Baby Shrek Cookies!

This year, as gifts for my 3 year old's preschool teachers, I decided that we would make everything for them (I'm sure they LOVED this ;o) We made two christmas ornaments for each, and then Noah insisted that we needed to make them cookies. He requested gingerbread men, "like from shrek". So, I searched for a good recipe, and made the dough and baked most of the cookies while he was napping. When he woke up, he helped ice and sprinkle MAYBE 4 of the 40 or so cookies, and then was done. Ah, boys. So, I thought the sprinkles were a bit overkill on the sweetness, and I was using white icing. I then asked Noah if I could make some baby Shrek cookies, and dyed the icing green, and proceeded to paint the rest of the ginger bread dudes green. They're small cookies, which is why I'm lovingly calling them Baby Shrek Cookies! They're really yummy!

Spicy Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
  
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter/margarine and sugars until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

Now for the icing...I really liked that you could paint it on, and that it was simple to make!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup (I used honey)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (I used vanilla b/c I didn't care if it wasn't perfectly white)
  
• assorted food coloring

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

Green Eggs, Bacon and Cheesy Berry filled Crepes

Oh, Breakfast for Dinner, how a love you! I'd say every other week I manage to sneak in a dinner of hot breakfast food (no cereal- which we eat almost every morning). This time we had eggs, scrambled with basil pesto (just the store bought kind), thick cut bacon, and whole wheat crepes filled with a berry/cheese/yogurt combo. Here's the recipe for the crepes:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil (I used smart balance oil)
1/4 tsp vanilla (optional)

Directions:

1. Whisk together eggs, milk, water, vanilla (if using) and butter. Gradually add flour and whisk until smooth.
   
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Berry Cheeese Filling (I eyeballed these ingredients, but this is what I used)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and pulse until smooth. Add to crepes after they are turned, and fold up in pan to warm the filling.

I wish there were leftovers of this dinner b/c it was YUMMY! Oh, if anyone's looking for super tasty bacon, my favorite is Smithfield's thick cut. I think it's much better than Oscar Meyer or Tyson. It gets crispier!

Pork Roast with Mustard Caper Sauce, Egg Noodles, Salad and Crusty Whole-grain Flaxseed Rolls

Oh Yum, I'm still drooling from this meal. My mom made this pork after Thanksgiving, and I couldn't wait to make it myself. A friend of ours just got home from Afghanistan, so it seemed like the perfect occasion to make something delish. Thanks mom for sending it to me!

PORK ROAST WITH MUSTARD CAPER SAUCE

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

3 pounds boneless center-cut pork loin

2 cups chicken stock or broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup light cream (I use 1/2 & 1/2)

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup capers

Rub about 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard over the whole pork loin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Place in a shallow roasting pan and roast in a 325 degree oven for about two hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 155 degrees. Remove pan from oven. Transfer roast to a heated platter. (the temperature of the roast will rise at least 5 degrees after it is removed from the oven.) Set aside. Pour chicken stock/broth in the roasting pan to deglaze. Set aside.

To make mustard caper sauce:

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir until mixture just begins to brown. Add the stock from the roasting pan and the light cream and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.

Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of mustard, add pepper to taste and capers. Mix well and remove pan from the heat. The sauce should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Slice pork thinly and serve with hot mustard sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

This makes a TON of sauce, so there will be plenty to pour over whatever side you make- I recommend egg noodles. Rice would also be good. I also served a green salad, and these yummy rolls:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 cup warm 2% reduced-fat milk (100° to 110°)
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed

Preparation

Place 1/3 cup flaxseed in a blender or clean coffee grinder, and process until ground to measure 1/2 cup flaxseed meal; set aside.

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water and warm milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flaxseed meal, whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, salt, and oil to yeast mixture; stir to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 18 equal portions, shaping each portion into a ball (cover remaining dough while working to prevent it from drying). Place balls 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until dough is doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Uncover rolls; cut a 1/4-inch-deep "X" in top of each roll. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white, and brush over rolls. Sprinkle rolls with 2 tablespoons flaxseed. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until rolls are browned on the bottom and sound hollow when tapped. Remove rolls from pan.

Note: These rolls freeze well. To freeze, cool rolls completely and store in a zip-top freezer bag. When ready to use, remove rolls from bag and thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350º. Place rolls on a baking sheet; cover with foil, and bake until heated, about 8 minutes.

Banana Crumb Muffins

I can't believe I haven't posted these yet! I'm getting ready to go to my parents' house tomorrow, and our half rotting, I mean RIPE bananas were glaring at me from the fruit bowl. I've made these many times now, and they're so easy and delicious! Today I skipped the crumb topping to cut out a few calories, but it is YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

I make these in a mini-muffin tin. For this, bake for 10 mins. Also, I just ate one...def better with the crumb topping (DUH!) but they are still good!!

Curried Carrot Soup

I LOVE Indian curry of all kinds, including the classic store bought yellow curry powder that creates the generic curry taste. My mother has always made a fantastic pumpkin soup (I'll post that soon) that is seasoned with yellow curry powder. We have it every year at Thanksgiving. I'm really not sure why I opened my fridge this afternoon, saw my bag of baby carrots, and thought I needed to make a carrot soup. When I lifted them out, I saw a bag of red potatoes (I store them in the fridge to make them keep longer) and realized they needed to be cooked. So, I found a recipe for Curried Carrot Soup (Rachel Ray) and added garlic and 6 cubed white potatoes to the recipe. Here's what I did:

Curried Carrot and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil,
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 1/2 pounds packaged baby carrots
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Coarse salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large dutch oven. Add onions, carrots and potatoes and stir until onions are softened.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Cover and reduce heat to med-low. Continue cookie until carrots are tender (I find that with baby carrots this takes awhile).
4. Use either a submergable blender or a regular blender to blend small batches of the soup until smooth.
5. Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream.

The result: This soup was YUMMY! Pretty spicy, so definitely not for kids- mine had fish sticks, tater tots and strawberries. I will definitely make this again!!

My Kodak/Scentsy FOOD Party

Due to the fact that I have a food blog, I think it's pretty obvious that I enjoy cooking. I know it's not something that everyone looks forward to, but I truly do. The only thing I don't love is the cleanup. Getting to the point, I threw a small party today which was to promote Kodak Gallery and to sell Scentsy products for a friend of mine. But for me, the real fun was cooking (and EATING) the food! So, for a grand total of 7 people, including myself, I made 4 appetizers and 3 desserts. Overkill, yes, but I just couldn't resist, and I have NO regrets. Bear with me here, this is going to be a long blog...

Chicken Enchilada Dip

1 10 oz can chicken breast, drained and broken up with a fork
2 4 oz cans green chiles
2 jalepenos, seeds and pith removed, diced
1 cup mayonaise
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz cheddar, jack or mexican mix cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Bake for 20-30 mins, until just brown on top and bubbly.

Mrs. Johns' Artichoke Dip

1 14 oz can artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1 cup mozzerella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder, or 1 minced clove of garlic

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Bake for 20-30 mins, until just brown on top and bubbly.

Spinach and Ham Pinwheels

Spinach Parmesan Balls

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp olive oil
4 small green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Saute green onions and garlic until just softened.
   
3. In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls.
4. Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Ginger Cookies

Key Lime Bars (from Cooks'Illustrated)

Makes sixteen 2-inch bars. Published July 1, 2006.

If you cannot find fresh Key limes, use regular (Persian) limes. Do not use bottled lime juice. Grate the zest from the limes before juicing them, avoiding the bitter white pith that lies just beneath the outermost skin. The optional coconut garnish adds textural interest and tames the lime flavor for those who find it too intense. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan; you will need a double layer of extra-wide foil for the pan (each sheet about 20 inches in length) and should increase the baking times by a minute or two.

Ingredients

Crust
5	ounces animal crackers
3	tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark)
	Pinch table salt
4	tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
Filling
2	ounces cream cheese , room temperature
1	tablespoon grated lime zest , minced
	Pinch table salt
1	(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1	egg yolk
1/2	cup fresh lime juice , either Key lime or regular
Garnish (optional)
3/4	cup sweetened shredded coconut , toasted until golden and crisp

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut about 12-inch length extra-wide heavy-duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7 1/2-inch width. With folded sides facing down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8-inch-square baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. TO MAKE THE CRUST: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1 1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1-second pulses (if large sugar lumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

3. TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using, and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.)

Raspberry Yogurt Trifle

1 large pound cake or angel food cake, diced into 1 inch cubes
1 32 oz container vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1 10 oz package frozen raspberries

1. Mix yogurt and milk in a large bowl.
2. Make a single layer of cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle dish (may use any old bowl).
3. Then layer 1/2 raspberries and yogurt. Repeat, reserving small amount of raspberries for garnish on top.
4. Let sit at least a couple hours so the yogurt can soak into the cake.

The result: I'm pretty sure every one was happily full at the end of the party! I don't have the patience for truly tedious recipes (which none of these are), so this was a lot of fun for me to prepare. I actually made the spinach balls earlier in the week when I had time, and froze them until this morning. They took 20 mins to cook, from frozen. The only recipe "premiere" on here is the key lime bars, and I will definitely be making them again!

On another, less exciting note...my husband was gone for work this week, and our meals consisted of rotisserie chicken, canned children's pasta, broccoli, grapes, mac n cheese, quesadillas, and other OH SO EXCITING meals :o) I wouldn't say that I ever truly cook to impress, but cooking for a 3 year old and 11 month old is just plain unrewarding...so, I make what they like, and jazz it up a bit for myself.

Shayake N Bayake

And I helped....

In the Army world we move often, and when we do, we often offer to let friends and neighbors invade our pantry. When my neighbors moved a few months ago, one of the items I "inherited" was a box of generic Shake N Bake. So, last night I used it to make chicken tenders. The chicken stayed pretty juicy, and my 3 year old loved it. My 11 month old threw it to the floor after one taste- his trademark rejection. I served it with good old blue box mac n cheese and steamed broccoli with parmesan cheese. I was definitely the only one who enjoyed the broccoli.

As a side note on the broccoli. For awhile I have bought the steamer bags that Ziploc and Glad make, but honestly, they're overpriced. My friend microwaves her veggies in the grocery store's produce bags and swears by it. The past few times I've made broccoli, I've cut it into small florets and put it in a shallow bowl and covered it with a plate. I then microwave it for 2:40. It turns out perfect everytime, and I can't tell the difference from any other steaming method I've tried.

Indian Night

We had another Indian food night, and we definitely established that at least in our town, the Indian food we make at home is as good or better than what we can get in a restaurant. We had marinated, grilled chicken breasts, Saag with tofu, and jasmine rice. One of these days I'll buy basamati rice, which would be more appropriate. For the chicken breasts, I used a spice mix that we bought at the local Indian Festival this year (they are FANTASTIC!), and mixed it with plain yogurt, green chiles and about a tbsp of olive oil. The saag I made using the recipe from my previous post. I had previously used dry mustard in the recipe b/c I needed a substitute for tumeric, but this time I actually had tumeric. I didn't think it changed the taste much, but the color was slightly different. I browned the tofu lightly prior to adding it to the saag, which I did just prior to serving. I loved the addition!

Squashy Casserole

I saw some pretty winter squash at the commissary last week, and for some reason felt compelled to buy them. On halloween I felt I needed to bake them- but the craziness of the day caught up with me quickly, and although I baked them, I didn't serve them for dinner. So, I scraped them out, and they sat in my fridge until today. My husband won't be home for dinner, and while he's gone, I often like to experiment with things that I wouldn't necessarily serve on a "normal" night. Tonight we'll be having a winter squash casserole and steamed asparagus (b/c it needs to be eaten). I know my kids are going to be bouncing off the walls with excitement. I modified a recipe off of allrecipes, and this is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

2 small winter squash, cooked and mashed
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 c evaporated milk
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c melted butter

Topping:
3 graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c pecans
1 tbsp melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish.
Bake 30 mins. Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake an additional 10 mins, or until casserole is firm.

The results: Actually, the squash casserole was REALLY good! The main variance I made from the original recipe was cutting the sugar by more than 1/2, using evaporated milk, and the topping. My 11 month old really loved it, and my 3 year old ate a few bites. The addition to the meal that I didn't mention above was BACON. Who doesn't love bacon, right? I think it should be an official food group. So, the next time I feel "compelled" to buy another winter squash, this is how I'll be preparing it.

Lasagna Turned Spaghetti

I've made several different lasagna recipes over the past few years. I'm not sure why, b/c I 've always loved my mother's lasagna, and I've had the recipe. I guess I just need to have my own lasagna adventure. I think I wanted to find a good lasagna recipe that was EASY, but in reality, this doesn't exist. GOOD lasagna takes at least a little bit of work. So, a couple weeks ago I made my mom's lasagna for the first time in a while, and I don't think I'll be making anything else from now on. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1- 28 oz can diced or whole tomatoes (I prefer diced)
1- 12 oz can tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder, or one clove, minced
1 bay leaf
~14 lasagna noodles (a couple extra in case they break)
2 eggs
15 or 16 oz ricotta cheese
16 oz mozzarella cheese, diced or shredded

Directions:
About 2 1/2 hours prior to serving:
In a 5 quart dutch oven over med-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until all pan juices evaporate and beef is well browned, stirring frequently.
Add tomatoes and their liquid and next 8 ingredients, and heat to boiling, stirring to break up tomatoes.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer meat sauce 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf and skim any fat off of the sauce.
Prepare lasagna noodles as directed on box and drain. (Or do what I do and buy the "no boil" ones, they work great!)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a 13x9" baking dish, arrange 1/3 of the noodles. Combine eggs and ricotta cheese and spoon 1/3 of it over noodles. Top with 1/3 of sauce and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat these steps two more times.
Bake lasagna 45 mins or until heated through. Remove from oven and let stand 10 mins prior to serving.


After I made the lasagna, I had a little bit of the meat sauce left over, and as I was eating it, I was thinking it would be a great spaghetti sauce. So, I made it as a marinara sauce by taking out the meat (duh), using a 28 oz can of tomato sauce instead of whole or diced tomatoes and adding a 1/2 cup of water. I let it simmer about 6 hours, and served it over spaghetti with the meatballs from my previous post. I also made bread from scratch for the first time, and here is the recipe for that:

Kalamata Olive and Garlic Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
• 3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup seedless Kalamata olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal

1. In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. To proof yeast, stir in yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes in a warm place.
2. Preheat oven to 105 degree F (40 degrees C). Warm an oven-safe bowl in the oven.
3. Place flour in bowl of food processor. Add salt and pulse for a few seconds.
4. Start food processor. Pour proofed yeast into flour through hole. Immediately add the additional 3/4 cup warm water, then the olive oil. Process for about 1 minute or until dough ball cleans the sides of the processor bowl. If dough is too wet add a little flour through the top while processing, or if too dry, add a little more water.
5. Turn off food processor. Remove lid and transfer dough to the heated bowl. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap.
6. Let rise for 1/2 hour in a warm place.
7. In a small bowl, combine minced garlic and chopped olives. Set aside.
8. Once dough has risen transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Make an indentation in the dough and place olive mixture inside. Knead dough 10 times. Bulk of mixture should remain in middle of dough. Form dough into a log or round loaf shape.
9. Sprinkle cornmeal onto greased baking sheet and place loaf on top. Turn oven to 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) for 2 minutes and then turn off.
10. Let dough rise in warm oven for 1/2 hour, or until light and puffy. Remove loaf and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
11. Bake bread at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

I've made the bread twice now, and it really is fantastic, and EASY, although it does take time with all the rising and whatnot!

On another note, I had a 3 pound pack of ground beef for the balls, and we had dinner guests cancel as I was making them. So, I froze 2/3's of them, which I'm excited about b/c it will make for an easy dinner down the road!

Mango and Avocado Salad

I've had the window for this recipe open on my computer for at least a week now, b/c that's how long ago I made it! But I left it open b/c I didn't want to forget to share it- it's fantastic! I found it on Whole Foods' website.

Ingredients

2 ripe but firm avocados, halved, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
2 ripe but firm mangos, peeled and cubed
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

Method

Gently toss avocado with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice in a medium bowl. Add mango, jalapeño and salt and gently toss to combine. Set aside.

Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, zest, sugar and cilantro in a large bowl. Whisk in oil until thoroughly combined to make a thick vinaigrette then season with salt and pepper. Add black beans and avocado mixture and toss gently.
Add black beans and avocado mixture and toss gently. Spoon salad onto plates, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Sorry there's no pic of this one...I'm guessing my 10 month old was hollering at me to hurry up and feed him!

Zucchini, the underrated vegetable....

I seriously love zucchini, but it is tricky to cook, without it being soggy and unappealing. I've found a few recipes lately that I really love (also check out the zucchini crab cakes I posted!). The first one is from Cooks' Illustrated, and I think I made it twice in a week, after I "discovered" it. The best part is that it's SO simple.

(annoyed that this is sideways? So am I...can't figure out how to rotate it on here...)

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 6. Published July 1, 1995.

Grilled zucchini can also be marinated in a vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar. Feel free to use any fresh herb on hand in the dressing. Grilled zucchini can be served right from the grill as a simple side dish with grilled meats, poultry, or fish.

Ingredients

6	medium zucchini (about 2 pounds), rinsed, trimmed, and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks (see illustration below)
1/4	cup olive oil
	ground black pepper
2	tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2	ripe tomatoes , large, cored, and cut into thin wedges
2	tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Heat grill. Lay zucchini on large baking sheet and brush both sides with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

2. When grill rack is hot, use stiff wire brush to scrape surface clean. Grill zucchini until dark grill marks are visible on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until other side is marked, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and cool briefly.

3. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil with balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss tomatoes and basil with dressing in large bowl.
   

4. Cut grilled zucchini into 1-inch pieces. Toss with tomatoes and dressing. Adjust seasonings and serve. (Can be covered and set aside at room temperature for up to 3 hours at this point.)

I love making dishes like this in the summer/fall b/c I have fresh herbs and tomatoes growing, which makes it easier to whip something like this together. I served it with grilled chicken breasts and curried red potatoes (more on that another time).

The next recipe is also from Cooks' Illustrated.

Sauteed Zucchini with Walnuts and Herbs

Serves 4. Published July 1, 1995.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices. Quarter-inch slices are the perfect thickness. Thinner slices fall apart during cooking; thicker slices require a longer salting time. If you want to use more intense herbs such as oregano, thyme, or rosemary, halve the amount of herbs indicated in the recipe. If you do not have kosher salt on hand, use a teaspoon or so of regular table salt.

Ingredients

4	medium zucchini (about 1 1/3 pounds), rinsed, trimmed, and sliced crosswise into rounds about 1/4-inch thick (see illustration below)
	kosher salt
3	tablespoons olive oil
1	small onion or 2 large shallots, minced
2	tablespoons minced fresh herb
2	tablespoons toasted, chopped walnuts
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place zucchini slices in colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Set colander over bowl until about 1/3 cup water drains from zucchini, about 30 minutes. Rinse and thoroughly dry zucchini.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions or shallots; sauté until almost softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add zucchini and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in walnuts and herbs, and season with pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

I used fresh parsley (again, love that it's in my back yard) for the herb portion of this recipe. These were seriously tasty. I had never salted my zucchini before, and I really do think it helped with the soggy aspect. I'll definitely be making these again. Sorry, I didn't take a pic, the kids were about to implode!

Tonight I'm using the spare zucchini from last night (I had an extra), left over meatloaf, and making a fritatta/oven omlette. We'll see how it turns out! I'm getting to use my cast iron skillet again! :o)

German Apple Pancake

I know it's been too long since I blogged on here when I have to look back at my pics to see what I cooked...and then SEARCH for the recipe. I don't remember what I served this with!! I was super excited to get to cook with my cast iron pan, which I've only used when we went camping (once). The recipe is from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large tart apple - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, blend eggs, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Gradually mix in milk, stirring constantly. Add vanilla, melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Let batter stand for 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. Melt butter in a 10 inch oven proof skillet, brushing butter up on the sides of the pan. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over the butter. Line the pan with apple slices. Sprinkle remaining sugar over apples. Place pan over medium-high heat until the mixture bubbles, then gently pour the batter mixture over the apples.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for 10 minutes. Slide pancake onto serving platter and cut into wedges.

So, I'm not really sure what I expected this to taste like, but I was pleasantly surprised. That said, I don't think I'll be making it for guests, unless they've had it before, and liked it. It tasted like an apple custard...reminded me of the Jello "American" custard that you can buy in the little box. My mom used to make it and sprinkle it with nutmeg, so it was kind of nostalgic. I loved how it puffed up in the pan!

Sloppy Joe, Slop Slop E JOE!

I don't think I've ever actually made sloppy joe's in my adult life, but we had them often enough growing up. This was a "should've gone to the store but didn't" dinner, so it pretty much all came out of the pantry. I used ground chicken instead of beef, and we had mac and cheese and sliced apples on the side. It was all gourmet in our house on this night! I used Manwich for the sauce.

Tortellini with Chicken homemade Marinara Sauce

So...there's really not much to tell here! I used the whole wheat cheese filled Burtolli tortellini (a staple in my fridge for a quick meal), and topped it with my homemade marinara sauce. For the chicken, I had three large breasts. So, I double dipped them, first in egg, then in flour, egg again, and then italian bread crumbs. I then sorta-fried them in about 2 tbsp of olive oil. I only say sorta fried b/c I figure using that little oil that it shouldn't have the fat implied description of fried. I then thin sliced the chicken, and placed it on top of the tortellini and sauce. It was a really tasty meal- I think I served it with a salad- but it was last week, so who knows?!?!

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

I'm sure some of you avid readers (haha) have noticed that I love pasta dishes. I know it's not the healthiest for all those low carb "lovers" out there, but I just can't resist a dish that makes a whole meal. I did serve this one with a salad, I believe. I'm so far behind on here that I'm just looking back at pics from a couple weeks ago, and reminded that I made this. The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.

Serves 4. Published November 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Marinate the shrimp while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Ingredients

5	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons), plus 4 medium cloves, smashed
1	pound large shrimp (21-25), peeled, deveined, each shrimp cut into 3 pieces
3	tablespoons olive oil
	Table salt
1	pound pasta in short, tubular shapes, such as fusilli, campanelle, or mezze rigatoni
1/4-1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
2	teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2	cup dry vermouth or white wine
3/4	cup clam juice
1/2	cup chopped fresh parsley
3	tablespoons unsalted butter
1	teaspoon lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toss 2 teaspoons minced garlic, shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature 20 minutes.

2. Heat 4 smashed garlic cloves and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to remove garlic from skillet; discard garlic. Set skillet aside.

3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and transfer pasta back to Dutch oven.

4. While pasta cooks, return skillet with oil to medium heat; add shrimp with marinade to skillet in single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to bubble gently, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to medium bowl. Add remaining 3 teaspoons minced garlic and pepper flakes to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute; stir in vermouth and cook for 1 minute. Add clam juice and parsley; cook until mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice. Add shrimp and sauce to pasta, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Season with black pepper. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

I didn't have any clam juice, so I substituted chicken broth, and it seemed to work well. I do think the sauce would have been more flavorful with clam juice. My husband and I really enjoyed this, and to my surprise, so did my 3 year old!

More meals/recipes to come....maybe later tonight!

Seared Scallops with Cilantro Pesto

I'm so behind on here...we've been out of town a lot in the past month, and although I try to get on here to blog what I'm cooking, it doesn't always happen. Here's a recipe I made last week, and it was delish. I used fresh cilantro from our garden, and served it over spaghetti. My scallops were small, so even though I patted them dry, they didn't really get a sear to them. The pesto just made the dish! This recipe is from cooksillustrated.com

Serves 4. Published March 1, 1996.

This recipe was developed for a standard sea scallop, about the size of a short, squat marshmallow. If using smaller scallops, turn off the heat as soon as you turn them; they will finish cooking from the residual heat, fifteen to thirty seconds longer. For very large scallops, turn the heat to low once they have browned and continue cooking for one minute. Turn the scallops, raise the heat to medium, and cook them at least two minutes on the second side. If made ahead, the pesto separates slightly but the flavor doesn’t suffer. If grilling or broiling scallops, Chef Ed Brown, who developed this recipe, recommends brushing this pesto directly onto the scallops before cooking.

Ingredients

Pesto
1	cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1	tablespoon pine nuts
1	medium clove garlic , chopped coarse
1/2	teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 small lemon
1/4	teaspoon table salt
1/8	teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4	cup olive oil
Scallops
1 1/2	pounds sea scallops , about 30 to a pound, small side muscles removed (see illustration below)
1 1/2	tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Pulse cilantro, pine nuts, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper in bowl of food processor until minced. With motor running, gradually add oil. Process until smooth; set aside.

2. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat large (11-inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add half the oil; swirl to coat bottom. Continue to heat pan until butter begins to turn golden brown. Add half the scallops, one at a time, flat side down; cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent fat from burning, until scallops are well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn scallops, one at a time; cook until medium-rare (sides firmed up and all but middle third of scallop opaque), 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes longer, depending on size. Repeat cooking process using remaining half of oil and scallops. Divide scallops among four plates. Drizzle portion of pesto over each plate of scallops. Serve immediately

BBQ Grilled Chicken, Grilled Asparagus and Couscous

So, this is not a dinner that I would brag about, but I did say that I was going to try to blog about ALL of my dinners, not just the good ones. Here's what I did....

Chicken: I had 3 medium sized chicken breasts that I filleted in two, making them thin sliced. I then put them in a large ziploc bag and added some Honey Mustard Dinosaur BBQ sauce that I had in my pantry (thanks Arlene!!) to them and let them sit in the fridge for a couple hours. My hubby grilled them on our grill. I think having them thin sliced, and marinating helps b/c they don't sit on the grill as long and get dried out. It takes some of the guess work out of using larger chicken breasts.

Aparagus: I the good old ziploc steamer bag for about 15 seconds less than the instructions on the side directed, and then Dan gave them a sear on the grill. I sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder prior to steaming.

Couscous: My mother in law gave me some tomato couscous awhile back that is AWESOME, but it didn't come with directions. So...I'm pretty sure I've made it different each time. This time I sauteed 1/2 an onion and a clove of garlic, and then added 3 cups of vegetable broth (used Better than Bouillion) and brought it to a boil. When the broth was boiling, I added 2 cups of couscous, turned off the heat, and let it sit for 5 mins. Fluff with a fork and serve. 2 cups of dry couscous yields A LOT of couscous, so I'd suggest making half of this. I only made so much b/c my husband loves couscous.

So...apparently the consequence of me blogging about the boring meals means me blabbering on about them. I was happy b/c both of my kids ate all of the food. I think my 9 month old will eat just about anything I put on his tray. He chewed that chicken like a champ with his two teeth and gums!

Crabapple Jam

I posted awhile ago about my "discovery" of canning. So, I'm at it again! Anyone who's been in my back yard has probably noticed that I have a big crab apple tree. I'd love to have it removed b/c it's not very pretty and it drops apples all over the yard, but we live in military housing, so that's not even an option. So...this year I decided to put the apples to use by making some jam. I even got my 3 year old involved helping me pick and wash them. I made 5 jars using the recipe below, and then I added 3 diced jalapenos that I had boiled in a small amount of water prior to adding them.

Ingredients:

• 5 QUARTS CRAB APPLES, REDUCED TO 7 CUPS PULP
• 2 CUPS WATER
• ¼ CUP LEMON JUICE
• 1 CUP APPLE JUICE
• ½ CUP WATER
• 1 PKG. PECTIN
• 1 1/3 CUPS HONEY

Directions:

1. Cook crabapples in 2 cups water until they begin to pop (about 20 minutes).
2. Press the cooked crabapples through a sieve or food mill.
3. In a large saucepanb or kettle, combine pulp, lemon juice, apple juice and water.
4. Slowly add pectin.
5. Stir until dissolved.
6. Add honey.
7. Bring to a rolling boil; boil 1 minute, remove from heat.
8. Pour into sterilized jars, seal, and process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

So...the jam with the jalapenos is pretty spicy, and I haven't tried the plain jam yet. I'm planning to use the jalapeno jam over cream cheese for a tasty appetizer. I'm just psyched that I did something with those darn apples...and I also grew the jalapenos, so it's all from my back yard!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I watched my friend Julie make homemade chicken noodle soup a few months ago, and immediately started trying to recreate it- homemade noodles and all....here's my basic recipe, although I strayed a bit from it yesterday...

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped onion
2 tsp garlic powder
2 chicken builion cubes
egg noodles
salt and pepper, to taste

Boil the chicken, whole, in enough water to cover it, with garlic powder and boullion added. It's done when it starts to fall apart. Remove the chicken from the water and pull the meat off the bones (it should be falling off) and discard the bones. If you have more time, you can return the bones to the stock to add flavor. If you have time- cool the stock and skim the fat.

In a separate pot, saute veggies, until tender. Add them, and the chicken back to the broth. Simmer as long as you have time. Return to a boil, add egg noodles and cook until al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. You may also add some evaporated milk at the end to make it a bit creamier (use skim).

Here's what I did last night...I didn't have a whole chicken, so I used 2 large chicken breasts instead. I sauted onions, carrots and garlic (no celery this time) and then added 5 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. I used 3 c chicken broth, and 2 c veggie broth. The most important part of this soup is using home made egg noodles....here's the recipe for them, from allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the beaten egg, milk, and butter. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes.
2. On a floured surface, roll out to 1/8 or 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired lengths and shapes.
3. Allow to air dry before cooking.
4. To cook fresh pasta, in a large pot with boiling salted water cook until al dente.

I half the noodle recipe for this soup, but you can make the full recipe and freeze half of the noodles to use later, which I have also done. I recommend rolling out the dough, and then rolling it up into a log, slicing it into 1/2 inch strips, rolling them out, and then cutting them into 1 inch noodles. It's VERY easy. I have never let the dough rest, and never had a problem.

The result...regardless of how I make it, this soup is always soooo good! I usually had sriracha sauce to my bowl, and so does my husband. Even my 9 month old and 3 year old enjoyed it! I think that making it with chicken breasts makes it soooo much easier, but I do like having some dark meat in the soup- maybe next time I'll buy some boneless/skinless thighs to use with the breasts!

Steak and Stuff

I've been out of town for the past week, so don't fear that we haven't been eating! I often buy a couple steaks when I go to the commissary, and make them that night. Last night was one of those nights. Dan grilled the steaks, and made a chimichurri sauce to go with them. For this he uses fresh parsley, cilantro and garlic, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. He salt and peppers the steaks before he grills them. This meal was SUPER gourmet, so I served it with SPIRAL Kraft Mac and Cheese, and steamed broccoli (I use the steamer bags with garlic powder on it and then add EVOO and salt and pepper). Tonight I'm making homemade chicken noodle soup....I'll blog on that later- it should be yummy!!

Zucchini Crab Cakes and Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

We have family visiting this weekend, so I am happy to be able to cook a few big meals while they are here. The zucchini crab cake recipe is from allrecipes.com, and I have made them before- I bake them, instead of frying them, and will adjust the recipe to reflect this. The beef recipe is from foodnetwork.com. We visited friends in Atlanta 2 weeks ago, and Tony made this for us.

Zucchini Crab Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

I swear sometimes I'm recipe retarded. I was just looking at the recipe, and I definitely didn't follow it, but here's what I did.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a baking pan or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together (the original recipe says to put the flour on the outside, but I missed this, and both times I made them, mixed it in). Shape into patties with your hands, and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake 15 mins, turn patties, and bake another 15 mins. If they do not seem browned, turn on the broiler for 3-4 mins at the end.

I also made a remoulade-ish sauce to go with these. I didn't measure the ingredients, but here's what I put in it: mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, sweet relish, ciracha hot sauce, and lime juice. It's super tasty!

And now for the super tasty beef!!!

Beef Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds skirt, flank or sirloin tip steak, cut into thin wide strips against the grain
• 1 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon toasted chopped peanuts

Directions:

Place the beef strips in a medium-sized bowl and pour the teriyaki sauce over them. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger, 1 tablespoon garlic and the salt to the bowl and stir to combine. Marinate, refrigerated, while you make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ginger, peanut butter and coconut milk in a small bowl and whisk together. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic to the bowl and whisk to combine. Place the sauce in a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro and chopped peanuts. Remove the beef strips from the refrigerator and use skewers to thread the meat. Have your guests grill the satays themselves over the grill, about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side for medium-rare. Serve, with the dipping sauce on the side.


Dan made a fennel salad that had mixed greens, almonds, oranges and a honey lemon vinaigrette, which was awesome!

The result: One word...YUM!! Such a good description, right?? I think next time I'll bake the zucchini cakes for a little bit longer to dry them out some. I know that I will make both of these recipes again and again.

Old People Fruit Salad

So, one of the few people who I know reads this blog is my sister in law Jen...which explains why she sends me recipes, and I make them! However, I've had the impression that she thinks I spend my days slaving over the stove creating these "gourmet" meals. Some days, I do, and I truly enjoy doing it...other days I'd rather eat out, or we scrounge together a meal out of the freezer and pantry. In an effort to prove this fact, I'm now going to try to blog about ALL my dinners- regardless of their tastiness! I make no promises. Yesterday was one of the scrounging days. I hadn't been to the commissary in a week and a half, so the fridge was pretty bare. We had Bubba Burgers (frozen), Lipton parmesan noodles and "Old People Fruit Salad." To give Dan credit, he did jazz up the burgers. Each one had a different seasoning-cajun, middle eastern and italian. They were pretty tasty! The noodles were stuck to the bottom of the pan. How for the fruit salad...

As a teenager, I worked in the kitchen at an assisted living facility. One of the "desserts" they served was sliced bananas with orange juice poured over them. I remember thinking it was pretty bizarre, but then I tried it, and it was tasty- the flavors complimented each other so well! These days, when I make this, I add whatever fruit I have available. Last night it was bananas (always include these), cherries (sliced) and grapes (sliced). You mix all these together, and then pour about a cup of orange juice over them. Let it sit in the fridge for about an hour...this isn't necessary, but I think makes it tastier! Scoop it out with a big spoon (serving the juice with it) and enjoy! You could even eat it with your dentures out, I suppose :oP

EASY Chicken Pot Pie

I have my friend Lindsay to thank for this recipe. She never actually made it for me, but I watched her make it about 4 years ago, and have made it many times since. You can make it with two pie crusts, or one. This time I just had one. I use the Pillsbury ones that you roll out (they come in a red box). Since I just had one, I didn't make it in a pie pan this time, I just used a cookie cutter to cut out circles for the top crust, and did not use a bottom crust.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 pie crusts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 15 oz can mixed vegetables (I use Veg-all)
1 12.5 oz can chicken
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Line pie pan with one pie crust, if desired.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon ingredients into bottom crust, or round casserole, if not using a bottom crust. Top with other crust, or cut crust into shapes for top.
3. Bake, uncovered for 40 mins, or until crust is well browned.

The result: you seriously can't mess this one up. My 3 year old AND my 8 month old both enjoyed it! My husband and I both added a little hot sauce to spice it up.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I'm not Italian, but I do think I make a pretty good marinara sauce! This is my first time making meatballs like this- it's a modified version of a recipe from cooksillustrated.com.

Sauce:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
2 15 ounce cans unseasoned tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large sweet onion, minced
handful of fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt, if desired/needed

Directions:

In a large sauce pan, or dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add onions and saute until just soft. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper. Heat on medium heat about 10 mins. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least an hour, but the longer it simmer, the more the flavors meld and the better it tastes!

Meatballs

Ingredients:

1/2	cup breadcrumbs (I used italian seasoned)
1/2	cup sour cream (can't get this thing to stop underlining!)
1/4	cup fresh parsley leaves , chopped
2	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1	large egg yolk
1/2	teaspoon table salt (I did not add salt b/c I used the seasoned bread crumbs)
1/4	teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1	pound ground beef
1	ounce parmesan or Romano cheese , grated (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Shape into 12-16 balls, per your size preference. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 mins.


About 20 mins before you want to eat, add the meatballs to the sauce, and increase heat to med/low. Continue cooking til meatballs are cooked through.

The result: YUMMY! These were quite possibly the best meatballs I've ever had! I decided to use sour cream b/c the recipe called for buttermilk, and I didn't have any. I used light sour cream. They were so moist and delish. The sauce was tasty, as usual. Next, I think I want to try making my own pasta, to complete the "home made" dish.

Carrot Ginger Cookies??!!

When I first started this blog, I posted Ginger Cookies to Gobble Up. Today I made them, with a twist. I substituted 1/4 cup of baby food carrots for 1/4 cup of butter. I also used Smart Balance for baking, instead of regular butter. Other than that I followed the recipe (no splenda or whole wheat flour this time). The cookies turned out really tasty! I would never have guessed they had veggies in them. I think next time I make these I'm going to go back to regular butter, with whole wheat flour and splenda blend. I miss the gooeyness of cookies made with butter!

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

I love that my sister in law, Jen, keeps sending me more recipes! This one she said she hasn't mad yet, but she found it in People magazine....I had no clue that People had recipes, but here goes...

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

Ingredients:

0ne 3 and a half pound chicken (or precut chicken), 8 pieces
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3/4 tsp. pepper
Salt
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Rinse the chicken and pat dry; place in a large
bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayo, garlic, lime zest
and juice and pepper. Season the chicken generously with salt. Pour the
mustard and mayo mixture over the chicken, tossing well to coat.

2. In a large baking pan, arrange chicken to fit in a single layer. Bake until
it is cooked through; breasts will take about 30 minutes, legs will need 5
to 10 minutes more.

3. Serve the chicken with the pan juices drizzled over the top and garnish w/
chopped parsley. If desired, sprinkle a little more lime zest on chicken as
garnish.

The result: This one is definitely a keeper! I used chicken breasts that I cut into tenderloins, b/c it was what I had. I forgot about the parsley, so I didn't use that (even though I have it growing fresh in my back yard!). I served it over rice, with corn on the cob. I will definitely be making this again, without any changes!

Chicken Piccata and Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

I'm running a little behind on here! I made this last week! The recipes are off of cooksillustrated.com.

Lighter Chicken Piccata

Serves 4.

One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of eight cutlets for serve four people. We prefer the flavor of whole milk in the sauce; however, 2 percent milk or half-and-half will also work. Do not use 1 percent or skim milk. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

Cutlets
1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4	boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat, tenderloins removed, and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
	Table salt and ground black pepper
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
Piccata Sauce
1	medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
	Salt
2	medium garlic cloves , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2	lemon , ends trimmed, sliced thin
2	tablespoons whole milk
1	teaspoon cornstarch
2	tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2	tablespoons capers , rinsed and patted dry
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. For the cutlets: Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off the excess; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets over and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.

3. For the sauce: Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and lemon slices (I DO NOT RECOMMEND ADDING THE LEMON SLICES!!!), scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture measures 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, capers, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

Serves 6.

We like the sweet flavor and pliable texture of oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes. Rinse them well to remove any excess oil. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

1/4	cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and minced
2	tablespoons minced red onion
3	tablespoons red wine vinegar
	Salt
8	ounces penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
2	cups arugula (lightly packed)
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
2	tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2	teaspoons Dijon mustard
1	small garlic clove , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/8	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	ounce grated provolone cheese (about 1/3 cup)
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain the pasta well and transfer it to the bowl with the vegetables. Add the arugula and parsley; toss to combine.

2. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the oil, mustard, garlic, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl, then toss with pasta and vegetables until combined. Stir in the provolone and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The result: The chicken picatta was SOOO bitter from the lemons being cooked with the sauce. When I make this again- I will b/c it had so much potential, I will NOT cook the lemon slices in the sauce. Definitely the first recipe I've found on cooks illustrated that needs to be changed. The pasta salad was really light and tasty. I will definitely make this again, and not make any changes to it! Don't be afraid to add the pepper flakes- they added zing and flavor, but not too much heat.