Friday, October 10, 2008

Wheat Cereal


adapted from "Simple Recipes Using Food Storage"

1 cup wheat
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

Cook ingredients together in a crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with brown sugar and applesauce, or milk and honey. About 4-1 cup servings.


Resource:  Safely Gathered In
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Green Tomato Salsa

3 green tomatoes
4 ounces diced green chiles, canned
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Peel and seed green tomatoes. Place green tomatoes in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook about 15 minutes until the tomatoes turn light green. Drain well. Place in a blender with the onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Puree to desired consistency and chill.

Notes: If you are lazy and the salsa is for family consumption, you can try making it without peeling the tomatoes first. The peels were bothersome in the frozen salsa, but I don't notice it in the canned.

Easy on the blender pulse button. This recipe is easy to overblend.

You don't have to be super scientific with the ingredient amounts. It still tastes good.

You can use fresh green chiles instead of canned. I just haven't figured out how to peel green chiles quickly (when I tried the heat-them-in-the-oven-in-a-paper-bag idea, I couldn't get it to work), and I haven't grown a lot of them before, and the cans are cheap at case lot sales.

Canning note: I researched this heavily last fall to try to figure out some canning guidelines. Everything I read said that green tomatoes are more acidic than ripe tomatoes. That fact, plus the lime juice in this recipe, makes me confident to follow the canning instructions for regular red tomato salsa when canning this recipe of salsa verde.

Recipe Source:  The Pantry Panel

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Breakfast Ideas


I found some great kid-friendly breakfast menu ideas at this site:



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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Chicken Manicotti


This recipe from freezerdinners.com

yield 2 casseroles
Ingredients:

1 T garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
16 uncooked manicotti shells
5 - 6 cups bulk spaghetti sauce
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup water
PREPARATION:
Rub garlic powder over chicken; cut into 1 inch strips.

Stuff chicken into manicotti shells.

Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in each of two greases 13 x 9 x 2 baking dishes

Place eight stuffed manicotti shells in each dish. Sprinkle with sausage

Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese.

Drizzle water around the edge of each dish. Cover and bake one casserole at 375 degrees for 65 - 70 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender.

Cover and freeze remaining casserole for up to 3 months. Label 375 for 70 minutes.

To serve: Thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours and bake at 375 for 65 - 70 minutes. You can also bake frozen at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.
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Lasagna

This recipe from Freezerdinners.com

yield 3 (8x8) or 2 (9x13)

Ingredients:

1 (16oz) box lasagna noodles divided into three 8 inch aluminum containers (do not pre-cook noodles)
4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 (24oz) container cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese
10 cups bulk spaghetti sauce (recipe above)
PREPARATION:
In three greased (or lined with aluminum foil) 8 inch aluminum baking dishes, make layers in the following order.
1. 3 noodles broken to fit pan
2. Cottage cheese (or ricotta)
3. Mozzarella cheese
4. Nickel sized cream cheese plopped evenly all over
5. Sauce and repeat

Wrap pans with foil, label (350 degrees 45 min. or if frozen, 2 hours at 350 degrees) and freeze

To serve: Bake frozen for 2 hours at 350 degrees or defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bake 350 degrees for 45 min; take off cover for final 10 min. Let stand 10 min before serving.

Lasagna will be a bit watery, this is normal. Pour out all but a little water, the rest will soak into the sauce overnight.
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Bulk Spaghetti Sauce

this recipe is from freezerdinners.com

Yield: 13 Cups

In large pot mix:
2 T. canola oil
2 onions, chopped
2 t. garlic, minced
2 lbs browned Italian sausage (buy Jimmy Dean brand in a tube, less expensive)
2 lbs browned hamburger

Drain the meat mixture then add:
1 (106 oz) can spaghetti sauce can from Costco or 5 jars (28 oz) commercial spaghetti sauce
1 (106 oz) can of diced tomatoes or 2 (28 oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
4 (2.4 oz) cans sliced black olives (optional)
3 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. Garlic salt
1 T. dried basil
1 T. salt
1/2 T. pepper

*Sauce is used for lasagnas, manicotti, ravioli and can be frozen for spaghetti or pizzas.

watch a video demonstration here

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Chicken Cordon Bleu


watch the video of this movie being preapred here

A fabulous meal that is perfect for making ahead and stashing in the freezer to save for an easy dinner down the road!
Chef: Jenny Stanger

Ingredients: Yield: 8-10 Servings

1 (12 oz) bottle of Lawry’s 30 min. marinade or a homemade marinade.
6-8 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
6-8 slices Swiss cheese
6-8 slices of ham
2 C. Italian flavored bread crumbs
Trim the fat off chicken breasts, slice chicken breasts in half (so it folds out like a heart) and slice down the center of the fold. Each breast will make
2 Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Place chicken breasts in 3 large zip-top bags and pour in marinade in each bag. Marinate for 15 minutes minimum. I like to place mine the refridgerator overnight. After marinating, pound and flatten chicken breasts in the large zip top bags with a heavy pan until chicken is 1/4 inch thick.
Lay out 2 flat plastic bowls, tooth picks, a cookie sheet and a paper towel. Melt butter in one flat bowl, pour bread crumbs in the other. Place the paper towel on the cookie sheet.
Lay out 8-10 tooth picks. Open the zip top bags, spread chicken out on plastic so you can place meat and cheese on chicken breasts all at the same time. Place 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of ham on each breast. You can slice some large chicken breasts in half to make smaller Chicken Cordon Bleu. Roll chicken and tuck sides in as much as possible. Secure with a toothpick. Dip in butter, roll in bread crumbs. Place on a paper towel and set in the freezer for 1 hour.
Place in a large zip top bag, label (Chicken Cordon Bleu 350 degrees 35 minutes)

To serve: Place frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu on a aluminum foil covered cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve warm with a green salad and breadsticks

For more information and recipes visit: www.freezerdinner.com
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Pizza Recipe

Yield: 1 large pizza

In a small bowl mix
1 T. Yeast
1 C. Hot water (95-100 degrees)
1 T. Oil Wait 5 min for the yeast to activate (turn frothy on top)

In a large bowl mix:
3 C. Flour
1 t. Salt
1/2 T. Oregano
1T Garlic Salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Place pizza stone (or pizza pan) in the oven while it is heating up.
2. Stir wet and dry ingredients together and add small amounts of water if dough feels dry. Mix or Knead for 8-10 minutes on a greased surface. Dough should be elastic.
3. It is o.k. to freeze dough at this time if you run out of time. Place dough in a large freezer ziptop bag.

Label: Pizza dough and freeze for up to 6 months. To use, simply defrost in the microwave, roll out and make a pizza, Stromboli or calzone.

4. Roll out pizza. Fold over edges to make a crust. Poke pizza dough all over with a fork to prevent bubbles in the crust. Place on pizza pans.

5. Bake for 4-5 minutes at 500 degrees. Mix together pizza sauce (recipe is below)

6. Pull out hot crust and top with ½ c. cheese first (this will keep the pizza dough from getting soggy.)

7. Pour sauce on top of cheese. Pile on toppings, top again with cheese.

8. Cool pizza and then wrap pizza in plastic wrap. You can freeze pizza for one hour and then wrap up without a pizza pan. Label 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes and put in freezer. Can freeze for 3-6 months.

To Serve: Do not thaw. Place pizza on a pizza stone in the oven while it is pre-heating to 500 degrees. Bake 10-15 min. at 500 degrees or until cheese is melted and crust is golden. Pizza Sauce Per Pizza: 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce1 T. oregano1 t. minced garlic

Open can and pour oregano and garlic right into the sauce, stir carefully so it will not spill.
Pour onto Pizza crust. Spread around with a spoon to cover crust.Print Page

Orange Chicken


Yield: 8 servings

Sauce
3 T. Soy Sauce
1/3 C. Water
2/3 C. Sugar
2/3 C White Vinegar
3 T. cornstarch mixed with 1/2 C. water to thicken the sauce while boiling.
Zest from 1 Orange (You can freeze your orange peels in a ziptop bag for later.)

2 lb breaded chicken pieces (In the book I teach you how to bread your own chicken pieces)

To serve:
Place frozen battered chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 10 min.
In a skillet or sauce pan, add orange sauce ingredients except for cornstarch mixture and bring to boil. Stir in cornstarch mixture until sauce is thickened.
Pour sauce on to cooked chicken in separate bowl, then pour onto serving dish and serve at once.
Add grated zest of 1 orange to the sauce for orange flavor and presentation.

Recipe from Fantastic freezer Meals website
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Fantastic Freezer Recipes


A new freezer dinner book -- she has a slightly different approach -- cooking every 2 weeks and gradually filling your freezer. Below is her table of contents and I've linked to a few recipes that are available that I'd like to try before I buy!

Fantastic Freezer Meals
Recipes and Freezer Tips
There are over 100 delicious recipes in this book and also helpful tips for freezing dinners including:

Frequently Asked Questions
Freezer Recipe Basics
Emergency Substitutions
Alcohol Substitutions
Standard Measurement Abbreviations

Bread and Breakfast
Banana Bread with Crunchy Streusel Topping
Berry Cheesecake Muffins
Breakfast Egg Sandwiches
Breakfast Burritos
Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread
Cinnamon Rolls
French Toast
Focaccia (Italian Pull-apart Bread) Bread
German Pancakes
Pizza Dough
Scones and Bread Bowls

Bulk Recipes
Ground Beef / Taco Meat
Rice
Refried Beans
Sirloin Strips
Sweet Shredded Pork
Spaghetti Sauce

Drinks and Dessert
Yogurt Pops
Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Carmel Apple Crisp
Chocolate Rollo Cookies
Fudge Bars
Great Pumpkin Cookies
Orange Dreamsicles
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (flourless)
Raspberry Lime Delight
White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
White Grape Apple Sparkle Punch

Ice Cream Cakes
Coconut Almond Fudge Ice Cream Cake
Grasshopper Ice Cream Cake
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Snicker Ice Cream Cake

Frostings
Cool Whip Cake Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Creamy Thick and White Frosting
Maple Frosting
Main Dishes


Turkey
Cornbread Turkey Dinner
Cheesy Turkey Bake

Beef
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Cheesy Ravioli
Chimichangas
Chili and Corn Bread (All in one dish)
Ginger Sirloin Strips
Lasagna
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Sirloin Beef Tips and Gravy

Chicken
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Manicotti
Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken
Orange Chicken
Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Broccoli

Pork
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Cheesy Ham Bake
Kielbasa Sausage Stir Fry
Lemon Basil Pork Chops
Pizza
Pot Stickers
Stromboli/ Calzones
Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Seafood, Sides & Soups
Blackened Halibut

Broccoli and Bacon Salad
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Noodle Soup
Freezer Jam
Fish Tacos
Grilled Salmon
Ham and Broccoli Cheese Soup
Mini Meatball Soup
Pasta Primavera w/ Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas
Roasted Vegetables
Vegetable Beef StewPrint Page

Jambalaya


2 (5-7oz) packages rice mix; chicken, beef, creole or spanish flavor
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-oz) can corn, drained
4 cups water
6 chicken breasts
Method:

Pour rice and seasonings from rice packet into a large baking pan. Add tomatoes and their juices, black beans, corn and water. Stir to mix. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture. Place in 375 degree oven and cook for aprox 1 hour. Stir rice occasionally.

For variety add keilbasa sausage, shrimp, pork or any other meat you might have in your freezer. Jambalaya is a great dish to play with!

recipe found
here
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Friday, September 19, 2008

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Beef & Broccoli


We love Beef and Broccoli, but usually use one of those dry seasoning packets.  We haven't found anything we like better...but I would love to find a replacement for it -- something a little more 'real'!  Have to give this version a try!

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound boneless round steak, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine flour, broth, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir until sugar and flour are dissolved. In a large skillet or wok over high heat, cook and stir beef 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, and broccoli. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

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Monday, September 15, 2008

Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut in thin strips
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 14-oz. cans reduced sodium beef broth
1/3 cup bottled peanut sauce
1-1/2 cups medium egg noodles (3 oz.)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup bias-sliced green onions (optional)
directions
1. In Dutch oven brown beef strips in hot oil over medium-high heat. Add beef broth and peanut sauce; bring to boiling.

2. Stir in noodles; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate noodles. Add broccoli; return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes more or just until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Divide beef and noodle mixture among four bowls. If desired, sprinkle servings with green onions. Serves 4.

nutrition facts:
Servings Per Recipe 4 servings Calories 316, Total Fat (g) 12, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 60, Sodium (mg) 762, Carbohydrate (g) 18, Total Sugar (g) 5, Fiber (g) 2, Protein (g) 31, Vitamin C (DV%) 68, Calcium (DV%) 5, Iron (DV%) 15, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Rice Seasoning Mix


This rice had great flavor -- I added a little butter at the end, because I thought it looked just a little dry.  Next time, I might try adding a little at the beginning.  I cooked it in the rice cooker, and it turned out great! 

Rated: 4 out of 5 by 8 members
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 5 Minutes
Yields: 40 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sliced almonds, coarsely
chopped
1/2 cup chicken bouillon
granules
1/2 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dill weed
1 tablespoon dried minced
onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper
seasoning

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine the first nine ingredients. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 10 batches (2 cups total).

From Allrecipes.com Submitted by: Linnea Rein. "'With rice and this mix on hand, you can whip up a tasty side dish whenever you need one,' says Linnea Rein from Topeka, Kansas. 'It goes with any meat and has superb flavor.'"
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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Peeling hard-boiled eggs easily


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Okay -- his language isn't great -- but he shows a tip on peeling hard-boiled eggs, which can, at times be a pain.  So next time, I think I'll give this a try.  I wonder if anyone will care if I blow on their egg?  Watch the video here.

Family Fun's Best Ever Beef Stew


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RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 to 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced rutabaga (about 1/2 small rutabaga)
1 cup fresh green beans, in bite-size pieces
1 pound beef stew-meat chunks
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups low-sodium beef stock
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1. Put everything but the flour and the tomato paste in a slow cooker; stir to combine.

2. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5, until the beef is tender and the potatoes are just fork tender.

3. Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks, if possible. About 30 minutes before serving, transfer a ladleful of the broth to a small mixing bowl.

4. Add the flour and tomato paste and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture into the stew and cook for the remaining half hour. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Quick & Easy Green Chili Stew


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**If using ground beef or grilled chicken, season and cook it before starting this soup.

To begin:
1-2 T. olive oil
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1-2 cans diced green chili
1 small onion or 1/2 onion, finely diced

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, green chili; saute until the onion is soft, stirring frequently.

Then add:
4-5 c. chicken broth (or 5 c. water+5 bullion cubes)
1-2 cans red kidney beans
1-2 cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 bag frozen corn
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans green chili enchilada sauce

Bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes.

Then add:
Ground beef or chopped grilled chicken (about 1 - 1.5 lbs.)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c. heavy cream or half & half (optional but VERY good)

**This soup is delicious with just about anything you have in the pantry. Use different kinds of beans, veggies, or meats. Freeze any leftover soup for a rainy day and you've got instant dinner!

We like to eat our soup with a good whole wheat tortilla or the cheddar biscuits from the Bisquick box.

From Burton Ward -by Abby Welker

AMAZING Whole Grain Pancakes


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Dry Ingredients:

2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. oat flour (or quick oats)
2 T. wheat germ
1 T. ground flax seed
2 t. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 c. buttermilk (+ more if needed)
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1 T. oil
1/4 t. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients; in a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Mix everything together and let sit for a minute. If mixture is too thick, add more buttermilk.

Ladle onto hot griddle, flip after pancakes get bubbly and lightly browned on the edges.

From the Burton Ward -by Abby Welker

Cream of Anything Soup


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2 c powdered milk
1 c corn starch
3 Tb chicken bullion
(if using Shirley J’s brand, use half that amount)
2 Tb onion flakes
(can blend in blender to make smooth)
1 Tb celery seed or ¼ tsp ground celery seed

Mix and put in an airtight container.

When ready to use mix combine:

1/3 c mix
1 ¼ c water
1 Tb butter or margarine
(if you don’t have it, you don’t need to use it)

Stir and cook until it comes to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Can be used in any recipe that calls for a can of cream soup. You can add mushrooms, broccoli, celery, chicken, or cheese.

Keep recipe on front of the airtight container. May cover with contact paper.

Baked Ziti


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RECIPE RATING: 4 1/2 stars (2724)

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 35 Min
READY IN 55 Min
SERVINGS 8

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

MY NOTES: CROWD PLEASER! We made 5 batches of this to take to feed my daughter's soccer team (32 girls and 2 coaches) -- it made a ton -- enough to feed them (many came back for seconds) and had enough leftovers to feed my family of 6, her family of 5, and probably could have fed another family as well considering how much we have leftover. So, the serving portions might have been closer to 10, served with a green salad and a roll. Everyone loved it! Many of the girls said that it was the best lunch they'd had. This was the perfect dish to make in bulk -- bought bulk goods at Costco: Contandina canned spaghetti sauce -- used about 1 1/2 and froze the rest in two batches -- should be just enough for 2 spaghetti dinners, one 3 lb tub of sour cream, one bag of shredded mozzarella -- with a little left over.

These nutrition facts are based on using all mozzarella instead of provolone, 1 cup of ff sour cream and no parmesan cheese

Nutrition Facts

Calories 506
Calories from Fat 166
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18.4g 28%
Saturated Fat 9.1g 46%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 288mg 12%
Total Carb 50.2g 17%
Fiber 2.2g 9%
Sugars 4.1g
Protein 34.3g
Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 37% • Iron 8%

SUBMITTED BY: Colleen B. Smith PHOTO BY: cookin'mama (allrecipes.com)

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Seared Steaks


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Ingredients

Serves 4
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 beefsteak tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia, one half thinly sliced, other half chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 flat-iron steaks (4 to 6 ounces each)
Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Place tomato and onion slices on a platter, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium. Add chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add flour to pan; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir in spinach and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve steaks with tomato salad and creamy spinach.
Helpful Hint

Inexpensive flat-iron steak is a lean cut from the top shoulder; remove center gristle, if any. It's best medium-rare, so it's ready in minutes.

From Martha Stewart

Glazed Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Green Beans


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Ingredients

Serves 4
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen green beans
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed well and quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup whole milk
4 bone-in pork chops (about 9 ounces each)
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add green beans and tomatoes (with their juice); cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 15 minutes.
Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a bowl; set aside.
Remove steamer basket; discard water from pot. In same pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add garlic; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes; mash coarsely. Cook, stirring, 1 minute (a film of starch will form on bottom of pot). Stir in milk and remaining tablespoon butter; heat until warmed through, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover. Set aside.
Heat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine sugar and Dijon. Place pork on sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until pork begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes; spread sugar mixture over top. Broil until glaze is browned and pork is opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve pork with potatoes and green beans.

Form Martha Stewart

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower


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Ingredients

Serves 4
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds), cored and broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
4 slices white sandwich bread
12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower, onion, and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on lower rack until lightly browned and tender, 20 minutes, tossing once.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine bread and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; pulse until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on upper rack until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, tossing once.
Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot. Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan, and parsley; toss to combine. Tossing pasta, gradually add enough pasta water to form a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve topped with breadcrumbs and, if desired, more Parmesan.
Helpful Hint

Cauliflower tastes surprisingly nutty and sweet when roasted. Break it up into small florets to help it cook quickly. We like cavatappi, but any short pasta will work.

From MarthaStewart

Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice


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Ingredients

Serves 4
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Garnishes (optional): lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes
Directions

Prepare rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve beans over rice, with garnishes, if desired.
Helpful Hint

If you like, serve this protein-rich vegetarian dish with brown rice to boost the health factor even more. It's also delicious with chips or tortillas alongside. Canned beans are a great time-saver to stock in the pantry, but they're often high in sodium, so rinse them in a colander before using.

From Martha Stewart

Friday, August 29, 2008

Bok choy with five - spice sauce


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from Cooking Light 9/08

Combine in a skillet & bring to a boil:
1 c fat free less sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp five-spice powder

Add cover and cook 3 minutes or until tender crisp:
4 baby bok choy halves in a single layer.

Remove boy choy.  Stir in the following and cook  until reduced to 1/4 cup:
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.

Serve sauce with bok choy.

Grilled Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas


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Serves 4
 (okay, I know -- these quesadillas have peach in them -- but I couldn't find a better picture!)

1 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
jalapeno pepers
4 8" flour tortillas
1 c shredded cooked chicken

Make 2 flour tortilla 'sandwiches' layering:  tortilla, 1/2 c cheese, peppers, 1/2 c chicken and another tortilla.  Toast in a skillet on each side.  Cut into quarters

Black Bean Soup - Cooking Light

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I found this recipe in Cooking Light 9/08 (Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream) -- and searched on line so I didn't have to retype.  (I know -- lazy)  This is what they had on line.  Almost the same soup -- but with just  a few exceptions:  dry beans, 12 vs 4 servings, jalepeno, and the sour cream is plain.  Don't know which one would be better!  So I added the comparisons in blue -- 

Ingredients (Black Bean Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream)

1 pound dried black beans (1 15 oz can , drained and rinsed)
2 bacon slices, chopped (same)
1 cup chopped onion (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup chopped carrot (none)
3/4 cup chopped celery (1/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced (1 clove)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (none)
4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (1 can)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained (1 can diced)
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro (1 Tbsp minced)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon salt (none but did add 1 tsp cumin)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1/4 tsp)
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (1/4 cup)
none here ( 1/2 tsp grated lime rind)

Preparation
  • Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans.
  • Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. 
  • Stir in seasonings (reserving 1/4 tsp cumin).  
  •  Add beans, bacon, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender (10 minutes for canned). 
  • Place 4 cups soup in a blender or food processor; let stand 5 minutes. Process until smooth; return pureed soup to pan. 
  • Stir in cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with sour cream. (Combine sour cream, remaining cumin, cilantro, rind and juice)

Yield
12 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon sour cream) (4 - 1 cup servings; 1 1/2 Tbsp Cilantro -Lime Cream)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.7g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.5g; SODIUM 570mg; PROTEIN 12g; FIBER 7.7g

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Confetti Chicken Wraps


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These are yummy, healthy and quick!  The first time I followed recipe exactly, the second time -- I used chicken I had precooked, shredded and frozen.  It seemed to have lost some of the flavor.  I liked it best just as the recipe states.)

A great recipe from the Meal Makeover Moms!
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large orange bell pepper, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup salsa
Six to eight 8-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn, cheese, and salsa and cook until the mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, uncovered, and heat in the microwave until warmed through, 30 to 45 seconds. Assemble by placing the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Wrap burrito style and serve with sour cream as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 330 calories, 8g fat (1.5g saturated), 510mg sodium, 41g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 24g protein, 80% vitamin C

Friday, August 22, 2008

Patrice's Potatoes



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Patrice’s Potatoes

8-10 medium sized red potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cube butter, melted
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix above ingredients and toss with thin sliced potatoes. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 500 degrees for 7-10 minutes, then turn potatoes and bake another 7-10 minutes until desired crispness.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Emergency Cooking Methods

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This website lists lots of emergency cooking methods.

Canned Butter

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Canned Butter Recipe
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From Oct7, for About.com
Filed In:Recipes > Dairy Recipes
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Canned butter used to be commercially-available to campers. You can try this reader-submitted method at home which may be stored up to 3 years. I usually freeze butter when I find it on sale (and let it naturally defrost in the refrigerator). However, for extended camping trips with no electricity or in case of power outages, canned butter can come in handy.
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

High-quality full-fat butter
Preparation:

Use only highest quality butter (Land O Lakes or equivalent).

Heat jelly jars in 250 F.-degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals.

While jars heat, melt butter slowly until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour melted butter carefully into heated jars, being careful not to get any butter on rim of jar.

Add lid and ring and close securely. They will seal as they cool. Shake jars a few times during cooling to prevent separation, although this step is optional.

Put into refrigerator or other cool place until butter hardens. After hardening, butter will store for 3 years.

Author Oct7 Comments: This is where low-fat butter and non-fat butter just do not measure up. Only real butter will can and store without separating into chemicals and water. --Oct7

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Make Your Own Hamburger Helper

Print Page"Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix in a Jar

2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 cup corn starch
1/4 cup beef bouillon powder
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.

Attach the following recipes to the jar:

Chili Mac:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 c water
1/2 c macaroni noodles (uncooked)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer 20 minutes or until macaroni is cooked.

Stroganoff:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 c water
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
2 c uncooked egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
Combine all except sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream and serve.

Potato Beef Casserole:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
3/4 c water
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until excess water is evaporated.

Quick Lasagna:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
1 onion, chopped
2 c water
16 oz tomato sauce
3 c lasagna noodles, uncooked, broken in bits
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
Combine all except mozzarella in large skillet. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Top with mozzarella. Turn off heat and let cheese melt.

Homemade Creamy Stroganoff Hamburger Helper:
Ingredients:
1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
½ to 1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta
In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. I have given these three options, as either of the three make for a great "Helper" meal.
In a large skillet brown the hamburger until done. To drain off excess oil from hamburger place a paper towel in a colander and add hamburger into colander.
Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, then the beef broth. Add the Worchestershire Sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the hamburger meat, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings
Homemade Cheesy Version Hamburger Helper:
Ingredients:
1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, or Rotini pasta.
Once more I suggest the idea of either using macaroni or Rotini pasta, however in this case not the noodles, as these two types of pasta work the best for this meal. In a large saucepan, cook either macaroni or Rotini pasta until done, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet add both onion and hamburger and cook until hamburger is browned and onion is translucent. To drain off excess oil from hamburger and onions place a paper towel in a colander and add the onion and hamburger into colander. Set aside.
In another large skillet or even a stock pot, on low flame, melt the butter, then add the flour and blend thoroughly with a whisk. Slowly add about a cup of the milk and blend with a whisk thoroughly to remove any lumpiness. Add the cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese and once more blend in for an even texture of the "sauce". Since the cheese will thicken the sauce, it's advisable to add more milk according to your preference in the thickness of the cheese sauce. Keep blending for a unified thickness of the sauce. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, then next add the onion and hamburger mixture and blend into the sauce, and finally the macaroni or Rotini pasta.
Makes 4 Servings
Other seasoning ideas:
To add a zesty spicy taste to this Cheese version, one can also add 1 or more tablespoons of a Taco type seasoning to taste...add this seasoning at the same time you blend in the parsley and salt and pepper stage.
Homemade Tuna Helper:
Ingredients:
2 small cans of tuna, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 1½ cup milk
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning to taste
8 ounces or half of a package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta
In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. Once again all three work great, just as it does with the first hamburger helper type meal.
Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, adding enough milk to desired thickness of "sauce". Add the parsley, salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the tuna, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings
Other options:
One can make a "cheesy" version of this, by adding a cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese at the making of the sauce stage...add more milk if sauce becomes to thick. Blend sauce and cheese mixture thoroughly with a whisk to remove any lumpiness.

Broccoli and Garlic Penne


Cook: 20 mins
Ready in: 20 mins

1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves , crushed
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic , minced
3 cups broccoli flowerets
4 1/2 cups hot cooked penne pasta (medium tube­shaped pasta), cooked without salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
MIX broth, basil, pepper, garlic and broccoli in skillet. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 min. or until broccoli is tender­crisp. ADD pasta and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Serve with cheese.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Overnight Waffles


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Overnight Waffles

1/2 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
2 cups milk, warmed
1/2 cup butter (1 cube), melted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Use a big mixing bowl (the batter will rise to double its original volume.) Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes. Warm the milk on the stove (I just add in the butter so it is melting as the milk warms) Be careful not to let the milk boil or get too hot. You don’t want it to kill the yeast when you add it into the yeast mixture.

Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour to the yeast mixture and stir until smooth and blended (can use a hand beater to get rid of the lumps if needed, I usually don’t need to.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into a very hot waffle iron. Bake the waffles until they are golden and crisp. This batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator. Depending on the size of your waffle iron this makes about 6-8 waffles.

Ooey Gooey Cake

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Ooey Gooey Cake

1 packaged yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 egg
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Grease and flour one 13 x 9 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together cake mix (DO NOT add the things it tells you on the back of the box - you are using just the dry cake mix.), melted butter and 1 egg. press into prepared pan. In separate bowl mix cream cheese, 2 eggs and powdered sugar. Pour over the first layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Skirt Steak Tacos


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Skirt Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 scallions, washed and cut in 1/2
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 lbs. skirt steak, cut into 3 equal pieces

In a blender, put in oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, cumin and sugar and puree. Pour into a large, heavy duty, zip top bag and add skirt steak. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Allow to marinade overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.

Remove steak from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Cook on barbecue - just a few minutes per side. When finished cooking wrap meat in double thickness of foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Remove meat from foil, reserving foil and juices. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat. Return to foil pouch and toss with juice.


Friday, March 14, 2008

Banana Walnut Pancakes

(4 servings)

1 medium banana (the more ripe the better) - mashed
1 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1 large egg - beaten
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together buttermilk, egg, cooking oil and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.

Stir in banana until just mixed. Fold in walnuts.

Pour in 1/2 cup portions onto a heated (medium-high), greased griddle or large fry pan.

Turn the pancake when the visible side starts to show a lot of bubbles. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.

Serve with butter and syrup, or any other favorite topping.
source

Balsamic Dressing

I served these with a salad made with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, tomato, romano and parmesan cheeses. I also made a balsamic dressing for the salad. It's recipe from Emeril Lagasse but I made some alterations.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp brown sugar
Couple dashes salt and black pepper

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.I

Crock Pot Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
* 1 large jar spaghetti
sauce (such as Ragu in the
1 lb. 10 ounce
jar)
* 1 package (8 ounces no-boil
lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 lb. ricotta cheese
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
* Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a littleoil in a frying pan. Drain offany grease.
Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meatmixture. Mix well.In a separate bowl, mix thericotta cheese, milk, and egg.
Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all thecheeses are combined.

Grease the slow cooker/Crock Pot with some vegetable shortening on thebottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Put a layer of
noodles on top of that (break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on
top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce.
Cookon low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

*I use regular lasagna noodles (not the no boil kind). Also,my crock pot cooks this in 3 1/2 hrs on
low so you have to watch it to be sure it doesn't burn.

Veggie Rice Pilaf

1/4 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 large green bell pepper,chopped
1/4 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup brown rice
salt and pepper

Begin by cooking the rice and set aside. Then finely chop all the vegetables. Heat a skillet over medium heat with about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped veggies to the pan and saute 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and let simmer another 3 minutes or so. Add the pressed garlic and stir. Last, stir in the cooked rice, remaining broth, salt, and pepper. Let cook another 3-5 minutes until some of the broth is absorbed. Serve warm.

Healthy Apple Muffins

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil, if you're not calorie counting)
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk (I subbed 3/4 cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 cup shredded apple (1 large apple)
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together flours, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.

In a seprarate bowl, beat egg with brown sugar until well combined. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, applesauce and shredded apple.

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts.

Pour mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Pumpkin Muffins

Nana's Spaghetti Sauce

3 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper,diced2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Heinz 57 steak sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning



In a heavy skillet,brown the onion,green pepper and garlic in a small amount of oil. Add ground beef and cook until brown.
Drain meat well and place into a large saucepan.
Add tomatoes,salt,onion salt,garlic salt, oregano,ketchup,worcestershire sauce,Heinz 57 and Italian seasoning to the ground beef mixture.
Stir well and cook on low heat 2-3 hours.
Serve over your choice of cooked pasta angarnish with grated parmesan cheese.

"I-HOP" Pancakes

Copy cat pancakes
There is a link to a different recipe in this weeks Carnival of Recipes. Although it is hugely different than mine is there are a few measurements that are changed.


1 1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Apply a little nonstick spray or margarine.
2. Mix together the ingredients, I usually wisk but a blender will yield a smoother result.
3. Pour batter onto the hot skillet, I usually use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for this.
4. When edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown.
5. Cook pancakes on the other side until golden.

I had to add chocolate ships to mine this morning. All I did was after pouring the batter onto the skillet I sprinkled on some chips. No biggie but the kids love it!

CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE

I LOVE this casserole dish and have eaten it every Christmas Eve since I can remember. (BECKY HIGGINS.COM)

You need:

4 pieces of chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
Butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/4 c. milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 sm. jar of pimentos
2 cans (8 oz. total) sliced mushroom pieces (juice drained)
stuffing mix (I prefer Peppridge Farm brand)
egg noodles (about 6 oz. dry)

Cook chicken first (boil) and allow to cool. Cut into pieces and set aside. Cook egg noodles according to directions on package. In a saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in margarine. Make a white sauce of 3 Tbsp. margarine, flour and milk. Combine sauce with onion and green pepper mixture and bring to a boil. Add cream of chicken, pimentos, mushrooms and chicken. Combine this with the noodles. Place in casserole and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Dot with butter (my preference) or margarine. Bake (covered with tin foil) for 30 minutes at 350, until bubbly and lightly brown on top.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Chocolate Cake II w/ Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This one is really easy. It turns out a little dense and really moist...we love it!
Chocolate cake
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. water
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. vinegar
In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar; mix well. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 min. (sometimes it's longer than that for me) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. *Recipe contains no eggs*

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
dash salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla; mix well.

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small box chocolate pudding
2 c chocolate chips

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box in a medium saucepan (you can use either cook and serve or instant) If using instant pudding, heat on medium-high until it starts to boil. Mix in the dry cake mix, then pour into a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 25-30 min.

This is great with ice cream on top.

Chocolate Cake I

1 chocolate cake mix
1 lg box chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips (your preference)

Mix first 4 together, stir in chocolate chips (this will be very thick), put in greased bundt pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour. Top with powdered sugar when cool.
* Note- I use applesauce instead of oil and fat free sour cream and it is just as good, even more moist.