
1 tomato, finely chopped (I also seeded my tomato)

Heat oven to 400*F.

Unroll pizza dough on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; press into 15x10-inch rectangle. Bake 10 minutes. (If using your own dough, I would just roll the dough out top it as you would a normal pizza and bake it until the crust is done and the cheese is melted and bubbling.)

Mix may and 1/3 cup dressing; spread onto crust. Top with half the cheese, chicken, remaining cheese, and bacon.

Bake 5 minutes, or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Top with lettuce and tomatoes; drizzle with remaining dressing.

Blueberry Muffins

2011-08-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

I made these muffins to use up some blueberries I had in the freezer, and I was surprised how fast my 3-year old gobbled these up. We will definitely be making these again as they make a good breakfast when paired with yogurt or milk. The recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Blueberry Muffins

Muffins:
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 c milk
1/4 c oil
3/4 blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp lemon zest, optional (I left this out)

Streusel topping:
3 Tbl flour
3 Tbl brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbl cold butter
2 Tbl chopped nuts, optional (I left these out)

Grease twelve 2-1/2 inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In another bowl combine egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Combine first three ingredients of streusel topping in a small bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts, if desired. Sprinkle over batter in muffin tins. Bake in a 400*F oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comesout clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rach for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.

Guiltless Alfredo sauce

2011-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

My husband really likes Alfredo sauce, but it can be very heavy and loaded with fat. Which translates to a once in a long while type of dinner. I tried this version that utilizes low fat cream cheese for a lighter version, and it was delicious! Even the critics in our house who insist they hate cream cheese ate this up. Again, this recipe came from the Our Best Bites cookbook, and I'm telling you, those ladies really know what they are doing! Thanks Kate and Sara for another wonderful recipe!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

2 cups low-fat milk (I used 1%)

1/3 cup (3 oz.) low-fat cream cheese

2 Tbl flour

1 tsp kosher salt (I used regular salt)

1 Tbl butter

3 garlic cloves, minced (I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder, but I'll go down to 1/4 tsp next time)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese***

In a blender, blend the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt until smooth and set aside.

In a large, nonstick pan, melt butter on medium-high heat and add the garlic. Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from sticking and burning.

Add the milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more or until the sauce thickens, about 6-7 minutes.

Once the sauce has started to thicken, remove from heat. Whisk the cheese into the sauce and immediately cover the pan.

Allow the sauce to stach for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing.

Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers for upt to 5 days. The sauce will become very thick once refrigerated. To use it, reheat the sauce and add a little milk until the desired consistency is reached.

Spicy Honey Chicken

2011-07-31T15:49:00.000-07:00

When we made the Naan bread I posted last time, we also made this yummy chicken and used it as a filling for the bread. We also filled the bread with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, avocados and ranch dressing. The recipe came from the Our Best Bites cookbook that I perused while visiting my mom, but it can also be found on their blog here. If you click over, at the bottom of the recipe is a link to the salad they like to use this chicken for. They say it's one of their most popular recipes, and I can see why. This is a definite winner!

Spicy Honey Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (They say thighs work best, but I used breasts and it worked fine)

2 t vegetable oil
Rub:
2 t granulated garlic

2 t chili powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t coriander

1 t kosher salt

1 t cumin

1/2 t chipotle chili powder (I just used regular chili powder again)
Glaze:

1/2 C Honey

1T Cider Vinegar

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well. Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.
I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.
If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze! Drizzle the remaining glaze over the top and serve.

Naan

2011-07-10T19:09:00.001-07:00

Naan is an indian flatbread, similar to a pita or tortilla. These are really easy, they just require planning since they do require a rise time. We filled these with some chicken, tomato, lettuce, avocado, and red onions (we used them like taco shells). I also substituted 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat flour and it worked great! I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from the wonderful Melanie from My Kitchen Cafe.

Naan

3-4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon sugar

3-4 tablespoons, melted butter

Pour the milk into a liquid measure and heat in the microwave until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). If using active dry yeast, mix the sugar and yeast into the milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and the yeast has activated. Once the yeast/milk mixture is foamy, pour the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour (proceed with the second paragraph of the recipe). If using instant yeast, pour the warm milk into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the sugar, instant yeast, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Proceed as directed below.

Mix well to combine. Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts, until a soft dough is formed that cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest at room temperature, covered lightly with greased plastic wrap, for about 2 hours.

After the dough has rested, turn it onto a lightly floured surface (I like to use my roul’pat for this) and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, try grilling the dough on a lightly oiled outdoor grill or use a hot griddle to bake the naan – you’ll have to experiment with cooking times but I’ve seen either of those methods used with cooking naan also.)

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6-8 inches wide, depending on how thin or thick you want your naan. Lay the circle of dough on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water. Close the oven and bake the naan for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top. Remove the naan from the baking stone and place on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven. Cover with a towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

Black Bean Taquitos

2011-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I was visiting my family for a couple of weeks and my mom bought the Our Best Bites cookbook. I was flipping it through to see if there were any recipes I wanted to snag before I came home, and I came across this version of taquitos. It's the same idea as the chicken taquitos I posted before (also from Our Best Bites) but it is a bean version. To be honest, I was a little concerned that one of the ingredients was spinach. I thought, really? I don't want the earthy flavor of the spinach in a taquito, but I gave it a try anyways. I was so surprised because you couldn't taste the spinach at all! In fact, my husband, who always tries to avoid eating as many vegetables as possible gobbled these right up. We served them with salsa and sour cream, but I think they'd also be great with some guacamole. I hope you try these, they were awesome!

Black Bean Taquitos

1, 14-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbl. bottled salsa

1 garlic clove, minced (I used a garlic press)

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbl. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

1, 10-oz. box frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and roughly chopped (I bought chopped frozen spinach, but once it's frozen, be sure to squeeze as much water as you can out of the spinach)

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers (I made my own and used a total of 1 whole pepper)

1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

8-10 soft taco-sized whole wheat tortillas (regular flour tortillas would work)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 3/4 cup of bean in a food processor with the salsa, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Process until mostly smooth. (I think it would be possible to just mash the beans if you don't have a food processor, or you could also use a blender) Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and add remaining ingredients (except tortillas), including the rest of the beans. Mix together.

Place about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crisp.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2011-06-29T15:06:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up, I loved it when my mom would make tuna noodle casserole. Unfortunately, my dad isn't a huge fan of warm tuna, so it was very rare that we had it for dinner. So she taught me how to make it so I could satisfy my cravings. I remember everyone complaining about the tuna smell whenever I'd heat up the leftovers. Funny enought, my mom actually sent me a recipe recently for a tuna casserole that is a little more refined than what I used to whip up in high school and college. It doesn't use cream of soups, instead it's a white sauce base and the tuna smell and taste is very mild. This was a crowd pleaser at our house and we will definitely revisit it in the future!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/2 cup butter, divided
1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (I used 1 can of sliced mushrooms)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree. Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10minutes, until al dente, and drain.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, celery,and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mixin mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid hasevaporated.
4. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth.Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth andslightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture,and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in asmall bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with cheese.
5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Asian Drumsticks

2011-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was skeptical about this recipe, but since chicken drumsticks are cheap and the rest of the ingredients are pretty cheap, I figured I give it a shot. And it was great! The chicken really had a lot of flavor- but maybe a little too much cayenne pepper. We'll cut that down next time to 1/2 of the amount. But otherwise, I heard zero complaints and it gave me another recipe to throw in the mix when I have a craving for Chinese Food. We served these with fried rice and the recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens "Dinners for Less" magazine.

Asian Drumsticks

8-12 chicken drumsticks (about 2-3 pounds; I also removed the skin)
2/3 cup frozen pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tbl soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbl packed brown sugar

Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine the juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic salt, and cayenne. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade for sauce. Pour the remaining marinade over chicken. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occassionally.

In a small bowl, combine the reserved marinade and brown sugar; chill sauce until needed.

Preheat oven to 375* F. Drain chicken and discard marinade. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan (I used a baking sheet lined with foil). Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Brush both sides of chicken with some of the sauce. Bake for 15-20 minutes more, or until chicken is no longer pink (180*F; my chicken took about 30 minutes after the initial 25- so make sure to check!), brushing twice with the remaining sauce.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Root Beer BBQ Pork Sandwiches

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

This was really good despite the fact that it has sweet soda in it! In fact, you can't really taste the sweetness or rootbeer flavor in the pork. It's just a juicy, tender pork roast, that is shreds wonderfully and is perfect as a sandwich filling. You could also use it in a salad or wrapped up in a tortilla with your favorite taco fillings. I used a 2-liter bottle of A&W rootbeer, but you can use cans if you want- it's just cheaper to buy a 2-liter bottle. The only adjustment I think that I'll make next time is to drain the juices from the roast before I shred it and add the BBQ sauce- the meat was just really wet and made our buns really soggy. If your roast looks dry, you could reserve the drained juices and add them back into the roast as needed to help add some moisture. And if you are concerned about the cut of the pork roast- it doesn't really matter. A cut without the bone is easiest for shredding, but even then if you roast has a bone, it should slip out pretty easy once the roast is done cooking. The recipe comes from a freezer meal computer software program called 30 Meals in One Day and it's a welcome addition to my crockpot recipes!

Root Beer BBQ Pork Sandwiches

1, 3 lb pork sirloin roast
1 cup root beer
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups onion, wedges (about 2 small onions; I would thinly slice the onions if you are going to keep the onions in with the pork at the end)
2 Tbl garlic, minced (I used somewhere around 7-8 cloves)
2 12 oz cans root beer (about 3 cups of rootbeer)
1 12 oz bottle chili sauce

Trim any visible fat from roast. Cut roast into 4 pieces and place in slow cooker. Pour 1 cup root beer over roast. Sprinkle meat with the salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours (Low will help the roast be more tender and easier to shred). In a medium saucepan combine root beer and chili sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 2 cups. Remove roast and onions from slow cooker. Allow to cool enough to handle. Discard broth (I didn't this time, but I will next time- the buns were soaked by the extra juices). Shred meat and combine with onions (I didn't add the onions back in). Pour root beer sauce over all. Stir to coat. Serve on buns with lettuce and tomatoes, if desired.

Directions for freezing:

Allow to cool completely. Place in freezer bag or container. For individual servings, spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Fill muffin cups with meat and sauce. Cover and place pan in freezer just until frozen. Pop out and place in gallon freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and heat. Line buns with lettuce leaves and tomato slices. Add meat, onions and sauce.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since my husband was recently accepted into optometry school in Arizona, I've been trying to come up with ways to survive the heat. One of my solutions is to try and use the crockpot more in my cooking to cut down on the amount of heat coming from my oven. So I've been on the lookout for good crockpot recipes, and I am so glad I came across this one. Macaroni and Cheese is always big around my house, and this recipe makes quite a bit. I would say that you could feed around 5-6 adults with one recipe, and that's if you serve it with sides. We had it with peas and orange jello with madarin oranges in it. Adding a roll or biscuit or muffin of sometype would also allow you to stretch the amount if needed. Either way, thanks Lynn from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures for sharing this wonderful recipe! One last thing- if you are wondering about the egg, it just helps the whole dish set up so it isn't soupy.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

1 package (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
1/2 cup stick margarine, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

1 cup milk

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker (the ingredients will only fill the crock between 1/2 and 2/3 of the way- so if your crockpot is a little bit smaller, it would probably work, too); add margarine. In a bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, soup, milk and 4 cups cheese. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. (this will vary by crockpot, Lynn's takes about 3 hours and mine took almost 4 hours.)

Dinner Crepes

2011-04-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

In this house, we loooooove crepes. We typically have them for breakfast, sometimes for dessert, but I'd never heard of savory fillings until a few years ago. I hadn't really ever bothered to make them for dinner, though, because the only time I'd ever had a savory crepe had left me feeling gypped. Then my Taste of Home magazine came this month and there was a recipe called "Hubby's Favorite Crepes." It's got it all: chicken, mushrooms, sour cream...mmmmmmmmmmm... We had them last week, and really enjoyed them! I have my own crepe recipe, but it's ALL the way over in the kitchen and my apartment suddenly feels huge. This one is from Taste of Home as well.

Crepes~

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. milk (2%)

4 eggs

1 c. flour

1 1/2 t. sugar

1/8 t. salt

8 t. butter

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add to milk mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Melt 1 t. butter in 8-in. pan over medium heat. Pour 2 T. butter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack.

3. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter to skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels between.

Note: I just use some cooking spray to spray the pan rather than melting butter, although I did start out doing it the other way. I just figure it saves on butter and it's fast. Just don't do too much or you'll get crispy edges--which, maybe, you like.

Filling~

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 c. milk

2 t. chicken bouillon granules

1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 c. sour cream

3 T. sherry (cooking sherry is just a low-quality red wine; dark grape juice works fine)

2 c. cooked chicken, chopped

minced parsley

Directions:

1. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter; stir in flour. Add milk, bouillon, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in sour cream and sherry/grape juice. Reserve 1 c. of sauce to use as a gravy.

2. Add chicken and parsley to remaining sauce. Spoon filling into 15 prepared crepes (I don't think I got that many). Roll and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Chinese Pork, Broccoli and Peppers

2011-04-19T12:50:00.001-07:00

Aaah, cooking.... I am finally back on track to be cooking more frequently, which means that there might actually be more posts to read more frequently! To get back in the swing of things, I decided to give a new Chinese food recipe a whirl. This particular recipe is adapted from another library find, "Dinners in a Dash or a Dish" by Jean Anderson. And can I say, this was the BEST homemade stir-fry I have ever made! I think the reason I liked it more than the other ones is that the majority of this sauce comes from soy sauce whereas the other stir-fry sauces I've made were based on chicken broth- which is yummy, but soy sauce has so much more flavor. We will be making this again! I also think that it would be delicious with snow peas thrown in with the broccoli and peppers, as well as some bean sprouts thrown in when you add the sauce. The recipe also stated that it would be good using beef and chicken as well, which means it can be even more budget friendly because you can use whatever is on sale or whatever you have hanging around in the fridge or freezer! I love those kinds of meals!

Chinese Pork, Broccoli and Peppers

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbl. chicken broth (I used 3 Tbl. water + 1/2 tsp. chicken boullion)

1 Tbl. brown sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

3 Tbl. oil (I used olive oil, but use whatever you have)

1 lb. well'trimmed boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2" strips

1 medium onion, quartered lengthwise and each quarter thinly sliced

1 large garlic clove, finely minced (or use a garlic press)

1 Tbl finely minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 to 1 tsp powdered ginger)

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2" strips

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2" strips

1 to 1-1/2 c. broccoli florets

Combine soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and cornstarch in small bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in large, heavey skillet or wok over high heat. When hot, add pork and stir-fry until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Note: The pork will not be completely cooked through at this point since it will be cooked again when you add the sauce to the skillet. With slotted spoon, lift pork to large bowl and reserve.

Add onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and greed and red bell peppers to skillet and stir-fry over high heat until onion begins to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

Return pork to skillet, add soy mixture, and cook and stir just until mixture bubbles, thickens slightly, and turns clear, 3 to 4 minutes. Note: Make sure the pork is cooked all the way through before serving. Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Buttercream Frosting and Cake Decorating Tip

2011-04-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the frosting recipe I used for the birthday cake from last week as well as how I typically decorate my cakes using frosting, not fondant (And don't worry, it's super easy!). I just used a simple buttercream frosting (I used the one from Wilton, and it follows my decorating tip) and then dyed it the colors I needed for decorating. When dying the frosting, I like to use the food coloring gels you can get in the cake decorating section of the craft store because it allows the color to be more bold while using less coloring. Then I frost the entire cake using whatever color I want to be the background of my "artwork". Then I make an imprint in the frosting base using a cookie cutter or other template, like this:

To create your own template, you can draw the design on a piece of paper, cut it out, and then use that as your template, or you can find a picture in Microsoft Word's clip art or on the internet, cut it out, and then trace onto the cake using a skewer or toothpick. I have found that images with clean lines work the best. Then you can either continue cutting your template to trace the inside designs, or if you are feeling artistic, you can free hand it. Then I just pipe the icing onto the top of the cake directly ontop of the lines you created in the frosting. That way, no one will no you traced! I like to start by outlining the area before I fill it in because I feel it gives it a cleaner edge. As for piping decorative borders, I just fake it. But I'm sure you could probably find a tutorial somewhere for that. Or check out a cake decorating book from the library and practice. Here are some pictures of a couple of more cakes I made using this method:

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (I used butter)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.) 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Yields about 3 cups of icing. If you find your frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, if it is too thick, add 1 tsp of milk at a time until it is the right consistency.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

Golden Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

2011-04-12T19:28:00.001-07:00

I feel like such a slacker with posting here on Budget Bites, but I've been spoiled as my mother-in-law has been doing most of the cooking the last month. I did finally get a chance to try a few new recipes out when I made a birthday cake for a good friend's son's birthday last week. So I'm going to share the cake and filling recipes today, and then I'll share the frosting recipe as well as my simple method for decorating birthday cakes using frosting (I've never tasted fondant and I've never used fondant, so I stick with frosting). But just to be clear, I have never taken a cake decorating class, and I don't claim to be an expert cake decorator by any stretch of the imagination. I just have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. So I hope I can give you a little bit of courage/motivation to try to make a special cake for your next special occasion instead of forking over the big bucks for a store-bought version.

Recipe #1- The cake

This recipe came from the King Arthur Flour website and is not a light and fluffy cake. It was closer to a pound cake, but it still wasn't that heavy. I think that it is the perfect texture to stand up to a wet filling such as a strawberry filling because it resists becoming soggy. I found the recipe to be really easy to combine as long as you follow the tips listed on the recipe. What tips? Well for starters, the butter and milk should be room temperature (I also allowed my eggs to reach room temperature) and the butter should be "very soft". All that "very soft" means is that if you touch the butter gently with your finger, you leave an imprint. The original recipe suggested that if you need help warming up the butter, you can place the stick of butter in warm, not hot, water for 10 minutes. I'd just suggest setting the butter out the night before you want to do your baking, and set the milk and eggs out 2-3 hours before you start baking. I did have to adjust my baking time for a little longer, but the way to guage that for yourself and your oven is to start with the lowest baking time and checking the center of the cake with a toothpick. If it's not done, bake for 5 minutes and then check again for doneness. Repeat as needed. Also, if you have questions about what the batter should look like, visit the King Arthur website as they have a picture for each step. This recipe yields about 6 cups of batter, which will allow for approximately 1-9"x13" cake, 2- 9" round cakes, 3- 8" round cakes, or 24 cupcakes.

Golden Vanilla Cake

2 cups sugar 3 1/4 cups flour 2 1/2 teaspoons bakig powder

1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft (I used salted butter and decreased the salt to 3/4 tsp) 1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour your choice of pan(s): one 9" x 13" pan, two 9" round cake pans, three 8" round pans, or the wells of two muffin tins (24 muffin cups). You can also line the muffin tins with papers, and spray the insides of the papers. I like to also cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the bottom of my cake pans so that I don't have the bottom of my cake stuck to the inside of the pan when I remove the cake. Just trace the bottom of the pan onto a piece of parchment paper and cut out inside of the line. Place in bottom of pan and spray with cooking spray.

1- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.

2- Add the butter and beat with an electric mixer at low speed, until the mixture looks sandy.

3- Combine the milk and vanilla and add, all at once. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

4- Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.

5- With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

6- Repeat this procedure with the second egg. Continue adding the eggs, scraping after each addition, until all 4 are added.

7- After the last egg is added, scrape the bowl once more, then beat at medium-high speed for 30 more seconds.

8- Transfer the batter to the pans of your choice. For layers, divide the batter among the pans. Smooth out the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a tablespoon.For cupcakes, scoop by heaping 1/4-cupfuls into the prepared muffin tins.

9- Bake for 40 minutes for a 9" x 13" pan; 27 minutes for 9" layers (mine took 40 minutes); 24 minutes for 8" layers, or 23 to 25 minutes for cupcakes (mine took about 30 minutes).

10- The cake is done when it's golden brown around the edges and just beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

11- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool before removing it from the pan.

Recipe #2- The filling

The request I had for the cake was to just have a normal flavor, hence why I chose the vanilla cake since not everyone is into chocolate (heaven knows why! :) But I didn't want it to be boring, so I decided a flavored filling would be good instead of the buttercream that I would normally put between layers. And since it was my first time making a cake filling, I turned to Wilton, the cake experts. This filling closely resembles jam and is not too sweet. The only change I made to this recipe is that instead of adding the sliced strawberries to the filling at the end, I pureed them in the food processor so the filling would be more smooth and the strawberries more evenly distributed. And if you end up with extra filling, it freezes well, or you could use it for the filling in crepes or a topping on pancakes/waffles or heck, you could even use it as a jam if you wanted to! This recipe makes about 2 cups of filling and can be used to make raspberry or pineapple filling as well (use 16 oz. frozen raspberries in syrup or 16 oz. can crushed pineapple in syrup in place of the frozen strawberries).

Strawberry Filling

1 pkg (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries , packed in sugar and thawed 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Drain strawberries; reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups. In large saucepan, combine strawberry liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir strawberries into the cooled mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

***IMPORTANT***: If using this filling between layers of cake, be sure to pipe a "wall" of frosting all the way around the edge of the "bottom" cake layer before spooning the filling onto the cake. I didn't do this the first time, and the filling got smeared with my frosting on the outside of the cake and the filling didn't look as neat and even as it did the second time around.

Cheesy Baked Pasta Casserole

2011-03-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

This was really easy to throw together and used things I keep on hand--perfect for a last-minute meal option. It's originally from Woman's Day magazine.

Ingredients:
12 oz. bowtie pasta
1 bag (12 oz.) broccoli florets

1 T. butter
2 shallots, chopped (I used green onions)
1 pkg. (8 oz) sliced mushrooms
4 c. whole milk (I used 2% and it came out fine)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
ground pepper
salt
1 bag (5 oz.) baby spinach (I just threw in two or three big handfuls since I don't buy 5 oz. bags)
1 1/4 c. grated white cheese of your choice
1/2 c. grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425* F. Grease a 3-qt. baking dish.
2. Cook pasta according to package. Add broccoli the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pot.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in large deep skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms and saute until tender (about 5 minutes).
4. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 5 minutes); stir in spinach. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of white cheese and the Parmesan.
5. Pour sauce into pasta and broccoli. Toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
6. Bake until the cheese melts and is beginning to brown (about 10 minutes).

Note: As is typical with casseroles, this was better the second day. WD gives these instructions for making it ahead:
1. After completing step 5, let casserole cool for 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
2. On the night you plan to serve it, remove casserole from refrigerator and replace plastic wrap with nonstick aluminum foil. Bake at 425* F. oven for 30 minutes; uncover and bake until beginning to brown (about 10 minutes).

Farmstyle Spaghetti and Meatballs

2011-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

This tasted great and seemed to be a family pleaser. We will be revisiting this recipe again. Thanks mom for the great meal idea!

Farmstyle Spaghetti and Meatballs

Note from the original recipe: "The sauce on this dish is not a thick and chunky sauce like many of you might be used to. It is a light, “soupy” sauce, which complements the seasoned meatballs and pasta perfectly, in my opinion!"

For the meatballs:
2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs and omitted the aditional Italian seasoning)
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Using your hands, combine all the ingredients until well blended. Pinch off pieces of the meat mixture and shape into meatballs. Place in a large stock pot or dutch oven, then follow remaining instructions.

For the sauce:
1, 29 oz. can Tomato Sauce
1/2 of tomato sauce can of water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 pinch ground cloves (don’t skip this… it is the “secret” ingredient)

In a large bowl, stir together sauce ingredients. Add to the stock pot with the meatballs and stir. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low, place the lid on the pot, and cook until meatballs are cooked through. Depending on the size of your meatballs, this will be 30-45 minutes. (You can simmer this over low heat on your stove for a longer period of time, just remember to occasionally stir.).
Serve over 1 lb. thick spaghetti. Make sure to reserve a small amount of your pasta water and toss with your spaghetti after draining. This will help the sauce to stick to the pasta. Now, tuck your napkin in your shirt and enjoy! (I did notice that the sauce seemed really runny at first, but after I let it sit for a couple of minutes, the pasta soaked some of it up so it wasn't too bad)

45 Minute Bread Sticks

2011-02-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

Another recipe from my mom, these bread sticks are perfect to get started before making a quick dinner such as spaghetti or soup. They come together really fast (hence the name) and are soft and chewy, plus they make a lot. I had enough plus leftovers when serving 6 adults and 2 kids (We had the spaghetti with them, and it was yummy!). You can also use whatever seasonings you want to on top. My mom used a garlic bread seasoning, but I just used garlic salt in addition to the parmesan cheese. I hope you enjoy them, too!

45 Minute Bread Sticks

1 1/2 C warm water

2 T sugar

1 T yeast

1/2 t salt

3 1/2- 4 C flour

1/4 C butter

3/4 C grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese (I used parmesan in the can)

Johnny's Garlic Seasoning (or seasoning of choice- I used garlic salt)

1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup or in the bottom of your mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until it is well incorporated. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter and pour half of it into a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet).

4. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it MUCH easier to shape.

5. Spread the dough out flat onto the pan until it reaches all of the edges. Doing all of the spreading and cutting of these bread sticks, in the pan makes cleaning up your counter so much easier!

6. Pour the other half of the butter onto the dough. Spread it around with your hands. Sprinkle the Johnny's Garlic Seasoning all over the dough, and then the Parmesan cheese.

7. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into three rows lengthwise (I only made 2 rows), and then into about 12 little height wise rows.

8. Put the pan into a 170 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. The breadsticks should rise about 1 inch.

9. Turn you oven up to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. When they come out of the oven let them sit and rest again for about 5 minutes. Then redefine your cutting lines with the pizza cutter.

Monster Cookies

2011-02-06T13:25:00.001-08:00

This cookie recipe came from one of my mom's good friends, Dana. Her boys are allergic to several things, one thing being wheat gluten, so she is always on the look out for gluten-free recipes. The original recipe makes A TON of cookies- in fact so much that even when I quartered the recipe, it made 7 dozen cookies! I made normal sized cookies, but there are instructions for the recipe for making cookies that are the size of a saucer. So just remember, the recipe I have below is 1/4 of the original recipe. The only other thing I want to add is that you could add in raisins or nuts, too, if you wanted. We hope you enjoy this recipe as it is now one of our favorites!

Monster Cookies

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. + 2 Tbl. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1-1/4 c. peanut butter (I used creamy, but you could use crunchy)
scant 2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. vanilla
4-1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. plain M&M'S®
1 c. chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

In a very large bowl, mix ingredients in order given. Make sure the dough is mixed well. Drop on a cookie sheet about 5 cookies to a sheet with ice cream scoop and flatten. Or use a regular cookie scoop and flatten slightly for smaller cookies. Preheat oven to 350* F (175* C). Bake for 12 minutes for larger cookies and 9 for smaller . These burn easily so don't overcook. Makes about 20-30 saucer size cookies or 7 dozen regular size.

Note: This recipe does not call for flour.

Tatertot Casserole

2011-01-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I decided that I'm going to only be posting when I have something to share that I want to share. I don't really like the pressure of posting frequently just to have posts up. It makes me feel like I have to post whatever I make, even if I don't completely love the recipe. Plus I'm only cooking 50% of the time since I'm living with my in-laws. So sorry if posts are a bit more sparatic.

Anyways, this recipe comes from my MIL Schenk Family cookbook. I never had tatertot casserole before I lived with my inlaws, but when my MIL cooked it for dinner one night, I fell in love! (In fact I had a craving for it during the last couple of weeks, so I finally made it for dinner last night!) In the cookbook it was titled "Finicky Kids Casserole", so obviously this was someone's solution to getting their kids to actually eat their dinner. It can be a little on the saltier side (but not super bad) so I would use low sodium soup to help cut the salt. Something that I'll try next time is instead of layering the ground beef, tatertots and soups, I am going to mix them up together and then add the cheese on top. The reason being just that when I made it, the cream of chicken soup didn't go all the way to the meat and so the meat didn't really "stick" to the rest of the casserole (Plus it would make it less noticeable if I were to reduce the ground beef to 1 lb.). Also, you could probably use whatever cream soups you have on hand. I was thinking it might be fun to try a cream of celery with a cream of mushroom. However you make it, I hope you enjoy this too!

Tatertot Casserole

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large pkg. tatertots (My package was 32 oz.)

2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1-1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup

Brown beef and chopped onion; drain well. Spread in a 9X13" pan. Sprinkle onion soup mix over beef. Evenly distribute tatertots over onion. Spoon soup over potatoes. Sprinkle cheese over top and bake for 35-45 minutes at 350* F (I baked mine for a little more than 45 minutes and it was perfect. Just make sure the casserole is warm all the way through and that the tatertots aren't raw.)

Pear Scones

2011-01-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

I made these this morning for breakfast. They're quick and easy and only use one pear--which makes them great in my book! (I like having pears to eat fresh too!) I found this off of Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 c. butter, chilled
1 egg
1/2 c. half-and-half
1 chopped pear

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly texture. In separate bowl, whisk together egg and half-and-half. Add to the flour mixture until combined. Stir in pear.
3. On lightly floured surface, turn out dough. Pat down until it's about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Cut into triangles or rounds and place on ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake until golden brown (about 15 minutes); rest briefly on a cooling rack before serving. Serve with butter and honey or any jam.

Note: Instead of half-and-half, I used evaporated milk, which, by the way, you can make from dry milk by mixing together 2/3 c. with 3/4 c. water. (Makes 1 cup.) I also added chopped walnuts. They were really good!

Marinated Pork Chops

2011-01-09T14:54:00.001-08:00

We made these for dinner last month and I've been meaning to post them because they were sooo good! In fact, my almost-1-year-old picked all the meat out of his dinner and ate it before he ate anything else. The recipe comes from a family friend that gave me the recipe at my bridal shower a little over 3 years ago. I did grill the chops, but you could also bake them (since I know not everywhere has weather condusive to grilling in the middle of winter!). I would probably bake them at 375*F for about 45 minutes- I'm guessing at the time. Just make sure that the juices run clear and the meat is cooked through. Or if you are a broiler pro (I am not) you could also broil the chops. However you cook them, these will be sure to please!

Marinated Pork Chops

4 boneless pork loin chops (you could use any cut of pork chop)

1 cup apple cider

2 Tbl brown sugar

1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Mix the marinade together, add the chops and marinate 4-6 hours. Bake till juice runs clear or grill!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2010-12-13T20:05:00.001-08:00

I saw these taquitos over at Our Best Bites awhile ago, and when my mom tried them and loved them, I knew I'd have to have a go at them. I'm so glad that I did! My mom's only complaint was that the recipe was really spicy, and since my husband can't handle much spice I made a couple of changes (the recipe below is what I did). And the result was delicious! I was skeptical about if the tortillas would actually crisp in the oven and they did! We used around 16 fajita size flour tortillas for one recipe of the filling, and they were perfect! I also served our taquitos with extra salsa, sour cream and guacamole. We will definitely be making these again. (And thanks mom for letting me steal your picture- I hate it when my 2 year old steals my camera batteries! :)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C salsa
1T fresh lime juice (about the juice of 1 lime)
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1/2 C grated pepperjack cheese
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
small corn or flour tortillas (I used flour fajita sized tortillas)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. (Our Best Bites notes: It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.) Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

2010-12-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving, we spent the day with my husband's family. And since everyone lives close together, the meal components are split up so no one person is stuck in the kitchen all by themselves slaving over dinner. When they asked me what I'd like to make, I knew I'd have to make these pumpkin cake rolls. I remember my mom making them for us on Thanksgiving growing up, and they were quite possibly my favorite dessert to eat after the turkey spread. No matter the time of year, this pumkin cake roll with cream cheese frosting on the inside is sure to hit the spot. And my favorite way to eat it? Right out of the fridge!

Pumpkin Cake Roll

For Cake:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper and grease paper. Set aside. Beat eggs till lemon colored. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; add to egg-pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts (if using.) Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on kitchen towel. Turn cake onto towel, and remove wax paper. Roll up cake and towel lengthwise and allow to cool. While the cake is cooling, prepare the filling.

For Filling:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whip butter and cream cheese together. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll up again. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

2010-12-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on an advertisement in the newspaper a week or so ago and knew I had to try them. I love cherries and chocolate--and shortbread! How could it go wrong? They're really easy and chances are you've already got most of the stuff in your cabinets.

Ingredients:
1 c. butter, softened (no subs.)
1/2 c. sugar, plus 1 T. for dipping
1/2 t. almond extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. corn starch
1/2 c. finely chopped dried cherries (they recommend Sunsweet)
about 1/4 c. finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:
1. Mix butter, sugar, and almond extract thoroughly using an electric mixer. Gradually blend in flour and corn starch. Add cherries and chocolate.
2. Form into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Pour extra sugar onto small plate and dip the bottom of a water glass into it then press gently down on top of the cookies to flatten. (You may need to moisten the glass somehow. I used a tad of cooking spray.)
3. Bake at 300* F. for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely.

This recipe also drizzles some melted chocolate on top (in a freezer bag, put 1/2 c. chocolate chips and 1 t. shortening, microwave on high for about 30 seconds. Snip off corner and drizzle over cookies.) but I thought it was just perfect without it. Also, they tasted even better the next day, so they're great to make a day or two ahead of a cookie exchange or to give to neighbors!

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

2010-12-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

My mom made this a while ago for a luncheon after we blessed my youngest son at church. It was the first pot of soup to be emptied, so I knew I'd have to make it again in the future. Well the "future" came this week, and everyone loved it again! The carrots add a touch of sweetness that works great with the cheese and broccoli.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 medium chopped onion

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 lb fresh broccoli

1 cup carrot, julienned

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Directions

1.Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.

2.Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.

3.Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4.Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

5.Add salt and pepper. Put portions in the blender and purée. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

Oh Boy Waffles

2010-12-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Renae. Her go to recipe, these waffles remind me of another recipe callede "waffles of insane greatness" (as I search for the link on the blog, I'm shocked to see it not posted- so I promise, I'll work on fixing that because they are awesome!). The difference is that these waffles don't call for buttermilk, whole milk, or cornstarch. These are more of the basice waffle ingredients, but they are crisp and oh so yummy! This recipe should make around 10-12 belgian waffles.

Oh Boy Waffles

2-1/4 cup flour

4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 Tbl sugar

2 eggs

2-1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

Mix all the ingredients together. Bake in preheated waffle baker until golden brown. Serve with your favorite breakfast syrup or topping.

US Senate Bean Soup

2010-11-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

When I try to plan frugal meals, I tend to try to incorporate beans since they are cheap, yet pack a nutritional punch. I just wish I had more yummy bean recipes! :) I found the original recipe for this soup that uses beans in the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and we loved it! My husband said he could have kept eating it all night long, and I wish he would have because this recipe made a ton of soup! In fact, there was too much of it to fit in the crockpot I had! 4 adults ate a little less than half of what this recipe yields, so if you have a smaller family, I'd definitely suggest cutting it in half. I also didn't have a hamhock (nor could I find one at the store), so I used bacon, and since my crockpot couldn't handle the volume of this soup, I had to cook it differently. So the recipe below is not the original, but instead is exactly how I made the soup.

US Senate Bean Soup

1 lb. dried navy beans, cooked and drained
1 lb. bacon
10 cups water
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 medium baking potatoes or 5 small russetts, cubed
6 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 Tbl dried parsley
1/4k tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
salt to taste
1 bay leaf, optional (I used it)

Cook the bacon in the bottom of your soup pot until it starts to brown. Add everything else to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender or until ready to serve. (My soup simmered for about 4-5 hours and the potatoes and beans retained their texture and shape just fine.)

Parker House Rolls

2010-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

I decided to give my go-to roll recipe a break and try a new one. Coming from the 75th Anniversary edition of Joy of Cooking, I like that these rolls are easy to split for spreading with butter and jam. Although they tasted great, I served these cool, but I think they might have been a tad better if they were warm. But that's true of any home-baked good! :) I also changed the size of the rolls to be slightly bigger than the recipe suggest. When I baked these babies up, I noticed that the cooking time of 15 minutes was too generous, so I adjusted the time here to say 12-15 minutes (I baked mine for about 12.5 minutes). But I would suggest checking the rolls around 10 or 11 minutes just to make sure they aren't getting too brown.

Parker House Rolls

1 cup milk
2 Tbl butter, softened
1 Tbl sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbl warm water
1 package (2-1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 large egg, optional (I used it)
3-1/3 to 3-2/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
melted butter (I didn't use)

Heat milk until it is warm, about 105-115* F (I microwaved it for 1 minute). Stir in the softened butter, sugar, and salt. In a large bowl, combine the yeast with the water and let stand until yeast is dissolved, or about 5 minutes.

When the milk mixture is lukewarm, stir it into the yeast mixture. If using, beat in the egg. Stir in part of the flour and then knead in the rest (I just kneaded the dough in the bowl). The goal is to have a dough that is easy to handle. Place finished dough in an oil bowl, and if wanted, brush the top with butter. (I didn't use the butter. Instead, I turned the dough over in the bowl once, so the surface of the dough was coated with oil.)

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Roll the dough into a 30 inch long rope and cut into 30, 1-inch pieces (I cut it into 18 pieces.) Roll each piece into a ball and flatten it into a 2" round. Using the handle of a knife or a rolling pin, score across the middle of each roll. Fold rolls over on the crease and lightly press edges together. Place about 2-inches apart on greased aking sheet. Let rise in a warm place until light, or about 35 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425*F. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. (I brushed the tops of my rolls with butter while they were still warm. I find it helps the tops to stay softer longer.)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2010-11-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

My husband loves chicken cordon bleu, but I had yet to make it for him. So when I came across a recipe for it in the 75th Anniversary Edition of Joy of Cooking, I figured I give it a shot. And of course, I made a change or two. First, I used thawed, frozen chicken, so some of the chicken breasts I used were oddly shaped and were hard to get to stick together. To compensate, I just used toothpicks to hold the meat in place while I baked the chicken and then removed them before serving the chicken. Second, I didn't want to add a bunch of calories by frying, so I baked them instead (I've included both instructions below). This was a huge hit at our house, and is a recipe I will be revisiting.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds)
salt and black pepper, to taste
4 thin slices of ham or pruscuitto (I used sliced ham lunchmeat)
4 thin slices of Gruere of Swiss cheese (I used swiss)
1 c. dry bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs and left out the parsley)
1/4 c. minced parsley (or you could use 2 Tbl dried parsley)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large egg
1 tsp water
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp butter (I didn't use)
1-1/2 tsp olive oil (I didn't use)

Trim any fat or tendons off the chicken. Using one breast at a time, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet (smooth side) or a rolling pin until about 3/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Cover 1/2 the chicken breast with ham and cheese, leaving space around the edges. Fold the chicken over in half to cover the ham and cheese. Press the edges firmly together to seal. A 1-inch cut along the folded edge of the breast will help prevent the chicken packet from opening during cooking (or use toothpicks to secure meat). Repeat with remaining chicken.

In a shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs with parsley, salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, combine/beat together the egg and water. Spread the flour on a plate. Press each side of the chicken packet with flour (shake off the excess), dip it in egg, and then coat with the bread crumbs (lightly press the crumbs into the chicken to help them adhere). Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.

To fry:
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and nut-brown. Add in oil and stir together. Place packets in the skillet and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes each. Drain on papertowels and serve immediately.

To bake:
Place chicken on a greased baking pan. If you want, melt the butter and drizzle it over the chicken (this will help the breadcrumbs brown a little better, but it tastes fine without it). Bake at 375*F for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve.

Peanut Butter Waffles

2010-11-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

The other morning I woke up and decided that peanut butter waffles sounded really good for breakfast, so I went searching for a recipe. I found this one from Cooks.com and it was really good! From the picture you can see that I served them topped with bananas and syrup, but I actually liked it better without the bananas and my son liked eating them plain. However you serve them, maybe with a berry syrup or even just traditional maple syrup, these are a fun way to mix up your morning routine.

Peanut Butter Waffles

1-3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbl creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1-3/4 cup milk

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a bowl. Cream peanut butter with butter until smooth. Beat eggs and milk until blended. Add to peanut butter mixture. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix just until smooth. Bake in a hot waffle iron following manufacturers instructions. Serve immediately with jelly or syrup.

Easy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2010-11-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the half-eaten picture. It was just that good!

This is such an easy recipe, and really good! I've been pestering my old roommate to give it to me, literally for years. Finally a couple weeks ago she sent it and I made it for dinner just tonight!

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooked and shredded chicken
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 pkg. flour tortillas
2 (10 oz) cans green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used Monterey Jack 'cause that's what I keep in the house)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400*. Pour about 2 T. enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13 baking dish.
2. Mix chicken, cream cheese, and chiles together in skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Spoon chicken filling into tortillas, roll up and place seam down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Tangy Meatloaf Topping

2010-11-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest: I hate meatloaf toppings. I hate all the meatloaf toppings I've ever had--except for my mum's. That was pretty good, but still not great. I think it was just a little too sweet. I despise toppings that use more than a tablespoon of ketchup. C'mon people....do we really need more ketchup in our lives?

So when I made meatloaf for the first time I was resolved NOT to use the meatloaf topping that was written down in my old Betty Crocker cookbook (p. 239), which employed--you guessed it--lots of ketchup. So I just kind of played around with some things in my cupboards until EUREKA! I had discovered a tangy topping. It was so good with the savory meatloaf that this is the only one I use now. Try it out for yourself!

Ingredients:
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. lemon juice
3 t. molasses, divided

Directions:
1. Whisk together all ingredients except 1 t. molasses.
2. Spread over finished meatloaf and drizzle extra molasses across the top. Serve hot.

Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti

2010-10-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Lately we've been on a mushroom kick around my house. I used to almost never cook with mushrooms, and in the last couple of months, I've bought fresh mushrooms several times for use in different dishes. Here's the latest dish. I found the original recipe on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen (posted by doubledippedlife), but I changed the cooking method as well as some of the ingredients. So what you see here, is what I did. You could substitute frozen chopped spinach for the fresh spinach, just remember to thaw and drain the excess liquid before adding it in. I actually prefer fresh spinach to frozen because I find it has a less earthy flavor, but either will work.

Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti

1, 28 oz. jar of marinara sauce (or for a homemade version, try this recipe)

2 Tbl olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (I used a garlic press)

10 oz. weight Fresh Spinach, chopped

8 oz. fresh button mushrooms, chopped

2 whole eggs, beaten

16 oz. weight ricotta or cottage cheese (I used cottage cheese)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

8 oz. weight manicotti shells

2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese (I used the stuff from a can)

Cook the manicotti shells according to the directions on the box, but subtract one minute on the cooking time (this will under cook the pasta by just a little, but they will be easier to fill and they will finish cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta, and set out (separately) on a wax paper for them to cool.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add chopped spinach and mushrooms, stirring until mushrooms are cooked and spinach is wilted (the spinach should still be green, not brown). Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 340* F while you assemble the filling and fill the shells. For the filling, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add ricotta/cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and 1 cup mozerella cheese. Stir to combine. Add in the spinach and mushroom mixture and stir.

Spread some marinara sauce (probably 1/4 to 1/2 cup) on the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan. Fill the manicotti shells with the filling (I just used a small spoon and made sure that the shells were stuffed, but becareful to not break the shells). Arrange the shells in the baking pan. Top with remaining marinara sauce and top with the remaining mozerella cheese and the parmesan cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

2010-10-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

I was going to direct you to this recipe in a dish I will be posting later this week, but I was shocked that I hadn't posted it yet! This is a great marinara sauce that has a lot of flavor and can be used as a dipping sauce, pizza sauce, or of course, a pasta sauce. The sauce also freezes well for future uses. Thanks goes to my mom for this recipe!

Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup oil

2 medium garlic cloves, diced or crushed (I used a garlic press)

3-1/2 cups, or a 28 oz. can, crushed tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried chopped parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and cook rapidly, uncovered, for 15 minutes. (The oil will separate from the tomatoes if allowed to stand for a long period of time, so just stir it to redistribute it again.)

Zucchini and Mushroom Chicken

2010-10-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

I love Chinese food, so when I come across a recipe, I always make a mental note of it. This recipe has been stewing in my head for awhile, but when we needed to get rid of a giant zucchini a neighbor gave us, I knew what I'd be making! It was really good and I've had requests to make it again. Sesame oil can be pretty expensive, so use it if you have it, but I didn't have any so I just doubled the vegetable oil. Thanks to Blog Chef for the recipe!

Zucchini and Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

cornstarch (for dusting)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I doubled)

1 tablespoon sesame oil (I didn't use)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 package fresh button mushrooms (or 8 oz.)

4 small zucchini (or 1 giant)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cut chicken and zucchini into 1” chunks. Lightly dust chicken with a little bit of corn starch until lightly coated.

Step 2: Add vegetable and sesame oil to the wok and fry chicken pieces until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Step 3: Add zucchini and mushrooms to the wok and stir fry for a few minutes. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, minced fresh garlic, and ground ginger to the wok stirring to coat and stir fry until mushrooms and zucchini are fully cooked.

Step 4: Return chicken pieces to the wok and coat with sauce, heat thoroughly and serve.

Acorn Squash

2010-10-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

I love squash. In fact, I think it's my favorite vegetable. And this is the time of year to enjoy it! This is a really easy, tasty way to cook it up. And healthy too! I use very little butter, and no milk or cream. (In fact, you could probably get by without the butter even, but that's for you to try, not me.)

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash

2 T. butter (approx.)
all spice and/or nutmeg to taste

Directions:
1. Cut off the end opposite the stem. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into halves again.

2. Place squash in a pot with enough water to just cover them (lay them on their curved backs). Bring the water to a boil and boil for about 15 minutes, checking occasionally with a fork.

3. When the squash is tender enough to mash or whip, take it out of the water and let it cool enough for you to handle it. (I'd say maybe 8 to 10 minutes.) With a spoon, scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl.

4. Add butter; beat with a hand beater (or mash with a potato masher, whatever you want to do). Add spices; beat again. Taste and adjust as desired.

Recipe Cards

2010-09-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

This isn't a recipe post, but rather a recipe card post. YEAH! Bring on the pretty paper!

When I got married, I was given a pretty set of two small binders with beautiful recipe cards in them, all matching of course. I'm still filling them up, but I have a nice little collection. Then, a year later when we were too poor for a birthday gift for my best friend (who had gotten married earlier that year), I decided I would help her start a collection of recipe cards. So I looked all over the internet for recipe cards I could print for free. It took a long time, but I found a good site with lots of different styles and options. I printed them out on card stock--which was the most expensive part of the gift at a whopping $5 total. I cut out maybe 10 or 15 cards, wrote three or four of my favorite recipes on a few of them, and wrapped all of them up with a pretty ribbon and gave them to my friend. (I would have liked to get a nice tin from a thrift store, but I couldn't find one!)

Most of the cards will print as a 4*6, so they could also be slipped into a nice small photo album. Just do whatever!

Cheesy Skillet Chicken and Rice with Green Beans

2010-09-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

What a dish! This yummy concotion came from Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe, and when I saw it I knew it would be an instant hit! Rice, chicken, and cheese- who can resist? Even my veggie hating husband and brother-in-law gobbled this up with no complaint and even went back for more! Plus, it's a one pot/pan meal, so that means less clean up! The only changes I made was that (1) I cooked the chicken completely in the first step, then diced it and added the diced chicken where Melanie added the whole chicken breasts to finish cooking, and (2) when I drained the "oil" out of the pan, I actually saved it since it contained juices from cooking the chicken and used it as part of the chicken stock you add in later. If you would rather use canned mushrooms, you could just add them at the end with the green beans, but the fresh were great and cooked up beautifully. This was so good and will definitetly be hitting our table again!

Cheesy Skillet Chicken and Rice with Green Beans

*Serves 4-6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces white button mushrooms, brushed clean and quartered or sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 ½ cups long grain white rice

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ pound frozen or fresh green beans

1 cup shredded sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling and hot. Carefully lay each chicken breast in the skillet and cook until the chicken is well browned on the first side, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken with a pair of tongs and let it brown on the second side, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Drain all but about 1-2 tablespoons oil from the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom and edges of the pan, until the mushrooms begin to soften and start to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the rice and continue to cook until the edges of the rice turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken to the pan and cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the rice is mostly cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the skillet again, brushing off any rice that sticks to the chicken back into the skillet. Cover the chicken with foil to keep warm. Stir the green beans into the skillet, stir the mixture well, cover and continue to cook on low until the beans and rice are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Nacho Cheese Sauce

2010-09-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

Nachos are an easy and quick meal. Plus they are versatile because you can put whatever toppings you want on them. I grew up just microwaving shredded cheese on top of the tortilla chips for nachos. But my mother-in-law serves them with this sauce, and it was a nice change. The sauce is very mild with no spice at all, which makes it great for kids. However, it would also be easy to spice up with some Tobasco sauce or red pepper flakes in the sauce, or with spicy salsa and/or jalepenos on top. Whether cooking for a crowd or for your family, this is sure to be a hit!

Nacho Cheese Sauce

2 cans Cambell's Cheddar condensed soup

1/2 cup sour cream**

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese**

Heat soup and sour cream together over medium until hot. Add cheese and stir until well combined. Serve over tortilla chips and top with desired taco toppings (i.e. taco meat, beans, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, olives, etc.)

**Amounts are approximate. Use what tastes good to you!

Broccoli and Ham Ring

2010-09-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is an old Pampered Chef recipe that I remember my mom making when I was growing up. I wanted to make something different, but easy, for dinner, and I immediately thought of this. It can be a little pricey with the crescent roll dough, so buy the store brand or use your favorite homemade roll dough if needed. Or to compensate for the cost of the dough, you could used leftover meat- I think even chicken or turkey would substitute well in this recipe. I found this version on razzledazzlerecipes.com. And I spaced taking a picture of the actual ring, and I didn't remember until it was too late. So if the instructions don't make sense in how to construct the ring, let me know and I'll help out as much as possible!

Broccoli and Ham Ring

4 oz. ham, chopped

4 oz. fresh broccoli, chopped

1/4 C. onion, chopped

1/2 C. fresh parsley, chopped (or about 1-1/2 Tbl dried parsley)

1 C. grated cheese (I used cheddar, but swiss would also be good)

2 T. Dijon-style mustard (I used regular prepared mustard)

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven 350ºF. Coarsely chop ham, broccoli and onion. Add parsley, cheese, mustard and lemon juice to ham mixture; mix well. Unroll crescent dough separate into 16 triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle on a 13 inch round baking stone (or a pizza pan or cookie sheet) with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. (There should be about a 6-inch diameter opening in the center.) Scoop ham mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-09-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from an old ward cookbook my mom gave me, but was submitted by one of my all-time favorite youth leaders I had- Amy Robinson. Amy was (and still is) a great role model for me and helped me to really find who I was. These cookies are best the day they are baked and the day after. They are similar to banana bread in that they get softer and stickier/gooier as they sit. It's a great way to use up bananas without having to fall back on the same ol' banana bread. These are delicious and I will be making them again!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup bananas (about 2 medium bananas)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup canned milk (I used regular 1% milk and it turned out fine)

1 tsp vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

Chocolate chips (I used 1-1/2 cups)

Mix all inredients. Bake at 350*F for 9 to 11 minutes (mine took 11 minutes- they don't brown very much on the top, so make sure they are set and if you are doubting, check the undersides for brownness with a spatula).

Meatless Chili

2010-09-07T10:38:00.001-07:00

This is the best chili I have ever had--which automatically makes it the best I've ever made. Of course, it being the only chili I've ever made also makes it the best I've ever made.

I found it in a copy of Woman's Day magazine--which I love--and liked it so much I wrote it down. This version is slightly different, since I had to work with what I had, but it tastes so good! And it's not too spicy--just enough kick. And best of all, it's easy! So easy that even I, the Slow-Cooker Idiot, can succeed!

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed

1 can of black beans, rinsed

1 c. frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes, do not drain!

about 1 cup of water

2 T. cocoa powder

2 T. chili powder

1/2 t. hot pepper sauce--if you don't like any kick at all, this is what you want to leave out

2 t. cumin

a handful of chopped cilantro (not a biggy if you don't have it, but it's good, you should have it)

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, mix all ingredients but the cilantro. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

2. Stir in cilantro.

3. Serve with sour cream and cheese and corn bread.

Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

2010-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day! My sister-in-law Jamie introduced this yummy dish to me for lunch one day when all the kids were over and playing. It's very cool and refreshing- great for a hot day! It's also very quick and easy if you use the rotisserie chicken and preshredded carrots, but that does add to the cost of the meal. You could also add in other vegetables like peppers or celery, and you could add in almonds if you wanted. I think even orange segments might be good, too. Jamie originally got the recipe from the August 2010 edition of Womans Day Magazine. I hope you like it!

Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

1 deli rotisserie chicken (or about 1 to 1-1/2 pounds chicken meat, chopped or shredded)

1 cup shredded carrots

1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestunuts, halved

6 scallions, diagonally sliced

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup Asian sesame salad dressing

1 head Boston lettuce, separated into leaves (we used Romain lettuce- any lettuce should be fine)

Garnish: hot pepper flakes (optional- we didn't use)

Remove and discard chicken skin and pull meat off bones. Tear or cut meat into bit-size pieces. Place in a large bowl with carrots, water chestnuts and scallions. In a small bowl, whisk yogurt with salad dressing; toss with chicken mixture. Spoon into lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes, if using.

Sauteed Vegetables

2010-09-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to find healthy vegetable side dishes to serve with our main courses. You know, vegetables that aren't swimming in butter, cheese, or cream? I know, I know. Those three things make the veggies so much more palatable, but when trying to eat healthy they are a no-no. So I found this recipe in Debbie G. Harman's Cooking for Two Cookbook and I thought it tasted pretty good. My only complaint was that my potatoes were over cooked after the 15 minutes time to cook on their own plus the time to get the other veggies cooked. So next time I'll try 10 minutes on their own before I add in the broccoli and cauliflower.

Sauteed Vegetables

1 Tbl vegetable oil

3 small red potatoes

8 peeled baby carrots

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped cauliflower

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbl butter

salt and pepper, to taste

Place carrots and potatoes in 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Cover and steam on medium-low for 15 minutes. Add broccoli and cauliflower and steam 5 more minutes. Drain water. Heat oil in skillet. Turn vegetables into hot oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir-fry several minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in butter and Italian seasoning until butter melts.

Crazy Chocolate Brownies

2010-08-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry for no picture. But really, these look like every other chocolate brownie out there. So use your imagination!

I know what you're thinking. "Crazy?" The Essential Food Storage Cookbook by Tami Girsberger and Carol Peterson, the cookbook this recipe comes from, said that they are called "crazy" because they don't need any butter, milk, or eggs because it is made with everyday ingredients you can find in your FOOD STORAGE! I found that these brownies tasted better the next day. I also added a basic chocolate buttercream frosting on top once the brownies cooled, and I think it was a smart move. The brownies are pretty dense and more cake-like, and I feel like the frosting helped add moisture back into the brownies. I also found that 30 minutes was not long enough to get my brownies cooked all the way, so keep checking them (you know, use a toothpick in the middle). I ended up baking mine for 50 minutes, but I will try 45 minutes next time because I think they were slightly overcooked.

Crazy Chocolate Brownies

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup oil

1 cup water

1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350* F. In a large bowl, stir first 5 ingredients. Add vanilla, oil and water. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 9x13" pan (make sure it is greased really well). Bake for 30 minutes, or until done. (Mine took about 45-50 minutes to completely bake)

Brown Stir-Fry Sauce

2010-08-18T19:36:00.001-07:00

I first had this recipe when I was visiting my mom a while ago. I am always a sucker for Chinese food, and this quickly made its way to the top of my home-cooked Chinese favorite dishes. I will be making this quite often! The recipe comes from Blog Chef and the picture is from the time I had the dish at my mom's (I've made it recently, but I forgot the picture!). You can also make the whole dish to your own taste. For example, we sauteed garden fresh vegetables and chicken, added the sauce and then served it over rice. But you could use any combination of meat and veggies that sounds good. This would also be a great clean-the-fridge-out dish!

Basic Stir Fry Sauce (Chinese Brown Sauce)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

4 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon oil

Step 1: In a bowl mix soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth and corn starch. Make sure the mixture is well combined and set aside.

Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce becomes thickened and bubbly.

Pasta with Beef, Broccoli, and Tomatoes

2010-08-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from the Betty Crocker Sunday Dinner Cookbook, and it was yummy! It was fun to incorporate beef steak and everyone seemed to like the flavor of the dish. My only complaint was that the sauce didn't thicken as much as I wanted it to, so next time I think I will add 3 or 4 tablespoons of cornstarch instead of just the 2. And the instructions didn't originally state to season with salt and pepper to taste at the end of cooking, but it's a must!

Pasta with Beef, Broccoli and Tomatoes

3/4 lb boneless sirloin beef steak

3 cups (9 oz.) uncooked radiatore pasta (I couldn't find it at the store so I used rotini)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 pkg (16 oz.) frozen broccoli cuts, thawed

1 (14-1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, undrained (I used Italian diced tomatoes)

1 (14-1/2 oz.) beef broth (or about 2 cups beef broth)

2 Tbl cornstarch

2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce

salt & pepper, to taste

Trim the fat from the steak and cut it into 1/4 inch strips.

Cook and drain the pasta according to package instructions. Spray a 12-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat ofer medium-high heat. Add beef to skillet. Sprinkle with pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until brown.

Stir in broccoli, tomatoes and broth. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Mix cornstarch and worcestershire sauce. Stir into the beef mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss beef mixture and pasta.

Creamed Peas and New Potatoes

2010-08-09T10:09:00.001-07:00

My family and I moved in with my in-laws while we are looking for a job. That means that I take turn cookings with my mother-in-law. Well last night, she made this side dish, and it was delicious! I loved how the sauce was so creamy, plus it is an excellent alternative to the normal mashed potatoes. But don't mind my picture... it's not that great and I was too hungry to play around with my camera to get a better picture! :)

Creamed Peas and New Potatoes

from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

1-1/2 pounds (about 15) tiny new potatoes (we used russetts, just peel and dice them)

1 to 1-1/2 cups fresh peas (we used frozen peas; this would also equate to about 1 or 1-1/2 pounds shelled peas)

3 Tbl sliced green onion (we left this out)

4 tsp butter or margarine (we prefer butter)

4 tsp flour

1 cup milk

(salt and pepper to taste)

Scrub potatoes; pare off narrow strip of peel around center of each. Cook in boiling salted water 15 to 20 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, cook peas and onion in small amount of boiling salted water 8 to 15 minutes; drain. Make a white sauce of butter, flour, dash salt, and milk. Combine vegtetabes and sauce (and season with salt and pepper to taste). Serves 4 to 6.

Crepes

2010-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Crepes, or french pancakes, are a delicious alternative to the regular pancake or waffle. They are also versatile, as you can fill them with anything you want. My favorite is to put a little butter, some cut up strawberries and fresh whipped cream on top. This time we had them with butter, cinnamon sugar, and sweetened whipped cream. My picture shows them folded and topped, but if you prefer, you could fill them and then roll them like a burrito. These are also very easy. Each crepe cooks quickly, which is great news since it means less time until you can each a delicate, but delicious breakfast! This recipe comes from the ward cookbook my mom gave me and was submitted by Shannon Carlson.

Crepes

1 Tbl sugar
1-1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup milk (I used 2/3 cup powdered milk and 2 cups water)
2 whole eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl butter or margarine, melted (I used canola oil)

Beat all ingredients together with a rotary beater (or hand-held electric beater). For each crepe, lightly butter an 8 inch skillet; heat over medium heat until butter is bubbly. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into skillet. Rotate pan until buatter covers bottom. Cook until it bubbles (the edges will also start to brown); flip once. Cook until golden brown. Fill with desired filling.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

2010-08-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Another winner from Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe, this salad was a perfect compliment to the BBQ chicken and steak we had with a group of friends. I have a hard time with the texture of canned madarin oranges, so I actually opted to use fresh fruit instead of canned. It did make it more expensive, but I didn't mind. To me, there is nothing better than fresh fruit during the summer! Yum!

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained well (I used one small fresh pineapple, peeled and diced)

1 can mandarin oranges, drained well (I used 2 fresh oranges, peeled and diced)

2-3 ripe kiwi, peeled and sliced into thick half moons

1 cup green grapes, halved

1 cup strawberries, quartered

Zest from one lime (I also added a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice)

about 1 tablespoon2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional- I left them out)

Combine the fruit in a medium-large serving bowl. Add the lime zest and poppy seeds, if using, and gently toss. Drizzle the honey over the fruit and again, gently mix until the fruit is evenly coated with the honey. Serve.

**Note: This fruit salad is best served right away (or at least within an hour of making) because the strawberries tend to stain the light colored fruit. It doesn't affect the taste at all but is a slight bummer for presentation.

Island Chicken

2010-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here's another fabulous recipe from the talented Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe. This chicken is so delicious and is a wonderful change from the regular baked chicken seasoned only with seasoned salt and pepper. I love the lemon zing the lemon juice gives to the chicken, and the leftovers we had were great diced and used in chicken Caesar salad wraps. Yum! We will definitely revisit this recipe in the future!

Grilled Island Chicken

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (depending on how thick the chicken breasts are), until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked using the following directions:
When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How to save on produce: Bountiful Basket

2010-07-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a tip that I've been wanting to share with you for awhile. Do you hate how much it costs to buy the fresh fruits and vegetables that are in grocery stores? Well, there's this wonderful, non-profit, produce co-op called Bountiful Basket, and I have been participating over the last several months. It costs about $16.50 for a conventional basket of produce (50% vegetables, 50% fruits) that would normally cost upwards around $50 if you were to buy it from the store. And the best thing is that it is the same produce that stores and restaurants are purchasing, so you know it is high quality. They also offer breads, crackers, specialty produce baskets, cases of seasonal fruit, and organic produce baskets (These extras cost more, and I've never bough them, but I've heard they are good). The downside is that you don't pick the fruits and vegetables, so you have to be willing to try new produce. I have found that they are pretty normal. The only "weird" things I've ever received were a coconut and swiss chard. But I love getting my new basket every 2 weeks- it's almost like Christmas! Unfortunately, Bountiful Baskets isn't established everywhere. So if you are interested, visit their website found here to see if there is a co-op near you and to find out more information.

***Bountiful Baskets has not contacted me to share this information. I am just a satisfied member of the contribution pool who wants to share a key way to save money while eating healthy!***

Produce photo found here.

PW (No Knead) Dinner Rolls

2010-07-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a hard time kneading your bread by hand because you don't have a fancy machine to do it for you? Then this recipe is for! The Pioneer Woman shared these on her blog a while ago, but I just got around to trying them out because I wanted to do something new. I am so glad that I gave this a whirl! They are more time consuming than the rolls I usually make because I just throw that recipe into the bread machine and forget about it until it's time to shape them, let them rise, and then bake. With this recipe, I had to babysit my dough a little more, but it isn't hard and it gives you great results! It's also a great recipe because you can make the dough 1-2 days ahead of when you want it, and it will store great in the refrigerator. Just remember to take the dough out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you need to shape them. And the only problem I had with this recipe was that my first dozen rolls were rather toasty when I checked them at 14 minutes. When I used the rest of the dough the next day, they were done at 12 minutes when I checked them. I did also find that I could have made about 2-1/2 dozen rolls with the dough I made, even though PW says it should make 2 dozen. All in all, this is a great recipe that yields fluffy rolls! (In fact, it took a lot of restraint to keep from eating them all!)

PW Dinner Rolls- No Kneading Required!

4 cups Milk
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil
9 cups Flour (I used bread flour)
2 packages (4 1/2 Tsp.) Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons Salt

Pour 4 cups of milk into a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add one cup of sugar and 1 cup of vegetable oil. Stir to combine. Now, turn the burner on medium to medium-low and “scald” the mixture/lukewarm (between 90 and 110 degrees).

Before the mixture boils, turn off the heat. NOW. Very important stuff here: walk away. Walk away and allow this mixture to cool to warm/lukewarm. The mixture will need to be warm enough to be a hospitable environment for the yeast, but not so hot that it kills the yeast and makes it inactive. I don’t usually use a thermometer, but if you’d like to, a good temperature is between 90 and 110 degrees. I usually feel the side of the pan with the palm of my hand. If it’s hot at all, I wait another 20 minutes or so. The pan should feel comfortably warm.

When the mixture is the right temperature add in 4 cups of flour and 2 packages of (4-1/2 teaspoons) of active dry yeast. After the yeast and flour are nicely incorporated, add another 4 cups of flour. Stir together and allow to sit, covered with a tea towel or lid, for an hour. After about an hour it should have almost doubled in size. If it hasn’t changed much, put it in a warm (but turned off ) oven for 45 minutes or so. When it had risen sufficiently add 1 more cup of flour, 1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder, 1 scant teaspoon of baking soda and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Stir (or knead just a bit) until combined.

Butter 1 or 2 muffin pans. Form the rolls by pinching off a walnut sized piece of dough and rolling it into a little ball. Repeat and tuck three balls of dough into each buttered muffin cup. Continue until pan is full. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 to 2 hours.

Bake in a 400-degree oven until golden brown, about 17 to 20 minutes (mine were done at 12 minutes).

Curried Apricot Glaze for Chicken or Chops

2010-07-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

A recipe, AND A PICTURE! Impressed? So am I.

This was so easy. I actually decided about five minutes before I started that this is what we would have for dinner! (I'm usually a big planner when it comes to dinners, so this is a biggy.) I didn't have everything so I compromised. (My compromises will be in parentheses next to the real ingredients.)

1 can apricot nectar (2 T. fruit medley baby food and 1 T. or so of water)

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. soy sauce

1 t. curry powder (maybe a little more)

2 sliced fresh apricots

2 green onions (I didn't have any, but I think it would be even better with them!)

1. Mix first four ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk.

2. In pan, lightly sautee apricots and onions for about 2 min. Pour curry mixture into pan and cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes--until slightly thickened.

We ate it over baked chicken and rice with creamed corn. (I wouldn't eat it with the corn again, but it was what we had that could be cooked up in three minutes.) The original recipe served it over pan-seared pork chops, which is pretty easy too. I just didn't have those on hand. This makes enough for two people.

Pasta e Fagioli (aka Olive Garden Minestrone Soup)

2010-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks for being patient with me the last couple of weeks. I am back in town now, but we are now getting ready to move out of state. I am trying to have some posts scheduled so that there will be something new to look at every couple of days, but if I disappear again, please know I will be back soon! I've just got to pack, move, and then unpack, etc. etc. Whenever I go to the Olive Garden, I almost always get the same thing- the soup and salad combo with minestrone soup. I love it! So when I was visiting my family last week, my mom suggested we make this recipe for dinner one night and I'm so glad we did! It tastes every bit like the wonderful soup at OG, but now I can make it at home for way cheaper than it is to buy a bowl and their salad. Mmmmmm! The day we chose to make this soup ended up being rather busy, so we followed the first 2 steps and then threw everything, except the pasta, into the crockpot and let it simmer while we were gone. Then about 20-30 minutes before we sat down for dinner, we stirred in the cooked pasta (so make sure you cook your pasta ahead of time if you want to cook it this way). We also had some fresh peas from the garden that we threw into the mix, and you could do that with any vegetables you have hanging around. It was so delicious and I can't wait to make this again!

Pasta e Fagioli (aka Olive Garden Minestrone Soup)

1 pound ground beef 1 small onion, diced (1 cup) 1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup) 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes 1 15-ounce can red beans (with liquid) 1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid) 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce 1 12-ounce can V-8 juice 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta 1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat. 2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. 4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain. 5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve. Serves 8.

Time Away

2010-07-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like I keep doing this to those of you who actually follow this blog, but I have been and will be busy with family, so I'm going to take another week or so off from blogging so I can focus on those that mean most to me. Thanks for understanding and for your patience!

Pistachio Fruit Salad

2010-06-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

After I had my second baby, a good friend brought me dinner and as dessert, she made this. It is quite possibly the most delicious fruit salad I have ever had! My absolute favorite part was the tiny pistachios from the pudding mix that are crunchy and almost remind me of toffee bits. I am so glad that I asked her for the recipe because it is something I'll be making again and again. Plus, it is very versatile as you can use whatever fruit you want. I chose to use grapes and oranges, but you could use anything you want. I wanted to put bananas in it, but I knew we would have leftovers and I didn't want them to go brown. I listed the ingredients below, but besides the pudding and whipped topping, it is more of a guideline. So use as much or as little of the fruit and marshmallows that you want.

Pistachio Fruit Salad

1 box of pistachio pudding mix (the 4 serving one)
1 large container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
mini marshmallows, either fruit flavored or regular, as many as desired
around 2 cups chopped fruit, either fresh or canned

Combine pudding mix with whipped topping. Fold in marshmallows and fruit. Chill until ready to serve.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

2010-06-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on this dessert for quite some time and when I was craving something chocolate and gooey, I immediately thought of this beauty from Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe. Instead of icecream, I paired it with fresh raspberries and freshly whipped whipping cream. And I didn't have any chocolate chips on hand, so those were sadly left out, but it was delicious! Even my chocolate disliking husband (I know! I don't know what he's thinking!) ate a big serving! However you serve it, though, you will need a tall glass of milk to wash it down as it is very rich. But, I ask you, what is better than a warm, gooey, chocolatey delight and a glass of ice cold milk?

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (I left these out with good results)
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk ½ cup sugar with ¼ cup cocoa powder and set aside.

Whisk the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips (the batter will be stiff).

Using a rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into corners. Sprinkle reserved cocoa and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Gently pour boiling water over cocoa. Do not stir.

Bake until the top of the cake is cracked, sauce is bubbling and a toothpick inserted into cakey area comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 22-24 minutes. Cool on rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Beef Enchiladas

2010-06-18T15:51:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it has been almost a whole week since I've posted anything. Sorry for those who keep checking to see if there's anything new! I'll try to spend some time on getting posts together this weekend so I can get back on track.

Also, I want to apologize for the picture. I know it is hard to tell what you are looking at and it might look a little gross to you. However, I promise that this is an AWESOME meal. I decided to make beef enchiladas, which I found on my mom's blog, but since I don't get along well with corn tortillas- as in they always crumble- I decided to make it a casserole. After we had dinner, my husband quickly added this meal to his all-time favorite dinner list. We hope you like it, too!

Beef Enchiladas

For the filling:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For Sauce:
1 small can of diced green chilies
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

8 corn tortillas (5 or 6 inches in diameter)
Shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onions, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°.

2. Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in onion, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, the parsley and pepper. Cover and remove from heat.

3. Heat water, chili powder, oregano, cumin, chilies, garlic and tomato sauce to boiling in 2-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Pour into ungreased pie plate, 9 X 1 1/4 inches. (Casserole directions follow original directions)

4. Dip each tortilla into sauce in pie plate to coat both sides. Spoon about 1/4 cup beef mixture onto each tortilla; roll tortilla around filling. Place seam side down in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 11 X 7 X 1 1/2 inches. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.

5. Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onions.

Casserole directions:
I just put a little bit of the sauce in the bottom of a round casserole dish, and then layered tortillas with the filling mixture and more sauce. I used 8 tortillas per filling recipe, but some of the layers I made just cheese since we like cheese at our house. After you put on the last tortilla, pour more sauce over the top and place more cheese on top and bake as directed.

Maple Pancake Syrup

2010-06-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

We eat a lot of breakfast foods at our house (like things of the waffle and pancake variety) and I'm always looking for ways to change it up. When I found this recipe, I thought it would be fun to try since I usually just make plain ol' buttermilk syrup. This was sooooo good, and is another winning recipe from an old ward cookbook. I particularly like this recipe because you can use regular milk or buttermilk depending on what you have on hand. And if you happen to have leftovers, they store well in the fridge. Just reheat and serve! And I didn't take a picture of this one, but I think everyone knows what pancake syrup looks like. Try it and you'll be in heaven!

Maple Pancake Syrup

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter or margarine (I used butter)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk (I haven't tried it yet, but I think buttermilk would be fine, too)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring (I bought a 2 oz bottle for $3- which will last a while)

Bring to a boil in a medium sized saucepan, then remove from heat and serve warm.

When I "boiled" mine, it didn't actually boil like water does. Instead, it got really frothy and started expanding, at which point I stirred it and cooked it for a couple of minutes just to be safe. (So make sure you use a saucepan that is bigger than what you think need or you might have to clean up a sticky stove top.)

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

2010-06-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

I know this dish looks rather unassuming, but it was delicious! The recipe came from the book 101 Things To Do With A Casserole by Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyring. I added some sliced red onion to the mixture before I cooked it (just a few slices- I was using up some that I had in the fridge already). This was easy and very appealing to our family. I will be making this again!

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

2 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (I used 3)
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth (I used 2 cups water and 2 tsp chicken bouillon granules)
2 Tbl brown sugar
2 Tbl soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks, drained

Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Cover and bake 1 hour, or until rice is done (I didn't cover mine and it turned out fine). Makes 4 servings.

Sticky Coconut Chicken

2010-06-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you still haven't visited My Kitchen Cafe, you really need to. I can always find something that sounds good, and I have never tried one of Melanie's recipes that I didn't like! As I'm sure you can guess, this recipe is no exception! I made this for dinner one night when I was visiting my family in Boise and it was all gone after dinner! Even the landscaping guys could smell it cooking and wanted in! I used chicken tenders when I made this dish and it worked fine, so I'm sure any cut of chicken would work fine. You definitely won't be disappointed after you make this! (Photo courtesy of my mom- thanks mom!)

Sticky Coconut Chicken

Marinade:
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used about 3 pounds chicken tenders)
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (or use 1 tsp dried ginger, but I did use fresh)
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (my mom's flakes were hiding, so I used 1 tsp chili oil)

Glaze:

3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (again, I used 1 tsp chili oil)

Marinade chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes at least one hour (Melanie likes to let hers marinade for about four to five hours). Grill on barbecue.

While the chicken is grilling, bring glaze ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 8-10 minutes. (If you are using chicken tenders or pieces of chicken that will cook fast, I would make the glaze before you start grilling.) Be patient because it takes a little while. But once it starts getting really thick, immediately take it off the heat! Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of grilling and serve chicken over rice.

Citrus Water Punch

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is such a refreshing drink and I'm excited to make it in the summer! It tastes like a limeade, and is sooooo good! It tastes better than store bought lemonade/limeade and is a lot healthier for you, too! Thanks to Melanie from My Kitchen Cafe for the recipe! You can find the citric acid at most health food stores (if you live in Rexburg, ID- I found some at Nature's Nook). Make this! You'll be glad you did!

Citrus Water Punch

2 tablespoons citric acid (you can find this at most pharmacies or natural food stores)
5 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pure lemon extract
3 sliced lemons
3 sliced limes
Crushed ice

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, stir water, sugar, citric acid, and lemon extract together. Add sliced fruit and ice.

A note from Melanie: *Note: as mentioned by commenters (and I’ve received emails about it), if you have leftover punch, remove the sliced limes and lemons before refrigerating. The limes and lemons will give the punch an overly sour acidic taste if the punch is stored overnight that way.

PW Sloppy Joes

2010-05-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

The wonderful Pioneer Woman inspired this dish and it was well worth the effort. I would highly recommend serving these on homemade hamburger buns, too. The sloppy joes were excellently flavored and also served as a hideout for some peppers and tomatoes I had lurking around my house waiting to be used. This is definitely something the whole family can enjoy!

PW Sloppy Joes

2 Tablespoons Butter (I used olive oil to brown the veggies in and nothing for the beef)
2-½ pounds Ground Beef
½ whole Large Onion, Diced
1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced (I also added in 1-2 diced tomatoes)
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-½ cup Ketchup
1 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard (I used about 2 -3 tsp prepared mustard)
½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce To Taste
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional) (I left out)
Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste) (I left out)
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Kaiser Rolls (I used homemade hamburger buns)
Butter

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up. Serve hot with kettle cooked chips!

Homemade Hamburger Buns

2010-05-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting a good homemade hamburger bun recipe for a long time and

I finally found one! These are light and airy like store-bought, but taste so much better! This recipe came from allrecipes.com.

Hamburger Buns

Ingredients

2 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/4 cup margarine, melted (I used vegetable oil)
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed (I used bread flour)

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the milk, margarine, warm water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes.
Mix in the salt, and gradually stir in the flour until you have a soft dough. Let rise until doubled. Divide into 25 pieces, and form into balls. Place on baking sheets so they are 2 to 3 inches apart. Let rise until desired height, about 20-30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the rolls for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly, then split them in half horizontally to fill with your favorite burgers.

Penne with Tomato Cream Sauce

2010-05-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was a delicious dinner when I made it! I got it out of The All New Better Housekeeping Cook Book that I checked out of the library (which is an excellent place to go when you need meal ideas! And I mean both the cookbook and the library!) While it is similar to spaghetti, it is different enough that even if you had spaghetti the night before you'd still enjoy this dish. You could make it even heartier by adding cooked ground beef, chicken or even ham. We will definitely make this fast, easy, and delectable meal again!

Penne with Tomato Cream

1 Tbl Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl dehydrated chopped onion)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (I used my garlic press)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I just added a pinch)
1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes in puree, coarsely chopped (the closest I could find was S&W crushed tomatoes in a rich sauce)
3 Tbl vodka (optional; I left it out)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 package (16 oz) penne or rotini
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (I just sprinkled in some dry basil into my sauce, probably about 2 tsp)

1. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes (If using dehydrated onion, add with the garlic). Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until garlic is golden brown, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in tomatoes with their puree, vodka if using, and salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in cream and peas; heat to boiling.

2. Meanwhile, in large saucepot, cook pasta as label directs. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce and sprinkle with basil. Makes 4 main-dish servings (It made enough for 4 adults and some leftovers when I made it, but I also served it with fruit and dinner muffins).

Cheesy Breadsticks

2010-05-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

My mom got this recipe off the internet a long time ago, and if I remember right, they are supposed to be a mock Pizza Hut breadstick recipe. Although, I don't think they taste similar at all. I like these sticks because they aren't greasy but they are soft and the cheese and seasonings is great on top. This does make a whole baking sheet of breadsticks, so either make 'em for a crowd or scale them down.

Cheesy Breadsticks

Dough:
1-1/3 cup warm water
3 Tbl olive oil
4 cup flour (I used bread flour)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
3 Tbl powdered milk (if you don't have, substitute 1/2-3/4 cup of the water for milk)
2 tsp yeast
Topping:
2 Tbl dry Parmesan cheese
1 Tbl garlic powder
1 Tbl garlic salt (I left this out)
1 Tbl onion powder
1 Tbl oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese, optional

Add dough ingredients to the bread machine in order and set to first rise. Roll dough out into a rectangle 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Cut dough into 1"x4" strips. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise. Meanwhile, stir the topping seasoning together with the cheese. Brush the breadsticks with olive oil. Sprinkle with topping and bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. (I think I actually just rolled the dough out onto my baking sheet, added the topping, let rise and then baked and cut them when they came out of the oven.)

Helpful Hints

2010-05-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

They passed out a big long list of helpful hints submitted by members of our Relief Society this past Sunday. Quite a few had something to do with food. Some of them I knew, some I didn't, and I figured it's probably the same with most of us, so I'm just going to post them all up here. I hope they help! Caveat: I have not tried all of these, but some of these women swear by them.

Turn to spices, not salt, for good flavor:

Allspice for ground meats, stews, tomatoes, peaches, applesauce, cranberry sauce, and gravies.

Basil for fish, lamb, ground meats, stews, salads, soups, and sauces.

Bay leaves for meats, stews, poultry, soups, and tomatoes.

Chives for salads, sauces, soups, meats dishes, and vegetables.

Apple cider vinegar for salads, vegetables, and sauces.

Dill for fish sauces, soups, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes, salads, macaroni, beef, lamb, chicken and fish.

Garlic (not garlic salt) for meats, fish, soups, salads, vegetables, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Onion (not onion salt) for meats, stews, vegetables, salads, and soups.

Paprika for meats, fish, soups, salads, sauces, and vegetables.

Lemon juice (and might I add, almost any citrus) for meats, fish, poultry, salads, vegetables.

To keep cheese fresh, put an unwrapped block of cheese in a Press 'n' Seal bag by Glad. It will keep it fresh and mold free for a long time.

Homemade brown sugar: make in a ratio of two cups white sugar mixed with two tablespoons molasses. Measure the amount of brown sugar for a recipe; add the molasses to the sugar as needed.

Sweetened condensed milk: combine 1/2 cup of water with 3/4 white sugar. Heat to bubble stage (do not boil). Remove from heat and add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dry milk powder. Stir until smooth. Mixture will be thin, but will thicken after 48 hours.

Wrap fresh celery in foil; it will last longer and stay crisp. Another suggestion is to keep celery and lettuce in paper bags (just ask for one at the store) instead of plastic. (Either way, it sounds like plastic is the worst thing to keep them in.)

Honey as a sugar substitute: 1 c. honey for 1 1/4 c. white sugar. It is best to reduce the liquid for the recipe by a 1/4 c. for every 1 cup or honey being used. In baking, it is helpful to add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used to neutralize the acidity of the honey. Reduce baking temp by 25 degrees to reduce excess browning.

Add a capful of cooking oil to boiling water to prevent it boiling over.

To get the best of delicately flavored herbs, add them in the last few minutes of cooking.

To peel a tomato: cut an X in the blossom end, opposite the stem. Immerse in boiling water for ten seconds. Transfer to ice water and then peel.

Let's thank the sisters of Livermore, CA for all their genius!

Traditional Scones

2010-05-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

These are scones in the eastern sense of the word--"a small unsweetened or lightly sweetened biscuitlike cake made from flour, fat, and milk, and sometimes having added fruit."

I have had lots of scones in my life and these are the best. Yep, sorry Mum, but they even beat yours. They are light and flakey and buttery. I got this recipe out of a book I have recently fallen in love with called A Taste of America. Ironically, it was written by some British women, but they did some serious homework. Anyway, here's the recipe for Traditional Sweet Scones.

1 1/2 c. flour

2 T. sugar

1 T. baking powder

pinch of salt

5 T. cold butter

1/2 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a baking sheet. (I baked mine on my stone and didn't grease or flour.)

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

3. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Pour in the milk and stir with a fork to form a soft dough.

5. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. You can stamp out rounds or (what I did, 'cause this is what my mum does) cut into wedges. Place on the sheet, bake until golden, between 10 and 12 minutes. Serve hot or warm with butter, jam, etc. (I cut mine open, Mike doesn't. It doesn't really matter, just different methods.)

Here's a tip: handle the dough as little as possible to get light, flakey scones. I added raisins to mine, another favorite in my family is chopped dates. You can also try blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, or just about anything.

Tuna Salad Boats

2010-05-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

This post is more of an idea than an actual recipe. But it made for a healthy and tasty dinner.

All I did was make a simple tuna salad with 2 cans of tuna, and the following to taste: salt and pepper, mayonnaise, and shredded cheese. You could also add onions, chopped hard boiled eggs, pickle relish/chopped pickles, or anything else you want. Then I scooped the seeds out of the middle of cucumbers and stuffed the tuna salad into the cucumber boats. This idea would probably work just as well with chicken and ham- either canned or leftover from a previous meal! :)

Big Beautiful Muffins

2010-05-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a good base muffin recipe that is easy to adapt to any flavor. And I finally found one, this one, in The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. When I made these earlier this week, I made them into lemon poppy seed muffins that were so yummy that my 21-month old son kept getting more off the cooling rack for him and daddy to share. I will definitely be making these again as the lemon poppy seed, but also with other flavors!

Big Beautiful Muffins

3 cups (15 oz.) all purpose flour
1 cup (7 oz.) sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup whole or low-fat plain yogurt (I used nonfat)
2 large eggs
8 Tbl (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (if you use salted, decrease the added salt to 1/4 tsp)
mix-ins, optional and as desired (See below for some ideas)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 *F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. (The cookbook said that the muffins get fluffier tops and better coloring when baked with out muffin liners in a greased muffin tin.)
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk the yogurt and eggs together until sooth. Gently fod the yogurt mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in melted butter.
3. Using a greased 1/3-cup measure, portion the batter into each muffin cup. (I was worried about how full the cups were, but they baked fine and were still easy to remove from the tin.) Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan half-way through baking. (I cooked mine for 25 minutes, but I feel like they were a little over-baked. So next time I will check them at 20 minutes.)
4. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

***Batter can be made ahead of time and stored in either the fridge or the freezer. For the fridge, store it in a covered container up to 24 hours. For the freezer, portion the batter into the muffin tin and place tin in freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, remove from tin and store in a freezer container. To bake, return to muffin tin and let sit 30 minutes with preheating the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Variation Ideas

Lemon-Blueberry
Mix 1 tsp grated lemon zest into yogurt mixture. Gently toss 1-1/2 cups fresh/frozen blueberries in 1 Tbl flour and gently fold into the finished batter.

Banana-Walnut
Substitute an equal amount of brown sugar for the white sugar. Add 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg to the flour mixture. Fold 1-1/2 cups finely chopped banana and 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts into finished batter.

Lemon-Poppy Seed
Mix 3 Tbl poppy seeds into flour mixture and 1 Tbl grated lemon zest into yogurt mixture. While muffins are baking, cook 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns into a light syrup, about 3 minutes. Brush syrup over warm baked muffins and serve.

Cran-Walnut-Orange
Add 1 tsp orange zest to yogurt mixture. Fold in 1-1.2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries and 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts into finished batter.

Swiss Chard

2010-05-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

It makes life interesting when we end up with vegetables at our house that we don't normally eat! Swiss Chard is one of those vegetables. In fact, I had never even heard of the leafy greens until they mentioned them in the movie Coraline. While Coraline calls them slime, they weren't that bad. They had a similar taste to spinach. While I can definitely choose many vegetables I'd eat before the chard, I am willing to eat them this way again!

Swiss Chard
from Simply Recipes

1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
1 small clove garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon butter
Salt

1. Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe. Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

2. Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.

Chicken Fajitas

2010-05-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I make fajitas every once in a while, but I haven't posted them yet because I never measure anything. Then I found this recipe with measured ingredients that tastes just like the ones I always make, so I thought I would post it since it would be a better guide to those of you who want to try them. This recipe comes from Gluten Free in Hawaii via my mom.

Chicken Fajitas

4-6 Chicken Breasts(depending on how many people you are feeding) cut into strips

1 Tbs. oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper

1 onion sliced

1 red bell pepper sliced and 1 yellow pepper sliced (I used 2 green peppers since they were cheaper)

tortillas (taco size work best, but any will do)

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. add chicken and garlic. saute' until chicken is browned, add red pepper and onion. add lime juice and spices. cook on medium heat until onion and pepper are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Put into tortillas or lettuce leaves. Top with cheese and sour cream or any favorite toppings.

Snappy Stir-Fry

2010-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was so easy, and so delicious! Plus it is one of those dishes you can adapt to help clean out your fridge of leftover meat and vegetables. While rice noodles are our favorite, this recipe is also good with rice. I mixed my noodles into the stir-fry, but just served the stir-fry over the rice. We've also loved it with shrimp in it. A trick I learned with the shrimp is that if you buy it from the butcher block, they taste less fishy than the kind you buy out of the freezer case. This recipe came from Better Homes and Garden magazine on budget meals and is one that will be on our table frequently!

Snappy Stir-Fry

1 pound peeled and deveined fresh or frozen shrimp or thinly sliced boneless meat (such as beef, pork, chicken or turkey- even leftover meat will work)
2 Tbl vegetable oil
4 cups cut-up vegetables (use whatever you have but the recipe suggests things like zucchini, yellow summer squash, sweet pepper, onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, garlic, corn, and peas)
Quick stiry fry sauce or 3/4 cup bottled stir-fry sauce (I made the sauce; the recipe is at the end of the post)
2 to 3 cups cooked rice, noodles, or pasta
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional (like peanuts, cashews or almonds- I left these out)

1. (Skip this step if using precooked meats) If using, thaw frozen shrimp. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tbls of the oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp or meat; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes until shrimp is opaque or meat is cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp or meat from skillet. Discard any cooking liquid from skillet.
2. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until all vegetables are crisp tender. (I like to add the harder vegetables, such as carrots, first and let them cook for a couple of minutes before I add more delicate veggies, like cabbage. That way all of the vegetables are cooked right and nothing is mushy!)
3. If using, stir Quick Stir-Fry Sauce. Add shrimp or meat and stir-fry sauce to vegetable mixture (this is also where I add the cooked rice noodles). Cook and sitr until sauce is bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Serve over cooked rice. If desired, top with nuts. Makes 4 servings.

Quick Stir-Fry Sauce: In a 1-cup glass measure, whisk together 2/3 cup chicken broth, 2 tbls soy sayce, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sugar (white or brown), 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and 1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.

Just Dropping a Line...

2010-04-10T21:38:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about my lack of blogging lately, and I've been feeling somewhat guilty for not being more on the ball with it. I have been super busy with helping my husband finish his semester at school, sewing, and just trying to keep up with the mess my three boys make :) However, life won't slow down for me for at least another week, so I figured I'd just let anyone who cares know that I will be back to blogging starting in May (maybe earlier if I can get to it). In the mean time, I'm going to pose a question:

What type of recipes do you want to see more of?

I've been doing mostly stand-by dishes lately and I'm in need of some inspiration. So share what you are in the mood for and maybe you'll find it here in the not-to-distant future! (And thanks for your patience while I get my life back in order!)

Fluffy Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes

2010-03-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try using my blender to make whole wheat pancakes, but I was disappointed with how runny the batter was. And since my stove top heating element is tilted, a runny batter was no bueno! So, I added things until it was thicker and the result was fluffy pancakes that helped my family get some of their whole grains for the day. Since it's 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white flour, this is a great way to introduce your family to whole wheat as well as a great way to use up your wheat in your food storage- no grinder needed! This recipe does require soaking the wheat overnight, so be sure to plan ahead!

Fluffy Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes

3/4 cup wheat
1 cup milk
1 Tbl honey
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1-1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl, cover wheat with water and refrigerate over night. In the morning, drain and blend softened wheat in a blender with milk for 4 minutes. Blend in honey. Add egg yolks and blend for 2 minutes. Add egg whites and bend another 2 minutes. Dump mixture into a bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Cook on a hot griddle until golden brown on each side.

Baked Acorn Squash

2010-03-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I got an acorn squash from a vegetable co-op I participate in, and I wasn't sure what to do with it since I didn't grow up eating squash and we're not huge fans at our house now. I turned to Tasty Kitchen and was not disappointed. While it still tasted like squash, it was 10x better- go figure! I think anything is better with the 3 big B's: butter, brown sugar and bacon! :)

Baked Acorn Squash

1 whole Acorn Squash
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ cups Brown Sugar
1 dash Salt
1 dash Cayenne Pepper
2 slices Bacon (cooked)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the squash in half and scoop the seeds and pulp out with a large spoon. Place the two halves of the squash open-side down in a baking dish. Add about a quarter inch of water to the pan. Your goal is to steam the squash.

Bake the squash for 30 minutes.

Remove the partially cooked squash from the oven and drain the water. Flip the halves over so that the open side is now on the top.

To each squash add the butter (cold is fine, it will melt), brown sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it over the top.

Bake the squash for an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Very Best Egg Rolls

2010-03-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I ended up with a lot of cabbage in my refrigerator and decided to make something Chinese. I found this recipe on Recipe Zaar and it had good ratings so I gave it a whirl. They were delicious and are very welcome in my small, but growing, collection of Chinese recipes. I served them with the sweet and sour sauce from My Kitchen Cafe's Sweet and Sour Chicken, some brown rice cooked in chicken broth and some veggies. To make these a little more economical (they're already pretty cheap), you could use either the whole head of Napa cabbage or the whole head of green cabbage. Next time (because there will be a next time!) I'm thinking I'll add some shredded zucchini and maybe some finely diced mushrooms. But they were great the way I made them, too!

Very Best Egg Rolls

2, 12 oz. packages frozen spring roll wrappers (I used 1 package of the large square wraps found in the produce section, usually by the Chinese vegetables)
1/2 pound pork, finely diced (I just used some pork chops)
1/2 head Napa cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 head green cabbage, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2-3 green onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used my garlic press)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 egg, beaten (for wrapping)

Defrost spring roll wraps as directed on package.

Mix cabbages, carrot, garlic, green onion, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add pork and soy sauce; mix well.

Lay wrap in front of you so it looks like a diamond. Place 2-3 tablespoons pork filling in center (so it is like a log going from right point to left point). Fold bottom point up over filling and roll once. Fold in right and left points. Brush beaten egg on top point. Finish rolling wrap. Repeat with remaining filling.

Heat 2-3 inches oil in large frying pan to 350*F (I used canola oil). Place a few egg rolls in pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side- be careful not to crowd the pan so they rolls brown nicely. Drain on paper towels and serve with your favorite sweet and sour sauce.

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-03-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that I got from my mom. It is so yummy and it's pretty healthy, too! The dumplings are really easy to make and have a great texture- just be sure to not over mix the batter! The dumplings also help turn the broth into more of a "gravy" so it ends up resembling a stew. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make this even more economical, but I used frozen peas and then cut up fresh carrots.

Chicken and Dumplings

Soup:
32 oz. chicken broth (I used reconstituted boullion)
1-1/2 lbs. chicken (I used chicken breast; you could use less, just increase the veggies)
1/2 to 1 whole onion, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen peas
1 bay leaf

Dumplings:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp chopped parsley (I used 4 tsp dried parsley)
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk (I used 1/4 cup powdered milk and 1 cup water)
4 Tbsp oil

Heat chicken broth with an equal amount of water on medium/medium-high heat (Be sure to use a tall sauce pan, or a big pot).

Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add it to the broth and water. Add the onion, carrots, peas and bay leaf (remember you can use whatever veggies you want).

While the chicken soup is simmering, prepare the dumplings: Combine the dumpling ingredients and stir until just combined. If you over mix, the dumplings will be dense and tough.

Drop the dough in 12-16 spoonfuls onto chicken stew. They’ll probably sink a little, but no worries. Just spread them around the pot. Put lid on pot and DO NOT REMOVE for 15 minutes. Stir to evenly distribute, remove the bay leaf, and serve.

Streusel Coffee Cake

2010-03-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

I made this for a book club meeting, and it was delicious. It reminded me of the coffee cakes I ate when I was a kid and visiting my dad. (While the visitations weren't always memorable, I definitely remember that cake and have craved it for a long time!) If you're not big on coffee... don't worry, neither am I! This cake is meant to be baked and eaten along with coffee and is not made with coffee. But I think it tastes great on it's own! The streusel topping sinks a little bit into the cake batter creating a marbelized effect with the result being delicious! This is great served as a breakfast or as a dessert.

Streusel Coffee Cake

adapted from About.com: Southern Food

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare topping: In amall mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

For cake: Combine 1-1/2 cups flour with baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together egg, sugar and oil. Add milk and vanilla. Sitr in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and flour 8-inch square or 9-inch layer cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375*F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cook in pan on wire reack. Cut coffee cake into square with still warm.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2010-03-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I put together after looking hard for a Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe, and not being satisfied with the results. The wild rice I bought was marked up quite a bit, but if you live in a larger city than Rexburg, Idaho, you can probably find it cheaper than I did. If not, you can use regular white rice, but I would wait to add it until around the last hour of cooking in the crockpot. I am sure you could also use brown rice, but I am still trying to master that topic so I do not have any advice right now. I used rosemary and bay leaf as my seasonings (besides salt and pepper), but most of the recipes I found called for sage. I did not have sage, but if you would prefer it, just substitute it for the rosemary. You can also leave the bay leaf out, but I prefer it in my soups. This goes great with a side salad and rolls.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

8 cups chicken broth (I used reconstituted chicken boullion)

2 cups shredded chicken

2/3 cup uncooked wild rice

1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl chopped dehydrated onion)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 tsp rosemary (or you could use sage)

1 large bay leaf or 2 small ones

salt and pepper, to taste

Add all the ingredients into a crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low 8-10 hours.

You could probably also use the stove top to cook this. Just make sure the rice is cooked and the vegetables are tender before you serve it- I'm just not sure how long it would take...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

These cookies came from an old ward cookbook with the recipe submitted by Sara Cook. The original title is Mrs. Field's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies and had an oatmeal variation, which I used, and is what I've posted below. We loved these cookies! In fact, I had to freeze half of them so I wouldn't spoil my diet! And the good news is they freeze well. I just pull a couple out, throw them in a ziploc baggie and then toss the bag into my husband's lunch and they're perfectly thawed by the time he eats! We will definitely make these again! I did change the full cup of butter to 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening, and I changed the oven temperature as well to keep the cookies soft. And they turned out a lot better that way than the previous time I made these. But I have adapted the recipe to include how I made the delectable cookies.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Then add:

1-3/4 cups flour
2-1/4 cups oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (if you used salted butter, only use 1/2 tsp salt)
3 cups chocolate chips (if you use an electric mixer, I'd suggest stirring these in by hand so the chips stay intact)

Bake at 375*F for 8 to 10 minutes. (my oven took 8.5 minutes)

Sweet Carrots

2010-02-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from the same recipe post as the crockpot beef roast recipe I got from The Sisters Dish. While I was turned off by the "sweet" in the dish name, I really liked these carrots! The only sweetness I could taste was the naturally sweetness of the carrots. The broth and butter complimented these carrots so well, and everyone in my family loved them, too! I love it when there is no coercion required to get them to eat vegetables!

Sweet Carrots

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 T butter
1 T sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Place everything together in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and cook until carrots are tender.

Roasted Asparagus

2010-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is yet another recipe I got from my mom, but she originally got it from Simply Recipes. These are better than I remember ever having had asparagus (which hasn't been for a very long time, but we've had it twice this week!). I love them because they are quick and easy, plus they make me feel like I'm fine dining. :)

Roasted Asparagus

· 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
· 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used a sprinkling of garlic powder)
· Kosher Salt
· Freshly grated black pepper
· Lemon juice (I left this out)

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.
2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.
3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

Serves 4.

Healthy Burgers

2010-02-17T17:32:00.001-08:00

These came from Jessica Sienfeld's cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, which I was able to borrow from a friend. (Thanks Rachel!) Her whole philosophy is to get your kids to eat healthy while feeding them the kid-friendly food they already love. It sounded like a perfect fit in my family because my toddler rarely even takes a bite of the vegetables I put on his plate and the same goes with meat unless it's in the form of a hamburger smothered in cheese and ketchup. And my husband isn't much better when it comes to things of the green and leafy variety. So I tried these out.

My husband could immediately tell it wasn't any normal meat and was quick to ask what it was. However, he did say that they tasted a little bit better than the normal hamburgers I make because there was more flavor. And my toddler gobbled his whole, adult-sized hamburger, too. That stands to show that the texture isn't that far from pure beef and that the veggies were well concealed. I will definitely be making these again because not only do they taste great but they are also a great way to stretch your meat budget. The mushrooms and zucchini act as fillers and take on the flavor of the meat and seasonings.

While these were delicious, I will be making some change next time because I found the meat and veggy mixture to be a little dry and some of the veggies wouldn't mold with everything else. I think I might just try adding one beaten egg or maybe cut out some of the bread crumbs. Whatever I do, I'll be sure to report back the changes I made. **Updated 5/29/10: I made these again, and I added one egg, beaten, and also used about 3/4 cup bread crumbs instead of the full cup**

Burgers 2 (with mushrooms and zucchini)

Prep:15 minutes Total: 35 minutes Makes 16 little burgers (or 8 normal sized)

-1 pound lean ground turkey or sirloin (I used ground beef I had in my freezer, but would prefer turkey due to cost)

-1/2 pound white button or (stemmed) shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped

-1 cup whole-wheat or Italian (seasoned) breadcrumbs

-1/4 cup chopped or grated zucchini

-1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

-2 tablespoons ketchup

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1/8 teaspoon pepper

-nonstick cooking spray

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-16 mini whole-grain hamburger buns, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.

2. In a large bowl, mix the meat, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, zucchini, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper until well combined. The mixture will be moist. Form into 16 patties and place them on a sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil.

3. (I skipped this next part and just cooked the burgers on my George Foreman Grill) Coat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Add the burgers and brown on ones die for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the burgers, then slide the skillet into the oven. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until the burgers are no longer pink in the center. Serve each burger on a bun.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

I found these while looking for a cheat-day treat. And they didn't disappoint! In fact, they are easily my favorite peanut butter cookie. They are really soft and chewy and stay that way for a couple of days at least. And the only reason we had these cookies for a couple of days is because it made around 5 dozen cookies. Which is a lot for a household where only 3 of its occupants are capable of eating solid food. And I gave many away, but we still had a ton of cookies! I'm thinking they'll freeze well, but I'll try that next time and report back. **Edited 2-18-10: They do freeze ok, however they are slightly harder than when fresh.** I like that you can taste just a little bit of the honey and the peanut butter is present, but isn't dominant. I think they'd also taste yummy drizzled with some chocolate- although that would also increase there already high sugar content. While these are definitely a once in a while treat, they will be my go-to peanut butter cookie from now on!

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
from Annie's Eats

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used all shortening, so 1/2 cup total)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
Sugar, for rolling the cookies (I used at least 1/4 cup)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Twice Baked Potatoes

2010-02-02T21:13:00.001-08:00

Potatoes are the ultimate side dish and often make themselves known in main courses, too. This is one of those recipes that can go either way. Feel free to substitute your favorite baked potato toppings. Because I'm dieting, we kept our simple, but I would have loved to load them with butter, sour cream, bacon, and lots of cheese! This recipe comes from a Weight Watchers cooking booklet my mom gave to me.

Twice Baked Potatoes

4 hot baked russet potatoes cut in half lengthwise**
1/2 cup fat-free milk (I used 1%)
2 tsp fat-free margarine
1 cup steamed broccoli florets, chopped (I didn't have any on hand)
1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced scallions/green onions (I think this was way too much- maybe use 2 Tbl)

Preheat oven to 375*F. Carefully scoop pulp from potatoes into a medium bowl; set shells aside. (I found it easier to scoop the potatoes if I let them cool slightly before I cut them in half and then again before I scooped.)

With a fork or potato masher, mash pulp with milk and margarine; mix in broccoli, cheese, and scallions.

Divide mixture among shells; bake until heated through, 15-20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 232 calories, 1 g fat, 6 g fiber or 5 weight watcher points

**To bake your potatoes: Wash skins of potatoes, prick each potato a couple of times with a fork to let the steam escape during baking, and then bake at 350*F for 45 minutes to an hour. You can wrap in foil, but I didn't with great results.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

2010-01-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from Gina's Weight Watchers Recipe Blog. I modified it to use the fat-free cheddar cheese I had in my fridge. I had a little trouble slicing each chicken breast into 3 cutlets, but I think it will be easier with practice. Also, I would recommend pounding out the chicken for it to be a little thinner. I didn't do this and it was hard to roll up some of the breast pieces. You could also play around with this idea. For example, Gina also has a recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu using this idea where she put swiss cheese and sliced ham inside the chicken before rolling it up.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Makes: 9 pieces • Time: 40 minutes • Points: 3.25 ww points each

3 chicken breast halves
1 egg
2 tsp water
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 cups broccoli floret, cooked, chopped small
5 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (I used shredded fat free cheddar cheese)
salt
spray oil
toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine egg, water and a little salt. Beat with a fork to make an egg wash. Set aside. Fill a second bowl with breadcrumbs.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.

Cut each slice of cheese in half. Place a 1/2 slice cheese in the center of the chicken and top with a little broccoli. Wrap chicken around to completely cover cheese, using toothpicks to secure. Season with a little salt.

Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes, until cooked.

Teriyaki Pork Marinade

2010-01-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Ellie Krieger, the health food guru from the Food Network. The original recipe is titled "Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin," but where pork tenderloin is a spendy piece of meat, I used thin cut pork chops and it was delicious. I served it with garlic mashed potatoes and peas.

Teriyaki Pork Marinade

2 Tbl soy sauce

1 Tbl canola oil (I used vegetable oil)

1 Tbl brown sugar

1 Tbl dry sherry (I left this out as I don't cook with alcohol)

1 Tbl rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced (I used 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (I used 1/4 tsp ground ginger)

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 pound of pork

Combine ingredients in plastic bag and marinate at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours) (I marinated for an hour and it was great!). Cook until pork is cooked thoroughly (the original directions said to broil the meat, but I cooked mine at 350*F until done).

Borscht

2010-01-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Borscht is a traditional Russian soup, which means it's cheap! It also means it's made with three things: potatoes, sour cream, and beets.

You may be thinking "Beets?! EW!" But I promise, even if you don't like beets, you'll probably like borscht. And the warranty? It costs almost nothing to make, so you don't feel rotten if you really don't like it. (But you will.)

I just made this up as I went along, but THIS TIME I WROTE DOWN THE STEPS! I know, it's a miracle.

3 medium potatoes (I prefer red), chopped

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, sliced

1 or 2 celery ribs, sliced

about 1/3 of a small head of cabbage (you might need a bit more), shredded

about 2/3 of a can of beets canned in water (not pickled), sliced.

2 chicken thighs, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

garlic powder (or a diced version of the real thing, if you're lucky enough to have it), to taste

1/2 T. vinegar

1. Put the potatoes in first, with enough broth and water to cover them. Add the rest of the ingredients, making sure chicken and vinegar go last. Add water when needed so it stays just level with the top of the ingredients.

2. Let simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve with sour cream and make sure you have plenty of bread to dip.

You could also put a bay leaf in it, I just never have them on hand. I know, I know. I have them now, I just don't usually have them.

Zesty Black Bean Soup

2010-01-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

I know it has been almost a month since I last posted, and I'm sorry. Well not too sorry because I've been spending the time with my newborn son. His name is Caleb and he was born on December 29 and was 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches long. Everything went well with delivery and we are both healthy. That being said, I don't know how often I'll be able to post for the next little while. My goal is still once a week, and I'm hoping since I've officially started my post-baby diet that I will have lots of new and healthy recipes to share. Ok, ok, and still the occasional treat! I am still a chocolate addict afterall!

I tried this for dinner the other night with cornbread and it was yummy! I even liked eating it for lunch the next day! If you don't like spicy things, you could always substitute a can of regular diced tomatoes for the Rotel tomatoes. However, I thing the Rotel chiles add just enough spice to keep the soup from being boring. The original recipe I used came from $5 Dinners, but I also found this version for the crockpot. This is definitely something I will be making again as it is super cheap, but very healthy! You could make it even healthier by adding more vegetables, such as bell peppers, carrots, celery or even zucchini.

Zesty Black Bean Soup

2 cups dried black beans (or you could use 2 cans of drained and rinsed black beans)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I used 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (I used reconstituted boullion)
1 10 oz. can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
2 Tbsp cornstarch (**edited 2-18-10: I leave this out with good results)

1. Soak black beans overnight in a bowl full of water. If you forget to soak, as I often do, then add the beans to boiling water, remove from heat and let soak for 2 hours. Once soaked, drain and rinse.

2. Add the soaked and rinsed beans to large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and salt in with the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour.

3. After an hour, add the homemade chicken stock and the undrained can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies. Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans have softened.

4. Then add the cornstarch. (A note from Erin on how to best add the cornstarch: Sift and whisk at the same time to keep from getting clumpy in the soup!)

**Edited 2-18-10: I prefer to make this in the crockpot by cooking my dried beans until tender then covering them by an inch in my crockpot. I then add the rest of the ingredients (except the cornstarch, I do not use it anymore) and cook on high for about 4 hours. You could probably use canned beans with this method, however, they might be a little on the mushy side. Maybe cooking it on low would help?**

Baked Potato Soup

2009-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

This baked potato soup is really rich and creamy, as well as very kid friendly. I'm not sure where the recipe comes from since it's one my mom gave to me, but we love it, especially on cold winter nights. The recipe called for bacon, which I have added in the past. When I made it this last time, I didn't have any bacon, so I used 2 Tbl melted butter for the bacon grease used in the flour paste mixture. I made a couple of other modifications as well, but those are notated in the recipe.

Baked Potato Soup

8 oz bacon, chopped
3 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed (I used about 9-10 small/medium)
1 large onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl chopped dehydrated onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used about 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
2 Tbl flour
4 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp dried thyme (if you don't have thyme or don't like it, rosemary would be a good substitute)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used about 1-1/2 cups + extra for topping the soup)
1 cup sour cream
3 scallions, sliced thin

Cook bacon until crisp. Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4" pieces. Remove bacon from pot and add onion to fat, cooking over medium heat until golden. Stir in garlic and flour. Cook until fragrant (I cooked it until it was a thick, bubbly, paste). Gradually mix in broth and cream with a whisk. Stir in thyme and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender. Discard thyme, and transfer 2 cups potatoes to a bowl. Puree remaining mixture until smooth (you can do this however you want. I used my blender- if you use yours be sure to leave a vent for the hot air to escape so the blender doesn't explode all over you). Return to pot and warm over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted, then whisk in sour cream. Return 2 cups potatoes back into pot and season soup with pepper. Garnish with bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream.

Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

I know there are a billion recipes for chocolate chip cookies out there, and mine isn't that earth shattering. However, everytime they have been made and taken to a get together or taken to a friend, they always get great reviews. And trust me, I've been making these puppies since I was in grade school and have had the recipe memorized since. For example, my husband had me make some of these cookies for one of his classes he was presenting in yesterday and he came home with none left! (Good thing I didn't give him all of them to take says I!) Anyways, this recipe is really similar to the recipes on the back of chocolate chip packages, but we tweak it a little. I have also included the instructions on how to make them chocolate chocolate chip cookies below.

Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt (if you use salted butter, you can decrease this amount to 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp baking soda
2-1/4 cups flour**
chocolate chips (I usually use a whole bag per full cookie recipe and our favorite is milk chocolate; you could also add nuts or even toffee pieces to the dough but I rarely do)

Combine wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in a separate bowl leaving out the chocolate chips. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until well combined. Add chocolate chips and stir until distributed evenly through out dough. Chill the dough for 20 minutes (I never had to do this growing up, but with my oven now, if I don't, the butter melts too fast leaving an odd textured, but still delicious cookie. So I say better safe than sorry!) In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375* F. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they are starting to turn golden brown (it may take a little longer than 10 minutes for some ovens, I just know my oven takes about 8-1/2 minutes).

**If you would like to make chocolate chocolate chip cookies just substitute 1/2 cup of the flour for 1/2 cup of powdered baking cocoa (so you'll use 1-3/4 cup flour + 1/2 cup cocoa powder).

Pumpkin Pankcakes with Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup

2009-12-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

I know pumpkin season is quickly coming to a close and I have meant to post this recipe for a couple of weeks since I made this yummy breakfast! It is definitely a recipe that you could make year round as the pancakes have a subtle pumpkin taste, it's just I know it gets harder to find canned pumpkin as we move past the holidays. Also, I would highly recommend making the syrup if you make the pancakes because the seasonings go so well together, but you could get by just using storebought syrup (although, you will definitely miss out!). Another wonderful thing is that this recipe only requires 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin, which means there is a lot leftover in the can to freeze and use for future breakfasts or meals. And this is an easy way to sneak in extra vegetables to your diet! This is a recipe we will be making frequently as even my 18-month old will easily gobble up 2 to 3 pancakes! Thanks goes to my mom for yet another wonderful recipe. Yummy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/4 C. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, pumpkin, oil . Stir combined wet ingredients into dry ingredients until moistened. Scoop batter by 1/4 cups onto a preheated hot griddle sprayed with cooking spray. When bubbles begin to form, flip the pancake over. Cook until golden.

Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup Sugar
2/3 C. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. Cinnamon**
1/2 t. baking soda.

Mix Butter, sugar and buttermilk together and boil 2 full minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, cinnamon and baking soda.Serve over pancakes, waffles or french toast. Makes 2 cups of syrup.

**Omit the cinnamon for traditional buttermilk syrup

Teriyaki Rice

2009-12-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

This dish was so delicious! It was my first time making brown rice, and while it took way longer than it was supposed to for it to cook (I'm sure due to my lack of ability), it was flavorful and well worth the wait! The teriyaki flavor was not overpowering at all. While I plan to keep practicing cooking brown rice, you can make this with long grain white rice and the cooking time will be about half as that of the brown rice. I also added 1 large chicken breast, cooked and diced, to the rice once it was done to make it a more substantial meal. Any other meat would work as well. I also added the whole red pepper into the rice because it would have gone to waste if I didn't. Next time, I'll still add the whole pepper, but I'll leave out the red pepper flakes. It was pretty spicy with both of these elements!

Teriyaki Rice
from Healthy Meals in Minutes

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced (I used about 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup; I used the whole pepper for about 2/3 cup)
1 cup brown rice
2 cups chicken broth**
1 Tbl soy sauce
2 tsp packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp crushed hot red pepper flakes
chopped green onion for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute. Add red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in brown rice and broth; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.

Simmer rice until liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Add soy sauce mixture to rice mixture; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Place rice in serving dish. Sprinkle green onion over rice. Serve immediately.

Variations: Add cooked chopped or shredded meat to the rice and heat through. I think it would also be good with some other vegetables mixed in, like broccoli.

**You can use white rice, it will just take around 20 minutes for the liquid to be absorbed instead of 40 minutes.

Italian Pasta Salad

2009-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

I took this dish to a dinner we were invited to, and everyone seemed to like it. The recipe is mostly to taste and is completely versatile as it is easy to adjust it to your family's preferences. (Sorry the picture is a little blurry!)

Italian Pasta Salad

16 oz. small pasta (you could use elbow macaroni, rotini, pinwheels, etc.)
Chopped veggies of your choice (cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red onion, etc.)
Pepperoni (either use the small pepperoni pieces, or cut larger slices into fourths)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (we used about 1-1/2 cups)
Italian dressing (bottled or homemade is fine; we used about 1-1/2 cups)

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Allow to cool in refrigerator (if you coat the pasta with a little bit of either olive oil or the dressing, it will help it not stick together).
Once pasta is cooled, combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Serve salad chilled.

Oreo Cookies

2009-12-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

These are my husband's favorite cookies, and I don't make them that often. And to be honest, I don't know where this recipe originally came from, but the recipe isn't new- it's been around for awhile. However, they are really easy and they taste great! The recipe's yield depends on how big or small you roll the dough balls before baking the cookies. I used a standard cookie scoop and I got around 16 cookie sandwiches. You can also make these even easier by just substituting a can of store bought cream cheese frosting for the filling recipe below. They'll still taste good, I just prefer to make my frosting from scratch. Try these next time you need a quick treat and maybe they'll become one of your favorites, too!

Oreo Cookies

Cookies:
1 box Devil's Food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening

Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbl butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix cake mix, eggs, and shortening together. Roll dough into evenly sized balls and bake at 350*F for about 8 minutes. Cookies will still be soft or undercooked slightly, but they continue to bake while they are cooling so don't leave them in longer unless they are severely doughy.

While cookies are cooling, make the filling by combining the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla (I use a hand mixer when I make my frostings). Add powdered sugar until mixture is spreadable (sometimes I need a little more or less than 2 cups of the powdered sugar). If you add too much sugar and the frosting becomes thick, add milk 1 tsp at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Once cookies are completely cooled, layer filling in between two cookies to make your oreo sandwich cookies. Enjoy!

Homemade "Hamburger Helper"

2009-12-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from Erin at $5 Dinners, however, her recipe lists ideas for making this dish dairy free and gluten free. If you are interested in these versions, check out her post here. This dish was really easy to make and we loved it! Yum!!!

Homemade "Hamburger Helper"

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl dehydrated chopped onion)
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I used about 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
3 Tbl butter or margarine
3 Tbl flour
3 cups milk (I used 3 cups water plus 3/4 cup powdered milk)
1 cup water
2 cups pasta (I used elbow macaroni, but any bite-sized pasta would work)
Salt & pepper, to taste
***I also added 1-1/2 cups shredded, cheddar cheese

In large skillet, brown ground beef with chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves. Season with pepper. Once fully cooked, drain and rinse ground beef. Do not return beef to the skillet. Yet.

In same skillet, add margarine or butter. Once melted, whisk in flour to form a paste. Quickly whisk in milk until no clumps remain. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, until sauce starts to bubble and thicken. Once sauce starts to thicken, add 1 cup of water and 2 cups of pasta. Stir through. Add 1 lb. of meat and mix together. Cover and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, or until pasta shells have cooked through. Stir often. (This is the point that I added the cheese. Just stir well to distribute and melt the cheese.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken slightly after removing from heat.

Variations (as notated by Erin on her website):
You could change this up a number of ways. Add cheese if you like. Or add taco seasoning with the water. Or both. Toss in some frozen vegetables while it’s cooking. This is really a basic meal that can be modified in many ways!