Christmas Morning Biscuits

I was so stinking proud of myself. For the first time, I made biscuits from scratch. Probably not a big deal to most, but oh well. Not only was it my first attempt, they were AWESOME!! Unfortunately, I could eat these every weekend. Unfortunately, I won't be doing that. Not hard to make at all, very simple recipe. And they will easily translate to Any Morning Biscuits, too. :)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Directions
1.In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg with milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
2.Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

One reviewer suggested replacing half the shortening with butter to avoid blandness. I didn't have any shortening, so I used all butter. Great taste and texture! Soft, and not at all dry like biscuits can be. I also used a star cookie cutter for most of them since I don't have a real biscuit cutter and I wanted to be festive! Served hot out the oven with a buttery spread :), apple butter, honey, and blueberry jam.

T. Flo’s Dr. Pepper Chili

A while back, I read this recipe on Tina's blog and, with my love of Dr. Pepper, knew I had to try it. Tonight was the perfect snowy, frigid night. And it is delicious! Besides being an amazing photographer, she makes a mean chili recipe too!

Ingredients
1.5 lbs of ground beef
5 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4 pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. cumin
1 tbs. oregano
3 tbs. chili powder
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
salt & pepper to taste
1 large tomato (from garden)
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of Dr. Pepper
1 tsp beef concentrate or 1 cup of beef broth
1 block of chocolate
1 tsp cinnamon

Before you start cooking combine the onion and the jalapeno together. Also, mix the chili powder, cumin and oregano together in a bowl.

Render the bacon until crisp in a large pot; set bacon aside.

Brown meat in the bacon fat until brown, then drain and set aside. Salt & pepper the meat.

Add some OO to the pot, and when hot, add the onions and jalapenos. Cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a minute, being careful not to burn it.

Add the chili powder, oregano and cumin to the onions and fry for a couple of minutes to release the flavors.

Add beef & bacon to the onions and spices. Mix together and cook for a few minutes.

Add the Dr. Pepper, tomato sauce and tomato soup and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 5 minutes.

Add diced tomato and beef concentrate (or broth). Stir everything together.

Bring to a simmer and cook for one hour.

After one hour add chocolate and cinnamon and continue simmering for another hour.

Adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve alone or with rice, nacho chips, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream and or hot sauce. Enjoy!

Served with cornbread made from scratch! I made a few adjustments based on what I had on hand, including using the slow cooker, but you can make your own! My only suggestion is frying the bacon whole, very crisp, then crumbling as small as possible before adding to the mix. I used turkey bacon because I have some, but it's probably better if you go whole hog. :) Thanks, T!

Sweet Potato Mash

I read a few recipes online and then concocted this. Everyone loved it!

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes (Sorry, forgot to measure. I used 2 large and 2 small.)
1 stick of butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2-3/4 cup candied pecans, ground

Peel, cube and boil sweet potatoes until soft. Place in mixing bowl with butter, milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Mix using hand mixer until desired consistency. Top with finely chopped pecans.

Best Apple Pie

From our Thanksgiving 2010 table to yours!

5 cups Granny Smith Apples, chopped
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. butter

Mix the apples, brown sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pot, heat to boil, reduce heat and simmer until apples are tender, 7-8 minutes. Mix flour, white sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the hot mixture, cook for one minute. Add vanilla and butter. Pour pie filling into the crust and bake for 25-40 minutes at 425. Use pie saver or foil to protect crust. It may be necessary to add an extra half recipe of pie filling to a 9 inch pie.

Tomato-Herb Fritatta

I got this one from Alli's blog and it was scrumptious and simple!

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 (6 oz) package fresh baby spinach
1 (10 oz) can mild Rotel, drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 large eggs, beaten
1/2 C crumbled garlic-and-herb feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a 10-inch (2-inch deep) ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add garlic & saute 1 minute. Stir in spinach & cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or just until spinach begins to wilt.

Add Rotel, salt & pepper; cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add eggs & sprinkle with cheese. Cook 3-5 minutes, gently lifting edges of frittata with a spatula & tilting pan so uncooked portion flows underneath.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until set & lightly browned. Remove from oven & let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Tomato-Sausage variation:
Brown 1/2 lb ground pork sausage in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often. Remove from skillet, drain & wipe skillet clean. Proceed with recipe as directed, adding sausage with the Rotel in step 3.

I had to fill in my feta with mozzerella to make a full half-cup and added my own herbs since I didn't have the proper type of feta. I think it would be much easier to have the herbed feta on hand and would go ahead and add some extra mozzerella to it anyway. You can never add enough cheese right? :) I think adding some meat would be good too. Nice weeknight dinner!

Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup

Oh yum! Made this as an appetizer, sort of, tonight and it was excellent. I tried making couscous crusted tilapia for dinner from Sarah's blog but I didn't do a very good job of it. Probably lack of egg. Anyway, the soup was delightful. :)

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 quart chicken broth
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
ground cinnamon to taste (optional)
fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the squash halves cut side down in a baking dish. Bake 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Scoop the pulp from the skins. Discard skins.
2.Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion until tender.
3.In a blender or food processor, blend the squash pulp, onion, broth, brown sugar, cream cheese, pepper, and cinnamon until smooth. This may be done in several batches.
4.Transfer the soup to a pot over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Garnish with parsley, and serve warm.

I used about 7 oz of reduced fat cream cheese and thought it was just fine. Only used one tbsp of butter and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Skipped the garnish. Sweet but not too sweet! And very easy!

Golden Chicken and Autumn Vegetables

So, I saw this recipe on a box of chicken broth, thought it sounded good, threw the box away. Oops. Looked it up on the Swanson recipes website and Presto! SO GOOD!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Swanson® Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups fresh or frozen whole green beans

Directions:
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Stir the stock, garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, potatoes and green beans in the skillet and heat to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

Here's how it went down. I used butternut squash from the farmers market since I didn't have enough sweet potato and needed to do something with the squash. Same story, asparagus instead of green beans. Cut the breasts into tenderloins basically. (Seriously overcooked the chicken and I don't recommend that.) Added some black beans for color. Used fresh rosemary. I think the chicken needed to be seasoned by itself prior to cooking but this still turned out great and will be made again!

Tomato Spinach and Basil Soup

Oh yeah! Cooler weather inspires the beginning of comfort food season for me!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups milk
1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 cups fresh spinach, torn
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in milk and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato puree and sugar. Mix well, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add spinach, basil, salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.

I would recommend chopping the onion up in the blender for sure. Other people had trouble with milk curdling and suggested waiting until the very last to add it, but mine did not curdle. I added a half can of diced tomatoes because I like a chunky tomato soup. :) This was really good but I still love Amy's Organic Soups "Chunky Tomato Bisque" out of all I've ever tried! It just has that extra kick to it that I can't identify.

Weeknight Slow Cooker: Easy Cheesy Chicken

The title of this recipe makes me laugh. Or shudder, not sure which. Julia Child would not be proud. But, this is sooooooo easy and the chicken comes out super tender. I threw it together before bed last night and put it in the crock pot this morning. (Note to self: remember to turn the crock pot ON before you leave for work so that your husband doesn't have to come home and do it.)
Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 packet dry Italian dressing seasoning
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of onion soup
1 (11 ounce) can condensed cream of Cheddar cheese soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions
1.Rinse chicken, and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, Italian dressing seasoning, and garlic powder. Place in slow cooker.
2.In a medium bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup and cream of Cheddar cheese soup. Pour over chicken.
3.Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in sour cream just before serving.

My usual adjustments include adding fresh baby spinach at the same time as sour cream and cooking a bit more. I added the salad dressing seasoning at the recommendation of another reviewer. I forgot to season the chicken with anything and mixed the salad dressing seasoning in with the soups. Next time, will definitely add some garlic powder and pepper to the chicken. Serve with pasta or rice. Another reviewer recommended adding a bag of frozen veggies, which sounds good too.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

A Weight Watchers recipe that was given to me a while back and worked out pretty nicely for a busy weeknight after work! I'm just going to type it up as I made it this time!

Ingredients
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
28 oz. can (Italian) tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil (or 1.5 tsp of fresh basil)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup part skim ricotta
1.5 cups shredded mozzerella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
6 no-boil (oven ready) lasagna noodles

Directions:
Brown the beef with onion and garlic. Drain grease. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes, allow to simmer for five minutes to allow flavors to absorb. Meanwhile, combine ricotta with 1 cup shredded mozzerella.
Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-qt. slow cooker. Break 3 of the noodles in half and cover the beef mixture as best you can. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Layer another 1/3 of the beef mixture, covering with remaining 3 broken noodles, and spread on last of cheese mixture. Tope with remaining beef mixture. Cook for 4-6 hours on low.
Top with half cup of mozzerella and half cup of parmesan, mixed. Cover and allow to set removed from heat for 10 minutes to allow lasagna to firm.

If I would have been thinking I would have added some baby spinach! Or zucchini is also recommended. Jeremy loved it and Noah ate 2 small bowls! Salt not necessary. I made this up yesterday and left it in the fridge until this morning. The noodles were pretty sloppy so I'm not sure if its because of all the sitting and soaking in the fridge or sitting in the warm crock pot for several hours after cooking on low for four. I wonder if I could use regular noodles and get away with not boiling them first. Any thoughts on that? Anyhow, this worked out well for having dinner ready when we got home tonight!

Margherita Pizza

So what do you do when you have extra tomatoes and leftover fresh basil that needs to used up? You make a margherita pizza of course! I had to look up a recipe because I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing but I made some changes. I guess a real margherita doesn't have sauce, but since the sauce is my favorite ingredient, I had to have it!


Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crusts
8 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
4 ounces shredded Fontina cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese


Directions
1.Stir together olive oil, garlic, and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.Brush each pizza crust with some of the tomato marinade. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Arrange tomatoes overtop, then sprinkle with shredded basil, Parmesan, and feta cheese.
3.Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.



OK, so my pizza was only somewhat similar to this recipe. I made only one. I used a whole wheat crust, one tomato, and added sauce. I mixed together a little olive oil, garlic and kosher salt, brushed it on the crust, then brushed sauce over that. Added leftover shredded mozzerella and "italian blend cheeses" from fridge, added tomato slices, feta and powdered parmesan, and topped with basil. Had to break another rules and add fresh jalapeno slices to Jeremy's side. Yum! We make a lot of pizza around here and this one was pretty good!

Hamburger Noodle Bake

I made this last week and we loved it so I am making it again tonight for some friends. The recipe is made to be a dish for two, so I double the recipe. Who doesn't want to have leftovers anyway?

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1//8 tsp garlic salt
dash of pepper
1/4 cup cottage cheese
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion
1 Tbsp chopped green pepper
1 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan

Directions:
Cook the noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink, drain. Remove from the heat, stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic salt, and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, green onion, and green pepper.

Drain the noodles, place half the noodles in a greased 1-qt baking dish. Spoon half of beef mixture over the top. Layer with cottage cheese mixture and remaining noodles. Top with remaining beef mixture; top with parmesan. Cover and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

This was from Taste of Home too. I added a tsp garlic to the meat, some Italian diced tomatoes, and used all reduced fat dairy. It's kind of like a lasagna dish.

Tomato Chicken Pasta

We have been blessed by some very talented gardeners recently who have kindly shared their produce with us. When Jeremy brought home some ripe, juicy, orange tomatoes the other night, I could not bear to waste them, so I looked up a recipe specifically to use a bunch of tomato. Pretty good stuff! I even have a picture to share because I thought it was pretty.


Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package radiatore pasta
1/2 pound bacon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup white wine
2 large tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning


Directions
1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Set bacon aside to drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon grease, then saute chicken until no longer pink, and juices run clear. Break bacon into pieces, and return to skillet. Stir in wine and tomatoes. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Simmer until tomatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve sauce over cooked pasta.

I used about half a box of whole grain shells (from a 13 oz box) and it was plenty. I also followed recommendations and added a tsp of minced garlic to the chicken and a tsp of crushed red pepper. I probably would not use the red pepper again, or at least use less of it because it was a little hotter than I like. I also used turkey bacon and sweet Moscato wine. I stirred the pasta into the sauce to soak up the juices. Served with a simple salad and topped with parm cheese!

Hearty Macaroni Casserole

I just made this for dinner and it was SO GOOD that I had to post it right away! Found this in my Taste of Home magazine. :) First, I'll post the recipe as printed and then I'll add my adjustments.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) macaroni and cheese dinner mix
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup French-fried onions

Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper, and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to the prepared macaroni. Stir in tomatoes.

Divide half of the mixture into a greased 3 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese. Add the other half of the mixture and cover with second cup of cheese. Top with french-fried onions. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.

In an effort to make this dish healthier, I used 99% fat free ground turkey (cooked with a tsp. of fresh garlic, a tsp. of chili powder, 1/2 tsp. of cumin, and a 1/2 tsp. of paprika--since ground turkey tends to be pretty bland, instead of beef. I used Velveeta Shells & Cheese made with 2% milk. I probably only needed between 1 and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese to cover adequately. We loved it! Next time I might hide a little more veggies in there too. :)

Picante Chicken Rice Burritos

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups shredded, cooked chicken meat
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce, divided
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 cup sliced black olives
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Directions
1.To Make Chicken Mixture: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and saute green onion and garlic until soft; stir in chicken, chili powder, 1/4 cup broth and 3/4 cup picante sauce. Heat through, then set aside.
2.To Make Rice: In a large saucepan, bring rice and remaining 2 1/4 cups broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups picante sauce, cover and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender.
3.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4.To Assemble Burritos: Stir chicken mixture into rice, then add olives and 2 cups of the cheese. Mix well. Spoon 1 cup of filling onto each tortilla, off center. Fold sides and ends over filling, then roll up. Arrange filled tortillas in two 9x13 inch baking dishes and sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top.
5.Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Yummy! I will recommend lowering the oven temp to 300 and removing them before the tortillas stiffen. I used black beans instead of olives since I don't like them and used whole wheat tortillas. I only made a half recipe. Oh, and I used white onion instead of green since thats what I had. Enjoy!

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

I started making this recipe without realizing it was a lighter version of someone's grandmother's made from scratch recipe. We really liked them.

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions
1.In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, milk, oil and vanilla; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill greased or paper-line muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

I followed the suggestions of some of the reviewers and added 1/2 tsp of almond extract and extra oil (someone recommended using a 1/4 cup). I added a tablespoon of applesauce and used all whole wheat flour. I also added some extra brown sugar since someone suggested using it and that the recipe wasn't sweet enough. And they were done in 20 minutes. The batter looked a little weird but they tasted great!

Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin

This was our anniversary dinner last night!

Ingredients
3 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

Directions
1.Cut a horizontal slit in the pork tenderloin, leaving the halves attached. Rub tenderloin with olive oil.
2.Insert garlic into the slit and on onto the fatty part of pork. Press thyme and rosemary into slit. Sprinkle tenderloin with salt and pepper.
3.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Place pork on grill. Cook approximately 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes, to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

I think this would have turned out great, except that it was way too much salt and pepper for me. Noah cried because it was too much for his little tongue too. Oops. I used kosher salt, which I thought is supposed to be less potent. I will try cutting that in half maybe next time. I let the meat marinate in the fridge for about an hour and used the oven some too to help cook a little more. Also had to use dried thyme and added some fresh parsley since I had it. Something different and good for the grill! And now we have a TON of meat leftover so I recommend sharing!

Apricot Chicken

And I'm back! I finally tried a new recipe that turned out good! And an Asian one too!

Ingredients
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chicken broth or sherry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup salted cashews
Hot cooked rice

Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer to a shallow microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring once.
2.Add green pepper and cashews. Cover and microwave on high for 2-4 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, stirring once. Let stand for 3 minutes. Serve with rice.

OK, admittedly I could not foresee this recipe turning out well if cooked in the microwave, so I made it on the stove. I didn't have cashews, so I omitted that but will definitely add them next time. I also added snow peas, at another reviewer's suggestion. Next time, I will double the ginger, add maybe a tsp of garlic salt, and a tbsp of honey (suggested by another reviewer). It needed just a bit more flavor but Jeremy and I both really liked it anyway!

Baby's First Birthday Cupcakes

I haven't made any new recipes lately to post but I think this one definitely qualifies!


Whipped Cream Frosting
(Makes 1 frosting for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar salt and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

3. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 2 cups sugar and unsalted butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove cake from pans. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool completely on wire rack.

Both recipes make enough for 24 cupcakes. I just baked them at 400 for around 15-20 minutes instead. I used fat free cream cheese this time and I think it made the icing runnier than usual but it still tasted great! Noah enjoyed his very much at his West Virginia birthday dinner.

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions
1. Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce; pour over roast.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Easy and delicious, of course! I just use a half pork roast and stuff it in the crock pot with as many chopped potatoes and carrots on top as I can fit under the lid. Instant meal. Making this one for dinner tonight! Warning, it makes a lot of food so invite people to share with.

Marinated Ranch Broiled Chicken

Look, it's another quick, and easy chicken recipe! :) This might seriously be the easiest recipe I've ever made.

Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions
1.Combine the dressing mix, oil and vinegar in a large, resealable plastic bag and mix together. Add chicken to bag, seal and shake to coat; work mixture into the meat.
2.Refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.
3.Preheat oven to Broil/Grill.
4.Remove chicken from bag, discarding any remaining marinade, and broil for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink inside.

I didn't trust just the broiling so I baked the chicken at 350 for about 20 minutes prior to broiling for just a few minutes. I think there is probably enough sauce to get by with 3 breasts if you needed extra. Yummy!

Ginger Mahi Mahi

I got this recipe a while back and have not made it in a while but am bringin it back tonight!

1 package Mahi Mahi fillets, thawed and rinsed as package directs
3 Tablespoons Honey
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon greated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add fish; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over Medium Heat. Add fish to skillet. Reserve marinade.
3. Saute' fillets for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
4. remove fillets to serving plate and keep warm. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet; heat over Medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Spoon glaze over fish; serve immediately

I think its best served with rice and whatever veggies you like. I actually have never made it with Mahi Mahi (which I love) because I couldn't find it at Wal-Mart. I use frozen tilapia filets instead and it works great. Also trying ground ginger tonight because I am not exactly sure what to do with a fresh ginger root! Before, I always skipped the ginger and it was quite good without it. I might even try baking it all together to spare a little oil. Delicious and healthy! Jeremy is not a fish eater and this is about the only way I have gotten him to eat it. :) Thanks to Wendy.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
1.Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
2.Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes.

I made a half recipe of this one night this week since it was pretty simple and I had all the ingredients. I cooked it a bit too long waiting on Jeremy to get home but it was still good! I bet using fresh herbs would make it even better. I mixed the tomatoes, balsamic, and herbs ahead of time and let them soak together in the fridge then dumped them over the chicken and added a little chicken broth to the skillet while I was cooking. Love these easy chicken recipes!

Black Bean Burritos

I whipped this up real fast last night after we came in from the gym and we loved it!

Ingredients
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1.Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
2.Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
3.Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
4.Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

I would recommend mashing the beans up a bit before putting them in the burrito. I used burrito-sized tortillas. There might be enough to make 4 regular sized tortillas. Added about 1/2 tsp of chili powder too. Also, I was out of onion, so I added a couple spoonfuls of homemade Super Salsa to the mix instead. Didn't add the cilantro and used reduced-fat cream cheese. Turned out great, even though I had to cook beans from a bag and they weren't quite done! ;) Jeremy worked for a taco place when he was in high school so he rolled the burritos perfectly for me!

Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup

I was feeling a little experimental and wanted to try something different! I had never used leeks before, so it was a little interesting. I had to talk to my aunt to actually find out what one does with a leek . :) It was actually pretty quick and simple to make.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 leeks, bulb only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans fat-free chicken broth
2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
2 cups packed fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, cannellini beans, bay leaves and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Here's the report: I used 3 leek bulbs instead of 4 because that was how many came in a bundle and it was plenty o' leek. I used low-sodium chicken broth instead of fat-free. I suggest topping with parmesan cheese for a little extra flavor. Very healthy and Jeremy and Noah enjoyed it too!

Peanut Butter Brownies

Here is how I made someone's brownie recipe the other day. I just made a couple of adjustments to it based on the reviews. Pretty tasty.

Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2.In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter and butter. Add the brown sugar, vanilla and eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3.Spread batter evenly into pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack and cut into 2-inch squares.

Next time, I think I might follow another recommendation and use more cocoa and less baking powder, and see how that works.

Sweet and Sour Glazed Chicken

Another wonderfully easy recipe! Found this one a while back and have made it several times. It's great when your husband gives you an hour and a half notice that you have guests coming to dinner!

Ingredients
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (or breasts)
1 (8 fluid ounce) bottle Russian-style salad dressing
1 cup apricot preserves
1 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Wash the chicken, pat dry and arrange in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix Russian dressing, preserves and soup mix together in a bowl and spoon the mixture over the chicken pieces. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes (or until cooked completely), occasionally spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Super Salsa

This was one of the recipes I made for our little Superbowl party and I think it was the favorite! Very easy and surprisingly fresh! Tastes just like some good Tex-Mex restaurant made it.

Ingredients
3 (10 ounce) cans Ro-Tel, well drained
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1.Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Blend (pulse) very briefly to desired consistency. If you do not drain and chop everything well before blending, it can become kind of watery.

That is how I made someone else's recipe last night. :) Next time, I think I may add a green onion and 4 ounce can of chopped green chiles. some reviewers suggested using fresh roma tomatoes and I think I will try that when I have more time. But it was still awesome, canned tomatoes or not!

Carmelized Baked Chicken

Hooray! I have tried so many recipes lately that flopped but this one was good. Super simple (great for a weeknight) and healthy!

Ingredients
3 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
3. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and reduced sodium soy sauce instead. Served with baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

My Best Salad Yet

When we had our dearest WV pals over to dinner Saturday night for Alli's Angel Chicken Pasta, I invented my favorite salad to date. Keep in mind that I just sort of dumped all of this together, so I am estimating on measurements here.

Salad:
1 box baby spinach
1 box baby romaine
1 bag Great Value Dried Mixed Berries (cranberries, blueberries, cherries)
Crumbled Feta Cheese (I used some with herbs mixed in)
1 box grape tomatoes, sliced in half, length-wise
Chopped Walnuts

Dressing:
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp Italian herbs

As I mentioned, you might need to tweak amounts of things, particularly the dressing, to see what else it needs. Taste it out before serving!

Sarah's White Chili

I made this one off of Sarah's recipe blog the other night and my little soup night crowd thought it was great!  Jeremy said it was "the bomb" so you know its pretty good.  :)  You'll notice lots of soup and chili recipes on here since its been so cold lately and these recipes are just too easy and tasty!

1 can Great Northern Beans
1 can Garbonzo Beans
1 can white Kidney Beans
1-8oz package Heavy Whipping Cream
2-3 large chicken breasts
1 pkg McCormick White Chili Seasoning
1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 can green chili's, chopped
Chopped Jalapeno peppers (amount depends on how spicy you want your chili)
1 large spoonful of Sour Cream

First boil your chicken until almost cooked all the way. Save your water which is now broth and us it as your base. While your chicken is boiling, in a seperate pan, saute your onion and garlic in butter.

Once your chicken is cooked, chop it up and add it back to your broth. Add your whipping cream and your saute'd onions and garlic to your broth along with the seasoning packet.

Next add your green chilis and decide how much jalepenos you want your chili. I used canned whole jalapenos and chopped three. Three peppers made this a medium "heat".

Your corn and any other seasonings can also go into the chili at this time. I added a heaping spoonful of Sour Cream for flavor.

Let it simmer for at least an hour.
 
The only changes I made were that I used Navy beans intead of white kidney beans (couldn't find any), added 3 potatoes (because I had some), used 5 chicken breasts (mine shrank a lot when I boiled them), and used one can of corn (since that was what I had). Served with sweet, jalapeno cornbread.  Delicious!

Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 pound butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes, then add the turkey, and stir until crumbly and no longer pink.

2. Add the butternut squash, chicken broth, green chilies, tomatoes, kidney beans, hominy, and tomato sauce; season with chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. 

*I forgot step 3 when I served it and it was fine! I used black beans instead of kidney beans, and white corn instead of hominy. Everyone loved it!

A Blog About Cooking!

Who'd have guessed it? Not me! I am not one of those multi-talented people who has time to do a 365 Blog (where you post a picture and blurb about it everyday for a year) but I thought this would be fun to share recipes. Who doesn't need some extra good ones right? Thanks Sarah, for a fun idea! I will only be posting recipes that I made without having first tasted them elsewhere, just to keep things interesting!

Eat up, peeps!