Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Yummy for this summers veggies!!!
Place thawed chicken (cut up in chunks) into frying pan, cook until no pink...
Then add 2 yellow crooked neck squash sliced up like spaghetti--so you have to make sure the pan is big enough. I also ended up cutting some of mine in half so they weren't so long and hard to stir around.
Then, drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the chicken and squash
then add some lemon juice and some lemon-pepper(to taste)
While this is cooking at the stove top and you are constantly having to stir it to make sure the squash all gets cooked...place cherry tomatoes-cut in halves on a baking sheet with crumbled asiago cheese sprinkled on top and a little salt and pepper... broil in oven for a couple minutes(til the tomatoes are hot and almost popping)
After the chicken/squash mixture is finished(squash is tender, but not mushy) place it on a plate and then place the yummy tomatoes on top!!! I thought this was delicious and nutritious! Plus I was able to use some of my yummy garden veggies in a slightly different, but fun way!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Whole Wheat Waffles
Whole-Wheat Waffles
Add some extra nutrition to your morning meal. Prepare batter the night before and you can just plug in the waffle iron and GO in the morning! Batter does need to be prepared at least several hours ahead of time. (I just made it the night before and it was soooo yummy!)
10 waffles
- 1 cup milk (can use lowfat or skim)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 2/3 cups whole wheat flour (I freshly ground mine and it tastes so fresh!)
- 3 eggs (or equivalent)
- 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast (about ¾ of a tablespoon)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Directions
Heat milk, water, butter and honey to 120F (48C) In large mixing bowl, combine flour, eggs, yeast, salt, and warmed milk mixture
Mix at low to moisten, then med-high for 1 minute.
Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally
Preheat Waffle maker and set oven temp to"warm"
Pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) batter over grids
Close waffle maker gently and bake until steam no longer escapes (about 3-4 min)
Remove waffle with a fork and place on a baking sheet so you can keep them warm in the oven while the others cook
Serve with your favorite topping and Enjoy!
Friday, May 15, 2009
ALMOND CRUSTED FRENCHTOAST
I used Frenchbread for this and sliced it up...it was so yummy!
Yummilicious homemade syrup
(by Ann...my mom!:)):
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup of water
1/4 cup karo
Cook until boils. Then add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp maple extract and cook until thickens.
THEN I like to add a cinnamon stick esp. for this frenchtoast(or just add a little cinnamon) and let that just simmer for a minute while prepping the rest of this yummy meal...)
Frenchbread batter:
1 cup of cream
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Directions:
1. Dip bread in batter(kinda push it in the batter to get it all covered).
2. Dip the battered bread into slivered almonds(you may need to press some almonds onto it).
3. Place the batter- almond covered bread into a pan or skillet of about 1/2-1 TBS. of melted butter
(IMPORTANT:HAVE THE BURNER SET ON JUST BELOW MEDIUM(ABOUT MED/LOW) HEAT!!!- Frenchtoast needs to cook thru-soggy frenchtoast sucks!)
4. Set the oven on warm and when your pieces are getting done and you have more to cook, place the done pieces in the oven so as to keep them crisp and warm!
5. When thru cooking...
Place frenchtoast on plate...then add sliced strawberries... a little whip cream... and to top it all off...cinnamon syrup!!!:) I don't know if we should call this a breakfast or dessert, but whatever it is you will love it!!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Savory Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast meat cubed (I used 3 big Costco chicken breasts)
2 TBS vegetable oil (I actually just used non-stick cooking spray and it was fine...)
1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup carrot strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground giner
Directions:
Brown chick in oil (or cooking spray) over medium high heat. Add peppers, carrot, and garlic and stir fry for a couple of minutes. I actually diced my peppers and carrots and liked eating them better this way...Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and soy sauce and mix together; pour this mixture over the vegetables and meat in skillet and add pineapple with juice, vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Stir together and bring to a full boil. Ta-da! You're done! Serve it up over rice (we used brown rice, and it was mmmm, mmm, good!). Hope you try and enjoy it!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Yummy (and Messy!) Blueberry Cobbler
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Fondue Night!
DIPPING SAUCES:
Rouille
PREP TIME: About 5 minutes
Creamy Veggie Fondue
WOW! Even if you don't have a fondue pot, cook this up on the stove and serve it up with dinner for veggies or crusty bread. YUM!
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup white wine (substitute grape juice or broth)
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together milk, white wine, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese and cream cheese. Cook, stirring frequently, until melted, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in green onions, spinach, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. Continue cooking until all ingredients are well blended, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a double boiler or fondue pot to keep warm while serving.
NOTE: The wine keeps the cheese from seperating and becoming grainy, so if you choose not to add wine, you will have to add some lemon juice to whatever you are subsituting. Squeeze a few teaspoons of juice into the broth or grape juice and this should keep it from seperating!
15 min 15 min prep
SERVES 2 -4
· 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
· 1/2 cup burgandy wine (I added grape juice)
· 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
· 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
· 2 green onions, sliced
Heat vegetable stock in fondue pot until it begins to simmer.
Add all other ingredients, bring to simmer.
Place individual pieces of desired meat or veggies on fondue fork and put in pot until correct temperature has been reached. Lobster and shrimp may take under a minute to cook while beef and pork will take slightly longer. Take the necessary precautions so you don't eat raw meat.
Chocolate Fondue
32 ounces milk chocolate, grated
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/3 cup hot water
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream. Mix in the vanilla extract, sugar, and hot water. Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. (I halfed this recipe since it makes so much! This is another recipe that is easy to make without a fondue pot and would make a great FHE treat!)
Caramel Fondue
- 1 14 oz package carmels
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (i used Lowfat)
- Optional: 1 cup coconut or 1/2 c chopped nuts
Place unwrapped caramels into slow cooker or fondue pot and add condensed milk and coconut or pecan pieces if you choose. Cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occassionally. Serve with sliced apples, bananas, mini marshmellows, pound cake cubed, nuts, pretzels, rice krispy treats, brownie bites, etc. You can also have chopped nuts and toffee bits on the side to dip items into, after they have been dipped in caramel.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Smothered pork chops
3 oz bacon (about 3 slices) cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 3/4 c low-sodium chicken broth
vegetable oil
4 pork chops, about 1/2-3/4" thick
2 medium yellow onions, cut in half and sliced thinly
2 T water
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 T minced fresh parsley (optional)
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Blueberry muffins...
Blueberry Cream Muffins
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 (16 ounce) cups sour cream
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs.
Gradually add sugar.
While beating, slowly pour in oil; add vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients; add alternately with the sour cream to the egg mixture.
Gently fold in blueberries
Spoon into greased muffin tins or muffin cups.
Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
After baking, let cool.
Melt butter, and get some brown sugar.
Dip the muffin top in butter and then sprinkle the top with brown sugar so it looks pretty, and tastes better too!
Gooey Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes!!
YUMMY!! Filling turned out awesome, you can even add pecans to the filling and make them turtle cupcakes!
Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake
makes 24 cupcakes / 350 degree oven
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Measure out everything but the eggs directly into your mixer bowl.
2. Mix on low speed just until incorporated.
3. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs, beat on high speed again for 2 minutes.
Measure out into cupcake pan lined with cupcake papers. A 2″ ice cream scoop works great for this. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.
To Assemble:
Cut the tops off the cupcakes and scoop small pocket out of the middle, fill this with the sweetened condensed caramel and then put the top back on, then pour some of the caramel ganache on the top of that, then frost, then you can pour more ganache on top of that. Let me know if you have any questions
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
AWESOME HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Awesome Homemade Granola
I adapted this from a recipe on USAWeekend.com and couldn't stop eating it...
Took two tries to get it right, but it was worth it!
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut (optional--I omitted)
1/3-2/3 cup Craisins (I added 2/3 since I omitted coconut) or raisins
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
3 TBS canola oil
1 TBS water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla (if adding honey instead of maple syrup)
1/8-1/4 tsp maple extract (if adding honey instead of maple syrup)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 275 F. Spray a 9x13 metal pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Mix together oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt, and chopped walnuts. Bring honey or syrup, oil, water, cinnamon, and vanilla and maple (if using honey) to low simmer. Drizzle this over oat mixture and stir well. Pour into greased pan and work with hands to "clump" cereal (don't worry if it doesn't clump much--it will after it cooks and cools). Bake for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle dried fruit and coconut flakes (if desired) over the top and mix lightly. Bake for 5-10 more minutes (until golden-brown) and then let cool. I actually enjoyed it a little warm, but it clusters better as it cools! David thought it was really good with milk. There are a lot of other fruit-type and trail-mix variations depending on what you like to add. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
I adapted this from a recipe on allrecipes.com and it was SO easy and savory!! YUM!!
3 1/2 cups diced red potatoes (or peeled white potatoes)
2/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 can of corn, drained (optional)
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
6 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp ground white or black pepper (to taste)
3-5 TBS butter
5 TBS flour
2 cups milk
Chives
Combine potatoes, celery, corn, ham and water in a large stockpot. Like Kim's yummy Minestrone, I am sure you can get creative with what vegetables you add. Bring to boil, then simmer until potatoes tender (about 10 minutes). Stir in chicken bullion, salt and pepper (I added the whole tsp of white pepper and loved it, and David like it but said it was a little strong, so add to taste!). In a separate saucepan, melt butter (the recipe called for 5 TBS, but I thought 3 was plenty savory...) over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir about a minute, until thick. I actually used wheat flour and it was good! Slowly add milk, whisking to avoid lumps. Continue stirring about 5 minutes until thick. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook until thoroughly heated. Pour into bowls and garnish with chives. Serve warm!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Vegetable Garden Fritata
This is a yummy dish that can go for almost any meal and has endless variations depending on what is in your kitchen or garden! It's loaded with veggies and has plenty of protein to boot!
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic (or generous sprinkling of garlic salt)
1/2 TBS minced onion
1/2 of a small zucchini, diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1 small Roma tomato, diced
1 whole egg and 2 egg whites
1 TBS milk
a sprinkle of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F custom broil. Saute garlice, onion, zuchinni, and cauliflower in olive oil in a small nonstick frying pan on medium heat with a lid on, lifting lid occasionally to stir. Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg whites, and milk in a cup. When veggies are soft and starting to brown, pour the egg/milk mixture on top evenly. Top with diced tomatoes and sprinkle on rosemary, salt, and pepper. Leave on medium heat on stovetop for a few minutes until you see the egg cooking on the sides (meaning the bottom is cooked). Then put the whole frying pan in the oven on the top rack and let broil for about 5 minutes, or until the top is cooked and starting to brown. Remove from oven (don't forget to use a hotpad!) and invert onto a plate. Set a second plate over it and turn onto the second plate so it is now right-side-up. Serve and enjoy!
Variations: you can use almost any veggies in your fritatta--green onions or crooked neck squash are great to throw in at the start, and fresh spinach is fabulous when you weave it in with the diced tomatoes. Feta cheese (which I am out of) is also amazing when added with the eggs. Get creative and enjoy all of those healthy colors!! You can also vary the spices. I often use minced, dried onion (a sprinkling of it) and if I do not have garlic, I just use a lot of garlic salt instead of salt. I love rosemary, but try something you like and let me know if it's better! I can eat this whole dish myself for lunch, plus a couple of homemade biscuits, so you can obviously increase the veggies and eggs to fit your family size!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Feeling Adventurous anyone?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Chocolate for Breakfast...
Fudgey Peanut Butter Chip Muffins
The kids loved these, and if it is too early to have chocolate in the morning, they sure brighten up a sack lunch! I don't love peanut butter chips, so I may do chocolate or butterscotch next time...
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting (if desired)
Heat oven to 350 and line 12 muffin cups with paper bake cups. In small bowl, stir applesauce and oats together. In a separate bowl, beat egg, vanilla, sugars, and butter. Add applesauce mixture to this and combine well. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and cinnamon and add this to butter mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for about 22 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Gobble up and enjoy!
Source: Diane Hepburn on allrecipes.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Desserts in Ramekins!
5 oz semisweet chocolate
2 eggs
Heat oven to 400. Butter 4 ramekins (2/3-1 c capacity), or you can use teacups or mugs if you don’t have ramekins. Either in microwave or in bowl suspended over pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Set aside to cool. Mix eggs with sugar and flour and whisk. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture. Divide evenly between ramekins. Bake 20 minutes, tops will be cooked and cracked and chocolate gooey underneath. Serve plain or with ice cream. WILL BE HOT! If desired, can let cool before serving, but they will sink a little. (We refrigerated some overnight and before cooking the next day, set them out for 30 minutes. They cooked up just as yummy, but maybe not quite as fluffy. The pic above is ones that were in the fridge!)
Sandy's Cookies
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal (regular works best, but you can use instant if it's all you've got!)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 bag toffee chips (heath chips are at Safeway or Walmart)
1/2 bag chocolate chips (Guittard Maxi chips are my favorite!)
1/2 bag white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional- I did not add them today)
Preheat oven to 375. Cream together the shortening and the sugars. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Bake at for 8-9 minutes. (6-7 for Pazooki's!)