Simple Servings

Kale and Kielbasa Soup

2011-10-24T11:45:00.001-07:00

3 medium red potatoes, chopped into small pieces
2 medium onions, chopped (I used one large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh Kale, trimmed and torn
4 garlic cloves, minced
32 ounces chicken broth
1 pound kielbasa cut into 1/4 inch slices
15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes and onions in oil for 5 minutes or so (I did a bit longer because I like soft potatoes). Add kale and garlic. Cover and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 9-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaves.

Black Bean Asparagus Salad

2011-06-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red Bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (or whatever sized hunks the 6-year-old cuts!)

1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar (I only had red wine vinegar on hand so I used that instead)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro (I used some freeze dried cilantro I found in the salad section of Target)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. salt (I skipped this)

1/2 tsp cumin

dash pepper

Cook asparagus to desired tenderness. (4 mn or so?)

In a bowl combine asparagus, beans, red pepper, and onion.

In a small bowl whisk oil, vinegar, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate about two hours.

Serve. :)

Sweet and Sour Ham Balls

2011-04-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

The picture looks bad, I know. It was the leftovers.

4 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

2 pounds ground ham

1 pound ground pork

2 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup prepared mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1.In a bowl, combine the eggs, onion and bread crumbs. Crumble meat over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place in two greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dishes.

2.In a blender, combine the pineapple, brown sugar, mustard and vinegar (I just whisked it because I wanted the pineapple more chunky); cover and process until smooth. Pour over ham balls. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F; basting occasionally with sauce.

(I doubled the sauce recipe because we love lots of extra sauce!)

Hello

2010-09-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Battling pregnancy nausea...taking a short break from posting recipes. :)

Pineapple Chicken Thighs

2010-06-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

You'll note from the photo that I actually used chicken drumsticks instead of the thighs. But, here is the Taste of Home recipe as written:

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt (I would leave this out if your soy sauce is not low sodium)

1/2 tsp each of ground ginger and garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, undrained

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

Place the chicken in a 9X13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and seasonings. Stir in the pineapple, soy sauce, and vinegar until blended. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered 20-30 minutes longer, or until a meat thermometer reads 185, basting occasionally.

Watermelon Salsa

2010-06-10T03:43:00.000-07:00

I love this salsa! (I really like fruit-based salsas in general). It's a Taste of Home recipe I found while looking for a fun dish to bring to a summer barbeque. Yum!

2 cups diced seedless watermelon

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion

3/4 cup black beans

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (I actually skipped this)

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. (Drain if necessary before serving if you had a really juicy watermelon.)

No-Fuss Pumpkin Cake

2010-06-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know it's not fall. But, we enjoy pumpkin all year round with the help of a handy can of solid-pack pumpkin!

1 can of pumpkin
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 package yellow cake mix
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 can of vanilla frosting( or make your own of equivalent amount)
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and oil. Mix well. Add cake mix and spice. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a large greased baking pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Frosting: combine frosting and cream cheese and spread over cake.

Sorry, no picture of this one. I'll upload one next time I make this tasty Taste of Home treat!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

2010-05-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

4 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1.5 cups chopped walnuts

1 cup flaked coconut

3/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup orange marmalade

In a mixing bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Press into a greased 15x10x1 baking dish (I used my 9X13). Bake at 425 for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into whatever size bars you want. Enjoy yet another lovely recipe from Taste of Home!

Roasted Veggies

2010-04-26T04:08:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea I adapted from Betty Crocker for some tasty vegetables. Sorry, no photo...we ate them all up before I could snap a picture!

Cut a bunch of vegetables up (enough to fill a baking tray). Cut zucchinis or summer squash into about 1-inch slices, potatoes into small wedges, use baby carrots or similar size pieces of regular carrots, onion wedges, broccoli florets...whatever you like.

Then, get a package of Shake N' Bake. Place the cut up veggies in a plastic bag (or two) and pour the packet over the veggies and shake.

Spread a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on your baking tray. Place veggies on the tray.

Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

I usually end up doing two pans. You can also vary the Shake N' Bake seasoning. Original always works well, but last time we tried the Parmesan and that gave it a nice flavor.

Enjoy!

Chicken Nuggets

2010-03-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

Homemade chicken nuggets are a hit around here. Much superior to the frozen/processed variety for so many reasons! I concocted this recipe to suit our family preferences. My husband would probably prefer a spicier variety, but he loves them anyway and just dunks them into his 'Bold and Spicy' A1 sauce to get the 'hot factor.' You can easily make up your own concoction of spices. Actually, I mix up the spice variety every time I make them. Here is the recent recipe: This would be for about 4-6 chicken breasts depending on their size. I usually do at least 8 breasts, though, to make sure we have leftovers! (Then I just play around with the measurements and ratios.)

2/3 cup baking mix (I use Heart Healthy Bisquick)

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese from the shaker :)

1 egg

a litle bit of milk

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2-1 tsp cumin

Put all of the ingredients in a big Ziploc bag and shake it until it's mixed up. Then, wash and cut up your chicken breasts into nuggets, strips, or whatever size pieces you like. Meanwhile, in a small bowl beat the egg with a fork and pour just a bit of milk in the bowl as well. Roll the chicken pieces in the egg mix. Then, put the chicken pieces into the Ziploc bag and shake it up until they are well coated. Place on pans lined with tin foil and bake at 400 for about 20 mn. Enjoy! (Me, with Ranch dressing for dipping!)

Picante Chicken

2010-03-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a super easy recipe to try when you are wondering what to do with chicken and you don't feel like spending much time on preparation:

Just put four boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of a small glass baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together a jar of your favorite salsa with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of mustard. Pour over the chicken and bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. Tasty!!

Three Cheese Kielbasa Bake

2010-03-09T03:41:00.000-08:00

Here's some hearty comfort food for you courtesy of Taste of Home's "Dinner on a Dime" cookbook.

It makes two casseroles- one for the freezer and one to eat.

12 ounces of uncooked elbow macaroni (I used bow ties because they're fun!)
2 pounds kielbasa or Polish sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
15 ounces ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
2 green onions, chopped

Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, brown sausage in oil over medium heat. Add onions, zucchini, carrots and garlic. Cook and stir until crips-tender...about 5-6 minutes.

Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In each of two greased 9x13 glass dishes, layer a fourth of the noodles and the meat sauce. Combine egg and ricotta cheese. Spoon a forth over the sauce. Sprinkle with a fourth of the cheddar and mozzarella. repeat layers and then top with green onions.

Cover and freeze one casserole.

Cover and bake remaining casserole at 350 for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

Cauliflower Soup

2010-02-23T02:36:00.000-08:00

Here's an easy Taste of Home soup!

1/3 cup sliced green onion tops

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chicken broth

1 package (10 oz) frozen cauliflower, thawed and chopped

2 cups milk

1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon minced chives

Saute onions in butter until tender. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil. Cooka and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat.

Add cauliflower and simmer for a few minutes. Add the milk and cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Garnish with chives.

Bill's Beer Bread

2010-02-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe from my Uncle Bill. Any beer will do, but the European version turned out quite well. :)

3 cups of self-rising flour (If you don't have any on hand, a rough recipe for 1 cup self-rising flour is to add 1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt to your regular flour)
1/2 cup sugar
1 can of beer

Mix flour and sugar. Then dump in beer and mix the three ingredients together.

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees.

The kids gobbled it up and found it funny that they were eating beer!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-02-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Another tasty way to use up overripe bananas! I got this one from allrecipes.com and it's a keeper!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-02-01T01:38:00.000-08:00

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried leaf thyme

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

6 cups chicken broth

4 cups cubed, peeled potatoes

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

1 cup evaporated milk (I used light)

In soup kettle, saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, oregano, thyme, and poultry seasoning until blended. Saute about 1 more minute. Gradually add broth, and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Stir in chicken and noodles. Simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Reduce heat (I had to remove from heat to stop boiling) Stir in milk and heat through but do not boil.

This was from my Taste of Home cookbook. I left out all of the potatoes and added more of the other veggies instead. Yum!!

Tequilaberry's Salad

2010-01-18T04:50:00.000-08:00

Mix and refrigerate:
3/4 cup mayo
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup bacon bits

Chop up one head of lettuce and one head of cauliflower. Mix these with 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Combine refrigerated ingredents with lettuce mixture and toss before serving.

(The photo was taken of the leftover sald the next day. It looks a little nicer the first day. It gets a big soggy and watery as leftovers. But, it is SO good on the first day. I'm not sure who gave me this recipe, but it's one of those knock-off recipes of a famous house salad at a Tequilaberry's restaurant.)

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Bars

2009-11-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

These are called 'bars' but really this is a cake (in my opinion) and it is easy and SUPER DUPER moist and delicious!!!! (recipe from http://www.recipegirl.com/)

Batter:
1 3/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (I use Libby's in the can)
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour (or you can use 1 cup white, 1 cup wheat flour)
2 tsps baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Frosting:
8ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs. butter, softened
2 tsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 mini chocolate chips (for topping)

1) Prepare batter: Preheat oven to 350. Spray 10x15 inch baking pan with nonstick spray. ( I used a 9x13 baking dish).

2) In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugars until combined.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves. Toss in mini chocolate chips and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until moistened.

4) Pour batter into prepared pan coated with nonstick spray. Bake until the center springs back when lightly pressed in the center - about 25 to 30 minutes (If you use a 9x13 pan, it will take about 45 minutes). Remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.

5) Prepare frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until smooth. Frost bars and sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips.

This is an awesome Autumn dessert but would be nice any time of year....take it to a potluck or serve at home with tea!

Easy Skillet Cheese Topped Chili Macaroni

2009-11-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from http://www.recipezaar.com/ and it is a good one. My family loves it and it's super easy to prepare!

1/2 chopped onion
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBsp oil
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
1 (16oz) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a large skillet, brown onion and garlic with ground beef.
2) Drain and return to pan.
3) Add kidney beans, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, and salt.
4) Cover and simmer for 15-20 min.
5) Add cooked macaroni and stir.
6) Add grated cheese to top, cover and simmer just until cheese melts.

Says serves 6 but it served my family (7) with leftovers for the next day. I served this with a green salad and corn on the side.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2009-11-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't put these in)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used probably 2 cups?)

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, and butter. Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf.

(My mom sent me the recipe for this tasty fall treat!)

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

2009-10-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk

Frosting:

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup milk
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda- add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Transfer to a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Cream all frosting ingredients together until smooth. Spread over cake.

(From Taste of Home)

Angel Hair Pasta and Veggies

2009-09-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

1 package (7 oz) angel hair pasta (I used spaghetti)
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 medium cucumber, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, rinse in cold water, and place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

*I added more veggies than the recipe called for (except the onions). Not sure how much more, I just kept chopping and dumping.

Another great recipe from Taste of Home.

Harvest Vegetable Tart

2009-09-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

FILLING:
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 slices peeled eggplant (3-1/2 inches x 1/4 inch)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 small tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 green pepper rings
3 sweet red pepper rings
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Transfer pastry to pan; trim even with edge of pan. Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook onions and garlic in oil for 2 minutes. Add eggplant; cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Cool for 5 minutes. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Top with tomato slices and pepper rings. Sprinkle with corn.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 6 servings.

(From Taste of Home)

Apple Crisp

2009-09-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

We just took a trip to the apple orchard and I had a lot of little hands eager to pick apples. We came home with more apples than we could eat, so I've had to do some baking this week! Apple Crisp was a hit. Here is my favorite recipe.

10 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup water

1.5 cups quick oats

1.5 cups flour

1.5 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Place sliced apples in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Mix white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tablespoon of flour together. Sprinkle over apples. Pour water over all.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and melted butter. Crumble mixture evenly over the top of the apples.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Graham Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-06-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

These bars are so rich and so delicious. They also freeze really well. I had a big plan to freeze a bunch in case I had some friends over and wanted to have a quick thing to offer with coffee. Well, I kept sneaking into the freezer, and...oops.

Bottom crust layer:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Frosting:

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 oz. cream cheese

Heat oven to 350.

Cut butter into flour and sugar mix until crumbly. Press into bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes

In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Spread over partially baked crust. Bake 15-20 minutes (mine took a bit longer...but my European oven does not bake as fast, so I don't know...). Cool.

Blend all frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread over bars.

Watermelon Cookies

2009-06-05T13:08:00.001-07:00

I stumbled across a link to these adorable cookies, and knew I had to give them a try. I love 'cute' cooking and baking. It's so much fun! I just made my favorite sugar cookie recipe and added green food coloring during the mixing stage. I rolled the dough out and cut the dough into circle shapes. After baking and cooling a bit, I sliced the cookies in half. I then whipped up a batch of frosting with red food coloring and iced the cookies, leaving a green rim for the 'rind.' Then I sprinkled on a few mini chocolate chips and I think the result was cute.

A fun recipe to take to a neighborhood party this summer!

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

2009-05-26T00:58:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe at allrecipes.com

Many of the commenters said it tastes better the next day, and I think I would have to agree. It was so nice and moist and flavorful the next day...but still tasty the same day you make it!

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (I substituted plain yogurt)
4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Sift or stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir in to butter mixture. Fold in sour cream and rhubarb. Spoon batter into greased 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
Stir together white sugar and nutmeg; sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.

Quick Shrimp Po' Boy

2009-05-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a 2007 issue of Real Simple Magazine. (Serves 4)

All you need is~
2 8-ounce boxes frozen popcorn shrimp
4 cups coleslaw mix (from a bag)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 baguette
2 med. tomatoes, sliced

Bake shrimp according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix and dressing. Cut the baguette crosswise into four pieces and split each in half lengthwise. Layer the bottoms with the coleslaw and tomatoes. Divide the shrimp evenly among each and top with the remaining bread.

(I had to double this for my family. All of my children loved this as did my husband :)

Crustless Chicken Quiche

2009-05-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tablespoons olive oil

6 eggs

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups cubed, cooked rotisserie chicken

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

5 Tablespoons crumbled bacon pieces

Saute onion and garlic in oil. In a large bowl, combine eggs and cream Then stir in the chicken, cheese, bacon, and onion mixture. Pour into a greased pie plate.

Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

This Taste of Home quiche is quite packed with protein...ok, and a bit of fat. It's tasty, though, and meaty enough that we had it for dinner as our main dish. Not just a brunch recipe!

Iced Raisin Biscuits

2009-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

I made this Taste of Home biscuit recipe 'Springy' by using a butterfly cookie cutter instead of a biscuit cutter. The children now call them Butterfly Biscuits, and my guess is that they will want this shape the next time!

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2- 1/4 tsps. milk
1/8 tsp rum extract (I used vanilla!)

In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter (or two knives) until mixtue resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine milk and syrup. Add to crumb mixture. Stir until just moistened.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead about 8-10 times. Pat or roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a biscuit cutter (or a butterfly cookie cutter!).

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Drizzle icing over warm biscuits.

Strawberry Bread

2009-04-17T01:40:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe to suit my tastes from a recipe I saw at allrecipes.com. The original recipe called for half the amount of strawberries, about three times the cinnamon, and twice the oil. My adaptation turned out very moist and tasty! I would say that you could even add a bit less of the sugar since it was nice and sweet from the extra berries I put in.

2 cups fresh strawberries
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour one 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. (I used four mini loaf pans.)

Slice strawberries, and place in medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and set aside while preparing bread mixture. (The recipe did not call for this, but I also coated the strawberries with a teaspoon of vanilla extract.)

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl: mix well.

Blend oil and eggs into strawberries. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened. Divide batter into pans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn loaves out, and cool completely.

Straberry Green Salad

2009-04-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp salt

dash pepper

1 tablespoon oil (I used olive)

2 tsp balsamic vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)

Salad:

about 10 ounces of romaine salad (1 bag if you buy bagged salad)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 small can mandarin orange segments, drained. (I left this out in the salad pictured above)

2 tablespoons sliced green onions.

Blend vinaigrette ingredients in blender until smooth.

Divide salad greens onto individual plates or bowls. Top with fruits. Drizzle vinaigrette over salads. Sprinkle with onions.

Easter Nests

2009-04-02T03:26:00.001-07:00

I saw this idea in Simple and Delicious magazine. Just take your favorite no-bake cookie recipe (or my favorite no-bake cookie recipe!), form them into little nests, and place a few jelly beans inside as eggs!

Carrot Cookie Bites

2009-03-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

2/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups quick cookingoats
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I did not put these in when I made them)

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. In another bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually add dry mixture to creamed mixture. Then stir in oats, carrots and nuts if you use them. Place small 'plops' of cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

This is another Taste of Home recipe.
I was drawn to it because it contained veggies which my picky boys could stand to consume in any form!

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

2009-03-23T02:02:00.000-07:00

I came across this Taste of Home recipe and wanted to try it out before Easter. I had a bit of an issue with my chocolate coating (see below), so I just threw on the sprinkles really fast. I know anyone could make them look nicer than mine! But, they were definately tasty. Very rich- even I couldn't be tempted to eat the whole batch. ;)

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 and 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups dark chocolate chips (I used milk ones)
2 Tbsp. shortening

In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually add sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Shape into about 16 eggs. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening. (Side note on that: Butter does not substitute for shortening here. I learned the hard way- literally, because the chocolate firmed up from the fat of the butter- that butter and chocolate chips don't melt together. So, use the shortening, or just melt the chips without either...I'm sure that would be just fine.)

Dip eggs into chocolate, allowing excess to drop off. Decorate with pastel sprinkles. Chill eggs on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Then store in an airtight container.

Easy Cinnamon-Raisin Scones

2009-03-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup heavy cream (or milk)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease cookie sheet.

Mix all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Spread dough into an 8-inch circle on the cookie sheet. Cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle glaze (1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon heavy cream mixed well) over warm scones. Carefully separate wedges and serve warm.

(This delicious recipe was brought to you by Betty Crocker.)

fruit dip

2009-03-08T12:05:00.001-07:00

I don't have an exact recipe on this as far as amounts go. I just dump together roughly equal parts of cream cheese and marshmallow fluff from the jar and stir it up until smooth. Makes the yummiest dip ever!

ham and cheese melts

2009-02-24T12:32:00.001-08:00

Probably a 'duh' recipe...but, sometimes it's nice to reminded of simple things to make for a quick lunch or dinner.

Actually, I don't have a recipe. I just put some ham, cheese, and onion in my mini food processor. I grind it up and put the mixture in a big bowl. I scoop some on to some halved hamburger buns and pop them in the oven until the cheese mixture is melted and the buns start lightly browning.

Yum. I make a lot so I have more mixture for the next day.

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-02-16T18:55:00.000-08:00

Start by preparing Creamed Chicken~
Prepare poached chicken (or use leftover shredded or diced chicken), then melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter in a large saucepan over med-low heat. Add 1/2 cup flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 min. Remove pan from heat. Add 2 cups of the cooking broth (or boxed chicken broth) and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk or half-and-half. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly. Stir in 4 cups cooked poultry, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and season to taste with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper and a dash of ground nutmeg.

Prepare the dough for biscuits~
Sift together into a large bowl:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Cut in, using a pastry blender , 4-6 Tbsp. chilled butter.
Make a well in the center. Add all at once:
3/4 cup milk
Stir until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Set aside.

Prepare the veggies~
Heat in a large skillet over med-high heat:
2 Tbsp. butter
Add and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
Stir the vegetables into the creamed chicken, along with:
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 Tbsp. minced parsley
Pour mixture into a greased 9x13in. pan. Preheat oven to 400*.
Continue preparing biscuits by turning the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently and quickly, about 8-10 times. Roll out to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and arrange on top of the chicken mixture. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is lightly browned, 30-40 minutes.
(The photo above shows this recipe doubled :)

No-Bake Cookies

2009-02-02T17:47:00.001-08:00

There are many variations on this recipe, but here is our personal favorite.

Bring the following ingredients to a rolling boil in the microwave:

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

Then stir in the rest of the ingredients:

2/3 cup peanut butter (stir in first until melted in)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla (I use 1.5)

3 cups of quick oats (I use a little more)

Scoop some 'plops' of the mixture onto wax paper. Put into refrigerator.

These are always a hit!

(note- other recipes call for twice the butter, but we much prefer them this way and it saves on a bit of fat. However, if you love butter you can add more. I've tried decreasing the sugar and it's a fine balance. I've tried cutting it in half and the cookies were very bitter from the cocoa. I wouldn't recommend it. You can decrease it a little, though, with fine results.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients~
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (or two tsps. chopped from jar)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. chili pepper
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 oz) package frozen sweet whole kernel corn
1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers

In a large stockpot cook onion, garlic, and spices in some olive oil over medium high heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Carefully add broth, undrained tomatoes, chicken, corn, and undrained chile peppers. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream and cilantro! Yum!

Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli

2009-01-18T18:18:00.001-08:00

Cook 12 ounces fettuccine (or spaghetti like I did :) according to the package directions; drain. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 broccoli stalk (cut into florets, stalk peeled and sliced) or use frozen broccoli pieces and just add to pasta water to cook like I did, 3 minutes; drain. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Slowly whisk in 1 Tbsp. flour. Simmer until slightly thickened, whisking constantly, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the pasta and broccoli and stir over low heat until heated through. Top each serving with Parmesan shavings. Serves 4.

Ranch Salad Dressing

2009-01-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients~
1 c mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk (I used 1 tsp. lemon juice with milk to make my own).
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green onions (tops only)
1/4 tsp. onion powder
2 tsps. minced parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate. Makes 2 cups. This is not a thick dressing. But we like it a bit thinner :) This recipe is from The Tightwad Gazette.

Lemon Bars

2009-01-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ingredients~
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (slightly soft)
1 1/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar

2 eggs beaten
1/3 c lemon juice
3 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp lemon peel
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add first three ingredients to a mixing bowl. Mix until 'crumbs' form. Dump into an 8x8in pan and press with hands/fingers until in place. Bake the crust for 20 minutes. While the crust bakes, add eggs, lemon juice, flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon peel back into your mixing bowl (I just use the same one). Mix. When the crust is finished baking, remove from oven and pour the 'new' mixture onto the hot crust. Add back to oven and continue to bake for 12-15 minutes. After bars cool, sprinkle powdered sugar on top!

Spiced Apple Drop Cookies

2009-01-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 egg
1/4 cup apple juice
2.25 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped apple, peeled if desired

Beat butter for 30 seconds

Add the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves. Beat until combined. Beat in the egg and apple juice until well combined.

Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour and apple pieces.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 or until edges are lightly browned.

They taste great as is, and make for a nice after school snack.

If you want to make them more like a dessert, add this frosting on top. (I made half the amount...I enjoyed some without the frosting.)

Beat together the following ingredients until it makes a spreading consistency:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup softened butter

4-5 tablespoons apple juice

Tuna-Stuffed Avocados

2009-01-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

Here we go with the avacados again!

Here's a healthy meal to please a 'Men's Health' kind of guy. (Not a Men's Health recipe...can't remember where I got it. Probably Better Homes and Gardens.)

Not too kid-friendly as the spices definately make their presence known. I happen to love cumin, but if you don't like it, don't make this.

2 medium manoes, seeded, peeled, and chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
12 oz can of white tuna, drained (I didn't use white. It's prettier with white!)
2 large avacados, halved, pitted, and peeled.

In a medium bowl stir together the mangoes, cuin, salt, onion, cilantro, cayenne pepper, and olive oil. Add tuna. Stir gently to break up slightly. You can cover and chill this for up to four hours at this point. (I didn't)

To serve, spoon tuna mixture into center of avacado halves. Serve with lemon wedges.

*Betsy- probably not high on the Flannel scale.

Avacado Dip

2009-01-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

Paul said the avacado is one of the best foods ever according to Men's Health. Great for the brain, lots of the good fat, lots of vitamins....

So, I'm trying to think of more ways to inject them into our diet.

This is a simple recipe for a dip. Just scoop out the contents of one avacado into a bowl. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice, two big tablespoons of plain yogurt, and a pinch of salt if desired. Then stir in a chopped up tomato.

Nothing spectacular. Just a really yummy and healthy thing for me to dip some chips into. (Sadly, Men' Health did not have salty torilla chips on their list!)

(As a side note: This is probably a total no-brainer. But, I have been peeling my avacados all of these years. Well, duh! I just discovered that you can cut the darn thing the long way, pop out the nut, and you just spoon out the stuff. It practically slides out!)

Banana Cream Pie

2008-12-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

With the exception of Pumpkin Pie, I'm not a huge pie fan. But, I had some prebaked crusts and some bananas to use up, so I decided to make a banana cream pie. I found this exceptionally good recipe at allrecipes.com and can't wait to have another slice (or two or three) tomorrow!

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 bananas, sliced

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Easy Chicken and Garden Veggies

2008-12-27T11:16:00.000-08:00

4 slices of bacon cut into half inch pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp coarse pepper
1/4 cup of water
8 oz. fresh green beans
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium Roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half, then sliced
1/2 cup Italian dressing (or it says you can use balsamic vinaigrette dressing)

1. In skillet, cook bacon until crisp.

2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Add chicken to bacon in skillet. Cook until browned on both sides (about 5 minutes).

3. Add water and green beans. Cover and cook medium low about 8 minutes. Stir in peppers. Cover and cook 3-5 more minutes or until chicken is done and veggies are crisp tender.

4. Stir in tomatoes and dressing. Cook uncovered about two minutes, stirring occasionally until tomatoes are heated.

Notes:
I just used precooked bacon pieces and left out the whole step where you cook the bacon. I added it in when I added the peppers.
Also, I always cook my chicken a little bit longer than it says on the first step.
Sometimes when I've made this I have had a bit of excess water. If this happens, dump it off before you add the dressing or it will be too watery.

Enjoy this healthy, yummy dish!
(Can't remember where I got the recipe- a little book that I got sucked into at the grocery check-out lane. Probably Taste of Home.)

cafeteria trays

2008-12-21T23:01:00.001-08:00

This isn't technically a recipe. But, it's a 'recipe' for a happy lunch.

Corny, I know...

I got these trays at Target using a gift card someone had given me. I immediately fell in love with them because it reminded me of school days, and you know I love all things related to school!

The kids think it's fun to have all of the little compartments. Everything looks appealing- even the veggies.

So, maybe they have them on clearance these days. I wouldn't know since I haven't set foot in a Target store in a year now. (sniff sniff.)

They make lunch time fun!!

Creamy Turkey Soup

2008-12-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

This really easy Taste of Home recipe is fantastic for chilly winter evenings. You can also easily substitute chicken for the turkey. You can also adjust the amount of veggies, and potatoes would make a good add-in to get more out of the meal.

2 cups cooked cubed turkey

1 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped onions

2 tablespoon butter (I used olive oil)

2 cups water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt (I skipped this)

3 tablespoons flour

2.5 cups milk divided

Saute veggies in oil until tender. Add turkey, water, bouillon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of the milk. In a small dish combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour. Add to soup. Stir and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

Shoestring Salad

2008-12-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

3 carrots, shredded (I often use a bad of shredded carrots from the produce aisle)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion (I prefer green onions, but have used either)

1 can of tuna (I usually use two- my husband likes his protein!)

dressing: (I use a bit less of each ingredient...too much total dressing for my tastes)

3/4 cup mayo

2 Tablespoons French dressing

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 cups shoestring potatoes

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients in another bowl until smooth. Stir dressing into salad. Add Shoestring potatoes right before serving.

From my "Where's Mom?" cookbook. (Sorry for the bad photo. I always think of posting a recipe after I'm in the middle of eating it!)

Southwest Chicken Wraps

2008-11-25T04:06:00.000-08:00

Try these Better Homes and Gardens wraps for a yummy and satisfying lunch!

about 24 cooked, breaded chicken strips
4 oz. cream cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
6 flour tortillas
1 red Bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
Salsa

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, onion, and cilantro. Spread over tortillas. Top with pepper strips and cheese. Top with hot chicken strips. Roll up tortillas. Serve with salsa (I actually spread a thin layer of salsa over the cream cheese and rolled it up with the tortilla).

Gnocchi and Ham

2008-11-07T23:35:00.000-08:00

This is a quick recipe that I whipped up last night. I used to make something similar with pierogies, but I haven't found them here yet. So, I went from channeling my husband's Polish heritage to his Italian heritage and decided gnocchi would substitute well.

Anyway...

I sliced up a zucchini and a couple cups of deli ham (cubed ham would work fine) and sauteed them in some olive oil with about 1/4 tsp. of garlic salt (I imagine minced garlic would work just as well). I used a little more olive oil than I usually do to give the whole thing a light coating.

Meanwhile, I boiled a package of refrigerated gnocchi...it only takes a couple of minutes.

I drained the gnocchi and dumped it in the pan with the ham and zucchini.

Dinner served.

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

2008-11-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a hearty Taste of Home recipe for fall and winter.

1 pound red potatoes
3 tablespoons water
1 pound smoked kielbasa or smoked sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon regular or Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (or about 5 tablespoons precooked bacon pieces)

Microwave potatoes and water in a covered dish in the microwave on high until tender. (About 5 minutes?)

Saute kielbasa and onion in oil. Add potatoes. Saute abou 3-5 minutes longer until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

Combine brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme, and pepper. Pour into skillet. Stir. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon. Stir until spinach is wilted.

Oriental Chicken Salad

2008-11-01T14:06:00.001-07:00

This is a tasty, and highly addictive, salad from Betty Crocker.

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I have substituted Olive oil and it worked fine)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 pound Chinese pea pods, cut in half diagonally...about 1 cup, but I use more usually
3 cups coleslaw mix
1 can chunk light chicken (I shred my own fresh chicken breasts)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Mix oil, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Mix other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour dressing over. Toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Buffalo Chicken Layered Salad

2008-10-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

2 teaspoons red pepper sauce

2 cups shredded chicken

1 bag torn romaine lettuce

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped green pepper (the original recipe called for celery)

1.5 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup ranch dressing (I used less...more like 3/4 cup, I think)

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon pieces

In a medium bowl, sprinkle red pepper sauce over chicken. Stir to mix well.

In a 9X13 glass baking dish, layer lettuce, onion, green pepper, 1 cup of the tomatoes, and the chicken.

Pour dressing evenly over salad. Sprinkle with bacon and remaining 1/2 cup tomatoes.

Bran Flax Muffins (but they taste good :)

2008-09-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

These don't win any 'pretty' awards...but they taste good and are moist! Even my picky eaters like these...a miracle.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c unbleached white flour

3/4 c flaxseed meal

3/4 c oat bran

1 c brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsps. cinnamon

1 1/2 c carrots, shredded

2 apples, peeled and shredded

1/2 c raisins (optional)

1 c nuts, chopped (optional)

3/4 c milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins (if desired) and nuts. Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do no over mix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Yields 15 med. muffins.

Note~ I did not add raisins or nuts (because of my picky eaters).

Beans on the Side

2008-09-06T13:03:00.001-07:00

12 slices of bacon, diced
3 medium onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cans (16 oz each) baked beans
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) lima beans, drained and rinsed

1) heat oven to 350. In large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon and onions until bacon is crisp. Stir in remaining ingredients.

2) Bake, uncovered for about an hour, or until hot and bubbly.

As always, I made a few substitutions. I used the little packs of real bacon pieces instead of cooking my own. So, I just dumped everything into a casserole dish and baked it. Also, I am a huge fan of black beans. (I soak and cook my own and freeze them in little bags so I can just use them in everything.) So, I dumped a bunch of black beans into the dish instead of the lima beans. I might have added lima beans as well but couldn't find them in my store.

Tuna Crescent Ring

2008-08-26T01:02:00.001-07:00

Here is a basic recipe for a tasty hot tuna sandwich from Taste of Home. I modified it in several places which I will put in parentheses in the recipe. Most notably, I skipped the crescent roll step because where I live they don't sell such a thinng. They do, however, have awesome croissants here. So, I just baked the rest of the ingredients in a baking dish and stuffed it into my croissants.

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 can tuna, drained and flaked (I used more)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (I just used peas)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard (I used regular mustard. The Dijon here is super strong.)
1.5 teaspoons of dried minced onion
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used less. I usually doubled the recipe and just used one tsp of the seasoning...plus less mayo than called for.)

1. Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles. Place on an ungreased 12 inch pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing outer edge of pan and wide ends overlapping. Lightly press wide ends together.

2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Spoon over wide ends of ring. Fold points over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible.)

3. Bake at 375 fro 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and filling is hot.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Berry Salad

2008-08-02T01:08:00.001-07:00

This salad would best be described as whimsical! I would also call it quite tasty! I got the recipe out of my recent issue of Family Fun. I believe I doubled the recipe, and may have added a few extra strawberries.

2 medium bananas, sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

dressing:

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons orange juice

Combine dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.

In a small glass bowl, toss banana slices in lemon juice to keep from browning. (I skipped this step.)

Divide lettuce among dishes and top it with bananas and berries. Drizzle dressing over salads and top with peanuts.

Black and Blue Crisp

2008-07-29T13:51:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com when I was looking for something to make with a whole bunhc of blackberries that I got on sale last week. The recipe calls for a mix of three berries, but I just used blackberries and blueberries (hence the title of the recipe) and it it was tasty.

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups butter (I used less than this- probably just a touch over a cup)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, gently toss together blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and white sugar; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Banana Bars

2008-07-17T01:12:00.001-07:00

I got this delicious recipe from Faith and Family last year. I made a couple of changes and noted them in parentheses.

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter (I used 1/2 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 medium, ripe bananas
12 ounces chocolate chips (I used more like 6 ounces)

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mix butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well. Mash bananas and add to mixture.

Blend in dry ingredients and stir in chocolate chips.

Spread mixture into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until top is brown and firm to the touch. Cool and cut into bars.

Summer Berries!

2008-07-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

For most meals we just eat our berries from the bowl. We sometimes joke that our big dish of blueberries is 'blueberry popcorn' due to the way we pop it in our mouths by the handfuls!

(I know that's a really random lunch! I actually laughed at myself when I served it.)

We also enjoy them in muffins, breads, and yummy desserts. Today we tried a blueberry cookie from allrecipes.com that turned out to be pretty tasty:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (I used vanilla extract.)
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, egg, milk, almond extract and lemon zest. Mix well after the addition of each ingredient. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; blend into the sugar mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

For dinner we also used some fresh strawberries in a yummy spinach salad. I used Spinach leaves, cut up strawberries, and some chicken that I just seasoned with a little salt and pepper. For the dressing I used a half cup of strawberry preserves, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and a heaping teaspoon of lemon zest. I microwaved it until thin and warm.

Here are some other recipes from some of our previous posts for all of your lucious summer berries:

blackberries: http://simpleservings.blogspot.com/2008/07/fresh-blackberry-cobbler_09.html

raspberries: http://simpleservings.blogspot.com/2008/03/mixed-berry-corn-mini-loaves.html

blueberries: http://simpleservings.blogspot.com/2008/06/berry-and-buttermilk-cake.html

http://simpleservings.blogspot.com/2008/06/blueberry-lemon-muffins.html

http://simpleservings.blogspot.com/2007/11/fruity-oatmeal-bake.html

I also enjoy just using my berries for a big FRUIT SALAD!!

Enjoy your summer berries and post a link if you have any great recipes for your favorite berry!

Fresh Blackberry Cobbler

2008-07-09T12:00:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick Taste of Home dessert using delicious summer berries.

1/2 cup, plus one tablespoon sugar, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups fresh blackberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk

In a large saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in blackberries and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thicker. Pour into a 1.5 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk. Stir into the flour mixture just until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto hot fruit.

Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Sloppy Joes

2008-06-29T13:31:00.001-07:00

Here's a tasty recipe adapted from a Cooking Light cookbook:

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
8oz. tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
1.5 tablespoons mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook beef, onions, and green peppers until beef is done. Add remaining ingredients to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve on buns. Put bibs on kids!

Chewy Granola Bars

2008-06-27T00:51:00.001-07:00

I got this tasty recipe from the May/June issue of Faith and Family. My bars didn't turn out exactly like the photo in the magazine- probably because I used quick oats instead of rolled oats (that's all I had). They were more like a cookie...but, hey...I'm not complaining! They were delicious.

4.5 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups mini chocolate chips (could also substitute nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc.)

Lightly grease 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, butter, honey, and brown sugar. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving.

Flavored Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

2008-06-21T10:42:00.001-07:00

This tasty treat was a childhood favorite. My mom would make it on special occasions (since it's definately a treat with all the gooey goodness). It was always fun because it was easy for us to help our mom, and trying a new kind of Jello each time yielded an exciting new color and flavor.
Now, my mom and I always restrict ourselves and only make them when we see each other.

When I lived only a state away we got to have them somewhat often. But, now that I live an ocean away, twice a year just wasn't going to cut it! So, I did have to break with the mom/daughter tradition and whip up a batch the other day. It was my daughter's stuffed rabbits imaginary 4th birthday. Isn't that a good excuse for a treat?

1 stick of butter
1 package of mini marshmallows
1 small package of Jello, any flavor
4-5 quarts of popcorn

Melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows are smooth and melted. Add Jello and stir constantly until Jello is dissolved. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and stir until all popcorn is coated. Spray hands with cooking spray, or dunk them in some water (that's what I do) to form mixture into balls. Set on waxed paper to cool.

Asparagus Chicken Fajitas

2008-06-16T00:38:00.001-07:00

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-ince pieces
1 medium red Bell pepper, julienned
1 medium yellow Bell pepper, julienned
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup corn
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp pepper
flour tortillas

Place cut up chicken in a plastic resealable bag with the dressing. Seal bag. Refrigerate for four hours, turning a few times if needed.

Drain and discard marinade. Saute chicken in oil for five minutes. Add vegetables. Cook and stir for 7 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper. Spoon onto tortillas.

*This Taste of Home recipe is delicious! I add some salsa and grated cheese to top of the fajitas, but they are yummy as is. Also, I cook the chicken longer than 5 minutes at the beginning- I am always worried about meats being fully cooked.

Rhubarb Lemon Muffins

2008-06-13T11:23:00.001-07:00

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1.75 cups sliced rhubarb

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl combine wet ingredients and lemon peel. Stir wet into dry just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with 1-2 tsp sugar (total for all muffins). Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until done.

The Simple and Delicious recipe says it makes a dozen. It could have made more if you want smaller muffins. My dozen were all pretty big.

Berry and Buttermilk Cake

2008-06-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients~

2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

nutmeg (few good grinds or pinches)

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

4 Tbsps. butter, melted

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 cup blueberries

2 1/2 Tbsps. raw sugar (I used regular)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 12x8 in. pan with sides at least 2 inches high. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the sugar and a few good grinds of nutmeg. Put the eggs in a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the buttermilk, butter, and lemon zest, and beat together well. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a wooden spoon just until everything is combined. If you beat too hard, the cake will be tough.

Spoon the mixture into the pan, spreading it thinly to reach all four sides. Scatter the blueberries over the top and sprinkle these with raw sugar. Put in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer poked into the center of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan before cutting into squares. This keeps well in a sealed container for up to a week.

From the cookbook Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros

Mint Peas

2008-06-03T19:45:00.001-07:00

We happen to have mint growing in our yard, so I wanted to try this recipe that is in the Williams-Sonoma Fun Food cookbook that we have. I had never heard of this combo before and really like how it dresses up peas!

Ingredients~

2 lbs. fresh peas or 10 oz. frozen peas (I used frozen)

6 sprigs fresh mint (I only used about 10 leaves)

2 tsps. butter

salt (as needed)

Shell the peas if you are using fresh. Strip the mint leaves from the stems. Stack 4 or 5 leaves on top of one another, then roll up the stack lengthwise into a little tube. Using the knife, slice the tube into thin slices. Repeat with all of the leaves. Put about 1 inch of water in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the fresh peas and cover. Boil until the peas are just tender, 4-5 minutes. If you are using frozen peas, follow the package directions. Drain peas in a colander and pour back into the saucepan. Add the butter, mint, and several pinches of salt. Stir until the butter melts. Serve and enjoy!

Blueberry-Lemon Muffins

2008-06-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients~

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1 1/3 cups milk, at room temperature

2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two large muffin pans. In the bowl of a tabletop mixer fitted with the flat beater, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding the next. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beginning and ending with the milk, alternately add the milk and dry ingredients to the batter in 3 or 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the lemon zest and mix just until blended. Fold in the blueberries, then pour the batter into the prepared muffin pans. Bake for about 18 minutes.

Speedy Southwest Salad

2008-05-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

1 package (10 ounces) salad greens

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 picante sauce

1 cup broken torilla chips

1/2 shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Place greens in bowl. Top with corn and beans. In a small bowl, combine dressing and picante. Spoon over vegetables. Sprinkle with tortilla chips, cheese, and tomatoes.

*To make this quick Simple and Delicious recipe into a bigger meal, I also added a pound of cooked, seasoned ground beef and a green pepper chopped up.

Lemony Tuna and Pasta

2008-05-19T12:29:00.001-07:00

This yummy Better Homes and Gardens casserole is a great alternative to the creamy casseroles you usually find when searching for tuna recipes. I will again post the recipe as it was posted in the magazine, but instead of celery I used green peppers. I also used a bunch of frozen peas. (Peas and tuna casserole just seem like a classic combination!) Also, I got mini crutons and didn't really finely crush them. Just coarsely crushed, I guess. Oh, and I used regular mustard instead of Dijon. I did not try the recommended garnishes.

2 cups dried penne pasta (6 oz.)
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup finely crushed seasoned croutons
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
dill sprigs and capers for garnish

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a medium saucepan cook celery, onion, and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in flour, mustard, dill, lemon peel, and pepper. Add broth. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in tuna and pasta. Transfer to baking dish.

Combine croutons and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover. Top with lemon slices, bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with garnishes.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

2008-05-18T05:50:00.001-07:00

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1.25 cups crushed sesame snack crackers (any cracker would do, I'm sure)
1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

In a shallow bowl, combine first six ingredients. Place crushed crackers in another bowl. Dip chicken in mayo mixture, then coat with cracker crumbs.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until done.

(From Simple and Delicious)

Cranberry-Orange Chicken

2008-05-08T01:29:00.000-07:00

This Simple and Delicious recipe was actually designed for pork chops. We don't do pork chops too often- we do a lot of chicken. So, I used chicken instead. I will post the recipe as it described with the pork chops. Just adapt cooking times as you see fit for your chicken if you use that.

6 boneless pork loin chops (a half an inch thick, and 6 ounces each)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil (I used Olive oil)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp paprika

Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil on both sides.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until juices run clear.

(If I remember correctly I think I might have sprinkled all of the spices on the chicken beforehand.)

Cabbage Beef Casserole

2008-05-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

Here's a healthy, easy Betty Crocker favorite.

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
4 cups shredded cabbage

1. Heat oven to 400

2. Cook beef and onion. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into a greased 9x13 dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Super Easy Taco Bake

2008-05-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a super easy idea for a quick lunch or dinner...or if you were just wondering what to do with that ground beef you have in the freezer. (From my Betty Crocker cookbook)

1 pound ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup Bisquick
1/3 cup cold water

Taco toppings: cheese,lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream (I used plain yogurt as usual), etc...

1. Grease square pan 8x8x2
2. Cook beef as directed on evelope of taco seasoning mix.
3. Mix baking mix and cold water until smooth. Spred into greased pan. Dump beef on the dough.
4. Bake uncovered at 450 for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese until melted. Serve with taco toppings.

Spicy Chicken Tomato Soup

2008-04-29T00:48:00.000-07:00

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) chicken broth
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
2 cups frozen corn
1 can (10.5 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (4oz) diced green chilies
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced (I used a little dried minced garlic)
1 bay leaf
1-2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about four hours. Discard bay leaf from soup.

This Simple and Delicious recipe says to serve with tortilla chips. I didn't have any on hand, but I bet that would be tasty. I sprinkled some cheddar cheese on my serving and it was yummy.

Southwestern Casserole

2008-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

This Simple and Delicious recipe is a nice basic casserole that I made the other night. Please note that the recipe is for two casseroles. The premise being that you freeze one and eat one. I just halved the recipe (no room in my little freezer). Where I would have had to use half a can of diced green chiles, I just used the whole thing.

1 package (7 ounces) of elbow macaroni. (I used penne).
2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz. each), undrained
1 can (16oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (60z) tomato paste
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (optional)

Cook macaroni according to directions. Meanwhile, cook beef, onion and garlic. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in macaroni noodles.

Transfer to two greased 9X13 dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Freeze the other one.

Yummy Easy Flour-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-04-23T02:59:00.001-07:00

I don't know what the real name is for these cookies. I got the recipe from a friend who got it from her cousin and I didn't see a name for them. But, my made-up title about sums it up. Especially the yummy part!

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Stir the brown sugar and the baking soda together until well blended. Add the pb, egg and vanilla and blend on medium with a hand mixer until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon (this takes a bit of muscle). Drop by teaspoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 - 11 minutes. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes before removing to rack. Makes 24.Oh, and she also noted in the recipe that this does not double well.
Happy Baking!

Cordon Bleu Casserole

2008-04-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is a fabulous Taste of Home casserole that I came across. I listed the recipe as it was in the book, but I did make my own modifications. I used my crunchy organic cornflakes for the topping instead of the bread crumbs, and left out the most of the butter for the topping. I just melted a 'dab' of butter and tossed in in the bag that I was crushing the cornflakes in. I don't think all that butter is necessary...although I'm sure it tastes good. I didn't measure on my cheese. Things are in grams where I live and I couldn't make the conversions in my head. So, I just dumped. I'm sure I used less than it called for. Also, I used a touch more on the spices.

Cordon Bleu Casserole:

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1.75 cups milk

Topping:
1.5 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a nonstick skillet, saute ham for 4-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. ( I just saw this step when typing this. I guess I didn't do it!)

In a greased 9X13, layer the chicken, cheese, and ham. Set aside.

In a saucepan, saute the onion in the butter until tender. Stir in the flour, mustard, and nutmeg until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stri for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over ingredients in baking dish.

Combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Veggie Meatball Soup in the Crockpot

2008-04-16T03:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I think this photo takes the prize for lamest recipe picture. It's the tiny bit of leftovers after my family and I got through with it the other night. But, I just hate posting recipes without a photo. And, I just loved this soup. So, I had to do it.

25 frozen cooked Italian meatballs
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into one inch pieces
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow noodles
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine first 14 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5.5-6 hours. Stir in elbow noodles and parsley. Cook 30 minutes longer, or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
(I didn't have fresh parsley, so I just skipped it.)

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

2008-04-16T02:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry. Another photo of a half-eaten casserole. I always forget to take a photo of the casserole when it comes out of the oven. Then, we're in the middle of eating it and someone says, "This is good. You should post this recipe." Anyway...This one is another easy one from Taste of Home. I posted the recipe as it was written. But, instead of the sour cream I used plain yogurt. (I almost always make that subsitution.) I also felt the amount of butter seemed rather high, so I used a little less than 1/2 cup instead of the 3/4.

1 package (6oz.) of stuffing mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups diced zucchini (I made big chunks so they wouldn't get soggy)
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix and butter. Set aside 1/2 cup of this for the topping. Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion, and sour cream to the stuffing mix.

Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing topping. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Cheeseburger Pie

2008-04-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a super easy dinner:

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup Bisquick

1 cup milk

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees

2. Grease 9 inch pie plate

3. Cook beef and onion. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with salt and cheese.

4. Stir milk and bisquick together until blended. Pour over ingredients already in pie plate.

5. Bake about 25 minutes.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2008-04-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

1 head lettuce

8 green onions (or as many as you like)

1/2 cup peanuts

1 package Top Ramen noodles (Oriental flavor)

1 cup or more of shredded cooked chicken (white meat)

Dressing:

Mix until sugar dissolves: 4 Tbsp. sugar, 1/2 cup light oil, 6 Tbsp. rice vinegar and the seasoning packet from noodles.

Mix all ingredients except noodles. Marinate 1 hour. Before serving, add Oriental noodles, broken in bits and toss lightly. Sprinkle on more peanuts and onions before serving.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2008-04-03T01:59:00.000-07:00

I am always on the hunt for a good tuna casserole. This is my favorite recipe so far. I found it on the internet, so I can't really credit a source. The recipe says to top with buttered bread crumbs, but I used our 'bio' (organic) cornflakes instead. (I would really prefer potato chips for the topping- love the salt- but I thought I could do without!)

1 can (about 7 ounces) tuna, drained
8 ounces elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
buttered soft bread crumbs

PREPARATION:
Cook macaroni until tender, drain and rinse. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven; add chopped onions and bell pepper and sauté over low heat for about 3 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper; stir until smooth and bubbly.

Add milk and mushroom soup and stir over low heat until smooth and thickened. Add cooked macaroni, flaked tuna, peas and half of the cheese to sauce mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture into 2-quart buttered casserole; top with remaining cheese then buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Mixed Berry-Corn Mini Loaves

2008-03-27T01:47:00.000-07:00

This is a very yummy recipe taken from Better Homes and Gardens. My picture isn't great because you can't see the inside of the bread. The inside is full of beautiful blue and red berries. Yum.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel

3/4 cup raspberries

3/4 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat five mini foil loaf pans with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil, eggs, and orange peel. Stir to combine. Gently stir in berries. Evenly divide batter among loaf pans.

3. Bake until tops are lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean. About 18-20 mintes. Cool in pans for five minutes and then transfer to wire cooling rack.

This is a tasty butter to serve it with:

Citrus Butter:

combine 1/2 sup softened butter, 1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon honey. Chill until needed.

Chicken Penne Casserole

2008-03-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a great recipe I got (once again) from my Simple and Delicious magazine:

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chickn cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup EACH chopped onion, green pepper, sweet red pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp EACH dried basil, oregano, and parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. olive oil
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1. Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large pan, saute the chicken, onion, peppers, garlic, and seasonings in oil until chicken is no longer pink. (Actually, I did the chicken until it was almost done and then added the rest for the last couple of minutes so they stayed more crisp)

2. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to chicken mixture. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3. Add pasta to chicken mixture. Spoon half of mixture into greased 9X13 dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and half of the romano. Repeat layers.

4. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Cran-Chicken Enchiladas

2008-03-25T02:15:00.000-07:00

Actually, this Better Homes and Gardens recipe was designed for turkey. (Pairing the classic taste of turkey and cranberries makes more sense!) But, I used chicken and it tasted delicious.

2.5 cups shredded chicken
16oz. can whole cranberry sauce
15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups bottled salsa
1 cup shredded colby and monterey Jack cheese (4oz.)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 tortillas
1tsp. hot pepper sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9X13 baking dish.

2. For filling, in a large bowl stir together the chicken, half the cranberry sauce, black beans, 1/2 cup salsa, 3/4 cup cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Spoon about 2/3 cup filling on each tortilla. Roll up tortillas around filling. Place tortillas, seam side down, in prepared dish. Set aside.

3. For sauce, in a bowl, stir together remaining cranberry sauce, remaining salsa, and hot pepper sauce. Spoon over filled tortillas. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with additional cilantro and green onions if desired.

Salmon au Poivre

2008-03-17T01:49:00.001-07:00

I know this picture is funny. I had already started eating my salmon when I thought, "This is yummy. I should post this recipe." So, that's why it has a bite out of it.

Also, don't let the French title fool you. Poivre just means pepper. It's a very easy recipe.

4 filets of salmon (about 6 oz. each...skin removed)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 to 3 tsp. cracked black pepper. (I just used coarsely ground pepper since I didn't have cracked.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth

mixed salad greens
strawberries
balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
2 Tbsp. honey

Sprinkle salmon filets with salt. Lightly coat each side of salmon with black pepper. In a large skillet, cook salmon for one minute in oil. Turn salmon over. Carefully add chicken broth. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until salmon begins to flake with a fork. (Mine was partially frozen still, so I had to simmer awhile...the directions from Better Homes and Gardens say five minutes.)

Divide salad greens and strawberries among plates. Drizzle with dressing. Remove salmon from skillet and place on greens. Drizzle salmon with honey.

Lemon-Basil Pasta with Ham

2008-03-04T07:18:00.001-08:00

Here is a recipe that is easy to make, and even my picky boys will eat it (ok, minus the asparagus!) Not sure where I got the recipe- one of the little recipe booklets from the grocery store that I always get suckered into. Note that I did not chop my asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Easier for the kids to pick out when they are big pieces! :(

2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (or other favorite pasta...I also probably used more than 2 cups.)
2 cups 1-inch pieces of asparagus spears
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup shredded parm or swiss cheese (optional)

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, adding asparagus pieces for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

Return pasta and asparagus to saucepan. Stir in ham, lemon peel, garlic, and oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil. Sprinkle with cheese.
(I have used dried basil in place of the fresh- though obviously a much smaller amount. I have also used the juice of the lemon when I didn't feel like grating it!)

Macaroni and Cheese

2008-02-23T09:57:00.001-08:00

From Williams-Sonoma Fun Food (a children's cookbook which I highly recommend)!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 1/2 tsp. salt

2 big pinches ground nutmeg

2 big pinches pepper

2 cups white or yellow cheddar cheese (I used a cheddar/colby mix)

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

1) Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.

2) Add the flour to the butter and whisk together until the mixture is smooth and bubbling but not browned, about 1 minute.

3) Raise heat to medium and while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, add the milk. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture is smooth, thickened, and gently bubbling, 6-8 minutes.

4) Turn off heat and add 1/2 tsp. of the salt, the nutmeg, and the pepper. Stir until mixed. Then add the cheeses. Stir until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth. Cover the saucepan with the lid to keep warm.

5) Fill your large pasta pot with water and add 2 tsps. of salt to the boiling water.

6) Boil the macaroni 7-8 minutes or until it is tender, but not mushy.

7) Drain macaroni and then add it to the saucepan and pour the cheese mixture over and stir until well coated. Serve right away!

This recipe makes 4 servings. We doubled it and had leftovers :)

Pepper Jack Chicken Pasta

2008-02-20T02:02:00.001-08:00

This easy Taste of Home dish is one of my husband's favorites. I know it doesn't look all that appealing, but trust me! You'll note that the recipe calls for red pepper which makes it prettier, but I only had a yellow Bell pepper on hand the day I made it. It worked fine.

Also, the recipe calls for packaged chicken. I prefer fresh, and boiled and shredded a comparable amount of my own.

3 cups uncooked mostaccioli (or favorite pasta noodles)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 (or more!) cup chopped red Bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon oil

1 can condensed Southwest Style pepper jack soup (Campbells makes it)

1 package (9 0z.) ready-to-use chicken strips

3/4 cup water

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onion, pepper, and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the soup, chicken, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in beans. heat through. Put soup mixture over noodles. Top with Monterey Jack cheese if desired.

Nutty Apple Muffins

2008-02-20T01:54:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure where I got this recipe, so I can't give credit. They are a nice hearty muffin to keep kids energized (if they like the ingredients, that is!)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup veg. oil

3 tablespoons milk

1-1/2 cups peeled, diced apples

1 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup flaked coconut

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and milk. Stir in apples, nuts, and coconut. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fill 18 greased muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Sugar Cookies with Glaze

2008-02-14T07:13:00.001-08:00

The sugar cookie recipe I use is from my friend's book ~Tea and Cake with the Saints by Alice Cantrell

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Place softened butter in medium mixing bowl and add sugar. Mix butter and sugar together until creamy. ( I use a standing mixer).
3. Stir in the egg, milk and vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl and mix until well blended.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter, egg and sugar mixture. Mix well to form a stiff dough.
6. Roll out dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet, keeping cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 8-9 minutes. ( Mine are ready in 7min.)

When I remove the cookie sheet from the oven, I immediately drizzle the glaze on as the cookies are still warm and it will spread better. Then remove all the cookies to a rack to cool.

Glaze recipe: ( I think I already posted this recipe with my 'shortbread' cookie recipe, as I use it with both cookies).
1. Beat 1 egg white briefly until foamy.
2. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. butter (melted) and 1 tsp. vanilla.
3. Add food coloring

FYI~ I double both recipes! These cookies are rich and delicious! A special treat!

Hoisin Pork Roast

2008-01-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

This is a crockpot dish that we tried for the first time on Christmas Eve! We really liked it including all of the children. I thought it had a bit of a "kick" to it, but nobody else did. I might add a little less chili paste next time. This would be great if you are having company for dinner as it looks nice, tastes great and the crockpot does all the work for you! Yay!

cooking spray

1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3lbs)

1 10oz. jar duck sauce or hoisin sauce

3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled (I used the crushed garlic from my jar)

2 Tbsps. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. chili paste

1 Tbsp. rice wine or rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsps. dark sesame oil

4 tsps. cornstarch

2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1) Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and add the pork roast. In a small bowl, combine the duck sauce, garlic, ginger, chili paste, rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk in the cornstarch. Pour the sauce over the pork.

2) Cover the slow cooker and cook the roast until fork-tender and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees ~ 3 1/2 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low heat. Transfer the pork to a platter, cover with foil and let stand for 10 min. Pour the cooking liquid into a bowl and let stand for 10 min., then skim any fat from the surface.

3) Slice the pork and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top. Serve the Asian sauce on the side.

Carrot Bran Muffins

2008-01-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

Another easy, yummy recipe from Simple and Delicious that helps me sneak some veggies into my boys' diets!

Carrot Bran Muffins

1.5 cups flour
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp cinnzmon
1.25 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1.5 cups grated carrots
1 cup raisins

Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, and molasses in another bowl. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in carrots and raisins. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Walnut Zucchini Muffins

2008-01-05T20:04:00.001-08:00

Walnut Zucchini Muffins:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, and milk. Stir wet into dry just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, walnuts, and raisins.
Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 for 18-20 minutes.