Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Is it A Soup or Is it A Stew?
BLACK BEAN + BUTTERNUT SOUP // Serves 4-6
Original Blog Post/ Recipe HERE with more photos.
Some of the measurements are pretty vague, but in a stew-like soup, perfection is not necessary. Taste as you go, add more spice if necessary but beware that both chipotle and cayenne are SPICY, so start small. You can cook your beans from scratch or use canned for the sake of time.
1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
salt to taste
avocado, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
// tortilla crispies //
3 corn tortillas
scant 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Monday, February 20, 2012
Homemade Granola Bars?
So I am totally considering jumping on the Whole Foods/Real Food bandwagon but having two (soon to be three) young children makes it a little more difficult. But one thing I am going to try is to cut down on the amount of pre-packaged snacks we eat. One of our staples are chocolate chip granola bars, we average about a box a week. I thought these would be a pretty easy thing to make at home but after scouring the Internet, most recipes I found resulted in a more crunchy bar and I knew The Girls would have no part in that. So I decided to try my hand at modifying a recipe for oatmeal cookies and see if I could create something from that. I was actually quite happy with how they turned out and Lainey liked them too. Matt tolerated them and Peyton didn't like them but she wasn't a very big fan of granola bars to begin with.
So, here is my recipe:
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat applesauce, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl.
2) Beat in vanilla and eggs
3) Beat in as much of the flour as you can.
4) Stir in remaining flour.
5) Stir in rolled oats.
6) Pour into a greased cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
8) Allow to sit for 5 minutes or long enough for chips to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over the top.
9). Cool completely before cutting.
*I started by cutting ours into bars but decided that 1-inch squares were a better answer.
**modifications I made from the original recipe were to replace butter with unsweetened applesauce, I used 1/2 the amount of brown and granulated sugar, and I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
I'm not sure where these would stack up against the packaged bars in terms of sugars but I do feel better bout cutting out some of hos preservatives.
Next step-homemade nutrigrain bars. Anybody have a good recipe?
So, here is my recipe:
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat applesauce, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl.
2) Beat in vanilla and eggs
3) Beat in as much of the flour as you can.
4) Stir in remaining flour.
5) Stir in rolled oats.
6) Pour into a greased cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
8) Allow to sit for 5 minutes or long enough for chips to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over the top.
9). Cool completely before cutting.
*I started by cutting ours into bars but decided that 1-inch squares were a better answer.
**modifications I made from the original recipe were to replace butter with unsweetened applesauce, I used 1/2 the amount of brown and granulated sugar, and I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
I'm not sure where these would stack up against the packaged bars in terms of sugars but I do feel better bout cutting out some of hos preservatives.
Next step-homemade nutrigrain bars. Anybody have a good recipe?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Thank You Pinterest
As far as Holidays go, I love Christmas (which most of you probably figured out if you read my blog in December) and I also love the 4th of July but, as for all the other holidays, I am pretty much a Grinch. Totally okay with me but not so much fun for my kids. So, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Pinterest for saving our Valentine's Day.
By the way - are you n Pinterest yet? I am addicted! I started using in just as a way to collect ideas for The House but now it has turned into so much more:)
So anyways, our Valentine's Day fun started when our oldest daughter's teacher sent home a note about the upcoming Valentine's Party at school and it mentioned a "mailbox" for all of the kids to collect their Valentine's in. Up until this point, she had always made them in school so I started to worry a little bit because I couldn't even begin to think of what we would use to make a Valentine's Day Mailbox. Until I was thumbing through different Pins and came across this great Cereal Box Valentine! Shoe boxes we didn't have but Cereal boxes we did - perfect!
You can see the tutorial here. I think they turned out pretty cute:)
Then it was on to making breakfast a little more special with some heart shaped cinnamon rolls. In the tutorial you will see that the cinnamon rolls are made from scratch. That I did not do, I just used pre-packaged cinnamon rolls and rerolled them into heart shapes. The best part, The Girls were so excited about it!
Finally, I felt like we probably needed one more sweet treat for such a sweet day. I used a recipe from The Pioneer Woman for Chocolate Cookies which I cut out in heart shapes, dipped in white chocolate, and covered with red sprinkles. I think The Oldest will be so excited to find two of these in her lunch today!
By the way - are you n Pinterest yet? I am addicted! I started using in just as a way to collect ideas for The House but now it has turned into so much more:)
So anyways, our Valentine's Day fun started when our oldest daughter's teacher sent home a note about the upcoming Valentine's Party at school and it mentioned a "mailbox" for all of the kids to collect their Valentine's in. Up until this point, she had always made them in school so I started to worry a little bit because I couldn't even begin to think of what we would use to make a Valentine's Day Mailbox. Until I was thumbing through different Pins and came across this great Cereal Box Valentine! Shoe boxes we didn't have but Cereal boxes we did - perfect!
You can see the tutorial here. I think they turned out pretty cute:)
Then it was on to making breakfast a little more special with some heart shaped cinnamon rolls. In the tutorial you will see that the cinnamon rolls are made from scratch. That I did not do, I just used pre-packaged cinnamon rolls and rerolled them into heart shapes. The best part, The Girls were so excited about it!
So, I have to say that I am quite proud of myself today. Not necessarily super-mom material but much better than what I had planned a week ago!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sweet Potato Patties w/ Sour Cream and Chipotle Black Bean Salsa
via Lisa is Cooking
For the sweet potato patties: (Makes 34 small cakes)
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 green onions, both white and green parts, finely chopped
4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 tablespoons butter
-Steam the sweet potato chunks for 15-20 minutes until completely tender, and then transfer to a colander and allow to drain until dry.
- Once very dry, place sweet potato chunks in a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher to break up chunks. Add flour and finely chopped green onions, and mix with your hands to form a smooth batter. Using your hands here is best so that it doesn’t become over mixed. In a food processor, the sweet potato mixture could quickly become gummy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Once the mixture is smooth, and the flour and green onions are mixed in, you’re ready to fry. Note: the mixture should be sticky but not wet, so more flour may be needed.
- In a non-stick skillet, heat two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Form round, flat cakes from about two tablespoons of batter per cake, and fry four or five at a time for three minutes per side until golden. Transfer finished cakes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. Add more oil and butter to pan between batches as needed, and continue frying a few cakes at a time until all are ready for their toppings.
For the black bean salsa:
1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
1 small, yellow bell pepper, small diced
¼ cup finely minced red onion
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon salt
-Combine all salsa ingredients, starting with one chipotle, in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste for chipotle heat and add more if desired, and taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Salsa can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
To assemble for serving:
½ cup sour cream
- Place sweet potato cakes on a serving platter and add a small dollop of sour cream to each. Top sour cream with a small spoonful of black bean salsa, and enjoy.
I wish I had a plateful of these right now. Yum.
I wish I had a plateful of these right now. Yum.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mini S'mores Hand Pies Recipes
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened (1 oz)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
2. Unroll pie crusts. With 3-inch round cutter, cut 10 rounds from each crust. In small shallow bowl, mix cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Brush both sides of pie crust rounds with butter; dip into crumb mixture to coat.
3. Place 10 coated pie crust rounds on cookie sheet. Stir together filling ingredients. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of each of the 10 rounds. Place remaining pie crust rounds on top of the filling on each. Pinch edges to seal.
4. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store covered in refrigerator.
Recipe found @ Betty Crocker Recipes on Flickr. They certainly do look delicious, don't they?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Queen of Hearts wants Lemon Tarts
While the mini tart shells are cooling, you can start working on your filling. It’s very simple. Whisk 4 whole eggs in a big bowl, add 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar. Whisk everything together and pour it into the mini tart shells with a measuring cup. Bake the mini tart shells in the oven at 325 degrees for about 15 – 18 minutes. Now you’re ready to make the whipped cream. Again, very simple. Put 1 cup of cold heavy cream in a big bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until it becomes thick and makes a soft peak. Your whipped cream is done. Full recipe including instructions for tart shells here.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Cranberry and Chocolate Squares
Made for each other -- that's the contrasting flavors of tangy-sharp cranberries and sweet chocolate.
DIY Self-Rising Flour: In a one cup measure, place 1-1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt, then fill to top with flour. Mix well and store in an airtight container if not used right away.
You probably have all of these ingredients on hand right now. Don't these look delicious? I was too lazy to type everything so I just photographed the recipe from my book:
COOKIES irresistible biscuits, brownies and bars by Hilaire Walden published by Hermes House in 2002
Do you cook for your dogs?
Today's breakfast was kibble topped with hot sweet potatoes and leafy left-over brussels sprouts from last night's dinner.
Webster whined while I took the picture of their bowls with my iPhone. Piggy just danced around silently. He has the fastest tongue in the east. This meal got 5 stars *****
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies [Recipe]
Lee's Butterscotch Shortbread
Recipe adapted from Lee Schiring and an ancient Jane Austen Society of Puget Sound Newsletter
yields: 2-4 dozen, depending on size
keeps: 3 weeks or longer, in an airtight tin
The only slightly tricky bit to these is judging doneness, as the dough is already brown from the sugar. There's quite a time range given, below, as I'm terribly uneven in rolling my dough. A few tips, then, to aid: note the sight and scent cues below to determine doneness. Also, note that the oven temp is unusually low, giving you more wiggle room than most cookies—if in doubt, give them a few more minutes. Finally, these biscuits are best slightly overdone than underdone: the end result should be crisp, not yielding. And if, after cooling, they're still tender in the center, a return to the oven (5-10 minutes) will correct that, spit-spot.
1 cup salted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 300°. Cream butter, both sugars and salt, then add vanilla to combine. Scrape sides, then add flour, mixing just to combine.
Dust a clean surface lightly with flour, and roll dough 1/4" thick. Cut with desired cutters, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1/2" apart (these cookies spread very little).
Bake 20-30 minutes, until cookies are fragrant, edges and bottoms are slightly darkened, and tops have lost their glossy look and taken on a matte finish. Cool cookies on sheet 15-20 minutes, then remove to rack to finish cooling. Cookies will firm up while cooking, and not be fully crisp until an hour or so after baking.
Recipe found @ remedialeating with lots of photos of children rolling and cutting these delightful cookies.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Rosemary-Tomato Pinwheels
So this week will be filled with all sort of Festival follow-up fun. First off are these yummy snacks I made for guests to graze on while they were here. Of course, with all of the food trucks parked outside we probably didn't need them but they were still nice to have on hand. The Rosemary lends these to be great around the holidays - quick and easy Thanksgiving appetizer anyone??
Rosemary-Tomato Pinwheels
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomato halves, packed without oil (about 2.5 ounces)
2 (13.8) ounce cans refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1) Combine first 4 ingredients; let stand for 1 hour
2) Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and chop
3) Preheat oven to 425 degrees
4) Working with one can of dough at a time, unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface: pat into a 15 x 10 rectangle. Brush about 1 tablespoon oil mixture over dough. Sprinkle half of sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, 1/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary evenly over dough. Starting at long edge, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Cut into 12 1-inch slices; place 2 inches apart of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each pinwheel with hand. Brush tops with about 1 tablespoon oil mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining can of dough, oil mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, cheese, and rosemary.
5) Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden.
Rosemary-Tomato Pinwheels
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomato halves, packed without oil (about 2.5 ounces)
2 (13.8) ounce cans refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1) Combine first 4 ingredients; let stand for 1 hour
2) Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and chop
3) Preheat oven to 425 degrees
4) Working with one can of dough at a time, unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface: pat into a 15 x 10 rectangle. Brush about 1 tablespoon oil mixture over dough. Sprinkle half of sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, 1/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary evenly over dough. Starting at long edge, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Cut into 12 1-inch slices; place 2 inches apart of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each pinwheel with hand. Brush tops with about 1 tablespoon oil mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining can of dough, oil mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, cheese, and rosemary.
5) Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Apple Cream Cake
Well, the oven is back in working order so I thought I would share some baking with you today. A few years ago I decided that I wanted to learn how to make a cake from scratch. Soon after I realized that that was just I talent I did not possess. As a result I love any recipe that involves "dressing-up" a boxed cake mix. This is the first time I have ever made this cake and I can tell you that I am definitely going to make it again!
Apple Cream Cake
1 package yellow cake mix
3 cups sliced peeled tart apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1) Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
2) Combine apples, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.
3) Pour prepared cake batter into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish.
4) Spoon apple mixture over batter.
5) Pour cream over the top.
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted ear the center comes out clean.
Apple Cream Cake
1 package yellow cake mix
3 cups sliced peeled tart apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1) Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
4) Spoon apple mixture over batter.
5) Pour cream over the top.
The directions then tell you to serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. I, however, would recommend using this more as a recipe for a coffee cake and serving it with breakfast or with a brunch (as I will be doing Christmas morning).
ENJOY!!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Makin' it Monday.....Cheddar-Ale Soup
So, out of no-where it got COLD. Like really cold. Like so cold I went to turn on our furnace only to find out that it didn't work COLD (more on that later). So the heating guys are coming out on Wednesday but until then we have to suffer through the cold. We had the worst of it on Saturday night where we woke up to find our house at a chilly 57 degrees. So what that meant was that I needed to make some soup on Sunday. I made French Onion Soup but that isn't a very fun recipe to share so I thought I would share my Cheddar-Ale Soup recipe with you instead. This is stick-to-your-gut and warm you up good. It also pairs wonderfully with my Baked Ham Sandwiches.
Cheddar-Ale Soup
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 bottle ale
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese grated
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
In a stockpot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10-15 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 3-5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; whisk in mild and stock. Bring to simmer; cook, stirring often until thickened, about 10 minutes. Using and immersion blender, puree until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Return mixture to pot; set over medium heat. Add ale, Worcestershire and mustard; simmer 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more; do not allow soup to boil. Season with salt and cayenne. Ladle into warmed bowls. Serves 4-6.
Cheddar-Ale Soup
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 bottle ale
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese grated
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
In a stockpot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10-15 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 3-5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; whisk in mild and stock. Bring to simmer; cook, stirring often until thickened, about 10 minutes. Using and immersion blender, puree until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Return mixture to pot; set over medium heat. Add ale, Worcestershire and mustard; simmer 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more; do not allow soup to boil. Season with salt and cayenne. Ladle into warmed bowls. Serves 4-6.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Makin' it Monday.......On Tuesday: Pumpkin Muffins
So I thought I would get a jump on (yet another) pumpkin shortage and get my Pumpkin Baking groove on.
The plan was to just make some pumpkin mini-muffins for someone in return for some very yummy soup she made us. But, of course, the recipe only calls for one cup of pumpkin and I had to buy the biggest can I could find - resulting in four coups of pumpkin. Because I could not let it go to waste we now have pumpkin mini-muffins, regular sized pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, and a cup of pumpkin puree in the fridge:)
Either way, they all use the same recipe:)
The plan was to just make some pumpkin mini-muffins for someone in return for some very yummy soup she made us. But, of course, the recipe only calls for one cup of pumpkin and I had to buy the biggest can I could find - resulting in four coups of pumpkin. Because I could not let it go to waste we now have pumpkin mini-muffins, regular sized pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, and a cup of pumpkin puree in the fridge:)
Either way, they all use the same recipe:)
Pumpkin Muffins
1 cup sugar
1cup pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil/apple sauce (I like to do 1/2 cup of each)
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 c. chopped walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips (optional)
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Mix well with a wire whisk
Combine dry ingredients and gradually add pumpkin mixture. Mix well with a wire whisk
Stir in nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips if desired.
Pour into greased muffin tins or bread pan.
Bake at 350 degrees
Mini- Muffins: 10-15 minutes
Muffins: 15-20 minutes
Bread: 65-70 minutes
Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing
Monday, September 19, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Baked Ham Sandwiches
We had a beautiful fall weekend here on Main Street and, like many of you out there, the change in the seasons also gets me excited about making new foods. The Nana and The Papaw came over on Sunday to watch some football so I was looking forward to putting together a nice warm lunch to eat during the game. These little Baked Ham Sandwiches were just what we needed. YUMMY!
2 packages finger rolls
1 sick melted butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon poppy seed
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 lb thinly sliced deli ham
Swiss Cheese Slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and combine with Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, mustard and minced onion. Slice finger rolls in half and later with ham and cheese. Place in baking dish and pour melted butter mixture over sandwiches. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
We served ours with homemade mac & cheese and fresh melon.
The best part of the day - our team won! Go Browns!!!
2 packages finger rolls
1 sick melted butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon poppy seed
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 lb thinly sliced deli ham
Swiss Cheese Slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and combine with Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, mustard and minced onion. Slice finger rolls in half and later with ham and cheese. Place in baking dish and pour melted butter mixture over sandwiches. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
We served ours with homemade mac & cheese and fresh melon.
The best part of the day - our team won! Go Browns!!!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Turkey-Pesto Panini
So, I know I have said it before but it has been a pretty lazy summer over here at The House. We have spend a lot of time at the pool and enjoying the outdoors which usually means I am too hot and tired to make dinner. I am a bit embarassed to say that The Girls and I have had cereal for dinner on more than one occasion this summer:)
Well, not last night! Last night was the first night in a long time that all four of us sat down to dinner together so I cooked. We just had sammies so it was still a pretty lazy meal on my part, but so so yummy!
TURKEY-PESTO PANINI
2 tablespoons fat-free mayo
4 teaspoons basil pesto
8 (1-oz.) thin slices sourdough bread
8 oz. sliced cooked turkey breast
2 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices tomato
Cooking Spray
1) Combine mayonnaise and pesto, stirring well. Spread 1 tablespoon mayo mixture on each of 4 bread slices; top each slice with 2 oz. turkey, 1/2 oz. cheese, and 2 tomato slices. Top with remaining bread slices.
2) Preheat grill pan (I used a panini maker). Spray each side of sandwich with cooking spray and add to pan. Flip if necessary. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Makes 4 sandwiches.
We paired it with pasta salad and some fresh cherries - so yummy.
Also - my kids may be two of the pickiest eaters in the world so I made a bit of a kid friendly version of the turkey sandwich with some wheat bread, turkey, provolone and a little mayo. I was so excited because The Youngest ate it!!! This is the first sandwich she has ever eaten that wasn't made with just grape jelly. So proud of her for trying new things!!!
We followed up the meal by walking to our local ice-cream shop to get some chocolate-vanilla swirls with sprinkles!!!
Well, not last night! Last night was the first night in a long time that all four of us sat down to dinner together so I cooked. We just had sammies so it was still a pretty lazy meal on my part, but so so yummy!
TURKEY-PESTO PANINI
2 tablespoons fat-free mayo
4 teaspoons basil pesto
8 (1-oz.) thin slices sourdough bread
8 oz. sliced cooked turkey breast
2 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices tomato
Cooking Spray
1) Combine mayonnaise and pesto, stirring well. Spread 1 tablespoon mayo mixture on each of 4 bread slices; top each slice with 2 oz. turkey, 1/2 oz. cheese, and 2 tomato slices. Top with remaining bread slices.
2) Preheat grill pan (I used a panini maker). Spray each side of sandwich with cooking spray and add to pan. Flip if necessary. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Makes 4 sandwiches.
We paired it with pasta salad and some fresh cherries - so yummy.
Also - my kids may be two of the pickiest eaters in the world so I made a bit of a kid friendly version of the turkey sandwich with some wheat bread, turkey, provolone and a little mayo. I was so excited because The Youngest ate it!!! This is the first sandwich she has ever eaten that wasn't made with just grape jelly. So proud of her for trying new things!!!
We followed up the meal by walking to our local ice-cream shop to get some chocolate-vanilla swirls with sprinkles!!!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Caribbean Night
In just a few short weeks we will be traveling to The Outer Banks of North Carolina for a vacation with The Husband's side of the family. We are all very excited for this vacation and are looking forward to chillaxin' by the pool and on the beach. One of the very fun things I am looking forward to is the dinner our family is responsible for (each family is incharge of cooking dinner one night).
Without thinking too much about it - I decided on Caribbean Night and even planned a little Pirates of the Caribbean treasure hunt for the kiddos. But then, I started looking into recipes and menu planning became a bit difficult.
I had big plans of cheating on the Jerk Chicken and just using a store bought marinade, but what about all of the sides? After a long and exhausting search on the Internet, I think I have come up with the menu.
Apps:
Coconut Shrimp
Main Course:
Jerk Chicken with a Mango Salsa
Yellow Rice
Grapefruit, Avocado and Spinach Salad
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Dessert:
Bacardi Rum Cake
Drinks:
Pina Colada
Red Strip Beer
I'll let you know how it all turns out!
Without thinking too much about it - I decided on Caribbean Night and even planned a little Pirates of the Caribbean treasure hunt for the kiddos. But then, I started looking into recipes and menu planning became a bit difficult.
I had big plans of cheating on the Jerk Chicken and just using a store bought marinade, but what about all of the sides? After a long and exhausting search on the Internet, I think I have come up with the menu.
Apps:
Coconut Shrimp
Main Course:
Jerk Chicken with a Mango Salsa
Yellow Rice
Grapefruit, Avocado and Spinach Salad
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Dessert:
Bacardi Rum Cake
Drinks:
Pina Colada
Red Strip Beer
I'll let you know how it all turns out!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Cheese Enchiladas
So today I am cheating on my Makin' it Monday and am going to send you over to a Yahoo recipe I found online.
So if you are interested in reading more about it you can click HERE to head on over to the link.
Oh, and just so you know - I will be making a version of these tonight in that I was a bit too lazy to actually make the sauce so I will be using canned red enchilada sauce:(
***Don't forget to enter for the GIVEAWAY. With only 2 entries so far - you have a pretty good chance of winning***
So if you are interested in reading more about it you can click HERE to head on over to the link.
Oh, and just so you know - I will be making a version of these tonight in that I was a bit too lazy to actually make the sauce so I will be using canned red enchilada sauce:(
***Don't forget to enter for the GIVEAWAY. With only 2 entries so far - you have a pretty good chance of winning***
Monday, May 30, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Cookout Sides
Any of you cooking out today? Well, I am hoping that your answer to that questions was "YES!". I know that here in the OH summer has finally decided to show up (although I am not sure what happened to spring).
Well, today I want to share with you two of my favorite side dishes that could accompany any sort of grilled food you could come up with.
TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE
10 large russet baking potatoes (about 7 lbs)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 pound mild cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon or melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins. leaving as little flesh as possible. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add 1 stick of butter, the sour cream, heavy cream, salt and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. Add the bacon, cubed white cheddar, half the grated cheddar, the green onions, and eggs and mix thoroughly.
Butter a 9 by 13 inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole and top with the remaining grated Cheddar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on the top is melted and lightly golden. Serve hot.
SMOKEY MAC 'N CHEESE
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (12 oz.)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
8 oz. smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans (14.5 oz) Fire Roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cook and drain macaroni as directed on box. Return to saucepan: keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9-in glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat cream, mustard, salt and red pepper to boiling. Reduce heat; stir in cheddar cheese with wire whisk until smooth. Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in tomatoes and onions. Pour into baking dish. In small bowl, stir together Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; stir in oil. Sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubble and top is golden brown.
ENJOY!
Well, today I want to share with you two of my favorite side dishes that could accompany any sort of grilled food you could come up with.
TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE
10 large russet baking potatoes (about 7 lbs)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 pound mild cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon or melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins. leaving as little flesh as possible. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add 1 stick of butter, the sour cream, heavy cream, salt and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. Add the bacon, cubed white cheddar, half the grated cheddar, the green onions, and eggs and mix thoroughly.
Butter a 9 by 13 inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole and top with the remaining grated Cheddar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on the top is melted and lightly golden. Serve hot.
SMOKEY MAC 'N CHEESE
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (12 oz.)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
8 oz. smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans (14.5 oz) Fire Roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cook and drain macaroni as directed on box. Return to saucepan: keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9-in glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat cream, mustard, salt and red pepper to boiling. Reduce heat; stir in cheddar cheese with wire whisk until smooth. Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in tomatoes and onions. Pour into baking dish. In small bowl, stir together Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; stir in oil. Sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubble and top is golden brown.
ENJOY!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Makin' it Monday: Cocktails and Mocktails
Finally we were blessed with a break in all of this rain and invited some friends over for a cookout and bonfire. It was so fun to spend time with friends, sitting around and catching up while The Kids played on the Bounce House.
Anyways, in a recent grocery store mailer I got this great recipe for a White Wine Sangria and since I got THIS for Christmas (and had yet to use it), I thought it would be a great occasion to break it out.
WHITE WINE SANGRIA
Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Chablis, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
2 oranges, cut into wedges plus 1 orange, sliced thin
1 lemon, half cut in wedges, half sliced thin
1 lime, half cut in wedges, half sliced thin
2/3 cup of white sugar
1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda
Pour wine into a pitcher and squeeze the citrus wedges into the wine. Toss in the sliced fruit (leaving out seeds if possible) and stir in sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. If serving right away, use chilled with wine and serve over lots of ice.
Sounds yummy right? Well, I don't know because I never made it. After careful consideration I realized that this would be a waste - the boys were going to drink beer and our female friend is pregnant so it wouldn't be all that great if I made a whole batch of sangria just for me (plus I wanted preggers to have something fun to drink too!).
So I found this recipe:
CITRUS QUENCHER
2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
1/2 cup orange juice
In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients. Serve over ice.
Super easy, super yummy and the best part......we found that you could mix it 50/50 with either white wine or beer to make it even better. Mix it with beer???? I know, even The Husband was skeptical but was also impressed when I made him try some.
Anyways, in a recent grocery store mailer I got this great recipe for a White Wine Sangria and since I got THIS for Christmas (and had yet to use it), I thought it would be a great occasion to break it out.
WHITE WINE SANGRIA
Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Chablis, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
2 oranges, cut into wedges plus 1 orange, sliced thin
1 lemon, half cut in wedges, half sliced thin
1 lime, half cut in wedges, half sliced thin
2/3 cup of white sugar
1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda
Pour wine into a pitcher and squeeze the citrus wedges into the wine. Toss in the sliced fruit (leaving out seeds if possible) and stir in sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. If serving right away, use chilled with wine and serve over lots of ice.
Sounds yummy right? Well, I don't know because I never made it. After careful consideration I realized that this would be a waste - the boys were going to drink beer and our female friend is pregnant so it wouldn't be all that great if I made a whole batch of sangria just for me (plus I wanted preggers to have something fun to drink too!).
So I found this recipe:
CITRUS QUENCHER
2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
1/2 cup orange juice
In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients. Serve over ice.
Super easy, super yummy and the best part......we found that you could mix it 50/50 with either white wine or beer to make it even better. Mix it with beer???? I know, even The Husband was skeptical but was also impressed when I made him try some.
