Recently I spoiled my kids (and hubby-he's such a sweet tooth!) with a "breakfast dinner." I fondly recall having those special occasional nights when I was a kid when Mom would make pancakes instead of goulash for supper-yum! The french toast I chose to make this time was a little bit "fancier" than the old standard mom used to make (which was also delicious by its own right), so I decided to share it with you.
First I made the bread to make my toast with. I used an easy 1 hr bread machine recipe that a friend shared with me:
French Bread
(This recipe is for a 1 1/2 lb loaf)
1 C. plus 2 Tbs. Lukewarm water
1 Tbs. Butter
3 C. Bread Flour
1 Tbs. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 tsp. Bread Machine Yeast
1. Add liquid ingredients and butter to the bread machine pan.
2. Add dry ingredients, except yeast to pan.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add yeast.
4. Select 1 hour bread cycle on bread machine (number 12 on my machine)
You'll want to make sure that you bake your bread early enough to have it cool to prepare your french toast. I made my right after lunch so it could cool for preparing for supper. Which brings us to our next recipe.
Tropical French Toast
French Toast:
1 C. Egg Substitute
2 Large eggs (use 4 eggs if you wish to leave out the Egg substitute)
1 C. Coconut Milk
1 C. Milk
1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Loaf of French bread, cut into 16 slices
Cooking spray
Additional Ingredients:
1 Pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced
Powdered Sugar
Chopped strawberries and/or mangoes (optional)
Lime juice (optional)
Flake Coconut (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine egg substitute and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stir well with a whisk. Place bread in egg mixture; press down with a spatula to submerge. Let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Arrange soaked bread in a single layer on a 9 by 13 pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and keep warm.
4. While bread is baking, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange pineapple slices in pan (cook half now if they won't all fit); cook for minutes on each side or until pineapple begins to brown. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure if you still have uncooked pineapples.
5. Arrange toast on plate, top with pineapple and powdered sugar. If you wish you can also top with strawberries and or mangoes with a splash of lime juice and a sprinkling of flaked coconut. (I have even made a fruit compote of these ingredients to go on top, but it really is great on its own.)
I hope you enjoy the recipe. Here's to many more sweet suppers for my family and yours.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
What's better than sausage and bread?
Okay-maybe it's not the combination I would have preferred, but since they are both delicious things I have made this week-you're getting a recipe for both of them.
We'll start with the sausage recipe first:
Sausage with Peppers
2-3 large potatoes
Cooking spray
3 tsp. olive oil, divided.
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg of turkey smoked sausage
1 pkg frozen peppers/onion blend-Defrosted
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash & thickly slice or quarter potatoes. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pane coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake for 40 minutes at 375-turning occasionally.
3. While potatoes cook, slice sausage. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large (non-stick) skillet over med-high heat. Add sausages to pan, cook for 5-8 minutes or until slightly browned on outside. Remove sausages from pan.
4. Heat 1 tsp. oil in pan. Add pepper/onion blend and saute for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add garlic; saute' 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt, vinegar, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Return sausage to pan, cover and cook over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until sausage is cooked through.
Even my little guy was eating this recipe-so I knew it was a keeper. I'm putting star next to that one in my cooking binder!
My next recipe is for something that I thought was an unachievable goal-a bread that would satisfy my husbands discriminating taste. He always wanted a bread that tastes like the bread on the Arby's market fresh sandwiches. Soft, yet seemingly healthy, and of course delicious, too. Well after many months and recipes a friend shared this recipe with me and according to my hubby-"We have a winner folks!" This bread is so good that on Monday when we were dazedly trying to pack my daughter's lunch and we accidentally sent two pieces of plain bread instead of a sandwich (oops) to school-she came home saying "That was great, Mom-it didn't even need anything on it!"
The Best Bread
1 1/2 C. Hot water
1/3 C. softened butter
1/3 C. Honey
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 Tbs. Lecithin (I found mine at GNC vitamin store)
4-4 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 C. ground flax seed
1 Tbs. yeast (add and extra tsp. for hand kneading)
Combine water, oil, honey salt & egg. Add lecithin, half of flour and ground flax seed. Mix thoroughly. Add yeast and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise until double in size. Divide and roll into loaf shape-place in 2 greased loaf pans. Let rise again until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
We'll start with the sausage recipe first:
Sausage with Peppers
2-3 large potatoes
Cooking spray
3 tsp. olive oil, divided.
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg of turkey smoked sausage
1 pkg frozen peppers/onion blend-Defrosted
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash & thickly slice or quarter potatoes. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pane coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake for 40 minutes at 375-turning occasionally.
3. While potatoes cook, slice sausage. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large (non-stick) skillet over med-high heat. Add sausages to pan, cook for 5-8 minutes or until slightly browned on outside. Remove sausages from pan.
4. Heat 1 tsp. oil in pan. Add pepper/onion blend and saute for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add garlic; saute' 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt, vinegar, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Return sausage to pan, cover and cook over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until sausage is cooked through.
Even my little guy was eating this recipe-so I knew it was a keeper. I'm putting star next to that one in my cooking binder!
My next recipe is for something that I thought was an unachievable goal-a bread that would satisfy my husbands discriminating taste. He always wanted a bread that tastes like the bread on the Arby's market fresh sandwiches. Soft, yet seemingly healthy, and of course delicious, too. Well after many months and recipes a friend shared this recipe with me and according to my hubby-"We have a winner folks!" This bread is so good that on Monday when we were dazedly trying to pack my daughter's lunch and we accidentally sent two pieces of plain bread instead of a sandwich (oops) to school-she came home saying "That was great, Mom-it didn't even need anything on it!"
The Best Bread
1 1/2 C. Hot water
1/3 C. softened butter
1/3 C. Honey
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 Tbs. Lecithin (I found mine at GNC vitamin store)
4-4 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 C. ground flax seed
1 Tbs. yeast (add and extra tsp. for hand kneading)
Combine water, oil, honey salt & egg. Add lecithin, half of flour and ground flax seed. Mix thoroughly. Add yeast and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise until double in size. Divide and roll into loaf shape-place in 2 greased loaf pans. Let rise again until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Two great fall recipes.
Anyone that knows me will tell you how much I HATE to lie-I'm just no good at it. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I am able to "pull the wool over" my kids' eyes when duty calls.. For example-sometimes as a Mom you almost have to play a good carnival barker- "Come one, come all. Step right up ladies and gents and feast your tongues on a simply nutritious-er..ah... I mean DELICIOUS meal!)
Our dinner tonight is a perfect for instance-we had a recently discovered favorite. Three out of four people in our family like it and the fourth rarely eats well at supper anyways, so I wouldn't completely count for him. I guess I should just post the recipe and you can see why it's so shocking that we "squashed" out any dislike for this meal!
COBBLER CRUNCH
1 Squash (acorn or butternut work great)
1/4 C. Brown sugar
1/4 C. Peanuts
1/4 C. Dried Cherries
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
2 Tbs. Butter (divided)
1. Wash squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place face-down in a baking dish and bake in a 350ยบ oven for 30 minutes.
2. While squash is baking, mix next 6 ingredients (sugar through cloves).
3. Remove squash from oven, turn over. place sugar mix in "bowl" part of each squash half. Place a tablespoon of butter on top of each part of sugar mixture.
4. Cover squash and place back in oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and mix squash in with the "cobbler mixture" until combined.
My daughter absolutely loves this recipe and she doesn't even seem to notice that it is the same kind of squash she turned her nose up at 2 months ago-just because it is prepared differently.
I also have a recipe that EVERYONE in my family loves-good old fashioned applesauce. I made my third batch of fall today. I thought I was done, but my mother's farmer friend was kind enough to provide me with a large batch of apples, and I'm never one to turn an apple away. Since all of our sauce apples have been received at no cost.. I think our family saying of the month is "When life gives you apples, make applesauce."
MOMMA'S CHUNKY CINNAMON APPLESAUCE
8-10 Apples
3-4 Pears
1/2 C. Water
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbs. White Sugar
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1. Peel, core and slice apples and pears, place in slow cooker.
2. Add rest of ingredients and combine.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. Mash fruit with a potato masher until it reaches desired consistency. Keeps in refrigerator for at least a month (ours has never made it longer than that without being consumed!)
On a gardening note-does anyone else have a bunch of tomatoes sitting in their kitchen? I have a whole slew that I picked right before it frosted a week ago-most of which were still green. I made fried green tomatoes with some of them (not our favorite), but the rest I'm just watching with hopeful eyes-is that a twinge of red on that one?
Our dinner tonight is a perfect for instance-we had a recently discovered favorite. Three out of four people in our family like it and the fourth rarely eats well at supper anyways, so I wouldn't completely count for him. I guess I should just post the recipe and you can see why it's so shocking that we "squashed" out any dislike for this meal!
COBBLER CRUNCH
1 Squash (acorn or butternut work great)
1/4 C. Brown sugar
1/4 C. Peanuts
1/4 C. Dried Cherries
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
2 Tbs. Butter (divided)
1. Wash squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place face-down in a baking dish and bake in a 350ยบ oven for 30 minutes.
2. While squash is baking, mix next 6 ingredients (sugar through cloves).
3. Remove squash from oven, turn over. place sugar mix in "bowl" part of each squash half. Place a tablespoon of butter on top of each part of sugar mixture.
4. Cover squash and place back in oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and mix squash in with the "cobbler mixture" until combined.
My daughter absolutely loves this recipe and she doesn't even seem to notice that it is the same kind of squash she turned her nose up at 2 months ago-just because it is prepared differently.
I also have a recipe that EVERYONE in my family loves-good old fashioned applesauce. I made my third batch of fall today. I thought I was done, but my mother's farmer friend was kind enough to provide me with a large batch of apples, and I'm never one to turn an apple away. Since all of our sauce apples have been received at no cost.. I think our family saying of the month is "When life gives you apples, make applesauce."
MOMMA'S CHUNKY CINNAMON APPLESAUCE
8-10 Apples
3-4 Pears
1/2 C. Water
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbs. White Sugar
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1. Peel, core and slice apples and pears, place in slow cooker.
2. Add rest of ingredients and combine.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. Mash fruit with a potato masher until it reaches desired consistency. Keeps in refrigerator for at least a month (ours has never made it longer than that without being consumed!)
On a gardening note-does anyone else have a bunch of tomatoes sitting in their kitchen? I have a whole slew that I picked right before it frosted a week ago-most of which were still green. I made fried green tomatoes with some of them (not our favorite), but the rest I'm just watching with hopeful eyes-is that a twinge of red on that one?
Sunday, September 13, 2009
On top of spaghetti
All right all you bloggers/fans. I'm back and ready for action (that is typing is about all the action I have energy for right now). I have a new recipe I want to share. It's one that's been in great demand... Okay, ONE person has asked me for the recipe-my sister, but I'm still going to force it on all the rest of you because in my opinion it's a good one!
Slow Cooked Spaghetti Sauce
About 8-10 ripe tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 small summer squash
3 green onions
2 carrots
2 tsp-1/4 C. minced garlic
2 tsp-1/4 C. sugar
Basil
Oregano
Parsley flakes
1 Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Mince tomatoes, squash, onions & carrots & place in slow cooker. Add tomato paste. Add Garlic, Sugar, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Salt & Pepper to taste. Add Bay leaf. Cook for 5-8 hours on low setting or until thickness of your liking.
I just made this recipe yesterday, and I have to admit it was my best batch yet. As I don't stick to a tight recipe, every time is a little different-you can tweak it to your liking. I also have added minced green peppers when I've had them-basically whatever is in my garden. Also, I prefer my sauce a little sweeter, so I add the higher amount of sugar (and garlic since I love garlic, too.)
Speaking of garlic, I am considering planting some this year. I have received some instruction as to how. The deciding factor will be whether my husband is willing to do a little tilling for me this fall, since garlic can be planted in the fall. I'll let you know how it goes, if it goes that is!
Slow Cooked Spaghetti Sauce
About 8-10 ripe tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 small summer squash
3 green onions
2 carrots
2 tsp-1/4 C. minced garlic
2 tsp-1/4 C. sugar
Basil
Oregano
Parsley flakes
1 Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Mince tomatoes, squash, onions & carrots & place in slow cooker. Add tomato paste. Add Garlic, Sugar, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Salt & Pepper to taste. Add Bay leaf. Cook for 5-8 hours on low setting or until thickness of your liking.
I just made this recipe yesterday, and I have to admit it was my best batch yet. As I don't stick to a tight recipe, every time is a little different-you can tweak it to your liking. I also have added minced green peppers when I've had them-basically whatever is in my garden. Also, I prefer my sauce a little sweeter, so I add the higher amount of sugar (and garlic since I love garlic, too.)
Speaking of garlic, I am considering planting some this year. I have received some instruction as to how. The deciding factor will be whether my husband is willing to do a little tilling for me this fall, since garlic can be planted in the fall. I'll let you know how it goes, if it goes that is!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Strawberry Fields Forever
Every year when school gets out I line up our babysitter (the one I used regularly when I was still working) to watch my little guy so that I can have a special day with my school girl. In the past we have gone to an arcade, a state park/monument and a drive-in restaurant. This year money is a little tighter, as I'm not working outside of the home anymore, so I decided to entertain ourselves by strawberry picking and making strawberry jam.
It was such a fantastic day for it-the rain we were supposed to get just blew on by. My seven year old girl was aptly entertained for over an hour by just picking and commenting on every single berry. Our only down point was when we pulled up to the strawberry farm to see a sign listing "Children over 12 only." My girl is a pretty good reader, so she saw this before me and was crying before I even knew what was going on. We had driven over an hour to get there and I hadn't seen anything on the website about an age limit, so we trekked in and I asked. After some consideration, the owner decided that my gal could pick on an outside of a row of the field, while I picked inside. Like I said before, she was a pro-didn't squash a single plant and not once did I hear "I'm BORED!" When we returned to pay for our bounty, the owner said she saw how good my girl was and that next year she can pick right in the row with me. You should have seen her beaming!
It was the highlight of my whole week having that special time with her-I hope I never forget it... After a quick bite we were back home and I was cutting strawberries. The whole process seemed to take forever, but after a few hours of prep and cooking, we had jam! I made a double batch-big enough to share with some neighbors & friends that often share goodies with us. It's always so good to give, isn't it? The simple recipe I used is:
Refrigerator Strawberry Jam
3 lb strawberries, washed & quartered
1 C. sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Place all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 1-3 hours (nice and mushy). Allow to cool (will thicken a little as cools). Store in air-tight containers-keep in fridge for up to a month. Makes about 4 cups.
I tried some of the jam that evening on some toast.... A sweet end to a sweet day.
It was such a fantastic day for it-the rain we were supposed to get just blew on by. My seven year old girl was aptly entertained for over an hour by just picking and commenting on every single berry. Our only down point was when we pulled up to the strawberry farm to see a sign listing "Children over 12 only." My girl is a pretty good reader, so she saw this before me and was crying before I even knew what was going on. We had driven over an hour to get there and I hadn't seen anything on the website about an age limit, so we trekked in and I asked. After some consideration, the owner decided that my gal could pick on an outside of a row of the field, while I picked inside. Like I said before, she was a pro-didn't squash a single plant and not once did I hear "I'm BORED!" When we returned to pay for our bounty, the owner said she saw how good my girl was and that next year she can pick right in the row with me. You should have seen her beaming!
It was the highlight of my whole week having that special time with her-I hope I never forget it... After a quick bite we were back home and I was cutting strawberries. The whole process seemed to take forever, but after a few hours of prep and cooking, we had jam! I made a double batch-big enough to share with some neighbors & friends that often share goodies with us. It's always so good to give, isn't it? The simple recipe I used is:
Refrigerator Strawberry Jam
3 lb strawberries, washed & quartered
1 C. sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Place all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 1-3 hours (nice and mushy). Allow to cool (will thicken a little as cools). Store in air-tight containers-keep in fridge for up to a month. Makes about 4 cups.
I tried some of the jam that evening on some toast.... A sweet end to a sweet day.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Another two-fer deal on recipes!
I have two great recipes for you-both have been approved by my family:
Fruit Salad
1 C. cut-up bananas
1 C. Cut up strawberries
1 C. cut up apples
1 C. grapes
Fluffy dressing
1/4 C. yogurt (vanilla or fruity is fine)
1/4 thawed whipped cream
1 tbs. orange juice
Combine yogurt & whipped cream. Add orange juice to make desired consistency. Place fruit in a large salad bowl, toss with dressing.
Cheesy Meat and Potato Casserole
3-4 medium potatoes, sliced thin
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbs. chopped onion
1 can cream of celery soup
1/3 C. milk
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 C. shredded cheddar
Toss potatoes with butter and salt; arrange on bottom and up sides of a greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes (depending on how crispy you want your taters).
Meanwhile, in a skillet brown meat and drain. Sprinkle meat and corn over potatoes. Combine soup, milk, garlic powder, pepper onion & 1/2 C. cheese; pour over beef mixture. Bake @ 400 degrees, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; top with remaining cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
We all loved this recipe-I cooked my potatoes for the 45 minutes and I thought they were a little too crisp, but my hubby thought they were perfect-so if you like crispy-stick to 45.
GARDEN UPDATE
I have peas!! Okay, maybe not quite peas yet, but I have pea plants! They're kind of short right now, but that's okay, they're still there and haven't been viciously attacked by neighborhood crows, or bunnies, so I'm happy. I also am about to have my first marigold bloom, so that makes me happy, too-those marigold help with keeping pests away (I wonder if I can use it on my hubby?) I've been helping water a vacationing friend's garden this week, and I have to admit that seeing her nicely filled in garden is making me feel a little "green"...........thumb that is (haha!)
Fruit Salad
1 C. cut-up bananas
1 C. Cut up strawberries
1 C. cut up apples
1 C. grapes
Fluffy dressing
1/4 C. yogurt (vanilla or fruity is fine)
1/4 thawed whipped cream
1 tbs. orange juice
Combine yogurt & whipped cream. Add orange juice to make desired consistency. Place fruit in a large salad bowl, toss with dressing.
Cheesy Meat and Potato Casserole
3-4 medium potatoes, sliced thin
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbs. chopped onion
1 can cream of celery soup
1/3 C. milk
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 C. shredded cheddar
Toss potatoes with butter and salt; arrange on bottom and up sides of a greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes (depending on how crispy you want your taters).
Meanwhile, in a skillet brown meat and drain. Sprinkle meat and corn over potatoes. Combine soup, milk, garlic powder, pepper onion & 1/2 C. cheese; pour over beef mixture. Bake @ 400 degrees, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; top with remaining cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
We all loved this recipe-I cooked my potatoes for the 45 minutes and I thought they were a little too crisp, but my hubby thought they were perfect-so if you like crispy-stick to 45.
GARDEN UPDATE
I have peas!! Okay, maybe not quite peas yet, but I have pea plants! They're kind of short right now, but that's okay, they're still there and haven't been viciously attacked by neighborhood crows, or bunnies, so I'm happy. I also am about to have my first marigold bloom, so that makes me happy, too-those marigold help with keeping pests away (I wonder if I can use it on my hubby?) I've been helping water a vacationing friend's garden this week, and I have to admit that seeing her nicely filled in garden is making me feel a little "green"...........thumb that is (haha!)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Two recipes for the price of one!
Tonight we felt like doing some grilling. Hubby does the grilling, but I think it's always more work for me with all the preparation and sides that need to get taken care of. But it's all worth it to have a little taste of summer for dinner. Here's the recipe we used tonight-we think it's quite yummy:
Moroccan Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients:
DRY RUB
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
KEBABS
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 onions (your choice of color), peeled and cut into 1 inch wide sections
2 bell peppers (your choice of color), cleaned and cut into 1 inc squares
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Skewers-metal or bamboo (soaked in water for 30 min.)
1. Combine dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Cut meat into cubes, place in gallon size zip-lock bag with rub mix. Seal bag and shake well until chicken is well coated.
3. Place vegetables in a gallon size bag, add oil , season with salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake to coat veggies well.
4. Assemble kabobs-alternate meat and veggies.
5. Prepare grill to hot, grill kebabs-turn occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside-about 8-10 minutes.
My family loves the sweetness of the cinnamon and nutmeg that really stands out on the chicken. If you are not so into spicy foods-omit the cayenne-it still tastes great without.
I'm also going to throw one more recipe on here-my hubby's delicious ice cream recipe. If you have an ice cream maker and like chocolate ice cream, this one's for you:
Chocolate Dream Ice Cream
Ingredients:
SWEET CREAM BASE
2 large eggs
3/4 C sugar
2 C heavy whipping cream
1 C milk
ADD INS
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chopped candy bars, peanut chunks or peanut butter chunks (optional)
Whisk eggs until light and fluffy. Whisk in sugar, a little at a time, continue whisking until blended (about 1 minute more). Pour in cream and milk and whisk to blend. Heat in saucepan over medium heat to a roiling boil. Continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Add cocoa and vanilla to cream base, place in ice cream maker. Run maker on low for 35 minutes. Switch maker to low for additional 9 minutes-then add any extras-run for 30 seconds and turn off. Store ice cream in freezer safe containers.
You can get pretty creative with this recipe. For example, tonight my hubby found some specialty peanut butter in our cupboard that we hadn't used in a few months-it had gotten too dry for sandwiches or crackers, so he figured, what the heck? It made for some delicious ice cream! So , there you go, hope you enjoyed my special offer of 2 for 1!
Moroccan Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients:
DRY RUB
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
KEBABS
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 onions (your choice of color), peeled and cut into 1 inch wide sections
2 bell peppers (your choice of color), cleaned and cut into 1 inc squares
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Skewers-metal or bamboo (soaked in water for 30 min.)
1. Combine dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Cut meat into cubes, place in gallon size zip-lock bag with rub mix. Seal bag and shake well until chicken is well coated.
3. Place vegetables in a gallon size bag, add oil , season with salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake to coat veggies well.
4. Assemble kabobs-alternate meat and veggies.
5. Prepare grill to hot, grill kebabs-turn occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside-about 8-10 minutes.
My family loves the sweetness of the cinnamon and nutmeg that really stands out on the chicken. If you are not so into spicy foods-omit the cayenne-it still tastes great without.
I'm also going to throw one more recipe on here-my hubby's delicious ice cream recipe. If you have an ice cream maker and like chocolate ice cream, this one's for you:
Chocolate Dream Ice Cream
Ingredients:
SWEET CREAM BASE
2 large eggs
3/4 C sugar
2 C heavy whipping cream
1 C milk
ADD INS
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chopped candy bars, peanut chunks or peanut butter chunks (optional)
Whisk eggs until light and fluffy. Whisk in sugar, a little at a time, continue whisking until blended (about 1 minute more). Pour in cream and milk and whisk to blend. Heat in saucepan over medium heat to a roiling boil. Continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Add cocoa and vanilla to cream base, place in ice cream maker. Run maker on low for 35 minutes. Switch maker to low for additional 9 minutes-then add any extras-run for 30 seconds and turn off. Store ice cream in freezer safe containers.
You can get pretty creative with this recipe. For example, tonight my hubby found some specialty peanut butter in our cupboard that we hadn't used in a few months-it had gotten too dry for sandwiches or crackers, so he figured, what the heck? It made for some delicious ice cream! So , there you go, hope you enjoyed my special offer of 2 for 1!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Chicken Italiano
Ten years ago my hubby and I pinched our pennies and used our credit card (which we are STILL paying on) to travel to Italy for our honeymoon. Ever since then I have had a soft spot for Italian food and red wine of course (it was cheaper to drink wine than buy bottled water so we had a lot of wine!) This recipe is one of our favorites-I like that it's a little bit healthier since the chicken is baked instead of fried.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
1/2 C Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 Eggs, beaten
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 C Shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb pasta
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in eggs, then in crumb mixture-covering chicken. Arrange in baking dish & drizzle with oil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is tender and not pink in center. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Prepare pasta as directed on package. Heat up spaghetti sauce. Place pasta on plate, top with sauce then chicken.
As I mentioned before this is one of our favorites, maybe it will be someone else out there, too.
Also, I planted my garden this week! I'm so excited, I have my marigolds, tomatoes, peppers and squash showing and hopefully soon some lettuce, spinach and carrots will be showing their little selves. I was going to get a picture up on this post, but there really isn't much to see yet. I'll get something up soon, I promise. So until next time..... Ciao!
Baked Chicken Parmesan
1/2 C Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 Eggs, beaten
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 C Shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb pasta
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in eggs, then in crumb mixture-covering chicken. Arrange in baking dish & drizzle with oil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is tender and not pink in center. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Prepare pasta as directed on package. Heat up spaghetti sauce. Place pasta on plate, top with sauce then chicken.
As I mentioned before this is one of our favorites, maybe it will be someone else out there, too.
Also, I planted my garden this week! I'm so excited, I have my marigolds, tomatoes, peppers and squash showing and hopefully soon some lettuce, spinach and carrots will be showing their little selves. I was going to get a picture up on this post, but there really isn't much to see yet. I'll get something up soon, I promise. So until next time..... Ciao!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thai Peanut Noodles
A few years back my sister-in-law introduced me to a restaurant chain called "Chin's". It is kind of like a chic Asian fast food place to dine. It was love at first taste for me-my favorite dish was their noodle bowl with the Thai peanut sauce. My only complaint about Chin's is that there are not many around, and there are none within 100 miles of our house. I lived without for almost 2 years, and then one day this fall I came across a recipe that looked just like what I was searching for. I tried it the very next week and it WAS what I was looking for! I was ecstatic. Now, it's not the same as getting to go eat at a restaurant, but it's one of my favorite recipes.
Thai Peanut Noodles
1/2 lb Pasta (I usually use spaghetti))
1 Package frozen stir fry vegetables
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3 T Soy sauce
1 T Vinegar
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 C water
Cooked chicken breast cut up (optional)
Microwave veggies until tender. Cook noodles and drain-set aside. Mix rest of ingredients (except for chicken) in saucepan. Heat and stir until mixed & warm. Serve sauce, veggies and chicken over pasta.
I sometimes like to flake some red pepper flakes on top to give it just a little more zing-it definitely makes it more like the real thing.
Thai Peanut Noodles
1/2 lb Pasta (I usually use spaghetti))
1 Package frozen stir fry vegetables
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3 T Soy sauce
1 T Vinegar
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 C water
Cooked chicken breast cut up (optional)
Microwave veggies until tender. Cook noodles and drain-set aside. Mix rest of ingredients (except for chicken) in saucepan. Heat and stir until mixed & warm. Serve sauce, veggies and chicken over pasta.
I sometimes like to flake some red pepper flakes on top to give it just a little more zing-it definitely makes it more like the real thing.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Soup for Cinco De Mayo?
Yes, we had soup for dinner on Cinco de Mayo. Keep in mind that I grew up eating tacos with ketchup in them (Mom's recipe). So please forgive me for not posting a favorite enchilada or tamale recipe, but this one really is quite good. In fact, it's my favorite soup recipe.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can chicken broth
1-2 Cups frozen corn
3/4 Cup salsa
1 Cup (or 1-2 cans) cooked chicken
1/4 Cup water
2 Cups shredded cheddar (or Mexican blend)
1 bag tortilla chips
1. Combine first seven ingredients (beans through water) in slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
3. Add 1 Cup of cheese, stir and cook until melted.
4. Spoon into bowls. Sprinkle cheese and crushed tortilla chips (sour cream is good with this also).
As I mentioned, this is my favorite recipe. I have one optional change for you-sometimes desperation forces us to try new things. When I went to get out all of my ingredients to make this recipe Tuesday, I realized that I was out of refried beans. Well, my little guy was gearing up for a nap, and I was gearing up for some quiet time, so there was no way I was going to run to the store for one little can of beans!
I turned to my cupboards, searching for something that might give the soup a little more filler. And I found.... Lipton's Instant Spanish Rice (the kind that comes in the pouch). So, I threw that in the pot, added a little extra water for good measure and a few hours later we had soup. I liked it, but not as much as when it has my good old refried beans. Dear Hubby however, thought it was better this way. So either way you're good to go. I'll stick to my musical fruit (too bad for hubby in more ways than one!).
Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can chicken broth
1-2 Cups frozen corn
3/4 Cup salsa
1 Cup (or 1-2 cans) cooked chicken
1/4 Cup water
2 Cups shredded cheddar (or Mexican blend)
1 bag tortilla chips
1. Combine first seven ingredients (beans through water) in slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
3. Add 1 Cup of cheese, stir and cook until melted.
4. Spoon into bowls. Sprinkle cheese and crushed tortilla chips (sour cream is good with this also).
As I mentioned, this is my favorite recipe. I have one optional change for you-sometimes desperation forces us to try new things. When I went to get out all of my ingredients to make this recipe Tuesday, I realized that I was out of refried beans. Well, my little guy was gearing up for a nap, and I was gearing up for some quiet time, so there was no way I was going to run to the store for one little can of beans!
I turned to my cupboards, searching for something that might give the soup a little more filler. And I found.... Lipton's Instant Spanish Rice (the kind that comes in the pouch). So, I threw that in the pot, added a little extra water for good measure and a few hours later we had soup. I liked it, but not as much as when it has my good old refried beans. Dear Hubby however, thought it was better this way. So either way you're good to go. I'll stick to my musical fruit (too bad for hubby in more ways than one!).
Monday, April 27, 2009
Nothing like comfort food on a rainy day.
Since the forecast for today was pretty much all day rain (which actually didn't start until suppertime-who knew?) I decided to make an old standard for dinner tonight. The recipe I originally used was called Swiss Chicken, but my hubby has renamed it Chicken Delicious-you try it and see if you agree:
Swiss Chicken Casserole a/k/a Chicken Delicious
3-4 Frozen chicken breasts (thawed)
3-4 Slices of Swiss cheese
1/4 C. Milk (I use skim)
1 Can cream of mushroom soup (I use the light kind)
1 Package of stuffing mix-herb, chicken or turkey flavor.
1 Stick of butter
Place thawed chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker; place cheese slices on top of chicken (layer chicken and cheese if necessary). Combine milk and soup. Spoon soup mixture over chicken & cheese. Pour stuffing mix over soup mixture. Melt butter and drizzle over stuffing mix. Cook in slow cooker on low for 8-9 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
What I love about this recipe is that it's a throwback to good old fashioned turkey and dressing. It just warms you inside out. The cheese gives the chicken a great flavor. I sometimes will add fresh mushrooms to the soup mixture, and if I'm feeling really creative, I'll chop celery and add it to the stuffing. But the recipe is great on its own, too. After all, it's Chicken Delicious!
Swiss Chicken Casserole a/k/a Chicken Delicious
3-4 Frozen chicken breasts (thawed)
3-4 Slices of Swiss cheese
1/4 C. Milk (I use skim)
1 Can cream of mushroom soup (I use the light kind)
1 Package of stuffing mix-herb, chicken or turkey flavor.
1 Stick of butter
Place thawed chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker; place cheese slices on top of chicken (layer chicken and cheese if necessary). Combine milk and soup. Spoon soup mixture over chicken & cheese. Pour stuffing mix over soup mixture. Melt butter and drizzle over stuffing mix. Cook in slow cooker on low for 8-9 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
What I love about this recipe is that it's a throwback to good old fashioned turkey and dressing. It just warms you inside out. The cheese gives the chicken a great flavor. I sometimes will add fresh mushrooms to the soup mixture, and if I'm feeling really creative, I'll chop celery and add it to the stuffing. But the recipe is great on its own, too. After all, it's Chicken Delicious!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Pick a peck of peppers.
This weekend I decided to make my hubby happy and cook his favorite meal. I really like it, too. It takes a little time, but it's well worth it.
Skillet Stuffed Peppers
3 Green bell peppers
Cooking spray
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 C. water
1/2 - 1 package taco seasoning (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 batch of mashed potatoes
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
black pepper
If making mashed potatoes at time of recipe, start before all steps.
1. Place pepper halves cut sides down in a microwaveable dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Let stand until done with rest of steps.
2. While peppers cook, heat a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Add meat to pan; cook 3 minutes or until brown and crumbled. Add water & seasoning, stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat & cook 5 minutes or until done.
3. While beef cooks, heat up refrigerated mashed potatoes (if frozen, defrost first). If you are using packaged mashed potatoes, just follow directions on package. If you are heating up homemade, just heat in one minute increments, stirring in between until hot. I have also made instant mashed potatoes for this recipe-they work fine, too.
4. Spoon 1/2 C meat mixture into each pepper half; top each with 2/3 C potatoes. Sprinkle each pepper with a little cheese. Top with black pepper if desired.
Big man took the kids on a walk to the park while I prepared the meal this time, so it was a great time for me-I love uninterrupted cooking. I put on my Ipod and sang off key the whole time I cooked. As I mentioned before, this is my hubby's favorite recipe. What surprised me when I made it this time is that our daughter actually gobbled her portion all up, also. I'm slowly winning them over, I think. If I can just get the two year old to appreciate my culinary skills we'll be set.
Speaking of green peppers, my little pepper plants are sprouting up in their yogurt cups nicely. Just a couple of more weeks, and we'll be able to introduce them to their new homes. The countdown to my garden begins!
Skillet Stuffed Peppers
3 Green bell peppers
Cooking spray
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 C. water
1/2 - 1 package taco seasoning (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 batch of mashed potatoes
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
black pepper
If making mashed potatoes at time of recipe, start before all steps.
1. Place pepper halves cut sides down in a microwaveable dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Let stand until done with rest of steps.
2. While peppers cook, heat a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Add meat to pan; cook 3 minutes or until brown and crumbled. Add water & seasoning, stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat & cook 5 minutes or until done.
3. While beef cooks, heat up refrigerated mashed potatoes (if frozen, defrost first). If you are using packaged mashed potatoes, just follow directions on package. If you are heating up homemade, just heat in one minute increments, stirring in between until hot. I have also made instant mashed potatoes for this recipe-they work fine, too.
4. Spoon 1/2 C meat mixture into each pepper half; top each with 2/3 C potatoes. Sprinkle each pepper with a little cheese. Top with black pepper if desired.
Big man took the kids on a walk to the park while I prepared the meal this time, so it was a great time for me-I love uninterrupted cooking. I put on my Ipod and sang off key the whole time I cooked. As I mentioned before, this is my hubby's favorite recipe. What surprised me when I made it this time is that our daughter actually gobbled her portion all up, also. I'm slowly winning them over, I think. If I can just get the two year old to appreciate my culinary skills we'll be set.
Speaking of green peppers, my little pepper plants are sprouting up in their yogurt cups nicely. Just a couple of more weeks, and we'll be able to introduce them to their new homes. The countdown to my garden begins!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Not you Nana's Meatloaf
It was a wet, wet Sunday here in our small Midwestern town. I decided to warm up our tummies with some comfort food. Good old meatloaf. Of course I needed to spice things up a little-the plain old recipe wasn't quite enough tonight. So, I made my own:
Italian Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey-Italian flavor (in freezer section)
2 eggs
1 C Italian style bread crumbs
1 can tomato sauce-divided
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green pepper
1/4 C chopped celery
3-4 Potatoes, 1 onion & 1/2 bag baby carrots
Salt & pepper
Combine beef, turkey, eggs, crumbs, 1/2 of the tomato sauce, onion, green pepper & celery thoroughly. Shape into a loaf size and put in the middle of a roasting pan. Slice potatoes and quarter the onion. Place potato, onion & carrots around the meatloaf in roaster. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top loaf with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
This makes a nice slightly spicy meatloaf. Two out of four of my family members thought it was fantastic. The two people that didn't like it are both of my children. My daughter had one taste and amazingly came down with a tummy ache immediately. My two year old nibbled at the meatloaf once and mumbled something (perhaps line from one of my favorite movies? "Meatloaf beetloaf, I hate Meatloaf.") So, it may have been a little too spicy for my kids. I didn't think it was, but you never know. If you like old classics with a new twist, this is the loaf for you!
Italian Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey-Italian flavor (in freezer section)
2 eggs
1 C Italian style bread crumbs
1 can tomato sauce-divided
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green pepper
1/4 C chopped celery
3-4 Potatoes, 1 onion & 1/2 bag baby carrots
Salt & pepper
Combine beef, turkey, eggs, crumbs, 1/2 of the tomato sauce, onion, green pepper & celery thoroughly. Shape into a loaf size and put in the middle of a roasting pan. Slice potatoes and quarter the onion. Place potato, onion & carrots around the meatloaf in roaster. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top loaf with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
This makes a nice slightly spicy meatloaf. Two out of four of my family members thought it was fantastic. The two people that didn't like it are both of my children. My daughter had one taste and amazingly came down with a tummy ache immediately. My two year old nibbled at the meatloaf once and mumbled something (perhaps line from one of my favorite movies? "Meatloaf beetloaf, I hate Meatloaf.") So, it may have been a little too spicy for my kids. I didn't think it was, but you never know. If you like old classics with a new twist, this is the loaf for you!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tastfully tempting tilapia.
Tonight I made a fish recipe for my family. Up until a few years ago we never at much fish (other than tuna salad), then we went on a vacation to Michigan. We found a place in Mackinaw City that serves the best whitefish I have ever had. After that I was hooked. While we still don't eat fish all of the time, I try to get a fish recipe in once a week to every other week. Below is the recipe I used tonight- Three fourths of my family liked it, and the fourth person is only a toddler, so no surprise...
Tilapia with Lemon Pepper Sauce
3/4 C Chicken broth
1/4 C lemon juice
1 tsp. capers (optional)
1 tsp. black pepper (freshly ground if you have a grinder)
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
12 oz pkg of frozen tilapia fillets (thawed)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper (once again fresh if you have it)
1/4 C flour (I use whole wheat, but all purpose is fine)
2 tsp. butter
1. Combine first 4 ingredients.
2. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour (don't need to be completely covered, just lightly).
3. Melt 1 tsp. butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Increase heat to medium for another minute.
4. Add fillets to pan; saute for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they flake easily with a fork. Remove fillets from pan. Add lemon/broth mixture to pan, scrape pan to loosen bits. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 C (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 tsp. butter until melted. Serve sauce over fillets.
I usually serve with a side of rice-tonight I made Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice (most fish recipes I've seen call for white rice, but I need more flair than that!)
Since it's fish, it's a pretty light recipe-only about 280 calories (give or take), and as I mentioned before, 3 out of 4 of my family loves it!
Tilapia with Lemon Pepper Sauce
3/4 C Chicken broth
1/4 C lemon juice
1 tsp. capers (optional)
1 tsp. black pepper (freshly ground if you have a grinder)
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
12 oz pkg of frozen tilapia fillets (thawed)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper (once again fresh if you have it)
1/4 C flour (I use whole wheat, but all purpose is fine)
2 tsp. butter
1. Combine first 4 ingredients.
2. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour (don't need to be completely covered, just lightly).
3. Melt 1 tsp. butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Increase heat to medium for another minute.
4. Add fillets to pan; saute for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they flake easily with a fork. Remove fillets from pan. Add lemon/broth mixture to pan, scrape pan to loosen bits. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 C (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 tsp. butter until melted. Serve sauce over fillets.
I usually serve with a side of rice-tonight I made Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice (most fish recipes I've seen call for white rice, but I need more flair than that!)
Since it's fish, it's a pretty light recipe-only about 280 calories (give or take), and as I mentioned before, 3 out of 4 of my family loves it!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
About the easiest dessert recipe EVER!!
It is my job to bring a dessert to our large family Easter dinner tomorrow. I decided to go with a recipe that my Mom taught me when I was new to the kitchen and all the scary appliances that come with it. Even though it is so simple that even my hubby could make it (actually he's pretty handy at the stove), it is still a family favorite. Here's the recipe (sorry the pic is missing the pie filling-I'd already taken the can out to the recycling bin):
Cherry Crunch
1 box of white or yellow cake mix
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 stick of butter
Preheat oven 350 degrees, Melt butter and combine with cake mix. Crumble cake mixture over pie filling. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. (Really good with whipped cream or warm with vanilla ice cream)
I have made this recipe with other pie fillings, but always come back to the cherry-it's the hubby's favorite.
On a gardening note-I now not only have little marigolds, I also have grape tomatoes, tomatoes and (finally) green peppers! I was so excited to see that the peppers were finally up that I did a little dance. Now my daughter keeps asking me to do my "happy dance" for her. If I could only remember the steps! Happy Easter everyone-have a good one!
Cherry Crunch
1 box of white or yellow cake mix
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 stick of butter
Preheat oven 350 degrees, Melt butter and combine with cake mix. Crumble cake mixture over pie filling. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. (Really good with whipped cream or warm with vanilla ice cream)
I have made this recipe with other pie fillings, but always come back to the cherry-it's the hubby's favorite.
On a gardening note-I now not only have little marigolds, I also have grape tomatoes, tomatoes and (finally) green peppers! I was so excited to see that the peppers were finally up that I did a little dance. Now my daughter keeps asking me to do my "happy dance" for her. If I could only remember the steps! Happy Easter everyone-have a good one!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Yummy smoothies in our tummies
Tonight the hubby golfed before coming home, so I tried to think of something easy yet popular to make the kids and I for dinner. I decided on blueberry toaster waffles topped with a smidgen of butter and strawberry jam. When I asked the kids if they would like this supper option, of course they were all for it. As a Mom, I felt like they needed a little something more to fill them up. They had both eaten veggies pretty well at lunch time, so I wasn't going to force any on them tonight. The kids and I had all been battling a cold today, so I decided to go with another family favorite-Yummy yogurt and fruit smoothies. They really soothe a sore throat and have good vitamins, too. Here's the recipe I use:
Yogurt and Fruit Smoothies
1 banana
1/2 to 1 cup of milk
1 yogurt cup of choice
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
fresh or frozen fruit of choice
1-3 cups of ice
Blend all ingredients in a blender. Serve with straws if you have them (kids love it and it gives Mommy a few quiet moments while they're trying to sip their smoothie.)
You may need to play with the recipe a little to get it just the consistency that you like. The pomegranate juice isn't necessary, but I picked up a small container to use for smoothies, since it is supposed to have good antioxidants I never do exact measurements, and I always try different fruits and yogurts, so we never no exactly what we'll end up with-but we ALWAYS love it! And what did the "critics" say tonight? Well, my daughter told me "This is the awesomest supper ever Mom!" And my two year old... He didn't say much, but he sipped all of his smoothie and proceeded to use the straw to suck the strawberry jam out of the squares of his waffle-I think that means he liked it!
Yogurt and Fruit Smoothies
1 banana
1/2 to 1 cup of milk
1 yogurt cup of choice
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
fresh or frozen fruit of choice
1-3 cups of ice
Blend all ingredients in a blender. Serve with straws if you have them (kids love it and it gives Mommy a few quiet moments while they're trying to sip their smoothie.)
You may need to play with the recipe a little to get it just the consistency that you like. The pomegranate juice isn't necessary, but I picked up a small container to use for smoothies, since it is supposed to have good antioxidants I never do exact measurements, and I always try different fruits and yogurts, so we never no exactly what we'll end up with-but we ALWAYS love it! And what did the "critics" say tonight? Well, my daughter told me "This is the awesomest supper ever Mom!" And my two year old... He didn't say much, but he sipped all of his smoothie and proceeded to use the straw to suck the strawberry jam out of the squares of his waffle-I think that means he liked it!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Cooking and Gardening and Eating, oh my!
As I have had requests to post some of my favorite recipes on my other blog: Displaced Momma, I decided to start up a whole new blog. So I welcome you to Tastefully Tempting! I will try to tempt you with mouthwatering recipes and also chronicle my 3rd garden. In fact, the garden is what I will be talking about in this post...
It's that time of year again. Time to start planning and plotting (literally) the lovely spot where I will have my vegetable garden. This is my first time growing one since we have moved into our current house (with a smaller backyard), so we have really had to mull this over.
I started out by heading to the library and picking up my favorite gardening book: Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I have checked this book out so many times that after returning it two weeks ago (and of course remembering something that I needed to look up AFTER it was returned)-my hubby said "You might as well just buy a copy-it's an investment". And he's right, it is an investment! So I got on Amazon and bought myself the "All New Square Foot Gardening" also by Mr. Bartholomew (it was a whole dollar more than the "old" book). I just love this book, it does a great job of helping me get the most plants out of the smallest space. I plotted out my garden using copies of the helpful grids at the back of the book.
I then bought my seeds. I was a little frustrated over this fact, as I had (emphasis on the had) a great supply of seeds up until this winter when a couple of mice decided to take up residence in our garage and found our seed supply "tastefully tempting". So, all new seeds it was. Then came one of my favorite parts of gardening-getting dirty! My two kids and I put on old shirts and planted seeds in starting soil placed in egg cartons and yogurt cups. My kitchen window looks like a recycling center right now with all of those mismatched containers, but it's the best place for the sun at this time. Yesterday brought another one of my favorite parts of gardening-we have plants! The marigolds we planted in the egg carton are sprouting up nicely. The kids (and this big kid, too) were so excited to see something we helped bring to life!
I will keep you posted on how my garden grows (pardon the pun-my name isn't even Mary!), and will post the next delectable recipe I make. As I mentioned, this blog is about eating, too-so I aim to please!
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