Chicken and Biscuits

Oooh, yummy. These are SO good! And easy! And healthy! I dare say you'll add them into your regular rotation of chicken dinners once you've had them.

yield: 6 servings

Original recipe credit: www.passionatehomemaking.com

Filling:

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cups carrot, chopped (about 6)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes, washed and chopped

2 celery stocks, sliced (leaves too)

1 cup chopped green pepper

2 tsp salt

2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups chicken broth

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup milk

Biscuits:

1 1/4 cup white flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and spices; sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and milk; cook 5 more minutes.

3. While filling cooks, combine flours, baking powder, and spices in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in olive oil, butter, and buttermilk with a wooden spoon, stirring just until moist.

4. Pour vegetable mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spoon biscuit batter on top of vegetable mixture by 1/4 cupfuls. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean.

Cranberry-Pumpkin Cookies

Mmm. I made these the other day with some pumpkin I'd roasted and they are yummy! I modified the original recipe a bit (less butter and sugar, dried cranberries instead of fresh, whole-wheat flour) and they are delicious! They're a bit like these cookies, but with more complexity. A great autumn cookie.

Yield: 4 dozen

Original recipe credit: www.allrecipes.com

1 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup pumpkin purée

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place cranberries in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let soak.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until well combined. Add in egg, pumpkin, and vanilla, beating well to combine.

4. In a small bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; mix well.

5. Drain and squeeze excess water off of cranberries. Stir cranberries and walnuts into cookie dough. Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

   Found this recipe and was excited to make this since cream soups are one thing that you cannot find overseas. This turned out pretty well and wasn't a whole lot of work. If you need a cream of mushroom soup recipe, try this one out!

Original recipe credit: www.passionatehomemaking.com

Yield: 2 10-oz "cans"

18 mushrooms

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup whole wheat flour (for gluten-free, use potato starch)

1 tsp salt

2 cups milk

1. Take the stems off of the mushrooms, peel the "skin" off the mushrooms, and finely chop the mushrooms. (Mushroom stems gross me out. If they don't gross you out and you want to use them, you can use just 12-14 mushrooms.)

2. Heat butter and oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When butter melts, add flour or potato starch and salt, stirring to make a roux. Add mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes or until soft (mixture will be very thick). Add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly until mixture thickens (3-4 minutes after it starts to boil).

Minestrone Soup

I think that I may have finally perfected my minestrone recipe! Chock full of healthy veggies, this pairs well with grilled cheese sandwiches, garlic bread, or a great big salad. Yum.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced celery
8 cups chicken broth

1 cup red wine
1 large zucchini, diced
1 large potato, washed and diced
2 1/2 cups (2 large handfuls) cut green beans
8 large carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound torn spinach
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

*For vegetarian option, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth*
*For gluten-free option, omit pasta*

Morning Glory Muffins

Now that Lane likes to help me in the kitchen, I find myself baking almost every day. We had a bunch of apples and carrots, so Morning Glory Muffins it was! These are just sweet enough and pretty healthy, too! Throw in some flaxseed or wheat bran if you have it for added nutrition.

yield: 18 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups finely shredded carrots

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze off extra water.

3. In a large bowl stir together flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots, apple, pecans, raisins, and coconut. In a small bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, oil, apple juice, and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

4. Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Apple (Walnut) Pancakes with Cider Syrup

Mmm. These are a great autumn breakfast recipe to add to your repertoire! When my friend Kecia posted on facebook about making these, I was quick to ask for the recipe. Here it is (with a few modifications for those of us living overseas and/or just to my personal taste). Try these NOW...you won't be disappointed!

yield: 14 pancakes and a lot of syrup (enough for 2-3 batches of pancakes)

Original recipe credit: Kecia over at Kecia's Journey

Cider Syrup:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/8 tsp each of allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon)

2 cups apple juice (use cider if you can get it)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup butter

1. Combine sugar, corn starch, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Add apple and lemon juices; stir well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter.

Apple (Walnut) Pancakes:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1 large apple, peeled and grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional, but oh-so-yummy)

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in egg and buttermilk until well combined. Stir in grated apple. Pour by 1/3-cupfulls onto a hot griddle, flipping them when the middles begin to have small bubbles.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

For those of us who don't have access to Coffeemate and/or International Delight and their smorgasbord of holiday creamers, here's a decent alternative.

yield: 2 cups creamer

Original recipe credit: my friend Tina over at Girl Meets Globe.

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 Tbsp puréed pumpkin

4 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat.

2. Pour mixture through a fine sieve; discard remaining pumpkin pulp. Pour into an airtight glass container. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

A friend of mine recently recommended The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup as a good choice for something easy and good for dinner. After checking out her recipe, I made this for dinner tonight, with a few modifications, of course. It was really, really yummy. For gluten-free, use corn tortillas.

Original recipe credit: thepioneerwoman.com

yield: 8 servings

Soup:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 medium/large onion, diced

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced red pepper

2 jalepeños, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato sauce

8 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes (enough for 4 cups) OR use 4 cups water instead of 8 and 4 cups chicken broth

3 cups cooked or canned black beans

2 cups frozen corn

Garnishes (to taste)

crushed tortilla chips or sliced soft tortillas

sour cream

shredded cheese

diced tomatoes or pico

diced avocado

diced onions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet; drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of spice mixture. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from oven; shred with a fork. Set aside.

3. In a large stockpot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, green and red peppers, garlic, and jalepeños. Sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining spice mixture and shredded chicken. Add remaining ingredients; stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 30-45 minutes or until flavors are well melded. Top each serving with desired garnishes.

*Crock-pot option: place all ingredients in crock-pot (don't cook the chicken in the oven...just place the breasts and all the spices in with everything else). Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Remove breasts, shred with a fork, and return to pot. Garnish as desired.

Tuna Salad

In an effort to eat tuna once a week while pregnant, I went searching for a good recipe (since my standard "add mayo and pickle relish" won't work here since pickle relish is unheard of). This is adapted from frugalgranola.com. Most things are "to taste," so add as you like!

Original recipe credit: frugalgranola.com

yield: 2 servings

2 cans (the...normal-sized ones. 140 grams?) of tuna in water

4 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dried basil (fresh would be great but I didn't have any)

salt and pepper to taste (maybe 1/8 tsp each?)

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large cucumber, diced

1. Drain tuna fish and combine with mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper. Gently stir in bell pepper and cucumber. Serve on a bed of lettuce, on bread, or alone.

Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken

I originally got the idea for this recipe off of crockpot365. However, since the only things in her original recipe that we can get here are the chicken and frozen corn, I had to improvise. Here's what I came up with. (note: it needs some kind of spice. I put in maybe 2 teaspoons of homemade taco seasoning, but it still needed something more, which is why I'm not listing that in my ingredient list. However, if you make this, PLEASE add some spice...cumin, chili powder, taco seasoning...something. I'll update the recipe when I've found what's perfect.)

1 cup dried black beans

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 cup frozen corn

2 small jalepeños, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup cream cheese

yield: 6 servings

1. Place black beans in bottom of crock-pot; place chicken breasts on top of beans. Pour chicken broth over chicken and beans. In a small bowl combine corn, jalepeños, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over chicken in crock-pot.

2. Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from crock-pot and shred; return to crock-pot. Add cream cheese; stir well, until cream cheese has melted. Replace lid, reduce heat to LOW, and cook an additional 2-4 hours. Serve over rice.

***If you think about it, soak your black beans overnight before cooking them in this recipe. Mine were still a little crunchy, but it was a last-minute decision to make this for dinner. Or if you have canned black beans, those would be good too. If you do either of these options, you can probably just mix the beans with the tomato mixture and pour over the chicken.***

Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts

I've never been much of a fried-food lover, mainly because I know it's really, really bad for you. But nobody can deny that sometimes fried chicken just sounds good. Here's a way to make it taste fried without actually having to fry it. I think even the Colonel would be proud.

yield: 4 servings

1 cup buttermilk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cracker meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter

1. Combine buttermilk and chicken in a bowl; let marinate an hour, rotating chicken occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425°.

3. Combine flour and cracker meal in a shallow dish. Transfer chicken to a plate and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
4. Melt butter in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn chicken over; cook an additional 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Sweet Cornbread

I've been trying to come up with a good cornbread recipe since moving here, since we can only find corn flour and not corn meal. All cornbread recipes out there use corn meal! This is an adaptation of an allrecipes.com recipe that uses corn flour instead. And it's pretty good if I do say so myself!

Original recipe credit: allrecipes.com

yield: 15 servings

2 cups corn flour

3/4 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

6 Tbsp white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1. In a large bowl combine flours and milk, stirring with a whisk. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. While flour mixture sits, preheat oven to 400°.

3. Add remaining ingredients to flour mixture, stirring well with a whisk. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Strawberry Bread

Yum. If you have an abundance of over-ripe strawberries, this is a perfect recipe for them. Good warm or cold, as breakfast or as dessert, it's just, simply, yummy.

Original recipe credit: allrecipes.com (heavily adapted from the original)

yield: 2 loaves

4 cups sliced strawberries

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup oil

4 eggs

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Purée 2 cups strawberries in a food processor or blender. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add buttermilk, oil, and puréed strawberries, stirring well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring well to combine. Fold in remaining 2 cups strawberries and pecans. Pour into two loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Chocolate Pudding

My mother-in-law brought us a can of evaporated milk on her recent visit, so I made this pudding for the first time. I'll never use instant pudding mix again (as long as I have access to evaporated milk).

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light (I think)

yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually add evaporated milk and 1% milk, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour about 2/3 cup pudding into each of 6 ramekins; cover each serving with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours.

Classic White Bread

I know that white bread isn't the healthiest thing out there, but this bread...oh, it's so, so yummy. Great for sandwiches or just warm with butter....oh, yum. Keep a loaf, freeze a loaf, and give away a loaf.

Original recipe credit: Melissa, maybe? I've had this recipe since college and don't remember exactly where I got it.

yield: 3 loaves

3 cups warm water
3 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
8 cups flour

1. In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients with 4 cups flour. Let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Gradually add remaining 4 cups flour, kneading until smooth. Place dough in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
2. Punch dough down and let rest a few minutes. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Shape into loaves and place into greased bread pans. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.

4. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes.

***If you live in Europe, you may need more than 8 cups of flour. I think I used 10-12 cups the last time I made this bread.***

Chocolate Cupcakes

I've had this recipe for a long time, but the original just called for dusted powdered sugar on top. I've been waiting until I remembered to actually write down my own frosting recipe to share, since powdered sugar alone just didn't cut it, in my opinion.

Original cupcake recipe: Cooking Light
Frosting recipe: mine
yield: 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Frosting:
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cupcakes, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
3. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, combine butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar in a medium bowl; beat well with a mixer on medium speed. Add vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk, mixing well. Gradually mix in remaining powdered sugar and as much of the 1 tablespoon of milk as is necessary until frosting is a good texture for spreading. Top each cupcake with frosting and enjoy!

Granola Bars

Back when I was still nursing Lane, I was always in search of healthy snacks, because I was starving all the time. This is my take on a random granola bar recipe. Feel free to mix up the "add-ons"...different nuts (I used cashews the last time I made them), chocolate chips, all raisins or cranberries, etc. These are really, really good...not too sweet, crunchy, and just all together yummy. Make sure you have the full amount of honey...I was a bit short the last time I made them and they turned out a bit dry (as seen in the above photo).

yield: 20 bars

2 cups oats
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup wheat bran or wheat germ, or 2 Tbsp of each
1/4 cup flaxseed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil; coat with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, mix together oats, flours, and next 8 ingredients (through cinnamon). In a separate small bowl, mix together oil, honey, egg, and vanilla, stirring well with a whisk. Pour oil mixture into oat mixture and mix well. Press into prepared pan.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350° or until bars are golden brown. Cool completely; turn out onto a cutting board and cut into bars.

Buttermilk Quick Bread

This bread is just a little sweet and it's got a spongy texture. It uses things you probably have in your pantry/refrigerator, and is so quick and easy to make. It may be a new staple around here when I want a quick bread to go with dinner!

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light
yield: 1 loaf

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour through salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Combine buttermilk, butter, and egg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
3. Spread batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Apple Buttermilk Custard Pie

This is an old standby of mine: an apple pie that's better served cold than warm, and definitely doesn't need ice cream. It's been on the blog for almost 3 years now, but in light of a new camera and therefore a better photo, and a recent desire for apple pie, I'm highlighting it today.

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light
yield: 10 servings

Filling:
6 sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 lbs)
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Streusel:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 Tbsp chilled butter

1 9-inch pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Place apples, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in non-stick skillet. Cook 10 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Pour into prepared pie crust.
3. In medium bowl, combine remaining sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, salt and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.
4. While pie cooks, make streusel. Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut butter in with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Store in fridge until pie is done baking for 30 minutes.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. Let cool at least an hour before serving.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

I made this for dinner tonight and it. is. yummy. Kind of tangy but not too tangy. Light and healthy. (We ate it over brown rice and with green beans.) Easy. Delicious. I will be making it again.

Original recipe credit: allrecipes.com
yield: 6 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

1. Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle each chicken breast with pepper and place on top of onions/garlic; cook 5 minutes on each side.
2. While chicken cooks, combine balsamic vinegar, diced tomatoes, basil, and oregano in a small bowl, stirring well. Pour over chicken, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Barbecue Sauce

Ahh, the elusive quest for a good barbecue sauce recipe. We always liked Sweet Baby Ray's in the States, but here when the desire for barbecue hits I have to make my own sauce. It's taken me a few months to meld various recipes together into one that we like that can be made with things bought here. Finally, success.

yield: 3 cups

1 cup ketchup
200 grams (4/5 cup) tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp apple vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp chili powder

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ketchup, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, and molasses. Heat until boiling; add remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Reduce heat to low; simmer at least 20-30 minutes or until thickened.

Coleslaw

I've been trying for awhile to perfect my coleslaw recipe... something not too runny, not too sweet, not too onion-y (I don't like raw onions), etc. Here's the final result. Yum.

yield: 12 1/2-cup servings

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp vinegar (I used apple vinegar)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 cups shredded cabbage
2 carrots, finely shredded

1. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, and next 6 ingredients (through pepper). Stir in cabbage and carrots. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

Tarragon Chicken "Pot Pies"

This is one of our favorite dishes around here these days: it's quick and easy to make, features three food groups, and just tastes fabulous. Even our 14-month-old loves it!

yield: 4 servings

2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 lb chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
3 carrots, sliced
2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved and sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp tarragon
4 kaiser rolls*

1. Place flour in a small bowl; slowly add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add chicken broth, stirring well.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add onion and chicken. Sauté 2 minutes; stir in carrot and next 4 ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 4 minutes. Stir slurry into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
3. Cut the tops off of the rolls. Hollow out, leaving 1/2-inch shells. Spoon chicken mixture into each shell.

*You can also use regular French bread...just tear in into pieces and put in the bottom of a bowl and spoon chicken mixture on top of the bread*

Oat Muffins

Mmm... these muffins are SO yummy! They're kind of chewy and not too sweet; perfect for a healthy afternoon snack. I meant to toss in a tablespoon of flaxseed but forgot, and I think they'd be really good with a cup of chopped apples as well.

yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oats
3 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine buttermilk through egg in a medium bowl; stir well.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk mixture; stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Marshmallow Meltaways

We still have some marshmallows left from the package my mom sent us back in December, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with them. Allrecipes.com did not disappoint. A few minor adjustments to their original recipe and yum. Shannon claims they're better than chocolate chip cookies. Get a full glass of milk, whatever you think, because these are rich and sweet.

yield: 3 dozen

Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
18 large marshmallows, halved

Frosting:
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp peppermint extract (option, if you want Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Meltaways)
3 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cookies, cream together butter and sugar in a mixer on medium speed; add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until combined and soft dough forms.
3. Using your hands, roll dough by the tablespoonful gently into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough slightly with your hand. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, press one marshmallow half onto the top of each cookie, and return to oven. Bake 2 minutes; remove from oven and cool cookies on a wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, using a mixer on medium-high speed, combine butter, milk, cocoa, and salt (and peppermint extract, if you choose) in a large bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until well combined. Frost cooled cookies. Enjoy with a large glass of milk.

Spanish Rice

After trying what seemed like a million different recipes for Spanish rice, adding different amounts of jalepeños, tomato sauce, and spices, I finally came up with this recipe, which for me has the perfect amount of spiciness and not too much of the other things, like onions or tomato sauce.

yield: 4-5 servings, or about 2 1/2-3 cups

1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup white rice
1 large jalepeño, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add rice, stirring well, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until rice has browned a bit and starts to puff.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Black Beans

We can't get black beans in Turkey, but I have a small supply thanks to some friends who brought me some out of Russia. I hoard them until we have Mexican food for dinner. And then I make a vat. These are simple to make, full of fiber, and make a complete protein if you serve them with rice. Yum.

yield: about 4 cups

2 cups dried black beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place beans in a large stockpot and cover with at least 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight.
2. Rinse beans and return to pot. Add onion, salt, and water to 2-3 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours, or until soft, adding more water if necessary.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Vegetarian Lasagna is a healthy and tasty alternative to regular, meat-and-cheese-filled lasagna. This lasagna is full of healthy vegetables, homemade marinara sauce (although you could use store-bought instead), and just enough cheese.

yield: 6 servings

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups diced carrot
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chopped spinach
3 cups marinara sauce
2 Tbsp pesto
2 cups cottage cheese (or in my case, 1 cup yogurt mixed with 1 cup feta-esque cheese)
6 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms through spinach; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
3. Combine pesto and cottage cheese in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture in the bottom of an 9 x 13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over vegetable mixture. Top noodles with half of the cottage cheese mixture and half of the vegetable mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
4. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Easy Marinara Sauce

Homemade marinara sauce is the perfect addition to lasagnas, spaghetti, or even as pizza sauce. You can use this sauce anytime a recipe calls for jarred pasta sauce, like Prego or Ragu. This sauce is extremely easy to make, uses basic pantry ingredients, and tastes better than store-bought sauce.

yield: 5 cups

2 14.5 oz cans tomatoes
2 14.5 oz cans tomato pureé
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. Place diced tomatoes in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chunky.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until it begins to brown. Add tomatoes, puree, and remaining ingredients, stirring well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.

Homemade Salsa

I'm not from salsa-eatin' territory, so I'm not sure how good this really is, or if it's more like pico instead of salsa, but we enjoyed it. I'd never made salsa before and many of the "normal" salsa ingredients aren't available on this side of the world, so this is my first attempt. We like it.

yield: about 3 cups

3 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine. Let sit for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend.

***If I could, I would add a bit of lime juice and maybe some cilantro. Alas, cilantro is never available in Turkey and I couldn't find any limes this time either.***

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Low in fat, high in veggies, and utilizing simple ingredients, this soup is a great addition to your winter soup repertoire.

yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup dried red lentils
1/2 cup dried green lentils
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium/large)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped carrot (about 4)
2 cups shredded cabbage
4 cups chicken broth
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp curry powder

1. Place lentils in a bowl; cover with water. Soak for at least an hour, or overnight (this step is not necessary, it just reduces the cooking time, therefore saving time and energy). Drain and rinse lentils.
2. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining ingredients and pre-soaked lentils; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour or until lentils and vegetables are tender.

Easy Spaghetti Sauce

This spaghetti sauce is very easy and involves no chopping, using simple pantry ingredients. Add chopped mushrooms if you like.

yield: 6 servings

1 pound ground beef
2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 14.5-oz cans tomato sauce (600 grams)

1. Brown ground beef in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drain off fat; rinse well.
2. Combine beef and remaining ingredients in a large stockpot; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Basil Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe is deliciously easy.

yield: 4 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped tomatoes
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup sliced, fresh basil
1 tsp salt
12 oz spaghetti, cooked
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken, basil, and salt; stir well. Cover saucepan, reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Add spaghetti to tomato mixture; toss to combine. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our peanut butter from the States was calling, and these resulted. Whole wheat flour makes them healthy, right?

yield: 5 dozen

1 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine sugars, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs; beat 1 minute. Add flour mixture and chips; beat until blended.
4. Drop dough by tablespoons apart onto un-greased baking sheets (you can put 15 on a pan...they don't spread very much). Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.