thanksgiving salad

I saw this salad on my friend Kathryn's recipe blog (here) and will be making it for Thanksgiving. Looks delish right? She says to double the recipe...

Salad:
2 bunches red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 avocados cut into ½ inch chunks
1 large pomegranate (seeds only)
2 pears, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks
1 large red onion, sliced into thin rings
1 block of Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 bag almond slivers, toasted on low with butter and 1 heaping tsp. of sugar
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
Dressing:
½ t grated orange peel
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 T sugar
1 T Good Seasons dry Italian dressing mix

Mix the dressing ingredients and chill before mixing with the salad. Toss immediately before serving.

rolls

We had dinner with Devin's boss and family on Sunday. His wife made these rolls and they were so good, she emailed me the recipe! Perfect for Thanksgiving.

2 tb. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
6 cups flour

To 3/4 c. lukewarm water in a small bowl, add 2 tbsp. yeast. Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar on top to help activate.

In large bowl combine 1 c. room temperature water, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. oil, 3 eggs. Add yeast and stir. Add 6 c. flour. Mix well. Set aside until doubled in size (3 to 4 hours depending on the weather).

Sprinkle pastry sheet with flour. Knead until smooth (just for a minute or so). Divide dough in half. Roll first half out like a pizza, then cut into sixteen pizza shaped slices. Start at wide end of piece and roll to thin end, in a crescent shape. Place in greased jelly roll pan. Repeat with other half of dough. You will end up with two rows of 11 rolls and one row of 10. (I put the 10 largest ones in the center row.)Let rise until double in size (an hour or two). Bake at 375 for 14 minutes. Brush with melted butter.

Makes 32 rolls.

Maple Vanilla Carrots

1 lb baby carrots
2 cups of water
1 vanilla bean pod
1 T butter
2 T maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Add carrots and water to pan. Slice open vanilla pod, scrape out vanilla beans with sharp knife and put into pan. Put pods into pan and simmer until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add butter, syrup, salt and pepper. Serve warm.

tortilla soup.

I checked and couldn't believe that Megg hadn't posted her tortilla soup recipe. This was is so good and perfect to just throw in the crock pot. I have yet to try Tonya's recipe for another tortilla soup, but I will. Soup season has just begun.

3 chicken breasts
2 qt. chicken broth
1 15 oz. corn
1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cilantro
1/2 tsp. garlic, chopped
chopped onions (optional!)
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken, broth, tomato sauce, and all seasonings to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to broth. Add corn and stewed tomatoes. Simmer on low for 1/2 hour.

or
Toss into crock pot and come home to a fabulous soup.
Serve with crumbled tortilla chips, grated cheese and diced avocado on top.

Enjoy!

Oven French Toast with Orange Apple Syrup

Remember when I posted my favorite baked french toast recipe? This one is almost as good.

French Toast:
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 French bread slices, cut 1 inch thick
1/4 cup melted butter

Orange Apple Syrup:
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1 orange, peeled and cut into sections

In a medium bowl, whisk together all French toast ingredients except bread and butter. Dip both sides of French bread in mixture and place in buttered 13x9 inch pan. Pour remaining mixture over bread. Refridgerate overnight. Before baking, drizzle melted butter over bread. Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large skillet combine 3/4 cup orange juice and brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is bubbly. Add apple, cinnamon and ginger. Continue cooking until apple slices are tender; add orange segments. Serve over French toast. Serves 4.

tortilla pie

4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb ground beef (you could leave this out and it is just as delicious)
1 1/2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add beans and water to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.

-from Everyday Food

ABCLT Wraps

2 T. mayo
1 t. cider vinegar
1/5 t. sugar
pinch of salt and pepper
2 whole grain tortillas
1 1/2 cups salad greens
8 slices of cooked bacon
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1 ripe avocado, sliced

In a bowl, mix mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Spread over tortillas. Fill with remaining ingredients and roll tightly. Cut in half. Makes 4 servings.

--from Parents Magazine

Caesar Salad Dressing

Remember how I said I make my own taco seasoning? Well, the same rings true for salad dressing. Most bottled salad dressing have so much junk in them, homemade just tastes so much better, and it's usually a breeze to make.

This is my favorite Casear dressing. Toss with some crisp romaine, some tasty croutons from Trader Joe's and maybe some grilled chicken and you have a simple salad.

1 cup mayo
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon of milk or half and half

Shake or whisk all ingredients until well blended.

spinach balls

These are a great way to get some spinach in. Sometimes I keep them in balls and put an alfredo sauce over them (with noodles) and other times I mash them up in Trader Joe's Three Cheese Tomato Sauce and serve them over noodles. Super tasty either way.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups Rice Chex, crushed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine softened butter, spinach, eggs and 2/3 cup of cereal crbums, cheese and salt/pepper. Mix throughly and shape into balls. Roll ball in remaining cereal crumbs and coat all sides. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

best ever

I made Tonya's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle last weekend before all these fires started. Oh my goodness, it is so good. We had Devin's parents over for his dad's birthday and the dessert was the best part. Yum! And thanks Tonya for the help and recipe. I want to make it for a dessert this Thanksgiving, the pumpkin and gingerbread combination is beyond good.

crock pot italian chicken

So, so good. I got this through one of those recipe forward emails, made it on a Saturday and came home to a great meal. It's a favorite around here.

1 package cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package of Italian Seasoning (for making Italian Dressing)
4 chicken breasts

With a hand mixer, mix together cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and Italian Seasoning. Place chicken in a crock pot and pour mixture over the chicken. Cook at low. Great with rice. Chicken falls apart and is so moist.

Enjoy!

Potato Boats

4 large baking potatoes
4 slices bacon
3/4 lb. ground beef
3 green onions, chopped and/or dried chives
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. butter
Milk
1/4 c. grated Chedder cheese

Bake potatoes for about an hour, or until tender. Cook bacon, drain, and crumble. In a fry pan, cook ground beef and onion until beef is barely pink. Remove from heat and add sour cream and bacon. Stir. Make a large slit in top of potato and scoop out center, being careful not to break shells. Place shells in a shallow baking pan. In a large bowl, mash potatoes. Add salt, butter, and just enough milk to make them creamy, but still stiff. Fold hamburger mixture into mashed potatoes. Spoon into potato shells and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Ginger Cookies

1 1/2 c. shortening
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. ginger

Beat shortening and sugar. Add molasses and eggs. Beat well. Sift in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll into balls and then roll in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

PUMPKIN!!

One of my favorite things about fall is that you can put pumpkin in absolutely everything you eat and it just makes it more delicous. Have you guys seen this:

at Trader Joe's? If you haven't bought it yet, you must. It is so great on toast with their whipped cream cheese.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

This is my aunt Barb's recipe. To die for.


2 (14 oz.) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1 oz.) package cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
1 -30 oz. can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1-12 oz. container frozen whipped topping (or can use real cream)
1/2 cup gingersnaps

Bake the gingerbread according to package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar and cinnamon into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into large bowl. Pour 1/2 of pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Darci's Pumpkin Muffins

My mom makes these every Halloween. I love family traditions.

3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
12 oz. chocolate chips

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Thoroughly beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vegetable oil, and water. Fold in flour mixture and chocolate chips. Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes.

Oven Pumkin Risotto

5 cups chicken broth
2 cups medium or short grain white rice
1 can pumpkin
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a shallow 3-4 quart casserole, combine broth, rice, pumpkin, lemon peel and nutmeg. Stir to mix well. Bake in 400 degree oven until fluid begins to be absorbed (about 20 minutes). Stir again until rice is tender to bite and mixture is creamy (about 25 more minutes). Stir in cheese.

To serve, transfer to serving dish and garnish with parmesan cheese curls, cut with vegetable peeler. Makes 6 servings.

-from Sunset Magazine

Sarah D.'s Chocolate Chip Cookies

My first experience meeting Sarah D., she taught in Relief Society and brought these cookies. Talk about a great first impression.

1 cup shortening
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups chocolate chips

Icing:
3 Tablespoons melted butter
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
powdered sugar

Blend together shortening, sugar, pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Add flour and other dry ingredients. Blend. Add chocolate chips.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Icing: Boil all ingredients but powdered sugar for 2 minutes. Take off heat. Add powdered sugar and stir with wire whisk until desired consistency. Pour on while cookies are warm. Add milk if icing hardens while waiting for other batches to come out.

roasted meditteranean chicken

This is really good. And easy to make in the morning if you find yourself crunched for time in the evening...

Four Cheese Alfredo Sauce (16 oz - I like Classico)
4 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tb. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
5 garlic cloves, crushed
4 chicken breasts (I only do two)
8 small red potatoes
6 roma tomatoes
1 can artichoke hearts
1 tb. rosemary

Quarter potatoes and tomatoes. Defrost chicken. Add all together in baking dish and cover with sauce. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (cover with foil) at 450 degrees.

Enjoy with french bread and a salad!

Twirly Whirly Pizza

I just made this for the first time. It was great, the kids loved it. A sneaky way to get some spinach in.


1 tube (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza dough (you could use homemade, too!)
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded Italian-mix cheese, divided
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
pepperoni

Directions
1. Heat over to 400 degrees F. Unroll dough from tube. Spread pizza sauce on top.
2. Sprinkle with half of cheese and top with spinach leaves, then pepperoni. Roll up, starting with short end.
3. Cut into 8 pieces, then lay pieces flat in a greased pie tin. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

- from Parents Magazine

(I added the pepperoni. It is a well known fact that if there is not meat in the food, it is not a meal to my husband.)

10 minute tortellini

The recipe actually calls for ravioli, but I like tortellini better, so I subsituted that. I first found this off Wire. Whisk but only recently made it. Since the sauce is a runny cream sauce, I recommend getting some bread to soak it up. Mmm...it's tasty. And seriously, the fastest dish you can make.

2 9 oz. four-cheeze fresh ravioli (Trader Joe's makes great one's. Also, I like Pesto better)
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced (I'm not a garlic fan, so I just did a tsp. of minced garlic)
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1 cup dry white wine (can sub. with grape juice or apple juice)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon (I left this ingredient out b/c I didn't have it)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer until juicy, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine; simmer 3 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and slowly stir in whipping cream. Place ravioli in serving bowl and spoon sauce over.

Serve with bread and a salad. Enjoy!

cheese sandwiches

I made a simple meal on Sunday, but it was tasty. I bought the Trader Joe's Tomato Soup (which is good!) and made cheese sandwiches and had salad's on the side. I love cheese sandwiches with sourdough bread and really good cheese. I love swiss and cheddar, but Grueye would be pretty good too.

Sliced sourdough bread
Sharp cheddar cheese
Baby swiss cheese
Butter

Butter one side on a slice of sourdough bread and place on the frying pan on the stove. Place cheese on top and other slice of bread (with butter on top ready to flip) and grill.

taco bowls

we had these for dinner tonight. big hit.

20 6 inch flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
16 oz shredded cheese (I use the Mexican blend from Costco)

Preheat the oven to 350. Trim about 1/2 inch from edge of tortillas, push into muffin tins.

Brown ground beef, add seasoning and about 2/3 cup of water, simmer until water is absorbed. Put about 2 Tablespoons of meat into each muffin tin. Cover with cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas are brown.

Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocados, etc.

taco seasoning

I never buy the packaged taco seasoning from the store. Did you realize they all have MSG in them? This is easy enough to make and keep on hand.

1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. each ground cumin, garlic powder, and paprika
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Makes 3 tablespoons of seasoning mix, which is equal in strength to a 1/4 ounce package of commercial seasoning mix.

jerk chicken sandwiches

A friend just emailed me asking for this recipe today. They are great. (Don't worry Megg, you don't have to add the onions.)


3 tablespoons Caribbean jerk seasoning
½ cup chicken broth
1 ½ lb. chicken breast
¼ cup ketchup
1 large red or green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 French rolls

Place bell pepper and onion in bottom of Crock Pot. Place chicken over vegetables. Sprinkle seasoning all over chicken. In small bowl, combine broth and ketchup; mix well and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. With slotted spoon, place chicken and veggies on hoagie buns and serve.

last wednesday

Halloween placemat? Check.

Three Cheese Macaroni? Check.

Edamame? Check.

Fresh Strawberries? Check (not pictured).

Steak Kabobs? Check (they were on the bbq).

Good meal? Check.

*I forgot to add the kabobs if you read this earlier. I knew something was missing when I wrote it!

halloween cookies

These are really tasty cookies (obviously, not many left in our cookie jar!). And because of the cocoa and peanut butter chips, they are super festive this time of year. I love giving them to my neighbors on Halloween-eve.

Mix:
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. lemon
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup Hershey dry cocoa
1 cup sugar

Add:
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Add:
peanut butter chips!

Form a ball and bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Edamame + Salt

Edamame (Fresh):
Steam for a few minutes on your stovetop, add some sea salt (see below) and enjoy!

I love these. $1.49 each at Trader Joes.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

I made this cake for my 3 year old. It is delish!

(For some reason, I forgot to take a pic until it was partially devoured.)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Once cooled, decorate with homemade frosting.

The BEST granola recipe ever. EVER.

8 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups raisins or sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.

Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

Roast Beef and Avocado Mini Sandwiches

1 ripe avocado
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon minced fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons mayo
1/2 lb thinly sliced rare roast beef
arugula
Hawaiian rolls

Mash avocado and add lemon juice, chives, salt, pepper and mayo. Spread avocado mixture over one side of each roll. Top with roast beef and arugula.

Broccoli Cheddar Dip

3 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 scallions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small garlic clove
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In boiling water, dip broccoli for 1 minute. Immediately drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Transfer 1/3 of broccoli to container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer remaining broccoli, scallions and garlic to food processor and pulse for about 5 seconds, until uniformly chopped. Transfer to medium bowl.

In same processor, combine cheddar and cream cheese, process until smooth, about 3 minutes. Return broccoli mixure to processor, add yogurt and pepper. Pulse until blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with reserved broccoli florets, breadsticks, pretzels, or on baked potatoes.

Gingery Limeade

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 1/2 cups cold water
4 lime slices

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with wisk until sugar dissolves. Strain mixture through sieve into a pitcher. Add juice and cold water. Chill completely. Serve with lime slices. Makes four 1 cup servings.

-from Cooking Light, August 2007

Artichoke Bacon Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup light mayo
3/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup drained canned artichoke hearts, chopped
4 bacon sliced, cooked and crumbled
2 cups trimmed arugula
8 slices sourdough bread

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, bacon and artichoke hearts. Divide arugula evenly over 4 sliced of bread; top each with 3/4 cup chicken mixture and other slice of bread.

-from Cooking Light, August 2007

pumpkin spice muffins

fall foods are the best! i just got this from parents.com and will be making them this Sunday. i hate to add a recipe that i have not tried yet, but how can you go wrong with pumpkin? i absolutely love anything pumpkin.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 3/4 tablespoons canned solid-pack pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 375 degree F. Coat 12 standard-size muffin-pan cups with nonstick cooking spray, coating muffin-pan top around cups as well.

2. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and allspice in large bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

3. Beat together egg substitute, pumpkin, milk and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until blended. Spoon batter into muffin cups, dividing equally. Sprinkle pecans over the tops of the muffin batter.

4. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Remove muffins from the pan to a wire rack. Let cool slightly. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

meatball sandwiches

Such a good dinner and even better leftovers. All from Trader Joe's.

1 fresh french baguette
1 frozen package party size meatballs
1 jar three cheese tomato sauce
1 block baby swiss cheese

Mix meatballs and sauce over medium heat (cook about 20 minutes, the meatballs are already cooked!).

Slice baguette and cheese. When the meatballs are done, layer the meatballs and cheese onto the bread. Roll in tin foil and bake for approx 3-5 minutes in oven at 350 degrees (just enough to make cheese melt).

Enjoy with a salad.

lemony potato and avocado salad

3/4 lb small red potatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 avocado

1.boil potatoes till tender. drain. cut into quarters, or smaller.
2. in a bowl stir together warm potatoes, oil, lemon juice, zest, chives and salt and pepper to taste.
3. pit and peel avocado and cut into pieces. add to potato mixture, gently tossing to combine.

brynn gave me this recipe and it is so good. i also added 2 hard boiled eggs to it.
it was super yummy warm, but would be good cold too, just don't add the avocados until you are ready to serve so they don't get brown. goes great with a hamburger and some fruit!

Mucho Mango Casserole

This is from the Trader Joe's kitchen. It is the best dinner I have made in a long time. Delish!

1 pkg sweet potato spears
1 pkg Mango Sausage
onion, bell peppers and goat cheese - to desired taste

Serve with brown rice and Mango Ginger Chutney

In a 9 x 13" dish, combine sweet potato spears, sliced mango sausage, onion and bell peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, toss and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 until potatoes are soft, approximately 30 minutes. Place over bed of rice, sprinkle with goat cheese and serve with mango ginger chutney.

Thank me later. It's amazing.

summers here- cool treats!

These recipes are from a play group from my old ward. i have only had the dripless popsicles and the yogurt covered banana pops, but they were really good. gonna have to make some this weekend!

Dripless Popsicles

1 package fruit flavored gelatin
1 package Kool-Aid drink mix
2 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar

In a large pitcher mix together gelatin, kool-aid, sugar and boiling water until dissolved. Then add cold water. Pour into molds and freeze.

Watermelon Popsicles

1 c. seedless watermelon chunks
1 c. orange juice
1 c. water

Blend in blender, our into molds and freeze

Pudding Pops

1 package any flavor pudding (not instant)
3 cups milk

Mix together but only to blend well. Pour into molds and freeze. (different flavors may be layered for a special treat)

Rocky Road Popsicles

1 package chocolate pudding
½ c. mini marshmallows
¼ c. chopped peanuts (optional)

Make pudding according to directions on package. Add marshmallows and nuts. Mix well and pour into molds and freeze.

Yogurt Covered Banana Pops

3 med. Firm bananas
½ c. raspberry or other flavored yogurt
chocolate or rainbow sprinkles

Cut each banana in half crosswise. Insert popsicle stick into each half. Pour yogurt into small bowl. Hold banana over bowl and spoon yogurt to cover all sides of bananas. Allow excess to drip into bowl. Sprinkle candies over yogurt. Place pops on wax paper lined tray. Freeze 2 hours.

Blended Banana and Yogurt Popsicles

3 small bananas
6 T. peanut butter
2T honey

Break bananas into chunks and place in a small bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork. Add peanut butter and honey and mix well. Place in molds and freeze.

Root beer Float-sicles

Root beer
Vanilla Ice Cream

Spoon ice cream into molds. Fill with root beer. Freeze several hours.

Orange Creamsicles

1 package orange gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 c. vanilla yogurt
½ c. milk
½ t. vanilla extract

In a large bowl dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Cool to room temperature. Stir in yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Pour into molds and freeze until firm.

Tomato and Grilled Bread Salad

1/2 pound country bread, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Heat grill to medium. Brush bread slices on both sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into large cubes.

In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with tomatoes, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and serve.

Tortilla Soup

4 (about 1 1/2 pounds) skinless chicken breasts
2 red peppers, diced
1 (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
6 (6 inches) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons canola oil
Salt

1 cup shredded (5 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese
4 large scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 Cup)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs

Place chicken, peppers, chicken broth and 6 cups of water in crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Brush both sides of tortillas with oil, stacking them as you go. Cut stack in half, and then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place strips on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing strips occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Shred chicken with a fork or with your fingers, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Divide soup among serving bowls, and add tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

Chicken Stir-Fry

4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced celery (1/2 inch pieces) ***
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 small onion, cut into wedges ***
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

***Onions are gross and Joses doesn't like celery so I am using broccoli, green peppers, carrots, sugar snap peas and water chesnuts. Use whatever vegetables your family likes.***

Cut chicken into 1/2-in. strips; place in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil; stir-fry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil; stir- fry broccoli, celery, carrots and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and bouillon. Return chicken to pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

This week's menu

Monday
-Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
-Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
-corn

Tuesday
-blackened salmon
-roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and carrrots)

Wednesday
-pizza
(I have to work.)

Thursday
-Chicken Parmigiana over pasta
-Green beans with Carmelized Shallots

Friday
-leftovers

Saturday
-chili in the crockpot
-cornbread

Green Beans with Caramalized Shallots

Serving: Serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 Pound green beans, trimmed

Directions
In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add shallots; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until fork-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Toss with remaining tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer green beans to a serving dish; top with caramelized shallots.




From: Great Food Fast

Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing

2 T. fresh oj
1 T. honey
1 T. minced shallot
2 t. white wine vinegar
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 T. olive oil
salad greens

Combine juice, honey, shallot, vinegar, salt and pepper in blender, puree until smooth. With the motor running, stream in oil. Pour over greens, serve immediately.

From Great Food Fast.

chicken parmigiana

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded thin

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1 egg, beaten

2 cups jarred tomato sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

6 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese

1. Heat broiler. Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in beaten egg, then dredge in breadcrumbs, turning to coat both sides.

2. Spread the tomato sauce onto the bottom of a glass baking dish. Heat 2 T of of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to baking dish on top of sauce.

3. Top each breast with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Broil 4 inches from heat source until the sauce is hot and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.

From: Great Food Fast

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce

Serving: Serves 4 to 6

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (3/4-1 pound each), trimmed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 Cup whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper; transfer to skillet and cook, turning, until browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover skillet; cook pork, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees;, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pork from skillet, wrap in aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes (reserve skillet with juices).

To juices in skillet, add mustards, and sour cream, and any accumulated juices from resting pork; whisk over medium heat until heated through (do not boil). Add water if sauce is too thick.

Slice pork thinly and serve with pan sauce.

*I just made this for dinner and the original recipe calls for way too much Dijon mustard, it was way too overwhelming for kids, so the above recipe is adjusted. Very yummy!

From: Great Food Fast

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

We love this.

10-12 oz. package broccoli spears
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 tbs. lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
grated chedder cheese

Boil chicken. Dice when cooled. If using frozen broccoli, steam for a couple minutes. No need to cook fresh broccoli. Place broccoli in bottom of baking dish. Mix mayo, lemon juice, cream of chicken soup together. Fold in diced chicken. Pour over broccoli. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with cheese for the last 10 minutes before done.

Trader Joes Beef Stroganoff

They had this as a sample the other day, so I made it that night for dinner. It was yum!

1 package Quick Cook Beef Sirloin (this meat is good stuff!)
1/2 Bag TJ's Chopped Onions (I only use dry and very little since we don't like onions)
1 package TJ's sliced mushrooms
2 packages TJ's Garlic Linguini
1 Tub TJ's sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook noodles according to directions on packages. Drain. Saute onions in butter until brown (unless you're using dry onions and then you can just add them to the meat while it's cooking). Add beef to a frying pan and cook until it is almost completely cooked. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and meat is completely cooked. Don't drain meat. The juices will mix with the sour cream to make a delicious sauce. Toss cooked noodles with beef mixture. Gently fold in sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meat Loaf Muffins

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)

1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve with fresh beans and potato wedges.

another good pasta dish

this one is from my mom, who got it from one of the santa margarita stake recipe books.

ingredients:

12 oz. angel hair pasta
1 C chicken broth
1/4 C grated parmesan
1 tsp dried basil
chicken- cut into bite size pieces
2 cloves of garlic-minced
half a crown of broccoli-pulled apart into bite size pieces
1/2 zucchini-cut diagonally and in half
2 carrots- sliced
2 tbsp oil

1. saute up the chicken in 1 tbsp oil, when fully cooked remove from pan.
2. start pasta on stove- you want it to be done around the same time as the next step to that you can throw it all together and eat!
3. add another tbsp oil to pan then add garlic, carrots, zucchini, broccoli. saute for a few minutes till soft.
4. add broth, basil, parmesan, and chicken to pan, reduce heat and simmer for 2 min or so.
5. drain pasta- don't rinse!
6. dish up pasta, place good stuff from pan on top and try to get some of the sauce on there to.
enjoy!

hope these directions make sense, i didn't have them so i am just going off of what chicken scratches i wrote from my mom! ether way, it tastes really good- a lighter summer pasta dinner.

This week's menu

Now that I am not crazy busy with church stuff, I have time to cook! yay! Here's what we are eating this week:

Sunday:
Pork tacos with cheese, sour cream, salsa, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, avocados and black olives
steamed rice
broccoli sauted in olive oil and kosher salt
salad (organic continental blend from Costco, red onions, avocados, mandarin oranges and homemade ginger dressing)

Monday:
Lime marinated flank steak
leftover salad
Butter and Parmesan pasta (just out of a box-kids love it)

Tuesday:
teriyaki salmon
buttermilk mashed potatoes
lima beans
dinner rolls

Wednesday:
Chicken cacciatori over pasta (in the crock pot with the simmer sauce from Trader Joes)
corn

Thursday:
Baked Chicken Bites with BBQ sauce, honey mustard and ranch dressing
peas
applesauce

Friday:
Glazed Pork Tenderloin
fresh pineapple
steamed rice

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple

fresh pineapple
3 T. hoisin sauce
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
coarse salt and pepper
Quick Ginger Sauce (below)

Combine the hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic and mustard. Place the pork on a broiler pan fitted with rack, brush with sauce, season with salt and pepper.

Place the pork in the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat. Broil the pork until instant read thermometer reads 155, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the broiler, let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve with pineapple and Ginger Sauce.

Quick Ginger Sauce
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. pineapple juice
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. soy sauce
fresh ground pepper

Combing all ingredients in a small bowl.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 Pounds (4 medium) new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 to 1/2 Cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until potatoes are very tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain; place in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher, then add buttermilk and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Mash until smooth and combined.

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

1/3 Cup freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 4 limes)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
2 Tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 Teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 Pounds flank steak
Vegetable oil, for grates
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Directions
In a resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red-pepper flakes. Add steak, and seal bag (place in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, up to 1 hour.

Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and black pepper. Place on grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat reaches desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

Berry Good

I made this for my morning snack today and it was "berry" good. I topped cottage cheese with fresh blackberries, some granola, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. So yummy! You could probably use any sort of fresh berry (strawberry, blueberry, rasberry, etc.) and it will taste just as good!

I don't like to deviate from my usual morning bowl of cereal and orange juice, but I'm sure this would be just as scrumptious for breakfast. Add a Trader Joes whole wheat English Muffin with honeybutter and your day is off to a great, nutritious start.

pasta salad

i know there are like a million pasta salad recipes out there, but i really like this one. I am so excited for lighter cooler summer foods, this will be a weekly menu maker. i made it the other day and took a picture because it was so pretty and colorful, so i thought why now post it on here???
you will need:
one bag pasta- it's more fun with different colors

dressing:
1 C oil
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1 C Parmesan
1 TBSP each: parsley, basil, garlic salt
red pepper flakes as desired
(i usually half this with one bag of pasta, but you will have to figure that one out depending on how much dressing you like, and if you don't feel up to making dressing, just open up a bottle of Italian dressing and that is yummy too!)

you may want to add:
chunks of mozzarella cheese, chicken, red or green peppers, onions, carrots, celery, peperoni, green onions, black olives...
there so many delicious possibilities, you really can't go wrong!

Imperial Chicken

This is not for everyday eating, very decadent, but a great special occasion meal. This is my Grandma's recipe.

1 c. fine, dry bread crumbs
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c. minced parsley
2 tsp. salt (I don't add the salt)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c.) butter, melted
1 sm. clove garlic, crushed
4 chicken breasts
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Blend bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Combine melted butter and garlic. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then into crumb mixture, coating thoroughly. Arrange chicken in single layer in shallow baking pan. Drizzle the remaining butter mixture over chicken. Bake uncovered, in moderate oven, 350 degrees, until the thickest pieces are fork tender, 1 hour. Serves 4-5. Can be made a day ahead.

Pork Tacos

These are so good, and so simple.

1 pork roast (4 lbs or so)
1 jar of salsa
1/2 cup of brown sugar
tortillas
taco fixings:
avocado
tomatoes
cheese
cilantro
sour cream

Put pork in crock pot. Pour salsa over and add brown sugar cook for 6-8 hours on low. Shred with two forks, stir well. Warm tortillas on stove top (gas burner). Put meat, cheese, etc on taco. YUM, YUM.

MIA

That means "Missing In Action" - we haven't heard from foodie bloggers Lynne, Leah and Michelle in quite some time. I'm going to take you off for the time being and feature you as a guest blogger when you have a recipe to share. Thanks!

Bing Cherry Cobbler

For the filling:
5 cups pitted fresh Bing cherries or other sweet cherries (about 3 lb. unpitted)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, strained
3 Tbs. sugar

For the topping:
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbs. sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat an oven to 375°F. For individual servings, place six 1-cup ramekins or custard cups on a rimmed sheet. For a large cobbler, have ready a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie dish or baking dish with sides at least 2 3/4 inches high.To make the filling, in a large bowl, stir together the cherries, lemon juice and sugar until well mixed. Divide the fruit among the ramekins or pour into the pie dish or baking dish. Bake the fruit for 10 minutes while you prepare the topping.

To make the topping in a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and, using a large wooden spoon, stir just until combined and a soft, sticky, evenly moistened dough forms.

To Finish:
Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture and continue to beat just until combined and a soft, sticky, evenly moistened dough forms. Drop the dough by heaping spoonfuls onto the hot fruit, spacing it evenly over the surface. The topping will not cover the fruit but will spread during baking to cover it. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Bake the cobbler until the fruit filling is bubbling, the topping is browned, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the topping comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 6.

Gourmet Spaghetti

One package of spaghetti
4 cups-ish chicken broth
15 roma tomatoes (chopped)
1 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
feta cheese

Boil noodles in chicken broth about 10 minutes
As spaghetti is boiling, brown the pine nuts in olive oil
Take noodles out and put broth aside
Mix: spaghetti, nuts, tomatoes, basil, garlic
Fold in the feta cheese
Add juice into the spag. mixture to taste (meaning, if you like it juicy, add more of the juice, or if you like it dry, not add as much)

**I'll admit that I forgot to buy feta, but had a fresh block of Parmesan so grated that and added that (lots!) and it turned out delicious.

Enjoy with french bread and a salad!

for the love of trader joes

ok, so trader joes is one of those places that we all love to shop, however, i find myself just buying the same things and not branching out sometimes for fear of the unknown, so...i thought i would ask you all what are your favorite things to buy there????
i love many many things from there:
i just bought the granola (almond flavor) and it is so good on yogurt for breakfast.
luke, and now velzy, can't get enough of the spicy flax and soy chips
their hand made tortillas are way better than any others
we always get lightly salted cashews and almonds for sancks
their frozen fish is always good for fish tacos
lemon herb chicken, cut up over their caesar salad in a bag is super good for dinner.
i love love love the australian panda black licorice and fruit leathers...this is all that i am thinking of off the top of my head, i will add more when i think of more, but i just wanted some new ideas from you all!
thanks!

Basic Fresh Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil
Fresh roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded
Salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4-5 fresh basil leaves

Combine all ingredients and add to pasta of choice.

Lemon Parmesan Linguine

This is a great dish - main or side. Love it.

3/4 lb. linguine
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 TB. butter
3 TB. fresh lemon juice
1 TB. lemon peel
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender, but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water

Bring crea and butter to simmer in a heavy, large skillet over med-high heat. Mix in lemon juice and peel. Add pasta, toss to caot, adding reserved cooking water as needed to hink the sauce to desired consistency. Add parmesan, toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Carrot Cake

Made this last night- super yummy and almost healthy with the whole wheat flour, pineapple, carrots and raisins. Just a mixture of a few recipes that i had. When i made it i thought the batter was weird, but it turned out great- super moist and flavorful.

Ingredients:
3 C shredded Carrots (hope you have a food processor)
1 C oil ( i want to play with this recipe and see if you could do half oil, half applesauce)
4 eggs
8 oz crushed pineapple- drained
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 C sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
optional: handful of raisins and/or nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Stir together dry ingredients. Add oil and Stir. Add eggs and Stir. Add pineapple, carrots, raisins and stir.
You can bake it in two circle pans for 35 min or a 13x9 one for 45 min.

Frost with a cream cheese or regular white frosting.

Chinese Roast

this is one of Luke's grandma's recipes, that his mom gave me. it is easy easy easy, and yummy! it has a different taste than any other roast you will make- but it's Luke's favorite and i love it too!

The recipe is really whatever- i guess i mean that you can mess with it. When i made it I threw it in a big pot, added water and first 2 ingredients and boiled till i had to leave for church (20 min) then turned it down to low and let it cook while we were gone for 3 1/2 hours. And ate it after i cooked rice when we got home. It was super tender and flavorful and makes a lot. Also, you might have to look a little for the star anise and Chinese 5 spices!

Roast- pork is best- any size- i used around a 2 lb. last time
3 slices of Ginger root
1/4 C star anise- cool spice that looks like a star and smells like licorice
1 tsp Chinese 5 spices
pinch of red pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 C vinegar
2 C soy sauce- i didn't use that much though
5 stems green onion cut into 1/4 inch pieces


Directions:
Place Meat in Pot- and cover with water
Add Star Anise and ginger root and bring to boil for about 20 min.
Add other ingredients and boil- on low for several hours
Strain and keep broth- make a gravy out of it- as thick or thin as you like.
Take out the Roast and shred apart.
Eat over sticky rice with the gravy.

Question

Ton, I made this tonight and it turned out more like soup than chili. Did yours? And when you wrote low-fat, you meant it. I think I need a fattier version. Or maybe I just plain cooked it wrong. Any advice? Or another white bean chili?

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Again, a recipe from Lillie - our resident guest blogger.

3/4 c. oats ground up (I use little food processor)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter softened
1/4 c. canola oil
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips

Beat butter until fluffy, mix in wet, mix in dry. Stir in choc. chips.

Bake at 350' for 8-11 min ( I think I do about 9)

**They're not low fat or anything so they're still good- just better fat (canola oil), and no white flour. Of course grinding your own wheat is the healthiest but who has time for that?
The dough seems weird compared to normal CC cookies because it's more oily but the cookies are so yummy if you like that sort of oaty, whole wheat flavor ( I LOVE it). They're from Cooking Light or Eating Well.. don't remember.

Frozen Brownies from a Guest Blogger!

I'd like to introduce our very first guest blogger! Lillie Biesinger is my friend from college and she is currently living in the California desert. She is a lover of Trader Joe's and with that comes good food. Thanks for sharing Lillie!

Brownies:
2/3 c. melted butter
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. baking cocoa
1/2 c. walnuts (I never do this, but if you like nuts in them)
1 c. chocolate chips (sprinkled on top)

1. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla
2. Add melted butter
3. Sift together dries
4. Mix all together
5. Spread in greased 9x13
6. Sprinkle with 1 c. chocolate chips (half milk/half semi sweet is good- whatever you have)
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 min. (I usually do about 26- brownies do not appear to be totall cooked in the middle when they are ready to be pulled out of the oven, but when the edges separate from pan, brownies are done.

Lillie freezes this brownies (individually Lil?) and eats them as a dessert. I haven't tried these, but she says that frozen is the way to go...

{If anyone else would like to feature a guest blogger, please let me know! We love recipes from everyone}

Salmon anyone?

Okay so I have a super easy salmon dinner..so good, simplest thing I make.
You just take a salmon fillet, about a pound, and put it in a foil lined bread pan. (since I don't make bread in my bread pan, this is a good alternative.) Have enough foil that you can wrap it up and over the salmon to cook.
Once you've placed the fish in the pan, shake as much as you want of your favorite cajun seasoning on it. (found in a spice jar looking jar. sometimes right by the fish/meats counter, other times with the other spices. our usuals are cajun choice, or northwest cajun. I'm not usually into "cajun" either, but this is good!) Obviously, the more you shake on, the spicier your fish will be. I usually put about a Tablespoon on..just enough to cover the whole fish, but not drown it. Next, just add a few slices of unsalted butter (again, as much or as little as you want.)
Then wrap the foil up and around, folding the ends together at the top (for easy opening later on), and put it in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. For about the last 5, open up the foil, so it can get a little toasted on the top. Serve with rice (hooray for rice cookers, learned that in hawaii) and steamed veggies. yums! And the best part is, when you're done with the fish, you can throw away the foil, and your bread pan is still clean! woo hoo!

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

They might as well be called Meggan's Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My sister should really be the one posting this, but I will for her. She made them and they were SO yums. If you need a dependable chocolate chip cookie - this is the one. I made them last night. They didn't seem as good as Megg's, but oh well.

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packedbrown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.
With your fingers, place golf ball-sized dough portions 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown. Leave on cookie sheet for a couple minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

Enjoy!
(with soy milk, regular milk or chocolate milk)

Tuna Russian Roll

This calls for pie crusts, but I don't like pie crust. I modified it by making pizza dough in my breadmaker and rolling it out and putting the filling in there with pinching the edges before baking. Very good. It's a different meal that the usual Italian or meat and potatoes.

1 (9 inch) pie crust dough (OR pizza dough)
1 pkg. chicken flavored rice mix
2 cans (6 oz) tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup (you can use cream of celery too)
1/2 Cup sour cream (I actually didn't have sour cream a couple night ago and poured some milk in until the mixture was just creamy enough and it turned out just fine!

Prepare rice mix as directed. Cool slightly. Break tuna into large chunks and add to rice. Stir in 1/3 cup of the soup. Roll out the pie crust to a rectangle. Spoon tuna mixture down the center of the pastry. Bring the sides up and over and pinch shut. Place on cookie sheet with seam side down. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes or until golden on the outside.

Bring the remaining souop to a boil in a saucepan and serve as sauce over tuna roll.

Enjoy with a salad or other fresh vegetable.

Welcome Michelle!

We have a new contributor to our blog. Her name is Michelle Ross and she resides up in Idaho. What part Michelle? She is a friend of my friend Lillie and even grows her own vegetables in the summertime. We will look forward to some new recipes from her and eagerly anticipate her snowfall to dissipate so we can get some fresh veggie recipe tests from her later this year.

Black Bean and Rice Soup

2 cans black beans, undrained, divided (15 oz. each)
3 cups of water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 packet of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1 1/2 cups Minute Brown Rice, uncooked

Place 1 1/2 cans of beans with liquid in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into sauce pan. Stir in remaining beans, water, onion and dressing mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Garnish with sour cream, cilantro and chopped red pepper.

Easy Orange Rolls

1 package frozen rolls (Rhodes)
1/4 cup melted butter
5 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons orange peel

Preheat oven to 350. Mix butter, sugar and orange peel in large bowl. Add FROZEN rolls, stir to coat. Spray bundt pan with nonstick spray. Pour rolls into bundt pan, making sure all of sugar mixture is on rolls. Cover with towel and let defrost/rise, about 4 hours. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Turn out onto serving plate immediately and pour frosting over top.

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 Tablespoon orange peel

Mix with mixer until smooth.

Craisan and Pignolia Salad

We eat salad's a lot. This recipe comes from my latest issue of Cooking Light (which a dear friend gave me the subscription for - love it).

1 Cup Craisins
1/2 Cup Pignolias (pine nuts)
Romaine and Red Leaf Lettuce
Bleu Cheese

Mix together and serve. Now, I've mixed it up a bit and had the above with strawberry vinagrette dressing. OR I omit the bleu cheese and eat it with Trader Joe's Bleu Cheese Dressing.

Enjoy.

Baked French Toast with Berries

I made this Christmas morning, it was to die for. Super easy.

One 8 oz loaf or 1/2 lb French bread or cinnamon bread
(I used this cinnamon swirl, absolutely delicious)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups fresh or frozen berries

Lightly grease a 3 quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange bread slices in the dish. In a large bowl, stir eggs, milk, granulated sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour over bread. Press lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten bread. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight. Combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. With forks, cut in butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.

Before baking, sprinkle berries over bread; sprinkle flour mixture over berries. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve with syrup.

Tasty Snack

This is really good as a snack or pair with some fresh veggies and a smoothie for lunch!

1 Cup cottage cheese
1/2 avocado
salt and pepper

Mix in bowl and have a handful of these and you are set. So good.

Three Cheese Gourmet Macaroni

I stole this from my friend Kelli's recipe blog. But, I made it and it is SO good. We ate it with some fresh green beans, but it would probably be good with a steak or kabobs or something. My local Ralphs did not carry the cheeses, but Trader Joe's does.

1/2 lb. medium shell pasta
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/4 cups (packed) grated white cheddar
3/4 cup (packed) grated Gruyere
1/2 cup (packed) grated Fontina
6 Tbl. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, but still firm to bit, stirring occaisionally. Meanwhile, bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over med-high heat. Remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add flour. Stir until pale golden, about one minute. Whisk in hot milk. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbling, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Add cheeses and stir until melted and smooth. Preheat broiler. Add pasta to cheese sauce and toss to coat. Place pasta mixture in baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrubs. Broil until crums are golden brown, about one minutes.

Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

We had this for dinner last night. It's really tasty and very low fat.

2-3 chicken breasts
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
16 oz of chicken broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper sauce
2 cans white kidney beans
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
3 Tbs lime juice
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream

1. Put chicken in the bottom of your crockpot. Combine onions, garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper sauce, pour over chicken. Pour in rinsed and drained beans.

2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

3. Shred or cut up chicken.

4. Return chicken to slow cooker, add frozen corn and lime juice. Cook for another 30-60 minutes, until everything is hot.

5. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream, if desired.

YUM!