Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. feta cheese

1 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1 tsp italian seasoning

Mix first ingredients, roll into balls, coat with bread crumbs, fry in olive oil.

Mean Beef Stew

I had some stew meat leftover from another recent project and decided to make into beef stew, which is not usually a dish that I care for.  But this one turned out awesomely!  It is a combination of my mother's recipe and one of Paula Deen's. :)

Ingredients 

1-1.5 lbs beef stew meat
2 tbsp canola oil
15 oz can tomato sauce
2 cup water (or so)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 tsp allspice
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
4 (red or yellow) potatoes, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
15 oz can diced or stew tomatoes

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chili powder salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 hour.  Add carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. Add tomatoes toward end of cooking.  Simmer on low until ready to eat.

I used about 1.5 cups of tomatoes from my garden that I had in the freezer. :)  Next time I will maybe double the recipe and have some for the freezer.  Delicious!

Apple Pie Sopapilla Cheesecake

Once upon a time, my cousin Allison gave me this amazing, simple, and scrumptious recipe for Sopapilla Cheesecake, listed below.  It has always been a huge hit wherever I've taken it, and its pretty quick and easy to do.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans crescent rolls

2 8-oz boxes cream cheese

2 C granulated sugar

1 stick of butter

1 tsp cinnamon

In a 9x13 pan, spray with Pam, line bottom of pan with one can of crescent rolls, pinching together & spreading to cover the bottom completely.  Mix cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar.  Spread mixture over layer of rolls.  Spread second can of rolls on top, pinching together to cover completely.  Melt butter, add 1 cup of sugar & the cinnamon, mix well.  Pour over top of dessert.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes until set & light golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting.

Last night I modified the recipe a bit to accommodate a can of apple pie filling that I wanted to use.

Apple Pie Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans crescent rolls

2 8-oz boxes cream cheese

3/4 C granulated sugar

3/4 C brown sugar

1 can apple pie filling

1 stick of butter

1 tsp cinnamon

In a 9x13 pan, spray with Pam, line bottom of pan with one can of crescent rolls, pinching together & spreading to cover the bottom completely.  Mix cream cheese with 3/4 cup of granulated sugar.  Spread mixture over layer of rolls.  Spread apple pie filling on top of cream cheese layer.  Spread second can of rolls on top, pinching together to cover completely.  Melt butter, add 3/4 cup of brown sugar & the cinnamon, mix well.  Pour over top of dessert.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes until set & light golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting.

Either way, you can't go wrong!  This Apple Pie Sopapilla Cheesecake had nothin' on 7 ladies at my moms group's Moms Night Out last night!

Homemade Garden Spaghetti Sauce

This is adapted from a recipe I found on Pinterest (and no longer remember where) and directions given by my friend Chris. :)  AMAZING!

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
• 4 lbs. tomatoes (original recipe called for Roma, I used Heirlooms and Better Boys from my garden! Homegrown is the way to go!)
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced or 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped, or 1/4 cup dried parsley

First you cut an X in the bottom of each tomato.   Add tomatoes to large pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. Then use some kind of slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the water, one at a time.  You can then peel them easily.  Next, you will want to cut out the stem end.  At this point, you'll want to either very finely chop (if you like a chunky sauce) or puree the tomatoes.  (The original post instructed you to squeeze the guts out of the tomatoes but I just pureed the whole thing.  You'll need the juice.)

Heat olive oil in a large deep pot. Add finely chopped onions and cook, covered, over low heat until tender and lightly colored, about 5 minutes.  Now you are ready to add your onions to the pot. Heat your oil and add your onions, cooking for about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, garlic and parsley.  (Original recipe says to add garlic and parsley in last 5 minutes of simmering; I didn't.)  


I also added about 12 oz water using my tomato paste can because it was too thick for me.  You should simmer this for something like 2 hours at a minimum. As it cooks, the juices will come out even more and the flavors start to mix together.


This is obviously not a quick weeknight meal.  Not terribly time-consuming, but I can understand why I've only had jarred spaghetti sauce to this point in my life. :)  I have to say the taste was well worth the effort.  And the maple syrup was my own addition (got the idea from my favorite pizza sauce recipe).  Leave it out if you hate sweet sauces!  Next time I might added some bell pepper and such.

Avocado Enchiladas

3 Large Ripe, but firm California Avocados
1 Scant Tablespoon Cumin
2 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/3 Cup Honey
1 Heaping Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Cup Green Enchilada Sauce
1 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
Tillamook Pepperjack Cheese, grated
Corn Tortillas (or flour is fine)

Using a knife, slice all the way around the avocado from top to bottom. Separate the two halves and remove the pit (I do this by holding the avocado in one hand, and carefully hitting the pit with my knife blade. The blade sticks and I give a little twist to remove the pit). Using a paring knife, slice the meat of the avocado from top to bottom and side to side to create chunks of avocado. Use a spoon to remove all of the avocado.

In a bowl, whisk together the cilantro, garlic, cumin, honey, and lime juice. Add the avocado and toss gently.

Place the tortillas (it will depend on how full you make each tortilla how many you can get out of this recipe. I don't like mine bulging, so I skimp a bit) in a piece of saran wrap and fold it over the top of the tortillas, keeping the end open slightly. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time or until soft and pliable.

Meanwhile, whisk together the green enchilada sauce and heavy cream. Spread a little on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.

Scoop a little of the avocado mixture into a tortilla, top with a small sprinkling of cheese, and roll shut. Place in the baking dish, seam side down and repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon a little enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas and top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min or until bubbly and beginning to brown slightly.

Taken from the Sweet Basil blog. Fantastic Pinterest find!

I added black beans the first time I made these and shredded chicken the second time.  Delicious!!

Stovetop Lasagna

- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey breast
- 3/4 Green Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #3)
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano
- 9-ounce box uncooked lasagna noodles, roughly broken into strips
- 1 jar (24-26ounces) marinara sauce
- 1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella

Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or earthenware pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook until they are slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the turkey or beef, stirring to break it up, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat is no longer red.

In a medium bowl, combine the Green Puree and tomato paste until mixture turns brownish in color.

Add to skillet, and stir in the oat bran, basil, and oregano. Add broken noodles on top of meat mixture, then top with tomato sauce.

Fill empty tomato sauce jar three-quarters full of water (about 2 1/2 cups) and add to skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cheese on top, do not stir again; cover for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve hot. 

So I stole this from the Sneaky Chef blog.  I added a half-cup of low-fat ricotta to the mix and used less mozzarella on top.  Also replaced oat bran with wheat germ, since that was what I had, and made some slight substitutions on the green puree.  It's like a healthy hamburger helper!

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Tacos

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on Pinterest that was pretty good...but this version I came up with was better!!  Just made it for the second time tonight and everyone loved it.  This amount fed 4 adults and 1 child, plus we have some leftovers.  So good!

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can petite diced chipotle tomatoes (or Rotel)
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 oz. onion and chive cream cheese
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker (I put them in frozen). Cover with onion, corn, and beans.  In a bowl, mix together undrained tomatoes, cream cheese, garlic powder, cumin, cayennne, and salt.  Add to the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Shred chicken and mix all together.  Serve on tortillas or tortilla chips with guacamole and shredded Mexican blend cheese.

Enjoy!

Yogurt Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. Chobani Vanilla 0% Greek Yogurt
1 egg
3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix. Pour 1/4 cup portions onto the griddle.

This recipe was on the side of my greek yogurt and just had to try. Must be the healthiest pancakes ever. I used whole wheat flour and replaced a little of it with some oatmeal and flax. :) Blueberries would make them awesome! I realized that, depending on the brand, Greek yogurt has a LOT of protein, so it makes them even more filling.

Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
1. Mix mayonnaise, cheese and seasonings.
2. Spread mixture over chicken breast and place in baking dish.
3. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.

Another great Pinterest find! And you know me... I substituted plain yogurt for the mayo...and had to make my own seasoning salt...still yummy!! ;)

Quicker-Than-Take-Out Chinese Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet (about 1/3 cup) Instant Healthy Grain Original Cream of Wheat unsweetened
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup baby food carrot puree
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Place chicken chunks in a plastic zip-top bag. Pour Cream of Wheat into the plastic bag, seal, and shake to coat chicken chunks evenly. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, garlic powder, and baby food carrot puree.

Add oil to large skillet and heat over medium. Add chicken, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes each side, until lightly browned. Add sauce mixture to skillet, stir to coat chicken, and increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and cover, cooking for about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving, if desired. This dish goes well served over brown or whole grain white rice.


I swiped this recipe from the Sneaky Chef online. It's really good and I served it with brown rice, steamed broccoli, and steam-in-the-bag edamame. Not bad for Asian night at the Barclays! I would recommend adding a bit of pepper to the sauce, maybe some salt (since I used reduced-sodium soy sauce).

My Favorite Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
1 1/2c water
4 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp pure maple syrup (depending on how acidic your sauce is)
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir until well combined. Heat through and serve warm. Add additional water if you want a thinner sauce.
Makes about 3 cups sauce.

DELICIOUS! Found this on Pinterest. Makes a ton, so you can freeze the leftovers.

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup raisins
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil 18 muffin cups, or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, apple butter, oil and vanilla.
In a large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in carrots, apples and raisins. Stir in apple butter mixture until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
In a small bowl, combine walnuts and wheat germ; sprinkle over the muffin tops.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed

I definitely made some adjustments to this (using more whole wheat flour and wheat germ than I did white, less sugar, and using some carrot/sweet potato puree I had instead of grating carrots all day!) but they are even healthier and good!

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Butter

Ingredients:
1 pound small, firm, bright green Brussels sprouts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Check each head, peel off any loose or discolored leaves. Using a paring knife, cut an X through the core end of each head.
Bring sprouts, water and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Lower heat, cover and simmer. Shake pan once or twice during braising to redistribute sprouts.
Cook until just tender 8 to 10 minutes. Test by piercing with a knife tip. Drain well.
Melt butter in a large skillet of medium heat. Whisk in mustard until smooth. Cook , stirring constantly until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
Add sprouts to skillet, coating well with the butter mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 3 to 4.

I know, I know. You are thinking, "Brussels sprouts??!" But we really like them and I wanted to try making fresh ones. Had no idea what to do with a bag of fresh ones, as opposed to the frozen, steam-in-the-bag variety, so I googled and found this recipe. Delightful :) I'm really just posting this to save it for myself since I'm not sure that anyone is reading my food blog anymore anyway! *crickets chirping*

Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Milk

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add oats and mix well. Stir in molasses and oil. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir into the egg mixture. If batter becomes too thick, thin with a little milk. Pour about 3/4 cup batter onto a greased preheated waffle maker. Bake according to manufacturer's directions. To make pancakes: Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle. Turn when bubbles begin to form on top of pancake.

I made these this morning in my new waffle iron and they were excellent! And, relatively healthy and filling. The cinnamon and vanilla were additions to the original recipe, as suggested by other reviewers.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

With all this record-breaking heat, I have been trying to do my part to avoid rolling blackouts by cooking everything I possibly can outside on the gas grill. (It was 112 in Austin on Sunday!) This was one of those super easy, very tasty weeknight dinners. Served with grilled asparagus, squash, zucchini, and purple onion. Yum!

I just used whole breasts rather than mess with cutting up the chicken. I cut the oil in half and added some extra ranch (made my own from a packet of Hidden Valley seasoning, plus milk and replaced the mayo with plain yogurt, worked fine.) I mostly tried this recipe because I was thrilled to have a use for all that rosemary I'm growing. Marinated for an hour and cooked the veggies in the leftover marinade. Throw it all on the grill for around 15 minutes, and you're done!

I really need to invest in a grill basket or pan of some sort. And maybe a bandana to catch the sweat. Happy Tuesday!

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

I needed to make a gluten-free meal today for a friend with a new baby, so I asked Megan Eidson for some recipes. She gave me this one from the Pink Parsley blog.

Adapted from Tide and Thyme, orginally from America's Test Kitchen
•1 medium onion, chopped fine
•2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
•1 teaspoon canola oil
•3 medim cloves garlic, minced
•3 Tablespoons chili powder
•2 teaspoons ground cumin
•3 teaspoons sugar
•1 15-oz can tomato sauce
•1 cup water
•1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
•1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
•1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
•1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
•1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
•12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
•cooking spray
•salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onin mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).

Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

Other than not knowing what a beefsteak tomato is, this turned out great. A little less jalapeno next time for me, but I'm sure Jeremy will love them when he gets home. :)

Quinoa Avocado Salad

This was absolutely amazing. Make this; you won't be sorry! Thank you, Megan Eidson!

Prepare 1 cup quinoa according to package directions. Place in bowl in refriegerator to cool. While it's chilling, cut up your veggies:

2 avocados
2-3 roma tomatoes (or other variety)
1 - 1 1/2 cups of corn (thawed frozen corn works fine)
1/2 large red onion, (I like mine chopped really fine!)

All ingredients for the vinaigrette are to taste, this is kind of a base recipe. but to round out the flavors, all ingredients are somewhat necessary. If you don't like cumin, add only a 1/2 tsp.. etc. taste as you go, and add in ingredients in smaller portions until it appeals to your taste buds!

Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.

1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
Juice from one lime
1 tsp each: cumin and oregano (I used powdered, dry of each of these)
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp of water
red pepper to taste
cilantro to taste
salt to taste

When the quinoa is chilled, add in the veggies. Add in the dressing according to your taste. Warning: if you use as many spices as I did in as little liquid, it's a really potent dressing.. you may not need very much! Stir well.

This recipe is vegan, GF, Casein free, soy free, and can be made corn free too if you leave out the corn.

Totally awesome! Next time, I will add black beans or edamame and call it a meal! I used a tsp of salt in the dressing and a little extra sugar. You know I like it sweet. :)

The Sneaky Chef: Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

Wow! She's back! I have still been experimenting with new recipes but not having the time to post any! I especially love my Sneaky Chef cookbook. Buy it if you can. for me, it's not just that you are sneaking vegetables into your child's (or other adult's!) diet, but you are taking generally popular dishes and making them healthy...for everyone!

The Flour Blend
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. unsweetened wheat germ
Mix well.

Orange Puree
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and rougly chopped
3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
3-4 tbsp. water
Steam or boil carrots and sweet potatoes until very tender. Puree until very smooth.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

Ingredients:

1 c. Flour Blend
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
3/4 Orange Puree
3/4 c. smooth peanut butter
8 heaping tsp. jam*

*Note: jelly does not work as well; it disappears into the muffins.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Flour Blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined, then whisk in oil, Orange Puree, and peanut butter. Fold in dry ingredients and mix until just moistened (don't over mix or batter will be dense.)

Scoop about 2 tbsp. of batter into the muffin cups until half full. Place heaping tsp. of jam in the center. Cover the the jam with another 2 tbsp. of batter, filling cups just over top. Bake for 25 to 30 min, until tops are golden brown. Yields 8 large muffins.

Delish! And so filling! Today was the second time I made this recipe and I made a couple of adjustments that made them more yummy. I added a little individual serving cup of organic cinnamon applesauce and cut back on the oil a bit, so they were more moist. I used a peanut butter/honey combo for half of the peanut butter (made a double recipe this time). As written, these muffins are not very sweet. One of these is enough to fill me up, really. Serve with a glass of cold milk! :)

And...if you are short on time, or don't want to puree veggies, just buy some baby food!

The Sneaky Chef: Bonus Burgers

Even though Noah refused to eat these, I still thought they turned out deliciously! We hardly ever eat hamburgers, so it could just be that this is something unfamiliar, which is a no-no in Noah's world.

Bonus Burgers
Ingredients:
1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree*
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
8 to 10 cheese slices (optional)
8 to 10 whole wheat hamburger buns or English muffins
Garnish with pickles, mustard, ketchup, etc.

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix egg, Purple Puree, ketchup, salt, and bread crumbs. Add meat, mixing with hands until well combined. If too sticky, add a few more bread crumbs. Using damp hands, shape mixture into 8 to 10 patties that are fairly thin. Spray skillet with non-stick spray and set over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the burgers on each side for 3 minutes, then flip to add and melt cheese. Serve with buns and condiments of your choice. You can find whole wheat bread crumbs in natural or organic food stores but can make your own by pulsing whole wheat bread in the food processor. 3 slices yield about 1 cup.

Purple Puree
Ingredients:
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves (or 2 cups frozen chopped spinach or collard greens)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
3-4 tbsp. water

Directions:
Bring spinach or collards and water to a boil in a medium pot. turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. If using frozen blueberries, quickly rinse under cold water to thaw a little, then drain. Fill the bowl of your food processor with blueberries and cooked spinach (or collards), along with lemon juice and 2 tbsp of water, then puree on high until as smooth as possible. stop occasionally to push top contents to bottom. This makes 1 cup of puree.

I will admit that of the 3 "Sneaky" recipes I have made in the last week, Noah has liked none of them. But this could just be because he's been especially resistant to eating anything other than snacks all week in general. Jeremy and I both thought all the recipes tasted well. So I'm not giving up! I used fresh spinach and blueberries for this one and froze the leftovers. Make sure you immediately empty your blender and do not allow the purple puree to rest there! It was a challenge to get the blender clean. I am finding that these recipes are all pretty quick and easy to do, provided that you already have the "make ahead" recipes, such as the purple puree, already made. I would suggest making double or triple recipes all at once, when you have the time to devote to cooking, and freezing the leftovers. That should make for some easy, nutritious dinners. I should also add that the author states that a pureed form of a fruit or vegetable is highly concentrated so the small amount you add to your recipe should pack a punch! Oh, and the 8-10 meat patties made by this recipe are Happy Meal sized burgers, so you may need to double the recipe to fill up your crowd. Adding 2 tbsp. of pureed chickpeas is also suggested. My meat patties fell apart somewhat easily so maybe extra egg and bread crumbs would be helpful. Happy Sneaking!

The Sneaky Chef: Incognito Burritos

My mother-n-law gave me The Sneaky Chef cookbook for Christmas and I finally got a chance to look at it the other day! I decided to give it a shot and made this recipe last night. The burritos were very good and the veggies are practically undetectable. I'll try to post recipes from this book as I make them. Parents can use some help with this stuff!

Incognito Burritos
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canned low-fat refried beans
1/4 cup White Puree (see below)
4 6-inch flour tortillas (whole wheat preferred)
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Directions:
Combine beans and white puree in skillet and mix while heating through on low heat. (Or, combine in bowl and microwave.) Place tortillas between moise paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon about 2 tbsp. of bean mixture onto the bottom 1/3 of each tortilla, top with 1 to 2 tsp. of cheese, and any additonal toppings. Fold the end of the tortilla closest to you over the ingredients and then fold the right side over the ingredients and roll up.

White Puree

Ingredients:
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice 3-4 tablespoons water, if necessary

Directions:
Steam cauliflower in vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water, for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until very tender. Or, place cauliflower in bowl, cover with water, and microwave 8-10 minutes, or until very tender. While waiting on cauliflower to steam, pulse raw zucchini with lemon juice only in food processor or blender. Drain the cooked caulifower and add slowly to the zucchini puree, adding water as necessary. Puree until smooth. Makes about 2 cups. Store leftovers in fridge up to 3 days or freeze in small portions.

I used fat-free organic refried beans and frozen cauliflower and they turned out great. I also added a can of tomatoes but don't recommend that because it made the beans a little runnier than I wanted. Mrs. Lapine is right: they are very similar to Taco Bell's bean and cheese burritos, which I happen to love! Hope somebody finds this useful! Noah will only occasionally eat sweet potatoes, no other veggies. (Except for his babysitter. He has eaten corn, mushrooms, and peas for her.) So I feel compelled to make things where he won't notice that he is eating them.