Monday, November 11, 2013
Chicken and Dumplings
Cooler weather always makes me want good old comfort food. My favorite comfort
food has to be chicken and dumplings. This warm meal just soothes the soul and makes the cold days bearable. This is a
great crock pot dinner with an easy drop biscuit recipe to make the
dumplings.
Ingredients
1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb frozen chicken breast or tenders
2 celery stalks chopped
2 large carrots chopped
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium pan, saute onions in olive oil until soft and translucent. Once the onions are cooked, place all the ingredients in the crock pot. Place on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred the chicken. (The best way for me is to use two forks, one to hold the chicken down, and the other to shred the chicken. This way I don't have to pull the chicken out of the crock pot.) Now it's time for the dumplings.
Dumplings Ingredients (Drop Biscuits)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour butter into the dry ingredients and mix,
Slowly drizzle in milk and stir until the dough comes together. Do not make dough to wet. Then using a dinner spoon drop dough into chicken and put crock pot lid back on. Cook on low for another hour.
You can also use this recipe for drop biscuits. Drop dough by the spoonful onto a greased baking sheet, brushing them lightly with melted butter and cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Super Easy Weeknight Chili
Now that there is a chill in the air, I am ready for some good comfort food. Unfortunately our schedule is still out of control crazy and I don't have time for a long simmering chile recipe. This is my very easy week night recipe for chili. It's not the slow cooking chili that is full of all things good, but it's got the basics and it's quick and easy with a lot of taste.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 16 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a dutch oven and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat. I serve this with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Squash Crunch
Ingredients
1 yellow squash sliced
1 large tomato sliced
1 green pepper sliced
1/4 cup Feta cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350'.
In a small baking dish layer squash, tomato and pepper slices. Crumble feta on top of veggies. In a separate small bowl mix bread crumbs and olive oil together. Mix well and sprinkle on top of veggies and cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Pizza Bites
Well, it's that time again, the packing of school lunches! This is a tough one for me, I have a child who does. not. eat. He is picky and social, a bad combination at the lunch room table. I am constantly trying new things with him, to only have him return home with a full lunch box. Last school year, I tried letting him pack his own lunch and he only chose fruit. He wanted nothing else. Though I am happy he eats fruit, I know that he needs other things to get through the day. I thought this recipe would be great since he like's pizza. It is small and easy to eat since he would rather talk than eat, and it has some hidden goodness for his paranoid mother that is always worried about him eating.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni or mini pepperoni
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup finely chopped spinach
2 teaspoon pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Directions
Pre heat oven to 375', grease a mini muffin pan or muffin pan well.
Mix all the ingredients until blended. It should be a wet mixture. Pour mixture into muffin pan.
Bake for 13- 15 minutes
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Lawrenz Potatoes
The Lawrenz Potatoes! The first time my husband brought me home to meet his parents I was introduced not only to my future in-laws, but this tasty potato dish. This dish was so very easy but really made an impact on me. It shows you how just simple food made a simple way can be extraordinary. Like most things in life, it's the simple things, right? My mother-in law added morel mushrooms to hers, these were picked by hand. Morel mushrooms do add a great flavor but I did not have any of these on hand so I used button mushrooms. The beauty of this dish is the ability to put what you have on hand in and it will just taste good. It's a wonderful side dish for most anything.
Ingredients
4 small potatoes cubed
2 large carrots chopped
1 large yellow onion chopped
1/2 cup of chopped broccoli
1/2 cup red peppers sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 bratwurst or other sausage link sliced (optional)
1 stick of butter cubed
2 teaspoons of Crazy Jane mixed up Salt (or other seasoning salt)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place 2 large pieces of aluminum foil on the counter. Place all the ingredients on the foil, and crumble the butter on top of the veggies. Season the veggies with the seasoning salt, salt and pepper. Wrap the veggies in the foil.
You can grill these on the top rack for 20-30 minutes or bake them at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Protein Pancakes
I really get tired of oatmeal, I don't care how many different things you can put in it. I realize oatmeal is a great breakfast, with lots of protein, and something that you should be eating, but it's just boring. I found this recipe while looking for oatmeal options and I tried it. It reminds me of muffin tops. You can do the traditional maple syrup but I like lemon curd or even homemade jam with fresh berries. This is a great recipe for all you early morning gym goers. This is a
protein packed breakfast that will help you get through any workout.
Ingredients
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 4 egg whites
- 1/3 cup dry oatmeal
- 1 scoop whey or soy protein powder (optional)
- 1/2 banana sliced
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Spray frying pan with cooking spray and cook mixture as you do regular pancakes.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Lighter Egg Salad
Well, summer is coming to a close, with school starting right around the corner. This means the end of vacations, and vacation eating. Yes, over the summer I do indulge. Visiting family all over the country allows me to justify the overindulgence of food and drinks. It's time for all those extra summer pounds to come off and it's time to start paying attention to what I eat. Now I have to listen to the skinny girl that lives in my head, that I dream of being one day, screaming at me while I try to get back to the gym and take off my summer indulgence. I really dislike her!
This is a quick and easy light lunch with lots of protein. You can always substitute the mayo for plain yogurt but be prepared for a tangy zip.
Ingredients:
2 whole hard boiled eggs, crumbled
4 hard boiled egg whites, crumbled
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped stuffed Manzanilla Olives
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Mix all ingredients and Enjoy!
How to make Hard Boiled Eggs:
Put eggs in a large pot and cover with water. Put on stove top over high heat. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then turn the heat off and let the eggs cool in the water. This will allow them to continue to cook while cooling.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Zucchini Gratin
One word, CHEESE! Honestly who doesn't like cheese, and what's better then veggies buried in
cheese. This time of year I am over run with zucchini and squash. Though zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables I find myself getting tired of the same old recipes. This is so yummy and easy. The kids even are inclined to taste it, since it is covered in cheese!
Ingredients
1 onion sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 or 3 large zucchini and/or yellow squash thinly sliced
8 oz grated smoked gouda
Directions
Pre-heat oven 450'
Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat. Place onions in oil and saute until soft and translucent.
While onions are cooking, place zucchini in a baking dish. I arranged mine along the bottom with them slightly overlapping.
Once the onions are done pour them over the zucchini.
Then spread cheese over top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and continue baking until cheese is golden brown.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Couscous Salad
Ingredients
1 box roasted garlic and olive oil couscous
1 tomato chopped
1 cucumber chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
1 small can of sliced black olives
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Cook couscous according to box instructions. Mix all ingredients well and serve. Seriously that easy!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Fathers Day Antipasto
Ingredients:
Sliced salami
Cherry tomatoes
Marinated artichokes hearts
Fresh mozzarella pearls
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350'. Using a greased muffin pan, place salami in the pan, making a cup shape. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until crispy. Let the salami cups cool. Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl. Place mixture in each cup.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Not exactly stuffed Tilapia
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup fresh kale
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crmbs
2 tablespoons kalamata olives chopped (can omit or add another kind of olive)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium high heat. Add spinach and kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook the greens down until they are wilted and have decreased by half. Add the garlic, feta, bread crumbs and olives, cook for another minute. Turn heat off.
Prepare your fillets in a small baking dish, place them very close together so that they are touching. Salt and Pepper your fillets. Place the greens mixture on top of the fillets. Spread it evenly over all the fillets. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Lemon Pasta
Lemons always remind me of my parents and the first year their lemon tree produced an abundance of lemons. They were so proud, and at least once a week by skype they would show me their lemons. Though I was impressed, I did begin to tease them about their lemons. Actually, everyone started to tease them. Since then I always chuckle at the site of a lemon. This is one of our favorite lemon recipe. It's just a great light spring time recipe.
Ingredients
1 box angel hair pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 3 lemons
1 tablespoon basil leaves chopped
Directions
Cook pasta according to box instructions. Heat a sauce pan on low, heat olive oil and butter until butter is melted. Add garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Heat until garlic becomes fragrant. Depending on your stove this can take 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit until pasta is done. Drain pasta.In a large bowl add pasta,olive oil and butter sauce, lemon juice, and basil. Toss and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Strawberry Lemonade
Another summertime recipe made from our strawberries!
Ingredients
1 cups water
1 cups sugar
2 cups strawberries trimmed and halved
2 cups lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
Directions
Simple Syrup - Combine sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a
boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely.
Puree' strawberries until smooth in food processor. You can push juice through a fine sieve to catch the seeds but we don't mind them so I did not do this.
Pour lemon juice, strawberry puree, 1/2 cup simple syrup and water into a pitcher. Add more simple syrup if you want a little more
sweetness. Add ice cubes. Chill until ready to drink.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad
There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of Summer then by strawberry picking. We found a great u pick farm in Maryland and had a wonderful time. The strawberries were so sweet and juicy. This is one of our favorite things to do as a family, and we always pick much more than we need. This time was no exception. We were able to freeze some, make jelly with some, and enjoy the rest in many of my recipes. I was able to put this salad together with greens from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and our freshly picked strawberries. I also made my own balsamic vinaigrette, but you could use whatever you have on hand. If you are interested in joining a CSA you can visit, www.localharvest.com, or if you are looking for places to pick your own fruit and vegetables then visit, www.pickyourown.org.
Ingredients
1 bunch lettuce
Strawberries sliced
Walnuts
Blue cheese crumbles
Green onion sliced
Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Once you have put your salad together, then whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together and pour over salad. Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tilapia and Pineapple
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1/3 cup sliced red onion
1/3 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Juice of one lime
Directions
Season both sides of tilapia with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on both sides. Fish will flake easily when tested with a fork.
Combine pineapple and the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Serve pineapple mixture with fish.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Simple Pasta Dinner
Ingredients
1 box fusilli pasta
1 pound ground turkey Italian style
1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook pasta per box instructions.
Brown the ground turkey. Once the turkey is completely cooked, add sliced tomatoes and let cook until soft. Add drained pasta and cheese to meat. Drizzle olive oil over pasta and serve. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Crispy Cereal Chicken
Like most mom's, I have a picky eater. This one small detail controlled our dinner table for the longest time. After many years of battling and trying to convince my child to eat, I finally threw my hands up. Once the battling stopped and he we no longer made dinner stressful things started to change. I realized he wasn't going to starve and he realized some of my cooking taste good. Once he realized this, I was able to cook more foods and he was inclined to try them since the stress of dinner was gone. Now he nibbles on things without me asking, Praise Jesus!!
I found this recipe in a cook book and thought he likes cereal, so why not. He actually liked it a lot, and then named it cereal chicken. The cereal gives the chicken a good crunch and a little sweetness. The first time I made this, I used frosted flakes, then moved to regular organic corn flakes. He hasn't noticed. These also are great to make ahead and they heat up nicely.
Ingredients
1 pound chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into strips
2 cups corn flakes cereal
1 egg
1 tsp water
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Preheat oven 350'
Grease a baking sheet
Using a food processor pulse the cereal into very small pieces. Another way you can do this is by using a ziploc bag and rolling pin. Put the cereal in the bag and use the rolling pin the crush the cereal.
Pour cereal in a bowl with salt and pepper. In another bowl crack the egg, adding the water beat the egg to make the egg wash.
Place chicken in the egg wash and then the cereal mixture. Coat it with cereal, then place onto the baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then turn the chicken over and cook for another 15 minutes.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Broccoli Cakes
I have never been a fan of steamed broccoli. I enjoy it raw or roasted in the oven, but steamed is not my favorite. I also love burnt crunchy broccoli, hey don't judge we all have our things. I thought of these today when I was searching through my fridge for something new to eat. These have tasty things like cheese and panko in them, along with healthy broccoli. I was happy to see number 3 eat an entire cake, but as some of you may know he will eat anything. The true test will be when number one and number two get home from school. Number one and two both like their veggies raw. I am not complaining, but I would love this to be another dinner option. I enjoyed these with some whole wheat couscous.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions chopped
1 broccoli head steamed and chopped
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt/pepper
Directions:
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Mix ingredients until well incorporated. Divide mixture into four equal parts. Smash each part into a patty much like making a burger. Carefully place patty in the oil and brown on both sides. It was easier for me to make these in batches. I added a little salt after I took them out of the oil while they were still hot.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Whole Wheat Gnocchi with a Gorganzola Sauce
I was happy to see these whole wheat Gnocchi is the commissary of all places and thought I would try them. They are usually found with the pasta or in the bakery. Gnocchi can change up Italian nights, which usually consist of pasta in our house. ,These guys are easy to cook and the sauce is an easy basic white sauce. Gorgonzola cheese has a nice bite and is melts very smooth, but you can use any cheese here. You do want something with a sharp taste to really make the dish. As you can see, there are not many Gnocchi in my dish, because I kept eating them while I was cooking.
Ingredients
1 box whole wheat gnocchi cook
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
3 oz Gorgonzola cheese
Directions
Cook Gnocchi following box directions.
In a sauce pan over medium high heat melt the butter.
Add the flour and mix well with butter. Let cook for a minute or so to flavor the flour.
Pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Stir the sauce often, the sauce cans stick to the bottom of the pan. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and let the sauce thicken. It should coat the back of the spoon.
Once thicken, turn the heat off and add the cheese. Stir to melt the cheese.
Pour over Gnocchi and serve immediately.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Lighter Fish Taco
San Diego has been by far my favorite place we have been stationed. I love everything about San Diego. The weather, the people, and the food. I am a big fan of Mexican food and, let us not forget margaritas. Really, who doesn't love a margarita. I was introduced to the fish taco while in San Diego, and instantly fell in love. There is nothing like it. I have made both the fried and the grilled and both are wonderful. It's actually quite easy and a great way to get the kids to eat fish. I made these last night for Taco Tuesday. I won't lie, my picky eater had a cheese quesadilla but the other two devoured two fish tacos. I used an avocado sauce for the tacos last night, but I will share the more common baja sauce later, when I do my fried fish tacos. This is the lighter version.
Fish
1 fillet of white fish per person
Season the fish with
salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of ground coriander
Heat a non stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook Fish on both sides for 4-5 minutes until fish is flaky.
Sauce
2 ripe avocados
1 cup salsa verde
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded and cored
1 lime juiced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Tacos
corn or flour taco shells
frozen corn
black beans
chopped tomato
cabbage
If you have a gas stove, turn a burner on, using tongs, toast both sides of the shell. If you do not have gas stove you can warm your shells up in the microwave under a moist paper towel for 30 seconds.
Assemble your tacos with your favorite toppings.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tex-Mex Sweet Potato
First let me tell you how wonderful sweet potatoes, or yams are for you. They are loaded with vitamin A and C. Also high in calcium, iron and protein. This is a great vegetable that can kick start your healthy lifestyle. Many of you may only think of sweet potatoes once a year, at Thanksgiving. That's when we load it with butter and sugar to do everything in our power to make it as unhealthy as possible. I am here to tell you that you may want to start buying them every time you go grocery shopping. You can do so many things with these guys, and there are so many recipes on the internet. You just have to Google it, and everything from breakfast to dessert recipes pop up.
I make these for lunch a lot. It is very filling, and you can use good stuff like cheese and sour cream. Really you can use your imagination with this, just like a baked potato. Whatever you have in the fridge will work.
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
Shredded cheese
Broccoli
Avocado
Green onions
Black beans
Prepared Salsa
Sour Cream
Wrap potato in paper towel, punch holes in the potato to vent.
Bake in microwave for 4 minutes, then flip the potato and bake for 4 more minutes.
Cut open potato and stuff with all your ingredients.
Yummy!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Pimento Cheese
Ahhhh, Pimento Cheese, my favorite southern treat. It is a mix of all things good, cheese, mayonnaise and pimentos. I fondly remember this always being around when I was growing up. It was either eaten in a sandwich, as a finger food or as a snack. I will admit, though my mother taught me how to make this, her pimento cheese still taste better. I love when she makes it. You can always get creative with this dish and add bacon, or jalapenos, etc...
Ingredients
1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
1/2 cup monteray jack cheese grated
2-3 tablespoon mayonnaise depending on how moist you want your dip
1 small jar of pimentos with juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Mix all the ingredients together. Easy as that!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tomato Bisque
Fortunately for me I made this soup over the weekend. It came in handy since I was attacked by pollen on Monday, and had my first true allergy attack. I felt awful, and this soup with some grilled cheese did help me feel better. It was an easy soup to prepare and I can freeze the left overs for my next allergy attack. Who knew those could be so nasty. I also made some cheese crisps to go on top. It's also vegetarian friendly!!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of butter
1 celery stock chopped
1 onion chopped
2 garlic gloves minced
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoon sour cream
Directions
Melt butter in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
Add celery and onion, cook until onions are soft and translucent.
Add garlic and cook for just a minute.
Then add the thyme, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
Finally add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Turn the heat off. Using a blender or immersion blender blend the soup until smooth.
Stir in the sour cream slowly so not to curdle the sour cream.
Now to make the crisps. While the soup is simmering. Using grated cheese, any kind will do, place them on a well oiled baking sheet or a slip mat like the one pictured below. Bake them in the oven at 350' for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve on top, or as a side treat.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Super Easy Roasted Chicken
left overs can be used to make more meals later in the week. It's a win all around. I usually serve this with some potatoes and vegetables, and it's great for a crowd. This recipe is super easy and is basically adapted from roasting our turkey at Thanksgiving. Make sure you thaw the chicken completely and remove the extra pieces inside before cooking.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 stick of butter
1 cup baby carrots
2 celery sticks cut in fourths
1 whole onion quartered
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Pre heat oven 350'. Clean and towel off the chicken and place in a roasting pan. Place vegetables inside of the chicken and sprinkle with seasoning, salt and pepper inside and out. Slice the butter and place the pats of butter under the skin and inside the chicken. Make sure to season the inside and outside liberally with the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
Bake in oven for 90 minutes - 2 hours. Liquids should run clear if you poke the chicken.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday Morning Quiche
Most recipes have you cook your vegetables before you mix with the eggs but I didn't do this because I do like my peppers and onions to have a little crunch of freshness. But if you like, you can saute your vegetables in a little oil before you mix with the egg mixture.
Ingredients:
3 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 small tomato diced
1/4 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup red pepper chopped
3 slices of cooked bacon chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 375'
Whisk together eggs, cheese, milk, salt and pepper.
Place vegetables onto a greased 8-inch pie baking dish, pour in the egg mixture.
Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Roasted Vegetables
I know what you are thinking, what is so special about roasted veggies! Well let me tell you, they are a wonderful side dish, or a main dish thrown over pasta. It's a hardy yet inexpensive way to make a meal healthy and tasty. You can make these on the grill or in your oven. I use whatever is in season, or I use the vegetables that need to get eaten before they go bad in the fridge. Since tonight is yet another baseball game, I mixed the vegetables in with some cooked spaghetti pasta and topped with Parmesan cheese. Easy and Quick!
Today I used
1 head of broccoli
1 zuchinni
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
3 sweet peppers
Crazy Janes Mixed up Salt (you can find this by the salt at your grocers)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Pre-heat the oven to 425'
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice the vegetables, and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with Crazy Jane and olive oil. Using your hands mix the vegetables to coat with oil.
Bake for 10-15 min.
Using the grill - wrap all the vegetables in aluminum foil and place on grill for 15 minutes or until tender.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Stuffed Peppers
She post most of her pictures and recipes on Instagram and they all look wonderful. I have always looked for vegetarian and vegan recipes, mostly to give my family other healthier choices then just meat. I asked Bobbi to share some recipes with me from time to time for my blog. It's never a bad idea to try new things and look for healthier options.
Ingredients:
Raw Bell Peppers (12 mini or 4 regular)
Paring knife
Crock Pot
Tomato Sauce
Meat-generally hamburger but can use veggie meat or chicken/pork
Rice-generally white but I would suggest something a bit healthier like brown rice or Quinoa!
Salt and Pepper
Peppers:
don't cook the peppers before stuffing them, they will cook in the crock pot.
to hollow out the peppers- cut around stem with the paring knife, pull stem out and scrap/scoop/shake all seeds out.
Stuffing mix: Aim to have a 50/50 mixture between rice and meat
cooked rice- about 1 cup dry rice makes plenty of cooked rice for this recipe.
uncooked hamburger or veggie meat crumbles(u can substitute any meat.....chicken, pork
salt/pepper to taste
Cook: Stuff peppers and add to crock pot, try to stand up right then pour tomato sauce over the top to just about cover the peppers.
the small peppers only take about 1-2 hours, but the larger peppers will take longer just plan on 4 hrs.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Italian BLT
Ingredients
pancetta
French bread
spicy mustard
mayonnaise
Italian dressing
provolone cheese
tomato sliced
yellow or red onion sliced
bag lettuce
butter for spreading
Start by pan frying your pancetta over medium heat until crispy, just like bacon. Mix 1 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of Italian dressing. Cut french bread loaf down the center and spread mayonnaise mixture and mustard on both sides of bread. Arrange the rest of the ingredients on either side of the bread. Close the sandwich. Smear a little butter on the top and the bottom to help brown and crisp the outside of the roll, and brown in a non- stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Keep an eye on the cheese and as it begins to melt turn over to brown the other side.
You could also use a Panini press or another heavy pan to smash the sandwich down a little more.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Chicken Taco
So, my oldest had baseball practice and my husband got home in time to take him to practice. Yipee!! I was also lucky enough that my middle and youngest wanted to go too. I had the house to myself and I was hungry for dinner. I had chicken in the crock pot all day cooking in stewed tomatoes with Mexican seasonings. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to make yet but I had chicken and needed to use it. I decided to make Chicken Tacos. I decided to just add my fresh veggies to the tortilla along cheese and sour cream, but if you wanted to use salsa, that would be good too. I thought it was very tasty! My kids however wanted just cheese and sour cream. I can understand that too. I was just happy to make something different with chicken.
Chicken
1 pound chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 can of stewed tomatoes in Mexican seasonings or Rotel
Put the chicken and the canned tomatoes in the crock pot frozen. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, until the meat is falling apart. Transfer chicken to plate and shred. Reserve tomatoes to top the taco with.
Tacos
Whole wheat tortilla
Shredded cheese
Reserved tomatoes
Green or red peppers chopped
Green Onion sliced
Avacado chopped
Sour Cream
You can arrange your tacos however you want.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Spring Salad
Coming home is bitter sweet but you have to enjoy it while you can. Once we arrived home my mothers kitchen filled with family. Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. The only way to be together is over food and drink in our family. We laugh, argue, tease, and discuss how to save the world. I was so lucky this visit to see so many of my siblings. For all our different personalities we all enjoy each other very much. We would probably look like a circus to most people but I wouldn't change it for anything. While I was home I got to swap some recipes with my family. My sister shared this salad recipe with me and it's as simple as it gets. It taste yummy and really makes you think of spring.
Ingredients:
1 bag of salad
1/2 cup grapes cut in half
1/2 cup red onion diced
1/2 cup mandarin oranges
(I added 1/2 cup avocado since I had one around)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Poppy Seed Dressing
Line all the ingredients up just like in the picture in a big bowl, then pour the dressing on top. It is a beautiful salad. Enjoy!
This was probably the healthiest thing I ate all week!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Carrot and Zucchini Bread
I thought with Easter coming up this weekend, carrot and zucchini bread would be appropriate. I also had this really cute carrot dish that I couldn't let go to waste. This was a very simple recipe and easy to put together. The bread did not last long after this picture was taken. Two out of three kids, my husband and myself devoured it. I have a child that is very picky, flakes of veggies really do not sit well with him. Oh well, you can't win them all. I wonder if the Easter bunny would like a piece left out when he delivers their baskets.
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil (substitute with applesauce)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup shredded or grated zucchini
1/2 cup shredded or grated carrots
Make sure when you are baking with zucchini that you press the water
out. A good way to do this is placing the shredded zucchini in between
paper towels and pressing.
Preheat oven 350' and grease a 8x4 loaf pan.
In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a larger mixing bowl whisk eggs and oil together until blended. Then add sugar, vanilla, and veggies and mix well. Finally mix dry ingredients with veggie mixture until smooth.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes!
Wising you a Happy Easter!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Hummus
Hummus has to be one of my favorite snacks and I eat it all the time. I have found that it taste good with just about anything. In fact, I have been known to eat a whole container in one setting. My favorite has to be the roasted red pepper made by Sabre. I have spent a lot of money on this one food.
Ingredients
19 oz garbanzo beans drained, reserve liquid
2 tablespoons tahini
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons of reserved bean juice
salt and pepper to taste
Blend all the ingredients, including any flavors you would like to add, together in a blender until smooth. I like to drizzle olive oil over the hummus when plated and garnish with beans.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Deviled Eggs
As Easter approaches I have started thinking of all my favorite Easter foods. My all time favorite Easter food is deviled eggs. They always take me back to my childhood, we never had a family holiday without them. They are a simple dish that is very budget friendly. I enjoy the basic recipe but these days you can do all sorts of things to these little guys. I have even seen guacamole put in the center. This recipe is how my mom taught me to make them. I made these yesterday morning and by lunch they had been devoured by my clan.
Note: How to cook the perfect boiled egg. Put the eggs in the pot of water to boil. Once the water comes to a boil let boil for 5 minutes. Then turn the burner off and let the eggs sit in the warm water for another 5 minutes. This should keep your yolks from turning green. I always make one extra egg, just in case one is destroyed while peeling and I like a whole egg in my deviled egg mixture.
Ingredients:
7 hard boiled eggs (one for the mixture)
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
salt/pepper to taste
paprika for garnish
Cut the eggs long ways. Remove egg yolks. Mix egg yolks, one whole egg, relish, mustard, and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into cut eggs. Garnish with paprika.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Shrimp Scampi
I enjoy it over whole wheat angel hair pasta, but any pasta will do or it can be eaten alone. There are a lot of different ways to make this from extremely buttery to replacing butter with chicken stock and white wine. This is a middle of the road recipe. Easy and Tasty!
Ingredients:
1 pound pasta cooked according to package
3 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 pound shrimp peeled
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon scallions sliced
1/2 lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Mmmmm butter and garlic!
Melt butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic, saute for a minute or until fragrant. Don't burn the garlic!
Add shrimp cook until pink on both sides, stirring often. Remove from heat, add scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Toss with pasta. If you have to reheat your pasta be careful not to over cook your shrimp.
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