Cheddar Beef Enchiladas

Cheddar Beef Enchiladas
adapted slightly from Taste of Home 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 10 to 12 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Directions:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated.
• Spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans, 1/4 cup beef mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes.
• Combine salsa and soup; pour down the center of enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake one casserole, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Cover and freeze remaining casserole for up to 3 months.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 2 casseroles (5-6 enchiladas each).

Taco Soup

When we lived in Michigan during my husband's 2 years of business school, the kids and I were invited to a friend's house for dinner.  She made this taco soup and apologized for it's simplicity.  I was impressed just by the dinner invitation and didn't really care what she served us but this soup hit the spot.  I had never heard of Taco Soup before and it was delicious!  I promptly asked her for the recipe :).  This meal has become a staple, not only for my family, but for many friends and family members who have since asked me for the recipe.  Taco soup might be eaten more often in our house than any other meal.  Everyone loves it and it is super fast to throw together.  We love it!

 Taco Soup

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 – 28 oz. can diced tomatoes , undrained

1 -16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained

1-17 oz.. can corn, undrained

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 package taco seasoning, (or ¼ cup)

2 cups water

Brown ground beef and onion together and then add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 15 minutes on the stove top or transfer to crock pot and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Garnish soup with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Homemade Shells and Cheese

Okay, this recipe is dangerous.  As in, dangerously good but not-so-good for you.  It is one of those meals that I can count on my kids eating every time....and pretty much anyone else.  I mean, who doesn't love some homemade mac and cheese?  And while it is not going to make the menu on The Biggest Loser it is a delicious splurge every once in a while.  It is one of our family favorites.  A lovely friend brought this after I had baby #4 and I thought that it was a perfect, homey meal that my whole family could enjoy. 

Homemade Shells and Cheese

16 oz. medium shell pasta
1 cube butter
1/4 c. flour
1 t. chicken bullion
2 c. milk
1/4 t. dry mustard
1 1/2 t. Lawry's seasoned salt
dash pepper, dash nutmeg
2 c. cheddar
2 c. gruyere or jarlsberg

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Make the white sauce.  In a 9x13 pan layer 1/2 pasta, 1/2 cheese and repeat.  Pour white sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1/4 c. bread crumbs.  Bake 35-40 min. @ 350 degrees. 

Apple Crisp

I know what you're thinking...."Apple crisp, yeah, yeah, been there done that, nothin' special."  Well I can understand that if you haven't tried this recipe.  I know by the looks of it, it's nothing special but there is something about the proportions of the ingredients in this recipe that make it really delicious.  I got this recipe from a friend over a dozen years ago.  It has been my go-to ever since.  My family knows it's Fall when I start to make this apple crisp.  We all look forward to it year after year.  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Apple Crisp

1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Toss apples in the cinnamon sugar mixture and arrange in the bottom of an 8x8 dish.

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. old-fashioned oats
3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter until crumbly.  Spread over the apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

One Dish Chicken Dinner

Easiest. dinner. ever.  I saw this on Pinterest touted as a "go-to" dish for taking to people who have had babies or surgery.  It looked soooo easy so I tried it for Sunday dinner a while ago.  Why didn't I think of something so simple before?  It was awesome!  So awesome, in fact, that I tried out the "go-to" dish theory on a family from church that had just had a baby.  I threw this meal together in no time flat, added some crusty rolls from the store and some brownies.  The result was the easiest, most stress-free meal I have ever put together for someone.  I brought it over before the dinner hour and let them cook it themselves which is fantastic for two reasons:  dinner time at my house isn't chaotic trying to get my kids fed and dinner out the door to someone else at the same time (never fun), and the family on the receiving end gets to eat when they want to without waiting on me.  Awesome and awesome.....told you :).  Also, (obivously) the entire meal is in one convenient dish.  One dish and you're done, beautiful!

One Dish Chicken Dinner

4-6 raw chicken breasts
2 lbs. new, red potatoes
fresh green beans (or broccoli)
1 packet Italian dressing mix
1/2 c. butter, melted

Arrange in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with a packet of Italian dressing mix and then top with a melted stick of butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

All I'm going to say here is:  easy, fast, cheap, kid-friendly, and delicious!!!  Enough said.  Make this recipe today, you won't be sorry.  

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
from Chef in Training
 
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
favorite jarred marinara sauce

Spread the 1 T. of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot.
Beat the egg with a fork in a separate bowl.
Mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the Parmesan cheese in another separate dish.
Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings.
Place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crockpot.
Layer 2-3 slices or 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese on top, depending on how much cheese you like.
Cover chicken and cheese with entire jar of marinara sauce.
Close lid and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3.
Serve with your favorite pasta.

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread

This was a quick and easy Friday night dinner a couple of weeks ago at our house.  We usually do homemade pizza but I thought I'd mix it up a bit.  It's the same idea but rolled up....think pizza cinnamon rolls....that doesn't sound very appetizing, maybe not :).  Anyway, I've since tried it with marianara, pepperoni, mozzarella, and olives which was really yummy.  The possibilities are endless!

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread
from Pinterest  

 Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp. olive oil
1 pizza dough (I used store bought and let it sit out for about 20 minutes)
8 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of Franks Wing Sauce (Buffalo)
1/3 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°F. 

Cut chicken into cubes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat teaspoon of olive oil in skillet and add chicken when hot.  Cook chicken completely and then add 1/4 cup of wing sauce.  Stir to coat chicken and let simmer for a minute or two.  Take chicken off heat and let cool.

On a well floured surface, spread pizza dough into a long rectangle shape.  Add ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and remaining 1/4 cup of wing sauce.  Spread across the dough.  Add chicken and then top with mozzarella and cheddar cheese.  You can also add a bit more of the wing sauce on top of the cheese if you want it to be a little bit spicier.  Roll the dough like a pinwheel until you reach the end.  Make sure to tuck the ends of the dough in so the middle doesn’t ‘ooze’ out when baking. 
Spray baking sheet with light coat of non-stick cooking spray.  Place garbage bread on the pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Let sit for five minutes and cut into and enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Masala

It has been a LONG time since I've posted anything.  We moved to a new home in June and prior to that we were getting our old house ready to sell and it has been c-r-a-z-y ever since with summer vacations and school starting for the kidlets.  But now I'm back and ready to organize more of my favorite recipes, new and old.  This one is new but will be getting a lot of use around this house!

So I've been a little (a lot) obsessed with Pinterest lately.  Mostly for new, fast dinner ideas.....and maybe some dessert recipes just to keep things interesting :).  This is one of my latest favorites.  It tastes very much like the tikka masala from a local Indian restaurant that I love.  It is easy-peasy to put together and much cheaper than take-out.  I was very happy with the results.  Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Masala
adapted slightly from www.mattawamum.com

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces

Marinade: 
1 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger

Sauce:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeño, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2-2 c light whipping cream or half and half

 Optional:  1/4 c. fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Put the chicken in a dish or large ziploc bag, add all of the marinade ingredients: yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, & ground ginger.  Stir to coat the chicken.  Put in the fridge for 1-2 hours then discard the marinade. Grill or cook the chicken in a skillet until done, or no longer pink inside (about 8 minutes).  Thread chicken on skewers to grill.   

For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute.  Add coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala and salt. Stir to combine  Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes  Stir in the cream: 1 cup for hot-medium, 2 cups for medium-mild. Then serve with white rice and garnish with fresh cilantro. 

Sausage Swirls

These look and sound fancy but they are a snap to put together.  They taste delicious too!  I served these with some homemade tomato soup for dinner but they would be perfect for a tasty little treat to take to a party.  They are great to make ahead too and bake when you're ready. 

Sausage Swirls
from lanascooking.com 
Yield:  60 swirls

Swirls:
2 cans crescent rolls*
grainy or brown spicy mustard
1 lb. bulk pork sausage*

Dipping sauce:
4 parts mayonnaise
1 part grainy or spicy brown mustard
squirt of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Separate crescent rolls into four long rectangles.  Press perforations well to seal.  Spread each rectangle lightly with mustard.  Divide sausage into four equal parts and spread a thin layer on each rectangle.  Roll each rectangle into a long cylinder.  Chill, covered, until ready to serve.  Slice the rolls into 1" pieces.  Gently flatten each slice into a small disk.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve hot. 

*I used reduced fat crescent rolls and turkey sausage with good results.

No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

This delicious concoction was our Valentine's Day treat for the family this year.  It was easy to prepare while everyone was at school/work for the day and whip out after dinner to impress everyone!  Yummy!  I topped each one with a chocolate dipped strawberry just to be extra fancy :). 

No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes 
from mybakingaddiction.com
Yield: 6 servings

Crust:
12 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs
3 T. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. Nutella
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Garnish: (optional)
whipped topping
chocolate shavings
toasted, chopped hazelnuts

Directions:
1.  In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter.  Evenly divided the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.*

2.  In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix to combine.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until well blended and no streaks remain.

3.  Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

4.  If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts. 

*I made these as written but I think we would've preferred them if the cheesecake/mousse was layered alternately with plain Oreo cookie crumbs (not mixed with butter) in several layers like a parfait. 

Funeral Potatoes

These are a delicious variation on the classic!

Funeral Potatoes
from Cook's Country
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

3 T. unsalted butter
2 onions, chopped fine
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
1 3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 c. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (30 oz. bag)
1/2 c. sour cream
4 c. sour cream and onion potato chips, crushed

Instructions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minutes.  Slowly whisk in broth, half-and-half, salt, thyme, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in cheddar until smooth.

2.  Stir potatoes into sauce, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until thawed, about 10 minutes.  Off heat, stir in sour cream until combined.

3.  Scrape mixture into 9x13 in. baking dish and top with potato chips.  Bake until golden brown 45-50 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes.  Serve.

Make ahead:  Potato mixture can be refrigerated in baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, for 2 days.  To finish, bake potatoes 20 minutes.  Remove dish from oven and uncover.  Top with potato chips and bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes.

Roasted Carrot and Pistachio Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest the other day in a search for some really good soup recipes for a church women's dinner.  I had high hopes because it sounded so unique and yummy....and it was!!  I was really happy with how this turned out and I will definitely be using it for the dinner along with a couple of others.  It is really full of flavor and is so creamy it seems like it might be bad for you but it is really healthy!  Another bonus:  my super picky 11-year old cleaned a whole bowl....of an orange-colored soup!  It's a miracle and a testament to how yummy this soup is :). Roasted Carrot and Pistachio Soup

adapted from the Colorado Cache Cookbook

Serves: 6 – 8

Ingredients

• 12-14 carrots (about 1¾ pounds), peeled and chopped into 1-2” pieces
• 2 medium-sized yellow onions, cut into 1” pieces
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled but whole
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted (I used salted) pistachios*
• 2 quarts low sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock
• 1/4 cup fresh marjoram (may substitute 2 tsp dried)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme (may substitute 2 tsp dried)

Instructions

1. Toss carrots, onions and garlic in the olive oil.  Salt and pepper vegetables and spread on baking sheet. Roast at 475°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, but not burnt.
2. Add the pistachios, 2 quarts stock and roasted vegetables to a large 6-8 quart pot.  If using dried herbs in place of fresh, add those now. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables have become more tender and pistachios have softened a bit. If using fresh herbs, add these in at the last minute of simmering.
3. Using an immersion or standard blender, puree soup until smooth, adding more stock at this point if the soup looks too thick. Keep in mind it will be very hot, so be careful when pureeing. If using a standard blender, start on a slow speed, then increase, and do not overload the blender.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* If you want to try the original version, you can substitute pine nuts for pistachios.

Orange Sweet Rolls

I LOVE orange rolls but I don't really make them that often because I either don't think of them (i.e. I just always make cinnamon rolls), or I know if I do make them I'll want to eat them all.  That and the fact that I've never had a favorite recipe for them....well, I can't say that anymore because these were fantastic.  I doubled the recipe so I had to freeze a lot of them so I wouldn't gain 500 lbs. :) !  Try them out, you'll love them too!


Orange Sweet Rolls
slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
*Makes about 15 rolls

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
¾ cup buttermilk, warm
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4 ¼ cups (21 ¼ ounces) flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Orange Filling:
6 T. softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated orange rind/zest from two large oranges (reserving 1/2 teaspoon grated rind for the glaze below)

Orange Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind/zest reserved from the filling above

DIRECTIONS:
For the dough, whisk the warmed buttermilk and butter together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and eggs and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (knead for 15-18 minutes by hand). If after 5 minutes of kneading, the dough is still overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but has a slight tacky feel when pressed between your fingertips. (See this tutorial for a visual.)  Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, around 2 to 2 ½ hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
For the filling, combine all the filling ingredients (reserving 1/2 teaspoon orange zest for the glaze) in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and press it into about a 16 by 12-inch rectangle (if you have doubled the recipe, split the dough in half and roll out one half at a time). Gently spread the filling mixture over the rectangle, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula.
Lift the longest edge closest to you and begin rolling the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log so it is seam side down. Using a a length of thread, criss-cross and slice the log into evenly sized rolls. You can slice them thinner or thicker as you like. For a traditional cinnamon-roll-look, arrange the rolls cut side down on a lined or lightly greased baking pan.  Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden on top and cooked through. While the rolls are baking, mix together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.

Beef Stew

Nothin' fancy here, but beef stew is a favorite and oh so comforting!  I have used this recipe for beef stew since the beginning of our marriage.  It came in a recipe booklet with the crock pot we received as a wedding gift.  I've tweaked it a bit over the years but it is simple, delicious and definitely a family favorite!

Beef Stew

serves 8

2.5 lbs. beef stew meat, cut in 1-in. cubes
scant 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4 c. beef broth
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. beef bouillon
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 t. paprika
6-8 carrots, sliced
5-6 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery
1 c. frozen peas (optional)

Mix flour, salt and pepper in the bottom of a crock pot.  Add stew meat and stir well to coat meat with flour.  Add remaining ingredients, reserving peas until the last 30 minutes, and stir to mix well.  Cover; cook on low 10-12 hours (or high 4-6 hours); add peas during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.  Remove bay leaves and stir stew thoroughly before serving.

**Alternately, you can cook in a dutch oven at 275 degrees for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I found this recipe a few years ago on epicurious.com.  I've adapted various ingredients based on some of the reader comments and it is perfect!   If you have ripe bananas and are sick of plain old banana bread these are the muffins for you.  They are really moist and light and even better the next day. I made some this morning and they don't last long around here.

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

adapted from Epicurious

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve muffin cups with muffin liners. Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter, applesauce, milk and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden about 20-22 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

Lime Coconut Snowballs

We found a new favorite cookie recipe over the Christmas holidays last month.  These are just as delicious as they sound and may have contributed to some extra lbs. around our house!  I had to freeze most of them to prevent me from eating them all.  Try them, you'll like them :)! 

Lime Coconut Snowballs

from Two Peas and Their Pod

Butter Cookie Dough:

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup superfine sugar*
1/4 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 16, 1/2-inch pieces, at cool room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature

*If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a
close approximation by processing regular granulated
sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds.

Glaze:

1 tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons lime juice (I added extra, I love lime)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, pulsed in food processor until finely chopped, about fifteen 1-second pulses

1. FOR THE COOKIES: In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, lime zest, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds.  With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer.  Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30

seconds.

2. Use hands to roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake one batch at a time in 375-degree oven until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

3. FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk cream cheese and 2 tablespoons lime juice in medium bowl until combined and no lumps remain. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding remaining lime juice as needed until glaze is thin enough to spread easily.

4. Dip tops of cookies into glaze and scrape away excess, then dip into coconut. Set cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet; let stand until glaze dries and sets, about 20 minutes.

Multigrain Pancakes

We're still in soft food mode here, trying to work around the new braces causing pain for our teen, so last night it was pancakes at our house!  I tried this recipe from Cook's Illustrated last year and fell in love.  These pancakes are hearty, healthy, and sooo tasty.  It's worth the extra step to find the muesli and grind until smooth.  It adds great flavor and texture to these yummy pancakes.  We made them a bit less healthy by topping them with homemade apple pie filling!  Delish!

Multigrain Pancakes
from Cook's Illustrated, Holiday Baking 2010

4 t. lemon juice
2 c. milk
1 1/4 c. (6 oz.) plus 3 T. no sugar added muesli* (see note below)
3/4 c. (3 3/4 oz.) unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 c. (2 3/4 oz.) whole wheat flour
2 T. brown sugar
2 1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
3 T. butter, melted and cooled
3/4 t. vanilla


1.  Whisk lemon juice and milk together in a medium bowl or 4-cup measuring cup; set aside to thicken while preparing other ingredients.
2.  Process 1 1/4 c. muesli in food processor until finely ground, 2-2 1/2 min.; transfer to large bowl.  Add remaining 3 T. unground muesli, flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to combine.
3.  Whisk eggs, melted butter, and vanilla into milk until combined.  Make well in center of dry ingredients in bowl; pour in milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined (few streaks of flour and lumps should remain).  Do not overmix.  Important:  allow batter to rest while pan heats (5 min. or more), otherwise the batter will be too runny. 
4.  Heat skillet or griddle or medium-low heat for 5 min.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Pour 1/4 c. batter onto griddle, using bottom of measuring cup to spread batter out if necessary.  Cook pancakes until small bubbles begin to appear evenly over surface, 2-3 min.  Flip pancakes and cook until goldern brown on second side 1 1/2-2 min. longer.  Repeat with remaining batter.

*Familia brand no sugar added muesli is the best choice for this recipe (I found this at Whole Foods).  If you can't find Familia, look for Alpen or any no sugar added muesli.  Muesli with sugar added will work but you'll need to reduce the brown sugar in the recipe to 1 T.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

My oldest got braces today.  It makes me sad because I realize how old she is getting (13.5!) but also because she was sore and uncomfortable.  After her appointment, I asked her what she wanted to eat for dinner and she requested some homemade tomato soup.  A short search of my favorite food blogs brought me to this recipe and it was perfect!  It reminded me of Panera's tomato soup which we love!  This is definitely my go-to tomato soup recipe in the future.  I wouldn't change a thing.  LOVED it!  We ate it with some soft rolls, salad and grapes. 

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup 

from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste, for seasoning tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 cup freshly chopped basil
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes.
2. In a large stockpot, heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegetable broth. Stir in the oven roasted tomatoes. Cook for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the stockpot, or transfer soup to a food processor or blender to blend. The soup should be smooth, with a few tomato chunks. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve warm.  Serves 4-6. 

Simplest Apple Tart

This is a perfectly simple and delicious apple dessert.  It looked really impressive, tasted delicious, and isn't really that hard to pull together.  I brought this to a dinner party with cinnamon whipped cream and got lots of compliments.  Can't ask for more than that!

Simplest Apple Tart
from Smitten Kitchen

Dough:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, just softened, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
3 1/2 tablespoons chilled water
Filling:
2 pounds apples (Golden Delicious or another tart, firm variety), peeled, cored (save peels and cores), and sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 tablespoons sugar
Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar

MIX flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Blend in a mixer until dough resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining butter; mix until biggest pieces look like large peas.
DRIBBLE in water, stir, then dribble in more, until dough just holds together. Toss with hands, letting it fall through fingers, until it’s ropy with some dry patches. If dry patches predominate, add another tablespoon water. Keep tossing until you can roll dough into a ball. Flatten into a 4-inch-thick disk; refrigerate. After at least 30 minutes, remove; let soften so it’s malleable but still cold. Smooth cracks at edges. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Dust excess flour from both sides with a dry pastry brush.
PLACE dough in a lightly greased 9-inch round tart pan, or simply on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you wish to go free-form, or galette-style with it. Heat oven to 400°F. (If you have a pizza stone, place it in the center of the rack.)
OVERLAP apples on dough in a ring 2 inches from edge if going galette-style, or up to the sides if using the tart pan. Continue inward until you reach the center. Fold any dough hanging over pan back onto itself; crimp edges at 1-inch intervals.
BRUSH melted butter over apples and onto dough edge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over dough edge and the other 3 tablespoons over apples. (Deb note: I found it nearly impossible to coat it with this much sugar, so I used a little less–more like 3 tablespoons. It made a lightly sweet tart, which we found perfect.)
BAKE in center of oven until apples are soft, with browned edges, and crust has caramelized to a dark golden brown (about 45 minutes), making sure to rotate tart every 15 minutes.
MAKE glaze: Put reserved peels and cores in a large saucepan, along with sugar. Pour in just enough water to cover; simmer for 25 minutes. Strain syrup through cheesecloth.
REMOVE tart from oven, and slide off parchment onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes.
BRUSH glaze over tart, slice, and serve.

Sweet Potato Bake

I clipped this recipe from Taste of Home Magazine over 10 years ago and have been making it ever since.  It is probably our family's favorite side dish on Turkey Day!  I love that I can make it the day before and add the topping right before baking.  This helps a ton on a busy Thanksgiving day!

Sweet Potato Bake
adapted from tasteofhome.com 

Ingredients:
3 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (prepared without milk or butter, about 3-4 large)
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs (can use some egg substitute here)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, salt and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, pecans and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown (or a thermometer reads °160).
Yield: 8-10 servings.

Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

I tried this out for Thanksgiving hoping it would be as good as the reviews reported and it did not disappoint.  I'll be including this one again!

Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 bags Peppridge Farms Country Style bread crumbs
1/2 lb. ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage (or 5 t. fresh sage)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary (or 3 t. fresh rosemary)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 t. fresh thyme)
1 Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1-2 cups low sodium chicken or turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C).  Transfer bread crumbs to a large bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly.
Transfer to a 9x13 in pan and bake, covered, for 30-40 min.  Uncover and bake an additional 15 min.  Alternately, place mixture in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with Pam.  Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours. 
Yield:  10 servings

Thanksgiving Menu

I know.....posting about my Thanksgiving menu in January is pretty lame but it is what it is.  I just couldn't get to it before now.  So here goes.....

We were delighted to have my brother, his wife and their 2 kids come from Delaware to share Thanksgiving with us.  We had a lot of fun!  I was excited to plan, prepare, and execute all of the dishes for Thanksgiving this year.  It was a lot of work but fun too!  I used some old standbys that have become favorites for our turkey dinner but I also included some fun, new finds too!

The menu included:

Brined Turkey and Gravy
Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Bake
Homemade Rolls
Spinach Salad
Fresh Green Beans
Orange Knox Blox (for the kids!)
Pumpkin Pies with fresh Whipped Cream
Apple Pie

YUM!

Whole Grain Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

We're having these for dinner tonight, I can't wait!  My sister turned me on to this recipe over the summer and I loved it.  The best part about them?  They are high in fiber and protein and my kids don't even know it!  They love them too!  A win for everybody :).

Whole Grain Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes
from pinchmysalt.com

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. wheat germ
1/2 C. oat bran
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. lowfat milk
1/2 C. sour cream
2 eggs
2 T. melted butter
1 C. blueberries

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together, milk, sour cream and eggs.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in melted butter and blueberries.
4. Drop pancake batter by 1/4 cupfuls (I just use a 1/4 dry measuring cup) onto a hot, greased griddle.
5. Pancakes are ready to flip when the edges stary to dry out and darken.
6. Enjoy!

Yield: 18 pancakes, 6 servings.  Calories: 295, Total Fat: 12 g.