Casual Cuisine

Queso Blanco

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I brought this, along with fresh salsa, to the cooking club I recently joined. Both were great, and I found myself unable to stop eating this queso! I had to refrain from stuffing myself with it, and definitely enjoyed the leftovers at home two days later!! I tried this recipe because it claims to taste just like the stuff at mexican restaurants, and I wholeheartedly agree! I thought it was fabulous and will certainly be using it as my go-to queso dip from now one. One huge perk to this recipe is that it is so extremely easy to make...just dump the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, and cook in the microwave. I highly recommend trying this one! Both recipes are from Pennies on a Platter, and both were delicious!

Queso Blanco

from Pennies on a platter

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 1/4 lb block white american cheese (Land O' Lakes brand preferred. Find in the deli at your grocery store but do not have them slice it).

1/4 cup diced green chills (I used canned)

2 pickled jalapeños, chopped (these can be found in cans/jars)

1 ounce pickled jalapeños juice (from above ingredient)

2/3 cup whole milk (I used 2% as it was all I had)

1/2 cup cold water

pinch of cumin (optional)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Toss all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. The mixture might seem watery after the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted. (If you do not have a microwave, you can cook this on medium-low on the stove top, too).

Serve immediately! To reheat, simply reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.

Delicious fresh salsa

2012-02-22T14:42:00.005-05:00

I recently joined a cooking club, and our first dinner was this past Friday night. Each dinner will focus on a different theme, and this first one was mexican food. I offered to bring the appetizers because I was wanting to try two new recipes: fresh salsa, and queso blanco. In this post, I'll be sharing the salsa, and my next post will feature the queso. Both were very easy and delicious! Everyone was very complimentary of the salsa, so I would have to say it was a success!

Fresh Salsa

From Pennies on a platter, originally from Annies Eats

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped (I only used one, & took out all seeds because I don't like hot salsa, but I think even with two you would be fine because the seeds are what give it heat.)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. cumin

1/2 yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

juice of one lime

D I R E C T I O N S :

Combine the jalapeños and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine chopped (scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary).

Add all other ingredients then process in one-second pulses until the salsa is at your desired consistency (about 3-5 pulses).

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving (the last 20-30 minutes, it's a good idea to sit it out at room temperature so that it's not so cold and also for best flavor).

Will keep for up to two weeks.

The best whole chicken (and chicken stock), made in a crock pot.

2012-02-20T07:44:00.011-05:00

I'm very excited to share this super easy method of cooking a chicken with you!
Back story: Several years ago, I tried making an entire chicken in a crockpot, and it was a total flop! I was not impressed with the 'overcooked chicken in a crockpot' flavor, rubbery texture, and watery mess I had before me, and vowed I would not attempt that one again. I'm not sure what I did, but I must have just cooked it way too long while I was away at work all day and maybe used a not so good recipe (not to mention I was still new to cooking and hadn't even used a crock pot very many times, so who knows what went wrong!). But ever since then, I've steered clear of cooking basically any kind of chicken in a crockpot because I just do not like how it tastes when it's been cooked for way too long.

Then, a few weeks ago, I cooked a whole chicken in the oven. For some reason, it took forever. Maybe it wasn't completely thawed, maybe it was just because it was a big bird...I don't know. The past few times I've roasted a chicken, they've turned out great in the right amount of time, but by the time this one was finished and the thermometer was finally reading the correct temperature in the thickest part of the thigh, it was getting late, and everyone was hungry. I texted my friend to whom I had mentioned what I was cooking for dinner, and told her to remind me not to bake a whole chicken again because it can seem like a lot of work when this sort of thing happens.

And then, a week later, I received a coupon for a free whole chicken at Earth Fare. Oh, the irony! Not wanting a repeat of the previous Monday, I decided to try a recipe I found for cooking a whole chicken in a crockpot on 100 days of real food, which claimed that it was wonderfully delicious and super easy. So, I decided I would attempt cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot again because all of her recipes look good, and it did sound really simple. I read the comments, and everyone agreed that it is a delicious recipe.

The verdict: I am so glad I tried this! This was extremely easy, and it turned out great. The chicken was falling off the bone, tender, and delicious. It wasn't at all rubbery or overcooked. I served the chicken as the main course of our dinner, but this would also be a wonderful way to cook a chicken to have the meat for a soup, casserole, or other dish.

I went exactly by the directions of the original recipe. My only question was about how long to cook it, because after I placed the chicken in the pot, I realized I had a really big bird-4.75 lbs-and wasn't sure it would be done in 4 hours. I read on one of the comments to cook it an hour for pound, so I cooked it on high for 4 1/2 hours, and it was just right. Like I said, the meat was just falling off the bone but not overcooked.

If you read through her recipe, you'll notice she also talks about using the leftover bones and liquid for chicken broth. I did this, too. All I did was take out the rest of the meat that I could salvage and saved it for making some chicken salad, and then I added some vegetables, extra spices, more water, and let it simmer on low all night long. When I woke up the next morning, I had rich chicken broth waiting for me. I strained it, divided it into batches, let it cool in the fridge, and then froze it. And it was delicious in the potato soup I made last week.

I would definitely recommend making a chicken this way! It's easy, foolproof, delicious, and economical. This will certainly be a way I make a whole chicken and chicken broth in the future.

I'm sorry I do not have a picture but it was dark and would not have been pretty, but I promise it is worth trying! Go to the original recipe if you want a picture! There are also some helpful comments there.

Chicken in a crockpot

Original recipe here from 100 days of real food

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper (I just used a pinch)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 onion

1 large chicken

D I R E C T I O N S :

Combine the dried spices in a small bowl

Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker

Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts

Put prepared chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid

Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Don’t forget to make your homemade stock! Homemade stock is very healthy and a wonderful alternative to the store-bought version!

For the stock:

Amounts of each ingredient can vary, depending on what all you have on hand. I figure that the more vegetables you use, the better the flavor will be. And I sprinkled very generous amounts of the herbs and spices and my broth was still very mild tasting.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 large onion, chopped

A few stalks celery, chopped

A few carrots, chopped

A few cloves garlic, chopped
a couple of bay leaves

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

pepper

dried parsley

dried thyme

D I R E C T I O N S :

Remove all meat from crockpot, leaving the parts of the carcass.

Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves.

Fill pot with water.

Sprinkle generous amounts of remaining ingredients.

Set crock pot to low for 10-12 hours (I did this overnight).

The next morning, remove carcass parts and vegetables.

Run all of the stock through a mesh strainer. I did this three times to get all of the bits and pieces out.

Divide stock into amounts you want to freeze in ziploc freezer bags or containers. I did a couple of 1-2 cup portions and a few 4 cup portions.
Let divided portions cool in the fridge.
Label and freeze.

Easy Four-Grain Pot Boule

2012-02-15T07:23:00.001-05:00

This recipe has intrigued me ever since my friend Anca posted it on her blog. From the book Kneadlessly Simple, it's a thick, crusty, rustic loaf made in a enamel coated cast-iron pot, so easy to make that you never even have to knead, much less even touch, the dough. Aside from calculating the timing of it all, because it takes a while for a dough like this to do its thing so that you don't have to do anything to it, it is extremely easy and we were super impressed with the results...so don't let the timing stop you from trying it because there is literally next to no hands-on work involved! I served it with lentil soup and it was delicious. We really did love this bread, and I can't wait to try some more recipes from this book....I need to order a copy of it. Until then, Anca has made a few more recipes from it on her blog, so check them out as well.

The one thing that intimidated me by this bread was that the instructions seemed long and I knew I needed to calculate the timing out so that it would be ready in time for dinner. However, the instructions are very easy and the timing is very loose depending on how far in advance you want to start of it, so it's very forgiving. But just in case anyone else out there looks at the instructions and feels a little bit like I did, I am posting the times that I used in order to have it ready by dinner time, so that it might help any of you who wish to try this bread...because I don't want you to have a single excuse for not making it! Also, I did not have rye flour, so I used only cornmeal and all-purpose flour and we loved the results. This bread is delicious, perfect with soup, and the results will make you feel like quite the fancy baker despite its extremely easy instructions. I think I'll definitely be serving this for guests the next time I cook soup for a crowd!

I've always been one to say I'm not big into baking, but after making a bread like this, I'm starting to think that maybe that's not so true anymore...

As Anca quoted the author on her blog, I too will leave you with this quote describing the bread:

From the Introduction to the recipe:
"In the process of using up some packages and tidying up my baking supplies, I tossed a little cornmeal, rolled oats, and rye flour into a white bread dough and discovered I’d created a combination worth repeating. The serendipitous blend lends this homey, crisp-crusted pot bread a light color and subtle, indefinable grain taste that whispers rather than shouts its mixed-grain heritage. It’s a loaf that goes with most anything and often gets compliments. It’s one of my favorites." -Nancy Baggett

And now, the recipe.

EASY FOUR-GRAIN POT BOULE

Recipe from Haystacks and Champage and originally from Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett

Yield 1 loaf
I N G R E D I E N T S :
3¼ cups (16.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour or unbleached bread flour, plus more as needed
½ cup yellow or white cornmeal, plus 1 Tbsp. for garnish
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking (but not instant) oats (leave oats in original form- no grinding needed).
¼ cup light or dark rye flour (if unavailable, substitute 2 Tbsp. each more cornmeal and oats-I did this)
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. table salt (I used sea salt)
¾ tsp. instant, fast-rising, or bread-machine yeast (I used Fleischmann's RapidRise Bread Machine yeast)
2 cups ice water, plus more if needed
Corn oil, canola oil, or other mild-flavored vegetable oil or oil spray for coating dough (I used canola oil)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Note the times I did each step in parenthesis below so that it would be ready by late afternoon. The good thing about this recipe is that the times are very broad and flexible...this is just my example of how I did it this first time.

1. Preparing the dough and first rise:

(Time needed: 12-18 hours. So I assembled it before bedtime the night before, around 10:30PM...it only took about 5 minutes)

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, cornmeal, oats, rye flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Thoroughly stir the water into the bowl, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don’t over-moisten, as the dough should be fairly stiff.

If necessary, stir in enough more flour to stiffen it slightly (I definitely needed more flour).

Brush or spray the top with oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours (I did not do this, so if you are going to, take that into consideration with your timing).

Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours; if convenient, vigorously stir once partway through the rise. (I stirred once the next morning around 8:30AM. It deflates and then re-rises).

2. Second rise:

(I did this around 12:30PM...14 hours after first assembling dough)

Using an oiled rubber spatula, gently lift and fold the dough in towards the center all the way around until mostly deflated; don’t stir. Brush or spray with oil. Re-cover with plastic wrap.

3. Let rise using any of these methods:

(Time needed: 1-2 1/2 hours, or longer if you want to refrigerate it for a while to extend timing.

I did about a 2 1/2 hour regular rise, from 12:30PM-2:30PM.)

For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough doubles from the deflated size, removing the plastic if the dough nears it.

4. Baking preliminaries:

(I started this part around 2:30PM)

20 minutes before baking time, put a rack in the lower third of the oven (the next to lowest option in your oven...3 down); preheat to 450 degrees.

Heat a 3½- to 4-quart (or larger) heavy metal Dutch oven in the oven until sizzling hot (check with a few drops of water...I left it in for the whole 20 minutes), then remove it using heavy mitts.

Taking care not to deflate the dough, loosen it from the bowl sides with an oiled rubber spatula and gently invert it into the pot. Don’t worry if it’s lopsided and ragged-looking; it will even out during baking. Generously spritz or brush the top with water, then sprinkle over a tablespoon of cornmeal.

Using a well-oiled serrated knife or kitchen shears, cut a ½-inch-deep, 4-inch diameter circle in the loaf center. Immediately top with the lid. Shake the pot back and forth to center the dough.

5. Baking:

(I started this part around 2:50PM)

Reduce the heat to 425 degrees(I forgot to do this part and it turned out fine but please take note of it!). Bake, covered, on that lower rack for 50 minutes (My time: 2:50PM-3:40PM).

Remove the lid.

Reduce the heat to 400 degrees.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the top is well browned and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until center registers 210 to 212 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). (My time: 3:40PM-4:00PM).

Then bake for 5 minutes longer to ensure the center is baked through.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the loaf to the rack. Cool thoroughly.

(So for me, the bread was completely baked and cooled by around 4:30PM...just in time for dinner an hour later.)

6. Serving and storing: Cut or tear the loaf into portions; it tastes good warm, but will cut better when cool. Cool completely before storing. To maintain the crisp crust, store in a large bowl draped with a clean tea towel or in a heavy paper bag. Or store airtight in a plastic bag or foil; the crust will soften, but can be crisped by heating the loaf, uncovered, in a 400-degree oven for a few minutes. The bread will keep at room temperature for 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

Lentil soup

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting a good lentil soup recipe, so I was excited when a friend of mine sent me this one she has just made by Giada De Laurentiis. I made it a few days ago, and we really liked it. This is a very easy recipe as well as a healthy one! I adapted it a little by adding some extra herbs/seasoning and extra carrots, and was very happy with the flavor. My husband and toddler also loved it, and it made a lot so we enjoyed it at lunch for two days afterwards. This would also be a good recipe to freeze in batches for the future. I served this with a new bread recipe I'll be posting in the next couple of days, and it was a wonderful combination!

Lentil Soup

Original Recipe here courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper- recipe does not give exact amounts, so I generously sprinkled some of both over the soup.
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
12 cups low-salt chicken broth (3 32-ounce containers, or homemade)
5 chicken bouillon cubes (I know, I know-these are terrible for you. But I felt like it needed the extra flavor because I used low sodium broth and thought it tasted rather bland. 5 cubes sounds like a lot but keep in mind that there are 12 cups of broth. If you want the extra flavor, just add to taste.)
1/4 tsp. ground thyme (original recipe calls for 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs but I didn't have fresh thyme)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2/3 cup dried elbow pasta (I used whole wheat)
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 cup shredded Parmesan

D I R E C T I O N S :

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Add bouillon cubes (if using), garlic powder, and onion powder.

Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add dried parsley.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle- and just in time for Valentine's Day!

2012-02-10T16:43:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to make a strawberry shortcake trifle for years-and yesterday, I did just that. I saw some strawberries on sale and thought it would be a fun treat for my family, and a great recipe to post just before Valentine's Day for anyone looking for a fun dessert to celebrate the occasion.

My friend Amber recently posted a recipe for strawberry shortcake, which got me craving what has always been one of my very favorite desserts. So yesterday when I was about to make it, I remembered my vision of a strawberry shortcake trifle, and decided it would be the perfect occasion to try it.

And...we loved it! The shortcake recipe was delicious, and extremely quick and easy to make. And making a trifle out of it was super simple and gave a lovely presentation. If I had only remembered to save a couple of nice, plump strawberries to top it with or had a mint sprig for garnish, it would have been just perfect. But, the flavor was wonderful, nonetheless.

Also, for some reason I have failed to see that I had almost 100 unmoderated comments left by many of you, dating back well over a year...maybe even almost 2 years. I just saw that notification and went through all of them. First of all, thank you all so much for all of your comments! It was a fun treat reading through all of them. To be honest, I just thought no one was commenting on any of my recipes, so it was so fun and encouraging to see that people were and know what some of you have been trying! It definitely made my day to read all of your fun comments on recipes I've been posting. So, thank you! I am very sorry for not responding to any of your comments or questions...obviously I was not meaning to ignore them, I just didn't know I was receiving them. For some reason I didn't have the option selected to have comments emailed to me, and I was somehow completely overlooking the little notification about all my comments awaiting approval...how I failed to notice that, I don't know (can I blame mommy brain?). But, the problem has been fixed, I'll be getting all of my comments from now on, I've read through all of them, and I hope to at least respond to any questions people have asked about some of the recipes. So, keep the nice comments and questions coming, and I'll be better at responding from now on. The only good thing about it was that it was pretty fun having 99 comments to read all at once, and they were thankfully all nice ones!

Back to that recipe...here it is. It's a fun treat just in time for Valentine's Day that I hope you'll get a chance to try sometime soon. I normally make a strawberry pie every Valentine's day-I have tried to since the first Valentine's day after my husband and I were married, and it's a fun little tradition I have-so I hope to be making that again in the next few days...but this is definitely a winner, too, and I'll certainly be making it many times in the future.

Thanks again for all of your comments, and enjoy this recipe!

FOR THE SHORTCAKE:

Recipe from This Mommy Cooks

originally from Bless Your Heart

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup self-rising flour (I don't have self rising, so just add 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder to 1 cup all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the butter in an 8-inch iron skillet and put the pan in the oven to melt the butter. In a medium bowl mix the sugar, flour, milk, and egg. Stir to combine well. Pour the melted butter over the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate.

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:

Toss 2 quarts strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced, with 1/4 cup sugar. Let sit for a while (I made them an hour or so ahead of time), so they have time to break down and sweeten.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment on medium speed, mix 1 pint of heavy whipping cream with 3 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Whip until it reaches a nice, thick consistency. If you are short on time you can always use store-bought whipping cream, but I always love making my own when I can because of the mild flavor and lack of extra chemicals in the ingredients.

ASSEMBLING THE TRIFLE:

Cut the shortcake into squares, and place half of them on the bottom of the trifle bowl. Then add half of the strawberries, followed by half of the whipping cream. Repeat cake, strawberries, and cream. Garnish with strawberries or a mint sprig.

Enjoy!

Cookbook Giveaway from This Mommy Cooks

2012-02-02T09:23:00.002-05:00

My friend Amber is having a free cookbook giveaway over at This Mommy Cooks.
Go here for the link to enter! Looks like a fun cookbook to have.

whole wheat sandwich bread ::re-post::

2012-01-30T08:39:00.004-05:00

I am reposting this recipe because this bread has been gracing our kitchen counter a lot lately, because I have been making it weekly for our sandwich bread. I love this bread. It is so easy to make, comes together quickly, rises in the oven, makes 2 loaves, and tastes great. I am very blessed to be the proud owner of a Vitamix given to me from my mother who was no longer using hers, so I'm able to grind my own wheat for it (you can find wheat berries in the bulk bins at stores like Whole Foods or Earth Fare). I love that this bread is very healthy; it's simply a blend of freshly ground wheat from three types of wheat berries, with no other ingredients besides yeast, salt, water, honey, and oil. If you do not own a Vitamix or grain mill, you can always use whole wheat flour from the store. I like to use King Arthurs's wheat flour when I use store-bought.

Wheat bread

recipe originally from Sue Gregg

Makes 2 loaves

I N G R E D I E N T S :

6 c flour (If you mill your own flour, a good combination is to use even amounts of hard red wheat, hard white wheat, and soft white wheat. If you are buying flour from the store, King Arthur White Whole Wheat is a good option).

2 1/4 c warm water (temp 110-115 degrees)

1/3 c oil (I prefer Safflower, but Canola or Vegetable will give the same results)

1/3 c honey (I prefer raw honey, but any kind will work)

1 T yeast (I always use Rapid Rise bread machine yeast because it does not need to proof and does great)

2 tsp salt

D I R E C T I O N S :

If you have a good mixer and aren't kneading it by hand, combine the water, oil, honey, and salt into the mixer. Mix until well blended with the whisk attachment.

After this, switch to the dough hook.

Next, add half of the flour. Mix until just blended.

Add the yeast, and mix again until just blended.

Add remaining flour and mix until just blended. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Knead with your stand mixer for 6 minutes. The dough should come together so that it's not sticking to the sides.

Put it into greased loaf pans (I've found that greasing with butter works best) and let it rise in a warm oven (170 degrees), covered with a dish rag or cloth napkins, for 45 minutes.

Remove covers (don't forget that part!).

Turn oven up to 350 (keep the bread in the oven while it is heating), and bake for 25 minutes.

The internal temperature should be 95-105 F.

To cool, loosen with a butter knife and place on cooling rack on their sides.

Use a pastry brush to brush a little butter over the tops for a nice soft crust.

This recipe also makes a great whole wheat pizza dough:

If you are making pizza dough, simply follow the instructions up until letting it rise. Simply combine the ingredients, let it rest, knead it, and roll it out. It makes enough for 2 thick crust pizzas or 3 thinner crust pizzas. You can also freeze the dough balls (I wrap each one in saran wrap and then put them in a freezer ziploc bag) and let one thaw in the fridge the day you want to make it.

To bake the pizza, roll out the dough, add toppings, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees.

For a complete pizza recipe including sauce, go here and scroll down.

Yogurt Parfaits with homemade Granola

2012-01-28T11:41:00.001-05:00

We are trying to cut out as many processed foods as possible in our home. I recently came upon the 100 days of real food website, and have been very encouraged by it, as well as given many good tips, information, and recipes through it. One such recipe is homemade granola. I have known for a while that it is simple and tasty, but hadn't actually tried it until recently. Homemade granola is a great alternative to store bought cereal. It is cost efficient (depending on what all you put into it), and it really is super simple to make. It also goes great on yogurt parfaits, which is now my 3 year old daughter's favorite breakfast. It is funny to hear has ask for 'my parfait' for breakfast in the morning.

The version I made is adapted from the original one, only because I was trying to be as frugal as possible. I omitted the cashews, and the bulk bins at my local Earth Fare were out of sunflower seeds. I would like to make this sometime with all of the ingredients because I can only imagine it would be even tastier.

Note: You can also use this recipe to make granola bars.

Yogurt Parfaits

I N G R E D I E N T S :

Plain Yogurt (I use whole milk yogurt)

Granola (see recipe below)

Blueberries (I thaw a handful of frozen berries in hot water for a couple of minutes)

Honey (I use raw honey)

Other possibilities: bananas, raisins or other dried fruit, or other types of berries.

D I R E C T I O N S :

Scoop one cup yogurt in a bowl. Top with granola, berries, and drizzle with honey.

Homemade Granola

Original recipe found here.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

3 1/2 cups rolled oats (if you want bars use steel cut oats so it will stick together better)

1 cup raw sliced almonds

1 cup raw cashew pieces (I omitted these but you can also use walnuts or pecans)

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I didn't have any)

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (These would be great, I just didn't have any)

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (I'm not big on ginger so I think I only used 1/2 tsp)

1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Also need – parchment paper

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the dry oats, almonds, cashews, coconut, seeds and spices together in a large mixing bowl.

Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat.

Once the butter melts, stir in the vanilla.

Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.

Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes.

The granola will become crisp as it cools at which point you can break into pieces (if making bars) or break it up into small chunks by pounding it in a zip lock bag (if making cereal).

Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

French bread ::re-post::

2012-01-19T08:32:00.002-05:00

We are trying to move away from white flour in our house, but sometimes it's nice to have a classic white bread. Such is the case with this french bread, which is great with pasta and soup, and even though it's made with white flour, at least it's still healthier than what you would buy in the grocery store in that it doesn't have any extra unpronounceable ingredients. It's simple: Flour, salt, sugar, water, yeast, and oil. It takes some time to make, but is super easy. You just have to give adequate time -roughly 2 1/2 hours- from start to finish time to allow for kneading, resting, and rising time, but don't let the time needed stop you because there is truly very little work actually involved. I used to be pretty intimidated by bread making and I still wouldn't call it my favorite pass time, but this is one of those recipes that truly is so easy to make, especially if you have a stand mixer than will do 90% of the work for you. This recipe makes two large loaves, which is plenty for a dinner party or good to freeze one loaf for down the road.

Grandma's French Bread
from The Sisters' Cafe

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 ¼ c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 Tbsp yeast (I use rapid rise or bread machine yeast because you don't really need to let it proof)
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

D I R E C T I O N S :
First dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water.

Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles.

Add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well with dough hook attachment on mixer.

Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky, but if it is, I've found that adding a little bit of flour at a time until it does clean off the sides of the bowl works perfectly and the bread is still moist.

Knead for a few minutes (I give it about 3 minutes).

Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes. Then, knead with the stand mixer for 10 seconds, and then allow dough to rest another 10 minutes.

Repeat this for a total of 5 times (I write down the time each time I let it spin for 10 seconds to keep track of how many times it has been).

Next, turn dough onto a floured surface and knead it 2 or 3 times to coat with flour.

Divide into 2 equal parts.

Roll each part into a 9x13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal.

Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves.

Repeat with second part of dough.

With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each.

Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes.

Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water).

If desired, sprinkle with sesame seads.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375. Cool on racks.

NOTE: For a crustier loaf, a pan of hot water may be set on bottom of oven while bread is baking (I was happier with the results when I did not do this).

Broccoli cheese soup ::re-post::

2012-01-17T13:30:00.001-05:00

I'm updating some of my pictures and recipes that I tried at the beginning of this blog. This is one of them. I love broccoli cheese soup and it's always nice to have for a simple, warm meal in the middle of winter. I love that this soup is a comfort food but not too thick or creamy. It tastes much lighter than most that you would have at a restaurant (probably because it is slightly healthier in that it doesn't have heavy cream or processed american cheese food in it), but it is still very satisfying. It is super easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes.

Broccoli cheese soup

Adapted from recipes I referrenced at For the Love of Cooking and in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/2 of one finely chopped onion (I always prefer sweet white onions)

3 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

4 cups chicken broth (I used store bought organic broth but also added one bouillon cube for extra flavor)

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

3-4 slices american cheese (I used white american from the deli)

2 medium sized bags of frozen broccoli florets

1 tsp. salt (I used kosher)

fresh pepper

D I R E C T I O N S :

Cook broccoli in a small amount of water (between 1/2-1 cup) until tender. Once the broccoli is cooked, puree half of it. Set the remaining broccoli to the side.

Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender. Add flour, stir and cook for a few minutes. Slowly add the milk while stirring-the ingredients will thicken as you do this to create a roux. Let thicken up as you occasionally stir for a few minutes on medium-low heat.

Add chicken broth and salt, then all of the broccoli.

Add cheese and stir until well blended, letting simmer on low for a few minutes.

Add pepper to taste.

Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

2012-01-03T15:00:00.028-05:00

I think I may have found my new favorite cookie. My friend Sara made these back in the Spring, and I quickly got the recipe from her. I've been wanting to make them ever since that day, but every time I think about it, I'm out of either chocolate chips or cherries. Well, this week I made sure to get both so that I could make these delicious cookies. Semi-sweet chocolate and tart dried cherries give these cookies such a wonderful blend of flavors, and a sprinkling of sea salt just before baking really makes them pop. I just love these cookies and see myself making these many times in the future! These are wonderful...I would know, because I've already eaten way too many since I made them just a couple of hours ago.

Today I halved the recipe because it makes a lot of cookies, but this would be a great recipe to make and freeze a portion of the dough for a future last minute dessert.

Fleur de sel chocolate chip cherry cookies

Recipe originally from Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia, PA. Can also be found here

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 cup rolled oats
3 cups All-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries
1 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (fleur de sel)

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind oats into a fine flour by using a food processor.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add oats and salt.
Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light in color and texture (about 3 minutes).
Add eggs one at a time.
Stir in vanilla.
Add flour mixture until combined.
Fold in chocolate and cherries.
Scoop cookies onto a baking sheet, using an ice cream scoop, and place 2 inches apart.
Press to slightly flatten each cookie and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake at 350 for 15 - 18 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.

Note: When I looked online to see if there was another copy of this recipe, the site I found recommends chilling the dough for improved texture and flavor.

Blueberry dream smoothie

2011-12-31T08:51:00.002-05:00

We love a good smoothie for breakfast. They are nutritious, filling, and such a fruity treat. I've been avoiding cow's milk lately, so this morning I tried a smoothie with some coconut milk, and I could not believe the difference! I was a little hesitant because I don't enjoy coconut milk on its own, but I needed to use it up. After taking one sip of this delicious smoothie, I am fully convinced that replacing cow's milk with coconut milk in a smoothie is the way to go. Coconut milk is nutritious, a great source of calcium, and the texture and flavor (though it really does not have a flavor on its own) really took our morning smoothie to the next level. For those of you trying to start eating healthier this upcoming year, I highly recommend this yummy breakfast treat. It was such a hit in our house, I had to post the recipe right away.

Blueberry dream smoothie

yield: 3-4 servings

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1 cup vanilla yogurt (or you could use plain yogurt and sweeten with honey)

1 1/2 bananas (I was using the other half banana to feed my baby for breakfast, but you could use 1 or 2)

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk ( I used Coconut dream original brand in a carton)

You could also add some fresh spinach for extra nutrition-we do this often

D I R E C T I O N S :

Place blueberries, bananas, and yogurt in blender and blend on high speed. Add coconut milk in gradually.

Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup

2011-10-27T10:38:00.001-04:00

I just made this soup, and as I think about it, the following comes to mind: Perfect for a cold day where you just want to sit on the couch under a blanket with a warm mug of soup in your hand, watching the leaves fall outside (and preferably near a roaring fire). That is how I feel about this soup that I made yesterday. I don't normally make creamy soups, but this one is worth the decadence and extra calories. Oh, I will be making this one again for sure. Perfect with a thick piece of artisan bread or served in a bread bowl. This soup is rich, filling, full of flavor, and oh so comforting. Quite possibly one of the very best soups I've ever made. One more bonus-this is so easy to make, especially if you use leftover rotisserie chicken.

Note: If you don't like wild rice, this is also perfect as a cream of chicken and mushroom soup. That is how mine started out, but I loved the addition of wild rice and it also gives a more filling soup that goes further. Or, if you dislike mushrooms, this would also make for a delicious chicken and wild rice soup.

Chicken, mushroom, and wild rice soup

adapted from a recipe from Simple Suppers for Busy Moms

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, prepared.

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 8 oz. packages of sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken broth, or 2 cups water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes (what I used)

3 cups half & half, (I used 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups cream, because that is what I had on hand)

1-2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken (this is the perfect place for leftover rotisserie chicken meat...that's what I used)

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a medium sauce pan, prepare wild rice and set aside, keeping warm.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms and onion in butter in a large Dutch Oven over medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Add white wine, then broth, cream/milk, chicken, prepared rice, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook 20 minutes, or until thickened, on med-low heat, stirring as needed.

Mulled cider in a crockpot

2011-10-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

I had a girls' night at my house last Friday, and made this delicious mulled cider. It was the perfect drink for a cool, fall Friday night.

Mulled cider in a crock pot

Original recipe here from Tasty Kitchen

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 gallon apple cider

1/2 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. allspice, whole

3 tsp. cloves, whole

4 sticks cinnamon

2 dashes nutmeg (I didn't use)

1 whole orange, cut in half

D I R E C T I O N S:

Pour cider into crock pot. Stir in brown sugar.

In a coffee filter or cheesecloth, place the allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Carefully fold up the coffee filter, making sure none of the spices can fall out. Tie up with butcher's twine and place into the cider. (I used cheesecloth and just tied it with an extra piece of cheese cloth I had cut, because I don't have any kitchen twine).

Slice an orange in half and place sliced side down into the cider. Cover and heat on low for several hours before guests arrive, or can be heated on high for an hour or two until it's hot enough and then turn the heat down to low.

Keep spice bag and orange halves in the cider the entire time.

Chicken & Broccoli Supreme

2011-10-25T15:43:00.001-04:00

I had been wanting to make this recipe from the first time I saw it on Pinterest. Something about it just told me it would be delicious! So, last week when we had some dinner guests, I thought I would try it out. I am so glad I did, because it is so good! In fact, I'm making it again tomorrow because we liked it so much. My husband liked it so much that he even wanted it over the Pioneer Woman's chicken pot pie I was offering to make!

I made a few changes, so this is an adapted version and here is the original recipe. Because we were having guests, I used a little more chicken and broccoli, and it fed 6 adults and 1 toddler generously. This is a wonderful casserole dish to make. Everyone liked it and it goes great with some rice, a salad, and crescent rolls. It's easy to make, too! If you do not have time to make the sauce from scratch, simply substitute 1 1/2-2 cans of cream of chicken soup-I won't judge! I'm doing that tomorrow ;).

Broccoli Chicken Supreme
Adapted from this recipe.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 pounds of frozen broccoli, steamed or boiled (original recipe calls for 1 lb).
4 cups cooked chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (original recipe calls for 3 cups).
2 tubes ritz crackers
1 stick melted butter
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

for the sauce:
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1 cup water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 13x9 pan.
Layer broccoli and chicken, then set aside.
If making the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, bouillon cubes, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, continuing stirring until sauce has thickened.
Turn heat down to low and add cheddar cheese.
Stir until melted, and pour over chicken and broccoli.
Melt butter, and add poppy seeds. Stir well. Crush Ritz crackers (I always give them a spin in my food processor), and add to melted butter. Sprinkle over the entire mixture.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

a recipe, a wreath, and an update.

2011-10-06T15:33:00.001-04:00

Hello there! For those of you who think my little food blog has died, I am here to assure you that it has not! Our toddler and new little addition has been keeping me busy, and that on top of some recent nursing related food allergy issues with my baby girl has taken me through a time where I was not able to eat a wide variety of foods, let alone try many new recipes. But, I think we have begun to get things figured out, so I am looking forward to trying some new recipes soon. I've gotten hooked on Pinterest, and have pinned lots of yummy looking dishes to try. One such recipe from Pinterest I did recently try was these yummy, two-ingredient pumpkin muffins. They are so, so easy to whip up and the perfect dessert for when you are in a hurry or need to make a last minute dessert. All you need is a box of yellow cake mix and a regular sized can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix), and you are off! No eggs, oil, nothing. I did add about 1/3 cup applesauce because it just seemed like it might add to the flavor and enhance the moisture, but it really is not needed-these muffins (which really are more like cupcakes because they are so sweet) are super moist. I also added some cinnamon, ground cloves, and pumpkin pie spice mix to give them more of a pumpkin bread flavor, and all I did was sprinkle the mix generously with each one. Because there are no eggs, you can fearlessly sample the raw batter and add more spices in to your liking. Next time, I'll make either a cream cheese frosting or the apple cider glaze that is also on the original blog post where I found this recipe. These were just so delicious!

Speaking of pinterest, I also made this fun fall wreath! It was super easy and a fun project for fall. Since I don't have a picture of my muffins, I'll show you a picture of the wreath :).

Hopefully, more recipes are to come soon!

Click here for the Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Chicken Simon & Garfunkel

2011-08-05T15:42:00.001-04:00

I am all about easy dishes these days. This is just not the season in life for me to be making things that keep me in the kitchen all day and away from my kids. So, you are likely to notice I will most likely write more posts with dishes that are quick and simple, like this one. I made this dish the other night and it was so good! I've been wanting to try it for a while, and I'm glad I did because it was yummy. This is a super easy, quick dish to make and pop in the oven, and it has a delicious flavor. No picture, but you should still make it! I served it with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli, and my husband and daughter both loved it.

Chicken Simon & Garfunkel

from Simple Suppers for Busy Moms

I N G R E D I E N T S :

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 egg

flour

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)

1 Tbsp. parsley

1/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. rosemary

1/4 tsp. thyme

1 stick butter (could use less; I did. I think you could even use just half a stick and be fine.)

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I used both a 1/2 cup white cooking wine and 1/2 cup broth from a boullion cube)

toothpicks

D I R E C T I O N S :

Season flattened chicken breasts with salt and pepper and sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Roll and secure with toothpick.

Make three bowls for dipping: 1) flour; 2) whisked egg; 3)bread crumbs and spices stirred together.

Dip rolls in flour, then in egg, then in crumbs (roll to coat).

Place in greased casserole dish and top with melted butter.

Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Add wine/broth, cook 30 minutes more.

sauteed corn

2011-08-03T08:49:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when we have mexican/southwestern food for dinner, I find myself at a loss for creative ideas of vegetable sides to serve alongside it. Corn always seems to go well with such dishes, but I get bored with corn on the cob or the plain frozen kind. A while back, I came up with this dish and we love it whenever we have tacos, king ranch chicken, or another such type of meal. It's super easy and there are no precise measurements, but it's a great side dish.

Sauteed corn

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 Tsbp. butter

1 bag of frozen corn

salt

cumin

garlic powder

onion powder

chili powder

D I R E C T I O N S :

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn. Sprinkle with salt and remaining spices, and stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until corn is cooked through.

Easy, tasty 5-minute black bean soup

2011-07-07T09:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, so this might be the easiest soup I've ever made. In fact, I'm quite positive it is. Five minutes, Five ingredients (all of which you probably already have in your pantry), and just as delicious as it is simple to make...this one is a must try. I've been in a lunchtime rut lately and have also been wanting to eat less processed sandwich meat, so I tried this recipe the other day, and I love it. In fact, I've already made it twice, and plan to often in the future. This would be a great dinnertime recipe as well with a salad and some bread. I just could not believe a recipe so easy with such little ingredients could taste so good, but it does!

Black Bean Soup

Slightly adapted from Simple Suppers for Busy Moms

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 15-ounce cans of black beans, undrained

1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp chili powder (I use less-I just sprinkle some in because I don't want much heat)

Dash of cumin (optional, but I added it and like the flavor)

1 can chicken broth (I used 1 chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water because it was what I had on hand)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Dump beans into pan. Mash with potato masher for a thicker texture, or leave as is for an even quicker soup (which is what I did).

Add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil.

That's it!

Add tortilla chips, sour cream, green onions, cheese, etc.

Orange Julius

2011-07-05T12:33:00.000-04:00

When I was a little girl, my mom would sometimes take me to Orange Julius for lunch. There was nothing like one of those classic drinks and a hot dog! The Orange Julius in my town unfortunately closed long ago, so it's only on rare occasion that I venture to a mall that has one. But when I do, I will sometimes treat myself to one of those sweet, frothy drinks. A friend recently gave me a good recipe for one, and I had to share it with you. It is just as delicious as I remember the real one being! A fun treat for summer, especially for kids.

Orange Julius

I N G R E D I E N T S :
6 oz. orange juice concentrate
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups ice cubes
1 cup milk

D I R E C T I O N S :
Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

2011-06-30T09:33:00.001-04:00

I made this dressing last night and it is delicious! I love that this recipe will work with strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. I made a strawberry vinaigrette out of it and just loved the flavor. This is a perfect summer dressing to go over spinach, strawberries, mandarin oranges, feta, pecans...whatever combination you choose! I don't think you can go wrong.

Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
Recipe by Our Best Bites

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. honey (or sugar)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated onion (I left this out but think it would be good with or without)
1 tsp. kosher or other coarse salt
About 10 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1 c. raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
2/3 c. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

D I R E C T I O N S :

Combine the vinegar, honey, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and berries in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and whisk in the poppy seeds. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Lemon icebox pie

2011-06-08T08:49:00.005-04:00

I must admit that one of the added perks of having a baby is the incredible meals brought to us from friends. I have loved, loved, loved the kindness extended to us through these yummy meals and they have been a lifesaver over these first few weeks. I've had many a day where I have literally thought about how I don't know what I would do if I had to worry about getting dinner together. I'm so glad I took the time to make some freezer meals before our baby was born-and I encourage any of you who are expecting to do the same if you have the time to do so because you will certainly NOT regret it- but my favorite nights by far have been when we've been treated to a freshly prepared meal brought to our home by sweet friends! One such treat was this wonderful dessert that was recently brought to us. We saved it for a day when some family was over, and everyone raved over it after taking the first bite and agreed that we would have to get this recipe. Even my husband and sister-in-law, neither of whom are normally fans of lemon desserts, loved this. Many lemon desserts I've had in the past have been too rich, but not this one. It is refreshing and flavorful but not overly intense in flavor or richness. We all loved it so much that I quickly asked my friend for the recipe and she gave it to me, saying that it was extremely easy to make. She is right, it is, and I'm so glad because that just means that it's all the more convenient for me to make! You will not believe how tasty this simple, three ingredient pie is. Perfect for a summer day. I am just imagining how wonderfully refreshing this would be at a 4th of July picnic or an evening cookout. You must try it!

Once again, I am behind on my photography. I will come back and post a picture soon once life gives me a few minutes to do so :).

Lemon Icebox Pie

Makes 2 pies

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1.75 quart container vanilla ice cream (just plain vanilla, nothing fancy or with vanilla bean bits in it)

1/2 of a can lemonade concentrate

2 graham cracker crusts

D I R E C T I O N S :

Soften vanilla ice cream and mix with thawed lemon aid concentrate to taste- I used about 1/2 of the can.

Freeze in two ready made Graham cracker crusts.

Serve frozen, straight out of the freezer. Enjoy!

Note: I think this would also be a yummy ice cream treat on its own, even without the pie crust. Just combine both ingredients and freeze. Serve in a bowl or ice cream cone for a light, lemony treat!

Chocolate almond ice cream

2011-06-02T17:00:00.000-04:00

We've been busy here with the arrival of our new baby girl, but I have a few posts I hope to share soon, including this one. Before she was born, I made this yummy chocolate ice cream. If you have an ice cream maker, this is extremely easy to mix up. If you don't like almonds, simply omit them for an equally yummy classic chocolate ice cream. I do not have a picture yet, but hopefully soon I'll get to take one since I'm slowly savoring the remainder we have left in the freezer! This is a terrific summer treat you can whip up in a snap.

Chocolate almond ice cream

Recipe here from myrecipes.com
I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 cups whole chocolate milk
2/3 cup chocolate syrup
3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds (toast on 350 for 5-10 minutes, but do not let get too brown!)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher or large bowl until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Pour milk mixture into freezer container of a 1-quart electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (Instructions and times will vary.)
Remove container with ice cream from ice-cream maker, and place in freezer 15 minutes. Stir almonds into prepared ice cream. Transfer to an airtight container; freeze until firm, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pineapple-Coconut Gelato

2011-04-25T15:18:00.051-04:00

Yesterday, I had the joy of guest posting for my friend Amber over at This Mommy Cooks. I shared this recipe with her readers and now I am sharing it with all of you!

You know that whole thing about pregnant women and ice cream cravings? Well, I must be here to prove that it's true, because I'm just about to have another baby and in the past two weeks, I've made several batches of the stuff! I just cannot get enough fruity, frothy desserts lately, and this is the most recent recipe I've tried. When I came across the recipe, I immediately knew I had to try it because it just sounded so good and refreshing, not to mention extremely easy to make. I'm not normally a huge fan of coconut on its own, but I do love it when added to other tropical flavors, so the coconut milk base in this recipe is, in my opinion, a wonderful compliment to the pineapple. This dessert is just so tasty yet not too rich or heavy, and the texture could probably be described as in between a sorbet and sherbet. My family just loves this recipe, so when I talked to Amber about guest posting today, my mind went immediately to this one as a great dessert to share with you all. And with warm weather finally here and summer just around the corner, it is a great one to try out.

One other reason that I thought it would be fun to try this recipe is because growing up, I always loved getting the famous Dole Whips at Disney World's Magic Kingdom. I've searched for a good recipe to compare it to, but have never had any luck (mostly because the whip is actually a prepackaged concoction that you have to order rather than simple ingredients...as you can tell, I've done some research ;)!). So when I saw this recipe, I had that delicious Dole Whip in the back of my mind in hopes that it might taste similar. Well, I thought it did, and without even saying anything to him about it, my husband said it kind of reminds him of a Dole Whip. I started laughing and told him that is what I thought, too! So, if you like Dole Whips, you will most likely love this recipe. And if you've never had one but love a good refreshing, fruity dessert, this one will not disappoint!

I recently made a strawberry gelato that we can't get enough of as well-I've made several batches of it and everyone who has tried it has loved it, so I highly recommend it, especially with strawberries being in season. For that and other recipes, feel free to visit my cooking blog, Casual Cuisine. I love trying new fun, practical, family friendly recipes and sharing them!

Pineapple-Coconut Gelato

Slightly adapted from this recipe from Cooking Light, found on Myrecipes.com

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup coconut milk (I bought reduced fat coconut milk in a can, which can be found in the asian food section of the grocery store.)

D I R E C T I O N S :
Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool completely.
Combine the pineapple and milk in a large bowl; stir in sugar syrup (I actually blended it together in a blender for a smoother texture, but either way would probably be fine).
Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon gelato into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.

Strawberry Gelato

2011-04-14T09:57:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness. This is definitely my favorite thing I've made in a LONG time. I came across this recipe about a couple of months ago and bookmarked it because it looked good. Strawberry gelato- How could it not be good?! I made this the other night when I was on my strawberry recipe kick. I used an ice cream maker, but I would venture to say that you could make it without one-just use a food processor for all the ingredients and freeze in the freezer.

I was a little leery of using buttermilk because I wondered how it would make the flavor, but this gelato is nothing but yummy and sweet and you would never know you are using buttermilk. And apparently you are supposed to use low-fat buttermilk but I forgot to note that and bought whole milk buttermilk at the store. It was wonderful. It has a great flavor but is almost like a mix between ice cream and sorbet-has a slightly creamy texture but is not heavy or too creamy. By using the buttermilk, even if you use whole buttermilk, it's a lot less fattening than regular ice cream, which is a bonus for sure. I absolutely LOVE this stuff and am so glad I bought a bigger carton of buttermilk than I needed, because I am going to be buying more strawberries and making this stuff to keep for after the baby comes. My ice cream maker didn't get it quite frozen enough-maybe because the recipe filled up the whole container; I'm not sure. But, the directions on my ice cream maker always say to continue freezing it in the freezer if it's not done after the time is up, so this might have been normal and the other times I've used my ice cream maker, I've had to do the same thing. It froze well and all I do is sit it out for a little while before I serve it so that it will be easy to scoop. This is a wonderfully refreshing treat for a spring or summer day!

Strawberry Gelato

from Cooking Light on My recipes.com

Original recipe here

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
5 cups quartered strawberries (about 4 pints or 2 16-ounce cartons)
2 cups low-fat buttermilk (I used whole milk buttermilk)

D I R E C T I O N S

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour into a large bowl; cool completely.
Place strawberries in a blender, and process until smooth. Add strawberry purée and buttermilk to sugar syrup; stir to combine.
Pour the strawberry mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

strawberry bread

2011-04-12T12:45:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year when strawberries can be found in abundance at great prices. I love, love, love strawberries and that they signal the coming of summer! I must be having some intense pregnancy cravings for strawberries, because yesterday I spent the evening making three different recipes with strawberries as the main ingredient! Being in my final weeks of pregnancy, I was definitely worn out after my cooking frenzy, but at the time it seemed very necessary to make all three strawberry recipes at once, and the end results were worth it. This is one of the recipes I tried, and the other two will come soon.

This bread is delicious! My friend Sara gave me the recipe and I had to try it after hearing how tasty it is. This quick bread is super easy to make, makes enough for two loaves, has a great flavor, and is super moist. Great for a breakfast bread, or just because!

No picture-it's raining and the lighting is bad, and you can probably picture what strawberry bread looks like anyway. But do try this recipe!

Strawberry Bread

Makes 2 loaves and freezes well.

I N G R E D I E N T S :
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups mashed strawberries ( you can use either fresh, or frozen and thawed)
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional-I didn't have any)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Add the strawberries, oil, and eggs.
Mix just until moistened.
Fold in the pecans, if using.
Pour into greased and floured loaf pans.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, or cooked through (it took me a little longer than an hour.)

Baked Ziti

2011-04-06T21:35:00.007-04:00

I ran across this recipe a while back and decided to try it out tonight. We really enjoyed this dish and it wasn't hard at all to make. The original recipe calls for turkey italian sausage but, since I'm not usually a big fan of sausage unless it's in breakfast food, I decided to go meatless. The taste was great, it was filling, and we didn't miss the meat at all (and it also made for a cheaper meal, which is always a plus!). I made this but, since we couldn't possibly eat the entire dish and I'm in the process of stocking my freezer, I froze half of it, and we still had enough left over from dinner to have for leftovers later this week. If you are looking for a recipe for baked ziti, this is a great one to try.

Baked Ziti

Recipe here from Annie's Eats

My changes/comments are noted below in italics

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 lb. whole milk or 1% cottage cheese (I used cottage cheese but ricotta would be great as well.)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
Table salt
1 lb. ziti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage (I did not use any meat and it was great. Just depends on if you want meat or not.)
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided (I only had dried basil, so I used 1/3 of the amount it calls for)
1 tsp. sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk) (I used whole milk)
8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

D I R E C T I O N S :

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add in the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta to a 9×13″ baking dish and spread the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Stovetop Apples

2011-04-03T16:29:00.011-04:00

These apples are a great dish to serve with dinner. We had them with a vegetable night this past week (and then actually, we had them again another night because they were so good!), but they would be a great accompaniment to many meals. They are super easy to make, and have a wonderful flavor. Your kids will especially love them, and so will you! I recommend using Granny Smith apples for their flavor and texture.

Stovetop apples
Serves 4

I N G R E D I E N T S :

6 regular sized granny smith apples
3/4 cup sugar
cinnamon
pinch of salt

D I R E C T I O N S :

Peel apples and cut into thin slices. Place in a sauce pan and add just enough water to cover them, though they will try to float. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes, then reduce to simmer on low. Add sugar, a pinch of salt, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Let cook for about 10 minutes, until apples are fork tender. Drain excess water.

Classic Spaghetti Sauce

2011-04-01T08:56:00.001-04:00

Every cook has their own version of spaghetti sauce, and after trying some different kinds over the years, I made this one the other day. I looked at some different recipes, including this one from my friend Amber's blog, and then threw my adapted version together. Like Amber, instead of using a packaged spaghetti seasoning packet, I looked up recipe substitutes and then adjusted it in my recipe according to my preference. The great thing about a sauce like this is that you can adjust it according to your taste as you go. We loved the flavor and had enough left over to freeze for a future meal.

Classic Spaghetti Sauce

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 Tbsp. oil

1.5 lbs ground beef (I use mostly lean beef-I think it was 94% lean)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

15 ounces tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, liquid drained

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dried basil

1 1/4 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried rosemary

1/8 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. sugar

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook onion and garlic until tender and transparent. Remove, and set aside (or, you could just leave them in while the beef cooks. I don't think it really matters).

Turn heat to medium-high/high and brown beef until cooked through, stirring constantly to crumble.

Drain any grease.

Combine beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, drained tomatoes, water, and remaining ingredients to the sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, reducing heat to low once it reaches a gentle boil. Simmer, covered, on low for a while (20-30 minutes if you need it quickly, or you can let it sit on low for longer to let the flavors combine even more). Adjust seasonings to taste.

Sloppy Joes

2011-03-30T15:53:00.002-04:00

Oh, come on and admit it. It's okay; you don't have to be ashamed. You know you like a good sloppy joe every now and then! This was my first attempt at making sloppy joes, and I decided to give it a try after a friend sent me a recipe she loves and I thought it would be a good meal to make a freeze part of for after the baby. I ended up adjusting quite a few things in the recipe, so hopefully I'll be able to remember what all I did...but when in doubt, just adjust amounts according to your taste. This was a good meal and my husband loved it. I think he would rather eat something like sloppy joes over a fancy meal any night!

I did not get a picture, but really, let's admit it: Sloppy joes may taste good, but they aren't pretty.

Sloppy Joes

Original recipe here from allrecipes.com

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (add a little, and then add more if you think it needs it)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I ended up using a little bit more)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (this is an estimate-original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp but I added more after tasting it)
Onion powder (I sprinkled some over the top as it was cooking)
Hamburger buns

D I R E C T I O N S :

Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high until evenly browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and celery, cover pan, and cook until transparent. The original recipe says this takes about 5 minutes, but it took me a while longer to get the celery and onion to desire softness. Drain off any grease.
Stir the tomato soup (undiluted), ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture. Season with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, adjusting to taste. Heat to a simmer over low heat, and cook until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom. If your onion and celery still needs to soften up, you can cook it for longer. I let the mixture simmer on low for a while, and was more and more pleased with the results after letting the flavors combine for longer.
Spoon the hot beef mixture onto buns.

Fancy baked penne pasta with chicken and sun dried tomatoes

2011-03-14T09:32:00.001-04:00

I mentioned this recipe last week when I posted about freezer cooking, but I wanted to give this recipe its own post because it was super tasty! I'm only posting a link to it, but you can find the full recipe and a picture there. It's definitely not a low calorie dish, but it is yummy. The only thing I would do differently is make sure there is enough salt-the instructions say to add salt to taste near the end, and I wish I would have added just a hair more. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing!

Here is the link:
Baked penne pasta with chicken and sun dried tomatoes
from Freeze Happy

Freezer cooking when preparing for a baby

2011-03-10T08:46:00.010-05:00

As I recently mentioned, we're expecting another baby in May. We are so excited, and are busy getting prepared to welcome this little bundle of joy into our life. I will say that one thing that is really intimidating to me right now is the thought of cooking with a toddler at my feet and a newborn in my arms. That said, one thing I'm working on is freezer meals to have on hand when the baby arrives. When our first child was born, we were given many meals by friends from our church, and they were always a welcomed sight...truly some of the best gifts a new mother could receive! I honestly do not know how we would have made it without those dinners the first few weeks, and am forever grateful for them. However, we are now living in a different town, and live far away from our new church, so I am determined to be prepared this time around with having my freezer stocked up. Any meals we happen to get will be a wonderful blessing and gladly accepted, but I want to have a few meals stashed away so I'm not dependent on receiving them.

Freezing meals is something I have mentioned on here time and again, and I even have a section titled "good to freeze". Many times when I make a recipe, I'll double it if I have enough ingredients so that I can stick an extra meal in the freezer. It really takes very little extra time to just go ahead and make twice as much, and stick the extra in aluminum foil pans. And often, if a recipe makes a 9x12 portion, since we only eat about one 8x8 on our own, I can double to recipe and get one 8x8 for dinner and 3 9x12's to freeze for the future.

I originally intended on freezing one meal a week starting at the beginning of the year. While I've fallen somewhat short of that, I've been able to freeze several and am doing my best to stick to freezing something every week, even if it's just bread or a side. Some weeks I don't get time to freeze anything, and then other weeks I'll freeze a couple of different items...which always helps me feel a little more prepared. Some things I've frozen are just small portions to add to a meal, and then there are other meals where I have managed to get 1-3 8x8 main course dishes into my freezer.

Here are some things I've frozen so far:

Taco Soup

Minestrone Soup

Focaccia Bread

French Bread (always good to have on hand)

Corn Bread (we have pinto beans and corn bread about once a week, so this is an easy meal)

Mashed Potatoes (yes, you can freeze them! Just add a little more milk and butter or sour cream when you reheat them).

Poppy seed chicken

Beef Stew

Pizza dough (healthy whole wheat version here)

Pizza sauce (scroll down pizza dough recipe for the sauce recipe)

Farmstand Marinara sauce

Taco meat (no recipe. just ground beef, onions, and taco seasoning. Here is a make-your-own seasoning)

Lasagna (new recipe I never posted. great except I'm not a big sausage person so next time I'll use beef).

Inside out ravioli

Baked penne with chicken and sun dried tomatoes
Sloppy Joes
King Ranch Chicken
Classic Spaghetti Sauce
Chicken Pot Pie (I doubled this recipe and managed to get 3 pies out of it!)
Chicken Noodle Soup (similar ingredients to pot pie, so I made them at the same time)
Baked Ziti
Strawberry bread
Strawberry gelato (such a yummy dessert!)

There may be a few more things I've frozen, but mommy brain has taken over and I can't find the list I made when I took inventory of my freezer last week. I have several other meals I would like to freeze in the next few weeks, and am always looking for new freezer meal recipes to try. In addition, I'm hoping to start using my crock pot more often, having the super easy pinto beans and corn bread one meal a week, pizza once a week (because it's a fun treat that is so easy and home made pizza isn't nearly as unhealthy as take out), having my husband grill weekly since it will be summer, and having some vegetable nights with all the produce that will be in season. I'm also going to stock up on frozen vegetables when they are on sale to keep on hand.

One thing that is helpful if you are into freezer cooking is to have an additional deep freezer. We bought one at a scratch and dent appliance store, and it has served us so well. I love keeping items such as freezer meals, extra frozen veggies, and meat on hand. Sometimes I have more than at other times, but times like these when a baby is about to arrive make it such a blessing to stock up beforehand.

I love getting aluminum pans at the dollar store. I usually wrap the pan in two layers of foil, and label the top one. Once it's time to cook, I remove the top layer and leave the bottom one on until near the end of cooking. Most meals that are frozen can be cooked unthawed by just doubling the cooking time. I usually aim for cooking most meals for 2 hours on 350 degrees F-1 1/2 hours covered, then the last 1/2 uncovered.

As I continue to freeze more meals, I'm updating this post with links to each recipe in case you are interested in freezing meals as well. And if you have any meals you love to freeze, please share them! I would love the recipes.

Inside out Ravioli

2011-02-28T09:23:00.004-05:00

This is a very simple dish to make. The recipe calls for store-bought sauce, which I don't normally use, but I have to admit that it was a huge time saver. Rather than making one 9x13 dish, I made two small round pans and froze them because I'm having a baby in May and am currently stocking my freezer for meals in preparation. While we haven't actually had this meal yet, the few bites I sampled before freezing the dish tasted good, so I'm looking forward to trying it out in a few weeks!

Inside Out Ravioli

adapted from a recipe in The Christmas Cottage Cookbook

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 (10-oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked acc. to pkg. directions-reserve the water from cooking.

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (15-oz) jar spaghetti with mushrooms (I used Ragu super chunky mushroom)

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1 (6-z) can tomato paste

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (all I had was panko so I used that, but any is probably find)

1/4 cup oil

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 (8-oz) pkg. shell macaroni, cooked

D I R E C T I O N S :

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook macaroni shells according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions; drain well, reserving liquid. Set aside.

Brown ground beef with onion. Once finished, add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and spinach liquid. Simmer 10 minutes.

Combine spinach with bread crumbs, oil and cheese. Mix well and add to cooked macaroni shells.

Pour meat sauce over top of shell mixture, and stir until combined.

Spread in 9x13 baking dish (or two 8x8 or small around pans).

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Easy, no cook banana pudding trifle

2011-02-23T16:33:00.002-05:00

I think banana pudding may be my husband's most favorite dessert. We are going to dinner at some friends' house tonight for our church community group and I signed up to bring dessert, so when I asked my husband what he would like, he said he would love to have banana pudding. Now, I like banana pudding, too, but when I make it, I like to serve it as a trifle to dress it up a little. I think trifles are always a fun, easy dish and they often make for a prettier presentation than something in a regular bowl or pan. I've made the pudding and cream from scratch before, but when I don't have time or feel like it (like today), this recipe is super, super easy. I'm not claiming that this is any kind of gourmet recipe-rather, it's embarrassingly processed, unhealthy, quick, and easy to assemble- but it is a fun way to serve this classic dish. I didn't have any, but it would be great garnished with a mint sprig or cherry. This is a great dessert to make when you don't have time or feel like baking. If you want to make it a hair 'healthier' (is that possible?), you can always make homemade vanilla pudding and homemade whipped cream.

Banana pudding trifle

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 large container cool whip
4-6 bananas, diced
1 box vanilla wafers

D I R E C T I O N S :

Prepare vanilla pudding according to directions.

In a trifle dish, begin by layering the bottom with vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of diced bananas.
Spread one layer of pudding and then a layer of cool whip.

Repeat vanilla wafers, bananas, vanilla pudding, and cool whip, then repeat again (you want three layers of each ingredient, total).

Garnish top with banana slices, mint, or a cherry.

Incredible potato soup

2011-02-14T09:00:00.020-05:00

This is by far the best recipe for potato soup I've ever made, and I'll even venture to say it might just be the best potato soup I've ever had- Seriously. It's very easy to make, has a wonderful flavor, and is creamy but not too rich. The new potatoes give a great texture and taste, and it has just the right amount of cheese but not so much that it tastes like a cheese based soup, as many potato soup recipes can tend to end up flavor-wise. Savory herbs are the perfect addition to this wonderful recipe from my friend Kelly. Kelly makes this in the crockpot, and I would love to try that next time. This time, however, I didn't give myself enough time, so I made it on the stove and it was still a very simple, quick soup to throw together. This is definitely going to be the go-to potato soup recipe from now on in my kitchen! I thought we would have plenty of leftovers, but it was so tasty that we kept going back for more and I only managed to scrape enough for a small bowl to savor for lunch tomorrow.

Because I made this on the stovetop, I adapted the instructions, as well as some of the ingredients since I went mainly with what I already had on hand. Her original recipe and crockpot instructions, as well as some great time saving tips, maybe be found here, and my variation is below.

Easy loaded baked potato soup
Adapted from Kelly's recipe at Carrot Top Mom

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 chicken bouillon cubes

15-20 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (no need to peel!)

2 tablespoons dry ranch mix , or the following ingredients for a make-your-own substitute:

2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. black pepper (adjust according to your taste)

1 tsp. salt (adjust according to your taste)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

2 cups half & half cream

1/2 pound Velveeta Cheese, chopped in 1 inch squares

Cheddar cheese shredded and green onions or chives as an optional garnish

D I R E C T I O N S :

Saute onion and garlic in soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat until tender.

Add chicken broth, bouillon cubes, and scrubbed, cubed new potatoes to pot. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.

With an immersion blender or potato masher, mash potatoes, leaving about half the chunks (or more, depending on your preference).

Add ranch seasoning or homemade mixture, half & half, and Velveeta, and let simmer on low for 15 more minutes, stirring cheese to melt. Do not bring to a boil.

Optional: Garnish with cheddar cheese and green onions or chives.

Perfect Valentine's Treat

2011-02-13T16:49:00.003-05:00

Every year for Valentine's Day, I make my favorite dessert-strawberry pie. Something about the little red heart-shaped fruit cooked into a yummy pie just seems like a perfect treat for this day to me. If you are looking for a fun dessert to make for tomorrow, give this one a try! It is a favorite in my home!

Since I've posted it before, here's a link to the recipe.

Shrimp & Penne Pasta

2011-01-25T07:52:00.004-05:00

My friend Amber simply loves this dish and makes it regularly, so I had to give it a try. I actually made it a few weeks ago and am just now getting a chance to post it on here (I know, it has been a while since I posted...between the holidays, traveling, pregnancy, and a toddler, I have not had as much time for new meals or blog posts). This is a simple dish, but it's delicious. The only part that took a little bit of time was deveining the shrimp, but if you bought shrimp that has already been deveined, it would be a quick dish to put together. We don't normally cook shrimp, so this was a fun treat to have one evening for dinner. The sauce has a great flavor, and is perfect with the shrimp. This is served great with a salad and some french bread.

Penne a la Betsy
Slightly adapted From The Pioneer Woman Cooks

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 pound penne pasta
1 pound shrimp (I bought uncooked shrimp that had already been peeled)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 whole onion (small), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cups white wine, or to taste (I used cooking wine)
1 can tomato sauce (14.5 Oz)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. dried parsley (or use fresh if you have some)
1 tsp, dried basil (or use fresh if you have some)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

D I R E C T I O N S :
Bring pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Begin by peeling and deveining the shrimp, and rinsing them under cold water.
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp. of the butter and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil.
When the pan is hot, add the shrimp. Stir and cook on both sides until it is just starting to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
Next, finely chop the onion.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
Add the garlic and onion. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.
Pour the rest of the wine into the pan. Stir and allow it to evaporate, about 45 seconds.
Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low.
Pour in the cream. Stir well to combine, reduce the heat to simmer.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir gently to combine.
Next, stir in the herbs. Add the cooked, drained pasta.
Stir gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk to get it to the right consistency. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Be sure to taste the seasoning at the end, adjusting if necessary.
Serve directly out of the skillet, or pour the contents of the skillet into a serving bowl.

Chocolate creme de menthe cookies

2010-12-15T15:52:00.002-05:00

I made a fabulous little cookie the other night, and have been dying to share it with you. My friend Anca posted this recipe on her blog, and it looked irresistible. And, it was! This is a wonderful cookie to make, especially during this time of year. Make them for your family, make them for a cookie swap, have one with milk, or even some coffee on a cold afternoon. Just make them, because they are so good! And if you haven't checked out Anca's blog, you should-she has some fantastic looking recipes and I find myself dying to try each new dish as soon as she posts it. She also has a good picture of these cookies, and I do not...so you'll have to go there to see! Here is the recipe.

Chocolate creme de menthe cookies
by Anca at Haystacks and champagne

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (or 1 cup regular white sugar & 3/4 cup packed brown sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 10-oz pkg Andes brand creme de menthe baking chips

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar (and granulated sugar, if using), and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies (rough estimate).

chewy molasses spice cookies

2010-12-06T14:03:00.008-05:00

Christmas is upon us and many of us will have cookie exchanges or at least be baking at some point, so I thought I would share this recipe a for delicious and fun cookie to make during this season. A friend made these for me once and I had to have the recipe, and have enjoyed making them during the holidays ever since. Unfortunately, I have not made them yet this year, so no picture...but hopefully soon! Speaking of which, my apologies for the lack of pictures lately, but I've just been so busy and it seems that I'm either running out the door with the dish or company is about to arrive, and I just can't manage to get a photo. I figure no pictures is better than no posts, right? In the meantime, you can make and enjoy these yourselves :).

Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
Makes 36~prep time 25 minutes~total time 1 hour and 30 minutes

I N G R E D I E N T S :
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 cups sugar
12 Tbsp. (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl place 1/2 cup sugar and set aside (this will be used to roll the dough balls in before baking).

With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low, gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until dough forms.

Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 Tbsp. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.

Arrange balls on baking sheets (I lined mine with parchment paper or wax paper) about 3 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time until edges are just firm, 10-15 minutes. Cool one minute on baking sheet and then transfer to rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Baked Brie in Croute

2010-12-04T14:39:00.000-05:00

(photo courtesy of foodnetwork.com)

I recently had a coupon for a nice *free* wedge of brie from my local health food store just in time for a dinner I was needing to make an appetizer for. After asking around and seeing several versions of the same type recipe, I decided to try this one. It was delicious! I mean, how could it not be? Good brie, jam, puff pastry? There's just no way it couldn't taste great! This is a wonderful appetizer-it's super easy to make but looks fancy and impressive, and is just perfect for this time of year. Unfortunately I was running out the door when it came out of the oven, so I didn't have time to take a picture. But trust me-this little dish doesn't disappoint!

Brie in Croute #2

from Paula Deen on foodnetwork.com

Original recipe here

My comments in italics

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (package comes with 2 sheets)

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 small (8-ounce) wheel Brie (I used a nice size wedge)

1/2 cup raspberry jam

2 eggs, beaten

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold (place remaining sheet in freezer for later use).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute nuts in butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.

Place nuts on top of Brie and spread jam on top of nuts.

Gently roll pastry with a rolling pin to increase the size of the sheet 1 to 2 inches in each direction. Brush both sides of the sheet with beaten egg.

Center the wheel of Brie on top of the pastry sheet. Bring all four corners of the sheet together above Brie and twist slightly to form a "bundle." Tie gathered pastry with kitchen/cooking string (tie string in the form of a bow), arranging pastry until you are satisfied with the "bundle" shape. (I didn't have any kitchen string so I just pressed the dough together and it was fine.)

Place "bundle" on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Serve with top-quality crackers.

My favorite chocolate chip cookies

2010-11-19T19:12:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine was looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe today, and it reminded me that I have been needing to post one for these cookies. I love these cookies! My mother-in-law makes them, and they are definitely a family favorite. Many people have their own go-to chocolate chip recipe that they love, and this is mine. So if you are looking for a good chocolate chip cookie, try this recipe! You won't be disappointed.

Sometimes I double this recipe and shape into 4 logs, wrap individually in parchment/wax paper, and freeze for slice and bake cookies until ready to use. Simply slice, then bake as follows. There's nothing like having homemade slice and bake cookies waiting for you in the freezer!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/2 cup butter (my MIL uses shortening for a more crispy cookie, but I use butter)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip pieces

1/2 cup broken walnuts or pecans

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening or butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda.

Beat the mixture till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda, and then beat into sugar/butter/egg/vanilla mixture.

Stir in chocolate pieces and, if desired, nuts.

Drop dough by rounded spoonfulls two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

Three Cheese Spinach Lasagna

2010-11-15T17:27:00.003-05:00

Who doesn't love a good lasagna every now and then? This is one I've made for several years now, and I always enjoy it. It's a meatless lasagna, but the ingredients are tasty and very satisfying, and I don't even miss the meat. Plus, sometimes it's nice to save a little bit of money by not having to buy the beef. I love the flavor of this lasagna; the sauce is flavorful and blends well with the three cheeses, and it's a great way to sneak some spinach into a meal, too.

I did not take a picture of this, but we all know what lasagna looks like :).

This is also a great meal to divide into two smaller portions if you are feeding a small family of 3-4, and freeze the other half, or even double the recipe and make 4 small 8x8 lasagnas.

Three cheese spinach lasagna

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/4 cup XVOO

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1-28 oz. can tomatoes, drained

1-6 oz can tomato sauce

1-6oz can tomato paste

Basil, marjoram, oregano to taste (you can use or some Italian seasoning)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Bay Leaf

1 small tub of ricotta cheese

1 bar of Monterey jack cheese

1/2 cup parmesan-romano cheese

I bag of frozen spinach (12-16 ounce bag), thawed

1 box lasagna noodles

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic and onion with some XVOO until onions are tender and clear and garlic is a golden brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, and stir until combined. Add herbs and seasonings, and simmer on low heat for around 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the lasagna noodles, and then let them cook for about 10 minutes. Drain.

In a separate bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, and half the bar of Monterey jack cheese. Stir well.

Once the sauce has finished simmering and the noodles are done, begin assembling lasagna in a 9x12 dish. Start by spreading a small amount of the sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Add one layer of lasagna noodles. Spread (or “dot”) the cheese/spinach combo over the layer of noodles. Repeat layers of sauce, noodles, and cheese/spinach mixture until you have used all the noodles or don't have any more room in the dish, ending with the last layer of noodles, then cheese/spinach, then sauce. Sprinkle remaining half bar of shredded Monterey jack cheese. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

The best butternut squash soup.

2010-10-27T14:39:00.005-04:00

Two sweet friends recently had me over for dinner, and served the most delicious soup! I helped myself to two large bowls, quickly asked for the recipe, and gladly accepted the leftovers. This soup is absolutely delicious, and perfect for a fall day. This soup is also very nutritious, and filling. I just love it!

Butternut Squash soup

Slightly adapted from a recipe by my friend Allison

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized butternut squash
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 cups chicken stock
1/4-1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (optional, but a nice addition if you have some on hand)
1/2 cup of half and half
1/4 teaspoon of coriander
A nice, long squirt of honey
1/4 cup of brown sugar, or less (depending on taste)
Salt, to taste

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut squash in half. Drizzle a little honey and oil, and sprinkle
some salt and pepper over flesh side of squash halves. Wrap in foil, and roast for 1 hour. (Doing this the day before makes day of prep much quicker).
Remove from foil, and peel and chop squash into large chunks.
In a dutch oven or large pot, saute onion in 1 Tbsp. butter until tender and clear. Add chicken stock, peeled and sliced apples, squash, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to low, and let simmer for 10 minutes or until apples are tender.
Puree in batches in a blender or food processor, or you can use an immersion blender.
Stir in half and half, coriander, honey, and brown sugar to taste. If soup is already pretty sweet, omit brown sugar.

Corn spoon bread

2010-10-22T08:57:00.002-04:00

I found this recipe a few years back in one of Real Simple Magazine's Thanksgiving issues, and have enjoyed making it during the fall every year since. This is such a simple recipe but is tasty and satisfying, especially during this time of year with its mild but savory flavor and warm, smooth texture.
This serves 6-8, so I usually divide it in half if it's just the three of us.

Corn Spoon Bread

from Real Simple (original recipe here)

I N G R E D I E N T S :

3 cups whole milk
2 cups fresh corn kernels or one 10-ounce package frozen corn, thawed
3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

D I R E C T I O N S :

Heat oven to 350° F.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring 2 cups of the milk and the corn to a boil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining milk and the cornmeal. Whisking constantly, slowly add the mixture to the boiling milk. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs.

Transfer to a buttered casserole or cast-iron skillet. Bake until golden and set, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Tetrazzini

2010-10-18T08:00:00.004-04:00

Sometimes my favorite meals are the classic, familiar ones. Such is the case with this dish. It's easy, tasty, and satisfying. I've wanted a good recipe for chicken tetrazzini for a long time, and just got this from a friend of mine who served it to us once at her house. This is a great go-to recipe, and also a great meal to freeze or take to someone.

Chicken Tetrazzini

From Lynn E.

To make ahead: cover and chill. Let stand for 30 minutes, uncover and bake 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

3 T. butter

1 med. onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

3 T. all-purpose flour

2 C milk

7 oz. angel hair pasta

3 C. cooked chicken

1 C. (4-oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 can cream of mushroom soup (here is a make-your-own substitute, if you prefer)

1/4 C. dry white wine

1 - 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

1- 2 oz. jar diced pimentos, drained

1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

D I R E C T I O N S :

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute until tender. Stir in flour - cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.

Stir in pasta, 3/4 C. cheddar cheese, and next 8 ingredients. Spoon into lightly greased 9x12 baking dish.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Southwestern Salad

2010-10-14T09:14:00.007-04:00

This is a repost, but one I just had to share, especially now that I've got a picture. I've been enjoying this salad a lot for lunch lately, because right now it just seems like the perfect food for me. I love making a whole wheat cheese quesadilla to go along with it. This meal is delicious and healthy-protein from the black beans, lots of fresh veggies, a yummy, refreshing dressing (though if you dislike cilantro, you could substitute another southwestern or chipotle ranch for it), crunchy tortilla chips....mmmm. Just make this. If you like southwestern salads such as the quesadilla explosion salad from Chili's, you'll just love this one.

Southwestern Salad

source unknown

I N G R E D I E N T S :

for the southwestern vinaigrette:

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup lime juice (I didn't have quite enough juice-you probably need 4 large limes to get enough)

1/2 cup olive oil (I've been using safflower...you could use canola as well)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

for the salad:

1 head of romaine lettuce

5 plum tomatoes, chopped (you can really use any kind)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small red onion, finely chopped (I only used half of a red onion, and it seemed like plenty)

1 (8-ounce) package of shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained (or frozen corn)

1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

garnish-fresh cilantro leaves

*I think this is also delicious with some chopped avocado

D I R E C T I O N S :

Layer lettuce and the next 7 ingredients, and toss to combine. Garnish, if desired, and serve immediately with southwestern vinaigrette. If you are going to keep this salad on hand in the fridge for a few days, I think it's best to keep the ingredients in separate containers and combine right before eating, to maintain freshness. Also, I keep the dressing separate and add some just before eating to keep it from becoming soggy.

pumpkin pie cake

2010-10-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for a great dessert for this time of year? Well, look no farther, because I have one for you! This tasty dessert captures all the flavors and spices of fall in three delicious layers, and is sure to please your friends and family. This dessert is delicious served warm and topped with whipped cream, and makes a perfect treat for after dinner, to take to a dessert party, or even your Thanksgiving meal.

I apologize for my recent lack of pictures lately! Just trust me, this one is good and the picture would probably not do it justice :).

Pumpkin Pie Cake

source unknown

I N G R E D I E N T S :

For the crust:

1 yellow cake mix (reserve one cup for topping)

1 egg

1/3 cup melted butter

For the filling:

1 large (29-oz) can pumpkin

3 eggs

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ginger

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

For the topping:

1 cup reserved cake mix

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, reserve one cup of cake mix. Mix the other ingredients together well and put in a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Pat down with hand.

For the filling, mix ingredients in a large bowl and pour over crust.

For the topping, mix together and crumble over pumpkin mix.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Serve warm with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread

2010-10-05T13:52:00.001-04:00

Fall is here, and what better way to ring it in than with the smell of fresh pumpkin bread baking in your oven? I look forward to making this recipe every fall, and am never disappointed. I love that this recipe makes 3 loaves, which is perfect for either freezing, or giving to neighbors and friends as a gift. This is always a hit in our house!
You can also make muffins or mini loaves out of this recipe, just adjust cooking time as noted below.

If you just want to make one loaf, then please note the adjusted ingredient amounts (in parenthesis).

Pumpkin bread
Original recipe found here at Allrecipes.com

I N G R E D I E N T S :
3 cups canned pumpkin puree (or 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup)
4 cups white sugar (or 1-1/3 cup)
6 eggs (or 2 eggs)
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (or 1/2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda  (or 1/2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. salt  (or 1/2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon  (or 1/2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg  (or 1/2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves  (or 1/2 tsp.)

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour three 9x5" loaf pans, mini loaf pans, or muffin tins.
In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans or muffin tins.
For bread, bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If making mini loaves or muffins, bake for 30-35 minutes.
The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

Incredible breakfast casserole

2010-09-27T17:33:00.001-04:00

Last year, I was a member of a supper club some girls in my Sunday school class put together. We went through Tables of Content, which is a Junior League of Birmingham cookbook, and had a lot of fun over some great meals. One of my favorite dishes in the book is this breakfast casserole-it is just incredible. We also served it for a baby shower our Sunday school class hosted for two friends. This is the best breakfast casserole I've had, and I've been dying to make it but just don't have an excuse (I don't usually make things like this just for my family's breakfast). I would love to make it soon, but until then, I wanted to share it with you all. Make it. I promise, it does not disappoint! The instructions for this casserole allow you to prepare it the night before, too, which makes it an easy meal to pop in the oven before a nice breakfast or brunch.

Sausage, Egg, Grits Casserole
From Tables of Content, a Junior League of Birmingham cookbook

I N G R E D I E N T S :
1 pound hot bulk sausage
1 pound mild bulk sausage
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked grits
1 3/4 cups milk, heated
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package corn bread mix
1 (6-ounce) roll garlic cheese, cut up
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce

D I R E C T I O N S :
Brown the sausage in a large skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain. Spread the sausage over the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese.

Combine the grits, warm milk, butter, corn bread mix, garlic cheese, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce in a bowl and mix well. Pour the grits mixture over the prepared layers and chill, covered, for 8-10 hours.

Let the casserole stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the casserole for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10

delicious breakfast blueberry muffins

2010-09-19T15:24:00.001-04:00

These muffins are easy to make and bursting with flavor. I came up with the recipe this morning when blueberry muffins were calling my name. These are a wonderful breakfast treat, and fairly healthy, too! To make even healthier, use all whole wheat.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

For the muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar (or organic cane crystals)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup Stonyfield organic low-fat Blueberry yogurt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh, if you have them)

For the topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. each granulated sugar and firmly packed light brown sugar (or sukanat)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground flax seed (optional)
2 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12 muffin tin or line it with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, stir together eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla until blended. Toss blueberries with the flour mixture.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the flour is just moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Sprinkle some of the topping onto each muffin.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Yields 12 muffins.

Oven baked foil packet BBQ chicken

2010-09-15T16:18:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine recently shared this method of baking bbq chicken with me, and it sounded so good that I just had to try it. This is a great end of summer meal, and it's super easy to make. Chicken is marinated and wrapped in a foil packet, and then slow cooked in the oven for 2 hours. Dark chicken meat is best to use, as it just falls apart as it cooks and retains moisture. My grocery store was out of dark meat in the brand of chicken I buy, so I bought chicken breasts instead. It had a great flavor, but was a little dried out, so from now on, I will use dark meat. This is a simple meal for any busy cook, and the flavor will not disappoint! You can use any store bought bbq sauce, but I like to make the following marinade when we make bbq chicken. I served this chicken with cheesy baked new potatoes, green beans, and fresh tomatoes.

Baked BBQ aluminum foil chicken

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 lb or more chicken breasts

1/4 cup store bought BBQ sauce

1/4 cup Italian dressing (this sounds like an odd combo, but it just gives it more of a zing)

garlic powder

lemon pepper seasoning

salt

pepper

D I R E C T I O N S :

Place chicken in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine BBQ sauce, Italian dressing, some garlic powder (just sprinkle some), and lemon pepper seasoning (again, just sprinkle some in), and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir until combined.

Pour above mixture over the chicken, and allow to marinate for as long as you want (for me, this depends on how early in the day I do this and how much time I have until dinner).

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Take a baking dish (I used 8X8 for 1lb of chicken), and line it with enough aluminum foil that you have enough to fold it up into a packet.

Place chicken and some of the marinade on top of the foil, and fold foil over to make a packet. Seal on all sides. Bake on 300 for 2 hours.

autumn vegetable beef soup

2010-09-13T08:52:00.002-04:00

With fall quickly approaching, I am getting excited about the thought of warm meals perfect for those soon to be crisp evenings. There is something so nice about coming in from a brisk fall day to a warm bowl of soup, so I decided to make a vegetable beef soup from leftovers of the roast I made last week. This meal is a perfect way to use up those leftover scraps to add flavor and depth for a good, hearty meal. The leftover vegetables and liquid make a savory broth base for this, and the meat adds flavor and protein. The great thing about soups and stews is that you can throw in what you have and adjust the amounts to your taste, as I did when I made this, instead of having exact amounts of ingredients. I made a large batch of this and froze it in several small batches for us to enjoy throughout the coming months.

If you do not have a roast to use as part of this stew, simply buy some stew meat and extra beef broth. Saute the stew meat in some oil (you can coat it in flour if you prefer), along with the onion and garlic, dice up some extra carrots and potatoes, and prepare as follows. This soup is great when served with cornbread.

Vegetable beef soup

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 Tbsp. XVOO

1 Onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

28 oz diced tomatoes

Liquid from previous roast (I had around 1 1/2 cups)

Beef and vegetables remaining from previous roast

4 additional carrots, diced

4 additional potatoes, diced

1 cup water plus 2 cubes beef bouillon (I used 2 tsp. of Better than Bouillon paste), or 2 cups beef broth

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

1 bay leaf

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce

basil, oregano, basil, and parsley to taste (I just sprinkle some of all of them over the stew to add flavor)

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a large pot or dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in XVOO over medium-high heat until soft and transparent.

Add tomatoes, along with liquid you have from previous roast (I actually pureed 1 cup of the leftover vegetables with the liquid for a thicker base). If you do not have a roast, use 2 cups beef broth in place of this liquid. Add another cup of water along with bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. better than bouillon), or two additional cups of beef broth.

Cut up leftover beef from roast into 1/2" squares, and add to liquid. If you do not have leftover roast, this is where you would add freshly cooked stew meat in.

Dice carrots and potatoes, and add to pot. If you have leftover vegetables from the roast, add these, too, because they give added flavor. If you don't, you may want to add in some extra carrots and potatoes, depending on how thick you want your stew. Add corn and beans as well.

Add bay leaf, 2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, and oregano, basil, and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil on medium heat and quickly lower to simmer on low, covered for 1 hour or longer.

Adjust seasonings, salt, and pepper as stew cooks.

Refreshing end of summer cucumber dip

2010-09-06T07:18:00.001-04:00

Some friends recently had us over for dinner where we were introduced to this wonderful appetizer, and I had to nearly force myself to be polite and refrain from eating half of the bowl all by myself. This creamy dip has a hint of cucumber in, making it a refreshing, flavorful addition to pita chips, bagel chips, or any herbed cracker. It's a refreshing, delicious, and easy appetizer perfect for these hot end of summer days.

This dip also makes a great spread for a veggie sandwich, and also as a light flavored salad dressing over fresh spinach and vegetables at lunch.

Cucumber Dip
from Sarah

I N G R E D I E N T S :
3 cucumbers
8 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp. sour cream
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

D I R E C T I O N S :
Peel and seed cucumbers. Pulse in a food processor.
Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and salt and pepper.
Blend together in food processor.
Chill before serving.

Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.

2010-08-30T07:51:00.003-04:00

We had a little birthday party over here this weekend. I made a strawberry cake with cream cheese icing, and we all loved the flavor. Cake decorating is certainly not my forte, but it tasted delicious! The cake is full of flavor, and the cream cheese icing...well, it really was the icing on the cake.

Strawberry Cake

From Annie's Eats (original recipe here)

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 cups white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs (room temperature)
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry puree (made by dicing strawberries and adding sugar to sweeten them)

For the Cream Cheese Icing:

adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light Magazine

(I actually doubled this to make sure I would have enough for the whole cake).

1/2 cup (4 oz.) block-style cream cheese; 1/4 cup butter, softened; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/8 tsp. salt; 2 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided.

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30* minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely. Frost as desired.
*I used one large pan rather than two small round pans, so I had to cook mine for more like 45 minutes.

For the icing:

Place the cream cheese, butter. vanilla, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake.

new potato salad with parsley and capers

2010-08-24T08:25:00.000-04:00

The Memphis Botanic Gardens has a great little restaurant which serves a potato salad that I just love, and I used to love getting it every time I had lunch there. I loved it so much, in fact, that I actually called them once and asked if they would mind sharing the recipe, and they were so kind to do so. This is not your typical fattening, mayo based potato salad, but is instead a very light and healthy alternative. It's refreshing and a great accompaniment to lunch or an outdoor picnic.

New potato salad

Based off a recipe from Fratelli's in the Garden.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

6 medium-large new potatoes (or 8 smaller new potatoes), diced

1 bunch of parsley

2 1/2 Tbsp. capers

1/4 cup XVOO

D I R E C T I O N S :

Bring a pot of salted water and the diced potatoes to a boil, and boil for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine parsley leaves, capers, and olive oil in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Once potatoes are done boiling, drain and move to a serving bowl. Pour parsley/caper sauce over potatoes, stir until combined, and allow to chill for a few hours in the fridge while the potatoes cool and the flavors combine. Season with salt, if desired.

chicken tortilla soup

2010-08-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

I am starting to long for fall. These hot, summer days have just about gotten to me! Soup is something I love in the fall, but I actually love it all year round, too. Yesterday, chicken tortilla soup started sounding so good, so I decided to make it. My friend Natalie gave me this recipe several years back, and I've been enjoying it ever since! It's super simple, healthy, and delicious. Adjust the seasonings to your taste and to how spicy/hot you want it. I like my soup mild, so the amounts listed are more to my preference.

I completely forgot to take a picture!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

from Natalie

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1.5 (or less) chicken, boiled and shredded

15 oz. can whole or diced tomatoes {or 5-7 fresh tomatoes, diced}

15 oz. can enchilada sauce

1 large onion, sliced thin

6 stalks celery, sliced thin

4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained {or 1 large Anaheim pepper}

a few minced garlic cloves {I use 2-3}, minced

60 oz. chicken broth

2 tsp. cumin {or more, if you like}

2 tsp. chili powder {I use less}

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

few dashes Mexican seasoning {I don't really use this}

1/2 cup salsa

fresh cilantro {optional}

10 oz. package frozen corn

cream, to taste

D I R E C T I O N S :

Boil chicken until cooked through.

In a separate pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil before adding chicken and remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil on medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer. I usually let it simmer for an hour or so,

making sure celery is tender and flavors have been well combined.

Adjust seasonings to taste.

Garnish with cheese, cilantro, avocado, chips, lime, etc.

Banana nut muffins

2010-08-10T12:49:00.002-04:00

My friend Amber at This Mommy Cooks was on the lookout for a banana nut muffin recipe, and I have one I've made numerous times and just love. So, I figured, it would be a good time to just post it on here as well! This recipe is super easy, and very basic. Nothing fancy, but just a good, classic banana muffin. We love this recipe, and I hope you will, too! In fact, I really should make it soon...

*Update: I did make these, and, as always, they were so good! This time, however, I tried to make them a little healthier, and we all loved how they tasted! I also sprinkled some of the nuts on top of the muffins, a la my friend Amber. Please note my changes in {parenthesis}.

Banana Nut Muffins

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1-1/2 cup flour {for a healthier version, use fresh soft white wheat, whole wheat pastry,or white whole wheat flour}

3/4 cup sugar {for a healthier version, use honey instead-I didn't have any, but will do this next time}

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

1/4 cup oil {for a healthier version, use1/3 cup applesauce instead}

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts {optional, but I love them in the muffins}

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine 1st four ingredients in bowl.

Mix in bananas, egg, and oil.

Mix well, and add 1/2 of the nuts.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
Sprinkle remaining nuts on top of muffins.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 12

Pizza Bianco

2010-08-09T07:51:00.005-04:00

This recipe from Kelly at Domestic by Design is amazing. The flavors are wonderful, and it's a fabulous alternative to pizza with traditional red sauce. A must try!

Pizza Bianco
from Domestic by Design
original recipe here

I N G R E D I E N T S :

Homemade pizza dough (recipe here)
Homemade Italian Dressing (this is a great homemade recipe)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 green onions (scallions), diced
16 oz. organic mozzarella cheese (she uses raw mozzarella)
½ c feta cheese
Handful of raw spinach leaves, optional
1 small tomato, diced, optional

D I R E C T I O N S :
Preheat oven to 425.
Sprinkle a pizza stone or pan with cornmeal or flour. Roll out pizza dough.
Top dough with as much or as little Italian dressing as you prefer. I use about 2-4 tablespoons.
Layer pizza with half of the mozzarella cheese, peppers and onions, and then remaining mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle feta on top and add spinach and tomatoes if desired.
Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Crock pot favorites...your submissions, please!

2010-08-06T11:20:00.000-04:00

I am always on the lookout for a good crock pot recipe. Even though I have one or two crockpot recipe books and know of entire blogs dedicated to this subject, I always prefer recipe referrals! So, I want to know: What is your favorite (or more) recipe to make in a crock pot? Please post a comment with a link to your favorite crock pot recipe, the recipe itself, or email the recipe to me. I would love to try them out and spread the word on any new favorites!

How to can tomatoes

2010-08-03T15:49:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wanted to try canning tomatoes, but are intimidated or lack a pressure canner (or whatever it is called...)? Well, I have good news: It's not hard, and you don't need any special equipment. I did not know this until the other day when my husband's aunt had given me a lot of tomatoes-more than I could eat before we were going out of town-and said, casually, "you should just can some." "Me, can? I can't do that- I don't know how!" was pretty much my response as I envisioned something like glass jars exploding on my stove top. She proceeded to tell me how to do it, and before I knew it, I was saying, "you mean, that's all I have to do?" and writing the instructions down, step by step. I don't know a lot about canning, so I was happy to hear that you do not have to have any special pressure cookers or canning devices to can tomatoes.

Canning tomatoes is simple, really. I have wanted to learn for sometime, and am so glad I tried it. I have 2 quarts of lovely looking canned tomatoes sitting on my counter as I type this, and I can't wait to use them. Now, I will admit that I don't have a garden, but I do have a toddler running around everywhere, so between those two things, I don't know that I'll be putting my newly acquired canning skills to much use again in the near future. Maybe one day when I have a garden or a few years down the road when we're out of the toddler phase. But, I certainly know what to do when someone gives me more tomatoes than I can eat, and there is nothing like fresh canned tomatoes in comparison to store bought. And, I now have an even greater appreciation for those lovely jars full of tomatoes and such given to me by people who do canning a lot.

So, if you would like to know how you, my friend, could can your own tomatoes, just follow these simple steps!

What you need:

Tomatoes (a lot. I probably used 15 medium-sized tomatoes to get two quarts.)

A large pot or dutch oven, or two. One for the tomatoes, an one for the jars to sterilize. And a smaller pan for the rings and lids to sterilize.

Glass canning jars, with NEW lids and rings (don't use old rings and lids because they won't seal properly) You can get all of this at the grocery store or any type of super center.

Tongs
Ladle

Pot holders or a thick dish towel (my preference) to hold the hot jar as you ladle the tomatoes into it.

1 tsp. measuring spoon

sugar and salt. You'll use 1 tsp. of each per quart of tomatoes.

What to do:

Prepare stove top for canning: Take your clean glass jars, and place them upside down into a large pot filled with about 1-1/2 inches of water. Again, make sure to place the jars upside down in the pot, so that the steam rises within them during boiling and sterilizes them properly. If you have room, you can also put your lids and rings in the bottom of the pot. I did not have room, so I placed them in a separate smaller saucepan. Without any heat on, leave all of this be until the tomatoes are nearly finished cooking. You just want to have this set up to make things easier once it's time to really get down to business.

Start preparing the tomatoes by peeling, coring, and quartering the tomatoes, placing them in an empty pot or dutch oven as you go. This took me about 30 minutes total.

Once finished, place the tomato filled pot or dutch oven over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil.

Once the tomatoes are boiling, turn the heat to low. Simmer on low, uncovered, for around 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes turn a brilliant red. As my husband's aunt says, "you'll know when they've done this". Honestly, I couldn't really tell a color change, but I just simmered them on low for 30 minutes.

About 20 minutes into the tomatoes cooking, turn the stove eyes that have the canning jars, rings, and lids on to medium-high. Bring those slowly to a boil as the tomatoes are finishing up cooking. This is easy, but just keep an eye on the jars. You'll see some bubbles rise out of the jars before the water is actually boiling. Once it is boiling, keep an eye out and make sure the water doesn't start rising up to the top (or bottom, actually) of the jars. If it does, just take the tongs and tip the glass jar momentarily to let the air escape, then place it back down upside down-this prevents too much water rising up and tipping over the jars. Once the water has started boiling, let it boil for 2 minutes so that the steam rises up in the jars and they are sufficiently sterilized. You need to do this right before you want to ladle the tomatoes into the jars, so do this near the end of those 30 minutes.

Now you are reading to get down to business and start canning!

Carefully take one jar out of the water and place it right side up on the stove top. I used a thicker dish towel to hold the jar in my hand because the jar is really hot but was sliding out of my tongs when I tried using them.

Once you have filled up the jar, place 1 tsp. each of salt and sugar into the jar. Do not stir, just let it rest on top. You can always gently shake the jar once everything has cooled to make sure the sugar and salt get evenly distributed, but I don't think that is really necessary.

Take your tongs and remove a lid from the boiling water. Place the lid on the jar, and then, using a towel or pot holder, screw on a ring from the boiling water. Don't do it so tightly that you'll never be able to get it off! After this has all sat for a little while, the lid should seal to where it won't pop when you press it down in the center, and the tomatoes will be preserved until use.

And that's it! Just repeat this until all your jars are full. Label your jars so you'll know when you canned them, if you are canning a lot. Enjoy freshly canned tomatoes in all sorts of soups and sauces!

new salad I want to try...

2010-07-30T09:16:00.001-04:00

Mmmm. This recipe popped up in my google reader and looks so good. You all know I love my berry salads with cheese in them! This is very similar to one I've made before but and looks like I real treat. I'll have to try it soon, but wanted to share it with you today.