Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Honey Sauced Chicken (Crockpot Recipe)

2012-02-07T20:48:00.002+02:00

Mmm. I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it sounded good (and easy). Now we have a new addition into the Scarbrough dinner rotation. A little sweet, a little tangy, this dish is extremely easy and fast to prepare.

Yield: 4 servings

Original recipe credit: mmm...cafe

4 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp onion flakes

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken; put into crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces; return to crockpot. Toss chicken well in sauce. Serve over rice.

Baked Oatmeal

2012-01-31T13:51:00.000+02:00

I originally found this recipe floating around on Pinterest and have made it a few times, modifying it each time (because the original calls for 3/4 cup sugar and it's only like 4 servings!). I've finally gotten it to a place where we still think it's great, and it's plenty sweet. Try your oatmeal this way...it's a bit hit around here!

Yield: 4 servings

Original recipe credit: On The Eastern Journey

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups oats

2 cups chopped fruit of your choice (we like either apples or pears)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and next 7 ingredients (through cinnamon). Stir in oats. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Top with chopped fruit. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Chicken and Biscuits

2011-12-29T19:58:00.000+02:00

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

2011-11-09T20:49:00.001+02:00

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

2011-10-17T21:09:00.003+03:00

Sorry...no photo this time. 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

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 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

2011-10-16T20:50:00.000+03:00

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

2011-10-11T13:29:00.006+03:00

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

2011-10-07T07:37:00.002+03:00

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

2011-09-27T20:07:00.004+03:00

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

2011-07-03T16:17:00.004+03:00

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

1 small can sweet corn, rinsed and drained

Garnishes (to taste)

crushed tortilla chips or slice 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.

Tuna Salad

2011-06-29T20:50:00.004+03:00

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

2011-06-13T18:38:00.009+03:00

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

2011-06-05T20:35:00.001+03:00

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

2011-06-05T19:12:00.001+03:00

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

1 1/2 cups white flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup 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

2011-06-05T13:50:00.001+03:00

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

2011-05-26T20:05:00.003+03:00

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

2011-05-26T20:00:00.006+03:00

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

2011-04-20T21:47:00.000+03:00

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

2011-04-01T20:07:00.000+03:00

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, skip the brown sugar (I forgot to add it last time and they were still good), 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 brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup wheat bran
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

2011-03-30T12:24:00.000+03:00

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

2011-03-29T13:35:00.003+03:00

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

2011-03-28T19:55:00.005+03:00

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

2011-03-28T13:11:00.002+03:00

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

2011-03-27T14:36:00.006+02:00

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"

2011-03-25T19:07:00.001+02:00

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

2011-03-21T19:08:00.002+02:00

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. I'll let you know how that turns out when I make these again...probably later this week.

yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oats
3 Tbsp canola 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

2011-03-17T08:12:00.002+02:00

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.

Mexican Rice

2011-03-07T18:08:00.000+02:00

After trying what seemed like a million different recipes for Mexican 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

2011-03-07T17:52:00.001+02:00

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

2011-03-06T14:22:00.001+02:00

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

2011-03-06T14:03:00.006+02:00

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

2011-03-01T13:42:00.004+02:00

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

2011-02-07T11:12:00.000+02:00

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

2011-02-05T09:25:00.009+02:00

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

2011-01-19T12:27:00.005+02:00

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

2011-01-18T15:43:00.000+02:00

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.

Yeast Rolls

2010-12-27T20:36:00.002+02:00

Doesn't everyone need a good yeast roll recipe for all those holidays we celebrate which focus on meat and potatoes and gravy, with rolls used to slop up all the leftovers? This is that recipe. Be sure not to overcook them...as soon as they start turning golden they're done.

Yield: 16 huge rolls

1/2 cup hand-hot water (you should be able to hold your finger in it without recoiling from the heat)
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/3 cup white sugar, divided
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup hand-hot water. Let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat milk until it just bubbles. Dissolve remaining sugar and salt into milk, and stir in butter until it melts. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.
3. Add butter mixture and egg to yeast mixture, stirring well to combine. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When dough becomes too thick to stir, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading remaining flour in. Dough should be slightly tacky. Return dough to bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled.
4. Punch dough down and let rest 1 minute. Divide dough in half. Turn out half of dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll into a large circle. Cut circle into 8 or more sections (like pie pieces). Brush with melted butter and roll each triangle up, starting with the large side. Place on ungreased baking sheets, point side down. Repeat with second half of dough. Cover rolls with a slightly damp cloth and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Bake rolls at 350° for 10 minutes or until starting to turn brown on top. Do not overbake: they will be dry.

Chicken and Rice Soup

2010-12-27T20:11:00.004+02:00

This soup is fantastic. Forgive the white rice in the above photo...I do usually use brown rice. This is the perfect recipe to use up leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. The perfect one. Trust me.

yield: 6 2-cup servings

2 Tbsp butter
6 celery stalks, sliced (leaves too)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large carrots, quartered and diced
2 cups roasted chicken or turkey
12 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes (the big ones)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup brown rice

1. In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add celery, onion, and carrots; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 40 minutes or until rice is done.

Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole

2010-12-16T16:16:00.008+02:00

I have a confession to make: I've never been a huge 'breakfast casserole' fan. There's just something about loads of cheese and pre-made hashbrowns combined with sausage and eggs that just doesn't make me drool with anticipation. But a friend of mine made a breakfast casserole with feta and tomatoes and spinach that I actually liked, and it inspired me to try my own. Here's the result. Shannon said it was the best breakfast casserole he's ever had. I think it's pretty great myself, but I'd recommend it for breakfast-for-dinner as opposed to actual breakfast (as I'm not a big fan of broccoli in the mornings).

yield: 6 servings

1/2 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup crumbled feta
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup milk
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In large bowl, stir together French bread, feta, and mozzarella. In a separate small bowl, combine milk, eggs, and egg whites.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, and onions; sauté 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in basil, oregano, pepper, and salt. Add to French bread mixture, stirring well to combine.
4. Pour French bread mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven, baking 15-20 more minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

2010-11-05T16:10:00.008+02:00

These muffins are *just* sweet enough and chock full of healthy stuff: flaxseed, wheat bran, and walnuts, among others. These are a perfect snack because they're not too sweet and there's no guilt in eating one!

yield: 24 muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup pumpkin purée
2 eggs
2 cups apples, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In large bowl stir together flours, sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through salt).
3. In small bowl stir together buttermilk, oil, pumpkin, and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring well to combine. Stir in apples, walnuts and raisins. Spoon batter into 24 muffin tins coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes in muffin tins before removing from tins.

Pancake Syrup

2010-10-30T11:14:00.005+03:00

Homemade pancake syrup, stored in an old Nutella jar. :-) I got this recipe from AllRecipes.com, and while it's extremely sweet, it's pretty good when you can't buy syrup in the store (or aren't willing to pay the equivilent of $15 for a bottle).

yield: almost 2 cups

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple extract

1. Combine sugar, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and maple extracts. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Zucchini Bread

2010-10-20T20:48:00.001+03:00

Zucchini muffins make a great snack! They're even better if you freeze them first...

yield: 2 loaves (or 1 loaf and 18 muffins, which is what I usually do)

3 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1-1/2 cups skim milk
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Press zucchini on several layers of paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; set aside.
3. Combine oats with flour, sugar, walnuts, and next 6 ingredients (walnuts through nutmeg) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add zucchini; stir. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Divide batter evenly between two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-10-07T21:40:00.003+03:00

Nothing makes you feel quite like you're at home like good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies!

yield: 4 dozen

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

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg whites; beat 1 minute. Add flour mixture and chips; beat until blended.
4. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.

Minestrone Soup #2

2010-10-03T19:40:00.006+03:00

This morning was cool and made me want soup. I modified my previous Minestrone Soup recipe...I like this one better. It could still use more spinach (maybe 8 cups total) and I'd use a different noodle...maybe shells or alphabet.

yield: 8 1-1/2 cup servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups diced zucchini
2 1/2 cups cubed peeled potato
1 1/2 cups (1 large handful) cut green beans
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
2 14-5-oz cans cannelloni beans
4 cups torn spinach
1 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 1/2 minutes or until tender. Add broth through beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add spinach and orzo; cook 5 minutes or until orzo is done and vegetables are tender. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

***For gluten-free option, omit pasta.***

Apple Walnut Cake

2010-09-24T14:38:00.004+03:00

Dense and chewy, this apple cake is a great fall treat.

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light
yield: 9 servings

1/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups diced peeled apple
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Fill a bowl with water; place raisins inside to soak.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until sugar dissolves. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir until well blended. Drain raisins and squeeze out extra water. Stir apple, walnuts, and raisins into flour mixture.
4. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Chicken Stir-Fry

2010-09-20T15:34:00.006+03:00

Stir-Fry is one of those dishes that I rarely made in the States because I didn't have a good recipe. It's good for using up leftover small bits of veggies, so I've become accustomed to adapting my recipe depending on what I have. Last night's version included:

yield: 4 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 bell peppers, chopped
1 large handful of green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
4 carrots, sliced
1 cup water, divided
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch

1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick wok (or skillet) over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until done. Add broccoli and remaining vegetables, stirring to combine. Add 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium, cover the wok, and cook until vegetables are tender, approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add soy sauce and remaining 2/3 cup water to vegetable mixture, stirring well. Push all the vegetable mixture to one side of the wok so that the liquid in the bottom is visible. Using a wire whisk, stir 2 tablespoons cornstarch into water. Stir the whole mixture, coating chicken and vegetables with cornstarch mixture. Serve over rice.

Cran-Raisin Oatmeal

2010-09-19T09:22:00.004+03:00

Warm oatmeal is a nutritious and filling way to begin your day! In this version, the oats are not mushy...they still have texture. So if you like mushy oatmeal, don't make this recipe!

yield: 3 servings

2 cups water
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oats, stirring well. Add remaining ingredients; stir well. Cook until water is absorbed, about 2 or 3 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-09-05T18:06:00.004+03:00

Chicken Noodle Soup: the perfect comfort food on a gloomy day.

yield: 6 2-cup servings

2 Tbsp butter
6 celery stalks, sliced (leaves too)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large carrots, quartered and diced
1 pound chicken breasts
10 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups noodles

1. In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add celery and onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add carrots, chicken, water, bouillon, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil; cook 20 minutes.
2. Remove chicken breasts from soup; let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken. Return chicken to pot. Add noodles; cook 10 minutes or until noodles are done.

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-08-31T08:51:00.004+03:00

Warm and sticky cinnamon rolls are a little time-consuming, but a fantastic treat for special occasions.

yield: 2 dozen rolls

Rolls:
1 cup warm milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 egg
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3 1/2- 4 cups flour

Filling:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

1. To prepare rolls, combine warm milk, sugar, salt, and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes or until frothy.
2. Place 2 1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Add milk mixture, egg, and melted butter, stirring to combine. Gradually add remaining flour until dough is tacky. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding flour if necessary and kneading until dough is no longer sticky. Return to bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, adding flour if necessary and kneading until dough is smooth. Roll out into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle.
2. To prepare filling, while dough rises, combine brown sugar with cinnamon. Stir in walnuts.
3. Brush rolled-out dough with 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture and raisins, leaving a 1-inch margin on 1 of the long sides. Tightly roll up dough lengthwise, starting with the edge that has filling all the way up to it. Press edges to seal. Using a knife, slice roll into 24 pieces. Place rolls in a 9 x 13-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (at least 1 1/2 hours; you can leave them overnight if you want).
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Bake rolls at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in pan.
6. To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

2010-08-27T13:21:00.004+03:00

Moist and buttery, this cake is perfect either alone or topped with fruit (strawberries!) and whipped cream.

yield: 24 servings

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour through salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, alternating, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Spoon batter into two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
4. (optional) Wrap cakes in foil and freeze for up to a month. The cakes will be extra moist after they're thawed.

Chicken Salad

2010-08-14T08:46:00.004+03:00

Sweet grapes, tart cranberries, and crunchy cashews lend to a more complex salad than "just your momma's chicken salad."

yield: 2 servings

1 large chicken breast, cooked, shredded, and cooled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1/2 cup quartered grapes
8 slices hard-crust bread (optional)

1. In large bowl combine chicken, mayonnaise, and honey; stir well. Add in cranberries, cashews, and grapes, stirring to combine. Eat alone or in sandwiches.

Basil-Chicken Sandwiches

2010-08-13T12:39:00.001+03:00

A cool, easy, and delicious chicken sandwich, perfect for hot summer days. Shown here with fresh strawberries and raspberries.

yield: 4 sandwiches (2 servings)

1 large chicken breast, cooked, shredded, and cooled
8 slices hard-crust bread
4 tsp pesto
4 tsp mayonnaise
2 small tomatoes, sliced
2 oz cheese, sliced (I used kaşar, since that's what's available here)
12 fresh basil leaves

1. Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto on each of 4 slices of bread. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on each of the remaining slices of bread.
2. Top each slice of pesto-smeared bread with chicken, cheese, tomato slices, and 3 basil leaves. Top with mayonnaise-smeared bread.

*I will confess, I stole the idea for this recipe from a friend. But the improvisations (and improvements, in my opinion) were all my own. :-)

Cran-Walnut Banana Bread

2010-08-12T13:01:00.005+03:00

Oh. My. Yum. I got bored with regular banana bread and decided to experiment. This banana bread is full of healthy extras and pairs tart cranberries with sweet chocolate chips.

yield: 1 loaf

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Combine flours, wheat bran, flaxseed, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk.
3. Beat sugar and butter together in large bowl until blended. Add eggs, stirring well. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; beat until just moist. Stir in walnuts, chocolate chips, and cranberries. Pour into loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Zesty Cheese Pizza

2010-08-06T16:46:00.004+03:00

A cheese pizza with a bit of a kick, utilizing kasseri cheese (or "kaşar" in Turkish) which is widely available in Turkey.

1 pizza crust
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp pepper, divided
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz diced tomatoes
10 oz kasseri (kaşar) cheese

1. Combine oregano, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 tsp pepper; set aside.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add salt, remaining pepper, garlic, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until thick.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. Top pizza crust with tomato mixture and cheese; sprinkle with oregano mixture. Bake at 400° 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Tangy Pasta with Feta

2010-07-26T16:57:00.004+03:00

Tangy balsamic vinegar and mustard contrast wonderfully with sweet grapes in this light, summery dish.

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light
yield: 4 1&1/2-cup servings

3 cups uncooked bow-tie pasta
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 cup green grapes, halved
1/3 cup sliced fresh basil
2 Tbsp green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Cook pasta and drain. Combine pasta, tomatoes, grapes, basil, and green onions in a large bowl.
2. While pasta cooks, combine vinegar through pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil to vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Add cheese; toss to combine.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

2009-11-20T04:30:00.006+02:00

A thick and creamy soup, wonderful on a cold day and immensely satisfying.

yield: 4 1-1/2ish cup servings

1 medium-large onion, chopped
5-6 cups chopped broccoli
3 cups chicken broth
2 tsp dried minced garlic
2 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 slices American cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet (or Dutch oven, if you have a nonstick one) coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and broccoli; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken broth and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10 minutes.
2. Whisk together milk and flour in a medium bowl; add milk mixture, salt, and pepper to broccoli mixture. Return heat to medium-high. Stir mixture constantly until it's been boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until they melt.

**If you want to, you can blend some (about 1/3 to 1/2) of the soup in a blender to eliminate some of the large chunks. It's not necessary if you chop your broccoli and onions small enough in the beginning, in my opinion.**

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-12T01:29:00.003+02:00

Pumpkin with a hint of lemon. Yum.

yield: 12 servings

Crust:
2/3 cup flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp ice water

Filling:
1 8-oz block fat-free cream cheese
1 8-oz block 1/3-the-fat cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cups pumpkin
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. To prepare crust, combine 2/3 cup flour and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With food processor going, pour ice water through the chute, mixing until blended. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
4. To prepare filling, beat cream cheeses together in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar through pumpkin to cream cheese mixture, beating until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour cheese mixture over crust. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until almost set (slightly wiggly in center, but not too wiggly). Turn oven off; slightly open oven door. Let cheesecake sit in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2009-11-11T06:15:00.003+02:00

Crispy and sweet with a hint of chewiness, these biscotti are better for dunking in hot tea than coffee.

yield: 2 dozen

2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chocolate chips
4 tsp canola oil
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour through chocolate chips. In a small bowl, combine oil through eggs. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well combined (dough will be very crumbly). Turn the dough out onto a flat surface; knead 7-8 times or until dough sticks to itself. Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch long roll. Place rolls on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.
3. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Slice each roll diagonally into 12 slices. Place slices, cut side down, back onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes; turn biscotti over and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-10-31T05:00:00.006+02:00

Perfect for an autumn breakfast treat, the pumpkin flavor in these is brought out by pancake syrup. Add a dollop of whipped cream for a special treat!

yield: 8 pancakes

1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
almost 1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin purée

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour through ginger, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk, egg, and pumpkin, stirring well with a whisk until combined.
2. Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a griddle at medium-high heat. Cook pancakes 2-3 minutes, or until bubbles form in the batter and steam starts to rise, then flip pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes. If you are unsure if they're done, you can poke the pancakes with a sharp knife to see if it comes out clean.

***If you like chocolate chips in your pancakes, sprinkle about a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips into each pancake after you've poured 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle.***

Chocolate Biscotti

2009-10-31T04:50:00.001+02:00

Crunchy, crumbly, and oh-so-chocolaty, these biscotti are perfect for dunking in coffee or hot chocolate.

yield: 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour through salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine vanilla, eggs, and egg white in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir until well blended. Divide dough in half. Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. With floured hands, shape each dough half into a 12-inch-long roll; pat to 1/2-inch thickness.
3. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 12 1/2-inch thick slices. Carefully stand slices upright on baking sheet. Bake biscotti 15 more minutes or until almost firm. Remove biscotti from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

Chili Enchiladas

2009-10-27T23:08:00.004+02:00

yield: 6 servings (2 enchiladas)

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-0z can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz bag frozen soy crumbles, thawed, or 12 oz ground beef
3/4 cup salsa
1/3 cup (3 oz) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 10-oz can enchilada sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in cumin through soy crumbles/ground beef; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in salsa; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and add cream cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread 1/3 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/3 cup black bean mixture down center of each tortilla and roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, in dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Peach-Blueberry Cobbler

2009-07-14T00:23:00.007+03:00

yield: 8 servings

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups chopped peeled peaches
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/2 cup sugar through salt in a large bowl. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice, stirring gently to combine. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.
3. While filling bakes, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist.
4. Remove dish from oven; drop dough onto peach/blueberry mixture to form 8 rounds. Sprinkle dough evenly with remaining sugar. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies

2009-07-08T20:27:00.008+03:00

Moist and light, these cookies are similar in taste to pumpkin bread but have the texture of cake.

yield: 2 dozen cookies

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned or puréed pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
dash of ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine four through salt in a small bowl; stir well.
3. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and butter; beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin; mix again until well combined. Add milk, vanilla, and egg whites; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture; stir until combined.
4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until almost firm. Cool on pans 1 minute; transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
5. To prepare the glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon; stir well with a whisk. Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze. Return the cookies to wire racks and let the glaze set.

Michelle's Fantabulous Smoothie

2009-07-07T20:10:00.005+03:00

yield: 1 serving

I am a smoothie connoisseur. I love them. I love the fruit and the juice, blended together to create something that tastes delicious and is refreshing and...smooth. However, in all my years of trying smoothies at various places, I have yet to find one that tastes as good as my own. So, it is after much deliberation and consideration that I bequeath unto you all my favorite way to eat summer fruit.

1/2 banana, sliced
1 peach, skinned
1/4 cup blueberries
4 strawberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1. Place all ingredients in a blender; blend. Drink. Ahh.

**These fruits can be modified to suit one's taste; i.e., you can, if you prefer, experiment with raspberries, blackberries, nectarines, etc. However, I personally think that other berries have too many seeds. Cherries, however, are wonderful in this. The banana and yogurt are crucial, the orange juice helps it not be too thick or too sweet. The recipe is best if at least one of the berries is frozen, because that makes the drink cooler and more refreshing. Enjoy!**

Flaxseed Honey Cakes

2009-03-07T17:12:00.003+02:00

Sweeter than regular pancakes, these will need less syrup than "regular" pancakes. They pack added nutrition from the flax seed and whole wheat flour too!

yield: 4 servings

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp flax seed
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp honey

1. In medium bowl combine flours through salt; stir with a whisk. Add egg, buttermilk, oil, and honey, stirring until combined well.
2. Pour batter in 3-inch circles on a griddle over medium heat. Cook until small bubbles form near the center of the pancakes; flip. Cook until pancakes are rising and poofy. Remove from griddle and repeat with remaining batter. Top with syrup and enjoy!

**WARNING**
The honey in the pancakes make them burn more easily than regular pancake batter. Have patience and turn the burner to a lower temperature than you usually would when making pancakes. With regular pancakes I usually set mine to "7" or "8"...with these even at "5" I had a difficult time not burning them.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

2009-02-19T04:53:00.006+02:00

yield: 6 servings

1 cup thinly sliced onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
15 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup shredded queso blanco

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; stir in beans. Add broth, salsa, and green chillies to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. Place half of tortilla strips in the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Cool Creamy Chocolate Dessert

2009-02-19T04:43:00.007+02:00

Cold, creamy pudding, cream cheeses, and whipped topping combine for a smooth, delicious, and refreshing dessert. This is the perfect dessert for a party or summer holidays.

yield: 15 servings

Crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) 1/3-the-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) fat-free cream cheese
1 8-oz carton whipped topping, thawed
3 cups 1 % milk
2 3.9-oz packages chocolate instant pudding mix
cocoa (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare crust, combine flour and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in food processor; pulse 3 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans. Firmly press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool completely.
3. To prepare filling, place 1 cup powdered sugar and cream cheeses in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Fold in half of whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled crust. Cover loosely and refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Combine milk and pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until pudding is set. Spread pudding mixture over cream cheese layer. Spread remaining half of whipped topping over pudding layer. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cocoa if desired.

Crock-Pot Chili #2

2009-02-10T22:32:00.005+02:00

yield: 4 1-1/2 cup servings

1 lb ground meat (turkey or beef)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat and onion; cook until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain fat.
2. Place onion mixture, chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, beans, and salsa in a crock pot; stir. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Top each serving with shredded cheese.

German Apple Pancake

2009-02-07T17:13:00.005+02:00

Original recipe credit: Cooking Light
yield: 6 servings

Batter:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup egg substitute
1 cup fat-free or 1% milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Apple Mixture:
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup thinly sliced Granny Smith apple

Remaining Ingredient:
1 Tbsp powdered sugar

1. To prepare batter, combine flour, baking powder, 1 Tbsp sugar, salt, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. In a small bowl, combine egg substitute, milk, butter, and vanilla, stirring with a whisk. Add egg substitute mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425°.
3. To prepare apple mixture, coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; sprinkle evenly over sides and bottom of pan. Arrange apple in an even spokelike layer in pan. Sprinkle apple with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Slowly pour batter over apple mixture.
4. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°; bake an additional 13 minutes or until center is set.

Carefully loosen pancake with a spatula. Gently slide pancake onto a serving platter. Sift powdered sugar over top. Cut into 6 wedges; serve immediately.

Tomato Soup

2009-01-31T00:33:00.009+02:00

I never liked tomato soup until moving to Poland, and then after moving back to the U.S. find most tomato soup to be bland and texture-less. This soup combines great texture with great flavor. Pair with a salad and baguette or warm sandwich for a great lunch. Thanks to Marci for the recipe!

yield: 6 servings

1 medium-large onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5-oz cans chicken broth (or 3 1/2 cups)
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper
fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Sauté onion, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until tender but not brown.
2. Add tomatoes and broth; heat just until boiling.
3. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches.
4. Return soup to pan. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Top each serving with cheese.

Crock Pot Roast

2008-12-20T20:55:00.008+02:00

yield: 4 servings

2 lb chuck roast
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 small onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup flour

1. Trim excess fat from roast. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast, cooking on all sides approximately 1 minute or until browned.
2. Place potatoes through basil in a large crock pot. Place roast on top of vegetables. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. To prepare gravy, combine 1/2 cup cold water with flour, or substitute 1/2 cup juices from crock pot.

Crock-Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

2008-12-20T20:49:00.005+02:00

yield: 4 servings

1 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 small potatoes, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 bay leaf
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
16 oz frozen corn
16 oz frozen baby lima beans

1. In a large crock pot, combine all ingredients, stirring well to combine. Cook on low-heat setting for 8 hours.

Spiced Vanilla Cookies

2008-12-19T01:50:00.003+02:00

Sweet and crispy, these are great with tea or coffee.

yield: 44 cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 egg white

1. Combine flour through salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine sugar, butter, and oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and egg white to sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
2. Working with 1 portion at a time, gently press dough into a 4-inch square on heavy-duty plastic wrap. Cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, to a 1/16-inch thickness. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough; freeze 30 minutes
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. Working with 1 portion at a time, remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Turn dough over; remove remaining plastic wrap. Cut with a 2-inch round cutter into 22 cookies; place cookies 2 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portion. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

2008-12-19T01:39:00.005+02:00

Soft and chewy with plump raisins and lots of spices, these cookies are simply delish.

yield: 4 dozen

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
2 Tbsp flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
6 Tbsp stick butter, melted
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp water
1 egg
1 egg white
1 2/3 cups oats
1 2/3 cups raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place raisins in a small bowl; cover with water. Let sit 5 minutes or until plump. Drain water off and squeeze excess water off.
3. Combine flour through nutmeg in a bowl, sifting together or stirring with a whisk. In a large bowl beat brown sugar through egg white together at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Stir in oats, raisins, and pecans. Stir in four mixture.
4. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until firm; transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Espresso Crinkles

2008-12-15T06:02:00.004+02:00

Chocolate and espresso combine to make a tasty, chewy cookie.

yield: 2 dozen

1 cup flour
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
5 1/4 tsp canola oil
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp instant espresso granules
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites

1. Combine flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine oil and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; cook until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Add espresso granules to pan; stir until blended. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl; cool 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, syrup, and vanilla. Add egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring just until combined. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar; place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and almost set. Cool cookies on pan 2 minutes or until set; remove from pan.

Dinner Rolls

2008-12-14T00:27:00.003+02:00

These yeast rolls with a touch of sweetness are great for holiday meals, and as far as yeast breads go, they're easy too!

yield: 12 rolls

2 Tbsp sugar
1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2/3 cup warm water
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 3/4 cups flour, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in butter.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press 2 fingers into the dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough). Punch down dough; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 12 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Place 1 dough ball in each of 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rest 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. Gently brush dough with egg yolk. Bake at 400° for 13 minutes or until browned. Cook in pan on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Remove rolls from pan; serve warm.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-12-14T00:16:00.006+02:00

Chocolate chips and peanut butter costar in this recipe, giving what Shannon calls "the perfect combination" of ingredients. These cookies pair the two deliciously.

yield: 5 dozen cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites
1 egg
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine sugar through egg in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
3. Combine flour through salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

2008-12-01T03:25:00.005+02:00

Gooey brownies with a hint of mint and cheesecake are great for mint-chocolate lovers!

yield: 16 servings

Cheesecake Batter:
1 8-oz block 1/3-the-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 egg
1 egg white
1 Tbsp flour

Brownie Batter:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cheesecake batter, place cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and peppermint extract; beat well. Add egg and egg white; beat well. Add flour; beat just until blended.
3. To prepare brownie batter, combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar through egg; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well blended. Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until blended.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Pour remaining batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Carefully pour cheesecake batter over top; spread evenly to edges. Dot cheesecake batter with reserved brownie batter. Swirl two layers of batters together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until top is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Streuseled Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-26T23:57:00.005+02:00

A pumpkin pie with a moist gingersnap streusel on top calls for no whipped cream, just seconds on the pie!

yield: 10 servings

1 pie crust

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
15 oz unsweetened pumpkin
12 oz evaporated fat-free milk
1 egg
3 egg whites

Streusel:
10 gingersnap cookies
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all filling ingredients (3/4 cup sugar through egg whites) in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until combined. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
3. While pie bakes, place gingersnap cookies in a food processor; pulse until crumbly and the texture of breadcrumbs. Add sugar and flour; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until crumbly.
4. When pie has baked for 35 minutes, remove pie from oven and sprinkle with cookie mixture. Return to oven; bake 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature.

Carrot Soufflé

2008-11-26T23:46:00.004+02:00

Similar to sweet potato casserole in texture and taste, this recipe calls for more-readily-available carrots. A great addition to the typical Thanksgiving feast.

yield: 8 1/2-cup servings

7 cups chopped carrot
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Place carrot in a food processor; process until smooth (you can mash with a potato masher if you don't have a food processor). Combine carrots with sugar through eggs, mixing to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

2008-11-24T03:25:00.004+02:00

A thick, sweet soup, reminiscent of buttery sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving.

yield: 8 servings

3 lbs sweet potato
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 apple (Granny Smith), peeled and thinly sliced
6 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
brown sugar to taste

1. Heat oven to 400°. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet (covered with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up, if you like), and bake until tender, 45 minutes to an hour.
2. While the sweet potatoes bake, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and apple; cook until soft, 10-12 minutes. Add 3 cups water, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
3. Get out the blender! Puree the apple mixture; return to Dutch oven. Add remaining 3 cups water.
4. When the sweet potatoes are tender, scoop out the flesh (or peel off the skins) of the sweet potatoes and add the flesh to the blender, about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time. Add 1 cup of the apple mixture to the blender. Puree; add to Dutch oven. Repeat the process until all sweet potato flesh has been blended with apple/sweet potato mixture. Keep the temperature of the Dutch oven on low throughout this process. Add water until the texture is as thick/thin as you like.
5. Serve hot. Sprinkle with 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp brown sugar.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-10T05:42:00.006+02:00

Crunchy and sweet with the texture of oatmeal cookies but the chocolaty-ness of chocolate-chip, these are sure to be a hit with everyone.

yield: 3 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup oats
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans and cool on wire racks.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2008-11-09T04:24:00.005+02:00

Fluffy and flaky, these biscuits are buttery even without adding butter.

yield: 14 biscuits

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Roll dough into a 1/2-inch-thick 9x5-inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough into thirds (like folding a sheet of paper to put into an envelope). Repeat rolling and folding. Roll dough into a 3/4-inch thickness and cut into 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Chocolate Shortbread

2008-10-29T02:55:00.004+02:00

A crisp and semi-bitter cookie, perfect to go with a cup of tea. Not too sweet, so great for those who don't like chocolate because it's "too rich."

yield: 24 servings

1 cup flour
3 Tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
2. Place sugar, butter, and oil in a medium bowl; mix with hands until combined. Add flour mixture and mix with hands until combined; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325°.
4. Place dough on baking sheet coated with cooking spray; press dough into an 8x5-inch rectangle about 3/8-inch thick. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or just until set. Cut shortbread into 24 pieces. Cool completely.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-29T02:31:00.009+02:00

Warm, moist pumpkin bread is the ideal treat on chilly fall days!

yield: 2 loaves, 12 slices each

3 1/3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 15-oz can (2 cups) pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour through allspice in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. Place sugar, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 9x5-inch load pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans and cool completely.

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

2008-10-29T02:25:00.007+02:00

Sweet, tangy, and chewy, these bars get the balance just right!

yield: 24 servings

Crust:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
6 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp orange juice

Filling:
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 egg white, lightly beaten.

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare crust, combine flours through allspice in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened and crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining mixture into the bottom an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. To prepare filling, combine cranberries through egg white in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Sausage Lentil Stew

2008-10-16T17:57:00.007+03:00

A thick, slightly spicy, hearty stew, perfect for chilly days.

yield: 6 servings

1 lb turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp canola oil
3 cups water
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 14.5-oz can chicken broth
1 cup dry lentils
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
4-oz can chopped green chilies

1. Heat canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; sauté kielbasa, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until vegetables are almost tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Stir in the water, potatoes, chicken broth, lentils, salt, cumin, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and chilies; heat thoroughly.

Cocoa Fudge Cookies

2008-10-06T04:53:00.008+03:00

A moist, chewy, chocolaty cookie perfect to satisfy any chocolate craving.

yield: 2 dozen cookies

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
5 Tbsp butter
7 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; stir in cocoa and sugars. Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Drop by level tablespoons onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm.

Chicken Vegetable Stew

2008-10-06T04:45:00.005+03:00

Thick, spicy, and hearty, this is the perfect easy dinner for cold winter nights.

yield: 7 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups (1-inch cubes) red potato (about 1-1/4 lbs)
3 cups (1/2-inch slices) carrots (about 1 lb)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch pieces) onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
7 cups less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water
16 oz frozen green peas

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Add potato through salt; stir well. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is done.
2. Combine flour and water, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and peas to the chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return chicken to pot; stir to combine.

**For a gluten-free option, simply omit the flour and water addition. It thickens the stew a bit, but is completely optional.**

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup

2008-10-01T03:23:00.004+03:00

A delicious and easy fall soup, filling and savory with a bit of a kick. Great with toasted kaiser rolls.

yield: 6 servings

3 bacon slices
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups cubed peeled seeded butternut squash (about 1-1/2 lbs)
1/4 cup water
4 cups less-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 15-oz cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan; crumble the bacon and set aside.
2. Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water; cook until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in cream, oregano, salt, black pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with bacon.

Greek Spaghetti

2008-09-24T05:22:00.007+03:00

yield: 4 servings

2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups diced tomato
1/2 cup sliced green onions
3 tsp parsley
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomato, onions, parsley, and juice; cook 2 minutes or until heated.
2. Combine tomato mixture, spaghetti, and 3/4 cup feta cheese; toss gently. Top with remaining feta and sprinkle with pepper.

Crock-Pot Chili

2008-09-24T02:12:00.007+03:00

Thick, hearty, spicy chili is the perfect dinner to come home to on a cold day.

yield: 6 1-1/4 cup servings

1 lb ground meat (we like turkey)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-oz can kidney beans, undrained
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Drain grease off; return meat to pan. Add onion and next 7 ingredients; cook 7 minutes or until onion is tender.
2. Place meat mixture in a crock-pot; stir in beans and tomatoes. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hrs. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with cheese.

Eggplant Marinara Pasta Casserole

2008-09-15T02:44:00.007+03:00

yield: 8 servings

6 cups (1/2-inch) cubed eggplant
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 14-oz cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
16 oz uncooked penne pasta
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 (3-inch) piece French bread baguette
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Arrange eggplant on 2 layers of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant with 1 tsp kosher salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with additional paper towels.
2. Preheat oven to 450°.
3. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool.
4. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and garlic to pan. Sauté 6 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add water to pan; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen any browned bits. Stir in basil through diced tomatoes; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Partially cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in eggplant.
5. While tomato mixture simmers, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Add pasta and reserved 1/4 cup water to tomato mixture; stir well. Spoon pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with fontina.
6. Place baguette in a food processor; pulse until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Add Parmesan to processor; pulse 5 times. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over fontina.
7. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Chocolate Mint Bars

2008-09-15T00:32:00.004+03:00

Thick and chewy, mint-lovers will go crazy over these!

yield: 20 servings

Bottom layer:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
16 oz chocolate syrup

Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp fat-free milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bottom layer, combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. In large bowl, combine sugar through chocolate syrup, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 9x13 baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely.
3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar through food coloring in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.
4. To prepare glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 Tbsp butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute or until melted, stirring once. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken Bruschetta

2008-09-10T02:40:00.005+03:00

yield: 4 servings

1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp dried basil
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, and 1/4 tsp salt; sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/8 tsp pepper, tomato, onion, basil, and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes. Serve vegetable mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.

Breaded Pork Cutlets

2008-09-08T00:48:00.003+03:00

yield: 4 servings

2 slices white bread
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
8 2-oz boneless pork chops
1/4 cup flour
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
2. Combine salt, pepper, sage, and thyme; sprinkle over both sides of pork. Place flour in a shallow dish; place egg whites in another shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour, dip in egg whites, and dredge in breadcrumbs. Place pork chops on a wire rack while you heat the 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Lightly coat surface of pork chops with cooking spray; turn over. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until done.

Baked Potato Soup

2008-09-06T18:04:00.004+03:00

yield: 8 1-1/2 cup servings

2 1/2 lbs potatoes
2/3 cup flour
6 cups 2% milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.
3. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8-10 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.

Mocha Fudge Brownies

2008-09-03T05:07:00.004+03:00

Chocolate decadence in the form of a soft, moist brownie.

yield: 16 servings

Brownies:
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp corn syrup
2 tsp butter
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Coat the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Do not coat the sides of the pan.
3. Combine 1 oz chocolate and 3 1/2 Tbsp butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high 1 minute or until chocolate almost melts. Stir until completely melted. Stir in 1 cup sugar through egg.
4. In a large bowl combine flour through salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add chocolate mixture; stir just until moist. Pour into prepared 8-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
5. To prepare glaze, combine 2 Tbsp sugar through butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 40 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring once. Add 1 oz chocolate and stir until chocolate melts. Spread over brownies; cool 20 minutes or until glaze is set.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

2008-09-02T03:36:00.007+03:00

My mom's 25-year-old recipe for spaghetti sauce, usable in many casseroles or lasagnas. More onion, garlic, tomato sauce, etc can be added until it's the right taste/consistency for you.

yield: a pot? about 7 cups?

2 lbs ground meat
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz canned tomatoes
28 oz canned tomato sauce
1 tiny can tomato paste

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook until browned. Remove meat from pan, draining grease. Return meat to pan; add onion and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes or until onions are tender.
2. In a large stock pot combine meat mixture with tomatoes, sauce, and paste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Serve over spaghetti or save for lasagna. Freezes well.

*You can use any combination of ground meat for this recipe: hamburger, turkey, chicken, sausage, or a mixture of two. Our favorite: 1 lb turkey and 1 lb sausage*

Apple Cheesecake

2008-09-01T16:46:00.006+03:00

without the apple topping...
yield: 16 slices

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp egg white
1 Tbsp water

Filling:
1-3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light sour cream
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 8oz blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 8oz block fat-free cream cheese
4 eggs

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp half & half
1-3/4 cup granny smith apples peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 apples)
dash of nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. To prepare crust, mix crust ingredients in a bowl, press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 400° for 6 min. Cool. When cool, wrap the bottom of the springform pan with foil.
3. Reduce oven to 325°.
4. To prepare cake, mix sugar through cream cheeses thoroughly in mixer.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Pour over crust, place springform pan in a dutch-oven or broiler pan with 1-inch hot water. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until the center doesn't wiggle. Cool to room temperature; move to refrigerator and chill 4 hours or until cold.
7. To prepare topping, combine lemon juice, water, and sugar in a saucepan and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is golden colored; add butter and half and half.
8. Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sauté apples until lightly browned; stir in sugar mixture and nutmeg. Serve with cheesecake.

*Note: the apple topping is optional...the cheesecake is great without it!*