Dab of this...Pinch of that...

Quinoa Fried Rice

2012-01-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a great way to clean out your veggie drawer, or use up frozen veggies. I use green beans, peas and carrots and onion. Yum!!! Get creative with it.

Photo By:
www.peasandcrayons.com

1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water

2-4 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp garlic powder [oh yes, I love my garlic! adjust to taste <3]
1 cup of frozen or fresh veggies such as peas, carrots, and onion
1-2 large eggs, optional
oil, butter, or earth balance for sauteeing [I typically reach for the butter]
S+P to taste

First cook your quinoa. If you've never made quinoa, there are some great instructions here, where I found this recipe in the first place!

If, however, you are a quinoa pro, cook away--rinse and drain the quinoa, toast it, and add water and, if you want, some bouillon or a dash of salt. While its cooking, prep your veggies! Any combo of veggies, frozen or fresh will work. Saute fresh veggies in a frying pan until tender. You'll saute your garlic too but add it towards the very end to prevent burning. Add any frozen veggies with the garlic. Push the veggies to one side of the hot pan and crack your eggs on the other side and scramble. If your using a non-stick pan, you might want to add a teeny bit of butter or oil to the pan before cracking the eggs. Let cook a bit before scrambling.

When the quinoa is done, add a sprinkle of garlic powder, fluff, and toss quinoa into the pan with the veggies and egg. Next add your soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pan fry for a few minutes. Serve hot and garnish with parsley and sweet chili sauce if you'd like.

Barley, Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup

2012-01-31T08:28:00.002-07:00

This is a really healthy (and cheap) soup. I actually got the recipe from a book of baby food recipes, and just tweaked it to feed our whole family. Shaun and I had never made split peas or pearl barley in anything, and were pleasantly surprised by how tasty they were in this filling veggie soup. However, it was not a photogenic soup. Healthy and yummy, but not the prettiest sight. So I opted out of taking a picture of the final product.

2 tsp olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ onion, diced
4-5 cups beef broth
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 sweet potato, diced and peeled
1 potato, diced and peeled
½ cup dried split peas, rinsed
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and barley and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add sweet potato, potato and lentils. Simmer until barley, potato and lentils are very tender, about 25 more minutes. Add more broth if needed. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Heat and serve.

Also, this makes a great meal for Baby too! Just puree it up and make sure it's cool enough. Yum!

Sprinkledoodles

2012-01-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Dash of salt
Rainbow Sprinkles

Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add powder and salt. Beat well. Add flour and mix well. Shape into balls and roll in sprinkles. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.

Fluffy Coconut Muffins

2012-01-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

I made these on a whim the other night when we had company drop by, and was amazed by the results! They are seriously incredible. The coconut extract and coconut are both a must. These "muffins" might be better dubbed cupcakes--they're fluffy and light and heavenly.

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons coconut extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, stirring just until moistened. Fold in coconut and pecans.

Pour into muffin pan with parchment cupcake liners. Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 3 dozen muffins

Recipe revised from this recipe

Baked Donuts

2012-01-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

For the Dough
3/4 cups Warm Milk (I used skim)
1 packet Active Dry Yeast
1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 ½ cup Flour (I used bread flour)
Pinch of Nutmeg (I used a big huge pinch)
½ tsp. Salt

For the Glaze
* Enough to glaze all the doughnuts
¼ cup Milk
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups Confectioners Sugar
Sprinkles (optional, but come on...they just make them look so pretty!)

To make the dough, place ¼ cups of the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup of milk with the sugar and butter. Add it to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Add the flour, nutmeg, and salt and stir until the dough starts to form. Change to the dough hook and knead for until the dough starts to become smooth. If the dough is too sticky, slowly add more flour until it is no longer sticky.

Transfer to the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic and has formed a ball. Place the dough ball in a large lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until ½ thick. Using a doughnut cutter (if you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can use circular cookie cutters or glasses – 1 that is about 3 inches, and the other that is about 2 inches for the inner circle) cut out the doughnuts until you have no dough left. If desired you can gather up the scraps into a ball and roll it out and cut out more doughnuts.

Place the doughnuts on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Cover with a clean towel and let sit for about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven 375 degrees F.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Be careful to not overbake these. You want them to be light and doughy inside. Let the doughnuts cool for about 5 minutes until ready to top with glaze.

While the doughnuts are cooling make the glaze. To make the glaze, combine the milk and the vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until just warmed. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove the glaze from the heat and place over a bowl of warm water.

To glaze the doughnuts, dip them halfway into the glaze and place on a draining/cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Let set for about 10 minutes or until glaze hardens.

Source: www.krissys-creations.com

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

2012-01-20T20:54:00.001-07:00

I found this yummy recipe here. We had these on Christmas Day for dinner for tacos, and loved them.

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup beef stock
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (optional--we couldn't find this, and it was tasty without too!)
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Flour tortillas
Favorite taco toppings (guacamole, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, rice, beans, cilantro, lime juice, lettuce, tomato....mmm!)

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.

Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot (it will shimmer a bit in the skillet), place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side.

Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Leave the pan on the heat, and add in the beef stock to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. (You can also strain out the onions if you like and mix them into the meat)

Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings, and enjoy!

Avocado Alfredo

2012-01-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

Photo Source: http://minyungee.wordpress.com

I found this interesting pasta sauce recipe here, and tried it on Shaun the other night. Sadly, my proportions were off the first time--I did a bit too much lemon--but it was still delicious. It's pretty forgiving and easy to adjust to your personal preferences. And it's like a cross between pesto and guacamole--two of my favorite things ever! And it's really quick, easy and fresh. Win win win!

First chop up 4 cloves of garlic. Then zest and juice a lemon and add the juice to the garlic. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and blend these first 3 ingredients until smooth and blended. Then add 2 avocados (peeled and pitted...obviously =). Also add a few chopped basil leaves and a dash of sea salt. Then blend everything together.

Cook noodles (I like linguine) in boiling water and rinse and drain them, and top this yummy sauce over the noodles. Garnish with zest and black pepper. Serve with grilled chicken. Mmmm!

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2012-01-08T20:53:00.001-07:00

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup half and half (or evaporated milk)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half and half until well combined. Add in dry ingredients and whisk until no streaks of flour remain and batter is smooth.
Fill each muffin cup with approximately 1/3 cup of batter.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan. They will sink as they cool. (Although mine didn't sink much...)

Chill cupcakes before serving. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Makes 12

Source

Texas Sheet Cake II

2012-01-02T21:03:00.001-07:00

Photo by and Source:
nancycreative.com/2011/03/02/the-best-texas-chocolate-sheet-cake/

I know, I made a Texas Sheet Cake a few months ago, and raved that it was the best, but then I tried this one, since we didn't have sour cream, and it is also the best. And it works great baking on my cookie pan, which is fabulous. Try this cake, and you will thank me, and the people who posted the recipe for me to find, and yourself for making it despite using over a pound of butter and sugar and such. It's amazing. And just remembering the frosting makes me drool. Yeah, you need to make this.

CAKE:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 cup boiling water
½ cup buttermilk (Or use this tip to make a buttermilk substitute: Place 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough regular milk to bring the liquid up to the 1/2 cup line. Let stand for 5 minutes, then use in the recipe.)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING:

1 3/4 stick butter
4 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
6 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 cup) powdered sugar

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
Melt butter in a saucepan and add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into well greased cookie pan (13x18") and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the nuts, stir together, and pour over warm cake. (NOTE: if you follow these directions, you’ll notice your frosting is still a little lumpy. To make her frosting really nice and smooth, Jane simply cooked the frosting several minutes longer over low heat, stirring until the mixture was smooth; she also omitted the nuts. You could also leave the nuts out of the frosting mixture and sprinkle them on top of the icing instead).
You can let the frosting cool and set before cutting into squares if you want, or cut into squares while it’s still warm and dig in!

Source: http://nancycreative.com/2011/03/02/the-best-texas-chocolate-sheet-cake/

Herb Turkey Rub

2011-12-05T09:29:00.001-07:00

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
4 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
4 teaspoons onion, minced
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

This wet rub is really yummy, and goes great with turkey to give subtle, great flavor. Make sure you get the rub under the skin to get the flavors to the meat.

Salmon Chowder

2011-11-28T14:49:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups diced potatoes
2 carrots, diced
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
2 cans salmon (I'm sure fresh would be better, but canned is what we had)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (we did less, but with cheese I doubt you can go wrong with more either)

Directions

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, and dill. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn, and cheese. Cook until heated through.

Chili Tortilla Stacks

2011-11-28T02:51:00.004-07:00

We made these a few weeks ago after a Fast Sunday, and man, they were hearty. Way heavier than we expected. But also really ridiculously good. I didn't get a picture, but they look somewhat like this, except I think they looked better. I could only handle eating one, and felt too full after that. Next time we'll be cutting them like little pizzas for smaller and more reasonable portions.

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup salsa, divided
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided (we used about half this)
Sour cream, sliced black olives, and chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

Brown ground beef with garlic in large skillet until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa, beans and green onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place 4 tortillas on foil-lined baking sheet. Spread half of bean mixture evenly over tortillas, spreading to edges, using about 1/3 cup bean mixture for each tortilla. Top with 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering with 4 more tortillas, remaining bean mixture and 3/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining 4 tortillas. Spoon remaining salsa evenly over tortillas, spreading to edges.
Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and sliced olives. Bake 5 minutes more or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Cinnamon Muffins

2011-11-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Topping

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons soft butter (Brummel and Brown spread)

Filling

3 tablespoons butter (Brummel and Brown)
1/2 cup brown sugar, and
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Batter

1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup skim milk
4 egg whites
1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake papers, or grease it lightly.

Prepare the topping by mixing the ingredients together until crumbly. Set aside.

Prepare the filling by mixing all ingredients to make filling with a soft, pudding-like consistency. Set it aside.

To make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the liquid, stirring just until combined.

Divide half the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Dollop 2 teaspoons cinnamon filling onto each muffin, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with topping, pressing it in lightly.

Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and wait 5 minutes before transferring them from the pan to a rack to cool. Yield: 12 muffins.

Apple Pie Oatmeal

2011-11-05T09:27:00.002-06:00

Photo from familyfeedbag.com

We've been eating oatmeal for breakfast daily for a few months now. This was a fun variation on it, and was perfect for a cold winter morning, plus it makes the house smell heavenly! Shaun prefers this without the nutmeg, but I am a big fan of lots of spice.

1 apple, cored and chopped (skins on)
1 cup water
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash of salt

Bring the water and chopped apple to a boil in a small saucepan.
Mix oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. When the water comes a boil, add the oats, apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Adjust heat to low and simmer for 3-4 minutes while stirring.
Serve it with a splash of milk and a little (or a lot) of brown sugar sprinkled on top. Mmm!

I got this recipe from here.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

2011-10-20T17:52:00.001-06:00

I know I posted a cornbread recipe just a couple months ago, and that recipe is a true winner, but this one is also delicious, AND it's been adjusted to be healthier! My friend has her suggested alterations to make it healthier--I use her oil + applesauce adjustment and use 2 egg whites instead of 1 egg, so it's cholesterol free and lower fat. This cornbread feels like it should be a dessert. Maybe that's weird to say, but it's SO GOOD! I love it with honey. Mmm! =) So try it for a healthier twist on cornbread, and I promise you'll love it!

Golden Sweet Cornbread

By my friend Meg

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup white sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup stevia)
1 teaspoon + 1 pinch salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk (skim milk)
1/2 cup canola oil (3 Tbs. oil + 5 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan or muffin tin.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and canola oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for pan, 15 minutes for muffins, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Honey-Bran Waffles

2011-10-18T13:59:00.000-06:00

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
2 tablespoons fine-ground cornmeal (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, separared
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
1-3/4 cups buttermilk
Pinch of cream of tartar

Heat waffle iron
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and wheat bran.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, melted butter, honey, and buttermilk.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until stiff peaks form (medium-high speed for about 2 minutes)
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in buttermilk mixture and whisk gently until just incorporated (a few lumps should remain). Toward the end of mixing, fold in whipped egg whites.
Cook in waffle iron according to your waffle iron's manufacturer's directions for about 3 minutes each, until golden brown.
Serve immediately or hold in 200 degree oven on a baking sheet topped with a wire cooling rack, covering waffles with a towel.

Ginger Crinkles

2011-10-18T13:38:00.000-06:00

2-1/4 cups flour (I've used part wheat as well as wheat bran for part of the flour before and hardly noticed a difference!)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil (I've reduced it to 1/2 cup with great results, just needs to be mixed longer)
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg (can use 2 egg whites instead)

In mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, molasses and egg. Add all dry ingredients and blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar if desired. Place on cookie pan (ungreased unless you reduce the oil, then lightly spray). Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Makes about 30 scrumptious cookies.

Jam Tarts

2011-09-30T10:48:00.000-06:00

By JoyofBaking.com

I made these for a baby shower last week, and thought they were pretty fabulous, if I do say so myself. I used homemade blackberry jam. Make sure to not put too much jam in, otherwise things get messy!

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup jam

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough a few times to bring it together, and then divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Have ready 36 miniature muffin tins.

Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch (.5 cm) thick. Using a lightly floured 2 1/2 inch (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out the rounds and gently press them into the muffin tins. Fill each pastry about two-thirds full with your favorite jam. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 - 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Can garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or clotted cream or sprinkle with finely chopped nuts, or sift powdered sugar over. (I did the powdered sugar =)

Makes about 36 miniature tarts.

Recipe from JoyofBaking.com

Fire and Ice Salsa

2011-09-30T10:44:00.002-06:00

Photo by:
allrecipes.com/Cook/18394608/Profile.aspx

I made this for a baby shower last week and was really truly shocked by how yummy it was! I had to use dried cilantro and white onion instead of green and didn't even have jalapenos, and it was still a hit! Served with the scoop tortilla chips--would also be good with the hint of lime tortilla chips. Mmm! =)

Ingredients

3 cups chopped watermelon
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, green bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno and garlic salt. Mix well and serve.

Shortbread Thumbprints

2011-09-29T10:44:00.000-06:00

Photo by:
allrecipes.com/Cook/12593412/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (or strawberry or blackberry--I've tried them too and they're fabulous! I used vanilla only though with blackberry)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and vanilla. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Quinoa and Black Beans

2011-09-29T10:40:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Source and pictures here

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

2011-09-29T10:38:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source and Pictures can be found here

Heart-Healthy Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

2011-08-22T16:49:00.002-06:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
1 cup all-purpose flour or ground oatmeal flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 cup flax seed
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg whites, and, if using, lemon extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, oat bran, flax seeds, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

Peach Salsa

2011-08-09T19:10:00.000-06:00

This is one of my mom's favorite recipes!

2 large tomatoes, peeled, cored, and diced
2 medium peaches, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
2-3 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped and slightly packed

Toss tomatoes, peaches, onion, cilantro and peppers together. Add lime juice, sugar and salt and toss to combine. Taste and add additional lime juice and sugar as needed. Serve on or with grilled salmon.

Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

2011-07-23T11:01:00.000-06:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/13858828/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Texas Sheet Cake

2011-07-15T10:08:00.000-06:00

allrecipes.com/Cook/1852043/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup water
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch pan.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat in the sour cream and eggs. Set aside. Melt the butter on low in a saucepan, add the water and 5 tablespoons cocoa. Bring mixture to a boil then remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir cocoa mixture into the egg mixture, mixing until blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the icing: In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 5 tablespoons cocoa and 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, then fold in the nuts, mixing until blended. Spread frosting over warm cake.

Note: The first time we made this was in a 9x13 pan, and it was delicious but thick, and more messy. Super yummy cake!!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2011-07-14T10:04:00.003-06:00

This is the easiest enchilada recipe ever! They're yummy and *so* easy to prepare! When I need to make dinner for company in a hurry I'll make these, using canned chicken or turkey, and while they bake prepare a green salad and a dessert. It's a handy recipe!

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup sour cream (divided)

1 can cream of chicken soup (divided)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional--I don't think it needs this)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2-1/4 cups cooked, cubed chicken (canned works fine!)

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

2 oz. green chiles (optional)

8 flour tortillas

Directions:

Combine half of the sour cream and half of the cream of chicken soup together. Mix well. Set aside.

Combine the remaining sour cream and cream of chicken soup, cumin, salt, pepper, chicken, and chiles. Mix well.

Spoon the chicken mixture into tortillas and roll to close. Place filled tortillas folded side down in greased 9x13 pan. Top with reserved soup and sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Classic Coney Sauce

2011-07-05T10:11:00.001-06:00

allrecipes.com/Cook/labellevie/Profile.aspx

We had this with our hot dogs for the 4th of July, and it was yummy, and rapidly devoured! It's a sweet sauce, not a chili.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until beef is browned. Drain. Transfer the beef and onion to a slow cooker and stir in the ketchup, sugar, vinegar and mustard. Season with celery seed, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt. Cover and simmer on Low setting for a few hours before serving. Serve on top of hot dogs topped with cheese.

Lemon Bars

2011-06-27T10:54:00.001-06:00

Photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

FILLING:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Additional confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a bowl, combine the flour, butter and confectioners' sugar. Pat into an ungreased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
For filling, in a small bowl, beat eggs. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over the crust. Bake 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars.

Icy Watermelon Lemonade

2011-06-24T09:16:00.000-06:00

Photo by Taste of Home

This is the perfect summer drink recipe! We got a seedless watermelon that wasn't as sweet and watermelon-y as we'd hoped, but when we used it to make a batch of this delicious drink to go with dinner it was perfect =) We blended it on "chop" so there were some little chunks of ice like in a slushy, and we thought it was perfect, but definitely had to drink it immediately.

Ingredients

2 cups lemonade
3 cups seedless watermelon, coarsely chopped
1 cup crushed ice

Directions

In a blender, combine all ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

2011-06-23T10:51:00.001-06:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/10825170/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

5 potatoes
3 eggs
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon prepared mustard (I used a combination of yellow and dijon)
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used miracle whip)
Paprika and parsley for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled, diced potato chunks and cook until tender but still a bit firm, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, relish, garlic salt, celery salt, mustard, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix together well, garnish with paprika and parsley, and refrigerate until chilled.

Quick Chicken Pasta

2011-06-10T13:59:00.002-06:00

2 cups rotini pasta
¼ cups finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can cooked chicken
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chicken broth or water + chicken bouillon
⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
1 cup frozen broccoli pieces or peas (optional)
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Boil the rotini in water with a dash of salt until cooked through. Drain.

In a large frying pan, saute olive oil, garlic, and onion on medium-low heat until onion is tender.

Add cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth and stir together to blend well. When everything is smooth and mixed well, add canned chicken and cooked pasta. Season with cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.

Let everything heat together for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently and add a little milk if the sauce dries out too much. Top with cheese and serve immediately.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

2011-06-09T08:38:00.000-06:00

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Lemon-Blueberry-Bread

This is one of our favorite quick breads ever! It's super yummy, easy, and calls for ingredients we usually have on hand. Sometimes we'll bake it in an 8 or 9 inch square pan, or as muffins. Yum!

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional--we usually skip these)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

GLAZE: (optional)

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and lemon juice.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk; beating well after each addition. Fold in lemon peel, nuts and blueberries.
Pour into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf.

Note: If using frozen blueberries, use without thawing to avoid discoloring the batter.

Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Lemon-Blueberry-Bread

Yummiest Salsa Ever

2011-06-06T09:41:00.002-06:00

Photo by The Pioneer Woman
http://thepioneerwoman.com/

A few months ago our friend Meg made this *incredible* salsa for her little girl's birthday party, and we about died when we tasted the heavenliness of it. You will LOVE it. Recipe from The Pioneer Woman (LOVE her!). Click here for original.

Ingredients

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
½ whole Lime Juice

Preparation Instructions

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pioneer Woman's Pizza Crust (make ahead)

2011-06-06T09:33:00.000-06:00

Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST (MAKES TWO CRUSTS):
1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions
TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. ***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

TO MAKE THE PIZZA:
Preheat oven broiler.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Drizzle olive oil on a large baking sheet and use fingers to coat thoroughly. Remove HALF the pizza dough from the bowl. Stretch pizza dough into a large rectangle, pressing with fingers to finish forming. Dough will be very thin.
Lightly drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and use fingers to spread. Top as desired.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from pan and slice with a pizza cutter. Serve immediately!

Recipe from here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/my-favorite-pizza/

Springtime Strawberry Bars

2011-05-10T10:59:00.001-06:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/10362834/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup slivered almonds, chopped
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) jar strawberry preserves (see note)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel. Combine 3 cups flour, almonds, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (do not over mix).
Set aside 1 cup of dough. Press the remaining dough into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Spread preserves to within 1/4 in. of edges. Combine the reserved dough with the remaining flour; sprinkle over preserves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

NOTE: I halved the recipe, using a 8x8 pan, but still used a whole jar of preserves. For me personally, they may've been a bit bland with less jam. Also used orange rind instead of lemon, and it was delicious!

Blackberry Cobbler

2011-04-15T13:34:00.002-06:00

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water just until mixture is evenly moist.
In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Mix in remaining 1 cup sugar (or less if your berries are sweeter), lemon juice, and blackberries. Transfer to a cast iron skillet, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Drop dough into the skillet by spoonfuls. Place skillet on a foil lined baking sheet. (We bake ours in an 8-inch circular dish, about 6 inches deep, and don't need the pan underneath, and bake the same.)
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until dough is golden brown.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

2011-03-25T11:58:00.000-06:00

Lemon Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

4. Add lemon zest, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until combined. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

5. Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown around the edges and set. Let cookies sit on the baking sheets for two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

*To keep cookies soft, store cookies with a slice of bread in an air tight container.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Basic Beef Stew

2011-03-23T08:21:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
4 cups water
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (you can vary the herbs to whatever you like best! Sometimes I'll add a bay leaf too)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water

Directions

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook beef in oil over medium heat until brown. Dissolve bouillon in water and pour into pot. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2011-03-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

This is rich and calorie-dense and a little time-consuming. In other words, it's incredible! We made this for my sister's birthday party, and it was absolutely divine! We probably should've chilled it longer (we did about 4 hours, and it wasn't quite enough.) Karina said it was even better a day later!

Ingredients

1 (19.5 ounce) package Pillsbury® Classic Traditional Fudge Brownies
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
1 cup of whipping cream, whipped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 9-inch springform pan. Prepare brownie mix as package directs for chewy brownies. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes or until set.
In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake 50 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill thoroughly. Top with whipped cream. Remove side of springform pan. Garnish as desired with leftover 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy

2011-03-02T20:00:00.002-07:00

allrecipes.com/Cook/18849896/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup wheat bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth OR 1 cup french onion soup (i used a spoon of the dry mix with a cup water)
1 tablespoon cooking sherry OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 5 balls, and flatten into patties.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties and onion in the oil until patties are nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the beef patties to a plate, and keep warm.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet. Stir in flour with a fork, scraping bits of beef off of the bottom as you stir. Gradually mix in the beef broth or onion soup and sherry or vanilla. Season with salt. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Turn heat to low, return patties to the gravy, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice, with steamed veggies on the side.

Easiest Ever Taco Soup

2011-02-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

My fun neighbor Amy gave me this incredible, super-easy recipe for taco soup, and I am in love. It takes mere seconds to put together, and then you just heat it up and wa-lah! So here it is:

Easiest Ever Taco Soup

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 packet taco seasoning

Dump the cans (with liquids) into a saucepan, and add taco seasoning. Mix and warm over medium heat until hot.

Quickest home-cooked dinner ever.

Top with whatever you have on hand. Ideas? Fresh cilantro, sour cream, tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar or jack cheese, green onion, sliced olives...I think the options are endless. We like to eat our chili and taco soups with hot cornbread.

Notes: You could also cook hamburger and chopped onion together and add that too. Also, black beans work great too.

Shaun and I tried it with cooked ground venison instead of corn, to make for a heartier dinner (and I wasn't in a corn mood) and it was delicious! I think this is a really versatile recipe, and seriously, if you don't have lots of time to make dinner one night, this will be your best friend.

Stuffed Zucchini

2011-02-11T16:40:00.005-07:00

You can find the original recipe HERE. I love zucchini. LOVE IT! And this recipe is super yummy. Makes the perfect side dish to chicken or fish.

-2 large zucchini (or 3-4 smaller)

-2-3 TB of olive oil

-1 TB butter

-3-4 red potatoes cut into small cubes

-chopped onion

-minced garlic

-2-3 Roma tomatoes chopped

-Shredded cheese (Cheddar or Monterey Jack)

-Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and most of the flesh with a spoon so the walls are about 1/4-inch thick. Brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set each zucchini half face down on a cooling rack, and place the cooling rack on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes in the oven.

Toss the potatoes with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Once the zucchini is done, throw the potatoes in the oven on a baking sheet for 12-14 minutes.

Melt butter in a frying pan with onion and garlic (best smell ever, in my opinion). Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, and simmer for 3 minutes. Once the potatoes are done, add them to the tomatoes. Stir and simmer for another 3 minutes. Fill each zucchini half with the mixture and top with cheese. Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Sandwich Rolls

2011-02-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from my mom, Lorinda, and she says they're delicious and fun. Shaping was a little time-consuming but she said it got easier with practice. She said:

This morning I baked these wonderful sweet potato kaiser rolls. Healthy and colorful! Great for hoagie sandwiches or a simple turkey sandwich. I used one to make a turkey, cheese, lettuce sandwich and spread on a plum jam and a bit of honey mustard sauce. It tasted good to me! Try it! You'll like it!

Some notes: I kept back 1 1/2 cups of flour.... just in case it was too dry. Also, I think you could use real potatoes. I'm going to try that soon, but the the sweet potato was awesome. No extra sugar and the color is wonderful!

Dough
1/2 cup (4 ounces) water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) soft butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (1 medium)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur whole wheat flour, Traditional or White Whole Wheat
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups (9 5/8 to 10 5/8 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (possibly less some)

Topping
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) sesame seeds (optional)

To make the dough: Place all of the ingredients (holding back 1 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour) into the bowl of your mixer or the bucket of your bread machine, set up for the dough cycle. Mix until you've form a soft, but not sticky dough. Add more flour from your reserved amount if needed to achieve the correct consistency. Knead the dough for 6 minutes, then place it in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour; it will almost double in size and look puffy.

To shape and finish the rolls: After the first rise, deflate the dough and divide it into 6 pieces. You can roll each piece into a ball, then flatten it to make it 3/4-inch thick (this give it a large enough diameter to fit your sandwich on after baking). Or you can roll each piece into a 12- to 14-inch rope, and form into a Kaiser roll shape. Place the rolls either in a hamburger bun pan or on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise for 25 to 30 minutes, until almost doubled. Brush the tops of the rolls with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 17 to 19 minutes, until the tops are a rich golden brown color, and the centers read above 190°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool on a rack for 5 minutes, before removing from the pan and returning to the rack to cool completely. Yield: 6 large sandwich rolls.

Nutrition information per serving (1 roll, 241g): 20g whole grains, 328 cal, 6g fat, 12g protein, 57g carbohydrates, 5g dietary fiber, 45mg cholesterol, 430mg sodium, 257mg potassium, 6612RE vitamin A, 9mg vitamin C, 3mg iron, 92mg calcium, 89mg phosphorus.

SOURCE

Navajo Tacos

2011-02-10T10:15:00.002-07:00

This seriously delicious recipe comes from our wonderful friend Torri! She said:

I love making scones because you can have them for a good meal like Navajo Tacos and then eat them for dessert too by spreading honey on them or jam and sprinkling with powdered sugar.

Navajo Tacos

1 package yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 egg
2 TBLS oil
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. powdered milk
3 1/4 c. flour
2 TBLS sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Sprinkle yeast in warm water, add all ingredients to form a soft dough. Use more flour if needed. Divide dough into 2-3" balls and flatten into discs. Fry both sides in oil OR bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.
Top with chili, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, olives, anything else you like!

Torri's Lasagna

2011-02-10T10:12:00.001-07:00

My wonderful friend Torri sent this recipe for lasagna, which she got from Taste of Home Budget Suppers, and it looks absolutely delicious, and is definitely going on our dinner menu this week! She said:

Our whole family loves this recipe! It is so good--I'm not a fan of ricotta cheese and so this is perfect for me. It kind of takes a little more work to assemble and get everything ready but we have leftovers for two days most of the time and we still like it two days later. :)

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz.) can stewed tomatoes (I prefer diced because I don't like big chunks of tomato...but Jared loves the stewed! So whatever you prefer!)
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
9 lasagna noodles
1 (6 oz) can pitted ripe olives, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups or 8 oz. shredded mozzerella
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan, cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until thickened. (we have never let it simmer and it always turns out just fine! I just bring it to a boil, then add the olives and assemble the lasagna!)
Meanwhile cook noodles according to package directions. Discard bay leaf from meat sauce, stir in olives.
Spread fourth of meat sauce in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 in baking dish. Top with three noodles and a fourth of the cheeses. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, and cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup

2011-02-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

allrecipes.com/Cook/1014309/Profile.aspx

This recipe is from my dear cousin Ashley, and comes highly recommended!

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Potato Cheese Chowder

2011-02-02T09:09:00.004-07:00

In the past, I have posted recipes here that I tried once and thought they were fantastic, only to go back and try them again, thinking, this isn't what I made the first time!

Here is a recipe that is from my Mom. The recipe is very forgiving, which is nice. It is one of my favorite comfort foods. I make it at least once every two weeks during the winter, and since my husband doesn't really love anything that doesn't have meat in it, I end up eating basically all of it! Great for dinner and then great as leftover lunches!

Potato Cheese Chowder

2 cups chopped potatoes (about 2-3)

1/2 cup carrots (about one large or 2 small)

1/2 cup celery (about one stalk)

1 small onion chopped, or 1/4 cup onion chopped if you're not an onion lover like me

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cups water, just so it barely submerges all the veggies

Bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until carrots and celery are tender. When the veggies are tender, let the mixture cool slightly. Pour contents in a blender and blend until desired consistency. I like most of it pureed, with a few little chunks left over. My Mom doesn't like to blend the vegetables. She likes the chunks of veggies, so you'll have to decide what you prefer. I am of the belief that pureed is the only way to fly.

Meanwhile, in another pan:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk (you'll want it to be 1 percent or more so the sauce will thicken)

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I really stuff the cheese in those cups!)

Melt 1/4 cup butter and add 1/4 cup flour. Whisk together. Whisk in 2 cups milk and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

Combine the cheese sauce with the pureed vegetables. Serve with some tasty bread, and enjoy!

Applesauce Bars

2011-01-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Photo by:
http://allrecipes.com/Cook/FitHealthyMom/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour (or a combination of wheat or oat flour with white)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Confectioners' sugar (For dusting)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; stir into the applesauce mixture until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden and toothpick comes out dry. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.
Dust confectioners' sugar over cooled bars before cutting into squares, or frost with cream cheese frosting. You can mix in raisins or walnuts into the batter. Another yummy, less healthy alteration is spreading carmel onto the hot bars and then frosting atop that.

Oven Baked Rotisserie-Style Chicken

2011-01-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/3 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, diced into chunks
1 (4 pound) whole roasting chicken

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients.
Discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken under cold running water; drain and pat dry. Place chicken, breast side up, in center of pan. Brush chicken, including cavity, thoroughly with soy sauce mixture. Stuff the onion into the chicken's cavity.
Roast in 375 degrees F oven about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part not touching bone registers 180 degrees F, brushing chicken with soy sauce mixture every 30 minutes. Cover with foil for the last half hour of baking to keep the chicken juicy.
Remove from oven; let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving.

This looks and tastes a whole lot like the rotisserie chicken you can buy at the store!

Parsnip Fries

2011-01-25T15:47:00.014-07:00

These look like French Fries, but they're actually parsnips--kind of like carrots--and they're healthy, and super yummy cooked like this, as my friend Karim taught me!

About 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped into sticks (like you would cut up carrot sticks)
1-2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasonings (or whatever herbs you like! Karim suggests rosemary)
2 Tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Saute the parsnips in butter over medium heat, until they are cooked. Add the Italian seasoning and bread crumbs, and stir over heat for a minute more. Remove from heat and serve immediately!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2011-01-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

Photo By:
http://allrecipes.com/Cook/SHORECOOK/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
5-7 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

The red pepper and parsley add really pretty color to these potatoes. We love eating them with home-baked rotisserie-style chicken and steamed veggies.

Cinnamon Bread

2011-01-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so SO yummy. My mom has made it for years, and she got the recipe from our family friend Helen Graham. Try it. I promise you will LOVE it!

2 cups warm water
1 TBSP yeast
1/4 Cup powdered milk (instant)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar (or 1/4)
1/2 cup oil (or 14)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
5-6 (or so) cups of flour

Dissolve the water and yeast. Add milk, sugar, salt, oil, egg, vanilla and 2 cups of flour. Beat well for a couple minutes. Replace beater bar with dough hook. Add flour (one cup at a time) until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for at least five minutes.

Allow dough to rest until doubled. Divide in half. Take half and roll out to 8" x 12". Sprinkle water on dough and smooth it over the dough evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture (probably about 1/2 cup per loaf). Choose the widest end to roll last to help enclose the mixture. Avoid getting sugar and cinnamon close to the edge especially on that end. If it squeezes out it's tasty, but messy and unattractive.

Place in a well greased bread pan. Allow to raise until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

If you want to turn them into braids, make the cream cheese mixture and place it down the center of the rolled out dough. Cut strips on the outer edges and with those strips, braid the dough.

Cream Cheese Filling for Braid
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP flour
1 egg yolk
1 tsp lemon peel (or dried)
1 tsp almond extract

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

2011-01-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

Photo from http://thepioneerwoman.com/

We had this on Christmas morning and it was DIVINE! We used crusty cinnamon-swirl bread that my mom made (we let it dry out a bit to get "crusty"), and prepared it Christmas Eve night and baked it in the morning. Mmmm! This recipe is from one of my favorite sites--The Pioneer Woman--and she has step-by-step instructions on making this here.

Ingredients

1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
8 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
½ cups Whipping (heavy) Cream
¾ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Topping
½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
Fresh Fruit (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and but into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you’re using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Mom's Enchilada Sauce

2011-01-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

6 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1.5 - 2 tsp chili powder
28 oz tomato puree
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp cumin
salt / pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic and chili powder in olive oil until tender. Add tomato puree, chicken stock, and cumin. Whisk together and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste. Use this as an alternative to store-bought enchilada sauce in your favorite enchilada recipe.

Italian Bread Bowls

2011-01-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/Pam-3BoysMama/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
Punch dough down, and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together egg white, Italian seasonings, and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

We also tried these with 2 tbsp Garlic Powder added to the recipe and when putting egg wash on, sprinkled garlic over top. Some people on allrecipes thought they were bland without these adjustments. I thought they were great plain, but it depends on what you're going for!

Buttery Soft Pretzels

2010-12-31T06:11:00.000-07:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/18278260/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

Notes:
These are great plain with a bit of pretzel salt or coated with cinnamon and sugar. Once finished, dip the hot pretzel in melted butter and coat with your favorite flavors.

Why the baking soda bath is necessary: Old world Germans used to dip their brezels (pretzels) in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) and water before baking. Lye is a very strong and caustic alkaline. Because most people aren't comfortable mixing lye and water to make pretzels, baking soda - a much weaker alkaline - is now used in most pretzel recipes. Once the pretzels begin baking, a 'Maillard reaction' occurs. This is a chemical reaction which allows the exterior crust to become a deep rich brown color. The reaction accelerates in an alkaline environment, which has been provided by the baking soda bath. The baking soda, and resulting reaction, is also responsible for the unique taste of a pretzel. Without the baking soda bath the pretzel exterior ends up pale/white, and taste more like bread. This baking soda / lye bath step is paramount in making a pretzel a pretzel.

Incredible Pork Chops

2010-12-15T20:41:00.001-07:00

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/10385481/Profile.aspx

Ingredients

6 pork chops
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup white wine

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.