Breadstick Topping

The other day I made a mock recipe of the Pizza Factory Twisted Breadsticks.  The kids loved them, but after making them I realize the real secret to making them taste good is the butter herb sauce that they use on the dough.  You could incorporate this sauce onto any bread/breadstick recipe and it would be wonderful.

1/2 cup melted butter
3/8 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp. season all
1 T. parmesan cheese

Pork Tenderloin

I almost always have a pork Tenderloin on hand because my kids and hubby both love it.  I found this quick recipe the other day and it was an instant hit.  The pork turned out really tender and juice with great flavor.

1.  Rub tenderloin with olive oil, dijon mustard and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt & pepper.
2.  Roll tenderloin in breadcrumbs.  I mixed some dried rosemary in with my breadcrumbs.
3.  Sear in frying pan with butter.
4.  Bake at 425 for 35 minutes and then let it rest of 10 minutes.

Fun Holiday Drinks

Here are two new recipes for fun Holiday "Mocktails".  I love any occasion to make fun, fancy drinks and Christmas is no exception.  Along with our tapas party on Christmas Eve we had these fun drinks called "Jack Frosts"


JACK FROSTS
1 bottle Pina Colada mix
1 quart softened vanilla ice cream
1 quart pineapple juice

Mix in blender and freeze.

To serve: Put two large scoops in tall glass and pour ginger ale over.  Garnish with pineapple or maraschino cherry.


The second drink we had for our Christmas Day dinner, but I think this drink would be fun for a new years eve celebration also.

MOCK PINK CHAMPAGNE
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (6oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (6oz.) can frozen grapefruit juice concentrate
1 bottle (28oz.) chilled ginger ale
1/3 cup grenadine syrup

Early in the day, mix sugar with water in saucepan and boil 5 minutes and then cool.  Add frozen concentrates and refrigerate.  At serving time add ginger ale and grenadine syrup.  Stir and serve.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Casserole

This is a quick weekday meal that I found at Tablespoon.com, but it is actually a Better Crocker Recipe.  I used a whole wheat veggie pasta that I got from Trader Joe's and I substitute roasted bell peppers with sun dried tomatoes because it is what I had on hand, and it was delicious.  Everyone ate it up and it took very minimal prep on my part.

2

cups uncooked radiatore (nugget) pasta (6 ounces)

1/2

cup chopped drained roasted red bell peppers (from 7-ounce jar)

1/3

cup basil pesto

1/4

cup fat-free (skim) milk

1

container (10 ounces) refrigerated reduced-fat Alfredo sauce

2

packages (6 ounces each) refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips, chopped

1/4

cup shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1. Heat oven to 350°. Spray square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches, with cooking spray.
2. Cook pasta 9 minutes as directed on package. Return to saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese. Spoon into baking dish.
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 4 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

Tangy Stuffed Peppers

I got this recipe from a co-worker and I have no idea where it is from, but it was delicious.  Four out of the five in my family asked for seconds.  It's simple and a perfect fall side dish.

4 large green peppers (or any color, I actually used red, orange, and yellow)
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
6 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons water
additional Parmesan cheese

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds.  Chop pepper tops and sauté in saucepan with ground beef and onion until meat is no longer pink.  Remove from heat and stir in rice, cheese, 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and salt.

In a large saucepan, cook whole peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.  Drain and rinse in cold water.  Spook rice and meat mixture into peppers.

Place in greased baking dish.  If needed slice a little off bottom of pepper so it will stand up straight.  Combine tomato sauce, water, and remaining Worcestershire sauce, drizzle generously over peppers and spindle with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.  Cover and cooke for 20 minutes and then uncover and cooke for 5 more minutes.

**I have been substituting ground turkey for ground beef in all recipes lately.  I just add a little extra seasoning to boost the flavor.  For this recipe I added 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.  It was perfect**

Best. Mexican. Rice. Ever. (Honey Chipotle Mexican Rice)

This rice has the perfect blend of smokey and spicy - not too acidic and not too sweet.  It's really good.  Sorry about the cut and paste job on the recipe - while I use all the ingredients listed, the quantities change depending on what type of rice I have. 

• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
  1 chipotle chile in adobo
  7 ounces fire roasted tomatoes, undrained (1/2 of a 14 oz can)
  1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
  1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  1/4 cup water
  1/2-1 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  1/4 cup honey
  1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  1 -2 medium jalapeno
  1 cup rice (white or brown - just adjust liquids accordingly)
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2 minced garlic cloves
  1 cup chicken broth
  1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring chile, tomatoes, water, onion, garlic, salt and red pepper to a boil for 2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, slowly, covered for 15 minutes.
2. Puree mixture in a blender (or use an immersion blender) until smooth. Stir in the honey and vinegar. You can make this ahead and refrigerate for a couple of days if needed. NOTE: You will need exactly 1 cup of the puree for the rice (I use however much i feel like). 
3. Remove ribs and seeds from jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside.
4. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat about 2 minutes. Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Stir in broth, pureed mixture, and salt. Stirring frequently,continue cooking for 5 minutes or until rice is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed, If the rice looks too dry before it is cooked through, add more puree or stock or plain water by tablespoonfuls to reach desired consistency.

Juicy Roasted Chicken

(picture courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

I've been roasting whole Chickens for a long time now using lots of different recipes. Some covered in bacon or herb butter, or stuffed with lots of veggies, but for some reason this recipe always returns to my kitchen table.  It's simple and really does have a lot of flavor.  The only changes I make from this recipe is I use butter, rather than margarine.  I love to make this for sunday dinner and then use the leftover chicken for burritos, sandwiches, or a casserole the next day.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
• 1/2 cup margarine, divided
• 1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken's exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
3. Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

Black Bean Quinoa

(picture courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

I'm still trying to convince my family to like Quinoa, and this dish finally brought my hesitant husband over to my side.  He LOVED it.  It has lots of flavor and is packed full of proteins and good ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Penne All "Not-ka"

I got this recipe from a healthy cookbook that I checked out from the library called "Cook yourself Thin".  It's a great cookbook and this was a simple favorite that everyone liked.  Served with a nice green salad and crusty french bread it was an easy week day dinner.

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for serving
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes in juice, pureed in a food processor
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces penne
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons evaporated nonfat milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne. 

2. In a large saucepan, heat the 2 teaspoons oil with the garlic over low heat until the garlic begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until the onion is softened, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomato, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and simmer very gently 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and evaporated milk and simmer 1 more minute. 

3. Meanwhile, after the sauce has cooked 5 minutes, add the penne to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water. Add the drained penne to the saucepan and simmer until the penne is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little of the pasta cooking water if the mixture is dry. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, along with the basil and black pepper. 

4. To serve, divide pasta among 4 serving bowls. Drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

(picture courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

My kids love these muffins and it's a nice change from the standard banana bread.  Also, I can sneak in healthy stuff like flax seed powder and the kids don't even notice.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Homemade Instant Pizza Sauce

(pic from Allrecipes.com)

This homemade pizza sauce is delicious.  I was out of my regular sauce, and looked up a quick recipe from Allrecipes and whipped it together.  It was delicious and really added a lot to the pizza.  I had anchovy paste in my pantry from a previous recipe, and I definetly think it added some more flavor so we put it in, but it is optional.

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• salt to taste

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
2. Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

Ground Turkey Tacos

In an attempt to eat a little healthier we've been substituting ground turkey for ground beef.  I finally found a recipe that we like for tacos.  Ground turkey can be pretty bland, but this recipe adds lots of good flavor while still being healthier for you than ground beef.

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 T. green bell pepper, minced
3/4 cup water
1/2 8oz. can tomato sauce

Brown turkey in large skillet and then add all dry seasoning.  Add onion, pepper, water, and tomato sauce and cover.  Simmer on low for 20 minutes.

These were great toped with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream and cheese.

Greek Tacos

Another easy one that sounds a little weird, but it's really good.

Pitas
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Red Onion
Feta Cheese
Caesar Dressing (I like the more vinagarette-looking dressing for this)
BBQ Sauce (I like Famous Dave's Original sauce, but any sauce would be fine)
Chicken

Here's what you want--cooked chicken with BBQ sauce. So, cook the chicken however you want, just be sure that it's covered in sauce when you're ready to eat.

Dice up the vegetables. Crumble the feta cheese. Slice the pitas in half.

Then just assemble it like a taco. Put your BBQ chicken in the bottom, top with desired vegetables, cheese, and give it a little pour of dressing over top.

That's it! Sounds odd, but it's fabulous!

Best Homemade Teriyaki marinate

1 cup oil

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar

cracked pepper to taste

1 garlic clove pressed or 1/2 tsp garlic pwd

Mix together and add meat. Marinate a couple hours but overnight is best. Grill until cooked. We love this on chicken or beef.

Peanut butter Fingers

1 cup butter

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups oatmeal

Cream butters, sugars and peanut butter together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, soda and oatmeal. Press into lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 15-18 minutes until light brown. Be careful not to overbake. Spread with a thin layer of Peanut butter while still warm. When cool frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate frosting:

2 3/4 cup powder sugar

6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

6 Tbsp butter

5 Tbsp evaporate milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter until smooth. Add powder sugar and cocoa powder alternating with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffly. Add more milk or powder sugar until reach desired consistency.

Pina Colada

This is the easiest, yummiest summer drink.

4 oz. cream of coconut (not coconut milk)
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups ice
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Throw it all in the blender and mix well.

This is fun to garnish with a pineapple or cherry.  It's also fun to garnish the rims with some sugar (or colored sugar for a fun holiday).  Just wet the rim of the glass with water or juice and dip it into sugar.

Lemon Bars

I needed something sweet to take to a potluck the other day and I had about 0.2 % of normal baking ingredients on hand.  However, with a quick run to my little neighborhood market I was able to pick up some lemons and whip these up.  Be warned that my cooking times were almost twice as long, but that could certainly be because I have a tiny european oven that runs on moroccan electricity.  Nonetheless - they were delicious and tart.

(Courtesy of Miss Ina Garten from the Food Network)

Ingredients


For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons) ( I reduced this by about 1/3 because my first batch was too tart)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used 3/4 cup because of the tartness issue again)
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Sweet and Hot Baked Beans

2 cans pork and beans
3 cans white beans
2 cans black beans
1 lb bacon
2 cups brown sugar
1 cups katsup
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
5 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

cook bacon, chop pepper and onion and saute in onion drippings. Combine everything and cook slowly for 3 hrs @300 or in crockpot.

This is a fun change on the original baked bean recipies. Very yummy and makes a ton!

Oven Brown Rice

I've been trying to transition from white rice to brown rice.  My family really likes white rice and brown has been a little harder to like :)  But this recipe makes delicious brown rice with very little effort.  You mix it together and then bake it in the oven.  It's simple and pretty fool proof.

1 cup brown rice
1 cup beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.  In a 2 quart casserole dish, mix together rice beef broth, chicken broth, butter, and garlic, & salt.  Cover and bake for 60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  You can also mix in sautéed mushrooms or any vegetable you like.  Very simple and delicious.

recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Spicy Peanut Penne

Since I'm now working, Shawn has really pitched in helping make dinner.  He made this recipe all by himself and it turned out great.  It's easy, but very flavorful. Enjoy!

1 pound penne, or any tubular pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 T. cornstarch
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
juice of 2 limes
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. honey
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon grated or minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1.  Cook the pasta according to package directions and then drain.

2.  Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add chopped chicken.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until cooked.  Add the bell pepper and cook 2 minutes longer or until tender.  Remove chicken and pepper from pan and set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T. of the milk.  Stir in the remaining milk and add to skillet.  Cook, stirring for 1 minutes or until thick and bubbly.  Cook for 1 minutes longer.  Reduce the heat to low.  (This cookbook is a healthy cookbook where she takes recipes with his fat/calories and decreases it.  The original recipe called for heavy cream, but she uses the milk thickened with cornstarch so you can do it either way).

4.  In another bowl, stir together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and ground red pepper.  Stir into the milk mixture until smooth.  Add the chicken and pepper along with the chives and cilantro.  Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.


392 calories per serving
Recipe courtesy Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole

PW Pasta Salad with tomatoes, zucchini, and feta

Shawn and I wanted something light, quick and fresh for dinner the other night.  I've been wanting to try this Pioneer Woman recipe for a while.  It was exactly what we were looking for and would be a great meal for a summer BBW with some grilled chicken or fish.

12 ounces Farfalle (bowtie) pasta (I used orecchiette pasta)

2 T. olive oil

1 whole lemon (more to taste)

salt

fresh groun black pepper

2 whole zucchini, cut into small wedges

10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta and drain.  Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Stir in chopped tomatoes, zucchini, parsley and feta.  Toss salad and put in fridge.  Best if refrigerated several hours.  Garnish with feta cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Meatloaf Cupcakes

I'm not really a meatloaf lover, but the other day for April Fools Day I wanted to make meatloaf in a cupcake pan with mashed potatoes as frosting for the kids just for fun.  I found this recipe online (www.allrecipes.com) and made a few of my own adjustments.  It turned out wonderful and moist and I will definetly make it again.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. onion flakes (or you can use fresh chopped onion)
• 1 tsp. beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cups Italian-style dried bread crumbs

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, sour cream, ranch dressing, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in celery salt, beef bouillon, onion, cheese, and bread crumbs. Form mixture into a ball and put in muffin tin.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. 
4. Take out and cover with sauce and continue baking for another 10 minutes. 
5. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving for easier slicing.