hold the onions

Kelli

2011-05-19T06:45:00.001-07:00

For a fun birthday tribute to Kelli, go here!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

I think we've established that you can never have too many enchilada recipes. This is a delicious one, and a fun twist on the norm. I think you're supposed to use the traditional orange sweet potato, but I accidentally got the yellow variety, and it still turned out pretty delicious.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

2 large sweet potatoes

1 T olive oil

1 T minced garlic

1 small jalapeno minced (seeded)

1 can rinsed black beans (I used two cans)

1 can diced tomatoes (I used petite diced with green chilies)

1 T chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of your favorite salsa

8 large flour tortillas (I filled 10 and still had plenty of filling left to layer on top)

Peel your sweet potatoes and dice into chunks, spread out on a baking sheet with a little olive oil and salt, bake at 400 until soft.

Saute your garlic and jalapeno in the olive oil, add black beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and sweet potatoes. Mix everything really well and let cook for a few minutes.

Spread 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of salsa on the bottom of a casserole pan. Fill tortillas with the bean and sweet potato mixture, roll tightly, and place in pan. When finished top with remaining salsa and filling. You can also top with cheese if you would like. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Serve with lettuce, olives, avocado, and a little sour cream.

V-Day Food Fun

2011-02-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

Trying to decide which of these ideas to do for which meal over the weekend and Monday. Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!

Pizza idea from One Charming Party, Fruit Kabobs from Bev, and Warm + Fuzzy Cookie Pops from The Decorated Cookie. Thanks for the cuteness, friends.

Food for Thought

2011-01-13T14:21:00.001-08:00

I doubt I am alone in my quest to eat healthier this new year. I have so much room for improvement in this area. I want the shift to be a lasting one, not a fad or specific diet. I have done a bit of searching and have come up with some great resources to help me (and you, if you want) to do better.

I have enjoyed browsing Ellie Kreiger's recipes. A few that I am going to try soon are the whole wheat pancakes with strawberry sauce, the buffalo chicken salad, and the chicken and mushroom quesadillas.

I am loving the new blog Word of Wisdom Living. Lots of great info.

Martha is sure to inspire with 50 light and healthy main dishes.

I've not tried any of the recipes on the Mayo Clinic website, but it's worth a look. I think I'll start with the Pan-Braised Onions with Rosemary. NOT. I said I was going to eat healthier, I didn't say I lost my mind!

Happy and Healthy New Year, every one!

Poor little food blog...

2011-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

You have been neglected for too too long. Sorry about that. We will take better care of you. Right, Maren, Kelli, Amanda and Emma? :)

Spooky Eats

2010-10-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

I love spooky Halloween food... here are a few new-to-me ideas for your repertoire.

Menu, 10-17-10

2010-10-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone cares what we eat for dinner 'round here, but it helps me and my meal planning to post it here and refer back to my menu's, so here ya go.

Sun- broccoli cheddar soup, strawberry spinach salad, cornbread, chocolate pumpkin cake and ice cream

M- baked potato soup, salad, crusty bread, no bake cookies

T- fast chicken fajitas

W- stir fry

Th- spaghetti and turkey meatballs

F- beef stew

Sat- trying to narrow down which version of whoopie pie I want to bake-n-take to a Halloween party

Summer Vegetable Gratin

2010-09-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

I strongly urge you to make this dish as the summer is winding down- you won't be sorry. Aren't those heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joe pretty?

Summer Vegetable Gratin

6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1pound zucchini , ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1pound summer squash (yellow), ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2teaspoons table salt
1 1/2pounds ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
1 T. minced fresh thyme leaves
1C. bread crumbs
1 C. grated parmesan cheese
1/4cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.
2. Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.
3. Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.
4. Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of zucchs. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Combine bread crumbs, remaining tablespoon oil, and Parmesan in medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen. Although Christopher Kimball is the nerdiest nerd ever, I can't help but love him for the good work he does. :)

Menu 9-26-10

2010-09-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

Trying to get back in the swing of things after a crazy couple of weeks...

For dinner this week I willl do my best to stick to this menu:

Sun- spaghetti, green salad, rolls, peach cobbler

M- pesto tortellini soup

T- chicken pot pie

W- french dip sammies

Th- spinach manicotti

F- BLTs

Sat- pizza?

I don't care that it's still 100+ degrees here, I'm in the mood for soup and soup it is. Much to my delight and Chris' dismay, soup season is only beginning...

Menu, 8-29-10

2010-08-30T11:34:00.001-07:00

Aren't these snowcones awesome? Will be trying these soon.

Also, check out the new website I added to the sidebar- Cooking With My Kid. It's the jackpot for school lunch ideas (and more).

Here's what we're having for dinner this week:

Sun- turkey melt from the airport

M- BBQ pork tenderloin, broccoli and potatoes

T- citrus chicken and rice, carrots and zucchs

W- skillet mac n cheese, green beans

Th- english muffin pizzas

F- out

Sat- looking forward to out of town visitors- will be making crunchy french toast for breakfast, and who knows what for dinner

Next week is birthday-mania in the Bradshaw family. We're pullin' out the cake pans.

Creamy Chicken Tacos (with Mango and Avocado)

2010-08-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

I don't enjoy too-long recipe titles that list all the ingredients, but this title isn't complete without throwing the mango and avocado in there because they really set these tacos apart. I think this dish is on the menu in heaven.

Creamy Chicken Tacos (with Mango and Avocado)

2 limes

1/4 C. mayo

1/4 C. sour cream

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cumin

pinch cayenne

3 C. cooked shredded chicken

1 mango

taco shells

2 avocado

Mix together 2 T. lime juice, 1 tsp. lime zest, mayo, sour cream, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Add chicken and toss. Thinly slice avocado and mango, and toss in 1 T. lime juice. Spoon chicken into shells and top with mango avocado mix. OUTstanding summertime dinner.

25 Most Common Cooking Mistakes

2010-08-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

Photo: Oxmoor House, cookinglight.com

I cam across an article today, and thought it was interesting. I counted, and I've made at least 16 of the 25 mistakes listed...

Find the article here.

Menu 8-15-10

2010-08-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy cooking, I think I would enjoy it EVEN MORE if I could do it in the likes of this kitchen, which belongs to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. I love that show- she and Jeffrey crack me right up.

Here's what's cookin in my humble but adequate kitchen this week:

S- taco salad + jello pretzel dessert

M- take out

T- BLTs on ciabatta

W- creamy chicken tacos with mango and avocado

Th- bruschetta chicken

F- birthday BBQ with friends- I'm bringing pesto pasta salad

Sat- pork tenderloin and raspberry spinach salad

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Pineapple

2010-08-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

My new favorite summer (and possibly year-round) dinner. A BIG hit with all four of us last night.

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Pineapple

4 chicken breasts
1 C. teriyaki sauce
4 slices pineapple
4 slices tomato
4 leaves lettuce
4 T. mayonnaise

Marinate the chicken in the teriyaki sauce in the fridge for a few hours. Grill the chicken and pineapple. Assemble sandwiches.

More Veggies, Please

2010-08-09T09:13:00.001-07:00

Why is it that babies eat fruit and veggies with no problem, but toddlers struggle to choke down one bite? Every kid loves Mac and Cheese, but few love carrots. Today, I combined the 2 and Jonah ate every bite. Of course, it is good to train kids to eat veggies on their own, but if you need a quick way to get veggies into your toddler without a fight, try this.

Ideas for increasing veggie intake:

Dice veggies small, or add pureed veggies to favorite meals or soups. Puree your own with Cuisinart Smart Stick or use pureed baby veggies.
Add spinach to smoothies.
Make breads and muffins with veggies (i.e., pumpkin or zucchini bread)
Make sweet potato french fries with EVOO and favorite seasonings (I like salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder).

What are YOUR tricks??? Do you have a recipe your kids love or an idea for squeezing more veggies into your kids diets?

Menu, 8-8-10

2010-08-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

School is starting up for us this week... I am trying to keep a positive attitude. I am hoping to send some extra special lunches from home to remind my first-grader how indispensable her mom is. :)

Family Fun has some fun ideas such as... two-tone puzzle sandwiches, sandwich art, and sandwich on a stick. Can't wait to make these!

Here's what we're eating for dinner this week:

S: chicken enchiladas blancas, green salad, ice cream sammies

M: leftovers

T: chicken and pasta alfredo, yellow squash

W: caesar salad with abc pasta

Th: chicken teriyaki burgers with pineapple, yellow and green beans

F: english muffin pizzas

Sat: green pizza

Must-Try

2010-08-02T11:46:00.001-07:00

If you live in Mesa or anywhere in the vicinity, I beg of you to try out Caffe Boa Bistro if you haven't already. I love the original on Mill in Tempe, but am completely smitten with its little sister in Mesa. Cannot say enough good about it. Look over the menu and see for yourself. Try the house-pulled mozzarella, SoCal Love, and any of the handmade pastas (my husband loved the linguini with mushrooms). The starter course of bread with pesto aioli, olive oil and hummus is unforgettable. Best restaurant in Mesa without a doubt.

Menu, 8-1-10

2010-08-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Don't know why, but this grass cake struck my fancy. You won't find it on my menu for this week but its pretty just the same...

Sun- meatloaf, mashed and rolls courtesy of Kelli herself, green salad, steamed veggies, chocolate bundt cake, homemade peach ice cream courtesy of Chris!

M- going out... deciding where is the hardest part. So many outstanding dining establishments, so little time (and money...)

T- linguini with spring veggies

W- chefs salad

Th- tacos

F- broccoli chicken calzones

S- pizza or somethin of the sort

Snickers Salad

2010-07-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is my kind of salad.

Snickers Salad

6 large granny smith apples

lemon juice

12 snickers bars

2 C. heavy cream, sweetened and whipped

1/2 C. chopped peanuts

1/2 C. caramel sauce

Chop apples and toss with a few T. lemon juice. Chop snickers bars into pieces the same size as the apples. Toss apples and snickers with whipped cream. Top with nuts and drizzle with caramel. You'll be the most popular person at the potluck. :)

Menu, 7-25-10

2010-07-27T07:12:00.001-07:00

This week for dinner:

Sun- Carter's Welcome Home dinner... lasagna, garlic bread, green salad, chocolate bundt cake-n-ice cream

M- mini-hamburgers, steamed carrots, tater tots

T- BLTs

W- BBQ chicken salad

Th- Caprese pasta salad

F and S- only time will tell

Cucumber water

2010-07-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe is for the most advanced chef, do not attempt unless you have had years of training in Paris. (just jokin)

Maren and I first tried this water at a spa a couple summers ago- it was refreshing and delicious. I was recently reminded of it at This Week for Dinner. This sounds especially good today- these past couple weeks have been too hot to think.

Cucumber Water

sliced cucumber

water

ice

Combine. Drink.

Menu 7-18-10

2010-07-19T09:21:00.001-07:00

A quick "Did-you-know" before this week's menu...

Did you know that tomatoes do not belong in the fridge? They don't. Their flavor and texture is best preserved on the countertop at room temp. Thought you'd want to know.

Here's what we're eating for din this week:

Sun- Chicken Cobb salad, fresh fruit, garlic bread, peach/blueberry cobbler and whipped cream

M- fast fajitas

T- T.J.'s orange chicken, rice and broccoli

W- skillet mac n cheese, glazed carrots

Th- chicken caesar salad

F- breakfast for din (welcome home Carter!!!)

Sat- BBQ at Amanda's parent's home

Story and a Snack

2010-06-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

How cute is this idea from Gourmet Mom on the Go? The answer is, real cute. We are doing this today after swimming. I love clever people and especially those who blog about their cleverness.

Apricot Rice Krispies Treats

2010-06-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

This is an easy twist on an already super easy and tasty treat. Any flavor Jell-o can be used, but Laurel and her family love apricot, and I agree- you gotta try it.

Apricot Rice Krispies Treats

5 T. butter

6 C. mini marshmallows

1/2 a small pkg. apricot Jell-o

6 C. Rice Krispies

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and Jell-o and stir til completely melted. Remove from heat and mix in cereal. Spread into a 9 by 13 pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2-inch squares when cool. Best if served the same day.

Menu, 6-13-10

2010-06-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

Oh how I would love to have this sandwich cutter for lunch time and even parties. Isn't it great?

I fully realize this week is 1/2 gone, but I thought I'd stick my menu up anyway. Here's what we've been/are going to be eating for dinner this week:

Sun: chicken fettuccine with pesto cream sauce, green salad, fruit salad, roasted asparagus, Maren's homemade cookies and cream AND strawberry ice creams. Yum yum yum yum.

M: leftovers

T: Costa Vida pork salad

W: chicken cobb salad

Th: crock pot pork roast and pineapple ginger rice

F: fast fajitas

Sat: Caprese sandwiches

Menu, 6-6-10

2010-06-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

As a former resident of the San Fran area, this pancake masterpiece made me smile. Jim seems like one fun dad!

Here's what's for dinner at our place this week:

Sun- spaghetti and meatballs, BLT salad, garlic bread, watermelon, layered strawberry shortcake

M- BBQ chicken, potatoes and carrots

T- linguini with spring veggies

W- tostadas

Th- turkey sammies

F- I'm thinking Zinburger

Sat- out

Breakfast Baskets

2010-06-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

I made these for teacher gifts this year and they were a hit! I think they would also be great for giving to a new neighbor, a birthday present, or to take as a meal for a family with a new baby. Contents included:

* Fresh and Easy honey and flax granola
* Trader Joe's buttermilk pancake mix
* Fresh and Easy vermont maple syrup
* Fresh and Easy freshly squeezed orange juice
* a bag of fresh strawberries
* a spatula
* tea towel from Ikea
* napkins from Homegoods

Pesto Pasta Salad

2010-05-24T09:59:00.001-07:00

I made this for a BBQ on Saturday night... and I will be making it again soon. Sooo tasty. Recipe from good friend Ina.

Pesto Pasta Salad

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 T. lemon juice
1 1/4 C. mayo
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 C. frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Menu, 5-23-10

2010-05-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Our new baby boy is here safe and sound, and we are loving life with him. After an extended cooking hiatus, I am more than ready to plan, prepare and enjoy home cooked meals once again. Although our menu this week does not include donut-burgers, I thought this too tempting an idea not to share. :)

Here's what we'll be having for dinner this week... if I can make it to the grocery store.

Sun- roast, mashed potatoes, green salad, watermelon, roasted zucchini sticks, individual cherry cheesecakes. DELICIOSO.

M- chicken corn chowder

T- chicken salad sammies

W- breakfast for dinner

Th- bean tostadas

F- pizza

Sat- who knows

If you do end up trying the donut burgers, I think this would be a good dessert to serve alongside. (It actually sounds pretty good... very similar to a recipe Amanda makes, it's just the name that makes you wonder.)

Slow- Cooker Beef Stew

2010-05-07T09:00:00.001-07:00

This was our dinner last night and it couldn't have been yummier! It is so flavorful, but so easy- I love crock-pot recipes.

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped (of course I left this out!)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6-8 hours. (mine was done in about 5, but my crock-pot must get really hot! Just check it every so often and when the veggies are soft, it's done.)

Menu 4-25-10

2010-04-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

This may be my last menu for a week or two... Saturday a new baby is joining our family! We are very excited and busy finishing last minute preparations for his arrival.

Here's what our dinnertime looks like this week:

Sun- cream cheese chicken over bowtie pasta, green salad with oranges, almonds and craisins, french bread, red jell-o, green beans, and pineapple upside down cake (Happy Birthdays J.D. and Miss Riske!)

M- BLTs, steamed zucchs and watermelon

T- refried bean burritos

W- chicken caesar salad wraps

Th- leftovers

F- out

Sat- a tasty hospital meal. Wahoo!!

Endive and Apple Appetizer

2010-04-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure it's Martha Stewart who pronounces "endive" "ahn-deeve". She also pronounces the "h" in "herbs". I love that lady.

As for me, I say "endive", just like it's spelled. And my favorite way to prepare it is as follows...

Endive and Apple Appetizer

assorted endive leaves

cream cheese, room temp

strawberry jam

crisp apples, like Fugi or Gala

Combine two parts cream cheese to one part jam. Spread a little strawberry cream cheese on each endive leaf. Top with a thin slice of apple (brush with lemon juice to prevent browning). This is a quick, refreshing appetizer or snack. My kids loved it! Thanks to friend Laurel for recipe.

Menu, 4-18-10

2010-04-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

This week for dinner...

Sun- chicken spaghetti, garden salad, whole wheat rolls, asparagus, lemon yogurt cake with whipped cream and strawberries

M- fast chicken fajitas

T- chef's salad

W- skillet mac n cheese

Th- BBQ beef sammies

F- Caprese sandwiches

Sat- out

I am going to try to stick to this menu come heck or highwater. I have been cheating too too much as of late!

Split Pea Soup

2010-04-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

Split pea soup: Looks like barf, tastes delicious. Ever since I was little I've loved this soup, and I'm really not sure why. What kid likes something that looks like so sick?? Well, I did. I think I just loved the little bits of ham in it. SO tasty. And so, I thought that if it was good from a can, how much better would it be from scratch? Answer: A lot better. I think this soup is so so good, inexpensive, and pretty nutritious too. This recipe is simple and really easy. It basically makes itself! Thanks, Dave Lieberman, for a quality recipe.

Split Pea Soup

1/4 cup olive oil (you could probably get by on less, but I did use the full 1/4 cup)

1 large onion, finely diced (I omitted this, of course)

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

1 pound bag split peas, rinsed and picked through

1 1/2 pound smoked ham hock

2 quarts chicken stock, water, or combination

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, saute onion, celery and carrots over medium high heat. Add peas and ham hock and cover with stock by a couple inches. Bring to a simmer and cook about 1 hour until soup is thick and peas have almost disintegrated but not quite. Season to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove ham hock and let cool. Pull meat from ham hock bone and shred. Garnish with ham and pepper.

Menu 4-11-10

2010-04-12T21:12:00.001-07:00

What's for dinner at our place this week:

Sun- Hawaiian haystacks, strawberry spinach salad, no bake cookies, cornbread

M- leftovers

T- linguini with spring veggies

W- lettuce wraps

Th- chicken fettuccini with pesto cream sauce

F- chicken and veggie shiskabobs with pineapple rice

Sat- I'm thinking brownies and ice cream

Lemon- Rosemary Chicken

2010-03-31T20:17:00.001-07:00

This was for dinner tonight and it was delish! My only complaint would be that because it cooks in the crock-pot, the chicken doesn't brown up so it didn't look super appetizing, but the flavor is awesome. I think next time I would brown it in it a skillet first, then stick it in the crock-pot. The kids inhaled it and asked for seconds and thirds. I served it over a bed of lettuce that was tossed with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a side of baked sweet potatoes.

Lemon- Rosemary Chicken

1/2 c. lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced
1 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bunch fresh rosemary (I used about 2 t. dried rosemary)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a large food storage bag, place lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add chicken. Seal bag and marinate in refrigerator 3-4 hours, turning bag occasionally. Place chicken in crock-pot and pour marinade over; top with lemon slices. Cook for 4-6 hours on low, or until tender. You may add frozen broccoli and carrots about an hour before done.

Turkey and Bacon Picnic Sammies

2010-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

We're trying desperately to soak up the last remaining bit of beautiful weather before the hot. We picniced in Mom n Dad's backyard on Sunday, and it was heavenly.

Turkey and Bacon Picnic Sammies

The ingredients needed for the sandwich are:

Focaccia or Ciabatta bread

deli sliced turkey (my favorite is Boar's Head oven roasted turkey from Fry's)

thinly sliced provolone

crispy bacon

pesto

mayo, if you like

lettuce- I added mine after the pic

Slice bread, spread a little pesto on each side. Layer ingredients... turkey, then bacon, then cheese, then lettuce. Next I am going to try these as an appetizer and slice them into tiny squares to serve, per Giada's suggestion.

Menu 3-28-10

2010-03-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

This Week for Dinner:

S- turkey and bacon picnic sammies, fresh fruit, caramel brownies and vanilla bean ice cream

M- spinach ravioli, green and yellow beans, green salad

T- broccoli chicken calzones

W- double decker tacos

Th- chicken cobb salad

F- baked potato bar

Sat- something edible

Breakfast Pizza

2010-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, Kelli was in town for a few days (hoorah!) and we had a party for breakfast to celebrate. Between breakfast pizza, banana crunch muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, donuts, just-picked grapefruit and oranges, we all stuffed ourselves silly.

Breakfast Pizza

1 storebought pizza dough
2 T. butter, melted
4 T. cinnamon-sugar
2 C. whipped cream cheese
1 T. heavy cream
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
2 C. mixed berries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Transfer the pizza dough to the lined baking sheet and brush the dough with the melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 T. cinnamon-sugar and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool the pizza crust on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the cheese, cream, lemon juice, and zest.
Spread the cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Top with mixed berries and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar. Slice like a pizza and serve.

Menu, 3-21-10

2010-03-22T08:58:00.001-07:00

On the menu for this week:

Sunday- creamy chicken, smashed potatoes, Kelli's hot buns, garden salad, green beans, corn, strawberry crunch

M- leftovers

T- spaghetti and meatballs

W- turkey waldorf salad

Th- pesto tortellini soup

F- tacos

Sat- breakfast for dinner

Side note... I made crispy coconut chicken last week, a recipe I found on Our Best Bites. I wasn't a fan. I really wanted to like it because it sounded so yum, but I just didn't, and that was that. The kids didn't go for it either. Chris liked it, so if it sounds like your cup of tea, you can find the recipe here.

Asian Spinach & Chicken Salad

2010-03-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

This was just the ticket considering the not-so-welcome heat wave we've had this week.

Asian Spinach and Chicken Salad

1 bag of spinach

2 C. cooked cubed chicken

8 oz. cooked and drained bowtie pasta

2 oranges

1 avocado

1 C. chow mein noodles

1 T. sesame seeds

(dressing)

2 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. brown sugar

1 1/2 T. soy sauce

1 1/2 t. grated fresh ginger

Combine above dressing ingredients, then drizzle in 1/4 C. veg. oil while whisking. Season with 1 tsp. salt.

Toss spinach, chicken and pasta with dressing. Top with slice avocado, orange segments, chow mein noodles and sesame seeds.

(I cut off each end of the oranges, trimmed off all the peel, sliced it into rounds, then quartered each round.)

Organic Fruit and Veggies Guide

2010-03-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

What a handy way to remember the "dirty dozen" of fruits and veggies (the ones you should buy organic if possible). Found on Black Eiffel. Download the printable card here.

St. Pat

2010-03-16T06:55:00.001-07:00

I am SO thrilled about discovering this post in time to implement these ideas for St. Patty's Day tomorrow. Thank you, Blonde Designs! In addition to the cookies and such, I am making rainbow Jell-o in preparation for our leprachaun lunch tomorrow. FUN, fun fun. Happy St. Pat's day one and all!

Menu, 3-14-10

2010-03-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

What our dinnertime looks like this week...

Sunday- lasagna primavera, caprese salad, potato rolls, root beer floats

Mon- leftovers

T- tostadas

W- asian chicken spinach salad (recipe coming)

Th- crispy coconut chicken (recipe coming)

F- pizza

Sat- as usual, I have no idea

Pizza Screen

2010-03-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

You're looking at my new favorite kitchen tool- the pizza screen. Friend Laurel told me about these gadgets quite a while back, then she gave me two for Christmas. I was skeptical, because I really didn't have any complaints about baking my pizzas on my old reliable Costco cookie sheets, but the screens have proven themselves. The crust just browns up so much nicer, without being overdone. A couple weeks ago when I had an extra batch of dough that needed to be used, I made two pizzas and did one on the screen and one on the cookie sheet to compare. No contest, the screen took the cake.

I found one here on Amazon, for about 5 bucks. I know Laurel purchased hers at Costco Business Center, and they were only a couple dollars a piece. The one in AZ is on Hayden Rd. in Scottsdale.

Menu 3-7-10

2010-03-08T05:26:00.000-08:00

Here's whats cooking in our kitchen this week:

Sun- corn chowder, green salad, cornbread, Jell-o, pizookie

M- lasagna primavera

T- leftovers

W- BBQ chicken salad

Th- French dip sammies

F- hashbrown quiche, green salad

Sat- only time will tell

2-21-10 Menu and TJs favorites

2010-02-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

Our dinner menu this week is as follows:

Sun- broccoli chicken casserole, green salad from Mom n Dad's garden (so awesome), rolls, texas sheet cake for friend Joy's 90th birthday. It had 90 candles- they were all lit and it was quite a sight!

M- chili, cornbread, green salad

T- chicken caesar sandwiches, and possibly corn on the cob, or a giant caramel apple to celebrate the removal of my braces. Woo-hoo!!

W- stir fry

Th- sausage and red pepper calzones

F- cold cereal? I dunno, I think five real dinners in a week is pretty OK. I'll call it good til next week.

Sat- see Friday

And for Kristen, our one reader, a Trader Joe's favorites list! As soon as I finish typing this out, I am out the door to pay Joe a visit to do my shopping for the week. Hope this helps get you started. I think you're gonna like their stuff- let me know. :)

To-Try at Trader Joe's

vanilla almond granola

greek yogurt- I like the honey flavor

pizza dough

spaghetti and pizza sauces

BBQ sauce (Kansas Style Bold and Smoky)

all their salad dressings

NY cheesecake

vanilla Joe-Joe's cookies

chocolate covered pretzels

spinach salad kit

ABC cookies

frozen orange chicken

snacks: TJ brand cheetos, chips and crackers

frozen fruits and veggies- very yummy

applesauce

McCann's quick-cooking oatmeal

cornbread mix

I also get a lot of staples there: my butter, canned beans, nuts, oils and such. They also have beautiful cheap flowers and always fun seasonal items to try. Don't miss the taste-testing at the back of the store. The only thing I don't love is their bread section. Their baguettes and other fresh baked stuff is good, but all the sliced packaged breads I've tried I haven't been thrilled with. I think it's because they aren't chock full of preservatives and they go stale fast. Same goes for the tortillas- you have to use them that day or maybe the next, but they'll go bad quick.

Feel free to add your favorite TJ's items in the comments. And Joe, you're welcome for the free advertising.

Honey Yogurt Waffles

2010-02-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a long while since we've had waffles at our house. I've gotten pretty good at pancakes and the kids love them; but when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make them. They are so light and fluffy- the addition of yogurt is divine!

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
2 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Maple syrup or honey for serving

Directions:

Preheat a waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving time, preheat an oven to 200°F.

Melt the butter; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, honey, eggs and vanilla until very well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in the melted butter.

Lightly butter or spray the grids of the waffle iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.

Spoon out a hefty 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot iron. Use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to spread the batter evenly over the grids. Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden and set. Serve the waffles immediately or keep them, in a single layer, on a rack in the preheated oven while you make the rest.

Serving: Serve the waffles hot with a topping of maple syrup or honey. These are also good with applesauce, jam or fruit-flavored syrups. For a real change, think about serving these as the "bread" for a tuna salad sandwich: Leave out the cinnamon in the recipe, spread each waffle with a thin layer of mustard, fill with lettuce, tomato and tuna salad, and serve the sandwiches with carrot and celery sticks. They're great for lunch.

Makes about six 6 1/2-inch round waffles.

Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

2010-02-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes courtesy of Martha Stewie- from her orange baking handbook. Tasty, tasty, tasty. They are delish plain, but in my opinion, even a little better topped with lemon curd. Stephmodo has some great tips on other ways to use the stuff. I've made my own lemon curd a couple times, and it is wonderful. But I will also say that Trader Joe's jarred lemon curd is very comparable.

Give yourself enough time when you make these. They aren't hard, they just take a bit of time with the shaping and par-baking and such. And they are so worth it.

Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

4 oz. cream cheese, room temp

1/2 C. sugar

2 large egg yolks

2 tsp. sour cream

1/8 tsp. vanilla

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

2 C. all purpose flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on med speed til light and fluffy. Add 1/4 C. sugar and a pinch of salt, and beat another minute. Add one egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat til smooth. Transfer to small bowl, and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 1/4 C. sugar on med speed til well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and egg yolk, beat to combine. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, mixing just til combined.

Shape level Tablespoons of dough into balls, and place on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Using your thumb or similarly shaped utensil, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven and make indentations again. Rotate sheets, return to oven and bake til edges turn golden, 7-9 minutes more. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Using small teaspoon, fill the center of each cookie with about 1 tsp. cream cheese filling, mounding it slightly. Return cookies to oven, and bake til filling is firm, 7-8 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container, layered between waxed paper at least 4 hours before serving. Can be refrigerated overnight as well. Bring to room temp for about 20 minutes before serving.

Menu, 2-14-10

2010-02-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

I am just now trying to get my act together and planning a menu for the week. Here goes:

Sun- we had pot roast, mashed potatoes, Emma's YUMMY rolls, green salad, steamed veggies, and layered strawberry shortcake, which was divine.

M- Papa Johns. Ham and Pineapple to be exact.

T- dinner at our brother and sis-in-laws' house. I'm bringing strawberry spinach salad.

W- chicken and pasta with pesto cream sauce

Th- spinach manicotti

F- taco soup

Sat- still thinking. Steak?

Ambitious Heart Cake

2010-02-12T21:27:00.000-08:00

Holy smokes, this is impressive. Love it! Lots more pictures and instructions here.

Minestrone Soup

2010-02-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

This soup is tasty and chock full of good-for-ya. Recipe from friend Laurel Anne.

Minestrone Soup

1 T. olive oil

3 carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 quarts chicken broth

1 tsp. each dried basil, oregano, and thyme

3 zucchini, chopped

1 bag baby spinach

1 20-oz can tomato puree

1 20-oz can kidney beans, rinsed

2 C. fresh cheese tortellini

In large pot, saute olive oil, carrots, celery and garlic for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken broth and spices. Bring to a slow boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook as tortellini pkg directs. Salt and pepper to taste and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

French Dip Sandwiches

2010-02-08T20:53:00.001-08:00

These were a household hit last week. The ciabatta rolls I got from Wildflower Bread Co.- they were perfect for this sammy.

French Dip Sandwiches

1 3-lb. beef roast

2 T. olive oil

S & P

1 packet lipton onion soup mix

2 C. water

2 cans beef broth

ciabatta rolls

sliced provolone or swiss cheese

Season roast well with salt and pepper. Sear in oil in large pan over med-high heat, just a couple minutes on each side. Place roast in crockpot, add soup mix, water and broth. Cover and cook for about 10 hours on low. When sufficiently tender, shred beef. Arrange shredded beef on rolls and top with cheese. Broil in oven for just a minute or two- you can't watch too carefully. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping. Oh so good.

Menu, 2-7-10

2010-02-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

This week for dinner at our house:

Sun- breakfast for din: hashbrown quiche, winter fruit salad, biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls

M- minestrone soup

T- Ikea cafeteria... the pasta and veggies with white sauce- yum yum

W- chicken pot pie

Th- wedding dinner (Tia Rosa's. Delish)

F- wedding reception

Sat- I am going to try Pioneer Woman's braised short ribs and polenta. It looks very very promising. Happy (almost) Valentines Day!

Maple-glazed Salmon

2010-02-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

We're not really a fish or seafood kind-a-family, but I'll have to say, this is one recipe I like alot. And that's good because my husband went fishing in Alaska and brought back lots of salmon. It's a really easy dish and if you already like fish, then I promise you'll love this!

Maple-glazed Salmon

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Culinary Dropout

2010-02-03T09:16:00.001-08:00

Chris and I got to be some of the first diners at the newest Fox restaurant over the weekend, Culinary Dropout. It was an outstanding meal, and here were a few of our favorite things:

The Chandeliers. SO huge and fun.

The a la carte starter menu. At our server's suggestion, we tried the Champignon Montagnolo cheese, the Culatello prosciutto, grilled asparagus, and crusty bread with olive oil. Fabulous, every last one. I will go back just for this part of the menu.

We each got a house salad, which was really great. The dressing was light and tasty.

The only thing we ordered that we didn't love was the pork ribs, which was surprising because they've received rave reviews so far. We thought they were on the tough side and too fatty. We just love our Charlestons ribs and have yet to find better. The fries and coleslaw were delish.

We ended with the apple monkey bread. A cross between apple pie and a cinnamon roll, ice cream on the side. Crazy good stuff.

Have a look at the menu- lotsa tasty options. We will be back.

Chocolate marble cookies

2010-02-01T18:52:00.001-08:00

Discovered this recipe a while back on This Week for Dinner, and have loved it ever since. Many recipe requests wherever I take them. The idea is a chocolate chip cookie dough, but instead of the chocolate chips mixed in as is, you melt them first and swirl the two together... thus the marbling. Plus the dough has cream cheese in it. So good.

Chocolate Marble Cookies

- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C packed brown sugar
- 1/2 C butter, softened
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 t. vanilla
- 2 C all purpose flour
- 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 C semisweet chocolate ships, melted and slightly cooled

Heat oven to 350F. In large mixing bowl combine sugars, butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Fold melted chips into dough until lightly marbled. (do not overmix). Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 mins, or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completly before storing.

Menu, 2-1-10

2010-02-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day... Happy Groundhog Day everyone. I personally, have never celebrated the day, but if I did, I would surely start out with these pancakes found at Gourmet Mom on the Go. They crack me up.

I've got a confession... last week was a stressful one round our house (potty training) and we ended up eating out more nights than not. We are getting back on track this week with this menu:

Sun- Hawaiian chicken, spinach salad, creamsicle Jell-o salad, parmesan broccoli, and cheesecake thumbprint cookies

M- chicken and noodles, from Pioneer Woman

T- BBQ pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds and parsley

W- taco salad

Th- French dip sandwiches, coleslaw

F- tin foil dinners

Sat- only time will tell, that is a whole 6 days away

Blueberry - Orange Mini Muffins

2010-01-28T08:23:00.000-08:00

As if I haven't posted enough muffin recipes already, here's one more to enjoy- and you WILL definitely enjoy these!

Blueberry- Orange Mini Muffins

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh blueberries

Put the butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Let cool for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with paper liners.

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, the 1/3 cup sugar, the baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, using the wooden spoon, beat together the milk, egg, orange zest and vanilla. Stir in the blueberries. Add the milk mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture. Stir gently just until blended.

Using 2 large spoons, one to scoop and one to push, fill each lined cup mostly full with batter. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over the tops.

Put the pan in the oven and bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2010-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

It is my philosophy that you can never have too many enchiladas recipes. This recipe is exceptional tasty, easy AND it freezes well, which is perfect for my current "cooking for one" status.

I use aluminum loaf pans and put two in each, which makes about ten individual servings (if you have a hefty appetite like me, and can easily eat two full enchiladas in one sitting). I also add a couple cans of beans (I've used white and kidney, but I think any kind would work) to make them a little more nutritious (fiber does a body good!).

The fact that I haven't gotten sick of them after eating this many (by myself), tells you just how good they are. Please. Make them.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

from The Sisters' Cafe

1.5 lbs cooked, shredded pork or chicken

Sauce:

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. lime juice

1 T. chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

equal parts mixed:

mozzarella cheese, shredded

cheddar cheese, shredded

flour tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray pans with non-stick spray. Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.

Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Menu, 1-24-10

2010-01-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

A happy HAPPY birthday to Emma on Friday! I think a party is in order, and I'm pretty sure cheesecake will be involved. How many times do you get to celebrate your 16th birthday afterall?

Here's what we're having for dinner this week:

Sunday- fry bread tostadas with refried beans, all the toppins and Jell-O birthday cake

M- build your own pizza

T- hashbrown quiche

W- corn chowder

Th- orange chicken, rice and veggies

F- cheesecake. (Emma's Fave.)

Sat- OUT. Maybe trying the new Caffe Boa that recently opened in the Las Sendas area in Mesa. VERY excited about that.

Breakfast Panini

2010-01-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

I was flipping through a Williams-Sonoma catalog and came across this recipe- a little twist on the traditional breakfast sandwich and so delicious!

Breakfast Panini

2 slices white bread or brioche, each 1/2
inch thick
Melted unsalted butter for brushing
3 Tbs. grated cheddar cheese
2 bacon slices, fried until crispy
1 fried egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup arugula

Preheat an electric panini maker on high heat according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Place the bread slices on a cutting board. Brush one side of each slice with melted butter. Turn one slice over and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the bacon and fried egg, and season with salt and pepper. Top with the arugula and the other bread slice, buttered side up.

Place the sandwich on the preheated panini maker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Menu, 1-17-10

2010-01-17T19:16:00.000-08:00

Salads have been sounding extra good lately. I had a tasty Turkey Waldorf Salad from Wildflower Bread Co. last night for dinner- I am going to try to recreate it sometime in the next couple weeks. But for this week, we're going to have:

Sun- BLT salad & manicotti

M- stew and carrots over mashed potatoes

T- BBQ chicken salad

W- broccoli chicken calzones

Th- lemon cream pasta and veggies

F- 20 min. chicken parmesan

Sat- I think I will let Chris have a go at it

San Diego Eats

2010-01-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a quick trip to San Diego. We enjoyed trying a couple different restaurants, and also have a to-try list for next time.

My husband Chris gets the credit for finding most of these...

Breakfast: The Mission. Steps away from the beach, the best pancake selection I've seen, big portions, very tasty way to start the morning, and look at that presentation! We spent less here than we did at IHOP the previous morning.

Dinner: Sammy's Woodfired Pizza. Get the arugula and pear pizza. The arugula is tossed in a yummy balsamic and basil dressing. Outstanding- they have a ton of San Diego locations.

Next time around we are dying to try Extraordinary Desserts. According to Jane at This Week for Dinner, The Viking is the thing to order. We also want to check out Leucadia Pizzeria. The not-so-secret ingredient on their Hawaiian pizza is a sprinkling of cinnamon. Sounds yum.

Please share if you have any favorite San Diego dining spots!

Baked Oatmeal

2010-01-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

Remember the Seven Wives Inn? It's the bed and breakfast in St. George that I've stayed at a few times when I'm there for work, and it has the most fantastic breakfast menu. I already posted the granola recipe, and the owner of the inn was kind enough to share the baked oatmeal recipe with me as well.

A word of advice, this oatmeal is quite filling, so don't eat an entire cereal bowl full. I'd suggest baking it in smaller sized ramekins and then serving it with some fruit on the side. Delicious!

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups old fashion cooking oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
½ cup butter/margarine, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Spoon the batter into individual baking bowls. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm with milk drizzled on top

Menu, 1-3-10

2010-01-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year one and all!

Isn't this a clever idea for kids (or otherwise) to make on a rainy day? Foam sheets, markers, scissors, and you've got yourself some play food. Spotted on Ohdeedoh.

Here's what whats for dinner at our place this week-

S- 3 choices of soup, rolls, crudites, brownies and ice cream

M- leftover soup

T- southwest chicken salad

W- caprese pizza, spinach salad

Th- crock pot roast, carrots and potatoes

F- leftovers

Sat- don't want those restaurant gift cards to burn a hole in my pocket

Yes, please

2010-01-03T15:08:00.001-08:00

You won't be sorry. Well, your tastebuds won't.

Figgy Pudding

2009-12-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

The last few Christmas Eves, we've made this "figgy" pudding (really chocolate pudding) to have after our tradition of "Rum Tum Piddly" which is a silly name for potato soup in bread bowls. We also borrow from the Danish the tradition of hiding a single almond in the pudding (theirs is rice). Whichever lucky soul who happens upon the almond gets to open the first present of Christmas Eve. One of our tastiest traditions, to be sure.

Figgy Pudding

(sans figs)

2 cubes butter, softened

2 C. flour

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 C. powdered sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups whole milk
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine butter and flour and press into bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, til golden brown. Let cool. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1/2 the whipped cream, set aside.

For the pudding: Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Whisk often. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

When crust is cool, spread on cream cheese mixture. Pour pudding on top and spread evenly. Top with sweetened whipped cream. Chill til served.

Pudding recipe from Smitten Kitchen, all the rest from friend Laurel.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

2009-12-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is what I am making to take to neighbors and the staff at the dental office. A loaf of yummy bread from The Whole Grain Bread Co. will accompany it. I knew I had to make the butter when the blog author said, "If you never try another recipe from this blog, TRY THIS ONE." Sold.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

4 sticks softened butter

1 C. powdered sugar

1 C. honey

4 tsp. cinnamon

Blend all ingredients thoroughly. Spoon into jars and give oh give away. Or keep it all to yourself, up to you.

Recipe adapted from here.

Lunchables and a menu

2009-12-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

This is what we eat for lunch round here just about every day (or some variation of it). Lunchables, homemade style. Multigrain crackers, sliced deli meat, cheese, a veggie and a fruit. We all love it- if you ask my boy his favorite food he will say "peas open and crackers closed", because he likes me to open his snap peas and eat just the insides and he makes bite size sandwiches out of his crackers, turkey and cheese. This particular day, after the photo was snapped, he made a towering sandwich which included one piece of everything on his plate, including the orange. He stuffed the whole thing in his mouth and had us laughing for a good 5 minutes.

Here's whats for dinner at our house this week:

Sun- Mexican feast of tostadas with all the fixins, enchiladas, spanish rice, and cheesecake

Mon- leftover pulled pork, rice, zucchs and carrots

T- Corn chowder and whole wheat rolls

W- green chile burros, pineapple, salad, hot cocoa ice cream

Th- leftovers

F- tin foil dinners

Sat- St. Francis sounds good to me...

Southwestern Egg Rolls

2009-12-15T19:46:00.001-08:00

This is one of my very favorite recipes. Amanda made these for a Sunday dinner back when she and Mason lived in Utah, and I was lucky enough to partake. They were so so good, and I knew I had to have the recipe.

I know the ingredient list looks long, but don't let that deter you from trying these. I usually make a big batch and keep them in the freezer. They are easy to grab and take to work, or perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. I've never deep fried them as the recipe directs. I will just bake, or sometimes microwave them, depending on how hungry I am.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Ingredients

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
2 Tbs minced green onion
2 Tbs minced red bell pepper
1/3 c frozen corn kernels
1/4 c black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 Tbs diced jalapeno peppers
1/2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp salt
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 quart oil for deep frying

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken approximately 5 minutes per side, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts.
Wrap tortillas with a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high approximately 1 minute or until hot and pliable.
Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with wet toothpicks. Arrange in medium dish, cover with plastic, and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours.
In a large, deep skillet, heat oil for deep frying to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry frozen, stuffed tortillas for 10 minutes each, or until dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving. (Instead of deep frying, you can bake them in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.)

Chocolate Mint Cookies

2009-12-03T06:26:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on Becoming Betty, and thought it would be the perfect dessert to take to my enrichment activity tonight. If you like chocolate and mint, then you will love these cookies. Delish.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Andy's Mint baking chips
1 bag Candy Cane Hershey's kisses

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in mint chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not over bake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and place a kiss on top.

Banana Bran Muffins

2009-11-24T21:26:00.000-08:00

These turned out to be quite tasty. I made a double batch and froze a bunch for an easy grab and go breakfast. I also added chocolate chips because I had a half a bag that needed to be used, and I love chocolate chips in breads. Maybe the chocolate chips made these extra delicious. I don't feel too bad about it because I'm getting my potassium and 3 grams of fiber from each muffin, which is pretty good if you ask me.

Banana Bran Muffins

From EatingWell: May/June 1997

1 dozen muffins | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed banana, (2 medium bananas)
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, or walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
Whisk egg, egg white and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add buttermilk, banana, bran, oil and vanilla and whisk until blended. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with nuts. Bake until tops spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition

Per muffin : 197 Calories; 7 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 18 mg Cholesterol; 33 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 251 mg Sodium; 188 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Giant Cookie Cake

2009-11-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

Our big little boy turned three yesterday. After showing him a few different options of cakes I could make him, he decided he liked the one made of giant cookies. Good choice, bud. This idea would be fun just to make the cookies w/out turning it into a cake... it ends up being A LOT of frosting.

Giant Cookie Cake

Serves 16

4 C. all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 C. light brown sugar

3/4 C. granulated sugar

3 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, plus two egg yolks

3/4 C. heavy cream

3 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

5 pkgs cream cheese, room temp

2 C. confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl. Add in vanilla, eggs, and yolks. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the cream. Stir in chocolate chips.

For each of the 5 layers, drop one level cup batter onto center of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To make the circle even, trace an 8-inch plate or bowl on the underside of the paper. (Refrigerate unbaked dough.) Spread dough into a circle. Bake til edges are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Use spatula to reshape circle. Return to oven and bake til edges are golden brown, about 6 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack to cool. *There will be leftover dough

Mix cream cheese and sugar in clean mixing bowl. Spread onto 4 cookies. Stack cookies, placing unfrosted cookie on top. Refrigerate til frosting is set, at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. Serve at room temp.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Veggies

2009-11-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

I will always associate this dish with celebrating nephew Jonah's arrival, when we had it for Sunday dinner at Mase and Amanda's. Really, really delicious- and such a happy memory.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Veggies

1 T. olive oil

1 garlic clove

2 C. heavy cream

3 lemons

salt and pep

1 pound pasta of choice

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just for a few seconds- not more than 30, or it will burn, and burnt garlic is so bitter and nasty. Add cream, zest and juice of two of the lemons, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Simmer sauce for about 20 minutes on medium-low.

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 T. salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Immediately add cream mixture and cook for about three minutes. Steam zucchs and squash, and add to the pasta. Toss in parmesan and tomatoes. Slice the last lemon and add a few slices to the pasta, to make it purty. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

* We've also made this with broccoli and it's yum too.

Pumpkin Cranberry Pancakes

2009-11-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

We are LOVING our pumpkin pancake/waffle mix from TJ's. I was there a couple weeks back and this was their tasting sample. Knocked my socks off. If you don't have the mix, I am sure there are a number of simple recipes for pumpkin pancakes on the net.

Pumpkin Cranberry Pancakes

(This is more of a method than a recipe.)

Pumpkin pancake dry mix

egg, milk, and butter as box directs

fresh cranberries

real maple syrup

pecan halves

Prepare batter as box directs. Preheat griddle or skillet. Grease pan and pour batter by 1/4 cupfulls. Add cranberries to batter. When pancakes are dry round the edges and bubbles start to burst, flip and continue cooking on other side. Meanwhile, heat maple syrup in saucepan over low heat. Add pecans to syrup, warm through, and serve over finished pancakes. Perfect fall recipe!

Cuties and a menu, 11-15-09

2009-11-17T06:31:00.000-08:00

Happiness filled my heart when I came accross this box of clementines at Trader Joes last week. I proceeded to buy two boxes on the spot, and another at Costco later that day. There have been a couple times when I've been duped into buying a box of mandarins... and they're not the same. Gotta be clementines.

Here's what we're eating for dinner at our house this week:

Sun- spaghetti, garlic breadsticks, pizza salad, and Texas sheet cake

M- roast chicken, steamed broccoli and rice

T- mini hamburgers and glazed carrots

W- leftovers

Th- lemon fusilli pasta with zucchs, squash and tomatoes (recipe to come)

F- out (carbing up for Chris' bike race Sat. am)

Sat- cold cereal, most likely.

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

2009-11-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

My diet has been extremely lacking in the area of fresh food (mainly fruits & veggies) for the last few weeks. This week, I recommitted to eating more vegetables and decided that this soup would be a good start.

My notes:

I used fresh bell pepper, left out the onion, and used cheese tortellini.
It was a bit spicier than I thought it would be, but I still liked it. If you're planning to serve it to kids, I'd probably omit the crushed red pepper flake.
Next time I might opt to just use regular canned diced tomatoes, not fire roasted.
Other than that, it was a nice hearty soup that was delicious with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top and a nice piece of crusty bread for dipping.

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

From EatingWell.com

Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well.

4 servings, about 2 cups each | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 15-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen cheese (or meat) ravioli, preferably whole-wheat
2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pepper-onion mix, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram); bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add zucchini; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper.

Nutrition

Per serving : 264 Calories; 9 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 28 mg Cholesterol; 38 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 763 mg Sodium; 762 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Thin with broth before reheating, if desired.

Pie

2009-11-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

For my husband's thirtieth birthday party, I made those pies in jars I had been dying over a few weeks back. They were lots of work but lots of fun. I made some apple, some peach, some pumpkin, and some blackberry, at Chris' request. I found the short squatty jars at Ace Hardware, since they were sold out on Amazon. Here is the blackberry pie recipe I used, adapted from a Blueberry pie I found in my ATK cookbook. This recipe makes one regular pie, follow the link to the pies in jars for instructions on making and baking those.

Blackberry Pie

6 cups blackberries

1 C. plus one T. sugar

4 T. potato starch

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp. allspice

pinch nutmeg

1 recipe double crust pie dough

2 T. unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss blackberries, 1 C. sugar, potato starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices together and let stand for 15 minutes. Place bottom crust into pie plate and roll out top crust to a 12 inch circle. Spread berries in the unbaked crust bottom and dot with butter. Lay top crust over berries, seal and crimp the edges, and cut four vent holes. brush crust with egg white and sprinkle with 1 T. of sugar. Place pie on baking sheet and in the oven, then lower the temp to 425. Bake til top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet, reduce oven temp again to 375, and continue to bake til crust is deep golden brown, about 30-35 minutes longer. Transfer to wire rack and cool before serving. You can store this pie at room temperature wrapped in foil for two days.

Double-crust Pie Dough

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

8 T. vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces and chilled

12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cun into small pieces and chilled

8 T. ice water

Process the flour, sugar and salt in a food proccesor til combined. Scatter shortening over top and process about ten seconds. Scatter butter over top and, using short pulses, process til it resembles coarse crumbs, about ten pulses. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle ice water over mixture. Stir and pressdough together with a rubber spatula. Divide dough into to even pieces and flatten into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-10-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought I'd publish a few pumpkin recipes that I think are delicious. Hope you enjoy!

This Pumpkin Cheesecake was a hit at our Thanksgiving dinner last year. Recipe complements of my friend Katy.

Ingredients

For the crust

* 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling

* 1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin
* 3 large eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Make the crust:
In a bowl combine the cracker crumbs, the pecans, and the sugars, stir in the butter, and press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.

Make the filling:
In a bowl whisk together the pumpkin, the egg, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the ginger, the salt, and the brown sugar. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar, beat in the cream, the cornstarch, the vanilla, the bourbon liqueur, and the pumpkin mixture, and beat the filling until it is smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust, bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

2009-10-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

This AMAZING pumpkin bread recipe was given to me by a friend. It is very likely the best pumpkin bread I've ever tasted. If you like pumpkin, you must try!!!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease
two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until
smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin,
ginger, allspice and cinnamon.
3. In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder.
Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all
ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Mango Smoothies

2009-10-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

We love a good smoothie round here, and we've had our fill this week. Mango smoothies are up there in our top couple faves. Recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Mango Smoothies

2 cups frozen mango cubes
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups milk
1 banana, coarsely chopped
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend and serve. (Trader Joes has delicious frozen mango year-round.)

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-10-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our menu is very flexible this week- we're nursing our daughter back to health after she had a tonsilectomy on Monday. I made this soup last night, and it was just what the doctor ordered, for all of us. Recipe adapted from one found on For the Love of Cooking.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 T. olive oil
2-3 T. yellow onion, finely diced
2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
couple dashes of oregano
couple dashes of thyme
1 chicken bouillon cube
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups of baking potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups of roasted chicken, shredded
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup half n half
2 cups uncooked egg noodles

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly.
Season the cooked vegetables with oregano, thyme, chicken bouillon, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer partially covered, 20 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and mix thoroughly. Add cornstarch mixture, chicken, half-n-half and egg noodles to the broth, and cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Pie in a Jar

2009-10-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Word. Just when I think I've seen it all... This is so fun, I can't wait to test it out. Find the instructions here. I love the internet.

Seven Wives Inn Granola

2009-10-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

There is a little bed and breakfast in St. George, Utah that has the most delicious breakfasts. I've asked the owner for a couple of her recipes, and she shared them willingly. First, the granola. I love the addition of the coconut and the peanut butter. It makes a nice big batch, so I keep some out to eat and freeze the rest for later use.

Seven Wives Inn Granola

Ingredients:

8 cups oats, not instant
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)
8 oz. almonds
8 oz cashews
8 oz coconut, unsweetened large ribbon
3 oz sunflower seeds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup raisins

Instructions:

Mix first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Heat water, oil, honey, and peanut butter until it begins to bubble. Add vanilla and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well and spread on two large cookie sheets. Bake in 200 degree oven for about two hours or until coconut is golden. Stir occasionally while baking. Add raisins when cool. Store in an airtight container.

Corn Cakes

2009-10-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Came across this fun appetizer on Prudence Pennywise a few weeks back. Very tasty- kids and adults gobbled them up. I think they would be outstanding with some of Shawna Ellsworth's salsa... must get that recipe.

Corn Cakes

1 and 1/2 cups corn kernels, divided use
1/4 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth or water
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch salt
heaping 1/2 cup masa harina
1/4 cup flour

In a blender, combine 3/4 cup corn kernels and butter. Process until almost smooth. Pour into bowl and add remaining ingredients, including remaining 3/4 cup corn kernels. Shape into 12 small patties. Preheat griddle over medium high heat and lightly coat with butter. Cook patties like pancakes, until golden brown on each side. Serve with avocado, sour cream, and fresh salsa.

Menu, 10-4-09

2009-10-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hold the Onions Readers, please pray for Maren this week. She is getting all 4 wisdom teeth pulled today and will be on a steady diet of liquified food for the next few days. Her last meal is going to be a big fat In-n-Out cheeseburger before the big event. Best of luck Mare!

Here's whats for dinner round here this week...

Sun- Paula Deen's pot roast, mom's homemade rolls (she did good, Kelli!), layered green salad, balsamic roasted potatoes and carrots, and Laurel's layered chocolate pudding dessert- must post recipe for that soon, it is THE BEST.

M- broccoli cheese soup, rolls, green salad w/ walnuts and pears

T- leftovers

W- spinach ravioli with marinara sauce and steamed squash

Th- maybe stirfry again- it was so good last week!

F- pepperoni pizza

S- going out, or taking out

Oreo Banana Cream Pie

2009-10-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Chris took me out for a wonderful dinner for my birthday a couple months ago. We ate at one of the restaurants inside the Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Scottsdale. Our dinner was delish. But one thing stood out above all the rest of the meal. DESSERT. Mini root beer floats and an Oreo banana cream pie with caramel sauce and a crispy cinnamon sugar banana slice. I could not get over how amazing it was. ATK helped me recreate the pie for my Mom's birthday earlier this month. The only thing I cannot figure out is the fried banana. Mine turned to mush. I am stumped and would welcome any suggestions.

Oreo Banana Cream Pie

CRUST:
16 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces (not double stuffed)
2 T. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Grind cookies in food processor until fine crumbs. With machine running, pour butter through tube til incorporated. Transfer crumbs to pie plate. Press crumbs into an even layer on the bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool.

FILLING:
1/2 C. plus 2 T. sugar
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
5 large egg yolks
2 C. whole milk
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise
2 T. unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in the milk and evaporated milk. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean halves with a knife. Add both vanilla seeds and pod to the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whsiking frequently, then cook for one minute til mixture is thick and smooth. Off the heat, discard the vanilla bean pod and whisk in the butter.

Pour filling into a shallow pan and lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool at room temp til just warm, about 30 minutes. Pour 1/2 the filling into the Oreo crust, add a layer of 2 ripe bananas, sliced thin, and pour in the remaining filling. Again lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate the pie until completely chilled, about 4 hours.

TOPPING:
1 C. heavy cream, chilled
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
caramel sauce

Just before serving, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla together in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Spread over top of the pie. Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with additional sliced bananas, if you fancy.

Mango Chicken

2009-09-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

When Mason and I were living in Utah, his cousins had us over for dinner. They made this dish and we were hooked. We make it all of the time. It is healthy and DELICIOUS!! Enjoy!

Marinade:

3-4 chicken breasts
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
1/3 c. pineapple juice
1/3 c. honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
black pepper to taste

(Keep 1/3 c. for basting)

Salsa:

1 avocado, diced
1 mango, diced
1 tomato, diced (squish out seeds)
5 green onions, chopped
½ c. cilantro leaves, cut with kitchen shears
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced (put sandwich bag over hand to take seeds out)
juice of 1 lime

Marinate meat for approximately 6 hours. Grill meat, while basting with extra sauce. Make salsa right before serving. Serve meat with salsa on top.

Note: Leftovers are excellent on salad with Brianna’s Poppyseed salad dressing.

Menu 9-27-09

2009-09-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

On the menu for us this week:

Sun- baked potato bar, BLT salad, caramel apple turnovers

M- breakfast for dinner

T- stirfry

W- chicken and pasta alfredo with veggies

Th- lemony chicken over mixed greens

F- roast and mashed potatoes

Sat- pizza?

Carrot Cake

2009-09-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

I have never been a huge fan of carrot cake, because of all the chunks. I was intrigued when I saw a recipe that called for carrot baby food. I liked the puree idea, but jarred baby food just tastes NASTY and that won't do.
America's Test Kitchen came to the rescue again. I've made this cake twice in the last couple weeks. Grating the carrots takes a little while... I'd be interested to see how the food processor does.

Carrot Cake

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 C. veg oil
1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat the oven to 350. Lightly coat a 9 by 13 cake pan with veg oil spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the eggs and sugars together in a large bowl until frothy and the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1 min. While whisking, slowly add the oil until the mixture is thoroughly combined, about 1 min. Whisk in the flour mixture til no streaks remain. Stir in the carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until center of cake is done, 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack about two hours. Run a knife around edges of pan, invert the cake on a cooling rack, peel off the parchment, then invert again onto a serving platter.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
5 T. unsalted butter, softened
1 T. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 C. powdered sugar

Mix the cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla with an electric mixer til combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix til smooth. Frost, and dive in!

The Lady and Sons

2009-09-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks back, Kelli and I went to Florida to visit Mason, Amanda and Jonah (our brother and his family). At the top of our to-do list was a road trip to Savannah, Georgia to dine at Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. It was a Saturday, and they were booked for lunch and also dinner. But Mason worked his magic on the hostess and within a few minutes we were seated. :) Just being there was so very fun. The staff was outstanding- so friendly. I don't know quite how to say this, I feel as though I am betraying Paula, but our meal was just OK. It was right up there with Chuck-O-Rama buffet. I am so glad we did it, just to say we did. All around our meal was a fun one, just not THE most delicious. We were spoiled the rest of the trip by Amanda's exceptional cooking, which IS something to write home about. I'm hoping she'll post her Mango Chicken recipe for us... whaddaya say Mandy?

Manicotti with Spinach

2009-09-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

This one's a family favorite. Yum yum.

Manicotti with Spinach

1 box (8 oz) uncooked manicotti shells
2 C shredded Italian cheese blend (8 oz)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 box (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar (25.5 oz) marinara sauce
1 C. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. half n half

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook manicotti as directed on box. Rinse and drain well.
2. In medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the Italian cheese blend, the red pepper, ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic and egg.
3. In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce. Spoon ricotta mixture into manicotti; place over sauce in dish. Mix remaining sauce with half n half then pour over manicotti.
4. Cover tightly with foil; bake about 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Uncover dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend and 1 C. parmesan. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

9-20-09 Menu

2009-09-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here's what we're having for din din this week:

Sun- Pasta al Forno, spinach salad, rolls, coconut chocolate chip cookies

M- double decker tacos

T- hawaiian pizza (kid's request)

W- chicken salad sammies

Th- penne with roasted veggies

F- taking advantage of AZ Restaurant Week

Sat- leftovers?

Strawberry Crunch

2009-09-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of the yummiest desserts ever! The combination of flavors is unbelieveable. Any chocolate chip cookie will do, but my favorite recipe is from here.

Strawberry Crunch

8 oz. fresh strawberries
3 chocolate chip cookies
1 heaping tsp. orange zest
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. melted butter
vanilla yogurt ( I used Strauss because it's really runny- perfect for drizzling)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sliced strawberries, orange zest, and sugar in a medium bowl. Pour the strawberry mixture into an oven-safe dish and crumble the cookies on top. Drizzle melted butter all over and bake for 7 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla yogurt drizzled over the top. DIVINE!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. butter
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 1/2 C. oatmeal (Blend in blender or food processor until powdery)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 4 oz. Hershey’s bar (grated)

Cream together butter & sugars. Add eggs & vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together flour, oats, salt, baking powder & baking soda then add to butter/sugar mixture. Stir in chips & grated Hershey’s bar. Bake on ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart for 8 minutes @ 375.

Menu, Sept. 13

2009-09-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

Found these funny sammies and thought I'd pass them along.

Here's what we're having for dinner this week:

Sun- brocooli chicken casserole, fresh fruit and coconut dip, caesar salad, cornbread, banana cream pie

M- roast chicken, balsamic roasted carrots and potatoes

T- taco salad

W- chicken pot pie

Th- tostadas with homemade refried beans, tamale griddle cakes

F- OUT!

Sat- ???

Restaurant Week

2009-09-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

Arizonans, it's that time again! Chris and I are at a loss as to which restaurant to try. Roy's, Flemings, Ocean Prime, Cowboy Ciao, and The Green House are all on our to-try list. The website has all the info you'll need. Hooray!

Eating Out

2009-09-11T10:16:00.001-07:00

My husband has had the opportunity to be a part-investor in a new Phoenix restaurant that opened last week-

St. Francis. It's been in the works for a while so it was fun to go get the grand tour and try out the food. Aaron Chamberlin is the owner/chef and he is awesome! He has had several highly acclaimed restaurants in New York, San Fransisco, and was part of the opening team that started LeGrande Orange, Chelsea's Kitchen, and Radio Milano here in the valley. The restaurant itself was an old brick building that they renovated and they did an outstanding job. The architecture is amazing and there are lots of really cool details. St. Francis is a must-try.!

Important Notes:

*the rustic wood-burning oven

*the glass garage door downstairs that opens up to an outdoor courtyard

*kids under 6 eat free

*the custom bathroom sinks

*the chalkboard

*the crispy fingerling potatoes with lemon aioli

*romaine hearts and spring vegetables with buttermilk cheddar dressing

*the pepper crusted flat-iron steak

*the sticky toffee pudding with sweet cream gelato

Go here for the full menu. I'm sure we'll see you there, we're going tonight for the third time this week.

BBQ Chicken Salad

2009-09-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Been craving this ever since first-cousin-once-removed Steph posted about it. SO flavorful and yummy.

BBQ Chicken Salad

1 large bag romaine lettuce
1 cup frozen white corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans - drain & rinse
2 cups pepper jack cheese - coursely grated
3 medium tomatoes - diced
2 avocados - diced
juice of 1/2 lime - drizzle over avocado

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Best Foods™ mayonnaise
1/2 package Hidden Valley™ ranch dressing mix

2 lbs cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's or Trader Joe's Bold and Smoky are our picks)

Make ranch dressing, chill. Toss chicken with barbecue sauce.
On a large platter, layer lettuce, corn, black beans, cheese and tomatoes. Top with warm barbecued chicken and avocadoes. Serve immediately.

Coconut Fruit Dip

2009-08-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

Friend Chelsea brought this to a pool party Friday night- it was loved by everyone. I should be a little embarrassed that I have already made it TWICE since. Saturday and Sunday nights. It's that awesome.

Coconut Fruit Dip

1/2 C. softened cream cheese (4 oz., or half a block)
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. sweetened shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients well. Great with berries, pineapple, grapes, whatever suits your fancy.